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CNN Sunday Morning

Democrats Arrive in Boston for Convention; Armstrong Expected to Win His Sixth Tour de France Title

Aired July 25, 2004 - 07:00   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.


DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center here in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is July 25. And good morning to you. I'm Drew Griffin.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Betty Nguyen. Thank you much for being with us on this Sunday.

Here's what we have ahead for you this hour. Democrats storm Boston. And tomorrow, they'll get down to the business of throwing a huge party for John Kerry and John Edwards. The challenge will be to forge the hoopla and hype into a winning campaign.

Also ahead, an illegal drug operation that's run like a fast food chain. And it's located right outside a rehab clinic. Plus later, sprocket rocket Lance Armstrong streaks towards the Champs d'Elysees in an unprecedented sixth Tour de France victory.

First, though, here's a look at headlines now in the news.

GRIFFIN: Some by land, I'm sure a few by sea, but certainly thousands expected to arrive in Boston by air. The delegates are coming. The trickle at Boston's hotel check-in counters will become a flood later today. The Democratic National Convention gets underway tomorrow at Fleet Center. And the area outside that center resembles an armed camp. Razor wire, metal barricades, armed guards, police, civilian, and military just about everywhere.

In northern Iraq, an American soldier has died of wounds suffered Saturday when a roadside bomb ripped through a military convoy. Another soldier also was wounded in the blast. The death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq is now at 908.

In Salt Lake City, police are looking for missing jogger Lori Hacking and are studying a clump of brown hair they found in a dumpster. The dumpster is at a car wash, which is near a store where Hacking's husband bought a mattress just before reporting his wife missing. Lori Hacking has brown hair.

Lance Armstrong is about 100 miles away from Paris and a record sixth Tour de France championship. Armstrong all but nailed down the title by winning yesterday's next to last time trial. He starts today six minutes and 38 seconds ahead of runner-up Andreas Kloden. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

NGUYEN: Now to our top story this morning. Italy and Australia are threatened with waves of violence unless they pull their troops out of Iraq. The threats are posted on an Islamic Web site by a group calling itself Islamic Unification, which is the al Qaeda organization in Europe. The message warns of a bloodbath in Australia and promises the car bombs will not stop coming God willing.

Now Italy is warned as well, quoting, "you will have columns of car bombs shaking your cities." Australia's foreign affairs minister says his country will not give in to terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDER DOWNER, AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MIN.: We take all threats seriously. But on the other hand, Australia sends a message out to the world, and that is that we won't bow to threats.

In the end, if we allow these sorts of threats to determine our foreign policy, then what we'll do is empower the terrorists. And of course, if we empower the terrorists, then the terrorists will become increasingly virulent and increasingly successful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And taking a look at the numbers, Australia has about 800 troops in Iraq. Italy, about 2700.

A shootout in Buhriz. It's a town northeast of Baghdad, where American and Iraqi troops killed 13 insurgents this morning.

CNN's Matthew Chance joins us love from Baghdad with the latest. It's been a violent night, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly has. And an example of how the U.S. forces and the Iraqi forces are working together, as they tackle various hideouts of insurgent groups across Iraq.

This gunfight taking place just to the north of Baghdad in a town called Buhriz. Iraqi national guard forces, along with Iraqi police forces were guarding a raid that was being conducted by U.S. armored division when they were attacked by an undisclosed number of insurgents. They've returned fire and killed 13 of those insurgents.

The United States Army providing air support and artillery support, as the Iraqi forces battle those insurgents. Example is to say just to what extent Iraqi forces and U.S. forces are coordinating in their operations now on the ground.

Well, as this continues, there's still a lot of concern about the hostages, both foreign and Iraqi, that are being held here in the country. Latest word that we have is that at least two Pakistanis have been -- gone missing, not yet confirmed as hostages. But that's the assumption that's being worked under. So a great deal of efforts being made to get to the bottom of that. And a great deal of efforts being made to try and get all those hostages released -- Betty?

NGUYEN: Matthew, among the truck drivers held hostage are men from Kenya and India. Neither of these countries have troops in Iraq. What's the purpose of this?

CHANCE: Well, it's absolutely right. Three of the hostages of the seven truck drivers, three of them are Kenyan. Three of them are Indian. The other one's an Egyptian. In fact, none of those countries have any armed forces here in Iraq, but what the kidnappers are saying is they want the company who employs these people, and they're all employed for -- by a Kuwaiti transport company, to cease its operations here.

So kidnapping has become a very powerful tactic, which has been embraced by these various insurgent groups in Iraq to put pressure, not just on countries to withdraw their troops, but also on companies to stop their operations to hamper the reconstruction efforts in this country -- Betty?

NGUYEN: And as always with these hostage situations, the wait continues. Matthew Chance in Baghdad, thank you. Drew?

GRIFFIN: Osama bin Laden is known as a terrorist mastermind. And now, he is a virus of the computer kind. So beware. A series of messages on Internet message boards are claiming CNN has photographic evidence that bin Laden committed suicide. We do not. The messages point users to a Web site, where a file can be downloaded. Internet security experts warn it's all a fake. And if you open the file, you could unleash the virus that allows hackers to take over your computer.

Another leak being probed in Washington. The Justice Department investigating Republican Senator Richard Shelby. The investigation referred to the Senate Ethics Committee now. The investigation involves the possible leak of classified intercepts of messages from al Qaeda regarding the 9/11 attacks. Shelby has been -- has criticized the Bush administration of keeping parts of a congressional report on the attack secret. But he has denied any involvement in any leaks.

The 9/11 Commission's report on the suicide hijackings released to the public on Thursday and still in the spotlight this week. And Wolf Blitzer's guests on "LATE EDITION" are Commission Chairman Thomas Kean and Vice Chairman Lee Hamilton. That it is at noon Eastern, 9:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

NGUYEN: Now to the search for the missing Utah woman, Lori Hacking. Salt Lake City police are investigating a clump of brown hair found in a dumpster at a car wash. Now it's located less than a block from the store where Hacking's husband bought a mattress before reporting her disappearance.

Our Ted Rowlands has more on this search.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS (voice-over): Six days and there's still no sign of 27- year old Lori Hacking. As volunteers continued to search, unanswered questions about her husband's story remain. Mark Hacking reported his wife missing Monday morning at 10:49. Police say before he called, he was at this Salt Lake City store, buying a new mattress. According to the store manager, Hacking's credit card transaction was recorded at 10:23. Originally, Hacking told police he spent the morning searching for his wife. Today, police acknowledged that it has been difficult to figure out what Mark Hacking may be lying about.

WAYNE BAIRD, DET., SALT LAKE CITY POLICE: Probably be better to go the other direction. What is it that was real there, as opposed to what is deceptive?

ROWLANDS: Police say they searched this landfill, after a neighbor of Hacking's reported finding some suspicious residue in a trash can. Police cautioned people not to read too much into what appears to be a reddish stain on a box spring that was seized from the Hacking's apartment.

BAIRD: You know, I can't say for certain what it was. I tell you I saw the first time on the video myself. And I stopped the video as I was watching it again. And it didn't appear to be on the box springs itself to me. It appeared to be whatever the packing material was.

ROWLANDS: This morning, family members continued to publicly support Mark Hacking and made another plea for volunteers to help them search for Lori.

THELMA SOARES, LORI KAY'S MOTHER: She's my only daughter. Please help us find her one way or another.

ROWLANDS (on camera): Both of Lori Hacking's parents paid a visit to Mark Hacking, who is still in a hospital getting psychiatric care. At one point, for the first time publicly, Lori Hacking's father said that at some point he will draw the line and try to get some answers out of his son-in-law Mark.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Salt Lake City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Other stories making headlines this morning across America, a hearing in the second murder trial of D.C. area sniper John Allen Muhammed is set for Thursday. His lawyers have filed motions asking the trial be moved out of Fairfax County, Virginia. They say the prosecutor there shouldn't handle the case because he prosecuted Muhammad's accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo.

