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American Morning

Boston Mayor Ready for Convention; Connection Investigated Between Iran, Al Qaeda; Colorado Court: Reporters Cannot Not Release Goof-Up; Astronaut Recalls Moon Landing on 35th Anniversary

Aired July 20, 2004 - 08:00   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CO-HOST: Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. As you probably heard by now, Soledad is resting, much- needed rest in the last few weeks of her pregnancy.
BILL HEMMER, CO-HOST: Good morning. I'm Bill Hemmer.

Boston putting the finishing touches on final preparations for the convention for the Democrats. It starts on Monday. We'll talk to the mayor, Thomas Menino, about ready or not the city is ready, among other items in a moment here.

COLLINS: Also, President Bush says the administration is looking into possible ties between Iran and some 9/11 hijackers. What might the White House do about it? We'll look into that.

HEMMER: Also, do you find multitasking a bit difficult? There's a reason for that. Biologically speaking, it may be next to impossible. Sanjay explains. We'll gets to that later this hour.

COLLINS: And plus you're a guy. You can't multitask. You're a guy.

HEMMER: I won't ask for directions.

COLLINS: Jack Cafferty now.

JACK CAFFERTY, CO-HOST: What's -- what's multitasking?

COLLINS: It's doing a lot of stuff at once.

HEMMER: You know, Jack, when you're on your blackberry and on your cell phone and you're dialing people up on your laptop at home?

CAFFERTY: Oh, yes. Yes, yes. I've heard about that.

Coming up on the "Cafferty File," we will tell you how Donald Trump earned the nickname "the apprentice" on the golf course. He was in one of these celebrity tournaments and hacked it around like a real mutt. With his ego, that's got to be hard to take.

And I'll tell you how Martha Stewart helped one man win a contest for bad writing.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jack. We'll get to it.

CAFFERTY: Multitasking in the "Cafferty File."

HEMMER: That's what we're doing right now. Yes. Jack, thanks.

Some New York police here think a federal judge has left the door open to terrorists. The judge ruled that police cannot complete blanket searches of the bags and backpacks of the protesters scheduled for next month's Republican convention.

Meanwhile in Boston, the renewed threat of a terror attack there aimed at disrupting the political process has authorities extra vigilant, where some 35,000 people will converge on Monday for the four-day Democratic National Convention.

The mayor, Thomas Menino, our guest now from Boston.

Sir, good morning to you.

THOMAS MENINO, MAYOR, BOSTON: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: Thank you for your time. Are you ready for this?

MENINO: I think we're ready. We've been planning this for 18 months and, you know, we have a well-coordinated task force on security. The Secret Service, the state police, the Boston police, all of them working together. And I think we're ready for this convention.

HEMMER: Mr. Mayor, when you hear the word out of Washington saying that the terrorist activity or the chatter is as high as it's been since the summer of 2001, does that give you added concern?

MENINO: Well, it always gives us concern, and I think, you know, our lives changed since 9/11. And we have to be more aware of the security issues and more vigilant and put a lot of plans in place for this convention.

And one of the unique things about our convention, is that we're so close to interstate highway, I-93, which is two feet away from the FleetCenter. We have to be more vigilant than anybody else has to be.

And so we're working hard. In the harbor, we've got the Coast Guard working with the Boston police and the bi-metro police (ph), the state police.

And it's all -- you know, I think -- Tom Ridge was here last week. And Tom Ridge said, "You know, Mayor, I can't believe the coordination between the agency actions" that have gone on in our city.

HEMMER: Is there anything you've asked for that you haven't gotten, Mr. Mayor?

MENINO: No. I think, you know, Tom Ridge has been on the forefront of homeland security for us, and he's been working hard with us. And I want to say that he's been very cooperative, his department. And you know, it's very unique; he has 23 departments under him. It's difficult as blazes to get all those federal agencies to work, but Tom Ridge has.

HEMMER: And meanwhile, in your town here, Boston police, there's a contract dispute under way in your city. You'll well familiar with it. Who may actually picket at the convention.

Is that going to be an issue for you when it comes to security and also drawing in enough police in your city to keep people safe?

MENINO: Well, the general labor management between yesterday audit them, to expedite arbitration, and they said there will be a decision by 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, on the arbitration case.

And so that will be settled, and they'll have a contract in place. And you know, the Boston police do their job, and the rank and file are out there all the time. They'll be working 12 hours on.

This arbitration case and this contract dispute is really about public safety. That's why we went to the joint labor management committee and said this is a public safety issue. We want some relief. And I think the board acted accordingly yesterday.

HEMMER: Help me understand completely, then. Are you saying there will be no issues starting on Monday?

MENINO: There will always be issues that move forward in a convention. But I think -- I believe the Boston Patrolmen Association issue should be completed by Thursday afternoon.

HEMMER: We will track that.

On another note here, it was about -- about four weeks ago when you were quoted as saying, referring to the Kerry campaign in Boston, small-minded and incompetent. Is there bad blood between you, a Democratic mayor, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry?

MENINO: Oh, no. Not between John Kerry and I. John Kerry worked and I have worked on so many issues in the past.

HEMMER: What about his staff, then, Mr. Mayor?

MENINO: Well, his staff, I think they made a bad choice, but that's yesterday, about not coming to the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

We have a bigger issue here. We have to take back American for the people of our cities. And that's my -- that's my focus over the next several months.

HEMMER: Small-minded and incompetent. Do you take those words back or do you stand by them?

MENINO: I take those words back. We all -- in the heat of battle, we always say something that we sometimes regret we said. But you know, I think that they did make a bad mistake. But you know, that's yesterday.

The issue is about, as mayors of America, we understand the cutbacks in funding for our cities, from -- from the health care to education. Everybody talks about education, but where's the funding? And we talk about housing, well, where's the funding? You know, the COPS program helped alleviate the violence on the streets, but where's the funding?

Now there's no funding out there to help urban America, and that's what I'm interested in. I'm a special interest. My special interest is the people who live in cities throughout America.

