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American Morning
Did the U.S. Authorize Secret Operations in Iran?; Casualties of War: America's Homeless Veterans Growing in Number; Florida Plans to Build Solar Plants; Pakistan Targets Militant Offensive Near Afghan Border; Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Calling a Prisoner Swap with Hamas Sad but Necessary; Making History at the Supreme Court; Bill Clinton and Barack Obama Plan to Talk as Early as Today; Straight Talk Express Airborne Now
Aired June 30, 2008 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CO-HOST: Midair disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard what sounded like a sonic boom, explosion.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Medical choppers collide near a hospital, sparking a separate disaster on the ground.
Plan for Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bush and Cheney did not want to leave Iran in place with a nuclear program.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Cross-border commando raids, covert ops. A report that says the U.S. could be setting the stage for another preemptive war -- on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning. Thanks very much for being with us. It's Monday, it's the 30th -- the last day of June. July almost upon us. And just a little more than a month to go until the Olympics as well.
How about it?
KIRAN CHETRY, CO-HOST: And we have a special treat today. We have two of the stars of the 2008 men's basketball team joining us.
ROBERTS: LeBron James and Jason Kidd are going to be with us in our next hour here on AMERICAN MORNING. One of the things we'll ask them: Why did they fold up like a cheap suit back in 2004. My goodness.
Or a better way to put it, how do they recapture the glory days of 2000?
ROBERTS: Yes. CHETRY: First this morning, though, some explosive accusations about America's role in Iran. According to a new article, President Bush and Congress authorized up to $400 million for special and covert operations in Iran.
The "New Yorker" Seymour Hersh writes that the plan included seizing members of Iran's special commando forces, then taking them to Iraq for interrogation, all of it in an effort, Hersh says, to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEYMOUR HERSH, "NEW YORKER" MAGAZINE: Bush and Cheney do not want to leave Iran in place with a nuclear program, what they believe a nuclear weapons program. They simply don't believe the national intelligence estimate they came up last year that said they haven't done anything in military weapons, nuclear weapons since '03. They just don't believe it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Officials at the White House, the CIA, and the State Department, all refusing to comment on the article. For more now, CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The allegation that U.S. special ops commandos have been conducting covert operations into Iran from southern Iraq through a quick and unequivocal denial from the U.S. ambassador to Baghdad.
RYAN CROCKER, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: I can tell you flatly that U.S. forces are not operating across the Iraqi border into Iran, in the south or anywhere else.
MCINTYRE: But the investigative reporter Seymour Hersh whose "New Yorker" magazine article claims the efforts are part of a $400 million covert campaign to destabilize Iran's government argues the operations are so super secret, Ambassador Crocker may be out of the loop.
SEYMOUR HERSH, "NEW YORKER" MAGAZINE: He may not know the extent to which we're operating deeply with commandos not so much with our special forces inside Iran. So it's possible because he's not somebody -- he'll spin it but he's not somebody he won't say something he doesn't believe.
MCINTYRE: It's not the first time Hersh has reported the U.S. has spies inside Iran, and senior Pentagon officials have hinted to CNN that CIA and other highly classified operations are conducted from time to time in the Islamic Republic, but they have never confirmed it.
In a statement, the CIA said, as a rule, it does not comment on allegations regarding covert operations. But some members of Congress were not so quick to dismiss the idea of the U.S. working secretly in Iran to stop its meddling in Iraq.
SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN (I), CONNECTICUT: I think we should be doing whatever we can to let the Iranians know they can't continue this and not expect us to take some action against them on this basis.
MCINTYRE: Hersh says some of the U.S. forces operating in Iran may be coming from the other border, Afghanistan. And he suggests their mission is, in part, to gather intelligence about Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program, possibly to lay the groundwork for a military strike. But Pentagon officials who won't be identified because of the highly classified nature of the effort, suggests there's a tit for tat going on, that the U.S. is trying to do in Iran what Iran is doing to the U.S. in Iraq, namely, support the forces that oppose and, therefore, can help destabilize the central government.
Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: The Taliban vowing to retaliate this morning after Pakistani forces pushed their way into the lawless tribal region and attacked militants near the Afghan border. Those weekend assaults taking place in and around the city of Peshawar, considered a key supply line for the U.S. military effort in Afghanistan. Military leaders say that a number of homes and bases belonging to militants were destroyed. Pakistan's offensive appears to be a shift for the government which has tried to reduce violence by making peace deals with the militant groups in the region.
ROBERTS: To the "Most Politics in the Morning" now, the McCain campaign is firing back today at a military war of words. The man who prosecuted the war in Kosovo says John McCain's military background does not qualify him to become commander in chief. Appearing on CBS's "Face the Nation," Retired General Wesley Clark, an adviser to Barack Obama, said that while he honors McCain's military service the presumptive Republican nominee never held executive responsibility.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CBS'S "FACE THE NATION")
GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), U.S. ARMY: That large squadron in the air, in the Navy that he commanded, wasn't a wartime squadron. He hasn't been there and ordered the bombs to fall. I don't think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: The McCain campaign shot back saying, "If Barack Obama wants to question John McCain's service to his country, he should have the guts to do it himself and not hide behind his campaign surrogates." Barack Obama has a responsibility to condemn these attacks. McCain has made his military service and time spent as a POW a centerpiece of his campaign.
