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President Bush Chooses John Bolton as U.S. Ambassador to U.N.; Elvis in the Building

Aired March 07, 2005 - 11:30   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: And we have breaking news coming out of the White House and the United Nations. President Bush will nominate a new U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Let's bring in our Richard Roth with more on that -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Daryn.

Probably definite diplomatic explosion of sorts here at the U.N. for member countries. The appointment of John Bolton to be the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N. is likely to send shockwaves through capitals around the world. He is a very tough man, very demanding of accountability of the United Nations and someone who is not exactly been well-liked by member countries here at the U.N. And with oil for food scandal, Congo-U.N. sex scandal, budget problems, he's going to be the pointman now for President Bush.

We haven't been able to get anybody on the record right now about the Bolton nomination, but when it was discussed in hallway circles that Bolton was a potential nominee, people either shuddered or said they hoped it wouldn't be him. He has been highly critical of the U.N. as an organization.

Now, other countries also might fear him. North Korea has called Bolton "human scum" as Bolton has pressed for North Korea to open up or disarm. It will be a very different experience here with Bolton as the U.S. ambassador.

For decades there's been more of either a career professional diplomat or someone who was more low key. This is sending a message. According to aides at the State Department, Condoleezza Rice saying that John Bolton has proven to be a tough-minded diplomat, history of success, proven track record of effective multilateralism, committed personally to the future success of the U.N. He'll be a strong voice for reform at a time when the U.N. has begun to reform itself. And the U.N. is trying to reform the shape of the Security Council and other things, especially by September, Daryn, when it's the 60th anniversary here at the U.N.

So, John Bolton to be the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N., passing confirmation. He would replace John Danforth, who left a few months ago. The U.S. has -- the U.S. seat has been filled by some deputies in the meantime. Daryn?

KAGAN: All right. Thank you so much. Richard Roth from the United Nations.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Back to work for Martha Stewart today, except in this post-prison era, she's not the boss.

Senior correspondent Allan Chernoff joins us from New York. Allan, pick this one up for us.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, SENIOR CNN CORRESPONDENT: A little bit, Rick, but this is really all about marketing Martha.

The remarketing of Martha Stewart is in full swing right now, even though she's been out of prison for only four days. In about two hours the next photo opportunity will take place in this building right behind me. It's the offices of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia on the West Side of Manhattan and Martha will be holding a very public meeting with her staff here, open to the news media.

The company also is putting Martha Stewart back on the cover of the "Martha Stewart Living" magazine. This is the April issue that will be coming out in a couple of weeks.

Plenty of photo opportunities over the weekend. The company issued video and pictures of Martha hosting friends and family at her home in Bedford, New York. Also on Friday night the company arranged for a photo opportunity of Martha Stewart getting on to her private plane, leaving West Virginia to come back to New York State. And Friday during the day Martha Stewart was very accommodating to the news media, hanging outside of her home in Bedford, New York, even offering hot cocoa to photographers and reporters.

This is a Martha marketing blitz designed to rebuild the image of Martha Stewart from convicted felon back to the queen of domestic arts. It's not really about vanity. This is all about business. Martha Stewart's company rises and falls with the image of Martha Stewart and the company wants to make sure that advertisers return to this magazine because they did flee after Martha Stewart ran into some big legal trouble. The company also wanted to build interest in the two television programs that Martha Stewart will have coming out later this year, "The Apprentice" and also a daytime syndicated program as well.

Of course, Martha Stewart is beginning her five months of home detention, but she will be permitted out for 48 hours a week, and clearly she is going to be making the best of that time out. Rick?

SANCHEZ: Thanks so much.

Allan Chernoff, following that story for us. The latest on Martha, Martha, Martha. Thank you, Allan.

KAGAN: And on a day where news continues to break, on this Monday morning, news out of Colorado. The head of the University of Colorado, Betsy Hoffman, has turned in her resignation.

