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American Morning
Ohio Police Name Suspect in Interstate Shootings; Spain Arrests More Moroccans in Connection to Train Bombings
Aired March 16, 2004 - 07:00 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.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Ohio make an urgent appeal to the public. Have they finally broken the case of the highway shooter?
The investigation into the Madrid train bombing heats up. Authorities narrowing in on more suspected terrorists.
And winter ending with a bang. A big snow is driving its way across the country on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. 7:00 here in New York. Good to have you along with us today.
Other stories this hour. The hazardous work in a popcorn factory. Mentioned this story earlier in the week. It may not sound so bad, but a jury has awarded a worker in Missouri $20 million after agreeing that oils used in the plant ruined his lungs.
We'll talk to him and find out how the case may get even bigger, so stay tuned for that.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, what, exactly, does it take to be a planet? Scientists now are trying to decide what to make of their brand new discovery of an icy world beyond Pluto.
For now they're calling it a planetoid; I think it's not quite big enough to be a planet. We're going to talk this morning with the astronomer whose team discovered it.
HEMMER: I bet -- the Planet Jack this morning also -- good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hello.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: How you doing? Great story developing -- connection to the election.
John Kerry has these "leaders" who apparently have been telling him how much they want him to defeat President Bush.
Well, when somebody asked him who are these people, he said it's none of your business. And don't you know that got the White House all up in a snit?
And it's just a wonderful little story, and we'll get into it a little later.
HEMMER: The snit continues. Thank you, Jack.
Top stories now as we start this morning in Iraq. There has been a second attack on U.S. civilians in the past week.
A fourth American civilian died overnight from wounds sustained in a drive by shooting in Mosul yesterday. A fifth is being treated at a U.S. military hospital.
The victims worked for the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. They were said to be working on a water purification project in Iraq, according to wire reports.
In this country now a recent poll showing that some less than flattering attitudes regarding the direction of this country. A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows 60 percent of Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the direction of the country.
39 percent say they were satisfied, except for a survey taken about two weeks before the invasion of Iraq. This is said to be the most negative reading of the American public going back to 1996.
A California coroner says all nine of the victims in a mass killing in Fresno were shot to death. Yesterday police removed a dozen empty caskets from the home where they had found nine bodies last Friday.
Police have a suspect now in custody. Marcus Wesson faces an arraignment hearing tomorrow.
Grammy winning pop singer Whitney Houston has entered a drug rehab facility. Houston's publicist says the singer checked into the rehab center last night. No other details known now. In a 2002 television interview the 40-year-old singer admitted to using drugs in the past.
There's a winter storm dumping more than a foot of snow across sections of the plane states in Nebraska. Heavy snow made driving nearly impossible yesterday. Forecasters say the storm expected to move to the northeast today. It's still coming down in parts like Indiana and Ohio, Pennsylvania. New York is next in line -- we should be getting it a bit later today and Chad's watching out for us. We'll get to Chad a bit later here.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I've heard estimates of somewhere between six inches and maybe ten inches here.
HEMMER: Just when you thought it was over, huh?
O'BRIEN: Maybe more outside of the city -- no -- you know, March is always a crazy month isn't it? HEMMER: That it is, yes.
O'BRIEN: You never know. Well let's check in with Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Well, police have a suspect in the Ohio highway shootings. There have been two-dozen shooting incidents in the Columbus area since May of 2003. One of them was fatal.
Eric Phillips now with details about the man police are looking for.
ERIC PHILLIPS, CNN: It's been ten months and 24 shootings. Now Ohio authorities say they have one suspect, 28-year-old Charles McCoy, Jr. of Columbus.
They believe McCoy is driving a dark green 1999 Geo Metro with a black hood and Ohio tags.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF DEP. STEVE MARTIN, FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Anyone that sees McCoy or his vehicle should contact the 911 operator immediately. We caution the public not to attempt to apprehend or confront McCoy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Investigators consider McCoy to be armed and dangerous. They believe he not only has the weapon used in the highway shootings... (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN: We believe he bought another gun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The shootings began along the I-270 Columbus beltway last May, and appear to be random. One incident was fatal. 62-year- old Gail Knisley was killed back in November as she was riding in a car on her way to a doctor's appointment.
The shooter seemed to become more brazen in the most recent attacks, opening fire in broad daylight. Without going into detail during an evening press conference, Franklin County Chief Deputy Steve Martin would only say McCoy was identified as a result of evidence collected in the case.
Part of the evidence may have been several eyewitnesses who have described the shooter to authorities.
Now officials say they need the public's help to bring McCoy in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN: We still think he's local, but we're not absolutely sure on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Ballistics evidence shows that bullets collected from nine of the 24 shooting scenes were fired from the same gun.
