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American Morning

Two Arrests in Duke Rape Case; White House Shake-Up; The Great Quake

Aired April 18, 2006 - 09:01   ET

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

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A developing story in the Duke rape investigation. Two lacrosse players were arrested just hours ago. I'm Alina Cho in Durham, North Carolina, with that story.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Operation Defend Donald Rumsfeld" well under way. Today, meetings with the friendlies, the TV generals.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Chris Lawrence, live in San Francisco, where it's been 100 years since an earthquake killed thousands. Are residents here any safer today?

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also, looking ahead to future quake fears. Experts say the worst may be yet to come in the Midwest. We'll find out why on this AMERICAN MORNING.

O'BRIEN: Good morning to you. I'm Miles O'Brien.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Soledad today.

O'BRIEN: All morning long we've been following some breaking news for you, the latest developments in the Duke rape investigation. Two lacrosse players arrested earlier this morning. They're identified as Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty, both 20, both sophomores. Each facing three counts, including rape and kidnapping charges.

CNN's AMERICAN MORNING'S Alina Cho live now from Durham with the latest. It all began at 4:00 a.m. local time.

What lies ahead, Alina?

CHO: Well, I can tell you, Miles, that we just spoke to the defense attorney, or at least one of them for one of the suspects, Reade Seligmann. He called Seligmann and his family good, strong people, and right now he is in the building be mind me. He is attempting to speak to the prosecutor, D.A. Michael Nifong.

Now I do have in my hand a copy of the arrest report which details the charges. We do have a lot of details about the suspects. First, to Seligmann.

Reade Seligmann is a 20-year-old sophomore and lacrosse player. He is from Essex Fells, New Jersey.

The other suspect is Collin Finnerty, also a sophomore, also a lacrosse player from Garden City, New York. Both are charged with first-degree rape, first-degree forcible rape, and kidnapping. Bond was set this morning at $400,000.

Now, both of the suspects arrived at the county jail early this morning, about 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time, in what defense attorneys call an arranged arrest. They arrived in the same squad car.

One was in a shirt and jeans. One was in a jacket and tie. Both led away in handcuffs. Neither made any statement to reporters.

Now, this morning they were processed at the jail. That means fingerprinted and photographed. They also met with a local magistrate.

An attorney for Seligmann, Kirk Osborn, spoke to reporters this morning. Here is some of what he had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIRK OSBORN, READE SELIGMANN'S ATTORNEY: Like I say, it's hard to put in words the unfairness and the injustice of this type. We look forward to showing that he is absolutely innocent as soon as we can.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Now, again, that was attorney Kirk Osborn. He represents suspect Reade Seligmann. He said both of the suspects are absolutely innocent.

Again, he is right now in the building behind me, attempting to meet with the district attorney. He called his client and their family strong, good people.

One thing that we should mention, Miles, is that some of the suspects over the weekend gathered character witnesses and their passports in the event that they would need them for a bond hearing. And for two of those players, as all of us know very well right now, Seligmann and Finnerty, that possibility became a reality this morning.

O'BRIEN: Alina, tell us about Collin Finnerty. As we understand it, there is a criminal history there.

CHO: Yes. We are trying to get independent confirmation of that right now, Miles, but here's what we know.

According to the "Raleigh News and Observer," on the same day that Finnerty was ordered to submit a DNA sample in this case, he apparently was in Washington, D.C., answering charges of assault. According to the "News and Observer," which cites court records, he and two friends assaulted a man, punching him in the lip and bruising his chin. Of course, we are still working on getting more details about that.

Incidentally, as far as we can tell right now, we have seen no criminal past for the other suspect, Reade Seligmann.

O'BRIEN: Alina Cho in Raleigh.

Thank you very much.

Or Durham, I should say, North Carolina.

Coming up in just a few moments, we will talk to the cousin of the alleged victim in the case -- Betty.

NGUYEN: In other news, new White House Chief of Staff Josh Bolten promised some new faces, and he is wasting no time. Trade Representative Rob Portman is moving in to become the new budget director. An announcement is expected in just a few minutes.

Live now to the White House and correspondent Ed Henry.

Ed, is this just the beginning?

