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Interview with Annika Sorenstam; The Flip Side of Politics

Aired October 15, 2004 - 13:31   ET

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

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


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Now in the news, ramping up the firepower in Falluja, the U.S. military staging another massive assault, targeting Abu Musab Al Zarqawi's terror network. Today's ground and air offensive continued an ongoing campaign, but operations are escalating. Military sources say they're laying down the groundwork for an eventual offensive to retake Fallujah from insurgents.
Offering one more carrot before getting out the stick? Well, the European Union seeking support from the U.S. Russia today in a proposal to offer trade incentives to Iran. It's behind and effort to persuade Tehran to stop enriching uranium, a key step toward producing nuclear weapons.

E.U. diplomats say it's a final bid before the issue is referred to the U.N. Security Council.

Gentlemen, start your engines. A federal judge strikes down the ban of a use of snowmobiles at Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks. The judged ruled that the Clinton-era ban was invalid, and that decision could clear the way for new rules to allow the machines in the parks this winter, but it's also likely to rev up environmentalists, who say snowmobiles pollute the parks, they're noisy and endanger the wildlife.

And John Kerry supporters going to the mat and to the corporate headquarters of Sinclair Broadcast Group. They're delivering an online petition signed by 100,000 people, seeking to stop Sinclair stations from airing the critical documentary "Stolen Honor" 10 days before the election. Signatures were gathered at a Web site called stopsinclair.org.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: One segment of American voters is being courted by Republicans and Democrats right now bigtime. Those are the undecided voters who are going to make a tremendous difference in the battleground states.

Last night in Pennsylvania, Paula Zahn had a townhall meeting with some voters who just haven't made up their mind yet. One question to the Kerry campaign dealt with the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Kerry said he'll reduce the deficit in half in four years. He's also said he's not going to raise taxes on anybody that makes less than 200,000 bucks. Now, he's going to increase the troops in Iraq. He's going to fully fund No Child Left Behind. And about a trillion dollars worth of other things. How do you intend for him to pay for that?

KIKI MCLEAN, KERRY CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: Well, first of all, there have been studies that have come out that have said, No. 1, because John Kerry believes in a pay as you go system, he demonstrates where closing corporate loopholes, OK, and the tax giveaways that they've gotten and rolling back those tax giveaways that have been given to them under Bush/Cheney is going to help offset that.

You know, it's important to understand that the Bush/Cheney campaign really likes to talk about Senator Kerry's record. So let's make sure everybody understands two things.

No. 1, he was one of the principle architects of the Graham- Hollings-Rudman Act and the Budget Deficit Reduction Act.

And No. 2, he was one of the principle architects in the Senate of the Balanced Budget Amendment.

This against a record of an administration that squandered away a historic surplus. We now have the biggest trade deficit we've ever had. I mean, their economic record isn't holding out -- holding water very well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Well, the vice president's daughter, Liz Cheney, also participated in that townhall meeting and said it was, quote, "out of bounds" for Senator Kerry to mention her gay sister Mary in the most recent debate.

PHILLIPS: Today's news across America has a decidedly political flavor, and perhaps a bit of bad taste. First, squawking over Rock the Vote's Web site, which shows a mock draft card and the phrase, "You have been drafted." GOP party chairman Ed Gillespie says this effort to motivate young voters is malicious political deception, and asserts the Bush/Cheney campaign has ruled out a return of the military draft. The RNC wanted Rock the Vote to drop the draft reference, but the head of the nonpartisian group refused, calling the gripe a textbook case of attempted censorship.

Meanwhile, the mare mention of political provocateur Michael Moore makes the president's pop get potty mouthed. Former President George Herbert Walker Bush didn't hold back in his assessment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE BUSH SR., FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Total (EXPLETIVE DELETED), slimeball, and outrageous in his lies about my family. (INAUDIBLE) stronger statement on Michael Moore? When I saw him sitting at the Democratic convention with Jimmy Carter and then on the thing with Ron Reagan, I said what in -- what depths will they go to, to dishonor the truth?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And no ifs, ands or buts about it, the ACLU is getting behind six Pennsylvania protesters who struck a special pose for the president during a visit last July. There's just something frightening about this video. The ACLU says the men didn't break any laws when they formed a human pyramid, clad only in thong underwear.

