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American Morning
Dads in Baghdad
Aired December 04, 2003 - 08:35 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.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A man named Anthony Lopercio is serving in Iraq. Michael McPhearson son recently joined the military, but has not been deployed to Iraq. However, both of their dads are there. The dads aren't with the Army, they're with a group protesting the war. Mike Lopercio and Michael McPhearson join us from Baghdad this morning.
Gentlemen, appreciate you being with us this morning.
Michael Lopercio, let me start off with you. You own a restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona. Your son is serving in Fallujah right now. Why did you want to go to Baghdad? It's a long, dangerous trip. Why did you want to go?
MIKE LOPERCIO, FATHER OF U.S. SOLDIER SERVING IN IRAQ: Well, I mean, for a long time following the war we've heard a lot of conflicting reports, and you know, we just really haven't achieved a lot of our military objectives, and things were starting to look worse and worse. And in my view, the sooner we get things to an improved level here in Baghdad, the sooner my son can come home. And if things don't improve to a certain point, they're not going to come home. So, I really, you know, felt like this was a great opportunity for me to see firsthand, and you know, get off the couch and go to Baghdad yourself and see firsthand, it was an incredible opportunity look the average...
COOPER: Sorry, Michael Mcphearson, let me just jump in. Your son just joined the military recently. He's a private. He's not even in Iraq at this point. So why did you make the trip?
MICHAEL MCPHEARSON, CONCERNED HIS SON MIGHT BE DEPLOYED TO IRAQ: Well, actually, I didn't support the war from the beginning, and I'm also a veteran of the first Gulf War. And my son just recently joined, and he'll be going to basic training in January. And as a citizen, I think it's my responsibility to try to find out what's going on so I can bring back information back home, so we can make decisions that would help bring the troops back. So the biggest reason I'm going is so that we can talk about this and figure out ways to bring the troops back home. And my son being in the military just adds urgency to the issue.
COOPER: Mike Lopercio, let me bring you back in here, do you have any concerns? You went over, your trip is sponsored by a group which opposed the war, clearly a group which probably has an agenda or viewpoint on the war. Are you worried that the view you're getting is somehow directed by them? LOPERCIO: No, I don't think so. I think that we set up. I mean, we have really free reign to talk to lots of lots of different groups. I mean, they haven't ever really tried to put any words in our mouth. They called me up and said do you want to go? And that was it. They never really kind of espoused any philosophy to us or anything.
COOPER: What are you seeing that is different than what you've seen on TV?
LOPERCIO: It's shocking to see it in person. It's so, I mean, with the streets blockaded, and tanks up and down the street, and three-hour gas lines, and no security, shootings and explosions periodically throughout the day, it's just, I mean, it's just incredible to actually be here. It's much more graphic and harsh than I really anticipated.
COOPER: Mr. Mcphearson, you were in the first Gulf War. I don't know what you saw during it. How different is it from what you have seen on TV?
MCPHEARSON: Well, I think that the fact that i've had the opportunity to talk to Iraqi people, which obviously I couldn't do that by watching TV, has given me better understanding of what's really going on here and how they feel. And what I must say is that the biggest thing that everyone talks to us about is security, just feeling safe. And it has changed my outlook in some ways, because what they've said to us, and I should just speak for myself maybe, is that they're really glad Saddam is gone, and they feel that the United States did liberate them from Saddam. I've heard just about everybody say that.
But now that he's gone, where is the security? When are we going to get the services back? When is the water going always to be running? When is the electricity going to be running? When are we not going to have to stand in line for gas for four hours, six hours at a time. They say we've promised a lot of things, and it's not happening. So they're very upset about that.
COOPER: Well Michael Mcphearson, it's a fascinating journey you've taken, and we appreciate you joining us. And, Michael Lopercio, I know you're still hoping your son can join you at some point. He's in Fallujah. Hope you're able to make that reunion. We appreciate you joining us as well, Mike.
Thanks very much.
LOPERCIO: Sure, sure.
MCPHEARSON: Thank you, appreciate it.
