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American Morning
Barack Obama in Baghdad; Japan Rocked by Another Moderate Earthquake; Two Storms Churning Out the Atlantic; New Investment Strategies; Al Qaeda on the Move
Aired July 21, 2008 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: He's expected to meet with U.S. military commanders and Iraqi leaders. And push his plan to have troops home within 16 months. We're covering every angle of his trip.
Morgan Neil is live for us in Baghdad. Suzanne Malveaux is in Washington.
And Suzanne, talk to us a bit about what this trip means politically for Barack Obama.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, clearly, this is being his first trip to Baghdad since becoming the presumptive nominee. Really, the critical opportunity to bolster his image on the world stage.
He's got to prove not only that he has the diplomatic strength to appear presidential, to establish relationships with key allies, but he also needs to build his credibility when it comes to national security. Prove that he is strong enough to take on the terrorists, to keep Americans safe, and that's why you hear him talking tough on Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq.
And it is one area, Kiran, where the polls are showing that his opponent, John McCain, does have a clear advantage.
A recent ABC Washington Post poll found that 72 percent think that McCain would make a good command-in-chief that as opposed to 48 percent for Barack Obama.
CHETRY: So, does this trip in that way play into John McCain's hands?
MALVEAUX: You know, it's interesting because John McCain is using this trip to make the case that Obama is wedded to withdrawing troops before actually gathering facts on the ground. He says that this shows a certain naivete, but Obama is countering that this is primarily going to be a listening and a learning tour.
Kiran?
CHETRY: Suzanne Malveaux for us in Washington. Thank you.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: And let's bring in our Morgan Neil now. He is live in Baghdad. What's the latest on the ground there -- in country, Morgan? MORGAN NEIL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, Senator Obama is in Baghdad now. But this was not his first stop in Iraq. Firs stop, we're hearing, was in the southern city of Basra, where Senator Obama talked to U.S., British and Iraqi military commanders.
He is expected on his trip to talk to the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, as well as Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al- Maliki. And from these military commanders, the talks, he'll likely hear about significant security improvements over the last 12 months, though there has been a spike beginning in March due to some of the Iraqi operations in Basra and then later in Sadr City.
He will also, however, likely hear from General Petraeus something that he says a good deal. And that is that these security improvements are both fragile and reversible.
John?
ROBERTS: And what about this dust up? We spoke with Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal about this just a couple of minutes ago about what Nuri al-Maliki told this German magazine "Der Spiegel" over the weekend about Senator Obama's plan?
NEIL: Well, that certainly appears that Nuri al-Maliki is off. He's got a quick taste of just how U.S. presidential campaign can be. We saw this magazine interview that came out on "Der Spiegel" on Saturday. Quickly, al-Maliki's office responded saying he'd been mistranslated. His words had been misconstrued.
Our own translation seems to indicate that -- yes, his position, he does seem to have a position that is fairly close to that of Senator Barack Obama. At least as it was represented in this interview. The transcription that was sent to us by the Prime Minister's own office.
John?
ROBERTS: Interesting to note that. Morgan Neil for us this morning from Baghdad. Morgan, thanks very much.
U.S. diplomats are being reminded to provide only minimal assistance to Barack Obama and John McCain during their overseas trip. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sent a cable to diplomats forbidding them to hold events or arrange meetings for the presidential candidates. Rice says they should be treated like members of Congress visiting for personal reasons.
"Most Politics in the Morning" now. Senator Joe Lieberman criticizing Barack Obama's position on Iraq saying that he's choosing to lose the war by planning to withdraw combat troops.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (I), CONNECTICUT: Senator Obama was prepared. He announced that early last year to begin pulling American troops out, one or two brigades a month so that in March of this year, 2008, all American combat troops would be out.
If he had done that -- if Barack Obama had carried out the policies he wanted in Iraq, Barack Obama couldn't be in Iraq today because it wouldn't be safe. Al Qaeda and Iranian extremists would be in charge of the country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Lieberman, a Democrat, turned independent is a McCain supporter and he credits the troop increase with making Iraq safer.
Evangelical leader James Dobson appears to be softening his stance on John McCain. In today's pre-tape radio show, Dobson will say that he's not supporting McCain now, but that he may at some point. He says neither candidate shares his exact views but McCain is much closer and Barack Obama contradicts and threatens everything he believe in.
John McCain spent his Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium. He caught a Yankee's game. He watched them beat the Oakland Ace (ph) with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. That has some people speculating that Giuliani could be McCain's running mate. Before the game, McCain was on the field signing autographs and talking with the managers of both teams.
