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Flu Experts Expect Pandemic
Aired December 06, 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.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Another wave of explosions rocked Spain today after warnings from ETA, the Basque separatist group. A total of five people, including a 5-year-old child, were slightly wounded in a series of seven blasts.
And just last Friday, five bombs exploded in Madrid in attacks also linked to ETA. Today is Constitution Day in Spain, a national holiday.
Ukraine's parliament lays the ground work for the court mandated, repeat presidential election. Opposition and pro government factions have reportedly reached agreement on electoral changes and constitutional reform.
They'll meet tomorrow in an emergency session to decide on those changes before the December 26 revote. Meanwhile, as orange-clad supporters of opposition leader Victor Yushchenko continue to throng the streets of Kiev more government employees ventured past blockades of state buildings to return to work.
And right now in Washington, Tommy Thompson is set to hold a news conference. You see him there right now. The outgoing chief of health and human services is planning to speak about Medicare. But if the topic of food safety and terrorism comes up, we'll take you there live.
And it is crunch time. The first cases of flu are being reported around the country, and supplies of vaccine to treat it are limited. Recently the World Health Organization warned of a possible worldwide flu pandemic. It said between two and seven million could die and millions more fall ill.
CNN medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, joins us to help put the possible dangers into proper perspective -- Elizabeth?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. Last month the World Health Organization said, when it comes to a flu pandemic, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
And on Friday, Tommy Thompson had this to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY THOMPSON, U.S. HHS SECRETARY: Well, I'm putting in the budget this year for $125 million for more work on pandemic flu. I really consider this is a really huge bomb out there that could adversely impact on the health care of the world. (END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Pandemics occur about once every 20 to 30 years. Let's take a look at the pandemics that have occurred prior.
In 1918, there was the famous Spanish flu. That killed 500,000 Americans and about 50 million people worldwide. Then in 1957, the Asian flu, which killed about 70,000 Americans.
And then in 1968, the Hong Kong flu. So many people say, well, it's just a matter of time before another pandemic happens.
Now it's very interesting, the one that people are concerned about now is the Avian flu. Now, there are dozens of different strains of the Avian flu. There have so far been 40 human cases. But there has been only one suspected case of human to human transmission.
And that's very important to remember because when you're talking about a pandemic, you have to have that large-scale human to human transmission, not just the animal to human transmission.
HARRIS: OK, so Elizabeth, what can be done? What can we do to, as a community, to sort of prepare for this?
COHEN: Well, what flu experts are saying is that something needs to be done about the vaccination system. This year, as we mentioned earlier, about half of the flu shots that were supposed to be available, about half of them basically disappeared.
There were manufacturing problems, and they couldn't be used. So that left people sort of in the lurch. And then here's another concern. Even when there are plenty of flu shots, many Americans -- in fact, probably even a majority of Americans -- who need them, don't get them.
People just don't want to get flu shots even when they're there. And those two things, many flu experts say, really need to change.
HARRIS: And one other question is, is everyone sort of convinced of the likelihood of this pandemic?
COHEN: You know, flu experts are convinced that a pandemic could be on the way. However, it's the size of the pandemic that really makes a difference.
For example, when we talked about those other epidemics, you saw they got smaller from 1918, to 1957, to 1968 as health care got better. So now, in this day and age, we have antivirals, which they didn't have before.
And antiviral is something that you take once you get the flu. So many experts think, you know what, people might get sick, but now we have a medicine that can actually help people.
Let's go over some of the basics of antivirals. They're by prescription only. They have to be taken within the first two days. So you really have to get to your doctor quickly.
And it's especially important for high-risk people who could die from a complication of the flu.
HARRIS: That's good information. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
HARRIS: Good to see you.
COHEN: Thanks.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: So what is happening to the game of baseball, one of America's favorite pastimes? It's -- is it still about the game or is it more about the player?
Steroid scandal is giving major league baseball a black eye. And it's the number one topic at the players association meeting today in Phoenix.
