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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Secret Senate Session; Denver Banking on its Teachers; Follow the Force

Aired November 2, 2005 - 5:00   ET

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


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is Wednesday, November 2. Things are getting nasty on Capitol Hill. A political ploy, or a legitimate demand for answers about how we got into the war in Iraq? The Democrats make a bold move, and the Republicans are fighting mad.
Big bucks for a big-time threat. The president wants billions of dollars for his fight against a possible flu pandemic.

And they survived a devastating earthquake, but will they make it through the winter?

ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello.

COSTELLO: And good morning to you. We'll have more on the closed-Senate session in just a minute.

Also ahead, if teachers in Denver want more money their students have to get the grades. A controversial new plan is now being put into place.

And a short time ago, in a video store not so far away, "Star Wars: Episode III" went on sale. We're taking a look coming up.

But first, "Now in the News."

Late-night negotiations are apparently no help in ending Philadelphia's three-day-old public transit strike. The city's nearly half a million commuters will still have to find alternate ways to work. Transit workers are striking over wages and health care costs.

Rosa Parks will be laid to rest today in Detroit. The funeral comes at the end of a memorial tour of hope and inspiration that included stops in Montgomery, Alabama, and Washington, D.C. Stay with CNN for live coverage of the funeral. It begins at 11:00 a.m. Eastern.

Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, leave New York for Washington today. They'll have lunch and dinner with President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. The royals' eight-day U.S. tour includes upcoming stops in New Orleans and San Francisco.

To the forecast center and Jacqui Jeras.

Good morning.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

COSTELLO: I thought you deserted me.

JERAS: Oh, I had to take a day off so I could take the kids trick or treating. And I had to worry about getting up early.

COSTELLO: Oh, OK. Well, I totally understand that.

JERAS: Yes, Superman and Pocahontas were pleased to have this football player with them.

COSTELLO: Cute.

JERAS: And Flash Gordon, my husband.

COSTELLO: I would have loved to see that one.

JERAS: Oh, yes. You really missed it, I'll tell you.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Spectacular stunt or necessary evil? Those are the two sides of the debate over yesterday's rare procedural move that sent the Senate into a closed session for more than two hours.

What came out of it is a promised review of intelligence that led to the war in Iraq. The move also led to plenty of bad blood.

CNN Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry brings us up to date.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CAPITOL HILL CORRESPONDENT: A Democratic sneak attack that sent shock waves through the Senate.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MINORITY LEADER: Mr. President, enough time has gone by. I demand, on behalf of the American people, that we understand why these investigations aren't being conducted.

HENRY: Democratic leader Harry Reid accused Republicans of failing to probe allegations the White House manipulated intelligence to justify the war in Iraq.

REID: And in accordance with Rule 21, I now move the Senate go into closed session.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: Mr. President, I second the motion.

HENRY: An easy but rare maneuver with extraordinary consequences, the Senate chamber was locked down, television cameras shut off so lawmakers could go into secret session to debate.

Republican leader Bill Frist was enraged.

SEN. BILL FRIST (R-TN), MAJORITY LEADER: Not with the previous Democratic leader, or the current Democratic leader, have ever I been slapped in the face with such an affront to the leadership of this grand institution.

There has been at least consideration for the other side of the aisle before a stunt, and this is a pure stunt.

HENRY: Reid refused to back down, demanding the Republican-led Intelligence Committee finish a long-awaited report on whether the Bush administration twisted intelligence.

REID: This investigation has been stymied, stopped, obstructions thrown up every step of the way. That's the real slap in the face. That's the slap in the face. And today the American people are going to see little bit of light.

HENRY: What's really going on is, Democrats feel emboldened by the indictment of Vice President Cheney's former chief of staff, believing this is their chance to issue a broader indictment of the Bush administration.

DURBIN: We have lost over 2,000 of our best and bravest. Over 15,000 have been seriously wounded. We are spending more than $6 billion a month with no end in sight. And this Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee refuses to even ask the hard questions about the misinformation...

