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American Morning
The Fight for Iraq; Bolton Floor Fight; 'Surviving Family Vacations'
Aired May 25, 2005 - 08:59 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: The Senate dives back into controversy today with the nomination of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador. Does the president have the votes he needs?
The U.S. launches another offensive to stop a wave of bombings in Iraq, striking at insurgents in the Western Desert.
And in the Michael Jackson trial, the defense expected to rest today. Did Jackson's lawyer deliver what and who they promised? Some answers 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: Welcome back, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, part three of our series called "Surviving Family Vacations." Today we're talking about theme parks.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The wildest rides you can find in this country today, and we'll talk to a guy who -- he makes theme parks his life calling about the best and the best values. Kind of an up-and- down career, huh?
I got more. Stick around. I'm here all week, as a matter of fact.
O'BRIEN: Try the veal.
HEMMER: Tip your waitresses.
Here's Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Would you get me a cab right away, please, so I can get out of here?
HEMMER: Me one, too.
O'BRIEN: Good morning, Jack.
CAFFERTY: The House passed a bill authorizing federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. President Bush says he'll veto it.
The question this morning has to do with the fact that when kids are still being killed in Iraq every day, we've got record budget and trade deficits that are not being addressed, a tax code that nobody can understand and 50 million Americans with no health insurance, is this the kind of stuff the Congress and federal government ought to be focused on?
AM@CNN.com is the e-mail address.
O'BRIEN: Jack, thanks.
Let's get to headlines first, Carol Costello.
Good morning again.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," Michael Jackson's defense is expected to rest its case today. At least that's what they say.
They'll rest it without testimony from the pop star. Jackson's lead attorney confirming Tuesday the entertainer Chris Tucker will be the last defense witness. He's due back on the stand when court resumes less than three hours from now.
Spanish officials are blaming the Basque separatist group ETA for a morning car bombing in Madrid. A warning call was apparently made to a Basque newspaper about 45 minutes before the explosion. An emergency official says at least three people are slightly injured, more than a dozen others are complaining of ear damage.
A convicted murderer has been put to death in Indiana despite his pleas to donate part of his liver to his sister. Gregory Johnson died by lethal injection early this morning. The state's governor said medical experts declared Johnson was not a good donor match.
And we are awaiting word from Georgia about that case involving the so-called runaway bride, Jennifer Wilbanks. The district attorney in Gwinnett County, Georgia, is expected to hold a news conference this morning. He may -- he may announce possible charges against Wilbanks. Authorities in New Mexico have already said she would not face charges there.
Ooh, but she still could in Georgia. I'm betting community service.
HEMMER: You think so?
COSTELLO: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm with you.
COSTELLO: Maybe a fine.
O'BRIEN: Although it's weird that they wouldn't just say it and hold a press conference.
COSTELLO: I know. Why drag this out?
O'BRIEN: Oh, please.
HEMMER: She should throw a party for all those folks who went out and looked for her.
O'BRIEN: It's time to move on, I think.
HEMMER: See you, Carol.
Just before dawn today, the Marines launched a new operation against insurgents in western Iraq, with nearly a thousand U.S. and Iraqi troops taking part. It's called the New Market Offensive. But yet another bloody day in the capital. One civilian killed, eight police commandos wounded from a car bomb in a southern Baghdad neighborhood. Also, two U.S. soldiers injured when their patrol was hit by a roadside bomb.
Who's behind the violence? Why is it ion the uptick?
Our CNN military analyst, Major General Don Shepperd. is live today from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Don, good to see you again. And good morning to you.
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: I want to talk about first Operation Squeeze Play, western Baghdad, Operation New Market, western part of Iraq. What are you hearing about these operations in terms of how long it will they be, if they are deemed successful, before cutting down some of these insurgent attacks?
SHEPPERD: Yes. Well, the Operation Matador, which started at all in western Anbar province, lasted about three weeks, Bill, and it appears this new one, New Market, which is north of the Euphrates River and north -- northwest of Baghdad, will probably last about the same period of time. It's about the same-size force that took place in Matador, and both New Market and Squeeze Play that you mentioned in western Baghdad, all of these operations are based upon new intelligence that's coming in, more, and supposedly better intelligence all the time.
What's happening is the Iraqis themselves are coming forward because they're the ones being killed in the car bombs. And finally, the names, the locations, are coming forward, and the Marines are acting accordingly. Hopefully, we'll also get the Iraqi police and military involved as soon as possible in these western provinces.
HEMMER: Don, do you think the insurgents are getting better? What I mean by that, are they changing their tactics? Is -- are they becoming more effective because of it?
SHEPPERD: These guys are smart, they're very, very adaptive. They will never run out of money and they'll never run out of arms. And, of course, Zarqawi is the big symbol of this whole insurgency. And the Sunnis also profit by this because they're trying to take a place in the new government.
