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CNN Live Today

Senate Pushing Bush for CIA Head Nomination

Aired July 12, 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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning from the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan. "Now in the News."
Officials say that militants holding a Filipino hostage in Iraq have sent signals that their deadline has been extended by 48 hours. Diplomats say the hostage is still alive. The kidnappers threatened to kill Angelo de la Cruz, unless the Philippines withdraw its 50 troops from Iraq. Officials in the Philippines say they won't give in to the demand.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is seeking support again for his plan to withdraw from all settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. Mr. Sharon has asked the opposition Labor Party to become part of its coalition government. Labor leader Shimon Perez says that his party wouldn't join the existing government, but would talk part in talks on forming a new government.

Here in the U.S., Senators resumed debate on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. A vote can come early as Wednesday. A constitutional amendment first requires 67 votes in the Senate. Most senators doubt enough support exists there for that. Critics say that Republicans are playing politics.

And later this hour, a memorial to Massachusetts's victims of 9/11 will be dedicated in Boston. The memorial will be a contemplative garden.

We start off this hour with President Bush and his focus on his reelection; make sure the spotlight with another candidacy, that of a permanent CIA director. Embattled CIA chief George Tenet left office yesterday. And senators say that intelligence failures, cited in a pending report, show that a replacement must be named soon.

Our Kathleen Koch is traveling with the president, who will use nuclear concerns as a backdrop for today's message from Tennessee.

Good morning.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, the president has been hearing these calls from members of both parties to make that pick for a new CIA director sooner versus later. However, the president, himself this morning leaving the White House, did not appear to hear a reporter's question on that issue. Still, White House aides tell CNN that it is likely that that pick for a new CIA chief could come as soon as this week. Now, the president is en route as we speak to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to visit the government's largest science and energy lab. This is where some 525-plus tons of equipment from Libya's dismantled nuclear program is right now in storage. When the president arrives, he will be touring the facility, getting a look at some of that equipment.

And in what administration officials are calling "a significant speech on the war on terror," Mr. Bush will credit the U.S. action in Iraq for convincing Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to give up his country's nuclear weapons program. The president will also discuss the U.S.'s ongoing efforts to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons worldwide. Mr. Bush will discuss how the U.S. strategy in the war on terror has, over the last three years, transformed obviously countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. And also persuaded countries, like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to be new and more committed allies in the war on terror.

Now, there are some critics in the Kerry administration speaking out today, saying that the claim that President Bush will make today, again, that the U.S. action in Iraq helped persuade Libya to give up its program. That that claim is inaccurate. The Kerry campaign claiming that instead, that that decision came after decades of U.S. diplomacy -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kathleen Koch in Tennessee, thank you for that.

Well, let's take a closer look at that Senate report on U.S. intelligence failures, that has stoked partisan finger pointing this election year. Not too many surprises about that. Democrats saying that it supports accusations that the administration was predisposed to war, and sought intelligence that supported military action. Others say the fault lies at the very root of the nation's intelligence gathering community.

Here now, a couple of reactions from CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

DAVID KAY, FMR. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR, IRAQ: This report documents pretty directly what happened. There was an abuse of authority at the very top. That is, the director of Central Intelligence, George Tenet withheld information from the other elements of the intelligence community. Particularly true in the nuke area. But also true with regard to biological weapons, withheld information from policy makers; and quite frankly, didn't come clean with Congress. It's a broken culture. Bad trade craft. No collection that really no human intelligence collection in Iraq at all after '98.

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: A lot of people are now sort of heading for the woods, saying well, if I had known more. Remember now, we all based our decision on the intelligence that was available. And that intelligence turned out to be wrong on a global basis. Intelligence organizations all over the world had the same information. So we based it on the right criteria at the time. But I still think there was significant -- sufficient justification to go forward.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

KAGAN: Along those lines, Lott also says that he would support the selection of a permanent CIA director to oversee the much-needed reforms.

Fears that a terror strikes, aimed at disrupting this November's presidential elections, has prompted election officials to consider whether it would be practical to postpone the voting, if something indeed does happens. A spokesman for the Homeland Security Department tells CNN that officials have largely dismissed the idea, because of the logistical problems that would be involved. Chief among those hurdles, a legal consensus that such a postponement would require changes to the U.S. Constitution, and those in possibly all 50 states.

