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Bush Administration Working To Buy Five Million Doses of Flu Vaccine From Germany and Canada; This Weekend's Top Movie Picks

Aired October 29, 2004 - 10:30   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: We're at half past the hour. Good morning, once again, I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez, and here's what's happening right now in the news.

U.S. Military officials do believe insurgents may be leaving Falluja and blending into other areas of Iraq. That analysis comes as U.S. forces prepare for what could be a decisive assault on the city. U.S. officials concede that militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may no longer be in Falluja, though his operation is still somehow active there.

Yasser Arafat arrived at a Paris hospital a short time ago. The Palestinian leader is going to be treated for a blood disorder. Arafat is traveling with his wife, Suha, and a number of aides. Doctors say the 75-year-old leader is suffering from a blood platelet deficiency.

President Bush left Washington for his final trip on the campaign trail. Mr. Bush doesn't plan to return to the White House until Election Day. Today, the president speaks at two rallies, each in New Hampshire and Ohio. The president plans to talk about his key issues of leadership, as well as security.

John Kerry, meanwhile, is focusing on the state that decided the race four years ago. That would be, of course, the State of Florida altogether. Kerry has stops in Orlando, West Palm Beach, and Miami. The former prosecutor is giving his campaign's closing argument for why President Bush needs to be defeated.

KAGAN: While their running mates are off and running, the vice presidential candidates are on the campaign trail, as well. Senator John Edwards stumping in three states today. He's in Wisconsin right now for a rally. About four hours from now, he'll rally supporters in Muskegon, Michigan. And this evening, Edwards will head home to Raleigh, North Carolina, for an event there.

Senator Edwards won't have Wisconsin and Michigan all to himself today. Vice President Dick Cheney will also campaign in those states. Cheney is in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, right now. This afternoon, he heads to Michigan, and this evening Cheney will be in Pennsylvania.

And then a surprise move, book a ticket for this one, the vice president heads to Hawaii for weekend campaigning, where polls show the race in the traditionally Democratic state is tightening. Well, just because some things have never happened before doesn't mean it can't happen. Just look at the Boston Red Sox with their improbable postseason comeback. Still, political wags will show you reams of history explaining how to tell who will win the White House.

CNN's Tom Foreman has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No one should celebrate the Red Sox more than John Kerry, because when the American League wins the World Series, as his hometown Sox finally did, 60 percent of the time, the Democrats win the White House.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're on our way! We're on our way!

FOREMAN: There are many presidential predictors. Long hemlines favor Republicans. Good Bordeaux toasts the Democrats. But no one knows the serious alternatives better than presidential historian Allan Lichtman.

ALLAN LICHTMAN, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: I believe that there are presidential predictors, other than polling, that are more accurate and reliable than the polls.

FOREMAN: Lichtman has devised 13 questions about presidential performance, social attitudes, and the military. He says the answers are keys to predicting the winner, and they're pointing to Bush. He's been right for five elections.

LICHTMAN: So, my system looks at the big picture -- foreign policy successes and failures, the long and short-term economy, scandal, social unrest, third parties -- and is able to come up with a prediction a year, or even more, out from the election.

FOREMAN: On the Iowa Electronic Market and tradesports Web sites, millions of Americans bet money on who will win, and Bush is substantially favored there, too.

Koleman Strumph is an economist who studies these markets.

KOLEMAN STRUMPH, UNIV. OF N.C. CHAPEL HILL: I think one of the reasons these markets work so well is they take advantage of the collective wisdom of a lot of people, where the people who have very strong views can make their intensity of views, they can express it through this very interesting mechanism of investment.

FOREMAN: History backs him up. A century ago, betting on the presidency was hugely popular, front-page news. And long before polling, the betting markets were almost always correct.

Still, predicting the presidency is tricky. You can flip a coin and be right 50 percent of the time.

(on camera): But a few odd heads or tails, and your success rate could soar to 70 or 80 percent. So, you see, any pattern that mimics election performance could be called a predictor.

But then, there are the Redskins.

