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American Morning

Iranians Go To Polls; War Heroine

Aired June 17, 2005 - 07:29 ET

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

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

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 7:30 in New York. Good morning, everybody, on a Friday.
True love from Paris this morning. Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, the boyfriend and girlfriend are now playing in their sequel.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm so glad.

HEMMER: They got engaged.

O'BRIEN: I'm so happy. Yes, it's good news. We're told that Cruise popped the question last night in Paris. Our poppers have something to say about it, I am certain. That's going to be ahead in "90-Second Pop" this morning.

HEMMER: First the headlines. Here is Carol Costello with those, a first check on a Friday morning with Carol.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

A car bombing in Baghdad just outside a Shiite mosque. Iraqi police say there are several casualties. In the meantime, the U.S. military is launching a new operation this morning, Operation Spear. It aims to root out insurgents in and around the town of Karabila near the Syrian border. And dramatic new video of fighting in Ramadi. The U.S. military is trying to retake parts of that city controlled by insurgents.

Another strong earthquake off the coast of northern California late last night. The 6.6 trembler was centered about 200 miles west of Crescent City. No tsunami warnings issued. Earlier in the day, a smaller earthquake rattled southern California. It registered about 4.9, just enough to knock things around. There have been four quakes since Sunday.

The U.S. consulate in Nigeria has been shut down. The U.S. State Department saying it was closing the consulate today because of security reasons. Britain, India and Italy have also closed their offices.

And rising hopes of a breakthrough with North Korea. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, is meeting with South Korea's unification minister. The South Korean official is saying that North Korea may return to nuclear talks as early as July, but that's only if the United States changes its stance toward North Korea. South Korea delegates were Pyongyang to celebrate the five-year anniversary of a historic joint summit between the nations.

And people in Oklahoma have some cleaning up to do today. Severe thunderstorms pounded the state on Thursday. Heavy rain produced flooding and a lot of frustration for drivers. At least one tornado was spotted. But no injuries reported. And I guess the weather will be bad there again -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Yes, it looks like it. All right, Carol, thanks.

In Iran, voters are going to the polls today in what is expected to be a very tight presidential election. The stakes are high, not only for Iranians, but for the U.S. as well.

In Iran, chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is reporting from the capital, Tehran.

Christiane -- good morning to you.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.

We're here in Tehran, where the elections are under way. They have been going now for the last several hours.

What we can tell you is that the turnout is not as heavy as it was during the exciting times eight years ago when the reformist president, Mohammed Khatami, swept to power in an unexpected landslide.

From what we can see at the places we have been to, the turnout is not as heavy. And, of course, that is a big determination for the government here as to the legitimacy of these elections. They have constantly called for heavy, heavy turnout to prove the legitimacy of this system. And at the moment, we don't think it is as high as it was, let's say, eight years ago or even four years ago. But, of course, we'll wait to see those final figures once the voting is over.

In terms of who is winning, up until today the frontrunner was Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is the previous president. He was president from '89 to '97. He's considered a conservative, but also a pragmatist. And many people have told us today that they voted for him because they think he has power and the experience to be able to deliver at least some of his campaign pledges.

People are quite disillusioned and disappointed that the unelected authorities in this country, the hard-line parliament for instance, really shackled the hands of the reformist president, Mohammed Khatami, and he was unable to deliver the pledges of democracy and reform, that 22 million Iranians had demanded when they voted for him twice.

So, this is the situation here. The question of who is going to win, we don't know yet. We think it's between right now Rafsanjani and the reform candidate, Mostafa Moin. He, of course, had been disqualified when he first registered, and then only later was reinstated. And some of the reform-minded voters want to vote for him.

But as I say, we'll wait and see exactly what the results will be when the polls are closed.

O'BRIEN: Christiane...

AMANPOUR: Another element that has been introduced last minute, people are telling us...

O'BRIEN: Let me jump in and ask you a question, because these are sort of the top candidates. But I'm curious to know, what are the implications to the United States if one or the other is elected? To a large degree, clerics run the country, right? So, in some sense does it really matter to the U.S.?

AMANPOUR: Well, that's a question that many, many people ask. And certainly people here are beginning to express more and more frustration that no matter who they elect as president, the actual power resides in the hands of the religious leadership and a body of organizations that are un-elected and that are supervisory. For instance, this Supervisory Guardian Council that actually choose, vets and selects the candidates. So, people, you know, want to see a change in that.

In terms of relations with the United States, many of the candidates have talked about making better relationships with the outside world. In an interview that we had with the frontrunner, Rafsanjani, he basically said that he believed it was time for -- quote -- "A new chapter in relations with the United States."

And a lot of people here want to see that. Most of the people we talked to want to see relations with the United States reestablished after 26 years of ruptured relations.

