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American Morning
Alberto Gonzales Under Fire; Report: Astronauts Flew Drunk; Immigration Fight: Judge Sacks Law to Curb Illegals; Dangerous Dogs?; Faith-Based Fitness; "No Reservations"; Political Potshots
Aired July 27, 2007 - 07:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: And welcome back. It's Friday, July the 27th.
Thanks for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING.
I'm John Roberts.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kiran Chetry.
Glad you're with us.
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales now at the center of a major new controversy this morning, and it's raising questions about whether or not he can survive as attorney general. Four Democratic senators are now calling for a perjury investigation over his testimony in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He spoke there and told senators that a late-night meeting at then attorney general John Ashcroft's hospital bedside did not involve the controversial warrantless wiretapping program. But then just yesterday, before the House Judiciary Committee, FBI Director Robert Mueller was asked about that very same meeting and seemed to directly contradict Gonzales' account.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE (D), TEXAS: Would I be comfortable in saying that those were the items that were part of the discussion?
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: The discussion was on a national -- an NSA program that has been much discussed, yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: White House Correspondent Elaine Quijano and CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin are with us now to talk more about this.
And Elaine, what is the White House response to those comments from FBI Director Mueller?
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, look, Tony Snow was asked about this yesterday. And he says that the White House essentially stands by the attorney general's testimony, continuing to say that the White House believes that the attorney general spoke truthfully and that they are confident about that. Tony Snow also saying, essentially, that, look, you have to look at what Robert Mueller said. He didn't say terrorist surveillance program. He said NSA program. What does that mean exactly? Well, it's not clear right now, but, clearly, there is the question, what else besides warrantless wiretapping might the attorney general been talking about on Tuesday?
CHETRY: It also seems to be -- they are saying this morning that everybody seems clear that they were discussing one program, and that's what -- that it was all one program that Mueller was referring to as well, but it's only Attorney General Gonzales who's parsing the programs and saying it may have been about this, but it also may have been about that.
So, is that the defense, that he is just confused about which program that Mueller was referring to?
QUIJANO: Well, you know, frankly, we hope to get to the bottom of that a little bit more today. There is a briefing.
But what the question is that seems to be emerging -- Arlen Specter, a Republican senator who has been critical of Gonzales, asked yesterday, in fact, is there more essentially than the warrantless wiretapping underneath sort of the umbrella terrorists surveillance program, as the White House calls, the TSP, as they refer to it? We don't have any clear answers yet.
Arlen Specter, himself, the senator saying that he is looking to the White House for more answers. Certainly a good one. We'll try to get to the bottom of that later today.
CHETRY: Elaine Quijano at the White House for us.
Thanks so much.
And let's bring in Jeff Toobin right now.
And as she talked about Arlen Specter, to name one, but there hasn't been a lot of Republican support. There has been pretty much silence on the Republican side about Gonzales.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: And I think that's -- the silence is very revealing.
The best news that the White House has is that Arlen Specter did not say Gonzales should be criminally investigated or prosecuted. He distanced himself from what Chuck Schumer and the other Democrats were saying, you know, let's see a special prosecutor. But the key fact is there is not one U.S. senator coming out and saying leave Alberto Gonzales alone, he's doing a great job, we want him to stay.
As you pointed out earlier, six senators have called for his -- six Republican senators have called for him to resign. I mean, he has no support on Capitol Hill that I can see, at least on the Senate side.
CHETRY: And I think -- but the last thing that Republicans want to see at this point is a big special investigation yet again heading into a political year.
TOOBIN: Right. Scooter Libby was bad enough.
CHETRY: Jeff Toobin, thanks so much.
ROBERTS: New this morning from Montgomery, Alabama, police say an SUV traveling in the wrong lane collided head-on with a Greyhound bus sometime after 2:00 a.m. this morning. The driver of the SUV was killed.
We spoke with the mayor of Montgomery earlier on AMERICAN MORNING. Mayor Bobby Bright said at least 13 people from the bus were hospitalized with moderate to serious injuries. He also said several passengers had broken bones, bloody noses, cuts or bruises. But nothing appears to be life-threatening.
An explosion at an airport in California's Mojave Desert kills three people and injures three others. The blast happened at the Mojave Air and Space Port during a rocket motor test involving nitrous oxide. The site is used by Advanced Composites. That's the aerospace firm that built the first private manned rocket that was sent into space.
Late last night the Senate approved a homeland security bill based on the 9/11 Commission's recommendations. It would send more money to high-risk cities and states, and it would require that within five years, all shipping containers must be scanned for nuclear devices before heading to go the United States.
The bill also proposes the screening of all cargo on passenger planes within three years. That measure now goes to the House.
And the FAA is trying to clear the air over confusing no-fly zones around Washington, D.C. Right now, if you take a look at it, the map looks a little bit like a picture of Mickey Mouse, a circular head and ears indicating restricted zones. Pilots though thought that was goofy, so the feds are now changing the map, making the no-fly zone one big circle, 30 miles around the Ronald Reagan airport.
