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American Morning
Clinton Memoir; Poll Shows Bush Losing Ground on Terrorism; Interview With Sam Nunn
Aired June 22, 2004 - 9:00 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.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, you either really, really love him, or I guess you don't. And I'm one of those people that -- I worship the water he walks on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: That guy's willing to wait nine and a half hours to see former President Bill Clinton, who's ruling the bookstores this morning. Those fans standing in line for his autobiography.
Is the presidential campaign getting tighter on issues like Iraq and the war on terror? New poll numbers out, and not what the White House wants to see.
And some Texas-size hail pounding the panhandle and making a huge mess of anything in its way on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Nine o'clock here in New York. Good to have you along with us today.
In a few moments here, we are going to -- to look at an alarming new report detailing the global threat of nuclear weapons. Some people saying the extreme dangers are being lost amid all the other problems around the world. Our conversation in a moment. Former Senator Sam Nunn joins us to talk about that.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, prosecutors in the Scott Peterson murder trial now calling witness after witness, trying to discredit a defense theory of what may have happened to Laci Peterson. What are they saying, and is the defense able to poke any holes in the testimony? A report on that is just ahead.
HEMMER: All right. What's on your mind, Jack?
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: I've got a lot of things on my mind.
HEMMER: I bet.
CAFFERTY: The one I'm going to -- well, there's two. We got a letter from a viewer asking if Sam Nunn and Aaron Brown are related. I guess they look a little alike. And the other thing we're talking about this morning is the perpetual paradox in the land of Saudi Arabia.
What's the truth about that country with all that oil? Can you believe what they tell us, or is the truth somewhere hidden behind door number three? Am@cnn.com, if you want to weigh in on that. Or whether or not you think Sam Nunn and Aaron Brown look alike.
O'BRIEN: Either one will fit.
(CROSSTALK)
CAFFERTY: I'm going on vacation. I don't care what the hell you write about.
O'BRIEN: Fifty-eight minutes.
HEMMER: You are light and easy today, aren't you?
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: I like to see it.
CAFFERTY: Taxi?
(LAUGHTER)
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
"My Life" went on sale this morning, Bill Clinton's new book. Buyers in New York have been lining up for hours to get a copy. Kelly Wallace live at the Barnes and Nobel in midtown Manhattan.
What are they saying, Kelly? Good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, it's interesting. You know, the initial reviews for this book, "My Life," were not very good. But that is not keeping hundreds and hundreds of people away.
This line, at least a city block long. People waiting as early as midnight to try and get a copy of the book, and also hoping they are one of the lucky ones to get a glimpse of the former President himself as he launches his month-long book tour here in Manhattan and also in Harlem later today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE (voice-over): Bill Clinton is back. All smiles, but tight-lipped at last night's book party in New York just hours before his very candid account of his life hit bookstores nationwide. In New York...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to make my own judgment, my own evaluation, and be among the first to read it.
WALLACE: And around the country, even his critics are curious.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope to find some truth. I don't know if that's going to be 100 percent in there. But we'll hear his story, his side.
WALLACE: It is all part of a PR blitz not just to sell books, but to shore up his standing and settle a score with independent prosecutor Kenneth Starr.
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It was nothing but a big political operation designed to bring down the presidency.
WALLACE: Starr, in his first interview about the book, does not fire back.
KENNETH STARR, FMR. INDEPENDENT PROSECUTOR: It was a very unpleasant time for everyone caught up in this.
WALLACE: The question now, does Bill Clinton's return to the spotlight help or hurt the Democrat who is supposed to be on center stage right now? Clinton supporters say John Kerry benefits.
REV. AL SHARPTON, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If people can be nostalgic about the Reagan years, imagine if we could remind people of the Clinton years. Bush would be out before the election.
WALLACE: An alternative view that a renewed focus on the Clinton scandals could end up benefiting President Bush.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bill Clinton is about to stir up all the mud from the 1990s. You know? I mean, suddenly American conservatives are going to be energized in a way that I think they may not have been before this book.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And so as people here continue to hurry up and wait, another question people continue to ask is, will the Clinton saga be a temporary media attraction or something that has lasting impact on the presidential campaign? Bill, something we might not know the answer to until November.
HEMMER: You're right, November 2. Thank you, Kelly.
You can watch Bill Clinton's first life primetime interview on his new book Thursday night with Larry King. The former President will take a few phone calls as well. Nine o'clock Eastern, 6:00 on the West Coast with Larry -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: And Kelly kind of set us up with a question. Let's talk politics now. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll suggests that George Bush's standing as the terrorism President is slipping. And badly. When asked who would do a better job on handling the war on terror, 47 percent said President Bush, 48 percent said Senator John Kerry. Just last month, Mr. Bush held a 13-point advantage on that very issue.
So what exactly does it mean for the Bush campaign? Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst, joins us from Washington with that.
And let's start with that first question. Just how significant do you think this change in numbers is, Bill?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's very significant, and a bad sign for the President. He's running for reelection as the leader of the war on terror. For one solid year after 9/11, he was on top of the world. Even most Democrats supported him. And the world supported the United States in the war in Afghanistan. He acquired enormous stature.
What this poll indicates is that that stature as the leader of the war on terror may be wearing off. Why? Well, for one thing, the 9/11 Commission reports have been very critical of the administration's policies. And even more important, the war in Iraq, which the President insists is linked to the war on terror, is becoming less and less popular, less and less widely supported. And Americans are beginning to reach the conclusion that it is hurting, not helping the war on terror.
O'BRIEN: Outside of the -- the war on terror, some people say, if you look at the economy as a sort of separate issue as a poll question, things are actually getting better. I think somebody called it, you know, fewer head winds coming the president's way. So why is Senator Kerry still leading, actually, on this front? Although the president's doing a little bit better.
SCHNEIDER: Yes. Well, the president's doing better. Kerry's doing better.
Look, on this issue, there's been no payoff yet for President Bush. Even though the economic signs have been very good. Why? Well, when you ask people about the economy, as you can see here, in May, Kerry had a five-point lead over Bush in the war on terror. In June, Kerry still has a five-point lead.
Why isn't there a bigger payoff? Well, for one thing, when you ask people how the economy's doing, one thing they think of isn't jobs, but gasoline prices, which affect a lot of Americans much more directly.
Second of all, there are indications that news reports for the -- for most of this year having concentrated on the economy. They've concentrated on Iraq and on the 9/11 Commission. So most elections are supposed to be driven by the economy, but this may be the exception. This may be an election where the central issue is Iraq.
O'BRIEN: The poll asks also about President Clinton. Sixty-two percent of those polled said that they in retrospect approved of the way he did his job. If you look at President Bush's approval rating at 42 -- 47, excuse me -- 47 percent, what's the value in going back to President Clinton and seeing how people in retrospect value what he did?
SCHNEIDER: Yes, because there's a lot of nostalgia for Clinton in the sense that he's associated with good times. That's what John Kerry says. Remember the '90s? You were making pots of money. Well, with different leadership in this country, we can bring you back to those good times.
And as far as the Clinton record is concerned, what that poll indicates, 62 percent approval, people think Clinton did a pretty good job as President. And when Kerry is running, he's saying, I can bring all of that back, the Clinton record.
O'BRIEN: Yes, but at the same time, there are some who say Clinton's popularity, especially with his book and the media tour, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, doesn't necessary help John Kerry. It kind of keeps him out of the spotlight, doesn't it?
SCHNEIDER: Well, it does. And the question is, what part of Clinton's record is going to receive all the attention?
The book is really not about Clinton's record as President. Look, all the news reports are about the controversies, about Monica Lewinsky and impeachment, and settling scores with Ken Starr. What you've got to remember is, Clinton was also a very divisive President.
Remember when Governor Bush ran in 2000? He says, "I'm going to be a uniter, not a divider." Well, he did not deliver, I think most people agree. Certainly the polls show that the country is even more divided under Bush.
Well, it won't be good for Kerry to revive the memory of Clinton as someone who divided the country, because Kerry has got to present himself as someone who can do what Bush did not do and bring unity. Clinton doesn't help communicate that message.
O'BRIEN: Bill Schneider for us this morning. Bill, thanks.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Senator John Kerry, we should mention, is being endorsed by a group of 48 Nobel Prize-winning scientists. They believe he would encourage new medical technology more so than President Bush. Campaigning yesterday, in fact, in Denver, Senator Kerry said he would lift barriers to stem cell research that could lead to cures for diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have full faith that our scientists will go forward with a moral compass, with humane values and sound ethics guiding the way. If we pursue the limitless potential of science and trust that we can use it wisely, we will save millions of lives, and we will earn the gratitude of future generations.
(END VIDEO CLIP) O'BRIEN: The Nobel scientists believe Senator Kerry would promote new medical research based on scientific fact. They claim President Bush is short-changing scientific research. Their open letter was released by the Democratic presidential candidate's campaign -- Bill.
HEMMER: The State Department today ready to announce a sharp increase in terror victims worldwide last year. This corrects earlier findings. According to one senior official, the revised report will show a dramatic increase in both the number of deaths and other casualties. The report also showing that international cooperation and a heightened awareness of the terror threat were bringing positive results.
Earlier this month, you might remember the State Department acknowledged that the initial findings released back in April were inaccurate. Secretary of State Colin Powell attributed the errors partly to a new data system and said there was no attempt to change figures to help President Bush's image.
There was also a new report critical of the White House in the effort there to reduce the global nuclear threat. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace issued that report during a two-day conference on nonproliferation. Former Georgia Senator, the Democrat, Sam Nunn, delivered the keynote address yesterday. He's now cochairman and CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative. A bit earlier, I talked to him about what he thinks is the greatest threat today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM NUNN, FMR. GEORGIA SENATOR: I think the threat is the threat of weapons of mass destruction, or materials from which they could be made in the hands of terrorist groups. Because those groups are much more likely to use those weapons if they get them.
