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Army Recruiters Having Trouble; Absent-Minded Gas Station Customer Nearly Causes Tragedy; Drug Testing Hits Horse Racing; Muhammad Ali's Daughter Writers Children's Book on Parkinson's

Aired May 04, 2005 - 15:00   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, CO-HOST: First up this hour, the fight for control of Iraq brings more deadly attacks. The latest just happened in southern Baghdad -- a carbomb that killed nine Iraqi soldiers and wounded 17 people. Earlier, a massive explosive devastated the Kurdish city of Irbil -- dozens of people are dead, many more gravely wounded. The targets: police recruits.
CNN's Ryan Chilcote updates us now from Baghdad.

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The images of the aftermath are all too familiar to Iraqis: the mayhem, the pools of blood, the dead nad wounded. This time, the suicide bomber targeted a crowd of 300 young Kurds who had come to...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: A big catch in the hunt for terrorists. One of the world's most-wanted men, believed to be the No. 3 leader in al Qaeda, is nabbed in Pakistan.

Pakistani and U.S. authorities say that Abu Faraj al-Libbi was captured along with border with Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding. Al-Libbi is blamed for, among things, masterminding two assassination attempts against Pakistan's leader. President Bush calls al-Libbi's capture a critical victory in the war on terror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Al-Libbi was a top general for bin Laden. He was a major facilitator and a chief planner for the al Qaeda network. His arrest removes a dangerous enemy who is a direct threat to America and for those who love freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, U.S. counterterrorism officials tell CNN that information provided by American intelligence helped lead to al- Libbi's arrest. We want to apologize, too, to Ryan Chilcote and his report. We had a little bit of a technical problem. We'll try to bring it back to you -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: The war in Iraq, apparently giving the Army a big P.R. problem. Enlistment down for the third month in a row. Recruiters facing a very difficult challenge, trying to win over new volunteers and their parents.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr hit the streets of Brooklyn to find out what's going on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ever thought about the Army?

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a question Army recruiters are asking everybody they can. On the streets here, straight talk with the young people of this tough Brooklyn neighborhood.

For 19-year-old Rolman Hernandez, the Army is an option, but he is worried: what about the war in Iraq?

ROLMAN HERNANDEZ, BROOKLYN RESIDENT: I might get deployed over there. And I might not come back. How many people have been lost already?

STARR: For the third month in a row, the Army has failed to meet its recruiting goal.

If Iraq is the major issue for young people, recruiters know their parents must also be convinced.

STAFF SGT. LAVONE ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY RECRUITER: The biggest thing I hear is just simply that they don't want -- they don't support the war and they don't want their children to fight in this war, period. That -- that is cut and dry. There's no other, you know, reason. That's all they say.

STARR: One potential solution, a new series of intimate television commercials.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're a changed man?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How's that?

STARR: Madison Avenue trying to persuade parents to understand joining the Army is a good idea.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You shook my hand and looked me square in the eye. Where does that come from?

STARR (on camera): Here on the streets of Brooklyn, this is the front line for Army recruiters, looking for that one person in a busy crowd who may be ready to sign up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's tough business, but you got to have tough skin.

STARR (voice-over): And an unusual approach on this street corner, where recruiters have a new tactic. Specialist Marco Andrade just returned from a year long tour with the 1st Cavalry Division in Baghdad. He is here to tell prospects they can survive a tour of duty in Iraq.

SPEC. MARCO ANDRADE, U.S. ARMY RECRUITER: A lot of the questions right now are how is it over there? I'm going to go over there? And stuff like that. And what we're trying to do is give them a better idea of what it's all about.

STARR: So, is the Army pitch successful?

(on camera) You think you'll talk to these guys more?

HERNANDEZ: I'm not sure. We'll see.

STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, Brooklyn.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Well, one of the things those recruiters probably don't talk about is the food. One of the least appetizing parts of Army life for soldiers in the field, the food.

But that is going to change for members of the 42nd I.D., stationed currently in Iraq. Hobby's Deli in Newark sending the troops a huge care package, 2,000 salamis, headed to Tikrit. At least 8,000 more are to come. The community chipped in to help feed the soldiers.

PHILLIPS: May be back to square one in the high-profile military trial of Lynndie England. England had already pleaded guilty to charges that she mistreated detainees at IRaq's Abu Ghraib prison, and a sentencing hearing was under way when England's former boyfriend dropped a bombshell.

Here's what happened. Charles Graner had already been convicted in the scandal. Well, today, he testified that England was just following orders when she posed for photographs of naked detainees.

The judge then admonished the defense for trying to have it both ways. He later threw out England's guilty plea, saying he's not certain that she knew her actions were wrong at time. It's not clear what will happen next.

