Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Bush Arrives in Moscow; Six Iraqi Cabinet Positions Filled
Aired May 08, 2005 - 09:00 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.
BETTY NGUYEN, ANCHOR CNN SUNDAY MORNING: After marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, this hour President Bush arrives in Moscow where more history will be made, but diplomacy will also be tested.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, May 8th, Mother's Day. Good morning and happy Mother's Day out there. I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Happy Mother's Day mom, Mandy, Ann.
NGUYEN: Everybody on the list.
NGUYEN: And I'm Tony Harris. It is 9 a.m. in the east. It's 6 a.m. in the west. Thank you for being with us. Let's get you started with headlines now in the news.
In just a few minutes President Bush will arrive in Russia. Bush is expected to bring up some thorny issues with President Vladimir Putin including Russia's arms sales to Syria.
Earlier this morning the president commemorated the end of World War II at a ceremony at a cemetery for American war veterans in the Netherlands.
The U.S. Army says it has nabbed a suspected terrorist cell leader and a former Saddam Hussein officer who has been planning terror attacks across Baghdad. The two were caught in a series of raids across Iraq that corralled a total of 87 suspected terrorist yesterday and again today. U.S. forces also found a large weapons cache.
And there's developments in Iraq's new leadership this morning. The national assembly approved six names to fill cabinet positions, four of those including defense, industry, human rights and deputy prime minister are Sunni Arabs. It is seen as a way to give a stronger voice to the nation's Sunni minority.
NGUYEN: And here's a look at what else is ahead this hour. New legal wrangling in the case of a series of Atlanta child murders more than two decades ago.
Our Soldier's Story this week is one of rebuilding from the inside out. One soldier shares what it's like to get a second chance back home. And we'll look at a war of a different kind on this mother's day between moms who work outside the home and those who choose to stay at home to raise their kids.
HARRIS: And as we await President Bush's arrival in Russia let's take a look at the ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Earlier this morning in the Netherlands the president and Queen Beatrix laid wreaths at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, 8,301 U.S. veterans are buried there. Later Mr. Bush spoke of the triumphs of those soldiers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: On this day we celebrate the victory they won, and we recommit ourselves to the great truth that they defended, that freedom is the birthright of all mankind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And after the event Mr. Bush left for Moscow.
NGUYEN: The president is expected to arrive there shortly for a visit that continues the commemoration of VE Day, but also includes dealing with current world issues. With more on Mr. Bush's trip on Russia we go live to our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty.
And Jill, the Kremlin has described this trip by the president as meddling. How high are the tensions between President Bush and Vladimir Putin?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they do have a good working relationship, you'd have to say that, Betty, but there are a lot of tensions and a lot of those are coming up over behavior that President Bush would say is not up to the standards of democracy. And he's been very open about criticizing President Vladimir Putin about that, what they call roll backs in democracy.
But part of the big emphasis here really will be on World War II the partnership between the allies, between Russia and the United States at that time. And you're going to hear some themes, especially coming from President Putin about trying to translate that partnership back in the 1940s to partnership today in the war on terror.
NGUYEN: Also, Jill, they will be meeting privately, President Bush and Vladimir Putin, shortly after he arrives in Moscow. Anything else expected on the agenda in that meeting?
DOUGHERTY: You know they're not supposed to really get into any grand agreements or anything like that. In fact, the meeting could actually last just about an hour after President Bush arrives here at the airport. And by the way it's raining, but we don't expect that this is going to last forever because, as you know, in Moscow they seed the clouds, so they'll blow all of this away and tomorrow should be a nice day. But President Bush goes off to the dacha, this residence in the suburbs of President Putin, has that one hour meeting. Then they have a dinner. And then they'll be back here and tomorrow will begin those big celebrations.
And, Betty, also one quick thing, President Putin doesn't talk about this very much, but he had some personal comments about what his family went through during World War II. He said about half of his relatives were killed. His grandmother was killed. And they even lost his mother and his father, lost a little boy who was born before Putin was born during that war -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Very interesting. Jill Dougherty, we appreciate that. And we just want to remind our viewers that the president will be arriving in Moscow in about five minutes from now.
Thanks, Jill.
HARRIS: Now to a new development in a series of murders a quarter century ago. The attorney for Wayne Williams is asking for a new trial. Williams was convicted in two of the so-called Atlanta child murders. After his conviction Atlanta police said he was responsible for most of the other 27 killings. But now a police chief is reopening the cases of four victims.
Dekalb County Georgia police chief, Louis Graham believes Williams is innocent, but Williams' prosecutor now, a city court solicitor, says there is no evidence, certainly no new evidence to warrant reopening the cases.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH DROLET, CITY COURT OF ATLANTA SOLICITOR: When they found Wayne Williams they did a search warrant on his home. The home was carpeted in the Wellman 181-B fiber that was found on all of his victims. They also found that as many as 11 different items from that home matched fibers found on the victims. Then as Wayne Williams would get rid of an automobile and get another automobile the fabric from the first automobile would quit showing up on victims.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Georgia state representative Tyrone Brooks is a supporter of Wayne Williams. Brooks has known Williams for years and has visited him in prison. Representative Brooks joins us now on the phone from Warrenton, Georgia.
Tyrone, good to talk to you.
REP. TYRONE BROOKS (D), GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Good to talk to you, Tony. Thank you.
HARRIS: Well, I have to ask you first did you play any kind of a role in having at least these four cases reopened?
BROOKS: No, I didn't play any role in having these four cases reopened. But I want to commend my friend Louis Graham, the best homicide director in America, who was the man who ran the homicide division of the Atlanta police department when this saga occurred, and he's never been convinced that Wayne Williams is guilty. I'm not convinced that Wayne Williams is guilty. I'm just happy that Louis is opening those cases that reside in his jurisdiction in Dekalb County.
HARRIS: Tyrone, if Williams is found not to be responsible for these four deaths, the part of the case that is being reopened, does that in your mind mean that he is not guilty of any of the murders?
BROOKS: I don't believe he's guilty of any of the murders. Wayne was a freelance journalist. He's been working for a lot of media in Atlanta, a lot of TV stations employed him. I think he got a little too close to the investigation and stepped on investigators toes.
I was not convinced in the early '80s that Wayne was a person who would commit such a heinous crime. I've known him a long time. He's never ever indicated to me otherwise, so I believe that he deserves another chance to state his case before a jury of his peers. I hope that at some point the courts would reopen the case and give this young man an opportunity to receive real justice.
But also the victims, the families of those who died deserve closure. They can never receive closure until in their mind the real person or persons are incarcerated for these heinous crimes. So I hope and pray that at some point we will see this case completely reopened.
You know Wayne was only tied to two cases by circumstantial evidence, and the rest of the cases were just closed out. And I think the families are saying, well my God what about our relative who were never (inaudible) Wayne Williams.
HARRIS: Hey, Tyrone.
BROOKS: Yes.
HARRIS: Take us back to that. How did that happen? I mean I know it was, what, 20, 25 -- a lot of years ago (inaudible) years ago. So how did that happen that he's convicted of two of the murders and yet all of the other cases that are unsolved are lumped in?
BROOKS: That was a mystery to me. I've never seen that happen in the American criminal justice system, and that baffled the minds of all of us who had been working the community, working with the families and searching for the children and adults who were captured and killed.
Dick Gregory told me in 1980 that he thought there was a connection between a white racist group the Ku Klux Klan or some other group that was using the law enforcement cover but having badges and police cars or a car that looked like police cars to go into our community and take these children and adults and kill them, and I really believe there's some substance to what Dick Gregory said in 1980. But it baffled me that you could take two cases out of these many, tie them to one suspect and then dismiss the others with no justification. That's another call for justice here. I think those victims who -- those families who were really crying out for justice, who's never seen justice in those cases deserve an opportunity to have their cases heard.
The families have been the real champions of Wayne Williams. These families who are the real victims in these cases have held news conferences. They've lobbied law enforcement for years and years and they said, we don't believe Wayne Williams is guilty. I don't believe Wayne Williams is guilty and I know Louis Graham doesn't believe it.