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 December 4, 2003 - 08:35 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: A man named Anthony Lopercio is serving in Iraq. Michael McPhearson son recently joined the military, but has not been deployed to Iraq. However, both of their dads are there. The dads aren't with the Army, they're with a group protesting the war. Mike Lopercio and Michael McPhearson join us from Baghdad this morning.
Gentlemen, appreciate you being with us this morning.
Michael Lopercio, let me start off with you. You own a restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona. Your son is serving in Fallujah right now. Why did you want to go to Baghdad? It's a long, dangerous trip. Why did you want to go?
MIKE LOPERCIO, FATHER OF U.S. SOLDIER SERVING IN IRAQ: Well, I mean, for a long time following the war we've heard a lot of conflicting reports, and you know, we just really haven't achieved a lot of our military objectives, and things were starting to look worse and worse. And in my view, the sooner we get things to an improved level here in Baghdad, the sooner my son can come home. And if things don't improve to a certain point, they're not going to come home. So, I really, you know, felt like this was a great opportunity for me to see firsthand, and you know, get off the couch and go to Baghdad yourself and see firsthand, it was an incredible opportunity look the average...
COOPER: Sorry, Michael Mcphearson, let me just jump in. Your son just joined the military recently. He's a private. He's not even in Iraq at this point. So why did you make the trip?
MICHAEL MCPHEARSON, CONCERNED HIS SON MIGHT BE DEPLOYED TO IRAQ: Well, actually, I didn't support the war from the beginning, and I'm also a veteran of the first Gulf War. And my son just recently joined, and he'll be going to basic training in January. And as a citizen, I think it's my responsibility to try to find out what's going on so I can bring back information back home, so we can make decisions that would help bring the troops back. So the biggest reason I'm going is so that we can talk about this and figure out ways to bring the troops back home. And my son being in the military just adds urgency to the issue.
COOPER: Mike Lopercio, let me bring you back in here, do you have any concerns? You went over, your trip is sponsored by a group which opposed the war, clearly a group which probably has an agenda or viewpoint on the war. Are you worried that the view you're getting is somehow directed by them? LOPERCIO: No, I don't think so. I think that we set up. I mean, we have really free reign to talk to lots of lots of different groups. I mean, they haven't ever really tried to put any words in our mouth. They called me up and said do you want to go? And that was it. They never really kind of espoused any philosophy to us or anything.
COOPER: What are you seeing that is different than what you've seen on TV?
LOPERCIO: It's shocking to see it in person. It's so, I mean, with the streets blockaded, and tanks up and down the street, and three-hour gas lines, and no security, shootings and explosions periodically throughout the day, it's just, I mean, it's just incredible to actually be here. It's much more graphic and harsh than I really anticipated.
COOPER: Mr. Mcphearson, you were in the first Gulf War. I don't know what you saw during it. How different is it from what you have seen on TV?
MCPHEARSON: Well, I think that the fact that i've had the opportunity to talk to Iraqi people, which obviously I couldn't do that by watching TV, has given me better understanding of what's really going on here and how they feel. And what I must say is that the biggest thing that everyone talks to us about is security, just feeling safe. And it has changed my outlook in some ways, because what they've said to us, and I should just speak for myself maybe, is that they're really glad Saddam is gone, and they feel that the United States did liberate them from Saddam. I've heard just about everybody say that.
But now that he's gone, where is the security? When are we going to get the services back? When is the water going always to be running? When is the electricity going to be running? When are we not going to have to stand in line for gas for four hours, six hours at a time. They say we've promised a lot of things, and it's not happening. So they're very upset about that.
COOPER: Well Michael Mcphearson, it's a fascinating journey you've taken, and we appreciate you joining us. And, Michael Lopercio, I know you're still hoping your son can join you at some point. He's in Fallujah. Hope you're able to make that reunion. We appreciate you joining us as well, Mike.
Thanks very much.
LOPERCIO: Sure, sure.
MCPHEARSON: Thank you, appreciate it.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
