Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Floods in Haiti, Dominican Republic Displaces 50,000; Hope for Peace in Sudan?

Aired May 30, 2004 - 07:30   ET

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

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


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hopes for peace are rising, but so is a chance of another massive tragedy threatening these children in Sudan.
Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Drew Griffin. We'll have that story from Christiane Amanpour in a minute.

But first, the headlines at this hour. The death toll could rise to as many as 2,000 as a result of flooding in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 50,000 people have lost their homes. Relief agencies and the U.S. military are bringing in supplies.

And to make matters worse, more bad weather could be on the way there. In Iraq, it looks like the Najaf peace deal is crumbling bit by bit. U.S. officials say about 100 Iraqi police set to begin joint patrols with coalition forces in the holy city have suddenly left town. U.S. troops also clashed again today with Shi'ite gunmen in the city, despite a deal last week to end the fighting.

There's word today that more U.S. forces have been killed in Iraq. Military officials say three U.S. Marines were killed yesterday in Iraq's vast Al Anbar Province. They were conducting security and stability operations.

Back in this country, another punch to the nation's mid section. Tornadoes, heavy rains damaging homes, uprooting trees, and causing power outages in north central Kansas. There was similar damage in parts of Oklahoma and Central Nebraska. Fortunately, no injuries reported.

NGUYEN: And now to Africa, where after more than two decades of civil war, there's hope for peace in Sudan. A power sharing agreement signed last week aims to end the conflict in southern Sudan. It has claimed more than two million lives. Now U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan will push for a cease-fire in Darfur in the western part of the country. A separate war has been going on there for over a year. A U.N. Human Rights leader says the peace deal means 500,000 refugees and more than three million displaced persons from southern Sudan are a step closer to going home.

But for now those refugees are struggling to survive wherever and however they can. At a refugee camp in neighboring Chad, the enormity of the humanitarian crisis is undeniable. And the most at risk are the children.

Here's CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Step inside these gates, and you get a glimpse of Africa's relentless tragedy. Fly encrusted young faces, a mother trying to force feed her child to keep malnutrition at bay.

But inside these gates at least, these refugees from Sudan have a chance. This is the hospital and feeding center set up by the relief group, Medecins Sans Frontieres. It's quite basic. There are no doctors on duty overnight. And by morning, this malnourished child is not moving. She is attached to an empty drip.

But sometimes, just a little can bring back a flicker of life.

And there, almost immediately, she stirs. Nurse Vancien (ph) and Dr. Ells are at breaking point, treating 76 cases of malnutrition in the past two weeks alone. There are successes, though. The reward of a mother's smile as her daughter emerges from the coma she was in just yesterday.

But five minutes later, Dr. Ells rushes to another call. She's too late. The 17-month old boy behind this curtain has just died. The doctor walks away in pain.

DR. ELLS: If they're wounded or if they're sick, if they've got diarrhea, if they are malnourished, they come at a very late state.

AMANPOUR: She's the only doctor here. And there are not enough nurses, medicines or equipment. The grave diggers come at least once a day.

(on camera): This is the only health center for 55,000 refugees. 30 percent of whom are children, strewn across this border area. The children are at terrible risk of malnutrition because of a combination of dehydration and diarrhea, caused by not enough of the right kind of food and not enough clean water.

(voice-over): Which is why this is a miracle. The engineers from a Norwegian aid agency have just struck water. And this will be enough for more than 14,000 refugees at a U.N. camp nearby.

But just as they're about to celebrate, a local farmer turns the machines off. The aid agency calls in the chieftain.

It's not enough that they have to overcome massive logistic and financial woes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But like you just see today, we have also to deal with the local people who can't understand exactly what we are doing. And we have to explain them every day that it's very critical and urgent for us to complete this first (UNINTELLIGIBLE). AMANPOUR: Into this crisis steps the U.S. State Department to see what's needed and how the U.N. and other aid agencies are spending the $15 million it gave to this effort.

As dire as it is here, though, it is much worse for the millions left behind in Darfur, where the U.S. is also spending millions on relief. But the Sudanese government is making the aid workers' job nearly impossible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The government of Sudan has put in effect obstacles on visas for humanitarian workers coming in country on travel permits for any travel outside of the main cities in Darfur.

