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American Morning

Journalist Judith Miller Remains in Jail; Madonna Recovers From Horse Fall

Aired August 17, 2005 - 08:30   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be?
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: A mighty, mighty oak.

M. O'BRIEN: Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING -- wow, you had that one ready.

S. O'BRIEN: You come back from vacation very changed, Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: I have. I'm a new man, huh?

"New York Times" reporter Judith Miller remains in jail. No vacation for her. Part of the investigation into possible violations of a law protecting CIA operatives.

S. O'BRIEN: But a former senator who helped write that law says he has some serious problems with how it's being used now. We're going to get you an update on the Judith Miller case, just ahead.

First, though, another check of the headlines with Carol Costello. Good morning again.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to you.

"Now in the News," we are watching developments out of the Middle East as Israeli settlers are being escorted out of their homes. Unarmed Israeli troops entered parts of Gaza today, carrying out protesters who have defied a deadline to leave. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has called the images heartbreaking, but stands firm that a pullout will make Israel strong. The Israeli defense forces say about 60 percent of the settlers have now been evacuated.

More than 40 people have been killed at a bus station in central Baghdad. Dozens of others are wounded. Iraqi police say a pair of car bombs exploded just about ten minutes apart. A third explosion was reported near a hospital, where the casualties from the first two bombings were being taken.

The sentencing phase begins today in the trial of BTK serial killer Dennis Rader. Prosecutors say they want Rader to get at least 175 years without a chance for parole. They're planning to call police to the stand today to give the chilling details of a murder spree at that spanned three decades. Rader is not eligible for the death penalty. And Coretta Scott King, the widow of Martin Luther King, Jr., is in an Atlanta hospital this morning. She was rushed to the emergency room on Tuesday. It's not clear what the problem was, but a hospital spokesman says King was kept overnight for observation. Her family is expected to release a statement later today. And, of course, Soledad, we'll be following that.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, no question. Keep our fingers crossed that she's doing just fine. Thanks, Carol.

Well, day 43 now that reporter Judith Miller's been in jail for refusing to reveal a confidential source on a story involving a CIA agent. National correspondent Kelly Wallace been following the case closely for us. Good morning.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

You know, this is really a story where we have more questions than answers because we don't really know what the special prosecutor is focusing on. We believe that the grand jury, the Federal Grand Jury, expires in October. So it stands to reason that his investigation could wrap up by then. However, he could always extend his investigation. What we do know, though, speaking about Judith miller, she's getting some help from unusual places. A former senator who stepped in and says Judith Miller's case shows there needs to be a new federal law protecting journalists like Miller.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, you know what, let me ask you a question. I think we're having a little technical difficulties. But as you say, lots of questions and maybe not so many answers. First of all, why is Bob Dole getting involved?

WALLACE: He said that he didn't know Judith Miller personally. He had read her work in the "New York Times," but he was sort of struck by her situation. And, also, he was one of the sponsors of this 1982 law which was created to protect undercover operatives, to protect people from going ahead and revealing their identities. He's a bit confused, though, and concerned because he thinks, based on the information he's seen, he finds it hard to believe there was really a violation of this law.

So he's struggling to understand why exactly Judith Miller is behind bars. He wanted to go meet with her, and he thought he could go ahead and write this opinion piece, hoping to get some momentum for a new law to protect journalists.

S. O'BRIEN: All right. I think your piece is ready. Let's take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE (voice-over): Former Senator Bob Dole coming to Judith Miller's defense on the opinion pages of her own paper, saying her imprisonment is all the more baffling because she has never written a word about the CIA flap. He said he was concerned that Miller was behind bars as part of an investigation into possible violations of a 1982 law he helped sponsor. That law makes it a crime to reveal the identities of undercover agents.

"With the facts known publicly today regarding the case," the former senator wrote, "it is difficult to see how a violation of the Intelligence Identities Protection Act could have occurred." In a telephone interview, Dole says he does not personally know Miller, but asked to visit her last month at the Alexandria Detention Center and plans to see her again. "I just felt I wanted to do something," he told us.

