Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Targeting Insurgents

Aired October 04, 2005 - 05:30   ET

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

ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you, thank you for waking up with us. Welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK.

Coming up in the next 30 minutes, how did such a beautiful day get so clouded by tragedy? That's what survivors of the tour boat accident are asking. We'll take you "Beyond the Soundbite" in their own words and tell you about the captain.

And would you like to get your hands on Britney Spears' bra? Well now you have your chance. It's all for a good cause.

But first, "Now in the News."

In New Orleans, the search for bodies in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina officially over. The storm killed more than a thousand people, most of them in Louisiana.

Also, there are concerns today about the levees. Two canals near the Ninth Ward are closed as a precaution. Engineers fear strong winds and higher tides could create problems.

Terrorism, trade and energy are the talking points at the E.U.- Russian Summit today. Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in London for the summit with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other European Union leaders.

Washington National Cathedral holds its annual blessing of the animals just about 45 minutes from now. And this year is special. Some dogs rescued in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina will be at the cathedral.

To the Forecast Center and, Chad, good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

Hurricane Stan, talked about it earlier. Talked about it as a 75-mile-per-hour storm, but now the hurricane hunter aircraft in there. Now it's an 80-mile-per-hour storm. It came across Cancun and into Progresso and then into the Bay of Campeche, making a left-hand turn and kind of making it sets right there on about Mexico City. That's going to be a problem for the areas there, because not that this is really going to be a huge wind maker, 80 is big, it isn't 130, it isn't Katrina, but it's going to be a flood maker for the folks there. We're seeing an area of disturbed weather, a very long one here, from the Bahamas, all the way down to Puerto Rico. That could develop into something. But right there is absolutely no organization to that cloudiness at all.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: As the hunt for terrorists goes on, there are prayers for peace and prosperity today in Bali. Hundreds of residents attended vigils at the popular tourist sites of Saturday's bombings. They pleaded that terrorists stay away from Bali, and they prayed for the souls of the 19 people killed in the three restaurant blasts. They also prayed for the cleansing of the sites from evil spirits and hoped out loud that the bombings would not scare away tourists and hurt their livelihood. Authorities are looking for two suspected masterminds of the blast.

The U.S. military has launched two new offensives, one in Anbar Province. It's the largest ever in that region. The other is in the southern district of Tammin.

Let's get more on the offensives and preparations for the Iraqi referendum on a new constitution. Aneesh Raman in Baghdad with more on that.

Hello -- Aneesh.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, good morning.

We have seen three U.S. military operations launched in just the past four days against Iraq's insurgency. And so far we understand that at least four U.S. troops have died. But they have been able, in terms of where they're going in in these operations, they are meeting sporadic gunfire, they are meeting IEDs, but they have been able to really cordon off certain areas.

The first operation, of course, was Operation Iron Fist, which launched on Saturday. But today, the U.S. military announcing they have launched Operation River Gate and Operation Mountaineers. The former, River Gate, as you mentioned, is the largest U.S. military operation to date in that western Al Anbar Province. A volatile province that is known to be a hotbed of insurgent activity, to see a number of foreign fighters and weapons crossing that Syrian border.

Some 2,500 U.S. troops are involved, along with 400 to 500 Iraqi troops. They are focusing on the city of Haditha. That is being described as an important crossroads for the smuggling of both these weapons and the influx of foreign fighters as well.

Operation Mountaineers, which involves 500 U.S. troops, is continuing what we saw in Operation Iron Fist, that cordoned off house-to-house search looking for weapons, for safe havens of the insurgency.

All of this, Carol, of course just days ahead of that referendum set for October 15. The military really trying to prevent an influx of weapons and insurgents into the capital and elsewhere around polling stations on that critical date.

We also understand, Carol, just moments ago, confirmation from the British military here that a British citizen, a British national has been arrested along the Saudi-Iraqi border, along with nine Iraqis. The military only confirming that this British national was a citizen not a soldier. No comment coming from the British Embassy at this time. We're awaiting further information, of course, in terms of why this arrest took place and what happens now for that British citizen -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting. You also have word about a boating controversy. Tell us more about that -- Aneesh.

