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American Morning
Beirut Locked Down After Deadly Protests
Aired January 26, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: Welcome everybody. Friday, January 26. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: Friday is always a good word to say -- to use. I'm Rick Sanchez in for Miles O'Brien. He's on assignment today.
O'BRIEN: Thanks for helping us out. We appreciate it.
SANCHEZ: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Let's get right to what's happening this morning in Brussels, a promise to help two war zones. The U.S. is pledging $11 billion to fight the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan. While in Lebanon, the international community is offering $7.6 billion to rebuild from the Israel/Hezbollah conflict over the summer.
Beirut's current curfew is over right now. The city locked down after deadly protests. Senior International Correspondent Nick Robertson is in Beirut this morning. Zain Verjee is at her post at the State Department in Washington, D.C. Let's begin with Zain.
Good morning, Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Soledad.
More aid to Afghanistan is really intended to boost the President Hamid Karzai, who hasn't been able to control Afghanistan at all. It's also intended to counter a growing Taliban insurgency in anticipation, too, of a spring offensive. Let's look at some numbers here, Soledad.
The State Department going to ask Congress for $10.6 billion in new aid to Afghanistan. Look how that breaks down. Most of it is $8.6 billion and it's going to be given to Afghan security forces, to train them, the equip soldiers and police. And $2 billion is for reconstruction. You're looking at things like roads, power, schools, clinics, other rural development projects. Now, this is all in addition to $14 billion the U.S. has spent on Afghanistan, on reconstruction, since the Taliban was toppled back in 2001.
All of this coming, Soledad, of a back drop, as I mentioned, of increased Taliban resurgence, more attacks on NATO forces, particularly in the south of the country. Deteriorating relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, between President Musharref and President Karzai. And also very significantly, an increase in opium production; a 49 percent increase last year. That's significant because it basically funds the Taliban and allows them to conduct fierce attacks on NATO forces, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: So, when you take a look at NATO, though, you see so many divisions within. How is that going to -- how hard would it be for Secretary Rice to sort of confront that?
VERJEE: It's going to be hard. It is an issue, and she is trying to confront it. Basically, the division is over who shares the burden in Afghanistan. You've got troops like the Canadians, like the British, who are getting really dirty with the fighting. You know, they're digging down. They're engaging the Taliban. They're fighting, and they're taking casualties in the south of Afghanistan.
But there are a lot of other countries like France, like Germany, and many other NATO countries that are sitting in Kabul, they're in the north of the country. It's a stable environment. They're not really engaging Taliban forces, so that's one of the issues that are dividing NATO countries. And Secretary Rice wants NATO to step up with more troops with more money.
O'BRIEN: Zain Verjee for us this morning in Washington, D.C. Thank you, Zain.
Rick.
SANCHEZ: It took an army and a curfew in Beirut to try to finally quiet the mob of angry students clashing with Hezbollah supporters. CNN Senior International Correspondent Nick Robertson is joining us now live, from Beirut. He has been following the story.
You know what I still don't understand about this, Nic, is what sparked it? What was the motive for this thing?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INT'L. CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: You know, Rick, everyone here still asking the same question. The curfew was the first since the civil war ended 16, 17 years ago. It was successful.
But what really kicked this off? What was the flashpoint? Nobody really knows that, but it all began late afternoon right around the Arab University in Beirut.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON (voice over): Armed with rocks and intent on a fight, hundreds of ferocious and angry young men converged on Beirut's Arab University. The violence started late in the afternoon; clashes inside the campus between students loyal to Lebanon's government and anti- government Hezbollah supporters.
As the situation escalated, vehicles were set on fire. Anyone who could, scrambled to save them. Dense, black smoke billowed up from the university. Lebanese army soldiers on foot, and in armored personnel carriers, pushed forward towards the rock throwers. From the tops of vehicles, in the midst of the chaos, appealing for calm.
(On camera): Right now the army is holding back here. The violence is over there, where the students are. There's a lot of gunfire going on. At the moment the army holding back, measuring what they should do.
(Voice over): At one point the crowd of angry young pro- government men set fire to a Hezbollah flag as inflammatory an insult as any here can be. From within the battle zone, both soldiers and civilians stretched out, as the confrontation continue to flare.
Volley after volley of gunfire blasted into the air by soldiers in an effort to calm and separate the rock-throwing crowds. In nearby side streets and on highways, the Lebanese army flooded the area with troops to contain the violence close to its epicenter at the university. Not long after, they called a curfew from 8:30 in the evening until 6:00 in the morning.