And the long pole in the tent for terrorists, their hardest job is to get nuclear materials. The nuclear materials can be safeguarded. It's a matter of will and it's a matter of priorities. So, to me, that's the number one security threat.
HEMMER: Where is the greatest threat at this point? Can you pinpoint a country?
NUNN: Well, I don't think you do it by country, because I think the threat to the United States is more likely to be from a group that doesn't have a return address. Everywhere there are nuclear materials that are not properly safeguarded, to me, is where there's the greatest threat.
Now, that's primarily in the former Soviet Union, but it's really all over the world. Because those nuclear materials, when they're not properly safeguarded, are the raw material for terrorism. If they get the materials, they can make a bomb. If they get a bomb, they're going to use it.
HEMMER: Between the nuclear threat, a biological threat or a chemical threat, is there one that eclipses the others in terms of your concern?
NUNN: I think in the long run, the biological may be the most challenging. Because that biological materials, as well as chemical materials, have dual use. They can be used and are used every day for good legitimate purposes, saving many lives.
Nuclear, on the other hand, materials are primarily in the hands of governments or in the hands of research reactors that are controlled by governments. Or they're in the hands of utilities, which are large corporations that work with governments and they're regulated. But the biological and chemical materials are pervasive throughout laboratories all over the world, college campuses, pharmaceutical biotechnology community. And that, in the long run, may be our most difficult challenge.
HEMMER: Senator, on a different topic here in the short time we have left here, you've been out of the Senate for some time. Do you want to get back in politics? Would you run as a vice presidential candidate for John Kerry if asked?
NUNN: I really -- there are two -- two roadblocks to that. One is that I have no interest in going back into government. And the other one is that, as far as I know, Senator Kerry has no interest in me on the vice presidential ticket.
So those are two big roadblocks. I think somebody's just having a little game with the name-throwing around these days. But I'm vitally involved in public policy now. I'm enjoying what I'm doing in the private sector. And I have no interest or plans to go back into politics.
HEMMER: Just to be clear, have you talked to him about it? Have you been interviewed?
NUNN: No, no, I have not. I have not. No, I have not.
I've talked to -- I've talked to Senator Kerry. I have certainly discussed issues with him. Our organization, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, is available to discuss issues with any candidate, Republican or Democrat, because we're trying to put the focus on what we think are the greatest security challenges to our country and the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Sam Nunn earlier today. Left the Senate back in 1996, eight years ago -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Fourteen minutes past the hour now. Time to take a look at some of today's other news with Daryn Kagan.
Hey, Daryn. Good morning again.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning once again, Soledad.
Let's begin with South Korea's government. It is urging its civilians to leave Iraq while the fate of a South Korean hostage remains unclear. A deadline passed yesterday in which his captors said the man would be killed if South Korea did not cancel its deployment of troops to Iraq. There are some reports saying the hostage is still alive and that talks have been extended.
They're taking a look at the damage in Texas after severe storms overnight. Hail the size of baseball is pounding homes and cars in parts of the Panhandle yesterday. Winds, some measuring 70 miles per hour, knocking down power lines. There are also reports of flash flooding and of tornadoes touching down.
Martha Stewart says she really misses her old job. Stewart is telling shareholders yesterday that despite a guilty verdict, she still is involved in Martha Stewart Living. Stewart resigned as chief creative officer and board member of her namesake company last March after being convicted for lying about a stock sale. She's scheduled to be sentenced next month.
And a major milestone for space flight in California's Mojave Desert. SpaceShipOne, the first privately-built craft, landed safely yesterday after a 90-minute flight into sub-orbit. The craft designer said that a problem caused it to miss reentry by about 22 miles. The prediction here by the creators of this, Soledad, about 15 to 20 years, you'll be able to buy a ride into space for about $10,000.
O'BRIEN: Would you go then?
KAGAN: If you've got the cash, got the time?
O'BRIEN: Would you go?
KAGAN: If I had good frequent flier miles, then I would take it.
O'BRIEN: Never. You know what? Not a chance for me.
KAGAN: No?
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Daryn.
KAGAN: All right.
O'BRIEN: Let's turn to Jack now and the "Question of the Day."
Hello.
CAFFERTY: Hi, Soledad.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia, complicated dance partners, to say the least. Islamic militants who beheaded American Paul Johnson said that the members of the Saudi security forces provided them with police uniforms and vehicles. The Saudi government denied that.
Then there's the Bush family's long-alleged financial ties to the Saudi royal family, radical Islamic schools throughout the country that teach children to hate the West. And, of course, September 11, where 15 of the 19 hijackers who murdered almost 3,000 people were from Saudi Arabia.
The question this morning is, what's the truth about Saudi Arabia? We're getting some terrific stuff.
Ian writes from Providence, Rhode Island, "What Pakistan and Saudi Arabia don't want you to know is that both their intelligence services directly supported by the Taliban and al Qaeda right up until September 11. But who are we to criticize? Our CIA spent $3 billion training Islamic extremists to kill Soviets in Afghanistan. Yeah, those would be the same extremists who went on to slam airplanes into our national landmarks."
Christopher writes, "The truth is that Saudi Arabia is run by a greedy and irresponsible royal family that prefers to squander the country's assets on palaces and sports cars instead of providing an educational system for Saudi citizens. But at least we can talk about what the truth is about Saudi Arabia. Substitute Israel for Saudi Arabia and that question is off limits."
And Dave in my home state of Nevada writes this: "Saudi Arabia's composed of an undereducated religious majority that's easily controlled by church leaders, with a much smaller middle air of educated persons who think through the issues in a careful manner. They're all controlled by a tiny minority of oil rich leaders who inherited their positions from their fathers. Or, wait, is that the United States? I get so confused sometimes."
David, we're all confused.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: You're welcome.
HEMMER: A check of the weather now. Chad Myers at the CNN Center.
Good morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: All right, Chad. Thanks.
Still to come this morning, bootleggers beware. There's a bounty on your head. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning just ahead.
HEMMER: Also in a moment here, keep your cool while you're young, and you could lower your blood pressure when you're older. We'll have a look at that.
O'BRIEN: Also, why did a friend of Laci Peterson invite Amber Frey -- Amber Frey, rather, to spend the night? We'll explain that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: In the double murder trial of Scott Peterson, prosecutors called several of Laci Peterson's friends to the stand yesterday. And the judge made a decision about a juror, juror number five. Rusty Dornin has more now in Redwood City.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Juror number five stays. The judge says there was no misconduct on the part of that juror or Laci Peterson's brother, Brent Rocha. The two bumped into one another last Thursday and had a brief exchange in front of cameras after passing through courtroom security. But Judge Alfred Delucchi did caution jurors not to talk to anyone, warning their actions could be misconstrued.
Three of Laci Peterson's closest friends took the stand. Stacey Boyers wiped tears from her eyes several times. She told the court the day after the disappearance she came to the Peterson house and saw Scott vacuuming. When she asked him what he was doing, he replied, "I just cast keep this house clean enough." All three friends described how Peterson would not allow any photos of himself in the volunteer center.
Lori Ellsworth, another friend of Laci, when asked by the defense, admitted that she invited Amber Frey, Scott Peterson's former girlfriend, to spend the night with her after Frey told the world about her affair.
AMBER FREY, SCOTT PETERSON'S FMR. GIRLFRIEND: First of all...
DORNIN: But it was the testimony by Peterson's former yoga teacher that riled the defense.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of what she testified to, it was the first time that the defense had heard any of that testimony. That's why you saw Geragos come out of his chair a couple of times.
DORNIN: Debra Wolski told the court Laci Peterson said she was so tired she could barely walk on December 20. Fireworks are expected when one of the lead detectives testifies today.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Redwood City, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: As Rusty points out there today, a police detective and more of Laci Peterson's friends take the stand in that case -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, a cool head and a calm heart. A new study says that young adults who handle stress well are less likely to develop high blood pressure as they age. Elizabeth Cohen in for Dr. Sanjay Gupta this morning. She's joining us from the CNN Center with more on how cooler heads seem to prevail.
Hey, Elizabeth. Good morning again.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Soledad, it's a fascinating experiment. What scientists did is they took 4,000 people ages 18 to 30 and they put them in stressful situations. For example, they had them submerge their hands into freezing cold water, they had them play a very difficult video game. And they saw what happened to their blood pressure.
And for those among the group where their blood pressure spiked, those were the ones who are more likely years later, in fact 20 years later, to suffer from chronic high blood pressure. So, again, when there was high blood pressure in their 20s as a spike, it meant chronic high blood pressure. And the greater the spike, the earlier the onset of hypertension.
Now, it's interesting. Sometimes doctors discount blood pressure readings that are taken in stressful situations. They'll call it white code hypertension and say you were just kind of nervous around a doctor, and that's why it spiked and we'll sort of ignore it and take it some other time when you're calmer. But, in fact, what this study says is that it's important to listen to those spikes -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, Elizabeth, if they are analyzing those spikes then, does it make sense to think that they will be able to do that one day and determine which people run an overall higher risk for high blood pressure?
COHEN: Right. Right now, there's no good systematic way to measure someone's blood pressure in a -- in a stressful situation. You can't go to your doctor and say, hey, doc, can you put my hand in freezing cold water and see how I do? That's not the way most internists work.
However, the bottom-line message here is that even if you're just in your 20s, or even if you're just a teenager, and you notice that you just get extremely anxious and stressed out in stressful situations, you want to think about how to handle that stress differently so that you don't get hypertension later on in life. Now, there are many other ways, of course, of lowering your risk of getting hypertension as you age. Let's take a look at some of these.
For example, maintaining a healthy weight, that is very, very important in keeping your blood pressure down. Exercise, avoiding too much sodium is also important, limiting your alcohol intake.
Stop smoking. That's probably number one as to how to get your blood pressure down. And, of course, as we've talked about, reducing stress. Very important for keeping your blood pressure low -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right. Elizabeth, thanks.
COHEN: Thanks.
O'BRIEN: Bill?
