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New Documentry Examines National Gaurdsmen From Arkansas Deployed to Iraq

Aired April 20, 2004 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is LIVE FROM... I'm Miles O'Brien.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half hour.

Yesterday they were businessmen, cops, carpenters. Today they're heading off to war. A documentary maker takes you inside the lives of one National Guard unit called up for duty.

O'BRIEN: And he calls himself the Rocketman, as you might suspect. Just ahead we'll show you why he's blasting off into the wild blue yonder.

First, the top stories we're following for you.

Patience and resolve. That's what Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says is needed to see through the long struggle in Iraq. Rumsfeld expressed concern today over negotiations in the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah, noting insurgents have not been involved in those talks.

In Iraq, a mortar attack on a Baghdad area jail has left at least 22 detainees dead. The jail, which was known as a notorious torture facility under Saddam Hussein, was hit by a dozen mortars. Ninety-two detainees were wounded in that attack.

Should detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have access to U.S. courts? The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on the matter. An attorney representing the detainees says the U.S. government has created a lawless enclave in Cuba. The government's attorney says Cuba has ultimate sovereignty, which places prisoners beyond the control of U.S. courts.

A setback for gay marriage. A judge orders the county in Oregon to stop issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. The county was believed to be the only jurisdiction in the county that allowed same- sex weddings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want him to stay home, safe. Now we can't keep him here. So he has to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those suicide bombers and stuff, I mean, they're willing to kill theirself and they don't care who they kill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I've got to shoot somebody I'm gonna shoot him. I don't want to. It is not like I just want to go over there just to shoot people. But if I mean I have to shoot somebody...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Family, country and a call to duty. All the conflicting tugs on the lives of National Guardsmen, the so-called weekend warriors, who are now on the battlefield in the war on terror.

Documentary filmmaker Craig Renaud followed 57 citizen soldiers from Clarksville, Arkansas as they left their families for Iraq. He joins me from New York.

And Staff Sergeant John Gilliland is with the Georgia Army National Guard. He left his desk job as a client server analyst for Tesist (ph) for the frontlines. He joins me here in Atlanta to talk about the tug of war.

Gentlemen, great to have you both here. Craig, let's start with you and talk about this community of 7,000 in Arkansas and how all these folks went into shock when it was time to go to war.

CRAIG RENAUD, DISCOVERY TIMES CHANNEL: Well, like you said, it is really difficult. I mean Clarksville is only a town of 7,000 people. And they have 57 gentlemen from Clarksville being deployed. And so obviously for a community like Clarksville with 7,000 people, when that many people leave, it is very hard for them.

PHILLIPS: No doubt you captured a lot of emotional shock for these families. It was very well documented. Let's introduce everyone to the Betts (ph) family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I have to go somewhere, he watches the kids and -- that's all right. I just can't do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I raised up my hand and said that I would do whatever it took to defend my country.

And not only am I defending my country, but I am always at always, at all times being a part of the military, defending my family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: John, this is what you went through with Wendy and your daughter when you had to go. How did you do it? How did you talk to them and explain this was something that was definitely worth doing?

SSG JOHN GILLILAND, 221ST MI BATTALION, GA. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: We knew it was inevitably possible considering how things were going. I think she was quietly just waiting word from me. So when I actually found out the news and told her, she pretty much accepted this, I knew this was going to happen.

So she had been mentally preparing herself. And it's was almost impossible to do it. But she did an outstanding job in accepting the news.

Of course hurt, upset and worried, but it turned out for the best as far as initially goes.

PHILLIPS: And your work. You had to leave this job at Tesist as a client server analyst. How did they respond, everybody there, when you said, I'm off and I don't know how long I'm going to be gone?

GILLILAND: They were actually very good. I couldn't have asked for a better release than I got from my job.

Some of the members that were in the office that I work in were previous active duty. So they understood. They know. Some of them have been deployed overseas. They were anxious to hear the stories when I got back, to say the least.

