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American Morning
Saddam's Lawyers Say Execution Could Happen as Soon as Tomorrow
Aired December 29, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: Study in contrast. In Denver, take a look, the effects of the snowstorm. This Eric Tessier (ph), Tessire? (ph) I'm sorry, Eric. Attempting to push his car out of the snow. Denver getting 10 inches this morning, and still coming down. Chad has some big numbers of other locations, as well.
Check the other end of the spectrum here. And this falls -- this is a double news flash for me. First of all, this is a barren slope for skiers. Secondly, this is in Ohio. Did you know there was skiing in Ohio?
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: Right. Boston Mills, Ohio. We first we thought it was Boston, but nonetheless, check it out.
O'BRIEN: It looks more like a golf course with some wide sand bunkers. In any case, they aren't skiing there, Chad Myers.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Breaking news, one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers telling us, his client could be executed tomorrow. A live report from Baghdad straight ahead.
CHO: Piled-High City, Denver, socked again with heavy snow. Another round of storms moving in, another 20 inches could fall before the weekend's over.
O'BRIEN: Charges filed in one of the most notorious incidents in the wake of Katrina. Seven police officers facing indictments of murder, or attempted murder, ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Good morning to you, it is Friday, December 29. I'm Miles O'Brien.
CHO: And I'm Alina Cho, in today for Soledad. Thanks for joining us.
O'BRIEN: We begin today in Iraq, where there's an awful lot of talk this morning about the pending execution of Saddam Hussein. One of Hussein's attorneys, telling us a short time ago, the execution could happen tomorrow. Another lawyer says they've been told to pick up Hussein's personal effects from prison. CNN's Ryan Chilcote, live from Baghdad with details -- Ryan.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Miles, two official officials, one from Iraq's justice ministry, another from the U.S. military telling us Saddam is still in U.S. custody, where he has been for the last three years and he has not been transferred to Iraqi custody.
That is important because we expect that transfer of custody to be one of the final things that has to happen before Saddam can be executed. Meanwhile, one of Saddam's lawyers tells CNN that he believes that execution could be imminent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NAJIB AL-NUAIMI, SADDAM DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He is actually in American custody still, and the prediction and the indication we have received, actually, from yesterday's meeting with Mr. Saddam, that they might execute him tomorrow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHILCOTE: Another piece of chilling news from another one of Saddam's lawyers. He says that U.S. officials have informed them a member of Saddam's defense team can now come to the detention facility, where Saddam was held to pick up Saddam's personal belongs and the personal belongings of Saddam's half brother, who is also condemned to death by the Iraqi high tribunal, for crimes against humanity.
Meanwhile, Iraqi state TV is quoting the Iraqi prime minister as saying there will be no reversal of the decision to execute Saddam, and there will be no delay in that execution, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Ryan Chilcote in Baghdad, thank you.
The president still on the ranch in Crawford, Texas. CNN's Elaine Quijano was there with more on what the White House is hearing about this impending execution -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning to you, Miles.
One senior administration official, this morning, tells CNN this official does not believe Saddam Hussein has been turned over to the Iraqis. Now, yesterday you'll recall a senior administration official, as well, said that it was likely this execution was likely to be to take place -- not last night -- but it would be in the next day or so. That from a senior administration official who also emphasized, though, this is a process and a decision to be carried by the Iraqis themselves. That was echoed by President Bush's homeland security advisor yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FRAN TOWNSEND, HOMELAND SECURITY ADVISOR: Obviously, the timing of the execution will be left to the Iraqis. Saddam Hussein has enjoyed a level of due process and legal process that he denied many of his victims. It's now time for him to face the penalty that's been determined by an Iraqi court. We don't yet have the written opinion. It's my belief that we'll see that before you'd see an execution. But this is really going to be in the Iraqi's hands now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: And all this taking place against the backdrop of the president, yesterday, huddling with his top national security advisers to talk about the new Iraq strategy. President Bush saying yesterday that he believed they were making progress in crafting that strategy, but making very clear that he's not yet ready to make any announcements on that. Saying he wants to consult further with the Iraqi government, as well as members of the U.S. Congress, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Elaine Quijano, in Crawford, thank you.
