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American Morning

Seeds of Peace; Crawford Standoff

Aired August 17, 2005 - 09:30   ET

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


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. Coming up, we'll get back to the unfolding scene in Gaza. Israeli forces removing Jewish settlers from their homes, difficult job, because they don't want to use -- they have to use some force, but not too much force.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Right, they don't want to overdo it on force. And of course for both sides it's a very emotional day there. We're going to talk this morning to an Israeli and a Palestinian. They're both young, in their early 20s. They're taking part in a program called Seeds of Peace. And the aim is to bridge the divide between both their peoples. They're both very hopeful and sometimes they disagree. We'll talk with them about what they've been witnessing as well.

First, though, a check of the headlines with Carol Costello.

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

Now in the news, Iraqi police trying to restore order after two explosions at a bus station in central Baghdad. The blast coming just about 10 minutes apart. Iraqi police saying at least 43 people were killed. Dozens of others were wounded. A third explosion was reported near a hospital where the casualties were taken.

The sentencing phase begins this morning in the trial of BTK serial killer Dennis Rader. Prosecutors are pushing for a minimum of 175 years without a chance of parole. They're planning to call police to the stand today to give the chilling details of a murder spree. Rader is not eligible for the death penalty.

Senator Patrick Leahy is lashing out at Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. The Vermont Democrat says Roberts holds radical views and has been, quote, "an eager, aggressive advocate for the policies of the far right." Now the comments come one day after the release of some Reagan-era records. The White House says Leahy's remarks are part of a Democratic strategy to depict the president's nominees as ideologically extreme.

An offer for some bargain computers got a little out of hand in Virginia. The Richmond school system was selling Apple iBooks for 50 bucks. Well, 1,000 computers were available. More than 5,000 people turned up. And a little bit ago, you saw what happened. Things got a little rough. People were pushing each other. They were screaming. They were actually pushing people out of the way and trampling them to get to the front. Seventeen people were hurt. Just unbelievable. S. O'BRIEN: You know, parts of it are a really poor district. And you can see parents saying, 50 bucks, I can finally get a computer I can afford for my kid.

COSTELLO: Yes, but the kids were there. And shouldn't they have set an example?

S. O'BRIEN: The short answer is yes.

But wouldn't it be nice if everybody could have gotten a cheap computer.

M. O'BRIEN: Perhaps a lottery.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, maybe that's the way to make it all better.

COSTELLO: Exactly. He's done it before.

S. O'BRIEN: Thanks, Carol.

The forced evacuation of Gaza began during the night with tears on the faces of both the Israeli settlers and soldiers who are charged with removing them.

CNN cameras are in the settlement, capturing sometimes violent moments that are intended to bring about peace.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My country's getting smaller, and I felt if I don't come with my children today, then tomorrow I won't have anywhere to be.

AMB. GIDEON MEIR, ISRAELI FOREIGN MINISTRY: We are doing this as part of Israel's willingness to live -- and wish to live in peace with our Palestinian neighbors.

GANIT FARHAN, EX-RESIDENT OF GAZA: If they want to make peace with us, why should I give my home? Why can't they rent the home next to me and live side by side with me?

GHASSAN KHATIB, PALESTINE PLANNING MINISTER: Removing those settlers and bringing back the land to its natural and legal owners is going to contribute hopefully to the prospect of peace between the two sides.

FARHAN: There's no amount in the whole world to compensate me about me about my (INAUDIBLE), about me now being homeless with two children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: Some tough pictures to look at.

Well, the Seeds of Peace international camp in Maine allows young people from areas of conflict to live together and learn about each other.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

S O'BRIEN: Liav is a 25-year-old Israeli. Fadi is a 22-year-old Palestinian. They're at the Otisfield Camp. And we should mention that both asked that we don't use their last names.

Nice to see you. Thank you for talking with us.

Liav, let's begin with you. Do you think the withdrawal is a good idea, especially when you look at these pictures of how emotional and how, to some degree, physical it's been?

LIAV, SEEDS OF PEACE MEMBER: They are, indeed, very emotional. And those people having to evacuate their homes are finding it very painful. And I understand their pain, and I understand their agony. They have to let go of their homes, given temporary residence, and they do not know what's going to happen to them in a year or in a month. And I understand their doubts. I understand their fear.