Attorneys for Michael Jackson are still waiting for their turn. Prosecutors keep calling witnesses in the child molestation case, including a man who worked with one of Jackson's associates. He testified that a member of the singer's inner circle once talked about killers pursuing the family of the young accuser. Prosecutors contend that the boy's relatives were told that in order to get them to take part in a favorable video about Jackson. The boy's mother has testified to the same thing.

O'BRIEN: The family of an injured Buffalo, New York, firefighter speaking out about his amazing recovery. Donald Herbert, injured in a fire about 10 years ago now. His brain was damaged. He was deprived of oxygen. He was left blind, almost completely mute, and then last Saturday he started talking a blue streak, 14 hours straight. In the last hour, his wife told reporters that Herbert has had only infrequent moments of clarity since then, however, but it's still better than it was and they're delighted at his progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA HERBERT, WIFE OF DONALD HERBERT: As you can imagine for us, to speak to and to be recognized by my husband, their father, after 9 1/2 years, was completely overwhelming. We are still trying to cope with this incredible experience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Doctors say they had recently Changed Herbert's medications and therapy regimen, about three months ago. They're hoping Herbert will continue to make progress. And we, of course will keep you posted.

PHILLIPS: Other news across America right now. Philadelphia police pledging no cover-up today as they begin a probe into whether an officer used excessive force while apprehending a suspect. The incident was caught on tape by a news helicopter. The officer in question has been moved to a desk job while that investigation takes place.

He was kidnapped and killed almost 50 years ago, reportedly for whistling at a white woman. Now the FBI says it will exhume the -- and autopsy the body of Emmett Till, who was just 14 when he died. The 1955 Mississippi crime was one of the catalysts of the civil rights movement.

Mr. Williams goes to Washington. TV talk show host Montel Williams stumping today for a bill that would protect medical marijuana users from arrest. Williams has multiple sclerosis and says that he needs medical marijuana to treat his pain.

Taking a pratfall on a sitcom is one thing, but Kelsey Grammer's tumble last night was unplanned and pretty dramatic. It happened at Disney's 50th anniversary event. After the fall and an understandable expletive, Grammer dusted off -- dusted himself off, apologized and he continued.

Well, a trip to a gas station in Eastchester, New York, almost turned into a tragedy, and it appears that an absent minded customer is responsible. Chad Newton of affiliate News 12 in Westchester shows us what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was scared because I never see something like this.

CHAD NEWTON, NEWS 12 REPORTER (voice-over): Imagine being at a gas station to see this happening. This black Mercedes drives away with the nozzle still attached to it, taking down a gas pump in the process and then sparking a fire. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was something very scary stuff because everybody was running, you know, all the customers.

NEWTON: Moses Kowase (ph) was working on Saturday when this all happened at the Mobil gas station on White Plains Road in Eastchester. Fortunately, neither he nor anyone else was hurt in this potentially explosive situation because a gas station worker triggered the emergency fire extinguisher.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cashier reacted very good. He pulled the fire suppression system before the whole station could burn down, which is very smart.

NEWTON: But what about the driver who started it all? The station's manager says that's him in the brown jacket. You can see him chatting inside the gas station before everything happened, but no one has heard from him since.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He should have stopped in here, because when he drove out of here, OK, he saw everything happening. Even my guys here tried to run after him, but they couldn't catch him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: The Eastchester police are currently in touch with the driver. He used a credit card to pay for the fuel before he drove away. Details of the conversation have not been made available.

O'BRIEN: Drug testing for athletes, that isn't anything new. We've been telling you about that, especially about baseball. But what about thoroughbreds? Up next on LIVE FROM, got the Derby coming up on Saturday. The big question is, are some of these ponies juiced? Well, there's a move afoot to change all that, and we ain't horsing around. So stay with us as LIVE FROM come around the clubhouse turn.

PHILLIPS: Plus he is the greatest, and his daughter thinks so, too. Rasheda Ali joins us live to talk about her father and the disease that he's battling. She wrote a new book. We're going to talk about it. We'll be right back.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Nice head shot, Mr. Overmyer.

Well, three days till Derby day. The 131st running of the Kentucky Derby, the run for the roses, all that. Churchill Downs, history, all that good stuff. The field of 23-year-olds is ready to race the best two minutes in sports. I've given you all of the sports analogies, because Steve puts me in the mood for all that sport stuff.

Anyway, there's a difference this year, a sign of the times. Sensitivity. Steve Overmyer to talk about the sensitivity that has arisen over the possibility that horses are doped. STEVE OVERMYER, CNN SPORTS: You know, it's something that's long been rumored in pretty much every sport and obviously horse racing is no different. Drug sheets are being discovered nowadays in nearly every sport from track and field to baseball, but now horse racing is trying to make sure their sport is on a level playing field.