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is just the beginning, Betty. And good morning to you.

It basically did not take Josh Bolten, the new White House chief of staff, long. This is his first big move. He's going to move Rob Portman, as you mentioned, the U.S. trade rep, into Bolten's old job, the White House budget director.

And then we're also learning from a senior administration official that Susan Schwab, who had been the deputy trade representative, number two to Rob Portman, will now move up and she will replace Rob Portman.

Also another move, just to keep all of these moves in perspective, Jim Towey, the head of the White House faith-based initiatives, has resigned. He is moving and will become president of St. Vincent's University in Pennsylvania. That word just coming moments ago from administration officials. We are told that's not necessarily connected to Bolten coming on, that Towey had lined up this job, but it is certainly a sign of a lot of movement, as you mentioned, Betty.

The key piece here is Rob Portman becoming the White House budget director. A lot of criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill that this White House is not paying enough attention to specifically Republican leaders on the Hill, and that's one reason why this president's agenda is stalled there in Congress.

Rob Rortman, former Republican congressman from Ohio, widely respected in both parties. That was where he was before he was trade rep. But also, key is that he was a number of the House Republican leadership. He has very close ties with Republican leaders in the House and Senate. That could be pivotal as the president tries to rebuild his agenda and get it restarted, if you will, here in the second term.

With the president low in the polls, much of his agenda stalled. And as you noted, Betty, this is probably the first of many moves to come.

NGUYEN: And we are still waiting on that official announcement. But in the meantime, Ed Henry, from the White House, thank you for that -- Miles.

HENRY: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: It is a solemn day this morning in San Francisco as they remember a terribly deadly one. One hundred years ago this day, the great San Francisco earthquake struck. The quake and really the fires, more than anything else, destroyed that city, killing thousands and setting that city back in so many ways.

Right now, live pictures from Lotta Fountain, where they have gathered as they always gather on the anniversary of this event. This was the place where many people came to find out about lost loved ones a hundred years ago. They remember what happened a hundred years ago, and thinking about what might happen when another quake of this magnitude strikes that beautiful city.

Chris Lawrence is live amid the group out there as they pause to remember.

Chris, good morning.

LAWRENCE: Hey. Good morning, Miles.

You know, this is -- part of this event is a solemn look back at what San Francisco lost, a celebration of what it was able to rebuild, and a reminder to the residents here that they've got to be prepared for the inevitable next big disaster.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice over): Almost like clockwork, disaster strikes again and again. Same cities, same furious weather.

SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: We keep putting homes in plains that you know are going to be inundated with water.

LAWRENCE: That's Senator Dianne Feinstein talking about torrential rains that flooded northern California.

(on camera): Are there certain places we just shouldn't live?

SIMON WINCHESTER, AUTHOR: I'm afraid there are. And I think New Orleans is one of them.

LAWRENCE (voice over): Simon Winchester says a city under sea level doesn't make sense. The same goes for a bay area built on fault lines, or desert towns so dry they have to import water. He's written about the 1906 earthquake that destroyed San Francisco.

WINCHESTER: Everyone in California is in this blissful state of denial. An earthquake? Well, it might happen.

LAWRENCE: Winchester says Europe is littered with the ruins of once great cities.

WINCHESTER: And I wouldn't be surprised if in 100 or 200 years' time if you looked at a map of America you'll see the ruins of New Orleans, the ruins of Tucson, the ruins of some towns in southern Florida where we simply should not have built cities. And we'll just look at them as tourists and say, how crazy for people to have lived there.

LAWRENCE: Yet, millions of people keep moving to coastal communities, from south Florida to San Francisco.

FRED STUDER, SAN FRANCISCAN: We built in an impossible place. You know, the bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge was built so that people could go back and forth between these two impossible places. But the fact that the quality of life is just so spectacular just far outweighs the impossibility.

LAWRENCE: There are signs all over the city to remind residents what's coming next century, next year, next week.

ANNEMARIE CONROY, DIRECTOR, EMERGENCY SERVICES: A major rupture of the Hayward Fault would cause catastrophic damage throughout San Francisco and also throughout the East Bay.

LAWRENCE: Annemarie Conroy runs the Office of Emergency Services. She recently revamped its entire plan to better deal with a disaster.

