Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Michael Jackson Trial; Iraq Violence; Afleet Alex

Aired May 06, 2005 - 10:59   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: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
To New York City. A bridge linking Manhattan and Brooklyn was closed for about an hour this morning due to a suspicious package. The black and red bag reportedly contained clothing. Police have removed it and reopened the bridge.

Authorities say a convicted sexual predator who cut of his tracking bracelet is now in custody. Patrick Wayne Bell was the focus of a manhunt after he removed the device and left his mother's home in Riviera Beach, Florida. He was arrested this morning in Tallahassee.

President Bush is on his way to Latvia. That's the first stop. His trip marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. He'll also visit the Netherlands and meet with President Vladimir Putin in Russia before wrapping up his trip in Georgia.

New employment numbers out this morning suggest an improving outlook for the job market. The Labor Department says employers added 274,000 jobs in April. That's the most since February and well above what economists expected. The nation's unemployment rate held steady at 5.2 percent.

Let's check the time on this Friday morning. 11:00 a.m. in Louisville, Kentucky, 8:00 a.m. in Santa Maria, California. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Up first, prosecutors say he did, the witnesses say he did not. Defense attorneys for Michael Jackson kicked off their case by challenging past molestation claims against the pop star.

Let's go live to Rusty Dornin in Santa Maria, California, where the trial resumes this hour.

Rusty, good morning.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Before they even got started, though, it was very interesting yesterday morning when they opened by the defense arguing for a dismissal of the case entirely. It went on for about two-and-a-half hours and really gave us an idea of what both sides -- it was sort of closing arguments, mini closing arguments for both sides.

Very impassioned rationale by both sides in the end. Judge Rodney Melville said, "Motion denied," and "Call your first witnesses." Defense was out of the chute and getting straight to the heart of the matter.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): The first two defense witnesses didn't hesitate. "Absolutely not," "No" and "Never." That was in response to whether they were sexually molested or inappropriately touched by Michael Jackson.

MARTIN KASINDORF, LEGAL ANALYST: It was a strong start, I thought, to the defense case, to bring on a very articulate young man who denied that, despite sleeping in Michael Jackson's bed on apparently dozens of occasions in several locations, denied that anything untoward or wrong or inappropriate sexually had ever happened.

DORNIN: Both young men say they slept in Jackson's bed countless times as children and as teenagers. They also contend they were together in Jackson's bedroom with former child actor, Macaulay Culkin one night.

During the prosecution's case, Jackson's former maid claimed she saw the first young man to testify taking a shower with Jackson, something the witness adamantly denied yesterday.

Under cross-examination, prosecutor Ron Zonen showed the first witness stacks of sexually explicit magazines and books belonging to Jackson. He repeatedly asked, "Do you think it's appropriate for a 10-year-old boy to be sleeping with someone who had these materials?"

The young man, now 22, replied, "If it was a man I didn't know, maybe. But not Michael."

JIM MORET, LEGAL ANALYST: There's something fundamentally upsetting about the idea of a 35-year-old man or a 45-year-old man sharing his bed with a young boy. And that may ultimately backfire on the defense.

DORNIN: Before the defense began its case, the attorneys argued charges should be dropped because they claim prosecutors hadn't proved their case.

District Attorney Thomas Sneddon passionately urged the judge to let the jury decide Jackson's fate. The judge agreed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: A couple of interesting tidbits that came up. That second witness came from Australia. And he said he quit his job to come and testify in this case. He also said that he and the first witness both spent the night at Neverland the night before their testimony but were told not to talk about the case.

And what we're expecting now, the second witness is back on the stand this morning. And then the relatives of both of those witnesses are expected to testify about what they saw at Neverland during the early '90s. And actor Macaulay Culkin is expected to take the stand sometime next week -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Any Rusty, any indication if Michael Jackson plans to take the stand in his own defense?

DORNIN: No. Well, there's a lot of -- and I must say, speculation among the crowd here. Every day someone has got a new theory on whether he will or whether he won't. So we don't have any clear indication of what's going to happen. But obviously that's something that everyone is really on the edge of their seats about.

