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American Morning
Israel's Cabinet Gives Final Approval to Prisoner Swap; City Officials Call for New Fast Food Joints in South Central L.A.; McCain Reassures Latinos on Immigration Reform; Euro Hits New High; New Book Out on White House Treatment of Detainees; Jesse Ventura Will Not Run in the Minnesota Senate Race
Aired July 15, 2008 - 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: Tough love --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know there are some who've been saying I've been too tough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Obama's message to civil right leaders.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We need parent doing what they're supposed to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: The presidential candidate tells dads to step up to the plate.
Bertha's might slams Bermuda overnight. Destruction left in its wake. But will the storm strengthen? We've got the latest track.
A fast food freeze.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYNOR DIAZ, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: I know it's bad but I could eat it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: One city's effort to push a better diet in poor neighborhoods.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAN PERRY, L.A. CITY COUNCILWOMAN: Forty-five percent of the restaurants in south L.A. are fast food restaurants.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHETRY: And welcome, glad you're with us this morning. I was thinking the same thing when I was looking in the vending machine. There's nothing healthy to choose from.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: There never is.
CHETRY: It's Cheetos or, you know, chips.
ROBERTS: You go to the vending machine looking for a good healthy snack and, you know, you come away with some popcorn.
CHETRY: You're out of luck.
ROBERTS: That's the way life is unfortunately.
Hey, good morning to you. We begin this morning with two big storms out in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Bertha apparently could re-strengthen into a hurricane today. It has passed Bermuda. No reported injuries on the island nation, but power was knocked out for about 4,000 people.
Another storm system has developed this morning. Forecasters say that this new storm could become the third tropical depression of the Atlantic season. Rob Marciano is keeping an eye on all of this, and he's going to have an update for us in just a few minutes time.
Iranian state television reporting today that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad would welcome direct talks with the United States in the near future. The report says Ahmadinejad would sit down with Washington but only if both parties were on an equal footing. The U.S. and five other nations have offered to negotiate with Tehran and a package of incentives if they suspend uranium enrichment, a process the West fears could be used to make nuclear weapons.
This just in to AMERICAN MORNING, Israel's cabinet gives final approval to a prisoner swap of Hezbollah to take place tomorrow. Among the five prisoners being handed over to Hezbollah, convicted murderer, Sami Kuntar (ph), who has spent the last 30 years in prison for killing an Israeli police officer, a father and his 4-year-old daughter. Israel expects to receive the bodies of two soldiers whose kidnappings sparked a 34-day war in 2006.
Now that President Bush has scrapped an executive ban on most offshore oil drilling, he want Congress now to do its part. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says Congress will not open up more tracts until oil companies start using the 68 million acres of federal land that they have already leased for drilling.
CHETRY: Well, the "Most Politics in the Morning" now. Barack Obama set to give what his campaign calls a major speech on Iraq, Afghanistan and national security. Last night in Cincinnati, Obama delivered another important speech. This one in front of a large African-American audience and it included a strong message about personal responsibility. CNN's Jessica Yellin has details.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, Kiran, Barack Obama addressed a friendly crowd at the NAACP. And if Jesse Jackson was on his mind, he certainly didn't show it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
YELLIN (voice-over): The man who could become the nation's first black president told the nation's most revered civil rights group that struggling African-Americans need some tough love.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know what, we also have to demand more from ourselves. Now -- I know there are some who have been saying I've been too tough talking about responsibility. NAACP, I'm here to report, I'm not going to stop talking about it.
YELLIN: It seemed a direct response to the flap Reverend Jesse Jackson kicked up last week. Barack Obama made it clear he's not backing down.
OBAMA: We need politicians doing what they're supposed to do, and CEOs doing what they're supposed to do. And we need parents doing what they're supposed to do.
YELLIN: But he also spent much of the speech addressing the issues Jackson called on him to discuss more often, racism and poverty.
OBAMA: We have to break the cycle of poverty and violence that's gripping too many neighborhoods in this country.
YELLIN: And the role government and corporate America can play as well, with a particular emphasis on his economic message.
OBAMA: If we can spend $10 billion in Iraq every single month, we can spend some of that money right here rebuilding the United States of America.
YELLIN: The NAACP is a nonpartisan group, but you couldn't tell it when Barack Obama uttered this --
OBAMA: Not only will we help achieve social justice and economic justice for all, but I'll come back to you next year on that anniversary and I will stand before you as president of the United States of America.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
YELLIN: The crowd clearly did not object to Obama's message of personal responsibility. In fact, when he called on African-American fathers and families to do more, he received some of the loudest applause of the night -- John, Kiran.
CHETRY: Jessica Yellin, thanks.
