Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Rebuilding Of World Trade Center Begins Tomorrow; U.S. Troops Uncover Bomb Factory In Iraq; Weekend Getaways: Good Way To Relax For Summer

Aired July 03, 2004 - 12:00   ET

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

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is Noon in Washington, 8:00 p.m. in Baghdad. Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY, I'm Fredricka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters. Ahead this hour, American troops break up bomb making facilities in Iraq and arrest dozens of suspects. What this may do to the insurgents plan.
Also, the now political fight in Florida over efforts to purge voter lists and why this might be a replay of the 2000 presidential election.

And later:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone understands that this is more than a building, more that just a sight. It is a symbol of American freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Getting ready to lay the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower in New York City. The rebuilding begins at ground zero.

But first, here are the headlines. Another pipeline breach is interrupting the supply of oil from Iraq. This one is in southern Iraq near because Basra. Exports had recently been restored to prewar levels. Officials blame the equipment failure, not an insurgent attack.

In Gaza, Palestinian sources say an 8-year-old child was shot and killed apparently by Israeli forces. The Israeli military says it knows nothing about it, but the Israelis say they fired into the air twice in that area to stop violent demonstrators.

At least one person has $290 million and reasons to come forward to claim the Mega Millions Jackpot. The chances of winning are astronomically high, one in 135 million. Players must correctly pick six numbers from one to 52 and the winning ticket was sold at a store in Lowell, Massachusetts. The jackpot now goes back to only $10 million.

We begin this hour in Iraq with a successful operation for U.S. troops. A string of bomb-making sites was uncovered and dozens of suspected were -- suspected insurgents, rather, were rounded up. We get the details now from CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, at the Baghdad Airport -- Jane. JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Fredricka, quite a dramatic development in this fight against bomb makers and those car bombs. According to the U.S. military, they raided a site where they found, among other things, 50 pounds of plastic explosives. They were led to eight other sites in and around Baghdad and there they say they found four car bombs in the making. They say they have arrested one of the financiers, one of the bomb makers and found other weapons, as well. It's being called a major development in cracking one of these cells responsible for these ongoing explosions in Baghdad.

Fredricka, we have with us the commanding general of the 1st Armored Division who, for most of the past year, has been in charge of Baghdad. His division sent south to fight the Mahdi army in Najaf and now back, about to go home. Major General Martin Dempsey.

General, thanks very much for being with us.

MAJ. GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, U.S. ARMY: My pleasure.

ARRAF: Let's talk about Baghdad first. For a long time, you saw the evolution of this place, where do you think it is going now in terms of whether this violence is going to stop?

DEMPSEY: Well, I think -- I thing the overall trend line remains positive. As you know, back in April we had an upturn of violence in Baghdad and elsewhere in the country, and I think -- I think that that is what you'll see in the next year or so, particularly in the period leading up until elections in January. As you'll see overall progress, but you'll see periodic spikes of violence.

ARRAF: No, you commanded the biggest division in U.S. history and there were a lot of twists and turns along the way, what was that like and are the major lessons that we've learned from that, do you think?

DEMPSEY: Well, I think I'll only be in to understand the lessons as we distance ourselves from experience, I mean, you know how it is, and we've been invauvld 24/7, 365 plus, not only in Baghdad, but in the southern regions, as well, so we've began, just now, to capture our lessons learned. But in generally, I'll just say this, the -- my principal memory is that these great young men and women in uniform are just as heroic and as honorable and as selfless as you would want them to be if you were an American citizen, we'll have to be proud of them. And their leaders, Colonel Brad Mayor, you're going to talk to later, and many others are just as devoted. This is going to come out OK at the end of the day because of then people involved.

ARRAF: It almost didn't come out OK. You were on your way home, along with you're your soldiers and you sent south to find Moqtada al- Sadr's militia. How did it turn out?

DEMPSEY: Well, I think it turned out well. You know, the presence of a militia is antithetical to elections, so I mean, it was one of those things where the coalition, at that time -- the Coalitional Provisional Authority and the Iraqi Governing Council, could not allow militia to control the southern part of the country, and so, we went down there to defeat them and essentially stay on the path until the restoration of sovereignty. And here we are, I mean, sovereignty is restored and the interim Iraqi government is off to, what I think, is a good start. They got some huge challenges, I mean, they've to rebuild the ministry system and they've got to take control of their own indigenous security forces. But, it's all moving in the right direction. As I said, that doesn't mean there's not going to be some bad days, but you got to be optimistic about the future of Iraq with the new government in place and a transitional administrative office. I mean, there's a lot of reason to be optimistic.

ARRAF: And what happens now with the role of U.S. military? As you say, it's a sovereign government, where does the U.S. fit in and its troops?

DEMPSEY: Well, we've still got a huge role to play here. And you know, you talk to -- you talk to 10 generals, at this point, and you'll probably get 10 slightly different answers, I think the most important takeaway is that we are more in partnership now with the new Iraqi government and the security forces than we were before. I think it -- we're just going to have to work out some of the terms of reference of that partnership as we go, I mean, it's impossible to predict all eventualities, but the better we do at getting to know each other the better we'll be able to handle the situations as they arise.

ARRAF: Thank you so much.

DEMPSEY: Thank you.

ARRAF: Fredricka, that was Major General Martin Dempsey who is leaving, along with his troops, the biggest division in U.S. history having served the longest time Iraq. And they're finally going home --Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right Jane, thanks very much, from Baghdad Airport.

The rebuilding of Iraq started almost as soon as major combat ended, still there's a lot of work left to do. The General Accounting Office reported on the state of Iraq's infrastructure, this week. Jeanne Meserve is live with a status report -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the report said that in some respects Iraq is worse off now than before the war. One of the areas it explored, the reconstruction of the power sector, considered critical to rebuilding Iraq's economy, improving daily life and winning the population's support for the coalition, but efforts to improve electrical service have fallen short. According to the GAO, although there have been some improvements, electrical service in the country as a whole has not shown a market improvement over immediate post-war levels, and has actually worsened in some areas. The authors of the report say there is no one place to assign blame when it comes to shortcomings in the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure and institutions, like the judiciary and the police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAVID WALKER, GAO COMPTROLLER: Well, there's no one party to blame for this and no one individual to blame for this. The fact of the matter is -- is that the security situation is a lot more challenging, a lot more difficult than anybody expected. And as a result of that, it's had a real impediment in being able to bring up -- bring up the necessarily (SIC) institutions as quickly as we would like and to rebuild the infrastructure as quickly as we would have expected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Meanwhile, new figures from the White House show that only 2 percent of the $18.4 billion appropriated by Congress, last fall, for the rebuilding of Iraq, has actually been spent, $366 million was spent through June 22. Back in January the White House estimated that $10.3 billion would have been spent by the end of June.

Chad Colton, spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget, argues that more than half of the money that has been appropriated is in the pipeline. And the administration also points to what it sees as clear progress in Iraq, 2,500 schools rehabilitated, 85 percent of children immunized; 50 percent more telephone users than before the war. The White House also argues that the removal of Saddam Hussein from power, in and of itself, is a significant step forward. Frederica, back to you.

WHITFIELD: Jeanne Meserve, thanks very much from Washington.

Well, there is a lot of information on the war in Iraq with the latest battle reports available 24/7 on the CNN website. That website address is CNN.com.

The U.S. State Department says it appears terrorists are planning attacks in Bahrain. Headquarters of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, a travel warning is in effect and plans are underway to temporarily relocate military families and civilian workers. CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Pentagon sources say up to 900 U.S. Military dependents will be ordered out of Bahrain because of credible intelligence that tiny Persian Gulf state could be the next site of a terrorist kidnapping or other attack against Americans.

Also, U.S. officials are irked that six people, suspected of links to al-Qaeda arrested by Bahrain June 22, were released the next day for lack of evidence. A senior State Department told CNN, the six were "bad guys" and that their release has left the U.S., quote, "quite concerned about Bahrain's commitment to fight terror."

A State Department travel warning, issued July 1, pointedly says, "Credible information indicates that extremists remain at large and are planning attacks in Bahrain." The U.S. has some 4,500 military personnel stationed in Bahrain, which is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. While there are no plans to withdraw any U.S. troops or curtail operations, bringing families home would reduce the number of so-called soft targets, which are increasingly the targets of terrorists. Bahrain is just a short drive over a causeway from neighboring Saudi Arabia where, so far this year, five American civilians have been murdered, including Paul Johnson, an Apache helicopter engineer employed by Lockheed Martin, who was beheaded in Saudi Arabia June 18th.

(on camera): The Pentagon is not calling the mandatory departure an "evacuation," but rather a "temporary relocation." While the U.S. is not happy with Bahrain for letting suspected al-Qaeda terrorists go, Bahrain isn't happy with the U.S., either, for sending the signal that the kingdom is unsafe for Westerners.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Lending a hand in Iraq, NATO has decided to help, but will its members ever agree on what that help will be? We'll look at the options.

And here at home, latest job numbers and what they mean for people looking for work, when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: With full political powers, the Iraqi government now looks to end insurgent attacks. NATO agreed this week to train Iraq's security forces, but already the alliance is feuding on just how to do that. With insight, David Isby joins us now from Washington, he's a defense and foreign policy analyst and has written several books on military tactics, most recently about the war on Afghanistan.

