Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Bin Laden: Dead or Alive?; Pope Benedict Meets With Ambassadors From Muslim Nations Tomorrow; Interview With Actor Stephen Baldwin
Aired September 24, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," widespread skepticism today to that French newspaper report saying Osama bin Laden has died. CNN has learned from Saudi sources that the elusive al Qaeda leader may be sick, but he is likely most alive. We'll take a closer look at the story in just a moment.
Autopsies are planned today on three young children found dead in an Illinois apartment. The police think they're the children of a woman who died after her fetus was removed from her womb. The children were last seen with the woman now charged in their mother's death.
The E. coli outbreak from spinach grows and the spinach recall expands. The Food and Drug Administration reports now 171 cases of E. coli in 25 states. Two more companies are pulling their spinach products off the shelves. Investigators have traced the contamination to farms in three California counties.
Search and rescue workers will try a third time to locate the site of a helicopter crash in Nepal. Apparently 24 people were on board, including American and Nepalese government officials. Bad weather and poor visibility has slowed the search.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: You might call this next story about cleanup and damage assessment. That's happening across much of the Midwest and the South this morning. A weekend of bad weather brought heavy rain, some strong winds and, in some cases, tornadoes as well. Look at these pictures.
AP is reporting at least nine weather-related deaths thus far. So what we're going to do for you is we're going to have a live report from the affected areas. And that's just minutes away.
What we're going to do right now though, is let's go over to Reynolds Wolf and get a quick check of things.
Are we done with this stuff?
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: We run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, in-depth coverage all morning long and certainly when necessary. And your next check of the headlines is coming up at 7:15 Eastern.
From CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Good morning. It's September 24th. And I'm Susan Roesgen, filling in for Betty Nguyen.
SANCHEZ: And I'm Rick Sanchez.
Thanks so much for starting off your day with us.
ROESGEN: Topping the news today, is he or isn't he? Osama bin Laden may be ill, but there is no evidence he's dead. A report yesterday in a French newspaper claimed the al Qaeda leader died last month in Pakistan, but officials in the U.S. and elsewhere say they doubt that's true.
A Saudi intelligence source tells CNN of recent credible reports that bin Laden is sick with some kind of waterborne disease, but that he is not dead. CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen said Islamist Web sites would most likely announce bin Laden's death on the Internet if it were true, and that hasn't happened.
SANCHEZ: So why does that French newspaper report this then? Well, they cite a French intelligence document as its source in the bin Laden story. The leaked document is based on information from a source that's described as usually reliable. Still, President Jacques Chirac stressed yesterday the information is unconfirmed.
CNN's Jim Bittermann sat down with that French reporter who actually wrote the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In a town square in rural France, the reporter whose article set off speculation about bin Laden's death is convinced the intelligence memorandum he published is accurate. Laid Sammari, a national reporter for the regional paper "East Republican," frequently writes about intelligence matters, but rarely has he seen a leak of this sort involving classified information from France's Foreign Intelligence Agency, a memo stating that a reliable source had given Saudi intelligence officials exact details of bin Laden's death.
LAID SAMMARI, "EAST REPUBLICAN" JOURNALIST (through translator): That is to say that on the 23rd of August in Pakistan, after coming down with typhoid, and the memorandum adds that he could not be treated because of the absence of medical assistance.
BITTERMANN: French and American intelligence sources could not confirm the contents of the memo and said there was no new information on bin Laden's health. But there was tacit confirmation that the memo is authentic from French president Jacques Chirac, who said Saturday that he had ordered an investigation into how the memo found its way into print.
Sammari says he cannot reveal who gave him the memo but that it circulated three days ago through the president and the prime minister's offices, as well as the offices of the interior and defense ministers, passing through the hands of perhaps 50 people, in addition to those in the Foreign Intelligence Service. The reporter believes the memo will turn out to be true.
SAMMARI (through translator): The note ends with information according to which the Saudis are waiting to localize the burial place of the body before making an official announcement of bin Laden's death.
BITTERMANN (on camera): Sammari says it's up to someone else to prove whether bin Laden is still alive. All he is sure of is that Saudi intelligence has a source that claims the leader of al Qaeda is dead.
Jim Bittermann, CNN, France.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: This is the type of story that gets all of us thinking, most likely about this: at this point, how would Osama bin Laden's death impact the war on terror? Would it? It's not what you think.
E-mail us at weekends@cnn.com. And we're going to read some of your responses on the air a little bit later on this newscast.
We're going to discuss bin Laden dead or alive later as well with an international security analyst. It's Jim Walsh. And that interview's going to be coming up at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.
ROESGEN: Domestic violence shelters across North Carolina are on high alert today, and the police in at least seven states are searching for murder suspect John Woodring. He's the man accused of forcing his way into one North Carolina women's shelter and killing his estranged wife.
Fredricka Whitfield has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Bonnie Woodring was looking for help. She hoped to find it here at the domestic violence shelter in a small town of Sylva, North Carolina. But police say her husband, John Raymond Woodring, barged into the shelter and shot her Monday night. The shelter's executive director says the safety measures in place were no match for Woodring.
JEAN BOCKSTAHLER, REACH DOMESTIC ABUSE SHELTER: A man like this particular man, who has both the background and the determination to pursue in this kind of murder, I wish we had a way of protecting more.
WHITFIELD: Police say the victim's son from a previous marriage heard the shooting from a nearby room. The suspect is a teaching assistant at Western Carolina University, earning his master's degree in counseling. He's also the author of a book titled "The Convict Speaks" about notorious criminals. Police are now reading that book for clues.
Police say Woodring could face charges of first-degree murder, as well as charges stemming from a September 14th incident when he is accused of violating a protective order and attempting to strangle his wife. After that alleged confrontation earlier in the month, this posting on the couple's Web site.
"Bonnie, I am so very sorry for everything that has happened. I will do anything for a chance to turn things around."
Police believe Woodring is driving a stolen electric blue Honda Civic with a North Carolina license plate number JRY2108. He is 5'9" and weighs 190 pounds. Woodring is believed to be armed and dangerous.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: The National Network to End Domestic Violence says in spite of what happened to Bonnie Woodring, killings like that rarely happen at shelters.
SANCHEZ: Reynolds Wolf is standing by with the very latest weather forecast. And, in fact, let's find out what some of that forecast is right now, Reynolds.
