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CNN Live At Daybreak
Bush: Senate Vote not Repudiation of Iraq Plan; It Does What?
Aired November 16, 2005 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is Wednesday, November 16. The nation's midsection is a mess this morning. Homes are shattered, debris is everywhere. And for a while there it seemed like the tornadoes would never end.
Also, when will the U.S. pull out of Iraq? The Democrats want President Bush to answer that nagging question. But for now he won't have to.
And paging Dr. Rover, paging Dr. Rover. We'll tell you why your pooch has a great bedside manner.
ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello.
COSTELLO: And good morning to you. We'll have more on the severe weather moving across the country in just a minute.
Also ahead, a big night for country music and Lee Ann Womack.
And so catlike it's almost human. We'll look at the coolest gadgets out there.
But first, "Now in the News."
A suspect in custody this morning in connection with yesterday's deadly car bombing in Pakistan. The attack in Karachi killed at least three people and caused major damage. New details on the suspect.
President Bush arrived in South Korea just about a half-hour ago for the Asia-Pacific Trade Summit. In a speech in Japan earlier, the president sent a message to China. He urged the communist country to embrace democracy.
"Washington Post" editor Bob Woodward has testified in the CIA leak investigation. According to the paper, Woodward says a senior Bush administration official told him about CIA operative Valerie Plame about a month before her identity was exposed. No word on who that official is.
And there is severe damage in several states this morning, and at least one death, after strong storms raked the middle part of this country. The storms spawned more than 30 -- 30 tornadoes. Dozens of homes are damaged.
Let's head to the forecast center to find out just exactly what's happening. Bonnie Schneider in. Good morning.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: All right. We'll be here. Thank you, Bonnie.
We want to show you some of the spots that were hit hardest by the storm. Some of the worst tornado damage happened in western Kentucky in the Madinsonville area. Homes are wrecked and National Guard troops are helping to clear debris from the streets. One person killed when a trailer home overturned and then caught fire. Homes also leveled in Daviess County, Indiana.
The National Weather Service is sending teams to that county and other southern Indiana counties to assess the damage.
Also major damage in the Nashville area and other parts of Tennessee. At least a dozen people are injured. Twisters were spotted in several Tennessee counties.
And I think we had a tower cam of Atlanta, Georgia, right now, didn't we? Because the rain is starting to come down there. Atlanta -- there you see it -- Atlanta expecting severe thunderstorms this morning.
They have already begun. And believe me, when it rains hard in Atlanta, there is a lot of water on the streets. So be very careful on your morning commute this morning.
On to other news now. President Bush says he's ready to provide Congress with reports on how things are progressing in Iraq. That's after the Senate passed language calling on him to provide regular reports.
But the Republican-led Senate rejected a call by Democrats requiring a timeline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. President Bush says it's a positive thing. The Senate turned down a timetable for a withdrawal.
The president reacted to the Senate action while on the first leg of an eight-day Asian trip.
Our White House Correspondent Dana Bash has more on his reaction to the Senate vote and his visit with the Japanese prime minister.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Nearly 7,000 miles from home in Kyoto, Japan, President Bush disputed the idea that an overwhelming U.S. Senate vote was a repudiation of his Iraq policy from within his own party.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That's to be expected. That's what Congress expects. They expect us to keep them abreast of a plan that is going to work.
BASH: The Republican measure demands the Bush administration regularly explain their plan for success in Iraq. Mr. Bush focused on what he called a positive step, the defeat of a Democratic amendment for a specific timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops.
BUSH: The only reason we won't succeed is if we lose our nerve and the terrorists are able to drive us out of Iraq by killing innocent lives.
BASH: The president offered his latest defense of the increasingly unpopular war standing next to the Japanese prime minister, his closest ally in Asia, who is noncommittal about whether Japan's small contingent of non-combat troops in Iraq would stay there.
Though the two men did not resolve ongoing disputes over Japan's ban on U.S. beef and the controversial American military presence here, the president was clearly at ease with his host, who took the Bushes on a tour of one of Kyoto's most famous and spectacular ancient temples.