SANCHEZ: Yes, she's been in battle for quite some time. Several controversies: the first, as you may recall, had to do with coach Gary Barnett and the coach's comments regarding a sex scandal that developed there at the university involving some of the football players. Gary Barnett was saying after the incident was reported that the young lady who made the accusations simply wasn't good enough, seemingly underplaying what she was trying to say. It did not play well. The university president stood by him for some time, but it caused a lot of scandal in the university.

KAGAN: And then most recently there was the professor out of University of Colorado who compared the victims of September 11th to Nazis. (INAUDIBLE) not to fire him. That one also receiving a large number of complaints and a lot of focus from around the country.

So once again, Betsy Hoffman, quitting, submitting her letter of resignation to the Board of Regents for the University of Colorado.

SANCHEZ: After five years on the job.

KAGAN: Right now let's a look at news around the world, Turkish police using tear gas and police batons to disperse crowds in Istanbul, taking part in an unauthorized demonstration. The group was marking the upcoming World Woman's Day. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

SANCHEZ: Also the Vatican hopes that Pope John Paul II could be out of the hospital in time for the beginning of Easter services. In an announcement this morning, the pope's condition was said to be improving. Sunday, John Paul blessed worshipers from his hospital window. He did so without speaking, though.

KAGAN: And Britain's Prince Charles is in New Zealand for a five-day visit. It's a traditional welcome ceremony in Wellington. Warriors with spears confronted the prince, demanding he pick up three twigs as proof that he'd come in peace. The ceremony is meant as a show of respect. The guy comes without a big spear, I pick up the twigs. Peace! Peace!

SANCHEZ: Whatever you say, sir.

Also from New Zealand, we're going to go to London next, how the British capital gives Paris a run for its money when it comes to food and eating in London. You question, we supply answers.

KAGAN: Plus, live and in person, Elvis Costello is here with us. We will talk to him about his new CD, and the tour and how he kind of keeps going with all of the success.

SANCHEZ: He's right over there. I'm looking at him right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KAGAN: Here is practically an impossible exercise for you: try to label Elvis Costello. Punk, new wave, folk rock. Critics have called him one of -- that and other something else other times, various times in his career. Elvis Costello is touring to support 21st "The Delivery Man." It's a CD with a feel for the American South, some place that Elvis Costello has come to be very comfortable.

Good morning.

ELVIS COSTELLO, MUSICIAN: Good morning, how are you?

KAGAN: It's good to have you here with us here in Atlanta. Fresh off your show from last night here.

COSTELLO: I just walked across the parking lot from the tabernacle.

KAGAN: Perfect. Your show is just ending.

COSTELLO: We just played until we played all our songs.

KAGAN: Definitely. I'm wondering, how do you keep it fresh? How do you keep it going so long? After so many of the people that you started with, you are still out there, not just playing the stuff that you were initially successful with but making new, great music?

COSTELLO: Well, I'm lucky that new songs keep coming to me that I love to play. I have a tremendous family, Imposters, with Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, who played with me in the Attractions, and Eddie Faragher, who sings great harmonies as well as being great bass player. I have a lot of songs. 21 albums, I can change up to ten songs a night in a 30-song set. So that means that we surprise ourselves and the atmosphere every night is different. We've had tremendous audiences so far on this tour.

KAGAN: So that's what keeps it fun.

COSTELLO: Really, every night, a show is different. A record is a record, but that's just one version of the song and they can change and that's what it's about, really.

KAGAN: It seems like you've found a lot of your recent inspiration from here in the American South. What's a nice guy from England doing hanging out in places like Mississippi, Atlanta, North Carolina?

COSTELLO: I've always loved -- I love the music that was made in the South. I mean, I found that out after -- I just loved it as music and then I found out where it came from, fell in love with a lot R & B stars, certain R & B stars and a lot of country ballad stars. Found a lot of soul in that. And over the years, I've referred to it on and off. And as you said in your introduction, I believe that I've done a lot of different types of music, but on this occasion I had a story to tell that links some of the stories, these songs of "The Delivery Man" and we couldn't find a better place to record it than in Mississippi (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

KAGAN: Now what was that? You have to explain.