In Colorado, a small plane crashes on a residential street. This happened in Fort Collins, killing three men aboard. The plane did not hit any homes. Nobody on the ground hurt. Witnesses say the plane appeared to have engine trouble before it went down on Saturday.

A 79-year old woman got more than she bargained for on a hot air balloon ride in Middleton, Iowa -- Ohio, excuse me. During the landing, the balloon tipped and the woman fell out. She's OK, but the balloon went airborne again and got stuck in some power lines. It took fire crews there an hour to free it.

Elsewhere in Ohio, police say a man found dead on a couch in a hospital lounge may have been there almost 24 hours. A nurse told police no one checked on the 55-year old man because they thought he was sleeping. His family can't believe it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBIN JOHNSON, WIFE OF DECEASED MAN: It's a scary and lonely thought. You know? Especially when you lose somebody in this manner, you know, with so many unanswered questions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: The coroner now trying to determine how that man died -- Betty?

NGUYEN: Workers in California no longer have to choose between caring for a family member or a newborn and getting a paycheck. The state's new Family Leave Program kicked in at the beginning of this month. And as Donna Tetreault reports, the benefits are immeasurable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Marcie Arnonovitz is spending lots of time with her two-month old baby girl Ruby, all thanks to California's Family Leave Law, now in effect.

MARCIE ARNONVITZ, NEW MOM: Just being able to be there when she smiles, and being able to be there when she cries, and watching her change over the few months and establishing the relationship that's amazing.

TETREAULT (on camera): The California law differs from the national Family and Medical Leave Act because most workers can take up to six weeks off and get at least half of their pay. The federal act is unpaid.

(voice-over): Actor and Director Rob Reiner has given the law a high profile boost.

ROB REINER, ACTOR, DIRECTOR: We know based on all the scientific research that the earliest years of a child's life are critical. And the bonding that a parent does with a child actually affects brain development.

TETREAULT: Harold Igdaloff is a small business owner and believes the new law is good for families. But he says companies like his are going to be hit hard.

HAROLD IGDALOFF, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: Small work force. And people are gone. Then you have to either make up the time with overtime, or you have to replace the employees temporarily. And then if you replace them temporarily, then you have a double hit.

TETREAULT: But for new moms like Marcie, this law is the answer to her prayers.

ARNONVITZ: It's a wonderful feeling to know that I can lay the groundwork of creating a loving relationship with the baby.

TETREAULT: To date, 8400 parents have filed claims and now look forward to bonding with their babies.

Donna Tetreault for CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: John Kerry on his way to Boston, but will the upcoming Democratic National Convention give him the forum to get his message out?

NGUYEN: Plus, temptation to users, especially those trying to overcome drug addiction in rehab. Why Congress is being called to action. That's ahead right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Headlines at the quarter hour now. In Iraq, the U.S. military reports one American soldier has died from wounds suffered in a roadside bomb attack yesterday. Another soldier was wounded when that blast ripped through their fuel convoy in northern Iraq.

In Utah, police are examining a clump of brown hair in their search for a missing Salt Lake City woman. 27-year old Lori Hacking has been missing since Monday. The hair was found in a dumpster near the store where her husband bought a mattress before reporting her disappearance.

Lance Armstrong closes in on a historic victory in the 2004 Tour de France. Armstrong has a 6.5 minute lead over the rest of the field. It'll be the sixth win a row for the Texas cyclist, if he can do it today.

And listen to this. Ricky Williams reportedly is hanging up his football jersey. "The Miami Herald" reports Williams has told the Miami Dolphins he is retiring after five years in the NFL. Williams says he'll file his retirement papers tomorrow or Tuesday. Just 27- years old.

GRIFFIN: At long last, this is finally John Kerry's week. He becomes officially the Democratic party's nominee for president. The Democratic Convention begins tomorrow in his hometown of Boston, but before arriving there, Kerry will press the flesh in important battleground states. Here's Frank Buckley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator John Kerry appeared in the state that gave him life during the Democratic primary season, where he came as a candidate down in the polls and emerged the winner of the first Democratic contest.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ...I love Iowa.

BUCKLEY: The upbeat tone, part of the ongoing shift away from criticizing Bush administration policies and toward a more optimistic message on the stump, leading up to the Democratic National Convention.

KERRY: John Edwards and I are determined that we are going to be champions for the middle class.

BUCKLEY: While Kerry campaigned in the hotly contested state of Iowa, Senator John Edwards was also in the Midwest in another key battleground state, Wisconsin.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can bring jobs to the communities where they're so desperately needed, so that we say no forever to any American working full-time and living in poverty. Not in our America. Not in our America.

BUCKLEY: Both Wisconsin and Iowa went for the Democrat Vice President Al Gore in 2000, but only barely. In the Badger state, Gore won over George W. Bush by two-tenths of one percent.

AL GORE, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT: I'd like to have you vote tomorrow.

BUCKLEY: In Iowa, three-tenths of a percent. The difference here, a mere 4,144 votes. With President Bush also pushing hard in the Midwest, it's likely to be close again.

And a new poll suggests the race remains close across the U.S. A new "TIME" magazine poll in line with other recent polls, showing Kerry and Bush locked in a dead heat.

(on camera): The "TIME" poll also shows that three in five voters say their vote is based more on their opinion of President Bush, than it is of Senator Kerry. The Kerry campaign hoping the days ahead will make those voters as excited about voting for Senator Kerry, as they are about voting against President Bush.

Frank Buckley, CNN, Sioux City, Iowa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And as mentioned, John Kerry is trying to drum up an excitement with the multistate campaign blitz before he arrives in Boston for his big night. Today, he's in Columbus, Ohio.

Andrea Seabrook, the congressional reporter for National Public Radio, has been traveling with the candidate Kerry. She is up very on the phone this morning from Ohio's capital city for today's political brief.

Good morning to you, Andrea.

ANDREA SEABROOK, NPR CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Good morning, Betty. How are you? NGUYEN: I'm doing great. Well, let's talk about you for a little bit, because you've been traveling with Kerry. What's the mood on that bus as it heads towards Boston? Is it a party atmosphere or is it all business?

SEABROOK: It's definitely something of a party atmosphere. You know, the campaign plane has its share of orange rolling, which is the famous campaign game. People with -- all the press usually try and roll oranges up the aisle of the campaign plane as it's taking off.

But there's definitely also a serious mood here. I mean, there's definitely a serious push from the campaign to try and make these last few days count before he actually stands on that stage before the entire, you know, United States and television audience and accepts the final nomination of the Democratic party.

NGUYEN: And speaking of that stage, who's slogan is things could be better? Let's talk specifics. What is he going to drive home when he does get on the stage at the convention?

SEABROOK: Well, you know, at least in his campaign speeches now going up to the convention, he's talking a lot about his economic policies. He's talking about his want to give a middle class tax cut, for instances, and roll back some of the -- President Bush's tax cuts that John Kerry says were more for the wealthy people in the United States.

He's also talking about creating 10 million jobs in the United States and ending incentives that he says are built into the tax code that make it good for companies to move workers overseas, where -- move their operations overseas.

It's a very economic centered focus right now. I think partly because he's out in the heartland and because he's going through swing states where that really matters.

It's interesting to note, though, that since the 9/11 Commission came out with its final recommendations, he has not worked anything about the 9/11 Commission into his report. He did release yesterday an interesting letter that he sent just yesterday to the chairman and vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission, praising their work and supporting immediate action on all of their recommendations. But it's not in his speech, which I think you may see that change over the next couple days and up into the convention.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's really interesting because a lot of folks are wondering if this is going to boil down to the war in Iraq and the war on terror and with that 9/11 Commission Report coming last week. And he's not addressing that. Dealing a lot with the economy, but isn't that a bit of a double edge sword? Because Alan Greenspan just week said the economy's on the upswing.

