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CNN Live At Daybreak

Presidents and Protesters Gathering for Summit of the Americas; What's the Future for Presidential Adviser Karl Rove?

Aired November 04, 2005 - 06:00   ET

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

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is Friday, November 4.
Presidents and protesters gathering for the Summit of the Americas. Meetings get underway this hour. But can President Bush escape his domestic troubles on the world stage?

Also, from right-hand man to possible political liability -- what's the future for presidential adviser Karl Rove?

And this --

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

STAN GRANT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): So much of Mohammed (ph) and Sarina's (ph) life now is about what they do not have. Before the earthquake, they had three boys. Now, there are two. Their 14-year-old son died, crushed when his school collapsed. For Sarina, the loss is unbearable.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

WALLACE:. Our Stan Grant reporting on one family's struggle to survive in the ruins of Kashmir.

And good morning, everyone.

I'm Kelly Wallace in today for Carol Costello.

Thanks so much for joining us.

We will have much more on the president's summit in just a moment.

Also ahead, a big screen look at the first Gulf War through the eyes of young Marines.

And the University of Iowa wants its opponents to think pink in the locker room. But are they playing fair or just reinforcing old stereotypes? We'll tell you all about that.

But first, these stories now in the news.

Six Iraqi police officers are dead following a shootout with gunmen at a checkpoint north of Baghdad. Police say at least 12 others were injured in that gun battle. A search and rescue operation is underway off the southern coast of Pakistan this morning. At least 17 people are dead and more are feared drowned after a ferry capsized. Local media reports say the people on the ferry were on their way to a family funeral.

The Senate has narrowly approved a bill that's expected to trim $36 billion from the massive federal budget deficit. The measure includes mild cuts to health care progress for the elderly, the poor and the disabled. That bill now heads to the House.

And to our pal Jacqui Jeras at the Forecast Center in Atlanta, who continues to keep us smiling on this Friday.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I k. You just can't help it.

WALLACE:. I k.

JERAS:. With weather like this?

WALLACE:. We're taking it, Jacqui. We're not complaining.

JERAS:. This is November.

WALLACE:. I k.

JERAS:. I know. And we don't want to get used to it, either, because we're certainly getting spoiled by these nice conditions.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: Up first this hour on DAYBREAK, President Bush gets a break from politics at home while promoting his free trade agenda in Latin America. But not everyone wants to hear his message at the Summit of the Americas. Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona led an anti-Bush protest today and more demonstrations are expected.

The two day meeting of regional leaders officially opens less than an hour from now.

Well, President Bush certainly leaving behind plenty of pressing issues at home. But will he be allowed to forget about all of them while he's on his summit trip?

CNN's Dana Bash takes a look at all of that.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A 10 1/2 hour flight to a destination 5,500 miles from Washington. Escaping to the world's stage is an old trick of the presidential trade.

BRUCE BUCHANAN, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: It does put him in a rent venue, talking about other issues and it permits him to portray himself as doing country's business.

BASH: Ronald Reagan, amid Iran-Contra, tried to polish his image by showing leadership at Soviet summits. But when problems at home reach a fever pitch, distance usually doesn't help.

QUESTION: Mr. Starr says it has no effect on his investigation. Is that your view, sir?

BASH: The Lewinsky scandal followed President Clinton around the globe. Mr. Bush himself s dogged by questions throughout Africa in 2003, after admitting his State of the Union case for confronting Iraq included flawed intelligence.

QUESTION: Can you explain how an erroneous piece of intelligence on the Iraq/Niger connection got into your State of the Union speech?

BUCHANAN: No matter where you are, whether it be on a foreign trip or sitting in the Oval Office or sitting at your ranch in Texas, there's no evading that responsibility.

BASH: The president hopes to use the Summit of the Americas to tout the benefits of Democratic reforms and push Latin countries to allow more free trade.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back up, please.

BASH: But an open question is how much the indictment of a senior White House official in a CIA leaks case hurts Mr. Bush's creditability in conducting foreign policy.

His national security adviser took that one carefully.

STEPHEN HADLEY, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: "Scooter" Libby is a fine person, and he has served the president and the vice president well. The president makes foreign policy. And it is the president who's going on this trip.

BASH: Mr. Bush is used to encountering protests abroad, where his policies are unpopular. Massive demonstrations are planned in Argentina. Now, some experts believe his weak standing back home may embolden other leaders to challenge him more freely. But others predict he may find some unexpected understanding.

