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CNN Sunday Morning
Violence Rocks Parts of Iraq; Bush to Address Nation on Immigration
Aired May 14, 2006 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Violence again rocks northern and southern Iraq this morning. We're going to tell you all about that. It's Sunday, May 14th. Good morning, everybody from the CNN Center here in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Happy mother's day.
NGUYEN: Happy mother's day everybody.
HARRIS: Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris, thank you for starting your day with us. A live report from Baghdad is straight ahead, but, first, a check of other headlines now in the news.
NGUYEN: Awesome pictures from Indonesia. Just take a moment to take a look at this. Molten lava flowing down the mountain. It oozes down the slopes of Mount Merapi. Authorities still warn a major eruption could come at any time. Thousands fled their mountainside villages, but amazingly, many stayed behind with their crops and livestock. We'll give you a live report a little bit later in the show.
Gang attacks and prison uprisings claim three dozen lives in Sao Paulo. Many of the victims are Brazilian police officers. With machine guns and grenades, gangs launched a wave of attacks across Sao Paulo this weekend. Inmates are holding nearly 200 hostages, including prison employees and visiting families.
HARRIS: Baton Rouge police have arrested a 19-year-old suspect in connection with the death of a USC basketball player. Investigators say freshman point guard Ryan Francis was shot while riding in a car with several others. He was in Baton Rouge visiting his mother.
Live this hour in Washington, a special mother's day ceremony at the wall, the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Fund is hosting the event. This morning's featured speaker is gold star mother Dorothy Oxendine.
Well, no other issue in America right now is commanding as much attention as the battle over illegal immigration. CNN has deployed its vast resources to keep you fully informed around-the-clock on this complex topic. As you know, President Bush will address the nation tomorrow night. It could be a pivotal moment in the national debate. Our extensive special coverage begins tomorrow on "AMERICAN MORNING" at 6:00 eastern and then continues throughout the day and into prime time and then beyond. CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House to give us a sense of what is going on behind the scenes. Good morning, Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty. That's right, this will be the first time President Bush has used an Oval Office address in prime time to talk about a domestic issue. And, really, this is a sign of the importance President Bush is placing on this topic of illegal immigration. Now, a senior Bush aide says that a main focus will, in fact, be border security. And as you know, President Bush has been under some intense pressure from conservative republicans in the house who want tougher measures on border security.
One plan the president is considering, according to pentagon sources and a senior Bush aide is enhancing the role of the National Guard along the U.S. border with Mexico. At the same time, the president has no plans to back away from an idea he strongly supports, and that is the idea of a temporary guest-worker program. Mr. Bush has called that a critical component of controlling the border, but critics call that amnesty, because it could provide a path for citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Now, why at this point, for this address? Well, the senate is set to take up this issue once again this week. The White House is calling this crunch time. So look for the president to, again, reiterate what he wants to see in a comprehensive immigration bill, border security, interior enforcement, but also a temporary guest- worker program. And on that last point, of course, he will have some convincing to do, especially with members of his own party. A senior administration here official, Betty, acknowledges it is going to be a, quote, "heavy lift." Betty?
NGUYEN: He's going to put the pressure on tomorrow night. We'll be watching. Elaine Quijano at the White House. Thank you, Elaine.
CNN's extensive live coverage of the president's address begins tomorrow with "AMERICAN MORNING" as we mentioned at 6:00 eastern and then it continues throughout the day with reports from the U.S./Mexico border and on Capitol Hill.
Now, our prime-time coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. eastern. Here's the full lineup. When Lou Dobbs joins Wolf Blitzer for a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM" that's going to be a good one.
HARRIS: Fireworks.
NGUYEN: Yeah. And after the speech, Lou Dobbs is going to host another special edition of "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT."
HARRIS: Fireworks.
NGUYEN: Can you tell? It's going to be good. "LARRY KING LIVE" is up at 9:00 eastern, reporting live from the border.
HARRIS: Fireworks.
NGUYEN: And then Anderson Cooper wraps it all up with a very special edition of "AC 360." You don't want to miss it. It's all here on CNN.
HARRIS: Fireworks!
NGUYEN: It's going to be.
HARRIS: It's the word of the day.
Vice President Dick Cheney is coming under greater scrutiny in the CIA leak investigation. Court papers show Cheney's handwritten notes on a "New York Times" op-ed piece written by former ambassador Joe Wilson. The vice president's notes pose a series of questions first. "Have they done this sort of thing before? Send an ambassador to answer a question. Do we ordinarily send people out pro bono to work for us? Or did his wife send him on a junket?