What you got?
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROESGEN: Plus, a community divided and in an uproar. A California mayor wants his town to become a safe haven for illegal immigrants. That story is coming up in about five minutes.
SANCHEZ: Also, he's supposed to make you laugh, but these are tough times in "Elmo's World." At least for some Elmo doll lovers in Tampa, that is. That's going to be ahead in about nine minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: It has no doubt been a weekend of severe weather across much of the Midwest and the South. The Associated Press is reporting at least nine weather-related deaths as a result. This, along with some tornadoes and flooding in certain areas.
Kentucky was particularly hard hit. Andy Treinen of our Louisville affiliate WHAS is joining us this morning to try to fill us in on what happened.
How are people dealing with this at this point, Andy?
ANDY TREINEN, REPORTER, WHAS: Well, the people who live in this neighborhood particularly, Rick, are not here because they're in an emergency shelter. But as you can see, I'm standing on dry ground right now. That was not the case about 22 hours ago.
Let me show you one of these air-conditioning units over here. See the debris on that about halfway up the unit? That's where the water was yesterday. This is called the Bent Creek Apartments. And right now, they're pumping water out. In fact, 22 hours later, there you see the pumps still working pretty hard to clean out these lower units and these basements.
And to give you an idea of just how bad it was, we have some videotape we want to show you from yesterday about this time. Too much water in too short a period of time in this neighborhood. And it's called Butral (ph) here in Louisville. People here know it as the Butral (ph) area.
You see crews pulling rescue boats to safety, a kid literally being carried by one of the firefighters. These people were trapped inside their apartments yesterday morning when the water started rising.
They were loaded up into some buses and taken to an emergency shelter. Fortunately, no injuries, although eight people did die in these storms yesterday. Most of them driving across roads they shouldn't have been driving across.
We have one other piece of video we want to show you. This is from Sky 11 here. It was taking pictures of the flood of 2006. That's what they're calling it here in Louisville.
And you see, this is I-65. That's a major highway, shut down. This has never happened. This highway shut down because of high waters.
You see a car there in the middle, the median there. That car tried to drive across roadways. Didn't make it across. The woman, incidentally, was rescued and she actually made her way to work yesterday.
But as I mentioned earlier, eight people died in these storms yesterday, most of them driving across roads that they should not have been driving across. We warn people all the time not to do it. This just another reminder.
Reporting live in Louisville, I'm Andy Treinen, CNN.
SANCHEZ: Yes, when it comes to weather, the pictures really tell the stories.
Thanks so much, Andy, for bringing us up to date on that.
And "Now in the News," widespread skepticism today to a French newspaper report saying that Osama bin Laden has died. CNN has learned from Saudi sources the elusive al Qaeda leader may be sick, but is likely still alive.
More cleanup across the Midwest and the South. Yesterday severe storms hammered several states, bringing flooding and even reports of tornadoes. AP reports at least eight deaths in Kentucky. A complete weather forecast is coming up in just a bit. Also, no motive or suspect in a shooting at a Florida mosque. A member tells police he stepped outside Ramadan services to use his cell phone when he heard several gunshots. No injuries or arrests are reported.
ROESGEN: The spinach recall expands. Two more companies are pulling their spinach products off the shelves because of the E. coli outbreak. And the number of cases has gone up. The FDA is reporting 171 cases in 25 states. One death is linked to this outbreak, and two other deaths may be, too.
Veteran Hawaiian senator Daniel Akaka has won the state's democrat primary, defeating challenger Congressman Ed Case. The 82- year-old senator took 56 percent of the vote, Case got 43 percent. Akaka will face a yet unnamed Republican challenger in November.
And as we head into the crucial midterm elections, CNN is launching a new news service on CNN.com. The CNN "Political Ticker" starts tomorrow morning, and it will give you an unprecedented look into the day's political stories as they happen.
We run down the stop stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. So your next check of the headlines will be coming up at 7:30 Eastern.
SANCHEZ: In National City, California, tensions are running high over the illegal immigration and whether the city should become a safe haven.
Vivian Tamayo of affiliate KUSI has this story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VIVIAN TAMAYO, REPORTER, KUSI (voice over): In National City, the streets mimic the issue. On one side of the street, pro- immigration activists tossed insults at San Diego Minutemen who were standing on the other side.
Immigrant activist Enrique Morones...
ENRIQUE MORONES, BORDER ANGELS: We know that the American spirit is much better than the racism you see from the Minutemen. They represent the worst of the American spirit.
TAMAYO: The Minutemen are well known for their efforts in securing the border. They say they're law-abiding citizens who believes everyone in the U.S. should uphold the law, even National City mayor Nick Inzunza, who plans to declare National City a sanctuary for immigrants. That's code, people say, to imply that National City will welcome illegal immigrants.
JEFF SCHWILK, SAN DIEGO MINUTEMEN: He's decided to declare it a sanctuary for illegal aliens, people that aren't authorized to be here, including criminals, terrorists, and anybody who has snuck into our country who wants to hide.
TAMAYO: The issue made tempers flare.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh! Oh! Oh, my god!
TAMAYO: A scuffle broke out when San Diego sheriff's deputies pushed back a rowdy crowd.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Shame on you! Shame on you! You're an American!
Shame on you! You're a disgrace! You're a disgrace!
TAMAYO: One minuteman protester was placed under arrest, accused of kicking an officer. Next, more taunting as pro-immigration activists dressed as clowns. Two hundred law enforcement officers from throughout the county were caught in the middle, trying to prevent a clash.
(on camera): The peaceful protests looked more like a turf war: those in favor of a sanctuary city, and those who are oppose the. Yet the men at the helm of this entire commotion was nowhere to be found.
(voice over): Eventually we found Mayor Inzunza in his office, far from the battleground he had created. So why not lead instead of hide?
MAYOR NICK INZUNZA, NATIONAL CITY, CALIF.: I would really love to. I really love to. But my police chief, who is an immigrant himself, born in Mexico, has asked me not to, because I don't want to provoke either side.
TAMAYO: What provoked Inzunza to announce the proclamation, now 46 days before he leaves office...
INZUNZA: But I do know there is a group of individuals out there called the Minutemen that are going into urban areas and violating the civil rights of first and second generation Americans. And somebody must say something and do something about it.
