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American Morning

Police Clash with Bhutto Supporters in Pakistan; Crude Oil Tops $98 Overnight; Energy Drink Alert; Interview With Governor Bill Richardson

Aired November 07, 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 good morning. Thanks very much for joining us on this Wednesday, the 7th of November.
I'm John Roberts.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry.

And we begin this hour with breaking news out of Pakistan.

ROBERTS: Yes. Police are now clashing in the streets with supporters of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. Bhutto was calling on her supporters to go ahead with a planned rally on Friday to protest the military crackdown there.

Our State Department correspondent, Zain Verjee, joins us now from Islamabad with the latest on this.

Zain, how bad is the situation on the streets there?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Well, we understand that the clashes are still going on between Benazir Bhutto's supporters and police forces. We're hearing, according to police sources and witnesses, the police used tear gas against Benazir Bhutto's supporters. They also are targeting journalists.

Benazir Bhutto had called for protests today outside of parliament and several hundred people showed up. There have been no arrests, John, from what we know, but it's still going on and we're trying to find out more information -- John.

ROBERTS: Zain, is this just a hint of what might lie ahead with Bhutto? We said just a couple of seconds ago, urging her supporters to get on the streets en masse on Friday?

VERJEE: It could be. Exactly.

I mean, what is happening right now is the opposition leaders are beginning to call for popular support, popular protest. And if the masses get out on the streets, then it's going to be a major problem for General Musharraf.

So far the protests have been limited mainly to lawyers. So it could set the country on a collision course between the majority of the people in Pakistan and the government. We're not seeing that though right now, but as you said, it could be a sign of what is to come. Today, there were protests in the capital, Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore. It was interesting in Lahore, because the students came out on the streets, and that's not really happened before in any significant way. It was a peaceful protest, but it could be a dangerous sign -- John.

ROBERTS: It certainly seems as though pressure is building on Musharraf to keep up with his pledge and go ahead with those elections in January.

Our Zain Verjee for us this morning in Islamabad.

Thanks, Zain. We'll check back with you a little bit later on.

Right now let's go over to Kiran.

CHETRY: Yes, because we're also tracking the price of crude oil this morning, shattering another record in overnight trading. More than $98 a barrel. And it could hit $100 a barrel almost anytime now.

And we're covering all angles. We have Ali Velshi watching the numbers for us, Alina Cho on the impact of your holiday travel. And Gerri Willis is at a gas station in New York City with an impact on your family budget as well.

But we begin with Ali at the Business Update Desk, with more of some insight now, Ali, on what is going on.

ALI VELSHI, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, there are a bunch of things that are driving the price of oil up. Number one is the idea that we are going to be getting a report at 10:30 a.m. Eastern that is going to tell us what crude oil stocks in the United States look like.

A lot of analysts are expecting it to have gone down. If it is lower than what those analysts expect, you can see that surge coming to a hundred dollars fairly quickly.

We also have a storm in the North Sea where a lot of oil is generated, and there are supply concerns generally about oil because we don't actually make that much more in the world on a daily basis than what we produce.

So all of those things coming together. Add in a dose of speculation, and you've got numbers like this -- $98.62 is the highest point which oil is traded at. That happened earlier this morning. It's pulled back a little bit, but not much.

Right now we're looking at $98.03, fluctuating fairly rapidly. Definitely most traders thinking heading toward $100. We may well see that today -- Kiran.

CHETRY: Ali Velshi, thank you.

We're following all angles, as we said. How about the surging oil prices impacting your holiday travel plans?

Alina Cho is looking into this for us.

Hi, Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Kiran. Good morning.

You know, the major airlines, led by American, have put into place a $20 fare hike on round trip tickets. Now, it may not sound like a lot, but when you consider the fact this is the seventh fare hike since Labor Day, and the biggest in dollar terms, you could be paying a lot more for your holiday travel this year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it does bother me and it hurts in the wallet, but I've got to get to me meetings and I've got to do my business.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it's too bad that gas is going up so much, you know? It's too high.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: So that's what they think. Those were passengers, by the way, that we spoke to just this morning at LaGuardia airport.

Now, to be clear, the airlines do say the recent run-up is a reflection in the price of oil. The price of jet fuel is linked to the price of oil, and jet fuel is the biggest expense for airlines.

Now, just for fun, we looked up some round trip fares on American Airlines yesterday with one week advance purchase. Here is what we found.

New York's LaGuardia to Los Angeles, $639, as you can see there in your screen. LaGuardia to Miami, $354. And LaGuardia to Chicago, $423.

