Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Democrats Protest Sinclair Group's Airing of Anti-Kerry Film; Fallujah Targets Hit; Nuclear Related Materials Missing In Iraq
Aired October 12, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. A film that accuses John Kerry of betraying American POWs set to be aired on TV just before the election. Question today: Is that against the law?
U.S. war planes going after suspected terrorists again in Fallujah. Who was inside on the ground?
The defense presents its side in the Scott Peterson murder trial starting today. Some very grisly evidence could be the key in that case.
And just how powerful is hip hop in 2004?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSSELL SIMMONS, HIP HOP MOGUL: Almost every rapper in this country has participated in some way or another in this voter administration campaign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: The Hip-Hop Action Summit and its plan for the country on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: All right. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Tuesday. Heidi is in for Soledad. Good morning to you.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
HEMMER: Democrats are preparing to fight it out with the owner of 62 television stations. The Sinclair Broadcasting Group planning to force its stations to broadcast this anti-Kerry documentary called "Stolen Honor."
We'll hear from Democrats today and also from the president's side about the late campaign controversy today.
COLLINS: Also, are terrorists staking out the biggest system of commuter ferries in the country, the third largest in the world, for that matter? We'll talk to a captain with the Washington State Patrol about possible vulnerabilities in Seattle and what federal authorities want done about them.
HEMMER: All right. Similar topic, Jack Cafferty good morning to you.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, disturbing report this morning. The International Atomic Energy Agency has been notified that materials that could be used to make nuclear weapons are disappearing out of buildings in Iraq at an alarming rate.
We'll take a look at that and talk about whether or not this country is any safer since we went to war over there in a few minutes.
HEMMER: All right. Thank you, Jack. First to Kelly Wallace, a look at the headlines this morning. Kelly, good morning to you.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you all, and good morning, everyone.
A human rights group is challenging the United States' treatment of al Qaeda suspects. According to the group Human Rights Watch, at least 11 suspects have "disappeared."
The detainees are being held at undisclosed locations without access to their families or protection of the law, according to the report. Among them is Khalid Shaikh Mohammed considered a principle architect of the September 11 attack.
A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment on the report.
In Iraq some nuclear related materials are reportedly missing. That's according to Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the United Nations atomic watchdog agency.
He says sites relevant to Iraq's nuclear program are apparently being systematically dismantled, but neither American or Iraqi officials have detected or reported the activity.
No word yet on U.S. reaction to ElBaradei's claims.
And an early morning shoot-out in Saudi Arabia today ends with three suspected militants dead. Saudi officials say police noticed, "suspicious men" driving near a Riyadh neighborhood where many westerners live.
A fire fight broke out when police tried to stop the car. Police say at least one of the men may have escaped.
That's a quick look at the headlines. Back to Bill and Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Kelly, thanks so much for that.
Well as you probably know, 21 days now until the election, and both candidates are busy on the campaign trail before tomorrow night's debate. Senator John Kerry begins the day in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He heads to Scottsdale, Arizona where he'll get in some last minute prep time before the debate in Tempe.
President Bush also campaigned in New Mexico, yesterday. He has a rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado today, then moves on to Phoenix, Arizona for a fund raiser there.
A CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll taken over the weekend shows the race to be a dead heat. We've heard that before, right?
Among likely voters, 49 percent support Kerry, 48 percent Bush. Among registered voters, the two are tied at 48 percent even. Ralph Nader gets 1 percent from both groups.
HEMMER: This morning Democrats are crying foul over a decision by Sinclair Broadcasting to run this documentary that attacks John Kerry on its stations just before the election. Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the DNC, the Democratic National Committee, with me from Washington.
Terry, welcome back. Good morning to you.
TERRY MCAULIFFE, DNC CHAIRMAN: Bill, great to be with you.
HEMMER: The objections to this broadcast are what, Terry?
MCAULIFFE: Well, I'll first tell you, Bill, this is the first time in the history of the Democratic Party that we have filed an FCC complaint against a media organization.
We have done it because of the extraordinary circumstances around this. This is a group that is going to preempt their airtime to run a 90-minute documentary attacking Senator Kerry.
This is a use of corporate funds. And under the law, you cannot use corporate funds to go out there and advocate for a party or for a political candidate.
HEMMER: Sinclair says it's a news special. It will give Senator Kerry a chance to respond. Is that not fair?
MCAULIFFE: That is not -- the documentary is done by a disgraced journalist, who got in trouble for lying about the Vietnam wall when it was built. This is a man who worked at "The Washington Times" and then ran -- did -- a book on Reverend Sun Myung Moon's.
This is a guy who has no experience in doing this. This was not done for commercial or for educational purposes. This is a clear partisan attack on Senator Kerry. And they offer the opportunity for Senator Kerry to come on after the 90 minutes and talk.
Now, we'd be interested if they would give us 90 minutes of prime time, also. But understand, Bill, they are preempting all of their shows a week before the election to do a 90-minute attack on Senator Kerry...
HEMMER: I understand that.
MCAULIFFE: ... and corporations cannot do that.
HEMMER: I also understand this is October 12 on the calendar. This airs in about nine days. MCAULIFFE: Right.
HEMMER: Can you honestly stop this from going forward?
