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CNN Live Today
Bush Calls for End to 527s, Has Yet to Condemn Ads; RNC NYC Symbolism -- Has Bush Delivered Help?; Interview with Crosby & Nash
Aired August 24, 2004 - 10:29 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.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Here are the stories now in the news.
We want to show you video that has just come in to CNN just moments ago. CNN has a crew closely monitoring developments on the story in Najaf. Minutes ago, an aide to Muqtada al-Sadr announced the cleric is ready to negotiate an end to the fighting there. The announcement follows U.S. air strikes overnight and intense fighting around a sacred shrine.
Now, earlier today, Iraq's defense minister issued an ultimatum to rebel fighters inside the mosques: leave or be wiped out. And of course, we will continue to follow this story.
Civil Rights Activist Jesse Jackson is in Tripoli this hour, waiting a meeting with the Libyan officials. Jackson tells CNN he wants to meet with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in hopes of securing his intervention in the Sudan crisis. More that a million people have been displaced in the Sudan fighting. Jackson also wants to discuss Libya's conviction of seven medical personnel charged with spreading the AIDS virus.
The price of crude oil has dipped for the third straight day, after Iraq reopened its northern Kirkuk pipeline. U.S. crude oil prices have held below $46 a barrel. Analysts had predicted wrongly, so far, that prices would surpass the $50 mark, a psychological important barrier.
Well, Vice President Dick Cheney is stumping in the Midwest today with stops in Kansas, Iowa, and Michigan. This hour, he's making a breakfast appearance in Overland Park, Kansas, on behalf of a Congressional candidate.
The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows the presidential race is just too close to call in the key state of Florida. If the election were held today, 45 percent of the state's registered voters say they'd vote for President Bush and 45 percent say they'd vote for John Kerry.
Now, among likely voters, not much difference there, as well. President Bush's two percentage point lead is within the margin of error. The president does get high marks for his response to Hurricane Charley. Seven out of 10 Floridians approve of the efforts. That's a 10-point improvement over how the first President Bush responded to Hurricane Andrew during the 1992 presidential campaign.
The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads attacking John Kerry may be getting a lot of coverage, but independent groups airing anti-Bush ads have already spent tens of millions of dollars.
CNN's Kathleen Koch is at the White House with the president's response to the ad war. Hi, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty.
President Bush, in his first exchange with reporters since the swift boat controversy heated up, was pummeled with questions yesterday afternoon -- the main thrust, did he or did he not specifically condemn the content of that ad as both the Kerry campaign and as Republican Senator John McCain have asked the president to. However, Mr. Bush did not. He stopped short, instead more broadly condemning all of these unregulated third-party, or so-called 527, ads that have been running this year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That means that ad, every other ad. Absolutely. I don't think we ought to have 527s. I can't be more plain about it. And I wish -- I hope my opponent joins me in saying -- condemning these activities of the 527s.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, the White House points out that Mr. Bush himself has been the target of more than $60 million in negative ads by such groups. Still, Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards criticized President Bush for failing to condemn the ad that Senator Kerry's campaign insists is blatantly false.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today, George Bush faced his moment of truth, and he failed. He failed to condemn the specific attacks on John Kerry's military record. We didn't need to hear a politician's answer, but unfortunately that's what we got.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, President Bush is not here at the White House today. He's spending another day at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, preparing for the Republican convention. That gets underway next week.
RNC chairman Ed Gillespie told CNN this morning that that convention will look both to the past and to the future, touting what he called President Bush's record of, quote, "strong and principled leadership," as well as looking forward to the president's new agenda and new policies that he would try to enact if he's reelected -- Betty?
NGUYEN: CNN's Kathleen Koch at the White House. We'll be talking a little bit more about these 527 ads later on LIVE TODAY.
Meanwhile, John Kerry will talk again next hour about turning the presidential campaign back to current issues. Speaking in New York, Kerry will urge the GOP to drop negative ads. Kerry will also tout his plans for raising middle-class living standards. We'll be monitoring Kerry's comments, and if he makes news, we will bring it to you.
Well, one reason Republicans chose New York for next week's convention is symbolic: a return to the city that President Bush promised to help in the post-9/11 recovery. But some Democrats charge the president has failed to deliver.
CNN's Allan Chernoff has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After the 9/11 terror attacks, President Bush made a promise to New York City.
BUSH: I made a pledge that our government would commit at least $20 billion to help rebuild New York.
CHERNOFF: Now as Republicans come to New York, hoping to benefit from the city's comeback, some New York Democrats charge the president hasn't done enough to help.
REP. CAROLYN MALONEY (D), NEW YORK: The $20 billion was pledged shortly after 9/11. It was supposed to be a floor, not a ceiling. It quickly became a ceiling that we had to scratch up the walls to get to and to fight for every single dollar that we got out of Washington into New York City.