And Barack Obama will be Larry King's guest tonight. You can see "LARRY KING LIVE" live right here on CNN, 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
ROBERTS: Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain will hold a town hall meeting in New Mexico today. He spent Monday reassuring Latino voters that he is committed to immigration reform. McCain told the National Council of La Raza he earned their trust by pushing a reform bill that nearly derailed his presidential bid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: At a moment of great difficulty in my campaign, when my critics said it would be political suicide for me to do so, I helped author with Senator Kennedy comprehensive immigration reform and fought for its package not one but twice. I took my lumps for it without complaint.
My campaign was written off as a lost cause. I did so not just because I believed it was the right thing to do for Hispanic Americans, it was the right thing to do for all Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: McCain also told the group that Barack Obama voted for and sponsored amendments meant to kill that bill. We're going to have a lot more on this story.
Lou Dobbs is going to join us in our next hour here in AMERICAN MORNING to talk all about immigration and the outreach to Hispanic voters.
And Jesse Ventura says he will not launch a third-party bid for the U.S. Senate. The former pro wrestler and former Minnesota governor had been considering running as an independent against incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger and "Saturday Night Live" alum Al Franken. Ventura told CNN's Larry King that he didn't want to submit his family to more public scrutiny.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE VENTURA, FORMER MINNESOTA GOVERNOR: I will tell you now, I am not going to run at this moment. But if between now and 5:00 maybe God comes and speaks to me, like he did the president, and tells me I should run, like he apparently told the president to invade Iraq, well, then, maybe at 5:00 tomorrow, Larry, don't call me a liar, just understand God sent me to file. How's that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Today, by the way, is the deadline for filing papers to be a candidate in the race in Minnesota.
CHETRY: You call a press conference to say you're not going to run, all right.
Well, to issue number one now, your money. Today Congress gets an update on the state of the economy. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will deliver the monetary policy report. That's coming up in just a few hours.
After that he and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will testify about recent market developments and the administration's proposal to help the nation's mortgage giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Meantime the Federal Reserve has adopted new rules to stop shady mortgage lending. These new rules restrict penalties for homeowners who want to pay off their loans early. Also, mortgage companies can no longer give loans without proof of borrower's income. That was happening before. And they must make sure risky borrowers have set aside money to pay for property tax as well as insurance.
Also, General Motors getting ready to announce more restructuring moves today. The automaker's chairman and CEO will hold a news conference in just a few hours. GM has already announced the closing of plant as it sees lower sales in an all-time low for its stock price.
Also news just in to CNN about the value of the euro and the dollar. Our Ali Velshi joins us now with more on all of these issues. Here's the dollar.
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: That's right. To make my point, I stuck a dollar here because it's not worth much anyway.
CHETRY: Yes.
VELSHI: I hope you like having me around because you're going to have me around for a while because I had a trip to Europe planned for next week.
CHETRY: And --
VELSHI: The dollar has hit an all-time low against the euro. $1.66 will buy you a euro and I'll be with you for the next couple of weeks.
Now, the implications of these are many. The first is that, of course, it becomes more expensive to buy euros. It is having an effect on stock futures right now. The Dow down in triple digits at the moment. The futures are at least.
It's also having an effect on the price of oil, now above $146. As you know, the record for oil is above $147 but we're rapidly moving in that direction. It does have some impact on your investments.
Most of the S&P 500, by the way, let's say you've got investments in a mutual fund that's like the S&P 500, most of them get more than half their income now from overseas because of growth overseas. So in fact, when you have investments in other currencies it's generally good for you as an American if the U.S. dollar is low. But it's generally tough on the economy.
There are long-term positive effects of a low dollar. I should tell you about that. We've always discussed this and that is that it becomes cheaper to manufacture goods in the United States, and it becomes cheaper for people to buy goods from the United States. So we tend to sell more and manufacture less when the dollar is low.
Still, the general perception is when the dollar slides it signifies weakness in the U.S. economy. Give me back my dollar.
CHETRY: I'm going to get it to Dina (ph).
VELSHI: There you go. There. There you see the dollar. Use it for something because you can't use it to buy much. That's what I said it. I'm going to be back with you, by the way, with more on that General Motors announcement we're expecting later.
CHETRY: OK. Sounds good. Thanks, Ali -- John.
ROBERTS: Coming up at nine minutes after the hour now, a gay man is suing over words in the bible. He is upset that one version calls homosexuality a sin. Does he have a case against the publishers? We're going to take a look.
CHETRY: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, banning burgers and fries.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYNOR DIAZ, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: I know it's bad but I still eat it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: One community looks to fight obesity by cutting out the value meals.
You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Some city officials in Los Angeles are threatening to ban any new fast food joint from opening in South Central L.A. They claimed that the city is nutritionally segregated with fresh, healthy food for people on one side of town and greasy, fried fast food for people on the other. CNN's Chris Lawrence is looking into the details on all this for us.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Kiran, this is a part of Los Angeles where some folks say you've got to drive miles for fresh fruits and vegetables. And the only thing close and convenient is fast food.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): In South Central L.A., teenagers scarf down fast food on their way to school.
