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American Morning
Forth of July Celebrations; Smashing Success; Kidnapped Idaho Children; Aruba Investigation; Search in Afghanistan; Hunt Continues for Egyptian Ambassador; O'Connor Successor; Assisted Living
Aired July 04, 2005 - 7:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Police had them go over their accounts of the night she was last seen.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello. Have a great day. AMERICAN MORNING starts right now.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks very much, Kelly.
I'm Miles 'brien.
A huge celebration for NASA. The comet buster Deep Impact hits its mark, setting off fourth of July fireworks in space. A live look at the mission ahead.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Carol Costello in for Soledad.
A massive storm system ripping through the heartland and still going strong with more severe weather expected today.
M. O'BRIEN: And joy mixed with desperation in Idaho. A 9-year- old boy still missing. His sister rescued from a sex offender just miles from where she disappeared. The latest on the investigation on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning. Good to have you with us this morning.
COSTELLO: Oh, happy Fourth of July. And I do hope your Fourth of July is as happy as NASA's.
M. O'BRIEN: Boy, they were excited out there at the jet propulsion lab. Fireworks in space. It did just what it was supposed to. Twenty-three thousand miles, bang, it hit.
COSTELLO: Wow, that's cool. Because they were afraid for a time they were going to miss it but they didn't.
M. M. O'BRIEN: No. No. It's like hitting a bullet with a bullet. Good stuff. This is where we begin this morning. We're seeing the first images from a fantastic collision in space. Early this morning, NASA's Deep Impact probe collided on purpose with the comet named Temple 1. Technology Correspondent Daniel Sieberg has been up all night following this.
Daniel, how you doing, first of all? You been having fun?
DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm hanging in there. You know, me and NASA, we're kind of used to this thing, I guess, by now.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, no problem. A few hours. Sure.
SIEBERG: Yes.
M. O'BRIEN: Well anyway, how did it go?
SIEBERG: Well, you know, Miles, they're hoping that this comet will act as sort of a time capsule, providing scientists with some better understanding of how the solar system came to be. In the meantime, they're celebrating a smashing success.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIEBERG (voice over): It's a very happy Fourth of July for scientists at NASA's jet propulsion lab. High fives all around over these striking images. The first-ever of a manmade object colliding with a comet. A dramatic explosion 83 million miles from earth that occurred at 1:52 a.m. Eastern. NASA predicted plus or minus three minutes. But in the end, it was right on the money.
RICK GRAMMIER, DEEP IMPACT PROJECT MANAGER: A lot of people said we couldn't do this or wouldn't be able to pull it off. And the team stuck together through a lot of adversity and problems to work out and made it happen. And it happened like clockwork. And I think that's something to be proud of on America's birthday.
SIEBERG: Deep Impact was launched aboard a Delta 2 rocket in January. After 173 days and 268 million miles, the NASA spacecraft had comet Temple 1 in its sights. Twenty-four hours to impact, the 11-foot craft was about 500,000 miles from Temple 1 when it released a small copper fortified probe into the path of the comet. Scientists back on earth steered the mother ship into a front row position, about 5,000 miles away, to take close pictures of the impact event.
The impact, or probe, was on autopilot for the final two hours, course correcting for a head-on collision, producing an explosion comparable to five tons of TNT and leaving a crater that could be the size of a football field. Though NASA is still looking at the data.
MICHAEL A'HEARN, DEEP IMPACT CHIEF SCIENTIST: Interpreting that is going to take a little bit of time. There are lots of structure in it that's of interest to understanding the nature of the comet. We'll be working that out over the next half day and weeks and months and years. And I just look forward to a wealth of data that will take me to retirement.
SIEBERG: The fly-by ship took these pictures of the collision, debris and crater. This glimpse beneath the surface of a comet was the whole purpose of the mission.
(END VIDEOTAPE) SIEBERG: In fact, scientists call comet's undercooked leftovers from the sprawling cloud of dust and gas that formed our sun and planets more than 4.5 billion years ago. And they hope this up close look will provide a look back in time in a sense. Studying the ingredients of a comet could answer some basic questions about the origins of our solar system.
Mr. Space Correspondent, back to you.
M. O'BRIEN: Undercooked leftovers. That's a good one. Can I use that?
SIEBERG: Yes. Those are NASA's words, so, you know, we'll credit them.
M. O'BRIEN: That's a good one. I've always heard the dirty snowball analogy but that works too.
SIEBERG: Dirty snowballs.
M. O'BRIEN: Daniel, thanks for staying up for us.
SIEBERG: You bet.
M. O'BRIEN: Appreciate it. All right. I appreciate the sleep too.
Carol.
COSTELLO: The man charged with kidnapping an 8-year-old girl in Idaho will be in court tomorrow. Shasta Groene was found over the weekend but authorities believe her brother, 9-year-old Dylan, is probably dead. The brother and sister have been missing since a triple homicide at their home near door Coeur D'Alene, that's in Idaho. Rusty Dornin is in Coeur D'Alene this morning.