The death toll for U.S. troops in Iraq is now approaching 3,000. It's now at 2,989. A U.S. Marine, the latest to die following an attack in the Anbar Province. A hundred U.S. service members killed in Iraq this month alone, making December now the fifth deadliest month for the U.S. military since the invasion in 2003.
CHO: Now to that massive winter storm hitting the Rockies. Denver is in deep this morning; up to 10 inches of new snow overnight. Up to two feet fell in Boulder, northwest of the city. The storm is expected the ramp up again today and deliver another 20 inches by Sunday.
Denver International Airport still open, but hundreds of flights are canceled. Greyhound bus service completely shut down today. Long stretches of interstates 25 and 70, the major arteries north and south, east and west are closed.
Colorado's governor declaring a statewide disaster. The storm stretching from the Rockies to the Western Plains with winter storm warnings up from Wyoming to Texas. We have comprehensive coverage from you. CNN's Jonathan Freed at Denver International, Severe Weather Expert Chad Myers at the CNN Weather Center. Let's start with Jonathan.
Jonathan, good morning.
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Alina.
I think the first order of business has to be not disappointing Chad. He has been talking about the snow on its way to us here in Denver today and let's, Chris, let's take a look up now, Chad, it's here. The snow is here. It has been beginning the pick up since the last time we were on air with you.
Let's take a look over here. We can show you the plowing efforts that are still going on here at the airport. This is a runway that's pretty well oriented north-south here at Denver International. We are seeing armies of plows that are just going around and around and around. Some of the runways are about three miles long. So often when you get to the end of one, when you finish plowing it, as the snow picks up, sometimes you have to go back and just start doing it again.
Everybody here bracing to see just how much snow is going to come this way and whether or not this airport will remain operational throughout the day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYOR JOHN HICKENLOOPER, DENVER: There is the potential that this storm could be as intense, or even more intense, than the storm that hit us a week ago.
FREED (voice over): Round two could bring another dump of snow on the Denver area. Last week, 24 inches fell in 24 hours paralyzing the Mile-High City. Denver's mayor says they're better prepared this time.
HICKENLOOPER: We are making a major effort to keep the main arteries open the entire time, and focusing our equipment there to make sure that access to our hospitals and emergency facilities are open.
FREED: At Denver International Airport, snowbound for two days last week, airlines canceled flight in advance as some people tried to get out before the storm moved in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They said they were letting you fly out early with no change fee fare.
FREED: Last week's storms stranded thousands of travelers at the airport. Officials say it could be deja vu in Denver.
CHUCK CANNON, DIA SPOKESMAN: Our primary goal is safety. And if it's not safe to land -- or to take off and land airplanes here, we will not do that. We'll shut it down.
This is not the way we planned to spend the entire Christmas-New Year holiday, no, it isn't.
FREED: Either way, it's a holiday to remember.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm here with my kids who are seven and five, who have never seen snow like this. So they have been jumping in all the piled up snow. And they think that's going to the mountains and jumping in the snow. They don't even know that there are mountains up there, because they can't see them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREED: So we are looking live now as the plows continue to work their way around Denver International Airport. The snow has been picking up here in the last hour or so. All of us here waiting to see whether or not this place will stay operational throughout the day, Alina.
CHO: Jonathan, you know that Chad has nicknamed you Jonathan Freeze? So, anyway! FREED: Yes, I did hear that before. And I'll be calling Chad a little later.
CHO: I can't take credit for it. That's all Chad.
FREED: That's right.
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: Stay warm. Get out of snow later, if you can. All right, Jonathan Freed for was.
FREED: Thank you.
CHO: Let's get right to the forecast. Severe Weather Expert Chad Myers at the CNN Weather Center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Happening this morning, in Iraq, U.S. force release two Iranian diplomats they arrested last week in Baghdad. They turned them over to Iranian officials, in Baghdad. The U.S. says the men are linked to illegal weapons shipments to Iraq, including roadside bombs that are killing U.S. troops.
A possible new message this morning from Osama bin Laden's No. 2 man Ayman al Zawahiri. Arab web sites are posting it. Zawahiri mentions Iraq and Afghanistan. And like his most recent message, a week or so ago, he criticized the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Somalia's prime minister is expected to return to the capital, Mogadishu, today. It's a victory for Somali government forces, with the help of Ethiopian fighters. They now control Mogadishu after Islamic rebels retreated. The city's reportedly calm today after days of looting.