Miller has had a steady stream of visitors, many high profile, like Dole, Tom Brokaw and Barbara Walters. She spends her time responding to mail, which she gets a lot of, and reading newspapers, including her own, which she gets a few days late. Floyd Abrams, who represents Miller and the "New York Times," says she's holding up.

FLOYD ABRAMS, MILLER'S LAWYER: It's a very well run institution. It's a very impressive institution. It still -- and it is meant to be -- a detention center. It is a jail. A cell door closes at night. There are serious limits as to how often she sees the sun, serious limits as to how many days she can step outside.

WALLACE: Just what the special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is focusing most on is anybody's guess. Is it who leaked CIA agent Valerie Plame's name to reporters, or has the focus moved to perjury and obstruction of justice by government officials?

What we do know: Matt Cooper of "Time" magazine testified before the federal grand jury. He has revealed that Karl Rove was one of his sources. Two of Rove's aides also testified late last month, and Rove and Scooter Libby, the vice president's chief of staff, have been questioned by the grand jury.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Now, as for the special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, his office has repeatedly refused to comment on any story concerning this investigation. And as for Miller, she's supposed to be behind bars until the end of this federal grand jury.

S. O'BRIEN: So if the grand jury is extended, then she's extended.

WALLACE: Potentially. Or if Patrick Fitzgerald doesn't finish his investigation, many people think he might have to go ahead and impanel a new federal grand jury.

S. O'BRIEN: So she could be in jail until the new one is expired.

WALLACE: But that he might have to go ahead and issue another subpoena and have some court proceedings. But there is something else. Judith Miller could face potentially criminal contempt charges. Fitzgerald made that clear in court in July. And that is kind of why she's not speaking and her own criminal attorneys are not talking now. They don't want to jeopardize her case.

S. O'BRIEN: When you started out by saying there's more questions than answers, you weren't kidding.

WALLACE: I was not kidding on this one.

S. O'BRIEN: Kelly, thanks.

Miles?

M. O'BRIEN: Madonna is recovering from a nasty fall off her horse at her country house outside London. She broke her collarbone and her hand and cracked some ribs.

CNN's Robyn Curnow live now in London by a newsstand, where there is obviously -- well, I guess Fleet Street is having a little bit of fun with this one, Robyn?

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. It's on the front pages of all the tabloids here. The "Daily Mirror" saying, "Madonna Horse Fall Horror." And "The Sun" also leading with this news. Madonna, we do know, is recuperating back at her country manor. She was only in hospital for a few hours. She was released late last night.

Now, Miles, I'm not a close personal friend of Madonna's, so I can't give you any inside information on how she's feeling. But doctors do say she's no doubt in pain, and she's also probably feeling pretty upset. Because these sorts of injuries, takes up to three months to recover from them. So definitely no yoga, no dancing, and also for a few weeks while those ribs heal, definitely no singing. There maybe some question on whether she's going to make that November release for her new album -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Robyn, I know if you -- anybody who's cracked ribs knows it only hurts when you breathe. How good an equestrian, shall we say, is Madonna?

CURNOW: Well, I think that's a question for her riding instructor. And I just saw him on British television just a few moments ago, and he wouldn't say. But he said, whether you're a good horsewoman or a bad horsewoman, this sort of accident can happen to anybody if the horse is spooked or takes fright. Either way, though, we do know that Madonna has been riding quite a lot since she has made herself quite at home here in England.

In the latest issue of American "Vogue," she's pictured sitting on a horse, also wearing those very English tweeds. In the accompanying article, she says that not only has she learned to ride, but she's also learned to hunt and to fish. And she also breeds her own chickens and pheasants and partridges. So very clearly from that article, you can see that Madonna has again reinvented herself from a material girl to I suppose a country lady -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, yes, and wasn't there a detour in a kibbutz there somewhere along the way? I tell you, she is amazing. Robyn Curnow, thank you very much. You know, this makes me very nervous, this horse thing, you know, with my 11-year-old.