ROGER NORIEGA, FORMER ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: These presidents have troubles, too. These other folks have troubles too. And President Bush's counterparts are probably going to feel a great deal of empathy, frankly, for him.

BASH (on camera): Mr. Bush is trying to convey an image of good spirits. He even joked about government leaks during a roundtable with foreign journalists. Humor, just like international travel, is a time tested standing by for a president in crisis.

Dana Bash, CNN, Mar del Plata, Argentina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: And we'll head live to Argentina just after the half hour to get the latest on the summit and President Bush's agenda. Now we turn to France, where the rioting that began there eight days ago has now spread beyond the Paris suburbs. Government officials are trying to figure out how to get control of the violence. They're considering sending army troops in. Cars, buses and a warehouse were set on fire near Paris overnight. The riots are driven by immigrants frustrated over unemployment, which is at 50 percent in some communities. So far, police have arrested 150 people.

This is normally a day of joyous feast for Muslims all around the world, marking the end of the month long fast of Ramadan. But high in the rugged mountains of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, one month after the devastating South Asia earthquake, there is little joy or food to feast on.

Our CNN Stan Grant is there.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

GRANT:. Look into Mohammed Anwah's (ph) eyes. You see the confusion, the helplessness etched into so many millions of faces here. A father, a husband at a loss to find the strength to go on.

MOHAMMED ANWAH (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We have lost everything. We are thinking what will we do? at this moment, my mind is not working.

GRANT: Mohammed's wife Sarina prepares a simple meal for her family. Not much -- some meat, some fruit. It's all they have. That and each other.

"It's very hard to live here," she tells me. "We don't have enough food. My husband went to the relief tent for more food and I cooked that for my family."

So much of Mohammed and Sarina's life now is about what they do not have. Before the earthquake, they had three boys. Now there are two. Their 14-year-old son died, crushed when his school collapsed. For Sarina, the loss is unbearable.

"I am so sad, so upset," she says, "I can't express my feelings."

Her tears say more than she can in words.

Mohammed, too, admits for a while he gave up. But there are still two boys to love and care for, and they need their father more than ever.

M. ANWAH (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I have lost one child, but still I have two children. I think to myself, I must go to get shelter and food and where there are tents.

GRANT: He led his family here, to the outskirts of the town of Bagh. Incredibly, they trekked 45 kilometers on foot down the mountains to get here.

(on camera): Tent villages like this have popped up everywhere in the earthquake zone. It is what these people now call home. But many fear it will not be enough to survive the oncoming winter.

(voice-over): Mohammed's family's tent is a makeshift one, propped up by a loose pole. It is thin and barely keeps out the cold.

"This tent is not enough for my family," Sarina says. "If we get a better tent, we might survive. If we don't get it, I don't know how we can survive."

They can't build a future here. Mohammed's son, Navid (ph), scoffs when even asked.

"At this stage, I can't even afford to think about the future," he says. "I'm thinking only about surviving."

Across Pakistan, Muslims will be celebrating Eid, the end of the holy month of Ramadan. They will give thanks to god. But here in this tent, Mohammed Anwah, his wife and two sons, can find so little to be thankful for.

M. ANWAH (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): We are very sad. How can we celebrate Eid without my child?

GRANT: Stan Grant, CNN, Bagh, Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

WALLACE: A tragic situation, indeed.

Here's how you can help the desperate earthquake survivors. Call 1-800-521-CARE or log onto care.org.

For the Red Cross, you can call 800-HELP-NOW or go to redcross.org.

And to reach Oxfam, call 800-77-OXFAM. Their Web site is oxfam.org.

DAYBREAK continues in just a moment.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "CHICKEN LITTLE," COURTESY WALT DISNEY PICTURES)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I had a run-in with my old nemesis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Garman Glackwack (ph).

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He won this round.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your old foe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: That alarmist chicken and his friends hit the big screen this weekend. But will the big bucks be falling down on Disney?

Movie critic Ken Tucker weighing in with us a bit later.

And welcome back to DAYBREAK.

Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's about 13 minutes after the hour and here is what is all new this morning.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell may soon get involved in the Philadelphia transit strike. Buses, trains and trolleys will be idled again today as the strike enters its fifth day. Rendell says he'll speak with both sides if no agreement is reached today. No new negotiations are scheduled.