AMANPOUR: And if the situation gets any worse in Darfur, Chad itself in desperate straits, could see a massive new wave of refugees.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Eureba, Chad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: The humanitarian crisis in western Sudan will be on the agenda at a donor's conference this week in Geneva. A U.N. relief coordinator says it's "a race against the clock to get help to hundreds of thousands of people before the rainy season makes delivering those supplies impossible."

GRIFFIN: Just one month remains until the return of Iraqi sovereignty. A professor of Islamic studies will join us next hour to discuss the handover and the reaction to President Bush's speech about that last week.

Coming up at 9:00 Eastern, can you spell career opportunity? We're going to talk with the 11-year old cub reporter who will cover the national spelling bee for "The San Antonio Express."

At 9:30 Eastern is "My Life," former President Bill Clinton's memoir, certain to the be the must read of the summer. The book editor of "Cosmopolitan" will have that, plus the other hot new titles you might want to take to the beach.

But up next, the presidential candidates get ready to duel over the terrorist threat. And who has the best plan to protect the U.S.?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Turning now to presidential politics, Homeland Security likely to be a core issue in November. President George Bush and Senator John Kerry have begun to stake out their positions. The Kerry plan focuses on cities as main points to speed up and focus more resources on first responders and to make Homeland Security a central mission of the National Guard.

By contrast, the Bush plan focuses on the federal level. His main points are to continue beefing up the Department of Homeland Security, increase funding for that department by 10 percent, and make the Patriot Act permanent. President Bush travels to Rome next week to meet with Italian leaders who have been strong supporters in the Iraq Coalition. Mr. Bush also meets with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, which raises the question of the role Catholic voters might play in November.

CNN political analyst and "Los Angeles Times" reporter Ron Brownstein joins us this morning from Pittsburgh with his perspective. Ron, good morning.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.

GRIFFIN: Let's skip over religion for just a second. I want to go back to security issues. Are we seeing a difference in these positions? For a long time, it has been basically John Kerry the follower saying nothing on security or challenge George Bush?

BROWNSTEIN: Well first of all, probably not since 1980 in the shadow of the Iranian hostage crisis has national security loomed as big an issue in a presidential campaign, as we have this year. Since 9/11, the strongest asset President Bush has had is the sense that he has provided strong and resolute leadership in the war against terror.

On the other hand, right now, probably the biggest threat to his re-election are doubts about his course in Iraq, which people do vote and judge differently than the way he's handled terrorism more broadly.

So far, John Kerry has been differentiating himself in some ways, but on the central issue of Iraq, the difference has sort of eroded as President Bush has moved toward Kerry's position that we should be relying more on the United Nations to handle a political transition in Iraq. And Senator Kerry has not moved along with his -- many in his party toward more outright opposition, with more Democrats calling for us to set a date for withdrawal.

On the homeland side, Drew, the difference, as it often is, is that Senator Kerry is arguing that President Bush is not spending enough on many of these needs in large part because of the demands of his tax cuts.

GRIFFIN: This is going to sound more like a football analysis, but last week, you wrote about it, preemptive strike, a best you know defense is a strong offense. That's Bush's position or has been. Do we see Kerry now saying maybe we should just think about defense and let others go before us?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, that's interesting. I mean, Senator Kerry is going to talk more, in fact, this week about his view on when preemption is justified. It's clear that he has said from the outset that he would never rule out acting first on an imminent threat to the United States.

The argument is whether Iraq qualified as an imminent threat. Indeed, what are the standards of imminence in that regard? I think he sent a pretty clear signal that he would not be as quick as President Bush to act preemptively. But again, he has not ruled it out as indeed no president, I think would rule it out.

GRIFFIN: Can John Kerry act tough enough for the middle voters and still be left enough for the left in his party to appease everybody?

BROWNSTEIN: Yes, that is an excellent question and really one that he faces, I think, very acutely from now until November. You really see this on Iraq, where Senator Kerry has tried to, I think, very much focus his attention and his agenda on the centrist swing voters. One of his advisers said this week the goal of this 11 day period of speeches he's giving is not so much differentiation, as reassurance.

On the other hand, as I said a moment ago, his party is moving toward more outright opposition, especially on Iraq. We've had several polls in the last few days in which a plurality or a majority of Democrats say we should simply withdraw our troops now.