CONROY: For San Francisco, it's not a question of if. It's a question of when.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: You know, we're looking at pictures...

LAWRENCE: Yes. In fact, experts say some time probably in the next 20 to 30 years there's a 60 to 70 percent chance that the Bay area is going to get hit by another big earthquake -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Well, you know, Chris, you ended your piece with pictures of the damage caused by the Loma Prieta quake, October of '89. We remember that one well. And what that reminded us all of -- and that, in many ways, was kind of a -- they dodged a bullet in some respects. But what it also pointed out was how fragile the infrastructure can be.

How much work has been done on that point since then?

LAWRENCE: A lot of work, but by most experts' account, not enough. If a quake that size hit today, they estimate that probably 10,000 commercial buildings would be instantly unusable. That's a tremendous number when you consider what it takes a city to function.

A lot of the buildings that were built after the 1970s are a lot safer. In fact, some of the structural engineers say five percent of the buildings in this city will kill 50 percent of the people who die. They say if they can get rid of the bad buildings, that could cut the death toll possibly in half.

O'BRIEN: A lot easier said than done.

LAWRENCE: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Chris Lawrence, who's there as they remember 100 years ago.

Thank you very much.

Coming up, we're going to tell you about America's next most dangerous earthquake zone. It's going to surprise you where this is. It runs through five south-central states. The danger is very real, and the destruction there, as you might imagine, could be enormous.

NGUYEN: It's hard to think about, but, yes.

O'BRIEN: Coming up on the program, more on that developing story out of Durham, North Carolina. Two lacrosse players arrested in the Duke rape investigation. We'll talk to a cousin of the alleged victim. We'll get her reaction.

NGUYEN: Also, a potential new weapon in the fight against breast cancer. And it comes in the form of an old drug used to treat osteoporosis.

O'BRIEN: And later, all those calls for the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, to step down, how does it affect U.S. troops?

We'll take a look at that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Some breaking news in this morning. Charges filed, two arrests made in that Duke lacrosse team rape investigation. Twenty- year-old sophomores Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty, both members of the lacrosse team, arrived at a Durham police station in handcuffs this morning, about 4:00 a.m. local time. We're told at least one of them, Seligmann, has posted $400,000 bond already, and Finnerty is in the process of doing the same.

Let's talk now to a cousin of the alleged victim in the case. We're just going to use her first name to protect the identity of the woman making the accusations.

Jackie joining us from Raleigh, North Carolina.

Jackie, first of all, what's your reaction to word of these arrests and these charges?

JACKIE, ALLEGED VICTIM'S COUSIN: I'm very excited. Maybe that's not the right word. I'm happy for my cousin. I feel like she's being vindicated in some way.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

JACKIE: This is the beginning of it.

O'BRIEN: When you first heard that there was not -- and the word came out that there was no DNA link between your cousin and these suspects, what were your thoughts at that time? Did you think perhaps you wouldn't see this morning what we saw just now?

JACKIE: I knew that -- I have total faith in my cousin and what she's saying, so I was not worried about that at all.

O'BRIEN: Tell me about how this whole event has been characterized in the media, your perception of that. Your cousin has been described as an exotic dancer or a stripper, kind of labels that the media uses.

JACKIE: Right.

O'BRIEN: Have you had any objection to that?

JACKIE: Of course. I think one of the reasons I have spoke out is because I think it's very one-sided. For a long time they were just saying "a stripper" or "an escort," and they weren't saying a human, a mother, a student. And that's what she is. She was a student trying to make a living to support her two children, who was victimized like so many other women are.

O'BRIEN: A single mom...

JACKIE: Right.

O'BRIEN: ... trying to go to school. Why don't you tell us a little bit more about her to give us more dimension to who she is.

JACKIE: She's a very sweet girl. She's very humble. She's the -- the youngest of three, very quiet.

She's just -- you know, she's just average. She's your average 27-year-old trying to take care of her family.

O'BRIEN: An average 27-year-old in a very not average situation.

JACKIE: Of course.

O'BRIEN: How is she doing right now?

JACKIE: As well as can be expected. Of course, it's just a media circus right now. It's just -- for her, you can just -- I'd just say, just pray for her and her family. Our family.