My job gave me a terrific release, as I said. They came and told me exactly what to expect, what they were going to do for me and what they would reserve as far as my exact position, the differential in pay, the benefits. The whole nine yards. I was completely prepared when I left the job. I knew what was going to happen.

PHILLIPS: Well, you're a ranger through and through. And I know you're always in good shape, but let's go back to the documentary where Craig actually captured these guys in Arkansas having to get ready for this fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here. Get a shot of my big belly. Here you go. That will be gone by the time I get home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Let's talk just the physical toll, Craig, and how you had to witness these guys who actually didn't think they were going to be called up and had a pretty hard time taking the challenge, didn't they?

RENAUD: For these guys, they're going one weekend a month. And so obviously a lot of them aren't in the shape that the regular Army is in.

But they really stepped up to the challenge. I mean these guys were really focused on getting in shape for this deployment. One of the gentlemen that you see in the documentary, he's lost 70 pounds since the beginning of this training. And a lot of them have really gotten prepared for this year in Iraq.

PHILLIPS: When you watched these men prepare, Craig, did you think there might be some that weren't going to make it?

RENAUD: Well, not so much. I mean when you see them in the documentary, you'll probably question that. But the determination that they had, they really wanted to go to Iraq. I mean, even though this was a surprise for a lot of them, they really wanted to go.

So the determination, I think, got out over any of the physical stuff they had to make up for.

PHILLIPS: John, you definitely had that determination. It changed your life, didn't it, when you went over there? You said it was eye-opening, especially when it came to the Iraqi children?

GILLILAND: Yes, absolutely. We didn't know what to expect. Of course we had incredible enthusiasm. We were prepared. And we train a little more often than a regular National Guard unit, more is expected of us because of the type of mission that we actually provide. So we were all ready to go, raring and ready to go.

And when we arrived, it was a roller coaster, as you can imagine. Everything was up and down. We ended up actually getting a very, very unique mission.

And when we actually took off for the first time and did that mission and interacted with the local people, it was an eye opener, literally. We got to see how they live, we got to see how they interacted, we got to see how they reacted towards us.

And once the barrier was dropped between us and them, we were able to give them help, medical help, give them food, give them water. And that was all the justification I needed to be there. That right there, that first day that we interact with the local population, it did it for me.

PHILLIPS: So do you find yourself coming back to your civilian job saying ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you, you have no idea how good we have it?

GILLILAND: Absolutely. It's hard to explain what 150 degrees is until you live it. You can't explain that to somebody unless they sat in an oven for a period of time.

There are so many things we take for granted. And it's obvious people who have been out of the country and to other areas or regions within the world understand that.

But until you live it, see it, see how the people endure it and carry on with their lives, you don't understand how well we have it. These trivial little things that go on in our lives mean absolutely nothing in the big picture.

So upon coming back, some of the walls I've set up as far as things that upset me, those were torn down. Then I tried to let those roll off my cheek and not bother me so much anymore.

PHILLIPS: That's pretty awesome to see the strength that mentally and physically. John Gilliland, staff sergeant. Craig, awesome documentary. Go ahead and give a plug. It's going to air tonight, 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Discovery Times. What do you want everyone to walk we with after they watch it?

RENAUD: Well, I mean, we just tried our best to hold a mirror up to these soldiers. So I think it's a unique opportunity for people to hear from soldiers themselves. And they can be the judge of their experience through the voices of the soldier.

PHILLIPS: Craig, thank you. John, thank you for your time.

Next, how the events in Iraq especially this past month, are registering with voters. We've got fresh polling data for you.

And later, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Rocketman is who we are talking about. This guy's crazy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A bloody month in Iraq, rising gas prices and the 9/11 hearings. Just some of the issues percolating as the presidential political season roars to an early start. Do they spell trouble for President Bush?

Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll joining us from Princeton, New Jersey. Frank, how have the events of the past week or two affected the president's standing in the public?

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well, Miles, not much at all. That's a surprise in and of itself. A lot of observers thought perhaps that Bush's ratings, his against John Kerry would take a fall based on all the events you talk about.