After several hours of clashes, the army was able to bring enough calm to get a fire truck into the university. And the burning vehicles, belching black smoke, signaling chaos across the city, extinguished.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTSON: Because nobody knows exactly what triggered it, the fear is this could happen again somewhere else. And people are saying, look, this is not so much a political thing now, pro and anti- government factions. It's sectarian, Sunni and Shia, Rick.
SANCHEZ: That's amazing. We'll certainly be checking back with you, Nic, to see if anything moves today. Right now everything is calm, though, right?
ROBERTSON: Right. That's the way its looking at the moment. But that's the way it was yesterday right before this violence kicked off.
SANCHEZ: Yes, that's amazing. Nic Robertson, as usual, filling us in there on that situation. Thank you very much. We will get back to you if need be.
Soledad, back to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, thank you.
In Iraq, a controversial new tactic, shoot to kill. Not Iraqi insurgents, but Iranian operatives. This morning's "Washington Post" reports that the Bush administration is giving U.S. troops the OK to kill Iranian nationals who are working for the insurgency. That's an escalation from the previous policy, which allowed troops to catch and release suspected Iranian agents. The administration is now saying it's time for a more confrontational approach to help break Tehran's influence across the Middle East.
Also happening this morning, we know it already if you are up and out. Artic blast sweeping across the Eastern part of the country today. Making for some of the coldest temperatures and wind chills of the season. Lake-effect snow in western Pennsylvania. We're going to have more on that from Chad straight ahead.
The Senate is now considering a second Iraq resolution. This one from a Republican Senator John Warner, now his proposal opposes a big troop buildup into Iraq, but it leaves the door open for smaller deployments. A competing resolution that was passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee called President Bush's troop surge plan, quote, "not in the national interest."
A story happening right now, in Pakistan. A bomb blast is reported outside the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. Wire reports say a suicide bomber killed himself, at least one other person, too. Witnesses say the security guards were trying to stop the bomber from entering a hotel when he set off the bomb in the parking lot. Seven other people were wounded in that attack.
More testimony in the trial of Lewis Scooter Libby. Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff. Cheney's spokeswoman, Cathy Martin, testified she wasn't sure when she told Libby who CIA operative Valerie Plame was. Plame's identity was leaked to the press and Libby is charged with lying to prosecutors who were investigating the leak.
More heat this morning from Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. He might kick the U.S. ambassador out of his country if that ambassador continues to, quote, "meddle in its affairs." Ambassador William Brownfield has said that U.S. investors must receive a fair price for their shares in Venezuela's largest telephone company when the Chavez government nationalizes it -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Here's one that goes back almost half a century. A man charged in connection with racial murders 43 years ago is in custody this morning pending a bail hearing Monday. The 71-year-old James Ford Seale pleaded not guilty Thursday in the case of two black teenagers that were murdered in Mississippi back in 1964.
That's how long ago this case starts out in. CNN's Rusty Dornin is live in Jackson, Mississippi. She's been following this story for quite a while now. And she's there to bring us up-to-date on what's going on.
What's going on, Rusty?
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Well, Rick, in the hometown of the two young men in Meadville, Mississippi, there was flabbergast, there was shock. Some people said, you know, there's been too much water under the bridge. But what some refer to as the forgotten killings, will now always be remembered because of the determination of a brother.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice over): For 43 years this was the only marker of the death of 19-year-old Charles Moore, a misspelled tomb stone in the outer reaches of the local cemetery. Then two years ago his brother, Thomas, decided that was it.
THOMAS MOORE, VICTIM'S BROTHER: I promised him, in 2005, at his grave, in Franklin County, my brother's (ph) cemetery, that I would fight until I die.
DORNIN: A promise it find justice in the deaths of his brother, Charles, and Charles' friend, Henry Dee, two African-American teens brutally murdered in 1964. Their killings never solved. So, Thomas Moore went home to Meadville, Mississippi with a CBC documentary filmmaker, and Donna Ladd, a reporter from the "Jackson Free Press."
DONNA LADD, "JACKSON FREE PRESS": This spot is where they were hitchhiking.
DORNIN: According to FBI informants in documents dating from 1964 the African-American teens were picked up by James Seale and Charles Edwards, reputed members of the Ku Klux Klan. The documents allege Seale and Edwards took the young men here to the Homochitto National Forest.
