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American Morning
Closing Days of Election 2004; Trying to Avert Crisis During Flu Season
Aired October 18, 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
Every day precious now for George Bush and John Kerry. Both men trying to build support where they need it most in the closing days.
The most wanted terrorist in Iraq now pledging support to Osama bin Laden.
Trying to avert a crisis during flu season. Could giving the wrong person a shot bring jail time?
And the radio days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know some pretty big men around here and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine. The judge is 6'3."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: A look back at the golden age of radio, when Chicago owned the airwaves, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the corner of Wabash and Wacker, on the banks of the Chicago River in Chicago, this is AMERICAN MORNING on the road, with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: And good morning again from Chicago.
Thanks for being with us today.
And yet again I want to make a very special welcome to our pal, Soledad O'Brien who's now...
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You missed me.
HEMMER: We did. Absolutely. Every single day.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
HEMMER: And welcome back again.
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much.
HEMMER: Are you holding up all right? O'BRIEN: Yes. I'm doing just fine.
HEMMER: Yes? How did that alarm clock feel this morning?
O'BRIEN: I've got to tell you, I've never slept better. At home I don't sleep at all. This is like very restful.
HEMMER: Well, listen, congratulations again on the two young boys at home.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
It's nice to be back here.
HEMMER: And if your husband is watching, Brad, hang in there. She'll be gone for a week.
O'BRIEN: He's doing fine.
HEMMER: She'll be back.
O'BRIEN: He can manage.
HEMMER: Anyway, starting today we are here on the Chicago River and throughout the week we're going to change locations every day to some of the more popular landmarks in this great city here. Tomorrow, Loyola University, right along the Magnificent Mile. Great shopping, by the way, over that way.
O'BRIEN: I know. And it's kind of timed out well. Finish the show, head on over, you know?
HEMMER: That it is.
Also on Wednesday, Union Station; Thursday, the Field Museum, which is a great, great place here in the second city.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: And we'll close out the week at the Adler Planetarium.
So, all week here on the road in Chicago.
O'BRIEN: This morning, politics are again topping the news, as you would expect just two weeks before a presidential election, of course. We're going to talk this morning about the speech that President Bush has planned for today on terrorism. We'll also talk to the governor of Illinois about this race and how things stand right here.
HEMMER: Also this hour, in a moment, the military investigation into an Army platoon's refusal to go on a supply mission in Iraq. How significant, how serious? Are the troops getting the equipment they need to get the proper protection in Iraq? We'll get to that this hour, as well. A hot topic again today.
O'BRIEN: And Mr. Cafferty, who I think really missed me. He gave me a hug.
HEMMER: Savor that.
O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Hey, there.
HEMMER: Hey, Jack -- good morning.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was dark.
Was that you?
Coming up in the "Cafferty File," we're going to talk to a guy who worked for the mob here in Chicago, then turned against them. And now there's a million dollar price on his head. It's quite a story, a third generation Chicago police officer who went haywire and then got back on the right side of the law. It's coming up in a little less than an hour.
Now back to Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Jack, thanks.
That sounds like a fascinating story.
Heidi Collins is with us with the headlines this morning, as well -- good morning to you, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning once again.
Welcome back to you.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
COLLINS: It's probably a little cooler here than in New York, but that's all right. We'll make it through.
We want to get to the news now, as we said.
This morning, the Bush administration trying to confirm a new claim from terror suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. In an online statement believed to be from Zarqawi's followers, the group has declared allegiance to al Qaeda. The group says it will follow orders from Osama bin Laden.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says insurgents in Iraq trying to keep President Bush out of the White House. Just hours ago, Putin said if President Bush is voted out of the office, the defeat could spread terrorism to other parts of the world. That's the closest Putin has ever come to officially endorsing President Bush's candidacy. More on campaign politics here in the U.S. coming up a little bit later.
The Anglican Church is awaiting recommendations this morning on how to address homosexuality in the church. An emergency panel is set to release a report that will address divisions in the church after the consecration of a gay bishop in New Hampshire last year.
Well, it appears the gap between the wealthy and the poor in the United States is widening now. The Pew Hispanic Center says white families had a median net worth of more than $88,000 in 2002. That's 11 times more than Hispanics and more than 14 times that of black families.
And that's the news for now.
HEMMER: And I've got Yanks 3-1 on Boston, right? The Red Sox won.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: The Astros beat the Cards. That series 2-2.
COLLINS: Yes. Some serious pitching going on there.
HEMMER: It's good baseball, too.
COLLINS: Right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Heidi.
COLLINS: You bet.
O'BRIEN: And thanks for that sports update, Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: You're welcome.
O'BRIEN: Well, the fight against terror topping the president's agenda today, as his campaign makes a push through some battleground states.
Suzanne Malveaux live for us at the White House this morning -- hey, Suzanne, good morning to you.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back, Soledad.
We all missed you here.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
Good to have you back.
President Bush, of course, having a couple of events before he leaves back on the road. He is going to be signing a Homeland Security Appropriations Act. It allots $33 billion for improved security. He's also going to enjoy a light moment at the White House. He's going to be greeting the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams on the South Lawn. But, of course, he is going to be back on the trail in earnest this afternoon. He heads to southern New Jersey. That is where the Bush camp says he's going to deliver a major address in fighting terrorism, again, contrasting it to his opponent, Kerry's.
