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American Morning

A Father's Desperate Plea; Cuts at Ford

Aired January 23, 2006 - 07:00   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
A father's desperate plea. Coming up, we'll have my exclusive interview with the father of Jill Carroll, the American journalist who is being held hostage in Iraq.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Miles O'Brien.

Detroit down for the count. First GM, now Ford, shedding tens of thousands of workers, shuttering plants. And when Detroit catches a cold, the whole economy may soon be ailing.

O'BRIEN: And two more mining deaths could lead to immediate safety changes. We're going to take you live to Capitol Hill, ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Good morning. Welcome, everybody.

It's been 16 days, 16 days since American journalist Jill Carroll was abducted in Iraq. As you Can imagine, for her family, 16 brutally long days, nearly four days since the kidnapper's deadline of Friday. Well, this morning, there is no new word on her fate. Her family is desperate for any information, of course for her safe return as well.

Thursday I spoke with Jill's mother. Last night, I interviewed her father, Jim. They've to talk with CNN, because of course, we're seen around the world. Mr. Carroll had a message for his daughter's captors.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM CARROLL, JILL CARROLL'S FATHER: I wish to speak directly to the people holding my daughter. I hope that you heard the conviction in Jill's voice when she spoke of your country. That was real. She is not your enemy. When you release her alive, she will tell your story with that same conviction. Alive, my daughter will not be silenced. Your story is one that can be told by Jill to the whole world. Allowing her to live and releasing her will enable her to do that. You already know that my daughter is honest, sincere and of good heart. Her respect for the Iraqi people is evident in her words that she has been reporting. Jill started to tell your story, so, please, let her finish it.

Through the media, if necessary, advise her family and me of how we might initiate a dialogue that will lead to her release.

Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: Jim, that's a powerful statement. Have you had any developments, any reason to be hopeful from the last couple of days?

CARROLL: Well, certainly, Soledad, this has been a very difficult time for the whole family, but we've been encouraged by the outpouring of messages from Jill's family and friends from around the world, who've lent their support and their prayers. We've heard from everyone from her grade-school friends to her college roommates to her associates in the press corps. It's been very heartening, and we've drawn strength from that, and want to thank them for that.

And in the meantime, we will continue to do what we can to help Jill be released.

S. O'BRIEN: And there is a number of Islamic groups as well. Two more added their names to the growing list lending their support as well. That's got to give you great hope.

CARROLL: We're very encouraged the by the support we're receiving from all over the world. It's been truly amazing.

S. O'BRIEN: You talked a little bit in your message to Jill's captors about the stories that she told, and tells and likes to tell. Did she talk to you about the ones that were meaningful to her?

CARROLL: Well, at this point, Soledad, I'm prepared to make our statement, but I'd prefer not to make other comments, if I might.

S. O'BRIEN: How is the family holding up? I mean, how are you managing?

CARROLL: Well, we're getting by. It's very difficult, as you might imagine, but again, the amount of support from family, friends, and total strangers around the world sending us messages of support and all of their prayers has been very encouraging.

S. O'BRIEN: Fine question for you, Jim, if I may - do you have any indication that the people who are holding Jill are hearing your statement?

CARROLL: I have no indication, but certainly the hope that they'll hear our message and act on it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: We're following the very latest efforts to win Jill Carroll's release from Baghdad this morning. And also there is word of a change in the court for the trial of Saddam Hussein.

Let's get right CNN's Aneesh Raman. He joins us this morning from Baghdad.

Hey, Aneesh. Good morning.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Soledad, good morning to you. First to Jill Carroll, no word still on her fate. This is the third day of absolute silence, publicly at least, on her situation after that Friday deadline came and went. She's being held by a group calling itself the Brigades of Vengeance.

We have seen before in situations like this, insurgent groups who have taken someone captive extending the deadline. At times, they do so publicly. At other times, they do not.

Meantime, though, a good deal of activity is, we understand, still taking place behind the scenes. U.S. and Iraqi officials trying all they can secure the release of Jill Carroll. That is impassioned pleas continue, not just from her father, that we just heard from, but really unparalleled support on the streets of Baghdad calling for Jill Carroll's release. The world over simply now waiting for word on her fate and her situation -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: What about the situation and the fate of these female prisoners in Iraq, what the kidnappers have demanded in return for releasing Jill? Where does that stand, Aneesh?

RAMAN: Yes, the demands made when we saw that videotape last Tuesday of Jill Carroll, they want all female prisoners released.

