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CNN Live Today
New Interim Iraqi President Named; Scott Peterson Goes on Trial
Aired June 01, 2004 - 10:00 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Carol Costello in for Daryn Kagan today.
An interim Iraq president is named and the announcement is met by a deadly explosion and gunfire. Officials say three Iraqis were killed and 20 were injured in a car bomb blast near coalition headquarters in Baghdad.
The killing continues in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, at least three people died in clashes between police angry mobs. The violence follows a bomb attack Monday on a Shiite Muslim mosque that killed at least 20 worshipers.
The Midwest still cleaning up in the wake in those severe storms, 10 people died as the storm spun off some 175 tornadoes. The weather system stretched from Texas to West Virginia, damaging homes, power lines and trees.
One of Seattle's monorail trains remains shut down this morning. Dozens of people had to be evacuated Monday after the train caught fire. Nine people were taken to hospitals and their injuries are not serious.
President Bush is hosting religious and community leaders in Washington. You are looking at a live picture of his National Conference On Faith-Based Community Initiatives. The president is pushing for legislation to help the needy by giving federal funding to religious service groups. He's urging attendees to lobby members of Congress after the event. We're also told Mr. Bush will be making remarks about the political developments in Iraq. He'll make those remarks shortly. And of course, we will carry those comments live.
As I just mentioned, a new interim Iraqi president is named and the U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council is no more. But on the heels of today's next step to sovereignty, violence.
Live to Baghdad now, and Harris Whitbeck to tell us more.
Hello, Harris.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol. The ceremony in which the interim government of Iraq was formally presented has just ended. A lot was said here today about the road that Iraq will now march on towards sovereignty, towards full sovereignty. That according to U.N. special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi who said it would be a difficult role, but that Iraq would have the full support of the United Nations and the international community. Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who will take formal possession of his office next June 30, promised to bring Iraq out of the nightmare that it's been living.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
IYAD ALLAWI, INTERIM PRESIDENT, IRAQ (through translator): My pledge to you is to put every effort with my brothers and my colleagues to bring back Iraq. And to shun all kinds of forms of discrimination and weakness, so that this country would be one nation without murderers, without criminals, without bad ambitions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITBECK: Now, a lot said about some specific steps that the interim government would like to start taking. Among them, start reconstituting a strong Iraqi army. That in order to allow the country to defend its sovereignty and defend itself from, quote, "foreign aggression." Also word that military pensions would be restored here and that economic steps would be taken towards improving the livelihoods -- or the access to a better livelihood for millions of Iraqis.
All of this, Carol, comes amid the aftermath of a car bomb outside the Headquarters for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the political parties that has been quite active in Iraq recently. That car bomb, which was very powerful, left three people dead and 20 wounded. A lot of security around the site here in the Green Zone, where this event took place. There were fighter jets flying overhead, helicopters, snipers on rooftops; everything to prevent anything from marring what has been billed here as a very historic day -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Harris Whitbeck reporting live from Baghdad.
There are new reports out this morning that misconduct by U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan extends beyond prisons. Today's "Washington Post" reports the Army has opened investigations into at least 91 cases of possible misconduct. The probe includes alleged mistreatment of Iraqis in custody outside of detention centers, and cases of soldiers accused of stealing, money, jewelry and other property.
Turn to cnn.com for the latest news on the Iraqi handover. Our "Special Report, The New Iraq" has a section devoted to the transition of power.
It is about to begin. A year and a half after his pregnant wife and unborn baby were found dead, Scott Peterson goes on trial.
CNN's David Mattingly is up early in Redwood City, California. He has a preview for us.
I gather the media is already assembled? DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol. A great deal of anticipation today. Consider just how long this case has been going. It started as the mysterious disappearance of a pregnant housewife on Christmas Eve of 2002; it has now become the most talked about capital murder trial of 2004. But just under two hours from now, Scott Peterson will go on trial for the murders of his wife, Laci, and their unborn child.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY (voice-over): The next time Scott Peterson steps into court, his every move and expression will be under scrutiny of a jury of six men and six women, charged with the difficult question. Is he truly a remorseless and deceitful killer, who prosecutors say murdered his pregnant wife Laci and dumped her body in the waters of San Francisco Bay?
CHUCK SMITH, FMR. HOMICIDE PROSECUTOR: That is the theme and arguing to the jury that he's such a good liar, he's going to lie to you.
MATTINGLY: There is already no doubt that Peterson was a cheating husband. Girlfriend, Amber Frye, says he convinced her he was a widower, saying he believed that they had a future together. Words that prosecutors plan to use against him, along with wiretaps as they attack his credibility.