S. O'BRIEN: But do you think it's a good idea...

LIAV: And I think it's a very sad moment.

S. O'BRIEN: It is, clearly. As you can see, both sides, as we mentioned, tears being shed. But do you think the forced evacuation is a good idea?

LIAV: Well, the forced evacuation is a good idea in basis. The withdrawal is a good idea, yes.

But I would like to see a negotiated agreement. I would like to see commitment from the other side to keep peace, to have something in return to this very, very hard and harsh act of clearing people from this area, having them give up their home, their homeland, to them.

S. O'BRIEN: Fadi, first, what do you think about this withdrawal, and do you think that Liav has a point that there's nothing being given on other side, the Palestinian side?

FADI, SEEDS OF PEACE MEMBER: What they are doing is a risk, and this is something I'm not -- you know, it's not the first thing I experienced. As a Palestinian who's been to Seeds of Peace, you take risk by coming here. People don't acknowledge the price of peace.

A friend of mine from Jordan always said this. She's a Seeds of Peace member. She said, in order to make peace with your enemy, you must go to war with yourself. I believe this is something applies to what the Israelis doing at this point, by paying the price of peace, which is ultimately what hopefully will be good for both of us, the Palestinians and the Israelis.

With regard to your second question, I believe as Palestinians, obviously, the security of the Israelis concerns us very much. We are committed to peace. And I think that in itself is a good enough answer to what we are prepared to do in order to keep that, and hopefully keep the momentum going for follow-up disengagements or -- but hopefully under different titling, not just unilateral plans, but hopefully negotiated agreements between Palestinians and Israelis.

O'BRIEN: Liav, what has to be done to keep that momentum going, and to move this action into actually making a difference in the road map to peace?

LIAV: Well, I would like to see trust building up. You see, Fadi and I go way back in Seeds of Peace. This is not our first meeting here at camp. We've been working with -- through Seeds of Peace, we've been meeting through Seeds of Peace, and on a very personal level, we're very good friends.

But what I would like to see is trust being built between the two nations. And that trust, as far as I can see, can only be built through a negotiated agreement with the commitment from both sides that is written on paper. Israelis need a written commitment that they can trust. I trust Fadi. And when he says he's committed to peace, I know he means it. But what can I bring home to the Israelis? What written commitment, what written words can I bring them to start building this trust? Once we see that we respect that piece of paper, trust can be built between the nations.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: Liav and Fadi, a young Israeli and a young Palestinian, friends, together in the Seeds of Peace camp in Maine -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: In Crawford, Texas, Cindy Sheehan and her group of anti-war protesters are packing up and moving to a new site for Camp Casey, which is named for her son killed in action in Iraq.

National correspondent Bob Franken live with us this morning from Crawford.

And, Bob, do we have to pack up and move our trailer? The commissioner was a little concerned about our truck.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATL. CORRESPONDENT: Well, you have -- he was threatening to tow it, as a matter of fact. You have never heard so much sweet talking in your life. But I suspect that you've already picked up on the fact that we still have a truck, that it hasn't been towed.

And as far as packing up and moving this camp, it's probably something that's going to wait until at least tomorrow. They want to be in place in front of the -- closer to the Bush ranch, in time for a Friday memorial service.

Of course, Cindy Sheehan is the person who got this started. She is the mother of Carlos (sic) Sheehan, and she is one who is demanding that she has another private conversation with President Bush to talk about her demand that the troops be pulled out of Iraq in memory of her son who was a member of the armed forces who was killed over there. The president saying, a, that he's already met her and, b, that he intends to continue with his policies there.

Now the ranch, as you can see here, the camp here, people are just sort of getting up now, getting ready for their day. It's been an effort that has grown. It is going to be moving.

There's been a lot of complaints from the people who live here, not so much about the policies that they're espousing, but more about the fact that it's really caused a disruption. You can see that I'm crossing the street now, still able to do it. But later in the day, I can assure you, Miles, they're going to be an awful lot of traffic here. By the way, you can see our truck is still there, proof of that. But what they're going to do is they're going to be moving from here, about a mile up the road. It's going to put them closer to the Crawford ranch, the ranch here. It is the result of an invitation from a man who is sympathetic to the campers here, and says that if there are some problems he will allow some acreage on his ranch so they can perhaps be a little bit more out of the way.