I think instead we're seeing a mini rally effect of sorts. People rallying around the administration, at least in the short, based on what's happening internationally.

First of all, Bush approval? That's very steady. This is almost what we would call a flat line here at Gallup. Statistically, look at it. March and now into April, 49, 52, 53, 52, 52. It's just not changing. The good news for any incumbent is if you're above 50 percent, and Bush is by 2 points, the bigger interest I think in our polling here is that it just hasn't changed.

Bush versus Kerry. Likely voters, Bush now ahead five points, 51 to 46 percent. He was ahead by 3 points a week or two ago. So it's a slight increase. Not statistically significant.

But again the key, Miles, based on everything that's happening, instead of Bush nosediving in the polls, he's holding his own or actually gaining some -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Frank, what about priorities this election year? Is Iraq right at the top of people's lists?

NEWPORT: No, people would think it would about we all the attention it is getting. When we ask people and give them a choice, Iraq, terrorism, the economy. It's the economy still No. 1.

What I wanted to show you here is that thought, there's big differences by party. Those choosing the economy, look at that 56 percent of Democrats. That's what I have here. Republicans, independents, Democrats. Fifty-six percent of Democrats say it is the economy.

When it comes to terrorism, Republicans say that's the major issue. But only 10 or 11 percent of Democrats say it's terrorism. Iraq, more likely to be Democrats saying Iraq is a major issue than is the case for Republicans.

So some differences depending on your perspective. But all in all, interestingly, Miles, the economy, No. 1 priority.

O'BRIEN: As time goes on in Iraq, lots of comparisons to Vietnam. What about that comparison? What does the public think of it anyhow?

NEWPORT: Well, the Gallup archives showed that the question was asked many times in the '60s, Miles, was involvement in Vietnam a mistake? We've updated that question and now we've asked it about Iraq. So we have a nice comparison to those who would opine that there is a similarity between the two.

Right now 42 percent of Americans say Iraq was a mistake. Let's go back in time. Here's our trend from the '60s when we asked that same question about Vietnam. Starting in 1965 when troop involvement really began. Twenty-four, then 35, then 41 percent in '67, about where we are now.

Then the lines crossed. By '67 and '68, a plurality and then a majority said Vietnam was a mistake. So we're not at that point yet. We still have a majority saying it is not a mistake similar to were we were in '67. So we're not where we were yet in '68 with Vietnam in Iraq -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Frank Newport with the Gallup Poll, thanks for the insights, appreciate it.

PHILLIPS: This next story will definitely get Miles' attention. It is Rocketman, from zero to 75 in just seconds.

O'BRIEN: That's me after eating a lot of beans.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: And the DVD player that will filter your movies. Don't like all the sex and violence on the screen? Well, there's an electronic editor. We hope it doesn't filter us out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Well, he's known as Rocketman. And now you are going to see why. He's aiming there to achieve a new world record. Eric Scott goes up, up, up. And then hopefully goes down, down, down, in a nice easy way.

He's a U.S. Air Force veteran, also a stuntman. This morning propelled himself 13 stories into the air, which if certified, 13 stories up to that point there. Let's see -- what is that? What did that say, Smirnoff?

PHILLIPS: It said Smirnoff.

O'BRIEN: I hope he wasn't -- well anyway.

PHILLIPS: Hope he wasn't drinking.

O'BRIEN: What kind of rocket fuel was he on?

Anyway, the futuristic rocket pack fires superheated nitrogen peroxide, not Smirnoff. It shoots him from zero to 75 in just two seconds. How is that for some acceleration?

PHILLIPS: Well, there you go.

Well parents who say there's too much sex and violence in movies are turning to technology for a little bit of help. But that's got Hollywood -- which camera -- in a huff. There we go. CNN's J.J. Ramberg reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

J.J. RAMBERG, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With this much violence, parents may hesitate before renting "Black Hawk Down" for their kids. But, beginning as early as this month, retailers like Wal-Mart and K-Mart will start selling RCA`s latest in DVD technology, a player that filters out vulgar language, graphic violence and sex.

