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McCain, White House Reach Deal on Torture Policies; Ford Motor Company Takes Heat for Advertising Strategies

Aired December 15, 2005 - 14:30   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS: Well, you can't please all the people all the time, that's an old saying, but a new lesson for the Ford Motor Company. It started last May, when a group called the American Family Association announced a boycott of Ford vehicles and criticized for its perceived gay friendly stance.
It called off the boycott last month, but last week, when Ford said it would pull ads for some of its luxury cars from gay publications, the protests from the gay community was swift and loud and accused Ford of giving into the pressure. Although Ford said the cuts were to save money, the company has now reversed itself and says it will run ads for all its products in gay publications.

In a letter on the company Web site, a Ford spokesperson says, "It is my hope that this will remove any ambiguity about Ford's desire to advertise to all important audiences and put this particular issue behind us." How big of a business fumble is this?

Pete Schneider is a marketing expert with New Media Strategies. He joins me now, live from Washington. Hi, Pete.

PETE SNYDER, NEW MEDIA STRATEGIES: How are you?

PHILLIPS: Let talk about microtargeting, as you have mentioned. It's definitely become much more popular. Why?

SNYDER: Well, I think it's a much more scientific way to spend your dollar in advertising. You know, the old saying that advertisers said about 50 years ago, I don't know where I get my most value on 50 cents on a dollar. I know it does something, but I don't know what it does anywhere.

So I think that's -- you know, what marketers are trying to find out today is how they get that best value on the dollar. And whether it's the Bush campaign in 2004 spending advertising in health clubs or today you have Ford targeting the gay community or Audi advertising on blogs, it's all about trying to drive that dollar and squeeze that dollar to the last mile.

PHILLIPS: Why target the gay community?

SNYDER: Well, they tend to be a higher income portion of the country, with much more disposable income. So, that's why originally Ford was targeting their luxury vehicles to the gay community.

PHILLIPS: So, is there a lot of pressure on various companies, Ford and others, to advertise a certain way and not advertise a certain way or are you seeing more of the pressures centralized to just the issue of gay advertising in gay publications or in gay venues?

SNYDER: Well, I don't think there's any one trend happening out there. I think what you have is really with the rise of the blogosphere and the Internet, you have different activist groups and different interest groups can get their message out much more effectively. Ten years ago, if you had a boycott, you might send out a chain letter or harass some poor secretary in headquarters somewhere.

But, nowadays with the blogosphere, you can get your message around the Internet in 30 seconds and you can generate 100,000 e-mail or 200,000 messages on chat rooms and message boards across the Internet pretty easily.

PHILLIPS: Are there a lot of gay marketing firms out there?

SNYDER: Like any other demographic, you have folks who are players in that area, so absolutely. It's a growing trend in advertising these days.

PHILLIPS: So you would -- it's interesting, just the whole Ford controversy and about having the ads, pulling the ads. The gay activists and also the anti-gay groups, are you seeing them more heavily involved in monitoring advertising and getting involved for political reasons, whether it's Ford or some other type of company? Are you just seeing an increase in, I guess sort of these groups watching and monitoring and keeping tabs on and then being vocal?

SNYDER: Well, I think really, again, with the rise of the Internet and the blogosphere, everyone is more sensitive. And, really, everyone is watching. So, corporations -- you know, in the past five to ten years, power has really been thrown away from the corporation and into the hands of the consumers.

Whether it's TiVo or whether it's blogs, you know, consumers now have a much larger voice to take on corporations than they ever have before. They can go toe-to-toe in a pretty quick way.

PHILLIPS: So, Ford did the right thing for its bottom line and for its brand.

SNYDER: I definitely think so. Most corporations really only use one metric when they make decisions and it tends to be the bottom line.

PHILLIPS: Pete Snyder, thanks for your time.

SNYDER: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's a showbiz house of mirrors, a movie about a play that became a play and now it's movie again. Can Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick make "The Producers" a hit again? My guess is yes. We're going to check their credentials, next on LIVE FROM. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: OK, stay with me on this one. There's a new movie based on a hit Broadway play that was based on an earlier movie about a Broadway play that's supposed to flop, but it's an unexpected smash. So can this remake strike box office gold? There are two good reasons it should: Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.

CNN's David Haffenreffer sits down to chat with "The Producers."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEW BRODERICK, ACTOR: Let assume for a moment that you are a dishonest man.

NATHAN LANE, ACTOR: Assume away.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID HAFFENREFFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): When you first heard about the movie was going to be made, did you both immediately know this was something you really wanted to do?

LANE: The movie? Yes, sure.

BRODERICK: What else am I doing?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANE: See it, smell it. Touch it. Kiss it. Kiss it. It's the mother load.

BRODERICK: What is it, you found the flop?

LANE: A flop, that's putting it mildly. This is a catastrophe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LANE: Who wouldn't want to do this? They're great parts and we had played them before. And so, it is rare that, you know, the guy who does it on stage gets to do the movie. So, it was all good.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANE: "Springtime for Hitler," a gay romp with Ava and Adolf at Berkshegun (ph).

