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CNN Live Today
Bush Attending European Union Meeting in Ireland; New Video of Murdered South Korean Hostage Fuels Anger; Critic Lukewarm on Michael Moore Movie
Aired June 25, 2004 - 11:00 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.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: It is 11 a.m. on the East Coast and 8 a.m. on the West Coast. From CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning, once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Topping the news at this hour, President Bush is traveling overseas for two high-profile summits. First stop, just a few hours from now, will be Shannon, Ireland, for tomorrow's European Union meeting.
Then it's on to Turkey for next week's NATO summit. For a preview of the first leg of the trip, let's go to CNN's Chris Burns. He is in Ennis, Ireland -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Daryn. Very bitterly debated visit by President Bush. Look at all these newspapers here on the front page. Look at all these tanks. That is part of the security that is going to be provided for President Bush when he's here.
Here's another headline that has to do with the tanks, as well. A little play on words: "Tanks for dropping in, Dubya."
A lot of people saying that that is just over the top. Even the mayor of Shannon says that there shouldn't have been all those tanks.
That is part of the security that we're seeing here. Also, thousands, 6,000 troops and police, together, patrolling here during this summit. As well as planes in the air, helicopters, closed circuit television, and watching these protesters.
There could be several thousand protesters. Organizers are calling for some 10,000 people to show up here, including the mayor of Shannon himself, who was just re-elected last week on an anti-war ticket. And he's saying that Shannon airport should no longer be used as a byway, as a gas station, as it were, for U.S. troops going to Iraq.
Now, there was also sparks flying last night on the Irish television. There was an interview with President Bush last night, in which the Irish interviewer challenged President Bush, saying the most -- most Irish people believe the world is a more dangerous place because of U.S. policy.
Here's President Bush's response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I do believe the world is a safer place and becoming a safer place. I know that a free Iraq is going to be necessary, part of changing the world.
Listen, people join terrorist organizations because there's no hope. And there's no chance to raise their families in a -- in a peaceful world where there is not freedom.
And so the idea is to promote freedom and at the same time, protect our security. And I do believe the world is becoming a better place, absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Prime Minister Bertie Ahern will be greeting President Bush when he comes here to Dromoland Castle, not far from here, along with other European Union officials, for that summit.
Mr. Ahern has said that he believes closer -- and very close ties between the U.S. and Europe are extremely important, both because due to some $2.5 trillion in business a year. Some 12 million jobs on both sides of the Atlantic hang in the balance.
Back to you.
KAGAN: Chris Burns from Ireland. Chris, thank you.
Fighting in Fallujah tops our situation report from Iraq, just five days before the handover of power.
Explosions and gunfire echoed across the city today. At least seven Iraqis were killed in a second day of fighting between insurgents and coalition forces.
Fighters in Fallujah issued a taped statement today, denying that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is holed up there. Today, coalition forces launched another strike on the safe house said to be linked to the terrorist mastermind. It was the third strike this week.
New videotape has emerged of a South Korean hostage beheaded by his captors in Iraq. The tape is fueling anger against the South Korean government and raising questions about its response to the crisis.
CNN's Sohn Jie-Ae reports from Seoul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): South Korean TV showed video of Kim Sun-Il, talking to what it believed to be his captors.
KIM SUN-IL, MURDERED HOSTAGE: I want to say to George Bush, George Bush is (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He's a terrorist because when I was in Korea, I saw the Iraqi and American war by television. And when I saw the television I knew George Bush and America attacked here because of oil, Iraqi oil. So I don't like George Bush. I don't like oil America.
SOHN: The video is starkly different from the one released three days ago, in which Kim pleads for his life. In this one, Kim is calm, clean shaven, and talks with someone off camera.
Associated Press Television News says it obtained tape nearly three weeks ago and asked the foreign ministry in Seoul about Kim. A.P. says the government said it had no reports of a South Korean missing in Iraq.
South Korea's foreign minister, Ban Ki-Moon, testified before the national assembly today that the ministry was unaware of Kim's kidnapping until three days ago. But the minister said he was looking into A.P.'s contention they told the government much earlier.
The new footage is fueling growing public anger against the government.
This woman says the government should have done everything they could, even give in to the kidnapper's demand of withdrawing South Korean troops from Iraq and scrapping plans to send 3,000 more in order to save Kim's life.
Grief stricken family members at Kim Sun-Il's funeral altar vented their anger at officials paying their respects.