BILL AHO, CEO, CLEARPLAY: If you just go to the remote control and look on your TV screen, and you make the settings the way that you want them.

RAMBERG: In a time where kids are bombarded by marketing for Hollywood`s biggest films, Bill Aho, the CEO of ClearPlay, the company which developed the technology, says he sees great demand for the filters.

AHO: I think it gives more tools to families and particularly the parents. They may choose whether to use them or whether not to use them. And really, ClearPlay is a vehicle of choice, but it`s another tool to help you to be a more responsible parent.

RAMBERG: But is Austin Powers really Austin Powers without sex? And is the movie "Traffic" the same without the drug use scenes? Hollywood says no.

STEPHEN SODERBERGH, DIRECTOR: I have a problem with somebody else coming in and altering my film and perhaps altering it in such a way that completely subverts the meaning of the film in the first place. RAMBERG: Steven Soderbergh, along with the Directors Guild of America, the seven major Hollywood studios, and a host of other parties are suing ClearPlay and companies like it.

SODERBERGH: Somebody taking one of our films, editing it, presenting it to the public and making money is a violation of copyright, in my opinion.

RAMBERG: The lawsuit is pending, but so far, ClearPlay has not been deterred.

AHO: We haven`t let it slow us down at all. We are very confident in our legal position.

RAMBERG (on camera): Right now ClearPlay's technology works with nearly 500 DVDs. But executives say there are some films they'll never touch. Movies like "American Pie" or "The Passion of the Christ." Without the sex and the violence, those movies just wouldn't make any sense.

J.J. Ramberg, CNN Financial News, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(MARKET UPDATE)

PHILLIPS: Well, we heard from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon briefing just a short time ago. We'll have that ahead for you.

O'BRIEN: Plus Jermaine Jackson goes to Bahrain trying to bridge the gap between Americans and Muslims in the Middle East.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired April 20, 2004 - 14:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is LIVE FROM... I'm Miles O'Brien.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what's all new this half hour.

Yesterday they were businessmen, cops, carpenters. Today they're heading off to war. A documentary maker takes you inside the lives of one National Guard unit called up for duty.

O'BRIEN: And he calls himself the Rocketman, as you might suspect. Just ahead we'll show you why he's blasting off into the wild blue yonder.

First, the top stories we're following for you.

Patience and resolve. That's what Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says is needed to see through the long struggle in Iraq. Rumsfeld expressed concern today over negotiations in the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah, noting insurgents have not been involved in those talks.

In Iraq, a mortar attack on a Baghdad area jail has left at least 22 detainees dead. The jail, which was known as a notorious torture facility under Saddam Hussein, was hit by a dozen mortars. Ninety-two detainees were wounded in that attack.

Should detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have access to U.S. courts? The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on the matter. An attorney representing the detainees says the U.S. government has created a lawless enclave in Cuba. The government's attorney says Cuba has ultimate sovereignty, which places prisoners beyond the control of U.S. courts.

A setback for gay marriage. A judge orders the county in Oregon to stop issuing marriage licenses to gay couples. The county was believed to be the only jurisdiction in the county that allowed same- sex weddings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want him to stay home, safe. Now we can't keep him here. So he has to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Those suicide bombers and stuff, I mean, they're willing to kill theirself and they don't care who they kill.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I've got to shoot somebody I'm gonna shoot him. I don't want to. It is not like I just want to go over there just to shoot people. But if I mean I have to shoot somebody...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Family, country and a call to duty. All the conflicting tugs on the lives of National Guardsmen, the so-called weekend warriors, who are now on the battlefield in the war on terror.

Documentary filmmaker Craig Renaud followed 57 citizen soldiers from Clarksville, Arkansas as they left their families for Iraq. He joins me from New York.

And Staff Sergeant John Gilliland is with the Georgia Army National Guard. He left his desk job as a client server analyst for Tesist (ph) for the frontlines. He joins me here in Atlanta to talk about the tug of war.