Southern Afghanistan now, at least 10 Taliban fighters killed in a clash with NATO and Afghan forces. The Taliban reportedly attacking a police post with machine guns and rocket propelled grenades. NATO troops firing back from a helicopter. No NATO or Afghan forces killed.
Millions of Muslims in Mecca, this morning. Circling the Kaaba Stone, it's part of the Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. Every able-bodied Muslim, who can afford it, must take the trip once in a life time. The 45-foot tall Kaaba cube is the House of Allah. It's the holiest place in Islam. The mosque enclosing the Kaaba can hold 1 million worshipers.
North of Mexico city 22 people are dead after a freight train slams into a bus. Several people survive, which is amazing considering what you're seeing there. Look at those pictures. It's not known why the bus was on the tracks when the train came through.
CHO: And coming up on AMERICAN MORNING snow pounds Denver all night, even more on the way. The travel outlook is just ahead. And the scene of a crime, or a tragic mistake? A grand jury weighs in on seven police officers accused in the deadly shootout in the chaos of Hurricane Katrina. AMERICAN MORNING is coming right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Breaking news: One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers telling AMERICAN MORNING the former leader could be executed as early as tomorrow.
And Denver bracing for another major storm; 20 inches of snow expected there this weekend. Some of the Plains states could see three feet. Well, 15 minutes after the hour. Let's get a quick check of the forecast. Chad Myers at the CNN Weather Center with more on that.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: A closer look now at yet another troubling footnote to the Katrina disaster. In New Orleans, seven police officers charged with murder, or attempted murder, for a deadly shootout in the days after Hurricane Katrina hit. Our Gulf Coast Correspondent Susan Roesgen joining us live from New Orleans with more.
Good morning, Susan.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN GULF COAST CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Miles.
The shooting happened on that bridge, over there, behind me. There were civilians on the bridge, there were police officers on the bridge, and two very different versions of what happened there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN (voice over): Six days after Katrina, with the city in chaos, New Orleans police got a report of gunfire here, on the Danziger Bridge, about 20 minutes from downtown New Orleans.
But two New Orleans families say it was the police who shot at them as they tried to run away. One man on the bridge that day was Lance Madison.
LANCE MADISON, VICTIM'S BROTHER: They kept cursing me and hollering at me saying, saying, shut up, I don't want to hear it. You were shooting at us. I said, I was not shooting at you all. You all got the wrong guy. I said you can give me a lie detector test, or you give me a gunpowder test. I'll prove to you that, you know, I was nowhere around this.
ROESGEN: Last spring Madison told CNN's Drew Griffin the police killed his mentally disabled brother Ronald as he tried to escape. The police say they thought Ronald had a gun because he reached into his waistband turned toward an officer.
CNN obtained the autopsy report. It shows Ronald Madison had five gunshot wounds in his back. The other victim was a 19-year-old high schooler, whose family said they were trying to get to a supermarket to get supplies. Police higher ups have consistently defended the officers, but a state grand jury has now indicted all seven involved. Four for first degree murder, and three for attempted murder.
New Orleans District Attorney Eddie Jordan released a statement saying, "We cannot allow our police officers to shoot and kill our citizens without justification like rabid dogs."
But a lawyer for one of the officers calls the indictments shocking.
ERIC HESSLER, POLICE ATTORNEY: Obviously, grand jury only heard one side of the story and that was the side that the DA chose to present and we certainly have good credible evidence that will exonerate these officers.
ROESGEN: Lance Madison told CNN the police made a deadly mistake on the Danziger Bridge, and tried to hide it.
MADISON: The story they made up, alibis to cover themselves. I didn't have no weapon at all. My brother didn't have no weapon. We were just trying to get rescued.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: An internal police investigation had cleared the seven police officers. And last night after the grand jury indictments were announced, the police chief here, Miles, said the DA's remarks about people being shot like rabid dogs was unprofessional, prejudicial and undignified. Nevertheless, the DA has given those seven officers 24 hours to turn themselves in.
