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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

Political Storm; Israelis and Palestinians Reach Deal on Key Border Crossing; To Spank... Or Not

Aired November 15, 2005 - 05:00   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 Tuesday, November 15. Slip sliding away, that's what President Bush's poll numbers are doing. Do you like him? Do you trust him? Do you approve of his work? The latest polls say many of you don't.
Also, a double murder, a nationwide search, and two teens at the center of it all. A bizarre drama comes to an end, but the questions are only beginning.

And Alito on abortion. The Supreme Court nominee's own words from the past give his critics some present-day ammunition.

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 those stories just ahead.

Also, is spanking the right way to discipline children? The pros and cons from our own Dr. Gupta.

And some suggest a certain group of children born after 1978 has psychic powers. Do you believe?

But first, "Now in the News."

President Bush arrived in Japan just under an hour ago. It's the first stop on his four-nation trip to Asia.

In the meantime, the president is facing all kinds of trouble back home. We'll have details for you in a moment.

A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck off the Japanese coast this morning, and it triggered a tsunami alert as far as the northwest U.S. coast. But only small sea level changes are expected. No reports of injuries or major damage.

Massive damage though on a street in Karachi, Pakistan, this morning after a powerful car bomb blast. At least three are dead and a dozen others wounded. Officials say the target may have been a KFC restaurant.

To the forecast center. Bonnie Schneider in today.

Good morning.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Carol.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: All right. We'll get back to you. Thank you, Bonnie.

We start this hour with a quote: "It's time to take the training wheels off the Iraqi government." That's what Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is saying, and he wants the Senate to do something about it.

Today Democrats will consider a Republican proposal that calls for Iraqi forces to start protecting their own country. Reid is also calling for the president to give new monthly progress reports. The goal: to give us a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops.

Today's possible vote comes as Democrats push their attacks on the administration's handling of the intelligence leading up to the war. But the president says the Democrats are trying to rewrite history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And some Democrats who voted to authorize the use of force are now rewriting the past. They're playing politics with this issue. And they are sending mixed signals to our troops and the enemy. And that's irresponsible.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: But hold on here, says Senator Carl Levin. Levin is a Democratic member of the Intelligence Committee, and he says the president is wrong, that the administration did mislead Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: It was the repeated statement of the president, the vice president, the secretary of state that Saddam Hussein would give weapons of mass destruction to al Qaeda. And in fact, that Saddam Hussein had trained al Qaeda in the use of biological and chemical weapons.

That's what the administration, that's what the president of the United States said, Saddam Hussein trained al Qaeda in the use of chemical and biological weapons. The intelligence community said, that's not what we believe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Apparently a majority of you are questioning the president more and more, but it's not just the war in Iraq. The CIA leak controversy, the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, immigration issues all have combined to produce a negative impact on the president's approval rating.

CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider brings us the results of a new national poll.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice over): How bad have the polls gotten for President Bush? Thirty-seven percent job approval in the latest CNN "USA-Today"-Gallup poll, his lowest rating ever. His fellow Republicans are still there for him, 80 percent.

One-third of registered voters call themselves Independents. Two-thirds of them now oppose Bush. The president's support among Democrats is near the vanishing point, 7 percent.

It looks like former Georgia senator Zell Miller may have been the last Bush Democrat.

The country's economy seems to be in pretty good shape.

SEN. PAT ROBERTS (R), KANSAS: If you look at the economy, it's somewhere between 3.1 and 3.4 percent. So we still have a strong economy. People don't think so.

SCHNEIDER: Not with these energy prices. Bush's approval rating on the economy is just 37 percent. Almost as bad as Iraq, where 35 percent approve.

But the economy and Iraq are not the president's worst issues. That distinction goes to federal spending and immigration. On those issues, President Bush gets a dismal 26 percent approval.

Republicans in Congress have been complaining about federal spending, but most rank and file Republicans still support their president on spending. On immigration, a different story. Congressional Republicans are in revolt against President Bush's immigration policy.

SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: The fact is that we have somewhere, we think, between 10 and 12 million illegal immigrants in this country. And it's going to require more than speeches and technical proposals to really address this issue.