Rusty, bring us up to date.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, as you know, Shasta Groene is in the hospital right now and investigators have been talking to her. But, obviously, she's been through a lot. They say they're taking it slow.
But they do say that they have learned within the last 48 hours some specific areas to search. They've combined that with some physical evidence from the inside of the Jeep that Joseph Duncan, the suspect, was driving, and that's led them to search in areas in Eastern Washington, Western Montana, and Northern Idaho, trying to find out where the three stayed during the six weeks that they were gone.
Of course, the main priority, they said right now, is to find Dylan. The last six weeks have been a complete roller coaster for not only the family, but investigators.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) DORNIN, (voice over): May 16th, investigators find Brenda Groene, her 13-year-old son Slade, and her boyfriend Mark McKenzie bludgeoned to death in a rural home outside Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. Her young children, Shasta, 8, and Dylan, 9, missing.
STEVEN GROENE, FATHER: Please, please release my children safely.
DORNIN: A massive search is launched. Six weeks, 2,000 tips, no credible leads. Then 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning, a man walks in to the local Denny's with a young girl. The girl looks very familiar to a customer and to other employees. The manager calls police.
CALLER: I have got a little girl here with a tall gentleman, and she looks so much like that, a, Shasta?
DORNIN: Police question Joseph Duncan III, a federal fugitive and convicted sex offender. They arrest him on kidnapping charges. Officers ask waitress Amber Deahn to stay with the young girl while they question Duncan.
AMBER DEAHN, DENNY'S WAITRESS: I said, honey, what's your name? She said Shasta Groene and started crying. And I couldn't help myself. I picked her straight up and just held her.
DORNIN: A few hours later, joy, tempered by fears of Dylan's fate.
CAPT. BEN WOLFINGER, KOOTENAI COUNTY POLICE: All the information the investigators were able to glean today from interviews and their other leads that they've been following indicates that Dylan is most likely deceased.
DORNIN: No how, where, or why.
WOLFINGER: We've got 40 investigators out there following these leads. The goal is, is to find Dylan, one way or another.
DORNIN: Across town, father Steven Groene, seen here with the blond ponytail, is reunited at the hospital with his daughter. A community reaches out. Friends and total strangers bring gifts of comfort for the youngster.
KALE BASSLER, RESIDENT: I can't even imagine what she's been through. But if I could bring anything that would give her a little smile.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Police said they're also searching Joseph Duncan, the suspect's home in North Dakota. They want to find out more about a blog they say he did write where he talks about harming society and then dying. And we should find out more about this whole investigation in about seven hours when they do hold a press conference.
Carol.
COSTELLO: Rusty Dornin live in Idaho this morning.
Coming up in just a few minutes, we'll talk to a captain with the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department about what they've learned in their investigation.
M. O'BRIEN: In Aruba this morning, the three suspects held in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway due in court a little later today. A judge must determine whether they should be let go or if prosecutors can hold them for 60 more days. Chris Lawrence is live in Palm Beach, Aruba.
Chris, pivotal day for the prosecution, isn't it?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, it is the most important day so far because there's no guarantee that the suspects will still be in custody at the end of the day. In about three hours from now, a judge is expected to start hearing the evidence against them. And he'll have to decide whether to keep them or let them go.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE, (voice over): Exactly five weeks after Natalee Holloway went missing, investigators watched three suspects reconstruct what happened the night she disappeared.
JOSSY MONSOUR, PUBLISHER, DIALO NEWSPAPER: They never took those three kids together to that precinct. They took them apart, in different cars.
LAWRENCE: Local newspaper publisher Jossy Monsour says, police took the suspects to several spots on the island, including the lighthouse they say they drove by. Deepak and Satish Kalpoe now say on May 30th they dropped off Natalee and Joran van der Sloot down the shore from her hotel. Van der Sloot says at some point she wanted to stay, he wanted to go. He says he left Natalee alone on the beach and went home.
MONSOUR: They wanted to know for sure that Joran would take them exactly to the places that he said he took Natalee to that night.
LAWRENCE: On Monday, prosecutors will have to prove why the suspects should stay in custody for up to two more months.
GEORGE "JUG" TWITTY, NATALEE'S STEPFATHER: I hope and pray that they don't let them go.
LAWRENCE: Natalee's stepfather says the family has more information than they've said publicly about what happened between Natalee and the three young men. Jug Twitty says they'll go public if the suspects go free.
TWITTY: Even through there's no physical evidence, there is a lot that we have to tell. And if they do, we'll have to tell it. And it's pretty sickening. LAWRENCE: Elected officials from Natalee's home state of Alabama have been applying pressure on the Aruban government. They're asking authorities to let the FBI become full partners in the investigation. But Aruban officials say federal agents have been working with them all along.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: Now, Aruba's government has asked Holland to send three fighter jets to help with the search. They've been rigged with infrared sensors and sonar equipment. And we're told that the planes and the pilots will be here by Wednesday.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Chris Lawrence in Aruba, thank you -- Carol?
