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CNN Live Today

President Bush in Asia; Samuel Alito And Abortion Issue; Teen Murder Case In Pennsylvania; Inside Tornadoes

Aired November 15, 2005 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: AMERICAN MORNING. We'll be back with another edition tomorrow. Betty Nguyen is at the CNN Center to take you through the next couple of hours.
Betty, good morning to you.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Miles.

You may want to stick around, because you like explosions, right? You like to see things blow up.

MILES O'BRIEN: Sure. Anything that goes boom, I like. Yes. I think I might.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

NGUYEN: Of course. Right. Well, there is going to be a demolition of a bridge in South Carolina that we are waiting on. It's going to happen in about five minutes. We're going to try to bring that to you live.

And here's the picture. Take a good look. It's not going to be here too much longer. This is the Pairman Bridge (ph) over Town Creek and Drum Island in Charleston, South Carolina. In just a few minutes, we're going to see that thing just blow up. In fact, I understand it's going to happen about 40 minutes from now. Actually, take that back, 40 seconds from now.

Now 26 large segments of steel truss will drop into the Town Creek, which you see below. The weight of the steel, get this, about 1,000 tons. And we understand it's only going take just about a couple seconds for this thing to come tumbling down. Always fascinating to see and hear. I told you it was only going take seconds. Look at the smoke coming from that.

And, of course, there have been roadblocks and people are obviously being kept away as the smoke billows into the air. Lots of pedestrians kept off the streets. There's also a zone, a coast guard zone, keeping ships and vessels from entering and anchoring until the coast guard gives them the authority to go in.

Now this isn't the only demolition happening in this area. Several bridges have been taken down and the next one is going to happen in December when a contractor plans to demolish part of the Grace Bridge, which is also over Town Creek, the channel that you see right there. But steel press tresses in the water today. The implosion, more like a demolition really, has just occurred and the smoke is beginning to clear. It's going to take some time and we, of course, will be following it for you.

All right. In other news today.

Iraq's prime minister says more than 170 malnourished Iraqi detainees appear to have been tortured. The Iraqi interior ministry is launching an investigation into allegations that ministry officials tortured the suspected insurgents. Now two days ago U.S. troops took control of a ministry building in Baghdad where the detainees were found.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUSSEIN KAMAL, IRAQI DEPUTY INTERIOR MINISTER, (through translator): I have never seen such a situation like this during the past two years in Baghdad. This is the worst and cannot be tolerated. I saw signs of physical abuse by brutal beating. One or two detainees were paralyze and some had their skin peeled off various parts of their body.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson will have more on this story in the next hour. So you'll want to stick around for that.

Also, President Bush is begin his eight-day Asian trip in Japan. The president holds talks tomorrow with the Japanese prime minister. Now the Bush administration is downplaying the possibility of breakthroughs at the meeting, this despite apparent progress toward ending a two-year-old Japanese ban on U.S. beef imports.

President Bush will also attend the APEC meeting in South Korea. And today, look at this, thousands turned out in Seoul to protest global trade. The protest did turn violent, as you see, as farmers wielding steel pipes and bamboo sticks clashed with riot police. Dozens were arrested. The farmers are upset about a bill aimed at opening the country's rice market.

Good morning. I'm Betty Nguyen at the CNN Center in Atlanta, sitting in today for Daryn Kagan.

On the road and under fire, President Bush is in Japan this morning, as we showed you, for the start of a four-nation Asian tour. He and the Asian leaders will confront a variety of issues, including terrorism, trade and the threat of bird flu. But one of Mr. Bush's most pressing concerns is festering back at home, mounting discontent over the war in Iraq. Today, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is demanding regular progress reports and estimated dates for a U.S. withdrawal. The Senate is also considering a GOP proposal that calls on the administration to outline diplomatic and military policies in Iraq.

Fellow Democrat and former presidential challenger, John Kerry, goes even farther than that. He says, "the war in Iraq was and remains one of the great acts of misleading and deception in the American history."

Well, the war in Iraq has also helped grease the skids of President Bush's sinking public support. According to the latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll, Mr. Bush's approval rating is at an all- time low. Thirty-seven percent of Americans approve of the job he's doing, 60 percent do not.

And his trustworthiness is now considered at an all-time low as well. Compared to previous presidents, 30 percent of Americans say they trust Mr. Bush more, 16 percent say the same and 53 percent say they trust him less than his predecessors.