GRIFFIN: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: They were protesting treatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. The skimpy sivvy (ph) six are due in court Monday.

GRIFFIN: Nasty.

Well, like thongs, flip-flops have an entirely new meaning, too, thanks to this year's presidential campaign. These must-have fashion items for the Republican Party faithful mock John Kerry's perceived flip-flops on the issues. Some have taken the concept further, like Matt Becker, also known as "Flip." As an officer for the College Republicans at Washington University, you would have to know he was a shoo-in for his role.

Matt's joining us from St. Louis, but we have to be even handed, or would that be even-footed. Nicole Soussan, the president of Washington's University College Democrats wearing a shirt popular with Kerry supporters, "Give Bush the Pink Slip."

OK, Matt, you've got the flip on.

MATT "FLIP" BECKER, BUSH SUPPORTER: That's right.

GRIFFIN: What give you this idea to do this, and why are you bucking for a job in the NBA as a mascot? What's happening here?

BECKER: Well, we actually -- the -- we had all of the media coverage during the debate last week. And we received these flip- flops from the College Republican National Committee. So I can't really take credit for coming up with this idea, as much as I would like to. But I was glad to sport it around and wear it for media coverage, and I'm definitely ready to be a mascot in the NBA.

GRIFFIN: So as homemade as that thing looks, it came basically from corporate office?

BECKER: Exactly.

GRIFFIN: Interesting.

Has this helped energize college Republicans on your campus, or has it just a lot of good fun?

BECKER: Yes, it has. Well, it's been a lot of good fun in the first part, but it also, during the media coverage -- you know, we're a very liberal campus. Last week, during the debates, it started out where we were pretty much out numbered about 10-1 with Kerry/Edwards to George Bush sign. But as soon as we got to these flip-flops, it was a nice boost to our confidence to walk around all the media events and be able to sport the flip-flops and show support for our candidate.

GRIFFIN: Nicole, years ago the Democrats had Mr. Butts which I thought was just hilarious, but this year I think the Republicans have you beat. You just have a T-shirt, right?

NICOLE SOUSSAN, KERRY SUPPORTER: Well, we have a T-shirt with a strong message that say, John Kerry, pink slip Bush, or George Bush, and that was something that we definitely rallied behind the Friday of the debate. We would definitely like to see John Kerry take his job in January.

GRIFFIN: We've seen a lot of contention this election, a lot of divisions among various populations in the United States. Is it all in good fun on college campuses? Has the excitement been good, or do you see divisions there as well?

SOUSSAN: I think that the excitement is good, that it really, no matter what side you're on, it's very good to get engaged in the political process. And also being on a college campus , we have a classroom setting where we can discuss the issues and really dialogue about what's important and how we feel about the issues. So you have fun, you have intellectual engagement, and you have honest political activity, and we just couldn't ask for a better conglomeration of things to go forth with.

GRIFFIN: Matt, having fun, having a lot of jokes, running around with a flip-flop, that certainly is a good time, but does it actually get out the vote. Do you think that more college students will be voting in this election than in year's past?

BECKER: Oh, I definitely think there's going to be an extremely large turnout among college voters. I mean, just from being on this campus, I've seen how political involved a lot of college students are. And a lot of students are starting to realize they have a very large stake in this election, because, quite frankly, this election is going to probably take our country two different ways, because both candidates they have very different views on how the world should be run, so I really think that college students see that and they see how important their vote is.

GRIFFIN: What are the plan it is in the nest next 18 days for the flip or the flop, or both of you?

