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CNN Live Sunday

Interview with Dr. Howard Shapiro; Today Marks 30th Anniversary Of Last Pan Am Flight Out Of Saigon; Hip-Hop Mogul Creates Youth Empowerment Workshops

Aired April 24, 2005 - 18:00   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.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Fighting for the president's judicial nominee's conservative Christians wage war with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in the forefront.
Also, it may be spring, but parts of the country are looking a lot like winter. The forecast straight ahead.

And the fountain of youth? Lifestyle changes that could help you live longer, but do they really work?

It's April 24, and you're watching CNN LIVE SUNDAY.

From CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Lin tonight. Here's what's happening right now in the news.

Back to Earth: A Russian capsule has undocked from the International Space Station and will soon be home. It's carrying a three-member crew. The capsule is expected to land this hour in Kazakstan.

In Afghanistan, a coalition soldier was killed and another wounded today, when their vehicle ran over a mine northwest of Kandahar. The soldiers were believed to be Rumanians.

Gas prices have fallen an average of 4.5 cents per gallon over the past two weeks. The Lundberg Survey says it's the first time this year that the price dropped at least a penny.

Faith and filibusters: Both are the focus today of what a conservative Christian group is calling Justice Sunday. The event is bringing religion into the debate over President Bush's judicial nominees. It's also prompting controversy. CNN's White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is following the story from Crawford, Texas -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, competing rallies today really underscore the important role that religion plays in politics, as well as the tug-of-war that is taking place across the country over the federal courts that make those critical decisions and rule on controversial issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MALVEAUX (voice-over): Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is at the center of the showdown between Republicans and Democrats over the president's judicial nominees. Frist is delivering a videotaped address to religious telecasts, sponsored by the conservative Family Research Council, aimed at increasing public support for President Bush's judicial nominees.

Excerpts from the speech show Frist supporting Republican efforts to limit filibusters.

SEN. BILL FRIST, (R-TN) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: My Democratic counterpart, Senator Reid, calls me a radical Republican. I don't think it's radical to ask senators to vote.

MALVEAUX: Simulcast on Christian television and radio, and to churches across the country, religious conservatives are launching an aggressive campaign to portray blocking Mr. Bush's nominees as an act against people of faith.

FRIST: I hope you'll call your senators and remind them, whether they're Republican or Democrat, that they work for you. Tell them to do their job, give judicial nominees the up or down votes they deserve.

MALVEAUX: The key senators involved in the filibuster debate called for their parties to compromise.

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, (R) PENNSYLVANIA: My Republican colleagues ought not to vote for the nuclear option as a matter of party loyalty. And the Democrats ought not to be voting in lock step on filibusters a matter of party loyalty.

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY, (D) VERMONT: I agree with Senator Specter. We ought to find some way to back away from this, because I think the Senate would be hurt. But ultimately, the country would be hurt if you removed an area of checks and balances.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And a counterdemonstration by another religious group today essentially denounced conservatives efforts, they say, to make the filibuster a religious litmus test -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Suzanne, did the White House in any way kind of weigh in on the potential risks involved for Bill Frist's participation in this Justice Sunday?

MALVEAUX: Well, certainly what we've realized is that Vice President Cheney has weighed in on the issue saying that, of course, he would support this -- the elimination of the filibuster if it came across his desk. He has a key role in the Senate, as you know.

The president has stayed out of the fray of this very controversial issue. But make no mistake about it, Fred, the White House very clear understanding the kind of benefit that they would have if, in fact, that passed. WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much. From Crawford, Texas.

Well, there was more rhetoric today in another fight between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. At stake who will become the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

John Bolton awaits a confirmation vote by the Foreign Relations Committee next month. Today, one of the Democrats on that panel said Bolton should withdraw from consideration, or risk becoming an embarrassment to President Bush. And the committee chairman said he's not sure whether the Senate will confirm Bolton.

Republican Arlen Specter spoke with our John King on CNN's LATE EDITION TODAY.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SPECTER: At this point, John, I think it's too close to call. I think that the best policy is to have his nomination come to the full Senate, not decided by committee. Because the constitution says that advice and consent are the province of the Senate itself. And I've always followed that practice. Even when I was firmly opposed to Judge Bork, I thought the nomination should come to the full Senate for decision by the full Senate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD:: And President Bush's pick has come under fire for, among other things, his alleged bad temper. The White House is standing by the nominee.

Well, there are new potentially damaging details about House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. He's been under intense scrutiny for alleged ethics violations. Today, the "Washington Post" reports the airfare for a trip DeLay took to London and Scotland in 2000, was charged to a credit card issued to Jack Abramoff. He's the powerful lobbyist under criminal and congressional investigation. House ethics rules forbid lawmakers have accepting travel expenses from registered lobbyists. DeLay has denied any wrongdoing.

It was a scene that could have taken place most anywhere around the world. Crowds gathered in front of a popular ice cream shop on a warm Sunday evening. But this was Baghdad. And the calm didn't last for long. What happened next left many dead. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is in the Iraqi capital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sunday evening's double bombing took place in what had been until now a quiet Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad. The first bomb went off at about 9:00 p.m., about 100 meters away from a Shiite mosque, next to a marketplace. People gathered there to help the wounded. That's when the second bomb went off. Police officials telling CNN they believe that that bomb was remote controlled. Remote detonated. Killing at least 16 Iraqis, wounding at least 57 more.

And that was the second double bombing today. The first one taking place in the city of Tikrit, a Sunni area. This one took place just outside of a police academy. This time it was two suicide bombers detonating themselves about 15 minutes apart.

(on camera): This as Iraqi police were preparing to go to the country of Jordan. Jordan because it's considered safer to train Iraqi police outside of the country in a lot of cases, than inside. That attack killing at least six Iraqi policemen, wounding 26 others.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well here in the States, an unwelcome surprise in the form of weather. States around the Great Lakes are getting that surprise this weekend: snow.

More than a month into spring, a major snowstorm has dumped as much as eight inches of snow in Cleveland, Ohio. Michigan is digging out from the snow, as well just days after the mercury hit 80 degrees.

What's the reason for this freaky snowstorm? Let's check in with Orelon Sidney.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: How important is the future of the filibuster to the future of America? We'll take a step back in time to show you how it's been used in the past to shape the nation as we know it today.

And a skydiving excursion goes horribly wrong in Florida. We'll tell you what happened.

Also up next, he's now officially the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. We'll take an in-depth look at a crucial issue facing Pope Benedict XVI's tenure: his relationship with the Islamic world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Today is a momentous day for more than 1 billion Catholics around the world. Looking resplendent in gold, Pope Benedict XVI was formally inaugurated as head of the Roman Catholic Church. Immediately after the ceremony, he greeted his flock. In a scene reminiscent of the late Pope John Paul II, Benedict used an open-topped pope mobile.

Many Catholics are enthusiastically embracing this new pope, while the faithful in the world's other religions are a bit more wary. Here's our senior international correspondent Walt Rodgers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Across Europe, Muslims pray, God is great. Perhaps, but they are less sure about the new pope, Benedict XVI. Turks, living in Munich, some of Germany's rapidly growing Muslim population are skeptical about the new pope's talk of outreach to other religions.

The former pope was OK, says this man, adding the new pope wants to keep people separate. Relations between Christianity and Islam might well suffer.

Another man claims a year ago in an interview, he said he did not like Islam. That's not good.

That interview was with a French newspaper "Le Figaro." Cardinal Ratzinger, as he was then, suggested Turkey's bid to join the European Union was at odds with Europe's Christian roots.

He said quote, "Europe is a cultural continent, not a geographic one."

Shortly before he became pope, Cardinal Ratzinger said he'd been misinterpreted.

Turkey's Islamist prime minister responded quote, "you know in politics you can make a certain declaration, after you achieve a certain position, there are those who pretend they never made those declarations."

Islamic religious leaders have been quick to warn Pope Benedict XVI against trying to confront Islam.

