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CNN Live At Daybreak

9/11 Commission Hearings; Reaction to President Bush's News Conference; Breakfast With Daybreak: Fish Facts

Aired April 14, 2004 - 06:30   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: And be sure to stay right here for all of today's testimony. We're going to have live coverage for you. The hearings begin at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, so keep your TV right here on CNN.
New images are coming out of Fallujah this morning. We want to bring back our senior international editor, David Clinch, to show us some more of these pictures.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Carol. Well, we saw these pictures coming in within the last half-hour or so. This is the daily pool feed from Fallujah. We're getting it on a next-day basis, basically. This was during the day Tuesday in Fallujah, the scene of, we're told, quite serious fighting during the day Tuesday.

We saw pictures of U.S. fighter jets in the air. I said earlier they were F-16s. I was corrected and told they are F-15s that we see, flying in very aggressive patterns over the city.

We also saw the Marines, who are there preparing what are called bunker bags, filling bags with dirt, obviously preparing for continuous fighting there.

A very interesting situation, both in Fallujah and Najaf. Fighting is continuing around the edges of both of these cities, but the U.S. is clearly in a position of deciding whether to go full force in Fallujah to eliminate the insurgents who are there. And in Najaf, also deciding whether or not to go in militarily into that holy city to get Moqtada al-Sadr. That's a much more complicated situation.

COSTELLO: Exactly. As we continue to watch these pictures, I want to tie up a few loose ends for our audience. Four bodies were found...

CLINCH: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... near that burning convoy. Has the coalition identified these bodies? Do we know who they are?

CLINCH: They have not. There were initial reports that the bodies were mutilated. Now, these are the bodies found near the scene of a convoy that was attacked, where nine Americans -- two soldiers and seven contractors -- went missing. So, there's an obvious question of whether these bodies are of some of those Americans. That has not been confirmed. The bodies have not been properly identified. And the reports of mutilation have not been confirmed. So, lots of questions there, which we're still looking into.

COSTELLO: Why do you suppose it's taking them so long? Because I know that some of the contractors' families have been notified.

CLINCH: Yes.

COSTELLO: But we don't know what they were told.

CLINCH: Well, in a general sense, we know only that they were told that bodies had been found near the scene and that there was an investigation continuing. We do not know that anybody has been told their relatives are dead at this point.

And obviously, it's taking so long. I mean, we don't know how long it will take, but it's taking time, because they want to be right. They need to be right. This is a very difficult issue apart from anything else. Four bodies, nine people missing, they want to know if -- even if they are Americans, they want to know who they have.

COSTELLO: The other update. Russian contractors will be pulled out of Iraq.

CLINCH: Yes, those that want to leave. I mean, we're seeing both Russian, French and others, the non-coalition members offering all of their civilian contractors the opportunity to get out. We had some Italian contractors taken hostage yesterday. Lots of countries, including the coalition countries, are seeing their civilian contractors at risk. They're offering them the chance to get out, and many will take that opportunity, we believe.

COSTELLO: And the better news coming out of Iraq this morning. Give us something good.

CLINCH: Well, there is the suggestion, obviously, that on the political side, we could see some progress. We have the U.N. envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, who has been in Baghdad, talking to all of the Iraqi factions who have been disagreeing about whether they can take part in a new Iraqi entity to which power would be handed over at the end of June. If they will take part, what part do they take? The U.N. is already helping the U.S. to try and solve that problem.

And interestingly, today an Iranian official is in Baghdad today. And the Iranian foreign minister in Tehran today is saying that Iran has been asked by the U.S. to help sort out at least the face-off with Moqtada al-Sadr.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

CLINCH: We're waiting to see whether the U.S. confirms they have actually asked for Iranian help, but we do know an Iranian official is in Baghdad today.

COSTELLO: OK. We'll let you get back to work.

CLINCH: OK. COSTELLO: Thank you, David.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, we'll go inside the Beltway for more reaction to the president's press conference. What part of his message will Washington be buzzing about today?