As the search for McCoy continues, there's hope that this investigation will soon come to an end. Eric Phillips, CNN.
O'BRIEN: Public records show that there is a Charles McCoy, Jr. who has 12 traffic convictions for speeding and driving while intoxicated in the past decade alone -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now to Spain this morning. The latest on the investigation into those train bombings last Thursday.
Spanish authorities believe they have the names of at least six and perhaps as many as eight Moroccans who carried out the bombings.
Only one is in custody and authorities say he has links to other deadly attacks. Straight away to the Pentagon and Barbara Starr for more on this this morning.
Good morning there, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
Well, as the Spanish police continue their investigation here in Washington, intelligence officials are now looking at this attack as a possible watershed event in trying to understand new terrorist networks.
U.S. officials increasingly believe the train bombings in Spain may have been carried out by a mixture of Islamic fundamentalist operatives with possible al Qaeda connections and other terrorists joining together for this attack.
But the uncertainty about these connections has U.S. intelligence looking beyond what one source called card-carrying al Qaeda members executing the direct orders of Osama bin Laden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M.I. GOHEE, TERRORISM EXPERT, ASIA PACIFIC FOUNDATION: It's been a big mistake to think in terms of terrorism perpetrated by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda as if it was monolithic, single organization with a central command and control structure. What we're dealing here with is an ideology. It's a global jihad moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Intelligence officials point to the Moroccan, Jamal Zougam, arrested by the Spanish. It is now believed he is linked to last May's attacks in Casablanca and to an al Qaeda cell in Spain.
No one knows if he has been working with the Basque separatist group ETA.
The always-cautious Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld offered a recent indication of his thinking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We see growing connections between terrorist organizations. We see a more decentralized terrorist activity in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: So perhaps the one thing officials do agree about, Bill, is trying to label terrorist organizations may say little about who was responsible for this attack -- Bill.
HEMMER: Barbara thanks for that.
More now. How will the events in Spain effect the ongoing efforts in Iraq and the war on terror? What's the fallout for the U.S. in Europe?
Republican Senator Sam Brownback in Kansas -- a member of the Foreign Relations Committee -- is our guest this hour. He S live in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Good to have you, Senator. Good morning to you.
SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), KANSAS: Good to be with you on a snowy day.
HEMMER: All right, well, listen it's a good thing you're inside.
Let's talk about this document that turned up last December that essentially said al Qaeda if they deliver two or three more blows this government perhaps they weaken if not overthrow that government and perhaps they get those troops out of Iraq.
Already you have the prime minister saying that that's his wish. Did the terrorists get their wish now as a result of last Thursday, Senator?
BROWNBACK: Well I think if you're one of the terrorist -- or in the terrorists organizations you have to view this as a successful operation.
And that's sad to say and it's terrible that that's the case, but I think from their viewpoint what they would look at and would claim was that they influenced the democracy to shift and that that's what they've been trying and what they've been focusing on for some time in the United States and in other countries is to get democratic countries to move out, to move back and I think they would view that as they had a successful push in the Spanish...
HEMMER: So if that is the case then how do you reverse that trend? BROWNBACK: I think democracies have to stand up against terrorism. That they can't be seen as folding to terrorist threats or to terrorist actions, that we have to redouble our efforts and to focus in, and I think it would be only compounding this problem if the Spanish pulled out of Iraq sooner some time this year that that would just tell the terrorists yes you can do this.
But we've got to redouble our efforts against terrorism at this point in time.
HEMMER: There was a suggestion in "The Washington Post" this week that many had felt if there was another terrorist hit in Europe it would actually bring the European allies closer to the U.S. position, but apparently at least in the early days any way it's driving a wedge between the two.
Do you see it the same way?
BROWNBACK: Well, you know I thought the same thing. I thought you know a terrorist attack here generally pulls us more together and resolves us even that much more that we're going to fight against the terrorism and I thought it would do the same thing in Europe.
I'm not so sure in the mid term that it won't, that you'll see more unity taking place in Europe, more focus on terrorism taking place where many there may have thought that we're not the primary target and so we can be a little more lax about it, that they'll say no we are a major target and we're going to unite and fight more and I would hope in the mid-term that that's going to be the effect that will resolve them to fight that much more against terrorism.
HEMMER: I want you to look at this Gallup poll that came out. We'll put it on the screen for our viewers to see. One of the questions -- a lot of these questions really went to the economic condition of the United States economy now.
But in this question whether or not you're satisfied or not with things here in the U.S. -- 60 percent say they are dissatisfied. What does that tell you, senator?