O'BRIEN: Susan Roesgen, in New Orleans, thank you.
Alina.
CHO: Just ahead, breaking news in the business world. The government is investigating Apple. Ali Velshi is tracking that for us.
James Brown still owns the stage at the Apollo Theater. Thousands of fans come out to say an emotional good-bye. That's next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Whenever the James Brown show came to Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater you could count on long lines to come see the hardest- working man in show business. It was no different Thursday as fans lined the streets of Harlem to say good-bye to the late Godfather of Soul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice over): With all the pomp and pageantry of a royal funeral, horse-drawn carriage carrying the golden casket, thousands packed Harlem streets. Politicians, celebrities and mourners joined together to say good-bye to the man they say epitomized the slogan "I'm black and I'm proud."
REV. AL SHARPTON, PRESIDED AT MEMORIAL: He became a superstar on his own terms, and he made you respect us. That's why we respect him.
CHO: His partner nearly collapsed. His grandson wept after seeing Brown's body on display. Fans say his message was deeply personal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It wasn't a time when you was proud to be black, and there was colored. I didn't know how to define myself. And that was the first time I had heard something like that, and it made me feel good, made me feel proud.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks to James Brown, I'm still black, and I'm proud.
CHO: James Brown, born in poverty, became one of the most influential musicians of the century.
JAMES BROWN, SINGING: Papa's got a brand new bag!
CHO: Today, he returned to his musical roots, the Apollo Theater, where he made his debut as an amateur in 1956. He secured his spot in history as the Godfather of glitz, glamour, and soul.
SHARPTON: For James Brown shines for us that never had anybody shine for them.
CHO: Diehard fans waited for hours for the chance to pay their respects.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nobody can out-perform him. In his age of technology and everything, he did it without the technology and still was bigger than all the stars today.
CHO: His children and relatives took to the stage in his honor, a fitting tribute, it would seem, to a man many Americans considered royalty.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Today there will be a private ceremony for Brown in his hometown of Augusta, Georgia. And tomorrow the public will be invited to a homecoming celebration of sorts at the James Brown Arena in Augusta.
You know, he apparently told his personal manager, just a couple days before he died, that he wanted to book some dates at the Apollo so he could see those long lines again. So, he would have been proud.
O'BRIEN: You look at his dance steps, and you feel his energy, and you think, you know, that's a previous generation version of Michael Jackson -- CHO: That's right.
O'BRIEN: Or Prince. He really did lay the groundwork for so much.
CHO: He performed with Usher at the Grammys in 2005. You know, it's incredible, his influence.
O'BRIEN: A timeless act and we will always remember him.
O'BRIEN: You know, it's the all-Apple business morning. It's 25 minutes after the hour. Let's check in with Ali Velshi. He's been reading there, I was going to say the 401(k), it's the 10(k).
ALI VELSHI, CNN FINANCIAL CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: We're going to rename this segment, "An Apple A Day".
So, Apple, this is the 10(k), this is the annual report that Apple has just issued this morning. It's delayed by two weeks. This is filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission. It's the health report of the company in the year.
We were talking about options back dating. We know that this had been going on at apple. Apple has admitted it. Then yesterday a report came out to say that some grants, some 7.5 million stock options grants were issued to Steve Jobs, the CEO, apparently the date they were being recorded as being issued was at a special board meeting on October 19, 2001. The reports were that board meeting didn't happen and the documents that said they did happen were forged.
Apple is now saying the meeting was actually on December 18th, 2001, the two months difference. One doesn't know what that's about. They haven't really explained what it's about. They just said that the board meeting that it was recorded to have happened, that didn't happen.
Now, the committee investigating this has said few other things. It says "although the investigation found that CEO Steve Jobs was aware, or recommended, the selection of some favorable grant dates, he did not receive or financially benefit from these grants."
Steve Jobs subsequently gave these grants back.
It goes on to say, "The special committee also found the investigation had raised serious concerns regarding the actions of two former officers in connection with the accounting, recording and reporting of stock option grants."
That's pretty serious. There are two problems that remain here. One is that Apple is saying that this deal is done, it's in the past. They fixed the problems. But what's up with that meeting date being recorded wrongly? Is that a clerical error, or was something up with that? Who did it? Apple is not very clear on what's going on behind that.
