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American Morning
Saddam Hussein on Trial; The Fight for Iraq; Mending Their Message; Bitter Cold
Aired December 07, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, I'm Miles O'Brien.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Soledad O'Brien.
Coming up this morning, we go right to Iraq, the Saddam Hussein trial in total confusion as the former dictator is now refusing to come to court. We'll take you live to Baghdad.
M. O'BRIEN: President Bush not backing down on the war, a major speech on Iraq today putting pressure on the Democrats. We're live in Washington.
Brutally cold weather expected in parts of the U.S. today, howling wind, temperatures plunging way below zero.
S. O'BRIEN: And the 2005 hurricane season. Remember it broke all the records? So how does it look for 2006? We've got that forecast.
And remember Elian Gonzalez, the little boy at the eye of a storm. Well now he is celebrating his 12th birthday. He's a national icon. We'll take you live to Cuba this morning.
Busy news day. You're starting AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning. Welcome, everybody.
M. O'BRIEN: Good to have you with us.
The latest word from Iraq is that all parties have been called to the court for the Saddam Hussein trial. Today's session hasn't started yet because Saddam Hussein refuses to show up.
Senior international correspondent Nic Robertson live in Baghdad following these developments for us.
Nic, it gets stranger every day, it seems.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There is nothing that can be ruled out when watching this trial, Miles. We have seen Saddam Hussein bitterly complain and contest the fact the conditions that he's been kept in. Indeed, just last night as the court was closing, he protested that he'd been kept, essentially, in the same underwear for three days. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SADDAM HUSSEIN, FORMER IRAQI DICTATOR (through translator): Three days we spent with this shirt and underwear. And there's no room for us to smoke, if some smoke, or swim or walk for two steps outside of the cell. That is causing us discomfort.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: Well he followed that up with a threat not to come into a court where there wasn't justice. He's followed up on that threat this morning by telling his lawyers he wasn't going to go to court. His lawyers met with the judges. The judges told the lawyers something. We don't know what that was. The lawyers went back to meet again with Saddam Hussein.
CNN's Aneesh Raman, who is in the court today, has been called to the courtroom. And right now he is sitting there waiting to find out if Saddam is actually going to show up. We understand that the court could be called right around about now -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, Nic, let's get this straight, he is in custody. I'm sure he can be forced to show up there. But if he refuses to, obviously that sets the stage for a, you know, battle with the judge. What options does the judge have?
ROBERTSON: Well Saddam Hussein is being kept very close to the courtroom, so it wouldn't be impossible at all for them to forcibly bring him into the courtroom. And this is all about a contest of power between the judge and Saddam Hussein. Will he insist that he's brought into the courtroom? Undoubtedly his defense lawyers, if Saddam is not in the courtroom, will lodge a motion that this is not a fair trial if the defendant is not there to listen to his testimony.
But we have seen compromise so far. The judge has been willing to compromise, perhaps a morning off for Saddam Hussein. He looked very tired at the end of proceedings yesterday. Maybe fresh clothing. Maybe that's talked him into coming into the court. We'll see -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Nic Robertson in Baghdad, thanks very much.
We'll keep you posted on that.
New video this morning of Western hostages in Iraq taped off the Internet. You can hear the British hostage appealing to Prime Minister Tony Blair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NORMAN KEMBER, IRAQI HOSTAGE: I ask Mr. Blair to take British troops out of Iraq and leave the Iraqi people to come to their own decisions on their government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are being treated well here. We are both well. All of us are well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
M. O'BRIEN: Four members of a Christian group were taken hostage in Iraq on November 26. One American, two Canadians and one Brit are in the group -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Well President Bush trying again this morning to take back the high ground on the Iraq war. He is set to take the stage in a nonpartisan think tank for the second of his "Strategy for Victory" speeches.
CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash tells us the president's focus today is on rebuilding Iraq's shattered economy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Today's Iraq address is the second in a series of speeches the president is giving leading up to elections there December 15 that the White House hopes to use to recapture control over the political debate over the war.