TAMAYO: Did this do anything about it? Or did today's rally simply spread an angry debate in what had been a quiet community?
In National City, Vivian Tamayo, KUSI News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: And more stories "Across America" this morning.
A northern Colorado football player is back in the game less than two weeks after being stabbed allegedly by a teammate. A rival for the punting position is accused of stabbing Rafael Mendoza (ph) in the leg.
In Alabama, investigators are searching for the cause of a plane crash at an air show near Birmingham. The crash killed the pilot and two passengers, a father and his 11-year-old son. The plane had been used for aerial tourists during the show. In Florida, the fur was about to fly over this new Tickle Me Elmo doll. It happened at a story in Tampa. A man says another customer threatened his life when he grabbed the last doll off the shelf.
Hey, it's a toy, OK? It's just a toy. But if you want one, you want one.
SANCHEZ: Yes. It's what some people fight about these days.
By the way, Iraq is something a lot of people fight about as well. In a state of civil war or not? Well, some critics are saying that the U.S. military's applying the wrong strategy in its fight against militias and terror. Our report on this is coming up in 14 minutes.
ROESGEN: Plus, faces of faith. He thinks of himself a changed man after finding faith. Stephen Baldwin live on CNN SUNDAY MORNING in about 25 minutes
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: It's been a rough weekend weather-wise for a lot of people. This is amateur video taken Friday night in southern Illinois. This storm knocked down trees and damaged dozens of homes. Part of a wave of severe weather that swept across the Midwest and South.
SANCHEZ: Time to pack and go in parts of southern California. Fire officials are urging people in the Sano Paulo (ph) area to leave. For now, the evacuation is voluntary.
Hot, dry winds are fanning a huge wildfire. It began around Labor Day. The blaze has already spread to over nearly 190 square miles.
ROESGEN: Now, they want the rain, so let's find out if the worst of the rain in the mid part of the country is over and maybe better things on the way.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Reynolds Wolf is checking on that for us.
What you got, Reynolds?
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROESGEN: Well, the controversy about the pope's remarks as we move on is not dying down in the Muslim world, but the pope is not making any new remarks in his prayers this morning. What did he say? We'll have a live report from Rome in about five minutes.
SANCHEZ: Also, he says he's done with an out-of-control life of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll and found his way to true faith. It's actor Stephen Baldwin live on CNN SUNDAY MORNING in about 20 minutes, in "Faces of Faith." This is one you will want to see.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROESGEN: "Now in the News," there is widespread skepticism to that French newspaper report saying Osama bin Laden has died. CNN has learned from Saudi sources that the elusive al Qaeda leader may be sick, but is still likely alive.
Autopsies are planned today on three young children found dead in an Illinois apartment. The police believe they're the children of a woman who died after her fetus was removed from the womb. The children, in fact, were last seen with the woman who is now charged in their mother's death.
Search and rescue workers will try a third time to try to find the site of a helicopter crash in Nepal. Reports show that 24 people were on board the helicopter, including American and Nepalese government officials. Bad weather and poor visibility in the area has slowed the search efforts.
SANCHEZ: A 9-year-old boy is the latest victim of bird flu in Indonesia. Health officials say the boy died Friday after coming in contact with dead contaminated birds. The boy is the 51st person in Indonesia to test positive for the deadly H5N1 strand of the Avian flu virus.
Cleanup and damage assessment going on in parts of the Midwest and South this morning. It's a weekend of bad weather that brought some heavy rains and strong winds and, in some cases, some tornadoes as well. The Associated Press reporting at least nine weather-related deaths.
We will update this weather throughout the morning for you right here. And let's do something now and go over to Reynolds Wolf and get a check of the forecast to see if any of this stuff is still lingering.
What you say, Reynolds?
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Good morning. I'm Rick Sanchez.
ROESGEN: Good morning. I'm Susan Roesgen, filling in for Betty Nguyen again.
Thank you for waking up with us.
SANCHEZ: Osama bin Laden may be ill, may be sick, but there's no evidence at this point that he's dead. There's a report that surfaced yesterday, as you may have heard. It was in a French newspaper, that the al Qaeda leader died last month in Pakistan.
Well, officials in the U.S. and elsewhere are now doubting that that is true. A Saudi intelligence source is telling CNN that recent credible reports that bin Laden is sick with some type of waterborne illness, but not dead, they say. CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen says Islamist Web sites would likely have announced bin Laden's death on the Internet if it were true. But that, at this point, this has not happened.
ROESGEN: His remarks ignited outrage among Muslims. Tomorrow Pope Benedict XVI will try to diffuse some of the tension. He's going to meet with ambassadors from Muslim nations.
And our faith and values correspondent, Delia Gallagher, joins us live in Rome -- Delia.
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN FAITH AND VALUES CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Susan.
Well, just over an hour ago, the pope gave his weekly angelus address from his summer residence outside of Rome, where he did not make any mention of Islam. He did talk about the Catholic nun who was killed last week in Somalia. He said she was a victim of violence and that she was pronounced -- the last words, her dying words were forgiveness.
As you say, all eyes are on the Vatican tomorrow as the pope meets with ambassadors to the Vatican from Muslim countries, as well as Italian Islamic leaders. Everybody looking to see what the pope will say. That takes place just before noon local time -- Susan.
ROESGEN: Delia, what do you think we can expect from that meeting? And is it unusual to have Muslim leaders go to the Vatican to meet the pope?
GALLAGHER: It's not unusual as such. They have meetings with the pope. They met Pope Benedict after his inauguration last year.
However, Vatican officials that I have spoken to here say they hope it will be a chance to move beyond the question of an apology and into what the pope says he wants, which is sincere and frank dialog. They say that they think that this dialog with Islam and the question of fundamentalist Islam is going to be one of the hallmarks of Pope Benedict's pontificate -- Susan.
ROESGEN: OK, Delia. Thank you. Live for us in Rome this morning. We'll see what happens after tomorrow's meeting.
Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Global terrorism as reported is growing faster than the U.S. and its allies can deal with the threat. An article in today's "Washington Post" blames the Iraq war. "The Post" cites a recent classified intelligence report that concludes that the war has become a powerful recruitment tool for Islamic terrorists known as the National Intelligence Estimate. "The Post" says the report claims that terror cells may now be growing at a rate faster than the military can possibly eliminate them.