Meanwhile, John Kerry's presidential campaign is at work today in his political hub of Boston. Right now, he's attending a Unity Breakfast and other events will keep him there throughout the day. Meanwhile, polls show that while the public favor reviews his selection of John Edwards as his running mate, the campaign hasn't seen the big bounce that was expected.

Last night, on CBS "60 Minutes," Kerry countered Republican criticisms that Edwards is too young, and inexperienced for the job. He said, quote, "I've seen people be president. I have worked with presidents. I understand talent and ability. I also know that this man is eight years older than Jack Kennedy was when he became president of the United States."

He goes on to say that, quote, "He is more qualified, more prepared in national affairs and national issues, than George Bush was when he became president. He is ready. And I chose him because he's ready." That was John Kerry appearing on "60 Minutes" last night.

One month after the death of the Republican icon, President Ronald Reagan, the Democrats have landed his son as a primetime speaker at their party's convention. A Kerry adviser says that Ron Reagan will speak out on the importance of stem cell research, which is opposed by President Bush and other conservatives. Reagan is a self-described liberal, who has said he does not support President Bush's reelection.

On to world news now, at six minutes past the hour.

Delegates at the 15-International AIDS Conference learned today about progress toward a vaccine. CNN's senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is covering the conference in Bangkok, Thailand. And he joins us live.

Sanjay, hello.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening from Bangkok, Daryn. We're winding up the first full day at the AIDS conference. Big topic for today was vaccine. Or would there be a vaccine? A lot of people waiting earnestly for that information. As far as we can tell from the news coming out so far, they're going to still have to wait a few more years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA (voice-over): Since 1981, we've been talking about AIDS. For almost as long, we've also been talking about a vaccine. Twenty- three years later, the number of AIDS patients still grows. But the enthusiasm for a vaccine wanes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously at the end of the day, we would like a vaccine that is oral, used once in a lifetime and would protect against all strains of the virus. We may not get there.

GUPTA: Right now, we're not even close. Currently around the world, there are 30 small-scale vaccine trials in 19 countries on six continents. Despite the truly global effort, these trials are all strikingly similar to one another. If one doesn't work there's a good chance none of them will. And we won't know for sure until at least 2007. Still, researchers hope for the best.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this point, I don't think we know. I think we all have to be hopeful. We all have to continue to engage in and support AIDS vaccine research, because it's a very important goal. But we have to understand that just like the cure of cancer in 1969, which Richard Nixon announced, it sometimes takes longer than we'd like it to take.

GUPTA: And researchers say it will need a change of mindset to come up with the right formula.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Given that we're now 20 years into HIV vaccine research, there's a great sense from the researchers themselves that if we keep doing things the way we're doing them, we could be, 20 years from now, saying the same thing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: And that's exactly the situation they don't want to be in, Daryn.

In the meantime, treatment is going to come front and center in terms of trying to prevent AIDS. Actually getting people treated is the best prevention strategy they have in some ways. Six million people around the world have AIDS. Most of those people aren't getting the drugs that work so well -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Sanjay, one of the most successful African nations dealing with AIDS has been the country of Uganda. Yet, as I understand it, the head of that country speaking at this conference, making some very controversial statements about the use of condoms in trying to prevent the spread of AIDS. Can you tell us more about that dust-up?

GUPTA: They called their prevention strategy A, B, C, simple to remember. It stands for abstinence, being safe in sex and condom use. The critics of that say the condom use should actually be the first front line sort of strategy when it comes to prevention. Abstinence only is not something that should be funded. Abstinence only is not it's not something the president of Uganda should be talking about. At least that's what his critics say. And that's where a lot of the sort of the big decisive speech actually here today at the conference about that.

You remember as well, Daryn, in July of last year, President Bush traveled to Uganda and talked about the same A, B, C sort of strategy. And a lot of the funding, a lot of that $15 billion that we hear so much about, actually going to be going towards abstinence-only programming. And no surprise, Daryn, that has drawn a lot of criticism and a lot of protest we've heard all day here in Bangkok.

KAGAN: With such a difficult world issue, I'm sure we're going to hear a lot of different philosophies and opinions, as the conference goes on.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting live from Bangkok, Thailand. Sanjay, thank you for that.