Even Arizona senator, John McCain, is speaking up. He says, clean up your act ball players or face federal action.
Joining us from Alexandria, Virginia, the "USA Today" reporter, Chuck Johnson. He has plenty of opinions about the state of baseball.
Chuck, good to see you.
CHUCK JOHNSON, REPORTER, "USA TODAY": Good afternoon, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, first of all, the news of the day -- Hank Aaron coming forward. You've talked to him. You wrote an article about it in "USA Today."
He says, any way you look at it, it's wrong. He's also talked a number of times about using steroids simply, it is just cheating.
Do you think he felt it was absolutely essential for him to come forward and say something since he is the home run king?
JOHNSON: In the past, Hank Aaron has been a very ardent supporter of Barry Bonds. And I think he wanted to reserve judgment on this whole situation.
You know, there were no -- there wasn't any proof up to this point that Barry Bonds actually had used steroids. In fact, he had consistently denied that he used steroids.
The fact that he, now the testimony that was leaked from the grand jury testimony that he made last November in 2003, in fact, he says he did use steroids even though he still says that he didn't know he was taking steroids at the time.
So that's what Hank is referring to. He says, any way you cut it, I mean anything you ingest in your body that gives you an unfair, competitive edge is cheating. PHILLIPS: And can...
JOHNSON: There's no other way to cut it.
PHILLIPS: Sure. And you talk about now, you know, Bonds' records are being questioned. His talent is being questioned. Whether he should be in the hall of fame is being questioned.
Looking at all these other players surrounded in this controversy and looking at steroid use, what do you think about critics saying, you know, ball players, maybe they're just not as good as everyone thinks they are?
JOHNSON: Well, I don't think anybody can question that Bonds was a hall of fame caliber player even before the suspicions arose about possible steroid use. I mean this guy was a, you know, a multiple threat, 5-2 player that, they call them, that can hit for average, power. He can run. He could throw. He could defend and field.
So I mean Barry Bonds' ability as a baseball player has never been questioned. But I think maybe in that pursuit to be the best, the number one -- and that's what pays in baseball these days -- is hitting home runs.
I think a lot of guys got wrapped up into that. And I think that shows by the proliferation of not just the record, as far as Mark McGwire breaking the 30-year-old record in 1998 at 70, and then three years later Barry Bonds breaking that record and setting the bar at 73.
I mean I look at the proliferation of the 50 home run hitters. I mean, there is more home runs as far as guys hitting 50 home runs in the last 10 years than say there were in the previous 20 or 30.
So I mean it's not just that -- Barry Bonds may be the tip of the iceberg, but I think what this shows is that it goes a lot deeper and it's a lot more pervasive.
PHILLIPS: That's a good point. You bring up the financial aspect. I mean, look back to the days of Babe Ruth, how much money he made, you know, all the way up to these big hitters now and how much they're making.
You're right. It's pay to play in many aspects of this sport, which leads me to my next question. I talked to a number of old- timers. And they said, you know what -- It's just not about baseball anymore, it's about the player, the star, how much this player can make, what the agent can make.
Is that tainting the image of baseball? And is that influencing the use of steroids?
JOHNSON: Well, I don't think baseball should necessarily be singled out because we have elevated sports to an entertainment movie star-type status here in America. I mean, a lot of people think that our teachers should be paid a lot more than athletes are paid. But that's just not the reality of how things are.
But you're right. I mean athletics and the ability to become set financially for life, I mean a lot of athletes are driven thinking about the financial aspect, and they're willing to take the risk. That's the amazing thing.
I mean here every one knows that the long-term effects of steroids isn't anything good. I mean there is plenty of examples in the past that have shown that. And yet and still you see these athletes willing to take the risk with their long-term health in order to get immediate gratification as far as the financial aspect is concerned.
