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American Morning

Bush & Wiretapping; Katrina Warnings

Aired January 24, 2006 - 09:33   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The president tells the National Security Agency, tap some phones, find out who could be a terrorist threat to the United States. What do you think? Yes, do it. No, not legal, bad precedent.
CNN's legal -- senior political analyst Bill Schneider joins us with a look at that this morning. He's in Washington.

Hey, Bill, good morning to you.

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POL. ANALYST: Good morning, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: You know, I would say, first and foremost, what are the polls saying about this?

SCHNEIDER: Well, the polls are showing that Americans are really of two minds about this issue. When they're asked, do you think the administration is right or wrong with its program of wiretapping without warrants, American citizens who talk to people in other countries, suspected terrorists in other countries, you can see them, 46 percent say they think that it's right to do that, 51 percent say wrong. That is a pretty close division. And I'd suggest that Americans really do understand both sides of this argument. They don't like the idea of a president apparently putting himself above the law, but they understand reasons why it might be necessary.

S. O'BRIEN: Is this why we're seeing the president now come out and continuing really in this week-long sort of advance with this message, that it's legal. If I knew I was breaking the law, you know, obviously, I wouldn't have been advising Congress on it?

SCHNEIDER: He believes that the war on terror is his issue. It's the issue that's kept his party and himself in power all these years. And he thinks that Americans will trust him when it comes to an issue of protecting America. In fact, he even relabeled the program "the terrorist surveillance program," so it's more in line with what is in fact his strength in the polls.

S. O'BRIEN: I thought the poll numbers about a special prosecutor were very interesting, Bill.

SCHNEIDER: That's right. Americans are not opposed. In fact, 58 percent say they support the idea that a special counsel should be appointed to investigate these wiretaps. Americans would like to know, is what the president doing, is it actually illegal or not?

S. O'BRIEN: S then it's a risky strategy, isn't it, to come out strong and sort of instead of backing away from the issue, really highlight the issue, do you think?

SCHNEIDER: It is a risky strategy. It is the president's territory, but he runs more risks now than ever before. One, that many Republicans and some conservatives don't like this as an apparent abuse of power. Second of all, the president's credibility has been weakened in the second term. He's saying to the American people trust me on this, I will protect you, and a lot of Americans no longer trust the president.

S. O'BRIEN: Democrats obviously on the list you mentioned, coming out strong against what the president is saying and doing. Are they making any grounds in their argument, do you think?

SCHNEIDER: Well, what the Democrats have to do is argue not just that the program may be illegal, but they have to go further, and say it's unnecessary and that it's ineffective. They have to challenge the president directly on the issue of terrorism, because that's the issue -- it's the only issue he has left according to the poll. His ratings are negative on every other issue except terrorism. Democrats lost the 2002 election because the president beat them on terrorism. They lost in 2004 because the president presented himself an effective lead they're could prosecute the war on terrorism and protect Americans.

And now Karl Rove and President Bush have indicated they are going to do it again. The Democrats have got to figure out they are going to challenge the president directly on the issue and wrap the Iraq issue into the much more important and larger issue of the war on terror. Is he doing this effectively? Is it working? Is the United States making the world safer? And is the rest of the world with us?

S. O'BRIEN: A quick final question for you, couldn't that backfire, the Democratic attacks? You know, don't they potentially run the risk of being perceived as being soft on terror?

SCHNEIDER: Well, that's -- of course, if they're perceived soft on terror, which is the point the administration keeps trying to drive home, then it's a problem. The Democrats have the responsibility to show not only that they are just as strong as President Bush, but that he isn't doing an effective job of pursuing the war on terror. That his policies are not making the United States safer and that they have policies that will do that. Until the Democrats challenge the president on the issue that really defines him, this issue, not domestic policy or Iraq, this is the issue that defines him. Until Democrats can chip away at his standing on that issue, they're not likely to get very far.

S. O'BRIEN: CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider for us this morning. Bill, thank you -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Did the government ignore important warnings while Hurricane Katrina closed? Just-released documents say it's probably the case. And in about an hour, a Senate hearing will look into that allegation.

Jeanne Meserve in Washington now. Jeanne, tell us more about these documents.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, as you know administration officials have said no one could have anticipated the devastation of Katrina. These new documents appear to indicate that that is not the case. The Department of Homeland Security's National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center issued a report on August 28th, the day before Katrina hit, warning that a category-four storm would likely lead to severe flooding and or levee breaching, leaving the New Orleans metro area submerged for weeks or months. It warned that 2.6 million people could lose power and it would take weeks to recover. It warned of a direct economic impact of $1.8 billion to $2.2 billion just in the first week, and of personal property losses of $16 to $20 billion. But overall, it says, "The impact described are conservative. Due to the unpredictable nature of the event, we are hesitant to predict higher-end damage levels."

A second document, a slide presentation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, prepared two days before Katrina hit, warned that Katrina could be worst than the fictional Hurricane Pam that was the centerpiece of a large preparedness exercise in 2004.