O'BRIEN: She's in seclusion.

JACKIE: Right.

O'BRIEN: She's unable to go to classes or anything of that sort.

JACKIE: Right.

O'BRIEN: Is she concerned about her identity being wildly known?

JACKIE: Of course. We all are, yes.

O'BRIEN: What -- you're going to see her later today, I understand it. Is that right?

JACKIE: I'm supposed to talk to her later today, yes.

O'BRIEN: Tell me about what kind of conversation you might have with her today?

JACKIE: Really, I just want to let her know that I'm there for her, and we all support her as far as my family goes. So we just want to let her to know we're there for her, because she's been afraid to talk to so many people for so long. So, we just want to let her know that we're there for her.

O'BRIEN: Yes. I assume she needs a lot of supporting in all this.

You know, you mentioned the label that was affixed to your cousin...

JACKIE: Yes.

O'BRIEN: ... "stripper" or "exotic dancer."

JACKIE: Right.

O'BRIEN: There are labels used on the other side here as well. You know, lacrosse player. And while it may not be quite as pejorative as "stripper," it still conjures up an image in people's minds.

JACKIE: Right.

O'BRIEN: Do you feel that that -- is it fair to say they have been labeled as well?

JACKIE: Labeled? No. I mean, they're only saying lacrosse players. They're not saying that that that's something that they do in school. They're not saying that they were anything like their occupation or anything, so, no, I don't think so.

O'BRIEN: What do you think about the racial component about this? A lot has been said about this. Would you -- is that -- is that a real factor, or is that something that has been inflated by the media?

JACKIE: No, it's a real factor.

O'BRIEN: Tell me about it.

JACKIE: In talking to people, people who don't know that she is my cousin, the majority of people who are Caucasian say that they think she's lying, and the majority of African-Americans think that she's telling the truth. So it's very real, unfortunately.

But we don't want that. We don't want any kind of racial anything. We just want justice. We don't want rioting. We don't want any of that. We just want justice.

O'BRIEN: Are you concerned about the tension? I mean, you just said you don't want rioting. I hope it's nowhere near that. But are you concerned about the tension that this has created in the community?

JACKIE: Of course. I mean, we're concerned for her safety. We're concerned because it's sort of a David and Goliath type thing.

You have this big Duke University, and then you have this young woman who is working class. And so, yes, we're a bit concerned. But I think it's being handled very well by the Durham Police and the D.A.

O'BRIEN: Jackie, thank you for your time.

JACKIE: You're very welcome.

O'BRIEN: Jackie is the cousin of the alleged victim in the Duke rape investigation joining us from Raleigh, North Carolina, this morning -- Betty.

NGUYEN: San Francisco is remembering the great quake of 1906 this morning, but FEMA officials are also worried about the future. It may be just a matter of time before a similar quake rocks the nation's heartland.

We'll take a look at the potentially devastating consequences there.

And an old drug used to treat osteoporosis may have a new use. It can lower the risk of breast cancer. What does that mean for millions of women? Well, that's next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: In this morning's "House Call," a major new study shows a drug designed to treat osteoporosis could actually be the best medicine for post-menopausal women at risk for breast cancer.

Joining us now to talk about the exciting new research is Dr. Carolyn Runowicz, president of the American Cancer Society.

And yourself a breast cancer survivor.

DR. CAROLYN RUNOWICZ, PRESIDENT, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: I am. And I am so excited about this study because of my leadership role in the American Cancer Society and with the group that did the study.

NGUYEN: Well, this study is really remarkable. It looked at two drugs, and tell us what it found.

RUNOWICZ: Well, about 20,000 women enrolled in the study. And we really have to thank those women for doing this. And half the women were randomized to Tamoxifen and half the women were randomized to Raloxifene or Evista.

And what it showed is we can prevent breast cancer by 50 percent in both groups, but the Raloxifene or Evista group had fewer side- effects. Fewer uterine cancers, fewer side-effects with respect to hot flashes, and fewer side-effects with respect to clots and pulmonary embolism.

NGUYEN: Now, the Raloxifene, it -- it's used for osteoporosis, right?