BECKER: Well, basically, we're just going to try to campaign hard for President Bush. We've got a lot of events coming up, especially the three days before the election. We have a 72-hour drive, and we're really going to be out, trying to get people to know about President Bush, about his policies, and really try and win some votes for President Bush, because you know, it's a busy time. I'm looking forward to November 3rd, because a lot of us, I know me and Nicole are both talking, our grades are taking a hit because I've missed quite a few classes trying to support President Bush, but it's all for the good fight.

GRIFFIN: Nicole, you're in it until the end?

SOUSSAN: I am in it for the end. And so are the college democrats at Wash U. Missouri has a great ticket of Democrats, as well it being a battle ground state for the presidential election. So we are in it until the end, to keep on fighting and make sure that John Kerry gets to the White House in January.

GRIFFIN: All right. Matt and Nicole, thank you very much for joining us.

Matt, put it on one more time, come on.

BECKER: All right.

GRIFFIN: Stand up and throw that on.

BECKER: There you go.

GRIFFIN: Oh, this is great.

PHILLIPS: It's bigger than her T-shirt. It's not fair.

GRIFFIN: Have fun flopping through the rest of the day.

BECKER: Oh, I will. Thank you.

SOUSSAN: Bye, thanks for having us.

BECKER: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, she's a pro-athlete at the top of her game, but we found another side to Annika Sorenstam.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, so I hear you're quite the practical jokester, rumor has it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: Well, yes, that's kind of true.

PHILLIPS: Tell me the best one.

SORENSTAM: The best one -- well, one that comes to my mind right away...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, you can find out who the joke was on ahead on LIVE FROM. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, we know Annika Sorenstam as the stoic Swede with the nearly flawless golf game. But behind the unflappable exterior is an athlete just itching to get the world out on some different sides of her personality. You'll see what I mean. So the woman who teed it up with the big boys at Colonial has done just that. She's written a new book "Golf, Annika's Way."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Tell me what it was like just to smack it off the tee and finally get going in that PGA tournament.

SORENSTAM: It was obviously a tournament I had been looking forward to for months. I mean, all the preparation, all the focus, and to finally stand there on the first tee, you know, it was time to play, you know, enough of all the talking, put the ball on the ground and hit it. I mean, I was nervous. I've never been so nervous in my whole life.

And, you know, obviously I felt a lot of pressure. And I just want to get off the tee. There was water on the left. There was trees on the right. Oh, I wanted to get the ball down the fairway somewhere.

PHILLIPS: Not to mention all the people watching, right?

SORENSTAM: Yes, yes, there was a few out there.

PHILLIPS: Just a few people and national television, no big deal.

Well, that sort of leads me into the next question. In your book you talk about life's lessons, and one of them is the whole psychological aspect, facing fear. I mean, I think of when I get on the first tee, especially when I have a group of men behind me, I know what they're thinking, oh great, I've got a woman in front of me, and immediately, I get nervous. Tell me how you can compartmentalize, how do you face your fear? How do you deal with that psychological aspect of the game?

SORENSTAM: Well, that's just something that I have to learn throughout the years, you know, growing up, playing the game, you know, as a little girl and facing, you know, stuff you really don't like, just dealing with, you know, things that make you uncomfortable. And one of the things that I had to deal with when I was young, is I was very shy. You know, I still am a little shy, but maybe not as much. Be you know, to just be able to handle it, feel comfortable with what you're doing and the things that you say, and you know, I've noticed that in golf, I've learned so much in playing this game. I've learned a lot of patience, and you know, I have to deal with all kinds of things that come out in the golf course, making a decision, et cetera. I mean, golf, to me, relates so many things to life that it's been very helpful for me.

PHILLIPS: You mention the shyness. Is this true that your husband, David, said on "60 Minutes" that you used to purposely lose tournaments when you were younger because you didn't want to make the victory speeches?

SORENSTAM: It's true. It's very much true. I mean, I just -- I three-putted several times on purpose, because I didn't want to be in the limelight, and I always wanted my clubs to do the talking, but if I had to give a speech, it made me very nervous.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Well, do you think that's changed? I watch your interviews, and you're still very humble, you're very quiet, you don't always say a lot; is it still nerve racking, looking at the position that you're in now?