HEMMER: We'll leave it there. Mayor Thomas Menino, we'll see you in Boston starting on Monday. Thanks for your time today.

MENINO: Thank you very much.

HEMMER: Our coverage all week next week from Boston will be at the FleetCenter starting Monday morning, 7 a.m. Eastern Time here on AMERICAN MORNING. Be there for you throughout the week in the northeast -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Samuel Berger, national security adviser to former President Clinton, is being investigated over whether he improperly removed classify documents before the 9/11 commission hearings.

The federal probe into Berger was launched in October regarding documents Berger reviewed while preparing for testimony before the commission. Berger says he inadvertently removed the documents and that it was unintentional. He says he returned all of the documents in question except for a few he says he accidentally discarded.

HEMMER: About six minutes past the hour. The 9/11 commission delivers its report on Thursday of this week. But as Suzanne Malveaux reports this morning, the book is not closed on one aspect of the attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eight of the 19 hijackers who attacked the U.S. on September 11 safely passed through Iran. The details of how that unfolded will be released by the 9/11 commission in its final report on Thursday.

Emerging from an Oval Office meeting, President Bush was asked whether there was a link between Iran and the 9/11 attacks.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As to direct connections with September the 11th, you know, we're digging into the facts to determine if there was one.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush's comment follows statements made over the weekend by the CIA's acting director, that while Iran was used as a frequent route for tracking al Qaeda, it did not report the terrorist attacks. SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: There's no evidence that there was any official involvement between Iran and the September 11 attacks.

MALVEAUX: In fact, privately administration officials say there is no new information that has emerged from the 9/11 commission's investigation that would suggest otherwise.

BUSH: I have long expressed my concerns about Iran.

MALVEAUX: From his 2002 State of the Union address, Mr. Bush declared Iraq, along with Iran and North Korea...

BUSH: An axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world.

MALVEAUX: The Bush administration has designated Iran a state sponsor of terror, accused of pursuing nuclear weapons, supporting Hezbollah and harboring al Qaeda.

On Thursday the 9/11 commission is expected to release a critical report of the administration's handling of the terrorist attacks, and it will address any aid offered to the 9/11 hijackers by Iran.

The report will be an opportunity for those who question the invasion of Iraq to make their case.

SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: We focused so much energy on Iraq when other countries may have been more directly linked to 9/11.

MALVEAUX (on camera): The Bush administration argues that each member of the so-called axis of evil should be examined individually, that international pressure to get Iran to abandon its weapons programs is the more appropriate course of action than regime change.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: The third country the president included in the axis of evil, North Korea, which admits having nuclear weapons, the U.S. currently involved in talks aimed at getting North Korea to end its nuclear activities -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Martha Stewart's appearance on "LARRY KING LIVE" cleared up some thing about what the domestic diva plans on doing next. But there are still some things Martha herself is unsure of.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTHA STEWART, FOUNDER, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: I have not made up my mind one way or the other.

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You might serve?

STEWART: Well, again, there's a conundrum. My company needs me. I would like to get back to work. I would like this to be over. This has been a long, drawn-out process, and I would like very much to go back to work.

On the one hand, business, Wall Street, advertising, they would like to see finality. They would like to see an end to all of this.

KING: Obviously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Salli Lagrone is a longtime friend of Martha Stewart, and she joins us now from Nashville to talk about Stewart's interview and her friend's immediate future.

Ms. Lagrone, thanks so much for being with us this morning. We do appreciate it.

I want to ask you about that excerpt we just heard from "LARRY KING LIVE" last night. As a close friend of Martha Stewart, do you see her going to prison first and putting off the appeal?

SALLI LAGRONE, MARTHA STEWART'S FRIEND: I think Martha is going to think through all aspects of this very carefully. I think she will listen to her new lawyers. I think she will talk to friends, and I think it will be a decision that she will make based on, you know, many factors out there.

I've not had a chance to talk to Martha in the last few days, so we haven't talked about it personally. I did hear what she said to Larry King, and I think she does have a conundrum. And I think she's trying to weigh all of the issues.

COLLINS: I know that you did have a chance, though, to speak with her. You had two long visits with her, in fact, in May.

Did you speak with her then about just the possibility that she could go to prison?

LAGRONE: What we spoke about then was more the different options that were out there. And prison was one of those possibilities, but we didn't talk about -- talk about it directly, or really speak about what it would be like.

COLLINS: All right. I know that you were one of the many people that wrote letters of support on Martha Stewart's behalf to Judge Cedarbaum. What did you write in that letter?

LAGRONE: I basically told a little bit about my relationship with Martha, and then told about the fact that people out here, outside of New York City, are all so supportive of Martha still. They still...

COLLINS: Why do you think that is?

LAGRONE: Because I don't think we are caught in the same little microcosm that you all are. We see it from a different perspective. This has not been something that we have every detail every day with us.

And I think people feel very loyal to her. They've gained a lot from her. Her fans have, those supporters, and people really do support her. Constantly people come up to me and say, "When you talk to her, tell her I'm thinking about her. When you talk to her, let her know I'm still there for her."

So people really do honestly feel that.

COLLINS: All right. Quickly, I want to listen to one more excerpt, if we could, from "LARRY KING LIVE" last night...

LAGRONE: OK.

COLLINS: ... and get your reaction on the back side. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: I am sometimes probably forgotten, and I know I have, forgotten to pat the back of someone, or said "thank you," you know, enough times, or even maybe once sometimes.

So I -- you know, I wish I were perfect. I wish I were just, you know, the nicest, nicest, nicest person on earth, but I'm a businessperson in addition to a creator of domestic arts. And it's an odd combination.

No excuse. But if I were a man, you know, no one would say I was arrogant.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: As you know, Martha has been criticized by some members of the media for being arrogant and mean. Do you think those characterizations are fair?

LAGRONE: I really don't, because that's not the Martha that I know. The Martha that I know has always been very loyal to people. She does say thank you. But she also at times has her mind on other things. I think we all are in that position.

I would not say that she's an arrogant or a mean person.