MCAULIFFE: Well, I believe we can. We have filed the FCC complaint. And as you know, yesterday, 18 United States Senators have now contacted the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, also with a complaint.
I mean, this is extraordinary that someone can go out there and preempt regular television. If people want to pay, Pay-Per-View and watch documentaries, that's their right. But to go out and preempt regular broadcasting to put on a 90-minute attack against a presidential candidate a week before the election is absolutely outrageous...
HEMMER: Would you...
MCAULIFFE: ... and it's illegal.
HEMMER: Would you feel the same way if Michael Moore's film was set to air?
MCAULIFFE: Well, as you know, Michael Moore is going on. "Fahrenheit 9/11" is going on, but it's on pay per view. And if people want to spend the money to watch it, certainly they are entitled to this.
But this is a corporation that is forcing its affiliates to put this on. So people don't have a choice.
HEMMER: Terry, thanks. Terry McAuliffe, NDC.
MCAULIFFE: Thanks, Bill.
HEMMER: The other side now from the Bush campaign. Ken Mehlman manages the Bush-Cheney re-election team. He's in Washington.
And Ken, welcome back to you, as well. What is your take on what's happening with Sinclair Broadcasting?
KEN MEHLMAN, BUSH CAMPAIGN MANAGER: It's a little bit -- I'm not familiar with the particular broadcast. But it's a little bit interesting and amusing to me to hear this having endured a CBS report based on false documents, having endured "Fahrenheit 9/11," having endured the Kitty Kelley book that was entirely false.
We're not in the business of filing complaints against media organizations, and it's interesting to me that the Democrats are. Each campaign has to decide how they want to deal with a broadcast that they don't like.
In our case, we try to tell the truth. If their case, they apparently file a legal complaint, a very different approach.
HEMMER: Well, Ken the same question to you, then, as Terry McAuliffe took it. If Michael Moore's film was broadcasting two weeks before the election...
MEHLMAN: It was.
HEMMER: ... what would you say, though?
But Sinclair is in 62 different markets, et cetera. And it's not just -- it's a lot more than what Michael Moore's plans are for...
MEHLMAN: I mean we had Michael Moore. We had CBS, which, as you know, had false documents that they put a whole report on.
You know, having experienced over the course of a number of years what I consider to be a media bias, in some cases, I'm just not in the business of dealing with filing complaints against media organizations. I think what you try to do is get your message out. And look, sometimes you're going to have broadcasts you like. Sometimes you're going to have broadcasts you don't like.
And I think that's what you deal with. But, as I said, I'm not familiar with this particular broadcast. It's just amusing to me to have the chairman of the Democratic Party complaining about media bias and suing the media.
HEMMER: Let's talk about our latest poll numbers from Gallup, just released yesterday afternoon. The approval rating for the president now at 47 percent. His lowest since going back to July. Why are we seeing these numbers now?
MEHLMAN: Well, Bill, I think that -- look, we've always said this election would be close. I think it will be close. We have always seen the polls up. We've seen the polls down.
There's a new ABC News/"Washington Post" poll out this morning that has the president up six points. The average of the public polls were up about one or two points on average.
We have always expected it to be a close election. What was interesting to me about the Gallup poll, though, was this. The president leads on the issues the American people care about. Leads on being a strong leader, leads on Iraq, leads on the war on terror, leads on believability, leads on likability.
And one of the most important findings was that the people surveyed believe that if John Kerry was elected president, their taxes would go up. And you know what, the American people are smart and right.
HEMMER: You say...
MEHLMAN: That's what John Kerry would do.
HEMMER: I apologize for the interruption. You say those are the only issues the American people care about. On the environment, healthcare, the deficit, Medicare, stem cell research, education, Senator Kerry still leads the president on all these areas.
MEHLMAN: Well, I think I said the most...
HEMMER: On all these areas.
MEHLMAN: I hope I said the most important issues the American people care about. I think the most important issues in this election are going to be who can lead America in the war on terror and also who can help make sure our economy gets stronger.
Those are also important issues. And we welcome the debate. You mentioned healthcare. The president's got a plan on healthcare to make it more affordable, more available and to empower patients.
John Kerry's plan on healthcare is higher taxes, 1.5 trillion, more government regulation and throw people off their private health care plans. So, we welcome a debate on, for instance, healthcare.
HEMMER: The debate is tomorrow night.
MEHLMAN: It is.
HEMMER: Third and final one. The election three weeks from today.
MEHLMAN: That's right.
HEMMER: Twenty-one days and counting.
Ken, thanks for your time.
MEHLMAN: Thanks a lot.
HEMMER: We'll speak again. Ken Mehlman, Terry McAuliffe.
Our prime time coverage tomorrow night starts at 7:00 Eastern time. The debate gets under way at 9:00, two hours after that -- Heidi?
COLLINS: In Iraq this morning, a mine exploded early today in Basra, near the compound housing the U.S. and British consulates. No casualties have been reported.
U.S. air strikes today hit targets in Fallujah, including a restaurant. The coalition says it was a meeting place for terrorists loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The owner of the restaurant says four of his employees were inside when it hit.
