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American Morning
Turkish Journalists Under Fire; Donald Trump Bails Out Ed McMahon; Obama Campaign Reaching a Deal on Hillary Clinton's Role at the Democratic Convention; President Bush Reiterating Russia's Actions in Georgia Damaged its Credibility
Aired August 15, 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: Breaking this morning, the first explanation about a $14,000 payment made to Rielle Hunter after she stopped working for John Edwards' campaign. An Edward's associate reportedly says the former presidential candidate's political action committee paid his former mistress that money to cover the costs for 100 hours of videotape that she didn't use and the Web shorts she produced. Hunter had already been paid $100,000 for the programs.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Georgia right now arriving just as we went to air this morning. Rice has a new cease- fire agreement and it includes apparent concessions to Moscow, allowing Russian troops to stay in the disputed South Ossetia region, but preserving Georgian borders. Georgia's president says that a third of his country is now occupied by Russia.
In the meantime, there is dramatic video showing Turkish journalists under fire. Bullets shredding their cars as the camera rolls. One man even shot in the eye.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh. (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Those journalists are all reportedly recovering and they're back in Turkey this morning.
Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf in back channel talks about impeachment proceedings against him, and the possibility of resigning. That's according to an official close to the president. Musharraf accused of violating the country's constitution and eroding the trust of the nation.
CNN's State Department correspondent Zain Verjee is following the Musharraf developments this morning. She joins us live from Washington.
Good morning, Zain. Good to see you. Now, when it comes to the possibility that he's leaving, how soon could that happen?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Pakistani officials are telling CNN that he could resign in the next two or three days, that's before a process to impeach him is supposed to start. The coalition government is saying that it's got the numbers to impeach him. There are a bunch of conflicting reports, though.
There are some reports saying that it's not imminent and Pervez Musharraf's own spokesman issued a statement saying the resignation isn't going to happen that Musharraf is going to stick to his presidency.
The question is where does the army stand? And according to sources in Pakistan, we're hearing that the Army is not backing Pervez Musharraf's forcible stay. What we're hearing, too, right now, Kiran, is that he's just trying to work out a deal that gives him immunity from prosecution and allows him -- which is, this is what he wants, to stay in Pakistan.
There are many both in Pakistan, his enemies, as well as his western allies that say if it comes down to it, Kiran, he just needs to leave the country for his own security -- Kiran.
CHETRY: What about the U.S.? Will the U.S. support him?
VERJEE: Well, it's unlikely. U.S. officials say that he's the president, and he's a really valuable person in the country. But they've acknowledged that there are other new leaders that they need to deal with now. It's not just one man approach. So they really have moved beyond him now.
But the big worry for the U.S. is if he goes, how stable will Pakistan be? It's a nuclear-armed country. There are a lot of concerns that it could fall into the hands, those weapons, of militants. Well, the U.S. is hoping that the coalition government can just stop fighting each other and get down to the business of running the country and focusing on the U.S.' key priority, which is fighting the war on terror -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Zain Verjee for us in Washington. Thanks.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look now at the live shot at the White House, because happening in just about 10 minute's time, President Bush will be speaking about the Russian invasion of Georgia. He's on his way to the ranch in Crawford, and will stop by the microphones on his way from the oval office, out to the helicopter. We, of course, will bring that to you live.
Meantime, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will be holding a press conference this morning in the capital city of Tbilisi in Georgia. She arrived there earlier today with a new draft cease-fire agreement.
The news comes as Georgia claims that Russian troops are still blocking the city of Gori despite a cease-fire agreement. They've called for Russian troops to pull out. Right now, human rights groups say that Russian warplanes are dropping cluster bombs in residential areas of Georgia. Secretary Rice was expected to speak about 10 minutes ago. We'll likely wait until after the president makes his remarks, though.
Russia says a new missile defense deal between the United States and Poland, quote, "cannot go unpunished." Under the plan, an American missile interceptor base will be placed inside Poland. In exchange, Poland will be protected by an air defense system. Washington insist that the plan is designed to stop threats from the Middle East, and not Russia.
Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev warns that Washington is jeopardizing its fragile relationship with Russia. Speaking to CNN's Larry King last night, Gorbachev said there was no doubt Georgia provoked the Russian invasion and he warned of a new cold war chill in the air.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKHAIL GORBACHEV, FORMER SOVIET UNION PRESIDENT: I have been saying that we have not been able to establish a sound relationship between Russia and the United States after the end of the cold war. I believe that the United States has made mistakes for which the people have to pay.