But the case against Peterson is largely circumstantial, with no murder weapon, no clear cause of death or murder scene. Defense attorney Mark Geragos will argue investigators ignored credible witnesses, reporting a mysterious van in the neighborhood the morning of Laci's reported disappearance.
SMITH: One measure of doubt based on fact, based on evidence, that's all he has to establish.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: And both sides have been allotted today about two hours for those all-important opening arguments and expect to have a long trial, Carol. Everyone estimating, and if their estimates are true, we won't get a verdict in this case possibly until Thanksgiving.
COSTELLO: Ugh! So that is your brand new home for quite a while. Thank you, David Mattingly, reporting live from Redwood City California.
Let's head to Washington, D.C. now to the State Department. Secretary of State Colin Powell answering reporters' questions, let's listen in.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: And when the list got narrow, it was really a judgment that had to be made between Iraqi leaders, Mr. Brahimi, and in consultation, of course, with the United States. But it is not a question of anyone's candidate of losing. We're pleased that a qualified number of candidates were available for the top positions. and I'm very pleased with the outcome. It's exactly what we wanted Mr. Brahimi to do and he has performed his task very, very well.
We will now move forward on our work with the resolution. I expect that there will be discussions in New York today on the revised resolution. And representatives from the new interim government are heading to New York to participate in those discussions toward the end of the week. And we'll also be in discussions with members of the new Iraqi interim government on the basis upon which coalition forces will be in Iraq, and the relationship between the Iraqi interim government and coalition military forces. And so, I think it's been a good day for the Iraqi people.
There are still those terrorists who are determined to try to keep the Iraqi people from achieving democracy and freedom. But we determined that they will be defeated. And so the president's Five- Point Plan, that he announced at Carlisle last week, is now unfolding. And the first step is there with the appointment of an Iraqi interim government.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Secretary...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Georgian Television. Mr. Powell, did you discuss the question about Abkhazia and how we are going to help Georgia resolve this problem? Thank you sir.
POWELL: Yes, we discussed Abjara, South Ossetia, Abkhazia...
COSTELLO: We're going to jump away from Secretary of State Colin Powell talking about, of course, the new interim president just named today in Iraq. And of course, he was also talking about that U.N. resolution, which will be pushed by Iraqis. Iraqis wanting full sovereignty for their country.
President Bush, by the way, will talk about the new Iraqi interim government shortly in an appearance from the Rose Garden. That has been set for 11:30 Eastern this morning, CNN will bring you those comments as well live.
Prosecutors want him to pay with his life already behind bars for the Oklahoma City bombing. Now, Terry Nichols faces the ultimate punishment. That story from the courtroom coming up.
Also, deadly storms aftermath. This morning, things are looking up in the Hoosier State though.
And later, how losing weight can help you find more than just your waistline. Hear one woman's personal story, "Passing For Thin." We'll talk with her just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The penalty phase is underway in the Terry Nichols trial. Jurors will hear testimony and then decide whether Nichols should receive the death penalty for his part in the Oklahoma City bombing. CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is only two miles from the courthouse here in McAllister to the state prison, where Oklahoma has its death row. And Terry Nichols is closer now than ever before. The same jury that needed only five hours to find Nichols guilty on more than 160 counts of murder in the Oklahoma City bombing, begins hearing testimony today on whether it should sentence Nichols to life or death.
A few blocks away, McAllister's Park has a memorial walk flanked by 19 dogwood trees; one planted for each child who died in the bombing attack. We asked Memorial Day visitors here what their choice would be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would probably say death.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
I just feel that it was just the ultimate act of terrorism against our country to plot something so heinous on our own soil.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The magnitude of the damage that they did, the selfishness that was involved. I mean the irresponsibility. I mean I would go for the death penalty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Life, they have time to think about what they've done. And it's really harder on them than it is to just get death and it's over with in a few minutes.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): Nichols did not testify in either his previous federal trial or in this state trial, nor is he expected to take the stand now. Holding his silence till the end even with his life at stake.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, McAllister Oklahoma.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Cleaning up after a stormy mess. Homeowners in the heartland try to reclaim whatever they can. So what's next for them? Jacqui will have the forecast coming up.
And just 29 days to go before the handover of power in Iraq, signs of hope amidst the violence. That when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Jacqui Jeras, are you listening?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
COSTELLO: You are because I know what a big tennis fan you are.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: We have an update from the French Open. Jennifer Capriati defeats Serena Williams. Can you believe it? That means we won't get to watch Serena's outfits anymore. Anyway, Capriati will next meet either Venus Williams, who is the fourth seed. Or Anastasia Myskina, she is the Russian sixth seed in the French Open. So again, Jennifer Capriati beating Serena Williams. Excitement.