KAGAN: Rusty Dornin, live from Santa Maria. Thank you.

Now the latest on the runaway bride. She says she is sorry and she is trying to set the record straight.

Jennifer Wilbanks says it was her fears not cold feet that caused her to disappear days before her wedding. She blamed it on "a host of compelling issues which seemed out of control." Wilbanks says she is receiving professional treatment. She remains in seclusion and issued a statement through her family's pastor.

He talked with CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. THOMAS SMILEY, PASTOR, LAKEWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH: You know, it's really hard, because I don't think Jennifer really understands the full ramifications of her actions in that regard. She is still really very much trying to deal with that. And that's what I am trying to help people understand on her behalf, is that she isn't really aware of everything that precipitated of what she called inappropriate action. So it's just really hard to go into greater detail than what she did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Wilbanks suffered -- she surfaced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and initially made up a story about being kidnapped.

In the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, the brigadier general who had been in charge of the facility at the time has been demoted to colonel. That effectively ends Janis Karpinski's military career. The demotion required President Bush's approval. She was the only senior officer disciplined in the scandal. Karpinski's attorney says the Pentagon made her a scapegoat.

A gruesome find in Iraq today. Fourteen men apparently shot to death execution style. Their bodies were found today in an industrial area of the capital. It's reported that family members identified some of the victims as farmers who disappeared while taking their produce to market.

Two more suicide attacks in Iraq today killed at least 29 people. It capped an especially bloody week in the country.

Our Ryan Chilcote joins us live now from Baghdad -- Ryan. RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn. Well, hello to you.

No letup in the violence in Iraq. Two separate suicide bombers attacks to tell you about.

The first one, the most recent one, was in the southern city of Suwayrah just a short while ago. A suicide bomber blowing himself up in a very busy marketplace. No sign of any military target in that area. Killing at least 22, wounding nearly double that.

And then earlier in the morning, a suicide bomb attack in the northern city of Tikrit. A suicide bomber ramming his car into a bus carrying Iraqi police to work, killing at least seven of them, wounding three. That's the third attack on Iraq security forces in the last three days -- Daryn.

KAGAN: That's OK. The civilians that are being targeted here, what seems to be the motive, Ryan? It would seem to be counterproductive to what Iraq's trying to do, but maybe not for the insurgents.

CHILCOTE: Yes. Well, the -- no -- it's not clear why they would go after insurgents. The bulk of their attacks have been on Iraq's security forces. And the interesting thing is, you know, the message there is that they are trying to tell these people that want to work for Iraq security forces or are already working for Iraq security forces that that's a bad idea and they will be killed there.

The interesting thing is that both the U.S. and Iraqi military are saying that it's not having any effect. They say that recruitment is steady and that people still want to sign up for Iraq's security forces. In fact, they don't have the capacity to handle all of them.

Part of that is probably patriotism. Part of that is probably economics. Remember, unemployment stands here at about 50 percent. And a job, a starting job in Iraq security forces can get you about $300 a month. So, for a lot of Iraqis, that's better than nothing -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Ryan Chilcote live from Baghdad. Thank you.

President Bush is on his way to Europe this morning. The first stop on the five-day trip is Latvia, the capital, Riga. Mr. Bush will also meet with leaders of other Baltic states, Lithuania and Estonia.

The president will visit the Netherlands, as well as the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. But Russia will be the centerpiece of the trip. And the president will mark 60 years since the end of World War II. His only talks with President Vladimir Putin will come over dinner on Sunday night.

The murder mystery surrounding the death of the little girl was called "Precious Doe" has now been solved. Coming up, hear from the man whose work helped investigators apprehend the killers.

Plus, testing medicine to help children fight the AIDS virus. But why were the kids foster children?

And you might remember Alex's lemonade stand. A horse racing in this year's Kentucky Derby has a special bond with the late Alex Scott. Her mother, Liz Scott, will join me just ahead this hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Tony Blair with a lot to celebrate today, his election victory, and it's his 52nd birthday today. His Labor Party retains the majority in parliament, though its influence will be diminished. The party lost close to 100 seats in Thursday's voting.

