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American Morning

Shuttle Discovery Set to Launch Today; Presidential Fourth; North Korea's Threat

Aired July 04, 2006 - 06:30   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Happening this morning, the countdown is on as the space shuttle Discovery is set for launch at 2:38 this afternoon Eastern Time. NASA says it isn't concerned about a loose piece of insulation.
Palestinian militants now say they will not talk about a kidnapped Israeli soldier since their demands to have prisoners freed were not met. Israel is shelling Gaza this morning and threatening retaliation if that soldier is harmed.

New Jersey lawmakers will be on the job today trying to work out a budget agreement. Most government offices remain shut down. Atlantic City casinos and state beaches could be next if no agreement is reached.

Good morning to you. And happy Fourth of July. Welcome to a split edition of AMERICAN MORNING.

I'm Carol Costello in for Soledad in New York.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Carol.

Good morning to all of you.

I'm Miles O'Brien, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the weather so far, we are happy to report, is beautiful. Eighty percent chance there will be weather favorable for a space shuttle launch today. If it does happen, it will be the first time in the 25- year-plus history of the space shuttle program that they will try for a July 4th launch.

Now, NASA does have a history of trying to come up with important events that coincide with Independence Day. As a matter of fact, there was a shuttle landing July 4, 1982. This was the fourth space shuttle mission, the last of the so-called experimental flights, two- person crew.

The crew, headed up by Ken Mattingly, landed at Edwards Air Force Base July 4, 1982, and they were greeted by none other than President Reagan and first lady, Nancy Reagan. There you see beside them some other space shuttle crew members.

Fast forward now, July 4, 1997, to the Red Planet we go. Remember the Pathfinder mission with that little rover that was up there, Sojourner? July 4th was the landing date for it. It generated millions and millions of Internet hits. It was kind of the first big Internet event, if you'll recall back then, as we all saw pictures from Mars for the first time in nearly 20 years, laying the groundwork for a series of Mars missions now. We've become accustomed to having rovers and spacecraft on Mars.

Then last year, Deep Impact, July 4, 2005. Fireworks on the comet Tempel 1 Spacecraft deliberately crashing into that comet to kick up a plume of dust and ice and who knows what else. But by kicking up that dust cloud, it allowed other instruments to look into it and get a sense of what comets are made of. And if you know what a comet is made of, you know how old and how the universe and how the solar system all began.

Speaking of how old, President Bush celebrating two major birthdays today, the country's and his own.

CNN's Ed Henry reporting from the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: President Bush heads to North Carolina this morning to deliver remarks at an Independence Day celebration at Ft. Bragg, the Army base that's home of the paratroopers and Special Operations. During his speech, he will, of course, strike patriotic themes and talk about sacrifice in Iraq.

The president will be under a giant American flag hoisted by a crane. It will be standing in front of a giant statue known as Iron Mike, who symbolizes a World War II Airborne Ranger.

The president returns to the White House this evening to watch fireworks on the National Mall with family and friends. That will serve as an early birthday party for the president, who on Thursday hits the big 60.

Ed Henry, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: In other news this morning, Iraq's justice minister this morning demanding international oversight into a U.S. murder case. Former Army private Steven Green now facing charges of rape and murder after allegedly raping and killing an Iraqi woman and murdering her family.

AMERICAN MORNING'S Bob Franken live in Charlotte, North Carolina, this morning to tell us more.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, at the moment, the United States government is trying to decide who will maintain oversight over this case. But right now, Steven Green is being held here in the Mecklenburg County Jail. He was arrested by civilian authorities because he had, in fact, been discharged from the U.S. military subsequent to the incident which occurred on March 12th of this year. The allegations say that that was the day that a group of four went to the home of a family, killed the four members of the family and murdered and raped a young woman -- there are varying descriptions of her age -- before setting the place afire. And that all of this only came out after in June. There had been the kidnapping and murder of some other fellow members of the same 101st Airborne Division, and there was some stress counseling afterwards, and the story came spilling out at that particular point.

Well, the first to be arrested is arrested by civilian authorities, as I said. It's Steven Green, who was taken into custody in Marion, North Carolina, not far from here. The reason civilian authorities involved, because he is no longer a member of the military. Officials, as I said, are trying to determine what to do with that.

The others who allegedly were involved are being held by military authorities. Their weapons have been taken away as they try and decide where this investigation is going -- Carol.

COSTELLO: OK. You hinted at this, but the military could, I don't know, go through some sort of process and he could be tried in a military court, right?

FRANKEN: Well, that's a possibility. Among the things they're considering is, in effect, re-enlisting him so he would come under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

What's important here, too, is that whether he's tried as a civilian or in the military, if he was found guilty as charged, he could face the death penalty.

COSTELLO: Bob Franken, live in Charlotte, North Carolina, this morning.

Thanks.

Happening In America, a working holiday for lawmakers in New Jersey today. Governor Jon Corzine has asked them to report to the state house this morning and stay there until they adopt a budget. The failed budget talks have forced most state offices to close. State beaches, parks and even the casinos could close by tomorrow, too, if lawmakers do not agree on a budget.

