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American Morning
Hussein Execution Fallout; National Day of Mourning for Gerald Ford; Somalia Conflict
Aired January 02, 2007 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up on the top of the hour. Chad Myers at the CNN weather center.
What's your big weather story this morning, Chad?
Good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Soledad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: All right, Chad. Thank you very much.
And we've got breaking news from Indonesia this morning, conflicting reports that wreckage of a plane crash and even survivors have been found.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: A national day of mourning. America bids farewell to former president Gerald Ford today. A sweeping memorial services takes shape this hour.
O'BRIEN: And promise delivered. Oprah Winfrey opens her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa today. An exclusive live report on campus on this AMERICAN MORNING.
And welcome back, everybody, Tuesday, January 2nd. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
ROBERTS: And I'm John Roberts, in for Miles O'Brien.
Thanks very much for joining us. Welcome to the new year, the first work day of the new year.
O'BRIEN: Yes, it is. It's going to be a busy one, too, because, of course, we're following this developing story all morning, that plane crash in Indonesia.
It happened on New Year's Day. The plane disappeared from radar over the northeast part of Indonesia's islands. Adam Airline this morning is saying that the wreckage and, perhaps, survivors have been found. Now, Indonesian officials now say those reports are wrong. A hundred and two people, including three Americans, were on board when the plane went missing.
ROBERTS: In Iraq, the execution of Saddam Hussein is fueling new fears about a deadly surge in sectarian violence. Here's what's new this morning.
Growing numbers of Sunni-Arabs are now protesting Hussein's execution. They are outraged by a newly-released video of the execution. It's heard praising Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Hussein's former Ba'ath Party is now urging Iraqis to avenge the execution by attacking Shiites and American forces.
Also this morning, American troops raided a suspected insurgent safe house, killing six Sunnis.
CNN's Ryan Chilcote is live in Baghdad, joins us now for the very latest -- Ryan.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, the Iraqi police are telling us that they have found 15 bodies already today around the Iraqi capital, all of them dumped in a Sunni neighborhood here in Baghdad, all of them presumably victims of Iraq's sectarian death squads. That news coming as Iraqis fear that Saddam's execution and specifically how it was handled will only exacerbate the sectarian divide.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHILCOTE (voice over): Sunni anger over Saddam's execution poured into the streets Monday.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We give our condolences to the Islamic nation and the Prophet Mohammad's nation with the death of the Mujahadeed, Saddam Hussein. Mercy be upon him.
CHILCOTE: The protesters are not only angry about the execution, they're angry about the timing, as Sunnis prepared for the most important Muslim holiday of the year. And they're angry about how it was carried out.
Iraq's Sunnis watched this leak video in horror as Saddam was taunted by Shiite witnesses...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Muqtada! Muqtada! Muqtada!
CHILCOTE: ... yelling the name of the radical Shiite cleric who the U.S. and Sunnis blame for running death squads that target Sunnis.
An Iraqi official says the U.S. asked Iraq's Shiite-led government to delay the execution for two weeks, concerned it would look rushed and vengeful. But the hanging went on as scheduled, ending with some witnesses dancing around Saddam's body, shouting more Shiite slogans. Iraq's government now says it will investigate what happened in the execution chamber, but that is unlikely to placate Sunni anger that now spreads beyond Iraq.
Saddam's eldest daughter Raghad appeared at a demonstration in the neighboring country of Jordan where she lives in exile, where some Sunnis vow they will now work to punish the Iraqi government.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CHILCOTE: John, the U.S. military is reporting its first fatality here in Iraq for 2007. The military says it was a soldier killed just southwest of Baghdad yesterday. He was hit by an IED. The military says the whole purpose of the patrol was to talk to Iraqis about sectarian violence -- John.
ROBERTS: Those IEDs are just such vicious devices.
Ryan Chilcote, thanks very much -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Here at home, it's a national day of mourning for President Gerald R. Ford. Bells will toll 38 times this morning at the National Cathedral in honor of the 38th president.
CNN has live coverage. Elaine Quijano at the White House, John King at the National Cathedral.
Let's begin with Elaine at the White House.
Good morning, Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad. President Bush will pay tribute to the late President Gerald Ford, and his eulogy will likely echo what he heard from President Bush last week at his ranch.
Now, yesterday, of course, the president and the first lady briefly paid their respects at the U.S. Capitol. They stood silently for a few minutes, bowing their heads before the flag-draped casket. Afterwards, they visited privately with former first lady Betty Ford at Blair House, across the street from the White House.