Queen Elizabeth formally asked Blair to form a new government today. He becomes the first Labor prime minister to win three consecutive terms.

Let's check some other headlines around the world this morning.

A fountain dedicated to the late Princess Diana has reopened in London's Hyde Park. Numerous improvements were made to the shallow circular water feature. Wading will no longer be allowed. Red- jacketed guards have been posted around the fountain to enforce those rules.

In Pakistan, it's the annual crocodile festival. Well, this looks like great fun. It's near Karachi, it's meant for good luck. Some people can feel lucky if they don't lose a foot or a hand. For devotees, it's all about feeding raw meat to the giant creatures.

It's a religious and cultural event. It was begun centuries ago by Africans who settled in the region.

And then they're the high drama in the Himalayas. May is usually the most favorable time to ascend the peak. Always treacherous, though. And this year is no exception.

Six climbers with a U.S. and Canadian team were caught yesterday by an avalanche that swept through one of the base camps. They are being treated for injuries at a makeshift medical tent high up on the mountain. Weather has been too bad to air lift any of them out. One of the climbers may have even broken his back.

President Bush based his No Child Left Behind education reforms on the model that he used in Texas. But at least in Texas the program is having some unintended consequences. On Sunday tonight, "CNN PRESENTS, "High Stakes: The Battle to Save Our Schools." The documentary is produced and narrated by the award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our economy is the enemy of the world. Unfortunately, our schools are not.

STANLEY NELSON, FILMMAKER (voice-over): As governor, George W. Bush was determined to improve student achievement and reduce dropout rates in schools across Texas. He implemented state-wide forms, including mandatory testing, and he said he would hold school officials accountable for rising test scores.

ROD PAIGE, SECRETARY OF EDUCATION: When we got our top scores...

NELSON: Bush found a kindred student in Houston superintendent Rod Paige.

PAIGE: We know how to make organizations work. And the same thing is true for schools. The idea is to link performance and contribution, and in cities.

NELSON: Principals who could show rising test scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, TAKS, could get bonuses of up to $5,000. For district superintendents, bonuses could rise to $20,000.

PAIGE: You all of a sudden saw many schools that had 40 to 45 percent pass rate on the TAKS go up to 90 percent the very next year.

NELSON: The fast-rising test scores were hailed as the Houston miracle. But the miracle was not what it seemed. Thousands of students were actually dropping out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day I was informed that a report had been turned in to the district from my high school. And our principal reported zero dropouts.

Well, I knew that was impossible, because I had seen over 400 students leave that year, and many of them told me they had dropped out. I saw many assistant principals tell students to quit school, to get out, go withdraw.

NELSON: Another strategy to make the statistics tell a good story, according to Kimball (ph), was for officials to retain students in ninth grade so they wouldn't have to take the tax test in 10th grade.

In 2000, there were 1,160 ninth grade students at Austin High School. But the next year, only 257 made it to the 10th grade. What was happening at Austin High was happening at schools across the district.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: CNN PRESENTS: "High Stakes: The Battle to Save our Schools." You will see the premier Sunday night, 8:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

It's a big weekend at Churchill Downs. More than money is riding on one of the horses in the Kentucky Derby. I'll talk with a man who says this horse kept him alive. That's when CNN LIVE TODAY returns. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Firefighters in Wisconsin say they have a 4,000-acre wildfire under control this morning. But they are still knocking down some hotspots.

Flames chased around 100 residents out of their homes near Big Flats -- that's the central part of the state. The blaze started out as a small brushfire and quickly got out of hand.

Let's see other weather news going on today. Rob Marciano is doing that for us.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: We are going to talk about the Kentucky Derby right now. As it stands, there will be 20 horses in the starting gate when post time rolls around tomorrow afternoon. It will be the fastest two minutes in sports. While many derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness, there has not been a triple crown winner since affirmed in 1978.

Well, each horse has a story. There's lots of good ones out there. But some are special and just tug at the heartstrings. And this year there is a story that belongs to the horse that's being called Afleet Alex.