Letters obtained by CNN indicate that in 2000 and 2001 Louisiana officials requested federal money to better prepare for a cataclysmic storm. But in the notes of a briefing with federal and state officials one month before Katrina hit, a transportation Department officials says transportation plans are only 10 percent done. Quote: "If you think soup lines in the Depression were long," he says, "wait until you see the lines at these transportation collection points," all of these the subject of the hearings today -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, seem like rather prescient documents.

Jeanne Meserve in Washington for us. Thanks very much.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Goodbye BlackBerry. That scary prospect, in fact, is looking like it could be a little more likely today. That's because the Supreme Court is staying out of a patent case against the company that makes the BlackBerry.

AMERICAN MORNING's Bob Franken takes a look at what it means to millions of people who could soon be singing the BlackBerry blues.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the task force commander absolutely, positively had to have his BlackBerry.

During a security scare, members of Congress and their staff members got their evacuate-the-Capitol orders on their BlackBerrys. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Capitol Hill police are conducting a search of the building for an individual.

FRANKEN: The members of Congress don't go anywhere without their BlackBerrys. Those on the White House staff definitely don't, nor do millions of others. We don't know if the Supreme Court justices carry them. The court wouldn't tell us.

But by turning thumbs down on hearing an appeal of a patent infringement case, they have cleared the way for a lower court order that could shut down the devices for most of us in a little over a week. And by the way, for many, that news probably came first on -- you guessed it -- their BlackBerrys, as usual.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I found out I was an uncle on my BlackBerry.

FRANKEN: They're called "crackberrys" for good reason. Since 1998 when they were introduced by the Canadian company Research In Motion, they've become addictive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, it's a constant communication tool.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I have to admit use in the bathroom.

FRANKEN (on camera): The problem is a small Virginia company won the patent infringement case against Research In Motion, which could effectively shut the system down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have no idea what I'm going to do without it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My personal theory is that corporate America will never let this happen.

FRANKEN (voice over): Research In Motion can still negotiate a financial agreement before the judge acts. And he really does have the company, and a lot of us, under his thumb.

Bob Franken, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(MARKET REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: Even if a judge did order a partial shutdown, analysts say, it's likely to give the users time to switch to a competing company. But a lot of big ifs in that. A lot of people saying that's never, never...

SERWER: BlackBerry must love that, too, you can switch to a competing company.

S. O'BRIEN: Thanks, judge.

M. O'BRIEN: You know, but then you realize how good BlackBerry is. SERWER: I agree with you, it's not going to happen; I don't think it's going to happen.

M. O'BRIEN; I think it's all going to come down to the 11th hour and somebody is going to write a big check.

S. O'BRIEN: I agree with you.

M. O'BRIEN: Ultimately we'll pay for it in our monthly bills, do you know what I mean?

SERWER: Yes, that's true, too. Right.

(MARKET REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: Daryn, how'd you make it through the worst day of the year yesterday.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: It went OK actually.

S. O'BRIEN: I got to say.

KAGAN: what was Stanford number one for.

SERWER: Performance, Daryn.

S. O'BRIEN: Twenty-five percent up, right?

SERWER: Yes, 23 percent.

KAGAN: Excellent. Go Cardinals. Go Cardinals. Excellent.

S. O'BRIEN: Harvard is still winning in total endowment.

KAGAN: Anyhow.

S. O'BRIEN: What have you got coming up.

KAGAN: We do have some stuff coming up. Coming up at the top of the hour, we are keeping an eye on the Senate Judiciary Committee vote. It's expected very shortly on the Supreme Court nominee, Samuel Alito.

Also, more detail he's merging from the day care shooting in Maryland. We'll have a live report from the scene.

And have you heard about the mutiny on the Queen Mary II. I'll speak to the president of the shipping line about what has the cruise passengers all steamed up? They're not pleased, let just say.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, mutinies are usually like that.

KAGAN: That kind of works. It's kind of required.

S. O'BRIEN: People don't mutiny when they're perfectly happy with the way it's going, right? KAGAN: But they're refusing to get off the ship. What do you do?

S. O'BRIEN: Right, what will they do? We'll have to wait and see. Daryn, thanks.

M. O'BRIEN: Overboard they go. Off with their heads. All right, coming up on...

S. O'BRIEN: ... Take it down, buddy.

M. O'BRIEN: That's not a word you say too often.

SERWER: No, I haven't heard that word in long time.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, coming up in the program.

S. O'BRIEN: No, no voices.

M. O'BRIEN: No, don't go there?

SERWER: What do you have, a Sponge Bob or something?

S. O'BRIEN: He's watched too much "SNL."

M. O'BRIEN: That pirate thing on "SNL," we've been doing that darn pirate thing. All right, so your favorite breakfast food is going gourmet. Why are renown chefs suddenly taking cereal so seriously? We certainly aren't. Breakfast cereal, coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Well have you had your cereal yet? If not, chances are you will this morning, 95 percent of Americans say they love their breakfast cereal.