ROBERTS: This just in to CNN. Japan rocked by another moderate earthquake. The 6.1 quake hit abut 6:30 Eastern Time this morning. About 65 miles off of the East Coast to Honshu. That's the main island. It was down in the Osaka area. There are no reports of damage or injuries and there's no threat of a tsunami apparently we're being told.
Also breaking this morning. We're watching two storms churning out the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Dolly expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico today. It could become a hurricane by tomorrow. Dolly would become the first storm of the season to hit land.
Meantime, Tropical Storm Cristobal headed away from the North Carolina coast leaving behind some rough surf. Reynolds Wolf is watching it all. And he's going to join us later on with an update.
And a penny and a half a mile. That's how much riding around costs some drivers now that they have converted their cars from gas to electric.
CHETRY: Tough times have some people looking in uncommon places for answers, including psychics.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are many more questions about property, real estate, do I quit my job and freelance?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: And new investment strategies. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just took my money out of the bank and reinvested it in James Brown.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: New ways to deal with the ups and downs of the economy. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Oh, there's good times, bad times. All part of our coverage of "ISSUE #1." And with many people worried about their economy, they are turning to other things to make them feel better.
Our Richard Roth headed out on a journey to find out what people are doing to deal with this tough economic times. And he's here to tell us what he found.
Good morning, Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. Some of these are ortho -- unorthodox ways. More people are cutting back on driving. We know that to save on gas money. Others are clipping supermarket shopping coupons. But what about coping? Some seek liquid salvation while those who can't afford it, just live a little.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH (voice-over): On a hot summer day, people trek to this 70- year-old grotto in the Bronx, New York for the water. Traditionally, people believe the water produce miracles. Now, more people are praying instead for peace and calm in turbulent economic times.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like a real drastic change with the gas prices.
ROTH: If you can't be led to this spiritual water, more Americans are flocking to spirits themselves. Tarot card reader Susan Levitt in San Francisco reports a surge in people looking for divine intervention.
SUSAN LEVITT, SPIRITUAL COUNSELOR: There are many more questions about property, real estate, do I quit my job in freelance.
ROTH: So, clients are not asking will I ever get married.
LEVITT: Supposedly that when times are tough, the three biggest businesses are psychics, cosmetics, the woman will buy a lipstick to feel better, and luxury item because the top three percent will still be buying their Bentleys.
ROTH: Ah, Bentleys. Not everyone is suffering. If you can't afford to buy a car these day, just rent a Bentley for $3,000 a day from Beverly Hills rent a car, showing off their exotic fleet for their new New York agency.
GARY LERANIAN, LUXURY CAR RENTAL MANAGER: I think from a stress relaxation point, these are the toys you use when work goes bad anyway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, 4000. Thank you, sir.
ROTH: For those down about the down economy, the auction of singer James Brown's memorabilia made bitter scream "I feel good."
JEFF ALLEN, BROWN'S FORMER AGENT: All of these things have value in them and continue to grow in value. So I didn't -- I just took my money out of the bank and reinvested it in James Brown.
ROTH: Collectibles may be the third market place.
ITSI ATKINS, AUCTION BIDDER: And anything that's great and associated with greatness will find its market, you know? It will do better than Bear Stearns.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: And somebody bid, John, $30,000 for James Brown's diabetic medical bracelet. I think, though, there was some more personal connection there. And I've learned that you're a Scorpio, which I can ask this psychic what that means. So, you are secretive -- secretive and seductive. I don't know what that has to do with "Issue One" but it's all yours.
ROBERTS: Some people say I'm just plain nuts. So, to hear secretive and seductive, that's an improvement.
ROTH: I'll look that up.
ROBERTS: But it's interesting the unusual investment that people are making these days. You know, when you consider that you get, what, 3 percent at the bank and you get minus 15 percent in your mutual funds.
ROTH: That's right. I mean, we've seen the low and the high, the stratifying of this economy. I mean, those who have the money can definitely afford something at an auction.
ROBERTS: Well, isn't that nice? If only we all had the money. Richard Roth, good to see you. Thanks very much.
Hey, a quick correction here. I said that that earthquake was down there at the Osaka area. It's actually northeast of Tokyo. I was looking at a very small map, and it looked like it was off the south. So, just a little correction there.
Kiran?
CHETRY: All right. We have some breaking political news this morning. Barack Obama in Baghdad. The Democratic candidate's trip is grabbing international headlines. But is Obama getting too much media attention? We're going to have that discussion ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Also, Reynolds Wolf in the CNN weather center for us.
If you're not tracking Dolly, you're tracking Cristobal. You're busy this morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: As always. And we've got the latest cast from the National Hurricane Center for Tropical Storm Dolly. It gets coming up in a few moments. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING, the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." We're watching two storms on our radar right now. We have Tropical Storm Dolly swirling into the Gulf of Mexico today, where it's expected to drench the Yucatan Peninsula and become a hurricane.
