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American Morning
Security Scare; New O.J. Simpson Trial; Doping Crackdown; Western Front; Delta Open To Merger
Aired November 15, 2007 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Security breach. Airport screeners stopping your shampoo but missing deadly bomb parts.
Extreme weather.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When it hit, I mean, it hit hard.
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CHETRY: Tornadoes ripped through the south. The storm front on the move right now.
Plus, what are the odds? New poll numbers just in as the Democrats running for president square off. We're live from Las Vegas and New York on this AMERICAN MORNING.
And welcome. It's great to see you this morning. Thursday, November 15th. I'm Kiran Chetry here in New York.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning. I'm John Roberts in Las Vegas, Nevada, where tonight it's the Democratic presidential debate. This is a very important one. A lot of people will be watching to see if Hillary Clinton can recoup from the bad night that she had in Philadelphia. She was knocked back on her heels. Was that just a one-night thing or is it a potential crack in her armor, which some people perceive to be her invincibility and inevitability. We'll be taking a look at all of that coming up a little bit later on this hour.
First of all, though, a CNN terror watch. A scary report for fliers and an embarrassing one for airline security. And it could not have come at a worse time. Exactly one week before one of the busiest travel holidays of the year, the government says investigators were able to sneak bombs by the screeners. The report says they were able to smuggle liquid explosives and detonators past checkpoints at 19 different airports. Some of the things anyone can buy at your local hardware store. Our homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve is in our Washington bureau this morning following this developing story.
Jeanne, this is extraordinarily troubling.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. GAO investigators were able to get through those TSA screening checkpoints at 19 airports with the materials used to make improvised explosive devices and improvised incendiary devices that would create intense heat and poisonous gases. They did some experimentation to show what these devices could do and this video gives you an idea. GAO says these devices could cause severe damage to an airplane and threaten the safety of passengers.
The GAO bought the components, as you mentioned, in stores or over the Internet for less than $150 and then smuggled them past screeners, hidden either in their carry-on luggage or on their bodies. In some cases, screeners didn't catch prohibited items. In other instances, the GAO says screeners did what they were supposed to do and used available screening machines, but the policies and technologies were not good enough to find the components.
John.
ROBERTS: This would suggest, Jeanne, that the TSA may have just been getting lucky for the past few years. What -- the TSA was briefed by GAO investigators about this. What do they plan to do about it?
MESERVE: Well, today, the head of the TSA, Kip Hawley, is going to be put on the hot seat about this. He will say that the TSA is buying new machines that they hope will be more effective. He also will mention that there are many layers of security at an airport, not just those screening checkpoints.
But the TSA is also doing a lot of testing and training on its own. CNN got an exclusive look at some of it yesterday. And you can see a tester in the video we have packing a carry-on bag. Hidden inside is a simulated bomb. The suitcase is then taken to the screening checkpoint and put through the x-ray machine as usual. In this instance you see a guy in a blue shirt. He's the actual tester here. In this instance, the screener did not catch the threat inside and a trainer immediately corrects his mistake.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TSA TESTER: What does this look like inside here?
TSA TESTER: Jumpin' out at you.
TSA TESTER: Exactly. So what do you have there?
TSA TESTER: We have an IED.
TSA TESTER: That's right. You just missed that one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: CNN was allowed to see two tests the screener did pass on the other one. The TSA says by doing these tests over and over, about 2,500 of them every day, they are improving screener capabilities and, they say, our security.
Back to you, John. ROBERTS: I'll tell you, Jeanne, what I found really troubling reading the report, too, is that sometimes these GAO investigators went through secondary screening. They had some of these devices on them and they still weren't found.
Jeanne Meserve for us this morning in Washington with news about that troubling story regarding airport security. Jeanne, we'll hear more from you a little bit later on this morning.
Right now let's go back to New York and here's Kiran.
CHETRY: Yes, and another troubling story having to do with an airport, this time in Canada, though. A disturbing video of a tasering that turned out to be deadly. Now there's an investigation into whether Canadian police went too far. And a warning, some of the video you're about to see and hear is very graphic.
It happened at Vancouver Airport. A Polish man, who did not speak any English. Witnesses say he was confused, appeared very agitated, tired and was throwing things at the arrival gate. It was his first ever plane ride and his first ever ten-hour wait at the baggage area.
A miss communication with his mother. He was supposed to get picked up at the airport. Well, later, when he tried to walk away, you see what happened there. He was zapped by Mounties with 50,000 volts from a Taser.
Well the Mounties first claimed he put up a fight. Well then the video surfaced and they're still saying, though, that it doesn't tell the whole story.
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CPL DALE CARR, ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE: It's only one piece of evidence and it's one person's view. It's through the viewfinder of one individual.