Now to President Bush's eight-day Asian tour which began this morning with his arrival in Japan. White House Correspondent Dana Bash is traveling with the president and has a preview.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Japan is the first of four countries the president will visit during his eight-day trip to Asia and his agenda is quite broad, from trade and currency disputes, to trying to manage and help contain the bird flu. A Latin American trip last week produced disappointing results and mass protests and did very little to provide an escape from the president's troubles back home. So the White House hopes to get a more polite reception in Asia.

But Mr. Bush is traveling with even more evidence Americans support for him back home and his policies are sinking even further. His approval rating is now down to 37 percent and support for Iraq is down two. Now 60 percent, six in 10 Americans say it was not worth going war in Iraq.

That's why the president left the United States swinging back hard at Democrats accusing him of manipulating intelligence before the Iraq War. At Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, the president once again dusted off lines of defense on Iraq from his campaign more than a year ago, saying his Democratic critics, too, had once called Saddam Hussein a threat.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Some Democrats who voted to authorize the use of force are now rewriting the past. They're playing politics with this issue and they are sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. And that's irresponsible.

BASH: But it is not lost on the White House that even as the president travels abroad, the United States Senate is debating his Iraq policy and even members of his own party are calling on Mr. Bush to provide Congress a detailed explanation of how he intends to complete the Iraq mission successfully.

Dana Bash, CNN, Kyoto, Japan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: If Samuel Alito is to help chart the future of the Supreme Court and U.S. law, he must first confront his past. The nominee is scheduled to meet today with senators on Capitol Hill where he is sure to face questions about a newly-surfaced memo from 1985. In it, he voiced support for anti-abortion efforts during the Reagan administration. CNN Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry is on Capitol Hill to explain.

Ed, Democrats are jumping all over this latest document.

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Betty.

In fact, just a couple of minutes ago on his way into a meeting with Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein, the only woman on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Judge Alito was asked by a reporter about this memo from 1985 describing his views on abortion. He was asked whether he still feels the same way 20 years later. He ducked that question, said he was just looking forward to the meeting with Senator Feinstein. He will certainly get some sharp questions from Feinstein herself, but also Senator Edward Kennedy this afternoon, another key Democrat on Judiciary, will be meeting with Alito.

What's at issue here is this 1958 memo. It was basically a job application where Mr. Alito, then a young lawyer in the Reagan administration, was applying for promotion in the Reagan Justice Department. And in this memo, he said he believed, "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion." He also declared his opposition to some affirmative action programs and said he was very happy to be advancing these legal causes as a young lawyer because, "I personally believe very strongly about these causes."

That is, obviously, raising some alarm bells among Democrats like Senator Kennedy who say this suggests Judge Alito is out of the mainstream on issues like abortion and that he might vote to overturn Roe v Wade, the landmark ruling that guarantees a legalized abortion. Here's Liberal Activist Nancy Keenan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY KEENAN, NARAL PRO-CHOICE AMERICA: There's no doubt that he would very much either overturn Roe or basically restrict Roe to the point that it's not even applicable in this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: But White House officials point out 1985 was a long time ago. They don't know where Judge Alito is on abortion now 20 years later. They say they haven't asked him because they do not have a litmus test on this issue. And they also say they believe that Judge Alito can separate his personal views from his actual rulings on the bench.

And, in fact, they're getting a little political cover from key moderate Republican, Arlen Specter, the Senate Judiciary chairman, who actually he out a statement last night. Saying that if you look at the judge's record, "I don't think we know at this point what Alito would do with Roe. We have gotten deeply involved in more of his cases and found a very heavy commitment to legal interpretation which might differ from his own personal views."

What Senator Specter is basically saying there is that Judge Alito, like Chief Justice Roberts before him, has suggested in private meetings with senators that he would respect legal precedence. So even if he's personally opposed to Roe v Wade, he might not vote to overturn it.

Betty.

NGUYEN: All right. Thank you so much.

We are watching a developing story right now, Ed. We want to go to CNN's Bonnie Schneider in the weather office. This just in. We understand there's a tornado warning in Evansville, Indiana. A place that really doesn't need to see another one.

Bonnie.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely, Betty.

And Evansville is just part of this tornado warning for Gibson County and Southwest Indiana and Vanderberg County in Southwest Indiana. Vanderberg County was part of the tornado outbreak we saw just a couple weeks ago on November 6th. But right now what trained weather spotters are reporting is a rotating wall cloud with some funnels just east of Mount Vernon. That's really right in the extreme corner of Indiana there. And we're watching for Interstate 64 between exits 18 and 25.

