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American Morning

Hikers Rescued From Mount Olympus; Palestinian Elections

Aired January 23, 2006 - 06:30   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Holding out hope for an American journalist held hostage in Iraq. Well hear more of our exclusive interview with Jill Carroll's father.
Emergency repairs at Ford. The automaker rolling toward a huge round of layoffs and plant closings today.

And a group of hikers plucked from a freezing mountainside. The rescue from Mount Olympus is just ahead.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Welcome, everybody. Lots to talk about, including the latest discussions that we've been having with the family of Jill Carroll. The father of that American journalist, who has been held in hostage in Iraq, he's been pleading for his daughter's live, Jill, of course, abducted a little over two weeks ago.

Now, Carroll's kidnappers are threatening to kill her unless female Iraqi prisoners are released.

I spoke with Jill's father, Jim Carroll, last night.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: Have you had any developments -- any reason to be hopeful from the last couple of days?

JIM CARROLL, JILL CARROLL'S FATHER: Well, certainly, Soledad, this has been a very difficult time for the whole family. But we've been encouraged by the outpouring of messages from Jill's family and friends from around the world, who've lent their support and their prayers. We've heard from everyone from her grade school friends, to her college roommates, to her associates in the press corps.

It's been very heartening, and we've drawn strength from that. And we want to thank them for that. And in the meantime, we will continue to do what we can to help Jill be released.

S. O'BRIEN: And there's a number of Islamic groups, as well. Two more added their names to the growing list, lending their support as well. That's got to give you great hope.

CARROLL: Oh, we're very encouraged by the support we're receiving all over the world. It's been truly amazing. (END VIDEO CLIP)

S. O'BRIEN: You can hear the rest of my exclusive interview with Jim Carroll coming up at 7:00 a.m. Eastern right here on AMERICAN MORNING.

Other stories making news. Carol has got a look at those.

Good morning.

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

President Bush is trying to get the public behind his domestic spying program. The president is heading to Kansas State University today. He's expected to defend his domestic wiretapping program run by the National Security Agency and talk about Iraq and the war on terror. That speech is set for 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time. CNN will have live coverage for you.

Also today, some political action on two fronts aimed at improving mine safety. West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin is presenting a bill to the state legislature, and he wants the laws passed by tonight. In the meantime, two congressional committees are set to begin their own hearings on mine safety. This comes after two miners died when a fire broke out in Melville, West Virginia. We'll hear more from Governor Manchin. He joins us live in the next hour.

Some sharp turns expected from Ford Motor Company today. The number two U.S. automaker is set to announce a massive restructuring plan, which could include plant closings and 25,000 layoffs or more. Ford has been hurt by falling sales of its sport utility vehicles, and its North American operations lost more than $1.4 billion in the first three quarters of last year.

And here she is. Miss Oklahoma is now the proud owner of the Miss America crown. Jennifer Berry was crowned Saturday night with the Las Vegas Strip as a backdrop. It was the first time in its 85- year history the pageant was held outside of Atlantic City. It was also broadcast for the first time on cable television after ABC dropped the show. The new Miss America is pledging to speak out against drunk driving. And she also wins $30,000, which is actually $20,000 less than the last Miss America won, because, of course, the pageant itself is having financial difficulties.

M. O'BRIEN: What? No world peace?

COSTELLO: No world peace. She's going to fix what ails us on the road.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you, Carol Costello.

In Utah, a close call for some hikers, the group stranded for a night in freezing weather on Mount Olympus near Salt Lake City, some with serious injuries. They had made it to the top. They were coming back down when they got into big trouble on an icy slope. More from Tim Lister.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIM LISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clinging to life on the face of a mountain, four trekkers, members of a local Korean climbing club, trapped just below the summit of Mount Olympus. The temperature on the mountainside, about four degrees Fahrenheit.

A group of seven hikers set out on Saturday, but on the way down from the peak left the trail. They were not roped together.

One of the women hikers slipped, knocking over two others, who fell 60 feet. The whole group ended up on the shear mountainside with darkness closing in.