For the first time ever, horses will be given a drug test after running the Kentucky Derby. This super test, is what they're calling it, will be able to detect about 140 different drugs and sure to make trainers think twice about juicing up their horses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. WAYNE LUKAS, TRAINER: It's a tough, tough thing, but I'm for it. Whatever it does, I love the fact that we're going to go over there on a level playing field because I'm here, personally, I feel like I'm here all day long, paying attention, doing a job. I feel like I've got 40 years experience as a horseman, so I'm going to take my chances. And if we are on a level playing field, I can beat those guys. I don't think I can beat them if they're, you know, fooling around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OVERMYER: No doubt about that. That super test, by the way, was first administered in the Breeder's Cup last year with no horses testing positive, Miles. And by the way, no horses entered into the Kentucky Derby have ever tested positive for any drugs either.

O'BRIEN: All right. There was a case back in 1968 where a horse was disqualified, but there was kind of a murky situation there.

OVERMYER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the kinds of things that it has been alleged over time have been given to horses. Are we talking about steroids here? Or is it something to just kind of juice them up and make them lively for the race?

OVERMYER: We're not talking about horses getting some sort of a rocket fuel where they're going to be running t10 times faster than every horse out there. What we're talking about is something a little bit more -- I guess a little bit more subtle.

What they have is some sort of a milk shake mixture is basically what the trainers are supposedly giving some of these horses. And this milk shake mixture that is out there actually is -- really there's a lot of questions as to what it does. It could possibly be a masking agent, masking against some other drugs. It could give some horses endurance as they -- it delays their sense of fatigue or possibly even a painkiller which allows a horse...

O'BRIEN: Hippy, hippy -- what's the hippy thing?

OVERMYER: It's the hippy hippy milk shake. O'BRIEN: Hippy hippy milkshake. I'd like to try one of those. Why is this coming into focus now? Is it because of all the focus we've had in Major League Baseball, for example?

OVERMYER: You know what? It seems to be that that seems to kind of be the heart of it. But last month federal prosecutors did charge three men, including New York based trainer Greg Martin, for milk shaking a horse as part of a gambling ring where the men are accused of rigging horse races.

Now, more than ever, Miles, though, the integrity of horse racing seems to be paramount, especially in the minds of the officials.

O'BRIEN: Well, and let's bring up that important point there. Because, when you talk about baseball, you're talking about generally not a lot of wagering. Horse racing is all about the wagering, and if people feel that somehow this is not on the straight and level, that could really undermine the whole sport.

OVERMYER: See, that's where this differs from baseball. I mean, not too many people bet on baseball. But that's really the heart and soul of horse racing. You know, $15 billion were bet on horse races last year. In the Kentucky Derby alone, there was $99 million bet on the Kentucky Derby.

So any time the fans have a financial interest vested in it, they're certainly going to have a little bit more interest as to whether or not there's cheating going on.

O'BRIEN: All right. So I suspect they're going to do a lot this year to try to make sure it's a clean race. There's a lot of security plainclothes, kind of around the paddocks, watching out for this. Keep us posted and let us know how it goes. Steve Overmyer, dropping by. Thanks very much -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Toyota might be gearing up to build a new hybrid car. Susan Lisovicz has the scoop, live from the new York Stock Exchange.

Hi, Susan.

(STOCK REPORT)

PHILLIPS: All right, Susan. Thank you so much.

This just in to CNN. A former FBI agent already imprisoned for shielding Boston mobsters from prosecutors was indicted today in the 1982 murder of a former Miami gambling executive whose body was stuffed into a trunk of his Cadillac.

Former agent John Jay Connelly, Jr., 64 years old. That's the FBI -- former FBI agent. He was charged in state court today with first-degree murder and conspiracy in the killing of the former world Jai Alai president, John Callahan.

Now already, this FBI agent, Connelly, has been serving a 10-year sentence in federal prison in North Carolina for convictions on racketeering, obstruction of justice and other charges stemming from his role in protecting that famous mob boss, James "Whitey" Bulger and others from prosecution while simultaneously using them as former FBI informants. So now that former FBI agent being charged with murder. We'll continue to follow the story.

Take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Parkinson's Disease affects more than one million Americans, and its devastating effects hit home for most of us when boxing legend Muhammad Ali announced back in 1984 that he was suffering from Parkinson's.

His daughter, Rasheda Ali, says that watching her children struggling to communicate with their famous grandfather inspired her to write a book about it. The book is called "I'll Hold Your Hand So You Won't Fall: A Child's Guide to Parkinson's Disease." She joins us live from Las Vegas.

Rasheda, great to have you.

RASHEDA ALI, DAUGHTER OF MUHAMMAD ALI: Thanks for having me.

PHILLIPS: Well, I know Dad's watching, too. So we got to make sure we do a good job here.

ALI: The pressure.

PHILLIPS: The pressure's on.

ALI: The pressure's on. He's watching, yes.

PHILLIPS: It will be a knockout, I promise.

ALI: Thank you, thank you.