The Iraq war, meanwhile, shows no signs of abating, at least not anytime soon. If anything, a military victory appears even more elusive than ever.
CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre takes a closer look now at the military strategy in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN SR. PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT(voice over): In the battle for Baghdad and the larger war in Iraq, the U.S. has adopted a simple strategy.
MAJ. GEN. JAMES THURMAN, MULTINATIONAL DIVISION, BAGHDAD COMMANDER: Our strategy has three parts: clear, hold and build. When we go into an area and clear it, the next step is to hold and build civil capacity.
MCINTYRE: That's a page right out of the Vietnam War plan, in which the idea of simply killing enemy soldiers, search and destroy, was replaced with clear and hold in the later years of the war. Some military historians argue the strategy had the Vietcong beaten and that the same thing can work in Iraq. But other military thinkers say the strategy is all wrong for what in Iraq is becoming less of a fight against radical insurgents and more of a struggle between warring Sunni and Shia factions.
STEPHEN BIDDLE, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: What we're doing in Iraq is taking strategies that are designed for classical insurgencies and misapplying them, to terminating a civil war in ways that's making termination really harder than easier.
MCINTYRE: Stephen Biddle is a Washington think tank analyst who also teaches at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He teaches that in a civil war, which Iraq appears to be in, you can't just build up one side and turn the fight over to them.
BIDDLE: If we insist on getting out as soon as some nominally national Iraqi military reaches some level of capability, what it's going to be is the thinnest of fig leafs for a defeat that will become pretty obvious as soon as we're home.
MCINTYRE: In an interview with the AP, General George Casey, the top commander in Iraq, conceded this week the war is in transition. In his words, "... from an insurgency to a struggle for the division of political and economic power."
Casey stopped short of saying Iraq has descended into a civil war, something Professor Biddle argues would be tantamount to admitting the current strategy is flawed. To end a civil war, he argues, the U.S. needs to get both sides into a power sharing agreement and then stick around to enforce it.
BIDDLE: If we are going to get a success here, we are going to have to stay in Iraq to police the deal that comes out. Now, with some luck, we'll be policing a cease-fire and not continuing to wage a war.
MCINTYRE (on camera): Biddle argues that Iraq is coming down to a race to see if political reconciliation can be achieved before the number of Iraqi deaths is so great, that no peace is possible. Time, he says, is not on the U.S. military's side.
Jamie McIntyre, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Iraqis are very well aware that they could become the victims of sectarian violence. It petrifies them.
MAJ. GEN. DON SHEPPERD (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: The security situation is not under control. Clearly they're going to have to keep troops there.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Iranian officials are a bit more emboldened. They really don't think that the U.S. has the strength in the region to come against Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Here's a program note for you. John Roberts hosts "This Week at War." It's at 1:00 Eastern only on CNN.
ROESGEN: "Going Global" now, for a look at other stories from around the world.
SANCHEZ: Our Brenda Bernard is joining us now from the international desk.
What you got, Brenda?
BRENDA BERNARD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Rick, there's another big rally in Lebanon today. This time it's Mennonite Christians -- Maronite Christians, I should say. Thousands of them are demonstrating in Harissa, just north of Beirut.
This gathering began with a Catholic mass, followed by speeches. Anti-Syrian politicians sent their representatives to show solidarity. The demonstration is, in part, meant to counter Hezbollah's massive rally Friday, when the militant group declared a divine victory over Israel in recent fighting.
The State Department has apologized to Venezuela's foreign minister for a security incident at New York's John F. Kennedy airport. Nicolas Maduro says he was held in a small room yesterday, his cell phone and passport were confiscated, and he was told to remove his clothes, but he refused. A U.S. official says Maduro arrived late, bought his ticket with cash, and did not identify himself, triggering additional security measures. Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has his own take on things.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRES. HUGO CHAVEZ, VENEZUELA (through translator): I have been informed that he was detained for more than an hour and has been searched thoroughly, and he has been accused of participating in terrorism attacks on February 4th. That is absolutely false.
He didn't even participate in the patriotic uprising of February 4th. That is a provocation from whom? Mr. Devil.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERNARD: Well, you may remember Mr. Chavez called President Bush "the devil" in a U.N. speech last week.
Well, who can forget this guy? Pop singer George Michael is back, kicking off his global comeback tour this weekend in Barcelona. These are actually pictures of him performing last year in New York.
The British icon is on his first solo concert tour in 15 years, though. Many people remember bizarre reports about his erratic behavior and drug-taking.
But the fans are still loving him, Rick. He packed the house in Barcelona.
Are you a fan, Rick?
SANCHEZ: Who is he again?
We wish him very well.
ROESGEN: You're too young to remember George Michael (sic), right.
SANCHEZ: Of course.
ROESGEN: Yes, of course.
SANCHEZ: Those old guys.
ROESGEN: Yes, you're into Goo Goo Dolls, or whatever.
Thanks, Brenda.
BERNARD: You bet.
ROESGEN: Another look at the weather is about 10 minutes away, so let's check in with Reynolds Wolf.
(WEATHER REPORT)
SANCHEZ: Thanks so much.
He says he's a new man and now follows his calling of true faith. In just a few moments, we're going to talk with actor Stephen Baldwin in our "Faces of Faith" segment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Here's what's in the news right now.
Widespread skepticism today. A French newspaper report saying that Osama bin Laden is dead. CNN has learned from Saudi sources the elusive al Qaeda leader may be sick, but is likely still alive.
More car bombs today in Iraq. At least nine Iraqis were killed, including several soldiers. Three of the attacks were in or near Baghdad. Another was in the northern city of Tal Afar.
ROESGEN: The E. coli outbreak from spinach is growing and the spinach recall is growing. Now 171 cases of E. coli in 25 states. And two more companies are pulling their spinach products off the shelves. Investigators say they have traced the contamination to farms in three California counties, and they say spinach grown outside that area is safe to eat.
So far, no motive or suspect in this shooting at a Florida mosque. A member told police he stepped outside Ramadan services to use his cell phone when he heard the shots. No injuries or arrests are reported.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. And we give you in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines will be coming up at the top of the hour.