In money, congressional investigators say Amtrak needs a plan to get back on its feet financially. They also say the passenger railroad may need some outside help to fix its problems. Amtrak has operating losses topping $1 billion a year.

In culture, she's back. MTV's Europe Music Awards kicked off listening with Madonna singing her new song "Hung Up" before an adoring crowd. She said it was "amazing to perform again in front of a live audience."

In sports, big Ben's bum knee will keep him off the field Sunday. Pittsburgh Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had arthroscopic surgery on his troublesome right knee and won't play against Green Bay. Veteran backup Charlie Batch will start in his place.

To the Forecast Center now -- and, Jacqui, what's it going to be like for football games this weekend?

JERAS: Oh, well, Saturday games, great. Sunday games, maybe not so great, depending where you're at.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WALLACE: And we'll be wanting to know about the marathon weather, because we'll be talking to our own Carrie Lee, who is running in that big race on Sunday.

Well, a big courtroom win for Merck and Vioxx, but are their legal woes over? Carrie Lee joining us with that.

But first, we want to say good morning to Motown.

Here's another look at other headlines making news this Friday morning, November 4th.

We'll be right back. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

WALLACE: Well, Merck won a major court battle yesterday in the ongoing Vioxx litigation.

Carrie Lee joining us now with a look at what the case means and also what it means for others who are still suing Merck -- hello, Carrie.

CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And there are a lot of lawsuits out there, Kelly.

WALLACE: There sure are.

LEE: But this is very good news for Merck. The company did well yesterday because a New Jersey jury ruled Merck is not responsible for the heart attack suffered by an Idaho man who had been taking Vioxx. So this means one win, one loss for Merck, after a Texas jury earlier this year awarded a $253 million verdict to the widow of a man who died from a heart attack after taking the painkiller.

Now, legal experts say yesterday's case was weaker. That plaintiff had only been taking Vioxx for a short time. He also had some other health risk factors. Fortunately, he survived his heart attack.

So what does this all mean for Merck? Well, it still faces 7,000 lawsuits that have already been filed. Thousands of others could be filed. The liability could potentially add up to over $50 billion. That's the worst case scenario. But this case does provide Merck with a road map for its future defense.

And it also means some of the weaker cases may never come to trial or the plaintiffs and Merck could reach one sweeping settlement. The lawsuits revolve around whether Merck execs knew about the potential dangers of the drug before pulling it from the market. The arthritis drug was introduced in 1999, pulled from the market over a year ago after it was linked to heart problems in patients.

By the way, on the company's conference call yesterday, Merck said it is speaking to regulators about possibly bringing Vioxx back. The news was a positive for the stock. It shot higher yesterday. It closed up over 4 percent. Merck is in the Dow, so it certainly helped the markets.

WALLACE: All right.

And a quick sense of the futures?

LEE: Things looking mixed right now. The big October jobs report coming an hour before trading gets underway. That is going to be the big thing to watch.

WALLACE: And on all of our minds, a quick sense of how you're doing to prepare for the New York City marathon on Sunday.

LEE: Thank you so much.

I appreciate you mentioning that. This is the 35th Annual New York City Marathon, started in 1970. Thirty-five thousand people are running this year, so it's going to be crowded. I just want to cross that finish line, Kelly.

WALLACE: And you're one of them.

Is it your first marathon?

LEE: It is my first marathon and I'm off for a few days early next week.

WALLACE: You are.

LEE: So I'll see you later in the week.

WALLACE: A well-deserved vacation. But we will be watching you from the finish line.

LEE: Thank you very much, my friend.

WALLACE: Carrie, have a great race.

LEE: Thank you.

WALLACE: That's an incredible accomplishment.

LEE: Thank you.

WALLACE: Carrie Lee joining us.

Well, coming up here on DAYBREAK, Marines coming of age during the first Gulf War. Big names with Oscar gold fill the marquis, but there is one actor who is winning raves. Film critic Ken Tucker will tell us why.

We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "CHICKEN LITTLE," COURTESY WALT DISNEY PICTURES)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll keep on fighting until the end. I am the champion. I am the champion. But gone is the...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Well, that is a clip from the movie "Chicken Little." It's the movie that's supposed to save Disney this holiday season. But will it? Or will the sky fall?

Here to talk about what's at the movies is Ken Tucker, film critic for "New York" magazine.

Ken, thanks so much for coming here.