Well Wilson's wife, CIA agent Valerie Plame, is not mentioned by name. The notes were made before her identity was exposed. The document surfaced as part of the probe of Cheney's former chief of staff, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who is charged in connection with a leak of Plame's identity.
NGUYEN: Well, the string of new violence rips through Baghdad today. At least five roadside bombs, two suicide attacks, that's just so far. British soldiers are among more than 30 people killed. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is live in Baghdad with the latest on all this violence. Ryan, bring us up to speed.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sure, Betty. An awful lot of violence in Iraq over the last 24 hours. As you say, at least 29 killed, dozens more wounded. In the Iraqi capital alone this morning, a total of five bombings, the most lethal of them going off on the road out to Baghdad's airport. 14 Iraqis killed in that one attack. And then south of the Iraqi capital, late last night, a roadside bomb blew up, targeting a British military patrol. That bomb killed at least two members of the British military and wounded one more.
And in addition to those apparent insurgent attacks, there have been plenty of sectarian attacks. A total of six Shiite shrines were blown up over the last 24 hours. No one hurt in any of those attacks, but anytime, you have damage to a shrine or a mosque in Iraq, it raises concern that there will be reprisal attacks and that sectarian tensions are already high here, will go even higher. Betty?
NGUYEN: The latest numbers, 32 people killed. This was, like, an up-tick in violence. Why today?
CHILCOTE: Well, the insurgents, of course, not saying, but what we do know is that the Iraqi parliament convened today. Anytime the Iraqi parliament meets or there is progress on the political front in this country, the insurgents almost always raise their level of attacks. And that could be what we're seeing today. Of course, we're seeing it throughout the country. The north, here in Baghdad, and the south. Betty?
NGUYEN: Ryan Chilcote in Baghdad. Thanks for bringing us up to speed on that Ryan. We'll talk to you later. Well the deadline is tomorrow, folks, for seniors who have not signed up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit program, and if you have questions, many of you do, we have answers. In fact, we're going to talk to the man in charge.
HARRIS: Really?
NGUYEN: Yep, Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, he's going to be here talking to us live, that's when we come back.
HARRIS: On our program, this morning?
NGUYEN: Yep.
HARRIS: The man in charge?
NGUYEN: The man in charge, getting the answers straight from the top.
HARRIS: That's CNN SUNDAY MORNING for you. Also the volcano watch continues. We will go live to Indonesia for an update on the situation there. Reynolds, good morning.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My name is gunnery sergeant David Lee (ph), with RCG7 in (INAUDIBLE) Iraq. I'd like to wish my mom, my sister and my wife a happy mother's day. In Lodi, California. I love you and miss you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Greetings from Baghdad, Iraq. My name is Staff Sergeant Saturday (ph). I'd like to send a special mother's day greeting to my wife Roberta and to my two children, Princess Jasmine and Prince Donnie in Los Angeles, California.
Happy mother's day, Aunt Tammy, Aunt Linda, Aunt Rachel, Aunt Roro, and Aunt Rita. Sorry, if I forgot anybody. This is from Iraq. I love you guys. I hope you guys have a very happy mother's day. I'm taking care. I love you and I miss you. Bye, guys.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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NGUYEN: Tomorrow night, the president addresses the nation on the immigration situation. CNN's extensive live coverage of the president's address begins tomorrow with "AMERICAN MORNING" at 6:00 eastern and it continues throughout the day with reports from the U.S./Mexico border and Capitol Hill. Now, our prime-time coverage, take a look at it, it begins at 7:00 eastern when Lou Dobbs joins Wolf Blitzer for a special edition of "THE SITUATION ROOM." And after the speech, Lou Dobbs weighs in, he hosts a special edition of "LOU DOBBS TONIGHT." Then "LARRY KING LIVE" is up at 9:00 eastern, reporting live from the border. And Anderson Cooper wraps it all up with a very special edition of "AC 360." It's all right here on CNN.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's so many different plans that nobody really understands it. I don't know if the people that made the plans understand it themselves.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When the government's doing this, they're doing it from the point of view of the druggists and the drug industry, not the people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looked like about 50 different plans. I don't know how people understand what the plans offer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Oh, man, time running out for anyone who needs to sign up for a Medicare drug plan. Tomorrow is the deadline. With so little time left, we're doing whatever, anything we can, to help folks get this job done.
NGUYEN: Yeah, we've even brought in Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to talk about this plan and answer a lot of your questions this morning. And there's the man. The man in charge and the man that we're going to put in the hot seat to answer a lot of these questions. Good morning to you.