PHILLIPS: Immediate gratification -- that's probably one of the saddest parts about that this whole scandal. Other former players coming forward and saying, all right, let's take a look at the commissioner. Let's talk about Bud Selig. Let's talk about the players and the players association.
A number of guys have even said, you know what, they all have their heads in the sand. They've got to step forward. They've got to get a stricter policy. They have to hold players accountable.
What do you say to the weak leadership? That's what a lot of people are crying out.
JOHNSON: Well, the players union is meeting as we speak, supposedly, in Phoenix, Arizona. And they say that they steroids issue was going to be high on their agenda, even before this latest development with Bonds and Jason Giambi admitting that they used steroids.
But I would imagine that it really increases in priority now, now that you've got -- you've got the Senate looking into it as far as possibly taking away baseball's anti-trust exemption if they don't do something.
So, I would expect that after this meeting is over, as far as the players union executive board in Phoenix, they will be getting together with management as far as Bud Selig is concerned, and coming together on a much stricter drug policy, which baseball -- is long overdue in baseball.
PHILLIPS: Chuck Johnson, "USA Today". We always follow your articles, so do a lot of other people. Thanks for starting your day off with us today.
Thanks, Chuck.
JOHNSON: Nice talking with you, Kyra.
HARRIS: Well, Kyra, there is a developing severe weather story in Texas that we're keeping an eye on. Jacqui Jeras has that story for us.
Hi, Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Tony.
(WEATHER REPORT)
JERAS: Tony?
HARRIS: OK, Jacqui. Get yourself a little tea and work that out there.
JERAS: I know. It sounds bad, but I tell you, I feel great.
HARRIS: OK. And you look great.
Maybe it just wasn't such a good idea after all using real explosives randomly hidden in luggage to train bomb sniffing dogs? What happens when the dogs fail to sniff out the trouble?
And is comedy under fire in the U.K.? Find out what's got Mr. Bean all riled up today when LIVE FROM continues.
PHILLIPS: I love that guy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: It must have seemed like a good idea to someone in authority. Test the canine detection team at Charles De Gaulle Airport by hiding plastic explosives in actual passenger baggage.
But somehow French police lost track of one of the bags raising security hackles around the world as dozens of De Gaulle flights traveled to their final destinations.
CNN's Jim Bittermann has more from Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): French authorities say testing out sniffer dogs with real explosives packed in real passenger's luggage maybe isn't such a good idea after all.
And they promise they're not going to try it again. This after as much as 150 grams -- that's five ounces -- of plastic explosives went missing in just such a test.
Police lost track of the bag with the explosives, which belonged to an unsuspecting passenger. And with more than 90 flights taking off at the time, it could have gone anywhere.
Flights arriving in the U.S. were searched, to no avail, this one in Los Angeles. And while officials say that without a detonator, the block of explosives is harmless, governments and airline passengers who passed through Charles De Gaulle airport at the time have been told to be on the lookout for what the police involved remember as a blue roll-away bag.
French prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin's, office issued a slightly embarrassed statement saying that the fight against terrorism is a priority for the government. But the way the test was handled was susceptible to making the relevant passenger run a risk in the eyes of foreign authorities when arriving in the destination country.
Police say they will discipline the officers involved in the test, although one observer pointed out that since the explosives have not turned up, the security men may have inadvertently demonstrated how easy it can be to smuggle explosives into other countries.
Jim Bittermann, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Now in Canada, authorities are investigating the loss or theft of more than 1,000 articles of clothing that are part of the uniform worn by airport screeners.
Now this includes almost 100 metal security badges, at least one of the uniforms was found for sale on eBay.
Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf, continues a diplomacy swing through western nations after visiting the White House this weekend. Musharraf flew to London to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In discussing global terrorism, Musharraf says the fight needs to move beyond military action and address root causes of terrorism.
Speaking of religion, the happyless (ph) Brit-com character Mr. Bean is usually a man of few words. But the comedian who plays him is being very vocal about a proposed law that would clamp down on religious hatred.
