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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Bush Trip, U.S.-European Union Summit Saturday; Supreme Court Ruling in Favor of Cheney

Aired June 25, 2004 - 06:00   ET

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


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Gunfire and explosions rock one of Iraq's most violent cities this morning, five days until the U.S. handover of power.
It is Friday, June 25. This is DAYBREAK.

And good morning to you from the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Carol Costello. Let me bring you up to date right now.

They are preparing for President Bush's arrival in Ireland this morning. The president will leave Washington for a summit with leaders of the European Union. He'll then travel to the NATO summit in Turkey.

Sources tell CNN that Florida Congressman Porter Goss may soon be the president's choice for CIA director. Goss, a Republican, is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. George Tenet resigned as CIA director effective in mid-July.

As many as 90 people are dead following a tragic crash in southeastern Iran. Another 114 people were injured. It happened when a gas truck hit six passenger buses that were stopped at a police inspection site. Many of the dead are women and children.

In money news, Congress is looking at the billing practices of the nation's hospitals. Experts say uninsured patients are charged as much as four times more than those with insurance, and are also subject to more severe collection techniques.

In culture, there's plenty to do in Denver if you're single. "Forbes" lists the Denver-Boulder area as the place to be if you're unattached. The Baltimore-Washington area is ranked second, just ahead of Austin, Texas. Pittsburgh is last.

In sports, Venus Williams is the first major upset at the All England Club. Williams lost in straight sets to 30th ranked Karolina Sprem. It's Venus' earliest exit from Wimbledon since 1997.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: We're just five days to the handover of sovereignty in Iraq. Here's what's happening there this morning.

More fighting has broken out between insurgents and U.S. forces. The clash is taking place right now in Fallujah. In fact, you're looking at new pictures we got in just this morning from that rebel stronghold.

In the meantime in Baghdad, dozens of Sunni tribesmen rallied outside the Abu Ghraib prison. These pictures are also new this morning. The Iraqis are protesting against the detention of their tribal leader. They say he was imprisoned by U.S. troops four months ago and has not been heard from since.

President Bush repeats his view that the world is a safer place because of the war in Iraq. He said as much to Irish television in advance of a summit in Ireland tomorrow and another summit in Turkey next week.

Ireland is mobilizing 6,000 police and troops for Mr. Bush's meeting there in Shannon, Ireland, tomorrow. The interview with Irish TV got a bit heated when President Bush was asked if democracy should start with big -- with peace, rather, in the Middle East.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think, first of all, you've got a democracy in Turkey, and you've got a democracy emerging in Afghanistan. You've got a democracy in Pakistan.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But shouldn't that be on the top of the list?

BUSH: Please, please, please for a minute, OK? It would be better if you let me finish my answers, and then you can follow up, if you don't mind.

What I'm telling you is that democracy can emerge at the same time that a democracy can emerge in the Palestinian state. I'm the first American president to have called for the establishment of a Palestinian state, the first one to do so, because I believe it is in the Palestinian people's interest, I believe it's in Israel's interest.

And, yes, we are working, but we can do more than, you know, one thing at a time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: As you can see, that interview got a little bit contentious. Two summit meetings in five days, though. That's President Bush's schedule. As he leaves this morning for Ireland, the president meets tomorrow with leaders of the European Commission.

With more on the president's trip, CNN radio's Dick Uliano joins us live on the phone from Washington.

Good morning.

DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO: Good morning to you, Carol, from Washington.

COSTELLO: Good morning. Tell us about the president's trip. There is going to be a lot of security around him when he arrives in Ireland.

ULIANO: Well, that's exactly right. You pointed out that 6,000 civilian and military troops will be on duty in Ireland, and that comprises a third of the security force in Ireland. The president's policies, as everybody knows, are widely unpopular in Europe, so security will be tight when he visits Shannon, Ireland, and also later on, early next week when he visits Turkey. Tens of thousands of protestors are expected, Carol.

COSTELLO: And, of course, he's really trying to make friends in Ireland. He's trying to repair strained relations. That contentious interview with the interview in Ireland, though, wasn't a great start, was it?

ULIANO: Well, you know, you could see in that interview, President Bush does not like to be interrupted by reporters until he completes his question. We commonly see that when he has news events at the White House.