BROWNBACK: Well, I think you just look at things that have recently taken place for as far as the bombings in Spain, you look at the continuing difficulty in Iraq; you look at our struggle, economically even though we're growing economically, the growth of jobs has been slower than we'd like to see taking place.
And I think a lot of people would say you know I -- we're moving somewhat in the right direction but boy this is tough slugging through it. And it is, we're in difficult situation. We've been in a difficult economic situation; we've been in a difficult terrorism -- war situation.
We're coming through it but the slugging is tough and I think that's reflected in the polls.
HEMMER: Sam Brownback... BROWNBACK: The answer is -- is not to shift at this point in time, though and say let's get going a different direction, it's really to put more energy behind the direction we're going now.
HEMMER: Thank you Senator, good to talk to you.
BROWNBACK: Thank you.
HEMMER: Next hour, 8 a.m. Eastern Time we'll talk about the impact with Democratic Senator Joseph Biden out of Delaware. He's our guest in the 8 a.m. Eastern Time hour here.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning Martha Stewart steps down from the top slot in her company but a new title might save her from a prison sentence. We'll explain.
HEMMER: Also a former foe gets on the Kerry bandwagon. But if you think the reverend Al Sharpton is calling it quits you're in for a bit of a surprise; we'll ask him that live after the break here.
O'BRIEN: And the truth is out there, way out there. A chunk of rock some 8 billion miles from earth could change what we know about our solar system. Those stories all ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: He is conceding the race and endorsing the party's presumptive nominee but the Reverend Al Sharpton's campaign for change continues and Reverend Sharpton joins us this morning to talk about the Bush-Kerry battle and also what role he hopes to play at the Democratic convention.
Nice to see you, sir, welcome.
REV. AL SHARPTON (D), FMR. PRES. CANDIDATE: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: You know the headlines said various things but one said you're giving Senator Kerry a partial endorsement. What the heck does that mean?
SHARPTON: Well I don't know, I didn't write the headline. What I said is that Senator Kerry has won the nomination, he has gotten more than the 2100 votes required.
So rather than continue debating who the nominee will be -- we know that -- and he's a good nominee and should defeat Bush if the race is he and Bush -- now we need to see what is the nominee representing in terms of what will the Party stand for.
We have tried to say from the beginning of this race that we need to deal with an agenda that will deal with jobs and public schools and the state of health care.
And the state of policing in this country. So my campaign shifts into trying to make sure that we have delegates and we have those kinds of arguments and debates that were at the convention this year.
I think it's futile to continue to say who the nominee should be when he's already been selected.
O'BRIEN: Why continue your campaign, though? Because you made it very clear and your press people followed up by saying he has -- the Reverend has not dropped out of this race. You are continuing your candidacy.
SHARPTON: Because I think -- no -- I think it is important that we understand -- the people vote for me today in Illinois -- we have delegates to go into the convention to go to the platform committee and raise the issues. The right to vote. We still have in 2007 to again come up with reaffirming the right to vote in terms of against race -- against discrimination of voters.
So there are a lot of issues that have not been resolved. We can all say John Kerry is a much better president -- will be -- than Mr. Bush, but we have not all resolved what the Democratic Party will stand for, who it will stand for and why it stands.
O'BRIEN: And that was part of your meeting yesterday with Senator Kerry. Exactly what did you talk about and were you satisfied after you met with him?
SHARPTON: We talked about the fact, I think, that he needs to deal with an urban agenda.
Ed Lewis of "Essence" magazine and others are going to be meeting various ministerial groups. I told him that we must not have a Party that marginalizes anyone. We need to deal with everyone from the constituency of Howard Dean to mine -- across the board.
We first of all can't win without that, but second of all we must stand for people that are suffering. In New York City where we sit this morning almost 50 percent of black men are unemployed.
If I wasn't in this race, people would not be talking about that constituent. We need a jobs creation program. And it was a very fruitful meeting; he appeared to understand it and want to continue to go forward and I intend to keep those issues front and center throughout the rest of this campaign and to the convention.
O'BRIEN: What do you think your exact role will be at the convention?
SHARPTON: I'm not looking for a role; I'm looking to see where the party is going. I mean, I'm going to go back and head -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) network. I had radio shows I was doing. I've been offered other things.
I will be very busy trying to argue to the American public on various forums. I'm not looking for a role; I'm looking to see the Party play a role in trying to make sure this country moves forward.
O'BRIEN: You mentioned you've been offered other things. I read you got an agent, William Morris?
SHARPTON: Well, William Morris always was my agent with my last book. I mean, I'm not going into entertainment. Whatever I do will be serious, it will be message oriented.
I think that we can't conceded the Bill O'Reilly's and the Rush Limbaugh's the airwaves of this country. I intend to argue on the other side.