Police in Phoenix trying to link together a string of shootings. There have been 11 since May and three just this past weekend. None of the shootings were fatal.

The main route to Yosemite Park in California shut down. Highway 140 is now sitting beneath a massive rockslide. Rocks started falling in late April and haven't stopped yet. Crews are now building a temporary bridge around the pile. No word on when it will be ready.

Want to buy an entire town? Parts of Warren, Connecticut, up for sale on eBay. You can get an antique store, a bed and breakfast, and about 7,800 acres of land. Starting bid, $5 million. You have until July 30th to make an offer. So not too late.

Celebrating the Fourth of July early in Chicago. This was the scene last night in Grant Park. The fireworks wrapping up the annual Taste of Chicago Festival.

And if you're flying through Chicago this Fourth of July, you're certainly not alone. O'Hare International is once again the country's busiest airport. More than 477,000 flights have stopped there since January.

Coming in at number two, Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta, with more than 472,000 flights. Atlanta was first last year but fell after Delta Airlines, which has its hub in Atlanta, started cutting flights.

Let's head to the forecast center to see if there will be any delays due to the weather. Chad has the answer.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Typically on the Fourth of July they actually reduce the number of planes in the air because half of them are empty, or maybe two-thirds of them are empty. So we don't expect too many airport delays, although it certainly could happen today when a thunderstorm rolls over a certain city.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Coming up, we'll go back to Miles at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida for today's shuttle countdown.

Also ahead, North Korea threatening nuclear war with the United States. Can North Korea make good on the threat? We're going to take a closer look for you.

Plus, the legal battle over a controversial war memorial in California. We'll tell you why the fight ended up at the Supreme Court.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Israel's military launching more attacks into Gaza this morning, just as a deadline set by Palestinian militants passes with no word on the condition of a kidnapped Israel soldier.

That tops our look at stories CNN correspondents around the world are covering today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Paula Hancocks in Gaza City. Still no word on the fate of a kidnapped Israel soldier. The deadline from Palestinian militants to meet demands for prisoner releases has come and gone. Militants now say the case is closed.

For a seventh night in a row, there was shelling and airstrikes on Gaza. The Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has given the military the green light to do whatever is necessary to make sure 19- year-old Corporal Gilad Shalit is returned safely.

Diplomatic talks are still continuing behind the scenes. But at this point, it appears they are getting nowhere.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Aneesh Raman in Valencia, Spain.

Behind me is Jesus Station (ph), where yesterday a deadly train derailment killed at least 40 people. The wreckage remains.

You can see over there a crane. Authorities perhaps are going to have to drill through the street, it seems, to get to the remaining wreckage. This is where the train was traveling.

They also need to get to the black box to figure out exactly what happened. We're told it was an accident, the train was going too fast, a wheel broke, but it is not known whether it was human or mechanical error.

Today, in Valencia, there will be a moment of silence. There will also be a memorial service for those killed attended by the royal family and by the country's prime minister, who had to cut short an official visit to India.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Rivers in the Tibetan capital, Lhasa, which is now finally linked to the Chinese capital, Beijing, after a controversial rail link has finally been completed. I was on the first train that left Beijing for a 48-hour epic journey across China.

The railway climbs to almost 17,000 feet before arriving in Lhasa. But there are concerns here in Tibet about the effect this rail link will have on Tibetan culture and on the environment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And you heard Aneesh mention that moment in silence in Valencia, Spain. It has just passed. Memorial services now under way.

In North Korea, tensions are rising over a possible missile test. The country now threatening the U.S. with a nuclear war.

CNN's Brian Todd is following that story for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Even from an erratic, hostile government prone to exaggeration, the latest threat from North Korea is provocative and comes at a time of heightened tension. Through one of its newspapers, the regime of Kim Jong-il says it is prepared "... to answer a preemptive attack with a relentless annihilating strike and a nuclear war..." The newspaper says this is in response to recent U.S. military exercises in the region.

Asked about the threat, a White House official said he wouldn't respond to a hypothetical situation. But the White House is concerned with North Korea's preparations to test a long-range ballistic missile that some analysts believe has the capability to reach the U.S.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A launching of the missile is unacceptable. There has been no briefings as to what's on top of the missile. He hadn't told anybody where the missile is going.

TODD: U.S. intelligence officials believe North Korea has nuclear devices, but they don't believe the regime can deploy a nuclear warhead on a missile yet. Still, two former top Clinton administration officials say the president should be prepared to order a strike on the long-range missile site.

JAMES WOOLSEY, FMR. CIA DIRECTOR: It should be relatively easy to do. A few submarine-launched cruise missiles, not nuclear, simply high explosives, could take this out very easily.

TODD: But the White House cautions about North Korea's response capability.

RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If you're going to launch strikes at another nation, you better be prepared to not just fire one shot.

TODD: Weapons tests, war-like rhetoric, we have seen it before from Kim Jong-il, who experts say is a master at forcing the world's only superpower to worry, calculate, react.

JERROLD POST, FMR. CIA PROFILER: That brinksmanship really for the most part has worked for him. He's crossed red line after red line.