Meantime, Tropical Storm Cristobal headed out to sea, leaving behind rough surf along the Carolina coast.
Our Reynolds Wolf is watching both storms this morning.
Hey, Reynolds, Dolly could possibly become the first hurricane of this season to make land fall in U.S.?
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROBERTS: A dynamic forecast it is. Reynolds, thanks so much.
Some Hollywood help for the war effort. A fake Iraqi town built like a movie set, actors helping to give soldiers some realistic battle training. We'll give you a look inside.
CHETRY: From gas guzzler to gas free.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you see here is available existing technology. This is off-the-shelf stuff.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Do-it-yourselfers find a solution to the high cost of fuel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the only way to drive. You know, electricity instead of oil.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROBERTS: Doing a little bit of an electric slide this morning? Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning."
With the average price of gasoline, $4.07 a gallon this morning, many drivers are looking for a way around prices at the pump. Our Thelma Gutierrez caught up with one group of drivers who skipped the gas station by building their own electric cars. And she's here to tell us about it.
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, John, the first all- electric vehicles aren't expected to hit the road for another two years. But some drivers say they're not willing to wait.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ (voice-over): It was supposed to be the great electric quote.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The electric car is here.
GUTIERREZ: GM's EV1, that went away about as quickly as it came.
If Detroit wasn't going to build an electric car --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just different components being used in the car.
GUTIERREZ: Average Americans would. People like this Lefteris Padavos, a professional photographer, who converted his '71 940 Porsche.
Daniel Thelosi (ph), an electrical engineer, whose Ford station wagon is now all-electric. And Greg Konick (ph), a Web designer, who turned his '95 Honda Del Sol convertible into an electric sports car.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it's a blast to drive.
GUTIERREZ: They are do-it-yourselfers, who basically taught themselves how to convert gas cars to all-electric.
LEFTERIS PADAVOS, BUILT ELECTRIC CAR: But this is not rocket science. What I tell people, what you see here is available existing technology. This is off-the-shelf stuff.
GUTIERREZ: The cost? About $8,000. And you can forget any storage space. That goes to the batteries.
PADAVOS: The first thing that needs to come out would be the gasoline engine as well as the radiator and the muffler.
GUTIERREZ: He has eight batteries under the hood. And 14 others in the trunk. The car's range, 70 miles between charges. It takes about three hours to charge the car.
PADAVOS: It's costing us about 1.6 cents per mile. GUTIERREZ: When you add it up, Lefteris says that's about 300 miles for under 5 bucks. He has no complaints about performance. Each month, the Electric Vehicle Association of Southern California meets to compare cars and notes.
PAUL SCOTT, ELECTRIC VEHICLE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: It's the only way to drive, you know. Electricity instead of oil, much better. It's all domestic. It's clean.
GUTIERREZ: With gas prices now above $4 a gallon, these drivers are trying to send that message to automakers scrambling to come up with fuel-efficient vehicles. For Lefteris, it's all about freedom.
When is the last time that you actually cared about the price of gas?
PADAVOS: I can't remember. I don't look. In our group, we call it passing gas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ: The cost of converting your car yourself could run about $10,000. But if you pay to have someone do it, that can cost up to $20,000. So it's not cheap.
Kiran?
John?
ROBERTS: One case where a passing gas will not only be socially acceptable but desirable.
CHETRY: That's right. You're watching the "Most Politics in the Morning" as well. And ahead, Senator Barack Obama is in Baghdad. Part of a trip to show his international credentials. But is the candidate's every stop grabbing headlines across the globe. Is the story being overblown? The perspective from the left and the right.
Al Qaeda on the move. Military commanders say the group is shifting its focus to Afghanistan from Iraq as the candidates talk about troop redeployment. More on the new violence there, ahead. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." Barack Obama is in Iraq this morning. He's talking with Iraqi officials and U.S. commanders. The Democrat hoping to show his foreign policy credentials, and the press giving him a lot of coverage. Is it too much, actually?
Joining me from Los Angeles, conservative radio talk show host Michael Reagan and also here in New York, syndicated talk show host Lionel. He is the author of "Everyone's Crazy Except You and Me" and "I'm Not So Sure About You."
Great title. Thanks to both of you for being here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
CHETRY: You know, it's interesting, Michael, we're sitting here talking about whether Barack Obama is getting too much coverage for his trip and we have you guys to talk more about the fact that he's getting too much coverage.
But, you know, he certainly is getting a lot of attention. All three of the network anchor, nightly anchor are there following every single step of his trip. Why?
