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American Morning
California Wildfire; Cartoon Outrage; Coretta Scott King; Carey On
Aired February 07, 2006 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, I'm Miles O'Brien.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Zain Verjee in for Soledad.
O'BRIEN: A story breaking overnight, wildfires on the West Coast, thousands forced from their homes in southern California. We are live with the latest.
VERJEE: Even more protests now as outrage builds over controversial cartoons first published in a Danish newspaper. We're live on that story.
Senators John McCain and Barack Obama in a war of words, letters going back and forth. What's this all about? We'll explain just ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHLEEN BLANCO, LOUISIANA GOVERNOR: The harsh reality is that for many people in Washington, Katrina is yesterday's problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Frustration from Louisiana's governor as she tours the lingering damage from Hurricane Katrina. Ahead, why some local lawmakers are expressing their frustration with the governor.
VERJEE: And happening this hour, adventure travel gets a new look. The GlobalFlyer, Steve Fossett, set to take to the sky in a record round the world bid.
O'BRIEN: We begin this morning with that wildfire that is bearing down on homes and schools in southern California. Fire officials there say it could be several days before they get the upper hand on the fire.
CNN's Kareen Wynter live now in Orange, California. That's about 30 miles south of Los Angeles.
Kareen, bring us up to date.
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, good morning to you, and also no estimated time for containment. I can tell you overnight, and even now into the early morning hours, firefighters continue to battle this blaze. There are attacking it quite fiercely while they have a bit of an advantage on their side here since the temps out here have cooled quite a bit. Also, the winds have died down.
Right now about 2,000 acres, rather, 1,800 acres burned. Two thousand people evacuated, some of that mandatory, others voluntary. Also, with the wind, they're expecting that to pick up quite significantly later today. But as things stand right now, crews are basically on the front lines. We're just a few miles away from the heart of that blaze.
As for precautionary measures that we're seeing, officials say there are no structures that are damaged, no homes they think right now that are at immediate danger. But several schools are closed, as well as roadways in the area -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Kareen Wynter, who is there in Orange, California.
We'll have more coverage on the fire and the dangers it presents all throughout Orange County throughout this morning.
Next hour, we'll talk with an Orange County fire captain about possibly more evacuations -- Zain.
VERJEE: Miles, worldwide anger over those offensive cartoons is still growing. And the violent backlash against Denmark has the Danish government issuing travel warnings and struggling with a boycott. Thousands of protesters are out in Afghanistan again today. On Monday, they were beaten back as they stormed the Danish mission in Kabul.
Our senior international correspondent Matthew Chance is in Copenhagen where the cartoons originated, and he joins us now on the phone.
Matthew, how is the Danish government planning to calm the outrage and the tensions in Denmark?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the Danish government has already come out and said that it regrets that these 12 cartoons depicting the Muslim prophet Mohammed were ever published in a Danish newspaper. At the same time, it says that it can't apologize on behalf of that newspaper, because it's an independent media in Denmark, and it's up to the newspaper itself to publish whatever it wants.
It has, however, encouraged any parties that are offended to take this matter to the court. There are anti-blasphemy laws in Denmark. And the government says it's for the courts to decide when or where or if this matter should be prosecuted whether it was illegal.
In the meantime, of course, violence spreading across the region. These latest pictures from Afghanistan where the Danish diplomatic mission there being attacked. The Danish government calling on all the countries in the region to hold up their responsibilities to curb the violence and of course to protect diplomatic interests in those countries -- Zain. VERJEE: This has also been costly for Denmark in the sense that it's having a significant economic impact with boycotts of Danish products in the Arab and the Muslim world. Exactly what has been the extent of the impact?
CHANCE: Well, in economic terms, the impact hasn't been that great or the trading relation between Denmark and the Muslim nations is not particularly significant when it comes to Denmark's economy. It's worth about two billion euros a year. That's just over $2 billion. A significant amount, perhaps, but not compared to the other trade relations it has in the region.
At the same time, the Middle East is a growing market for Danish products, Danish machinery, dairy products and industrial machines, machines for agricultural, as well, which it sells overseas and manufactures in Denmark. These things are being boycotted.
