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CNN Live At Daybreak

Michael Jackson's Young Accuser Takes the Stand; Karen Hughes's Appointment as Undersecretary of State

Aired March 15, 2005 - 06:00   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, tough questions and some surprising answers. Michael Jackson's young accuser takes the stand.
Also, a familiar face is back inside the Beltway. Her job? Giving America a bit of a makeover.

And out of prison and online -- Martha Stewart connects with her fans.

It is Tuesday, March 15.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, a suicide car bomber in Baghdad kills a child and injures at least four other people. The bombing happened today in an area that's home to Iraq's Ministry of Health plus several schools and hospitals.

Atlanta's top prosecutor says Brian Nichols, accused of killing four people on Friday, has provided a cooperative statement to authorities. Nichols makes his first court appearance four hours from now.

In California, a controversial decision. A judge rules that a state law limiting marriage to a man and woman is unconstitutional. He says there is no rational basis for denying marriage to same sex couples.

And the government says you can expect to pay record high gas prices, possibly as early as this week. The average price for a gallon of gas costs almost $2.06. That's less than $0.01 away from a record high.

To Chad in the Forecast Center -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: So many what ifs surrounding the courthouse shootings in Atlanta. The most serious, could Brian Nichols have been stopped before he fired a single shot? Another disturbing development this morning, our affiliate station WAGA in Atlanta reports members of the judge's legal staff activated silent alarms. But those alarms went unanswered for more than 10 minutes, as that deadly scenario played out.

Ashley Smith, the hero in all of this, the woman who managed to talk Nichols into giving himself up, says she needs a break from all the attention. The former hostage held a news conference and she told reporters she is exhausted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHLEY SMITH, FORMER HOSTAGE: As I'm sure you can imagine, this has been extremely difficult and exhausting for me and my extended family. I have experienced just about every emotion one can imagine in the span of just a few days. Throughout my time with Mr. Nichols, I continued to rely on my faith in god. That has helped me through tough times before and he'll help me now.

I hope that you will respect my need to rest and to focus my immediate attention on helping legal authorities proceed with their various investigations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Smith's 911 call quickly sent SWAT teams to her apartment north of Atlanta. And that's where Nichols surrendered.

Listen to part of the police dispatch call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Be advised, what we have here is an abduction of this young lady. She was able to escape from the apartment, is a confirmed positive I.D. of our subject. He was in the apartment when she left and has not made contact since, so he could be on the ground in the apartment or anywhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A white hearse carried the body of Immigration and Customs Agent David Wilhelm to his hometown. Here's a picture for you. Police lined overpasses in Atlanta as the hearse and 200 cars traveled north to Salisbury, North Carolina. Wilhelm was one of four people Nichols is accused of killing.

In other "Stories Across America" this Tuesday morning, Wisconsin police say a man who opened fire during a church service near Milwaukee may have been targeting his pastor. Forty-four-year-old Terry Ratzmann shot and killed seven people in the rampage on Saturday and then he killed himself. The church's pastor and his 16-year-old son were among those killed. Police are investigating whether church ties may have played a role in Ratzmann's actions.

In Columbus, Ohio, a second grader tells police that he found the gun that later went off in his book bag, shooting him in the hand. Investigators say the gun wasn't reported stolen and they haven't figured out who it was registered to. The child says he found the gun while he was walking to school on Monday.

Authorities say more than 100 alleged gang members have been arrested across the United States. Those arrested allegedly are members of a Honduran street gang known as MS13. Officials say MS13 is one of the largest and most violent gangs in the country, and most of its members are here illegally.

On the hot seat again today in the Michael Jackson trial, the pop star's young accuser. Jackson's lawyer is focusing on the 16-year-old boy's own words to suggest the teenager made up allegations of sexual abuse.

Our Miguel Marquez has details of Monday's courtroom action.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michael Jackson was looking much better in court than when he showed up last week, after having severe back problems. When he left, he did say he was still feeling a little sore. But he also felt his lawyer was doing a pretty good job in there.

QUESTION: Michael, how are you feeling today?

MICHAEL JACKSON, DEFENDANT: My back is very sore. My back is sore. In pain.

QUESTION: Are you still in pain?

JACKSON: Yes.

QUESTION: How did you think things went today?

JACKSON: Mesereau did a great job.

