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CNN Live At Daybreak

Fight For Iraq; Easter in Rome; 9/11 Testimony Rice Reaction; Good Friday; Killed in Action

Aired April 09, 2004 - 05:30   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is working to declassify the president's daily intelligence briefing of August 6, 2001. It was the subject of a heated -- of a -- of heated debate during National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice's testimony before the 9/11 Commission.
A cease-fire deal has been signed between the government of Sudan and rebel leaders that ends a year-long battle between Arab and non- Arab Muslims that has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people.

And Christians are observing Good Friday today. Pope John Paul II began four days of services last night be celebrating Holy Thursday Mass commemorating the last supper Jesus had with his disciples.

To the Forecast Center now and Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: New developments this morning in the fight for Iraq. Here is what's happening right now.

Insurgents are holding three Japanese and two Arabs linked to Israel. The militants threaten to burn the Japanese alive if Japan does not withdrawal its troops. We'll have more on that for you in a live report straight ahead.

The war's top commander General John Abizaid is reportedly looking at ways to boost combat power by 10,000 troops. That's according to his interview in the "Washington Post" this morning. Abizaid says it may mean bringing part of the 3rd Infantry Division back to Iraq sooner than scheduled.

And a spokesman for Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr says an intifada has broken out across the country. He's calling on Americans to -- quote -- "remove your tanks."

Let's head live to Baghdad now to see if that's true and check out other major developments on the war front, especially in Fallujah.

What's happening there -- Jim Clancy?

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well according to residents that CNN talked to today just a few hours ago, beginning about two hours ago, the city fell calm. And that, according to U.S. military commanders here on the ground, is because the U.S. has imposed a unilateral cessation of offensive operations. This is not a truce. This is not a cease-fire. Technical terms, truces and cease-fires are agreed by both parties. This is unilateral by the United States. It is aimed to do at least two objectives.

One of them is to allow talks to begin between members of the Iraqi Governing Council, local leaders there in Fallujah, as well as representatives of the suspected Sunni militants who have been carrying out attacks in that city, including the killing of four U.S. civilian security contractors there a week ago Wednesday. That's extensively why the U.S. went in.

But it's also going to be allowing aid to flow into Fallujah, give the residents there a respite from five days of sometimes very heavy fighting. The residents are said today to have been streaming out of the city through back roads, reaching a village and then perhaps going on to stay with relatives elsewhere.

This is a suspension of offensive operations by the U.S. Marines there, but they would still act. They could still open fire in defense. In other words, if the other side fires on the Marines, they are not going to hesitate in firing back. But this gives an opportunity for everyone to sit down around the table. General Mark Kimmitt telling CNN just a short time ago the U.S. military will be involved in those talks. They will be putting forward a list of objectives and demands, in his words, in order to bring the situation under control.

This does not guarantee that there is going to be a cessation of hostilities over an extended period of time. That will depend on the talks that take place sometime later today we are told. We're not getting any specific information about that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Jim, I...

CLANCY: But a significant development there. Go ahead.

COSTELLO: ... was interested because the U.S. military and the Iraqi Islamic Party, which is part of the Governing Council in Iraq, are going to negotiate with those in Fallujah. Are they talking now?

CLANCY: We don't know that. We do know, and we have been told by General Kimmitt and others, that those talks will be taking place some time today. Now there had been talks going out -- going on around the periphery to try to halt the violence there. But obviously you can't sit down and talk with anybody while the entire city is a battleground. As a result, this halt in offensive operations, unilateral halt by the U.S. military, will give those talks a chance.

COSTELLO: Jim Clancy reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

And also, we should mention it, if Jim didn't, and he may have, the city of Kut in the southern part of Iraq, the U.S. military now controls that city.

For the latest on the situation in Iraq and any time, go to our Web site, CNN.com/World. There you can view an interactive map of insurgent hot spots and learn more about the main Shiite leaders in Iraq.

Increased police patrols, manholes sealed, snipers on the rooftops overlooking St. Peter's Square, it's just another Holy Week in Rome. Anti-terror security is beefed up for the Easter holidays, which draw millions of tourists to Italy.

Let's head live to Rome now and our bureau chief there Alessio Vinci.

Good morning -- Alessio.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.

