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American Morning

Bush to Speak on Iraq; Rumsfeld Under Fire; WTC Emergency Responders Suffering Health Problems Five Years Later

Aired September 06, 2006 - 08:00   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Donald Rumsfeld under fire. Democrats pushing a no confidence vote.
Is it ammunition for the campaign trail?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Alarming news reports out of Afghanistan. American casualties grow and the Taliban is making a come back; the heroin-related drug trade at record levels.

M. O'BRIEN: Are people still dying from the 9/11 attacks?

Emergency responders now fighting cancer, organ failure and asthma.

Were they poisoned at ground zero?

S. O'BRIEN: And first grade is not what it used to be. New standards, tough assignments. We've got some tips to help your kid, ahead this morning.

M. O'BRIEN: And at long last, the moment you've been waiting for. Katie and Tom debut baby Suri. We'll reveal the photos that people will be talking about on this AMERICAN MORNING.

S. O'BRIEN: Good morning.

Welcome everybody.

I'm Soledad O'Brien.

M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien.

We begin this morning in Washington, where the war in Iraq is dominating the debate today. President Bush slated to deliver his third pep talk, trying to win over Americans who oppose the war, while Democrats in the Senate will try to push the president to fire his man at the Pentagon.

CNN's Kathleen Koch live at the White House with more on what is going on in Washington today -- hello, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

This afternoon in his speech, President Bush will tackle the complex situation of the 445 detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The administration has called them all dangerous enemy combatants. But you'll recall, it was back in June that the Supreme Court ruled that the military commissions that the administration set up to try them were illegal.

Among the reasons, the system barred defendants from attending their own trial, it limited their access to evidence and it also allowed the admission of testimony that some critics say amounted to out and out torture.

So President Bush and lawmakers on Capitol Hill right now have been busy the last few weeks trying to come up with an alternative that the Supreme Court will accept.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has said that one possible option is using a modified military court-martial procedure. So after the president's speech this afternoon, he is going to send up to Capitol Hill his proposed legislation to address the problem -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Kathleen Koch at the White House.

Thank you very much.

CNN will have live coverage of the president's speech.

It begins at 1:45 p.m. Eastern time -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: A new CNN poll out this morning references pessimism about the war in Iraq. Opinion Research Corporation interviewed more than 1,000 Americans and found that 39 percent are in favor of the war; 58 percent say they oppose it. In mid-August, 61 percent said they opposed the war.

Asked if they believe the Iraq war is part of the war on terror, 45 percent say yes, it is; 53 percent say no, it is not.

And asked who's winning in Iraq, a quarter say the U.S. is winning; 12 percent say the insurgents are winning; and the majority, 62 percent, say neither side is winning.

In Iraq, the violence goes on. At least six people were killed, 46 others injured today by the car bomb and a roadside bomb. Plus, there were several bodies that were found scattered throughout Baghdad.

CNN's Michael Holmes has our report.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: At the end of last month, U.S. and Iraqi officials expressed their comparative pleasure at a drop in deaths in August, even though well over 1,000 civilians died here in Baghdad alone.

Well, September is not starting off well. In the last 48 hours, 65 bodies have been found around Baghdad, 19 of them alone overnight. All of those bodies, the hands bound. They're all men, many showing signs of sometimes extreme torture and all of them shot in the head.

Also, a car bomb today. That was followed by an IED in exactly the same place. It happened in northern Baghdad. Six people were killed; 46 were wounded, all civilians. The car was parked. There was no apparent target.

Michael Holmes, CNN, Baghdad.

S. O'BRIEN: The administration's policy in Iraq and the man who's charged with carrying out is going to be debated in the Senate tonight. Democrats are pushing for a no confidence vote on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. They're not likely to pressure President Bush into firing the defense secretary, but they are forcing Republicans to publicly defend both him and the unpopular war.

Afghanistan was the first front in the war on terror. Now, nearly five years later, violence there is on the rise, making it even more dangerous for both U.S. troops and NATO troops.

More now from CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Once dubbed "the forgotten war," because fighting was sporadic and progress seemed steady, Afghanistan has burst back into the headlines, as newly arrived NATO forces are locked in deadly combat with resurgent Taliban militants.

The "New York Times" calls an area of southern Afghanistan, once touted as a symbol for change, a symbol of failure, noting with the rising violence, statistically it is now nearly as dangerous to serve as an American soldier in Afghanistan as it is in Iraq.

