Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Shuttle Discovery; Rape-Killing Charges; Deadline Passes; Presidential Fourth; Spain Subway Crash; Helmet Help; Big Dogs
Aired July 04, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The space shuttle stack, as they call it, we're talking about. It's up above the space shuttle orbiter, which is the big concern, of course, because anything that would fall off in this region has the potential, the concern is, to strike the underside of the space shuttle Discovery. Those very fragile heat protecting tiles that are beneath the belly of the craft and protected it from the searing heat of re-entry. You'll recall the loss of Columbia. It was a breech in one of the heat protection devices on the leading edge of the wing that led to its loss three and a half years ago.
A closer shot of what engineers saw. A routine inspection after they tried to launch twice over the weekend but could not on account of weather. And what they saw was a four to five inch very subtle crack. They've got good eyes and they have good telescopes and good telephoto lenses. I'm just going to put a line through it so you know where it is, then clear it away so you can see what I'm talking about. That's the crack.
And while they were trying to figure out what that crack was all about, in the midst of that, look what happened. A piece, a triangular piece, very small, about the weight of a penny, about half the weight that you'd be concerned about for causing serious damage, came off. Not as close a shot. But you see there in that triangular space that is discolored where it came off. Fell to the base of the launch pad and left engineers scratching their head on three fronts.
Would ice form inside there? Would the loss of that foam cause a problem because it is, after all, there for insulation to keep the cold in and the hot out as it goes to orbit. And could there be other pieces that might fall off? In other words, was the integrity of that foam damaged?
And one of the problems was, how were they going to look on the top side of that strut to get a good look at it? Well they figured it out. The team found a way. Let's listen to the deputy administrator, Bill Gerstenmaier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM GERSTENMAIER, ASSOCIATE NASA ADMINISTRATOR: They were able to get views of the bracket, both on top and below, and those views show that foam is structurally intact. It shows that the gaps that are supposed to be there between the two pieces of remaining foam are clear of debris. There's no loose foam in there. It all looks fine and the structure is in good shape. (END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: OK. And a quick word on the clock behind me. A lot of people want to know why it doesn't match the time. Because the expected liftoff time is 2:38 p.m. Eastern Time. That's when the space station will sink up in such a way that the shuttle can reach it. It happens once a day.
The countdown clock saying behind me there that it's three hours and counting below. There's a series of holds built into that countdown. And the only time that the countdown clock actually matches the chronological clock is inside the nine-minute mark. So we'll be watching for you all day, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We'll get back to you. Thank you, Miles.
In other news this morning, serious charges being brought against an American soldier. A former Army private facing charges stemming from a brutal attack in March just south of Baghdad. AMERICAN MORNING's Bob Franken live in Charlotte, North Carolina. He's been following this story.
Good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
And right now he is being held in a civilian jail here in Charlotte as officials try to sort out just who will end up with jurisdiction.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN, (voice over): He faces a possible death penalty. Twenty-one-year-old Steven Green accused of rape and murder. He's one of four, investigators say, participated in a brutal attack on an Iraqi woman and her family in Mahmudiya just south of Baghdad on March 12th.
Authorities say Green and three others conspired to rape the 20- year-old woman. And after a night of drinking, the four went to the family's home. It's alleged that Green shot dead the woman's relatives, including a five-year-old girl. According to an FBI affidavit, Green and another soldier then raped the woman. The affidavit, quoting one of his comrades says, Green then shot her to death. To cover up their crimes, the four set the house and dead victims on fire.
According to the FBI, these latest accusations against members of the U.S. military in Iraq came to light just two weeks ago during stress debriefing of soldiers. Those debriefings followed the brutal killings by Iraqi insurgents of two U.S. soldiers kidnapped from a checkpoint. They were members of the 101st Airborne Division, as was Green.
He was arrested in Marian (ph), North Carolina. He was initially held here in Charlotte. Processed in a civilian, not a military court. Green had been honorably discharged from the Army in March. He had left the military, said the FBI investigator, due to personality disorder.