Got that, Jacqui?
JERAS: That's huge.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Several areas of the mid section of the United States are mopping up after a major weather mess in parts of Illinois. The severe storms reduced homes to scraps of lumber, downed trees being chopped and cleared. The power company says power is back on for most customers in the Chicago area. At one point, 35,000 people had to do with no electricity. Not pleasant.
JERAS: Not pleasant.
COSTELLO: But is the weather getting better for them?
JERAS: Absolutely, yes. In fact, it's a slight risk. I'm still having a hard time getting me beyond the tennis things.
(LAUGHTER)
JERAS: Sorry.
COSTELLO: She just told me...
JERAS: It's ruined my day!
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: She told me during the break that she thought tennis was the most boring sport. So that's...
JERAS: Ah!! Don't say that!
COSTELLO: I know.
JERAS: The hate mails are coming in now. All right, this day is going downhill fast.
COSTELLO: I ruined her image.
COSTELLO: I'll never mention tennis again to you, I promise. Thank you, Jacqui.
JERAS: OK.
COSTELLO: Former enemies can become friends. It just takes a little longer for some people and for some countries.
CNN's Jim Bittermann looks at how D-Day ceremonies are changing and one couple whose lives mirror those changes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The anniversary of their longest day approaches. The old soldiers gather for the free lunches honoring their deeds. But this D-Day remembrance is different from past ones. This time, you may hear Germans spoken at the table.
(on camera): For the first time in 60 years, in the person of its chancellor, has been invite to take part in the D-Day ceremonies. And it will be finally be said that those who fought on these sides of these guns have officially reconciled their differences.
(voice-over): But coming to terms with the past has not been easy. Ask Hans Flindt. He was one of an estimated 40,000 German soldiers who never went home after D-Day. By the time he was released from an allied POW camp, his hometown in Germany was under the control of the Soviet Union. So he stayed on in Normandy and married a French girl.
HANS FLINDT, GERMAN WORLD WAR II VETERAN (through translator): The atmosphere in the beginning was brutal. There were many who didn't understand. They called us "krauts." It doesn't mean anything unless someone adds the words, "dirty krauts."
BITTERMANN: Marie Therese Flindt's family disowned her for marrying Hans. Friends and neighbors shunned the young couple.
MARIE THERESE HANS, WIFE (through translator): Believe me, it was difficult. Here I am married to a German, who only three days earlier was our enemy. Even our daughter suffered from remarks. The kids were never invited to do local events.
BITTERMANN: Gradually though, Hans, who is a good mechanic, won many friends by helping his neighbors. Marie Therese says she has finally patched things up with her family. Still, six decades later when the village sent out invitations for a victory in Europe day commemorations, one name was not on the list.
T. FLINDT (through translator): Look what I got from the mayor! My husband is not invited!
BITTERMANN: In villages and churches this anniversary, Europeans are looking back on the war through nearly 60 years of peace. But at cemeteries not far from the D-Day beaches, German and allied soldiers lie buried next to one each other because Europe's reconciliation was too long in coming.
Jim Bittermann, CNN, in Normandy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And back here in the United States at the Rose Garden, President Bush is, well, he's supposed to begin speaking at 11:30 Eastern. He's going to talk about faith-based initiatives and also about the new interim Iraqi president named this morning.
Also later, a life spent waiting in the wings. One woman's transition to a normal life after shedding almost 200 pounds! We'll talk to the author of "Passing For Thin."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Checking the stories making headlines right now.
The Iraqi Governing Council dissolved itself today after naming Sheikh Ghazi al Yawar to become Iraq's interim president. The council's role was advisory to the U.S.-led coalition, which will keep sovereignty until June 30.
Firefighters in southwestern Florida are hoping to contain a 1300-acre wildfire. Heavy smoke and ash from the fire has forced the Florida Gulf Coast University to close its campus today. No buildings are now threatened, though.
Women who've agreed to do a multibillion-dollar settlement in a silicone implant lawsuit will begin getting paid this month. A judge had set today as the effective date for Dow Corning settlement with 360,000 plaintiffs. Dow Corning says it emerges today from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
U.N. peacekeepers begin their security mission in Haiti today. The U.N. force will total fewer than 10,000 troops and police from 30 countries. U.S. troops, who've headed a four-nation contingent, will stay past today's departure date. The Americans now helping with flood relief.
You can be sure the White House has been watching the news in Baghdad closely. There is reaction this morning to the interim government's appointment.