KEN TUCKER, FILM CRITIC, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Thanks for having me.

WALLACE: We appreciate it.

Let's start with "Chicken Little."

TUCKER: Yes.

WALLACE: Love it or hate it?

TUCKER: "Chicken Little," it's for very little kids. It's, you know, with the way Disney updates this story of "Chicken Little" is to have the sky fall down. The pieces of the sky are pieces from an alien world. And it's, you know, it has very corny jokes. It's very much aimed at little kids. Yet at the same time, half way through, it takes this turn and becomes a parody of Steven Spielberg's "War of the Worlds," which is going to sail right over the heads of little kid viewers.

So I think it kind of falls between two audiences, in a way.

WALLACE: That's interesting. I was going to ask you, because if that's the case, it is likely to go over their heads.

But here's a question, because as we were leading into the segment, this is supposed to be the big saving movie for Disney.

TUCKER: Yes, right.

WALLACE: Is it going to bring in the money?

TUCKER: I think opening weekend people are going to go out of curiosity. But I think the word is going to get around that it's a very silly, you know, kind of corny movie that I don't think adults are going to particularly enjoy bringing their kids to.

That's the key now, you have to appeal to both adults and kids to make them both sit through the movie. I mean the movie is less than an hour-and-a-half so they're going to be able to play it a lot in theaters. And it's also interesting on the business side, because it's the first movie from Disney since they broke off from Pixar, which made great movies like, you know, "The Incredibles" and "Toy Story." And it's not nearly as good with that computer generated animation.

WALLACE: Interesting.

Let's also talk about another movie which is getting a lot of buzz, and this is "Jarhead." I understand it's based on a former Marine's book, back in 2003, about his experiences before the first Gulf War in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Let's take a look at that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "JARHEAD," COURTESY UNIVERSAL PICTURES)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Repeat after me, this is my rifle.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS: This is my rifle.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: There were many like it, but this one is mine.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS: There were many like it, but this one is mine.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Without my rifle, I am nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS: Without my rifle, I am nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR: Without me, my rifle is nothing.

UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS: Without me, my rifle is nothing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: So it sounds like you've got big names -- Jamie Foxx, Jake Gyllenhaal, an interesting topic, a lot of buzz. It sounds like this could be a good one.

TUCKER: It's a very odd thing. It's a war movie in which people never actually go to war. Jake Gyllenhaal's character complains that he never gets to fire his rifle once. The war kind of happens all around him in this kind of blur.

There are direct comparisons. They show the soldiers, to gear them up for enthusiasm, they show them "Apocalypse Now." And it's a big mistake on the part of the filmmaker, Sam Mendes -- he's the director. And it just doesn't compare to a movie like "Full Metal Jacket," "Apocalypse Now." If you've seen those war movies, you've seen this one.

This has great acting. Jake Gyllenhaal is terrific. He plays the character Swofford, who was based on Anthony Swofford, who wrote the book "Jarhead." But the book was much better. It was much more -- it took you inside the mind of a soldier being trained.

Movies can't get inside, you know, somebody's head, so they have to show it visually. And this doesn't show it visually.

WALLACE: But you are talking about the acting, because there is a lot of buzz when we're talking about Oscars for some of the names in this movie.

Is Jake Gyllenhaal one of them?

TUCKER: Jake Gyllenhaal is really good, although I would say that if you want to see a good Jake Gyllenhaal performance, wait for a couple of months from now when he's in "Broke Back Mountain." That's when it -- that's an Oscar worthy performance.

This one, I think even the advertising is a little bit deceptive because Jamie Foxx has a very small role. So the acting is good, but, you know, it just doesn't cohere as a classic war movie.

WALLACE: Very quickly, do I go see it or do I rent it?

TUCKER: You rent it.

WALLACE: I rent it.

TUCKER: You rent it, yes.

WALLACE: It's a rental.

TUCKER: Yes.

WALLACE: All right, Ken Tucker, film critic with "New York" magazine.

Great to see you.

TUCKER: Great to see you.

WALLACE: And we read you all the time.

TUCKER: Terrific. Thanks.

WALLACE: Love your insights.

Thanks for being here.

TUCKER: Thank you.

WALLACE: Well, protesters and presidents gathering in Argentina for the start of the Summit of the Americas. A live report coming up next.

Also, should he stay or should he go -- we'll take a closer look at Karl Rove and his political future.

DAYBREAK continues in just a moment.

Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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