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American Morning

Democrats Savoring Victory This Morning; Will Trial of Saddam Hussein and His Co-Defendants Go Off as Planned?

Aired November 09, 2005 - 08:00   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Democrats savoring victory this morning, winning two governor's races. In California, though, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is a four time loser on his ballot initiatives. What does it mean for '06 and what does it mean for the White House this morning?
Reports the CIA is running secret prisons in Europe is now sparking a congressional investigation into just who leaked that story.

And in Iraq, will the trial of Saddam Hussein and his co- defendants go off as planned? A brazen assassination, now a clampdown on security on this AMERICAN MORNING.

ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are so pleased to have our gentle viewers with us today. We're on good manners today, you know?

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, yes, we are.

M. O'BRIEN: Because we have a "Talk To the Hand" book author. Yes, it's basically a diatribe against bad manners in this world, and that could be a very long book. But...

S. O'BRIEN: I know. I'm surprised it only came in at 220 pages or so.

M. O'BRIEN: It's nice to see you, Ms. O'Brien.

S. O'BRIEN: And good morning to you, too, Mr. O'Brien.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes. Good to see you.

S. O'BRIEN: No relation.

We are also talking about the election, because it is the day after and Democrats, in many cases, crowing about Tuesday's victories across the country. Republicans are saying no sweat, at least in public.

AMERICAN MORNING'S Bob Franken live in Washington for us this morning -- hey, Bob, good morning to you.

Let's start with the biggie, the governor's races. Nationally, what are the implications, do you think?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, nothing.

S. O'BRIEN: OK, thanks for joining us, Bob.

Moving on...

FRANKEN: Well, first of all, what the big thing is, is that the spinners are going to be going like rolling dervishes. And the early spin is that it means quite a bit, really. The Democrat won quite convincingly in Virginia. Tim Kaine beating Jerry Kilgore. This was a race that was being watched very closely. It was a race that saw President Bush, at the last minute, come in and try and push the Republican over the top, only to see the Republican end up at the bottom of this race, or at least in second place, which isn't good enough in politics.

So you have the Virginia race that the Democrats are gloating over.

They're also gloating over New Jersey, where Jon Corzine was the winner, winning quite handily, a very, very, very tough race, one that got, how shall we say it, very negative, large amounts of money being spent there. And it was Corzine who said at the end that he was repudiating the tactics of Bush and Rove, meaning Karl Rove. So there was a very clear message that the Democrats were trying to deliver there.

But remember now that it's a long time between elections and although Democrats are going to be saying they have momentum, which they'll use to try and help their fundraising and getting more competitive candidates out there, it's a long time before the congressional elections next year.

S. O'BRIEN: Here in New York, Republican Mike Bloomberg really ran away with the race.

In California, though, a big loss for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, even though he, you know, he personally wasn't on the ballot.

FRANKEN: No, he wasn't, but he was putting his prestige behind four ballot initiatives, which all lost. Arnold Schwarzenegger, of course, since he took over after the recall, has been viewed for a while, at least, was viewed as unstoppable. Now there are many people who view him as stopped.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER (R), CALIFORNIA: I want to close here just with a personal note, not with a political note. I feel the same tonight as that night two years ago when I was elected governor. You know, with all my heart, I want to do the right thing for the people of California. Oh, yes, I want to do the right thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Well, to be perfectly honest about it, Soledad, he may feel the same, but it ain't the same.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I was going to say, really, because there are a lot of other people who don't feel the same after that election night there.

FRANKEN: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Bob, thanks a lot for that update.

We'll check in with you a little bit later.

Other mayoral races to talk about this morning.

In Detroit, Democratic incumbent Kwame Kilpatrick scored a come from behind victory, really. Republican Jerry Sanders won in San Diego. Remember, he was up against the surfer? And Boston's Democratic mayor, Tom Menino, easily won a fourth term. If he finishes it, he's going to become Boston's longest serving mayor ever.

As for gay rights, in Texas, voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. In Maine, voters turned down a measure that would have repealed the state law banning discrimination on sexual orientation.

And the evolution debate has cost eight Republican school board members their seats in Dover, Pennsylvania. All eight had ordered a statement on intelligent design be read in biology class. Well, eight Democrats who were opposing the policy were elected -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: The CIA would like to know how the "Washington Post" got a hold of some classified information. Republican leaders are calling for an investigation. They're talking about the story exposing secret CIA prisons all around the world.