HENRY: Republicans insist they're completing the investigation, and this is just a distraction.

SEN. RICK SANTORUM (R), PENNSYLVANIA: This is purely political. This is settling an old political score.

HENRY: Democrats say they also want to signal they're ready to stand up to the Republican majority and may even filibuster the president's latest Supreme Court pick, Samuel Alito, a move that would make these events seem like the opening fireworks in a much nastier battle.

Ed Henry, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Let's talk about the president and his flu speech. Remember that? Because when the Senate thing happened everybody forgot about this flu pandemic. The possibility of that catastrophic bird flu is getting special attention in Washington. President Bush did announce a new plan to combat the mutant virus if it ever begins to be passed from person to person.

There are three key elements to this $7 billion plan: worldwide detection, stockpiling vaccines for health care providers, and promoting work on developing new vaccines.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By making critical investments today, we'll strengthen our ability to safeguard the American people in the awful event of a devastating global pandemic. And at the same time, we'll bring our nation's public health and medical infrastructure more squarely in the 21st century.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Now, keep in mind, 122 people are infected worldwide. Half of them have died from the current strain of the H5N1 virus. Health officials fear that a virus mutation could lead to person-to- person transmission of the bird flu. That would be the beginning of a pandemic that could kill millions of people.

We're going to talk more about this in the 6:00 hour of DAYBREAK.

You know, is it too much, causing a panic now? We'll explore those issues with a doctor.

Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito has been busy. He'll have a busy morning on Capitol Hill. He'll be making the rounds, meeting with various senators.

Here's what you think about the judge. A CNN "USA-Today"-Gallup poll shows 44 percent of you have a positive opinion of Alito. Twenty-three percent now neutral. Nineteen percent of those polled have a negative opinion of him.

Are his opinions on important issues in the mainstream? Well, 51 percent of you think they are, 26 percent say the judge is too extreme, 23 percent are unsure.

On the issue of abortion, 38 percent of those polled said they think Alito would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade, 38 percent say he wouldn't. So it's a tie. Twenty-four percent say they're not sure.

The U.S. military says air strikes destroyed several insurgent safe houses near the Syrian border. Sources report that a senior al Qaeda foreign fighter was killed in one of those safe houses. The military statement says the al Qaeda suspect had contacts in Syria who arranged smuggling foreign fighters and suicide bombers into the region.

More American troops may be heading to Iraq. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says an increased military presence may be needed around the time of Iraq's upcoming parliamentary elections. Rumsfeld says the Iraq situation reminds him of another conflict that took place more than 50 years ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The question was, should young Americans be sent over there to -- at the risk of their lives? And, of course, the answer to that question is clear to anyone who visits the Korean peninsula today, or who had the privilege of meeting, as I have done, some of the 3,000 South Korean troops who are helping the people of Iraq rebuild and secure their newfound freedom.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: There are currently about 158,000 U.S. troops in Iraq. That's 3,000 fewer than there were in last month's voting on Iraq's constitution. The upcoming parliamentary elections are scheduled for mid-December.

For the first time, the Marines are moving into special operations. Special Ops units have traditionally been made up of Navy Seals and Army Green Berets. Secretary Rumsfeld says about 2,600 Marines will join missions carried out under the direction of the Special Operations command.

Coming up on DAYBREAK, left out in the cold. The brutal Himalayan winter means more misery for homeless earthquake survivors in Pakistan. We'll get a first-hand look at their desperation.

And here's a radical idea: teachers get paid based on their students' success. Sound far-fetched? It is the newest thing in Denver.

Now out on DVD, the film within a film takes you inside the making of "Star Wars III."

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: International markets are slightly higher this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei up 26 points. The London FTSE adding nine. The German DAX is 18 point higher this morning. That would be points, wouldn't it?

