Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Controversy at the Vatican; Senate Foreign Relations Committee Opens Hearing on John Bolton

Aired April 11, 2005 - 10:31   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're a minute past the half hour. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's what's happening now in the news. In just a few minutes, President Bush will host Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his Texas ranch. Mr. Bush is expected to endorse Israel's plan to withdraw Jewish settlements from Gaza this summer. That plan has outraged many Israelis.
Denver and much of Colorado is digging out of a spring blizzard. The storm dumped as much as two feet of snow across the eastern part of the state, and the weight of that snow knocked down trees and power lines. Thousands of kids are enjoying canceled classes today, but stranded travelers have little to celebrate.

New Jersey has issued a statewide Amber Alert for a man accused of shooting another man and then abducting his 4-month-old daughter and mother. Police say the suspect, a man named Almutah Saunders, could be considered armed and dangerous. Saunders is believed to be driving a 2001 gray/silver Honda Accord.

At the top of the hour, former President Bill Clinton will announcer new HIV/AIDS initiative by his foundation. The initiative reportedly will include both care and treatment programs in the developing world, and specifically address the needs of children in rural communities. Mr. Clinton will be joined by international experts and activists against AIDS.

There is controversy today at the Vatican, where the priest sex- abuse scandal threatens to taint the fourth mass for Pope John Paul II. Some angry victims of the sex scandal are there to protest Cardinal Bernard Law's leading role in today's mass. We'll have a live report as the mass gets under way in about 30 minutes.

Right now, though, CNN's Dan Lothian has more on the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Boston archdiocese is still reeling from the priest sex-abuse scandal which exploded three years ago. Some believe it is partly to blame for the closing of some 60 parishes, after millions of dollars in settlements were paid out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are mortgaging our future to pay the sins of the past.

LOTHIAN: Yesterday, critics continue to lash out at the church. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At every opportunity, they have said it's not about the money, but their actions prove otherwise.

LOTHIAN: And the actions of one man continues to draw fire. Cardinal Bernard Law was archbishop in Boston when the scandal broke.

JOHN KING, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He did not defend the children; he defended the church.

LOTHIAN: Law, who was named in hundreds of lawsuits filed by victims, was accused of protecting pedophile priests, like the one Gary Bergeron says sexually molested him when he was in sixth grade.

GARY BERGERON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: The man doesn't understand what's been going on in, you know, the lives of thousands of men that were abused. I think he still doesn't understand what the effects have been on our lives.

LOTHIAN: According to church documents, when complaints came to Law's attention, he knowingly shuffled dozens of priests accused of abuse from parish to parish. Law acknowledged doing just that with Father John Geoghan. Geoghan who was convicted on two counts of child rape and later died in prison.

But when the scandal first became public, Law condemned the press, instead of the priests.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's call down God's power on the media.

LOTHIAN: In the wake of the scandal, Law resigned, but a short time later Pope John Paul II appointed him archpriest of St. Mary Major (ph) Basilica in Rome. Although a largely ceremonial position, some abuse victims saw it as a slap in the face.

AKEXA MCPHERSON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He was not stripped of anything; he just left town.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do I as a victim begin to heal, seeing this? I can't.

LOTHIAN: Now, Law's role presiding over one of the nine funeral masses for the pope is again opening deep wounds.

BERGERON: I think he still doesn't understand the immense amount of damage that needs to be repaired before it's safe for him to come out into the public.

LOTHIAN (on camera): The church has apologized for the sins of the fathers. As for Cardinal Law, he declined to talk about the abuse scandal in a recent television interview. Saying only that, quote, "All of us deplore in our own lives and in the lives of others a failure to live out the message of Christ."

Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: The royal wedding has finally taken place. We get a look at the official photographs. The family posed in the white drawing room at Windsor Castle. In this one, the newlyweds are flanked by their children and joined by Queen Elizabeth, the duke of Edinburough, and Camilla's father, Major Bruce Shand (ph). There's another photo of the couple all alone. The official photographer was Hugo Bernaut (ph).

