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American Morning

United States And Poland Officially Signing New Missile Defense Deal; Florida Preparing for Fay, Round Three; Barack Obama' Lead Over John McCain Down to Three Points in a CNN Poll of Polls

Aired August 20, 2008 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: It's the top of the hour. And some of the top stories that we're following this morning, Florida, preparing for Fay, round three. The tropical storm is hugging the state's east coast right now, setting up for yet another landfall tomorrow.
Also breaking this morning, the United States and Poland officially signing a new missile defense deal. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice signed the pact in Warsaw overnight. Rice is trying to ease Russian fear about the deal, saying that the missiles are not designed to defeat Russian ballistic missiles. CNN's Zain Verjee spoke with Rice just minutes ago. We'll have that for you coming up later on this hour.

And we're on the V.P. watch this morning. Senator Barack Obama says his choice will appear with him at a rally on Saturday. Word could come any day now. The front-runners remain Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and Senators Evan Bayh and Joe Biden.

Meantime, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge is fueling speculation that he could be Senator John McCain's running mate. Ridge downplayed the effect that his pro-choice views would have, saying that the vice president's role is only to give advice to the president and he knows that McCain has spoke strongly and forever pro- life.

Both candidates now very close, as we said, to naming the man who will be by their side in the White House, or potentially woman who will be by their side in the White House, come January.

CNN's chief national correspondent John King joins us now.

And John, I can't remember the nominees or the presumed nominees waiting this long to announce their running mates. Now, George Bush and Al Gore were a full week before their convention. John Kerry was a month before his.

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You have to go back to 1988 when George H.W. Bush announced Dan Quayle in New Orleans essentially at the very beginning, the early stages of the Republican convention.

So, you're right. That's 20 years ago, John. It's been a long time. But they're both building up some drama here and they're both actually spending some time making what is one of the toughest choices a presidential candidate has to make. Now, history tells us who you pick for vice president doesn't impact the election all that much. But there is more attention this year because Barack Obama is new to the national stage and because he's young, 47, and because John McCain would be the oldest president ever elected if he wins this election. He'll be 72 on Election Day.

People do say they might take a little extra or second look at this. So, it's quite fascinating. And we know Barack Obama will come first. And we are told we could actually find out Friday evening and then see the V.P. candidate of the Democratic side Saturday morning at the State House in Springfield, Illinois, where Barack Obama announced his candidacy.

They've set up this system. They have used the Internet for so much in this campaign and they've set up this system where they will text message out their choice. And I made sure, John, I'm ahead of you on the list, by the way, on the Obama campaign. And they say this could come as early as Friday night and they will see the pick for the first time Saturday. You mentioned the three top contenders -- could be a surprise. You never know.

ROBERTS: Well, let's hope that we're both ahead of Mark Halperin. That's really what counts. What do you make of what Senator Biden said yesterday where he came out initially and said, hey, let me just tell you, it's not me, I'm not the guy. And then a little later on, he was more equivocal, saying, well, I haven't talked to anybody about it. I don't know what's going on.

KING: The fact that we have not seen more of Joe Biden, especially on a serious note, in the midst of this international crisis with Russian troops in Georgia and the likes; the fact that we've not seen more of him on television tells you very much so that he is on the short list and he is being very, very careful.

He had that that flippant remark last night saying, hey, guys, it's not me. Then he came back and said, let me just make clear here, I don't really know. I'm not talking to anybody. And that's the case.

We are told by top sources in the Obama campaign he has not called anyone yet to say, it's not you. He will call obviously his pick and then he will call others on the list and say thanks for your consideration, thanks for cooperating. It's not you. I was told very late last night those phone calls have not happened yet.

ROBERTS: And what do you make of the Tom Ridge, Joe Lieberman trial balloons? Are those head fakes to potentially look Mitt Romney, who has changed his views on abortion, look more attractive?

KING: 95 percent of Republicans in most of our sources high on the McCain campaign say, yes. And that John McCain loves Tom Ridge and loves Joe Lieberman. And some people say if he had his way, he didn't have to go to that convention with so many social conservatives there, he might do it.

But there are some in the McCain campaign, some very close to him, John, who are arguing, look, the Republican brand is damaged right now. Bush's approval ratings are so low. The party's brand nationally is damaged. And if you want to win in a change election, you've got to do something dramatic, something way outside the box.

There are people that McCain listens to, making that case to him. Although we are told by our sources that the overwhelming likelihood is that he will pick a running mate who opposes abortion rights.

ROBERTS: All right. It's a fascinating parlor game that we do once every four years. John, thanks so much for that. Appreciate it.

KING: Thank you.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And now back to Tropical Storm Fay. Hurricane watch is in effect for northern Florida and Georgia right now as this storm just won't go away. It's hugging the coastline right now.