AZZAM TAMIMI, MUSLIM ASSN. OF BRITAIN: That would be very sad. Because, naturally the Muslims would take that seriously and would probably see it as a threat. It would provoke them. And if you are provoked, then you will fight back.

RODGERS: Islam is now the world's fastest growing religion. And like it or not, Benedict XVI church is involved in a global battle for souls.

In France, Europe's maternal cradle of Christianity, Catholic congregations are graying, disappearing. Muslims say the Roman Church has been on a wrong side of history.

TAMIMI: Once you identify with the rich, and once religion turns into a set of rituals that convey nothing but signs of power and elitism, then the churches will become empty.

RODGERS: The previous pope deemed it prudent not to confront Islam. He saw Muslims and allies in his campaign to curb abortions, and birth control. And the new pope is believed to share that agenda.

(on camera): But if his religious outreach is to be taken seriously, Benedict XVI is going to have to make some genuine gestures to the world's Muslims. Walter Rodgers, CNN, Munich, Germany.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: News around the world now. More defiance from Iran. The country's foreign ministry spokesman says Tehran will resume uranium enrichment regardless of the outcome of upcoming elections. Iran is to hold nuclear talks with France, Britain and Germany this week. But Iran's stubbornness could dash hopes that Tehran will turn its temporary freeze of uranium enrichment activities into a permanent one.

The Palestinian leader takes a major step towards reform. Mahmoud Abbas appointed three new security chiefs today, forcing out key allies of the late Yasser Arafat. The U.S. has demanded that Abbas clean up the corruption-plagued Palestinian security force.

Living in exile: Ecuador's ousted president has arrived in Brazil, hours after fleeing his country under the cover of darkness. Lucio Gutierrez was forced from power after a week of massive street protests. The same demonstrators who accused him of corruption and abuse of power prevented him from leaving Ecuador earlier in the week. They wanted him to stand trial.

Well, the search for eternal youth. Can it really be found through modern medicine? I'll talk to one doctor about his prescription for staying young.

30 years ago today, he helped hundreds three Saigon as it fell to the communists army. Up next, we'll introduce you to the commercial airline official who made history.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here are stories making news across America now. More than 30 people are nursing injuries from a bus/truck collision on a New Mexico highway. State police say a passenger bus rear ended a tractor trailer on Interstate 25 early this morning. No life- threatening injuries are reported.

A skydiving cinematographer is dead after losing his legs during a jump near Deland, Florida. Police say he had jumped from a propeller plane and deployed his chute when he struck the left wing of the plane. With both legs severed at the knees, Wing managed to land near the airport. He died later, however, at a hospital.

And authorities in Campell, Wisconsin report finding human remains in a basement freezer. The discovery came after an overnight standoff with a man accused of shooting and wounding a neighbor. The suspect surrendered after holding himself up in his house for 15 hours. Sheriff's deputies believe the body in the freezer may be that of his mother.

It was a desperate time, Saigon in April of 1975. Communist North Vietnamese troops were about to run over the city. Thousands of civilians were trying to escape. Many did with the help of Al Topping. He adopted them. Our Elaine Quijano reintroduces us to him on this 30th anniversary of his compassionate rescue.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 30 clears ago, as communists drew closer to consolidating their grip on South Vietnam and thousands were trying to escape uncertain fates, American Al Topping made a life-altering decision.

AL TOPPING, LAST FLIGHT RESCUER: How often does one in a lifetime -- is placed in a situation where you're going to make decisions that involve life and death. And that's what that was.

QUIJANO: His life then in April of 1975 had led him to Saigon in South Vietnam where he was serving as director of operations for Pan Am Airlines. He was working with adoption agencies helping get children out of the country, but he knew the 61 Vietnamese employees of his company also needed help.

TOPPING: I decided let's try and adopt the employees. So I had our personnel person go down to the ministry.

QUIJANO: Yet as the North Vietnamese army advanced on Saigon, the task mushroomed. Hundreds of family members also wanted out.

TOPPING: I said, get all the paperwork that we need to adopt their employees of the families. And this is for me a shot in the dark, you know.

Lo and behold he came back with a stack of documents. I started signing. I signed everything. It's all Vietnamese. I didn't know what I was signing. Just signed everything, took it back and we got it approved.

QUIJANO: Getting the overloaded plane air born was dramatized by Hollywood.

JAMES EARL JONES, ACTOR: The thing's got to be able to fly, Dan. That means get off the ground.

QUIJANO: On April 24, 1975 a 747 carrying 463 people, most of them babies, took off headed for the Philippines. Topping sat in the jump seat of the cockpit, the last commercial flight out of South Vietnam.

TOPPING: As we finally climbed out and crossed the coastline out over the South China Sea, I looked out the window and I saw the American ships down below, and at that point I was breathing easier.

QUIJANO: He still feels kinship with anyone who escaped in those dark days.

Decades later, Topping doesn't credit himself with a successful mission.

TOPPING: I think God was on our side.

QUIJANO: Elaine Quijano, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, Senate Republican leaders want to scrap it. Democrats want to save it. But is the filibuster really all that important for America's future? Up next we'll peel through the political rhetoric to show you how it's helped shape America.

And changing the future of African-American teens: How a hip-hop legend is using pop culture to help the next generation gain financial freedom.

Also ahead,

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(NATIONAL ANTHEM)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: You think that's embarrassing, wait till you see what happened when she came back to the ice.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Here's a look at the top stories right now.

It was a day of deadly bomb attacks in Iraq. Two car bombs killed at least six people and wounded 26 in Tikrit. Two more blasts left at least 16 people dead and at least 57 wounded in Baghdad.

Authorities in eastern Georgia here in the states are investigating the disappearance of two toddlers. Searchers using dog teams and helicopters looked in vain today for siblings Nicole and Jonah Cane. Their mother reported them missing from their home last night.

Israel is marking the passing of a political hero. The country's former president and former defense minister Ezer Weizman died today. He was elected president in 1993 and served for seven years. He also brokered Israel's first peace treaty with Egypt. Weizman was 80 years old.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has taped a message supporting a conservative Christian campaign to prevent filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominations. 430 moderate and liberal religious leaders signed the letter asking Frist not to take part in today's national broadcast against filibusters.

Well, here's a bit of filibuster trivia for you. The name comes from a Dutch word meaning pirate. Not exactly a positive connotation. And frustration over filibusters goes a long way back.

Here's CNN's Bruce Morton.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over: Originally, the Senate had unlimited debates, but in 1917 after a handful of senators successfully filibustered a bill to arm U.S. merchant ships, President Wilson charged that a little group of willful men have rendered the great government of the United States helpless and contemptible.

The Senate changed its rules if two-thirds voted to cut off debate voting for cloture, it's called, debate ended. The Senate used the rule to end the filibuster against the treaty of Versailles which ended World War I.

In 1975, the Senate changed the number needed to invoke cloture down to 60.

Filibusters through the years, Jimmy Stewart was the good guy filibusterer in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

JIMMY STEWART, ACTOR: No matter what his race, color or creed.

MORTON: Huey Long of Louisiana did the gourmet version in 1935 offering recipes for potlucker, that's what you cook the greens in, and fried oysters. Longest by an individual? South Carolina's Strom Thurmond in 1957: 24 hours and 18 minutes.

But the big one was the filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act which ended segregation in the South. Relays of southerners spoke for 57 days. Senators sleeping in shifts, stumbling in from midnight quorum calls. But in the end it passed and changed America.

Filibusters against judicial nominees? Yes. Republicans when Lyndon Johnson tried to name Justice Abe Fortas as chief justice in 1968, a cloture vote failed, Johnson withdrew the nomination.

Majorities hate filibusters, minorities don't.

SEN. JESSE HELMS, (R) NORTH CAROLINA: It's not a filibuster when you do it. It's a filibuster when the other fellow does it.

MORTON: In the House, majority rules unimpeded -- debate always limited, up and down votes when the majority wants them.

The Senate was meant to be more deliberative. George Washington called it the saucer where passions cool. If the filibuster is abolished will that change?