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CHETRY: The man's mother says her son died for nothing.
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ZOFIA CISOWSKI, TASER VICTIM'S MOTHER: That way from Taser. They should do something because that is killer.
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CHETRY: There are now several investigations that are being planned by the coroner, as well as police, and that could take months.
Some damage control by the Gap after a British newspaper found kids treated like slaves sewing in deplorable conditions in India. The clothing company says it's pulling half of its orders placed with the supplier linked to the sweatshop. The move comes after video surfaced showing kids as young as 10 years old working on clothes with Gap labels. They were reportedly sold by their families in poor parts of India to work as cheap labor. The newspaper quoted one boy who said that kids were hit and had oily rags stuffed in their mouths if they cried or didn't work hard enough. Gap also said it would make a $200,000 grant aimed at improving the working conditions in India.
An update and a reversal on a story we first told you about earlier in the work. The Los Angeles Police Department now dropping plans to map out Muslim communities. Controversy erupted after the department's counterterrorism bureau said it wanted to identify neighborhoods which could become hot beds for breeding terrorism. Civil rights groups criticized the proposal, calling it racial and religious profiling. The LAPD says it will continue with plans to reach out to Muslim communities. Los Angeles has the second largest Muslim population in the country after Detroit.
ROBERTS: An ugly fight on Capitol Hill. The House has approved another war funding bill that appears to be heading nowhere fast. Last night Democratic leaders narrowly passed a $50 billion emergency war funding bill. It was largely a symbolic stab at the president. The bill calls for President Bush to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by next December. Republicans fought bitterly against the timetable in the bill. The measure has little chance of passing the Senate or the president's desk.
The longest serving Republican speaker of the house in history is expected to announce his retirement today. GOP sources say Congressman Dennis Hastert will make his last speech on the House floor. No word on when it will become official, but his early departure will mean a special election in his district in Illinois which he has represented for 11 terms. Hastert stepped down as speaker when Democrats took control of Congress last year. He replaced Newt Gingrich back in 1999. He is one of a dozen other Republican lawmakers to announce their retirements this year.
Can Broadway be saved just in time for the busy holiday season? Producers and striking stagehands are scheduled to go back to the bargaining table this weekend. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest times for business on Broadway. Thousands of tourists are expected to pour into New York City for next week's Macy's Parade. Stagehands walked off the job last weekend, shutting down 27 Broadway plays and musicals.
Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, it's time now to check in with our AMERICAN MORNING team of correspondents for other stories knew this morning.
In a little more than two weeks, O.J. Simpson will head back to a Las Vegas court for a felony arraignment. A judge ruled yesterday prosecutors do have enough evidence to take the former NFL star to trial for allegedly robbing memorabilia collectors at gunpoint. AMERICAN MORNING's Alina Cho is following the story live from our update desk this morning.
Good morning, Alina. ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kiran. Good morning to you.
Some are already calling this the trial of the century part two and it hasn't even happened yet. O.J. Simpson will face 12 charges in all, including kidnapping, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon. The kidnapping charge alone, if convicted, could send him to prison for life.
Now, this is serious stuff. All of this stems from a September 13th incident during which police say Simpson and five others burst into a Las Vegas hotel room, one man carrying a gun allegedly, in an effort to recover sports memorabilia Simpson says was rightfully his. After a four-day pre-trial hearing in Las Vegas, a judge ruled late yesterday there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial.
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JUDGE JOE M. BONAVENTURE, CLARK CO., NEVADA, DISTRICT COURT: Mr. Simpson, under Nevada law, you may introduce evidence on your own behalf at this proceeding. Do you understand that?
O.J. SIMPSON: Yes, I do, sir.
BONAVENTURE: Have you discussed this with your attorneys?
SIMPSON: Yes, I have, sir.
BONAVENTURE: Do you have any questions for me about that?
SIMPSON: No.
BONAVENTURE: Your attorney just represented that you will not be presenting any evidence or testimony. Is that a correct statement?
SIMPSON: That is correct, sir.
BONAVENTURE: Thank you. You may have a seat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: That is the only time we heard Simpson talk, by the way. He did not make any comments after he heard about the judge's ruling. Meantime, during the hearing, three of the men who were with Simpson on that day testified against him in exchange for a plea deal. Simpson's lawyer said the men had no credibility and that their testimony was bought.
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YALE GALANTER, O.J. SIMPSON'S ATTORNEY: I mean, these are not good people. They are not credible people. And they shouldn't be believed. And somebody's liberty definitely should not be at stake based on their testimony.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHO: Simpson, we should mention, is not the only one facing trial. Two co-defendants will face the very same charges. All three will be arraigned on November 28th. And in the meantime, Kiran, Simpson will be back at his home in Miami, his lawyer says playing golf and spending time with his family, but he will be back in Las Vegas in less than two weeks.