Now, President Bush last week called Gerald Ford "a true gentleman." Mr. Bush, alluding to the Watergate scandal, said Ford "provided healing for the nation and a calm and steady hand to the presidency." Mr. Bush called Ford "a great man who devoted the best years of his life in service to the United States."
And Soledad, this morning the White House says that President Bush's remarks will focus on President Ford's tremendous character throughout his life and his leadership during a divisive moment in our nation's history -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Elaine Quijano at the White House.
Thanks, Elaine.
And, in fact, less than an hour from now, the body of President Ford will begin its journey to the place where he'll be memorialized this morning at the National Cathedral.
Our chief national correspondent, John King, is there for us live this morning.
Good morning, John.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.
And you mentioned the bell here at this majestic cathedral will toll 38 times in honor of the 38th president of the United States. And those bells will start tolling as the procession makes its way from the Capitol to the cathedral here.
The service to begin at 10:30 here in Washington -- here in Washington, Washington time. We're beginning to see some of the 3,700 people invited arrive for the ceremony here.
We read through the prayers earlier this morning, and it's quite a simple ceremony. The president' pastor from Palm Desert, California, where he, of course, spent his later years, will be here to take part in the ceremony. Among those reading the prayers, his son Jack and his daughter Susan.
And two presidents of the United States. The former President George H. W. Bush will speak, as well as, as Elaine just noted, the current president, George W. Bush here.
And also, the former secretary of state, Henry Kissinger, a reminder that Gerald Ford was president in the days immediately after Watergate, obviously issued the most controversial move of his short presidency, the pardon of Richard Nixon. Also president at the time of the Vietnam War, which divided the country, of course.
But here this morning, a simple, solemn ceremony. A remarkable display of music will be heard throughout the ceremony. It's scheduled to run only about an hour, though, Soledad, as the nation says its last official good-bye to Gerald R. Ford. And then, of course, one last procession out to Andrews Air Force base and home to his final resting place, back home in Grand Rapids, Michigan -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: John King's at the National Cathedral this morning.
Thank you, John.
CNN's live coverage of the national day of mourning for former president Ford begins starting at 8:30. We're going to check in with Wolf Blitzer. It's going to be a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM." Wolf will be hosting that. That begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
Be sure to catch that right here on CNN.
ROBERTS: Well, coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, snowstorms in the West, spring-like temperatures in the East. We've got a closer look at the extremes.
Plus, sleep, depression and children. Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us how much shuteye your children should be getting and what impact sleep has on their mood.
Stay with us. AMERICAN MORNING is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Happening this morning, a memorial service for former president Gerald Ford at the National Cathedral in Washington.
And there are conflicting reports about that Adam Airplane crash in Indonesia. Reuters contradicting airline reports that wreckage and survivors were found overnight. A hundred and two people, including three Americans, were on board.
ROBERTS: They're still digging out from a killer blizzard out West, while in the East they're wondering if winter is ever going to arrive. It's a tale of two countries, with nature going to extremes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS (voice over): On New Year's Day, people in La Junta, Colorado, were still digging out from under 30 inches of snow.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People can't get out of their homes, they can't get to the stores. Stores can't get employees out to work. It's a mess.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've seen drifts this big, but this much snow, this deep everywhere, I've never seen it.
ROBERTS: The blizzard that started last week in the Rockies swept through the Plains and all the way to Texas, dumping three to four feet of snow along the way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Personally, I love this weather. Professionally, it's been a nightmare.
ROBERTS: New Mexico's major arteries are now clear, but over the New Year's weekend, ice and heavy snow brought traffic on long stretches on Interstate 40 to a screeching halt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two trucks stopped on 287.
ROBERTS: A fleet of small planes are flying over southeastern Colorado, searching for any motorists who remain snowbound. Officials are also trying to get food to stranded livestock in the area.
In Kansas, tens of thousands of homes and businesses are still without power. While the nation's midsection is snowed under, the weather in the eastern United States is the polar opposite, unseasonably warm. Cherry blossoms are blooming in the nation's capital, four months too soon.
In upstate Rochester, New York, 2007 road in on water skis rather than snow skis. And for Polar Bears at New York's Coney Island, their annual New Year's Day swim didn't make a big splash. These people who have ice water in their veins were positively lukewarm about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been in the water when you had to kick the ice out of the foam to get into the water. It's a piece of cake this time. I mean, I should have brought my lounge chair out here. All I'm missing is a hotdog and some suntan lotion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Piece of cake. Just missing a hotdog and some suntan lotion.
