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Red Sox Are 3-0 Going Into Game Four of the World Series Tonight; Lunar Eclipse Tonight; Entertainment News

Aired October 27, 2004 - 14:29   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: Well, could this be the night the infamous Red Sox curse comes to an end? The Sox have a chance to sweep the World Series after their 4-1 win over the Cards last night. But the Red Sox know from their own experience with the Yankees -- Yankees were up 3-0 -- that the 3-0 is no guarantee.
For more on game four, we go live now to CNN's Larry Smith who's at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Larry, we had Ray Flynn on just a little while ago, former mayor of Boston, and he said the deal is this: hang a rosary bead on a clothesline. And if it doesn't rain on the rosary bead, the Red Sox will win the World Series. So, really, that's the end of the report. I don't think we need to say anymore beyond that, right?

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I guess so. Well, no forecast of rain in St. Louis, so I guess if you're a Red Sox fan in St. Louis, that may come true for you. Certainly back in Boston, Miles, they're ready to sweep the curse of the Bambino out of town. But 86 years of baseball frustration has taught Red Sox fans not to grab the brooms just yet.

Let's face it -- the Cardinals were the winningest team in baseball during their regular season, but they have not done anything right during this World Series. Now, the Boston Red Sox were near flawless last night in that 4-1 victory in game three.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals, well, they looked confused. Base running errors, struggles at the plate, just 10 hits now in the last two games. As you mentioned, 10 days ago, Boston was down 3-0 to the Yankees and on the verge of elimination. They made history by rallying to win that series. Now, the Red Sox are up 3-0 on St. Louis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEVIN MILLAR, BOSTON RED SOX: We understand that we got to win another game. And we're not getting too giddy with this. We're in a great situation, obviously. But we understand what we did to the New York Yankees, and this club is capable of doing the same thing to us.

REGGIE SANDERS, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: You know, we're 3-0. I mean, they're in a great situation. But for us, we just got to really focus and try not to think about that, just come out and do what we've done all year long, and that is play great baseball from behind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Derek Lowe, the game-winning pitcher in that decisive game seven of the American League Championship Series versus the Yankees last week, he gets a starting job -- starting pitching tonight for Boston versus Jason Marquis of St. Louis.

Now, Cardinals' pitchers are not fooling Boston batters at all in this series. In fact, the Red Sox have stuck out only 13 times in three games. As you look at the series, everything the Cardinals have thrown at the Red Sox, nothing has gone well. And last night, manager Tony La Russa looked like a man who really was pretty much out of answers. They're going to try just to get the one game tonight, try to get a win and at least extend it to another game, the same way the Red Sox did versus the Yankees last week.

We'll see if they're successful. Let's go back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, Larry Smith. And it makes me very nervous, but it's good to hear nonetheless. Thank you very much -- Fred?

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Thanks a lot, Miles.

Well, listen up all you fashionistas with deep pockets. You may know Fifth Avenue in New York and the Champs-Elysees in Paris like the backs of your hand, but do you know how much that prime real estate you stomp on is actually worth? I'll give you a hint -- it's higher than your Visa bill, way higher. Rhonda Schaffler has the scoop -- Rhonda?

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fred.

All those Visa bills and other credit card bills are keeping these hoity-toity stores in business, obviously. And they need to make a lot of money to pay these rents. Rents along the best shopping stretches in the fashion world are as eye-popping as prices in the store.

According to a survey by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, the most expensive place to set up shop is here in New York on Fifth Avenue. Rents have shot up 12 percent there over the past year to $950 per square foot each year.

Just to give you an idea, Saks Fifth Avenue's flagship store is 646,000 square feet, meaning its rent could top $600 million a year. The Champs-Elysees in Paris comes in second for the highest rent. Hong Kong's Causeway Bay comes in third. Meantime, Tokyo, Dublin, and Buenos Aires show the biggest increases in rents in their shopping centers last year -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: Wow, that is definitely expensive.

SCHAFFLER: I'll say.

WHITFIELD: All right, well let's talk a little baseball and make the transition from a little shopping to baseball.

SCHAFFLER: Yeah, well, this is expensive, too. We're looking at the auction for Barry Bonds' 70th home run baseball. And this is being auctioned on overstock.com. The auction just ended. The last bid posted is $804,000. Lot of money there.

