Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Response to Senator John Kerry's Choice of Senator John Edwards as a Running Mate; Latest Attacks by Insurgents in Iraq
Aired July 07, 2004 - 05:00 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: In Iraq, insurgents target the government's top official.
It's Wednesday, July 7.
And this is DAYBREAK.
Good morning.
From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Now in the news, Iraq's government unveils new security laws aimed at combating insurgent attacks. Three of the nation's ministers, as well as military officials, plan to explain the laws. We're minutes away from a news conference in Baghdad.
Hitting the road together for the first time, John Kerry and his vice presidential running mate, Senator John Edwards. The two talked to the media this morning before leaving for Cleveland and their first public appearance together.
Time is running out for the Russian oil firm Yukos. It has until tomorrow to pay almost $3.5 billion in taxes. Yukos' former CEO is facing trial on charges of fraud and tax evasion.
About 150 miles southeast of Phoenix, Arizona, a wildfire still threatens the $200 million Mount Graham International Observatory. But so far, no homes in the area have been destroyed. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
And now our morning's most trusted weather guy. I guess you've heard that before -- Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not lately.
WHITFIELD: Oh, really?
MYERS: No. Carol doesn't call me that.
WHITFIELD: Oh, darn it.
MYERS: So I like you better now.
WHITFIELD: I know she means it, though.
MYERS: I'm fortunate. A good point, Fredricka.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Well, Democrats John Kerry and John Edwards take their new campaign for a test drive this morning. The two appear before the media near Pittsburgh, then they'll head to Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio, and finally they go on to St. Petersburg, Florida.
President Bush and Vice President Cheney hit the campaign trail, as well, today. They're traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina, of all places, and then to Pontiac, Michigan.
With the lineup for the presidential election contest set, the two sides are trying to position themselves in the best light for potential voters, and already the White House is on the offensive.
Our White House correspondent Dana Bash has that angle.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the Oval Office, a polite reception.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I welcome Senator Edwards on the ticket.
BASH: By design, a president above the fray, after the vice president called his new opponent, offering congratulations. But the Bush campaign had already been engaged for hours in a coordinated effort to discredit the new Democratic ticket. The opposition research was ready to go, hitting reporters' e-mails minutes after the news came from the other side.
Some Republican attacks are familiar, calling Edwards a liberal, out of the mainstream.
Before politics, the North Carolina senator made millions as a trial lawyer. Bush aides say expect a lot more of this.
BUSH: No one has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit.
BASH: Another GOP criticism -- just six years in the Senate is a weak resume for the post-9/11 world. On this point, the Bush camp thinks Senator Kerry said it best, back when Edwards was his opponent, not his teammate.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I came back from Vietnam in 1969, ladies and gentlemen, I'm not sure if John Edwards was out of diapers then yet or not. I'm truly not sure. I don't know.
BASH: Kerry later clarified the comment, saying he was simply pointing to the differences in level of preparedness and experience. The Kerry camp thinks Edwards has appeal with independent voters. That's also why the Democratic candidate flirted with the idea of asking Republican Senator John McCain to run with him. SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: He has not wavered, he has not flinched from the hard choices.
BASH: The Bush camp was ready on that front, too, with an instant ad noting McCain backs Bush.
(on camera): All that despite the fact that Republicans insist history shows running mates don't matter in the end. But with negative opinion of Vice President Cheney at an all time high and the Bush campaign facing a neck and neck race with very few undecided voters, they're clearly not taking anything for granted.
Dana Bash, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The folks at Gallup are fast. We have a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll for you on Kerry's choice of a running mate. Fifty-four percent of the 553 registered voters surveyed say they have a favorable opinion of Edwards; 16 percent unfavorable. Thirty percent say they're unsure. Sixty-four percent call Edwards an excellent or pretty good running mate. Seventeen percent say he's only fair as a candidate, while 11 percent call him a poor choice. The margin of error is plus or minus five percentage points.
Get the inside info on how Kerry picked Edwards to be his running mate.
Jim Johnson, chairman of Kerry's vice presidential search committee, will be a guest on CNN's "American Morning." And that comes your way in about two hours from now.
Well, you can hear much more on the Kerry-Edwards partnership and learn more about John Kerry tomorrow night. He and his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry are Larry King's guests right here on CNN, 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.
More attacks today in Baghdad. The target? The political headquarters of Iraq's new prime minister. It comes as Iraq's interim government reveals new, stronger security laws.
Live now to the Iraqi capital for details from our Brent Sadler -- Brent.
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks.
Good morning, Fredricka.
Before we get to that mortar attack, a developing story right now here in Baghdad. Iraqi security forces telling us that they are locked in a gun battle with insurgents in central Baghdad, a battle that's involving mortars, we're told, small arms fire and grenades.