CHERNOFF: The White House says it has made good on the president's pledge.
JOSHUA BOLTEN, DIRECTOR, OMB: There's an enormous amount that has been done and is being done to assist New York with the recovery and the rebuilding. Not all of the money has actually been cashed at this point, but all of the money is there for New York to use in a way that New Yorkers want to use it.
CHERNOFF: New York has actually received about half the money. The rest is allocated, though it will be years before the city will spend it.
Here's the breakdown of the $20.4 billion in federal aid according to New York's nonpartisan Independent Budget Office: $6.3 billion for the emergency response, including the cleanup and insurance fund, police and firefighters' overtime; $4.4 billion of grants and tax benefits to spur downtown's economic recovery; $9.7 billion remains primarily for long-term transportation projects. They include renovating subway stations and a permanent transit terminal at the World Trade Center site.
(on camera): The $20 billion is not all in cash and not all in hand. But factoring in tax benefits, it appears the administration has made good on its pledge. New York's prime concern now is making sure it gets enough financing from Washington to remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism.
Allan Chernoff, CNN Financial News, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Protest groups are fighting New York City and wanting to stage demonstrations in Central Park before the GOP convention. Lawyers for one group go before the state supreme court today to argue for permission to hold an event for a quarter million people in Central Park on Sunday.
An anti-war group and an Arab-American group are considering their next step after a federal judge turned down the request for a Saturday park protest.
Well, a breakdown in talks between US Air and its pilots -- we'll have the latest from both sides of the bargaining table.
Plus, Amber Frey and Mark Geragos square off again today at the Scott Peterson trial. We'll take you there live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RHONDA SCHAFFLER: I'm Rhonda Schaffler at the New York Stock Exchange, where stocks are mixed as oil prices continue to ease.
Right now, the Dow Jones Industrial Average moving up by 30 points. The Nasdaq Composite is little changed. Crude oil down another 40 cents today, extending yesterday's decline. After flirting with $50 a barrel on Friday, it's now hovering around $45.70 a barrel.
Among the stocks on the move this morning, shares of Caterpillar up two percent. That's after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock.
With time running out, US Airways appears to be on the brink of bankruptcy -- again. Talks between the airline and its pilots' union have apparently collapsed. Earlier this month, US Air's chairman warned that without new labor deals, the company could return to bankruptcy court or, even more drastically, be forced to liquidate.
A bankruptcy filing would be US Air's second in two years. It's trying to avoid Chapter 11 this time around by cutting costs by $1.5 billion before the end of September. According to the company, that would require nearly $300 million in give-backs from pilots. The union has said it will only accept reductions of up to $180 million.
That's the very latest in business news. CNN's LIVE TODAY will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Want to take a look at other stories making news coast to coast today. Police in Kansas have linked a poem written by the notorious BTK serial killer to an obscure song once taught in a Wichita State University class. The killer, called BTK for "bind, torture, kill," is blamed for eighth deaths over 30 years. The poem was written in 1978 and was attached to a letter claiming responsibility for three murders. Now the professor, who died of cancer 13 years ago, taught the song "Oh Death" in a class during the '70s.
A report today suggests that Texas may have a lead in the killing of two Christian camp counselors. "The Santa Rosa Press Democrat" reports police are seeking a 21-year-old Wisconsin man for questioning. Police don't know if the man is a suspect, a witness, or has information about the case. A 23-year-old woman and her 26-year- old fiance were found shot to death in their sleeping bags on a California beach last week.
Rescue teams are continuing their search for a missing 12-year- old Boy Scout in the Utah mountains. The boy disappeared Friday on his way back to camp. The weather has since turned cold and wet, and the boy was dressed in light clothing. Officials say chances of finding that boy alive are slim.
Well, the cross-examination of Scott Peterson's former mistress is scheduled to resume in a little more than an hour.
CNN's Rusty Dornin is covering Peterson's double-murder trial in Redwood City, California and joins us with the latest.
Hi, Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, for those expecting fireworks in round one of Mark Geragos' cross-examination of Amber Frey were disappointing. There weren't any.
Geragos was persistent in his questioning, but seemed to tread lightly while portraying Amber Frey as a liar and seductress, someone who would do anything to pursue the relationship with Scott Peterson, and then to anything to incriminate him. Amber Fry, meantime, appeared composed, even seemed cool, calm and collected on the stand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): When defense attorney Mark Geragos threw his first punch, it was a comedy line, telling a momentarily stunned courtroom he had no questions for Scott Peterson's former mistress Amber Frey. Afterwards, he chuckles. The highly anticipated cross- examination was underway. Geragos kept pressing Frey about how much alcohol was consumed on each date, and how and when Scott Peterson lied about his travels.