MARQUEZ: During a vigorous cross-examination by Michael Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, Jr., the 15-year-old accuser admitted that he had told the dean of his school that Michael Jackson never touched him. But one former prosecutor says given the nature of sexual assault victims, it's not clear if this really means anything yet.

JIM HAMMER, FORMER PROSECUTOR: The typical course for a child assault victim is to deny it ever happened, then to tell little bits of it and then finally the full story comes out.

MARQUEZ: Also under cross-examination, the boy admitted to disciplinary problems at his school, with almost every single teacher complaining about him, calling him disruptive to their classes and disrespectful to the teachers themselves.

Thomas Mesereau, Jr., Mr. Jackson's attorney, painting a much different picture of this boy, one who would stand up to anybody who he thought had wronged him.

That cross-examination will continue on Tuesday.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Santa Maria, California.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: We've got much more ahead as DAYBREAK continues.

Karen Hughes gets some new marching orders. But she might have a bumpy road ahead of her.

Plus, she's under house arrest but that has not stopped Martha Stewart from throwing a virtual party.

And Congress shines a light on a potential terror threat. It has pilots on guard.

Now here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning, March 15.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, Karen Hughes -- she's back in D.C. for a bit of P.R. But she could be facing a tough sell.

And it wasn't a banner day for this flag. We'll tell you why it's drawing so much attention.

DAYBREAK is back in one minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's 6:13 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

In just under four hours, Brian Nichols is to make an initial court appearance in Atlanta. Prosecutors say the alleged courthouse shooter has been cooperative, but they aren't giving any more details.

Bill Clinton is back at home. The former president has left a New York hospital four days after surgery. Doctors had to clear up some complications from the quadruple bypass Clinton had in September.

In money news, a big shakeup at the world's biggest insurance company. Maurice Greenberg has stepped down as CEO of American International Group. The move comes amid government probes into alleged fraud at the company.

In culture, no penalty flag for "Monday Night Football." Surely you remember this ad. The FCC looked into complaints over the suggestive opening to a November broadcast. It says it was not indecent. The skit shows "Desperate Housewives" star Nicolette Sheridan, as you can see, dropping her towel to get Terrell Owens to skip the big game for her, which he does, but not really.

In sports, he's back. John Chaney returns to coach his Temple Owls in the NIT tonight after a three week suspension. Rough play from one of Chaney's players triggered the penalty.

To the forecast center and Chad.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

You can call her the new world doctor of spin. President Bush is nominating Karen Hughes, his former adviser, to be undersecretary of state in charge of public diplomacy. That's the person who sells America's image overseas, especially to Muslims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN HUGHES, UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE DESIGNATE: America's public diplomacy should be as much about listening and understanding as it is about speaking. And our message is much more likely to have impact among people of different countries when it is delivered with respect for their culture and their many accomplishments.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The president's choice is a bit of a surprise on a couple of fronts.

John Mercurio writes CNN's political blog, "The Morning Grind" -- good morning, John.

JOHN MERCURIO, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, priority number one is to change Islamic perceptions about America. And I would suspect that's still a tough job, even after those successful elections in Iraq.

MERCURIO: Exactly. You know, I think that's a really good point. And I don't think that this, you know, this one appointment of a goodwill ambassador is going to necessarily mark a sea change. But if there's one thing, I think, that Karen Hughes has done well for this president over his entire political career, it's to help him sort of craft a message and market himself politically. Of course, I mean she's never done anything like this, to an audience like this. So whether she'll succeed, obviously, is still anyone's guess.

COSTELLO: I'm wondering, though, why Karen Hughes? Because I remember she wanted to go back to Texas to be with her son so he could go to school there. And she was tired of the Washington life.

Why has she come back?

MERCURIO: You know, I always thought that was a little bit, that story line was a little bit overplayed, the idea that she didn't want to work for the president. She was still, from what I've heard, you know, working in Austin, in Texas, for him on a pretty -- on a regular basis.

Her son is grown now, a couple years after she left Washington. And so I think she sort of comes back at a time, in a new assignment, in a different assignment. She's not going to be working in that same White House culture that I think was what she had sort of tired of initially.

COSTELLO: It's also interesting that President Bush chose a woman to make the Islamic world feel better about America when you know women aren't exactly first class citizens in the Muslim world.