AMERICAN MORNING's Rob Marciano tracking her path from the CNN weather center in Atlanta.

That's a full-time job in itself.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it is. This one is really been a headache. Check this out, Kiran. This goes back three hours. Right in the middle of the state there, a little eye developed yesterday. I mean this thing almost became a hurricane while it was on land. So, I mean, these usually -- things that usually lose their intensity once they make landfall. But certainly yesterday, Fay proved that she was far from done.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO (voice-over): Tropical Storm Fay surprised a lot of folks as it ripped through south Florida.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was going to be just a light storm. Now it turns out to be this.

MARCIANO: Damage along the west coast of the state was just the beginning as the storm intensified over land.

BEN NELSON, FLORIDA STATE METEOROLOGIST: This is a unique situation. We normally see tropical storms and hurricanes decrease in intensity once they make landfall.

MARCIANO: Some residents were petrified.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I felt like I was in a twist movie, a horror movie.

MARCIANO: But this movie is real. So far, no one has been killed as Fay blows through Florida but there's been plenty of darkness. Power knocked out for nearly 100,000 homes and businesses.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything was shaking. The house, the light, the window was shaking, everything.

MARCIANO: So far, the worst damage caused by a tornado south east of Orlando hitting 50 homes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This loud, loud noise came and all of a sudden the roof just came off in planks -- and flying glass and everything just started flying around. Everybody just -- we just ran.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What were you thinking at the time?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My life flashed before my eyes.

MARCIANO: And it's not over yet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO: Finally, Fay has decreased a little bit intensity. Latest advisory from the National Hurricane Center has it down to 45- mile-an-hour winds, but right around Cape Canaveral. So, it's tapping some moisture from the Atlantic, making more strength. Hopefully, it stays close enough to shore to where it doesn't become a hurricane.

The computer model is taking it west. Might even take it back into the Gulf of Mexico. We might have five, six, who knows, seven landfalls of this thing before she's done. Probably working through this one through the weekend. Kiran, back up to you.

CHETRY: Not to put you on the spot but how rare is this?

MARCIANO: It's pretty rare -- storms do have multiple landfalls, especially when you talk about going through islands in the Caribbean. But to have -- this many loop to loops, if it makes six landfalls, I think that may very well be a record. We were trying to find that out yesterday. It's tough to dig through the research on that one. But it's definitely unusual, to say the least.

CHETRY: Absolutely. All right, Rob, thanks.

ROBERTS: Definitely some pretty meandering hurricane tracks over history. It's fun to look at that.

With all the concern over binge drinking in college, should the legal drinking age actually be lower? Would it help cut down on drinking? You won't believe who's behind the new push to let teenagers drink legally.

CHETRY: And the Obamas in love. How Barack Obama met Michelle and their first impression.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, WIFE OF SENATOR BARACK OBAMA: First I thought, what kind of name is Barack Obama.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: First of all, she thought it was inappropriate to have any inter-office dating, even though I was only there for the summer.

M. OBAMA: I had already sort of created an image of this very intellectual nerd. And I was prepared to be polite and all that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: And wait until you hear what it took for him to finally win her over. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Well, Gerri Willis is here "Minding Your Business." Ali Velshi is taking a couple of days off. Well, we never know where's Ali, what he's really doing, anyway.

ROBERTS: He must be up to something.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Something good, that's for sure.

CHETRY: Gerri, maybe he's driving around one of these new SUVs that got the a-OK crash test.

WILLIS: Could be true. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is out with its crash test on small SUVs. So listen up, mom and dad. We have the winners and not so big winners. You're seeing how they test these things right there. They rate them on front and side impact. Rear impact -- that's called their Whiplash Test Stability Control. That kind of thing.

On the winners' list, an SUV you might not have heard of. The VW Tiguan is on that list. The only American entry here, the Ford Escape. It was a winner. It's been reengineered. The Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan Rogue. As you can see, they're really safe, small SUVs here. Tend not necessarily to be American made.

For those who did not do so well, the ones that fell short in the small SUV category, the Suzuki Grand Vitaro and the Chevy Equinox. Also called the Pontiac Torn, you should know. And then two jeeps, the Jeep Patriot tagged for its side impact problems there. And the Jeep Wrangler, the two-door versions.

I guess, guys, I never think of jeeps as the safest vehicles in the world just because of their history as outdoor vehicles, but they did not necessarily perform well in this particular test. If you want more details go to CNNMoney.com. They have a full list of this. You can see the names of these SUVs and get more details on them because I know parents in particular are very interested in these lists.

CHETRY: Yes. Taking a look, though, it's hard to tell the difference between a large station wagon and a small SUV. They look pretty similar.

WILLIS: They're all kind of melding together, aren't they?