And, now, increasingly more dangerous for NATO troops, who just this summer took the lead in the south. They're taking the heavy casualties, as NATO's secretary-general noted, as he toured the country Tuesday.

JAAP DE HOOP SCHEFFER, NATO SECRETARY GENERAL: It is a dramatic price we have to pay, and NATO is paying and the NATO member states.

MCINTYRE: On Monday, a Canadian soldier, former Olympic sprinter Mark Graham, was killed when U.S. A-10 warplanes mistakenly strafed his position. Canada has lost 25 troops in the south since fighting began this summer.

British casualties are up, too. Fourteen troops died in a plane crash Sunday, bringing the British death toll to 16 this week; 32 in a month.

While the casualties may erode support at home, NATO's chief insists the alliance will honor its commitment to stay and fight.

SCHEFFER: We all know there is considerable resistance. As I said, there is combat going on.

Is NATO up to the job? Yes, NATO is up to the job. Definitely.

MCINTYRE: But an international think tank offers a bleak assessment, concluding the U.S.-led international community has failed Afghanistan. Among the report's findings: in the five years since military operations began, Afghanistan's security situation has deteriorated significantly; the country remains ravaged by severe poverty and spreading starvation; and that misguided and badly formulated drug policy has effectively hijacked the nation building efforts, as the opium crop reaches record levels.

(on camera) U.S. and NATO commanders insist they're getting the upper hand against the Taliban, claiming to have killed between 50 and 60 in the latest fighting. Since the NATO offensive began, more than 200 Taliban have been flushed out. But as U.S. commanders learned in Vietnam and again in Iraq, body counts are not the most accurate measure of success.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Happening in America, in New York, a mammoth manhunt goes on for escaped inmate and suspected state trooper killer Ralph "Bucky" Phillips. Police investigating two attempted break-ins in areas of Pennsylvania right across the western New York border. Police are asking the public to keep their eyes open and doors locked.

Polygamist cult leader Warren Jeffs makes his first Utah court appearance today via teleconference. Jeffs choppered from Las Vegas to the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Utah yesterday. He is charged with arranging the marriage of underage girls and older men in his sect.

In Maine, police are investigating a bloody massacre at a B&B. A 31-year-old, Christian Nielsen, accused of killing four in all. Police say he shot and dismembered the owner of the bed and breakfast where he was staying. He's also charged with murders of the owner's daughter and her friend, who walked in as the crime, the alleged crime, was being committed, and another guest at the B&B, as well.

In Arizona, a major international smuggling ring involving fake Nike athletic shoes. Investigators believe smugglers were trying to sneak in as many as 738,000 fake Nikes into the U.S.

In Idaho, a grandmother in jail this morning after her granddaughter was thrown from her car. Sheriffs' deputies say the woman got combative when pulled over. A deputy opened the passenger door to turn off her car. She then allegedly did a U-turn and the 1- year-old flew out of the passenger door. The girl had some scrapes, but she's in foster care this morning. The woman facing multiple charges.

A fuel cell problem -- that's what's forcing NASA to delay today's scheduled launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. It's already been delayed because of weather a few times, a lightning strike and Tropical Storm Ernesto. Another launch could happen tomorrow, though it's too early to tell. Engineers are working on the problem.

At CBS headquarters in New York, Katie Couric soon will be getting ready for a much less anticipated second day at the anchor desk. In her first broadcast at the helm of the CBS Evening News, Couric opened with an investigative report. She also broke some news with the long-awaited first photo of Suri Cruise. That's the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, in case you didn't know.

And time for a check of the forecast.

Chad Myers was watching just to see those pictures, right?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I was, all 21 pages of them.

M. O'BRIEN: There you go.

MYERS: Good morning.

M. O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

MYERS: I know. I was batting for her. I know.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: The mystery of little Suri Cruise. She was born half -- four-and-a-half months ago, four-and-a-half months ago, never been seen in public. Well, finally, the very first photos have been revealed.

Suri and her famous parents, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, appear on the cover of "Vanity Fair." Look at that big old head of hair that kid has. Inside, a 22-page spread of the whole family.

Tonight on "LARRY KING LIVE" at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, you can see all 22 photos.

M. O'BRIEN: Still to come, Republicans are often accused of using the war on terror for political advantage.

But aren't the Democrats doing the same thing with the war in Iraq?

