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American Morning

Day Without Immigrants; Mission Accomplished?

Aired May 01, 2006 - 06:31   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: It is "A Day Without Immigrants," or at least that is what organizers hope. They expect millions of immigrants to stay home today. Undocumented immigrants are expected to boycott work and school and show their economic clout by not doing any shopping.
The Senate today to consider a resolution requiring the national anthem be sung in English only. That is in response to a Hispanic version being played on Latino radio stations we've been telling you about.

Three years after President Bush declared "Mission Accomplished," Iraq's president says he believes a deal can be reached with seven armed insurgent groups. None of those groups, however, linked to Al Qaeda in Iraq.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.

M. O'BRIEN: I'm Miles O'Brien. We're glad you're with us on this Monday morning.

Across the nation today, a call to action. Illegal immigrants and their supporters plan on rallying to flex their economic and political muscle.

This is Un Dia Sin Immigrantes, A Day Without Immigrants. Excuse my Spanish.

A recent study says there are about seven million illegal immigrants working in this country. Organizers are calling on workers to walk off the job today, refuse to shop. Thousands of students plan on boycotting schools, as well. The numbers could be staggering.

In Los Angeles and Chicago, police organizers estimate as many as a half-million people could take part. Because of that, some businesses are scaling back today. Tyson Foods, the world's largest meat producer, closing nine of its 15 plants, while Perdue Farms is closing six of 14 plants.

Here in New York, organizers are hoping to form a sort of human chain. It's meant to show the interdependence between all people in the city.

CNN En Espanol's Ines Feree live now from New York with more -- Ines.

INES FERRE, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

That chain is expected to take place in nine locations throughout the city at 12:16 p.m., symbolizing December 16th, the day the Sensenbrenner bill was passed in the House. That will happen just before the actual rally that's supposed to take place here in Union Square Park.

We spoke to one auto shop owner who said he just had to take part in today's events.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FERRE (voice over): Francisco Guerrero, co-owner of a body shop on New York's Long Island, says on any given weekday up to 16 cars get serviced here. But Monday they'll be closing up shop for the day in support of illegal immigrants.

FRANCISCO GUERRERO, AUTO SHOP CO-OWNER: We need to help them because we -- we were helped before.

FERRE: Francisco says he was forced to immigrate to the United States when he was 12 after civil war broke out in El Salvador. He was granted permanent residency and by age 24 here was serving in the U.S. Navy. He later saw duty in Desert Storm. Francisco says these are crucial times for immigrants.

GUERRERO: We have to be part of this movement. We need to. Just because we are legal, that doesn't change anything. I mean, we're still immigrants.

FERRE: All of Francisco's employees are immigrants, some documented, some still waiting for their papers. Days after the last public protests, raids carry out around the country led to the arrests of almost 1,200 immigrants and brought the anxiety level up another notch. One of Francisco's relative who has permanent resident status but doesn't want to reveal his identity fears by openly supporting illegal immigrants, he could somehow lose his residency and be deported.

(on camera): (SPEAKING IN SPANISH)? Just by associating?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Si. Si. (SPEAKING IN SPANISH)

FERRE (voice over): He says he has a family. If he loses, he loses everything.

But Francisco never forgets his roots. His father's picture reminds him of where he came from and why he's here.

GUERRERO: Every day that I come to work I feel good because of what -- what I learned of my father.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FERRE: To him, that means closing shop today, May 1st. Now, he says he'll be losing between $3,000 and $4,000 in sales, but he doesn't seem to mind much. He says he would lose a lot more if he didn't participate -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Ines, the immigrants who are willing to participate today, are they concerned that they'll create a backlash and that people might in some way turn against them if, in fact, this turns out to be a successful boycott today?

FERRE: Well, there are some who say -- who ask themselves, well, what could follow after this? We know what happened after the last protests with the raids. But also, we know that some are saying that they don't want immigrants to be fired from their jobs. Therefore, they're really taking precaution with this, handing out petitions to have their employers sign those petitions to give them permission to take the day off so that they're not doing sort of damage control after the fact.

M. O'BRIEN: Ines Ferre with our city network, CNN En Espanol.

Thank you very much.

CNN has the Day Without Immigrants covered coast to coast, border to border, and south of the border, as well. We've got a team of CNN reporters standing by all across America and in Mexico. From L.A. to Chicago, to New York City and beyond, you'll see live reports from our Spanish language news network, CNN En Espanol. And when you're away from your television, go online to get the latest on CNN Pipeline.

It's all there at CNN.com and all day long -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Happening "In America" today, deliberations in the Zacarias Moussaoui trial begin at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time this morning in Virginia. The jury's fifth day of trying to decide if the al Qaeda operative should get the death penalty or life in prison.

An explosive movie promotion in Los Angeles for "Mission Impossible 3." Did you hear this story? Some newspaper boxes, like the one you're looking at right there, rigged with a device that plays the "Mission Impossible" theme when the box is opened.