S. O'BRIEN: It might lead to the breeding chickens and pigs?

M. O'BRIEN: No, no, no, it's the injury part. I don't know about that part, about the country, but, you know, it's dangerous.

S. O'BRIEN: It's easy to break a rib falling off a horse. And I thought her instructor was very diplomatic.

M. O'BRIEN: I should say. He sidestepped that. You might say a little (INAUDIBLE) there.

S. O'BRIEN: A good helmet is the most important thing for your daughter.

M. O'BRIEN: Exactly. Exactly.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: Still to come, one of the big credit bureaus settles an alleged case of bait and switch. We're "Minding Your Business." And speaking of that sunblock thing.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, you could become addicted to tanning. I'm not a big tanner, but we are "Paging Dr. Gupta" for information about a surprising new study. It can be addicting. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: For years, doctors have been warning us that sunbathing causes cancer, yet many of us still love going to the pool, or the beach in search of the perfect tan. And now, researchers say, for some of us, tanning is actually an addiction.

We're "Paging Dr. Gupta" now to explain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): That's right. We're talking about addiction to the sun here, not alcohol, not cigarettes. But apparently this is a real addiction. People sort of know about this. This is how some people put it:

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People I know who go tanning, tan a lot, and they look tan all the time, even if it's, like, January.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just come once a week. I just like to maintain a little bit of color, look a little healthy without looking like a snowball.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Improves your confidence, I think. It makes you, like, just feel like you look better.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, gives you a brighter smile too. GUPTA: But researchers at the University of Texas wanted to put this to the test, so they hit the beaches of Galveston armed with a questionnaire, to try and figure out if there's an actual addiction to the sun. There's actually 17 questions they asked sun bathers.

Here are a few examples. Do you get annoyed when told not to tan? Do you think of it first thing in the morning? Do you believe that you can get skin cancer? And if so, does it keep you from tanning?

What they found, actually fascinating. Over half, 53 percent of people, actually qualified as having an addiction to the sun. Again, this is people who are actually out on the beach at this point addicted to the sun.

What's most interesting, again, we say that this is not like a cigarette addiction or alcohol addiction, but there is a psychological and physical component to the sun addiction as well. The psychological one perhaps more easy to understand. You think that you feel better, you look better because of the sun. As you heard one of the people say, it gives you a better smile even. It's all about appearance.

But the physical addiction, even more interesting. Apparently, there can be a release of endorphins. Those are the feel-good hormones. If you get those endorphins, you could potentially get addicted to the sun.

Now if you're watching this, wondering, gosh, maybe that's me. Do I need to get help? Well, that's sort of an interesting question. If you're someone who has had a history of skin cancer, for example, then you are someone who needs to get help if you're sort of out there sunbathing regularly. That's sort of obvious.

But if you also fit that psychological profile that we talked about earlier, you're thinking about it all the time, it's interfering with your work, with your play, with your time with family, then it might be time to get help as well. There are also some states that have taken the matter into their own hands. Three states out there actually have regulations. They won't allow people who are 12 years old and younger actually to sunbathe, and there are several states who are just doing that voluntarily as well.

So perhaps there is help out there. For the time being, though, this is a new addiction, just newly being described. We'll give you details as they become available.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Well, the U.S. government is delaying the approval of a virtual red light district, and a trusted credit bureau settles charges it's tricking its customers.

Ali Velshi is in for Andy Serwer. He's "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Let's first talk about this Internet site. We're really talking about Internet porn, which puts up red flags all over the place.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Talking about Internet porn. You know when you think about dot-com, well, there are 250-plus endings, suffixes for Internet sites, for Web sites, and it's governed by an international body. This body this week is considering, or was considering a proposal by a Florida company that registers Internet names to adopt one more of those suffixes, xxx, a xxx domain.

