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American Morning

Senate Votes Today on Same-Sex Marriage Amendment; Immigration Battle; Prisoner Release in Iraq

Aired June 07, 2006 - 06:30   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back, everybody.
Happening this morning, the Senate is voting on a same-sex marriage ban. The vote on a constitutional amendment is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. It's not expected to pass.

A powerful voice of support for Marines accused of a massacre in Haditha. The lieutenant who commanded them before Haditha has come out to say they had a strong moral compass in the past.

A huge dust storm -- take a look at these pictures -- driven by 60-mile-an-hour winds passed over Phoenix, Arizona. High-rises are covered in dust now, and the air was so dark that cars had to pull over off the highways. There were no serious injuries though reported, fortunately.

Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Miles O'Brien. We're glad you're with us this morning.

An amendment banning same-sex marriage headed for a vote and defeat this morning, but lawmakers debating the polarizing issue knew the ban wouldn't garner a two-thirds majority of the Senate. But this is one issue where the debate is more important than the outcome.

CNN's Kyung Lah is live now from Washington for us.

Good morning, Kyung.

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

No real high drama out of this because we already know the outcome, as you pointed out. But what is interesting is the political dance.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JON KYL (R), ARIZONA: We simply cannot strip marriage of its core that it be the union of a man and a woman.

LAH (voice over): For hours, U.S. senators spoke on and on, some verbally wondering why.

SEN. FRANK LAUTENBERG (D), NEW JERSEY: What matters most in these chambers, unfortunately, at this time is politics and elections. Too bad, America.

LAH: No one expects the measure to win the 67 votes need for passage, but that's not the point, say supporters.

SEN. DAVID VITTER (R), LOUISIANA: Secondly, it helps it because we're building votes. My prediction is we're going to have more votes than two years ago.

LAH: And in the future, they promise enough votes to win a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. The issue helped keep President Bush in the White House in 2004, as his conservative religious base rallied to the polls. Republicans are hoping it will work again. Voters in a handful of states this November will consider measures banning same-sex marriage.

REP. JOHN LEWIS (D), GEORGIA: We cannot and we will not stand by silently and see division written in the Constitution again.

LAH: Democrats, while complaining the debate is a waste of time, know at the same time this debate airs an issue important to the Republicans' political base.

SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Get back immediately to the real business of the nation.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAH: Now, supporters point out they will likely win a majority this morning. Maybe not an outright victory, but if enough conservatives get into office this midterm, then an amendment is more likely the next time around -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Kyung Lah in Washington.

Thank you very much -- Soledad.

LAH: You bet.

S. O'BRIEN: A dangerous medical warnings now for U.S. troops in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Many may face permanent brain damage without even knowing it.

"USA Today" is quoting military researchers who say the troops could be going back into combat with undiagnosed concussions caused by hearing frequent explosions. As many as 20 percent of soldiers could be affected.

President Bush is still confident that Congress is going to agree on an immigration reform package despite some major differences between the House and the Senate versions. Today he's visiting a center in Nebraska that's helping immigrant families.

CNN's Elaine Quijano has more for us this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): President Bush chose the only U.S. Border Patrol academy in the country to deliver his latest pitch on comprehensive immigration reform. With the House and Senate bills remaining far apart, Mr. Bush suggested both sides in the emotional debate share basic beliefs.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And while the differences grab the headlines, the similarities and approaches are striking. We all agree we need to control our borders. There's a common agreement that the federal government has a responsibility to control the borders.

QUIJANO: To emphasize that part of his message, the president chose as his backdrop this facility in Artesia, New Mexico, where America's future Border Patrol agents receive training in everything from checkpoint operations to immigration law. Mr. Bush also oversaw the swearing in of their new boss, Ralph Basham, former Secret Service director and now the commissioner of Customs and Border Protection.

By highlighting their work, Mr. Bush hopes to sway skeptical House Republicans who have long called for tougher border security measures and want that dealt with before tackling other aspects of immigration reform. Yet, the president remains convinced that a temporary guest worker program and a path to what he calls earned citizenship are vital to reforming immigration laws. Critics call that path amnesty, but during a second stop in Laredo, Texas, the president took issue with his critics.

BUSH: Amnesty is something nobody is for in America. I'm not for it. But in order to frighten people, you just say the word "amnesty".