So he is somewhat back in the position he was during the Democratic primaries, where he is out of sync to a considerable extent with the Democratic base on Iraq.

Their feeling is that they will -- the base will stay with them. And their focus on both policy and political grounds is to hold against any call for withdrawal.

GRIFFIN: Real quickly, Ron, good Catholic, bad Catholic? John Kerry trying to attract, obviously, any voter he can, including the Catholics. Does it really matter what his positions are on specific Catholic issues?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, it -- you know, we've seen Catholic voters become one of the most important swing votes in America. Used to be much more reliably Democratic. Now they split about even.

The big divide among Catholics in terms of how they vote is how often they go to church. Those who go to church regularly once a week or more voted three-fifths for President Bush in 2000. Those who didn't voted three-fifths for Al Gore. John Kerry needs the Catholic vote, as all Democrats do, but he doesn't seem to be getting much of a particular advantage because he himself is a Catholic. They seem to be leading slightly in this direction.

He has his whole new dispute with the Catholic bishops. New polls showed last week that most Americans think it is inappropriate to deny communion to politicians who disagree with church teaching. But that is going to be a very heavily contested constituency, especially in places like right here where I am in Pennsylvania, Ohio, some of these swing states, Catholics are disproportionately represented.

GRIFFIN: Maybe we should check how many people are in the pews just before November, Ron. Thank you so much for joining us.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

GRIFFIN: We read his column in the Monday "L.A. Times." Betty, back to you.

NGUYEN: Let's say you want to travel to a tropical isle for a little R&R, but you don't have the money just yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONATHAN SCHEMPP: I was going to break out the box, you know, once I got on the boat and just hope that the people had heart to just let me go the rest of the way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Well, that's one option, but might we humbly suggest you don't want to hire this guy as your travel agent. His weird tale is just ahead. Now the forecast for the fairways.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Just to keep ahead of the curve, let's fast forward to look at a few things coming up this week. Tuesday is the tentative date for opening statements in the Scott Peterson trial. Peterson is accused of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son Connor in December of 2002.

Wednesday, leading scientists from four continents will talk about human cloning and stem cell research at the United Nations. Right now, the world lacks any governing policy on cloning.

Thursday, President Bush heads to Rome for meetings with Italian leaders and Pope John Paul II. Mr. Bush will then continue on to Normandy for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landing.

GRIFFIN: Remember that guy who mailed himself in a big crate? Well, there's a guy in Boston who thought that was a good idea. Police, of course, didn't think so. We get the story from Amy Johnson of CNN affiliate WHDH in Boston.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMY JOHNSON, WHDH NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This four by four crate was his home for three days. Jonathan Schempp was packing it on a dock and fall river, waiting to be shipped to the Cape Verde Islands.

SCHEMPP: I had six gallons of water and six loaves of bread.

JOHNSON: But his thrifty plan was foiled when a friend reported the situation to police.

SCHEMPP: I've definitely forgiven him, you know what I'm saying, because I can't really hold a grudge. JOHNSON: He might have saved your life?

SCHEMPP: I understand that, but I think I would had the ingenuity and the smarts, you know, to at least yell help before -- you know, if I was -- like on my dying breath.

JOHNSON: Authorities disagree and say the foolish plan could have cost Schempp his life. The journey would have had him locked in the crate for at least a month.

SCHEMPP: I was going to break out the box, you know, once I got on the boat and just hope that the people had heart to just let me go the rest of the way.

JOHNSON: Schempp, homeless in the Boston area, was hoping to relocate to the Cape Verde Islands, to live his life as a farmer. But without a passport and some legal trouble, couldn't get a ticket. But the plan left him locked up in more ways than one.

SCHEMPP: Over the three days, I mean, it was kind of hot in the box. And my chest was hurting a little bit. And they checked it out and everything. And I was all good, but I had a little bit of water in my lungs.

JOHNSON: And after getting checked out at the hospital...

SCHEMPP: I went straight to jail.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: That's Amy Johnson of CNN affiliate WHDH in Boston. Police say it's likely Schempp wouldn't have survived that journey. The crate wasn't scheduled to leave the dock for two weeks. Then it would have been another 10 days until it reached Africa.

NGUYEN: Three days in a box. Can you just imagine that? And the smell of it all.

GRIFFIN: Yes.