Having said that, though, many people here, even those who are the reformist voters, even those who told us they perhaps didn't want to vote, were going to boycott because of this system, they told us they were very upset by the statement from President Bush last night, which basically talked about the invalid nature of the Iranian elections. And they got pretty angry about that, saying that they really didn't want outside interference.

You can imagine the usual suspects, ministry officials talked against that and denounced that statement. But what surprised me was some of the people did as well, and particularly those people who call themselves reformists and said that they may not have even gone to the polls, but they didn't really like that kind of statement coming from the U.S.

O'BRIEN: Well, we will see who walks away the victor this morning. Christiane Amanpour in Tehran for us this morning. Christiane, thanks -- Bill. HEMMER: Now to Aruba, Soledad, at 25 minutes before the hour. A judge there in Aruba is putting off a ruling on whether defense attorneys may see evidence gathered in the case of a missing Alabama high school student. Eighteen-year-old Natalee Holloway disappeared back on the 30th of May. Seventeen-year-old Joran Van Der Sloot remains in police custody; so, too, are two brothers, 21-year-old Depak Kalpoe and his 18-year-old brother, Satish. No one, though, has been charged in this case to date.

Meanwhile, authorities say a helicopter search of waters off the Caribbean island turned up nothing this week. We'll go live to Aruba next hour for more on this investigation at this point.

A young man suspected of training at a terrorist camp and his father have been indicted by a federal grand jury, Hamid and Umer Hayat, arrested last week in Lodi California. FBI agents gathered evidence against them and several other local Muslim leaders. Thursday's indictment is for lying to the FBI about Hamid Hayat allegedly attending an al Qaeda camp in Pakistan. The men say there is no evidence to support that charge.

Also in California, a dramatic end to a high-speed car chase as the suspect held baby during a standoff with police. California police using a stun gun to subdue the suspect when he reached a dead end on Thursday. The baby, two other children and a woman were not harmed. They were also inside that truck. The chase went from L.A. north to Santa Barbara at speeds of up to 100-miles-an-hour. Police believe the man driving was involved in a domestic dispute.

Also from Florida, police chased a 13-year-old boy for 20 miles on Thursday, crossing lanes. Police say the boy stole a public works truck after two workers left it running. They claim he tried to run over a police officer, caused at least two crashes. He struggled during his arrest at first. Some of the officers say that other officers used excessive forced to subdue him. That boy has been arrested several times, including once for grand theft auto. That story out of Florida.

O'BRIEN: Thirteen?

HEMMER: Apparently, yes. A check of the weather now.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, General Motors and its union workers are drawing lines in the sand over calls for concessions. We're "Minding Your Business" just ahead.

HEMMER: Also, Katie and Tom saying yes to one another in Paris. Hollywood's hottest couple now engaged, and our "90-Second Pop" is getting fired up for this. We'll check in, in a couple minutes, ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. GM and its union might be waiting to see who blinks first over this possible strike.

We want to check in now with Gerri Willis in for Andy Serwer this week "Minding Your Business."

Good morning -- Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good morning, Bill. Good to see you.

Rising tensions here between GM and its union, the UAW, United Auto Workers. As you remember, we talked about it this week, GM is asking the UAW to absorb some incredibly large concessions for health care. As a matter of fact, $2 billion over the next two years. The union is saying we're not going to do it quite that fast. In fact, they said today a huge mistake -- the company would be making a huge mistake if they impose those cuts right away.

Union officials, of course, are pointing to the fact that company pays a dividend. It has a cash reserve. And they are questioning whether the company is having the problems financially that it says it is.

HEMMER: One has to think there is going to e a negotiation period here between what the union wants and what the company wants. Is there any indication that they would find common ground? Would they meet at a midway point in order for these people to keep their jobs?

WILLIS: You've got to think that some of this at least is just positioning so that they can have some kind of discussion negotiation over the long haul. You bet, Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Keep us posted, all right, Gerri?

WILLIS: I sure will.

HEMMER: It's nice to see you. See you next hour.

Here's Soledad again.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Bill.

For the first time since World War II, a female soldier has won the Silver Star. Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester received the Army's third highest combat decoration on Thursday. She and seven other members of the Kentucky National Guard defeated an ambush by more than 30 insurgents.

Sergeant Hester is live for us at Camp Victory in Iraq.

Nice to see you, sergeant. Thanks for talking with us. And congratulations to you. What an incredible honor. It is a very rare honor, as you know. How do you feel?

SGT. LEIGH ANN HESTER, SILVER STAR RECIPIENT: It feels great. It is an honor to be even -- I'm sorry.

O'BRIEN: (INAUDIBLE).

HESTER: Right. It is an honor to have received this award, just to be considered for it actually.

O'BRIEN: Well, it's is amazing. You received the award, I'm told, with two other soldiers. And it was all in your response to an ambush that took place just south of Baghdad. Can you tell us about that day, about what happened?

