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American Morning

Learning Safety Lessons From the Brennan Hawkins Ordeal; Will Katie Holmes Convert to Scientology?

Aired June 23, 2005 - 08:30   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Just about half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Coming up, 11-year-old Brennan Hawkins did a great job keeping warm in the Utah mountains, but he probably should have known an exception to the don't talk to strangers rule.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: In fact, this morning, we're going to talk about what parents need to tell their kids about the outdoors and really about the exceptions to those rules. A U.S. park ranger joins us with some important safety tips, just ahead.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, you got to keep track of them when you're hiking.

All right, let's check the other headlines going on. Carol Costello with that.

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

Now in the news, authorities in southern California say today is going to be a pivotal day in trying to tame a massive wildfire. Officials say the blaze has now grown to 5,500 acres. It apparently started Wednesday with a house fire. Some 1,000 people have been evacuated from their homes just as a precaution.

Baghdad on high alert this morning. Iraqi police say four car bombs exploded almost at the same time this morning, killing at least 17 people and wounding as many as 60 others. A fifth car bomb was found near a Shiite mosque and diffused. The attacks come on the heels of five other car bombings on Wednesday.

Remember Ashley Smith? She was hailed as a hero for helping to turn in Brian Nichols, the suspect in the Atlanta courthouse shootings. What you may not know is that her husband was stabbed to death back in 2001. Well, two men were arrested in -- last night in connection with the killing. Police say the arrests came as a result of new evidence surfacing in recent months.

And look who's joining the class of 2005. Britain's Prince William accepting his geography degree from Saint Andrews University this morning. He wore a black silk graduation robe with a cherry silk lining, in case you're wondering. His father, Prince Charles, was among those watching the ceremony along with William's grandmother, the queen. And you know, since he graduated from college, this means the paparazzi is free to take as many pictures and bother him as much as they want.

S. O'BRIEN: Open season on him.

COSTELLO: Open season. And you can believe they'll be following him around, huh?

Remember, you can view more CNN reports on line. Just visit CNN.com Click on to "watch" and check out the most popular stories. And I'm sure Prince William will probably be part of that video display on CNN.com.

M. O'BRIEN: You know, if I were him, I would have stayed in school. Just stay there. Permanent...

S. O'BRIEN: Graduate school. Med school. Law school.

COSTELLO: Exactly.

M. O'BRIEN: The school exemption 'til I'm 60, at least, yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Not sure it works that way. That would be interesting. Thanks, Carol.

Now back to that Utah Cub Scout, Brennan Hawkins. And now that he's back home and he's safe and he's sound, his family is taking a look back on some of the lessons that can be learned from his experience.

Brian Todd has our report today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Now basking in the best of news, the Hawkins family is shedding light on what might have saved 11-year-old Brennan's life and what might have prolonged his four-day ordeal.

TOBY HAWKINS, BRENNAN'S DAD: Brennan was just rock-solid in everything that he'd been taught.

JODY HAWKINS, BRENNAN'S MOM: Yes, he was.

T. HAWKINS: You know? He was on a trail. He stayed away from strangers. He knew that it would be bad if he was taken by a stranger.

TODD: Brennan Hawkins was eventually rescued by a volunteer on an all-terrain vehicle, but the sheriff and family members say searchers had come close to Brennan before he was found. They say he was scared to approach rescuers, and even hid from them, possibly because they were not using the family's password. Could his own family's advice, issued with safety in mind, have turned the tables and endangered Brennan?

ANN SCOFIELD, CTR FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN: I certainly would not at all disagree with the instructions that the parent has given that child.

TODD: But, Ann Scofield with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says her group no longer embraces the concept of so-called "stranger danger." She says these situations are often too complex for a child to distinguish who can hurt them and who can help.

SCOFIELD: There are individuals, unknown to them, perhaps even entitled as a stranger, who can offer assistance and recovery -- uniformed personnel, a law enforcement officer, obviously, cashiers at retail store, a mother with children.

TODD: Scofield acknowledges Brennan Hawkins, out in the wilderness with strangers not in uniform looking for him was presented with a unique risk. But she says parents can prepare kids for that, too. One idea: tell them that strangers they see who are calling their name are likely well intentioned.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: And what else should you teach your kids if they do get lost in the woods while they're hiking?

Well, Ryan Peabody is a district U.S. park ranger with the National Park Service. And he joins us from Washington. Nice to see you, Ryan, and thanks for talking with us.

We just heard about the advice that I think many parents give their kids and how that can turn wrong a little bit. Parents historically tell their kids don't talk to strangers. Would you modify that advice now?

RYAN PEABODY, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: I certainly would. First of all, I'd like to encourage people to experience their America and enjoy their national parks, but it's very important that they're safe and that's where our primary concerns are. What parents can do is plan before they leave the house, prepare before they leave the house, for a back country trip or a hike. This means research and plan with their children. But also, have the right equipment for the trip.