Good to see you, David.

DAVID ISBY, DEFENSE, FOREIGN POLICY ANALYST: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: All right, well let talk about the variations of the promised ways of help that are being offered. Yemen and Jordan, most recently, the only Arab states who have said, "We're willing to offer some very limited assistance" that in the form of peacekeeping. So, paint a picture. What will Iraqis actually see?

ISBY: Well, what the Iraqis will hopefully see is an improving security situation of trained Iraqi security forces on the ground. Now, this is going to be very difficult, in fact, in the transition from a totalitarian to a post-totalitarian government it's really hard to get policemen who are used to the old regime to transition to the type of policing that democracies are used to, so foreign help is definitely going to be required.

WHITFIELD: But that certainly helps spell out how NATO will hope to offer some assistance in training Iraqi forces. Now, will that take place within the comfines of Iraq or will that mean that some Iraqi forces will be pulled out and go to the NATO nations, because those are the kind of details that haven't been worked out, right?

ISBY: No. Already there is training, for example, there are training facilities in the United Arab Emirates where Iraqi security forces are being trained. They're now being trained in hungry by U.S. forces, so that's already going on. We've also seen activities going on in other countries, in Afghanistan the Germans are training the police as they did back in the 1960s and '70s and the U.S. is hoping to involve them as they did in the former Yugoslavia in Bosnia and Kosovo where European nations train new police forces.

WHITFIELD: Well Afghanistan, one of those nations you just mentioned, Hamid Karzai is already asking to provide more help, especially leading up to the September elections. How is that going to put a strain, perhaps, on the NATO promises to help out Iraq, as well?

ISBY: Well, NATO has relatively few forces and limited political will. Certainly, the have been talking about sending in forces beyond those which currently are around Kabul, the ISAB (PH) in Afghanistan, especially in helping to provide security for reconstruction and election in the south and eastern of Afghanistan. Now NATO has been reluctant to do this. Now in fairness, the U.S. has also been reluctant to send in additional troops beyond those that are now looking for bin Laden, other leadership figures in Afghanistan. Neither wants to move first. The U.S. has more troops, but the Europeans are very reluctant to commit more of their relatively small forces.

WHITFIELD: Now, let talk about some of the reluctance of some of the NATO allies, as pertains to Iraq. Particularly France, for example, has said -- you know, Jacques Chirac, in particular, has not encouraged, necessarily, NATO forces to be so involved in Iraq. He says specifically, "I am completely hostile the idea of a NATO establishment in Iraq. It would be dangerous, counterproductive, and misunderstood by the Iraqis who, after all, deserve a little bit of respect." Is he making a good argument?

ISBY: Well, already -- I mean, 16 of 26 NATO nations already have troops in Iraq. Chirac is trying to steer NATO, as an institution, rather on the nations. He is insisting that the countries that help, including things like police training in the United Arab Emirates, is being done under the country's national flags rather than NATO flag, as is being used in Afghanistan. So, he's trying very much to limit this consistent with French policy and this may lead, indeed to a divergence of the Germans there.

WHITFIELD: David Isby, defense and foreign policy analyst, thanks very much, always good to see you.

ISBY: Thank you. Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Well, Iraqis watched this week as their former dictator faced justice under the new government. Saddam Hussein declared he was still president of Iraq in his first court appearance. He was often defiant as preliminary charges were read against him. And you can watch a replay of Saddam's day in court, later today, CNN Live Saturday will air this weeks testimony and will have analysis and that begins at 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 Pacific.

The June employment report is in and the numbers are disappointing. What this mean for the job front?

And some of us who do have jobs are just looking forward to the next day off. Long weekends and some great ways to spend them, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: No fireworks in the June job's report, in fact, it's left plenty of experts wondering if the economic recovery is more fizzle than sizzle. The government says 112,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy last month. Growth was about half of what experts were anticipating and a significant slowdown from the first five months of the year. Still it was enough to keep the unemployment rate steady at 5.6 percent. Let's look inside the numbers with John Challenger in Chicago. His firm, Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, studies workplace trends and issues.

Good to see you, John.

JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER, GRAY, & CHRISTMAS: Nice to be here, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Encouraging numbers, at least they're moving in the right direction, but it's not quite what forecasters had expected. What happened?

CHALLENGER: The economy didn't seem to really create jobs in two key sectors that had been driving some of the job growth. Construction slowed down, there were no real jobs created there, perhaps with the interest rates beginning to go up, some of that construction is beginning to tail off. Also travel, hospitality, that sector didn't create any jobs. The high energy prices might very well be the reason.

WHITFIELD: Really? Construction is down? I thought the past couple months construction of, say, for instance, new homes was up, but if unemployment figures or job's growth seems to be down, doesn't there seem to be a real conflict there?

CHALLENGER: Well, we saw almost a quarter of a million jobs in the last year created in construction, but those companies are full up, they've got the people they need. It wasn't a big growth spurt, so there were no extra jobs created.

WHITFIELD: So, where are these forecasts coming from?

CHALLENGER: Well, these numbers are created by the Labor Department, they're the number of jobs that come through two sources, either surveys of companies or surveys of people, of households and the government looks at just how many jobs are being created. The creation number comes from establishment survey which is of companies.

WHITFIELD: So, the goals have not been met. Is this a sign of what's to come short term?

CHALLENGER: Well, that's the real question. The economy, after three long years, finally started creating jobs, especially in the last three months prior to this month, almost a million jobs are created. Many were very hopeful that we would see another big month this month and it didn't happen.

WHITFIELD: All right. John Challenger in Chicago, thanks very much. And hopefully next time we talk the numbers will be encouraging all across the board.

CHALLENGER: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, three months and counting until the election, President Bush targets the minorities and Senator Kerry targets the Heartland. A look at both straight ahead.

Plus, devastating wildfires sweeping through Alaska. Is there relief in sight?

And a new form of relief for those suffering from the most well- known sleep disorder. The details coming up on CNN SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: John Kerry will use e-mail to reveal his choice of a vice presidential running mate. The announcement could come in just days. Congressional correspondent, Joe Johns, is with the Kerry campaign today, in Wisconsin.

And Joe, what's happening there?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka we're in a big old barn in Independence, Wisconsin, right now. This is the second day of John Kerry's Heartland bus tour. He's trying to project himself as a voice for rural America. As you can see, a crowd of people here, it's been raining, so they're not outdoors. Last night, also at a farm here in Wisconsin, he got a great reception and played the guitar a little bit. The whole point is connecting with small town voters. The polls show Bush, of course, has an edge when it comes to small town and rural voters, bit the Kerry camp is now pointing to polls showing that he does have some traction.

The issue of the vice presidential running mate of course is important, right now, a lot of people talking about that. There have been some suggestions his decision on that could come as early as Tuesday. Kerry, of course, has said it'll be announced first in e- mails to supporters, three politicians, that you know the names: Richard Gephardt, John Edwards, also Tom Vilsack. Some suggestions that has been narrowed to two, but Kerry has said, quote, "that's news to me. That's complete fiction to me. I don't have no idea who's talking about what. I've made no decision yet and when I make a decision, I'll be ready to announce it. I don't have any idea," he says, "how anybody could speculate on what's going on," in his head, and that's a quote. So, still waiting for news on that and we're going to sit here and listen to this event, Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Joe. And before we do listen to that event, let me ask you real quick, is there a sense, is there an explanation from John Kerry as to why he wants to reveal the vice presidential candidate as -- through e-mail?

JOHNS: Well, the only thing we've gotten from the campaign on that is these are the people who have paid the most attention to him, who have the highest interest in the campaign. So, their view, apparently, is that those folks deserve to hear the news first. Of course, the question is whether it could be leaked earlier and, who knows, it has happened before, as you know, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Joe Johns traveling with presidential candidate, John Kerry, in Independence, Wisconsin on the second day of his three-day tour of the Midwest of the Heartland.

Well there is still much more political buzz these days in Washington about who will be John Kerry's running mate. And with the latest on the Kerry deep stakes join Kelly Wallace with the Kerry campaign communications director, Stephanie Cutter, "Inside Politics Sunday" airs tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

Minority voters could make the difference if there's another nail biter of a presidential election in November. CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House today with the GOP outreach plan -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Fredricka. Well, one Bush-Cheney campaign official calls their minority outreach efforts "unprecedented," saying that they are working very aggressively to push the president's message to minority voters. Now, that particular issue was in the spotlight, albeit indirectly this week, as President Bush, a couple days ago, marked the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act. That was an event that took place in the East Room here at the White House. Now, the president, 40 years after that signing says that under his initiatives, minority groups have benefited. And officials here at the White House cite the president's goal of creating more than five million new minority homeowners by the end of the decade. The White House saying to that date -- to this date, 1.5 million minorities now own their own homes. The administration also points to its efforts in education, saying that public schools are now held more accountable then in the past, to the benefit of all children, including minorities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The president is proud of his record and he will continue to reach out to people from all walks of life and all backgrounds.

