Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
Path of Destruction; Saving the Children; Social Insecurity?
Aired January 05, 2005 - 06:31 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: Good morning to you. Welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now for the latest developments on the tsunami.
Secretary of State Colin Powell boards a helicopter this morning in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. He says he's seen everything, but nothing like this. He toured the devastated region along with Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Rumors of child abductions are forcing Indonesian authorities to act. They're not allowing people to leave the country with children under the age of 16. The concern is that gang members posing as aid workers or parents are trafficking in orphans for adoption or as sex slaves.
The Red Cross says Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, was incredibly fortunate compared to neighboring countries hard-hit by the disaster. Eighty-six people died there, and the toll is not expected to go much higher.
Talk about generosity. The Doctors Without Borders group has raised more than $54 million for the relief effort. The organization says it needs no more to help those in Asia -- at least right now.
Our Web site's special section, "After the Tsunami," has the latest on relief efforts, reunions, survivor stories and more. That's at CNN.com/tsunami.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: We have been getting a bird's-eye view of the widespread tsunami destruction in Indonesia's Aceh Province. We got these pictures in just about two hours ago, helicopter shots of Indonesia, and they're just incredible.
Atika Shubert on the ground there now with the latest, but she'll take us through what she saw in these pictures.
Hello -- Atika.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Please excuse some of the noise here. This is actually right in the middle of evening prayers here. As you know, Aceh Province in Indonesia is staunchly Muslim, and this one of the things that made Secretary of State Powell's visit here so interesting. It's a symbolic visit by the United States to show that they care about this part of the world; Indonesia being, of course, the world's largest Muslim nation.
Now, the secretary of state was able to see some of the devastation first-hand when he boarded a U.S. Navy Seahawk helicopter and was able to fly low over the city of Banda Aceh, which has been devastated by the tsunami wave. They could see entire buildings washed out to sea, bridges and roads destroyed.
He described it as being unlike anything else he'd ever seen. For that reason, when he met with Indonesian officials, Mr. Powell promised that the United States would help in any way it could to relieve Indonesia's suffering, in particular increasing the amount of helicopters used here for reaching those hardest-hit but most inaccessible areas -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Atika Shubert reporting live from Indonesia this morning. Thank you.
There are now rumors of abducted children, of children being bought and sold in Aceh Province. They are forcing Indonesian authorities to temporarily bar anyone from leaving Aceh Province with young children.
CNN's Mary Snow has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As if it weren't enough of a nightmare to endure the tsunami, the smallest victims face another threat that aid organizations are trying to prevent: children, particularly orphans, being exploited, whether it's abduction or sexual abuse.
DAN TOOLE,UNICEF: In an emergency, adults, unfortunately, take advantage of children. And we're seeing it again. So, the scale of the problem, so far as we have seen, is not enormous. But when you have so many children who are vulnerable, when you have children who have lost their parents, who have either physically or actually just lost them in the location, it means that they are more vulnerable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Put them in a box.
SNOW: Bob Laprade of Save the Children is heading to Indonesia, where one of the priorities is to have a system to monitor children so they can be registered and tracked.
BOB LAPRADE, SAVE THE CHILDREN: Because exploitation of children is such an issue around the world, especially in a time of natural disaster, like now, it is very important that we focus on it.
SNOW: In Aceh, child exploitation was a problem long before the tsunami.
LAPRADE: Aceh is, in fact, a place where trafficking has been a problem in the past. So, it is something that I think the international community and the Indonesian government rightly is concerned about.
SNOW: What's also not uncommon in the wake of a disaster, say relief groups, are rumors about exploitation. And adding to their job is separating fact from fiction, but they say they are braced for the worst.
RUUD LUBBERS, U.N. HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES: For my people, I don't have this solid evidence. So, we are prepared for these sorts of ill behaviors and terrible things. So, we are cautious. We are prepared, trying to prevent it. We will work with others. But I cannot confirm reports that it's happening on a large scale right now.
SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Many Americans are still searching for loved ones after the tsunami.
Let's go now to Bill Hemmer with "AMERICAN MORNING." He has more on a survivor story.
Hopefully it's a survivor story -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Hey, Carol, good morning.