SANCHEZ: His was a life of fast women, hard drugs, alcohol during his early years in Hollywood. Stephen Baldwin, the youngest of the famous Baldwin brothers, finally put the brakes on what some might consider a bit of an out-of-control lifestyle. And now he says he's a new man, and in perhaps his most pivotal role.
His book "The Unusual Suspect" is what Baldwin calls his calling to the new hard-core movement of faith.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN BALDWIN, ACTOR: I wrote "The Unusual Suspect" because I wanted to express the experience I'm having in my faith in a new kind of funky, cool, radical way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Well, now you're going to see him live. Stephen Baldwin is here this morning joining us.
BALDWIN: Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.
SANCHEZ: Stephen, thanks so much for being with us.
BALDWIN: Thanks for having me.
SANCHEZ: I'm in upstate New York, I'm driving around somewhere, and suddenly we're in our Conversion van, my four kids, my wife, our dog, and my wife says, "That's Stephen Baldwin." And by golly, it was. And Stephen Baldwin comes over and taps on the window after she says, "Hi."
And you were kind enough to be real nice to my kids. And then you said, "I have a conversion van just like that one." True?
BALDWIN: That's so funny. I cannot believe that. Well, you know, I used to call that a coincidence. Now I call it a Jesusidence (ph).
SANCHEZ: Well, and that brings us to this conversation, as a matter of fact.
Hey, let me ask you something. When people say, a Baldwin, no less, Stephen Baldwin, a born-again Christian writing a book about faith, huh?
BALDWIN: Well, and, you know, I used to get the story throughout my career, somebody would stop me and say, "Don't I know you from somewhere? Didn't we go to high school together?" And I'd say, "Oh, I'm Stephen Baldwin, the actor."
And they would say, "Oh, really?" And then after a beat they would go, "No, you're not."
What I get now is, "Aren't you Stephen Baldwin?" And I say, "Yes." And they say, "Are you a Christian?" And I say, "Yes." You know, "Praise god, isn't it wonderful?" And they'll go, "No, you're not."
And I have to -- I can't win. But I do -- I do like to share with people that no one can't believe it more than me. But the lord works in mysterious ways.
SANCHEZ: Well, let me ask you then how you reconcile -- listen, we all have a past, but, you know, yours is written about more than just about anybody else's. So, as you read about Stephen Baldwin, you read about things that are, well, let us just say, not so Christian- like. How do you reconcile that with your newfound form of Christianity?
BALDWIN: Well, god will use the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. And the apostle Paul was a murderer of Christians. So anything's that possible.
And was I really that bad, Rick? I mean...
SANCHEZ: Well, no, no, no. Of course not.
BALDWIN: No, but...
SANCHEZ: But by the way, did you hit -- was there one event that made you -- that triggered this in you? Was there a rock bottom, as they call it?
BALDWIN: No. No, there was no -- a lot of people ask me that, was there any one road to Damascus experience or anything like that. And that's not the case. All of this is in the book. I wrote the book because I really wanted to write something that was fun and entertaining about my life. And in the retrospect, kind of look back on what I believe now is what god had been doing all along.
There's a great story in there about this cleaning woman who 13 years ago came along and worked for my wife and I, who had said that it was revealed to her through prayer that my wife and I would come to faith and that at some point after that we would be involved in ministry. All of that has come true.
But it's not for me that that came true, as much as it is the way that it came true that's really kind of blown my mind. And then a lot of friends and family said to me -- after my wife's conversion, about six years ago, I had the firsthand observation of a really very beautiful transformation that my wife went through, which I had already been with her for 10 years, so this wasn't some kind of situation that was -- you know, I didn't understand it.
You know, this was somebody I had spent time with, been with, understood her, knew her ticks, this, that, and watched her go through this wonderful metamorphosis. And a year after that I followed just out of curiosity, just to see if I thought it would be something that would be interesting or whatever. You know, attractive to me. And it absolutely was something that blew my mind.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you a question that probably a lot of people think. When people think of the Baldwins, they don't think of conservatism. Since so many people in this country who are born-again Christians view themselves as conservative, does that now mean that you're conservative?
BALDWIN: Well, I would say that I probably have become a little more calmed down. I think that -- I think that may be relative to conservative thinking.
But I also -- you know, another reason I want to express myself the way I did in the book, Rick, was that, you know, there's a very large number of youth out there in America that is very, very passionate about their faith in Christianity. And a lot of these kids are hard-core rock 'n' rollers, and they just don't have a loud voice, or really a very big platform, which is part of the subtitle the new hard core movement of faith.
SANCHEZ: So let me draw a conclusion from what you just said, if you will allow me. Do we stereotype Christians?
BALDWIN: Oh, absolutely. I think -- well, born-again Christians, I think absolutely.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
BALDWIN: Conservative Christians definitely have a stereotype. And I've been doing this thing for five years now, and I've -- I've met some pretty funky, wild, crazy Christians. And I think that particularly the youth in this country that is very passionate about what they believe in, there's this -- there's a big gap, Rick, between the old conservative Christian movement and the one that's coming very, very soon in the next, you know five, 10, 15 years.
SANCHEZ: Interesting. Interesting. Interesting to hear you say that.
You know, we could talk all day. Thanks so much for being so kind to my family four or five years ago, or whenever that was.
By the way, you're still going to act, right? We're going to still see you in movies?
BALDWIN: Oh, I'm still making movies. I've got a reality show coming up soon. I've got three movies that are coming out. Lots more fun stuff to be doing.
SANCHEZ: Stephen Baldwin, thanks so much for being with us, my friend.
BALDWIN: Thanks. Take care.
ROESGEN: So, remember that, Rick, it's not a coincidence, it's a Jesusidence (ph), when you met him in your van.
SANCHEZ: Some new phraseology there, huh?
ROESGEN: Well, we are looking for your e-mails this morning.
SANCHEZ: Our question, how will Osama bin Laden's death impact the war on terror, if at all? We want to know what you think. Just e-mail us right here at weekends@cnn.com.
ROESGEN: And we'll read some of the responses on the air when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: Whether he is dead or alive, the hunt for Osama bin Laden remains a fascinating story. And Nicole Lapin is here now to highlight some special features on CNN.com on the hunt for the most wanted terrorist.
NICOLE LAPIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Susan, it's all about knowing your enemy. So CNN.com and "CNN PRESENTS" have a special report out, "In the Footsteps of bin Laden."