CNN sources on the ground say that six U.S. armed personnel carriers have just left the 45 green zone in the center of the city, heading in the direction of these firefights. We don't yet have any more details yet on what's happening on the ground. But certainly what appears to be a serious situation developing there.
Earlier this day, there were mortar attacks against the western part of the green zone, inside and outside. It appears that the offices and home of the interim prime minister Iyad Allawi were targeted by these mortar rounds. One of them impacted in the street outside Mr. Allawi's home. No one was inside these places at the time. It hit apparently the area outside a garden and an adjoining building. The offices of the Iraqi National Accord, militia Allawi's political party, damaged, as well as parts of his home.
In side the green zone, two other mortar rounds also impacted. No injuries there. The green zone is where the new U.S. Embassy is located and key Iraqi ministries.
All this happening, Fredricka, on the day that the interim government here is expected any time now, if we take you to live pictures to the green zone, the conference center there, really expecting any moment now interim government ministers from the human rights ministry and from the justice ministry, and perhaps others, to give us the details of the much anticipated emergency plan that will give Mr. Allawi broad ranging powers to impose such things as curfews, travel bans, detentions and arrests, given this continuing strong insurgency -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Brent, they're still assembling there for that expected press conference to happen any minute now.
Meantime, let me ask you about the amnesty offer.
What's the latest on that? Will it be just for followers of insurgent leaders or will it include both?
SADLER: Well, the whole idea of the amnesty offer is to try and break the backbone of the insurgents, to try and get low level people to come forward, do a deal and give information on those they were working with before.
We understand it's low level insurgents. We do understand there's been a lot of crucial discussions about this between the Iraqi interim government members and, of course, multinational forces. And we're just going to have to wait and find out what details come out of this meeting.
But certainly these powers, whatever they are, and we only have a broad picture at the moment, will certainly give the government the legal framework to be able to take tougher action.
The big question, though, Fredricka, is whether or not their forces on the ground are up to -- going to be up to implementing these new laws.
WHITFIELD: Brent Sadler in Baghdad.
Thanks very much.
We'll be checking back with you. The most wanted terror suspect in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is now getting death threats from a militant group. Arabic TV station Al-Arabiya says it received a taped statement from an organization calling itself the Rescue Group. It warns al-Zarqawi and his followers to leave Iraq or face the consequences. The U.S. has a $25 million bounty on Zarqawi's head. Officials blame him for attacks on coalition forces and Iraqi civilians and the beheading of two hostages.
The case of missing Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun gets weirder and weirder. In the latest twist, his brother says Hassoun is alive and has been freed, yet no one seems to know where he is.
Our Rusty Dornin tries to sort all this out for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Is he finally free? Corporal Wassef Hassoun's brother in Lebanon thinks so. Sami Hassoun claims someone came to the door of the family home in Tripoli with an assurance that left little doubt in his mind that his brother is alive. He spoke to CNN from Lebanon by telephone.
SAMI HASSOUN, BROTHER OF MISSING MARINE (on phone): We had a sign that he's alive and he's released. We have no idea where he is. But he's alive and he's released, and we are assured of the sign. That's all we can say. He's alive, we are sure of it, and he is released.
DORNIN: Corporal Hassoun's brother Mohammed, here in West Jordan, Utah, told CNN family members here heard the news from Lebanon, but still don't know who the messenger was in Tripoli and had no comment on the mysterious sign.
The Pentagon issued a statement it can't confirm Hassoun's release.
The group that claims to have kidnapped Hassoun says he was sent to a safe place after he announced his forgiveness and determination not to return to U.S. armed forces. The Pentagon has not commented on that, but says it is investigating the circumstances leading up to his capture.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: As always, you can stay on top of developments in Iraq by just clicking onto our Web site. The address is cnn.com.
Well, here are some stories making news across America this Wednesday.
Laci Peterson's parents had to leave the courtroom when prosecutors showed the jury pictures of their daughter's decomposed body. Testimony in the Scott Peterson trial centered on the discovery of the two bodies found in San Francisco Bay. Ohio officials are warning residents to be on the lookout for some particularly unscrupulous scam artists. Apparently, some people are going door to door asking for donations for the family of Army Specialist Matt Maupin. But officials say none of that money is actually going to the family. Maupin disappeared when his convoy was attacked in Iraq three months ago.
A total of 19 ships have been turned away at the nation's ports. They all failed to comply with new security guidelines that went into effect on July 1. According to the Coast Guard, more than 1,200 ships have successfully met the requirements to enter ports.
Well, are you a trusted traveler? You'll need to be fingerprinted to prove it. We'll tell you about the new security measure for frequent fliers that could be coming to an airport near you.