Well a few intense days indeed for John Paul II here at the Vatican. Let's start with the religious aspect of these holidays, a series of ceremonies here which began last night at the Vatican with celebrations of a mass recalling Jesus' Last Supper. And then this Friday, known to Catholics around the world as Good Friday, is the most solemn day in their calendar. It's the day that Jesus was crucified.

The Pope will preside the Way of the Cross, which is a procession representing the passion, last hours before crucifixion, an event taking place not at the Vatican, however, but at the coliseum later tonight. The procession led by cardinals, as well as other church members, followed by pilgrims all praying and singing hymns. As in previous years, the frail Pope will not carry the cross himself, but he is expected to deliver at the end of the procession a blessing.

And as you mentioned with all the streets are packed with pilgrims and tourists, security remains a major concern here. The Vatican is one of the more than 13,000 potential targets identified by Italian officials throughout the country and indeed, security has been stepped up as it is the case, however, during most public ceremonies here. There is no specific threat at this time, but security officials are indeed on high alert.

And as you mentioned, visitors going into St. Peter's Square go through some tough security screenings. There is an X-ray machine. The boulevard leading to the square itself, the Via Country Siona (ph), for those who are familiar with Rome and the Vatican, is being sealed off, at least during the night. Manholes are on that street are also sealed.

So no specific threat, but certainly security officials here on high alert and making sure that there is nothing that goes wrong. But this is all security precautions, measure taken, basically, every time there are special events here at the Vatican and indeed, this is a very special week for the Vatican.

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Certainly. You know it's just kind of sad because I have been to that square because the Pope comes out, you know, of a little window up there and it's usually you can just walk up, anybody can go up and there's no security. But of course times have changed, haven't they?

Alessio, I wanted to ask you, every Easter the Pope has a message that he sends out to people. Any hint as to what that message will be this year?

VINCI: Look, it's been the case here for the last year, Pope has been talking about peace. This is really the message that he wants to send out to people around the world. And indeed we do expect that on his Easter Sunday address would be it all be to the world, you know, to the cities, the world, John Paul II will reiterate, really, a call for peace.

Vatican officials have in recent days called for a great role, for example, of the United Nations in Iraq. Pope John Paul II, you may recall, last year in the days and weeks and months leading up to the beginning of the confrontations in Iraq pretty much was calling for calm, calling for restraint, saying that this war was not going to lead to anything good. He actually was very much concerned about the possibility that this conflict would bring up a clash of civilizations, the way he called it, the Christians versus the Muslims.

All this, of course, is not necessarily happening throughout the world, but certainly Pope John Paul II in his message throughout the world to the world on Sunday and in these homilies in these few days during masses will certainly recall peace.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci reporting live for us from Rome this morning. We thank you.

Let's talk a little bit more about Condoleezza Rice and her testimony before the 9/11 Commission. Some of what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: There was no silver bullet that could have prevented the 9/11 attacks. In hindsight, if anything might have helped stop 9/11, it would have been better information about threats inside the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

We want to talk so much more about this because we have been asking for your e-mails, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Now we want to go live to Richmond, Virginia and our friend Jimmy Barrett of WRVA News Radio.

Good morning -- Jimmy.

JIMMY BARRETT, WRVA NEWS RADIO: Good morning. I'd send you an e-mail, but I'm just going to go ahead and lay it on the line right now. How's that?

COSTELLO: It's good enough for me. So what stood out to you?

BARRETT: Well what stood out to me was, was this supposed to be a nonpartisan commission? Because you know I watched for three hours yesterday and I didn't see the nonpartisan part of this commission.

COSTELLO: Are you speaking about the heated debate between Mr. Kerrey and Dr. Rice?

BARRETT: I'm -- yes, I mean if I -- if I could have gotten my rather large, meaty hands through the television screen to put around Bob Kerrey's neck yesterday, I would have been sorely tempted to do just that.

COSTELLO: But you know in fairness, I believe Lou Dobbs interviewed some Republican members of the commission, and they said that this was the correct forum to ask tough questions. They didn't feel that questions were partisan at all.

BARRETT: You know what, I do not mind tough questions. This is not about tough questions. This is allowing somebody to answer the question. You know ask your question. If they don't answer the question to your satisfaction, redirect the question. Don't constantly interrupt and make political comments along the way. I don't care what side of the fence you want to be on that issue.

COSTELLO: Well let me read a couple of e-mails from our viewers. One agreeing with you.

BARRETT: Sure.