HEMMER: In a moment here, we now -- may now have a better idea of when the Kobe Bryant trial will start. We'll get to that in a moment here.
Also in a moment, a call for the vice president to step aside from another Republican. That's ahead in "Political Pop."
We continue in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Get the latest news every morning in your e-mail. Sign up for AMERICAN MORNING quick news at cnn.com/am.
Still to come this morning, breaking developments regarding the Pentagon's rules of interrogation.
Stay with us. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Live from Wall Street, stocks about to open up for the day of trading on this Tuesday morning. Down yesterday, off 45 points for the blue chips; 10,371 is the opening mark there. Nasdaq market site 1,974, off about 12 points in trading from yesterday.
Welcome back, everybody. And good morning.
O'BRIEN: And it is just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
The Pentagon and the White House releasing documents in which aggressive interrogation techniques were authorized for Guantanamo Bay. They included reportedly making prisoners feel like they were about to drown, which some people say is akin to torture.
We've got two reports on that, because, of course, some of this is very confusing, which ones were approved. There were some that were just subjected. Some others that were actually finally approved. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's been kind of in the middle of all of this. We'll see exactly what they're saying this morning.
HEMMER: Some clarification coming.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Also, the judge in the Kobe Bryant case making some critical decisions today on how the two sides will be allowed to try the case, what sort of jury instructions will be given, technical stuff. Very critical, ultimately, in the end. The second day of the preliminary hearing in Eagle, Colorado. We'll find out what's at stake there in a moment. Stay tuned.
O'BRIEN: All right. But first, let's get right to the Pentagon. The Pentagon expected to release documents today about the rules of interrogation signed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Now we're hearing the White House is going to do the same thing. Two reports for you this morning. Dana Bash is at the White House, Kathleen Koch is at the Pentagon for us. Let's start with Dana at the White House.
Dana, good morning.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
And you mentioned that the Pentagon is planning to release some documents today. And CNN has learned that that will likely happen at the White House as well. You mentioned that there is a lot of confusion about what was perhaps proposed and what was actually approved. And that is something that the White House hopes to clear up today.
Officials here tell CNN that they will release some documents showing some things that were actually proposed in terms of interrogation techniques for terror suspects after September 11. But also some documents showing, they hope, proving what President Bush actually approved.
Now, a couple of weeks ago, when the Justice Department and Defense Department, memos from those agencies came out suggesting that perhaps the limits could be pushed on interrogation, the national security adviser and other senior officials here at the White House said that those were merely musings or opinion pieces, and they were not seen by the president or certainly not approved by the president.
Now, we don't know how many documents we'll get today or exactly what they will show. But we do know -- or understand that the goal at the White House is to use some of these documents to try to put an end to the questions about what exactly the U.S. policy is on interrogating terror suspects -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, it's been a little unclear and needs some clarification.
BASH: Very much so.
O'BRIEN: Dana Bash for us at the White House.
Let's turn right to Kathleen Koch, who, as we mentioned, is at the Pentagon for us this morning.
Kathleen, good morning. You've had a chance to take a look at one of these memos, right?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I did. And basically, what the Pentagon is trying to prove was that it never did -- at least the defense secretary never authorized the use of any torture against any prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. The memo that I saw delineated four more aggressive techniques that were being considered. But only the last technique was ever approved by the secretary. The first one was use of a scenario to convince the detainee that he or his family was in imminent threat of death or severe pain, exposure to cold weather or water, use of a wet towel or dripping water to induce a perception of suffocation. Now, none of those were approved by the secretary.
Now, what the memo did show that I saw was that only the last one, the use of mild, non-injurious physical contact, like grabbing someone's arm punch -- touching them in the chest, poking them in the chest, or lightly shoving them was ever approved. But that's just one of several memos that will come out today.
O'BRIEN: All right. We're looking forward, of course, to seeing all of those memos, getting some more clarifying on all this. Kathleen Koch for us this morning at the Pentagon. Kathleen, thanks.
Still to come this morning, "Political Pop." Here's the question: who's got the best vacation spot? Is it President Bush or is it Senator Kerry?
HEMMER: We'll get to that.
Also in a moment here, a health warning for kids who drink milk. Amazingly enough, it involves rocket fuel.
Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: To "Political Pop". Playing the field for us today in left, political strategist Serena Torrey. In center, Mark Healy of "GQ" magazine. And in right, syndicated radio talk show host Ben Ferguson.
Good morning to all three of you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning.
HEMMER: Ready to go here?
SERENA TORREY, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Ben, you start us. You're the oldest on this panel, by the way.
BEN FERGUSON, SYNDICATED RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: That's right. I know.
HEMMER: How old are you, by the way?
FERGUSON: Twenty-two. I'm a youngun. What can I say?
HEMMER: Happy birthday.
FERGUSON: Thank you. HEMMER: The editor of the Des Moines Register, a longtime supporter of Dick Cheney, says he now thinks the vice president should resign. What do you make of this letter?
FERGUSON: I mean, he can't be a supporter, first of all. He talks about in the letter his health being a possibility of something that may hurt him down the road. I mean, the man, if you put him through a physical, the war in Iraq, and being there for everything else that's gone on, I think he's passed with flying colors.
But even worse that that, in the letter he says that a McCain ticket would be good. And if you have someone like John McCain who said, I would even run with John Kerry, how can you say you're a supporter of the Republican Party when he's putting a man out there that wants to be a Democrat?
HEMMER: What do you think, Serena?
TORREY: I agree with Ben. I think this is a crazy idea. One of the reasons he gives for why we need a new vice president is that the Bush administration needs a president-in-training. Now, most people think that's what we got and that's why we need Dick Cheney.
HEMMER: I'm wondering...
FERGUSON: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ring a bell to anybody?
HEMMER: ... does it sound like a 30-year supporter to you? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has got to step aside?
FERGUSON: No, I mean, he's apologetic to his best. I mean, they taught us this in junior high practically, and he thinks it's going to fly. Plus, if you're a friend with somebody, are you really going to make a letter and publish it?
HEMMER: No. Let's go to our second topic, Mark, and bring you in on this one. John Kerry was vacationing with his wife, Teresa, at their home in Nantucket to the tune of $9 million, that home is. Is this going to be a problem for him in middle America come the election?
MARK HEALY, "GQ" MAGAZINE: I don't think so, because the election is a long way off, and this is the kind of thing that political strategists like to micro-manage. But the fact is, either of these men who are running for governor -- or running for president, where do we expect them to be, Great Adventure, riding roller coasters? Or the Mall of America? I mean...
HEMMER: That might work.
HEALY: ... there is nothing common about the way they live their lives.
HEMMER: He went sailing on his $150,000 yacht. I want to be this guy's friend.
HEALY: And Bush was in his -- on his 1,600 acre compound in Texas, which shows a little bit about how...
TORREY: Or in Kennebunkport. I mean...
FERGUSON: Yes. I mean, the thing is news has changed now, and the way people perceive politicians has changed. If he went someplace that was uncommon, then we'd all be talking about how he's trying to be more of an American.
HEALY: Exactly.
FERGUSON: You know, 20 years ago, when it wasn't...
HEMMER: Do you think Nantucket is that common, though, Ben?
FERGUSON: Well, no. But, I mean, if he changes who he is as a person, it's going to bite him in the rear end.
TORREY: I agree. I agree...
(CROSSTALK)
FERGUSON: Because we're all going to say he's faking it and he's not who he really is.
HEMMER: Wasn't it back in 1996 when Dick Morris went out and surveyed a bunch of people and found out where Bill Clinton should vacation, and they sent him off to the Tetons in Wyoming?
TORREY: I'd much rather we have...
FERGUSON: Yes, but it bit him in the rear end, though, because everybody talked about it. Everybody knew that's not what he normally does.
TORREY: Exactly. This is who Kerry is. He's not apologetic for it. And remember, President Bush in his -- in the first year he was in office, was on vacation 42 percent of the time. I'm much more concerned with how often the president is on vacation.
(CROSSTALK)
FERGUSON: Yes, but hold on here. Is the president -- I've got to ask this question. Is the president really ever on vacation? No, he is not.
HEALY: Well, apparently, he has been, yes.
FERGUSON: Wherever you go, I mean, you're flying. We get to take naps. The man doesn't even get to take a nap because the phone is ringing, people are advising him.
HEMMER: We'll leave it there. Thanks to all three of you. Good to see you.
Here's Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Bill.
Still to come this morning, the movie biz is going after bootleggers and big time. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business." He's going to explain just ahead as we continue right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Want to get back to Colorado quickly in the Kobe Bryant matter. The NBA star returns to court today for the conclusion of his latest pretrial hearing. The prosecution and defense say they are prepared to begin the sexual assault trial in late August. Some important issues, though, still must be resolved.
Alex Stone, reporter for radio station KOA in Denver, covering that case, back with us.
Alex, good morning to you.
ALEX STONE, REPORTER, KOA: Hi, Bill. Good morning.
HEMMER: Let's get right away to this issue about the jury questionnaire. The defense wants to put in a number of questions about interracial relationships and dating. Is race now going to become an issue in this case, Alex?
STONE: Bill, it looks like it possibly could. Both sides have been putting in their own input on what they think should be on this questionnaire. Eventually, it will be up to the judge exactly what is on it.
Yesterday, even though most of the questions are still a secret, we got a -- a taste of what the questionnaire will probably look like. It will be 115 questions long, and at least two of the questions the prosecution objects to because they have to do with interracial relationships and dating.
One of the prosecutors got up and she said, "Judge, this case isn't about an interracial relationship. There was no relationship. They were not dating." They want those two questions pulled off.
HEMMER: What about the issue about evidence gathering? The defense contends that a number of items inside that hotel room were never taken by police. Things like, what, the towels, the carpet samples, the chair? How critical could that be?
STONE: Yes, they're starting to bring in the crime scene analysis. And we know that they'll be bringing in crime scene experts, or at least they hope to, to talk about -- they're going to try to highlight that there were problems at the crime scene, that they didn't take all the evidence they needed. And granted, the crime scene in this case may not have played a big role.