DAVID BRODER, WASHINGTON POST: The right of unlimited debate, though it's rarely been invoked, has been one of the distinguishing features of the Senate and it's one of the characteristics that sets it apart from the House of Representatives.

MORTON: Will they get rid of it? A test could come very soon.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, the fight over filibusters is just one of the many political issues making news this week. For a look at some of the others we turn to CNN political analyst Carlos Watson coming to us from Mountain View, California.

Good to see you, Carlos.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Fredricka, welcome back. Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Oh, thanks so much.

All Right. Lots to talk about both inside and outside the Beltway. Earlier this week you broke a little news while filling in for Judy Woodruff on "INSIDE POLITICS." talking about the Supreme Court. What's going on with that?

WATSON: Well, what was very interesting is that the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, acknowledged publicly that everyone -- that he expects and the White House expects that there will be a Supreme Court vacancy this summer. And that they're beginning to look at candidates.

And what I thought was most interesting, Fredricka, is that he suggested that instead of just looking at current federal judges to maybe take an opening, they're considering other people, say senators or governors.

And you remember that in our past history people like former Governor Earl Warren of California went on to become chief justice of the Supreme Court. We've had a number of senators, as well. We've even had a former president. So this time around don't, be surprised to hear names like Orrin Hatch, the Senator from Utah or John Cornyn, the freshman senator from Texas, in addition to some of the names of judges.

WHITFIELD: So it wouldn't necessarily be unprecedented, just rather unfamiliar in modern history terms?

WATSON: Unfamiliar in recent times. Remember, we're in a very interesting period because this is the longest gap without a Supreme Court appointment since the 1820s and 1830s. We've gone over a decade without an appointment.

WHITFIELD: All right.

Another big hot button issue, healthcare in America. Why has it continued to be one that is so divisive?

WATSON: Well, remember we've got 45 million people without health insurance. And there's a new study out by the University of California that suggests over the next eight years that may grow to 56 million. But not only that, those who do have health insurance may end up paying more for less. So whether that's knee surgery, an eye checkup, arthritis medicine, that things could get rougher. And a lot of this quiet revolution, what I call stealth revolution, is happening not in Washington in terms of how healthcare changes, but it's happening because of governors who are looking at their budgets and saying I'm spending a lot on Medicaid which is a form of state-run health insurance in some cases and also CEOs.

We recently saw General Motors, one of our largest corporations, say that part of the reason they posted a $1.1 billion loss, their largest in 13 years, was because they're spending a lot on health care and they're trying to cut back. So, don't be surprised over the next several years to quietly see a lot of movement on this issue by governors and CEOs.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's zero in on the president's favorite state of Texas where apparently, the race for governor just might get rather heated.

WATSON: Fredricka, you bet. Often when we think about politics, we think about Washington. But sometimes the most exciting politics happens out in the states. As you said, the president's backyard we think of as a solidly cohesive Republican state. But the truth of the matter is there's some interesting infighting there.

You've got a United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison who is a Republican thinking about running against the incumbent Republican governor Rick Parry. They are squaring off very hot and heavy there.

And what's also interesting about this fight is that normally in a Republican primary everyone tries to move to the right. In a Democratic primary you move to the left. This time around they may move to the middle in pursuit of Republican female votes. So watch that.

And the last thing is the president may actually take a page out of his younger brother Jeb Bush's book. Remember that when there was an open Senate seat in Florida, Jeb Bush turned to a Latino candidate, Mel Martinez to run. Mel Martinez won that and became the new senator. You might see the same thing if there's an opening in Texas, Henry Bonilla, currently a Congressman.

And so, in just a matter of three or four years there's a possibility we could go from having no Latino senators since, I think 1976, to having three Latino senators, indeed, if there's an opening and Bonilla wins.

And he would go along, obviously, with Ken Salazar of Colorado and Mel Martinez of Florida.

WHITFIELD: All right. And recently there's been so much news to put the goings on in Iraq almost on the back burner temporarily. Has it kind of lost its luster in terms of political hot potato issue?

WATSON: Well, I think it's really an interesting question. You remember, Fredricka, just six months ago in many polls it was the No. 1 issue. A lot of people argue it was a determinative issue in the election. And now you don't hear much about it on our front pages and it doesn't show up in the top one, two, or sometimes three in our polls of most important issues for voters.

One thought is that in the world of Terry Schiavo coverage and pope coverage it's been temporarily lost, but it will come back. But there's another world in which you could argue that maybe we turned a corner since the Iraqi election took place and Americans seem to think that we're on slightly different footing.

Whatever the case, it's clear that what's happened in Iraq is fundamentally changed our foreign policy from how we organize our intelligence system to the doctrine of preemptive force. Even to the, if you will, the cohesiveness of the Republican party on some foreign policy issues.

WHITFIELD: Lots of issues on tap. Carlos Watson, good to see you.

WATSON: Good to see you as always.

WHITFIELD: Well, hip-hop and rap often get a bad rap for the messages they send to African-American youth. Critics pan hip-hop for glorifying violence, drugs, abuse of women and underachievement. But a prime mover behind hip-hop is out with a very different message. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russell Simmons didn't have to look back, he fought his way out of inner city Queens to become the godfather of the hip-hop movement -- creator of Def Jam Records, Def Comedy Jam, and the Phat Farm clothing line, a show biz star by any measure. But he's here, outside Baltimore, the headliner in a town hall meeting with energy.

This is Russell Simmons' passion now -- a series of hip-hop summits. This year aimed at getting inner city kids, who spend so much on his products, to become more financially responsible.

RUSSELL SIMMONS, HIP-HOP MOGUL: Well, the last step of the civil rights movement. Wrap your hands around some money.

TODD: But it goes beyond that, Simmons lures kids in by recruiting young hip-hop stars like Mike Jones to appear then holds workshops teaching financial literacy, how to get your credit ratings up, get out of poverty, stay out.

SIMMONS: The mind-set of poverty is something that has to be overcome. And I don't believe that people who are living in this struggle -- I'm not saying when Bill Cosby is saying for instance -- I'm saying it's our job to continue to give back.

TODD: The subject of Bill Cosby, still sensitive to Simmons and his allies. Cosby, who last year inflamed some in the African- American community by slamming the hip-hop culture, targeting the lyrics.

BILL COSBY, ENTERTAINER: The more you invest in that child, the more you're not going to let some CD tell your child how to curse, and how to say the word (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is an accepted word used so hip, but you can't even spell it.

TODD: Not long after, Simmons shot back at Cosby, quoted as saying, "judgment of people in the situation is not helpful. How you can help them is the question."

Is there a divide between your philosophy and his?

SIMMONS: No, no, no. What I'm saying is that it's our job to keep giving.

TODD: But Simmons' brother, Reverend Run of Run DMC compares himself to Cosby this way.

REVEREND RUN, RUN DMC: My job, I believe, is to tell people, I want this way. So I don't really scream at people for not having it together. I try to show them.

TODD: Contacted by CNN Bill Cosby said quote, "the summit, which is set up to educate people about managing their money and protecting their income, leads to empowerment of self, for which this summit needs to be applauded."

Another generation might agree. Brian Todd, CNN, Baltimore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, does the fountain of youth lie in your everyday choices? Up next, I'll talk with one doctor about his plan that he says can help you make sure your golden years are truly golden.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A deadly virus outbreak in Angola is starting to come under control. That tops our health headlines. The World Health Organization says doctors are better able to treat the Marburg Virus as cooperation with stricken communities improves. The virus has killed some 244 people since March.

And a first attempt at gene therapy for Alzheimer's patients shows some promise. The study finds gene therapy appears to significantly delay the worsening of Alzheimer's. Scientists stress the therapy is experimental treatment and far more research is still needed.

In other medical news, the quest for immortality: the book "Fantastic Voyage" looks at the correlation between your lifestyle and how long you'll live. It explains what you should eat, drink and do to be immortal.

CNN's senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 57- year-old Ray Kurzweil's daily routine -- 250 supplements, 10 cups of green tea, four miles of brisk walking: all part of his quest for immortality.