"Why were the results of the negotiations so late?" shouts Kim's sister.
(on camera) A leaflet distributed by anti-war protesters accuses the government of abandoning Kim Sun-Il. A feeling likely to strengthen if it turns out that the government was told about Kim's capture three weeks ago and did nothing.
Sohn Jie-Ae, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: For the first time since the start of the war, most Americans say the U.S. made a mistake in sending troops to invade Iraq.
A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, 54 percent now say it was a mistake to send troops to Iraq. That compares to 41 percent three weeks ago.
Only 37 percent of respondents say the war in Iraq has made the U.S. safer from terrorism. That is down from 56 percent in December. Fifty-five percent say it has not made the U.S. safer. That is up from 33 percent in an earlier poll.
All this week, we've been taking the pulse of the world about Iraq. Today, the view from the U.S. Tune in to a live town hall meeting on the "AMERICAN PULSE." That's today at 1 p.m. Eastern, 10 a.m. Pacific here on CNN.
Former President Bill Clinton says that if democracy in Iraq succeeds, it could help promote reform in the Middle East. But Mr. Clinton says that President Bush should have shown more patience in his decision to invade Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't approve of the timing. I didn't agree with his timing.
I think we should have let Mr. Blix finish the inspections. We could have invaded and toppled Saddam Hussein at anytime. His military was less the half it was than at the Gulf War and we were in better shape militarily.
And I knew this was going to be quite a project, so I'd prefer to let the weapons inspection play out and put more military personnel and more effort into Afghanistan to stabilize Mr. Karzai and to try to get bin Laden and Dr. al-Zawahiri and the other top aides.
But we are where we are. You can't undo history. We've lost over 600 young Americans there since the military victory was declared.
So now that everybody in the world has an interest in seeing a pluralistic, secure, safe Iraq. It may take four or five years, but if they can succeed at self-governance and observing basic human rights and treat the Sunni, the Shi'a, and the Kurds fairly, if they can do this, it might be a positive thing to provoke -- promote reform throughout the Arab world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Clinton says that returning sovereignty to a representative government in Iraq should be a top priority at this time.
Americans and other foreigners living and working in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to carry weapons for the first time. Until now, only government security forces in the kingdom were allowed to carry weapons.
The major shift in policy follows the recent terror attacks against foreign nationals in Saudi Arabia. Foreigners will have to apply for a license before they're able to arm themselves.
It could be a bombshell in the Scott Peterson murder trial. Up next, find out what a boat, a hair and a detective in the hot seat could mean for the defense.
Also, how much of the Michael Jackson case should we be allowed to see and hear? That's at the center of a hearing today in Santa Maria, California.
And "Fahrenheit 9/11" finally burns its way into U.S. theaters, but is it worth your time and your money?
CNN LIVE TODAY is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's look at our legal briefs this hour.
A police detective admits that he never mentioned a witness who might helped prove Scott Peterson innocent of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son. The witness was a woman who said that she saw Peterson's wife at the warehouse where he stored his boat. The prosecution claims that Peterson hid his boat from his wife.
Michael Jackson will not be at his pretrial hearing that is planned for today in Santa Maria, California. The session is expected to focus on the secrecy surrounding court proceedings. News organizations are asking that the sealed search warrants and a grand jury transcript be made public. The media is also expected to complain about the judge conducting private hearings by phone.
"Fahrenheit 9/11" is heating up the box office this weekend. In our last hour, a chance to talk with director Michael Moore about his controversial project. Here is what he had to say when I asked him about the military draft.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: No, I'm suggesting that we draft -- whenever they want to go to war, they draft the children of our politicians and the wealthiest 10 percent. I would favor a draft for the children of those people.
Because I'll tell you what, if their kids had to go and die in this war, we'd have -- we wouldn't have any wars, unless it was in the true self-defense of this country. And that's not what this war is about. And we all know it now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: It was a spirited discussion.
"Fahrenheit 9/11" opens nationwide today, but some who have seen it say it has left them cold. Film critic Michael Medved sat through it. Can you believe it? He's joining us from Seattle this morning.
Michael, good morning.
MICHAEL MEDVED, FILM CRITIC: Well, good morning. It didn't take as long to sit through the film as to read Bill Clinton's book but...
KAGAN: It's a painful, painful week for conservatives, isn't it? MEDVED: Actually, it's -- First of all, it's kind of fun to see some of the reviews for President Clinton's book. But leave that aside.
KAGAN: OK.