We know that there was sex involved in this case. Maybe that's all it would have shown. But they did not take any -- try, at least, to collect any blood from maybe the carpet below where they were. They didn't take any sheets. And they focused on that yesterday.
What the reporters in the courtroom noticed was that supposedly, allegedly, this never happened in a bed. We don't understand why the focus was on sheets yesterday, but the focus is coming down to the crime scene now.
HEMMER: What about the sexual history of the accuser? When is that decided?
STONE: The sexual history of -- well, that's going to be talked about today. Finally, it should be wrapped up today. And Bill, I feel like we've been talking about it forever in this case, since probably January, February maybe.
They've been having hearings on the rape shield issue in Colorado. Will the accuser's sexual history be allowed into trial? Final testimony today, final arguments today, and then the judge probably won't rule today. But at least he'll be done with the issue so then he can rule on it.
HEMMER: Help me and our viewers to understand the argument over consent. What is the defense position? What is the prosecution fighting for?
STONE: Well, it really comes down to just the wording of it, of what is consent and how will it be presented to the jury. What will be the jury orders, what will be the orders given to the jury when this case is over and the judge tells them to go in and deliberate?
How will it be worded? How will they be told? What has to be proven? Who has the burden of proof? And what is consent?
Both sides really have a -- a differing opinion on what needs to be proven. If consent needs to be proven as a defense, and what is consent, is it saying yes or no, is it body language, is it -- what is involved in it? That's what they're fighting over there.
HEMMER: And we mentioned the August trial date. That looks firm at this point, as far as we can tell anyway?
STONE: It looks like everybody's agreeing on late August.
HEMMER: OK.
STONE: The last week in August is what they said yesterday. We don't know, though, if they'll be able to do that in time.
HEMMER: Thanks, Alex. Alex Stone, KOA Radio there in Eagle. Appreciate it.
Soledad?
O'BRIEN: Forty-six minutes past the hour now. Time for a look at some of the other stories making headlines with Daryn Kagan this morning.
Good morning.
KAGAN: Soledad, good morning once again.
The State Department is issuing a revised report on terrorism. A senior official says the State Department will announce a sharp increase in the number of terror victims worldwide last year. This contradicts an earlier report issued last April which said that terrorism across the globe was on the decline. But officials soon acknowledge that data was wrong.
South Korea's government urging its civilians to leave Iraq while the fate of a South Korean hostage remains unclear. A deadline passed yesterday in which his captors said the man would be killed if South Korea did not cancel its deployment of troops to Iraq. There are some reports saying the hostage is still alive and that talks have been extended.
In Illinois, Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan says he will not drop out of the race, despite claims from his ex-wife that Ryan tried to pressure her to engage in sexual acts in clubs while others watched. The allegations appear in divorce documents filed in the year 2000. Ryan denied the charges at a news conference yesterday.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is clearing his schedule. Senator Kerry has canceled a campaign stop in New Mexico today so that he can take part in a vote on Capitol Hill. The Senate is deciding today on a measure that would require health care funding for war veterans, a key voting group come November.
And speaking of health, there is a health warning about milk. A new study shows that some California cows may have been exposed to a toxic chemical used in rocket fuel. An environmental group says that pregnant women and children who drink that milk might be at risk. The chemical has been linked to thyroid damage.
California's dairy industry says the state's milk is safe. We should also point out that none of the milk that we've been showing you has been linked to that study.
Soledad, on that note on milk, back to you.
O'BRIEN: All right. Daryn, thanks. Hey, before we let you go, we've got 13 minutes before you're taking over for us. What do you have ahead this morning?
KAGAN: We have, of course, all the hard news of the day. And then a very cool segment. Rock memorabilia collector Marc Zakarin will be along with some stuff going up for auction. Stuff by Elvis, stuff for the Beatles, and the cool part of him, he gives you estimates on what you might have at home. I think Bill needs to bring in the guitar pick he has from Bruce Springsteen framed on his wall.
HEMMER: It's hanging up in my office, as a matter of fact.
KAGAN: Yes. Find out what it's worth.
HEMMER: What do you think that's worth, Daryn?
KAGAN: Well, it's to you, of course, it's priceless, as the commercial says.
HEMMER: That's exactly right.
KAGAN: But we'll have to see. Dollar estimate coming up next hour.
HEMMER: A buck and a half.
O'BRIEN: Five bucks.
KAGAN: OK.
HEMMER: Thank you, Daryn.
O'BRIEN: That's what I say. Daryn, thanks.
KAGAN: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Hollywood is putting a bounty on bootleggers. With that, plus a check of the markets this morning, Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business."
Hello.
HEMMER: Good morning.
SERWER: Hello again.
Let's talk about the stock market, first of all. Remember that Norwegian oil worker strike?
O'BRIEN: Mm hmm.
SERWER: It's getting worse.
O'BRIEN: Really?
SERWER: Seriously. More strikers -- not that big a deal. Cutting output in Norway.
Let's go to the Big Board and check out the market here. Down 10 on the Dow industrials. One stock bucking the trend big-time this morning is Palm, digital organizer. That stock is up over 30 percent this morning to $29.
Sales of their new Treo 600 moving nicely. That combines the phone and the digital organizer.
Big story this morning, a Wal-Mart, a federal judge is certifying a class action sex discrimination suit. You probably heard about that before. But it's now been certified as a class action. It covers 1.6 million current and former female employees. It could be the largest civil rights class action suit in history. Big deal there. We'll be covering that over the next coming days, I'm sure.
O'BRIEN: What does that mean to certify it? I mean, is that just...
SERWER: Well, they tried to make it a class action suit by suggesting it would cover all these women. And the judge said, yes, you can go ahead and bring this to trial.
Let's talk about the movie story. Kind of interesting stuff here.
O'BRIEN: The bootleggers.
SERWER: Bootleggers, that's right. Movie piracy a huge problem obviously for Hollywood.
The Motion Picture Association of America says it loses billions of dollars a year. It seized 52 million DVD and VHS tapes last year.
So how are they fighting it? They're now offering a $500 bounty to movie theater employees if they catch someone in the theater with a camcorder. Now, believe it or not, a lot of movies are actually pirated that way, not made copies off of DVDs. But someone in the theater actually shoots it. And an employee sees you doing that, he's going to bring you in, and he's going to collect $500.
O'BRIEN: Wow.
SERWER: That could work, right?
O'BRIEN: It could. Although, considering how much it costs the industry, you would think it should be more like $1,000.
SERWER: A thousand bucks. All right.
O'BRIEN: Maybe I'm being greedy.
SERWER: Well, maybe you can get them to up it.
O'BRIEN: I doubt that.
SERWER: I know.
O'BRIEN: All right, Andy. Thanks.
SERWER: All right. See you later.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the shaky partnership between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. A look at that's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Jack's got the "Question of the Day."
CAFFERTY: Thanks, Soledad.
What's the truth about Saudi Arabia is the thing we're monkeying around with here. A lot of paradoxes about this country's dependence on their oil, political relationships, terrorism, all that stuff. A couple of notes here. A little longer than usual, but interesting. I think you'll agree.
Carolann in Niagara Falls, Ontario, writes, "America's had a long-standing relationship with Saudi Arabia. To suggest that the entire country has turned against the United States is an overreaction to terrorist propaganda. Think about it. Osama bin Laden with total control over Mecca? It is in his interest to drive a wedge between the United States and Saudi governments."
And this from Tom out there in South Bend, Indiana: "European and Asian economies depend more than the United States on Gulf oil. Combined world economies will not allow themselves to be strangled. But it wouldn't take a D-Day scale operation to secure and protect Arabian oil facilities. Saudis have their work cut out. If they fail to choose secure coexistence and market oil prices, they will have isolation, massive foreign military presence, and the world's defined fair price for oil."
So things for -- food for thought.
HEMMER: Did we solve it in three hours?
CAFFERTY: Probably. I'll have to get back to you on that.
HEMMER: Thank you.
CAFFERTY: And it will be a few days, because I'm out of here in five minutes. But I'll be thinking hard and long about this issue while I'm away.
HEMMER: I know you will.
O'BRIEN: We'll call you every morning, too, to talk about it.
CAFFERTY: I'll be out there in Beaver Creek. I will discuss it with beavers in the creek. What do you think about that Saudi situation?
HEMMER: Call us on your cell phone. Oh, you don't have a cell phone.
CAFFERTY: Ah, gee, I would, but I don't have one.
HEMMER: A final check of the weather. Here's Chad Myers at the CNN Center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: All right, Chad. Thanks a lot. Coming up this morning on CNN, with all the hype, you might think that a new "Harry Potter" book or something is on the way. No, it's just a former president's memoir. A live look at the Clinton craze is up ahead in the next hour with Daryn Kagan on "CNN LIVE TODAY."
AMERICAN MORNING is back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: What are we going to do? What are we going to do?
O'BRIEN: A couple of days.
HEMMER: It's going to be five days.
O'BRIEN: I love you, man.
SERWER: Oh, wow.
CAFFERTY: Wow. I'm overwhelmed.
SERWER: Is he not coming back?
CAFFERTY: I told you, you make it "180-Second Pop" and...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: And rerun it a lot.
HEMMER: We'll get you a copy of the tape.
We've got to run. You have a great vacation, OK?
CAFFERTY: Thank you, sir.
HEMMER: All right.
Here's Daryn Kagan at the CNN Center.
Good morning, Daryn.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Daryn.
HEMMER: What are we going to do?
KAGAN: Does Colorado know?
(LAUGHTER)
SERWER: Alert the authorities.
KAGAN: A Jack alert, Jack alert.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Daryn.
HEMMER: Call the mayor. KAGAN: You guys -- have a great vacation, Jack.
HEMMER: See you, Daryn.
KAGAN: You guys have a great day in New York City, and we'll get started down here in Atlanta.