COSTELLO: I got the freedom of the city after three days, so that's got to be good. I have the key to the city there.

KAGAN: Really?

COSTELLO: I can open any door in Oxford.

KAGAN: So you're a good guy to know if you go down to Oxford.

COSTELLO: Yes. And then we went down to Clarkstow cut (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We just shot the video and we kept also -- we just kept playing in the studio. It was such a great studio to work in (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And people should go and check it out. Clarksdale. It's a great town.

KAGAN: Let's talk about the music of love, which you have found in recent years. Your wife's an incredibly talented artist herself, Diana Krall.

COSTELLO: Yes.

KAGAN: But how do you do this? You were telling me before we came on what your schedule...

COSTELLO: You know how I do this?

KAGAN: How do you do it?

COSTELLO: I come on CNN, so I say hi, honey, how you doing? Good morning. How you doing? She's getting up in Vancouver Island right now.

KAGAN: Because she's on her own tour.

COSTELLO: Yes, well, she's on a break at the moment and I'm going meet her in China in about four weeks' time, about three weeks time.

KAGAN: Meet you in China.

COSTELLO: I will see you in China. But I said -- I was going out the door from New York, I said I'll see you in China.

KAGAN: Sounds romantic.

COSTELLO: Well, that's the beauty of it. I mean, we love what we do. Independently, she's doing wonderful work and she has a tremendous band. She's been on tour since last April. I'm on tour until this August. We both love what we do, but love each other and every moment is just like the stand alone moment.

KAGAN: There you go. Well, we wish you well with that. And have a good time in China.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

KAGAN: Before China, people will see you next in...

COSTELLO: I have a little stint in Charlotte, North Carolina and Nashville and Knoxville, New Orleans -- our first trip to New Orleans this year. We're going back to the Heritage Festival at the end of April, but we're going to go to House of Blues there. Through Texas, Tulsa, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland.

KAGAN: Very good. Pretty much, in general, if you want to find Elvis Costello, come down here to the South.

COSTELLO: Yes. At the Philharmonic...

KAGAN: Did I not run into you -- I ran into you in the streets of Memphis last year. Downtown Memphis...

COSTELLO: That's right. Yes, I did. Right by the Peabody Hotel.

KAGAN: There you go.

COSTELLO: Yes, we'll be back around everywhere. We're going to visit everybody.

KAGAN: All right. Elvis Costello, thank you for stopping by. See you in the South on tour -- Rick, over to you.

SANCHEZ: How cool to have Elvis Costello here, huh? Right over there. Hello, Mr. Elvis Costello.

The gourmet cuisine of Europe and the French and the Italian sauces, the desserts all come to mind, right? When you think of Europe, you think of France, you think of maybe a couple other places, well, Rome. Watch out. They now have a rival. Is that the Thames? Yes, it is. Can they cook there? Will you eat well there? Those are questions that we're going to answer for you when we come back. The answers may surprise you, by the way. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Let's talk about some really good food, good chow, good grub. European stuff, what comes to mind, right? Paris, first thing that comes to mind for most people. Unless you would like Italian and you think maybe the northern part of Italy. Hold on to your hat, folks. This is a bit of a discovery here. "Gourmet" magazine is now naming London, England the best food city in the world, if you can believe that.

Let's go to New York. Bill Sertl is our man. He's the travel editor for "Gourmet" magazine. Bill, I've got to tell you something. My wife and I, we honeymooned in London. We loved it so much we went back. We think it's one of the greatest places in the world. We love the people, we love the scenery, we love the Midlands. We love everything about it. We did not like the food. Convince me why we're wrong.

BILL SERTL, "GOURMET" MAGAZINE: Well, I have to tell you that I think the image of London having bad food is about as out-of-date as Carnaby Street and mini skirts. This is a city that has had great, creative chefs from all over the world doing wonderful things with food for the last 15 years.