So you will be paying more this holiday season if you're flying. Much of it does have to do with the rise in oil prices, but, Kiran, it's also an issue of supply and demand.

As you well know, planes are full these days, the airlines know it, and they're charging more in part because they can. Now, a $20 fare hike doesn't seem like a lot, but when you consider a family of four traveling around the holidays, when the fares are usually higher anyway, it really adds up.

CHETRY: It sure does.

Alina Cho, thanks a lot.

And a new poll shows that soaring gas prices could play a significant role in the race for president. According to a new CNN poll, 67 percent of those surveyed say that gas prices are extremely or very important for their vote for president. Poverty, taxes and immigration also big concerns. A lot of people saying it means a lot to them -- up in the 60s as well.

So we want to know what you think. Will high gas prices change your habits? And if so, how?

Pick which one you think you're more likely to do, drive less, maybe buy less of other things to save money for the gas. Would you drive a more fuel-efficient car? Or would you say my habits probably won't change much?

Cast your vote at CNN.com/am. Let's take a look right now at our polling.

Thirty-six percent say they would drive less, 38 percent say they're going to buy less, 9 percent say they would drive a fuel- efficient car, and 17 percent of you asked say you would not change your habits at all.

We're going to continue to tally those votes throughout the morning -- John.

ROBERTS: It sounds like a lot of people hedging their bets on the vehicle waiting for the gas price to come down again.

(NEWSBREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

CHETRY: Well, we have another warning about those popular energy drinks, the effects that it could have on your heart.

Chief Medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us now with details.

You know, these drinks are wildly popular, especially among some of the younger kids.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

CHETRY: And they're not really regulated.

GUPTA: Well, and it's become a pretty fertile area of research just because of the popularity. Just exactly what is it doing to your body? That's what researchers wanted to find out.

This is a very small study. Only about 15 people were actually in the study, trying to figure out, was there an impact of these energy drinks on your overall heart rate or your blood pressure?

What they did was they had people who didn't typically drink these, at least not for a few day period, drink them for about five or seven days. And what they found was that after a few days, it actually did seem to increase your heart rate by about 10 percent. It increased your blood pressure by about 11 percent as well. So the numbers did increase small amounts. That's not -- that's not a very huge increase and these were healthy people. So not much of an impact as well.

But the point here that they were trying to make was there is a whole population of people out there who have preexisting heart problems, may be at risk for them, and they might be more affected by taking these energy drinks. And also, you're causing blood pressure increases in a healthy population of people. What are the effects of that long term? Hard to say.

Also, it didn't seem to just be the caffeine. People always say it's the caffeine that's doing this. With the energy drinks, it seems to be more a combination of caffeine and taurine, which is one of the amino acids. The combination, for some reason, causes this increase in blood pressure.

CHETRY: And they're also throwing in other things like the ginseng. And there seems to be a lot on top of just the caffeine jolt you're getting.

GUPTA: Yes. And the way that these things interact I think is something that a lot of people are studying.

For the most part, let me be clear. It appears to be safe. And for the most part, the young, healthy people who were in the study did not have any longer-term effects that they could find from just drinking these energy drinks. But people who have problems already, they might be at the most risk.

CHETRY: Also, it's becoming very popular to mix these with alcohol. You know, they even market these as drinks at various bars. And people certainly aren't just drinking one.

GUPTA: That's right. The energy cocktails, as they are called, people tend to drink five or six of them and -- or might drink of five six of them, it could cause increase in heart rate, maybe even something known as atrial fibrillation, where your heart rate sort of gets out of -- out of coordination.

There's also an interesting study actually looking at the Saturday night phenomenon of drinking these energy cocktails, finding that if you drink these, you're twice as likely to be injured as if you're just drinking regular energy drinks, and you're twice as likely to be a rider in intoxicated car. Drivers intoxicated as well. Twice as likely...

CHETRY: Wow.

(CROSSTALK)

GUPTA: So that's a problem as well. Again, it seems to be some sort of problem with the alcohol being a depressant, the energy drinks being a stimulant, reducing your motor skills. All of that together sort of a bad combination.

CHETRY: Wow.

ROBERTS: Not to mention how you feel the next day either.

GUPTA: Right.

ROBERTS: Sanjay, thanks.

CHETRY: Thanks.

GUPTA: Thank you.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Got breaking news out of Pakistan right now. We want to show you these new pictures that we're just getting of new video of clashes taking place.