Ah, yes, some people found that a little startling. They thought it actually might be a bomb. And that led the arson squad to blow up some of those boxes.

Note to PR people: you might want to tell somebody ahead of time.

Two boys accused of setting brushfires in Florida. The boys, age just 10 and 12, are being held at a juvenile detention center. Police are looking for a third suspect now. Brushfires in southwestern Florida have already charred more than 1,500 acres and destroyed a number of homes.

We're going to bring you the very latest on the investigation in just about two hours.

First, though, a look at the weather. Jacqui Jeras is in for Chad today.

Hey, Jacqui. Good morning, again.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey. Good morning, Soledad.

Good morning, everybody.

(WEATHER REPORT)

JERAS: Back to you guys.

S. O'BRIEN: All right, Jacqui. Thank you very much.

M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program, three years ago today, President Bush declared, "Mission Accomplished" in Iraq. Ahead, a CNN fact check on that.

Also ahead, a new warning on TV to Mexicans trying to sneak into the U.S. illegally: Do it and you will die. Our CNN's Dan Lothian with the story.

But first, a look what else is making news on this Monday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: The deadline for peace talks on Darfur is extended two more days. Rebels in Sudan want changes to the negotiated agreement. Thousands of Americans rallied in Washington, D.C., yesterday, joined by celebrities and politicians, too. Actor George Clooney, just back from Darfur, told the crowd they can help in the genocide in Darfur.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: If we turn our heads and look away and hope that it will all disappear, then they will, all of them, an entire generation of people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: The Bush administration is pushing for a peace agreement, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice complains not getting enough help from the international community -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Top stories right now.

Immigrants, perhaps in the millions, will rally and walk off jobs across the country today. America is about to find out what A Day Without Immigrants would be like, perhaps.

The Duke rape case investigation still under way. The grand jury that indicted two lacrosse players on rape charges meets again today. Results of the university's own investigation could be reported. And the Black Panthers plan to march in conjunction with all that.

And a birthday bash for the Empire State Building. Dedicated in the depths of The Depression, celebrated in movies, one of the world's most recognizable buildings today turns 75 -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: My dentist is in that building. What a great view while you're getting your teeth cleaned. I've got to tell you.

M. O'BRIEN: That is a good place.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes. And it's not bad.

M. O'BRIEN: Get your teeth done -- sure.

S. O'BRIEN: A coal mine explosion in northwest China. The official Chinese news agency is reporting that rescuers are trying to reach at least two trapped miners.

Authorities say some 30 miners were killed in Saturday's explosion. Seven miners survived the blast. The cause of the explosion is now under investigation. The mine's owner has been detained in Australia.

Family and friends of two gold miners learned that they're OK. The two were trapped under 3,000 feet underground. Rescuers have been at work since they were trapped six days ago. The rescuers have cut an opening, and they're providing them with food and water until they can actually get them out.

For more on these or any of our other top stories, you can go right to our Web site, CNN.com.

Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, the White House Correspondents Dinner. The president, oh, pretty much in rare form. He's saying something very funny there. And then (INAUDIBLE).

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... was a little late reporting that hunting episode down in Texas. In fact, I didn't know a thing about it until I saw him on "America's Most Wanted."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: He's pretty funny actually. We talk this morning to an audience member, get his reviews. We'll bring that to you in just a little bit.

You're watching AMERICAN MORNING on a Monday. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: It was three years ago today that President Bush landed on the carrier Abraham Lincoln and standing under a banner reading "Mission Accomplished" addressed U.S. troops.

Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: Because of you, our nation is more secure. Because of you, the tyrant has fallen, and Iraq is free.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: Well, three years later, Americans are being asked if the U.S. mission in Iraq has been accomplished. Only 9 percent -- 9 percent -- say yes, 84 percent say no.

In the CNN poll just released this morning, 49 percent say the U.S. will eventually accomplish its mission, 44 percent say they believe the U.S. will not.

The senior editor of "The National Journal's" "Hotline" is John Mercurio. He joins us this morning.

Good morning. Nice to see you, John.

JOHN MERCURIO, SR. EDITOR, "THE HOTLINE": Good morning, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: What do you make of those poll numbers?

MERCURIO: Well, I think the most interesting number, as you just pointed out, is the 44 percent of people who don't ever believe that the mission that we're trying to accomplish in Iraq is ever going to be accomplished. And then when you pair that up against 2,400 American troops having already been killed in Iraq, casualties, I think it becomes a very stark number and a very sad number for us to be able to look at right now. And the 9 percent, just 9 percent, when you get into single digits on almost any poll in the positive, you're really -- you're really in trouble.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, that's an indication of real trouble.

Colin Powell, as you well know, was on ITV. Listen to a little bit of what he had to say about troops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLIN POWELL, FMR. SECRETARY OF STATE: I had raised directly with General Franks and with Secretary Rumsfeld and in front of the president the size of the force that was going in. But I'm the secretary of state, not the secretary of defense or the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And the president's military advisers felt that the size of the force was adequate.