For that and more, we go live to Kathleen Koch.
Hello, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, the White House right now is basically putting the best face on what some people might see as a bad situation. The candidate who was chosen as president, Sheikh Ghazi al Yawar, not known as being a strong supporter of the U.S. in Iraq and U.S. policies there. But we are expecting to hear from the president himself, around 11:30 this morning when he returns to the White House.
Right now, the president is speaking across town to the first national conference, White House National Conference On Faith-Based Initiatives. The president talking to an audience of nearly 2000 religious leaders there. But earlier this morning, national -- the White House National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, praised the new interim government that was named this morning in Iraq. Saying that this was a positive step -- positive step for the future of a free Iraq. She said that all of the candidates that had been mentioned were acceptable to the United States. And that any thoughts that the U.S. ever had a single candidate in this process was simply wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: The process by which he had to determine who was acceptable to the large -- largest number of Iraqis who might have the largest amount of support, was like any political process, lots of people coming in and talking. I'm sure that there were people lobbying. All kinds of things were going on. But I can tell you firmly and without any contradiction this is a terrific list, a really good government and we're very pleased with the names that have emerged.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, in recent televised interviews, Ghazi had criticized both the American presence in Iraq and attributed the deteriorating conditions as a blunder, but when I asked the national security adviser about that, she said that these are not American puppets, and, surprise, surprise, politics is emerging in Iraq, in that part of being a free Democracy will be this give and take open dialogue, and she said that the United States would not react every time an Iraqi leader had some criticism of U.S. actions, either past, present or future.
COSTELLO: But, Kathleen, doesn't it go farther than that? Doesn't this new government in Iraq want sovereignty turned over sooner, and this new president, doesn't he want control of even the security situation in Iraq?
KOCH: He certainly does, and that is going to be a very difficult issue that the United States is going to have to deal with now. The national security adviser this morning said that she did not believe the issue of U.S. troops being in Iraq would be a problem, because she said even Iraqis believe, recognize the fact that they don't have the troops there right now to maintain order and, again, the U.S. is pushing very hard right now for a new resolution in the United Nations that would clarify this situation, but certainly France, Russia, Germany, other allies are pushing for something that, again, would give more sovereignty to Iraq, so it's going to be a tough situation.
COSTELLO: Kathleen Koch, live at the White House. This morning's political announcement was accompanied by another outburst of deadly violence not far from the coalition headquarters in Baghdad.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr following those developments.
Hello, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Carol. Well, let's reset developments just a bit, as we have now seen everywhere from Washington to Europe to Baghdad is now beginning to understand there are two key leaders now for the new Iraqi interim government. The largely ceremonial post of president announced today, it will in fact be this man Shaikh Ghazi al-Yawar, a Sunni. He will join Iyad Allawi, as he will be prime minister of Iraq, the two top leaders now.
Now, what has happened is the Iraqi Governing Council essentially has been dissolved, as this new interim government moves into place, awaiting the June 30th handover date officially from the coalition, but beginning to get things organized, staking out their position, staking out their positions with the Bush administration, what they want to see happen. Sheikh Ghazi spoke about his desire for full sovereignty for Iraq, laying down what some may see as a marker that the interim government will want more authority over the security situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEIKH GHAZI AL YAWR, IRAQ INTERIM PRESIDENT-DESIGNATE: We, the Iraqis, also look forward for being granted full sovereignty through a Security Council resolution to enable us to rebuild a free, independent, Democratic and federal unified homeland.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But, Carol, as you say, of course, all of this coming as there was more violence today in Iraq. A car bomb exploding outside a military base near Badjee (ph), killing 11 Iraqis, wounding 26, and just hours later, a car bomb near Baghdad's green zone killing three, wounding 20. So even as transition and the interim government gets well under way, security still the top challenge, and by all accounts now, the U.S., the coalition, and Iraqis talking about more precise arrangements, specific agreements about how that security situation will evolve, who will be in charge of various troops, how they will work together, what will happen if they decide not to go on a military operation together, and how to get those Iraqi security troops trained up as quickly as possible, so they can take over as much of the security situation as they possibly can -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nothing easy about any of those things. Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon.
If you're wondering what President Bush is thinking about all this and what he has to say, we expect him to speak at 11:30 Eastern Time. That's this morning from the Rose Garden. When he begins speaking, of course we'll take you there live.
A phone call that might have saved a life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 911 -- what's your emergency?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mom's sick? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does her heart hurt?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mommy, does your heart hurt?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: It's made by a child. We'll have her full story straight ahead.
And millions wake up to new Medicare benefits. Understanding the choices is another story. Mastering the maze, coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired June 1, 2004 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Carol Costello in for Daryn Kagan today.
