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American Morning

Zarqawi Wounded?; Quran Abuse Claims; Interview With Madeleine Albright

Aired May 26, 2005 - 09:00   ET

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

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


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: New developments on the most wanted terrorist in Iraq. The Iraqi government with information this morning Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is wounded.
The Iraq government also preparing a new crackdown on insurgents. Forty thousand troops in the capital for Operation Thunder.

And Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas heading to a meeting with President Bush this morning. We talked to former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who says it's a rare and fleeting chance 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'll talk with Dana Reeve, Christopher Reeve's widow. She has a new book. It's inspired by her husband's life.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We'll get to that in just a bit.

First, back to Jack, too.

What's happening?

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: A little good news. State coffers are beginning to fill with unexpected tax revenue. It's running at record levels. The first time in several years the surpluses are actually turning up.

What we'd like to know is, how should the politicians in your state spend any extra money they come across? AM@CNN.com

O'BRIEN: All right, Jack. Thanks.

First, though, developments out of Iraq. Five attacks in a period of only 70 minutes killed eight people, wounded 11 others this morning. Iraqi officials with some major announcements as well, beginning with some new information on Iraq's most wanted terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Ryan Chilcote live for us in Baghdad this morning.

Ryan, what are the specifics of their announcement? RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, Iraq's interior minister says that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- he's the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, the man that Osama bin Laden reportedly once called the prince of al Qaeda in Iraq -- has been wounded. The interior minister says that he got this information five days ago. He believes the information is true. The interior minister says the only thing he doesn't know is the extent of Zarqawi's injuries.

What's interesting here is we've seen numerous rumors and reports that Zarqawi had been wounded over the last couple of weeks. And every time we asked Iraqi officials, they always told us they simply don't know.

Same thing for the U.S. military. And, in fact, I just spoke with another U.S. military official here who says the military still doesn't know. So it will be interesting to hear what they have to say at the Pentagon today -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ryan, then there's this new major offensive against the insurgents. What do you know about that?

CHILCOTE: A massive offensive. The -- the Iraqi defense and interior ministers announced this operation. They're calling it Operation Thunder.

They say it's going to start next week. That, here in Iraq, could mean Saturday or Sunday.

Perhaps the largest offensive ever involving Iraqi security forces. Forty thousand members of Iraqi's security forces will fan out throughout the Iraqi capital, setting up more than 600 checkpoints.

They say the whole idea of this offensive is to try to stop the violence that we've seen here in the Iraqi capital and other cities. And, of course, as you know, Soledad, more than 600 Iraqis have been killed here since the government was formed on the 28th of last month -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ryan Chilcote for us with an update from Baghdad. Ryan, thanks -- Bill.

HEMMER: Headlines from Iraq, headlines back here in New York. And for those, we go back to Carol Costello.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Thanks, Bill.

Good morning, everyone.

""Now in the News," this just in to CNN. This is a developing situation in Atlanta, Georgia. Let's go right to the pictures right now. You'll see a construction crane. This is a 41-year-old man, his name is Carl Rowland (ph). He climbed up that crane at 5:00 p.m. Eastern yesterday. Police negotiators have been trying to talk him down ever since.

Now, apparently is wanted in Florida for beating and murdering his ex-girlfriend. We don't know what his intentions are. We do know that he just will not come down from that crane.

Now, authorities were going to put a net underneath the crane in case he jumped or fell, but in this case, a net won't work, because he's just too high up in the air. This is taking place on Peachtree Road between West Paces Ferry and Far Road, a very busy in Atlanta. In fact, that's the big Buckhead shopping area.

As you might expect, traffic is absolutely snarled. In fact, it is blocked right now.

Just to keep you informed, we're on a five-second delay. So we're not going to show you anything. If it does unfold tragically we're not going to show you that.

But this man is now walking around. He's climbed up further in the past few minutes, and again, we have absolutely no idea what his intentions are. But we do know police negotiators have been trying to talk him down.

When we get more information on this, or someone live at the scene who can talk to us about this, of course, we'll pass it along to you.

And I'll get to the rest of the news now. We'll go back to this in case anything happens.

Also, the Senate could vote as early as today on the nomination of John Bolton to the United Nations. Republican senators say they are confident Bolton will be approved, but some Democrats say they may want to delay the vote. Bolton has been criticized by some for abusing his power and mistreating workers.

The question of women on the front lines back in the Pentagon's hands. House Republicans dropped a measure that would have limited the role of women in combat. The compromise was part of a $491 billion defense measure passed by the House last night. The Senate votes on its version of the defense bill next month.

An arrest warrant could be issued as early as today for the so- called runaway bride. A grand jury has indicted Jennifer Wilbanks on felony and misdemeanor charges. She could face up to six years in prison.

Wilbanks has been in intensive treatment since returning to Georgia. A plea agreement is always possible.

And again, we're still watching that situation in Atlanta, Georgia, where this man has climbed up a crane so far up in the air that even if they put a net underneath, it wouldn't save his life if he fell.

HEMMER: And the information you're giving here out of Florida is that he's wanted for murder in Pinellas County, Florida?