MAYNOR DIAZ, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: For me, it's good. I know it's bad but I still eat it.
LAWRENCE: And a mother who's running late drives through McDonald's to save time.
MAXINE PARKER, RESIDENT OF SOUTH CENTRAL LOS ANGELES: There's never anyplace you can go over here to buy like organic food, OK? There's no Trader Joe's over here. I go all the way to Torrance for Trader Joe's.
LAWRENCE: That's 15 miles away in L.A. traffic. Critics call it "food apartheid."
JAN PERRY, L.A. CITY COUNCILWOMAN: Forty-five percent of the restaurants in south L.A. are fast food restaurants. That's a pretty shocking statistic.
LAWRENCE: Especially compared to the city's west side, where only 16 percent of restaurants serve fast food. City Councilwoman John Perry is pushing for a moratorium that would stop any new fast food places from opening in South Central. She hopes to see more restaurants and grocery stores like the one about to break ground. If approve by city council, the ban would cover 32 square miles and some say that hurts small businesses.
JOE HICKS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATE: Because we think of the big fast food chains. What happens if I decide I want to open a hamburger joint in that area?
LAWRENCE: Joe Hicks runs an economic empowerment group. He says fast food places provide jobs and people choose to eat there because the food tastes good and doesn't cost much.
HICKS: So it's insulting to insist that government has to tell people what's good for them or not.
LAWRENCE: The health department says more South Central children are obese compared to other kids in L.A. County. Even though the chains have added healthier options to their menus, supporters of the ban are demanding more grocery stores and casual restaurants that serve fresh vegetables and food that's not fried.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: With gas prices, it would be a lot more convenient if there was in our neighborhood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: They're probably going to vote on the moratorium in the fall. And again, if it passes it doesn't mean these go away. It just means no new ones would be allowed to be built. Chris Lawrence, CNN, Los Angeles.
CHETRY: Still ahead, Tropical Storm Bertha hitting Bermuda stirring up some dangerous conditions along the East Coast.
Also, another tropical disturbance is now picking up steam. Rob Mariano tracking all of it for us in our extreme weather forecast up next.
Also, the president lifts the executive order banning offshore drilling, urging Congress to lift the ban. So will lawmakers budge? You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: I see some storms churning in the Atlantic. One is Tropical Storm Bertha, roared across Bermuda overnight as a new tropical disturbance picks up some steam.
Our Rob Marciano tracking all of this for us this morning. Bertha, what, knocking out power, some heavy winds in Bermuda but not a whole lot of damage, right?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Not a whole lot. They had a lot of rain upwards of 4 1/2 inches of rainfall and winds gusting at times to 60 miles an hour. That place built like a fortress so not too much of an issue. But we've had some damaging waves to the island and also damaging waves to parts of the East Coast.
All right. Let's break down these three storms. First off, Hurricane Aleta, that is moving westerly quite quickly off the coast of the Baja of California. It's about 470 miles south of the Baja and moving west at about 12 miles an hour. So this thing is expected to continue its westerly movement as a hurricane, Category One, that eventually weakened as it continues its march off towards the west. So that's the good news there. Maybe some waves for southern California.
Other area of interest is this possible tropical cyclone that continues to want to form here. If it does, it will be our third tropical depression of the season. National Hurricane Center will make that call as the day continues to progress.
Looks like a little bit of a flare up of thunderstorms on the western edge of that. That's an indication that this thing may very well be getting a little bit more organized.
All right. Here's Bertha, tropical storm now moving off towards the northeast. Winds still 70 miles an hour. So interestingly enough, this thing could very well become a hurricane again as we go through time. And then also very interesting is this forecast track as it pulls northeast and kind of stalls and goes southeast and moves off towards the northeast once again as we head towards the weekend.
This has been stirring up serious waves along the East Coast. Rip currents continue to be an issue here and really for the next several days. So it will be quite some time before the swells break down.
If you're going to the beaches anywhere from the coast of Maine, through Cape Cod, Long Island, Jersey Shore, all the way down to Cape Hatteras and even through parts of northeastern parts of Florida, that will continue to be an issue.
And also an issue will be summertime heat in Minneapolis, 94 degrees. We have some rough thunderstorms across parts of the upper Midwest yesterday. That has now moved into parts of Wisconsin and eventually into Michigan.
So we'll watch the tropics. The next potential tropical depression would be named Cristobal if it does begin to form later on today or tomorrow. We'll watch it. Kiran, back up to you.
CHETRY: Sounds good. Rob, thanks.
MARCIANO: All right.
ROBERTS: An openly gay man says that he is upset that a version of the bible calls homosexuality a sin. Now, he's suing two bible publishers. Does he have a case? AMERICAN MORNING's Sunny Hostin takes a look, coming up next.