For example, the military budget of the United States is over $600 billion. That's about half of the world's military budget. And I would say that we need a new agenda in relation to our nations. There have been some attempts, some talk, but we've been able to move things off the ground to sort out our relationship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Georgia's President Mikheil Saakashvili also appeared in the program last evening, and criticized Gorbachev for, quote, "vindicating lies and deceptions."
CHETRY: Turning to the Olympics now. The latest medal counts. Let's take a look right now. The United States still leading in total medals. The U.S. with 44, China has 38, and Australia in third place with 20. But China is still dominating the race for gold. China with 24 gold medals now, racking up one just during the course of our show. The U.S., 14.
The United States retaking the medal lead thanks to strong performances in the pool and in the gym. Larry Smith has all the Olympic action from Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Well, it's become a two-nation race. Already just half way through these games to determine who is going to become the winner of the Beijing games. The host nation China and the United States.
(voice-over): If Thursday belonged to the Chinese, then certainly Friday was the day for the Americans to shine.
Nastia Liukin is the "it" girl in gymnastics, beating friend and team mate Shawn Johnson for the individual all around gold medal in Beijing. It's the first gold medal for the U.S. gymnast at these games. And the first gold silver finish in the event in U.S. history. Another chapter in the historic Beijing story of Michael Phelps, a sixth gold medal and world record-breaking performance. This time beating his closest rival by more than two seconds in the 200-meter individual medley. American Ryan Lochte took the bronze.
Phelps will go for his seventh gold Saturday morning in Beijing. That would tie Mark Spitz' hallowed record of seven gold medals from the 1972 games. Rebecca Sony stole the show earlier in the Watercube's pool. Stunning Australian star Leisel Jones to break her world record and win gold in the 200-meter breaststroke.
Talking about making the most of a stroke of luck, Australia's Libby Trickett made the 100-meter freestyle final only when a Chinese swimmer was disqualified. Trickett took silver on Friday, beating the favored Natalie Coughlin of the U.S. who settled for bronze.
The U.S.A. men's basketball team gets ready for an undefeated showdown with Spain after their most impressive win yet. A 92-69 victory over a Greek team that beat them in the world championships two years ago.
James Blake shocked the tennis world when he knocked top seed Roger Federer in straight sets. His first win over the Swiss sends Blake to the semi-finals. Serena and Venus Williams won't join him there. Both lost in their single quarter final matches.
(on camera): However, Venus and Serena Williams are still here in Beijing playing doubles and they won their match on Friday to move on to the quarterfinals.
Let's go back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Larry Smith for us in Beijing. Thanks.
Well, the youth vote, both candidates wanted, of course. And we'll show you the new ways that John McCain and Barack Obama are trying to win over young America and who's making the biggest gains.
ROBERTS: Model life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People have the nerve to call me obese.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: The new documentary that pulls the curtain back on the fashion business.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to get it check because we're entering a state of moral decay.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: There's the Donald. And he is helping bail out Ed McMahon. Trump says that he'll buy McMahon's Beverly Hills mansion to save it from foreclosure, then lease it back to McMahon.
Trump says that he has never actually met the TV legend, but that helping him would, quote, "be an honor." There's no word on the purchase price but the home was recently listed for $4.6 million. McMahon is now 85. He hasn't worked for about 18 months because of a neck injury. He defaulted on that mortgage loan and still has a variety of other debts to deal with, as well.
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm having some trouble making some of my payments.
ROBERTS: Yes. And now, "Minding Your Business," here's Ali. Though, we just got the two minute warning for the president so go quick.
VELSHI: So, go quickly. All right, well, we heard about this deal between American Airlines and British Airways and Iberia, by the way, of Spain. They're coming together in what is known as a code- sharing agreement.
Now, as you know, American and British Airways have tried this several times over the last few years and they haven't worked mainly because they've been blocked by regulators who say it's anti-competitive to have too many big airlines controlling too few flights.
But the landscape has changed. So right now, the biggest opposition to this, if the governments don't oppose it is coming from Virgin Atlantic. Sir Richard Branson, the president of that company, saying, "make no mistake if this monster monopoly is approved, it will still be bad for passengers and bad for competition."