And then, one of Prince Charles and the duchess, as she's now know, Duchess Camilla, with their children.

Just within the last hour, focusing now back here on the states, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee opened its hearing on John Bolton. That's President Bush's controversial choice to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Our State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel has more on a diplomat who has been sometimes less than what you might call diplomatic.

Andrea, good morning.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, this committee hearing that's going on right now behind me is going to be anything but a snoozer right now. You've got the ranking Democrat Joseph Biden, who is questioning Bolton, has already come out saying that Bolton will not be getting his vote. There are eight Democrats on the committee, 10 Republicans, and this could be a very, very close vote. Bolton, as you know, has been somewhat of a flashpoint of controversy, especially among Democrats. He served the last four years during the first Bush administration as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, helped to negotiate the U.S. out of a number of arms control treaties. He was also known for being very tough talking on issues like North Korea, and on Iran.

Just a short time ago, the Republican chairman of the committee, Senator Richard Lugar, saying basically, at least in an understated sort of way, that John Bolton's nomination has generated some debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Diplomatic role neither bluntness nor rhetorical sensitivity is a virtue in itself. There are times when blunt talk serves a policy purpose. Other times, it does not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: Richard Lugar saying that bluntness, and that is certainly what Bolton has been known for, should not disqualify him for service, but on the other hand, Democrats making the point that John Bolton is a known ideologue who expressed open disdain for the United Nations. He served there Republican administrations, has served in various capacities during that period of time, and Senator Biden, in his opening comments, making clear that he has some very strong reservations about this nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Some have said that sending to you New York would be like sending Nixon to China. I'm concerned it will be more like sending a bull into a China shop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: In a nutshell, Senator Biden and other Democrats feel that, although Mr. Bolton may have a very impressive resume, he is the wrong person to go to the United Nations at a time like this, when the Bush administration has made very clear, Daryn, that it wants to repair relations with its allies. This is going to be quite an interesting day here on the Hill.

KAGAN: Sounds like you got a good assignment for the day.

Andrea Koppel from Capitol Hill, thank you.

Let's look at other stories making news coast to coast. A nationwide manhunt is under way for 37-year-old Stephen Stanko. Police say Stanko killed two people and raped a teenage girl in South Carolina over the weekend. Authorities say he was last seen in a black Mazda pickup truck with the South Carolina tags "709PYJ."

And have you seen this? An SUV sliding off the road and slamming into a car, being picked up by a tow truck. The video was taken last week by the Ohio State Patrol near Toledo. Hard to believe, everyone lived to tell the tale. The tow truck driver was treated for minor injuries.

From a real life desperate housewife to a bestselling author and television star. Still to come, you're going to want to want to stick around. Guess who's here with me? Paula Deen, one of the most popular people on The Food Network. She's going to talk about turning her Southern kitchen into her financial salvation.

And up next, which major U.S. automaker is getting better grades when it comes to safety?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Whether it's Tiger's tale at the Masters or a grim discovery at the U.S. Naval academy, web-savvy surfers have been flocking to cnn.com for the latest information. For a look at the most popular stories, let's go to Dot Com and the Dot Com Desk and our Veronica De La Cruz.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Daryn.

That's right. We are tracking the stories receiving the most clicks at cnn.com and one of our hottest stories comes to us from the University of Wisconsin, where they put the oldest thing on earth an display. This tiny microscopic sliver of zircon crystal is believed to be nearly 4.5 billion years old.

The university had a celebration over the weekend, complete with a jazz band and though scientists admit there wasn't much to see, spectators did use a microscope to check out the tiny grain, which measures less than two human hairs in diameter, which of course, is impossible to see with the naked eye, Daryn.

Now to find out what else is making that list, let's go ahead and go live to the web. And our number one story right now comes to us from Maryland, where the Naval Academy is investigating the death of one of its students. The student was found dead outside his dorm room after he apparently fell out of a window.

Number two now on the most popular list. With gas prices jumping, something we can all relate to, a new report out says used hybrid Priuses are selling for more than the list price.

