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American Morning
Heatwave Straining Air-Conditioners; About-Face for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
Aired August 03, 2006 - 07:34 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Well, this heat is certainly straining people's patience, not to mention their A/Cs. Thousands of customers from Connecticut to New Jersey are without power this morning.
AMERICAN MORNING's Bob Franken reporting now from Washington.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is where the juggling act is going on, in the control rooms of electric utilities throughout the eastern part of the United States. Meanwhile, a company called PJM Interconnectivity juggles the jugglers in 13 states and the District of Columbia, actually coordinates electric flow, much like an air-traffic controller.
This heatwave, while sweltering for millions, is all in a day's work.
AUDREY ZIBELMAN, PJM INTERCONNECTIVITY: It's a high-adrenaline time, because what we're looking -- is this is what we do.
FRANKEN (on camera): The demand for electricity has reached record levels this week in all the intense heat. But if these utilities drop the ball now, they'll be feeling their own intense heat.
(voice-over): No one has forgotten the blackout of 2003 that spread through the Midwest, Canada and much of the Northeast. Parts of New York City got a new taste last week, perhaps for different reasons, when Con Edison had serious power outages. It's being investigated. St. Louis had severe storm-related problems, hundreds of thousands without electricity for several days. Under investigation. California had the same story with the heatwave that has now moved to the eastern half of the country. This time, so far so good. All of this is being watched very closely by federal regulators, who monitor operating centers and also try to make sure that the inevitable rate increases don't become gouging.
JOSEH KELLIHER, CHMN., FEDERAL ENERGY REG. COMM.: The staff is in that room. They're watching price movements as well, not just weather data and demand levels, but also price movements.
FRANKEN: Relief from the sustained heat wave is still a day or two away, a huge strain here in the East, but so far not a breakdown.
Bob Franken, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Obviously, we're going to have much more on this heat and the ways to try to stay safe. Just to help you out, the director of the Centers for Disease Control, she'll be joining us at 8:15 Eastern.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: An about-face for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld: After originally declining an invitation to appear before an open Senate hearing on Iraq, he's decided he will testify today.
Let's get right to CNN's Dana Bash. She's live for us on Capitol Hill this morning.
Dana, good morning.
What was going on here?
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, essentially what we see now is something we don't see often, Soledad, which is Donald Rumsfeld succumbing to Congress. What happened was the Republican chairman invited him to testify publicly, and he said no. He said that the military brass would come instead.
Instead, Rumsfeld said he would brief senators behind closed doors. Well, Democrats complained loudly. Republicans weren't happy either, because he hasn't come and testified, answered senators' questions in public in six months, since February.
Now yesterday the secretary suggested that his schedule was too busy to squeeze this in, but at 7:00 last night, we are told that his office called the committee and asked if he could be added to the witness list today.
Now, one of the more outraged Democrats, Hillary Clinton, immediately released a statement saying: Secretary Rumsfeld's 11th hour decision to reverse course and appear is the right one. The American people should hear directly from the top civilian leader at the Pentagon, the person most responsible for implementing the president's military policy in Iraq and Afghanistan.
You know, Soledad, this might seem like an inside-the-beltway fight, whether or not a cabinet secretary would testify or not publicly before Congress, but you know, when you talk to lawmakers, they say when they go back home, the issue they hear about No. 1, two and three is Iraq. They want -- their constituents want answers, and so they say they want answers from the man who really personifies this war -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Yes, and I've got to imagine hearing I'm just too busy to come talk to you about the most pressing issues might not go over well.
What do they actually hope, though, to get out of this hearing? BASH: Well, you know, remember back in the spring, some retired generals came out and said that the secretary should resign. They said that his war plan was flawed, and he didn't listen to some of the military who told him that during the pre-war planning stages. The senators have not had a chance to question him in public since that has happened.
So I would expect some quotes to be thrown perhaps at the secretary, asking him to answer some of those charges from these generals.