But, you know, he's going to promote his policy in Iraq and his policies and the war in Iraq have been widely as unpopular, as everybody knows, across Europe. And he's going to be seeking European support for what the United States is trying to accomplish in Iraq, and also later at the NATO summit. He wants NATO countries to help, to lend a hand in Iraq with security.

COSTELLO: Is there any evidence that those countries might lend a hand?

ULIANO: Yes, there are some signs. Italy has signaled that it's going to help. But, you know, the big nuts to crack are the major NATO allies, France and Germany, who consistently show an unwillingness to send any troops into Iraq.

There are already 16 member countries of countries like Poland that are contributing with forces in NATO. And the president's national security advisor, Condoleezza Rice, says more can be done. Iraq wants help with training and with resources to improve its security capabilities. That's the only way this fledgling government is going to work.

COSTELLO: Well, we'll see what happens over the weekend and into next week. Dick Uliano from CNN Radio, thank you for joining us on DAYBREAK this morning.

Later today, we conclude our week-long series with taking the "American Pulse." CNN's Jonathan Mann hosts a live town hall meeting with a panel of guests who is trying to influence public opinion about the United States role in Iraq and the Middle East. And you can see it at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 Pacific right here on CNN.

The Supreme Court has handed the Bush administration a victory. Justices decided records from the vice president's private meetings can remain private -- at least for now.

Bob Franken has more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a victory for the vice president and the administration, but a temporary one.

By a 7-2 margin, the court decided, as Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote, "Special considerations applicable to the president and vice president" meant that Cheney did not yet have to publicly release documents accumulated by his energy task force, documents critics charge would show policy was secretly influenced by corporate interests.

The justices bought the vice president's arguments.

RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're setting a terrible precedent. We're saying the vice president cannot have confidential meetings.

FRANKEN: Justice Kennedy described it as a "paramount necessity of protecting the executive branch from vexatious litigation."

JOHN ASHCROFT, ATTORNEY GENERAL: It was a case in which there's substantial agreement on the court. It's a 7-2 victory in this respect.

FRANKEN: Lower courts can still ultimately order the documents released under an open government law, but not for a while.

DAVID BOOKBINDER, SIERRA CLUB SENIOR ATTORNEY: In the Bush administration's eyes, keeping things secret as long as possible is a victory. And so, they will be pleased by the court's decision because it does delay the ultimate day of reckoning.

FRANKEN: Justice Antonin Scalia had added to the controversy by refusing to remove himself after disclosures he had accepted an invitation to go duck hunting with the vice president. He ruled in favor of Cheney.

(on camera): A ruling that means that these politically-charged documents will not see the light of day until at least after the election.

Bob Franken, CNN, the Supreme Court.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Senator Patrick Leahy is not saying much about it, neither is Vice President Cheney, but Senate aides sure are. Leahy has riled Cheney in the past over alleged war profiteering in Iraq by Halliburton, the company Cheney once ran. Cheney confronted Leahy at a Senate photo shoot, and aides say Cheney told Leahy to go F yourself.

Senator Leahy put it this way: "I think he was just having a bad day, and I was kind of shocked to hear that kind of language on the floor."

The vice president's spokesman said -- quote -- "That doesn't sound like the kind of language that the vice president would use, but I can confirm that there was a frank exchange of views."

A little drama for you there.

Here are some stories making news across America this Friday.

Eight Los Angeles police officers involved in the beating of a suspect during his arrest have been taken off the street and place behind desks. Among those under investigation: John Hatfield. He's been identified as the officer who repeatedly hit the suspect with a flashlight.

Police Chief William Bratton says it appears the officers acted inappropriately, and L.A. Mayor Jim Hahn says any officers who acted unlawfully will be prosecuted.

Charges are expected to be filed this morning in the shootings of nine people at a crowded fireworks festival in downtown Detroit. Two of the victims remain in critical condition this morning. Police say they got a flood of tips from the public, which led them to a suspect in the shooting.

A new virus is spreading across many of the Internet's most popular Web sites. Thousands of sites have been hit by the virus, which attempts to implant hacker software onto home and business computers. The Department of Homeland Security and computer experts are investigating the Web attack.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, cutting jobs and carbs. Will it be hmm-hmm good for business?