LADD: They took them out of the car. They tied them to a tree, and kind of around their waist and they took these long, skinny sticks, that we call bean sticks, and just started beating them.
DORNIN: The two young men are believed to have been alive when they were reportedly then tied to an engine block and thrown into the old Mississippi River. Edwards and Seale were arrested in 1964 charged with kidnapping and murder.
The FBI turned the case over to local authorities, but a justice of peace said witnesses refused to testify, and that charges against Seale and Edwards were dropped. James Seale was thought to have died years earlier. Then to his utter shock, Moore found out otherwise.
MOORE: They said, no, he hasn't passed away. They directed us to where he lived. That changed our mission.
DORNIN: In July 2005 U.S. attorney's office agreed take a fresh look at the case. Seale has consistently denied involvement in the murders. Almost exactly 42 years after charges against him were dropped, James Seale was walked into federal court under heavy guard, arraigned on kidnapping and conspiracy charges in the deaths of Charles Moore and Henry Dee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Seale did plead not guilty through his attorneys at the courthouse here yesterday. His attorneys also say the 71-year-old is suffering from cancer. He will be back again here on Monday for a bond hearing -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: Amazing story. Thanks for bringing it to us, Rusty.
By the way, at the bottom of the hour, we'll be talking with Thomas Moore, he is the one who you saw in the story, and documentary filmmaker David Ridgin (ph). Thomas is the brother, by the way, who did everything he could to make sure he could avenge his brother's death. All this on this Mississippi murder.
Soledad, over to you.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you.
Coming up this morning, burr, it's cold. Have you noticed? Yeah. Take a look, 7:11 here in New York. It's 5 degrees, minus 15, with the wind chill. That's right. That's right at 54th and Broadway here in New York City. But there are chilly temperatures across much of the country today. Chad will have your weekend forecast straight ahead.
Plus, we'll tell you about Hillary Clinton's gamble. She's making fundraising history, and it could affect every other candidate in the race. We'll tell you how.
Plus, a Russia man who was trying to sell uranium on the black market. A closer look this morning about loose nukes. How much nuclear material is out there? Is anybody watching it. You are watching AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Happening this morning in Baghdad, a deadly bombing in a pet market. The bomb was hidden inside a pigeon -- a box that was carrying pigeons.
Interstate 90 in Pennsylvania is open again today after a 50-car and truck chain reaction pile-up. One person was killed in that devastating accident there.
It's quarter past the hour. Time to get a quick look at the "Traveler's Forecast".
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: Later today, the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency will release some of the details about a plot to sell uranium. This is a story that's caught a lot of interest all over the world, certainly here in the United States.
This happened in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. A Russian man found carrying enriched uranium. In fact, they say it's very, very pure. He had it in his pocket, of all places; claimed that he had enough to build a nuclear bomb.
Begs the question, just how much nuclear material is out there? CNN's Jill Dougherty is joining us now, live from Washington, with a closer look. She knows the region, covered it for many years and can give us some perspective on this.
You know, it makes us all wonder, what else could be out there? And certainly with the threat of Al Qaeda and other Muslim fundamentalist organizations that would be in the market to get some of this stuff. We probably would want to know. Do we have a sense, Jill? Is this a case that stands on its own, or could there be others like this? JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Well, actually, Rick, since 1993 according to the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, there have been 16 cases of trafficking in this highly enriched uranium. This is not unique.
It is rare, however. And this was a very small amount. It was about 3.5 ounces of that material, but the troubling thing is that this man apparently, reportedly, said that he could get more. And that is one of the main concerns that even if you got small amounts, you might be able to eventually sell that, as he seems to have intended to sell it to somebody, and that could be Al Qaeda. It could be other terrorist organizations.
SANCHEZ: When the Soviet Union broke up, wasn't there an effort, partly helped by the United States where they spent millions of dollars to make sure some of this stuff was secure? Was it, or was it not?
DOUGHERTY: Well, absolutely. You know, it's very hard to say was it, or was it not? A lot of it was. And you would have to say most of it was. But the -- at the end of the Soviet Union there was so much chaos. You know, Rick, I have been to some of those facilities. And, you know, in the old days you have doors held not by a lock, but by a piece of string on one end, and a piece of string on the other with a little imprint to show that if it had been opened, it was opened.
When the U.S. funded a lot of this -- most of it. They were able to install locks, install other security devices. But it was very chaotic at that time, so some of it could have gotten out, you know, early. Let's say 15 years ago. Or this could be more recent. But it is troubling.