COSTELLO: This is from Pierre (ph), Muncie, Indiana. He says I think Dr. Rice is a very intelligent lady and she stood up to the bullying from a couple of the members. I am still waiting for someone to finally stand up and say what all Americans want to hear, the fact that 9/11 happened and what we can do to get rid of those terrorists in the future. Enough of using these hearings for promotion of political agendas.

BARRETT: Well, you know what, Pierre, where -- Pierre, wherever you are, you are a very astute person. I think you are absolutely right about that.

COSTELLO: OK, Bill from Montana says, for as intelligent as Ms. Rice seems to be, she sure says I don't remember quite a bit. How convenient.

BARRETT: Well, you know what, I don't get a lot of that I don't remember part. You know where I think there is a lot of room here, I think there is a lot of room for interpretation on exactly what is included in some of these...

COSTELLO: You're talking about that August 6 memo, aren't you?

BARRETT: I can't wait to see the August 6, 2001 memo.

COSTELLO: It will indeed be declassified. And where are my notes, because I want to get the title right. Darn, I can't find them.

BARRETT: I remember the title from yesterday and I know exactly what you're talking about, because it specifically refers to Osama bin Laden and it specifically...

COSTELLO: And an attack within the United States.

BARRETT: An attack within the United States. Now what Condoleezza Rice said yesterday is within the context of that is when are we talking about an attack? Did we have any way of determining where the attack would be, what the attack would be, who the attackers would be and any sort of a timeframe...

COSTELLO: Well may I just throw this out, Jimmy, what about the attack on the World Trade Center back in '93? Surly everybody knew within the United States that an attack had already taken place in New York so maybe, maybe that's one of the places they ought to have looked?

BARRETT: All right. And well, you know what, that's fine. But what part of that tells you that we need to be on the lookout at airports, that we've got these people trained to fly planes, that they are willing to take these planes and fly them into American buildings and...

COSTELLO: Well I believe Condoleezza Rice said that there were warnings put out to the FAA to strengthen security before 9/11.

BARRETT: Well, and do you know what, we've been talking about strengthening security in this country for years. But the Federal Aviation Administration has --is -- had a tough enough time, I think, during the course of its history just keeping the air traffic controllers in place and just making sure that we are running, you know, safe airports as far as the ingress and egress of airplanes.

Security was a huge problem from day one. The airlines were in charge of security and for paying for security. And when you put private enterprise in charge of that and do not give them intelligence information, what do you expect them to do?

COSTELLO: All right, a good debate going this morning. Jimmy Barrett from WRVA Radio, Richmond, Virginia, thanks, as always, for joining DAYBREAK.

Coming up next on DAYBREAK, devoted Catholics recreate the crucifixion of Jesus. We're going to go there live.

Also,...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SANDRA IRACHETA, SOLDIER'S MOTHER: Before he left over there, he told me that he know he wasn't coming back. He had already prepared for that that he was going to be back, but he was going to be back in a coffin.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A family mourns a devoted father and friend.

This is DAYBREAK for Thursday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 5:46 Eastern. Here is what's all new this morning.

The U.S. military has halted its offensive operation against anti-coalition forces in Fallujah. The Americans hope to hold talks with local sheikhs. They hope to negotiate.

A controversial intelligence document about Osama bin Laden's goals will be declassified. It was given to the president on August 6, a month, just about a month before the terror attacks.

In money news, Japan's financial markets fell today amidst news that three Japanese are being held hostage in Iraq. The kidnappings raised fears about global security and political uncertainties.

In sports, close but no cigar or a record, for that matter, Barry Bonds hit one to the fence but it's going, it's going, it's going, it's caught.

MYERS: Caught.

COSTELLO: Bonds needs one more home run to tie Willie Mays for third place on the all-time home run list.

In culture, Debra Messing, better known as Grace on "Will & Grace," has given birth to a little boy. It's the first child for Messing and her husband, screenwriter Daniel Zelman.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: In the Philippines, every year on Good Friday devoted Catholics recreate the crucifixion of Jesus. Thousands of faithful and tourists alike have gathered at the site of the annual rituals.

CNN's Maria Ressa live on the phone with us with a preview -- Maria.

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we just finished watching about 13 men crucify themselves, complete with the dramatization of the arrest of Jesus Christ, ending with the nailing of the palms and of their hands and feet. Crucifixion marking the death of Christ.