Pakistani police said to be using tear gas. And there you can see the clashes or, you know, what seems to just sort of be a standoff at this point between some of the journalists and demonstrators that are gathered outside of parliament. This is for an organized rally.

It was a call from Pakistani -- former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, and police there are just trying to hold back the crowd in riot gear. There have been no arrests, they say, but they're just police in uniform. They have their shields and sticks and they're trying to move a razor wire barricade surrounding the protesters.

Again, as we said, this was a call from Benazir Bhutto to get out there and protest what has been a crackdown by Pervez Musharraf. A quarter of the country's lawyers under arrest. Many of them demonstrating as well, those not arrested.

She is also claiming that hundreds within our political party were arrested as well. She says some 4 00 since this began. And Pervez Musharraf declaring a state of emergency. This taking place on Saturday.

But again, the new video coming of journalists. You see all the cameras there taking photos and protesting against some of the Pakistani police.

We're going to continue to monitor the situation and bring you the latest developments on this quickly changing and volatile situation. One of our most important allies on the war on terror, Pakistan -- John.

ROBERTS: So, Pakistan in a state of emergency. The U.S. in a state of anxiety as oil heads for $100 a barrel. Relations with one of our most important allies in the war on terror, the economic impact of sky-high gasoline prices, just two of the crucial issues that will be facing our next president. And joining us this morning is one of the candidates vying for the Oval Office, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Also the author of a brand new book titled "Leading by Example: How We Can Inspire an Energy and Security Solution."

Always good to see you, Governor Richardson.

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D-NM), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you, John.

ROBERTS: So oil just about to touch $100 a barrel. Are we on the verge of an economic crisis here?

RICHARDSON: Yes, we are. And in my book I detail how we need a massive crash Apollo program by the year 2020 to shift from fossil fuels, reduce our consumption by 50 percent. And we have to do that, John, by going to solar wind, biomass, fuel efficiency.

You know, it's 35 miles per gallon the Congress wants to do. That's a baby step. It should be 50.

ROBERTS: Right.

RICHARDSON: We should have 30 percent renewable in all electricity. Utilities have the technology to do it.

We also have to sacrifice a little bit, each individual American in appliances. Not a -- not a mandate. You don't wear sweaters everybody, but mass transit, the way we drive, air-conditioning, lighting. It's going to take a national effort, and the president has to lead, and this president has done nothing.

ROBERTS: As we see in our "Quick Vote" this morning, people expect that they're going to drive less, they're going to spend less on other things. Not a whole lot of them though willing to drive a more fuel-efficient car.

Let's switch over to Pakistan. Benazir Bhutto today -- an op-ed in "The New York Times" took a look at the words that President Bush said in his 2005 inaugural address talking about his freedom agenda, where he said, "All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression or excuse your oppressors when you stand for liberty. We will stand with you."

What is happening though in Pakistan and the U.S. reaction to it seems to put that statement in a little bit of a tough spot here.

RICHARDSON: Well, it does. Basically, President Bush and the vice president and the Bush administration have given Musharraf a pass, and they basically said, OK, Musharraf, we're disappointed, but we're not going to lean on you to stop this repression that you have in Pakistan.

What an American president would do, what I would do right now, is I would go straight to Musharraf and say, "We're giving you $10 billion mainly for your military since 9/11. You've got to do two things or we're going to cut this money off. One, go after the safe havens on your border, go after terrorists and al Qaeda. And secondly, restore democracy, have elections, bring the supreme court back."

He's in danger of being toppled because of this repression. This is a country that has nuclear weapons, that's our main ally in the bulwark against terrorism.

You know, this foreign policy, we have a crisis with Iran. We're saber rattling against them. We have one with Iraq. We have got -- Afghanistan is falling apart.

You know, this foreign policy has to start using diplomacy, not aggression, not backing repressive dictators like Musharraf.

ROBERTS: Now, the last debate, your Democratic colleagues all pounced on Hillary Clinton. You were sort of the lone wolf in the wilderness saying, hey, wait a minute, we shouldn't -- we shouldn't be doing this.

Why should we not read that as a guy who is potentially preserving a position on the ticket?

RICHARDSON: No, I'm going to be the nominee. All I was saying, John, is that we don't need to get personal among Democrats. We should stay positive.

We should have differences over policy, but, you know, to say that Senator Clinton can't be trusted, she is tied to special interests, that is over the top. And John and Barack should concentrate on policy differences. That's all I was saying.

ROBERTS: OK.