The objective of Zarqawi is to -- is to make sure that the new government is not successful, and, of course, to drive the Americans out, if possible, with their tail between their legs. That's what all of this is about. And there are more and more foreign jihadists as a part of this insurgency, which is disturbing, Bill. It's a disturbing trend.
HEMMER: I don't know if we have a map ready or not. If we do, we'll put it up for our viewers. But short of that, the Anbar province, this wide area in the Western Iraqi Desert, you believe this is now becoming the next Falluja. Explain that, General.
SHEPPERD: It is becoming the next Falluja. And remember, Falluja, we had a large military operation with the Marines that essentially ended up cleaning out that city.
You're going to have to do the same thing in other major cities in western Iraq, which is mainly the Anbar province, which is the stronghold of the Sunni area. It's adjacent to Syria, and a lot of the support for these operations is coming through Syria. Maybe not officially sanctioned by the Syrian government, but certainly they're getting their -- their supplies there, they're getting protection there, they're getting rest there.
And the former Ba'athists from the former regime are located in Syria, and they're the ones behind the insurgency. These places have to be cleaned out.
HEMMER: Take that Syria thought one step further. Do you believe there's a connection between what you just said and what Syria announced this week, that it will no longer cooperate with the U.S. in the war on terror?
SHEPPERD: Yes, absolutely. The ambassador -- the Syrian ambassador said they are no longer going to cooperate at this time.
That's diplomatic-speak for "We're the we're ticked off at what you've been saying about us. We may, if you'll lay off, cooperate with you in the future." But clearly, the pressure that we've been putting on Syria to do meaningful things within their borders, not just rhetoric but meaningful things, has not happened. And we're putting the pressure on them.
HEMMER: Don Shepperd, thanks. Always good to have you. From Tulsa, Oklahoma, today.
SHEPPERD: My pleasure.
HEMMER: Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, the Senate is expected to take up the nomination of John Bolton for U.N. ambassador today. Bolton supporters say he is a seasoned government official, but Democrats charged he doesn't have the diplomatic skills for the job.
Andrea Koppel is live at the State Department for us this morning.
Andrea, good morning. How long before we get a vote there?
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Well, the expectation is that -- at least this is according to my congressional colleague, Ed Henry, who spoke to a senior Democratic source and a senior Republican source -- they're close to hammering out a deal in which there would be the beginning of debate, of possibly 40 hours of debate that would start sometime later this afternoon.
What that would mean is that the Democrats would get 20 hours to continue to beat up on Bolton, and Republicans would get 20 hours equal time to defend him if they wanted to. But obviously this debate only started this afternoon, and you've got at least 40 hours of debate that you're look at. You wouldn't have a vote at least until sometime tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow evening.
The Senate wants to get out of town, Soledad, for Memorial Day Weekend, so they'd probably end up not using that full time. At least Republicans might not.
O'BRIEN: What are the expectations about, Andrea, how close this vote in the end is going to be?
KOPPEL: Well, right now, if there is no filibuster -- and the expectation is that there would not be -- there's the possibility, but the expectation is that there wouldn't be -- you would only need a simple majority. That would mean 51 votes. Republicans have a majority of 55.
Now, Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio made good on his pledge earlier this month to try to convince, to try to sway, other Republicans to vote against the nomination. And he actually wrote a letter earlier this week to his Senate colleagues, in which he essentially goes on to repeat his reservations that he expressed during a Senate Foreign Relations committee debate. And he said, "It's my concern that John Bolton's nomination sends a negative message to the world community and contradicts the president's efforts in these dangerous times. We cannot afford to put at risk our nation's abilities to successfully wage and win the war on terror with a controversial and ineffective ambassador to the United Nations."
But I spoke with a senior Democratic staffer to Senator Biden of Delaware. And as you know, Biden has been very publicly opposed to the Bolton nomination. And he said even with that Voinovich letter, he doesn't expect to sway any of the remaining Republicans who might have been on the fence.
And so at this moment, Soledad, it looks like Bolton's nomination should be confirmed sometime later tomorrow -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: We will see. Andrea Koppel for us this morning. Andrea, thanks. The Senate may also vote today on Priscilla Owen. She is one of the president's nominees to the federal court. She was cleared by a vote -- for a vote, rather, by the Senate's compromise.
In a visit to the White House on Tuesday, Owen was introduced by President Bush as a "great judge." Today's vote comes after compromise and years of gridlock on some of the president's judicial nominees.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Over four years ago, I put Judge Owen's name up to the Senate for confirmation, the 5th Court of Appeals. Thanks to the good work of the leader, whose work cleared the way, Judge Owen is finally going to get an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Republicans expect that Owen will be approved.