Now this warning goes through about 9:45 Central Time. And you can see Interstate 64 right here. Here's Evansville. Evansville's not in the tornado watch that was issued just about a couple hours ago, but it is in this tornado warning.

Right now the rotating wall cloud we were speaking of was spotted further here, more to the west. The movement is pretty quick. It hasn't touched down just yet, at least not on our reports at the moment. But we're watching this very closely.

The tornado warning is issued, including in the city of Evansville. It does expire now at 9:15 a.m. That's central time. We'll be watching this and keeping you up to date. This is reported by trained weather spotters as well. Here's a closer look of the area.

So we'll keep you up-to-date on this. But right now the tornado warning does include the city of Evansville, Indiana.

NGUYEN: So, Bonnie, just to be clear, a warning means a tornado has been spotted on the ground.

SCHNEIDER: Right. We want to report these when we actually get this spotting by a trained weather spotter who has been trained by the National Weather Service to detect what is a rotating cloud, what is a funnel cloud. Doppler-indicated tornadoes are different. That's just indicated on our computers. But when we have something that's spotted, that's why we wanted to bring it to you live.

NGUYEN: All right, we'll be checking in with you. Thank you, Bonnie.

Well today marks the beginning of some tough decisions or indecisions from tens of millions of Americans. Enrollment is now underway for a new Medicare prescription plan and sign up continues through May 15th. Program benefits begin on January 1st. And everyone eligible for Medicare can sign up.

Now some Democrats on Capitol Hill say the program is just too complicated. Senators Dick Durbin and Bill Nelson will call on Congress to give an extra six months for enrollees to become better informed. And in the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, we're going to show you some of the challenges of signing up firsthand. We have an expert who's going to join us to help a senior actually wade through the enrollment process.

And just within the past hour, Senator Ted Kennedy weighed in on Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world. His news conference helps draw attention to tonight's Washington premiere of a controversial film, "Wal-Mart, The High Cost of Low Price." It's filmmakers say they capture everyday people who suffer at the hands of the corporate goliath. The Campaign for America's Future has hosted the Kennedy news conference.

This hour on Capitol Hill, here's a live look. A hearing is underway for President Bush's nominee as the next Federal Reserve chief. Ben Bernanke goes before the Senate Banking Committee and the first step in what is expected to be a fast-track confirmation. The nation's current top economist, Alan Greenspan, is set to retire at the end of January.

Well, some wicked weather strikes down in Iowa and more today. Prepare for more. This after this past weekend's deadly twister. Severe weather expert Chad Myers tells us why they're happening and why more are on the way.

Plus, a growing global influence. Could China soon become America's banker or even landlord? A look at Asia's booming economies and what it means for you.

Plus later, from princess to pauper? Japanese royalty sheds her crown from her one true love. You're watching CNN LIVE TODAY. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: This just in to CNN. We are learning that grizzly bears in areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park are being removed from the endangered species list. Let's listen to what Interior Secretary Gale Norton had to say about it just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GALE NORTON, INTERIOR SECRETARY: Working together, we have been able it achieve what we could never have done by ourselves. We have dramatically increased the number of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area. We have ensured that these bears will have the habitat that they need. We have developed a comprehensive management plan that will ensure the long-term conservation of the species once it is delisted.

Grizzly bears one flourished in the west. When Lewis and Clark made their historic journey, there were more than 50,000 grizzlies across the west.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And federal wildlife officials say there are about some 600 grizzly bears that live in the region surrounding Yellowstone, which is in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. But critics argue that this will open up hunting of grizzlies in that region. But as you just heard, grizzly bears and areas surrounding Yellowstone National Park have been taken off the endangered species list.

Now to Indiana today. Authorities could allow the return of a 14-year-old girl whose parents were shot and killed over the weekend. The suspect in the double murder case is her 18-year-old boyfriend. David Ludwig crashed his parents' car into a tree just west of Indianapolis, some 600 miles from the Pennsylvania murder scene. Kara Beth Borden was with him but police aren't saying whether she was abducted or if she willingly fled with him. CNN Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff is in the teen's hometown of Lititz.

Allan, any closer to understanding the motive behind the killings?

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, it does appear that there was a conflict between the parents of Kara Borden and David Ludwig about the relationship that Mr. Ludwig had with the daughter of the Bordens. Mr. Ludwig, 18 years old, and Kara Borden only 14 years old.