Starting with, in terms of the record, the most important domestic policy initiative in this area that I think people should look at is the commitment the president made to improving our public schools and passing the No Child Left Behind Act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now, as part of the president's minority outreach effort, also emphasizing the president's commitment to faith-based initiatives. It was about a week and a half or so ago that the president traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to speak at a predominantly black church there, announcing some new HIV-AIDS initiatives. Also stressing, at that point, his commitment to working with faith-based groups in the community.

The president, by the way, Fredricka, in 2000, garnering just 8 percent of the African-American vote, obviously, this time around come November, he is hope hoping to better that. Also we should mention, obviously, the president looking to Hispanic groups, as well.

We're told an unprecedented effort there, thousands of people mobilized across the country on outreach efforts, calling, knocking on doors, calling into radio shows, talk shows. All part of the effort to send the message that the president and Republican Party is an inclusive group -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Elaine, so far what does the reception seem to be like among Black and Hispanic voters, and even Asian voters, as well. A fast-growing segment of the population.

QUIJANO: Absolutely. On the African-American voters, at this point in time, four months out, obviously, still some time left, but the news has not been good. The poll numbers showing that African- Americans not identifying with President Bush, or some of his policies.

Now, one thing that is interesting to note is that the president is appearing to make a connection when it comes to the religious elements of these minority groups. Notably African-American groups and Hispanic groups, reaching out to the more conservative religious elements who may ally their views along the lines of what President Bush stands for.

It is still very much an open question, but, obviously, every little bit helps. This administration pushing hard in these final months now, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano, at the White House, thanks very much.

A potential headache is brewing in Florida. Ahead of this year's presidential election, CNN has obtained a list of some 47,000 suspected felons who could be barred from voting in the state this fall. But as CNN's Susan Candiotti reports, many of those on the list have every right to enter a voting booth.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARREN JONES, VOTER: They went ahead and removed me. It's like guilty and then until proved innocent. SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Darren Jones was stunned when he opened a letter last month from the Miami, Dade elections office.

JONES: The court system has notified the elections department of your recent felony conviction, which is not true.

CANDIOTTI: True, Jones is a convicted felon who served six months of house arrest, but that was in 1998.

JONES: So, I know, this couldn't be right.

CANDIOTTI: Like all Florida felons are required to do, Jones applied for and got his voting rights back in 2003 and says he proudly used his card to cast a vote in last spring's Democratic primary.

Dade elections officials admit they goofed this time, but can't explain it.

(on camera): What happened to Darren Jones is happening to others. CNN successfully sued Florida election officials to get a list and this is just a part of it. A 47,000 suspected felons who could be dumped from voter rolls. Like the case of Darren Jones, we found a mistake after mistake.

(voice over): At 22, Sam Hayward was convicted of buying stolen furniture. In 1986 he won back his voting rights and says he hasn't missed an election. Only to discover he is on the new suspected felons' list.

SAM HAYWARD, VOTER: To find out my name is still on the list and saying it might have effect on your voting privileges. I don't see how, I've been voting for the last 15 years.

CANDIOTTI: The "Miami Herald" reports that it documented more 2,100 errors on the massive list. Of the 47,000 named, 39 percent reportedly are black Democrats, 20 percent are white Democrats 16 percent, white Republicans. With only four months to go before the presidential election 67 county supervisors now find themselves under orders from the capital to confirm the new so-called suspected felons list. Few, if any, are happy about it.

JON SANCHO, LEON CO. ELECTION SUPERVISOR: As an election's official, asking me to conduct criminal background checks and spend most of my time in the criminal justice system would be analogous to asking doctors to do tax returns. And this simply not our job.

CANDIOTTI: A spokesman for Governor Jeb Bush says the list is only a tool and insists election officials will have enough time to check each name before the next election. The NAACP and the ACLU settled a lawsuit against Florida two years ago. It called for improving the state's voter database.

HOWARD SIMON, FLORIDA ACLU: State officials placed an eligible voter on the list of people to be purged, that is negligence on the part of state officials. CANDIOTTI: For Darren Jones and others, the mix-ups make them wonder what will happen in November.

JONES: It will happen again. Trust me, it will happen again.

CANDIOTTI: Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, if you bought a Mega Millions Lottery ticket at Powers Wine in Lowell, Massachusetts, you may want to check your numbers. Lottery officials say the single winning ticket for the $290 million jackpot was bought there. Owner Jay Patel found out when state lottery officials called him this morning. And he is on the phone with us right now.

All right, Jay, what was that call like?

JAY PATEL, OWNER, POWERS WINE COMPANY: It was great. It was a great feeling.

WHITFIELD: What did they say to you exactly?

PATEL: Exactly, they said, you sold the winning ticket, $290 million. For a second, I wasn't believing it at all.

WHITFIELD: They kept it short and sweet, huh?

PATEL: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: Has your store ever sold a big winning ticket before?

PATEL: Not big like this, but we sold $1 million two years ago. And then we sold Mass Cash, a few days ago, for $100,000, but nothing big like this.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So a winner at your store also means that you all win, you get a bit of a jackpot, as well. Don't you? How much?

PATEL: Yes, a little bit. I think $50,000, but we didn't get the confirmation yet. There is a cap that you can go certain limits. I think that is $50,000.

WHITFIELD: Every little bit counts, $50,000 is not bad change.

PATEL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Describe the scene around your store this morning? What has it been like?

PATEL: Amazing. Like a media show going on with all the crews are here, NBC, ABC, everybody is here. And they're all excited and they just want to know who is the winner. You know, a lot of customers coming in the store.

WHITFIELD: So, there are a lot of wanna-be winners' friends out there.

PATEL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Is there real expectation that the winner might just come to your store to inform you that they have the winning ticket or might they come to the state lottery office?

PATEL: Hopefully they will go to their loyal friends (ph) before they go to the lottery.

WHITFIELD: Well, Jay Patel, thanks very much. Congrats as to you, as being the seller of the ticket. If only the winner would step forward now so we could all learn who that person is

PATEL: Thanks for having me on the phone.

WHITFIELD: Well, congrats on your $50,000 win.

PATEL: Thank you. Bye-bye.

WHITFIELD: See you later.

A quick look at other news across America now. Another victim of a shooting spree at the Kansas City ConAgra plant has died. Police are still trying to determine why 21-year-old Elijah Brown opened fire on his co-workers and then killed himself. Six people, including Brown, are dead, and two others are wounded. Police say the shooting began shortly after the end of an employee meeting.

Actor Marlon Brando made his first Broadway appearance in 1944 in the show "I Remember Mama." Last night Broadway paid a tribute to the actor, dimming its lights for a full minute at 8:00 p.m. Brando died Friday of pulmonary fibrosis, at the age of 80.

National mourning for President Reagan was to last 30 days, but the White House has ordered flags to be flown at full staff. A White House spokesman says the flags are being raised before the Fourth of July holiday, as a tribute to Reagan's memory.

And 65,000 acres of Arizona's Tanto (ph) National Forest has been consumed by wildfires. Fire officials say it is only 8 percent contained. In another wildfire, flames are within miles of the Mt. Graham (ph) Observatory near Safford. That facility has been evacuated.

Wildfires are also blazing across Alaska's interior. One blaze has charred 215,000 acres causing hundreds of people to evacuate there. Firefighters hope the weather will help them douse the flames. Shifting winds are already helping push flames away from the hundreds of homes and businesses being threatened.

It's raining, it's pouring and, yes, the old man is snoring. But new medical advances can help offer help to those long-suffering snorers out there -- women included.

And a look at a long weekend getaway. We'll show you why you don't need a week off to have a great time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: About one-third of Americans have this problem, sometimes even keeping others awake. Most snorers are men, but plenty of women are guilty, too. We're talking about America's nightly snore fest. The sleep foundation say 42 percent of men snore, about a third of women do. All told 92 million Americans are afflicted with the sleep-disturbing phenomenon.

Dr. Bill Lloyd joins us from San Antonio to talk about snoring fixes -- if you can call them that. And he is with the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Good to see you, Dr. Lloyd.

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIV. OF TEXAS, HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER: Fredricka, I did not win the 290 million mega millions. You will have to search elsewhere.

WHITFIELD: Doggone it. You weren't in Lowell, Massachusetts, recently? Darn. We'll have to continue talking about snoring, then, for one.

Why do so many of us snore?

LLOYD: Well, a lot of people are going to spend the weekend, this holiday weekend catching up for lost sleep during the week because they're next to a snorer. Snorers have an obstruction to their airway anywhere from the tip of their nose to the base of their throat. Find the problem, you can end the snoring.

WHITFIELD: Some snorers have a very serious problem, though. When you do discern what's mild snoring and what's a big problem that's potentially very dangerous?

LLOYD: Well, snorers who complain of always being tired probably aren't getting a full night's sleep and should talk to their doctor about it to find other problems that may be causing their snoring or perhaps refer them to a sleep specialist.

People who have this problem with sleep apnea they get into trouble because the obstructed airway cuts off oxygen and they stop breathing, and their blood pressure goes very low and they could be at risk for a stroke. By going to a sleep clinic and having their blood pressure and their heart rate monitored, they can make that accurate diagnosis.

WHITFIELD: What are some of the remedies, though, once the diagnosis made? Are all the best remedies a surgical route?