SANCHEZ: You have been to Georgia, right?
DOUGHERTY: Oh, yeah, many times.
SANCHEZ: Is that particularly difficult to secure, that region, as opposed to some of the others, and why?
DOUGHERTY: You know what the difficulty is, in Georgia you have these -- they're two -- you have to call them break-away areas. There's Akasia and North Osetia. Even I'm confused. North Osetia, which is in Georgia. And -- I'm sorry. South Osetia, which is in Georgia. And those areas, those break-away areas have -- they're really kind of black holes of selling almost anything you want.
You want weapons, you want drugs, you want anything, you can pretty much get it down there. Very little control. So this is a natural place for this material to end up. There have been other cases in that region before. At least one, that I have read about. So, that's the trouble there. There's very little control.
SANCHEZ: Eye-opening information from somebody who knows the region as well as anybody, Jill Dougherty. Thanks so much for bringing us up to date on that. We thank you.
Soledad, over to you.
O'BRIEN: All right, two great names. What happens when you mix Google and YouTube for "Minding Your Business"? Also, dry cleaners in one state forced to change the way they do business. Taking out a toxic chemical. We'll tell what you that could mean for your health, straight ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Some of the top headlines we're following for you this morning. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; she's meeting with NATO leaders in Brussels right now. Offering more money and possibly extended troop stays in Afghanistan.
Also, a report that Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel is thinking about running for the presidency in 2008. He is a Republican, and he is also opposed to the war in Iraq, we should mention.
O'BRIEN: This might kick off a trend, again, California would be on the leading edge here. California, the first state to ban the most common chemical that's used by dry cleaners. Environmentalists have long contended that it causes cancer. Some people know this as per, the chemical perc.
After next year dry cleaners can't buy machines that use perc. They have to get rid of older machines by July of 2010.
Business news now. Google Video getting big bump in results adding videos from YouTube to its search. It's 24 minute past the hour. Carrie Lee is "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Hey, Carrie, good morning.
CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Hey, Soledad. That's right, Google now adding YouTube videos to its search video area. So now when you type in anything from, say, Soledad O'Brien to Rick Sanchez, well, you'll get YouTube videos at the top of the list.
It makes sense since YouTube (sic) paid $1.65 billion for YouTube last year. So they want to make the most of that investment. There have been, though, some legal problems associated with YouTube in the past. We've heard about this. Because it can be so easy to find copyrighted material.
In fact, the latest here, FOX has now issued a subpoena to YouTube. It wants to find out who uploaded episodes of "24" and "The Simpsons". In fact, the "24" episodes, the season premier hit YouTube, before they even hit the television network. So, some people have a problem with this.
Google's stance, YouTube's stance has been, well, maybe they can make money from having these copyrighted things issued if they wanted to, say, take up advertising. That's sort of another topic. But YouTube has complied with these requests to take down the material in the past. It looks like they've done so with "24" and "The Simpsons". But companies like FOX, NBC, Comedy Central, have all had problems with YouTube in the past.
That is the latest from here, Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I can see why that might be a problem.
LEE: Yes, pretty sticky.
O'BRIEN: All right, Carrie Lee, thank you very much.
Top stories of the morning coming up next, including potentially controversial change in strategy in Iraq. We'll take you live to the White House to tell you about it.
Plus, a suspect is finally in custody accused of murder in Mississippi. We're going to talk, this morning, to the brother of a victim and the filmmaker who may have helped to crack the case.
You are watching AMERICAN MORNING, the most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Target Iran. Reports this morning that U.S. troops have the green light to kill Iranian agents in Iraq.
SANCHEZ: Chasing a cold case. We'll talk to a murdered man's brother who waited four decades, since 1964, for justice.
O'BRIEN: The race for 2008. Hillary Clinton changes the fundraising equation. Now the competition is struggling to keep up.
We've got those stories straight ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING. Welcome, everybody. It's Friday, January 26th. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
SANCHEZ: I'm Rick Sanchez. Sitting in for Miles O'Brien. By the way, I like the new digs.
O'BRIEN: Thank you, like our new set, huh?
SANCHEZ: I do. It's colorful.
O'BRIEN: Cool.
SANCHEZ: It's great. Easy to work.
O'BRIEN: Thumbs up. Good, we'll have you back.
SANCHEZ: All right.