It also appears, though, that this goes far beyond the simple fact of an older man with a teenager, a 14-year-old teenager. We, of course, will never know exactly what the parents knew about the relationship, about the nature of the relationship, but in documents that have just received from the police, they do report in an application for a search warrant that they interviewed -- detectives interviewed a close friend of Mr. Ludwig.

And that friend, Samuel Lorr (ph), told detectives that Ludwig and Kara Borden were caring on a secret intimate relationship of a sexual nature. Lorr also told detectives that Ludwig and Borden exchanged, "inappropriate images of one another via computer, as well as cell phones." Now, Lorr is described as a close friend of David Ludwig and this, of course, a case that has shocked the community. And the police chief told us earlier today, this is not the type of situation he is used to dealing with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHIEF RICHARD GARIPOLI JR., WARWICK TWP. POLICE DEPT.: It's very shocking, you know, coming from this area that we're not used to this type of violence. But we do our job and we're going get through it. As a community, it will make us stronger and we'll go forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHERNOFF: I spoke with the district judge a few moments ago and he told me in the six years that he has been judged for this area, there have been four murder cases, never anything at all of this nature.

Now, let's learn a little bit about these teenagers. We don't know all that much just yet. But Kara Borden does have her own web posting. And on that site she talks about being a soccer player, attending prayer meetings. She also is a fan of some Christian rock groups and she talks about her expertise being in baby-sitting. Now David Ludwig also has a web posting. He has lyrics of a Christian rock band posted there as well. And he says he enjoys computers and volleyball.

Betty.

NGUYEN: All right, Allan. Of course, we're going to learn more in the coming days. Thank you.

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

The woman suspected of holding up Washington area banks while chatting on her cell phone is under arrest. The FBI says 19-year-old Candice Martinez is the woman in this surveillance tape. She was taken into custody overnight in Virginia, along with two men.

Smokers in Louisville are heated offer a law that keeps them from lighting up in public. A smoking ban went into effect today in this Kentucky city that was once home to top cigarette makers. The ban means no more puffing in thousands of businesses. Now bars and some restaurant with heavy alcohol sales are exempt.

Will New Orleans levees hold up if there's another Katrina-sized hurricane. The man in charge of the federal recovery effort says, not yet, but he's working on it. Donald Powell tells the Associated Press, experts will try to find out what it will take to get the levees to withstand a category five storm. Katrina came ashore as a category four hurricane.

Well, the week of weather across the heartland. Why it's happening. Find out after a short break. You're watching CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Take a listen to this. Well, I thought you were going to hear it. But instead, let's just look at it. Insurance adjusters today are surveying the damage from weekend tornadoes in central Iowa. One adjuster says the destruction reminds him of Homestead, Florida, after Hurricane Andrew hit in 1992. About 70 homes were destroyed in two Iowa towns on Saturday.

Well, only one person was killed in those Iowa tornadoes. Still, though, the November death toll from tornadoes in the U.S. has been unusually high. CNN severe weather expert Chad Myers explains with this look inside tornadoes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God! Oh my God!

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The pictures are incredible. With an F2 tornado bearing down on his Woodward, Iowa, neighborhood, this man stepped out into the storm to capture it all on videotape.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God!

MYERS: Thrilling? Yes. But it's actually a textbook example of what not to do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God! (INAUDIBLE) Get over there! Grab that dog!

MYERS: Although the storm passed more than a football field away from the cameraman, you can see all the debris swirling around him. And the flying debris is the leading cause of injury and death in tornadoes.

Officially in Iowa on Saturday, eight tornadoes touched down. Two became F-2 tornadoes with wind speed approaching 150 miles per hour. And just to the northwest of there, a third storm passed through Stratford, Iowa. It was an F3 with winds near 200 miles per hour. The same cell that hit Woodward, the F2, later reintensified west of Ames, producing another F2 twister, prompting the evacuation of a stadium full of Iowa State football fans.

November brings an average of 35 tornadoes in the U.S., competing with the peak month of May which has 192. Strictly by the numbers, this November has been pretty typical, but it has been an unusually deadly month with 23 dead so far. The average is just four fatalities. The reason for that, geography. This month's tornadoes have hit towns, rather than open spaces in farm fields that comprise much of tornado alley.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you all right? You all right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm OK.

MYERS: Chad Myers, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Definitely an eye-opener. And speak of, some say in just 10 years it could have the world's largest economy. So what impact is China's growing influence have on Americans? We're going to talk about that next.

And later, does sparing the rod really spoil the child? Dr. Sanjay Gupta with some surprising results on a new study about spanking.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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