SORENSTAM: It is. I think I've gotten better. I think I've gotten more comfortable, that's for sure, and I've gotten a lot of practice, and that's what's helped me. But not, I don't play the game to be in the limelight and, you know, to tell people, here I am, look at me. I've always wanted the clubs to do the talking. I mean, obviously, I like the game around enjoy it very much, I want to play and be good at it, but it's the other part that I have to deal with a little more.

PHILLIPS: Well, you make a good point. You talk about in your life lessons, there are no short cuts, and you have definitely proved who you are by your ability and not by who you know, or you've never been given any easy entry, that is for sure. Does it go back to playing with your father? I mean, you wanted to be a tennis pro at first, right? When did golf come into the picture?

SORENSTAM: That's right. Golf came into the picture a little bit later in my childhood. I started when I was 12, but didn't get seriously into it until probably 15, 16. And, you know, my parents, they still are golf crazy, and it seemed like on the weekend, the only way for my sister and me to see them was to go to the golf course. That's really how we got introduced to the game.

PHILLIPS: Wow. And did you love it at first?

SORENSTAM: No, I didn't like it at first. I mean, it was really considered an old man's sport and, you know, I was young. I wanted to be active. I mean, I played soccer. I played tennis. I wanted to chase a ball, not to you know, hit a ball that was laying still. It just seemed really boring at the time.

PHILLIPS: So I hear you're quite the practical jokester, rumor has it.

SORENSTAM: Well, yes, that's kind of true.

PHILLIPS: Tell me the best one. Tell me the best one so far.

SORENSTAM: The best one. Well, one that comes to my mind right away is when we played the world championship in New Zealand, we had a coach, and me and my best friend, we went to one of these stores where they have all these practical joke stuff, and we bought itching powder, and we put itching powder in her dress and in her skirt, and at the opening ceremony she couldn't stand still. She was itching constantly. I mean, it was -- we were all cracking up, and she didn't understand what was happening. And that was -- you know, it was really innocent, but a lot of fun for us.

PHILLIPS: I'm sure. Probably not a lot of fun for her. Does she still hold that against you?

SORENSTAM: We didn't tell her until maybe a few days later, and I think then, you know, she understood that it was really funny.

PHILLIPS: That's pretty good. Very impressive.

Annika Sorenstam, golf. "Annika's Way" is the name of the book.

We're big fans of you here, and we were rooting for you during the Colonial and we'll continue to root for you on the LPGA also.

SORENSTAM: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Annika.

GRIFFIN: And we'll check business news, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

PHILLIPS: Well, maybe news that he's a new father five times over is good medicine for a Marine who was wounded in Iraq. Sergeant Joshua Horton is doing better after surgery stateside to remove some shrapnel. He was transferred to the Naval Medical Center in Maryland Monday, just as his wife was giving birth to quintuplets in Illinois. Mom is doing fine, and talked to reporters just a while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAUNACY HORTON, QUINTUPLETS MOTHER: I talked to Josh for the first time about 8:00 this morning. As you can imagine, it was a very emotional, a special moment for us. Wednesday, Josh was told of the arrival of the quintuplets and was able to see a video of them. His mother Locklan (ph) said he was deeply moved, and reached out to touch the TV screen with his hand. I wish I could have been there, but I know that he is keeping them in his heart until he can see them in person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, the Hortons have two other kids besides the five, who arrived this week. Still, the husband and wife say they agreed that Sergeant Horton had to do his duty in Iraq when he left only a month ago.

GRIFFIN: Wow.

PHILLIPS: Seven kids, that's a handful.

GRIFFIN: From one battle to the next. Coming up in the second hour of LIVE FROM, parents turn to them to help their kids recover from depression.

PHILLIPS: But could a new government warning about some antidepressants have parents seeking a different solution? LIVE FROM's hour of power begins right after this.