RAY KURZWEIL, SCIENTIST: The diseases that kill 95 percent of us are not things that just hit us one day walking down the street. You can find out where you are in that process and stop that process and reverse it fairly readily with the right lifestyle and the right supplements.

GUPTA: That right lifestyle is outlined in "Fantastic Voyage," live long enough to live forever. Ray is not a doctor, but an award winning scientist.

He and co-author, Dr. Terry Grossmann (ph), recommend intravenous supplements for better digestion, acupuncture and regular biological testing to determine body age. All geared towards taking advantage of biotechnological advances they say are just over the horizon.

KURZWEIL: I expect and hope to be in good shape when we have these powerful new techniques from biotechnology 10, 15 years from now. For example have devices called nanobots that can form functions inside our bloodstream, augment our immune system, destroy pathogens and cancer cells, enhance our red blood cells, for example, so we can breathe better.

GUPTA: Sound like science fiction? While oddly reminiscent of the 1966 film "Fantastic Voyage" in which scientists travel in vehicles through the blood system. In fact humans have made giant leaps in life expectancy.

Consider this, in 1900, the average American life span was 47 years. By 1960, it had risen to the early 60s. Now, life expectancy is 77.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's for headache, earache, toothache.

DR. THOMAS PERLS, BOSTON UNIV. MEDICAL CENTER: We're always going to hear some special potion or naustrom (ph) for immortality. And that's not new.

GUPTA: Dr. Thomas Pearls (ph), a leading researcher on centenarians says that living healthier, longer is a good message. But relying on Ray's plan to do it is another.

PERLS: Much of the book is based upon Ray and Terry's own anecdotal personal experience of what works for them. What the book is asking people to do is everybody to be a guinea pig. And I think that's very dangerous.

GUPTA: Anti-aging is a multimillion dollar industry. And as baby boomers grow older, they want greater control over their own longevity.

I would like to keep on living indefinitely. I would like that decision to be in my own hands and not in the figurative hands of fate. GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Taking supplements, going on diets, exercising: Can lifestyle changes really help us reach the fountain of youth? Our guest says he's got the picture perfect prescription. That's also the name of Dr. Howard Shapiro's new book. He joins us live from New York.

Good to see you Dr. Shapiro.

DR. HOWARD SHAPIRO, AUTHOR: How are you?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing just great. All right. Let's begin with diets, because everyone these days seem to be inundated with the various types of diets -- low fat, low carb, high carb, et cetera. You say it really is not part of the equation of living longer, and stronger.

SHAPIRO: Well, I think diets are part of the equation, but they're not the equation. You know, diets really don't work. 18 million people have diabetes and 40 million people are prediabetic. And we have an obesity epidemic of our children.

And in that piece, although they were showing how each generation lives longer, this is the first generation of children that has a shorter life span than the previous generation. And it's recommended or it's looked at as possibly 2 to 5 years shorter.

WHITFIELD: And is that likely because of the obesity problem that American children are facing?

SHAPIRO: I think part of it is the obesity problem. I think what you really need to do if you want to live longer is find a plan that's very simple, find something you can do as routine.

And there are four areas you have to look at. One is stress. We know that stress kills. We know that stress increases your blood pressure. If you can learn the difference between acute and chronic stress that you have, and take control of some of that stress, you are going to help yourself.

The second area is exercise. Exercise, if you do it properly will reduce your anxiety level, reduce your level of depression. It will give you energy. It helps lower your risks of cancer and diabetes, and heart disease.

And there's several different types of exercise, so you want to find some exercise that you like. It could be something as simple as lifestyle exercises, working around the house. It could be working out in a gym, or it could be something like yoga or tai chi.

The next area that you have to deal with is the diet part. But you have to eat healthy, it's not just losing weight, it's using foods that have health benefits, foods that are heart healthy fat, foods that are whole grain, foods that have fiber and phytonutrients.

And then the last part that I think is very important is connecting with family, and friends, doing some charity work, joining an organization. Because these things will help build your immune system.

So if you put it all together, you can add years to your life. If you prevent yourself from getting diabetes -- or if you get diabetes as a woman at the age of 40, you may lose up to 14 years of your life. And a man may lose up to 11. So there are things that you can do that you can really add years to your life. And they're simple.

And in this book that I have, we talk about how to do it in eleven days. And basically what we're saying is it takes eleven days to learn how to do it, to identify your areas and then use it as a routine. And if it's simple enough to do as a routine, you will continue it. I think taking 250 pills a day is ridiculous.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's delve into a couple points you made when you talk about stress and exercise being at the top of the list. There are an awful lot of folks who will say they just don't have the time for exercise. Because, perhaps they are so inundated or controlled by their work schedules, which therein lies the stress. What are your recommendations as to how someone can kind of tackle those two very important top issues?

SHAPIRO: Well, first of all, there is no free ride. You have to make some effort if you want to add years to your life. But what I'm saying in the beginning is you could have lifestyle exercises. You could work around the house, rake the leaves, mow the grass, wash your car. Or if you have time to go to a gym, go to a gym. If not, maybe you can do something with meditation. This helps boost your immune system.

So there's lots of things you can do in the routine of a day. Walk a little bit more. Get out of a taxi cab early, walk. These things all will help you. You'd be surprised how easy it is to incorporate some of the exercise into your life.

WHITFIELD: And when you talk about diet, as that third component, you're not talking about fad diets are you? You're talking about choices of what you eat.

SHAPIRO: You know, fad diets are history. To do a low carb diet is ridiculous. To give up any particular food group is ridiculous. You have to eat when you're hungry, you have to use a variety of foods, you have to enjoy the food you're eating. And there's a way, if you look at my book or if you look at some of these other things that are out there, there are healthy foods you can enjoy. Maybe you would find that you like a lot of fish. Maybe you like waffles that are whole grain with light syrup.

There are things out there that can you use. And the idea is that you don't have to go hungry. That you can eat as much or more food than you're presently eating if you choose wisely. And there's no wrong time of the day to eat. Make it simple. Don't make it so difficult.

WHITFIELD: And when you say your fourth point is connecting with friends and family, how is that related to your overall health?

SHAPIRO: Well, it's related really strongly, because the bottom line is there are studies that show that if you are connected to family, to friends, if you go to church, or go to synagogue, if you join a charity or give of yourself, you're going to feel better.

And by feeling better it boosts your immune system. If you boost your immune system you're in a better place to fight off any kind of disease that comes your way. And it's really an important factor. It's something that you can't just ignore, be surprised how important it is.

There's a study about kids in school. If they like the school they go to, they do well. If they don't, they don't do as well.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Howard Shapiro, the book is "Picture Perfect Prescription: Take Eleven Days and Add Ten Years to Your Life." Thanks so much for joining us.

SHAPIRO: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: America's National Anthem claims a singing casualty on a Canadian ice rink. We'll show you what happened when one woman forget her lines and then she tried -- tried to make it up, but it just didn't work. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Have you ever had a bad dream that you botched the singing of the National Anthem before a whole stadium full of people? Well, a young sicker lived that nightmare at Friday's U.S./Canada exhibition hockey game in Quebec.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oops. Well guess what, it got worse? Caroline Marcil forgot the words to the star spangled banner, she came back out and right there she slipped right on her back on the ice. And so humiliated and embarrassed she decided to exit stage right.

Well the game went on. But you know what? Her singing went on, too. Only this time to another national audience on ABC's "Good Morning America."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't speak English as your first language, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You speak French.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So was that part of the problem? It's not even your language you're trying to sing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE; Maybe. It's like, it was a lot of things together. Like the emotion, the stress, and...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the crowd started booing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was really rude.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That threw you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That made me completely blank. I didn't know what I was singing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, tough crowd. Well, she got a chance to try it again. And here you see it right there. She got through the Star Spangled Banner with no problems.

That's all the time we have for right now this hour. Coming up next, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" profiles actress Kirstie Alley.