HESTER: Yes, ma'am. We were shadowing a convoy that had become ambushed. We moved to contact, put ourselves between the insurgents and that convoy. And basically we turned down the road and flanked the enemy, firing upon the enemy the whole time. And to make a long story short, we did a great job that day. And I believe we killed 27 that day and injured 8 insurgents, and we took 3 injured ourselves in my squad, 3 injured soldiers.

O'BRIEN: Well, let me read to you what your Silver Star certificate says: "Hester maneuvered her team through the kill zone into a flanking position, where she assaulted a trench line. She engaged and eliminated three anti-Iraqi forces with her rifle. Her actions saved the lives of numerous convoy members."

Do you think when you think about this day that you saved people? Or is it sort of just all in a day's work for you?

HESTER: It's both. It is all in a day's work. It's what we're here to do. We're here to protect other soldiers and convoys trying to get from one place to another. But to think about what might have happened if we hadn't been there that day, the casualties on our side could have been a whole lot worse.

O'BRIEN: We mentioned it's a very rare honor. And you're also the first woman since World War II to get this honor. Do you ever think about that, sort of the impact that this honor has upon other women in the military?

HESTER: Yes, ma'am, I have. Like I said, it is a great honor to have received it. But I'm just another soldier here. We're all equal in the United States Army -- men and women. But I know that me being a woman, if I saw another woman receive this award, I would look up to them. And just, you know, like I said, you know, we're all soldiers, and we're all equal.

O'BRIEN: There's been a move to try to limit the role in combat of women in the military. In some ways this award is a big statement on that issue. What do you think?

HESTER: We're all here to do, you know, the same job, whether it be, you know, military police, women are allowed in. And we're combat support. The only things that we're not allowed in is combat arms, which is infantry (INAUDIBLE), things of that nature. But as MPs, we're out there every day outside of the wire sweeping for roadside bombs and dealing with insurgents. So, in my opinion, I think women do just as good a job as the men do here.

O'BRIEN: Have you talked to your mom and dad? Have you told them?

HESTER: Yes, I have.

O'BRIEN: And what do they say?

HESTER: They are very proud.

O'BRIEN: I bet they are.

HESTER: They are very proud.

O'BRIEN: What a great Father's Day gift for your dad. I know you guys are super close. So congratulations to you. We're very proud of you, too.

HESTER: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester joining us, a recipient of the Silver Star -- Bill.

HEMMER: Get home safe, too.

It's 13 minutes now before the hour. In a moment here, that runaway bride, she's still running -- running all the way to the bank. Reports of a half-million-dollar deal to tell her story. Our "90- Second Pop" panel weighing in on that after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right, we've got breaking news out of Paris. "90- Second Pop" on a Friday. Say good morning to Sarah Bernard from "New York" magazine.

Hey, Sarah, good morning.

SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Hello.

HEMMER: B.J. Sigesmund from "US Weekly." And Amy Barnett from "Teen People."

How are you guys doing?

AMY BARNETT, "TEEN PEOPLE": Excellent.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: OK. Word out of Paris is that Tom Cruise proposed to Katie Holmes. And there were no couches involved. He had a press conference a few hours ago. Listen here as the question went on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: The premiere, we wanted here in France, because it is beautiful and it's romantic. And yes, I proposed to Kate last night. We're engaged.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: So, what we want to hear, B.J. and Amy, is the question.

BERNARD: Yes, exactly.

HEMMER: The question from the reporter. Did he offer that information? Or do you think they were trying to pry something?

BARNETT: I'm sure he offered that information. I think -- you know, I have to say, you know, the assuming sort of calculation of their entire relationship is just culminating in the announcement of their engagement at the press conference conveniently for "War of the Worlds."

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Now, we have been skeptical on this from the very beginning. Are we being fair?

B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": I think we're being more than fair.

BARNETT: Oh, come on.

SIGESMUND: This is the icing on the cake. "Batman Begins" opened two days ago. "War of the Worlds" opens 12 days from now. We're in that period in between the two movies. Why not kick it up a notch by actually proposing and getting married?

HEMMER: You know two months ago I was the first one to get on that couch and say this is all a sham.

SIGESMUND: And we quoted you in "Us Weekly."

BERNARD: You're right.

HEMMER: You're right. But, you know, you can find true love in two months. Should we cut them a break?

BERNARD: I think we should have known this was going to happen, because she switched to Scientology, right? She fired her representatives and went all to his camp. And I think that's really the step in Hollywood before you are about to get engaged. That's what Ben and Jen did, remember? And I think we should have just seen it coming.

BARNETT: I just don't understand it. It's crazy. It's as if neither of them is reading, you know, any newspapers or magazines or watching TV or sort of absorbing what the American public is saying about this relationship and how skeptical everyone is.

