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CNN Saturday Morning News
Anti-War Protesters March on Washington; Tony Blair Hospitalized For Heart Operation
Aired October 02, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is October 2, 7 a.m. in the East, 4 a.m. out West. And good morning to you. I'm Drew Griffin.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Betty Nguyen. Thanks so much for being with us today.
Anti-war protesters on the march today in Washington. More than 20 peace groups are sponsoring what they call a trail of mourning and truth from Iraq to the White House. It begins two hours from now at the Pentagon's Metro Station.
Also, more killings this morning in northern Gaza. Israeli troops say they killed four Palestinians who opened fire at border police. More than 50 Palestinians and Israelis have been killed in Gaza since Wednesday.
Tony Blair says he is absolutely fine. The British prime minister is back at 10 Downing after a medical procedure at a West London hospital. Doctors say the surgery should keep Blair from experiencing a recurrence of irregular heartbeat.
And police say dental records confirm they have found Lori Hackings remains. The body was found Friday in a Salt Lake City landfill. Hacking had been missing since July 19. Her husband, Mark Hacking, is accused of killing Lori and dumping her body in a garbage bin.
GRIFFIN: Here is what's coming up for you in this hour: As U.S. troops try to take back Iraqi cities from those terrorists, what will it take to get the job done. We're going to get some insight from a military analyst and more on the latest from the battlefront.
More and more people aren't just aging they are aging well. We are going to tell you what you can to right now to make you feel younger.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How can anybody hate somebody that much? That's what I don't understand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Police in central Ohio say this senior citizen was the target of a murder plot. The suspect and even older rival. We'll have details on that coming up.
It is all quiet this morning this morning on Mt. Saint Helens, but it might not stay that way. After days of rumbling the mountain spewed this large plume of steam and ash high into the sky yesterday. That is the biggest eruption in 18 years. Scientists say seismic disturbances began again just a few hours after the volcano let off steam. And they predict more eruptions could be on the way. We're going to have a live report from Mount St. Helens in the hour.
(GUNFIRE, SOLDIERS SHOUTING)
NGUYEN: Also at the top of the news the eruption in Iraq and the battle for Samarra.
(GUNFIRE)
NGUYEN: Block to block, street to street, U.S. and Iraqi troops fight to take back the city from insurgents. And the Pentagon says this firefight is just the opening salvo in a planned urban warfare offensive.
CNN's camera man, Alfredo Delara (ph), recorded these battle scenes and Correspondent Jane Arraf embedded with the First Infantry Division, has our exclusive report from Samarra.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Troops from the First Infantry Division rolled through the darkened streets taking control neighborhood by neighborhood. As dawn broke, hundreds of soldiers on foot moved toward the center of Samarra.
(On camera): The streets are fortunately empty. All these shops are shuttered. This battle has been going on for more than nine hours. And the U.S. military -- it will continue until they have rooted out the insurgents in this city.
(voice over): The soldiers make slow progress through these winding streets. Tanks and armored vehicles can't easily go here. For hours they take fire from gunman darting from alleyways and hiding on rooftops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm engaging with small arms fire.
ARRAF: At least one U.S. soldier was killed near the city's sacred shrine. U.S. military says it killed at least 109 suspected insurgents, including this man.
The offensive was the first time the military has allowed journalists into the city with its forces in months.
For more than an hour U.S. soldiers took fire near the shrine from one of the small hotels normally used by pilgrims. But the American forces stopped just short of the mosque where two of the 12 Imans are buried, and where some Shias believe the 12 Iman will return to ring in judgment day. (on camera): It actually looks worse than it is. This fire burning in front of the shrine, the mosque is untouched. But for Iraqis the presence of U.S. troops here will be inflammatory enough.
(voice over): While U.S. forces blasted open the door to pave the way, it was left to Iraqi troops to enter the mosque. The new Iraqi Special Forces say they fought with insurgents in the shrine, killing two and detaining dozens.
U.S. troops re-entered Samarra only in September, after agreeing in July to allow Iraqis to police the city. U.S. forces say this time the won't leave until all the insurgents are gone -- Jane Arraf, CNN, Samarra.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And a new round of airstrikes in Fallujah, where U.S. forces are also on the offensive. Hospital officials count nine Iraqis killed today and a dozen others injured. They say the victims include several children. Now video footage from the scene shows what appears to be the bodies of two children.
But the U.S. military says it targeted a terrorist meeting place and it says only terrorists would have been there, not innocent civilians.
Our Military Analyst David Isby looks at the new aggressive stance of the U.S. military in Iraq, leading up to the country's elections in January. And David Isby joins us just minutes from now.
GRIFFIN: More on the war on terror, death sentences in Yemen, a new terror tape and what President Bush knew before the war. That is what is making news in our "Terror Watch".
A Yemeni court has sentenced two men to death in the bombing of the U.S. Cole in 2000. One of them believed to be the mastermind of the attack, which killed 17 U.S. sailors. The U.S. has been holding him in a secret location.
It appears to be the real thing. The CIA says the voice on a newly surfaced audio tape is probably that of al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The speaker urges Muslims to fight what he calls an anti-Muslim coalition led by America.
And finally, warnings of trouble even before the Iraq war started. Two classified reports were prepared for President Bush two months before the invasion. Sources say the reports warned a war could spark and insurgency with Saddam Hussein loyalist and terrorist groups joining forces.
NGUYEN: The family of a Utah woman missing for more than two months now, says they can put their daughter to rest with dignity. Searchers yesterday found the remains for Lori Hacking in a landfill, where police had been searching for weeks.
The medical examiner's office confirmed her identity through dental records. Now, Hacking' husband, Mark, is charged with her murder. Authorities say he shot his wife in July after she learned he lied about being enrolled in medical school in North Carolina.
GRIFFIN: He's already on death row for one of the sniper killings, but a Virginia prosecutor is asking the judge to reconsider that judge's ruling that dismissed murder charges in another death case against sniper John Allan Mohammed.
The judge said prosecutors waited too long to bring Mohammed to trial in the killing of an FBI analyst named Linda Franklin. The ruling wouldn't effect an earlier death sentence conviction. Franklin's family calls this ruling an injustice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES MOORE, LINDA FRANKLIN'S FATHER: Justice? There is no justice. It is out of there. Justice is completely out of the court system. I know justice wasn't served by her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Meanwhile, families of the sniper's victims mark the second anniversary of that tragedy. Yesterday they dedicated a memorial to the 10 people that were killed in the D.C. area. The first victim was shot down October 2, 2002.
In central Ohio a grandmother is in jail for allegedly plotting to have a younger romantic rival rubbed out. The twist is that the younger woman, who is 55, is the ex-wife of the man in this sordid love triangle. Penny Moore of affiliate WBNS, sorts out this tangled web.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PENNY MOORE, REPORTER, WBNS (voice over): Dixie Wickham sits on her porch wondering how a woman who was once a friend could plot to murder her.
DIXIE WICKHAM, ALLEGED TARGET OF HIT: How could anybody hate somebody that much. That is what I don't understand.
MOORE: But it is a tale as old as the ages. Lois Hines apparently thinks Dixie Wickham stole her husband, a man Dixie was married to 32 years ago.
A tip led police to the plot. They warned Dixie.
WICKHAM: I did not break them up. I'm not a home wrecker.
MOORE: Detectives were stationed outside and in every corner of Dixie's home on the day they believed there would be a second murder attempt.
WICKHAM: They had me come in here and stay. They said the accident was supposed to happen in the bathtub. But for the second time the hit man didn't show. That is when detectives set Lois Hines up. She paid an undercover cop $1,000 to do the job, $1,000 more to come when Dixie Wickham was dead.
WICKHAM: Can you imagine how my 12-year-old would have felt when he had come home and found me?
