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CNN Saturday Morning News

Bush to Meet with Chirac; Normandy Thanks Liberators on D-Day Anniversary

Aired June 05, 2004 - 08:00   ET

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

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


BETTY NGUYEN, ANCHOR: ... point game. I told you there are a lot of them out there to choose from. Both of those are very good picks. But I'm thinking Tour de Lux (ph) is the man of the hour.
DREW GRIFFIN, ANCHOR: Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. All right. Keep writing if you want. Weekend AM at CNN.com. Or WAM.

NGUYEN: WAM.

GRIFFIN: At CNN dot come.

NGUYEN: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.

GRIFFIN: And from the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is June 5. Good morning everybody. I'm Drew Griffin.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. Thank you much for being with us today.

Coming up this hour, we'll take you live to Normandy, France, which is now getting ready for tomorrow's D-Day ceremonies.

Also ahead, the case against Scott Peterson. Our "Legal Briefs" will examine this week's testimony.

And later, what could be worse than taking your dream vacation only to get sick when you arrive? A prescription for staying healthy during your summer travels is coming up on "HOUSE CALL."

First though, let's get a check of the headlines.

GRIFFIN: More U.S. casualties in Iraq this morning. A roadside bomb exploding in Baghdad just as a convoy was passing by.

One American soldier has been killed, three others wounded. An Iraqi civilian in a passing truck was also hurt there.

In Granby, Colorado, a bulldozer rampage is over about 12 hours after this began. Police say an irate armed man at the wheel of the armor-plated bulldozer tore down many of the town's buildings. Authorities say the driver seemed to have specific targets in mind. Nobody else hurt or killed. They believe that the driver, though, did commit suicide.

Pope John Paul II touched down in Switzerland earlier this morning for his first pilgrimage in nine months. The 84-year-old pope will attend a youth rally this evening before presiding over Sunday's mass. Up to 1,000 extra police and soldiers activated to provide security for the pope.

Some 60,000 runners and walkers are ready to pound the pavement right now in the nation's capital. They're taking a part in a race to benefit breast cancer programs in the city. The D.C. area has the highest breast cancer mortality rate in the country.

NGUYEN: Up first this hour, both praise and protests greet President Bush as he tours Europe. He's there meeting with other leaders and marking D-Day ceremonies.

Earlier today, he held a press conference with Italian Prime Minster Silvio Berlusconi. Both leaders vowed to stay the course in Iraq.

But just outside, mass protests. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators voiced their objections to Italy's participation in the war.

President Bush is expected to land in Paris any minute now for his meeting with French President Jacques Chirac. For more, let's go to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, live this morning from the American cemetery at Normandy.

Hi, Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, President Bush did leave Italy in the last hour and is expected soon here. He will be meeting with President Jacques Chirac, and even though those two leaders differed so sharply over the war in Iraq, today, June 5, is billed as a day to try to move forward, to try to look positively together for the future of world events and of course, Iraq, as well.

There will, however, be many, many thousands of protestors expected to greet President Bush in Paris as well as those who turned out in Italy. Because even though world leaders are trying to put the best face on their discord right now, the populations of Europe remain implacably oppose to the war in Iraq. In France, some 85 percent of the people oppose the war in Iraq.

But here where I am today, Colleville-sur-Mer, the American wartime cemetery where more than 9,000 American veterans are buried, people who gave their lives on D-Day and in the Normandy entire campaign, here the spirit is one of welcome, one of thanks.

Normandy, Norman officials and the Norman people here today say that they do not forget their liberators 60 years on and they pay a huge debt of thanks and gratitude.

And while people are preparing for the ceremonies and even this cemetery is being visited not just by dignitaries and people preparing for the great celebration and commemoration tomorrow, but tourists and other veterans and their families who have arrived for this weekend, Norman towns have hung out flags, American and French flags. Some of the signs in English. They say "Thank you" and "We welcome our liberators."

So the spirit here is one of remembrance, one of remembering that incredible unity and the big debt that France and all of Europe pays to America, to Britain, and to those veterans who stormed those beaches not far from this cemetery 60 years ago.

To that end, Prince Charles of Britain, the heir to the British throne, has also been here in Normandy and will remain for much of today, paying respects, honoring those who fell and laying wreaths, not just at British battle sites, but also at the sites of other allies.

Canadians, as well, for instance. He was at the Canadian war cemetery and laid a wreath today.