It's become a gory annual festival tourist attraction in the city of San Fernando, just north of the capital Manila. Hundreds of other men go through a self-flagellation ceremony, which begins with a wooden paddle embedded with sharpened glass break the skin of their back. Then parading through the streets of the city (ph) hitting the wounds on their back with bamboo rods, all as a form of suffering and penance.

Excuse me.

Men we spoke with said that they gained new insight into this after (ph) suffering of Christ. After, the whole village watched the showing of the film Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you that. Do you need to take a drink of water -- Maria?

RESSA: Thanks, Carol, sorry about that.

COSTELLO: That's OK. You go take a drink of water, and of course we'll have more from you later, because Maria gets a firsthand account of a man who has crucified himself for 20 years following him through the flagellations and crucifixion today. And you can see that on "ANDERSON COOPER 360" at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

DAYBREAK will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICE: I think that it is possible that they are -- that they recognized the heightened security profile that we have post September 11. And I believe that we have made it harder for them to attack here. I will tell you that I get up every day concerned because I don't think we have made it impossible for them. We are safer, but we are not safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Of course that's Condoleezza Rice testifying before the 9/11 Commission yesterday. At times the commission meeting got very heated.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: But Condoleezza Rice held her ground.

MYERS: She did.

COSTELLO: Very regal and she was right on in her comments. I mean not correct in information, because some people might disagree.

MYERS: Correct.

COSTELLO: I'm not saying that, but she certainly held strong.

MYERS: Quite correct. Yes, she held her own. She really did. Yes.

COSTELLO: She certainly did.

We've been asking for your e-mails all morning long, DAYBREAK@CNN.com. And we've got some to read to you to share with our other viewers right now.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: This is from D.C.B. (ph) in South Carolina. He or she says, come on, there was a silver bullet if Rice had acted instead of waiting for others to tell her to act she should have done it. And of course she had been saying that there was no silver bullet to prevent the 9/11 attacks.

MYERS: Right.

Hey, from J.P., don't know where you're from, but Dr. Rice spoke eloquently, even under obvious -- obviously partisan questioning, but I didn't learn anything new.


Aired April 9, 2004 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The White House is working to declassify the president's daily intelligence briefing of August 6, 2001. It was the subject of a heated -- of a -- of heated debate during National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice's testimony before the 9/11 Commission.
A cease-fire deal has been signed between the government of Sudan and rebel leaders that ends a year-long battle between Arab and non- Arab Muslims that has claimed the lives of more than 10,000 people.

And Christians are observing Good Friday today. Pope John Paul II began four days of services last night be celebrating Holy Thursday Mass commemorating the last supper Jesus had with his disciples.

To the Forecast Center now and Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: New developments this morning in the fight for Iraq. Here is what's happening right now.

Insurgents are holding three Japanese and two Arabs linked to Israel. The militants threaten to burn the Japanese alive if Japan does not withdrawal its troops. We'll have more on that for you in a live report straight ahead.

The war's top commander General John Abizaid is reportedly looking at ways to boost combat power by 10,000 troops. That's according to his interview in the "Washington Post" this morning. Abizaid says it may mean bringing part of the 3rd Infantry Division back to Iraq sooner than scheduled.

And a spokesman for Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr says an intifada has broken out across the country. He's calling on Americans to -- quote -- "remove your tanks."

Let's head live to Baghdad now to see if that's true and check out other major developments on the war front, especially in Fallujah.

What's happening there -- Jim Clancy?

JIM CLANCY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well according to residents that CNN talked to today just a few hours ago, beginning about two hours ago, the city fell calm. And that, according to U.S. military commanders here on the ground, is because the U.S. has imposed a unilateral cessation of offensive operations. This is not a truce. This is not a cease-fire. Technical terms, truces and cease-fires are agreed by both parties. This is unilateral by the United States. It is aimed to do at least two objectives.

One of them is to allow talks to begin between members of the Iraqi Governing Council, local leaders there in Fallujah, as well as representatives of the suspected Sunni militants who have been carrying out attacks in that city, including the killing of four U.S. civilian security contractors there a week ago Wednesday. That's extensively why the U.S. went in.

But it's also going to be allowing aid to flow into Fallujah, give the residents there a respite from five days of sometimes very heavy fighting. The residents are said today to have been streaming out of the city through back roads, reaching a village and then perhaps going on to stay with relatives elsewhere.