Plus, we know we should eat more of it, but there are some do's and don'ts when it comes to preparing and ordering fish from the menu.

And then, a Las Vegas flyover. A rare hometown treat.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The person responsible for the attacks was Osama bin Laden. That's who is responsible for killing Americans. And that's why we will stay on the offense until we bring people to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: President Bush making no apology for his actions pre- 9/11.

We want to talk more about how the president's message was received last night and is being received this morning. Joining us live on the phone from Washington, WTOP News Radio's Judlyne Lilly.

Judlyne, good morning.

JUDLYNE LILLY, WTOP ANCHOR: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, before we start, I want to read some of our viewer e-mails to you to see if you're getting the same reaction from viewers in Washington.

This is from Joanne (ph). She says: "Bush was once again out of his league. He was nervous, stumbling and arrogant. The remark about no one wanting to see dead people on TV was a bit much. The other misstep, he couldn't think of one mistake he made."

LILLY: He was asked that question in the news conference about him saying not saying that he is making mistakes or has made mistakes in the past regarding Iraq and the war on terror. And the problem is, is that Bush administration staying on message, as usual, feels that Iraq, the war in Iraq is the war on terror, or is at least part of it.

So, the reaction of that viewer is direct competition to what the president is saying. It's a completely different view of what the war in Iraq is all about. Many people see the war in Iraq as something different than the war on terror. The president says it is the war on terror.

COSTELLO: You know, it's interesting that you say that. This is from Mike from South Carolina. He says: "After last night's speech, Mr. Bush proved he is a leader and a very honest man, unlike you clowns who show your bias and arrogance towards the president. This is war, and I believe the start of World War 3, and you folks show some support or move your company out of the country."

So, people are very either -- it seems to be they're either very firmly on the president's side or they're not.

LILLY: Well, April certainly is the cruelest month for hundreds of families of war dead. Already, this is the deadliest month for American forces since the U.S. set foot in Iraq. So, you're going to have these kinds of reactions.

In fact, that these variety of reactions to the president's speech and his news conference last night directly reflects exactly what happened in the election of 2000. Many people, you saw what the voting was like and how we had to go down to the Supreme Court to make the decision as to who was actually going to be president.

This has not changed, and this will continue unless Kerry comes up with something different, or President Bush has an October surprise. This will probably remain the same throughout the campaign.

COSTELLO: Well, John Kerry did respond, saying the president outlined no plan for the turnover in Iraq, except to say that it would indeed happen on June 30. Were many people in your part of your world hoping to hear something from the president as to who would take the reins in Iraq after June 30?

LILLY: Well, that question, once again, was asked at the news conference as to who is going to be in charge. And he did outline -- I have to say, the president did outline the plan for when elections would be held in Iraq, when the Governing Council would be out of business and actual elections would be held and when Iraq would be in charge of itself. And that sounds like it was 2005, something around 2006 perhaps.

So, there is some indication that the president does have a plan and that whether or not it works out is another matter.

COSTELLO: All right, Judlyne Lilly joining us live from WTOP News Talk Radio in Washington, D.C.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:42 Eastern Time. Here's what's all new this morning.

It will be another big day at the 9/11 Commission hearings. The nation's intelligence chiefs, past and present, will testify today.

This week's kidnapping and release of eight employees of a Russian firm is prompting Russia to evacuate its workers from Iraq. More than 800 contractors are affected by this voluntary evacuation.

In money news, a security warning from Microsoft. The company says critical flaws in its Windows system and other programs could allow hackers to sneak into your computers and snoop around.

In sports, suspended University of Colorado head coach Gary Barnett says a lot of bag decisions were made by players and coaches. The coach testified for five hours in front of a panel investigating whether the university used sex as a recruiting tool.

In culture, country music superstar Dolly Parton gets the living legend award today from the Library of Congress.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you. Still to come on DAYBREAK, what's for dinner tonight? Stick around to find out why fish may be a healthy addition for your family's menu.

And meet an Olympic hopeful. This world champ is tackling a brand new sport.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Welcome back to DAYBREAK.

