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CNN Live At Daybreak

Will Iraqi Voters Take Next Step Toward Democracy?; Rivers Overflow and Water Covers Roads as More Rain Falls on Already Soaked Northeast

Aired October 14, 2005 - 06:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is Friday, October 14.
Making history -- will Iraqi voters take the next step toward democracy? Security is tight in Iraq this morning. Its citizens' hopes for the future are high.

Also, rivers overflow and water covers roads as more rain falls on the already soaked Northeast. But there is a sunnier outlook ahead.

And the Million Man March 10 years later -- what progress has been made?

ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello and Chad Myers.

COSTELLO: And good morning to you.

We'll have more on the vote in Iraq in a minute. Also ahead, one of the president's top advisers set for another grand jury appearance. We will have a live report for you.

And protecting against the flu -- do we have enough vaccine to do the job? An expert will weigh in.

But first, now in the news, Iraq has closed its borders ahead of tomorrow's constitutional referendum. Thousands of Iraqi prisoners have been voting on the country's draft constitution. Election officials say they're not sure if Saddam Hussein is among the prisoners who voted.

A Russian resort city north of Chechnya remains sealed off this morning following yesterday's siege by gunmen. Russian officials say all hostages have been freed more than 24 hours after the attacks began. Dozens of attackers, police and civilians were killed in the violence.

Pakistan's army turns its attention to relief efforts and recovering bodies. The rescue operation from last weekend's devastating earthquake has pretty much come to an end. Government officials say the quake killed at least 23,000. Tens of thousands more were injured.

To the Forecast Center and Chad -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

At least the good news for the folks there and the rescue efforts is that that weather -- remember we had that weather for that one morning? That completely went away and we've had no showers, no storms since then.

COSTELLO: Good.

MYERS: So that's it.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Plotting a future Iraqis by the millions are poised to head to the polls tomorrow to vote on a new constitution. What they decide could pave the way for a new permanent government and a new way of life.

Let's head live to Baghdad and Aneesh Raman -- hello, Aneesh.

Tell us how it's going.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol -- yes, Carol, good morning.

Exhaustive security practices being put in place throughout the country ahead of tomorrow's constitutional referendum. Some 15-and-a- half million Iraqis are registered to vote. And by all expectations, turnout will be incredibly high. We saw some 58 percent turnout in January. They are expecting the number to be higher this time around.

In some parts of Iraq, though, Carol, voters just getting their first glimpse at the draft constitution. And just two days ago, we saw the government make further amendments. So this vote is as much about the draft document as it is about the process.

If this constitution gets voted down, this entire national assembly is dissolved, a new one is elected by mid-December and they will draft a new constitution, put forth in a referendum next year.

If it passes, though, in mid-December we have elections for a permanent government, one that would be in place for some five years.

So there is a lot at stake in terms of the political process and, of course, in terms of security, as well. We haven't seen the substantive surge in violence ahead of this vote that we saw back in January. But U.S. officials are fearing that insurgents may be laying low at the moment, preparing for attacks on the election day itself.

The biggest fear, of course, are suicide bombers, given that the roads will be closed and cars will not be allowed to drive. The biggest fear is suicide bombers in line with the other voters. They are recommending that those who are in line at the polls tomorrow distance themselves from each other so as not to sort of form a bloc that a suicide bomber would target.

So huge security preparations ahead of the vote -- Carol. COSTELLO: Aneesh, is there any sense of how many Iraqis will turnout to actually vote?

RAMAN: Well, it's a key question, because the turnout will give us a sense of how many Iraqis not just have turned out to vote, but are still invested in the political process here. The bigger question, too, is how many Sunnis turn out to vote. Bringing the Sunni minority into the political fray is key to bringing stability to Iraq. All expectations are the Sunnis will turn out to vote. They boycotted in January. But they are going to largely vote against this constitution. So if the document passes, but barely, the Sunnis could be further alienated from this process.

So those are the two numbers, Carol, turnout overall and turnout among Sunnis, that we'll be looking at.

COSTELLO: Aneesh Raman live in Baghdad this morning.

On to domestic news now, news from the United States. A poll of hurricane survivors could mean some drastic changes for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. A CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll conducted in cooperation with the American Red Cross finds only 50 percent say they will return to homes in New Orleans. Thirty-nine percent say they will find homes elsewhere. The poll included only those hurricane victims who contacted the Red Cross. Forty-one percent say they're now living in someone else's home. Thirty percent have a new apartment. Twenty percent still living in a hotel or motel.

Thirty-two percent of the respondents say their primary need is financial assistance. Fifteen percent say a new home is most important. And half of the hurricane victims in New Orleans say they are unemployed and are looking for work.