CHETRY: And now it looks much more like Pluto, the planet, not the dog.
Well, there are some other important stories we're following for you this morning with our AMERICAN MORNING team of correspondents.
The Dow tumbling in one of the worst drops this year. We saw it fall 300 points. At this point, we could also see another down day on Wall Street.
But Ali, is there reason for your everyday investor to be concerned, or do we just let it go for now?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, let it go. Let it go.
Dow futures are again showing another lower open. In fact, fairly significantly. You might see that happen right at the -- at the open yesterday. We saw a triple-digit loss right from the beginning. We were 450 points lower at one point. And that was the close, 311 points lower, 2.25 percent. The Nasdaq was down. The S&P 500 was down.
But for the average investor, if you're not playing the market, don't play the market. If you're looking to get into the market, most people should be getting in in a gradual way anyway.
Most financial experts say don't throw all of your stuff into the market one day because you decided it's a buying opportunity. Get in gradually. That said, if you've been looking to get into this market, a down day might be the opportunity.
The problem, Kiran, is when we try and find the absolute low point. You try and find the bottom or you try and find the top when you sell. It's a mugs (ph) game. Nobody has ever been successful at doing this, even professional investors can't do it.
The people who make the most money in the market are those who stay invested and stay diversified among different investments and make sure that they stay in balance. When something becomes really big, they sell off and buy something that's lower.
That is the practice people should be using. The only good news for the average investor today is that 300-point declines on the Dow give you an excuse to take a few minutes at work, log in, and look at your 401(k) and see if you've got the right stuff going on.
CHETRY: Good point. Stay in and stay diversified.
Ali Velshi, thanks so much.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROBERTS: NASA is fixing a computer sabotage by one of its workers. The computer is going to the International Space Station on board the shuttle, scheduled for launch in 11 days.
A worker for a subcontractor allegedly damaged the computer. NASA didn't name which subcontractor it was. They may have more to say though at a news conference this afternoon.
They will also answer be answering questions about astronauts flying drunk. There's a report out now saying that twice astronauts were allowed to fly after flight surgeons and other astronauts reported that they were drunk.
CNN's John Zarrella has got our report from Florida.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the aftermath of astronaut Lisa Nowak's February arrest for attempted kidnapping of another astronaut's love interest, NASA set up a panel to study the space agency's medical and psychological screening process. In its investigation, the panel apparently turned up some serious allegations.
According to "Aviation Week" magazine, which obtained a copy of the report, two astronauts were allowed to fly, even after flight surgeons and other astronauts warned they were so intoxicated they posed a flight safety risk.
The panel also found, according to "Aviation Week," "heavy use of alcohol" by astronauts within 12 hours of launch. Thursday, following a briefing on the next shuttle flight, NASA's deputy administrator said he had never dealt with safety issues involving inebriated astronauts.
BILL GERSTENMAIER, NASA DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR: There has not been a disciplinary action or anything I've been involved with regarding this type of activity.
ZARRELLA: Two former shuttle astronauts we spoke with found the allegations "mindboggling". One told me he was not aware of anyone "unduly using alcohol prior to launch." The other said, "Not a chance." This former commander said he would have "thrown the person off the crew."
It's not known on what flights these incidents supposedly took place or whether the names of the astronauts involved will ever be released. Another NASA official spoke to The Associated Press saying the allegations of pre-launch drinking are based anonymous interviews and are unsubstantiated.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: That's our John Zarrella reporting from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
And we'll be covering that NASA press conference when it happens later on today here on CNN -- Kiran.
CHETRY: There's a new fight in the battle over immigration. One city's plan to lock out illegal immigrants just got knocked down in court. The mayor, though, not surrendering yet.
We're going to be talking to the mayor of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, it was an attempt to lock illegal immigrants out of one Pennsylvania town, but a new court ruling is saying not so fast. The law in the city of Hazleton sought to penalize businesses, businesses who had decided that they were going to hire undocumented immigrants, also landlords who were agreeing they would rent to undocumented immigrants.
Well, it's been a tough tact tick that now courts have declared is not legal.
Hazleton mayor Lewis Barletta is not giving up the fight, though. He joins me live.
Thanks for being with us this morning.
MAYOR LOUIS BARLETTA, HAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA: Good morning, Kiran. Nice to be here.
CHETRY: Are you disappointed or surprised with this federal ruling?
BARLETTA: Well, I'm both disappointed, but I'm not surprised. You know, we expected this kind of decision from the judge. He gave indications during the course of the trial that he was not going to rule in our favor.
For example, many of the plaintiffs who were suing us are illegal aliens who have gone by the name of John and Jane Doe. He has protected their identifies. We were not allowed to find out who they really are. In fact, they did not even have to show up for the trial because they were afraid that they would be deported. So this is no surprise.
CHETRY: Does it strike you as a little bit odd, though, that, I mean, it's unlegal under federal law to hire illegals, but when you try to crack down on it, the federal judge says that's illegal?