Let's head live to New York now to check in with Bill and Soledad to see what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

And I suspect you'll be talking about the president's speech as well.

HEMMER: Indeed we will, yes. Big news though today, Carol.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In fact, we're going to be talking to Suzanne Malveaux for a little reaction from the White House this morning. Also, Ron Brownstein will give us his perspective on how he thinks the president did at that press conference yesterday.

HEMMER: Meanwhile, the hearings continue for the 9/11 Commission. We heard a lot yesterday, and the testimony really is quite stunning in many areas. Ted Olson is our guest today. We'll also talk with two of the commissions, Roemer (ph) and Thompson, their reaction yesterday to what we heard from John Ashcroft and others on Capitol Hill.

O'BRIEN: And then we're covering this incredible story out of California.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: It sounds like an amazing story.

O'BRIEN: The details of this little girl, 5 or 6 years old, who was found maybe 10 days after her mother had a fatal car crash. Her mother died. The little girl is fine. A little thirsty, they said, able to snack on some of the food in the vehicle for 10 days.

HEMMER: Extraordinary.

O'BRIEN: We're going to talk a little bit this morning with Frank Buckley...

HEMMER: That's right.

O'BRIEN: ... about that story out of L.A.

HEMMER: Also, we'll have Jack for you, too, looking back to last night, and also the election upcoming in November. A good e-mail question that we will query our viewers with this morning, Carol. See you at the top of the hour here on "AMERICAN MORNING."

COSTELLO: They're up and active this morning. I'll just warn you.

HEMMER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Yes, we can tell from your e-mail.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Thanks to both of you. We'll see you in 10 minutes.

HEMMER: You got it.

O'BRIEN: All right, Carol.

COSTELLO: There's lots of fishy information out there about seafood. So, this morning our favorite dietician, Lisa Drayer, is here with some fish facts for you. She joins us live from New York.

Good morning, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETICIAN: Good morning, Carol. That's right.

And according to a new national consumer survey, even though many Americans are aware of the health benefits of eating fish, a lot of us are not consuming fish. Only 34 percent of Americans report eating fresh fish during a week's time. This is compared to 77 percent of consumers that eat steak or beef during a week's time.

COSTELLO: But, you know, that really surprises me, because fish is supposed to be so good for you. Should we be eating much more fish?

DRAYER: Well, that is a very important message. Fish is definitely healthy. It's gotten a bad rap lately because of the news about mercury and PCB levels in fish. But every expert I spoke with, Carol, says that the risk of not eating fish is much greater in terms of disease prevention than the risk is of eating fish.

So, it's really important to include fish in your diet, and the American Heart Association recommends that you should consume at least two servings of fish per week. So, it is an important part of our diet.

COSTELLO: Well, I want to talk more about the dangers of fish, because Chad had an interesting question. Farm-raised salmon, we've heard a lot about that in the news lately that it's not good for you, right?

DRAYER: Exactly. And this is in response to the science study. And, you know, I spoke with the FDA about this issue. They're very upset. They say that the level of PCB's in the farm-raised salmon, you know, compared to the wild salmon is slightly higher. However, overall, the risk is very low.

In fact, they used a temperature comparison with me. Actually, this is very appropriate for Chad. I didn't even realize that. But if, for example, let's say, you know, a temperature of, let's say, 300 would be dangerous. So, if you're talking about farm salmon being equated to a temperature of, let's say, four degrees, whereas wild salmon, let's say, would be equated to two degrees. You see there is maybe double the number there, but overall the risk is relatively low.

COSTELLO: OK. So, if I ate farm-raised salmon five days in a row, how great would my threat of illness be?

DRAYER: Right. Well, farm-raised salmon is very protected, so you're not necessarily going to have a large risk from this.

But I do want to make the point about raw salmon, because many people are eating sushi now and raw sushi in restaurants. It's really important that you ask about the salmon if it has been frozen first. It's really interesting.

COSTELLO: Oh.

