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Bob Barr Comments on 9/11 Panel Recommendations; NY Moms Rock

Aired July 30, 2004 - 13:30   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now in the news, putting words into action. Congress launches hearings on the 9/11 Commission's report. At issue today, the panel's recommendations to overhaul the U.S. intelligence system and put a single person in charge.
CNN contributor and former Congressman Bob Barr joins us live momentarily.

A bloody assassination attempt in Pakistan. A candidate for prime minister was unharmed when two explosions went off during an appearance. However, six other people were killed, 22 were wounded. Shaukat Aziz is Pakistan's finance minister and the favorite of President Pervez Musharraf. There are no reports of arrest.

We've just learned the electronic voting records thought to have been lost in Florida have been found. Miami Dade County officials say the data from the 2002 gubernatorial primary was on a CD in the files of the election's office.

They say the confusion was likely due to the transition in the office in the past year.

And there will be a game at Wrigley Field today building -- or no game, rather, at Wrigley Field. Building inspectors say fans will be saved from falling concrete at that ballpark. That's thanks to protective netting installed under parts of the upper deck. Three incidents of falling concrete have been reported since last month.

CNN -- keeping you informed -- the most trusted name in news.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Back now to the 9/11 hearings in the Senate and to ways to protect the nation against another big terrorist attack.

This morning, senators heard from leaders of the 9/11 Commission, and promised they would react to their proposals with speed, but not haste. In particular, senators are looking over the panel's recommendations for massive changes in the way of -- the way the U.S. gathers intelligence.

Well, from a report to reality now. How likely is it that the 9/11 panel's recommendations will be carried out, and what role might politics play in all of this?

I want to bring in Bob Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, and now a CNN contributor. Good to see you, Congressman.

BOB BARR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, we're talking about a dozen Senate hearings in August alone. We heard public pressure saying hurry up, put these recommendations into place. Now, you've got voices saying not so fast.

How does Congress -- how does the nation proceed and at the same time dodge any further criticism or even mistakes?

BARR: Well, of course, you're never going to dodge all the criticism no matter what you do -- you're caught between a rock and a hard place, so there's always going to be criticism.

Hopefully, both the administration and the Congress and Senator Kerry will let the professionals handle this and not make it a political football, because if there's one thing that we don't want to do, it's to make a major fundamental systemic mistake by either putting in place some massive new bureaucracy, a new intelligence czar, or go the other way and dismantle some very, very important mechanisms that can be useful.

WHITFIELD: Does it seem as though it's already becoming a political football, though? At first the Bush administration said we're not doing anything with these recommendations until next year.

Now you've got the president possibly putting into place some executive orders as early as next week on some of these recommendations. So might there still be some criticism that the decisions are being made a little hastily?

BARR: I think the -- one thing that's very important for the Bush administration to do is not act hastily and to be consistent. If they send signals one day that they're not going to do something and signals the next day that they will that can create it's own set of problems.

But, again, I think they would be making a serious mistake if they rush into implementing systemic changes, organizational changes without really thinking them through and without making Congress a real partner in that.

WHITFIELD: But there are a lot of pressures coming from the American public, too, who are saying we want to know that we are safe. And if there were some initial threats that possibly something would happen to potentially influence the November elections, then why wouldn't Congress -- why wouldn't the Bush administration do something at least on some of these recommendations and act fast?

BARR: Well, one would hope that they are professionals and that they don't have a knee-jerk reaction to simply public pressure or public fear.

It's their job as public officials to explain these things to the American public. Now, they may be criticized, both the administration and Congress, perhaps, for not taking a lot of these steps a long time ago. Now that might be a legitimate criticism. But once we now have the 9/11 Commission recommendations, I think it's very critical that we not rush into implementing systemic changes that will be with us a long time.

WHITFIELD: And on the right side of our screen right now we're looking at the hearings that are ongoing right now on Capitol Hill. Among the recommendations that are being considered as soon as possible -- the appointment of a National Intelligence Director within the executive office of the president.

There was some concern that this person would or would not be reporting to the president if this was a change recommended and put into place.

Your thoughts on its survival -- you know -- possibilities on the Hill?

BARR: You don't want to have false starts on something like this. And that's why it's so important that they be thought through carefully. We've had a director of Central Intelligence who was intended to be an intelligence czar back in the days when they didn't use that term. In 1949.

