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CNN Live At Daybreak
Libby to Court; T-Shirt Protest
Aired November 03, 2005 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: It is Thursday, November 3. Scooter Libby heads to court. The vice president's former right-hand man says he'll fight the charges in the CIA leak scandal. And he's expected to plead not guilty.
Is it a case of racial profiling, or was the FBI just following proper procedures? We'll tell you about this face-off at a football game.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COREEN NAKAMOTO, CONSUMER: I think they have a sense of humor. I wouldn't wear them. I wouldn't want my kids wearing them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: But would you want your kids wearing them? It's a tempest over a T-shirt, and you might be surprised at who's getting so worked up about all of it.
And good Thursday morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK. I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.
Thanks so much for waking up with us.
We will have much more on Scooter Libby in just a moment.
Also ahead, a fitting tribute for a pioneer of civil rights in America. Saying goodbye and thank you to Rosa Parks.
But first, these stories "Now in the News."
Late-night violence lit up the Paris suburbs with fire. Rioters clashing with police in the streets for a seventh straight night. The violence began last week when two youths were electrocuted when trying to escape a police checkpoint.
Virgin Atlantic Airlines has ordered its own stockpile of the antiviral drug Tamiflu. The company says it's a responsible thing to do given the possible global spread of bird flu. But Virgin Atlantic will have to wait for the drug. The world's sole supplier still has backorders in several countries, including the United States.
There are no signs that the transit strike in Philadelphia will end anytime soon. Workers are upset over wages and health care costs. Nearly half a million commuters will again have to find an alternate way to work.
Schools in Miami-Dade County reopened today for the first time since Hurricane Wilma crashed through south Florida. Extra crossing guards and traffic officers are in place to help buses and children make their way to school. Broward County schools won't reopen until next week at the earliest.
And time to head to the forecast center now and get a check of the forecast. Jacqui Jeras in today.
Jacqui, great to see you.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, thanks. Good to see you, too, Kelly. Nice to have you here. Looking great in your red.
WALLACE: You're so kind.
JERAS: Nice day.
WALLACE: A bright color to try and wake us all up, right?
JERAS: There you go. That's what we need. I haven't had my coffee yet today, too, so I'm in trouble. So glad you're in a good mood today.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: I was in Washington yesterday, put on my scarf and my heavy coat, and I was sweating.
JERAS: You didn't need it, did you?
WALLACE: Didn't need any of it at all. All right, Jacqui. We'll talk to you in a few minutes. Thanks so much.
JERAS: OK.
WALLACE: Turning to our top story this half-hour, in just a few hours Scooter Libby will be facing a judge. Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff is being arraigned today on charges, including obstruction of justice and perjury.
We get more now from our national correspondent, Bob Franken.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In less than a week, Scooter Libby will have come from his rides to the White House with his boss, Vice President Cheney, to a trip to the courthouse with his lawyer to face serious criminal charges, felonies that raise in some quarters lingering questions about whether the vice president paid a role in the CIA leaks.
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We'll be glad to talk more about the matter once it's come to a conclusion. FRANKEN: It's far from a conclusion. Libby is expected to plead not guilty at this morning's arraignment to charges of perjury, obstruction of justice, making false statements. His lawyer says it was simply fault recollection.
The allegations stem from the still incomplete investigation led by special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald into the press leaks identifying Valerie Plame as an undercover CIA operative. Plame is the wife of harsh administration critic Joseph Wilson, who remains harsh.
JOSEPH WILSON, FMR. U.S. AMBASSADOR: Is this the standard of ethical comportment that we expect from our senior public servants? I don't believe it is. I cannot understand why the president does.
FRANKEN: One huge loose end is the fate of the president's chief political adviser, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove, who has not been indicted. And it's not clear whether he will be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And that was CNN's Bob Franken reporting.
Scooter Libby is charged with one count of obstruction of justice, two counts of making false statements and two counts of perjury. And we'll be talking live with Bob Franken at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.
But not all the news coming out of Washington is as serious. It was all about pomp and pageantry last night as President Bush and the first lady welcomed Prince Charles and Camilla, the duchess of Cornwall. At a black-tie dinner last night, the president offered a toast to the royal couple and also saluted the U.S.-British relationship.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Laura and I are honored to have you and her royal highness as guests this evening. And I'd now like to offer a toast to the enduring friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And today the royal couple with visit the National Institutes of Health.
But after all the excitement of the visit of the royals, it is back to business for the president. He leaves later today for Argentina to attend the Summit of the Americas. The main focus of this two-day meeting with Latin American and Caribbean leaders will be job creation. The president expected to push his free trade agenda.
Here's a quick look at the president's trip.