So many stories, too, if you just stop and think about day after day and the thousands upon thousands of stories that we've been trying to relay to our viewers. The American count now, based on this comment from Colin Powell the other day, about 3,000 or 4,000 are still missing. Maybe that's true, but maybe it's not. We don't know at this point.
But one man is named Raul Bernard (ph). He's a freelance carpenter described as a free spirit, traveling the world, Carol, and helping poor villages in places like Indonesia. On December 21, he told his family he was headed for Sumatra. No word since then. We'll talk to his brother today about what he's hearing about the search. And also when the family goes to ask questions what are they told in return? What answers are they getting? That will be part of our discussion coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING" at 7:00 Eastern Time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes. And you have to wonder if they get a live person on the other end of the phone, because think of how swamped the State Department is right now.
HEMMER: Oh, indeed. What we've heard is 20,000 phone calls and e-mails in the days after that tsunami hit on the 26th of December. It is a mammoth task for the State Department, but as we go throughout the morning we'll try and get some answers for those folks with questions still again today.
COSTELLO: We look forward to it. Thank you, Bill. A special programming note we want to tell you about now. At 10:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, be sure to catch our special hour on "Saving the Children" of the tsunami from further pain and suffering. That airs at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
We'll look at an issue sure to raise the blood pressure of many Americans. Yes, we're talking about Social Security reform next, the good, the bad and the ugly. We'll get the lowdown from an expert.
Also, trying to slim down with SlimFast? Maybe that's the diet for you, maybe not. Our nutrition guru, Lisa Drayer, has a look at diets on display.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Social insecurity? It is the new buzz word from the AARP. It's spending a bundle of cash on anti-Bush Social Security ads in the nation's biggest newspapers. In fact, it's right here. It was in "The Washington Post," "The Wall Street Journal," "USA Today."
Well, it won't be long until Congress joins in on the fray. Word has now leaked out about a possible plan to close the Social Security gap. And if you're my age or younger, get ready to get less -- a lot less.
Let's head live to Miami now and an expert on explaining these things, John Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis.
Good morning, John.
JOHN GOODMAN, NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS: Glad to be with you.
COSTELLO: OK. So, hopefully you'll simplify things for us. Right now, Social Security benefits are set by calculating your annual earnings. What's different under this proposed Bush plan?
GOODMAN: Well, they may change the way that we index those earnings, which means, as you said, in the future lower benefits. It will not affect people who are already retired, but it will affect young people. And that may not be bad if they can put some of their payroll taxes in a savings account and make up the difference.
COSTELLO: So, they're going to, like, figure it out based on inflation instead of how much you earn over a period of years, because your wages go up faster than the inflation rate. So, let's simplify it even further. An example for people: If you retired in 2004, you'd receive $2,111 per month. And under this proposed plan, you'd make $1,584.
Now, that would be disturbing to many people. So, doesn't the AARP have a point?
GOODMAN: Well, the AARP is being very -- actually dishonest, because it doesn't affect any of their members. All of the retirees are unaffected by this plan. This affects younger people, and it affects the benefits they will get in the future. And it does lower those benefits, but that's not too bad if they're able to take some of their payroll taxes and put it in a private account to make up the difference.
COSTELLO: Yes, but, John, that sounds good. But this is a nation that has huge credit card debt. We're not very good at saving money. So, it just sounds like kind of a dangerous thing to do to some people.
GOODMAN: We're not going to have a choice. Basically, if we have a reformed Social Security system, people are going to have to put money aside just as they today pay taxes. But we have to remember that we've made promises for the future that we can't keep. And so, we need reform the system so that today's young people can actually get their benefits.
COSTELLO: You know, John, I was trying to figure out when the first time I heard that the Social Security system was going to go bust, and I swear it was high school, which was more than 20 years ago right now. So, this warning sign, danger sign, has been around for a long time. But Social Security hasn't gone bust.
GOODMAN: No, but we're in real trouble right now. For the first time in about 20 years, Social Security and Medicare are taking from the budget instead of giving to the budget. And they're taking about 4 percent of federal income taxes. In five years that will double. And in another five years it will double again.
So, 10 years out those programs will take 1 out of every 7 income tax dollars. By 2020, it will be 1 in 4. By 2030 it will be 1 in 2. So, we're on a collision course with reality.