Plus, terror attacks on tape -- militants show off their deadly deeds. Meet the Western journalist who is the unlikely go between for insurgents.
And the secret sex lives of today's teens. Girls are keeping their virginity, but losing everything else. We'll explain this disturbing new trend all ahead in this hour of DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It is 5:14 and here's what's all new this morning.
A court in Yemen charged six Yemenese in the planning in the attack on the USS Cole. It's the first official court hearing on the Cole attack. Seventeen American soldiers were killed in the October 2000 suicide bombing.
An autopsy will be performed to determine what caused the death of Eric Douglas. The 46-year-old son of legendary actor Kirk Douglas was found dead in his New York apartment. Douglas had a history of alcohol and drug abuse.
In money, gas prices have fallen for the sixth straight week. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is down to $1.89.
In culture, brace yourself -- the classic Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To mark the milestone, the movie has been released internationally on DVD.
In sports, Lance Armstrong continues to keep pace at the Tour de France. After the third stage, he is fifth overall. Last year at this point he was in twelfth place. And you know what, Chad? He hasn't even gotten to the really grueling stuff, the mountainous region, which really is when he peaks.
MYERS: That is his forte, absolutely. When he gets in the mountains is just the man, as they say. WHITFIELD: He's on fire, as they say.
MYERS: He will -- if he's in fifth place now and they haven't gotten to the mountains, the rest of the field is in trouble.
Good morning, everybody.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, those are the headlines.
The new test program for trusted travelers gets under way today at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. And if it works out, the pilot program -- no pun intended -- could be headed to an airport near you.
CNN's Chris Lawrence has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Between the hand checks and bag searches, frequent fliers never know how long they'll wait at security lines.
CHARLIE ZELLE, FREQUENCE FLIER: Tuesday it took five minutes. And Wednesday it took 90 minutes.
LAWRENCE: That could be the reason hundreds accepted an invitation to apply for the new registered traveler program now being tested by the TSA.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What it's going to do, it's going to take three scans of each index finger.
LAWRENCE: Like Lori Stopperan, they fly about once a week. And don't mind giving fingerprints and optical scans to avoid tighter screening.
They'll still have to pass through met at detectors, but in a special lane at one of the checkpoints.
GARY FISHMAN, NORTHWEST AIRLINES: Why do you have to put them through the same level of scrutiny as someone you know nothing about.
LAWRENCE: They won't be pulled out of the land for flying one way, or random screening, and that's just the beginning.
JIM WELLNA, TSA DEPUTY DIRECTOR: Eventually we hope to be able to add things like not, perhaps, having to take your laptop out of your bag, not having to take your shoes off, having to take your overcoat off. We're going to build and learn.
LAWRENCE: If it works, the program could go national, but its potential is the problem for some privacy advocates.
JAY STANLEY, ACLU: Whenever you put the government into the role of judging American citizens and judgments about who's trusted and who's not, that raises serious questions, because that's really an unprecedented thing for the government to do.
LAWRENCE: But one that some frequent fliers are comfortable with.
LORI STOPPERAN, FREQUENT FLIER: Especially on heavy travel day like the weekends, it would be way worth it.
LAWRENCE: The TSA's trusted travelers begin flying next week in Minnesota, and over the next few weeks, Boston, Houston, Washington and L.A.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, Bloomington, Minnesota.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well, now let's fly overseas to find out what's going on in the European markets.
For that, we turn to our Todd Benjamin, who's checking the financial numbers for us in London -- top of the morning to you.
TODD BENJAMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.
Rather cool weather here today, but the markets are doing a little better. They had been down six sessions in a row. They're up today. The FTSE is up almost half of one percent here in London. The DAX in Frankfurt and the CAC in Paris both up about a third of a percent.
Now, that's not a bad performance considering that Wall Street had a down day. Of course, the NASDAQ taking the brunt of the pain. It was down two percent, its worst performance in some four months, as investors fretted about technology and some profit warnings. There were some negative comments on Intel.
Of course, today we're going to get Yahoo! after the close of trading. That will be key. Yahoo! is expected to report $0.08 a share, double what it reported over the same period a year ago. It probably will raise its financial guidance for the year. But the question is can Yahoo! help tech snap out of its doldrums, because Yahoo!, in the second quarter alone, was up nearly 50 percent -- 49 1/2 percent, to be exact -- and now has a price/earnings ratio of 162. It sounds like we're back in 1999 or 2000 with the dot-com boom. Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be a bust -- Fredricka, back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right, Todd Benjamin, thanks very much.
I have a feeling I know what the folks at Yahoo! are saying. You get it, don't you? Yahoo!