Gentlemen, great to have you both here. Craig, let's start with you and talk about this community of 7,000 in Arkansas and how all these folks went into shock when it was time to go to war.

CRAIG RENAUD, DISCOVERY TIMES CHANNEL: Well, like you said, it is really difficult. I mean Clarksville is only a town of 7,000 people. And they have 57 gentlemen from Clarksville being deployed. And so obviously for a community like Clarksville with 7,000 people, when that many people leave, it is very hard for them.

PHILLIPS: No doubt you captured a lot of emotional shock for these families. It was very well documented. Let's introduce everyone to the Betts (ph) family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I have to go somewhere, he watches the kids and -- that's all right. I just can't do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I raised up my hand and said that I would do whatever it took to defend my country.

And not only am I defending my country, but I am always at always, at all times being a part of the military, defending my family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: John, this is what you went through with Wendy and your daughter when you had to go. How did you do it? How did you talk to them and explain this was something that was definitely worth doing?

SSG JOHN GILLILAND, 221ST MI BATTALION, GA. ARMY NATIONAL GUARD: We knew it was inevitably possible considering how things were going. I think she was quietly just waiting word from me. So when I actually found out the news and told her, she pretty much accepted this, I knew this was going to happen.

So she had been mentally preparing herself. And it's was almost impossible to do it. But she did an outstanding job in accepting the news.

Of course hurt, upset and worried, but it turned out for the best as far as initially goes.

PHILLIPS: And your work. You had to leave this job at Tesist as a client server analyst. How did they respond, everybody there, when you said, I'm off and I don't know how long I'm going to be gone?

GILLILAND: They were actually very good. I couldn't have asked for a better release than I got from my job.

Some of the members that were in the office that I work in were previous active duty. So they understood. They know. Some of them have been deployed overseas. They were anxious to hear the stories when I got back, to say the least.

My job gave me a terrific release, as I said. They came and told me exactly what to expect, what they were going to do for me and what they would reserve as far as my exact position, the differential in pay, the benefits. The whole nine yards. I was completely prepared when I left the job. I knew what was going to happen.

PHILLIPS: Well, you're a ranger through and through. And I know you're always in good shape, but let's go back to the documentary where Craig actually captured these guys in Arkansas having to get ready for this fight.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here. Get a shot of my big belly. Here you go. That will be gone by the time I get home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Let's talk just the physical toll, Craig, and how you had to witness these guys who actually didn't think they were going to be called up and had a pretty hard time taking the challenge, didn't they?

RENAUD: For these guys, they're going one weekend a month. And so obviously a lot of them aren't in the shape that the regular Army is in.

But they really stepped up to the challenge. I mean these guys were really focused on getting in shape for this deployment. One of the gentlemen that you see in the documentary, he's lost 70 pounds since the beginning of this training. And a lot of them have really gotten prepared for this year in Iraq.

PHILLIPS: When you watched these men prepare, Craig, did you think there might be some that weren't going to make it?

RENAUD: Well, not so much. I mean when you see them in the documentary, you'll probably question that. But the determination that they had, they really wanted to go to Iraq. I mean, even though this was a surprise for a lot of them, they really wanted to go.

So the determination, I think, got out over any of the physical stuff they had to make up for.

PHILLIPS: John, you definitely had that determination. It changed your life, didn't it, when you went over there? You said it was eye-opening, especially when it came to the Iraqi children?

GILLILAND: Yes, absolutely. We didn't know what to expect. Of course we had incredible enthusiasm. We were prepared. And we train a little more often than a regular National Guard unit, more is expected of us because of the type of mission that we actually provide. So we were all ready to go, raring and ready to go.

And when we arrived, it was a roller coaster, as you can imagine. Everything was up and down. We ended up actually getting a very, very unique mission.

And when we actually took off for the first time and did that mission and interacted with the local people, it was an eye opener, literally. We got to see how they live, we got to see how they interacted, we got to see how they reacted towards us.