HEMMER: Why should they care?

BARNETT: Because it could be damaging. HEMMER: All right, OK.

BARNETT: It's damaging enough

HEMMER: I took the other side a couple months ago for this.

BERNARD: Right.

HEMMER: Sarah, word out of Georgia that Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride, she's, like, running all the way to the bank.

BERNARD: I know.

HEMMER: Five hundred grand she signed up for some sort of media deal, which includes maybe interviews, maybe a TV movie, maybe a book. What's your take on this?

BERNARD: Well, this is really interesting. You know, she wasn't saying anything in the courtroom. She was very quiet. She was apologizing to everyone. It almost seemed like that was the end of the story, right, a couple weeks ago.

But actually, she had made a deal with Judith Regan of Regan Books to sell all of the media rights to her story, basically her life rights. And that would include a TV movie, a book, anything. And apparently the price tag is $500,000.

Now, she still owes the Duluth County about 30 grand. She paid them back some money of the 43. But that's why everyone is having a problem with this.

HEMMER: Well, I mean, does crime pay? I think that's the point we're trying to go for here. What do you think?

BARNETT: A spectacle pays. I mean, the bigger -- you know, in American society right now, the bigger spectacle you make of yourself, the more benefit you're going to reap. In fact, reality TV, the more of a kook you are, the more money you're going to make.

SIGESMUND: But it's almost like -- I was going to say, Ashley Smith, who is also selling her story, she actually has an inspirational story. She talked this man out of holding her hostage. I would like to learn from that story. I don't know if there's anything to learn from Jennifer Wilbanks other than you can make a buck.

BARNETT: Right.

BERNARD: Plus, it's already been made, this movie, "Runaway Bride," Julia Roberts.

HEMMER: You mentioned the mayor. She said, you want something printable? She told a reporter. She said, I think it's a shame that anybody could profit from this.

BERNARD: Exactly. HEMMER: Shirley Rassiter (ph) on our show.

BERNARD: I would take 500,000 and move to another town.

HEMMER: Moving costs.

B.J., the Jacksons are planning a party for Saturday night to thank supporters at a casino right in Santa Barbara County.

SIGESMUND: OK.

HEMMER: And also, they're shopping a reality TV series.

SIGESMUND: Yes.

HEMMER: And no one wants to buy it.

SIGESMUND: Exactly.

HEMMER: Why not?

SIGESMUND: In the days leading up to the indictment on Monday, a rep for the Jackson clan was shopping a six-episode reality series around to the networks -- to ABC and to Fox and to the A&E channel. And no one bid. It was supposedly a behind-the-scenes look at the family as they dealt with the November 2003 indictment of Michael Jackson and as they gathered around him during the court trial.

HEMMER: I would think this is ratings gold. You had 30 million people tune in at 5:00 in the afternoon last week.

SIGESMUND: Yes, that was to see a verdict.

BERNARD: I think everyone in the world has Michael Jackson overload at this point.

BARNETT: No way. No way. I would be dying to see this. I mean, watching the Michael Jackson clan interact, to interact as adults, might actually help give us a clue as to why Michael Jackson is the way he is, which I think is what all of America wants to know.

BERNARD: You're thinking that reality TV is real. It really is.

BARNETT: Just as a spectacle of the Jackson clan would be so...

SIGESMUND: Really?

BARNETT: Spectacle is my word of the day apparently. But it would be so amazing, I think, just to watch them.

SIGESMUND: I just feel like we've had 40 years of the Jackson clan. No one needs to see any more. People, I think, are relieved to not have to open their newspapers and see Michael Jackson anymore.

BARNETT: All right. I'm making a personal plea. Somebody please pick this up, because I want to watch, it even if they don't. HEMMER: Billy Jean is still not my lover.

BARNETT: There you go.

HEMMER: Great to see you guys, OK?

SIGESMUND: Thank you.

HEMMER: And we'll see you down the road, OK? Thanks for being so terrific for so long. Chow, guys.

Here's Soledad now.

O'BRIEN: Coming up in just a moment, the controversy over cameras in the delivery room. Dr. Gupta takes a look at why some hospitals are just saying no to home movies. His special series, "Just For Dads," is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Still to come, California rattled by the fourth earthquake in one just week. What is behind the rare earthquake cluster? We'll go live to a seismology center, where experts are keeping watch. That's up next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are in the middle of midst of an earthquake here in Southern California.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: For the fourth time this week, a major quake hits the Golden State. California has not seen this many earthquakes in so short a time in nearly 20 years.

Murder in the military. Claims that a National Guardsman killed two of his superior officers in Iraq. We've got the latest on that.

And what would cause a parked car that's turned off to suddenly catch fire?

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.