RAMAN: Exactly. We've been saying all along that for this referendum to pass, the constitution that is going forward on October 15, it needs a majority of Iraqi voters. And it also requires that two-thirds of three provinces do not vote this referendum down.

Well now Iraq's government is saying there are two definitions for voters. The majority of voters needed are simply the majority of people that show up to the polls. But they are saying the two-thirds votes are rejected is two-thirds of the registered voters.

Now why does that matter? Because it is highly likely that the number of voters will be less than the registered voters and so two- thirds, essentially, of the registered voters won't even show up, which makes it nearly impossible now, Carol, that this referendum will fail. By all likelihood, it will pass.

But in doing so, it has further alienated the Sunni community. Their politicians very viscerally coming out this morning saying that this election is essentially illegitimate now. And so if they are further alienated, it does not do what the intent was in this process, to bring them into the political fray -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Aneesh Raman reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

Iraq is still proving to be a deadly place for American troops. The U.S. military says at least five soldiers were killed in three separate incidents yesterday. Since the start of the war, 1,943 U.S. troops have died.

Back in the U.S., the survivors of a tour boat accident in upstate New York are telling their stories. We take you "Beyond the Soundbite" this morning in their own words. The boat was carrying senior citizens, as you know, when it rolled over in the waters of Lake George on Sunday. Some were pulled to safety, but 20 others died.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) JEANE SILER, SURVIVOR: This boat trip was part of our itinerary. We were scheduled to take the boat at 3:00. However, it was moved up because we got to the dock a little bit early. I felt that it was just a great day to be on the water all the way around.

I don't know that anything went wrong. I was talking with a friend, having a conversation. If there was a wake, I wasn't necessarily aware of it. I did see the boat turn and turn into the wake. I am somewhat familiar with boating. And then I noticed the cabin floor was getting wet. And why, I don't know, but I stood up. And I don't know if I jumped out of the boat or if I was thrown from the boat when it tipped.

I went to the bottom. And I have some training as far as water safety is concerned. So I did what I'm supposed to do, treaded water, came to the surface, took a big breath and swam away from the boat, because I expected that it would list.

I was totally shocked, I think. I was not thinking anything. I did what I was primarily trained to do. And for reasons I don't understand, I hung onto my purse. It's a dumb thing to do at a time like this. It got sopping wet. It's not a lot of good to me right now. It's pretty hard to swim with a purse on your arm, but I did it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And we're glad she did.

The boat has been raised from Lake George. The company that owns it has effectively been shut down until an investigation is over. In fact, Shoreline Cruises, that's what the company is called, its license has been suspended.

In other news "Across America" now, former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore is running for governor. Moore is best known for his fight over a 10 Commandments display in front of the Alabama Supreme Court. He says, if elected, he won't relocate the monument from its new home at a church in Gadsden, Alabama.

Some of Mississippi's casinos will be coming ashore. Governor Haley Barbour says he'll sign a bill this week that allows the casinos to move 800 feet inland. Mississippi legalized casinos in 1990, but said they had to be on barges. Casinos in Biloxi and Gulfport were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The bill only applies to casinos that were moored in the Gulf of Mexico but not the casinos along the Mississippi River.

One woman is in serious condition this morning following a collision of an out-of-control gasoline tanker and an SUV. Wow! Drivers of both vehicles were killed. The resulting fire also shut down the Seven Mile Bridge leading into the lower Florida Keys. The highway could reopen some time later today.

Here's a follow-up on a story we told you about yesterday. The Seattle City Council approved a strict ban on lap dancing in strip clubs. Exotic dancers must now stand four feet away from the customers and those customers can no longer hand money over to the girls. The move comes after a judge ruled the city's 17-year moratorium on new strip clubs was unconstitutional.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, automakers feeling the pinch. High gas prices can't be helping. That story is next.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:44 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

New York officials have shut down the operator of the tour boat that sank on Lake George killing 20 people on Sunday. Authorities say Shoreline Cruises was operating the "Ethan Allen" without the required two-member crew. Only the captain was on board.