(voice-over): For 70 years, every time the Washington Redskins have won their game before the election, the incumbent party has kept the White House. They play the Packers on Halloween. Go Pack. Go Skins. Go figure.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: The brouhaha over a Bush campaign ad has taken a new twist. The bush camp now says that a photo used in the TV ad was a product of creative editing. The ad incorporates a still photograph of soldiers, apparently listening to President Bush. But some Web bloggers noticed that one small group of the soldiers was used repeatedly. Notice the same faces, the same berets.

Bush media advisor Mark McKinnon says that they were electronically copied and used to fill a space after the president and podium were removed from the picture. The Kerry campaign took the opportunity to issue a statement saying this: "Unless George Bush has changed his position on human cloning, it's got to pull this fundamentally dishonest ad immediately." The Bush campaign says it will re-edit and continue to use the ad.

It took two weeks for Bill O'Reilly and his former producer to settle their lawsuit. Andrea Mackris and the FOX News Channel anchor dropped all allegations against each other Thursday. The statement announcing the confidential settlement says, quote, "All parties have agreed there was no wrongdoing whatsoever," stop quote.

Mackris had accused O'Reilly of making sexually explicit phone calls and otherwise harassing her sexually. The talk show host claimed Mackris has tried to extort millions of dollars in hush money from him.

The nation's oldest civil rights group is said to be under investigation for taking sides in the presidential election. According to the NAACP chairman, Julian Bond, the IRS is reviewing the group's tax-exempt status because of Bond's criticism of President Bush during a speech at the NAACP Convention in July. The IRS has not confirmed the review. Under tax laws, charities are not allowed to support specific parties in any campaigns.

KAGAN: Even those of you burnt out on all the political talk might enjoy this next young man. One politician boldly talking about healthcare, education, and abandoning your pet?

Raphael James of our affiliate WCSC introduces us to a petite power player with some very grand ambitions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHKUR FRANCIS: When I grow up, I plan to be a senator, a representative, and president of the United States.

RAPHAEL JAMES, REPORTER, WCSC: Even though nowhere near old enough to vote, Shkur Francis, a sixth grader, is politically connected. But Shkur got involved with politics accidentally when his grandmother came to live with him.

FRANCIS: She had me watching CNN every day. I hated CNN.

JAMES: But over time, the news fueled his interest in government. Here's where he stands on the issues.

FRANCIS: We need to fund healthcare. We need to fund education. We need a new tax reform. Many things this country needs, and I feel I could bring to it.

There's one issue I really do represent -- if you abandon your dog, you go straight to jail. You abandon your animal, you go straight to jail.

George Bush continues to complain about how being president is hard work. Well, since it's hard work, won't you let John Kerry come in and relieve your pain?

Well, if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have this problem. Al Gore had been president, and we wouldn't have this war in Iraq. Ralph Nader's been running for president since 1992. Ralph Nader is 70 years old. Ralph, I think you should retire, go home, be happy, and don't come back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Someone has been talking to him, yes absolutely. We'll have to find a little Republican kid to come on for a fair balance.

SANCHEZ: Well, we had the historian on.

KAGAN: There you go. Yeah, he was picking Bush, he was picking Kerry. Balanced and fair.

All right, you ready to make a dash to your doctor's office or pharmacy? Still to come -- a second chance at the flu vaccine.

SANCHEZ: And talk about man's best friend, here's one assistant who really knows how to do his job.

KAGAN: Plus, you thought traffic in your town was bad? Try getting around here. These stories and more when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Forty-two minutes after the hour. Time to check in, see what's going on in the business world.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT) KAGAN: Federal health officials are busy rounding up flu vaccine. The Bush administration says that it's working to buy five million doses of flu vaccine from manufacturers in Germany and Canada. The FDA is sending inspectors to see if the doses meet U.S. standards. If so they will be imported here.

Let's take a look at some of the other stories that are making news now from coast to coast.

KAGAN: In British Columbia the "Flu Cruise" is running short of vaccines. The Victoria clipper has been offering a deal to ferry passengers from Seattle to Victoria to get flu shots. But there are concerns that Canada's supply could be overtaxed by thousands of Americans who are coming across the border.

SANCHEZ: It pays to have Faith. That's the name of one smart dog. A 4-year-old rottweiler managed to phone 911, if you can believe that, and open the door for police after her owner suffered a seizure. Faith is trained to hit the speed dial with her nose, and bark into the receiver. Wow.

KAGAN: You go, Faith.

