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American Morning

Afghan President Karzai in Washington With Appeal; Pledge Ruling

Aired June 15, 2004 - 07:30   ET

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

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


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 7:30 here in New York City. Good morning. Welcome to this edition of AMERICAN MORNING.
How you doing today?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: So far so good.

HEMMER: So far so good.

O'BRIEN: And you?

HEMMER: It is early.

Two years ago, Hamid Karzai dazzled America's as he embodied the future of Afghanistan. Now the shine, a bit off, as the embattled leader seeks more help from Washington. In fact, he is doing it today. A preview of today's meeting at the White House with President Bush. They'll have a statement afterwards in the Rose Garden. We'll be there live throughout the morning in D.C.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, "under God" is staying in the Pledge, for now at least. The Supreme Court's decision did not close the door on the issue, though. This morning, we talk with Michael Newdow. He brought the case to the highest court. And he says he's not done fighting yet. We'll explain.

HEMMER: Also yesterday at the White House, this portrait was unveiled as President Bush and former President Bill Clinton all smiles and a lot of jokes, too. It was rather festive at the White House yesterday in the East Room. And wouldn't you know that Bill Clinton was wearing the same outfit yesterday that he was in the portrait.

O'BRIEN: A little disturbing, wasn't it?

HEMMER: Did pick up on that? Anyway, another look back at that in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: All right.

But first, a busy day ahead for Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Washington, D.C. He's going to address a joint meeting of Congress and then meet with President Bush.

Congressional correspondent Ed Henry is on Capitol Hill for us with much more on this. Ed -- good morning.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Addressing a joint meeting of Congress is a rare honor for a foreign leader. In fact, Mr. Karzai is the first Afghan leader to do so. He has been the target of several assassination attempts. So, today's visit to the Capitol comes amid heavy, heavy security.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HENRY (voice over): Hamid Karzai was treated like a hero in January of 2002 when he was a guest of the first lady at President Bush's State of the Union.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America and Afghanistan are now allies against terror. We'll be partners in rebuilding that country. And this evening, we welcome the distinguished interim leader of a liberated Afghanistan, Chairman Hamid Karzai.

HENRY: But Karzai has now come under fire over allegations of corruption and charges that he is a puppet of the Bush administration. With the critical election looming in September, Karzai comes to Capitol Hill to try and shore up support for his government. Yesterday, he was at the Pentagon pressing for more NATO peacekeeping troops to aid the 20,000 U.S. forces already in his country.

PRES. HAMID KARZAI, AFGHANISTAN: To fulfill the promises that have been made, we are hoping that NATO will come to Afghanistan, especially before the elections of September.

HENRY: Democratic leaders charge that the Bush administration has not finished the job in Afghanistan, but they are still standing by Karzai.

SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D), SOUTH DAKOTA: I think it would be a big mistake to minimize the many challenges and problems we face in Afghanistan, but having said that, I think that President Karzai has done a good job. He deserves our support.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HENRY: Soledad, another reason for that bipartisan support is that Mr. Karzai is critical in the search for Osama bin Laden. In fact, President Karzai told CNN on Sunday that authorities have been very close to capturing bin Laden on several occasions, and he believes it's a matter of time before bin Laden is brought to justice -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ed, a quick question for you. We mentioned that Hamid Karzai is having a joint meeting with Congress as opposed to what we often hear, a joint session of Congress, attending a joint session of Congress. What exactly is the difference? HENRY: Right. A joint session is usually reserved for the president of the United States. A joint meeting is reserved for foreign leaders, such as Winston Churchill many years ago. And in recent years, it is a rare honor, but people like current British Prime Minister Tony Blair have gotten that honor since he is such a critical ally in that war on terror -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Ed Henry for us this morning, thanks. Appreciate it.

President Bush is going to hold a news conference in the Rose Garden at 11:25 Eastern Time with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, and CNN is going to carry their remarks live.