DRAYER: The FDA -- do you know the FDA recommends that restaurants freeze fish before it is consumed? That is, fish that is intended for raw consumption. In fact, only large species of tuna and farm salmon happens to be an exception to this rule. But all other raw fish should be frozen first. You can ask about this in restaurants.

That being said, not all...

(CROSSTALK)

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: You wouldn't want it be frozen.

DRAYER: That's true. And not -- I can tell you from doing research on this story that many restaurants are not likely to admit that they freeze their fish. Consumers don't necessarily like to hear this news. In that case, it's important to ask about the training of the chef.

You know, in Japan chefs really cannot work in a restaurant unless they have a special certification. So, a Japanese-trained sushi chef can identify if a fish is sick. For example, they might look at the eyes to see that they're bright and clear, the color of the fish, and also the smell of the fish.

COSTELLO: It's making my kind of nauseated this morning, frankly. Thank you, Lisa Drayer. We appreciate it, as always.

DRAYER: Thanks.

COSTELLO: There's nothing like talking about bad fish early in the morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I think I'll stick with some bacon this morning.

Hey, time to give away a mug.

COSTELLO: Oh, good.

MYERS: We'll give away a coral one today. Hey, two questions, and you have to answer them both, please.

Which famous composer will be commemorated with a postage stamp starting today?

And in Lisa Drayer's little study here, what percentage of people said they eat fresh fish every week?

COSTELLO: Oh.

MYERS: It's lower than you might think.

COSTELLO: I know.

MYERS: You should have both of those.

COSTELLO: Yes. We'll name the winner tomorrow morning at around, what, 6:10 Eastern Time.

MYERS: Daybreak@CNN.com.

COSTELLO: Chad will join me for "The Lightning Round" coming up, but first the latest headlines for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Wow! Sarah Michelle Gellar is 27 years old. And, what, she plays a 17-year-old on "Scooby Doo," the movie?

MYERS: Is that right? Was she the vampire slayer?

COSTELLO: Yes, she was. She was Buffy, and she was on a soap opera, too.

MYERS: Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: Why I know so much about her I don't know.

Is it time for "The Lightning Round?"

MYERS: We can do a little bit of weather first, Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, because there are going to be travel delays this morning.

MYERS: Oh.

COSTELLO: So, go ahead.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Now for "The Lightning Round." Let's get going.

Chad, faster than a gambler can lose his money, Air Force F-16s fly over the Las Vegas Strip. Doesn't that look beautiful?

MYERS: But did they get the power back on at the Bellagio (ph)?

COSTELLO: I think they did actually.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: This was the Air Force Thunderbirds way of saying thank you to the city near their home base. That's why they did that.

MYERS: Nice.

COSTELLO: You know, you probably don't think of sumo wrestling as a woman's sport, but this German woman -- see her there?

MYERS: Which one?

COSTELLO: That's a skinny sumo wrestler.

MYERS: There were two women in that picture, weren't there?

COSTELLO: Well, there's a German one. The blonde, that has to be the German woman.

MYERS: Oh, all right.

COSTELLO: She is a two-time sumo world champion. Next, she tackles judo for the 2004 Olympics.

MYERS: I don't think the FCC lets that on the air.

COSTELLO: Chad!

MYERS: That was something bad.

COSTELLO: Big money for a Brit, who won 17 million pounds, or $31 million...

MYERS: Wow!

COSTELLO: ... in the Euro Millions lottery. This mother of five is planning to take her winnings to California and to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

MYERS: Well, the euro is doing pretty well right now, so I guess she'll do about a buck 26 to the dollar for the euro.

COSTELLO: Oh, I hope she buys a lot of good stuff on Rodeo Drive.

MYERS: And she won there? In Europe?

COSTELLO: Yes, in Europe in the Euro Millions lottery.

MYERS: So, maybe she'll spend all of her money here, and the economy will go up in California as she spends all that.

COSTELLO: You know, that's why we like the Brits so much, because they're always willing to help us out, aren't they?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

MYERS: Have a good day, Carol. See you tomorrow.