MIKE LEAVITT, HHS SECRETARY: Good morning to you.
HARRIS: Well, Mr. Secretary, you heard some of the folks, are people on the street talking about the plan this morning, just a moment ago. You know, I've heard this program described a couple of ways. In kind of a good news and bad news scenario. The good news is that there is so much choice, the bad news is that there is so much choice that is confusing to people. Let me have you respond to that kind of basic criticism of the plan.
LEAVITT: Congress actually designed a standard program, but if people wanted to just have a choice, they could pick it. The interesting news there is that over 90 percent of the public chose not to. Which would imply, I believe, that they appreciate having the choices, and that they have chosen things that fit their individual needs. It's also important to recognize, that the competition has driven the price down substantially. The system's working.
HARRIS: Of the -- let me check this number first. So the 6 million people, we understand, who still haven't signed up, first of all is that an accurate number, 6 million people who still haven't signed up?
LEAVITT: I'll reconcile that for you. There's a little over 42 million people who are currently eligible for this benefit. Around 37 million have been reported already as having enrolled. We expect we'll get nearly a million during the course of the last week. There's a big surge on right now.
HARRIS: Yeah.
LEAVITT: That would leave a little over 5 million people. About half of those are those that we refer to as low-income eligible. That is to say, they're in a low-income bracket, they are hard people often to find, so we're continuing to work at that. This is a voluntary program, which means that some people will just choose not to enroll. But we're working hard. Everyone has an opportunity now. We'd like very much to help them in the next two days and maybe on this program I can give some tips on how they could do it more easily.
HARRIS: Okay. But let me ask you just a quick follow-up. With the 2.5 million that you described as low-income folks who haven't signed on to the program so far. The sense is that -- that they -- either you haven't been effective in reaching them, or for whatever reason, they haven't signed up, but what that leaves is a huge number of folks, and in this case, probably the folk who need the program the most.
NGUYEN: The most.
HARRIS: Who are still the most vulnerable and look to be left behind in all of this.
LEAVITT: Well, we're going to continue to enroll them. As they qualify for extra help, we're finding ways that we can continue to enroll them. This is the same population in some respects that we've been looking for, for example, on Medicaid. Medicaid has been a program for nearly 40 years, and we still have only enrolled half of them. It's because oftentimes they just don't want to enroll.
NGUYEN: All right, Secretary Leavitt, let's get to the nitty gritty now.
HARRIS: Yeah.
NGUYEN: Let's get to some of these answers from our viewers, people who want to enroll but need to know the facts first. This first person from James Wilson in Houston. He's got a three-parter, so let's take number one. Why is there a deadline for signing up?
LEAVITT: Well this is like any other insurance program. There needs to be a deadline, people need a deadline or they wouldn't sign up. In fact, the actuary for the government told us that if we didn't have a deadline, 1.6 million people fewer would actually sign up. Now, this isn't the final opportunity. They'll be another enrollment period in November. But if people want to have the lowest possible rate and have the benefit of the program from this point forward, they need to enroll by Monday night, at midnight.
NGUYEN: Yeah, the deadline is tomorrow. Okay, here's parts two and three. Why is there a penalty, then, if you don't sign up on time? And with that money that you're making from the penalty, the 1 percent per month, after the deadline, where's that money going? LEAVITT: Those are both good questions. This is, again, like any other insurance program. If you were to wait until just before you needed life insurance to buy it, it would be very expensive. For that matter, if you were to buy long-term insurance, long-term care insurance, just before you were going into a health facility that would be very expensive. The same is true with prescription drugs.
For the most part, people who put it off or people who don't think they need it and don't want to buy it for that reason. Then they buy it just before they need it and consequently, it's more expensive. And it's really a matter of fairness. It's unfair for people who signed up during the period to pay higher premiums because people put it off.
NGUYEN: So where's the money going, though?
LEAVITT: Well, it actually goes in to make the system financially feasible, because people who enroll late are generally very expensive. They have a lot of claims because they've put it off until just before they need it. And so it just goes to make the plan actuarially sound and to keep the premiums for those who do sign up low.
HARRIS: Okay, Secretary Leavitt, we've got a viewer in Oregon who writes -- I am going on 66 years of age and I do not take any medication at all. I am very active and have not taken more than five aspirin my entire life. What would you recommend?