To tell it, our guest this morning, Liz Scott, mother of Alex Scott. You're going to recognize her as the mother of the young cancer patient who funded Alex's Lemonade Stand. And with her, breeder John Silvertand.

Good morning to both of you.

JOHN SILVERTAND, BREEDER: Good morning.

LIZ SCOTT, ALEX SCOTT'S MOTHER: Good morning.

KAGAN: Well, Liz, great to see you here on this program again.

SCOTT: Thanks.

KAGAN: Tell us about this honor, how this special horse has a connection to your late daughter, Alex.

SCOTT: Last fall, one of the owners of Afleet Alex contacted us and said that he wanted to donate a portion of Afleet Alex's winnings to Alex's Lemonade Stand for childhood cancer. And they have been doing it ever since. And here we are, never thinking or imagining that we'd be here at the Kentucky Derby.

KAGAN: The adventure continues.

SCOTT: Yes, it does.

KAGAN: John, you have your own amazing story with this horse and your own battle with cancer that's going on.

SILVERTAND: I am the breeder of Afleet Alex, and lost him with a toss of a coin to another gentleman who eventually sold him and ended up with Cassius King (ph). I have been following his career, of course, and he has helped me tremendously with my battles, because, I -- you know, he was bottle fed as a baby. He has come on to the greatest race in the world. And I plan my events around him.

So, you know, coming here, I planned this several months ago. Obviously we are looking forward to the other races, the Travis (ph), the Breeder's Cup, and so on. As long as he can keep going, I certainly can.

KAGAN: That's a great inspiration. As I understand it, when you were diagnosed a few years ago, doctors told you you just had a couple of months to live?

SILVERTAND: That's right. It was three months initially. And -- but I -- you know, you just can't give up. You have to go after it, and decide that you are going to live.

And once you have made that decision, it becomes much easier. You know, obviously I go through the chemotherapy and all the regiments. And I have had several operations. But, you know, having something to look forward to is very important to a cancer patient.

KAGAN: Understandable. And that kind of brings us back to Alex and her lemonade stands.

Liz, we have featured these lemonade stands a number of times on this program. There is actually going to be an Alex Lemonade Stand there at Churchill Downs tomorrow.

SCOTT: Yes. We're setting up a stand here today and tomorrow, selling lemonade for a donation, all supporting childhood cancer. And we are just honored and thrilled. And really hoping that this will kick off a great year of lemonade stands for us.

KAGAN: Such a special spirit Alex had. And this horse has apparently has as well.

John, give us a little breakdown on Afleet Alex. I looked up nine to two odds. Do I have that right?

SILVERTAND: That's correct. I think he will become the people's horse, though, like Smarty Jones was the last year and Funny Cide was the year before.

Alex has caught the imagination. I would imagine his odds will come down tomorrow, because, you know, it's something that the people can live for.

You know, you've got a $75,000 horse, and he's in the greatest race. You know, there's a lot of things going for him. And I imagine he will be right there amongst him, and we will see some surprises tomorrow. KAGAN: Was the horse named Afleet Alex first, and then the owner got in touch with you, Liz? Or did -- which came first, the name of the horse or getting in touch and honoring Alex Scott?

SCOTT: The horse was already named Afleet Alex. And when the owner, Chuck Zacney, heard about my Alex and Alex's Lemonade Stand, he felt that the words we used to describe my daughter, "determined" and "strong," suited his Alex very nicely, and felt that there was definitely a connection to be made, and including this gentleman's own story. It all just seemed to fit and go very nicely together.

KAGAN: Well it does, and that's why we wanted to have you back and chat with you again. So much to root for tomorrow. We've got the horse, Afleet Alex, we've got the Alex lemonade stands.

And John, we have your battle that we wish you continued success with against cancer.

SILVERTAND: Thank you very much.

SCOTT: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you to all of you, John Silvertand and Liz Scott and Afleet Alex. Thank you.

We are going to have news -- more news straight ahead, including news about medicine that could save children with AIDS. But when the drugs were tested on foster children it certainly did raise some ethical questions. Were vulnerable children used as guinea pigs?