Now, the Bush camp very much emboldened by what they see the latest polls, of course. What it looks like is Kerry's lead wiped out after those debates, that little bump that he got after the debates. The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll now gives Mr. Bush a lead over Kerry among likely voters. A 52-44 percent lead among registered voters. That is 49-46 percent. That is a statistical tie.
Now, of course, President Bush is going to be traveling to New Jersey later today. It is an unusual pick for this campaign. That's because it is a Democratic stronghold. Gore won that state by 16 percentage points last time. But his top adviser, Karl Rove, says they are there for two reasons. First of all, many people in New Jersey were directly impacted by the September 11 attacks and terrorism is the number one concern on their agenda. And, of course, also, they can get some media exposure in a key market, Philadelphia. That is where Pennsylvania is still very much in play -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Good morning, Suzanne Malveaux at the White House for us this morning.
Suzanne, nice to see you.
Thanks -- Bill.
HEMMER: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will be doing his part to see that President Bush is defeated November 2, a strong backer of Senator John Kerry.
The Democratic governor my guest now here in Chicago.
Governor, good morning to you.
GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D), ILLINOIS: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: Back on the screen, our latest poll puts Bush over Kerry by eight points.
What's happening in this polling?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, I don't know. The polls and the pundits express their opinions and they generally never get it right. I mean, after all, you think about the Iowa caucuses, all the pundits had Howard Dean as our nominee even before a single vote was cast.
I think what's -- what'll happen on election day will be a real race for turnout, get the core constituencies of the Democratic Party out. The Republicans will do the same. And I think the desire for change, I think, is so profound that I think voters ultimately will choose a new president.
HEMMER: Why have the debates not helped John Kerry more in the polling that we have?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, I don't know that they didn't. I think the debates helped him a great deal. I think the American people had a chance to see John Kerry as someone who is extremely knowledgeable on the issues, forthright, articulate and who's right on most of the issues. And I think those debates have helped him.
Again, I can't speak to these specific polls, except to say that the trends here in Illinois are very favorable. I think John Kerry will win here with a great deal of cushion. And if we do our work right, Senator Obama, State Senator Obama, will be our new United States senator. And with all respect to Alan Keyes, we'll send him back to Maryland. And if we work hard enough, Barack Obama could get 98 percent of the vote.
HEMMER: You -- 98 percent of the vote?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, it's an exaggeration, but he's winning so big here right now that, you know, we like the way it feels.
HEMMER: We will have Barack Obama and Alan Keyes on our program tomorrow here from Chicago.
Back to the first answer that you mentioned, though, about voter turnout.
What is your sense now about when we hear new voter rolls in Ohio putting several hundred thousand more people signed up.
BLAGOJEVICH: Right.
HEMMER: Florida says they've signed up 850,000.
How is that to factor in come November 2?
BLAGOJEVICH: I don't think the polls are picking that up. I think that's the big ace in the hole, I think, for Democrats. And I think that's an example of a desire among many millions across America to change things. And I think what you'll see is that many of those who are newly registered voters will go to the polls and vote change. And they're going to vote change because this administration has not been one that's responsive to the needs of people.
Take the issue of prescription drugs, for example. We here in Illinois are defying the FDA because seniors in Illinois and our working people can't get the medicines in America at prices they can afford. But they can go to Canada, Ireland, Scotland and England and get the exact medicine they get here, but save as much as 50 percent or better on the prices of medicines, if they're allowed access to the marketplace.
And issues like that, I think, are the reason why I think there's a real desire for people to change.
HEMMER: On your list of issues, though, are you putting that number one?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, that's an issue that I'm working very hard on. Illinois has decided to do its own thing and allow our 13 million citizens here a chance to be able to get their medicines made by American companies for half the price in Canada, Ireland, Scotland and England. The flu vaccine is a classic case of policies by the Bush administration. The president himself has said they want to go to Canada to the get flu vaccines. There's a shortage.
HEMMER: But the suggestion on the flu vaccines is that it has gone on much longer than just four years, which would take it back into the Clinton years.
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, that may or may not be the case. But the fact that on flu vaccines it's OK to be able to go to Canada to get some help. Why can't senior citizens get relief with the high cost of their medicines, be able to go to Canada -- one of our number, one of our leading trading partners, our neighbor to the north -- and be able to bring the medicines they buy here, but bring it in here for a lot less money for them?
HEMMER: Well, 15 days and counting. And we'll figure everything out come November 3, perhaps.
Thank you.
BLAGOJEVICH: Appreciate it.
HEMMER: The governor, Rod Blagojevich here in Chicago.
BLAGOJEVICH: Thanks a lot.
HEMMER: Thanks for having us, by the way.
BLAGOJEVICH: Thanks.
Welcome.
HEMMER: It is a wonderful place to be here.
BLAGOJEVICH: Yes, it's a great backdrop.
Nice to meet you.
O'BRIEN: And likewise.
Thanks for having us.
BLAGOJEVICH: Thank you.
HEMMER: Thank you, Governor.
CNN will carry the live address later today. Both candidates on the stump yet again today. We'll bring you the president's speech on homeland security, 1:15 Eastern time, 12:15 locally here in Chicago.
Senator Kerry makes a major address on health care issues today. Coverage of that speech at 1:45 Eastern later today.
Now Soledad with more.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks.
In fact, let's get a check on the weather.
Chad Myers is at the CNN Center.
He's got the latest forecast for us.
Good morning to you -- Chad.