Rowan Atkinson says if the measure passes, it would squelch satire and endanger artists and entertainers who lampoon religious institutions.
SCHAFFLER: I'm Rhonda Schaffler live from the New York Stock Exchange.
Coming up, I'll have a check on the financial markets, and I'm going to tell you why Circuit City investors are feeling a little pain today.
LIVE FROM is coming right back. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
I'm Rhonda Schaffler live from the New York Stock Exchange where stocks are mostly lower as oil prices climb.
Some downbeat brokerage comments on some Dow companies also weighing on Wall Street investors today. The Dow Industrial Average, at this point, off some 29 points.
The NASDAQ, though, is a couple of points higher.
Circuit City shares are losing more than $1, or 10 percent, after the company's third quarter sales fell more than expected. Store traffic was weak because it cut back on promotions on inexpensive CDs and DVDs.
Electronics retailers facing some stiff competition from Best Buy and discounters like Wal-mart.
That's it from Wall Street.
Coming up on the next hour of LIVE FROM, Bell South is upping the ante on its cable rivals. I'll tell you what the phone carrier plans to do to keep its customers.
In the meantime, Kyra, Tony, all yours.
HARRIS: Rhonda, thank you.
PHILLIPS: Thank you, Rhonda.
Well, two classic American muscle cars are getting a makeover.
HARRIS: Yes, the Chevy Corvette and Ford Mustang GT are hitting the road in 2005 with new models. CNN financial reporter, Ali Velshi and friends took both out for a test drive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On a crisp autumn day I took to the palisades parkway outside of New York City with auto writer Peter Valdes-Dapena from CNN "Money."
Michael Quincy is on the left. He's the car guy from "Consumer Reports."
Peter has a family, so we gave him the more practical Mustang.
PETER VALDES-DAPENA, CNN "MONEY": I love this Mustang because the great thing about it, it's a car I can completely imagine myself living with every day, you know, take the kid to school, go grocery shopping.
VELSHI: My set of wheels is normally a motorcycle. So even the cozier Corvette interior was a step up.
(on camera) At least in this thing I can take some bread and some milk and bring it home. So, it's not as practical as that, but boy, I got some looks when I came up here.
MICHAEL QUINCY, "CONSUMER REPORTS": All this talk about locks and driving and everything, let's take it for a ride.
VELSHI: Michael, tell me what I need to know about this. QUINCY: Chevrolet Corvette, this is an American icon, great car, big power.
This has a six liter V-8, about 400 horsepower.
VELSHI: Handles nicely.
QUINCY: Yes, you get a good steering feedback, a lot of communication with the road.
VELSHI: Is this appealing to a buyer who may not have bought a Corvette in the past?
QUINCY: I think so. This car is so easy to drive. You could drive this thing every day. It probably goes between $44,000 and about $51,000.
VELSHI: So, here we got the Ford Mustang GT. Peter, what do you think so far?
VALDES-DAPENA: I'll tell you, I love this car. It is just so much fun. Even in just ordinary driving, it's just thrilling.
QUINCY: It comes with a 4.6 liter V-8, does 300 horsepower. For a price between about $19,000 and $25,000, this is like a performance bargain.
VALDES-DAPENA: Oh, it is.
VELSHI (voice-over): This is not a fair test drive. The Corvette is a faster, more expensive car. But the Mustang is the more affordable, practical car -- if you can call either of them practical.
Ali Velshi, CNN, on the road.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Ali Velshi is probably driving that Corvette right now.
HARRIS: Please.
PHILLIPS: Driving the kids to school.
HARRIS: He's not getting those keys back.
PHILLIPS: Well, coming up in our second hour of LIVE FROM, taking poetry on the road, a new kind of performance art.
HARRIS: Yes, it's called Def Poetry Jam. We'll meet some of the poets and talk about their message just ahead.