S. O'BRIEN: When you talk about -- let me just jump in there, Ryan, before you get ahead of me a little bit. When you talk about planning, that means sitting down with your family and talking about everything. Does that mean specifically telling your kids, this is a stranger and on this trip a park ranger is not a stranger? If you get lost, someone who's looking for you is not a stranger. Would you say going that specifically with little kids?

PEABODY: Certainly, teach your kids that if they do become separated and lost, they should stay put, stay warm, stay dry. And if they hear someone hollering their name, they should respond by either blowing a whistle or shouting for help, because these people are out there to help them. They want to find them. So it's important that children help the searchers find them.

S. O'BRIEN: Preparation wise, what should families bring that each person individually should be carrying in case they get lost?

PEABODY: Well, it's important that they have basic tools to assist them if they become lost, such as -- a whistle is great for a child to utilize in such a situation, as well as a flashlight or a glow stick, a mirror for reflecting light, as well as extra clothes, extra water, extra food and even Gortex to keep them dry.

S. O'BRIEN: So you think everybody should be walking around with their own little backpack if they're out in the woods?

PEABODY: Not necessarily. A lot of these items, if it's a simple day hike, can be kept with the child in their pocket. If they're wearing a coat around the waist, they can keep that -- these items, such as a whistle or a mirror or extra food and clothes with them on their person.

S. O'BRIEN: You mentioned just a moment ago that you really want to bring the Gortex and also teach your kids that they shouldn't get wet. And many have pointed out that, to a large degree, that may have saved Brennan's life, the fact that the weather was good and that he didn't get wet. Because he could have gotten hypothermia if he had. What are some good tips for teaching kids that they should to try to avoid getting wet?

PEABODY: Well, certainly, hypothermia can be deadly and even these hot summer days in high elevations can become very cold at night. So it's important that children stay warm, stay dry, find a shelter if they can. If not, parents should teach children how to devise a shelter if necessary.

S. O'BRIEN: And how do you do that?

PEABODY: Well, you can utilize vegetation or a large rock. But it's also important for children, if they do hear overhead aircraft and they're close to an open area, that they become -- make themselves visible, make themselves large by waving their hands or a piece of clothing in the air so searchers can see them from the air.

S. O'BRIEN: Kind of brings us back to where we started, which is, in certain circumstances, some people who'd be strangers are not strangers.

PEABODY: Right. It's really important that parents tell their children that in a situation like this, people are there to help them. And if they hear their name being called, they should respond by, you know -- a whistle is a great tool or just by shouting help.

S. O'BRIEN: Ryan Peabody is with the National Park Service. Nice to see you and thanks for the advice. Appreciate it.

PEABODY: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: Miles?

(WEATHER REPORT) M. O'BRIEN: Well, talk about a high flight. A man, supposedly drunk, allegedly stole a small plane, took it for a joy ride outside the general New York City environs. Police say he was intoxicated. He flew from Danbury, Connecticut to Westchester County New York on Wednesday. Twenty-year-old Philippe Patricio is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, reckless endangerment, officials outraged something like this could happen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANTHONY SPANO, WESTCHESTER CO. EXEC.: This requires a national investigation. This can happen at any other airport, and if -- this was just a casual thing done. Imagine if it had been planned and the plane had been used for something else.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

M. O'BRIEN: I don't know what he means by that. What could it have been used for?

S. O'BRIEN: Bad things.

M. O'BRIEN: Bad things. It's just a small, light plane.

S. O'BRIEN: It seems like this...

M. O'BRIEN: Oh, come on. They're being Chicken Littles. It's not that big a deal.

S. O'BRIEN: You think so?

M. O'BRIEN: It's lighter than an SUV.

S. O'BRIEN: But I think people think, well, what if, in fact, it had been someone with a nefarious purpose who put bombs or something horrible on, or anthrax.

M. O'BRIEN: It can barely carry two people? So, anyway.

S. O'BRIEN: There were three people onboard that plane.

M. O'BRIEN: OK, so it barely carried them. They weren't flying safely. The 20-year-old pilot had two 16-year-old passengers on board. There were several empty beer cans discovered in the craft.

S. O'BRIEN: I don't know, I think it's pretty scary stuff.

M. O'BRIEN: Don't whip people into a frenzy over this. It's not that big a deal.

S. O'BRIEN: I don't think it should be totally dismissed. I don't know, I was sort of surprised when I read it this morning. That anybody can go up and fly around before people realize he's even missing.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes, well, you can do that with an SUV or a rental van filled with explosives, too. Just pointing that out.