COSTELLO: The search goes on for members of a special ops reconnaissance team missing in the mountains of Afghanistan. One member of the elite unit was rescued over the weekend. A military helicopter crashed on Tuesday while bringing reinforcements to the team, killing 16 U.S. service members. Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon this morning.
Barbara, what do we know about the serviceman who was rescued? And about the other team members still missing?
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the military is saying very little. One team member, as you say, was rescued over the weekend. They are saying he is in relatively good shape. But they will not discuss how they rescued him and anything about the status of the others of this small special forces team that remain missing, other than to say the search goes on for them in these very rugged mountains of Eastern Afghanistan.
As you say, this was the ground unit that was in a firefight last Tuesday and has been missing since then. They were the ones that called in for help. The helicopter came in, crashed, believed to have been shot down, killing all 16 special forces members on board that Chinook helicopter.
There has been another development. Over the weekend, a U.S. Air Force B-52 bomber dropped six bombs on a compound in that area of Afghanistan, in Kunar province. It was a walled compound. U.S. military officials saying they believed at the time that insurgents were inside that compound that were directly responsible for the shoot down of that U.S. helicopter.
They have now been to that site and what they are now saying about that compound, although they found some fatalities there that they believe were insurgents, and found some weapons, they are also now saying they found an undetermined number of civilian casualties at that compound. Women, children, and men that apparently were not tied to the incident. So more information expected on that later.
But certainly, a very difficult weekend here - July Fourth weekend here in the United States for military families. The Pentagon, of course, now saying eight of the people on board the helicopter were members of Army special forces, eight of them were U.S. Navy SEALs -- Carol?
COSTELLO: Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon this morning.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: In Kansas, storms making a mess of the holiday weekend. Take a look. The severe weather running head-long into a marina, damaging boats and piers. At least four people were injured. High winds reported in several counties knocking down trees and power lines. And it's not done wet. Chad Myers at the weather center on this holiday day. I was going to say holiday weekend but it's the day. It's the holiday.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Well, when we come back, still no sign of Egypt's ambassador to Iraq. He was kidnapped in Baghdad over the weekend. A live update on the search just ahead.
M. O'BRIEN: Also: The battle for the bench -- not taking a holiday on this July Fourth. Who will succeed Justice Sandra Day O'Connor at the Supreme Court? We're live with the latest.
COSTELLO: Oh, talk about fireworks, huh? We'll go live to the nation's capital as America gets ready to celebrate its 229th birthday. That's just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: In Idaho this morning, an 8-year-old girl is safe. Police are searching for her older brother, presumed dead. And a convicted sex offender is behind bars, leaving many to wonder, why he was set free by a judge unfamiliar with his record. Six weeks after her brother, mother, and her boyfriend were killed, 8-year-old Shasta Groene was spotted by a quick-thinking waitress on Saturday. Nine- year-old Dylan has not been found and is presumed dead.
Captain Ben Wolfinger is with the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department in Coeur D'Alene.
Good to have you with us Captain.
Just bring us up to date. What do we know about the search for Dylan?
CAPT. BEN WOLFINGER, KOOTENAI CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: Well, Miles, the investigators yesterday, through some physical evidence and statements that they've gathered over the last about 48 hours now, were able to identify several areas where they think that Duncan, the suspect in this, and the Groene children may have stayed over the last six weeks. They were checking those sites for any possible evidence last night.
M. O'BRIEN: And those places were pretty much in the local area there in Coeur D'Alene?
WOLFINGER: Well, they were in Northern Idaho and Western Montana primarily, with a possibility of a location or two in Eastern Washington. But this is the Panhandle of Idaho. It's less than 100 miles wide. So really it is in a relatively general area here.
M. O'BRIEN: You have reason to believe that Dylan is dead. What gives you that sad reason?
WOLFINGER: Well, unfortunately, we can't get into the specifics of what the investigators know at this point. But all indications are that Dylan is deceased.
M. O'BRIEN: Was it something that his sister said?
WOLFINGER: Well, that's part of what his sister said, part of the physical evidence, part of the other leads that they've been following have all combined to reach that conclusion.
M. O'BRIEN: Can you tell us anything about the evidence you're able to glean from the stolen Jeep which he was using?
WOLFINGER: Well, we really can't get into that. They did process that Jeep. It was stolen out of Minnesota. And through some of the physical evidence they've acquired there, that's what's really given them some of their strong leads. The investigators asked that we hold that information close to the vest until they can confirm the information that they're getting from that evidence at this time.
M. O'BRIEN: And what about linking Joseph Duncan to the murders of Shasta's mother, and boyfriend, and brother?
WOLFINGER: Well, that certainly is one of the top five questions. Was he involved? And if so, at what point? He's certainly the primary investigative lead in this case for those homicides. However, we've always said right from the get-go in this case, that finding the children is first and the homicides are secondary. If it takes a day or two to make that link or whatever link there is, we're OK with that.
M. O'BRIEN: Captain, this has got to be a very frustrating case for you. Joseph Duncan is a level three sex offender, served 14 years in jail for raping a 14-year-old boy, was out on parole for yet another offense. Why was this person on the street?