LIVE FROM's "Hour of Power" begins after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired December 6, 2004 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Another wave of explosions rocked Spain today after warnings from ETA, the Basque separatist group. A total of five people, including a 5-year-old child, were slightly wounded in a series of seven blasts.
And just last Friday, five bombs exploded in Madrid in attacks also linked to ETA. Today is Constitution Day in Spain, a national holiday.
Ukraine's parliament lays the ground work for the court mandated, repeat presidential election. Opposition and pro government factions have reportedly reached agreement on electoral changes and constitutional reform.
They'll meet tomorrow in an emergency session to decide on those changes before the December 26 revote. Meanwhile, as orange-clad supporters of opposition leader Victor Yushchenko continue to throng the streets of Kiev more government employees ventured past blockades of state buildings to return to work.
And right now in Washington, Tommy Thompson is set to hold a news conference. You see him there right now. The outgoing chief of health and human services is planning to speak about Medicare. But if the topic of food safety and terrorism comes up, we'll take you there live.
And it is crunch time. The first cases of flu are being reported around the country, and supplies of vaccine to treat it are limited. Recently the World Health Organization warned of a possible worldwide flu pandemic. It said between two and seven million could die and millions more fall ill.
CNN medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, joins us to help put the possible dangers into proper perspective -- Elizabeth?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's right. Last month the World Health Organization said, when it comes to a flu pandemic, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when.
And on Friday, Tommy Thompson had this to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY THOMPSON, U.S. HHS SECRETARY: Well, I'm putting in the budget this year for $125 million for more work on pandemic flu. I really consider this is a really huge bomb out there that could adversely impact on the health care of the world. (END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Pandemics occur about once every 20 to 30 years. Let's take a look at the pandemics that have occurred prior.
In 1918, there was the famous Spanish flu. That killed 500,000 Americans and about 50 million people worldwide. Then in 1957, the Asian flu, which killed about 70,000 Americans.
And then in 1968, the Hong Kong flu. So many people say, well, it's just a matter of time before another pandemic happens.
Now it's very interesting, the one that people are concerned about now is the Avian flu. Now, there are dozens of different strains of the Avian flu. There have so far been 40 human cases. But there has been only one suspected case of human to human transmission.
And that's very important to remember because when you're talking about a pandemic, you have to have that large-scale human to human transmission, not just the animal to human transmission.
HARRIS: OK, so Elizabeth, what can be done? What can we do to, as a community, to sort of prepare for this?
COHEN: Well, what flu experts are saying is that something needs to be done about the vaccination system. This year, as we mentioned earlier, about half of the flu shots that were supposed to be available, about half of them basically disappeared.
There were manufacturing problems, and they couldn't be used. So that left people sort of in the lurch. And then here's another concern. Even when there are plenty of flu shots, many Americans -- in fact, probably even a majority of Americans -- who need them, don't get them.
People just don't want to get flu shots even when they're there. And those two things, many flu experts say, really need to change.
HARRIS: And one other question is, is everyone sort of convinced of the likelihood of this pandemic?
COHEN: You know, flu experts are convinced that a pandemic could be on the way. However, it's the size of the pandemic that really makes a difference.
For example, when we talked about those other epidemics, you saw they got smaller from 1918, to 1957, to 1968 as health care got better. So now, in this day and age, we have antivirals, which they didn't have before.
And antiviral is something that you take once you get the flu. So many experts think, you know what, people might get sick, but now we have a medicine that can actually help people.
Let's go over some of the basics of antivirals. They're by prescription only. They have to be taken within the first two days. So you really have to get to your doctor quickly.
And it's especially important for high-risk people who could die from a complication of the flu.
HARRIS: That's good information. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
HARRIS: Good to see you.
COHEN: Thanks.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: So what is happening to the game of baseball, one of America's favorite pastimes? It's -- is it still about the game or is it more about the player?
Steroid scandal is giving major league baseball a black eye. And it's the number one topic at the players association meeting today in Phoenix.