Will Barack Obama and Bill Clinton bury the hatchet? The two are expected to talk as early as today. Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe says they will connect soon now that the former president has returned from a trip to Europe. He also said the former president is not angry and will get firmly behind Barack Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRY MCAULIFFE, CLINTON CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN: As it relates to Barack Obama, he will go 24/7. He is fine. Is he somewhat angry as I and the others in some of the treatment Hillary received from the press? Sure. But you know, that's life. We don't talk about that anymore. We're passed that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: McAuliffe went on to say that he is certain Hillary Clinton's diehard supporters will also follow suit and support Barack Obama.
Five minutes after the hour.
Oil prices again in record territory in the trickle down effect being felt again with the airlines. Ali Velshi is here with all of that.
ALI VELSHI, SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
ROBERTS: Good morning.
VELSHI: We're feeling it everywhere. Good morning to both of you. Hope you had a great weekend. Good morning to all of you.
We are seeing gas prices, first of all, at $4.08 a gallon. That is yet another -- well, enough said on the record. It's a little lower than a record, but it's record high prices. Oil prices again hitting $142.99 on Friday evening, pulling back a little bit. But we're only within cents of that. And that means that we're going to see those gas prices continue.
It also means more airline fare increases, and we've seen that this week. The 20th attempted airline fare increase this year because of fuel and it has been successful at this point. By the way, this one was started by Southwest Airlines, $10 to $20 round trip, joined by American, Continental, Delta, United, Northwest and U.S. Airways. $20 to $40 round trip. Interesting because just a couple of weeks ago right here on CNN, the CEO of Southwest practiced a little misdirection and suggesting that there were no airfare increases expected at Southwest.
That had been one of the airlines that because of their hedging strategy by buying oil at lower prices, they were not expecting to see an increase. They said right here on CNN it wasn't going to happen. Well, they hinted it wasn't going to happen and, guess what, within days Southwest, too, had raised increase -- raised it's rates because of airfares.
So we are looking at higher oil prices again this morning. We're keeping an eye out for a record. This has also had a very dramatic effect on markets over the last few months. We are one day away from the end of the first half of 2008, and it is not looking good. This could be the worst first half in a decade. It could be the worst June since the Great Depression with respect to stock markets. So these energy prices are really having an effect.
ROBERTS: And people are starting to make emotional decisions about their investments, too. We have some people figuring that if $3 -- 3 percent return on, you know, money market fund is better than losing money in the stock market.
VELSHI: Than losing money in the stock market, that's right.
ROBERTS: All right. Thanks, Ali.
VELSHI: More on that later. Yes.
CHETRY: Well, new this morning. Two medical helicopters collide midair killing six people and critically injuring another. It happened near the Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona yesterday. The FAA now investigating what happened. It appears the choppers collided as one was taking off and the other was landing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SED BUCKMAN, WITNESS: I heard what sounded like a sonic boom explosion. It's about 3:55 or so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what went through your mind when you heard that?
BUCKMAN: Well, I thought, well, I'm going to go out and check. Is it a thunderstorm or is it -- I don't know. Then I heard the -- you know, heard emergency vehicles go by and I thought there was a problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, one of the helicopters exploded on the ground, injuring two emergency responders and setting off a small ground fire.
Fires out west moving dangerously close to homes in Big Sur in central California. More than a thousand wildfires are now burning in the state. Right now, fire crews are bracing for more lightning. That's what sparked many of these fires.
So far an area 1 1/2 times the size of New York City has burned and more than 200 people have been forced to leave their homes. Fire crews say they're making some progress but one of the biggest wildfires in the Los Padres National Park is still only three percent contained.
ROBERTS: It's eight minutes after the hour. Florida is known for its sunshine, but are all sunrays created equal when it comes to solar power? We'll tell you why the Sunshine State might be looking elsewhere for some decent rays.
CHETRY: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, wounds of war. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH JACOBO, HOMELESS VETERAN: When you get to see people dying next to you, it's traumatic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Thousands of vets back from Iraq and Afghanistan, living on the street.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES STREET, SOCIAL WORKER, DEPT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: One of my veterans live down here in the park bench right across from the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: A look at what the government is doing to help and why it's worried more are on the way.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." It's a Monday, the last day of June.
They are the casualties of war, veterans who fall on hard times and are forced to live on the streets. Some just back from fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan, and it's a problem that is expected to get worse.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has got more for us this morning.
BARBARA STARR, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: John, Kiran, it is one of the great tragedies of war, homeless veterans living on the streets.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMES STREET, SOCIAL WORKER, DEPT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: How are you doing, man? Are you a vet?