MERCURIO: Yes. I think that's a very good point. And I think what it shows is what a high priority this president places not so much on how his appointment will be received by the audience, by the target audience, but what a high priority he puts on loyalty and on the certain level of comfort that he has with the people that he appoints.

You know, you saw that, you know, you're seeing it all around the administration this year, with Condi Rice as the secretary of state. And I think this appointment is another example of that, just a certain level of trust that he puts in that person.

COSTELLO: John Mercurio live from Washington this morning.

Thank you.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, ChoicePoint officials are in the hot seat on Capitol Hill to answer questions about identity thefts.

And fans get a chance to chat with the returning domestic diva, even while she's under house arrest.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Time for a little "Business Buzz" now.

With several high profile cases of identity theft recently, law makers are considering ways to help you protect yourself.

Chris Huntington joins us now with more on that -- good morning.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Well, we all know about our credit reports and the fact that information builds up in these things. And often it works against us and we hear frightful stories about how, oh, you've got a black mark in your credit report. Well, now there's a way, potentially, you can make these credit reports work for you, particularly in fighting identity theft.

Several states are adopting a measure that would allow you to freeze your credit report. And what that would do is effectively put a full dam in front of anybody trying to open up new accounts under your name, because they go to a store or they go to a bank for a credit card to try and open it and boom, there is an absolute steel lock on your account. And so the credit card issuers simply will not issue any more accounts.

The down side to it is that it takes a lot of work to thaw out a frozen account. You need all kinds of letters of recommendation and 57 types of I.D. and all sorts of things like that. But that's perhaps a small hassle to go through if, in fact, you can really protect your identity.

And as I mentioned, there are several states who are adopting this. Federal law right now only permits you to put a fraud alert.

COSTELLO: Ah!

HUNTINGTON: And you'd think that a fraud alert in one of these things would be enough to prevent somebody else from starting, but apparently not. So this is a measure that's being taken out.

COSTELLO: Oh, no. People are very clever, aren't they?

HUNTINGTON: People will get around anything.

COSTELLO: You know, you say people will have trouble thawing out their frozen account. But that may be a good thing because that might force you to limit yourself to just a couple of credit cards.

HUNTINGTON: Probably not a bad idea. We've been doing stories this week on, related to the new personal bankruptcy law that's pending and we're finding people who, you know, horrendous stories of folks who you'd think would get the message, and they have 27 credit cards and all kinds of problems.

COSTELLO: And they're all maxed out.

HUNTINGTON: And they are maxed out.

COSTELLO: It's amazing.

A quick look at the futures?

HUNTINGTON: Futures look a little bit better today. Yesterday, the market rallied a tiny, tiny bit.

A big drug stock to look for today, Genentech, a biotech stock showing very, very promising results with its cancer drug Avistan. The ticker symbol for Genentech is DNA, so look for that stock. It's shown very well in pre-market trading, so that could be a big deal.

COSTELLO: Chris Huntington, thank you.

HUNTINGTON: Thank you.

COSTELLO: We have heard the question asked before, how safe is the food supply? Now one state has a plan to protect its families.

And later, the threat in the sky. Lasers directed at cockpits, when DAYBREAK continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: In our "Security Watch" this morning, no less an expert than the former head of homeland security has asked this question -- why haven't terrorists attacked our food supply yet?

Well, a new initiative in Georgia is aimed at making sure that does not happen by keeping food supplies safe from terror and natural disaster.

Dennis Rader Lee Myers heads up the state's new Agro Terrorism Committee.

And she joins us now live from Atlanta.

Welcome, Lee.

DR. LEE M. MYERS, GEORGIA AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, this plan sounds like common sense to me. What a great idea.

L. MYERS: Well, thank you.

We in Georgia are very fortunate to have a governor who is a veterinarian and a long-term serving agriculture commissioner, Tommy Irvin, who sees the need in helping us develop training materials focused on agro-security.

COSTELLO: Tell people exactly who will be watching the food supply in Georgia.

L. MYERS: Well, in Georgia we do have an Agro Terrorism Committee under the office of homeland security. And part of our charge is making sure that we have the emergency support functions in our state operations plan. And we were interested to find out, in completing the state homeland security assessment document, that there were no training materials available focused on agro security.