So at any rate, that's the plan. It's not going to happen today, but the hope is that they're in place by the Friday services -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Bob Franken, hold the line there on the truck, appreciate it -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Worker at Microsoft are no doubt working hard today to try to figure out how a computer worm infiltrated computer all around the world.

CNN's Ted Rowlands live for us at Microsoft headquarters in Seattle.

Ted, good morning to you.

What's the company saying about this worm?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Soledad, this morning, they're saying that there's no significant increase in the amount of affected companies. But as you mentioned, companies around the world were affected by this worm, which they first detected on Sunday. And on Sunday, when they first detected the emergence of this worm, which basically shutdown computers around the world, they started to assemble an emergency-response team, and they opened up their security-response center. It is Microsoft's version of a situation or a war room. And they had been at it overnight since Sunday night. And they were at it again last night, helping companies that have been affected by this worm.

CNN is one of the companies that has been affected by it.

It is Windows 2000 only that is affected. And it is only companies. Personal computers are not affected. This is a worm and not a virus. It is spread via the Internet, but not by e-mail, and it infiltrates the system, basically telling the computer to indiscriminately shutdown. And it causes quite a bit of disturbance to any Internet situation. Microsoft is working with companies to get back online. They're also working to try to figure out who was responsible here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEBBY FRY WILSON, DIR. OF MICROSOFT'S SECURITY CENTER: We're doing some very deep forensic analysis, so we have captured the malicious code. We're analyzing it. We're sharing that code with law enforcement. So a lot of times this code has fingerprints on it, and we're able to help identify the individuals responsible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROWLANDS: Microsoft first identified a potential problem last week. They did issue a software patch. Those companies that installed the patch are safe. They do say that they are providing free help, and they are calling this, in the grand scheme of things, a low-impact incident -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Ted Rowland for us at Microsoft headquarters this morning. Ted, thanks a lot.

There's much more AMERICAN MORNING still to come.

Ahead on "90-Second Pop," Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore. They say they're in love with no plans for marriage. But will there soon be a baby in a baby carriage? And Dick Clark coming back to rock New Year's Eve. He won't do it alone. We'll weigh in on his famous new co-host, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: The soft drink industry voluntarily banning soda, or pop or tonic, whatever you say, wherever you be. from being sold at elementary schools.

Ali Velshi in for Andy Serwer. But first let's check the markets.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let's talk about those folks who are getting their caffeine fixes already. Markets have opened lower -- the Dow's turning around now. We're up about five points. Yesterday was a rough day after Wal-Mart announced that things are slowing down, maybe because of gas prices, and the retailers took a pummeling. We're still in earnings season, and you can expect up and down days. And the price of oil pulling back a little bit, but that has, of course, had some affect on markets recently. We'll keep a close eye on it today.

M. O'BRIEN: Boy, when Wal-Mart speaks, things just -- they're big.

VELSHI: Well, 100 million customer a week.

M. O'BRIEN: They've got clout.

VELSHI: So they know what's going on.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, let's talk about soft drinks, because you know, over the years, the soft drink industry has been very aggressive in getting these machines in cafeterias. Now, a little bit of backpedal from that.

VELSHI: And there was a big change several years ago when they went to this high-fructose corn syrup, and a lot of parents and other people are sort of saying that's a big contributor to obesity, and obesity in children, which, as you know, leads to all sorts of things.

So now, in Seattle today, the soft drink industry meeting to announce some voluntary guidelines that they're going to be operating under. Now here's what they are, in middle and elementary schools, they're eventually going to halt the sale of all sugared carbonated soft drinks in vending machines or in those schools. They're going to replace that. They're going to be able to use juice, sugar-free drinks, as they call them, diet soft drinks, things like that...

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, but they're loading with sugar, too. A lot of these sugar -- I mean, when you say sugar-free -- OK.

VELSHI: Sugar-free juice drinks. Now juice is also an issue. But they'll try to get more water in there. They can still sell these things in high schools. They can still sell them after hours in middle school. But they're try to limit the amount that they sell during the school day.