CHETRY: Alina Cho, thank you.
And a couple of high profile doping scandals recently in sports. And this morning a new fight to crack down. A worldwide conference happening right now in Spain. Our Emily Chang is working the story from our world update desk in London.
Good morning, Emily.
EMILY CHANG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran.
The world anti-doping agency is meeting in Madrid right now with delegates from over 100 different countries. The idea is to clean up doping in sports. This comes at the end of the year in which two major sports stars why exposed. Floyd Landis was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after he tested positive for drugs. Something he denies. Marion Jones, a sprinter, she admitted to using steroids. She returned five Olympic medals. What they want to do is, one, stiffen punishments and, two, get countries more involved on cracking down. This could have a major impact on fighting doping at the Beijing Olympics.
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TIM HOLLINGSWORTH, DIR., COMMUNICATIONS, UK SPORTS: Fundamentally what it is, it's about the protection of clean athletes and making sure that clean athletes have the opportunity to compete and win on the world stage and there is no bigger stage than the Olympic and Paralympic games.
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CHANG: Now the problem is that stricter doping rules could be greeted with skepticism, especially from countries that have the strongest athlete. But with China promising that Beijing will be drug-free, what they're saying is clean up your act before you get to Beijing, before your athletes get caught and other countries run away with the medals.
Kiran.
CHETRY: Emily Chang for us at the world update desk in London. Thanks so much.
Also, Rob Marciano off. Reynolds Wolf is at our weather update desk tracking extreme weather.
You guys finally got a little bit of rain in Atlanta. Was it enough to make a difference? (WEATHER REPORT)
CHETRY: John joins us once again now.
I guess the prayers from the governor of Georgia may have had a little bit of an effect?
ROBERTS: Well, maybe he needs to pray harder. He only got 0.14 of an inch.
Was someone inside this hotel right before it came down? Police in Houston are searching an implosion site for a body. We'll tell you about the tip that led them to believe that someone is buried in the rubble.
And a change of address changed her politics. What drives voters in the west and why what happens here could swing the election. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
Extreme weather in your "Quick Hits" now. An intense storm damaged a church and more than a dozen homes across parts of Tennessee and Kentucky. Some witnesses say they saw a funnel cloud touch down. There you see some of the aftermath of the damage. Rain did finally come, though, to bone-dry parts of Georgia, as well as Tennessee and other areas in the south. Not much, though, in Atlanta. Just over a tenth of an inch.
Investigators are searching for a body under tons of rubble after a controlled implosion in Houston. There you see some of the search dogs pouring through the rubble there. Police say that a home video tipped them off that someone may have sneaked into the 13-story Crown Plaza Hotel before blasts brought it down last weekend. They're now reviewing tape of the implosion to see if it helps in their investigation. There's the implosion.
And also, sheer destruction after a major earthquake hits northern Chile. A 7.7 magnitude quake killed at least two people, injured dozens and destroyed hundreds of homes. This comes to us from one of our I-Reporters. You can see the cars just crushed under what looks like part of the building coming down there. Valentina Bustos (ph) sent in this video. It's from the Radisson Hotel. And that's the overhang which collapsed and completely flattened two cars.
John.
ROBERTS: Kiran, in a preview of what may lie ahead at tonight's debate here in Las Vegas, the Obama campaign is lambasting Hillary Clinton for saying, as president she would not support drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants. It was New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's plan to do that that tripped her up at the last debate in Philadelphia. Democrats accused her of waffling, giving calculated answers. On her latest pronouncement, Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton says, "when it takes two weeks and six different positions to answers one question on immigration, it's easy to understand why the Clinton campaign would rather plant their questions than answer them." Referring to that episode in Newton, Iowa, just recently where a college student was given a question to ask Hillary Clinton by one of Hillary Clinton's campaign staffers.
A new CNN/Opinion Research poll of Nevada voters, which is just out this morning, shows a race between Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani would be too close to call, with Giuliani getting 47 percent of the vote, Clinton 46 percent. A match-up with Mitt Romney appears to be a better fit with Hillary Clinton. She gets 51 percent to Mitt Romney's 42 percent in that Nevada poll.
Eight Rocky Mountain states hold 44 electoral votes. Once solidly red or Republican, more of these states are now extremely competitive and could turn the entire election. AMERICAN MORNING's Chris Lawrence has been talking to voters in the Rockies and he joins us this morning.
What have you been finding out?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They're very independent. They're not going to be looking for the traditional Democrat. You know, when you take a look at these eight states, traditionally they have voted about 56 percent Republican. That means it is the most Republican region in the country, even more so than the south. So you would think, what is giving Democrats hope right here? Well, it's also one of the fastest growing regions in the country and the Democrats are hoping that some of these new arrivals are open to change.