We'll talk with Democratic Senator Dick Durbin just ahead.

S. O'BRIEN: And children going back to school now under pressure to bring home good grades. That's fine if you're talking about high schoolers or even junior high schools.

But what about first graders and kindergarteners?

We'll talk about the amount of pressure on 5 and 6-year-olds these days.

M. O'BRIEN: And in Japan, they're thrilled over the newest royal. Finally, a baby boy to keep the line of succession going.

Why does it have to be a boy, though, for gosh sakes?

All they have to do is wave, right?

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Just days now before we mark the fifth anniversary of 9/11. A new health report is out. It finds about three quarters of the emergency workers who responded to the World Trade Center site are now suffering from lung problems.

We get more on the story from CNN's Randi Kaye.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

(VIDEO COVERAGE FROM 9/11)

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On September 11 five years ago, as word spread America was under attack, hundreds of emergency responders rushed to the World Trade Center. Among them, NYPD detectives John Wolcott and Rich Volpe, who arrived at ground zero right after the second tower fell.

RICH VOLPE, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: I remember you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, number one. I remember constantly coughing and constantly gagging.

KAYE: Now retired, they're no longer fighting to keep drugs off the street, they're fighting to stay alive.

JOHN WALCOTT, FORMER NYPD DETECTIVE: Right now, I'm on borrowed time. Five percent only live as long as I have.

KAYE: John is battling leukemia; Rich, severe asthma and double kidney failure. Both blames their illnesses on exposure to toxins like benzene, dioxin and asbestos at ground zero.

DR. STEPHEN LEVIN, MOUNT-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER: I want you to breathe real deeply in and out throughout your mouth.

KAYE: Dr. Stephen Levin heads the largest screening program for 9/11 responders at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City.

LEVIN: Oh, there's no question that people have developed very high rates of respiratory illnesses.

DAVID WORBY, ATTORNEY: This is a list of the cancers.

KAYE: Attorney David Worby says he has more than 8,000 clients who got sick at ground zero.

WORBY: It was the worst toxic waste site ever.

KAYE: Worby says more than 350 of his clients have cancer; 1,000 have severe respiratory ailments. More than 60 of them are already dead.

(on camera): At any point, were you given a mask to wear?

WALCOTT: It took about three weeks to get a mask and a couple of weeks later they told us it was the wrong filter.

KAYE: New York City declined an interview, citing pending lawsuits, but issued this statement to CNN: "Safety protocols were quickly implemented, including the requirement that respirators be worn and the city, its contractors and OSHA supplied more than 200,000 respirators to workers."

Dr. Stephen Levin says it's still too to know if there is a connection between ground zero and cancer.

(on camera): Based on your expertise, how long after exposure do you think it would take for someone to develop cancer?

LEVIN: In most cancer types, that latency period, that delay, is more often 20 and 25 years.

Is it possible that we could be seeing something in the World Trade Center mix of exposures that could accelerate that?

It would really violate our understanding of the biology of cancer, but we can't close our minds to the possibility.

KAYE (voice-over): While he waits for answers, Rich remains focused on staying strong.

And John?

After six months of chemotherapy, he has hope his leukemia is in remission. The days of coaching high school hockey are over. He's too weak. So instead, he skates the ice with his daughter. In the face of death, family is top priority.

Randi Kaye, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Randi's report first aired on "ANDERSON COOPER 360."

Here's Anderson with a look at what's coming up on his program tonight -- Anderson.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, tonight, $112 billion, federal money, your taxpayer dollars, to rebuild from Katrina.

But would you believe the government doesn't have a good way to keep track of it?

We're keeping them honest.

Tonight, "360," 10:00 p.m. Eastern -- Miles. M. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Anderson.

So just how strong is al Qaeda?

Many have viewed that organization as not as strong as it used to be. But a recent plot has many people thinking otherwise. We'll tell you about that.

Republicans often accused of using the war on terror for political advantage. Democrats -- maybe they're doing the same thing with the war in Iraq.

We'll talk with Democratic Senator Dick Durbin about that, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: In another speech today, President Bush is expected to make the case that progress is being made in Iraq and in the war on terror.

Senate Democrats are continuing their calls for the secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, to resign. And today they're pushing for a full debate on the Senate floor of no confidence in the secretary of defense.

This morning, we talk to a man who is, in fact, leading the calls for the resignation of the secretary of defense.

Dick Durbin is a senator from Illinois.