Aired June 17, 2005 - 07:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 7:30 in New York. Good morning, everybody, on a Friday.
True love from Paris this morning. Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, the boyfriend and girlfriend are now playing in their sequel.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm so glad.

HEMMER: They got engaged.

O'BRIEN: I'm so happy. Yes, it's good news. We're told that Cruise popped the question last night in Paris. Our poppers have something to say about it, I am certain. That's going to be ahead in "90-Second Pop" this morning.

HEMMER: First the headlines. Here is Carol Costello with those, a first check on a Friday morning with Carol.

Good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

A car bombing in Baghdad just outside a Shiite mosque. Iraqi police say there are several casualties. In the meantime, the U.S. military is launching a new operation this morning, Operation Spear. It aims to root out insurgents in and around the town of Karabila near the Syrian border. And dramatic new video of fighting in Ramadi. The U.S. military is trying to retake parts of that city controlled by insurgents.

Another strong earthquake off the coast of northern California late last night. The 6.6 trembler was centered about 200 miles west of Crescent City. No tsunami warnings issued. Earlier in the day, a smaller earthquake rattled southern California. It registered about 4.9, just enough to knock things around. There have been four quakes since Sunday.

The U.S. consulate in Nigeria has been shut down. The U.S. State Department saying it was closing the consulate today because of security reasons. Britain, India and Italy have also closed their offices.

And rising hopes of a breakthrough with North Korea. The North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, is meeting with South Korea's unification minister. The South Korean official is saying that North Korea may return to nuclear talks as early as July, but that's only if the United States changes its stance toward North Korea. South Korea delegates were Pyongyang to celebrate the five-year anniversary of a historic joint summit between the nations.

And people in Oklahoma have some cleaning up to do today. Severe thunderstorms pounded the state on Thursday. Heavy rain produced flooding and a lot of frustration for drivers. At least one tornado was spotted. But no injuries reported. And I guess the weather will be bad there again -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Yes, it looks like it. All right, Carol, thanks.

In Iran, voters are going to the polls today in what is expected to be a very tight presidential election. The stakes are high, not only for Iranians, but for the U.S. as well.

In Iran, chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is reporting from the capital, Tehran.

Christiane -- good morning to you.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.

We're here in Tehran, where the elections are under way. They have been going now for the last several hours.

What we can tell you is that the turnout is not as heavy as it was during the exciting times eight years ago when the reformist president, Mohammed Khatami, swept to power in an unexpected landslide.

From what we can see at the places we have been to, the turnout is not as heavy. And, of course, that is a big determination for the government here as to the legitimacy of these elections. They have constantly called for heavy, heavy turnout to prove the legitimacy of this system. And at the moment, we don't think it is as high as it was, let's say, eight years ago or even four years ago. But, of course, we'll wait to see those final figures once the voting is over.

In terms of who is winning, up until today the frontrunner was Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who is the previous president. He was president from '89 to '97. He's considered a conservative, but also a pragmatist. And many people have told us today that they voted for him because they think he has power and the experience to be able to deliver at least some of his campaign pledges.

People are quite disillusioned and disappointed that the unelected authorities in this country, the hard-line parliament for instance, really shackled the hands of the reformist president, Mohammed Khatami, and he was unable to deliver the pledges of democracy and reform, that 22 million Iranians had demanded when they voted for him twice.

So, this is the situation here. The question of who is going to win, we don't know yet. We think it's between right now Rafsanjani and the reform candidate, Mostafa Moin. He, of course, had been disqualified when he first registered, and then only later was reinstated. And some of the reform-minded voters want to vote for him.

But as I say, we'll wait and see exactly what the results will be when the polls are closed.

O'BRIEN: Christiane...

AMANPOUR: Another element that has been introduced last minute, people are telling us...

O'BRIEN: Let me jump in and ask you a question, because these are sort of the top candidates. But I'm curious to know, what are the implications to the United States if one or the other is elected? To a large degree, clerics run the country, right? So, in some sense does it really matter to the U.S.?

AMANPOUR: Well, that's a question that many, many people ask. And certainly people here are beginning to express more and more frustration that no matter who they elect as president, the actual power resides in the hands of the religious leadership and a body of organizations that are un-elected and that are supervisory. For instance, this Supervisory Guardian Council that actually choose, vets and selects the candidates. So, people, you know, want to see a change in that.

In terms of relations with the United States, many of the candidates have talked about making better relationships with the outside world. In an interview that we had with the frontrunner, Rafsanjani, he basically said that he believed it was time for -- quote -- "A new chapter in relations with the United States."

And a lot of people here want to see that. Most of the people we talked to want to see relations with the United States reestablished after 26 years of ruptured relations.