SANCHEZ: Well, maybe -- let me, maybe it's because when we, you know, dumb American tourists, say something like this it's because we go there and we try to eat the English food, as opposed to, you know, the curries and all of the other stuff. And we say well, the food they eat here really doesn't have a lot of preparation to it. What are we doing wrong?

SERTL: Well, I think you just hit it on the head. The reason -- there's two points I want to make about why we named, why "Gourmet" named London the best place in the world to eat right now. One is it's not a contest. We weren't saying that the very best restaurants in London are better than five best restaurants in Paris or New York or you could argue Sydney and Melbourne, and certainly Australians would. What we're saying is you can get the best food from around the world in no other place but London. The best Indian, Italian, French, Japanese, all in one place. It's like a great sampler city for the best food all around the world. SANCHEZ: Although there is one particular food that the British do, and it's their food. And without having to import it, or anybody else's food, and that's a good breakfast, because of the teas, and the butters and that stuff, right?

SERTL: All of that stuff is terrific, but you know, even that's changing in London. Breakfast is becoming more French, it's becoming lighter. The old afternoon tea that is so famous with people who go to London, that's changing, it's getting more of an Asian flair. So London just isn't quite the city it used to be. You can still find the bad British food, you know, the mean old man with the trolley cart and gray mystery meat.

SANCHEZ: Bangers and mash.

SERTL: Right, exactly, Bangers and mash, but it's harder and harder to find that. And remember, we're not saying Britain; we're saying London. London is way ahead of the rest of the country, but it's, we think, the best food city right now for all around, and you're right, you stay away from the old-fashioned bangers and mash and concentrate on the great array of international cuisine that they have in London. That's the best.

SANCHEZ: So here's what the headline probably is, there's more to London than pub food, and if you experiment it, you will be surprised.

SERTL: Absolutely. Even pubs now, there's the new gastric pub, which has got some of the best cheap eats in town, kind of like a Paris bistro, good value and good food, and this is where chefs went when they couldn't afford the rent at the fancier places. They stripped down these little pubs and put in their own good kitchens.

SANCHEZ: Oh, and what a great environment they have. Bill Sertl, we can talk about this forever, but my producer's saying it's time to wrap, my friend. Travel editor "Gourmet" magazine, sounds like a wonderful article. I recommend it highly. Thanks so much being with us.

SERTL: Thank you. KAGAN: Here's a different travel experience, getting smashed flat by a bulletin board, not usually a good thing you'd recommend, but for Flat Stanley it's easier to travel and visit friends. All he has to do is be rolled up and shipped off in an envelope.

The dot.com desk Veronica De La Cruz has more on this globe- trotting educational tool.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He's a successful teacher, a Hollywood celebrity, and he a passport that's been stamped more times than you can imagine, not bad for a tiny guy made of paper. At CNN dot-com, meet Flat Stanley. Stanley is a world traveler. In this online photo gallery, students have shared pictures of his trips. He has spent time with the penguin in Antarctica, visited the troops in Baghdad and taken a tour of Tiananmen Square.

Most recently, Flat Stanley created some Internet buzz by walking the red carpet with actor/director Clint Eastwood. It all started when this third-grade teacher in Canada created the project based on the book called "Flat Stanley."

In the book, Stanley gets squashed flat by a bulletin board, his parents rolled him up, stick him in an envelope and mailed him to California. Since then, kids all over the globe have been learning about new people and places and sharpening their reading and writing skills at the same time through Stanley's travels.

To create a Flat Stanley bureau, head to the dot-com desk box and click on the Flat Stanley box. Once you're at the Web site, click on the link that says template, color Flat Stanley, cut him out and send Stanley on adventures of your own.

From the dot-com news desk in Atlanta, I'm Veronica De La Cruz.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Sounds good.

KAGAN: Coming up next, we still have weather and business to get to.