LLOYD: You don't always have to go surgical. Again, get the diagnosis. If you have sleep apnea, doctors will take you a certain way. If you're like the majority of people, who just make noise at night, find the remedy such as nasal obstruction, swollen tonsils and get help for that. But there's new treatment that is available, a lot of the obstruction is caused by a soft pallet. So using the spaghetti as a model, surgeons are now using a piece of plastic, about this size, and about this long. And they're going to insert it into the roof of the mouth. And that will make that soft pallet more rigid and get rid of the obstruction so people can sleep quietly all night long.

WHITFIELD: Wow, what about some nonsurgical remedies. You see commercials about special pillows and instructions on, perhaps, even elevating your legs or elevating your head. Any of that stuff work?

LLOYD: Some things actually do work. There's a nasal dilator, a little ring that fits right inside your nostril. If you have a problem with nasal obstruction that could help you very much.

Also if you problems with drinking, don't drink for two hours before you go to bed. If you're overweight, lose some weight. You can raise the head of the bed up a couple inches, that can help, as well.

If you have trouble with reflux, talk to your doctors for help with that. Because some of that acid reflux can also aggravate a snoring problem.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Bill Lloyd, of the University of Texas, thanks very much. And hopefully all of us can get a better night's sleep because of these suggestions you've given us, thanks a lot.

LLOYD: Enjoy your holiday.

WHITFIELD: You, too.

It's been a big weekend for sports. A 17-year-old scored a stunning upset at Wimbledon today. Maria Sharapova stopped defending champion Serena Williams, at the all England Club, for the women's championship winning the match in straight sets.

Could Lance Armstrong make it six in a row. The prologue for the three-week Tour de France began today in Belgium. The tough Texan won the last five tours. He and the rest of the field begin the real racing tomorrow.

Only six weeks remain in the travels of the Olympic Torch after going through Finland, the torch was carried to Moscow today. And it lands on the Island of Crete next week, to arrive in Athens on August 13 for the start of the Summer Games. Hard to believe, just over a month away.

Does an extra day really make a difference? We'll weigh the merits of the long weekend and give you some idea for filling the extra time.

Plus, a look at a special stone ready to take its place at the former World Trade Center site.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, if you haven't hit the road this weekend, let's look ahead and make plans for another possible long weekend. Getting away shouldn't be reserved for week-long vacations. The July issue of "Travel + Leisure" magazine, has 48 terrific destinations for a great mini vacation.

Let's talk about a few of them with Jane Bills, an assistant editor at "Travel + Leisure". And she joins us at the Time Warner Center in New York.

Good to see you, Jane.

JANE BILLS, ASSISTANT EDITOR, "TRAVEL + LEISURE": Hi, Fredricka, how are you?

WHITFIELD: Pretty good.

Should we plan our weekend getaways as intensely and as thoroughly as we would for say, a week-long vacation?

BILLS: No, I think it's a great way to getaway. Just last weekend, I took a four-day long weekend. And it is really a great way, you only take a couple days off of work. So you are not taking away too many of those vacation days. And you just have a mini vacation, great way to spend some time this summer.

WHITFIELD: So, the idea is be rather spontaneous? How do you go about selecting a destination?

BILLS: Well, "Travel & Leisure" July issue came up with a whole slew of them and we broke them down into categories. One is a beach, one is a culture, one is the island vacation. So, our beach vacation actually was Ft. Lauderdale. And, you know, you kind of think as Ft. Lauderdale as the spring vacation, spring break kind of thing.

But there is a lot going on there right now. The Starwood just opened a luxury property on Monday called the Atlantic. That is just a beautiful property on the beach, very Mediterranean style. And other places opening up soon are the St. Regis, Hilton, W, so you have a lot of development coming and Florida is a great place to go because it's actually low season. So, you are going to get some great hotel rates and getting down there on Jetblue or Delta Song, right now, it's $72 one way.

WHITFIELD: Oh, good deals on airfare.

BILLS: So, it is really easy to get down there.

WHITFIELD: All right, Nantucket, Massachusetts, bed & breakfast seem to be the way to go.

BILLS: Yes, well the islands off of Massachusetts, always known as kind of that old guard, Victorian bed & breakfast and the cobblestones. There is a younger generation moving in and spicing it up a little bit with boutiques and hotels. There is a New York-based shoe designer, named Vanessa Noel, who just opened up a hotel called VNH (ph), which is in an 1837 house. It is only eight rooms, but she's kind of given it a luxurious touch with Bulgari toiletries and Philippe Stark fixtures.

WHITFIELD: Fancy-smancy.

BILLS: Yes, it's very nice. It costs about $340 to stay there. So, if that is a little much, we also recommend the Veranda House, which is just as pleasant. And very nice, as well. You have a lot to do there. Rent a bike, go to the beaches outside of town. Also, on Mondays and Fridays, you can check out the constellations with the local astronomer at the Island Observatory. So, stargazing is nice.

WHITFIELD: Not bad at all.

Maybe you don't want frufru and maybe you're really the outdoor type and Boulder, Utah, is a great destination. Why?

BILLS: I really like this one. This is with the Boulder Outdoor Survival School. Now, don't mix this up with Boulder, Colorado. This is Boulder, Utah, there are 180 people who live here. You're going to be camping out between a national monument and a national park. It will be four days in the open desert, no tents, and you're going to get back to that old Boy Scout thing.

And just learn how to pick a camp site and make a shelter, find and purify water, and start a fire, and also animal tracking, you name it. This is also about unplugging. There are no cell phones allowed. If you have a cell phone addict in your party, tell them that's a no- no. No stoves, no radios. So, it is really fun getting back nature.

WHITFIELD: That's a real get away. Cut it all off. Then, really quick, head further West, San Francisco, certainly take a lot of money because you may want to do serious shopping.

BILLS: Yes. We're talking specifically about a place called Hayes Valley, which is a four-block corridor west of Civic Center Plaza. I was just there last weekend, actually, I think I had three people ask me if I've been there yet. So, very hot right now.

A lot of great restaurants. There is a place called Citizen Kake, that is well-known for pastries. You've got Inn At The Opera, which is nearby to all the shopping. You have mod accessories and furniture at Friend (ph), Mack has some great avante (ph) guard designer clothes from Belgium designers.

WHITFIELD: Nice. Jane Bills, of "Travel + Leisure" magazine. Thanks very much for helping us plan our next weekend getaway, for those who just couldn't make it happen this weekend.

BILLS: I know, let's both get away tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: I think that's a great idea. Thanks a lot, Jane.

BILLS: Bye, Fredricka. WHITFIELD: The grand dame of tourist destinations is reopening this summer. The Statute of Liberty welcomes visitors again on the 3rd, a month from today. It has been closed since the September 11th attacks for security upgrades. Now, for the first time, tourists will need reservations. And the public will not be allowed to climb the circular staircase into Liberty's crown, either.

Well, this July 4th in New York, another milestone and a cornerstone. That story straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The Fourth of July will mark yet another milestone in New York. The cornerstone of the building destined to reclaim the New York skyline will be placed that former World Trade Center site. CNN's Alina Cho reports the 1776-foot skyscraper is to become a symbol of American independence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It looks like a mirror.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Isn't it gorgeous?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Twenty tons of New York granite flecked with red garnet, the state's gemstone, soon it will become the cornerstone and first piece of the Freedom Tower, the tallest building at ground zero and in the world.

CHO (on camera): Big responsibility.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, boy. It's really a big responsibility.

CHO (voice over): Karen Pierce's (ph) company donated the stone after her crews completed three weeks of round-the-clock work, preparing the stone and carving an inscription, which is still a secret. Such delicate work, Pierce says, like taking care of a child.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not sleeping because I want nothing to happen, you know.

CHO (on camera): You want it be just right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, we want it to be perfect.

CHO (voice over): The stone slowly made its way to Lower Manhattan, arriving on a flatbed truck Thursday morning. It will be placed in the southeast corner of the 70-foot deep foundation on July 4th.

GOV. GEORGE PATAKI, NEW YORK: Everyone understands this is more than a building, more than just a site. It is a symbol of American freedom.

CHO: New York Governor George Pataki wanted the towers started by the third anniversary of the terrorist attack. PATAKI: A part of the message we're sending that we will never forget the heroes we lost and always live in freedom and with not just confidence but with real exuberance.

CHARLES WOLF, HUSBAND OF 9/11 VICTIM: You know where that tower was. It was right up there!

CHO: Charlie Wolf lost his wife Kathy on September 11th. She worked on the 97th floor of the North Tower. Wolf says rebuilding is part of moving on.

WOLF: They may have gotten my wife, but they're not getting the rest of my life. And I think, we Americans have said they're not getting out life either.

CHO (on camera): Construction on the Freedom Tower is expected to be finished in 2008, around the same time a memorial will be unveiled honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost nearly three years ago.

Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And CNN plans live coverage of the laying of the Freedom Tower cornerstone, Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Still much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In a few moments "In The Money" and at 2 Eastern, CNN Live Saturday". Today in-depth on the court testimony of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. At 3, it is "Next @ CNN". A look at the incredible pictures of Saturn's rings, being sent back by the Cassini spacecraft.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired July 3, 2004 - 12:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is Noon in Washington, 8:00 p.m. in Baghdad. Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY, I'm Fredricka Whitfield at CNN's global headquarters. Ahead this hour, American troops break up bomb making facilities in Iraq and arrest dozens of suspects. What this may do to the insurgents plan.
Also, the now political fight in Florida over efforts to purge voter lists and why this might be a replay of the 2000 presidential election.