MICHAEL REAGAN, CONSERVATIVE RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: You tell me why? You try to figure out why they're doing this. Here's a man who chairs a committee under foreign relations who has yet to have a hearing on Afghanistan, NATO, and the military, which he has oversight on. And he probably decided to take the trip because John McCain says -- hey, you better take a trip with me.
He takes the trip and the media goes crazy with this event. Pope Benedict called me this morning and said how does anyone get this publicity? I need this kind of publicity. I mean, it's nuts. It's absolutely nuts.
CHETRY: Lionel, weigh in for me. John McCain has been to Iraq eight times and been to Afghanistan four times since 2000, not getting nearly as much attention about it. Why?
LIONEL, TALK SHOW HOST: Well, I think because of the fact that he's been there so many times. Listen, let's start off with a couple of things. First of all, if you want to talk about stats, look at how many votes John McCain missed regarding certain aspects of Afghanistan and the war itself.
But I've got to be honest with you. If the media's duty is to give a -- dare I say, a fair and balanced take of what's going on, clearly, that's not the case. What I have a feeling is that, people are programming news to what we like.
And right now, like it or not, Barack Obama is a rock star. And his coverage in my humble opinion is nothing short of a deification of (INAUDIBLE). I mean, this -- it has been like this, since -- remember the treatment of Hillary and it's not just a liberal Democratic thing. They're in love with him.
But let's face it. John McCain has been around for a long time. We know who he is. He's not exciting. You have this young, strapping first African-American rock star. I think from the media's point of view, that's more bankable. If I were a programmer, but is it fair? Absolutely, not.
CHETRY: You know, in this --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Go ahead. REAGAN: It's not fair, and the fact is, I don't think the people want to make him a rock star. I think the media, in fact, has made him a rock star through all of this.
They have fallen in love with this man. He did do no wrong. Right, the edification would be a good choice of words to make about Barack Obama. But he's going over there. If you want to look at this tour that he's on. It's a tour of retraction. It seems every day something is said. The next moment, somebody retracts what he said a moment ago, whether it's Reuters, whether it's Maliki, whether it's Obama. It's like the tour of retraction.
What's he going to say when he gets back home? What kind of decisions is he going to make. Has he learn anything about this war, if anything? John McCain was for the surge, while Barack Obama was against the surge before the democrats before.
LIONEL: Now, Michael, my dear pal Michael. If ever there was the poster child for flip flopping...
REAGAN: Don't call me dear.
LIONEL: ...It is Mr. McCain, Senator McCain. And we'll go through that later on. But here's the --
CHETRY: Later on. How much time do you think we have?
(CROSSTALK)
LIONEL: No, no. Here's the bottom line. Nobody cares about this. We're going to get out of Iraq one day whether you call it a surge, whether you call it a timeline. What people are worried about right now is gas, and money, and the economy, and food. So, this is terrific.
And what this does for Barack Obama, he looks so presidential. He looks -- it is perfect.
CHETRY: You know, actually, let me ask Michael about this. Because is there a danger of him looking too presidential? What I mean by that, of course, is the big dust up about him wanting to give a speech on Brandenburg Gate. Your father, of course, is where he gave his famous speech in 1987 calling on Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the wall.
(INAUDIBLE) said, you know, -- no, that's what presidents do and you can't. Does he risk looking too presumptuous?
REAGAN: Absolutely, right. I think so. I think the ego has really gotten away here to even asked to speak to Brandenburg Gate was outrageous. I addressed to the Brandenburg Gate about three weeks ago where my father did give that speech back in 1987. That has hallowed ground for special people.
He is not that special. He is a junior senator from Illinois. He is the presumptive nominee. He is not the president of the United States. He is not the pope. He is not viable.
Last word, Lionel?
LIONEL: Well, that's true. And also, keep in mind that in Germany, the popularity poll according to Bill Crystal of "Today's Times," (ph) 67 percent for Obama. About 6 percent for McCain.
REAGAN: They're not voting. Germany's not voting.
CHETRY: Yes. But Michael, how does McCain break through and get any -- I mean, one of the things is, he did support that surge initially. The surge appears to be working. He can't get that message out because of what all the coverage that Barack Obama is getting?
REAGAN: It's very tough, but it does stay on target. Remember, this would not be happening if Barack Obama was not running for the president of United States. He wouldn't be where he is today. He wouldn't be in Iraq today. He wouldn't in Afghanistan. He wouldn't have been in Germany.
He is there because John McCain found a chink in the armor and challenged him to go with him to Iraq, and if that was not working, if the polls do not tell him, like they did last week. 72 percent of the people said John McCain would be a better commander-in-chief, he wouldn't be in Iraq this very day, sitting down with Petraeus --
LIONEL: But, Michael, how could he not go to Iraq? Every senator has been to Iraq. I'm sure, you go to Iraq.