We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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 May 6, 2005 - 10:59   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
To New York City. A bridge linking Manhattan and Brooklyn was closed for about an hour this morning due to a suspicious package. The black and red bag reportedly contained clothing. Police have removed it and reopened the bridge.

Authorities say a convicted sexual predator who cut of his tracking bracelet is now in custody. Patrick Wayne Bell was the focus of a manhunt after he removed the device and left his mother's home in Riviera Beach, Florida. He was arrested this morning in Tallahassee.

President Bush is on his way to Latvia. That's the first stop. His trip marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. He'll also visit the Netherlands and meet with President Vladimir Putin in Russia before wrapping up his trip in Georgia.

New employment numbers out this morning suggest an improving outlook for the job market. The Labor Department says employers added 274,000 jobs in April. That's the most since February and well above what economists expected. The nation's unemployment rate held steady at 5.2 percent.

Let's check the time on this Friday morning. 11:00 a.m. in Louisville, Kentucky, 8:00 a.m. in Santa Maria, California. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.

Up first, prosecutors say he did, the witnesses say he did not. Defense attorneys for Michael Jackson kicked off their case by challenging past molestation claims against the pop star.

Let's go live to Rusty Dornin in Santa Maria, California, where the trial resumes this hour.

Rusty, good morning.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Before they even got started, though, it was very interesting yesterday morning when they opened by the defense arguing for a dismissal of the case entirely. It went on for about two-and-a-half hours and really gave us an idea of what both sides -- it was sort of closing arguments, mini closing arguments for both sides.

Very impassioned rationale by both sides in the end. Judge Rodney Melville said, "Motion denied," and "Call your first witnesses." Defense was out of the chute and getting straight to the heart of the matter.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

DORNIN (voice-over): The first two defense witnesses didn't hesitate. "Absolutely not," "No" and "Never." That was in response to whether they were sexually molested or inappropriately touched by Michael Jackson.

MARTIN KASINDORF, LEGAL ANALYST: It was a strong start, I thought, to the defense case, to bring on a very articulate young man who denied that, despite sleeping in Michael Jackson's bed on apparently dozens of occasions in several locations, denied that anything untoward or wrong or inappropriate sexually had ever happened.

DORNIN: Both young men say they slept in Jackson's bed countless times as children and as teenagers. They also contend they were together in Jackson's bedroom with former child actor, Macaulay Culkin one night.

During the prosecution's case, Jackson's former maid claimed she saw the first young man to testify taking a shower with Jackson, something the witness adamantly denied yesterday.

Under cross-examination, prosecutor Ron Zonen showed the first witness stacks of sexually explicit magazines and books belonging to Jackson. He repeatedly asked, "Do you think it's appropriate for a 10-year-old boy to be sleeping with someone who had these materials?"

The young man, now 22, replied, "If it was a man I didn't know, maybe. But not Michael."

JIM MORET, LEGAL ANALYST: There's something fundamentally upsetting about the idea of a 35-year-old man or a 45-year-old man sharing his bed with a young boy. And that may ultimately backfire on the defense.

DORNIN: Before the defense began its case, the attorneys argued charges should be dropped because they claim prosecutors hadn't proved their case.

District Attorney Thomas Sneddon passionately urged the judge to let the jury decide Jackson's fate. The judge agreed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

DORNIN: A couple of interesting tidbits that came up. That second witness came from Australia. And he said he quit his job to come and testify in this case. He also said that he and the first witness both spent the night at Neverland the night before their testimony but were told not to talk about the case.

And what we're expecting now, the second witness is back on the stand this morning. And then the relatives of both of those witnesses are expected to testify about what they saw at Neverland during the early '90s. And actor Macaulay Culkin is expected to take the stand sometime next week -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Any Rusty, any indication if Michael Jackson plans to take the stand in his own defense?

DORNIN: No. Well, there's a lot of -- and I must say, speculation among the crowd here. Every day someone has got a new theory on whether he will or whether he won't. So we don't have any clear indication of what's going to happen. But obviously that's something that everyone is really on the edge of their seats about.

KAGAN: Rusty Dornin, live from Santa Maria. Thank you.