And most of all, though, what's most worrying, though, is the ability of the Danish government to grow now, the Danish industry to grow in this market where it does very much want to expand, but obviously has had its image severely battered over recent months.
VERJEE: CNN's Matthew Chance, senior international correspondent, reporting to us from Copenhagen in Denmark.
Coming up this hour, I'll be talking to a Danish Muslim journalist about what's at the root of this controversy in the place where it all began.
In the U.S. Senate, two of Capitol Hill's usually cooler heads are squaring off in a war of words. It's Republican John McCain versus Democrat Barack Obama. McCain accusing Obama of going back on a pledge to build bipartisan support for lobbying and ethics reform. What apparently set McCain off was Obama's support for a reform bill being pushed by Democrats.
Says McCain, "I understand how important the opportunity to lead your party's effort to exploit this issue must seem to a freshman senator, and I hold no hard feelings over your earlier disingenuousness. I've been around long enough to appreciate that in politics the public interest isn't always a priority for every one of us."
Obama fired back this message to McCain, saying, "the fact that you have now questioned my sincerity and put my desire to put aside politics for the public interest is regrettable but does not in any way diminish my deep respect for you, nor my willingness to find a bipartisan solution to this problem" -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Today could be the dreaded checkout day for hundreds of Katrina evacuees still in hotel rooms. They're about to lose their government subsidized rooms because they missed a deadline to apply for an extension. FEMA officials say they do not expect huge numbers of families to become homeless, however. The agency says most evacuees have made other arrangements for housing. Louisiana now, Governor Kathleen Blanco on the road with state lawmakers for an up close tour of New Orleans' most devastated neighborhoods. The tour a preview of the governor's tough-talking speech last night at a special session of the state legislature in New Orleans. Blanco telling lawmakers she's concerned President Bush and the nation have largely forgotten the damage done by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLANCO: The harsh reality is that for many people in Washington, Katrina is yesterday's problem and Rita never happened. We are asking Congress to understand that Rita did to southwest Louisiana what Katrina did to Mississippi.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Blanco, for the first time, outlined how she wants to use billions of dollars in federal aid to minimize damage from any future flooding. The federal budget President Bush presented yesterday contains no new aid for Katrina victims. Instead, the budget includes funds to overhaul programs that were slow to respond to the storm.
And a free medical clinic is open at the zoo, of all places, in New Orleans. Hundreds of people turned up for general dental and eye care Monday right across from the elephants and the bears. Not many hospitals or clinics are open in the city still. The all-volunteer clinic had to turn some people away, but it will be open all week -- Zain.
VERJEE: Miles, CNN has obtained new photos of a woman in France, the first person ever to receive a face transplant. Here's what Isabelle Dinoire looked like before she was mauled by her dog. Also, a picture of the suicide victim whose lower face, from her nose to her chin, has been surgically attached to Isabelle. And finally, the end result, this is Isabelle's new face. Her expressions still very much limited, though. Isabelle showing her face to the world for the first time on Monday.
And looking ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, we're going to be talking to CNN's senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta about what lies ahead for the woman with the new face -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: Final farewell today for Coretta Scott King, the funeral for the woman often called the First Lady of the Civil Rights Movement, to begin at noon Eastern Time. President Bush, the first lady expected to attend, along with more than 10,000 other mourners.
Kyung Lah has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Here at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, the King's youngest daughter, Bernice, is a minister. And today she will deliver her most personal eulogy of her life, that of her mother's. The funeral begins at noon Eastern today.
And this church seats some 10,000 people. Every single one of those seats expected to be filled today. Seated in the audience is President Bush and also three former presidents, President Clinton, President Herbert Walker Bush and President Carter. We're also anticipating to see numerous civil rights leaders, including Jesse Jackson and Andrew Young, and also several celebrities, including Stevie Wonder, Maya Angelou. And we have some conflicting reports on whether or not Oprah actually stayed in town so she could attend this event. Also there will be numerous members of the public, thousands of them expected.