U.S. war planes have been making daily bombing runs in Fallujah in recent weeks targeting safe houses and other locations linked to Zarqawi. And Iraqi security forces have launched raided on seven mosques in Ramadi west of Baghdad.
This follows two days of clashes in that city. The mosques are believed to be used by insurgents to stage attacks.
HEMMER: About 10 minutes past the hour. Yankees, Red Sox tonight, game one. It feels like Fall already, weather wise, too. Here's Chad Myers check of the weather this morning.
Chad, good morning to you.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's why they call it the Fall Classic, Bill.
HEMMER: Yes, that's right.
MYERS: Hey, good morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MYERS: All right, Chad, thanks for that.
I want to remind our viewers next Monday Soledad comes back, and AMERICAN MORNING is going on the road as well. We'll be in Chicago starting on Monday. All next week, last week, broadcasting live from the major windy city landmarks. And there are many, landmarks and windy.
COLLINS: From the looks of those flags, you got that right.
HEMMER: Yes.
We'll be with key politicians and the business leaders and artists in that town talking about key city issues and, of course, the upcoming election.
AMERICAN MORNING on the road in Chicago all next week starting Monday morning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern time. It's going to be a great week. We're all going.
COLLINS: We're all going.
HEMMER: That's right. Right?
COLLINS: And all jackets are going. I'm concerned about the luggage. How many luggage...
HEMMER: I'm just hope it arrives because my coat will be packed in there, and we'll need it.
COLLINS: Yes, we will.
Still to come now this morning. Scott Peterson's defense team kicks off its case. But don't expect to see Peterson on the witness stand just yet. Lisa Bloom of Court TV tells us why he will not testify.
HEMMER: Also, the issue of stem cell research back in the political spotlight. Which candidate stands to benefit the most?
COLLINS: And next, one of the busiest transit systems in America was reportedly under terrorist surveillance. How vulnerable is Washington state's ferry system?
We'll talk about it coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Authorities in Seattle have stepped up security on ferry boats after reports that Washington's ferry system could be a terror target. "The Seattle Times" says the FBI believes terrorists have had the state's ferry operation under surveillance for years.
Joining us now from Seattle, Captain Fred Fakkema with the Washington state patrol.
Captain, good morning to you. Thank you for being here.
FRED FAKKEMA, CAPTAIN, WASHINGTON STATE PATROL: Good morning. Thank you for having us.
COLLINS: How concerned are you? We have just read that it's possible that this system has been under surveillance for quite some time. What's different now about this that you are hearing?
FAKKEMA: Well, we have been doing ferry security since 1993. And obviously since 9/11 we have increased that security. We're utilizing canine explosives detection teams to monitor and do random checks on all the vehicles that are boarding the ferries.
COLLINS: But as we look at this video here, I mean, there are a lot of people that use the ferry system. In fact, this is the largest in the country, the third largest in the world. How vulnerable is it to a terrorist attack?
FAKKEMA: Well, we have always said that it's very vulnerable, being like you said, the largest ferry system in the nation, over 26 million passengers utilize our ferry systems. So we take that job very seriously to provide the public safety in regards to traffic and transportation.
COLLINS: Talk to us, if you could, about how the ferry system works. As you mentioned, you have quite a few people who use it, 26 million. But why would it be a terrorist target? Is it just unprotected, and easy target, if you will?
FAKKEMA: Well, it's one of our icons in the Puget Sound. And also, if you compare it to SeaTac International Airport, the numbers are similar to those that use SeaTac and those that use the ferry systems in Washington state.
So, we do need to make sure that it is safe for our citizens and those visiting to utilize the ferry system.
COLLINS: So what do you say to those people? You know, from what you just told us this morning, there's a lot of improvement to be made. Although you're aware of the situation, there are a lot of things that need to be done.
How do you tell them, hey, go ahead and get on the ferry and feel safe about it? FAKKEMA: Well, the requirements that the Coast Guard have placed upon us, we're not only meeting those requirements, but we're exceeding them. Our canine teams are doing an excellent job. The folks that do use the ferries have been very positive toward what we're doing and have said positive things.
We have had experiences where the canines have hit on cars after working the lines for a long period of time. And that hit has been something that has been illegal things such as a firearm or something like that. So, we do know that the system works, and we believe that the ferries are safe.
COLLINS: Let's talk about a couple of different things that people can do, though, if they are riding on the ferry. We've got some things to show on the screen here, quickly.
You say report unusual behavior.
FAKKEMA: Right.
COLLINS: Really be aware of the situation around you?
FAKKEMA: Right. It's a team effort. The citizens need to be vigilant, pay attention to their surroundings. If there's something unusual, to report it to us or to the ferry staff.
All of those complaints, all those situations are investigated completely and fully and reported to our joint terrorism task force that we're a part of our federal and local state coalition.
COLLINS: And in fact, they even go to the next level, which is listen in a little bit to what your neighbor might be saying and report any sort of suspicious conversations you might hear?
FAKKEMA: You bet. We all do that today since our lives have changed since 9/11.
COLLINS: And lastly, contact the ferry staff or just plain call 9-1-1. This is something we have been told since we were young. You hear anything weird or out of the ordinary, just call 9-1-1.
Sir, we appreciate your time this morning very much. Captain Fred Fakkema with the Washington state patrol.