WOLFINGER: Well, that's a great question. You know, his conviction for rape came out of Washington state, out of Pierce County, the Tacoma, Washington, area. He's got charges in, I think, Minnesota or North Dakota. It's a great question and I think it's one that the American public are asking more and more, why are these high- risk sex offenders on the street?
M. O'BRIEN: Well, it must be incredibly frustrating for police officers to know that a judge, when it came time for a parole hearing, a bond hearing, says, he didn't know much about this person's record. WOLFINGER: Well, it's unfortunate that the judge didn't know much about the record. It's unfortunate the prosecutors didn't present that to a judge at a bond hearing. You know, it's a delicate line we walk on protection of rights according to the Constitution and protection of victims. And I don't envy the judge or the prosecutor in any of these cases.
M. O'BRIEN: Captain Ben Wolfinger, Kootenai County Sheriff's Department, thank you.
WOLFINGER: Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: In our next hour, we'll talk with the waitress who spotted Shasta Groene and the restaurant manager who called 911 -- Carol?
COSTELLO: And theirs is an amazing story, Miles.
When we come back, too, fanfare and fireworks all around the country. Americans are celebrating the Fourth of July. We'll take you live to Washington, D.C. for a look at what's being planned there.
Stay with us. You are watching AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SPC. GERALD WILSON, U.S. ARMY: Hi. My name is Specialist Gerald Wilson. I'm from 860-108 Armor. I'm from Junkville (ph), Georgia, currently stationed at Mahadia (ph), Iraq. I'd like to say hello to my wife Patricia Wilson, my little girls Sheridan (ph) and Kerrigan (ph). I'm on the PSD (ph) for Coronel's PSD Protection Agency (ph) and I just want to say happy Fourth of July. Who-a (ph).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Happy Fourth of July, Gerald.
M. O'BRIEN: Who-a.
COSTELLO: That was cool.
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to celebrate Independence Day with a concert and fireworks tonight in Washington, D.C. Tom Foreman live on the national mall in the capitol.
Tom, I don't think there's a better place in America to watch fireworks than in D.C.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think you are right. And, obviously, a lot of people feel that way because we see spectators out here. I can't believe this. Fourteen hours before the fireworks, you see people roaming around and I think some of them are going to stay.
This is where it's all going to be happening. A huge crowd expected here tonight. About a half million people coming to see some musical acts. Twenty-fifth anniversary of the big musical show here, the celebration of the 4th here. Gloria Estefan was practicing last night. One of the big headliners here tonight, along with the OJs and the Beach Boys.
We can take a look at that practice. That's become very popular among many of the local Washingtonians here. They'll come out here and watch the practice rather than the actual show because they don't want to fight the big crowds. But they do the big warm-up on a stage here right in front of the Capitol and down along the mall where they're also having a folk life festival. There will be a big parade today. People all over.
As you would guess, as always now, security is pretty heavy. They've got people who are going to be lining up trying to check bags, people coming in and out, that sort of thing. Half million people. Worth noting, they're going to try to get all of them out of here in one hour tonight after the fireworks end. That's part of their security drill here, practicing evacuating Washington, D.C. So a practical effect, as well. Interesting because that's going to be about one-fifth of the U.S. population in 1776 -- Carol?
COSTELLO: You're kidding? They're going to try and get all of those people out of there in an hour and a half?
FOREMAN: They're hoping.
COSTELLO: All those people who have been drinking for quite some time, some of them.
FOREMAN: Well, we'll see.
COSTELLO: Yes.
Tom Foreman live in D.C. this morning. Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: I wonder if the drinking has already started there?
COSTELLO: I'm sure it has, actually.
M. O'BRIEN: You're (ph) thinking, why not, right? It's only 14 hours. I'll drink to that.
COSTELLO: It's a party.
M. O'BRIEN: All right ahead on "90 Second Pop," Live 8, the world's largest live concert ever. Was it a success?
And, are Americans answering the call to help fight poverty in Africa?
And also in "90 Second Pop," the life and legacy of Luther Vandross. What a voice he had.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) M. O'BRIEN: It's just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. We're trying to keep track of a lot of papers here, so stay with us.
COSTELLO: I know. And we're talking about our Fourth of July celebrations, too, to be honest. I can't wait.
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, really? Where are you going to see fireworks?
COSTELLO: This Fourth of July. On the beach.
M. O'BRIEN: On the beach.
COSTELLO: In Connecticut.
M. O'BRIEN: Am I invited? Am I invited? No, I'm not. Not at all, right?
COSTELLO: You should go, because you're going to be in the city along the East River.
M. O'BRIEN: There you go. It's just kind of past our bedtime, but maybe we should push it.
COSTELLO: Who cares?
M. O'BRIEN: Who cares? You only go around once.
COSTELLO: Who cares? It's the nation's birthday, Miles!
M. O'BRIEN: . Yes, that's right. And on this nation's birthday, the battle lines are being drawn, fireworks of a different kind, over the next Supreme Court justice.