CHETRY: Yes. WILLIS: Yes, definitely.

CHETRY: Gas is still $4 a gallon in some places, so --

WILLIS: Yes.

ROBERTS: And oil heading back up again, right?

WILLIS: Yes. It's not looking pretty out there. And we'll continue to track those numbers.

ROBERTS: Gerri, thanks for that.

WILLIS: Thank you.

ROBERTS: Appreciate it.

What little rockers on play guitars are doing for the music business? The unexpected comeback of classic rock. Who is the real guitar hero now?

CHETRY: Party school.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It alarms me personally as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: A new push to lower the drinking age on campuses and not from the people you would expect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they're allowed to drink in, say, a bar, an open area, they will be more controlled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're old enough to join the Army. It's a little -- and go out and get killed in Iraq. They are certainly old enough to make choices about drinking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're appalled that educators would think if you lower the drinking age -- you know what, that just solves all these problems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." It is quickly becoming a national debate. Should the national drinking age be lowered to 18 from 21? Lately, it's more than just young people who are making the push for that. And CNN's Carol Costello shows us some top educators now say it's time for a change.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John and Kiran, look. You can get a hunting license when you're 12. You can get a driver's license at 16. And you can join the military at 18. But you can't buy a beer until you're 21. You know, there's been a quiet push online to change this. But suddenly the voices have become louder.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO (voice-over): The quiet move to lower the drinking age just got a lot louder. More than 100 university presidents, including those at Duke, Johns Hopkins and Ohio State has signed the Amethyst Initiative, urging 21 is not working because it fosters a culture of dangerous, clandestine binge drinking conducted off campus.

DENNIS O'SHEA, JOHNS HOPKINS: The conclusion of these presidents is that it's important to find a way to take the underground drinking that is forced by the 21-year-old drinking age, find a way to bring that back above ground, to confront it and to talk to our students about drinking responsibly.

COSTELLO: Johns Hopkins says that's difficult to do when you're acting as the enforcer, something Hopkins hasn't shied away from. 350 of its 4,000 students faced disciplinary charges last year for underage drinking. But mothers against drunk driving says the Amethyst Initiative is irresponsible. One-third of accidents involving teenagers are alcohol-related. MADD adds these college presidents are looking for an easy way out of an inconvenient problem.

LAURA DEAN-MOONEY, MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING: As the mother of a high school senior, it alarms me personally as well because I would not want my daughter to even contemplate going to a college where a university president has signed on to this initiative.

COSTELLO: The university presidents say they're not looking for an easy way out but taking on a difficult fight against a culture that celebrates secretive underage drinking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is insane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, man. This is college.

COSTELLO: "College," a new movie out next week, features high school students delighting in the anticipated debauchery of their prospective college.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.

COSTELLO: Pictures of underage drunken students partying away from the prying eyes of adults litter Facebook. It begs the question -- what's better, drinking legally on campus at 18 or off campus illegally? ERIN WAGNER, 19-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT: I think it would be a good idea. I think it's better that young people if they're allowed to drink in, say, a bar or an open area, they'll be more controlled.

OREN MARGOLIS, 20-YEAR-OLD COLLEGE STUDENT: I think a lot of students wouldn't be or actually drink as much if the drinking age was lower.

COSTELLO: Others clearly don't agree. And that's fine with those who've signed the Amethyst Initiative. If you've got a better idea, they say, they'd like to hear it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And, you know, that is the issue. University presidents want to debate the issue so they can solve the problem. And they welcome any input, including input from MADD -- John, Kiran.

ROBERTS: Carol Costello from Washington for us with that story this morning. And here's an "A.M. Extra" look at just how much underage college kids are drinking. Studies by the Department of Health and Human Services found that nearly 60 percent of college students under the age of 21 drank in the past month. 40 percent said that they had binged, throwing back more than five drinks in a few hours. And 17 percent said they engaged in heavy drinking, meaning they binged at least five times in the past month.

CHETRY: Well, can a simple slab of plastic and multicolored buttons help boost a bands bottom line? Well, if you're talking about "Guitar Hero," the answer is yes. How the video games popularity is actually providing financial help to rock 'n roll.

Also, a new poll means some trouble for the Obama campaign. What Americans are saying when it comes to their pick for president? You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: And a whole new generation gets to love rock 'n roll now. Welcome back to the "Most News in the Morning." It's one of the most popular video games on the market. Chances are you or someone you know, let's say maybe your kid, is addicted to "Guitar Hero."

As Kareen Wynter reports, the games increasing popularity is now having a ripple effect both artistically and financially.

Kareen?

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: John, Kiran, millions of people around the world are finding their inner rock star thanks to the interactive video game "Guitar Hero." But in the process, they're also rediscovering some rock 'n roll classics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WYNTER (voice-over): It's karaoke meets air guitar. Video game enthusiasts playing fake instruments while rocking out to time-honored acts. Like Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, and Aerosmith.