HEMMER: Also, the president threatening to use his veto powers for the first time to keep strict limits on embryonic stem cell research. The House voted Tuesday to expand federal funding for the study of stem cells. The bill supporters hope the research will lead to effective treatments for many diseases and injuries.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS (R), CONNECTICUT: We're talking about science that can heal, cure, save lives. And we're talking about, frankly, new research.
Embryonic stem cell research is just six years old. It's basic research. You need the government to come in. You need the NIH to provide the framework for ethics in this effort. And there's a hope of tremendous progress in health care if this research can continue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: The House vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a potential veto. The Senate has yet to schedule a vote on the measure.
Back to the forecast. If you're traveling today by plane, it could be tough going, on the east side of the country anyway.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: If you're headed for a theme park for your vacation, which park is the best value for your family? Our series continues today, "Surviving Family Vacations." That's next.
O'BRIEN: But first, here's a question for you. Which amusement park is home to the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the whole world? Is it, A, Disneyland, is it B, Busch Gardens, or is it C, Six Flags Great Adventure? We're going to have the answer for you right after the break.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Which amusement park is home to the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the whole world? Well, the answer is C, it's Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. The park's Kingda Ka roller coaster stands 460 feet tall, reaches speeds of up to 128 miles an hour.
The Kingda Ka is just one of the thrills that we're going to talk about this morning in our series "Surviving Family Vacations." As you probably know, not all theme parks are created equal. To help you find the right park at the right price, we have the ultimate insider this morning.
It's Robert Niles. He's the founder of themeparkinsider.com. And he's in Los Angeles.
Nice to see you. Thanks for being with us.
ROBERT NILES, FOUNDER, THEMEPARKINSIDER.COM: Good morning, Soledad. Nice to be with you.
O'BRIEN: Well, thank you very much.
Here are your four picks. You say Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, is a park you really like; LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, California; Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando; and Walt Disney World, which is also in Orlando.
But I've got to tell you, when you look at these prices, $41 for Cedar Point, $44 for LEGOLAND, $59.75 when you're talking about Universal Islands, and Walt Disney World is $60, it seems so expensive to me. What do you think is the best value?
NILES: Well, you've got to look at the fact that there are a lot of other -- other expensive options out there when you're talking about concert tickets that run $60-plus. Here in L.A., a movie ticket can run you $10.
So if you pick the right park for your family, and you're getting a full day of entertainment, a theme park can be a good value. But the key really is making sure you find the right park for your family.
If you've got a lot of thrill-seekers, Cedar Point up in Ohio is a great choice. Roller coaster fans just adore that park.
But if you're looking for something that's more of an immersive environment, a little more interactive environment, say, for kids, than something like LEGOLAND might be a better choice. So you want to make sure you're getting value for your money either way.
O'BRIEN: And those prices are for one-day tickets. Is there any place where you can cut costs? NILES: Absolutely. Many theme parks discount their tickets throughout the year. I think it's very important that people learn to buy their tickets in advance.
Go online, do some research. Look at the official park sites. Look for discounts that might be available online. At the very least, even if you don't get a discounted ticket, by buying in advance, you'll have that ticket in hand and you won't waste time early in the morning in line when you could be going out onto the rides themselves.
O'BRIEN: That, in fact, is your first tip when it comes to making the most of your trip to a theme park. Your next tip after buying your tickets in advance is to plan your trip. Just good common sense, right?
NILES: Absolutely. If you know what you're doing, you're more likely to have a good time because you're not going to spend most of your day trying to make a decision or trying to learn what's in the park.
Theme parks really are for morning people. I always advise people, get there at least about an hour before the park opens because the lines haven't built up at that point. And you can get on a lot of good rides early in the morning and get a lot of value for your day. But if you know what you want to go on, in what order you want to go on things, you can keep yourself from wasting a lot of time wandering around the park, looking for the next thing to do while other people are getting in line.
O'BRIEN: I was surprised by this tip, which is splurge sometimes. When?
NILES: Absolutely. Remember, you're on vacation. You're trying to have a good time.
One of the things that I recommend to people is, go ahead and have that sit-down lunch when you're in a theme park, particularly if you've gotten there early, you've had a hard day riding rides all morning. It's nice to sit down some place air-conditioned where someone will wait on you.
And you can get a sit-down dinner usually much cheaper at lunch than you can at dinner. So why not splurge for the midday meal and then try to economize later in the day.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some of the key attractions, because, really, that's often what brings people to the theme park in the first place. There's the king of coasters, the Kingda Ka, which is at Six Flags, which we mentioned right before we came to you. Have you been on it, do you love it?
NILES: I haven't been on it yet. It just opened this past weekend.