And now taking a look at the number three story. In Rome, American clergy sex abuse victims are at the Vatican to protest Cardinal Bernard Law's participation in a special mass honoring Pope John Paul II. Details, of course, at cnn.com.

Now to find the most popular stories, you can go to our main page, click on the icon most popular on the right-hand side of your screen or type in cnn.com/mostpopular. That list is updated every 20 minutes. That's it from the Dot Com Desk. Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Straight ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now I'm going to start with a little bit of butter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A little bit of butter? I think it's a lot of butter. Her recipes might not be the best for your waistline but boy, is she fun. Her food is worth every single bite. What is behind Paula Dean's success in this nation obsessed with weight? She is with me here in Atlanta and I'll talk with the Food Network star right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA DEEN, AUTHOR, "PAULA DEEN AND FRIENDS": Country cookin' makes you good lookin'. I should be on Miss Universe, if that were the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KAGAN: All right, we're having a good time here. We've all heard of the steel magnolias, Southern women who overcome adversity with wills of steel and a hearty dose of humor. Joining us today, such a woman. I know you know her. Say hello to Paula Deen, a woman once afraid to leave her own home, true story, for a long time, now the owner of her famous restaurant in Savannah, host of her own cooking show on The Food Network, author of another new book, "Paula Deen and Friends."

DEEN: And I was in a movie.

KAGAN: And you're in a movie coming up.

How are we going to fit it all in a few minutes?

DEEN: I don't know.

KAGAN: Paul Deen, so good to see you.

DEEN: So good to be with you, doll baby.

How long has it been since we've been together?

KAGAN: About a few months, I think. I came down to Savannah and interviewed you.

DEEN: You haven't been to the new place, though.

KAGAN: No, I've been to the new restaurant.

DEEN: You have.

KAGAN: Yes, I have. And of course when you go to Paula's Place, you have to fix a plate of food, and then you'll do the interview.

DEEN: Yes.

KAGAN: Yes.

Is it true that there's nothing that a stick of butter can't improve?

DEEN: Not that I know of. My husband tells everybody I'm the only woman he knows that puts butter on her Corn Flakes.

KAGAN: You do not?

DEEN: I don't. I really don't. But he kids me and tells everybody that.

KAGAN: So how do you explain your success on The Food Network, all your books, your restaurant, in this time when it seems like all Americans are obsessed with their weight, with low carbs or no carbs and low fat?

DEEN: You know, they say that. People say that they're obsessed with it, and they're on all of these diets, but I have to tell you, half the people that I come in contact with, you know, they're wanting real food, like they had at grandma's table, or mama's table, and you know, maybe it's not the food that you'd want to eat every day, but certainly when you want to treat yourself, you want it to be real stuff, the real thing, or at least I do.

KAGAN: So one of those times you want it to be real stuff is when you gather, with your friends and your family and loved ones.

DEEN: Right, right.

KAGAN: And that's the subject of the latest book.

DEEN: Right.

KAGAN: When folks stop on by, you got to fix something.

DEEN: Yes, I mean, you don't want to give them a glass of water with a wedge of lemon and a Sweet 'N' Low, or and artificial sweetener. But yes, you know, I said I throw a party every day of my life, Daryn. I throw the same kind of party, cooking the same foods, and probably feed 2,500 people a day in both the restaurants.

And so you know, I really wanted to do this book, and I had to turn to my friends, because I don't have the time to do the smaller parties.

KAGAN: Because you are immobile.

DEEN: Well, thank you, but I'm just busy in the restaurants every day. The only party that I really still make time to throw is my birthday bashes, and that starts out the book. That's the first chapter. But I turn to my girlfriends, and I mean, they really stepped up to the pump, giving me some of their best recipes, and the reason that makes them pull these recipes out and serve them, it really covers everything from a christening to funeral food.

KAGAN: And that's pretty much the whole gamut. I think that would cover it.

DEEN: Yes.

KAGAN: Now this and all that you're saying, you don't have time, because you have the restaurants, you have the show, you have the books, this from a woman, who honestly for about 20 years was afraid to leave her own home. This is no joke.