When they failed to return, family members alerted authorities. Rescuers were able to locate the group and bring three uninjured hikers off the mountain overnight. But three others had suffered fractures, and lifting them off by helicopter before daybreak was too risky.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The area they were in was very technical and very dangerous and unstable area.

LISTER: A mountain rescue team stayed with the injured hikers overnight. And at daybreak, the operation began to bring them down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were not hysterical. They were fairly well-contained. They understood their situation. They were relaxed, and they let us do their work. They weren't jumping up and down trying to, you know, take control of what we wanted to do.

LISTER: The first to be brought off the mountain, a woman with serious back injuries.

One of the hikers acknowledged they had had a lucky escape.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Without the rescue team's excellent job, maybe we really have really big problems. So they did a really great job.

LISTER: But when asked why the group had left the trail he said...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a mountain area, it's challenging.

LISTER: In this case, somewhat too challenging.

Tim Lister, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: The hikers ranged in age from 41 to 63. They're all described as very experienced mountaineers. And, boy, do they have another experience now to talk about. It's time for another check of the forecast. Chad Myers at the CNN center looking at the Northeast again.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, Palestinians vote on a new parliament for the first time in 10 years. And the radical group Hamas could win big at the polls. How is that going to impact any prospects for peace? We'll take you live to Jerusalem this morning.

M. O'BRIEN: And later, a little pill to make all your weight troubles go away. Right? Well, it's never that simple, is it? A prescription diet pill proven to work may soon go over the counter. There is a nasty downside to this, which we'll explain to you ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: A group considered to be a terrorist organization by the United States could gain power in the Middle East. Hamas is expected to make a strong showing in Wednesday's Palestinian elections. Hamas is responsible for many suicide bombings.

More now on what the elections could mean for Mideast peace from John Vause. He's live in Jerusalem this morning.

John, good morning.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Soledad.

Well, this is, in fact, the last day of campaigning before Wednesday's vote. Already the security forces have been allowed to vote over the last three days. That's so they can be free come election day to ensure security at the polling stations. There has been some concern of violence on the actual day of the elections.

But all of this, Soledad, is shaping up to being a two-horse race. On the one hand is the Fatah Party. That's the political party which was founded by the late Yasser Arafat. It's dominated Palestinian politics for a generation.

But now it's facing its first-ever real political challenge, and that challenge is coming from Hamas, as you mentioned, the militant -- radical Islamic militant group. They are contesting these elections. They boycotted the last elections back in 1996.

Now, all of the opinion polls show that Fatah should win the elections. But it will be close depending on which ones you believe. It could be a win by 2 percent, maybe a win by as much as 7 percent.

That doesn't mean that Palestinians support the radical view of Hamas. It has a lot more to do with Fatah. Many Palestinians, the Fatah Party, is seen as ineffective. It's seen as corrupt. They feel let down by Fatah, and that is why many are turning to Hamas, which is campaigning on a ticket of change and reform and promising to end corruption within the Palestinian government -- Soledad. S. O'BRIEN: So, if Hamas does win and wins big, what exactly happens to the peace process, do you think, John?

VAUSE: Well, both Israel and the United States have a great deal of concern should Hamas end up with any great number in the Palestinian Authority.

What we've been hearing from the Israelis is that they will continue to negotiate with the Palestinians, providing Hamas disarms and recognizes Israel's right to exist. Hamas is saying they won't disarm, and they will not recognize Israel. So, effectively, if they do get into the Palestinian Authority, they peace process will go nowhere -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: What do you think the role of Arial Sharon's health is in all of this?

VAUSE: Well, before Sharon suffered his stroke -- and he is still on that life support machine and in critical but stable condition at a hospital here in Jerusalem -- he did say that the only peace plan for this part of the world is the U.S.-backed road map. And that calls for militant groups like Hamas, like Islamic Jihad to disarm.

Now, Hamas is refusing to do that. But there is this hope that if Hamas gets into government that the burden of day-to-day government may, in fact, tame the militant group; that they may just take this pragmatic change, and they will start to negotiate with Israel.