The Associated Press releases the full video of New Orleans police officers beating a 64-year-old man. A.P.'s earlier version was edited.

A police union lawyer says the tape does not tell the whole story. The lawyer for the victim says his client did not provoke police.

Here's more now from CNN's Dan Simon.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The entire videotape shot by the agency's photographer runs five minutes. The extended footage shows a little more of what happened at the beginning of the incident. We see a woman try to communicate something to the officers before she is shooed away by the mounted policeman. This appears to be the woman Davis has publicly asked to come forward to corroborate his story.

After the officers strike Robert Davis, the new tape shows the two FBI agents watching the struggle for at least 15 seconds before they assist in the eventual take down. Moments later, according to one law enforcement trainer who watched the tape at CNN's request, it appears the officers are working against one another, one holding Davis in what's called a leg lock, the other sitting on his back, effectively pulling and pushing Davis in opposite directions.

And listen carefully. This could be significant in court. You can hear the 64-year-old yell: "If you allow me to turn over, I will."

ROBERT DAVIS, VICTIM: If you allow me to turn over, I will.

SIMON: It also appears one of the officers delivers a kick to Davis. Bear in mind, he is already on the ground, restrained.

Later, a witness can be heard saying: "You get that on film? He surrendered to them. They then hit him in the back of the head and that's when he started to fight."

As the drama continues to unfold, it's clear at least two additional officers, state policemen from Louisiana and New York, are also at the scene. It's not clear in what capacity. Then this chilling cry, apparently from Davis: "Oh, god. God almighty."

At the very end of the complete tape, there are a few more seconds of the handcuffing of relief worker Calvin Briles, who told CNN he wanted to report the alleged brutal treatment of Davis, but was told to mind his own business.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: Of course, the police officers in this case are now suspended. And an investigation is underway.

CNN's Dan Simon reporting on that New Orleans police beating case.

The victims of last weekend's devastating earthquake in South Asia are getting food, medicine and other emergency aid this morning. It's a real international effort, with the United States and other countries ferrying the supplies to an airbase outside of Islamabad.

CNN's Becky Anderson following developments from there -- hello, Becky.

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, thank you very much, indeed.

We're live and xlv at Chaklala Airport here in Rawalpindi, which is the headquarters of this huge international relief effort going on in this devastated region.

Let me show you why.

These are the headlines of today's local newspaper. "It's a race against time," says a U.N. official. "It's worse than the tsunami." That referring to the official estimates of two-and-a-half million people who are homeless now, sleeping outside with practically nothing, up in the hills north of here.

This is still a rescue effort officially. A 1 1/2-year-old little girl was pulled from the rubble in Montserrat earlier on today. But ultimately this is a relief effort at this point.

Now, the Americans are here in force. Eight choppers have been on the ground and in the air, taking aid out to those worst hit and bringing injured back in. There are two Navy choppers here now and two on their way.

I'm joined now by the head of the, by the senior Air Force colonel on the ground here, Colonel Richard Walberg, who is head of the operations here.

Sir, before we start, from what's going on today, reminds me of just what happened yesterday, when politics gave way to humanity.

COL. RICHARD WALBERG, U.S. AIR FORCE: Yesterday, I was standing here. My group, our job is to upload and download airplanes. We're normal U.S. military, but we're here to help the Pakistani people.

I was approached by a representative of the government of Iran and asked to help him download his IL-76. I said certainly. There's no question about it.

So I sent my team over behind the airplane with our loaders. They're called Alverson loaders and forklifts. And they brought some equipment off. They brought a bus onto the Halverson and then we got fairly creative and got the bus off of the Halverson. And that was a bus, as I understand it, that was for the hospital and the medical piece.

It's gone forward. I don't know the location of that.

ANDERSON: So you are telling me that the Americans helped the Iranians unload their cargo yesterday? Some of that cargo was Russian cargo. That cargo has now headed north.

How does it feel when you work alongside countries from 20 other nations around the world, people from 20 other nations around the world, including the Iranians, in an effort like this?

WALBERG: Ma'am, I'll tell you this. When I put this uniform on, the American taxpayer pays for my salary. And I have two choices. I can go to war in this uniform -- and I'm very good at that. Or I can help people -- and I'm very good at that. So let's take option two every time.

ANDERSON: Thank you very much, indeed, sir for joining us.

Colonel Walberg, who is in charge of U.S. ground forces here.