DEEN: No, this is no joke. I went on quite a roller coaster ride emotionally for about 20 years. Some days I would be better than others, and some would just be so low, I think, you know, why am I still here, but I knew what caused it, because I was a very outgoing girl to start with, so it's not like my personality has changed any, because it really hasn't. I'm as close to that girl now.

KAGAN: You know, we could talk about all that for hours and hours, and you and I have, but for the folks watching at home now, and there is somebody at home who is watching, who is reaching out who sees you, any words of hope or inspiration you can give to them?

DEEN: Yes. You know, you have to just face your fears. When this was happening to me, I didn't know, I didn't know it had a name. I didn't know what it was, and I happened to watch the "Phil Donahue" show, and he was doing a show with agoraphobic guest, and I said sat on the end of my bed and I just wept. To just know it had a name and we could identify it and know I was not crazy, it was just something that had happened to me. So you have to face your fears. You cannot run from them. You cannot hide from them. You have to face it head- on, and meet each one each day.

KAGAN: Well, you're not crazy. You're crazy fun, I'll tell you that.

DEEN: Well, you know, that's what it's all about. You know, God gave us today, that's all we're guaranteed of, and it should be fun.

KAGAN: Absolutely. Well, I'm glad my day includes you today. Paula Deen, good luck with the book.

DEEN: Look, look, thank you, thank you, thank you. I brought you some decadent brownies.

KAGAN: Let me guess, not low cal.

DEEN: See, I want to you grow up to look like me one day.

KAGAN: I should be so lucky. Thank you. Thank you. It's always a pleasure to see you.

DEEN: It's always so good to see you. You're beautiful.

KAGAN: Thank you.

And for the crew, yes, I will be sharing.

Thank you, Paula.

DEEN: Thank you, darling.

KAGAN: It is 10:55 on the East Coast, 7:55 on the West Coast. Stay with us. We'll be back licking fingers.

We'll have a quick check of your morning forecast after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

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 April 11, 2005 - 10:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're a minute past the half hour. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's what's happening now in the news. In just a few minutes, President Bush will host Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon at his Texas ranch. Mr. Bush is expected to endorse Israel's plan to withdraw Jewish settlements from Gaza this summer. That plan has outraged many Israelis.
Denver and much of Colorado is digging out of a spring blizzard. The storm dumped as much as two feet of snow across the eastern part of the state, and the weight of that snow knocked down trees and power lines. Thousands of kids are enjoying canceled classes today, but stranded travelers have little to celebrate.

New Jersey has issued a statewide Amber Alert for a man accused of shooting another man and then abducting his 4-month-old daughter and mother. Police say the suspect, a man named Almutah Saunders, could be considered armed and dangerous. Saunders is believed to be driving a 2001 gray/silver Honda Accord.

At the top of the hour, former President Bill Clinton will announcer new HIV/AIDS initiative by his foundation. The initiative reportedly will include both care and treatment programs in the developing world, and specifically address the needs of children in rural communities. Mr. Clinton will be joined by international experts and activists against AIDS.

There is controversy today at the Vatican, where the priest sex- abuse scandal threatens to taint the fourth mass for Pope John Paul II. Some angry victims of the sex scandal are there to protest Cardinal Bernard Law's leading role in today's mass. We'll have a live report as the mass gets under way in about 30 minutes.

Right now, though, CNN's Dan Lothian has more on the controversy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Boston archdiocese is still reeling from the priest sex-abuse scandal which exploded three years ago. Some believe it is partly to blame for the closing of some 60 parishes, after millions of dollars in settlements were paid out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are mortgaging our future to pay the sins of the past.

LOTHIAN: Yesterday, critics continue to lash out at the church. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At every opportunity, they have said it's not about the money, but their actions prove otherwise.

LOTHIAN: And the actions of one man continues to draw fire. Cardinal Bernard Law was archbishop in Boston when the scandal broke.

JOHN KING, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He did not defend the children; he defended the church.