This is a suspension of offensive operations by the U.S. Marines there, but they would still act. They could still open fire in defense. In other words, if the other side fires on the Marines, they are not going to hesitate in firing back. But this gives an opportunity for everyone to sit down around the table. General Mark Kimmitt telling CNN just a short time ago the U.S. military will be involved in those talks. They will be putting forward a list of objectives and demands, in his words, in order to bring the situation under control.

This does not guarantee that there is going to be a cessation of hostilities over an extended period of time. That will depend on the talks that take place sometime later today we are told. We're not getting any specific information about that -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Jim, I...

CLANCY: But a significant development there. Go ahead.

COSTELLO: ... was interested because the U.S. military and the Iraqi Islamic Party, which is part of the Governing Council in Iraq, are going to negotiate with those in Fallujah. Are they talking now?

CLANCY: We don't know that. We do know, and we have been told by General Kimmitt and others, that those talks will be taking place some time today. Now there had been talks going out -- going on around the periphery to try to halt the violence there. But obviously you can't sit down and talk with anybody while the entire city is a battleground. As a result, this halt in offensive operations, unilateral halt by the U.S. military, will give those talks a chance.

COSTELLO: Jim Clancy reporting live from Baghdad this morning.

And also, we should mention it, if Jim didn't, and he may have, the city of Kut in the southern part of Iraq, the U.S. military now controls that city.

For the latest on the situation in Iraq and any time, go to our Web site, CNN.com/World. There you can view an interactive map of insurgent hot spots and learn more about the main Shiite leaders in Iraq.

Increased police patrols, manholes sealed, snipers on the rooftops overlooking St. Peter's Square, it's just another Holy Week in Rome. Anti-terror security is beefed up for the Easter holidays, which draw millions of tourists to Italy.

Let's head live to Rome now and our bureau chief there Alessio Vinci.

Good morning -- Alessio.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN ROME BUREAU CHIEF: Good morning, Carol.

Well a few intense days indeed for John Paul II here at the Vatican. Let's start with the religious aspect of these holidays, a series of ceremonies here which began last night at the Vatican with celebrations of a mass recalling Jesus' Last Supper. And then this Friday, known to Catholics around the world as Good Friday, is the most solemn day in their calendar. It's the day that Jesus was crucified.

The Pope will preside the Way of the Cross, which is a procession representing the passion, last hours before crucifixion, an event taking place not at the Vatican, however, but at the coliseum later tonight. The procession led by cardinals, as well as other church members, followed by pilgrims all praying and singing hymns. As in previous years, the frail Pope will not carry the cross himself, but he is expected to deliver at the end of the procession a blessing.

And as you mentioned with all the streets are packed with pilgrims and tourists, security remains a major concern here. The Vatican is one of the more than 13,000 potential targets identified by Italian officials throughout the country and indeed, security has been stepped up as it is the case, however, during most public ceremonies here. There is no specific threat at this time, but security officials are indeed on high alert.

And as you mentioned, visitors going into St. Peter's Square go through some tough security screenings. There is an X-ray machine. The boulevard leading to the square itself, the Via Country Siona (ph), for those who are familiar with Rome and the Vatican, is being sealed off, at least during the night. Manholes are on that street are also sealed.

So no specific threat, but certainly security officials here on high alert and making sure that there is nothing that goes wrong. But this is all security precautions, measure taken, basically, every time there are special events here at the Vatican and indeed, this is a very special week for the Vatican.

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Certainly. You know it's just kind of sad because I have been to that square because the Pope comes out, you know, of a little window up there and it's usually you can just walk up, anybody can go up and there's no security. But of course times have changed, haven't they?

Alessio, I wanted to ask you, every Easter the Pope has a message that he sends out to people. Any hint as to what that message will be this year?

VINCI: Look, it's been the case here for the last year, Pope has been talking about peace. This is really the message that he wants to send out to people around the world. And indeed we do expect that on his Easter Sunday address would be it all be to the world, you know, to the cities, the world, John Paul II will reiterate, really, a call for peace.

Vatican officials have in recent days called for a great role, for example, of the United Nations in Iraq. Pope John Paul II, you may recall, last year in the days and weeks and months leading up to the beginning of the confrontations in Iraq pretty much was calling for calm, calling for restraint, saying that this war was not going to lead to anything good. He actually was very much concerned about the possibility that this conflict would bring up a clash of civilizations, the way he called it, the Christians versus the Muslims.