Later, the president held up Japan and China's arch-rival Taiwan as models for democracy in Asia as he urged China to grant more rights to its 1.3 billion citizens.
BUSH: By embracing freedom at all levels, Taiwan has delivered prosperity to its people and created a free and democratic Chinese society.
BASH: Mr. Bush is under intense pressure from home to take China to task not just on human rights but on trade and currency practices that experts say cost thousands of U.S. jobs each year.
BUSH: China needs to provide a level playing field for American businesses seeking access to China's market.
BASH (on camera): But ahead of meetings later this week in Beijing, the president's remarks amounted to gentle prodding rather than a list of demands. A sign the White House does not want to overly antagonize the Chinese, whom they need on crucial issues, like the North Korean nuclear talks.
Dana Bash, CNN, Kyoto, Japan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Time now for a CNN "Security Watch."
Cargo planes are still vulnerable to terrorist attacks. That alarming accusation leveled by congressional investigators. The report says little has been done in the past two years to safeguard air cargo from sabotage. More details from the probe will be released later today.
Two Chinese-born brothers are being held without bail for allegedly trying to send Defense Department secrets to China. One of the men is a 65-year-old engineer for a California defense contractor. His wife also charged.
They were all indicted on charges of plotting to pass out sensitive information about U.S. warships.
Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Major League Baseball will have tougher penalties for steroid use. The Players Union agreed to a plan that calls for a lifetime ban after the third positive test. First-time abusers get a 50-game suspension. That's up from just 10 games under the current rules. The commissioner's office proposed the tougher penalties in the hopes of avoiding steroid legislation from Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TOM DAVIS (R), VIRGINIA: We think, as always, and hope to have this resolved through the collective bargaining process. There's a place (ph) to legislation, and I think that this meets our requirements for baseball. There are other sports we think need to come up to this requirements, but I think this stops the rush of moving legislation through at this time.
REP. HENRY WAXMAN (D), CALIFORNIA: I think it's more important to look to the future to make sure that this problem is resolved rather than look to the past. And I can't speak for anybody else's attitude or motivation, but I think the strongest reason they got together is they understood that the American people wanted them to come together and take this issue very, very seriously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Another big part of the plan is that for the first time players will be tested for amphetamines.
In other news "Across America" this morning, the now infamous cell phone bandit will be arraigned today in a Virginia court. Police say 19-year-old Candice Martinez confessed to four robberies. But she's only charged with one of them. Martinez was seen talking on a cell phone during the crimes, but it's still unknown who she was talking to.
She also faces federal charges in the robberies, and her boyfriend, by the way, also arrested and charged with bank robbery. He apparently drove the getaway car.
A teenage girl is in critical condition this morning after being shot on a school bus near Fort Lauderdale. Police say she was shot during an argument with another 17-year-old girl on the bus. Police also say the alleged shooter confessed. New charges have been filed.
A dangerous situation ended well for one Washington window washer. Look at that. This man is left hanging from a safety rope. He's 11 floors above a Seattle street, and he's looking down at his rescuers probably, because eventually they were able to lower him to the ground.
As you can see, they did a magnificent job. He's on the ground and safe and sound. Oh, and people are cheering.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, more accusations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners, but this time from their own countrymen.
In health news, man's best friend may also be a heart's best friend.
And a star-studded night in country music, but not in Nashville.
But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: International markets mixed this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei up 79 points. The London FTSE down 30. The German DAX down 15.
In futures trading, oh, take a look at the price of oil, because it continues to drop. Nineteen cents lower, at $56.79 a barrel this morning.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:13 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.
People in the nation's midsection are reeling from the weather. A powerful storm system spawned more than 35 tornadoes, damaging dozens of homes. One person is reported killed in western Kentucky.
President Bush is in South Korea this morning, the second stop on his four-nation trip to Asia. He'll attend the Asia-Pacific Trade Summit before heading on to China and Mongolia.