REAGAN: Because he has -- he's been -- listen, the reason he hasn't, because it's not that important to him. He's running for president. He didn't think he'd ever go to Iraq. He was against the war. He was against this. He was against that.
LIONEL: Yes. And by --
(CROSSTALK)
REAGAN: He wouldn't have a hearing on Afghanistan
(CROSSTALK)
LIONEL: And John McCain would have probably skipped that as well.
CHETRY: All right, you two. We got to leave it there. But I want to thank both of for being with us. Great discussion. Lively discussion this morning. Michael Reagan and Lionel, thanks.
LIONEL: Thanks.
ROBERTS: 30 minutes after the hour. Two storms we're watching this morning. Cristobal in the Atlantic and Dolly in the Caribbean. Tropical storm Dolly's effects are already being felt in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Rain and winds struck the popular tourist spots overnight. Some low lying areas said to be evacuated. The storm is expected to intensify and then head into the Gulf of Mexico.
For the first time since World War II, the government will begin a military war crimes trial today. Salim Hamdan, once a driver for Osama Bin Laden, he is charged with conspiracy in supporting terrorism. The government acknowledges that he is not a so-called high-value detainee. One military law, experts say, people will be watching for missteps that could call the trial's fairness into question.
A female soldier from Texas missing from Fort Bliss since Friday found wounded but alive. According to her sister, Army Private First Class Janeesa Lewis was stabbed twice in the legs, beaten and choked. Her husband Clinton W. Lewis has been charged with aggravated kidnapping. Police in El Paso say there were signs of foul play in the couple's apartment.
General David Petraeus says Al Qaeda may be switching its focus back to Afghanistan. He says fighters heading to the border with Pakistan in order to cross over into Afghanistan. Both candidates talking about redeploying troops there. And as Elaine Quijano tells us this morning, military officials are dealing with renewed violence in the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a region where terrorists planned the 9/11 attack, the threat is gathering again. And the Pentagon's top military officer worries that threat will go steadily along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border could emerge stronger than before.
ADM. MIKE MULLEN, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: The joining, a syndication of various extremists and terrorists groups which provides for a much more intense internal to Pakistan as well as the ability to flow greater freedom to flow forces across that porous border.
QUIJANO: Already in Afghanistan, the Taliban had stepped up the fighting with deadly results for American troops. A week ago in a remote eastern province of Kunar, nine American troops were killed by insurgents firing machine guns, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen acknowledged violence is up but he stopped short of saying the U.S. was losing the fight.
MULLEN: I would say the progress is mixed there, but I am not concerned at all at this point that we're losing in Afghanistan.
QUIJANO: For the presidential candidates whose campaigns have differed sharply on Iraq, both men agree on a need for more help in Afghanistan.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I believe U.S. troop levels need to increase, and for least a year now have called for two additional brigades, perhaps three.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Our enemies are on the offensive. And it's precisely the success of the surge in Iraq. It shows us the way to victory over the Taliban.
QUIJANO: Complicating the picture, Pakistan where extremists continue to find sanctuary.
QUIJANO (on-camera): U.S. officials say Pakistan's government is working to rein in the terrorists but say more needs to be done. A point the candidates agree on as well. Elaine Quijano, CNN, Washington.
CHETRY: Alina Cho joins us now with some other stories new this morning. Good morning, Alina.
CHO: Hey there, guys. Good morning again. Good morning, everybody. New this morning, it could be the latest case of the human form of mad cow disease but health officials say it's highly unlikely that a Massachusetts patient has it. Only three cases of the human form of mad cow disease been confirmed in the U.S. in the past several years. It will be several days before we know for sure if the Cape Cod patient has it.
A new tax on cigarettes, seems to be helping people kick the habit. Several programs in New York City are seeing more people sign up and many say their main motivation is the city's $1.25 tax increase per pack. That amounts to $10 a pack in some cases. The tax took effect on June 3rd. The Centers for Disease Control says the tax increase well is of the most effective ways to get people to quit.
The "Dark Knight" sets a new record at the box office. The latest Batman movie earning more than $155 million in its first three days. The movie, of course, got a lot of buzz from Heath Ledger's portrayal of the Joker. The previous record was $151 million earned by "Spiderman 3" last year.
And two fast driving females got into a bit of dust up at an Indy car race in Ohio and one of them was Danica Patrick during practice Saturday. Patrick complained that Milka Duno cut her off several times. So she went over to chat with her about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANICA PATRICK: What the hell!
MILKA DUNO: You're slow.
PATRICK: When you're in the [bleep] and you turn down -
DUNO: Please go away, go away!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: You know it's a good one when there's a bleep, right? Patrick has had confrontations with at least two other male drivers in the past. She placed 12th and she's a little upset. She's used to placing first.