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LAWRENCE, (voice over): Born in California and having lived in Texas, this working mom is new to the Rocky Mountain region.
JENNIFER HERRERA, REGISTERED VOTER: That's good. Can you find another one.
LAWRENCE: Jennifer Herrera is an example of how a change in address can change a person's politics.
HERRERA: I wasn't political before I came to Colorado. I got political because of the atmosphere that was created and it was because of my representative in Congress.
LAWRENCE: Specifically, she didn't like Republican Tom Tancredo's tough talk on illegal immigration.
HERRERA: It made me concerned and wanted to get involved.
LAWRENCE: Now she's a registered Democrat, in a traditionally Republican state that could flip sides next year.
CURTIS HUBBARD, "DENVER POST" POLITICAL EDITOR: You know, it doesn't take a lot. It doesn't take a huge shift in order to make the region, you know, the region that will tip the presidency.
LAWRENCE: Eight states make up the Rocky Mountain region. And some of those 44 electoral votes are solidly Republican. But at least three of those states were extremely close in 2004.
HUBBARD: There's that notion that if John Kerry had won New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada, he'd be in the White House.
LAWRENCE: Democrats are trying to attract some of the region's new voters, like Jen Herrera. She initially got involved because of the immigration issue, but is now looking for a candidate who represents both her economic values . . .
HERRERA: I'm a very fiscally conservative person.
LAWRENCE: And her socially moderate side.
HERRERA: Live and let live. I don't believe in meddling in people's lives to the degree that we sometimes want to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: And Jen says she would even be open to considering John McCain as a Republican. She has ruled out Dennis Kucinich type Democrat. But right now, still undecided as to who she'll vote for.
ROBERTS: So going back and forth between Republicans and Democrat. What is it specifically that voters are looking for in a candidate?
LAWRENCE: I think they're looking for the candidate that can best get out of their lives when they want government out of their lives and to get into it when they want them. They don't want government in their lives when it comes to certain social issues. They don't want high taxes. There's a certain sense of self-reliance in the Rocky Mountain west.
However, a lot of these people moved out here for the quality of life. So the issue of, is the mountain going to be drilled, is the park going to be turned over to the highest bidder, those are important to them and they want to know that the politicians are looking out for them on those interests.
ROBERTS: Wow, that's an interesting order that they've got in for a politician.
LAWRENCE: Yes. Yes.
ROBERTS: Chris, thanks. Good to see you.
And don't forget our debate tonight. Join Wolf Blitzer, Campbell Brown and myself for the Democrat's debate live from Las Vegas. It all begins tonight at 8:00 Eastern.
Are you feeling the pinch from $3 a gallon gasoline? Do you blame the oil companies for the high prices? Should they be doing more to help keep prices down or does the blame lie elsewhere? Coming up in our next hour, John Hofmeister, he's the president of Shell Oil, will be joining us in the studio. What would you like to ask him? E- mail your questions to am@cnn.com and we'll put a few of them to Mr. Hofmeister coming up in our next hour.
Now back to New York and here's Kiran.
CHETRY: And still ahead, a health scare for hundreds of patients. A doctor licensed accused of re-using needles. He hasn't been found guilty, though, of any violation. We'll explain why when AMERICAN MORNING comes right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back. 6:25 here on the East Coast. Ali Velshi "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Some buzz about a merger between two airlines. Do you have any definitive word?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We do have definitive word. For about two hours yesterday it looked like Delta and United were deep into talks. A report was out that actually detailed how these two airlines would come together in a merger.
We very quickly got word from both of the airlines that it's not happening. Delta offered us this statement. I said, "there have been no talks with United regarding any type of consolidation transaction and there have been no such ongoing discussions." United, I'm a little surprised at the comment we got from them. "We do not respond to wholly inaccurate statements made by people who claim to have knowledge when they clearly do not."
Here's why folks thought this would happen. Take a look at where these two airlines have hubs across the United States. They actually seem kind of complimentary. If you look at the orangish ones, those are Delta, and the blue ones are United. So Delta is in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dallas and Salt Lake City. United's in Chicago, Denver, L.A., San Francisco and Washington. So there's not a whole lot of overlap there, which is why some people think this might make sense.
United has been very clear on the fact that they are interested in a merger with one of the other airlines. Delta has said they are open to that idea. The Delta pilots have actually said that they might support this sort of merger. And there's some sense in the American airline industry that there might be the right time for some of these airlines to come together.
So they both officially say they are not talking to each other. We're not entirely sure that nobody's talking about this.
CHETRY: Does it benefit the flier?