SANCHEZ: The dog's owner is OK. She called Faith a real trooper.

KAGAN: Good girl, good doggie.

All right, to San Francisco. Sometimes the streets are so busy it's kind of like a herd of cattle passing through. Only this time, it really is a herd of cattle passing through. These little doggies hoofed it from the railyards to, you guessed it, the Cow Palace at the famous site there in San Francisco. It's an annual stunt for the opening of a grand national rodeo show. You might want to watch where you step after the cattle move on through.

SANCHEZ: I worked in Houston for a while. And we used to have to cover those every year. And they are an awful lot of fun and the eats are wonderful.

KAGAN: Those national rodeo shows?

SANCHEZ: That's right.

KAGAN: Having lived in the Bay Area, you don't see that every day just walking through the streets. You see a lot of strange things in San Francisco but you don't usually see that.

SANCHEZ: Mostly Lamborghinis.

Get ready to fall back. Daylight saving time goes away at 2:00 a.m. Sunday. So set those clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night and enjoy the extra sleep.

KAGAN: You might think that resetting your clocks in your house is kind of a real pain in the you-know-what. But wait until you meet this man. Coming up in the next hour, the job of winding and setting more than 100 clocks. And he does like clockwork. Like clockwork, get it?

Plus...

(MUSIC)

SANCHEZ: Playing the part down to the stroke of the keys. Jamie Foxx delivers a "Ray" of sunshine at the box office this weekend. And this is what we're working for you on the next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "RAY")

REGINA KING, ACTRESS: From now on, it's strictly business between you and me.

JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: Yes, business.

(singing): Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more, no more. No, no, hit the road, Jack.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A dramatic scene inspires a hit song as art tries to imitate life. "Hit the Road, Jack," is just one of the tunes featured in this movie "Ray," a film biopic of the late Ray Charles' life. The film and its star Jamie Foxx are already winning praise from moviegoers and critics alike.

KAGAN: Ah, but then there is "Mr. Moviefone." What does he think? Russ Leatherman weighs in on "Ray" and some other new movie releases, joining us live from L.A. Hi, Russ.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": I don't think I like what you're saying, Daryn.

KAGAN: What? I'm making you special. I'm putting you up on a pedestal.

LEATHERMAN: Oh...

KAGAN: ... then there's "Mr. Moviefone."

LEATHERMAN: Yeah. In that case, well, thank you very much.

Well, you know, movies like this worry me a little bit, because you're right, there's been so much hype about this movie. Everybody's been talking about it. Can it possibly live up to the expectations? Well, the answer here is yes! Absolutely.

KAGAN: Ooh.

LEATHERMAN: This movie is really amazing. It stars Jamie Foxx. He's playing Ray Charles there. And everybody knows what it's about. It's the story of his life.

I found it amazing, there was a lot about Ray Charles I didn't know that I found really interesting and compelling, going all the way back from his early childhood and really how he becomes an American icon -- and really, one of the best musicians and just music icons in the world.

The amazing thing about Jamie Foxx in this performance is, I believe it will be one of those sort of career-making performances. We will look back 20 years from now, and we'll be thinking about Jamie Foxx and be going, oh, remember him in "Ray"? Remember how fantastic he was in this movie?

It's not overhyped. He's really sensational. The rest of the cast, Kerry Washington, Regina King -- everybody is fantastic. The music in the movie is terrific. I really can't say enough about it. The hype is deserved with this movie. You definitely want to go check out "Ray."

KAGAN: OK. That is on my to-see list.

Now, there's this one called "Birth," and it's with Nicole Kidman. And there's a strange thick of a relationship with an eight- year-old boy. And there's some controversy on this movie long before it even was set to come out.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's an interesting movie, actually. It is Nicole Kidman, and she's always fantastic -- and as beautiful as usual here, as you can see. And it's the story of a woman who believes that her dead husband has come back to her.

In this particular case, her dead husband is the reincarnation -- it's a 10-year-old boy. So, that's where you're getting all of the controversy. There's this bathtub scene where you have Nicole Kidman in the bathtub with this 10-year-old boy, which is probably wrong and maybe even illegal, but that's beside the point.

KAGAN: Probably? Russ?

LEATHERMAN: Well, you know, that's beside the point. The movie is really very real Kubrick-esque. It's dark. It's brooding. It's a compelling drama.