RICHARDSON: I'm going to be the nominee. I don't want to be vice president. Why would I want to do that?

ROBERTS: Well, a lot of people say, including Joe Biden, why would you want to be vice president when Bill Clinton is going to be at the White House?

But on that point, you're the feature interview in "Playboy" magazine. And quickly, if we could, you say in that interview, "I've got a little bit of Bill Clinton in me."

Do you want to elaborate on that?

RICHARDSON: Well, what I meant is...

ROBERTS: What part?

RICHARDSON: ... Bill Clinton was the best natural politician that I ever saw. And I think I'm a decent politician.

I like people. I like campaigning. I like parades. I like grassroots campaigning. This is why I think I'm going to do well in Iowa and New Hampshire. That is all I'm saying.

ROBERTS: All right. Well, we'll see. You're still, what, 42 points behind in the national numbers. You've got a little bit of time.

RICHARDSON: I'm moving up. I'm moving up in Iowa and New Hampshire and Nevada. You know, this race isn't over, John. We've got 60 days.

ROBERTS: Always good to be moving up.

Governor Richardson...

RICHARDSON: Thanks.

ROBERTS: ... it's always good to see you as well.

RICHARDSON: Thanks.

ROBERTS: Kiran.

CHETRY: All right. Well, move over fashion models. There are now holograms that will be coming to a fashion show near you. We're going to be talking about the company behind it and why they decided to go this route coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.

Here's something neat you probably haven't seen before. Forget all the skinny girls on the runway. There is a new kind of fashion show in town. It's one that has no models at all, really.

AMERICAN MORNING contributor Polly LaBarre is here with more.

This is a -- it's a modelless fashion show. So how did they pull that one off?

POLLY LABARRE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Right. It's the world's first virtual fashion show. Target has put it on.

Instead of models sipping champagne out of straws and celebrities jockeying for front row seats, you have commuters walking through Grand Central sipping their Starbucks and clothes from Target's designer collections strutting their stuff without models as virtual holograms, these high-definition holograms. Think "Star Trek" but a little bit more clear and a little bit lifelike.

CHETRY: Yes, we're seeing some of the video now. Now, you had a chance to see this up close. It's in high definition as well.

What was it like?

LABARRE: Well, I went to the premiere. But it's returning every 10 minutes for the next two days.

CHETRY: Right.

LABARRE: So it's a little bit more democratic than most fashion shows.

You know, the models -- we'll call them unmodels -- had a lot of personality. There was a really clever story line.

I did overhear some guy say, "Where are all the real models? What is this world coming to?"

But I think the point is this is the right technology for Target, which is known for democratizing design. You know, bringing prestige brands to the discount shopper and making big box retailing kind of fun, fresh and edgy. And what they're doing here is bringing the high fashion show ritual down to the ground and giving commuters a front row seat at a fashion show.

CHETRY: Will these holograms really change the way that we shop?

LABARRE: Well, I'm not sure. You know, the futuristic applications are we're thinking about, you know, you can do this as video conferencing. We've already seen Al Gore give a speech as a hologram, Madonna give a Grammy presentation as a hologram.

I was talking to Isaac Mizrahi, the designer there yesterday, and he had a really interesting take on the future of online shopping. Let's listen to what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ISAAC MIZRAHI, FASHION DESIGNER: I think that in the next 10 years this technology would be great, like if it was personalized, where, like, you could have your own hologram on your own computer and you could sort of, like, feed in all of these clothes and see yourself dancing around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LABARRE: So imagine online shopping and not having that barrier of getting clothes sent to you and they don't look right, they don't fit, and you don't have to return them. And ultimately going into stores and trying things on with your hologram, as opposed to having to take your clothes off and change things.

CHETRY: How about that? Pretty neat if it really works.

So, if you happen to be in the New York area or passing through Grand Central, maybe you'll get a treat. You'll get to see the modelless fashion show.

Polly LaBarre, thank you.

LABARRE: Thanks, Kiran.

CHETRY: John.

ROBERTS: A look at a story coming up in our next half hour that you just can't miss.

Women become the butt of an online sex prank, only they didn't know it until guys started showing up at their door. And judging by the way the guys were dressed, they weren't joking.

So how do you protect yourself against sites like -- ads on Craigslist that say, "Come on over?"

Our Internet correspondent Veronica De La Cruz with some tips.

We'll have that today's headlines when AMERICAN MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN, ANCHOR: Welcome back. Wednesday, November 7th. I'm Kiran Chetry.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN, ANCHOR: And good morning to you, I'm John Roberts. Thanks for being with us.