SEABROOK: That's true. That's true. It's not always a great thing for John Kerry to talk about the economy. That could eventually work in George Bush's favor. Then again, a lot of Americans watch the stock market. That didn't do so hot on Friday. You know, it's -- and there are still a lot of people out of work. There's still more people out of work than there were when President Bush started (UNINTELLIGIBLE) on the fact that most Americans, at the very least, feel ambivalence about the economy and would like to have a more -- as Frank Buckley said -- optimistic message about it.

NGUYEN: Kerry has kept a pretty safe campaign. Really not a lot of mudslinging going on. Do you expect a few jabs during this convention speech?

SEABROOK: Well, I don't actually. You know, seeing -- it is really striking the change in his campaign tone since in fact picking up John Edwards as his running mate.

Of course, John Edwards was known as being -- having campaign nice, you know, in the primaries. And so, it's interesting that he's picking up his tone, not just his character in the -- as the vice president.

You know, he is traveling with other people, who I think are doing most of the jabs for him, like his wife Theresa Heinz Kerry and you know, John Edwards and Tom Vilsack, the governor of Iowa yesterday. They were all sort of taking on a more aggressive tone, while Kerry steps back and really gives the optimism, the sunny message of the campaign.

NGUYEN: Andrea Seabrook, traveling with the Kerry camp. Thank you very much.

SEABROOK: Thank you.

NGUYEN: And a few programming notes now. CNN's Larry King live will host a pre-convention special. That's tonight, live from the Massachusetts capitol, 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

And about two hours from now, award winning political panelist Mark Shields and Al Hunt at CNN's "CAPITAL GANG" will be our guests. They'll take your convention questions. So send your comments to wam@cnn.com. Again, that starts at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.

GRIFFIN: Another question for you, Betty. We may have to check. Which one of these guys is naughty or nice? Santa's gone wild on summer break. CNN SUNDAY MORNING will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: And a welcome break in the clouds for northern New Jersey. Look at this. Residents are spending the day cleaning up from torrential downpours yesterday. Towns and parts of Hunterden, and in Somerset Counties were pounded up to six inches of rain. The showers triggered extreme flooding, road closures, power outages, and as you can see from right there, that video, nightmares on the roadways.

They came just two weeks after another rainstorm caused some major flooding across the Garden State.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Now in the news, another U.S. soldier is dead in Iraq. The military says the soldier died of wounds received when a roadside bomb ripped through a military convoy yesterday. It happened in the town of Bayji in northern Iraq. Another soldier was wounded in that attack as well.

An alleged al Qaeda threat is posted on an Islamic Web site. This one warns Australia an Italy to withdraw their troops from Iraq. If not, the group warns Australia it will "turn your homeland into a bloodbath."

Palestinian security sources saying Israeli Apache helicopter fired a missile at a house in Gaza City. Medical sources say three bystanders were wounded in that attack. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the strike.

Also, here in the U.S., we're only a day away from the start of the Democratic National Convention in Boston. Final touches are being made on the Fleet Center, the convention site. And stepped up security is noticeable across the city. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

GRIFFIN: Lance Armstrong, peddling his way into history. The Texas in the bright yellow leader's jersey en route to becoming the first six time winner of the Tour de France. The last leg of the race is getting started there.

Jim Bittermann joins us by phone. Hi, Jim.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Drew. Yes, we just left the town of Marsau (ph). We're trying to keep up with the Tour de France riders. Lance Armstrong left Mentrau (ph) this morning. That was the starting point for the -- this stage of the tour. Ahead of the pack, he won yesterday's stage. That means he leads today. He's got the yellow jersey on.

And barring any sort of catastrophe, he will win the sixth Tour de France in a row, his sixth tour in a row. And that's just never been done in 101 years in Tour de France. So I think there's going to be a lot of celebration along the Champs d'Elysees this evening -- Drew?

GRIFFIN: Jim, nobody passes them up in this final stage out of respect. Isn't that right?

BITTERMANN: Well, it's a little more than that. I don't think anybody can touch him at this point. The fact is he's six minutes and 38 seconds ahead of the pack in his overall time. And there's just no way that any of the other riders can make that kind of time.

Today's stage is about 100 miles long. And we're sounding only about 50 miles southeast of Paris, but there's a circuitous route that's taken from here to Paris. And then, when they get to Paris, they'll be eight laps up and down the Champs d'Elysees, the big avenue in the center of Paris, from the Arc de Triomphes to the Place de la Concorde. And the finish line is right there. The middle of the Champs d'Elysees.

GRIFFIN: And plenty of champagne awaits him I'm sure for all of Paris?

BITTERMANN: Well, in fact, as we were watching, the U.S. Postal Team, that's Lance's team, had packed their goods this morning and getting their bicycles off the roofs of the cars. In fact, one of the things they are carrying with them in the bus is a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of champagne. So I think they are confident they're going to win today.

GRIFFIN: How big is this victory going to be internationally? I mean, this is not just an American winning. This is anybody doing this six times. It's an incredible feat.

BITTERMANN: Well, it is an incredible feat when you think that he's done it six years in a row. And it was just 7.5 years ago that he as being treated with chemotherapy for his cancer. So it's pretty extraordinary to come back from that and then to win three times in a row.

As far as the race is concerned, it's never been done before. It will make all the record books because no one's ever won this race. It's such a grueling race. 23 days of just flat out work. There's a couple of rest days in there, but 20 races over the space of 23 days. And it just is so grueling, that there are very few people that can reach anything like winning the Tour. But to win it six times in a row is really incredible.

GRIFFIN: Jim, thanks a lot for the report. We'll look for you later on in the day, I'm sure at the big celebration. Thank you, sir.

NGUYEN: Incredible is right. And we've got another amazing man to tell you about this morning, this one from the front lines of the war in Iraq.

CNN's Casey Wian has the story in our heroes segment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice-over): Major Jason Frei's 10-year Marine Corps career is winding down at a desk. But part of him literally remains on an Iraqi battlefield when he lost his right hand and most of his forearm.

MAJOR FREI, U.S. MARINES: Anybody in the marine corps would rather get out in the field and do stuff out there, than get stuck typing.

WIAN: Then Captain Frei was part of the 1st Battalion 11th Marines. His artillery brigade known as the Cannon Cockers fired the first shots of the war. In March of last year, five minutes after Frei snapped his photo, his unit was ambushed during a sandstorm. MAJOR FREI, U.S. MARINES: I was sitting in the front seat reading a map. The RPG came you can see here from the back, and hit the door here, and that set it off. Now, my arm stops about here. It came through, hit me there. It was a little bit of a shock. Imagine if you're sitting and somebody sucker punches you. There was concussion, and I looked down. And I can't remember if I saw it first, or felt it first. Or, you know, some combination in between. And I could see, you know, could look down and see that your hand -- my hand was gone.

WIAN: Frei tide a radio cord around his arm to stop the bleeding, took cover and was pinned down for an hour and a half before the enemy was subdued. Because of the sandstorm, it took 28 hours for Frei to be evacuated to a surgical station. In the past year, Frei has fought to stay a Marine, But ultimately deciding it would be best for his family to retire.

FREI: If it was up to me, if it was you know, Captain Frei alone and unafraid, I would stay in for 35 years until they drug me out. You can't -- I can't imagine finding a better group of people than working around these young Marines. You've got 18, 19-year-old kids who are doing absolutely amazing things. In the civilian world, they wouldn't be trusted to run a copier, and they're out there making life and death situations and doing it well.