HARRIS: OK, well then...
BROOKS: Hopefully these cases in Dekalb will lead to -- really lead to the opening of all of the cases.
HARRIS: I see. All right, Tyrone, let's leave it there. And I know you'll be watching. We'll be watching as well. Thanks for taking the time this morning.
NGUYEN: Just ahead we are going to meet a soldier who came home to deal with life changing injuries and got some lift changing help.
HARRIS: And on this Mother's Day we want your input. What's better for kids, a mother who stays at home or a mother who works outside the home? E-mail us at wam@cnn.com.
Good morning, Rob.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: It was February 1945. She was a 25 year old Soviet spy. Her job, to be the translator for world leaders. Now at the age of 85 hear this woman's thoughts about being behind the scenes during World War II. That's coming up at 11 a.m. eastern here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You're looking at live pictures now of a Mother's Day ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is the sixth annual Mother's Day at the wall. The ceremony honors mothers of those who served and sacrificed in war. The mothers are being given roses and cards hand made by students from across the country and the moms are reading notes from those cards.
NGUYEN: Today we put the spotlight on rebuilding lives in this morning's Soldier's Story. After suffering an injury in Iraq that left him paralyzed, Mark Mix says his biggest worry was how to put a roof over his family's head. The coalition to salute America's heroes came to the rescue. So let's talk about that.
Here is Mark Mix from Columbus, Ohio joining us this morning, and Tracy Reep, a spokesman for the coalition also joining us from Dallas. We want to thank you both for being here. Let's start with you Mark, if we could, to fully understand your worries we have to understand your injuries. Now you were first injured in the Philippines serving there. You had the opportunity to get out of the military you say, no, send me back in. You went to Iraq. What happened there?
MARK MIX, FORMER U.S. NAVY SEABEE: We was building a (inaudible) for the armory and a two by six come down about 20 feet and struck me in the lower back reoccurring my injuries and eventually paralyzing me.
NGUYEN: So you are paralyzed from the waist down. Is that correct?
MIX: Yes, ma'am.
NGUYEN: This not only has changed your life but also just maneuvering around your own home as become challenging. Tell us about that.
MIX: Everything is a lot different. Trying to -- everything from getting up in the morning to getting through doorways and getting a simple glass out of the cupboard to get something to drink has changed.
NGUYEN: Tracy, now this is where the coalition comes in. This is a happy story in the respect that it's going to be helping Mark in many, many ways. Tell us how.
TRACY REEP, CSAH: Well, first of all, the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes being a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501, C-3 (ph) organization that helps to rebuild the lives of disabled and severely wounded veterans we have several different programs, one of which is reaching out to Mark, which is the homes for wheelchair restricted and disabled veterans. This is a combination effort of private and public organizations as well as the coalition to provide an opportunity for these soldiers that their lives have changed dramatically and are wheelchair bound to be able to have a home that they don't have to realize these inconveniences at every turn.
NGUYEN: OK. And Larry (sic), how did this play out? Did you find them? Did they find you? What happened?
MIX: It was -- I actually put a lot of emphasis on the American Legion. The American legion sent me down -- got me into therapy and then my therapist sent me to Orlando to a conference and every since then it was amazing.
NGUYEN: Amazing is exactly the right word. So we understand fully, are they paying for this and building this new home for you?
MIX: Yes it is fairly no cost to the veteran themselves. As he was saying, it's a nonprofit organization with them and the VA the house will come together.
NGUYEN: And this is going to make your life a lot easier. What kind of weight has been lifted off of your shoulders because of this? MIX: There has been a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders. When I was put into the chair I -- my biggest worry was putting a roof over my kids head. And the main thing that went through my mind was I went around the country, around the world building roofs over other peoples heads in different countries and I can't do it for my own kids today. And when they told us that they were going to sponsor us a home it was an enormous weight lifted off my shoulders.
NGUYEN: Tracy hearing that must make you so proud to be a part of an organization like the coalition that helps folks like Mark.
REEP: Truly. First of all, I'm blessed to be able to be a part of this organization, and to work as a spokesperson and be able to talk about these particular programs. For instance with Mark it is a partnership, for instance, with Remax realtors that are going to provide basically financing for $150,000. Let's say on an average, you know, an average new home being $300,000. Mark would be asked to finance $50,000 of that. There are disability grants that are available that can combine to be another $50,000. And then we often will go to retail organizations to get gifts in kind, which can cover about half the cost of one of these newly build homes.
Well, Remax, obviously there's $150,000 or so left on your average new home that an organization has to step up and help to cover and they've done that.
NGUYEN: You know what, it's a wonderful thing. And numbers aside, Mike, I have to ask you when do you get to move into this new home?
MIX: Hopefully soon. If everything goes toward plans we should start breaking round in a couple of weeks.
NGUYEN: That is wonderful. Enjoy your new home.
MIX: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Take care both of you.
REEP: Thank you, Betty.
HARRIS: And checking our top stories. U.S. soldiers have captured 33 terror suspects during a series of raids around Baghdad. Military officials say the top officer in Saddam Hussein's military is among those captured. So is a suspected terror cell leader.
President Bush has arrived in Moscow this hour ahead of a big VE- Day celebration tomorrow. The president meets privately today with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Mr. Bush is expected to continue his call for spreading democracy.
And in Britain veterans of World War II watched as Prince Charles placed a wreath at a London memorial. It marks the 60 anniversary of the Nazi defeat in Europe.
NGUYEN: As the world remembers the allied victory in Europe, we will hear from an American veteran who stumbled upon a Nazi horror he will never forget when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns.
HARRIS: But first on this Mother's Day an interesting tidbit, working mothers tend to earn less in their lifetime than men.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Call it a real long shot. You'd have to. What else would you call it? Fifty to one long shot, Giacomo roared down the home stretch. That's him there. Well in a second he's gong to pull into the lead here and take off and there he is on the outside winning this thing with jockey Mike Smith and the green silks there to win the 131st Kentucky Derby. The three year old colt earning 1,630,000 bones. Not bad.
NGUYEN: Not bad. I really thought Afleet Alex was going to take it, but then Giacomo came up...
HARRIS: You don't know a thing about...
NGUYEN: I (inaudible) them. I did. I'm the only one up here who won. How'd you do?
HARRIS: You know, I don't wager.
NGUYEN: How did you do, Rob?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Gambling is for sinners.
HARRIS: It's a sin.
MARCIANO: You're a sinner.
NGUYEN: I didn't bet any money. It's a free bet.
HARRIS: Now you can bet money.
NGUYEN: Let's make that clear.
MARCIANO: OK. All right.
HARRIS: She's backtracking.
MARCIANO: I went to Churchill Downs when that horse...
NGUYEN: Yes, I know.
MARCIANO: I mean these people were just losing...
NGUYEN: People lost big or they won big.
MARCIANO: Very few won big.
NGUYEN: Yes, very few.
(WEATHER REPORT) NGUYEN: What's better for kids, a mom who works or a mom who stays at? Well, on this Mother's Day we will ask the author of "Mommy Wars." The battle lines get drawn. That's ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
HARRIS: But first, a CNN extra. Your parenting styles could affect your kids test scores. What matters, according to the U.S. Department of Education, is how much education and money you have by the time you have kids and how involved you are in their schools. So, TV, museum trips, Head Start and even spanking won't do as much as your own education and career. Take that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: On the 60th anniversary of World War II ending in Europe we will hear from a U.S. veteran who liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp. I want to welcome you back, right now, on this Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day, I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris, that story coming up, first here's what is happening now in the news.
NGUYEN: President Bush is now in Russia, the third stop on his European tour. Now this morning in the Netherlands Mr. Bush and Dutch Queen Beatrix honored the World War II dead at the American Cemetery, there. More than 8,000 Americans are buried there.
Other nations are also marking the V.E. Day. The signing of the Berlin Armistice ended the war in Europe 60 years ago today. Ceremonies in Paris included a military parade, and President Jacques Chirac laid a wreath at the tomb of France's unknown soldier.