The second thing is this is options back-dating. It's still a bad thing. We're going to keep on figuring out what's going on.
I should tell you shares of Apple are up in pre-market trading, but pre-market trading is not always a good indicator of where things are going to go. It's a pretty thin trading week, anyway, Miles.
O'BRIEN: The 10(k) came out when?
VELSHI: This morning, about an hour ago.
O'BRIEN: Hard to say what that --
VELSHI: Hard to say. You would have to read through to it to know whether you want to buy or sell that stock.
O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you, Ali.
VELSHI: OK.
O'BRIEN: Appreciate that.
Top stories of the morning are straight ahead. A huge winter storm ramping up again in the Rockies and into the Plains; 10 inches of snow there overnight. They're talking feet of snow by New Year's Eve.
And time running out for Saddam Hussein, saying his good-byes, his lawyers told to get his personal effects; a live report coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Breaking news from Iraq, one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers says he thinks his client will be executed tomorrow. Hussein already saying final good-byes to his family.
CHO: Holiday on ice, Denver digging out from another round of snow overnight. Twenty more inches expected by New Year's Eve and a travel nightmare across the plains.
O'BRIEN: And got cloned, milk? The FDA says milk and meat from cloned animals is safe, but the debate is just beginning on this AMERICAN MORNING. Good morning to you, Friday, December 29th, I'm Miles O'Brien.
CHO: And I'm Alina Cho in today for Soledad, thanks for joining us. Denver is right in the middle of it again. Ten inches of new snow overnight, up to two feet in places like Boulder and the storm is just picking up steam. Winter storm warnings up in six states from Wyoming to Texas. Denver International Airport still open but hundreds of flights are canceled. Long stretches of interstates 25 and 70, Denver's major roads north and south, east and west are closed.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Breaking news in Iraq. The pending execution of Saddam Hussein, one of Hussein's attorneys telling us a short time ago it could happen tomorrow. Another lawyer says they've been told to pick up Hussein's personal effects from prison. Laith Kubba is a former Iraqi government spokesman, he is our guest from London right now. Mr. Kubba good to have you with us. Can you tell us, obviously there's a lot of concern as to how the execution might affect the insurgent violence that we've been seeing, the unrelenting violence in Iraq, how concerned are you?
LAITH KUBBA, FMR. IRAQ GOVT. SPOKESMAN: Well, on one hand I think the country wants to turn a page. No Iraqi has any doubts that Saddam Hussein has been responsible for many crimes in Iraq. And that ultimately he must take what he deserves, the ultimate punishment according to Iraqi law. But having said that this is taking place not at a fortunate time. It's taking place at a time when the country is going through difficult time and it needs a lot of healing and a lot of attention. The Saddam trial and execution, if it was done under better circumstances it would have accelerated the healing process. Currently, I think it will lead to some backlash.
O'BRIEN: What do you mean by better circumstances? Different timing? Would it be better if they waited?
KUBBA: Well, I mean, if the country has managed to pull itself together and we have a government of unity that had ended the insurgency, if the state was strong again, if Iraqis in Baghdad, in the streets, felt security, then they would look at the past and they say, we're very pleased we got rid of Saddam Hussein and his regime. I think a lot of Iraqis are pleased to see the end of Saddam Hussein but they're extremely worried and disappointed with the current affairs that are in the country.
O'BRIEN: So Mr. Kubba, is there a sense there with the amount of violence that's going on in Iraq right now, is there almost a sense of nostalgia for the Saddam Hussein days, as misplaced as that nostalgia might be?
KUBBA: Well, for some, yes. For some in Baghdad, they just wonder, as much as they hated Saddam Hussein, but at least there was security in the streets. And I think Iraqis by and large today look for a strong government, a strong man to restore some order in the streets. Nobody wanted Saddam Hussein and nobody will. But I think Iraqis desperately want some order and I think they are looking -- differentiating between Saddam's crimes is one thing but running a government and having strong leader is another.
O'BRIEN: A short time ago I spoke to one of Saddam Hussein's attorneys, Najib Al-Nuaimi and asked him about whether he thought the trial itself was fair. Let's listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NAJIB AL-NUAIMI, SADDAM DEFENSE ATTORNEY: This court was biased and they did not do anything within the legal framework of international law.