And later:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone understands that this is more than a building, more that just a sight. It is a symbol of American freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Getting ready to lay the cornerstone for the Freedom Tower in New York City. The rebuilding begins at ground zero.

But first, here are the headlines. Another pipeline breach is interrupting the supply of oil from Iraq. This one is in southern Iraq near because Basra. Exports had recently been restored to prewar levels. Officials blame the equipment failure, not an insurgent attack.

In Gaza, Palestinian sources say an 8-year-old child was shot and killed apparently by Israeli forces. The Israeli military says it knows nothing about it, but the Israelis say they fired into the air twice in that area to stop violent demonstrators.

At least one person has $290 million and reasons to come forward to claim the Mega Millions Jackpot. The chances of winning are astronomically high, one in 135 million. Players must correctly pick six numbers from one to 52 and the winning ticket was sold at a store in Lowell, Massachusetts. The jackpot now goes back to only $10 million.

We begin this hour in Iraq with a successful operation for U.S. troops. A string of bomb-making sites was uncovered and dozens of suspected were -- suspected insurgents, rather, were rounded up. We get the details now from CNN's Baghdad bureau chief, Jane Arraf, at the Baghdad Airport -- Jane. JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Fredricka, quite a dramatic development in this fight against bomb makers and those car bombs. According to the U.S. military, they raided a site where they found, among other things, 50 pounds of plastic explosives. They were led to eight other sites in and around Baghdad and there they say they found four car bombs in the making. They say they have arrested one of the financiers, one of the bomb makers and found other weapons, as well. It's being called a major development in cracking one of these cells responsible for these ongoing explosions in Baghdad.

Fredricka, we have with us the commanding general of the 1st Armored Division who, for most of the past year, has been in charge of Baghdad. His division sent south to fight the Mahdi army in Najaf and now back, about to go home. Major General Martin Dempsey.

General, thanks very much for being with us.

MAJ. GEN. MARTIN DEMPSEY, U.S. ARMY: My pleasure.

ARRAF: Let's talk about Baghdad first. For a long time, you saw the evolution of this place, where do you think it is going now in terms of whether this violence is going to stop?

DEMPSEY: Well, I think -- I thing the overall trend line remains positive. As you know, back in April we had an upturn of violence in Baghdad and elsewhere in the country, and I think -- I think that that is what you'll see in the next year or so, particularly in the period leading up until elections in January. As you'll see overall progress, but you'll see periodic spikes of violence.

ARRAF: No, you commanded the biggest division in U.S. history and there were a lot of twists and turns along the way, what was that like and are the major lessons that we've learned from that, do you think?

DEMPSEY: Well, I think I'll only be in to understand the lessons as we distance ourselves from experience, I mean, you know how it is, and we've been invauvld 24/7, 365 plus, not only in Baghdad, but in the southern regions, as well, so we've began, just now, to capture our lessons learned. But in generally, I'll just say this, the -- my principal memory is that these great young men and women in uniform are just as heroic and as honorable and as selfless as you would want them to be if you were an American citizen, we'll have to be proud of them. And their leaders, Colonel Brad Mayor, you're going to talk to later, and many others are just as devoted. This is going to come out OK at the end of the day because of then people involved.

ARRAF: It almost didn't come out OK. You were on your way home, along with you're your soldiers and you sent south to find Moqtada al- Sadr's militia. How did it turn out?

DEMPSEY: Well, I think it turned out well. You know, the presence of a militia is antithetical to elections, so I mean, it was one of those things where the coalition, at that time -- the Coalitional Provisional Authority and the Iraqi Governing Council, could not allow militia to control the southern part of the country, and so, we went down there to defeat them and essentially stay on the path until the restoration of sovereignty. And here we are, I mean, sovereignty is restored and the interim Iraqi government is off to, what I think, is a good start. They got some huge challenges, I mean, they've to rebuild the ministry system and they've got to take control of their own indigenous security forces. But, it's all moving in the right direction. As I said, that doesn't mean there's not going to be some bad days, but you got to be optimistic about the future of Iraq with the new government in place and a transitional administrative office. I mean, there's a lot of reason to be optimistic.

ARRAF: And what happens now with the role of U.S. military? As you say, it's a sovereign government, where does the U.S. fit in and its troops?

DEMPSEY: Well, we've still got a huge role to play here. And you know, you talk to -- you talk to 10 generals, at this point, and you'll probably get 10 slightly different answers, I think the most important takeaway is that we are more in partnership now with the new Iraqi government and the security forces than we were before. I think it -- we're just going to have to work out some of the terms of reference of that partnership as we go, I mean, it's impossible to predict all eventualities, but the better we do at getting to know each other the better we'll be able to handle the situations as they arise.

ARRAF: Thank you so much.

DEMPSEY: Thank you.

ARRAF: Fredricka, that was Major General Martin Dempsey who is leaving, along with his troops, the biggest division in U.S. history having served the longest time Iraq. And they're finally going home --Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right Jane, thanks very much, from Baghdad Airport.

The rebuilding of Iraq started almost as soon as major combat ended, still there's a lot of work left to do. The General Accounting Office reported on the state of Iraq's infrastructure, this week. Jeanne Meserve is live with a status report -- Jeanne.

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, the report said that in some respects Iraq is worse off now than before the war. One of the areas it explored, the reconstruction of the power sector, considered critical to rebuilding Iraq's economy, improving daily life and winning the population's support for the coalition, but efforts to improve electrical service have fallen short. According to the GAO, although there have been some improvements, electrical service in the country as a whole has not shown a market improvement over immediate post-war levels, and has actually worsened in some areas. The authors of the report say there is no one place to assign blame when it comes to shortcomings in the rebuilding of Iraq's infrastructure and institutions, like the judiciary and the police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DAVID WALKER, GAO COMPTROLLER: Well, there's no one party to blame for this and no one individual to blame for this. The fact of the matter is -- is that the security situation is a lot more challenging, a lot more difficult than anybody expected. And as a result of that, it's had a real impediment in being able to bring up -- bring up the necessarily (SIC) institutions as quickly as we would like and to rebuild the infrastructure as quickly as we would have expected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MESERVE: Meanwhile, new figures from the White House show that only 2 percent of the $18.4 billion appropriated by Congress, last fall, for the rebuilding of Iraq, has actually been spent, $366 million was spent through June 22. Back in January the White House estimated that $10.3 billion would have been spent by the end of June.

Chad Colton, spokesman for the Office of Management and Budget, argues that more than half of the money that has been appropriated is in the pipeline. And the administration also points to what it sees as clear progress in Iraq, 2,500 schools rehabilitated, 85 percent of children immunized; 50 percent more telephone users than before the war. The White House also argues that the removal of Saddam Hussein from power, in and of itself, is a significant step forward. Frederica, back to you.

WHITFIELD: Jeanne Meserve, thanks very much from Washington.

Well, there is a lot of information on the war in Iraq with the latest battle reports available 24/7 on the CNN website. That website address is CNN.com.

The U.S. State Department says it appears terrorists are planning attacks in Bahrain. Headquarters of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, a travel warning is in effect and plans are underway to temporarily relocate military families and civilian workers. CNN's senior Pentagon correspondent, Jamie McIntyre, has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Pentagon sources say up to 900 U.S. Military dependents will be ordered out of Bahrain because of credible intelligence that tiny Persian Gulf state could be the next site of a terrorist kidnapping or other attack against Americans.

Also, U.S. officials are irked that six people, suspected of links to al-Qaeda arrested by Bahrain June 22, were released the next day for lack of evidence. A senior State Department told CNN, the six were "bad guys" and that their release has left the U.S., quote, "quite concerned about Bahrain's commitment to fight terror."

A State Department travel warning, issued July 1, pointedly says, "Credible information indicates that extremists remain at large and are planning attacks in Bahrain." The U.S. has some 4,500 military personnel stationed in Bahrain, which is the headquarters of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. While there are no plans to withdraw any U.S. troops or curtail operations, bringing families home would reduce the number of so-called soft targets, which are increasingly the targets of terrorists. Bahrain is just a short drive over a causeway from neighboring Saudi Arabia where, so far this year, five American civilians have been murdered, including Paul Johnson, an Apache helicopter engineer employed by Lockheed Martin, who was beheaded in Saudi Arabia June 18th.

(on camera): The Pentagon is not calling the mandatory departure an "evacuation," but rather a "temporary relocation." While the U.S. is not happy with Bahrain for letting suspected al-Qaeda terrorists go, Bahrain isn't happy with the U.S., either, for sending the signal that the kingdom is unsafe for Westerners.

Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Lending a hand in Iraq, NATO has decided to help, but will its members ever agree on what that help will be? We'll look at the options.

And here at home, latest job numbers and what they mean for people looking for work, when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: With full political powers, the Iraqi government now looks to end insurgent attacks. NATO agreed this week to train Iraq's security forces, but already the alliance is feuding on just how to do that. With insight, David Isby joins us now from Washington, he's a defense and foreign policy analyst and has written several books on military tactics, most recently about the war on Afghanistan.