STARR (voice-over): Lunchtime at a Washington, D.C. soup kitchen, James Street is reaching out. If any of these homeless men are veterans, he will try to help.
STREET: You've got my card, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
STREET: When can you come over and talk to me at the V.A?
STARR: Street works for the Department of Veterans Affairs trying to get homeless vets into shelters. A regular stop, outside the most powerful address in the world, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
STREET: I have had homeless veterans here. One of my veterans live down here on the park bench right across from the White House. STARR: There are about 150,000 homeless vets nationwide, according to the V.A. About 2,000 fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Joseph Jacobo has been homeless since returning from Iraq two years ago. At one point he went four days without food.
JOSEPH JACOBO, HOMELESS VETERAN: I have to live day by day, you know, not knowing where I was going to get my next meal or to be able to shower the next day. You know, I mean, because you can stink here. Believe me. You can stink here.
STARR: Jacobo is now in a shelter dealing with post- traumatic stress.
JACOBO: When you get to see people dying next to you, it's traumatic. You know, it's traumatic. It stays with you for a long time.
STARR: The V.A. worries post-combat stress is leading to a rise in homelessness in today's vets.
PETE DOUGHERTY, DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS: They come back. They're having night trauma. They're having difficulty sleeping. They're feeling alienated.
STREET: These guys, they go to Iraq and Afghanistan with the intent that, yes, I'm going to go and serve my country but I'm going to come home and I'm going to step right in to where I was and I won't be affected. Well, they won't be affected.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: Veterans experts tell us their big worry, what will happen over the next three to five years as more troops return from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- Kiran, John.
ROBERTS: Barbara Starr this morning. And here's more on homeless veterans in an "AM EXTRA." According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, nearly half of the homeless served in Vietnam. They are nearly all men, just three percent of them women. About 56 percent are African-American or Hispanic. Nearly half suffer from mental illness and about 70 percent abuse alcohol or drugs.
CHETRY: Pakistan's on the offensive to take back one of its northern cities from the Taliban. Now militants are threatening revenge. Ahead, we're going to take a look at what's new and what's happening behind the scenes of this new aggressive campaign by the Pakistani government and whether or not it will do any good.
We also have Rob Marciano. He is in Atlanta watching extreme weather for us this morning. Hi, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Kiran. We had rough weather across Alabama. A thunderstorm tears through an air show, people hurt. We have the aftermath for you plus record heat out west. We'll run it all down when AMERICAN MORNING comes right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: He is the recipient! Torres has the Midas touch!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: This morning, Spain is celebrating its Euro 2008 Soccer championship by a score of 1-0. It's Spain's first championship in 44 long years, defeating three-time European soccer champ Germany. Yesterday's win in Vienna set off wild scenes of celebration across Spain. Germany, which is known for its comeback was favored to win.
ROBERTS: Close game. Big game, too.
CHETRY: How about it? I wonder if Richard Roth was watching. He did the whole story last week about why America is not into soccer as the rest of the world.
ROBERTS: He appears to be a fan of soccer at the very least.
Seventeen minutes after the hour. Time to check in on the extreme weather across the country today. Rob Marciano in the weather center in Atlanta for us today. Hey, Rob.
MARCIANO: Hey, guys. I saw it on my guide. I saw it on the TV listed but I just couldn't click on the soccer game there. 1-0 though. A barnstormer for sure.
Let's talk about what rolled through the northeast. We had some rough weather. Jersey now, some of those thunderstorms are rolling through parts of eastern Mass. Here they are on the scope. Mostly through Cape Cod.
There's a little front that's really draped across right along the shoreline all the way down to the southeast. And that will kind of stall out and create some thunderstorms throughout the day today and kind of hang around through tomorrow as well. So Barn storm through Hyannis, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, you're all getting it there.
Some thunderstorms across southern Alabama. They're across northern Alabama yesterday and through the Huntsville area. Some video from the aftermath of a Huntsville Air Show that got just torn apart by a thunderstorm that had a microburst or down draft that winds over 40, 50 miles an hour. Unfortunately, there was a 5-year-old child that was killed when a generator toppled over and 12 other people hurt in this tragedy out there at the Huntsville Air Show as the thunderstorm rolled through that area.
We do have record heat in some areas yesterday. Out west especially; 104 for a high temperature in across Washington and parts of Idaho, 96 degrees. Wenatchee, 102. We'll probably see more in the way of that. And today, temperatures will be up in over 100 in places like Vegas, Phoenix and maybe even Salt Lake City; 84 degrees up there in New York. Guys, back over to you.
ROBERTS: Rob, thanks so much. MARCIANO: Bye, guys.
CHETRY: The race for the White House expands overseas. Still ahead, with the "Most Politics in the Morning," we're going to take you to Paris. That's where American expatriates are findings votes and also raising money to make sure their favorite candidate wins big in November.