A few weeks ago when the game featuring Aerosmith came out, there was more than a 40 percent increase in their catalog sales.

WYNTER: Guitar sales are up, too. And at local bars "Guitar Hero" nights have been a boost to business.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would say the bar's been doing probably about 25 percent to 35 percent better.

WYNTER: At Roosevelt High in East Los Angeles, urban music usually tops rock. But at the school's recent three-day Guitar Hero face-off, head banger bands won audience approval.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mostly Slayer and Metallica and all of them.

WYNTER: "Guitar Hero" and its news competitor "Rock Band" are influencing a younger generation of listeners.

LARS ULRICH, DRUMMER, METALLICA: My 9-year-old's favorite band is Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, and the same bands that are my favorite bands and the same bands that I grew up on.

WYNTER: Once weary of Internet downloading, Metallica has now hop on the bandwagon with its upcoming album.

ULRICH: When death magnetic comes out in September, you can actually download the new album the same day it comes out and play it on your "Guitar Hero III."

GEOFF MAYFIELD, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE: It's just the perfect marriage of the music and the medium.

WYNTER: Everyone is trying it, from reporters to the kids on "South Park."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you boys like this music, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Yes, dude. It's Guitar Hero.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WYNTER: There's so much money to be made on video games that a battle is brewing with record labels because they generally own the music, they think they should be getting a bigger piece of the pie -- John, Kiran.

ROBERTS: Kareen Wynter for us this morning. Kareen, thanks so much.

Does Barack Obama suddenly have a popularity problem? His lead over John McCain is down to just three points in a CNN poll of polls. What's behind this slight?

CHETRY: Also, CNN Zain Verjee one-on-one with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Poland this morning. What she tells us about the delicate Russian situation now as it relates to Georgia. You're watching the "Most News in the Morning."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: 26-1/2 minutes after the hour. It is down to just three points now, 46 percent to 43 percent. The new CNN poll of polls now shows Barack Obama's lead over John McCain has been cut in half from last week. So why is Barack Obama losing some of his edge over John McCain?

Joining me now is the former mayor of San Francisco Willie Brown. He's also the author of "Basic Brown: My Life and Our Times." He joins me now from San Francisco.

Mayor Brown, thanks so much for getting up so early for us this morning. We really appreciate it.

WILLIE BROWN, FORMER SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR: All right, John, I'm glad to be here.

ROBERTS: So, you saw that latest CNN Poll of Polls. There's a new Zogby Poll out there as well that shows John McCain up by five points and that more people trust him on the economy. Are you starting to get a little bit nervous about these numbers?

BROWN: Oh, yes, along with probably every other Democrat. And it's not so much about the numbers. It's about whether or not Barack Obama can sustain that incredible presence he's had for the last nine months in this country. You're not always able to do that. And when you don't, you seem to be slipping. I don't think he's slipping sufficiently to cause us, however, to panic.

ROBERTS: What we're seeing here, Mayor Brown, just a natural tightening of the polls as we head toward the conventions? Maybe more and more Republicans are beginning to pay attention now and that perhaps he's not slipping, it's that John McCain is actually just pulling a little bit more support?

BROWN: I think in all presidential elections in this country, you always have somewhere in the neighborhood of 44 percent or 45 percent of each one of the political parties being devoted to and voting for their candidate. The same will occur here and is occurring.

However, Barack Obama, we expect so much of him. He is so much better than almost everybody else who has ever come on the scene. And when he doesn't hit a home run, a grand slam, every time he appears, that takes away some of the lure. And that's what's happening with Barack Obama. It's Obama versus Obama, not Obama versus McCain.

ROBERTS: All right. So Mayor Brown, give us an example in your mind when he stepped up to the plate and didn't hit a home run recently.

BROWN: When he was with Pastor Rick down in Lake Forest, California, at Cathedral. He talked to Pastor Rick. He spoke directly to Pastor Rick. He didn't speak to the audience. He didn't speak to the television audience. He did what you do as an intellectual and as a person interested in talking to the person interviewing you.

On the other hand, McCain sounded like Ronald Reagan. His references, his jokes, his example of what he meant when he answered the questions, plus his mastery of that particular forum. Everybody expected Barack Obama to be all of those things. He wasn't. He was spectacular, but not spectacular enough because he didn't reach the level of his speech in Pennsylvania of several months ago.

ROBERTS: Mayor Brown, there's one particular answer that he gave to a question from Rick Warren that people are pointing out. Let's play that now and let me ask you about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: From a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: The question that Pastor Warren had put to him was when do you believe life begins. He appeared to duck it. Was that a satisfactory answer to you?