Now, I spoke to the CEO of British Airways, listen to what he had to say about Richard Branson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIE WALSH, CEO, BRITISH AIRWAYS: I think Virgin are concerned about our ability to be much more attractive to the consumer. This is a good story for the consumer. Might not even be a good story for Richard Branson. There's a good story for the consumer. And quite honestly, I haven't heard him come up with any new ideas, any new arguments to the ones that he's trotted out year in and year out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Smacking out Richard Branson. So we're going to see where this thing goes. The bottom line is you should be able to buy a ticket on American Airlines or British Airways, continue your flying all the way through on one ticket. Use your points in both places. Gain points.
You know, there's all sorts of confusions about the sort of thing. But that's a very busy traffic. That's a very busy lane between the United States and London, in particular. So we'll see how this develops. Both American Airlines and British Airways thinking that they will get the go ahead from regulators to go ahead with those code shares. It's not a merger, it's a business agreement.
CHETRY: Right. So it's easier to get approved an alliance versus a merger?
VELSHI: Analyst are saying this is going to be easier to be approve than a merger and alliance, or anything else.
ROBERTS: Sorry to interrupt you, but the president is just exiting the oval office. He's on the colonnade, the patio. Let's listen to what he has to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've just received an update from my national security team on the situation in Georgia. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Tbilisi. She's conferring with President Saakashvili and expressing America's wholehearted support for Georgia's democracy.
She will be traveling to Crawford, where I will meet her and she will bring me up to date on what she has seen and what she heard in Georgia, as well as in Paris -- I mean, in France. She did not go to Paris. Secretary of Defense Gates will keep me briefed on the humanitarian assistance to the people of Georgia. We're working closely with our partners in Europe and other members of the G-7 to bring a resolution to this crisis.
The United States and our allies stand with the people of Georgia and their democratically elected government. Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected. Moscow must honor its commitment to withdraw its invading forces from all Georgian territory.
Some Americans listening today may wonder why events taking place in a small country halfway around the world matter to the United States. In the years since it's gained independence after the Soviet Union's collapse, Georgia has become a courageous democracy.
Its people are making the tough choices that are required of free societies. Since the Rose Revolution in 2003, the Georgian people have held free elections, opened up their economy, and built the foundations of a successful democracy.
Georgia has sent troops to Afghanistan and Iraq to help others achieve the liberty that they struggled so hard to attain. To further strengthen their democracy, Georgia has sought to join the free institutions of the West. The people of Georgia have cast their lot with the free world, and we will not cast them aside. Georgia's emergence as a young democracy has been part of an inspiring and hopeful new chapter in Europe's history. Europe has moved beyond the world wars that killed millions of people, and the Cold War that divided its citizens between two superpowers.
Every administration since the end of the Cold War has worked with European partners to extend the reach of liberty and prosperity. And now, for the first time in memory, Europe is becoming a continent that is whole, free, and at peace.
Unfortunately, Russia has tended to view the expansion of freedom and democracy as a threat to its interests. The opposite is true: Free and prosperous societies on Russia's borders will advance Russia's interests by serving as sources of stability and economic opportunity.
We hope Russia's leaders will recognize that a future of cooperation and peace will benefit all parties. The Cold War is over. The days of satellite states and spheres of influence are behind us. A contentious relationship with Russia is not in America's interest. And a contentious relationship with America is not in Russia's interest.
With its actions in recent days Russia has damaged its credibility and its relations with the nations of the free world. Bullying and intimidation are not acceptable ways to conduct foreign policy in the 21st century. Only Russia can decide whether it will now put itself back on the path of responsible nations, or continue to pursue a policy that promises only confrontation and isolation.
To begin to repair its relations with the United States and Europe and other nations, and to begin restoring its place in the world, Russia must respect the freedom of its neighbors.
Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: President Bush there reiterating that Russia's actions in Georgia have damaged its credibility, which many people take as code language for the potential that the rest of the G-7 members may try to kick out Russia from the G-8.
President Bush trying to reassure Russia that having a democracy like Georgia on its borders is not a threat. Reiterating his call for Russia to pull all of its troops out of Georgia. Why does it matter says the president. Because Georgia is a courageous democracy in an area that for too long did not see any Democracy and that he will -- that Georgia has cast its lot with the free world and will not be cast aside by the free world.
We're going to hear from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice who is in Tbilisi, probably in the next few minute's time. She was supposed to give us a press conference about 20 minutes ago, but I'm sure held off her comments until the president had made his on his way to the ranch in Crawford, Texas. We're back with more on the continuing crisis in Georgia, and the weather forecast here on the "Most News in the Morning." Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. We're going to head to Reynolds Wolf right now and get a look at what's going on weather wise.