And in his speeches and in what he's been saying over this weekend, he said we must never forget to honor these people who have fallen. We must never forget that many of those who died so that we may live today are the age of my own sons. And he was referring to his teenage sons, Prince Harry and Prince William.

So a great deal of poignancy, a great deal of togetherness, despite the current discord over Iraq. A great deal of remembering the huge debt that the world owes to those brave men who stormed those beaches so many years ago.

And the celebrations will culminate tomorrow, the actual anniversary of D-Day, in international and national ceremonies in which 20 or so heads of state and government will be here as well as thousand of veterans -- Betty.

NGUYEN: A weekend full of remembrance. Christiane Amanpour in Normandy. Thank you so much.

And you want to tune in tomorrow for CNN's live coverage from Normandy honoring D-Day. It begins at 3 a.m. Eastern, and it's hosted by CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Christiane Amanpour.

GRIFFIN: And here's Prince Charles at the Pegasus Bridge Museum. That is a dedication, a replica of the Horsa glider.

He is commemorating the dedication of this replica glider in which British troops went behind enemy lines, landing in a rather cumbersome vehicle to take the Pegasus Bridge and clear the way for the D-Day invaders to come ashore.

Live pictures coming out of France and a very busy schedule for the prince this morning.

NGUYEN: Meeting with the veterans there. They have quite a story to tell.

There's a lot more to come here on CNN. Week one in the Scott Peterson trial: does the defense have a case? We'll ask our legal eagles.

GRIFFIN: And it is the summer travel season. "WEEKEND HOUSE CALL" has tips on how to stay healthy on land, air or sea.

NGUYEN: Plus, our e-mail question of the morning, what's the most impressive feat in sports? Send your thoughts to W-A-M, or WAM, as they call it. WAM@CNN.com.

CNN SATURDAY MORNING will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Federal prosecutors have interviewed Vice President Dick Cheney as part of an investigation into the leaking of information about a CIA operative.

The vice president was questioned about a possible White House leak which disclosed the identity of Bush critic Joseph Wilson's wife as an undercover CIA operative. The White House, though, has denied any involvement in the leak of information.

GRIFFIN: Time for "Legal Briefs."

In Redwood City, California, Scott Peterson's murder trial resumes Monday after taking Friday off.

Prosecutors tried to establish a time of death in the opening week of the trial. They focused on the clothes Laci Peterson wore on the last day anyone reported seeing her alive.

In his opening Saturday, defense attorney Mark Geragos showed autopsy photos of Laci and the baby. He said the evidence will show the child was alive after December 23.

Laci's half sister, Amy Rocha testified that Scott Peterson appeared panicked the night Laci disappeared. Geragos will continue to build his argument that Modesto police arrested the wrong man.

To talk more about the prosecution and what the defense is trying to do, our legal eagles this morning. Former Texas state prosecutor Nelda Blair joins us from Houston.

NELDA BLAIR, FORMER TEXAS STATE PROSECUTOR: Good morning.

GRIFFIN: And civil liberties attorney Lida Rodriguez-Taseff joins us from Philadelphia. Counselors, good morning to you.

LIDA RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF, CIVIL LIBERTIES ATTORNEY: Good morning.

GRIFFIN: It looks like the case is going to hinge a lot about the time of death. Obviously, the prosecutors want to show that Laci Peterson died on that day that she was reported missing. And Geragos' defense seems to be the baby was born full term. The baby was born later. And if that's the case, Scott Peterson was under surveillance and could not have committed this crime.

Let's begin with our prosecutor to find out if this case is strong enough to hold up.

BLAIR: I definitely think so. Granted, it is a circumstantial case, but this prosecution has some very substantial evidence that it's going to present to this jury.

It's going to going to put a puzzle together piece by piece. This case is like a big jigsaw puzzle. And remember, it doesn't have to be 100 percent. It has to convince that jury beyond a reasonable doubt.

And I think we'll find that the prosecution is going to do this with the evidence they have against Scott Peterson.

GRIFFIN: Lida, it surely is a big puzzle to bring together, a five-hour opening statement from the prosecution. A lot of people said it was just too boring and too much minutia.

Is this case going to fall apart on the doubts about when this child and when Laci died?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, certainly the prosecution started the case running the wrong way. You know, they're -- they're further behind than when they started.