Private First Class Green was last stationed at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, along with the others under investigation. Authorities plan to move him to Louisville, although they gave no timetable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: This is one of several investigations but U.S. officials continue to insist that all of these are isolated incidents.
Carol.
COSTELLO: I want to ask you more about that personality disorder and why exactly this young man left the service.
FRANKEN: Well, we are not given many details of that. It's a matter of, first of all, it's a personnel matter. Second of all, of course, there's a very sensitive investigation going on. But what we have been led to believe is that this was not a matter of psychosis but more a matter of not really fitting into the military.
Carol.
COSTELLO: Bob Franken reporting live for us this morning. Thanks.
A kidnapping this morning in Baghdad. Iraq's deputy electricity minister and 19 bodyguards were taken by gunmen dressed in military uniforms. The attackers in nine four-wheel drive vehicles stopped the deputy minister's four-car convoy. A Sunni female legislature and seven bodyguards were kidnapped three days ago.
We're awaiting word this morning on the fate of an Israeli soldier abducted in Gaza more than a week ago. A deadline set by Palestinian militants believe to be holding the 19-year-old have come and gone. CNN's Paula Hancocks live in Gaza City for us this morning.
Good morning.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol.
Well, we have heard from the Palestinian militant's three sources that they believe the discussions are closed now. This deadline passed. And the Palestinian demand of prisoners to be released from Israeli jails was not met. So as far as they're concerned, it is case closed.
Now in the Mahan (ph) news agency, a Palestinian independent news agency, they're quoting the militants as saying they will not kill the abducted soldier. As they say, that is not in keeping with Islam.
Now Israel had rejected all the demands from the Palestinian militants themselves, say they wouldn't circum to extortion. And we've heard from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert this Tuesday. He has given the green light to the Israeli military to do everything that is necessary in order to make sure that this 19-year-old corporal, Gilad Shalit, is brought back to Israel safely.
Now along with all these diplomatic routes that are being pursued still behind closed doors, we're still having Israeli air strikes in the early hours of Tuesday. They hit the Islamic university here in the heart of Gaza City. The Israeli forces saying that they believe that's where terror plots were being hatched by Hamas and other militant groups.
We also know a Palestinian militant was killed in northern Gaza. There's a lot more activity in northern Gaza now. Still not this extensive operation that Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert had threatened. But certainly an increase in shelling over the past couple of hours or so.
And in addition, back to the 18-year-old Sepla (ph), who's body was found last Thursday. He was abducted and killed by one of those militants holding this Israeli soldier. Three Palestinian militants have been arrested now in Ramala (ph) in the West Bank, the Israeli defense forces saying, in relation to that murder.
COSTELLO: Paula Hancocks reporting live for us this morning. Thank you.
Let's head back to Florida and Miles.
You know, what are the astronauts doing now?
O'BRIEN: Right now they're getting up and getting ready. Getting a bite to eat. We should see a picture of them in about an hour and a half or so. The customary pre-launch picture. They don't -- they used to call it the breakfast picture. They don't really eat anything. It's just a photo op. We'll see them very shortly. But probably waking up with a few butterflies. Although this is the third time they've gone through the drill.
The president -- really he should be here today. This would be a good place for him to be to mark Independence Day. But another good place to be would be a military base in North carolina. He's set to leave the White House within the next 20 minutes. Patriotic thing to recognize the troops on the Fourth of July. Ed Henry at the White House with more.
Hello, Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.
That's right, in a time of war, President Bush heading this morning to North Carolina, Fort Bragg in particular, to deliver Independence Day remarks. As you know, of course, Fort Bragg home of the paratrooper and special operations.
During his speech, which will, of course, not surprisingly strike patriotic themes, talk about sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan. The president will be standing under a giant American flag hoisted by a crane. He'll also be standing in front of a large statue known as Iron Mike at Fort Bragg. It symbolizes a World War II airborne ranger.
The president, after delivering his remarks, will also have lunch with some troops, talk to them about various issues they're facing and also then come back to the White House later this afternoon to watch the fireworks on the National Mall from here at the White House. He'll be with staff, he'll be with family and friends. And we're told this will also serve, really, as an early birthday celebration for the president. As you know, on Thursday, he hits the big 60.