COSTELLO: Oh, you've got that right. A lot of people right now are remembering the name Robert Bork. His nomination led to an epic fight in Washington. We'll talk to a man who says this could be Bork all over again.
M. O'BRIEN: Well, you know, it became a verb, to be borked (ph).
COSTELLO: To be borked (ph).
M. O'BRIEN: To be borked (ph). Yes, it's now in the dictionary, I believe.
Kelly Wallace here with headlines.
Good morning -- Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: And I don't think he likes that very much.
COSTELLO: I don't think so.
WALLACE: I don't think... M. O'BRIEN: You know...
WALLACE: I don't think he'd like to be in the dictionary for that.
All right, good morning to both of you. Good morning, everyone.
Here are some of the stories "Now in the News."
A milestone for NASA. The Deep Impact spacecraft successfully collided with a comet early this morning, just some 83 million miles away from the Earth. The celestial clash is believed to be equivalent of five tons of TNT. Scientists are very excited -- you can see it there -- with the success of the mission. They say seeing inside the comet could help unlock the mystery of how the solar system was formed.
A little girl missing in Idaho has been found alive, and is now resting at a hospital after a six-week ordeal. Eight-year-old Shasta Groene was found on Saturday. Authorities are still searching now for her 9-year-old brother, Dylan, but fear he may be dead. The two disappeared in the aftermath of a triple murder at their mother's home. A court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow for the man arrested with the little girl. Joseph Duncan -- Joseph Edward Duncan III -- excuse me -- is a convicted sex offender. He is now charged with kidnapping.
In Aruba, three suspects being held in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway will be in court today or tomorrow. Investigators took the suspects to a beach Sunday to check out their stories about the night Holloway was last seen. No formal charges have been filed. Meanwhile, officials are sending three F-16 warplanes to help in the search of the missing Alabama teen.
And at least four people have been injured in a series of heavy thunderstorms in south-central Kansas. High winds and rains damaged boats and campers and flooded streets. Hundreds of people are still without power this morning. And Chad says I think they're somewhat out of the clear, but that flooding is likely to continue to be a problem today.
M. O'BRIEN: They're all saying Auntie Em (ph) this morning, huh? Running for the shelters. All right, thank you very much, Kelly.
Three people have been killed, four more wounded by roadside bombings in Baghdad today. Meanwhile, U.S. and Iraqi forces are hunting for the kidnapped Egyptian ambassador.
Aneesh Ramen is in Baghdad.
Aneesh -- what do we know about the disappearance of the ambassador?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, very little at the moment, Miles. After a week of relative calm here in Iraq, a weekend of violence in the capital city, a spate of suicide bombings and a message, it seems, from the insurgents to the Arab world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAMAN (voice over): In the most high-profile kidnapping Iraq has seen in months, Egypt's top envoy, Ihab al-Sherif, taken from his car on Saturday. The Egyptian embassy itself sealed off by security forces.
On the cusp of becoming ambassador, al-Sherif arrived in Iraq at the start of June. His presence, one of enormous regional importance.
In Brussels last month, Iraq's foreign minister charged Arab states to do more in the fight for stability.
HOSHYAR ZEBARI, IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER: So, we feel, really, some of our neighbors have not been helpful enough to help us in the security field. And they are all here today in the conference, and they heard our message loud and clear.
RAMAN: A message heard in Egypt, where the country's president in late June became the first Arab leader pushing the process, sending an ambassador to post-war Iraq. Al-Sherif's kidnapping now, a response, it seems, from insurgents, raising the stakes for other Arab countries.
Amid word of the kidnapping, a high-profile visit Sunday from an American cabinet secretary. U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales making an unannounced stop in Iraq, meeting with government leaders, Justice Department employees and U.S. troops.
ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL; And I'm here to tell you that you're not alone; that the American people are very much with you. As the president talked about this week, what you're doing here in Iraq is so very important to the security of our country and the promotion of freedom around the world. There is so much at stake here.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RAMAN: Now, Miles, the attorney general, of course, comes here amid feverish speculation back in Washington over Supreme Court nominees. But his visit here, a big boost to morale on this holiday weekend for the troops stationed here in Iraq -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman in Baghdad. Thank you very much -- Carol.
COSTELLO: When President Bush returns from the G8 summit later this week, he may reveal his choice to succeed Sandra day O'Connor on the Supreme Court. Justice O'Connor announced her retirement on Friday after 24 years. She was the first woman to serve on the high court.
Edward Lazarus is a Supreme Court expert and the author of "Closed Chambers." He joins us now live from Los Angeles.
Good morning.
EDWARD LAZARUS, SUPREME COURT EXPERT: Good morning.
COSTELLO: You know, already a name has been leaked for consideration. And, of course, that would be Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Conservatives have already mounted a campaign against him. And there's already a joke circulating, isn't there?
LAZARUS: Yes, there is. They say that the Spanish word for Souter is Gonzales. And by that they mean, David Souter, who proved to be an unpleasant surprise for the first President Bush when he turned out to be much more liberal than expected. The conservative wing of the Republican Party doesn't want that to happen again, and they think Gonzales risks that happening.