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 April 14, 2004 - 06:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And be sure to stay right here for all of today's testimony. We're going to have live coverage for you. The hearings begin at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time, so keep your TV right here on CNN.
New images are coming out of Fallujah this morning. We want to bring back our senior international editor, David Clinch, to show us some more of these pictures.

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL EDITOR: Yes, Carol. Well, we saw these pictures coming in within the last half-hour or so. This is the daily pool feed from Fallujah. We're getting it on a next-day basis, basically. This was during the day Tuesday in Fallujah, the scene of, we're told, quite serious fighting during the day Tuesday.

We saw pictures of U.S. fighter jets in the air. I said earlier they were F-16s. I was corrected and told they are F-15s that we see, flying in very aggressive patterns over the city.

We also saw the Marines, who are there preparing what are called bunker bags, filling bags with dirt, obviously preparing for continuous fighting there.

A very interesting situation, both in Fallujah and Najaf. Fighting is continuing around the edges of both of these cities, but the U.S. is clearly in a position of deciding whether to go full force in Fallujah to eliminate the insurgents who are there. And in Najaf, also deciding whether or not to go in militarily into that holy city to get Moqtada al-Sadr. That's a much more complicated situation.

COSTELLO: Exactly. As we continue to watch these pictures, I want to tie up a few loose ends for our audience. Four bodies were found...

CLINCH: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... near that burning convoy. Has the coalition identified these bodies? Do we know who they are?

CLINCH: They have not. There were initial reports that the bodies were mutilated. Now, these are the bodies found near the scene of a convoy that was attacked, where nine Americans -- two soldiers and seven contractors -- went missing. So, there's an obvious question of whether these bodies are of some of those Americans. That has not been confirmed. The bodies have not been properly identified. And the reports of mutilation have not been confirmed. So, lots of questions there, which we're still looking into.

COSTELLO: Why do you suppose it's taking them so long? Because I know that some of the contractors' families have been notified.

CLINCH: Yes.

COSTELLO: But we don't know what they were told.

CLINCH: Well, in a general sense, we know only that they were told that bodies had been found near the scene and that there was an investigation continuing. We do not know that anybody has been told their relatives are dead at this point.

And obviously, it's taking so long. I mean, we don't know how long it will take, but it's taking time, because they want to be right. They need to be right. This is a very difficult issue apart from anything else. Four bodies, nine people missing, they want to know if -- even if they are Americans, they want to know who they have.

COSTELLO: The other update. Russian contractors will be pulled out of Iraq.

CLINCH: Yes, those that want to leave. I mean, we're seeing both Russian, French and others, the non-coalition members offering all of their civilian contractors the opportunity to get out. We had some Italian contractors taken hostage yesterday. Lots of countries, including the coalition countries, are seeing their civilian contractors at risk. They're offering them the chance to get out, and many will take that opportunity, we believe.

COSTELLO: And the better news coming out of Iraq this morning. Give us something good.

CLINCH: Well, there is the suggestion, obviously, that on the political side, we could see some progress. We have the U.N. envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, who has been in Baghdad, talking to all of the Iraqi factions who have been disagreeing about whether they can take part in a new Iraqi entity to which power would be handed over at the end of June. If they will take part, what part do they take? The U.N. is already helping the U.S. to try and solve that problem.

And interestingly, today an Iranian official is in Baghdad today. And the Iranian foreign minister in Tehran today is saying that Iran has been asked by the U.S. to help sort out at least the face-off with Moqtada al-Sadr.

COSTELLO: Interesting.

CLINCH: We're waiting to see whether the U.S. confirms they have actually asked for Iranian help, but we do know an Iranian official is in Baghdad today.

COSTELLO: OK. We'll let you get back to work.

CLINCH: OK. COSTELLO: Thank you, David.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, we'll go inside the Beltway for more reaction to the president's press conference. What part of his message will Washington be buzzing about today?

Plus, we know we should eat more of it, but there are some do's and don'ts when it comes to preparing and ordering fish from the menu.