So we were fortunate to receive Office of Domestic Preparedness funds and we have created the first ever Agro Security Awareness Level 1 Training document, which will help provide training for all disciplines, including law enforcement, public health officials, county and city leaders, to help us be better prepared in the event we have an incursion of a biological attack.

COSTELLO: Some specifics, though. The people specifically watching out for the food supply or the people you'd expect to, farmers, veterinarians? Tell us more about that aspect of the plan.

L. MYERS: Well, the plan does start with awareness. And that's why this training is so important. We can have the best plans in the world, but if the message doesn't get to the proper officials, then it does no good.

As an example, the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the United Kingdom in 2001, nearly three weeks passed before that official report reached the Ministry of Agriculture. And so this type of delay we certainly cannot afford. So the better prepared our farmers are, veterinarians, extension agents, neighbors, to recognize that something might be wrong and to know what officials they are to call, to notify.

COSTELLO: So what should I do, as Joe Citizen?

L. MYERS: As Joe Citizen, I think the best thing you can do is to be prepared and aware of your surroundings. Make sure that if you recognize that there is something wrong to make sure that you know who to call. And interact with your local county emergency management agency to be prepared.

COSTELLO: Dr. Lee Myers, thanks for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

L. MYERS: Thank you.

COSTELLO: A reminder to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, a report this morning about the scene that unfolded in that Atlanta courtroom on Friday. Did the judge try to save his own life and others in his courtroom?

And later, life after prison. Martha Stewart shares her thoughts and plans with fans online when DAYBREAK comes back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, a silent alarm falls on deaf ears. We'll have some new disturbing details about the courtroom shooting rampage in Atlanta.

And chatting with Martha -- house arrest isn't keeping Martha Stewart from connecting with her fans.

It is Tuesday, March 15.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, a suicide car bomber in Baghdad kills a child and injures at least four other people. The bombing took place today in an area that's home to Iraq's Ministry of Health, several schools and hospitals.

In the Philippines, police storm a Manila prison, retaking it from a Muslim separatist group linked to al Qaeda. At least 21 inmates were killed. Police say four of them were the group's leaders.

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 March 15, 2005 - 06:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, tough questions and some surprising answers. Michael Jackson's young accuser takes the stand.
Also, a familiar face is back inside the Beltway. Her job? Giving America a bit of a makeover.

And out of prison and online -- Martha Stewart connects with her fans.

It is Tuesday, March 15.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, a suicide car bomber in Baghdad kills a child and injures at least four other people. The bombing happened today in an area that's home to Iraq's Ministry of Health plus several schools and hospitals.

Atlanta's top prosecutor says Brian Nichols, accused of killing four people on Friday, has provided a cooperative statement to authorities. Nichols makes his first court appearance four hours from now.

In California, a controversial decision. A judge rules that a state law limiting marriage to a man and woman is unconstitutional. He says there is no rational basis for denying marriage to same sex couples.

And the government says you can expect to pay record high gas prices, possibly as early as this week. The average price for a gallon of gas costs almost $2.06. That's less than $0.01 away from a record high.

To Chad in the Forecast Center -- good morning.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: So many what ifs surrounding the courthouse shootings in Atlanta. The most serious, could Brian Nichols have been stopped before he fired a single shot? Another disturbing development this morning, our affiliate station WAGA in Atlanta reports members of the judge's legal staff activated silent alarms. But those alarms went unanswered for more than 10 minutes, as that deadly scenario played out.

Ashley Smith, the hero in all of this, the woman who managed to talk Nichols into giving himself up, says she needs a break from all the attention. The former hostage held a news conference and she told reporters she is exhausted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ASHLEY SMITH, FORMER HOSTAGE: As I'm sure you can imagine, this has been extremely difficult and exhausting for me and my extended family. I have experienced just about every emotion one can imagine in the span of just a few days. Throughout my time with Mr. Nichols, I continued to rely on my faith in god. That has helped me through tough times before and he'll help me now.

I hope that you will respect my need to rest and to focus my immediate attention on helping legal authorities proceed with their various investigations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Smith's 911 call quickly sent SWAT teams to her apartment north of Atlanta. And that's where Nichols surrendered.