He leaves this morning for Mar del Plata, Argentina, Argentina, where the gathering takes place. From there, it's on to Brasilia, Brazil, on Saturday. Then he heads to Panama City, Panama, on Sunday. He will meet with each country's president during his visit, and he heads back to Washington on Monday.
We'll get more many more details about the trip when we talk with Juan Carlos Lopez from CNN Espanol in the next hour of DAYBREAK.
The Pentagon says a suspected terrorists who escaped from U.S. troops in Afghanistan is a senior al Qaeda operative. Omar al-Faruq escaped from the U.S. detention camp in Bagram in July with three other prisoners. The suspects' identities weren't released at the time.
The Pentagon says al-Faruq's name came up Tuesday at the court- martial of an Army sergeant charged with mistreating detainees. Al- Faruq had been scheduled to testify.
And one more thing to tell you about regarding al Qaeda. The Pakistani government and intelligence sources confirm they have arrested two suspected members of al Qaeda in the southwestern city of Quetta this week. The arrests follow a shootout that left a third suspect dead. One of the suspects is of Pakistani origin; the others' nationality wasn't given.
And a possible deal to send Saddam Hussein into exile failed just over two weeks before bombs fell in Baghdad. Government officials from the United Arab Emirates tell CNN that Saddam Hussein had accepted a plan that would have sent the dictator to that country. Hussein demanded support for the plan from the Arab League, but the Arab League ambassador to the United States tells CNN there wasn't enough time to consider the exile agreement.
Fast forward to now. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan has ended with a string of attacks killing 27 Iraqis. A suicide bombing near a Shia mosque in -- is one of the worst. Police say a minibus blew up in an area packed with people. Twenty people were killed, 60 others wounded.
The U.S. death toll has also gone up. Two Marines died in a helicopter crash near Ramadi, and a soldier died when his patrol came under attack near Balad. Those deaths bring the total number of U.S. troops killed in the Iraq war to 2,033.
Well, coming up here on DAYBREAK, CIA secrets revealed. Human rights groups track CIA aircraft to send -- to secret prisons holding al Qaeda suspects incommunicado around the world.
Freedom of religion is one thing, but Muslims practicing their religion at a Giants game apparently is quite another.
And marketing a new line of T-shirts may be a little too edgy. Even the intended buyers call them "disgusting and repulsive." We'll tell you about a girlcott.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Thursday morning. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And the international markets are higher this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei is up 26. The London FTSE higher by 20 points. And the German DAX is adding 16.
In futures trading, oil is up 18 cents, but still below $60 a barrel this morning at $59.93.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's about 12 minutes after the hour. And here is what is all new this morning.
President Bush heads to Argentina in less than three hours. He's going to the Summit of the Americas. The president plans to push free trade when he meets with leaders from across Latin America.
Taser is taking aim at you with a new version of its stun gun. The company says its taser is ideal for people who travel at odd hours. And, in an effort to deter criminal use, the device kicks out pieces of paper when the gun's serial number when it's fired.
In money, Johnson & Johnson may not buy Guidant after all. Guidant is a leading maker of heart devices, but recent recalls and safety questions have led Johnson & Johnson to reconsider its $25 billion buyout deal.
In culture, the Radio City Rockettes joined the musicians' strike just one day before their holiday spectacular was set to debut. But good news here. Radio City says the dancers will be back on stage with recorded music for tonight's show.
In sports, free agent outfielder Matt Lawton is the latest to face a steroid suspension. He'll have to sit out the first 10 games of next season. Lawton is the 12th Major Leaguer suspended since the new steroid policy went into effect.
And to the forecast center now, Jacqui Jeras.
Good morning again, Jacqui.
JERAS: Hey. Good morning, Kelly.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: All right, Jacqui. We'll enjoy the good weather while we have it. Talk to you in a few minutes.
Still to come this morning here on DAYBREAK, a new marketing ploy by Abercrombie & Fitch, or just a health dose of attitude? Just ahead, we'll introduce you to some high school girls who think these teachers go way too far.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Some entertainment headlines for you this morning. Lindsey Lohan and Sheryl Crow will both perform at the upcoming American Music Awards. The pair joining an all-star lineup of performers already taking the stage at the 33 annual awards. The American Music Awards scheduled for November 22 in Los Angeles.
George Clooney is getting an award of his own as a modern master. The Santa Barbara International Film Festival is honoring the actor for his versatility. Clooney directed, co-wrote and co-stars in the movie "Good Night and Good Luck" about journalist Edward R. Murrow.
And Madonna will be one of the star attractions at tonight's MTV Europe Awards. She'll be performing live for the first time since her horse riding accident in August. The annual award show is being held in Lisbon, Portugal, this year.
Well, Abercrombie & Fitch, you know, the teen-oriented retailer known for its edgy marketing, has done it again. A new line of T- shirts has sparked yet another controversy. But this time parents aren't the ones leading the protests. Teenagers are.