It's very similar to a ride at Cedar Point called Top Thrill Dragster and another ride out here in southern California called X- cellerator. What it does is it takes you from zero to over 120 miles an hour in less than a couple of seconds, then throws you up over 400 feet in the air and plunges you straight back down. So it's a very intense thrill experience.
O'BRIEN: You know, you're smiling as you say that, and I'm thinking, oh my god, I would never even think about going on one of those.
How about Busch Gardens? They've got something called the Curse of Dark Castle. What's that?
NILES: That's a very interesting ride. If you remember several years ago these kind of motion simulator rides, where they'd have these little rooms where you see a movie and the room would kind of buck and pitch along in sequence with the -- with the film you were watching, what they've done at Busch Gardens is basically ripped the roof off of that thing, put it on a track, move it through a building and project a lot of 3-D and special effect images around you. So it's really an immersive sensory experience that you've got.
It's kind of similar to a ride down in Orlando, at Islands of Adventure, called the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, which has been our top-rated ride in the world on themeparkinsider for the past several years. So people are really looking forward to the next generation of this type of ride in Williamsburg with Curse of Dark Castle.
O'BRIEN: They always are. Robert Niles is the founder of themeparkinsider.com. Robert, thanks for joining us.
NILES: Thank you so much for having me.
O'BRIEN: My pleasure.
Tomorrow, in the next install installment of our special series, we're going to focus on surviving the family reunion -- Bill.
HEMMER: All about surviving. Thanks, Soledad.
In a moment here, "American Idol" already one of the biggest cash cows in TV. But the billion-dollar franchise is about to get an even bigger cow. A closer look ahead this hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: "Question of the Day." Jack Cafferty's back.
CAFFERTY: Thanks, Bill.
The House of Representatives voting to expand federal funding for stem cell research using human embryos. The bill goes to the Senate. If it gets through there, the president says he will veto it. The potential benefits from stem cell research are huge, but harvesting human embryos to do the research is a tricky moral issue for some.
With all the other problems this nation face, the war in Iraq, porous borders, record deficits, 50 million Americans with no health insurance, the question this morning is, should stem cell research be a priority for Congress?
Joe in Connecticut writes, "I don't have a moral problem with stem cell research. I just don't understand why we, the taxpayer, have to fund the research. Will we share in the profits? Putting public money in private hands, never a good thing."
Michelle in New York writes, "Stem cell research will continue throughout the world, whether Bush and his pals like it or not. And we risk not only falling behind in that research, but losing good scientists, an endangered species, as they leave for countries with better opportunities."
Mark in Michigan writes, "Jack, it's a rare moment, but Congress is trying to do the right thing. At least it shows some Republican members have the guts to oppose the Bush administration and its evangelical supporters."
And Ed in New Jersey writes, "Congress will make a priority of what is politically important at the moment. To quote my 14-year-old daughter, 'Politics... poly, meaning many, and ticks, meaning blood- sucking pests.' We need more government and less politics."
O'BRIEN: Pretty funny a 14-year-old came up with that one.
CAFFERTY: Indeed.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
From California, a dramatic rescue from dangerous waters. A woman and her dog stranded on a rock at a recreation area. Not much known yet about how they got there.
Rescuers first manage to pull the dog to safety, than the woman a bit later. Neither she nor the dog suffered any apparent injuries. All doing just fine in California.
O'BRIEN: That's good to hear.
Well, still to come this morning, the big business of "American Idol." We'll take a look at how a TV talent show became a billion- dollar franchise. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Almost half-past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Come up, it's a pretty big day in the Michael Jackson trial. The defense is expected to rest today after comedian Chris Tucker finishes his testimony.
HEMMER: And today, attorney Anne Bremner's back with us, looking at whether or not Jay Leno delivered what was promised yesterday. And if the defense rests and Jackson doesn't take the stand, what do jurors think?
O'BRIEN: Right. Promises broken, maybe, maybe not.
HEMMER: We'll see.
First, the headlines. And back to Carol Costello for those.
Good morning.
COSTELLO: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," some 1,000 U.S. forces are aiming their firepower at the Iraqi city of Haditha. The assault, known as New Market, started just before dawn in western Iraq. It's aimed at rooting out insurgents in the region. Military sources tell CNN at least four enemy fighters have been killed.
In Baghdad, one civilian was killed in a car bombing. Eight others were injured. Iraqi police the apparent target of that attack.
U.S. officials downplaying reports that terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- you were just seeing his picture -- there are reports out this morning that he has been wounded. The message appear on Islamic Web sites.
It claims Zarqawi suffered a heroic wound and asks his followers to pray for him. Pentagon officials tell CNN they are not able to verify the report and that similar rumors in the past have never been confirmed.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
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Aired May 25, 2005 - 08:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The Senate dives back into controversy today with the nomination of John Bolton as U.S. ambassador. Does the president have the votes he needs?