In Iraq now, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers killed six insurgents and captured another 54 near the Syrian border. The military also made raids in Baghdad taking 33 people into custody. Coalition forces also destroyed car bombs, bomb making materials and large weapons caches or -- large weapons.
HARRIS: And President Bush's European trip is among the top stories today at CNN.com. Here, to tell us what else is hot there today, Veronica de la Cruz of the dot com desk.
Good morning.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you.
HARRIS: Happy Mother's Day to you. Send that along to your mom.
DE LA CRUZ: OK, yeah. I will do that. Happy Mother's Day to you, you're mother.
HARRIS: What are you calling me here? What are you saying here?
DE LA CRUZ: I'm telling to tell your wife happy Mother's Day, plus your mother.
OK. All right. Good to see you Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: All right? Nice to see you. All right, Tony.
Well to find these most popular stories you are going to go ahead and go to the main page. Click on the icon "most popular" on the right hand side of your screen or type in CNN.com/most popular.
Well, you might have seen this story from CNN's investigative unit on "CNN Prime," Thursday evening and now it is receiving a lot of traffic on our Web site. The number one story comes to us from Charleston, South Carolina, where this man, whom you are about to see, right here, once a respected police officer is now the focus of an international manhunt. Daniel Hiers is wanted in the murder of his wife. He is also accused of molesting an 11-year-old girl. The allegation against Hiers has left the South Carolina town in shock, needless to say.
Now our number two story, also from the Southeast. This one is from Atlanta, Georgia. Wayne Williams is serving life sentences for two murders. After his convictions, Atlanta police said he was responsible for more than 20 other killings that happened between 1979 and 1981, the so-called Atlanta child murders. The police chief of DeKalb County, Georgia, is now forming a cold case squad to re-examine four of those deaths. He was the investigators in the murder case as quarter century ago and believes Williams is not responsible for those child murders.
And, of course, you can find all the details at your fingertips at CNN.com. And, of course, from Tony and Betty whom, I'm sure will fill you in.
HARRIS: Yep, absolutely. So watch CNN, day and night, but every once in a while you can click on...
DE LA CRUZ: No, no, no, you got it backwards.
HARRIS: Oh, got you. All right. Self-interest, I understand. Veronica, good to see you. Thanks.
HARRIS: Some competing interest here, this morning.
Speaking of news. Here's a look across America. Hundreds of mourners gathered in Kansas City, Missouri to remember the little girl they called "Precious Doe." Erica Green's remains were found four years ago, but her identity was not revealed publicly until this week. Eric's mother and step father are now accused in her death.
Some dramatic pictures out of Oklahoma. Look at this. Firefighters responding to a house fire in Tulsa, ran out of the burning building covered in flames. Their fellow firefighters were able to put out the flames and no one was hurt. The abandoned house was destroyed and the arson unit is investigating that fire.
A stain on a Chicago overpass is once again drawing visitors after getting a cleanup job. Some believe the stain looks like the Virgin Mary. But on Thursday, someone scrawled the words "big lie" over the image. Two car wash employees cleaned up the graffiti, now the faithful, they are coming back for another look.
HARRIS: People in countries across Europe, today, are marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in the continent, often referred to as V.E. Day. In Berlin, in which had been the capital of Hitler's third Reich. Chancellor Schroeder attended a church service to remember the victims of Nazi Germany. Ceremonies in Paris included a military parade, along the Champs Elysees. President Chirac laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
And in Britain, Prince Charles was among those laying wreaths at a London ceremony, this morning. A V.E. commemoration concert is set for later today.
As we've mentioned, President Bush will take part in tomorrow's V.E. ceremony in Russia. The Soviet army played a pivotal role in stopping the Nazi war machine and suffered huge losses. While Soviets advanced on Berlin from the East, U.S. troops pushed through Europe from the West. President Bush paused today to pay his respects to the American forces who died liberating the Netherlands. One of the American soldiers who participated in the liberation of Europe still recalls how he literally stumbled into hell. CNN's Brian Todd has his unforgettable story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOWARD CWICK, WWII VETERAN: Thank you guys.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite a recent foot injury, Howard Cwick is a spry, cheerful, 81-year-old. He's exceedingly friendly even when asked about the dark day 60 years ago when this self-described mama's boy from Brooklyn suddenly grew up.
Spring 1945. U.S. Army corporal Howard Cwick is a demolition expert with a company that just fought its way into central Germany. One day he hops a ride on a jeep he thinks is taking him to headquarters. It's the wrong jeep. The driver says he's seen something he needs to investigate. They come upon a huge complex of buildings and barbed wire with an unlocked gate. Soon joined by a few other soldiers they go inside.
CWICK: And as far as the eye can see, like from one end of the world to the other, there were dead bodies.
TODD: Cwick is among the first Americans to stumble onto Buchenwald, one of the largest most notorious Nazi concentration camps.
CWICK: Bodies and bodies and bodies. Every so often you would find a live one, but it was hard to tell he was alive, he barely moved.
TODD: Cwick moves through the camp encountering shell shocked survivors. When tells them he's an American soldier and a Jew, he's mobbed.
CWICK: They began feeling my jacked, my coat, my rifle. Two men grabbed my hands and started to kiss them. I couldn't move. The guy was hanging onto my leg like his life depended on it.
TODD: Cwick later comes upon a fellow American G.I. poking at what Cwick call as a "pile of white stuff," bones and ashes.
CWICK: And I looked at that pile and I wondered, a pile four feet high, how many fathers, how many brothers, how many sons were in that pile? I broke. I still cry. I still cry.
TODD: As the war winds down, he and his company move through Germany coming upon countless enemy soldier and civilians. Ordered to take prisoners, but so shaken by his experience at Buchenwald he never again commands someone to put their hands up. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Heidi, do you think you will give the name to the...
ANNOUNCER: In the 1990s Heidi Fleiss was one of Hollywood's most notorious characters. The then 20-something daughter of a wealthy pediatrician used her family's connections to attract and serves rich and famous clients as the Hollywood madam.
Her arrest and trial became headline news. But she never did reveal the contents of her black boo and was sentenced to three years in prison for procuring prostitution and selling cocaine. When Fleiss was released from prison she started capitalizing on her notoriety, legally. Fleiss has a line of clothing called Heidi Wear. And has a West Hollywood boutique called the Little Shop of Sex. She also invested if her looks undergoing plastic surgery.
HEIDI FLEISS, FMR. MADAM: I had the party, did the party, threw the party, was the party. I'm partied out and I live every day to its fullest and there's lessons that I've learned.
ANNOUNCER: Fleiss wrote a book about her experience called "Pandering." She's also opening a legal brothel in Nevada. On the personal side, she recently faced off in court against former boyfriend and actor Tom Sizemore accusing him of abuse. The Hollywood madam turns 40 this year and would like to be remembered for one thing...
FLEISS: That I took the oldest profession on earth and did it better than anyone on earth. That's it and that's all. Alexander the great conquered the world at 32, I did it at 22.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: On this Mother's Day, this interesting fact. Listen to this. In two-parent families with children under 18, 66 percent of all mothers are employed. We'll talk with the author of the truth behind the mommy wars in just a few minutes.
HARRIS: I need that fact. I need pass it along here.
Time now to take a look at some of the stories that will be in the news this week.
The U.S. Senate reconvenes on Monday. On its list of things to do, settle the filibuster fight. The dispute centers on republican judicial nominees and the democratic senators that have been moving the block their confirmation process.
On Friday, the Pentagon will release its list of military base closings. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld first said the military would close 20 to 25 percent of the bases, but that's been cut in half. A commission is reviewing the capabilities, economic impact and manpower of U.S. military bases.
And all this week CNN celebrates its 25th anniversary by being a category on "Jeopardy." So play along, test your knowledge, and revisit CNN's history.
NGUYEN: I want to check our top stories, right now. President Bush laid a wreath, this morning, at the grave site of hundreds of American World War II dead in the Netherlands. The ceremony is part of his trip to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in Europe.