Listen to part of the police dispatch call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Be advised, what we have here is an abduction of this young lady. She was able to escape from the apartment, is a confirmed positive I.D. of our subject. He was in the apartment when she left and has not made contact since, so he could be on the ground in the apartment or anywhere.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: A white hearse carried the body of Immigration and Customs Agent David Wilhelm to his hometown. Here's a picture for you. Police lined overpasses in Atlanta as the hearse and 200 cars traveled north to Salisbury, North Carolina. Wilhelm was one of four people Nichols is accused of killing.

In other "Stories Across America" this Tuesday morning, Wisconsin police say a man who opened fire during a church service near Milwaukee may have been targeting his pastor. Forty-four-year-old Terry Ratzmann shot and killed seven people in the rampage on Saturday and then he killed himself. The church's pastor and his 16-year-old son were among those killed. Police are investigating whether church ties may have played a role in Ratzmann's actions.

In Columbus, Ohio, a second grader tells police that he found the gun that later went off in his book bag, shooting him in the hand. Investigators say the gun wasn't reported stolen and they haven't figured out who it was registered to. The child says he found the gun while he was walking to school on Monday.

Authorities say more than 100 alleged gang members have been arrested across the United States. Those arrested allegedly are members of a Honduran street gang known as MS13. Officials say MS13 is one of the largest and most violent gangs in the country, and most of its members are here illegally.

On the hot seat again today in the Michael Jackson trial, the pop star's young accuser. Jackson's lawyer is focusing on the 16-year-old boy's own words to suggest the teenager made up allegations of sexual abuse.

Our Miguel Marquez has details of Monday's courtroom action.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Michael Jackson was looking much better in court than when he showed up last week, after having severe back problems. When he left, he did say he was still feeling a little sore. But he also felt his lawyer was doing a pretty good job in there.

QUESTION: Michael, how are you feeling today?

MICHAEL JACKSON, DEFENDANT: My back is very sore. My back is sore. In pain.

QUESTION: Are you still in pain?

JACKSON: Yes.

QUESTION: How did you think things went today?

JACKSON: Mesereau did a great job.

MARQUEZ: During a vigorous cross-examination by Michael Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, Jr., the 15-year-old accuser admitted that he had told the dean of his school that Michael Jackson never touched him. But one former prosecutor says given the nature of sexual assault victims, it's not clear if this really means anything yet.

JIM HAMMER, FORMER PROSECUTOR: The typical course for a child assault victim is to deny it ever happened, then to tell little bits of it and then finally the full story comes out.

MARQUEZ: Also under cross-examination, the boy admitted to disciplinary problems at his school, with almost every single teacher complaining about him, calling him disruptive to their classes and disrespectful to the teachers themselves.

Thomas Mesereau, Jr., Mr. Jackson's attorney, painting a much different picture of this boy, one who would stand up to anybody who he thought had wronged him.

That cross-examination will continue on Tuesday.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Santa Maria, California.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

COSTELLO: We've got much more ahead as DAYBREAK continues.

Karen Hughes gets some new marching orders. But she might have a bumpy road ahead of her.

Plus, she's under house arrest but that has not stopped Martha Stewart from throwing a virtual party.

And Congress shines a light on a potential terror threat. It has pilots on guard.

Now here's a look at what else is making news this Tuesday morning, March 15.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, Karen Hughes -- she's back in D.C. for a bit of P.R. But she could be facing a tough sell.

And it wasn't a banner day for this flag. We'll tell you why it's drawing so much attention.

DAYBREAK is back in one minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports.

It's 6:13 Eastern.

Here's what's all new this morning.

In just under four hours, Brian Nichols is to make an initial court appearance in Atlanta. Prosecutors say the alleged courthouse shooter has been cooperative, but they aren't giving any more details.

Bill Clinton is back at home. The former president has left a New York hospital four days after surgery. Doctors had to clear up some complications from the quadruple bypass Clinton had in September.

In money news, a big shakeup at the world's biggest insurance company. Maurice Greenberg has stepped down as CEO of American International Group. The move comes amid government probes into alleged fraud at the company.

In culture, no penalty flag for "Monday Night Football." Surely you remember this ad. The FCC looked into complaints over the suggestive opening to a November broadcast. It says it was not indecent. The skit shows "Desperate Housewives" star Nicolette Sheridan, as you can see, dropping her towel to get Terrell Owens to skip the big game for her, which he does, but not really.