BARLETTA: Yes. And actually, you know, if you really read the decision, he's claiming that this is the job of the federal government, but obviously the federal government has failed us, they're not doing their job. So what is a city to do when they're seeing their quality of life being destroyed?
CHETRY: Well, I want to ask you about that, Mayor.
BARLETTA: I took an oath of office.
CHETRY: I want to ask you about that. You say the illegal immigrants have brought with them drugs, they've brought with them crime, gangs, and that your city has overwhelmed the police force, as well as the schools and hospitals.
Can you elaborate on the impact, the negative impact you say that illegal immigrants have had on your community?
BARLETTA: Yes, absolutely. For example, English as a second language in the year 2000. The budget was $500. Today, it is $1,145,000.
Our small budget here in the city cannot absorb the cost of illegal immigration. Our population grew by 50 percent, but our earned income tax, which is our main source of revenue, remain the same. It is impossible for this city to provide services for people who are not paying taxes.
CHETRY: But if they're working, aren't they -- and they're buying things within your community, aren't they contributing in some way to your finances?
BARLETTA: Well, see, Kiran, in America, we all pay taxes. We don't have the opportunity...
CHETRY: Oh, I know.
BARLETTA: For some of us to pay taxes. And it's unfair to the hard- working taxpayers of this community, the legal citizens, that they should pay taxes, that they should pay for health care, that they should pay for education and others do not.
You know, this is not that type of country. And small communities cannot absorb the cost. It is literally breaking our budget. And when that happens, we can't provide public services. Our streets are not safe. Our playgrounds are not safe.
CHETRY: But how do you know it's the illegal immigrant, as opposed to the U.S. citizen? Do you have stats that show it's the illegal immigrants that are causing your streets to be unsafe?
BARLETTA: Well, yes, absolutely. Thirty percent of the gang members we have arrested in Hazleton are illegal aliens. Thirty percent of the drug arrests in the last two years are illegal aliens.
I don't have a magic number that I need to convince me that I shouldn't be spending taxpayers' money on people who shouldn't be here. We had one murder last year...
CHETRY: What do you say to the critics -- what do you say to the critics that say you are anti-immigrant? Are you anti-immigrant?
BARLETTA: No. I'm anti-illegal alien.
Immigrants are welcomed. There's a difference between immigrants and illegal aliens.
Immigrants are people who come into this country legally. And they are obviously welcomed. And I'm their mayor and I have an obligation to protect them.
However, illegal aliens are here illegally.
CHETRY: Right.
BARLETTA: And they are using services of a city that is paid for by the taxpayers.
CHETRY: OK. And before...
BARLETTA: And, you know, some of those -- some of those taxpayers, Kiran, are also immigrants who are here legally.
CHETRY: Got you.
BARLETTA: So I'm fighting protect their dollars as well.
CHETRY: Let me just ask you real quick, where does it go from here? Are you fighting this ruling? BARLETTA: Oh, absolutely. This is a slip and not a fall. We are going to fight this to the Supreme Court if we have to. We will appeal to the Third Circuit Court in Philadelphia and then from there on to the Supreme Court.
CHETRY: OK.
Mayor Louis Barletta of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, thanks for giving your side today. We appreciate it.
BARLETTA: Thank you. Thank you.
ROBERTS: The crisis in Darfur -- lots of you asked questions about it in this week's CNN/YouTube debate. One video even prompted Senator Joe Biden to say that the U.S. should send troops there.
One filmmaker agrees. He's going to join us after the break with what he is calling a wakeup documentary about the genocide in Darfur.
That's next here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Twenty-one minutes after the hour now.
In this week's CNN/YouTube debate, 31 questions came in on a single topic, the crisis in Darfur. Take a listen to one of them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What action do you commit to that will get these children back home to a safe Darfur, and not letting it be yet another empty promise?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Brian Steidle had rare access to the people at the very center of that crisis. He is a former U.S. Marine who went into Darfur back in 2004 as an observer with the African Union peacekeeping force. The footage that he captured, very rare, is featured in a new documentary called "The Devil Came on Horseback," which was released this week.
And Brian Steidle joins me this morning.
Thanks for being with us, Brian. Appreciate it.
BRIAN STEIDLE, "THE DEVIL CAME ON HORSEBACK": Thank you.
ROBERTS: You were there two-and-a-half years ago. Why this documentary? Why now?
STEIDLE: Well, we've been working on it for quite a long time. And we think that this is such a pertinent issue. People have to see what is going on there.
And through our documentary, you don't just read about it or hear about it in the news. But you can actually see what is going on.
ROBERTS: You were there with the African Union as a photographer, as part of the observer force there. There were also some video people there as well that got some rare footage.
They took it of you. You put this together with your pictures.
Let's take a look at a quick excerpt from this documentary, give you a sense of what these people in Darfur face on a daily basis. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!