ZAHN: All right. I also want to ask you that, you know, obviously, she spoke right after the sentencing. She spoke on "LARRY KING LIVE" but never really admitted to any wrongdoing or a lapse of judgment.

Does Martha Stewart see herself as a bit of a victim here?

LAGRONE: I wouldn't say that she sees herself as bit of a victim, but I do think that this has been a very difficult process. It's been -- it's been really awful for the last couple of years.

And at this point, there's an appeals process that's in motion. So that would have been very inappropriate.

COLLINS: All right. Sally Lagrone, friend of Martha Stewart. We appreciate your time this morning. Thanks.

LAGRONE: You're welcome.

COLLINS: Bill.

HEMMER: Heidi, about 13 minutes past the hour now. To the Kobe Bryant matter in Colorado.

The woman accusing Kobe Bryant of sexual assault apparently has thought about dropping the case at least on two occasions. Our senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, looking at this, back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Two times tried to drop it. Is that a fact?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, she -- Her lawyers have said she has thought about trying to withdraw as a witness a couple of times as the possibility of her past and issues about her personal history are being disclosed.

It is worth remembering, though, she doesn't have the right to drop the case. The case is brought by the state of Colorado. She's a witness. Obviously, she's the victim in the case. They want to be solicitous of our views, but this is not her case to drop or not to drop.

HEMMER: Is there a suggestion as to what, perhaps, changed her mind or is this, in a legal sense, a decision she has no authority to make?

TOOBIN: In a legal sense, she really has no authority to make this, but in a practical sense...

HEMMER: Sounds kind of strange, doesn't it?

TOOBIN: Well, it's not. I mean, you can see why she's so worried, because her name has already been dragged through the mud. It's been disclosed publicly in many forums.

And you know, she now faces the possibility of having a great deal about her past disclosed. And Hal Hadden, one of Kobe's lawyers, has said, "Look, she's essentially trying to extort the judge to keep this stuff secret in order to keep the case alive." It's an interesting argument in itself.

HEMMER: At first glance, though, you think if she's the accuser and she wants to ends the case, then she can go ahead and do that. But apparently...

TOOBIN: If she was a minor, she could. But she's not a minor, so she can't.

HEMMER: Next matter here. Apparently, the -- the word that went out over this e-mail, over the Internet to a number of media outlets based on these closed door hearings that were conducted...

TOOBIN: Right.

HEMMER: ... you cannot print these, apparently, or publish them? The judge has made its ruling?

TOOBIN: Very surprising decision from the Colorado Supreme Court yesterday. Four to three the justice of the court ruled that a prior restraint on the media -- remember what happened was, the court mistakenly disclosed some of the contents of these closed door hearings about the accuser's sexual history to news -- to the news media.

The judge in the case said, if you publish this, you are going to have criminal or civil penalties. The Colorado Supreme Court upheld this prior restraint. That's very unusual in American law.

If the press has something legally, and if it's not something that leads to immediate harm, like the movement of troop ships, the courts usually don't allow prior restraints. Here they did. Possibly an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court coming up.

HEMMER: But they would take it that high, then, because it's reached the highest point it can in Colorado.

TOOBIN: There's only one more place to appeal it. They're interpreting Colorado law and not federal lawn, so the Supreme Court of the United States might not take it.

But this is a very unusual decision. A lot of reporters, even those who don't care deeply about the Kobe Bryant case, are upset about this because of the principle of upholding a prior restraint.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jeff. Good to talk to you.

TOOBIN: You're welcome.

HEMMER: We're doing it all today.

TOOBIN: Hey, you know.

HEMMER: Where would we be without Toobin?

Here's Heidi again. Thanks, Jeff.

COLLINS: It is about 16 minutes past the hour now. Time for a lock at some of today's other news with Daryn Kagan, beginning with the Scott Peterson trial.

Hi, Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: Which makes me think that maybe Jeffrey Toobin should do this news alert as well!

COLLINS: Maybe.

KAGAN: Jeff -- The JNN! The Jeffrey News Network.

TOOBIN: That's right. Only if we do it together, Daryn.

KAGAN: OK. Well, you take a breather. I'll handle it for you.

We'll go ahead and begin at Redwood City, California. That is where Scott Peterson's lawyers are trying to show that police were sloppy while investigating the double murder case.

Yesterday a detective took the stand for a third day. Under cross-examination, he admitted police -- he admitted that police did not fully follow-up on all their leads and lacked substantial evidence linking Peterson to his pregnant wife's murder. Court resumes just a few hours from now in California.

Gun dealer inspections are apparently lagging. A new Justice Department report says that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives inspects fewer than five percent of federal licensed gun dealers each year.

At this rate, it would take the ATF about 22 years to inspect all federally licensed gun dealers. The bureau says it's committed to improving its inspection process.

Overseas now in the Ukraine. Crews are searching for 11 missing workers after a deadly coal mine explosion. The methane gas blast destroyed part of a mine in the eastern province of the nation. At least 25 workers were killed.

According to reports, rescue operations are being hampered by warm temperatures and the high concentration of gas that is still in that mine.

Back here in the U.S. in South Carolina, a dramatic ending to a hostage standoff. It is caught on tape. Take a look at this.

The video will show you a bulldozer smashing through a wall of a convenience store. Inside, an armed man had taken a female employee hostage. The suspect then struggled with the woman, who finally was able to escape.

She escaped unharmed after 13 hours. There she goes. The suspect was shot during the operation. He is awaiting charges while in the hospital.

And finally, this one just keeps getting stranger. The latest twist in the saga that started with Bobo the tiger. Most of his former owner's house was ruined yesterday after a fire broke out. Officials say the flames were caused by a newly installed air conditioner that caught fire. Firefighters had problems getting at the flames because of some of the electrical fencing around some of the big cats.

That story just keeps on going. Heidi, back to you.

COLLINS: People and cats are all OK? KAGAN: Apparently so, but that is a long, long week for Steve Sipek, the owner. Lost a cat and now lost his home.

