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American Morning
'Kamber & May'; '90-Second Pop'
Aired June 29, 2005 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody. It's exactly half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING, and it's shaping up to be another bad day on the fire line out west. Look at some of these pictures, dry thunderstorms starting several fires on Tuesday, and winds fanning the flames today.
We'll have the latest on the wildfires and the fire forecast, not so good, by the way -- from Chad, which is coming up. But first, let's check the headlines. Carol Costello is here with that -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Good morning. Good morning to you.
Now in the news, the search continues this morning for 17 Americans who were onboard a Chinook helicopter that went down along the Afghan-Pakistani border. The chopper, similar to the one you see here, crashed in a rugged region. U.S. officials say the crew of another helicopter traveling with the one that crashed reported seeing indications of enemy fire. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for downing the chopper.
Canada may soon be the third country in the world to allow same- sex marriage. The Canadian parliament approved a bill on Tuesday. It's expected to easily pass through the Senate and become law next month. Canada's Prime Minister Paul Martin called the move a necessary step for human rights.
Richard Scrushy is a free man this morning. Scrushy was found not guilty of directing a $2.7 billion accounting fraud at Healthsouth hospital chain. Scrushy was the first top executive charged with violating a new corporate reform law put in place after the collapse of Enron. Scrushy still faces a number of civil suits from angry investors.
And the Big Enchilada is resting at home. Baby Delaney Buzzell was born last week in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She weighed in at 13 pounds, 12 ounces. Her daddy explains how this little bundle of joy got her nickname.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL BUZZELL, FATHER OF 14-LB. NEWBORN: We started with our first little girl, who was almost 12 pounds, and I put a note on the door saying "Home of the Whopper" at the hospital, and so when we had the second little girl, who was actually a little bit smaller, almost 11 pounds, she is was Whopper Jr. And so I had to come up with something. And maybe I had Mexican food on the brain, because the "Big Enchilada" just seemed to fit. (END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And I'm sure when that gal's a teenager, she'll love that nickname. The proud papa says despite the large children, the -- or large babies, I should say, the couple is regular sized and pretty normal. So I guess they're not growing into bigger children.
S. O'BRIEN: No, they look like regular-sized kids.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, they grow out of it, or grow in -- they don't grow. Whatever they do.
COSTELLO: They grow into their weight.
M. O'BRIEN: I think McDonald's is on the line. They want to get some representation for the next kid.
President Bush says he understands the American people's concern about U.S. casualties in Iraq, but in last night's primetime speech he insisted that setting a date for troop withdrawal would be a mistake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Setting an artificial timetable would send the wrong message to the Iraqis, who need to know that America will not leave before the job is done. It would send the wrong signal to our troops, who need to know that we are serious about completing the mission they're risking their lives to achieve. And it would send the wrong message to the enemy, who would know that all they have to do is wait us out. We will stay in Iraq as long as we are needed, and not a day longer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: With us in Washington now to discuss the president's speech, former Republican communications director Clifford May and Democratic consultant Vic Kamber.
Good to have you with us, gentlemen.
Cliff, let's go to the numbers, because these days, you can't wait for polls; they come instantly. Just like that, we've got a poll. President -- well, there they are. Big bump, instant bump. Look at that post speech, keep the troops in Iraq, from 58 to 70. Timetable for withdrawal, people say maybe not now. So obviously Convinced, at least those who saw the speech. What do you think?
CLIFF MAY, FMR. RNC COMM. DIR.: Yes, I think he made the case better than he's made it in the past. And the one thing I would suggest is you've got to make a case like this over and over again. You can't simply think, you know, I said it, and I said it well, I'm sure everybody understands me; let's go on and just talk about Social Security now. President Bush has to repeat what the stakes are, what the mission is, why we're going to complete it and why we're not going to give a timetable for withdrawal. He did a good job last night to keep those numbers up, to keep support up. He's going to have to keep up the drumbeat of these messages.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. The one thing that this poll does not account for, Vic, is the tune-out factor. These are people who saw the speech. A lot of people might have just tuned out the president at this point. What do you think?
VICTOR KAMBER, DEMOCRATIC CONSULTANT: Well, I'm sure the numbers were low on who watched the speech, but I'll go along with Cliff in the sense that the president last night won some time. I was offended by how he won the time, because of the things he said last night, but he basically won some time from the American public.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the 9/11 issue, mentioned at least five, maybe six times. We have a few examples for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: The troops here and across the world are fighting a global war on terror. The war reached our shores on September 11th, 2001. After September 11th, I made a commitment to the American people, this nation will not wait to be attacked again. We will defend our freedom. We will take the fight to the enemy. The only way our enemies can succeed is if we forget the lessons of September 11.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: All right, Cliff, can you really put -- connect those two dots Iraq and 9/11.