ROBERTS: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, sunny skies --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE PRADO, HOMEOWNER: My very last one was $6.86.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: They get sun 300 days a year. So why isn't Florida doing more to tap the sun's power?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT REEDY, UNIV. OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: But when it reaches your collector, it's not as easy to focus.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: New efforts to wire the Sunshine State. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, Florida is trying to go green by tapping into solar energy. But even though it boasts some of the sunniest weather in the country, it's actually looking for help out West. Here's CNN's Susan Candiotti.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No wonder Florida is called the Sunshine State, but there are more practical uses for Florida's sunshine.
Jesse Prado plastered his roof with two dozen solar panels and his electric bill has nosedived.
JESSE PRADO, HOMEOWNER: My bill last month was $6.86.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): $6.
PRADO: And 86 cents.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Prado is one of a rare but growing number of Floridians tapping into solar power. Now the state's largest utility, Florida Power and Light, is laying out an ambitious plan to harness Florida's sun. It predicts in the next 30 years -- ERIC SILAGY, FPL VP DEVELOPMENT: The amount of CO2 that it will offset is over 3 1/2 million tons. So it's tremendous, which is the equivalent of 25,000 cars a year being taken off the road.
CANDIOTTI: Despite Florida's abundant sunshine, it cannot compete with California's Mojave Desert, where the sun is much stronger. FPL has a huge solar plant there, too. Blame it on Florida's humidity.
ROBERT REEDY, UNIV. OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: That moisture in the air causes the light to just scatter so that when it reaches your collector, it's not as easy to focus.
CANDIOTTI: And unlike homeowner Jesse Prado who uses batteries at night to store solar energy, power companies cannot.
SILAGY: The only way to really efficiently store power on a small scale is through batteries, large batteries. But to do so on a large scale, it's just not technically feasible and very, very expensive.
CANDIOTTI: So panels can only work during the day. At night this Florida power plant will still have to use old-fashioned and expensive fossil fuels. Jesse Prado plans one day to be energy independent.
PRADO: It will pay itself off probably seven years -- seven to 12 years, depending on how much you've invested into it. But then after that you don't have to pay for power anymore.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): A house this size, about 1600 square feet, can cost about $40,000 to convert to solar power, including all those panels on the roof. But with state and federal rebates, the out of pocket costs can be cut in half.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Boca Raton, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Well, the sun's power is usually used indirectly in solar plants. Here's an "AM EXTRA" look at how it's done.
They take vast farms and mirrors used to focus the sun on a heating plant, then the focused raised heat liquid which produces steam which turns traditional turbine which produce electricity. As of early last year, there were just 15 solar plants in the U.S., 10 in California, five in Arizona. Looks like a high-tech science project.
ROBERTS: Yes, well --
CHETRY: Try to explain it to your class.
ROBERTS: Got to do something about the high cost of energy. Got to find some alternatives.
After years of pressure by the United States, Pakistan launches an aggressive assault to root out militants near its border. Coming up, we're going to take a look at why Pakistan finally decided to act and whether it's going to do any good. CHETRY: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, Americans abroad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It feels like the United States is unraveling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: A critical group swinging to the left.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't get to complain about something unless you're doing something to fix it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Six million strong and able to vote, Alina Cho looks at the ex-pat factor. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: This morning in Pakistan government forces are pounding Taliban targets for a third day in a row. The offensive comes after militants have been threatening the city of Peshawar.
Peter Bergen is CNN's terrorism analyst. He joins us now from our bureau in Washington. Peter, just how great is the threat to the city of Peshawar and why is it so important strategically?
PETER BERGEN, CNN NATL. SECURITY ANALYST: Well, John, as you know, this is the city through which a lot of supplies -- you know, supplying U.S. and NATO troop go through Peshawar on their way to Afghanistan. So the Taliban calculation is that they can put pressure on the city of Peshawar. They can really strangle the supply route to Afghanistan. So that's why it's critically important.
Of course, also, it is a major city in Pakistan. It will be -- if the Taliban can show that they have an ability to control it, it would be a huge victory for them.
ROBERTS: So the United States has been urging the Pakistan government to take action against these militants. Is this finally the type of action that the U.S. has been urging?
BERGEN: Well, yes, but I mean, we've seen this before, John, in 2003, 2004, 2005. The Pakistan military has conducted these kinds of operations and taking heavy casualties but without much success because as the United States has seen in Iraq, you know, it's one thing to clear areas, it's another thing to hold them and it's another thing to build.
And it seems to me the Pakistani army, which is set up for a land war with India, is still groping towards really having a proper counterinsurgency doctrine where they can really, not only simply clear areas but actually hold them and then really offer the people in the tribal areas significant amount of reconstruction aid, something that both Pakistan and the United States have promised that they will do.
ROBERTS: Peter, is this just the Pakistani military acting on its own? There was a militant home that was blown up over the weekend. A number of people killed. Some local people in the area have said it looks like it was hit by a guided missile which they believe suggests the U.S. or NATO involvement. Do we know if there's any of that involvement in this operation?