LEAVITT: Well, that's exactly the kind of viewer I'm looking for today. Because many of them think they don't need to enroll. And the fact is, they do. Because they may not always be that lucky, and if they want to have this plan at the lowest possible rate, now is the time. Now in every state, there are plans under $20 a month. In fact in most states, almost every state, there are plans under $10 a month. My advice to that viewer, find the cheapest plan and enroll in it. They'll be happy they did.
HARRIS: Well for those who need more than just a few aspirin, Linda Hoffman says, what should someone do if they need more medicines than Medicare pays per quarter. Are there supplemental plans that they can purchase?
LEAVITT: Actually there are plans I believe that she would be very happy with. That's one of the benefits again of having a choice. There are plans that have no deductible. There are plans that have no gaps in them. There are plans that have big formularies. I think if she were to follow some advice I'll give in just a few minutes, we can find a plan in about 30 minutes that will help her and make certain that she has coverage for all the drugs that she needs.
HARRIS: And this comes from a registered nurse from Indiana, who writes -- When recipients sign up for Medicare, part "D," in an HMO, it does affect their home care benefit. They become part of an HMO and to receive the homecare benefit, the agency must get it verified and approved by the insurance company they choose to manage the Medicare part "D." This is a huge disadvantage to the elderly. This program isn't just about medication. What do you say to that, Secretary Leavitt?
LEAVITT: Well, there are many different kinds of programs that you can -- depending on your desire. If you want to have the lowest possible price, you will often go to a plan that has certain restrictions to it. If you'd like to have no restrictions, you can pay a little more. So, when a person signs up for an HMO, like the one that's being described, the benefit they're getting is very low premiums.
NGUYEN: Secretary Leavitt, for those who have many more questions than we have time to ask you this morning, where can they go where they can actually talk to someone today and enroll in this program?
LEAVITT: I would like to just give a little advice to a person who needs to find a plan today. It's just three easy steps. The first would be to simply get your drugs and to put them on a table in front of you.
HARRIS: Uh-huh.
LEAVITT: The pill bottles have important information. The second thing would be to get your Medicare card. If you have your pill bottles and your Medicare card, you'll have all the information you need. And then simply dial 1-800-medicare. 1-800-medicare. I just checked a few minutes ago. Our response times are very good right now. Less than a couple of minutes.
HARRIS: Great.
LEAVITT: I'm not sure they will be that way tomorrow, so today would be a very good day to call.
NGUYEN: Yeah.
LEAVITT: In about a half an hour, we can help them make a plan decision that will save them money. They'll have the drugs they need when they're sick or to help them stay healthy, and most of all, they'll have the peace of mind of knowing that they'll never have their prescription drugs wipe their savings out.
HARRIS: Wow.
NGUYEN: It's a way to reach those 5 million who still need to enroll before Monday. Secretary Leavitt, we thank you for your time today in answering those questions.
LEAVITT: You're welcome. Today's mother's day, and I hope everybody's called their mother and asked if they have picked a drug plan and if not help them.
NGUYEN: Enrolled in the system.
HARRIS: That's right. Mike, we appreciate it.
NGUYEN: Good idea. Thank you. HARRIS: Thank you.
NGUYEN: All right, speaking of mother's day.
HARRIS: All right, moms, your day maybe some little helpers, busy in the kitchen, making you a little --
NGUYEN: If you're lucky, yeah.
HARRIS: -- making you a little breakfast. Sure, they might leave a bit of a mess, but, remember, it's all being done out of love.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: By the way, happy mom's day, mom.
NGUYEN: Yeah, happy mother's day mom. Hey, and while you try to forget about that big mess, consider this. Who do you think truly, search deep down, who do you think is going to be the first to volunteer for cleanup duty, your son or your daughter? Well, you might be surprised. Because later, we're going to talk about misconceptions moms have about raising their little girls and their little boys.
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HARRIS: And good morning, everyone. Happy Mother's Day. It has been a bloody weekend in Iraq. We seem to say that every weekend here. A string of bomb blasts have killed at least 32 people, 14 of them were killed in a suicide bomb attack on a road leading to Baghdad Airport.
And two British soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack yesterday in Basra.
The CIA leak investigation focus on Vice President Cheney. Court papers show Cheney's handwritten notes making references to CIA agent Valerie Plame. The notes do not mention her by name, and, were made before her identity was exposed. Cheney's former chief of staff, Lewis Libby, is charged in connection with the leak of Plame's identity.
NGUYEN: Well, the debate over illegal immigration bubbles up yet again in Washington. President Bush is poised to deliver an address to the nation tomorrow night. And the Senate takes up a compromise measure. CNN's extensive live coverage of the president's address begins tomorrow, with "American Morning" at 6:00 eastern and then it continues throughout the day with reports from the U.S./Mexico border and from Capitol Hill.