HEMMER: It's about 26 minutes before the hour.

Michael Newdow says he is not finished. The Supreme Court rejecting his challenge to the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. The high court ruled on a technicality, not necessarily a knockout, according to the legal analysis.

Michael Newdow is our guest now in Sacramento.

Good morning to you. Nice to speak to you again. It's been some time since we have talked. The court essentially said yesterday since you don't have custody of your daughter, it cannot rule at this time over your case. Your interpretation of what you heard from the high court yesterday.

MICHAEL NEWDOW, BROUGHT PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE CASE BEFORE SUPREME COURT: They alleged I don't have standing, which I guess I don't have, because they're the Supreme Court. I think it was the wrong decision. I think it's a significant blow for parents. There's a fundamental right of parenthood, and it's been infringed, and there's no justification that I can see.

HEMMER: Justice Paul Stevens wrote this yesterday, on the screen for viewers: "When hard questions of domestic relations are sure to affect the outcome, a prudent course is for the federal court to stay its hand rather than reach out to resolve a weighty question of federal constitutional law."

That comes to the whole issue of the custody battle with your former wife, et cetera. If you don't have custody, Michael, where does your legal fight go from here?

NEWDOW: Well, first of all, I do have custody. My daughter lives with me 10 days a month. But as far as what the court did, the case is going to go back. There are lots of litigants. I've been contacted by a number of them, and if they want, I'll represent them. I've already done all of the work. And the case will return to the Supreme, too -- to the courts. Whether or not the Supreme Court will hear it, no one knows.

HEMMER: So, as you sit here at this point, the fight continues. Is that what you're saying effectively? NEWDOW: Oh, for sure, yes. And also, the family law fight, which is, to me, actually more important. I think that I can only beg the media to look into the family courts. What goes on there is absolutely horrendous.

HEMMER: I know oftentimes when we speak you don't want to bring your daughter into our conversation. But if you can, share as much as you can with us about what you've talked about with her regarding the current case?

NEWDOW: As much as I would share with you is that she's the most wonderful kid in the world.

HEMMER: Has she asked you about it, or...

NEWDOW: I don't talk about her, so...

HEMMER: Do you know if she hears about this from her classmates at school?

NEWDOW: Yes, she does.

HEMMER: And what do they say to her?

NEWDOW: They say, "We saw your dad on TV." That's all.

HEMMER: And that's the extent of it, you say?

NEWDOW: Pretty much.

HEMMER: Michael...

NEWDOW: She's 10 years old.

HEMMER: Yes. Why is this fight so important to you?

NEWDOW: Well, the family law fight is exceedingly important because of what you see here. I mean, I was told by the Supreme Court of the United States that I don't have the rights that every other parent in the world has, merely because I'm in the family court. It seems extraordinary.

And then as far as the Establishment Clause, atheists are a disenfranchised minority in this society, and the government continues and condones that idea by saying every morning to children, put your hand over your heart and say, we are a nation that believes in God. There are people here who don't believe in God. That's unconstitutional.

HEMMER: William Rehnquist wrote yesterday that even though the word "God" is in the Pledge of Allegiance, it does not necessarily denote a particular religion. How would you react to that?

NEWDOW: Well, it certainly denotes the belief in God, and there are people, American citizens, who don't believe in God, and they deserve the same respect that every other American deserves. HEMMER: Michael Newdow, our guest from Sacramento. More to come, I'm assuming. Is that assumption correct?

NEWDOW: Oh, for sure.

HEMMER: Thank you, Michael.

NEWDOW: OK.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, no one would ever confuse him them as the best of friends. So, why all of a sudden did President Bush and former President Clinton sound like old chums? We'll tell you all of the nice things that they've been saying to each other and their children and their family members, all ahead.

HEMMER: Also, Madonna dances away from a lawsuit. We'll explain that also when we continue in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Many people were suggesting yesterday that the scene at the White House was a fairly rare sight. And in this age of politics, they're probably pretty right.