Well, the madness begins in Pamplona, Spain. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. It's the running of the bulls.
And... (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You see this morning?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, isn't that a joke?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A front page flub for a popular newspaper.
Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: To Baghdad now to that press conference that we've been expecting.
The ministers of justice, human rights and interior will be speaking.
Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): ... your questions regarding this issue and no other issues. Before answering any questions, we would like to clarify the reasons behind issuing this law.
The new Iraq should be a democratic country and one of its main (AUDIO GAP) to protect human rights and human liberties. And there must be some confliction between these goals and emergency laws. But these circumstances right now and the security situation, the deterring security situation right now urges these laws because the security situation right now threatens all fields of life here. They are holding back government employees from attending their jobs. They are holding back or blocking any foreign workers to enter the country in order to rebuild Iraq and in general they are trying to derail the democratic process and the general elections.
So all these circumstances have urged us to issue this law and this is to serve the goal of the government and the prime minister in order to hold the general elections at its specified date. So we find very necessary -- a number of necessities that urge these laws in order to face any obstacles trying to derail our goals.
We realize that this law might restrict some liberties, but there are a number of guarantees within this law that will guarantee that there are -- that guarantee the rights of the people. So any order issued by the prime minister should be agreed by the president and his deputies, and also by the majority of the cabinet.
This means that the prime minister cannot take any decision to arrest anyone unless there has been an arrest warrant issued by an Iraqi judge. So there are lots of guarantees that will prevent any violations against Iraqi people.
And this law has been over viewed a number of times in order to guarantee that no violations take place. Please concentrate your questions within the issue of these laws. The minister of human rights has also a briefing to present you with.
Thank you very much.
BAKTIAR AMIN, IRAQI HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER: We apologize about the delay that took place but there has been a number of reasons which have caused this delay. The prime minister asked me to attend this press conference, which is out of his concern and also my concern to monitor from a very close range or distance the application of these laws and to guarantee that their applications are abiding with the laws of human rights and people's liberties. The life of the Iraqi -- the lives of the Iraqi people are in danger. They are endangered by evil forces from terrorists, from gangs. And as you know, during the previous 15 months, there has been a number of eruptions that broke out and lots of security breaches and threats to our security. So this has led us -- has led the government to prepare these laws in order to protect the lives of the Iraqi people.
Life is our main concern and this is according to the human rights declaration, which emphasizes on the rights to live and also the rights of liberties and also the rights of dignity. So the well being of the people has been endangered during the interim period. So we are concerned about this subject. The prime minister and the president and his deputies are all concerned about this subject. So we have prepared this law.
It is very similar to the Patriot Act of the United States and there are very few differences between them. And also there are similar laws that take place in France, also, to face -- that face the terrorist acts during the '80s that were issued to face terrorist acts, some of them which were caused by people who with Algerian origins. So, and a number of countries, similar laws have been applied as the Patriot Act after the 11th of September terrorist acts.
Right now there are severe dangers threatening us here and we have tried to guarantee justice and also guarantee human rights. And I personally have a full authority granted to me by the prime minister. I have the authority to monitor any human rights violations. And if any violations occur during the application of these laws, I have the right to investigate them in the cooperation with the Ministry of Justice. So we are coordinating our efforts in order to guarantee the human rights and to guarantee a humanitarian application of these laws.
Thank you very much.
FALAH AL-NAQIB, IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): We are the executive party that executes all the orders and laws issued by the government. I am the senior military adviser for the Ministry of Defense.
As the two gentlemen have addressed before me, you all know that a number of or most of the terrorists operating in Iraq have crossed the borders and some of them are members of the previous regime and they are targeting anything they see in front of them. They are detonating bombed cars, as happened in the Tahar Square (ph) a period ago.
And they have, regardless of human lives, regardless of innocent losses of women, of children, of the people who are sitting safely in their homes. They are killing the policemen. They are -- they are killing the policemen who are providing their utmost efforts to protect the people. They are also targeting the government institutes and all those who work in them. They have killed contractors who have come to Iraq in order to carry out their projects in rebuilding Iraq.
Their only goal is to obstruct and derail the democratic process here in Iraq. Therefore, it is our duty to stand against them and to reserve the security of the people and to fight all those who target the Iraqis and their security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Here are the names -- here is a list...
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: You've been listening to the Ministers of Justice, Interior and Human Rights. According to the Human Rights Minister, the lives of Iraqis are in danger because of evil forces, as they put it. And now they are issuing a new security law to help combat the insurgency, to try to answer to some of the attacks that have been ongoing and to try to protect the human rights and liberties, as they say.
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 7, 2004 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In Iraq, insurgents target the government's top official.
It's Wednesday, July 7.