Hey, Reynolds, you're tracking some stuff in the Caribbean.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROBERTS: All right. So, since everything has crashed, we have no idea where we're going next. But, we're going to take a short break and we'll be right back after this. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. The Obama campaign reaching a deal on Hillary Clinton's role at the Democratic convention. They will be placing her name up for a vote. But is that enough to keep Clintonites happy?
Joining us now, our youth pundits in Washington D.C., Jason Mattera is a spokesman for the Young America's Foundation, it's a conservative group. And Alexandra Acker is the executive director of the Young Democrats of America.
Great to have both of you back with us yet again. Let me start with you Alexandra. Is putting her name up for nomination a way to bring peace to the kingdom, I guess you could say?
ALEXANDRA ACKER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, YOUNG DEMOCRATS OF AMERICA: Yes, I think it's a great move for the Obama campaign. It certainly has huge historic significance. For Senator Clinton, her supporters, young women and little girls all over the country who will be able to look at her nomination and say -- hey, I can do that one day.
And the Democratic Party also has a history of having done this before with candidates like Charlie Cheezum (ph). So I think it's just a great gesture for the Obama campaign. It shows that Democrats are unified, especially as Senator Clinton goes to campaign for Senator Obama this week.
CHETRY: But Jason, does it also maybe show that Hillary Clinton will raise questions about whether or not she's willing to step aside and let Obama shine?
JASON MATTERA, SPOKESMAN, YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION: You Know, I'm actually going to agree with Alexandra here, probably it's the first time ever we've done this before. But, you know, it is an historic ticket. But also it's tradition that to be put on the nomination roles. I mean, the Reverend Jesse Jackson was put on it in 1988. You're going to deny it to someone like Hillary Clinton as she captured half of the delegates in the Democrat primary process. So, he should have done it. You know, is he so fragile, Barack Obama, that he can't acknowledge that Hillary Clinton gave him a hard-fought race.
CHETRY: All right. You're right. You did agree. That probably will be the first time and only time today in our discussion. Jason, I want to ask you as the banter goes back and forth about VP picks and people try to decide who is going to do what.
I read a very interesting article about some conservatives, especially the Christian conservatives saying we don't want to hear this potential talk about Liebermann or even a Tom Ridge who is pro-choice as a pick for McCain. What are you hearing in the youth circles about who would be a great choice for McCain to help energize more young people?
MATTERA: Well, it certainly shouldn't be Liebermann or be Tom Ridge. We need someone who is going to energize the conservative base. Obviously, everyone knows that McCain has had problem with his conservative base going through the primary process and his career as a politician.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: So give us some names that you'd like to see.
MATTERA: Oh, Mitt Romney would be a good choice. Tim Pawlenty would be an excellent choice. Those two haven't had any speaking spots yet designated during the upcoming conventions. So those are two likely nominees. What's interesting is that whoever John McCain picks to be his VP will be -- just have light years ahead of experience than Barack Obama who has only claim to experience is community organizing, which, will do great.
ACKER: Oh, goodness, Jason. I think that this is the point where we're going to diverge and disagree here. John McCain has a real problem in picking a vice president here. As you said he needs to shore up his conservative base, but that's not necessarily something that's going to attract the swing voters he so desperately needs as he trails in this election.
I agree that I think Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney would both be good candidates in part because they do appeal to those swing voters, but they're not necessarily strong base vote picks for John McCain. So he's got a real problem to make. Does he want to pander to the base or does he want to try to win this election. And Barack Obama has a plethora of good choices --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Right. But Barack Obama also has a decision to make too when it comes to this. And that's whether or not it's change or some experience to help back him up. Which direction do you think he should go? ACKER: The two are not mutually exclusive. We certainly can have a candidate that brings both as Barack Obama does. Certainly there's a lot of names being floated out there now. I hope that we'll have someone announced in the next couple of days, but --
CHETRY: But who's your pick?
ACKER: I can't pick just one. I think there's a lot of exciting candidates. There's a number of governors who bring some great roots to the ticket. In different parts of the country that would help even out Barack Obama geographically.
Obviously, we have foreign policy experts in our party like Senator Biden and Sam Nunn whose names are being tossed around. So I feel really confident about our choices no matter where we go, especially as Senator Obama's leading in so many of the polls.