Candy Crowley paints the picture for us this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Guess who came to lunch?

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're glad you're here, 42.

CROWLEY: Two presidents of different parties saying nice things, really nice things. And you got to thinking, was Bill Clinton trying to help when he said, in his darkest times, like when he worried whether the war in Bosnia would come out all right, he found comfort in the portrait of Teddy Roosevelt?

WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You look at that picture and you see, here is a human being who is scared to death and not sure it's going to come out all right, and he does the right thing anyway.

CROWLEY: They shared a good laugh, a lot of good laughs; 42 about fading into history:

CLINTON: I was in Cleveland in a grade school looking at a reading program. And this 6-year-old kid came up to me and said, "Are you really president?" And I said, 'Yes, I am.' He said, "But you're not dead yet."

(LAUGHTER)

CROWLEY: Forty-three on 42's still powerful place in the moment: BUSH: He's also the first man in his party since Franklin Roosevelt to win a second term in the White House. And I could tell you more of the story, but it's coming out in fine bookstores all over America.

(LAUGHTER)

CROWLEY: Two of the most polarizing figures in modern politics. It got you thinking.

CLINTON: And I hope that I'll live long enough to see American politics return to vigorous debates, where we argue who is right and wrong, not who is good and bad. My experience is, most of the people I've known in this work are good people who love their country desperately.

CROWLEY: Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: It was kind of funny yesterday, poking fun of each other.

HEMMER: Enjoy it while it lasts.

O'BRIEN: Yes, right. It's over, actually. It's done.

HEMMER: Yes, you're right.

In a moment here, why thousands are giving out confidential information to identity thieves online and not even asking or thinking twice about it. Back in a moment. We continue after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: It's 45 minutes past the hour now and time to look at some of the other stories making headlines today with Heidi Collins.

Hey, Heidi, good morning.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad. And good morning to you, everyone.

A top homeland security official says authorities are confident that a terror threat has been thwarted. A Somali man, Nuradin Abdi, has been indicted on two counts of providing material support to al Qaeda. Federal law enforcement officials said he was linked to a plot to blow up a shopping mall. He was arrested in November last year. A detention hearing on his behalf is expected tomorrow.

A Chinese official says the country is preparing for more talks on North Korea's nuclear program. The stalemate started in 2002 when Pyongyang announced it had restarted its nuclear weapons program. Representatives from six nations last met in February, but were unable to work out a framework for ending the uranium enrichment program. A third round of talks begins June 23 in Beijing. A new study finds millions of Americans are falling victim to online identity theft. More than $2 billion were taken from checking accounts last year, according to the report. And it was all done electronically. We're going to tell you how to protect yourself coming up a little bit later on in the show.

And a feud between Madonna and Warner Music Group has been resolved. The company has agreed to buy Madonna out of Maverick Records, the label she co-founded 12 years ago. The deal is part of a settlement. Madonna had accused Warner of cheating her and her parents -- partners, that is, out of millions of dollars. Partners not parents. Make sure we got that straight.

HEMMER: We got it. Thanks, Heidi.

O'BRIEN: It's time to get to Jack and the "Question of the Day."

Hello.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

Financial disclosure forms of members of the United States Senate show that many of their incomes go way beyond their yearly salaries, about 154,000. Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, for example, reports assets that include one blind trust of between $5 million and $25 million and two others that are worth between $1 million and $5 million. Then there's Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana who lists a 1993 Ford Taurus that he says is worth about $1,060.75.

The question is: How much do you have in common with your U.S. senator?

And the first intro we did mentioned two Democrats as having a lot of money and a couple of Republicans as not having as much money. That was strictly a coincidence. Luck of the draw. It's not a conspiracy. We're not trying to push an agenda here. So get off my back.

Buck in Charlottesville, Virginia: "Not too much. Besides putting on our trousers one leg at a time, neither of my senators has learned how to listen without the aid of a few dollars behind their ears -- political hearing aids, they're called."