Congressional correspondent Ed Henry loch with this -- and, Ed, a lot of finger pointing underway there.

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, absolutely, Miles.

And what's interesting is immediately after Republican leaders announced yesterday that they wanted this investigation of the latest CIA leak, Democrats said this is a diversion, that Republicans are trying to change the subject from the other CIA leak case, the Valerie Plame case, and that they're really trying to dig out of this political hole.

But what's interesting is that this second CIA leak case is doing anything but changing the subject. Instead, it's putting even more focus on the Plame controversy and it's also raising another controversy about these actual secret prisons themselves and why they exist and what's going to be done about them.

What's interesting, though, is House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist yesterday insisting this is not about politics in any direction. They want to get to the bottom of whether or not national security was compromised, how badly it may have been compromised by this leak to the "Washington Post" last week about these so-called black sites, secret prisons where terror suspects are held.

The suspicion here and elsewhere is that former and current CIA officials were involved in leaking that. They were quoted without names in this "Washington Post" piece.

But there's a twist. Republican Senator Trent Lott yesterday told reporters that, in fact, some of this information was discussed at a private luncheon last Tuesday, a closed door meeting in the Capitol among Republican senators and Vice President Cheney. And Lott told reporters point blank: "Every word that was said in there went right to the newspaper. We can't keep our mouths shut," talking about senators.

Now, other Republicans are saying that Lott is confused, that no classified information actually leaked out from this room.

Democrats, though, of course, raising questions about why the subject of secret prisons, why that was discussed at all in this private setting among the Republican senators and the vice president of the United States when the administration has not even acknowledged that these secret prisons exist -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, Ed, one other hearing which I think a lot of people are going to be following today. I suspect you might have a good seat in this one. Is, as a couple of committees get together, bring in some big oil executives and probably tee off.

HENRY: You're absolutely right. And there's a little bit of mystery to the CIA leak case, but no mystery here on the oil situation. Lawmakers in both parties nervously watching the polls, how these rising gas prices, the allegations of price gouging, how that's going to affect particularly Republicans at the polls next year in the midterm elections.

So they're going to call these oil executives on the carpet. Two Senate committees having this joint hearing today, and they basically want to know why the windfall profits when people are paying somewhere around $3 a gallon at the pump. Why aren't those profits being reinvested? Why, in fact, is the Republican Congress still giving tax breaks to these oil companies -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Our high octane man on Capitol Hill is Ed Henry.

Thank you.

HENRY: Thank you.

M. O'BRIEN: We'll see you later -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: In Iraq, insurgents are once again the target in Operation Steel Curtain. Meanwhile, more Iraqi and U.S. casualties to report in the Anbar Province. A U.S. Marine among the dead.

Aneesh Raman is live for us in Baghdad this morning -- Aneesh, good morning.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Soledad, good morning to you.

The deadliest incident today took place in the city of Ba'qubah, north of the Iraqi capital. A suicide car bomber detonated this morning, killing, according to Iraqi police, seven people, including four Iraqi police officers. Four others were wounded.

Now, Ba'qubah is the site of frequent sectarian violence. Iraqi security forces often the target.

Meantime, the U.S. military announced today, Soledad, that a Marine have been killed in the western Anbar Province from a roadside bomb. These IEDs are the persistent killer of U.S. forces in Iraq. So far in November, some 28 U.S. troops have been killed -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Let's talk a little bit about, Aneesh, Operation Steel Curtain.

Is -- the focus, obviously, is on the insurgents and it's a joint strategy between U.S. and Iraqi forces.

What's happening there?

RAMAN: Exactly. The U.S. military announcing that it has secured the city of Husayba, which has been the focal point at the beginning of Operation Steel Curtain, now entering day five. Some 3,000 U.S. troops and 550 Iraqi forces are part of this operation. That city is of critical importance, not just because for months it had been an insurgent command post, but it quite literally lies on the Syrian border.

You can see Syria from the streets of Husayba. They have found a large number of weapons caches. They have detained a good number of suspected insurgents. Across that border, there's been a frequent flow of foreign fighters, weapons and cash. And so they're trying to secure that to secure the country -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Aneesh, you reported the other day on the murder of a lawyer, of one of Saddam Hussein's co-defendants. He's being buried today, that lawyer.

How is his death going to impact the trial, do you think?