COSTELLO: His ex-girlfriend, Pinellas County, Florida. Florida authorities have been talking to Atlanta officials.

These are live pictures, again. Earlier, he climbed further up this crane. He was a little farther down. But he's been there since 5:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

Negotiators have been trying to talk him down because at first it was a suicide watch. But now we don't know what his intentions are.

HEMMER: It may still be.

COSTELLO: It may still be.

HEMMER: Apparently, the body of his girlfriend, 36-year-old Jennifer Gonzalez (ph), found beaten to death in a retention pond on Tuesday. He climbs up there yesterday, that's Wednesday afternoon, and here we are now on Thursday morning.

COSTELLO: It's awful. Of course we're keeping an eye on this. If anything happens, I'll come back.

HEMMER: Carol, thanks for that.

COSTELLO: Sure.

HEMMER: There is new information meanwhile about claims that U.S. troops may have abused the Quran at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Want to get to the Pentagon. Jamie McIntyre fills in the details based on what we're learning now.

Jamie, what do you have?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, these new documents released by the ACLU yesterday, part of a lawsuit they have against the U.S. government, have more allegations, and I should underscore "allegations," of Quran mishandling or desecration. But the Pentagon insists that they still have not substantiated any of those allegations.

This particular document talks about a detainee who, back in 2002, claimed that a Quran had been thrown in a toilet or flushed down the toilet, although we're told at that time the facilities actually didn't have flush toilets. But it's not really the point here.

The Pentagon says that they went back and talked to that detainee again just this month and that he cooperated, but failed to corroborate his original complaint. Now, failed to corroborate doesn't mean he retracted or recanted it. Simply that he declined to repeat the allegation. It's not known exactly why.

But the Pentagon is saying that, while there have been dozens of allegations of desecration, they have yet to substantiate any intentional desecration or any policy that would call for the mishandling or desecration of a Quran to rattle the prisoners, or as an interrogation technique. The Pentagon obviously is well aware that not everybody always follows the policies, but at this point they're -- they're continuing to say that they've looked into the allegations when they've come. They say it's a technique of the prisoners to cause problems, to make these kinds of charges, and they say they still don't find any of them credible and none have been substantiated -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jamie, let's try and clarify something here. How does this differ, or how does it add or even detract from the "Newsweek" article that went out a week and a half ago that was later pulled back?

MCINTYRE: Well, the reason the "Newsweek" article was wrong was that it said that the government had confirmed one of these allegations. These allegations have been around for years, but they've never been substantiated. And so that was the mistake in that article. They have not confirmed it.

Now, a lot of people still believe it happened. Critics of the Pentagon believe that they're not doing a good enough job investigating them, or they're simple -- you know, even though they're not substantiated, it may have happened. And that's part of the debate. But what has not happened is none of these cases have yet been substantiated by the U.S. government.

HEMMER: Thanks, Jamie. Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: A Palestinian leader will set foot in the Oval Office this morning for the first time in five years. President Bush agreed to the meeting now that Mahmoud Abbas succeeded Yasser Arafat.

The new Palestinian president will likely get tens of millions of dollars in direct aid. He's also going to ask for assurances that the United States will get the peace roadmap back on track. It was a point that he made clear in a letter that's published in today's "Wall Street Journal."

It says this: "I share President Bush's desire to see democracy and freedom spread throughout the Middle East. On behalf of the Palestinian people, I now call on him to help us, in dialogue with Israel, fulfill our dream of freedom."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Washington this morning.

Nice to see you, Madame Secretary. Thanks for talking with us.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, FMR. SECY. OF STATE: Good to see you, Soledad. O'BRIEN: You're wearing your dove pin. Do I take that to mean that you are hopeful about the outcome of restarting the peace process?

ALBRIGHT: Absolutely. This was given to me by Leah Rabin, and she said it took a lot of doves to make peace in the Middle East. And I do think that there is an opportunity here, a window of opportunity, but it's not going to last very long. And so this meeting, Soledad, is truly important, and I hope that what you've reported is so, is that the administration will give direct assistance to Mahmoud Abbas.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the specific nuance, really, of that point. In the past, it's been indirect assistance. Why do you think direct assistance is critical now?

ALBRIGHT: Well, because I think that democracy has to deliver. He was elected, and he is arguably the only really democratically elected leader in the area. And the problem is that the conditions in Gaza have not really improved in a way that makes people realize that they have a stake in having a peaceful solution to this situation.

O'BRIEN: There's a history, as you well know, of fraud and corruption in some of that funding. Some of the money has gone to groups the United States considered to be terror groups. How do you cut that risk of giving direct aid that doesn't go to causes that the U.S. obviously wouldn't support?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think at the same time, President Bush and others in the administration have to make clear that there has to be accountability for this money, that there can't be corruption, that Abbas has to really get control over those kinds of situations. And also, that he has to fulfill what are his responsibilities of making sure that security is maintained, that various groups are disarmed.