The U.S. launches another offensive to stop a wave of bombings in Iraq, striking at insurgents in the Western Desert.
And in the Michael Jackson trial, the defense expected to rest today. Did Jackson's lawyer deliver what and who they promised? Some answers 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: Welcome back, everybody.
Also ahead this morning, part three of our series called "Surviving Family Vacations." Today we're talking about theme parks.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: The wildest rides you can find in this country today, and we'll talk to a guy who -- he makes theme parks his life calling about the best and the best values. Kind of an up-and- down career, huh?
I got more. Stick around. I'm here all week, as a matter of fact.
O'BRIEN: Try the veal.
HEMMER: Tip your waitresses.
Here's Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Would you get me a cab right away, please, so I can get out of here?
HEMMER: Me one, too.
O'BRIEN: Good morning, Jack.
CAFFERTY: The House passed a bill authorizing federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. President Bush says he'll veto it.
The question this morning has to do with the fact that when kids are still being killed in Iraq every day, we've got record budget and trade deficits that are not being addressed, a tax code that nobody can understand and 50 million Americans with no health insurance, is this the kind of stuff the Congress and federal government ought to be focused on?
AM@CNN.com is the e-mail address.
O'BRIEN: Jack, thanks.
Let's get to headlines first, Carol Costello.
Good morning again.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," Michael Jackson's defense is expected to rest its case today. At least that's what they say.
They'll rest it without testimony from the pop star. Jackson's lead attorney confirming Tuesday the entertainer Chris Tucker will be the last defense witness. He's due back on the stand when court resumes less than three hours from now.
Spanish officials are blaming the Basque separatist group ETA for a morning car bombing in Madrid. A warning call was apparently made to a Basque newspaper about 45 minutes before the explosion. An emergency official says at least three people are slightly injured, more than a dozen others are complaining of ear damage.
A convicted murderer has been put to death in Indiana despite his pleas to donate part of his liver to his sister. Gregory Johnson died by lethal injection early this morning. The state's governor said medical experts declared Johnson was not a good donor match.
And we are awaiting word from Georgia about that case involving the so-called runaway bride, Jennifer Wilbanks. The district attorney in Gwinnett County, Georgia, is expected to hold a news conference this morning. He may -- he may announce possible charges against Wilbanks. Authorities in New Mexico have already said she would not face charges there.
Ooh, but she still could in Georgia. I'm betting community service.
HEMMER: You think so?
COSTELLO: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm with you.
COSTELLO: Maybe a fine.
O'BRIEN: Although it's weird that they wouldn't just say it and hold a press conference.
COSTELLO: I know. Why drag this out?
O'BRIEN: Oh, please.
HEMMER: She should throw a party for all those folks who went out and looked for her.
O'BRIEN: It's time to move on, I think.
HEMMER: See you, Carol.
Just before dawn today, the Marines launched a new operation against insurgents in western Iraq, with nearly a thousand U.S. and Iraqi troops taking part. It's called the New Market Offensive. But yet another bloody day in the capital. One civilian killed, eight police commandos wounded from a car bomb in a southern Baghdad neighborhood. Also, two U.S. soldiers injured when their patrol was hit by a roadside bomb.
Who's behind the violence? Why is it ion the uptick?
Our CNN military analyst, Major General Don Shepperd. is live today from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Don, good to see you again. And good morning to you.
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: I want to talk about first Operation Squeeze Play, western Baghdad, Operation New Market, western part of Iraq. What are you hearing about these operations in terms of how long it will they be, if they are deemed successful, before cutting down some of these insurgent attacks?
SHEPPERD: Yes. Well, the Operation Matador, which started at all in western Anbar province, lasted about three weeks, Bill, and it appears this new one, New Market, which is north of the Euphrates River and north -- northwest of Baghdad, will probably last about the same period of time. It's about the same-size force that took place in Matador, and both New Market and Squeeze Play that you mentioned in western Baghdad, all of these operations are based upon new intelligence that's coming in, more, and supposedly better intelligence all the time.
What's happening is the Iraqis themselves are coming forward because they're the ones being killed in the car bombs. And finally, the names, the locations, are coming forward, and the Marines are acting accordingly. Hopefully, we'll also get the Iraqi police and military involved as soon as possible in these western provinces.
HEMMER: Don, do you think the insurgents are getting better? What I mean by that, are they changing their tactics? Is -- are they becoming more effective because of it?
SHEPPERD: These guys are smart, they're very, very adaptive. They will never run out of money and they'll never run out of arms. And, of course, Zarqawi is the big symbol of this whole insurgency. And the Sunnis also profit by this because they're trying to take a place in the new government.