Coming up now to 13 minutes after the hour. If you're just heading out the door right now, let's get a quick check of the traveler's forecast. Chad Myers at the CNN weather center.
How's it looking, Chad?
MYERS: It looks good, John.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: All right, Chad. Thank you.
MYERS: Sure.
O'BRIEN: This morning the U.S. military is reporting that another American soldier has been killed southwest of Baghdad. It happened on Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near his patrol. And it brings the death toll in Iraq to 3,003 since the war began.
CNN's Barbara Starr breaks down some of those numbers from the Pentagon for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In Montrose, Pennsylvania, the grave of 27-year-old Army staff sergeant Daniel Arnold, just one of the now more than 3,000 Americans who have lost their lives in the Iraq war. Arnold was killed months ago in Ramadi when his vehicle came under fire. His father is still grief- stricken.
KENDALL ARNOLD, SON KILLED IN IRAQ: These boys go over there because they want to, not because they have to, and do their job. And it's just so terrible, the loss of life over there.
STARR: Who are the 3,000 who have died? Every state in the country has held funerals.
California has lost the most, nearly 300. The Army, which has the most troops on the front line, has lost more than 1,200. The Marine Corps, more than 600.
It's a far cry from generations past. More than 400,000 troops died in World War II, more than 36,000 in the Korean War and more that 58,000 in Vietnam. In the first Gulf War, 382 died.
It is still the improvised explosive device that is the number one threat. More than 1,000 have been killed, more than 11,000 injured by IEDs. (on camera): In its fourth annual survey, "The Military Times" newspaper, which is privately owned but widely read by military audiences, found that 42 percent of the troops disapprove of the way the president was handling the war. Just 35 percent registered their approval. But "The Military Times" acknowledges this is not representative of the military as a whole.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: In South Africa this morning, Oprah Winfrey is delivering on a promise, opening her Leadership Academy for Girls. Today is the first day of school for 153 girls at the academy, which lies outside of Johannesburg.
CNN's Jeff Koinange is on Henley-On-Klip. He's got an exclusive look inside this morning.
Hey, Jeff. Good morning. You see some big names at this event.
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT: Big, big names, Soledad. I'll get to those in a moment.
But just a short while ago, the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. So far, 153 carefully selected girls are going to grace the school. That number will go up to about 450 in the coming years.
But a poignant moment as Oprah walked out of the building, along with a half a dozen of the girls, cut that ribbon. Then a flag- raising ceremony. And then shortly after that, there was the official ceremony itself. Oprah on stage, and in there she talked about this being one of the climax moments of her life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: This has been the most fulfilling, the most rewarding experience of my life. It has filled me up. So today I stand before you a full woman. My cup runneth over with love for these girls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOINANGE: No doubt about it, her cup runneth over.
And Soledad, talking about celebrities, it seems like Hollywood's who's who is on the ground. Everyone from Mariah Carey, to Spike Lee, Chris Tucker, Chris Rock, Quincy Jones, Tina Turner, you name it, they have showed up today to celebrate, if you will, with Oprah, and Oprah out there just saying this is her moment. And also a moment for these young, talented and chosen few -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: How long before they're able to open that school to 450 girls, which is what I know she was hoping to do? KOINANGE: Well, this first year they're getting the seventh graders and the eighth graders. That will -- it's 73 and 79, respectively, for those two grades.
And then as the years roll on, they'll bring the next lot and the next lot. And this school goes up to grade 12. That's why in about three, four years, it will go up to about 450.
But right now, the 152, they're just loving it out there. They just feel like their life has literally turned a trajectory. In Oprah's words, turned literally 180 degrees, and Oprah hopes that these young girls will be the leaders of tomorrow -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: I like those uniforms. They're cute.
All right. Jeff Koinange for us this morning.
Thank you, Jeff -- John.
ROBERTS: Now to the Horn of Africa, where there is developing news this morning. Islamist militants with links to al Qaeda are on the run from their final two strongholds in Somalia, and Ethiopian troops will stay for at least another two weeks to help out.
CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and joins us now.
Frederik, what's the latest there?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, these are very decisive moments for Somalia right now. The Ethiopian forces and Somali transitional government forces are saying that they have effectively won this war and that they now control all of Somalia, all of that country. And basically that military operation is now turning into something like an anti-terror operation, where Ethiopian and Somali forces are chasing down what's left of that Islamist militia.