FAKKEMA: Thanks for having us.
COLLINS: Thank you -- Bill?
HEMMER: Mary Kay LeTourneau has been out of prison for just a couple of months, now. The former school teacher served seven and a half years for having sex with a 13-year-old student.
She talked with Larry King last night, live for one hour her on CNN, her first live interview since her release from jail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARY KAY LETOURNEAU, HAD RELATIONSHIP WITH 13-YEAR-OLD: If anyone had ever said, hey, this is a felony. Regardless of who initiated the relationship, you're the adult, and this is a felony, there isn't any -- any way -- that I would have got involved.
It's not that I wouldn't have still had feelings and, or that he wouldn't still have feelings, but...
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You would not have...
LETOURNEAU: I don't know. I don't know how anyone -- I don't know how anyone does something knowing something's a felony.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: LeTourneau and Vili Faulaau have two daughters together, the couple now engaged -- Heidi?
COLLINS: Still to come this morning, how high will it go? The cost of oil skyrocketing. What's behind it?
Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. About $53 bucks a barrel and still climbing, the price of oil just keeps on going up. First check of the markets today with Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."
Was I right at $53 bucks?
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: No. You're still on a short, unfortunately -- $54.14 now.
HEMMER: Oh.
SERWER: We've broken above $54. And six days in a row, Bill, the price of oil is up, not a good thing for our economy.
The market shrugged it off a little bit, yesterday. Well, here we go. And sometimes it's better just to look at it, up 65 percent this year. And you best believe it is translating to higher prices at the pump, which are around $2 a gallon and higher heating oil, about $1.66 a gallon.
Market shrugged it off yesterday, as I was saying earlier. You can see here a nice little rally. Nasdaq scrambling up toward 2000.
What's going on in the world of oil? Just a couple points, here. General strike in Nigeria, they produce 3 percent of the world's oil.
A strike expected to widen in our favorite place, Norway. Those Norwegian oil workers at it again. They are the third largest oil exporter, though.
COLLINS: I did not know that.
SERWER: You did not know that. Twenty million barrels a day that we use in the United States. Here's an interesting thing, also. The Gulf of Mexico, the damage from Ivan still a problem down there. Half a million barrels a day offline and expected to stay offline for months, possibly, even.
There was some rogue waves down there. You read a story in the "Wall Street Journal." One was 90 feet high now...
HEMMER: Wow.
SERWER: ... in Ivan, they are estimating. Damaging the rigs and the pipelines down there.
HEMMER: Got it, $54 and counting.
SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: Are we going up again today or not?
SERWER: That's this morning's price.
HEMMER: OK.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: I saw an interview last night somewhere with -- I can't remember, you know, who it was. But they were talking about OPEC...
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: ... that 20 percent of our oil comes from OPEC countries.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: And that we could reduce oil consumption in this country by increasing miles per gallon by seven...
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: ... on all the vehicles that are sold in the United States.
SERWER: Right.
CAFFERTY: That if we would increase the mileage by seven miles a gallon, we could eliminate the need for OPEC oil. I don't -- you know, I mean it's an interesting thought.
COLLINS: Yes, that could be...
SERWER: We could cut six percent easily.
COLLINS: ... was it Dodge Ram...
SERWER: The Dodge Ram...
COLLINS: ... that got seven miles per gallon?
SERWER: ... nine miles per gallon. That's right.
HEMMER: No, no, no -- 12 on the highway.
SERWER: Twelve on the highway.
COLLINS: That's right.
SERWER: So, don't drive in the city.
HEMMER: That's right.
SERWER: Right?
COLLINS: Jack now and the "Question of the Day" -- dealing with our safety?
CAFFERTY: Yes, two presidential candidates, Heidi, diametrically opposed on whether or not this war in Iraq was the right thing to do.
Yesterday, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported to the U.N. Security Council that equipment and material that could be used to make nuclear weapons are disappearing from Iraq, that entire buildings full of nuclear equipment are being emptied out.
And there are also reports of guns and ammunitions being sold out at bargain prices by entrepreneurial Iraqis. The president has always said all along that fighting the terrorists in Iraq is preferable to fighting them in the United States and that he would choose the same option again today if it was presented to him.
Here's the question: Is the United States safer or more vulnerable as a result of going to war with Iraq? Am@cnn.com.
Apparently they don't know who's -- who has got a hold of this stuff, these nuclear materials.
SERWER: Why wasn't it guarded? I mean, you know, elementary question.
CAFFERTY: Well, unless it's in some place like Sadr City or one of those, you know, neighborhoods...
SERWER: Well that makes sense.
HEMMER: It's a very interesting story in Sadr City, too...
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: ... with this gun buy back.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: Or the grenade buy back. What else? They're trading...
SERWER: Mortars.
HEMMER: We'll see how much they do there in terms of productivity and to turn it.
Let's get a break here. In a moment, Jack, Mark Geragos says he's ready to smoke out the real killer. This in the Scott Peterson case. Should we expect any Perry Mason moments? We'll talk with Lisa Bloom with Court TV on that in a moment.