M. O'BRIEN: So reading between the lines here, they're afraid of an outright ban.

VELSHI: Absolutely. They want to take some action against this first.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, got it.

Ali Velshi, thank you very much, sir -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: "CNN LIVE TODAY" is coming up next.

Daryn Kagan, good morning to you. What are you working on?

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Something that you should be interested, because it's for parents, Soledad. Yes, well, a little ahead of where you are, but we're talking about parents of teenagers.

Yes, do they think money grows on trees? Probably seems like they might think that. But there are ways actually to control your teen's spending. Yes, control. We'll show you how in our top five tips.

Plus, chilling new details of the BTK serial killings will be revealed in court today. That hearing starts in just a few minutes. We are there in Wichita live on "CNN LIVE TODAY."

We're now back to you in New York City. S. O'BRIEN: Oh, gosh, you know, we were talking earlier, Daryn, about do we watch it -- or do we -- you know, it's going to be tough, but I want to see it.

KAGAN: Right. You know what we've chosen to do? I mean, we will be dipping in live. We're trying to not bring all the graphic, awful parts. We think more importantly what's going to be happening tomorrow, when the victims' families get to speak up, empower them instead of him.

S. O'BRIEN: It's going to be brutal. Daryn, thanks. We're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

S. O'BRIEN: Love that song. Welcome back, everybody. It's time now for another episode of "90 Second Pop," starring this morning Sarah Bernard from "New York" magazine, Andy Borowitz from borowitzreport.com and Karyn Bryant from "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT."

Well, let's start talking about Madonna. Because we have been talking about Madonna all day. 47th birthday. She should be drinking and eating cake and hanging out with her friends. Instead, she's wheeled into a hospital.

KARYN BRYANT, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes, she was riding on her estate in England, Aschbombe house, and, like you said, 47th birthday. And she had gone out -- apparently this is not the horse she usually rides. And she was thrown, she broke her collarbone, has five -- there fractured ribs and a broken hand, as well. So she was obviously taken to the hospital, released not too long after. But that is a pretty painful injury.

SARAH BERNARD, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: That's got to make you feel old on your 47th birthday.

BRYANT: Sure.

BERNARD: That's not -- that means -- and you know, obviously, she's a fitness fanatic. She works out a couple hours a day, she's in such great shape. And I'm sure this was a little bit of a rude awakening.

S. O'BRIEN: And apparently, she's not an experienced horse...

BERNARD: No.

S. O'BRIEN: I mean, when they did an interview with her at -- on "Vogue," she's on the cover of "Vogue" this month, and they have pictures inside where she's on top of her house, and her beautiful estate, and there she is wearing the tweed... BRYANT: But you can stage that. She's really only been riding five or six months maybe. And that's -- you shouldn't switch horses if you're not that great yet. I think that's a little dangerous.

BERNARD: I think what's kind of amazing about this, a lot of the papers were saying this a very dangerous accident. Some of the people were comparing it to the horrible thing that happened to Christopher Reeve. But Madonna is so strong, basically, that she was able to break her fall with her hand, which is why she broke it in that way. But they were saying if she wouldn't such a yoga and so -- you know, she could probably balance herself on one arm -- she would have been more injured.

S. O'BRIEN: Talk about the silver lining in falling off your horse on your birthday.

BERNARD: Yes, there you go.

S. O'BRIEN: It shows that all that yoga is paying off.

ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWIZREPORT.COM: I was actually told before we went on that there's nothing funny about this accident, so I'm not going to say anything about it. That's what I've decided.

S. O'BRIEN: How about you weigh in on, in just a moment, this -- our next story, which is Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. She is -- another layout, "Vanity Fair" article. She looks great.

BERNARD: Fantastic, yes.

BOROWITZ: Looking great.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, she's on -- sorry, I said "Vanity Fair." I meant "Bazaar."

BERNARD: Yes, Harper's "Bazaar."

S. O'BRIEN: She's on the cover, and then there's another thing. You know, all these beautiful pictures inside. Talks about getting naked -- she does.

BERNARD: Yes, she's revealed a lot.