I missed you.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Soledad.
This is the first time I've been able to say welcome back.
O'BRIEN: Thank you. Thank you. It's nice to be back.
MYERS: Bill has been hogging all the tosses, you know, and so finally now...
O'BRIEN: Really, now. Well, you know how that is.
HEMMER: What else is new?
O'BRIEN: What changed -- nothing changes.
HEMMER: That's right.
MYERS: Nothing changes, exactly.
Hey, good morning.
And good morning, everybody, and welcome back, of course.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: We are right here along the banks of the Chicago River. And did you know...
O'BRIEN: Isn't it beautiful?
HEMMER: ... since 1962, they dye this water green.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: That's a matter of fact. And, also, they reversed the flow back in 1900. They had a problem with sewage.
O'BRIEN: It was a little feat of engineering to pull that off.
HEMMER: You are right about that.
Chicago has been dubbed the second city, although it's actually the country's third largest city today, based on population. No matter, really, though, to the people who call Chicago home. To them, this is the city of big shoulders. Simply number one in this country. It's our home base today and all week throughout the week here in this tour that we continue of the toddling town known as Chicago here in the heart of it all.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER (voice-over): Downtown Chicago. To those who live here, it's simply known as The Loop. From the federal building to the Board of Trade, it's a bustling business district, second in size only to midtown Manhattan. Here you'll find the Sears Tower, the tallest building in North America, and a parade of vertical spectacles rising to form a magnificent skyline overlooking the shores of Lake Michigan.
The Chicago River is itself a spectacle, cutting a T through downtown so that nearly every thoroughfare crosses it. There are 45 movable bridges spanning the waterway. That's more than any other city.
In a time honored civic tradition that started back in 1962, the river is dyed green on St. Patrick's Day. And in this city known for its architecture, among so many other things, architectural boat tours and other commercial trips down the Chicago River are a favorite of locals and tourists alike.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: And a huge sports town, too, with the Bears and the Bulls, the White Sox, the Cubs. A great town here, Chicago. The river system, by the way, 156 miles long. You don't really think about that when you come here. You normally think about the Great Lakes and Lake Michigan. Fifty-two thousand vessels pass through that river every year. And we are here for location number one on day one here in Chicago.
COLLINS: Still to come this morning, in honor of The Windy City, we're going to sink our teeth into some deep dish politics. The presidential race is heating up, but at least one of our guests says you shouldn't read too much into all those national polls.
HEMMER: Also in a moment, we're going back in time. The golden age of radio and Chicago's days as a media powerhouse. Everybody gather round. AMERICAN MORNING continues in a moment in Chicago.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JIM CROCE: On the South Side of Chicago, in the baddest part of town, and if you go down there you better just beware of a man name of Leroy Brown. Now, Leroy wanted trouble.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.
You're taking a look at our location.
Welcome back as we spend the first day of our week here in Chicago.
Heidi Collins joins us this morning.
She has been looking into the history of Chicago, specifically, the radio.
COLLINS: Yes, and when you think about radio, you know, what do you think of? I mean there are quite a few legends that come from this city, maybe because of all the wind they had to really have these powerful voices to talk over the wind. I don't know. But as we say, the city of Chicago has a legendary radio history, from family hours to crazy stunts.
Here now, a look at it.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't know. Like I said, you probably worse yourself out with too much business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I'm president of the ICCIOTUSCT (ph).
COLLINS (voice-over): It may be hard to remember, but once upon a time we used to get much of our news and entertainment shows from radio.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Oh, the humanity and all the prayers (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
COLLINS: And the heart of it all was in Chicago.
BRUCE DUMON, MUSEUM PRESIDENT: If you were growing up in the late '20s or throughout the '30s and you were lying awake at night tuning in your crystal radio, the radio station that you probably were able to get in was one of the 50,000 watt powerhouses from Chicago.
COLLINS: Chicago quickly became a powerhouse of talent. And the money came from all the major advertising agencies. They helped sponsor the legendary programs that originated in The Windy City in the golden age of radio.
The family shows...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know some pretty big men around here and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine. The judge is 6'3."
COLLINS: The comics...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you dry your home with a bathroom curtain?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma'am. I wanted to get the mud off before I wiped them on your clean towels.
COLLINS: And the music. Guy Lombardo's first New Year's Eve broadcast aired here in 1927. When TV came along, Chicago radio turned to what radio does best -- talk. And Chicago had the best voices around.
Studs Terkel...
STUDS TERKEL: One of the most popular songs of the earlier '30s.
COLLINS: And Paul Harvey.
PAUL HARVEY: For what it's worth, filling stations can't make it selling just gas anymore. They have to sell food and beverages.
COLLINS: The most listened to voice in the history of radio.
STEVE DAHL, CHICAGO RADIO HOST: It's a big city. I mean it's your third largest market. And we don't have any other kind of show business here, really, except for Oprah. So it's always seemed to me that maybe radio people here are a little bit, you know, more well known, because we tend to sort of be the local celebrity.
COLLINS: Steve Dahl is a local celebrity who has been broadcasting in Chicago for 25 years, back when disco was king.
DAHL: I used to mock the Bee Gees a lot. I would take helium and then, you know, sing like the Bee Gees, you know, ah, ah, ah, ah, staying alive.
COLLINS: So started a disco protest, which came to be known as the disco demolition, a radio stunt that encouraged people to bring their disco records to the ball game in order to get rid of them. But it spun out of control into a near riot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is now officially the world's largest anti-disco rally.