BROWN: No, that wasn't. I'm sure when he sees it it's not a satisfactory answer to him. What he really should have said was, this is a question that, in fact, addresses exactly choice. The answer to that question is what the doctor and the woman involved, not what the rest of us, and we ought to keep our minds and our open on the issue and we ought to keep our views out of it.

ROBERTS: Mayor Brown, just before we let you go, because everybody is focused on who he's going to pick on his running mate. Who do you think Barack Obama should choose?

BROWN: I'm still a Sam Nunn fan.

ROBERTS: Really.

BROWN: I think with Sam Nunn, he gets the state of Georgia. He probably gets two or three other southern states that have been in the republican group for a long time now, for at least two election cycles. I think it constitutes what I say would be a win of the presidency because it will be the first presidential decision Barack Obama makes. And believe me, he is going to be measured by that decision. How could you go wrong if it's Sam Nunn?

ROBERTS: Mayor Brown, it's always great to talk to you. And thanks for getting up for us again this morning. Pleasure.

BROWN: Thank you very much, John.

ROBERTS: All right. We'll see you again soon. And a programming reminder for you. Live coverage of the Democratic National Convention in Denver begins next Monday here on AMERICAN MORNING and live coverage of the republican convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, kicks off here on AMERICAN MORNING Monday, September the 1st. Kiran.

CHETRY: Well, it's just about 30 minutes after the hour. Some of the top stories we're following for you. Right now, south Florida dealing with the aftermath of tropical storm Fay. There are new forecast models that show the storm continuing to hug Florida's east coast. It may not be able to grow into a category one hurricane.

Barack Obama's campaign rolling out its schedule for Obama's vice presidential nominee. There's a big rally planned for Saturday at the old state capitol in Springfield, Illinois. It's the same spot that Obama kicked off his run for the White House last year.

And one of the top contenders to become Obama's running mate, Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, and yesterday he raised a few eyebrows when he said, "it's not me." Well then he later re-emerged with another comment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOE BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: I promise you, I don't know anything. I have no idea. I have not spoken with no one. I have not spoken with anyone. I have not spoken with anyone.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not ruling out that you're still being considered then?

BIDEN: I have no idea. I have no idea.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Well, on the republican side, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge who was thought to be on McCain's short list down playing criticism by tough talk show host Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh warned McCain it would devastate the party if he picked a running mate who supports abortion rights like Tom Ridge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM RIDGE (R), FMR. PENNSYLVANIA GOVERNOR: Rush has never been known to be shy about giving his opinion and I'm sure his point of view may be held by other people within the party. All I know is that my friend of 25 years, John McCain, is strongly and forever pro-life. He also believes that you shouldn't be judgmental in other people's point of view with regard to this and some other very difficult issues.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Also this morning we're looking at the secrets behind the marriage of Barack and Michelle Obama. It's a story that junior associate wooed by persistence and a day on the town. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux joins us now with more on this.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kiran. This special is really unique because it gave us a chance to sit down, talk to Barack Obama, to Michelle, a lot of their friends. These are equal partners in this marriage. They challenge each other. They support each other. And they've had a lot of experiences.

They talk about what it was like at the birth of their first child. They talk about some of the surprises along the campaign trail, the challenges. They talk about the pain of being betrayed by their pastor, Reverend Wright, and then they also give us some lighter moments as well. This particular clip is about how the two of them initially met, what they thought of each other.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): In 1988, like his father 30 years earlier, Barack Obama was accepted into Harvard where he planned to study law. After his first year Barack returned to Chicago for a summer internship at the Sidley Austin law firm. It was here he met Michelle Robinson, a recent Harvard law school grad.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I had actually spoken to her on the phone and she was very corporate and very proper on the phone, trying to explain to me how the summer program at Sidley and Austin was going to go.

MICHELLE OBAMA, WIFE OF SEN. BARACK OBAMA: I probably did what a lot of people do when they hear about Barack Obama. First I thought, what kind of name is Barack Obama?

OBAMA: First of all she thought it was inappropriate to have any interoffice dating, even though I was only there for the summer.

MICHELLE OBAMA: I had already sort of created an image of this very intellectual nerd. And I was prepared to be polite and all that.

OBAMA: When I saw her, she was very crisp and professionally dressed and beautiful.

MICHELLE OBAMA: And then he walked into my office on that first day and he was cuter than I thought he would be. So that was the first positive impression.

OBAMA: Then she had, I think, given up on men. She was going to be focusing just on work.

MICHELLE OBAMA: I thought, this guy is going to be a good friend of mine. I liked him. We hung out. But I just didn't see that. I didn't see a relationship coming out of that.