Having said that, though, many people here, even those who are the reformist voters, even those who told us they perhaps didn't want to vote, were going to boycott because of this system, they told us they were very upset by the statement from President Bush last night, which basically talked about the invalid nature of the Iranian elections. And they got pretty angry about that, saying that they really didn't want outside interference.

You can imagine the usual suspects, ministry officials talked against that and denounced that statement. But what surprised me was some of the people did as well, and particularly those people who call themselves reformists and said that they may not have even gone to the polls, but they didn't really like that kind of statement coming from the U.S.

O'BRIEN: Well, we will see who walks away the victor this morning. Christiane Amanpour in Tehran for us this morning. Christiane, thanks -- Bill. HEMMER: Now to Aruba, Soledad, at 25 minutes before the hour. A judge there in Aruba is putting off a ruling on whether defense attorneys may see evidence gathered in the case of a missing Alabama high school student. Eighteen-year-old Natalee Holloway disappeared back on the 30th of May. Seventeen-year-old Joran Van Der Sloot remains in police custody; so, too, are two brothers, 21-year-old Depak Kalpoe and his 18-year-old brother, Satish. No one, though, has been charged in this case to date.

Meanwhile, authorities say a helicopter search of waters off the Caribbean island turned up nothing this week. We'll go live to Aruba next hour for more on this investigation at this point.

A young man suspected of training at a terrorist camp and his father have been indicted by a federal grand jury, Hamid and Umer Hayat, arrested last week in Lodi California. FBI agents gathered evidence against them and several other local Muslim leaders. Thursday's indictment is for lying to the FBI about Hamid Hayat allegedly attending an al Qaeda camp in Pakistan. The men say there is no evidence to support that charge.

Also in California, a dramatic end to a high-speed car chase as the suspect held baby during a standoff with police. California police using a stun gun to subdue the suspect when he reached a dead end on Thursday. The baby, two other children and a woman were not harmed. They were also inside that truck. The chase went from L.A. north to Santa Barbara at speeds of up to 100-miles-an-hour. Police believe the man driving was involved in a domestic dispute.

Also from Florida, police chased a 13-year-old boy for 20 miles on Thursday, crossing lanes. Police say the boy stole a public works truck after two workers left it running. They claim he tried to run over a police officer, caused at least two crashes. He struggled during his arrest at first. Some of the officers say that other officers used excessive forced to subdue him. That boy has been arrested several times, including once for grand theft auto. That story out of Florida.

O'BRIEN: Thirteen?

HEMMER: Apparently, yes. A check of the weather now.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, General Motors and its union workers are drawing lines in the sand over calls for concessions. We're "Minding Your Business" just ahead.

HEMMER: Also, Katie and Tom saying yes to one another in Paris. Hollywood's hottest couple now engaged, and our "90-Second Pop" is getting fired up for this. We'll check in, in a couple minutes, ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. GM and its union might be waiting to see who blinks first over this possible strike.

We want to check in now with Gerri Willis in for Andy Serwer this week "Minding Your Business."

Good morning -- Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good morning, Bill. Good to see you.

Rising tensions here between GM and its union, the UAW, United Auto Workers. As you remember, we talked about it this week, GM is asking the UAW to absorb some incredibly large concessions for health care. As a matter of fact, $2 billion over the next two years. The union is saying we're not going to do it quite that fast. In fact, they said today a huge mistake -- the company would be making a huge mistake if they impose those cuts right away.

Union officials, of course, are pointing to the fact that company pays a dividend. It has a cash reserve. And they are questioning whether the company is having the problems financially that it says it is.

HEMMER: One has to think there is going to e a negotiation period here between what the union wants and what the company wants. Is there any indication that they would find common ground? Would they meet at a midway point in order for these people to keep their jobs?

WILLIS: You've got to think that some of this at least is just positioning so that they can have some kind of discussion negotiation over the long haul. You bet, Bill.

HEMMER: All right. Keep us posted, all right, Gerri?

WILLIS: I sure will.

HEMMER: It's nice to see you. See you next hour.

Here's Soledad again.

O'BRIEN: Thanks, Bill.

For the first time since World War II, a female soldier has won the Silver Star. Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester received the Army's third highest combat decoration on Thursday. She and seven other members of the Kentucky National Guard defeated an ambush by more than 30 insurgents.

Sergeant Hester is live for us at Camp Victory in Iraq.

Nice to see you, sergeant. Thanks for talking with us. And congratulations to you. What an incredible honor. It is a very rare honor, as you know. How do you feel?

SGT. LEIGH ANN HESTER, SILVER STAR RECIPIENT: It feels great. It is an honor to be even -- I'm sorry.

O'BRIEN: (INAUDIBLE).

HESTER: Right. It is an honor to have received this award, just to be considered for it actually.

O'BRIEN: Well, it's is amazing. You received the award, I'm told, with two other soldiers. And it was all in your response to an ambush that took place just south of Baghdad. Can you tell us about that day, about what happened?