COLLINS: Another example of the power of Chicago radio.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: A city rich in radio history, indeed.
Lots of voices coming from here.
HEMMER: You know, I think of Paul Harvey whenever I come to this town.
COLLINS: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Yes. Right down the street here there's a street named after him and they remember him quite well here.
COLLINS: Harry Kerry's Place (ph), too.
HEMMER: Harry Kerry, exactly right.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: All the legends.
COLLINS: All of them. And now you, Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Hardly.
COLLINS: You are here.
HEMMER: In a moment here, you've got the Bulls, the Bears. Don't forget about the lovable losers, the Cubbies. Lots of sports history in Chicago. What's the most memorable moment, though?
Jack has a look back at that in a moment.
Up first, though, take a stab at another Chicago fun fact today.
In 1900, the flow of the Chicago River was reversed. Was it to, A, improve the river transportation, show off a bold engineering feat, improve Chicago's sewage system or keep the carp population under control?
Take a stab at that, A, B, C or D, when we return in Congress after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From his all time favorite sport. I told him it's late and it's getting dark in here, and I know it's time to go...
(END AUDIO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Two great landmarks in Chicago, the Wrigley Building with a clock on it. To the right of it, with a flag above it, is the Tribune Building in downtown Chicago right along the river.
Before the break, we asked you why the flow of the Chicago River was reversed in 1900. Was it to improve transportation, show off a bold new engineering feat, improve Chicago's sewage system or keep the carp population under control?
O'BRIEN: I'll go with D.
HEMMER: Soledad goes with D.
O'BRIEN: Those pesky carps.
HEMMER: Yes. If you were listening about 20 minutes ago, we kind of gave it away a little bit. The answer is C, to improve Chicago's sewage system. Doing so dramatically reduced the spread of typhoid, then a huge scare here. It killed a lot of people back in 1885, I believe, if we did our homework properly yesterday.
O'BRIEN: And at the same time... HEMMER: And they came here and took the water and sent it the other way (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
O'BRIEN: Which was answer B, a bold feat of engineering. I mean come on, you know?
HEMMER: We could take B and C, could we not?
O'BRIEN: It had nothing to do with carp, though.
HEMMER: We want to get back to...
O'BRIEN: If you guessed that, you're just wrong.
HEMMER: That's right.
O'BRIEN: Let's check in with Jack.
He's at Carton's Restaurant, where it's, what is it, 75 degrees there, Jack?
CAFFERTY: It's perfect. I just, you know, I just had a cup of hot tea with honey, a little order of toast. We're living large at Carton's.
You know, you can't come to Chicago, Soledad, without talking about sports in this town -- the Bulls and the Cubs and the Bears and the Black Hawks, who are not playing because of the NHL problem. And the White Sox. Everybody's got an opinion about the best, the worst, the most, whatever.
We went to the Billy Goat Tavern -- remember that place? It was made famous in John Belushi's "Saturday Night Live" skit. And we talked to Sam Sianis, who's the owner there. He's the one who's famous for flipping the cheeseburgers, cheeseburgers, chips, no fries. And we talked to him about what he and his patrons think are the best Chicago sports moments of all time.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SAM SIANIS: Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger, no fries, chips, no Pepsi Coke.
The greatest sports moment is the curse of the Billy goat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Bulls. Michael Jordan winning the championship, that last second shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Bears winning the Super Bowl in '85. The best sports moment for the town of Chicago.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can only think of one thing. I think it's Sweetness. And I loved him and that was it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The 1985 Bears winning the Super Bowl and having the Super Bowl shuffle all over the television. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last year, October, the Cubs pushing for the playoffs and having an otherwise unknown young man catch a foul ball and attain world renowned status, Steve Bartman. Here's looking at you, buddy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the Bulls against Phoenix in '93. Jan Paxson (ph). It's almost like the Phoenix, they won 2-0 and they come back in Phoenix.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Bears winning the Super Bowl in 1985.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
CAFFERTY: All right, coming up in the "Cafferty File" in less than a half hour now, you remember that old TV show, "I Led Three Lives?" I'm going to talk to a guy who actually did. Three different lives. He started on the good side of the law, went to the other side of the law and finally came back to the good side of the law. It was all about working for and then against the mutants who ran the first ward in Chicago and had a stranglehold in terms of the mob corruption in this town in the late '70s and early '80s.
He's got a fascinating story and you'll hear it in about 30 minutes, give or take -- back to you.
HEMMER: All right, we will stay tuned for that.
I think based on that flash polling over there at the Billy Goat Tavern, the Bears in 1985 win, right? William "The Fridge" -- William Perry, "The Fridge," right?
O'BRIEN: Right. William "The Fridge" Perry.
HEMMER: He beat the New England Patriots. Oh, the times have changed.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack, for that.
O'BRIEN: And still to come this morning, we're serving up a slice of deep dish politics. One Chicago paper endorsed a candidate for president over the weekend, but the question, of course, is how much does it really matter?
HEMMER: We'll get to that.
Also, this continuing story out of Iraq, 18 soldiers refused this mission. Just how serious is it for them and could it point to a bigger problem? We'll get a live report from the Pentagon on that as we continue on the road in Chicago on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired October 18, 2004 - 08:00 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.
Every day precious now for George Bush and John Kerry. Both men trying to build support where they need it most in the closing days.