They may still feel that years later. Some of us don't. I don't. And I have said that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: Boy, that is an interesting comment. Not only for content, what he has said, but also the timing on several fronts.

MERCURIO: Well, I mean, I think in one way it wasn't that surprising. I think you've seen members of Powell's inner circle, most especially his former chief of staff, Larry Wilkerson, being very, very critical of the president's war effort. But, yes, like you said, the timing.

He knew that this was going to come on the third anniversary of "Mission Accomplished." He knew that this was going to come on the return of Condi Rice, Secretary of State Condi Rice and Donald Rumsfeld's return from Iraq. They wanted to spend the weekend talking about the future in Iraq, the progress that's been made. Unfortunately, because of Powell's comments, Rice was on the Sunday talk shows yesterday talking about the past, talking about mistakes that may have been made.

So, yes, I think the timing was important, and I think it shows sort of the evolution of Colin Powell in this whole situation.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, the fallout -- the fallout certainly has made her essentially going from an offensive position, talking about her latest trip, to a defensive position.

Listen to a little bit of what she had to say, John.

MERCURIO: Sure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: I don't remember specifically what Secretary Powell may be referring to, but I'm quite certain that there were lots of discussions about how best to fulfill the mission when we went into Iraq. And I have no doubt that all of this was taken into consideration, but that when it came down to it, the president listened to his military advisers who were to execute the plan.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: Does that explanation work, do you think, John, that the president, at the end of the day, listened to the military advisers?

MERCURIO: Well, I think the poll results that you showed earlier in this segment showed that that explanation does not work, unfortunately, for the administration. Look, they've been trying for several months -- several years, actually -- to sort of come up with different fabrications of the same explanation. And unfortunately, as the poll shows, it hasn't been working so far.

S. O'BRIEN: John Mercurio is a senior editor at "Hotline."

Thanks, John. Appreciate your time this morning.

MERCURIO: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: A short break and we're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) S. O'BRIEN: Oh, another day, more controversial compensation to talk about in business news.

ANDY SERWER, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "FORTUNE": Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Good morning, Andy Serwer.

SERWER: Good morning.

This one is really striking. I mean, that's the only way to put it.

This is the CEO of a company called UnitedHealth Group. And someone decided to show the CEO, William McGuire, the money. How about this: $1.6 billion of stock options this guy held at the end of 2005. Just imagine what you could do with 1 percent of that, $16 million.

M. O'BRIEN: That's right.

SERWER: I mean, billion.

M. O'BRIEN: Billion. Just so you're listening out there.

SERWER: Right, $1.6 billion.

S. O'BRIEN: So how is the company doing?

SERWER: The company has done really well.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

SERWER: The stock is up 70-fold over the past 15 years. It's a giant managed care company.

S. O'BRIEN: OK.

M. O'BRIEN: Well at least there's some merit here.

SERWER: He defended his package and said this isn't a giveaway of money that comes out of premiums of health care recipients. These are shareholder dollars. Well, actually, of course, you could have just charged less money. You know?

M. O'BRIEN: Well, it's all -- eventually, they're all dollars, right?

SERWER: And here's another interesting...

S. O'BRIEN: I think I belong to this group.

SERWER: You probably do.

Thank you, Mr. McGuire.

And here's another really interesting wrinkle, though. In 1997, 1999, 2000, he received stock options on the best possible day.

S. O'BRIEN: Of course he did. He's the CEO.

SERWER: On best possible day. That means the lowest price the stock traded in the whole year, three times in a row.

Coincidence.

M. O'BRIEN: Coincidental.

SERWER: He wouldn't really describe how the process worked either.

S. O'BRIEN: You need to explain how business works, too, Andy. It goes like this...

SERWER: I mean, he just -- it was just -- he said it's not backed in. You're not supposed to do that, Soledad. You're not supposed to -- quickly here, we want to get to Rick Wagoner, who's the CEO of GM.

He received a nearly 50 percent pay cut. Maybe a little more fairness over there.

He was paid $10 million in '04, $5.5 million last year. Still a lot of money for a company that lost billions of dollars. But he did not get a bonus, but then again, he has a $2.2 million dollar base salary.

So, what do you think? Too much money for the CEO of a company kind of going down the tubes?

S. O'BRIEN: What do you mean he didn't get a bonus?

SERWER: He didn't. He got stock options.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh.

SERWER: And he had base pay, and then he got some other pay. But he didn't get a bonus. So that's why it went from $10 million to $5 million.

M. O'BRIEN: I think he gets a free car, though.

SERWER: He does.

M. O'BRIEN: So...

SERWER: Any GM car he wants.

M. O'BRIEN: Any car he wants.

SERWER: First prizes, right.

S. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Andy.

SERWER: Second prizes -- you're welcome.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you, Andy.

As we approach the top of the hour, let's get a check of the forecast. Jacqui Jeras is in for Chad today.

Hello, Jacqui.

JERAS: Hey. Good morning, guys.

Good morning, everybody.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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