COSTELLO: OK. So, let's talk about reality, because this plan has to go through Congress. How likely is it that some sort of plan will get through Congress in the short term?
GOODMAN: I think chances are not bad. You're hearing that there's a lot of opposition to reform. But sensible people understand that we're now on a course that is unsustainable. We have to have some kind of reform. So, the best thing is for Republicans and Democrats to come together and agree on something that both sides like.
COSTELLO: That's a tall order. John Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis joining DAYBREAK this morning. We thank you.
GOODMAN: Thank you.
COSTELLO: President Bush is also pushing for limits on medical malpractice awards, and he's making his case today in a speech on medical liability. Of course, CNN will bring you live coverage starting at 2:05 p.m. Eastern Time, 11:05 a.m. on the West Coast.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning. At least 10 Iraqi police recruits and trainers were killed when a car bomb exploded south of Baghdad right outside of a police academy. Police say another 44 people were injured in the blast.
A judge has dismissed the civil suit against William Kennedy Smith. A former personal assistant of the Kennedy cousin had accused him of sexual assault. Smith alleged that the woman said she'd go to court if he didn't pay her $3 million.
In money news, German racing star Michael Schumacher wants to do his part to help tsunami victims. The Formula One racer says he will donate -- get this -- $10 million to the cause. Schumacher has won seven world championship titles.
And the Consumers Union is giving a thumbs-up to condoms. The group tested the seven top brands, and found all of them met international standards. Only one type of condom, distributed by Planned Parenthood, burst during testing. Not good.
In sports, baseball's next Hall of Famers will be Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg. Bonds will be inducted in his first year of eligibility.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Stay with me, Chad. We have more aerial pictures to show people. I want you to help me out with these.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
COSTELLO: These were taken by a pool camera. They were the same crew that was in that helicopter with Colin Powell and Jeb Bush earlier this morning. So, this is what Colin Powell and Jeb Bush saw this morning. This is Indonesia.
MYERS: It's so hard to fathom that that right there was a foundation; a foundation of a very sturdy home. I mean, you talk about F-4 or F-5 tornadoes doing the same thing, scouring homes right off foundations. But you get this. This is such a massive, massive scale here with this. You can just see the debris left from the homes that, well, used to be there.
COSTELLO: You know, we often hear about the force of these waves that came in, and you can't hear them enough because it just boggles the mind. Tell us again.
MYERS: Well, if you stand here at the surface of the Earth and you look up, all of the atmosphere that's above us -- it's 14.7 pounds per square inch on you. You can't feel it because you're pushing out that same. But all you have to do is go down about 30 to 35 feet in the water, and you double the pressure. You go down again and you double it again.
So, water -- 34 feet of water is the same as thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of feet of air. So, you get all of this just blowing right on shore, and the force of water -- well, you can stand on the shore and you know that if you get hit by a 3-foot wave it knocks you down. Could you imagine getting hit with a 15 or 20 or 30-footer?
COSTELLO: Yes. And, you know, in the words of Colin Powell this morning, he said he had seen everything, but nothing, nothing like this.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Many Americans, of course, are still missing after the tsunami. "AMERICAN MORNING" will be following this story today. Soledad O'Brien joins us now from Phuket, Thailand.
Hello -- Soledad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol.
Yes, thousands are still missing in the tsunami aftermath. And one of them is a little boy from Sweden. Now, he was with his father in his hotel room when the wave separated them. The father is now desperately looking for him. But here's the hitch. He looks very much like that other little boy, Hans Bergman (ph), who was found. This little boy, the picture you're looking at, he has not been found. We're going to talk with his father just ahead on "AMERICAN MORNING" -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Thank you. Soledad O'Brien live from Thailand this morning.
Let's switch subjects now, because we must talk about other things, too, this morning. Did you have breakfast yet? Are you planning a trip to the grocery store this morning? Well, stick around. In two minutes, nutrition expert Lisa Drayer will join us to tell us which diet best fits your personality.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's beautiful in New York City this morning.