We understand from the U.S. military there are currently eight Iraqi women being held in custody. Iraqi officials have told us six of those eight are set for release. They immediately caution, though, that release is not at all tied in with these demands by the hostage takers. U.S. military officials caution that any number of procedures have to take place, so we're unsure when those women will be released -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Aneesh, a final question for you. We mentioned just a moment ago about a change in the court for Saddam Hussein. Can you explain?

RAMAN: Yes, a court riddled with issues, now just 24 hours away from the court reconvening. In just the past few minutes, CNN confirming a new chief presiding, an interim judge, has been named to preside over tomorrow's session. That after Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin -- and the viewers recall, he's the main judge we've seen -- resigned off over a week ago over what he said was mounting pressure by the Iraqi government to speed up this trial. The Iraqi government has publicly said they want Saddam executed sooner rather than later.

So tomorrow's session, we understand, will not be headed by Rizgar Mohammed Amin, but by a new interim judge, a 60-year-old Kurd, as far as we understand right now -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, I know you're going to be watching it at all for us.

Aneesh, thanks.

M. O'BRIEN: They are holding their breath in Detroit this morning with Ford poised to announce some me-too layoffs, just weeks after General Motors slashed tens of thousands from its payroll.

The official word just a few hours away. CNN's Ali Velshi is at Ford World Headquarters, Dearborn, Michigan, a place they call the Glass House.

Good morning, Ali.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, in about three hours from now here in Dearborn, Michigan, there are going to be a lot of people listening very carefully to what Ford's new restructuring announcement is going to be. This has been long awaited. And we're looking at numbers of around 25,000 workers, maybe more. They're about 123,000 Ford workers in the United States in all. And this is a company that just hasn't been selling enough cars.

Unlike GM, which announced 30,000 layoffs earlier -- a few months ago, this is not the same situation. Ford is a profitable company, and we're going to actually hear their annual earnings release within the next two hours.

But at 10:30 Eastern, they're going to announce "the way forward," and that means closure of plants, of buildings, vehicles that haven't been successful the last few years. We're going to be scaling back at Ford some cars that have been very popular for them, but haven't been doing the job for the company.

We'll be hearing this from the CEO of Ford, Bill Ford Jr. This is the second time since Bill Ford Jr. took the helms of this company that they've had a massive restructuring. The company laid off almost 30,000 people four or five years ago, back in 2001, and now we're looking at another round of layoffs, hoping that this company can get back on track and start to become competitive against companies like Toyota and Honda, who come into the United States and are able to make cars at a profit and continue to sell them. We'll keep on top of this.

The numbers right now, we're looking at 25,000 workers across the United States, Mexico and Canada being laid off at plants all across Canada, and the U.S. and Mexico. We'll bring you the update as soon as we have specifics on what those plants are going to be -- Miles, Soledad.

M. O'BRIEN: Ali Velshi, in Dearborn, Michigan, thank you.

CNN, of course, will carry that Ford announcement live 10:30 Eastern time this morning -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Two more mining deaths last week highlighted an urgent need for improved mine safety. That's a subject that the Senate is going to tackle in hearings today.

AMERICAN MORNING's Bob Franken is live for us on Capitol Hill, obviously just back from covering the latest mining disaster in West Virginia.

Bob, good morning. BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATL. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

And you get the impression when you're on the ground at something like this, that West Virginia is very far away from Washington. But every once in a while, the politicians are forced to pay attention.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): Today's hearings are framed by the raw emotions of another disaster this weekend in coal country, which has such a long history of tragedy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately, we don't have a positive outcome from our efforts.

FRANKEN: This time, after a frantic search, two miners were found dead on Saturday. The two had gotten lost in an underground fire in their West Virginia mine. That was just three weeks after 12 died in the aftermath of the Sago, West Virginia explosion underground. Politicians are forced to pay attention to the issue of safety, once again.

SEN. GEORGE ALLEN (R), VIRGINIA: It is a heavily regulated, heavily inspected industry. It is also, please understand, a very dangerous job.

FRANKEN: It is an industry that has always seen struggle, often violent between miners and coal operators over safety and conditions. Critics charge that regulation has gotten relatively lax in recent years. And now, in the face of these two high-profile tragedies, the sides may be coming together, agreeing that there is need for improvement.

SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D), WEST VIRGINIA: When people get mad, they are more likely to do something.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hardly think that in today's climate, we can continue to allow these tragedies to occur without addressing the causes and how we can prevent it from occurring again in the future. That process is under way.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: But it is oftentimes a long, long way between the passions that come up in the aftermath of tragedy and real reform -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Bob Franken for us this morning. Bob, thank you.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: The White House is stepping up its defense of domestic spying How is the president going to make his case to the American people? We're going to check in with one of his top advisers, Dan Bartlett, ahead. M. O'BRIEN: And a powerful description diet pill may be headed to over-the-counter status, but it's got a really nasty side that will literally make your stomach turn.