And they say that several internationally wanted terrorists are still among the Islamists in that area. And they also say that among those internationally wanted terrorists are three individuals that the United States is looking for in connection to the 1998 embassy bombings in Kenya and in Tanzania.
And just to give you an idea of how important this is to the United States, right now there are American warships patrolling off the coast of Somalia juts to make sure that none of those terrorists, or alleged terrorists, try to make an escape by boat -- John.
ROBERTS: Frederik, a lot of them are fleeing down toward Kenya. What does the Ethiopian, the Somali government doing to appeal to Kenya to try to block off any escape route there?
PLEITGEN: You're absolutely right. The Ethiopians and the Somalis have appealed to Kenya to seal off their border.
Now, what the Kenyans are saying is that they have basically increased security at their border, have increased their soldiers at the border, and they've already apprehended 10 individuals that have tried to flee there. That basically shows that they are trying to make their way out to that border -- John.
ROBERTS: Wow. What a turnaround in that country yet again.
Frederik Pleitgen in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Thanks very much for joining us this morning -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, if you think your sleep is important, it might be even more important for your kids. This morning we take a look at the link between sleep and depression in young people. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is back with a "House Call" straight ahead.
And the incredible ending to an incredible game. We'll tell you what a Boise State football player did that was really shocking. And we're not talking about scoring the winning points.
That's up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Well, in case you missed it, Boise State shocked Oklahoma last night in the Fiesta Bowl. The score was 43-42, great game, went into overtime. Great season for Boise State. They were 13-0 for the year.
And just moments after scoring the winning points, the Boise State tailback, Ian Johnson (ph), got down on one knee -- look at that -- and proposed to his girlfriend, cheerleader Christie Popatik (ph), on national television. Now, luckily for him, she said yes.
What he said was, the ring is back in his room, but he just couldn't wait to ask. Isn't that sweet?
ROBERTS: Oh.
O'BRIEN: They're a cute couple. I hope I didn't mispronounce her name.
Sorry, Christie (ph).
She doesn't care.
ROBERTS: Very nice.
O'BRIEN: She's engaged!
ROBERTS: She's engaged. What does she care.
O'BRIEN: Congratulations to the happy couple. Congratulations on winning the big game.
Ian (ph), you've had a good couple of days, man. Good work. ROBERTS: Hey, we took a -- we took a brief little brush at this yesterday. A new year means a pay increase for many, many workers. None of us among them, though.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
ROBERTS: But people who actually really need it, though.
Twenty-four after the hour now. Ali Velshi "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Good morning, Ali.
VELSHI: Good morning.
And you're right. We've talked about this. And if you're one of those people who got the minimum wage increase, you'll know about it already, but it bears repeating.
Seven states as of this week have new minimum wages, all of them, of course, higher than the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. New minimum wages in California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Delaware and North Carolina.
That brings to the total states that have -- have minimum wages higher than the federal minimum 28 states, and the Distinct of Columbia. Some of those wages are as high as $7.50 an hour.
You'll remember that the federal minimum wage is just $5.15 an hour. It's been there since 1997. Certainly not keeping pace with inflation.
One of the priorities of the new Democratic-controlled Congress is to increase that minimum wage to up to $7.25. And President Bush has actually said he approves of that measure.
A lot of small businesses oppose it. They say that it will crush them, they won't be able to hire and expand their staff.
Evidence isn't clear on that. Certainly it will affect small businesses, but there is evidence, it shows that people who earn more spend more. So it actually could be good for small businesses in the end.
The bottom line is it's simply is not fair that there has been a federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour, which amounts to about $900 a week (sic). And I've tried many times to come up with a budget that you could live on for that, and I must tell you...
ROBERTS: Yes, I don't know how anybody ever could.
VELSHI: ... the very basics that you have to throw out of your budget to live on $5.15 an hour are not things that we have to face on a daily basis.
ROBERTS: This is why people are working three and four jobs, trying to make ends meet.
VELSHI: Yes. And by the way, you don't get the benefits of bulk purchasing, whether it's transit, you know, tickets, or going to Costco, because you are not having the money to have the extra to buy more and save. So you are paying premium prices for all sorts of things.
So good luck to those of you who got the increase, and let's hope there's a lot more of that.
ROBERTS: Yes. Still, it's even tough with the increase.
VELSHI: It's still tough, but it's -- really, a credit to those people who make a living on that kind of money.
ROBERTS: All right. Thanks, Ali. Appreciate it.
VELSHI: Yes.