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Aired October 15, 2004 - 13:31   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, ramping up the firepower in Falluja, the U.S. military staging another massive assault, targeting Abu Musab Al Zarqawi's terror network. Today's ground and air offensive continued an ongoing campaign, but operations are escalating. Military sources say they're laying down the groundwork for an eventual offensive to retake Fallujah from insurgents.
Offering one more carrot before getting out the stick? Well, the European Union seeking support from the U.S. Russia today in a proposal to offer trade incentives to Iran. It's behind and effort to persuade Tehran to stop enriching uranium, a key step toward producing nuclear weapons.

E.U. diplomats say it's a final bid before the issue is referred to the U.N. Security Council.

Gentlemen, start your engines. A federal judge strikes down the ban of a use of snowmobiles at Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks. The judged ruled that the Clinton-era ban was invalid, and that decision could clear the way for new rules to allow the machines in the parks this winter, but it's also likely to rev up environmentalists, who say snowmobiles pollute the parks, they're noisy and endanger the wildlife.

And John Kerry supporters going to the mat and to the corporate headquarters of Sinclair Broadcast Group. They're delivering an online petition signed by 100,000 people, seeking to stop Sinclair stations from airing the critical documentary "Stolen Honor" 10 days before the election. Signatures were gathered at a Web site called stopsinclair.org.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: One segment of American voters is being courted by Republicans and Democrats right now bigtime. Those are the undecided voters who are going to make a tremendous difference in the battleground states.

Last night in Pennsylvania, Paula Zahn had a townhall meeting with some voters who just haven't made up their mind yet. One question to the Kerry campaign dealt with the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John Kerry said he'll reduce the deficit in half in four years. He's also said he's not going to raise taxes on anybody that makes less than 200,000 bucks. Now, he's going to increase the troops in Iraq. He's going to fully fund No Child Left Behind. And about a trillion dollars worth of other things. How do you intend for him to pay for that?

KIKI MCLEAN, KERRY CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: Well, first of all, there have been studies that have come out that have said, No. 1, because John Kerry believes in a pay as you go system, he demonstrates where closing corporate loopholes, OK, and the tax giveaways that they've gotten and rolling back those tax giveaways that have been given to them under Bush/Cheney is going to help offset that.

You know, it's important to understand that the Bush/Cheney campaign really likes to talk about Senator Kerry's record. So let's make sure everybody understands two things.

No. 1, he was one of the principle architects of the Graham- Hollings-Rudman Act and the Budget Deficit Reduction Act.

And No. 2, he was one of the principle architects in the Senate of the Balanced Budget Amendment.

This against a record of an administration that squandered away a historic surplus. We now have the biggest trade deficit we've ever had. I mean, their economic record isn't holding out -- holding water very well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Well, the vice president's daughter, Liz Cheney, also participated in that townhall meeting and said it was, quote, "out of bounds" for Senator Kerry to mention her gay sister Mary in the most recent debate.

PHILLIPS: Today's news across America has a decidedly political flavor, and perhaps a bit of bad taste. First, squawking over Rock the Vote's Web site, which shows a mock draft card and the phrase, "You have been drafted." GOP party chairman Ed Gillespie says this effort to motivate young voters is malicious political deception, and asserts the Bush/Cheney campaign has ruled out a return of the military draft. The RNC wanted Rock the Vote to drop the draft reference, but the head of the nonpartisian group refused, calling the gripe a textbook case of attempted censorship.

Meanwhile, the mare mention of political provocateur Michael Moore makes the president's pop get potty mouthed. Former President George Herbert Walker Bush didn't hold back in his assessment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE BUSH SR., FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Total (EXPLETIVE DELETED), slimeball, and outrageous in his lies about my family. (INAUDIBLE) stronger statement on Michael Moore? When I saw him sitting at the Democratic convention with Jimmy Carter and then on the thing with Ron Reagan, I said what in -- what depths will they go to, to dishonor the truth?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And no ifs, ands or buts about it, the ACLU is getting behind six Pennsylvania protesters who struck a special pose for the president during a visit last July. There's just something frightening about this video. The ACLU says the men didn't break any laws when they formed a human pyramid, clad only in thong underwear.