And this is DAYBREAK.
Good morning.
From the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Costello this morning.
Now in the news, Iraq's government unveils new security laws aimed at combating insurgent attacks. Three of the nation's ministers, as well as military officials, plan to explain the laws. We're minutes away from a news conference in Baghdad.
Hitting the road together for the first time, John Kerry and his vice presidential running mate, Senator John Edwards. The two talked to the media this morning before leaving for Cleveland and their first public appearance together.
Time is running out for the Russian oil firm Yukos. It has until tomorrow to pay almost $3.5 billion in taxes. Yukos' former CEO is facing trial on charges of fraud and tax evasion.
About 150 miles southeast of Phoenix, Arizona, a wildfire still threatens the $200 million Mount Graham International Observatory. But so far, no homes in the area have been destroyed. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
And now our morning's most trusted weather guy. I guess you've heard that before -- Chad.
CHAD MYERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not lately.
WHITFIELD: Oh, really?
MYERS: No. Carol doesn't call me that.
WHITFIELD: Oh, darn it.
MYERS: So I like you better now.
WHITFIELD: I know she means it, though.
MYERS: I'm fortunate. A good point, Fredricka.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Well, Democrats John Kerry and John Edwards take their new campaign for a test drive this morning. The two appear before the media near Pittsburgh, then they'll head to Cleveland and Dayton, Ohio, and finally they go on to St. Petersburg, Florida.
President Bush and Vice President Cheney hit the campaign trail, as well, today. They're traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina, of all places, and then to Pontiac, Michigan.
With the lineup for the presidential election contest set, the two sides are trying to position themselves in the best light for potential voters, and already the White House is on the offensive.
Our White House correspondent Dana Bash has that angle.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): From the Oval Office, a polite reception.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I welcome Senator Edwards on the ticket.
BASH: By design, a president above the fray, after the vice president called his new opponent, offering congratulations. But the Bush campaign had already been engaged for hours in a coordinated effort to discredit the new Democratic ticket. The opposition research was ready to go, hitting reporters' e-mails minutes after the news came from the other side.
Some Republican attacks are familiar, calling Edwards a liberal, out of the mainstream.
Before politics, the North Carolina senator made millions as a trial lawyer. Bush aides say expect a lot more of this.
BUSH: No one has ever been healed by a frivolous lawsuit.
BASH: Another GOP criticism -- just six years in the Senate is a weak resume for the post-9/11 world. On this point, the Bush camp thinks Senator Kerry said it best, back when Edwards was his opponent, not his teammate.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I came back from Vietnam in 1969, ladies and gentlemen, I'm not sure if John Edwards was out of diapers then yet or not. I'm truly not sure. I don't know.
BASH: Kerry later clarified the comment, saying he was simply pointing to the differences in level of preparedness and experience. The Kerry camp thinks Edwards has appeal with independent voters. That's also why the Democratic candidate flirted with the idea of asking Republican Senator John McCain to run with him. SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: He has not wavered, he has not flinched from the hard choices.
BASH: The Bush camp was ready on that front, too, with an instant ad noting McCain backs Bush.
(on camera): All that despite the fact that Republicans insist history shows running mates don't matter in the end. But with negative opinion of Vice President Cheney at an all time high and the Bush campaign facing a neck and neck race with very few undecided voters, they're clearly not taking anything for granted.
Dana Bash, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: The folks at Gallup are fast. We have a new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll for you on Kerry's choice of a running mate. Fifty-four percent of the 553 registered voters surveyed say they have a favorable opinion of Edwards; 16 percent unfavorable. Thirty percent say they're unsure. Sixty-four percent call Edwards an excellent or pretty good running mate. Seventeen percent say he's only fair as a candidate, while 11 percent call him a poor choice. The margin of error is plus or minus five percentage points.
Get the inside info on how Kerry picked Edwards to be his running mate.
Jim Johnson, chairman of Kerry's vice presidential search committee, will be a guest on CNN's "American Morning." And that comes your way in about two hours from now.
Well, you can hear much more on the Kerry-Edwards partnership and learn more about John Kerry tomorrow night. He and his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry are Larry King's guests right here on CNN, 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific.
More attacks today in Baghdad. The target? The political headquarters of Iraq's new prime minister. It comes as Iraq's interim government reveals new, stronger security laws.
Live now to the Iraqi capital for details from our Brent Sadler -- Brent.
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks.
Good morning, Fredricka.
Before we get to that mortar attack, a developing story right now here in Baghdad. Iraqi security forces telling us that they are locked in a gun battle with insurgents in central Baghdad, a battle that's involving mortars, we're told, small arms fire and grenades.