And they're also bidding up stocks here on Wall Street. Sharply higher right now as oil prices tumble more than $2 a barrel. Here's a look. Dow is up 105 points. That's on top of yesterday's 138-point rally. Nasdaq gaining nearly two percent.

The Federal Reserve a short time ago releasing its Beige Book report, the regional economic snapshot prepared for the Fed's November 10th meeting on interest rates. So, has economic activity picked up in the last two months, but that consumer spending is being hampered by those high energy prices.

That's how things are looking on Wall Street. Coming up later this hour, Wal-Mart is contributing a lot of money to one political party. Details when CNN's LIVE FROM continues. And that happens in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: In the news right now. Katherine Harris may have been attacked. Police say Barry Seltzer told them he was exercising his political expression when he allegedly swerved his car near Harris and a group her supporters in Sarasota last night. The former Florida secretary of state, Harris is now a Congresswoman campaigning for a second term.

Devoted husband, or cold blood killer? The jury closer to deciding the case of Scott Peterson. Next hour, the prosecution will begin its rebuttal, meaning the sensational five month trial is winding down. Deliberations to begin one week from today.

More revelations about those missing weapons in Iraq. Chief U.S. Weapons Inspector Charles Duelfer says he called for the powerful explosives to be destroyed back in '95. He was working for UNSCOM, the U.N.'s weapons inspection agency for Iraq. Duelfer says the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, ignored his warning.

And no deal in talks over Iran's nuclear program. European negotiators failed to persuade Tehran to stop enriching uranium, a key step for making nuclear energy and potentially weapons. A British government official says there will be more talks soon.

WHITFIELD: Negotiators in Congress say it's not likely that legislation aimed at protecting America against another terrorist attack will pass by Election Day. Talks have been ongoing on some of the recommendations by the 9/11 Commission.

Apparently, there is an impasse over how much authority to give a new national intelligence director. Family members are calling on Congress to act.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOLLETTE LAFUENTE, HUSBAND KILLED IN 9/11 ATTACKS: We are prepared to wait until after the election, and I think that that is important that we are prepared to wait. These provisions are so important in this bill. They are worth waiting for; they are worth fighting for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Talks on the bill are expected to continue throughout the week -- Miles?

O'BRIEN: News across America now -- no waiting in line for federal workers wanting a flu shot. The government says employees will be able to get free shots starting next week, but the vaccine will only be given to those falling within government guidelines -- pregnant women, chronically ill, and some workers 65 and older.

A landmark anniversary for the New York City subway, celebrating its 100th anniversary today. Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki marked the day by riding vintage subway cars to 42nd Street. Wonder if they had any vintage graffiti.

The legal struggle over a Picasso painting stolen by Nazis during World War II now in federal court. The dispute involves the grandson of a Jewish woman who sent the painting to a Paris gallery for safe keeping and an art collector who bought it 29 years ago in New York. Follow that one. The federal government has claimed custody of the painting until the dispute is settled.

Well,from Alaska to Afghanistan, half the world will be gazing up at the skies tonight, and we're told it's going to be worth it -- weather permitting, that is. You'll be able to see a total lunar eclipse. And that's when the Earth's shadow consumes a blood red moon. We can show you the diagram very quickly right there, sun, Earth, moon -- and the moon, thus, in the shadow.

Joining me live from Miami, Jack Horkheimer. He is executive director of the Miami Museum of Science. And of course, you've seen him on TV. The show is called "Star Gazer." Jack, always a great pleasure to see you.

JACK HORKHEIMER, ASTRONOMER, MIAMI PLANETARIUM: My pleasure, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. Let's get to it right away. I want to show people just a basic graphic of when and where they should be watching, and what the moon will be doing as they watch. Very straightforward here -- the moon will move from the right part of your screen to the left part of your screen, kind of on a diagonal. What's going to happen as it does that, Jack?

HORKHEIMER: Well, the Earth's shadow is going to slowly start to cover the moon. Start watching around 9:14 Eastern time or extrapolate to your local time zone. For about the next hour or so, you'll see that curved shadow of the Earth -- which, incidentally, is one of the earliest visual proofs the Greeks use to prove that the Earth is a sphere.