WIAN: Promoted Major this month, Frei starts a new career this fall, pursuing a masters at the University of Notre Dame.

Casey Wian, CNN, Oceanside, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And we bring you heroes stories every week, right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

GRIFFIN: Let's fast forward to the week coming up. On Monday, convention activities officially begin in Beantown. Among those speaking on the opening night is former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Tuesday in Washington, the National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two day public hearing on putting video recorders in the cockpit of airplanes. The board says in some accident investigations, vital information is lost with the current voice recorders. Video cameras could capture more of the data.

On Wednesday, pony up the wild ponies of Chincoteague Island, Virginia. We'll compete with their annual swim across the Assoteague Channel and will be auctioned off the next day. Something doesn't seem right, but that's what happens.

NGUYEN: Well, want to stop annoying the neighbors, Drew, with the sound of that pesky lawn mower? At 8:00 a.m. Eastern, a preview of some nifty gadgets that can make things a little quieter around the house. Then at 9:00 Eastern, is the U.S. losing the war on terror? The author of "Imperial Hubris" joins us to answer that. And at 9:30 Eastern, it's your chance to talk to CNN's Mark Shields and Al Hunt of "THE CAPITAL GANG." They will answer your questions about the Democratic Convention. All you have to do is e-mail us at wam@cnn.com.

But first, in Washington a temptation for drug users trying to kick the habit. Why Congress is stepping in . That's all ahead when CNN SUNDAY MORNING RETURNS.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Good morning to you. Here's a look at headlines on this Sunday. Australia's top diplomat says his country will not be intimidated by terrorist threats. That was a response to a message on an Islamic Web site purportedly from al Qaeda's European branch. The message warns of turning Australia into a "bloodbath unless Australian forces are withdrawn from Iraq. Now a similar threat was made against Italy.

A U.S. soldier has died from a roadside bomb that struck his convoy yesterday near the town of Bayji in northern Iraq. A suspect was detained in that incident. And in Paris, all eyes are watching. Lance Armstrong would have to fall off his bike and stay off to lose the Tour de France today. He begins today's 165 kilometer final stage more than six minutes ahead of the next fastest rider, virtually assuring a record sixth win.

GRIFFIN: John Kerry will get a chance to re-introduce himself to America during this week's Boston Convention. "CNN PRESENTS" is bringing you "John Kerry Born to Run."

Candy Crowley has a snippet.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Do you feel like you know this man?

THERESA HEINZ KERRY, WIFE OF JOHN KERRY: Not enough? I mean, I've been married nine years. But you know, we've had two Senate campaigns and now this campaign. I would like to get to him a lot better.

CROWLEY (voice-over): In public, he can come across aloof, detached. Even in private, he can seem distant. His campaign has worked to warm up that Northeastern patrician reserve. Vietnam War buddies help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The transformation was amazing. I mean, you could see it physically. He just looked different. He talked differently.

And when they brought that veteran in, the guy he had pulled out of the drain and saved, it was really kind of like a revolution inside John Kerry.

CROWLEY: Mention his daughters, and the ice breaks. SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm a dad who even gets talked to about boyfriends, which is tricky stuff. I'm not sure I should have said that. They make -- I may be in trouble now.

SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I told him the best story he's had in recent times was the picture with himself and Vanessa at the Red Sox game. He said that's time we've had.

I said, "John, you don't have to go out and make speeches on healthcare and Medicare and the rest of the environment. Just go to that -- those Red Sox games a few more times and you'll see what'll happen."

CROWLEY: Not bad advice, since truthfully, the speeches can be deadly.

J. KERRY: About $1.5 billion of loans that's waiting to come to farmers for the farm -- for the Conservation Security Trust...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John was a remarkably gifted speaker until he got to the United States Senate.

J. KERRY: Under the normal courtesies of an institution that runs on courtesy normally...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That whole special language they speak that has really stripped him of some of the power of his ability to move an audience.

CROWLEY: In the bumper sticker world of presidential politics, John Kerry is a fine senator.

MICHAEL DUKAKIS, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are very few of us who communicate like a Bill Clinton or a Ronald Reagan for that matter.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: The award-winning "CNN PRESENTS" brings you "John Kerry Born to Run." Don't miss it. It's tonight at 8:00 Eastern on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

NGUYEN: And there's a big problem for drug users trying to get clean. Why Congress is being asked to stop it. That report when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Now a story of temptation proving too difficult for drug abusers. Sean Callebs takes us to a rehab center in the nation's capitol, where there's also a feeding ground for drug dealers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TYRONE PATTERSON, MODEL TREATMENT: They will continue to lean out there and sell drugs to our patients. It's a natural thing. SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From his perch at a rehab center called Model Treatment, Tyrone Patterson says it's like watching wolves go after sheep.

The predators, dealers who feed on addicts, people leaving the center trying to stay clean.

PATTERSON: Most of the drug dealers know what time we open and they know what time we close. So they just sit here and wait and prey, prey on folks.

CALLEBS: Betty, who asked that her full name not be used, is fighting a heroine habit. Everyday before work, she gulps down methadone to fight withdrawal symptoms.

BETTY: See you all tomorrow.

CALLEBS: She then runs the gauntlet of outstretched hands, offering heroine, OxyContin, and other narcotics.

A measure is now floating around Congress, calling for stiffer punishment for selling drugs outside rehab centers. Detectives Rock Garrett and Scott Brown have a combined 27 years on the force. Much of that time, trying to get dealers off the streets.

How frustrating is it for you guys?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just a revolving door.

CALLEBS: These cops like the federal proposal. They say a similar law, punishing dealers selling in school zones, has had an impact.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes a difference because within (UNINTELLIGIBLE) more likely than guy's going to do more time in jail than if he gets caught again.

CALLEBS: They say, however, stiffer penalties can pale to the lucrative drug trade. Brown and Garrett call this restaurant adjacent to the rehab clinic, McPharmacy, a favorite for the usual suspects peddling pills and powder.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They sit in there for hours and hours sipping on a cop of coffee, waiting for their customers to come in and approach them. So they have ideal conditions.

CALLEBS: The powerful cancer pain kill OxyContin is the drug of choice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Commonly, you see the 80 milligram OxyContin for one pill sells for $40 a piece.

CALLEBS: Police say it's not uncommon for dealers to sell 300 pills in a day. That's $12,000.

Tyrone Patterson watches dealers get arrested all the time. He says tougher prison penalties for these dealers may give his clients a fighting chance at a drug-free life.

PATTERSON: They discovered that they do -- they can make a difference in their own life, that they can change, that they -- that their life could be different than what it is today. And that's what we try to give them hope.

CALLEBS: And hope for a life free of constant temptation.

Sean Callebs, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Rob Marciano has your summer weekend forecast. He's working on that straight ahead. But first...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ho, ho, ho.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: The sign of Santa rarely seen. A slew of St. Nicks have gone wild. And our cameras caught them on tape. That's when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Celebrating a birthday this weekend, well you're not alone. So are these folks. Singer Jennifer Lopez, J. Lo turned 34. Comedic TV actor Matt Leblanc is 37. Baseball slugger Barry Bonds, he chalks up the big 40. And actress Lynda Carter, better known as Wonder Woman, 53.

GRIFFIN: Ho, ho, exactly five months of Christmas shopping left. And in Denmark, whether you call it Christmas games or the Santa Summer Olympics, 160 Santa Clauses and their elves sure looked jolly to be at the 41st world Santa Congress in Copenhagen.

St. Nicks took part in the snowshoe race and down the chimney competition. And they're calling for reindeer sleigh racing to be made an official Olympic winter sport.

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: Thanks, Rob.

The next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins right now.

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 July 25, 2004 - 07:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center here in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is July 25. And good morning to you. I'm Drew Griffin.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Betty Nguyen. Thank you much for being with us on this Sunday.