RAMAN: Well, the issues are simply multiplying endlessly for the Iraqi high court that is trying Saddam Hussein and the seven other co- defendants. Today, as you mentioned, the burial of Adil Mohamed al- Zubeidi. He was the lawyer for Taha Yassin Ramadan, perhaps, as we said before, the second most recognizable defendant, the former Iraqi vice president.

Now, in interviews the defense lawyers have said they want an international investigation. The Iraqi government has said that they are providing security upon request, but that the defense lawyers do not trust the Iraqi government's security.

And so all eyes now are on November 28th, when this trial is set to reconvene, as to whether the defense will petition, perhaps, for a change of venue, or, more basically, for another delay -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman is reporting for us from Baghdad this morning.

Aneesh, thank you for the update.

We continue overseas now, as we take a look at some of the other stories that are making news, especially in France, where the riots have gone now into a 13th day.

Carol has a look at those -- good morning.

COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

There are tough new security measures in place in France and they do appear to be working, but there was still violence. Six hundred vehicles burned overnight. That's a big change, though, from the more than 1,400 torched on Saturday. A number of cities enforced curfews and some banned the sale of gasoline to minors.

French officials also announced sweeping reforms aimed at helping poor young people, believed to be responsible for much of the violence.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair is asking members of his government for more support of anti-terror laws. Under Blair's plan, terror suspects could be held for 90 days without charge. The prime minister was making his case before lawmakers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: These are the police saying to us they need these powers to prevent terrorism in this country. In the last week, we have learned that since the 7th of July, two further terrorist plots have been foiled in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: British lawmakers are set to vote on Blair's plan later today. It's being seen as a major test of his authority.

If you're going to teach evolution in Kansas, you will have to tell your students not everything can be explained by science. Something else is out there. The state board of education is going ahead with a proposal to teach intelligent design in school. The theory suggests people were created by a higher being.

And ladies, if you love your coffee, keep on loving it. Some researchers say drinking the highly caffeinated beverage does not seem to cause high blood pressure. It's a different story, though, for some sodas, which is strange, because, as you know, soda has caffeine in it, as well.

We're going to take a closer look at why in the next hour.

In the meantime, enjoy that extra cup of coffee because they say if you drink four cups or more it may actually help lower your blood pressure.

Isn't that strange?

M. O'BRIEN: What? That does not make any sense.

S. O'BRIEN: You'll be a jittery mess, but your blood pressure will be lower.

COSTELLO: I know. But if you're hooked like I am, I drink like five or six each morning. So I'm

M. O'BRIEN: Ooh, you've got a really low blood pressure.

COSTELLO: Yes, I'm almost comatose.

S. O'BRIEN: I think, you know, we're going to talk with an expert this morning about that very study. And they're not really sure the results translate between men and women.

But I think you're right, it sounds completely paradoxical.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, it's totally unfair.

S. O'BRIEN: Six cups of...

M. O'BRIEN: Why can't I have lower blood pressure, too? Please?

S. O'BRIEN: Well, it's not all about you today, Miles, shockingly enough.

M. O'BRIEN: Oh, it's not?

S. O'BRIEN: No.

M. O'BRIEN: Talk to the hand, will you?

COSTELLO: Oh, man.

S. O'BRIEN: That's the title of a book that we're also talking about this morning. It's about manners and how rude people are today. We're going to get a chance to sit down with the author and find out her rudeness pet peeves.

First, Carol, thank you very much for that.

COSTELLO: Sure.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, you know, putting your scripts on my side of the desk. That's rude. OK?

S. O'BRIEN: Ooh.

M. O'BRIEN: A check of the weather.

What's your favorite pet peeve, Jacqui Jeras, rude pet peeve? Share with us.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A rude pet peeve?

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

JERAS: I don't know. I just don't like it when people are rude to u.

M. O'BRIEN: Just in general?

JERAS: Be friendly.

Yes, just in general.

M. O'BRIEN: All right.

JERAS: And, by the way, Miles?

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

JERAS: You have the whitest teeth on the set. How about that?

S. O'BRIEN: Well, they're fake.

JERAS: Right. You don't drink the coffee, you'll have white teeth. At least you've got that going for you.

M. O'BRIEN: That was rude.

JERAS: A lot of things...

M. O'BRIEN: That was really rude.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, it was.

JERAS: That wasn't rude. You know...

M. O'BRIEN: No, no, what she said.

JERAS: Oh.

M. O'BRIEN: She said they were fake.

S. O'BRIEN: You buy cheap teeth.

Sorry. Carry on.

