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American Morning

Mexico's President Vicente Fox Diving into Heated Debate Over Immigration; Fast Filmmakers

Aired May 23, 2006 - 09:31   ET

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


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Mexico's President Vicente Fox crossing the border today, diving right into that heated debate over immigration, but could he undermine his own efforts?
Ed Lavandera with our story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mexican President Vicente Fox's visit to Utah may not appear to make a lot of sense, but when you realize the state's Hispanic population, made up of mostly of Mexicans, has tripled since 1990, it does. Fox will use Utah as an example of what the illegal work force means to the United States, but he's walking a fine line, especially among critics who say a Mexican president should not interfere in American politics.

PRES. VINCENTE FOX, MEXICO: U.S. economy needs this energy, needs this working force. At the same time, we know that we have to do the part of our responsibility that has to do with building up opportunities in Mexico.

LAVANDERA: Fox's government says it opposes President Bush's plan to use the military to support efforts to protect the border. Fox also says the U.S. should make it easier for Mexican immigrants to earn legal status. Some Utah politicians in this conservative state say they support President Bush's idea of a guest worker program, but that puts them at odds with organizers of the Utah Minutemen, who are planning marches at Fox's visits.

ALEX SEGURA, UTAH MINUTEMEN: To me, it's mind blogging that the conservative state that we are continues to pander to Mexico's wants and desires.

LAVANDERA: But the business of this visit is business. Mexico is Utah's third largest trading partner. President Fox is scheduled to meet with Utah's governor, local business and Mormon church leaders, as well as members of Salt Lake City's growing Mexican community.

(on camera): When Vincente Fox ran for president of Mexico six years ago, he made a point of campaigning in the United States, looking for votes among Mexican nationals living here. It's election year again in Mexico, and even though Vincente Fox can't be reelected, it never hurts to press the flesh among his own countrymen to help his own political party.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Salt Lake City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: The Senate just minutes away from getting back to work on the immigration bill. Congressional correspondent Dana Bash live for us on Capitol Hill.

Dan, good morning to you.

Are you expecting that in fact we're going to see a vote on this bill very soon?

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We do. We actually expect likely there will be a final vote by the end of the week, and you know, the Senate bill essentially gives millions of illegal workers the ability to work towards citizenship. They also tried to beef up the border security portion of this to try to appease some conservatives, many conservatives who simply say that that guest worker program is unacceptable.

But so far, since the debate started last week, Soledad, senators, who form a pretty big, broad bipartisan coalition supporting this bill on the Senate floor have been able to defeat measures to change it significantly.

S. O'BRIEN: If they can't keep that broad bipartisan coalition, do you think at the end of the day, that translates very badly for the Republicans in the midterm elections?

LAVANDERA: It's a good question. Because a couple of months ago, Republican leaders here on the Hill and at the White House said they really need to get an immigration bill passed, the president to sign off on it by the end of this election year. Why? Because, first of all, it's obviously a hot issue, but also they need a win. They're in charge. They need to show that they can get something really big actually accomplished.

But ironically there are conservatives, or Republicans, who fear that working with Democrats can actually hurt their chances this election year. Why? Because no matter how many times the president says that this guest worker program is not amnesty, conservatives don't believe it, and they have built election strategies in 2002 and 2004 on getting out the conservative base. If they're angry enough and they stay home, they expect to hurt Republicans in November -- Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, it sure could. Al right, Dana Bash for us this morning. Dana, thanks.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: Andy Serwer here. How are you?

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: I'm fine, you guys. Ford has to pony up tens of millions dollars more to keep rolling. Plus, online sales are spiking. You mean you bought that computer from a store? We'll tell you about that.

M. O'BRIEN: Also ahead on the program, you might not recognize Avril Lavigne in her new movie. Look at her on the left there. That doesn't look like her. She's doing the possum thing. It's the voice- over deal. We're ask her about her new movie "Over the Hedge," ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Directors, on your mark, get set, action. In cities across the U.S. and in Europe, aspiring filmmakers are racing the clock to make a cinematic statement.