Missing was some of the flamboyance Geragos often displays when questioning witnesses. But the intensity kicked up when he zeroed in on her first interview with police on December 30th, six days after Laci Peterson was reported missing.
Frey admits she told investigators she would try to convince Peterson she was pregnant by him. "You definitely thought you could convince him of the fact you were pregnant? That it was a possibility." But Frey's credibility came into question when Geragos began asking her about the taping of calls with Peterson. "There was never a time, as you sit here today, that you were aware of that you ever hid anything from any of these detectives?"
"Correct."
Geragos then presented a series of reports from police indicating she did call Peterson on different occasions and didn't report it. But Frey was adamant she hid nothing. The judge told the jury Frey would be finished in one afternoon, but Mark Geragos wasn't. The cross-examination will resume this morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Frey will be back on the stand in about an hour. The cross-examination expected to wrap up this morning. A bit of haggling back and forth by both sides, and Amber Frey should be finished before noon today.
Now, previously Gloria Allred, her attorney, had indicated that she might make some kind of statement. That would be the first public statement she has made since sometime last year -- Betty.
NGUYEN: We'll wait for that. All right, CNN's Rusty Dornin in California, thank you.
Straight ahead, right here on CNN LIVE TODAY, my interview with David Crosby and Graham Nash. Here what they have to say about their new album, and the election. This is what we're working on, though, for our next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Listen to that music. It's been a busy year for David Crosby and Graham Nash. Along with partner Stephen Stills, they're in the middle of a nationwide tour.
But besides performing with the legendary group, Crosby and Nash have their first joint album of original material in almost 30 years. It's entitled, of course, "Crosby and Nash." And Nash has a new book out, as well. That's called "Eye to Eye," photographs by Graham Nash.
We want to welcome David Crosby and Graham Nash to CNN LIVE TODAY.
Thanks so much for being here with us.
GRAHAM NASH, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH: Good morning, Betty. How are you?
DAVID CROSBY, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH: Hi, how are you doing?
NGUYEN: I'm doing wonderful, especially with you two here. Boy, what an honor. Well, let's talk to you, David. You have this new -- well, you both have this new album coming out. What can we expect? We're listening to a little bit of it right now.
CROSBY: Well, the song gods were very kind to us this time. We lucked into an amazing batch of songs. And we just -- you know, that's always been our requirement for making a record, is that we have a bunch of good songs, but this time we had really even better selection than I think we've ever had.
And we got into the recording process, and it went very fast, and it went extremely well. And we've made, you know, maybe one of the best records of our lives. So, we're very happy.
NGUYEN: Really, best records of your lives. Well, Graham, he says the recording process went really fast. I mean, it's been 30 years since you two got together on a collaboration like this. Did you expect it to go so fast and so wonderful?
NASH: I knew that it would be a lot smoother than our normal recording situations. You know, you've got to understand, Crosby, Stills & Nash have made records that have lasted, in the making, through two Super Bowls. So, for David and I to do a double album in one month was an amazing feat for us.
NGUYEN: Is there a favorite on this new release?
CROSBY: My favorite's the song that Graham and Jeff Pevar wrote called "Jesus of Rio." It's a beautiful one about the statue of Jesus above Rio De Janeiro.
But I love it when the one that's the single, too, "Lay Me Down." My son James wrote that.
NGUYEN: We're listening to one right now, this one is called, "Through Here Quite Often."
CROSBY: Yes.
NGUYEN: Is that one of your favorites, Graham?
NASH: It is, indeed. It was the very first thing we put on this record. It was the first piece of music we attempted. It's a song, lyrics by David Crosby and the music by Dean Parks.
NGUYEN: And on this, you guys are going to go on tour. You're on tour right now, but just the two of you are going to set out. Tell us about that, because you know folks want to know when they can see you.
NASH: Crosby said earlier, we love our job, you know.
CROSBY: We have a great job.
NASH: We have a great job. We get to do what we want to do with our days. I mean, how lucky can you be? So yes, as soon as we finish this tour with Stephen, we're going to go right back out with David.
NGUYEN: It's work, work, work for you two.
CROSBY: Well, you know, it's really not. That's why they call it playing music.
NGUYEN: You get paid to do what you love, boy, isn't that great.
CROSBY: The travel is hard. You know, the 40th hotel room in a row will kind of drive you a little crazy. But the music is really delightful. And it's just as much fun now as it was when I was a teenager.
NGUYEN: Well, let's talk about that music because we're listening to it now. You have always been known to put a little social commentary in that. We have seen through this political climate in this political year other stars out there raising concerns, voicing their opinions. How difficult and how daring can that be, because we've seen what happened to the Dixie Chicks, Linda Ronstadt, it can be kind of dangerous?