And then, a Las Vegas flyover. A rare hometown treat.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BUSH: The person responsible for the attacks was Osama bin Laden. That's who is responsible for killing Americans. And that's why we will stay on the offense until we bring people to justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: President Bush making no apology for his actions pre- 9/11.

We want to talk more about how the president's message was received last night and is being received this morning. Joining us live on the phone from Washington, WTOP News Radio's Judlyne Lilly.

Judlyne, good morning.

JUDLYNE LILLY, WTOP ANCHOR: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, before we start, I want to read some of our viewer e-mails to you to see if you're getting the same reaction from viewers in Washington.

This is from Joanne (ph). She says: "Bush was once again out of his league. He was nervous, stumbling and arrogant. The remark about no one wanting to see dead people on TV was a bit much. The other misstep, he couldn't think of one mistake he made."

LILLY: He was asked that question in the news conference about him saying not saying that he is making mistakes or has made mistakes in the past regarding Iraq and the war on terror. And the problem is, is that Bush administration staying on message, as usual, feels that Iraq, the war in Iraq is the war on terror, or is at least part of it.

So, the reaction of that viewer is direct competition to what the president is saying. It's a completely different view of what the war in Iraq is all about. Many people see the war in Iraq as something different than the war on terror. The president says it is the war on terror.

COSTELLO: You know, it's interesting that you say that. This is from Mike from South Carolina. He says: "After last night's speech, Mr. Bush proved he is a leader and a very honest man, unlike you clowns who show your bias and arrogance towards the president. This is war, and I believe the start of World War 3, and you folks show some support or move your company out of the country."

So, people are very either -- it seems to be they're either very firmly on the president's side or they're not.

LILLY: Well, April certainly is the cruelest month for hundreds of families of war dead. Already, this is the deadliest month for American forces since the U.S. set foot in Iraq. So, you're going to have these kinds of reactions.

In fact, that these variety of reactions to the president's speech and his news conference last night directly reflects exactly what happened in the election of 2000. Many people, you saw what the voting was like and how we had to go down to the Supreme Court to make the decision as to who was actually going to be president.

This has not changed, and this will continue unless Kerry comes up with something different, or President Bush has an October surprise. This will probably remain the same throughout the campaign.

COSTELLO: Well, John Kerry did respond, saying the president outlined no plan for the turnover in Iraq, except to say that it would indeed happen on June 30. Were many people in your part of your world hoping to hear something from the president as to who would take the reins in Iraq after June 30?

LILLY: Well, that question, once again, was asked at the news conference as to who is going to be in charge. And he did outline -- I have to say, the president did outline the plan for when elections would be held in Iraq, when the Governing Council would be out of business and actual elections would be held and when Iraq would be in charge of itself. And that sounds like it was 2005, something around 2006 perhaps.

So, there is some indication that the president does have a plan and that whether or not it works out is another matter.

COSTELLO: All right, Judlyne Lilly joining us live from WTOP News Talk Radio in Washington, D.C.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:42 Eastern Time. Here's what's all new this morning.

It will be another big day at the 9/11 Commission hearings. The nation's intelligence chiefs, past and present, will testify today.

This week's kidnapping and release of eight employees of a Russian firm is prompting Russia to evacuate its workers from Iraq. More than 800 contractors are affected by this voluntary evacuation.

In money news, a security warning from Microsoft. The company says critical flaws in its Windows system and other programs could allow hackers to sneak into your computers and snoop around.

In sports, suspended University of Colorado head coach Gary Barnett says a lot of bag decisions were made by players and coaches. The coach testified for five hours in front of a panel investigating whether the university used sex as a recruiting tool.

In culture, country music superstar Dolly Parton gets the living legend award today from the Library of Congress.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you. Still to come on DAYBREAK, what's for dinner tonight? Stick around to find out why fish may be a healthy addition for your family's menu.

And meet an Olympic hopeful. This world champ is tackling a brand new sport.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Welcome back to DAYBREAK.

Let's head live to New York now to check in with Bill and Soledad to see what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

And I suspect you'll be talking about the president's speech as well.