If in fact the director of Central Intelligence has not been fulfilling that job because presidents have not demanded that they do it, or to hold the intelligence mechanisms that the Defense Department in check, then that's a problem with how that law is being implemented.

I don't think that we need an entire new layer of bureaucracy. One of the findings that the 9/11 Commission and the other commissions have found out is that there was too much bureaucracy to begin with.

WHITFIELD: Would another layer of bureaucracy be bringing together the CIA, the military and law enforcement officials to plan for some kind of counterterrorism operations in the U.S. and abroad?

BARR: Well of course what you have to be very, very careful of is the constitutional prohibition in our country and the legal prohibition on intelligence getting involved in domestic law enforcement.

And we forget that or we ignore that at our own peril. So this has to be very, very carefully thought out to be consistent with our constitutional safeguards.

WHITFIELD: What is responsible and what is speedy, in your view, when it comes to any of these more paramount recommendations to try to ensure national security?

BARR: If the president were to step into the breach here and sit down with the secretary of defense, sit down with the director of Central Intelligence, sit down with the other key intelligence officials in our government and say the CIA is in charge of foreign intelligence, period and you report to him, you go to him and he coordinates it or you guys are out of a job. That would solve a lot of the problems because no matter how much bureaucracy you have, if the president doesn't step in and say this is the way it's going to be done, this is the way I want to get it done, then it doesn't matter how much bureaucracy you have, it's not going to work.

WHITFIELD: Former Congressman Bob Barr, thanks very much.

BARR: Pleasure always.

WHITFIELD: Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now the only person convicted in the 9/11 attacks, Germany's top prosecutor, accuses the U.S. of withholding intelligence ahead of the retrial for Mounir El Motassadeq. Motassadeq was friends with some of the hijackers in Hamburg and had been convicted of conspiracy.

That conviction was overturned on a technicality. His retrial begins August 10. Germany wants the U.S. to release interrogation records from another terror suspect said to be central to that case.

A plea deal for a prominent Muslim activist who may have been involved with the plot to assassinate the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Abdurahman Alamoudi plead guilty in federal court today to illegal business dealings with Libya.

In an unrelated twist, he admits to meeting with Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi about a plot to kill Saudi crown prince Abdullah. As part of his plea deal, Alamoudi has agreed to cooperate with counterterrorism officials. Government officials say he is likely to be sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.

WHITFIELD: Drying out down south. We've got the damage toll from this week's devastating floods next. Plus, a check of the region's weather forecast.

And still to come good news for students looking to stock up on back to school supplies.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Authorities in north Texas are searching for victims after flash flooding washed out a bridge. At least one motorist was killed near the town of Obala (ph) and one other is believed missing.

Heavy rains were also blamed for a death in Arlington and another in Dallas.

Some 200 homes in one Dallas suburb alone have been flooded and preliminary estimates of the costs are as high as $20 million.

More flooding in and around Greenville, South Carolina. Crews are working to restore power there to thousands of residents after as much as five inches of rain fell in some areas. The water forced evacuations of some area homes there. (WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: News around the world now. The death toll in flood- plagued Bangladesh has climbed to nearly 500 deaths. Volunteers are trying to deliver food, medicine and other emergency supplies. It's the worst flooding in Bangladesh in six years.

The government there says it can't cope with just the disaster alone. The U.N. is preparing to make a formal aid appeal.

Belgium is reeling after an explosion on natural gas pipeline killing at least ten people, injuring more than 100. That blast created huge fireballs and sent vehicles and bodies catapulting through the air.

Belgium's prime minister cut short the holiday to oversee relief efforts.

Japan's crown princess Masako is being treated for a psychological disorder brought on by the pressures of royal life. That's the word from the royal palace in Tokyo now. The princess disappeared from public view some seven months ago. This is the first official explanation of her absence.

WHITFIELD: Well, if you're a mom who has been looking to let loose on stage, perhaps, we've got the music festival for you. An explanation of Mamapalooza right after the break.