O'BRIEN: All right, Reverend Al Sharpton. Nice to see you, thanks for being with us this morning.
SHARPTON: God bless you. Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much -- Bill.
HEMMER: In a moment here, Martha Stewart stepping down from key post at her own company. Will her name come off the product next?
Andy has that after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Let's talk money now. Can Martha Stewart the brand name survive the legal troubles?
Good question; a continuing one too. Also checking the markets, Andy Serwer.
First check this morning, "minding Your Business," good morning.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning.
HEMMER: First with Ms. Stewart this is changing just about every day so far.
SERWER: Yes, that's right. Changing roles. Lot of trouble out there today.
Let's talk about Martha Stewart. Widely anticipated move. She is stepping down from the board of her company; also changing titles.
She is going from chief creative officer to founding editorial director. I mean these titles they keep coming up with them.
HEMMER: CCO.
SERWER: Right. Interesting it's no longer officer because the SEC might step in and say she can't be an officer of the company anymore so that's an interesting little semantic move there, probably.
Some interesting statements coming out of the company and Martha Stewart yesterday. This one Martha had to say: "I'm heartsick about my personal, legal situation and deeply sorry for the pain and difficulties it has caused our employees." Well Martha, it's really great to see her actually focusing on people who have been hurt by this thing which are the employees because the company is in trouble and they could lose their jobs. So that's a good thing.
Let's hear what Sharon Patrick had to say. She's the CEO of the company. "Benefits most if we are able to continue to take advantage of Martha's creative inspiration and capitalize on her prodigious skills and experience in the domestic arts."
Now that's -- I know about fine arts, I know about language arts -- martial arts -- I'm not familiar with domestic arts.
O'BRIEN: It's like Home Ec.
SERWER: Yes, right, Home Ec.
HEMMER: She mastered it.
SERWER: Exactly.
HEMMER: Markets?
SERWER: Yes, let's talk about them.
HEMMER: Bad day, what's going on?
SERWER: Well, another dismal day. We're down about 630 points now from a high on February 11th and really no end in sight to this. What's going on? Well the market is responding to world events and economic climate and you get an instant barometer back from the street on this stuff.
Futures up a little bit today. One last note here from the department of nice work if you can get it. MGM billionaire Kirk Kerkorian is deciding it looks like they're going to pay a $6 to $9 dividend to shareholders -- that's great because he owns 74 percent of the stock.
(LAUGHTER)
So, he stands to get...
HEMMER: Not a bad return.
SERWER: ... between $1-2 billion, Jack.
CAFFERTY: And he's -- what is he? About 114 years old so he couldn't spend the money anyway. Right?
SERWER: Yes, that's actually right.
CAFFERTY: Probably be gone. Does he need another $2 billion? He's old.
SERWER: He's older. CAFFERTY: Very old.
SERWER: Older.
SERWER: Yes he is.
O'BRIEN: Andy.
How about the question of the day.
CAFFERTY: Let's talk about the question of the day. The Bush administration says it wants names, specifically they want Senator John Kerry to name the "leaders" who he claims want him to defeat President Bush.
It was first reported March 8th that Kerry said he spoke to foreign leaders who were pulling for him in November.
Now "The Boston Globe" reporter who covered that event says Kerry actually said more leaders.
Speaking at a fundraiser yesterday Vice President Dick Cheney said Americans deserved to know who Senator Kerry is talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: Yesterday in Pennsylvania, a voter asked Senator Kerry directly who these foreign leaders are. Senator Kerry said that's none of your business. But it is our business when a candidate for president claims the political endorsement of foreign leaders.
At the very least we have a right to know what he is saying to foreign leaders that makes them so supportive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAFFERTY: This thing is going to get so good between now and November.
The question this morning is should John Kerry identify the leaders who he says want President Bush defeated?
Of course he should. I mean, it's a democracy; don't we have a right to know that stuff? Come on Senator, and we want names. am@cnn.com is the...
O'BRIEN: Even if he was apparently misquoted would that "Boston Globe" reporter who said after so the practice he went back to really listen to his tapes and said actually it wasn't "foreign", it was "more", and Senator Kerry never backed away from it.
He didn't say that's not what I said, I said "more" leaders, he said, yes, I was speaking about leaders of people around the world.
So he sort of... HEMMER: When Reverend Sharpton asked -- left the room -- we asked him who the world leaders were and he said it wasn't Aristide.
O'BRIEN: He said Aristide wanted me and you know how that turned out.
HEMMER: I thought it was funny. Let's get a break here. Do pregnant women have the right to refuse a C-section? A woman in Utah charged with murder because she would not have one.
Back to that story and also top stories bottom of the hour after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Arrests More Moroccans in Connection to Train Bombings>
Aired March 16, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Police in Ohio make an urgent appeal to the public. Have they finally broken the case of the highway shooter?