Now, take a look at this. This is our prime-time coverage and it begins when Lou Dobbs joins Wolf Blitzer, boy that's a lineup for a special edition of "The Situation Room." HARRIS: Fireworks.
NGUYEN: And then after the speech -- yeah, talk about fireworks -- Lou Dobbs hosts a special edition of "Lou Dobbs Tonight," that's going to be good. "Larry King Live" is up at 9:00 Eastern, reporting live from the border, and Anderson Cooper wraps it up with a very special edition of "AC 360." You know, it's all here on CNN.
Welcome back, everybody. Happy Mother's Day on this Sunday. Good morning. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And from the world headquarters...
NGUYEN: Yes.
HARRIS: Global world headquarters. Global world -- synonymous, right?
NGUYEN: Yeah.
HARRIS: Good morning, happy Mother's Day, I'm Tony Harris.
Well, we are watching that volcano in Indonesia. Mount Merapi is spewing rocks and lava. Experts are calling it a textbook case of a mountain ready to blow. Merapi is located in the south central part of the island of Java, and CNN's Kathy Quiano is nearby for what many expect to be a cataclysmic event. She joins us on the phone.
And Kathy, good morning to you. First of all, start by telling us where exactly you are, and from where you are calling us. Can you actually see the mountain?
KATHY QUIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Definitely, Tony. I'm about 20 miles from the volcano. I've been watching it since mid-afternoon. It's been -- it's a fascinating sight, actually. Now, I can see it from the distance and you can see it spewing pyroclastic flows, you can see it every now and then. And also, what I'm seeing, interesting enough, it's flickering lights at the foot of the 916 -- 16 foot (sic) mountain, which probably indicates that people are still living quite close to the erupting volcano -- Tony.
HARRIS: Kathy, what time of day in Indonesia right now?
QUIANO: It's about 30 minutes past the hour of 8:00 p.m. so...
HARRIS: OK, OK. Gotcha. So, give me a sense...
QUIANO: It's quite dark right now.
HARRIS: Quite dark now. Give me a sense -- we understand that the warnings have gone up and folks are being asked to leave, and how is that being enforced and to what extent is that being enforced? Are there roadblocks set up?
QUIANO: Yes, there are roadblocks. You can't enter the area that's within about 10 miles from -- from the erupting volcano. Some villages now are practically ghost towns. There are no people around there, except from what we here, from the villagers that have fled their homes, we are told that maybe hundreds of men, mostly, have chosen to stay behind in their villages to guard their homes, their properties and their livestock. And you also have some military and police personnel out there guarding the area and they said they are prepared to flee the danger zone once it looks like the eruption will happen -- Tony.
HARRIS: And, Kathy, bring this home for folks that are watching it here state side. Give us a sense of, and we hope this is the case, but give us the worst case scenario, should be getting this cataclysmic eruption.
QUIANO: Well, it's difficult to say. We've been trying to get that information from vulcanologists on the ground, but even they say they can't predict how big the eruption would be. Although they did say it may be more serious than earlier predicted and the reason behind it is there was a new lava dome that formed there about two weeks ago, and they say that pyroclastic flow from that dome, if it erupts, may be huge and actually they couldn't predict how the volume of that lava flow that may come out of Mount Merapi this time -- Tony.
HARRIS: Kathy Quiano following developments at Mount Merapi in Indonesia, for us. Kathy, we appreciate it, thank you.
NGUYEN: Some other headlines making news "Across America," now. Anti-war protesters will be out again today in Washington on this Mother's Day. Some are moms who have lost a child in military conflict. Small demonstrations have been going on all weekend long.
A close call for a Senator Ted Kennedy. A small jet carrying the senator from Western Massachusetts to his home on Cape Cod was struck by lightning yesterday. A spokeswoman says the plane was diverted to New Haven, Connecticut, after losing all electrical power. The good news is no one was hurt.
HARRIS: And now to Florida, and the gruesome story of a killer alligator. Wildlife officials say a 9-1/2 male captured yesterday...
NGUYEN: It is huge.
HARRIS: It is huge, yeah -- in a canal had two human arms in its belly.
NGUYEN: Oh.
HARRIS: Authorities suspect it's the same gator that attacked and killed a 28-year-old several -- a 28-year-old woman several days ago near the canal. And then there is this story. Another gruesome one, out of Georgia.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went over to the bag because we -- you know, we were picking up trash, and then, it was moving. So it kind of surprised us and we heard a crying sound and there was a baby in it.