(END OF AUDIO CLIP) O'BRIEN: Kubba, do you think it was a fair trial?
KUBBA: I -- I think it is a fair trial. Of course, it could have been done better. It could have been publicized better. But no Iraqi has doubt, shred of doubt in their minds what Saddam Hussein deserves. Under his rule, nearly half a million Iraqi perished. It was under his direct orders, wars were launched against neighbors. He is responsible. There are gaps here and there in the trial, but by and large I think Iraqis know this is a fair trial and he'll get what he deserves.
O'BRIEN: Laith Kubba, former spokesman for the Iraqi government. Thank you for your time, sir.
KUBBA: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Alina?
CHO: Happening in America, in California, a private memorial service in Palm Desert today for former President Gerald Ford. Thousands are expected at a public viewing that follows. President Ford's casket moves to Washington tomorrow where it will lie in state in the capitol rotunda through Tuesday. Tens of thousands of his fans lined up to say good-bye to James Brown, the Godfather of Soul. His casket arrived by horse drawn carriage to lie in repose at the famed Apollo Theater. There will be a private service in Brown's hometown of Augusta, Georgia today.
And in North Carolina, the state bar filing an ethics complaint against Durham district attorney Michael NiFong for comments he made early in the Duke Lacrosse rape case. NiFong could be disbarred. Rape charges against the players were dropped last week, they are still facing kidnapping and sexual offense charges. Miles?
O'BRIEN: News for your health straight ahead. Two all beef cloned patties? Would you order a burger from a cloned cow? The FDA says it's safe to eat, we'll ask why coming up.
And another giant chunk of ice breaks off near the North Pole. A look at the ripple effects ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Two developing stories, one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers telling us the former leader could be executed tomorrow. And Denver bracing for another major storm. Twenty inches of snow expected there this weekend. Some of the plains states could see three feet.
CHO: The Food and Drug Administration says milk and meat from cloned animals is ok to eat. The FDA study cloned foods for five years and found it, quote, virtually indistinguishable from conventional foods. Dr. Stephen Sundlof is the director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, he joins us now from Washington. Mr. Sundlof, thank you for joining us. A lot of people get queasy when they think about a cloning associated with something they might have on their dinner table, so reassure the public, tell us why cloned meat and milk is safe.
DR. STEPHEN SUNDLOF, DIR., FDA CTR. FOR VETERINARY MED.: Well over the last five years as you indicated, we have engaged in extensive studies in which we've looked at the health of the animals that are produced through this cloning technology. And also we've looked at the meat and the milk from the animal clones and their offspring to determine whether or not there's any identifiable differences between the meat or milk from cloned animals and the meat and milk from animals that are raised through traditional breeding methods. And in every case we found that the two were indistinguishable, so the animals are indistinguishable from traditionally raised animals. The food is indistinguishable from food from other animals and therefore we make the conclusion that the food is safe.
CHO: But Dr. Sundlof, as you well know, there have been a lot of questions about the offspring of those cloned animals and your critics say there are safety and ethical issues. Let's listen to one critic right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW KIMBRELL, CENTER FOR FOOD SAFETY: Animal cloning is not only terrible from the suffering they're causing animals, but because of the deformities and the diseases that it causes in these animals, represents a real hazard to food safety.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: All right, so some critics saying just because you can do it doesn't mean you should do it. So what's your response to that?
SUNDLOF: Well cloning we feel is just another one of the assisted reproductive technologies that's been widely used for many, many years in animal agriculture. Invitro fertilization is another method that's also used and we see the same kind of health problems associated with that technology as we do with cloning. And generally what we see is that animals -- some animals and certainly not all animals, when they're born, are a little bit more fragile than animals that have been conceived through traditional mating and they require a little bit extra care. They may have trouble regulating their temperature and they may need to have additional warmth. But these animals will grow out of that stage and they will become perfectly healthy and normal animals over a period of weeks or months. And then again, once again, they are indistinguishable. So this technology introduces no side effects that other mating technologies or breeding technologies do in agriculture today.