MARY SNOW, FINANCIAL NEWS: I'm Mary Snow at the New York Stock Exchange. If you're a back to school shopper looking to buy anything from a new computer to clothes, you could be in for a tax break. We'll explain right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We're counting down at Gitmo to the first court action in the first U.S. military tribunal since World War II. The secretary of Navy says four so-called enemy combatants who have been charged with specific crimes are on the docket for preliminary hearings starting August 23.

Routine detention review hearings are due to get underway for the inmate population at large as early as today. Just weeks ago you may recall the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the almost 600 inmates at Guantanamo's Camp Delta have the right to challenge their status in court.

Many have been held for two years or more without ever being charged or given access to lawyers.

PHILLIPS: Well back to school shopping season is right around the corner and some states are trying to make it a little easier on your wallet. Mary Snow live at the New York Stock Exchange with more -- hi, Mary.

SNOW: Hi there, Kyra. Yes, Florida kicked things off about a week ago with the no sales tax. Several states to follow and if you time it right you could save about 4 to 8 percent.

At least a dozen states are going to be offering tax-free shopping days during the back to school shopping season. These temporary tax breaks last anywhere from one day in some states to a week in others and they cover anything from books, school supplies and computers in most states.

Now several states have used this before, others are trying it for the first time. However, you have to be aware states are very specific about what is and what is not exempt from the tax break and some financial analysts say you have to be a little careful, too because if you buy more than you actually need you'll pay taxes on that in the long run too -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So what's the deal with Target having -- having a sale in some of its stores?

SNOW: Yes, it's -- this is the second time that -- in recent months it's doing this. Target is now selling its merchants division to a group of private ambassadors and the price tag is a little bit over $1.5 billion in cash.

Analysts are cheering this move saying Target got a good price for the stores. The company has been trying to streamline its operations. Last month it sold its Marshall Field stores to May Department Stores.

Today the stock is down, though, about 1 percent. As for the rest of the markets, stocks are mixed. The Dow down 32 points. The Nasdaq Composite is adding a third of one percent.

And that is the very latest from Wall Street. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Mary.

Well when it comes to clothing, they say if you wait long enough everything comes back into fashion, right? Well, one British entrepreneur is hoping that the same is true with electronics. He's devised a way to hook up vintage telephone handsets to a standard cell phone.

Why would anybody want to do that? Well the gadget has been turning heads on the streets in London. In fact, he wanted to get some attention and they landed him on the cover of an Italian style magazine and "The New York Times" section -- or rather the home section.

So if you're in to having the newest old cell phone accessories, they're for sale on EBay.

PHILLIPS: Confusing. Yes, really. Well for many kids there would be few things in life more mortifying than seeing their mothers dressed in boas and spandex singing on stage.

I don't know, I think it's kind of hip, but some suburban New York moms are redefining cool and finding their music is right in tune with their contemporaries.

CNN's J.J. Ramberg listens in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

J.J. RAMBERG, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: This certainly isn't your typical summer rock concert. Starting with the lyrics.

The audience.

And especially the band.

JOY ROSE, HOUSEWIVES ON PROZAC: I'm a mom rocker. It's a whole new genre. And a mom artist. I do both, I need both.

RAMBERG: Joy Rose is the lead singer of "Housewives on Prozac." This suburban mother of four is the godmother of Mommy Rock, a phenomenon that's channeling the angst of bankers and runny noses into rock n' roll.

ROSE: On the surface it's like, OK, you know mom's turning her home life into something creative and getting together with the girlfriends and taking it on the stage so that's kind of cool. But underneath it all, really, what I'm trying to do and I think what we're all about is all the girls is trying to shift and expand the paradigm of what it is to be a mom, a modern mom.

RAMBERG: Three years ago, Rose founded the Mamapalooza Festival and realized her music was striking a cord with other mothers across the country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just because you give birth doesn't mean like your creative juices stop.

RAMBERG: So when the kids are fed and the dishes done, these women just get started, finding inspiration in experiences from their day to day.

ROSE: Senior (UNINTELLIGIBLE) spaghetti, you know? That came from cooking.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are we there yet?

TERRY PLATZ, MOTHERLODE TRIO: Car rides.

ROSE: "I Only Want to Pee Alone" was actually a song that another woman asked me to write.

PLATZ: Shaky wrote this song called "Watching You Go," about her kindergartner going off to school for the first time and we -- I think we all knew and -- I -- we -- it was just -- it hit a cord for us and we said whoa, this feels good to write songs about our kids.