We know it's January, that time of year when we all say we're going to lose weight. So, DAYBREAK will spend the next five Wednesdays supplying you with the do's of healthy dieting. A review of 10 different diet programs shows only Weight Watchers has strong scientific data to back its weight loss claims. I did not say Atkins.
Our resident dietitian, Lisa Drayer, is here to explain. It's not which diet you choose; it's what type of dieter you are that determines your success. Interesting.
LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETITIAN: That's right. Good morning, Carol.
And a new study right after that one you just mentioned, a new study from Tufts (ph) found that the actual diet is not so much what matters when it comes to weight loss, but how long one can stay on the diet that they choose.
So, let's go through some of the study findings now. Researchers randomly assigned 160 overweight adults to one of four diets. Weight Watchers, where calories are controlled using the point system. The Atkins diet, the low-carbohydrate diet. The Zone diet, where this is 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, 30 percent fat.
COSTELLO: Oh.
DRAYER: Exactly. And the Dean Ornish diet. This is actually a vegetarian diet with only 10 percent of calories coming from fat.
So, the individuals followed these diets for over a year. Actually at one year the weight loss was assessed. So, at one year the average weight loss was 4.6 pounds for Atkins -- that was the lowest -- 7.1 pounds for Zone, 6.6 for Weight Watchers and 7.3 pounds for Ornish.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
DRAYER: So a modest weight loss, yes. But no significant difference here over the year in terms of the actual pounds lost.
What did matter more than the actual pounds was the adherence. So, if individuals more closely stuck to their diets they lost more weight, specifically 10 to 20 pounds among those who most closely followed their diets. So much higher than the average.
COSTELLO: Interesting. OK. So, let's get into this idea that personality type matters in which diet you choose.
DRAYER: Exactly. This was one of the conclusions of the study; that is, it may be that's there more than one way to lose weight, but find the diet that best matches your personality or your lifestyle.
So, for example, looking at some of the new diets, Weight Watchers has the new turnaround program, so you can choose between the flex points program or the core program, which has a little bit more freedom. So, if you're a careful budgeter, like you like to have a daily budget to spend on foods, you might choose the points program. The core gives you a little bit more flexibility, because there's no counting here.
Regardless of which Weight Watchers plan you choose, if you're a social butterfly or a chatty type, you might enjoy the group support...
COSTELLO: Oh, that's true.
DRAYER: ... that Weight Watchers offers. Exactly.
Then we have the SlimFast Optima plan. This is a new plan from SlimFast offering four different customized meal plans based on your weight. So, they've actually incorporated the meals and the meal bars and the shakes into real foods.
COSTELLO: Oh, see, I didn't realize you could eat food on SlimFast. I thought you just drank the shakes.
DRAYER: No. Actually, this is their new plan, the Optima diet. Now, the convenience factor is key, of course, because you can grab the shake when you are hungry. So, if you're someone who loves convenience, or if you like being in control, you don't have to worry about how many calories you're consuming, the SlimFast may be an appropriate option.
COSTELLO: Oh, man, I'm a control freak, Lisa. That would be for me.
DRAYER: There you go. And then we have South Beach. The South Beach diet may be appropriate for those who like to keep lists, because you actually follow lists of the good carbs and the good fats. This is actually found in their companion guide. Also, South Beach recently joined a partnership with Kraft Foods. So, now you go into the supermarket and you see South Beach recommended foods that you can add to your shopping list. It makes it easy.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
DRAYER: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK. So, next Wednesday what are you going to do?
DRAYER: We're going to talk about what you can expect from meeting with a registered dietitian. So, many people are not sure of what an RD offers. We're going to talk about that and what you can expect from meeting with one.
COSTELLO: OK. Thank you, Lisa. Very interesting.
DRAYER: Thanks.
COSTELLO: Very intriguing. I can't wait for next Wednesday.
So, do you like Lisa's ideas? Do you think about making an appointment with a registered dietitian, as you said? Lisa will talk, of course, about that Wednesday, as she just said.
We're going to take a short break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Tomorrow on DAYBREAK, our continuing coverage of the tsunami disaster and the massive relief efforts under way. And that does it for us this morning. Thank you for joining us. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.
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 January 5, 2005 - 06:31 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Welcome to the last half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
Now for the latest developments on the tsunami.