QUIJANO (on camera): Next up for President Bush, he will travel to a Catholic Charities facility in Omaha, Nebraska, on Wednesday. During that visit, he's expected to discuss the need for immigrants to assimilate into American society.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, Artesia, New Mexico.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: CNN is going to carry the president's remarks from Omaha later this morning live. We're expecting them around 9:40 a.m. Eastern Time.

Time now for a check of the forecast with Rob Marciano. He's in for Chad Myers.

Hi, Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Soledad. Kind of a mess across the Northeast today.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: Soledad and Miles, back to you. M. O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Rob.

Still to come on the program, why Iraq is releasing hundreds from some of the country's most notorious prisons. We're live in Baghdad.

S. O'BRIEN: And then new details about the secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe.

M. O'BRIEN: And the Shiloh-down. The parents, Brangelina, cashing in on their new pride and joy. But wait, don't worry. It's for charity.

First, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: More fear and flight in Indonesia as the Mount Merapi Volcano keeps spewing smoke, gas and lava. It's been happening for weeks now.

Scientists believe a major eruption is likely imminent. Thousands of people who live near the volcano have been evacuated. More expected to follow. Nerves frayed there, of course, in the wake of that bad earthquake in that part of the world.

The Iraqi government releasing hundreds of prisoners. It's an effort to stem the spiraling violence between Shiite and Sunni Muslims. We also have word this morning the conclusion to that kidnapping, that coordinated rather stunning kidnapping of 50 people from some bus terminals, those people have now been released.

Live now to Baghdad. CNN's John Vause with more on all of this.

Good morning, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

It seems a partial conclusion, if nothing else. Fifteen of those hostages were found late last night in east Baghdad. They say they had been blindfolded, beaten and tortured. Three of them, according to Iraqi police, had gunshot wounds to the foot. Still no word on 35 others who were taken at gunpoint in downtown Baghdad on Monday by men dressed as Iraqi police.

Sunni groups have actually accused the police of being involved in this mass kidnapping. The interior ministry here says it is investigating those claims.

And to try and heal this rift between the Sunnis and the Shiites, the Iraqi prime minister has ordered the release of 2,500 prisoners. Almost 600 were set free today.

About 25,000 Iraqis are being held in detention centers run by the U.S. or by the Iraqi government. Most of them are Sunnis. The prime minister though says those who are being released, they will not set free anyone loyal to Saddam Hussein or anyone who is -- who has had blood on his hands or is considered a terrorist -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, I suppose that's difficult to determine, isn't it?

VAUSE: Extremely difficult. Obviously, it will be a very arbitrary decision. But what this is all about is really a carrot to try and keep those Sunni groups inside this national unity government.

They've been pushing for all of the prisoners to be released. At least one Sunni group has been. That isn't going to happen. But basically, the Sunnis feel as if they're being unfairly treated in being rounded and sent into these prisons. So this will go some of the way to relieving some of those complaints by the Sunni groups -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: You say some of the way, but given the nature, the violence, and really unprecedented since the war began, is this enough do you think?

VAUSE: Well, it will never really be enough for some of those -- for some of the groups out there. As I say, some of those Sunni groups are demanding all of the prisoners be released.

What we are hearing though is from the Arab League, is that they're planning some kind of truth and reconciliation commission here for later this month, similar to what happened in South Africa at the end of apartheid. It's a system where victims can come forward and give testimony. Those who carried out violence can request amnesty and also testify to this commission.

That's set to get under way on June 20. That may help a little. It just remains to be seen, because there is so much mistrust, so much hatred, so much violence here -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: John Vause in Baghdad.

Thank you very much.

Still to come on AMERICAN MORNING, CBS reporter Kimberly Dozier on the mend and soon on a plane. We'll give you an update on her condition from Germany shortly.

But first, a father suing a Kansas church for protesting his soldier son's funeral. The church members say it is their First Amendment right. The father says his son didn't deserve their hatred.

That story is ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: Happening this morning, the Senate puts a same-sex marriage ban to a vote this morning. The voting begins at 10:00 Eastern. It's not expected to get the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution, but it could get more than half the votes in the Senate, a simple majority. The House will be voting on a huge increase in the indecency fines for broadcasters. The new penalty for airing indecent material could go up to $325,000. That is 10 times higher than it currently is right now.

And a European human rights group is accusing the CIA of running a spider's web of secret detention centers throughout Europe. A group called the Council of Europe says there is no hard proof, but there is enough information to show a number of countries participated in the CIA's detention of terror suspects.