You'll see the shadow slowly pass over the moon. The moon will darken noticeably. It will go from bright white to kind of grayish and then brownish. And then when totality starts, when the moon is fully immersed inside the dark part of the shadow, that starts around 10:24 or so to 11:45, the moon will be completely in the Earth's shadow and will turn some unpredictable shade of reddish orange.

Now, people ask why -- why does it turn color? And the simple reason is is that our Earth's atmosphere acts like a giant lens. And the red light from the sun, sunsets and sunrises, it's bent into the Earth's shadow. And that it actually goes to the moon, bounces to the moon, and then bounces back to Earth again. And so, there's always some reddish orange light in our Earth's shadow cone.

If you think of it this way, when you look at the moon tonight when it looks like, I think like kind of a pumpkin copper orange, a jack-o'-lantern color tonight, you're actually seeing the color from all the sunrises and sunsets occurring all around the Earth simultaneously.

And what's fascinating, if you could stand on the moon tonight during totality and look back at our earth, our Earth would be eclipsing the sun. You'd see a black Earth with a red ring around it, which is the red light of sunrises and sunsets.

O'BRIEN: All right. Couple thoughts here. We want to point out to folks, because I had a lot of questions about this, they say: Can you look at a moon during an eclipse? It's not like looking at the sun during a solar eclipse. Just the opposite -- you're looking away from the sun. No problem taking a look at it.

Question for you is I've been told one of the best places to watch this would be darkened Yankee Stadium. Of course, this could be an omen, don't you think, potentially for the Red Sox, right?

HORKHEIMER: Well, no, because the color red goes either way for the Red Sox or for the Cardinals. And the moon doesn't have any -- doesn't play favorites.

I just think it will be interesting that if it does clear up over Busch Stadium tonight in St. Louis, we'll probably see shots of the moon, and it may become the world's most widely live televised eclipse of the moon in history. I'm crossing my fingers, because last night during game three I saw a few shots of the moon, and tonight maybe we'll get an opening in the clouds and actually see the eclipse high overhead during the fourth game.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jack Horkheimer, time now for your custom well-known worldwide known sigout.

HORKHEIMER: Keep looking up!

O'BRIEN: All right. We'll see you, Jack. Always a pleasure. Thanks for dropping by.

WHITFIELD: Very fun.

Well, Wal-Mart is apparently choosing sides this political season. Straight ahead, we'll find out which candidates the discount chain is supporting and why.

Also, when it comes to picking the president, this woman goes way back. She's got stories dating back to Herbert Hoover.

And Rod Stewart is making headlines again. Sibila Vargas will have details coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, he's already at the top of his game, so what's next for a hip-hop icon who conquered rap and the fashion world? CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas looks at the next chapter in Jay-Z's hard knock life and other stories making headlines.

Hi, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.

Well, first, actress Julia Roberts is in the hospital today after a reported pregnancy scare. The 36-year-old actress is on bed rest after experiencing a series of early contractions. Roberts is expecting twins with husband Danny Moder, but the babies aren't due for another two months.

According to "People" magazine, the actress had been planned on attending a baby shower Sunday with family and friends, but the shower had to be moved to her hospital soon. Now, the "Pretty Woman" star has two films coming out soon, "Oceans 12" and "Closer."

Well, he's mastered the rap world with hits like "It's a Hard Knock Life," taking on the fashion storm with Rocawear, and now mega hip-hop icon Jay-Z is going corporate.

The 34-year-old is reportedly in talks to become president of Universal Music Group's Island Def Jam label. Along with guiding the careers of rap stars like Ja Rule and Ludacris, he would also have to market alternative rock acts like Sum 41. An Island Def Jam President Jay-Z would report to Chairman Antonio "LA" Reid, who joined the label in February. Now, a Universal spokesperson told us today that the company has no comment and said the reports are all speculation -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: So, Sibila, maybe if there were a style change, then somebody like Rod Stewart could end up on Jay-Z's label. What do you think?

VARGAS: Well, you know, that's right, Fredricka. He ignited the '60s with the pop hit "Do You Think I'm Sexy?" Well, after all these years, Rod, music fans still do.

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart has topped the U.S. album charts for the first time in 25 years. According to Nielsen SoundScan data, Stewart's newly released "Stardust...The Great American Songbook: Volume III" sold more than 240,000 copies last week. The album features golden oldies like "What a Wonderful World" with Stevie Wonder on harmonica, "Blue Moon" with Eric Clapton on guitar, and duets with Bette Midler and Dolly Parton. His manager says the singer is absolutely thrilled, and it just inspires him to sing better.