And it's interesting, because the prosecution's opening was long and boring, and it was followed by a fairly inept and rather fumbled first couple of witnesses.

The prosecution was trying to establish what clothing Laci Peterson was wearing the night that they say she was killed, and instead, they ended up look foolish. There is no evidence, or nobody can say for sure what she really was wearing other than beige pants, black pants.

Her sister -- her stepsister was -- on cross-examination admitted that she couldn't tell what pants the prosecution presented and what pants she was wearing.

So you know, it's looking ugly for the prosecution. The first couple of witnesses should have started out with a bang, and they didn't.

BLAIR: That's not -- Lida, this is not a television courtroom drama. This is a real case. And these prosecutors are handling just like real lawyers do and not television lawyers.

They're putting their case together. I'm sorry it's boring, but it's a murder case. It's not a sensational show. And they're going to put it together one by one. GRIFFIN: Let me ask you this, if I could just jump in. This case is expected to go for months. If you're sitting in the jury box, don't you just kind of get lost in the whole thing?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely.

BLAIR: No.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: And that's exactly why the opening should have been more interesting, and the first couple of witnesses should have been more interesting.

And you know, the shocker was -- and this is something I'd like Nelda to comment on. The shocker was that Geragos started out by making the assertion that the baby was born alive sometime in January.

And if that's the case, there is no way -- and if he can actually prove that, there's no way that this jury can convict Scott Peterson.

And while I think it was a daring move, it may have come back to bite him if he can't prove it. But certainly it was a lot more exciting than what the prosecution had to offer, and it was at least a very defined argument on the part of the defense.

GRIFFIN: OK. So the defense wins the entertainment value in the opening round.

Let's move on now to Enron. And Nelda, I'm going to give you the first shot at this, because you're in Houston.

I want you to listen to the tapes that came to light of Enron energy traders in the California case where these guys were basically wanting California to burn so they could sell more energy at higher prices.

Take a listen to this tape.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Burn, baby burn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a beautiful saying.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're (expletive deleted) taking all the money back from you guys? All the money you guys stole from those poor grandmothers in California?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Grandma Millie, man. But she's the one who couldn't figure how to (expletive deleted) vote in the butterfly ballot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, now she wants her (expletive deleted) money back for all the power you've charged right up -- jammed her right up her (expletive deleted).

(END VIDEO CLIP) GRIFFIN: Nelda, California's attorney general, armed with these new tapes, is going after Enron yet again in a lawsuit. Is there a case here based on a couple of these guys talking on tape?

BLAIR: Well, there's not a case of saying bad words on tape. That's not illegal.

But let me say this. That is a perfect example of the blatant pompousness that started at the top and went all the way to the bottom with Enron.

Enron -- Yes, here in Houston, it sent thousands of lives spinning. And that's what's happened all over the country. And I'm telling you, Enron might be a perfect example of corporate greed gone bad. But we don't tolerate that in the United States, and they're going to fall for it.

GRIFFIN: Well, we don't tolerate it, but Lida, are we going to get any money for it? Enron is bankrupt. All the people in California have already paid their utility bills over this couple of year period. What would a lawsuit accomplish?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, the lawsuit is trying to make sure that the creditors, the greedy creditors of Enron don't end up with whatever money there is out there.

And I think Nelda, you know, it's true that this case teaches us about greed, but it also teaches up about the bad parts about government deregulation.

Look, the way these tapes came to light was the FBI raided the West Coast headquarters of Enron, got these tapes, gave them to the Justice Department, and then the Justice Department didn't want to release them until the -- one of the Seattle utilities got them out and then distributed them to the public under Washington state's public record laws.

And that's very important, because look, we wouldn't know about this were it not for the public record laws.

And will they get any money? It's hard to say at this point, but at least they're trying and more importantly, at least all this stuff is coming to light so that people can really analyze this deregulation mess and can really analyze the role of the government in allowing this mess.

BLAIR: Lida, it has nothing to do with deregulation.

GRIFFIN: All right, ladies. Let's stop fighting and let's just move on here. Thank you very much for joining us this morning. We'll see what happens in the Scott Peterson trial next week. Thank you both.

BLAIR: Great.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Thank you. NGUYEN: Spirited debate there.

Well, let's shift gears. Can Smarty Jones take it all the way and win the Triple Crown? That thought made us ask, "What's the most impressive feat in sports?" We are reading your e-mails. Send them to us.

CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: All right, guys. Here's a quick look at our top story.

President Bush is due to arrive in Paris from Rome in about 20 minutes from now. He'll hold talks with French President Jacques Chirac, one of his fiercest critics of the Iraq war. This is pictures of Mr. Bush leaving Rome earlier today. Mr. Bush heads to Normandy tomorrow for ceremonies commemorating D-Day.

NGUYEN: Philadelphia sports fans are known for their boisterous ways and sometimes nasty disposition, but they all seem to have fallen in love with their latest local hero. Of course, that's Smarty Jones.

Bruce Burkhardt looks at the new Philadelphia story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two of the largest shirts you have.

BRUCE BURKHARDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Everyone's snapping up T-shirts.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much.

BURKHARDT: A governor declares Saturday Smarty Jones Day in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

GOV. ED RENDELL, PENNSYLVANIA: And encourage all of our citizens to cheer for this courageous and feisty little chestnut horse with the huge heart as he circles the track at Belmont.

BURKHARDT: And on Philadelphia sports talk radio, for weeks it's been topic No. 1. Even when their beloved Flyers in the NHL were in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

TRIPP ROGERS, SPORTS TALK RADIO HOST: Everybody wanted to talk about Smarty Jones. Everybody wanted to talk about, you know, winning the Triple Crown.

BURKHARDT (on camera): Even when the Flyers were in the playoffs?

ROGERS: Even though the Flyers were in the playoffs.

BURKHARDT (voice-over): It is just a horse, you might be saying, but -- and this is important -- it is a horse from Philadelphia.

(on camera) But Philadelphia, this isn't horse country.

LARRY BOWA, MANAGER, PHILLIES: It is now.

BURKHARDT (voice-over): Larry Bowa, manager of the Phillies and long-time Philadelphian, is well aware of how this time is thirsting for a champion.

BOWA: Maybe he can break that jinx that's been involved in all of baseball, football, hockey, basketball. Maybe he's just going to break that jinx and let everybody be a champion.

BURKHARDT (on camera): And jump out to the front.

(voice-over) Twenty-one years without a champion, more than any other city with four major sports, but there's more to it than that.

In a town that prides itself on its working class image, Smarty is seen as more blue collar than blue grass.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He looks like the ordinary horse, coming out and doing it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's pretty happy. You know, his ears when he's running real fast, his ears kind of, like, flap around.

ROGERS: People have made comparisons to Rocky. And I suppose it is, but this is a real-life Rocky story.

BURKHARDT (on camera): Of course, the references to Rocky are irresistible, but Smarty, as far as we know, never ran up these steps for a workout. I think Smarty is smarter than Rocky.

(voice-over) But this is where Smarty does work out, and this, too, is part of the story.

Philadelphia Park is kind of the minor leagues in the horseracing world.

KEITH JONES, PHILADELPHIA PARK: Even to consider here that you would have, A, a horse that would even campaign in the triple crown races, I mean that's kind of unheard of to begin with.

BURKHARDT: So Smarty, the pressure's on. The entire city is counting on you to deliver that Rocky-style knockout punch.

Bruce Burkhardt, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Smarty Jones, he's all the talk these days. Of course, his eight and eight record, looking for this Triple Crown. Only 11 horses have done it before. So...

GRIFFIN: Is he going to do it and will that make him your pick for the most impressive feat in sports? We're asking for your e-mails this morning.

Smarty Jones, no? How about Bobby Jones. That's what Scott tells us, "By far the most impressive is winning the grand slam in golf. It's only been done once, by Bobby Jones in the 1920s."

NGUYEN: And Mark writes us saying, "How about a young black American going to the Berlin Olympics in Hitler's Germany in 1936 and coming home with four gold medals? Jesse Owens' feats transcended sports."

Told you, there are a lot to pick from, some good moments in sports history, and all of them winners.

GRIFFIN: All right. It is time to hit the road for that summer vacation, but what should you do before leaving home to make sure you don't get sick?

Up next, tune in to "WEEKEND HOUSE CALL" for tips on staying healthy on your vacation, whether you're cruising, driving our touring nationally.

At 9 a.m. Eastern, George Tenet has stepped down from the CIA. What lies ahead now for the agency? We will ask a former assistant secretary of defense.

And at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, long-time journalist Ben Bradley joins Robert Novak in "THE NOVAK ZONE."