A U.S. Marine corporal missing for two weeks in Iraq is so far offering few details about his ordeal to the military. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has what we know of the story so far and his whereabouts.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well, another twist and turn in the story of Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun, the man who disappeared from his Marine Corps unit in Iraq last month, and then turned up earlier this month in Lebanon. He remains at the Army hospital in Landstuhl, undergoing medical and psychological counseling.

And we are told by military sources now that Corporal Hassoun says he was abducted from his Marine Corps base near Fallujah, Iraq, around June 20 of last month. He says he was abducted. This is his initial statement to members of the medical and psychological team, which are trying to help him in the so-called "repatriation process."

Now, one of the officials talked earlier this morning on CNN about Corporal Hassoun.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. SALLY HARVEY, PSYCHOLOGIST: Corporal Hassoun had been sleeping only several hours a night. That's what he told us. He has since restored his sleep. He is getting a considerable amount of sleep and eating well. His spirits are good. And he's involved in the repatriation process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But still, investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service certainly want to begin their process of talking to Corporal Hassoun. Getting more information from him, trying to find out exactly what happened, because there are an awful lot of questions. Of course, he was initially listed by the Marines as a deserter. They believed at the time that he had voluntarily left his duty station. And still, they want to know how he made his way from Iraq all the way to Lebanon. The last time he was seen was a videotape around June 28, blindfolded, his life being threatened by captors on that videotape, who were apparently holding him. So an awful lot of questions still to be answered -- Daryn.

KAGAN: There also seems, as this whole thing was unfolding, that the military was really at a loss, especially toward the end of Hassoun's whereabouts. And the disconnect between his placement and their information seems kind of incredible.

STARR: Indeed, Daryn. And it's not at all clear that any of that has been connected yet. Because investigators have not yet had the opportunity to speak to him in an investigatory manner, if you will. The talking that he's doing is strictly to these repatriation experts. The medical and psychological professionals who are trying to help him get his feet back on the ground, so to speak. Once they clear him, then NCIS will move in. They will talk to him at length, get his story, try and match up the facts, and try to find out exactly what has happened in this case -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you.

The NAACP invites the president to its conference in Philadelphia. We will tell you why President Bush has refused that invitation.

And in Britain, technology fuels a debate over abortion. When does life begin?

Later on CNN LIVE TODAY, moms who can hang with the coolest kids in the skate park.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Live picture from Knoxville, Tennessee. Air Force 1; President Bush just arriving there. He will be speaking later this morning. And in fact, you will see those comments live right here on CNN. More with President Bush in just a bit.

First though, to California and the murder trial of Scott Peterson, which enters its seventh week today. The resumption comes after graphic images and testimony centered on the disappearance of a pregnant Laci Peterson. And the next dramatic element of the trial could come from the prosecution's star witness.

Ted Rowlands has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors used photographs of a pregnant woman from their office, as they tried to prove that Scott Peterson's pickup truck and boat could have been used to transport and dump his wife's body. One photograph showed the woman, who is approximately the same size as the pregnant Laci Peterson was, lying down in Peterson's truck and boat. Another showed the woman lying inside Peterson's oversized toolbox, which he had in the bed of his truck.

Defense attorney Mark Geragos argued to the judge that because the woman posing was alive and therefore, not in a state of rigor mortis, and because she got in and out of the boat and truck herself for the pictures, the photos should not have been allowed in court. The judge disagreed. Legal analysts say the photographs were a very effective way to show the jury how Peterson may have been able to dispose of his pregnant wife's body.

DEAN JOHNSON, LEGAL ANALYST: It's convincing. And it answers a lot of questions. And more importantly, it's graphic and it's powerful. And it sticks in the jury's mind.

ROWLANDS: Also last week, the man who sold Scott Peterson the 14-foot boat testified that it was large enough for two people to move around.

(on camera): Still to come, the much-anticipated testimony of Peterson's mistress, Amber Frey. She is not expected to take the stand for at least a week. According to her attorney, Gloria Allred, Frey has not been given a date from prosecutors, as to when she should expect to take the stand.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Redwood City, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: On to weather news now.

Smoke and some major traffic headaches have cleared over south Florida. A wildfire, on the edge of the Everglades, burned hundreds of acres yesterday, and closed about 10 miles of a Florida turnpike. It reopened overnight. Traffic is flowing normally once again.

For a long time they've been considered a nuisance. Jacqui Jeras, could you see yourself on a skateboard like that?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely!