An interim Iraq president is named and the announcement is met by a deadly explosion and gunfire. Officials say three Iraqis were killed and 20 were injured in a car bomb blast near coalition headquarters in Baghdad.
The killing continues in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, at least three people died in clashes between police angry mobs. The violence follows a bomb attack Monday on a Shiite Muslim mosque that killed at least 20 worshipers.
The Midwest still cleaning up in the wake in those severe storms, 10 people died as the storm spun off some 175 tornadoes. The weather system stretched from Texas to West Virginia, damaging homes, power lines and trees.
One of Seattle's monorail trains remains shut down this morning. Dozens of people had to be evacuated Monday after the train caught fire. Nine people were taken to hospitals and their injuries are not serious.
President Bush is hosting religious and community leaders in Washington. You are looking at a live picture of his National Conference On Faith-Based Community Initiatives. The president is pushing for legislation to help the needy by giving federal funding to religious service groups. He's urging attendees to lobby members of Congress after the event. We're also told Mr. Bush will be making remarks about the political developments in Iraq. He'll make those remarks shortly. And of course, we will carry those comments live.
As I just mentioned, a new interim Iraqi president is named and the U.S.-backed Iraqi Governing Council is no more. But on the heels of today's next step to sovereignty, violence.
Live to Baghdad now, and Harris Whitbeck to tell us more.
Hello, Harris.
HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Carol. The ceremony in which the interim government of Iraq was formally presented has just ended. A lot was said here today about the road that Iraq will now march on towards sovereignty, towards full sovereignty. That according to U.N. special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi who said it would be a difficult role, but that Iraq would have the full support of the United Nations and the international community. Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, who will take formal possession of his office next June 30, promised to bring Iraq out of the nightmare that it's been living.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
IYAD ALLAWI, INTERIM PRESIDENT, IRAQ (through translator): My pledge to you is to put every effort with my brothers and my colleagues to bring back Iraq. And to shun all kinds of forms of discrimination and weakness, so that this country would be one nation without murderers, without criminals, without bad ambitions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITBECK: Now, a lot said about some specific steps that the interim government would like to start taking. Among them, start reconstituting a strong Iraqi army. That in order to allow the country to defend its sovereignty and defend itself from, quote, "foreign aggression." Also word that military pensions would be restored here and that economic steps would be taken towards improving the livelihoods -- or the access to a better livelihood for millions of Iraqis.
All of this, Carol, comes amid the aftermath of a car bomb outside the Headquarters for the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, one of the political parties that has been quite active in Iraq recently. That car bomb, which was very powerful, left three people dead and 20 wounded. A lot of security around the site here in the Green Zone, where this event took place. There were fighter jets flying overhead, helicopters, snipers on rooftops; everything to prevent anything from marring what has been billed here as a very historic day -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Harris Whitbeck reporting live from Baghdad.
There are new reports out this morning that misconduct by U.S. soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan extends beyond prisons. Today's "Washington Post" reports the Army has opened investigations into at least 91 cases of possible misconduct. The probe includes alleged mistreatment of Iraqis in custody outside of detention centers, and cases of soldiers accused of stealing, money, jewelry and other property.
Turn to cnn.com for the latest news on the Iraqi handover. Our "Special Report, The New Iraq" has a section devoted to the transition of power.
It is about to begin. A year and a half after his pregnant wife and unborn baby were found dead, Scott Peterson goes on trial.
CNN's David Mattingly is up early in Redwood City, California. He has a preview for us.
I gather the media is already assembled? DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Carol. A great deal of anticipation today. Consider just how long this case has been going. It started as the mysterious disappearance of a pregnant housewife on Christmas Eve of 2002; it has now become the most talked about capital murder trial of 2004. But just under two hours from now, Scott Peterson will go on trial for the murders of his wife, Laci, and their unborn child.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY (voice-over): The next time Scott Peterson steps into court, his every move and expression will be under scrutiny of a jury of six men and six women, charged with the difficult question. Is he truly a remorseless and deceitful killer, who prosecutors say murdered his pregnant wife Laci and dumped her body in the waters of San Francisco Bay?
CHUCK SMITH, FMR. HOMICIDE PROSECUTOR: That is the theme and arguing to the jury that he's such a good liar, he's going to lie to you.
MATTINGLY: There is already no doubt that Peterson was a cheating husband. Girlfriend, Amber Frye, says he convinced her he was a widower, saying he believed that they had a future together. Words that prosecutors plan to use against him, along with wiretaps as they attack his credibility.