BERGEN: Well, I don't know, John. I mean, often there are accounts in the tribal areas of hellfire missiles fired by the United States but, of course, the United States doesn't confirm or deny these accounts. So I'm just really not sure.
ROBERTS: Right. At the same time that there's this new effort by the Taliban to try to infiltrate large cities like Peshawar, there's also a resurgence of al-Qaeda in the region. Some estimates that there are as many as 2,000 al-Qaeda fighters in some of these camps. Not as big as the ones in Afghanistan in the past but smaller camps spread throughout that lawless tribal region. Just how significant is the resurgence of al-Qaeda and what might it mean for us?
BERGEN: Well, I mean, there's no doubt that al-Qaeda has resurged. According to the U.S. national intelligence estimate of July 2007, it's resurged. It's protected its top leadership. It's protected top lieutenants. It has regrouped to the point where the intelligence estimate suggests that it has some ability to attack the United States.
Now, I think that ability to attack the United States in my personal opinion is still pretty weak because obviously the United States is much more careful about people coming into the country. Al-Qaeda isn't where it was on September 11th, 2001, but it doesn't mean that they can do things like attack in London as they did three years back and killed 52 people with an attack on the London transportation system.
ROBERTS: And Peter, there's an interesting article in the "New York Times" today about bureaucratic snafus and infighting between the Pentagon, the CIA, the administration that has sort of hampered the fight against the al Qaeda. How effective has the Pentagon-CIA program in Pakistan against the al Qaeda been?
BERGEN: For me, I think the result speaks for itself. Osama bin Laden is still free seven years after 9/11; Ayman al-Zawahiri, his no. 2, is still free; Al Qaeda has regrouped by the government's own estimation. So, I think those results speak for themselves.
ROBERTS: Peter Bergen for us this morning from Washington.
Peter, it's good to see you. Thanks for coming in.
BERGEN: Thank you.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And it's just crossing the half hour. Some of the top stories we're following for you. Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert calling a prisoner swap with the militant group Hamas a sad but necessary decision. Israel plans to release several militants in exchange for two Israeli soldiers captured in 2006. The most infamous of the prisoners set to go free is a Lebanese man who brutally murdered an Israeli father and his 4-year-old daughter back in 1979.
Another sign of cooperation between the United States and North Korea. Overnight, an American ship arrived in the country carrying thousands of tons of food. It's part of a deal to help the North's impoverished population. It's not directly related to nuclear talks with the U.S. but it does come just days after North Korea blew up the cooling tower. You saw that first here on AMERICAN MORNING. One of the most visible symbols of its nuclear program.
And in South Korea, a fresh round of violent protests over plans to resume beef imports from America. Crowds attack police with rocks, sticks and pipes. South Korea recently lifted a five-year ban on U.S. beef. It was originally imposed over fears of mad cow disease.
And this year's presidential election is breaking the mold in all kinds of ways. And one example, votes for Americans living overseas will be more important than ever in a race that looks to be so close. In fact, this week is overseas citizens voters' week.
AMERICAN MORNING's Alina Cho checked in with some expatriates who are watching this election very closely. Let's take a look.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Kiran, the overseas Americans we spoke to say they've never been more compelled to get involved in politics. They say they were disenfranchised in the disputed 2000 election. But this year they say the stakes are higher and they want to make sure this time their vote counts.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice-over): The Gronckis are Americans living in Paris. Living abroad, they're known as ex-pats and they're as comfortable here as they are uncomfortable about what's happening at home.
LESLIE GRONCKI, EX-PAT LIVING IN PARIS: Makes me sad, quite frankly. We've only been gone from the United States for 2 1/2 years and it feels like the United States is unraveling in many respects.
CHO: The war in Iraq, the faltering economy, her children's future, all reasons why this self-described nonpolitical mom is getting involved in this year's presidential election.
GRONCKI: You don't get to complain about something unless you're doing something to fix it. And as a parent now, I really appreciate that sentiment.
CHO: Enter "Mamas for Obama," the new Paris chapter. An organized show of support for the Democratic candidate.
KIM PETYT, MAMAS FOR OBAMA: It's interesting living from afar because you can see how America is perceived and it's -- I don't think it's how Americans who are living in the States think they're perceived.
MARGO MILLER, DEMOCRATS ABROAD: You can be an American even if you don't live in America.
CHO: Ex-pats are a critical voting bloc -- 6 million people, including military personnel. And they're voting with their pocket books, too. So far, overseas fundraising has raked in more than a million dollars for Obama and more than 200,000 for John McCain.
Ex-pats even send delegates to the national convention. Experts say they've typically voted Republican, but an unpopular war and sitting president have turned the tide. This year, there are indications overseas Americans may be voting Democratic.
MILLER: We have active chapters in over 70 countries around the world. We have doubled our membership since January.
CHO: These Mamas for Obama are trying to teach their kids a little about the political process. Some get it --
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: If you want someone to be president, then you've got to vote.
CHO: Others not yet.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: I'm voting for Obama because he's against the war.
CHO: And the youngest still don't care.
UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: The president has super fast jet.
CHO: Leslie Groncki cares deeply, even from 3500 miles away.
GRONCKI: We will return to the United States sometime and I'll have a greater stake in the system there. I have two small children. And it strikes me that this is a very important election.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Both campaigns say they're well aware of the power of the ex-pat vote. For its part, the group Republicans Abroad has more than 50 chapters around the world. And this summer, they're planning events in both Mexico and Canada. A spokesman for Senator Obama says it's possible the Democratic candidate could go overseas himself, though nothing yet is on the schedule.
John and Kiran?
ROBERTS: Alina Cho this morning. It is 35 minutes after the hour. Veronica de la Cruz joins us with other stories new this morning.
Good morning to you.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to both of you and good morning to all of you out there. Here's what's new this morning. Rebuilding the World Trade Center site will be delayed by up to three years and cost $3 billion more than planned. It's all according to the "Wall Street Journal" and people familiar with the project. The delays mean a September 11th memorial won't be open in time for the tenth anniversary of the attack. A report out today will outline the setbacks but one official says the estimates given are too pessimistic.
Well, Hollywood is on the verge of another strike. At midnight tonight, a contract between the Screen Actors Guild and the studios expires. So far, the two sides have remained deadlocked but insist they are willing to negotiate into July before authorizing a strike. At issue, how actors are compensated for DVDs and products they promote and shows.
And Disney's "Wall-E" rolling into first place at the box office. The Pixar animation movie took in more than $62.5 million at the box office. And that is the biggest ever June premier for a Disney movie. "Wanted" with Angelina Jolie came in second with $51.1 million.
And that's what's new this morning. I'm going to send it now back to John and Kiran. I can't remember the last time I went to go see a movie.
CHETRY: Yes, you're going to see a lot of people going to theaters because of the hot weather, because it's a pretty good take for both of us.
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ROBERTS: Good place to stay cool. Yes, I mean, they can make a hit movie out of just about any story, can't they? As long as they've got a cute little animated character.
CHETRY: Or a cute little Angelina Jolie. Thank you.
ROBERTS: Never heard of such a thing. Thanks.
From the small screen to the Supreme Court, a former actor makes history by becoming the first legally blind clerk at the U.S. Supreme Court. His story, coming up.
Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, treated like royalty -
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. My princesses --
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ROBERTS: Women in Japan paying to be waited on and worshiped by Americans.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The rules are a little different. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Something I haven't told anybody about back home yet.
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ROBERTS: It's 39 minutes after the hour. Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." Making history at the Supreme Court. A young lawyer who is legally blind about to begin his year-long assignment as a clerk for the High Court. He's someone you might recognize but probably know little about.
CNN's justice correspondent Kelli Arena has his story.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They said it hasn't won in 10 years. If you can make money losing, we'd be millionaires.
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On television, Isaac Lidsky played a loser.
ISAAC LIDSKY, FIRST LEGALLY BLIND SCOTUS CLERK: There's a little bit of a cringe factor because my character was not necessarily the coolest kid in school.
ARENA: But his sitcom struggles were nothing compared to the real world. At 13, Lidsky was going blind.
LIDSKY: It was obviously some devastating news.
ARENA: The disease took his sight but not his drive. He went to Harvard Law School, worked as a prosecutor at the Department of Justice. And now, he's set to make history as the first legally blind Supreme Court law clerk.
LIDSKY: It's been a dream of mine for many years. Something I'm excited to do.
ARENA: Clerking for a Supreme Court justice is one of the most coveted jobs in the legal profession. So how will Lidsky manage? With a computer that reads documents to him and even a talking BlackBerry.
LIDSKY: That's how I interact with the world.
ARENA: Lidsky will help recommend which cases the Supreme Court ultimately takes up and he'll work specifically for retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who no longer sits on the High Court, but still hears Appeals Court cases.
LIDSKY: Well, I have no doubt Justice O'Connor will keep me very busy.
ARENA: In addition to his legal work, Lidsky is also raising funds to help cure degenerative eye diseases like his, through his foundation -- Hope for Vision.
LIDSKY: I'm really not out to set any records or prove anything to anybody. So, I just feel blessed to have this experience.
ARENA: Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
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CHETRY: We have some news right now. We're going to head out to Ali Velshi who is following the latest when it comes to oil for us.
Hey, Ali.
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kiran. We're getting quite a surge in the price of oil right now. We're breaking news records again. We are now up to $143.49 for a barrel of oil. We have never topped $143 before. On Friday, it got to just below that.
Now, again we have discussed this before. When you see oil going up at a rate of a dollar a day, remember, there are 365 days in a year. There is some real news behind why it's going up further now, $143.57. There's real news behind this.
There's been an attack on an oil facility -- Shell oil facility in Nigeria, or at least there are reports of an attack, which we are trying to confirm, which is -- Nigeria is a very big supplier of oil to the world and to the United States.
So, there is real news behind the surge in the price of oil. But we are seeing a definite surge here. We're up -- we're far more than $2 -- $3.30 now since the close of business on Friday.