You know, Fredricka, some people just get better with age.

WHITFIELD: That's always the case, Sibila. Let me guess -- I know you wanted to be a singer in another life. And it's never too late, you know! You've already made your national debut.

VARGAS: ... launch my career right here on national television.

WHITFIELD: I see it happening. Maybe Jay-Z will sign you up on his label.

O'BRIEN: Sibila, are you doing that CNN Star Search thing? Are you going to do the Star Search? Are you? You know, the CNN search thing? You know what I'm talking about. You should be in that.

VARGAS: You know -- of course!

O'BRIEN: All right.

VARGAS: You guys are my PR people right here.

O'BRIEN: We'll call your people.

WHITFIELD: We'll have his people call your people.

O'BRIEN: We'll get you in there. All right, thanks.

VARGAS: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: She's got a voice. She does.

All right, a giant discount dip into the political arena. Wal- Mart offering up some major cash to defeat a proposition on the ballot. Details are straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: There she was in that little box waiting for us, Rhonda Schaffler telling us about the world's largest -- there she is -- world's largest employer making some big contributions to one particular party. The reason behind the funding could be seen as shortchanging some employees. I'm sure they quibble with that notion.

Rhonda Schaffler, how are you?

SCHAFFLER: Hey, pretty good, Miles.

It's interesting on a number of levels, actually. It's Wal-Mart that's contributing more than $2 million to California political races this year. Interesting because that's more than it's ever spent, especially at state level. And a lot of the donations were made to Governor Schwarzenegger and the Republican party.

But some $500,000 of this money was earmarked to help fight a proposition that could cost Wal-Mart millions if passed. Proposition 72 would require any California employer with more than 50 employees to pay for healthcare coverage of employees working at least 100 hours a month. A research group found that California taxpayers spend $32 million a year providing healthcare for Wal-Mart workers. Other large employers, such as department stores and fast food chains, are also opposing that proposition.

Here on Wall Street, we've got quite a rally underway. Day two of a big advance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surging at this point, up 107 points. Nasdaq is sharply higher. All of this because oil prices are sliding more than $2.50 a barrel.

That's the latest from here on Wall Street. Miles, Fred, back to you.

O'BRIEN: Rhonda, always a pleasure. We'll see you tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: All right, well we -- doesn't it seem like it's been forever we've been hearing from the pollsters, the candidates, all the pontificators out there.

O'BRIEN: Yeah, forever is a good word. Forever is a good word, and we mean that. It has been a long road.

WHITFIELD: Well, now it's time to hear Beatrice Woods and her point of view.

O'BRIEN: All right. Now, before the hanging chad, before TV debates, back when nominees really were decided in those smoke-filled rooms, in 1928 Ms. Woods was 24 years old.

WHITFIELD: She looks good, doesn't she?

O'BRIEN: Yeah, she looks fantastic. I am just blown away. It was only the third presidential election where women had the right to vote. She's now an even 100, and as Fred says...

WHITFIELD: She looks fab.

O'BRIEN: You know, God bless her, wow. Anyway, she just voted in her 20th presidential election. I don't think we asked for whom she voted, did we?

WHITFIELD: I don't think we did.

O'BRIEN: It's really not the point.

WHITFIELD: And if we did ask, then they're not sharing what the answer...

O'BRIEN: Well, yeah, and it really isn't the point.

WHITFIELD: She's not sharing. O'BRIEN: She's a voter who's been there and seen it all, up to and including "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS," which I believe she probably watches every day.

WHITFIELD: She's seen every episode, yeah.

O'BRIEN: Judy?

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": You know, if Mrs. Woods can get out there and vote, than the rest of us have got to get out there and vote.

WHITFIELD: That's right. There are no excuses.

WOODRUFF: No excuses. Miles, Fredricka, thank you very much.

But you know, thousands of Americans have already cast their votes we're learning. Today on "INSIDE POLITICS," we'll look at the growing trend of early voting and why it's becoming so popular.