In futures trading, let's take a look at the price of oil. It's down 2 cents, still below $60 at $59.83 a barrel this morning.

Let's talk about Denver. A very interesting thing just passed there.

Denver is banking on its teachers. Votes there were tallied overnight, and residents have approved a groundbreaking plan to pay teachers based on the achievements of their students.

CNN's Bill Tucker explains the Denver model.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL TUCKER, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Most voters never get a say in teacher pay. In Denver, they're voting on a radical change in the way teachers will be paid.

Under a plan jointly developed by school administrators and the teacher's union, teachers would be paid by performance. It's a one- of-a-kind plan that is attracting national attention.

MICHAEL BENNET, SUPERINTENDENT, DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS: There isn't anything in the country that's as comprehensive as this, when it comes to results-oriented teacher pay. So, we know that we're breaking new ground here in Denver.

TUCKER: The plan, known as the Professional Compensation System, took six years to develop. It rewards teachers for improved student performance. It grants incentives to teachers willing to teach in Denver's challenging schools.

Sixty percent of teachers have voted to accept the model and now voters have to decide if they will fund the new system with increased property taxes.

KIM URSETTA, DENVER CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION: We've never gone to the voters before to ask for an increase in teacher pay. But frankly, if we do not get the $25 million inflation adjustment that we're asking for, there is no way that we can sustain the incentives that would be provided to teachers in the proposed system.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what's ten over two, squared?

TUCKER: The two largest teachers unions, the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, support the involvement of the teachers in developing the Denver model. The Teachers Union Reform Network is more direct with its enthusiasm.

ADAM URBANSKI, TEACHERS UNION REFORM NETWORK: Denver has to be congratulated for making that leap of faith, for working together, and I hope that this opens a floodgate of new ideas that will substantially improve the performance of children in public schools in America.

TUCKER: Bill Tucker, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: You know, at first glance, Jacqui, I said, oh, you've got to be kidding, because let's say you're a teacher in a poor school district with kids that don't learn as well as other kids. That could affect how much you're paid. And is that really fair?

But the Denver teachers think that that's OK, because, you know, they'll just base those students' performance on statistics they already have within that same school district.

JERAS: Not a bad point. I think a lot of people are going to have some pretty strong opinions about this. One thing I will tell you, in my opinion, is that teachers, the most grossly underpaid profession in this country. It's the most important job there is out there, and they are so underpaid, in my opinion.

COSTELLO: I have statistics on that, as far as Denver is concerned. Teachers there are now paid $33,301 at the beginning of their career. The average annual salary is $45,585.

Under this new plan, they could increase their salary per year to $64,000, but that only happens after about 25 years. JERAS: Oh, wow. That $64,000 sounds a lot more reasonable for such an important job, doesn't it?

COSTELLO: It does.

JERAS: Well, we want to know what you think. Should teacher pay be based on student performance? E-mail us, DAYBREAK@CNN.com. And maybe we can hear from some teachers this morning as well.

COSTELLO: Yes. I would be fascinated to hear from teachers and what they think of this plan. DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:17 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Senators head back to Capitol Hill today after an unusual closed session called by the Democrats. They forced Republican leaders to agree to a complete investigation into the Bush administration's handling of Iraq prewar intelligence. A six-person bipartisan task force is to report back in two weeks.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, head to Washington today from New York. They'll dine at the White House with the president and Mrs. Bush.

In money news, those of you who still rely on snail mail, well the price is going up. Preliminary approval has been given for a two- cent increase, which pushes the price of an ordinary stamp to 39 cents. Postcards jump a penny, to 24 cents. The hike is expected to take effect early next year.

In culture -- is this culture? The NFL is serving up Crow for Thanksgiving this year, singer Sheryl Crow, to be exact. She will perform at halftime at the Broncos-Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game to promote the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Christmas campaign.

Hey, what about the Lions' game? That's on, too. I don't like when you dis my lions.