I thought the young actor was terrific. I thought Nicole Kidman was terrific, as usual. And I really liked this movie. Now, you know, controversy aside, this is a movie that you'll watch and you'll -- the suspension is terrific. And you're really going to believe it. You're going to believe that this little boy is indeed her husband coming back to her.

KAGAN: OK, so let's just leave it at that, because it will be suspenseful and, you know, let people go see for themselves. So, you liked it. I'm saving...

LEATHERMAN: I did like it. I thought it was a good movie.

KAGAN: Time for one more. We're going from weird to weirder -- "Saw" -- S-A-W.

LEATHERMAN: Well, this movie is messed up in about every way imaginable, Daryn. This is a down and dirty horror flick. It's about this serial killer who pits these two people against each other, and they're chained up in this basement and they're left with this saw to really get them out. But it ain't strong enough to cut through the chains. So, that gives you an idea of what that saw is for.

This movie is not "Se7en." It's not "Silence of the Lambs." It really wants to be. But if you look at it as a really down and dirty gritty B-horror film, you're going to think it's really good.

So, it's Halloween weekend, what's better than watching severed limbs? I mean, come on.

KAGAN: I'll give you that, but you know, I do not enjoy those bad dream movies. Do not bring them on this program.

LEATHERMAN: OK, well then, go see "Ray," because this is a can't-miss movie. We'll be talking about it at Oscar time.

KAGAN: Our ray of sunshine, "Mr. Moviefone" Russ Leatherman.

LEATHERMAN: Thank you, Daryn. Goodbye.

SANCHEZ: And we've got news coming in right now. The head of the IAEA is commenting for the first time on those explosives that have been missing in Iraq. Mohamed ElBaradei is significant in this case because he was among those who was trying to get the United States to hold off on the invasion of Iraq. So, what are his comments now?

CNN's Liz Neisloss is standing by. She interviewed him exclusively. Liz, over to you.

LIZ NEISLOSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Rick. Just moments ago, we spoke to Mohamed ElBaradei, who has found himself and his organization in the center of somewhat of a political firestorm over this issue of the missing 380 tons of explosives from a weapons site in Iraq.

I asked him about the particular timing of the release of his information, whether there were any political motivations, and did he give the U.S. enough warning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, IAEA DIRECTOR-GENERAL: This has been a public issue. I mean, we have reported that to the Security Council in 2003 that these explosives exist in that site. So, this has always been a public issue, that as aware these explosives exist and the quantity of these explosives.

Or -- as I said, it's a matter now it's not who is to blame, it's a matter that if we can retrieve these explosives and take precautionary measure. It is important for us to protect the Iraqi people, to protect the multinational force, and hopefully that these explosives will not fall into the wrong hands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEISLOSS: So, ElBaradei says he has not had any communication directly from the U.S. on the matter. His understanding is that it is under investigation. He is not making any judgments at this point on the timing of the disappearance of these explosives. He says the Iraqis have told him that these weapons disappeared sometime after April 9th. He says he has no information one way or the other about when the explosives disappeared.

But clearly, he is insisting this is no small matter for the International Atomic Energy Agency -- Rick?

SANCHEZ: But if my dates are correct, it was March 3rd when most of the inspectors pulled out. Can he confirm that they were, in fact, sealed in that Al Qaqaa site on that date?

NEISLOSS: Well, what the IAEA tells us is that they did an exact inventory in January. But then again in March, on the date that you mentioned, they did what they call a spot check. They saw that the seals were intact. They looked at barrels, which were not under seal. They counted. They felt that their inventory at that point, at that date, was secure.

After that, the IAEA says no one knows.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, so it's past that date where the question comes in. Liz, thanks so much for that report. We certainly appreciate it -- Daryn?

KAGAN: And we'll get a quick break in here, and we'll be back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: President Bush campaigns in Manchester, New Hampshire, this hour. Aides say Mr. Bush will personalize his final appeals to voters. A live report from the Granite State is just ahead.

Senator Kerry is spending today in Florida, where he has three events scheduled. Rock star Bruce Springsteen, who appeared at campaign events yesterday in Wisconsin and Ohio is expected to join Kerry once again today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired October 29, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're at half past the hour. Good morning, once again, I'm Daryn Kagan.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Rick Sanchez, and here's what's happening right now in the news.