Because the president will be here, security will be tight. Members of the public will have to go through metal detectors.
Now in honor of Mrs. King, the president has asked that all flags be flown at half-staff at federal facilities, both here and abroad. In light of all these tributes, the King's daughter, Yolanda King, was led to say my mother is smiling down on us.
In Lithonia, Kyung Lah, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: CNN will have live coverage of the funeral. It begins at noon Eastern Time right here on CNN.
Let's check the forecast, and why don't we begin in Atlanta -- Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: A lot better today than it was yesterday. What an ugly, ugly day yesterday in Atlanta, it rained all day, temperatures about 35. Right now it's 34.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Back to you guys.
O'BRIEN: Thank you, Chad Myers.
Feeling a little groggy this morning?
VERJEE: Yes, coffee...
O'BRIEN: A little, everybody? Maybe it's what you took last night to get to sleep. A little sleeping pill, perhaps. The sleeping pill business is good, booming as a matter of fact, but that's not all good news.
VERJEE: Also, playing Robin Hood with FEMA trailers in St. Bernard Parish. Officials there borrowing some empty ones. We've got the story straight ahead.
O'BRIEN: And later, Mariah Carey set for a big night at the Grammy's tomorrow. She's up for no less than eight awards. We'll tell you how she came back ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VERJEE: Hurts so good.
O'BRIEN: All right, bring it on. Bring it on.
The Steelers Super Bowl Victory Tour hits the streets of Pittsburgh in just a few hours. It'll be -- should be raucous. I don't think a lot of productivity will occur...
VERJEE: No, definitely, no productivity.
O'BRIEN: ... in Pittsburgh today. Bosses, just get over it.
VERJEE: And well deserved.
O'BRIEN: But quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and his good luck beard made a little detour to New York. He left the whiskers behind, courtesy David Letterman.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN ROETHLISBERGER, PITTSBURGH STEELERS QUARTERBACK: So you say you're only going for the beard here?
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST: I don't know what we're going to try and do. I may just turn this over to -- now let me know if this hurts, for god sakes. I -- this is easy. Wow, you wanted to look for a goatee?
ROETHLISBERGER: Don't cut my hair.
LETTERMAN: Do you want to take a little off?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely.
LETTERMAN: Sure, there you go.
ROETHLISBERGER: Be careful now.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: All right, that was the good luck beard. He started growing it after he lost a game and said he wasn't going to shave it until they won, all that stuff. And so there you have it. He can shave off the beard now.
VERJEE: What did they do with the whiskers?
O'BRIEN: I'm sure they're on eBay as we speak. Yes.
VERJEE: All right then.
O'BRIEN: Was that a promotion for the razor or something, razor blade or I don't know?
VERJEE: Who knows?
O'BRIEN: Anyway, great, great fun on Letterman.
VERJEE: Let's go over to Kelly Wallace for the latest news headlines.
Kelly, good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Zain and Miles, and hello, everyone.
We are beginning in Iraq with some new violence to tell you about this morning. There has been a double bombing at a central Baghdad marketplace. The explosions coming just minutes apart. At least three people were killed. Some 20 others are wounded. And the attacks coming ahead of a Shi'a religious holiday. This year that holiday falls on Thursday.
Haiti is holding its first presidential election in almost six years amid very tight security. Polls have been open for just about 15 minutes now. And these are some new pictures coming into us here at CNN showing voters waiting in line to cast their vote.
U.N. peacekeepers are fanning out throughout the country, trying to keep things under control. The vote has been postponed four times in the past four months because of security problems. Voters will be choosing a successor for Jean-Bertrand Aristide, the president who was ousted two years ago.
The debate over wiretapping U.S. phones definitely far from over. U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales could be called to testify again. On Monday, he defended the administration's spying program going before lawmakers and he called the program -- quote -- "an early warning system."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL: The terrorist surveillance program is necessary, it is lawful and it respects the civil liberties we all cherish.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: But Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter says he is not convinced. There will be more hearings on the issue. In addition to Gonzales, former Attorney General John Ashcroft may be called in to testify.