At least 15 states have passed laws restricting the movement of protesters at military funerals. The laws were triggered by a Kansas church that has been demonstrating at military funerals. Church followers believe the killing of U.S. troops is god's way of punishing America for tolerating homosexuality. One Pennsylvania father is taking action against that church group.

CNN's Allan Chernoff with that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The pain is still raw for Al Snyder. Just 12 weeks ago two marines arrived at his door step with news that his son Matt had been killed in Iraq.

AL SNYDER, SON KILLED IN IRAQ: I knew as soon as I saw them, what they were there for. The worst night of my life. It just -- you can't describe how it is to lose a child. You can't even explain to anybody what it's like. You know, I just felt like somebody had taken a piece of my heart, and I still feel that way.

CHERNOFF: What could possibly bring more pain?

CROWD: God showed his wrath to thee.

CHERNOFF: Having a group of strangers protesting outside the funeral claiming Matt died because Snyder raised him with evil values.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Each one of them are going to hell.

CHERNOFF: These followers of Fred Phelps, all family members, claim American servicemen are being killed because the country provokes homosexuality and abortion. They run the Westborough Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas.

SNYDER: But I did go to the funeral hoping to get closure. Instead I got hatred from this group of people. My son didn't deserve that. No one deserved what they do.

CHERNOFF: So Al Snyder decided to sue the Westborough Church and its members for falsely claiming his son was gay and a sinner.

(on camera): Did you ever know Matt Snyder? Did you ever meet him?

SHIRLEY PHELPS-ROPER, PROTESTER: I know him by some facts.

CHERNOFF: You never met him, did you? How did you actually have the nerve to make these claims against these people? You don't know these people.

PHELPS-ROPER: I know them by their deeds.

CHERNOFF: The first amendment gives powerful protection to freedom of speech, even to people like the Phelps. But it doesn't give the right to intentionally spread lies about someone. So Snyder's attorneys are suing on the grounds of defamation.

(voice-over): Prosecuting attorney Craig Trebilcock himself served in Iraq.

CRAIG TREBILCOCK, ATTORNEY FOR AL SNYDER: They've gone on for years stating their message in what I think they believe is some sort of protected either religious or political speech. They cross the line this time.

CHERNOFF: One lawsuit may not stop the Phelps from future protests, but constitutional law expert Peter Rubin argues it's the right way to begin a legal assault.

PETER RUBIN, PROFESSOR, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY LAW CENTER: I think that the Snyder family has quite a strong case here. The Supreme Court has held that a defamation action, an action in which someone says this speech is false and has damaged my reputation, an action like that may go forward.

CHERNOFF: The Phelps say they plan to countersue.

(on camera): They are charging you with defamation.

PHELPS-ROPER: I don't care what they're charging. What they want to do is -- is they want to -- what they want to do is they want to litigate our religious doctrine. Well, you don't do that in America.

CHERNOFF (voice-over): Though he's still mourning, Al Snyder is ready to fight for his son's honor. And he wants other families of fallen soldiers to follow his lead.

SNYDER: This will be the last thing I do for my son. I'm doing it for my son. And not just for my son, but I'm doing it for all his brothers.

CHERNOFF: Allan Chernoff, CNN, York, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Allan's report first aired on "PAULA ZAHN NOW". You can catch that program weeknights, 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.

Up next, Andy "Minding Your Business." And here he is -- Andy.

ANDY SERWER, EDITOR-AT-LARGE, "FORTUNE": I'm here. Good morning, you guys.

Some business news ahead. A corporate morality play by Google.

Plus, is GM getting better?

M. O'BRIEN: All right.

S. O'BRIEN: We sure hope so.

SERWER: Yes. We all do.

S. O'BRIEN: Thanks, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

M. O'BRIEN: It's always good to get better.

Also ahead in the program, our series "Paying the Price in the Heartland." We'll meet an independent trucker who has seen his profits cut in half by rising gas prices, good buddy, and the little things he does to make every gallon count.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Google hinting at a U-turn in China. Andy Serwer's got that as he minds our business this morning.

Good morning.

SERWER: Good morning, Soledad.

Corporate executives usually don't like to acknowledge mistakes. Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, essentially did that yesterday. He was in Washington, D.C., talking to lawmakers. And afterwards, he spoke to reporters and acknowledged that his company had compromised its principles when doing business in China.