John in New Orleans, Louisiana: "I can tell you I don't have much at all in common with the politicians. I'm on Social Security. I can't even afford a car. I have to settle for public transportation."

Richard in New York: "One of my senators is Hillary Clinton. She appears on the local scene constantly at Fort Drum, New York, to support the local families of the young people being killed in Iraq. Last week, she was here meeting with the president of Afghanistan. We feel close to her since she mingles with and is not afraid of the people."

And Jim in Saint Paul, Minnesota: "I have to live in the real world. I have nothing in common with the nation's senators. That's why by law they should only serve two terms and then have to go back into the real world. That way they might do less damage."

I think Jim has got an idea worth looking at.

HEMMER: I like your question, Jack.

CAFFERTY: You do?

O'BRIEN: I do too.

HEMMER: Oh, yes.

O'BRIEN: Although here's my question for you. How do they have these big gaps? I mean, Senator Corzine, you mentioned earlier, he's got one account worth between 25 million and 50 million. I mean, that's a big...

CAFFERTY: He worked at Goldman-Sachs for 20 years...

O'BRIEN: Right, but how...

CAFFERTY: ... before he ran for public office. That's a big investment bank.

O'BRIEN: No, no, no. I get where he got the money from. But how come they don't know that it's 25 or it's 50?

CAFFERTY: Well, because the form doesn't require an exact amount. You have to put in a range of, you know, I guess...

O'BRIEN: That's a pretty big range.

CAFFERTY: You know, they do have some right to privacy, but, you know, they have to indicate the range.

O'BRIEN: That's a big range. All right, thanks, Jack.

HEMMER: Thanks, Jack.

In a moment here, gators are taking a big bite out of Florida, a dilemma for wildlife officials as well. The latest on what's happening there in the summer of the gator. Back in a moment here after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: In the state of Florida they call it "alligator alley" for a reason. But lately the gators there, especially in the southern part of the state, have gone absolutely wild.

John Zarrella reports now from Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Try explaining this one to your insurance agent. It was no lie: an alligator that ate Carolyn Christian's (ph) bumper, a last desperate act of defiance before its capture.

Another took a bite out of Jennifer Cook's (ph) dog.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I got my dog and took him right to the hospital.

ZARRELLA: This time of year in Florida, alligators are on the move. Dry weather sends them in search of water. It's mating season too. Gators end up looking for love in all the wrong places, which brings out the local trapper to remove the critter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That alligator has eaten something recently. Look at that belly. That's probably a dog in there.

ZARRELLA (on camera): This is where gators are supposed to be, out here in the Everglades but it's not surprising to find them just about anywhere. The alligator is one of nature's greatest comeback stories.

(voice-over): Twenty-five years ago the alligator was an endangered species. Now, there are more than one million in Florida. But Fish and Wildlife officers say people who feed them turn the creatures into nuisance gators, signing their death warrants.

OFFICER BEN STIFFLER, FISH AND WILDLIFE COMM.: If you call in and you have an aggressive alligator and we have to come and respond to remove it, the animal is not just taken back out to the Everglades. It is killed. That is our policy.

ZARRELLA: It would be better, wildlife officials say, if humans and alligators didn't have to coexist. But in Florida where land is a premium, people and gators are increasingly calling the same territory home.

John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Also, Florida wildlife specialists are saying you should be especially careful at night. The high water levels there send the gators straight to the roads, and many, we are told, meet their fate with a car or a vehicle or something larger. That's from Florida this morning.

(WEATHER BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, caught on tape. New evidence points to an infamous company playing a role in the California power crisis. We'll explain in our next hour right here on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Still to come this hour, only week two of the Scott Peterson trial. Defense attorney Mark Geragos is already calling for mistrial. A look at that and how the judge responded yesterday back in a moment after this.