Also, a wild fire scorching thousands of acres out West. We'll let you know whether or not firefighters are making any headway.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 12, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. A film that accuses John Kerry of betraying American POWs set to be aired on TV just before the election. Question today: Is that against the law?
U.S. war planes going after suspected terrorists again in Fallujah. Who was inside on the ground?
The defense presents its side in the Scott Peterson murder trial starting today. Some very grisly evidence could be the key in that case.
And just how powerful is hip hop in 2004?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSSELL SIMMONS, HIP HOP MOGUL: Almost every rapper in this country has participated in some way or another in this voter administration campaign.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: The Hip-Hop Action Summit and its plan for the country on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: All right. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to Tuesday. Heidi is in for Soledad. Good morning to you.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
HEMMER: Democrats are preparing to fight it out with the owner of 62 television stations. The Sinclair Broadcasting Group planning to force its stations to broadcast this anti-Kerry documentary called "Stolen Honor."
We'll hear from Democrats today and also from the president's side about the late campaign controversy today.
COLLINS: Also, are terrorists staking out the biggest system of commuter ferries in the country, the third largest in the world, for that matter? We'll talk to a captain with the Washington State Patrol about possible vulnerabilities in Seattle and what federal authorities want done about them.
HEMMER: All right. Similar topic, Jack Cafferty good morning to you.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, disturbing report this morning. The International Atomic Energy Agency has been notified that materials that could be used to make nuclear weapons are disappearing out of buildings in Iraq at an alarming rate.
We'll take a look at that and talk about whether or not this country is any safer since we went to war over there in a few minutes.
HEMMER: All right. Thank you, Jack. First to Kelly Wallace, a look at the headlines this morning. Kelly, good morning to you.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you all, and good morning, everyone.
A human rights group is challenging the United States' treatment of al Qaeda suspects. According to the group Human Rights Watch, at least 11 suspects have "disappeared."
The detainees are being held at undisclosed locations without access to their families or protection of the law, according to the report. Among them is Khalid Shaikh Mohammed considered a principle architect of the September 11 attack.
A spokesman for the CIA declined to comment on the report.
In Iraq some nuclear related materials are reportedly missing. That's according to Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the United Nations atomic watchdog agency.
He says sites relevant to Iraq's nuclear program are apparently being systematically dismantled, but neither American or Iraqi officials have detected or reported the activity.
No word yet on U.S. reaction to ElBaradei's claims.
And an early morning shoot-out in Saudi Arabia today ends with three suspected militants dead. Saudi officials say police noticed, "suspicious men" driving near a Riyadh neighborhood where many westerners live.
A fire fight broke out when police tried to stop the car. Police say at least one of the men may have escaped.
That's a quick look at the headlines. Back to Bill and Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Kelly, thanks so much for that.
Well as you probably know, 21 days now until the election, and both candidates are busy on the campaign trail before tomorrow night's debate. Senator John Kerry begins the day in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He heads to Scottsdale, Arizona where he'll get in some last minute prep time before the debate in Tempe.
President Bush also campaigned in New Mexico, yesterday. He has a rally in Colorado Springs, Colorado today, then moves on to Phoenix, Arizona for a fund raiser there.
A CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll taken over the weekend shows the race to be a dead heat. We've heard that before, right?
Among likely voters, 49 percent support Kerry, 48 percent Bush. Among registered voters, the two are tied at 48 percent even. Ralph Nader gets 1 percent from both groups.
HEMMER: This morning Democrats are crying foul over a decision by Sinclair Broadcasting to run this documentary that attacks John Kerry on its stations just before the election. Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the DNC, the Democratic National Committee, with me from Washington.
Terry, welcome back. Good morning to you.
TERRY MCAULIFFE, DNC CHAIRMAN: Bill, great to be with you.
HEMMER: The objections to this broadcast are what, Terry?
MCAULIFFE: Well, I'll first tell you, Bill, this is the first time in the history of the Democratic Party that we have filed an FCC complaint against a media organization.
We have done it because of the extraordinary circumstances around this. This is a group that is going to preempt their airtime to run a 90-minute documentary attacking Senator Kerry.
This is a use of corporate funds. And under the law, you cannot use corporate funds to go out there and advocate for a party or for a political candidate.
HEMMER: Sinclair says it's a news special. It will give Senator Kerry a chance to respond. Is that not fair?
MCAULIFFE: That is not -- the documentary is done by a disgraced journalist, who got in trouble for lying about the Vietnam wall when it was built. This is a man who worked at "The Washington Times" and then ran -- did -- a book on Reverend Sun Myung Moon's.
This is a guy who has no experience in doing this. This was not done for commercial or for educational purposes. This is a clear partisan attack on Senator Kerry. And they offer the opportunity for Senator Kerry to come on after the 90 minutes and talk.
Now, we'd be interested if they would give us 90 minutes of prime time, also. But understand, Bill, they are preempting all of their shows a week before the election to do a 90-minute attack on Senator Kerry...
HEMMER: I understand that.
MCAULIFFE: ... and corporations cannot do that.
HEMMER: I also understand this is October 12 on the calendar. This airs in about nine days. MCAULIFFE: Right.
HEMMER: Can you honestly stop this from going forward?