Here's what we have ahead for you this hour. Democrats storm Boston. And tomorrow, they'll get down to the business of throwing a huge party for John Kerry and John Edwards. The challenge will be to forge the hoopla and hype into a winning campaign.

Also ahead, an illegal drug operation that's run like a fast food chain. And it's located right outside a rehab clinic. Plus later, sprocket rocket Lance Armstrong streaks towards the Champs d'Elysees in an unprecedented sixth Tour de France victory.

First, though, here's a look at headlines now in the news.

GRIFFIN: Some by land, I'm sure a few by sea, but certainly thousands expected to arrive in Boston by air. The delegates are coming. The trickle at Boston's hotel check-in counters will become a flood later today. The Democratic National Convention gets underway tomorrow at Fleet Center. And the area outside that center resembles an armed camp. Razor wire, metal barricades, armed guards, police, civilian, and military just about everywhere.

In northern Iraq, an American soldier has died of wounds suffered Saturday when a roadside bomb ripped through a military convoy. Another soldier also was wounded in the blast. The death toll of U.S. troops in Iraq is now at 908.

In Salt Lake City, police are looking for missing jogger Lori Hacking and are studying a clump of brown hair they found in a dumpster. The dumpster is at a car wash, which is near a store where Hacking's husband bought a mattress just before reporting his wife missing. Lori Hacking has brown hair.

Lance Armstrong is about 100 miles away from Paris and a record sixth Tour de France championship. Armstrong all but nailed down the title by winning yesterday's next to last time trial. He starts today six minutes and 38 seconds ahead of runner-up Andreas Kloden. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

NGUYEN: Now to our top story this morning. Italy and Australia are threatened with waves of violence unless they pull their troops out of Iraq. The threats are posted on an Islamic Web site by a group calling itself Islamic Unification, which is the al Qaeda organization in Europe. The message warns of a bloodbath in Australia and promises the car bombs will not stop coming God willing.

Now Italy is warned as well, quoting, "you will have columns of car bombs shaking your cities." Australia's foreign affairs minister says his country will not give in to terrorists.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEXANDER DOWNER, AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MIN.: We take all threats seriously. But on the other hand, Australia sends a message out to the world, and that is that we won't bow to threats.

In the end, if we allow these sorts of threats to determine our foreign policy, then what we'll do is empower the terrorists. And of course, if we empower the terrorists, then the terrorists will become increasingly virulent and increasingly successful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And taking a look at the numbers, Australia has about 800 troops in Iraq. Italy, about 2700.

A shootout in Buhriz. It's a town northeast of Baghdad, where American and Iraqi troops killed 13 insurgents this morning.

CNN's Matthew Chance joins us love from Baghdad with the latest. It's been a violent night, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly has. And an example of how the U.S. forces and the Iraqi forces are working together, as they tackle various hideouts of insurgent groups across Iraq.

This gunfight taking place just to the north of Baghdad in a town called Buhriz. Iraqi national guard forces, along with Iraqi police forces were guarding a raid that was being conducted by U.S. armored division when they were attacked by an undisclosed number of insurgents. They've returned fire and killed 13 of those insurgents.

The United States Army providing air support and artillery support, as the Iraqi forces battle those insurgents. Example is to say just to what extent Iraqi forces and U.S. forces are coordinating in their operations now on the ground.

Well, as this continues, there's still a lot of concern about the hostages, both foreign and Iraqi, that are being held here in the country. Latest word that we have is that at least two Pakistanis have been -- gone missing, not yet confirmed as hostages. But that's the assumption that's being worked under. So a great deal of efforts being made to get to the bottom of that. And a great deal of efforts being made to try and get all those hostages released -- Betty?

NGUYEN: Matthew, among the truck drivers held hostage are men from Kenya and India. Neither of these countries have troops in Iraq. What's the purpose of this?

CHANCE: Well, it's absolutely right. Three of the hostages of the seven truck drivers, three of them are Kenyan. Three of them are Indian. The other one's an Egyptian. In fact, none of those countries have any armed forces here in Iraq, but what the kidnappers are saying is they want the company who employs these people, and they're all employed for -- by a Kuwaiti transport company, to cease its operations here.

So kidnapping has become a very powerful tactic, which has been embraced by these various insurgent groups in Iraq to put pressure, not just on countries to withdraw their troops, but also on companies to stop their operations to hamper the reconstruction efforts in this country -- Betty?

NGUYEN: And as always with these hostage situations, the wait continues. Matthew Chance in Baghdad, thank you. Drew?

GRIFFIN: Osama bin Laden is known as a terrorist mastermind. And now, he is a virus of the computer kind. So beware. A series of messages on Internet message boards are claiming CNN has photographic evidence that bin Laden committed suicide. We do not. The messages point users to a Web site, where a file can be downloaded. Internet security experts warn it's all a fake. And if you open the file, you could unleash the virus that allows hackers to take over your computer.

Another leak being probed in Washington. The Justice Department investigating Republican Senator Richard Shelby. The investigation referred to the Senate Ethics Committee now. The investigation involves the possible leak of classified intercepts of messages from al Qaeda regarding the 9/11 attacks. Shelby has been -- has criticized the Bush administration of keeping parts of a congressional report on the attack secret. But he has denied any involvement in any leaks.

The 9/11 Commission's report on the suicide hijackings released to the public on Thursday and still in the spotlight this week. And Wolf Blitzer's guests on "LATE EDITION" are Commission Chairman Thomas Kean and Vice Chairman Lee Hamilton. That it is at noon Eastern, 9:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

NGUYEN: Now to the search for the missing Utah woman, Lori Hacking. Salt Lake City police are investigating a clump of brown hair found in a dumpster at a car wash. Now it's located less than a block from the store where Hacking's husband bought a mattress before reporting her disappearance.

Our Ted Rowlands has more on this search.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROWLANDS (voice-over): Six days and there's still no sign of 27- year old Lori Hacking. As volunteers continued to search, unanswered questions about her husband's story remain. Mark Hacking reported his wife missing Monday morning at 10:49. Police say before he called, he was at this Salt Lake City store, buying a new mattress. According to the store manager, Hacking's credit card transaction was recorded at 10:23. Originally, Hacking told police he spent the morning searching for his wife. Today, police acknowledged that it has been difficult to figure out what Mark Hacking may be lying about.

WAYNE BAIRD, DET., SALT LAKE CITY POLICE: Probably be better to go the other direction. What is it that was real there, as opposed to what is deceptive?

ROWLANDS: Police say they searched this landfill, after a neighbor of Hacking's reported finding some suspicious residue in a trash can. Police cautioned people not to read too much into what appears to be a reddish stain on a box spring that was seized from the Hacking's apartment.

BAIRD: You know, I can't say for certain what it was. I tell you I saw the first time on the video myself. And I stopped the video as I was watching it again. And it didn't appear to be on the box springs itself to me. It appeared to be whatever the packing material was.

ROWLANDS: This morning, family members continued to publicly support Mark Hacking and made another plea for volunteers to help them search for Lori.

THELMA SOARES, LORI KAY'S MOTHER: She's my only daughter. Please help us find her one way or another.

ROWLANDS (on camera): Both of Lori Hacking's parents paid a visit to Mark Hacking, who is still in a hospital getting psychiatric care. At one point, for the first time publicly, Lori Hacking's father said that at some point he will draw the line and try to get some answers out of his son-in-law Mark.

Ted Rowlands, CNN, Salt Lake City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Other stories making headlines this morning across America, a hearing in the second murder trial of D.C. area sniper John Allen Muhammed is set for Thursday. His lawyers have filed motions asking the trial be moved out of Fairfax County, Virginia. They say the prosecutor there shouldn't handle the case because he prosecuted Muhammad's accomplice, Lee Boyd Malvo.