RAMBERG: Though audiences are growing, the gigs don't yet pay. And most of the mom rockers have to juggle their music with day jobs. ROSE: Do I want to be successful? Yes, I think every musician wants some kind of success. But, do I want to you know hire a million nannies to disappear 364 days of the year? I don't think so.

I'm shutting down the kitchen until dinner.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

RAMBERG: After all, with carpool to drive and dinner to cook, there's no time to take these acts on the road.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: What an outlet.

PHILLIPS: Oh and I liked the outfits, I liked the shoes. Exactly. Those platforms. I can see why they're on Prozac. I probably would be too if I saw my mom in those shoes. Anyway.

WHITFIELD: No, the moms are on the Prozac, not the kids.

PHILLIPS: That's what I'm saying -- if I saw my mom dressed like that, then that -- kids and housewives on Prozac. There you go. That was fun.

WHITFIELD: I like it.

PHILLIPS: A little different.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

PHILLIPS: All right. Mom a little mover.

WHITFIELD: Catching on.

PHILLIPS: Well we have something a little more serious I guess you could say coming up in the second hour of LIVE FROM from challenger to supporter. I'm going to speak with one time Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean.

WHITFIELD: Yes, he does want to be taken very seriously.

PHILLIPS: He doesn't wear platform shoes.

WHITFIELD: I don't think so, and certainly not pink ones at that.

PHILLIPS: LIVE FROM's second hour begins right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D) CONNECTICUT: We cannot let another attack succeed because of our own inaction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Urgent calls for action against terror. Will lawmakers make the massive changes called for in the 9/11 report?

WHITFIELD: Saddam Hussein's life behind bars. An exclusive interview with the man who has paid him an official visit.

PHILLIPS: The challengers hit the road. What's their strategy for winning now that the convention love fest is over? Former candidate Howard Dean joins us live this hour.

WHITFIELD: And after cooking up delicious delights for American presidents, a White House chef, the pastry chef, in fact, is hanging up his hat but not before giving away some secret recipes.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Miles O'Brien is off.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM 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 July 30, 2004 - 13:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now in the news, putting words into action. Congress launches hearings on the 9/11 Commission's report. At issue today, the panel's recommendations to overhaul the U.S. intelligence system and put a single person in charge.
CNN contributor and former Congressman Bob Barr joins us live momentarily.

A bloody assassination attempt in Pakistan. A candidate for prime minister was unharmed when two explosions went off during an appearance. However, six other people were killed, 22 were wounded. Shaukat Aziz is Pakistan's finance minister and the favorite of President Pervez Musharraf. There are no reports of arrest.

We've just learned the electronic voting records thought to have been lost in Florida have been found. Miami Dade County officials say the data from the 2002 gubernatorial primary was on a CD in the files of the election's office.

They say the confusion was likely due to the transition in the office in the past year.

And there will be a game at Wrigley Field today building -- or no game, rather, at Wrigley Field. Building inspectors say fans will be saved from falling concrete at that ballpark. That's thanks to protective netting installed under parts of the upper deck. Three incidents of falling concrete have been reported since last month.

CNN -- keeping you informed -- the most trusted name in news.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Back now to the 9/11 hearings in the Senate and to ways to protect the nation against another big terrorist attack.

This morning, senators heard from leaders of the 9/11 Commission, and promised they would react to their proposals with speed, but not haste. In particular, senators are looking over the panel's recommendations for massive changes in the way of -- the way the U.S. gathers intelligence.

Well, from a report to reality now. How likely is it that the 9/11 panel's recommendations will be carried out, and what role might politics play in all of this?

I want to bring in Bob Barr, a former Republican congressman from Georgia, and now a CNN contributor. Good to see you, Congressman.

BOB BARR, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, we're talking about a dozen Senate hearings in August alone. We heard public pressure saying hurry up, put these recommendations into place. Now, you've got voices saying not so fast.

How does Congress -- how does the nation proceed and at the same time dodge any further criticism or even mistakes?

BARR: Well, of course, you're never going to dodge all the criticism no matter what you do -- you're caught between a rock and a hard place, so there's always going to be criticism.