All this, of course, is not necessarily happening throughout the world, but certainly Pope John Paul II in his message throughout the world to the world on Sunday and in these homilies in these few days during masses will certainly recall peace.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci reporting live for us from Rome this morning. We thank you.

Let's talk a little bit more about Condoleezza Rice and her testimony before the 9/11 Commission. Some of what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: There was no silver bullet that could have prevented the 9/11 attacks. In hindsight, if anything might have helped stop 9/11, it would have been better information about threats inside the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

We want to talk so much more about this because we have been asking for your e-mails, DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Now we want to go live to Richmond, Virginia and our friend Jimmy Barrett of WRVA News Radio.

Good morning -- Jimmy.

JIMMY BARRETT, WRVA NEWS RADIO: Good morning. I'd send you an e-mail, but I'm just going to go ahead and lay it on the line right now. How's that?

COSTELLO: It's good enough for me. So what stood out to you?

BARRETT: Well what stood out to me was, was this supposed to be a nonpartisan commission? Because you know I watched for three hours yesterday and I didn't see the nonpartisan part of this commission.

COSTELLO: Are you speaking about the heated debate between Mr. Kerrey and Dr. Rice?

BARRETT: I'm -- yes, I mean if I -- if I could have gotten my rather large, meaty hands through the television screen to put around Bob Kerrey's neck yesterday, I would have been sorely tempted to do just that.

COSTELLO: But you know in fairness, I believe Lou Dobbs interviewed some Republican members of the commission, and they said that this was the correct forum to ask tough questions. They didn't feel that questions were partisan at all.

BARRETT: You know what, I do not mind tough questions. This is not about tough questions. This is allowing somebody to answer the question. You know ask your question. If they don't answer the question to your satisfaction, redirect the question. Don't constantly interrupt and make political comments along the way. I don't care what side of the fence you want to be on that issue.

COSTELLO: Well let me read a couple of e-mails from our viewers. One agreeing with you.

BARRETT: Sure.

COSTELLO: This is from Pierre (ph), Muncie, Indiana. He says I think Dr. Rice is a very intelligent lady and she stood up to the bullying from a couple of the members. I am still waiting for someone to finally stand up and say what all Americans want to hear, the fact that 9/11 happened and what we can do to get rid of those terrorists in the future. Enough of using these hearings for promotion of political agendas.

BARRETT: Well, you know what, Pierre, where -- Pierre, wherever you are, you are a very astute person. I think you are absolutely right about that.

COSTELLO: OK, Bill from Montana says, for as intelligent as Ms. Rice seems to be, she sure says I don't remember quite a bit. How convenient.

BARRETT: Well, you know what, I don't get a lot of that I don't remember part. You know where I think there is a lot of room here, I think there is a lot of room for interpretation on exactly what is included in some of these...

COSTELLO: You're talking about that August 6 memo, aren't you?

BARRETT: I can't wait to see the August 6, 2001 memo.

COSTELLO: It will indeed be declassified. And where are my notes, because I want to get the title right. Darn, I can't find them.

BARRETT: I remember the title from yesterday and I know exactly what you're talking about, because it specifically refers to Osama bin Laden and it specifically...

COSTELLO: And an attack within the United States.

BARRETT: An attack within the United States. Now what Condoleezza Rice said yesterday is within the context of that is when are we talking about an attack? Did we have any way of determining where the attack would be, what the attack would be, who the attackers would be and any sort of a timeframe...

COSTELLO: Well may I just throw this out, Jimmy, what about the attack on the World Trade Center back in '93? Surly everybody knew within the United States that an attack had already taken place in New York so maybe, maybe that's one of the places they ought to have looked?

BARRETT: All right. And well, you know what, that's fine. But what part of that tells you that we need to be on the lookout at airports, that we've got these people trained to fly planes, that they are willing to take these planes and fly them into American buildings and...

COSTELLO: Well I believe Condoleezza Rice said that there were warnings put out to the FAA to strengthen security before 9/11.

BARRETT: Well, and do you know what, we've been talking about strengthening security in this country for years. But the Federal Aviation Administration has --is -- had a tough enough time, I think, during the course of its history just keeping the air traffic controllers in place and just making sure that we are running, you know, safe airports as far as the ingress and egress of airplanes.