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HARRIS: Oh, boy. Police credit this team with helping to save the life of a newborn near Atlanta. The 18-year-old was doing community service at a local park for a speeding ticket. He says he stumbled upon a baby in a plastic bag while picking up trash. Police say the baby was likely oh, four to six hours old at last check. There was still no word on the mother.
NGUYEN: Big girls, they don't cry? I don't know about that. Well, someone did once say all it takes to make a sweet little girl is sugar and spice and all that's nice, and we all know, it is not that easy. Andrea Buchanan is the editor of "It's a Girl." The book is a compilation of real stories written by women who had no clue what they were in for when the doctor said, "Hey, it's a girl!" Thanks so much for joining us this morning.
ANDREA BUCHANAN, MANAGING EDITOR, LITERARYMAMA.COM: Thanks for having me.
NGUYEN: All right, you wrote actually two books. "It's a Girl," "It's a Boy." We're going to talk about the girls, since I'm a girl. Tony will take the boys a little bit later.
HARRIS: Right, right, right.
NGUYEN: So, what are the biggest misconceptions when it comes to moms that have little girls?
BUCHANAN: I think a lot of times we fear that the girl relationship, the mother/daughter relationship is very complicated because we're told that girls are difficult or challenging. And I really don't think it's that. Girls are challenging per se, I think it's more than that we're bringing a lot into our relationships with our daughters. We have kind of the specter of our own relationships with our mothers' kind of looming over us, if we've had a positive relationship we want to re-create that with our daughter and live up to it. If we've had a problematic relationship, we want to try to repair that with our daughter. So there's a lot of pressure going in.
NGUYEN: Yeah, there is a lot of pressure, and there's a lot of old wives' tales that are out there, and a lot of moms are, really, especially new moms, trying to separate fact from fiction. So give us some examples of those old wives' tales is and what the reality is, because that's what this book does, it really separates fact from fiction.
BUCHANAN: Of course, the sugar and spice and everything nice is probably the oldest wives' tales.
NGUYEN: Oh yeah. Hello.
BUCHANAN: And really, of course, just like everybody, girls have a range of emotion and temperament, and it's kind of a mistake to think that girls are limited into the sense that they can only like dolls or they are not going to be as violent or that they are more verbal than boys; some girls are and some girls aren't.
NGUYEN: It really depends, doesn't it? I mean you can't really put all girls in one category.
BUCHANAN: No.
NGUYEN: But there are common gender-based expectations. Like, you know, mothers want their girls to be little princesses, but then again, they want them to be strong, independent women when they grow up.
BUCHANAN: Yeah.
NGUYEN: So, how do you get the balance without having your girl, later in life decide, you know what, I'm going to forego marriage. I'm going to forget that because I want a seat at the corporate table?
BUCHANAN: Well, it can be a challenge. And I think for a lot of women in the book, they were a little concerned that their daughters were really into princesses and pink, because they did have this vision of raising young, strong, feminist women and this -- seeing their daughters dress up like Cinderella was at odds with the vision they had for them. And yet at the same time I think it's important for girls to try on a lot of different roles, and to be able to act like a princess if they want to and be able to go into the boardroom if they want to, too. I think the danger is getting locked into one version of being or versus another and assume that when our daughters are dressing up, like, Disney princesses, that that's how they'll be for the rest of their lives.
NGUYEN: So whether they are a little princess or a tomboy, I guess the point here is let your little girl be who she is, don't try to mold her into anything. But at the same time, it's difficult, because parents are there to guide. So, what do you do?
BUCHANAN: Well, I think -- I think it's really important to be able to respond to your child, in the moment. To give them what they need when they need it. If we're responding to our ideas of what's frightening about femininity or gender roles, then maybe we're missing the point of what our actual children are experiencing. I think all you can do is respond to them in the moment, and take it a day at a time, a moment at a time, and hope for the best.
NGUYEN: Yeah. Are you doing that? Has this book helped you become a better parent?
BUCHANAN: Absolutely. It's been wonderful to work on these books and to also read stories from women who are doing this, raising daughters, who are older than my daughter, it's a little postcard from the future. So I see that whatever I'm dealing with right now will pass. And...
NGUYEN: This, too, will pass. Oh, yeah.
BUCHANAN: Yes, absolutely. And looking back to stories from women who have younger daughters. And I do and feeling a little bit nostalgic for that time, as well.
NGUYEN: It's so great to see that information being passed on, really the facts of it all.
BUCHANAN: Yes.