HESTER: Yes, ma'am. We were shadowing a convoy that had become ambushed. We moved to contact, put ourselves between the insurgents and that convoy. And basically we turned down the road and flanked the enemy, firing upon the enemy the whole time. And to make a long story short, we did a great job that day. And I believe we killed 27 that day and injured 8 insurgents, and we took 3 injured ourselves in my squad, 3 injured soldiers.

O'BRIEN: Well, let me read to you what your Silver Star certificate says: "Hester maneuvered her team through the kill zone into a flanking position, where she assaulted a trench line. She engaged and eliminated three anti-Iraqi forces with her rifle. Her actions saved the lives of numerous convoy members."

Do you think when you think about this day that you saved people? Or is it sort of just all in a day's work for you?

HESTER: It's both. It is all in a day's work. It's what we're here to do. We're here to protect other soldiers and convoys trying to get from one place to another. But to think about what might have happened if we hadn't been there that day, the casualties on our side could have been a whole lot worse.

O'BRIEN: We mentioned it's a very rare honor. And you're also the first woman since World War II to get this honor. Do you ever think about that, sort of the impact that this honor has upon other women in the military?

HESTER: Yes, ma'am, I have. Like I said, it is a great honor to have received it. But I'm just another soldier here. We're all equal in the United States Army -- men and women. But I know that me being a woman, if I saw another woman receive this award, I would look up to them. And just, you know, like I said, you know, we're all soldiers, and we're all equal.

O'BRIEN: There's been a move to try to limit the role in combat of women in the military. In some ways this award is a big statement on that issue. What do you think?

HESTER: We're all here to do, you know, the same job, whether it be, you know, military police, women are allowed in. And we're combat support. The only things that we're not allowed in is combat arms, which is infantry (INAUDIBLE), things of that nature. But as MPs, we're out there every day outside of the wire sweeping for roadside bombs and dealing with insurgents. So, in my opinion, I think women do just as good a job as the men do here.

O'BRIEN: Have you talked to your mom and dad? Have you told them?

HESTER: Yes, I have.

O'BRIEN: And what do they say?

HESTER: They are very proud.

O'BRIEN: I bet they are.

HESTER: They are very proud.

O'BRIEN: What a great Father's Day gift for your dad. I know you guys are super close. So congratulations to you. We're very proud of you, too.

HESTER: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester joining us, a recipient of the Silver Star -- Bill.

HEMMER: Get home safe, too.

It's 13 minutes now before the hour. In a moment here, that runaway bride, she's still running -- running all the way to the bank. Reports of a half-million-dollar deal to tell her story. Our "90- Second Pop" panel weighing in on that after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: All right, we've got breaking news out of Paris. "90- Second Pop" on a Friday. Say good morning to Sarah Bernard from "New York" magazine.

Hey, Sarah, good morning.

SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Hello.

HEMMER: B.J. Sigesmund from "US Weekly." And Amy Barnett from "Teen People."

How are you guys doing?

AMY BARNETT, "TEEN PEOPLE": Excellent.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: OK. Word out of Paris is that Tom Cruise proposed to Katie Holmes. And there were no couches involved. He had a press conference a few hours ago. Listen here as the question went on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: The premiere, we wanted here in France, because it is beautiful and it's romantic. And yes, I proposed to Kate last night. We're engaged.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEMMER: So, what we want to hear, B.J. and Amy, is the question.

BERNARD: Yes, exactly.

HEMMER: The question from the reporter. Did he offer that information? Or do you think they were trying to pry something?

BARNETT: I'm sure he offered that information. I think -- you know, I have to say, you know, the assuming sort of calculation of their entire relationship is just culminating in the announcement of their engagement at the press conference conveniently for "War of the Worlds."

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Now, we have been skeptical on this from the very beginning. Are we being fair?

B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": I think we're being more than fair.

BARNETT: Oh, come on.

SIGESMUND: This is the icing on the cake. "Batman Begins" opened two days ago. "War of the Worlds" opens 12 days from now. We're in that period in between the two movies. Why not kick it up a notch by actually proposing and getting married?

HEMMER: You know two months ago I was the first one to get on that couch and say this is all a sham.

SIGESMUND: And we quoted you in "Us Weekly."

BERNARD: You're right.

HEMMER: You're right. But, you know, you can find true love in two months. Should we cut them a break?

BERNARD: I think we should have known this was going to happen, because she switched to Scientology, right? She fired her representatives and went all to his camp. And I think that's really the step in Hollywood before you are about to get engaged. That's what Ben and Jen did, remember? And I think we should have just seen it coming.

BARNETT: I just don't understand it. It's crazy. It's as if neither of them is reading, you know, any newspapers or magazines or watching TV or sort of absorbing what the American public is saying about this relationship and how skeptical everyone is.