MATTERA: Alexandra, do you find it interesting that whoever he does pick for his vice president nomination will have more experience than the presidential nominee?
ACKER: I disagree with you about that. And I think that we'll --
MATTERA: The community organizing?
(CROSSTALK)
ACKER: We're going to have a very strong unified ticket going into this election. And I feel --
(CROSSTALK)
MATTERA: I'll hold you to that. Whoever he picks, I'll hold you to that to see if they have more experience than the actual presidential nominee.
CHETRY: All right. And we'll have both of you back to talk about it some more. Jason Mattera and Alexandra Acker, great to have both of you. Thanks for being here.
ACKER: Thanks so much, Kiran.
MATTERA: Thanks.
ROBERTS: Fast lane.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Definitely slows you down. Jeanne Meserve shows us the special bag that can speed you through airport security.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This looks like a standard computer case, but big difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTS: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: New this morning. We're hearing just how serious the situation was during last month's emergency landing of Senator Barack Obama's campaign jet. On the control tower tapes, you can hear pilots asking for crash equipment as they head for the runway.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PILOT: At this time, we'd like to declare this an emergency. And also, have CFR standing by in St. Louis.
TOWER: I will show that and would you, do you have a preference on runways? Would you like runaway 3-0 or runaway 3-0 right/
PILOT: Well, which one is longest?
TOWER: Runaway 3-0 left.
PILOT: OK. We'd like 3-0 left and just for informational purposes, we have Senator Obama on board the aircraft and his campaign.
TOWER: Roger that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: We are tracking the prices of oil and gasoline for you this morning. Oil trading down right now, dropping more than $1.50 to $113.39 a barrel on electronic trading this morning. Gasoline, meantime, falling for the 29th straight day. The average price now $3.77 a gallon. That's down nearly a penny from yesterday's price.
A denial this morning from the spokesman for Pakistan's president Pervez Musharraf. He says the leader is not getting ready to resign despite reports that it could happen in just days. Still, another ally of Musharraf is saying secret talks are underway to avoid impeachment. Musharraf is a U.S. ally in the war on terror. His removal from power could complicate U.S. efforts in the region.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Georgia this morning with a new cease-fire agreement in hand. It offers concession to Moscow, allowing Russian troops to remain in a disputed region. As you saw moments ago here on AMERICAN MORNING, President Bush had harsh words for Russia saying it's "bullying and harm relations with countries around the world."
CNN is covering the story from both sides of the fighting. Let's turn now to CNN's Jill Dougherty. She joins us now live from Moscow. And Jill, a press conference underway at the moment between Russian President Medvedev and Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel. There seems to be a lot of he said, he said going on when it comes to the cease fire.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, there really is. And although at this point they're talking about a couple of specific things, John. One is kind of Angela Merkel kind of reflecting the Bush approach to this, excuse me, critical of the Russians but not using words like bullying. She pointed out that the Russian actions have not be proportionate, as she put it.
That's a word that the Americans have been using, as well. And noting that Russian troops are still in the central part of Georgia and that they should be leaving that area. But she did say the Russians have come onboard with at least the principles for a cease fire. And then just after that, in this news conference is still going on, by the way.
President Medvedev making it very clear that there are disagreements. And then he changed the definition, he said, well maybe they're not disagreements, but they're different positions. And the essential one that he's talking about is what happens to those two break away regions now that hostilities are winding down? And what he says is sovereignty of another nation, namely Georgia is fine in theory, but when you get on the ground, it's a different situation. And he says that Russia will be - will take a decision based on what the people in those regions want.
And as we know, for a long time the people in those two regions have wanted to leave Georgia. So, what will the world community do if they actually decide to do that? Russia will accept it, what will the rest of the world do?
ROBERTS: And at the same time, Jill, we're getting some news on this idea of Poland accepting an American anti-ballistic missile base. These are some tough words coming from Russian officials on that. What do you have on that front this morning?
DOUGHERTY: Well, they are they're going ballistic on that one too. Seriously. They are very angry, and they said, essentially, just look at the timing. This deal between Poland and the United States was on the back burner.
Actually, it was a very protracted negotiation for a long time and then all of a sudden as the situation in Georgia heats up, it's solved and the polls say, yes, United States we agree that you can station that missile shield here in Poland. And the Russians are saying the timing of this makes it very, very obvious that this is all directed against Russia. The United States says it's against Iran, to protect against Iran and rogue states, but the Russians feel and are making it very clear that they think it's all about them and aimed at them.