The investigation into the Madrid train bombing heats up. Authorities narrowing in on more suspected terrorists.
And winter ending with a bang. A big snow is driving its way across the country on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. 7:00 here in New York. Good to have you along with us today.
Other stories this hour. The hazardous work in a popcorn factory. Mentioned this story earlier in the week. It may not sound so bad, but a jury has awarded a worker in Missouri $20 million after agreeing that oils used in the plant ruined his lungs.
We'll talk to him and find out how the case may get even bigger, so stay tuned for that.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, what, exactly, does it take to be a planet? Scientists now are trying to decide what to make of their brand new discovery of an icy world beyond Pluto.
For now they're calling it a planetoid; I think it's not quite big enough to be a planet. We're going to talk this morning with the astronomer whose team discovered it.
HEMMER: I bet -- the Planet Jack this morning also -- good morning.
O'BRIEN: Hello.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: How you doing? Great story developing -- connection to the election.
John Kerry has these "leaders" who apparently have been telling him how much they want him to defeat President Bush.
Well, when somebody asked him who are these people, he said it's none of your business. And don't you know that got the White House all up in a snit?
And it's just a wonderful little story, and we'll get into it a little later.
HEMMER: The snit continues. Thank you, Jack.
Top stories now as we start this morning in Iraq. There has been a second attack on U.S. civilians in the past week.
A fourth American civilian died overnight from wounds sustained in a drive by shooting in Mosul yesterday. A fifth is being treated at a U.S. military hospital.
The victims worked for the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. They were said to be working on a water purification project in Iraq, according to wire reports.
In this country now a recent poll showing that some less than flattering attitudes regarding the direction of this country. A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows 60 percent of Americans are increasingly pessimistic about the direction of the country.
39 percent say they were satisfied, except for a survey taken about two weeks before the invasion of Iraq. This is said to be the most negative reading of the American public going back to 1996.
A California coroner says all nine of the victims in a mass killing in Fresno were shot to death. Yesterday police removed a dozen empty caskets from the home where they had found nine bodies last Friday.
Police have a suspect now in custody. Marcus Wesson faces an arraignment hearing tomorrow.
Grammy winning pop singer Whitney Houston has entered a drug rehab facility. Houston's publicist says the singer checked into the rehab center last night. No other details known now. In a 2002 television interview the 40-year-old singer admitted to using drugs in the past.
There's a winter storm dumping more than a foot of snow across sections of the plane states in Nebraska. Heavy snow made driving nearly impossible yesterday. Forecasters say the storm expected to move to the northeast today. It's still coming down in parts like Indiana and Ohio, Pennsylvania. New York is next in line -- we should be getting it a bit later today and Chad's watching out for us. We'll get to Chad a bit later here.
O'BRIEN: Yes, I've heard estimates of somewhere between six inches and maybe ten inches here.
HEMMER: Just when you thought it was over, huh?
O'BRIEN: Maybe more outside of the city -- no -- you know, March is always a crazy month isn't it? HEMMER: That it is, yes.
O'BRIEN: You never know. Well let's check in with Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Well, police have a suspect in the Ohio highway shootings. There have been two-dozen shooting incidents in the Columbus area since May of 2003. One of them was fatal.
Eric Phillips now with details about the man police are looking for.
ERIC PHILLIPS, CNN: It's been ten months and 24 shootings. Now Ohio authorities say they have one suspect, 28-year-old Charles McCoy, Jr. of Columbus.
They believe McCoy is driving a dark green 1999 Geo Metro with a black hood and Ohio tags.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF DEP. STEVE MARTIN, FRANKLIN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: Anyone that sees McCoy or his vehicle should contact the 911 operator immediately. We caution the public not to attempt to apprehend or confront McCoy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Investigators consider McCoy to be armed and dangerous. They believe he not only has the weapon used in the highway shootings... (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN: We believe he bought another gun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The shootings began along the I-270 Columbus beltway last May, and appear to be random. One incident was fatal. 62-year- old Gail Knisley was killed back in November as she was riding in a car on her way to a doctor's appointment.
The shooter seemed to become more brazen in the most recent attacks, opening fire in broad daylight. Without going into detail during an evening press conference, Franklin County Chief Deputy Steve Martin would only say McCoy was identified as a result of evidence collected in the case.
Part of the evidence may have been several eyewitnesses who have described the shooter to authorities.
Now officials say they need the public's help to bring McCoy in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARTIN: We still think he's local, but we're not absolutely sure on that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Ballistics evidence shows that bullets collected from nine of the 24 shooting scenes were fired from the same gun.