Good to see you, David.

DAVID ISBY, DEFENSE, FOREIGN POLICY ANALYST: Good afternoon.

WHITFIELD: All right, well let talk about the variations of the promised ways of help that are being offered. Yemen and Jordan, most recently, the only Arab states who have said, "We're willing to offer some very limited assistance" that in the form of peacekeeping. So, paint a picture. What will Iraqis actually see?

ISBY: Well, what the Iraqis will hopefully see is an improving security situation of trained Iraqi security forces on the ground. Now, this is going to be very difficult, in fact, in the transition from a totalitarian to a post-totalitarian government it's really hard to get policemen who are used to the old regime to transition to the type of policing that democracies are used to, so foreign help is definitely going to be required.

WHITFIELD: But that certainly helps spell out how NATO will hope to offer some assistance in training Iraqi forces. Now, will that take place within the comfines of Iraq or will that mean that some Iraqi forces will be pulled out and go to the NATO nations, because those are the kind of details that haven't been worked out, right?

ISBY: No. Already there is training, for example, there are training facilities in the United Arab Emirates where Iraqi security forces are being trained. They're now being trained in hungry by U.S. forces, so that's already going on. We've also seen activities going on in other countries, in Afghanistan the Germans are training the police as they did back in the 1960s and '70s and the U.S. is hoping to involve them as they did in the former Yugoslavia in Bosnia and Kosovo where European nations train new police forces.

WHITFIELD: Well Afghanistan, one of those nations you just mentioned, Hamid Karzai is already asking to provide more help, especially leading up to the September elections. How is that going to put a strain, perhaps, on the NATO promises to help out Iraq, as well?

ISBY: Well, NATO has relatively few forces and limited political will. Certainly, the have been talking about sending in forces beyond those which currently are around Kabul, the ISAB (PH) in Afghanistan, especially in helping to provide security for reconstruction and election in the south and eastern of Afghanistan. Now NATO has been reluctant to do this. Now in fairness, the U.S. has also been reluctant to send in additional troops beyond those that are now looking for bin Laden, other leadership figures in Afghanistan. Neither wants to move first. The U.S. has more troops, but the Europeans are very reluctant to commit more of their relatively small forces.

WHITFIELD: Now, let talk about some of the reluctance of some of the NATO allies, as pertains to Iraq. Particularly France, for example, has said -- you know, Jacques Chirac, in particular, has not encouraged, necessarily, NATO forces to be so involved in Iraq. He says specifically, "I am completely hostile the idea of a NATO establishment in Iraq. It would be dangerous, counterproductive, and misunderstood by the Iraqis who, after all, deserve a little bit of respect." Is he making a good argument?

ISBY: Well, already -- I mean, 16 of 26 NATO nations already have troops in Iraq. Chirac is trying to steer NATO, as an institution, rather on the nations. He is insisting that the countries that help, including things like police training in the United Arab Emirates, is being done under the country's national flags rather than NATO flag, as is being used in Afghanistan. So, he's trying very much to limit this consistent with French policy and this may lead, indeed to a divergence of the Germans there.

WHITFIELD: David Isby, defense and foreign policy analyst, thanks very much, always good to see you.

ISBY: Thank you. Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Well, Iraqis watched this week as their former dictator faced justice under the new government. Saddam Hussein declared he was still president of Iraq in his first court appearance. He was often defiant as preliminary charges were read against him. And you can watch a replay of Saddam's day in court, later today, CNN Live Saturday will air this weeks testimony and will have analysis and that begins at 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 Pacific.

The June employment report is in and the numbers are disappointing. What this mean for the job front?

And some of us who do have jobs are just looking forward to the next day off. Long weekends and some great ways to spend them, coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: No fireworks in the June job's report, in fact, it's left plenty of experts wondering if the economic recovery is more fizzle than sizzle. The government says 112,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy last month. Growth was about half of what experts were anticipating and a significant slowdown from the first five months of the year. Still it was enough to keep the unemployment rate steady at 5.6 percent. Let's look inside the numbers with John Challenger in Chicago. His firm, Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, studies workplace trends and issues.

Good to see you, John.

JOHN CHALLENGER, CHALLENGER, GRAY, & CHRISTMAS: Nice to be here, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Encouraging numbers, at least they're moving in the right direction, but it's not quite what forecasters had expected. What happened?

CHALLENGER: The economy didn't seem to really create jobs in two key sectors that had been driving some of the job growth. Construction slowed down, there were no real jobs created there, perhaps with the interest rates beginning to go up, some of that construction is beginning to tail off. Also travel, hospitality, that sector didn't create any jobs. The high energy prices might very well be the reason.

WHITFIELD: Really? Construction is down? I thought the past couple months construction of, say, for instance, new homes was up, but if unemployment figures or job's growth seems to be down, doesn't there seem to be a real conflict there?

CHALLENGER: Well, we saw almost a quarter of a million jobs in the last year created in construction, but those companies are full up, they've got the people they need. It wasn't a big growth spurt, so there were no extra jobs created.

WHITFIELD: So, where are these forecasts coming from?

CHALLENGER: Well, these numbers are created by the Labor Department, they're the number of jobs that come through two sources, either surveys of companies or surveys of people, of households and the government looks at just how many jobs are being created. The creation number comes from establishment survey which is of companies.

WHITFIELD: So, the goals have not been met. Is this a sign of what's to come short term?

CHALLENGER: Well, that's the real question. The economy, after three long years, finally started creating jobs, especially in the last three months prior to this month, almost a million jobs are created. Many were very hopeful that we would see another big month this month and it didn't happen.

WHITFIELD: All right. John Challenger in Chicago, thanks very much. And hopefully next time we talk the numbers will be encouraging all across the board.

CHALLENGER: Thanks, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Well, three months and counting until the election, President Bush targets the minorities and Senator Kerry targets the Heartland. A look at both straight ahead.

Plus, devastating wildfires sweeping through Alaska. Is there relief in sight?

And a new form of relief for those suffering from the most well- known sleep disorder. The details coming up on CNN SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: John Kerry will use e-mail to reveal his choice of a vice presidential running mate. The announcement could come in just days. Congressional correspondent, Joe Johns, is with the Kerry campaign today, in Wisconsin.

And Joe, what's happening there?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka we're in a big old barn in Independence, Wisconsin, right now. This is the second day of John Kerry's Heartland bus tour. He's trying to project himself as a voice for rural America. As you can see, a crowd of people here, it's been raining, so they're not outdoors. Last night, also at a farm here in Wisconsin, he got a great reception and played the guitar a little bit. The whole point is connecting with small town voters. The polls show Bush, of course, has an edge when it comes to small town and rural voters, bit the Kerry camp is now pointing to polls showing that he does have some traction.

The issue of the vice presidential running mate of course is important, right now, a lot of people talking about that. There have been some suggestions his decision on that could come as early as Tuesday. Kerry, of course, has said it'll be announced first in e- mails to supporters, three politicians, that you know the names: Richard Gephardt, John Edwards, also Tom Vilsack. Some suggestions that has been narrowed to two, but Kerry has said, quote, "that's news to me. That's complete fiction to me. I don't have no idea who's talking about what. I've made no decision yet and when I make a decision, I'll be ready to announce it. I don't have any idea," he says, "how anybody could speculate on what's going on," in his head, and that's a quote. So, still waiting for news on that and we're going to sit here and listen to this event, Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Joe. And before we do listen to that event, let me ask you real quick, is there a sense, is there an explanation from John Kerry as to why he wants to reveal the vice presidential candidate as -- through e-mail?

JOHNS: Well, the only thing we've gotten from the campaign on that is these are the people who have paid the most attention to him, who have the highest interest in the campaign. So, their view, apparently, is that those folks deserve to hear the news first. Of course, the question is whether it could be leaked earlier and, who knows, it has happened before, as you know, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Joe Johns traveling with presidential candidate, John Kerry, in Independence, Wisconsin on the second day of his three-day tour of the Midwest of the Heartland.

Well there is still much more political buzz these days in Washington about who will be John Kerry's running mate. And with the latest on the Kerry deep stakes join Kelly Wallace with the Kerry campaign communications director, Stephanie Cutter, "Inside Politics Sunday" airs tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

Minority voters could make the difference if there's another nail biter of a presidential election in November. CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House today with the GOP outreach plan -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Fredricka. Well, one Bush-Cheney campaign official calls their minority outreach efforts "unprecedented," saying that they are working very aggressively to push the president's message to minority voters. Now, that particular issue was in the spotlight, albeit indirectly this week, as President Bush, a couple days ago, marked the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act. That was an event that took place in the East Room here at the White House. Now, the president, 40 years after that signing says that under his initiatives, minority groups have benefited. And officials here at the White House cite the president's goal of creating more than five million new minority homeowners by the end of the decade. The White House saying to that date -- to this date, 1.5 million minorities now own their own homes. The administration also points to its efforts in education, saying that public schools are now held more accountable then in the past, to the benefit of all children, including minorities.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECY.: The president is proud of his record and he will continue to reach out to people from all walks of life and all backgrounds.