STEIDLE: It took them more than a week to burn it because they had to set a fire to each individual hut compound. It took a lot of determination to burn a village of 20,000.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: You were outside this village as the Janjaweed, which is the militia, which stands in Arabic for "devil on horseback," were burning this village. You had to hide your camera, which is why we saw that sort of shaky shot at the beginning.
What is the situation on the ground there really like for people? Because we hear so very little of it from people actually on the ground there.
STEIDLE: Well, first of all, the Janjaweed and the government, they operate side by side. Normally the government would come in with the helicopter gunships or their (INAUDIBLE) aircraft first, bomb the village, try to displace as many people as they can, and then the ground forces come in, Janjaweed, fighting side by side with the government of Sudan, to try to destroy everything.
ROBERTS: There were so many pictures in this documentary that we can't show here on television.
How many dead bodies did you see when you were there?
STEIDLE: We didn't keep track.
ROBERTS: Did you lose track?
STEIDLE: We just didn't even bother. I mean, the first attack I went to, there were 10 guys. I mean, that was the first day.
ROBERTS: Right. And it's like that all over Darfur?
STEIDLE: Absolutely.
ROBERTS: The African Union who you were stationed with really is powerless to do this. You were armed with a camera. They didn't even have weapons. And that point was really driven home in one particular sequence in the documentary that I want to play now.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEIDLE: And as they had seen our helicopter coming, they gathered up their crew in two vehicles and were speeding off. And so we followed them on the road. And I was just taking pictures with my camera the whole time.
You know, these two trucks that are going by just thinking, we could end this right now. If we had a mandate to defend these people, and if I was looking through a scope instead of looking through the lens of my camera, these vehicles would be done. These people could return to their village and they would be safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: You had a camera lens in your hand instead of a rifle scope. People are saying that -- and even President Bush is saying that the United Nations are the ones that have to go in there with a robust peacekeeping force.
What is the stumbling block? What is the hurdle to getting that United Nations force in there, do you think?
STEIDLE: Well, there's two hurdles. One being Russia has an economic partner. And two, one of the main stumbling blocks is China.
China buys 70 to 80 percent of Sudan's oil, has sold more than $100 million worth of arms to them over the last year. They are in commerce in more than $10 billion a year with Sudan.
ROBERTS: And, of course, Russia and China both permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
You probably saw the YouTube debate. And you've obviously been following the presidential campaign.
Which of the presidential candidates do you think is adequately addressing this issue?
STEIDLE: Well, I've seen some great support from Senator Brownback. Now Governor Corzine, formerly Senator Corzine, is obviously not a candidate this time around. But Biden has been very outspoken, Obama, and also Edwards.
In my mind, they are the ones that I have communicated with and have been very supportive of this issue.
ROBERTS: What about Hillary Clinton?
STEIDLE: I haven't heard so much from her. I understand that behind the circle she talks a good talk. But...
ROBERTS: How important an issue are you trying to make this in the presidential campaign?
STEIDLE: I think this should be one of the top issues. I mean, this is a genocide of the 21st century. And we are standing by and allowing it to continue.
ROBERTS: Brian Steidle, it's an incredibly powerful documentary. "The Devil Came in by Horseback".
Thanks very much for coming in today. Good luck with this documentary. It's something that everybody should see.
STEIDLE: Thank you.
ROBERTS: Thanks for coming in -- Kiran.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: A picture into us from KOIN in Portland, Oregon. It's in the 50s right now, but they're going up to a high of 80 degrees today as the sun is coming up. 5:29 a.m. Pacific Time this morning.
And it is Friday, July 27th. I'm Kiran Chetry.
Thanks for being with us.
ROBERTS: It looks like a real nice day out there today.
CHETRY: It does.
ROBERTS: We begin in Washington this morning. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is at the center of a major, new controversy, raising new questions about whether he can survive. In dramatic testimony to Congress yesterday, the FBI chief directly contradicted the claim Gonzales made earlier in the week. Robert Mueller says Gonzales' 2004 visit to then Attorney General John Ashcroft's hospital room was, in fact, about the president's domestic spying program. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: The discussion was on a national -- a NSA program that has been much discussed. Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Here's the big problem though. On Tuesday, Gonzales told lawmakers the complete opposite story. He said the White House' controversy eavesdropping program never came up at the meeting with Ashcroft. Four Democrats in the Senate Judiciary Committee are already calling for an investigation into whether Gonzales committed perjury. The White House downplaying those claims, saying Gonzales and Mueller are talking about two completely different intelligence operations.
New this morning, charges dropped today against a suspect in the failed British car bomb attacks. Dr. Mohammed Haneef was arrested trying to leave Australia three days after the failed attacks in June. Now the case against him fell apart when prosecutors found out that their main piece of evidence, a cell phone memory card found in the burning Jeep in Glasgow, did not belong to Haneef. Haneef's cousin was one of the men in that Jeep.
