[Soledad O'brien, Cnn Anchor:] Good morning, everybody. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
[Miles O'brien, Cnn Anchor:] And I'm Miles O'Brien. No letup in Texas. Wildfires burning up enough ground to nearly cover the state of Rhode Island.
[S. O'brien:] The spiraling death count in Iraq. More than 80 bodies are found in just 30 hours.
[M. O'brien:] And the Moussaoui trial, an al Qaeda trial, could be thrown out because one lawyer is accused of breaking the rules.
[S. O'brien:] We start our last hour this morning with those deadly wildfires in the Texas panhandle. At one point smoke could be seen more than 100 miles away. The fires have burned nearly 700,000 acres and they're being blamed for at last 11 deaths. They're about 50 percent contained. Strong winds, though. are going to make it a difficult fight. That's what's predicted. CNN's Ed Lavandera is live for us in Groom in north Texas. Hey, Ed. Good morning.
[Ed Lavandera, Cnn Correspondent:] Hi, Soledad. Well, the suffocating smell of this charred land is really what's sitting heavy over the Texas panhandle this morning. You can see behind me kind of the contrast you see as the charred ground butts up against land that hasn't burned. And when you go up above the aerial shots of this region, you can really get a sense of exactly what this ground looks like here, almost like a jigsaw puzzle between what has burned and what has not burned. But these have been deadly fires that firefighters have been dealing with here since Sunday afternoon. Eleven people have died in fire-related incidents. The last four coming found yesterday near the town of Miami, Texas. Four people found near a car that had been burned. Authorities suspect those people were trying to get away from these fast-moving fires but were unable to do so. Three others died in traffic in a traffic-related accident where people were trying to do the same thing here. There were almost 2,000 people from seven counties in this region that had to be evacuated Sunday. Many of those people have been allowed back home, so that is that is good news for them. Authorities here suspect that they have the worst of this fire under control at this point, even though only about 50 percent of it is contained. Remember, this is wide open space out here, so much of these fires, they suspect, will just have to burn themselves out as they kind of go over this land. And the key point here is to try to protect many of these small towns in the panhandle from burning up Soledad.
[S. O'brien:] A big task ahead for firefighters. Ed Lavandera for us this morning in Groom, Texas. Ed, thank you.
[Lavandera:] Sure.
[S. O'brien:] And we're following a developing story out of Iraq this morning. More victims of apparent sectarian violence. Bodies discovered around Baghdad today, 15 in a pickup truck in the western part of the city. Twenty-nine bodies found in a shallow grave. Two other bodies found in other parts of the city. Police say the victims are a mix of Sunnis and Shiites. Since Sunday, more than 130 bodies have been found in Baghdad. The events in Baghdad and Iraq are having an impact in the United States. The latest public opinion poll shows a new low for President Bush. Apparently Iraq is the reason why. Let's get right to White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Suzanne, good morning.
[Suzanne Malveaux, Cnn White House Correspondent:] Good morning, Soledad. Well, today, President Bush is going to focus on his prescription drug plan. He's traveling to upstate New York. It's caused a lot of confusion among seniors, also considered really an administrative headache for some people who are trying to implement it. But that is his push today. But, of course, it seems to me, as the president is losing traction, having a difficult time of gaining traction when it comes to his agenda, just take a look at this latest CNN-"USA-Today"-Gallup poll. Thirty-six percent approve of how Mr. Bush is doing his job. That is compared to 60 percent who disapprove. And that number has a lot to do with what is happening on the situation in Iraq. Thirty-two percent say he has a clear plan for Iraq. Sixty-seven percent say that he does not. This public relations campaign series of speeches meant to, the administration says, give a fuller picture for Americans. But clearly, also, Soledad, to turn the numbers around Soledad.
[S. O'brien:] A long way for the president to go when you look at the lowest numbers ever on that front. But, there's some good news, too, especially when you talk about and look at the economy. Tell us about those numbers, Suzanne.
[Malveaux:] Certainly, Soledad. And that's the number that the administration really wants to you focus on here. This is a number are where 59 percent of the people believe that the economic conditions today are good. Forty-one percent believe that they are poor. Of course, they are good economic numbers here, very strong. But this is not what Americans are judging this president on. When asked, "What will Mr. Bush be remembered for?" Sixty-four percent say Iraq. That is higher than Katrina, than the war on terrorism, tax cuts, Supreme Court picks, everything else. The president very much aware that his legacy is going to stand on what happens in Iraq Soledad.
[S. O'brien:] All right. Very interesting. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House for us. Suzanne, thanks.
[Malveaux:] Sure.
[S. O'brien:] Miles.
[M. O'brien:] The al Qaeda trial is in big trouble. The judge fuming, calling a sudden recess after some e-mails surfaced showing a government lawyer coached witnesses, something that was expressly prohibited. So now what happens to Zacarias Moussaoui and a vowed al Qaeda operative who was hoping to fly a plane into the White House, perhaps? CNN's Jeanne Meserve covering the trial for us from Alexandria, Virginia Jeanne.
[Jeanne Meserve, Cnn Homeland Security Correspondent:] Miles, the defendant, admitted al Qaeda member Zacarias Moussaoui, has arrived here at the federal courthouse for what could turn out to be a pivotal day in these proceedings. Judge Leoni Brinkema will be talking to several witnesses who were to appear in this trial to determine if their testimony was tainted by transcripts and e-mails sent to them by a government lawyer in direct violation of a court order, saying that witnesses in this trial should not be coached. Yesterday, Judge Brinkema, clearly angry, said this was the most egregious violation of a court rule she had seen in all her years on the bench. She has several options available to her. They include possibly limiting the testimony from these witnesses to exclude those portions she considers to have been tainted. She could exclude the witnesses all together. This would be a major blow to the government case. Or third, she could take the death penalty off the table all together. This was a possibility that stunned a 911 family member who was in the courtroom yesterday.