COLLINS: All right. Daryn Kagan, thanks so much for that.

Thirty-five years ago today, the world watched as astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on another world. And the first man to walk on the moon uttered these historic words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEIL ARMSTRONG, FIRST MAN ON THE MOON: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Armstrong's Apollo 11 partner, Buzz Aldrin, was next onto the lunar surface. And Buzz Aldrin joins us from Washington to share his memories of that fantastic and historical day.

Thanks for being with us. It's so nice to see you on this 35- year anniversary.

In fact, you were quoted as saying when you stepped foot on the moon, "beautiful, beautiful, magnificent desolation." What were you thinking when you said those lines?

BUZZ ALDRINK, APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUT: Well, I was thinking what a magnificent opportunity and how thankful 40 or 50 were who came along and were given this wonderful opportunity to participate in such a momentous event.

And yet, the magnificence of that achievement was contrasted with the utter desolation of what the very flat surface of the moon where we landed was presented to us. It was magnificent but it was very desolate, and it's not -- it's not a very hospitable place to be.

COLLINS: No. Not too many people hanging around on the moon at that point. That's for sure.

Let me ask you this: did any of the training that you went through, and it was extensive, prepare you for what you saw and what you felt when you actually landed?

ALDRIN: Well, I think the training was enormous in its coverage of all of the contingencies and emergencies that could come up. We spent most of our time training on things that could go wrong and how we could deal with them.

And yet, when things did go wrong in space, it seemed as though they were not things that we had experienced before. So they -- it required that we be very alert and ready to respond.

And that was, I think, foremost in our minds, as we were given the great opportunity to move around and to demonstrate for later missions exactly how a person could move around on the moon and what he could accomplish.

It was very pioneering, first step for mankind.

COLLINS: And speaking of those first steps, a really interesting factor here that I actually have just learned. Those footsteps are still there? There's no wind to blow them away. And here's a shot one of them now. I'm not sure which astronaut actually plunked that foot down there.

But how long will they be there, then?

ALDRIN: Well, unless -- unless a big impact comes along, they could be there hundreds of thousands of years, perhaps a million years.

I was so fascinated with the talcum powder-like consistency of the surface, that I took a picture, and then I put my foot down and took a picture of the boot print, because it -- it was so unusual, the very fine talcum powder-like consistency.

COLLINS: All right. Dr. Aldrin, we certainly appreciate your time on this very special day. My son keeps calling you Buzz Lightyear, but I'll keep correcting him on that, OK? Thanks you so much.

ALDRIN: Always nice to be here with you. Thank you.

COLLINS: A pleasure.

HEMMER: It's 22 minutes now past the hour. A check of the weather, here's Chad Myers, looking at things outside back on Earth.

Good morning, Chad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Thanks for that.

In a moment, the Donald might be huge in real estate and reality TV. There is at least one domain in which he is still an apprentice. Jack explains in the "Cafferty File" in a moment here.

COLLINS: He should have learned (ph) with Todd Hamilton.

Also ahead, a Filipino man is free this morning after being held hostage in Iraq for two weeks, but at what cost? We'll have a live report.

HEMMER: Also, it's Tuesday, time for "Political Pop." Senator McCain says no again and again to President Bush and Senator Kerry. We'll explain in a moment when we continue.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAFFERTY: Welcome back, everyone. To Jack now and the file.

Good morning.

CAFFERTY: Hi, Bill. And what was your name again?

HEMMER: Heidi.

COLLINS: Anything you want.

CAFFERTY: When it comes to golf, call him the apprentice. Donald Trump finished 56th at the American Century celebrity golf championships out at Lake Tahoe.

Trump shot 91. He fancies himself quite a golfer. Remember Wingfoot (ph), all that? Says he didn't expect the competition to be so strong. What does that have to do with the score? He shot 91.

There were 78 other people in the field, including Michael Jordan, Maury Povich and Pete Sampras. I mean, 91 is 91. Doesn't matter who else is in the field. You know what I'm saying?

HEMMER: I'll take a 91 out there. Would you?

CAFFERTY: Yes, but I mean, I -- but he's, I mean, he fancies himself in golf like he does in everything else. Like, you know, better, larger than life. But he's not.

Bad golf to bad writing. A California man won an annual bad writing contest by comparing the end of a love affair to, quote, "Martha Stewart ripping the sand vein out of a shrimp's tail."

Dave Zobel says he wasn't expecting to win. He's jealous of people who got dishonorable mention. He got $250 for his effort.

The competition pays mocking homage to an 1830 novel, "Paul Clifford" that began with that well, known phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night."

And meet the two ugliest kids on the block, Peanut and Pumpkin. This is the first pair of orangutan twins born in captivity in 20 years. The pair were born at the Parrot Jungle Island in Florida in December. They will officially be introduced to the public this weekend.

Their names are just temporary. Their faces, unfortunately, are not. People can suggest permanent names in an online contest.

HEMMER: Peanut and Pumpkin?

CAFFERTY: Those are ugly little things, aren't they?

COLLINS: I like them. All right. At least he knew their names.

Still to come this morning, if you think you're good at multitasking, then you just might be a biological rarity. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will explain that.

Plus, the Philippines strikes a deal with kidnappers and a hostage goes free. What does it mean for the coalition in Iraq? A live report from the Pentagon ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. Beautiful day here in Manhattan; 8:30 in New York. Good morning. Soledad resting this morning in the final weeks of her pregnancy. Heidi Collins is with us here.

COLLINS: Hello.

HEMMER: How are you doing?

COLLINS: Pretty good.

HEMMER: There is this hostage situation in Iraq, really got our attention earlier today, involving a Filipino man. It's now over, we're told. He went free. There is videotape of his release.

Barbara Starr, standing by the Pentagon with their response. Some say this is not the way to go for the coalition. We'll get the Pentagon's reaction in a moment here.

COLLINS: Also, "Political Pop" is coming up this morning. We're looking at what happens when you say the name Michael Moore. For one famous singer, it actually got her fired.