The argument is that you can control pornography. Anybody who buys one of these things may have to subscribe to some voluntary rules.

Internet porn, big business: Two out of five people surfing the Internet in April, according to one report, were on adult sites; $12 billion a year. The U.S. government says they have received an unprecedented number of complaints and have asked this international body to delay doing this.

S. O'BRIEN: Explain the complaints for me, because, I mean, The porn is already on the Internet. So those complaints aren't going to do anything about removing porn from the Internet.

(CROSSTALK)

VELSHI: Same as any red light district, people who say don't make it legal. Don't make it acceptable. Right now, you kind of do it, but it's -- everybody knows it's out there. But if you don't want to acknowledge it's there, you don't have to, because there's not a special home for them. This would give them a special home.

S. O'BRIEN: I would imagine it would be easier to block XXX sites from your kids, somehow.

VELSHI: Generally speaking, it would. The only argument against that now is that a lot of these porn sites would still use their dot- coms, so you couldn't fully block them. But yes, that's generally the thinking.

S. O'BRIEN: Tell me about this credit agency.

VELSHI: Experian credit agency.

S. O'BRIEN: Were they ripping off their customers?

VELSHI: Yes, they were telling people to come to their Web site, or to get a couple of Web sites, get a free credit report. And you have to give a lot of information to actually get a credit report. In doing so, you got signed up for this credit monitoring service. And if you didn't cancel within 30 days, you got billed $80 for it. They are now agreeing to pay back -- it's almost a billion dollars they're paying back.

S. O'BRIEN: Good. Good. VELSHI: There's some justice.

S. O'BRIEN: Ali, thanks.

There is. In the world, there's a little -- Miles.

VELSHI: Yes.

M. O'BRIEN: Sometimes you have to be patient, though.

Still to come, time is running out for summer vacations. But if you can get the time off of work, we've got some deals and tips to help you get some R&R before fall. Stay with us for more AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Guess what? It is not too late to plan your summer vacation. You could even get some great deals if you know where to look.

Joining us this morning, Linda Spradley Dunn. She's the publisher of a "Odyssey Couleur" magazine. It's a multi-cultural travel magazine. Nice to have you back.

LINDA SPRADLEY DUNN, PUBLISHER, "ODYSSEY COULEUR": Nice to be back, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: You know, it's almost like the summer shoe sale. Because I got to tell you, so much stuff is on sale, and you think the summer's kind of over.

DUNN: Right, but summer's not over if you're flexible. I mean, if you're thinking about going to a great spa and you thought the spas in Scottsdale or Palm Desert were too expensive, now's the time to go.

S. O'BRIEN: Let's talk about some of them. You point out the Phoenician Resort in Arizona. Why do you like that one?

DUNN: I like it because it's luxurious, it's beautiful, it has a world class spa. And in the past, perhaps, rooms range from $500 to $600. You can get a room there now for $99, $150. Spa treatments are great. No traffic and great airline tickets.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow. Same with the Wild Horse Pass Resort and Spa, which is also in Arizona?

DUNN: Yes, and what's neat about that, it was built on an Indian reservation. So very theme-oriented spa treatments. Casino on site. Bring the family. Mom goes to the spa.

S. O'BRIEN: Bring the family, but bye. I'll be in the spa. Two Bunch Palms, also in Palm Springs?

DUNN: All the stars hang out there. It's a great, neat spa. Summertime is a little hot in the desert. But guess what? You're in the air conditioning. You're relaxing in the spa.

S. O'BRIEN: Who cares about that desert?

DUNN: You shouldn't really care about the desert.

S. O'BRIEN: I'm getting a treatment in my room.

DUNN: Absolutely.

S. O'BRIEN: The Caribbean in August. Great deals if you're looking at the last minute. Four Seasons Resort in Nevis, West Indies.

DUNN: Absolute great children's program, again.