AMERICAN MORNING's Dan Lothian with more on the 48-Hour Film Festival.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's like making a short movie in fast forward. Just 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit. Every second counts.

BEN GUARALDI, 48-HOUR FILM PROJECT: I mean, most of these people wouldn't do this with their weekend. And usually a short film will take anywhere from three months to two years to make.

LOTHIAN: Seventy teams show up with no idea about what they'll be doing, until they reach into a hat, pick a genre...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unfortunately I got comedy this time.

LOTHIAN: And are assigned a prop, a character, and this line of dialogue.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's why I don't trust her anymore.

LOTHIAN: The clock then starts the race to shoot a four to seven-minute movie. They are small time filmmakers, actors, or people just seeking a creative rush.

PETE PILLITTERI, SOPHOMORIC PRODUCTIONS: It's a collective improv, and you see the best in people, when they're pushed up against the wall.

LOTHIAN: Four teams agreed to shoot behind the teams for AMERICAN MORNING. Team Tapioca begins brainstorming a historical fiction flick about Y2K.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It starts with the news, and then you cut back and you actually see the family watching this.

LOTHIAN: They'll have to work in the mandatory prop, a bicycle pump. Team Kenny Hill decides right away sleep is overrated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Basically if you sleep, you're losing minutes.

LOTHIAN: The challenge? Turning mandatory Gee Goforth (ph), a professional eating competitor, into a story. Within hours of the start, teams Sophomoric Productions and Red Balloon are rolling. The pressure on all these teams is intense.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're about two hours behind schedule.

LOTHIAN: Some can't stay awake.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is 2:30 in the morning.

LOTHIAN: Some can't stay healthy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had two of my sound people get sick.

LOTHIAN: Reporter: Mistakes are made.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We tried two locations that didn't work.

LOTHIAN: Dashing to beat the deadline, soundtracks are polished, editing machines are on fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cut right there. That's amazing.

LOTHIAN: Forty-eight hours later.

(CHEERING)

LOTHIAN: ... Team Tapioca misses the deadline.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We picked a genre that we were not prepared for.

LOTHIAN (on camera): All the films are screened over five days. Team Red Balloon wowed the audience with a story about the Cold War conflict, with a twist.

(voice-over): The U.S. loses to the soviets in thumb wrestling. balloon twisting, and hulahooping. But ultimately wins the food eating contest. Gee Goforth becomes an American hero, a creative competition, where many are hoping for the ultimate prize.

GUARALDI: We hope that somebody can enter our contest just off the street and get discovered.

LOTHIAN: Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: You can also check out some of the films yourself. The 48-Hour Film project will visit more than 30 cities this year, so look for it.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES) S. O'BRIEN: Hey, guys. We're getting some information from an ABC News Web site. We want to update you. This word coming in now from abcnews.com. It looks as if Charlie Gibson, in fact, is going to be the sole anchor of "World News Tonight," which of course airs on ABC. His new assignment, we're being told here, takes effect on May 29th. He's going to continue as co-anchor, sort of doing double duty of "GMA," until June 30th, and Elizabeth Vargas is going to step down, take her maternity leave and return to co-anchor "20/20" and ABC News specials, which you'll remember of course she and Bob Woodruff were named co-anchors of the broadcast in December 2005. Bob Woodruff is now recovering from injuries that he suffered in Iraq. Just a little breaking news to share with you.

A short break, and I guess we're going to first check in with Daryn.

M. O'BRIEN: Let's check in with Daryn first. Daryn, what's coming up in the next couple of hours on CNN?

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: I was just reading that same news about ABC News. Fascinating. Let's talk about the next couple hours. You're just minutes away from the Tuesday edition of "LIVE TODAY." The top stories, plus a few of the odd ones we found as well.

Getting voters to the polls in Arizona. Study that planned to award one lucky citizen a big cash jackpot. But you've got to vote if you want to be a millionaire.