GRIFFIN: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: They were protesting treatment of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. The skimpy sivvy (ph) six are due in court Monday.

GRIFFIN: Nasty.

Well, like thongs, flip-flops have an entirely new meaning, too, thanks to this year's presidential campaign. These must-have fashion items for the Republican Party faithful mock John Kerry's perceived flip-flops on the issues. Some have taken the concept further, like Matt Becker, also known as "Flip." As an officer for the College Republicans at Washington University, you would have to know he was a shoo-in for his role.

Matt's joining us from St. Louis, but we have to be even handed, or would that be even-footed. Nicole Soussan, the president of Washington's University College Democrats wearing a shirt popular with Kerry supporters, "Give Bush the Pink Slip."

OK, Matt, you've got the flip on.

MATT "FLIP" BECKER, BUSH SUPPORTER: That's right.

GRIFFIN: What give you this idea to do this, and why are you bucking for a job in the NBA as a mascot? What's happening here?

BECKER: Well, we actually -- the -- we had all of the media coverage during the debate last week. And we received these flip- flops from the College Republican National Committee. So I can't really take credit for coming up with this idea, as much as I would like to. But I was glad to sport it around and wear it for media coverage, and I'm definitely ready to be a mascot in the NBA.

GRIFFIN: So as homemade as that thing looks, it came basically from corporate office?

BECKER: Exactly.

GRIFFIN: Interesting.

Has this helped energize college Republicans on your campus, or has it just a lot of good fun?

BECKER: Yes, it has. Well, it's been a lot of good fun in the first part, but it also, during the media coverage -- you know, we're a very liberal campus. Last week, during the debates, it started out where we were pretty much out numbered about 10-1 with Kerry/Edwards to George Bush sign. But as soon as we got to these flip-flops, it was a nice boost to our confidence to walk around all the media events and be able to sport the flip-flops and show support for our candidate.

GRIFFIN: Nicole, years ago the Democrats had Mr. Butts which I thought was just hilarious, but this year I think the Republicans have you beat. You just have a T-shirt, right?

NICOLE SOUSSAN, KERRY SUPPORTER: Well, we have a T-shirt with a strong message that say, John Kerry, pink slip Bush, or George Bush, and that was something that we definitely rallied behind the Friday of the debate. We would definitely like to see John Kerry take his job in January.

GRIFFIN: We've seen a lot of contention this election, a lot of divisions among various populations in the United States. Is it all in good fun on college campuses? Has the excitement been good, or do you see divisions there as well?

SOUSSAN: I think that the excitement is good, that it really, no matter what side you're on, it's very good to get engaged in the political process. And also being on a college campus , we have a classroom setting where we can discuss the issues and really dialogue about what's important and how we feel about the issues. So you have fun, you have intellectual engagement, and you have honest political activity, and we just couldn't ask for a better conglomeration of things to go forth with.

GRIFFIN: Matt, having fun, having a lot of jokes, running around with a flip-flop, that certainly is a good time, but does it actually get out the vote. Do you think that more college students will be voting in this election than in year's past?

BECKER: Oh, I definitely think there's going to be an extremely large turnout among college voters. I mean, just from being on this campus, I've seen how political involved a lot of college students are. And a lot of students are starting to realize they have a very large stake in this election, because, quite frankly, this election is going to probably take our country two different ways, because both candidates they have very different views on how the world should be run, so I really think that college students see that and they see how important their vote is.

GRIFFIN: What are the plan it is in the nest next 18 days for the flip or the flop, or both of you?