ROBERTS: So, Jill, in the overall, then, between what's going on in Georgia and this new agreement between the United States and Poland for the missile defense shield, where does that leave U.S.-Russian relations?
DOUGHERTY: Boy, I would say, John, worse than ever. With this one issue in Georgia now having a lot of different ramifications regionally, you know, defense issues, et cetera. And the language on both sides is very strong. Not diplomatic at all. We're using words here, bullying, et cetera. It's really, really tense and bad. ROBERTS: Jill Dougherty for us this morning from our bureau in Moscow. Jill, thanks very much.
CHETRY: American Airlines is facing fines of more than $7 million for safety violations. Regulators say the airline intentionally flew jets they knew needed repairs, putting passengers at risk. The FAA also found some problems with drug and alcohol testing programs. American Airlines' executives called the fine excessive.
Well, there's a new bag for your laptop and it could get you through airport security faster. Homeland Security correspondent Jeanne Meserve is live at Reagan National Airport to explain how it works. I think there's a lot of people out there that are all ears this morning about this. Hey, Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kiran. We don't often have a good news story and this is a good news story, particularly for the one-third of travelers who fly with a laptop.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE (voice-over): If you travel, you know the drill, laptops out at the security check point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It definitely slows you down.
MESERVE: Well, all that's about to change. This looks like a standard computer case, but big difference, a zipper goes like this and it opens up like a clam shell, computer on one side, wires on the other. You can just put it right through the X-ray machine. It lies flat, giving screeners an unobstructed view of anything suspicious like an improvised explosive device. In addition to security, speed.
ELLEN HOWE, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: If they can get a clean look at the laptop while it's still in the bag, that's less time spent putting things in the bin and putting things back in the bag at the other end. So it may help move the process along.
MESERVE: A possible added bonus, fewer computers accidentally abandoned by their owners after screening.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They grab their bags, they forget their laptops.
MESERVE: Travelers we talked to love the new cases.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Making it easier to get through here, a positive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sign me up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: On Saturday, the TSA will start letting you bring your laptop through the check point in specifically designed cases like this. This one designed by a company named Targus. There are other manufacturers, even other styles. You can find them on the internet. This one runs for about $100. I can tell you if you're someone who travels with a laptop regularly, it might be worth the investment. Back to you, Kiran.
CHETRY: Very true. Jeanne Meserve, thanks.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS (voice-over): Model life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People have the nerve to call me obese.
ROBERTS: The new documentary that pulls the curtain back on the fashion business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to get it in check because we're entering a state of moral decay.
ROBERTS: You're watching the most news in the morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Well, beauty may be only skin deep, but a new documentary explores deep roots in American culture.
Our Kareen Wynter previews "America the beautiful."
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: John, Kiran, good morning. Do Americans have a harmful obsession with beauty? A new documentary takes viewers beneath the surface to find out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER (voice-over): Beauty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're not going to put someone ugly on our cover, it's not going to sell.
WYNTER: Body image.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I weigh 130 pounds, and I've already been told I have to lose 15 pounds.
WYNTER: America's sometimes unhealthy obsession with looking good. The new documentary, "America the beautiful," examines the ugly side of beauty. And the lengths some will go to achieve it.
DARRYL ROBERTS, PRODUCER, "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL": The first thing I did was I interviewed 200 women. One of the questions I asked all of them was do you feel attractive? And only two said yes. So it is possible that 99 percent of women just walking the streets randomly not feeling good about themselves.
ROBERTS: When you see those images, how does it make you feel?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ugly.
WYNTER: Producer Darryl Roberts says the women blamed the skinny images on fashion magazines for their flaws. So he began to wonder if pretty people, in fact, have it all. Part of his documentary profiles a then 12-year-old rising model.
ROBERTS: Now, that's Gerren --
WYNTER: Who booked runway shows from New York to Paris and then it all ended.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People have the nerve to call me obese. Obese, OK. Let's see here. When I walk, my legs don't even rub together.
WYNTER: Roberts who filmed Gerren Taylor over four years says little did he know, he was actually documenting her down fall. Gerren now 18 says she was labeled fat when she began fitting into a size 4, so she starved herself.
GERREN TAYLOR, MODEL, "AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL": Because of what the industry was telling me and I was trying to get back to a certain weight and size.