MAY: I think the way the president did it, yes you absolutely can, and it's demonstrably true.
In the 1990s, we let an Al Qaeda leader, Bin Laden, take over Afghanistan, and 9/11 was the result. If in this decade we were to let an Al Qaeda leader, Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, take over Iraq, what do you think would be the result? We were hit on 9/11 by Al Qaeda. We're fighting Al Qaeda right now.
M. O'BRIEN: But didn't the U.S. create the opportunity for Al Zarqawi by invading Iraq in the first place.
MAY: Zarqawi was there before we got there. Saddam Hussein was training terrorists -- we don't know whether or not they were Al Qaeda terrorists -- at Salman Pak, south of Baghdad, where he was telling the terrorists your job is to kill Americans.
The point is I think this, the lesson of 9/11, as the president said it, is we don't just punish those who have committed terrorist acts. We prevent terrorist acts by going after terrorists. If you don't want to fight Al Qaeda in Iraq, please tell me where you'd rather the battlefield be.
M. O'BRIEN: Vic, do you buy that.
KAMBER: Not at all. That was probably -- when I talked about offensive, that was probably the single most offensive part of the speech last night, was once again trying to wrap himself around the 9/11 tragedy. There's no one in this country that didn't abhor the tragedy and doesn't want to get the terrorists. Osama Bin Laden was the enemy, not Iraq.
You know, we heard last night three excuses, or the third excuse for why we went to war. Originally it was because of weapons of mass destruction, then it was because of democracy, and last night it was because of terrorism. The president was not leveling with the American public. Last night was the first time.
M. O'BRIEN: Cliff, doesn't the president have a credibility problem in all this, because the story has changed on the rationale now three times?
MAY: Look, I think there are many rationales. I think the one the president made last night is the current one. And again, I'd ask Vic the question, if you don't want to fight Zarqawi and Al Qaeda in Iraq, where do you want to fight him? I mean, that's the main question, and that is among the main links.
M. O'BRIEN: Vic, the proof is in the pudding. We haven't had a major attack, and What we're see something perhaps the focus in Baghdad and environs right now for these terrorists.
(CROSSTALK)
M. O'BRIEN: Vic, you finish up.
KAMBER: I don't want to be proven correct to say that we have to have another attack. We have not had another attack, and there may be a lot of reasons for not. But Iraq did not have the terrorists before we went in in the sense that we're fighting today.
MAY: Do you want to fight Zarqawi in Iraq, or do you want to fight him somewhere else? Do you think it would be a good idea to let him take over Iraq at this point?
KAMBER: I think we would have the same issue in North Korea, in Cuba, in Libya. I mean, there are terrorists all over the world. Iraq today has gotten the bulk of them because of our intrusion there.
MAY: We want to fight those terrorists.
M. O'BRIEN: Time has expired, gentlemen. Sorry, we could go on, I know.
Vic Kamber, Cliff May, we appreciate your time. Thanks very much for joining us once again -- Soledad.
KAMBER: Thank you.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, the Department of Homeland Security says there are no special security concerns for the Fourth of July holiday. Nevertheless, many organizers of large celebrations are bringing in extra security. In the nation's capital, an estimated 24 state, and federal and local law enforcement agencies will be involved. They planned everything from extra patrol people to surveillance cameras and bomb-sniffing dogs.
The National Academy of Sciences is publishing a story, outlining out terrorists could contaminate the U.S. milk supply. This despite objections from the Department of Health and Human Services, which is calling that study a road map for terrorists. The article points out vulnerabilities in the nation's milk supply, and even includes information on the exact dose of botulinum toxin that would be needed to kill thousands of people. The academy's president says all the information could be found on a, quote, simple Google search.
You want to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
The wife of a New York man indicted as an alleged supporter of Al Qaeda says she's startled and confused over his arrest last month. Tarik Shah and Rafiq Sabir pleaded not guilty in federal court on Tuesday.
In an exclusive interview, Shah's wife spoke about her husband's case with CNN's Mary Snow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He is a musician from the Bronx. She is a former Navy specialist from Queens. Thirteen years ago, Tarik and Zakkiyyah Shah pledged their love for each other and married. Now the U.S. government accuses Tarik Shah of pledging loyalty to Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama Bin Laden. That's something he and his wife deny.