PHILLIPS: So your children are just beautiful.

ALI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: And I know that you have an incredible relationship with your father. So do the grandkids.

ALI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: And the way they communicate with him is through art, correct?

ALI: That's correct. They both -- it just turned out to be an accident that my children love to draw and my dad actually picked up his love for art through his dad, my granddad, Papa Cassius. He was a professional painter.

And so my dad draws a lot of pictures for my kids, and they love it. And so I put that part in my book, because that's a great nonverbal way to communicate with your children, especially if you have a symptom like slurred speech. And that's the way we communicate, and it works out perfectly.

PHILLIPS: You know what? I'm glad you mentioned slurred speech. Because I was looking through the book and asking parents here if you were to be diagnosed with Parkinson's, what would be some of the main things you'd worry about explaining to your children, and one is slurred speech. I want to get into the book here. We're actually looking at the artwork.

ALI: Good. OK.

PHILLIPS: So let's talk about how you set up, how to teach your kids on situations like this. So for example, Grandpa, he's got slurred speech. Explain how you speak with your child and how you teach facts through this book.

ALI: Well, slurred speech -- my book, I'm an actor, OK? So I'm a communicator. And my book is about communicating. And the more we communicate with our family who has Parkinson's, the easier their journey will be.

Now slurred speech there is a breakup of communication, because words are not easily articulated. And so in my book, I introduce certain nonverbal ways to communicate such as drawing and art. And I put that in my book, because children -- my children are 4 and 6 -- they love to draw. These are perfect ways to introduce communicating with your loved ones through art if there is a breakup of communication in speech. So it works out perfectly for my family, and I'd like to help other families, as well.

PHILLIPS; It's wonderful. You talk about how to speak to your child about if you have a problem understanding what Grandma is saying, this is what you do.

Your father wrote the foreword, Rasheda, and there's a line here he says, "What is important is to never lose faith and to never stop living each day to the fullest extent possible. It making me proud to know that my daughter, Rasheda, has become an activist in this cause and has written this book." You two really do have a special relationship.

ALI: Yes. We do. And Parkinson's has -- it's almost brought us closer together as a family. And I'm honored to try to do this with him. This is a project that we share together.

But I feel that I want to help other families out there, because I know when my son asked me, "Why is Poppy shaking?" I know I wasn't the only mom that was asked that question. I was perplexed, to be honest with you.

And so it was then at that moment I knew I had to help other families out there communicate with their loved ones, especially their children, in discussing this with their young children. And it's very important to open up these lines of communication.

PHILLIPS: Not only for your kids but for you, what was the hardest part when Dad got Parkinson's?

ALI: Well, I was really young when he was diagnosed. And so I didn't know what was going on at the time. My challenge was when my children started asking me questions, then I said, OK, I didn't know what to say.

So it wasn't really a difficult part for me because for me, my dad still had his vibrant personality. It didn't change who he was as a person. And that's the misconception about Parkinson's.

Parkinson's patients are the same people inside. However, there's a motor skills dysfunction, like walking, talking, dressing. Those kind of things that you and I do every day that we pretty much take for granted. There's an impairment for Parkinson's patients, and so it's hard to be able to show their personality when you have masked face, slurred speech, shuffle walk and things like that.

PHILLIPS: But it sure hasn't changed how big his heart is.

So the kids call him Papa Cassius, right?

ALI: They call him Poppy.

PHILLIPS: Poppy. All right. I know Poppy's watching, Muhammad Ali.

ALI: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Poppy, we love you.

ALI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Rasheda Ali. The book is "I'll Hold Your Hand So You don't Fall: A Child's Guide to Parkinson's Disease." Thanks so much for sharing your time and the book with us.

ALI: Thank you so much for having me on again.

PHILLIPS: It's a pleasure.

That wraps up this Monday edition of LIVE FROM.

O'BRIEN: She's a champ. Isn't she? Isn't she great?

PHILLIPS: Isn't she? And the relationship they have is pretty incredible.

O'BRIEN: Yes. Yes.

PHILLIPS: And what they're doing together.

O'BRIEN: We hope you're watching, Champ. We hope you enjoyed that.

Al right. Judy Woodruff, a champ in her own right, in her own ring. Joining us now... PHILLIPS: And she'd love to K.O. Miles.

O'BRIEN: ... for a few rounds.

PHILLIPS: But that's a whole other story.

O'BRIEN: A few rounds of politics.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": And you know, that book is going to make a difference.

O'BRIEN: I hope it does.

WOODRUFF: Great interview. Thank you, both, Kyra and Miles. And we'll see you tomorrow.

So who has higher ethical standards on Capitol Hill? Democrats or Republicans? We'll see what America thinks in our new poll.