Aired June 22, 2004 - 9:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, you either really, really love him, or I guess you don't. And I'm one of those people that -- I worship the water he walks on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: That guy's willing to wait nine and a half hours to see former President Bill Clinton, who's ruling the bookstores this morning. Those fans standing in line for his autobiography.
Is the presidential campaign getting tighter on issues like Iraq and the war on terror? New poll numbers out, and not what the White House wants to see.
And some Texas-size hail pounding the panhandle and making a huge mess of anything in its way on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Nine o'clock here in New York. Good to have you along with us today.
In a few moments here, we are going to -- to look at an alarming new report detailing the global threat of nuclear weapons. Some people saying the extreme dangers are being lost amid all the other problems around the world. Our conversation in a moment. Former Senator Sam Nunn joins us to talk about that.
O'BRIEN: Also this morning, prosecutors in the Scott Peterson murder trial now calling witness after witness, trying to discredit a defense theory of what may have happened to Laci Peterson. What are they saying, and is the defense able to poke any holes in the testimony? A report on that is just ahead.
HEMMER: All right. What's on your mind, Jack?
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: I've got a lot of things on my mind.
HEMMER: I bet.
CAFFERTY: The one I'm going to -- well, there's two. We got a letter from a viewer asking if Sam Nunn and Aaron Brown are related. I guess they look a little alike. And the other thing we're talking about this morning is the perpetual paradox in the land of Saudi Arabia.
What's the truth about that country with all that oil? Can you believe what they tell us, or is the truth somewhere hidden behind door number three? Am@cnn.com, if you want to weigh in on that. Or whether or not you think Sam Nunn and Aaron Brown look alike.
O'BRIEN: Either one will fit.
(CROSSTALK)
CAFFERTY: I'm going on vacation. I don't care what the hell you write about.
O'BRIEN: Fifty-eight minutes.
HEMMER: You are light and easy today, aren't you?
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: I like to see it.
CAFFERTY: Taxi?
(LAUGHTER)
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
"My Life" went on sale this morning, Bill Clinton's new book. Buyers in New York have been lining up for hours to get a copy. Kelly Wallace live at the Barnes and Nobel in midtown Manhattan.
What are they saying, Kelly? Good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, it's interesting. You know, the initial reviews for this book, "My Life," were not very good. But that is not keeping hundreds and hundreds of people away.
This line, at least a city block long. People waiting as early as midnight to try and get a copy of the book, and also hoping they are one of the lucky ones to get a glimpse of the former President himself as he launches his month-long book tour here in Manhattan and also in Harlem later today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE (voice-over): Bill Clinton is back. All smiles, but tight-lipped at last night's book party in New York just hours before his very candid account of his life hit bookstores nationwide. In New York...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to make my own judgment, my own evaluation, and be among the first to read it.
WALLACE: And around the country, even his critics are curious.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope to find some truth. I don't know if that's going to be 100 percent in there. But we'll hear his story, his side.
WALLACE: It is all part of a PR blitz not just to sell books, but to shore up his standing and settle a score with independent prosecutor Kenneth Starr.
WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It was nothing but a big political operation designed to bring down the presidency.
WALLACE: Starr, in his first interview about the book, does not fire back.
KENNETH STARR, FMR. INDEPENDENT PROSECUTOR: It was a very unpleasant time for everyone caught up in this.
WALLACE: The question now, does Bill Clinton's return to the spotlight help or hurt the Democrat who is supposed to be on center stage right now? Clinton supporters say John Kerry benefits.
REV. AL SHARPTON, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If people can be nostalgic about the Reagan years, imagine if we could remind people of the Clinton years. Bush would be out before the election.
WALLACE: An alternative view that a renewed focus on the Clinton scandals could end up benefiting President Bush.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bill Clinton is about to stir up all the mud from the 1990s. You know? I mean, suddenly American conservatives are going to be energized in a way that I think they may not have been before this book.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: And so as people here continue to hurry up and wait, another question people continue to ask is, will the Clinton saga be a temporary media attraction or something that has lasting impact on the presidential campaign? Bill, something we might not know the answer to until November.
HEMMER: You're right, November 2. Thank you, Kelly.
You can watch Bill Clinton's first life primetime interview on his new book Thursday night with Larry King. The former President will take a few phone calls as well. Nine o'clock Eastern, 6:00 on the West Coast with Larry -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: And Kelly kind of set us up with a question. Let's talk politics now. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll suggests that George Bush's standing as the terrorism President is slipping. And badly. When asked who would do a better job on handling the war on terror, 47 percent said President Bush, 48 percent said Senator John Kerry. Just last month, Mr. Bush held a 13-point advantage on that very issue.
So what exactly does it mean for the Bush campaign? Bill Schneider, CNN senior political analyst, joins us from Washington with that.
And let's start with that first question. Just how significant do you think this change in numbers is, Bill?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: I think it's very significant, and a bad sign for the President. He's running for reelection as the leader of the war on terror. For one solid year after 9/11, he was on top of the world. Even most Democrats supported him. And the world supported the United States in the war in Afghanistan. He acquired enormous stature.
What this poll indicates is that that stature as the leader of the war on terror may be wearing off. Why? Well, for one thing, the 9/11 Commission reports have been very critical of the administration's policies. And even more important, the war in Iraq, which the President insists is linked to the war on terror, is becoming less and less popular, less and less widely supported. And Americans are beginning to reach the conclusion that it is hurting, not helping the war on terror.
O'BRIEN: Outside of the -- the war on terror, some people say, if you look at the economy as a sort of separate issue as a poll question, things are actually getting better. I think somebody called it, you know, fewer head winds coming the president's way. So why is Senator Kerry still leading, actually, on this front? Although the president's doing a little bit better.
SCHNEIDER: Yes. Well, the president's doing better. Kerry's doing better.
Look, on this issue, there's been no payoff yet for President Bush. Even though the economic signs have been very good. Why? Well, when you ask people about the economy, as you can see here, in May, Kerry had a five-point lead over Bush in the war on terror. In June, Kerry still has a five-point lead.
Why isn't there a bigger payoff? Well, for one thing, when you ask people how the economy's doing, one thing they think of isn't jobs, but gasoline prices, which affect a lot of Americans much more directly.
Second of all, there are indications that news reports for the -- for most of this year having concentrated on the economy. They've concentrated on Iraq and on the 9/11 Commission. So most elections are supposed to be driven by the economy, but this may be the exception. This may be an election where the central issue is Iraq.
O'BRIEN: The poll asks also about President Clinton. Sixty-two percent of those polled said that they in retrospect approved of the way he did his job. If you look at President Bush's approval rating at 42 -- 47, excuse me -- 47 percent, what's the value in going back to President Clinton and seeing how people in retrospect value what he did?
SCHNEIDER: Yes, because there's a lot of nostalgia for Clinton in the sense that he's associated with good times. That's what John Kerry says. Remember the '90s? You were making pots of money. Well, with different leadership in this country, we can bring you back to those good times.
And as far as the Clinton record is concerned, what that poll indicates, 62 percent approval, people think Clinton did a pretty good job as President. And when Kerry is running, he's saying, I can bring all of that back, the Clinton record.
O'BRIEN: Yes, but at the same time, there are some who say Clinton's popularity, especially with his book and the media tour, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, doesn't necessary help John Kerry. It kind of keeps him out of the spotlight, doesn't it?
SCHNEIDER: Well, it does. And the question is, what part of Clinton's record is going to receive all the attention?
The book is really not about Clinton's record as President. Look, all the news reports are about the controversies, about Monica Lewinsky and impeachment, and settling scores with Ken Starr. What you've got to remember is, Clinton was also a very divisive President.
Remember when Governor Bush ran in 2000? He says, "I'm going to be a uniter, not a divider." Well, he did not deliver, I think most people agree. Certainly the polls show that the country is even more divided under Bush.
Well, it won't be good for Kerry to revive the memory of Clinton as someone who divided the country, because Kerry has got to present himself as someone who can do what Bush did not do and bring unity. Clinton doesn't help communicate that message.
O'BRIEN: Bill Schneider for us this morning. Bill, thanks.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Senator John Kerry, we should mention, is being endorsed by a group of 48 Nobel Prize-winning scientists. They believe he would encourage new medical technology more so than President Bush. Campaigning yesterday, in fact, in Denver, Senator Kerry said he would lift barriers to stem cell research that could lead to cures for diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have full faith that our scientists will go forward with a moral compass, with humane values and sound ethics guiding the way. If we pursue the limitless potential of science and trust that we can use it wisely, we will save millions of lives, and we will earn the gratitude of future generations.
(END VIDEO CLIP) O'BRIEN: The Nobel scientists believe Senator Kerry would promote new medical research based on scientific fact. They claim President Bush is short-changing scientific research. Their open letter was released by the Democratic presidential candidate's campaign -- Bill.
HEMMER: The State Department today ready to announce a sharp increase in terror victims worldwide last year. This corrects earlier findings. According to one senior official, the revised report will show a dramatic increase in both the number of deaths and other casualties. The report also showing that international cooperation and a heightened awareness of the terror threat were bringing positive results.
Earlier this month, you might remember the State Department acknowledged that the initial findings released back in April were inaccurate. Secretary of State Colin Powell attributed the errors partly to a new data system and said there was no attempt to change figures to help President Bush's image.
There was also a new report critical of the White House in the effort there to reduce the global nuclear threat. The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace issued that report during a two-day conference on nonproliferation. Former Georgia Senator, the Democrat, Sam Nunn, delivered the keynote address yesterday. He's now cochairman and CEO of the Nuclear Threat Initiative. A bit earlier, I talked to him about what he thinks is the greatest threat today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAM NUNN, FMR. GEORGIA SENATOR: I think the threat is the threat of weapons of mass destruction, or materials from which they could be made in the hands of terrorist groups. Because those groups are much more likely to use those weapons if they get them.
And the long pole in the tent for terrorists, their hardest job is to get nuclear materials. The nuclear materials can be safeguarded. It's a matter of will and it's a matter of priorities. So, to me, that's the number one security threat.