HEMMER: Indeed we will, yes. Big news though today, Carol.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In fact, we're going to be talking to Suzanne Malveaux for a little reaction from the White House this morning. Also, Ron Brownstein will give us his perspective on how he thinks the president did at that press conference yesterday.

HEMMER: Meanwhile, the hearings continue for the 9/11 Commission. We heard a lot yesterday, and the testimony really is quite stunning in many areas. Ted Olson is our guest today. We'll also talk with two of the commissions, Roemer (ph) and Thompson, their reaction yesterday to what we heard from John Ashcroft and others on Capitol Hill.

O'BRIEN: And then we're covering this incredible story out of California.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: It sounds like an amazing story.

O'BRIEN: The details of this little girl, 5 or 6 years old, who was found maybe 10 days after her mother had a fatal car crash. Her mother died. The little girl is fine. A little thirsty, they said, able to snack on some of the food in the vehicle for 10 days.

HEMMER: Extraordinary.

O'BRIEN: We're going to talk a little bit this morning with Frank Buckley...

HEMMER: That's right.

O'BRIEN: ... about that story out of L.A.

HEMMER: Also, we'll have Jack for you, too, looking back to last night, and also the election upcoming in November. A good e-mail question that we will query our viewers with this morning, Carol. See you at the top of the hour here on "AMERICAN MORNING."

COSTELLO: They're up and active this morning. I'll just warn you.

HEMMER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Yes, we can tell from your e-mail.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Thanks to both of you. We'll see you in 10 minutes.

HEMMER: You got it.

O'BRIEN: All right, Carol.

COSTELLO: There's lots of fishy information out there about seafood. So, this morning our favorite dietician, Lisa Drayer, is here with some fish facts for you. She joins us live from New York.

Good morning, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETICIAN: Good morning, Carol. That's right.

And according to a new national consumer survey, even though many Americans are aware of the health benefits of eating fish, a lot of us are not consuming fish. Only 34 percent of Americans report eating fresh fish during a week's time. This is compared to 77 percent of consumers that eat steak or beef during a week's time.

COSTELLO: But, you know, that really surprises me, because fish is supposed to be so good for you. Should we be eating much more fish?

DRAYER: Well, that is a very important message. Fish is definitely healthy. It's gotten a bad rap lately because of the news about mercury and PCB levels in fish. But every expert I spoke with, Carol, says that the risk of not eating fish is much greater in terms of disease prevention than the risk is of eating fish.

So, it's really important to include fish in your diet, and the American Heart Association recommends that you should consume at least two servings of fish per week. So, it is an important part of our diet.

COSTELLO: Well, I want to talk more about the dangers of fish, because Chad had an interesting question. Farm-raised salmon, we've heard a lot about that in the news lately that it's not good for you, right?

DRAYER: Exactly. And this is in response to the science study. And, you know, I spoke with the FDA about this issue. They're very upset. They say that the level of PCB's in the farm-raised salmon, you know, compared to the wild salmon is slightly higher. However, overall, the risk is very low.

In fact, they used a temperature comparison with me. Actually, this is very appropriate for Chad. I didn't even realize that. But if, for example, let's say, you know, a temperature of, let's say, 300 would be dangerous. So, if you're talking about farm salmon being equated to a temperature of, let's say, four degrees, whereas wild salmon, let's say, would be equated to two degrees. You see there is maybe double the number there, but overall the risk is relatively low.

COSTELLO: OK. So, if I ate farm-raised salmon five days in a row, how great would my threat of illness be?

DRAYER: Right. Well, farm-raised salmon is very protected, so you're not necessarily going to have a large risk from this.

But I do want to make the point about raw salmon, because many people are eating sushi now and raw sushi in restaurants. It's really important that you ask about the salmon if it has been frozen first. It's really interesting.

COSTELLO: Oh.

DRAYER: The FDA -- do you know the FDA recommends that restaurants freeze fish before it is consumed? That is, fish that is intended for raw consumption. In fact, only large species of tuna and farm salmon happens to be an exception to this rule. But all other raw fish should be frozen first. You can ask about this in restaurants.