SANCHEZ: Stay with us.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(WEATHER REPORT)

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Aired March 7, 2005 - 11:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: And we have breaking news coming out of the White House and the United Nations. President Bush will nominate a new U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Let's bring in our Richard Roth with more on that -- Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Daryn.

Probably definite diplomatic explosion of sorts here at the U.N. for member countries. The appointment of John Bolton to be the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N. is likely to send shockwaves through capitals around the world. He is a very tough man, very demanding of accountability of the United Nations and someone who is not exactly been well-liked by member countries here at the U.N. And with oil for food scandal, Congo-U.N. sex scandal, budget problems, he's going to be the pointman now for President Bush.

We haven't been able to get anybody on the record right now about the Bolton nomination, but when it was discussed in hallway circles that Bolton was a potential nominee, people either shuddered or said they hoped it wouldn't be him. He has been highly critical of the U.N. as an organization.

Now, other countries also might fear him. North Korea has called Bolton "human scum" as Bolton has pressed for North Korea to open up or disarm. It will be a very different experience here with Bolton as the U.S. ambassador.

For decades there's been more of either a career professional diplomat or someone who was more low key. This is sending a message. According to aides at the State Department, Condoleezza Rice saying that John Bolton has proven to be a tough-minded diplomat, history of success, proven track record of effective multilateralism, committed personally to the future success of the U.N. He'll be a strong voice for reform at a time when the U.N. has begun to reform itself. And the U.N. is trying to reform the shape of the Security Council and other things, especially by September, Daryn, when it's the 60th anniversary here at the U.N.

So, John Bolton to be the new U.S. ambassador to the U.N., passing confirmation. He would replace John Danforth, who left a few months ago. The U.S. has -- the U.S. seat has been filled by some deputies in the meantime. Daryn?

KAGAN: All right. Thank you so much. Richard Roth from the United Nations.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Back to work for Martha Stewart today, except in this post-prison era, she's not the boss.

Senior correspondent Allan Chernoff joins us from New York. Allan, pick this one up for us.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, SENIOR CNN CORRESPONDENT: A little bit, Rick, but this is really all about marketing Martha.

The remarketing of Martha Stewart is in full swing right now, even though she's been out of prison for only four days. In about two hours the next photo opportunity will take place in this building right behind me. It's the offices of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia on the West Side of Manhattan and Martha will be holding a very public meeting with her staff here, open to the news media.

The company also is putting Martha Stewart back on the cover of the "Martha Stewart Living" magazine. This is the April issue that will be coming out in a couple of weeks.

Plenty of photo opportunities over the weekend. The company issued video and pictures of Martha hosting friends and family at her home in Bedford, New York. Also on Friday night the company arranged for a photo opportunity of Martha Stewart getting on to her private plane, leaving West Virginia to come back to New York State. And Friday during the day Martha Stewart was very accommodating to the news media, hanging outside of her home in Bedford, New York, even offering hot cocoa to photographers and reporters.

This is a Martha marketing blitz designed to rebuild the image of Martha Stewart from convicted felon back to the queen of domestic arts. It's not really about vanity. This is all about business. Martha Stewart's company rises and falls with the image of Martha Stewart and the company wants to make sure that advertisers return to this magazine because they did flee after Martha Stewart ran into some big legal trouble. The company also wanted to build interest in the two television programs that Martha Stewart will have coming out later this year, "The Apprentice" and also a daytime syndicated program as well.

Of course, Martha Stewart is beginning her five months of home detention, but she will be permitted out for 48 hours a week, and clearly she is going to be making the best of that time out. Rick?

SANCHEZ: Thanks so much.

Allan Chernoff, following that story for us. The latest on Martha, Martha, Martha. Thank you, Allan.

KAGAN: And on a day where news continues to break, on this Monday morning, news out of Colorado. The head of the University of Colorado, Betsy Hoffman, has turned in her resignation.