S. O'BRIEN: And now in fact, if you go out to eat, you can eat your cereal with a fork. Top restaurant chefs are making it, in some cases, a prime ingredient in some of their dishes. Reporter David Hoffman has put his best recipes in a new book, it's called "The Breakfast Cereal Gourmet," and he joins us this morning. Good morning, nice to see you.

DAVID HOFFMAN, AUTHOR: Thanks for having me.

S. O'BRIEN: You write about trends, sort of hip-happening things, and I'm thinking -- cereal? Hip and happening?

HOFFMAN: Cold cereal is very, very hot. First of cereality has started this trend of cereal cafes all around the country. Students at Harvard last year stayed a protest because the university wanted to replace the popular brand-named cereal, like Cap 'N Crunch and Trix and things with lesser known generic brands, they said absolutely not. So it's like, forget the war in Iraq, forget the '60s, they are protesting cereal. S. O'BRIEN: Well for the tuition you're paying, you should get the real thing, I think.

M. O'BRIEN: Trix are for kids and college students, right.

HOFFMAN: Exactly. And that's the thing, the statistics are showing that it's not just elementary school kids eating cereal. The majority being bought and eaten now is by young adults and even baby boomers.

The interesting thing about it is there are 400 brands on the cereal...

S. O'BRIEN: Four hundred brands? Wow.

HOFFMAN: ... on the shelves and more interesting than how much they make is it is the second-highest advertised product on television after automobiles.

S. O'BRIEN: Really.

HOFFMAN: 1.3 million commercials a year devoted to cereal.

M. O'BRIEN: And its the third most-popular item in a grocery store behind milk and soda pop, right?

HOFFMAN: Exactly, which makes it the most popular food item, edible item.

M. O'BRIEN: Is it good for you? And have you found any redeeming -- because it's a lot of sugar.

S. O'BRIEN: I know Cap 'N Crunch is good for you, I love this stuff.

HOFFMAN: The fun thing about it is what I've done is taken cereals like Cap 'N Crunch and used them in savory dishes.

S. O'BRIEN: Are a lot of people using cereals in recipes nowadays?

HOFFMAN: Well I went to chefs to help me do the book. A lot of them came from famous chefs and it wasn't like I called them and they said, "Oh, let me think." They said, "I have something."

S. O'BRIEN: Really?

HOFFMAN: Rick Bayliss, Gale Gand, both of them already were serving things on their menu.

S. O'BRIEN: And are they kind of just using it like bread crumbs?

HOFFMAN: Well, cereal's a grain, so when you grind it up, it can act like bread crumbs. It can be flour, it can be ground nuts, it can be cornmeal. And that's the fun of it, so that it's not just a crust or a topping. In the case of the crab cakes, it's the binder.

M. O'BRIEN: Is Cap 'N Crunch in there?

HOFFMAN: These are Cap 'N Crunch crab cakes.

M. O'BRIEN: Now you questioned this, and I said to you, he's a sea captain. What else would he be eating?

S. O'BRIEN: Well I'd love to try one, thank you so much.

HOFFMAN: Oh, you have to try one. They're absolutely incredible. I grew up in the Mid atlantic and people questioned my, you know, they're crazy about their crab cakes.

S. O'BRIEN: These are delicious.

HOFFMAN: They really, really...

S. O'BRIEN: ... Wow, they're great.

M. O'BRIEN: Now see, the dessert thing I understand a little more. That's obvious, right?

S. O'BRIEN: Really, you think?

HOFFMAN: Well that's it.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, it's sweet.

HOFFMAN: Well, I mean, Rice Krispies Treats, that sort of started people.

S. O'BRIEN: OK, what's in here?

HOFFMAN: These actually have Cocoa Puffs in them.

M. O'BRIEN: I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs.

HOFFMAN: Exactly, and you will be after you have this. Cocoa mocha tower, and it's three kinds of chocolate.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, this is great.

HOFFMAN: And it's three kinds of chocolate. The great thing about this is this is a recipe that's not uncommon in sort of French patisseries, it's sort of a lot of chocolate moussey type feel to it. Using the crust they use...

M. O'BRIEN: Whoa, that's sweet. I'm in a diabetic coma right now.

S. O'BRIEN: It's so good.

HOFFMAN: Using the crust they use a very expensive French wafer cookies. Instead of using cookies itself for $28 a tin, we use Cocoa Puffs that even at their most expensive, are like $4 a box. M. O'BRIEN: So think of the savings.

HOFFMAN: And it gives it a lot of fun factors. So -- and it's good, that's the amazing thing.

S. O'BRIEN: Delicious, absolutely delicious. The book is great. We'll walk down memory lane and the recipes are excellent. David Hoffman, nice to see you. Thanks for joining us this morning and thanks for bringing the food. We love that in the morning.

HOFFMAN: Hey, it's a fastest way to a host's heart.

S. O'BRIEN: Absolutely.

M. O'BRIEN: You've got that right.

S. O'BRIEN: The book is called "The Breakfast Cereal Gourmet."

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