MEDVED: This movie -- I've liked Michael Moore movies in the past in terms of motion picture making.
KAGAN: Right. And that's -- When they showed me that you were booked today, I said, "You know what? Michael Medved is the perfect person to talk to, because you are a film critic and you also have some conservative views."
So just for a second...
MEDVED: Yes.
KAGAN: ... put the political views aside. Just as a movie, as a documentary, how is "Fahrenheit 9/11"?
MEDVED: Well, first of all, Daryn, that's the right question. And as a documentary it doesn't work, because there's no point of view here. In other words, the only point of view is Bush is bad. But...
KAGAN: Well, that's a point of view.
MEDVED: Well, no it's not. Because is he bad because he's an idiot and a bumbler? Is he bad because he's an evil genius?
By the end, Moore throws up everything against Bush, including the idea that he doesn't floss regularly and he kicks his dog. I mean, and it becomes a bit ridiculous.
Let me give you an example. The first third of the movie is all about the Bush/Saudi connection and how Bush is owned by the Saudi Arabians and he has these long-standing contacts with the bin Laden family.
But then he goes into the Iraq war, without ever coming to terms with the fact that Saudi Arabia opposed that war. If Saudi Arabia controls George Bush, then why did we go to Iraq when the Saudis told us not to?
KAGAN: Anybody who's seen Michael Moore movies knows they kind of -- you have to kind of buckle your seat belt. He kind of does tend to go all over place.
MEDVED: Well, you do. But you see, generally, "Bowling for Columbine" had a view of America and then advanced that entire view.
This film throws so many different things at you, and they can't all be true. I mean, it's just one of those things. Are American soldiers innocent victims, or are they brutal, vicious killers?
I think one of the things that's going to bother most people who see film is that, for everything Michael Moore says about his sympathy for G.I.'s and for people in the military, this is a very, very anti- military film. There's a segment with two Marine recruiters who are portrayed almost diabolically, going out and trying to look for people, to trick them into joining the military.
And for those people who are making sacrifices for this country every day, I think they're going to be very angry when they see this film.
And it's not entertaining. It's not funny. There are a few moments of humor in it. But unlike "Bowling for Columbine," which was consistently funny and trenchant, and I didn't like the politics of the film but its entertainment value was there.
This film has one brief segment where he sort of does a rip on the old TV show "Bonanza," using the faces of Tony Blair and George Bush and Don Rumsfeld. And that's funny.
KAGAN: OK.
MEDVED: But there's almost nothing like that.
KAGAN: I think it's interesting that you say it doesn't have a point of view, because there's so much criticism of it as a documentary. I've heard that it does have a point of view and that it shouldn't. But interesting point on your part. What about...
MEDVED: But it's not a consistent point of view.
KAGAN: OK. OK. I understand that. And I did share with Michael Moore that the one time they had the screening here in Atlanta for the media was when I was on the air so I have not been able to see the movie. I think that's a conspiracy he needs to look into.
MEDVED: Absolutely. Why are they keeping us from going to see it?
KAGAN: That's exactly. Let's move to the next topic. What about the "R" rating? That was controversial. Does it deserve an "R" rating?
MEDVED: Of course it deserves an "R" rating. I mean, Michael Moore didn't just fall off the turnip truck or the watermelon truck or whatever. If you have a movie that uses the "MF" word and a few people know what I'm talking about...
KAGAN: Including the vice president.
MEDVED: Right. No. This is a movie that uses the "F" word, which you and I can't say because of the FCC right now.
KAGAN: Right.
MEDVED: It uses that word at least five times. If you're going to use that word without bleeping it out, you're going to get an "R" rating. What Moore was asking for special pleading, saying that the left wing message of this movie is so important that we want to bend all the rules about ratings. I mean, look, it's an "R" rating. It's for adults. If parents really want to take their children, an "R" rating means that children can go, but they must have a parent or an adult accompany them.
KAGAN: If a parent wants to see that.
What about -- I want your insight from the movie industry here. The brilliance, the luck, whatever, however it played out of how this whole distribution deal worked out, the incredible publicity he got because Disney was not going to release this movie.
MEDVED: Yes. Well, first of all, there is evidence that he knew months and months in advance that there were problems of releasing this through Miramax and Disney.
Look, Michael Moore played this like a violin. The publicity has been outstanding here for here. But I will be interested to see -- I know people are expecting tremendous box office success.