OBAMA: She had all of these theories. And I basically knocked them down one after the other until finally -

MICHELLE OBAMA: I said, okay, we'll go on this one date but we won't call it a date. I'll spend the day with you.

OBAMA: At that point I thought, OK, I think I got something going.

MICHELLE OBAMA: We went to the Art Institute in Chicago. And he impressed me with his knowledge of art. And then we walked up Michigan Avenue. It was on a really beautiful, summer day and we talked and we talked. Then we wound up having a drink on the 99th floor of the John Hancock Building. That gives you a beautiful view of the city. And probably by the end of that date, it was - it was over.

MALVEAUX: You were sold.

MICHELLE OBAMA: I was sold.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Barack Obama was smitten.

CHETRY: So cute, right?

MALVEAUX: Oh, absolutely. They ended dating long distance. He finished law school. They got married soon afterwards. But both of them also talk about the challenges in their marriage, particularly when he was at the state senate. He had spent a lot of time at the capitol. Obviously trying to make his way here.

And she says, you know, there was a time in her marriage she felt like she was raising the two daughters by herself. They needed him in the house and it's something they worked through like many couples with young children. It's also something that he's sensitive to because his own father was not in the house, did not raise him.

So these are some of the things that we talk about, his relationship with his mother, growing up bi-racial, his dad being absent and really what led him to politics.

He has this vision of changing, of wanting to do something significant. A little too late for the civil rights movement, but clearly realizing that his working with people on the ground as a community organizer but he was frustrated, too, because things weren't moving fast enough. He wanted to be a part of the political, the power structure as well.

CHETRY: Very fascinating. And you go into other things as well. You talk about in this piece about how they felt when they decided to make a call to leave the Trinity Church with Reverend Wright and a lot of other things that have gone on. We it's very interesting. We don't want to miss it. Suzanne, thank you.

MALVEAUX: Thank you.

CHETRY: It's tonight actually. Two documentaries that talk about our presidential candidates and who they really are. It's called "Revealed." John McCain "Revealed" at 8:00 p.m. and then Suzanne Malveaux with Barack Obama "Revealed" at 9:30.

ROBERTS: Well, the senator was right. He did have something going on.

CHETRY: He did.

ROBERTS: Good for him.

ROBERTS: One-on-one with Secretary Rice from Warsaw. Poland wants no part of what Russia is up to and Russia is furious about it. We've got new information for you this morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: We have some news now just in to CNN. The U.S. Navy and Coast Guard preparing to launch a major humanitarian mission to get relief supplies into Georgia. This comes just two weeks after Russia's invasion of the neighboring country. Barbara Starr is working this story now from the Pentagon with more details. Hi, Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, indeed two U.S. Navy warships and a Coast Guard cutter preparing at this hour to possibly get underway to deliver humanitarian relief to Georgia. Two of the ships, a Navy destroyer and that cutter, possibly leaving Crete in the Mediterranean as early as today. Another ship the "USS Mount Whitney," a large Navy warship, loading up in Italy. According to Pentagon officials, it is not signed on the dotted line. Still working out the final details here at the Pentagon, talking to the Turks who control the access to the Black Sea, of course, but several officials tell us they do expect that this mission could get under way as soon as later today.

The ships might not arrive in Georgia, of course, for several days as they make their way. The big question on the table, will Russia's Black Sea fleet interfere with this mission? The Russian navy still operating in the Black Sea and remember those in the Port of Poti in Georgia yesterday. We saw those U.S. military humvees being driven away.

Well, the U.S. marine corps confirms this morning those humvees belong to them. And by the way, they say if Moscow is listening they would like their humvees back. But seriously, they are watching this situation very carefully. U.S. Navy ships could be in Georgia as soon as a week from now. Kiran.

CHETRY: Barbara Starr with an update for us on that news. Thank you.

ROBERTS: The United States has a new ally in its missile defense system. Officially, signing a deal with Poland overnight, but the pact is drawing some threatening words from Russia. Just about an hour ago, our CNN's Zain Verjee sat down with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to talk about the deal and Zain joins us now live from Warsaw. What did she have to say, Zain? ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called U.S. relations with Russia strained. She also said that she had a warning against Russia and said, don't you dare invade Poland. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Missile defense, of course, is aimed at no one. It is in our dispense that we do this. But I am very pleased that we have been able to achieve this accomplishment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Secretary Rice told us that Russia's threats towards Poland were pathetic. Those are her words. She said that were Russia ever to invade Poland that its allies, the United States and NATO, would immediately jump to its defense. Today she signed that missile defense agreement, putting 10 interceptor missiles here in Poland. Rice saying it was really to deter against any ballistic missile threats by Iran or North Korea. But the Russians are really, John, seeing it as targeted against them.