NASH: This is America, though, isn't it?
NGUYEN: It is.
NASH: Don't we have the right to speak our minds? Doesn't everybody have the right to speak their minds?
CROSBY: We do. And also, it has been part of a long tradition. You've got to understand that it has always been part of our job to be the town crier, the troubadour, carry the news from one town to another. To say, it's 12:00 and all is well, or it's 12:30 and things aren't so great. That has been part of our job. It's only part.
The main part of our job is to entertain you, make you feel good, help you express emotions. But part of our job is to carry the news. And I think that that if we do that well, you know, we serve a really good purpose.
NGUYEN: Do you think more and more artists should do that without fear?
CROSBY: I think that absolutely they should do it without fear. There is an attempt on the part of the right in this country to intimidate that and keep it from happening because it's embarrassing to them. Also because they really have a lot of trouble to get anybody to speak for their side.
Most of the singer/songwriter community are liberals and tend to go on that side. Some of the country people are speaking out for the right now, and doing a good job.
NGUYEN: And quickly, you guys -- just very quickly, but this joint, I guess, event for presidency, what's that all about?
NASH: It's a tongue in cheek thing. But we figured we could do a better job than the man is doing right now.
NGUYEN: So you're running for president?
NASH: Yes, joint presidency.
NGUYEN: Joint presidency, so you're going to share...
CROSBY: Two heads are better than one.
NGUYEN: All right. We'll see if that happens. Well, thank you both for joining us.
NASH: Thank you, Betty.
CROSBY: Thank you.
NGUYEN: And you can keep an eye on entertainment 24-7 by pointing your Internet browser to cnn.com/entertainment. Among the highlights you'll find there, a story on the hot cable show "Nip/Tuck," plus Ashley Simpson is no longer in big sister Jessica's shadow. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: A typhoon that has lashed northeast Asia is being blamed for killing at least five fishermen at sea and two school children in Japan. Today the storm has been hitting northern Taiwan, grounding flights, closing schools and threatening deadly landslides and flash flooding.
Wind gusts have topped 100 miles an hour and some areas have reported more than 20 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. First, there is Charley, now this.
Jacqui, it has been a rough year so far for hurricanes and typhoons. I guess hurricanes-typhoons, kind of the same.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, they're the same type of system. It just depends on where they are. The typhoons are in the Pacific, the hurricanes are in the Atlantic.
And just to put it in perspective for you, Betty, this is the 20th named storm in the Pacific that has been affecting people out there. We are only on E. E is the latest storm that we've had. So that's five in the Atlantic compared to 20 now in the Pacific.
Aere, I believe I'm pronouncing that right, called international weather (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that's the best guest that we have, and that's the one that's moving across northern parts of Taiwan at this hour.
They're getting, though, the good part of the storm, as we call it. The real damaging winds up in the northeastern quadrant. And just the southern half of the storm moving across that island. But it looks like it is going to be moving right into China. And they'll be getting the full brunt of this storm. And just behind it, we've got a super typhoon, and that is Chaba. And that one is right on its heels, with 180-mile-an-hour winds associated with that system. So pretty incredible with the super typhoon right behind it.
We are watching the Atlantic basin. Now you can see a little tropical wave, the Leeward Islands right back here. So not threatening anything at this time. But it's becoming a little better organized and could become a tropical system later on today or tomorrow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Presidential candidate John Kerry is campaigning in New York City today, where he is expected to talk more about those controversial 527 attack ads.
Plus, the number of Americans with high blood pressure is on the rise, find out if you're at risk. The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.
Here's a look at what's happening now in the news. John Kerry talks economic issues this hour in New York. He's expected to accuse President Bush of weakening America's middle class. It's not clear whether Kerry will discuss the controversy over ads questioning his war record in Vietnam. But we will be listening in and we will bring you the latest.
Also,Vice President Dick Cheney is campaigning in the heartland. After meeting with President Bush in Texas yesterday, Cheney was to attend a rally for a congressional candidate in Overland Park this morning. He campaigns in Iowa and Michigan later today.
An aide says radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is ready to negotiate an end to the standoff in Najaf following the latest ultimatum. Iraq's defense minister threaten a raid on the Imam Ali Mosque unless members of al-Sadr's militia leave by daybreak tomorrow. Battle has persisted today between the militia and U.S. forces in Najaf following a night of intensified air strikes.
There are more complaints about judging of the men's gymnastics competition at the Olympics, this time from Russia with no love. Spectators booed for 10 minutes after the judges denied a Russian gymnast a medal in the men's high bar finals. Now according to media reports, Russia plans to file a protest and appeal to the International Olympic Committee.