VELSHI: Well, that route structure might benefit people because it might make a more efficient airline. Right now the biggest problem with the airline industry is it's inefficient. Now whether that efficiency translates into more profit for the airline or lower fares for the consumer is always up in the air. But I think a merger like this could actually end up being beneficial to the consumer.
CHETRY: All right. We're going to be interviewing the president of Shell Oil, so get your questions ready, coming up in the next hour.
VELSHI: I'm ready.
CHETRY: Thanks, Ali.
Meanwhile, here's a look at a story coming up that you just can't miss, John.
ROBERTS: Yes, it's a new way to order pizza. You let your fingers do the walking, you look up in the yellow pages or whatever, if you want pizza, let your fingers do the walking. Not going to be a voice on the other end this time, though, Kiran.
CHETRY: Ordering your pie. Late night is turning high tech. We're going to have more on that story when AMERICAN MORNING comes right back. Plus the headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Look inside the debate hall here at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, The Cox Pavilion. That's where seven democratic candidates are going to square off tonight in what promises to be an interesting and important debate. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. It's Thursday, the 15th of November. From Las Vegas, I'm John Roberts.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And I also understand you're celebrating a birthday today, John, so happy birthday to you.
ROBERTS: I'm actually ignoring this birthday, all birthdays that will follow, Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. You can celebrate...
ROBERTS: They hurt now.
CHETRY: You don't have to add any more numbers.
Meanwhile, new this morning, searching for survivors after a major earthquake, it happened in northern Chile. 7.7 magnitude quake. It hit a town of about 24,000 people, 800 miles north of the capital of Santiago. At least two people are reported killed, dozens of others injured, homes flattened, thousands of people may have been forced to spend last night in the streets.
The New York State Health Department is urging some 600 patients on Long Island to be tested for hepatitis and HIV after it was discovered that their doctor re-used needles and syringes. Dr. Harvey Finkelstein treated patients between 2000 and 2005. A former mechanic is one of at least two people who contracted Hepatitis C. He says he went to get treated for a bad back and instead got "A death sentence." Authorities say they had to negotiate Finkelstein's attorney to get patient names.
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THOMAS SUOZZI, NASSAU COUNTY EXECUTIVE: The idea that the doctor would lawyer up to protect himself and not share this information readily instead of doing what you would expect the doctor to do, which is to think of the patient's health first, do no harm. I release the information immediately, is completely unacceptable.
CATHY SCHMITT, FINKELSTEIN'S FORMER PATIENT: This not only affects me as the patient but now my entire family, you know, my husband, my kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, the Dr. Finkelstein maintains that the state has investigated him and found no misconduct, and he's since improved his infection control practices.
Well, for the first time, scientists have cloned embryos from an adult monkey and have been able to take stem cells from them. The team from the Oregon National Primate Center used a 9-year-old male monkey for the experiment. They say the research shows that it is possible in theory to create stem cells which might be used to help cure human diseases down the road.
ROBERTS: Seven democratic candidates for president are warming up for tonight's debate. Nevada's primary is going to be on January the 19th, just behind Iowa and New Hampshire. Jill Derby Chairs Nevada's Democratic Party. She got up very early this morning to join us now. Jill, it's good to see you. Thanks for coming in.
JILL DERBY, NEVADA DEMOCRATIC PARTY: It's great to be here.
ROBERTS: All the pundits are looking at tonight saying this will be interesting to watch. We want to see if Hillary Clinton can recoup from what happened to her in Philadelphia. Do you think this is a very important night for her?
DERBY: Well, I do think it's a very important night for that reason and it's very important night for Nevada. We're excited to have the debate here.
ROBERTS: You know, we've got a brand-new CNN opinion research corporation poll out that shows Hillary Clinton with a 28 point lead over her nearest competitor. Take a look at this. It's 51 percent for Hillary Clinton, 23 percent for Obama, 11 percent for John Edwards. As far as the silver state is concerned, is it over?
DERBY: Oh, absolutely not. I think we are wide open. You know, one of the things, John, about a caucus is the poles aren't always indicative. If you look back four years ago in the Howard Dean campaign, what happened in Iowa, you can't tell if the polls will translate into turnout for a caucus. So, it's open.
ROBERTS: Let's talk a little bit about Nevada because this is a state that's going to have a lot of importance in the 2008 election. And when you look at the whole block of the Southwest, Nevada and the four corner states as well, you don't really see those as being swing states sort of in the category of an Ohio, a Pennsylvania, Michigan or a Florida. But they're going to be very important next year.
DERBY: Oh, absolutely, battle ground states. You know, the whole intermountain west has really been trending democratic in a significant way over the last four or five years. There used to be eight republican governors. Now there are five democratic governors, and gains at every level so it's an interesting part of the country in the Democratic Party realize it. It's why we're having our convention in Denver and the debate here.