O'BRIEN: As you well know, the problem historically has been, how does the U.S. support a leader without giving so much support that it actually undermines the credibility of the leader? What's the fine line here?

ALBRIGHT: Well, but here, what happened when Abbas was prime minister before, was that there really was not enough support given to him so that he didn't have the credibility. And at this stage, I think the issue is one where he requires this kind of support from us and other countries, by the way, to show that he can deliver some goods to the people, and that jobs are created. That is part of also the problem here, is there needs to be employment in Gaza.

O'BRIEN: Are your expectations that, in fact, President Bush will give Mahmoud Abbas what he wants, which is money, but also commitment?

ALBRIGHT: Well, we have to see, because at the moment, we have not heard whether they're going to be any special envoys or how much effort the president himself and Secretary Rice are going to put into this effort. And in the letter that you cited that appeared today, Abbas made quite clear that he needs American support in bringing the parties together in order to move forward on the peace process.

O'BRIEN: In exchange, the president, obviously, is going to want Mahmoud Abbas to be able to reign in some of the terror organizations that are affiliated with Palestinian Authority. Do you think Mahmoud Abbas can deliver on that critical point?

ALBRIGHT: Well, he has moved forward on it, and he's dismissed some security chiefs that were not doing the job, and he has indicated that he understands the importance of it. And so I hope that that point comes through.

I've met with -- I saw Abbas yesterday, and I also saw the new foreign minister, Al-Kidwa, and they are very much aware that controlling the violence and getting security under control is part of the bargain here. But they also want to see the Israelis remove themselves from Gaza, and then make sure that the roadmap is followed out in terms of the two-state solution.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright talking with us.

You'll want to stay tuned to CNN for live coverage of that news conference with President Bush and Palestinian President Abbas. It's at 11:25 Eastern Time right here on CNN.

HEMMER: About 13 minutes past the hour. Back to Chad Myers right now, watching -- I tell you, it is so strange to see people out here on the sidewalk wearing winter coats.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I know, and those fuzzy boots, still, whatever they're called.

HEMMER: May 26. Can't put them away just yet, can you?

MYERS: Exactly.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: See you, Chad.

MYERS: All right.

HEMMER: Thank you.

MYERS: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Coming up in just a moment, our special series, "Surviving Family Vacations." Today we're looking at family reunions. More and more families are having them. We've got some tips on planning and, more importantly, surviving it.

HEMMER: Good luck.

Also, the Michael Jackson trial on the fast track now. The defense resting its case with testimony from this man, comedian Chris Tucker. Was he a strong witness for the defense? We'll look at that.

O'BRIEN: And Christopher Reeve's widow, Dana, joins us live in the studio. She's taken on a new project inspired by her late husband's life.

HEMMER: Also, watching this story out of Atlanta, Georgia, this man on a crane. He climbed it yesterday at 5:00 in the afternoon. Police are trying to coax him down at this hour. We'll keep an eye on it.

Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Just days away from the unofficial start of summer. We have more of our series called "Surviving Family Vacations." And this morning, weathering the family reunion.

And Linda Spradley Dunn is the publisher of "Odyssey Couleur" magazine. She's got a little advice for us.

Good morning. Nice to see you.

LINDA SPRADLEY DUNN, PUBLISHER, "ODYSSEY COULEUR": Good morning, Soledad. How are you?

O'BRIEN: I'm doing great, thanks. And, in fact, my family is doing our first family reunion.

DUNN: Are you really?

O'BRIEN: A little bit of trepidation there. They're really more popular than ever. Why do you think that is?

DUNN: They are so popular now. That's because families are more spread out now, and so that need to want to come home, to get together, to make sure that all of the nieces and cousins know each other, that's really driving this new niche industry.

O'BRIEN: It is amazing how much work has to go into it. How do -- what do you advise people about how far out to start planning?

DUNN: Well, Soledad, it's sort of like a wedding. If you're going to have 400 people at your family reunion, you need 18 months to two years. If it's a family reunion around 100 people, maybe about a year, and maybe six months for 30 or less.

O'BRIEN: All right. We're doing 30 or less, so we've still got time.

DUNN: Good luck.

O'BRIEN: Yes. Let's talk about some of the vacation destinations that you like...

DUNN: Yes.

O'BRIEN: ... because that's really an important part of this, where you go.

DUNN: Absolutely. Well, I love Florida. I love the weather there, the theme parks. Everything about Florida is great for a vacation. I also like the national parks.

O'BRIEN: Which ones do you like?

DUNN: I like Grand Canyon, Yosemite. Those are places people can drive in vans, very affordable for families. And I love Disney World and Disneyland. They have a whole product line designed to attract family reunions.

O'BRIEN: Yes. And if you've got kids, you really can't miss.

DUNN: And older folk like Disney also.

O'BRIEN: Interesting.

DUNN: Lots of activities.

O'BRIEN: What about a cruise for a family reunion?

DUNN: A cruise...

O'BRIEN: I mean, on one hand, it sounds fun, and then you can be trapped on a boat with family members. Not my family. Just generally.

DUNN: No, of course not your family. A cruise is a great idea, especially for a smaller family.