Plus, if some Texas lawmakers get their way, cheerleaders will have to perform G-rated routines at high school sporting events. We'll take a look at the new legislation when "INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 4, 2005 - 15:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: First up this hour, the fight for control of Iraq brings more deadly attacks. The latest just happened in southern Baghdad -- a carbomb that killed nine Iraqi soldiers and wounded 17 people. Earlier, a massive explosive devastated the Kurdish city of Irbil -- dozens of people are dead, many more gravely wounded. The targets: police recruits.
CNN's Ryan Chilcote updates us now from Baghdad.

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The images of the aftermath are all too familiar to Iraqis: the mayhem, the pools of blood, the dead nad wounded. This time, the suicide bomber targeted a crowd of 300 young Kurds who had come to...

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: A big catch in the hunt for terrorists. One of the world's most-wanted men, believed to be the No. 3 leader in al Qaeda, is nabbed in Pakistan.

Pakistani and U.S. authorities say that Abu Faraj al-Libbi was captured along with border with Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden is believed to be hiding. Al-Libbi is blamed for, among things, masterminding two assassination attempts against Pakistan's leader. President Bush calls al-Libbi's capture a critical victory in the war on terror.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Al-Libbi was a top general for bin Laden. He was a major facilitator and a chief planner for the al Qaeda network. His arrest removes a dangerous enemy who is a direct threat to America and for those who love freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, U.S. counterterrorism officials tell CNN that information provided by American intelligence helped lead to al- Libbi's arrest. We want to apologize, too, to Ryan Chilcote and his report. We had a little bit of a technical problem. We'll try to bring it back to you -- Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: The war in Iraq, apparently giving the Army a big P.R. problem. Enlistment down for the third month in a row. Recruiters facing a very difficult challenge, trying to win over new volunteers and their parents.

Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr hit the streets of Brooklyn to find out what's going on.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ever thought about the Army?

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a question Army recruiters are asking everybody they can. On the streets here, straight talk with the young people of this tough Brooklyn neighborhood.

For 19-year-old Rolman Hernandez, the Army is an option, but he is worried: what about the war in Iraq?

ROLMAN HERNANDEZ, BROOKLYN RESIDENT: I might get deployed over there. And I might not come back. How many people have been lost already?

STARR: For the third month in a row, the Army has failed to meet its recruiting goal.

If Iraq is the major issue for young people, recruiters know their parents must also be convinced.

STAFF SGT. LAVONE ANDERSON, U.S. ARMY RECRUITER: The biggest thing I hear is just simply that they don't want -- they don't support the war and they don't want their children to fight in this war, period. That -- that is cut and dry. There's no other, you know, reason. That's all they say.

STARR: One potential solution, a new series of intimate television commercials.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're a changed man?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How's that?

STARR: Madison Avenue trying to persuade parents to understand joining the Army is a good idea.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You shook my hand and looked me square in the eye. Where does that come from?

STARR (on camera): Here on the streets of Brooklyn, this is the front line for Army recruiters, looking for that one person in a busy crowd who may be ready to sign up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's tough business, but you got to have tough skin.

STARR (voice-over): And an unusual approach on this street corner, where recruiters have a new tactic. Specialist Marco Andrade just returned from a year long tour with the 1st Cavalry Division in Baghdad. He is here to tell prospects they can survive a tour of duty in Iraq.

SPEC. MARCO ANDRADE, U.S. ARMY RECRUITER: A lot of the questions right now are how is it over there? I'm going to go over there? And stuff like that. And what we're trying to do is give them a better idea of what it's all about.

STARR: So, is the Army pitch successful?

(on camera) You think you'll talk to these guys more?

HERNANDEZ: I'm not sure. We'll see.

STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, Brooklyn.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Well, one of the things those recruiters probably don't talk about is the food. One of the least appetizing parts of Army life for soldiers in the field, the food.

But that is going to change for members of the 42nd I.D., stationed currently in Iraq. Hobby's Deli in Newark sending the troops a huge care package, 2,000 salamis, headed to Tikrit. At least 8,000 more are to come. The community chipped in to help feed the soldiers.

PHILLIPS: May be back to square one in the high-profile military trial of Lynndie England. England had already pleaded guilty to charges that she mistreated detainees at IRaq's Abu Ghraib prison, and a sentencing hearing was under way when England's former boyfriend dropped a bombshell.

Here's what happened. Charles Graner had already been convicted in the scandal. Well, today, he testified that England was just following orders when she posed for photographs of naked detainees.

The judge then admonished the defense for trying to have it both ways. He later threw out England's guilty plea, saying he's not certain that she knew her actions were wrong at time. It's not clear what will happen next.

Attorneys for Michael Jackson are still waiting for their turn. Prosecutors keep calling witnesses in the child molestation case, including a man who worked with one of Jackson's associates. He testified that a member of the singer's inner circle once talked about killers pursuing the family of the young accuser. Prosecutors contend that the boy's relatives were told that in order to get them to take part in a favorable video about Jackson. The boy's mother has testified to the same thing.