As I say, there are 20 nations helping with this effort now. Not only are they flying north by helicopter, they're going north with all of these trucks organized by Mr. Walberg here, and others, in order to get as much relief up into the mountainous remote regions, where so many, many people are starving and displaced -- back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, Becky Anderson, reporting from that air base in Pakistan, which is also unusual, because Western reporters usually are not allowed on that airbase.

Still to come on DAYBREAK this hour, was a Bush teleconference with soldiers in Iraq scripted?

Also, last year they were pretty hard to find -- flu shots, that is. Will they be as elusive this flu season?

Plus, what became of the promises of the Million Man March 10 years ago? We'll talk to media mogul and hip-hop star Russell Simmons and see what progress has been made.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's 6:14 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

Vivian Malone Jones has died of a stroke. Jones will be forever remembered as the first African-American woman admitted to the University of Alabama. The controversy over her 1963 enrollment included then Governor George Wallace's famous stand in the schoolhouse door. Vivian Malone Jones was just 63 years old.

In money news, ultra famous director Steven Spielberg is trying a new venue -- video games. The Academy Award winner has agreed to develop three different video games for Electronic Arts. It's unknown what type of games Spielberg is expected to come up with.

In culture, Beethoven is expected to fetch a pretty penny, more than 175 years after his death. A handwritten piece of music from the legendary composer is being shown off ahead of a December 1 auction date. That's what that man is holding. This original score could go for as much as $2.5 million.

In sports, the Houston Astros used some timely hitting to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1. The National League championship series is now tied at one game apiece. Game three of the series slated for tomorrow. Game three of the ALCS is tonight -- Chad.

MYERS: Cui, Carol, if the Boston and New York would be in this? We wouldn't be having any games because it's been raining for seven straight days.

COSTELLO: That's true.

MYERS: Good morning, everybody. (WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, some American soldiers aren't making news for what they said to President Bush, but that they knew what President Bush would say to them.

And Bush's right-hand man is set to testify today.

But first, let's say good morning, oh, a rainy Hartford, Connecticut.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Time now for a little "Business Buzz."

Samsung Electronics agrees to pay $300 million to settle an anti- trust lawsuit. Samsung was accused of price fixing of its random access memory chips for digital devices.

In London, the Hilton Group confirms it's negotiating to sell its British hotels and gambling business to the U.S. Hilton Hotels Corporation. That deal could reunite the global Hilton name under one owner. But Hilton Group says there are a number of issues still to resolve.

As we've been telling you, heating bills are going to soar this winter. So how will people on a fixed income deal with this, like people on Social Security?

J.J. Ramberg is here to tell us -- good morning.

J.J. RAMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

It's something a lot of people are worried about, right? We've heard so much about how the cost of living is rising. And so the government is going to adjust Social Security checks.

Now, the A.P. is reporting that monthly Social Security checks will jump by the largest amount in more than a decade, but is it enough?

Economists predict that the annual cost of living adjustment boost will be over 3 1/2 percent. But for the 48 million recipients that will represent a gain of only around $35. Not very much, right?

COSTELLO: Oh, no.

RAMBERG: That's hardly enough to offset what should be a brutal winter, with energy prices on the rise, like you were just talking about. The cost of heating your home is expected to rise 30 to 50 percent, depending on if you use oil or natural gas.

Also, for many elderly Americans, most of whom receive Social Security benefits, these monthly checks are the primary source of income. It's not just home heating oil, gas prices are expensive right now, medical are expensive, on the rise. Listen to this. The monthly Medicare premium has risen $10.30 a month.

So that already takes up a fourth of that or more -- about more than a fourth of that $34 or $35.

Now, this extra $35 hardly seems like it will really help offset what could be a difficult winter for so many seniors.

COSTELLO: I guess you could say at least they're doing something. But $35 -- I know. It's nothing.

RAMBERG: Yes, I mean it might be OK if the energy wasn't rising so quickly.

COSTELLO: Yes.

A quick look at the futures?

RAMBERG: The futures right now pointing to a higher open, though it's going back and forth this morning. Investors are awaiting right now a key report on inflation. That's due out this morning. Economists expect that it will show a rise in the cost of living last month. But separate -- yes, again, right?

COSTELLO: No surprise.

RAMBERG: And a separate report is expected to show retail sales climbed in September also.

COSTELLO: All right, thank you, J.J. Ramberg.

In our Beltway Buzz this morning, questions around -- questions abound, I should say, after a teleconference between the president and U.S. soldiers in Iraq. It was broadcast live and it was meant to get a positive message out about the vote in Iraq and out to the American people.