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 24, 2005 - 18:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Fighting for the president's judicial nominee's conservative Christians wage war with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in the forefront.
Also, it may be spring, but parts of the country are looking a lot like winter. The forecast straight ahead.

And the fountain of youth? Lifestyle changes that could help you live longer, but do they really work?

It's April 24, and you're watching CNN LIVE SUNDAY.

From CNN's global headquarters in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Carol Lin tonight. Here's what's happening right now in the news.

Back to Earth: A Russian capsule has undocked from the International Space Station and will soon be home. It's carrying a three-member crew. The capsule is expected to land this hour in Kazakstan.

In Afghanistan, a coalition soldier was killed and another wounded today, when their vehicle ran over a mine northwest of Kandahar. The soldiers were believed to be Rumanians.

Gas prices have fallen an average of 4.5 cents per gallon over the past two weeks. The Lundberg Survey says it's the first time this year that the price dropped at least a penny.

Faith and filibusters: Both are the focus today of what a conservative Christian group is calling Justice Sunday. The event is bringing religion into the debate over President Bush's judicial nominees. It's also prompting controversy. CNN's White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is following the story from Crawford, Texas -- Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, competing rallies today really underscore the important role that religion plays in politics, as well as the tug-of-war that is taking place across the country over the federal courts that make those critical decisions and rule on controversial issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MALVEAUX (voice-over): Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is at the center of the showdown between Republicans and Democrats over the president's judicial nominees. Frist is delivering a videotaped address to religious telecasts, sponsored by the conservative Family Research Council, aimed at increasing public support for President Bush's judicial nominees.

Excerpts from the speech show Frist supporting Republican efforts to limit filibusters.

SEN. BILL FRIST, (R-TN) SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: My Democratic counterpart, Senator Reid, calls me a radical Republican. I don't think it's radical to ask senators to vote.

MALVEAUX: Simulcast on Christian television and radio, and to churches across the country, religious conservatives are launching an aggressive campaign to portray blocking Mr. Bush's nominees as an act against people of faith.

FRIST: I hope you'll call your senators and remind them, whether they're Republican or Democrat, that they work for you. Tell them to do their job, give judicial nominees the up or down votes they deserve.

MALVEAUX: The key senators involved in the filibuster debate called for their parties to compromise.

SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, (R) PENNSYLVANIA: My Republican colleagues ought not to vote for the nuclear option as a matter of party loyalty. And the Democrats ought not to be voting in lock step on filibusters a matter of party loyalty.

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY, (D) VERMONT: I agree with Senator Specter. We ought to find some way to back away from this, because I think the Senate would be hurt. But ultimately, the country would be hurt if you removed an area of checks and balances.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And a counterdemonstration by another religious group today essentially denounced conservatives efforts, they say, to make the filibuster a religious litmus test -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: And Suzanne, did the White House in any way kind of weigh in on the potential risks involved for Bill Frist's participation in this Justice Sunday?

MALVEAUX: Well, certainly what we've realized is that Vice President Cheney has weighed in on the issue saying that, of course, he would support this -- the elimination of the filibuster if it came across his desk. He has a key role in the Senate, as you know.

The president has stayed out of the fray of this very controversial issue. But make no mistake about it, Fred, the White House very clear understanding the kind of benefit that they would have if, in fact, that passed. WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux, thanks so much. From Crawford, Texas.

Well, there was more rhetoric today in another fight between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate. At stake who will become the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

John Bolton awaits a confirmation vote by the Foreign Relations Committee next month. Today, one of the Democrats on that panel said Bolton should withdraw from consideration, or risk becoming an embarrassment to President Bush. And the committee chairman said he's not sure whether the Senate will confirm Bolton.

Republican Arlen Specter spoke with our John King on CNN's LATE EDITION TODAY.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SPECTER: At this point, John, I think it's too close to call. I think that the best policy is to have his nomination come to the full Senate, not decided by committee. Because the constitution says that advice and consent are the province of the Senate itself. And I've always followed that practice. Even when I was firmly opposed to Judge Bork, I thought the nomination should come to the full Senate for decision by the full Senate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD:: And President Bush's pick has come under fire for, among other things, his alleged bad temper. The White House is standing by the nominee.

Well, there are new potentially damaging details about House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. He's been under intense scrutiny for alleged ethics violations. Today, the "Washington Post" reports the airfare for a trip DeLay took to London and Scotland in 2000, was charged to a credit card issued to Jack Abramoff. He's the powerful lobbyist under criminal and congressional investigation. House ethics rules forbid lawmakers have accepting travel expenses from registered lobbyists. DeLay has denied any wrongdoing.

It was a scene that could have taken place most anywhere around the world. Crowds gathered in front of a popular ice cream shop on a warm Sunday evening. But this was Baghdad. And the calm didn't last for long. What happened next left many dead. CNN's Ryan Chilcote is in the Iraqi capital.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sunday evening's double bombing took place in what had been until now a quiet Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad. The first bomb went off at about 9:00 p.m., about 100 meters away from a Shiite mosque, next to a marketplace. People gathered there to help the wounded. That's when the second bomb went off. Police officials telling CNN they believe that that bomb was remote controlled. Remote detonated. Killing at least 16 Iraqis, wounding at least 57 more.

And that was the second double bombing today. The first one taking place in the city of Tikrit, a Sunni area. This one took place just outside of a police academy. This time it was two suicide bombers detonating themselves about 15 minutes apart.

(on camera): This as Iraqi police were preparing to go to the country of Jordan. Jordan because it's considered safer to train Iraqi police outside of the country in a lot of cases, than inside. That attack killing at least six Iraqi policemen, wounding 26 others.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well here in the States, an unwelcome surprise in the form of weather. States around the Great Lakes are getting that surprise this weekend: snow.

More than a month into spring, a major snowstorm has dumped as much as eight inches of snow in Cleveland, Ohio. Michigan is digging out from the snow, as well just days after the mercury hit 80 degrees.

What's the reason for this freaky snowstorm? Let's check in with Orelon Sidney.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: How important is the future of the filibuster to the future of America? We'll take a step back in time to show you how it's been used in the past to shape the nation as we know it today.

And a skydiving excursion goes horribly wrong in Florida. We'll tell you what happened.

Also up next, he's now officially the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. We'll take an in-depth look at a crucial issue facing Pope Benedict XVI's tenure: his relationship with the Islamic world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Today is a momentous day for more than 1 billion Catholics around the world. Looking resplendent in gold, Pope Benedict XVI was formally inaugurated as head of the Roman Catholic Church. Immediately after the ceremony, he greeted his flock. In a scene reminiscent of the late Pope John Paul II, Benedict used an open-topped pope mobile.

Many Catholics are enthusiastically embracing this new pope, while the faithful in the world's other religions are a bit more wary. Here's our senior international correspondent Walt Rodgers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WALTER RODGERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Across Europe, Muslims pray, God is great. Perhaps, but they are less sure about the new pope, Benedict XVI. Turks, living in Munich, some of Germany's rapidly growing Muslim population are skeptical about the new pope's talk of outreach to other religions.

The former pope was OK, says this man, adding the new pope wants to keep people separate. Relations between Christianity and Islam might well suffer.

Another man claims a year ago in an interview, he said he did not like Islam. That's not good.

That interview was with a French newspaper "Le Figaro." Cardinal Ratzinger, as he was then, suggested Turkey's bid to join the European Union was at odds with Europe's Christian roots.

He said quote, "Europe is a cultural continent, not a geographic one."

Shortly before he became pope, Cardinal Ratzinger said he'd been misinterpreted.

Turkey's Islamist prime minister responded quote, "you know in politics you can make a certain declaration, after you achieve a certain position, there are those who pretend they never made those declarations."

Islamic religious leaders have been quick to warn Pope Benedict XVI against trying to confront Islam.

AZZAM TAMIMI, MUSLIM ASSN. OF BRITAIN: That would be very sad. Because, naturally the Muslims would take that seriously and would probably see it as a threat. It would provoke them. And if you are provoked, then you will fight back.