A sigh of relief in Burbank, California, fire officials say they have fully contained an 1,100-acre wildfire, the area's largest wildfire. The 24,000-acre Topanga fire is now about 85 percent contained.

In money news, as gas prices go up, Ford and General Motors are seeing their sales go down. Truck and SUV sales have dropped by as much as 55 percent in September. In the meantime, sales gains at Japanese automakers, like Toyota and Honda, are in the double digits.

In culture, a judge issues a three-year restraining order against a man allegedly stalking Pamela Anderson. The 29-year-old man was also accused of approaching Anderson's 7-year-old son at school. The former "Baywatch" star says the man wanted her to star in a movie he wrote.

In sports, the Carolina Panthers held on to beat the Green Bay Packers 32-29. The loss by Green Bay drops them to 0 and 4 on the season.

That is their worst start, Chad, in nearly 20 years. You think Brett Favre is feeling mad these days?

MYERS: Brett Favre. Yes, I don't know, you know. It wasn't his fault, I don't think. And you can always lay it on the captain and the quarterback, but he played a pretty decent game, all in all, so I don't know.

COSTELLO: Well you know how he gets wild when the game turns desperate?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: That always happens to him.

MYERS: Yes.

Good morning.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

That's a look at the latest headlines for you this morning.

There has been a lot of talk in recent days about energy costs going up. Sure, you know what you're paying for gas now, but natural gas and heating oil costs are also expected to really jump. The Energy Department is now coming out with a campaign to persuade all of us to use less energy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SAMUEL BODMAN, ENERGY SECRETARY: There are substantial savings that can be made. For example, in driving an automobile, one reduces the speed that one is driving from 65 to 55. You can save 10 percent on gasoline mileage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: That's just one tip. The department is promoting energy efficient appliances, insulation for your home and windows that are better at keeping out the cold. It's distributing Public Service Announcements for play on radio stations and for newspapers. It's also got an Energy Hog Buster Web site. The site has games and suggestions to get children involved in conserving energy. So check it out. There you go. Energyhog.org is the Web site address I should say.

We'll get more energy saving tips for the winter months in the next hour of DAYBREAK when we talk with Alvin Eubell (ph), the author of a couple of energy saving books. He's a pistol and he has some great ideas for you as well.

Hard to believe it's been 10 years since the so-called trial of the century. That leads us to our e-mail "Question of the Day," what did we learn from the O.J. Simpson trial? We'll read your e-mails next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It's been more than a month since Hurricane Katrina stuck, and now Louisiana authorities are officially ending the search for bodies. But they say if someone reports seeing a body, of course they'll follow up.

In the meantime, Louisiana is raising the death toll from Katrina to 964. That brings the total number of hurricane deaths to nearly 1,200 across five southeastern states.

The head of a Louisiana parish wants FEMA to apologize to him. St. Tammany Parish President Kevin Davis had accused the agency of being slow to set up housing. And that led a FEMA spokesman to claim that Davis was part of the problem, because he wanted the agency to hire his construction company. Davis says that's not true, and he calls the FEMA spokesman a liar. No comment yet from FEMA.

One hundred million dollars, that's how much former Presidents Clinton and Bush have raised in a Katrina fund raising drive. Now they're trying to decide how to best spend it. Clinton will visit parts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama today and tomorrow on behalf of the Katrina Fund.

You'll be seeing something different in the coffee aisle soon. Folgers is putting out a special Katrina relief can. It'll show up on store shelves in November. Folgers has had factories in New Orleans for more than half a century. The company is urging people to donate to the Red Cross.

All right, let's get right to our e-mails, because we're getting plenty. We're asking you about the O.J. Simpson trial. Can you believe it's been 10 years ago since a verdict was rendered?

MYERS: Seems longer, it seems shorter, depends on how you think about it, I guess. What did we learn from the O.J. Simpson trial? And you know what, Carol, I think some of the writers on some of these comedy shows are up this morning, because they are good this morning.