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 June 15, 2004 - 07:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 7:30 here in New York City. Good morning. Welcome to this edition of AMERICAN MORNING.
How you doing today?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: So far so good.

HEMMER: So far so good.

O'BRIEN: And you?

HEMMER: It is early.

Two years ago, Hamid Karzai dazzled America's as he embodied the future of Afghanistan. Now the shine, a bit off, as the embattled leader seeks more help from Washington. In fact, he is doing it today. A preview of today's meeting at the White House with President Bush. They'll have a statement afterwards in the Rose Garden. We'll be there live throughout the morning in D.C.

O'BRIEN: Also this morning, "under God" is staying in the Pledge, for now at least. The Supreme Court's decision did not close the door on the issue, though. This morning, we talk with Michael Newdow. He brought the case to the highest court. And he says he's not done fighting yet. We'll explain.

HEMMER: Also yesterday at the White House, this portrait was unveiled as President Bush and former President Bill Clinton all smiles and a lot of jokes, too. It was rather festive at the White House yesterday in the East Room. And wouldn't you know that Bill Clinton was wearing the same outfit yesterday that he was in the portrait.

O'BRIEN: A little disturbing, wasn't it?

HEMMER: Did pick up on that? Anyway, another look back at that in a moment here.

O'BRIEN: All right.

But first, a busy day ahead for Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Washington, D.C. He's going to address a joint meeting of Congress and then meet with President Bush.

Congressional correspondent Ed Henry is on Capitol Hill for us with much more on this. Ed -- good morning.

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.

Addressing a joint meeting of Congress is a rare honor for a foreign leader. In fact, Mr. Karzai is the first Afghan leader to do so. He has been the target of several assassination attempts. So, today's visit to the Capitol comes amid heavy, heavy security.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HENRY (voice over): Hamid Karzai was treated like a hero in January of 2002 when he was a guest of the first lady at President Bush's State of the Union.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: America and Afghanistan are now allies against terror. We'll be partners in rebuilding that country. And this evening, we welcome the distinguished interim leader of a liberated Afghanistan, Chairman Hamid Karzai.

HENRY: But Karzai has now come under fire over allegations of corruption and charges that he is a puppet of the Bush administration. With the critical election looming in September, Karzai comes to Capitol Hill to try and shore up support for his government. Yesterday, he was at the Pentagon pressing for more NATO peacekeeping troops to aid the 20,000 U.S. forces already in his country.

PRES. HAMID KARZAI, AFGHANISTAN: To fulfill the promises that have been made, we are hoping that NATO will come to Afghanistan, especially before the elections of September.

HENRY: Democratic leaders charge that the Bush administration has not finished the job in Afghanistan, but they are still standing by Karzai.

SEN. TOM DASCHLE (D), SOUTH DAKOTA: I think it would be a big mistake to minimize the many challenges and problems we face in Afghanistan, but having said that, I think that President Karzai has done a good job. He deserves our support.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HENRY: Soledad, another reason for that bipartisan support is that Mr. Karzai is critical in the search for Osama bin Laden. In fact, President Karzai told CNN on Sunday that authorities have been very close to capturing bin Laden on several occasions, and he believes it's a matter of time before bin Laden is brought to justice -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Ed, a quick question for you. We mentioned that Hamid Karzai is having a joint meeting with Congress as opposed to what we often hear, a joint session of Congress, attending a joint session of Congress. What exactly is the difference? HENRY: Right. A joint session is usually reserved for the president of the United States. A joint meeting is reserved for foreign leaders, such as Winston Churchill many years ago. And in recent years, it is a rare honor, but people like current British Prime Minister Tony Blair have gotten that honor since he is such a critical ally in that war on terror -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: All right, Ed Henry for us this morning, thanks. Appreciate it.

President Bush is going to hold a news conference in the Rose Garden at 11:25 Eastern Time with the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, and CNN is going to carry their remarks live.

HEMMER: It's about 26 minutes before the hour.