I don't think you're going to see this as one of the big blockbusters of the year. It will do well as a documentary, because of all the controversy. But the people who will enjoy this film are people who already share its point of view. People in the middle or who are nonpolitical will feel that they're being shouted at and lectured and feel his hot, garlicky breath right in our face.
KAGAN: Now how do you know Michael Moore has hot, garlicky breath? Have you ever been that close?
MEDVED: Actually, yes in fact, I interviewed him close up. And you know, one of the problems with Michael Moore is you're never more than a half an inch away from the director himself. And that can make for some interesting filmmaking, but when he's in his angry mood and lecturing you, rather than entertaining you, it can make for a long sit.
KAGAN: Well, a different point of view on the movie. Michael Medved, thank you for your time from Seattle.
MEDVED: Thank you. This is the other M.M.
KAGAN: Exactly. I was thinking that. We had Michael Moore and Michael Medved. And two very different opinions.
MEDVED: Absolutely.
KAGAN: Enjoyed both.
MEDVED: Thank you.
KAGAN: Coming up, we're going to take a look at how Capitol Hill is reacting to "Fahrenheit 9/11". That's in our next half hour. But up first, Pat O'Brien, one of the well known faces on television, he is leaving "Access Hollywood." He has a few choice words for one of his co-hosts before he goes. It was an e-mail that has become very public. We're going to peak just ahead with the "Buzz on the Web."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Time to check the Friday "Buzz on the Web." But first, an update on the alleged spam scam affecting millions of AOL subscribers.
AOL's Regina Lewis joins us. She is from Dulles, Virginia.
Regina, good morning.
REGINA LEWIS, AOL: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: Want to get to our usual buzz in just a minute. But I know there are millions of AOL members out there who are concerned about their e-mail address now being in the hands of spammers.
LEWIS: Well, actually, right now, that list is in the hands of law enforcement, and the two people involved are looking at jail time. Serious stuff and a serious response.
I think what consumers are most interested in, and what they most need to know, is that no credit card information was taken. So that's the big issue that a lot of people are concerned about and there's no worry there.
KAGAN: Anything. OK, we could talk about that for a long time. Other issues to get to on the Web. Virtual -- virtue for sale. Is this what I think we're talking about?
LEWIS: Yes. Very interesting. Young David Barty, a 19-year-old from Britain, has an interesting thing on his summer to do list. He would like to lose his virginity.
KAGAN: And what 19- or 18-year-old would not?
LEWIS: Well, his approach might a little different.
KAGAN: OK.
LEWIS: He put this up for auction on eBay, and actually at one point the bids were up about 11 grand. He had eight solid ones before they pulled it. This is a violation of their policies.
So he, of course, now has his own web site where you can meet his parents, chat with him. He's very committed to this goal. Also seemed to be committed to breaking into media. So heck of a start for him.
KAGAN: We just gave him a little boost up there.
Different type of media. "American Idol" long over, and yet Fantasia and Diana, that competition goes on, on the Web.
LEWIS: Of course. Yes, and we've talked about "American Idol" a lot. What's interesting here: now that they've started to release their singles, is the expectation and the ratings.
On AOL Music you can say thumb's up, thumb's down, liked it, didn't. Diana DeGarmo's fans -- here you see Fantasia singing "Sunshine" -- are a little more forgiving. I think they skew younger. I know that from having spent time on the message boards and looking at the spelling. I think we're talking a very big under 12 crowd. And they think she's just over the moon. And so she gets higher ratings.
KAGAN: And finally, how many of us who have sent e-mail have not thought twice before you click on the send button? Big lesson for Pat O'Brien.
LEWIS: Big lesson. Pat broke the cardinal rule, and he didn't count to ten. And he sent one when he was angry. He should have sent it to himself. And I bet he's regretting this.
He's departing "Access Hollywood." And had a few words -- he called it "tough love" -- for Shaun Robinson. Emphasis on the word "tough." This is off the chart, line by line. "You can't imagine how disliked you are. If you don't fix this, you'll surely end up back on local television."
You know, needless to say, it wasn't a farewell kiss.
KAGAN: No. And they probably won't be working together anytime soon in the near future.
LEWIS: I don't think so.
KAGAN: No. Thanks you much. Regina Lewis. We'll be working with you very soon, however. Thanks for stopping by.
LEWIS: Great.
KAGAN: Appreciate it.