LOTHIAN: Law, who was named in hundreds of lawsuits filed by victims, was accused of protecting pedophile priests, like the one Gary Bergeron says sexually molested him when he was in sixth grade.

GARY BERGERON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: The man doesn't understand what's been going on in, you know, the lives of thousands of men that were abused. I think he still doesn't understand what the effects have been on our lives.

LOTHIAN: According to church documents, when complaints came to Law's attention, he knowingly shuffled dozens of priests accused of abuse from parish to parish. Law acknowledged doing just that with Father John Geoghan. Geoghan who was convicted on two counts of child rape and later died in prison.

But when the scandal first became public, Law condemned the press, instead of the priests.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's call down God's power on the media.

LOTHIAN: In the wake of the scandal, Law resigned, but a short time later Pope John Paul II appointed him archpriest of St. Mary Major (ph) Basilica in Rome. Although a largely ceremonial position, some abuse victims saw it as a slap in the face.

AKEXA MCPHERSON, CLERGY ABUSE VICTIM: He was not stripped of anything; he just left town.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How do I as a victim begin to heal, seeing this? I can't.

LOTHIAN: Now, Law's role presiding over one of the nine funeral masses for the pope is again opening deep wounds.

BERGERON: I think he still doesn't understand the immense amount of damage that needs to be repaired before it's safe for him to come out into the public.

LOTHIAN (on camera): The church has apologized for the sins of the fathers. As for Cardinal Law, he declined to talk about the abuse scandal in a recent television interview. Saying only that, quote, "All of us deplore in our own lives and in the lives of others a failure to live out the message of Christ."

Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE) KAGAN: The royal wedding has finally taken place. We get a look at the official photographs. The family posed in the white drawing room at Windsor Castle. In this one, the newlyweds are flanked by their children and joined by Queen Elizabeth, the duke of Edinburough, and Camilla's father, Major Bruce Shand (ph). There's another photo of the couple all alone. The official photographer was Hugo Bernaut (ph).

And then, one of Prince Charles and the duchess, as she's now know, Duchess Camilla, with their children.

Just within the last hour, focusing now back here on the states, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee opened its hearing on John Bolton. That's President Bush's controversial choice to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Our State Department correspondent Andrea Koppel has more on a diplomat who has been sometimes less than what you might call diplomatic.

Andrea, good morning.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN STATE DEPT. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Well, this committee hearing that's going on right now behind me is going to be anything but a snoozer right now. You've got the ranking Democrat Joseph Biden, who is questioning Bolton, has already come out saying that Bolton will not be getting his vote. There are eight Democrats on the committee, 10 Republicans, and this could be a very, very close vote. Bolton, as you know, has been somewhat of a flashpoint of controversy, especially among Democrats. He served the last four years during the first Bush administration as undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, helped to negotiate the U.S. out of a number of arms control treaties. He was also known for being very tough talking on issues like North Korea, and on Iran.

Just a short time ago, the Republican chairman of the committee, Senator Richard Lugar, saying basically, at least in an understated sort of way, that John Bolton's nomination has generated some debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD LUGAR (R), FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: Diplomatic role neither bluntness nor rhetorical sensitivity is a virtue in itself. There are times when blunt talk serves a policy purpose. Other times, it does not.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: Richard Lugar saying that bluntness, and that is certainly what Bolton has been known for, should not disqualify him for service, but on the other hand, Democrats making the point that John Bolton is a known ideologue who expressed open disdain for the United Nations. He served there Republican administrations, has served in various capacities during that period of time, and Senator Biden, in his opening comments, making clear that he has some very strong reservations about this nomination.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Some have said that sending to you New York would be like sending Nixon to China. I'm concerned it will be more like sending a bull into a China shop.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: In a nutshell, Senator Biden and other Democrats feel that, although Mr. Bolton may have a very impressive resume, he is the wrong person to go to the United Nations at a time like this, when the Bush administration has made very clear, Daryn, that it wants to repair relations with its allies. This is going to be quite an interesting day here on the Hill.

KAGAN: Sounds like you got a good assignment for the day.