U.S. Military officials do believe insurgents may be leaving Falluja and blending into other areas of Iraq. That analysis comes as U.S. forces prepare for what could be a decisive assault on the city. U.S. officials concede that militant leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may no longer be in Falluja, though his operation is still somehow active there.

Yasser Arafat arrived at a Paris hospital a short time ago. The Palestinian leader is going to be treated for a blood disorder. Arafat is traveling with his wife, Suha, and a number of aides. Doctors say the 75-year-old leader is suffering from a blood platelet deficiency.

President Bush left Washington for his final trip on the campaign trail. Mr. Bush doesn't plan to return to the White House until Election Day. Today, the president speaks at two rallies, each in New Hampshire and Ohio. The president plans to talk about his key issues of leadership, as well as security.

John Kerry, meanwhile, is focusing on the state that decided the race four years ago. That would be, of course, the State of Florida altogether. Kerry has stops in Orlando, West Palm Beach, and Miami. The former prosecutor is giving his campaign's closing argument for why President Bush needs to be defeated.

KAGAN: While their running mates are off and running, the vice presidential candidates are on the campaign trail, as well. Senator John Edwards stumping in three states today. He's in Wisconsin right now for a rally. About four hours from now, he'll rally supporters in Muskegon, Michigan. And this evening, Edwards will head home to Raleigh, North Carolina, for an event there.

Senator Edwards won't have Wisconsin and Michigan all to himself today. Vice President Dick Cheney will also campaign in those states. Cheney is in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, right now. This afternoon, he heads to Michigan, and this evening Cheney will be in Pennsylvania.

And then a surprise move, book a ticket for this one, the vice president heads to Hawaii for weekend campaigning, where polls show the race in the traditionally Democratic state is tightening. Well, just because some things have never happened before doesn't mean it can't happen. Just look at the Boston Red Sox with their improbable postseason comeback. Still, political wags will show you reams of history explaining how to tell who will win the White House.

CNN's Tom Foreman has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): No one should celebrate the Red Sox more than John Kerry, because when the American League wins the World Series, as his hometown Sox finally did, 60 percent of the time, the Democrats win the White House.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're on our way! We're on our way!

FOREMAN: There are many presidential predictors. Long hemlines favor Republicans. Good Bordeaux toasts the Democrats. But no one knows the serious alternatives better than presidential historian Allan Lichtman.

ALLAN LICHTMAN, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: I believe that there are presidential predictors, other than polling, that are more accurate and reliable than the polls.

FOREMAN: Lichtman has devised 13 questions about presidential performance, social attitudes, and the military. He says the answers are keys to predicting the winner, and they're pointing to Bush. He's been right for five elections.

LICHTMAN: So, my system looks at the big picture -- foreign policy successes and failures, the long and short-term economy, scandal, social unrest, third parties -- and is able to come up with a prediction a year, or even more, out from the election.

FOREMAN: On the Iowa Electronic Market and tradesports Web sites, millions of Americans bet money on who will win, and Bush is substantially favored there, too.

Koleman Strumph is an economist who studies these markets.

KOLEMAN STRUMPH, UNIV. OF N.C. CHAPEL HILL: I think one of the reasons these markets work so well is they take advantage of the collective wisdom of a lot of people, where the people who have very strong views can make their intensity of views, they can express it through this very interesting mechanism of investment.

FOREMAN: History backs him up. A century ago, betting on the presidency was hugely popular, front-page news. And long before polling, the betting markets were almost always correct.

Still, predicting the presidency is tricky. You can flip a coin and be right 50 percent of the time.

(on camera): But a few odd heads or tails, and your success rate could soar to 70 or 80 percent. So, you see, any pattern that mimics election performance could be called a predictor.

But then, there are the Redskins.

(voice-over): For 70 years, every time the Washington Redskins have won their game before the election, the incumbent party has kept the White House. They play the Packers on Halloween. Go Pack. Go Skins. Go figure.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: The brouhaha over a Bush campaign ad has taken a new twist. The bush camp now says that a photo used in the TV ad was a product of creative editing. The ad incorporates a still photograph of soldiers, apparently listening to President Bush. But some Web bloggers noticed that one small group of the soldiers was used repeatedly. Notice the same faces, the same berets.