Michael Newdow says he is not finished. The Supreme Court rejecting his challenge to the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. The high court ruled on a technicality, not necessarily a knockout, according to the legal analysis.

Michael Newdow is our guest now in Sacramento.

Good morning to you. Nice to speak to you again. It's been some time since we have talked. The court essentially said yesterday since you don't have custody of your daughter, it cannot rule at this time over your case. Your interpretation of what you heard from the high court yesterday.

MICHAEL NEWDOW, BROUGHT PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE CASE BEFORE SUPREME COURT: They alleged I don't have standing, which I guess I don't have, because they're the Supreme Court. I think it was the wrong decision. I think it's a significant blow for parents. There's a fundamental right of parenthood, and it's been infringed, and there's no justification that I can see.

HEMMER: Justice Paul Stevens wrote this yesterday, on the screen for viewers: "When hard questions of domestic relations are sure to affect the outcome, a prudent course is for the federal court to stay its hand rather than reach out to resolve a weighty question of federal constitutional law."

That comes to the whole issue of the custody battle with your former wife, et cetera. If you don't have custody, Michael, where does your legal fight go from here?

NEWDOW: Well, first of all, I do have custody. My daughter lives with me 10 days a month. But as far as what the court did, the case is going to go back. There are lots of litigants. I've been contacted by a number of them, and if they want, I'll represent them. I've already done all of the work. And the case will return to the Supreme, too -- to the courts. Whether or not the Supreme Court will hear it, no one knows.

HEMMER: So, as you sit here at this point, the fight continues. Is that what you're saying effectively? NEWDOW: Oh, for sure, yes. And also, the family law fight, which is, to me, actually more important. I think that I can only beg the media to look into the family courts. What goes on there is absolutely horrendous.

HEMMER: I know oftentimes when we speak you don't want to bring your daughter into our conversation. But if you can, share as much as you can with us about what you've talked about with her regarding the current case?

NEWDOW: As much as I would share with you is that she's the most wonderful kid in the world.

HEMMER: Has she asked you about it, or...

NEWDOW: I don't talk about her, so...

HEMMER: Do you know if she hears about this from her classmates at school?

NEWDOW: Yes, she does.

HEMMER: And what do they say to her?

NEWDOW: They say, "We saw your dad on TV." That's all.

HEMMER: And that's the extent of it, you say?

NEWDOW: Pretty much.

HEMMER: Michael...

NEWDOW: She's 10 years old.

HEMMER: Yes. Why is this fight so important to you?

NEWDOW: Well, the family law fight is exceedingly important because of what you see here. I mean, I was told by the Supreme Court of the United States that I don't have the rights that every other parent in the world has, merely because I'm in the family court. It seems extraordinary.

And then as far as the Establishment Clause, atheists are a disenfranchised minority in this society, and the government continues and condones that idea by saying every morning to children, put your hand over your heart and say, we are a nation that believes in God. There are people here who don't believe in God. That's unconstitutional.

HEMMER: William Rehnquist wrote yesterday that even though the word "God" is in the Pledge of Allegiance, it does not necessarily denote a particular religion. How would you react to that?

NEWDOW: Well, it certainly denotes the belief in God, and there are people, American citizens, who don't believe in God, and they deserve the same respect that every other American deserves. HEMMER: Michael Newdow, our guest from Sacramento. More to come, I'm assuming. Is that assumption correct?

NEWDOW: Oh, for sure.

HEMMER: Thank you, Michael.

NEWDOW: OK.

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, no one would ever confuse him them as the best of friends. So, why all of a sudden did President Bush and former President Clinton sound like old chums? We'll tell you all of the nice things that they've been saying to each other and their children and their family members, all ahead.

HEMMER: Also, Madonna dances away from a lawsuit. We'll explain that also when we continue in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Many people were suggesting yesterday that the scene at the White House was a fairly rare sight. And in this age of politics, they're probably pretty right.