MOORE: And yet, in spite of it all, Dixie Wickham wonders what will happen to Lois Hines.
WICKHAM: It is still hard for one part of me to look at her as an enemy. Does that make sense?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Penny Moore is telling us that police believe they have the original hit man in custody but say there might not be enough evidence to charge him with a crime.
Betty?
NGUYEN: Well, you may not know his name but you might recognize his work, renowned fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avadon has died. He is credited with redefining fashion photography in the 1950s. His work helped create the era of super models. And it has been called stark, spare, even unflattering. Avadon's work can be found in a dozen books. The latest in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Richard Avadon suffered a brain hemorrhage a week ago while working on an election photo essay. He was 81.
GRIFFIN: Barry Bonds' milestone 700 home run ends up not over the fence, but in court. We'll see who won the legal free for all for the rawhide.
NGUYEN: And the Yankees top the American League East, once again. We'll talk baseball playoffs with sports analyst Rick Harrow.
GRIFFIN: Lots of political minded DVDs out this Tuesday. Some creative contributions to the English language from President Bush, highlighted in what else, "Bushism". The DVD based on "The New York Times" bestseller.
Also out, that Michael Moore documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11". It has sold $200 million worth worldwide. Another documentary out on DVD takes a look at "The Kennedy's" .
In theaters, "Ladder 49" and "Shark Tale", we are going to preview both on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Here's "Across America" this morning. Less turbulence for US Airways. The air line and its pilot's union may have a tentative deal on a new labor contract. No word on what that detail is but US Airways had been pushing for pay cuts saying it is in danger of going completely out of business.
In Massachusetts, counselors on hand this morning at an elementary school north of Boston after a chaotic car accident. Police in Stoneham (ph), say an elderly driver lost control of his vehicle yesterday, hopped a curb injuring a dozen children and some adults there.
Happy belated birthday, Mr. President. Jimmy Carter, celebrating his 80th birthday yesterday. The former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner says he feels blessed.
And in California a legal brawl over Barry Bonds 700th home run ball. Well it is finally over. A judge says the fan who ended up with it is the rightful owner. Steve Williams had been sued by another fan who says the ball was stolen from him during a mad scramble. Williams says he plans to sell the ball.
NGUYEN: Of course.
GRIFFIN: And attention, single women, need a hug. We can help. We, in the general sense, I'm married. Details later, in our "Wows of the Week".
NGUYEN: Oh, that is too funny, Drew.
All right, two movies are opening nationwide this weekend. A tale of a firefighter, and a tale of a shark. Here's a preview.
("LADDER 49" MOVIE CLIP)
NGUYEN: Jack Morrison, a young firefighter, at "Ladder 49" is trapped inside a burning building. While he's waiting for a rescue crew and he looks back on his life and career choice. "The Hollywood Reporter" says the film is less of a drama than a tribute.
('SHARK TALE" MOVIE CLIP)
NGUYEN: Sounds a little fishy. Here's a reason to take your kids to the movies, though, this weekend. Meet Oscar, a little fish, in a big pond, trying to impress his friends by pretending to be a shark slayer. He's basking in fame until one day his lies almost make him the catch the day. Filmcritic.com calls "Shark Tale" more cute than clever.
GRIFFIN: Eternal youth may be as close your exercise area. And it is never too late to start reversing the clock. See if you can benefit, later this hour.
NGUYEN: And next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, what will it take to get the job done in Iraq?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Good morning, Atlanta. There you are. You may want to visit the Botanical Garden in Atlanta. A scarecrow fest starts today, you might get some handy tips for Halloween. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) exhibit is still there as well.
Rob Marciano is going to have the forecast for Atlanta and everywhere else in just a few minutes.
In Iraq the military says that only pockets of resistance remain in the Sunni Muslim stronghold of Samarra. That assessment the day after U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a major offensive to retake that city. The military says that more than 100 insurgents and one U.S. soldier were killed.
Samarra, part of a larger campaign to regain control of several rebel held cities before the January election. And to talk to us about this is military analyst David Isby.
Mr. Isby, thanks for joining us. I'm wondering, sir, what it is going to take, to not only take Samarra but to keep it?
DAVID ISBY, MILITARY ANALYST: Well, to keep it is going to be the hard part. It is going to require the political end of counter- insurgency warfare. And one reason why, at the end of the day, we're probably likely to win the war in Iraq, is through denying sanctuaries to the insurgents where they can create alternative government; they can build institutions; train troops, train terrorists to assemble bombs. So keeping them from doing that is really what is going to be required in Samarra.
GRIFFIN: Which is really where the interesting work comes in because how can you prevent these guys from just slipping back into the shops and the homes of Samarra and waiting until either the U.S. troops or the Iraqi troops back out or let down their guard?
ISBY: Well, that is one reason why you need to keep a visible presence. That first step is preventing them from organizing, having parades, showing the people who are on the fence, perhaps, the government can't hurt us here. Now, the Iraqi government is now weak, but by showing that there is going to be no areas in their country where their authority is kept out, this is going to be a powerful step to reassert legitimacy even if it is going to take many years before individual insurgents are put out of action.
GRIFFIN: You have to reassert legitimacy with the people of Samarra. They are in the midst of this battle. It is very difficult work to try to fight a war around civilians.
ISBY: Absolutely. It has to be a war, small units, low fire power, as much as possible. It is also a war that emphasizes NCOs, junior officers, more so than fire power, helicopters or aircraft.
GRIFFIN: When the U.S. and Iraqi forces went into Fallujah, they stopped short. Did they learn a lesson time, sir? And will this not happen in Samarra?
ISBY: I think in Samarra, they are going to have to say, again, no sanctuary. That, and cutting off support from outside, from foreign suppliers, have been one of the key things in successful counter- insurgency warfare in the past.
And it is going to take a number of years, but if this can be implemented, there is no reason why the insurgency in Iraq will not fail the way they have failed elsewhere in the Middle East.
GRIFFIN: Mr. Isby, we heard about this offensive coming in Samarra days in advance. It may have been somewhat surprising for us, thinking that the element of surprise would be a better route. But does the fact that the Iraqi prime minister announced that this was going to happen, and then it happened, adds to the legitimacy of his government?
ISBY: It certainly helps it. And we know now it is also coming in Fallujah and Najaf. In some ways it may encourage the cadres to get out of town, get out of the way. But it is going to have to be a systematic program, and go through it, and a lot of what they're going to so is following through on what they have announced. Now, the hard par is going to be restoring infrastructure and actually making life better for the citizens there.
GRIFFIN: All right, Mr. David Isby, from Washington, D.C., we thank you for your comments this morning.
ISBY: Thank you.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
NGUYEN: Well, The Boss is on the road with a message for America. What some of rock music's biggest stars want you to know.
And Europe is reaction to the first U.S. presidential debate, just a month before the election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be the same things like it was the last four years, so USA alone and maybe war, everywhere.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Will election history repeat itself in Florida? Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen here at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta.
GRIFFIN: I'm Drew Griffin. We'll have that story in a minute, but first, what happening right "Now in the News".
In Iraq two car bomb attacks have slightly injured four American troops. One U.S. Marine was hurt in one explosion west of Baghdad. In northern Iraq a car bomb exploded next to a U.S. military convoy in Mosul, wounding three soldiers there.
Just west of Baghdad U.S. forces struck a rebel safe house overnight, this was in Fallujah. U.S. military says it was used by followers of terror master may Abu al-Zarqawi. Hospital officials reporting nine Iraqis killed and a dozen wounded, including several children.
In northeastern India, nearly simultaneous bombings have killed 16 people and wounded 40 others. A large blast ripping through a train station in Dimapur. The other detonated at a nearby market.