Nice to see you, Senator.

Thanks for talking with us.

He's on Capitol Hill, we should say.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL), INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: Thanks, Soledad.

It's good to be with you.

S. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much.

A vote of no confidence -- tell me exactly why you're calling for this vote.

DURBIN: You know, a debate over Iraq is long overdue when you consider how controversial this is across America and around the world. And most of us just came back from an August recess where we've met with our voters and we've met with the families of the soldiers.

There are a lot of questions that they're asking. And what they're saying is -- and I think American people believe -- we need a new direction in Iraq. The president has said as long as he is in the White House, as long as the Republicans are in charge of Congress, they're not going to be removing troops from Iraq in any significant way and there won't be a change.

That's why I think this debate is important.

S. O'BRIEN: But explain to me specifically and realistically and practically, maybe, is a better way, why a vote of no confidence over a secretary of defense who's resigned before. The president said no, he wasn't going to accept his resignation. If, in fact, the Senate says we would like to see the secretary of defense resign, it has no actual pressure on the president. It doesn't necessarily mean anything. There's -- you know, it's utterly clear to everybody that most Democrats do not like the secretary of defense.

So realistically, practically speaking, why?

DURBIN: Well, I think it's important, as I said at the outset, that we have this debate over the policy in Iraq. Many of us believe that our troops, our soldiers, deserve better. We believe that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has made some serious errors -- misleading the American people about the reason for the invasion of Iraq; sending an inadequate number of troops into Iraq initially, after being told that he needed many more troops. When he went to Iraq, to have soldiers stand up and say, Mr. Secretary, we're rooting through scrap piles trying to find pieces of metal to protect ourselves. And then he says well, we fight with the army that we have. The situation in Abu Ghraib.

All of these put together suggest to me that we need a fresh start to make sure that we have a good ending in Iraq, that our troops can come home with honor, with their mission truly accomplished.

S. O'BRIEN: All the things that you list, sir, with all due respect, are all water under the bridge at this point. You have advocated a time line for a withdrawal, as you well know. Critics of your plan would say well, we're there now. What are we going to do? We can't leave.

DURBIN: Well, the first thing you need to do is to convince the Iraqis that it's their nation and their responsibility. Listen, we've toppled Saddam Hussein, we dug him out of a hole in the ground, we've put him on trial, we've given the Iraqis free elections and two chances at a government. At this point, they have to stand and defend their own country.

Unless we start bringing American troops home -- not all at once, not immediately, not precipitously, but start bringing them home, the Iraqis are going to bask in the knowledge they have the best military in the world there protecting their country in the midst of a civil war at no expense to the Iraqi people.

S. O'BRIEN: If you look at the polls and you look at the disapproval ratings overall, you see Republicans in Congress, their disapproval rating is at 64 percent. Democrats right behind them in that sort of abysmal number, 57 percent. The sampling error, I should point out, is plus or minus three points, not really a big difference.

Isn't the message, to a large degree, well, you know, we -- it's not that we love Democrats, it's that we hate Democrats less than we hate Republicans?

DURBIN: Off year elections are, by and large, a referendum on the president and his party. By and large. We have a responsibility beyond saying that we're different, saying what we'd do differently. We want to bring real security to America. We want to take the 9/11 Commission Report, that bipartisan commission, that checklist of things we need to do to make America safer, and we want to make that our highest priority in a Democratic-led Congress.

We want a national energy policy. We want to move forward on a health plan that will bring health insurance to those who don't have it.

We need to move forward as a nation on the important issues, like increasing the minimum wage for millions of Americans, something the Republicans have failed to do for nine years.

S. O'BRIEN: Outside of the health plan...

DURBIN: Yes, we have an agenda.

S. O'BRIEN: Outside of the health plan and outside of the minimum wage, when you look at specifically the job on terrorism, the polls show that actually voters side with the Republicans. They think, frankly, the Republicans would do a better job by, you know, a 10 percent margin, 48 percent for Republicans, 38 percent for Democrats.

That's going to be a very big problem for you come the mid-term elections, isn't it?

DURBIN: Of course it is. And we understand that the president and his party will run-on that issue. That's understandable. They're going to play their strong suit.