O'BRIEN: The family of an injured Buffalo, New York, firefighter speaking out about his amazing recovery. Donald Herbert, injured in a fire about 10 years ago now. His brain was damaged. He was deprived of oxygen. He was left blind, almost completely mute, and then last Saturday he started talking a blue streak, 14 hours straight. In the last hour, his wife told reporters that Herbert has had only infrequent moments of clarity since then, however, but it's still better than it was and they're delighted at his progress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINDA HERBERT, WIFE OF DONALD HERBERT: As you can imagine for us, to speak to and to be recognized by my husband, their father, after 9 1/2 years, was completely overwhelming. We are still trying to cope with this incredible experience.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: Doctors say they had recently Changed Herbert's medications and therapy regimen, about three months ago. They're hoping Herbert will continue to make progress. And we, of course will keep you posted.

PHILLIPS: Other news across America right now. Philadelphia police pledging no cover-up today as they begin a probe into whether an officer used excessive force while apprehending a suspect. The incident was caught on tape by a news helicopter. The officer in question has been moved to a desk job while that investigation takes place.

He was kidnapped and killed almost 50 years ago, reportedly for whistling at a white woman. Now the FBI says it will exhume the -- and autopsy the body of Emmett Till, who was just 14 when he died. The 1955 Mississippi crime was one of the catalysts of the civil rights movement.

Mr. Williams goes to Washington. TV talk show host Montel Williams stumping today for a bill that would protect medical marijuana users from arrest. Williams has multiple sclerosis and says that he needs medical marijuana to treat his pain.

Taking a pratfall on a sitcom is one thing, but Kelsey Grammer's tumble last night was unplanned and pretty dramatic. It happened at Disney's 50th anniversary event. After the fall and an understandable expletive, Grammer dusted off -- dusted himself off, apologized and he continued.

Well, a trip to a gas station in Eastchester, New York, almost turned into a tragedy, and it appears that an absent minded customer is responsible. Chad Newton of affiliate News 12 in Westchester shows us what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was scared because I never see something like this.

CHAD NEWTON, NEWS 12 REPORTER (voice-over): Imagine being at a gas station to see this happening. This black Mercedes drives away with the nozzle still attached to it, taking down a gas pump in the process and then sparking a fire. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was something very scary stuff because everybody was running, you know, all the customers.

NEWTON: Moses Kowase (ph) was working on Saturday when this all happened at the Mobil gas station on White Plains Road in Eastchester. Fortunately, neither he nor anyone else was hurt in this potentially explosive situation because a gas station worker triggered the emergency fire extinguisher.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The cashier reacted very good. He pulled the fire suppression system before the whole station could burn down, which is very smart.

NEWTON: But what about the driver who started it all? The station's manager says that's him in the brown jacket. You can see him chatting inside the gas station before everything happened, but no one has heard from him since.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He should have stopped in here, because when he drove out of here, OK, he saw everything happening. Even my guys here tried to run after him, but they couldn't catch him.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: The Eastchester police are currently in touch with the driver. He used a credit card to pay for the fuel before he drove away. Details of the conversation have not been made available.

O'BRIEN: Drug testing for athletes, that isn't anything new. We've been telling you about that, especially about baseball. But what about thoroughbreds? Up next on LIVE FROM, got the Derby coming up on Saturday. The big question is, are some of these ponies juiced? Well, there's a move afoot to change all that, and we ain't horsing around. So stay with us as LIVE FROM come around the clubhouse turn.

PHILLIPS: Plus he is the greatest, and his daughter thinks so, too. Rasheda Ali joins us live to talk about her father and the disease that he's battling. She wrote a new book. We're going to talk about it. We'll be right back.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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O'BRIEN: Nice head shot, Mr. Overmyer.

Well, three days till Derby day. The 131st running of the Kentucky Derby, the run for the roses, all that. Churchill Downs, history, all that good stuff. The field of 23-year-olds is ready to race the best two minutes in sports. I've given you all of the sports analogies, because Steve puts me in the mood for all that sport stuff.

Anyway, there's a difference this year, a sign of the times. Sensitivity. Steve Overmyer to talk about the sensitivity that has arisen over the possibility that horses are doped. STEVE OVERMYER, CNN SPORTS: You know, it's something that's long been rumored in pretty much every sport and obviously horse racing is no different. Drug sheets are being discovered nowadays in nearly every sport from track and field to baseball, but now horse racing is trying to make sure their sport is on a level playing field.