SCHNEIDER: Immigration is the one issue where President Bush has lost his party. A majority of Republicans say they disapprove of the way Bush is handling immigration.

(on camera): And for the first time ever, a majority of Americans say they do not consider President Bush honest and trustworthy. Nearly half say they trust Mr. Bush less than they trusted Bill Clinton.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: And we're following a developing story overseas this morning. Earlier, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had extended her stay in the Middle East, and now it looks like that's paid off. Just about an hour ago, Rice confirmed that Israelis and Palestinians have reached a deal on a key border crossing.

CNN's Guy Raz is in Jerusalem. He brings us up to date.

Good morning.

GUY RAZ, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

The secretary lending her considerable personal prestige to break through an impasse, a deadlock between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators that's lasted about two months over how to resolve the issue of reopening a key border crossing between the Palestinian Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula.

Now, the secretary postponed her departure for Asia in order to see if she could help bring about a deal. And in fact, it did pay off.

She held late-night discussions with both Palestinian and Israeli officials. And the two sides came to an agreement over reopening what's known as the Rafa border crossing.

Now, that is the main outlet for Palestinians living in Gaza into Egypt and essentially into the outside world. And that crossing was manned by Israeli soldiers on the Palestinian side for the last 38 years. But when the Israeli government withdrew all of its soldiers and settlers from the Gaza Strip earlier this summer, that crossing was essentially shut down and sealed. And since that time it's been closed.

Both sides have been at loggerheads over how to reopen it. The Israelis say without proper supervision it could be used as a transit point for weapons smugglers, for armed militants. For the Palestinians, it's an issue of sovereignty.

We understand now that Palestinian officials will monitor their side of the border, Egyptian troops will monitor the Egyptian side of the border. And a third party, perhaps European observers, will also maintain a presence on the border to make sure that weapons smuggling doesn't happen there. This is really the first time in Palestinian history that Palestinians will have control over an international border crossing.

Just a few other points briefly.

The secretary also announced an agreement that would allow Palestinians living in Gaza to travel between Gaza and the West Bank. That, of course -- territories, of course, separated by Israel.

Now, bus convoys are expected to begin in about a month's time, which will enable Palestinians living either in the West Bank or in Gaza to travel between those two areas.

And finally, an agreement has been reached on reconstructing a seaport in Gaza which will enable Palestinians to begin the process of exporting goods, agricultural goods, and other products in order to help revive the economy in Gaza. That is a key point for the Bush administration. They believe that if Gaza's economy can be revived, it will go a long way in preventing new outbreaks of violence here in the region -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Guy Raz live in Jerusalem this morning.

In news "Across America" this morning, an extradition hearing could be held as early as today for a Pennsylvania teenager wanted in connection with two deaths. Prosecutors say David Ludwig killed the parents of his 14-year-old girlfriend. Ludwig was arrested in Indiana after he crashed into a tree during a high-speed chase with police. The girlfriend was in the car, but police aren't sure if she was abducted or went along willingly.

Students are attending classes again at Campbell County High School. They returned to the Tennessee school yesterday for the first time since the deadly shootings there last week. Prosecutors found that the shooting suspect is only 14 years old instead of 15. The teenager is being held without bond until a hearing, and that could come later this week.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, the age-old method of discipline is under the microscope. We're talking about spanking. Is it the best way to teach your child right from wrong?

And later, these children are very emotional, sometimes withdrawn. Some think they're connected to the other side. We'll look at the Indigo Children.

And high-def TV is here. Oh, and not everybody is happy about it. Why? The devil's in the details -- too many of them.

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Take a look at the international markets. They're mixed this morning. Tokyo's Nikkei lower by 24 points. The London FTSE down as well by 13. The German DAX though is higher, adding five points.

In futures trading, let's take a look at the price of oil, because it's down 22 cents this morning at $57.47 a barrel.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:14 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

President Bush landed in Japan just over an hour ago, the first leg of his four-nation Asian trip. He'll also visit South Korea, China and Mongolia.