But the case against Peterson is largely circumstantial, with no murder weapon, no clear cause of death or murder scene. Defense attorney Mark Geragos will argue investigators ignored credible witnesses, reporting a mysterious van in the neighborhood the morning of Laci's reported disappearance.
SMITH: One measure of doubt based on fact, based on evidence, that's all he has to establish.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: And both sides have been allotted today about two hours for those all-important opening arguments and expect to have a long trial, Carol. Everyone estimating, and if their estimates are true, we won't get a verdict in this case possibly until Thanksgiving.
COSTELLO: Ugh! So that is your brand new home for quite a while. Thank you, David Mattingly, reporting live from Redwood City California.
Let's head to Washington, D.C. now to the State Department. Secretary of State Colin Powell answering reporters' questions, let's listen in.
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: And when the list got narrow, it was really a judgment that had to be made between Iraqi leaders, Mr. Brahimi, and in consultation, of course, with the United States. But it is not a question of anyone's candidate of losing. We're pleased that a qualified number of candidates were available for the top positions. and I'm very pleased with the outcome. It's exactly what we wanted Mr. Brahimi to do and he has performed his task very, very well.
We will now move forward on our work with the resolution. I expect that there will be discussions in New York today on the revised resolution. And representatives from the new interim government are heading to New York to participate in those discussions toward the end of the week. And we'll also be in discussions with members of the new Iraqi interim government on the basis upon which coalition forces will be in Iraq, and the relationship between the Iraqi interim government and coalition military forces. And so, I think it's been a good day for the Iraqi people.
There are still those terrorists who are determined to try to keep the Iraqi people from achieving democracy and freedom. But we determined that they will be defeated. And so the president's Five- Point Plan, that he announced at Carlisle last week, is now unfolding. And the first step is there with the appointment of an Iraqi interim government.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Secretary...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Georgian Television. Mr. Powell, did you discuss the question about Abkhazia and how we are going to help Georgia resolve this problem? Thank you sir.
POWELL: Yes, we discussed Abjara, South Ossetia, Abkhazia...
COSTELLO: We're going to jump away from Secretary of State Colin Powell talking about, of course, the new interim president just named today in Iraq. And of course, he was also talking about that U.N. resolution, which will be pushed by Iraqis. Iraqis wanting full sovereignty for their country.
President Bush, by the way, will talk about the new Iraqi interim government shortly in an appearance from the Rose Garden. That has been set for 11:30 Eastern this morning, CNN will bring you those comments as well live.
Prosecutors want him to pay with his life already behind bars for the Oklahoma City bombing. Now, Terry Nichols faces the ultimate punishment. That story from the courtroom coming up.
Also, deadly storms aftermath. This morning, things are looking up in the Hoosier State though.
And later, how losing weight can help you find more than just your waistline. Hear one woman's personal story, "Passing For Thin." We'll talk with her just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The penalty phase is underway in the Terry Nichols trial. Jurors will hear testimony and then decide whether Nichols should receive the death penalty for his part in the Oklahoma City bombing. CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is only two miles from the courthouse here in McAllister to the state prison, where Oklahoma has its death row. And Terry Nichols is closer now than ever before. The same jury that needed only five hours to find Nichols guilty on more than 160 counts of murder in the Oklahoma City bombing, begins hearing testimony today on whether it should sentence Nichols to life or death.
A few blocks away, McAllister's Park has a memorial walk flanked by 19 dogwood trees; one planted for each child who died in the bombing attack. We asked Memorial Day visitors here what their choice would be.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would probably say death.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
I just feel that it was just the ultimate act of terrorism against our country to plot something so heinous on our own soil.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The magnitude of the damage that they did, the selfishness that was involved. I mean the irresponsibility. I mean I would go for the death penalty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Life, they have time to think about what they've done. And it's really harder on them than it is to just get death and it's over with in a few minutes.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): Nichols did not testify in either his previous federal trial or in this state trial, nor is he expected to take the stand now. Holding his silence till the end even with his life at stake.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, McAllister Oklahoma.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Cleaning up after a stormy mess. Homeowners in the heartland try to reclaim whatever they can. So what's next for them? Jacqui will have the forecast coming up.
And just 29 days to go before the handover of power in Iraq, signs of hope amidst the violence. That when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Jacqui Jeras, are you listening?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
COSTELLO: You are because I know what a big tennis fan you are.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: We have an update from the French Open. Jennifer Capriati defeats Serena Williams. Can you believe it? That means we won't get to watch Serena's outfits anymore. Anyway, Capriati will next meet either Venus Williams, who is the fourth seed. Or Anastasia Myskina, she is the Russian sixth seed in the French Open. So again, Jennifer Capriati beating Serena Williams. Excitement.