COSTELLO: Because, supposedly, he's for abortion rights.
LAZARUS: Well, that issue, and perhaps others as well, where he may not be as hard-edged as some of the other potential nominees.
COSTELLO: He went to Iraq. Is that going to help him at all?
LAZARUS: Well, I don't know. I don't really think that's part of any kind of PR campaign. But I think it may be -- counterbalances some of the attacks that came right after the resignation of Justice O'Connor.
COSTELLO: Well, a campaign on the left is also in the works, as you might expect. Democrats want to replace O'Connor with a moderate, you know a moderate for a moderate.
Here's what Joe Biden had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: This is a chance for the president to resurrect his second term here. This is a chance for him to get back on his game. And for him to go and pick some pure ideologue, does anybody in America think we need in this diverse country more pure ideologues on the United States Supreme Court?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Well, many think the president does. I mean, can you look into your crystal ball?
LAZARUS: I do think the president will pick someone who is very, very solidly conservative, because if he doesn't, he's wasted an opportunity. Justice O'Connor is a moderate, is someone where if he picks a conservative he'll shift the political balance of the court. If he picks a moderate, he won't. And this might be his only opportunity to shift the political balance of the court. I think President Bush wants to do that. So, I think he's going to pick a conservative.
COSTELLO: So, Democrats as a result want to ask specific questions of nominees like on abortion rights. Democratic Senator Charles Schumer said they're going to try to get away with the idea that we're not going to know their views, but that's not going to work this time. Can you divine, though, someone's views in a hearing just by asking them questions on their beliefs?
LAZARUS: Well, unless they pick another stealth candidate like David Souter, who didn't have much of a track record, I think you're going to know what those person's views are before they ever get to the green table in the Senate conference room where the hearings are held. So, I don't think it's going to be hard to discern who these people are, especially if he picks one of these Federal Court of Appeals judges who will have a long track record.
COSTELLO: OK. So, how many will be borked (ph)?
LAZARUS: Well, I'm not sure any will be, because the Republicans do control the Senate. And I think it puts the Democrats in a very tough spot to filibuster a Supreme Court nominee, unless they manage during the hearings to expose something that really creates a public furor.
COSTELLO: Edward Lazarus, thank you for joining AMERICAN MORNING this morning. We sure appreciate it.
LAZARUS: Thank you.
M. O'BRIEN: In Australia this morning, the sea claims part of the famed landmark known as the 12 apostles. Now, in this photo, you'll see part of the natural rock formation intact on the southern coast of the country. Just moments later, tourists got a shock when one of the limestone pillars -- there you go -- collapsed into the sea.
Now here's the thing, though. They said it was the 12 apostles, but there were 9. I'm confused. Is there some kind of new math thing in Australia? I don't know.
COSTELLO: I'm sure that's what it is.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. So now there's eight. So, it's the 8 apostles, but it was the 12 apostles. So, would you call it the 11 apostles now, even though they are 8? Chad?
COSTELLO: These questions are too deep.
M. O'BRIEN: This is a question for Chad, because he knows the answer. Chad, I know you know.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
M. O'BRIEN: Why do they call it the 12 apostles when they were 9?
MYERS: You got me, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: We stumped him! We stumped him! COSTELLO: Oh, yes! You had to...
M. O'BRIEN: We need a bell, ding, ding.
MYERS: Because, Miles...
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
MYERS: Because there used to be 12.
M. O'BRIEN: There used to be eons ago.
MYERS: Three of them fell down, and now another one fell down.
M. O'BRIEN: Actually the one that fell down before was called London Bridge or something. But I didn't want to get into that.
MYERS: All right.
M. O'BRIEN: But now we just did.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, finding the right assisted-living facility for your loved one. It can be a daunting task. We've got some tips to help you sort through all of the details.
M. O'BRIEN: And then the Live 8 concert. Musicians around the globe called on all of humanity to help fight African poverty. But is anybody listening? Stay with us for more AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD M. O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: As they get older, many Americans are looking to move to assisted-living facilities. But finding the right one for yourself or an aging relative is not easy.
Amanda Walker of "Consumer Reports" is here with a little help.
Good morning. Nice to see you.
AMANDA WALKER, "CONSUMER REPORTS": Good morning. Nice to see you, too.
S. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much. Why is it so hard to get decent, clear information on assisted living?
WALKER: The problem is that it varies from state to state and what facilities are available. The settings are all over the map. They range from an individual house for just a few people that may only take people with Alzheimer's problems, to large high-rise buildings that may provide not much assistance at all, to giant campuses that have independent living, assisted living and nursing home care.
In addition, the states oversee assisted living, not the federal government. So, regulations vary from state to state greatly. They can inspect, for example facilities once a year, or they can inspect them every five years.
S. O'BRIEN: So, all of that means that the onus is on the person who is looking to really do all of their homework.
WALKER: Right.
S. O'BRIEN: And luckily you have a lot of tips. So, we'll walk through them. First you say step number one is contact the local agency that sort of oversees aging in your area.