Then:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is absolutely amazing. This lost the trial for the prosecution, in my opinion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Details emerge about a detective in Scott Peterson's murder trial that shocked those in the courtroom.

Plus, the devastating symptoms of Alzheimer's. Do drugs really help ease this heartbreaking disease?

And later, the long-awaited "Fahrenheit 9/11" hits theaters today. But is it worth the price of a ticket? Is it a good movie?

This is DAYBREAK for June 25.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: As you well know, Bill Clinton is telling his life story and talking politics. In an interview with CNN's Larry King, Clinton talked about how he would have handled Iraq if he were still president. He also had some diplomatic words for President Bush.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: When you go to war and your bombs go astray and innocent people die and you didn't intend for it, I feel for him. When you pick up the paper every day and a bunch more of your kids have died, I feel for him. Even when I disagree with his policies, I'm always pulling for my country. And I know that as a human being it hurts to know that however much you believe in what you're doing when there are adverse consequences, intended or unintended, it's exceedingly painful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Clinton's runaway best seller will probably be a hot topic again tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE." Larry will be joined by Jon Stewart, host of Comedy Central's "Daily Show." You can catch that tonight at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:15 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

The U.S. and South Korea are playing down North Korea's threat to test a nuclear weapon. The North Koreans issued that warning at the six-nation talks on Pyongyang's nuclear program.

Ground controllers scrubbed a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station when one astronaut's oxygen bottle sprung a leak. The crew will try again soon to replace a circuit breaker outside of the station.

In money news, the Nike swoosh beats the Street. The world's biggest athletic shoemaker posted a 23 percent surge in income for its fourth quarter. Nike easily did better than Wall Street expected.

In culture, more people than ever are surviving cancer. The CDC suggests health officials focus on the long-term care of survivors. Since 1974, the number of cancer survivors in the U.S. has tripled.

In sports, Dwight Howard of Atlanta goes to the Orlando Magic as the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. The teenager is one of eight high school players chosen in the first round.

(WEATHER BREAK)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

Time for a little business buzz.

Hmm-hmm good. The world's largest soup company goes low-carb, but the changes have a price.

Carrie Lee has more for you from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

Hello.

CARRIE LEE, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS: Hi, Carol.

Well, low-carb is just part of Campbell Soup's new plan going forward. The company is cutting its long-term profit growth expectation. The company, also the world's largest soup maker, by the way, is also planning to cut 400 jobs, trying to cut costs, streamline operations. They've been restructuring since 2001.

A couple of new products are coming down the road. You said some low-carb products. Also, they're looking into a V8 brand soup. Campbell's makes the V8 drink. Also, they're going to roll out some more microwavable soups, actually adding $65 million in spending through the next year to double capacity for those microwavable soups. And, in fact, overall they're launching 29 new products in fiscal 2005, citing some demand for healthier foods.

So, an improvement in some of its convenience soups, and some new products as well. So, we'll see how Campbell does going forward, but that is the plan, Carol.

Also, we're watching shares of Nike today. Profits are up 24 percent over the past year and the recent quarter, strong sales overseas. It looks like a pretty solid quarter, once again, at Nike.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: I just wish I had stock.

LEE: Yes, there you go.

COSTELLO: Carrie Lee live from the Nasdaq Marketsite.

When we come back, did a detective leave out key information about Laci Peterson's final days with her husband? There is a twist in the Scott Peterson murder trial.

And later, journey to Africa. Colin Powell gets involved in the catastrophe in Sudan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: A possible setback for the prosecution in the Scott Peterson trial. Testimony by the lead detective has cast doubt on an issue at the heart of the prosecution's case.

For more, we turn to Don Knapp of CNN affiliate KRON, who has this report from Redwood City, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON KNAPP, CNN AFFILIATE KRON REPORTER (voice over): The prosecution's murder theory suggests neither Laci Peterson nor members of her family ever knew that Scott had a small fishing boat. But today under cross-examination, lead detective Allen Brocchini owned up to a serious omission in his own police report. He dropped a paragraph acknowledging that a woman who works in a neighboring bay in the same warehouse building where Scott Peterson kept his boat said she let Laci Peterson use a bathroom there on December 23.

DEAN JOHNSON, LEGAL ANALYST: The material in that paragraph would explain why the hair was found there, and would also show that Scott apparently wasn't hiding the boat, as claimed by the prosecution.