The president is now in Moscow for more celebrations there and meetings with Russian president Vladimir Putin. He is expected to raise some thorny issues with Putin including the sale of arms to Syria.
And in Baghdad, the U.S. Army says it has nabbed a suspected terror cell leader, along with a former Saddam Hussein officer who has been planning terror attacks across Baghdad. More than 30 other suspected terrorists were also caught in raids around the Iraqi capital.
HARRIS: If you are a mother have you been forced to choose between staying at home to raise your kids or working outside the home? Well, there are lots of moms out there who have had to make that difficult choice and they often find themselves facing off against each other. Is that true? A new book asks some tough questions. It's called the "Truth Behind the Mommy Wars": Who decides what make as good mother." Author Miriam Peskowitz joins us now from Philadelphia.
Miriam, good morning.
MIRIAM PESKOWITZ, AUTHOR: Good morning. Great to be here.
HARRIS: Well, how much of this is really about groups of women facing off against one another? Where do you fall down on this?
PESKOWITZ: Well, there is so much media hype that says working moms hate stay at home moms and that's hype. When you go down to the playgrounds, when you go down to the schoolyards, mothers are supporting each other. And the big secret in America is that 37 percent of mothers are working part time. So, they're in neither camp. And we really need to focus attention on all of these groups of mothers and support them and give them what they need.
HARRIS: Well Miriam, what are you talking about when you say it's a lot of media hype? I mean, aren't these women, as well as men, who are making these editorial decisions that keep this issue on the front burner?
PESKOWITZ: Absolutely, but since the 1980s, since the mid-80s we've had this thing called the "mommy wars," that just keeps having afterlives. We keep going at it. It's an easy story. And it's really preventing us from seeing the really complex lives that mothers are leading and seeing how much help they need and really turning it into a political issue and seeing how we can have change.
HARRIS: OK, to the extent that there is this conflict, how much of it is within these groups of women themselves over this difficult life choice that they have to make?
PESKOWITZ: Some of it is, but mostly mothers, when you go and talk to them and really ask them questions, what they are angry about not what other mothers are doing.
HARRIS: Yeah.
PESKOWITZ: What they are frustrated about is the workplace and they're not supporting them in the choices that they want. All right, so it's hard to work part time, for example, even though huge numbers of women are doing this, because you lose wages and you lose benefits. It's hard to work full time when the day care situation in our country is really terrible and when work hours and workweeks have extended to 60 hours plus, it's very hard to do any of these things. It's hard to stay at home when you know how hard it is to get on ramps back into the workplace when you're ready. So no mother has it easy. And what we need to do is start really talking about that out loud.
HARRIS: Ah, there you go. Hey, I've got something that supports what you are talking about here. Only 23 percent of U.S. businesses offer paid maternity leave for working mothers. This is what you're talking about, right?
PESKOWITZ: That's exactly what I'm talking about. When you talk to mothers and say, what was the first shock you had upon becoming a mother? What they say is not oh it was hard to go into labor. What they say is, I can't believe there's not paid family leave across this, country. Now, California has it now, the state of California has it and the rest of the country has to take political action and follow in their lead.
HARRIS: Hey, you want to ans -- you want to respond to a couple of e-mails we have been receiving this morning?
PESKOWITZ: Sure. Great.
HARRIS: This is from Mary in Gocia (ph), New York. The correct answer is -- the question is -- what is best? Stay at home moms or moms who work outside the home for kids? And her response is the correct answer is "CNN," and this feeds into your notion -- this is a lot of media hype, here. CNN and everybody else needs to stop stirring the pot of working moms versus stay at home moms. We should all support each other individual choices and stop being so judgmental.
PESKOWITZ: Absolutely Mary, I'm with you 100 percent. Thank you.
HARRIS: All right, and how about this one? This is from Tina: "Mothers who stay at home with their children have a different mothering experience than those who drop off their children at day care. They are rewarded with moments that make a childhood precious. They are also burdened with no time to themselves and manic days when things get a little rough. Isn't that kind of the push-pull of this decision?"
PESKOWITZ: Absolutely, there pushes and pulls to all of these decisions. That's the problem that no mother has it easy, here. That's really the problem.
HARRIS: All right, one more. From Terry, "Good morning," good morning, Terry, "Why do we continue to beat up on moms. You feel guilty either way, a mom who loves, cares and is involved in her children's live is the best. If mama ain't happy. Nobody's happy."
PESKOWITZ: That's right. Moms need to be happy. And dads noticed to be happy, too. My -- one of my solution is let's bring all parents involved here. We have -- we're a big country, there's a lot of different kinds of families, a lot of different kinds of parenting situations and we need to get everybody involved in raising kids.
HARRIS: Very good to see you. Best of luck with the book.
PESKOWITZ: Thank you very much.
HARRIS: OK, have a good day.
NGUYEN: And speaking of this push-pull.
I should have wished her happy Mother's Day. Let's hear from you this morning...
HARRIS: I should have wished her a happy Mother's Day, huh?
NGUYEN: You should have.
HARRIS: Ah, shoot.
NGUYEN: Maybe she is watching still. All right, we're getting more e-mails in about this issue. Here's what you're saying. Toby says, "This assumes that all children, all circumstances, all mothers are the same. They're not. Kids, personalities, are as varied and complex as adults. What works for one may not work for the other. This is from the mother of two extremely different children."
HARRIS: I see. And this from Brandy, "I think it's neither. It is the mother that cares and does the best she can for her child."
Thank you very much for the e-mails this is morning. You know, it's interesting. We had a little bit of technical snafu trying to get the e-mail started this morning, but once we figured that out the e-mails poured in.
NGUYEN: They kept coming. Well, I say, you know, my mom worked. She worked all during, you know, my childhood and I think I turned out all right, it's fine. You know?
HARRIS: Well, you know, that's up for final determination. But...
NGUYEN: Tony! How about you, did your mom work or was she a stay-at-home?
HARRIS: Yeah, yeah, my mom worked hard. She worked two jobs for most of her life raising us and she did a great job with us. She did a wonderful job, and I know my wife is going through that right now. Her desires to work and desires to stay home. I mean it's complicated. There's guilt involved on either side.
NGUYEN: There is, you feel like you are missing out on those, like she said, the special moment when you're working and away from the child. So, yeah, the debate is going to rage on, but we appreciate you weighing in on the issues today.
Also we want to say good morning, Washington. Want to give awe live look over the city right now. We'll have the weather forecast when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns on this Mother's Day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: To Washington, D.C. now and to Barbara Starr for a preview of "On the Story" at the top of the hour.
Good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, "ON THE STORY": Good morning, to you, Tony. We're "On the Story" from here in Washington and New York, to Moscow. Jill Dougherty tells us what is on the table when President Bush sits down, later today, with President Putin. I'll be talking about trouble from military recruiters, here, as the war goes on in Iraq.
"Time" magazine's Viveca Novak joins us to talk about her new book, "Inside the Wire." What really goes on at the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mary Snow is "On the Story" of the brain damaged firefighter who began talking again almost a decade. All coming up all "On the Story" -- Tony.
HARRIS: We'll be watching at the top of the hour. Thank you Barbara.
NGUYEN: Also watching Rob Marciano. Hey, you going to send your mom some nice weather today, Rob?
MARCIANO: Yes. Yes, always. Always. Just trying to make her happy.
(LAUGHTER)
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: That's the latest from here guys. Enjoyed it. Happy Mother -- I know, I know Betty you're not a mom yet, and Tony, not that I know you're a mom. Happy Mother's Day to everybody else.
NGUYEN: We don't know. Well, I don't know. We'll check into that.
HARRIS: Oh boy.
MARCIANO: I'm sure he's got a hamster or...
NGUYEN: He has two kids.
HARRIS: Rob, have a great Sunday.
MARCIANO: Yeah.
HARRIS: And that is it for us this morning, thank you for putting up with us.
NGUYEN: We'll see you back here next weekend. "ON THE STORY" is next. Have a fabulous Mother's Day.