ZAKKIYYAH SHAH, WIFE OF TERROR SUSPECT: Never heard it. Never heard him say that. And that's an alleged comment, yes.
SNOW (through translator): Did he ever talk about Osama bin Laden?
SHAH: Who can't talk about Osama bin Laden. He's on the news. He's in the newspapers. He's in "Newsweek." He's in "Time."
SNOW (on camera): One month ago, hours after Shah returned from a gig at a Harlem jazz club, FBI agents arrived at the couple's Bronx apartment. Following a two-year sting operation, agents said he was planning to train Al Qaeda supporters in martial arts, which he practices.
SHAH: I couldn't believe it. I was confused, because I really did not understand what they were saying and what evidence they could possibly have that could connect him to any of these things they were alleging.
SNOW: Zakkiyyah Shah says a man posing as a music student turned out to be a government informant who betrayed her husband. The indictment alleges he once bragged that his profession as a jazz musician was a great cover.
SHAH: Not true. One thing about Tarik Shah, my husband, is that he is one that will show you one face all the time. He's not two- faced. He does not have the ability to be two-faced.
SNOW: Now she is helping fight her husband's legal battle. And as a convert to Islam, she's concerned that Muslims have become a magnet for terror probes.
SHAH: I am appalled at the lengths they will go for a little martial arts man from the Bronx.
SNOW: Prosecutors maintain Shah's goals extend far beyond the Bronx to aid Bin Laden's terror network overseas. In court Tuesday, Tarik Shah and a codefendant pled not guilty. Both are being held without bail.
Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum of 15 years in prison -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's head out West now, the wildfires there. Lightning sparked several more fires Tuesday. And today high winds could continue to drive some of the fires burning now in seven states. In Arizona, black smoke rises from a brush fire in the town of Buckeye, west of Phoenix, homes at risk there. Some residents have been forced out. A lack of fire hydrants adding to firefighters' frustrations.
In southwest Utah, a wildfire near the town of St. George is now 90 percent contained. On Tuesday, a number of families were able to return to their homes in the town of New Harmony. The fire has already burned more than 68,000 acres there.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: Well, there's much more AMERICAN MORNING still to come.
Ahead on "90-Second Pop": Enough about Katie and Scientology. Tom Cruise's new movie is finally here. Is "War of the Worlds" a winner?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: You've got nothing to worry about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: Plus, a behind-the-scenes look at life with Bobby and Whitney. We'll take a sneak peek at the new reality "Being Bobby Brown." That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: "90-Second Pop" on a Wednesday. Joining us are our pop stars, B.J. Sigesmund from "US Weekly." Karyn Bryant from "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT." Christopher John Farley, "TIME" magazine contributing editor and also, by the way, the author of a new book. It's called "Kingston by Starlight," and it's very nice. I read my copy the other day.
Welcome. Good morning, everybody.
KARYN BRYANT, CNN CO-HOST "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Hello.
S. O'BRIEN: Where do you want to begin? You know, because we've been talking about Tom Cruise. We talked about him when he was dating Katie Holmes. We talked about him when he got engaged. We talked about it when he jumped on Oprah's couch. He had that weird interview with Matt Lauer. We talked a little bit about that.
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY, "TIME" MAGAZINE: This is all about Tom Cruise.
S. O'BRIEN: Hey, let's talk about the movie.
FARLEY: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: OK.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Finally.
S. O'BRIEN: The whole thing. Well, it's kind of time for the movie.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: How is "War of the Worlds?"
SIGESMUND: The movie is finally here. I thought it was thrilling, Soledad. I mean, I love science fiction, let's just get that out front. I love Spielberg. Tom Cruise is great. I loved the last movie they did.
S. O'BRIEN: You were predisposed to love this movie.
SIGESMUND: Yes, I was. "Minority Report" was great. The movie is -- it's about a guy, Tom Cruise, who lives in New Jersey. And he just picks up his kids for the weekend -- he's a divorced kind of deadbeat dad -- when aliens suddenly land and start turning all humans to dust. And he spends the next two hours outrunning them.
Now, the movie has, you know, a lot of great, great, great special effects. A lot of people are going to pick on Dakota Fanning, who just does a lot of screaming in this movie. And most people are going to be dissatisfied with the end, which kind of wraps up in a clunky way. But overall I think it's going to be a huge hit.
BRYANT: I'm going to play hooky and go see it. I want to see it.