The most wanted terrorist in Iraq now pledging support to Osama bin Laden.
Trying to avert a crisis during flu season. Could giving the wrong person a shot bring jail time?
And the radio days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know some pretty big men around here and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine. The judge is 6'3."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: A look back at the golden age of radio, when Chicago owned the airwaves, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the corner of Wabash and Wacker, on the banks of the Chicago River in Chicago, this is AMERICAN MORNING on the road, with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: And good morning again from Chicago.
Thanks for being with us today.
And yet again I want to make a very special welcome to our pal, Soledad O'Brien who's now...
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: You missed me.
HEMMER: We did. Absolutely. Every single day.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
HEMMER: And welcome back again.
O'BRIEN: Thank you very much.
HEMMER: Are you holding up all right? O'BRIEN: Yes. I'm doing just fine.
HEMMER: Yes? How did that alarm clock feel this morning?
O'BRIEN: I've got to tell you, I've never slept better. At home I don't sleep at all. This is like very restful.
HEMMER: Well, listen, congratulations again on the two young boys at home.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
It's nice to be back here.
HEMMER: And if your husband is watching, Brad, hang in there. She'll be gone for a week.
O'BRIEN: He's doing fine.
HEMMER: She'll be back.
O'BRIEN: He can manage.
HEMMER: Anyway, starting today we are here on the Chicago River and throughout the week we're going to change locations every day to some of the more popular landmarks in this great city here. Tomorrow, Loyola University, right along the Magnificent Mile. Great shopping, by the way, over that way.
O'BRIEN: I know. And it's kind of timed out well. Finish the show, head on over, you know?
HEMMER: That it is.
Also on Wednesday, Union Station; Thursday, the Field Museum, which is a great, great place here in the second city.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: And we'll close out the week at the Adler Planetarium.
So, all week here on the road in Chicago.
O'BRIEN: This morning, politics are again topping the news, as you would expect just two weeks before a presidential election, of course. We're going to talk this morning about the speech that President Bush has planned for today on terrorism. We'll also talk to the governor of Illinois about this race and how things stand right here.
HEMMER: Also this hour, in a moment, the military investigation into an Army platoon's refusal to go on a supply mission in Iraq. How significant, how serious? Are the troops getting the equipment they need to get the proper protection in Iraq? We'll get to that this hour, as well. A hot topic again today.
O'BRIEN: And Mr. Cafferty, who I think really missed me. He gave me a hug.
HEMMER: Savor that.
O'BRIEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Hey, there.
HEMMER: Hey, Jack -- good morning.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was dark.
Was that you?
Coming up in the "Cafferty File," we're going to talk to a guy who worked for the mob here in Chicago, then turned against them. And now there's a million dollar price on his head. It's quite a story, a third generation Chicago police officer who went haywire and then got back on the right side of the law. It's coming up in a little less than an hour.
Now back to Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Jack, thanks.
That sounds like a fascinating story.
Heidi Collins is with us with the headlines this morning, as well -- good morning to you, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning once again.
Welcome back to you.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
COLLINS: It's probably a little cooler here than in New York, but that's all right. We'll make it through.
We want to get to the news now, as we said.
This morning, the Bush administration trying to confirm a new claim from terror suspect Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. In an online statement believed to be from Zarqawi's followers, the group has declared allegiance to al Qaeda. The group says it will follow orders from Osama bin Laden.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says insurgents in Iraq trying to keep President Bush out of the White House. Just hours ago, Putin said if President Bush is voted out of the office, the defeat could spread terrorism to other parts of the world. That's the closest Putin has ever come to officially endorsing President Bush's candidacy. More on campaign politics here in the U.S. coming up a little bit later.
The Anglican Church is awaiting recommendations this morning on how to address homosexuality in the church. An emergency panel is set to release a report that will address divisions in the church after the consecration of a gay bishop in New Hampshire last year.
Well, it appears the gap between the wealthy and the poor in the United States is widening now. The Pew Hispanic Center says white families had a median net worth of more than $88,000 in 2002. That's 11 times more than Hispanics and more than 14 times that of black families.
And that's the news for now.
HEMMER: And I've got Yanks 3-1 on Boston, right? The Red Sox won.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: The Astros beat the Cards. That series 2-2.
COLLINS: Yes. Some serious pitching going on there.
HEMMER: It's good baseball, too.
COLLINS: Right.
HEMMER: Thank you, Heidi.
COLLINS: You bet.
O'BRIEN: And thanks for that sports update, Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: You're welcome.
O'BRIEN: Well, the fight against terror topping the president's agenda today, as his campaign makes a push through some battleground states.
Suzanne Malveaux live for us at the White House this morning -- hey, Suzanne, good morning to you.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Welcome back, Soledad.
We all missed you here.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
Good to have you back.
President Bush, of course, having a couple of events before he leaves back on the road. He is going to be signing a Homeland Security Appropriations Act. It allots $33 billion for improved security. He's also going to enjoy a light moment at the White House. He's going to be greeting the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams on the South Lawn. But, of course, he is going to be back on the trail in earnest this afternoon. He heads to southern New Jersey. That is where the Bush camp says he's going to deliver a major address in fighting terrorism, again, contrasting it to his opponent, Kerry's.
Now, the Bush camp very much emboldened by what they see the latest polls, of course. What it looks like is Kerry's lead wiped out after those debates, that little bump that he got after the debates. The latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll now gives Mr. Bush a lead over Kerry among likely voters. A 52-44 percent lead among registered voters. That is 49-46 percent. That is a statistical tie.