In money news, a spice company wants meat packers to stop using carbon monoxide. Kalsec claims carbon monoxide changes the color of meat and keeps it looking fresh longer. The FDA says the practice is safe, but it's been outlawed by the European Union.
In culture, take a look at this. Mexican singing star Juan Gabriel is recovering. Look, he fell off the stage and into the orchestra pit. Newspaper reports say he broke his wrist while tumbling off that stage at a concert in Houston. He apparently gets all tangled up in his microphone cord, and down he goes.
Gabriel has canceled the last week of his U.S. tour because of the injury.
In sports, Albert Pujols finally won his first National League most valuable player -- can you believe that's his first one? This guy is magnificent.
The Cardinals' first baseman had finished in the top four in the MVP race each of the previous four seasons, but Barry Bonds won the MVP in all four of those years. But hey, he was out for most of the season, so I guess it was Albert's turn -- Bonnie.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Thank you, Bonnie.
On the Gulf Coast, thousands of hurricane evacuees won't be getting free hotel rooms anymore. The federal government says come December 1, it will stop paying for hotel rooms for most evacuees. But -- there is a "but." Evacuees in Louisiana and Mississippi, where there's a housing shortage, will have until January 7 to find homes. The government's been urging hurricane refugees to find more stable housing.
Still to come on DAYBREAK, Nicole Richie, she tells all. What's the real story behind her split with former friend Paris Hilton? Ooh.
And gadget lovers, something special for you this morning. The best must-have do-dads as only Jeanne Moos can show us. Wow.
You're watching DAYBREAK for Wednesday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: In entertainment headlines for you this morning, Sharon Stone has settled a lawsuit involving her famous face. The actress had sued a Beverly Hills doctor, accusing him of implying that he performed plastic surgery on her when he never did. Stone has accepted the doctor's offer to do some charity surgeries for poor children.
"Mary Poppins" has dropped into the Windy City. Chicago Mayor Richard Daley proclaimed Tuesday Julie Andrews Day. The actress is in Chicago performing in the musical comedy "The Boyfriend."
You've heard her called party girl and wild child. Now you can call Nicole Richie author. She's had a famous falling out with gal pal Paris Hilton. Now she's out with a fiction novel called "The Truth About Diamonds," which seems to be a thinly-veiled story about her own live.
Richie talked to "LARRY KING LIVE" guest host Ryan Seacrest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN SEACREST, GUEST HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Has Paris seen this book?
NICOLE RICHIE, "THE TRUTH ABOUT DIAMONDS": I'm not sure. I'm not sure. We...
SEACREST: Have you sent her a copy?
RICHIE: No. No, I have not.
SEACREST: What do you think she would have to say about the novel? RICHIE: I really don't know what she's going to say. It's something that I don't even think about. I mean, I just -- I just wrote this book how I wanted to write it, and if she wants to get upset she can, but it's really not about her. It's about me.
SEACREST: Because you have to know that because of what you're writing about people are going to respond and people are going to react to it, right?
RICHIE: Yes, definitely.
SEACREST: Was that part of the intention?
RICHIE: No. I mean, I'm hoping that -- that people will just act like adults and take it for what it is. And it's a story. It's a fiction novel.
SEACREST: So in real life, what is the relationship between Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton?
RICHIE: Right now we're no longer friends.
SEACREST: Is there a chance that you would be friends again?
RICHIE: No.
SEACREST: Why aren't you friends?
RICHIE: We just grew apart. I mean, it's been over the course of a few years, and it's something that's not even that big of a deal to me. The only time I even think about it is when it's brought up in interviews.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Despite the bad blood, Richie and Hilton are still under contract for a fourth season of their reality show, "The Simple Life." They will just shoot their scenes separately.
There has always been a debate over what's the greatest invention of all time. How about the car, or the computer? Well, this year's list of top innovations doesn't have anything that makes us forget the telephone. Or does it?
CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sure, you can live without a robot that plays music. And you don't really need land rollers, skates with overgrown wheels for extra stability.
And is something called a flavor spray really a must-have item?
Still, they all made it into "TIME" Magazine's annual most- amazing inventions of 2005 issue. The most amazing invention of all?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Snuppy the puppy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Snuppy the puppy.
MOOS: The Afghan puppy that South Korean researchers cloned from another Afghan's ear cell.
Forget about seeing double. Feast your eyes on Nike's MaxSight contacts. The amber makes tennis and baseballs really show up.
MOOS: They are so freaky to look at. I mean, they have to be this color, right?
MARYANNE BUECHNER, REPORTER, "TIME" MAGAZINE: They do have to be this color. This is how they filter out the blue light.
MOOS: And for ultra sharp under-water images, SeaLife DC500 made the list.
BJORN HARNS, VICE PRESIDENT, SEALIFE CAMERAS: Smile, fishies.
We have had a request for someone that specializes in nude photography under water.
MOOS: We kept our clothes on and later had our picture taken by a robot, thought at first, Nouveau's (ph) framing was a bit off.
Another robot, called iCat, made the list for its unrobot-like ability to make facial expressions.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy, sad.
MOOS: iCat got your tongue? No, don't run, I want to know what you think of it.
It is Toyota's concept vehicle. Is it a chair? Shaped like a leaf, powered by lithium-ion batteries. You steer by moving this ball. The eye unit has two positions.
Kind of like the dentist.
The reclining position is for faster speeds.
Do you like it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What would you do with it?
MOOS: Who knows? It's for the future.
Back in the present, tattoos etched by laser on fruit made the most inventive list. Stores get all the product information without customers having to pick off those annoying stickers.
If you want to add taste without adding calories, try flavor sprays by Chef David Burke. They come in flavors ranging from root beer to bacon to ranch dressing.
Well, it's all right.
And if you make a mess in the kitchen, there's Scuba. Scuba mops, this is the floors-eye view. Robots that mop, robots you can dance, robotically to. Nouveau even tells time. But even a robot with 15 motorized joints takes a beating.
It's enough to make a robot take up smoking.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: I don't know where she finds this stuff. Anyway, those were supposedly the best.
Now, what about the worst? We'll let David Letterman do the honors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": Here we go.
No. 10: High-definition pants.
No. 9: The surface-to-air banjo.
No. 8: TiVo for kiddies.
No. 7: ExxonMobil low-carb gasoline.
No. 6: Nose muffs.
No. 5: Showerhead with built-in GPS.
No. 4: The Rusty Shick Quattro.
No. 3: Windex glass cleaner mouthwash.
No. 2: The walk-in iPod.
No. 1: And the least amazing invention of 2005, baby's first tanning booth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Now you know.
All new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK, country music honors its best of the year and throws in some surprise performances.
Plus, dog-gone great news for dog owners and their hearts. Cute.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello.
COSTELLO: Good morning to you. Thank you for waking up with us. And welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK.
Coming up in the next 30 minutes, kaboom. A rusty landmark -- yes, you can see its demise. We'll show you again a little later.
And Lee Ann Womack, Keith Urban and many more have new statues on their mantles this morning.
But first, "Now in the News."
A suspect in custody this morning in connection with yesterday's car bombing in Pakistan. The attack in Karachi killed at least three people and caused major damage. No details on a suspect.
The death toll rises. Three more U.S. troops have been killed in Iraq. They were killed when their patrol hit a roadside bomb northwest of the city. That brings the U.S. troop death toll in Iraq to 2,072.
In Paris, the French national assembly is extending a state of emergency for three months. The extension allows local governments to impose curfews to curb rioting. Incidents have become less severe in recent nights.
A strong storm system moving across the eastern United States. The system has spawned at least 35 tornadoes in the Midwest. At least one person died in Kentucky. Of course a number of people have also been injured. So what's up with this?
Let's head to the forecast center and Bonnie Schneider.
(WEATHER REPORT)
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