Now the latest on the runaway bride. She says she is sorry and she is trying to set the record straight.

Jennifer Wilbanks says it was her fears not cold feet that caused her to disappear days before her wedding. She blamed it on "a host of compelling issues which seemed out of control." Wilbanks says she is receiving professional treatment. She remains in seclusion and issued a statement through her family's pastor.

He talked with CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. THOMAS SMILEY, PASTOR, LAKEWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH: You know, it's really hard, because I don't think Jennifer really understands the full ramifications of her actions in that regard. She is still really very much trying to deal with that. And that's what I am trying to help people understand on her behalf, is that she isn't really aware of everything that precipitated of what she called inappropriate action. So it's just really hard to go into greater detail than what she did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Wilbanks suffered -- she surfaced in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and initially made up a story about being kidnapped.

In the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal, the brigadier general who had been in charge of the facility at the time has been demoted to colonel. That effectively ends Janis Karpinski's military career. The demotion required President Bush's approval. She was the only senior officer disciplined in the scandal. Karpinski's attorney says the Pentagon made her a scapegoat.

A gruesome find in Iraq today. Fourteen men apparently shot to death execution style. Their bodies were found today in an industrial area of the capital. It's reported that family members identified some of the victims as farmers who disappeared while taking their produce to market.

Two more suicide attacks in Iraq today killed at least 29 people. It capped an especially bloody week in the country.

Our Ryan Chilcote joins us live now from Baghdad -- Ryan. RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn. Well, hello to you.

No letup in the violence in Iraq. Two separate suicide bombers attacks to tell you about.

The first one, the most recent one, was in the southern city of Suwayrah just a short while ago. A suicide bomber blowing himself up in a very busy marketplace. No sign of any military target in that area. Killing at least 22, wounding nearly double that.

And then earlier in the morning, a suicide bomb attack in the northern city of Tikrit. A suicide bomber ramming his car into a bus carrying Iraqi police to work, killing at least seven of them, wounding three. That's the third attack on Iraq security forces in the last three days -- Daryn.

KAGAN: That's OK. The civilians that are being targeted here, what seems to be the motive, Ryan? It would seem to be counterproductive to what Iraq's trying to do, but maybe not for the insurgents.

CHILCOTE: Yes. Well, the -- no -- it's not clear why they would go after insurgents. The bulk of their attacks have been on Iraq's security forces. And the interesting thing is, you know, the message there is that they are trying to tell these people that want to work for Iraq security forces or are already working for Iraq security forces that that's a bad idea and they will be killed there.

The interesting thing is that both the U.S. and Iraqi military are saying that it's not having any effect. They say that recruitment is steady and that people still want to sign up for Iraq's security forces. In fact, they don't have the capacity to handle all of them.

Part of that is probably patriotism. Part of that is probably economics. Remember, unemployment stands here at about 50 percent. And a job, a starting job in Iraq security forces can get you about $300 a month. So, for a lot of Iraqis, that's better than nothing -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Ryan Chilcote live from Baghdad. Thank you.

President Bush is on his way to Europe this morning. The first stop on the five-day trip is Latvia, the capital, Riga. Mr. Bush will also meet with leaders of other Baltic states, Lithuania and Estonia.

The president will visit the Netherlands, as well as the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. But Russia will be the centerpiece of the trip. And the president will mark 60 years since the end of World War II. His only talks with President Vladimir Putin will come over dinner on Sunday night.

The murder mystery surrounding the death of the little girl was called "Precious Doe" has now been solved. Coming up, hear from the man whose work helped investigators apprehend the killers.

Plus, testing medicine to help children fight the AIDS virus. But why were the kids foster children?

And you might remember Alex's lemonade stand. A horse racing in this year's Kentucky Derby has a special bond with the late Alex Scott. Her mother, Liz Scott, will join me just ahead this hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Tony Blair with a lot to celebrate today, his election victory, and it's his 52nd birthday today. His Labor Party retains the majority in parliament, though its influence will be diminished. The party lost close to 100 seats in Thursday's voting.

