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Rove Testifying Again; Mumps Outbreak in Midwest; Saved By Defibrillator

Aired April 27, 2006 - 07:30   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's begin this morning with Karl Rove back in the hot seat. President Bush's closest adviser testified on Wednesday. That's the fifth time before the grand jury in the CIA leak investigation. What does it mean for Rove and what does it mean for the White House?
Let's get right to CNN's Bob Franken. He's live in Washington for us.

Hey, Bob, good morning.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

And for one thing, Soledad, it is a reminder of that big legal cloud that still hangs over the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN (voice-over): It's been more than six months since Karl Rove's last testimony before the grand jury. This was his fifth appearance. Rove left for the day still not knowing whether he would be indicted in connection with the CIA leaks investigation.

The leaks revealed the secret identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. She's the wife of administration critic Joe Wilson. Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald has been at this for nearly three years. Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, said only that he was there "to explore a matter raised since Mr. Rove's last appearance."

Since that last appearance, "Time" magazine reporter Viveca Novak has given sworn statements about conversations she had with Rove's lawyer, which raised questions about earlier sworn testimony. As always, the White House had its customary "no comment."

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I have no new information on that matter. And even if I did have new information, I wouldn't be in a position to share it with you, as you know.

FRANKEN: While Rove sweats a possible indictment, Scooter Libby sweats a possible conviction. Libby was Vice President Cheney's chief of staff until he was indicted last October for lying to investigators. Since then, it has come out that he testified President Bush had ordered some secret intelligence relating to this matter declassified.

(END VIDEOTAPE) FRANKEN: And Karl Rove, as he waits to find out whether he leaves this legal limbo and when he does and whether he'll be better off or worse off when he does.

Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Do you think, Bob, we're ever going to really know what happened here? A stupid question.

FRANKEN: Do I hear a little despair?

S. O'BRIEN: Do I sound despairing? Yes. You actually -- yes, you hear out and out despair. I mean do you think you ever really know or going to know what happened?

FRANKEN: Well, I, too, despair. It's been nearly three years on this investigation. And so far we've only had convictions that have to do with lying to investigators, nothing about motivations or anybody who might have ordered these CIA leaks that might have been illegal. You hear the word might a lot, don't you?

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I sure do. It's just like allegedly, right?

FRANKEN: Uh-huh.

S. O'BRIEN: Throw it in there a lot. Bob Franken for us this morning. Thanks, Bob.

Got to get to a developing story to tell you about this morning. The story is coming to us out of Columbia. Right now the Coast Guard is trying to get to a grounded ship in Puerto Rico. It's carrying more than 300 thousand barrels of oil. The tanker left Cartagena in Colombia. Was en route to Tallaboa in Puerto Rico when it got stuck about three miles south of its destination.

Here's what we don't know. We're not sure if there's a leak. We're not sure if anybody's hurt. We're going to follow this story for you this morning as well.

Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The mumps are still raging in the heartland. It's the worst out break in the U.S. in two decades. Health officials in Iowa with a massive immunization program. They're aiming to protect those most at risk. We get more now from Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The CDC has rushed 25,000 doses of the mumps vaccine into the Midwest to try to control the largest mumps outbreak in the U.S. in more than 20 years.

DR. JULIE GERBERDING, CDC DIRECTOR: We have more than 1,000 cases reported from eight states and we also have additional cases undergoing investigation in seven more states. GUPTA: Mumps used to be as common in kids as chicken pox is today. But thanks to a vaccine developed in the '60s, the disease really has gone the way of black and white TV. Now there are only a few hundred cases in the U.S. each year. And the last major outbreak in the U.S. was in the late 1950s.

But a recent outbreak in Great Britain just last year left about 60,000 people infected. That same strain of the disease has been found in mumps patients in Iowa. The vaccine is about 80 percent effective with just one dose. The recommended second dose increases a person's immunity to 90 percent. But many college students never got that second dose. And officials say they believe that's exactly where the outbreak began, in a college dorm.