To Alexandria, Virginia now, attorneys and judges will begin sorting through jury questionnaires in the trial of Zacarias Moussaoui. It is now in the penalty phase. The admitted al Qaeda member repeatedly interrupted Monday's proceedings, calling the court a circus. He rejected his court-appointed lawyers, saying -- quote -- "I am al Qaeda. They are American. They are my enemies." Moussaoui is the first person tried in the United States in connection with the September 11 attacks. He could be facing the death penalty or life in prison.
And we're leaving you on a light note, President Bush getting down on the dance floor to Reverend Al Green's "Let's Stay Together." The president and First Lady Laura Bush honoring Arthur Mitchell and the Dance Theater of Harlem at a special event at the White House last night. And the president had such a good time he stayed up past his 10:00 p.m. bedtime.
Chad Myers at the CNN Center with an update.
MYERS: All right.
WALLACE: And, Chad, good sleeping weather, right, along the East Coast?
MYERS: I guess. I mean can you see this guy doing some "SNL" in a couple of years? You never know.
WALLACE: You never know. Look out.
MYERS: Cutting a rug there.
Hey, good morning, everybody.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Back to you -- Zain.
VERJEE: Chad, thank you so much.
MYERS: You're welcome.
VERJEE: Miles, you've been doing this shift for a while, up pretty early.
(LAUGHTER)
VERJEE: Do you have trouble sleeping at night or, I mean, you know what do you do when you get stuck?
O'BRIEN: I'm actually sleeping right now.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I am. I just...
VERJEE: Kind of cheat (ph).
CARRIE LEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cruise control, right?
O'BRIEN: I just get it wherever I can.
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: No, come on, you're always on.
O'BRIEN: No, I -- if I stop moving, I sleep.
VERJEE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I -- really I have no problems.
VERJEE: I count sheep and it doesn't work.
O'BRIEN: It doesn't work for you.
VERJEE: No, no.
O'BRIEN: Did you -- you're not -- well, you'll get used to it, eventually.
VERJEE: Just listen to breathing, do all that sort of thing, doesn't work.
LEE: But you know, but we're not the only people who don't have nine to five jobs. I mean fewer and fewer people do, people are working longer hours. What does this mean for the sleeping pill industry? Well, you can guess it's very good news.
VERJEE: Yes.
LEE: Because a lot of times you have to be in bed at a certain time to get your eight, your six hours and your body is just naturally not going there.
So take a look at this number, about 42 million sleeping pill prescriptions were filled last year. That's up 60 percent since 2000. Now consider there are only 300 million people in the United States. Well, it's about 14 percent, if you assume one prescription per person. Quite a high number here.
Now part of the reason drugmakers are spending big bucks to get their pills out there, they spent about $300 million in the first 11 months of 2005 trying to convince customers that, hey, this is a good thing for you.
Pfizer is coming out with a new pill this May in addition to a couple of others. So there's going to be even more options for people.
A couple of interesting numbers here, or stats, I should say, women are more likely than men to suffer from sleeping disorders. And there is some concern in the industry that people who want to take sleeping pills, want a prescription, they might be masking other things, like depression, so.
O'BRIEN: You think it's possible, yes.
LEE: Yes, but anyway...
VERJEE: Which pill would you recommend? (LAUGHTER)
LEE: Caffeine in the morning and whatever gets you through the night, right?
VERJEE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: See, I think the best player in all this is Starbucks, because no matter what you take to go to sleep, you need that quadruple double latte to get going, right?
LEE: You know that's the other side of the coin, you know, people trying to wind down.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
VERJEE: Yes.
LEE: And that's a problem with a lot of sleeping pills, you get that hangover effect where you're still kind of tired in the morning. Short-term memory loss can be a problem as well. One guy anecdotally telling the "New York Times" that he raided his refrigerator in the middle of the night after taking a sleeping pill. Woke up, saw, had no recollection of it. So you do have to be careful with...
O'BRIEN: Called the police, somebody has been in my refrigerator.
LEE: You do have to be careful with this stuff. But -- exactly. And then you're maybe feeling sluggish in the morning.