Security was a huge problem from day one. The airlines were in charge of security and for paying for security. And when you put private enterprise in charge of that and do not give them intelligence information, what do you expect them to do?

COSTELLO: All right, a good debate going this morning. Jimmy Barrett from WRVA Radio, Richmond, Virginia, thanks, as always, for joining DAYBREAK.

Coming up next on DAYBREAK, devoted Catholics recreate the crucifixion of Jesus. We're going to go there live.

Also,...

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SANDRA IRACHETA, SOLDIER'S MOTHER: Before he left over there, he told me that he know he wasn't coming back. He had already prepared for that that he was going to be back, but he was going to be back in a coffin.

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COSTELLO: A family mourns a devoted father and friend.

This is DAYBREAK for Thursday.

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COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 5:46 Eastern. Here is what's all new this morning.

The U.S. military has halted its offensive operation against anti-coalition forces in Fallujah. The Americans hope to hold talks with local sheikhs. They hope to negotiate.

A controversial intelligence document about Osama bin Laden's goals will be declassified. It was given to the president on August 6, a month, just about a month before the terror attacks.

In money news, Japan's financial markets fell today amidst news that three Japanese are being held hostage in Iraq. The kidnappings raised fears about global security and political uncertainties.

In sports, close but no cigar or a record, for that matter, Barry Bonds hit one to the fence but it's going, it's going, it's going, it's caught.

MYERS: Caught.

COSTELLO: Bonds needs one more home run to tie Willie Mays for third place on the all-time home run list.

In culture, Debra Messing, better known as Grace on "Will & Grace," has given birth to a little boy. It's the first child for Messing and her husband, screenwriter Daniel Zelman.

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COSTELLO: In the Philippines, every year on Good Friday devoted Catholics recreate the crucifixion of Jesus. Thousands of faithful and tourists alike have gathered at the site of the annual rituals.

CNN's Maria Ressa live on the phone with us with a preview -- Maria.

MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, we just finished watching about 13 men crucify themselves, complete with the dramatization of the arrest of Jesus Christ, ending with the nailing of the palms and of their hands and feet. Crucifixion marking the death of Christ.

It's become a gory annual festival tourist attraction in the city of San Fernando, just north of the capital Manila. Hundreds of other men go through a self-flagellation ceremony, which begins with a wooden paddle embedded with sharpened glass break the skin of their back. Then parading through the streets of the city (ph) hitting the wounds on their back with bamboo rods, all as a form of suffering and penance.

Excuse me.

Men we spoke with said that they gained new insight into this after (ph) suffering of Christ. After, the whole village watched the showing of the film Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

COSTELLO: I was just going to ask you that. Do you need to take a drink of water -- Maria?

RESSA: Thanks, Carol, sorry about that.

COSTELLO: That's OK. You go take a drink of water, and of course we'll have more from you later, because Maria gets a firsthand account of a man who has crucified himself for 20 years following him through the flagellations and crucifixion today. And you can see that on "ANDERSON COOPER 360" at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

DAYBREAK will be right back.

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RICE: I think that it is possible that they are -- that they recognized the heightened security profile that we have post September 11. And I believe that we have made it harder for them to attack here. I will tell you that I get up every day concerned because I don't think we have made it impossible for them. We are safer, but we are not safe.

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COSTELLO: Of course that's Condoleezza Rice testifying before the 9/11 Commission yesterday. At times the commission meeting got very heated.

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: But Condoleezza Rice held her ground.

MYERS: She did.

COSTELLO: Very regal and she was right on in her comments. I mean not correct in information, because some people might disagree.

MYERS: Correct.

COSTELLO: I'm not saying that, but she certainly held strong.

MYERS: Quite correct. Yes, she held her own. She really did. Yes.

COSTELLO: She certainly did.

We've been asking for your e-mails all morning long, DAYBREAK@CNN.com. And we've got some to read to you to share with our other viewers right now.

MYERS: All right.

COSTELLO: This is from D.C.B. (ph) in South Carolina. He or she says, come on, there was a silver bullet if Rice had acted instead of waiting for others to tell her to act she should have done it. And of course she had been saying that there was no silver bullet to prevent the 9/11 attacks.

MYERS: Right.

Hey, from J.P., don't know where you're from, but Dr. Rice spoke eloquently, even under obvious -- obviously partisan questioning, but I didn't learn anything new.