Candy Crowley paints the picture for us this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Guess who came to lunch?

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're glad you're here, 42.

CROWLEY: Two presidents of different parties saying nice things, really nice things. And you got to thinking, was Bill Clinton trying to help when he said, in his darkest times, like when he worried whether the war in Bosnia would come out all right, he found comfort in the portrait of Teddy Roosevelt?

WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You look at that picture and you see, here is a human being who is scared to death and not sure it's going to come out all right, and he does the right thing anyway.

CROWLEY: They shared a good laugh, a lot of good laughs; 42 about fading into history:

CLINTON: I was in Cleveland in a grade school looking at a reading program. And this 6-year-old kid came up to me and said, "Are you really president?" And I said, 'Yes, I am.' He said, "But you're not dead yet."

(LAUGHTER)

CROWLEY: Forty-three on 42's still powerful place in the moment: BUSH: He's also the first man in his party since Franklin Roosevelt to win a second term in the White House. And I could tell you more of the story, but it's coming out in fine bookstores all over America.

(LAUGHTER)

CROWLEY: Two of the most polarizing figures in modern politics. It got you thinking.

CLINTON: And I hope that I'll live long enough to see American politics return to vigorous debates, where we argue who is right and wrong, not who is good and bad. My experience is, most of the people I've known in this work are good people who love their country desperately.

CROWLEY: Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: It was kind of funny yesterday, poking fun of each other.

HEMMER: Enjoy it while it lasts.

O'BRIEN: Yes, right. It's over, actually. It's done.

HEMMER: Yes, you're right.

In a moment here, why thousands are giving out confidential information to identity thieves online and not even asking or thinking twice about it. Back in a moment. We continue after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: It's 45 minutes past the hour now and time to look at some of the other stories making headlines today with Heidi Collins.

Hey, Heidi, good morning.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Soledad. And good morning to you, everyone.

A top homeland security official says authorities are confident that a terror threat has been thwarted. A Somali man, Nuradin Abdi, has been indicted on two counts of providing material support to al Qaeda. Federal law enforcement officials said he was linked to a plot to blow up a shopping mall. He was arrested in November last year. A detention hearing on his behalf is expected tomorrow.

A Chinese official says the country is preparing for more talks on North Korea's nuclear program. The stalemate started in 2002 when Pyongyang announced it had restarted its nuclear weapons program. Representatives from six nations last met in February, but were unable to work out a framework for ending the uranium enrichment program. A third round of talks begins June 23 in Beijing. A new study finds millions of Americans are falling victim to online identity theft. More than $2 billion were taken from checking accounts last year, according to the report. And it was all done electronically. We're going to tell you how to protect yourself coming up a little bit later on in the show.

And a feud between Madonna and Warner Music Group has been resolved. The company has agreed to buy Madonna out of Maverick Records, the label she co-founded 12 years ago. The deal is part of a settlement. Madonna had accused Warner of cheating her and her parents -- partners, that is, out of millions of dollars. Partners not parents. Make sure we got that straight.

HEMMER: We got it. Thanks, Heidi.

O'BRIEN: It's time to get to Jack and the "Question of the Day."

Hello.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.

Financial disclosure forms of members of the United States Senate show that many of their incomes go way beyond their yearly salaries, about 154,000. Senator Bill Frist of Tennessee, for example, reports assets that include one blind trust of between $5 million and $25 million and two others that are worth between $1 million and $5 million. Then there's Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana who lists a 1993 Ford Taurus that he says is worth about $1,060.75.

The question is: How much do you have in common with your U.S. senator?

And the first intro we did mentioned two Democrats as having a lot of money and a couple of Republicans as not having as much money. That was strictly a coincidence. Luck of the draw. It's not a conspiracy. We're not trying to push an agenda here. So get off my back.

Buck in Charlottesville, Virginia: "Not too much. Besides putting on our trousers one leg at a time, neither of my senators has learned how to listen without the aid of a few dollars behind their ears -- political hearing aids, they're called."