In Colorado, a small plane crashes on a residential street. This happened in Fort Collins, killing three men aboard. The plane did not hit any homes. Nobody on the ground hurt. Witnesses say the plane appeared to have engine trouble before it went down on Saturday.

A 79-year old woman got more than she bargained for on a hot air balloon ride in Middleton, Iowa -- Ohio, excuse me. During the landing, the balloon tipped and the woman fell out. She's OK, but the balloon went airborne again and got stuck in some power lines. It took fire crews there an hour to free it.

Elsewhere in Ohio, police say a man found dead on a couch in a hospital lounge may have been there almost 24 hours. A nurse told police no one checked on the 55-year old man because they thought he was sleeping. His family can't believe it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBIN JOHNSON, WIFE OF DECEASED MAN: It's a scary and lonely thought. You know? Especially when you lose somebody in this manner, you know, with so many unanswered questions.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: The coroner now trying to determine how that man died -- Betty?

NGUYEN: Workers in California no longer have to choose between caring for a family member or a newborn and getting a paycheck. The state's new Family Leave Program kicked in at the beginning of this month. And as Donna Tetreault reports, the benefits are immeasurable.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONNA TETREAULT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Marcie Arnonovitz is spending lots of time with her two-month old baby girl Ruby, all thanks to California's Family Leave Law, now in effect.

MARCIE ARNONVITZ, NEW MOM: Just being able to be there when she smiles, and being able to be there when she cries, and watching her change over the few months and establishing the relationship that's amazing.

TETREAULT (on camera): The California law differs from the national Family and Medical Leave Act because most workers can take up to six weeks off and get at least half of their pay. The federal act is unpaid.

(voice-over): Actor and Director Rob Reiner has given the law a high profile boost.

ROB REINER, ACTOR, DIRECTOR: We know based on all the scientific research that the earliest years of a child's life are critical. And the bonding that a parent does with a child actually affects brain development.

TETREAULT: Harold Igdaloff is a small business owner and believes the new law is good for families. But he says companies like his are going to be hit hard.

HAROLD IGDALOFF, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: Small work force. And people are gone. Then you have to either make up the time with overtime, or you have to replace the employees temporarily. And then if you replace them temporarily, then you have a double hit.

TETREAULT: But for new moms like Marcie, this law is the answer to her prayers.

ARNONVITZ: It's a wonderful feeling to know that I can lay the groundwork of creating a loving relationship with the baby.

TETREAULT: To date, 8400 parents have filed claims and now look forward to bonding with their babies.

Donna Tetreault for CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: John Kerry on his way to Boston, but will the upcoming Democratic National Convention give him the forum to get his message out?

NGUYEN: Plus, temptation to users, especially those trying to overcome drug addiction in rehab. Why Congress is being called to action. That's ahead right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Headlines at the quarter hour now. In Iraq, the U.S. military reports one American soldier has died from wounds suffered in a roadside bomb attack yesterday. Another soldier was wounded when that blast ripped through their fuel convoy in northern Iraq.

In Utah, police are examining a clump of brown hair in their search for a missing Salt Lake City woman. 27-year old Lori Hacking has been missing since Monday. The hair was found in a dumpster near the store where her husband bought a mattress before reporting her disappearance.

Lance Armstrong closes in on a historic victory in the 2004 Tour de France. Armstrong has a 6.5 minute lead over the rest of the field. It'll be the sixth win a row for the Texas cyclist, if he can do it today.

And listen to this. Ricky Williams reportedly is hanging up his football jersey. "The Miami Herald" reports Williams has told the Miami Dolphins he is retiring after five years in the NFL. Williams says he'll file his retirement papers tomorrow or Tuesday. Just 27- years old.

GRIFFIN: At long last, this is finally John Kerry's week. He becomes officially the Democratic party's nominee for president. The Democratic Convention begins tomorrow in his hometown of Boston, but before arriving there, Kerry will press the flesh in important battleground states. Here's Frank Buckley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator John Kerry appeared in the state that gave him life during the Democratic primary season, where he came as a candidate down in the polls and emerged the winner of the first Democratic contest.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ...I love Iowa.

BUCKLEY: The upbeat tone, part of the ongoing shift away from criticizing Bush administration policies and toward a more optimistic message on the stump, leading up to the Democratic National Convention.

KERRY: John Edwards and I are determined that we are going to be champions for the middle class.

BUCKLEY: While Kerry campaigned in the hotly contested state of Iowa, Senator John Edwards was also in the Midwest in another key battleground state, Wisconsin.

SEN. JOHN EDWARDS (D-NC), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We can bring jobs to the communities where they're so desperately needed, so that we say no forever to any American working full-time and living in poverty. Not in our America. Not in our America.

BUCKLEY: Both Wisconsin and Iowa went for the Democrat Vice President Al Gore in 2000, but only barely. In the Badger state, Gore won over George W. Bush by two-tenths of one percent.

AL GORE, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT: I'd like to have you vote tomorrow.

BUCKLEY: In Iowa, three-tenths of a percent. The difference here, a mere 4,144 votes. With President Bush also pushing hard in the Midwest, it's likely to be close again.

And a new poll suggests the race remains close across the U.S. A new "TIME" magazine poll in line with other recent polls, showing Kerry and Bush locked in a dead heat.

(on camera): The "TIME" poll also shows that three in five voters say their vote is based more on their opinion of President Bush, than it is of Senator Kerry. The Kerry campaign hoping the days ahead will make those voters as excited about voting for Senator Kerry, as they are about voting against President Bush.

Frank Buckley, CNN, Sioux City, Iowa.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And as mentioned, John Kerry is trying to drum up an excitement with the multistate campaign blitz before he arrives in Boston for his big night. Today, he's in Columbus, Ohio.

Andrea Seabrook, the congressional reporter for National Public Radio, has been traveling with the candidate Kerry. She is up very on the phone this morning from Ohio's capital city for today's political brief.

Good morning to you, Andrea.

ANDREA SEABROOK, NPR CONGRESSIONAL REPORTER: Good morning, Betty. How are you? NGUYEN: I'm doing great. Well, let's talk about you for a little bit, because you've been traveling with Kerry. What's the mood on that bus as it heads towards Boston? Is it a party atmosphere or is it all business?

SEABROOK: It's definitely something of a party atmosphere. You know, the campaign plane has its share of orange rolling, which is the famous campaign game. People with -- all the press usually try and roll oranges up the aisle of the campaign plane as it's taking off.

But there's definitely also a serious mood here. I mean, there's definitely a serious push from the campaign to try and make these last few days count before he actually stands on that stage before the entire, you know, United States and television audience and accepts the final nomination of the Democratic party.

NGUYEN: And speaking of that stage, who's slogan is things could be better? Let's talk specifics. What is he going to drive home when he does get on the stage at the convention?

SEABROOK: Well, you know, at least in his campaign speeches now going up to the convention, he's talking a lot about his economic policies. He's talking about his want to give a middle class tax cut, for instances, and roll back some of the -- President Bush's tax cuts that John Kerry says were more for the wealthy people in the United States.

He's also talking about creating 10 million jobs in the United States and ending incentives that he says are built into the tax code that make it good for companies to move workers overseas, where -- move their operations overseas.

It's a very economic centered focus right now. I think partly because he's out in the heartland and because he's going through swing states where that really matters.

It's interesting to note, though, that since the 9/11 Commission came out with its final recommendations, he has not worked anything about the 9/11 Commission into his report. He did release yesterday an interesting letter that he sent just yesterday to the chairman and vice chairman of the 9/11 Commission, praising their work and supporting immediate action on all of their recommendations. But it's not in his speech, which I think you may see that change over the next couple days and up into the convention.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's really interesting because a lot of folks are wondering if this is going to boil down to the war in Iraq and the war on terror and with that 9/11 Commission Report coming last week. And he's not addressing that. Dealing a lot with the economy, but isn't that a bit of a double edge sword? Because Alan Greenspan just week said the economy's on the upswing.