Andrea Koppel from Capitol Hill, thank you.

Let's look at other stories making news coast to coast. A nationwide manhunt is under way for 37-year-old Stephen Stanko. Police say Stanko killed two people and raped a teenage girl in South Carolina over the weekend. Authorities say he was last seen in a black Mazda pickup truck with the South Carolina tags "709PYJ."

And have you seen this? An SUV sliding off the road and slamming into a car, being picked up by a tow truck. The video was taken last week by the Ohio State Patrol near Toledo. Hard to believe, everyone lived to tell the tale. The tow truck driver was treated for minor injuries.

From a real life desperate housewife to a bestselling author and television star. Still to come, you're going to want to want to stick around. Guess who's here with me? Paula Deen, one of the most popular people on The Food Network. She's going to talk about turning her Southern kitchen into her financial salvation.

And up next, which major U.S. automaker is getting better grades when it comes to safety?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: Whether it's Tiger's tale at the Masters or a grim discovery at the U.S. Naval academy, web-savvy surfers have been flocking to cnn.com for the latest information. For a look at the most popular stories, let's go to Dot Com and the Dot Com Desk and our Veronica De La Cruz.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Daryn.

That's right. We are tracking the stories receiving the most clicks at cnn.com and one of our hottest stories comes to us from the University of Wisconsin, where they put the oldest thing on earth an display. This tiny microscopic sliver of zircon crystal is believed to be nearly 4.5 billion years old.

The university had a celebration over the weekend, complete with a jazz band and though scientists admit there wasn't much to see, spectators did use a microscope to check out the tiny grain, which measures less than two human hairs in diameter, which of course, is impossible to see with the naked eye, Daryn.

Now to find out what else is making that list, let's go ahead and go live to the web. And our number one story right now comes to us from Maryland, where the Naval Academy is investigating the death of one of its students. The student was found dead outside his dorm room after he apparently fell out of a window.

Number two now on the most popular list. With gas prices jumping, something we can all relate to, a new report out says used hybrid Priuses are selling for more than the list price.

And now taking a look at the number three story. In Rome, American clergy sex abuse victims are at the Vatican to protest Cardinal Bernard Law's participation in a special mass honoring Pope John Paul II. Details, of course, at cnn.com.

Now to find the most popular stories, you can go to our main page, click on the icon most popular on the right-hand side of your screen or type in cnn.com/mostpopular. That list is updated every 20 minutes. That's it from the Dot Com Desk. Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Straight ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now I'm going to start with a little bit of butter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: A little bit of butter? I think it's a lot of butter. Her recipes might not be the best for your waistline but boy, is she fun. Her food is worth every single bite. What is behind Paula Dean's success in this nation obsessed with weight? She is with me here in Atlanta and I'll talk with the Food Network star right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA DEEN, AUTHOR, "PAULA DEEN AND FRIENDS": Country cookin' makes you good lookin'. I should be on Miss Universe, if that were the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP) KAGAN: All right, we're having a good time here. We've all heard of the steel magnolias, Southern women who overcome adversity with wills of steel and a hearty dose of humor. Joining us today, such a woman. I know you know her. Say hello to Paula Deen, a woman once afraid to leave her own home, true story, for a long time, now the owner of her famous restaurant in Savannah, host of her own cooking show on The Food Network, author of another new book, "Paula Deen and Friends."

DEEN: And I was in a movie.

KAGAN: And you're in a movie coming up.

How are we going to fit it all in a few minutes?

DEEN: I don't know.

KAGAN: Paul Deen, so good to see you.

DEEN: So good to be with you, doll baby.

How long has it been since we've been together?

KAGAN: About a few months, I think. I came down to Savannah and interviewed you.

DEEN: You haven't been to the new place, though.

KAGAN: No, I've been to the new restaurant.

DEEN: You have.

KAGAN: Yes, I have. And of course when you go to Paula's Place, you have to fix a plate of food, and then you'll do the interview.

DEEN: Yes.

KAGAN: Yes.

Is it true that there's nothing that a stick of butter can't improve?