The acting prime minister, Ehud Olmert, has been a little bit more definitive, saying specifically if Hamas gives up its weapons, recognizes Israel's right to exist, then peace negotiations will resume. Hamas is saying no deal for now. But, you know, it's the Middle East. Everything is up for negotiations -- Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: We end our discussions about the Middle East a lot that way. You know, it's the Middle East, and everything is up for discussion. John Vause for us this morning. John, thanks -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Andy is "Minding Your Business."

Good morning, Andy.

SERWER: Good morning, Miles. It was one of the biggest, longest and more tortured bankruptcies ever. Guess which giant airline is coming back? Stay tuned to AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, a little good news. Maybe it's a little bad news. A prescription diet pill could be sold over the counter sometime soon. What about all of those pesky side effects? Some of them are pretty nasty. We've got a nutrition expert this morning who is going to help us weigh the benefits and the risks of this drug. That's just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Patti LuPone singing "Sweeney Todd."

M. O'BRIEN: No, it's "West Side Story," isn't it?

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, really?

M. O'BRIEN: Isn't it, "I'd like to be in America?"

SERWER: I'm clueless.

S. O'BRIEN: Was it?

M. O'BRIEN: I'd like to be in America."

S. O'BRIEN: That's "West Side Story?" It didn't sound like it.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, that's...

S. O'BRIEN: That was the (INAUDIBLE).

M. O'BRIEN: That's not the refrain.

SERWER: I've never (INAUDIBLE) that.

S. O'BRIEN: I've seen that movie.

SERWER: No.

S. O'BRIEN: Is that it?

M. O'BRIEN: Doesn't it kind of pick up pace later, Jerry?

S. O'BRIEN: Maybe that part would be better to hear.

(CROSSTALK)

S. O'BRIEN: I'm batting zero.

M. O'BRIEN: I would say we have an eclectic musical combination starting this week.

S. O'BRIEN: That's a kind way to put it.

SERWER: They're making it difficult for us that's why.

M. O'BRIEN: We are really pushing the CNN orchestra this morning, right?

S. O'BRIEN: Yes.

M. O'BRIEN: How many people know?

S. O'BRIEN: They're live in the control room this morning.

Andy is going to be "Minding Your Business" in just a moment. First, though, a check of the headlines. Carol has got that.

Good morning.

COSTELLO: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

The family of the American journalist kidnapped in Iraq has made another urgent plea for her safe release. In an exclusive interview with Soledad, Jill Carroll's father released a new statement to his daughter's captors. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CARROLL: I wish to speak directly to the people holding my daughter. I hope that you heard the conviction in Jill's voice when she spoke of your country. That was real. She is not your enemy. When you release her alive, she will tell your story with that same conviction. Alive, my daughter will not be silenced.

Your story is one that can be told by Jill to the whole world. Allowing her to live and releasing her will enable her to do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Carroll's abductors threatened to kill her unless the United States released all Iraqi female prisoners by last Friday. There has been no word of her fate since that deadline.

Get ready to jump on the gas price rollercoaster once again. And, yes, we're on the up. The Lundberg Survey says the national average is $2.33 per gallon. And if you're keeping score, that's nearly 20 cents higher than it was early last month. Drivers in Portland, Oregon, are on average paying the least, $2.10 per gallon. Honolulu drivers are paying the most, about $2.80. In New York, it's about 2.61.

And, oh, what a night. Laker Kobe Bryant went on a tear. He scored 26 points in the first half of the game with Toronto. Oh, but that was chump change. He then went on to score 55 more for a game total of 81 points. Amazing! It was basketball's second highest scoring game by a player right behind the 100 points scored by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962 against the New York Knicks.

And Ben Roethlisberger made a promise to the Bus. He told Jerome, you'd better stick with me one more year and I'll get you to a Super Bowl. Well, he did it. Roethlisberger looking like a cagey veteran led the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 34-17 win over the Denver Broncos for the AFC championship. Over in the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks beat the Carolina Panthers 34-14. It wasn't much of a game, was it? The Steelers and the Seahawks will face each other in the Super Bowl in Detroit. The big game is set for February 5.