Miles.
O'BRIEN: Oh, the big 60. But that's the new 40, isn't it?
HENRY: Yes, that's what I think he's starting to tell people, but I'm not sure if they're believing it.
O'BRIEN: Yes. The closer I get to it, the more it feels like the new 40. All right, thank you very much, Ed Henry.
The president and the first lady, young as ever, will be sitting down with the forever young Larry King Thursday night, 9:00 Eastern Time. That's an exclusive interview. You want to check that one out right here on CNN.
Carol.
COSTELLO: Thanks, Miles.
Happening now in America.
New Jersey Governor John Corzine calling lawmakers back to work. He wants them in the office every day until the budget crisis is figured out. If not, casinos in Atlantic City could close tomorrow.
And Castle Rock, Washington. Police trying to figure out why an Amtrak train collided with a Honda Accord. All four people in the car were killed. A railway spokesman says the crossing is clearly marked and the engineer blew his whistle.
An early Fourth of July celebration burning down a brand new home in Pompano Beach, Florida, north of Miami. Firefighters say children were playing with fireworks when one landed on the roof of the home. The family was planning to move in next week.
In Arizona, how do you instill patriotism in the hearts and minds of thousands of hardened criminals? How about playing the National Anthem over and over and over. The Amercopa (ph) County Jail will play the National Anthem and "God Bless America" twice a day. And, yes, prisoners will be required to stand at attention.
And 55,000 racers racing through Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood. It is the annual Peachtree Road Race. The wheelchair competition just got started, oh, just minutes ago. The foot race begins in about 20 minutes. Organizers call it the biggest 10k in the entire world.
Something Chad Myers has never done.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No. Have you done it?
COSTELLO: No, but I wish I -- I'm always working.
MYERS: Yes. You know there are so many racers in this race that the ones that are finally let go at the end, the leaders have already crossed the finish line already because you can't just start 55,000 people running all at the same time. So the fast people get to go first. These guys are just -- the just go so amazingly fast. They go first because they can get this done in half the time you can do it in running. But great stamina heading up what we call heartbreak hill or cardiac hill right there at Piedmont Hospital. At least it's right in front of the hospital. But it's a huge hill coming up Peachtree.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: We're watching the weather here as well. Hoping things go well for the launch of the space shuttle Discovery, in spite of the discovery of a crack in the foam which covers the external fuel tank. In a moment we'll check in with the head of NASA, Mike Griven (ph), and ask him if the agency has a little bit of launch fever.
Carol.
COSTELLO: Also ahead, summer bites. Or at least the mosquitoes do. We'll have tips on protecting yourself from those pesky critters.
Plus, it's not the Fourth of July without the Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest. And this year an up-start (ph) American could give the defending champ a run for his money. We're going to take you live to Coney Island. That's just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
BOU RICHBERRY (ph): Hi. My name is Bou Richberry from Ford (ph) Operating Base Warhorse (ph) in Baqubah, Iraq. I'd like to say hi and I love you to my wife, Barbara, my children, Bobby, Francis and Alesha (ph), in Brooks, Georgia. Happy Fourth of July.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The black box may hold the answer to what caused that horrific subway accident in Spain. Investigators hope to get a crack at the recording from the overtrained train today. More than 40 people died in Monday's accident. CNN's Aneesh Raman live in Valencia, Spain, to tell us more.
Hello, Aneesh.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, Valencia is a city in mourning today. Five minutes of silence observed just about an hour ago here and also west of us in the capital, Madrid, after that train derailment, deemed an accident by authorities, left at least 41 people dead and dozens of others wounded. Officials say the train was traveling too fast and then a wheel broke as the train was making a turn. That is when it derailed. A second carriage hit the first carriage.
I was at the scene of the incident earlier today, Jesus (ph) station in downtown Valencia. Wreckage still remains underneath the street. And what authorities are dealing with now is whether they have to really dig through the street in order to get the remaining debris and find that black box to figure out essentially whether this was human error or mechanical error. It was not a terrorist attack. That was deemed not to be the case by authorities from the start.