RUNOWICZ: It currently is on the market for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. So, how you can determine if you're at risk is, your physician can give you a little questionnaire, you fill it out, and based on that number you would be eligible for the next breast cancer prevention trial or to go on Raloxifene or Evista.

NGUYEN: So, both drugs equal when it comes to prevention for breast cancer, right?

RUNOWICZ: Absolutely. Both equal...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: OK. It's the side-effects which is a key here.

RUNOWICZ: The side-effects were the key. And the side-effects for Raloxifene were less than the side-effects for...

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good morning.

Today, I'm announcing my nomination of two outstanding individuals to serve in my Cabinet and on my economic team.

First, I will nominate Rob Portman to be the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Rob will replace Josh Bolten, who this week started in his new role as my chief of staff.

The Office of Management and Budget is one of the most essential agencies of our government. The OMB has a central responsibility of implementing the full range of my administration's agenda, from defense programs that will keep our people secure, to energy initiatives that will break our dependence on oil, to tax policies that keep our economy growing and creating jobs.

In these and other areas, the job of the OMB director is to ensure that the government spends the taxpayers' money wisely or not at all.

He is the person in charge of meeting our goal to cutting the budget deficit in half by 2009.

And he's responsible for managing federal programs efficiently. The American people deserve results for every hard-earned dollar they send to Washington. The job of OMB director is a really important post, and Rob Portman is the right man to take it on. Rob's talent, expertise and record of success are well known within my administration and on Capitol Hill.

For the past 11 months, Rob has served as United States trade representative.

When he took the job, I told him to focus on opening new markets for American exports, to ensure that our producers and farmers are treated fairly, and to get Congress to pass the Central American- Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement.

He's accomplished those goals.

I signed CAFTA into law last summer. And Rob Portman and his staff completed trade agreements with Bahrain, Oman, Peru and Colombia. He also reenergized the Doha trade talks at the World Trade Organization.

Before joining my Cabinet, Rob represented the 2nd District of Ohio in the United States Congress for more than a decade. He was a key part of the House leadership. He was an influential member of the Ways and Means Committee and he served as vice chairman of the Budget Committee.

His legislative achievements ranged from reforming the Internal Revenue Service, providing tax relief for working families, to encouraging retirement savings.

Rob's leadership in Congress was also marked by an ability to work across the aisle and bring people together to get things done. And he's going to bring that same skill to his new post.

As director of OMB, Rob will have a leading role in my economic team. He will be part of the daily senior staff meetings led by Josh Bolten. He will consult often and work closely with legislators on Capitol Hill. He'll be a powerful voice for pro-growth policies and spending restraint.

Rob's a man of deep integrity. He knows the priorities of my administration. He can get things done. And the Senate should confirm him promptly as the director of the Office of Management and Budget.

I'm also pleased to announce that I'm going to nominate Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab to succeed Rob Portman as the new U.S. trade representative.

Trade is one of the most powerful engines of growth and job creation.

America accounts for about 5 percent of the world's population, and that means that 95 percents of our potential customers live overseas. So my administration has taken an aggressive agenda to break down barriers to American exports across the world. When I took office, we had three free trade agreements. Now we have free trade agreements with 11 countries, and 18 more are pending. Susan will work hard to conclude these agreements and ensure that American goods, services and crops are treated fairly in overseas markets.

Last year, the countries with which we have free trade agreements represented about 7 percent of the economy abroad but about 42 percent of our exports.

Lowering trade barriers to the sale of our goods and services helps provide a level playing field for American workers and farmers and ranchers, and that means more jobs and opportunity.

Because our workers and ranchers and farmers can compete with anybody, any time, anywhere so long as the rules are fair. And Susan Schwab understands that.

As deputy U.S. trade representative for the past five months, Ambassador Schwab worked tirelessly to open up new markets, and at the same time making sure our people were treated fairly.

Her trade portfolio covered several continents. And she led USTR efforts in a number of vital policy areas, including intellectual property enforcement.

Susan also worked closely with Ambassador Portman to advance the Doha negotiations. Now she will use her experience to help complete the Doha round and create other new opportunities for American exporters.