CHO: But I'm curious, why do we need to clone animals? Do we have a problem with the food supply? I mean why are we doing this?
SUNDLOF: Well, the reason is because traditionally agriculture has tried to improve the genetics of their animals, of their herds. And cloning provides a very efficient way of doing that. You can take for instance the 4-H winning blue ribbon cow and reproduce that animal exactly. Now, if you had to do that through traditional breeding methods it would be a lot more difficult because you never know what you're going to get when you're going to breed with a different animal. In this case you know that you're getting a certain genetic line that then can be used to improve the genetics of the entire herd. I think it's important to keep in mind that animals that are clones are very expensive and they're not going to be used for food. They're going to be used for breeding and reproducing other high quality animals. So very few of the cloned products, the cloned animal products will actually get into the food supply.
CHO: All right, but let's say you're at the grocery store, you're buying some meat, you're buying some milk. You may want to know that what you're getting is cloned, so will it be labeled?
SUNDLOF: Not necessarily. The FDA makes a determination that labeling is required if the food is materially different or if there's something added to the food that's not normal to that food or if there's something that doesn't exist in that food that should normally exist in that food. Then the FDA would require labeling. In this case we find no discernible differences between the food produced from this animal cloning technology and the food produced through normal mating. So it is unlikely, although we have not ruled out that labeling would not be required.
CHO: Well I understand there will be a three-month period for public comment before a final decision on all of this will be made. Dr. Stephen Sundlof, director of the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine, we thank you for joining us today.
SUNDLOF: Thank you.
CHO: Miles?
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: Some of the stories we're following for you this morning, conflicting reports on Saddam Hussein, where is he? Just how close is he to his execution?
And home foreclosures are soaring nationwide. We'll have some advice on how to avoid falling prey to predatory lenders. That's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back. Now a closer look at the historic year in U.S. politics that turned Congress on its head. AMERICAN MORNING's Bob Franken joins us live from Washington. Hey Bob, good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. I was starting to remember if it was that great philosopher Vince Lombardi who said it's not enough to win, the other side has to lose. This last year one side definitely lost.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): 2006 was the silver platter on which Republicans handed over control of Congress to the Democrats, with morsels like former Congressman Duke Cunningham, now convict Cunningham. Former Congressman Bob Ney, soon to be a convict. George Allen, former Senator Allen.
SEN. GEORGE ALLEN, (R) VIRGINIA: This fellow over here with the yellow shirt, macaca or whatever his name is --
FRANKEN: His name spelled trouble for Allen. And who can forget Mark Foley and his computer messages to young male pages? The voters certainly didn't. Not that the Democrats didn't do their best to further away their advantage. Congressman William Jefferson, (D) of Louisiana, was caught up in corruption charges, too.
SEN. WILLIAM JEFFERSON, (D) LOUISIANA: God bless you all.
FRANKEN: But he won his election.
SEN. JOHN KERRY: Get stuck in Iraq.
FRANKEN: Senator John Kerry's joke about the military where he apparently flubbed the punch line may have sunk his presidential hopes but not his party's chances of taking over Congress. But in the end, it was the non-candidate President Bush and his unpopular some feel unwinnable war who appears to have handed the Democrats their victory.
BUSH: It is clear the Democrat Party had a good night last night.
FRANKEN: And the Democrats had won.
REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D) INCOMING SPEAKER: The American people with their votes yesterday placed their trust in the Democrats. We will honor that trust. We will not disappoint.
FRANKEN: But the new number one in the house first thing lost a very public fight over who would be her number two. Then after snubbing Democratic rival Jane Harman as intelligence committee chairman, the man she chose Silvestre Reyes, promptly flunked a reporter's quiz about national security. And after Democratic Senator Tim Johnson fell ill a few weeks ago we were all reminded of just how slim his party's hold of the Senate really is. Just one vote.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: And we were all reminded how much of a role fate can play in this but we're going to be watching to see that now that the Democrats have climbed up on their pedestal, whether they will be able to stay, whether they'll be knocked off or whether they'll jump off. Alina?
CHO: All right. So 2007 is upon us, Bob, as you know. Get your crystal ball out. Tell us what we should be watching for in the year ahead.