ROBERTS: Coming up, the latest on that passenger jet that disappeared over Indonesia. Conflicting reports this morning over whether the wreckage and survivors have been found.
And are your children getting enough sleep? A new study says a good night's sleep is not only vital to your child's physical well- being, but to their mental health, too.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Washington's final salute. Services for President Gerald Ford about to get under way right now at the Capitol on this national day of mourning.
ROBERTS: A tale of two countries. Ice and snow out West, warm and blooming flowers out East.
O'BRIEN: And a health alert. A new warning about kids and sleep and the consequences of getting too little shuteye for kids on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Welcome back, everybody, Tuesday, January 2nd.
I'm Soledad O'Brien.
ROBERTS: And I'm John Roberts, in for Miles O'Brien this week.
Thanks for joining us on what really is the first day back to work of this new year.
And happening this morning, a developing story out of Indonesia. That plane that disappeared from radar over the northeastern part of the Indonesian islands on New Year's Day, Adam Airlines said this morning that the wreckage and, perhaps, survivors had been found. But Indonesian officials now say those reports were incorrect. 102 people, including three Americans, were on board when the plane went missing.
In New Orleans this morning, seven police officers are expected to turn themselves in to face murder and attempted murder indictments in the shooting deaths of two men. It happened on the bridge in the chaotic days after Hurricane Katrina. The men turned out not to be armed.
Across four states in the heartland, they're adding up the damage and the feet of snow that buried the region over the weekend. Tens of thousands of people are still without power. 12 people were killed. And there are now concerns of a pending agricultural disaster with livestock isolated from food. Searchers in planes equipped with heat sensors are still looking for snowbound travelers near the Colorado- Kansas border..
And in Iraq, Sunnis angry over Saddam Hussein's hanging marched in Samarra. They carried a mock coffin and photos of Hussein waving guns and shouting slogans. The demonstrators reportedly broke off the locks of a bomb-damaged Shiite shrine called the Golden Dome and took their protest inside.
Iran's President gave another defiant rebuke to the United Nations today. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said his country is going ahead with its nuclear plans and is ready to defend it, quote, completely. He called the U.S. sanctions opposed against his country invalid.
O'BRIEN: More now on that national day of mourning for President Gerald R. Ford. At this hour the casket will be moved from the Capitol Rotunda to the National Cathedral.
All four living U.S. presidents will attend the state funeral at the National Cathedral this morning and President Bush is going to be delivering the eulogy.
Wolf Blitzer is live with us in Washington, D.C., John King is at the National Cathedral, Bob Franken is at the Capital. Let's begin with Wolf this morning. Good morning to you, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad. It's going to be an emotional, dramatic morning here in the nation's capital, a national day of mourning. The president's casket, Gerald R. Ford, it will leave Capitol Hill and eventually make its way through the streets of the nation's's capital to the National Cathedral where there will be services, memorial services in his honor. A chance for the nation to pay their respects to this 38th president of the United States.
Among those who will be delivering the eulogies, the President of the United States, as well as his father. This is a day that many Washington Washingtonians, people indeed across the country, will remember. It doesn't happy very often, Soledad, as all of our viewers know.
The 38th president, widely respected, someone very well liked across party lines. And this will be underscored by the guests who will gather at the National Cathedral later today. We're going to be watching every step of the way, Soledad. Certainly we're going to go forward with watching the casket removed from the rotunda and then taken from the Capitol into the motorcade, eventually getting over to the National Cathedral.
We'll watch that. Our coverage, Soledad, will begin at 9:00 a.m. with a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM."
One additional note, I just want to make a correction, an apology, Soledad, for what we did yesterday. In "THE SITUATION ROOM," we had a bad typographical error in one of our graphics. We were doing a piece on the hunt for Osama bin Laden in this new year 2007.
Unfortunately there was a graphic, instead of saying where is Osama, it said where is Obama. We want to apologize for that that bad typo. We want to also apologize personally to Senator Barack Obama. I'm going to be making a call to him later this morning to offer my personal apology -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Let's begin with how the morning begins now. We can see in the halls of Capitol Hill there are in fact some movement. A procession looks as if it is just the very beginning of it. I believe, in fact, we can see, Wolf, if I'm not mistaken, the casket beginning to make its way down the hallway.
The military honor guard, that is the eight people carrying the casket from the rotunda down the second floor hallway to the Senate chamber, this is, of course, very symbolic. They're going to be placing that casket outside the Senate chamber doors, which are closed, symbolically closed.