KAGAN: The kids would be so impressed.

JERAS: It would be fun.

KAGAN: There are some new faces on the boards. Find out why these moms love carving out the concrete.

Also, a mistake that could cost you your new home. But not if you listen to Gerri Willis. She has our "Top Five Tips" for you today -- Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNNFN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Daryn, hi. Sloppy real estate deals are happening all the time. They can cost you your brand-new home. We'll tell you what to watch out for when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: When the real estate market is red-hot, how do you keep from getting burned? Before you plunk down hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home, personal finance editor Gerri Willis has today's "Top Five Tips" for avoiding what could be costly mistakes.

Gerri, good morning.

WILLIS: Good morning, Daryn. No. 1, you have to pick your team wisely. Too many people spend more time picking out a toaster than they do their real estate agent. You really want to think it through. Some of these people are mostly sales people. You want somebody that you really have chemistry with, somebody who has a lot of experience out in the field. So take your time.

Keep in mind, too, this person is also going to help you pick out your attorney, maybe your mortgage banker. So at the end of the day, it's critical you get it right.

KAGAN: Speaking of time, haste can make waste. And a lot of waste we're talking on this big money.

WILLIS: Yes. You don't want to rush your deal, because things can go wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM COOPER, DOUGLAS ELLIMAN: In a fast market, in particular, when agents have lots of deals going on, and buyers are very anxious to buy and sellers are anxious to sell, things can fall through the cracks. And that's why constant communications with your real estate team is essential.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIS: So the problems you can run into, if you don't have good communications, lack of disclosure about the property itself. Maybe you don't pay the right amount for this property, particularly if you get caught in a bidding war -- Daryn.

KAGAN: You want to get to know the people who you're working with, don't you?

WILLIS: You do. And you know, we always talk about the real estate agent, your attorney, those kinds of people. But there are a couple of others that you'll really want to pay attention to here, particularly in this red-hot market.

The appraiser. Here's why the appraiser is so important right now. Prices have gone sky high. If you're not using somebody who's intimately familiar with the marketplace, they can come back and say that the house is not worth what you've decided to pay for it. So it's important that they get all the information about the market, the comparables, etcetera. Also, the mortgage loan processor. Now, this is a person behind the scenes at the bank, who's moving the paper around, putting all the information together for you to get the loan. Get in touch with that person; make sure they have everything you need. Because at the end of the day, you don't want to miss your closing date.

KAGAN: You do want to keep your eye on the calendar though, because these dates kind of line up, like airplanes trying to land at LaGuardia.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIS: That's right. And you don't want somebody to miss one of those deadlines. The closing date obviously important here, Daryn. One thing to keep in mind, there's often wiggle room. Sometimes, the closing date, depending on what state you're in, is a target date. You may have 15 days or 30 days beyond the date that you think you have. Check it out with your agent.

Also keep in mind Rate Lock Expirations. People are so worried they're going to miss their rate lock. You can pay to have it extended. You probably won't want to, because it's going to cost you 70 bucks a day to get that extended.

KAGAN: Which would be one of the pesky little details. Details, details, details, you don't want to forget about.

WILLIS: That's right. Don't leave anything to chance. You know, an oral agreement is worth the paper that it's written on, if you know what I mean, Daryn.

KAGAN: Yes.

WILLIS: You don't want to have some kind of agreement about something in the house you think you're going to get. We hear stories all the time about people who think, oh, you know, the owner agreed to leave the chandelier in the House. So we're definitely going to get it. No, get it in writing. You've definitely got to have it in writing to note that it's yours.

KAGAN: Get your paws on that chandelier, or forget about it.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIS: Great.

KAGAN: Gerri, thank you for that...

WILLIS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: ... for kicking off our week with some good tips. We will see you later in the week.

WILLIS: Definitely.

KAGAN: An invitation to reach out that has been spurned perhaps. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KWEISI MFUME, NAACP PRESIDENT: Issues; we've written, inviting him to come and address us and we've gotten no response. It's been absolute silence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Find out why President Bush will not be at the NAACP in Philadelphia. Comments from both sides.