Bush media advisor Mark McKinnon says that they were electronically copied and used to fill a space after the president and podium were removed from the picture. The Kerry campaign took the opportunity to issue a statement saying this: "Unless George Bush has changed his position on human cloning, it's got to pull this fundamentally dishonest ad immediately." The Bush campaign says it will re-edit and continue to use the ad.

It took two weeks for Bill O'Reilly and his former producer to settle their lawsuit. Andrea Mackris and the FOX News Channel anchor dropped all allegations against each other Thursday. The statement announcing the confidential settlement says, quote, "All parties have agreed there was no wrongdoing whatsoever," stop quote.

Mackris had accused O'Reilly of making sexually explicit phone calls and otherwise harassing her sexually. The talk show host claimed Mackris has tried to extort millions of dollars in hush money from him.

The nation's oldest civil rights group is said to be under investigation for taking sides in the presidential election. According to the NAACP chairman, Julian Bond, the IRS is reviewing the group's tax-exempt status because of Bond's criticism of President Bush during a speech at the NAACP Convention in July. The IRS has not confirmed the review. Under tax laws, charities are not allowed to support specific parties in any campaigns.

KAGAN: Even those of you burnt out on all the political talk might enjoy this next young man. One politician boldly talking about healthcare, education, and abandoning your pet?

Raphael James of our affiliate WCSC introduces us to a petite power player with some very grand ambitions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SHKUR FRANCIS: When I grow up, I plan to be a senator, a representative, and president of the United States.

RAPHAEL JAMES, REPORTER, WCSC: Even though nowhere near old enough to vote, Shkur Francis, a sixth grader, is politically connected. But Shkur got involved with politics accidentally when his grandmother came to live with him.

FRANCIS: She had me watching CNN every day. I hated CNN.

JAMES: But over time, the news fueled his interest in government. Here's where he stands on the issues.

FRANCIS: We need to fund healthcare. We need to fund education. We need a new tax reform. Many things this country needs, and I feel I could bring to it.

There's one issue I really do represent -- if you abandon your dog, you go straight to jail. You abandon your animal, you go straight to jail.

George Bush continues to complain about how being president is hard work. Well, since it's hard work, won't you let John Kerry come in and relieve your pain?

Well, if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have this problem. Al Gore had been president, and we wouldn't have this war in Iraq. Ralph Nader's been running for president since 1992. Ralph Nader is 70 years old. Ralph, I think you should retire, go home, be happy, and don't come back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Someone has been talking to him, yes absolutely. We'll have to find a little Republican kid to come on for a fair balance.

SANCHEZ: Well, we had the historian on.

KAGAN: There you go. Yeah, he was picking Bush, he was picking Kerry. Balanced and fair.

All right, you ready to make a dash to your doctor's office or pharmacy? Still to come -- a second chance at the flu vaccine.

SANCHEZ: And talk about man's best friend, here's one assistant who really knows how to do his job.

KAGAN: Plus, you thought traffic in your town was bad? Try getting around here. These stories and more when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Forty-two minutes after the hour. Time to check in, see what's going on in the business world.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT) KAGAN: Federal health officials are busy rounding up flu vaccine. The Bush administration says that it's working to buy five million doses of flu vaccine from manufacturers in Germany and Canada. The FDA is sending inspectors to see if the doses meet U.S. standards. If so they will be imported here.

Let's take a look at some of the other stories that are making news now from coast to coast.

KAGAN: In British Columbia the "Flu Cruise" is running short of vaccines. The Victoria clipper has been offering a deal to ferry passengers from Seattle to Victoria to get flu shots. But there are concerns that Canada's supply could be overtaxed by thousands of Americans who are coming across the border.

SANCHEZ: It pays to have Faith. That's the name of one smart dog. A 4-year-old rottweiler managed to phone 911, if you can believe that, and open the door for police after her owner suffered a seizure. Faith is trained to hit the speed dial with her nose, and bark into the receiver. Wow.

KAGAN: You go, Faith.

SANCHEZ: The dog's owner is OK. She called Faith a real trooper.

KAGAN: Good girl, good doggie.