MCAULIFFE: Well, I believe we can. We have filed the FCC complaint. And as you know, yesterday, 18 United States Senators have now contacted the FCC, the Federal Communications Commission, also with a complaint.
I mean, this is extraordinary that someone can go out there and preempt regular television. If people want to pay, Pay-Per-View and watch documentaries, that's their right. But to go out and preempt regular broadcasting to put on a 90-minute attack against a presidential candidate a week before the election is absolutely outrageous...
HEMMER: Would you...
MCAULIFFE: ... and it's illegal.
HEMMER: Would you feel the same way if Michael Moore's film was set to air?
MCAULIFFE: Well, as you know, Michael Moore is going on. "Fahrenheit 9/11" is going on, but it's on pay per view. And if people want to spend the money to watch it, certainly they are entitled to this.
But this is a corporation that is forcing its affiliates to put this on. So people don't have a choice.
HEMMER: Terry, thanks. Terry McAuliffe, NDC.
MCAULIFFE: Thanks, Bill.
HEMMER: The other side now from the Bush campaign. Ken Mehlman manages the Bush-Cheney re-election team. He's in Washington.
And Ken, welcome back to you, as well. What is your take on what's happening with Sinclair Broadcasting?
KEN MEHLMAN, BUSH CAMPAIGN MANAGER: It's a little bit -- I'm not familiar with the particular broadcast. But it's a little bit interesting and amusing to me to hear this having endured a CBS report based on false documents, having endured "Fahrenheit 9/11," having endured the Kitty Kelley book that was entirely false.
We're not in the business of filing complaints against media organizations, and it's interesting to me that the Democrats are. Each campaign has to decide how they want to deal with a broadcast that they don't like.
In our case, we try to tell the truth. If their case, they apparently file a legal complaint, a very different approach.
HEMMER: Well, Ken the same question to you, then, as Terry McAuliffe took it. If Michael Moore's film was broadcasting two weeks before the election...
MEHLMAN: It was.
HEMMER: ... what would you say, though?
But Sinclair is in 62 different markets, et cetera. And it's not just -- it's a lot more than what Michael Moore's plans are for...
MEHLMAN: I mean we had Michael Moore. We had CBS, which, as you know, had false documents that they put a whole report on.
You know, having experienced over the course of a number of years what I consider to be a media bias, in some cases, I'm just not in the business of dealing with filing complaints against media organizations. I think what you try to do is get your message out. And look, sometimes you're going to have broadcasts you like. Sometimes you're going to have broadcasts you don't like.
And I think that's what you deal with. But, as I said, I'm not familiar with this particular broadcast. It's just amusing to me to have the chairman of the Democratic Party complaining about media bias and suing the media.
HEMMER: Let's talk about our latest poll numbers from Gallup, just released yesterday afternoon. The approval rating for the president now at 47 percent. His lowest since going back to July. Why are we seeing these numbers now?
MEHLMAN: Well, Bill, I think that -- look, we've always said this election would be close. I think it will be close. We have always seen the polls up. We've seen the polls down.
There's a new ABC News/"Washington Post" poll out this morning that has the president up six points. The average of the public polls were up about one or two points on average.
We have always expected it to be a close election. What was interesting to me about the Gallup poll, though, was this. The president leads on the issues the American people care about. Leads on being a strong leader, leads on Iraq, leads on the war on terror, leads on believability, leads on likability.
And one of the most important findings was that the people surveyed believe that if John Kerry was elected president, their taxes would go up. And you know what, the American people are smart and right.
HEMMER: You say...
MEHLMAN: That's what John Kerry would do.
HEMMER: I apologize for the interruption. You say those are the only issues the American people care about. On the environment, healthcare, the deficit, Medicare, stem cell research, education, Senator Kerry still leads the president on all these areas.
MEHLMAN: Well, I think I said the most...
HEMMER: On all these areas.
MEHLMAN: I hope I said the most important issues the American people care about. I think the most important issues in this election are going to be who can lead America in the war on terror and also who can help make sure our economy gets stronger.
Those are also important issues. And we welcome the debate. You mentioned healthcare. The president's got a plan on healthcare to make it more affordable, more available and to empower patients.
John Kerry's plan on healthcare is higher taxes, 1.5 trillion, more government regulation and throw people off their private health care plans. So, we welcome a debate on, for instance, healthcare.
HEMMER: The debate is tomorrow night.
MEHLMAN: It is.
HEMMER: Third and final one. The election three weeks from today.
MEHLMAN: That's right.
HEMMER: Twenty-one days and counting.
Ken, thanks for your time.
MEHLMAN: Thanks a lot.
HEMMER: We'll speak again. Ken Mehlman, Terry McAuliffe.
Our prime time coverage tomorrow night starts at 7:00 Eastern time. The debate gets under way at 9:00, two hours after that -- Heidi?
COLLINS: In Iraq this morning, a mine exploded early today in Basra, near the compound housing the U.S. and British consulates. No casualties have been reported.
U.S. air strikes today hit targets in Fallujah, including a restaurant. The coalition says it was a meeting place for terrorists loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The owner of the restaurant says four of his employees were inside when it hit.
U.S. war planes have been making daily bombing runs in Fallujah in recent weeks targeting safe houses and other locations linked to Zarqawi. And Iraqi security forces have launched raided on seven mosques in Ramadi west of Baghdad.