WYNTER: The high school senior now spends her days in the classroom instead of on the cat walk. Roberts says she's an example of how unrealistic beauty standards can chip away at a young girl's self- esteem and career.
ROBERTS: We need to get it in check because we're entering a state of moral decay if we don't.
WYNTER: Gerren Taylor still dabbles in modeling, but says her focus now is to become a role model for others.
TAYLOR: If I do do a fashion show, I'm going to be walking for the empowerment of women, not just a clothes hanger walking down the runway.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: "America the Beautiful" opens here in Los Angeles, August 22nd. It's already out in New York. John, Kiran.
CHETRY: Kareen Wynter for us, thanks.
Well, reporters caught in the cross fire. You've seen it here this morning, but it's not just bullets and bombs. Our Jeanne Moos shows you what other close calls reporters live to tell about and show again and again.
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CHETRY: News just coming into CNN right now, the U.S. military is reporting that Iraqi insurgents are being trained as assassins in Iran. We get to Barbara Starr in Washington. She's been working the story for us. Barbara, what are you learning this morning?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, a U.S. military official in Baghdad does confirm to CNN that their latest intelligence now indicates Iraqi Shia fighters are being trained inside Iran as assassination squads. The "Associated Press" first reported this. U.S. officials are confirming that because they want to publicly pressure Iran to cut it out. There are four locations inside Iran, training camps where the U.S. believes this assassination squad training is going on.
It is said that that it is being done by Iran's elite Alquds force, long said to be a terrorist organization and Lebanese Hezbollah operating inside Iran. Who are the targets back in Iraq? They are said to be Iraqi government officials, including judges and U.S. and Iraqi troops. The U.S. this week gave the Iraqi government the list of targets. They are hoping that Iraq begins to pressure Iran on this latest information. Kiran.
CHETRY: All right, Barbara Starr for us this morning. Thank you.
ROBERTS: Troubling new development.
47 minutes after the hour, CNN NEWSROOM just minutes away now. And Heidi Collins is at the CNN Center with a look at what's ahead. Good morning, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, John. That's right, it is Friday in the news room, and the U.S. Secretary of State is in the Georgian capital this morning with new cease fire proposals. Russian troops still entrenched in and around several cities. We'll be on top of that.
Reporters under attack while covering the Georgia conflict. Bullets were flying while the cameras were rolling.
Plus, a sixth gold medal for Michael Phelps. Perhaps more impressive, his 12,000-calorie a day diet. Have you heard this? We've got the menu.
Plus, lose a friend, can't make the funeral? Well, one funeral home now live streaming services on the web. See it right here in the NEWSROOM, top of the hour. John.
ROBERTS: A new twist on convenience.
COLLINS: Yes.
ROBERTS: Heidi, thanks very much for that.
From the orphanage, to the Olympics, U.S. shot putter Reese Hoffa long strange trip to Beijing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHANDRASEKHAR SANKURATHRI, MEDICAL MARVEL: In 1985, my wife and two children are killed by a terrorist act. I was really lost, I did a lot of soul searching, finally I come to the conclusion that I can be useful to other people. I am Chandrasekhar Sankurathri. In memory of my wife and two children, I am providing eye care to several thousands of people in India.
Here I see the need for what I do. Our medical team goes to a specific village. We screen all the people. If they need any surgery, we bring them back to our hospital. Our mission is to provide quality eye care with compassion, which is affordable to all.
She cannot believe that she's seeing again. That is so nice to see how much we can change their lives. What I do gives me a lot of satisfaction. At the same time, I feel very close to my family, I feel they're here too. That gives me a lot of strength.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Eight minutes now until the top of the hour. And turning to the Olympics. Here is the latest medal count for you. The United States still leads in total medals. The U.S. now 44 to China's 40. Australia is third with 20. But China dominating the race for gold. China just added a gold in weight lifting to bring its total to 25 gold medals, the U.S., has 14.
Well, one of the biggest and I mean, the biggest stars for the U.S. at the Olympic games is a shot putter by the name of Reese Hoffa, the 300-pounder took an unusual path to the games and our Larry Smith found out that's not the only unique thing about him.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY SMITH, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One weighs just a few ounces, the other a hefty 16 pounds. But two-time Olympian Reese Hoffa sees the Rubik's cube and the shot put as the same, as objects that must be conquered.
REESE HOFFA, TWO-TIME U.S. OLYMPIAN: Some of the lessons I've learned is to be very determined. There's going to be a lot of people out there that probably don't believe you can do what you're doing.