Also, of course, the sectarian violence, the intense sectarian violence, he will certainly be asked about that, what the military assessment of it is and what they're planning to do, and of course the big issue, Soledad, when U.S. troops can come home, what their real assessment is of when Iraq's military can get up and running so troops can come home. That's what these lawmakers want to hear.
O'BRIEN: Yes, but they can't realistically expect to actually get a date. I mean, how many times have we heard, it's going to depend on events on the ground -- Dana.
BASH: We'll likely hear that again.
O'BRIEN: Uh-huh, that's what I would think. Dana Bash on Capitol Hill for us, thanks.
A Marine sergeant connected to the killings of civilians in the Iraqi town of Haditha is suing Pennsylvania Congressman John Murtha. The sergeant says Murtha, a critic of the war, basically committed libel.
CNN's Kathleen Koch has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The libel suit by the staff sergeant who led the marines in Haditha cites these and other comments made by Congressman John Murtha.
REP. JOHN MURTHA (D), PENNSYLVANIA: They overreacted and they killed a number of civilians without anybody firing at them.
And then they went into the rooms and killed women and children!
KOCH: Murtha told CNN and other news organizations he'd gotten that information from, quote, "the highest level of the Marine Corps." The suit claims Murtha jeopardized Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich's right to a fair trial, if he is charged with any wrongdoing.
MARK ZAID, ATTY. FOR STAFF SGT. WUTERICH: Our objective is to clear Staff Sergeant Wuterich's good name. These allegations were untrue. They didn't commit war crimes; they weren't cold-blooded killers.
NEAL PUCKETT, ATTY. FOR STAFF SGT. WUTERICH: We're going to have a heck of a time trying to walk into a courtroom, if we ever have to do that, in front of court-martial members or jurors with the presumption of innocence because of what Congressman Murtha has done.
KOCH: Wuterich's attorneys are asking, among other things, for $75,000 in damages, as well as a public retraction and an apology.
Murtha offered only a written statement in response, saying, quote: "I don't blame the staff sergeant for lashing out." He explained his comments were intended, quote, "to draw attention to the horrendous pressure put on our troops in Iraq and to the coverup of the incident."
The suit comes as military officials say the criminal investigation into the Haditha incident has been completed. The case has been forwarded to a military-prosecution team, and Pentagon officials say some Marines are expected to be charged. Some outside lawyers believe it's no coincidence Wuterich's libel case is being brought now.
HARDY VIEUX, MILITARY LAW EXPERT: It's more of an opportunity to get information and to have his day in court and to get out there early, as opposed to waiting for the government to charge him with whatever the case may be. So this is certainly, it is a creative ploy, and it's, it's in some ways a stroke of genius.
KOCH (on camera): Legal experts say it will be a difficult case to win. Not only does Wuterich have to prove he's innocent, but statements by members of Congress are normally protected by the Constitution.
(voice-over): Whether that immunity applies to Murtha's comments to the media may have to be decided in court.
Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Congressman Murtha was asked about the lawsuit in Johnston, Pennsylvania by our affiliate WTAE. It happened late last night. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MURTHA: Well, they're going to do everything they can to defend themselves. There's nobody supports the military more than I do, but these kind of incidents really hurt us. It hurts our troops. It puts them in more danger. And the reason I spoke out was because they were trying to cover it up. He'll just have to work his way through the system itself. I can understand him -- his lawyers trying to defend him, but he's going to work that out himself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Murtha, a former Marine, says U.S. troops are caught in the middle of a civil war and that the conflict will not be won militarily -- Rick. SANCHEZ: Other stories that we're going to be bringing you this morning. Bottom line, don't you hate it when someone fires off an e- mail asking you to hit the ground running? There is more. We're going to list the most annoying business overused buzz words.
O'BRIEN: Then, it's the end of an era at the White House. The press briefing room is being renovated. Suzanne Malveaux is near tears. No, no, she's not, but she's got a look and takes us one final tour, ahead.