Reports coming in just about 15 minutes ago that 22 South Koreans being held hostage in Afghanistan are still alive this morning. The report was from Reuters and quoted a senior official from Afghanistan involved in the negotiations. We have been waiting for word since a 3:30 deadline came and went this morning. The Taliban kidnappers have threatened to kill the hostages if Taliban prisoners are not released. One hostage was killed earlier this week. He was a pastor and leader of the church group. They were kidnapped last Thursday while doing volunteer medical work.
And the heat wave in southern Europe touching off new fires today. Fires burned out several tourist spots in Italy. Major fires are also burning in Greece, Croatia and Bulgaria. Dozens of deaths blamed on the heat. The temperatures are a little bit lower today, but they are supposed to spike again on Monday.
Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Thanks so much, John.
Well, the vicious world of dog fighting, the Michael Vick case, bringing the underground blood sport back into the spotlight. And for the most part, pit bulls are the most popular breed used in these horrific fights. So are these dogs inherently violent or are they trained to be that way? Joining me now right now is Bernice Clifford. She is a dog trainer for the Animal Farm Foundation. And this is Joshua. Joshua is an eight-year-old pit bull. He seems to just want to get his hands on a treat, nothing else.
First of all, the case must have been heart-breaking for you to see that anybody could treat any animal, any living being, the way that these dogs are being treated. Is enough being done right now to crack down on dog fighting in general?
BERNICE CLIFFORD, DOG TRAINER: No, enough is not being done. And it's just finally -- the good thing that has happened here as we finally brought it to the spotlight. This is cruelty to pets.
CHETRY: We're seeing this little guy here. He's, what, nine years old?
CLIFFORD: Josh is about nine, yes.
CHETRY: Nine years old. Why are pit bulls usually the ones used in the dog fighting sport?
CLIFFORD: Because of urban myths, sensationalism. We've created these super canines. They have all these abilities that are just impossible for a dog to have.
CHETRY: You don't believe pit bulls are vicious naturally?
CLIFFORD: No.
CHETRY: Why do we hear then that there are bans on pit bulls, that when you hear oftentimes attacks, unfortunately, you do hear, in many cases, pit bulls and rottweilers, in fact, according to the CDC, are responsible in half of the deaths reported in the past 20 years.
CLIFFORD: Urban -- again, the urban myths and we have a culture that wants really tough dogs. So the image of the pit bull is getting them into hands that should not have dogs, period.
CHETRY: Right. So what we're saying is they have the natural ability to be very powerful fighters and when they are in the wrong hands, the wrong people, they can be trained to be killers.
CLIFFORD: Any dog has the ability to be a fighter. Dogs have teeth. Dogs bite.
CHETRY: What is it about pit bulls, though, that make them popular for people that want to raise animals that are vicious? A lot of times they do choose this breed.
CLIFFORD: The sensationalism that we've created as a culture.
CHETRY: Tell us about what your efforts are to try to make people more educated about pit bulls.
CLIFFORD: We are granting an education facility. We rescue and train true ambassador pit bulls, like Joshua. Joshua was a stray dog. We pull all of our dogs from high-kill shelters where they're going to die just because they're pit bulls. And they are lovely pet dogs.
CHETRY: So you would trust your family, you would trust your small child . . .
CLIFFORD: Absolutely.
CHETRY: Are there things that people should keep in mind if they are thinking about adopting a pit bull from a shelter? Because they don't really necessarily know the history of the abuse at the animal might have gone through.
CLIFFORD: I would get a good trainer. With any dog that I took from a shelter, a good trainer and just do everything nice and slow with the dog.
CHETRY: Well, we can see here that Joshua certainly is anything but vicious. He's a sweetheart. Good thing that he was able to be rescued.
And, Bernice, thanks for bringing him in and coming in and talking a little bit more about this situation.
CLIFFORD: Thank you.
CHETRY: Sure.
John.
ROBERTS: Looks like a sweet puppy.
Chaos at the Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. A U.S. Airways jet was diverted as it came in for a landing. The reason, there was a dog running loose on the runway. Air traffic controllers told the pilot to circle around a few times so that crews could try to get the dog. He ran across both runways. Airport security workers finally nabbed him. The airport says that the dog was a stray, although we've seen in the past where dogs have sometimes broken out of their sky kennels and taken to the tarmac. He was eventually caught and turned over to animal control.
CHETRY: He's up for adoption now.
ROBERTS: He is. Yes. Somebody will pick him up.
The case of the missing pool tops your "Quick Hits" now. A Patterson, New Jersey, homeowners wants to know how someone managed to steal her above ground pool. And what's most puzzling, what they did with the water. Police say there's no evidence that the water was drained out of the thing, but the pool, and the thousand gallons of water that were in it, are both gone.
And police in Boston are looking for the man caught breaking a subway gate to avoid paying a fare. And you can tell by looking at this tape that he's pretty determined to get in there. The high gates were put in to stop the old practice of jumping the turnstile, but I guess this is one way around that. The fare that he avoided? $1.70.