Plus, millions of new voters have registered to vote, but will they actually show up at the polls on Tuesday? Our Ed Henry looks at first-time voters and how they might help shape this race. "INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired October 27, 2004 - 14:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, could this be the night the infamous Red Sox curse comes to an end? The Sox have a chance to sweep the World Series after their 4-1 win over the Cards last night. But the Red Sox know from their own experience with the Yankees -- Yankees were up 3-0 -- that the 3-0 is no guarantee.
For more on game four, we go live now to CNN's Larry Smith who's at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Larry, we had Ray Flynn on just a little while ago, former mayor of Boston, and he said the deal is this: hang a rosary bead on a clothesline. And if it doesn't rain on the rosary bead, the Red Sox will win the World Series. So, really, that's the end of the report. I don't think we need to say anymore beyond that, right?

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: I guess so. Well, no forecast of rain in St. Louis, so I guess if you're a Red Sox fan in St. Louis, that may come true for you. Certainly back in Boston, Miles, they're ready to sweep the curse of the Bambino out of town. But 86 years of baseball frustration has taught Red Sox fans not to grab the brooms just yet.

Let's face it -- the Cardinals were the winningest team in baseball during their regular season, but they have not done anything right during this World Series. Now, the Boston Red Sox were near flawless last night in that 4-1 victory in game three.

Meanwhile, the Cardinals, well, they looked confused. Base running errors, struggles at the plate, just 10 hits now in the last two games. As you mentioned, 10 days ago, Boston was down 3-0 to the Yankees and on the verge of elimination. They made history by rallying to win that series. Now, the Red Sox are up 3-0 on St. Louis.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEVIN MILLAR, BOSTON RED SOX: We understand that we got to win another game. And we're not getting too giddy with this. We're in a great situation, obviously. But we understand what we did to the New York Yankees, and this club is capable of doing the same thing to us.

REGGIE SANDERS, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS: You know, we're 3-0. I mean, they're in a great situation. But for us, we just got to really focus and try not to think about that, just come out and do what we've done all year long, and that is play great baseball from behind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Derek Lowe, the game-winning pitcher in that decisive game seven of the American League Championship Series versus the Yankees last week, he gets a starting job -- starting pitching tonight for Boston versus Jason Marquis of St. Louis.

Now, Cardinals' pitchers are not fooling Boston batters at all in this series. In fact, the Red Sox have stuck out only 13 times in three games. As you look at the series, everything the Cardinals have thrown at the Red Sox, nothing has gone well. And last night, manager Tony La Russa looked like a man who really was pretty much out of answers. They're going to try just to get the one game tonight, try to get a win and at least extend it to another game, the same way the Red Sox did versus the Yankees last week.

We'll see if they're successful. Let's go back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, Larry Smith. And it makes me very nervous, but it's good to hear nonetheless. Thank you very much -- Fred?

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Thanks a lot, Miles.

Well, listen up all you fashionistas with deep pockets. You may know Fifth Avenue in New York and the Champs-Elysees in Paris like the backs of your hand, but do you know how much that prime real estate you stomp on is actually worth? I'll give you a hint -- it's higher than your Visa bill, way higher. Rhonda Schaffler has the scoop -- Rhonda?

RHONDA SCHAFFLER, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Fred.

All those Visa bills and other credit card bills are keeping these hoity-toity stores in business, obviously. And they need to make a lot of money to pay these rents. Rents along the best shopping stretches in the fashion world are as eye-popping as prices in the store.

According to a survey by real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, the most expensive place to set up shop is here in New York on Fifth Avenue. Rents have shot up 12 percent there over the past year to $950 per square foot each year.

Just to give you an idea, Saks Fifth Avenue's flagship store is 646,000 square feet, meaning its rent could top $600 million a year. The Champs-Elysees in Paris comes in second for the highest rent. Hong Kong's Causeway Bay comes in third. Meantime, Tokyo, Dublin, and Buenos Aires show the biggest increases in rents in their shopping centers last year -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: Wow, that is definitely expensive.

SCHAFFLER: I'll say.

WHITFIELD: All right, well let's talk a little baseball and make the transition from a little shopping to baseball.

SCHAFFLER: Yeah, well, this is expensive, too. We're looking at the auction for Barry Bonds' 70th home run baseball. And this is being auctioned on overstock.com. The auction just ended. The last bid posted is $804,000. Lot of money there.

And they're also bidding up stocks here on Wall Street. Sharply higher right now as oil prices tumble more than $2 a barrel. Here's a look. Dow is up 105 points. That's on top of yesterday's 138-point rally. Nasdaq gaining nearly two percent.