CNN sources on the ground say that six U.S. armed personnel carriers have just left the 45 green zone in the center of the city, heading in the direction of these firefights. We don't yet have any more details yet on what's happening on the ground. But certainly what appears to be a serious situation developing there.
Earlier this day, there were mortar attacks against the western part of the green zone, inside and outside. It appears that the offices and home of the interim prime minister Iyad Allawi were targeted by these mortar rounds. One of them impacted in the street outside Mr. Allawi's home. No one was inside these places at the time. It hit apparently the area outside a garden and an adjoining building. The offices of the Iraqi National Accord, militia Allawi's political party, damaged, as well as parts of his home.
In side the green zone, two other mortar rounds also impacted. No injuries there. The green zone is where the new U.S. Embassy is located and key Iraqi ministries.
All this happening, Fredricka, on the day that the interim government here is expected any time now, if we take you to live pictures to the green zone, the conference center there, really expecting any moment now interim government ministers from the human rights ministry and from the justice ministry, and perhaps others, to give us the details of the much anticipated emergency plan that will give Mr. Allawi broad ranging powers to impose such things as curfews, travel bans, detentions and arrests, given this continuing strong insurgency -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: And, Brent, they're still assembling there for that expected press conference to happen any minute now.
Meantime, let me ask you about the amnesty offer.
What's the latest on that? Will it be just for followers of insurgent leaders or will it include both?
SADLER: Well, the whole idea of the amnesty offer is to try and break the backbone of the insurgents, to try and get low level people to come forward, do a deal and give information on those they were working with before.
We understand it's low level insurgents. We do understand there's been a lot of crucial discussions about this between the Iraqi interim government members and, of course, multinational forces. And we're just going to have to wait and find out what details come out of this meeting.
But certainly these powers, whatever they are, and we only have a broad picture at the moment, will certainly give the government the legal framework to be able to take tougher action.
The big question, though, Fredricka, is whether or not their forces on the ground are up to -- going to be up to implementing these new laws.
WHITFIELD: Brent Sadler in Baghdad.
Thanks very much.
We'll be checking back with you. The most wanted terror suspect in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is now getting death threats from a militant group. Arabic TV station Al-Arabiya says it received a taped statement from an organization calling itself the Rescue Group. It warns al-Zarqawi and his followers to leave Iraq or face the consequences. The U.S. has a $25 million bounty on Zarqawi's head. Officials blame him for attacks on coalition forces and Iraqi civilians and the beheading of two hostages.
The case of missing Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun gets weirder and weirder. In the latest twist, his brother says Hassoun is alive and has been freed, yet no one seems to know where he is.
Our Rusty Dornin tries to sort all this out for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Is he finally free? Corporal Wassef Hassoun's brother in Lebanon thinks so. Sami Hassoun claims someone came to the door of the family home in Tripoli with an assurance that left little doubt in his mind that his brother is alive. He spoke to CNN from Lebanon by telephone.
SAMI HASSOUN, BROTHER OF MISSING MARINE (on phone): We had a sign that he's alive and he's released. We have no idea where he is. But he's alive and he's released, and we are assured of the sign. That's all we can say. He's alive, we are sure of it, and he is released.
DORNIN: Corporal Hassoun's brother Mohammed, here in West Jordan, Utah, told CNN family members here heard the news from Lebanon, but still don't know who the messenger was in Tripoli and had no comment on the mysterious sign.
The Pentagon issued a statement it can't confirm Hassoun's release.
The group that claims to have kidnapped Hassoun says he was sent to a safe place after he announced his forgiveness and determination not to return to U.S. armed forces. The Pentagon has not commented on that, but says it is investigating the circumstances leading up to his capture.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: As always, you can stay on top of developments in Iraq by just clicking onto our Web site. The address is cnn.com.
Well, here are some stories making news across America this Wednesday.
Laci Peterson's parents had to leave the courtroom when prosecutors showed the jury pictures of their daughter's decomposed body. Testimony in the Scott Peterson trial centered on the discovery of the two bodies found in San Francisco Bay. Ohio officials are warning residents to be on the lookout for some particularly unscrupulous scam artists. Apparently, some people are going door to door asking for donations for the family of Army Specialist Matt Maupin. But officials say none of that money is actually going to the family. Maupin disappeared when his convoy was attacked in Iraq three months ago.
A total of 19 ships have been turned away at the nation's ports. They all failed to comply with new security guidelines that went into effect on July 1. According to the Coast Guard, more than 1,200 ships have successfully met the requirements to enter ports.
Well, are you a trusted traveler? You'll need to be fingerprinted to prove it. We'll tell you about the new security measure for frequent fliers that could be coming to an airport near you.