And I see you have your nice big mug. Miles has a double container of coffee there, so.
VERJEE: Yes, he does. He's got coffee. I've got...
O'BRIEN: It actually never gets empty thanks to Bruce (ph). All morning long there's coffee.
LEE: All right.
VERJEE: Bruce is great.
LEE: So, anyway.
VERJEE: Keeps us going here.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
LEE: Quick check on stocks, futures looking flat to slightly lower. Disney up 2 percent last night on a pretty positive profit report. Disney in the Dow. And that's it.
O'BRIEN: All right.
LEE: Got to go get my coffee now. O'BRIEN: All right, Carrie Lee.
VERJEE: It's on Miles.
O'BRIEN: Thanks very much.
LEE: OK.
O'BRIEN: Coming up, adventurer Steve Fossett guns for another world record. Doesn't he have enough by now? Is he tempting fate? This time it's the longest non stop flight ever. We'll have it for you, the liftoff, live this hour, if all goes well.
Plus, Mariah Carey could make headlines at tomorrow night's Grammy's. She's up for no less than eight awards. We'll look at how she became the comeback queen of 2005 ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: The Grammy Awards are tomorrow night. And you might want to put a little money on Mariah Carey, although we do not officially encourage wagering here on AMERICAN MORNING. Whether you are a fan or not, you do have to respect her amazing comeback. And she does look good, doesn't she? She's up for eight Grammy's.
VERJEE: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Yes, everybody is nodding their head here. She's up for eight Grammy's and Mariah has now spent more time on top of the charts than the Beatles, the Beatles. Holy cow!
CNN's Brooke Anderson has the story.
That was for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIAH CAREY, GRAMMY NOMINEE: It's been such an amazing year.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mariah Carey has had quite a year. "The Emancipation of Mimi," her 10th studio album, surpassed expectations and sold over five million copies and counting. It became the top selling CD of 2005.
BENNY MEDINA, MARIAH CAREY'S MANAGER: It's really been a creative and emotional validation, first and foremost, for her and for naysayers and for people who would question someone of her talent and her magnitude.
ANDERSON: Back in 2001, Carey found out the hard way that all that glitters isn't gold. Her film "Glitter" flopped and so did the album. Then came her very public meltdown. Virgin Records even paid the Grammy winner $28 million to leave the label. Many believed the multi-octave singer was washed up.
CAREY: When you do go through something like that, you can't be scared anymore. And it's like, look, I'm here, I make music, I sing, that's what I do. I love doing it.
ANDERSON: And while the pop diva shook off the bad times, her manager, Benny Medina, and CEO of Island Def Jam Records, Antonio "LA" Reid, crafted a media blitz for "The Emancipation of Mimi" launch that included appearances on high profile talk shows and even CD signings. However, it wasn't easy to get people to listen.
ANTONIO "LA" REID, CEO, ISLAND DEF JAM: There were a few people that said OK, you know you're really wasting your time. Other people said whoa, this could be really special.
MEDINA: The most important thing that we had to do, that I felt I had to do, was just to let her sing. To put her in places where people could be reminded of the fact that she has one of the most unique and important instruments in popular and R&B music you know over the last 20 or 30 years.
ANDERSON: Her song "We Belong Together" was number one on the charts for 14 weeks. And "Don't Forget About Us" became her 17th number one hit. The superstar even earned eight Grammy noms, including album of the year and record of the year.
REID: She put a lot of work into it. She put her heart and soul into it.
CAREY: Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years.
ANDERSON: Brook Anderson, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Our Grammy coverage goes full tilt tomorrow morning. Excuse me. I'm so excited about it. Tomorrow morning. It'll be -- we'll be live in L.A. with a look at the nominees, what you can expect and hear during tomorrow night's awards show -- Zain.
VERJEE: Miles, the morning's top stories are straight ahead, including this from Louisiana, is it borrowing or stealing? Folks in St. Bernard Parish play Robin Hood with some empty FEMA trailers.
Plus, the latest on efforts to contain that huge wildfire in California, right now it's bearing down on more than a thousand homes. More details ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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