O'BRIEN: Let's begin with what's happening this morning. Got a developing story out of Pakistan for you. There's a bomb blast outside the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad. A lot of foreigners stay at this hotel. It's very near to the prime minister's house.
Now, apparently a suicide bomber killed himself, two guards, also. The bomber was stopped while trying to enter the hotel through the laundry, to set off his explosives, when he was stopped by those guards.
In Baghdad a pet market filled with families is the latest insurgent target this morning. At least 15 people are dead after the bombing, dozens of other people have been hurt. Police think the bomber may have hidden explosives inside a cardboard box that had holes punched in it, so he could pass it off as a container to hold birds.
Right now, in Brussels, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is meeting with official from NATO, pledging more money for Afghanistan.
And the top man at the United Nations atomic energy agency says the diplomacy is the only option when it comes to dealing with Iran. Mohammed ElBaradei telling the World Economic Forum that any military attack on Iran would be catastrophic, and it would only push Tehran to develop nuclear weapons.
SANCHEZ: These days you can't talk about Iran without talking about Iraq. And in Iraq there's a controversial new tactic, shoot to kill Iranian operatives. That's right. This morning's "Washington Post" is saying that the Bush administration is giving U.S. troops the ok to kill Iranian nationals working for the insurgency. Obviously, it's an escalation from the previous policy, which allowed troops to catch and release suspected Iranian agents after they were documented. Soledad?
O'BRIEN: President Bush is holding a strategy session with his top military advisors in just a few hours, including the new Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Now the meeting comes as senators on both sides of the aisle work on resolutions opposing the president's plan to send more troops into Iraq. CNN's congressional correspondent Dana Bash is live for us from Capitol Hill this morning with more on these competing resolutions. Dana, good morning.
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad. We expect that senate debate probably the week after next now, but because it is going to be the most spirited debate on Iraq and the most confrontational towards the White House that we've seen since the war began, the intense maneuvering behind the scenes to figure out exactly what resolutions will be voted on is already underway. And last night Republican Senator John Warner, the influential former armed services chairman, he rebuffed Democratic leaders who wanted to join forces in a resolution opposing Mr. Bush on increasing troops in Iraq, so now we're going to see two major bipartisan resolutions disagreeing with the president. That's why on the other side of this debate you have Senator John McCain who has been a vocal supporter of increasing troops. He is going to offer his own resolution. He told reporters yesterday that he realizes fellow Republicans are frustrated with the administration because they have exacerbated the public opinion issue with the American people by issuing rosy scenarios.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) ARIZONA: We were assured that mission accomplished, last throws, stuff happens, a few dead enders -- the list goes on and on. And then they find out that the situation continues to deteriorate. We want -- I think it would be important for them to have some specific benchmarks as to whether those are being met or not met.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: Now, that is what McCain is working on, a resolution that would provide benchmarks for this new strategy, and the goal there would be to appeal to Republicans who don't want to actually vote to condemn the president, but are still very concerned and skeptical about this new strategy in Iraq. Soledad, you know, the White House has met with well over 100 senators and members of Congress trying to convince them that this new strategy is the right way to go. They really did not change many minds. That's why Bush officials and GOP leadership sources tell us they realize they're not going to be able to do very much to head off these resolutions. The best they can do is offer alternatives. Soledad?
O'BRIEN: Dana Bash is on Capitol Hill for us. Dana thanks. Rick?
SANCHEZ: U.S. Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff is in Germany this morning. He's talking with German leaders about their role in fighting the global war on terror. CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is live for us. He's following these meetings today in Berlin. Good morning, Frederik.
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Rick. A lot of what the two leaders were talking about is they were saying that they have to improve intelligence sharing between the United States and between Germany, and really between all of Europe basically. (INAUDIBLEE) sharing the data of people traveling across the Atlantic, but really one of the main problems that they've been having in the past is that German authorities have been having a terrorist suspect or a jihadist suspect and not telling American authorities about it. Now here's what else happened in that press conference this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN (voice-over): Fighting terrorism was the main issue when Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff met German Interior Minister Wolfgang (INAUDIBLE) in Berlin. Chertoff says Germany is making inroads at combating violent Islamists.
MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: The threat of terrorism remains very real and touches all of us and can potentially have catastrophic consequences. So we need to work together to make sure that we have a synchronized and coordinated our security measures in a way that increases security for all of our publics.