CHETRY: What was her name? Milka Duno? CHO: Duno.
CHETRY: She didn't throw the towel in. She through the towel at.
CHO: That's right. Right in her face. Yes, she didn't appreciate that.
ROBERTS: What a slam. It's not my fault, you're slow.
CHETRY: It's the ultimate --
CHO: All caught on tape.
ROBERTS: Alina, thanks so much for that.
Well, tough times these days for sin city. Fewer blackjack bets even though more people are visiting the casinos. Why the house says it's still going to win in the end, though.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (voice-over): The Iraq war. Here in America -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the Mojave desert in Southern California, the Army had constructed a fake Iraq.
CHETRY: A military training facility creates a faux war to prep troops on U.S. soil. You're watching the most news in the morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: 38 minutes after the hour. Welcome back to the most news in the morning. Let's fast-forward to stories making heads later on today on the grid. Scott Peterson is going to be in court this morning to answer civil charges in the death his pregnant wife, Lacie. Peterson is already in prison facing the death penalty after being convicted in her murder. Lacie's family is suing him for wrongful death.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey is going to talk about the treatment of terror detainees today. He's going to be speaking to a Washington-based think tank about the legal approach to the conflict with Al Qaeda.
And President Bush, there he is. He's going to be meeting with the u.s.. Olympic team at 10:05 Eastern. They'll be taking a few pictures and have some words of encouragement for the athletes before they leave for Beijing. The Olympics start in less than three weeks, 8808. Kiran,
CHETRY: They're real troops in a fake Iraq. The Army giving soldiers some realistic battle training right here at home. CNN entertainment correspondent Brooke Anderson takes a look at a new documentary that goes behind the scenes. Brooke.
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: John and Kiran, troops heading to Iraq are training at a unique facility in the middle of the California desert using their imagination and a little Hollywood magic.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON (voice-over): Fierce fighting, angry crowds. [ chanting ]
This may look like the war in Iraq, but in fact these battles are being fought on U.S. soil orchestrated by the Army.
JESSE MOSS, CO-DIRECTOR, "FULL BATTLE RATTLE": It's too strange to be true that in the Mojave desert in southern California, the Army had construct a fake Iraq.
ANDERSON: The new documentary "Full Battle Rattle" goes inside the national training center at Fort Irwin, California, where Hollywood-like sets have been erected, creating faux Iraqi towns where simulated war is waged.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The [ bleep ] --
ANDERSON: The film was shot here in the fake village of (Madina Waso), populated by Iraqi actors but real American soldiers.
ANDERSON (on-camera): Put them together and you've got training meant to prepare the troops for the real thing.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Three weeks cycle ten times a year soldiers en route to Iraq live in this pretend world, complete with a coffee shop, hotel and marketplace.
This village looks very realistic. Take this Sunni mosque for example. But when you get a little closer, this hollow wall is one indication not everything is what it seems.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's like a big expensive Army laser tag.
ANDERSON: Laser is used instead of bullets. Pyrotechnics versus real explosives. Prosthetics than fake blood to resemble injury.
TONY GERBER, CO-DIRECTOR, "FULL BATTLE RATTLE": There's no amount of preparation that can prepare these young men and women for the actuality of battle but maybe it mitigates some of the fear.
ANDERSON: The film follows not only the American's experiences but the Iraqi natives, who act out scenarios crafted by a team of writers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And your occupation is going to be an Iraqi police officer. R
ANDERSON: Nagi Moshi fled Iraq to live in America. He's been working at the training center for three years and sees the value of these exercises for soldiers.
NAGI MOSHI, IRAQI ACTOR: They make a mistake over here, they're not doing it over there because when they do it over there, they're going to cost them a lot.
ANDERSON: A sentiment shared by everyone in this simulated reality.
ANDERSON (on-camera): "Full Battle Rattle" is now playing at New York's Film Forum and will expand to Seattle, San Francisco and possibly more cities soon. John, Kiran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Brooke Anderson for us this morning. Brooke, thanks.
Brand new research out today that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt might not want to hear. Why girls with twin brothers can be more aggressive.
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ROBERTS (voice-over): Las Vegas gamblers leaving less on the table.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I spent eight hours playing black jack. You're not seeing me do that now.
ROBERTS: The odds are against the Vegas economy. So how come casino owners aren't nervous? We'll take you to sin city.
You're watching the most news in the morning.
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CHETRY: A quick look at the brains behind this operation. Millions leave Las Vegas as losers every year. But now the house has fallen on tough times. Fewer people are gambling and the casinos are now strapped for cash themselves. CNN's Chris Lawrence went to sin city to find out just how bad it is.