And history reenacts itself. Two hundred years and one day since the vice president mortally wounded the treasury secretary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired July 12, 2004 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning from the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Daryn Kagan. "Now in the News."
Officials say that militants holding a Filipino hostage in Iraq have sent signals that their deadline has been extended by 48 hours. Diplomats say the hostage is still alive. The kidnappers threatened to kill Angelo de la Cruz, unless the Philippines withdraw its 50 troops from Iraq. Officials in the Philippines say they won't give in to the demand.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is seeking support again for his plan to withdraw from all settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. Mr. Sharon has asked the opposition Labor Party to become part of its coalition government. Labor leader Shimon Perez says that his party wouldn't join the existing government, but would talk part in talks on forming a new government.

Here in the U.S., Senators resumed debate on a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage. A vote can come early as Wednesday. A constitutional amendment first requires 67 votes in the Senate. Most senators doubt enough support exists there for that. Critics say that Republicans are playing politics.

And later this hour, a memorial to Massachusetts's victims of 9/11 will be dedicated in Boston. The memorial will be a contemplative garden.

We start off this hour with President Bush and his focus on his reelection; make sure the spotlight with another candidacy, that of a permanent CIA director. Embattled CIA chief George Tenet left office yesterday. And senators say that intelligence failures, cited in a pending report, show that a replacement must be named soon.

Our Kathleen Koch is traveling with the president, who will use nuclear concerns as a backdrop for today's message from Tennessee.

Good morning.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn. Well, the president has been hearing these calls from members of both parties to make that pick for a new CIA director sooner versus later. However, the president, himself this morning leaving the White House, did not appear to hear a reporter's question on that issue. Still, White House aides tell CNN that it is likely that that pick for a new CIA chief could come as soon as this week. Now, the president is en route as we speak to Oak Ridge, Tennessee, to visit the government's largest science and energy lab. This is where some 525-plus tons of equipment from Libya's dismantled nuclear program is right now in storage. When the president arrives, he will be touring the facility, getting a look at some of that equipment.

And in what administration officials are calling "a significant speech on the war on terror," Mr. Bush will credit the U.S. action in Iraq for convincing Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to give up his country's nuclear weapons program. The president will also discuss the U.S.'s ongoing efforts to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons worldwide. Mr. Bush will discuss how the U.S. strategy in the war on terror has, over the last three years, transformed obviously countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. And also persuaded countries, like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to be new and more committed allies in the war on terror.

Now, there are some critics in the Kerry administration speaking out today, saying that the claim that President Bush will make today, again, that the U.S. action in Iraq helped persuade Libya to give up its program. That that claim is inaccurate. The Kerry campaign claiming that instead, that that decision came after decades of U.S. diplomacy -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Kathleen Koch in Tennessee, thank you for that.

Well, let's take a closer look at that Senate report on U.S. intelligence failures, that has stoked partisan finger pointing this election year. Not too many surprises about that. Democrats saying that it supports accusations that the administration was predisposed to war, and sought intelligence that supported military action. Others say the fault lies at the very root of the nation's intelligence gathering community.

Here now, a couple of reactions from CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

DAVID KAY, FMR. CHIEF WEAPONS INSPECTOR, IRAQ: This report documents pretty directly what happened. There was an abuse of authority at the very top. That is, the director of Central Intelligence, George Tenet withheld information from the other elements of the intelligence community. Particularly true in the nuke area. But also true with regard to biological weapons, withheld information from policy makers; and quite frankly, didn't come clean with Congress. It's a broken culture. Bad trade craft. No collection that really no human intelligence collection in Iraq at all after '98.

SEN. TRENT LOTT (R), MISSISSIPPI: A lot of people are now sort of heading for the woods, saying well, if I had known more. Remember now, we all based our decision on the intelligence that was available. And that intelligence turned out to be wrong on a global basis. Intelligence organizations all over the world had the same information. So we based it on the right criteria at the time. But I still think there was significant -- sufficient justification to go forward.

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

KAGAN: Along those lines, Lott also says that he would support the selection of a permanent CIA director to oversee the much-needed reforms.

Fears that a terror strikes, aimed at disrupting this November's presidential elections, has prompted election officials to consider whether it would be practical to postpone the voting, if something indeed does happens. A spokesman for the Homeland Security Department tells CNN that officials have largely dismissed the idea, because of the logistical problems that would be involved. Chief among those hurdles, a legal consensus that such a postponement would require changes to the U.S. Constitution, and those in possibly all 50 states.