Now, of course, President Bush is going to be traveling to New Jersey later today. It is an unusual pick for this campaign. That's because it is a Democratic stronghold. Gore won that state by 16 percentage points last time. But his top adviser, Karl Rove, says they are there for two reasons. First of all, many people in New Jersey were directly impacted by the September 11 attacks and terrorism is the number one concern on their agenda. And, of course, also, they can get some media exposure in a key market, Philadelphia. That is where Pennsylvania is still very much in play -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Good morning, Suzanne Malveaux at the White House for us this morning.
Suzanne, nice to see you.
Thanks -- Bill.
HEMMER: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will be doing his part to see that President Bush is defeated November 2, a strong backer of Senator John Kerry.
The Democratic governor my guest now here in Chicago.
Governor, good morning to you.
GOV. ROD BLAGOJEVICH (D), ILLINOIS: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: Back on the screen, our latest poll puts Bush over Kerry by eight points.
What's happening in this polling?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, I don't know. The polls and the pundits express their opinions and they generally never get it right. I mean, after all, you think about the Iowa caucuses, all the pundits had Howard Dean as our nominee even before a single vote was cast.
I think what's -- what'll happen on election day will be a real race for turnout, get the core constituencies of the Democratic Party out. The Republicans will do the same. And I think the desire for change, I think, is so profound that I think voters ultimately will choose a new president.
HEMMER: Why have the debates not helped John Kerry more in the polling that we have?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, I don't know that they didn't. I think the debates helped him a great deal. I think the American people had a chance to see John Kerry as someone who is extremely knowledgeable on the issues, forthright, articulate and who's right on most of the issues. And I think those debates have helped him.
Again, I can't speak to these specific polls, except to say that the trends here in Illinois are very favorable. I think John Kerry will win here with a great deal of cushion. And if we do our work right, Senator Obama, State Senator Obama, will be our new United States senator. And with all respect to Alan Keyes, we'll send him back to Maryland. And if we work hard enough, Barack Obama could get 98 percent of the vote.
HEMMER: You -- 98 percent of the vote?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, it's an exaggeration, but he's winning so big here right now that, you know, we like the way it feels.
HEMMER: We will have Barack Obama and Alan Keyes on our program tomorrow here from Chicago.
Back to the first answer that you mentioned, though, about voter turnout.
What is your sense now about when we hear new voter rolls in Ohio putting several hundred thousand more people signed up.
BLAGOJEVICH: Right.
HEMMER: Florida says they've signed up 850,000.
How is that to factor in come November 2?
BLAGOJEVICH: I don't think the polls are picking that up. I think that's the big ace in the hole, I think, for Democrats. And I think that's an example of a desire among many millions across America to change things. And I think what you'll see is that many of those who are newly registered voters will go to the polls and vote change. And they're going to vote change because this administration has not been one that's responsive to the needs of people.
Take the issue of prescription drugs, for example. We here in Illinois are defying the FDA because seniors in Illinois and our working people can't get the medicines in America at prices they can afford. But they can go to Canada, Ireland, Scotland and England and get the exact medicine they get here, but save as much as 50 percent or better on the prices of medicines, if they're allowed access to the marketplace.
And issues like that, I think, are the reason why I think there's a real desire for people to change.
HEMMER: On your list of issues, though, are you putting that number one?
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, that's an issue that I'm working very hard on. Illinois has decided to do its own thing and allow our 13 million citizens here a chance to be able to get their medicines made by American companies for half the price in Canada, Ireland, Scotland and England. The flu vaccine is a classic case of policies by the Bush administration. The president himself has said they want to go to Canada to the get flu vaccines. There's a shortage.
HEMMER: But the suggestion on the flu vaccines is that it has gone on much longer than just four years, which would take it back into the Clinton years.
BLAGOJEVICH: Well, that may or may not be the case. But the fact that on flu vaccines it's OK to be able to go to Canada to get some help. Why can't senior citizens get relief with the high cost of their medicines, be able to go to Canada -- one of our number, one of our leading trading partners, our neighbor to the north -- and be able to bring the medicines they buy here, but bring it in here for a lot less money for them?
HEMMER: Well, 15 days and counting. And we'll figure everything out come November 3, perhaps.
Thank you.
BLAGOJEVICH: Appreciate it.
HEMMER: The governor, Rod Blagojevich here in Chicago.
BLAGOJEVICH: Thanks a lot.
HEMMER: Thanks for having us, by the way.
BLAGOJEVICH: Thanks.
Welcome.
HEMMER: It is a wonderful place to be here.
BLAGOJEVICH: Yes, it's a great backdrop.
Nice to meet you.
O'BRIEN: And likewise.
Thanks for having us.
BLAGOJEVICH: Thank you.
HEMMER: Thank you, Governor.
CNN will carry the live address later today. Both candidates on the stump yet again today. We'll bring you the president's speech on homeland security, 1:15 Eastern time, 12:15 locally here in Chicago.
Senator Kerry makes a major address on health care issues today. Coverage of that speech at 1:45 Eastern later today.
Now Soledad with more.
O'BRIEN: All right, thanks.
In fact, let's get a check on the weather.
Chad Myers is at the CNN Center.
He's got the latest forecast for us.
Good morning to you -- Chad.