Washington state's Mount St. Helens shakes awake, belching steam and ash two miles into the clear western sky yesterday. A small explosion detected on the south side of the volcano's lava dome. What scientists call a hiccup, it lasted about 25 minutes.
NGUYEN: Anti-war protesters are gathering near Washington this morning for a march. Organizers are calling it a Trail of Mourning and Truth from Iraq to the White House. The procession begins at the Pentagon, move to Arlington National Cemetery, ends in front of the White House. Now, the names of those who have died in the Iraq war will be read at the closing ceremony.
(BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGING)
NGUYEN: Music for you on this Saturday. Some of rock music's biggest stars have launched a 10-day concert tour aimed at defeating President Bush. It is called "Vote for Change". Bruce Springsteen and REM got things started last night in Philadelphia. They, and other groups, will perform in 30 cities mainly in battleground states, including Ohio, Michigan and Florida.
Proceeds will go to the group, ACT, which raises money for Democratic candidates.
GRIFFIN: On the presidential campaign trail the foreign policy debate behind him, Democrat John Kerry is now going to focus on the economy. Senator Kerry expected to deliver a speech in Orlando that accuses President Bush of forgetting middle-class families, favoring wealthy special interests. Tonight, there is a Kerry/Edwards fundraiser in the nation's capital.
President Bush also talking on the economy. That is what their debate is on next Friday. He's expected to push is economic agenda today. Touring through Ohio, he's going to talk about privatized Social Security accounts, changes in healthcare and his tax cuts. Bush will make stops in Columbus, Mansfield and Cuyahoga Falls.
NGUYEN: There are new concerns about potential voting problems in Florida. State officials say thousands of people could be turned away at the polls November 2, because of incomplete voter registration forms. Some groups registering voters turned in forms with information missing. Officials suggest people check to be sure they are actually registered. The voter registration deadline in Florida is on Monday.
GRIFFIN: We've heard what the pundits had to say about the presidential debate Thursday night. And we've heard from ordinary Americans. But what about Europeans, many of whom oppose the war in Iraq to begin with. CNN's Walter Rodgers has reaction from -- over there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't see how you can lead this country... WALTER RODGERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Serve a group of Europeans bagels and lox, blueberry muffins, spiced with a U.S. presidential debate, and the analysts get political indigestion.
(on camera): Raise your hand if you think Kerry won the debate.
(voice over): It seem unanimous on this side of the Atlantic, Kerry won. But ask these same Europeans who they think will win the election? No question, Bush.
STEPHANIE STAVRINIDES, GREEK CYPRIOT: I think Bush can appeal a lot to the American people. He speaks very simply, he's a very emotional man, and he shows a lot of passion in what he says. That definitely does appeal to the American people, who are very -- they like the simple talk.
RODGERS (voice over): President Bush seemed to confirm some European assumptions that Americans are simple, yet the French still find Americans perplexing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't explain how a country like America, is in years, like the most hated country of the world. And I'm not saying -- it is not an opinion, it is -- American people whom I talk to in Paris, who tell me that.
ROGDERS: It is true being an American in Europe makes you a target for insults and physical assault these days. The presidential debates were too late to make the morning papers here. But Europeans seemed resigned they are going to get four more years of Bush.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be the same thing, like it was for the last four years. USA alone and maybe war everywhere.
RODGERS: Inside, among our sample group of Europeans, similar cynicism.
KARINA URBACH, GERMAN HISTORIAN: Kerry would an excellent president of the European Union. But that doesn't help him much, I guess. So we will be left with Bush at the end of the day.
RODGERS: Candidate Kerry talks Europe's language of alliances and multi-lateralism. Europeans share Kerry's view, the Bush administration has made a mess of Iraq.
Still the American president's rigid stand may have helped him overseas.
JORDIE CASINOS, SPANISH BUSINESSMAN: At the beginning I was against Bush, but I think after seeing Kerry I would support Bush. I think that Kerry is not the right person for the next four years.
RODGERS (on camera): Europeans feel they have a vital stake in the U.S. elections, more than a few wish they could vote in the states. Lacking that license, however, we could be in four more years of trans-Atlantic grumbling and continental drift -- Walter Rodgers, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, the two candidates have two more chances to debate and they'll meet again Friday in St. Louis, and near Phoenix, October 13. But first, vice presidential candidates Dick Cheney and John Edwards are going to face each other in Cleveland this Tuesday. That ought to be interesting to say the least.
That leads us to our e-mail question; 55 million people supposedly watched the presidential debate. Will you watch the next one, and why? Our address, wam@cnn.com. And Betty and I will read your replies throughout the program.
NGUYEN: If you couldn't stay on top of the news this week, we are here to help. It is called "Rewind". After a wild ride on the way up the private Space Ship One reached sub-orbital space and later landed safely. Space Ship One will need to fly once more to the edge of space to win a $10 million X-prize. That second flight is planned for this Monday.
The company that manufactures Vioxx announced it is pulling the arthritis drug off the market. Merck and company's voluntary withdrawal is based on a clinical trial showing a possible risk of cardiovascular complications. More on prescription drug safety, that is at 9 a.m. Eastern, when the chief of rheumatology at Duke University Medical Center is our guest.
And in Samarra, Iraq, thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces killed more than 100 insurgents in an operation to root out rebels in the city. In recent weeks, U.S. and Iraqi troops have been working to regain control of the city at the northern edge of the Sunni Triangle.
And tomorrow we will "Fast Forward" to the week ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I'll be 123, that's my plan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: And you can have that same plan, too. Slowing the aging process, next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: We're taking your e-mails this morning. We're already getting some. Will you watch the next presidential debate? And why? You'll find us at wam@cnn.com. We'll read your replies on the program.
And later, Mount St. Helens hiccups? That's what they call it yesterday. Is more to come? We're going to go there live, next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: It would be easier to jump in a fountain of youth if you could find one, but experts say you can reverse part of the aging process through regular exercise. CNN's Donna Taetro explains that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONNA TAETRO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At 60-years-old Joni Newton isn't showing any signs of slowing down. She roller blades, walks 12 miles every weekend, and there is more.
JONI NEWTON, SENIOR OLYMPIAN: You come down here every night because you need to and have to. But it is not near as inspiring the field.
TAETRO: Joni is a senior soccer Olympian. She participated in this year's Senior Olympics in San Diego.
Joni is an elite athlete. But today more and more seniors are heading down the road to a healthier lifestyle and aging better than ever. According to doctors, the effects of exercising can be remarkable.
DR. ELIZABETH ZELINSKI, AGING SPECIALIST: Every year that you are sedentary, you loose 1 percent of your VO2 max, of your ability to use oxygen. When you exercise regularly, doing aerobic exercise at least three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes, you can actually reverse that. You can increase your lung capacity so that it is where it was 25 before.
TAETRO: That's not all. Doctor Zelinski says working up a sweat can reduce the risk of heart attack or heart disease by 50 percent. Exercise can also reduce pain and improve mood.
NEWTON: I like to always be, you know, up and going and positive and happy.
TAETRO: Bernard Steensen (ph) is over 20 years Joni Newton's senior. At 82 he hasn't yet retired and maintains a rigorous exercise regiment.
ZELINSKI: You can basically turn back that clock regardless of when you start. And when you do exercise you get the same benefit if you are 80 that you would get if you were 20.
TAETRO: But if you are 80, experts advise be modest with your goals at first and who knows how far you can turn back the clock.
NEWTON: I think I'll be 123, that's my plan.
TAETRO: No matter what your plan might be. Always talk to your doctor first.
Donna Taetro, for CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, some New Jersey boys did the right thing and they go rewarded. Here is how it played out. The kids found New York Yankee playoff tickets worth $2,600 each. The tickets were just lying in the street after apparently falling off a delivery truck. They decided to hand over the tickets to police. Good boys.