S. O'BRIEN: Really.

DUNN: Wonderful place to go. A lot of people have hurricane phobia right about now.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, we'll talk about that in a second. The Ritz Carlton, Montego Bay in Jamaica, and the Marriott and Hyatt Hotels in Aruba, also you like them. Why?

DUNN: I like them because their prices are great, it's easy to get to, and if it rains at 3:00, the sun will be back out by 5:00. Not to worry about it. Really good deals.

S. O'BRIEN: Let's get back to the hurricane thing. Because all of those areas -- you know, we had an early hurricane season. If I book and then I hear from Chad there's a hurricane on the way, can I unbook and get my money back?

DUNN: You know, Soledad, it really depends on the carrier and the hotel. And I tell folks all the time, check the T's and C's, the terms and conditions. Some folks are very, very flexible. They give you full refunds. Others say you have to use that as a credit for the next time.

S. O'BRIEN: Let's say I've already landed in my fabulous hotel, and then I turn on the TV, and there's Chad telling me there's a hurricane on the way. What do you do?

DUNN: Well, the first thing you do is listen to the authorities. The most stubborn folks in hurricane situations are tourists. When the authorities say it's time to evacuate, evacuate. Right. No hurricane parties on the beach.

S. O'BRIEN: More family vacations. Let's go back to the deals that you can get...

DUNN: You got it.

S. O'BRIEN: ... this late in the season, even. Disneyworld, Busch Gardens, Six Flags. These are all, of course, very big theme parks. Does that mean the little ones don't have good deals? DUNN: No. It just means that for the big ones, you can find hotels, tickets to the park, transfers and sometimes all-inclusive packages, which include food. Which is a great deal if you have a bunch of kids that eat a lot.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes. I do. I've got a bunch of kids that eat a lot. You can rent a vacation home this late?

DUNN: Absolutely. Most people think Hamptons, off limit. Martha's Vineyard, off limit. But people cancel.

S. O'BRIEN: You also list with that, the Hamptons and Martha's Vineyard, Amelia Island in Florida.

DUNN: Absolutely.

S. O'BRIEN: So what you're picking up is cancellations?

DUNN: Cancellations, and you're picking up folk who are panicking, no time to advertise...

S. O'BRIEN: Giving it away.

DUNN: Giving it away.

S. O'BRIEN: Really, how much money? Give me -- because Hamptons, as you know, is a very expensive rental for a week.

DUNN: Well, Soledad, if you're talking your taste and you want to be on the ocean....

S. O'BRIEN: Twenty bucks a night.

DUNN: You got it. But you can still get a house there for $800 to $2,000 a week...

S. O'BRIEN: Wow.

DUNN: At the last moment in the Hamptons.

S. O'BRIEN: Because those are houses that go for $10,000, $15,000, $20,000.

DUNN: Absolutely. And you may be getting a room as a part of a house because somebody dropped out of a summer share.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow. What's the best place to go overall? I mean, do you call locally, do you go online? What do you suggest?

DUNN: I like going online. I have to tell you, if you go online -- because folks don't have time to put it in the newspaper, do commercials. You go online, people load it that night and say, I need somebody at 8:00 the next day.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow, such a good idea. Linda, nice to see you...

DUNN: Always good to see you.

S. O'BRIEN: ... as always. We'll have you back. Every time we talk, I think, I need to book a vacation.

DUNN: Yes, right, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: I am. I am. Trust me, I am. Linda Spradley Dunn. She publishes the travel magazine "Odyssey Couleur." Nice to see you, as always -- Miles?

DUNN: You got it.

S. O'BRIEN: Miles?

M. O'BRIEN: Are you kidding? You're on vacation in 60 minutes.

S. O'BRIEN: I know, that's what I'm saying. But, you know, when you travel with the whole gang, that is so not a spa vacation.

M. O'BRIEN: What do you call that when you load up the Yukon with kids? I guess you're right. Yes, good point. Spa talk.

In a moment, Cindy Sheehan's protest near the president's Texas ranch is moving, but will that satisfy complaints of some of the locals? We'll take a look at that, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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