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Aired July 20, 2004 - 08:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CO-HOST: Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. As you probably heard by now, Soledad is resting, much- needed rest in the last few weeks of her pregnancy.
BILL HEMMER, CO-HOST: Good morning. I'm Bill Hemmer.

Boston putting the finishing touches on final preparations for the convention for the Democrats. It starts on Monday. We'll talk to the mayor, Thomas Menino, about ready or not the city is ready, among other items in a moment here.

COLLINS: Also, President Bush says the administration is looking into possible ties between Iran and some 9/11 hijackers. What might the White House do about it? We'll look into that.

HEMMER: Also, do you find multitasking a bit difficult? There's a reason for that. Biologically speaking, it may be next to impossible. Sanjay explains. We'll gets to that later this hour.

COLLINS: And plus you're a guy. You can't multitask. You're a guy.

HEMMER: I won't ask for directions.

COLLINS: Jack Cafferty now.

JACK CAFFERTY, CO-HOST: What's -- what's multitasking?

COLLINS: It's doing a lot of stuff at once.

HEMMER: You know, Jack, when you're on your blackberry and on your cell phone and you're dialing people up on your laptop at home?

CAFFERTY: Oh, yes. Yes, yes. I've heard about that.

Coming up on the "Cafferty File," we will tell you how Donald Trump earned the nickname "the apprentice" on the golf course. He was in one of these celebrity tournaments and hacked it around like a real mutt. With his ego, that's got to be hard to take.

And I'll tell you how Martha Stewart helped one man win a contest for bad writing.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jack. We'll get to it.

CAFFERTY: Multitasking in the "Cafferty File."

HEMMER: That's what we're doing right now. Yes. Jack, thanks.

Some New York police here think a federal judge has left the door open to terrorists. The judge ruled that police cannot complete blanket searches of the bags and backpacks of the protesters scheduled for next month's Republican convention.

Meanwhile in Boston, the renewed threat of a terror attack there aimed at disrupting the political process has authorities extra vigilant, where some 35,000 people will converge on Monday for the four-day Democratic National Convention.

The mayor, Thomas Menino, our guest now from Boston.

Sir, good morning to you.

THOMAS MENINO, MAYOR, BOSTON: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: Thank you for your time. Are you ready for this?

MENINO: I think we're ready. We've been planning this for 18 months and, you know, we have a well-coordinated task force on security. The Secret Service, the state police, the Boston police, all of them working together. And I think we're ready for this convention.

HEMMER: Mr. Mayor, when you hear the word out of Washington saying that the terrorist activity or the chatter is as high as it's been since the summer of 2001, does that give you added concern?

MENINO: Well, it always gives us concern, and I think, you know, our lives changed since 9/11. And we have to be more aware of the security issues and more vigilant and put a lot of plans in place for this convention.

And one of the unique things about our convention, is that we're so close to interstate highway, I-93, which is two feet away from the FleetCenter. We have to be more vigilant than anybody else has to be.

And so we're working hard. In the harbor, we've got the Coast Guard working with the Boston police and the bi-metro police (ph), the state police.

And it's all -- you know, I think -- Tom Ridge was here last week. And Tom Ridge said, "You know, Mayor, I can't believe the coordination between the agency actions" that have gone on in our city.

HEMMER: Is there anything you've asked for that you haven't gotten, Mr. Mayor?

MENINO: No. I think, you know, Tom Ridge has been on the forefront of homeland security for us, and he's been working hard with us. And I want to say that he's been very cooperative, his department. And you know, it's very unique; he has 23 departments under him. It's difficult as blazes to get all those federal agencies to work, but Tom Ridge has.

HEMMER: And meanwhile, in your town here, Boston police, there's a contract dispute under way in your city. You'll well familiar with it. Who may actually picket at the convention.

Is that going to be an issue for you when it comes to security and also drawing in enough police in your city to keep people safe?

MENINO: Well, the general labor management between yesterday audit them, to expedite arbitration, and they said there will be a decision by 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, on the arbitration case.

And so that will be settled, and they'll have a contract in place. And you know, the Boston police do their job, and the rank and file are out there all the time. They'll be working 12 hours on.

This arbitration case and this contract dispute is really about public safety. That's why we went to the joint labor management committee and said this is a public safety issue. We want some relief. And I think the board acted accordingly yesterday.

HEMMER: Help me understand completely, then. Are you saying there will be no issues starting on Monday?

MENINO: There will always be issues that move forward in a convention. But I think -- I believe the Boston Patrolmen Association issue should be completed by Thursday afternoon.

HEMMER: We will track that.

On another note here, it was about -- about four weeks ago when you were quoted as saying, referring to the Kerry campaign in Boston, small-minded and incompetent. Is there bad blood between you, a Democratic mayor, and the Democratic candidate, John Kerry?

MENINO: Oh, no. Not between John Kerry and I. John Kerry worked and I have worked on so many issues in the past.

HEMMER: What about his staff, then, Mr. Mayor?

MENINO: Well, his staff, I think they made a bad choice, but that's yesterday, about not coming to the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

We have a bigger issue here. We have to take back American for the people of our cities. And that's my -- that's my focus over the next several months.

HEMMER: Small-minded and incompetent. Do you take those words back or do you stand by them?

MENINO: I take those words back. We all -- in the heat of battle, we always say something that we sometimes regret we said. But you know, I think that they did make a bad mistake. But you know, that's yesterday.

The issue is about, as mayors of America, we understand the cutbacks in funding for our cities, from -- from the health care to education. Everybody talks about education, but where's the funding? And we talk about housing, well, where's the funding? You know, the COPS program helped alleviate the violence on the streets, but where's the funding?

Now there's no funding out there to help urban America, and that's what I'm interested in. I'm a special interest. My special interest is the people who live in cities throughout America.

HEMMER: We'll leave it there. Mayor Thomas Menino, we'll see you in Boston starting on Monday. Thanks for your time today.

MENINO: Thank you very much.