Starting with, in terms of the record, the most important domestic policy initiative in this area that I think people should look at is the commitment the president made to improving our public schools and passing the No Child Left Behind Act.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: Now, as part of the president's minority outreach effort, also emphasizing the president's commitment to faith-based initiatives. It was about a week and a half or so ago that the president traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to speak at a predominantly black church there, announcing some new HIV-AIDS initiatives. Also stressing, at that point, his commitment to working with faith-based groups in the community.

The president, by the way, Fredricka, in 2000, garnering just 8 percent of the African-American vote, obviously, this time around come November, he is hope hoping to better that. Also we should mention, obviously, the president looking to Hispanic groups, as well.

We're told an unprecedented effort there, thousands of people mobilized across the country on outreach efforts, calling, knocking on doors, calling into radio shows, talk shows. All part of the effort to send the message that the president and Republican Party is an inclusive group -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Elaine, so far what does the reception seem to be like among Black and Hispanic voters, and even Asian voters, as well. A fast-growing segment of the population.

QUIJANO: Absolutely. On the African-American voters, at this point in time, four months out, obviously, still some time left, but the news has not been good. The poll numbers showing that African- Americans not identifying with President Bush, or some of his policies.

Now, one thing that is interesting to note is that the president is appearing to make a connection when it comes to the religious elements of these minority groups. Notably African-American groups and Hispanic groups, reaching out to the more conservative religious elements who may ally their views along the lines of what President Bush stands for.

It is still very much an open question, but, obviously, every little bit helps. This administration pushing hard in these final months now, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano, at the White House, thanks very much.

A potential headache is brewing in Florida. Ahead of this year's presidential election, CNN has obtained a list of some 47,000 suspected felons who could be barred from voting in the state this fall. But as CNN's Susan Candiotti reports, many of those on the list have every right to enter a voting booth.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DARREN JONES, VOTER: They went ahead and removed me. It's like guilty and then until proved innocent. SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Darren Jones was stunned when he opened a letter last month from the Miami, Dade elections office.

JONES: The court system has notified the elections department of your recent felony conviction, which is not true.

CANDIOTTI: True, Jones is a convicted felon who served six months of house arrest, but that was in 1998.

JONES: So, I know, this couldn't be right.

CANDIOTTI: Like all Florida felons are required to do, Jones applied for and got his voting rights back in 2003 and says he proudly used his card to cast a vote in last spring's Democratic primary.

Dade elections officials admit they goofed this time, but can't explain it.

(on camera): What happened to Darren Jones is happening to others. CNN successfully sued Florida election officials to get a list and this is just a part of it. A 47,000 suspected felons who could be dumped from voter rolls. Like the case of Darren Jones, we found a mistake after mistake.

(voice over): At 22, Sam Hayward was convicted of buying stolen furniture. In 1986 he won back his voting rights and says he hasn't missed an election. Only to discover he is on the new suspected felons' list.

SAM HAYWARD, VOTER: To find out my name is still on the list and saying it might have effect on your voting privileges. I don't see how, I've been voting for the last 15 years.

CANDIOTTI: The "Miami Herald" reports that it documented more 2,100 errors on the massive list. Of the 47,000 named, 39 percent reportedly are black Democrats, 20 percent are white Democrats 16 percent, white Republicans. With only four months to go before the presidential election 67 county supervisors now find themselves under orders from the capital to confirm the new so-called suspected felons list. Few, if any, are happy about it.

JON SANCHO, LEON CO. ELECTION SUPERVISOR: As an election's official, asking me to conduct criminal background checks and spend most of my time in the criminal justice system would be analogous to asking doctors to do tax returns. And this simply not our job.

CANDIOTTI: A spokesman for Governor Jeb Bush says the list is only a tool and insists election officials will have enough time to check each name before the next election. The NAACP and the ACLU settled a lawsuit against Florida two years ago. It called for improving the state's voter database.

HOWARD SIMON, FLORIDA ACLU: State officials placed an eligible voter on the list of people to be purged, that is negligence on the part of state officials. CANDIOTTI: For Darren Jones and others, the mix-ups make them wonder what will happen in November.

JONES: It will happen again. Trust me, it will happen again.

CANDIOTTI: Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, if you bought a Mega Millions Lottery ticket at Powers Wine in Lowell, Massachusetts, you may want to check your numbers. Lottery officials say the single winning ticket for the $290 million jackpot was bought there. Owner Jay Patel found out when state lottery officials called him this morning. And he is on the phone with us right now.

All right, Jay, what was that call like?

JAY PATEL, OWNER, POWERS WINE COMPANY: It was great. It was a great feeling.

WHITFIELD: What did they say to you exactly?

PATEL: Exactly, they said, you sold the winning ticket, $290 million. For a second, I wasn't believing it at all.

WHITFIELD: They kept it short and sweet, huh?

PATEL: Yeah.

WHITFIELD: Has your store ever sold a big winning ticket before?

PATEL: Not big like this, but we sold $1 million two years ago. And then we sold Mass Cash, a few days ago, for $100,000, but nothing big like this.

WHITFIELD: Wow. So a winner at your store also means that you all win, you get a bit of a jackpot, as well. Don't you? How much?

PATEL: Yes, a little bit. I think $50,000, but we didn't get the confirmation yet. There is a cap that you can go certain limits. I think that is $50,000.

WHITFIELD: Every little bit counts, $50,000 is not bad change.

PATEL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Describe the scene around your store this morning? What has it been like?

PATEL: Amazing. Like a media show going on with all the crews are here, NBC, ABC, everybody is here. And they're all excited and they just want to know who is the winner. You know, a lot of customers coming in the store.

WHITFIELD: So, there are a lot of wanna-be winners' friends out there.

PATEL: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Is there real expectation that the winner might just come to your store to inform you that they have the winning ticket or might they come to the state lottery office?

PATEL: Hopefully they will go to their loyal friends (ph) before they go to the lottery.

WHITFIELD: Well, Jay Patel, thanks very much. Congrats as to you, as being the seller of the ticket. If only the winner would step forward now so we could all learn who that person is

PATEL: Thanks for having me on the phone.

WHITFIELD: Well, congrats on your $50,000 win.

PATEL: Thank you. Bye-bye.

WHITFIELD: See you later.

A quick look at other news across America now. Another victim of a shooting spree at the Kansas City ConAgra plant has died. Police are still trying to determine why 21-year-old Elijah Brown opened fire on his co-workers and then killed himself. Six people, including Brown, are dead, and two others are wounded. Police say the shooting began shortly after the end of an employee meeting.

Actor Marlon Brando made his first Broadway appearance in 1944 in the show "I Remember Mama." Last night Broadway paid a tribute to the actor, dimming its lights for a full minute at 8:00 p.m. Brando died Friday of pulmonary fibrosis, at the age of 80.

National mourning for President Reagan was to last 30 days, but the White House has ordered flags to be flown at full staff. A White House spokesman says the flags are being raised before the Fourth of July holiday, as a tribute to Reagan's memory.

And 65,000 acres of Arizona's Tanto (ph) National Forest has been consumed by wildfires. Fire officials say it is only 8 percent contained. In another wildfire, flames are within miles of the Mt. Graham (ph) Observatory near Safford. That facility has been evacuated.

Wildfires are also blazing across Alaska's interior. One blaze has charred 215,000 acres causing hundreds of people to evacuate there. Firefighters hope the weather will help them douse the flames. Shifting winds are already helping push flames away from the hundreds of homes and businesses being threatened.

It's raining, it's pouring and, yes, the old man is snoring. But new medical advances can help offer help to those long-suffering snorers out there -- women included.

And a look at a long weekend getaway. We'll show you why you don't need a week off to have a great time.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: About one-third of Americans have this problem, sometimes even keeping others awake. Most snorers are men, but plenty of women are guilty, too. We're talking about America's nightly snore fest. The sleep foundation say 42 percent of men snore, about a third of women do. All told 92 million Americans are afflicted with the sleep-disturbing phenomenon.

Dr. Bill Lloyd joins us from San Antonio to talk about snoring fixes -- if you can call them that. And he is with the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Good to see you, Dr. Lloyd.

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIV. OF TEXAS, HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER: Fredricka, I did not win the 290 million mega millions. You will have to search elsewhere.

WHITFIELD: Doggone it. You weren't in Lowell, Massachusetts, recently? Darn. We'll have to continue talking about snoring, then, for one.

Why do so many of us snore?

LLOYD: Well, a lot of people are going to spend the weekend, this holiday weekend catching up for lost sleep during the week because they're next to a snorer. Snorers have an obstruction to their airway anywhere from the tip of their nose to the base of their throat. Find the problem, you can end the snoring.

WHITFIELD: Some snorers have a very serious problem, though. When you do discern what's mild snoring and what's a big problem that's potentially very dangerous?

LLOYD: Well, snorers who complain of always being tired probably aren't getting a full night's sleep and should talk to their doctor about it to find other problems that may be causing their snoring or perhaps refer them to a sleep specialist.

People who have this problem with sleep apnea they get into trouble because the obstructed airway cuts off oxygen and they stop breathing, and their blood pressure goes very low and they could be at risk for a stroke. By going to a sleep clinic and having their blood pressure and their heart rate monitored, they can make that accurate diagnosis.

WHITFIELD: What are some of the remedies, though, once the diagnosis made? Are all the best remedies a surgical route?