And for their good deed, they got tickets to a Yankees, Minnesota Twins game this week, along with luxury box seats to a New Jersey Nets games. That happens in December. Good for them.
And speaking of baseball, the inside scoop on the playoffs and a major league team coming to D.C.? We'll take a look beyond the game with our Rick Harrow when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.
Hi, Rick.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: In the headlines this morning: Police in suburban Seattle confirm a burglary of the Washington State headquarters of the Bush/Cheney campaign. The state Republican chairman says three laptop computers were stolen. Two of which hold details of campaign strategy in Washington State.
NASA says re-launching the space shuttle program by next March or April is no longer feasible because so many NASA workers in Florida are dealing with hurricane damage to their homes. The next earliest possible launch, mid May.
In the Kobe Bryant case, transcripts have been unsealed of police interviews with Bryant and his accuser. That accuser apparently told investigators Bryant ignored her request to stop their sexual encounter. The criminal charges against Bryant were dropped last month. Our legal eagles will be on Bryant's case in the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Well, it is 7:49 and time to go "Beyond The Game". It is a game of musical chairs in college football, but three major teams dancing around and around finally taking a seat in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Why? You ask. The almighty dollar, of course. And it is causing an almighty uproar among fans.
That's one of the topics this morning as we go "Beyond The Game" with Rick Harrow. And Rick joins us this morning from Boston, Massachusetts.
Good morning to you. We'll get to you in just a second, Rick.
But have to tell the folks at home, I should say, a little bit about you.
You are the CNN analyst and author of "When The Game Is On The Line". And we want to thank you for joining us today.
The shifts with the most impact on college football, that takes place in the ACC, Rick. Let's take a look at the original 1953 Atlantic Coast Conference. With only a few changes it basically stayed the same for nearly 50 years.
Here's a look at the evolution of what is now called the strongest conference in college football. As you see, in the last two years, three teams have joined, Miami University, Virginia Tech, and next year, Boston College.
Why the big shift, Rick?
RICK HARROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Betty.
Here's the answer. It is very easy. It is the almighty dollar. You know, college football has to subside a lot of other programs, men's and women's sports. And athletic directors are always looking for the inside edge, the new buck.
The ACC has a $250 million, seven-year TV deal with ABC and ESPN. That gives each school about $9 or $10 million more a year than they would have had otherwise. And so that is why, not only those three schools, including Boston College, but 13 schools are shifting conference affiliation over the next couple of years. Let's call it conference musical chairs. That is right.
NGUYEN: All right, let' move on to professional baseball. I want you to take a look at the salaries of teams that are in the playoffs, or could make the post season. In the National League most teams are paying out $80 to $90 million, with Los Angeles leading the pack at $93 million.
And there is no surprise that the Yankees are at the top of the American League with $184 million payroll. In contrast Minnesota is only paying $54 million in 2004. The question to you, Rick, does it take top dollar to get to the playoffs?
HORROW: Yes, it does. But let's put it in context a couple of years ago we were talking about a strike potential, labor Armageddon, the end of baseball as we know it. So they've come a long way. But it is still like everything in life. Money doesn't guarantee happiness but you sure as heck would rather have it than not have it.
The bottom line is, of the 11 teams that are still vying for the playoffs that start Monday, all but Minnesota and Oakland are in the top third in payrolls. And it is even getting worse. Look at the Yankees as we said. They pay a luxury tax to the general fund for spending a lot of money, $22 million.
But they're getting that back from the A-Rod contract and others, quickly. It is just for the Yankees, by the way, a cost of doing business.
NGUYEN: Dole out the money. OK, so what do you tell fans of teams that just can't come up with the cash and go all the way?
HORROW: A couple of quick things. First of all, there is revenue sharing in the next couple of years that is going to level the playing field. Second of all, hey, suck it on up. The bottom line is $20 ticket is still $20 bucks average less than basketball and football, and $20 bucks less than hockey, by the way, that is not even playing.
NGUYEN: So suck it up, huh? You're a tough cookie there, Rick.
All right, after three decades Washington, D.C. is getting a baseball team again?
HORROW: Yes, here is the good news for baseball, a $400 million publicly funded stadium that is going to spur development all over Washington. That's a good thing. The other good thing is cities like Norfolk and Monterey and Vegas and Portland, though they didn't get this team, they spurred interest in baseball that may end up with another team for them in the not too distant future.
NGUYEN: We're starting something new on the weekends it is called, "Fair Ball/Foul Ball" and we want to know what your picks are this week. Let's start with a "Fair Ball".
HORROW: Well, the "Fair Ball" isn't bad. It is Vijay Singh and the PGA tour. They've had a major influx of TV money. It has caused the top 50 golfers in the world to make nearly $400 million in prize money and Vijay Singh, the Fijian, took over from Tiger Woods as the number one player in the world a couple of weeks ago. And then won a couple of tournaments in a row. A big deal to spread the wealth beyond Tiger.
By the way, I just got back from Thailand, from a speech. Let me tell you, whether you like Vijay Singh or not, he is a certifiable hero over there and probably good for the game.
NGUYEN: Oh, definitely. And the "Foul Ball" for this week?
HORROW: Hey, this is a good one. We have a guy ...
NGUYEN: Literally, a foul ball, right?
HORROW: A real fair ball/foul ball. Steve Williams, one of the guys that fought for Barry Bonds' 700th home run, out in the stands in San Francisco. He was just awarded ownership of that ball by a San Francisco superior court judge yesterday.
But here's the bottom line, instant replay, eight views of the film and six lawyers in that hearing. I'm a lawyer, I have to tell you, this may be a little much. I can't wait for Barry Bonds beating Hank Aaron's record over the next year and a half, because all legal heck is going to break loose. And we as lawyers probably can't wait.
NGUYEN: It happens every time, that one of these things comes up. They are fighting over it. Always goes to litigation, it always ends up on eBay or someone destroys the ball.
HORROW: Well, hey, it is a commentary on our society where fighting, lawyers and eBay -- hey, that's just life in the 2000 era and beyond.
NGUYEN: That is true. Rick Harrow, now are you in Watertown or Boston this morning?
HORROW: Well, Watertown or Boston, it is parents weekend at Boston College. And there is a big game today. So that is real exciting.
NGUYEN: All right. Rick Horrow, thanks so much.
HORROW: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Drew.
GRIFFIN: All right, you two. Well, don't forget our e-mail question this morning. Will you watch the next presidential debate? Speaking of fighting. Our address wam@cnn.com . We're going to read your replies next.
Plus, can a boyfriend pillow replace a real boyfriend? Maybe this should really be a husband pillow? Find out what we're talking about in our "Wows of the Week" next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Our "Wows of the Week" take us first to Japan. Creepy! Creepy! A pillow made for cuddling. The maker calls it the boyfriend pillow, since it doesn't snore or leave in the middle of the night, it might even be an improvement over the real thing. Not sure.
Tiny seaside village in Maine always depended on fishing. Little did they know the biggest catch there was going to be a part-time resident from Louisiana. South Bristol informed that it inherited $9 million from Ann Stratton. She died last July. Her family owned property there. City officials say they are going to recommend the money be invested to keep taxes low for future generations there in Maine.
And in Britain, Graham the Gorilla, the fleetest of foot in the annual team mascot race. There he is crossing the line. Mascots from around the country come to compete for bragging rights in this event. Oye, Oye, Oye (ph).
NGUYEN: Bragging rights over that, huh?
GRIFFIN: Nice.
NGUYEN: We need to find something better to do.
All right, well you know what? This person is not in costume. And we're talking about Rob Marciano.