John in New Orleans, Louisiana: "I can tell you I don't have much at all in common with the politicians. I'm on Social Security. I can't even afford a car. I have to settle for public transportation."

Richard in New York: "One of my senators is Hillary Clinton. She appears on the local scene constantly at Fort Drum, New York, to support the local families of the young people being killed in Iraq. Last week, she was here meeting with the president of Afghanistan. We feel close to her since she mingles with and is not afraid of the people."

And Jim in Saint Paul, Minnesota: "I have to live in the real world. I have nothing in common with the nation's senators. That's why by law they should only serve two terms and then have to go back into the real world. That way they might do less damage."

I think Jim has got an idea worth looking at.

HEMMER: I like your question, Jack.

CAFFERTY: You do?

O'BRIEN: I do too.

HEMMER: Oh, yes.

O'BRIEN: Although here's my question for you. How do they have these big gaps? I mean, Senator Corzine, you mentioned earlier, he's got one account worth between 25 million and 50 million. I mean, that's a big...

CAFFERTY: He worked at Goldman-Sachs for 20 years...

O'BRIEN: Right, but how...

CAFFERTY: ... before he ran for public office. That's a big investment bank.

O'BRIEN: No, no, no. I get where he got the money from. But how come they don't know that it's 25 or it's 50?

CAFFERTY: Well, because the form doesn't require an exact amount. You have to put in a range of, you know, I guess...

O'BRIEN: That's a pretty big range.

CAFFERTY: You know, they do have some right to privacy, but, you know, they have to indicate the range.

O'BRIEN: That's a big range. All right, thanks, Jack.

HEMMER: Thanks, Jack.

In a moment here, gators are taking a big bite out of Florida, a dilemma for wildlife officials as well. The latest on what's happening there in the summer of the gator. Back in a moment here after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: In the state of Florida they call it "alligator alley" for a reason. But lately the gators there, especially in the southern part of the state, have gone absolutely wild.

John Zarrella reports now from Florida.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): Try explaining this one to your insurance agent. It was no lie: an alligator that ate Carolyn Christian's (ph) bumper, a last desperate act of defiance before its capture.

Another took a bite out of Jennifer Cook's (ph) dog.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I got my dog and took him right to the hospital.

ZARRELLA: This time of year in Florida, alligators are on the move. Dry weather sends them in search of water. It's mating season too. Gators end up looking for love in all the wrong places, which brings out the local trapper to remove the critter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That alligator has eaten something recently. Look at that belly. That's probably a dog in there.

ZARRELLA (on camera): This is where gators are supposed to be, out here in the Everglades but it's not surprising to find them just about anywhere. The alligator is one of nature's greatest comeback stories.

(voice-over): Twenty-five years ago the alligator was an endangered species. Now, there are more than one million in Florida. But Fish and Wildlife officers say people who feed them turn the creatures into nuisance gators, signing their death warrants.

OFFICER BEN STIFFLER, FISH AND WILDLIFE COMM.: If you call in and you have an aggressive alligator and we have to come and respond to remove it, the animal is not just taken back out to the Everglades. It is killed. That is our policy.

ZARRELLA: It would be better, wildlife officials say, if humans and alligators didn't have to coexist. But in Florida where land is a premium, people and gators are increasingly calling the same territory home.

John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Also, Florida wildlife specialists are saying you should be especially careful at night. The high water levels there send the gators straight to the roads, and many, we are told, meet their fate with a car or a vehicle or something larger. That's from Florida this morning.

(WEATHER BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, caught on tape. New evidence points to an infamous company playing a role in the California power crisis. We'll explain in our next hour right here on AMERICAN MORNING. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Still to come this hour, only week two of the Scott Peterson trial. Defense attorney Mark Geragos is already calling for mistrial. A look at that and how the judge responded yesterday back in a moment after this.

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