NGUYEN: Because there's a lot of fiction out there. Andrea Buchanan, we appreciate the time. In fact, Tony is going to be talking with you shortly about little boys.
HARRIS: That's right, that's right.
NGUYEN: Oh. Talk about misconceptions. We're going to...
HARRIS: What is she going to tell you about little boys?
NGUYEN: I'm sure she knows few things, after all, she did wrote a book about it. We'll talk to you soon Andrea.
BUCHANAN: Great.
HARRIS: And that's what it's like, right? For little girls.
Up next, the little boy. The reality check. Yes. This is a real Mother's Day...
NGUYEN: A nice picture.
HARRIS: Emily's kids?
NGUYEN: Yep. This is our producer's kids.
HARRIS: We'll be back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: The cameras are always on around here.
OK. Tomorrow night, speaking of cameras, in a speech on immigration reform, President Bush may announce a plan to deploy National Guard troops to protect our southern border. Now, the president's top ally in the Senate has signed on to this plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), MAJORITY LEADER: I have encouraged use of the National Guard. Again, not the Army and not the other military, but the National Guard, which is traditionally under the auspices of the states. I've encouraged, I've encouraged strongly. I think that's the least we can do. Securing our boarders is a federal responsibility. We need to act. We have failed miserably in the past. That was what we failed with in 1986, when we last gave amnesty, but we didn't secure our borders. This time we got to get it right.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: But some states' governors are reluctant to sign on, as well. You're going to hear all about it on "Late Edition" Wolf Blitzer. That's coming up at 11:00 Eastern this morning.
And tomorrow night, the president addresses the nation on the immigration issue and CNN has planned extensive live coverage of the president's address. It begins tomorrow with "American Morning" at 6:00 Eastern and it continues throughout the day with reports from the U.S./Mexico border and Capitol Hill.
Now, our prime-time coverage, take a look at the lineup, it begins at 7:00 Eastern when Lou Dobbs joins Wolf Blitzer for a special edition of "The Situation Room." And after the speech, Lou Dobbs weighs in. He hosts a special edition of "Lou Dobbs Tonight." Then, "Larry King Live" is up at 9:00 Eastern, reporting from the border. And Anderson Cooper wraps it is all up with a very special edition of "AC 360." Got lots to talk about tomorrow, and we have it all right here on CNN.
HARRIS: Hey, did we say happy Mother's Day to your mom, Betty?
NGUYEN: Yes, we did. But we can do it again. Happy Mother's Day, mom.
HARRIS: I'm going to give her a call after the show.
NGUYEN: OK.
HARRIS: Talk to her about your day.
NGUYEN: Just don't say anything bad me. Would you?
HARRIS: You've been something today. Happy Mother's Day to my mom and to my wife, who did -- is doing an outstanding job with my little girl. And my little boy. As we segue, here.
NGUYEN: He's a young man.
HARRIS: Snips, snails, puppy dog tails and all, it doesn't quite as nice as the whole sugar and spice thing. A few minutes ago we talked about the realities of raising girls. Now let us focus on young boys and a book appropriately called "It's a Boy." We're talking about a few misconceptions new moms have about the differences in raising baby girls versus boys. The author and editor, Andrea Buchanan, is back with us to give us the other side of parenting.
Andrea, good to see you again.
BUCHANAN: Good to see you.
HARRIS: You know what? This whole relationship with moms and their sons, it's so well documented." Hi, mom! Hi, mom!" That is like lore in this country. What's the -- is that the reality of the relationship? Is it what moms expect? They expect to raise little momma's boys? BUCHANAN: Well, I did hear from a lot of women that they were told when they were having sons that their sons were love them differently than their daughters. I'm not sure if that's true, but there definitely is a difference in the relationship between mothers and sons and mothers and daughters. And, of course, the -- you know, the -- like you said, the hi, mom, the mom and apple pie...
HARRIS: Yeah, yeah.
BUCHANAN: I mean, it's there...
HARRIS: But let me pick up on this notion of loving differently. What did they express to you? What does that mean, love your mom differently than the daughter would love -- what does that mean?
BUCHANAN: Well, that's a good question. I wondered that when I heard that myself. I think that goes back to these kind of old wives' tales and these kind of these notions about girls and boys that are kind of based in these old, you know, misconceptions, I think.
I think it's comforting to say that boys love you a certain way and girls love you a different way. But I think it's safe to say that your children love you, pretty much, no matter what. And whether they are a girl or a boy, the nature of the relationship might be a little bit different, because you're dealing with a daughter/mother relationship...