Well, pay attention, it is the kind of thing that will be a trivia question in ten years. A surprising confrontation on the Senate floor leads to a -- well, not exactly the kind of word you expect coming from the vice president. We will explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired June 25, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: It is 11 a.m. on the East Coast and 8 a.m. on the West Coast. From CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning, once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Topping the news at this hour, President Bush is traveling overseas for two high-profile summits. First stop, just a few hours from now, will be Shannon, Ireland, for tomorrow's European Union meeting.
Then it's on to Turkey for next week's NATO summit. For a preview of the first leg of the trip, let's go to CNN's Chris Burns. He is in Ennis, Ireland -- Chris.
CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, hello, Daryn. Very bitterly debated visit by President Bush. Look at all these newspapers here on the front page. Look at all these tanks. That is part of the security that is going to be provided for President Bush when he's here.
Here's another headline that has to do with the tanks, as well. A little play on words: "Tanks for dropping in, Dubya."
A lot of people saying that that is just over the top. Even the mayor of Shannon says that there shouldn't have been all those tanks.
That is part of the security that we're seeing here. Also, thousands, 6,000 troops and police, together, patrolling here during this summit. As well as planes in the air, helicopters, closed circuit television, and watching these protesters.
There could be several thousand protesters. Organizers are calling for some 10,000 people to show up here, including the mayor of Shannon himself, who was just re-elected last week on an anti-war ticket. And he's saying that Shannon airport should no longer be used as a byway, as a gas station, as it were, for U.S. troops going to Iraq.
Now, there was also sparks flying last night on the Irish television. There was an interview with President Bush last night, in which the Irish interviewer challenged President Bush, saying the most -- most Irish people believe the world is a more dangerous place because of U.S. policy.
Here's President Bush's response.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I do believe the world is a safer place and becoming a safer place. I know that a free Iraq is going to be necessary, part of changing the world.
Listen, people join terrorist organizations because there's no hope. And there's no chance to raise their families in a -- in a peaceful world where there is not freedom.
And so the idea is to promote freedom and at the same time, protect our security. And I do believe the world is becoming a better place, absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BURNS: Prime Minister Bertie Ahern will be greeting President Bush when he comes here to Dromoland Castle, not far from here, along with other European Union officials, for that summit.
Mr. Ahern has said that he believes closer -- and very close ties between the U.S. and Europe are extremely important, both because due to some $2.5 trillion in business a year. Some 12 million jobs on both sides of the Atlantic hang in the balance.
Back to you.
KAGAN: Chris Burns from Ireland. Chris, thank you.
Fighting in Fallujah tops our situation report from Iraq, just five days before the handover of power.
Explosions and gunfire echoed across the city today. At least seven Iraqis were killed in a second day of fighting between insurgents and coalition forces.
Fighters in Fallujah issued a taped statement today, denying that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is holed up there. Today, coalition forces launched another strike on the safe house said to be linked to the terrorist mastermind. It was the third strike this week.
New videotape has emerged of a South Korean hostage beheaded by his captors in Iraq. The tape is fueling anger against the South Korean government and raising questions about its response to the crisis.
CNN's Sohn Jie-Ae reports from Seoul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): South Korean TV showed video of Kim Sun-Il, talking to what it believed to be his captors.
KIM SUN-IL, MURDERED HOSTAGE: I want to say to George Bush, George Bush is (UNINTELLIGIBLE). He's a terrorist because when I was in Korea, I saw the Iraqi and American war by television. And when I saw the television I knew George Bush and America attacked here because of oil, Iraqi oil. So I don't like George Bush. I don't like oil America.
SOHN: The video is starkly different from the one released three days ago, in which Kim pleads for his life. In this one, Kim is calm, clean shaven, and talks with someone off camera.
Associated Press Television News says it obtained tape nearly three weeks ago and asked the foreign ministry in Seoul about Kim. A.P. says the government said it had no reports of a South Korean missing in Iraq.
South Korea's foreign minister, Ban Ki-Moon, testified before the national assembly today that the ministry was unaware of Kim's kidnapping until three days ago. But the minister said he was looking into A.P.'s contention they told the government much earlier.
The new footage is fueling growing public anger against the government.
This woman says the government should have done everything they could, even give in to the kidnapper's demand of withdrawing South Korean troops from Iraq and scrapping plans to send 3,000 more in order to save Kim's life.
Grief stricken family members at Kim Sun-Il's funeral altar vented their anger at officials paying their respects.
"Why were the results of the negotiations so late?" shouts Kim's sister.