Meanwhile, John Kerry's presidential campaign is at work today in his political hub of Boston. Right now, he's attending a Unity Breakfast and other events will keep him there throughout the day. Meanwhile, polls show that while the public favor reviews his selection of John Edwards as his running mate, the campaign hasn't seen the big bounce that was expected.

Last night, on CBS "60 Minutes," Kerry countered Republican criticisms that Edwards is too young, and inexperienced for the job. He said, quote, "I've seen people be president. I have worked with presidents. I understand talent and ability. I also know that this man is eight years older than Jack Kennedy was when he became president of the United States."

He goes on to say that, quote, "He is more qualified, more prepared in national affairs and national issues, than George Bush was when he became president. He is ready. And I chose him because he's ready." That was John Kerry appearing on "60 Minutes" last night.

One month after the death of the Republican icon, President Ronald Reagan, the Democrats have landed his son as a primetime speaker at their party's convention. A Kerry adviser says that Ron Reagan will speak out on the importance of stem cell research, which is opposed by President Bush and other conservatives. Reagan is a self-described liberal, who has said he does not support President Bush's reelection.

On to world news now, at six minutes past the hour.

Delegates at the 15-International AIDS Conference learned today about progress toward a vaccine. CNN's senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is covering the conference in Bangkok, Thailand. And he joins us live.

Sanjay, hello.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening from Bangkok, Daryn. We're winding up the first full day at the AIDS conference. Big topic for today was vaccine. Or would there be a vaccine? A lot of people waiting earnestly for that information. As far as we can tell from the news coming out so far, they're going to still have to wait a few more years.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA (voice-over): Since 1981, we've been talking about AIDS. For almost as long, we've also been talking about a vaccine. Twenty- three years later, the number of AIDS patients still grows. But the enthusiasm for a vaccine wanes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obviously at the end of the day, we would like a vaccine that is oral, used once in a lifetime and would protect against all strains of the virus. We may not get there.

GUPTA: Right now, we're not even close. Currently around the world, there are 30 small-scale vaccine trials in 19 countries on six continents. Despite the truly global effort, these trials are all strikingly similar to one another. If one doesn't work there's a good chance none of them will. And we won't know for sure until at least 2007. Still, researchers hope for the best.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this point, I don't think we know. I think we all have to be hopeful. We all have to continue to engage in and support AIDS vaccine research, because it's a very important goal. But we have to understand that just like the cure of cancer in 1969, which Richard Nixon announced, it sometimes takes longer than we'd like it to take.

GUPTA: And researchers say it will need a change of mindset to come up with the right formula.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Given that we're now 20 years into HIV vaccine research, there's a great sense from the researchers themselves that if we keep doing things the way we're doing them, we could be, 20 years from now, saying the same thing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GUPTA: And that's exactly the situation they don't want to be in, Daryn.

In the meantime, treatment is going to come front and center in terms of trying to prevent AIDS. Actually getting people treated is the best prevention strategy they have in some ways. Six million people around the world have AIDS. Most of those people aren't getting the drugs that work so well -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Sanjay, one of the most successful African nations dealing with AIDS has been the country of Uganda. Yet, as I understand it, the head of that country speaking at this conference, making some very controversial statements about the use of condoms in trying to prevent the spread of AIDS. Can you tell us more about that dust-up?

GUPTA: They called their prevention strategy A, B, C, simple to remember. It stands for abstinence, being safe in sex and condom use. The critics of that say the condom use should actually be the first front line sort of strategy when it comes to prevention. Abstinence only is not something that should be funded. Abstinence only is not it's not something the president of Uganda should be talking about. At least that's what his critics say. And that's where a lot of the sort of the big decisive speech actually here today at the conference about that.

You remember as well, Daryn, in July of last year, President Bush traveled to Uganda and talked about the same A, B, C sort of strategy. And a lot of the funding, a lot of that $15 billion that we hear so much about, actually going to be going towards abstinence-only programming. And no surprise, Daryn, that has drawn a lot of criticism and a lot of protest we've heard all day here in Bangkok.

KAGAN: With such a difficult world issue, I'm sure we're going to hear a lot of different philosophies and opinions, as the conference goes on.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta reporting live from Bangkok, Thailand. Sanjay, thank you for that.