The objective of Zarqawi is to -- is to make sure that the new government is not successful, and, of course, to drive the Americans out, if possible, with their tail between their legs. That's what all of this is about. And there are more and more foreign jihadists as a part of this insurgency, which is disturbing, Bill. It's a disturbing trend.
HEMMER: I don't know if we have a map ready or not. If we do, we'll put it up for our viewers. But short of that, the Anbar province, this wide area in the Western Iraqi Desert, you believe this is now becoming the next Falluja. Explain that, General.
SHEPPERD: It is becoming the next Falluja. And remember, Falluja, we had a large military operation with the Marines that essentially ended up cleaning out that city.
You're going to have to do the same thing in other major cities in western Iraq, which is mainly the Anbar province, which is the stronghold of the Sunni area. It's adjacent to Syria, and a lot of the support for these operations is coming through Syria. Maybe not officially sanctioned by the Syrian government, but certainly they're getting their -- their supplies there, they're getting protection there, they're getting rest there.
And the former Ba'athists from the former regime are located in Syria, and they're the ones behind the insurgency. These places have to be cleaned out.
HEMMER: Take that Syria thought one step further. Do you believe there's a connection between what you just said and what Syria announced this week, that it will no longer cooperate with the U.S. in the war on terror?
SHEPPERD: Yes, absolutely. The ambassador -- the Syrian ambassador said they are no longer going to cooperate at this time.
That's diplomatic-speak for "We're the we're ticked off at what you've been saying about us. We may, if you'll lay off, cooperate with you in the future." But clearly, the pressure that we've been putting on Syria to do meaningful things within their borders, not just rhetoric but meaningful things, has not happened. And we're putting the pressure on them.
HEMMER: Don Shepperd, thanks. Always good to have you. From Tulsa, Oklahoma, today.
SHEPPERD: My pleasure.
HEMMER: Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, the Senate is expected to take up the nomination of John Bolton for U.N. ambassador today. Bolton supporters say he is a seasoned government official, but Democrats charged he doesn't have the diplomatic skills for the job.
Andrea Koppel is live at the State Department for us this morning.
Andrea, good morning. How long before we get a vote there?
ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Well, the expectation is that -- at least this is according to my congressional colleague, Ed Henry, who spoke to a senior Democratic source and a senior Republican source -- they're close to hammering out a deal in which there would be the beginning of debate, of possibly 40 hours of debate that would start sometime later this afternoon.
What that would mean is that the Democrats would get 20 hours to continue to beat up on Bolton, and Republicans would get 20 hours equal time to defend him if they wanted to. But obviously this debate only started this afternoon, and you've got at least 40 hours of debate that you're look at. You wouldn't have a vote at least until sometime tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow evening.
The Senate wants to get out of town, Soledad, for Memorial Day Weekend, so they'd probably end up not using that full time. At least Republicans might not.
O'BRIEN: What are the expectations about, Andrea, how close this vote in the end is going to be?
KOPPEL: Well, right now, if there is no filibuster -- and the expectation is that there would not be -- there's the possibility, but the expectation is that there wouldn't be -- you would only need a simple majority. That would mean 51 votes. Republicans have a majority of 55.
Now, Republican Senator George Voinovich of Ohio made good on his pledge earlier this month to try to convince, to try to sway, other Republicans to vote against the nomination. And he actually wrote a letter earlier this week to his Senate colleagues, in which he essentially goes on to repeat his reservations that he expressed during a Senate Foreign Relations committee debate. And he said, "It's my concern that John Bolton's nomination sends a negative message to the world community and contradicts the president's efforts in these dangerous times. We cannot afford to put at risk our nation's abilities to successfully wage and win the war on terror with a controversial and ineffective ambassador to the United Nations."
But I spoke with a senior Democratic staffer to Senator Biden of Delaware. And as you know, Biden has been very publicly opposed to the Bolton nomination. And he said even with that Voinovich letter, he doesn't expect to sway any of the remaining Republicans who might have been on the fence.
And so at this moment, Soledad, it looks like Bolton's nomination should be confirmed sometime later tomorrow -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: We will see. Andrea Koppel for us this morning. Andrea, thanks. The Senate may also vote today on Priscilla Owen. She is one of the president's nominees to the federal court. She was cleared by a vote -- for a vote, rather, by the Senate's compromise.
In a visit to the White House on Tuesday, Owen was introduced by President Bush as a "great judge." Today's vote comes after compromise and years of gridlock on some of the president's judicial nominees.
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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Over four years ago, I put Judge Owen's name up to the Senate for confirmation, the 5th Court of Appeals. Thanks to the good work of the leader, whose work cleared the way, Judge Owen is finally going to get an up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.
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O'BRIEN: Republicans expect that Owen will be approved.