To the forecast center and Chad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

M. O'BRIEN: A major airline. I think United has been in bankruptcy since the mid-'50s now, or so it seems. It's been a long haul. And, you know, I think -- we've talked about this a lot, it's actually been kind of a good way to operate for them.

SERWER: Well, you know, it's a new business strategy, it seems, to go into bankruptcy, and that way it's easier to lay people off and cut costs, sadly. Thirty-seven months to be exact, Miles. December 9, 2002 is when United went into bankruptcy, one of the longest bankruptcies in the history of this nation, one of the most expensive, too, and one of the most tortured. What a long, difficult trip it's been.

The company shed $8 billion in debt. Twenty thousand employees lost their jobs. A hundred jets were sold, and it terminated its pension plan, $10 billion worth.

What happened? Well, we remember it pretty clearly; 9/11, first of all, then recession, then SARS, then the record high oil prices all battered this carrier, the nation's number two after American.

It's set to come out of bankruptcy February 1, which is a week from Wednesday.

Unfortunately, analysts are suggesting that it may still face a very, very difficult time. Now, we've been talking about record high oil prices already this morning getting close to $70 a barrel. That's not good news.

And there are really questions, you guys, as to whether this company has reorganized enough to be profitable. It's truly amazing to me that a company can go into bankruptcy for more than three years and come out. And there are real questions about whether it's going to be profitable.

I mean, why did you go into bankruptcy to begin with? You're supposed to go into bankruptcy to reorganize so you're profitable. And now it's going to come out, and it's not going to make any money still? It's amazing.

M. O'BRIEN: So why come out of bankruptcy now? Just stay there.

SERWER: It's very unclear to me. I mean, they're suggesting they've changed enough so they will be profitable. And to be fair to the company, they didn't anticipate oil prices being this high. But they should, because, you know, higher oil prices look like they're here to stay.

So, I really am very unclear about what's going to happen with this company going on to 2006 and 2007.

S. O'BRIEN: We'll see what happens.

M. O'BRIEN: Not such friendly skies, you might say.

SERWER: Perhaps, you could.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes. S. O'BRIEN: Andy, thank you.

SERWER: You're welcome.

S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, more of my exclusive interview with the father of kidnapped American journalist Jill Carroll. We talked to him, and he's got an urgent message for his daughter's kidnappers. We'll bring that to you ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Be sure to check out our Web site, CNN.com, for the very latest on this morning's top stories, including this one. Andy was talking about it just a few moments ago. Layoffs at Ford. Thirty thousand people potentially could be laid off. Right now people are trying to lobby to see if they can persuade the flailing automaker to avoid devastating their cities. We're going to have more on this story on AMERICAN MORNING as well.

Also at CNN.com, the most popular stories, including this one: That cruise ship. Carol was telling you this story. The passengers are threatening mutiny. They're not going to get off the ship in Rio. They say they missed three stops on beautiful islands. The ship has offered half the money back. They say that's not good enough. It's not clear how many of the passengers are actually revolting.

If you're about to head out the door for work or school, you can stay in touch with CNN and AMERICAN MORNING. Just log on to CNN.com and our pipeline video service. You can catch live, commercial-free news updates all at CNN.com/pipeline.

M. O'BRIEN: It's getting close to the top of the hour. Let's check in with Chad Myers.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Miles, I'm so surprised that Soledad didn't pick out the number two story on most popular.

S. O'BRIEN: What is it?

M. O'BRIEN: What is it?

MYERS: Bed bugs are back.

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, you know, you hear that story -- I guess, because I'm in New York City, we hear that story a lot here in New York City.

MYERS: OK, all right, all right.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

MYERS: And it's gross.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, and it's still gross.

MYERS: So let's press on. As you pay $400 a night for a hotel.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes.

MYERS: And you get bugs. Anyway, I'm sure they're working on that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MYERS: The next hour of AMERICAN MORNING starts right now.

S. O'BRIEN: Thanks, Chad. Good morning, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.

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