Want to live a healthier life? Take a walk. A new study says you can improve your heart with a daily half-hour walk. Another study says more intense exercise can add three years to your life. In money news, he could have a big impact one day on the way you spend it. Federal Reserve chair nominee Ben Bernanke testifies before a Senate panel in just under five hours. He's expected to stress his credentials as an inflation fighter.

In culture, Brooks & Dunn might not feel at home tonight. For the first time, the Country Music Awards will be held in New York City. Madison Square Garden will play host instead of Nashville's Grand Ole Opry.

And in sports, oh, it looks like the Philadelphia Eagles have bigger problems than T.O. being gone. Dallas staged a 21-20 comeback over the Eagles thanks to a late-game interception. It was Philly's first game since Terrell Owens was deactivated.

Oh, Philadelphia was winning all through the game, Bonnie. I just can't believe it.

SCHNEIDER: Oh, you're a big fan, huh?

COSTELLO: Well, I wanted Philadelphia to win because of Terrell Owens. You know, and that saga.

SCHNEIDER: Oh.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: We'll get back to you. Thank you, Bonnie.

Are you a parent? Do you follow the adage "Spare the rod, spoil the child?" If so, you'll want to hear the results of a new study. It's raising questions about whether spanking is a good thing.

Our Senior Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has more on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The ritual is as old as the relationship of parent and child. And it seems everyone has a memory of spanking.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I lied when I was younger, I got my but kicked, literally, or I got the strap.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I was close, a spoon, a belt.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just the physical violence of it, the aggression of their actions on your body.

GUPTA: The memories may be distant but a new study conducted in six countries in the journal Child Development says frequent smacking or spanking may sting in more ways than just the physical. Like other studies, it concludes that in the long run, spanking may cause children to become aggressive or anxious. And it's not just about the frequency of spanking. DR. JOSHUA SPARROW, CHILD PSYCHIATRIST: And I think a lot of the reaction depends on what goes with it, how often it happens, under what circumstances, whether the parent is out of control or not.

GUPTA: The study says the more culturally acceptable spanking is, the less aggression and anxiety it causes. But it doesn't ask whether there may be advantages to spanking. Many experts argue that regardless, spanking children may contribute to behavioral problems.

SPARROW: Even when physical discipline is thought to be acceptable in a particular culture, or in the case of the U.S., in a particular subculture, why take that risk when we now know that to some extent it is likely to lead to more aggression in children?

GUPTA: Gregory O'Gara says when his kids are out of control, he sometimes uses what he calls a subtle smack or a whack.

GREGORY O'GARA: It is right in the moment. You know? Maybe a little smack on the butt.

GUPTA: But he says his rule is to never deliver that smack in anger

O'GARA: That's the problem with -- you know, with most parents when they're spanking their kids, they're angry and they're conveying that anger over to the children.

GUPTA: Child psychologists say the key is for parents to control their own anger and to find other ways to chastise the child, clearly conveying why they're being punished so that a lesson is learned.

SPARROW: And the problem with spanking is that it doesn't teach. In the moment, it may stop the behavior. But in the long run, it actually teaches the opposite of what we want children to understand, which is that aggression is wrong and it doesn't solve problems.

GUPTA: O'Gara says he does teach. And while his kids may not always understand in the moment why they got that little smack, at the end of the day, it's clear.

KAYLIN O'GARA: I get over it and just know that he loves me.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, wizards in New York. A much-anticipated film comes to this side of the pond.

And not everybody's happy about it, high-def television. Oh, god. In particular, those of us who earn our living on the tube.

You're watching DAYBREAK for Tuesday.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Entertainment headlines for you this morning.

Talks aimed at ending the Radio City musicians strike are on hold for another day. Radio City's famed Christmas Spectacular is going on with the Rockettes, but they're performing to canned music instead of live instruments. The musicians offered to come back to work while they negotiate for higher wages, but Radio City turned them down.

James Bond's classic car is being sold at auction. It's the 1964 Aston Martin driven by Sean Connery in "Thunderball" and "Goldfinger," and that's what's for sale.