This is basically the fruits of CNN tracking across four continents to bring you an exclusive look at the al Qaeda leader, talking to people who knew him, people who grew up with him, who knew him personally. And you can also listen to personal accounts from reporters.
And who better to listen to than this man, Peter Bergen? He was the first to interview the man himself.
And you can see interactive features as well. So you can get involved in this story. Like there's a map highlighting the known locations where Osama bin Laden has been from his birthplace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, all the way to Tora Bora, that mountainous region in Afghanistan where bin Laden hid in a cave after the 9/11 attacks. And you remember this, eventually escaped the bombing by U.S. forces.
It's getting a lot of play this weekend with the reports of him being sick. So it's all about knowing your enemy.
Go to CNN.com/binladen. You can get a lot more.
ROESGEN: OK. Sounds good.
Thank you, Nicole.
LAPIN: Sure.
ROESGEN: Well, we are going to get back to our top stories in just a moment. But we're also asking for your e-mails.
How would bin Laden's death impact the war on terror, if at all? Let us know what you think.
SANCHEZ: E-mails at weekends@cnn.com. We're going to read some of your responses right here on the hour in our next hour -- or on the air, I should say. Better than on the hour.
ROESGEN: That's right. Somewhere. Somewhere in there.
We're still here. We've still got some top stories coming up, including more on the report out of France, the skepticism over Osama bin Laden's alleged death.
SANCHEZ: We'll have it for you right here, all the latest news. And the hunt for Osama bin Laden as well.
And then later on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, the Saints go marching in again. Now New Orleans is saying it's ready for some football.
ROESGEN: But first, if you're planning to play 18 holes today, Rick, Reynolds Wolf has the fairway forecast.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: "Now in the News," a Saudi intelligence source tells CNN Osama bin Laden may be ill, but the source says the al Qaeda leader is likely still alive.
Clean up is finally going on after deadly severe weather across the nations mid section. At least nine storm related deaths that we know of so far, eight in Kentucky, up to a foot of water flooding some areas.
SANCHEZ: Venezuela's foreign minister is demanding the U.S. be investigated by the United Nations. Nicholas Maduro says that he was illegally detained for 90 minutes at the Kennedy Airport and missed his flight home. U.S. officials call the incident a regrettable disagreement over security. Maduro calls it a flagrant violation of international law.
Senator Daniel Akaka has won the Hawaii's Democratic primary, defeating challenger Congressman Ed Case, the 82-year-old senator took 56 percent of the vote, Case got 43 percent. Akaka's going to face yet a named Republican challenger in November.
ROESGEN: Today the pope praised a nun attacked in Somalia for pardoning her killers. Tomorrow the pope will meet with Muslim leaders at the Vatican. He's trying to calm the fury over his speech that a funded Muslims last week and we'll go live to Rome in 15 minutes.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines will be coming up at 8:15 Eastern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a mission control for handling the E. coli outbreak. This is it. You are getting a unique look at DEO - the Director's Emergency Centers of the CDC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Go on the front lines of protecting the nation's food supply. That is coming up at the bottom. Hour with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and "House Call."
ROESGEN: From the CNN Center this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, it is September 24, 8:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 2 p.m. in Rome. Good morning I'm Susan Roesgen in for Betty Nguyen.
SANCHEZ: And I'm Rick Sanchez. Thanks so much for being with us this morning.
Great deal of skepticism around the world this morning, to a published report in France saying Osama Bin Laden's dead. CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson puts this story together for us.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It began here, a regional French newspaper. Reports Osama Bin Laden died of typhoid in Pakistan a month ago. Like samurai, the journalist who wrote the article claims he saw a confidential French government document quoting the Saudi authorities getting the news from a usually reliable source on September 4th. French President Jacques Chirac responded quickly ordering an investigation into the leak, adding, he could not confirm the information.
A Saudi source close to Saudi intelligence said Bin Laden was indeed suffering from a water-borne illness, but is not dead. Pakistani officials who have long denied Bin Laden is in their country said they had no knowledge of Bin Laden's death, and if he was aware he was in Pakistan they would have tried to capture him. A senior Saudi official offered similar guide ness as did a senior U.S. official with access to intelligence documents saying they did not develop intelligence worthy of putting on the president's desk.
Bin Laden's family according to friends and a Saudi source has no knowledge of his death. When Bin Laden's deputy Ayman al Zawahiri's wife was killed in U.S. bombing after 9/11 the first indication came when the family took out notices of death in Egyptian newspapers. So far, intelligence information points to Bin Laden still being alive, although possibly not well. There is always the possibility that this information has been leaked into the public domain to try and loathe Osama Bin Laden to appear on camera, the last time that happen was almost two years ago since then his released audio messages, the last one on the 30th of June. How would that benefit intelligence officials is not clear, but at this stage, it seems these reports have to be treated with a healthy degree of skepticism.
Nic Robertson, CNN, London.
SANCHEZ: That brings us to this morning's e-mail question. How would, supposing he were to be dead, how would that affect the war on terror if at all? You can e-mail us right here at WEEKENDS@CNN.com. By the way, our coverage of Bin Laden's health will continue next hour. We'll hear from international security analyst Jim Walsh.
And coming up at 11:00 Eastern on CNN's "Late Edition" among John King's guests, Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai.
ROESGEN: Well it is a horrible and into a tragic story. Illinois police think they've found the bodies of three children who disappeared after their mother was killed. The autopsies are planned today and even the police are shaken by the outcome of the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. CRAIG KOEHLER, ILLINOIS STATE POLICE: I have children of my own. All of these investigators have children of our own, so it's a very emotional time for all of our departments, and the families involved in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROESGEN: The police found the bodies just hours after a woman was charged with killing the children's pregnant mother and the fetus. They won't say whether the woman is suspected in the children's deaths. 0
More than 60 domestic violence shelters across North Carolina are on high alert after a man allegedly forced his way into a woman's shelter in Sylva, North Carolina, and killed his estranged wife. Bonnie Woodring was gunned Monday night at the shelter where she was staying with her 13-year-old son. He heard the shooting and was shaken up, but he was not hurt. Now police in at least seven states are searching for this man, John Woodring, the husband, the accused killer. SANCHEZ: Yes you are. Let's tell you about this, rain, wind and tornadoes. What a trifecta in a lot of areas in the Midwest and in the south this weekend. The Associated Press is reporting at least nine deaths, eight in Kentucky, and an Arkansas woman also died after being struck by lightning. On stable weather stretches along the eastern seaboard and across the Gulf coast state. Kentucky, by the way, was the hardest hit. Among the dead there two 25-year-old women, Sarah Lane of affiliate WLEX has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARAH LANE, WLEX: Emergency crews had hoped they'd be working an overnight rescue, just after 2:00, two women were seen hopping out of a taxi and into standing water on Nicklaville Road, but as they waded through, the currents proved too strong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a very sad situation.