Breaking news coming into us from Pakistan this morning. These pictures. Take a look. Just in, they show what is going on inside parliament in Islamabad. Riot police swinging batons at supporters of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. The opposition supporters are grabbing razor wire separating them from the police trying to push it toward the police there. After these pictures were taken apparently police got out the tear gas to try to disperse the crowd, a number of photographers looking on there as well. Bhutto has been urging her supporters to protest the government crackdown despite the beatings and arrests. CNN's Zain Verjee reporting from inside Pakistan, in the capital of Islamabad, tells us that Bhutto may be setting Pakistan on a collision course by defying a ban and organizing a massive rally and march for Friday. The government threatens to use its power to stop that rally.

Also happening right now, police in Finland dealing with their first-ever school shooting. It happened at a high school in the southern town of Tuusula, near Helsinki. The school's head master was killed, three other people were wounded. Police confirming just moments ago that they have taken an 18-year-old gunman into custody.

CHETRY: General Motors just out with its third quarter results posting a huge loss -- $39 billion. The loss was mostly the result of a charge related to a tax issue. GM warned Wall Street about the loss last night but that may not save it from getting hurt in today's trading.

ROBERTS: The record drought across the southeast cannot get any worse than it is in one town. In Orme, Tennessee, that's west of Chatanooga, near the Alabama and Georgia stateliness, there has been no water since August the 1st. Now more than three months later, residents there are being forced to take desperate measures. CNN's Rusty Dornin joins us to explain. So, Rusty we first heard about this last week. What kind of drastic steps are they having to take?

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: Well, think about it. There is no water running their spigot. I mean, the things we take for granted in modern life, power, you turn a light switch. Water, you walk over your kitchen sink and turn the spigot, they haven't been able to do that John for nearly four months. And the mayor here says their predicament could be a warning to others during this drought.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): Dinner is on the stove but Debbie Cash has much more urgent matters on her mind.

How many buckets do you fill?

DEBBIE CASH, ORME, TENNESSEE RESIDENT: About six today.

DORNIN: It's evening rush in Orme, Tennessee. Taps are on for just three hours. After that, they are dry till the same time tomorrow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fill a 55-gallon drum.

DORNIN: The town ran out of water on August 1st. The 145 residents who live here don't conserve water, they force it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's what's left of a 55-gallon drum.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since last night?

DORNIN: The town's only water source, a sad reminder of days gone by.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Years ago, we would run, it would run off these bluffs here, the water would. I mean ...

DORNIN: Waterfall?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, waterfall, pretty.

DORNIN: Now, the only way to get water is to fire up the 1961 fire engine and head two miles to a fire hydrant in Alabama for water donated by another town. They hook up the hose, fill her up and it's back to the town's tank to unload. How many times do you have to make the round trip today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About seven times. About seven loads.

DORNIN: Back and forth every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And the moment parched residents are waiting for - Tony Reames cranks open the water valve. Down below, Debbie Cash waits.

CASH: Nothing. You have nothing.

DORNIN: Nothing. OK. And then how long does it take after he turns the water on for the water to come out of the faucet?

CASH: Just a few minutes.

DORNIN: Luckily, there is help on the way. By Thanksgiving, Orme should have water piped in but he Reames says his town's predicament is a warning to others.

MAYOR TONY REAMES, ORME, TENNESSEE: All of these people that is on the river, systems, better take note because once your streams and tributaries to the river starts drying up, the river isn't far behind.

DORNIN: Debbie Cash says never take your natural resources for granted.

CASH: Be glad what you got and be careful with it because you never know if you're going to be out of water.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN (on-screen): Just think about it, I mean, get up in the morning we've been watching the very tiny rush our here in Orme but you can't take a shower. A lot of people take sponge baths from the big jug, you know, they keep in the bathroom, that sort of thing. Occasionally, they will leave the water on overnight to let the shift workers get some small shower in the morning. Now, the pipe is about half a mile from town and they're keeping their fingers crossed that it will be up the mountain by Thanksgiving. John.

ROBERTS: All right. Well, perhaps some relief in sight. It's just an extraordinary circumstance there. How are towns folk coping with this? Is it really bothersome to them or they're just saying something we got to do until we get a new supply of water?

DORNIN: It's been a nightmare for people, especially people, of course, who have kids and that sort of thing. But it's something that you have to adapt to. I mean, it's something you sort of plan your entire day around when you're going to fill your jugs, when you're going to feed the animals. A lot of people have animals, that sort of thing. So, it's something you have to adapt to but for most folks, it's been a complete nightmare.