Got that, Jacqui?
JERAS: That's huge.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Several areas of the mid section of the United States are mopping up after a major weather mess in parts of Illinois. The severe storms reduced homes to scraps of lumber, downed trees being chopped and cleared. The power company says power is back on for most customers in the Chicago area. At one point, 35,000 people had to do with no electricity. Not pleasant.
JERAS: Not pleasant.
COSTELLO: But is the weather getting better for them?
JERAS: Absolutely, yes. In fact, it's a slight risk. I'm still having a hard time getting me beyond the tennis things.
(LAUGHTER)
JERAS: Sorry.
COSTELLO: She just told me...
JERAS: It's ruined my day!
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: She told me during the break that she thought tennis was the most boring sport. So that's...
JERAS: Ah!! Don't say that!
COSTELLO: I know.
JERAS: The hate mails are coming in now. All right, this day is going downhill fast.
COSTELLO: I ruined her image.
COSTELLO: I'll never mention tennis again to you, I promise. Thank you, Jacqui.
JERAS: OK.
COSTELLO: Former enemies can become friends. It just takes a little longer for some people and for some countries.
CNN's Jim Bittermann looks at how D-Day ceremonies are changing and one couple whose lives mirror those changes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The anniversary of their longest day approaches. The old soldiers gather for the free lunches honoring their deeds. But this D-Day remembrance is different from past ones. This time, you may hear Germans spoken at the table.
(on camera): For the first time in 60 years, in the person of its chancellor, has been invite to take part in the D-Day ceremonies. And it will be finally be said that those who fought on these sides of these guns have officially reconciled their differences.
(voice-over): But coming to terms with the past has not been easy. Ask Hans Flindt. He was one of an estimated 40,000 German soldiers who never went home after D-Day. By the time he was released from an allied POW camp, his hometown in Germany was under the control of the Soviet Union. So he stayed on in Normandy and married a French girl.
HANS FLINDT, GERMAN WORLD WAR II VETERAN (through translator): The atmosphere in the beginning was brutal. There were many who didn't understand. They called us "krauts." It doesn't mean anything unless someone adds the words, "dirty krauts."
BITTERMANN: Marie Therese Flindt's family disowned her for marrying Hans. Friends and neighbors shunned the young couple.
MARIE THERESE HANS, WIFE (through translator): Believe me, it was difficult. Here I am married to a German, who only three days earlier was our enemy. Even our daughter suffered from remarks. The kids were never invited to do local events.
BITTERMANN: Gradually though, Hans, who is a good mechanic, won many friends by helping his neighbors. Marie Therese says she has finally patched things up with her family. Still, six decades later when the village sent out invitations for a victory in Europe day commemorations, one name was not on the list.
T. FLINDT (through translator): Look what I got from the mayor! My husband is not invited!
BITTERMANN: In villages and churches this anniversary, Europeans are looking back on the war through nearly 60 years of peace. But at cemeteries not far from the D-Day beaches, German and allied soldiers lie buried next to one each other because Europe's reconciliation was too long in coming.
Jim Bittermann, CNN, in Normandy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And back here in the United States at the Rose Garden, President Bush is, well, he's supposed to begin speaking at 11:30 Eastern. He's going to talk about faith-based initiatives and also about the new interim Iraqi president named this morning.
Also later, a life spent waiting in the wings. One woman's transition to a normal life after shedding almost 200 pounds! We'll talk to the author of "Passing For Thin."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Checking the stories making headlines right now.
The Iraqi Governing Council dissolved itself today after naming Sheikh Ghazi al Yawar to become Iraq's interim president. The council's role was advisory to the U.S.-led coalition, which will keep sovereignty until June 30.
Firefighters in southwestern Florida are hoping to contain a 1300-acre wildfire. Heavy smoke and ash from the fire has forced the Florida Gulf Coast University to close its campus today. No buildings are now threatened, though.
Women who've agreed to do a multibillion-dollar settlement in a silicone implant lawsuit will begin getting paid this month. A judge had set today as the effective date for Dow Corning settlement with 360,000 plaintiffs. Dow Corning says it emerges today from a Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
U.N. peacekeepers begin their security mission in Haiti today. The U.N. force will total fewer than 10,000 troops and police from 30 countries. U.S. troops, who've headed a four-nation contingent, will stay past today's departure date. The Americans now helping with flood relief.
You can be sure the White House has been watching the news in Baghdad closely. There is reaction this morning to the interim government's appointment.
For that and more, we go live to Kathleen Koch.