(on camera) A leaflet distributed by anti-war protesters accuses the government of abandoning Kim Sun-Il. A feeling likely to strengthen if it turns out that the government was told about Kim's capture three weeks ago and did nothing.
Sohn Jie-Ae, CNN, Seoul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: For the first time since the start of the war, most Americans say the U.S. made a mistake in sending troops to invade Iraq.
A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, 54 percent now say it was a mistake to send troops to Iraq. That compares to 41 percent three weeks ago.
Only 37 percent of respondents say the war in Iraq has made the U.S. safer from terrorism. That is down from 56 percent in December. Fifty-five percent say it has not made the U.S. safer. That is up from 33 percent in an earlier poll.
All this week, we've been taking the pulse of the world about Iraq. Today, the view from the U.S. Tune in to a live town hall meeting on the "AMERICAN PULSE." That's today at 1 p.m. Eastern, 10 a.m. Pacific here on CNN.
Former President Bill Clinton says that if democracy in Iraq succeeds, it could help promote reform in the Middle East. But Mr. Clinton says that President Bush should have shown more patience in his decision to invade Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't approve of the timing. I didn't agree with his timing.
I think we should have let Mr. Blix finish the inspections. We could have invaded and toppled Saddam Hussein at anytime. His military was less the half it was than at the Gulf War and we were in better shape militarily.
And I knew this was going to be quite a project, so I'd prefer to let the weapons inspection play out and put more military personnel and more effort into Afghanistan to stabilize Mr. Karzai and to try to get bin Laden and Dr. al-Zawahiri and the other top aides.
But we are where we are. You can't undo history. We've lost over 600 young Americans there since the military victory was declared.
So now that everybody in the world has an interest in seeing a pluralistic, secure, safe Iraq. It may take four or five years, but if they can succeed at self-governance and observing basic human rights and treat the Sunni, the Shi'a, and the Kurds fairly, if they can do this, it might be a positive thing to provoke -- promote reform throughout the Arab world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Clinton says that returning sovereignty to a representative government in Iraq should be a top priority at this time.
Americans and other foreigners living and working in Saudi Arabia will be allowed to carry weapons for the first time. Until now, only government security forces in the kingdom were allowed to carry weapons.
The major shift in policy follows the recent terror attacks against foreign nationals in Saudi Arabia. Foreigners will have to apply for a license before they're able to arm themselves.
It could be a bombshell in the Scott Peterson murder trial. Up next, find out what a boat, a hair and a detective in the hot seat could mean for the defense.
Also, how much of the Michael Jackson case should we be allowed to see and hear? That's at the center of a hearing today in Santa Maria, California.
And "Fahrenheit 9/11" finally burns its way into U.S. theaters, but is it worth your time and your money?
CNN LIVE TODAY is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's look at our legal briefs this hour.
A police detective admits that he never mentioned a witness who might helped prove Scott Peterson innocent of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son. The witness was a woman who said that she saw Peterson's wife at the warehouse where he stored his boat. The prosecution claims that Peterson hid his boat from his wife.
Michael Jackson will not be at his pretrial hearing that is planned for today in Santa Maria, California. The session is expected to focus on the secrecy surrounding court proceedings. News organizations are asking that the sealed search warrants and a grand jury transcript be made public. The media is also expected to complain about the judge conducting private hearings by phone.
"Fahrenheit 9/11" is heating up the box office this weekend. In our last hour, a chance to talk with director Michael Moore about his controversial project. Here is what he had to say when I asked him about the military draft.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: No, I'm suggesting that we draft -- whenever they want to go to war, they draft the children of our politicians and the wealthiest 10 percent. I would favor a draft for the children of those people.
Because I'll tell you what, if their kids had to go and die in this war, we'd have -- we wouldn't have any wars, unless it was in the true self-defense of this country. And that's not what this war is about. And we all know it now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: It was a spirited discussion.
"Fahrenheit 9/11" opens nationwide today, but some who have seen it say it has left them cold. Film critic Michael Medved sat through it. Can you believe it? He's joining us from Seattle this morning.
Michael, good morning.
MICHAEL MEDVED, FILM CRITIC: Well, good morning. It didn't take as long to sit through the film as to read Bill Clinton's book but...
KAGAN: It's a painful, painful week for conservatives, isn't it? MEDVED: Actually, it's -- First of all, it's kind of fun to see some of the reviews for President Clinton's book. But leave that aside.
KAGAN: OK.
MEDVED: This movie -- I've liked Michael Moore movies in the past in terms of motion picture making.