HARRIS: Right.
BUCHANAN: And a mother/son relationship, but I don't think you can -- I don't think you can quantify...
HARRIS: Right, right, right, right.
BUCHANAN: ...a kind of love difference.
HARRIS: Yeah. Misconceptions, boys shouldn't play with dolls or play dressup. What do you mean by that?
BUCHANAN: Well, I certainly don't say this. But a lot of people do. I think boys should be allowed to play with dolls and dress up, just the way girls are allowed to play with dolls and dress up and...
HARRIS: What about male self-image? What do they mean when they say dressup?
BUCHANAN: Well, we're talking about toddlers here. And that's a really important part of child development is, is putting on these new personas and dressing up, whether it's as princesses or cowboys or pirates or superheroes, it's a really important part of socialization and development and I think when boys aren't allowed to do that, they miss out on something.
HARRIS: Barbie dolls, what do you think about the whole Barbie dolls thing? I mean, is it just sort of G.I. Joes or is it just dolls in general? Just -- what do you think? BUCHANAN: I think doll play is great, because your little kids when they play with dolls are acting out social situations, they're learning how to interact with one another. It's role-playing.
HARRIS: Yeah.
BUCHANAN: It's basic stuff, and boys need access to that just as girls do.
HARRIS: Boys should not cry.
BUCHANAN: Well, again, I'm on the side of they -- I think boys should be allowed, a normal human range of emotions.
HARRIS: Why am I not surprised by that?
BUCHANAN: Yeah. I think boys are allowed to cry just as much as women and girls, and men should be allowed to cry. I mean, this is a basic human reaction to things and it's -- it's a shame that boys have to be stifled in that way.
HARRIS: Boys are a handful, always active, you can't keep them still.
BUCHANAN: You know, this is one I've heard a lot. And, yet, there are plenty of stories, in the "It's a Boy" book by writers who have sons who kind of defy that stereotype and are very sensitive and verbal and emotional and would just as soon sit down and read a book or do something that you might think would be more predictable of a girl.
HARRIS: And, finally, watch out, moms! Your boys are going to be more emotionally withdrawn.
BUCHANAN: Well, that's interesting, because people say that, and yet, of course, they always say that -- what we talked about in the first part of this, that boys love you forever, they love their mothers differently. You know, so there's kind of a -- it's kind of both sides here. I certainly -- there's definitely essays in the book Talking about teenage boys withdrawing from their moms and not wanting to be seen in the same room with their moms.
HARRIS: Yeah.
BUCHANAN: You know? So there is -- I mean, there is some kind of separation there, but it happens with all children. Not just boys.
HARRIS: All right, let's see -- lets throw them up the again, the books. "It's a Boy," "It's a Girl." There's your author, Andrea Buchanan. Good to see you. Thanks for taking the time this morning.
BUCHANAN: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
NGUYEN: Happy Mother's Day
HARRIS: Yeah, and happy Mother -- yeah, yeah. BUCHANAN: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Back to the dressup, you don't remember playing dressup?
HARRIS: Excuse me?
NGUYEN: That's what I thought.
There's much more to come right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING on this Mother's Day.
HARRIS: Is that a trick question? Huh?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And time now to check in with Howard Kurtz in Washington to see what's ahead on CNN's "Reliable Sources."
Howard, good morning.
HOWARD KURTZ, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Good morning, Tony. Coming up, Hillary Clinton and Rupert Murdoch? Why is he helping her raise money and why is she teaming up with the conservative owner of the "New York Post" and FOX News?
And new revelations of the government monitoring of Americans' phone calls. Did the "USA Today" story compromise national security? Plus, we'll talk to ABC's John Stossel on why the media is scaring us to death. Is that true or is he exaggerating?
And "San Francisco Chronicle" editor Phil Bronstein on the Barry Bonds steroid expose and reporters fighting subpoenas. All ahead on "Reliable Sources."
HARRIS: Boy, that's good. OK, Howard, thank you.
KURTZ: Thanks.
HARRIS: That's "Reliable Sources" coming up at 10:00 Eastern, followed by Wolf Blitzer and "Late Edition" and "On the Story" at 1:00 Eastern. Stay tuned to CNN as we go in-depth into the stories of the day.
NGUYEN: As mentioned, "Reliable Sources" is next followed by Wolf Blitzer, so you don't want to go away..
HARRIS: And Brianna Keilar will be with you sitting in for Fredricka Whitfield all morning and afternoon, with live news updates.
NGUYEN: Have a wonderful Mother's Day.
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