BECKER: Well, basically, we're just going to try to campaign hard for President Bush. We've got a lot of events coming up, especially the three days before the election. We have a 72-hour drive, and we're really going to be out, trying to get people to know about President Bush, about his policies, and really try and win some votes for President Bush, because you know, it's a busy time. I'm looking forward to November 3rd, because a lot of us, I know me and Nicole are both talking, our grades are taking a hit because I've missed quite a few classes trying to support President Bush, but it's all for the good fight.

GRIFFIN: Nicole, you're in it until the end?

SOUSSAN: I am in it for the end. And so are the college democrats at Wash U. Missouri has a great ticket of Democrats, as well it being a battle ground state for the presidential election. So we are in it until the end, to keep on fighting and make sure that John Kerry gets to the White House in January.

GRIFFIN: All right. Matt and Nicole, thank you very much for joining us.

Matt, put it on one more time, come on.

BECKER: All right.

GRIFFIN: Stand up and throw that on.

BECKER: There you go.

GRIFFIN: Oh, this is great.

PHILLIPS: It's bigger than her T-shirt. It's not fair.

GRIFFIN: Have fun flopping through the rest of the day.

BECKER: Oh, I will. Thank you.

SOUSSAN: Bye, thanks for having us.

BECKER: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, she's a pro-athlete at the top of her game, but we found another side to Annika Sorenstam.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, so I hear you're quite the practical jokester, rumor has it.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: Well, yes, that's kind of true.

PHILLIPS: Tell me the best one.

SORENSTAM: The best one -- well, one that comes to my mind right away...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: All right, you can find out who the joke was on ahead on LIVE FROM. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, we know Annika Sorenstam as the stoic Swede with the nearly flawless golf game. But behind the unflappable exterior is an athlete just itching to get the world out on some different sides of her personality. You'll see what I mean. So the woman who teed it up with the big boys at Colonial has done just that. She's written a new book "Golf, Annika's Way."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Tell me what it was like just to smack it off the tee and finally get going in that PGA tournament.

SORENSTAM: It was obviously a tournament I had been looking forward to for months. I mean, all the preparation, all the focus, and to finally stand there on the first tee, you know, it was time to play, you know, enough of all the talking, put the ball on the ground and hit it. I mean, I was nervous. I've never been so nervous in my whole life.

And, you know, obviously I felt a lot of pressure. And I just want to get off the tee. There was water on the left. There was trees on the right. Oh, I wanted to get the ball down the fairway somewhere.

PHILLIPS: Not to mention all the people watching, right?

SORENSTAM: Yes, yes, there was a few out there.

PHILLIPS: Just a few people and national television, no big deal.

Well, that sort of leads me into the next question. In your book you talk about life's lessons, and one of them is the whole psychological aspect, facing fear. I mean, I think of when I get on the first tee, especially when I have a group of men behind me, I know what they're thinking, oh great, I've got a woman in front of me, and immediately, I get nervous. Tell me how you can compartmentalize, how do you face your fear? How do you deal with that psychological aspect of the game?

SORENSTAM: Well, that's just something that I have to learn throughout the years, you know, growing up, playing the game, you know, as a little girl and facing, you know, stuff you really don't like, just dealing with, you know, things that make you uncomfortable. And one of the things that I had to deal with when I was young, is I was very shy. You know, I still am a little shy, but maybe not as much. Be you know, to just be able to handle it, feel comfortable with what you're doing and the things that you say, and you know, I've noticed that in golf, I've learned so much in playing this game. I've learned a lot of patience, and you know, I have to deal with all kinds of things that come out in the golf course, making a decision, et cetera. I mean, golf, to me, relates so many things to life that it's been very helpful for me.

PHILLIPS: You mention the shyness. Is this true that your husband, David, said on "60 Minutes" that you used to purposely lose tournaments when you were younger because you didn't want to make the victory speeches?

SORENSTAM: It's true. It's very much true. I mean, I just -- I three-putted several times on purpose, because I didn't want to be in the limelight, and I always wanted my clubs to do the talking, but if I had to give a speech, it made me very nervous.