TODD (on camera): How far will he go this time? Unclear, as always. But North Korea's top ally, China, has urged Kim Jong-il not to go ahead with the missile test. And analysts say this could be an exercise designed to extract political concessions or to steal attention on the nuclear issue away from Iran.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COSTELLO: And Brian Todd's report first aired in "THE SITUATION ROOM," which airs weekdays at 4:00 and 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, we'll take you back to Miles at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where Discovery is waiting to take off.

Plus, we'll look at a war memorial at the center of controversy in California. We'll tell you why the Supreme Court had to get involved.

And later, make sure you are not eaten alive this summer. Tips on protecting yourself from those pesky mosquitoes.

That's just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: We've got an amazingly good forecast for launch here today. Live pictures now from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. You do see some showers there off the coast as you look out to the east as the sun rises over the Kennedy Space Center and the space shuttle Discovery.

Very nearly fueled up at this point. There's a little more liquid hydrogen and oxygen that needs to be pumped in. We're watching that process. Haven't heard a single thing wrong with the countdown.

Last night, however, there were some questions as to whether we were going to see this today. The announcement came late from one af NASA's deputy administrators.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL GERSTENMAIER, NASA ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR: There were no dissenters when we went around the room. John didn't actually do a poll, but he asked folks if they had any concerns, and there were really no concerns raised.

Lots of discussions from many people during the review. Very good discussion across the team members. But essentially, no dissenting opinions with where we're going.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator, referring to John Shannon, who is the chairman of the mission management team for the space shuttle.

He's talking about a four to five-inch crack, and ultimately a flake of foam that fell off the space shuttle Discovery after two attempted launches over the weekend that were scrubbed on account of weather. Let me show you where on the orbiter we're talking about first, because this is important.

It's up high on the fuel tank, on the side of the fuel tank that is immediately adjacent to the orbiter. Take a look at where it is, right up in here. It's right along an external pipe, a 13-inch pipe which carries liquid oxygen from a tank up in here, all the way down to the area where it's needed, where it's combined with liquid hydrogen to make rocket fuel.

Let's get closer now and show you what we're talking about.

Routine inspection after those scrubbed launches. The team on the pad looks up, and what do they see but this? It's about a five- inch crack there. I'm going to highlight it for you, and then I'll take it out so you can look at it one more time.

Not much of a crack at all. But given all the concerns about foam and what it can do to an orbiter -- remember Columbia -- there was lot of concern.

Shortly thereafter, that crack turned into what you're about to see, a piece, really a very light piece. It weighs about as much as a penny -- it came off. You see the discoloration here now.

That's the same location. Not as much of a close-up, but you see there a little triangle that was missing.

Three issues that they had to consider. Would ice form in that spot when it was fueled up, as it is being fueled up now? They'll be watching that very closely all day today, particularly if there are showers that coming through.

Would the lack of foam there present a problem? It is there, after all, for insulation, not only to keep the cold in, but to keep the hot out as it's streaking up through the atmosphere.

And would there be potentially further losses of foam which could cause damage to the space shuttle as it came up through the atmosphere?

The answer to all those questions was, it's OK to launch as of last night. NASA insists this is not go fever. They say they have a good day to launch today. The forecast looking very promising and the countdown under way.

We're watching it closely -- Carol.

COSTELLO: I'm sure you are. We'll get back to you.

Thank you, Miles.

Coming up, remember Wall Street's good old days of the late '90s, soaring stock prices, day traders and hot IPOs? Andy Serwer says they could be making a comeback. He's "Minding Your Business" next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: As you could tell, we're having a little audio problem with that pre-taped segment of AMERICAN MORNING. So we're back live. So let's head to Atlanta for a check on the forecast -- Chad.

MYERS: They were saying, hey, Carol -- I don't hear her.

COSTELLO: I was on a delayed reaction.

MYERS: And you changed outfits real fast.

COSTELLO: Well, you know.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: The space shuttle Discovery gearing up for launch. NASA's not letting a cracked piece of foam delay this latest return to space. And the weather, it looks great -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Another blow for the U.S. military in Iraq. A former -- a former Army private now facing murder and rape charges.

A national day to grieve in Spain today while investigators look for what caused a subway crash that killed dozens.

A militant deadline comes and goes with no word on the fate of a kidnapped Israeli soldier.

And people all over the country preparing for backyard barbecues and, of course, fireworks.

So, sit back and let us do the work.

That's just ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Good morning. I'm Carol Costello, in for Soledad.

O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien. Good morning to you from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it is a beautiful morning.

A little bit of a rain shower off the coast, as Chad showed you a moment ago. But we're not too worried about that. The weather officers here saying 80 percent chance the weather will, in fact, support a first-ever July 4th launch for a space shuttle.

So far, the countdown going smoothly. The fueling is still under way. It should be topping off those tanks in about a half-hour time. And then the process will continue. We'll be seeing the astronauts before too long.

The decision to launch today comes after quite a lengthy discussion over the last 24 hours or so about a piece of cracked foam discovered on the space shuttle Discovery's external fuel tank. First of all, let me show you, using some still pictures, exactly where on the space shuttle stack, as they call it, we're talking about.

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