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Aired August 24, 2004 - 10:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Here are the stories now in the news.
We want to show you video that has just come in to CNN just moments ago. CNN has a crew closely monitoring developments on the story in Najaf. Minutes ago, an aide to Muqtada al-Sadr announced the cleric is ready to negotiate an end to the fighting there. The announcement follows U.S. air strikes overnight and intense fighting around a sacred shrine.
Now, earlier today, Iraq's defense minister issued an ultimatum to rebel fighters inside the mosques: leave or be wiped out. And of course, we will continue to follow this story.
Civil Rights Activist Jesse Jackson is in Tripoli this hour, waiting a meeting with the Libyan officials. Jackson tells CNN he wants to meet with Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in hopes of securing his intervention in the Sudan crisis. More that a million people have been displaced in the Sudan fighting. Jackson also wants to discuss Libya's conviction of seven medical personnel charged with spreading the AIDS virus.
The price of crude oil has dipped for the third straight day, after Iraq reopened its northern Kirkuk pipeline. U.S. crude oil prices have held below $46 a barrel. Analysts had predicted wrongly, so far, that prices would surpass the $50 mark, a psychological important barrier.
Well, Vice President Dick Cheney is stumping in the Midwest today with stops in Kansas, Iowa, and Michigan. This hour, he's making a breakfast appearance in Overland Park, Kansas, on behalf of a Congressional candidate.
The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows the presidential race is just too close to call in the key state of Florida. If the election were held today, 45 percent of the state's registered voters say they'd vote for President Bush and 45 percent say they'd vote for John Kerry.
Now, among likely voters, not much difference there, as well. President Bush's two percentage point lead is within the margin of error. The president does get high marks for his response to Hurricane Charley. Seven out of 10 Floridians approve of the efforts. That's a 10-point improvement over how the first President Bush responded to Hurricane Andrew during the 1992 presidential campaign.
The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads attacking John Kerry may be getting a lot of coverage, but independent groups airing anti-Bush ads have already spent tens of millions of dollars.
CNN's Kathleen Koch is at the White House with the president's response to the ad war. Hi, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty.
President Bush, in his first exchange with reporters since the swift boat controversy heated up, was pummeled with questions yesterday afternoon -- the main thrust, did he or did he not specifically condemn the content of that ad as both the Kerry campaign and as Republican Senator John McCain have asked the president to. However, Mr. Bush did not. He stopped short, instead more broadly condemning all of these unregulated third-party, or so-called 527, ads that have been running this year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That means that ad, every other ad. Absolutely. I don't think we ought to have 527s. I can't be more plain about it. And I wish -- I hope my opponent joins me in saying -- condemning these activities of the 527s.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, the White House points out that Mr. Bush himself has been the target of more than $60 million in negative ads by such groups. Still, Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate John Edwards criticized President Bush for failing to condemn the ad that Senator Kerry's campaign insists is blatantly false.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Today, George Bush faced his moment of truth, and he failed. He failed to condemn the specific attacks on John Kerry's military record. We didn't need to hear a politician's answer, but unfortunately that's what we got.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: Now, President Bush is not here at the White House today. He's spending another day at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, preparing for the Republican convention. That gets underway next week.
RNC chairman Ed Gillespie told CNN this morning that that convention will look both to the past and to the future, touting what he called President Bush's record of, quote, "strong and principled leadership," as well as looking forward to the president's new agenda and new policies that he would try to enact if he's reelected -- Betty?
NGUYEN: CNN's Kathleen Koch at the White House. We'll be talking a little bit more about these 527 ads later on LIVE TODAY.
Meanwhile, John Kerry will talk again next hour about turning the presidential campaign back to current issues. Speaking in New York, Kerry will urge the GOP to drop negative ads. Kerry will also tout his plans for raising middle-class living standards. We'll be monitoring Kerry's comments, and if he makes news, we will bring it to you.
Well, one reason Republicans chose New York for next week's convention is symbolic: a return to the city that President Bush promised to help in the post-9/11 recovery. But some Democrats charge the president has failed to deliver.
CNN's Allan Chernoff has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After the 9/11 terror attacks, President Bush made a promise to New York City.
BUSH: I made a pledge that our government would commit at least $20 billion to help rebuild New York.
CHERNOFF: Now as Republicans come to New York, hoping to benefit from the city's comeback, some New York Democrats charge the president hasn't done enough to help.
REP. CAROLYN MALONEY (D), NEW YORK: The $20 billion was pledged shortly after 9/11. It was supposed to be a floor, not a ceiling. It quickly became a ceiling that we had to scratch up the walls to get to and to fight for every single dollar that we got out of Washington into New York City.
CHERNOFF: The White House says it has made good on the president's pledge.