You have make sure that the cruise is affordable for all family members and that the cruise is big enough so that if you want to get away from the family on the cruise there are enough activities to do. Nice for a smaller family reunion.

O'BRIEN: I love you, but I'll be at the movie theater.

DUNN: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Let's go through some of the tips, because I think they're pretty important.

DUNN: Right.

O'BRIEN: First, you say use the Internet to communicate. And for example, we actually did these long e-mail chains back and forth. Kind of a pain, but at least you knew where everybody was -- you know, stood.

DUNN: Absolutely. The Internet is essential in planning a family reunion.

Everybody's on the Internet. And if they're not, it's a good reason to get on there. That way, no one feels left out as if planning was done without them.

Secondly, you must have a budget. Some people in the family have very grand ideas about what a family reunion -- others think it's a picnic in the backyard.

O'BRIEN: And it's here and here.

DUNN: Absolutely, and potluck dinners. OK? If you don't have a budget, you're asking for disaster.

And I think the third, and most important, is location. You know...

O'BRIEN: Location, location, location.

DUNN: Location, location. Florida is great, but not during hurricane season. And also, airport, train, how easy is it for the family to get there. If 90 percent of the family is traveling, you might want to pick somewhere that has a really big airport and great prices on flights to get there.

O'BRIEN: Or maybe move your reunion.

DUNN: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some of those tricky situations, like, for example, somebody's living with their boyfriend, grandma and grandpa don't really know, mom and dad are cool with it, but it could make for a sticky situation if they're sharing a hotel room. I mean, there's a million of these.

DUNN: Yes. Our readers call that sticky situations. And some of the e-mails that I've gotten from are readers are incredible. First of all, it's not a good idea to show up with interracial marriage, same-sex couple and not have told the family. OK?

O'BRIEN: This is the not the time to be breaking news.

DUNN: This is not the time. Everything that happens at a wedding and a funeral happens at a family reunion. So the first thing we advise is get your advocates.

Call your mom, call your aunt -- uncles and aunts, tell them what's going on in your life. And sort of secretly get the word out as to what your situation is now.

Secondly, understand that the elders in the family are the elders in the family. They're not going to change.

So get your attitude right before you get there. People are going to ask you why you're 44 and not married without children.

O'BRIEN: Well, you know what?

DUNN: So just get your answer right before you get there.

O'BRIEN: Come up with your answer.

DUNN: Absolutely, and let it roll off.

O'BRIEN: Linda Spradley Dunn, nice to see you.

DUNN: Good to see you again, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Thank you much. Appreciate it.

DUNN: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Of course.

She's the publisher of "Odyssey Couleur" magazine.

DUNN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Coming up tomorrow, we're going to wrap up our series, "Surviving Family Vacations," with a look at some unique summer getaways. Have you ever thought about taking the family on a safari or staying on a farm, or even just swapping your house? Some interesting ideas and much more tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING -- Bill.

HEMMER: In a moment here, Soledad, the Michael Jackson trial could end with a headline-grabbing witness. The defense is talking about -- about why they might put Jackson's young accuser back on the stand.

It's intriguing. We'll talk about it in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Back to Jack now, the "Question of the Day."

CAFFERTY: Thank you.

State tax collections rose to the highest level in -- well, ever last year. $600 billion, up 7.2 percent over 2003, and the money is coming in even faster this year.

"USA Today" reporting this April surprise has put nearly every state in the union at or above expectations in terms of revenue. Tax cuts and major new spending programs are now under discussion all around the country. So the question is, if you could -- if you could be in charge, how should your state spend its extra money?

Edward in Louisiana, Dodson, Louisiana, writes this: "What extra money? We live in a 1960s infrastructure. High-speed Internet is only available in metropolitan areas. Overcrowded jails and prisons, patched roads and no new books for our schools." Bob in Maryland writes, "Maryland should use the extra money to return the Chesapeake Bay to health. After succeeding there, the excess revenue from increased tourism could go towards supplementing rising health care costs."

Natalie in Mt. Lookout, West Virginia, writes, "West Virginia with extra money? There's a nice dream. We remain one of the poorest states in the union, paying the highest for groceries and gasoline, always above the national average. It's no wonder our kids either leave upon graduation or turn to the crystal meth trade which is eating this state alive."

And Jeff in Connecticut writes, "I think every state should form another bureaucracy to decide how to spend their respective surpluses while our schools and roads crumble. Of course their findings will be that the rich need another tax cut and the middle class should pay more."

HEMMER: It kind of reminds you of the late '90s, the Nasdaq effect, all the surpluses rolling in, all of these states had so much cash because of the tax revenues that were generated based on the stock sales.

(CROSSTALK)

CAFFERTY: Yes, but that was based on a bubble, and this is based on pretty solid economic growth. There's a little difference there.

HEMMER: All right.

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack.

Let's take you back to these live pictures out of Atlanta, where we've been telling you about the suspected murderer who's climbed up on this crane. An update on this story just ahead with a live report.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 26, 2005 - 09:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: New developments on the most wanted terrorist in Iraq. The Iraqi government with information this morning Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is wounded.
The Iraq government also preparing a new crackdown on insurgents. Forty thousand troops in the capital for Operation Thunder.

And Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas heading to a meeting with President Bush this morning. We talked to former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who says it's a rare and fleeting chance 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'll talk with Dana Reeve, Christopher Reeve's widow. She has a new book. It's inspired by her husband's life.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: We'll get to that in just a bit.

First, back to Jack, too.

What's happening?

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: A little good news. State coffers are beginning to fill with unexpected tax revenue. It's running at record levels. The first time in several years the surpluses are actually turning up.

What we'd like to know is, how should the politicians in your state spend any extra money they come across? AM@CNN.com

O'BRIEN: All right, Jack. Thanks.

First, though, developments out of Iraq. Five attacks in a period of only 70 minutes killed eight people, wounded 11 others this morning. Iraqi officials with some major announcements as well, beginning with some new information on Iraq's most wanted terrorist, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Ryan Chilcote live for us in Baghdad this morning.

Ryan, what are the specifics of their announcement? RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Well, Iraq's interior minister says that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi -- he's the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, the man that Osama bin Laden reportedly once called the prince of al Qaeda in Iraq -- has been wounded. The interior minister says that he got this information five days ago. He believes the information is true. The interior minister says the only thing he doesn't know is the extent of Zarqawi's injuries.

What's interesting here is we've seen numerous rumors and reports that Zarqawi had been wounded over the last couple of weeks. And every time we asked Iraqi officials, they always told us they simply don't know.

Same thing for the U.S. military. And, in fact, I just spoke with another U.S. military official here who says the military still doesn't know. So it will be interesting to hear what they have to say at the Pentagon today -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ryan, then there's this new major offensive against the insurgents. What do you know about that?

CHILCOTE: A massive offensive. The -- the Iraqi defense and interior ministers announced this operation. They're calling it Operation Thunder.

They say it's going to start next week. That, here in Iraq, could mean Saturday or Sunday.

Perhaps the largest offensive ever involving Iraqi security forces. Forty thousand members of Iraqi's security forces will fan out throughout the Iraqi capital, setting up more than 600 checkpoints.

They say the whole idea of this offensive is to try to stop the violence that we've seen here in the Iraqi capital and other cities. And, of course, as you know, Soledad, more than 600 Iraqis have been killed here since the government was formed on the 28th of last month -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ryan Chilcote for us with an update from Baghdad. Ryan, thanks -- Bill.

HEMMER: Headlines from Iraq, headlines back here in New York. And for those, we go back to Carol Costello.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Thanks, Bill.

Good morning, everyone.

""Now in the News," this just in to CNN. This is a developing situation in Atlanta, Georgia. Let's go right to the pictures right now. You'll see a construction crane. This is a 41-year-old man, his name is Carl Rowland (ph). He climbed up that crane at 5:00 p.m. Eastern yesterday. Police negotiators have been trying to talk him down ever since.

Now, apparently is wanted in Florida for beating and murdering his ex-girlfriend. We don't know what his intentions are. We do know that he just will not come down from that crane.

Now, authorities were going to put a net underneath the crane in case he jumped or fell, but in this case, a net won't work, because he's just too high up in the air. This is taking place on Peachtree Road between West Paces Ferry and Far Road, a very busy in Atlanta. In fact, that's the big Buckhead shopping area.

As you might expect, traffic is absolutely snarled. In fact, it is blocked right now.

Just to keep you informed, we're on a five-second delay. So we're not going to show you anything. If it does unfold tragically we're not going to show you that.

But this man is now walking around. He's climbed up further in the past few minutes, and again, we have absolutely no idea what his intentions are. But we do know police negotiators have been trying to talk him down.

When we get more information on this, or someone live at the scene who can talk to us about this, of course, we'll pass it along to you.

And I'll get to the rest of the news now. We'll go back to this in case anything happens.

Also, the Senate could vote as early as today on the nomination of John Bolton to the United Nations. Republican senators say they are confident Bolton will be approved, but some Democrats say they may want to delay the vote. Bolton has been criticized by some for abusing his power and mistreating workers.

The question of women on the front lines back in the Pentagon's hands. House Republicans dropped a measure that would have limited the role of women in combat. The compromise was part of a $491 billion defense measure passed by the House last night. The Senate votes on its version of the defense bill next month.

An arrest warrant could be issued as early as today for the so- called runaway bride. A grand jury has indicted Jennifer Wilbanks on felony and misdemeanor charges. She could face up to six years in prison.

Wilbanks has been in intensive treatment since returning to Georgia. A plea agreement is always possible.

And again, we're still watching that situation in Atlanta, Georgia, where this man has climbed up a crane so far up in the air that even if they put a net underneath, it wouldn't save his life if he fell.

HEMMER: And the information you're giving here out of Florida is that he's wanted for murder in Pinellas County, Florida?

COSTELLO: His ex-girlfriend, Pinellas County, Florida. Florida authorities have been talking to Atlanta officials.