DEEN: Not that I know of. My husband tells everybody I'm the only woman he knows that puts butter on her Corn Flakes.

KAGAN: You do not?

DEEN: I don't. I really don't. But he kids me and tells everybody that.

KAGAN: So how do you explain your success on The Food Network, all your books, your restaurant, in this time when it seems like all Americans are obsessed with their weight, with low carbs or no carbs and low fat?

DEEN: You know, they say that. People say that they're obsessed with it, and they're on all of these diets, but I have to tell you, half the people that I come in contact with, you know, they're wanting real food, like they had at grandma's table, or mama's table, and you know, maybe it's not the food that you'd want to eat every day, but certainly when you want to treat yourself, you want it to be real stuff, the real thing, or at least I do.

KAGAN: So one of those times you want it to be real stuff is when you gather, with your friends and your family and loved ones.

DEEN: Right, right.

KAGAN: And that's the subject of the latest book.

DEEN: Right.

KAGAN: When folks stop on by, you got to fix something.

DEEN: Yes, I mean, you don't want to give them a glass of water with a wedge of lemon and a Sweet 'N' Low, or and artificial sweetener. But yes, you know, I said I throw a party every day of my life, Daryn. I throw the same kind of party, cooking the same foods, and probably feed 2,500 people a day in both the restaurants.

And so you know, I really wanted to do this book, and I had to turn to my friends, because I don't have the time to do the smaller parties.

KAGAN: Because you are immobile.

DEEN: Well, thank you, but I'm just busy in the restaurants every day. The only party that I really still make time to throw is my birthday bashes, and that starts out the book. That's the first chapter. But I turn to my girlfriends, and I mean, they really stepped up to the pump, giving me some of their best recipes, and the reason that makes them pull these recipes out and serve them, it really covers everything from a christening to funeral food.

KAGAN: And that's pretty much the whole gamut. I think that would cover it.

DEEN: Yes.

KAGAN: Now this and all that you're saying, you don't have time, because you have the restaurants, you have the show, you have the books, this from a woman, who honestly for about 20 years was afraid to leave her own home. This is no joke.

DEEN: No, this is no joke. I went on quite a roller coaster ride emotionally for about 20 years. Some days I would be better than others, and some would just be so low, I think, you know, why am I still here, but I knew what caused it, because I was a very outgoing girl to start with, so it's not like my personality has changed any, because it really hasn't. I'm as close to that girl now.

KAGAN: You know, we could talk about all that for hours and hours, and you and I have, but for the folks watching at home now, and there is somebody at home who is watching, who is reaching out who sees you, any words of hope or inspiration you can give to them?

DEEN: Yes. You know, you have to just face your fears. When this was happening to me, I didn't know, I didn't know it had a name. I didn't know what it was, and I happened to watch the "Phil Donahue" show, and he was doing a show with agoraphobic guest, and I said sat on the end of my bed and I just wept. To just know it had a name and we could identify it and know I was not crazy, it was just something that had happened to me. So you have to face your fears. You cannot run from them. You cannot hide from them. You have to face it head- on, and meet each one each day.

KAGAN: Well, you're not crazy. You're crazy fun, I'll tell you that.

DEEN: Well, you know, that's what it's all about. You know, God gave us today, that's all we're guaranteed of, and it should be fun.

KAGAN: Absolutely. Well, I'm glad my day includes you today. Paula Deen, good luck with the book.

DEEN: Look, look, thank you, thank you, thank you. I brought you some decadent brownies.

KAGAN: Let me guess, not low cal.

DEEN: See, I want to you grow up to look like me one day.

KAGAN: I should be so lucky. Thank you. Thank you. It's always a pleasure to see you.

DEEN: It's always so good to see you. You're beautiful.

KAGAN: Thank you.

And for the crew, yes, I will be sharing.

Thank you, Paula.

DEEN: Thank you, darling.

KAGAN: It is 10:55 on the East Coast, 7:55 on the West Coast. Stay with us. We'll be back licking fingers.

We'll have a quick check of your morning forecast after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

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