It's all ahead when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired June 5, 2004 - 08:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, ANCHOR: ... point game. I told you there are a lot of them out there to choose from. Both of those are very good picks. But I'm thinking Tour de Lux (ph) is the man of the hour.
DREW GRIFFIN, ANCHOR: Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely. All right. Keep writing if you want. Weekend AM at CNN.com. Or WAM.

NGUYEN: WAM.

GRIFFIN: At CNN dot come.

NGUYEN: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.

GRIFFIN: And from the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is June 5. Good morning everybody. I'm Drew Griffin.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen. Thank you much for being with us today.

Coming up this hour, we'll take you live to Normandy, France, which is now getting ready for tomorrow's D-Day ceremonies.

Also ahead, the case against Scott Peterson. Our "Legal Briefs" will examine this week's testimony.

And later, what could be worse than taking your dream vacation only to get sick when you arrive? A prescription for staying healthy during your summer travels is coming up on "HOUSE CALL."

First though, let's get a check of the headlines.

GRIFFIN: More U.S. casualties in Iraq this morning. A roadside bomb exploding in Baghdad just as a convoy was passing by.

One American soldier has been killed, three others wounded. An Iraqi civilian in a passing truck was also hurt there.

In Granby, Colorado, a bulldozer rampage is over about 12 hours after this began. Police say an irate armed man at the wheel of the armor-plated bulldozer tore down many of the town's buildings. Authorities say the driver seemed to have specific targets in mind. Nobody else hurt or killed. They believe that the driver, though, did commit suicide.

Pope John Paul II touched down in Switzerland earlier this morning for his first pilgrimage in nine months. The 84-year-old pope will attend a youth rally this evening before presiding over Sunday's mass. Up to 1,000 extra police and soldiers activated to provide security for the pope.

Some 60,000 runners and walkers are ready to pound the pavement right now in the nation's capital. They're taking a part in a race to benefit breast cancer programs in the city. The D.C. area has the highest breast cancer mortality rate in the country.

NGUYEN: Up first this hour, both praise and protests greet President Bush as he tours Europe. He's there meeting with other leaders and marking D-Day ceremonies.

Earlier today, he held a press conference with Italian Prime Minster Silvio Berlusconi. Both leaders vowed to stay the course in Iraq.

But just outside, mass protests. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators voiced their objections to Italy's participation in the war.

President Bush is expected to land in Paris any minute now for his meeting with French President Jacques Chirac. For more, let's go to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, live this morning from the American cemetery at Normandy.

Hi, Christiane.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Betty, President Bush did leave Italy in the last hour and is expected soon here. He will be meeting with President Jacques Chirac, and even though those two leaders differed so sharply over the war in Iraq, today, June 5, is billed as a day to try to move forward, to try to look positively together for the future of world events and of course, Iraq, as well.

There will, however, be many, many thousands of protestors expected to greet President Bush in Paris as well as those who turned out in Italy. Because even though world leaders are trying to put the best face on their discord right now, the populations of Europe remain implacably oppose to the war in Iraq. In France, some 85 percent of the people oppose the war in Iraq.

But here where I am today, Colleville-sur-Mer, the American wartime cemetery where more than 9,000 American veterans are buried, people who gave their lives on D-Day and in the Normandy entire campaign, here the spirit is one of welcome, one of thanks.

Normandy, Norman officials and the Norman people here today say that they do not forget their liberators 60 years on and they pay a huge debt of thanks and gratitude.

And while people are preparing for the ceremonies and even this cemetery is being visited not just by dignitaries and people preparing for the great celebration and commemoration tomorrow, but tourists and other veterans and their families who have arrived for this weekend, Norman towns have hung out flags, American and French flags. Some of the signs in English. They say "Thank you" and "We welcome our liberators."

So the spirit here is one of remembrance, one of remembering that incredible unity and the big debt that France and all of Europe pays to America, to Britain, and to those veterans who stormed those beaches not far from this cemetery 60 years ago.

To that end, Prince Charles of Britain, the heir to the British throne, has also been here in Normandy and will remain for much of today, paying respects, honoring those who fell and laying wreaths, not just at British battle sites, but also at the sites of other allies.

Canadians, as well, for instance. He was at the Canadian war cemetery and laid a wreath today.

And in his speeches and in what he's been saying over this weekend, he said we must never forget to honor these people who have fallen. We must never forget that many of those who died so that we may live today are the age of my own sons. And he was referring to his teenage sons, Prince Harry and Prince William.