LANE: Police were already watching the waterlogged road when they heard cries for help. They say one woman got pulled into the storm sewer drain and the second got sucked under when she tried to help. A third person tried to lend a hand and was rescued by officers. Several hours later --
JOHN JESSUP, LEXINGTON RESIDENT: It was a shock. I had go inside and gather my thoughts a little bit. It was very tragic.
LANE: City workers knocked on John Jessup's door needing some help.
JESSUP: Later on I discovered there was a body in our -- right in our yard.
LANE: The first victim was found in a pool of water just off Bobalink (ph) Drive.
JESSUP: I went inside and got a blanket and we covered the body, a young girl. It was just so sad.
LANE: The second discovered near Springhill Drive in a creek just behind Lafayette High School. A tragedy that has fire chief Bob Hendricks making this plea.
CHIEF BOB HENRICKS, LEXINGTON FIRE DEPT: So, please, please, I emphasize to your family members and your neighbors, do not go into even what appears to be standing water.
LANE: Covering the news in Lexington, Sarah Lane, WLEX News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROESGEN: Well time to pack and get out in southern California. Fire officials there are urging some people in Ojai to leave. For now the evacuation is voluntary, but hot, dry winds are fanning a huge wildfire that began Labor Day. It's already spread to more than 190 square miles. So we've got fire and water, but in two different parts of the country today.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Reynolds Wolf has the updated forecast now following all this. Thus far, what do we know?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well what we know right now is I guess you can say more of a gentle day weather wise. There's still a chance of some storms, but certainly not with the intensity we've seen over the last couple of days. We're seeing scattered showers at this time mainly up to the northeast all of the way to the Gulf coast. In fact, up in the Empire State of New York got some scattered showers there. Meanwhile they make their way into the Appalachians into places like Atlanta, Georgia.
Meanwhile, we are seeing some through central Alabama even in to places like New Orleans. In fact New Orleans right now we have cloudy skies. Here's a live image that we have from the crescent city. Big night tonight, if I am not mistaken is it tonight or tomorrow? It's tomorrow that they have the first game at the Superdome, I believe?
ROESGEN: Tomorrow night.
WOLF: Yes. What a great thing. Fantastic thing there for them. You know, obviously regardless of weather because indoors, it will be just picture perfect for them and 72 degrees. But for the rest of the country if should be just fantastic, take a look at some of these temperatures. The air mass not moving into the central Plains and eventually into the Ohio Valley. Cooler air filtering on in with high temperatures for the day today. In Denver 52 degrees at the mile high city, 59 in the Twin Cities, 59 also for Billings, but still warm in parts of the west coast. San Francisco looks about 88 degrees in Chinatown. For places like Phoenix about 90 degrees, 82 in Atlanta and 91for Orlando, and 91in Miami.
Meanwhile in the northeast, cloudy skies could be expected for New York and Boston with high temperatures warming up into the low 70s. That's a look at your forecast; let's send it back to you at the news desk.
SANCHEZ: Dozens of states getting 200 cases and numerous source of spinach. Just how do medical investigators go about tracking a case of contaminated food as in the case of spinach? We'll show you in "House Call" coming up in 20 minutes.
ROESGEN: And what could the pope hope to accomplish tomorrow when he meats with ambassadors from Muslim nations at the Vatican. We'll have another live report from Rome next. Plus --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Iraqis are very well aware that they could become the victims of sectarian violence. It petrifies them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The security situation is not under control and clearly you'll have to keep troops there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Iranian officials are a bit more (INAUDIBLE) they really don't think that the U.S. has the strength in the region to come against Iran.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: For in-depth analysis of the weeks developments in Iraq and the United Nation, watch "This Week at War" at 1:00 Eastern hosted by John Roberts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: Now in the news, a Saudi intelligence source tells CNN Osama Bin Laden may be ill be, but the source tell says the al Qaeda leader is probably not dead, he is most likely alive, contrary to the report yesterday in a French newspaper.
Dozens of Taliban insurgents have been killed in the latest fight between government and NATO forces in southern Afghanistan. That's according to various wire reports and there are differing numbers on the dead. NATO says 23 insurgents were killed. The Afghan ministry of defense says the death toll was closer to 40. No reason yet on that discrepancy.
Cleanup is underway after deadly severe weather across the Midwest and south. At least nine storm-related deaths, eight were in Kentucky where up to a foot of water flooded some areas.
The E. Coli outbreak from spinach is growing and so is the spinach recall. The Food and Drug Administration reports 171 cases of E. Coli in 25 states and two more companies are pulling their spinach products off the shelves.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines will be coming up at 8:30 Eastern.
SANCHEZ: Pope Benedict XVI addresses the faithful a day before his meeting with Muslim leaders. The pope is still trying to calm the fury of the speech that offended many Muslims. Faith and values correspondent Delia Gallagher is joining us now. She is live in Rome with the very latest. I guess at the outset I have to ask has the dust started to settle on this at this point?
GALLAGHER: Well, yes. Certainly as regards to the pope's apology and some of the initial outcry over that. Really the feeling on the ground here, Rick, right now is let's move forward. Let's see if this talk tomorrow can't help to reopen and restart that dialogue that the pope says he wants very much with the Muslim community.
SANCHEZ: By talking to the Muslim communities will he also get enough of the attention of perhaps those Muslims who are just really bothered by this?
GALLAGHER: Well, you have the two sides. You got diplomatic maneuverings, which will be happening tomorrow, and then you got the people on the street. While the Vatican can't really control what the people on the street think or do, I think by going this diplomatic route, the pope is hoping that he will be able to make his case to those ambassadors and to those religious leaders who will then take it to the people on the street.
SANCHEZ: How often does the Vatican reach out? How often in the past has the Vatican reached out to Muslims?