S. O'BRIEN: Watching Court TV.

BERNARD: She might be watching CNN, by the way, I don't know about that.

S. O'BRIEN: I'll call her later.

BERNARD: But I think that what's interesting about this article is that she gets a six-page spread. She's actually not really promoting anything. She doesn't actually have a movie opening. She's just promoting her relationship with Ashton Kutcher. And I got to her, she's 15 years older than Ashton. But every time I read more and more about this, I keep thinking this is like Madonna. She's actually being kind of like the material girl in what she's doing. Madonna married a younger man,had this very unconventional family that she put together. And that's kind of what Demi's doing here.

BOROWITZ: That's why I say at this moment, if Demi is watching, just stay off a horse, please. You're getting up there and let's just be careful.

S. O'BRIEN: So they want to have kids.

BERNARD: They -- and that was actually -- the big kind of reveal of the piece was supposed to be, is she pregnant, is she not pregnant? Of course, it doesn't really answer, except to say that she would like to expand their family. We don't know exactly what means, but...

BRYANT: And they say they're soul mates, she and Ashton.

S. O'BRIEN: There have been many a Hollywood couple where they have been soulmates up until -- you know, for the photo spread, and up to the last minute.

Should we talk about Dick Clark? Because he had a stoke, and people were very worried about him. And he's now back. I mean, it's kind of weird, because the announcement's several months before the New Year's Rockin' Eve. But he's going to be doing it, that's good news.

BOROWITZ: He's going to be doing it, but he's sort of, I guess, passing the baton to Ryan Seacrest. They're going to be doing it together and then Ryan, I guess, is eventually going to take over the whole thing. That's the succession plan. Ryan, I guess, now has a hit TV show. He's doing New Year's Rockin' Eve. There's no stopping Ryan Seacrest, much as I've tried.

BERNARD: He's taking over the world.

BOROWITZ: He's just taking over the world.

BRYANT: He has a star on the Walk of Fame. He was in radio for a while. I mean, he is -- he's a juggernaut.

BOROWITZ: I actually think -- I'm trying to think of what he could do next. I think he could take over for Madonna on her world tour. I actually that somebody needs to take over...

BERNARD: She might need an understudy.

BRYANT: She has a new record coming out in November...

S. O'BRIEN: And she may not make it if she can't move around.

BOROWITZ: So I think Ryan -- someone has to take over for the material girl, I think he's the man to do it.

S. O'BRIEN: You know what, you go, Ryan. That's good news all around. We end as we began. As always, you guys, I thank you very much. Sarah and Andy and Karyn. Don't forget, of course, Karyn Bryant on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" in Headline Prime, which is an exclusive tonight, exclusive interview with rock legend Eric Clapton. Tonight, every weeknight, 7:00 and 11:00 p.m. Eastern time -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Soledad. "CNN LIVE TODAY" is up next. And tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING, we'll talk to Emmy-nominated actor Michael C. Hall of HBO's "Six Feet Under." The drama about death heads to the rerun light when it wraps up its five season run this weekend. We'll ask Hall about the end of the show, tomorrow morning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Did you get the e-mail? Did you get the e-mail? They're going to send a live truck to your vacation location there on the Cape and you're just going sub anchor from there.

S. O'BRIEN: I haven't told anybody where I'm going.

M. O'BRIEN: So we thought, you know, it'd be nice to have you as part of the show from vacation.

S. O'BRIEN: I've been calling it vacation, but it's two days off. That's a long weekend.

M. O'BRIEN: Two days with the kids, and yes. The full Yukon. Well have a great time.

S. O'BRIEN: Thank you.

M. O'BRIEN: We'll miss you. We'll muddle through somehow.

COSTELLO: Somehow.

M. O'BRIEN: Some way.

COSTELLO: We'll call you.

S. O'BRIEN: Please don't.

COSTELLO: Right.

M. O'BRIEN: Daily.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, we're out of time.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, we are.

S. O'BRIEN: I'll be back on Monday, though.

M. O'BRIEN: And you're happy to say that.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I am. Yes, I am. Let's get right to Daryn Kagan. She's at the CNN Center. She's going to take you through the next couple of hours on "CNN LIVE TODAY." Good morning, Daryn.

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