Queen Elizabeth formally asked Blair to form a new government today. He becomes the first Labor prime minister to win three consecutive terms.

Let's check some other headlines around the world this morning.

A fountain dedicated to the late Princess Diana has reopened in London's Hyde Park. Numerous improvements were made to the shallow circular water feature. Wading will no longer be allowed. Red- jacketed guards have been posted around the fountain to enforce those rules.

In Pakistan, it's the annual crocodile festival. Well, this looks like great fun. It's near Karachi, it's meant for good luck. Some people can feel lucky if they don't lose a foot or a hand. For devotees, it's all about feeding raw meat to the giant creatures.

It's a religious and cultural event. It was begun centuries ago by Africans who settled in the region.

And then they're the high drama in the Himalayas. May is usually the most favorable time to ascend the peak. Always treacherous, though. And this year is no exception.

Six climbers with a U.S. and Canadian team were caught yesterday by an avalanche that swept through one of the base camps. They are being treated for injuries at a makeshift medical tent high up on the mountain. Weather has been too bad to air lift any of them out. One of the climbers may have even broken his back.

President Bush based his No Child Left Behind education reforms on the model that he used in Texas. But at least in Texas the program is having some unintended consequences. On Sunday tonight, "CNN PRESENTS, "High Stakes: The Battle to Save Our Schools." The documentary is produced and narrated by the award-winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our economy is the enemy of the world. Unfortunately, our schools are not.

STANLEY NELSON, FILMMAKER (voice-over): As governor, George W. Bush was determined to improve student achievement and reduce dropout rates in schools across Texas. He implemented state-wide forms, including mandatory testing, and he said he would hold school officials accountable for rising test scores.

ROD PAIGE, SECRETARY OF EDUCATION: When we got our top scores...

NELSON: Bush found a kindred student in Houston superintendent Rod Paige.

PAIGE: We know how to make organizations work. And the same thing is true for schools. The idea is to link performance and contribution, and in cities.

NELSON: Principals who could show rising test scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, TAKS, could get bonuses of up to $5,000. For district superintendents, bonuses could rise to $20,000.

PAIGE: You all of a sudden saw many schools that had 40 to 45 percent pass rate on the TAKS go up to 90 percent the very next year.

NELSON: The fast-rising test scores were hailed as the Houston miracle. But the miracle was not what it seemed. Thousands of students were actually dropping out.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One day I was informed that a report had been turned in to the district from my high school. And our principal reported zero dropouts.

Well, I knew that was impossible, because I had seen over 400 students leave that year, and many of them told me they had dropped out. I saw many assistant principals tell students to quit school, to get out, go withdraw.

NELSON: Another strategy to make the statistics tell a good story, according to Kimball (ph), was for officials to retain students in ninth grade so they wouldn't have to take the tax test in 10th grade.

In 2000, there were 1,160 ninth grade students at Austin High School. But the next year, only 257 made it to the 10th grade. What was happening at Austin High was happening at schools across the district.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: CNN PRESENTS: "High Stakes: The Battle to Save our Schools." You will see the premier Sunday night, 8:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

It's a big weekend at Churchill Downs. More than money is riding on one of the horses in the Kentucky Derby. I'll talk with a man who says this horse kept him alive. That's when CNN LIVE TODAY returns. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Firefighters in Wisconsin say they have a 4,000-acre wildfire under control this morning. But they are still knocking down some hotspots.

Flames chased around 100 residents out of their homes near Big Flats -- that's the central part of the state. The blaze started out as a small brushfire and quickly got out of hand.

Let's see other weather news going on today. Rob Marciano is doing that for us.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: We are going to talk about the Kentucky Derby right now. As it stands, there will be 20 horses in the starting gate when post time rolls around tomorrow afternoon. It will be the fastest two minutes in sports. While many derby winners have gone on to win the Preakness, there has not been a triple crown winner since affirmed in 1978.

Well, each horse has a story. There's lots of good ones out there. But some are special and just tug at the heartstrings. And this year there is a story that belongs to the horse that's being called Afleet Alex.