RODGERS: Islam is now the world's fastest growing religion. And like it or not, Benedict XVI church is involved in a global battle for souls.

In France, Europe's maternal cradle of Christianity, Catholic congregations are graying, disappearing. Muslims say the Roman Church has been on a wrong side of history.

TAMIMI: Once you identify with the rich, and once religion turns into a set of rituals that convey nothing but signs of power and elitism, then the churches will become empty.

RODGERS: The previous pope deemed it prudent not to confront Islam. He saw Muslims and allies in his campaign to curb abortions, and birth control. And the new pope is believed to share that agenda.

(on camera): But if his religious outreach is to be taken seriously, Benedict XVI is going to have to make some genuine gestures to the world's Muslims. Walter Rodgers, CNN, Munich, Germany.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: News around the world now. More defiance from Iran. The country's foreign ministry spokesman says Tehran will resume uranium enrichment regardless of the outcome of upcoming elections. Iran is to hold nuclear talks with France, Britain and Germany this week. But Iran's stubbornness could dash hopes that Tehran will turn its temporary freeze of uranium enrichment activities into a permanent one.

The Palestinian leader takes a major step towards reform. Mahmoud Abbas appointed three new security chiefs today, forcing out key allies of the late Yasser Arafat. The U.S. has demanded that Abbas clean up the corruption-plagued Palestinian security force.

Living in exile: Ecuador's ousted president has arrived in Brazil, hours after fleeing his country under the cover of darkness. Lucio Gutierrez was forced from power after a week of massive street protests. The same demonstrators who accused him of corruption and abuse of power prevented him from leaving Ecuador earlier in the week. They wanted him to stand trial.

Well, the search for eternal youth. Can it really be found through modern medicine? I'll talk to one doctor about his prescription for staying young.

30 years ago today, he helped hundreds three Saigon as it fell to the communists army. Up next, we'll introduce you to the commercial airline official who made history.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here are stories making news across America now. More than 30 people are nursing injuries from a bus/truck collision on a New Mexico highway. State police say a passenger bus rear ended a tractor trailer on Interstate 25 early this morning. No life- threatening injuries are reported.

A skydiving cinematographer is dead after losing his legs during a jump near Deland, Florida. Police say he had jumped from a propeller plane and deployed his chute when he struck the left wing of the plane. With both legs severed at the knees, Wing managed to land near the airport. He died later, however, at a hospital.

And authorities in Campell, Wisconsin report finding human remains in a basement freezer. The discovery came after an overnight standoff with a man accused of shooting and wounding a neighbor. The suspect surrendered after holding himself up in his house for 15 hours. Sheriff's deputies believe the body in the freezer may be that of his mother.

It was a desperate time, Saigon in April of 1975. Communist North Vietnamese troops were about to run over the city. Thousands of civilians were trying to escape. Many did with the help of Al Topping. He adopted them. Our Elaine Quijano reintroduces us to him on this 30th anniversary of his compassionate rescue.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 30 clears ago, as communists drew closer to consolidating their grip on South Vietnam and thousands were trying to escape uncertain fates, American Al Topping made a life-altering decision.

AL TOPPING, LAST FLIGHT RESCUER: How often does one in a lifetime -- is placed in a situation where you're going to make decisions that involve life and death. And that's what that was.

QUIJANO: His life then in April of 1975 had led him to Saigon in South Vietnam where he was serving as director of operations for Pan Am Airlines. He was working with adoption agencies helping get children out of the country, but he knew the 61 Vietnamese employees of his company also needed help.

TOPPING: I decided let's try and adopt the employees. So I had our personnel person go down to the ministry.

QUIJANO: Yet as the North Vietnamese army advanced on Saigon, the task mushroomed. Hundreds of family members also wanted out.

TOPPING: I said, get all the paperwork that we need to adopt their employees of the families. And this is for me a shot in the dark, you know.

Lo and behold he came back with a stack of documents. I started signing. I signed everything. It's all Vietnamese. I didn't know what I was signing. Just signed everything, took it back and we got it approved.

QUIJANO: Getting the overloaded plane air born was dramatized by Hollywood.

JAMES EARL JONES, ACTOR: The thing's got to be able to fly, Dan. That means get off the ground.

QUIJANO: On April 24, 1975 a 747 carrying 463 people, most of them babies, took off headed for the Philippines. Topping sat in the jump seat of the cockpit, the last commercial flight out of South Vietnam.

TOPPING: As we finally climbed out and crossed the coastline out over the South China Sea, I looked out the window and I saw the American ships down below, and at that point I was breathing easier.

QUIJANO: He still feels kinship with anyone who escaped in those dark days.

Decades later, Topping doesn't credit himself with a successful mission.

TOPPING: I think God was on our side.

QUIJANO: Elaine Quijano, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, Senate Republican leaders want to scrap it. Democrats want to save it. But is the filibuster really all that important for America's future? Up next we'll peel through the political rhetoric to show you how it's helped shape America.

And changing the future of African-American teens: How a hip-hop legend is using pop culture to help the next generation gain financial freedom.

Also ahead,

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(NATIONAL ANTHEM)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: You think that's embarrassing, wait till you see what happened when she came back to the ice.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back. Here's a look at the top stories right now.

It was a day of deadly bomb attacks in Iraq. Two car bombs killed at least six people and wounded 26 in Tikrit. Two more blasts left at least 16 people dead and at least 57 wounded in Baghdad.

Authorities in eastern Georgia here in the states are investigating the disappearance of two toddlers. Searchers using dog teams and helicopters looked in vain today for siblings Nicole and Jonah Cane. Their mother reported them missing from their home last night.

Israel is marking the passing of a political hero. The country's former president and former defense minister Ezer Weizman died today. He was elected president in 1993 and served for seven years. He also brokered Israel's first peace treaty with Egypt. Weizman was 80 years old.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has taped a message supporting a conservative Christian campaign to prevent filibusters of President Bush's judicial nominations. 430 moderate and liberal religious leaders signed the letter asking Frist not to take part in today's national broadcast against filibusters.

Well, here's a bit of filibuster trivia for you. The name comes from a Dutch word meaning pirate. Not exactly a positive connotation. And frustration over filibusters goes a long way back.

Here's CNN's Bruce Morton.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over: Originally, the Senate had unlimited debates, but in 1917 after a handful of senators successfully filibustered a bill to arm U.S. merchant ships, President Wilson charged that a little group of willful men have rendered the great government of the United States helpless and contemptible.

The Senate changed its rules if two-thirds voted to cut off debate voting for cloture, it's called, debate ended. The Senate used the rule to end the filibuster against the treaty of Versailles which ended World War I.

In 1975, the Senate changed the number needed to invoke cloture down to 60.

Filibusters through the years, Jimmy Stewart was the good guy filibusterer in the movie "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington."

JIMMY STEWART, ACTOR: No matter what his race, color or creed.

MORTON: Huey Long of Louisiana did the gourmet version in 1935 offering recipes for potlucker, that's what you cook the greens in, and fried oysters. Longest by an individual? South Carolina's Strom Thurmond in 1957: 24 hours and 18 minutes.

But the big one was the filibuster against the 1964 Civil Rights Act which ended segregation in the South. Relays of southerners spoke for 57 days. Senators sleeping in shifts, stumbling in from midnight quorum calls. But in the end it passed and changed America.

Filibusters against judicial nominees? Yes. Republicans when Lyndon Johnson tried to name Justice Abe Fortas as chief justice in 1968, a cloture vote failed, Johnson withdrew the nomination.

Majorities hate filibusters, minorities don't.

SEN. JESSE HELMS, (R) NORTH CAROLINA: It's not a filibuster when you do it. It's a filibuster when the other fellow does it.

MORTON: In the House, majority rules unimpeded -- debate always limited, up and down votes when the majority wants them.

The Senate was meant to be more deliberative. George Washington called it the saucer where passions cool. If the filibuster is abolished will that change?