Everything's bigger in Texas, we know that. Here's the proof: 400 pounds of gator looking for love in suburban Houston.

Plus, do you want fries with that?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get me a beer. Good boy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: He'd make a good waiter if he had hands. Meet a smart dog who knows his beer. He'll fetch just about anything, and I'll be here to fetch the news for you for the next two hours, starting at the top of the day -- the top of the hour.

M. O'BRIEN: How do I get me a dog like that? I want me.

KAGAN: Dog, get me a beer!

M. O'BRIEN: Get me a bear. Forget the newspaper, just get me a beer. All right, thank you, Daryn.

Coming up, singer Avril Lavigne, playing a possum in movie theaters all across the country. She's in the animated movie. It's called "Over the Hedge." And we'll ask her about what it's like to play a possum. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: That's Avril Lavigne singing "My Happy Ending" from her platinum second album, called "Under My Skin." Of course, we're all used to hearing Avril Lavigne sing. Now we get to hear her talk. She is the voice of Heather the Possum in the star-filled animated movie called "Over the Hedge." Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ha-ha.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was just snow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But it could have been a predator.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Isn't playing dead a little weak?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Heather, how many times must I say it? Playing possum is what we do. We die so that we live.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: Heather the Possum, Avril Lavigne. Nice to see you. William Shatner plays your dad. You're a hugely successful singer, obviously. Why did you want to try acting, too?

AVRIL LAVIGNE, "OVER THE HEDGE": When I was younger, I was interested in it. I was in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," "Godspell." And the singing thing all worked out, so now I'm like, you know -- I'm ready for a challenge and a change.

S. O'BRIEN: New challenges.

LAVIGNE: And I'm really excited.

S. O'BRIEN: What did you like about the role? I mean, beside the fact that there was just -- it's star-filled? We talked to Wanda Sykes. I mean, you've got a million stars in it. It's a very cute role, too.

LAVIGNE: Yes, Heather is just like your typical teenager.

S. O'BRIEN: "Dad!"

LAVIGNE: Yes. It's pretty easy to do and, you know, you can relate. A lot of kids can relate to the part, and it's really funny. It felt very natural for me, because, you know, because, we're like, it was hard -- no, it was easy.

S. O'BRIEN: I would wonder if it's weird, because I guess, with animated films, you're not acting with anybody?

LAVIGNE: No.

S. O'BRIEN: Is it sort of fine for you, because that's how you record an album? It's kind of the same thing?

LAVIGNE: And being in a studio, you know, I'm familiar with it.

S. O'BRIEN: I think a lot of actors are kind of thrown by the whole -- like, there's no one to bounce off of.

LAVIGNE: Yes. But for me, I actually -- maybe that was easier for me, being my first time and not being intimidated by other people around me.

S. O'BRIEN: You really have grown up in front of the public.

LAVIGNE: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Is it weird and hard, or is there an upside to it, too?

LAVIGNE: It's fine. I mean, lately, people are focusing on my style and how much it's changed. And I think since a lot of people still think of me as this 17-year-old little kind of skater tomboy...

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I mean, look at the -- on the picture on the left, you're sort of like this little grunge chick, and now you're -- look at the that, on the right. This is you from -- where was that picture taken?

LAVIGNE: The premiere of "Over the Hedge" in L.A.

S. O'BRIEN: You are like Miss Glamour Queen. So cute. Is there any...

LAVIGNE: Well, I'm wearing skulls on my neck wear and I have a black dress on.

S. O'BRIEN: Edgy glamour queen.

LAVIGNE: And my little shoes had fish nets, so...

S. O'BRIEN: Is it -- is it sort of a conscious change to sort of put on a new -- or was it just sort of experimenting with something new?

LAVIGNE: It's natural just, you know, into your 20s, you feel more feminine. You become more feminine. We all go through it.

S. O'BRIEN: All growing up. Good luck to you on both fronts.

LAVIGNE: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: The movie front and the music front, of course. Avril Lavigne.

(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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