Let's watch for just a moment, Wolf, and then I'm going to ask you a question on the other side.
(SILENCE)
O'BRIEN: That was the body of President Ford and the casket being brought through the hall. We can see it one more time. You know, it's interesting to me, Wolf, to talk a little bit about the symbolism there, it's to symbolize, really, his service, Gerald Ford's service, not only as the vice president, but also as the president of the Senate, right?
BLITZER: Right. He was certainly a great product of the House of Representatives where he served for decades. He eventually became the minority leader, the Republican leader in the House. When he was vice president for less than a year under President Nixon, he automatically became the president of the U.S. Senate.
And in order to symbolize that relationship he had not only with the House, but also with the Senate, the casket has now been moved to the Senate side where it will lie in state briefly here before it is removed, taken down the stairs of the U.S. Capitol and put in the motorcade in the hearse and eventually get over to the National Cathedral.
But you're absolutely right, he wanted this, all of this was carefully organized and discussed with President Ford before he passed away with his family, with his friends, he wanted to underscore his relationship with both the House of Representatives as well as the U.S. Senate and that's why that casket is now on the Senate side of the Capitol.
O'BRIEN: Wolf Blitzer for us, Wolf, thanks.
Let's get to John King now. John, of course, is CNN's chief national correspondent. He's at the National Cathedral and, of course, the body of the former president will be making its way to the National Cathedral. Pass by the White House enroute, actually, John, that we are expecting probably within an an hour or so.
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Soledad. A slow path from the Capitol down Pennsylvania Avenue past the White House. Then it will turn north here up into northwest Washington, D.C. and make its way here to the majestic cathedral.
The sun has come up in the past hour or so. It is a brisk but a beautiful day in Washington. We're beginning to watch many of the 3,700 dignitaries, Ford family, friends, and some just simple civil servants who served in that Administration, some 30 years ago now, make their way into the cathedral for the ceremony here.
And as the procession makes its way from the Capitol to the cathedral, the bell here will toll 38 times, once each of course in honor of the 38th president of the United States.
The service inside will be solemn, but it is quite simple. The Ford family picking the prayers for this. The head of this cathedral will speak as part of the ceremonies. The president's pastor from Palm Desert, California is here as well. His son Jack and his daughter Susan will speak.
And as wolf noted earlier, the former President Bush will speak, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger also will eulogize is former boss. And George W. Bush, the current and the 43rd president of the United States will deliver the final eulogy Soledad.
3,700 people gathered in the National Cathedral. One last official farewell to the 38th president of the United States who will then make his way back to the district he represented. He was a man of the House before he was a vice president and president of the United States. Gerald R. Ford will then go home to Grand Rapids, Michigan, his final resting place today -- Soledad.
A big, big day today in Washington, D.C. John King for us this morning, thank you, John. John, of course, will be involved in our live coverage throughout the day as well.
ROBERTS: Let's bring in our Bob Franken now -- he is on Capitol Hill. And as we see the bust of Gerald Ford there by the casket. The bust was moved from a different place inside the Capitol.
It's interesting that as this casket makes its way out of the Capitol building to join up with the motorcade, it will pass by the busts of both Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew.
Bob Franken, John King was saying, that Gerald Ford was known as a man of the House. His greatest ambition was to be Speaker of the House. Just through happenstance and turn of fate, became a man of the Senate as well when he was elevated to the position of vice president.
It was really interesting what we saw yesterday too Bob that Gerald Ford's four children stood there in the rotunda of the Capitol building and greeted people who were coming along.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The rotunda is, of course, a very, very public, public part of the nation. The Capitol itself is. There's a tradition of the Capitol that has been undermined somewhat since September 11th, 2001. But the tradition is the openness. It is the people's House.
Gerald Ford was a product of that. So even with all the formality in the rotunda, with all the formality of the military services, the precision of that and the changing of the guards, et cetera, there was an informality that really reflected the whole Ford family persona.
The children, particularly, of Gerald Ford, the four of them, spent times, worked in shifts almost, to come and just talk with the people who had come to pay their respects, the so called ordinary citizens. They passed out commemorative cards talked with some of the children. And it really reflected the spirit and attitude of that family.
Betty Ford is somebody who almost had a personal relationship in the many last years with so much of the United States. Of course, she's so well known now, her name attached to the Betty Ford centers which have treated so many people for addiction.