SEABROOK: That's true. That's true. It's not always a great thing for John Kerry to talk about the economy. That could eventually work in George Bush's favor. Then again, a lot of Americans watch the stock market. That didn't do so hot on Friday. You know, it's -- and there are still a lot of people out of work. There's still more people out of work than there were when President Bush started (UNINTELLIGIBLE) on the fact that most Americans, at the very least, feel ambivalence about the economy and would like to have a more -- as Frank Buckley said -- optimistic message about it.

NGUYEN: Kerry has kept a pretty safe campaign. Really not a lot of mudslinging going on. Do you expect a few jabs during this convention speech?

SEABROOK: Well, I don't actually. You know, seeing -- it is really striking the change in his campaign tone since in fact picking up John Edwards as his running mate.

Of course, John Edwards was known as being -- having campaign nice, you know, in the primaries. And so, it's interesting that he's picking up his tone, not just his character in the -- as the vice president.

You know, he is traveling with other people, who I think are doing most of the jabs for him, like his wife Theresa Heinz Kerry and you know, John Edwards and Tom Vilsack, the governor of Iowa yesterday. They were all sort of taking on a more aggressive tone, while Kerry steps back and really gives the optimism, the sunny message of the campaign.

NGUYEN: Andrea Seabrook, traveling with the Kerry camp. Thank you very much.

SEABROOK: Thank you.

NGUYEN: And a few programming notes now. CNN's Larry King live will host a pre-convention special. That's tonight, live from the Massachusetts capitol, 9:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

And about two hours from now, award winning political panelist Mark Shields and Al Hunt at CNN's "CAPITAL GANG" will be our guests. They'll take your convention questions. So send your comments to wam@cnn.com. Again, that starts at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.

GRIFFIN: Another question for you, Betty. We may have to check. Which one of these guys is naughty or nice? Santa's gone wild on summer break. CNN SUNDAY MORNING will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: And a welcome break in the clouds for northern New Jersey. Look at this. Residents are spending the day cleaning up from torrential downpours yesterday. Towns and parts of Hunterden, and in Somerset Counties were pounded up to six inches of rain. The showers triggered extreme flooding, road closures, power outages, and as you can see from right there, that video, nightmares on the roadways.

They came just two weeks after another rainstorm caused some major flooding across the Garden State.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Now in the news, another U.S. soldier is dead in Iraq. The military says the soldier died of wounds received when a roadside bomb ripped through a military convoy yesterday. It happened in the town of Bayji in northern Iraq. Another soldier was wounded in that attack as well.

An alleged al Qaeda threat is posted on an Islamic Web site. This one warns Australia an Italy to withdraw their troops from Iraq. If not, the group warns Australia it will "turn your homeland into a bloodbath."

Palestinian security sources saying Israeli Apache helicopter fired a missile at a house in Gaza City. Medical sources say three bystanders were wounded in that attack. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the strike.

Also, here in the U.S., we're only a day away from the start of the Democratic National Convention in Boston. Final touches are being made on the Fleet Center, the convention site. And stepped up security is noticeable across the city. Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

GRIFFIN: Lance Armstrong, peddling his way into history. The Texas in the bright yellow leader's jersey en route to becoming the first six time winner of the Tour de France. The last leg of the race is getting started there.

Jim Bittermann joins us by phone. Hi, Jim.

JIM BITTERMANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Drew. Yes, we just left the town of Marsau (ph). We're trying to keep up with the Tour de France riders. Lance Armstrong left Mentrau (ph) this morning. That was the starting point for the -- this stage of the tour. Ahead of the pack, he won yesterday's stage. That means he leads today. He's got the yellow jersey on.

And barring any sort of catastrophe, he will win the sixth Tour de France in a row, his sixth tour in a row. And that's just never been done in 101 years in Tour de France. So I think there's going to be a lot of celebration along the Champs d'Elysees this evening -- Drew?

GRIFFIN: Jim, nobody passes them up in this final stage out of respect. Isn't that right?

BITTERMANN: Well, it's a little more than that. I don't think anybody can touch him at this point. The fact is he's six minutes and 38 seconds ahead of the pack in his overall time. And there's just no way that any of the other riders can make that kind of time.

Today's stage is about 100 miles long. And we're sounding only about 50 miles southeast of Paris, but there's a circuitous route that's taken from here to Paris. And then, when they get to Paris, they'll be eight laps up and down the Champs d'Elysees, the big avenue in the center of Paris, from the Arc de Triomphes to the Place de la Concorde. And the finish line is right there. The middle of the Champs d'Elysees.

GRIFFIN: And plenty of champagne awaits him I'm sure for all of Paris?

BITTERMANN: Well, in fact, as we were watching, the U.S. Postal Team, that's Lance's team, had packed their goods this morning and getting their bicycles off the roofs of the cars. In fact, one of the things they are carrying with them in the bus is a (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of champagne. So I think they are confident they're going to win today.

GRIFFIN: How big is this victory going to be internationally? I mean, this is not just an American winning. This is anybody doing this six times. It's an incredible feat.

BITTERMANN: Well, it is an incredible feat when you think that he's done it six years in a row. And it was just 7.5 years ago that he as being treated with chemotherapy for his cancer. So it's pretty extraordinary to come back from that and then to win three times in a row.

As far as the race is concerned, it's never been done before. It will make all the record books because no one's ever won this race. It's such a grueling race. 23 days of just flat out work. There's a couple of rest days in there, but 20 races over the space of 23 days. And it just is so grueling, that there are very few people that can reach anything like winning the Tour. But to win it six times in a row is really incredible.

GRIFFIN: Jim, thanks a lot for the report. We'll look for you later on in the day, I'm sure at the big celebration. Thank you, sir.

NGUYEN: Incredible is right. And we've got another amazing man to tell you about this morning, this one from the front lines of the war in Iraq.

CNN's Casey Wian has the story in our heroes segment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice-over): Major Jason Frei's 10-year Marine Corps career is winding down at a desk. But part of him literally remains on an Iraqi battlefield when he lost his right hand and most of his forearm.

MAJOR FREI, U.S. MARINES: Anybody in the marine corps would rather get out in the field and do stuff out there, than get stuck typing.

WIAN: Then Captain Frei was part of the 1st Battalion 11th Marines. His artillery brigade known as the Cannon Cockers fired the first shots of the war. In March of last year, five minutes after Frei snapped his photo, his unit was ambushed during a sandstorm. MAJOR FREI, U.S. MARINES: I was sitting in the front seat reading a map. The RPG came you can see here from the back, and hit the door here, and that set it off. Now, my arm stops about here. It came through, hit me there. It was a little bit of a shock. Imagine if you're sitting and somebody sucker punches you. There was concussion, and I looked down. And I can't remember if I saw it first, or felt it first. Or, you know, some combination in between. And I could see, you know, could look down and see that your hand -- my hand was gone.

WIAN: Frei tide a radio cord around his arm to stop the bleeding, took cover and was pinned down for an hour and a half before the enemy was subdued. Because of the sandstorm, it took 28 hours for Frei to be evacuated to a surgical station. In the past year, Frei has fought to stay a Marine, But ultimately deciding it would be best for his family to retire.

FREI: If it was up to me, if it was you know, Captain Frei alone and unafraid, I would stay in for 35 years until they drug me out. You can't -- I can't imagine finding a better group of people than working around these young Marines. You've got 18, 19-year-old kids who are doing absolutely amazing things. In the civilian world, they wouldn't be trusted to run a copier, and they're out there making life and death situations and doing it well.