The car comes complete with headlight machine, guns -- I don't know if they actually work. It also has an oil slick exhaust system, and you need that. But the standard ejector seat has been removed for safety reasons. But not the guns.

"Harry Potter" fans were literally beside themselves before the U.S. premier of "Goblet of Fire." The major players were in full force at the New York premier. "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" is the first in the series to get a PG-13 rating. It opens nationwide on Friday.

More and more of your favorite programs are being shown in high definition or high-def. But is the detail and color of the digital picture really better than good old analog?

CNN's Jeanne Moos takes a much closer look. Maybe too close.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The latest wrinkle in TV technology can make a mountain out of a mole.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a shaving accident.

MOOS: The slightest nick can look like a laceration.

CHARLES GIBSON, ABC'S "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": We're delighted to be broadcasting in high def.

MOOS: Delighted? For some, high definition equals high anxiety. It's enough to make a housewife desperate.

SWANN: She also has these big veins bulging out of her forehead. It kind of looks like a page from a Triple A road map.

MOOS: It's one thing when HDTV lets you eye ball the laces on a football. But, it can also make a local sports anchor look like a slob.

SWANN: More than once, I have seen him on there with food stains on his lapel.

MOOS: Ready or not, high def is coming. Prepare the counterattack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Frown again. That's good, relax now.

SWANN: Some local news teams are starting to ask for Botox budgets in anticipation of going high def.

MOOS: You are going to have to use your imagination with this piece, because you probably don't have HDTV yet. Only 6 percent of Americans do. So, those of you with regular TV won't be able to fully appreciate how bad we look in HD. That's regular TV on the left. HD on the right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see his warts. You can see bumps and dirt on his face that are completely gone. You don't even notice it here.

MOOS: Good Morning America recently launched in high def.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Standard television, HD.

DIANE SAWYER, ABC'S "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": Can you see the texture in Robin's jacket?

MOOS: But it's the texture of the face that has talent on alert.

SAWYER: Seeing even more about what we did the night before.

ROBIN ROBERTS, ABC'S "GOOD MORNING AMERICA": All right, don't go there, don't go there, sister friend.

That is the Grand Canyon. Have you ever seen it like that on TV?

MOOS: Yes, what about wrinkles that look like the Grand Canyon. Watch out or you'll end up on the HD horribles list, along with David Letterman.

SWANN: He's got more lines on his face than his writers have in their heads.

MOOS: And Clint Eastwood.

SWANN: I love Clint Eastwood, but he's in his '70s now, and he kind of reminds you of his very first TV show when you see his face. Rawhide.

MOOS: The opposite of skin like rawhide, the HD honeys. Marcia Cross is the only one over 40 to make the list.

SWANN: He is an HDTV hottie. Her skin is as smooth as Bill Clinton at a cocktail party.

MOOS: Another HD honey was Ashton Kutcher, but wife Demi Moore was named an HD horrible. High def has makeup artists reaching for their latest weapon, the airbrush. Take aim at the acne.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's like Benjamin Moore for people.

MOOS: There's even a little programming card shooters stick in their cameras.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can set this so that the focus is a little softer and wrinkles don't show up.

MOOS: But there's one star that doesn't airbrushed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you seen Spongebob in a high def?

MOOS: Spongebob is proud to show off his pores.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: I don't who that guy was she interviewed in her piece, but he was mean.

Anyway, let's take a close-up look now at the person of the year. "TIME" magazine is asking for some suggestions, and it turns out this year's winner may not be a person at all. Some say Hurricane Katrina should be this year's pick. Others who were asked to weigh in suggested rock star Bono and suspected terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Our own Anderson Cooper suggested on focusing on Katrina's responders. Actually, he's on the board. I guess they have a panel of people, and he'll be one of the people who decides who the person of the year is.

"TIME" magazine will reveal its choice next month. We'll keep you posted.

All new in the next half-hour, how safe is your child's school? Some sobering statistics suggest not as much as we'd like to think.

Plus, a link to the other side, or a psychiatric cry for help? Indigo Children when DAYBREAK continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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