These are live pictures, again. Earlier, he climbed further up this crane. He was a little farther down. But he's been there since 5:00 p.m. yesterday afternoon.

Negotiators have been trying to talk him down because at first it was a suicide watch. But now we don't know what his intentions are.

HEMMER: It may still be.

COSTELLO: It may still be.

HEMMER: Apparently, the body of his girlfriend, 36-year-old Jennifer Gonzalez (ph), found beaten to death in a retention pond on Tuesday. He climbs up there yesterday, that's Wednesday afternoon, and here we are now on Thursday morning.

COSTELLO: It's awful. Of course we're keeping an eye on this. If anything happens, I'll come back.

HEMMER: Carol, thanks for that.

COSTELLO: Sure.

HEMMER: There is new information meanwhile about claims that U.S. troops may have abused the Quran at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. Want to get to the Pentagon. Jamie McIntyre fills in the details based on what we're learning now.

Jamie, what do you have?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, these new documents released by the ACLU yesterday, part of a lawsuit they have against the U.S. government, have more allegations, and I should underscore "allegations," of Quran mishandling or desecration. But the Pentagon insists that they still have not substantiated any of those allegations.

This particular document talks about a detainee who, back in 2002, claimed that a Quran had been thrown in a toilet or flushed down the toilet, although we're told at that time the facilities actually didn't have flush toilets. But it's not really the point here.

The Pentagon says that they went back and talked to that detainee again just this month and that he cooperated, but failed to corroborate his original complaint. Now, failed to corroborate doesn't mean he retracted or recanted it. Simply that he declined to repeat the allegation. It's not known exactly why.

But the Pentagon is saying that, while there have been dozens of allegations of desecration, they have yet to substantiate any intentional desecration or any policy that would call for the mishandling or desecration of a Quran to rattle the prisoners, or as an interrogation technique. The Pentagon obviously is well aware that not everybody always follows the policies, but at this point they're -- they're continuing to say that they've looked into the allegations when they've come. They say it's a technique of the prisoners to cause problems, to make these kinds of charges, and they say they still don't find any of them credible and none have been substantiated -- Bill.

HEMMER: Jamie, let's try and clarify something here. How does this differ, or how does it add or even detract from the "Newsweek" article that went out a week and a half ago that was later pulled back?

MCINTYRE: Well, the reason the "Newsweek" article was wrong was that it said that the government had confirmed one of these allegations. These allegations have been around for years, but they've never been substantiated. And so that was the mistake in that article. They have not confirmed it.

Now, a lot of people still believe it happened. Critics of the Pentagon believe that they're not doing a good enough job investigating them, or they're simple -- you know, even though they're not substantiated, it may have happened. And that's part of the debate. But what has not happened is none of these cases have yet been substantiated by the U.S. government.

HEMMER: Thanks, Jamie. Jamie McIntyre at the Pentagon -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: A Palestinian leader will set foot in the Oval Office this morning for the first time in five years. President Bush agreed to the meeting now that Mahmoud Abbas succeeded Yasser Arafat.

The new Palestinian president will likely get tens of millions of dollars in direct aid. He's also going to ask for assurances that the United States will get the peace roadmap back on track. It was a point that he made clear in a letter that's published in today's "Wall Street Journal."

It says this: "I share President Bush's desire to see democracy and freedom spread throughout the Middle East. On behalf of the Palestinian people, I now call on him to help us, in dialogue with Israel, fulfill our dream of freedom."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Washington this morning.

Nice to see you, Madame Secretary. Thanks for talking with us.

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT, FMR. SECY. OF STATE: Good to see you, Soledad. O'BRIEN: You're wearing your dove pin. Do I take that to mean that you are hopeful about the outcome of restarting the peace process?

ALBRIGHT: Absolutely. This was given to me by Leah Rabin, and she said it took a lot of doves to make peace in the Middle East. And I do think that there is an opportunity here, a window of opportunity, but it's not going to last very long. And so this meeting, Soledad, is truly important, and I hope that what you've reported is so, is that the administration will give direct assistance to Mahmoud Abbas.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the specific nuance, really, of that point. In the past, it's been indirect assistance. Why do you think direct assistance is critical now?

ALBRIGHT: Well, because I think that democracy has to deliver. He was elected, and he is arguably the only really democratically elected leader in the area. And the problem is that the conditions in Gaza have not really improved in a way that makes people realize that they have a stake in having a peaceful solution to this situation.

O'BRIEN: There's a history, as you well know, of fraud and corruption in some of that funding. Some of the money has gone to groups the United States considered to be terror groups. How do you cut that risk of giving direct aid that doesn't go to causes that the U.S. obviously wouldn't support?

ALBRIGHT: Well, I think at the same time, President Bush and others in the administration have to make clear that there has to be accountability for this money, that there can't be corruption, that Abbas has to really get control over those kinds of situations. And also, that he has to fulfill what are his responsibilities of making sure that security is maintained, that various groups are disarmed.

O'BRIEN: As you well know, the problem historically has been, how does the U.S. support a leader without giving so much support that it actually undermines the credibility of the leader? What's the fine line here?