Hello, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, the White House right now is basically putting the best face on what some people might see as a bad situation. The candidate who was chosen as president, Sheikh Ghazi al Yawar, not known as being a strong supporter of the U.S. in Iraq and U.S. policies there. But we are expecting to hear from the president himself, around 11:30 this morning when he returns to the White House.
Right now, the president is speaking across town to the first national conference, White House National Conference On Faith-Based Initiatives. The president talking to an audience of nearly 2000 religious leaders there. But earlier this morning, national -- the White House National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, praised the new interim government that was named this morning in Iraq. Saying that this was a positive step -- positive step for the future of a free Iraq. She said that all of the candidates that had been mentioned were acceptable to the United States. And that any thoughts that the U.S. ever had a single candidate in this process was simply wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: The process by which he had to determine who was acceptable to the large -- largest number of Iraqis who might have the largest amount of support, was like any political process, lots of people coming in and talking. I'm sure that there were people lobbying. All kinds of things were going on. But I can tell you firmly and without any contradiction this is a terrific list, a really good government and we're very pleased with the names that have emerged.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, in recent televised interviews, Ghazi had criticized both the American presence in Iraq and attributed the deteriorating conditions as a blunder, but when I asked the national security adviser about that, she said that these are not American puppets, and, surprise, surprise, politics is emerging in Iraq, in that part of being a free Democracy will be this give and take open dialogue, and she said that the United States would not react every time an Iraqi leader had some criticism of U.S. actions, either past, present or future.
COSTELLO: But, Kathleen, doesn't it go farther than that? Doesn't this new government in Iraq want sovereignty turned over sooner, and this new president, doesn't he want control of even the security situation in Iraq?
KOCH: He certainly does, and that is going to be a very difficult issue that the United States is going to have to deal with now. The national security adviser this morning said that she did not believe the issue of U.S. troops being in Iraq would be a problem, because she said even Iraqis believe, recognize the fact that they don't have the troops there right now to maintain order and, again, the U.S. is pushing very hard right now for a new resolution in the United Nations that would clarify this situation, but certainly France, Russia, Germany, other allies are pushing for something that, again, would give more sovereignty to Iraq, so it's going to be a tough situation.
COSTELLO: Kathleen Koch, live at the White House. This morning's political announcement was accompanied by another outburst of deadly violence not far from the coalition headquarters in Baghdad.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr following those developments.
Hello, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Carol. Well, let's reset developments just a bit, as we have now seen everywhere from Washington to Europe to Baghdad is now beginning to understand there are two key leaders now for the new Iraqi interim government. The largely ceremonial post of president announced today, it will in fact be this man Shaikh Ghazi al-Yawar, a Sunni. He will join Iyad Allawi, as he will be prime minister of Iraq, the two top leaders now.
Now, what has happened is the Iraqi Governing Council essentially has been dissolved, as this new interim government moves into place, awaiting the June 30th handover date officially from the coalition, but beginning to get things organized, staking out their position, staking out their positions with the Bush administration, what they want to see happen. Sheikh Ghazi spoke about his desire for full sovereignty for Iraq, laying down what some may see as a marker that the interim government will want more authority over the security situation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEIKH GHAZI AL YAWR, IRAQ INTERIM PRESIDENT-DESIGNATE: We, the Iraqis, also look forward for being granted full sovereignty through a Security Council resolution to enable us to rebuild a free, independent, Democratic and federal unified homeland.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: But, Carol, as you say, of course, all of this coming as there was more violence today in Iraq. A car bomb exploding outside a military base near Badjee (ph), killing 11 Iraqis, wounding 26, and just hours later, a car bomb near Baghdad's green zone killing three, wounding 20. So even as transition and the interim government gets well under way, security still the top challenge, and by all accounts now, the U.S., the coalition, and Iraqis talking about more precise arrangements, specific agreements about how that security situation will evolve, who will be in charge of various troops, how they will work together, what will happen if they decide not to go on a military operation together, and how to get those Iraqi security troops trained up as quickly as possible, so they can take over as much of the security situation as they possibly can -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nothing easy about any of those things. Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon.
If you're wondering what President Bush is thinking about all this and what he has to say, we expect him to speak at 11:30 Eastern Time. That's this morning from the Rose Garden. When he begins speaking, of course we'll take you there live.
A phone call that might have saved a life.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 911 -- what's your emergency?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My mom's sick? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does her heart hurt?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mommy, does your heart hurt?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: It's made by a child. We'll have her full story straight ahead.
And millions wake up to new Medicare benefits. Understanding the choices is another story. Mastering the maze, coming up on CNN LIVE TODAY.
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