BRODERICK: Oh, my god.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAFFENREFFER: You guys have been credited with helping to bring Broadway back to life with your portrayals in these roles for this particular play. Do you hope this does the same thing for the not-so- great box office?

BRODERICK: Yes. We're -- I'm hoping to revive the motion picture industry.

HAFFENREFFER: I mean, Harry Potter is doing it to some degree, but we're still down year-over-year, essentially, in ticket sales.

BRODERICK: Don't ask me to help that. You know, I hope it's a good movie and, yes, I would love it if people went to see it. And I don't hope it's a good movie, I love the movie and I hope people like it. And I hope it not only helps the movie industry do better, but I like the whole economy to be boosted by the release of this picture.

HAFFENREFFER: Will you both take an interest in how this movie does? Will you run out Monday morning and see the performance is after the opening weekend?

BRODERICK: And I'll hide in terror and he'll get it. Then I'll call him, "what did they say?"

LANE: Yes. And I hope it brings an end to the war in Iraq.

HAFFENREFFER: Yes, that, too.

(MUSIC)

HAFFENREFFER: I loved seeing Uma Thurman in the role of Ulla.

BRODERICK: Ulla Inga Hansen Bensen Yosen Tallen-Hallen Svaden- Svanson (ph).

HAFFENREFFER: Wow.

BRODERICK: I could never do it on stage. I just had to read it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRODERICK: We might have a position for you.

LANE: As a matter of fact, we might have several positions for you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BRODERICK: I got to rehearse with her for weeks on the dances, you know, because some of them that she hadn't done before had to be taught. And I had to learn them learn them with her and that was a great pleasure to show up and just work on this dancing with her. She was a total joy to work with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LANE: I want you it know, my dear, that even though we're sitting down, we're giving you a standing ovation.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HAFFENREFFER: Who's the better dancer?

LANE: He is.

BRODERICK: She is.

LANE: She is, he said, she is.

BRODERICK: You could have said that, too. I didn't mean like it that.

LANE: You said, she is. Oh, God.

BRODERICK: I meant, listen to her. You know that joke that is sometimes made?

LANE: Listen to her. Well, I hope this isn't a blue state.

BRODERICK: He's a wonderful dancer.

LANE: I'm the lord of the dance. I don't know if you've heard, Michael Flately is no longer the lord, I'm the lord of the dance.

HAFFENREFFER: But you did a good job and obviously, you have to get it right for the take that's used in the film because this it's going to live on for eternity.

BRODERICK: Yes. And you really want to get it right because there were sometimes 20 dancers behind you, and if I would make a mistake we'd have to do it again and then you see all these people doing it perfectly around you. You really want to get it right.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRODERICK (singing): I want to be a producer!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, a weather update set to music. It's all part of the drive time routine for Dallas commuters.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): I'm not dreaming of a white Christmas. In fact, I don't think it will snow

(END AUDIO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: A radio news anchor who sings the news. He'll perform a few headlines for us when we return.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Fredricka Whitfield with more on that Vikings, Minnesota Vikings, scandal we've been talking about. Football team caught up in a little trouble. FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it involves some NFL players. Specifically, the Vikings players Daunte Culpepper, Bryant McKinnie, Fred Smoot and Moe Williams, all now being charged with misdemeanor charges of indecent conduct, disorderly conduct and lewd and lascivious conduct, all in connection with a boat party that apparently got out of hand on Lake Minnetonka.

Just moments ago during a press conference, the sheriff of Hennepin County, Patrick McGowan, had this to say about what happened on those two boats.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF PATRICK MCGOWAN, HENNEPIN COUNTY, MN: According to the witnesses, the women emerged either scantily clad or nearly naked. According to these same witnesses, at different times throughout the cruise, some of these women were totally naked. Crew members reported that while they were cruising Lake Minnetonka, they observed a great deal of what they describe to be inappropriate sexual behavior.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD; And now we also have learned that based on the sheriff's account during that press conference, only eyewitness accounts are being used. There is no physical evidence, no videos, no pictures, that are being used in this investigation.

And as to whether any federal charges could be pending because of earlier reports that I told you about, Kyra, that these women may have been invited to come from Minnesota and, if so, there would be federal charges facing them -- well, now the sheriff is saying they don't know the identities of these women, they don't know if that is, indeed, true. And anyway, so for now, they're only facing these misdemeanor charges. And if found guilty, they face 90 days in jail.

And, of course, when we get more information about these charges and what the Minnesota Vikings as a whole might be doing -- we read earlier this statement coming from the coach who says for now, these are just charges, but if these defendants are found guilty, then they've got a whole other deal to -- at hand in which to handle, in terms of the team.

So, for now, that's all we got -- Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right, Fred, thank you so much.

And we're waiting right now for some videotape with the -- from the White House. Tell me what is concerning and I can, as we look at this live picture now of the White House in winter, we are waiting for some tape. And what does it involve?