ROBERTS: Wow. Pretty extraordinary. Rusty Dornin for us this morning in Orme, Tennessee, where they're trying to cope with the drought.

And continuing our drought coverage tomorrow. Some say the city of Atlanta only has itself to blame for a worsening crisis. Tomorrow on AMERICAN MORNING, we will hear from downstream towns that say Atlanta's poor planning and over development created a catastrophe. Kiran.

CHETRY: Methamphetamine is becoming a new drug of choice for young America. In fact, in a survey of law enforcement agencies across the country, 47 percent of those polled say meth is their biggest problem and that has changed over the years but now there's new technology being tested in Missouri and Arizona to help police fight the epidemic. This hand-held device that you're about to see, there it is, helps police detect trace amounts of meth on any surface, including skin. Joining us to demonstrate how these scanners work and how they're being used in law enforcement, here's Steven Tucker of the Greenlee County, Arizona Sheriff's department. Sheriff, thanks for being with us.

SHERIFF STEVEN TUCKER, GREENLEE COUNTY, ARIZONA: Good morning. Thank you for having me.

CHETRY: First of all, tell us, show us, if you can, how the gun works. How you use it in your police work?

TUCKER: The gun is actually is a tool. The front end of the scanner, it shoots out an ultraviolet light and it's real simple. It's made so any law enforcement officer can use it. It's as simple as pointing it and pulling a trigger. You point it at the substance that you believe is methamphetamine. You pull the trigger. A little laser light shoots out so you know that you're within range. And on the back end of it, it will give you a meth positive if it's methamphetamine. If it's not, it will give you a meth negative.

CHETRY: I got you. Sheriff, tell us what would be a scenario, a typical scenario where you would use this and where it's proven to be helpful?

TUCKER: Where we would use this, where we see the benefit of this, instead of using current test kits we have out there where we actually have to handle the substance to put it in and then that substance is actually destroyed when we do the test, we can use this device to determine if it's methamphetamine without actually having to handle it. We would use the device where we, we're at a place where we have a legal right to be there. I hear the fourth amendment issue has come up on several occasions and, you know, we're here to protect and to defend that fourth amendment or constitutional right. And so we're here to use this device as a means to determine if something is methamphetamine or not.

CHETRY: Now, you did address some of those concerns. One of the other concerns I think that some who were concerned about an individual's rights brought up, was because this can tests such a small amount, even like a microgram of methamphetamine, how do you ensure that innocent people wouldn't get in trouble for inadvertently, let's say touching something that someone else touched or hugging a person perhaps who had traces of meth?

TUCKER: Well, in the state of Arizona, you're required to have a usable amount of methamphetamine. And so when we're talking about trace amounts, again, this is a tool. If we determine that there is a trace amount of methamphetamine, we're going to use that tool to determine how did you get that? You know, why do you have trace amount of methamphetamine on your clothes or on your person?

CHETRY: So, that does help you establish probable cause, the gun?

TUCKER: It could help establish probable cause, but I don't think it would be probable cause in itself. At least not for a long- term until the courts decide that the technology and the science behind it is good quality science.

CHETRY: Right. Well, bottom line, before we let you go. Thumb's up or thumb's down? Is this something you think more police departments should have?

TUCKER: Absolutely. I think it's going to be a great tool and I think law enforcement across the United States need it to help battle the methamphetamine problem.

CHETRY: And it's a big one as we said. Sheriff Stephen Tucker with the Greenlee County, Arizona Sheriff's Department. Again, Sunny, we had a chance to hear a little bit about what he said. Are any of your concerns allayed by hearing, at least his take on how to use.

SUNNY HOSTIN, AMERICAN MORNING, LEGAL ANALYST: They really are. I loved that I heard that the law enforcement are there to protect our rights and our fourth amendment rights. And so everything that he said is the right thing. He said we're not just scanning people for no reason at all. I'm not going to be walking down the street, you're not going to be walking down the street in Arizona and they're not going to be doing that sort of thing. What they're doing is that if they have a reasonable suspicion that you have meth or they've seen the meth or there is a traffic stop, a legal traffic stop, they're going to use it to confirm that what they have seen is meth. What they have seen in plain view or what they have found. That's a very different scenario than sort of all the scenarios that I've been thinking of that scared the heck out of me.