CNN's Allan Chernoff tells us what all the fuss is about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Is the shirt funny or demeaning?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That is ridiculous.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's repulsive. That's disgusting.
CHERNOFF: Some Pennsylvania high school students are so offended by the new line of Abercrombie & Fitch T-shirts they're organizing a female boycott of the chain. A girlcott they're calling it.
EMMA BLACKMAN-MATHIS, "GIRLCOTT" ORGANIZER: These T-shirts, in my opinion, are absolutely and positively degrading to ourselves and other women around us.
CHERNOFF: Abercrombie & Fitch said it had no one available for an on-camera interview. Instead, the company gave CNN a statement.
"Our clothing appeals to a wide variety of customers. These particular T-shirts have been very popular among adult women, to whom they are marketed."
Though some adults we spoke with said they wouldn't wear the shirts.
NAKAMOTO: I think they have a sense of humor. I wouldn't wear them. I wouldn't want my kids wearing them.
CHERNOFF (on camera): Abercrombie calls these attitude T-shirts. And attitude does not come cheap. They cost $25 a piece.
"I had a nightmare I was a brunette." UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I mean, I just completely don't agree with that all.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that's perfect. I really want that one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a good shirt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that's great, yes.
CHERNOFF: Now, do you know there are a bunch of high school girls who are actually calling for a girlcott of Abercrombie because of these shirts.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's crazy. It's crazy. It's just a bit of fun.
CHERNOFF (voice over): For Abercrombie, which markets clothing by featuring models who barely wear any, it's a perfect mix of profitable fashion and image building. The company's past controversies include catalogs of partially-undressed women and bare- bottom guys, and thong underwear for young girls.
(on camera): "Do I make you look fat?"
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wouldn't buy that.
CHERNOFF: But you're laughing.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's funny.
CHERNOFF: It's funny. But would you want your daughter to wear it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
CHERNOFF (voice over): Of course sex and controversy sell in America. The students behind the protest say they recognize they're helping to draw attention to Abercrombie & Fitch, but say their principles are more important than the company's profits.
Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: I don't know, Jacqui. The one that's funny is "I had a nightmare I was a brunette."
(LAUGHTER)
JERAS: We'll never know what that's like, would we, Kelly?
WALLACE: No, we will not, right. And it's also au natural, right?
JERAS: Yes, absolutely. WALLACE: So what do you think, Jacqui? What do you think about all this?
JERAS: What do I think? Well, personally, I thought a few of them were funny. And I did think a few of them were offensive. So, I thought some were OK.
If you want to do it, you know, "Do I make you look fat?" if you look skinny and you're confident and you think you have a great body and you want to wear it, what the hey. But a few of those, yes, I wasn't real fond of.
We want to know what you think, though. Allan said it best. I think it comes down to principles versus profits. Let us know what you think about the T-shirt girlcott.
Our e-mail address, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.
I think we're going to have a lot of responses to this one again today, Kelly.
WALLACE: I was just going to say, Jacqui, I'm expecting lots of e-mail. So send them.
JERAS: Yes, I hope no one yells at me for those last comments.
WALLACE: They will not.
Send those e-mails in. We want to hear what you have to say.
And here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK.
Surviving the strike. We'll take you live to Philadelphia, where a transit walkout has commuters stopped in their tracks.
Also, it is god and the government versus the little guy. Should the state be able to take away land from a business owner and give it to a Catholic school? A very interesting test of eminent domain just ahead.
This is DAYBREAK for a Thursday. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Good morning to you. From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK. I'm Kelly Wallace, in today for Carol Costello.
Thanks so much for joining us.
Coming up in the next 30 minutes, they came, they prayed, they were questioned. Some Muslim football fans say they were unfairly targeted at Giant Stadium, and now they're taking action.
And the final tribute to a woman who took a stand simply by sitting down. The funeral of Rosa Parks is just ahead. But first, these stories "Now in the News."
Lewis "Scooter" Libby is due to be arraigned this morning in Washington. You'll recall Libby resigned as Vice President Cheney's top adviser after being indicted on five felony charges. These charges all stem from the investigation into the leak of a CIA agent's name. Karl Rove, the president's top adviser, is still under investigation in the case.
The nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court will be discussed by the so-called Gang of 14 today. The 14 moderate senators, seven Democrats and seven Republicans, could play a pivotal role in the fate of Alito's nomination. Earlier this year, they helped bring about an end to filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominees.
Machinists are on strike in three states against Boeing's aerospace operations. The union says the key reason they walked out is Boeing's proposal to end retirement health care coverage for new employees.
To Jacqui Jeras now at the forecast center.
And Jacqui, you have a lot of good news for most of us for the next couple of days, don't you?
JERAS: Yes, absolutely.
(WEATHER REPORT)
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