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 8, 2005 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, ANCHOR CNN SUNDAY MORNING: After marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, this hour President Bush arrives in Moscow where more history will be made, but diplomacy will also be tested.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, May 8th, Mother's Day. Good morning and happy Mother's Day out there. I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Happy Mother's Day mom, Mandy, Ann.
NGUYEN: Everybody on the list.
NGUYEN: And I'm Tony Harris. It is 9 a.m. in the east. It's 6 a.m. in the west. Thank you for being with us. Let's get you started with headlines now in the news.
In just a few minutes President Bush will arrive in Russia. Bush is expected to bring up some thorny issues with President Vladimir Putin including Russia's arms sales to Syria.
Earlier this morning the president commemorated the end of World War II at a ceremony at a cemetery for American war veterans in the Netherlands.
The U.S. Army says it has nabbed a suspected terrorist cell leader and a former Saddam Hussein officer who has been planning terror attacks across Baghdad. The two were caught in a series of raids across Iraq that corralled a total of 87 suspected terrorist yesterday and again today. U.S. forces also found a large weapons cache.
And there's developments in Iraq's new leadership this morning. The national assembly approved six names to fill cabinet positions, four of those including defense, industry, human rights and deputy prime minister are Sunni Arabs. It is seen as a way to give a stronger voice to the nation's Sunni minority.
NGUYEN: And here's a look at what else is ahead this hour. New legal wrangling in the case of a series of Atlanta child murders more than two decades ago.
Our Soldier's Story this week is one of rebuilding from the inside out. One soldier shares what it's like to get a second chance back home. And we'll look at a war of a different kind on this mother's day between moms who work outside the home and those who choose to stay at home to raise their kids.
HARRIS: And as we await President Bush's arrival in Russia let's take a look at the ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Earlier this morning in the Netherlands the president and Queen Beatrix laid wreaths at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, 8,301 U.S. veterans are buried there. Later Mr. Bush spoke of the triumphs of those soldiers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: On this day we celebrate the victory they won, and we recommit ourselves to the great truth that they defended, that freedom is the birthright of all mankind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And after the event Mr. Bush left for Moscow.
NGUYEN: The president is expected to arrive there shortly for a visit that continues the commemoration of VE Day, but also includes dealing with current world issues. With more on Mr. Bush's trip on Russia we go live to our Moscow bureau chief, Jill Dougherty.
And Jill, the Kremlin has described this trip by the president as meddling. How high are the tensions between President Bush and Vladimir Putin?
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they do have a good working relationship, you'd have to say that, Betty, but there are a lot of tensions and a lot of those are coming up over behavior that President Bush would say is not up to the standards of democracy. And he's been very open about criticizing President Vladimir Putin about that, what they call roll backs in democracy.
But part of the big emphasis here really will be on World War II the partnership between the allies, between Russia and the United States at that time. And you're going to hear some themes, especially coming from President Putin about trying to translate that partnership back in the 1940s to partnership today in the war on terror.
NGUYEN: Also, Jill, they will be meeting privately, President Bush and Vladimir Putin, shortly after he arrives in Moscow. Anything else expected on the agenda in that meeting?
DOUGHERTY: You know they're not supposed to really get into any grand agreements or anything like that. In fact, the meeting could actually last just about an hour after President Bush arrives here at the airport. And by the way it's raining, but we don't expect that this is going to last forever because, as you know, in Moscow they seed the clouds, so they'll blow all of this away and tomorrow should be a nice day. But President Bush goes off to the dacha, this residence in the suburbs of President Putin, has that one hour meeting. Then they have a dinner. And then they'll be back here and tomorrow will begin those big celebrations.
And, Betty, also one quick thing, President Putin doesn't talk about this very much, but he had some personal comments about what his family went through during World War II. He said about half of his relatives were killed. His grandmother was killed. And they even lost his mother and his father, lost a little boy who was born before Putin was born during that war -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Very interesting. Jill Dougherty, we appreciate that. And we just want to remind our viewers that the president will be arriving in Moscow in about five minutes from now.
Thanks, Jill.
HARRIS: Now to a new development in a series of murders a quarter century ago. The attorney for Wayne Williams is asking for a new trial. Williams was convicted in two of the so-called Atlanta child murders. After his conviction Atlanta police said he was responsible for most of the other 27 killings. But now a police chief is reopening the cases of four victims.
Dekalb County Georgia police chief, Louis Graham believes Williams is innocent, but Williams' prosecutor now, a city court solicitor, says there is no evidence, certainly no new evidence to warrant reopening the cases.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH DROLET, CITY COURT OF ATLANTA SOLICITOR: When they found Wayne Williams they did a search warrant on his home. The home was carpeted in the Wellman 181-B fiber that was found on all of his victims. They also found that as many as 11 different items from that home matched fibers found on the victims. Then as Wayne Williams would get rid of an automobile and get another automobile the fabric from the first automobile would quit showing up on victims.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Georgia state representative Tyrone Brooks is a supporter of Wayne Williams. Brooks has known Williams for years and has visited him in prison. Representative Brooks joins us now on the phone from Warrenton, Georgia.
Tyrone, good to talk to you.
REP. TYRONE BROOKS (D), GEORGIA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Good to talk to you, Tony. Thank you.
HARRIS: Well, I have to ask you first did you play any kind of a role in having at least these four cases reopened?
BROOKS: No, I didn't play any role in having these four cases reopened. But I want to commend my friend Louis Graham, the best homicide director in America, who was the man who ran the homicide division of the Atlanta police department when this saga occurred, and he's never been convinced that Wayne Williams is guilty. I'm not convinced that Wayne Williams is guilty. I'm just happy that Louis is opening those cases that reside in his jurisdiction in Dekalb County.
HARRIS: Tyrone, if Williams is found not to be responsible for these four deaths, the part of the case that is being reopened, does that in your mind mean that he is not guilty of any of the murders?
BROOKS: I don't believe he's guilty of any of the murders. Wayne was a freelance journalist. He's been working for a lot of media in Atlanta, a lot of TV stations employed him. I think he got a little too close to the investigation and stepped on investigators toes.
I was not convinced in the early '80s that Wayne was a person who would commit such a heinous crime. I've known him a long time. He's never ever indicated to me otherwise, so I believe that he deserves another chance to state his case before a jury of his peers. I hope that at some point the courts would reopen the case and give this young man an opportunity to receive real justice.
But also the victims, the families of those who died deserve closure. They can never receive closure until in their mind the real person or persons are incarcerated for these heinous crimes. So I hope and pray that at some point we will see this case completely reopened.
You know Wayne was only tied to two cases by circumstantial evidence, and the rest of the cases were just closed out. And I think the families are saying, well my God what about our relative who were never (inaudible) Wayne Williams.
HARRIS: Hey, Tyrone.
BROOKS: Yes.
HARRIS: Take us back to that. How did that happen? I mean I know it was, what, 20, 25 -- a lot of years ago (inaudible) years ago. So how did that happen that he's convicted of two of the murders and yet all of the other cases that are unsolved are lumped in?
BROOKS: That was a mystery to me. I've never seen that happen in the American criminal justice system, and that baffled the minds of all of us who had been working the community, working with the families and searching for the children and adults who were captured and killed.
Dick Gregory told me in 1980 that he thought there was a connection between a white racist group the Ku Klux Klan or some other group that was using the law enforcement cover but having badges and police cars or a car that looked like police cars to go into our community and take these children and adults and kill them, and I really believe there's some substance to what Dick Gregory said in 1980. But it baffled me that you could take two cases out of these many, tie them to one suspect and then dismiss the others with no justification. That's another call for justice here. I think those victims who -- those families who were really crying out for justice, who's never seen justice in those cases deserve an opportunity to have their cases heard.
The families have been the real champions of Wayne Williams. These families who are the real victims in these cases have held news conferences. They've lobbied law enforcement for years and years and they said, we don't believe Wayne Williams is guilty. I don't believe Wayne Williams is guilty and I know Louis Graham doesn't believe it.
HARRIS: OK, well then...