The Federal Reserve a short time ago releasing its Beige Book report, the regional economic snapshot prepared for the Fed's November 10th meeting on interest rates. So, has economic activity picked up in the last two months, but that consumer spending is being hampered by those high energy prices.

That's how things are looking on Wall Street. Coming up later this hour, Wal-Mart is contributing a lot of money to one political party. Details when CNN's LIVE FROM continues. And that happens in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: In the news right now. Katherine Harris may have been attacked. Police say Barry Seltzer told them he was exercising his political expression when he allegedly swerved his car near Harris and a group her supporters in Sarasota last night. The former Florida secretary of state, Harris is now a Congresswoman campaigning for a second term.

Devoted husband, or cold blood killer? The jury closer to deciding the case of Scott Peterson. Next hour, the prosecution will begin its rebuttal, meaning the sensational five month trial is winding down. Deliberations to begin one week from today.

More revelations about those missing weapons in Iraq. Chief U.S. Weapons Inspector Charles Duelfer says he called for the powerful explosives to be destroyed back in '95. He was working for UNSCOM, the U.N.'s weapons inspection agency for Iraq. Duelfer says the IAEA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, ignored his warning.

And no deal in talks over Iran's nuclear program. European negotiators failed to persuade Tehran to stop enriching uranium, a key step for making nuclear energy and potentially weapons. A British government official says there will be more talks soon.

WHITFIELD: Negotiators in Congress say it's not likely that legislation aimed at protecting America against another terrorist attack will pass by Election Day. Talks have been ongoing on some of the recommendations by the 9/11 Commission.

Apparently, there is an impasse over how much authority to give a new national intelligence director. Family members are calling on Congress to act.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOLLETTE LAFUENTE, HUSBAND KILLED IN 9/11 ATTACKS: We are prepared to wait until after the election, and I think that that is important that we are prepared to wait. These provisions are so important in this bill. They are worth waiting for; they are worth fighting for.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Talks on the bill are expected to continue throughout the week -- Miles?

O'BRIEN: News across America now -- no waiting in line for federal workers wanting a flu shot. The government says employees will be able to get free shots starting next week, but the vaccine will only be given to those falling within government guidelines -- pregnant women, chronically ill, and some workers 65 and older.

A landmark anniversary for the New York City subway, celebrating its 100th anniversary today. Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Pataki marked the day by riding vintage subway cars to 42nd Street. Wonder if they had any vintage graffiti.

The legal struggle over a Picasso painting stolen by Nazis during World War II now in federal court. The dispute involves the grandson of a Jewish woman who sent the painting to a Paris gallery for safe keeping and an art collector who bought it 29 years ago in New York. Follow that one. The federal government has claimed custody of the painting until the dispute is settled.

Well,from Alaska to Afghanistan, half the world will be gazing up at the skies tonight, and we're told it's going to be worth it -- weather permitting, that is. You'll be able to see a total lunar eclipse. And that's when the Earth's shadow consumes a blood red moon. We can show you the diagram very quickly right there, sun, Earth, moon -- and the moon, thus, in the shadow.

Joining me live from Miami, Jack Horkheimer. He is executive director of the Miami Museum of Science. And of course, you've seen him on TV. The show is called "Star Gazer." Jack, always a great pleasure to see you.

JACK HORKHEIMER, ASTRONOMER, MIAMI PLANETARIUM: My pleasure, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. Let's get to it right away. I want to show people just a basic graphic of when and where they should be watching, and what the moon will be doing as they watch. Very straightforward here -- the moon will move from the right part of your screen to the left part of your screen, kind of on a diagonal. What's going to happen as it does that, Jack?

HORKHEIMER: Well, the Earth's shadow is going to slowly start to cover the moon. Start watching around 9:14 Eastern time or extrapolate to your local time zone. For about the next hour or so, you'll see that curved shadow of the Earth -- which, incidentally, is one of the earliest visual proofs the Greeks use to prove that the Earth is a sphere.

You'll see the shadow slowly pass over the moon. The moon will darken noticeably. It will go from bright white to kind of grayish and then brownish. And then when totality starts, when the moon is fully immersed inside the dark part of the shadow, that starts around 10:24 or so to 11:45, the moon will be completely in the Earth's shadow and will turn some unpredictable shade of reddish orange.