A U.S. Marine corporal missing for two weeks in Iraq is so far offering few details about his ordeal to the military. Our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has what we know of the story so far and his whereabouts.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn. Well, another twist and turn in the story of Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun, the man who disappeared from his Marine Corps unit in Iraq last month, and then turned up earlier this month in Lebanon. He remains at the Army hospital in Landstuhl, undergoing medical and psychological counseling.

And we are told by military sources now that Corporal Hassoun says he was abducted from his Marine Corps base near Fallujah, Iraq, around June 20 of last month. He says he was abducted. This is his initial statement to members of the medical and psychological team, which are trying to help him in the so-called "repatriation process."

Now, one of the officials talked earlier this morning on CNN about Corporal Hassoun.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LT. COL. SALLY HARVEY, PSYCHOLOGIST: Corporal Hassoun had been sleeping only several hours a night. That's what he told us. He has since restored his sleep. He is getting a considerable amount of sleep and eating well. His spirits are good. And he's involved in the repatriation process.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STARR: But still, investigators from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service certainly want to begin their process of talking to Corporal Hassoun. Getting more information from him, trying to find out exactly what happened, because there are an awful lot of questions. Of course, he was initially listed by the Marines as a deserter. They believed at the time that he had voluntarily left his duty station. And still, they want to know how he made his way from Iraq all the way to Lebanon. The last time he was seen was a videotape around June 28, blindfolded, his life being threatened by captors on that videotape, who were apparently holding him. So an awful lot of questions still to be answered -- Daryn.

KAGAN: There also seems, as this whole thing was unfolding, that the military was really at a loss, especially toward the end of Hassoun's whereabouts. And the disconnect between his placement and their information seems kind of incredible.

STARR: Indeed, Daryn. And it's not at all clear that any of that has been connected yet. Because investigators have not yet had the opportunity to speak to him in an investigatory manner, if you will. The talking that he's doing is strictly to these repatriation experts. The medical and psychological professionals who are trying to help him get his feet back on the ground, so to speak. Once they clear him, then NCIS will move in. They will talk to him at length, get his story, try and match up the facts, and try to find out exactly what has happened in this case -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara Starr at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you.

The NAACP invites the president to its conference in Philadelphia. We will tell you why President Bush has refused that invitation.

And in Britain, technology fuels a debate over abortion. When does life begin?

Later on CNN LIVE TODAY, moms who can hang with the coolest kids in the skate park.

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KAGAN: Live picture from Knoxville, Tennessee. Air Force 1; President Bush just arriving there. He will be speaking later this morning. And in fact, you will see those comments live right here on CNN. More with President Bush in just a bit.

First though, to California and the murder trial of Scott Peterson, which enters its seventh week today. The resumption comes after graphic images and testimony centered on the disappearance of a pregnant Laci Peterson. And the next dramatic element of the trial could come from the prosecution's star witness.

Ted Rowlands has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prosecutors used photographs of a pregnant woman from their office, as they tried to prove that Scott Peterson's pickup truck and boat could have been used to transport and dump his wife's body. One photograph showed the woman, who is approximately the same size as the pregnant Laci Peterson was, lying down in Peterson's truck and boat. Another showed the woman lying inside Peterson's oversized toolbox, which he had in the bed of his truck.

Defense attorney Mark Geragos argued to the judge that because the woman posing was alive and therefore, not in a state of rigor mortis, and because she got in and out of the boat and truck herself for the pictures, the photos should not have been allowed in court. The judge disagreed. Legal analysts say the photographs were a very effective way to show the jury how Peterson may have been able to dispose of his pregnant wife's body.

DEAN JOHNSON, LEGAL ANALYST: It's convincing. And it answers a lot of questions. And more importantly, it's graphic and it's powerful. And it sticks in the jury's mind.

ROWLANDS: Also last week, the man who sold Scott Peterson the 14-foot boat testified that it was large enough for two people to move around.

(on camera): Still to come, the much-anticipated testimony of Peterson's mistress, Amber Frey. She is not expected to take the stand for at least a week. According to her attorney, Gloria Allred, Frey has not been given a date from prosecutors, as to when she should expect to take the stand.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Redwood City, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: On to weather news now.

Smoke and some major traffic headaches have cleared over south Florida. A wildfire, on the edge of the Everglades, burned hundreds of acres yesterday, and closed about 10 miles of a Florida turnpike. It reopened overnight. Traffic is flowing normally once again.

For a long time they've been considered a nuisance. Jacqui Jeras, could you see yourself on a skateboard like that?