Cooking up a little bit of love in the kitchen. Catherine Zeta-Jones stars as a chef alongside Aaron Eckhart in a new movie "No Reservations." Is opens today. But is it a recipe for box office success? Lola Ogunnaike gives us a sneak peak ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: In this morning's "Fit Nation" report, Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us about a church in Philadelphia where weight loss has become a religious experience.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Some people will tell you that faith is good for the soul. But can it also affect your diet?
Welcome to Mt. Zion United Methodist Church in Philadelphia. Home to the first community-based weight loss program run by Temple University. Now it's parts of a four-year study designed to help overweight African-Americans slim down, with support from their church community. Members attend weekly meetings to talk about their weight and eating habits. Camaraderie is key. JIM COLEMAN, TEAM LEADER: This is more than a diet. I think it's the goal is to encourage people to have a healthier life style overall.
GUPTA: Participants listen to music to keep moving.
RAYVON FAULKS, PROGRAM PARTICIPANT: Palms 37:23.
GUPTA: And scripture plays an important role.
FAULKS: God wants you to, you know, take care of yourself, that way you can go out and bring other people to him.
GUPTA: Even the pastor of Mt. Zion participates.
REV. THOMAS JAMES, MT. ZION UNITED METHODIST: It's easy. It's light- spirited. Nothing too serious. We are serious, but we don't get that kind of serious.
GUPTA: The church has been provided with a computer so members can share their experiences. DR. BILL SANTAMORE, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY: What we're trying to do is to use today's technology to really facilitate prevention and weight loss maintenance.
GUPTA: The parishioners hope to teach other faith-based communities that working and praying together can help and heal the body. Quite literally.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: And, as always, for more information, go to cnn.com/fitnation.
Forty-one minutes now after the hour. Time for a final check of the forecast on this AMERICAN MORNING with Rob Marciano down there in Atlanta.
Who's in the radar cross-hairs today in terms of rain and all that nasty stuff, Rob.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHETRY: Well, CNN "Newsroom" is just minutes away and Heidi Collins is at the CNN Center with a look at what's ahead.
Good morning, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning there, Kiran.
That's right, we have these stories coming up in the "Newsroom" rundown this morning.
Flight risk. A report says NASA astronauts were allowed to fly drunk on two separate occasions. We'll tell you more about that. And market takes a tumble. Ouch! The Dow dropping hundreds of points. We're going to follow today's numbers.
And speaking of a drop. How about this? Toddler falls from a sixth floor window and doesn't even break a bone. Amazing story.
Join me in the "Newsroom" today. We're going to get started at the top of the hour right here on CNN.
Kiran.
CHETRY: All right, Heidi, thanks so much.
Well, this is a heart-warming story. A family pet who gets to keep his stride thanks to some high-tech surgery. Your "Quick Hits" now. This Belgian Shepherd lost a paw to cancer, but vets were able to keep him moving by attaching a prosthetic one. In fact, it's titanium and carbon filled. It's fused directly to the bone. And vets say that it's good for life and that the pooch will be pain-free and able to walk around with just a slight little limp.
And folks are going ape over this new baby orangutan in Indonesia. That's little Elmo. He's only four days old. Nurses say he needs full-time care. He gets fed every three hours or he gets angry and cries like that. He was rejected by his natural mother, but he's doing very well, they say. And because he's, of course, being cared for and being raised by humans, he will not be able to be return to the wild.
Well, Catherine Zeta-Jones back on the big screen this weekend. She stars along side Aaron Eckhart in "No Reservations." We have a sneak peek and a red carpet conversation that Lola had with Catherine coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Forty-seven minutes after the hour. Breaking news just in to CNN this morning. Reports of an explosion outside of Pakistan's red mosque. That's in Islamabad. Ambulance rushing to the seen right now. We're told that at least 20 people are injured.
But a report just crossed from the Asian's France (ph) Press says, what it appears happen, and again this is AFP reporting, is that a suicide bomber got himself into a group of policemen who were trying to put down a protest outside of that mosque that was taking place after Friday prayers. The suicide bomber detonated whatever it was that he was carrying with him, whether it was a vest or some other type of IED. We don't know. AFP saying at least 10 people killed. But we have not been able to independently confirm that.
The protest was happening outside the mosque to protest the imprisonment of a pro-Taliban cleric that Pakistan is holding. Of course, the red mosque was the scene of that standoff a couple of weeks ago that ended in so much bloodshed. So the latest, a large explosion outside the red mosque in Islamabad. According to AFP, 10 people killed. CNN confirming 20 people have been injured. Now let's go over to Kiran.
Kiran.
CHETRY: All right, John, thanks.
Well, cooking is hot right now. Switching gears a little bit here. Shows like "Top Chef." Food celebrities Rachel Ray and movies like "Ratatouille" are all the rage. Thee's a new contender coming to theaters this weekend. It's called "No Reservations." And our Lola Ogunnaike has a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOLA OGUNNAIKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Talk to me about food and sensuality. I didn't realize just how sexy it could be.