This time Bush aides say the focus will be on reconstruction and revitalizing Iraq's economy. And again the president will try to give specific examples of basic progress in building schools and hospitals, restoring water and electricity, things the White House insists most Americans don't get to see through the constant images of violence coming from Iraq. Mr. Bush will repeat his mantra about the harm he says withdrawing troops prematurely would cause and vow not to set what he calls premature deadlines.
And the venue is noteworthy. The president's critics take aim at him for speaking about Iraq in front of friendly, mostly military audiences; but this will be at the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan think tank. Its membership is large and it includes many influential Democrats who disagree with the president on Iraq.
Dana Bash, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: CNN is going to have live coverage of the president's speech this morning. It's set to begin at 10:45 a.m. Eastern Time.
M. O'BRIEN: Democrats are getting together this morning to hash out their message on Iraq.
Ed Henry on Capitol Hill explains the issue dividing them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): After weeks of going on offense and hitting the president hard on Iraq, Democrats now find themselves on the defensive, divided over how quickly to pull out U.S. troops. That's why this morning House Democrats are going behind closed doors to try to devise a unified strategy on the issue.
That task made all the more difficult by Vice President Cheney on Tuesday trying to drive an even deeper wedge within the Democratic Party by citing the words of a prominent Democrat, Senator Joe Lieberman, who has said that all progress in Iraq could be lost if troops are pulled out too quickly.
Lieberman's comments stand in stark contrast to what we're hearing from some liberal Democrats, like Party Chairman Howard Dean, under fire for saying he does not believe the U.S. can win the war in Iraq. That's why Democrats today will instead be turning to one of their biggest guns, Congressman John Murtha, not Dean, to deliver the official response to President Bush's latest speech on Iraq.
Ed Henry, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: And just about seven minutes past the hour, it's time for our first check of the forecast this morning.
Jacqui Jeras at the CNN Center.
Hello, Jacqui, how is it looking?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Very cold, Soledad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: It is affecting lots of the country, you're right.
Jacqui, thanks a lot.
And in fact, the temperatures in Chicago are beating a record low that was set more than a century ago.
Julian Crews is with our Chicago affiliate, WGN, and he is in the city's hotline center this morning.
Hey, Julian, good morning. How is it going there?
JULIAN CREWS, WGN-TV CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
You know a lot of people looking for help. We're used to cold weather here in Chicago, but not this early in the season. There are operators here standing by and they have fielded hundreds of calls over the last 24 hours. Everything from apartment tenants complaining about landlords who won't turn up the heat to concerned citizens worrying about the homeless. Just being out on the streets of Chicago in this kind of weather is a miserable experience. It is bitter, bitter cold here, everything from commuters waiting for a bus or a train to folks that are more vulnerable, the homeless population here in Chicago.
The city has opened up five warming centers to help the most vulnerable. And this gives Chicago's homeless population somewhere to go in the daytime. There are overnight shelters where people can sleep, but they are not well equipped to deal with people in the daytime. So the city has opened up these warming centers across the city to give folks some place to go.
We have already set a record. ComEd, the utility company here in the Chicago area, releasing information that we have already set a new record for this early in the season for use of megawatts. More than 15,000 megawatts used in the Chicago area, a new record.
And, Soledad, here is the scary part as we haven't even reached winter yet. We're still a little less than three weeks away. So we're really bracing ourselves here in Chicago for a cold season.
Back to you.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, bitter cold and very early.
Julian Crews this morning from our affiliate WGN.
Julian, thanks for the update.
Ahead this morning, can Saddam Hussein really hold the court hostage? We're going to talk to a leading expert on this case just ahead.
M. O'BRIEN: Also a key decision on the Patriot Act, the case of a former college professor who was accused of aiding terrorism.
S. O'BRIEN: And we're going to tell you just how high your heating bills might go this winter. Here's a hint, really, really high. Some new information on that all ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Don't have enough brain cells. Who is it? It's John Mayer. John Mayer.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes.