DR PATRICIA QUINLISK, IOWA STATE EPIDEMIOLOGIST: We certainly know college campuses because of the close living quarters, the fact that they spend a lot of hours a day in the cafeteria or in classes together and also their social behavior. Obviously there can be sharing of saliva with beer glasses and things like that. They have a high risk of transmitting a disease like mumps.

GUPTA: The symptoms of mumps are usually flu-like. And because most doctors haven't seen a case of the disease in many years, it can be easy to miss diagnose at first.

QUINLISK: Initially you might just have fever, headache, not feel very well. But most people will go on to developing the parotid gland swelling, or the swelling of the salivary glands under the jaw, and they sort of get that classic chipmunk look.

GUPTA: The disease is also spread much like the flu.

QUINLISK: By somebody coughing and sneezing on other person. So you have to be relatively close for that. Or through saliva, kissing, sharing a glass, something of that sort.

GUPTA: And although mumps is rarely fatal, it can cause miscarriages in early pregnancy and other lasting effects such as deafness or sterility. So experts recommend taking precautions like you would with the flu. Don't share food or drinks and wash your hands regularly. Also, make sure you've had both doses of the vaccine. If you've already had the mumps, experts say it's unlikely you'll get it again.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

M. O'BRIEN: Also happening in America, a coyote hunt is underway near Seattle. An 18-month-old bitten on the ear while playing by an elementary school by a coyote. That's a scary thought, huh? The coyote also bit a four-year-old in the backside. May have been trying to drag them off. Talk about a parent's nightmare there. Neither child was seriously injured, although I'm sure they're traumatized. The 18-month-old is undergoing painful rabies treatments, because they have to presume the thing has rabies, while wildlife officials hunt down the coyote. Good luck finding it.

An apparent hate crime in Houston leaves a teen fighting for his life. A 16-year-old brutally attacked, left for dead in his own backyard. Police charging two 17-year-olds with the crime. They will stand trial as adults. The suspects expected to appear in court later today. We'll keep you posted.

A Houston woman is forced out of her apartment by a swarm of bees. They're taken over, leaving honey everywhere, including dripping down the blinds. The woman says she noticed the bees about a week and a half ago and got out once they began buzzing all over the apartment. Wow.

And quite a scare for a woman in Orlando. While raking leaves in her backyard, she found an unexploded World War II grenade. That led to the evacuation of two blocks around her house. The bomb squad took the grenade away but we're not sure if it was live. We have no clue how it got there in the first place. The good news is, she's safe, everybody's safe.

S. O'BRIEN: That's so weird. I mean, she's just raking. It's not like it was dug up.

M. O'BRIEN: I know.

S. O'BRIEN: Kind of bizarre, isn't it?

M. O'BRIEN: It's very odd. Very odd.

S. O'BRIEN: That brings us to the weather. Thirty-six minutes past the hour. Reynolds Wolf is in for Chad Myers, who's on a little vaca.

Hey, Reynolds. Good morning again.

(WEATHER REPORT)

S. O'BRIEN: What do you got coming up in business news?

ANDY SERWER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Business news, Soledad. Diesel cars are surging, Chinese cars are getting squelched and, meanwhile, Chevron is battening down the hatches for hurricane season. We'll tell you about that coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Oh, Soaring gas prices front and center on the mines of all Americans. Let's keep tabs on what it's costing to you fill up today. Checking the gas gauge, AAA's daily fuel gage report has an average of, for regular gas, $2.92. Read them and weep, as they say. Just one year ago you paid $2.22 for the same thing. Yes, we know that.

With gas prices rising, a lot of finger pointing. But really, who is to blame? Let's get right to CNN's Tom Foreman. He's got a couple of suggestions. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Who is to blame for the price of gas at a record high and apparently getting higher?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Too high.