[Eddie Bracken, Sister Killed On Sept. 11:] I was in awe. I was I was like dumbfounded. My jaw dropped. I thought that that meant that they were just going to dismiss it and have a new trial in regards to everything. I didn't know that that was just two choices. I thought there was other choices, but I found out today there wasn't.
[Meserve:] Because Moussaoui has already pled guilty, if the death penalty is thrown out he would, nonetheless, spend the rest of his life in prison. However, the government badly wanted the death penalty in this case, the only prosecution to grow out of the 911 hijackings. Back to you, Miles.
[M. O'brien:] Jeanne, the prosecution has acted a little bit like Keystone Cops here. There have been other missteps. Tell us about them.
[Meserve:] Well, last Thursday, there was an incident where there was a question to someone on the stand which the judge
[M. O'brien:] Jeanne Meserve in Alexandria. Thank you very much. Let's get right to the news room. Carol Costello watching some other stories for us. Good morning, Carol.
[Carol Costello, Cnn Anchor:] I am, indeed. Thanks, Miles. Good morning to all of you. A developing story out of the Middle East to tell you about. Tense clashes at a Jericho jail today. Israeli forces want six prisoners who have been kept in that jail to surrender to them. They say they're linked to the killing of an Israeli cabinet member. Those prisoners are refusing. They remain inside. Other prisoners have come out, turning themselves over to authorities. At least one Palestinian was killed in the raid. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meeting with Indonesia's president today. The two discussed a partnership in the global war on terror. It is Rice's first visit to the Muslim nation as secretary of state. She heads next to Australia. Democratic Senator Russ Feingold is not backing down from a resolution to censure President Bush over his domestic wire tapping program. But Senator Feingold is not getting much support from members of his own party. The proposal will be debated before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The White House maintains the program is necessary for fighting the war on terror. Senators also tackling the issue of gas prices this morning. They will debate whether consolidation in the oil and gas industry would lead to higher prices at the pump. A recent survey found prices have climbed 11 cents in the past two weeks. And rock "n'roll's new class inducted into the Rock 'n'Hall of Fame last night in New York City. Debbie Harry from Blondie was there. You can see here there. And tension with some former band mates were pretty obvious. In fact, two former band members who are suing the band wanted to perform. Debbie Harry kicked them off the stage. They were not allowed. Ozzy Osbourne, who's been sort of the Susan Lucci of the Rock 'n" Roll Hall of Fame of course he was with Black Sabbath he was also there. And he was honored and inducted. Miles Davis, the Sex Pistols and Lynyrd Skynyrd also joined rock's greatest performers. Back to you, Miles.
[M. O'brien:] What is the name that doesn't fit in that picture? Miles Davis. I just don't quite rocker, Miles Davis?
[Costello:] Yes, but he had so so much influence on other artists.
[M. O'brien:] Yes.
[Costello:] I mean, he was very influential in the way with the way music is put together in the rock "n" roll world.
[M. O'brien:] All right.
[S. O'brien:] Why did it take Black Sabbath so long? I mean, you know...
[M. O'brien:] All that...
[S. O'brien:] ... they broke up too many times?
[M. O'brien:] All the chicken head biting that they did maybe kind of put them off.
[S. O'brien:] People hated that.
[M. O'brien:] They didn't like that. They didn't like that.
[S. O'brien:] Thanks, Carol.
[M. O'brien:] All right. Thank you, Carol. Let's get the forecast in. Chad Myers with that. Good morning, Chad.
[Chad Myers, Cnn Meteorologist:] What do you think Miles Davis would be thinking when he got inducted with Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne?
[M. O'brien:] I know.
[Myers:] What?
[M. O'brien:] It's an odd juxtaposition, isn't it?
[Myers:] You couldn't get me a better year? Good morning, everybody.
[S. O'brien:] All right, Chad. Thank you very much.
[Myers:] You're welcome.
[S. O'brien:] Let's talk about Howard Stern. He's taking his battle with CBS straight to the heart of the network. He went on "David Letterman" last night talking about CBS chief Les Moonves and the lawsuit that charges Stern with using his broadcast radio show for CBS to promote his satellite radio show for Sirius. Stern's criticism of Moonves gets very personal.
[Howard Stern, Radio:] He tells you one thing, that you're doing a great job. He talks out of both sides of his mouth. What he likes to do is tell you you're doing a great job, and he said to me in a meeting he sat with me, and, you know, he's got the big caps, and he's got a great tan, and he's got a great suit, and he sat there and he went, you know, I left you and he's picking crap out of his teeth and he goes real twitchy this guy and he goes he goes, you know, the reason I left you on the air and told you were doing a good job, because I knew I could sue you later.
[S. O'brien:] Well, I guess it kind of worked.
[M. O'brien:] I guess, yes.
[S. O'brien:] CBS is calling Stern's appearance a desperate attempt to distract attention from the facts of the case.
[M. O'brien:] But seen on CBS, which is...
[S. O'brien:] That was just weird.
[M. O'brien:] Well, interesting. Still to come on the program, mad cow resurfaces again in the U.S., in Alabama. How concerned should we be? We will ask an expert.
[S. O'brien:] And a little bit later this morning, a secret program that could help save troop lives ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in a moment