But we believe when you take a look at this 9/11 Commission and the failed grades which the Bush administration has received when it comes to making Americans safe, when you look at a president who refuses to consider changing the course in Iraq so that we move toward a new direction, a direction which gives us a chance to achieve our goals and come home and bring our troops home, when you look at the war in Afghanistan, which, sadly, is sliding into chaos, when you consider al Qaeda, which in five years since 9/11 has grown from 20,000 to 50,000 members, there are many things we can do as a nation to make America safer.

S. O'BRIEN: All those reasons, some people might say, well, that makes it the worst time in the world to say we have no confidence in the man who's leading the military, the secretary of defense. With all those issues that you just listed that we're knee deep in, this is not the time for that. DURBIN: Listen, I would argue that America is greater than any single member of the cabinet. Secretary of State Colin Powell was an extraordinary public servant. He's come and gone. To think that Donald Rumsfeld is irreplaceable is just unacceptable in my book.

We can bring someone in with a fresh start to create a new team, to create a new approach so that we finally have some direction.

At this point in Iraq, there's no end in sight. We've lost almost 2,700 soldiers. Almost 20,000 have come home seriously injured. We've spent over $300 billion. And last week the Pentagon told us we were perilously close to seeing that country descend into a civil war.

To suggest we need to stay that course is something most Americans find unacceptable.

S. O'BRIEN: Dick Durban, the senator from Illinois.

Nice to see you.

DURBIN: Thank you, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Thanks for talking with us.

We appreciate it -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program, splitting heirs -- that's heirs. In Japan, a five pound, 10 ounce baby boy quiets concerns over imperial succession.

Plus, burned out and you're a first grader?

Some say that kids are being pushed too hard too fast. We'll take a look at that what parents can do about it.

Stay with us for more AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JON BIRGER, SENIOR WRITER, "FORTUNE": Yahoo!'s inclusion on the fastest growing companies list really references the tremendous growth in online advertising. Yahoo!'s main competitor is Google. However, Yahoo! is much more diverse in terms of its Web offerings. It has Yahoo! Finance and Yahoo! Sports and a game section.

Yahoo! has been a great performer. Its earnings and revenues have grown at a terrific rate over the past three years.

Video is a growing sector of the online world. There are suddenly two very big competitors out there, namely YouTube and MySpace, that are quickly garnering market share. It will be interesting to see if Yahoo! steps up and faces this challenge.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Good morning.

M. O'BRIEN: Welcome...

S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, your turn.

S. O'BRIEN: No, after you.

M. O'BRIEN: No, really, I insist.

S. O'BRIEN: OK.

Welcome back.

I'm Soledad O'Brien.

M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien.

Here's a look at what's happening this morning.

Shifting gears here to much more serious business. The bloodshed in Iraq not letting up. At least six dead and dozens injured in a pair of bombings in Baghdad today. And yet another gruesome find to tell you about. Nineteen bodies discovered in Baghdad, all them showing signs of torture.

President Bush talking about terror again today. It's the last in a series of speeches. He's expected to propose changes to the law so that prisoners at Guantanamo Bay can be tried by military tribunals.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld on the mend today after shoulder surgery. He's out of the hospital in time to watch a Senate debate that could be focussed on him. Democrats in Congress pushing a no-confidence vote. Dems are hoping to pressure President Bush to fire Rumsfeld. Senate Republicans may block the whole measure.

Footage of the crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin's final moments, should be destroyed. So says his producer John Stainton. Australian police hold a copy, but Stainton vows it will never be seen. Funeral arrangements remain uncertain. Irwin's father, explaining why the family decided against a state funeral.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOB IRWIN, STEVE IRWIN'S FATHER: The state funeral would be refused.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Can we ask why, Bob?

IRWIN: Because he's an ordinary guy. He's just an ordinary bloke. He -- and he wants to be remembered as an ordinary bloke.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

M. O'BRIEN: Still, country may hold a national memorial service, and there could be a national park in Australia in Irwin's name.

NASA engineers are scurrying this morning after scrubbing today's planned launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. One of three fuel cells that generate electricity for the orbiter not operating properly. Unclear now if that voltage spike problem can be fixed in time for the next launch opportunity, just after noon Eastern tomorrow.

S. O'BRIEN: After weeks of dispute, Mexico now knows who its president is. The top election court on Tuesday named conservative Felipe Calderon the winner of the country's contested presidential election.

In Florida, Republican Katherine Harris has secured a bid for the U.S. Senate. Harris easily won the nomination in Tuesday's primary, beating three relatively unknown candidates. That despite the fact that her own party didn't support her. She faces incumbent Democrat Senator Bill Nelson come the November election.