Where I'm standing now is just outside the city's main funeral home. All of those killed, at least 41 officially the death toll, their bodies have been brought in. The family members have been here. They've been grieving. I've been inside. It's a n incredibly somber atmosphere as they contemplate and deal with this tragedy.
Red Cross official who are here to help with the psychological toll, they are telling me that the biggest fear they have is what happens with these relatives in the days and weeks ahead. This is a city that was celebrating a catholic gathering, the pope to arrive Saturday. It is now, though, as I said, a city in mourning.
Carol.
COSTELLO: Aneesh Raman reporting live for us from Valencia, Spain.
Helmet upgrades that may be better protection against roadside bombs are not standard military issue. And some troops heading to Iraq and Afghanistan can't afford to pay for them out of pocket. Several citizen groups have stepped up to help. Now Bob Lawrence of our affiliate KGTV in San Diego reports on a special offer that could jump-start the effort.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): A Marine convoy heads out on patrol and runs headfirst into an IED, improvised explosive device. This is only a simulation, but these Marine reserves will face the real thing soon enough. And many believe they're not as protected as they could be.
SHANNAN LIMON, MARINE'S WIFE; The main thing that these pads do is absorb energy of a bomb blast which these light-weight helmets were not necessarily designed to do.
LAWRENCE: Before Shannan's husband deployed, he was looking to upgrade his standard issue Marine helmet, but the upgrade kit costs about $100. That's where 10,000 RV stepped in.
TONY FREEMAN, 10,000 RV DEALERSHIP Cher happened to be on CNN "Anderson Cooper" talking about Operation Helmet. LAWRENCE: Cher attended a hearing with Dr. Robert Megers, the founder of Operation Helmet, who went to Congress convinced that the webbing in other helmets does not offer the protection when it comes to IEDs.
LIMON: This is something that the guys are asking for. And they either have to purchase it themselves if they want it or they have to depend on Operation Helmet to send it to them.
LAWRENCE: To that effort, 10,000 RV's stepped up with a $10,000 check and a challenge to others.
FREEMAN: Send it to Operation Helmet and we will match all the donations up to $10,000 during the month of July. And we believe that will help eliminate that backlog of needed upgrade kits.
LAWRENCE: That backlog is roughly 450 kits. As far as standard issue, the Marines are not yet convinced but they're beginning tests.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: That was Bob Lawrence of our affiliate KGTV reporting. Those interested in contributing to the program can visit operationhelmet.org for more information.
Coming up, tips to make your summer a little less itchy. We'll tell you the best ways to fight off mosquitoes.
Miles.
O'BRIEN: Boy, we sure could use that here, Carol Costello, at the Kennedy Space Center where the mosquitoes are ravenous. Perhaps they're anxious as well to see the launch of the space shuttle Discovery slated for 2:38 p.m. Eastern. We're going to check in with the administrator of NASA and ask him if the agency feels pressed to launch today.
Allan.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Allan Chernoff in Coney Island where the Great American hot dog eating contest will be held later today. Will we have a new world record? We'll talk about it when AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Oh, it was born on the Fourth of July and each year the world comes to Coney Island, not for fireworks, but for the Nathan's Famous international hot dog eating contest. It's the premier stomach-churning event on the competitive eating circuit and today is the 91st edition. CNN's Allan Chernoff is live on Coney Island with the lowdown.
CHERNOFF: Good morning, Carol.
As you can see, they're cleaning it Coney Island for the annual event. And we're get ready to have some hot dogs for breakfast. Why not? Because in this quintessential America playground, this is where the hot dog became famous. And, in fact, there is no greater stage than Nathan's Famous here in Coney Island and the word of competitive eating.
Today actually promises to be a great day in competitive eating, especially for Americans because finally the United States has a chance of regaining the mustard yellow belt from the greatest competitive eater of all-time -- Japan's Kobayashi.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF, (voice over): Five-time hot dog eating champion Takeru Kobayashi has so dominated his chosen sport that competitors are in awe of his skill. The Japanese gurgitator holds the world record, 53 « hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.