AARON ECKHART, ACTOR, "NO RESERVATIONS": Well, I mean, food is really the gateway to getting to know somebody and getting to know somebody, you know what I mean?
SCOTT HICKS, DIRECTOR, "NO RESERVATIONS": It's not just about cooking, you know, it's about love, you know.
OGUNNAIKE: And it's about the evolution. It's like putting all these ingredients, mixing it together and walla.
HICKS: Exactly.
CATHERINE ZETA-JONES, ACTRESS, "NO RESERVATIONS": You're going to stir that first, right?
ECKHART: Yeah, chef.
OGUNNAIKE: Who wins in a cook-off, you or Catherine?
ECKHART: Catherine is a better cook.
ZETA-JONES: Rare enough for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE, ACTOR, "NO RESERVATIONS": Are you out of your mind?
ZETA-JONES: Yes.
OGUNNAIKE: Do you have that temper?
ZETA-JONES: No, I don't have that kind of, you know, serious, I mean, perfectionism. I mean, I'm an perfectionist in certain things, but not in the way that she is.
It's perfect.
OGUNNAIKE: How does Catherine Zeta-Jones do in the kitchen? How is she as a chef really? LEE ANNE WONG, FRENCH CULINARY INSTITUTE: You know what's interesting is that I know Catherine didn't go through any sort of hands-on training with the knives and stuff because her role in the movie would be mostly plating technique and . . .
OGUNNAIKE: How was Aaron?
WONG: Aaron was great. Aaron, apparently, he had to learn a very sort of bravicimo (ph) macho way of chopping everything.
OGUNNAIKE: I hear that there were some accidents on the set. You played a lot with knives. And do you have any battle scars?
ECKHART: I've healed now. But, you know, like right here. All this. My nails, you know. And this is what happens.
You're fired.
OGUNNAIKE: Are you more comfortable in the kitchen now. I heard that you didn't like the kitchen so much before. Do you like it more now?
ZETA-JONES: Well, I'm a bit more comfortable as opposed to -- before I used to just like walk through the kitchen to get to another room. Now I actually spend a little time hovering around going, I need to get to the other room.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: As pretty in person, because she looks beautiful.
OGUNNAIKE: Gorgeous. Gorgeous. She really lit up the red carpet in that red mini dress, actually.
CHETRY: Yes, I saw that. She looked great. Did you like the movie?
OGUNNAIKE: I did. I enjoyed it. It's really sweet. It's utterly predictable, Kiran. Chicklet through and through. Cate, I see, chef. Can't find love. Doesn't have time for a family. Adorable niece shows up. Hot su chef shows up in her kitchen and all of a sudden she's warm and fuzzy inside.
CHETRY: Also out, "The Simpsons" movie this weekend?
OGUNNAIKE: The long awaited "Simpsons" movie is finally out. The show has been on for almost two decades and now it's a movie. It's essentially a super sized version of the show. So you go in really familiar. But for die-hard fans, there are a lot of inside jokes. But for casual viewers like me -- I wasn't a huge "Simpson" fan -- you feel involved as well. You don't feel alienated at all.
CHETRY: A lot to live up to, though, because it was such a popular and still is such a popular show.
All right, Lola Ogunnaike, thanks so much.
John. ROBERTS: Here's a quick look now at what CNN "Newsroom" is working on for the top of the hour.
COLLINS: See these stories in the CNN "Newsroom."
Flying high? A report says drunken astronauts were allowed into space.
Attorney general under fire. Did Alberto Gonzales lie to Congress?
Toddler falls from a six story window without breaking a bone.
And dog gone delay. Plane circles as pooch runs wild.
"Newsroom" top of the hour on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Well, if you were watching the CNN/YouTube debate on Monday night, you probably remember Jackie and Dunlap.
CHETRY: Here they are. Their question was pretty funny. It was about Al Gore and whether the candidates were jealous of the attention he gets.
ROBERTS: Well, we actually talked to them on Tuesday following the debate, but so much has happened since then, especially this growing feud between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, that we wanted to go back and check in with them again.
CHETRY: That's right. They're back this morning by popular demand. Jackie and Dunlap joining us from Los Angeles this morning.
Hi, guys.
ROBERTS: And they definitely got the casual Friday memo.
Good to see you back, guys.
Hey, listen, I'm thinking that you guys are originally from Tennessee. You know all about feuds. What do you make of this feud between Obama and Hillary?
"DUNLAP," RED STATE UPDATE: I tell you what, Hillary said Obama is naive. But you know who else is naive? That bus boy in "Back to the Future." And what happened to him? He became mayor of "Back to the Future" town.
"JACKIE," RED STATE UPDATE: : Yes.
DUNLAP: Where would the hover board industry be without a little naive-ata (ph)?
JACKIE: Yes. Because I know Hillary's upset with him saying he's going to talk to everybody and talk to all the bad guys and talk to all the, you know, Iran, Iraq, O.J., (INAUDIBLE), all of them. DUNLAP: Yes, he's only a phone call away.