Hopefully, both the administration and the Congress and Senator Kerry will let the professionals handle this and not make it a political football, because if there's one thing that we don't want to do, it's to make a major fundamental systemic mistake by either putting in place some massive new bureaucracy, a new intelligence czar, or go the other way and dismantle some very, very important mechanisms that can be useful.

WHITFIELD: Does it seem as though it's already becoming a political football, though? At first the Bush administration said we're not doing anything with these recommendations until next year.

Now you've got the president possibly putting into place some executive orders as early as next week on some of these recommendations. So might there still be some criticism that the decisions are being made a little hastily?

BARR: I think the -- one thing that's very important for the Bush administration to do is not act hastily and to be consistent. If they send signals one day that they're not going to do something and signals the next day that they will that can create it's own set of problems.

But, again, I think they would be making a serious mistake if they rush into implementing systemic changes, organizational changes without really thinking them through and without making Congress a real partner in that.

WHITFIELD: But there are a lot of pressures coming from the American public, too, who are saying we want to know that we are safe. And if there were some initial threats that possibly something would happen to potentially influence the November elections, then why wouldn't Congress -- why wouldn't the Bush administration do something at least on some of these recommendations and act fast?

BARR: Well, one would hope that they are professionals and that they don't have a knee-jerk reaction to simply public pressure or public fear.

It's their job as public officials to explain these things to the American public. Now, they may be criticized, both the administration and Congress, perhaps, for not taking a lot of these steps a long time ago. Now that might be a legitimate criticism. But once we now have the 9/11 Commission recommendations, I think it's very critical that we not rush into implementing systemic changes that will be with us a long time.

WHITFIELD: And on the right side of our screen right now we're looking at the hearings that are ongoing right now on Capitol Hill. Among the recommendations that are being considered as soon as possible -- the appointment of a National Intelligence Director within the executive office of the president.

There was some concern that this person would or would not be reporting to the president if this was a change recommended and put into place.

Your thoughts on its survival -- you know -- possibilities on the Hill?

BARR: You don't want to have false starts on something like this. And that's why it's so important that they be thought through carefully. We've had a director of Central Intelligence who was intended to be an intelligence czar back in the days when they didn't use that term. In 1949.

If in fact the director of Central Intelligence has not been fulfilling that job because presidents have not demanded that they do it, or to hold the intelligence mechanisms that the Defense Department in check, then that's a problem with how that law is being implemented.

I don't think that we need an entire new layer of bureaucracy. One of the findings that the 9/11 Commission and the other commissions have found out is that there was too much bureaucracy to begin with.

WHITFIELD: Would another layer of bureaucracy be bringing together the CIA, the military and law enforcement officials to plan for some kind of counterterrorism operations in the U.S. and abroad?

BARR: Well of course what you have to be very, very careful of is the constitutional prohibition in our country and the legal prohibition on intelligence getting involved in domestic law enforcement.

And we forget that or we ignore that at our own peril. So this has to be very, very carefully thought out to be consistent with our constitutional safeguards.

WHITFIELD: What is responsible and what is speedy, in your view, when it comes to any of these more paramount recommendations to try to ensure national security?

BARR: If the president were to step into the breach here and sit down with the secretary of defense, sit down with the director of Central Intelligence, sit down with the other key intelligence officials in our government and say the CIA is in charge of foreign intelligence, period and you report to him, you go to him and he coordinates it or you guys are out of a job. That would solve a lot of the problems because no matter how much bureaucracy you have, if the president doesn't step in and say this is the way it's going to be done, this is the way I want to get it done, then it doesn't matter how much bureaucracy you have, it's not going to work.

WHITFIELD: Former Congressman Bob Barr, thanks very much.

BARR: Pleasure always.

WHITFIELD: Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now the only person convicted in the 9/11 attacks, Germany's top prosecutor, accuses the U.S. of withholding intelligence ahead of the retrial for Mounir El Motassadeq. Motassadeq was friends with some of the hijackers in Hamburg and had been convicted of conspiracy.

That conviction was overturned on a technicality. His retrial begins August 10. Germany wants the U.S. to release interrogation records from another terror suspect said to be central to that case.

A plea deal for a prominent Muslim activist who may have been involved with the plot to assassinate the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Abdurahman Alamoudi plead guilty in federal court today to illegal business dealings with Libya.