Ambassador Schwab started her career as an agricultural trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. And she served our nation overseas as a trade policy officer in our embassy in Tokyo.

In the 1980s, she worked as a trade specialist and then legislative director for Senator Jack Danforth, who chaired a key Senate subcommittee on trade.

In the administration of former President Bush, she led a staff of more than a thousand as director general of the U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service.

Susan has also served as an executive in the private sector at Motorola, and as a professor and administrator at the University of Maryland.

Throughout her distinguished career, Susan has earned the respect of her colleagues. And she has my confidence, as well.

The Senate should promptly confirm her nomination to be United States trade representative.

I appreciate the service that Rob and Susan have given the American people, and I'm really grateful they've agreed to take on new responsibilities.

I also thank Rob and Susan's families. Today, I'm really glad that Rob's wife Jane is with us, and it's my pleasure to welcome Susan's parents, Gerald (ph) and Joan, to the Oval Office and to the Rose Garden.

Glad you all are here.

I look forward to the Senate confirming Rob and Susan and welcoming them to be new members of my Cabinet.

Congratulations, and thank you for your willingness to serve. Appreciate it.

NGUYEN: You've been listening to President Bush make the official announcement of Rob Portman as the new White House budget director. And for those of you keeping score, he replaces Josh Bolten, who was hired as the new White House chief of staff.

O'BRIEN: And then his position as the U.S. trade representative, his deputy, Susan Schwab, will take that. Rob Portman, formerly a congressman from Ohio. You remember Ohio a couple years in 2004, that pivotal state in the election, Ohio tilting the balance for the Bush- Cheney ticket. Rob Portman at that time a member of Congress and very instrumental in ensuring that victory for the Republicans. And now, director of OMB, one of the most powerful positions in Washington, assuming he is, in fact, approved by Congress.

NGUYEN: Much more to come right here on CNN, AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Donald Rumsfeld, the secretary of defense, is calling in some friendlies into the foxhole today. Several former generals, many of them now TV analysts, coming to the Pentagon for a confab (ph). As far as we know, none of them have called for his resignation.

To get more on the meeting and where things stand for the secretary of defense and the implications of his status, let's turn to some our own in-house experts, our own friendlies. Barbara Starr is at the Pentagon, Aneesh Raman in Baghdad, and Andrea Koppel on Capitol Hill. Good to have you all with us.

Barbara, let's begin with you. Is this going to be a military briefing or a bit of a political spin?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, a little bit of both, Miles. As you eight expect, they are calling in these military analysts. They say they want to talk to them about the "success" -- that's the words of the Rumsfeld aid -- that is being achieved in Iraq. But let's be very clear, we are told this meeting was organized last Friday when this controversy really came to a head. It was set for today. So clearly, when the secretary steps in the room to talk to these analysts, there are likely to be a few questions. O'BRIEN: It will be interesting to see how pointed those questions were. We talked to Don Shepherd a little while ago, and he said he would ask tough questions, but he's reluctant to get in the realm of asking for resignation.

Let's shift over the Congress and Andrea Koppel. Andrea, the halls are echoing there more so than normal. Everybody's at home, and speaking of pointed criticism, I suspect given the polling numbers -- we have some recent poll numbers, as a matter of fact, we can share with folks on how people feel about the war. The majority of people are now strongly in the disapproval camp of the Iraq War, and I'm sure that legislators, lawmakers are hearing that kind of thing concurrent with this.

What do you think -- do you think that will change they perceive the Rumsfeld situation?

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly could, Miles.

As you well know, we're just over six months out from the congressional midterms. This is not a presidential election year. It's one in which you've got the entire House and a third of the Senate that's up. Many of those very tight races. I spoke with one senior Republican congressional staffer who said that this is something that is very much on the minds of Republicans, especially because they believe that until Donald Rumsfeld is gone, this is some Republicans, they feel that the president won't be able to turn the page on Iraq, and that will be reflected in the polls and may affect them in these races -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, let's continue the potential ripples, and these ripples extend all the way into Iraq and Baghdad.

Aneesh Raman, I'm curious if everybody over there is watching the news or watching CNN, and that includes people who are on point, so to speak, in those patrols, difficult, dangerous, deadly work. Do you have any sense that this -- I wouldn't go as far to say it's a crisis, but these questions about leadership at the top of the Pentagon and the questions on the conduct of the war are affecting morale?