M. O'BRIEN: It's a generational issue for us...
S. O'BRIEN: And what a beautiful shot of the Statue of Liberty.
M. O'BRIEN: The kids would know.
S. O'BRIEN: And then, of course, the scene right outside of our window, nice to see this morning, cold but a beautiful day. M. O'BRIEN: Yes, good to have you with us this morning.
Carol Costello is here. We've got some -- really the Saddam Hussein trial just continues to get curiouser and curiouser -- Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I know. And it was bizarre enough yesterday because it was in the end, according to him, the trial is all about him. And this morning, Saddam Hussein is a no show. Reporters being called into the courtroom just a short time ago. We're waiting to hear if the trial will start back up or be delayed even more.
The problem: seems the former Iraqi leader did not have any fresh clothes to wear. Hussein complained in court Tuesday that he had worn the very same clothes for several days. And then he told the judge to -- quote -- "go to hell." His lawyers spent the morning in talks with the judge.
Massachusetts' highest court considers a controversial right-to- die case. It's being compared to the Terri Schiavo case. A judge has ordered Jason Strickland to take his comatose stepdaughter off of life support. The girl, 11-year-old Haleigh Poutre, was hospitalized in September with severe brain injuries. The police say Strickland abused the girl and that may have led to her vegetative state. If she dies now, Strickland could be charged with murder. We'll have more on this gripping story in the next hour.
Federal prosecutors losing a case seen as one of the biggest tests so far for the Patriot Act. Sami Al-Arian is a former south Florida professor. He was accused of supporting terrorism. A Florida jury acquitted him of the most serious charges, including conspiracy to murder, but deadlocked on other charges, including money laundering. The man will remain in custody until prosecutors decide if he should be retried.
And an appalling case of Katrina fraud in Texas, you know those debit cards given out to Katrina victims? They were meant to be used to buy food and diapers. Well, a Red Cross volunteer and his sister allegedly used dozens of those cards to buy jewelry and cars. The pair racked up bills of more than $230,000. If convicted, each could face up to 10 years in prison.
And the hurricane season just wrapped up, but do not expect much of a breather. The first predictions are out for next year and it's going to be another doozy. A leading team of forecasters says another active season is brewing. The only good news, the storms are not expected to be as strong as Rita or Katrina.
But can they really say that right now -- Jacqui?
JERAS: Dr. Gray and Phil Klotzbach think that they can. And they have done actually a very good job with their forecast. They have been quite accurate. In fact, they even put out month-to-month forecasts this past season and really nailed October, in particular, for the number of storms. To be specific, they say 17 named storms, 9 hurricanes, 5 major hurricanes. A major hurricane of course means Category 3 and higher. Compared to the average, there is your numbers. We usually see 10 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 2 major hurricanes. So we're still doubling the number of hurricanes.
And hey, it's still 2005 and we still have a hurricane, believe it or not. This is Epsilon, the storm that just does not want to quit. It's a hurricane. It's packing winds around 75 miles per hour. Still churning out there in the Atlantic, but still not affecting anybody, just marine interests.
And, Miles, we're going to send it back to you. And I have to say, did you really say that you don't know who John Mayer is?
COSTELLO: No, no.
M. O'BRIEN: No, I do, I do. I just can't recognize his music...
JERAS: OK.
M. O'BRIEN: ... as quickly as some of the stuff from the mid- '70s, which has forged my musical taste. Now Earth, Wind & Fire yesterday, I got that immediately.
S. O'BRIEN: Like this, really.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes. I'm trying to...
S. O'BRIEN: So what does that say about your age -- Miles?
M. O'BRIEN: I'm trying to stay hip with the youngsters, but it's hard.
Carrie Lee, when I give you a thumbs up, that's usually good, right?
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Usually.
M. O'BRIEN: Thumbs up.
LEE: Usually.
M. O'BRIEN: Not in this case.
LEE: When it comes to music, yes.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes, but in the case of heating oil, bad.