NGUYEN: And then another two weeks, had he made it to where he was going.

GRIFFIN: And he was going to be a farmer and arrive as a farmer.

NGUYEN: With no passport, no documents. How was he ever going to get back to the U.S.? I don't guess that was part of the plan. Hmm, not a lot of thought there, but hey.

GRIFFIN: No.

NGUYEN: There you go.

We've been asking you this morning if the latest terror alerts are changing your holiday plans?

GRIFFIN: We'll read what you wrote next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Our address if you want to write in, wam@cnn.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: Here's an update on our top stories this morning. Saudi security forces stormed a residential complex, ending the day long hostage standoff in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Authorities say most of the estimated 50 hostages are safe, but at least one American is among the 11 people killed earlier when suspected Islamic militants blasted their way into a Western housing complex yesterday.

Two key Watergate figures have died. Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor, died at his home yesterday at the age of 92. And Sam Dash, the former chief counsel of the Senate Watergate Committee, also died yesterday at a Washington hospital after a long illness. He was 79.

NGUYEN: We've been asking you all morning long to answer the e- mail question of the day, are the latest terror alerts changing your holiday plans? And we got some e-mails right now in from Richmond, Virginia. Right?

"The recent warnings for terror attacks have not affected our holiday plans. For some reason, they seem to be fake and bogus. After all, why would they issue an alert without raising the security threat level in the country!" Exclamation point there.

GRIFFIN: Edwin from Toronto says, "Yes, the terrorist alerts will influence my vacation plans. I just don't know if I can blame paranoid terrorists, more a concern of paranoid Americans. Everyone understands the need to beef up security. It's just too bad we couldn't figure out a way to make things safe without making it feel like you're visiting your brother in jail.

NGUYEN: OK, better safe than sorry is what I say. Well, continue to send us your answers to the question of the day. Again, that question is are the latest terror alerts changing your holiday plans? You can e-mail us at wam@cnn.com.

So what's the best way to travel during this time of terror alerts? Find out at 9:00 a.m. Eastern when "Travel Girl" magazine writer Stephanie Oswald joins us with some advice.

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


Aired May 30, 2004 - 07:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hopes for peace are rising, but so is a chance of another massive tragedy threatening these children in Sudan.
Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Drew Griffin. We'll have that story from Christiane Amanpour in a minute.

But first, the headlines at this hour. The death toll could rise to as many as 2,000 as a result of flooding in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. 50,000 people have lost their homes. Relief agencies and the U.S. military are bringing in supplies.

And to make matters worse, more bad weather could be on the way there. In Iraq, it looks like the Najaf peace deal is crumbling bit by bit. U.S. officials say about 100 Iraqi police set to begin joint patrols with coalition forces in the holy city have suddenly left town. U.S. troops also clashed again today with Shi'ite gunmen in the city, despite a deal last week to end the fighting.

There's word today that more U.S. forces have been killed in Iraq. Military officials say three U.S. Marines were killed yesterday in Iraq's vast Al Anbar Province. They were conducting security and stability operations.

Back in this country, another punch to the nation's mid section. Tornadoes, heavy rains damaging homes, uprooting trees, and causing power outages in north central Kansas. There was similar damage in parts of Oklahoma and Central Nebraska. Fortunately, no injuries reported.

NGUYEN: And now to Africa, where after more than two decades of civil war, there's hope for peace in Sudan. A power sharing agreement signed last week aims to end the conflict in southern Sudan. It has claimed more than two million lives. Now U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan will push for a cease-fire in Darfur in the western part of the country. A separate war has been going on there for over a year. A U.N. Human Rights leader says the peace deal means 500,000 refugees and more than three million displaced persons from southern Sudan are a step closer to going home.

But for now those refugees are struggling to survive wherever and however they can. At a refugee camp in neighboring Chad, the enormity of the humanitarian crisis is undeniable. And the most at risk are the children.

Here's CNN's Christiane Amanpour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Step inside these gates, and you get a glimpse of Africa's relentless tragedy. Fly encrusted young faces, a mother trying to force feed her child to keep malnutrition at bay.

But inside these gates at least, these refugees from Sudan have a chance. This is the hospital and feeding center set up by the relief group, Medecins Sans Frontieres. It's quite basic. There are no doctors on duty overnight. And by morning, this malnourished child is not moving. She is attached to an empty drip.