CRAZY LEGS CONTI, COMPETITIVE EATER: Kobayashi's found a way to processes food better than any human in history. And somehow it's like a wood chipper. It just goes in and it just disappears. So he's got it, zen, mind over stomach matter.
CHERNOFF: Most of Kobayashi's challengers can see they could never match his record pace.
RICH 'THE LOCUST' LEFEVRE, COMPETITIVE EATER: If the contest were longer, I would probably do over 40.
CHERNOFF: So if they could just extend it to the whole . . .
LEFEVRE: If they'd make it 20 minutes instead of 12 minutes, that would probably . . .
CHERNOFF: Well, they could make it an afternoon barbeque even.
LEFEVRE: Yes. Exactly. Yes. That's what I would like.
CHERNOFF: But today the United States does have a shot at Kobayashi, who won with 49 hot dogs and buns last year. Now the hope of America rests on the shoulders of 22-year-old Joey Chestnut who ate 50 hot dogs in a qualifying event.
Do you think, though, that he's vulnerable?
JOEY CHESTNUT, COMPETITIVE EATER: He has a record on the line. And he has everything to lose. I've never won this. He has the title. So I'm just trying to do my best.
CHERNOFF: Indeed experts from the International Federation of Competitive Eating say Chestnut has both the potential and the stomach to become an American eating hero.
GEORGE SHEA, INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF COMPETITIVE EATING: And here's this kid, this youthful kid, only 22-years old. He doesn't even know that he can't win. He doesn't know he can't eat 50 hot dogs. He's got that arrogance and ignorance of youth. GERSH KUNTZMAN, COMPETITIVE EATING JUDGE: Kobayashi's done this five years in a row. On some level, he knows it, his stomach knows it, the competitors know it and even the hot dogs know it but he doesn't have that fire in the belly anymore that you need.
CHERNOFF: Takeru let me ask you, do you like hot dogs?
TAKERU KOBAYASHI, (through translator): Yes.
CHERNOFF: What's your favorite food?
KOBAYASHI: Tofu.
CHERNOFF: Tofu.
And the tofu-loving hot dog champ concedes this July 4th the mustard yellow championship belt could return to American soil.
KOBAYASHI: Yes, there's a chance I can lose.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: A tofu-loving hot dog champion? I don't know. I think I smell an upset here. But the odds makers online, they're actually saying that Kobayashi is the favorite. Joey Chestnut, three to one odds.
Carol.
COSTELLO: You know I'm just wondering why they weigh these people before the contest. Why is that?
CHERNOFF: Well, you know, this is a championship bout here. That's why, you know.
COSTELLO: Oh. I thought they weighed them afterwards to see if they gained weight.
CHERNOFF: It's the heavy weight battle.
COSTELLO: What is the champ's technique and what is the American's secret technique that we don't know yet?
CHERNOFF: OK. Well, Joey Chestnut doesn't have that much of a secret technique. He pretty much just takes the dog, shoves it in. But there is something very important. First of all what Kobayashi does, he takes the hot dog, he splits it apart and he just shoves it in like that. OK. That's the easy part. The hard part, the bun. Of course a bun is very dry. If you are speed eating, Kobayashi splits it, he then dunks it in water and then shoves it in.
Carol, it goes down much faster when you wet the bun. That is the secret to competitive hot dog eating. Of course, I could probably only eat about three of them. But that's why I'm here and not up on the stage.
COSTELLO: Pretty good gurgitating, though, Allan. Thank you very much. Allan Chernoff reporting live from Coney Island.
Summer is here. So are the mosquitoes. We've got tips on the best ways to get them to buzz off.
Miles.
O'BRIEN: Hey, who you telling to buzz off? Live from the Kennedy Space Center, Miles O'Brien here. In a moment we're going to ask the NASA administrator if this problem with the cracked foam is nothing more than a mosquito compared to the huge size of the space shuttle program. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