Now, people ask why -- why does it turn color? And the simple reason is is that our Earth's atmosphere acts like a giant lens. And the red light from the sun, sunsets and sunrises, it's bent into the Earth's shadow. And that it actually goes to the moon, bounces to the moon, and then bounces back to Earth again. And so, there's always some reddish orange light in our Earth's shadow cone.

If you think of it this way, when you look at the moon tonight when it looks like, I think like kind of a pumpkin copper orange, a jack-o'-lantern color tonight, you're actually seeing the color from all the sunrises and sunsets occurring all around the Earth simultaneously.

And what's fascinating, if you could stand on the moon tonight during totality and look back at our earth, our Earth would be eclipsing the sun. You'd see a black Earth with a red ring around it, which is the red light of sunrises and sunsets.

O'BRIEN: All right. Couple thoughts here. We want to point out to folks, because I had a lot of questions about this, they say: Can you look at a moon during an eclipse? It's not like looking at the sun during a solar eclipse. Just the opposite -- you're looking away from the sun. No problem taking a look at it.

Question for you is I've been told one of the best places to watch this would be darkened Yankee Stadium. Of course, this could be an omen, don't you think, potentially for the Red Sox, right?

HORKHEIMER: Well, no, because the color red goes either way for the Red Sox or for the Cardinals. And the moon doesn't have any -- doesn't play favorites.

I just think it will be interesting that if it does clear up over Busch Stadium tonight in St. Louis, we'll probably see shots of the moon, and it may become the world's most widely live televised eclipse of the moon in history. I'm crossing my fingers, because last night during game three I saw a few shots of the moon, and tonight maybe we'll get an opening in the clouds and actually see the eclipse high overhead during the fourth game.

O'BRIEN: All right, Jack Horkheimer, time now for your custom well-known worldwide known sigout.

HORKHEIMER: Keep looking up!

O'BRIEN: All right. We'll see you, Jack. Always a pleasure. Thanks for dropping by.

WHITFIELD: Very fun.

Well, Wal-Mart is apparently choosing sides this political season. Straight ahead, we'll find out which candidates the discount chain is supporting and why.

Also, when it comes to picking the president, this woman goes way back. She's got stories dating back to Herbert Hoover.

And Rod Stewart is making headlines again. Sibila Vargas will have details coming up.

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WHITFIELD: Well, he's already at the top of his game, so what's next for a hip-hop icon who conquered rap and the fashion world? CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas looks at the next chapter in Jay-Z's hard knock life and other stories making headlines.

Hi, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.

Well, first, actress Julia Roberts is in the hospital today after a reported pregnancy scare. The 36-year-old actress is on bed rest after experiencing a series of early contractions. Roberts is expecting twins with husband Danny Moder, but the babies aren't due for another two months.

According to "People" magazine, the actress had been planned on attending a baby shower Sunday with family and friends, but the shower had to be moved to her hospital soon. Now, the "Pretty Woman" star has two films coming out soon, "Oceans 12" and "Closer."

Well, he's mastered the rap world with hits like "It's a Hard Knock Life," taking on the fashion storm with Rocawear, and now mega hip-hop icon Jay-Z is going corporate.

The 34-year-old is reportedly in talks to become president of Universal Music Group's Island Def Jam label. Along with guiding the careers of rap stars like Ja Rule and Ludacris, he would also have to market alternative rock acts like Sum 41. An Island Def Jam President Jay-Z would report to Chairman Antonio "LA" Reid, who joined the label in February. Now, a Universal spokesperson told us today that the company has no comment and said the reports are all speculation -- Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: So, Sibila, maybe if there were a style change, then somebody like Rod Stewart could end up on Jay-Z's label. What do you think?

VARGAS: Well, you know, that's right, Fredricka. He ignited the '60s with the pop hit "Do You Think I'm Sexy?" Well, after all these years, Rod, music fans still do.

Veteran rocker Rod Stewart has topped the U.S. album charts for the first time in 25 years. According to Nielsen SoundScan data, Stewart's newly released "Stardust...The Great American Songbook: Volume III" sold more than 240,000 copies last week. The album features golden oldies like "What a Wonderful World" with Stevie Wonder on harmonica, "Blue Moon" with Eric Clapton on guitar, and duets with Bette Midler and Dolly Parton. His manager says the singer is absolutely thrilled, and it just inspires him to sing better.