All right, to San Francisco. Sometimes the streets are so busy it's kind of like a herd of cattle passing through. Only this time, it really is a herd of cattle passing through. These little doggies hoofed it from the railyards to, you guessed it, the Cow Palace at the famous site there in San Francisco. It's an annual stunt for the opening of a grand national rodeo show. You might want to watch where you step after the cattle move on through.

SANCHEZ: I worked in Houston for a while. And we used to have to cover those every year. And they are an awful lot of fun and the eats are wonderful.

KAGAN: Those national rodeo shows?

SANCHEZ: That's right.

KAGAN: Having lived in the Bay Area, you don't see that every day just walking through the streets. You see a lot of strange things in San Francisco but you don't usually see that.

SANCHEZ: Mostly Lamborghinis.

Get ready to fall back. Daylight saving time goes away at 2:00 a.m. Sunday. So set those clocks back one hour before going to bed Saturday night and enjoy the extra sleep.

KAGAN: You might think that resetting your clocks in your house is kind of a real pain in the you-know-what. But wait until you meet this man. Coming up in the next hour, the job of winding and setting more than 100 clocks. And he does like clockwork. Like clockwork, get it?

Plus...

(MUSIC)

SANCHEZ: Playing the part down to the stroke of the keys. Jamie Foxx delivers a "Ray" of sunshine at the box office this weekend. And this is what we're working for you on the next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "RAY")

REGINA KING, ACTRESS: From now on, it's strictly business between you and me.

JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR: Yes, business.

(singing): Hit the road, Jack, and don't you come back no more, no more, no more. No, no, hit the road, Jack.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SANCHEZ: A dramatic scene inspires a hit song as art tries to imitate life. "Hit the Road, Jack," is just one of the tunes featured in this movie "Ray," a film biopic of the late Ray Charles' life. The film and its star Jamie Foxx are already winning praise from moviegoers and critics alike.

KAGAN: Ah, but then there is "Mr. Moviefone." What does he think? Russ Leatherman weighs in on "Ray" and some other new movie releases, joining us live from L.A. Hi, Russ.

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": I don't think I like what you're saying, Daryn.

KAGAN: What? I'm making you special. I'm putting you up on a pedestal.

LEATHERMAN: Oh...

KAGAN: ... then there's "Mr. Moviefone."

LEATHERMAN: Yeah. In that case, well, thank you very much.

Well, you know, movies like this worry me a little bit, because you're right, there's been so much hype about this movie. Everybody's been talking about it. Can it possibly live up to the expectations? Well, the answer here is yes! Absolutely.

KAGAN: Ooh.

LEATHERMAN: This movie is really amazing. It stars Jamie Foxx. He's playing Ray Charles there. And everybody knows what it's about. It's the story of his life.

I found it amazing, there was a lot about Ray Charles I didn't know that I found really interesting and compelling, going all the way back from his early childhood and really how he becomes an American icon -- and really, one of the best musicians and just music icons in the world.

The amazing thing about Jamie Foxx in this performance is, I believe it will be one of those sort of career-making performances. We will look back 20 years from now, and we'll be thinking about Jamie Foxx and be going, oh, remember him in "Ray"? Remember how fantastic he was in this movie?

It's not overhyped. He's really sensational. The rest of the cast, Kerry Washington, Regina King -- everybody is fantastic. The music in the movie is terrific. I really can't say enough about it. The hype is deserved with this movie. You definitely want to go check out "Ray."

KAGAN: OK. That is on my to-see list.

Now, there's this one called "Birth," and it's with Nicole Kidman. And there's a strange thick of a relationship with an eight- year-old boy. And there's some controversy on this movie long before it even was set to come out.

LEATHERMAN: Well, it's an interesting movie, actually. It is Nicole Kidman, and she's always fantastic -- and as beautiful as usual here, as you can see. And it's the story of a woman who believes that her dead husband has come back to her.

In this particular case, her dead husband is the reincarnation -- it's a 10-year-old boy. So, that's where you're getting all of the controversy. There's this bathtub scene where you have Nicole Kidman in the bathtub with this 10-year-old boy, which is probably wrong and maybe even illegal, but that's beside the point.

KAGAN: Probably? Russ?

LEATHERMAN: Well, you know, that's beside the point. The movie is really very real Kubrick-esque. It's dark. It's brooding. It's a compelling drama.