(NEWS BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 2, 2004 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is October 2, 7 a.m. in the East, 4 a.m. out West. And good morning to you. I'm Drew Griffin.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Betty Nguyen. Thanks so much for being with us today.
Anti-war protesters on the march today in Washington. More than 20 peace groups are sponsoring what they call a trail of mourning and truth from Iraq to the White House. It begins two hours from now at the Pentagon's Metro Station.
Also, more killings this morning in northern Gaza. Israeli troops say they killed four Palestinians who opened fire at border police. More than 50 Palestinians and Israelis have been killed in Gaza since Wednesday.
Tony Blair says he is absolutely fine. The British prime minister is back at 10 Downing after a medical procedure at a West London hospital. Doctors say the surgery should keep Blair from experiencing a recurrence of irregular heartbeat.
And police say dental records confirm they have found Lori Hackings remains. The body was found Friday in a Salt Lake City landfill. Hacking had been missing since July 19. Her husband, Mark Hacking, is accused of killing Lori and dumping her body in a garbage bin.
GRIFFIN: Here is what's coming up for you in this hour: As U.S. troops try to take back Iraqi cities from those terrorists, what will it take to get the job done. We're going to get some insight from a military analyst and more on the latest from the battlefront.
More and more people aren't just aging they are aging well. We are going to tell you what you can to right now to make you feel younger.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How can anybody hate somebody that much? That's what I don't understand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Police in central Ohio say this senior citizen was the target of a murder plot. The suspect and even older rival. We'll have details on that coming up.
It is all quiet this morning this morning on Mt. Saint Helens, but it might not stay that way. After days of rumbling the mountain spewed this large plume of steam and ash high into the sky yesterday. That is the biggest eruption in 18 years. Scientists say seismic disturbances began again just a few hours after the volcano let off steam. And they predict more eruptions could be on the way. We're going to have a live report from Mount St. Helens in the hour.
(GUNFIRE, SOLDIERS SHOUTING)
NGUYEN: Also at the top of the news the eruption in Iraq and the battle for Samarra.
(GUNFIRE)
NGUYEN: Block to block, street to street, U.S. and Iraqi troops fight to take back the city from insurgents. And the Pentagon says this firefight is just the opening salvo in a planned urban warfare offensive.
CNN's camera man, Alfredo Delara (ph), recorded these battle scenes and Correspondent Jane Arraf embedded with the First Infantry Division, has our exclusive report from Samarra.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE ARRAF, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Troops from the First Infantry Division rolled through the darkened streets taking control neighborhood by neighborhood. As dawn broke, hundreds of soldiers on foot moved toward the center of Samarra.
(On camera): The streets are fortunately empty. All these shops are shuttered. This battle has been going on for more than nine hours. And the U.S. military -- it will continue until they have rooted out the insurgents in this city.
(voice over): The soldiers make slow progress through these winding streets. Tanks and armored vehicles can't easily go here. For hours they take fire from gunman darting from alleyways and hiding on rooftops.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm engaging with small arms fire.
ARRAF: At least one U.S. soldier was killed near the city's sacred shrine. U.S. military says it killed at least 109 suspected insurgents, including this man.
The offensive was the first time the military has allowed journalists into the city with its forces in months.
For more than an hour U.S. soldiers took fire near the shrine from one of the small hotels normally used by pilgrims. But the American forces stopped just short of the mosque where two of the 12 Imans are buried, and where some Shias believe the 12 Iman will return to ring in judgment day. (on camera): It actually looks worse than it is. This fire burning in front of the shrine, the mosque is untouched. But for Iraqis the presence of U.S. troops here will be inflammatory enough.
(voice over): While U.S. forces blasted open the door to pave the way, it was left to Iraqi troops to enter the mosque. The new Iraqi Special Forces say they fought with insurgents in the shrine, killing two and detaining dozens.
U.S. troops re-entered Samarra only in September, after agreeing in July to allow Iraqis to police the city. U.S. forces say this time the won't leave until all the insurgents are gone -- Jane Arraf, CNN, Samarra.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And a new round of airstrikes in Fallujah, where U.S. forces are also on the offensive. Hospital officials count nine Iraqis killed today and a dozen others injured. They say the victims include several children. Now video footage from the scene shows what appears to be the bodies of two children.
But the U.S. military says it targeted a terrorist meeting place and it says only terrorists would have been there, not innocent civilians.
Our Military Analyst David Isby looks at the new aggressive stance of the U.S. military in Iraq, leading up to the country's elections in January. And David Isby joins us just minutes from now.
GRIFFIN: More on the war on terror, death sentences in Yemen, a new terror tape and what President Bush knew before the war. That is what is making news in our "Terror Watch".
A Yemeni court has sentenced two men to death in the bombing of the U.S. Cole in 2000. One of them believed to be the mastermind of the attack, which killed 17 U.S. sailors. The U.S. has been holding him in a secret location.
It appears to be the real thing. The CIA says the voice on a newly surfaced audio tape is probably that of al Qaeda's number two man, Ayman al-Zawahiri. The speaker urges Muslims to fight what he calls an anti-Muslim coalition led by America.
And finally, warnings of trouble even before the Iraq war started. Two classified reports were prepared for President Bush two months before the invasion. Sources say the reports warned a war could spark and insurgency with Saddam Hussein loyalist and terrorist groups joining forces.
NGUYEN: The family of a Utah woman missing for more than two months now, says they can put their daughter to rest with dignity. Searchers yesterday found the remains for Lori Hacking in a landfill, where police had been searching for weeks.
The medical examiner's office confirmed her identity through dental records. Now, Hacking' husband, Mark, is charged with her murder. Authorities say he shot his wife in July after she learned he lied about being enrolled in medical school in North Carolina.
GRIFFIN: He's already on death row for one of the sniper killings, but a Virginia prosecutor is asking the judge to reconsider that judge's ruling that dismissed murder charges in another death case against sniper John Allan Mohammed.
The judge said prosecutors waited too long to bring Mohammed to trial in the killing of an FBI analyst named Linda Franklin. The ruling wouldn't effect an earlier death sentence conviction. Franklin's family calls this ruling an injustice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLES MOORE, LINDA FRANKLIN'S FATHER: Justice? There is no justice. It is out of there. Justice is completely out of the court system. I know justice wasn't served by her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Meanwhile, families of the sniper's victims mark the second anniversary of that tragedy. Yesterday they dedicated a memorial to the 10 people that were killed in the D.C. area. The first victim was shot down October 2, 2002.
In central Ohio a grandmother is in jail for allegedly plotting to have a younger romantic rival rubbed out. The twist is that the younger woman, who is 55, is the ex-wife of the man in this sordid love triangle. Penny Moore of affiliate WBNS, sorts out this tangled web.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PENNY MOORE, REPORTER, WBNS (voice over): Dixie Wickham sits on her porch wondering how a woman who was once a friend could plot to murder her.
DIXIE WICKHAM, ALLEGED TARGET OF HIT: How could anybody hate somebody that much. That is what I don't understand.
MOORE: But it is a tale as old as the ages. Lois Hines apparently thinks Dixie Wickham stole her husband, a man Dixie was married to 32 years ago.
A tip led police to the plot. They warned Dixie.
WICKHAM: I did not break them up. I'm not a home wrecker.
MOORE: Detectives were stationed outside and in every corner of Dixie's home on the day they believed there would be a second murder attempt.
WICKHAM: They had me come in here and stay. They said the accident was supposed to happen in the bathtub. But for the second time the hit man didn't show. That is when detectives set Lois Hines up. She paid an undercover cop $1,000 to do the job, $1,000 more to come when Dixie Wickham was dead.
WICKHAM: Can you imagine how my 12-year-old would have felt when he had come home and found me?
MOORE: And yet, in spite of it all, Dixie Wickham wonders what will happen to Lois Hines.