And as we get a look at the first video of an interrogation at Guantanamo Bay, the inside story on how the Bush administration has treated terror suspects since 9/11. The author of a new book connects all the dots for us. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Twenty-one minute after the hour. Just minutes ago, the Israeli cabinet gave final approval to a prisoner swap with Hezbollah. The exchange is expected to be a trade for the return of the bodies of two Israeli soldiers.
Our Ben Wedeman is watching the developments, and he joins us with details. Ben, we've been hearing about this for a couple of weeks now. A pretty significant prisoner swap.
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR JERUSALEM CORRESPONDENT: Yes. It's not quite clear exactly what's going to be coming Israel's way. If you recall, at the beginning of that war in 2006 between Hezbollah and Lebanon, Hezbollah captured those two soldiers. At this point Israeli officials say that they don't think those soldiers are alive. In exchange for them, Hezbollah -- I mean, rather, Israel will be handing over to Hezbollah five Lebanese prisoners, one of whom has been held since 1979. And four -- the other four were captured during the Lebanon war in 2006.
In addition to that, John, Israel is going to be handing over the remains of 199 Lebanese and Palestinians who have been killed over the years in fighting between Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinians. It's a deal that's been hotly debated in Israel, but they finally gave the approval to go ahead this morning. The feeling is that what Israel needs, what the families of the Israeli soldiers need is closure -- John.
ROBERTS: When do we expect all of this to take place, Ben?
WEDEMAN: It's going to happen at 9:00 in the morning local time on the border between Israel and Lebanon. The area, in fact, has been declared a closed military zone. So it's not sure how much we're going to be able to see of what's going on there. But tomorrow morning is the time -- John.
ROBERTS: All right. Ben Wedeman for us. Ben, thanks very much.
And this just in to CNN, video of an interrogation at Guantanamo Bay released to the public for the very first time. It shows a Canadian prisoner who was just 15 years old when he was captured being questioned by Canadian interrogators in 2003. 16 at the time that this video was taken.
Omar Khadr is accused of throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier during a 2002 firefight in Afghanistan. The video at times shows him weeping uncontrollably. He also takes off his shirt to show bullet wounds that he suffered during that firefight.
His attorneys are expected to release seven hours of videotape later on this afternoon. This is the first video of an interrogation that we have ever seen from Guantanamo Bay, and we'll keep following this story for you this morning -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, a gay man is suing two Christian publishers because their versions of the bible say that homosexuality is a sin, he says. AMERICAN MORNING's legal analyst Sunny Hostin is here to talk more about this case.
This was filed -- this is a guy by the name of Bradley LaShawn Fowler, who says that he was shunned by his family members and irreconcilably hurt over what these publishers put in their -- I mean, published in the bible.
SUNNY HOSTIN, AMERICAN MORNING LEGAL ANALYST: Yes.
CHETRY: Does he have a case?
HOSTIN: I think the short answer, Kiran, is no. When you look at the case he's really suing because the term homosexual is listed as a sin. And he's saying that in these particular versions that his family's pastors own -- since they outlined it as a sin his family now has disowned him, causing him much emotional and physical distress.
The bottom line is, where do you draw the legal line? Are other sinners now going to sue? Are adulterers going to sue? Is Christie Brinkley's husband going to sue?
I think when a judge or a jury looks at this case it is likely that it would be dismissed. And even beyond that, one of the publishers hasn't received the lawsuit so they won't comment on it. But one of the other publishers says, listen, you're even suing the wrong party. They say, we don't translate the bible or own the copyright for any of the translations we publish. We're not even in a position to comment on the merits of how a word should or should not be translated. So my guess is that this is likely not going to go much further than a motion to dismiss.
CHETRY: All right. Now, he also is representing himself but one judge refused to appoint him an attorney. Why would that happen?
HOSTIN: Well, this is not a criminal case because in a criminal case, certainly a defendant would get appointed an attorney. It's a civil case and it's a federal civil case. And the judge said, you know, I have some questions about whether or not this is a frivolous lawsuit so I'm going to allow you to go forward but I'm not going to appoint you an attorney. CHETRY: All right. We'll see how it goes. Sunny Hostin, AMERICAN MORNING legal analyst, great to see you. Thanks.
HOSTIN: Thanks.
CHETRY: John?
ROBERTS: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING, no more school.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Our daughter attended this high school. As you can see, there's not much left.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Betty Nguyen inside Myanmar where a devastating storm has wiped out most of the classrooms. Your watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: It's 27 minutes after the hour. As we have been telling you this morning, we are now getting the first ever look at the interrogation of a terror suspect at Guantanamo Bay. Well, a new book shines an unflattering light on the Bush administration's treatment of terror detainees since 9/11. The book is titled "The Dark Side: The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned Into a War on American Ideals." It hit stores this week.