GALLAGHER: Well, part of the problem here is the Vatican under John Paul II has had a great track record of talks and inter-religious prayer meetings and so on with Muslims. So some people have taken these comments from Pope Benedict to suggest that he's not interested in that anymore. The Vatican analyst has suggested that is really not the case. That he's very much interested in dialogue as John Paul II was. Perhaps he wants to straighten out what is everybody's belief, where is everybody coming from to then come to the table.
He wants to avoid the syncretism, which is essentially saying your truth is as good as mine. Because of course as the Catholic Church he thinks he has the truth. The Muslims will think they have the truth. So he thinks the point of dialogue isn't necessarily that we all arrive at one truth, but maybe through dialogue we can work together on issues of social justice and poverty, war, et cetera.
SANCHEZ: Speaking of dialogue and truth has his message changed at all since the outset of this? He was apologetic but still holding firm that these weren't his thoughts. He was doing a comparison of religions in the past. Has he said anything today or the past couple of days that has changed that?
GALLAGHER: Today there was no mention of Islam. Today he referred to the Catholic nun in Somalia who had been killed and he said she was a victim of violence and her dying word was forgiveness. He did not go into any question on Islam, but we've seen in the past week that he gave the apology for the reactions of the people, but it's clear that by saying that, he's saying I don't change what I said. He said what I said was taken out of context. So I think Vatican watchers tomorrow are expecting to see a little bit of an elucidation of what he said, maybe a few comments, but certainly most of the comments probably aiming toward let's move on. Here's where I think we can do it.
SANCHEZ: Delia Gallagher following things for us at the Vatican. We certainly thank you. For more on religion and its role on war events watch "In God's Name" it is at 7:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.
Former President Bill Clinton and CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour are going to talk with a global panel of experts on this show.
ROESGEN: Well one year ago this month the Louisiana Superdome was so damaged by hurricane Katrina some people were sure it would have to be torn down, but look at it today. Repaired and ready for Monday night football. How did such a huge project succeed in such a short time? Find out in the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
SANCHEZ: First though coming up in 10 minutes why some parents are treating their perfectly healthy children with human growth hormone and why some are crying foul about it. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is part of a slippery slope of parents trying to design their children, and we're starting to see it at very early stages.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How do you make fitness a forever in your life? "Consumer Reports" on health surveyed nearly 22,000 people who were committed to exercise. Here are some of their secrets for success. Tip number one find your personality match.
NATASHA RICHARDSON, PERSONAL TRAINER: Some people are more extroverts and they -- those people would probable be best in like a group type setting, maybe group fitness, dance class, kick boxing, cardio-funk.
COSTELLO: For introverts, a circuit-training workout might be a better personality fit. Tip number two, squeeze it in work exercise into your busy schedule. Try to exercise at the same time of day and be sure to schedule it on your calendar. Tip number three make it a habit. Keep a food accountability journal.
RICHARDSON: So 60 percent of your results will be from nutrition and dieting and 40 percent will be from your cardio, your weightlifting.
COSTELLO: Tip number four, take laps in stride if you skip a workout or eat something fattening, don't beat yourself up, just keep going forward. Tip number five consider a trainer. A trainer can motivate you and make it easier for you to make exercise a lasting part of your life.
Carol Costello. CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: More stories across America this morning. Another Colorado football player is back in the game less than two weeks after being stabbed allegedly by a teammate, a rival for the punting position. That's right. The other guy who wanted to be the punter is accused of stabbing Rafael Mendoza in the leg.
Alabama now, investigators search for the cause of a plane crash at an air show near Birmingham. The crash killed a pilot and two passengers, a father and his 11-year-old son. The plane had been use for aerial tours during the show.
In Florida, it was about the Tickle me Elmo doll. It happened at a store in Tampa. A man says that another man threatened his life when he grabbed the last doll off the shelf. Obviously, the other guy wanted it more.
ROESGEN: The only one laughing is the doll.
All morning long we have been asking for your thoughts on our e- mail question, how would Bin Laden's death impact the war on terror?
SANCHEZ: Interesting so far. The responses that we're getting.
Let's start with Travis. He writes to us from Houston. "I think it would serve as a rallying cry for terrorists around the world to rise up and revenge his death and he would only be replaced by al Qaeda's deputy leader."
ROESGEN: Then Tom Edwards has this one. He says, "I think the fervency of his movement may increase as he would clearly be considered a martyr, a modern day prophet of sorts and a figure who will achieve even greater elevation in the eyes of his sympathizers. It's one thing to hunt for a man in the mountains of Pakistan or wherever, it's another to fight the idea he spawned."
SANCHEZ: This one comes from Randall, in Terra Alta, West Virginia. "You could bet on another 9/11 that the terrorists will not decide to just pack it up and go home. It would be a great day for justice, but a very small step in eliminating the terror threat as a whole."
So people seem to agree it would either not effect or escalate the war and certainly not decrease it.
ROESGEN: But as far as we know, he is not dead.
Now after a rough Saturday for some parts of the country, what can we expect from the rest of our weather today?
SANCHEZ: A check of the forecast is coming up, but first here's Dr. Sanjay Gupta with a preview of what's coming up on "House Call."
GUPTA: Thanks, well there has have been so many controversial health stories in the news recently, we decided to take a look at some of the most intriguing from tracking E. Coli outbreak to the CDC's Mission Control to why some parents are using drugs to give their children's appearance a boost.
There's a story out there about how relatives are being invited into the emergency room to watch the efforts to save their loved ones. Those stories and more coming up on "House Call" that is at 8:30 Eastern. Don't miss it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROESGEN: A Saudi intelligence source tells CNN Osama Bin Laden is probably still alive, contrary to a report in a French newspaper, but the source also says the al Qaeda leader may be ill. We'll ask President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan about the Bin Laden report later this morning. He's a guest today on CNN's "Late Edition" at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.
Illinois police think they've found the bodies of these three children who disappeared after their mother was killed. The autopsies are planned today. The police found the bodies just hours after a woman was charged with killing the children's pregnant mother and the fetus.
The pope today paid tribute to an Italian nun killed in Somalia. Tomorrow the pope will meet with Muslim leaders at the Vatican. Still trying to find a way to calm the fury over his speech that offended Muslims around the world.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