FRANKEN: There's a 2007? There are many people who believe we're going to go right to 2008. CHO: Yeah, we could talk about the presidential election.
FRANKEN: 2007 is just a preliminary act or something like that. We'll see.
CHO: All right. Bob Franken for us. Thank you very much. Miles?
O'BRIEN: Still ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING, alarming news near the North Pole. A giant piece of an ice shelf, the size of 11,000 football fields, breaks off. Thousands of fans pour into the streets of Harlem to say good-bye to the Godfather of Soul. Stay with us for more on that ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Breaking news. One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers telling us he expects the former leader to be executed as early as tomorrow.
And another powerful storm bearing down on Denver. Ten inches of snow falling in Denver overnight. Small potatoes compared to what they could be get in the plains. Talking up to three feet by Sunday.
CHO: Toyota likely to drive past Ford in U.S. auto sales, 56 minutes after the hour, Ali Velshi, "Minding your Business." There's a distinction between Toyota.
ALI VELSHI: Toyota, we've been talking about the fact that Toyota was going to become the biggest car company in the world in 2007. And everybody's numbers point to that. Toyota's own numbers and GM. GM has been the biggest car company in the world since 1931. But I have to ask you a question, either of you ever had a Taurus, a Ford Taurus?
O'BRIEN: No.
VELSHI: An F-150 pickup?
O'BRIEN: No.
VELSHI: And a Toyota car?
O'BRIEN: No.
VELSHI: Ok, interesting. These are all interesting facts because the biggest selling vehicle in the United States has been for almost ever, for about 25, 30 years the Ford F-150 pickup. It's a bit of a cheat because the F-150 pickup comes in about 55 flavors so they group them all together. So it's not really true. But it is -- that is the number one category. Now what's happening is Ford F-150 sales are backing off because both Toyota and GM have pickup trucks now. New offerings in pickup trucks. Number two, Ford had this Taurus which was really a ubiquitous car, you can still get them at car rental places, but they were really all over the place. Stopped production in October, sold about 6,000 of them in November. That's gone. So Ford sales are going to drop off in December. Ford is typically number two in the U.S. GM is number one, Toyota is number three. This is the biggest market in the world for cars. Now what's happening is Ford's numbers are dropping off. Toyota's are increasing in terms of market share in the U.S., so what's happening is in 2007 Toyota will be the biggest car company in the world. It will be the number two car company in America.
O'BRIEN: Interesting. And in Detroit they've got to be quaking in their boots over this whole thing and they're still building big vehicles, SUVs and the pickup trucks.
VELSHI: And figuring out a way out of this. You'll remember Miles, a year ago I was in Dearborn when Ford announced its layoffs, they called their new plan -- didn't call it layoffs, they called it the way forward. It's a year later and we're wondering what they're going to produce that's going to ignite American passions. Now they might do it, Detroit Auto Show in just over a week, they'll be there, maybe they can pull it off.
O'BRIEN: Is there successor to the Taurus?
VELSHI: Not yet.
O'BRIEN: Maybe you'll find out when you go -
VELSHI: It needs to be a little sexier than the Taurus.
O'BRIEN: Yeah. Who says a Camry is sexy, you know, I mean, but it sells.
VELSHI: Who says I'm sexy?
O'BRIEN: I'm not going to go there.
VELSHI: (INAUDIBLE)
O'BRIEN: Thank you Ali.
(WEATHER REPORT)
O'BRIEN: A winter wallop, six states now under winter storm warnings, nearly a foot of snow overnight, two and a half more feet expected this weekend in some places.
CHO: Breaking news in Iraq, one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers expects his client to be executed tomorrow. We're live in Baghdad.
O'BRIEN: And a breaking point, an ice shelf the size of 11,000 football fields snaps off in Canadian arctic. Scientists are sounding an alarm on this one on this AMERICAN MORNING. Good morning, Friday, December 29th. I'm Miles O'Brien.
CHO: And I'm Alina Cho in today for Soledad. Thanks for joining us.
O'BRIEN: We begin with breaking news in Denver, 10 inches of new snow overnight. Up to two feet in places like Boulder and more, a lot more heading that way. Winter storm warnings are up right now in six states, from Wyoming to Texas.
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