PHILLIPS: Wow. Well, do you think that's changed? I watch your interviews, and you're still very humble, you're very quiet, you don't always say a lot; is it still nerve racking, looking at the position that you're in now?

SORENSTAM: It is. I think I've gotten better. I think I've gotten more comfortable, that's for sure, and I've gotten a lot of practice, and that's what's helped me. But not, I don't play the game to be in the limelight and, you know, to tell people, here I am, look at me. I've always wanted the clubs to do the talking. I mean, obviously, I like the game around enjoy it very much, I want to play and be good at it, but it's the other part that I have to deal with a little more.

PHILLIPS: Well, you make a good point. You talk about in your life lessons, there are no short cuts, and you have definitely proved who you are by your ability and not by who you know, or you've never been given any easy entry, that is for sure. Does it go back to playing with your father? I mean, you wanted to be a tennis pro at first, right? When did golf come into the picture?

SORENSTAM: That's right. Golf came into the picture a little bit later in my childhood. I started when I was 12, but didn't get seriously into it until probably 15, 16. And, you know, my parents, they still are golf crazy, and it seemed like on the weekend, the only way for my sister and me to see them was to go to the golf course. That's really how we got introduced to the game.

PHILLIPS: Wow. And did you love it at first?

SORENSTAM: No, I didn't like it at first. I mean, it was really considered an old man's sport and, you know, I was young. I wanted to be active. I mean, I played soccer. I played tennis. I wanted to chase a ball, not to you know, hit a ball that was laying still. It just seemed really boring at the time.

PHILLIPS: So I hear you're quite the practical jokester, rumor has it.

SORENSTAM: Well, yes, that's kind of true.

PHILLIPS: Tell me the best one. Tell me the best one so far.

SORENSTAM: The best one. Well, one that comes to my mind right away is when we played the world championship in New Zealand, we had a coach, and me and my best friend, we went to one of these stores where they have all these practical joke stuff, and we bought itching powder, and we put itching powder in her dress and in her skirt, and at the opening ceremony she couldn't stand still. She was itching constantly. I mean, it was -- we were all cracking up, and she didn't understand what was happening. And that was -- you know, it was really innocent, but a lot of fun for us.

PHILLIPS: I'm sure. Probably not a lot of fun for her. Does she still hold that against you?

SORENSTAM: We didn't tell her until maybe a few days later, and I think then, you know, she understood that it was really funny.

PHILLIPS: That's pretty good. Very impressive.

Annika Sorenstam, golf. "Annika's Way" is the name of the book.

We're big fans of you here, and we were rooting for you during the Colonial and we'll continue to root for you on the LPGA also.

SORENSTAM: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate it.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Annika.

GRIFFIN: And we'll check business news, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

PHILLIPS: Well, maybe news that he's a new father five times over is good medicine for a Marine who was wounded in Iraq. Sergeant Joshua Horton is doing better after surgery stateside to remove some shrapnel. He was transferred to the Naval Medical Center in Maryland Monday, just as his wife was giving birth to quintuplets in Illinois. Mom is doing fine, and talked to reporters just a while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TAUNACY HORTON, QUINTUPLETS MOTHER: I talked to Josh for the first time about 8:00 this morning. As you can imagine, it was a very emotional, a special moment for us. Wednesday, Josh was told of the arrival of the quintuplets and was able to see a video of them. His mother Locklan (ph) said he was deeply moved, and reached out to touch the TV screen with his hand. I wish I could have been there, but I know that he is keeping them in his heart until he can see them in person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, the Hortons have two other kids besides the five, who arrived this week. Still, the husband and wife say they agreed that Sergeant Horton had to do his duty in Iraq when he left only a month ago.

GRIFFIN: Wow.

PHILLIPS: Seven kids, that's a handful.

GRIFFIN: From one battle to the next. Coming up in the second hour of LIVE FROM, parents turn to them to help their kids recover from depression.

PHILLIPS: But could a new government warning about some antidepressants have parents seeking a different solution? LIVE FROM's hour of power begins right after this.

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