Plus, terror attacks on tape -- militants show off their deadly deeds. Meet the Western journalist who is the unlikely go between for insurgents.
And the secret sex lives of today's teens. Girls are keeping their virginity, but losing everything else. We'll explain this disturbing new trend all ahead in this hour of DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Your news, money, weather and sports.
It is 5:14 and here's what's all new this morning.
A court in Yemen charged six Yemenese in the planning in the attack on the USS Cole. It's the first official court hearing on the Cole attack. Seventeen American soldiers were killed in the October 2000 suicide bombing.
An autopsy will be performed to determine what caused the death of Eric Douglas. The 46-year-old son of legendary actor Kirk Douglas was found dead in his New York apartment. Douglas had a history of alcohol and drug abuse.
In money, gas prices have fallen for the sixth straight week. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is down to $1.89.
In culture, brace yourself -- the classic Beatles film "A Hard Day's Night" is celebrating its 40th anniversary. To mark the milestone, the movie has been released internationally on DVD.
In sports, Lance Armstrong continues to keep pace at the Tour de France. After the third stage, he is fifth overall. Last year at this point he was in twelfth place. And you know what, Chad? He hasn't even gotten to the really grueling stuff, the mountainous region, which really is when he peaks.
MYERS: That is his forte, absolutely. When he gets in the mountains is just the man, as they say. WHITFIELD: He's on fire, as they say.
MYERS: He will -- if he's in fifth place now and they haven't gotten to the mountains, the rest of the field is in trouble.
Good morning, everybody.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, those are the headlines.
The new test program for trusted travelers gets under way today at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. And if it works out, the pilot program -- no pun intended -- could be headed to an airport near you.
CNN's Chris Lawrence has details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Between the hand checks and bag searches, frequent fliers never know how long they'll wait at security lines.
CHARLIE ZELLE, FREQUENCE FLIER: Tuesday it took five minutes. And Wednesday it took 90 minutes.
LAWRENCE: That could be the reason hundreds accepted an invitation to apply for the new registered traveler program now being tested by the TSA.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What it's going to do, it's going to take three scans of each index finger.
LAWRENCE: Like Lori Stopperan, they fly about once a week. And don't mind giving fingerprints and optical scans to avoid tighter screening.
They'll still have to pass through met at detectors, but in a special lane at one of the checkpoints.
GARY FISHMAN, NORTHWEST AIRLINES: Why do you have to put them through the same level of scrutiny as someone you know nothing about.
LAWRENCE: They won't be pulled out of the land for flying one way, or random screening, and that's just the beginning.
JIM WELLNA, TSA DEPUTY DIRECTOR: Eventually we hope to be able to add things like not, perhaps, having to take your laptop out of your bag, not having to take your shoes off, having to take your overcoat off. We're going to build and learn.
LAWRENCE: If it works, the program could go national, but its potential is the problem for some privacy advocates.
JAY STANLEY, ACLU: Whenever you put the government into the role of judging American citizens and judgments about who's trusted and who's not, that raises serious questions, because that's really an unprecedented thing for the government to do.
LAWRENCE: But one that some frequent fliers are comfortable with.
LORI STOPPERAN, FREQUENT FLIER: Especially on heavy travel day like the weekends, it would be way worth it.
LAWRENCE: The TSA's trusted travelers begin flying next week in Minnesota, and over the next few weeks, Boston, Houston, Washington and L.A.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, Bloomington, Minnesota.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well, now let's fly overseas to find out what's going on in the European markets.
For that, we turn to our Todd Benjamin, who's checking the financial numbers for us in London -- top of the morning to you.
TODD BENJAMIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Fredricka.
Rather cool weather here today, but the markets are doing a little better. They had been down six sessions in a row. They're up today. The FTSE is up almost half of one percent here in London. The DAX in Frankfurt and the CAC in Paris both up about a third of a percent.
Now, that's not a bad performance considering that Wall Street had a down day. Of course, the NASDAQ taking the brunt of the pain. It was down two percent, its worst performance in some four months, as investors fretted about technology and some profit warnings. There were some negative comments on Intel.
Of course, today we're going to get Yahoo! after the close of trading. That will be key. Yahoo! is expected to report $0.08 a share, double what it reported over the same period a year ago. It probably will raise its financial guidance for the year. But the question is can Yahoo! help tech snap out of its doldrums, because Yahoo!, in the second quarter alone, was up nearly 50 percent -- 49 1/2 percent, to be exact -- and now has a price/earnings ratio of 162. It sounds like we're back in 1999 or 2000 with the dot-com boom. Let's hope it doesn't turn out to be a bust -- Fredricka, back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right, Todd Benjamin, thanks very much.
I have a feeling I know what the folks at Yahoo! are saying. You get it, don't you? Yahoo!