As the search for McCoy continues, there's hope that this investigation will soon come to an end. Eric Phillips, CNN.
O'BRIEN: Public records show that there is a Charles McCoy, Jr. who has 12 traffic convictions for speeding and driving while intoxicated in the past decade alone -- Bill.
HEMMER: Now to Spain this morning. The latest on the investigation into those train bombings last Thursday.
Spanish authorities believe they have the names of at least six and perhaps as many as eight Moroccans who carried out the bombings.
Only one is in custody and authorities say he has links to other deadly attacks. Straight away to the Pentagon and Barbara Starr for more on this this morning.
Good morning there, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Bill.
Well, as the Spanish police continue their investigation here in Washington, intelligence officials are now looking at this attack as a possible watershed event in trying to understand new terrorist networks.
U.S. officials increasingly believe the train bombings in Spain may have been carried out by a mixture of Islamic fundamentalist operatives with possible al Qaeda connections and other terrorists joining together for this attack.
But the uncertainty about these connections has U.S. intelligence looking beyond what one source called card-carrying al Qaeda members executing the direct orders of Osama bin Laden.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
M.I. GOHEE, TERRORISM EXPERT, ASIA PACIFIC FOUNDATION: It's been a big mistake to think in terms of terrorism perpetrated by Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda as if it was monolithic, single organization with a central command and control structure. What we're dealing here with is an ideology. It's a global jihad moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Intelligence officials point to the Moroccan, Jamal Zougam, arrested by the Spanish. It is now believed he is linked to last May's attacks in Casablanca and to an al Qaeda cell in Spain.
No one knows if he has been working with the Basque separatist group ETA.
The always-cautious Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld offered a recent indication of his thinking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: We see growing connections between terrorist organizations. We see a more decentralized terrorist activity in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: So perhaps the one thing officials do agree about, Bill, is trying to label terrorist organizations may say little about who was responsible for this attack -- Bill.
HEMMER: Barbara thanks for that.
More now. How will the events in Spain effect the ongoing efforts in Iraq and the war on terror? What's the fallout for the U.S. in Europe?
Republican Senator Sam Brownback in Kansas -- a member of the Foreign Relations Committee -- is our guest this hour. He S live in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Good to have you, Senator. Good morning to you.
SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), KANSAS: Good to be with you on a snowy day.
HEMMER: All right, well, listen it's a good thing you're inside.
Let's talk about this document that turned up last December that essentially said al Qaeda if they deliver two or three more blows this government perhaps they weaken if not overthrow that government and perhaps they get those troops out of Iraq.
Already you have the prime minister saying that that's his wish. Did the terrorists get their wish now as a result of last Thursday, Senator?
BROWNBACK: Well I think if you're one of the terrorist -- or in the terrorists organizations you have to view this as a successful operation.
And that's sad to say and it's terrible that that's the case, but I think from their viewpoint what they would look at and would claim was that they influenced the democracy to shift and that that's what they've been trying and what they've been focusing on for some time in the United States and in other countries is to get democratic countries to move out, to move back and I think they would view that as they had a successful push in the Spanish...
HEMMER: So if that is the case then how do you reverse that trend? BROWNBACK: I think democracies have to stand up against terrorism. That they can't be seen as folding to terrorist threats or to terrorist actions, that we have to redouble our efforts and to focus in, and I think it would be only compounding this problem if the Spanish pulled out of Iraq sooner some time this year that that would just tell the terrorists yes you can do this.
But we've got to redouble our efforts against terrorism at this point in time.
HEMMER: There was a suggestion in "The Washington Post" this week that many had felt if there was another terrorist hit in Europe it would actually bring the European allies closer to the U.S. position, but apparently at least in the early days any way it's driving a wedge between the two.
Do you see it the same way?
BROWNBACK: Well, you know I thought the same thing. I thought you know a terrorist attack here generally pulls us more together and resolves us even that much more that we're going to fight against the terrorism and I thought it would do the same thing in Europe.
I'm not so sure in the mid term that it won't, that you'll see more unity taking place in Europe, more focus on terrorism taking place where many there may have thought that we're not the primary target and so we can be a little more lax about it, that they'll say no we are a major target and we're going to unite and fight more and I would hope in the mid-term that that's going to be the effect that will resolve them to fight that much more against terrorism.
HEMMER: I want you to look at this Gallup poll that came out. We'll put it on the screen for our viewers to see. One of the questions -- a lot of these questions really went to the economic condition of the United States economy now.
But in this question whether or not you're satisfied or not with things here in the U.S. -- 60 percent say they are dissatisfied. What does that tell you, senator?