SANCHEZ: Yes, she's been in battle for quite some time. Several controversies: the first, as you may recall, had to do with coach Gary Barnett and the coach's comments regarding a sex scandal that developed there at the university involving some of the football players. Gary Barnett was saying after the incident was reported that the young lady who made the accusations simply wasn't good enough, seemingly underplaying what she was trying to say. It did not play well. The university president stood by him for some time, but it caused a lot of scandal in the university.

KAGAN: And then most recently there was the professor out of University of Colorado who compared the victims of September 11th to Nazis. (INAUDIBLE) not to fire him. That one also receiving a large number of complaints and a lot of focus from around the country.

So once again, Betsy Hoffman, quitting, submitting her letter of resignation to the Board of Regents for the University of Colorado.

SANCHEZ: After five years on the job.

KAGAN: Right now let's a look at news around the world, Turkish police using tear gas and police batons to disperse crowds in Istanbul, taking part in an unauthorized demonstration. The group was marking the upcoming World Woman's Day. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

SANCHEZ: Also the Vatican hopes that Pope John Paul II could be out of the hospital in time for the beginning of Easter services. In an announcement this morning, the pope's condition was said to be improving. Sunday, John Paul blessed worshipers from his hospital window. He did so without speaking, though.

KAGAN: And Britain's Prince Charles is in New Zealand for a five-day visit. It's a traditional welcome ceremony in Wellington. Warriors with spears confronted the prince, demanding he pick up three twigs as proof that he'd come in peace. The ceremony is meant as a show of respect. The guy comes without a big spear, I pick up the twigs. Peace! Peace!

SANCHEZ: Whatever you say, sir.

Also from New Zealand, we're going to go to London next, how the British capital gives Paris a run for its money when it comes to food and eating in London. You question, we supply answers.

KAGAN: Plus, live and in person, Elvis Costello is here with us. We will talk to him about his new CD, and the tour and how he kind of keeps going with all of the success.

SANCHEZ: He's right over there. I'm looking at him right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

KAGAN: Here is practically an impossible exercise for you: try to label Elvis Costello. Punk, new wave, folk rock. Critics have called him one of -- that and other something else other times, various times in his career. Elvis Costello is touring to support 21st "The Delivery Man." It's a CD with a feel for the American South, some place that Elvis Costello has come to be very comfortable.

Good morning.

ELVIS COSTELLO, MUSICIAN: Good morning, how are you?

KAGAN: It's good to have you here with us here in Atlanta. Fresh off your show from last night here.

COSTELLO: I just walked across the parking lot from the tabernacle.

KAGAN: Perfect. Your show is just ending.

COSTELLO: We just played until we played all our songs.

KAGAN: Definitely. I'm wondering, how do you keep it fresh? How do you keep it going so long? After so many of the people that you started with, you are still out there, not just playing the stuff that you were initially successful with but making new, great music?

COSTELLO: Well, I'm lucky that new songs keep coming to me that I love to play. I have a tremendous family, Imposters, with Steve Nieve, Pete Thomas, who played with me in the Attractions, and Eddie Faragher, who sings great harmonies as well as being great bass player. I have a lot of songs. 21 albums, I can change up to ten songs a night in a 30-song set. So that means that we surprise ourselves and the atmosphere every night is different. We've had tremendous audiences so far on this tour.

KAGAN: So that's what keeps it fun.

COSTELLO: Really, every night, a show is different. A record is a record, but that's just one version of the song and they can change and that's what it's about, really.

KAGAN: It seems like you've found a lot of your recent inspiration from here in the American South. What's a nice guy from England doing hanging out in places like Mississippi, Atlanta, North Carolina?

COSTELLO: I've always loved -- I love the music that was made in the South. I mean, I found that out after -- I just loved it as music and then I found out where it came from, fell in love with a lot R & B stars, certain R & B stars and a lot of country ballad stars. Found a lot of soul in that. And over the years, I've referred to it on and off. And as you said in your introduction, I believe that I've done a lot of different types of music, but on this occasion I had a story to tell that links some of the stories, these songs of "The Delivery Man" and we couldn't find a better place to record it than in Mississippi (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

KAGAN: Now what was that? You have to explain.