SANCHEZ: And then we've got new video of Mel Gibson the night of his arrest for driving under the influence. Doesn't look quite as good as that. Check it out. We'll share it with you, when we continue here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: A White House reporter job, it's one of the most high- profile jobs in journalism. You cover the president. You get to travel with the president. You're on TV with news that affects the nation, affects the world. So why is the briefing room such a wreck? Well, now it's getting an extreme makeover.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux took us on a final tour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRES. OF THE UNITED STATES: My best moment in here was when my press conference ended.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush, six generations of press secretaries, and media icons gathered to say goodbye to the White House briefing room. It's getting a major facelift and will be closed for nine months for renovations.
BUSH: I know you've been complaining about the digs for a while. Let me just say, we felt your pain.
MALVEAUX: The press will now work out of a building across the street. Helen Thomas, who's covered nine presidents, is a little suspicious.
HELEN THOMAS, HEARST NEWSPAPERS: I think it's nice that they're going to renovate, if we can guarantee coming back here.
MALVEAUX: Here's what our briefing room looks like on the TV program West Wing, glossy, high-tech, and big. But here's what it's really like.
(on camera): This is where we seat. Each of the seats has a nameplate. This one is ours. Just kind of squeeze in and flip the desk over, kind of like you were in third grade.
(voice-over): The broken ones are towards the back, amid the clutter of cameras, equipment, and bodies. Tourists are stunned.
JONI RICHMAN, TOURIST: I thought it was very small. It seems bigger on TV.
MALVEAUX: But they really don't get to see the half of it.
(on camera): We're going to ignore this. I'm going to take you to the back where we do our work.
(voice-over): Chipping paint, tattered chairs, creative signs and relics. Most offices are no bigger than a small closet.
(on camera): This is CNN's space. Three of us work here, and it is 100 degrees in Washington today, and there's no air-conditioning. This is our cooling system.
(voice-over): For many of us, our workplace has become homebase, a place full of fond memories.
TIM GARRATY, CNN PHOTOJOURNALIST: This is where I met my wife.
MALVEAUX: A place chock full of history.
PETER MORRIS, CNN PHOTOJOURNALIST: I was here in October of 1994, when a lone gunman with an assault rifle fired 29 shots at the White House. The only one that actually came into the White House was right here in the briefing room.
MALVEAUX: And a place full of secrets.
(on camera): Directly under the briefing room is what used to be the presidential swimming pool, where Lyndon B. Johnson famously skinny-dipped.
And now, for journalists, the tradition is to sign these wooden planks. OK, for posterity's sake.
(voice-over): So what can we expect for our new briefing room?
BUSH: We may have some air-conditioning if we decide to.
MALVEAUX: In whatever condition, we'll be back.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: I believe she is positively misty-eyed in that piece. Suzanne Malveaux with a great report.
O'BRIEN: Let's pay -- let's pay for...
SANCHEZ: Sure. Give me the money.
O'BRIEN: Let's turn to some business news, talking about what taxpayers are going to pay for? ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: We're going to talk about this time around overused business phrases. We're going to ping you. I'm going to get this on the radar screen. We're going to touch base. I think it's going to be a win/win situation, you guys, though.
SANCHEZ: Oh my god. You just -- that was five, I think, right?
O'BRIEN: They're so obnoxious, aren't they?
SERWER: They are. And we use them, we all use them too much.
O'BRIEN: Some of them I like.
SERWER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Back at you, man.
SERWER: Right, thank you, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Also ahead, the East Coast heatwave is not only annoying, it can be dangerous. Dr. Julie Gerberding, also -- did I get that right? Gerberding, sorry, I apologize -- head of the CDC, shows us the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion. All that and more, here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Mel Gibson's arrest could do than just damage his reputation. The entertainment Web site TMZ.com, which is also owned by our parent company, Time Warner, has released a video of Gibson to CNN. It was shot on a cell phone at the Moon Shadows restaurant. That where he was drinking the night of his arrest -- allegedly drinking, I should say. The actor-director has now has been charged with a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence. He also faces a charge of driving with an open container. Now, if he is convicted, he could spend up to six months in jail.
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