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely!

KAGAN: The kids would be so impressed.

JERAS: It would be fun.

KAGAN: There are some new faces on the boards. Find out why these moms love carving out the concrete.

Also, a mistake that could cost you your new home. But not if you listen to Gerri Willis. She has our "Top Five Tips" for you today -- Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNNFN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Daryn, hi. Sloppy real estate deals are happening all the time. They can cost you your brand-new home. We'll tell you what to watch out for when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

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KAGAN: When the real estate market is red-hot, how do you keep from getting burned? Before you plunk down hundreds of thousands of dollars on a home, personal finance editor Gerri Willis has today's "Top Five Tips" for avoiding what could be costly mistakes.

Gerri, good morning.

WILLIS: Good morning, Daryn. No. 1, you have to pick your team wisely. Too many people spend more time picking out a toaster than they do their real estate agent. You really want to think it through. Some of these people are mostly sales people. You want somebody that you really have chemistry with, somebody who has a lot of experience out in the field. So take your time.

Keep in mind, too, this person is also going to help you pick out your attorney, maybe your mortgage banker. So at the end of the day, it's critical you get it right.

KAGAN: Speaking of time, haste can make waste. And a lot of waste we're talking on this big money.

WILLIS: Yes. You don't want to rush your deal, because things can go wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM COOPER, DOUGLAS ELLIMAN: In a fast market, in particular, when agents have lots of deals going on, and buyers are very anxious to buy and sellers are anxious to sell, things can fall through the cracks. And that's why constant communications with your real estate team is essential.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIS: So the problems you can run into, if you don't have good communications, lack of disclosure about the property itself. Maybe you don't pay the right amount for this property, particularly if you get caught in a bidding war -- Daryn.

KAGAN: You want to get to know the people who you're working with, don't you?

WILLIS: You do. And you know, we always talk about the real estate agent, your attorney, those kinds of people. But there are a couple of others that you'll really want to pay attention to here, particularly in this red-hot market.

The appraiser. Here's why the appraiser is so important right now. Prices have gone sky high. If you're not using somebody who's intimately familiar with the marketplace, they can come back and say that the house is not worth what you've decided to pay for it. So it's important that they get all the information about the market, the comparables, etcetera. Also, the mortgage loan processor. Now, this is a person behind the scenes at the bank, who's moving the paper around, putting all the information together for you to get the loan. Get in touch with that person; make sure they have everything you need. Because at the end of the day, you don't want to miss your closing date.

KAGAN: You do want to keep your eye on the calendar though, because these dates kind of line up, like airplanes trying to land at LaGuardia.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIS: That's right. And you don't want somebody to miss one of those deadlines. The closing date obviously important here, Daryn. One thing to keep in mind, there's often wiggle room. Sometimes, the closing date, depending on what state you're in, is a target date. You may have 15 days or 30 days beyond the date that you think you have. Check it out with your agent.

Also keep in mind Rate Lock Expirations. People are so worried they're going to miss their rate lock. You can pay to have it extended. You probably won't want to, because it's going to cost you 70 bucks a day to get that extended.

KAGAN: Which would be one of the pesky little details. Details, details, details, you don't want to forget about.

WILLIS: That's right. Don't leave anything to chance. You know, an oral agreement is worth the paper that it's written on, if you know what I mean, Daryn.

KAGAN: Yes.

WILLIS: You don't want to have some kind of agreement about something in the house you think you're going to get. We hear stories all the time about people who think, oh, you know, the owner agreed to leave the chandelier in the House. So we're definitely going to get it. No, get it in writing. You've definitely got to have it in writing to note that it's yours.

KAGAN: Get your paws on that chandelier, or forget about it.

(LAUGHTER)

WILLIS: Great.

KAGAN: Gerri, thank you for that...

WILLIS: You're welcome.

KAGAN: ... for kicking off our week with some good tips. We will see you later in the week.

WILLIS: Definitely.

KAGAN: An invitation to reach out that has been spurned perhaps. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KWEISI MFUME, NAACP PRESIDENT: Issues; we've written, inviting him to come and address us and we've gotten no response. It's been absolute silence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Find out why President Bush will not be at the NAACP in Philadelphia. Comments from both sides.

And history reenacts itself. Two hundred years and one day since the vice president mortally wounded the treasury secretary.

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