Well, the madness begins in Pamplona, Spain. Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. It's the running of the bulls.
And... (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You see this morning?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, isn't that a joke?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A front page flub for a popular newspaper.
Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: To Baghdad now to that press conference that we've been expecting.
The ministers of justice, human rights and interior will be speaking.
Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): ... your questions regarding this issue and no other issues. Before answering any questions, we would like to clarify the reasons behind issuing this law.
The new Iraq should be a democratic country and one of its main (AUDIO GAP) to protect human rights and human liberties. And there must be some confliction between these goals and emergency laws. But these circumstances right now and the security situation, the deterring security situation right now urges these laws because the security situation right now threatens all fields of life here. They are holding back government employees from attending their jobs. They are holding back or blocking any foreign workers to enter the country in order to rebuild Iraq and in general they are trying to derail the democratic process and the general elections.
So all these circumstances have urged us to issue this law and this is to serve the goal of the government and the prime minister in order to hold the general elections at its specified date. So we find very necessary -- a number of necessities that urge these laws in order to face any obstacles trying to derail our goals.
We realize that this law might restrict some liberties, but there are a number of guarantees within this law that will guarantee that there are -- that guarantee the rights of the people. So any order issued by the prime minister should be agreed by the president and his deputies, and also by the majority of the cabinet.
This means that the prime minister cannot take any decision to arrest anyone unless there has been an arrest warrant issued by an Iraqi judge. So there are lots of guarantees that will prevent any violations against Iraqi people.
And this law has been over viewed a number of times in order to guarantee that no violations take place. Please concentrate your questions within the issue of these laws. The minister of human rights has also a briefing to present you with.
Thank you very much.
BAKTIAR AMIN, IRAQI HUMAN RIGHTS MINISTER: We apologize about the delay that took place but there has been a number of reasons which have caused this delay. The prime minister asked me to attend this press conference, which is out of his concern and also my concern to monitor from a very close range or distance the application of these laws and to guarantee that their applications are abiding with the laws of human rights and people's liberties. The life of the Iraqi -- the lives of the Iraqi people are in danger. They are endangered by evil forces from terrorists, from gangs. And as you know, during the previous 15 months, there has been a number of eruptions that broke out and lots of security breaches and threats to our security. So this has led us -- has led the government to prepare these laws in order to protect the lives of the Iraqi people.
Life is our main concern and this is according to the human rights declaration, which emphasizes on the rights to live and also the rights of liberties and also the rights of dignity. So the well being of the people has been endangered during the interim period. So we are concerned about this subject. The prime minister and the president and his deputies are all concerned about this subject. So we have prepared this law.
It is very similar to the Patriot Act of the United States and there are very few differences between them. And also there are similar laws that take place in France, also, to face -- that face the terrorist acts during the '80s that were issued to face terrorist acts, some of them which were caused by people who with Algerian origins. So, and a number of countries, similar laws have been applied as the Patriot Act after the 11th of September terrorist acts.
Right now there are severe dangers threatening us here and we have tried to guarantee justice and also guarantee human rights. And I personally have a full authority granted to me by the prime minister. I have the authority to monitor any human rights violations. And if any violations occur during the application of these laws, I have the right to investigate them in the cooperation with the Ministry of Justice. So we are coordinating our efforts in order to guarantee the human rights and to guarantee a humanitarian application of these laws.
Thank you very much.
FALAH AL-NAQIB, IRAQI INTERIOR MINISTER (through translator): We are the executive party that executes all the orders and laws issued by the government. I am the senior military adviser for the Ministry of Defense.
As the two gentlemen have addressed before me, you all know that a number of or most of the terrorists operating in Iraq have crossed the borders and some of them are members of the previous regime and they are targeting anything they see in front of them. They are detonating bombed cars, as happened in the Tahar Square (ph) a period ago.
And they have, regardless of human lives, regardless of innocent losses of women, of children, of the people who are sitting safely in their homes. They are killing the policemen. They are -- they are killing the policemen who are providing their utmost efforts to protect the people. They are also targeting the government institutes and all those who work in them. They have killed contractors who have come to Iraq in order to carry out their projects in rebuilding Iraq.
Their only goal is to obstruct and derail the democratic process here in Iraq. Therefore, it is our duty to stand against them and to reserve the security of the people and to fight all those who target the Iraqis and their security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Here are the names -- here is a list...
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: You've been listening to the Ministers of Justice, Interior and Human Rights. According to the Human Rights Minister, the lives of Iraqis are in danger because of evil forces, as they put it. And now they are issuing a new security law to help combat the insurgency, to try to answer to some of the attacks that have been ongoing and to try to protect the human rights and liberties, as they say.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