That being said, not all...

(CROSSTALK)

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: You wouldn't want it be frozen.

DRAYER: That's true. And not -- I can tell you from doing research on this story that many restaurants are not likely to admit that they freeze their fish. Consumers don't necessarily like to hear this news. In that case, it's important to ask about the training of the chef.

You know, in Japan chefs really cannot work in a restaurant unless they have a special certification. So, a Japanese-trained sushi chef can identify if a fish is sick. For example, they might look at the eyes to see that they're bright and clear, the color of the fish, and also the smell of the fish.

COSTELLO: It's making my kind of nauseated this morning, frankly. Thank you, Lisa Drayer. We appreciate it, as always.

DRAYER: Thanks.

COSTELLO: There's nothing like talking about bad fish early in the morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I think I'll stick with some bacon this morning.

Hey, time to give away a mug.

COSTELLO: Oh, good.

MYERS: We'll give away a coral one today. Hey, two questions, and you have to answer them both, please.

Which famous composer will be commemorated with a postage stamp starting today?

And in Lisa Drayer's little study here, what percentage of people said they eat fresh fish every week?

COSTELLO: Oh.

MYERS: It's lower than you might think.

COSTELLO: I know.

MYERS: You should have both of those.

COSTELLO: Yes. We'll name the winner tomorrow morning at around, what, 6:10 Eastern Time.

MYERS: Daybreak@CNN.com.

COSTELLO: Chad will join me for "The Lightning Round" coming up, but first the latest headlines for you.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Wow! Sarah Michelle Gellar is 27 years old. And, what, she plays a 17-year-old on "Scooby Doo," the movie?

MYERS: Is that right? Was she the vampire slayer?

COSTELLO: Yes, she was. She was Buffy, and she was on a soap opera, too.

MYERS: Yes, exactly.

COSTELLO: Why I know so much about her I don't know.

Is it time for "The Lightning Round?"

MYERS: We can do a little bit of weather first, Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, because there are going to be travel delays this morning.

MYERS: Oh.

COSTELLO: So, go ahead.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Now for "The Lightning Round." Let's get going.

Chad, faster than a gambler can lose his money, Air Force F-16s fly over the Las Vegas Strip. Doesn't that look beautiful?

MYERS: But did they get the power back on at the Bellagio (ph)?

COSTELLO: I think they did actually.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: This was the Air Force Thunderbirds way of saying thank you to the city near their home base. That's why they did that.

MYERS: Nice.

COSTELLO: You know, you probably don't think of sumo wrestling as a woman's sport, but this German woman -- see her there?

MYERS: Which one?

COSTELLO: That's a skinny sumo wrestler.

MYERS: There were two women in that picture, weren't there?

COSTELLO: Well, there's a German one. The blonde, that has to be the German woman.

MYERS: Oh, all right.

COSTELLO: She is a two-time sumo world champion. Next, she tackles judo for the 2004 Olympics.

MYERS: I don't think the FCC lets that on the air.

COSTELLO: Chad!

MYERS: That was something bad.

COSTELLO: Big money for a Brit, who won 17 million pounds, or $31 million...

MYERS: Wow!

COSTELLO: ... in the Euro Millions lottery. This mother of five is planning to take her winnings to California and to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

MYERS: Well, the euro is doing pretty well right now, so I guess she'll do about a buck 26 to the dollar for the euro.

COSTELLO: Oh, I hope she buys a lot of good stuff on Rodeo Drive.

MYERS: And she won there? In Europe?

COSTELLO: Yes, in Europe in the Euro Millions lottery.

MYERS: So, maybe she'll spend all of her money here, and the economy will go up in California as she spends all that.

COSTELLO: You know, that's why we like the Brits so much, because they're always willing to help us out, aren't they?

MYERS: Yes.

COSTELLO: From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Carol Costello along with Chad Myers. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

MYERS: Have a good day, Carol. See you tomorrow.

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