BROOKS: Hopefully these cases in Dekalb will lead to -- really lead to the opening of all of the cases.
HARRIS: I see. All right, Tyrone, let's leave it there. And I know you'll be watching. We'll be watching as well. Thanks for taking the time this morning.
NGUYEN: Just ahead we are going to meet a soldier who came home to deal with life changing injuries and got some lift changing help.
HARRIS: And on this Mother's Day we want your input. What's better for kids, a mother who stays at home or a mother who works outside the home? E-mail us at wam@cnn.com.
Good morning, Rob.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: It was February 1945. She was a 25 year old Soviet spy. Her job, to be the translator for world leaders. Now at the age of 85 hear this woman's thoughts about being behind the scenes during World War II. That's coming up at 11 a.m. eastern here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You're looking at live pictures now of a Mother's Day ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It is the sixth annual Mother's Day at the wall. The ceremony honors mothers of those who served and sacrificed in war. The mothers are being given roses and cards hand made by students from across the country and the moms are reading notes from those cards.
NGUYEN: Today we put the spotlight on rebuilding lives in this morning's Soldier's Story. After suffering an injury in Iraq that left him paralyzed, Mark Mix says his biggest worry was how to put a roof over his family's head. The coalition to salute America's heroes came to the rescue. So let's talk about that.
Here is Mark Mix from Columbus, Ohio joining us this morning, and Tracy Reep, a spokesman for the coalition also joining us from Dallas. We want to thank you both for being here. Let's start with you Mark, if we could, to fully understand your worries we have to understand your injuries. Now you were first injured in the Philippines serving there. You had the opportunity to get out of the military you say, no, send me back in. You went to Iraq. What happened there?
MARK MIX, FORMER U.S. NAVY SEABEE: We was building a (inaudible) for the armory and a two by six come down about 20 feet and struck me in the lower back reoccurring my injuries and eventually paralyzing me.
NGUYEN: So you are paralyzed from the waist down. Is that correct?
MIX: Yes, ma'am.
NGUYEN: This not only has changed your life but also just maneuvering around your own home as become challenging. Tell us about that.
MIX: Everything is a lot different. Trying to -- everything from getting up in the morning to getting through doorways and getting a simple glass out of the cupboard to get something to drink has changed.
NGUYEN: Tracy, now this is where the coalition comes in. This is a happy story in the respect that it's going to be helping Mark in many, many ways. Tell us how.
TRACY REEP, CSAH: Well, first of all, the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes being a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501, C-3 (ph) organization that helps to rebuild the lives of disabled and severely wounded veterans we have several different programs, one of which is reaching out to Mark, which is the homes for wheelchair restricted and disabled veterans. This is a combination effort of private and public organizations as well as the coalition to provide an opportunity for these soldiers that their lives have changed dramatically and are wheelchair bound to be able to have a home that they don't have to realize these inconveniences at every turn.
NGUYEN: OK. And Larry (sic), how did this play out? Did you find them? Did they find you? What happened?
MIX: It was -- I actually put a lot of emphasis on the American Legion. The American legion sent me down -- got me into therapy and then my therapist sent me to Orlando to a conference and every since then it was amazing.
NGUYEN: Amazing is exactly the right word. So we understand fully, are they paying for this and building this new home for you?
MIX: Yes it is fairly no cost to the veteran themselves. As he was saying, it's a nonprofit organization with them and the VA the house will come together.
NGUYEN: And this is going to make your life a lot easier. What kind of weight has been lifted off of your shoulders because of this? MIX: There has been a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders. When I was put into the chair I -- my biggest worry was putting a roof over my kids head. And the main thing that went through my mind was I went around the country, around the world building roofs over other peoples heads in different countries and I can't do it for my own kids today. And when they told us that they were going to sponsor us a home it was an enormous weight lifted off my shoulders.
NGUYEN: Tracy hearing that must make you so proud to be a part of an organization like the coalition that helps folks like Mark.
REEP: Truly. First of all, I'm blessed to be able to be a part of this organization, and to work as a spokesperson and be able to talk about these particular programs. For instance with Mark it is a partnership, for instance, with Remax realtors that are going to provide basically financing for $150,000. Let's say on an average, you know, an average new home being $300,000. Mark would be asked to finance $50,000 of that. There are disability grants that are available that can combine to be another $50,000. And then we often will go to retail organizations to get gifts in kind, which can cover about half the cost of one of these newly build homes.
Well, Remax, obviously there's $150,000 or so left on your average new home that an organization has to step up and help to cover and they've done that.
NGUYEN: You know what, it's a wonderful thing. And numbers aside, Mike, I have to ask you when do you get to move into this new home?
MIX: Hopefully soon. If everything goes toward plans we should start breaking round in a couple of weeks.
NGUYEN: That is wonderful. Enjoy your new home.
MIX: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Take care both of you.
REEP: Thank you, Betty.
HARRIS: And checking our top stories. U.S. soldiers have captured 33 terror suspects during a series of raids around Baghdad. Military officials say the top officer in Saddam Hussein's military is among those captured. So is a suspected terror cell leader.
President Bush has arrived in Moscow this hour ahead of a big VE- Day celebration tomorrow. The president meets privately today with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Mr. Bush is expected to continue his call for spreading democracy.
And in Britain veterans of World War II watched as Prince Charles placed a wreath at a London memorial. It marks the 60 anniversary of the Nazi defeat in Europe.
NGUYEN: As the world remembers the allied victory in Europe, we will hear from an American veteran who stumbled upon a Nazi horror he will never forget when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns.
HARRIS: But first on this Mother's Day an interesting tidbit, working mothers tend to earn less in their lifetime than men.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Call it a real long shot. You'd have to. What else would you call it? Fifty to one long shot, Giacomo roared down the home stretch. That's him there. Well in a second he's gong to pull into the lead here and take off and there he is on the outside winning this thing with jockey Mike Smith and the green silks there to win the 131st Kentucky Derby. The three year old colt earning 1,630,000 bones. Not bad.
NGUYEN: Not bad. I really thought Afleet Alex was going to take it, but then Giacomo came up...
HARRIS: You don't know a thing about...
NGUYEN: I (inaudible) them. I did. I'm the only one up here who won. How'd you do?
HARRIS: You know, I don't wager.
NGUYEN: How did you do, Rob?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Gambling is for sinners.
HARRIS: It's a sin.
MARCIANO: You're a sinner.
NGUYEN: I didn't bet any money. It's a free bet.
HARRIS: Now you can bet money.
NGUYEN: Let's make that clear.
MARCIANO: OK. All right.
HARRIS: She's backtracking.
MARCIANO: I went to Churchill Downs when that horse...
NGUYEN: Yes, I know.
MARCIANO: I mean these people were just losing...
NGUYEN: People lost big or they won big.
MARCIANO: Very few won big.
NGUYEN: Yes, very few.
(WEATHER REPORT) NGUYEN: What's better for kids, a mom who works or a mom who stays at? Well, on this Mother's Day we will ask the author of "Mommy Wars." The battle lines get drawn. That's ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
HARRIS: But first, a CNN extra. Your parenting styles could affect your kids test scores. What matters, according to the U.S. Department of Education, is how much education and money you have by the time you have kids and how involved you are in their schools. So, TV, museum trips, Head Start and even spanking won't do as much as your own education and career. Take that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: On the 60th anniversary of World War II ending in Europe we will hear from a U.S. veteran who liberated the Buchenwald concentration camp. I want to welcome you back, right now, on this Mother's Day.
Happy Mother's Day, I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris, that story coming up, first here's what is happening now in the news.
NGUYEN: President Bush is now in Russia, the third stop on his European tour. Now this morning in the Netherlands Mr. Bush and Dutch Queen Beatrix honored the World War II dead at the American Cemetery, there. More than 8,000 Americans are buried there.
Other nations are also marking the V.E. Day. The signing of the Berlin Armistice ended the war in Europe 60 years ago today. Ceremonies in Paris included a military parade, and President Jacques Chirac laid a wreath at the tomb of France's unknown soldier.