But sometimes, just a little can bring back a flicker of life.

And there, almost immediately, she stirs. Nurse Vancien (ph) and Dr. Ells are at breaking point, treating 76 cases of malnutrition in the past two weeks alone. There are successes, though. The reward of a mother's smile as her daughter emerges from the coma she was in just yesterday.

But five minutes later, Dr. Ells rushes to another call. She's too late. The 17-month old boy behind this curtain has just died. The doctor walks away in pain.

DR. ELLS: If they're wounded or if they're sick, if they've got diarrhea, if they are malnourished, they come at a very late state.

AMANPOUR: She's the only doctor here. And there are not enough nurses, medicines or equipment. The grave diggers come at least once a day.

(on camera): This is the only health center for 55,000 refugees. 30 percent of whom are children, strewn across this border area. The children are at terrible risk of malnutrition because of a combination of dehydration and diarrhea, caused by not enough of the right kind of food and not enough clean water.

(voice-over): Which is why this is a miracle. The engineers from a Norwegian aid agency have just struck water. And this will be enough for more than 14,000 refugees at a U.N. camp nearby.

But just as they're about to celebrate, a local farmer turns the machines off. The aid agency calls in the chieftain.

It's not enough that they have to overcome massive logistic and financial woes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But like you just see today, we have also to deal with the local people who can't understand exactly what we are doing. And we have to explain them every day that it's very critical and urgent for us to complete this first (UNINTELLIGIBLE). AMANPOUR: Into this crisis steps the U.S. State Department to see what's needed and how the U.N. and other aid agencies are spending the $15 million it gave to this effort.

As dire as it is here, though, it is much worse for the millions left behind in Darfur, where the U.S. is also spending millions on relief. But the Sudanese government is making the aid workers' job nearly impossible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The government of Sudan has put in effect obstacles on visas for humanitarian workers coming in country on travel permits for any travel outside of the main cities in Darfur.

AMANPOUR: And if the situation gets any worse in Darfur, Chad itself in desperate straits, could see a massive new wave of refugees.

Christiane Amanpour, CNN, Eureba, Chad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: The humanitarian crisis in western Sudan will be on the agenda at a donor's conference this week in Geneva. A U.N. relief coordinator says it's "a race against the clock to get help to hundreds of thousands of people before the rainy season makes delivering those supplies impossible."

GRIFFIN: Just one month remains until the return of Iraqi sovereignty. A professor of Islamic studies will join us next hour to discuss the handover and the reaction to President Bush's speech about that last week.

Coming up at 9:00 Eastern, can you spell career opportunity? We're going to talk with the 11-year old cub reporter who will cover the national spelling bee for "The San Antonio Express."

At 9:30 Eastern is "My Life," former President Bill Clinton's memoir, certain to the be the must read of the summer. The book editor of "Cosmopolitan" will have that, plus the other hot new titles you might want to take to the beach.

But up next, the presidential candidates get ready to duel over the terrorist threat. And who has the best plan to protect the U.S.?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Turning now to presidential politics, Homeland Security likely to be a core issue in November. President George Bush and Senator John Kerry have begun to stake out their positions. The Kerry plan focuses on cities as main points to speed up and focus more resources on first responders and to make Homeland Security a central mission of the National Guard.

By contrast, the Bush plan focuses on the federal level. His main points are to continue beefing up the Department of Homeland Security, increase funding for that department by 10 percent, and make the Patriot Act permanent. President Bush travels to Rome next week to meet with Italian leaders who have been strong supporters in the Iraq Coalition. Mr. Bush also meets with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, which raises the question of the role Catholic voters might play in November.

CNN political analyst and "Los Angeles Times" reporter Ron Brownstein joins us this morning from Pittsburgh with his perspective. Ron, good morning.

RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning.

GRIFFIN: Let's skip over religion for just a second. I want to go back to security issues. Are we seeing a difference in these positions? For a long time, it has been basically John Kerry the follower saying nothing on security or challenge George Bush?

BROWNSTEIN: Well first of all, probably not since 1980 in the shadow of the Iranian hostage crisis has national security loomed as big an issue in a presidential campaign, as we have this year. Since 9/11, the strongest asset President Bush has had is the sense that he has provided strong and resolute leadership in the war against terror.