CHETRY: In a way, he is saying you can confirm it so much faster than the type of testing done before so perhaps people who are innocent aren't going to get any scenario.

HOSTIN: Absolutely. He is saying, you know, instead of law enforcement having to touch and handle methamphetamine, which sometimes for prosecutors is, problematic down the line, they can use this gun. I loved everything that I heard from him today.

CHETRY: He still said they have to figure out a way to standardize it if it can be used.

HOSTIN: No question.

CHETRY: As we said, I think this prototype, the version is scheduled to come out in early 2008. We'll see if it's being used in more places. Sunny Hostin, thank you as well. John.

ROBERTS: Could taking the pill be bad for your heart? Whether you're on the pill or you know someone who is. We got a surprising new study you'll want to hear about. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. You know, there's a new study this morning that's raising some concerns about the birth control pill and how it can affect your heart.

ROBERTS: Right. The whole arterial system as well. Dr. Sanjay Gupta is looking into it for us. This affects women between the ages of 33 all the way up to 55.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN, SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right and people who are taking the pill now and have taken the pill in the past. Now, some people consider this brand new findings and other people say not so much. This is stuff that we've already known. We have known about the birth control pill in terms of its effect on blood pressure for example. It increases blood pressure and also in terms of blood clots. A lot of people remember the information about hormone replacement therapy and its link to breast cancer and heart disease in the past. What this study has specifically shown though is that birth control pills alone, the lower doses of the estrogen and the progesterone in combination seem to have an increase in the amount of plaques, specifically these plaques that you find in your carotid arteries, which go to your brain, your cardiac arteries and also the arteries in your legs. Taking these pills, for every ten years you add increase about 20 percent to 30 percent chance of finding those plaques. That's what the study has found, saying it could increase your risk of heart disease.

CHETRY: So, you're talking about people who took the pill. What if you stopped taking it years ago, do you still have an increased risk?

GUPTA: It seems to be. That is going to sound very concerning to a lot of people out there and saying I took it for a long time, maybe ten years, 13 years incidentally was the average, and then I stopped. They still to have an increased risk. It seems to drop down the further away you get from having taken the pill but there seems to be some long-term risk of having taking the pill again in terms of forming these plaques. This was sort of found completely by chance. They weren't looking for this particular thing. What they found is that women who take the pill have a higher level of something known as c-reactive protein that's a marker. That's an inflammatory marker that's of great concern. If they have this high level of c-protein, could it mean they have plaques? The answer came back yes. No one is changing any recommendations right now, based on this study. Larger studies again are needed to be done but this is going to serve as a little bit of a call for people to pay attention to.

ROBERTS: Something to watch for.

CHETRY: Especially when you have people, 12 million women, taking birth control pill.

GUPTA: Absolutely.

CHETRY: Sanjay, thank you.

Well, we're following this health story. Also, a lot of concern about the potentially dangerous chemicals that are used to make plastic bottles as well as many, many other products that we either put in our bodies, put on our bodies, or spray, Let's say, in our hair. We talked to one new mom. She had her blood tested and now she wants some answers.

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What impact is that going to have on my kids in speaking with the scientists that we consulted with on our results, that was the second question was what about my kids?

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CHETRY: Sanjay is going to show us what we can do health wise and have some advise for consumers tomorrow if they are concerned about this. It's a little bit of a growing movement, our concerns about these type of things like thalates (ph), you hear all the time. Things that make plastics soft, found in everything.

GUPTA: That's right. And sometimes just because the evidence doesn't exist doesn't mean there is no effect. And that's something that we're going to talk about tomorrow as well.

ROBERTS: Great. Looking forward to it.

GUPTA: All right.

ROBERTS: CNN NEWSROOM just minutes away now. Tony Harris at the CNN Center with a look at what's ahead. Hey, Tony.

TONY HARRIS, CNN, ANCHOR: Hey, John. Good to see you. Good morning, everyone. On the NEWSROOM rundown for you, get ready to take another hit at the pump.

Oil prices surging toward $100 a barrel today.

Born with four arms and four legs. How is this little girl doing after 27 hours in the O.R.? We will talk live with a pediatric surgeon.

Plus the weird, far out, freaky story of the cow that fell out of the sky and landed on a minivan. Breaking news when it happens. Join us in the NEWSROOM minutes away at the top of the hour right here on CNN. John, back to you.

ROBERTS: Looking forward to it, Tony. Thanks very much.