HEMMER: Our coverage all week next week from Boston will be at the FleetCenter starting Monday morning, 7 a.m. Eastern Time here on AMERICAN MORNING. Be there for you throughout the week in the northeast -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Samuel Berger, national security adviser to former President Clinton, is being investigated over whether he improperly removed classify documents before the 9/11 commission hearings.

The federal probe into Berger was launched in October regarding documents Berger reviewed while preparing for testimony before the commission. Berger says he inadvertently removed the documents and that it was unintentional. He says he returned all of the documents in question except for a few he says he accidentally discarded.

HEMMER: About six minutes past the hour. The 9/11 commission delivers its report on Thursday of this week. But as Suzanne Malveaux reports this morning, the book is not closed on one aspect of the attacks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Eight of the 19 hijackers who attacked the U.S. on September 11 safely passed through Iran. The details of how that unfolded will be released by the 9/11 commission in its final report on Thursday.

Emerging from an Oval Office meeting, President Bush was asked whether there was a link between Iran and the 9/11 attacks.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As to direct connections with September the 11th, you know, we're digging into the facts to determine if there was one.

MALVEAUX: Mr. Bush's comment follows statements made over the weekend by the CIA's acting director, that while Iran was used as a frequent route for tracking al Qaeda, it did not report the terrorist attacks. SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: There's no evidence that there was any official involvement between Iran and the September 11 attacks.

MALVEAUX: In fact, privately administration officials say there is no new information that has emerged from the 9/11 commission's investigation that would suggest otherwise.

BUSH: I have long expressed my concerns about Iran.

MALVEAUX: From his 2002 State of the Union address, Mr. Bush declared Iraq, along with Iran and North Korea...

BUSH: An axis of evil, arming to threaten the peace of the world.

MALVEAUX: The Bush administration has designated Iran a state sponsor of terror, accused of pursuing nuclear weapons, supporting Hezbollah and harboring al Qaeda.

On Thursday the 9/11 commission is expected to release a critical report of the administration's handling of the terrorist attacks, and it will address any aid offered to the 9/11 hijackers by Iran.

The report will be an opportunity for those who question the invasion of Iraq to make their case.

SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: We focused so much energy on Iraq when other countries may have been more directly linked to 9/11.

MALVEAUX (on camera): The Bush administration argues that each member of the so-called axis of evil should be examined individually, that international pressure to get Iran to abandon its weapons programs is the more appropriate course of action than regime change.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: The third country the president included in the axis of evil, North Korea, which admits having nuclear weapons, the U.S. currently involved in talks aimed at getting North Korea to end its nuclear activities -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Martha Stewart's appearance on "LARRY KING LIVE" cleared up some thing about what the domestic diva plans on doing next. But there are still some things Martha herself is unsure of.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARTHA STEWART, FOUNDER, MARTHA STEWART LIVING OMNIMEDIA: I have not made up my mind one way or the other.

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You might serve?

STEWART: Well, again, there's a conundrum. My company needs me. I would like to get back to work. I would like this to be over. This has been a long, drawn-out process, and I would like very much to go back to work.

On the one hand, business, Wall Street, advertising, they would like to see finality. They would like to see an end to all of this.

KING: Obviously.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Salli Lagrone is a longtime friend of Martha Stewart, and she joins us now from Nashville to talk about Stewart's interview and her friend's immediate future.

Ms. Lagrone, thanks so much for being with us this morning. We do appreciate it.

I want to ask you about that excerpt we just heard from "LARRY KING LIVE" last night. As a close friend of Martha Stewart, do you see her going to prison first and putting off the appeal?

SALLI LAGRONE, MARTHA STEWART'S FRIEND: I think Martha is going to think through all aspects of this very carefully. I think she will listen to her new lawyers. I think she will talk to friends, and I think it will be a decision that she will make based on, you know, many factors out there.

I've not had a chance to talk to Martha in the last few days, so we haven't talked about it personally. I did hear what she said to Larry King, and I think she does have a conundrum. And I think she's trying to weigh all of the issues.

COLLINS: I know that you did have a chance, though, to speak with her. You had two long visits with her, in fact, in May.

Did you speak with her then about just the possibility that she could go to prison?

LAGRONE: What we spoke about then was more the different options that were out there. And prison was one of those possibilities, but we didn't talk about -- talk about it directly, or really speak about what it would be like.

COLLINS: All right. I know that you were one of the many people that wrote letters of support on Martha Stewart's behalf to Judge Cedarbaum. What did you write in that letter?

LAGRONE: I basically told a little bit about my relationship with Martha, and then told about the fact that people out here, outside of New York City, are all so supportive of Martha still. They still...

COLLINS: Why do you think that is?

LAGRONE: Because I don't think we are caught in the same little microcosm that you all are. We see it from a different perspective. This has not been something that we have every detail every day with us.

And I think people feel very loyal to her. They've gained a lot from her. Her fans have, those supporters, and people really do support her. Constantly people come up to me and say, "When you talk to her, tell her I'm thinking about her. When you talk to her, let her know I'm still there for her."

So people really do honestly feel that.

COLLINS: All right. Quickly, I want to listen to one more excerpt, if we could, from "LARRY KING LIVE" last night...

LAGRONE: OK.

COLLINS: ... and get your reaction on the back side. Here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEWART: I am sometimes probably forgotten, and I know I have, forgotten to pat the back of someone, or said "thank you," you know, enough times, or even maybe once sometimes.

So I -- you know, I wish I were perfect. I wish I were just, you know, the nicest, nicest, nicest person on earth, but I'm a businessperson in addition to a creator of domestic arts. And it's an odd combination.

No excuse. But if I were a man, you know, no one would say I was arrogant.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: As you know, Martha has been criticized by some members of the media for being arrogant and mean. Do you think those characterizations are fair?

LAGRONE: I really don't, because that's not the Martha that I know. The Martha that I know has always been very loyal to people. She does say thank you. But she also at times has her mind on other things. I think we all are in that position.

I would not say that she's an arrogant or a mean person.

ZAHN: All right. I also want to ask you that, you know, obviously, she spoke right after the sentencing. She spoke on "LARRY KING LIVE" but never really admitted to any wrongdoing or a lapse of judgment.