ALBRIGHT: Well, but here, what happened when Abbas was prime minister before, was that there really was not enough support given to him so that he didn't have the credibility. And at this stage, I think the issue is one where he requires this kind of support from us and other countries, by the way, to show that he can deliver some goods to the people, and that jobs are created. That is part of also the problem here, is there needs to be employment in Gaza.

O'BRIEN: Are your expectations that, in fact, President Bush will give Mahmoud Abbas what he wants, which is money, but also commitment?

ALBRIGHT: Well, we have to see, because at the moment, we have not heard whether they're going to be any special envoys or how much effort the president himself and Secretary Rice are going to put into this effort. And in the letter that you cited that appeared today, Abbas made quite clear that he needs American support in bringing the parties together in order to move forward on the peace process.

O'BRIEN: In exchange, the president, obviously, is going to want Mahmoud Abbas to be able to reign in some of the terror organizations that are affiliated with Palestinian Authority. Do you think Mahmoud Abbas can deliver on that critical point?

ALBRIGHT: Well, he has moved forward on it, and he's dismissed some security chiefs that were not doing the job, and he has indicated that he understands the importance of it. And so I hope that that point comes through.

I've met with -- I saw Abbas yesterday, and I also saw the new foreign minister, Al-Kidwa, and they are very much aware that controlling the violence and getting security under control is part of the bargain here. But they also want to see the Israelis remove themselves from Gaza, and then make sure that the roadmap is followed out in terms of the two-state solution.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright talking with us.

You'll want to stay tuned to CNN for live coverage of that news conference with President Bush and Palestinian President Abbas. It's at 11:25 Eastern Time right here on CNN.

HEMMER: About 13 minutes past the hour. Back to Chad Myers right now, watching -- I tell you, it is so strange to see people out here on the sidewalk wearing winter coats.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I know, and those fuzzy boots, still, whatever they're called.

HEMMER: May 26. Can't put them away just yet, can you?

MYERS: Exactly.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: See you, Chad.

MYERS: All right.

HEMMER: Thank you.

MYERS: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Coming up in just a moment, our special series, "Surviving Family Vacations." Today we're looking at family reunions. More and more families are having them. We've got some tips on planning and, more importantly, surviving it.

HEMMER: Good luck.

Also, the Michael Jackson trial on the fast track now. The defense resting its case with testimony from this man, comedian Chris Tucker. Was he a strong witness for the defense? We'll look at that.

O'BRIEN: And Christopher Reeve's widow, Dana, joins us live in the studio. She's taken on a new project inspired by her late husband's life.

HEMMER: Also, watching this story out of Atlanta, Georgia, this man on a crane. He climbed it yesterday at 5:00 in the afternoon. Police are trying to coax him down at this hour. We'll keep an eye on it.

Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Just days away from the unofficial start of summer. We have more of our series called "Surviving Family Vacations." And this morning, weathering the family reunion.

And Linda Spradley Dunn is the publisher of "Odyssey Couleur" magazine. She's got a little advice for us.

Good morning. Nice to see you.

LINDA SPRADLEY DUNN, PUBLISHER, "ODYSSEY COULEUR": Good morning, Soledad. How are you?

O'BRIEN: I'm doing great, thanks. And, in fact, my family is doing our first family reunion.

DUNN: Are you really?

O'BRIEN: A little bit of trepidation there. They're really more popular than ever. Why do you think that is?

DUNN: They are so popular now. That's because families are more spread out now, and so that need to want to come home, to get together, to make sure that all of the nieces and cousins know each other, that's really driving this new niche industry.

O'BRIEN: It is amazing how much work has to go into it. How do -- what do you advise people about how far out to start planning?

DUNN: Well, Soledad, it's sort of like a wedding. If you're going to have 400 people at your family reunion, you need 18 months to two years. If it's a family reunion around 100 people, maybe about a year, and maybe six months for 30 or less.

O'BRIEN: All right. We're doing 30 or less, so we've still got time.

DUNN: Good luck.

O'BRIEN: Yes. Let's talk about some of the vacation destinations that you like...

DUNN: Yes.

O'BRIEN: ... because that's really an important part of this, where you go.

DUNN: Absolutely. Well, I love Florida. I love the weather there, the theme parks. Everything about Florida is great for a vacation. I also like the national parks.

O'BRIEN: Which ones do you like?

DUNN: I like Grand Canyon, Yosemite. Those are places people can drive in vans, very affordable for families. And I love Disney World and Disneyland. They have a whole product line designed to attract family reunions.

O'BRIEN: Yes. And if you've got kids, you really can't miss.

DUNN: And older folk like Disney also.

O'BRIEN: Interesting.

DUNN: Lots of activities.

O'BRIEN: What about a cruise for a family reunion?

DUNN: A cruise...

O'BRIEN: I mean, on one hand, it sounds fun, and then you can be trapped on a boat with family members. Not my family. Just generally.

DUNN: No, of course not your family. A cruise is a great idea, especially for a smaller family.