Author Jane Mayer joins us now from Washington to talk more about this. Jane, as we see this first video of this interrogation of Omar Khadr, your book is really described as sort of one-stop shopping for a look at the American treatment of detainees. What's the story it tells about how the U.S. administration treats terror suspects that it's had in custody?
JANE MAYER, AUTHOR, "THE DARK SIDE": You know, I tried to explain in this book how it was that a country that has ideals that are founded on liberty and justice wound up locking people up forever, potentially, in places where they could be really tormented forever. And it just -- it was such an un-American thing that I wanted to know the story and get it across here.
One of the things that I found out was that inside the White House, while we've been told that nobody tortures in this country and that everybody's on board in the White House, there have actually been incredible fights inside the White House. And so in "The Dark Side" I try to tell the inside story of a lot of very patriotic people who just thought America's better than this. And they pushed back inside and there are a lot of consequences because the people who sponsored this program, it really comes from Vice President Cheney's office. They are very powerful and they fought a tough game.
ROBERTS: And you tell the story in intricate detail and you focus in on this report from the International Committee of the Red Cross which you had reported on a few months ago but in much greater detail in the book, in which you -- you particularly talk about the detention of Abu Zubaydah, kept in a box that he turned a tiny coffin when he talked to ICRC investigators. He said, "It was too small for him to stand or stretch out, so small he said he had to double up his limbs in a fetal position."
He also told the ICRC, according to us too familiar with the report, that the CIA water boarded him at least 10 times in a single week. One day, he claimed, he was water boarded three times. You also have another account from this report of an amputee who was forced to stand on one leg for hours at a time while his arms were chained to the ceiling.
Is this the type of treatment that the U.S. normally engages in with people in its detention?
MAYER: It is so not in the American tradition. I mean, America has got a really honorable tradition of taking the high road. In fact, it's really blazed the trail on how to treat prisoners of war and shown the whole world how to, you know, treat people humanely.
And so, we've really, I think, at least according to the people I've interviewed, damaged our moral authority by doing this. And in some ways -- what I wanted to write about was how many people who are in the military and in the FBI and historians and other people who really care about America feel that somehow --
JANE MAYER, STAFF WRITER, THE NEW YORKER: And shown the whole world how to, you know, treat people humanely. And so, we've really I think -- at least, according to the people I've interviewed, damaged our moral authority by doing this and in some ways.
What I wanted to write about was how many people who are in the military and in the FBI and historians and other people who really care about America feel that somehow we've really sullied ourselves with this and hurt ourselves.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Now, we contacted the ICRC. They wouldn't comment in any detail on this report. You have got details of it related to you from people who are familiar with it. And you write that. The report says, it "described a treatment regime that Abu Zubayda underwent, categorically, as 'torture'...
MAYER: That's right.
ROBERTS: ...And warned that the abuse constituted war crimes placing the highest officials in the U.S. government in jeopardy of being prosecuted."
As you said, the White House has repeatedly denied that it tortures. Vice President Cheney reiterated that as recently as a month ago. But do you think, based on the evidence that you have collected in this book, that at some point, some official in the U.S. government may face prosecution for this?
MAYER: Well, that, you know, that, John, is the question of the hour. If there's really beginning to be a push inside Congress to try to hold people accountable for this. And I'm not sure where it's going to go. I think it's -- we're at a turning point. I think it's a huge question for the campaign, for the next president, next attorney general.
You know, as a reporter, my job is -- and my interest really is to just say, let's get the records; let's find out what really happened in this thing. I know people were killed in this program. Let's find out what really happened. And then we can figure out as a nation what we want to do.
ROBERTS: The book is called "The Dark Side." It's a fascinating look at the war on terror.
Jane Mayer, thanks for being with us this morning.
MAYER: Thanks so much for having me.
ROBERTS: Good to see you.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: A quick look at our top stories as we passed the half hour now. Tropical storm Bertha could re-strengthen into a hurricane today. Passed over Bermuda. No injuries. Power was knocked out and, as Rob Marciano told us, they got a lot of rain.
But another system has also developed in the Atlantic and then it could become the third tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season.
California lawmakers approving a bill banning the use of trans fats in restaurants and other food facilities. It's the first state in the nation to do it. Some local municipalities have done it. In fact, New York City enacted a similar ban. Trans fats are known to increase the risk of heart disease. The California bill now awaits Governor Schwarzenegger's signature.
And New York Representative Charlie Rangel moving his campaign office out of a rent-stabilized apartment in Harlem. Now, he faced some controversy for using campaign funds to pay for one of his four apartments with rent locked in at nearly a thousand dollars less than similar apartments.
A watchdog group says the discount was an illegal contribution as other tenants faced eviction. Congressional Ethics experts question whether getting the apartment may have meant accepting an illegal favor. Rangel said it was ludicrous to consider the rent-stabilized apartment a gift because he paid rent for them.