This follows two days of clashes in that city. The mosques are believed to be used by insurgents to stage attacks.
HEMMER: About 10 minutes past the hour. Yankees, Red Sox tonight, game one. It feels like Fall already, weather wise, too. Here's Chad Myers check of the weather this morning.
Chad, good morning to you.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's why they call it the Fall Classic, Bill.
HEMMER: Yes, that's right.
MYERS: Hey, good morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MYERS: All right, Chad, thanks for that.
I want to remind our viewers next Monday Soledad comes back, and AMERICAN MORNING is going on the road as well. We'll be in Chicago starting on Monday. All next week, last week, broadcasting live from the major windy city landmarks. And there are many, landmarks and windy.
COLLINS: From the looks of those flags, you got that right.
HEMMER: Yes.
We'll be with key politicians and the business leaders and artists in that town talking about key city issues and, of course, the upcoming election.
AMERICAN MORNING on the road in Chicago all next week starting Monday morning at 7:00 a.m. Eastern time. It's going to be a great week. We're all going.
COLLINS: We're all going.
HEMMER: That's right. Right?
COLLINS: And all jackets are going. I'm concerned about the luggage. How many luggage...
HEMMER: I'm just hope it arrives because my coat will be packed in there, and we'll need it.
COLLINS: Yes, we will.
Still to come now this morning. Scott Peterson's defense team kicks off its case. But don't expect to see Peterson on the witness stand just yet. Lisa Bloom of Court TV tells us why he will not testify.
HEMMER: Also, the issue of stem cell research back in the political spotlight. Which candidate stands to benefit the most?
COLLINS: And next, one of the busiest transit systems in America was reportedly under terrorist surveillance. How vulnerable is Washington state's ferry system?
We'll talk about it coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Authorities in Seattle have stepped up security on ferry boats after reports that Washington's ferry system could be a terror target. "The Seattle Times" says the FBI believes terrorists have had the state's ferry operation under surveillance for years.
Joining us now from Seattle, Captain Fred Fakkema with the Washington state patrol.
Captain, good morning to you. Thank you for being here.
FRED FAKKEMA, CAPTAIN, WASHINGTON STATE PATROL: Good morning. Thank you for having us.
COLLINS: How concerned are you? We have just read that it's possible that this system has been under surveillance for quite some time. What's different now about this that you are hearing?
FAKKEMA: Well, we have been doing ferry security since 1993. And obviously since 9/11 we have increased that security. We're utilizing canine explosives detection teams to monitor and do random checks on all the vehicles that are boarding the ferries.
COLLINS: But as we look at this video here, I mean, there are a lot of people that use the ferry system. In fact, this is the largest in the country, the third largest in the world. How vulnerable is it to a terrorist attack?
FAKKEMA: Well, we have always said that it's very vulnerable, being like you said, the largest ferry system in the nation, over 26 million passengers utilize our ferry systems. So we take that job very seriously to provide the public safety in regards to traffic and transportation.
COLLINS: Talk to us, if you could, about how the ferry system works. As you mentioned, you have quite a few people who use it, 26 million. But why would it be a terrorist target? Is it just unprotected, and easy target, if you will?
FAKKEMA: Well, it's one of our icons in the Puget Sound. And also, if you compare it to SeaTac International Airport, the numbers are similar to those that use SeaTac and those that use the ferry systems in Washington state.
So, we do need to make sure that it is safe for our citizens and those visiting to utilize the ferry system.
COLLINS: So what do you say to those people? You know, from what you just told us this morning, there's a lot of improvement to be made. Although you're aware of the situation, there are a lot of things that need to be done.
How do you tell them, hey, go ahead and get on the ferry and feel safe about it? FAKKEMA: Well, the requirements that the Coast Guard have placed upon us, we're not only meeting those requirements, but we're exceeding them. Our canine teams are doing an excellent job. The folks that do use the ferries have been very positive toward what we're doing and have said positive things.
We have had experiences where the canines have hit on cars after working the lines for a long period of time. And that hit has been something that has been illegal things such as a firearm or something like that. So, we do know that the system works, and we believe that the ferries are safe.
COLLINS: Let's talk about a couple of different things that people can do, though, if they are riding on the ferry. We've got some things to show on the screen here, quickly.
You say report unusual behavior.
FAKKEMA: Right.
COLLINS: Really be aware of the situation around you?
FAKKEMA: Right. It's a team effort. The citizens need to be vigilant, pay attention to their surroundings. If there's something unusual, to report it to us or to the ferry staff.
All of those complaints, all those situations are investigated completely and fully and reported to our joint terrorism task force that we're a part of our federal and local state coalition.
COLLINS: And in fact, they even go to the next level, which is listen in a little bit to what your neighbor might be saying and report any sort of suspicious conversations you might hear?
FAKKEMA: You bet. We all do that today since our lives have changed since 9/11.
COLLINS: And lastly, contact the ferry staff or just plain call 9-1-1. This is something we have been told since we were young. You hear anything weird or out of the ordinary, just call 9-1-1.
Sir, we appreciate your time this morning very much. Captain Fred Fakkema with the Washington state patrol.