Does Martha Stewart see herself as a bit of a victim here?

LAGRONE: I wouldn't say that she sees herself as bit of a victim, but I do think that this has been a very difficult process. It's been -- it's been really awful for the last couple of years.

And at this point, there's an appeals process that's in motion. So that would have been very inappropriate.

COLLINS: All right. Sally Lagrone, friend of Martha Stewart. We appreciate your time this morning. Thanks.

LAGRONE: You're welcome.

COLLINS: Bill.

HEMMER: Heidi, about 13 minutes past the hour now. To the Kobe Bryant matter in Colorado.

The woman accusing Kobe Bryant of sexual assault apparently has thought about dropping the case at least on two occasions. Our senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, looking at this, back with us here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Two times tried to drop it. Is that a fact?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, she -- Her lawyers have said she has thought about trying to withdraw as a witness a couple of times as the possibility of her past and issues about her personal history are being disclosed.

It is worth remembering, though, she doesn't have the right to drop the case. The case is brought by the state of Colorado. She's a witness. Obviously, she's the victim in the case. They want to be solicitous of our views, but this is not her case to drop or not to drop.

HEMMER: Is there a suggestion as to what, perhaps, changed her mind or is this, in a legal sense, a decision she has no authority to make?

TOOBIN: In a legal sense, she really has no authority to make this, but in a practical sense...

HEMMER: Sounds kind of strange, doesn't it?

TOOBIN: Well, it's not. I mean, you can see why she's so worried, because her name has already been dragged through the mud. It's been disclosed publicly in many forums.

And you know, she now faces the possibility of having a great deal about her past disclosed. And Hal Hadden, one of Kobe's lawyers, has said, "Look, she's essentially trying to extort the judge to keep this stuff secret in order to keep the case alive." It's an interesting argument in itself.

HEMMER: At first glance, though, you think if she's the accuser and she wants to ends the case, then she can go ahead and do that. But apparently...

TOOBIN: If she was a minor, she could. But she's not a minor, so she can't.

HEMMER: Next matter here. Apparently, the -- the word that went out over this e-mail, over the Internet to a number of media outlets based on these closed door hearings that were conducted...

TOOBIN: Right.

HEMMER: ... you cannot print these, apparently, or publish them? The judge has made its ruling?

TOOBIN: Very surprising decision from the Colorado Supreme Court yesterday. Four to three the justice of the court ruled that a prior restraint on the media -- remember what happened was, the court mistakenly disclosed some of the contents of these closed door hearings about the accuser's sexual history to news -- to the news media.

The judge in the case said, if you publish this, you are going to have criminal or civil penalties. The Colorado Supreme Court upheld this prior restraint. That's very unusual in American law.

If the press has something legally, and if it's not something that leads to immediate harm, like the movement of troop ships, the courts usually don't allow prior restraints. Here they did. Possibly an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court coming up.

HEMMER: But they would take it that high, then, because it's reached the highest point it can in Colorado.

TOOBIN: There's only one more place to appeal it. They're interpreting Colorado law and not federal lawn, so the Supreme Court of the United States might not take it.

But this is a very unusual decision. A lot of reporters, even those who don't care deeply about the Kobe Bryant case, are upset about this because of the principle of upholding a prior restraint.

HEMMER: Thank you, Jeff. Good to talk to you.

TOOBIN: You're welcome.

HEMMER: We're doing it all today.

TOOBIN: Hey, you know.

HEMMER: Where would we be without Toobin?

Here's Heidi again. Thanks, Jeff.

COLLINS: It is about 16 minutes past the hour now. Time for a lock at some of today's other news with Daryn Kagan, beginning with the Scott Peterson trial.

Hi, Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, ANCHOR: Which makes me think that maybe Jeffrey Toobin should do this news alert as well!

COLLINS: Maybe.

KAGAN: Jeff -- The JNN! The Jeffrey News Network.

TOOBIN: That's right. Only if we do it together, Daryn.

KAGAN: OK. Well, you take a breather. I'll handle it for you.

We'll go ahead and begin at Redwood City, California. That is where Scott Peterson's lawyers are trying to show that police were sloppy while investigating the double murder case.

Yesterday a detective took the stand for a third day. Under cross-examination, he admitted police -- he admitted that police did not fully follow-up on all their leads and lacked substantial evidence linking Peterson to his pregnant wife's murder. Court resumes just a few hours from now in California.

Gun dealer inspections are apparently lagging. A new Justice Department report says that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives inspects fewer than five percent of federal licensed gun dealers each year.

At this rate, it would take the ATF about 22 years to inspect all federally licensed gun dealers. The bureau says it's committed to improving its inspection process.

Overseas now in the Ukraine. Crews are searching for 11 missing workers after a deadly coal mine explosion. The methane gas blast destroyed part of a mine in the eastern province of the nation. At least 25 workers were killed.

According to reports, rescue operations are being hampered by warm temperatures and the high concentration of gas that is still in that mine.

Back here in the U.S. in South Carolina, a dramatic ending to a hostage standoff. It is caught on tape. Take a look at this.

The video will show you a bulldozer smashing through a wall of a convenience store. Inside, an armed man had taken a female employee hostage. The suspect then struggled with the woman, who finally was able to escape.

She escaped unharmed after 13 hours. There she goes. The suspect was shot during the operation. He is awaiting charges while in the hospital.

And finally, this one just keeps getting stranger. The latest twist in the saga that started with Bobo the tiger. Most of his former owner's house was ruined yesterday after a fire broke out. Officials say the flames were caused by a newly installed air conditioner that caught fire. Firefighters had problems getting at the flames because of some of the electrical fencing around some of the big cats.

That story just keeps on going. Heidi, back to you.

COLLINS: People and cats are all OK? KAGAN: Apparently so, but that is a long, long week for Steve Sipek, the owner. Lost a cat and now lost his home.

COLLINS: All right. Daryn Kagan, thanks so much for that.