And once the barrier was dropped between us and them, we were able to give them help, medical help, give them food, give them water. And that was all the justification I needed to be there. That right there, that first day that we interact with the local population, it did it for me.

PHILLIPS: So do you find yourself coming back to your civilian job saying ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you, you have no idea how good we have it?

GILLILAND: Absolutely. It's hard to explain what 150 degrees is until you live it. You can't explain that to somebody unless they sat in an oven for a period of time.

There are so many things we take for granted. And it's obvious people who have been out of the country and to other areas or regions within the world understand that.

But until you live it, see it, see how the people endure it and carry on with their lives, you don't understand how well we have it. These trivial little things that go on in our lives mean absolutely nothing in the big picture.

So upon coming back, some of the walls I've set up as far as things that upset me, those were torn down. Then I tried to let those roll off my cheek and not bother me so much anymore.

PHILLIPS: That's pretty awesome to see the strength that mentally and physically. John Gilliland, staff sergeant. Craig, awesome documentary. Go ahead and give a plug. It's going to air tonight, 8:00 p.m. Eastern on Discovery Times. What do you want everyone to walk we with after they watch it?

RENAUD: Well, I mean, we just tried our best to hold a mirror up to these soldiers. So I think it's a unique opportunity for people to hear from soldiers themselves. And they can be the judge of their experience through the voices of the soldier.

PHILLIPS: Craig, thank you. John, thank you for your time.

Next, how the events in Iraq especially this past month, are registering with voters. We've got fresh polling data for you.

And later, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Rocketman is who we are talking about. This guy's crazy.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: A bloody month in Iraq, rising gas prices and the 9/11 hearings. Just some of the issues percolating as the presidential political season roars to an early start. Do they spell trouble for President Bush?

Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll joining us from Princeton, New Jersey. Frank, how have the events of the past week or two affected the president's standing in the public?

FRANK NEWPORT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, GALLUP POLL: Well, Miles, not much at all. That's a surprise in and of itself. A lot of observers thought perhaps that Bush's ratings, his against John Kerry would take a fall based on all the events you talk about.

I think instead we're seeing a mini rally effect of sorts. People rallying around the administration, at least in the short, based on what's happening internationally.

First of all, Bush approval? That's very steady. This is almost what we would call a flat line here at Gallup. Statistically, look at it. March and now into April, 49, 52, 53, 52, 52. It's just not changing. The good news for any incumbent is if you're above 50 percent, and Bush is by 2 points, the bigger interest I think in our polling here is that it just hasn't changed.

Bush versus Kerry. Likely voters, Bush now ahead five points, 51 to 46 percent. He was ahead by 3 points a week or two ago. So it's a slight increase. Not statistically significant.

But again the key, Miles, based on everything that's happening, instead of Bush nosediving in the polls, he's holding his own or actually gaining some -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Frank, what about priorities this election year? Is Iraq right at the top of people's lists?

NEWPORT: No, people would think it would about we all the attention it is getting. When we ask people and give them a choice, Iraq, terrorism, the economy. It's the economy still No. 1.

What I wanted to show you here is that thought, there's big differences by party. Those choosing the economy, look at that 56 percent of Democrats. That's what I have here. Republicans, independents, Democrats. Fifty-six percent of Democrats say it is the economy.

When it comes to terrorism, Republicans say that's the major issue. But only 10 or 11 percent of Democrats say it's terrorism. Iraq, more likely to be Democrats saying Iraq is a major issue than is the case for Republicans.

So some differences depending on your perspective. But all in all, interestingly, Miles, the economy, No. 1 priority.

O'BRIEN: As time goes on in Iraq, lots of comparisons to Vietnam. What about that comparison? What does the public think of it anyhow?

NEWPORT: Well, the Gallup archives showed that the question was asked many times in the '60s, Miles, was involvement in Vietnam a mistake? We've updated that question and now we've asked it about Iraq. So we have a nice comparison to those who would opine that there is a similarity between the two.