S. O'BRIEN: OK, that's a good point. I hear you.

M. O'BRIEN: It's just a point.

S. O'BRIEN: To keep you on the topic of flying this summer, brace yourself for some higher fares. Andy's got that as he minds your business ahead.

M. O'BRIEN: And next, what does it take to be a Scientologists? I don't know if I'm going join up, but Katie Holmes says she's ready to embrace Tom Cruise's religion, as well as embrace him obviously. They do a lot before the cameras, don't they? We'll take you inside the controversial church, next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Wedding plans for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes have some people wondering if the young actress will convert to Cruise's religion, Scientology. Cruise is one of the religion's most high profile and most ardent believers.

Jason Carroll is here.

Jason, tell us a little bit about this whole thing and why Katie Holmes might are to be a part of it in order to marry Tom Cruise.

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, if she plans on converting -- it's not a requirement, but if she does plan on converting, there's no formal process to doing, but there are several steps that people have typically taken, people like Tom Cruise. And Katie Holmes, it appears, will most likely end up doing the same.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While Tom Cruise appeared at a press conference today to plug his new film, "War of the Worlds," it was his new love, actress Katie Holmes and the religion they now share, Scientology, that interest many of the reporters.

TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: There's things in my life, and Scientology, and tools that I've spoken of before, that I apply to my life that help me, you know, to overcome barriers and problems, and that has been extraordinary in my life.

CARROLL: Holmes, a Catholic, has talked about her interest in Scientology telling "People" magazine, "I know how important it is to Tom, and I want to be able to share that with him."

But how? Does Scientology have rules of courtship? Public displays of affection appear to be OK. What about guidelines of conversion?

Scientologists are typically reluctant to talk to the media, but the New York center gave me a two-hour tour of their facility and agreed to answer our questions via e-mail. On the subject of Dating, Ed Parkins, Scientology's vice president of cultural affairs, says there are no rules: "The church does not try to regulate personal lives. We provide a path by which people can become more honest."

And that path is through conversion. Rick Ross studies new religions like Scientology.

RICK ROSS, RELIGION EXPERT: I think Tom Cruise has Katie Holmes on the fast track of indoctrination and absorption into Scientology.

CARROLL: If Holmes converts, one of the first things she'll go through is what the church calls: A purification rundown.

It takes place on one of the upper floors here at the New York center. A person, or phaeton (ph), as they're called Scientology, exercises, sits in a sauna and takes vitamins to clear the body of toxins. Parkins says "By ridding the body of these toxins, an individual can experience spiritual relief."

Katie Holmes could also seek spiritual relief through auditing sessions. Church auditors use a device called an e-meter, seen here in Scientology literature, to sort through negative parts of a person's past.

ROSS: So, really what the e-meter does is it measures your nervous tension and it enables the auditor to dig deeper into the things that are bothering you.

CARROLL: Information from auditing sessions goes into a confidential personal file kept by the church. Since they began dating, Cruise and Holmes have been spotted with this woman on several occasions. She's Jessica Rodriguez, a ranking member of the church. In our e-mail interview, Harkin would not say if she's Holmes' auditor, saying, "Jessica Rodriguez was invited along on the tour by Ms. Holmes as a friend."

SHARON WAXMAN, "NEW YORK TIMES": They are surrounded by Scientology people a lot. This is not a very small part of their personal lives. It's something that involves their professional decisions, their career decisions.

CARROLL: Tom Cruise makes no secret of his support for Scientology. The studio allowed Cruise to have an information tent on the set of "War of the Worlds." Recently, Cruise fired his long-time publicist, replacing her with his sister, also a Scientologist.

The tabloids claim Holmes is cutting off ties to her old friends. But she is ignoring her critics. Publicly, the couple appears happy, too happy for cynics.

OPRAH WINFREY, TV PERSONALITY: Have you ever felt this way before?

CARROLL: They say Cruise's over-the-top proclamation about his new love on "Oprah," looked more like a publicity stunt. After all, critics say both actors are out promoting new films.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you stunned or puzzled by criticism that love and religion might have distracted from the movie and your exuberance?

CRUISE: No.

I just don't pay attention to it. I do my work. I live my life and, you know, it's, you know, it's never effected anything before. It doesn't matter, you know? It's: What do I do? I make my movies and I live my life in the best way that I feel that I can.

And you know, I can't control what people are going to say or do. They're going to say and do what they want and the thing is, that's not ever going to change how I live my life.

CARROLL: Scientologist are firm believers in past lives and reincarnation. For now, it seems, in this life Cruise and Holmes are inseparable in both body and in spirit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL; It's not clear as of yet how far Katie Holmes has gotten into Scientology, whether or not she's taken part in this purification rundown. But, Miles, as you can see from what she's saying she is happy and perhaps on her way to spiritual relief.