I thought the young actor was terrific. I thought Nicole Kidman was terrific, as usual. And I really liked this movie. Now, you know, controversy aside, this is a movie that you'll watch and you'll -- the suspension is terrific. And you're really going to believe it. You're going to believe that this little boy is indeed her husband coming back to her.

KAGAN: OK, so let's just leave it at that, because it will be suspenseful and, you know, let people go see for themselves. So, you liked it. I'm saving...

LEATHERMAN: I did like it. I thought it was a good movie.

KAGAN: Time for one more. We're going from weird to weirder -- "Saw" -- S-A-W.

LEATHERMAN: Well, this movie is messed up in about every way imaginable, Daryn. This is a down and dirty horror flick. It's about this serial killer who pits these two people against each other, and they're chained up in this basement and they're left with this saw to really get them out. But it ain't strong enough to cut through the chains. So, that gives you an idea of what that saw is for.

This movie is not "Se7en." It's not "Silence of the Lambs." It really wants to be. But if you look at it as a really down and dirty gritty B-horror film, you're going to think it's really good.

So, it's Halloween weekend, what's better than watching severed limbs? I mean, come on.

KAGAN: I'll give you that, but you know, I do not enjoy those bad dream movies. Do not bring them on this program.

LEATHERMAN: OK, well then, go see "Ray," because this is a can't-miss movie. We'll be talking about it at Oscar time.

KAGAN: Our ray of sunshine, "Mr. Moviefone" Russ Leatherman.

LEATHERMAN: Thank you, Daryn. Goodbye.

SANCHEZ: And we've got news coming in right now. The head of the IAEA is commenting for the first time on those explosives that have been missing in Iraq. Mohamed ElBaradei is significant in this case because he was among those who was trying to get the United States to hold off on the invasion of Iraq. So, what are his comments now?

CNN's Liz Neisloss is standing by. She interviewed him exclusively. Liz, over to you.

LIZ NEISLOSS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Rick. Just moments ago, we spoke to Mohamed ElBaradei, who has found himself and his organization in the center of somewhat of a political firestorm over this issue of the missing 380 tons of explosives from a weapons site in Iraq.

I asked him about the particular timing of the release of his information, whether there were any political motivations, and did he give the U.S. enough warning.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOHAMED ELBARADEI, IAEA DIRECTOR-GENERAL: This has been a public issue. I mean, we have reported that to the Security Council in 2003 that these explosives exist in that site. So, this has always been a public issue, that as aware these explosives exist and the quantity of these explosives.

Or -- as I said, it's a matter now it's not who is to blame, it's a matter that if we can retrieve these explosives and take precautionary measure. It is important for us to protect the Iraqi people, to protect the multinational force, and hopefully that these explosives will not fall into the wrong hands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NEISLOSS: So, ElBaradei says he has not had any communication directly from the U.S. on the matter. His understanding is that it is under investigation. He is not making any judgments at this point on the timing of the disappearance of these explosives. He says the Iraqis have told him that these weapons disappeared sometime after April 9th. He says he has no information one way or the other about when the explosives disappeared.

But clearly, he is insisting this is no small matter for the International Atomic Energy Agency -- Rick?

SANCHEZ: But if my dates are correct, it was March 3rd when most of the inspectors pulled out. Can he confirm that they were, in fact, sealed in that Al Qaqaa site on that date?

NEISLOSS: Well, what the IAEA tells us is that they did an exact inventory in January. But then again in March, on the date that you mentioned, they did what they call a spot check. They saw that the seals were intact. They looked at barrels, which were not under seal. They counted. They felt that their inventory at that point, at that date, was secure.

After that, the IAEA says no one knows.

SANCHEZ: Yeah, so it's past that date where the question comes in. Liz, thanks so much for that report. We certainly appreciate it -- Daryn?

KAGAN: And we'll get a quick break in here, and we'll be back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: President Bush campaigns in Manchester, New Hampshire, this hour. Aides say Mr. Bush will personalize his final appeals to voters. A live report from the Granite State is just ahead.

Senator Kerry is spending today in Florida, where he has three events scheduled. Rock star Bruce Springsteen, who appeared at campaign events yesterday in Wisconsin and Ohio is expected to join Kerry once again today.

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