KNAPP: Using photographs and a floor plan, Geragos suggested Laci would have to see the boat to go to the bathroom in the crowded warehouse. Prosecutors had planned on using the DNA of hair found in pliers in the boat to suggest Laci's body was placed in a boat she had never seen.

Now, the hair's value may be questionable.

JOHNSON: I think this tells the jury in no uncertain terms that this investigation is unreliable, and I think it significantly, if not completely, undermines the credibility of the prosecution's investigating officer.

KNAPP: Analyst Michael Cardoza goes even further.

MICHAEL CARDOZA, LEGAL ANALYST: This is absolutely amazing. This lost the trial for the prosecution, in my opinion.

KNAPP: Meanwhile, dismissed juror No. 5's criticism of the prosecution's case continues to reverberate.

JANEY PETERSON, SCOTT'S SISTER: To see that juror walk out yesterday and he saw that is just such a relief to our family, to see that he's sitting in there and he's seeing the truth.

KNAPP: But for Laci's family, it's good riddance to juror No. 5.

SHARON ROCHA, LACI'S MOTHER: I think he should have let the court know that he was prejudiced against pregnant women before he ever took a seat on this jury. I mean, obviously, if he said all pregnant women are crazy, then he shouldn't have been on this jury.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Time for some "Coffey Talk" now. Our legal analyst, Kendall Coffey, joins us live from Miami with more on the action- packed third week in the Scott Peterson trial.

Wow! So, do you agree with the dire predictions that this detective's testimony has lost the case for the prosecution?

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I wouldn't say it's lost the case, Carol. But this is a big blow, and it's part of what is a very bad week. We know that one juror thought that even before this detective got impeached that the case was going poorly for the prosecution.

Now, this single strand of hair, the one bit of forensic evidence, you remember, five days in a hearing over mitochondrial DNA and whether this one strand of hair could be considered, now that strand of hair is explainable. Why? Because a witness that says that she was in that warehouse and that that secret boat was not such a secret after all with respect to Laci Peterson.

COSTELLO: Well, Kendall, surely the prosecuting attorney knew about this paragraph. So, why not confront it? Why let the defense find it and use it against you?

COFFEY: Hard to say. Hard to say, because clearly the prosecution has committed itself to this script of effectively a chronological witness-by-witness plotting case. They think they're going to build this building one brick at a time. But they are getting hit almost every time on cross-examination. And whether that's just something that they're stuck with or whether they're not really prepared and preparing their witnesses well is a question that's going to develop as we watch this case continue to unfold.

COSTELLO: OK, let's talk about dismissed juror No. 5. This is what he had to say about the prosecution's case. He said, sometimes you're sitting there, like, going, what was that for? Why was that person there? So far, I'm falling asleep.

COFFEY: Well, that's should have been a wakeup call, because he's not the only one that's felt that way. A lot of observers watching this case day by day have been having the same reaction.

And one of the things that I think the prosecution really needs to do is accept that there is a wakeup call that they had a major, major setback yesterday, and do some revamping of their case, and maybe getting a little faster to whatever they think is their best evidence. Because as it stands right now bit by bit they're losing this jury. Not lost yet, but they're in trouble.

COSTELLO: Do you think that the jury should be sequestered? An interesting thing came from Amber Frey's father. You know, Scott Peterson's mistress? He said that he would pay for the hotel rooms.

COFFEY: I think this jury should have been sequestered. The judge was well within his discretion in denying it. But according to some studies, this is going to be the most-watched case in America this year. And with murder and with what's at stake, what's being alleged and going on in this case, the stakes are too high not to completely protect this jury.

COSTELLO: Kendall Coffey live from Miami this morning with some "Coffey Talk." Thank you, Kendall.

COFFEY: Thanks, Carol.

COSTELLO: Here's what's all new in the next half hour of DAYBREAK. Is it worth the price? New details this morning about a drug that many families hope will offer relief to their loved ones with Alzheimer's.

And, we'll go to Ireland, where security forces are preparing for the arrival of President Bush. Why is this weekend so important for the White House?

And then, take a step into the past. To celebrate America's independence, we've got Fourth of July getaways your family can enjoy and learn from.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.


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