DAVID BRODER, WASHINGTON POST: The right of unlimited debate, though it's rarely been invoked, has been one of the distinguishing features of the Senate and it's one of the characteristics that sets it apart from the House of Representatives.

MORTON: Will they get rid of it? A test could come very soon.

Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, the fight over filibusters is just one of the many political issues making news this week. For a look at some of the others we turn to CNN political analyst Carlos Watson coming to us from Mountain View, California.

Good to see you, Carlos.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Fredricka, welcome back. Good to see you.

WHITFIELD: Oh, thanks so much.

All Right. Lots to talk about both inside and outside the Beltway. Earlier this week you broke a little news while filling in for Judy Woodruff on "INSIDE POLITICS." talking about the Supreme Court. What's going on with that?

WATSON: Well, what was very interesting is that the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, acknowledged publicly that everyone -- that he expects and the White House expects that there will be a Supreme Court vacancy this summer. And that they're beginning to look at candidates.

And what I thought was most interesting, Fredricka, is that he suggested that instead of just looking at current federal judges to maybe take an opening, they're considering other people, say senators or governors.

And you remember that in our past history people like former Governor Earl Warren of California went on to become chief justice of the Supreme Court. We've had a number of senators, as well. We've even had a former president. So this time around don't, be surprised to hear names like Orrin Hatch, the Senator from Utah or John Cornyn, the freshman senator from Texas, in addition to some of the names of judges.

WHITFIELD: So it wouldn't necessarily be unprecedented, just rather unfamiliar in modern history terms?

WATSON: Unfamiliar in recent times. Remember, we're in a very interesting period because this is the longest gap without a Supreme Court appointment since the 1820s and 1830s. We've gone over a decade without an appointment.

WHITFIELD: All right.

Another big hot button issue, healthcare in America. Why has it continued to be one that is so divisive?

WATSON: Well, remember we've got 45 million people without health insurance. And there's a new study out by the University of California that suggests over the next eight years that may grow to 56 million. But not only that, those who do have health insurance may end up paying more for less. So whether that's knee surgery, an eye checkup, arthritis medicine, that things could get rougher. And a lot of this quiet revolution, what I call stealth revolution, is happening not in Washington in terms of how healthcare changes, but it's happening because of governors who are looking at their budgets and saying I'm spending a lot on Medicaid which is a form of state-run health insurance in some cases and also CEOs.

We recently saw General Motors, one of our largest corporations, say that part of the reason they posted a $1.1 billion loss, their largest in 13 years, was because they're spending a lot on health care and they're trying to cut back. So, don't be surprised over the next several years to quietly see a lot of movement on this issue by governors and CEOs.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's zero in on the president's favorite state of Texas where apparently, the race for governor just might get rather heated.

WATSON: Fredricka, you bet. Often when we think about politics, we think about Washington. But sometimes the most exciting politics happens out in the states. As you said, the president's backyard we think of as a solidly cohesive Republican state. But the truth of the matter is there's some interesting infighting there.

You've got a United States Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison who is a Republican thinking about running against the incumbent Republican governor Rick Parry. They are squaring off very hot and heavy there.

And what's also interesting about this fight is that normally in a Republican primary everyone tries to move to the right. In a Democratic primary you move to the left. This time around they may move to the middle in pursuit of Republican female votes. So watch that.

And the last thing is the president may actually take a page out of his younger brother Jeb Bush's book. Remember that when there was an open Senate seat in Florida, Jeb Bush turned to a Latino candidate, Mel Martinez to run. Mel Martinez won that and became the new senator. You might see the same thing if there's an opening in Texas, Henry Bonilla, currently a Congressman.

And so, in just a matter of three or four years there's a possibility we could go from having no Latino senators since, I think 1976, to having three Latino senators, indeed, if there's an opening and Bonilla wins.

And he would go along, obviously, with Ken Salazar of Colorado and Mel Martinez of Florida.

WHITFIELD: All right. And recently there's been so much news to put the goings on in Iraq almost on the back burner temporarily. Has it kind of lost its luster in terms of political hot potato issue?

WATSON: Well, I think it's really an interesting question. You remember, Fredricka, just six months ago in many polls it was the No. 1 issue. A lot of people argue it was a determinative issue in the election. And now you don't hear much about it on our front pages and it doesn't show up in the top one, two, or sometimes three in our polls of most important issues for voters.

One thought is that in the world of Terry Schiavo coverage and pope coverage it's been temporarily lost, but it will come back. But there's another world in which you could argue that maybe we turned a corner since the Iraqi election took place and Americans seem to think that we're on slightly different footing.

Whatever the case, it's clear that what's happened in Iraq is fundamentally changed our foreign policy from how we organize our intelligence system to the doctrine of preemptive force. Even to the, if you will, the cohesiveness of the Republican party on some foreign policy issues.

WHITFIELD: Lots of issues on tap. Carlos Watson, good to see you.

WATSON: Good to see you as always.

WHITFIELD: Well, hip-hop and rap often get a bad rap for the messages they send to African-American youth. Critics pan hip-hop for glorifying violence, drugs, abuse of women and underachievement. But a prime mover behind hip-hop is out with a very different message. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Russell Simmons didn't have to look back, he fought his way out of inner city Queens to become the godfather of the hip-hop movement -- creator of Def Jam Records, Def Comedy Jam, and the Phat Farm clothing line, a show biz star by any measure. But he's here, outside Baltimore, the headliner in a town hall meeting with energy.

This is Russell Simmons' passion now -- a series of hip-hop summits. This year aimed at getting inner city kids, who spend so much on his products, to become more financially responsible.

RUSSELL SIMMONS, HIP-HOP MOGUL: Well, the last step of the civil rights movement. Wrap your hands around some money.

TODD: But it goes beyond that, Simmons lures kids in by recruiting young hip-hop stars like Mike Jones to appear then holds workshops teaching financial literacy, how to get your credit ratings up, get out of poverty, stay out.

SIMMONS: The mind-set of poverty is something that has to be overcome. And I don't believe that people who are living in this struggle -- I'm not saying when Bill Cosby is saying for instance -- I'm saying it's our job to continue to give back.

TODD: The subject of Bill Cosby, still sensitive to Simmons and his allies. Cosby, who last year inflamed some in the African- American community by slamming the hip-hop culture, targeting the lyrics.

BILL COSBY, ENTERTAINER: The more you invest in that child, the more you're not going to let some CD tell your child how to curse, and how to say the word (EXPLETIVE DELETED) is an accepted word used so hip, but you can't even spell it.

TODD: Not long after, Simmons shot back at Cosby, quoted as saying, "judgment of people in the situation is not helpful. How you can help them is the question."

Is there a divide between your philosophy and his?

SIMMONS: No, no, no. What I'm saying is that it's our job to keep giving.

TODD: But Simmons' brother, Reverend Run of Run DMC compares himself to Cosby this way.

REVEREND RUN, RUN DMC: My job, I believe, is to tell people, I want this way. So I don't really scream at people for not having it together. I try to show them.

TODD: Contacted by CNN Bill Cosby said quote, "the summit, which is set up to educate people about managing their money and protecting their income, leads to empowerment of self, for which this summit needs to be applauded."

Another generation might agree. Brian Todd, CNN, Baltimore.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, does the fountain of youth lie in your everyday choices? Up next, I'll talk with one doctor about his plan that he says can help you make sure your golden years are truly golden.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A deadly virus outbreak in Angola is starting to come under control. That tops our health headlines. The World Health Organization says doctors are better able to treat the Marburg Virus as cooperation with stricken communities improves. The virus has killed some 244 people since March.

And a first attempt at gene therapy for Alzheimer's patients shows some promise. The study finds gene therapy appears to significantly delay the worsening of Alzheimer's. Scientists stress the therapy is experimental treatment and far more research is still needed.

In other medical news, the quest for immortality: the book "Fantastic Voyage" looks at the correlation between your lifestyle and how long you'll live. It explains what you should eat, drink and do to be immortal.