LLOYD: You don't always have to go surgical. Again, get the diagnosis. If you have sleep apnea, doctors will take you a certain way. If you're like the majority of people, who just make noise at night, find the remedy such as nasal obstruction, swollen tonsils and get help for that. But there's new treatment that is available, a lot of the obstruction is caused by a soft pallet. So using the spaghetti as a model, surgeons are now using a piece of plastic, about this size, and about this long. And they're going to insert it into the roof of the mouth. And that will make that soft pallet more rigid and get rid of the obstruction so people can sleep quietly all night long.

WHITFIELD: Wow, what about some nonsurgical remedies. You see commercials about special pillows and instructions on, perhaps, even elevating your legs or elevating your head. Any of that stuff work?

LLOYD: Some things actually do work. There's a nasal dilator, a little ring that fits right inside your nostril. If you have a problem with nasal obstruction that could help you very much.

Also if you problems with drinking, don't drink for two hours before you go to bed. If you're overweight, lose some weight. You can raise the head of the bed up a couple inches, that can help, as well.

If you have trouble with reflux, talk to your doctors for help with that. Because some of that acid reflux can also aggravate a snoring problem.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Bill Lloyd, of the University of Texas, thanks very much. And hopefully all of us can get a better night's sleep because of these suggestions you've given us, thanks a lot.

LLOYD: Enjoy your holiday.

WHITFIELD: You, too.

It's been a big weekend for sports. A 17-year-old scored a stunning upset at Wimbledon today. Maria Sharapova stopped defending champion Serena Williams, at the all England Club, for the women's championship winning the match in straight sets.

Could Lance Armstrong make it six in a row. The prologue for the three-week Tour de France began today in Belgium. The tough Texan won the last five tours. He and the rest of the field begin the real racing tomorrow.

Only six weeks remain in the travels of the Olympic Torch after going through Finland, the torch was carried to Moscow today. And it lands on the Island of Crete next week, to arrive in Athens on August 13 for the start of the Summer Games. Hard to believe, just over a month away.

Does an extra day really make a difference? We'll weigh the merits of the long weekend and give you some idea for filling the extra time.

Plus, a look at a special stone ready to take its place at the former World Trade Center site.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, if you haven't hit the road this weekend, let's look ahead and make plans for another possible long weekend. Getting away shouldn't be reserved for week-long vacations. The July issue of "Travel + Leisure" magazine, has 48 terrific destinations for a great mini vacation.

Let's talk about a few of them with Jane Bills, an assistant editor at "Travel + Leisure". And she joins us at the Time Warner Center in New York.

Good to see you, Jane.

JANE BILLS, ASSISTANT EDITOR, "TRAVEL + LEISURE": Hi, Fredricka, how are you?

WHITFIELD: Pretty good.

Should we plan our weekend getaways as intensely and as thoroughly as we would for say, a week-long vacation?

BILLS: No, I think it's a great way to getaway. Just last weekend, I took a four-day long weekend. And it is really a great way, you only take a couple days off of work. So you are not taking away too many of those vacation days. And you just have a mini vacation, great way to spend some time this summer.

WHITFIELD: So, the idea is be rather spontaneous? How do you go about selecting a destination?

BILLS: Well, "Travel & Leisure" July issue came up with a whole slew of them and we broke them down into categories. One is a beach, one is a culture, one is the island vacation. So, our beach vacation actually was Ft. Lauderdale. And, you know, you kind of think as Ft. Lauderdale as the spring vacation, spring break kind of thing.

But there is a lot going on there right now. The Starwood just opened a luxury property on Monday called the Atlantic. That is just a beautiful property on the beach, very Mediterranean style. And other places opening up soon are the St. Regis, Hilton, W, so you have a lot of development coming and Florida is a great place to go because it's actually low season. So, you are going to get some great hotel rates and getting down there on Jetblue or Delta Song, right now, it's $72 one way.

WHITFIELD: Oh, good deals on airfare.

BILLS: So, it is really easy to get down there.

WHITFIELD: All right, Nantucket, Massachusetts, bed & breakfast seem to be the way to go.

BILLS: Yes, well the islands off of Massachusetts, always known as kind of that old guard, Victorian bed & breakfast and the cobblestones. There is a younger generation moving in and spicing it up a little bit with boutiques and hotels. There is a New York-based shoe designer, named Vanessa Noel, who just opened up a hotel called VNH (ph), which is in an 1837 house. It is only eight rooms, but she's kind of given it a luxurious touch with Bulgari toiletries and Philippe Stark fixtures.

WHITFIELD: Fancy-smancy.

BILLS: Yes, it's very nice. It costs about $340 to stay there. So, if that is a little much, we also recommend the Veranda House, which is just as pleasant. And very nice, as well. You have a lot to do there. Rent a bike, go to the beaches outside of town. Also, on Mondays and Fridays, you can check out the constellations with the local astronomer at the Island Observatory. So, stargazing is nice.

WHITFIELD: Not bad at all.

Maybe you don't want frufru and maybe you're really the outdoor type and Boulder, Utah, is a great destination. Why?

BILLS: I really like this one. This is with the Boulder Outdoor Survival School. Now, don't mix this up with Boulder, Colorado. This is Boulder, Utah, there are 180 people who live here. You're going to be camping out between a national monument and a national park. It will be four days in the open desert, no tents, and you're going to get back to that old Boy Scout thing.

And just learn how to pick a camp site and make a shelter, find and purify water, and start a fire, and also animal tracking, you name it. This is also about unplugging. There are no cell phones allowed. If you have a cell phone addict in your party, tell them that's a no- no. No stoves, no radios. So, it is really fun getting back nature.

WHITFIELD: That's a real get away. Cut it all off. Then, really quick, head further West, San Francisco, certainly take a lot of money because you may want to do serious shopping.

BILLS: Yes. We're talking specifically about a place called Hayes Valley, which is a four-block corridor west of Civic Center Plaza. I was just there last weekend, actually, I think I had three people ask me if I've been there yet. So, very hot right now.

A lot of great restaurants. There is a place called Citizen Kake, that is well-known for pastries. You've got Inn At The Opera, which is nearby to all the shopping. You have mod accessories and furniture at Friend (ph), Mack has some great avante (ph) guard designer clothes from Belgium designers.

WHITFIELD: Nice. Jane Bills, of "Travel + Leisure" magazine. Thanks very much for helping us plan our next weekend getaway, for those who just couldn't make it happen this weekend.

BILLS: I know, let's both get away tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: I think that's a great idea. Thanks a lot, Jane.

BILLS: Bye, Fredricka. WHITFIELD: The grand dame of tourist destinations is reopening this summer. The Statute of Liberty welcomes visitors again on the 3rd, a month from today. It has been closed since the September 11th attacks for security upgrades. Now, for the first time, tourists will need reservations. And the public will not be allowed to climb the circular staircase into Liberty's crown, either.

Well, this July 4th in New York, another milestone and a cornerstone. That story straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: The Fourth of July will mark yet another milestone in New York. The cornerstone of the building destined to reclaim the New York skyline will be placed that former World Trade Center site. CNN's Alina Cho reports the 1776-foot skyscraper is to become a symbol of American independence.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It looks like a mirror.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Isn't it gorgeous?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Twenty tons of New York granite flecked with red garnet, the state's gemstone, soon it will become the cornerstone and first piece of the Freedom Tower, the tallest building at ground zero and in the world.

CHO (on camera): Big responsibility.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, boy. It's really a big responsibility.

CHO (voice over): Karen Pierce's (ph) company donated the stone after her crews completed three weeks of round-the-clock work, preparing the stone and carving an inscription, which is still a secret. Such delicate work, Pierce says, like taking care of a child.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm not sleeping because I want nothing to happen, you know.

CHO (on camera): You want it be just right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, we want it to be perfect.

CHO (voice over): The stone slowly made its way to Lower Manhattan, arriving on a flatbed truck Thursday morning. It will be placed in the southeast corner of the 70-foot deep foundation on July 4th.

GOV. GEORGE PATAKI, NEW YORK: Everyone understands this is more than a building, more than just a site. It is a symbol of American freedom.

CHO: New York Governor George Pataki wanted the towers started by the third anniversary of the terrorist attack. PATAKI: A part of the message we're sending that we will never forget the heroes we lost and always live in freedom and with not just confidence but with real exuberance.

CHARLES WOLF, HUSBAND OF 9/11 VICTIM: You know where that tower was. It was right up there!

CHO: Charlie Wolf lost his wife Kathy on September 11th. She worked on the 97th floor of the North Tower. Wolf says rebuilding is part of moving on.

WOLF: They may have gotten my wife, but they're not getting the rest of my life. And I think, we Americans have said they're not getting out life either.

CHO (on camera): Construction on the Freedom Tower is expected to be finished in 2008, around the same time a memorial will be unveiled honoring the nearly 3,000 lives lost nearly three years ago.

Alina Cho, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And CNN plans live coverage of the laying of the Freedom Tower cornerstone, Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

Still much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY. In a few moments "In The Money" and at 2 Eastern, CNN Live Saturday". Today in-depth on the court testimony of deposed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. At 3, it is "Next @ CNN". A look at the incredible pictures of Saturn's rings, being sent back by the Cassini spacecraft.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com