Polygamist cult leader Warren Jeffs is scheduled to make his first court appearance in his home state today.

CNN's Peter Viles is live in St. George, Utah, with more.

Hey, Peter.

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Soledad, good morning.

Warren Jeffs taken by helicopter yesterday from Las Vegas, where he was arrested, to here in Utah, where he will face charges against him. The charge, accomplice to rape. And he was checked into that now famously named jail here in St. George, Utah, in Washington County, the Purgatory Correctional Facility. In a 6 x 10 cell there.

He is said to be a good prisoner. The sheriff said he's cooperative, compliant, meek and passive. That said, the sheriff said this remains one of those cases that is going to require extra security, extra security at the jail and ultimately extra security here at the courthouse. The reason, they're not so much worried about how Warren Jeffs is going to behave, they're worried about those 10,000 followers that the FBI says that he has, religious followers, and how those followers are going to respond to the legal process.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF KIRK SMITH, WASHINGTON CO., UTAH: When you deal with religious extremists, you really don't know what to expect. Our job in law enforcement is worst-case scenario, and that's what we sit around and worry about all the time and we don't want it to have happen. So we want to be prepared.

So we were just thinking, and our thought process is just to make sure -- our whole goal in this thing is to get Mr. Jeffs here, get him through his court proceedings and then on to whatever awaits after that, whether it's the Department of Corrections or freedom, whatever the jury decides.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VILES: Now, Jeffs is due to appear in court today at 1:00 clock local time, but he won't physically be here. They do this in Washington County, Utah, by a video hook-up. So he goes some place in the jail where there's a video. He can see the judge. The judge can see him. He doesn't physically come here.

And this is one of those real quick initial appearances. Essentially, the judge is going to say you're being held and you're going to be charged with a crime. The crime is accomplice to rape, two counts. The allegation that he forced into marriage against her will a woman who was a girl who was somewhere between the age of 14 and 18, in marriage to an older man.

And we do understand he does have an attorney, won't be defended by a public defender. It will be a private lawyer, Richard Wright (ph), who practices law in Las Vegas, is a somewhat prominent lawyer there but certainly not a nationally known defense attorney -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Peter, quick question for you. Any word yet from that attorney what the strategy might be here in the defense?

VILES: None whatsoever, and this is an attorney, Richard Wright, who is known in Las Vegas, according to television affiliates there, as a guy who keeps his own counsel and does not try his cases in the media. In fact, doesn't use the media in any way. So it wouldn't surprise us if we don't hear anything on him on strategy.

S. O'BRIEN: Peter Viles in St. George in Utah for us this morning. Thanks, Peter, appreciate it -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: In his speech yesterday, President Bush called al Qaeda a dangerous and the evolving threat. But back in 2003, the president said al Qaeda was nearly crippled, on its way out. So what has changed since then?

CNN's Kelli Arena with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A crippled organization, most of its leaders in custody or dead. Its base of operations destroyed. That's how the president has described al Qaeda in the recent past, barely mentioning Osama bin Laden's name until now.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Bin laden and his terrorist allies have made their intentions as clear as Lennon and Hitler before them. ARENA: Now, the president is talking about how al Qaeda and terrorists inspired are successfully using the Internet to recruit and train, how their influencing western born citizens to join their cause, and how they nearly pulled off another 9/11-style attack.

BUSH: Most recently they attempted to strike again in the most ambitious plot since the attacks of September the 11th. A plan to blow up passenger planes headed for America over the Atlantic Ocean.

ARENA: Is al Qaeda running scared or should we be? What's changed to turn what the president described as a battered organization into a serious threat? Well, part of the answer is that plot to blow up airliners.

Just before it was revealed last month, two top government counterterrorism officials privately said that they didn't think al Qaeda was capable of a large-scale attack. Analysts suggest that plot served as a wake-up call.

BRUCE HOFFMAN, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: I think there's a very good saying that sums it up, and that's the more things change, the more they stay the same. And I think whatever optimism we might have had has certainly been challenged in the past month.

ARENA: Some see politics at play here. That the closer we get to the mid-term elections, the more the specter of a potent and dangerous al Qaeda suits the president and his party.