COSTELLO: I got the freedom of the city after three days, so that's got to be good. I have the key to the city there.

KAGAN: Really?

COSTELLO: I can open any door in Oxford.

KAGAN: So you're a good guy to know if you go down to Oxford.

COSTELLO: Yes. And then we went down to Clarkstow cut (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We just shot the video and we kept also -- we just kept playing in the studio. It was such a great studio to work in (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And people should go and check it out. Clarksdale. It's a great town.

KAGAN: Let's talk about the music of love, which you have found in recent years. Your wife's an incredibly talented artist herself, Diana Krall.

COSTELLO: Yes.

KAGAN: But how do you do this? You were telling me before we came on what your schedule...

COSTELLO: You know how I do this?

KAGAN: How do you do it?

COSTELLO: I come on CNN, so I say hi, honey, how you doing? Good morning. How you doing? She's getting up in Vancouver Island right now.

KAGAN: Because she's on her own tour.

COSTELLO: Yes, well, she's on a break at the moment and I'm going meet her in China in about four weeks' time, about three weeks time.

KAGAN: Meet you in China.

COSTELLO: I will see you in China. But I said -- I was going out the door from New York, I said I'll see you in China.

KAGAN: Sounds romantic.

COSTELLO: Well, that's the beauty of it. I mean, we love what we do. Independently, she's doing wonderful work and she has a tremendous band. She's been on tour since last April. I'm on tour until this August. We both love what we do, but love each other and every moment is just like the stand alone moment.

KAGAN: There you go. Well, we wish you well with that. And have a good time in China.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

KAGAN: Before China, people will see you next in...

COSTELLO: I have a little stint in Charlotte, North Carolina and Nashville and Knoxville, New Orleans -- our first trip to New Orleans this year. We're going back to the Heritage Festival at the end of April, but we're going to go to House of Blues there. Through Texas, Tulsa, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Oakland, Portland.

KAGAN: Very good. Pretty much, in general, if you want to find Elvis Costello, come down here to the South.

COSTELLO: Yes. At the Philharmonic...

KAGAN: Did I not run into you -- I ran into you in the streets of Memphis last year. Downtown Memphis...

COSTELLO: That's right. Yes, I did. Right by the Peabody Hotel.

KAGAN: There you go.

COSTELLO: Yes, we'll be back around everywhere. We're going to visit everybody.

KAGAN: All right. Elvis Costello, thank you for stopping by. See you in the South on tour -- Rick, over to you.

SANCHEZ: How cool to have Elvis Costello here, huh? Right over there. Hello, Mr. Elvis Costello.

The gourmet cuisine of Europe and the French and the Italian sauces, the desserts all come to mind, right? When you think of Europe, you think of France, you think of maybe a couple other places, well, Rome. Watch out. They now have a rival. Is that the Thames? Yes, it is. Can they cook there? Will you eat well there? Those are questions that we're going to answer for you when we come back. The answers may surprise you, by the way. We'll be back.

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SANCHEZ: Let's talk about some really good food, good chow, good grub. European stuff, what comes to mind, right? Paris, first thing that comes to mind for most people. Unless you would like Italian and you think maybe the northern part of Italy. Hold on to your hat, folks. This is a bit of a discovery here. "Gourmet" magazine is now naming London, England the best food city in the world, if you can believe that.

Let's go to New York. Bill Sertl is our man. He's the travel editor for "Gourmet" magazine. Bill, I've got to tell you something. My wife and I, we honeymooned in London. We loved it so much we went back. We think it's one of the greatest places in the world. We love the people, we love the scenery, we love the Midlands. We love everything about it. We did not like the food. Convince me why we're wrong.

BILL SERTL, "GOURMET" MAGAZINE: Well, I have to tell you that I think the image of London having bad food is about as out-of-date as Carnaby Street and mini skirts. This is a city that has had great, creative chefs from all over the world doing wonderful things with food for the last 15 years.