Secretary of State Colin Powell boards a helicopter this morning in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. He says he's seen everything, but nothing like this. He toured the devastated region along with Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Rumors of child abductions are forcing Indonesian authorities to act. They're not allowing people to leave the country with children under the age of 16. The concern is that gang members posing as aid workers or parents are trafficking in orphans for adoption or as sex slaves.
The Red Cross says Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma, was incredibly fortunate compared to neighboring countries hard-hit by the disaster. Eighty-six people died there, and the toll is not expected to go much higher.
Talk about generosity. The Doctors Without Borders group has raised more than $54 million for the relief effort. The organization says it needs no more to help those in Asia -- at least right now.
Our Web site's special section, "After the Tsunami," has the latest on relief efforts, reunions, survivor stories and more. That's at CNN.com/tsunami.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: We have been getting a bird's-eye view of the widespread tsunami destruction in Indonesia's Aceh Province. We got these pictures in just about two hours ago, helicopter shots of Indonesia, and they're just incredible.
Atika Shubert on the ground there now with the latest, but she'll take us through what she saw in these pictures.
Hello -- Atika.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Please excuse some of the noise here. This is actually right in the middle of evening prayers here. As you know, Aceh Province in Indonesia is staunchly Muslim, and this one of the things that made Secretary of State Powell's visit here so interesting. It's a symbolic visit by the United States to show that they care about this part of the world; Indonesia being, of course, the world's largest Muslim nation.
Now, the secretary of state was able to see some of the devastation first-hand when he boarded a U.S. Navy Seahawk helicopter and was able to fly low over the city of Banda Aceh, which has been devastated by the tsunami wave. They could see entire buildings washed out to sea, bridges and roads destroyed.
He described it as being unlike anything else he'd ever seen. For that reason, when he met with Indonesian officials, Mr. Powell promised that the United States would help in any way it could to relieve Indonesia's suffering, in particular increasing the amount of helicopters used here for reaching those hardest-hit but most inaccessible areas -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Atika Shubert reporting live from Indonesia this morning. Thank you.
There are now rumors of abducted children, of children being bought and sold in Aceh Province. They are forcing Indonesian authorities to temporarily bar anyone from leaving Aceh Province with young children.
CNN's Mary Snow has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As if it weren't enough of a nightmare to endure the tsunami, the smallest victims face another threat that aid organizations are trying to prevent: children, particularly orphans, being exploited, whether it's abduction or sexual abuse.
DAN TOOLE,UNICEF: In an emergency, adults, unfortunately, take advantage of children. And we're seeing it again. So, the scale of the problem, so far as we have seen, is not enormous. But when you have so many children who are vulnerable, when you have children who have lost their parents, who have either physically or actually just lost them in the location, it means that they are more vulnerable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Put them in a box.
SNOW: Bob Laprade of Save the Children is heading to Indonesia, where one of the priorities is to have a system to monitor children so they can be registered and tracked.
BOB LAPRADE, SAVE THE CHILDREN: Because exploitation of children is such an issue around the world, especially in a time of natural disaster, like now, it is very important that we focus on it.
SNOW: In Aceh, child exploitation was a problem long before the tsunami.
LAPRADE: Aceh is, in fact, a place where trafficking has been a problem in the past. So, it is something that I think the international community and the Indonesian government rightly is concerned about.
SNOW: What's also not uncommon in the wake of a disaster, say relief groups, are rumors about exploitation. And adding to their job is separating fact from fiction, but they say they are braced for the worst.
RUUD LUBBERS, U.N. HIGH COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES: For my people, I don't have this solid evidence. So, we are prepared for these sorts of ill behaviors and terrible things. So, we are cautious. We are prepared, trying to prevent it. We will work with others. But I cannot confirm reports that it's happening on a large scale right now.
SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Many Americans are still searching for loved ones after the tsunami.
Let's go now to Bill Hemmer with "AMERICAN MORNING." He has more on a survivor story.
Hopefully it's a survivor story -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. Hey, Carol, good morning.
So many stories, too, if you just stop and think about day after day and the thousands upon thousands of stories that we've been trying to relay to our viewers. The American count now, based on this comment from Colin Powell the other day, about 3,000 or 4,000 are still missing. Maybe that's true, but maybe it's not. We don't know at this point.