M. O'BRIEN: I suppose some of this is semantic. But is it a religion, or is it a cult?

CARROLL: Religion, according to Scientologists and to many others. Obviously there are critics out there who feel as though it is a cult. But when you're there, when you talk to the Scientologists, they are very serious about this, and they are very committed to what they say is a bonafide religion.

M. O'BRIEN: And you were audited, you know, just to get a sense of it, right? I don't know if it was a full audit, but you had a sense of what that machine was all about.

CARROLL: I did. I did. The e-meter. Basically what you do, is there are two metal cans that you hold on to. Those connected to wires, to this device, that I would liken to sort of like a basic lie- detector test. They asked me a question, something that stresses me out. I said work, and the meter went all the way this way. Not sure what it means, but there you have it.

M. O'BRIEN: Suffice to say, it does provide a little stress. Maybe so. All right, Jason Carroll, thank you very much for shedding some light on that -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, the summer travel season is underway and right on cue, air fare prices are taking flight. We're "Minding Your Business," up next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. Some major airlines are raising their fares again. Andy Serwer is "Minding Your Business" this morning. Good morning.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" COLUMNIST: They've been doing this for months, Soledad...

S. O'BRIEN: A lot.

SERWER: ... and sneaking up on people. Costs are up and demand is up for the airlines and that means one thing -- they're going to be raising fares. Yesterday, four out of the five largest airlines in the United States raised prices by three percent or $5 each way. We're talking about American, Delta, United and Northwest. Continental didn't raise fares.

Demand is rising in the U.S. Also, transatlantic flights demand is up. Listen to this. If you want to fly from the East Coast to, say, Amsterdam or Rome or Frankfurt, it's going to be $1,000 to $2,000. Flying to London is going to be $1,000 at least, if you can get seats. Demand very, very strong at this point.

Price of oil, of course, is a huge reason why they've been raising prices. Up 40 percent last year to $6 billion. And of course, prices are even higher this year. Take a look at that chart. Still down around -- up around $58 a barrel. You can see there.

"USA Today" has some other examples of fares. Say you wanted to fly from Cleveland to L.A.. It was $99 on Southwest, now $139. And that's, of course, on a discount carrier.

Want to talk just quickly about the markets.

O'BRIEN: Sure.

SERWER: For a minute. Yesterday was a mixed session on Wall Street. That's the second day in a row we've had one. You can see here that the Dow is down -- oops, we don't have the screen. The Dow was down, take my word for it. The Nasdaq was up a fraction. Futures are lower this morning, though, Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Imagine this, a graphic. Thanks, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

S. O'BRIEN: Appreciate it -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: It's more face time for you, Andy. It's OK.

SERWER: I -- listen, all good.

M. O'BRIEN: The 2000 presidential election pushed Florida's secretary of state on to the national stage and into the center of the recount controversy in no time. Katherine Harris became a household name.

As part of CNN's 25th anniversary series "Then and Now," we take a look back at Katherine Harris and what she is doing today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHERINE HARRIS (R), FLORIDA SECRETARY OF STATE: But please understand.

M. O'BRIEN (voice-over): She was the first lady of the election night that lasted 36 days, when the Sunshine State was in the spotlight. As Florida's secretary of state, Katherine Harris ended the 2000 vote recount.

HARRIS: I hereby declare Governor George W. Bush the winner of Florida's 25 electoral votes.

AL GORE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And many thousands of votes that were cast on Election Day have not yet been counted at all.

M. O'BRIEN: Her decision was challenged and overturned by the state Supreme Court, but later upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. Throughout the election debacle, Harris endured ridicule about everything from her right-leaning politics to her hair and makeup.

HARRIS: I think they had to learn that I really wasn't Cruella De Vil. I think that was a learning curve.

M. O'BRIEN: Harris is now in her second term as a U.S. congresswoman representing Florida's 13th District. She keeps a bronze statue of the famous Florida ballot in her office on Capitol Hill, complete with pregnant and dangling chads.

HARRIS: No. 1, it's in my office, so that people don't feel awkward about bringing it up. It's just sort of -- it kind of takes the edge away.

M. O'BRIEN: She has written a book called "Center of the Storm" about her experiences during election 2000.

HARRIS: It was a remarkable experience. I learned a great deal.

M. O'BRIEN: Harris makes her home in Sarasota, Florida with her husband and stepdaughter.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Waking up to wildfires in the West. Thousands of acres burning, hundreds of residents forced to get out of the way. We're live, right on the fire line.

Four deadly car bombs in just a matter of minutes. This as the president's top military men face a showdown over U.S. troops in Iraq. We're live in Baghdad and on Capitol Hill.

And ex-Klansmen and preacher Edgar Ray Killen faces sentencing today. Those stories ahead and much more, on AMERICAN MORNING.

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