On the other hand, right now, probably the biggest threat to his re-election are doubts about his course in Iraq, which people do vote and judge differently than the way he's handled terrorism more broadly.

So far, John Kerry has been differentiating himself in some ways, but on the central issue of Iraq, the difference has sort of eroded as President Bush has moved toward Kerry's position that we should be relying more on the United Nations to handle a political transition in Iraq. And Senator Kerry has not moved along with his -- many in his party toward more outright opposition, with more Democrats calling for us to set a date for withdrawal.

On the homeland side, Drew, the difference, as it often is, is that Senator Kerry is arguing that President Bush is not spending enough on many of these needs in large part because of the demands of his tax cuts.

GRIFFIN: This is going to sound more like a football analysis, but last week, you wrote about it, preemptive strike, a best you know defense is a strong offense. That's Bush's position or has been. Do we see Kerry now saying maybe we should just think about defense and let others go before us?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, you know, that's interesting. I mean, Senator Kerry is going to talk more, in fact, this week about his view on when preemption is justified. It's clear that he has said from the outset that he would never rule out acting first on an imminent threat to the United States.

The argument is whether Iraq qualified as an imminent threat. Indeed, what are the standards of imminence in that regard? I think he sent a pretty clear signal that he would not be as quick as President Bush to act preemptively. But again, he has not ruled it out as indeed no president, I think would rule it out.

GRIFFIN: Can John Kerry act tough enough for the middle voters and still be left enough for the left in his party to appease everybody?

BROWNSTEIN: Yes, that is an excellent question and really one that he faces, I think, very acutely from now until November. You really see this on Iraq, where Senator Kerry has tried to, I think, very much focus his attention and his agenda on the centrist swing voters. One of his advisers said this week the goal of this 11 day period of speeches he's giving is not so much differentiation, as reassurance.

On the other hand, as I said a moment ago, his party is moving toward more outright opposition, especially on Iraq. We've had several polls in the last few days in which a plurality or a majority of Democrats say we should simply withdraw our troops now.

So he is somewhat back in the position he was during the Democratic primaries, where he is out of sync to a considerable extent with the Democratic base on Iraq.

Their feeling is that they will -- the base will stay with them. And their focus on both policy and political grounds is to hold against any call for withdrawal.

GRIFFIN: Real quickly, Ron, good Catholic, bad Catholic? John Kerry trying to attract, obviously, any voter he can, including the Catholics. Does it really matter what his positions are on specific Catholic issues?

BROWNSTEIN: Well, it -- you know, we've seen Catholic voters become one of the most important swing votes in America. Used to be much more reliably Democratic. Now they split about even.

The big divide among Catholics in terms of how they vote is how often they go to church. Those who go to church regularly once a week or more voted three-fifths for President Bush in 2000. Those who didn't voted three-fifths for Al Gore. John Kerry needs the Catholic vote, as all Democrats do, but he doesn't seem to be getting much of a particular advantage because he himself is a Catholic. They seem to be leading slightly in this direction.

He has his whole new dispute with the Catholic bishops. New polls showed last week that most Americans think it is inappropriate to deny communion to politicians who disagree with church teaching. But that is going to be a very heavily contested constituency, especially in places like right here where I am in Pennsylvania, Ohio, some of these swing states, Catholics are disproportionately represented.

GRIFFIN: Maybe we should check how many people are in the pews just before November, Ron. Thank you so much for joining us.

BROWNSTEIN: Thank you.

GRIFFIN: We read his column in the Monday "L.A. Times." Betty, back to you.

NGUYEN: Let's say you want to travel to a tropical isle for a little R&R, but you don't have the money just yet.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JONATHAN SCHEMPP: I was going to break out the box, you know, once I got on the boat and just hope that the people had heart to just let me go the rest of the way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Well, that's one option, but might we humbly suggest you don't want to hire this guy as your travel agent. His weird tale is just ahead. Now the forecast for the fairways.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Just to keep ahead of the curve, let's fast forward to look at a few things coming up this week. Tuesday is the tentative date for opening statements in the Scott Peterson trial. Peterson is accused of killing his wife, Laci, and their unborn son Connor in December of 2002.

Wednesday, leading scientists from four continents will talk about human cloning and stem cell research at the United Nations. Right now, the world lacks any governing policy on cloning.