All right, Senator McCain -- it's a story that we brought to you, it was actually our lead story about two hours ago. Ed Henry came to us on the Hill, saying that Senator John McCain and the White House actually reached a deal.

Let's listen to Senator McCain right now. It has to do, of course, with the torture policy they've been going back and forth on.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: ... engage in torture through cruel or inhuman treatment. This is -- this is a done deal. The majority of the House spoke last night, the majority of the Senate has already spoken. I hope that we can get this resolved within the next 24 hours so the House and Senate can vote on the conference report of the authorization bill and move forward.

SEN. JOHN WARNER (R-VA), CHMN., ARMED SERVICES CMTE: I've been working around the clock with Senator McCain and the president and his staff and my good friend Duncan Hunter. I go back it his office now to resume our discussions. I'm absolutely confident, Senator, that this McCain legislation, which is landmark legislation, very much needed for our nation, will become finalized by the president's signature in one form or another, one bill.

So, we're going to get there. And I want to compliment you, Senator. You have stayed the course of profile and courage from day one on this important piece of legislation.

MCCAIN: I, again, want to thank the president and the National Security Adviser Steve Hadley for the very big effort they made in bringing this to a successful conclusion.

QUESTION: What are the -- are there any loopholes?

MCCAIN: No. The only changes that have been made are that there's a provision in the uniform code of military justice that basically says...

PHILLIPS: Now, we're going to go to tape from earlier on when the president met with the two senators considering -- or talking about this decision. Let's listen in.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ... Senator John McCain here in the Oval Office. We share a common goal and that is to protect the American people and to win the war on terror.

Senator McCain has been a leader to make sure that the United States of America upholds the values of America as we fight and win this war on terror. And we've been happy to work with him to achieve a common objective and that is to make it clearer to the world that this government does not torture and that we adhere to the international convention of torture, whether it be here at home or abroad.

And so we have worked very closely with the senator and others to achieve that objective, as well as to provide protections for those who are on the frontline of fighting the terrorists. And so I appreciate your hard work, Senator. You're a good man who honors the values of America.

I also appreciate the strong support that you've given -- both of you have given on the war on terror. The central front of that war is Iraq. Part of our strategy is to train Iraqis so that they can join our forces and fight off the terrorists and eventually have the Iraqis be able to stand on their own. The other part is the democratic process that will help marginalize the Saddamists and the rejectionists. And today the Iraqi people went to the polls.

I was so honored to welcome some young Iraqi Fulbright scholars here that were able to vote. And to see the joy they -- and to hear the joy they express and to see the joy on their faces after having just voted in the -- for a permanent government and a new constitution was just a fantastic experience.

And, so, I want to welcome you all to the Oval Office. Thanks for coming. Thanks for your good work on behalf of America.

MCCAIN: Thank you, Mr. President. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the effort that you have made to resolve this very difficult issue. I thank you for your active participation in it and I also want to thank your national security adviser, Steve Hadley, who played a very important role, as well.

And I'm very pleased that we reached this agreement and now we can move forward and make sure that the whole world knows that, as the president has stated many times, that we do not practice cruel, inhuman treatment or torture.

This agreement basically does two things. One, it puts into the Army Field Manual the specific procedures for interrogations. And, two, it prohibits cruel, inhumane or torture.

In our negotiations there was legitimate concerns raised by the administration concerning the rights of interrogators and taking language from the Uniform Code of Military Justice. We provide them with legal counsel and certain protections that a reasonable person might view as carrying out of orders. Not to contradict the Nuremberg decision which, of course, said that obeying orders is not a sufficient defense.

I, again, thank the president. I would like to also repeat -- we've sent a message to the world that the United States is not like the terrorists. We have no grief for them. But what we are is a nation that upholds values and standards of behavior and treatment of all people, no matter how evil or bad they are. And I think that this will help us enormously in winning the war for the hearts and minds of people throughout the world in the war on terror.

And, again, I want to thank the president, I want thank Steve Hadley. I thank all the people who work so hard to come to this agreement. Now, I think we can move forward with winning the war on terror and in Iraq.

I thank you, Mr. President.

BUSH: Thanks, John.

MCCAIN: You're welcome.

BUSH: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Senators John McCain and also John Warner there with the president, not long ago. After months of resistance, the White House finally agreeing to accept Senator John McCain's call for a law specifically banning cruel and inhumane and degrading treatment of foreign suspects in the war on terror.

McCain saying that this understanding clearly lays out two issues: that the Army Field Manual will have interrogation rules, specific interrogation rules; and number two, it will prohibit, like I said, the cruel and inhumane degrading treatment.

Now, the question still remains, emerging from this deal, what exactly are those tactics? What are the specifics? What can military, CIA and other civilian interrogators do when dealing with foreign suspects? We hope to learn more about the deal as it unfolds.

We're going to take a quick break. The third and final hour of LIVE FROM starts right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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