In Iraq now, U.S. and Iraqi soldiers killed six insurgents and captured another 54 near the Syrian border. The military also made raids in Baghdad taking 33 people into custody. Coalition forces also destroyed car bombs, bomb making materials and large weapons caches or -- large weapons.
HARRIS: And President Bush's European trip is among the top stories today at CNN.com. Here, to tell us what else is hot there today, Veronica de la Cruz of the dot com desk.
Good morning.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you.
HARRIS: Happy Mother's Day to you. Send that along to your mom.
DE LA CRUZ: OK, yeah. I will do that. Happy Mother's Day to you, you're mother.
HARRIS: What are you calling me here? What are you saying here?
DE LA CRUZ: I'm telling to tell your wife happy Mother's Day, plus your mother.
OK. All right. Good to see you Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: All right? Nice to see you. All right, Tony.
Well to find these most popular stories you are going to go ahead and go to the main page. Click on the icon "most popular" on the right hand side of your screen or type in CNN.com/most popular.
Well, you might have seen this story from CNN's investigative unit on "CNN Prime," Thursday evening and now it is receiving a lot of traffic on our Web site. The number one story comes to us from Charleston, South Carolina, where this man, whom you are about to see, right here, once a respected police officer is now the focus of an international manhunt. Daniel Hiers is wanted in the murder of his wife. He is also accused of molesting an 11-year-old girl. The allegation against Hiers has left the South Carolina town in shock, needless to say.
Now our number two story, also from the Southeast. This one is from Atlanta, Georgia. Wayne Williams is serving life sentences for two murders. After his convictions, Atlanta police said he was responsible for more than 20 other killings that happened between 1979 and 1981, the so-called Atlanta child murders. The police chief of DeKalb County, Georgia, is now forming a cold case squad to re-examine four of those deaths. He was the investigators in the murder case as quarter century ago and believes Williams is not responsible for those child murders.
And, of course, you can find all the details at your fingertips at CNN.com. And, of course, from Tony and Betty whom, I'm sure will fill you in.
HARRIS: Yep, absolutely. So watch CNN, day and night, but every once in a while you can click on...
DE LA CRUZ: No, no, no, you got it backwards.
HARRIS: Oh, got you. All right. Self-interest, I understand. Veronica, good to see you. Thanks.
HARRIS: Some competing interest here, this morning.
Speaking of news. Here's a look across America. Hundreds of mourners gathered in Kansas City, Missouri to remember the little girl they called "Precious Doe." Erica Green's remains were found four years ago, but her identity was not revealed publicly until this week. Eric's mother and step father are now accused in her death.
Some dramatic pictures out of Oklahoma. Look at this. Firefighters responding to a house fire in Tulsa, ran out of the burning building covered in flames. Their fellow firefighters were able to put out the flames and no one was hurt. The abandoned house was destroyed and the arson unit is investigating that fire.
A stain on a Chicago overpass is once again drawing visitors after getting a cleanup job. Some believe the stain looks like the Virgin Mary. But on Thursday, someone scrawled the words "big lie" over the image. Two car wash employees cleaned up the graffiti, now the faithful, they are coming back for another look.
HARRIS: People in countries across Europe, today, are marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in the continent, often referred to as V.E. Day. In Berlin, in which had been the capital of Hitler's third Reich. Chancellor Schroeder attended a church service to remember the victims of Nazi Germany. Ceremonies in Paris included a military parade, along the Champs Elysees. President Chirac laid a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier.
And in Britain, Prince Charles was among those laying wreaths at a London ceremony, this morning. A V.E. commemoration concert is set for later today.
As we've mentioned, President Bush will take part in tomorrow's V.E. ceremony in Russia. The Soviet army played a pivotal role in stopping the Nazi war machine and suffered huge losses. While Soviets advanced on Berlin from the East, U.S. troops pushed through Europe from the West. President Bush paused today to pay his respects to the American forces who died liberating the Netherlands. One of the American soldiers who participated in the liberation of Europe still recalls how he literally stumbled into hell. CNN's Brian Todd has his unforgettable story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOWARD CWICK, WWII VETERAN: Thank you guys.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite a recent foot injury, Howard Cwick is a spry, cheerful, 81-year-old. He's exceedingly friendly even when asked about the dark day 60 years ago when this self-described mama's boy from Brooklyn suddenly grew up.
Spring 1945. U.S. Army corporal Howard Cwick is a demolition expert with a company that just fought its way into central Germany. One day he hops a ride on a jeep he thinks is taking him to headquarters. It's the wrong jeep. The driver says he's seen something he needs to investigate. They come upon a huge complex of buildings and barbed wire with an unlocked gate. Soon joined by a few other soldiers they go inside.
CWICK: And as far as the eye can see, like from one end of the world to the other, there were dead bodies.
TODD: Cwick is among the first Americans to stumble onto Buchenwald, one of the largest most notorious Nazi concentration camps.
CWICK: Bodies and bodies and bodies. Every so often you would find a live one, but it was hard to tell he was alive, he barely moved.
TODD: Cwick moves through the camp encountering shell shocked survivors. When tells them he's an American soldier and a Jew, he's mobbed.
CWICK: They began feeling my jacked, my coat, my rifle. Two men grabbed my hands and started to kiss them. I couldn't move. The guy was hanging onto my leg like his life depended on it.
TODD: Cwick later comes upon a fellow American G.I. poking at what Cwick call as a "pile of white stuff," bones and ashes.
CWICK: And I looked at that pile and I wondered, a pile four feet high, how many fathers, how many brothers, how many sons were in that pile? I broke. I still cry. I still cry.
TODD: As the war winds down, he and his company move through Germany coming upon countless enemy soldier and civilians. Ordered to take prisoners, but so shaken by his experience at Buchenwald he never again commands someone to put their hands up. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Heidi, do you think you will give the name to the...
ANNOUNCER: In the 1990s Heidi Fleiss was one of Hollywood's most notorious characters. The then 20-something daughter of a wealthy pediatrician used her family's connections to attract and serves rich and famous clients as the Hollywood madam.
Her arrest and trial became headline news. But she never did reveal the contents of her black boo and was sentenced to three years in prison for procuring prostitution and selling cocaine. When Fleiss was released from prison she started capitalizing on her notoriety, legally. Fleiss has a line of clothing called Heidi Wear. And has a West Hollywood boutique called the Little Shop of Sex. She also invested if her looks undergoing plastic surgery.
HEIDI FLEISS, FMR. MADAM: I had the party, did the party, threw the party, was the party. I'm partied out and I live every day to its fullest and there's lessons that I've learned.
ANNOUNCER: Fleiss wrote a book about her experience called "Pandering." She's also opening a legal brothel in Nevada. On the personal side, she recently faced off in court against former boyfriend and actor Tom Sizemore accusing him of abuse. The Hollywood madam turns 40 this year and would like to be remembered for one thing...
FLEISS: That I took the oldest profession on earth and did it better than anyone on earth. That's it and that's all. Alexander the great conquered the world at 32, I did it at 22.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: On this Mother's Day, this interesting fact. Listen to this. In two-parent families with children under 18, 66 percent of all mothers are employed. We'll talk with the author of the truth behind the mommy wars in just a few minutes.
HARRIS: I need that fact. I need pass it along here.
Time now to take a look at some of the stories that will be in the news this week.
The U.S. Senate reconvenes on Monday. On its list of things to do, settle the filibuster fight. The dispute centers on republican judicial nominees and the democratic senators that have been moving the block their confirmation process.
On Friday, the Pentagon will release its list of military base closings. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld first said the military would close 20 to 25 percent of the bases, but that's been cut in half. A commission is reviewing the capabilities, economic impact and manpower of U.S. military bases.
And all this week CNN celebrates its 25th anniversary by being a category on "Jeopardy." So play along, test your knowledge, and revisit CNN's history.
NGUYEN: I want to check our top stories, right now. President Bush laid a wreath, this morning, at the grave site of hundreds of American World War II dead in the Netherlands. The ceremony is part of his trip to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Nazi defeat in Europe.