HEMMER: Where is the greatest threat at this point? Can you pinpoint a country?
NUNN: Well, I don't think you do it by country, because I think the threat to the United States is more likely to be from a group that doesn't have a return address. Everywhere there are nuclear materials that are not properly safeguarded, to me, is where there's the greatest threat.
Now, that's primarily in the former Soviet Union, but it's really all over the world. Because those nuclear materials, when they're not properly safeguarded, are the raw material for terrorism. If they get the materials, they can make a bomb. If they get a bomb, they're going to use it.
HEMMER: Between the nuclear threat, a biological threat or a chemical threat, is there one that eclipses the others in terms of your concern?
NUNN: I think in the long run, the biological may be the most challenging. Because that biological materials, as well as chemical materials, have dual use. They can be used and are used every day for good legitimate purposes, saving many lives.
Nuclear, on the other hand, materials are primarily in the hands of governments or in the hands of research reactors that are controlled by governments. Or they're in the hands of utilities, which are large corporations that work with governments and they're regulated. But the biological and chemical materials are pervasive throughout laboratories all over the world, college campuses, pharmaceutical biotechnology community. And that, in the long run, may be our most difficult challenge.
HEMMER: Senator, on a different topic here in the short time we have left here, you've been out of the Senate for some time. Do you want to get back in politics? Would you run as a vice presidential candidate for John Kerry if asked?
NUNN: I really -- there are two -- two roadblocks to that. One is that I have no interest in going back into government. And the other one is that, as far as I know, Senator Kerry has no interest in me on the vice presidential ticket.
So those are two big roadblocks. I think somebody's just having a little game with the name-throwing around these days. But I'm vitally involved in public policy now. I'm enjoying what I'm doing in the private sector. And I have no interest or plans to go back into politics.
HEMMER: Just to be clear, have you talked to him about it? Have you been interviewed?
NUNN: No, no, I have not. I have not. No, I have not.
I've talked to -- I've talked to Senator Kerry. I have certainly discussed issues with him. Our organization, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, is available to discuss issues with any candidate, Republican or Democrat, because we're trying to put the focus on what we think are the greatest security challenges to our country and the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Sam Nunn earlier today. Left the Senate back in 1996, eight years ago -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Fourteen minutes past the hour now. Time to take a look at some of today's other news with Daryn Kagan.
Hey, Daryn. Good morning again.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning once again, Soledad.
Let's begin with South Korea's government. It is urging its civilians to leave Iraq while the fate of a South Korean hostage remains unclear. A deadline passed yesterday in which his captors said the man would be killed if South Korea did not cancel its deployment of troops to Iraq. There are some reports saying the hostage is still alive and that talks have been extended.
They're taking a look at the damage in Texas after severe storms overnight. Hail the size of baseball is pounding homes and cars in parts of the Panhandle yesterday. Winds, some measuring 70 miles per hour, knocking down power lines. There are also reports of flash flooding and of tornadoes touching down.
Martha Stewart says she really misses her old job. Stewart is telling shareholders yesterday that despite a guilty verdict, she still is involved in Martha Stewart Living. Stewart resigned as chief creative officer and board member of her namesake company last March after being convicted for lying about a stock sale. She's scheduled to be sentenced next month.
And a major milestone for space flight in California's Mojave Desert. SpaceShipOne, the first privately-built craft, landed safely yesterday after a 90-minute flight into sub-orbit. The craft designer said that a problem caused it to miss reentry by about 22 miles. The prediction here by the creators of this, Soledad, about 15 to 20 years, you'll be able to buy a ride into space for about $10,000.
O'BRIEN: Would you go then?
KAGAN: If you've got the cash, got the time?
O'BRIEN: Would you go?
KAGAN: If I had good frequent flier miles, then I would take it.
O'BRIEN: Never. You know what? Not a chance for me.
KAGAN: No?
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Daryn.
KAGAN: All right.
O'BRIEN: Let's turn to Jack now and the "Question of the Day."
Hello.
CAFFERTY: Hi, Soledad.
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia, complicated dance partners, to say the least. Islamic militants who beheaded American Paul Johnson said that the members of the Saudi security forces provided them with police uniforms and vehicles. The Saudi government denied that.
Then there's the Bush family's long-alleged financial ties to the Saudi royal family, radical Islamic schools throughout the country that teach children to hate the West. And, of course, September 11, where 15 of the 19 hijackers who murdered almost 3,000 people were from Saudi Arabia.
The question this morning is, what's the truth about Saudi Arabia? We're getting some terrific stuff.
Ian writes from Providence, Rhode Island, "What Pakistan and Saudi Arabia don't want you to know is that both their intelligence services directly supported by the Taliban and al Qaeda right up until September 11. But who are we to criticize? Our CIA spent $3 billion training Islamic extremists to kill Soviets in Afghanistan. Yeah, those would be the same extremists who went on to slam airplanes into our national landmarks."
Christopher writes, "The truth is that Saudi Arabia is run by a greedy and irresponsible royal family that prefers to squander the country's assets on palaces and sports cars instead of providing an educational system for Saudi citizens. But at least we can talk about what the truth is about Saudi Arabia. Substitute Israel for Saudi Arabia and that question is off limits."
And Dave in my home state of Nevada writes this: "Saudi Arabia's composed of an undereducated religious majority that's easily controlled by church leaders, with a much smaller middle air of educated persons who think through the issues in a careful manner. They're all controlled by a tiny minority of oil rich leaders who inherited their positions from their fathers. Or, wait, is that the United States? I get so confused sometimes."
David, we're all confused.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: You're welcome.
HEMMER: A check of the weather now. Chad Myers at the CNN Center.
Good morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: All right, Chad. Thanks.
Still to come this morning, bootleggers beware. There's a bounty on your head. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning just ahead.
HEMMER: Also in a moment here, keep your cool while you're young, and you could lower your blood pressure when you're older. We'll have a look at that.
O'BRIEN: Also, why did a friend of Laci Peterson invite Amber Frey -- Amber Frey, rather, to spend the night? We'll explain that ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: In the double murder trial of Scott Peterson, prosecutors called several of Laci Peterson's friends to the stand yesterday. And the judge made a decision about a juror, juror number five. Rusty Dornin has more now in Redwood City.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Juror number five stays. The judge says there was no misconduct on the part of that juror or Laci Peterson's brother, Brent Rocha. The two bumped into one another last Thursday and had a brief exchange in front of cameras after passing through courtroom security. But Judge Alfred Delucchi did caution jurors not to talk to anyone, warning their actions could be misconstrued.
Three of Laci Peterson's closest friends took the stand. Stacey Boyers wiped tears from her eyes several times. She told the court the day after the disappearance she came to the Peterson house and saw Scott vacuuming. When she asked him what he was doing, he replied, "I just cast keep this house clean enough." All three friends described how Peterson would not allow any photos of himself in the volunteer center.
Lori Ellsworth, another friend of Laci, when asked by the defense, admitted that she invited Amber Frey, Scott Peterson's former girlfriend, to spend the night with her after Frey told the world about her affair.
AMBER FREY, SCOTT PETERSON'S FMR. GIRLFRIEND: First of all...
DORNIN: But it was the testimony by Peterson's former yoga teacher that riled the defense.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of what she testified to, it was the first time that the defense had heard any of that testimony. That's why you saw Geragos come out of his chair a couple of times.
DORNIN: Debra Wolski told the court Laci Peterson said she was so tired she could barely walk on December 20. Fireworks are expected when one of the lead detectives testifies today.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Redwood City, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: As Rusty points out there today, a police detective and more of Laci Peterson's friends take the stand in that case -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, a cool head and a calm heart. A new study says that young adults who handle stress well are less likely to develop high blood pressure as they age. Elizabeth Cohen in for Dr. Sanjay Gupta this morning. She's joining us from the CNN Center with more on how cooler heads seem to prevail.
Hey, Elizabeth. Good morning again.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Soledad, it's a fascinating experiment. What scientists did is they took 4,000 people ages 18 to 30 and they put them in stressful situations. For example, they had them submerge their hands into freezing cold water, they had them play a very difficult video game. And they saw what happened to their blood pressure.
And for those among the group where their blood pressure spiked, those were the ones who are more likely years later, in fact 20 years later, to suffer from chronic high blood pressure. So, again, when there was high blood pressure in their 20s as a spike, it meant chronic high blood pressure. And the greater the spike, the earlier the onset of hypertension.
Now, it's interesting. Sometimes doctors discount blood pressure readings that are taken in stressful situations. They'll call it white code hypertension and say you were just kind of nervous around a doctor, and that's why it spiked and we'll sort of ignore it and take it some other time when you're calmer. But, in fact, what this study says is that it's important to listen to those spikes -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, Elizabeth, if they are analyzing those spikes then, does it make sense to think that they will be able to do that one day and determine which people run an overall higher risk for high blood pressure?
COHEN: Right. Right now, there's no good systematic way to measure someone's blood pressure in a -- in a stressful situation. You can't go to your doctor and say, hey, doc, can you put my hand in freezing cold water and see how I do? That's not the way most internists work.
However, the bottom-line message here is that even if you're just in your 20s, or even if you're just a teenager, and you notice that you just get extremely anxious and stressed out in stressful situations, you want to think about how to handle that stress differently so that you don't get hypertension later on in life. Now, there are many other ways, of course, of lowering your risk of getting hypertension as you age. Let's take a look at some of these.
For example, maintaining a healthy weight, that is very, very important in keeping your blood pressure down. Exercise, avoiding too much sodium is also important, limiting your alcohol intake.
Stop smoking. That's probably number one as to how to get your blood pressure down. And, of course, as we've talked about, reducing stress. Very important for keeping your blood pressure low -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right. Elizabeth, thanks.
COHEN: Thanks.
O'BRIEN: Bill?
HEMMER: In a moment here, we now -- may now have a better idea of when the Kobe Bryant trial will start. We'll get to that in a moment here.