In an unrelated twist, he admits to meeting with Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi about a plot to kill Saudi crown prince Abdullah. As part of his plea deal, Alamoudi has agreed to cooperate with counterterrorism officials. Government officials say he is likely to be sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.

WHITFIELD: Drying out down south. We've got the damage toll from this week's devastating floods next. Plus, a check of the region's weather forecast.

And still to come good news for students looking to stock up on back to school supplies.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Authorities in north Texas are searching for victims after flash flooding washed out a bridge. At least one motorist was killed near the town of Obala (ph) and one other is believed missing.

Heavy rains were also blamed for a death in Arlington and another in Dallas.

Some 200 homes in one Dallas suburb alone have been flooded and preliminary estimates of the costs are as high as $20 million.

More flooding in and around Greenville, South Carolina. Crews are working to restore power there to thousands of residents after as much as five inches of rain fell in some areas. The water forced evacuations of some area homes there. (WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: News around the world now. The death toll in flood- plagued Bangladesh has climbed to nearly 500 deaths. Volunteers are trying to deliver food, medicine and other emergency supplies. It's the worst flooding in Bangladesh in six years.

The government there says it can't cope with just the disaster alone. The U.N. is preparing to make a formal aid appeal.

Belgium is reeling after an explosion on natural gas pipeline killing at least ten people, injuring more than 100. That blast created huge fireballs and sent vehicles and bodies catapulting through the air.

Belgium's prime minister cut short the holiday to oversee relief efforts.

Japan's crown princess Masako is being treated for a psychological disorder brought on by the pressures of royal life. That's the word from the royal palace in Tokyo now. The princess disappeared from public view some seven months ago. This is the first official explanation of her absence.

WHITFIELD: Well, if you're a mom who has been looking to let loose on stage, perhaps, we've got the music festival for you. An explanation of Mamapalooza right after the break.

MARY SNOW, FINANCIAL NEWS: I'm Mary Snow at the New York Stock Exchange. If you're a back to school shopper looking to buy anything from a new computer to clothes, you could be in for a tax break. We'll explain right after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We're counting down at Gitmo to the first court action in the first U.S. military tribunal since World War II. The secretary of Navy says four so-called enemy combatants who have been charged with specific crimes are on the docket for preliminary hearings starting August 23.

Routine detention review hearings are due to get underway for the inmate population at large as early as today. Just weeks ago you may recall the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the almost 600 inmates at Guantanamo's Camp Delta have the right to challenge their status in court.

Many have been held for two years or more without ever being charged or given access to lawyers.

PHILLIPS: Well back to school shopping season is right around the corner and some states are trying to make it a little easier on your wallet. Mary Snow live at the New York Stock Exchange with more -- hi, Mary.

SNOW: Hi there, Kyra. Yes, Florida kicked things off about a week ago with the no sales tax. Several states to follow and if you time it right you could save about 4 to 8 percent.

At least a dozen states are going to be offering tax-free shopping days during the back to school shopping season. These temporary tax breaks last anywhere from one day in some states to a week in others and they cover anything from books, school supplies and computers in most states.

Now several states have used this before, others are trying it for the first time. However, you have to be aware states are very specific about what is and what is not exempt from the tax break and some financial analysts say you have to be a little careful, too because if you buy more than you actually need you'll pay taxes on that in the long run too -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: So what's the deal with Target having -- having a sale in some of its stores?

SNOW: Yes, it's -- this is the second time that -- in recent months it's doing this. Target is now selling its merchants division to a group of private ambassadors and the price tag is a little bit over $1.5 billion in cash.

Analysts are cheering this move saying Target got a good price for the stores. The company has been trying to streamline its operations. Last month it sold its Marshall Field stores to May Department Stores.

Today the stock is down, though, about 1 percent. As for the rest of the markets, stocks are mixed. The Dow down 32 points. The Nasdaq Composite is adding a third of one percent.

And that is the very latest from Wall Street. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Mary.

Well when it comes to clothing, they say if you wait long enough everything comes back into fashion, right? Well, one British entrepreneur is hoping that the same is true with electronics. He's devised a way to hook up vintage telephone handsets to a standard cell phone.