BROWNBACK: Well, I think you just look at things that have recently taken place for as far as the bombings in Spain, you look at the continuing difficulty in Iraq; you look at our struggle, economically even though we're growing economically, the growth of jobs has been slower than we'd like to see taking place.
And I think a lot of people would say you know I -- we're moving somewhat in the right direction but boy this is tough slugging through it. And it is, we're in difficult situation. We've been in a difficult economic situation; we've been in a difficult terrorism -- war situation.
We're coming through it but the slugging is tough and I think that's reflected in the polls.
HEMMER: Sam Brownback... BROWNBACK: The answer is -- is not to shift at this point in time, though and say let's get going a different direction, it's really to put more energy behind the direction we're going now.
HEMMER: Thank you Senator, good to talk to you.
BROWNBACK: Thank you.
HEMMER: Next hour, 8 a.m. Eastern Time we'll talk about the impact with Democratic Senator Joseph Biden out of Delaware. He's our guest in the 8 a.m. Eastern Time hour here.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning Martha Stewart steps down from the top slot in her company but a new title might save her from a prison sentence. We'll explain.
HEMMER: Also a former foe gets on the Kerry bandwagon. But if you think the reverend Al Sharpton is calling it quits you're in for a bit of a surprise; we'll ask him that live after the break here.
O'BRIEN: And the truth is out there, way out there. A chunk of rock some 8 billion miles from earth could change what we know about our solar system. Those stories all ahead as AMERICAN MORNING continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: He is conceding the race and endorsing the party's presumptive nominee but the Reverend Al Sharpton's campaign for change continues and Reverend Sharpton joins us this morning to talk about the Bush-Kerry battle and also what role he hopes to play at the Democratic convention.
Nice to see you, sir, welcome.
REV. AL SHARPTON (D), FMR. PRES. CANDIDATE: Good morning.
O'BRIEN: You know the headlines said various things but one said you're giving Senator Kerry a partial endorsement. What the heck does that mean?
SHARPTON: Well I don't know, I didn't write the headline. What I said is that Senator Kerry has won the nomination, he has gotten more than the 2100 votes required.
So rather than continue debating who the nominee will be -- we know that -- and he's a good nominee and should defeat Bush if the race is he and Bush -- now we need to see what is the nominee representing in terms of what will the Party stand for.
We have tried to say from the beginning of this race that we need to deal with an agenda that will deal with jobs and public schools and the state of health care.
And the state of policing in this country. So my campaign shifts into trying to make sure that we have delegates and we have those kinds of arguments and debates that were at the convention this year.
I think it's futile to continue to say who the nominee should be when he's already been selected.
O'BRIEN: Why continue your campaign, though? Because you made it very clear and your press people followed up by saying he has -- the Reverend has not dropped out of this race. You are continuing your candidacy.
SHARPTON: Because I think -- no -- I think it is important that we understand -- the people vote for me today in Illinois -- we have delegates to go into the convention to go to the platform committee and raise the issues. The right to vote. We still have in 2007 to again come up with reaffirming the right to vote in terms of against race -- against discrimination of voters.
So there are a lot of issues that have not been resolved. We can all say John Kerry is a much better president -- will be -- than Mr. Bush, but we have not all resolved what the Democratic Party will stand for, who it will stand for and why it stands.
O'BRIEN: And that was part of your meeting yesterday with Senator Kerry. Exactly what did you talk about and were you satisfied after you met with him?
SHARPTON: We talked about the fact, I think, that he needs to deal with an urban agenda.
Ed Lewis of "Essence" magazine and others are going to be meeting various ministerial groups. I told him that we must not have a Party that marginalizes anyone. We need to deal with everyone from the constituency of Howard Dean to mine -- across the board.
We first of all can't win without that, but second of all we must stand for people that are suffering. In New York City where we sit this morning almost 50 percent of black men are unemployed.
If I wasn't in this race, people would not be talking about that constituent. We need a jobs creation program. And it was a very fruitful meeting; he appeared to understand it and want to continue to go forward and I intend to keep those issues front and center throughout the rest of this campaign and to the convention.
O'BRIEN: What do you think your exact role will be at the convention?
SHARPTON: I'm not looking for a role; I'm looking to see where the party is going. I mean, I'm going to go back and head -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) network. I had radio shows I was doing. I've been offered other things.
I will be very busy trying to argue to the American public on various forums. I'm not looking for a role; I'm looking to see the Party play a role in trying to make sure this country moves forward.
O'BRIEN: You mentioned you've been offered other things. I read you got an agent, William Morris?
SHARPTON: Well, William Morris always was my agent with my last book. I mean, I'm not going into entertainment. Whatever I do will be serious, it will be message oriented.
I think that we can't conceded the Bill O'Reilly's and the Rush Limbaugh's the airwaves of this country. I intend to argue on the other side.