FAKKEMA: Thanks for having us.
COLLINS: Thank you -- Bill?
HEMMER: Mary Kay LeTourneau has been out of prison for just a couple of months, now. The former school teacher served seven and a half years for having sex with a 13-year-old student.
She talked with Larry King last night, live for one hour her on CNN, her first live interview since her release from jail.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MARY KAY LETOURNEAU, HAD RELATIONSHIP WITH 13-YEAR-OLD: If anyone had ever said, hey, this is a felony. Regardless of who initiated the relationship, you're the adult, and this is a felony, there isn't any -- any way -- that I would have got involved.
It's not that I wouldn't have still had feelings and, or that he wouldn't still have feelings, but...
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You would not have...
LETOURNEAU: I don't know. I don't know how anyone -- I don't know how anyone does something knowing something's a felony.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: LeTourneau and Vili Faulaau have two daughters together, the couple now engaged -- Heidi?
COLLINS: Still to come this morning, how high will it go? The cost of oil skyrocketing. What's behind it?
Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. About $53 bucks a barrel and still climbing, the price of oil just keeps on going up. First check of the markets today with Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."
Was I right at $53 bucks?
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: No. You're still on a short, unfortunately -- $54.14 now.
HEMMER: Oh.
SERWER: We've broken above $54. And six days in a row, Bill, the price of oil is up, not a good thing for our economy.
The market shrugged it off a little bit, yesterday. Well, here we go. And sometimes it's better just to look at it, up 65 percent this year. And you best believe it is translating to higher prices at the pump, which are around $2 a gallon and higher heating oil, about $1.66 a gallon.
Market shrugged it off yesterday, as I was saying earlier. You can see here a nice little rally. Nasdaq scrambling up toward 2000.
What's going on in the world of oil? Just a couple points, here. General strike in Nigeria, they produce 3 percent of the world's oil.
A strike expected to widen in our favorite place, Norway. Those Norwegian oil workers at it again. They are the third largest oil exporter, though.
COLLINS: I did not know that.
SERWER: You did not know that. Twenty million barrels a day that we use in the United States. Here's an interesting thing, also. The Gulf of Mexico, the damage from Ivan still a problem down there. Half a million barrels a day offline and expected to stay offline for months, possibly, even.
There was some rogue waves down there. You read a story in the "Wall Street Journal." One was 90 feet high now...
HEMMER: Wow.
SERWER: ... in Ivan, they are estimating. Damaging the rigs and the pipelines down there.
HEMMER: Got it, $54 and counting.
SERWER: Yes.
HEMMER: Are we going up again today or not?
SERWER: That's this morning's price.
HEMMER: OK.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: I saw an interview last night somewhere with -- I can't remember, you know, who it was. But they were talking about OPEC...
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: ... that 20 percent of our oil comes from OPEC countries.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: And that we could reduce oil consumption in this country by increasing miles per gallon by seven...
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: ... on all the vehicles that are sold in the United States.
SERWER: Right.
CAFFERTY: That if we would increase the mileage by seven miles a gallon, we could eliminate the need for OPEC oil. I don't -- you know, I mean it's an interesting thought.
COLLINS: Yes, that could be...
SERWER: We could cut six percent easily.
COLLINS: ... was it Dodge Ram...
SERWER: The Dodge Ram...
COLLINS: ... that got seven miles per gallon?
SERWER: ... nine miles per gallon. That's right.
HEMMER: No, no, no -- 12 on the highway.
SERWER: Twelve on the highway.
COLLINS: That's right.
SERWER: So, don't drive in the city.
HEMMER: That's right.
SERWER: Right?
COLLINS: Jack now and the "Question of the Day" -- dealing with our safety?
CAFFERTY: Yes, two presidential candidates, Heidi, diametrically opposed on whether or not this war in Iraq was the right thing to do.
Yesterday, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported to the U.N. Security Council that equipment and material that could be used to make nuclear weapons are disappearing from Iraq, that entire buildings full of nuclear equipment are being emptied out.
And there are also reports of guns and ammunitions being sold out at bargain prices by entrepreneurial Iraqis. The president has always said all along that fighting the terrorists in Iraq is preferable to fighting them in the United States and that he would choose the same option again today if it was presented to him.
Here's the question: Is the United States safer or more vulnerable as a result of going to war with Iraq? Am@cnn.com.
Apparently they don't know who's -- who has got a hold of this stuff, these nuclear materials.
SERWER: Why wasn't it guarded? I mean, you know, elementary question.
CAFFERTY: Well, unless it's in some place like Sadr City or one of those, you know, neighborhoods...
SERWER: Well that makes sense.
HEMMER: It's a very interesting story in Sadr City, too...
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: ... with this gun buy back.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: Or the grenade buy back. What else? They're trading...
SERWER: Mortars.
HEMMER: We'll see how much they do there in terms of productivity and to turn it.
Let's get a break here. In a moment, Jack, Mark Geragos says he's ready to smoke out the real killer. This in the Scott Peterson case. Should we expect any Perry Mason moments? We'll talk with Lisa Bloom with Court TV on that in a moment.
Also, a wild fire scorching thousands of acres out West. We'll let you know whether or not firefighters are making any headway.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