I missed you.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Soledad.
This is the first time I've been able to say welcome back.
O'BRIEN: Thank you. Thank you. It's nice to be back.
MYERS: Bill has been hogging all the tosses, you know, and so finally now...
O'BRIEN: Really, now. Well, you know how that is.
HEMMER: What else is new?
O'BRIEN: What changed -- nothing changes.
HEMMER: That's right.
MYERS: Nothing changes, exactly.
Hey, good morning.
And good morning, everybody, and welcome back, of course.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: We are right here along the banks of the Chicago River. And did you know...
O'BRIEN: Isn't it beautiful?
HEMMER: ... since 1962, they dye this water green.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: That's a matter of fact. And, also, they reversed the flow back in 1900. They had a problem with sewage.
O'BRIEN: It was a little feat of engineering to pull that off.
HEMMER: You are right about that.
Chicago has been dubbed the second city, although it's actually the country's third largest city today, based on population. No matter, really, though, to the people who call Chicago home. To them, this is the city of big shoulders. Simply number one in this country. It's our home base today and all week throughout the week here in this tour that we continue of the toddling town known as Chicago here in the heart of it all.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER (voice-over): Downtown Chicago. To those who live here, it's simply known as The Loop. From the federal building to the Board of Trade, it's a bustling business district, second in size only to midtown Manhattan. Here you'll find the Sears Tower, the tallest building in North America, and a parade of vertical spectacles rising to form a magnificent skyline overlooking the shores of Lake Michigan.
The Chicago River is itself a spectacle, cutting a T through downtown so that nearly every thoroughfare crosses it. There are 45 movable bridges spanning the waterway. That's more than any other city.
In a time honored civic tradition that started back in 1962, the river is dyed green on St. Patrick's Day. And in this city known for its architecture, among so many other things, architectural boat tours and other commercial trips down the Chicago River are a favorite of locals and tourists alike.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: And a huge sports town, too, with the Bears and the Bulls, the White Sox, the Cubs. A great town here, Chicago. The river system, by the way, 156 miles long. You don't really think about that when you come here. You normally think about the Great Lakes and Lake Michigan. Fifty-two thousand vessels pass through that river every year. And we are here for location number one on day one here in Chicago.
COLLINS: Still to come this morning, in honor of The Windy City, we're going to sink our teeth into some deep dish politics. The presidential race is heating up, but at least one of our guests says you shouldn't read too much into all those national polls.
HEMMER: Also in a moment, we're going back in time. The golden age of radio and Chicago's days as a media powerhouse. Everybody gather round. AMERICAN MORNING continues in a moment in Chicago.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
JIM CROCE: On the South Side of Chicago, in the baddest part of town, and if you go down there you better just beware of a man name of Leroy Brown. Now, Leroy wanted trouble.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.
You're taking a look at our location.
Welcome back as we spend the first day of our week here in Chicago.
Heidi Collins joins us this morning.
She has been looking into the history of Chicago, specifically, the radio.
COLLINS: Yes, and when you think about radio, you know, what do you think of? I mean there are quite a few legends that come from this city, maybe because of all the wind they had to really have these powerful voices to talk over the wind. I don't know. But as we say, the city of Chicago has a legendary radio history, from family hours to crazy stunts.
Here now, a look at it.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't know. Like I said, you probably worse yourself out with too much business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I'm president of the ICCIOTUSCT (ph).
COLLINS (voice-over): It may be hard to remember, but once upon a time we used to get much of our news and entertainment shows from radio.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Oh, the humanity and all the prayers (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
COLLINS: And the heart of it all was in Chicago.
BRUCE DUMON, MUSEUM PRESIDENT: If you were growing up in the late '20s or throughout the '30s and you were lying awake at night tuning in your crystal radio, the radio station that you probably were able to get in was one of the 50,000 watt powerhouses from Chicago.
COLLINS: Chicago quickly became a powerhouse of talent. And the money came from all the major advertising agencies. They helped sponsor the legendary programs that originated in The Windy City in the golden age of radio.
The family shows...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know some pretty big men around here and...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fine. The judge is 6'3."
COLLINS: The comics...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you dry your home with a bathroom curtain?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma'am. I wanted to get the mud off before I wiped them on your clean towels.
COLLINS: And the music. Guy Lombardo's first New Year's Eve broadcast aired here in 1927. When TV came along, Chicago radio turned to what radio does best -- talk. And Chicago had the best voices around.
Studs Terkel...
STUDS TERKEL: One of the most popular songs of the earlier '30s.
COLLINS: And Paul Harvey.
PAUL HARVEY: For what it's worth, filling stations can't make it selling just gas anymore. They have to sell food and beverages.
COLLINS: The most listened to voice in the history of radio.
STEVE DAHL, CHICAGO RADIO HOST: It's a big city. I mean it's your third largest market. And we don't have any other kind of show business here, really, except for Oprah. So it's always seemed to me that maybe radio people here are a little bit, you know, more well known, because we tend to sort of be the local celebrity.
COLLINS: Steve Dahl is a local celebrity who has been broadcasting in Chicago for 25 years, back when disco was king.
DAHL: I used to mock the Bee Gees a lot. I would take helium and then, you know, sing like the Bee Gees, you know, ah, ah, ah, ah, staying alive.
COLLINS: So started a disco protest, which came to be known as the disco demolition, a radio stunt that encouraged people to bring their disco records to the ball game in order to get rid of them. But it spun out of control into a near riot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is now officially the world's largest anti-disco rally.