Donald (ph) in Florida said what did I learn from that? Well, I learned leather shrinks when it gets wet and hands swell when you eat salt.

Nick (ph) in Washington, we learned that people spend way too much time watching the fate of celebrities. If the glove doesn't fit, you should have quit watching.

COSTELLO: Oh man!

MYERS: Eric (ph) in Dallas, I learned that every man in American learns, if my wife shows up dead that I better have a better alibi than chipping golf balls, because that excuse isn't going to work anymore, ask Scott Peterson.

Tom (ph) in Dallas learned that the gloves didn't fit.

Jonathan (ph) says that if you have enough money, you can get away with anything, even murder.

Robert (ph) says lesson learned, save your money, because if you're hoping a public defender is going to get you off, you might as well move to Venezuela.

And from Udine (ph), we learned that evidence is key in a trial. And if it's missing, an acquittal may be forthcoming.

And the last one from M.J. (ph) in Sarasota, not guilty by reason of celebrity -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

MYERS: Yes. COSTELLO: Thanks for your comments this morning. We'll be talking more about it in the next hour of DAYBREAK. In fact, Front Line (ph) has a fascinating documentary on this. We're going to talk to the producer.

MYERS: Fair enough.

COSTELLO: Also coming up, another world super power when it comes to the Web, it rules. We'll talk with an Internet expert about the growth of Google. I think it's taking over the entire world.

Also at 6:00, singing the blues. Music sales are down. Who or what is to blame?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: "Entertainment Headlines" for you this morning.

You can own one of Britney Spears' bras, maybe a teddy bear and even some of her furniture. The pop singer and a new mom is auctioning off lots of her personal stuff to raise money for Mississippi victims of Hurricane Katrina. We just checked the site, the bra, the bra is now going for $9,000.

Beyonce puts a big rumor to rest. The pop diva denies rumors she's secretly married to rapper Jay-Z. Tells "Vanity Fair" magazine they're not even engaged.

Oscar winning actor Nicolas Cage is a new father. His publicist says Cage's wife, Alice, gave birth in New York to a baby boy. There is no word on the vital statistics, you know, like his weight. But the baby's name is Kal-El, which is also the birth name of Superman. In case you didn't know -- Chad.

MYERS: Oh yes? No, I did not know that.

COSTELLO: Kal-El.

MYERS: I guess I should have remembered that.

COSTELLO: Because you know he came from another planet and...

MYERS: You know it was years ago. I know.

COSTELLO: Yes.

MYERS: Like Janet (ph). Interesting (ph).

Hey, we got some more e-mails.

Coming in from Jeff (ph) in Orlando, please, who really cares about all this? Don't talk about O.J. all day. We're talking about what did we learn from the O.J. Simpson trial? I mean that was 10 years ago. Have we learned anything? Well there's been Robert Blake, there's been Michael Jackson, there's been lots of other things. And from Linda (ph) in Virginia, it also showed us that if you are a poor person, that you have a better chance of being convicted if you don't have the money for the high-priced mouthpiece of a big attorney. But it also says, she goes on and says that I guess even when you're found innocent, you are guilty. The dog-and-pony show of that civil trial shouldn't have even been permitted if someone was found not guilty in the criminal trial.

Carol, and I'm not sure I...

COSTELLO: Well there was a lot about race from our viewers as well. I think this one says it, too.

I think O.J. Simpson's trial demonstrated the racial divide in this country.

And that's really what we're going to get in to with the Front Line producer. Because, you know, how you felt about the verdict in many cases had to do with whether you were white or black or whether you understood why the jury made the decision. And we're getting a lot of viewer e-mail reflecting that.

MYERS: Great.

COSTELLO: So that's coming your way in the 6:00 hour of DAYBREAK, which starts in two minutes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It is Tuesday, October 4, something was missing when that tour boat capsized over the weekend, or make that someone, and New York state officials are taking action.

An age-old force is threatening New Orleans levees and engineers are taking extra precautions this morning.

And new legal troubles for Tom DeLay. He calls it an abomination of justice.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com