But before the teleconference began, we were treated to a rare behind-the-scenes look. You're looking at a Pentagon official prepping the soldiers before the teleconference began.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALLISON BARBER, DEPUTY ASSISTANT DEFENSE SECRETARY: And here's what you have to be prepared for, Captain Kennedy, is that the president is going to ask you some questions. And he may ask all six of them, he may ask three of them, he might have such a great time talking to you, he might come up with some new questions.

CAPT. KENNEDY: OK.

BARBER: So what we want to be prepared for is to not, not stutter. So if there's a question that the president comes up with that we haven't drilled through today, and I'm expecting the microphone to go right back to you, Captain Kennedy, and you to handle.

KENNEDY: OK.

BARBER: If all else fails, start singing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: This rehearsal confounded some reporters, who peppered White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan with questions about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM RAUM, ASSOCIATED PRESS: Scott?

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: Yes, Tom?

RAUM: Why did the administration feel it was necessary to coach the soldiers that the president talked to this morning in Iraq?

MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry, I don't know what you're suggesting.

RAUM: Well, they discussed the questions ahead of time. They were told exactly what the president would ask and they were coached in terms of who would answer what question and how they would pass the microphone...

MCCLELLAN: I'm sorry, sir, are you suggesting that our -- what our troops were saying was not sincere or that what they said was not their own thoughts?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So, is this really a big deal?

John Mercurio, the senior editor for the "National Journal's" Hotline, joins us live from Washington.

Good morning, John.

JOHN MERCURIO, SENIOR EDITOR, "NATIONAL JOURNAL": Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So is it a big deal?

MERCURIO: Well, you know, it's funny, I think what it reveals, in a rather unfortunate way for the White House, is how distracted the president's top advisers, most of whom would normally be involved in helping prepare an event like this, have been with other issues. People like Karl Rove, who, as we know, is testifying today before the Valerie Plame grand jury. People like Karen Hughes, who is now over at the State Department, working on issues outside of, you know, media relations and the United States.

And I think, not that there is a B team running the show right now -- obviously this was a Defense Department production -- but I think there's a feeling in Washington, at least, that the -- this administration, or at least this White House, is a little bit, you know, in disarray, as far as their media relations is concerned. COSTELLO: Yes. The most unusual thing to me is that we had access to that rehearsal.

MERCURIO: Exactly.

COSTELLO: Why didn't they just block the signal?

MERCURIO: Exactly. Exactly. And that's what everybody was talking about yesterday, I can't believe they put this on the pool report. You know, these are -- exactly. This type of things goes on on a relatively regular basis. There is some sort of prep for media events, but it's not usually included in the pool report, so you can't -- so the media doesn't have access to the fact that there's such a rehearsal going on.

Look, I don't think this is that unusual. You know, it's a scripted event. It's sort of a, you know, a dog and pony show, if you will. And the president held several conversations on Social Security earlier this year when he was pushing hard for a reform on Social Security, and those were heavily scripted as well. But we didn't have access to the pool reports -- or to the pool tape. And that made the big difference.

COSTELLO: You know, the Pentagon did respond to this, and I want to tell people what the Pentagon had to say about this rehearsal. I'm just going to quote part of it. This is from Lawrence Derida. He says: "The service members were excited about the opportunity to speak with the president. No one intended to tell them what to think or how to express themselves. Going through likely questions in advance was meant solely to help the troops feel at ease during an obviously unique experience."

And that's fair.

MERCURIO: Sure.

COSTELLO: I mean they weren't exactly telling the soldiers what to say. But when you watched that news conference in its entirety, it looked scripted.

MERCURIO: Sure.

COSTELLO: And then they had technical gaffes.

MERCURIO: Sure. Sure.

COSTELLO: Which, you know, compounded the problem.

MERCURIO: And I think, to be honest, I think if you look at -- if you take a step back, I mean the media at this point is focused on an administration that's never been less popular, according to recent polling. The president has never been less popular with the American public. There are all sorts of sort of burgeoning scandals within the White House, but also outside of the White House, within the Republican Party. there's a degree of skepticism and I think it's sort of a lens through which the Washington media is looking at this administration that they've never looked at it before. And a certain degree of credibility or deference that the reporters used to have for Scott McClellan and for other top administration officials, I think, is rapidly disappearing.

COSTELLO: Yes. I think it's gone.

John Mercurio from the "National Journal" joining us live this morning.

Thank you.

MERCURIO: They're.

COSTELLO: Coming up on DAYBREAK, Karl Rove making his fourth grand jury appearance today. Bush's right-hand man once again being called to testify in the CIA leak investigation.

Also, it is pouring in the Northeast, turning streets into ponds. But the ducks in Wayne, New Jersey. You're looking at a live picture -- ducks floating around on the streets.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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