SANCHEZ: Well, maybe -- let me, maybe it's because when we, you know, dumb American tourists, say something like this it's because we go there and we try to eat the English food, as opposed to, you know, the curries and all of the other stuff. And we say well, the food they eat here really doesn't have a lot of preparation to it. What are we doing wrong?

SERTL: Well, I think you just hit it on the head. The reason -- there's two points I want to make about why we named, why "Gourmet" named London the best place in the world to eat right now. One is it's not a contest. We weren't saying that the very best restaurants in London are better than five best restaurants in Paris or New York or you could argue Sydney and Melbourne, and certainly Australians would. What we're saying is you can get the best food from around the world in no other place but London. The best Indian, Italian, French, Japanese, all in one place. It's like a great sampler city for the best food all around the world. SANCHEZ: Although there is one particular food that the British do, and it's their food. And without having to import it, or anybody else's food, and that's a good breakfast, because of the teas, and the butters and that stuff, right?

SERTL: All of that stuff is terrific, but you know, even that's changing in London. Breakfast is becoming more French, it's becoming lighter. The old afternoon tea that is so famous with people who go to London, that's changing, it's getting more of an Asian flair. So London just isn't quite the city it used to be. You can still find the bad British food, you know, the mean old man with the trolley cart and gray mystery meat.

SANCHEZ: Bangers and mash.

SERTL: Right, exactly, Bangers and mash, but it's harder and harder to find that. And remember, we're not saying Britain; we're saying London. London is way ahead of the rest of the country, but it's, we think, the best food city right now for all around, and you're right, you stay away from the old-fashioned bangers and mash and concentrate on the great array of international cuisine that they have in London. That's the best.

SANCHEZ: So here's what the headline probably is, there's more to London than pub food, and if you experiment it, you will be surprised.

SERTL: Absolutely. Even pubs now, there's the new gastric pub, which has got some of the best cheap eats in town, kind of like a Paris bistro, good value and good food, and this is where chefs went when they couldn't afford the rent at the fancier places. They stripped down these little pubs and put in their own good kitchens.

SANCHEZ: Oh, and what a great environment they have. Bill Sertl, we can talk about this forever, but my producer's saying it's time to wrap, my friend. Travel editor "Gourmet" magazine, sounds like a wonderful article. I recommend it highly. Thanks so much being with us.

SERTL: Thank you. KAGAN: Here's a different travel experience, getting smashed flat by a bulletin board, not usually a good thing you'd recommend, but for Flat Stanley it's easier to travel and visit friends. All he has to do is be rolled up and shipped off in an envelope.

The dot.com desk Veronica De La Cruz has more on this globe- trotting educational tool.

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VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He's a successful teacher, a Hollywood celebrity, and he a passport that's been stamped more times than you can imagine, not bad for a tiny guy made of paper. At CNN dot-com, meet Flat Stanley. Stanley is a world traveler. In this online photo gallery, students have shared pictures of his trips. He has spent time with the penguin in Antarctica, visited the troops in Baghdad and taken a tour of Tiananmen Square.

Most recently, Flat Stanley created some Internet buzz by walking the red carpet with actor/director Clint Eastwood. It all started when this third-grade teacher in Canada created the project based on the book called "Flat Stanley."

In the book, Stanley gets squashed flat by a bulletin board, his parents rolled him up, stick him in an envelope and mailed him to California. Since then, kids all over the globe have been learning about new people and places and sharpening their reading and writing skills at the same time through Stanley's travels.

To create a Flat Stanley bureau, head to the dot-com desk box and click on the Flat Stanley box. Once you're at the Web site, click on the link that says template, color Flat Stanley, cut him out and send Stanley on adventures of your own.

From the dot-com news desk in Atlanta, I'm Veronica De La Cruz.

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SANCHEZ: Sounds good.

KAGAN: Coming up next, we still have weather and business to get to.

SANCHEZ: Stay with us.

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