First class riders on Amtrak's train are now able to order food from a four-star menu. With the help of some tough chefs, riders may now choose from braised short ribs, seared salmon or even cheesy grits. The new meals come now with the price of a first class ticket ranges anywhere from $250 to $340.

Imagine a strange posting on Craigslist that you had nothing to do with and even stranger people started showing up at your door. Is there anything you can do about it? Veronica de la Cruz has some tips. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) CHETRY: Some breaking news right now. We have pictures just in out of south Florida where a Broward County sheriff's deputy has been shot in Pompano Beach right there. You're probably looking at part of a helicopter, a news helicopter. There you see the scene. He is said to be in critical condition right now. Being transported there. Report says that the deputy's gun and van are missing from the scene. There's no word yet on the whereabouts of the suspect who pulled the trigger but, again, a sheriff's deputy said to be in critical condition, after being shot in Pompano Beach. We will bring you more details in the NEWSROOM as we get them. John.

ROBERTS: Six minutes now to the top of the hour. We told you the story yesterday of four roommates in Seattle, a posting on craigslist with their address and suddenly all kinds of men were showing up at their door at all hours of the night. What can you do to protect yourself against on-line pranks? Our internet correspondent Veronica de la Cruz is here to show us.

So what can you do? And this is a pretty extraordinary circumstance.

VERONICAL DE LA CRUZ, CNN, INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Well, that one and there's actually another one. I'm going to share that one with you in just a second. A couple of frightening stories to tell you about. Out of the Seattle area, we're hearing more and more about this Craigslist postings that go awry. Now, if you're not familiar with craigslist.org, it's a web site that posts job listings, apartment rentals, personal ads, stuff for sale in communities across the country. Have you ever used this, John?

ROBERTS: I have to sell small little items, yes.

DE LA CRUZ: And a lot of people use this. Now, getting back to that story. Out over the weekend, prompted several men to visit a home in Seattle, which is housed, by a couple of female roommates. The first man showed up on their doorstep at 2:00 in the morning. So, what did the girls say?

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was drilling him more or less. Where did you see the ad? What was the title? What did it say? What are you expecting?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How explicit is this promise that is being made to these people who are being showing up? We don't know. They all seem so embarrassed as soon as we started asking questions.

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DE LA CRUZ: That would be the big question, how explicit was this ad?

ROBERTS: What were they expecting when they showed up?

DE LA CRUZ: Well, apparently, the ad was posted by a prankster who said that the women were looking for a good time and some of these men arrived on their door. They're dressed to the nine's and said they there were for "blind date."

ROBERTS: What did the girls do in response to this?

DE LA CRUZ: The women went to the police and the police said that a crime hadn't been committed so I'm hoping that they open an investigation. I want to tell you about this other story where they did open an investigation. This also happened in the Seattle area. A woman by the name Rochelle (ph), started getting strange phone calls from men saying they liked her photo and were calling about sex. When she asked them where they saw her picture, how they got her cell phone number she found out someone posted a phony ad in the escort section of craigslist. The ad had a photo from her myspace page. Her cell phone number also listed in that ad. Now, Rochelle has both items posted on her myspace page which she says is set to be private. So, John, the best piece of advice I can give you, be careful where you place your personal information. It doesn't matter, pictures, videos, addresses. And it doesn't matter if you set your myspace or facebook profile to private. Anybody has access to that.

ROBERTS: People think they put it in the private section and it stays private, not necessarily. Beware of all these stuff.

DE LA CRUZ: Yes. You got to be careful.

ROBERTS: Veronica, great tips and interesting stores. Thanks. Kiran.

CHETRY: All right. Thanks a lot.

Here's a quick look right now at what CNN NEWSROOM is working on for the top of the hour.

HARRIS: See these stories in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Open your wallet wide. Oil prices surging toward the $100 a barrel mark today.

A little girl born with four arms and four legs out of surgery today. We update her condition.

Opposition leader Benazir Bhutto calling for mass protests against the emergency rule in Pakistan.

And drought causes a Tennessee town to run out of water. NEWSROOM just minutes away at the top of the hour, on CNN.

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ROBERTS: Well, we've been talking all morning about oil dodging $100 a barrel. How will high gasoline prices change your habits? We've been asking all morning. Final check at the numbers this morning, 36 percent say they will drive less, 36 percent say they will buy less overall. 13 percent say they will drive a more fuel- efficient car and 15 percent say their habits won't change at all. To all of you who voted, thanks and we'll be back with another "Quickvote" again tomorrow.

CHETRY: That's right. And thanks so much for being with us on this AMERICAN MORNING.

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