S. O'BRIEN: Really?
BRYANT: I think Spielberg makes fantastic movies. And I think...
S. O'BRIEN: Especially science fiction movies.
BRYANT: Yes. "Close Encounters" is one of my all-time favorite movies. I think -- I know there has been a lot of negativity and a lot of backlash against Tom. I think people are going to not care, and they'll still just go for it for the fact that it's this big Spielberg movie.
S. O'BRIEN: It's science fiction.
SIGESMUND: Right.
FARLEY: The key battle here really isn't against the aliens. It's really against Hollywood versus really an American indifference, because people are not going to the movies.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
FARLEY: You know, "Batman" couldn't...
S. O'BRIEN: Do you think this movie can overcome that?
FARLEY: Well, we're going to see. "Batman" couldn't save the movies. I mean...
SIGESMUND: If this movie can't do it, nothing can. I mean, this is really a movie to get people in their seats.
FARLEY: That's what I needed to do.
S. O'BRIEN: That's kind of the final word. We'll have to just wait and see what happens.
Have you guys seen the promos for "Being Bobby Brown?"
BRYANT: Your body language says it.
S. O'BRIEN: I know, I'm sorry.
BRYANT: It's so sad.
S. O'BRIEN: I love Whitney Houston. I love Whitney. I've got to just say, I've got to throw it out there. I love Whitney Houston. First, let's watch a clip, so we can all be in the tent together, and then we can talk about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're Bobby Brown.
BOBBY BROWN, SINGER: I'm Bobby Brown.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey!
BROWN: I'm Bobby. I'm Bobby on a regular basis. I'm not in an orange jumpsuit right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, all right.
BROWN: I mean, that's probably why you don't recognize me. Look, do you recognize me now?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. Now I see it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
S. O'BRIEN: I mean, you know, like, that's supposed to be the joke, but, of course...
BRYANT: It's sad.
S. O'BRIEN: ... it's sad. And it's called "Being Bobby Brown." But really, they focus a lot of the attention on Whitney Houston, his wife.
FARLEY: You know, the complete title of the show was actually "Being Bobby Brown" is really tragic and sad. But those two long (INAUDIBLE) actually fit.
S. O'BRIEN: But, you know, she's kind of a mess in this.
BRYANT: She is a mess.
S. O'BRIEN: She was in between the rehab.
BRYANT: Exactly. Coming back from rehab. And there seems to be times when they genuinely have a loving relationship. But there are so many weird, uncomfortable times, and it's just awkward. And it's just sad.
S. O'BRIEN: And they bring their kid out.
SIGESMUND: Also, I mean, she must really love him to have agreed to do this show, because he spends the whole time trying to get attention for himself. He's desperate for attention, whereas Whitney is trying to, like, get the cameras away from her the whole time. Yet she agreed to it.
BRYANT: They both want to sell records. They both want to sell records.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, but you know what? When they bring Bobbi Kristina (ph) out, you know, it just got -- it gets real icky.
FARLEY: Bring out the kid. SIGESMUND: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: You know, she's 11 years old. The whole thing to me just seemed like, ick (ph).
SIGESMUND: Yes. It's not fun. I mean, even the Britney and Kevin show, "Chaotic," it's sort of fun. You feel above them when you're watching it. And you judge them. But Bobby and Whitney, it's just sad.
S. O'BRIEN: Do you think it's going to help their career? Yes or no?
BRYANT: Help it?
FARLEY: I don't think so. I think the people that are going to watch this, unless you're a member of his entourage -- and he has a pretty large entourage -- you know, there's no reason to watch the show.
S. O'BRIEN: All right. Let's talk about "Crash," also on TV.
BRYANT: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Because there was the crash moment, which is kind (INAUDIBLE) "Crash," the movie. And now "Crash" the TV show. That's kind of an interesting concept, don't you think?
BRYANT: Well, it was initially Paul Haggis, the writer/director of "Crash," had pitched it and envisioned it as a television series. And at the time...
S. O'BRIEN: Do you think it could work?
BRYANT: I think it could. They are talking about a lot of the major stars revisiting their roles on playing them on television. Don Cheadle will.
S. O'BRIEN: It is, of course, a story of race relations, stereotypes...
BRYANT: Right.
S. O'BRIEN: ... and kind of how these things all sort of interact and crash into each other.
BRYANT: Right. And I think it could work. It could be a multi- arc kind of television show. There are a lot of great actors. Don Cheadle, one of the stars of it, also is going to be producing...