In sports, he's back. John Chaney returns to coach his Temple Owls in the NIT tonight after a three week suspension. Rough play from one of Chaney's players triggered the penalty.

To the forecast center and Chad.

MYERS: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

You can call her the new world doctor of spin. President Bush is nominating Karen Hughes, his former adviser, to be undersecretary of state in charge of public diplomacy. That's the person who sells America's image overseas, especially to Muslims.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN HUGHES, UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE DESIGNATE: America's public diplomacy should be as much about listening and understanding as it is about speaking. And our message is much more likely to have impact among people of different countries when it is delivered with respect for their culture and their many accomplishments.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The president's choice is a bit of a surprise on a couple of fronts.

John Mercurio writes CNN's political blog, "The Morning Grind" -- good morning, John.

JOHN MERCURIO, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: So, priority number one is to change Islamic perceptions about America. And I would suspect that's still a tough job, even after those successful elections in Iraq.

MERCURIO: Exactly. You know, I think that's a really good point. And I don't think that this, you know, this one appointment of a goodwill ambassador is going to necessarily mark a sea change. But if there's one thing, I think, that Karen Hughes has done well for this president over his entire political career, it's to help him sort of craft a message and market himself politically. Of course, I mean she's never done anything like this, to an audience like this. So whether she'll succeed, obviously, is still anyone's guess.

COSTELLO: I'm wondering, though, why Karen Hughes? Because I remember she wanted to go back to Texas to be with her son so he could go to school there. And she was tired of the Washington life.

Why has she come back?

MERCURIO: You know, I always thought that was a little bit, that story line was a little bit overplayed, the idea that she didn't want to work for the president. She was still, from what I've heard, you know, working in Austin, in Texas, for him on a pretty -- on a regular basis.

Her son is grown now, a couple years after she left Washington. And so I think she sort of comes back at a time, in a new assignment, in a different assignment. She's not going to be working in that same White House culture that I think was what she had sort of tired of initially.

COSTELLO: It's also interesting that President Bush chose a woman to make the Islamic world feel better about America when you know women aren't exactly first class citizens in the Muslim world.

MERCURIO: Yes. I think that's a very good point. And I think what it shows is what a high priority this president places not so much on how his appointment will be received by the audience, by the target audience, but what a high priority he puts on loyalty and on the certain level of comfort that he has with the people that he appoints.

You know, you saw that, you know, you're seeing it all around the administration this year, with Condi Rice as the secretary of state. And I think this appointment is another example of that, just a certain level of trust that he puts in that person.

COSTELLO: John Mercurio live from Washington this morning.

Thank you.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, ChoicePoint officials are in the hot seat on Capitol Hill to answer questions about identity thefts.

And fans get a chance to chat with the returning domestic diva, even while she's under house arrest.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Time for a little "Business Buzz" now.

With several high profile cases of identity theft recently, law makers are considering ways to help you protect yourself.

Chris Huntington joins us now with more on that -- good morning.

CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

Well, we all know about our credit reports and the fact that information builds up in these things. And often it works against us and we hear frightful stories about how, oh, you've got a black mark in your credit report. Well, now there's a way, potentially, you can make these credit reports work for you, particularly in fighting identity theft.

Several states are adopting a measure that would allow you to freeze your credit report. And what that would do is effectively put a full dam in front of anybody trying to open up new accounts under your name, because they go to a store or they go to a bank for a credit card to try and open it and boom, there is an absolute steel lock on your account. And so the credit card issuers simply will not issue any more accounts.

The down side to it is that it takes a lot of work to thaw out a frozen account. You need all kinds of letters of recommendation and 57 types of I.D. and all sorts of things like that. But that's perhaps a small hassle to go through if, in fact, you can really protect your identity.

And as I mentioned, there are several states who are adopting this. Federal law right now only permits you to put a fraud alert.

COSTELLO: Ah!

HUNTINGTON: And you'd think that a fraud alert in one of these things would be enough to prevent somebody else from starting, but apparently not. So this is a measure that's being taken out.

COSTELLO: Oh, no. People are very clever, aren't they?

HUNTINGTON: People will get around anything.

COSTELLO: You know, you say people will have trouble thawing out their frozen account. But that may be a good thing because that might force you to limit yourself to just a couple of credit cards.