Secretary Rice also said she wasn't really surprised that Russia invaded Georgia. The Russian aggression towards Europe has been going on for a long time. She said for example, toward Norway or Estonia as well as Georgia. She insisted that Russia keeps its word and pull its troops out of Georgia. And finally, John, we asked her, the U.S. just needs to get a lot tougher with Russia to have them deliver on their promises. And that the Russians don't really care what the U.S. is saying and doing. She said that the U.S. and the world's diplomatic isolation of Russia would take time. She also said that the U.S. did not plan to push for Russia to be kicked out of the G-8, the group of eight industrialized nations, the exclusive club. She said that they're just not going to meet for now. John.

ROBERTS: Certainly relations not as good as they have been in the past though. Zain Verjee for us this morning from Warsaw in Poland where they just signed that new ballistic missile agreement. Zain, thanks very much.

CHETRY: Well, Fay not finished yet. The latest from the unpredictable storm's wild comeback. Our Rob Marciano is tracking the storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Tracking Fay. Hurricane watch is now in effect for parts of the north Florida and Georgia as the tropical storm lingers off the eastern Florida coast. Forecasters say it could be stronger if it makes landfall against.

Our Rob Marciano has the latest track of Fay right now.

Hey, Rob. ROB MARCIANO, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Kiran. Yes, we've got to get this thing a little bit farther offshore for that to happen. What's amazing with the last few hours of this satellite, boom, there's a little eye that developed over land. It actually strengthened after landfall. That's just kind of crazy.

Here's it is. Eastern flank of the storm now getting a little bit more intensity as it reaches into the Atlantic Ocean. These waters are pretty warm although they've kind of been churned up a little bit by all the winds from the storm as it made its way across the peninsula yesterday. So temperatures here two or three degrees or four degrees cooler than they were just a few days ago. So that will limit its capacity to strengthen. And also, it looks like the National Hurricane Center wants to keep us hugging in the coastline as opposed to going offshore, getting strength from the gulf stream and slamming back.

So we hope to keep this below hurricane intensity but they still as a precaution have hurricane watches posted for north Florida and southern Georgia. We will keep you posted throughout the day. Kiran, back up to you.

CHETRY: All right. Rob, thanks.

MARCIANO: You got it.

ROBERTS: CNN NEWSROOM is just 12 minutes away now. Heidi Collins 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. V.P. watch in the NEWSROOM. Who is number two? Our political guests put a few names on the running mate's radar. Announcements expected soon.

And Fay kicking up tornadoes across Florida. The storm may regroup and slam the state a third time as you just heard Rob talking about. And would a lower legal age cut binge drinking? A group of college presidents think so. I'll ask one about it. And get the view from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. We'll stay on top of any breaking news as always right here in the NEWSROOM, top of the hour on CNN. John.

ROBERTS: Looking forward to it. Heidi, we'll see you soon.

ROBERTS: Michael Phelps has captured more gold medals in this Olympics than some countries but does he get the gold for the best pin-up?

CHETRY: We'll find out what people on the street in New York think.

Also, choosing to stay unhealthy. There's a new study saying Americans are ignoring cancer warnings. We're "Paging Dr. Gupta" this morning. Hi, Sanjay. DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Kiran. We know more than ever about what causes cancer but are we acting adequately on those messages? I'm going to give you the results today. Interesting new survey. That's coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. A frightening new survey is out showing that most Americans know that they can cut their cancer risk by losing weight and eating right, but they choose to ignore it anyways. We're paging our Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN's chief medical correspondent. He's in Atlanta for us this morning. So what is this survey telling us, Sanjay, about the way that people are thinking about all of this?

GUPTA: Well, it's a classic case of good news and bad news, John. There is a relationship between the way that we eat and cancer. The specific types of cancers are typically colon cancer, esophageal, breast cancer. The risk of those cancers can be increased by the way that we eat. The good news is that most people do seem to realize it. That was the sort of focus of this survey by the American Cancer Society. What they found specifically was that 83 percent know that diet can lower your risk. That's good. 62 percent know that exercise can lower your risk.

The bad news is that there are only about 66 percent eating a balanced diet in terms of trying to prevent the cancer disease and less than 10 percent use exercise as a way of preventing cancer disease as well. So people know this information. The messages seem to be getting through but people aren't acting on it yet. That's why the American Cancer Society is taking this up, John.

ROBERTS: People know, Sanjay, that there's this relationship between diet and exercise and the formation or development of cancer. And they choose to do nothing about it. Why do they choose to do nothing about it?

GUPTA: Well, you know, the survey tried to figure that out as well. And you know, people - obviously no one wants to get cancer. But in terms of actually acting on these messages, they cited some specific reasons, which I thought was interesting. When it comes to eating a balanced diet, for example, 51 percent of people say vegetables are too expensive. Incidentally, 55 percent of people say look fruit and vegetables spoil too quickly, that's why they don't buy them, simple reason. 60 percent say health clubs are too expensive. 46 percent of the people say they have no time to exercise.