ROBERTS: What's responsible for that, particularly here in Nevada? Is it the idea that you're one of the fastest growing states in the nation? You are adding 5,000 people to the population every month? Is it changing the demographics here and, therefore, changing voting habits?
DERBY: Well, I think, it's a combination of things. But I think that's one of the things, that with all that kind of growth, people from coming all over the country, it does change the demographic. But the other thing is I think there's dissatisfaction with the current administration and there's just the whole country is trending in the direction that we.
ROBERTS: Let's take a quick look at the minority makeup of this state compared to two of the other early primary states. We have almost 25 percent minority population here in Nevada. That compares to 6 percent in Iowa, 4 percent in New Hampshire. Is Nevada a more accurate predictor of the national scene and national trends in those two states?
DERBY: That's absolutely what we say and I know it's the reason the DNC chose Nevada to be. It's really 25 percent, that's Hispanic alone. It's almost 40 percent when you add the other minority groups in. We also have a healthy labor presence here. A lot of reasons to showcase Nevada as well as, all the people moving in from all over the country, it really brings a lot of diversity.
ROBERTS: And something I found very interesting this morning because I did the research on this. With the exception of 1976, Nevada has accurately picked the president in every general election since 1912.
DERBY: Well, you did your research. I would have told you that. Yes, we're pretty proud of that.
ROBERTS: You know what's going on here.
DERBY: Yes, yes.
ROBERTS: Jill Derby, thanks very much. Good to see you again. Thanks for coming in so early.
DERBY: You bet. ROBERTS: Hope to see you at the debate tonight.
By the way, be sure to tune in tonight for an America votes special, The Democrats Debate hosted by Wolf Blitzer, including Campbell Brown and myself, tonight live in Las Vegas. I will be asking the questions along with Campbell. Wolf will be moderating the debate, following up, making sure that we are keeping these candidates honest. Campbell, by the way, making her CNN debut tonight. It all kicks off at 8:00 eastern. Hope to see you then.
Kiran?
CHETRY: Well, you know, a lot of people say that gas prices are a big strain on their family budget, especially with the average price of oil up to $3 a gallon and higher. Big oil companies though continue to post strong profits. We're going to be talking to John Hofmeister. He is the president of Shell Oil, in our next hour. And we're going to ask him some of your questions. So, if you'd like to know what's going on, if you want to weigh in, send us an e-mail am@cnn.com. Pain at the pump, what should be done? What would you ask if you could have a chance to interview the president of one of the big oil companies?
Also, some news just coming in to CNN right now, we want to let you know about reports this morning that courts in London have now cleared the way for a Radical Islamic cleric Abu Hamza to be extradited to the U.S. He faces charges here of trying to set up terror training camps in Oregon dating back to 1999 and 2000. He is currently serving a seven-year term in the U.K. for inciting murder and hate.
Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, forget calling for takeout. There's a new, quicker way to have your meals delivered to your door.
Also, twisters at sea. A threatening sight off the shore as two waterspouts touches down. Whether they came any close or they stayed a marvelous sight in the distance, take a look, coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. We have some stuff to show you right now in our "Quick Hits." Spotting waterspouts off the coast of Florida. There you see it, ominous looking cloud. This is off of Deer Field Beach, moving closer to land. And we have a little bit of the video as well. It stayed offshore. Waterspout, similar to a tornado, in the funnel nature of the cloud but that it stays off of land, just hitting over the water.
College kids getting buzzed. Campus officials say that a section of the University of Houston has been invaded, but by bees. Crews were literally smoking out the bees. In the picture you will see it. They were going brick by brick trying to scrape out hives. This was on the engineering building's walls. Had to close that down for a little while to do that. The head custodian says they are trying to safely remove the bees, get them to be smoked out and moved to a less populated part of the campus. So, this will be on campus.
Well, it could be a disappointing start to the ski season for some Colorado ski resorts. There's just not enough snow yet. They have warm and dry weather and it could push back the opening dates for some resorts. Other resorts, though, already have opened thanks to their snow-making operations.
42 minutes past the hour. Rob Marciano is off. We have Reynolds Wolf in the weather center. So, they are able to make this snow. It just has to stay unmelted because of the temperatures, right?
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CHETRY: And we have, John, as well. Hey, John.
ROBERTS: Hey, Kiran. Democrats have passed a bill giving the president $50 billion for the war in Iraq. Our "Political Ticker" now, that figure is just a quarter of what the president wanted. The measure calls for President Bush to withdraw all combat troops from Iraq by next December. Republicans fought bitterly against the timetable in the bill. It has little chance of passing the senate and getting to president's desk, though.