Oil trading at $143.55 now and that is -- just to let you know that is more than 50 percent higher than we started the year. We started the year at $95.95 for a barrel of oil. I'll keep an eye on it and get back to you if there's more.
CHETRY: $95.95, that seems like a lifetime ago.
VELSHI: Yes, unbelievable.
ROBERTS: Good old days.
CHETRY: Thanks, Ali.
ROBERTS: Ali, thanks.
Hunting, it's an age-old tradition. And this morning we're giving you a unique perspective on this sport as we tag along with some hunters. CHETRY: As oil prices continue to shatter one record after another, CNN's own Becky Anderson is heading to the top of the world to get some answers.
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CHETRY: A gun debate raging in the country. And as part of a special series filmed and produced by CNN's photo journalists, we're giving you perspectives on guns in America. Some for and some against. This morning a group of hunters explains their love of the sport.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I remember trying to explain to Nick the relationship of the barrel, the scope, mounted on the gun, to the target and seeing it clicking its head and actually hitting the target. To me as a father, that was just outstanding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Isaac couldn't have done any more than 5 shoots in a .22. I don't know. It's just something I really enjoy doing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, the first time my father took me to shoot a shotgun, my mother was just -- they had a fight about it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My dad was a phenomenal wing shooter. I mean, I got this much of that from him. Here's me, (INAUDIBLE) hunting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There goes one.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People that don't hunt or not exposed to or weren't raised to it, all they know about firearms and weapons in general is what they see on television. And that's typically always bad.
As a hunter, I absolutely believe in gun control. But as far as the actual purchase of the gun, I think the things that we have in place are more than adequate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, there's some people out there that shouldn't have them and the fight from a gun standpoint is, you know, well, we really need to clamp down on everybody.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My understanding of the Constitution says they can't do that. Just say we're just going to take guns away from people. The criminal mind that wants a weapon is going to find a weapon.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, it's nice to get away from everything. I'm going turkey hunting tomorrow. And that's just a really cool time of year to be out in nature and to experience it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's just the generic. Everyone is happy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good luck, everybody. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nice and warm, yes. Should be a good morning.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That one was coming in and saw something it didn't like. That first one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I lost sight of it. And then I saw its head. And then I thought you were getting ready to shoot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was waiting for it to get past that tree because that one poplar was right in my way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's why they call it hunting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's that one shot. Pretty close.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Back over there somewhere.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many do we see, three? Probably?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's two or three.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That one came running.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was waiting, waiting. Next thing I knew, it was going back the other way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was on a string. I thought he was coming right to you. More turkey excitement than I've ever had.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was fun.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
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CHETRY: This piece is part of a special series shot and produced by CNN's photo journalists on different perspectives on "GUNS IN AMERICA." And to watch the entire series on America's relationship with guns, check out our website cnn.com/am.
ROBERTS: Is the Bush administration preparing for a possible military strike against Iran? A new article details new covert operations and plans for commando raids. That's ahead.
Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING -- on bended knee. Japanese women finally turn the tables on the men.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. My princesses --
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ROBERTS: Worshipped and waited on. Tiaras and tea. The catch? Most of the men are American.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALES: Yes, my princess.
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ROBERTS: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was English teaching or nothing. Apparently, there's other work for us out here.
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CHETRY: Well, like many of their American counterparts, women in Japan can get worn out from the pressures of work, career and family.
ROBERTS: Well, now, one Tokyo cafe is trying a little tenderness, offering fairy tale pampering with a Western twist.
CNN's Kyung Lah reports for us this morning from Tokyo.
Kyung?
KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John and Kiran. What we can tell you about Japan is that there is a certain fascination with America and the Western world. Well, we've learned that fascination extends to Western men.
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LAH (voice-over): And they lived happily ever after, just like the fairy tale says, right? Not always.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. My princess --
LAH: But dream life meets real life at the Butler's Cafe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every princess needs --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your special tiara.
LAH: Yes, those are tiaras gracing the heads of giddy customers or --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My princesses.
LAH: As they are called here. They're served sweets and tea surrounded by flowers from a dashing man on bended knee. And not just any man, all of the servers are Western men, innocent fun, nothing more, they say, here at your beck and call.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, my princess.
LAH: Do you sell this? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please enjoy, my princess.
THOR HELGASON, BUTLER'S CAFE: I thought it was English teaching or nothing. But no, apparently, there's other work for us out here.
LAH (on camera): The owner came up with a concept by walking through the streets of Shibuya. She spoke to 200 women who all told her the same thing. They wanted a cafe where the waiters were male, good looking, would treat them nice, but most importantly, were Western.
Being a gentleman is embarrassing for Japanese men says cafe owner Yuki Hirohata here. Our culture isn't like that. Hirohata says women are exhausted by the rules of Japanese society. Unyielding in its expectations of a woman's role in maintaining a career, home, husband and family. We're tired from our daily lives says this customer. These guys are different from Japanese men. They're smoother and make me feel special.