PLEITGEN: But that synchronization was not always happening. Three of the four 9/11 terror pilots lived in Germany and operated from a terror cell in Hamburg. The country was long known as a safe haven for terrorists, but Germany has since cracked down on violent Islamists. New legislation lowered barriers for wiretapping and monitoring bank accounts. And a new unified anti-terror center combines German police and secret service efforts to thwart terrorist plotting. Plotting the interior minister (INAUDIBLE) says is still going on in Germany, but it has moved primarily to the internet.
WOLFGANG CHAMBLIS(PH), GERMANY INTERIOR MINISTER: We are working very closely with the U.S. to combine all of our resources, our expertise, even language skills to win the race against those that want to use the internet for terrorism.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
PLEITGEN: So fighting terror between these two countries getting better, but still a long way to go. Rick?
SANCHEZ: Frederik thanks so much for that report. We appreciate it.
Coming up, he promised to fight to his death to find his brother's killer. That's exactly what he did. Now an arrest more than 40 years later. We're going to talk to this man live.
Also, Hillary Clinton fundraising force to be recognized? She makes the race for '08 history making in more ways than one, you might say. Also, hear how ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, the most news, in the morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We've got the most news in the morning, and here are some of the headlines we're following. A suicide bomber setting off a blast this morning in Islamabad, Pakistan. Two people killed at a Marriott hotel in the city center.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is threatening to kick the ambassador from the United States out of his country. The ambassador is critical of Chavez's plan to nationalize Venezuela's biggest phone company.
O'BRIEN: Well, authorities in Mississippi think they may have solved two of the most brutal killings of the civil rights era. Seventy-one-year-old James Seale, a reputed Klansman is charged with kidnapping and conspiracy in the 1964 deaths of two black teenagers. The victims were 19 years old. They were abducted, beaten, and then still alive, weighted down, and thrown into the Mississippi. Thomas Moore is the brother of one of the victims, Charles Moore, and David Ridgen, is a documentary filmmaker, whose work helped pave the way for the arrest. Thanks gentlemen for talking with us this morning. Appreciate your time. Thomas, let's begin with you. I know that 2005 just two years ago you decided you would dedicate the rest of your life to finding justice for your brother. Why after nearly 40 years of closed doors and a very cold case?
THOMAS MOORE, BROTHER MURDERED IN 1964: Nineteen months ago David Ridgen, a filmmaker from the Canadian Broadcasting Company contacted me and asked would I help him do a documentary on the killing of Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Dee, and I promised him I would. We started that journey in July of 2005, and it is the direct -- producing the documentary directly led to where we are at this stage.
O'BRIEN: It truly has. David, let me bring you in. Eighteen months ago you were on this project. What about this story? I'm sad to say there are many other brutal murders in the civil rights history. What about this particular series of murders brought you into the story?
DAVID RIDGEN, CBC DOCUMENTARY PRODUCER: Well, there are a few things. I was first keyed into the story by a CBC documentary that was made in 1964 by a woman named Beryl Fox. And in that film I found out about Thomas's brother, Charles. It doesn't mention his name but during a search for the three civil rights workers in the Mississippi burning case a body was found, and it was originally thought that that body was one of the three civil rights workers, and they first thought it was the two white civil rights workers, it could have been one of them. As it turns out it was not, and the media turned away and left that case alone in favor of searching out the Mississippi burning case. So I found Thomas Moore through that. I mean Thomas is an amazing character. He is an amazing subject. Born on the Fourth of July, fought in Vietnam, served this country, the United States, for 30 years, and he is just -- it was just an irresistible story, taking him back to Mississippi to see if he could find any justice in the case.
O'BRIEN: And what he found was quite remarkable. Thomas, as you well know, the word was that James Seale, who has now been arrested, was dead. His family members were telling people he was dead. Did you believe he was dead? Did you think he was dead, did you assume he was dead? Why did everybody think he was dead?
MOORE: Yes, when Dave and I left Colorado Springs on the journey to Mississippi to do the documentary, we left with the understanding -- we had an understanding that some of the media had reported that he had died a couple years ago. So we left Colorado Springs thinking that we only were going to try to talk to one of the remaining persons.
O'BRIEN: So what was your reaction when you found out the man you assumed was dead, had been told was dead, was actually alive and living very close to where the murders happened?
MOORE: Well, once we found that out, of course, that changed our mission. I think it gave us more energy, even though we had a lot, but it really -- it really -- this whole 19-month story really has been a moving thing. We haven't had any major obstacles.