You know, Fredricka, some people just get better with age.

WHITFIELD: That's always the case, Sibila. Let me guess -- I know you wanted to be a singer in another life. And it's never too late, you know! You've already made your national debut.

VARGAS: ... launch my career right here on national television.

WHITFIELD: I see it happening. Maybe Jay-Z will sign you up on his label.

O'BRIEN: Sibila, are you doing that CNN Star Search thing? Are you going to do the Star Search? Are you? You know, the CNN search thing? You know what I'm talking about. You should be in that.

VARGAS: You know -- of course!

O'BRIEN: All right.

VARGAS: You guys are my PR people right here.

O'BRIEN: We'll call your people.

WHITFIELD: We'll have his people call your people.

O'BRIEN: We'll get you in there. All right, thanks.

VARGAS: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: She's got a voice. She does.

All right, a giant discount dip into the political arena. Wal- Mart offering up some major cash to defeat a proposition on the ballot. Details are straight ahead.

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O'BRIEN: There she was in that little box waiting for us, Rhonda Schaffler telling us about the world's largest -- there she is -- world's largest employer making some big contributions to one particular party. The reason behind the funding could be seen as shortchanging some employees. I'm sure they quibble with that notion.

Rhonda Schaffler, how are you?

SCHAFFLER: Hey, pretty good, Miles.

It's interesting on a number of levels, actually. It's Wal-Mart that's contributing more than $2 million to California political races this year. Interesting because that's more than it's ever spent, especially at state level. And a lot of the donations were made to Governor Schwarzenegger and the Republican party.

But some $500,000 of this money was earmarked to help fight a proposition that could cost Wal-Mart millions if passed. Proposition 72 would require any California employer with more than 50 employees to pay for healthcare coverage of employees working at least 100 hours a month. A research group found that California taxpayers spend $32 million a year providing healthcare for Wal-Mart workers. Other large employers, such as department stores and fast food chains, are also opposing that proposition.

Here on Wall Street, we've got quite a rally underway. Day two of a big advance. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surging at this point, up 107 points. Nasdaq is sharply higher. All of this because oil prices are sliding more than $2.50 a barrel.

That's the latest from here on Wall Street. Miles, Fred, back to you.

O'BRIEN: Rhonda, always a pleasure. We'll see you tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: All right, well we -- doesn't it seem like it's been forever we've been hearing from the pollsters, the candidates, all the pontificators out there.

O'BRIEN: Yeah, forever is a good word. Forever is a good word, and we mean that. It has been a long road.

WHITFIELD: Well, now it's time to hear Beatrice Woods and her point of view.

O'BRIEN: All right. Now, before the hanging chad, before TV debates, back when nominees really were decided in those smoke-filled rooms, in 1928 Ms. Woods was 24 years old.

WHITFIELD: She looks good, doesn't she?

O'BRIEN: Yeah, she looks fantastic. I am just blown away. It was only the third presidential election where women had the right to vote. She's now an even 100, and as Fred says...

WHITFIELD: She looks fab.

O'BRIEN: You know, God bless her, wow. Anyway, she just voted in her 20th presidential election. I don't think we asked for whom she voted, did we?

WHITFIELD: I don't think we did.

O'BRIEN: It's really not the point.

WHITFIELD: And if we did ask, then they're not sharing what the answer...

O'BRIEN: Well, yeah, and it really isn't the point.

WHITFIELD: She's not sharing. O'BRIEN: She's a voter who's been there and seen it all, up to and including "JUDY WOODRUFF'S INSIDE POLITICS," which I believe she probably watches every day.

WHITFIELD: She's seen every episode, yeah.

O'BRIEN: Judy?

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": You know, if Mrs. Woods can get out there and vote, than the rest of us have got to get out there and vote.

WHITFIELD: That's right. There are no excuses.

WOODRUFF: No excuses. Miles, Fredricka, thank you very much.

But you know, thousands of Americans have already cast their votes we're learning. Today on "INSIDE POLITICS," we'll look at the growing trend of early voting and why it's becoming so popular.

Plus, millions of new voters have registered to vote, but will they actually show up at the polls on Tuesday? Our Ed Henry looks at first-time voters and how they might help shape this race. "INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

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