You have make sure that the cruise is affordable for all family members and that the cruise is big enough so that if you want to get away from the family on the cruise there are enough activities to do. Nice for a smaller family reunion.

O'BRIEN: I love you, but I'll be at the movie theater.

DUNN: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Let's go through some of the tips, because I think they're pretty important.

DUNN: Right.

O'BRIEN: First, you say use the Internet to communicate. And for example, we actually did these long e-mail chains back and forth. Kind of a pain, but at least you knew where everybody was -- you know, stood.

DUNN: Absolutely. The Internet is essential in planning a family reunion.

Everybody's on the Internet. And if they're not, it's a good reason to get on there. That way, no one feels left out as if planning was done without them.

Secondly, you must have a budget. Some people in the family have very grand ideas about what a family reunion -- others think it's a picnic in the backyard.

O'BRIEN: And it's here and here.

DUNN: Absolutely, and potluck dinners. OK? If you don't have a budget, you're asking for disaster.

And I think the third, and most important, is location. You know...

O'BRIEN: Location, location, location.

DUNN: Location, location. Florida is great, but not during hurricane season. And also, airport, train, how easy is it for the family to get there. If 90 percent of the family is traveling, you might want to pick somewhere that has a really big airport and great prices on flights to get there.

O'BRIEN: Or maybe move your reunion.

DUNN: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some of those tricky situations, like, for example, somebody's living with their boyfriend, grandma and grandpa don't really know, mom and dad are cool with it, but it could make for a sticky situation if they're sharing a hotel room. I mean, there's a million of these.

DUNN: Yes. Our readers call that sticky situations. And some of the e-mails that I've gotten from are readers are incredible. First of all, it's not a good idea to show up with interracial marriage, same-sex couple and not have told the family. OK?

O'BRIEN: This is the not the time to be breaking news.

DUNN: This is not the time. Everything that happens at a wedding and a funeral happens at a family reunion. So the first thing we advise is get your advocates.

Call your mom, call your aunt -- uncles and aunts, tell them what's going on in your life. And sort of secretly get the word out as to what your situation is now.

Secondly, understand that the elders in the family are the elders in the family. They're not going to change.

So get your attitude right before you get there. People are going to ask you why you're 44 and not married without children.

O'BRIEN: Well, you know what?

DUNN: So just get your answer right before you get there.

O'BRIEN: Come up with your answer.

DUNN: Absolutely, and let it roll off.

O'BRIEN: Linda Spradley Dunn, nice to see you.

DUNN: Good to see you again, Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Thank you much. Appreciate it.

DUNN: Absolutely.

O'BRIEN: Of course.

She's the publisher of "Odyssey Couleur" magazine.

DUNN: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Coming up tomorrow, we're going to wrap up our series, "Surviving Family Vacations," with a look at some unique summer getaways. Have you ever thought about taking the family on a safari or staying on a farm, or even just swapping your house? Some interesting ideas and much more tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING -- Bill.

HEMMER: In a moment here, Soledad, the Michael Jackson trial could end with a headline-grabbing witness. The defense is talking about -- about why they might put Jackson's young accuser back on the stand.

It's intriguing. We'll talk about it in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Back to Jack now, the "Question of the Day."

CAFFERTY: Thank you.

State tax collections rose to the highest level in -- well, ever last year. $600 billion, up 7.2 percent over 2003, and the money is coming in even faster this year.

"USA Today" reporting this April surprise has put nearly every state in the union at or above expectations in terms of revenue. Tax cuts and major new spending programs are now under discussion all around the country. So the question is, if you could -- if you could be in charge, how should your state spend its extra money?

Edward in Louisiana, Dodson, Louisiana, writes this: "What extra money? We live in a 1960s infrastructure. High-speed Internet is only available in metropolitan areas. Overcrowded jails and prisons, patched roads and no new books for our schools." Bob in Maryland writes, "Maryland should use the extra money to return the Chesapeake Bay to health. After succeeding there, the excess revenue from increased tourism could go towards supplementing rising health care costs."

Natalie in Mt. Lookout, West Virginia, writes, "West Virginia with extra money? There's a nice dream. We remain one of the poorest states in the union, paying the highest for groceries and gasoline, always above the national average. It's no wonder our kids either leave upon graduation or turn to the crystal meth trade which is eating this state alive."

And Jeff in Connecticut writes, "I think every state should form another bureaucracy to decide how to spend their respective surpluses while our schools and roads crumble. Of course their findings will be that the rich need another tax cut and the middle class should pay more."

HEMMER: It kind of reminds you of the late '90s, the Nasdaq effect, all the surpluses rolling in, all of these states had so much cash because of the tax revenues that were generated based on the stock sales.

(CROSSTALK)

CAFFERTY: Yes, but that was based on a bubble, and this is based on pretty solid economic growth. There's a little difference there.

HEMMER: All right.

O'BRIEN: Thank you, Jack.

Let's take you back to these live pictures out of Atlanta, where we've been telling you about the suspected murderer who's climbed up on this crane. An update on this story just ahead with a live report.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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