O'BRIEN: All right, Reverend Al Sharpton. Nice to see you, thanks for being with us this morning.
SHARPTON: God bless you. Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much -- Bill.
HEMMER: In a moment here, Martha Stewart stepping down from key post at her own company. Will her name come off the product next?
Andy has that after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Let's talk money now. Can Martha Stewart the brand name survive the legal troubles?
Good question; a continuing one too. Also checking the markets, Andy Serwer.
First check this morning, "minding Your Business," good morning.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning.
HEMMER: First with Ms. Stewart this is changing just about every day so far.
SERWER: Yes, that's right. Changing roles. Lot of trouble out there today.
Let's talk about Martha Stewart. Widely anticipated move. She is stepping down from the board of her company; also changing titles.
She is going from chief creative officer to founding editorial director. I mean these titles they keep coming up with them.
HEMMER: CCO.
SERWER: Right. Interesting it's no longer officer because the SEC might step in and say she can't be an officer of the company anymore so that's an interesting little semantic move there, probably.
Some interesting statements coming out of the company and Martha Stewart yesterday. This one Martha had to say: "I'm heartsick about my personal, legal situation and deeply sorry for the pain and difficulties it has caused our employees." Well Martha, it's really great to see her actually focusing on people who have been hurt by this thing which are the employees because the company is in trouble and they could lose their jobs. So that's a good thing.
Let's hear what Sharon Patrick had to say. She's the CEO of the company. "Benefits most if we are able to continue to take advantage of Martha's creative inspiration and capitalize on her prodigious skills and experience in the domestic arts."
Now that's -- I know about fine arts, I know about language arts -- martial arts -- I'm not familiar with domestic arts.
O'BRIEN: It's like Home Ec.
SERWER: Yes, right, Home Ec.
HEMMER: She mastered it.
SERWER: Exactly.
HEMMER: Markets?
SERWER: Yes, let's talk about them.
HEMMER: Bad day, what's going on?
SERWER: Well, another dismal day. We're down about 630 points now from a high on February 11th and really no end in sight to this. What's going on? Well the market is responding to world events and economic climate and you get an instant barometer back from the street on this stuff.
Futures up a little bit today. One last note here from the department of nice work if you can get it. MGM billionaire Kirk Kerkorian is deciding it looks like they're going to pay a $6 to $9 dividend to shareholders -- that's great because he owns 74 percent of the stock.
(LAUGHTER)
So, he stands to get...
HEMMER: Not a bad return.
SERWER: ... between $1-2 billion, Jack.
CAFFERTY: And he's -- what is he? About 114 years old so he couldn't spend the money anyway. Right?
SERWER: Yes, that's actually right.
CAFFERTY: Probably be gone. Does he need another $2 billion? He's old.
SERWER: He's older. CAFFERTY: Very old.
SERWER: Older.
SERWER: Yes he is.
O'BRIEN: Andy.
How about the question of the day.
CAFFERTY: Let's talk about the question of the day. The Bush administration says it wants names, specifically they want Senator John Kerry to name the "leaders" who he claims want him to defeat President Bush.
It was first reported March 8th that Kerry said he spoke to foreign leaders who were pulling for him in November.
Now "The Boston Globe" reporter who covered that event says Kerry actually said more leaders.
Speaking at a fundraiser yesterday Vice President Dick Cheney said Americans deserved to know who Senator Kerry is talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: Yesterday in Pennsylvania, a voter asked Senator Kerry directly who these foreign leaders are. Senator Kerry said that's none of your business. But it is our business when a candidate for president claims the political endorsement of foreign leaders.
At the very least we have a right to know what he is saying to foreign leaders that makes them so supportive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CAFFERTY: This thing is going to get so good between now and November.
The question this morning is should John Kerry identify the leaders who he says want President Bush defeated?
Of course he should. I mean, it's a democracy; don't we have a right to know that stuff? Come on Senator, and we want names. am@cnn.com is the...
O'BRIEN: Even if he was apparently misquoted would that "Boston Globe" reporter who said after so the practice he went back to really listen to his tapes and said actually it wasn't "foreign", it was "more", and Senator Kerry never backed away from it.
He didn't say that's not what I said, I said "more" leaders, he said, yes, I was speaking about leaders of people around the world.
So he sort of... HEMMER: When Reverend Sharpton asked -- left the room -- we asked him who the world leaders were and he said it wasn't Aristide.
O'BRIEN: He said Aristide wanted me and you know how that turned out.
HEMMER: I thought it was funny. Let's get a break here. Do pregnant women have the right to refuse a C-section? A woman in Utah charged with murder because she would not have one.
Back to that story and also top stories bottom of the hour after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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