WIAN: Promoted Major this month, Frei starts a new career this fall, pursuing a masters at the University of Notre Dame.

Casey Wian, CNN, Oceanside, California.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And we bring you heroes stories every week, right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

GRIFFIN: Let's fast forward to the week coming up. On Monday, convention activities officially begin in Beantown. Among those speaking on the opening night is former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Tuesday in Washington, the National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two day public hearing on putting video recorders in the cockpit of airplanes. The board says in some accident investigations, vital information is lost with the current voice recorders. Video cameras could capture more of the data.

On Wednesday, pony up the wild ponies of Chincoteague Island, Virginia. We'll compete with their annual swim across the Assoteague Channel and will be auctioned off the next day. Something doesn't seem right, but that's what happens.

NGUYEN: Well, want to stop annoying the neighbors, Drew, with the sound of that pesky lawn mower? At 8:00 a.m. Eastern, a preview of some nifty gadgets that can make things a little quieter around the house. Then at 9:00 Eastern, is the U.S. losing the war on terror? The author of "Imperial Hubris" joins us to answer that. And at 9:30 Eastern, it's your chance to talk to CNN's Mark Shields and Al Hunt of "THE CAPITAL GANG." They will answer your questions about the Democratic Convention. All you have to do is e-mail us at wam@cnn.com.

But first, in Washington a temptation for drug users trying to kick the habit. Why Congress is stepping in . That's all ahead when CNN SUNDAY MORNING RETURNS.

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NGUYEN: Good morning to you. Here's a look at headlines on this Sunday. Australia's top diplomat says his country will not be intimidated by terrorist threats. That was a response to a message on an Islamic Web site purportedly from al Qaeda's European branch. The message warns of turning Australia into a "bloodbath unless Australian forces are withdrawn from Iraq. Now a similar threat was made against Italy.

A U.S. soldier has died from a roadside bomb that struck his convoy yesterday near the town of Bayji in northern Iraq. A suspect was detained in that incident. And in Paris, all eyes are watching. Lance Armstrong would have to fall off his bike and stay off to lose the Tour de France today. He begins today's 165 kilometer final stage more than six minutes ahead of the next fastest rider, virtually assuring a record sixth win.

GRIFFIN: John Kerry will get a chance to re-introduce himself to America during this week's Boston Convention. "CNN PRESENTS" is bringing you "John Kerry Born to Run."

Candy Crowley has a snippet.

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CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Do you feel like you know this man?

THERESA HEINZ KERRY, WIFE OF JOHN KERRY: Not enough? I mean, I've been married nine years. But you know, we've had two Senate campaigns and now this campaign. I would like to get to him a lot better.

CROWLEY (voice-over): In public, he can come across aloof, detached. Even in private, he can seem distant. His campaign has worked to warm up that Northeastern patrician reserve. Vietnam War buddies help.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The transformation was amazing. I mean, you could see it physically. He just looked different. He talked differently.

And when they brought that veteran in, the guy he had pulled out of the drain and saved, it was really kind of like a revolution inside John Kerry.

CROWLEY: Mention his daughters, and the ice breaks. SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm a dad who even gets talked to about boyfriends, which is tricky stuff. I'm not sure I should have said that. They make -- I may be in trouble now.

SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: I told him the best story he's had in recent times was the picture with himself and Vanessa at the Red Sox game. He said that's time we've had.

I said, "John, you don't have to go out and make speeches on healthcare and Medicare and the rest of the environment. Just go to that -- those Red Sox games a few more times and you'll see what'll happen."

CROWLEY: Not bad advice, since truthfully, the speeches can be deadly.

J. KERRY: About $1.5 billion of loans that's waiting to come to farmers for the farm -- for the Conservation Security Trust...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: John was a remarkably gifted speaker until he got to the United States Senate.

J. KERRY: Under the normal courtesies of an institution that runs on courtesy normally...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That whole special language they speak that has really stripped him of some of the power of his ability to move an audience.

CROWLEY: In the bumper sticker world of presidential politics, John Kerry is a fine senator.

MICHAEL DUKAKIS, FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are very few of us who communicate like a Bill Clinton or a Ronald Reagan for that matter.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: The award-winning "CNN PRESENTS" brings you "John Kerry Born to Run." Don't miss it. It's tonight at 8:00 Eastern on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

NGUYEN: And there's a big problem for drug users trying to get clean. Why Congress is being asked to stop it. That report when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Now a story of temptation proving too difficult for drug abusers. Sean Callebs takes us to a rehab center in the nation's capitol, where there's also a feeding ground for drug dealers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TYRONE PATTERSON, MODEL TREATMENT: They will continue to lean out there and sell drugs to our patients. It's a natural thing. SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From his perch at a rehab center called Model Treatment, Tyrone Patterson says it's like watching wolves go after sheep.

The predators, dealers who feed on addicts, people leaving the center trying to stay clean.

PATTERSON: Most of the drug dealers know what time we open and they know what time we close. So they just sit here and wait and prey, prey on folks.

CALLEBS: Betty, who asked that her full name not be used, is fighting a heroine habit. Everyday before work, she gulps down methadone to fight withdrawal symptoms.

BETTY: See you all tomorrow.

CALLEBS: She then runs the gauntlet of outstretched hands, offering heroine, OxyContin, and other narcotics.

A measure is now floating around Congress, calling for stiffer punishment for selling drugs outside rehab centers. Detectives Rock Garrett and Scott Brown have a combined 27 years on the force. Much of that time, trying to get dealers off the streets.

How frustrating is it for you guys?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just a revolving door.

CALLEBS: These cops like the federal proposal. They say a similar law, punishing dealers selling in school zones, has had an impact.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It makes a difference because within (UNINTELLIGIBLE) more likely than guy's going to do more time in jail than if he gets caught again.

CALLEBS: They say, however, stiffer penalties can pale to the lucrative drug trade. Brown and Garrett call this restaurant adjacent to the rehab clinic, McPharmacy, a favorite for the usual suspects peddling pills and powder.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They sit in there for hours and hours sipping on a cop of coffee, waiting for their customers to come in and approach them. So they have ideal conditions.

CALLEBS: The powerful cancer pain kill OxyContin is the drug of choice.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Commonly, you see the 80 milligram OxyContin for one pill sells for $40 a piece.

CALLEBS: Police say it's not uncommon for dealers to sell 300 pills in a day. That's $12,000.

Tyrone Patterson watches dealers get arrested all the time. He says tougher prison penalties for these dealers may give his clients a fighting chance at a drug-free life.

PATTERSON: They discovered that they do -- they can make a difference in their own life, that they can change, that they -- that their life could be different than what it is today. And that's what we try to give them hope.

CALLEBS: And hope for a life free of constant temptation.

Sean Callebs, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Rob Marciano has your summer weekend forecast. He's working on that straight ahead. But first...

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ho, ho, ho.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: The sign of Santa rarely seen. A slew of St. Nicks have gone wild. And our cameras caught them on tape. That's when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns.

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NGUYEN: Celebrating a birthday this weekend, well you're not alone. So are these folks. Singer Jennifer Lopez, J. Lo turned 34. Comedic TV actor Matt Leblanc is 37. Baseball slugger Barry Bonds, he chalks up the big 40. And actress Lynda Carter, better known as Wonder Woman, 53.

GRIFFIN: Ho, ho, exactly five months of Christmas shopping left. And in Denmark, whether you call it Christmas games or the Santa Summer Olympics, 160 Santa Clauses and their elves sure looked jolly to be at the 41st world Santa Congress in Copenhagen.

St. Nicks took part in the snowshoe race and down the chimney competition. And they're calling for reindeer sleigh racing to be made an official Olympic winter sport.

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: Thanks, Rob.

The next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins right now.

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