S. O'BRIEN: It's going to be great.
BRYANT: ... and directing a lot of the episodes, which is terrific. I think it could work. And it's going to be on FX. They have a pilot commitment, you know, a script commitment. FX has been pushing the envelope with "Nip/Tuck," with "The Shield." So, you know...
S. O'BRIEN: Oh, that's good.
SIGESMUND: I like this idea. I mean, it's sort of anti-reality television. It really is reality. And it could be about many different families all over L.A. I think that it has that promise...
S. O'BRIEN: How weird is that? We're talking about anti-reality TV that is real. You guys, we're out of time. But obviously this is the winner of them all.
BRYANT: Oh, yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Everybody should watch it, too. You guys, thanks so much. B.J. Sigesmund, Karyn, and also Christopher John Farley with his new book out. Aren't I good, pitching your book for you?
FARLEY: Thank you very much.
S. O'BRIEN: Don't forget Karyn and "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" weeknights on "HEADLINES PRIME." Tonight, you're talking to the man I live, Morgan Spurlock. He carved out that super-sized niche for himself, first on film and now on TV. They're going to talk about his new show tonight 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time -- Miles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: CNN "LIVE TODAY" is coming up next. Daryn joins us now from Atlanta with more on that. Hello, Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Miles.
We are turning up the heat at the top of the hour. More of what Chad was talking about, those more than 20 western fires are burning. Thousands of acres scorched. We'll get a live update on the wildfires in the west.
Speaking of heat, have you noticed the mercury is climbing and so are summer air conditioning bills. So, for you, we have your top five tips on ways to trim your cooling costs. It's all coming up on "CNN LIVE TODAY," as well as, of course, keeping an eye on all the breaking news and developing news of the day.
M. O'BRIEN: You're a cool customer, Daryn Kagan.
KAGAN: Thank you, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much.
All right. Another carmaker may be ready to offer the employee discount to all of its customers. It's the new gimmick. Andy is "Minding Your Business," next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Well, Detroit is on the ropes, and so they're offering all kinds of deals. As a matter of fact, you can get the same discount that the employees get for G.M, but now another car company may step along and join, merge into that lane, so to speak. But first, let's check Wall Street. Andy Serwer is here with that and more.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" COLUMNIST: So to speak.
M. O'BRIEN: So to speak.
SERWER: OK, let's talk about Wall Street first of all, Miles. Check out the action on the big board. Up a mere three points on the Dow Jones Industrials this morning. Price of oil plummeting. Just as fast as it went up, now it's coming down. Down five percent over the past 48 hours, to $57 a barrel. That should be helping out gas prices at the pump.
GDP for the first quarter came in. The final read, 3.8 percent growth in the first quarter of this year. That's pretty good. Matches the fourth quarter of last year. And, finally, Oracle, the computer software giant, announced pretty good earnings. That stock is up six percent.
Miles is talking about G.M.'s program, their employee discount program, which allows customers to buy G.M. cars and trucks at a 3 to 4 percent discount to the dealer invoice price. That may be matched now by Chrysler. G.M. has had a lot of success with that. In fact, they may continue this program, G.M. that is, through their July 6th deadline.
Now, here's the thing, for instance. G.M.'s sales are going to be up 20-30 percent this month over last June. That is a huge jump in sales volume. Their market share, which had slipped to 25 percent in the United States, may go back up to 30 percent. That is a huge -- that's a huge jump. It's really remarkable. And the problem is, and what we don't know, is what is this doing to profitability? Yes, they're gaining market share, but are they making any money selling cars like this?
M. O'BRIEN: Making up on volume, right?
SERWER: I think that's right.
M. O'BRIEN: Doesn't necessarily work that way, right?
SERWER: Well, that's right. I mean, you've got to sell a huge amount of cars. They were looking to clear out the lots for the 2006s. And it will be interesting to see. We'll get a read right after the 4th of July weekend as to whether Chrysler's going to do this or not.
M. O'BRIEN: And even the big cars are selling, too. It's across the board, right?
SERWER: The big ones are actually moving a little bit, too, in fact.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Andy Serwer, thank you very much.
SERWER: Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Well, coming up tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING, one lawmaker's push for federal safety standards at U.S. theme parks. It follows the death of a 4-year-old on a ride at Disney World. So why's the industry fighting back? That's tomorrow, 7:00 a.m. Eastern, on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
S. O'BRIEN: We are out of time. We'll see you back here tomorrow morning. Let's get right to Daryn Kagan. She's in Atlanta this morning. Hey, Daryn, good morning.
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