CHETRY: Well, you guys, you know, you guys seem like straight shooters. So I'd be interested to know how you would deal with people of rogue nation. Leaders like Ahmadinejad, as well as others, Hugo Chavez. Would you talk to them?
JACKIE: Well, first off, I'd have to learn how to pronoun theirs names.
DUNLAP: That's right. Yes, because you don't want to be rude right off the bat and be like, ah, foreign bad guy, click, you know?
JACKIE: Yes.
DUNLAP: So probably not.
ROBERTS: So when it comes to the Republican side of things, you know, we've got the Republican feel, but there are a lot of Republicans who say, look, we're not really satisfied with the candidates and there are some out there who are thinking of getting in the race, people like Newt Gingrich, perhaps. Fred Thompson's still testing the waters. And maybe even on the independent side of things, Michael Bloomberg. What do you folks think of those candidates?
DUNLAP: One thing they bring to the table is a higher divorce rate.
JACKIE: Yes. Yes. Yes, if divorce is what you're looking for, you've got old Giuliani for that.
DUNLAP: That's true. That's true. They already had that covered. So I don't know what else they -- you know, people say Fred Thompson is too lazy to run for president. You heard that? That just a southern stereotype. And if there's one thing I hate, it's parading a bunch of southern stereotypes through the mainstream media.
JACKIE: That's right. Yes.
CHETRY: No, I understand what you're saying. So how do people -- how do folks in Tennessee react to you two?
DUNLAP: We are embraced with open arms.
JACKIE: Yes, ma'am.
DUNLAP: We are heroes of the people.
And, Kiran, I tell you what, you got a pretty big fan base down there too. You ought to come down there and run for something.
JACKIE: Yes, ma'am.
ROBERTS: There you go.
CHETRY: You guys would vote for me: Maybe even run my campaign?
DUNLAP: Oh, yes, I'd run your campaign.
Listen, Kiran, you make the mainstream media look better each and every morning.
ROBERTS: That's what I say every day when I get up and she walks in.
Hey, Alberto Gonzales, is he in trouble? Is it finally time for him to go?
JACKIE: I don't understand about all everybody upset about him. This is an attorney and they're saying what, this attorney lied? Oh, good Lord!
DUNLAP: Yes, if he told the truth, that's what they should be investigate. There's your story, CNN.
JACKIE: And what I don't understand is what he went in -- when he went in to talk to Ashcroft, what was Ashcroft in the hospital for?
DUNLAP: Yes, I don't know. I hope they removed his singing.
JACKIE: Oh, I liked the gospel (ph) music.
DUNLAP: Yes, good gospel music.
ROBERTS: I think it was just a gallbladder operation, I think. (INAUDIBLE) that one.
DUNLAP: Gonzales says that was a meeting -- he had a meeting with Ashcroft in the hospital? Is that really a meeting if you're talking to somebody sedate in a hospital bed?
JACKIE: My wife was in the hospital sick and I used to go in and see her. She was on painkillers and all that and she used to say, there was a man in here mowing the yard got struck by lightening. He didn't know what the hell she's saying.
CHETRY: That's the best way to get them to sign these agreements. You know, you never know.
By the way, you guys, your YouTube question was the thing that sort of got a lot of people's attention. There's another avid user of YouTube that maybe you guys have seen. Let's take a look at this video. I'd like to see what you think.
JACKIE: Yes.
CHETRY: There she is, guys. That's Obama Girl. She's now competing with Hillary Girl, as well as Giuliani Girl to be the girl of the web. What do you think?
DUNLAP: Well, you know, Jackie had his own song and we was going to do a video for. Come on, sing your song for them, Jackie.
JACKIE: I don't want to do it. Don't make me do it here.
DUNLAP: Dude, sing your song on CNN.
JACKIE: All right. I got a crush on Fred Thompson.
DUNLAP: See, we would have gotten dramatic chipmunk hit if we had done that.
JACKIE: Yes.
ROBERTS: A shirt like that, I would have thought he had a crush on Lamar Alexander.
Hey, Jackie and Dunlap, thanks very much for being with us. Appreciate it. We'll see you guys again next week, we're hoping.
JACKIE: Hey, John Roberts, you got kin - you kin to them Roberts in Huntland, Tennessee.
ROBERTS: Yes, I definitely am.
JACKIE: We might be related (INAUDIBLE).
ROBERTS: Excellent.
JACKIE: Yes, sure.
CHETRY: You guys look a little bit like. Gray and then gray.
ROBERTS: That's a new branch on the family tree. One that I'm glad to find out this morning.
Jackie and Dunlap, thanks again.
And Thank you so much for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING. Hope you have a good weekend. We'll see you back here again on Monday.
CHETRY: That's right. In the meantime, keep watching. CNN "Newsroom" with Heidi Collins starts right now.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today.
Watch events come into the NEWSROOM live on this Friday morning. It is July 27th and here's what's on the rundown.
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