The longest serving republican house speaker in history is expected to announce his retirement today. GOP sources say Congressman Dennis Hastert will make his last speech on the House Floor. No word on when it will become official, but his early departure will mean a special election in his Illinois District which he has represented now for 11 terms.
Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani are still the front-runners in a new national poll. Senator Clinton has a 25-point lead over Senator Barack Obama. It's a closer race on the other side, with Giuliani holding a four-point lead over Mitt Romney now. Polls are showing the two leading presidential candidates in their respective parties are in a dead heat in Ohio. That was the state that decided the '04 election.
Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson is tackling illegal immigration in a new television ad. In the ad, Thompson says amnesty is not the answer. The ad will run in Iowa where a poll shows that illegal immigration is the number one issue for republicans.
Find all the days' political news around the clock at cnn.com/ticker. And don't forget; join us tonight Campbell Brown in her CNN debut, Wolf Blitzer and me, the Democratic debate live from Las Vegas. It all begins tonight at 8:00 eastern. Right now back to New York and Kiran.
CHETRY: And we'll certainly be watching, all right.
Well, you're "Quick Hits" now. Today is the American Cancer Society's great American smoke out. It is the one day that smokers kick the habit more than any other day. And this is the 31st year the event is being held. It challenges people to stop using tobacco and raises the awareness of many effective ways to quit for good. There's also a new FDA warning this morning coming for the popular diabetes drug Avandia and its potential risks for heart trouble but does the proposed new label make things any clearer for patients? Dr. Sanjay Gupta pays us a house call, coming up at the top of the hour.
Also, the next time you pick up the phone to order a pizza, you won't have to say a word. Veronica De La Cruz shows us why in her tech headline coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
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ROBERTS: Coming up now at 11 minutes to top of the hour here, live from Las Vegas. If you're just joining us, here's a look at what's making headlines this morning.
Just coming in to CNN this morning. A Radical Islamic cleric who once plotted the September 11th attacks could be coming to the United States to face terror charges. British courts ruled today that Abu Hamza al-Masri can be extradited. He faces charges here of trying to set up terror training camps in Oregon back in 1999 to 2000. Hamza is also wanted for plotting to kidnap 16 westerners in Yemen, that was in 1998.
Police in the Philippines say they have killed three suspected militants and arrested three others during a raid. Police say they also found evidence linking the militants to a bombing earlier this week inside the Philippine House of Representatives. A blast that killed two people.
Explosives smuggled past airport security, a frightening report by the feds coming a week before the holiday travel begins. The government says investigators were able to sneak past checkpoints at 19 airports with liquid explosives and detonators. Some materials are available at literally any hardware store. We are on the terror watch with a live report coming up at the top of the hour but right now back to New York and Kiran.
CHETRY: Boy, some scary stuff.
Switching gears now, faster fast food and exchanging your vote for an IPod touch. Our Veronica De La Cruz has been scouring the web and she joins us this morning with the latest tech headlines. Hey, Veronica, good morning.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you. You know, feel like a pepperoni pie tonight maybe?
CHETRY: Yes, always.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, just sent a message to Papa John's. There is no need to leave your couch. The pizza chain launched a program these weeks that lets folks text orders to its 2700 restaurants nationwide. First, you have to register directly on their website and then from there, you can set up to four preset favorites and they include combinations of pizza, sides and drinks for easy ordering from your phone. You also set up your delivery address. All text ordering must be placed from the mobile number associated to your online account.
CHETRY: That's pretty cool. I mean, I still remember telling this to Papa John's. We memorized that number in college, of course, you know.
DE LA CRUZ: Now, you can text your order. And you know, Papa John's actually joins several online networks of restaurants like Gomobo, Seamless Web, also campusfood.com. So, you can sign up on those sites and then order using your phone from a list of registered local restaurant. In addition to some big chains like Subway, Dunkin' Donuts, Quizno, so unfortunately at Papa John's isn't doing anything that's really groundbreaking here, but they are joining, you know, the list of others that are doing it as well.
CHETRY: And giving people an excuse to be even lazier than we normally are.
DE LA CRUZ: Let's go (INAUDIBLE). Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama announced a nine-page technology and innovation plan yesterday. The highlights include a post chief technology officer. Having government meetings, webcast live, along with live blogging to provide transparency as well as new subsidies for Internet broadband access.
And speaking of candidates, does your vote have a price? Well, a new survey taken on the campus of NYU shows 20 percent of students would trade their vote for an iPod touch. Two thirds said they would do it for a year's tuition and half said they would give up their right to vote forever for $1 million. Kiran Chetry, does your vote have a price?
CHETRY: You know, it's just interesting to see that because, you know, it's a right that I think that, you know, some people just take for granted.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, and how could you put a price on that? Especially for material goods. That's all I'm going to say.