So a great deal of poignancy, a great deal of togetherness, despite the current discord over Iraq. A great deal of remembering the huge debt that the world owes to those brave men who stormed those beaches so many years ago.

And the celebrations will culminate tomorrow, the actual anniversary of D-Day, in international and national ceremonies in which 20 or so heads of state and government will be here as well as thousand of veterans -- Betty.

NGUYEN: A weekend full of remembrance. Christiane Amanpour in Normandy. Thank you so much.

And you want to tune in tomorrow for CNN's live coverage from Normandy honoring D-Day. It begins at 3 a.m. Eastern, and it's hosted by CNN's Wolf Blitzer and Christiane Amanpour.

GRIFFIN: And here's Prince Charles at the Pegasus Bridge Museum. That is a dedication, a replica of the Horsa glider.

He is commemorating the dedication of this replica glider in which British troops went behind enemy lines, landing in a rather cumbersome vehicle to take the Pegasus Bridge and clear the way for the D-Day invaders to come ashore.

Live pictures coming out of France and a very busy schedule for the prince this morning.

NGUYEN: Meeting with the veterans there. They have quite a story to tell.

There's a lot more to come here on CNN. Week one in the Scott Peterson trial: does the defense have a case? We'll ask our legal eagles.

GRIFFIN: And it is the summer travel season. "WEEKEND HOUSE CALL" has tips on how to stay healthy on land, air or sea.

NGUYEN: Plus, our e-mail question of the morning, what's the most impressive feat in sports? Send your thoughts to W-A-M, or WAM, as they call it. WAM@CNN.com.

CNN SATURDAY MORNING will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Federal prosecutors have interviewed Vice President Dick Cheney as part of an investigation into the leaking of information about a CIA operative.

The vice president was questioned about a possible White House leak which disclosed the identity of Bush critic Joseph Wilson's wife as an undercover CIA operative. The White House, though, has denied any involvement in the leak of information.

GRIFFIN: Time for "Legal Briefs."

In Redwood City, California, Scott Peterson's murder trial resumes Monday after taking Friday off.

Prosecutors tried to establish a time of death in the opening week of the trial. They focused on the clothes Laci Peterson wore on the last day anyone reported seeing her alive.

In his opening Saturday, defense attorney Mark Geragos showed autopsy photos of Laci and the baby. He said the evidence will show the child was alive after December 23.

Laci's half sister, Amy Rocha testified that Scott Peterson appeared panicked the night Laci disappeared. Geragos will continue to build his argument that Modesto police arrested the wrong man.

To talk more about the prosecution and what the defense is trying to do, our legal eagles this morning. Former Texas state prosecutor Nelda Blair joins us from Houston.

NELDA BLAIR, FORMER TEXAS STATE PROSECUTOR: Good morning.

GRIFFIN: And civil liberties attorney Lida Rodriguez-Taseff joins us from Philadelphia. Counselors, good morning to you.

LIDA RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF, CIVIL LIBERTIES ATTORNEY: Good morning.

GRIFFIN: It looks like the case is going to hinge a lot about the time of death. Obviously, the prosecutors want to show that Laci Peterson died on that day that she was reported missing. And Geragos' defense seems to be the baby was born full term. The baby was born later. And if that's the case, Scott Peterson was under surveillance and could not have committed this crime.

Let's begin with our prosecutor to find out if this case is strong enough to hold up.

BLAIR: I definitely think so. Granted, it is a circumstantial case, but this prosecution has some very substantial evidence that it's going to present to this jury.

It's going to going to put a puzzle together piece by piece. This case is like a big jigsaw puzzle. And remember, it doesn't have to be 100 percent. It has to convince that jury beyond a reasonable doubt.

And I think we'll find that the prosecution is going to do this with the evidence they have against Scott Peterson.

GRIFFIN: Lida, it surely is a big puzzle to bring together, a five-hour opening statement from the prosecution. A lot of people said it was just too boring and too much minutia.

Is this case going to fall apart on the doubts about when this child and when Laci died?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, certainly the prosecution started the case running the wrong way. You know, they're -- they're further behind than when they started.

And it's interesting, because the prosecution's opening was long and boring, and it was followed by a fairly inept and rather fumbled first couple of witnesses.