To tell it, our guest this morning, Liz Scott, mother of Alex Scott. You're going to recognize her as the mother of the young cancer patient who funded Alex's Lemonade Stand. And with her, breeder John Silvertand.

Good morning to both of you.

JOHN SILVERTAND, BREEDER: Good morning.

LIZ SCOTT, ALEX SCOTT'S MOTHER: Good morning.

KAGAN: Well, Liz, great to see you here on this program again.

SCOTT: Thanks.

KAGAN: Tell us about this honor, how this special horse has a connection to your late daughter, Alex.

SCOTT: Last fall, one of the owners of Afleet Alex contacted us and said that he wanted to donate a portion of Afleet Alex's winnings to Alex's Lemonade Stand for childhood cancer. And they have been doing it ever since. And here we are, never thinking or imagining that we'd be here at the Kentucky Derby.

KAGAN: The adventure continues.

SCOTT: Yes, it does.

KAGAN: John, you have your own amazing story with this horse and your own battle with cancer that's going on.

SILVERTAND: I am the breeder of Afleet Alex, and lost him with a toss of a coin to another gentleman who eventually sold him and ended up with Cassius King (ph). I have been following his career, of course, and he has helped me tremendously with my battles, because, I -- you know, he was bottle fed as a baby. He has come on to the greatest race in the world. And I plan my events around him.

So, you know, coming here, I planned this several months ago. Obviously we are looking forward to the other races, the Travis (ph), the Breeder's Cup, and so on. As long as he can keep going, I certainly can.

KAGAN: That's a great inspiration. As I understand it, when you were diagnosed a few years ago, doctors told you you just had a couple of months to live?

SILVERTAND: That's right. It was three months initially. And -- but I -- you know, you just can't give up. You have to go after it, and decide that you are going to live.

And once you have made that decision, it becomes much easier. You know, obviously I go through the chemotherapy and all the regiments. And I have had several operations. But, you know, having something to look forward to is very important to a cancer patient.

KAGAN: Understandable. And that kind of brings us back to Alex and her lemonade stands.

Liz, we have featured these lemonade stands a number of times on this program. There is actually going to be an Alex Lemonade Stand there at Churchill Downs tomorrow.

SCOTT: Yes. We're setting up a stand here today and tomorrow, selling lemonade for a donation, all supporting childhood cancer. And we are just honored and thrilled. And really hoping that this will kick off a great year of lemonade stands for us.

KAGAN: Such a special spirit Alex had. And this horse has apparently has as well.

John, give us a little breakdown on Afleet Alex. I looked up nine to two odds. Do I have that right?

SILVERTAND: That's correct. I think he will become the people's horse, though, like Smarty Jones was the last year and Funny Cide was the year before.

Alex has caught the imagination. I would imagine his odds will come down tomorrow, because, you know, it's something that the people can live for.

You know, you've got a $75,000 horse, and he's in the greatest race. You know, there's a lot of things going for him. And I imagine he will be right there amongst him, and we will see some surprises tomorrow. KAGAN: Was the horse named Afleet Alex first, and then the owner got in touch with you, Liz? Or did -- which came first, the name of the horse or getting in touch and honoring Alex Scott?

SCOTT: The horse was already named Afleet Alex. And when the owner, Chuck Zacney, heard about my Alex and Alex's Lemonade Stand, he felt that the words we used to describe my daughter, "determined" and "strong," suited his Alex very nicely, and felt that there was definitely a connection to be made, and including this gentleman's own story. It all just seemed to fit and go very nicely together.

KAGAN: Well it does, and that's why we wanted to have you back and chat with you again. So much to root for tomorrow. We've got the horse, Afleet Alex, we've got the Alex lemonade stands.

And John, we have your battle that we wish you continued success with against cancer.

SILVERTAND: Thank you very much.

SCOTT: Thank you.

KAGAN: Thank you to all of you, John Silvertand and Liz Scott and Afleet Alex. Thank you.

We are going to have news -- more news straight ahead, including news about medicine that could save children with AIDS. But when the drugs were tested on foster children it certainly did raise some ethical questions. Were vulnerable children used as guinea pigs?

We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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