HEMMER: Why should they care?

BARNETT: Because it could be damaging. HEMMER: All right, OK.

BARNETT: It's damaging enough

HEMMER: I took the other side a couple months ago for this.

BERNARD: Right.

HEMMER: Sarah, word out of Georgia that Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride, she's, like, running all the way to the bank.

BERNARD: I know.

HEMMER: Five hundred grand she signed up for some sort of media deal, which includes maybe interviews, maybe a TV movie, maybe a book. What's your take on this?

BERNARD: Well, this is really interesting. You know, she wasn't saying anything in the courtroom. She was very quiet. She was apologizing to everyone. It almost seemed like that was the end of the story, right, a couple weeks ago.

But actually, she had made a deal with Judith Regan of Regan Books to sell all of the media rights to her story, basically her life rights. And that would include a TV movie, a book, anything. And apparently the price tag is $500,000.

Now, she still owes the Duluth County about 30 grand. She paid them back some money of the 43. But that's why everyone is having a problem with this.

HEMMER: Well, I mean, does crime pay? I think that's the point we're trying to go for here. What do you think?

BARNETT: A spectacle pays. I mean, the bigger -- you know, in American society right now, the bigger spectacle you make of yourself, the more benefit you're going to reap. In fact, reality TV, the more of a kook you are, the more money you're going to make.

SIGESMUND: But it's almost like -- I was going to say, Ashley Smith, who is also selling her story, she actually has an inspirational story. She talked this man out of holding her hostage. I would like to learn from that story. I don't know if there's anything to learn from Jennifer Wilbanks other than you can make a buck.

BARNETT: Right.

BERNARD: Plus, it's already been made, this movie, "Runaway Bride," Julia Roberts.

HEMMER: You mentioned the mayor. She said, you want something printable? She told a reporter. She said, I think it's a shame that anybody could profit from this.

BERNARD: Exactly. HEMMER: Shirley Rassiter (ph) on our show.

BERNARD: I would take 500,000 and move to another town.

HEMMER: Moving costs.

B.J., the Jacksons are planning a party for Saturday night to thank supporters at a casino right in Santa Barbara County.

SIGESMUND: OK.

HEMMER: And also, they're shopping a reality TV series.

SIGESMUND: Yes.

HEMMER: And no one wants to buy it.

SIGESMUND: Exactly.

HEMMER: Why not?

SIGESMUND: In the days leading up to the indictment on Monday, a rep for the Jackson clan was shopping a six-episode reality series around to the networks -- to ABC and to Fox and to the A&E channel. And no one bid. It was supposedly a behind-the-scenes look at the family as they dealt with the November 2003 indictment of Michael Jackson and as they gathered around him during the court trial.

HEMMER: I would think this is ratings gold. You had 30 million people tune in at 5:00 in the afternoon last week.

SIGESMUND: Yes, that was to see a verdict.

BERNARD: I think everyone in the world has Michael Jackson overload at this point.

BARNETT: No way. No way. I would be dying to see this. I mean, watching the Michael Jackson clan interact, to interact as adults, might actually help give us a clue as to why Michael Jackson is the way he is, which I think is what all of America wants to know.

BERNARD: You're thinking that reality TV is real. It really is.

BARNETT: Just as a spectacle of the Jackson clan would be so...

SIGESMUND: Really?

BARNETT: Spectacle is my word of the day apparently. But it would be so amazing, I think, just to watch them.

SIGESMUND: I just feel like we've had 40 years of the Jackson clan. No one needs to see any more. People, I think, are relieved to not have to open their newspapers and see Michael Jackson anymore.

BARNETT: All right. I'm making a personal plea. Somebody please pick this up, because I want to watch, it even if they don't. HEMMER: Billy Jean is still not my lover.

BARNETT: There you go.

HEMMER: Great to see you guys, OK?

SIGESMUND: Thank you.

HEMMER: And we'll see you down the road, OK? Thanks for being so terrific for so long. Chow, guys.

Here's Soledad now.

O'BRIEN: Coming up in just a moment, the controversy over cameras in the delivery room. Dr. Gupta takes a look at why some hospitals are just saying no to home movies. His special series, "Just For Dads," is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Still to come, California rattled by the fourth earthquake in one just week. What is behind the rare earthquake cluster? We'll go live to a seismology center, where experts are keeping watch. That's up next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are in the middle of midst of an earthquake here in Southern California.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: For the fourth time this week, a major quake hits the Golden State. California has not seen this many earthquakes in so short a time in nearly 20 years.

Murder in the military. Claims that a National Guardsman killed two of his superior officers in Iraq. We've got the latest on that.

And what would cause a parked car that's turned off to suddenly catch fire?

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