(CROSSTALK)

M. O'BRIEN: Press on, dear weather lady.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: Coming up on our program, dear viewer, the fallout from Election 2005. CNN's John King will join us with a look at what it means for the president.

S. O'BRIEN: Also this morning, one time Washington darling, Ahmed Chalabi. After his fall from grace, why is the White House ready to roll out the red carpet for him? We'll take a look at that.

M. O'BRIEN: And then we are going to talk about rudeness. We aren't kidding about this, folks. So many people, so much rudeness in the world. Whatever happened to please and thank you and why are people so darned loud on their cell phones and why do they cut you off in traffic and why, why, why?

S. O'BRIEN: We could go on and on.

M. O'BRIEN: And why am I whining?

Anyway, we'll have more on all of this ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: That's the scene in Virginia last night. Tim Kaine basking in his victory with the outgoing governor, Mark Warner there. Democrats winning an important race there. The president of the United States had gone to Richmond, an eleventh hour appearance, hoping to push the Republican candidate, Mr. Kilgore, over the top. It didn't work out. And now the question is, when you put this together with what happened in New Jersey and Arnold Schwarzenegger's big loss with those referenda in California, where does that leave the GOP this morning?

Chief national correspondent John King in Washington to help us read some tea leaves -- John, good to have you with us.

How surprising was this, to see that kind of sweep there that we saw?

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, to listen to the Democrats this morning, it's as if they've cracked some secret political code. But it is worth remembering what the Democrats won last night, especially in those races for governor, is the status quo. They held what they had. They controlled the governorship of New Jersey. They controlled the governorship of Virginia. And they held that today.

So as they crow today and say this is a huge referendum on President Bush, we should note that essentially they held the seats that they had.

And you see Governor Warner there, the outgoing governor, the national implications here may be more about him than they are about President Bush. He wants to run for president. He can now lay claim that his centrist legacy in a red state not only won him the governorship, but won his lieutenant governor the governorship. But, of course, Republicans are going to look at this. Psychologically, the Republicans needed a win here. The president is at 30 something percent in the polls. The former House majority leader, Tom DeLay, is under indictment. The Republicans have been on the rough skids, if you will, the past few months. And they could have used the psychological benefit of a come from behind victory in State of Virginia. The president did go there on election eve.

So it is -- it would be wrong to overstate the national implications, but make no mistake about it, looking ahead to 2006, what everyone will do is study turnout in Virginia -- did conservative Republicans stay home? Did they do that because of Mr. Kilgore's campaign? They didn't like that. Or did they do that because they were unhappy with the president?

That will be the key study after last night's results.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, that was a good dose of perspective.

Thank you for that.

Let's do some historical perspective, as well.

Second terms are always difficult for presidents. There's always a dip.

Is this one any different, do you think?

KING: Well, we'll know much more, of course, one year from today, when we have the mid-term elections. But there is traditionally what they call the six year itch, that a second term president, presidents usually lose in their mid-term elections.

Now, President Bush defied that in the first term, and that is one of the reasons he might be judged more harshly by these results in the off year election, simply because so far he has defied history and he has won elections.

Republicans have won elections they were supposed to lose, if you go base things on historical trends.

Heading into next year, this will certainly energize the Democratic base. It will help the Democrats raise money.

The question is does it also now inspire the Republicans to get up off the ground, if you will, and rally their own base? And that is the defining question -- does the president call all the Republicans into the room? He's been reluctant to be the leader of the Republican Party in a hands-on way. Does he call them all into the room and say it's time to sink or swim together? And can he rally that support? Or do Republicans now start pursuing their own agendas, which would make it much -- even more hard, I should say, to impose discipline in the Republican Party.

That's the big challenge facing the president now. M. O'BRIEN: Of course, that reluctance you referred to could be mutual this morning and many of these candidates would probably like to have a little distance with the Bush White House right now.

How will people run? Will they run with him or run away from him?

KING: Well, that depends largely on where you are from in the country and what other factors are at play in your state. Is there a gubernatorial election next year? Are you from a traditionally Democratic state?

Sop few districts, when it comes to the House, so few districts are actually competitive because of the redistricting plans, that that's less of an issue when it comes to House races. Most of those seats are relatively safe. It's 60 or 70 seats across the entire 435 seats in the House that are really, truly competitive.

The bigger issue will be in some of those Senate races next year that are in swing states. Will they run from the president? Will they run toward the president? That is his challenge between now and the end of the year, when he presents his State of the Union in early January, is to try to convince Republicans here in Washington and across the country that he's learned the lessons, that he has his act back together, that he has an agenda they want to follow, not run from.