KAGAN: Right. And that's -- When they showed me that you were booked today, I said, "You know what? Michael Medved is the perfect person to talk to, because you are a film critic and you also have some conservative views."
So just for a second...
MEDVED: Yes.
KAGAN: ... put the political views aside. Just as a movie, as a documentary, how is "Fahrenheit 9/11"?
MEDVED: Well, first of all, Daryn, that's the right question. And as a documentary it doesn't work, because there's no point of view here. In other words, the only point of view is Bush is bad. But...
KAGAN: Well, that's a point of view.
MEDVED: Well, no it's not. Because is he bad because he's an idiot and a bumbler? Is he bad because he's an evil genius?
By the end, Moore throws up everything against Bush, including the idea that he doesn't floss regularly and he kicks his dog. I mean, and it becomes a bit ridiculous.
Let me give you an example. The first third of the movie is all about the Bush/Saudi connection and how Bush is owned by the Saudi Arabians and he has these long-standing contacts with the bin Laden family.
But then he goes into the Iraq war, without ever coming to terms with the fact that Saudi Arabia opposed that war. If Saudi Arabia controls George Bush, then why did we go to Iraq when the Saudis told us not to?
KAGAN: Anybody who's seen Michael Moore movies knows they kind of -- you have to kind of buckle your seat belt. He kind of does tend to go all over place.
MEDVED: Well, you do. But you see, generally, "Bowling for Columbine" had a view of America and then advanced that entire view.
This film throws so many different things at you, and they can't all be true. I mean, it's just one of those things. Are American soldiers innocent victims, or are they brutal, vicious killers?
I think one of the things that's going to bother most people who see film is that, for everything Michael Moore says about his sympathy for G.I.'s and for people in the military, this is a very, very anti- military film. There's a segment with two Marine recruiters who are portrayed almost diabolically, going out and trying to look for people, to trick them into joining the military.
And for those people who are making sacrifices for this country every day, I think they're going to be very angry when they see this film.
And it's not entertaining. It's not funny. There are a few moments of humor in it. But unlike "Bowling for Columbine," which was consistently funny and trenchant, and I didn't like the politics of the film but its entertainment value was there.
This film has one brief segment where he sort of does a rip on the old TV show "Bonanza," using the faces of Tony Blair and George Bush and Don Rumsfeld. And that's funny.
KAGAN: OK.
MEDVED: But there's almost nothing like that.
KAGAN: I think it's interesting that you say it doesn't have a point of view, because there's so much criticism of it as a documentary. I've heard that it does have a point of view and that it shouldn't. But interesting point on your part. What about...
MEDVED: But it's not a consistent point of view.
KAGAN: OK. OK. I understand that. And I did share with Michael Moore that the one time they had the screening here in Atlanta for the media was when I was on the air so I have not been able to see the movie. I think that's a conspiracy he needs to look into.
MEDVED: Absolutely. Why are they keeping us from going to see it?
KAGAN: That's exactly. Let's move to the next topic. What about the "R" rating? That was controversial. Does it deserve an "R" rating?
MEDVED: Of course it deserves an "R" rating. I mean, Michael Moore didn't just fall off the turnip truck or the watermelon truck or whatever. If you have a movie that uses the "MF" word and a few people know what I'm talking about...
KAGAN: Including the vice president.
MEDVED: Right. No. This is a movie that uses the "F" word, which you and I can't say because of the FCC right now.
KAGAN: Right.
MEDVED: It uses that word at least five times. If you're going to use that word without bleeping it out, you're going to get an "R" rating. What Moore was asking for special pleading, saying that the left wing message of this movie is so important that we want to bend all the rules about ratings. I mean, look, it's an "R" rating. It's for adults. If parents really want to take their children, an "R" rating means that children can go, but they must have a parent or an adult accompany them.
KAGAN: If a parent wants to see that.
What about -- I want your insight from the movie industry here. The brilliance, the luck, whatever, however it played out of how this whole distribution deal worked out, the incredible publicity he got because Disney was not going to release this movie.
MEDVED: Yes. Well, first of all, there is evidence that he knew months and months in advance that there were problems of releasing this through Miramax and Disney.
Look, Michael Moore played this like a violin. The publicity has been outstanding here for here. But I will be interested to see -- I know people are expecting tremendous box office success.
I don't think you're going to see this as one of the big blockbusters of the year. It will do well as a documentary, because of all the controversy. But the people who will enjoy this film are people who already share its point of view. People in the middle or who are nonpolitical will feel that they're being shouted at and lectured and feel his hot, garlicky breath right in our face.