HEMMER: Also, the president threatening to use his veto powers for the first time to keep strict limits on embryonic stem cell research. The House voted Tuesday to expand federal funding for the study of stem cells. The bill supporters hope the research will lead to effective treatments for many diseases and injuries.
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REP. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS (R), CONNECTICUT: We're talking about science that can heal, cure, save lives. And we're talking about, frankly, new research.
Embryonic stem cell research is just six years old. It's basic research. You need the government to come in. You need the NIH to provide the framework for ethics in this effort. And there's a hope of tremendous progress in health care if this research can continue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: The House vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a potential veto. The Senate has yet to schedule a vote on the measure.
Back to the forecast. If you're traveling today by plane, it could be tough going, on the east side of the country anyway.
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HEMMER: If you're headed for a theme park for your vacation, which park is the best value for your family? Our series continues today, "Surviving Family Vacations." That's next.
O'BRIEN: But first, here's a question for you. Which amusement park is home to the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the whole world? Is it, A, Disneyland, is it B, Busch Gardens, or is it C, Six Flags Great Adventure? We're going to have the answer for you right after the break.
Stay with us.
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O'BRIEN: Which amusement park is home to the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the whole world? Well, the answer is C, it's Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey. The park's Kingda Ka roller coaster stands 460 feet tall, reaches speeds of up to 128 miles an hour.
The Kingda Ka is just one of the thrills that we're going to talk about this morning in our series "Surviving Family Vacations." As you probably know, not all theme parks are created equal. To help you find the right park at the right price, we have the ultimate insider this morning.
It's Robert Niles. He's the founder of themeparkinsider.com. And he's in Los Angeles.
Nice to see you. Thanks for being with us.
ROBERT NILES, FOUNDER, THEMEPARKINSIDER.COM: Good morning, Soledad. Nice to be with you.
O'BRIEN: Well, thank you very much.
Here are your four picks. You say Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, is a park you really like; LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, California; Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando; and Walt Disney World, which is also in Orlando.
But I've got to tell you, when you look at these prices, $41 for Cedar Point, $44 for LEGOLAND, $59.75 when you're talking about Universal Islands, and Walt Disney World is $60, it seems so expensive to me. What do you think is the best value?
NILES: Well, you've got to look at the fact that there are a lot of other -- other expensive options out there when you're talking about concert tickets that run $60-plus. Here in L.A., a movie ticket can run you $10.
So if you pick the right park for your family, and you're getting a full day of entertainment, a theme park can be a good value. But the key really is making sure you find the right park for your family.
If you've got a lot of thrill-seekers, Cedar Point up in Ohio is a great choice. Roller coaster fans just adore that park.
But if you're looking for something that's more of an immersive environment, a little more interactive environment, say, for kids, than something like LEGOLAND might be a better choice. So you want to make sure you're getting value for your money either way.
O'BRIEN: And those prices are for one-day tickets. Is there any place where you can cut costs? NILES: Absolutely. Many theme parks discount their tickets throughout the year. I think it's very important that people learn to buy their tickets in advance.
Go online, do some research. Look at the official park sites. Look for discounts that might be available online. At the very least, even if you don't get a discounted ticket, by buying in advance, you'll have that ticket in hand and you won't waste time early in the morning in line when you could be going out onto the rides themselves.
O'BRIEN: That, in fact, is your first tip when it comes to making the most of your trip to a theme park. Your next tip after buying your tickets in advance is to plan your trip. Just good common sense, right?
NILES: Absolutely. If you know what you're doing, you're more likely to have a good time because you're not going to spend most of your day trying to make a decision or trying to learn what's in the park.
Theme parks really are for morning people. I always advise people, get there at least about an hour before the park opens because the lines haven't built up at that point. And you can get on a lot of good rides early in the morning and get a lot of value for your day. But if you know what you want to go on, in what order you want to go on things, you can keep yourself from wasting a lot of time wandering around the park, looking for the next thing to do while other people are getting in line.
O'BRIEN: I was surprised by this tip, which is splurge sometimes. When?
NILES: Absolutely. Remember, you're on vacation. You're trying to have a good time.
One of the things that I recommend to people is, go ahead and have that sit-down lunch when you're in a theme park, particularly if you've gotten there early, you've had a hard day riding rides all morning. It's nice to sit down some place air-conditioned where someone will wait on you.
And you can get a sit-down dinner usually much cheaper at lunch than you can at dinner. So why not splurge for the midday meal and then try to economize later in the day.
O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some of the key attractions, because, really, that's often what brings people to the theme park in the first place. There's the king of coasters, the Kingda Ka, which is at Six Flags, which we mentioned right before we came to you. Have you been on it, do you love it?
NILES: I haven't been on it yet. It just opened this past weekend.