(on camera): But whatever the motivation, analysts say that the new and more alarming rhetoric may be closer to the mark than the old we're winning message.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: You can see the president's speech on global terror today on CNN. Our live coverage begins at 1:45 Eastern time.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: Kids are going back to school. Whoo hoo! But seriously, for some, the pressure to achieve is starting very early now, as kindergarten. Are kids getting pushed too fast, too soon? It is the subject of "Newsweek's" story and Peg Tyre is the author. She's with us this morning.

It's nice to see. I thought this was a great article, maybe because I've got a first -- a child who's going to start kindergarten this year. When I was a student, you didn't even get grades in kindergarten I mean, it was, kindergarten was basically like baby- sitting, you know, maybe plus a little more.

PEG TYRE, "NEWSWEEK": A lot of nap time.

S. O'BRIEN: A lot of nap time. TYRE: A little snack time, yes.

S. O'BRIEN: All of that. When did things change?

TYRE: Well, in the last six or seven years, there's really been a push towards early academics, and kindergarten and first grade is now an academic grade with benchmarks that principals want kids to reach.

S. O'BRIEN: Where is this pressure coming from?

TYRE: Well, it depends on the kind of community that you live in. If you live in a working-class community, a lot of what's behind it is No Child Left Behind. And that's a federal law that was signed in 2002, and the idea was to get all children reading proficiently by third grade. So as soon as the principals get their hands on these kids, kindergarten and first grade, it's like literacy boot camp. And there's a huge emphasis on teaching kids to read and getting the building blocks of early literacy as quickly as they can.

S. O'BRIEN: So you're saying it's really a public school issue?

TYRE: Well, yes, but in middle class communities, it's a little bit different. And upper middle class communities, it's a lot of trickle-down from the college admissions frenzy. And it's also a lot of parents who are feeling very competitive. And you know, we're all ambitious for our children and we all want the best for them. But these parents have the idea that if they teach their children to read early, it will guarantee a kind of success all through school, which is not the case.

S. O'BRIEN: If reading in second grade is good, reading by kindergarten is even better.

TYRE: And the truth is, kids learn to read at different times. Some kids do learn to read, come into kindergarten knowing how to read, and other children other children really don't read until first grade. I think at the end of first grade if your child isn't making some strides towards reading, I think teachers believe generally that it could signal a problem, maybe you need to look at the kind of instruction they're getting.

S. O'BRIEN: The child you profile in your article, which goes along with the cover story, obviously, is the cover story, is so heartbreaking in a way. Tell me about this little girl, who's going to be in kindergarten.

TYRE: Well, it's Not an unusual story. She's a lovely girl, very bright, very eager to learn, and the academic program was just overwhelming for her. She was expected to know sight words and she was expected to write legibly, and she just wasn't there yet.

S. O'BRIEN: Write little essays in kindergarten. I mean, the story breaks your heart.

TYRE: There was the homework burden. Even after spending 6 1/2 hours sitting in a chair and listening to teacher direction, which is hard for little kids, she then had homework in the evening, and it was -- her mom said it was too much for her.

S. O'BRIEN: In a way, they felt like they were swimming against the tide, because everybody else was going for more homework, more pressure, more schooling, more testing, et cetera, et cetera. Some say the way to deal with this is delay the start of kindergarten. Therefore you get an older child who's compete with everybody else who's, you know, sort of a year younger?

TYRE: Well, that's happening much more in middle-class and upper middle-class communities, where parents can afford an extra year of preschool. And what they do is they hold their child out for a year, so they start as a 6-year-old rather than a 5-year-old.

S. O'BRIEN: Like a red-shirted kindergartner.

TYRE: That's right. It's the athletic term, red-shirting, to hold a kid out. But what happens is, there's so much variability among young kids, and the difference between a five and 6-year-old 1 extraordinary. So if you send your just about to go 5-year-old into a kindergarten class with 6-year-olds, that's a really big age difference.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, and maybe they're not just more -- maybe it's not an issue of competitiveness; maybe it's just an issue of maturity?

TYRE: Well, that's true. A lot of parents look at their child, and say, my goodness, this child just got toilet trained. I don't think they're ready for work sheets and spelling tests. I mean, I think it's a good alternative, but I think it also ups the ante for other kids who are starting at the regular time.

S. O'BRIEN: Is that positive or negative, all this pressure? Is it going to help kids in the long run or hurt them?

TYRE: It's hard to really say in a simplistic way. For some kids, it's great, and some kids area really thriving. For other kids, it's a killer, and it's a lot of pressure, and it's very hard for them and teachers say they burn out.