LEE: Definitely not. Definitely not.
Well that's the direction home heating oil prices are going this season, Miles. Now the bad news is the government now expects the average home heating bill this winter to gain 25.7 percent over last year. The good news is that's lower than the 28 percent predicted a month ago. But still, take a look at this chart, you can see winter heating bills, national average, from 2002 about $670 and we've gone right on up every year to nearly $1000 this year.
Natural gas users, over half the people in the U.S. use natural gas. They're going to see the biggest increase, about 38 percent to the upside over last year. Heating oil customers, though, will see the biggest tab, costing about $1,500 for this season, on average.
Now of course it's not just individuals but businesses also have to pay the price. And if this impacts consumer spending, you know people can't spend as much on other things because they are paying their heating bill, that can even affect the overall economy. Consumer spending does drive two-thirds of our economy. So no surprise that we saw a lot of those early holiday sales and advertisements. Retailers wanting to get people's money before the heating bills come in for the holidays.
S. O'BRIEN: Before they realize how much...
LEE: Exactly.
S. O'BRIEN: ... how little money they are going to have, yes.
LEE: Exactly.
S. O'BRIEN: Wow.
M. O'BRIEN: It could make you bullish on sweaters, you know...
LEE: It could make you bullish on sweaters, and we'll see how some of these stocks do.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
LEE: You know the big oil names could end up doing well.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, Carrie Lee, thanks for dropping by.
LEE: Sure.
S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this...
M. O'BRIEN: Carol Costello.
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, she's got "Morning Coffee."
What's happening?
COSTELLO: I do. Here's what's coming up on "Morning Coffee."
We've got a look at a holiday tradition that almost wasn't. Is it the trees or the lights? We're going to tell you that.
And also, some churches will be closed on Christmas. We'll tell you why just ahead on "Morning Coffee." (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: The Saddam Hussein trial continues its strange turns and continues to be in a recess today.
Aneesh Raman has been inside the courtroom. Saddam Hussein not willing to show up in court. He has a whole list of grievances, including the fact that he'd like to get a change of clothes.
Aneesh, fill us in, what's going on now?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, about 40 minutes ago the press was brought from the filing center up to our gallery that adjoins the courtroom. The curtain was closed in front of the glass that separates us. And then 40 minutes later, we were told to come back down. It seems that these negotiations are ongoing in terms of how this court will proceed if Saddam is still refusing to arrive into the courtroom.
We're told that a closed session is likely, a procedural session, at some point today. That will be when the defense lawyers, as well as the judges and the prosecution, will meet to talk. No one confirming that specifically about this latest hiccup, but in all likelihood it is.
Now throughout the morning there have been negotiations as to how to get this matter resolved. Saddam yesterday, you'll recall, said -- quote -- "I will not be in a court without justice. Go to hell all you agents of America." He said the manner in which he was being held was terrorism. As you mentioned, saying he hadn't changed his clothes in some three days.
Following through on that announcement today, clearly Saddam refusing to show up this morning. The judges and the defense lawyers first met in the judge's chambers. Then those defense lawyers went and met with Saddam. Negotiations going on throughout the morning.
And again, 40 minutes ago, we were brought up to the courtroom. The court did not get under way. We have been brought back down to the filing center and are now told a closed session is likely to begin at some point where they will discuss this even further. So unclear whether we will get to those two witnesses today or what exactly will take place, but a power struggle under way between Saddam Hussein and this court -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Aneesh, this closed session, are they apt to be able to settle these matters? Is there enough latitude on the judge's part to deal with Saddam Hussein's demands in some way, shape or form?
RAMAN: Well I think what the judge has to decide is how does he proceed from here. He clearly wants this trial to go forward. He was keen to say that yesterday that these two witnesses should take the stand before they adjourn until after the December 15 elections. So the question is can they coerce Saddam Hussein somehow to come to the courtroom. If not, and the trial goes on without him there, will they set up some sort of closed circuit television where he can participate from where he is?