O'BRIEN: It's truly been an amazing ride. Let me get the last question to David if I may before we run out of time. David, when I started our conversation, Thomas said to me, we started the journey in July of '05, 18 months ago. But for your work, probably nobody would have looked into this case again. I mean, if you think about it, 18 months of work, and -- by a documentarian rather and a brother, and you're able to do what the courts and the legal system was unable to do for 40 years. What do you think about that?
RIDGEN: We really just -- right people, right place, right time, right U.S. attorney. I mean, we really road this sort of wave of the post-Killen trial, Edgar A. Killen was convicted of manslaughter in June of 2005. And we were down there right after that, and there's clearly an appetite for prosecution. But I mean we just pushed, we just kept -- Thomas kept pushing, I kept following, we kept looking. It's just the process of making the film made something happen.
O'BRIEN: Well we'll see how it ends. James Seale, as I'm sure you well know, has said he is not guilty of what he is being accused of. Thomas Moore, David Ridgen, thank you for talking with us this morning, appreciate it.
RIDGEN: Thank you.
MOORE: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Rick?
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: Hillary Clinton may be the face you see, but it's the money behind the scenes that's driving a lot of these campaigns, including hers. Our own Bill Schneider is taking a look at that. That's coming up next.
And then the calm after the storm. Is the worst over after violent protests at Beirut University? Those stories and more ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Most news in the morning is right here on CNN. Headlines now, there are reports this morning that U.S. troops have the green light to kill Iranian agents in Iraq. The White House is trying to cut off Iran's influence.
And California is banning the most common chemical that's used by dry cleaners. Environmentalists have long contended that the chemical, which is called perk, causes cancer. Rick?
SANCHEZ: Thanks so much, Soledad. She is the Democratic frontrunner in the early days of the 2008 presidential campaign, candidate Hillary Clinton is going to be in Iowa this weekend. The senator's money machine is cranking up for a long road ahead, as if everybody else's. She just seems to have the most right now. Senior political analyst Bill Schneider, he's live in Washington to fill us in on how the -- I guess the money game is played, right? Money plays a big part in this, Bill.
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It certainly does, Rick. Senator Hillary Clinton made a decision this week that could change forever how candidates run for president.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER (voice-over): 2008 is likely to be the country's first billion dollar presidential campaign. That became clear when Hillary Clinton let it be known that she would forego public financing.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) NEW YORK: The system, unfortunately, is not working, and it doesn't have the confidence of the taxpayers who do not check the box on their tax returns to make the contribution, so I opted out.
SCHNEIDER: Senator Clinton would be the first candidate to reject public money for both the primaries and the general election, if she gets the Democratic nomination. Why is she doing it? If Senator Clinton accepted public money, she would have to abide by spending limits. About $50 million in the primaries and about $80 million in the general election. Those limits have failed to keep pace with the cost of a presidential campaign you may not be able to win. She's also doing it because she can. Any candidate who expects to be taken seriously has to be able to raise $100 million this year. Sort of an entry fee. Senator Clinton may be able to raise as much as $500 million if she's the Democratic nominee. So would her Republican opponent.
CLINTON: Thank you all.
SCHNEIDER: That's far more than the just over $100 million each would get under public financing.
LAWRENCE NOBLE, CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWYER: If you sign up for the public system, the public funding system, you obviously don't have the ability to raise private funds. If you don't have the support out there, you're not going to be taken as a serious candidate.
SCHNEIDER: From now on candidates who accept public financing will put themselves at a serious disadvantage. They won't be able to compete. Will voters resent that? Probably not.
NOBLE: On the first one, George Bush forewent the public funding and nobody seemed to care, it really opened up the door, so I don't think we're going to see any public outcry about it.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
SCHNEIDER: After all, voters have stopped supporting public financing. In 1980 28 percent of taxpayers checked off that box on their tax returns earmarking a small portion of their tax money to finance presidential campaigns. And now, fewer than 10 percent check the box. Rick?
SANCHEZ: That's interesting. I'm wondering, Bill, if much of Hillary's money is coming from Hollywood. Do we know?
SCHNEIDER: Well, not all of the Hollywood money is going to Hillary Clinton. The Clintons, you know, have always been big box office in Hollywood. That's why a lot of plucked eyebrows were raised in Hollywood this week when three major movie moguls invited hundreds of stars to a fundraiser for Barack Obama. Nevertheless, two of them, Steven Spielberg and David Gavin, say they have not yet decided to endorse Obama. You know, maybe their people can speak to his people. Rick? SANCHEZ: About those plucked eyebrows now. Thanks so much, Bill. We appreciate it. Soledad?