JOSHUA BOLTEN, DIRECTOR, OMB: There's an enormous amount that has been done and is being done to assist New York with the recovery and the rebuilding. Not all of the money has actually been cashed at this point, but all of the money is there for New York to use in a way that New Yorkers want to use it.
CHERNOFF: New York has actually received about half the money. The rest is allocated, though it will be years before the city will spend it.
Here's the breakdown of the $20.4 billion in federal aid according to New York's nonpartisan Independent Budget Office: $6.3 billion for the emergency response, including the cleanup and insurance fund, police and firefighters' overtime; $4.4 billion of grants and tax benefits to spur downtown's economic recovery; $9.7 billion remains primarily for long-term transportation projects. They include renovating subway stations and a permanent transit terminal at the World Trade Center site.
(on camera): The $20 billion is not all in cash and not all in hand. But factoring in tax benefits, it appears the administration has made good on its pledge. New York's prime concern now is making sure it gets enough financing from Washington to remain vigilant in the fight against terrorism.
Allan Chernoff, CNN Financial News, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Protest groups are fighting New York City and wanting to stage demonstrations in Central Park before the GOP convention. Lawyers for one group go before the state supreme court today to argue for permission to hold an event for a quarter million people in Central Park on Sunday.
An anti-war group and an Arab-American group are considering their next step after a federal judge turned down the request for a Saturday park protest.
Well, a breakdown in talks between US Air and its pilots -- we'll have the latest from both sides of the bargaining table.
Plus, Amber Frey and Mark Geragos square off again today at the Scott Peterson trial. We'll take you there live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
RHONDA SCHAFFLER: I'm Rhonda Schaffler at the New York Stock Exchange, where stocks are mixed as oil prices continue to ease.
Right now, the Dow Jones Industrial Average moving up by 30 points. The Nasdaq Composite is little changed. Crude oil down another 40 cents today, extending yesterday's decline. After flirting with $50 a barrel on Friday, it's now hovering around $45.70 a barrel.
Among the stocks on the move this morning, shares of Caterpillar up two percent. That's after Goldman Sachs upgraded the stock.
With time running out, US Airways appears to be on the brink of bankruptcy -- again. Talks between the airline and its pilots' union have apparently collapsed. Earlier this month, US Air's chairman warned that without new labor deals, the company could return to bankruptcy court or, even more drastically, be forced to liquidate.
A bankruptcy filing would be US Air's second in two years. It's trying to avoid Chapter 11 this time around by cutting costs by $1.5 billion before the end of September. According to the company, that would require nearly $300 million in give-backs from pilots. The union has said it will only accept reductions of up to $180 million.
That's the very latest in business news. CNN's LIVE TODAY will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Want to take a look at other stories making news coast to coast today. Police in Kansas have linked a poem written by the notorious BTK serial killer to an obscure song once taught in a Wichita State University class. The killer, called BTK for "bind, torture, kill," is blamed for eighth deaths over 30 years. The poem was written in 1978 and was attached to a letter claiming responsibility for three murders. Now the professor, who died of cancer 13 years ago, taught the song "Oh Death" in a class during the '70s.
A report today suggests that Texas may have a lead in the killing of two Christian camp counselors. "The Santa Rosa Press Democrat" reports police are seeking a 21-year-old Wisconsin man for questioning. Police don't know if the man is a suspect, a witness, or has information about the case. A 23-year-old woman and her 26-year- old fiance were found shot to death in their sleeping bags on a California beach last week.
Rescue teams are continuing their search for a missing 12-year- old Boy Scout in the Utah mountains. The boy disappeared Friday on his way back to camp. The weather has since turned cold and wet, and the boy was dressed in light clothing. Officials say chances of finding that boy alive are slim.
Well, the cross-examination of Scott Peterson's former mistress is scheduled to resume in a little more than an hour.
CNN's Rusty Dornin is covering Peterson's double-murder trial in Redwood City, California and joins us with the latest.
Hi, Rusty.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, for those expecting fireworks in round one of Mark Geragos' cross-examination of Amber Frey were disappointing. There weren't any.
Geragos was persistent in his questioning, but seemed to tread lightly while portraying Amber Frey as a liar and seductress, someone who would do anything to pursue the relationship with Scott Peterson, and then to anything to incriminate him. Amber Fry, meantime, appeared composed, even seemed cool, calm and collected on the stand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN (voice-over): When defense attorney Mark Geragos threw his first punch, it was a comedy line, telling a momentarily stunned courtroom he had no questions for Scott Peterson's former mistress Amber Frey. Afterwards, he chuckles. The highly anticipated cross- examination was underway. Geragos kept pressing Frey about how much alcohol was consumed on each date, and how and when Scott Peterson lied about his travels.