The prosecution was trying to establish what clothing Laci Peterson was wearing the night that they say she was killed, and instead, they ended up look foolish. There is no evidence, or nobody can say for sure what she really was wearing other than beige pants, black pants.

Her sister -- her stepsister was -- on cross-examination admitted that she couldn't tell what pants the prosecution presented and what pants she was wearing.

So you know, it's looking ugly for the prosecution. The first couple of witnesses should have started out with a bang, and they didn't.

BLAIR: That's not -- Lida, this is not a television courtroom drama. This is a real case. And these prosecutors are handling just like real lawyers do and not television lawyers.

They're putting their case together. I'm sorry it's boring, but it's a murder case. It's not a sensational show. And they're going to put it together one by one. GRIFFIN: Let me ask you this, if I could just jump in. This case is expected to go for months. If you're sitting in the jury box, don't you just kind of get lost in the whole thing?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Absolutely.

BLAIR: No.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: And that's exactly why the opening should have been more interesting, and the first couple of witnesses should have been more interesting.

And you know, the shocker was -- and this is something I'd like Nelda to comment on. The shocker was that Geragos started out by making the assertion that the baby was born alive sometime in January.

And if that's the case, there is no way -- and if he can actually prove that, there's no way that this jury can convict Scott Peterson.

And while I think it was a daring move, it may have come back to bite him if he can't prove it. But certainly it was a lot more exciting than what the prosecution had to offer, and it was at least a very defined argument on the part of the defense.

GRIFFIN: OK. So the defense wins the entertainment value in the opening round.

Let's move on now to Enron. And Nelda, I'm going to give you the first shot at this, because you're in Houston.

I want you to listen to the tapes that came to light of Enron energy traders in the California case where these guys were basically wanting California to burn so they could sell more energy at higher prices.

Take a listen to this tape.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Burn, baby burn.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's a beautiful saying.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're (expletive deleted) taking all the money back from you guys? All the money you guys stole from those poor grandmothers in California?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, Grandma Millie, man. But she's the one who couldn't figure how to (expletive deleted) vote in the butterfly ballot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, now she wants her (expletive deleted) money back for all the power you've charged right up -- jammed her right up her (expletive deleted).

(END VIDEO CLIP) GRIFFIN: Nelda, California's attorney general, armed with these new tapes, is going after Enron yet again in a lawsuit. Is there a case here based on a couple of these guys talking on tape?

BLAIR: Well, there's not a case of saying bad words on tape. That's not illegal.

But let me say this. That is a perfect example of the blatant pompousness that started at the top and went all the way to the bottom with Enron.

Enron -- Yes, here in Houston, it sent thousands of lives spinning. And that's what's happened all over the country. And I'm telling you, Enron might be a perfect example of corporate greed gone bad. But we don't tolerate that in the United States, and they're going to fall for it.

GRIFFIN: Well, we don't tolerate it, but Lida, are we going to get any money for it? Enron is bankrupt. All the people in California have already paid their utility bills over this couple of year period. What would a lawsuit accomplish?

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Well, the lawsuit is trying to make sure that the creditors, the greedy creditors of Enron don't end up with whatever money there is out there.

And I think Nelda, you know, it's true that this case teaches us about greed, but it also teaches up about the bad parts about government deregulation.

Look, the way these tapes came to light was the FBI raided the West Coast headquarters of Enron, got these tapes, gave them to the Justice Department, and then the Justice Department didn't want to release them until the -- one of the Seattle utilities got them out and then distributed them to the public under Washington state's public record laws.

And that's very important, because look, we wouldn't know about this were it not for the public record laws.

And will they get any money? It's hard to say at this point, but at least they're trying and more importantly, at least all this stuff is coming to light so that people can really analyze this deregulation mess and can really analyze the role of the government in allowing this mess.

BLAIR: Lida, it has nothing to do with deregulation.

GRIFFIN: All right, ladies. Let's stop fighting and let's just move on here. Thank you very much for joining us this morning. We'll see what happens in the Scott Peterson trial next week. Thank you both.

BLAIR: Great.

RODRIGUEZ-TASEFF: Thank you. NGUYEN: Spirited debate there.

Well, let's shift gears. Can Smarty Jones take it all the way and win the Triple Crown? That thought made us ask, "What's the most impressive feat in sports?" We are reading your e-mails. Send them to us.

CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues. Stay with us.

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(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: All right, guys. Here's a quick look at our top story.