O'BRIEN: Coming up this morning, controversial new orders from catch and release Iranian agents in Iraq, it's now shoot and kill them, that's according to one new report. We have an update for you.
Plus, deadly clashes in Beirut between students and Hezbollah supporters. A live report as well on AMERICAN MORNING. The most news in the morning is right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Job cuts in the media are the highest since the dot-com bust. Its 55 minutes past the hour that means it's time for Carrie Lee to mind your business. Good morning.
CARRIE LEE: Good morning, Soledad. Not such a good morning maybe for some folks who work in the media. That's because the number of job cuts we saw last year grows 88 percent from 2005. This according to polling from Challenger Gray and Christmas. A lot of this because print media having to contend with Americans going online for their news. Companies like "The New York Times" and Time, Inc., which like CNN is owned by Time Warner, have recently announced job cuts, and overall this is the highest number, 18,000 job cuts last year. The highest number since 2001, which was the time of the dot com collapse. You know, it's not just print companies, even NBC Universal, they announced 700 job cuts late last year to focus more on their digital operations. Now for those of us who work in the media, television in particular, of course, it's not a 9:00 to 5:00 job, early hours sometimes, a lot of us drinking caffeine. Well, here's an idea. A North Carolina scientist has created buzz doughnuts and buzz bagels. Basically these are food products, doughnuts and bagels that include caffeine. So about the same as a cup of coffee included in these products. He has put a trademark on them. They're not on the shelves yet, but he's talked to Krispy Kreme, Dunkin' Doughnuts and Starbucks to see if they're interested. I think it could be a good idea. You know if you're not a coffee drinker but you want the caffeine, could be a good alternative.
O'BRIEN: Ok, the buzzed doughnut on top of the sugar in that doughnut --
LEE: Right.
SANCHEZ: One puts you to sleep, the other one keeps you up.
O'BRIEN: Imagine if some little kid, like if your kid thinks your doughnut is a regular doughnut, you will have a 4-year-old sputtering.
LEE: Maybe they should save it for those adults only. Not sure about the trans fat content in this by the way, but 50 milligrams of caffeine per doughnut or bagel.
O'BRIEN: That's a fair amount of caffeine. All right, Carrie Lee, thank you very much.
LEE: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Another health story to tell you about, it's on cnn.com, but it's from "USA Today." There's a spot on the brain apparently that might control the smoking urge. Scientists studying stroke patients found that damage to a place called the insula, which is a spot on the brain near your ear, but if there's damage there, it can instantly and permanently break your smoking habit. The study appears in the "Journal of Science" and they had this report of one guy who has this injury, and he said he just sort of forgot the urge to smoke. Doctors say a comment like that means that there might be these whole new avenues of research on how to kick the smoking habit.
SANCHEZ: From "USA Today," airline delays set a record in 2006 and they're blaming it on lots of bad weather that shut down a lot of airports and, as you recall in some of the pictures that we've been showing you over the year, stranded thousands and thousands of passengers. Federal data says that delays rippled throughout the whole system when snow or thunderstorms hit airline hubs, like New York and Chicago and Atlanta. In all, major airlines suffered 22.1 million minutes of delays last year through November. That's 22 percent of flights being delayed. And most were at least 15 minutes, by the way. Soledad?
O'BRIEN: From "The Washington Times" this morning, Al Sharpton says they may have to step it up. He's talking to the Democrats or he's going to run in '08. He's telling the Democratic presidential hopefuls that he's going to toss his hat into the ring unless they start addressing civil rights issues. That's an interesting sort of threat/challenge there.
SANCHEZ: Yeah, right.
O'BRIEN: A lot of other people are throwing their hat in the ring, he says I'll do it if. Reverend Sharpton's comments came after he had a Capitol Hill visit with some Democratic senators, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd, four senators seeking the Democratic nomination. Sharpton ran in 2004, and gave what was really regarded as one of the best speeches at the Democratic convention, and, also, I think he provided a lot of insight along the way during the campaign. Sometimes some of those really dull debates were really brought to focus in a funny way by Sharpton.
SANCHEZ: He says the things that others are afraid to say.
O'BRIEN: Yeah, everybody --
SANCHEZ: And then he pushes them to go in that direction.
O'BRIEN: Yes he did, he did. So we're going to talk about that a little more.
(WEATHER REPORT)
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