CHRISPEN DEVERILL, BUTLER'S CAFE: And I think maybe just for the princesses, it's refreshing to see. You know, this guy is confident. It's like -- hey, how are you, and --
LAH: Prince charming.
DEVERILL: Yes, maybe, prince charming.
BRENDAN REED, BUTLER'S CAFE: Really?
LAH: Brendan Reed, a native of Chicago, Illinois, doesn't mind being the object of their affection.
REED: You have bars for men. You have bars for woman. You have Hooters. You have like -- you have a lot of places where you're going into kind of a special place or a special area where rules are a little different.
HELGASON: It's something I haven't told anybody about back home yet but --
LAH: Leave the cat's out of the bag.
HELGASON: I guess I'm going to have to now.
REED: Three, two, one, lift.
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LAH: It can be silly perhaps, but for just one lunch, these ladies told us, it is their storybook come to life.
John?
Kiran?
ROBERTS: Early warning, doctors say they can guarantee a breast cancer-free baby, but ethical standards could stand in the way. Plus, Beijing bound. This year's dream team tries to recapture basketball glory for the U.S.A. LeBron James and Jason Kidd are here live. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
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CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." On the "Political Ticker" this Monday. You may hear a President Bush impersonator on the airwaves before July 4th weekend. It's a Democratic ad campaign against 13 Republican members of Congress, all in an effort to tie them to record gas prices.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: W. Here, wanted to thank you for your support of the big oil energy agenda. Appreciate you voting to give billions in tax breaks to the big oil companies. Sure, gasoline is over 4 bucks a gallon and oil companies are making record profits. But what's good for big oil is good for America, right? I guess that's why they call us the grand oil party.
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CHETRY: A republican spokesman called it an outrageous attack and pointed out that Barack Obama voted for the '05 energy bill.
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama plan to talk as early as today. Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe tells CNN that they will discuss the former president's role in this year's general election campaign. President Clinton was not seen at last week's unity event where Hillary and Obama joined forces.
ROBERTS: The straight talk express, airborne now. John McCain rolling out his new Boeing 737 today. 95-seater for the candidate, campaign staff, and of course, the traveling press. And for more up to the minute political news, just head to cnn.com/ticker.
The McCain campaign hitting back this morning after a respected military leader said that being shot down does not qualify John McCain to be commander-in-chief. The McCain campaign is calling for Barack Obama to condemn the comments.
Yesterday, on CBS' "Face the Nation," retired general Wesley Clark defended his view that the former P.O.W. McCain is untested and untried.
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GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), OBAMA SUPPORTER: I certainly honor his service as a prisoner of war. He was a hero to me and to hundreds of thousands millions of others in the Armed Forces as a prisoner of war. He has been a voice on the Senate Armed Service Committee and he has traveled all over the world. But he hasn't held executive responsibility.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTS: General Clark is a Barack Obama supporter and has even been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate.
CHETRY: Well, speaking the election, you know, independent voters could be the ex-factor in the 2008 general election. The State of Colorado is loaded with them. And it's no accident that Denver will be hosting the DNC this year.
CNN's Jim Acosta reports from one of this year's huge toss-up states.
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JIM ACOSTA, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT (on camera): It's no accident that Democrats picked Denver as the site of their upcoming national convention. Colorado is shaping up to be the ultimate toss- up state.
(voice-over): There's more than a continental divide that runs through Colorado, the political divisions are just as dramatic. With Democrats, Republicans, and independents, each making up roughly one- third of Colorado voters. But over the last four years, those voters have handed key state jobs to Democrats, like Governor Bill Ritter.
GOV. BILL RITTER (D), COLORADO: There's been, I think, a trend to leaders who are pragmatic, who are centrist.
ACOSTA: The self-styled, cowboy centrist believes the state has grown weary of the westerner currently in the oval office.
RITTER: I think people are really disappointed about what happened respecting the Iraqi war. How we got into it? In some respects how we were misled in getting into it.
ACOSTA: Do you feel that the president misled the country?
RITTER: I feel so. I absolutely do. And I think there will be some backlash in this election as a part of it.
Clearly there's war fatigue here as there's war fatigue in other states.
ERIC SONDERMANN, COLORADO POLITICAL ANALYST: But Colorado political analyst Eric Sondermann points out that Bill Clinton was the last Democrat to win here and he did so with the help of third-party candidate Ross Perot. Taking votes away from the Republicans. This time there's no viable independent in the race.
SONDERMANN: There is a unique kind of Democrat who is winning here. The question is, can Obama inherit or adapt to that kind of magic.
FMR. GOV. BILL OWENS (R), COLORADO: Independents voted for President Bush both times and that's why he won this state.
ACOSTA: Former two-term Republican governor Bill Owen says those independents will prefer the familiar face of John McCain. OWENS: I've actually preferred to run against Barack Obama. I think he's charismatic, I think he's a very nice guy, but I think that when you bring less experience to the presidential election