President Bush is due to arrive in Paris from Rome in about 20 minutes from now. He'll hold talks with French President Jacques Chirac, one of his fiercest critics of the Iraq war. This is pictures of Mr. Bush leaving Rome earlier today. Mr. Bush heads to Normandy tomorrow for ceremonies commemorating D-Day.

NGUYEN: Philadelphia sports fans are known for their boisterous ways and sometimes nasty disposition, but they all seem to have fallen in love with their latest local hero. Of course, that's Smarty Jones.

Bruce Burkhardt looks at the new Philadelphia story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two of the largest shirts you have.

BRUCE BURKHARDT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Everyone's snapping up T-shirts.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you very much.

BURKHARDT: A governor declares Saturday Smarty Jones Day in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

GOV. ED RENDELL, PENNSYLVANIA: And encourage all of our citizens to cheer for this courageous and feisty little chestnut horse with the huge heart as he circles the track at Belmont.

BURKHARDT: And on Philadelphia sports talk radio, for weeks it's been topic No. 1. Even when their beloved Flyers in the NHL were in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

TRIPP ROGERS, SPORTS TALK RADIO HOST: Everybody wanted to talk about Smarty Jones. Everybody wanted to talk about, you know, winning the Triple Crown.

BURKHARDT (on camera): Even when the Flyers were in the playoffs?

ROGERS: Even though the Flyers were in the playoffs.

BURKHARDT (voice-over): It is just a horse, you might be saying, but -- and this is important -- it is a horse from Philadelphia.

(on camera) But Philadelphia, this isn't horse country.

LARRY BOWA, MANAGER, PHILLIES: It is now.

BURKHARDT (voice-over): Larry Bowa, manager of the Phillies and long-time Philadelphian, is well aware of how this time is thirsting for a champion.

BOWA: Maybe he can break that jinx that's been involved in all of baseball, football, hockey, basketball. Maybe he's just going to break that jinx and let everybody be a champion.

BURKHARDT (on camera): And jump out to the front.

(voice-over) Twenty-one years without a champion, more than any other city with four major sports, but there's more to it than that.

In a town that prides itself on its working class image, Smarty is seen as more blue collar than blue grass.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He looks like the ordinary horse, coming out and doing it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's pretty happy. You know, his ears when he's running real fast, his ears kind of, like, flap around.

ROGERS: People have made comparisons to Rocky. And I suppose it is, but this is a real-life Rocky story.

BURKHARDT (on camera): Of course, the references to Rocky are irresistible, but Smarty, as far as we know, never ran up these steps for a workout. I think Smarty is smarter than Rocky.

(voice-over) But this is where Smarty does work out, and this, too, is part of the story.

Philadelphia Park is kind of the minor leagues in the horseracing world.

KEITH JONES, PHILADELPHIA PARK: Even to consider here that you would have, A, a horse that would even campaign in the triple crown races, I mean that's kind of unheard of to begin with.

BURKHARDT: So Smarty, the pressure's on. The entire city is counting on you to deliver that Rocky-style knockout punch.

Bruce Burkhardt, CNN, Philadelphia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Smarty Jones, he's all the talk these days. Of course, his eight and eight record, looking for this Triple Crown. Only 11 horses have done it before. So...

GRIFFIN: Is he going to do it and will that make him your pick for the most impressive feat in sports? We're asking for your e-mails this morning.

Smarty Jones, no? How about Bobby Jones. That's what Scott tells us, "By far the most impressive is winning the grand slam in golf. It's only been done once, by Bobby Jones in the 1920s."

NGUYEN: And Mark writes us saying, "How about a young black American going to the Berlin Olympics in Hitler's Germany in 1936 and coming home with four gold medals? Jesse Owens' feats transcended sports."

Told you, there are a lot to pick from, some good moments in sports history, and all of them winners.

GRIFFIN: All right. It is time to hit the road for that summer vacation, but what should you do before leaving home to make sure you don't get sick?

Up next, tune in to "WEEKEND HOUSE CALL" for tips on staying healthy on your vacation, whether you're cruising, driving our touring nationally.

At 9 a.m. Eastern, George Tenet has stepped down from the CIA. What lies ahead now for the agency? We will ask a former assistant secretary of defense.

And at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, long-time journalist Ben Bradley joins Robert Novak in "THE NOVAK ZONE."

It's all ahead when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.

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