Also in a moment, a call for the vice president to step aside from another Republican. That's ahead in "Political Pop."
We continue in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Get the latest news every morning in your e-mail. Sign up for AMERICAN MORNING quick news at cnn.com/am.
Still to come this morning, breaking developments regarding the Pentagon's rules of interrogation.
Stay with us. You're watching AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Live from Wall Street, stocks about to open up for the day of trading on this Tuesday morning. Down yesterday, off 45 points for the blue chips; 10,371 is the opening mark there. Nasdaq market site 1,974, off about 12 points in trading from yesterday.
Welcome back, everybody. And good morning.
O'BRIEN: And it is just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
The Pentagon and the White House releasing documents in which aggressive interrogation techniques were authorized for Guantanamo Bay. They included reportedly making prisoners feel like they were about to drown, which some people say is akin to torture.
We've got two reports on that, because, of course, some of this is very confusing, which ones were approved. There were some that were just subjected. Some others that were actually finally approved. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's been kind of in the middle of all of this. We'll see exactly what they're saying this morning.
HEMMER: Some clarification coming.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Also, the judge in the Kobe Bryant case making some critical decisions today on how the two sides will be allowed to try the case, what sort of jury instructions will be given, technical stuff. Very critical, ultimately, in the end. The second day of the preliminary hearing in Eagle, Colorado. We'll find out what's at stake there in a moment. Stay tuned.
O'BRIEN: All right. But first, let's get right to the Pentagon. The Pentagon expected to release documents today about the rules of interrogation signed by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Now we're hearing the White House is going to do the same thing. Two reports for you this morning. Dana Bash is at the White House, Kathleen Koch is at the Pentagon for us. Let's start with Dana at the White House.
Dana, good morning.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
And you mentioned that the Pentagon is planning to release some documents today. And CNN has learned that that will likely happen at the White House as well. You mentioned that there is a lot of confusion about what was perhaps proposed and what was actually approved. And that is something that the White House hopes to clear up today.
Officials here tell CNN that they will release some documents showing some things that were actually proposed in terms of interrogation techniques for terror suspects after September 11. But also some documents showing, they hope, proving what President Bush actually approved.
Now, a couple of weeks ago, when the Justice Department and Defense Department, memos from those agencies came out suggesting that perhaps the limits could be pushed on interrogation, the national security adviser and other senior officials here at the White House said that those were merely musings or opinion pieces, and they were not seen by the president or certainly not approved by the president.
Now, we don't know how many documents we'll get today or exactly what they will show. But we do know -- or understand that the goal at the White House is to use some of these documents to try to put an end to the questions about what exactly the U.S. policy is on interrogating terror suspects -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Well, it's been a little unclear and needs some clarification.
BASH: Very much so.
O'BRIEN: Dana Bash for us at the White House.
Let's turn right to Kathleen Koch, who, as we mentioned, is at the Pentagon for us this morning.
Kathleen, good morning. You've had a chance to take a look at one of these memos, right?
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I did. And basically, what the Pentagon is trying to prove was that it never did -- at least the defense secretary never authorized the use of any torture against any prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. The memo that I saw delineated four more aggressive techniques that were being considered. But only the last technique was ever approved by the secretary. The first one was use of a scenario to convince the detainee that he or his family was in imminent threat of death or severe pain, exposure to cold weather or water, use of a wet towel or dripping water to induce a perception of suffocation. Now, none of those were approved by the secretary.
Now, what the memo did show that I saw was that only the last one, the use of mild, non-injurious physical contact, like grabbing someone's arm punch -- touching them in the chest, poking them in the chest, or lightly shoving them was ever approved. But that's just one of several memos that will come out today.
O'BRIEN: All right. We're looking forward, of course, to seeing all of those memos, getting some more clarifying on all this. Kathleen Koch for us this morning at the Pentagon. Kathleen, thanks.
Still to come this morning, "Political Pop." Here's the question: who's got the best vacation spot? Is it President Bush or is it Senator Kerry?
HEMMER: We'll get to that.
Also in a moment here, a health warning for kids who drink milk. Amazingly enough, it involves rocket fuel.
Back in a moment after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: To "Political Pop". Playing the field for us today in left, political strategist Serena Torrey. In center, Mark Healy of "GQ" magazine. And in right, syndicated radio talk show host Ben Ferguson.
Good morning to all three of you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning.
HEMMER: Ready to go here?
SERENA TORREY, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Ben, you start us. You're the oldest on this panel, by the way.
BEN FERGUSON, SYNDICATED RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: That's right. I know.
HEMMER: How old are you, by the way?
FERGUSON: Twenty-two. I'm a youngun. What can I say?
HEMMER: Happy birthday.
FERGUSON: Thank you. HEMMER: The editor of the Des Moines Register, a longtime supporter of Dick Cheney, says he now thinks the vice president should resign. What do you make of this letter?
FERGUSON: I mean, he can't be a supporter, first of all. He talks about in the letter his health being a possibility of something that may hurt him down the road. I mean, the man, if you put him through a physical, the war in Iraq, and being there for everything else that's gone on, I think he's passed with flying colors.
But even worse that that, in the letter he says that a McCain ticket would be good. And if you have someone like John McCain who said, I would even run with John Kerry, how can you say you're a supporter of the Republican Party when he's putting a man out there that wants to be a Democrat?
HEMMER: What do you think, Serena?
TORREY: I agree with Ben. I think this is a crazy idea. One of the reasons he gives for why we need a new vice president is that the Bush administration needs a president-in-training. Now, most people think that's what we got and that's why we need Dick Cheney.
HEMMER: I'm wondering...
FERGUSON: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ring a bell to anybody?
HEMMER: ... does it sound like a 30-year supporter to you? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has got to step aside?
FERGUSON: No, I mean, he's apologetic to his best. I mean, they taught us this in junior high practically, and he thinks it's going to fly. Plus, if you're a friend with somebody, are you really going to make a letter and publish it?
HEMMER: No. Let's go to our second topic, Mark, and bring you in on this one. John Kerry was vacationing with his wife, Teresa, at their home in Nantucket to the tune of $9 million, that home is. Is this going to be a problem for him in middle America come the election?
MARK HEALY, "GQ" MAGAZINE: I don't think so, because the election is a long way off, and this is the kind of thing that political strategists like to micro-manage. But the fact is, either of these men who are running for governor -- or running for president, where do we expect them to be, Great Adventure, riding roller coasters? Or the Mall of America? I mean...
HEMMER: That might work.
HEALY: ... there is nothing common about the way they live their lives.
HEMMER: He went sailing on his $150,000 yacht. I want to be this guy's friend.
HEALY: And Bush was in his -- on his 1,600 acre compound in Texas, which shows a little bit about how...
TORREY: Or in Kennebunkport. I mean...
FERGUSON: Yes. I mean, the thing is news has changed now, and the way people perceive politicians has changed. If he went someplace that was uncommon, then we'd all be talking about how he's trying to be more of an American.
HEALY: Exactly.
FERGUSON: You know, 20 years ago, when it wasn't...
HEMMER: Do you think Nantucket is that common, though, Ben?
FERGUSON: Well, no. But, I mean, if he changes who he is as a person, it's going to bite him in the rear end.
TORREY: I agree. I agree...
(CROSSTALK)
FERGUSON: Because we're all going to say he's faking it and he's not who he really is.
HEMMER: Wasn't it back in 1996 when Dick Morris went out and surveyed a bunch of people and found out where Bill Clinton should vacation, and they sent him off to the Tetons in Wyoming?
TORREY: I'd much rather we have...
FERGUSON: Yes, but it bit him in the rear end, though, because everybody talked about it. Everybody knew that's not what he normally does.
TORREY: Exactly. This is who Kerry is. He's not apologetic for it. And remember, President Bush in his -- in the first year he was in office, was on vacation 42 percent of the time. I'm much more concerned with how often the president is on vacation.
(CROSSTALK)
FERGUSON: Yes, but hold on here. Is the president -- I've got to ask this question. Is the president really ever on vacation? No, he is not.
HEALY: Well, apparently, he has been, yes.
FERGUSON: Wherever you go, I mean, you're flying. We get to take naps. The man doesn't even get to take a nap because the phone is ringing, people are advising him.
HEMMER: We'll leave it there. Thanks to all three of you. Good to see you.
Here's Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Thanks, Bill.
Still to come this morning, the movie biz is going after bootleggers and big time. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business." He's going to explain just ahead as we continue right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Want to get back to Colorado quickly in the Kobe Bryant matter. The NBA star returns to court today for the conclusion of his latest pretrial hearing. The prosecution and defense say they are prepared to begin the sexual assault trial in late August. Some important issues, though, still must be resolved.
Alex Stone, reporter for radio station KOA in Denver, covering that case, back with us.
Alex, good morning to you.
ALEX STONE, REPORTER, KOA: Hi, Bill. Good morning.
HEMMER: Let's get right away to this issue about the jury questionnaire. The defense wants to put in a number of questions about interracial relationships and dating. Is race now going to become an issue in this case, Alex?
STONE: Bill, it looks like it possibly could. Both sides have been putting in their own input on what they think should be on this questionnaire. Eventually, it will be up to the judge exactly what is on it.
Yesterday, even though most of the questions are still a secret, we got a -- a taste of what the questionnaire will probably look like. It will be 115 questions long, and at least two of the questions the prosecution objects to because they have to do with interracial relationships and dating.
One of the prosecutors got up and she said, "Judge, this case isn't about an interracial relationship. There was no relationship. They were not dating." They want those two questions pulled off.
HEMMER: What about the issue about evidence gathering? The defense contends that a number of items inside that hotel room were never taken by police. Things like, what, the towels, the carpet samples, the chair? How critical could that be?
STONE: Yes, they're starting to bring in the crime scene analysis. And we know that they'll be bringing in crime scene experts, or at least they hope to, to talk about -- they're going to try to highlight that there were problems at the crime scene, that they didn't take all the evidence they needed. And granted, the crime scene in this case may not have played a big role.