WALKER: Right. Your local area on aging office. And you can find that at the eldercare locator at eldercare.gov. And they can tell you which facilities are available in the area you're looking, either where you live or where a relative lives, if you're looking for a relative. And then you can find out the seven or eight facilities that are available in your area, if you want to start with a list that that's large. If you live in a rural area, your list may be a lot smaller. Sometimes there aren't any facilities available in your area.
S. O'BRIEN: You can hire something called a geriatric care manager. What's that?
WALKER: Right. Those are experts that are local in your area. You can search at caremanager.org for someone in your region or in the region where you're looking. And they are familiar with the assisted- living facilities in the area. They will talk to you about the person you're searching for, what's their condition like, what needs do they have, so they can help you really zero in on the best facilities in that area.
S. O'BRIEN: Kind of cut through a lot of the other stuff out there.
WALKER: Right.
S. O'BRIEN: Then you say, talk to state regulators. What do I want to ask them when I talk to them?
WALKER: You want to find out how often places are inspected. Has this place had any problems? We actually have a state-by-state list on our Web site at consumerreports.org that lists who to contact to get inspection information, how to find out if they're licensed or not.
S. O'BRIEN: The next step is to actually get in your car and get out there.
WALKER: Right. You have to actually visit the facility.
S. O'BRIEN: So, what am I looking for? WALKER: Well, generally the first time you visit you'll be taken around by a promotions kind of person, who is going to be...
S. O'BRIEN: So, it will look really good, right?
WALKER: Well, hopefully. But you want to look beyond that. You want to look kind of beyond just the chandelier effect, we call it, just the fancy furnishings. You want to look and see if the people seem well-cared for, is there lots of activity. But you don't want to see people sitting around that aren't being attended to, that are complaining they're not getting care. You want to look for the staff interaction with the people that live there, see if they seem genuinely connected or not.
S. O'BRIEN: You also say you should bring your parent or whoever it is you're looking to place.
WALKER: Right.
S. O'BRIEN: Can you -- I mean, can you do a tryout in these places?
WALKER: You can in some places.
S. O'BRIEN: Really?
WALKER: In some place they actually have an apartment set aside. You definitely want, once you've narrowed the list to your top two or three choices, you want to bring the parent or whoever you're looking for, have them have a meal at the facility, have them participate in an activity, if possible, to see if this is the kind of thing they'd be interested in. Talk to other residents. You want to do that all along and see how they eel about the place. And hopefully they can even spend the night.
S. O'BRIEN: It's tough. It's tough on a lot of levels.
WALKER: It is.
S. O'BRIEN: Not only just the work, as you mentioned, you've got to kind of slog through...
WALKER: The emotional level, too.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes.
WALKER: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: That's tough, too. Well, thanks for some great tips. Appreciate it. Amanda Walker, "Consumer Reports," helping us out this morning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: Up next on "90-Second Pop," remembering Luther Vandross. A look at the R&B singer's musical legacy and that wonderful voice just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: And, yes, it's time for another edition of "90- Second Pop." With us this morning, Christopher John Farley, "TIME" magazine and the author of "Kingston By Starlight." Andy Borowitz from borowitzreport.com. And B.J. Sigesmund from "Us Weekly."
Gentlemen, good to have you with us.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: It's good to be here.
M. O'BRIEN: and all-male "90-Second Pop." This could be a first.
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FARLEY, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Just the boys.
M. O'BRIEN: It could be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's talk sports.
M. O'BRIEN: All right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right yes, the NFL.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk about Live 8. In case you were tuned out over the weekend, the world's largest concert. Billions and billions tuned in. The idea, to raise money for the poor of Africa. A good cause. Was it a good show?
FARLEY: Well, here's the thing. I mean, it's hard to judge the success of the show, because it wasn't about just raising money. It was really about raising the voice of people, ordinary people to let them know about what's going on, raising people's consciousness. And that's hard to sort of measure.
My basic problem with the show -- and there were parts that were very enjoyable, their hearts were in the right place, that was terrific -- was that there weren't enough African performers performing onstage. I mean, it was about Africa, and then we didn't hear from Africans. And I have a real problem with that as an African-American, you know, so...
M. O'BRIEN: And the organizer, Bob Geldof, said in advance, you know, if we did all African groups we wouldn't get as big a turnout. That's kind of a lousy statement on the face of it, isn't it?
BOROWITZ: So, you know...
FARLEY: This is spoken by the Boomtown Rats? I mean, come on. They're actually a super group...
M. O'BRIEN: Real quality there, huh?
BOROWITZ: So, you don't think Duran Duran has enough soul?
FARLEY: Yes.
BOROWITZ: Not quite enough.
FARLEY: You know, maybe a performance from folks from Suwata (ph) might have worked. But, you know...
M. O'BRIEN: So, a little arrogance there maybe.
FARLEY: A little arrogance.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": I think one of the interesting things that has come out of this, though, is that MTV is being criticized for their coverage of Live 8, but actually it was watching it on AOL that was your best bet. And, in fact, AOL is going to be streaming the concert for the next six weeks for free. On AOL, you could actually see the 10 different or 6 or 7 different venues just with the click of a mouse, whereas MTV had to, you know, balance their coverage all over the place.