RAMAN: Well, not at the moment. Largely, for the soldiers here, they see the political storms that brew back in Washington as irrelevant. I was embedded with U.S. troops, Miles, when Representative Murtha called for the troops immediate withdrawals, and I asked the soldiers who I was with, are you aware what's taking place back home? What do you think? And they simply say that what we are here to do for as long as we're told to do it. There is a strict chain of command, and a lot of these guys are in intense fight in the northern Babil (ph) province, where I was, and they're more concerned with staying alive and coming home than they are with how this is all playing out in Washington.

O'BRIEN: Let me ask you this. How things play out in Washington, do they have a direct impact on these efforts to form a real government there that seemed to be stalled, have continued to be stalled. In other words, how much is cohesive U.S. leadership in the Pentagon and the White House crucial to that, and how much could problems at the Pentagon have a ripple effect on efforts to form a government there?

RAMAN: Well, there's two tracks. One is the U.S. is exactly where it doesn't want to be three years after the war began, in the middle of everything here. The troops are what is keeping the country together. U.S. diplomats is what is keeping Iraqi politicians talking. So if there is a fracture within the American policy right now, it could have a ripple effect with the government we're still waiting to form, in terms of the Iraqi parliament. On the other level, though, there is concern that Americans have been too involved, and there is concern among Iraqi politicians I've talked to that the American public is losing interest in the war, and fear that if that happens after a tipping point and U.S. troops start to leave, Iraq will not be ready to deal with this situation on its own. So American politics is invested in everything here, more so for the Iraqi politicians perhaps than anyone else.

O'BRIEN: Aneesh Raman in Baghdad, Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, Andrea Koppel on Capitol Hill, thank you all very much.

Be sure to stay with CNN all day long for coverage of the Rumsfeld story. The pressure on him.

AMERICAN MORNING, more of it coming up in just a bit.

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O'BRIEN: Today is the hundred-year anniversary of the great San Francisco earthquake, and while we'll never know exactly where the next big one will hit or when, you may be surprised to find out who is preparing.

CNN technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg reports.

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DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Three-thousand seven hundred people dead, tens of thousands injured, many more homeless or out of work, $70 billion in damage, all from a magnitude 7.7 earthquake, not in Asia, not in South America. According to the latest FEMA report, that's a very real possibility right in the heartland of the U.S.

We're looking at about 11 million people at risk from an earthquake in the central U.S. Of that 11 million, about two-and-a- half million for Memphis and St. Louis. We still have a lot of people vulnerable in rural communities in the central U.S.

The non-profit central U.S. Earthquake Consortium is made up of experts from eight states, trying to ensure the worst doesn't happen. Almost 200 years ago, the New Madric (ph) Zone was hit with at least three massive quakes during a period of three months. Each of them about the size of the one that devastated the Pakistan-Indian border in October last year. Today, scientists worry that the geological clock there is counting down to another one.

(on camera): Can you tell me by looking at this map where the 1811, 1812 earthquake was?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure.

SIEBERG: But because the earth underpinnings here are so different compared to California's coast, understanding what triggers these quakes is harder to pinpoint.

JOAN GOMBERG, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: Here in the New Madric Seismic Zone, we're in the middle of a plate, and it's really a big mystery as to why we have big earthquakes here.

SIEBERG: That possibility has officials at all levels of government scrambling for solutions, no matter the cost.

(on camera): Sometimes to plan for the future, you have to change the past. This is the I-40 bridge that connects Arkansas with Tennessee. It's one of the busiest commercial truck routes in the country. State and federal governments are spending almost $200 million to retrofit it, and make sure it's safe in case of a serious earthquake.

(voice-over): But the I-40 bridge is just one of many critical structures in the New Madric Zone that still need attention. And whether it's people at home preparing with safety kits or schools running earthquake drill, experts say it's never too soon to act.

ARCH JOHNSTON, CTR. FOR EARTHQUAKE RESEARCH AND INFO: Your gambling, that it's not going to happen. That's OK for individuals, but it's not OK for government. It's not OK for the long-term planning for the security and well-being of people. Case in point: New Orleans.