Even Arizona senator, John McCain, is speaking up. He says, clean up your act ball players or face federal action.
Joining us from Alexandria, Virginia, the "USA Today" reporter, Chuck Johnson. He has plenty of opinions about the state of baseball.
Chuck, good to see you.
CHUCK JOHNSON, REPORTER, "USA TODAY": Good afternoon, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, first of all, the news of the day -- Hank Aaron coming forward. You've talked to him. You wrote an article about it in "USA Today."
He says, any way you look at it, it's wrong. He's also talked a number of times about using steroids simply, it is just cheating.
Do you think he felt it was absolutely essential for him to come forward and say something since he is the home run king?
JOHNSON: In the past, Hank Aaron has been a very ardent supporter of Barry Bonds. And I think he wanted to reserve judgment on this whole situation.
You know, there were no -- there wasn't any proof up to this point that Barry Bonds actually had used steroids. In fact, he had consistently denied that he used steroids.
The fact that he, now the testimony that was leaked from the grand jury testimony that he made last November in 2003, in fact, he says he did use steroids even though he still says that he didn't know he was taking steroids at the time.
So that's what Hank is referring to. He says, any way you cut it, I mean anything you ingest in your body that gives you an unfair, competitive edge is cheating. PHILLIPS: And can...
JOHNSON: There's no other way to cut it.
PHILLIPS: Sure. And you talk about now, you know, Bonds' records are being questioned. His talent is being questioned. Whether he should be in the hall of fame is being questioned.
Looking at all these other players surrounded in this controversy and looking at steroid use, what do you think about critics saying, you know, ball players, maybe they're just not as good as everyone thinks they are?
JOHNSON: Well, I don't think anybody can question that Bonds was a hall of fame caliber player even before the suspicions arose about possible steroid use. I mean this guy was a, you know, a multiple threat, 5-2 player that, they call them, that can hit for average, power. He can run. He could throw. He could defend and field.
So I mean Barry Bonds' ability as a baseball player has never been questioned. But I think maybe in that pursuit to be the best, the number one -- and that's what pays in baseball these days -- is hitting home runs.
I think a lot of guys got wrapped up into that. And I think that shows by the proliferation of not just the record, as far as Mark McGwire breaking the 30-year-old record in 1998 at 70, and then three years later Barry Bonds breaking that record and setting the bar at 73.
I mean I look at the proliferation of the 50 home run hitters. I mean, there is more home runs as far as guys hitting 50 home runs in the last 10 years than say there were in the previous 20 or 30.
So I mean it's not just that -- Barry Bonds may be the tip of the iceberg, but I think what this shows is that it goes a lot deeper and it's a lot more pervasive.
PHILLIPS: That's a good point. You bring up the financial aspect. I mean, look back to the days of Babe Ruth, how much money he made, you know, all the way up to these big hitters now and how much they're making.
You're right. It's pay to play in many aspects of this sport, which leads me to my next question. I talked to a number of old- timers. And they said, you know what -- It's just not about baseball anymore, it's about the player, the star, how much this player can make, what the agent can make.
Is that tainting the image of baseball? And is that influencing the use of steroids?
JOHNSON: Well, I don't think baseball should necessarily be singled out because we have elevated sports to an entertainment movie star-type status here in America. I mean, a lot of people think that our teachers should be paid a lot more than athletes are paid. But that's just not the reality of how things are.
But you're right. I mean athletics and the ability to become set financially for life, I mean a lot of athletes are driven thinking about the financial aspect, and they're willing to take the risk. That's the amazing thing.
I mean here every one knows that the long-term effects of steroids isn't anything good. I mean there is plenty of examples in the past that have shown that. And yet and still you see these athletes willing to take the risk with their long-term health in order to get immediate gratification as far as the financial aspect is concerned.
PHILLIPS: Immediate gratification -- that's probably one of the saddest parts about that this whole scandal. Other former players coming forward and saying, all right, let's take a look at the commissioner. Let's talk about Bud Selig. Let's talk about the players and the players association.