Right now 42 percent of Americans say Iraq was a mistake. Let's go back in time. Here's our trend from the '60s when we asked that same question about Vietnam. Starting in 1965 when troop involvement really began. Twenty-four, then 35, then 41 percent in '67, about where we are now.

Then the lines crossed. By '67 and '68, a plurality and then a majority said Vietnam was a mistake. So we're not at that point yet. We still have a majority saying it is not a mistake similar to were we were in '67. So we're not where we were yet in '68 with Vietnam in Iraq -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Frank Newport with the Gallup Poll, thanks for the insights, appreciate it.

PHILLIPS: This next story will definitely get Miles' attention. It is Rocketman, from zero to 75 in just seconds.

O'BRIEN: That's me after eating a lot of beans.

(LAUGHTER)

O'BRIEN: And the DVD player that will filter your movies. Don't like all the sex and violence on the screen? Well, there's an electronic editor. We hope it doesn't filter us out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Well, he's known as Rocketman. And now you are going to see why. He's aiming there to achieve a new world record. Eric Scott goes up, up, up. And then hopefully goes down, down, down, in a nice easy way.

He's a U.S. Air Force veteran, also a stuntman. This morning propelled himself 13 stories into the air, which if certified, 13 stories up to that point there. Let's see -- what is that? What did that say, Smirnoff?

PHILLIPS: It said Smirnoff.

O'BRIEN: I hope he wasn't -- well anyway.

PHILLIPS: Hope he wasn't drinking.

O'BRIEN: What kind of rocket fuel was he on?

Anyway, the futuristic rocket pack fires superheated nitrogen peroxide, not Smirnoff. It shoots him from zero to 75 in just two seconds. How is that for some acceleration?

PHILLIPS: Well, there you go.

Well parents who say there's too much sex and violence in movies are turning to technology for a little bit of help. But that's got Hollywood -- which camera -- in a huff. There we go. CNN's J.J. Ramberg reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

J.J. RAMBERG, CNNfn CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With this much violence, parents may hesitate before renting "Black Hawk Down" for their kids. But, beginning as early as this month, retailers like Wal-Mart and K-Mart will start selling RCA`s latest in DVD technology, a player that filters out vulgar language, graphic violence and sex.

BILL AHO, CEO, CLEARPLAY: If you just go to the remote control and look on your TV screen, and you make the settings the way that you want them.

RAMBERG: In a time where kids are bombarded by marketing for Hollywood`s biggest films, Bill Aho, the CEO of ClearPlay, the company which developed the technology, says he sees great demand for the filters.

AHO: I think it gives more tools to families and particularly the parents. They may choose whether to use them or whether not to use them. And really, ClearPlay is a vehicle of choice, but it`s another tool to help you to be a more responsible parent.

RAMBERG: But is Austin Powers really Austin Powers without sex? And is the movie "Traffic" the same without the drug use scenes? Hollywood says no.

STEPHEN SODERBERGH, DIRECTOR: I have a problem with somebody else coming in and altering my film and perhaps altering it in such a way that completely subverts the meaning of the film in the first place. RAMBERG: Steven Soderbergh, along with the Directors Guild of America, the seven major Hollywood studios, and a host of other parties are suing ClearPlay and companies like it.

SODERBERGH: Somebody taking one of our films, editing it, presenting it to the public and making money is a violation of copyright, in my opinion.

RAMBERG: The lawsuit is pending, but so far, ClearPlay has not been deterred.

AHO: We haven`t let it slow us down at all. We are very confident in our legal position.

RAMBERG (on camera): Right now ClearPlay's technology works with nearly 500 DVDs. But executives say there are some films they'll never touch. Movies like "American Pie" or "The Passion of the Christ." Without the sex and the violence, those movies just wouldn't make any sense.

J.J. Ramberg, CNN Financial News, New York.

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PHILLIPS: Well, we heard from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon briefing just a short time ago. We'll have that ahead for you.

O'BRIEN: Plus Jermaine Jackson goes to Bahrain trying to bridge the gap between Americans and Muslims in the Middle East.

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