But one man is named Raul Bernard (ph). He's a freelance carpenter described as a free spirit, traveling the world, Carol, and helping poor villages in places like Indonesia. On December 21, he told his family he was headed for Sumatra. No word since then. We'll talk to his brother today about what he's hearing about the search. And also when the family goes to ask questions what are they told in return? What answers are they getting? That will be part of our discussion coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING" at 7:00 Eastern Time -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes. And you have to wonder if they get a live person on the other end of the phone, because think of how swamped the State Department is right now.
HEMMER: Oh, indeed. What we've heard is 20,000 phone calls and e-mails in the days after that tsunami hit on the 26th of December. It is a mammoth task for the State Department, but as we go throughout the morning we'll try and get some answers for those folks with questions still again today.
COSTELLO: We look forward to it. Thank you, Bill. A special programming note we want to tell you about now. At 10:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow, be sure to catch our special hour on "Saving the Children" of the tsunami from further pain and suffering. That airs at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 7:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
We'll look at an issue sure to raise the blood pressure of many Americans. Yes, we're talking about Social Security reform next, the good, the bad and the ugly. We'll get the lowdown from an expert.
Also, trying to slim down with SlimFast? Maybe that's the diet for you, maybe not. Our nutrition guru, Lisa Drayer, has a look at diets on display.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Social insecurity? It is the new buzz word from the AARP. It's spending a bundle of cash on anti-Bush Social Security ads in the nation's biggest newspapers. In fact, it's right here. It was in "The Washington Post," "The Wall Street Journal," "USA Today."
Well, it won't be long until Congress joins in on the fray. Word has now leaked out about a possible plan to close the Social Security gap. And if you're my age or younger, get ready to get less -- a lot less.
Let's head live to Miami now and an expert on explaining these things, John Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis.
Good morning, John.
JOHN GOODMAN, NATIONAL CENTER FOR POLICY ANALYSIS: Glad to be with you.
COSTELLO: OK. So, hopefully you'll simplify things for us. Right now, Social Security benefits are set by calculating your annual earnings. What's different under this proposed Bush plan?
GOODMAN: Well, they may change the way that we index those earnings, which means, as you said, in the future lower benefits. It will not affect people who are already retired, but it will affect young people. And that may not be bad if they can put some of their payroll taxes in a savings account and make up the difference.
COSTELLO: So, they're going to, like, figure it out based on inflation instead of how much you earn over a period of years, because your wages go up faster than the inflation rate. So, let's simplify it even further. An example for people: If you retired in 2004, you'd receive $2,111 per month. And under this proposed plan, you'd make $1,584.
Now, that would be disturbing to many people. So, doesn't the AARP have a point?
GOODMAN: Well, the AARP is being very -- actually dishonest, because it doesn't affect any of their members. All of the retirees are unaffected by this plan. This affects younger people, and it affects the benefits they will get in the future. And it does lower those benefits, but that's not too bad if they're able to take some of their payroll taxes and put it in a private account to make up the difference.
COSTELLO: Yes, but, John, that sounds good. But this is a nation that has huge credit card debt. We're not very good at saving money. So, it just sounds like kind of a dangerous thing to do to some people.
GOODMAN: We're not going to have a choice. Basically, if we have a reformed Social Security system, people are going to have to put money aside just as they today pay taxes. But we have to remember that we've made promises for the future that we can't keep. And so, we need reform the system so that today's young people can actually get their benefits.
COSTELLO: You know, John, I was trying to figure out when the first time I heard that the Social Security system was going to go bust, and I swear it was high school, which was more than 20 years ago right now. So, this warning sign, danger sign, has been around for a long time. But Social Security hasn't gone bust.
GOODMAN: No, but we're in real trouble right now. For the first time in about 20 years, Social Security and Medicare are taking from the budget instead of giving to the budget. And they're taking about 4 percent of federal income taxes. In five years that will double. And in another five years it will double again.
So, 10 years out those programs will take 1 out of every 7 income tax dollars. By 2020, it will be 1 in 4. By 2030 it will be 1 in 2. So, we're on a collision course with reality.