One of the things I find most interesting here, John, only 10 percent of people said they were given an extra hour in the day would they choose to use it to exercise even if they knew it could reduce their risk of cancer. So, again, people understand the relationship but they're not going to act on it even if they're given extra benefits. As much time as we spend on focusing on the cures and expense of treatments for these diseases, the estimates say we can prevent about a quarter million deaths a year with what we already know. So getting people to act on these messages is absolutely crucial.

ROBERTS: And how many people dying every year from cancer these days?

GUPTA: Well, it's over 500,000. And you know, that number may be actually be underestimated because sometimes it's with concomitant diseases.

ROBERTS: All right. Sanjay Gupta for us this morning. Sanjay, thanks very much.

GUPTA: All right.

ROBERTS: You know, it's really distressing here because simple little changes can make such a difference. Thanks, doc.

GUPTA: Thanks.

CHETRY: Well, it's battle of the pin-up, Phelps versus Spitz. Forget the medal count, it's who won on the cover? Our Jeanne Moos takes to the streets to see which American swimming hero gets best chest.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: I don't know if this is what he's referring to when he wrote the song but we're talking about the Olympic swimming champion. One of the most popular and iconic photos in sports history.

ROBERTS: So it's fitting that "Sports Illustrated" cover shot of Michael Phelps is a nod to the man whose record he broke. Jeanne has the most news in the morning for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the battle of the pin-ups.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's the guy. He's the man. I don't like all that hair.

MOOS: Forget the backstroke, this is plain old stroking.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Phelps, his muscles are just amazing. I mean, whoa.

And even from a lesbian like myself, that is staying alive.

MOOS: Everybody was staying a lot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the homage, of course to Mark Spitz.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The picture.

ROBERTS: The bonus swimsuit edition of "Sports Illustrated." MOOS: "Sports Illustrated" photographer Simon Bruty had only 10 minutes to get the shot to recreate the pose from the famous 1972 poster of Mark Spitz with his seven gold medals. The trick was to capture the eight dangling from Phelps' neck.

SIMON BRUTY, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" PHOTOGRAPHER: Angle of the dangle, that was definitely the problem that we had. Basically we used tape to stick them together.

MOOS: Treasure chest, the magazine called it, though some complained. Why is he wearing a halter top? Joked someone on the web site Gawker. Less medals, more flesh. Isn't that hitting below the bellybutton?

BRUTY: Trust me, he's wearing a suit.

MOOS: So was Spitz.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's got nice little Speedos on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not looking at no Speedo. I'm looking at the medals, girl.

MOOS: Not since Mr. T., not since Flavor flave with his clocks have we seen such chest adornment. And almost everyone preferred the Phelps picture.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's fresher looking. I think Spitz got cheesy with the mustache.

MOOS: Spitz had a few supporters. Which pin-up do you prefer?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mark.

MOOS: Talk about raising eyebrows. Imagine you're at the Beijing games and you happen to look like Michael Phelps.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody thanks but I'm not Michael Phelps. My name is Steve Perry and I'm from England, from Great Britain. Not Michael Phelps.

I've never experienced anything like this in my life.

MOOS: Meet Steve.

STEVE PERRY, FMR. OLYMPIAN: I keep telling them my name is Steve Curry from Great Britain.

MOOS: He's a former Olympic medalist and now BBC pundit.

PERRY: I've never felt like a bigger fraud, you know, in my life.

Oh, no. I'm not Phelps. I'm not Michael Phelps.

MOOS: At least he's not being mistaken for Mark Spitz, whose 1972 picture was itself mistaken.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously, I mistook him for a porn star. That's something, right?

MOOS: By the way, new "Sports Illustrated" does include an actual pin-up of Phelps. Though there's no mention of Steve Perry.

PERRY: No, no, no, I'm not Phelps. I'm not Michael Phelps.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: There's no question that the Spitz photo was very 1970s. You have an interesting analysis of all of this prior to this introducing this. Want to share?

CHETRY: I have to go with Spitz. I like a man with a little bit more hair. I think Michael Phelps is a little too clean shaven, if you will.

ROBERTS: There you go. Hair in any particular place?

CHETRY: Well, either that or we photo shopped it here. He's a guy. He's supposed to have armpit hair. And you can see on Mark Spitz. You can see he has a nice halo effect from the armpit hair with the sunset back there.

ROBERTS: I know you all at home have been wondering, what it takes. Now you know.

Thanks so much for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING. We'll see you back here again bright and early tomorrow.

CHETRY: Maybe, if we're invited back. "NEWSROOM" starts now with Heidi Collins.