But Gerald Ford came to the place where he had spent so many years as a Congressman. As several have pointed out, his big aspiration was to be the Speaker of the House, which would have been number three in the succession to the presidency, but of course through tricks of fate, he went up to the number two man and then he became the president of the United States. And so all this innate ceremony celebrates that, but still the simplicity in the middle of all this pomp and ceremony is what is so touching John.
ROBERTS: And Bob Franken, I was speaking with historian Alan Lictman about this much earlier in the day and that is that history has looked upon Gerald Ford much more favorably than the politics of his day did.
FRANKEN: Well, the politics of the day were one of quite a bit of anger and confrontation, perhaps comparable to what we have today. But many of the decisions he made, particularly the one where he pardoned Richard Nixon now have the perspectives that come with time.
And many people are saying well maybe there was good reason to do a decision that at that time created such angry controversy that is credited with causing him to lose the next election.
ROBERTS: Yes, polls that were taken not too long ago in retrospect, have him at a 60 percent approval rating whereas during the day it was only at 37 percent. Bob Franken on Capitol Hill, thanks very much -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: And CNN's full coverage of the national day of mourning for former President Gerald Ford begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern. A special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM." We've got a short break and AMERICAN MORNING returns in just a moment.
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ROBERTS: You're looking at a picture there, the Senate side of the west front of the Capitol as the honor guard is assembling, preparing to see the body of the 38th president of the United States, Gerald Ford, out of the Senate where it's resting in front of the Senate doors right now. The motorcade carrying the former First Lady Betty Ford and the Ford's four children will be pulling up in the next few minutes' time.
What you'll see then is that the four Ford children will be ascending the staircase to the Senate. There they will pay their last respects to their father. They will then accompany the casket down the stairs along with the honorary pallbearers. It will be put into the hearse and then will begin its journey up to the National cathedral. Everything just setting up right now.
Still supposed to be about 14, maybe 16 minutes away from the actual beginning of that ceremony. We'll keep watching it for you here. Don't worry, you're not going to miss a moment of it here this morning on CNN -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: In the meanwhile, let's get to some medical news this morning. In this morning's "House Call," question for you, is it there a link between depression and lack of sleep in children. Our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is at the CNN center in Atlanta with details on a new study. Good morning Sanjay.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad. You know, it's one of these things that's so interesting, this link between depression and sleeplessness or sleepiness. It's true. It's been proven in adults and in children for some time that people who have excessive problems with sleep are more likely to have depression and vice versa.
What's been harder to answer is which causes which, the chicken or the egg sort of question. Also looking specifically at children now, a new study looking at children between the ages of 7 and 15 who all carry the diagnosis of depression, trying to figure out what it was about their sleep patterns that were so specific.
What they found that most of the children actually had insomnia. They couldn't sleep at all. About 90 percent had something known as hypersomnia, which means that they sleep too much at night. What was most interesting and new in the study was that 10 percent actually had both.
They had these wild fluctuations back and forth between insomnia and hypersomnia. And what the researchers also concluded about this particular population of children is that they were the most likely to have the most severe depression.
We know that sleep and depression are linked, but it turns out that it matters specifically what type of sleep disturbances are actually taking place in your child, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: OK, but you're talking about a population, Sanjay, over 500 kids or so, of children who already had a depressive disorder. So, couldn't somebody say, well, of course, the sleep issues are coming because you're looking at a population that's already depressed.
GUPTA: Right. And so this whole idea that they have some sort of sleep disorder linked to the depression, you're right, it is a bit of a biased group. But what I think they were trying to show in this specific study was, OK, we know from lots of studies and lots of information and data out there that depression and sleep are linked in some way.
What they're trying to sort of hone in on is what specifically about the sleep, what specifically changes in the sleep patterns, that caused the most severe depression, the depression that sometimes requires medication or have the longest long-term effects.
And what they find is these, again these fluctuations between insomnia and hypersomnia. To me it sort of made sense, if a kid doesn't sleep that much one night, then the next night they are going to sleep a lot. What they're saying is this happens characteristically three or more times a week and it's these fluctuations back and forth that are often associated with the most severe form of depression.
O'BRIEN: OK, so, then if I'm a parent and I have a child that has sleep issues, what's the take-away for me -- do I say wow, this could be a signal to me to notice that this child may be depressed or is this something that I say, well, I need to get this child more sleep so they don't get depressed?
GUPTA: Again it goes back to that chicken and the egg thing. The first thing, you want to make sure your kid is getting enough sleep and actually measure that -- keep a diary, so that you really know.