Missing was some of the flamboyance Geragos often displays when questioning witnesses. But the intensity kicked up when he zeroed in on her first interview with police on December 30th, six days after Laci Peterson was reported missing.
Frey admits she told investigators she would try to convince Peterson she was pregnant by him. "You definitely thought you could convince him of the fact you were pregnant? That it was a possibility." But Frey's credibility came into question when Geragos began asking her about the taping of calls with Peterson. "There was never a time, as you sit here today, that you were aware of that you ever hid anything from any of these detectives?"
"Correct."
Geragos then presented a series of reports from police indicating she did call Peterson on different occasions and didn't report it. But Frey was adamant she hid nothing. The judge told the jury Frey would be finished in one afternoon, but Mark Geragos wasn't. The cross-examination will resume this morning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DORNIN: Frey will be back on the stand in about an hour. The cross-examination expected to wrap up this morning. A bit of haggling back and forth by both sides, and Amber Frey should be finished before noon today.
Now, previously Gloria Allred, her attorney, had indicated that she might make some kind of statement. That would be the first public statement she has made since sometime last year -- Betty.
NGUYEN: We'll wait for that. All right, CNN's Rusty Dornin in California, thank you.
Straight ahead, right here on CNN LIVE TODAY, my interview with David Crosby and Graham Nash. Here what they have to say about their new album, and the election. This is what we're working on, though, for our next hour.
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NGUYEN: Listen to that music. It's been a busy year for David Crosby and Graham Nash. Along with partner Stephen Stills, they're in the middle of a nationwide tour.
But besides performing with the legendary group, Crosby and Nash have their first joint album of original material in almost 30 years. It's entitled, of course, "Crosby and Nash." And Nash has a new book out, as well. That's called "Eye to Eye," photographs by Graham Nash.
We want to welcome David Crosby and Graham Nash to CNN LIVE TODAY.
Thanks so much for being here with us.
GRAHAM NASH, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH: Good morning, Betty. How are you?
DAVID CROSBY, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH: Hi, how are you doing?
NGUYEN: I'm doing wonderful, especially with you two here. Boy, what an honor. Well, let's talk to you, David. You have this new -- well, you both have this new album coming out. What can we expect? We're listening to a little bit of it right now.
CROSBY: Well, the song gods were very kind to us this time. We lucked into an amazing batch of songs. And we just -- you know, that's always been our requirement for making a record, is that we have a bunch of good songs, but this time we had really even better selection than I think we've ever had.
And we got into the recording process, and it went very fast, and it went extremely well. And we've made, you know, maybe one of the best records of our lives. So, we're very happy.
NGUYEN: Really, best records of your lives. Well, Graham, he says the recording process went really fast. I mean, it's been 30 years since you two got together on a collaboration like this. Did you expect it to go so fast and so wonderful?
NASH: I knew that it would be a lot smoother than our normal recording situations. You know, you've got to understand, Crosby, Stills & Nash have made records that have lasted, in the making, through two Super Bowls. So, for David and I to do a double album in one month was an amazing feat for us.
NGUYEN: Is there a favorite on this new release?
CROSBY: My favorite's the song that Graham and Jeff Pevar wrote called "Jesus of Rio." It's a beautiful one about the statue of Jesus above Rio De Janeiro.
But I love it when the one that's the single, too, "Lay Me Down." My son James wrote that.
NGUYEN: We're listening to one right now, this one is called, "Through Here Quite Often."
CROSBY: Yes.
NGUYEN: Is that one of your favorites, Graham?
NASH: It is, indeed. It was the very first thing we put on this record. It was the first piece of music we attempted. It's a song, lyrics by David Crosby and the music by Dean Parks.
NGUYEN: And on this, you guys are going to go on tour. You're on tour right now, but just the two of you are going to set out. Tell us about that, because you know folks want to know when they can see you.
NASH: Crosby said earlier, we love our job, you know.
CROSBY: We have a great job.
NASH: We have a great job. We get to do what we want to do with our days. I mean, how lucky can you be? So yes, as soon as we finish this tour with Stephen, we're going to go right back out with David.
NGUYEN: It's work, work, work for you two.
CROSBY: Well, you know, it's really not. That's why they call it playing music.
NGUYEN: You get paid to do what you love, boy, isn't that great.
CROSBY: The travel is hard. You know, the 40th hotel room in a row will kind of drive you a little crazy. But the music is really delightful. And it's just as much fun now as it was when I was a teenager.
NGUYEN: Well, let's talk about that music because we're listening to it now. You have always been known to put a little social commentary in that. We have seen through this political climate in this political year other stars out there raising concerns, voicing their opinions. How difficult and how daring can that be, because we've seen what happened to the Dixie Chicks, Linda Ronstadt, it can be kind of dangerous?