S. O'BRIEN: And later, do you do your taxes online? You probably won't be able to file for free this year. We're going to tell you why, just ahead AMERICAN MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Those warrant-less wiretaps are warranted, so goes the line of reasoning from the White House as the administration tries to seize the high ground in the debate over domestic spying. The president will make his case later today in a speech in Kansas. Dana Bash is live at the White House.

Dana, what are we going to hear from the president today?

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, you know, pretty soon after the NSA program, the spying program, became public, the president and his aides decided to do what they not to be defined, as one aide put it to me, by their critics, and that is going to stepped up dramatically today, pretty much in advance of the hearings that are going on in the Senate in two weeks. We're going to hear from the president in Kansas later today. Then also we're going to hear from Michael Hayden, who is the former head of the NSA. He is now at the National Security Agency.

Excuse me.

And then the president is going to go to the NSA later this week, Miles, and the talking points should sound very familiar. It is going to be a critical tool in preventing terrorism.

Excuse me.

And in their view, it is legal -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, Dana Bash, we will allow you an opportunity to catch your breath and we'll catch up with you a little bit later. Thank you very much.

Just ahead, we'll talk with presidential counselor Dan Bartlett about domestic spying. So stay with us for that.

S. O'BRIEN: Nothing like sprinting down the White House steps for your live shot.

M. O'BRIEN: You know, it's a hard job. You really need to be in good shape to cover the White House, you really do. You got to get on that treadmill, be ready, you know.

S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, got some new hope for people who want to lose weight. There's a powerful prescription diet pill that might be available over the counter soon. Sounds great, right? Well, it's got some very nasty side effects, so nasty that we actually won't go into details right now about it.

M. O'BRIEN: No, no, we don't want to ruin your breakfast. We have debated this all morning, how much we're going to tell you about it.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, not too much, at least right now.

But we're going to also talk about the safety worries just ahead.

Then later this morning, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin is pushing some new legislation to make coal mining safer. Could these new laws have prevented the tragedies in Sago, or Melville. We'll look at that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MARKET REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: If there's a Ford plant in your town, you may be taking a big hit today, as the nation's number-two carmaker makes a desperate plea for survival. Tens of thousands will lose their jobs and some plants will be shutdown completely. One of the places in the crosshairs sits right at the edge of Atlanta's Hartsfield Airport, the town of Hapeville, and that's where we find Aungelique Proctor of our CNN affiliate WAGA.

Aungelique, what's the story there this morning.

AUNGELIQUE PROCTOR, WAGA REPORTER: Good morning.

This will be a make-or-break day for the 2,100 employees who work here at the Hapeville plant. This plant has been a staple in this community. It opened back in 1947, and the mayor here says they have been great corporate partners for almost 60 years.

To give you some perspective on just how significant they are, the mayor says the property taxes raised here make up about 10 percent of his budget. Now you may be wondering what they make here. Well, it's the Ford Taurus and the Mercury Sable, and it's no secret that sales are down for both.

When you take a look at the big picture, it's the sports-utility vehicle where they're taking such a big hit. Sales are down there, too. Ford says with SUV sales being down and health care costs being up, that coupled with union costs -- they have not been able to cut the jobs that they've wanted to cut -- all three of those factors have just spelled disaster for this company. That announcement will come this morning at 10:30 from the headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. And you better know, a lot of anxious people here at the Hapeville plant will be watching that announcement via satellite. They all plan to stop what they're doing to learn their fate.

I'm Aungelique Proctor in Hapeville.

M. O'BRIEN: And our thanks to Aungelique, of our affiliate WAGA, Hapeville, Georgia, right outside of Atlanta.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, any hopes to turn Ford Motor Company around might depend on a recyclable car. Company CEO, Bill Ford, who is on the cover of "Time" magazine this week, is putting together apparently a top-secret team to build an environmentally friendly car. They don't have any idea what it's going to be like exactly, but they hope to have something to show by 2008, which is the 100th anniversary of the Model T.

On that front today, CNN is going to carry the Ford announcement about the layoffs live at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

M. O'BRIEN: That would require a huge recycling bin for a car, wouldn't it?

S. O'BRIEN: I'm not even going to go there.

SERWER: It would.

M. O'BRIEN: It's a business.

All right, coming up, a new weapon in the battle of the bulge. A powerful prescription diet pill may soon be available over the counter, but it's not a perfect world, is it? And this is not a perfect pill. We'll look at the ups and the rather -- well, you'll want to finish your breakfast now. Put it that way. That's ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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