HUNTINGTON: Probably not a bad idea. We've been doing stories this week on, related to the new personal bankruptcy law that's pending and we're finding people who, you know, horrendous stories of folks who you'd think would get the message, and they have 27 credit cards and all kinds of problems.

COSTELLO: And they're all maxed out.

HUNTINGTON: And they are maxed out.

COSTELLO: It's amazing.

A quick look at the futures?

HUNTINGTON: Futures look a little bit better today. Yesterday, the market rallied a tiny, tiny bit.

A big drug stock to look for today, Genentech, a biotech stock showing very, very promising results with its cancer drug Avistan. The ticker symbol for Genentech is DNA, so look for that stock. It's shown very well in pre-market trading, so that could be a big deal.

COSTELLO: Chris Huntington, thank you.

HUNTINGTON: Thank you.

COSTELLO: We have heard the question asked before, how safe is the food supply? Now one state has a plan to protect its families.

And later, the threat in the sky. Lasers directed at cockpits, when DAYBREAK continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: In our "Security Watch" this morning, no less an expert than the former head of homeland security has asked this question -- why haven't terrorists attacked our food supply yet?

Well, a new initiative in Georgia is aimed at making sure that does not happen by keeping food supplies safe from terror and natural disaster.

Dennis Rader Lee Myers heads up the state's new Agro Terrorism Committee.

And she joins us now live from Atlanta.

Welcome, Lee.

DR. LEE M. MYERS, GEORGIA AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: You know, this plan sounds like common sense to me. What a great idea.

L. MYERS: Well, thank you.

We in Georgia are very fortunate to have a governor who is a veterinarian and a long-term serving agriculture commissioner, Tommy Irvin, who sees the need in helping us develop training materials focused on agro-security.

COSTELLO: Tell people exactly who will be watching the food supply in Georgia.

L. MYERS: Well, in Georgia we do have an Agro Terrorism Committee under the office of homeland security. And part of our charge is making sure that we have the emergency support functions in our state operations plan. And we were interested to find out, in completing the state homeland security assessment document, that there were no training materials available focused on agro security.

So we were fortunate to receive Office of Domestic Preparedness funds and we have created the first ever Agro Security Awareness Level 1 Training document, which will help provide training for all disciplines, including law enforcement, public health officials, county and city leaders, to help us be better prepared in the event we have an incursion of a biological attack.

COSTELLO: Some specifics, though. The people specifically watching out for the food supply or the people you'd expect to, farmers, veterinarians? Tell us more about that aspect of the plan.

L. MYERS: Well, the plan does start with awareness. And that's why this training is so important. We can have the best plans in the world, but if the message doesn't get to the proper officials, then it does no good.

As an example, the Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the United Kingdom in 2001, nearly three weeks passed before that official report reached the Ministry of Agriculture. And so this type of delay we certainly cannot afford. So the better prepared our farmers are, veterinarians, extension agents, neighbors, to recognize that something might be wrong and to know what officials they are to call, to notify.

COSTELLO: So what should I do, as Joe Citizen?

L. MYERS: As Joe Citizen, I think the best thing you can do is to be prepared and aware of your surroundings. Make sure that if you recognize that there is something wrong to make sure that you know who to call. And interact with your local county emergency management agency to be prepared.

COSTELLO: Dr. Lee Myers, thanks for joining DAYBREAK this morning.

L. MYERS: Thank you.

COSTELLO: A reminder to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, a report this morning about the scene that unfolded in that Atlanta courtroom on Friday. Did the judge try to save his own life and others in his courtroom?

And later, life after prison. Martha Stewart shares her thoughts and plans with fans online when DAYBREAK comes back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Straight ahead on DAYBREAK, a silent alarm falls on deaf ears. We'll have some new disturbing details about the courtroom shooting rampage in Atlanta.

And chatting with Martha -- house arrest isn't keeping Martha Stewart from connecting with her fans.

It is Tuesday, March 15.

You are watching DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you.

From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.

Now in the news, a suicide car bomber in Baghdad kills a child and injures at least four other people. The bombing took place today in an area that's home to Iraq's Ministry of Health, several schools and hospitals.

In the Philippines, police storm a Manila prison, retaking it from a Muslim separatist group linked to al Qaeda. At least 21 inmates were killed. Police say four of them were the group's leaders.

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