We know that there was sex involved in this case. Maybe that's all it would have shown. But they did not take any -- try, at least, to collect any blood from maybe the carpet below where they were. They didn't take any sheets. And they focused on that yesterday.
What the reporters in the courtroom noticed was that supposedly, allegedly, this never happened in a bed. We don't understand why the focus was on sheets yesterday, but the focus is coming down to the crime scene now.
HEMMER: What about the sexual history of the accuser? When is that decided?
STONE: The sexual history of -- well, that's going to be talked about today. Finally, it should be wrapped up today. And Bill, I feel like we've been talking about it forever in this case, since probably January, February maybe.
They've been having hearings on the rape shield issue in Colorado. Will the accuser's sexual history be allowed into trial? Final testimony today, final arguments today, and then the judge probably won't rule today. But at least he'll be done with the issue so then he can rule on it.
HEMMER: Help me and our viewers to understand the argument over consent. What is the defense position? What is the prosecution fighting for?
STONE: Well, it really comes down to just the wording of it, of what is consent and how will it be presented to the jury. What will be the jury orders, what will be the orders given to the jury when this case is over and the judge tells them to go in and deliberate?
How will it be worded? How will they be told? What has to be proven? Who has the burden of proof? And what is consent?
Both sides really have a -- a differing opinion on what needs to be proven. If consent needs to be proven as a defense, and what is consent, is it saying yes or no, is it body language, is it -- what is involved in it? That's what they're fighting over there.
HEMMER: And we mentioned the August trial date. That looks firm at this point, as far as we can tell anyway?
STONE: It looks like everybody's agreeing on late August.
HEMMER: OK.
STONE: The last week in August is what they said yesterday. We don't know, though, if they'll be able to do that in time.
HEMMER: Thanks, Alex. Alex Stone, KOA Radio there in Eagle. Appreciate it.
Soledad?
O'BRIEN: Forty-six minutes past the hour now. Time for a look at some of the other stories making headlines with Daryn Kagan this morning.
Good morning.
KAGAN: Soledad, good morning once again.
The State Department is issuing a revised report on terrorism. A senior official says the State Department will announce a sharp increase in the number of terror victims worldwide last year. This contradicts an earlier report issued last April which said that terrorism across the globe was on the decline. But officials soon acknowledge that data was wrong.
South Korea's government urging its civilians to leave Iraq while the fate of a South Korean hostage remains unclear. A deadline passed yesterday in which his captors said the man would be killed if South Korea did not cancel its deployment of troops to Iraq. There are some reports saying the hostage is still alive and that talks have been extended.
In Illinois, Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan says he will not drop out of the race, despite claims from his ex-wife that Ryan tried to pressure her to engage in sexual acts in clubs while others watched. The allegations appear in divorce documents filed in the year 2000. Ryan denied the charges at a news conference yesterday.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is clearing his schedule. Senator Kerry has canceled a campaign stop in New Mexico today so that he can take part in a vote on Capitol Hill. The Senate is deciding today on a measure that would require health care funding for war veterans, a key voting group come November.
And speaking of health, there is a health warning about milk. A new study shows that some California cows may have been exposed to a toxic chemical used in rocket fuel. An environmental group says that pregnant women and children who drink that milk might be at risk. The chemical has been linked to thyroid damage.
California's dairy industry says the state's milk is safe. We should also point out that none of the milk that we've been showing you has been linked to that study.
Soledad, on that note on milk, back to you.
O'BRIEN: All right. Daryn, thanks. Hey, before we let you go, we've got 13 minutes before you're taking over for us. What do you have ahead this morning?
KAGAN: We have, of course, all the hard news of the day. And then a very cool segment. Rock memorabilia collector Marc Zakarin will be along with some stuff going up for auction. Stuff by Elvis, stuff for the Beatles, and the cool part of him, he gives you estimates on what you might have at home. I think Bill needs to bring in the guitar pick he has from Bruce Springsteen framed on his wall.
HEMMER: It's hanging up in my office, as a matter of fact.
KAGAN: Yes. Find out what it's worth.
HEMMER: What do you think that's worth, Daryn?
KAGAN: Well, it's to you, of course, it's priceless, as the commercial says.
HEMMER: That's exactly right.
KAGAN: But we'll have to see. Dollar estimate coming up next hour.
HEMMER: A buck and a half.
O'BRIEN: Five bucks.
KAGAN: OK.
HEMMER: Thank you, Daryn.
O'BRIEN: That's what I say. Daryn, thanks.
KAGAN: Sure.
O'BRIEN: Hollywood is putting a bounty on bootleggers. With that, plus a check of the markets this morning, Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business."
Hello.
HEMMER: Good morning.
SERWER: Hello again.
Let's talk about the stock market, first of all. Remember that Norwegian oil worker strike?
O'BRIEN: Mm hmm.
SERWER: It's getting worse.
O'BRIEN: Really?
SERWER: Seriously. More strikers -- not that big a deal. Cutting output in Norway.
Let's go to the Big Board and check out the market here. Down 10 on the Dow industrials. One stock bucking the trend big-time this morning is Palm, digital organizer. That stock is up over 30 percent this morning to $29.
Sales of their new Treo 600 moving nicely. That combines the phone and the digital organizer.
Big story this morning, a Wal-Mart, a federal judge is certifying a class action sex discrimination suit. You probably heard about that before. But it's now been certified as a class action. It covers 1.6 million current and former female employees. It could be the largest civil rights class action suit in history. Big deal there. We'll be covering that over the next coming days, I'm sure.
O'BRIEN: What does that mean to certify it? I mean, is that just...
SERWER: Well, they tried to make it a class action suit by suggesting it would cover all these women. And the judge said, yes, you can go ahead and bring this to trial.
Let's talk about the movie story. Kind of interesting stuff here.
O'BRIEN: The bootleggers.
SERWER: Bootleggers, that's right. Movie piracy a huge problem obviously for Hollywood.
The Motion Picture Association of America says it loses billions of dollars a year. It seized 52 million DVD and VHS tapes last year.
So how are they fighting it? They're now offering a $500 bounty to movie theater employees if they catch someone in the theater with a camcorder. Now, believe it or not, a lot of movies are actually pirated that way, not made copies off of DVDs. But someone in the theater actually shoots it. And an employee sees you doing that, he's going to bring you in, and he's going to collect $500.
O'BRIEN: Wow.
SERWER: That could work, right?
O'BRIEN: It could. Although, considering how much it costs the industry, you would think it should be more like $1,000.
SERWER: A thousand bucks. All right.
O'BRIEN: Maybe I'm being greedy.
SERWER: Well, maybe you can get them to up it.
O'BRIEN: I doubt that.
SERWER: I know.
O'BRIEN: All right, Andy. Thanks.
SERWER: All right. See you later.
O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the shaky partnership between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. A look at that's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Jack's got the "Question of the Day."
CAFFERTY: Thanks, Soledad.
What's the truth about Saudi Arabia is the thing we're monkeying around with here. A lot of paradoxes about this country's dependence on their oil, political relationships, terrorism, all that stuff. A couple of notes here. A little longer than usual, but interesting. I think you'll agree.
Carolann in Niagara Falls, Ontario, writes, "America's had a long-standing relationship with Saudi Arabia. To suggest that the entire country has turned against the United States is an overreaction to terrorist propaganda. Think about it. Osama bin Laden with total control over Mecca? It is in his interest to drive a wedge between the United States and Saudi governments."
And this from Tom out there in South Bend, Indiana: "European and Asian economies depend more than the United States on Gulf oil. Combined world economies will not allow themselves to be strangled. But it wouldn't take a D-Day scale operation to secure and protect Arabian oil facilities. Saudis have their work cut out. If they fail to choose secure coexistence and market oil prices, they will have isolation, massive foreign military presence, and the world's defined fair price for oil."
So things for -- food for thought.
HEMMER: Did we solve it in three hours?
CAFFERTY: Probably. I'll have to get back to you on that.
HEMMER: Thank you.
CAFFERTY: And it will be a few days, because I'm out of here in five minutes. But I'll be thinking hard and long about this issue while I'm away.
HEMMER: I know you will.
O'BRIEN: We'll call you every morning, too, to talk about it.
CAFFERTY: I'll be out there in Beaver Creek. I will discuss it with beavers in the creek. What do you think about that Saudi situation?
HEMMER: Call us on your cell phone. Oh, you don't have a cell phone.
CAFFERTY: Ah, gee, I would, but I don't have one.
HEMMER: A final check of the weather. Here's Chad Myers at the CNN Center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: All right, Chad. Thanks a lot. Coming up this morning on CNN, with all the hype, you might think that a new "Harry Potter" book or something is on the way. No, it's just a former president's memoir. A live look at the Clinton craze is up ahead in the next hour with Daryn Kagan on "CNN LIVE TODAY."
AMERICAN MORNING is back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: What are we going to do? What are we going to do?
O'BRIEN: A couple of days.
HEMMER: It's going to be five days.
O'BRIEN: I love you, man.
SERWER: Oh, wow.
CAFFERTY: Wow. I'm overwhelmed.
SERWER: Is he not coming back?
CAFFERTY: I told you, you make it "180-Second Pop" and...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: And rerun it a lot.
HEMMER: We'll get you a copy of the tape.
We've got to run. You have a great vacation, OK?
CAFFERTY: Thank you, sir.
HEMMER: All right.
Here's Daryn Kagan at the CNN Center.
Good morning, Daryn.
O'BRIEN: Hey, Daryn.
HEMMER: What are we going to do?
KAGAN: Does Colorado know?
(LAUGHTER)
SERWER: Alert the authorities.
KAGAN: A Jack alert, Jack alert.
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Daryn.
HEMMER: Call the mayor. KAGAN: You guys -- have a great vacation, Jack.
HEMMER: See you, Daryn.
KAGAN: You guys have a great day in New York City, and we'll get started down here in Atlanta.