For pre-school children, 10 to 12 hours continuously sleep at night important. As they get a little bit older, at least 9 hours. There are ways, obviously, to try and improve a child's sleep. But if nothing seems to be working and they're not getting good sleep and they're having fluctuations, again really keying in on these fluctuations, it may be a sign of early depression. And early depression, earlier treated obviously has the best long-term effects. So, it's a sign to go to your doctor and at least get this checked out. O'BRIEN: All right. Sanjay thank you very much.
GUPTA: Thank you.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Right now we're watching what's happening in Washington, D.C., the services for former President Gerald R. Ford, a national day of mourning for him.
The casket has already been moved from the rotunda to outside the Senate chamber doors. The funeral will be held later this morning at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. And you are seeing where the motorcade will be arriving at the East Capitol plaza.
They'll be pulling up in front there and the commander will bring those troops to attention as they will eventually bring the body, the remains of Gerald Ford down those steps and into the motorcade heading towards that ceremony at the National Cathedral.
We'll continue to watch this story for you. And, of course, there's a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM" that begins in just about ten minutes right here on CNN.
A short break and we're back in just a moment.
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O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. You're taking a look at live pictures. The public viewing in Washington, D.C. and repose of the former President Gerald Ford is now over, and, in fact, his body has been brought out from the rotunda to the Senate chamber where it's going to remain in repose there for a short time and then depart down these steps here as you can see.
You see the procession, you saw a moment ago of being set up there. That's the East Capitol plaza. The motorcade will pull up in front of there and in fact the pallbearers will bring the body of Gerald Ford down those steps and place it into the hearse to continue with the proceedings at the national Cathedral.
We continue to monitor the story for you of course. And there you can see right on time, the motorcade arriving. In just about six minutes or so the proceedings are expected to begin. Inside the motorcade, Gerald Ford's family, along with his wife, his widow.
ROBERTS: He's passing in front of the White House there now.
O'BRIEN: And they will make their way to the National Cathedral where the services will go on there. Many dignitaries, obviously, will be attending the services today. President Bush will be delivering the eulogy. We're going to have live coverage as CNN turns it over to a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM" hosted by Wolf Blitzer, in just a few moments -- John.
ROBERTS: Meantime, happening in America right now, in Portland, Oregon, a Marine back home from Iraq is missing four years of military memories. He says a thief broke into his home and took off with a bag with his dress uniform, dog tags and marksmanship medals inside. Sgt. Donovan Haak is now searching local pawn shops for his belongings.
In Pennsylvania, an early morning train derailment, at least two locomotives and a box car came off the Norfolk Southern freight line in lower Marion Township outside of Philadelphia. Hazmat crews are on the scene in case any hazardous materials are involved. No word yet on what caused that accident.
In Massachusetts, twins born in different years. Jennifer Honing (ph) delivered a one pound, 15 ounce baby girl at 11:58 p.m. on New Years Eve. Then at 15 seconds past midnight, came along a two pound, seven ounce boy. Boston's first baby of 2007. Now Jennifer and Scot Honing (ph) have New Year's Eve and New Year's Day babies and have to celebrate birthdays on different days now.
O'BRIEN: No word on the names, the little guys, but they're there. Now (INAUDIBLE) extra work for people who are already struggling with twins.
ROBERTS: We continue to follow the day of mourning in Washington, D.C. The casket of former President Gerald Ford will be making its way to the National Cathedral soon in just a minutes really.
You're looking at the body lying in repose now moved out of the rotunda and outside the door of the Senate chamber. And you can there the motorcade is just about to arrive. They'll be bringing that body down the stairs and into the motorcade and into the hearse taking it to the service at the national Cathedral.
We're going to have live coverage of the state funeral for Gerald Ford. Begins at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time right here on CNN. It's a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM." we've got a short break, but we're back in just a moment.
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ROBERTS: Well that's all from here on this AMERICAN MORNING. Thanks very much for joining us today.
O'BRIEN: Before we let you go, we're going to end with a final picture. Take a live look at Capitol Hill as we are getting ready to begin the coverage of the state funeral for President Gerald Ford. It begins right now.
You're looking at the Capitol, the motorcade is in the process of arriving. The president of course was lying in state since Saturday evening. You can see a little bit of the traffic in the motorcade moving through.
The body now lying in state, but at the outside of the rotunda as you can see in these live pictures right here. Right outside the Senate chamber doors, a sign of respect and honor for Ford's term as the president of the Senate and his role as vice president, as well. Going to turn our coverage over now to a special edition of the "THE SITUATION ROOM" and Wolf Blitzer.
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