Why would anybody want to do that? Well the gadget has been turning heads on the streets in London. In fact, he wanted to get some attention and they landed him on the cover of an Italian style magazine and "The New York Times" section -- or rather the home section.

So if you're in to having the newest old cell phone accessories, they're for sale on EBay.

PHILLIPS: Confusing. Yes, really. Well for many kids there would be few things in life more mortifying than seeing their mothers dressed in boas and spandex singing on stage.

I don't know, I think it's kind of hip, but some suburban New York moms are redefining cool and finding their music is right in tune with their contemporaries.

CNN's J.J. Ramberg listens in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

J.J. RAMBERG, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: This certainly isn't your typical summer rock concert. Starting with the lyrics.

The audience.

And especially the band.

JOY ROSE, HOUSEWIVES ON PROZAC: I'm a mom rocker. It's a whole new genre. And a mom artist. I do both, I need both.

RAMBERG: Joy Rose is the lead singer of "Housewives on Prozac." This suburban mother of four is the godmother of Mommy Rock, a phenomenon that's channeling the angst of bankers and runny noses into rock n' roll.

ROSE: On the surface it's like, OK, you know mom's turning her home life into something creative and getting together with the girlfriends and taking it on the stage so that's kind of cool. But underneath it all, really, what I'm trying to do and I think what we're all about is all the girls is trying to shift and expand the paradigm of what it is to be a mom, a modern mom.

RAMBERG: Three years ago, Rose founded the Mamapalooza Festival and realized her music was striking a cord with other mothers across the country.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just because you give birth doesn't mean like your creative juices stop.

RAMBERG: So when the kids are fed and the dishes done, these women just get started, finding inspiration in experiences from their day to day.

ROSE: Senior (UNINTELLIGIBLE) spaghetti, you know? That came from cooking.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are we there yet?

TERRY PLATZ, MOTHERLODE TRIO: Car rides.

ROSE: "I Only Want to Pee Alone" was actually a song that another woman asked me to write.

PLATZ: Shaky wrote this song called "Watching You Go," about her kindergartner going off to school for the first time and we -- I think we all knew and -- I -- we -- it was just -- it hit a cord for us and we said whoa, this feels good to write songs about our kids.

RAMBERG: Though audiences are growing, the gigs don't yet pay. And most of the mom rockers have to juggle their music with day jobs. ROSE: Do I want to be successful? Yes, I think every musician wants some kind of success. But, do I want to you know hire a million nannies to disappear 364 days of the year? I don't think so.

I'm shutting down the kitchen until dinner.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

RAMBERG: After all, with carpool to drive and dinner to cook, there's no time to take these acts on the road.

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

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: What an outlet.

PHILLIPS: Oh and I liked the outfits, I liked the shoes. Exactly. Those platforms. I can see why they're on Prozac. I probably would be too if I saw my mom in those shoes. Anyway.

WHITFIELD: No, the moms are on the Prozac, not the kids.

PHILLIPS: That's what I'm saying -- if I saw my mom dressed like that, then that -- kids and housewives on Prozac. There you go. That was fun.

WHITFIELD: I like it.

PHILLIPS: A little different.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

PHILLIPS: All right. Mom a little mover.

WHITFIELD: Catching on.

PHILLIPS: Well we have something a little more serious I guess you could say coming up in the second hour of LIVE FROM from challenger to supporter. I'm going to speak with one time Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean.

WHITFIELD: Yes, he does want to be taken very seriously.

PHILLIPS: He doesn't wear platform shoes.

WHITFIELD: I don't think so, and certainly not pink ones at that.

PHILLIPS: LIVE FROM's second hour begins right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D) CONNECTICUT: We cannot let another attack succeed because of our own inaction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Urgent calls for action against terror. Will lawmakers make the massive changes called for in the 9/11 report?

WHITFIELD: Saddam Hussein's life behind bars. An exclusive interview with the man who has paid him an official visit.

PHILLIPS: The challengers hit the road. What's their strategy for winning now that the convention love fest is over? Former candidate Howard Dean joins us live this hour.

WHITFIELD: And after cooking up delicious delights for American presidents, a White House chef, the pastry chef, in fact, is hanging up his hat but not before giving away some secret recipes.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Miles O'Brien is off.

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.

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