And what he was referring to is, of course, helping the Chinese government by censoring its Web site. Remember we talked about the three Ts in China, Tiananmen Square, Taiwan, and Tibet. And you can't really find information about that at Google in China.

And he's saying that was a good thing at one point when he was working with the Chinese government because he thought he could make a difference. Now he may rethink that strategy.

Maybe that means pulling out of China or putting more pressure on the Chinese government. That's unclear. But it's an interesting acknowledgement by him, I think.

M. O'BRIEN: It will be interesting to see if the Chinese force them out if it comes to a showdown like that.

SERWER: Right. And again, we're talking about the Internet, though.

M. O'BRIEN: How do you stop it?

SERWER: I mean, how do you force out the Internet? It's very difficult.

M. O'BRIEN: How do you stop it? Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I think it's kind of strange. And those are big two -- three big Ts...

SERWER: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: ... to not have any information on Tiananmen Square, Tibet and Taiwan.

SERWER: Tibet and Taiwan. And, of course, the Chinese populace knows all about that and getting information other ways, of course.

Other corporate news.

Yesterday, General Motors, is it getting better? CEO Rick Wagoner yesterday saying it is, talking about his company's progress, saying it made $445 million in the first quarter. That's kind of surprising there. And also saying new products and cost-cutting is helping the company.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that GM is out of the woods yet. But the stock is up 25 percent since March. And even with the stock market swoon, so maybe some investors getting some hints that things are getting a little bit better. A lot of new product offerings coming out.

And so it will be interesting to see if this is a turnaround point.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes.

M. O'BRIEN: So are there some hot cars coming, do you think?

SERWER: Well, I'm not sure. I'm not a car -- ask one of the car guys.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

SERWER: Coming up in the next half-hour, we're going to be talking about the estate tax. Should it be repealed or not? Obviously a hot-button topic there.

S. O'BRIEN: Ooh. Yes, watching that. All right.

Andy, thanks.

SERWER: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: The very -- even more anticipated than that topic in Congress is this...

SERWER: Oh, hard to believe.

S. O'BRIEN: ... the anticipated baby pictures of little Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt, bought for millions of dollars. "People" magazine, in fact, got the shots, paid about $4 million for them. The proud parents are ready to speak now, and for free.

We get more from Robyn Curnow. She's in South Africa.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBYN CURNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been a week and a half since the birth of one of Namibia's most famous daughters, baby Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt. And her parents, Hollywood superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, are expected to meet the Namibian press on Wednesday. They're saying that they are being taken to meet the Hollywood superstars at their resort in Swakopmund, on the west coast of Namibia.

Now, the Namibian press are effectively being handed a world exclusive, because this will be the first public appearance of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie since the birth of their daughter on May the 27th. Many people within the media say that if this press conference goes ahead, this is effectively a "thank you" from the Pitt-Jolie camp to the Namibian press for their pretty low-key and positive coverage of Pitt's and Jolie's family during their stay in Namibia over the past two months.

Now, it's unlikely, though, the local journalists are saying, that baby Shiloh will be paraded in front of the Namibian cameras because Pitt and Jolie have distributed the first photographs said to be worth millions via Getty Images (ph). And "People" magazine has said they will publish those first images of one of the world's most famous celebrity babies in its Friday edition.

I'm Robyn Curnow, in Johannesburg, South Africa, for CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: It's time for a check of the forecast. Rob Marciano in for Chad -- Rob.

MARCIANO: Hi, Miles.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: That's the latest from the weather center.

The next hour of AMERICAN MORNING begins right now.

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash on Capitol Hill. Why hold a vote on a ban on same-sex marriage if you know you're going to lose? I'll tell you in a few minutes.

M. O'BRIEN: President Bush talking about immigration today, pushing his plan that has a guest worker provision, putting him at odds with the right wing of his party. We'll tell you what he has to say today.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kathleen Koch at the Pentagon. More troops heading into Iraq this summer. I'll tell you how many in just a few minutes.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian in Atalissa, Iowa, where we continue our weeklong series "Paying the Price in the Heartland." This morning, we'll take a look at how truckers are paying the price.

That's coming up in about 40 minutes on this AMERICAN MORNING.

S. O'BRIEN: And good morning. Welcome back, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.

M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien.

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