SMITH: And few could have predicted Hoffa would be doing this. He was put up for adoption and placed in an orphanage at age four, encouraged by his adoptive family to play sports, he gave up baseball in his junior year of high school to try the shot put and won a state championship in his first year.
DON BABBITT, THROWING COACH, UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA: He's kind of known as a guy with a whole lot of potential. But he'd been very hit and miss from time to time. Whereas now, he's turning to be about the most steady shot putter in the world.
HOFFA: I know the person I am, I can do almost anything, just give me enough time. I can do it.
SMITH: It's the same focus that's drawn him to the Rubik's cube, which he can usually solve in less than a minute.
HOFFA: When I first started doing the shot put as a pro, there weren't very many people that thought this guy is going to go 70 feet and you know make his way up to be one of the top in the world. And it's the same thing I got with the Rubik's cube, I just kept doing it and doing it. When I finally did it, it blows everyone's minds. When I finally did it, I'm just - I'm like a pit bull, I just lock my jaws on it.
SMITH: As the number one ranked shot putter in the world, Hoffa may lock down on a medal in Beijing. And if he does, those who know him best expect him to do it with flare.
BABBITT: I remember when he won the Drake relays one year, he took an impromptu victory lap and the place went crazy. They never saw a guy his size do a victory lap.
HOFFA: I definitely try to bring a little bit of personality to shot putting just to show that we're not just a bunch of guys who go out there, throw, and then just leave. We have personalities and we're a lot of fun to hang out with.
SMITH: Larry Smith, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: In the line of fire, reporters step into the danger zone, but it's not just bullets they have to fear. Our Jeannie Moos shows us the close calls that our reporters, including John Roberts right there have lived through. You're watching the most news in the morning.
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CHETRY: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. You know, reporting from a war zone can, of course, be dangerous.
ROBERTS: But it's not just bullets, reporters also sometimes have to dodge hippo jaws, cat claws, and even more. Jeannie Moos has got all the close calls from the serious to the silly.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Americans now have a different Georgia on their minds, thanks to all the war reporting. Reporting that has led to some close calls. For instance, in this Georgian state TV reporter got shot during a live shot. Actually, the bullet just grazed her and she kept on reporting despite the bloody wrist.
Another close call caught on tape happened as a soldier who had stolen some TV gear, pointed a gun at the guy pointing the camera. Shots were fired in the air. It's not unusual for close calls to get on the air when reporters put themselves in the thick of things. CNN's Zain Verjee got hit with a tear gas canister in Kenya.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They will start firing back.
MOOS: It left a big ugly bruise and now almost seven months later.
VERJEE: It left a scar that, you know, sometimes I show off.
MOOS: Like I'm not going to ask you to show me the scar. VERJEE: No, it's the shape of the canister.
Moos: A canister someone picked up and handed to her as a memento. And now sits on a shelf at home. Sometimes a close call just feels close. For instance, when reporters fear gas attacks during the first Gulf war.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's putting on the gas masks. There hasn't been any gas.
MOOS (on-camera): Now a reporter doesn't have to be in a war zone or a trouble spot to have a close call. I had my own close encounter at the circus. I was mopping the mouth of Susha (ph) the hippo.
She seems to like to be mopped. Kidding, just kidding. But the giant jaws of the hippo were no match for the claws of this cat. Sometimes it's the crowd that turns on you. For instance, outside a British soccer match.
PEDRO PINTO, CNN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ANCHOR: The atmosphere here has been fantastic over the last hours.
MOOS (voice-over): It got even more fantastic for CNN's Pedro Pinto. Vastly outnumbered. Pedro says he didn't attack back.
PINTO: Since I do need my face for work.
MOOS: So did this reporter covering an alleged real estate scam when he got whacked with a plastic bottle.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's not appropriate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't give a [ bleep ].
MOOS: Then her husband arrived, still no close call seemed closer when a giant snake comes crawling up the weather man's shorts. Jeannie Moos, CNN, New York.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: That was, of course, John's favorite video of the week, as well. It brought you to tears. That's what I thought.
ROBERTS: The snake thing still scares me. What's it doing in there?
CHETRY: Yes. I don't know if we want to know.
ROBERTS: It's hanging on to something. Thanks so much for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING. Have a great weekend. We'll see you next week.
CHETRY: That's right. And right now, here's CNN NEWSROOM with Heidi Collins.