COLLINS: Another example of the power of Chicago radio.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
COLLINS: A city rich in radio history, indeed.
Lots of voices coming from here.
HEMMER: You know, I think of Paul Harvey whenever I come to this town.
COLLINS: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Yes. Right down the street here there's a street named after him and they remember him quite well here.
COLLINS: Harry Kerry's Place (ph), too.
HEMMER: Harry Kerry, exactly right.
COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: All the legends.
COLLINS: All of them. And now you, Bill Hemmer.
HEMMER: Hardly.
COLLINS: You are here.
HEMMER: In a moment here, you've got the Bulls, the Bears. Don't forget about the lovable losers, the Cubbies. Lots of sports history in Chicago. What's the most memorable moment, though?
Jack has a look back at that in a moment.
Up first, though, take a stab at another Chicago fun fact today.
In 1900, the flow of the Chicago River was reversed. Was it to, A, improve the river transportation, show off a bold engineering feat, improve Chicago's sewage system or keep the carp population under control?
Take a stab at that, A, B, C or D, when we return in Congress after this on AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: From his all time favorite sport. I told him it's late and it's getting dark in here, and I know it's time to go...
(END AUDIO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Two great landmarks in Chicago, the Wrigley Building with a clock on it. To the right of it, with a flag above it, is the Tribune Building in downtown Chicago right along the river.
Before the break, we asked you why the flow of the Chicago River was reversed in 1900. Was it to improve transportation, show off a bold new engineering feat, improve Chicago's sewage system or keep the carp population under control?
O'BRIEN: I'll go with D.
HEMMER: Soledad goes with D.
O'BRIEN: Those pesky carps.
HEMMER: Yes. If you were listening about 20 minutes ago, we kind of gave it away a little bit. The answer is C, to improve Chicago's sewage system. Doing so dramatically reduced the spread of typhoid, then a huge scare here. It killed a lot of people back in 1885, I believe, if we did our homework properly yesterday.
O'BRIEN: And at the same time... HEMMER: And they came here and took the water and sent it the other way (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
O'BRIEN: Which was answer B, a bold feat of engineering. I mean come on, you know?
HEMMER: We could take B and C, could we not?
O'BRIEN: It had nothing to do with carp, though.
HEMMER: We want to get back to...
O'BRIEN: If you guessed that, you're just wrong.
HEMMER: That's right.
O'BRIEN: Let's check in with Jack.
He's at Carton's Restaurant, where it's, what is it, 75 degrees there, Jack?
CAFFERTY: It's perfect. I just, you know, I just had a cup of hot tea with honey, a little order of toast. We're living large at Carton's.
You know, you can't come to Chicago, Soledad, without talking about sports in this town -- the Bulls and the Cubs and the Bears and the Black Hawks, who are not playing because of the NHL problem. And the White Sox. Everybody's got an opinion about the best, the worst, the most, whatever.
We went to the Billy Goat Tavern -- remember that place? It was made famous in John Belushi's "Saturday Night Live" skit. And we talked to Sam Sianis, who's the owner there. He's the one who's famous for flipping the cheeseburgers, cheeseburgers, chips, no fries. And we talked to him about what he and his patrons think are the best Chicago sports moments of all time.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
SAM SIANIS: Cheeseburger, cheeseburger, cheeseburger, no fries, chips, no Pepsi Coke.
The greatest sports moment is the curse of the Billy goat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Bulls. Michael Jordan winning the championship, that last second shot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Bears winning the Super Bowl in '85. The best sports moment for the town of Chicago.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can only think of one thing. I think it's Sweetness. And I loved him and that was it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The 1985 Bears winning the Super Bowl and having the Super Bowl shuffle all over the television. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last year, October, the Cubs pushing for the playoffs and having an otherwise unknown young man catch a foul ball and attain world renowned status, Steve Bartman. Here's looking at you, buddy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the Bulls against Phoenix in '93. Jan Paxson (ph). It's almost like the Phoenix, they won 2-0 and they come back in Phoenix.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The Bears winning the Super Bowl in 1985.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
CAFFERTY: All right, coming up in the "Cafferty File" in less than a half hour now, you remember that old TV show, "I Led Three Lives?" I'm going to talk to a guy who actually did. Three different lives. He started on the good side of the law, went to the other side of the law and finally came back to the good side of the law. It was all about working for and then against the mutants who ran the first ward in Chicago and had a stranglehold in terms of the mob corruption in this town in the late '70s and early '80s.
He's got a fascinating story and you'll hear it in about 30 minutes, give or take -- back to you.
HEMMER: All right, we will stay tuned for that.
I think based on that flash polling over there at the Billy Goat Tavern, the Bears in 1985 win, right? William "The Fridge" -- William Perry, "The Fridge," right?
O'BRIEN: Right. William "The Fridge" Perry.
HEMMER: He beat the New England Patriots. Oh, the times have changed.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack, for that.
O'BRIEN: And still to come this morning, we're serving up a slice of deep dish politics. One Chicago paper endorsed a candidate for president over the weekend, but the question, of course, is how much does it really matter?
HEMMER: We'll get to that.
Also, this continuing story out of Iraq, 18 soldiers refused this mission. Just how serious is it for them and could it point to a bigger problem? We'll get a live report from the Pentagon on that as we continue on the road in Chicago on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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