WICKHAM: It is still hard for one part of me to look at her as an enemy. Does that make sense?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GRIFFIN: Penny Moore is telling us that police believe they have the original hit man in custody but say there might not be enough evidence to charge him with a crime.
Betty?
NGUYEN: Well, you may not know his name but you might recognize his work, renowned fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avadon has died. He is credited with redefining fashion photography in the 1950s. His work helped create the era of super models. And it has been called stark, spare, even unflattering. Avadon's work can be found in a dozen books. The latest in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Richard Avadon suffered a brain hemorrhage a week ago while working on an election photo essay. He was 81.
GRIFFIN: Barry Bonds' milestone 700 home run ends up not over the fence, but in court. We'll see who won the legal free for all for the rawhide.
NGUYEN: And the Yankees top the American League East, once again. We'll talk baseball playoffs with sports analyst Rick Harrow.
GRIFFIN: Lots of political minded DVDs out this Tuesday. Some creative contributions to the English language from President Bush, highlighted in what else, "Bushism". The DVD based on "The New York Times" bestseller.
Also out, that Michael Moore documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11". It has sold $200 million worth worldwide. Another documentary out on DVD takes a look at "The Kennedy's" .
In theaters, "Ladder 49" and "Shark Tale", we are going to preview both on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Here's "Across America" this morning. Less turbulence for US Airways. The air line and its pilot's union may have a tentative deal on a new labor contract. No word on what that detail is but US Airways had been pushing for pay cuts saying it is in danger of going completely out of business.
In Massachusetts, counselors on hand this morning at an elementary school north of Boston after a chaotic car accident. Police in Stoneham (ph), say an elderly driver lost control of his vehicle yesterday, hopped a curb injuring a dozen children and some adults there.
Happy belated birthday, Mr. President. Jimmy Carter, celebrating his 80th birthday yesterday. The former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner says he feels blessed.
And in California a legal brawl over Barry Bonds 700th home run ball. Well it is finally over. A judge says the fan who ended up with it is the rightful owner. Steve Williams had been sued by another fan who says the ball was stolen from him during a mad scramble. Williams says he plans to sell the ball.
NGUYEN: Of course.
GRIFFIN: And attention, single women, need a hug. We can help. We, in the general sense, I'm married. Details later, in our "Wows of the Week".
NGUYEN: Oh, that is too funny, Drew.
All right, two movies are opening nationwide this weekend. A tale of a firefighter, and a tale of a shark. Here's a preview.
("LADDER 49" MOVIE CLIP)
NGUYEN: Jack Morrison, a young firefighter, at "Ladder 49" is trapped inside a burning building. While he's waiting for a rescue crew and he looks back on his life and career choice. "The Hollywood Reporter" says the film is less of a drama than a tribute.
('SHARK TALE" MOVIE CLIP)
NGUYEN: Sounds a little fishy. Here's a reason to take your kids to the movies, though, this weekend. Meet Oscar, a little fish, in a big pond, trying to impress his friends by pretending to be a shark slayer. He's basking in fame until one day his lies almost make him the catch the day. Filmcritic.com calls "Shark Tale" more cute than clever.
GRIFFIN: Eternal youth may be as close your exercise area. And it is never too late to start reversing the clock. See if you can benefit, later this hour.
NGUYEN: And next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, what will it take to get the job done in Iraq?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Good morning, Atlanta. There you are. You may want to visit the Botanical Garden in Atlanta. A scarecrow fest starts today, you might get some handy tips for Halloween. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) exhibit is still there as well.
Rob Marciano is going to have the forecast for Atlanta and everywhere else in just a few minutes.
In Iraq the military says that only pockets of resistance remain in the Sunni Muslim stronghold of Samarra. That assessment the day after U.S. and Iraqi troops launched a major offensive to retake that city. The military says that more than 100 insurgents and one U.S. soldier were killed.
Samarra, part of a larger campaign to regain control of several rebel held cities before the January election. And to talk to us about this is military analyst David Isby.
Mr. Isby, thanks for joining us. I'm wondering, sir, what it is going to take, to not only take Samarra but to keep it?
DAVID ISBY, MILITARY ANALYST: Well, to keep it is going to be the hard part. It is going to require the political end of counter- insurgency warfare. And one reason why, at the end of the day, we're probably likely to win the war in Iraq, is through denying sanctuaries to the insurgents where they can create alternative government; they can build institutions; train troops, train terrorists to assemble bombs. So keeping them from doing that is really what is going to be required in Samarra.
GRIFFIN: Which is really where the interesting work comes in because how can you prevent these guys from just slipping back into the shops and the homes of Samarra and waiting until either the U.S. troops or the Iraqi troops back out or let down their guard?
ISBY: Well, that is one reason why you need to keep a visible presence. That first step is preventing them from organizing, having parades, showing the people who are on the fence, perhaps, the government can't hurt us here. Now, the Iraqi government is now weak, but by showing that there is going to be no areas in their country where their authority is kept out, this is going to be a powerful step to reassert legitimacy even if it is going to take many years before individual insurgents are put out of action.
GRIFFIN: You have to reassert legitimacy with the people of Samarra. They are in the midst of this battle. It is very difficult work to try to fight a war around civilians.
ISBY: Absolutely. It has to be a war, small units, low fire power, as much as possible. It is also a war that emphasizes NCOs, junior officers, more so than fire power, helicopters or aircraft.
GRIFFIN: When the U.S. and Iraqi forces went into Fallujah, they stopped short. Did they learn a lesson time, sir? And will this not happen in Samarra?
ISBY: I think in Samarra, they are going to have to say, again, no sanctuary. That, and cutting off support from outside, from foreign suppliers, have been one of the key things in successful counter- insurgency warfare in the past.
And it is going to take a number of years, but if this can be implemented, there is no reason why the insurgency in Iraq will not fail the way they have failed elsewhere in the Middle East.
GRIFFIN: Mr. Isby, we heard about this offensive coming in Samarra days in advance. It may have been somewhat surprising for us, thinking that the element of surprise would be a better route. But does the fact that the Iraqi prime minister announced that this was going to happen, and then it happened, adds to the legitimacy of his government?
ISBY: It certainly helps it. And we know now it is also coming in Fallujah and Najaf. In some ways it may encourage the cadres to get out of town, get out of the way. But it is going to have to be a systematic program, and go through it, and a lot of what they're going to so is following through on what they have announced. Now, the hard par is going to be restoring infrastructure and actually making life better for the citizens there.
GRIFFIN: All right, Mr. David Isby, from Washington, D.C., we thank you for your comments this morning.
ISBY: Thank you.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
NGUYEN: Well, The Boss is on the road with a message for America. What some of rock music's biggest stars want you to know.
And Europe is reaction to the first U.S. presidential debate, just a month before the election.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be the same things like it was the last four years, so USA alone and maybe war, everywhere.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Will election history repeat itself in Florida? Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen here at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta.
GRIFFIN: I'm Drew Griffin. We'll have that story in a minute, but first, what happening right "Now in the News".
In Iraq two car bomb attacks have slightly injured four American troops. One U.S. Marine was hurt in one explosion west of Baghdad. In northern Iraq a car bomb exploded next to a U.S. military convoy in Mosul, wounding three soldiers there.
Just west of Baghdad U.S. forces struck a rebel safe house overnight, this was in Fallujah. U.S. military says it was used by followers of terror master may Abu al-Zarqawi. Hospital officials reporting nine Iraqis killed and a dozen wounded, including several children.
In northeastern India, nearly simultaneous bombings have killed 16 people and wounded 40 others. A large blast ripping through a train station in Dimapur. The other detonated at a nearby market.