President Bush removing an executive order that banned offshore oil drilling. He says, though, it's only half the answer and he's calling on Congress to do its part and lift the ban.
CNN's Elaine Quijano is live at the White House this morning.
Now, the ban still has support on Capitol Hill. How is this going to work?
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's a good question, Kiran. I could tell you the White House, of course, continues to argue that there are no quick fixes to the problem of high gas prices. But that isn't stopping President Bush from blaming Congress for inaction.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO (voice-over): Even the White House can see that it won't lower today's price at the pump. But President Bush insists the U.S. should lift the ban on offshore oil drilling anyway. The President announced he's doing his part and lifted the executive branch's prohibition, signed by his father in 1990, while blaming Congress for not lifting the congressional ban.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As the Democratically-controlled Congress has sat idle, gas prices have continued to increase.
QUIJANO: With less than seven months left in his term and just weeks before Congress leaves for summer recess, the President wants to ratchet up the pressure on lawmakers.
BUSH: The time for action is now.
QUIJANO: But Democrats, including presumptive presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama, aren't budging.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: If we started drilling today, the first drop of oil wouldn't come for another seven years. And even then, it wouldn't have a lot of impact on prices.
QUIJANO: His opponent, presumptive Republican nominee Senator John McCain, disagrees.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: If we can show that we have significant oil reserves off our coast, that will clearly affect the futures market and affect the price of oil.
QUIJANO: Yet, even those who support more drilling say even if companies get the green light, bringing oil to the market could take a while.
ROBBIE DIAMOND, PRES., CEO, SECURING AMERICA'S FUTURE ENERGY: I mean, you're talking about five to ten years in most parts of the Outer Continental Shelf. And the reason for that is they have not done an inventory in the Outer Continental Shelf for the United States in over 30 years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO: Now, last year, a government report found that opening the Outer Continental Shelf would mean oil production would start no sooner than the year 2017. And there would not be a significant impact, according to this report, on oil prices until at least 2030.
Kiran?
CHETRY: Elaine Quijano for us at the White House this morning. Thank you.
ROBERTS: It's 35 minutes after the hour. Tropical storm Bertha hitting Bermuda and stirring up dangerous conditions along the East Coast. And now another tropical disturbance is picking up steam. We'll tell you where it could be headed.
Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING -- no more schools.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Her daughter attended this high school. As you can see, there's not much left.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Betty Nguyen inside Myanmar, where a devastating storm has wiped out most of the classrooms. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
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ROBERTS: 38 minutes after the hour. Back now to this remarkable video of the interrogation of a suspect at Guantanamo Bay. It shows a Canadian prisoner, who was just 15 years old when he was captured, being questioned by Canadian interrogators back in 2003.
Omar Khadr is accused of throwing a grenade that killed a U.S. soldier during a firefight in 2002 in Afghanistan.
Our Justice correspondent Kelli Arena has just seen the video, just watched it. She joins me now.
Kelli, it's extraordinary that, you know, we heard about these videos being destroyed, of American interrogations. This is the first time that we've had a chance to see an interrogation taking place. What does it show?
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, John, just so that people understand who Omar Khadr is -- he's one of eight people who were juveniles when they were brought to Guantanamo Bay. Now, most of those have been released, but Khadr and one other man are still there. Both of them are scheduled to go before a military tribunal. As you said, he is accused of murdering an American in Afghanistan.
Now, the tapes show a Canadian official, not a U.S. official, interrogating Khadr, who is a Canadian citizen. His lawyers had previously alleged that he was mistreated, that he had been deprived of sleep.
These tapes show Khadr actually lifting his shirt to reveal bullet wounds and other injuries that he has sustained in Afghanistan. He's also uncontrollably sobbing on the tape, as would be expected from a teenager. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't care about me.
VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we care about you, but I want to talk to the Omar that I was talking to yesterday. I don't want to talk to this Omar.
VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't I.
VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it was.
VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, look me straight in the eyes and tell me that you're being honest.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am being honest.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARENA: Now, this is the first videotape we've ever seen of an interrogation at Guantanamo Bay. John, as you said, there have been others but the U.S. government says that they were destroyed.
Now, obviously, he's clearly distraught. This very much expected to answer the growing course of critics who want Guantanamo Bay closed. After much criticism, a Supreme Court ruling that detainees could challenge their detention in U.S. courts. We do know that the Bush administration is holding talks about how to close Gitmo. This, John, as you know, is only going to add to the fuel.
ROBERTS: So he's what, 21 now, Kelli?
ARENA: That's right. He's 21 years old now. He's been there since he was 15, in custody since 15.
ROBERTS: So when you look at this videotape, and it doesn't seem to show any evidence of the so-called, you know, coercive tactics that we have heard so much about.
ARENA: Right.