The president is now in Moscow for more celebrations there and meetings with Russian president Vladimir Putin. He is expected to raise some thorny issues with Putin including the sale of arms to Syria.
And in Baghdad, the U.S. Army says it has nabbed a suspected terror cell leader, along with a former Saddam Hussein officer who has been planning terror attacks across Baghdad. More than 30 other suspected terrorists were also caught in raids around the Iraqi capital.
HARRIS: If you are a mother have you been forced to choose between staying at home to raise your kids or working outside the home? Well, there are lots of moms out there who have had to make that difficult choice and they often find themselves facing off against each other. Is that true? A new book asks some tough questions. It's called the "Truth Behind the Mommy Wars": Who decides what make as good mother." Author Miriam Peskowitz joins us now from Philadelphia.
Miriam, good morning.
MIRIAM PESKOWITZ, AUTHOR: Good morning. Great to be here.
HARRIS: Well, how much of this is really about groups of women facing off against one another? Where do you fall down on this?
PESKOWITZ: Well, there is so much media hype that says working moms hate stay at home moms and that's hype. When you go down to the playgrounds, when you go down to the schoolyards, mothers are supporting each other. And the big secret in America is that 37 percent of mothers are working part time. So, they're in neither camp. And we really need to focus attention on all of these groups of mothers and support them and give them what they need.
HARRIS: Well Miriam, what are you talking about when you say it's a lot of media hype? I mean, aren't these women, as well as men, who are making these editorial decisions that keep this issue on the front burner?
PESKOWITZ: Absolutely, but since the 1980s, since the mid-80s we've had this thing called the "mommy wars," that just keeps having afterlives. We keep going at it. It's an easy story. And it's really preventing us from seeing the really complex lives that mothers are leading and seeing how much help they need and really turning it into a political issue and seeing how we can have change.
HARRIS: OK, to the extent that there is this conflict, how much of it is within these groups of women themselves over this difficult life choice that they have to make?
PESKOWITZ: Some of it is, but mostly mothers, when you go and talk to them and really ask them questions, what they are angry about not what other mothers are doing.
HARRIS: Yeah.
PESKOWITZ: What they are frustrated about is the workplace and they're not supporting them in the choices that they want. All right, so it's hard to work part time, for example, even though huge numbers of women are doing this, because you lose wages and you lose benefits. It's hard to work full time when the day care situation in our country is really terrible and when work hours and workweeks have extended to 60 hours plus, it's very hard to do any of these things. It's hard to stay at home when you know how hard it is to get on ramps back into the workplace when you're ready. So no mother has it easy. And what we need to do is start really talking about that out loud.
HARRIS: Ah, there you go. Hey, I've got something that supports what you are talking about here. Only 23 percent of U.S. businesses offer paid maternity leave for working mothers. This is what you're talking about, right?
PESKOWITZ: That's exactly what I'm talking about. When you talk to mothers and say, what was the first shock you had upon becoming a mother? What they say is not oh it was hard to go into labor. What they say is, I can't believe there's not paid family leave across this, country. Now, California has it now, the state of California has it and the rest of the country has to take political action and follow in their lead.
HARRIS: Hey, you want to ans -- you want to respond to a couple of e-mails we have been receiving this morning?
PESKOWITZ: Sure. Great.
HARRIS: This is from Mary in Gocia (ph), New York. The correct answer is -- the question is -- what is best? Stay at home moms or moms who work outside the home for kids? And her response is the correct answer is "CNN," and this feeds into your notion -- this is a lot of media hype, here. CNN and everybody else needs to stop stirring the pot of working moms versus stay at home moms. We should all support each other individual choices and stop being so judgmental.
PESKOWITZ: Absolutely Mary, I'm with you 100 percent. Thank you.
HARRIS: All right, and how about this one? This is from Tina: "Mothers who stay at home with their children have a different mothering experience than those who drop off their children at day care. They are rewarded with moments that make a childhood precious. They are also burdened with no time to themselves and manic days when things get a little rough. Isn't that kind of the push-pull of this decision?"
PESKOWITZ: Absolutely, there pushes and pulls to all of these decisions. That's the problem that no mother has it easy, here. That's really the problem.
HARRIS: All right, one more. From Terry, "Good morning," good morning, Terry, "Why do we continue to beat up on moms. You feel guilty either way, a mom who loves, cares and is involved in her children's live is the best. If mama ain't happy. Nobody's happy."
PESKOWITZ: That's right. Moms need to be happy. And dads noticed to be happy, too. My -- one of my solution is let's bring all parents involved here. We have -- we're a big country, there's a lot of different kinds of families, a lot of different kinds of parenting situations and we need to get everybody involved in raising kids.
HARRIS: Very good to see you. Best of luck with the book.
PESKOWITZ: Thank you very much.
HARRIS: OK, have a good day.
NGUYEN: And speaking of this push-pull.
I should have wished her happy Mother's Day. Let's hear from you this morning...
HARRIS: I should have wished her a happy Mother's Day, huh?
NGUYEN: You should have.
HARRIS: Ah, shoot.
NGUYEN: Maybe she is watching still. All right, we're getting more e-mails in about this issue. Here's what you're saying. Toby says, "This assumes that all children, all circumstances, all mothers are the same. They're not. Kids, personalities, are as varied and complex as adults. What works for one may not work for the other. This is from the mother of two extremely different children."
HARRIS: I see. And this from Brandy, "I think it's neither. It is the mother that cares and does the best she can for her child."
Thank you very much for the e-mails this is morning. You know, it's interesting. We had a little bit of technical snafu trying to get the e-mail started this morning, but once we figured that out the e-mails poured in.
NGUYEN: They kept coming. Well, I say, you know, my mom worked. She worked all during, you know, my childhood and I think I turned out all right, it's fine. You know?
HARRIS: Well, you know, that's up for final determination. But...
NGUYEN: Tony! How about you, did your mom work or was she a stay-at-home?
HARRIS: Yeah, yeah, my mom worked hard. She worked two jobs for most of her life raising us and she did a great job with us. She did a wonderful job, and I know my wife is going through that right now. Her desires to work and desires to stay home. I mean it's complicated. There's guilt involved on either side.
NGUYEN: There is, you feel like you are missing out on those, like she said, the special moment when you're working and away from the child. So, yeah, the debate is going to rage on, but we appreciate you weighing in on the issues today.
Also we want to say good morning, Washington. Want to give awe live look over the city right now. We'll have the weather forecast when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns on this Mother's Day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: To Washington, D.C. now and to Barbara Starr for a preview of "On the Story" at the top of the hour.
Good morning, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, "ON THE STORY": Good morning, to you, Tony. We're "On the Story" from here in Washington and New York, to Moscow. Jill Dougherty tells us what is on the table when President Bush sits down, later today, with President Putin. I'll be talking about trouble from military recruiters, here, as the war goes on in Iraq.
"Time" magazine's Viveca Novak joins us to talk about her new book, "Inside the Wire." What really goes on at the detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mary Snow is "On the Story" of the brain damaged firefighter who began talking again almost a decade. All coming up all "On the Story" -- Tony.
HARRIS: We'll be watching at the top of the hour. Thank you Barbara.
NGUYEN: Also watching Rob Marciano. Hey, you going to send your mom some nice weather today, Rob?
MARCIANO: Yes. Yes, always. Always. Just trying to make her happy.
(LAUGHTER)
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: That's the latest from here guys. Enjoyed it. Happy Mother -- I know, I know Betty you're not a mom yet, and Tony, not that I know you're a mom. Happy Mother's Day to everybody else.
NGUYEN: We don't know. Well, I don't know. We'll check into that.
HARRIS: Oh boy.
MARCIANO: I'm sure he's got a hamster or...
NGUYEN: He has two kids.
HARRIS: Rob, have a great Sunday.
MARCIANO: Yeah.
HARRIS: And that is it for us this morning, thank you for putting up with us.
NGUYEN: We'll see you back here next weekend. "ON THE STORY" is next. Have a fabulous Mother's Day.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