COSTELLO: OK. So, let's talk about reality, because this plan has to go through Congress. How likely is it that some sort of plan will get through Congress in the short term?
GOODMAN: I think chances are not bad. You're hearing that there's a lot of opposition to reform. But sensible people understand that we're now on a course that is unsustainable. We have to have some kind of reform. So, the best thing is for Republicans and Democrats to come together and agree on something that both sides like.
COSTELLO: That's a tall order. John Goodman of the National Center for Policy Analysis joining DAYBREAK this morning. We thank you.
GOODMAN: Thank you.
COSTELLO: President Bush is also pushing for limits on medical malpractice awards, and he's making his case today in a speech on medical liability. Of course, CNN will bring you live coverage starting at 2:05 p.m. Eastern Time, 11:05 a.m. on the West Coast.
Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:45 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning. At least 10 Iraqi police recruits and trainers were killed when a car bomb exploded south of Baghdad right outside of a police academy. Police say another 44 people were injured in the blast.
A judge has dismissed the civil suit against William Kennedy Smith. A former personal assistant of the Kennedy cousin had accused him of sexual assault. Smith alleged that the woman said she'd go to court if he didn't pay her $3 million.
In money news, German racing star Michael Schumacher wants to do his part to help tsunami victims. The Formula One racer says he will donate -- get this -- $10 million to the cause. Schumacher has won seven world championship titles.
And the Consumers Union is giving a thumbs-up to condoms. The group tested the seven top brands, and found all of them met international standards. Only one type of condom, distributed by Planned Parenthood, burst during testing. Not good.
In sports, baseball's next Hall of Famers will be Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg. Bonds will be inducted in his first year of eligibility.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COSTELLO: Stay with me, Chad. We have more aerial pictures to show people. I want you to help me out with these.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
COSTELLO: These were taken by a pool camera. They were the same crew that was in that helicopter with Colin Powell and Jeb Bush earlier this morning. So, this is what Colin Powell and Jeb Bush saw this morning. This is Indonesia.
MYERS: It's so hard to fathom that that right there was a foundation; a foundation of a very sturdy home. I mean, you talk about F-4 or F-5 tornadoes doing the same thing, scouring homes right off foundations. But you get this. This is such a massive, massive scale here with this. You can just see the debris left from the homes that, well, used to be there.
COSTELLO: You know, we often hear about the force of these waves that came in, and you can't hear them enough because it just boggles the mind. Tell us again.
MYERS: Well, if you stand here at the surface of the Earth and you look up, all of the atmosphere that's above us -- it's 14.7 pounds per square inch on you. You can't feel it because you're pushing out that same. But all you have to do is go down about 30 to 35 feet in the water, and you double the pressure. You go down again and you double it again.
So, water -- 34 feet of water is the same as thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of feet of air. So, you get all of this just blowing right on shore, and the force of water -- well, you can stand on the shore and you know that if you get hit by a 3-foot wave it knocks you down. Could you imagine getting hit with a 15 or 20 or 30-footer?
COSTELLO: Yes. And, you know, in the words of Colin Powell this morning, he said he had seen everything, but nothing, nothing like this.
MYERS: Yes.
COSTELLO: Many Americans, of course, are still missing after the tsunami. "AMERICAN MORNING" will be following this story today. Soledad O'Brien joins us now from Phuket, Thailand.
Hello -- Soledad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol.
Yes, thousands are still missing in the tsunami aftermath. And one of them is a little boy from Sweden. Now, he was with his father in his hotel room when the wave separated them. The father is now desperately looking for him. But here's the hitch. He looks very much like that other little boy, Hans Bergman (ph), who was found. This little boy, the picture you're looking at, he has not been found. We're going to talk with his father just ahead on "AMERICAN MORNING" -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Thank you. Soledad O'Brien live from Thailand this morning.
Let's switch subjects now, because we must talk about other things, too, this morning. Did you have breakfast yet? Are you planning a trip to the grocery store this morning? Well, stick around. In two minutes, nutrition expert Lisa Drayer will join us to tell us which diet best fits your personality.
You are watching DAYBREAK.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: It's beautiful in New York City this morning.