Washington state's Mount St. Helens shakes awake, belching steam and ash two miles into the clear western sky yesterday. A small explosion detected on the south side of the volcano's lava dome. What scientists call a hiccup, it lasted about 25 minutes.
NGUYEN: Anti-war protesters are gathering near Washington this morning for a march. Organizers are calling it a Trail of Mourning and Truth from Iraq to the White House. The procession begins at the Pentagon, move to Arlington National Cemetery, ends in front of the White House. Now, the names of those who have died in the Iraq war will be read at the closing ceremony.
(BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGING)
NGUYEN: Music for you on this Saturday. Some of rock music's biggest stars have launched a 10-day concert tour aimed at defeating President Bush. It is called "Vote for Change". Bruce Springsteen and REM got things started last night in Philadelphia. They, and other groups, will perform in 30 cities mainly in battleground states, including Ohio, Michigan and Florida.
Proceeds will go to the group, ACT, which raises money for Democratic candidates.
GRIFFIN: On the presidential campaign trail the foreign policy debate behind him, Democrat John Kerry is now going to focus on the economy. Senator Kerry expected to deliver a speech in Orlando that accuses President Bush of forgetting middle-class families, favoring wealthy special interests. Tonight, there is a Kerry/Edwards fundraiser in the nation's capital.
President Bush also talking on the economy. That is what their debate is on next Friday. He's expected to push is economic agenda today. Touring through Ohio, he's going to talk about privatized Social Security accounts, changes in healthcare and his tax cuts. Bush will make stops in Columbus, Mansfield and Cuyahoga Falls.
NGUYEN: There are new concerns about potential voting problems in Florida. State officials say thousands of people could be turned away at the polls November 2, because of incomplete voter registration forms. Some groups registering voters turned in forms with information missing. Officials suggest people check to be sure they are actually registered. The voter registration deadline in Florida is on Monday.
GRIFFIN: We've heard what the pundits had to say about the presidential debate Thursday night. And we've heard from ordinary Americans. But what about Europeans, many of whom oppose the war in Iraq to begin with. CNN's Walter Rodgers has reaction from -- over there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't see how you can lead this country... WALTER RODGERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Serve a group of Europeans bagels and lox, blueberry muffins, spiced with a U.S. presidential debate, and the analysts get political indigestion.
(on camera): Raise your hand if you think Kerry won the debate.
(voice over): It seem unanimous on this side of the Atlantic, Kerry won. But ask these same Europeans who they think will win the election? No question, Bush.
STEPHANIE STAVRINIDES, GREEK CYPRIOT: I think Bush can appeal a lot to the American people. He speaks very simply, he's a very emotional man, and he shows a lot of passion in what he says. That definitely does appeal to the American people, who are very -- they like the simple talk.
RODGERS (voice over): President Bush seemed to confirm some European assumptions that Americans are simple, yet the French still find Americans perplexing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't explain how a country like America, is in years, like the most hated country of the world. And I'm not saying -- it is not an opinion, it is -- American people whom I talk to in Paris, who tell me that.
ROGDERS: It is true being an American in Europe makes you a target for insults and physical assault these days. The presidential debates were too late to make the morning papers here. But Europeans seemed resigned they are going to get four more years of Bush.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will be the same thing, like it was for the last four years. USA alone and maybe war everywhere.
RODGERS: Inside, among our sample group of Europeans, similar cynicism.
KARINA URBACH, GERMAN HISTORIAN: Kerry would an excellent president of the European Union. But that doesn't help him much, I guess. So we will be left with Bush at the end of the day.
RODGERS: Candidate Kerry talks Europe's language of alliances and multi-lateralism. Europeans share Kerry's view, the Bush administration has made a mess of Iraq.
Still the American president's rigid stand may have helped him overseas.
JORDIE CASINOS, SPANISH BUSINESSMAN: At the beginning I was against Bush, but I think after seeing Kerry I would support Bush. I think that Kerry is not the right person for the next four years.
RODGERS (on camera): Europeans feel they have a vital stake in the U.S. elections, more than a few wish they could vote in the states. Lacking that license, however, we could be in four more years of trans-Atlantic grumbling and continental drift -- Walter Rodgers, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
Well, the two candidates have two more chances to debate and they'll meet again Friday in St. Louis, and near Phoenix, October 13. But first, vice presidential candidates Dick Cheney and John Edwards are going to face each other in Cleveland this Tuesday. That ought to be interesting to say the least.
That leads us to our e-mail question; 55 million people supposedly watched the presidential debate. Will you watch the next one, and why? Our address, wam@cnn.com. And Betty and I will read your replies throughout the program.
NGUYEN: If you couldn't stay on top of the news this week, we are here to help. It is called "Rewind". After a wild ride on the way up the private Space Ship One reached sub-orbital space and later landed safely. Space Ship One will need to fly once more to the edge of space to win a $10 million X-prize. That second flight is planned for this Monday.
The company that manufactures Vioxx announced it is pulling the arthritis drug off the market. Merck and company's voluntary withdrawal is based on a clinical trial showing a possible risk of cardiovascular complications. More on prescription drug safety, that is at 9 a.m. Eastern, when the chief of rheumatology at Duke University Medical Center is our guest.
And in Samarra, Iraq, thousands of U.S. and Iraqi forces killed more than 100 insurgents in an operation to root out rebels in the city. In recent weeks, U.S. and Iraqi troops have been working to regain control of the city at the northern edge of the Sunni Triangle.
And tomorrow we will "Fast Forward" to the week ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think I'll be 123, that's my plan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: And you can have that same plan, too. Slowing the aging process, next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: We're taking your e-mails this morning. We're already getting some. Will you watch the next presidential debate? And why? You'll find us at wam@cnn.com. We'll read your replies on the program.
And later, Mount St. Helens hiccups? That's what they call it yesterday. Is more to come? We're going to go there live, next hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: It would be easier to jump in a fountain of youth if you could find one, but experts say you can reverse part of the aging process through regular exercise. CNN's Donna Taetro explains that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DONNA TAETRO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At 60-years-old Joni Newton isn't showing any signs of slowing down. She roller blades, walks 12 miles every weekend, and there is more.
JONI NEWTON, SENIOR OLYMPIAN: You come down here every night because you need to and have to. But it is not near as inspiring the field.
TAETRO: Joni is a senior soccer Olympian. She participated in this year's Senior Olympics in San Diego.
Joni is an elite athlete. But today more and more seniors are heading down the road to a healthier lifestyle and aging better than ever. According to doctors, the effects of exercising can be remarkable.
DR. ELIZABETH ZELINSKI, AGING SPECIALIST: Every year that you are sedentary, you loose 1 percent of your VO2 max, of your ability to use oxygen. When you exercise regularly, doing aerobic exercise at least three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes, you can actually reverse that. You can increase your lung capacity so that it is where it was 25 before.
TAETRO: That's not all. Doctor Zelinski says working up a sweat can reduce the risk of heart attack or heart disease by 50 percent. Exercise can also reduce pain and improve mood.
NEWTON: I like to always be, you know, up and going and positive and happy.
TAETRO: Bernard Steensen (ph) is over 20 years Joni Newton's senior. At 82 he hasn't yet retired and maintains a rigorous exercise regiment.
ZELINSKI: You can basically turn back that clock regardless of when you start. And when you do exercise you get the same benefit if you are 80 that you would get if you were 20.
TAETRO: But if you are 80, experts advise be modest with your goals at first and who knows how far you can turn back the clock.
NEWTON: I think I'll be 123, that's my plan.
TAETRO: No matter what your plan might be. Always talk to your doctor first.
Donna Taetro, for CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, some New Jersey boys did the right thing and they go rewarded. Here is how it played out. The kids found New York Yankee playoff tickets worth $2,600 each. The tickets were just lying in the street after apparently falling off a delivery truck. They decided to hand over the tickets to police. Good boys.