But aside from that, in terms of the indications we got from the judge yesterday, he wants this trial to go forward. And clearly they are still trying to work issues out. And the longer this takes, the more likely it is that this trial will not convene today. But again, a closed session supposed to begin at some point soon.
M. O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman watching it all unfold there through every twist and turn, the Saddam Hussein trial.
S. O'BRIEN: And there have been many.
M. O'BRIEN: Boy, it's interesting, isn't it?
COSTELLO: It's interesting how he's been able just to take over the court by these weird outbursts, like they're treating me badly, I don't have any clean clothes to wear. How bizarre is that after listening to that riveting testimony of a woman being beaten and tortured?
M. O'BRIEN: Well what you're seeing here are the qualities that allowed him to rise to power. This is his ability to control things, right? All the things around him suddenly he is attempting to control. And it's up to this judge to somehow bring it...
S. O'BRIEN: Bring it back around.
COSTELLO: I know.
M. O'BRIEN: And that's a tough job.
COSTELLO: It is.
S. O'BRIEN: It sure is.
COSTELLO: It's weird, though, he's referring to himself in third person. He's saying Saddam Hussein doesn't have any clean clothes.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
COSTELLO: Very strange in a way (ph).
S. O'BRIEN: Yes, it's a little strange.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
COSTELLO: It's time for "Morning Coffee."
In case you really weren't keeping track, Christmas does fall on a Sunday this year. Yes, it does. And that is actually causing some problems for churches. Several mega churches say they will close their doors that day, saying it's a family day. They'll still have Christmas Eve services. But imagine a church being closed on Sunday. We're closing it Sunday.
M. O'BRIEN: You could do a little... S. O'BRIEN: Well that should be the big day.
COSTELLO: I know, exactly.
S. O'BRIEN: That's weird.
COSTELLO: It should be the big day. But these mega churches are saying that Christmas is more of a family day. People will be spending it at home and they won't really want to go to church. So those mega churches outside of Dallas and Atlanta and Chicago will be closed on Sunday, Christmas Sunday. Strange.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
COSTELLO: "A Charlie Brown Christmas" 40 years old. It became a true holiday tradition right up there with eggnog and the lighting of the National Christmas Tree, but it was almost never seen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LUCY, "A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS": Charlie Brown is a blockhead, but he did get a nice tree.
CHARLIE BROWN CHARACTERS: Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown.
Hark the herald...
LINUS, "A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS": Remember what Lucy said, this doesn't seem to fit the modern spirit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: I just want to go on watching this, because every year I watch this and it makes me cry.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
COSTELLO: It just makes me, especially when Linus reads, you know, the passage from the Bible.
M. O'BRIEN: He reads from the Bible, yes, that's...
COSTELLO: It's so cool.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
COSTELLO: Anyway, CBS executives thought this was boring back in 1965 and they didn't even really like Linus' reading of the Bible, because they didn't think that would play with the viewing audience. But they really had nothing else to put in that spot on the schedule, so they inserted it and the rest, as they say, is history, 40 years of history.
M. O'BRIEN: Well...
S. O'BRIEN: Continuing that fine tradition of executives who really don't have a clue about what they are looking for when it comes to programming.
M. O'BRIEN: (INAUDIBLE). The grinches.
COSTELLO: Exactly.
M. O'BRIEN: But think about it, Jazz piano, no laugh track, reading from the Bible, there were so many things...
COSTELLO: No violence.
M. O'BRIEN: Yes.
COSTELLO: You know no Wile E. Coyote or...
M. O'BRIEN: No bang, yes.
COSTELLO: Yes. Pokemon.
S. O'BRIEN: And still was a hit.
COSTELLO: Yes.
S. O'BRIEN: Carol, thank you.
COSTELLO: Sure.
M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program, big people and big words for little Elian Gonzalez on his birthday today. He's 12 years old now. We'll go to Cuba and take a look at this little boy who was at the center of an international custody dispute and now he's an icon in Cuba and a pal of Fidel.
Stay with us for more AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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