A number of guys have even said, you know what, they all have their heads in the sand. They've got to step forward. They've got to get a stricter policy. They have to hold players accountable.
What do you say to the weak leadership? That's what a lot of people are crying out.
JOHNSON: Well, the players union is meeting as we speak, supposedly, in Phoenix, Arizona. And they say that they steroids issue was going to be high on their agenda, even before this latest development with Bonds and Jason Giambi admitting that they used steroids.
But I would imagine that it really increases in priority now, now that you've got -- you've got the Senate looking into it as far as possibly taking away baseball's anti-trust exemption if they don't do something.
So, I would expect that after this meeting is over, as far as the players union executive board in Phoenix, they will be getting together with management as far as Bud Selig is concerned, and coming together on a much stricter drug policy, which baseball -- is long overdue in baseball.
PHILLIPS: Chuck Johnson, "USA Today". We always follow your articles, so do a lot of other people. Thanks for starting your day off with us today.
Thanks, Chuck.
JOHNSON: Nice talking with you, Kyra.
HARRIS: Well, Kyra, there is a developing severe weather story in Texas that we're keeping an eye on. Jacqui Jeras has that story for us.
Hi, Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Tony.
(WEATHER REPORT)
JERAS: Tony?
HARRIS: OK, Jacqui. Get yourself a little tea and work that out there.
JERAS: I know. It sounds bad, but I tell you, I feel great.
HARRIS: OK. And you look great.
Maybe it just wasn't such a good idea after all using real explosives randomly hidden in luggage to train bomb sniffing dogs? What happens when the dogs fail to sniff out the trouble?
And is comedy under fire in the U.K.? Find out what's got Mr. Bean all riled up today when LIVE FROM continues.
PHILLIPS: I love that guy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: It must have seemed like a good idea to someone in authority. Test the canine detection team at Charles De Gaulle Airport by hiding plastic explosives in actual passenger baggage.
But somehow French police lost track of one of the bags raising security hackles around the world as dozens of De Gaulle flights traveled to their final destinations.
CNN's Jim Bittermann has more from Paris.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): French authorities say testing out sniffer dogs with real explosives packed in real passenger's luggage maybe isn't such a good idea after all.
And they promise they're not going to try it again. This after as much as 150 grams -- that's five ounces -- of plastic explosives went missing in just such a test.
Police lost track of the bag with the explosives, which belonged to an unsuspecting passenger. And with more than 90 flights taking off at the time, it could have gone anywhere.
Flights arriving in the U.S. were searched, to no avail, this one in Los Angeles. And while officials say that without a detonator, the block of explosives is harmless, governments and airline passengers who passed through Charles De Gaulle airport at the time have been told to be on the lookout for what the police involved remember as a blue roll-away bag.
French prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin's, office issued a slightly embarrassed statement saying that the fight against terrorism is a priority for the government. But the way the test was handled was susceptible to making the relevant passenger run a risk in the eyes of foreign authorities when arriving in the destination country.
Police say they will discipline the officers involved in the test, although one observer pointed out that since the explosives have not turned up, the security men may have inadvertently demonstrated how easy it can be to smuggle explosives into other countries.
Jim Bittermann, CNN, Paris.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Now in Canada, authorities are investigating the loss or theft of more than 1,000 articles of clothing that are part of the uniform worn by airport screeners.
Now this includes almost 100 metal security badges, at least one of the uniforms was found for sale on eBay.
Pakistan's president, General Pervez Musharraf, continues a diplomacy swing through western nations after visiting the White House this weekend. Musharraf flew to London to meet with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In discussing global terrorism, Musharraf says the fight needs to move beyond military action and address root causes of terrorism.
Speaking of religion, the happyless (ph) Brit-com character Mr. Bean is usually a man of few words. But the comedian who plays him is being very vocal about a proposed law that would clamp down on religious hatred.