M. O'BRIEN: John, I'm in overtime here.

A quick response, if you could.

Is -- one year after the election, it is too early to start talking about a lame duck presidency?

KING: Yes, the Democrats are going to talk about it all day today. Is it too early? Republicans will say yes. Democrats will say absolutely not.

M. O'BRIEN: Excellent pithy answer.

Chief national correspondent John King, always a pleasure -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, we're looking at France. The 13th straight night of rioting there. What's it going to take to reach out to an angry generation of young Muslims?

A look at that is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: I'm reading this book, "Talk To the Hand" by Lynne Truss. She wrote another book that was very funny, about punctuation and grammar, because she was very frustrated with the way people messed it up.

M. O'BRIEN: "Eats Shoots and Leaves" it was called.

S. O'BRIEN: That was right. Very good.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Best, global best-seller. And now she's got "Talk To the Hand" because she is so annoyed with just rudeness, not only, you know, here in Great Britain, which is where she's from, but...

COSTELLO: Well, I want to know where that term came from, because I heard it in "Terminator 3." Remember when Arnold Schwarzenegger said talk to the hand?

M. O'BRIEN: Talk to the hand.

S. O'BRIEN: I think it's from "Jerry Springer."

M. O'BRIEN: Is it, really? Is that from Springer?

S. O'BRIEN: Yes. Remember the people on Jerry Springer use to, and then they'd go talk to the hand, I'm, you know, not to the face -- because the face is not listening.

COSTELLO: Really?

S. O'BRIEN: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK. That's explained.

M. O'BRIEN: What kind of TV are you watching at home, girl?

S. O'BRIEN: Jerry Springer was very entertaining television at times, in the background.

M. O'BRIEN: But, you know...

S. O'BRIEN: What's your pet peeve? What's your pet rudeness peeve?

M. O'BRIEN: Well, I've got to tell you, that personal bubble thing that she talks about, you know, people get on their cell phones, it's a very sensitive electronic device, folks. You don't have to yell when you're on the cell phone, OK? And tell everybody six rows up and six rows back...

S. O'BRIEN: About your visit to your doctor...

M. O'BRIEN: ... what about whatever.

S. O'BRIEN: ... for the rash.

M. O'BRIEN: I'm getting off the plane now. Well, let's alert the media. Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: What's your pet peeve?

COSTELLO: My pet peeve? Oh, that's so tough.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

COSTELLO: I think it's when you go out...

S. O'BRIEN: There's so many?

M. O'BRIEN: There's so many.

COSTELLO: When you go out to lunch with someone n their cell phone rings and they actually pick it up, answer it and have a conversation and you're just sitting there.

M. O'BRIEN: That's the worst. Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: I know, I hate that.

M. O'BRIEN: That's awful. That should be banned.

S. O'BRIEN: She writes a lot about cell phone etiquette, because I think that's why people think manners today is at a low point.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: A lot of it's due to, you know...

COSTELLO: It is. Even call waiting on the phone irritates me because, like, I'm calling you and you go oh, I have another call and I've got to answer it.

M. O'BRIEN: Much more important than you.

COSTELLO: Exactly.

M. O'BRIEN: What's yours?

S. O'BRIEN: I have so many. But yesterday I was on the subway with my kids, three-and-a-half and five, little, you know? And women will give you a seat. Any man in a suit and tie will not give you a seat unless you are bleeding from the head.

M. O'BRIEN: Oh, that is so wrong. I would have given you a seat. I would have given you a seat.

COSTELLO: Really?

S. O'BRIEN: They will not. Never.

M. O'BRIEN: I would have given you a seat.

S. O'BRIEN: Never. So I harass them into it.

COSTELLO: You sit those children on their laps...

(CROSSTALK)

M. O'BRIEN: Is that, in itself, rude?

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, it is. Absolutely, it is.

M. O'BRIEN: OK.

S. O'BRIEN: And I'm sure I'm setting a bad example for my children. But we're going to talk about all of that with Lynne Truss.

She's coming up in just a little bit.

The book is called "Talk To the Hand."

M. O'BRIEN: All right, coming up on the program, as well, first it was the dog house, now Iraq's Ahmed Chalabi is getting a warm welcome from the White House. Boy, he's up, he's down, he's up again. It's hard to keep track of him. A live report ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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