In sports, the New Orleans Hornets open the NBA season with a win in their new home. The displaced Hornets are playing 35 of their games in Oklahoma City. The Hornets beat the Sacramento Kings last night, 93-67.

I think you can call that a route (ph), Jacqui.

JERAS: There you go.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Thank you, Jacqui.

Still to come this morning, ever wonder how that galaxy far, far away gets on to the big screen? Up next, we'll give you a rare look behind the scenes at the making of "Star Wars." And our e-mail question of the morning: Should teacher pay be based on student performance? We want to know what you think this morning. E-mail us at DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Entertainment headlines for you this morning.

Jessica Simpson talks about needing therapy in the latest issue of "Teen People" magazine. The singer says constant rumors about her relationship with her husband, Nick Lachey, led her to seeking help. In the interview, Simpson adds that she'd be a therapist herself if she weren't already an entertainer.

The Latin Grammys will have a new look and sound this year. For the first time, the show will be broadcast entirely in Spanish. Poor ratings from Thursday's award show (INAUDIBLE) usual spot on CBS and on the Spanish language station Univision.

"Arrested Development" star Jason Bateman is recovering from throat surgery. The actor had a benign polyp removed. An executive producer from the FOX comedy says they'll delay production of the show until Bateman is ready to return.

And "Star Wars" fans are pretty darned happy this morning. They may also be a little bleary-eyed. That's because "Episode 3" is finally out on DVD.

It would take you about 13 hours to watch all six "Star Wars" movies back to back. And that doesn't even include all the extras.

CNN Entertainment Correspondent Sibila Vargas has more for you.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice over): George Lucas ended his "Star Wars" saga on a high note this year with "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith." And the DVD shows how he did it.

The disc's exhaustive behind-the-scenes documentary go a little overboard, telling you in detail all you could ever possibly want to know about the making of the space adventure.

HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN, "ANAKIN SKYWALKER": Well, one of the few films that actually has a documentary crew with us the entire time we're making these movies from, you know, the year of pre-production to the, you know, three months of filming, to the two years of post. And so, you get an idea of what that entire process is. And, you know, considering how -- how these films are made, you get an idea of what the digital process is.

VARGAS: The special effects wizardry explored in the DVD is, as Darth Vader would say, most impressive. But the scenes of Ian McDiarmid's Emperor Palpatine corrupting Anakin are the real highlights.

IAN MCDIARMID, "CHANCELLOR PALPATINE": The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way.

Action can exist in words and in the eyes, and in the thoughts. And that's as much of an action sequence as any of the dark fights, for example, in the movie, or any of the saber fights.

VARGAS: There are murmurs in the force that McDiarmid's performance might make him a dark horse Oscar nominee. The first for a "Star Wars" actor.

Now, that would be a triumph for the dark side.

Sibila Vargas, CNN, Hollywood.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Here's what's all new in the next half-hour of DAYBREAK.

All you need to know about the avian flu. How real is the risk? And will we ever be prepared to treat it if it really does come a pandemic?

Your questions answered just ahead.

And don't forget about our e-mail question of the morning: Should teacher pay be based on student performance? We want to hear from you this morning. Send us an e-mail at DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: From the Time Warner Center in New York, this is DAYBREAK with Carol Costello.

COSTELLO: Good morning to you. Welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK.

Coming up in the next 30 minutes, the life and legacy of Rosa Parks. A look at what we've learned from this simple and strong woman.

And later, just what is the avian flu? Just ahead, we'll give you the nuts and bolts of this deadly virus. And if you should worry.

But first, "Now in the News."

Australia's prime minister warns that he has received intelligence information about a specific terror threat to his country. But John Howard is refusing to give details about the threat, citing security concerns.

Police are looking for these fugitives. Jimmy Causey and Johnny Brewer escaped from a maximum security prison in Columbia, South Carolina, by hiding in a dumpster.

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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