We know it's January, that time of year when we all say we're going to lose weight. So, DAYBREAK will spend the next five Wednesdays supplying you with the do's of healthy dieting. A review of 10 different diet programs shows only Weight Watchers has strong scientific data to back its weight loss claims. I did not say Atkins.
Our resident dietitian, Lisa Drayer, is here to explain. It's not which diet you choose; it's what type of dieter you are that determines your success. Interesting.
LISA DRAYER, REGISTERED DIETITIAN: That's right. Good morning, Carol.
And a new study right after that one you just mentioned, a new study from Tufts (ph) found that the actual diet is not so much what matters when it comes to weight loss, but how long one can stay on the diet that they choose.
So, let's go through some of the study findings now. Researchers randomly assigned 160 overweight adults to one of four diets. Weight Watchers, where calories are controlled using the point system. The Atkins diet, the low-carbohydrate diet. The Zone diet, where this is 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, 30 percent fat.
COSTELLO: Oh.
DRAYER: Exactly. And the Dean Ornish diet. This is actually a vegetarian diet with only 10 percent of calories coming from fat.
So, the individuals followed these diets for over a year. Actually at one year the weight loss was assessed. So, at one year the average weight loss was 4.6 pounds for Atkins -- that was the lowest -- 7.1 pounds for Zone, 6.6 for Weight Watchers and 7.3 pounds for Ornish.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
DRAYER: So a modest weight loss, yes. But no significant difference here over the year in terms of the actual pounds lost.
What did matter more than the actual pounds was the adherence. So, if individuals more closely stuck to their diets they lost more weight, specifically 10 to 20 pounds among those who most closely followed their diets. So much higher than the average.
COSTELLO: Interesting. OK. So, let's get into this idea that personality type matters in which diet you choose.
DRAYER: Exactly. This was one of the conclusions of the study; that is, it may be that's there more than one way to lose weight, but find the diet that best matches your personality or your lifestyle.
So, for example, looking at some of the new diets, Weight Watchers has the new turnaround program, so you can choose between the flex points program or the core program, which has a little bit more freedom. So, if you're a careful budgeter, like you like to have a daily budget to spend on foods, you might choose the points program. The core gives you a little bit more flexibility, because there's no counting here.
Regardless of which Weight Watchers plan you choose, if you're a social butterfly or a chatty type, you might enjoy the group support...
COSTELLO: Oh, that's true.
DRAYER: ... that Weight Watchers offers. Exactly.
Then we have the SlimFast Optima plan. This is a new plan from SlimFast offering four different customized meal plans based on your weight. So, they've actually incorporated the meals and the meal bars and the shakes into real foods.
COSTELLO: Oh, see, I didn't realize you could eat food on SlimFast. I thought you just drank the shakes.
DRAYER: No. Actually, this is their new plan, the Optima diet. Now, the convenience factor is key, of course, because you can grab the shake when you are hungry. So, if you're someone who loves convenience, or if you like being in control, you don't have to worry about how many calories you're consuming, the SlimFast may be an appropriate option.
COSTELLO: Oh, man, I'm a control freak, Lisa. That would be for me.
DRAYER: There you go. And then we have South Beach. The South Beach diet may be appropriate for those who like to keep lists, because you actually follow lists of the good carbs and the good fats. This is actually found in their companion guide. Also, South Beach recently joined a partnership with Kraft Foods. So, now you go into the supermarket and you see South Beach recommended foods that you can add to your shopping list. It makes it easy.
COSTELLO: Interesting.
DRAYER: Yes.
COSTELLO: OK. So, next Wednesday what are you going to do?
DRAYER: We're going to talk about what you can expect from meeting with a registered dietitian. So, many people are not sure of what an RD offers. We're going to talk about that and what you can expect from meeting with one.
COSTELLO: OK. Thank you, Lisa. Very interesting.
DRAYER: Thanks.
COSTELLO: Very intriguing. I can't wait for next Wednesday.
So, do you like Lisa's ideas? Do you think about making an appointment with a registered dietitian, as you said? Lisa will talk, of course, about that Wednesday, as she just said.
We're going to take a short break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Tomorrow on DAYBREAK, our continuing coverage of the tsunami disaster and the massive relief efforts under way. And that does it for us this morning. Thank you for joining us. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