ROBERTS: But are there allegations outside of what we see in the videotape here regarding Omar Khadr.
ARENA: Well, so far, I mean, as I said, his lawyers have said, look, he's been mistreated. He was sleep deprived before he was interrogated. You know, they have not alleged that he was water- boarded or any of the other types of harsh interrogation tactics that we've heard about.
The main thing about Carter was that he was so young when he was brought there. And that -- you know, there was an international outcry. You should not be holding children at Guantanamo Bay.
I mean, he is -- he's 21 years old now, but he's been there for a long time. And so that was really the crux of why this case got special attention.
ROBERTS: Sure we'll be hearing a lot more about this. And, of course, we'll keep covering it this morning.
Kelli Arena for us in Washington. Kelli, thanks.
ARENA: You're welcome.
ROBERTS: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING -- no more schools.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Her daughter attended this high school. As you can see, there's not much left.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Betty Nguyen inside Myanmar where a devastating storm has wiped out most of the classrooms. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." CNN's Betty Nguyen has been giving us an exclusive look inside Myanmar. A place ravaged by a cyclone that happened months ago. And this morning, she looks at efforts to rebuild schools from the ground up.
Our Betty is live in Bangkok with another exclusive report. And you talked to a mother who lost her only child in this cyclone. It must just be a devastating, unimaginable loss for this woman.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: It is so sad. And she is one of very many. In fact, Kiran, Myanmar reports that all schools along the Irrawaddy delta are re-opened. In fact, they say they re-opened at the beginning of this month, but thousands of desks will remain empty. And it's just another painful reminder of the lives lost in the storm.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN (voice-over): School has officially begun along the Irrawaddy delta, even though few classrooms are still standing. Cyclone Nargis did more than destroy lives, it robbed many of a bright future.
This woman survived the tidal surge by grabbing onto a tree trunk. Today, her hands are wrapped tightly around a picture of her daughter killed in the cyclone.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): She says she never imagined losing her. And even though, they're poor, they did their best to give her an education. After all, she was their only child.
NGUYEN: Two weeks after the storm, they learned she passed her final exam and would have graduated high school.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I couldn't help but cry out loud.
NGUYEN: Sadly, she isn't the only mother crying. Dozens died in this small village.
(on-camera): Her daughter attended this high school. As you can see, there's not much left. Some two months since the cyclone hit, they haven't even begun rebuilding because they're still waiting on materials and skilled workers.
(voice-over): And until it arrives, these piles of wood will stay right where the cyclone left them. In fact, very little aid has even reached this farming community. Yet, there is the sound of hope.
Thanks to UNICEF. Work has begun on the elementary school. Eventually, books will be recovered from the rubble and placed back on these desks. And just maybe there will come a time when children can once again look out these windows and see better days.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Some 4,000 schools were damaged in the storm. And tent schools have been set up in some of the villages. Other villages are using monasteries, pretty much whatever they can to bring some kind of normalcy back to these communities.
Kiran?
CHETRY: Betty Nguyen with an exclusive report for us from Bangkok this morning. Thank you.
ROBERTS: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Short term impact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: No quick fix. A look at what the push for offshore drilling really means. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: That song was mean in this instance, wasn't it? Poor thing. Miss USA tripping and falling again. This is the second year in a row that Miss USA took a tumble at the Miss Universe pageant.
ROBERTS: But they do get knocked down and they do get back up again, which I think is, you know, a testament to their will. Who said that walking and smiling was an easy thing to do?
CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a look at some clips that will live in YouTube infamy for us this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Who cares if a beauty queen can twirl? What the public falls for is a fall, or as Perez Hilton's Web site puts it, Miss USA eats it and we eat it up. The fall zoomed at number one most popular video. It was replayed
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's just keep this rolling on a bit of a loop here.
MOOS: Six times in 40 seconds on CNN. The "TODAY" show played it nine times over a phone interview with Miss USA in which she had this advice for a future contestant who might fall in her footsteps.
CRYSTLE STEWART, MISS USA: I would tell her to put grips on the bottom of her shoes and wear a short dress, not a long dress.
MOOS: If only last year's Miss USA had passed on that advice after she fell. At least they both made expert recoveries. Miss USA '08 clapping and Miss USA '07 cocking an eyebrow.
RACHEL SMITH, FORMER MISS USA: I'm tired of talking about it. Who has not tripped? I just happened to do it in front of a billion people.
MOOS: Rachel Smith had a costume defender on YouTube falling all over her. YouTube is a magnet for videos of people falling. This one was billed as probably the funniest fall ever caught on TV.
And this one a guy who preceded the models managed to stomp a hole in the runway. Seconds later, a model fell in. But holes aren't usually the culprit. It's when high heels get caught in a hem. Ask Beyonce.