For the first time ever, horses will be given a drug test after running the Kentucky Derby. This super test, is what they're calling it, will be able to detect about 140 different drugs and sure to make trainers think twice about juicing up their horses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

D. WAYNE LUKAS, TRAINER: It's a tough, tough thing, but I'm for it. Whatever it does, I love the fact that we're going to go over there on a level playing field because I'm here, personally, I feel like I'm here all day long, paying attention, doing a job. I feel like I've got 40 years experience as a horseman, so I'm going to take my chances. And if we are on a level playing field, I can beat those guys. I don't think I can beat them if they're, you know, fooling around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

OVERMYER: No doubt about that. That super test, by the way, was first administered in the Breeder's Cup last year with no horses testing positive, Miles. And by the way, no horses entered into the Kentucky Derby have ever tested positive for any drugs either.

O'BRIEN: All right. There was a case back in 1968 where a horse was disqualified, but there was kind of a murky situation there.

OVERMYER: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Let's talk about the kinds of things that it has been alleged over time have been given to horses. Are we talking about steroids here? Or is it something to just kind of juice them up and make them lively for the race?

OVERMYER: We're not talking about horses getting some sort of a rocket fuel where they're going to be running t10 times faster than every horse out there. What we're talking about is something a little bit more -- I guess a little bit more subtle.

What they have is some sort of a milk shake mixture is basically what the trainers are supposedly giving some of these horses. And this milk shake mixture that is out there actually is -- really there's a lot of questions as to what it does. It could possibly be a masking agent, masking against some other drugs. It could give some horses endurance as they -- it delays their sense of fatigue or possibly even a painkiller which allows a horse...

O'BRIEN: Hippy, hippy -- what's the hippy thing?

OVERMYER: It's the hippy hippy milk shake. O'BRIEN: Hippy hippy milkshake. I'd like to try one of those. Why is this coming into focus now? Is it because of all the focus we've had in Major League Baseball, for example?

OVERMYER: You know what? It seems to be that that seems to kind of be the heart of it. But last month federal prosecutors did charge three men, including New York based trainer Greg Martin, for milk shaking a horse as part of a gambling ring where the men are accused of rigging horse races.

Now, more than ever, Miles, though, the integrity of horse racing seems to be paramount, especially in the minds of the officials.

O'BRIEN: Well, and let's bring up that important point there. Because, when you talk about baseball, you're talking about generally not a lot of wagering. Horse racing is all about the wagering, and if people feel that somehow this is not on the straight and level, that could really undermine the whole sport.

OVERMYER: See, that's where this differs from baseball. I mean, not too many people bet on baseball. But that's really the heart and soul of horse racing. You know, $15 billion were bet on horse races last year. In the Kentucky Derby alone, there was $99 million bet on the Kentucky Derby.

So any time the fans have a financial interest vested in it, they're certainly going to have a little bit more interest as to whether or not there's cheating going on.

O'BRIEN: All right. So I suspect they're going to do a lot this year to try to make sure it's a clean race. There's a lot of security plainclothes, kind of around the paddocks, watching out for this. Keep us posted and let us know how it goes. Steve Overmyer, dropping by. Thanks very much -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Toyota might be gearing up to build a new hybrid car. Susan Lisovicz has the scoop, live from the new York Stock Exchange.

Hi, Susan.

(STOCK REPORT)

PHILLIPS: All right, Susan. Thank you so much.

This just in to CNN. A former FBI agent already imprisoned for shielding Boston mobsters from prosecutors was indicted today in the 1982 murder of a former Miami gambling executive whose body was stuffed into a trunk of his Cadillac.

Former agent John Jay Connelly, Jr., 64 years old. That's the FBI -- former FBI agent. He was charged in state court today with first-degree murder and conspiracy in the killing of the former world Jai Alai president, John Callahan.

Now already, this FBI agent, Connelly, has been serving a 10-year sentence in federal prison in North Carolina for convictions on racketeering, obstruction of justice and other charges stemming from his role in protecting that famous mob boss, James "Whitey" Bulger and others from prosecution while simultaneously using them as former FBI informants. So now that former FBI agent being charged with murder. We'll continue to follow the story.

Take a quick break. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Parkinson's Disease affects more than one million Americans, and its devastating effects hit home for most of us when boxing legend Muhammad Ali announced back in 1984 that he was suffering from Parkinson's.

His daughter, Rasheda Ali, says that watching her children struggling to communicate with their famous grandfather inspired her to write a book about it. The book is called "I'll Hold Your Hand So You Won't Fall: A Child's Guide to Parkinson's Disease." She joins us live from Las Vegas.

Rasheda, great to have you.

RASHEDA ALI, DAUGHTER OF MUHAMMAD ALI: Thanks for having me.

PHILLIPS: Well, I know Dad's watching, too. So we got to make sure we do a good job here.

ALI: The pressure.

PHILLIPS: The pressure's on.

ALI: The pressure's on. He's watching, yes.

PHILLIPS: It will be a knockout, I promise.

ALI: Thank you, thank you.

PHILLIPS: So your children are just beautiful.