M. O'BRIEN: And that wasn't a shameless plug. You're just saying that on your own, right? Because AOL, of course, is part of the great Time Warner.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
M. O'BRIEN: All right.
BOROWITZ: You know who I figured must have really hated that show is the G8 leaders, because now having to be Tony Blair this morning and pick up your BlackBerry and find 26 million text messages, that to me has got to be kind of annoying.
M. O'BRIEN: Do something. All right, let's talk about Luther Vandross. Let's listen to Luther Vandross for just a moment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUTHER VANDROSS, SINGER (singing): I always will love you forever
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: What a voice, you know? That is a voice. What an amazing career. You know, there was -- he got heavy. He got skinny. He obviously some health issues. But what's his legacy?
BOROWITZ: Well, you know, he first really came out on the scene in America in 1975 as a background singer for David Bowie on the album, "Young Americans." David Bowie...
M. O'BRIEN: Really?
BOROWITZ: ... went into Philadelphia to record...
M. O'BRIEN: Oh, I didn't know that.
BOROWITZ: ... a solo album.
M. O'BRIEN: That's one of my favorite albums.
BOROWITZ: It's fantastic.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
BOROWITZ: Well, he brought out this enormous guy, Luther Vandross. And here's, you know, David Bowie, the skinny English dude, and he was sort of saying, what is this going to be? And this amazing voice came out. And that was kind of the beginning of. He never really looked back.
I mean, when you hear music like that, and you hear, you know, his songs like "Here and Now," and you look at what's going on now in music, it does kind of feel like the end of a chapter in a way, this kind of crooning, very romantic soul singing.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
BOROWITZ: I mean, you can't picture, like, 50 Cent, you know, recording here.
M. O'BRIEN: It's not quite the same.
BOROWITZ: It would be here and now in my car, I think.
M. O'BRIEN: Baby.
FARLEY: That's a key thing. Luther Vandross made soul music, love music for adults. I mean, so often the music you hear that's about love on the radio is really for kids, adolescents. He made music that's sophisticated, that adults can enjoy, and also sort of see themselves in.
M. O'BRIEN: So there is no Luther Vandross successor, successor to that mantle.
FARLEY: Well, I think some in John Legend (ph). He's another contemporary R&B singer. I think he draws from the Luther Vandross playbook. But in general, music has gone a different direction.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, B.J., let's talk about Harry Potter, if we must, now. What, two weeks away? And, what, Harry Potter is going to come out as a scientologist and have an affair as an actress? Is that it? No, what's going -- what's the plot?
SIGESMUND: I don't know what...
M. O'BRIEN: There's some plot hints, right?
SIGESMUND: J.K. Rowling has kept the plot of the sixth book so secret that it could be. But, yes, it looks like this is going to be the biggest Harry Potter yet. The first one is 11 million copies. That's actually four million more than the fifth book. And...
M. O'BRIEN: Which was about a thousand pages.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
M. O'BRIEN: You know, and this one...
SIGESMUND: And this one is rumored to be a little shorter than that, maybe 700 pages. This is going to be the continuing efforts to keep...
M. O'BRIEN: (INAUDIBLE).
SIGESMUND: Yes. To keep Lord Valdemar from getting more power. There is another character that is supposedly...
BOROWITZ: Thank god.
SIGESMUND: ... going to die in it. You know, a big character died in the fifth one. And then there's going to be a little more romance -- a little more romance for Harry. We're not sure if it's Harry and Hermione, or Ron and Hermione are going to continue with their burgeoning romance. So, we'll see. But it's -- you know, it's going to be another big summer for kids with Harry Potter.
O. M. O'BRIEN: And do you think it's going to sell like the -- of course, it will, right?
SIGESMUND: Oh, yes. I mean, it's already sold, you know, back orders and back orders. Hundreds and millions -- I'm sorry, hundreds of thousands of these books have already been sold. And, like I said, the first run was 11 million.
M. O'BRIEN: I mean, on the one hand it's great that kids are reading them, right? And...
FARLEY: Well, see, I don't want to know the plot. I want to be surprised by it, because every page now you read you're getting closer to the end of the series. And then it's all over. So, I don't want to know what happens. I don't want to know about the romances. I don't even want to know that it's written in English. I just want to be surprised when I open it up and maybe there's a chance that it will be in Portuguese this time. I just don't want to know.
BOROWITZ: I wonder if plot details of Madame Bovary leaked out before that book came out. It's hard to believe. I don't know.
M. O'BRIEN: It wasn't quite the marketing campaign back then, was it? All right, popsters, thank you very much for the all-male "90-Second Pop." We'll do sports next time. Thanks very much. Good to be here.
Carol -- to you.
COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Miles. Still ahead, bull's-eye. NASA's multimillion dollar Deep Impact spacecraft smashes into a comet, just as planned. What we're expected to learn from it. That's just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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