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CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): John and Kiran, they bought up land and planned huge expansions during the boom years. Now casinos like the Tropicana have defaulted on debt and filed for bankruptcy.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): Compared to this time last year, slightly more people are visiting Las Vegas. But they're leaving a lot less money on the table. In May, strip casinos won $100 million less than last year. And, no, the gamblers didn't get luckier.
PAT (STRUDEL), VEGAS TOURIST: I'm not spending near as much on the gambling as I used to.
LAWRENCE: Pat (Strudel) was the kind of customer casinos loved. She comes every year, likes to try her luck. But now she's doing more sight-seeing. Walking around, spending less.
STRUDEL: I have spent eight hours playing black jack. You're not seeing me do that now.
LAWRENCE: What happens in the rest of the world doesn't stay there. The downturn has hit Vegas.
ROB STILLWELL, VICE PRES., BOYD GAMING: There's no question this is unlike anyone we've seen in recent times probably the last couple of decades.
LAWRENCE: But Rob Stillwell says Vegas is building for the long haul. Boyd Gaming still plans to open the Echelon in 2010, multibillion dollar project on the site where the Stardust once stood.
STILLWELL: These recessions don't last forever. These downturns don't last forever. We're going to be ready to go when everything starts back up on the upswing.
LAWRENCE: It's getting harder for tourists to get here. Last year, U.S. Airways was flying in and out of Vegas 141 times a day. By September, it will be down to 81 with more cuts coming by the end of the year. At the same time, casinos plan to open 30,000 more hotel rooms over the next few years.
PEGGY HOLLOWAY, MOODY'S INVESTOR SERVICE: You have to maintain hotel occupancy in order to drive the gaming revenue and all the other sources of venue.
LAWRENCE: Casino analyst say the key is getting heads in the beds. But they may have to drop rates to make that happen.
HOLLOWAY: And certainly that will squeeze profits for the operators.
LAWRENCE (on-camera): People who have been betting on Vegas has decline for years. But with more hotel rooms and fewer airline seats, this time the odds are against the casinos. John, Kiran.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Chris Lawrence for us this morning. Chris, thanks.
Sharing room with your brother is bad enough, how about sharing a womb. Elizabeth Cohen on why twin sisters tend to be a little more aggressive.
Less than three weeks now to the summer Olympics in Beijing. And Chinese officials are starting a radical new plan to cut down on dirty air. Will fewer cars on the roads have an impact so close to the games? We'll find out.
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ROBERTS: Top videos right now on CNN.com. The most popular, music video shot with no camera. We're talking about Radioheads new video for their song "House of Cards." Director James Frost explained on CNN.com how he created the video using nothing but lasers and a computer.
And banging heavy metal band in Cuba, the band Simple () played a free show for fans in a country that once railed against rock music.
And filling up with that credit card could cost you. Our Jim Acosta is reporting that many gas station owners now charging higher prices if you fill up with plastic as opposed to cash. It's all tied to the fees that card companies charge the station. Those are the most popular videos on CNN.com. You're watching the most news the morning.
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CHETRY: The question has been debatable on playgrounds and around dinner tables. How do our siblings influence us and it's specially true for twins. Now, brand new research suggest that girls with twin brothers are influenced biologically in the womb by their brothers. Some people though aren't buying it.
Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us live from the CNN Center with details. Hi, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran. Kiran, some researches say that being in the presence of male hormones in very confined quarters has an affect on a girl.
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COHEN (voice-over): Just hanging around for roughly ten months inside the womb next to a twin have an impact? New research suggests the answer is yes.
KELLY KLUMP, PSYCHOLOGIST/RESEARCHER: We found that if you are a female twin and you are in the womb with a male twin, you are what we would call masculinized.
COHEN: Denice Lator and her twin brother Matt don't necessarily buy Kelly Klump's argument but a study they're participating in suggests that girls with twin brothers are in fact different from other girls.
KLUMP: Females from opposite sex pairs tend to be more aggressive. For example, females who are not opposite sex twins, they tend to be more sensation seeking.
COHEN: In other words say researches, more like a typical boy. The Lators admit that Denice does possess some traditionally masculine quality.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Matt, how could you describe your sister? MATT LATOR, TWIN: Definitely assertive.
COHEN: But the twins don't think because she was exposed to testosterone in the womb?
DENICE LATOR, TWIN: I personally believe that it's nurture because the way we were raised and close we were growing up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What about that one?
COHEN: Well, Klump says the differences do start in the womb. That girls with twin brothers have bigger feet like men. That they have brain development like men, that even their fingers are shaped more like men.
KLUMP: But it's really time that we take a look at both sides of the equation, because both sides matter.
COHEN: Whatever the answer, research on boy-girl twins is helping scientists understand how twins share and shape each others' characteristics.