And for their good deed, they got tickets to a Yankees, Minnesota Twins game this week, along with luxury box seats to a New Jersey Nets games. That happens in December. Good for them.
And speaking of baseball, the inside scoop on the playoffs and a major league team coming to D.C.? We'll take a look beyond the game with our Rick Harrow when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.
Hi, Rick.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: In the headlines this morning: Police in suburban Seattle confirm a burglary of the Washington State headquarters of the Bush/Cheney campaign. The state Republican chairman says three laptop computers were stolen. Two of which hold details of campaign strategy in Washington State.
NASA says re-launching the space shuttle program by next March or April is no longer feasible because so many NASA workers in Florida are dealing with hurricane damage to their homes. The next earliest possible launch, mid May.
In the Kobe Bryant case, transcripts have been unsealed of police interviews with Bryant and his accuser. That accuser apparently told investigators Bryant ignored her request to stop their sexual encounter. The criminal charges against Bryant were dropped last month. Our legal eagles will be on Bryant's case in the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Well, it is 7:49 and time to go "Beyond The Game". It is a game of musical chairs in college football, but three major teams dancing around and around finally taking a seat in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Why? You ask. The almighty dollar, of course. And it is causing an almighty uproar among fans.
That's one of the topics this morning as we go "Beyond The Game" with Rick Harrow. And Rick joins us this morning from Boston, Massachusetts.
Good morning to you. We'll get to you in just a second, Rick.
But have to tell the folks at home, I should say, a little bit about you.
You are the CNN analyst and author of "When The Game Is On The Line". And we want to thank you for joining us today.
The shifts with the most impact on college football, that takes place in the ACC, Rick. Let's take a look at the original 1953 Atlantic Coast Conference. With only a few changes it basically stayed the same for nearly 50 years.
Here's a look at the evolution of what is now called the strongest conference in college football. As you see, in the last two years, three teams have joined, Miami University, Virginia Tech, and next year, Boston College.
Why the big shift, Rick?
RICK HARROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Hey, good morning, Betty.
Here's the answer. It is very easy. It is the almighty dollar. You know, college football has to subside a lot of other programs, men's and women's sports. And athletic directors are always looking for the inside edge, the new buck.
The ACC has a $250 million, seven-year TV deal with ABC and ESPN. That gives each school about $9 or $10 million more a year than they would have had otherwise. And so that is why, not only those three schools, including Boston College, but 13 schools are shifting conference affiliation over the next couple of years. Let's call it conference musical chairs. That is right.
NGUYEN: All right, let' move on to professional baseball. I want you to take a look at the salaries of teams that are in the playoffs, or could make the post season. In the National League most teams are paying out $80 to $90 million, with Los Angeles leading the pack at $93 million.
And there is no surprise that the Yankees are at the top of the American League with $184 million payroll. In contrast Minnesota is only paying $54 million in 2004. The question to you, Rick, does it take top dollar to get to the playoffs?
HORROW: Yes, it does. But let's put it in context a couple of years ago we were talking about a strike potential, labor Armageddon, the end of baseball as we know it. So they've come a long way. But it is still like everything in life. Money doesn't guarantee happiness but you sure as heck would rather have it than not have it.
The bottom line is, of the 11 teams that are still vying for the playoffs that start Monday, all but Minnesota and Oakland are in the top third in payrolls. And it is even getting worse. Look at the Yankees as we said. They pay a luxury tax to the general fund for spending a lot of money, $22 million.
But they're getting that back from the A-Rod contract and others, quickly. It is just for the Yankees, by the way, a cost of doing business.
NGUYEN: Dole out the money. OK, so what do you tell fans of teams that just can't come up with the cash and go all the way?
HORROW: A couple of quick things. First of all, there is revenue sharing in the next couple of years that is going to level the playing field. Second of all, hey, suck it on up. The bottom line is $20 ticket is still $20 bucks average less than basketball and football, and $20 bucks less than hockey, by the way, that is not even playing.
NGUYEN: So suck it up, huh? You're a tough cookie there, Rick.
All right, after three decades Washington, D.C. is getting a baseball team again?
HORROW: Yes, here is the good news for baseball, a $400 million publicly funded stadium that is going to spur development all over Washington. That's a good thing. The other good thing is cities like Norfolk and Monterey and Vegas and Portland, though they didn't get this team, they spurred interest in baseball that may end up with another team for them in the not too distant future.
NGUYEN: We're starting something new on the weekends it is called, "Fair Ball/Foul Ball" and we want to know what your picks are this week. Let's start with a "Fair Ball".
HORROW: Well, the "Fair Ball" isn't bad. It is Vijay Singh and the PGA tour. They've had a major influx of TV money. It has caused the top 50 golfers in the world to make nearly $400 million in prize money and Vijay Singh, the Fijian, took over from Tiger Woods as the number one player in the world a couple of weeks ago. And then won a couple of tournaments in a row. A big deal to spread the wealth beyond Tiger.
By the way, I just got back from Thailand, from a speech. Let me tell you, whether you like Vijay Singh or not, he is a certifiable hero over there and probably good for the game.
NGUYEN: Oh, definitely. And the "Foul Ball" for this week?
HORROW: Hey, this is a good one. We have a guy ...
NGUYEN: Literally, a foul ball, right?
HORROW: A real fair ball/foul ball. Steve Williams, one of the guys that fought for Barry Bonds' 700th home run, out in the stands in San Francisco. He was just awarded ownership of that ball by a San Francisco superior court judge yesterday.
But here's the bottom line, instant replay, eight views of the film and six lawyers in that hearing. I'm a lawyer, I have to tell you, this may be a little much. I can't wait for Barry Bonds beating Hank Aaron's record over the next year and a half, because all legal heck is going to break loose. And we as lawyers probably can't wait.
NGUYEN: It happens every time, that one of these things comes up. They are fighting over it. Always goes to litigation, it always ends up on eBay or someone destroys the ball.
HORROW: Well, hey, it is a commentary on our society where fighting, lawyers and eBay -- hey, that's just life in the 2000 era and beyond.
NGUYEN: That is true. Rick Harrow, now are you in Watertown or Boston this morning?
HORROW: Well, Watertown or Boston, it is parents weekend at Boston College. And there is a big game today. So that is real exciting.
NGUYEN: All right. Rick Horrow, thanks so much.
HORROW: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Drew.
GRIFFIN: All right, you two. Well, don't forget our e-mail question this morning. Will you watch the next presidential debate? Speaking of fighting. Our address wam@cnn.com . We're going to read your replies next.
Plus, can a boyfriend pillow replace a real boyfriend? Maybe this should really be a husband pillow? Find out what we're talking about in our "Wows of the Week" next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
GRIFFIN: Our "Wows of the Week" take us first to Japan. Creepy! Creepy! A pillow made for cuddling. The maker calls it the boyfriend pillow, since it doesn't snore or leave in the middle of the night, it might even be an improvement over the real thing. Not sure.
Tiny seaside village in Maine always depended on fishing. Little did they know the biggest catch there was going to be a part-time resident from Louisiana. South Bristol informed that it inherited $9 million from Ann Stratton. She died last July. Her family owned property there. City officials say they are going to recommend the money be invested to keep taxes low for future generations there in Maine.
And in Britain, Graham the Gorilla, the fleetest of foot in the annual team mascot race. There he is crossing the line. Mascots from around the country come to compete for bragging rights in this event. Oye, Oye, Oye (ph).
NGUYEN: Bragging rights over that, huh?
GRIFFIN: Nice.
NGUYEN: We need to find something better to do.
All right, well you know what? This person is not in costume. And we're talking about Rob Marciano.
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