CHETRY: For an iPod touch. Good news, though. It was only 20 percent.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, you know what, a lot of people (INAUDIBLE), they don't even vote. So, it just goes to show you maybe that solidify some of our thoughts out there.
CHETRY: Thanks Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: Again, that's all I'm going to say.
CHETRY: Well, are you feeling the pinch from $3 a gallon gasoline? Do you blame the oil companies for the high prices? And should they be doing more to help keep prices down? Or does the blame lie elsewhere? Well, our next guest is going to be joining us in the next hour. He's John Hofmeister, the president of Shell Oil. He's going to be joining us in studio. And we want to know, what would you ask him? What do you want me to ask him? E-mail us your questions to am@cnn.com. We'll put a few of them together for Mr. Hofmeister.
John?
ROBERTS: More news in less time, with your "Quick Hits" now.
Americans have more safe cars to choose from than ever before. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports the number of new car models receiving its top safety pick, nearly tripled in the past year. 34 vehicles received the group's top award for 2008, led by Ford, Volvo, Honda and Acura. The Toyota thunder, by the way, is the first pickup truck to make the safety list.
An 84 carat white diamond sold at Sotheby auction in Geneva on Wednesday. It sold for just under $16.2 million. Take a look at that rock. The winning bid was made by the founder of the Guess clothing company George Marciano. The jewel is the largest top quality, brilliant cut white diamond ever to be auctioned. Sotheby say it was valued between $13 and $17 million.
She has collapsed on live TV, and then had to deal with the death of her father but the biggest crisis may only now be hitting. Marie Osmond, what did she confirm last night on Larry King? Find out, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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CHETRY: About three minutes before the top of the hour. Ali Velshi here "Minding Your Business," and we are talking about oil.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're always talking about oil.
CHETRY: But today, we are going to be talking to the president of Shell Oil. He's going to be in the studio with us.
VELSHI: That's right. And Shell Oil is part of Royal Dutch Shell which is one of the biggest companies in the entire world not just in the energy sector. In fact, we've just had reports of some problems at a Shell Oil facility in Nigeria which is cutting down production and that's resulting in the price of a barrel of oil being a little higher this morning. Here's where it settled yesterday. It was actually up. We've been seen oil going in the other direction settled up $94.09, $2.92, which is still a pretty big gain in a day for a barrel of oil. We're around that level right now. Had gone down overnight. It was going back up again. Well, you know, so now we have that discussion again. Are we heading toward $100 a barrel?
CHETRY: Your producers sent me an e-mail a couple hours ago, talking about a small jump because of a fire at one refinery in Nigeria. Why does it seem that this industry in particular is so reactionary? There was something, like a little blitz happened, it affects everything.
VELSHI: Right. Well, let me show you. In the world, we produce on a daily basis, according to the Department of Energy, worldwide, 85.5 million barrels a day of oil around the world. Guess how much we consume. We procedure 85.5 millions barrels, we consume -- that's about houses, we will do that later. We consume 85 million. So, the margin -- the spread between the amount of oil we produce in the world and the amount of oil we use is 500,000 barrels a day which is about half of a percent. So it's just how much margin for error.
CHETRY: We practically use every drop.
VELSHI: We practically use every drop. That's exactly why when one little thing happens, it seems little halfway across the world. Traders who are trading oil 24/7 start to react and they start to say, oh-oh, there's going to be an oil shortage. I got to buy more oil in the future so that I know that I have oil in two months or three months. Traders tend to look at the worst case scenario with oil. Most people and will ask the president of Shell this, don't think oil should be at these prices, but that's why it reacts more than anything else that has some incident associated with it.
CHETRY: All right. We're going to find out. We're going to be talking with him in about 15 minutes, so get your question ready as well. Ali, thanks.
Well, are you feeling the pinch from $3 a gallon gasoline? They blame the oil companies for the high prices and should they be doing more to keep prices down, or does the blame lie elsewhere. In our next hour, John Hofmeister, the president of Shell Oil will be joining us in studio and if you'd like to ask him a question, send us an email am@cnn.com. We'll put a few of them together and send them to Mr. Hofmeister. In the meantime, the next hour of AMERICAN MORNING starts right now.
Security breach, airport screeners stopping shampoo but missing deadly bomb parts.
Extreme weather.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When it hit, I mean, it hit hard.
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CHETRY: Tornadoes rift through the South. A storm front on the move right now.
Plus what are the odds? New poll numbers just in as the Democrats running for president square off. We're live from Las Vegas and New York on this AMERICAN MORNING.
We sure are and welcome. It is Thursday, November 15th, I'm Kiran Chetry.
ROBERTS: And good morning, from Las Vegas, Nevada, I'm John Roberts.
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