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COHEN: Now, this isn't just about twins, Kiran. This is about trying to understand some built-in differences between men and women. Kiran.
CHETRY: Very interesting stuff. What do they hope to do with the information, Elizabeth?
COHEN: Well, here's an example, Kiran. They found in their research that girls and girl-boy twin pairs tend to get eating disorders less than other girls and they're hoping what they can learn here can help girls who do get eating disorders.
CHETRY: Fascinating. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
ROBERTS: Seven minutes now to the top of the hour and a last- minute plan to cut Beijing's pollution. Will banning half of the cars on the road make the air any better in time for the Olympics which are now less than three weeks away? We'll take a closer look.
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ROBERTS: Well, they're trying to make some changes in China. Three weeks now until the Olympic games in Beijing and some concerns there, one or two about air quality. American athletes may wear special masks to help them breathe. Chinese officials insist they're not needed. Thanks to a new plan to clean the air.
CHETRY: That's right. That's the last thing they want. All the foreign athletes wearing masks on their faces. Though they're reducing automobile solution by taking half the cars and saying you can't drive. John Vause takes a look at how the new restrictions are impacting the city.
JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John and Kiran. Well, this is rush hour traffic as everyone heads home after this first working day with this new traffic plan. Today on Monday, it is in fact the odd number license plates which were allowed to drive. Yesterday, this all began on Sunday, with even numbered license plates.
To be honest, the traffic looks kind of like it always does at this time of day. But officials say half the cars were taken off the road. And as a result there's a dramatic reduction in pollution.
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VAUSE: 18 days before the Olympics and Beijing still can't breath easy with its sprawling city of 17 million waking to its usual heavy haze of pollution. To clear the air, hundreds of factories in the capital and beyond are now closed. Others have cut production, more than a million cars are off the road and work on all construction sites is on hold. Thousands of workers have been sent home, and unpaid vacations. Many say they didn't want.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We wanted to work hard for a long time, he says. But because of the Olympics, we don't have jobs anymore.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): No work means no pay, says another.
VAUSE: The government has opened new subway lines and put more buses on the roads and have lowered the cost of fares. It's a last- minute drastic scramble to reduce pollution. A plan which has no absolute guarantee of success.
MALCOLM GREEN, BRITISH LUNG FOUNDATION: To my knowledge, this has never been done before. Somebody take a city and hugely reduce the amount of polluting sources, like cars and factories. And it will be fascinating to see what does happen.
VAUSE: Olympic officials admit they are hoping for a stiff breeze and some good rain to wash the air clean. If that doesn't happen, pollution levels might stay steadily high.
GEORGE THURSTON, NYU, ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE: And if they put on the control measures, my expectation is still be, probably at least double what the pollution levels would normally be in a city like New York.
VAUSE (on-camera): And all of this is just a quick fix for the Olympics and the Paralympics. After September, the factories will re- start, construction begins again and the cars will all be back and so will the pollution. John and Kiran, back to you.
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ROBERTS: John Vause for us in Beijing with that. John, thanks so much.
And a look now at some of the other preparations that China is making for the Beijing games in your "A.M. Extra." In addition to the new subway line that John Vause mentioned, 2,000 more buses will help carry millions of additional people using public transportation because of traffic restrictions.
There will be about 10,000 cameras monitoring the major roads to catch drivers who are not supposed to be on them. And the military also has an elite anti-terrorism force numbering 100,000 carrying some high-tech weaponry including surface-to-air missiles, just in case someone dares go out on the road on an even day when they've got an odd license number. No. I'm kidding about that.
CHETRY: If you're one of those who can't drive on those days because of your license plate, you can design a float. How about this one? The landings at the air show, these are the participants Red Bull's "flu-tag" as they called it, in Tampa. There you go, some creative although not necessarily successful attempts at getting their floats to fly.
ROBERTS: This will fly. Not.
CHETRY: No. But then there's one that's coming up next and it really, I mean, it really put a lot of aerodynamicness to the wedding. Let's check it. There it goes. If that one doesn't fly, I don't know which will. Because you can tell --
ROBERTS: Kind of looks like Tweety Bird. Doesn't it? There we go out of the tower and then of course everybody else jumps in just for good measure.
CHETRY: That guy bailed before he even attempted to fly that one.
ROBERTS: Wouldn't you?
CHETRY: Better luck next year. I guess -
ROBERTS: Unless it lands on top of you, that might hurt.
CHETRY: Red Bull doesn't give you winds.
ROBERTS: No but it helps you fly.
Thanks so much for joining us. We'll see you again tomorrow morning.
CHETRY: That's right. Here's CNN's "NEWSROOM." Tony Harris and Heidi Collins up next.