CNN's senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 57- year-old Ray Kurzweil's daily routine -- 250 supplements, 10 cups of green tea, four miles of brisk walking: all part of his quest for immortality.

RAY KURZWEIL, SCIENTIST: The diseases that kill 95 percent of us are not things that just hit us one day walking down the street. You can find out where you are in that process and stop that process and reverse it fairly readily with the right lifestyle and the right supplements.

GUPTA: That right lifestyle is outlined in "Fantastic Voyage," live long enough to live forever. Ray is not a doctor, but an award winning scientist.

He and co-author, Dr. Terry Grossmann (ph), recommend intravenous supplements for better digestion, acupuncture and regular biological testing to determine body age. All geared towards taking advantage of biotechnological advances they say are just over the horizon.

KURZWEIL: I expect and hope to be in good shape when we have these powerful new techniques from biotechnology 10, 15 years from now. For example have devices called nanobots that can form functions inside our bloodstream, augment our immune system, destroy pathogens and cancer cells, enhance our red blood cells, for example, so we can breathe better.

GUPTA: Sound like science fiction? While oddly reminiscent of the 1966 film "Fantastic Voyage" in which scientists travel in vehicles through the blood system. In fact humans have made giant leaps in life expectancy.

Consider this, in 1900, the average American life span was 47 years. By 1960, it had risen to the early 60s. Now, life expectancy is 77.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's for headache, earache, toothache.

DR. THOMAS PERLS, BOSTON UNIV. MEDICAL CENTER: We're always going to hear some special potion or naustrom (ph) for immortality. And that's not new.

GUPTA: Dr. Thomas Pearls (ph), a leading researcher on centenarians says that living healthier, longer is a good message. But relying on Ray's plan to do it is another.

PERLS: Much of the book is based upon Ray and Terry's own anecdotal personal experience of what works for them. What the book is asking people to do is everybody to be a guinea pig. And I think that's very dangerous.

GUPTA: Anti-aging is a multimillion dollar industry. And as baby boomers grow older, they want greater control over their own longevity.

I would like to keep on living indefinitely. I would like that decision to be in my own hands and not in the figurative hands of fate. GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Taking supplements, going on diets, exercising: Can lifestyle changes really help us reach the fountain of youth? Our guest says he's got the picture perfect prescription. That's also the name of Dr. Howard Shapiro's new book. He joins us live from New York.

Good to see you Dr. Shapiro.

DR. HOWARD SHAPIRO, AUTHOR: How are you?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing just great. All right. Let's begin with diets, because everyone these days seem to be inundated with the various types of diets -- low fat, low carb, high carb, et cetera. You say it really is not part of the equation of living longer, and stronger.

SHAPIRO: Well, I think diets are part of the equation, but they're not the equation. You know, diets really don't work. 18 million people have diabetes and 40 million people are prediabetic. And we have an obesity epidemic of our children.

And in that piece, although they were showing how each generation lives longer, this is the first generation of children that has a shorter life span than the previous generation. And it's recommended or it's looked at as possibly 2 to 5 years shorter.

WHITFIELD: And is that likely because of the obesity problem that American children are facing?

SHAPIRO: I think part of it is the obesity problem. I think what you really need to do if you want to live longer is find a plan that's very simple, find something you can do as routine.

And there are four areas you have to look at. One is stress. We know that stress kills. We know that stress increases your blood pressure. If you can learn the difference between acute and chronic stress that you have, and take control of some of that stress, you are going to help yourself.

The second area is exercise. Exercise, if you do it properly will reduce your anxiety level, reduce your level of depression. It will give you energy. It helps lower your risks of cancer and diabetes, and heart disease.

And there's several different types of exercise, so you want to find some exercise that you like. It could be something as simple as lifestyle exercises, working around the house. It could be working out in a gym, or it could be something like yoga or tai chi.

The next area that you have to deal with is the diet part. But you have to eat healthy, it's not just losing weight, it's using foods that have health benefits, foods that are heart healthy fat, foods that are whole grain, foods that have fiber and phytonutrients.

And then the last part that I think is very important is connecting with family, and friends, doing some charity work, joining an organization. Because these things will help build your immune system.

So if you put it all together, you can add years to your life. If you prevent yourself from getting diabetes -- or if you get diabetes as a woman at the age of 40, you may lose up to 14 years of your life. And a man may lose up to 11. So there are things that you can do that you can really add years to your life. And they're simple.

And in this book that I have, we talk about how to do it in eleven days. And basically what we're saying is it takes eleven days to learn how to do it, to identify your areas and then use it as a routine. And if it's simple enough to do as a routine, you will continue it. I think taking 250 pills a day is ridiculous.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's delve into a couple points you made when you talk about stress and exercise being at the top of the list. There are an awful lot of folks who will say they just don't have the time for exercise. Because, perhaps they are so inundated or controlled by their work schedules, which therein lies the stress. What are your recommendations as to how someone can kind of tackle those two very important top issues?

SHAPIRO: Well, first of all, there is no free ride. You have to make some effort if you want to add years to your life. But what I'm saying in the beginning is you could have lifestyle exercises. You could work around the house, rake the leaves, mow the grass, wash your car. Or if you have time to go to a gym, go to a gym. If not, maybe you can do something with meditation. This helps boost your immune system.

So there's lots of things you can do in the routine of a day. Walk a little bit more. Get out of a taxi cab early, walk. These things all will help you. You'd be surprised how easy it is to incorporate some of the exercise into your life.

WHITFIELD: And when you talk about diet, as that third component, you're not talking about fad diets are you? You're talking about choices of what you eat.

SHAPIRO: You know, fad diets are history. To do a low carb diet is ridiculous. To give up any particular food group is ridiculous. You have to eat when you're hungry, you have to use a variety of foods, you have to enjoy the food you're eating. And there's a way, if you look at my book or if you look at some of these other things that are out there, there are healthy foods you can enjoy. Maybe you would find that you like a lot of fish. Maybe you like waffles that are whole grain with light syrup.

There are things out there that can you use. And the idea is that you don't have to go hungry. That you can eat as much or more food than you're presently eating if you choose wisely. And there's no wrong time of the day to eat. Make it simple. Don't make it so difficult.

WHITFIELD: And when you say your fourth point is connecting with friends and family, how is that related to your overall health?

SHAPIRO: Well, it's related really strongly, because the bottom line is there are studies that show that if you are connected to family, to friends, if you go to church, or go to synagogue, if you join a charity or give of yourself, you're going to feel better.

And by feeling better it boosts your immune system. If you boost your immune system you're in a better place to fight off any kind of disease that comes your way. And it's really an important factor. It's something that you can't just ignore, be surprised how important it is.

There's a study about kids in school. If they like the school they go to, they do well. If they don't, they don't do as well.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Howard Shapiro, the book is "Picture Perfect Prescription: Take Eleven Days and Add Ten Years to Your Life." Thanks so much for joining us.

SHAPIRO: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: America's National Anthem claims a singing casualty on a Canadian ice rink. We'll show you what happened when one woman forget her lines and then she tried -- tried to make it up, but it just didn't work. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Have you ever had a bad dream that you botched the singing of the National Anthem before a whole stadium full of people? Well, a young sicker lived that nightmare at Friday's U.S./Canada exhibition hockey game in Quebec.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Oops. Well guess what, it got worse? Caroline Marcil forgot the words to the star spangled banner, she came back out and right there she slipped right on her back on the ice. And so humiliated and embarrassed she decided to exit stage right.

Well the game went on. But you know what? Her singing went on, too. Only this time to another national audience on ABC's "Good Morning America."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't speak English as your first language, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You speak French.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So was that part of the problem? It's not even your language you're trying to sing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE; Maybe. It's like, it was a lot of things together. Like the emotion, the stress, and...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And the crowd started booing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was really rude.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That threw you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That made me completely blank. I didn't know what I was singing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Well, tough crowd. Well, she got a chance to try it again. And here you see it right there. She got through the Star Spangled Banner with no problems.

That's all the time we have for right now this hour. Coming up next, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" profiles actress Kirstie Alley.

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