Of course, Kelsey Grammer wasn't wearing heels when he fell.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Interpreter. Oh, good Lord. Oh, (BLEEP).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MOOS: sometimes it's not the beauties themselves who fall but what they wear -- a sash to a skirt.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And gave a new meaning to media exposure.
MOOS: When Carmen Electra went sprawling and a would-be rescuer in heels rushed to her aid, even Carmen cracked a smile. Now, there is someone else who has a right to be almost as upset about the latest beauty contestant fall as Miss USA herself. That would be the Miss Universe winner. Ms. Venezuela who ended up second banana in many of headline.
(on camera): The moral of the story, a fall isn't necessarily the downfall of a beauty queen. There are worse things that can befall you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I personally believe that Americans --
MOOS (voice-over): Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Money talks. A Bush money man promises access for a steep price.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 200, 250, something like that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: A stunning videotape. And could he deliver?
Plus, the battle of a lifetime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You get hit with the biggest blow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: With just weeks before Beijing, an Olympic swimmer tells cancer to wait.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whether I'm having treatment done today or in another month, it wouldn't -- it would make no difference.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Short-term impact.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: No quick fix. A look at what the push for offshore drilling really means. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning." CHETRY: Jesse Ventura out of the running in the Minnesota Senate race. In an exclusive interview with Larry King, the former Minnesota governor says he's not going to be entering the hotly contested race between Democrat Al Franken and Republican Norm Coleman.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Good morning, John and Kiran. You can always count on Jesse Ventura to make news and he did last night on "LARRY KING LIVE." Even by going negative in a sense, because he announced that he's not running for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE VENTURA, FORMER MINNESOTA GOVERNOR: Well, in my 57 years, which it will be tomorrow on the planet, God has never spoken to me once. Never. And so, I will tell you now, I am not going to run at this moment. But if between now and 5:00 maybe God comes and speaks to me like he did the president, and tells me I should run, like he apparently told the president to invade Iraq, well, then maybe at 5:00 tomorrow, Larry, don't call me a liar. Just understand God send me the file. How's that?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Guys, tonight Barack Obama is the guest. He'll sit down with me to talk about how he'd end the war if he were president. That's "LARRY KING LIVE" tonight, see you then.
John and Kiran, back to you.
ROBERTS: Larry, thanks so much.
On the "Political Ticker" this morning, Senator Barack Obama delivering a tough message about personal responsibility to the NAACP. His remarks last night came just days after the Reverend Jesse Jackson's criticism that Obama, quote, "talks down to blacks."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I know there's some who have been saying I've been too tough, talking about responsibility. NAACP, I'm here to report, I'm not going to stop talking about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: John McCain firing back after Obama accused him of walking away from immigration reform. While speaking to a large group of Hispanics, McCain talked about his support for a reform bill that almost killed his presidential bid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: At a moment of great difficulty in my campaign, when my critics said it would be political suicide for me to do so, I helped author with Senator Kennedy comprehensive immigration reform and fought for its package not once but twice. (END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: And for more up to the minute political news, just head to CNN.com/ticker.
CHETRY: Well, this morning, we have a follow-up to a story that we first reported about Arlington National Cemetery's tight restrictions on media coverage of funerals. Officials say that it's done to protect the privacy of grieving families.
CNN's Jamie McIntyre talked to the family to see what they really want.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SENIOR PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The three-volley salute and the plaintive wail of TAPS was all the television microphones from NBC could hear last summer as Army Specialist Christopher Neiberger was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. It was a disappointment to Neiberger's older sister.
AMI NEIBERGER-MILLER, TRAGEDY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR SURVIVORS: I was surprised when I looked at the footage from NBC and there was no sound. We do not want cameras in our faces, we do not want to be exploited. At the same time, we have a story to tell about our loved one, and we want their story told.
MCINTYRE: The Army is considering easing rules that keep news crews at Arlington as far as 50 yards away from funerals, but only after the cemetery's formal public relations director, who was fired, went public with her complaints.
GINA GRAY, FMR. DIR. ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY: And I was told it's the law. It's the law. So I went back and looked. There's no law that says the media has got to stand so far back away from a funeral. It's personal for me. I know this people. I know people that are buried there.
MCINTYRE: Ami Neiberger-Miller is also a public affairs professional and works for TAPS, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.
NEIBERGER-MILLER: Sometimes families just -- they need some help with that. Because they don't always realize that they don't have to just throw open the door all the way. They can find a middle ground.
MCINTYRE (on camera): Gina Gray says, the bottom line is the families ought to be able to decide. Do you think she's right?
NEIBERGER-MILLER: Absolutely I think she's right.
MCINTYRE (voice-over): Not every family wants media coverage, but for Ami, who wears her brother's dog tags, it's one more way to ensure he's not forgotten.
NEIBERGER-MILLER: This is the one that I had made with his picture on it.
MCINTYRE: Jamie McIntyre, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