Rowan Atkinson says if the measure passes, it would squelch satire and endanger artists and entertainers who lampoon religious institutions.
SCHAFFLER: I'm Rhonda Schaffler live from the New York Stock Exchange.
Coming up, I'll have a check on the financial markets, and I'm going to tell you why Circuit City investors are feeling a little pain today.
LIVE FROM is coming right back. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
I'm Rhonda Schaffler live from the New York Stock Exchange where stocks are mostly lower as oil prices climb.
Some downbeat brokerage comments on some Dow companies also weighing on Wall Street investors today. The Dow Industrial Average, at this point, off some 29 points.
The NASDAQ, though, is a couple of points higher.
Circuit City shares are losing more than $1, or 10 percent, after the company's third quarter sales fell more than expected. Store traffic was weak because it cut back on promotions on inexpensive CDs and DVDs.
Electronics retailers facing some stiff competition from Best Buy and discounters like Wal-mart.
That's it from Wall Street.
Coming up on the next hour of LIVE FROM, Bell South is upping the ante on its cable rivals. I'll tell you what the phone carrier plans to do to keep its customers.
In the meantime, Kyra, Tony, all yours.
HARRIS: Rhonda, thank you.
PHILLIPS: Thank you, Rhonda.
Well, two classic American muscle cars are getting a makeover.
HARRIS: Yes, the Chevy Corvette and Ford Mustang GT are hitting the road in 2005 with new models. CNN financial reporter, Ali Velshi and friends took both out for a test drive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On a crisp autumn day I took to the palisades parkway outside of New York City with auto writer Peter Valdes-Dapena from CNN "Money."
Michael Quincy is on the left. He's the car guy from "Consumer Reports."
Peter has a family, so we gave him the more practical Mustang.
PETER VALDES-DAPENA, CNN "MONEY": I love this Mustang because the great thing about it, it's a car I can completely imagine myself living with every day, you know, take the kid to school, go grocery shopping.
VELSHI: My set of wheels is normally a motorcycle. So even the cozier Corvette interior was a step up.
(on camera) At least in this thing I can take some bread and some milk and bring it home. So, it's not as practical as that, but boy, I got some looks when I came up here.
MICHAEL QUINCY, "CONSUMER REPORTS": All this talk about locks and driving and everything, let's take it for a ride.
VELSHI: Michael, tell me what I need to know about this. QUINCY: Chevrolet Corvette, this is an American icon, great car, big power.
This has a six liter V-8, about 400 horsepower.
VELSHI: Handles nicely.
QUINCY: Yes, you get a good steering feedback, a lot of communication with the road.
VELSHI: Is this appealing to a buyer who may not have bought a Corvette in the past?
QUINCY: I think so. This car is so easy to drive. You could drive this thing every day. It probably goes between $44,000 and about $51,000.
VELSHI: So, here we got the Ford Mustang GT. Peter, what do you think so far?
VALDES-DAPENA: I'll tell you, I love this car. It is just so much fun. Even in just ordinary driving, it's just thrilling.
QUINCY: It comes with a 4.6 liter V-8, does 300 horsepower. For a price between about $19,000 and $25,000, this is like a performance bargain.
VALDES-DAPENA: Oh, it is.
VELSHI (voice-over): This is not a fair test drive. The Corvette is a faster, more expensive car. But the Mustang is the more affordable, practical car -- if you can call either of them practical.
Ali Velshi, CNN, on the road.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Ali Velshi is probably driving that Corvette right now.
HARRIS: Please.
PHILLIPS: Driving the kids to school.
HARRIS: He's not getting those keys back.
PHILLIPS: Well, coming up in our second hour of LIVE FROM, taking poetry on the road, a new kind of performance art.
HARRIS: Yes, it's called Def Poetry Jam. We'll meet some of the poets and talk about their message just ahead.
LIVE FROM's "Hour of Power" begins after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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