ALI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: And I know that you have an incredible relationship with your father. So do the grandkids.

ALI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: And the way they communicate with him is through art, correct?

ALI: That's correct. They both -- it just turned out to be an accident that my children love to draw and my dad actually picked up his love for art through his dad, my granddad, Papa Cassius. He was a professional painter.

And so my dad draws a lot of pictures for my kids, and they love it. And so I put that part in my book, because that's a great nonverbal way to communicate with your children, especially if you have a symptom like slurred speech. And that's the way we communicate, and it works out perfectly.

PHILLIPS: You know what? I'm glad you mentioned slurred speech. Because I was looking through the book and asking parents here if you were to be diagnosed with Parkinson's, what would be some of the main things you'd worry about explaining to your children, and one is slurred speech. I want to get into the book here. We're actually looking at the artwork.

ALI: Good. OK.

PHILLIPS: So let's talk about how you set up, how to teach your kids on situations like this. So for example, Grandpa, he's got slurred speech. Explain how you speak with your child and how you teach facts through this book.

ALI: Well, slurred speech -- my book, I'm an actor, OK? So I'm a communicator. And my book is about communicating. And the more we communicate with our family who has Parkinson's, the easier their journey will be.

Now slurred speech there is a breakup of communication, because words are not easily articulated. And so in my book, I introduce certain nonverbal ways to communicate such as drawing and art. And I put that in my book, because children -- my children are 4 and 6 -- they love to draw. These are perfect ways to introduce communicating with your loved ones through art if there is a breakup of communication in speech. So it works out perfectly for my family, and I'd like to help other families, as well.

PHILLIPS; It's wonderful. You talk about how to speak to your child about if you have a problem understanding what Grandma is saying, this is what you do.

Your father wrote the foreword, Rasheda, and there's a line here he says, "What is important is to never lose faith and to never stop living each day to the fullest extent possible. It making me proud to know that my daughter, Rasheda, has become an activist in this cause and has written this book." You two really do have a special relationship.

ALI: Yes. We do. And Parkinson's has -- it's almost brought us closer together as a family. And I'm honored to try to do this with him. This is a project that we share together.

But I feel that I want to help other families out there, because I know when my son asked me, "Why is Poppy shaking?" I know I wasn't the only mom that was asked that question. I was perplexed, to be honest with you.

And so it was then at that moment I knew I had to help other families out there communicate with their loved ones, especially their children, in discussing this with their young children. And it's very important to open up these lines of communication.

PHILLIPS: Not only for your kids but for you, what was the hardest part when Dad got Parkinson's?

ALI: Well, I was really young when he was diagnosed. And so I didn't know what was going on at the time. My challenge was when my children started asking me questions, then I said, OK, I didn't know what to say.

So it wasn't really a difficult part for me because for me, my dad still had his vibrant personality. It didn't change who he was as a person. And that's the misconception about Parkinson's.

Parkinson's patients are the same people inside. However, there's a motor skills dysfunction, like walking, talking, dressing. Those kind of things that you and I do every day that we pretty much take for granted. There's an impairment for Parkinson's patients, and so it's hard to be able to show their personality when you have masked face, slurred speech, shuffle walk and things like that.

PHILLIPS: But it sure hasn't changed how big his heart is.

So the kids call him Papa Cassius, right?

ALI: They call him Poppy.

PHILLIPS: Poppy. All right. I know Poppy's watching, Muhammad Ali.

ALI: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Poppy, we love you.

ALI: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Rasheda Ali. The book is "I'll Hold Your Hand So You don't Fall: A Child's Guide to Parkinson's Disease." Thanks so much for sharing your time and the book with us.

ALI: Thank you so much for having me on again.

PHILLIPS: It's a pleasure.

That wraps up this Monday edition of LIVE FROM.

O'BRIEN: She's a champ. Isn't she? Isn't she great?

PHILLIPS: Isn't she? And the relationship they have is pretty incredible.

O'BRIEN: Yes. Yes.

PHILLIPS: And what they're doing together.

O'BRIEN: We hope you're watching, Champ. We hope you enjoyed that.

Al right. Judy Woodruff, a champ in her own right, in her own ring. Joining us now... PHILLIPS: And she'd love to K.O. Miles.

O'BRIEN: ... for a few rounds.

PHILLIPS: But that's a whole other story.

O'BRIEN: A few rounds of politics.

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": And you know, that book is going to make a difference.

O'BRIEN: I hope it does.

WOODRUFF: Great interview. Thank you, both, Kyra and Miles. And we'll see you tomorrow.

So who has higher ethical standards on Capitol Hill? Democrats or Republicans? We'll see what America thinks in our new poll.

Plus, if some Texas lawmakers get their way, cheerleaders will have to perform G-rated routines at high school sporting events. We'll take a look at the new legislation when "INSIDE POLITICS" begins in just a moment.

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