It's very similar to a ride at Cedar Point called Top Thrill Dragster and another ride out here in southern California called X- cellerator. What it does is it takes you from zero to over 120 miles an hour in less than a couple of seconds, then throws you up over 400 feet in the air and plunges you straight back down. So it's a very intense thrill experience.
O'BRIEN: You know, you're smiling as you say that, and I'm thinking, oh my god, I would never even think about going on one of those.
How about Busch Gardens? They've got something called the Curse of Dark Castle. What's that?
NILES: That's a very interesting ride. If you remember several years ago these kind of motion simulator rides, where they'd have these little rooms where you see a movie and the room would kind of buck and pitch along in sequence with the -- with the film you were watching, what they've done at Busch Gardens is basically ripped the roof off of that thing, put it on a track, move it through a building and project a lot of 3-D and special effect images around you. So it's really an immersive sensory experience that you've got.
It's kind of similar to a ride down in Orlando, at Islands of Adventure, called the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, which has been our top-rated ride in the world on themeparkinsider for the past several years. So people are really looking forward to the next generation of this type of ride in Williamsburg with Curse of Dark Castle.
O'BRIEN: They always are. Robert Niles is the founder of themeparkinsider.com. Robert, thanks for joining us.
NILES: Thank you so much for having me.
O'BRIEN: My pleasure.
Tomorrow, in the next install installment of our special series, we're going to focus on surviving the family reunion -- Bill.
HEMMER: All about surviving. Thanks, Soledad.
In a moment here, "American Idol" already one of the biggest cash cows in TV. But the billion-dollar franchise is about to get an even bigger cow. A closer look ahead this hour on AMERICAN MORNING.
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HEMMER: "Question of the Day." Jack Cafferty's back.
CAFFERTY: Thanks, Bill.
The House of Representatives voting to expand federal funding for stem cell research using human embryos. The bill goes to the Senate. If it gets through there, the president says he will veto it. The potential benefits from stem cell research are huge, but harvesting human embryos to do the research is a tricky moral issue for some.
With all the other problems this nation face, the war in Iraq, porous borders, record deficits, 50 million Americans with no health insurance, the question this morning is, should stem cell research be a priority for Congress?
Joe in Connecticut writes, "I don't have a moral problem with stem cell research. I just don't understand why we, the taxpayer, have to fund the research. Will we share in the profits? Putting public money in private hands, never a good thing."
Michelle in New York writes, "Stem cell research will continue throughout the world, whether Bush and his pals like it or not. And we risk not only falling behind in that research, but losing good scientists, an endangered species, as they leave for countries with better opportunities."
Mark in Michigan writes, "Jack, it's a rare moment, but Congress is trying to do the right thing. At least it shows some Republican members have the guts to oppose the Bush administration and its evangelical supporters."
And Ed in New Jersey writes, "Congress will make a priority of what is politically important at the moment. To quote my 14-year-old daughter, 'Politics... poly, meaning many, and ticks, meaning blood- sucking pests.' We need more government and less politics."
O'BRIEN: Pretty funny a 14-year-old came up with that one.
CAFFERTY: Indeed.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
From California, a dramatic rescue from dangerous waters. A woman and her dog stranded on a rock at a recreation area. Not much known yet about how they got there.
Rescuers first manage to pull the dog to safety, than the woman a bit later. Neither she nor the dog suffered any apparent injuries. All doing just fine in California.
O'BRIEN: That's good to hear.
Well, still to come this morning, the big business of "American Idol." We'll take a look at how a TV talent show became a billion- dollar franchise. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Almost half-past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Come up, it's a pretty big day in the Michael Jackson trial. The defense is expected to rest today after comedian Chris Tucker finishes his testimony.
HEMMER: And today, attorney Anne Bremner's back with us, looking at whether or not Jay Leno delivered what was promised yesterday. And if the defense rests and Jackson doesn't take the stand, what do jurors think?
O'BRIEN: Right. Promises broken, maybe, maybe not.
HEMMER: We'll see.
First, the headlines. And back to Carol Costello for those.
Good morning.
COSTELLO: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.
"Now in the News," some 1,000 U.S. forces are aiming their firepower at the Iraqi city of Haditha. The assault, known as New Market, started just before dawn in western Iraq. It's aimed at rooting out insurgents in the region. Military sources tell CNN at least four enemy fighters have been killed.
In Baghdad, one civilian was killed in a car bombing. Eight others were injured. Iraqi police the apparent target of that attack.
U.S. officials downplaying reports that terror leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- you were just seeing his picture -- there are reports out this morning that he has been wounded. The message appear on Islamic Web sites.
It claims Zarqawi suffered a heroic wound and asks his followers to pray for him. Pentagon officials tell CNN they are not able to verify the report and that similar rumors in the past have never been confirmed.
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