S. O'BRIEN: I think they're burning out by kindergarten, and that doesn't bode well for the rest of their academic career, does it?

Peg Tyre, the article is just terrific. It's in "Newsweek." It's the cover story. Thanks -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Still to come on the program, how does iFlix sound to you? Apple may be adding movies to its iTunes offerings.

Plus, a royal flush beats all, long live the new prince, air to the chrysanthemum throne. We'll have details ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) S. O'BRIEN: In Japan, they are celebrating a royal birth this morning, an end to the debate as well on royal succession, at least for now. All those troubles pushed aside by a five pound, 10 ounce baby boy who as of yet has not had his name released.

CNN's Atika Shubert joins us from Tokyo with all the royal baby news.

This was a very much watched event, wasn't it, Atika?

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly was, Soledad, and many people in Japan are celebrating, but also some are breathing a sigh of relief, particularly conservatives and traditionalists that were desperate to have a baby boy carry on the imperial line.

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SHUBERT (voice-over): It was all over the streets, all over the TV, all over Japan. It's a boy. Japan's Princess Kiko, wife of Prince Akishino has delivered a new male heir, third in line to the throne, averting a succession crisis that plagued the world's longest running monarchy. Fans greeted the news with enthusiasm, hoisting fish-shaped banners into the sky to signify the birth of a boy.

"I have been waiting for this news in front of my TV since 7:00 a.m. in the morning," this man says. "Congratulations. I am really happy from the bottom of my heart. Japan is now secure."

But the imperial family itself greeted the news with typical royal cool. The emperor and empress were not even in town, away on royal business. They responded to cheers of congratulations with polite smiles and a written statement hours later.

The man tapped to become Japan's next prime minister, Shinja Abe (ph), waxed poetic about the new addition. "It feels refreshing, like the clear skies of autumn," he said, "despite gray clouds over Tokyo."

He has reason to sound relieved. The imperial family, bound by Japan's Shinto religious tradition, has finally secured a male heir after a string of daughters, no need for the government to wrestle with the contentious issue of changing the succession law to allow a woman to become emperor.

That may bring some relief to Crown Prince Naruhito and his beleaguered wife, Princess Masako, under pressure to produce a boy of their own.

(on camera): People have been coming here to celebrate, and some of them say they're even hoping this new arrival will help to solve one of Japan's biggest problem, a declining birth rate. So will a royal baby help to inspire young Japanese to reproduce more? Maybe that's why the news extras are being sponsored by shops for baby products.

(voice-over): It may not solve everything, but Japanese seem to agree, a new royal baby, boy or girl, is good reason to celebrate. (END VIDEOTAPE)

SHUBERT: Of course, the succession issue has not been fully resolved. It's likely the next generation will be facing this exact same problem -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Atika, have you being seeing evidence in Tokyo of young women saying, oh, now I want to have a family, a bigger family, or anything like that?

SHUBERT: No, if anything, it's the opposite. A lot of young women here find it more and more difficult to maintain both a career and a job, much like women in the States, and they're finding that families are getting much smaller. A lot of people putting off having a family. So in that sense, Princess Masako actually probably reflects more of the reality on the ground.

S. O'BRIEN: Interesting. Interesting. Maybe a lot of sympathy then for all the struggles that she's had, after she's had that girl.

Atika Shubert for us in Tokyo. Thanks, Atika.

Ahead this morning, we're "Minding Your Business." And Jamie Lee Curtis. She's very popular with your kids, even if they've never seen her movies, a wildly famous children's author. We're going to talk to her just ahead.

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M. O'BRIEN: More stories ahead, after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Donald Rumsfeld's in the crosshairs. Democrats are pushing a no-confidence vote today.

M. O'BRIEN: The shuttle earthbound for another day, at least. A pre-dawn glitch has engineers wondering if they won't be able to slip through a narrow window.

And this...

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A doctor working 24 hours straight is just as impaired as someone who's drunk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you have a good appetite?

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S. O'BRIEN: Is your doctor too tired to treat you? We'll tell you what you need to know, what you can do about it, just ahead this morning. M. O'BRIEN: In Japan, it's a boy. And what a fuss! How would they have reacted to a baby in pink, we wonder?

And finally proof there really is a Suri. Katie and Tom debut with sharing their pictures, 22 pages worth, with the world, on this AMERICAN MORNING.

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