Thursday, President Bush heads to Rome for meetings with Italian leaders and Pope John Paul II. Mr. Bush will then continue on to Normandy for the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landing.

GRIFFIN: Remember that guy who mailed himself in a big crate? Well, there's a guy in Boston who thought that was a good idea. Police, of course, didn't think so. We get the story from Amy Johnson of CNN affiliate WHDH in Boston.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

AMY JOHNSON, WHDH NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This four by four crate was his home for three days. Jonathan Schempp was packing it on a dock and fall river, waiting to be shipped to the Cape Verde Islands.

SCHEMPP: I had six gallons of water and six loaves of bread.

JOHNSON: But his thrifty plan was foiled when a friend reported the situation to police.

SCHEMPP: I've definitely forgiven him, you know what I'm saying, because I can't really hold a grudge. JOHNSON: He might have saved your life?

SCHEMPP: I understand that, but I think I would had the ingenuity and the smarts, you know, to at least yell help before -- you know, if I was -- like on my dying breath.

JOHNSON: Authorities disagree and say the foolish plan could have cost Schempp his life. The journey would have had him locked in the crate for at least a month.

SCHEMPP: I was going to break out the box, you know, once I got on the boat and just hope that the people had heart to just let me go the rest of the way.

JOHNSON: Schempp, homeless in the Boston area, was hoping to relocate to the Cape Verde Islands, to live his life as a farmer. But without a passport and some legal trouble, couldn't get a ticket. But the plan left him locked up in more ways than one.

SCHEMPP: Over the three days, I mean, it was kind of hot in the box. And my chest was hurting a little bit. And they checked it out and everything. And I was all good, but I had a little bit of water in my lungs.

JOHNSON: And after getting checked out at the hospital...

SCHEMPP: I went straight to jail.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: That's Amy Johnson of CNN affiliate WHDH in Boston. Police say it's likely Schempp wouldn't have survived that journey. The crate wasn't scheduled to leave the dock for two weeks. Then it would have been another 10 days until it reached Africa.

NGUYEN: Three days in a box. Can you just imagine that? And the smell of it all.

GRIFFIN: Yes.

NGUYEN: And then another two weeks, had he made it to where he was going.

GRIFFIN: And he was going to be a farmer and arrive as a farmer.

NGUYEN: With no passport, no documents. How was he ever going to get back to the U.S.? I don't guess that was part of the plan. Hmm, not a lot of thought there, but hey.

GRIFFIN: No.

NGUYEN: There you go.

We've been asking you this morning if the latest terror alerts are changing your holiday plans?

GRIFFIN: We'll read what you wrote next on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Our address if you want to write in, wam@cnn.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: Here's an update on our top stories this morning. Saudi security forces stormed a residential complex, ending the day long hostage standoff in Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Authorities say most of the estimated 50 hostages are safe, but at least one American is among the 11 people killed earlier when suspected Islamic militants blasted their way into a Western housing complex yesterday.

Two key Watergate figures have died. Archibald Cox, the special prosecutor, died at his home yesterday at the age of 92. And Sam Dash, the former chief counsel of the Senate Watergate Committee, also died yesterday at a Washington hospital after a long illness. He was 79.

NGUYEN: We've been asking you all morning long to answer the e- mail question of the day, are the latest terror alerts changing your holiday plans? And we got some e-mails right now in from Richmond, Virginia. Right?

"The recent warnings for terror attacks have not affected our holiday plans. For some reason, they seem to be fake and bogus. After all, why would they issue an alert without raising the security threat level in the country!" Exclamation point there.

GRIFFIN: Edwin from Toronto says, "Yes, the terrorist alerts will influence my vacation plans. I just don't know if I can blame paranoid terrorists, more a concern of paranoid Americans. Everyone understands the need to beef up security. It's just too bad we couldn't figure out a way to make things safe without making it feel like you're visiting your brother in jail.

NGUYEN: OK, better safe than sorry is what I say. Well, continue to send us your answers to the question of the day. Again, that question is are the latest terror alerts changing your holiday plans? You can e-mail us at wam@cnn.com.

So what's the best way to travel during this time of terror alerts? Find out at 9:00 a.m. Eastern when "Travel Girl" magazine writer Stephanie Oswald joins us with some advice.

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