KAGAN: Now how do you know Michael Moore has hot, garlicky breath? Have you ever been that close?
MEDVED: Actually, yes in fact, I interviewed him close up. And you know, one of the problems with Michael Moore is you're never more than a half an inch away from the director himself. And that can make for some interesting filmmaking, but when he's in his angry mood and lecturing you, rather than entertaining you, it can make for a long sit.
KAGAN: Well, a different point of view on the movie. Michael Medved, thank you for your time from Seattle.
MEDVED: Thank you. This is the other M.M.
KAGAN: Exactly. I was thinking that. We had Michael Moore and Michael Medved. And two very different opinions.
MEDVED: Absolutely.
KAGAN: Enjoyed both.
MEDVED: Thank you.
KAGAN: Coming up, we're going to take a look at how Capitol Hill is reacting to "Fahrenheit 9/11". That's in our next half hour. But up first, Pat O'Brien, one of the well known faces on television, he is leaving "Access Hollywood." He has a few choice words for one of his co-hosts before he goes. It was an e-mail that has become very public. We're going to peak just ahead with the "Buzz on the Web."
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KAGAN: Time to check the Friday "Buzz on the Web." But first, an update on the alleged spam scam affecting millions of AOL subscribers.
AOL's Regina Lewis joins us. She is from Dulles, Virginia.
Regina, good morning.
REGINA LEWIS, AOL: Good morning, Daryn.
KAGAN: Want to get to our usual buzz in just a minute. But I know there are millions of AOL members out there who are concerned about their e-mail address now being in the hands of spammers.
LEWIS: Well, actually, right now, that list is in the hands of law enforcement, and the two people involved are looking at jail time. Serious stuff and a serious response.
I think what consumers are most interested in, and what they most need to know, is that no credit card information was taken. So that's the big issue that a lot of people are concerned about and there's no worry there.
KAGAN: Anything. OK, we could talk about that for a long time. Other issues to get to on the Web. Virtual -- virtue for sale. Is this what I think we're talking about?
LEWIS: Yes. Very interesting. Young David Barty, a 19-year-old from Britain, has an interesting thing on his summer to do list. He would like to lose his virginity.
KAGAN: And what 19- or 18-year-old would not?
LEWIS: Well, his approach might a little different.
KAGAN: OK.
LEWIS: He put this up for auction on eBay, and actually at one point the bids were up about 11 grand. He had eight solid ones before they pulled it. This is a violation of their policies.
So he, of course, now has his own web site where you can meet his parents, chat with him. He's very committed to this goal. Also seemed to be committed to breaking into media. So heck of a start for him.
KAGAN: We just gave him a little boost up there.
Different type of media. "American Idol" long over, and yet Fantasia and Diana, that competition goes on, on the Web.
LEWIS: Of course. Yes, and we've talked about "American Idol" a lot. What's interesting here: now that they've started to release their singles, is the expectation and the ratings.
On AOL Music you can say thumb's up, thumb's down, liked it, didn't. Diana DeGarmo's fans -- here you see Fantasia singing "Sunshine" -- are a little more forgiving. I think they skew younger. I know that from having spent time on the message boards and looking at the spelling. I think we're talking a very big under 12 crowd. And they think she's just over the moon. And so she gets higher ratings.
KAGAN: And finally, how many of us who have sent e-mail have not thought twice before you click on the send button? Big lesson for Pat O'Brien.
LEWIS: Big lesson. Pat broke the cardinal rule, and he didn't count to ten. And he sent one when he was angry. He should have sent it to himself. And I bet he's regretting this.
He's departing "Access Hollywood." And had a few words -- he called it "tough love" -- for Shaun Robinson. Emphasis on the word "tough." This is off the chart, line by line. "You can't imagine how disliked you are. If you don't fix this, you'll surely end up back on local television."
You know, needless to say, it wasn't a farewell kiss.
KAGAN: No. And they probably won't be working together anytime soon in the near future.
LEWIS: I don't think so.
KAGAN: No. Thanks you much. Regina Lewis. We'll be working with you very soon, however. Thanks for stopping by.
LEWIS: Great.
KAGAN: Appreciate it.
Well, pay attention, it is the kind of thing that will be a trivia question in ten years. A surprising confrontation on the Senate floor leads to a -- well, not exactly the kind of word you expect coming from the vice president. We will explain.
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