NASH: This is America, though, isn't it?
NGUYEN: It is.
NASH: Don't we have the right to speak our minds? Doesn't everybody have the right to speak their minds?
CROSBY: We do. And also, it has been part of a long tradition. You've got to understand that it has always been part of our job to be the town crier, the troubadour, carry the news from one town to another. To say, it's 12:00 and all is well, or it's 12:30 and things aren't so great. That has been part of our job. It's only part.
The main part of our job is to entertain you, make you feel good, help you express emotions. But part of our job is to carry the news. And I think that that if we do that well, you know, we serve a really good purpose.
NGUYEN: Do you think more and more artists should do that without fear?
CROSBY: I think that absolutely they should do it without fear. There is an attempt on the part of the right in this country to intimidate that and keep it from happening because it's embarrassing to them. Also because they really have a lot of trouble to get anybody to speak for their side.
Most of the singer/songwriter community are liberals and tend to go on that side. Some of the country people are speaking out for the right now, and doing a good job.
NGUYEN: And quickly, you guys -- just very quickly, but this joint, I guess, event for presidency, what's that all about?
NASH: It's a tongue in cheek thing. But we figured we could do a better job than the man is doing right now.
NGUYEN: So you're running for president?
NASH: Yes, joint presidency.
NGUYEN: Joint presidency, so you're going to share...
CROSBY: Two heads are better than one.
NGUYEN: All right. We'll see if that happens. Well, thank you both for joining us.
NASH: Thank you, Betty.
CROSBY: Thank you.
NGUYEN: And you can keep an eye on entertainment 24-7 by pointing your Internet browser to cnn.com/entertainment. Among the highlights you'll find there, a story on the hot cable show "Nip/Tuck," plus Ashley Simpson is no longer in big sister Jessica's shadow. Stay with us.
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NGUYEN: A typhoon that has lashed northeast Asia is being blamed for killing at least five fishermen at sea and two school children in Japan. Today the storm has been hitting northern Taiwan, grounding flights, closing schools and threatening deadly landslides and flash flooding.
Wind gusts have topped 100 miles an hour and some areas have reported more than 20 inches of rain in a 24-hour period. First, there is Charley, now this.
Jacqui, it has been a rough year so far for hurricanes and typhoons. I guess hurricanes-typhoons, kind of the same.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, they're the same type of system. It just depends on where they are. The typhoons are in the Pacific, the hurricanes are in the Atlantic.
And just to put it in perspective for you, Betty, this is the 20th named storm in the Pacific that has been affecting people out there. We are only on E. E is the latest storm that we've had. So that's five in the Atlantic compared to 20 now in the Pacific.
Aere, I believe I'm pronouncing that right, called international weather (UNINTELLIGIBLE), that's the best guest that we have, and that's the one that's moving across northern parts of Taiwan at this hour.
They're getting, though, the good part of the storm, as we call it. The real damaging winds up in the northeastern quadrant. And just the southern half of the storm moving across that island. But it looks like it is going to be moving right into China. And they'll be getting the full brunt of this storm. And just behind it, we've got a super typhoon, and that is Chaba. And that one is right on its heels, with 180-mile-an-hour winds associated with that system. So pretty incredible with the super typhoon right behind it.
We are watching the Atlantic basin. Now you can see a little tropical wave, the Leeward Islands right back here. So not threatening anything at this time. But it's becoming a little better organized and could become a tropical system later on today or tomorrow.
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NGUYEN: Presidential candidate John Kerry is campaigning in New York City today, where he is expected to talk more about those controversial 527 attack ads.
Plus, the number of Americans with high blood pressure is on the rise, find out if you're at risk. The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.
Here's a look at what's happening now in the news. John Kerry talks economic issues this hour in New York. He's expected to accuse President Bush of weakening America's middle class. It's not clear whether Kerry will discuss the controversy over ads questioning his war record in Vietnam. But we will be listening in and we will bring you the latest.
Also,Vice President Dick Cheney is campaigning in the heartland. After meeting with President Bush in Texas yesterday, Cheney was to attend a rally for a congressional candidate in Overland Park this morning. He campaigns in Iowa and Michigan later today.
An aide says radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr is ready to negotiate an end to the standoff in Najaf following the latest ultimatum. Iraq's defense minister threaten a raid on the Imam Ali Mosque unless members of al-Sadr's militia leave by daybreak tomorrow. Battle has persisted today between the militia and U.S. forces in Najaf following a night of intensified air strikes.
There are more complaints about judging of the men's gymnastics competition at the Olympics, this time from Russia with no love. Spectators booed for 10 minutes after the judges denied a Russian gymnast a medal in the men's high bar finals. Now according to media reports, Russia plans to file a protest and appeal to the International Olympic Committee.
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