GOMBERG: Earthquakes here -- that's our Katrina. The possibility here, and with an earthquake you don't get any warning unlike hurricanes.

SIEBERG: Memphis may be the home of rock 'n' roll, but the people there hope that's only true in one sense.

Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Memphis, Tennessee.

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O'BRIEN: Back with more in a moment.

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O'BRIEN: The Secretary of Defense under fire today, calling in some friendly generals with an important strategy session to talk about ways to change public perception of him in the wake of calls for his resignation by at least a half a dozen high-ranking generals, now retired.

After we left that Rose Garden ceremony, announcing some staffing changes at the White House, the president took a couple of questions on this vein. Ed Henry was there. He joins us now with a sense of what the president has to say about Donald Rumsfeld this morning.

Ed, good morning again.

HENRY: Good morning, Miles.

That's right. And in fact, the president making it official that Rob Portman will become the U.S. trade rep. And this is the first move for Josh Bolten as the new White House chief of staff. But you're right, when the president started taking questions, he got a little hot when he was pressed on the matter of will there be more changes, what's going to happen? And the president got back into his familiar -- what we've heard before -- which is basically that he doesn't want to engage in the speculation. And he said there's a lot of rumors in Washington.

But then I pressed him on the fact that on Friday, the president broke his own tradition of not commenting on personnel moves by rushing to the defense of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Take a listen at how the president responded.

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HENRY: What would you say to critics who believe that you're ignoring the advice of retired generals and military commanders who say that there needs to be a change?

BUSH: I say I listen to all voices. But mine's the final decision and Don Rumsfeld is doing a fine job. He's not only transforming the military, he's fighting a war on terror. He's helping to fight a war on terror. I have strong confidence in Don Rumsfeld.

I hear the voices, and I read the front page and I know the speculation. But I'm the decider and I decide what is best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense.

I want to thank you all very much.

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HENRY: So the president making it clear there once again he is firmly behind Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. But again, the news this morning is that he has picked Rob Portman, who was the U.S. trade representative, now to be the new White House budget director. He replaces Josh Bolten, moved over to the White House chief of staff. A little bit of a game of musical chairs here, Miles. But the bottom line is this is the first of what's expected to be many moves, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, Ed, I gather your follow-up to that wasn't how do you really feel, Mr. President? He seemed very...

HENRY: It was pretty clear. Sometimes, you know, it's just -- the president's words say it all and you let that go.

O'BRIEN: Yes. I think we do. But at this point -- that strong -- should we take that at face value? Put it that way.

HENRY: Yes, you know, I've heard some Democrats say, well, you know, the president's really about to push Don Rumsfeld overboard and that this is some sort of a public game. I'm not so sure. I mean, I think the president is firmly on the record as saying he is behind this defense secretary and it's not just about Don Rumsfeld.

The point here is that Don Rumsfeld is a proxy for the president. If he were to push Don Rumsfeld overboard, it would be an acknowledgement that Rumsfeld has made mistakes in Iraq, but it also would be seen as an acknowledgement that this president made mistakes in Iraq. He's not ready to say that. He is going to keep Rumsfeld -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Understand. Ed Henry at the White House. Good job there, asking some tough questions. Appreciate that. Be sure to stay with CNN all day for live coverage of the pressure on Don Rumsfeld -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Coming up at the top of the hour, Sister Karen (INAUDIBLE); now she's dead. Police say the nun's killer confessed, but was it an accident?

And what's up with the big guy? A new dinosaur challenges T-Rex. Yes, take a look at that. Who's the biggest and the baddest? We'll tell you.

There's more AMERICAN MORNING right after this.

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O'BRIEN: Big meeting today at the Pentagon. We can't put our cameras inside, but we're going to do everything we can to tell you all about it, so stay with CNN all throughout the day as Donald Rumsfeld tries to stem the tide of criticism aimed in his direction.

That's all the time we have for this AMERICAN MORNING. I'm Miles O'Brien. We're glad you joined us.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Soledad today. Daryn Kagan is at the CNN Center to take you through the next couple of hours right here on "CNN LIVE TODAY."

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