Thirty-five years ago today, the world watched as astronaut Neil Armstrong set foot on another world. And the first man to walk on the moon uttered these historic words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEIL ARMSTRONG, FIRST MAN ON THE MOON: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Armstrong's Apollo 11 partner, Buzz Aldrin, was next onto the lunar surface. And Buzz Aldrin joins us from Washington to share his memories of that fantastic and historical day.

Thanks for being with us. It's so nice to see you on this 35- year anniversary.

In fact, you were quoted as saying when you stepped foot on the moon, "beautiful, beautiful, magnificent desolation." What were you thinking when you said those lines?

BUZZ ALDRINK, APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUT: Well, I was thinking what a magnificent opportunity and how thankful 40 or 50 were who came along and were given this wonderful opportunity to participate in such a momentous event.

And yet, the magnificence of that achievement was contrasted with the utter desolation of what the very flat surface of the moon where we landed was presented to us. It was magnificent but it was very desolate, and it's not -- it's not a very hospitable place to be.

COLLINS: No. Not too many people hanging around on the moon at that point. That's for sure.

Let me ask you this: did any of the training that you went through, and it was extensive, prepare you for what you saw and what you felt when you actually landed?

ALDRIN: Well, I think the training was enormous in its coverage of all of the contingencies and emergencies that could come up. We spent most of our time training on things that could go wrong and how we could deal with them.

And yet, when things did go wrong in space, it seemed as though they were not things that we had experienced before. So they -- it required that we be very alert and ready to respond.

And that was, I think, foremost in our minds, as we were given the great opportunity to move around and to demonstrate for later missions exactly how a person could move around on the moon and what he could accomplish.

It was very pioneering, first step for mankind.

COLLINS: And speaking of those first steps, a really interesting factor here that I actually have just learned. Those footsteps are still there? There's no wind to blow them away. And here's a shot one of them now. I'm not sure which astronaut actually plunked that foot down there.

But how long will they be there, then?

ALDRIN: Well, unless -- unless a big impact comes along, they could be there hundreds of thousands of years, perhaps a million years.

I was so fascinated with the talcum powder-like consistency of the surface, that I took a picture, and then I put my foot down and took a picture of the boot print, because it -- it was so unusual, the very fine talcum powder-like consistency.

COLLINS: All right. Dr. Aldrin, we certainly appreciate your time on this very special day. My son keeps calling you Buzz Lightyear, but I'll keep correcting him on that, OK? Thanks you so much.

ALDRIN: Always nice to be here with you. Thank you.

COLLINS: A pleasure.

HEMMER: It's 22 minutes now past the hour. A check of the weather, here's Chad Myers, looking at things outside back on Earth.

Good morning, Chad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Thanks for that.

In a moment, the Donald might be huge in real estate and reality TV. There is at least one domain in which he is still an apprentice. Jack explains in the "Cafferty File" in a moment here.

COLLINS: He should have learned (ph) with Todd Hamilton.

Also ahead, a Filipino man is free this morning after being held hostage in Iraq for two weeks, but at what cost? We'll have a live report.

HEMMER: Also, it's Tuesday, time for "Political Pop." Senator McCain says no again and again to President Bush and Senator Kerry. We'll explain in a moment when we continue.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CAFFERTY: Welcome back, everyone. To Jack now and the file.

Good morning.

CAFFERTY: Hi, Bill. And what was your name again?

HEMMER: Heidi.

COLLINS: Anything you want.

CAFFERTY: When it comes to golf, call him the apprentice. Donald Trump finished 56th at the American Century celebrity golf championships out at Lake Tahoe.

Trump shot 91. He fancies himself quite a golfer. Remember Wingfoot (ph), all that? Says he didn't expect the competition to be so strong. What does that have to do with the score? He shot 91.

There were 78 other people in the field, including Michael Jordan, Maury Povich and Pete Sampras. I mean, 91 is 91. Doesn't matter who else is in the field. You know what I'm saying?

HEMMER: I'll take a 91 out there. Would you?

CAFFERTY: Yes, but I mean, I -- but he's, I mean, he fancies himself in golf like he does in everything else. Like, you know, better, larger than life. But he's not.

Bad golf to bad writing. A California man won an annual bad writing contest by comparing the end of a love affair to, quote, "Martha Stewart ripping the sand vein out of a shrimp's tail."

Dave Zobel says he wasn't expecting to win. He's jealous of people who got dishonorable mention. He got $250 for his effort.

The competition pays mocking homage to an 1830 novel, "Paul Clifford" that began with that well, known phrase, "It was a dark and stormy night."

And meet the two ugliest kids on the block, Peanut and Pumpkin. This is the first pair of orangutan twins born in captivity in 20 years. The pair were born at the Parrot Jungle Island in Florida in December. They will officially be introduced to the public this weekend.

Their names are just temporary. Their faces, unfortunately, are not. People can suggest permanent names in an online contest.

HEMMER: Peanut and Pumpkin?

CAFFERTY: Those are ugly little things, aren't they?

COLLINS: I like them. All right. At least he knew their names.

Still to come this morning, if you think you're good at multitasking, then you just might be a biological rarity. Dr. Sanjay Gupta will explain that.

Plus, the Philippines strikes a deal with kidnappers and a hostage goes free. What does it mean for the coalition in Iraq? A live report from the Pentagon ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. Beautiful day here in Manhattan; 8:30 in New York. Good morning. Soledad resting this morning in the final weeks of her pregnancy. Heidi Collins is with us here.

COLLINS: Hello.

HEMMER: How are you doing?

COLLINS: Pretty good.

HEMMER: There is this hostage situation in Iraq, really got our attention earlier today, involving a Filipino man. It's now over, we're told. He went free. There is videotape of his release.

Barbara Starr, standing by the Pentagon with their response. Some say this is not the way to go for the coalition. We'll get the Pentagon's reaction in a moment here.

COLLINS: Also, "Political Pop" is coming up this morning. We're looking at what happens when you say the name Michael Moore. For one famous singer, it actually got her fired.

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