FOREMAN: Who is to blame for $50, $60, $100 bills at the pump?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm wondering when it's going to stop.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's getting very ridiculous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody else is getting richer. It's not us.

FOREMAN: Not us either say American oil companies which sell the gas they make from crude oil. For the first quarter of the year, the top three companies are expected to report $16 billion in earnings. But industry spokes folks, they blame high pump prices on international companies jacking up the price for that crude they draw from the ground. Those companies can do that because people who invest in oil, who buy that crude, are worried about future supplies and they're willing to pay.

RAYOLA DOUGHER, AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE: Fundamentally we're seeing the forces of supply and demand internationally pushing those prices up and a lot of political instability in some oil-rich areas that are tipping it right over the top and pushing it ever higher. And it's translating to higher prices.

FOREMAN: Blame it on China and India, economists and political experts say. Their exploding economies are sucking up oil.

DAVID SANDLOW, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Oil is a global market. And so when other countries start using oil, and certainly approaching the levels we will, it's going to have a big impact on prices.

FOREMAN: Blame it on lack of innovation environmental groups say. For 30 years we've talked about alternative fuel vehicles but industry and government have generally been slow to support them and consumers too.

NATHANIEL GREENE, NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL: I think the most important thing they can do is not get caught up in the blame game and really look for some long-term solutions.

FOREMAN: Right now, for many, the short-term solution is avoiding blame or even contact with this volatile issue. ExxonMobil sent this memo to gas stations saying, if news crews want pictures of customers buying golden gas, tell them "for safety reasons, ExxonMobil does not allow filming on our stations properties." I tried to call the woman who wrote that memo.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello, you've reached the office of Coreen (ph) . . . FOREMAN: No luck. Well, the oil industry has its own ideas about whom to blame.

DOUGHER: Half the blame goes to consumers.

FOREMAN: That's the demand part of supply and demand, they say. And as long as driver's will pay $3 a gallon for gas, that's what it will cost.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

S. O'BRIEN: Tom Foreman's report first aired on "Anderson Cooper 360," which, of course, you can catch weeknights at 10:00 p.m. Eastern.

Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. The other day, Soledad, I tried that electric vehicle. That was pretty good. And now I'm thinking diesel.

What do you think, Andy?

SERWER: I think it would be a good nickname for you, the big diesel.

M. O'BRIEN: A diesel, yeah.

SERWER: Shaq's already got that name, sorry.

M. O'BRIEN: Well, let me ask you this, though. Diesel is hot right now.

SERWER: It is hot.

M. O'BRIEN: And getting hotter. You know, it's funny though. It used to be you always could spot a diesel car because it always had that soot around it.

SERWER: And you could smell it and you could hear it.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes. Yes. Different now, isn't it?

SERWER: They are different. And that's because of the diesel gasoline that's different. It used to just be those old Mercedes and a few other vehicles. Diesel vehicles are surging in the United States. Sales of them, Miles, up 80 percent over the past five years. The reason why, basically 22 models for sale now. There were only 12 in 2000. Still only 3.6 percent of total vehicle sales as opposed to hybrids which are 1.5 percent. So still more diesels out there.

The gas, diesel fuel is cleaner but it's more expensive than it used to be. Sort of on parody with regular gasoline. Still, you get better mileage with diesel. So interesting alternative there and it's not going away. Let's switch over to China and talk about cars there. We've heard a lot about the Chinese car industry over the past couple years. And it's growing so fast now the government of China is trying to slow it down because they're scared of it overheating, to many cars in the inventory.

Listen to this, cars production there up 74 percent last year to 890,000 vehicles. But that's still a pipsqueak compared to the U.S., 17 million vehicles last year in the U.S. So you can see it's growing fast but still a very small business.

M. O'BRIEN: And suddenly people there might say, you know, maybe the bicycle wasn't so bad.

SERWER: Yes. And the pollution regulations in China are nothing like they are here and that is a serious problem posed by more and more cars over there because the cities are dirty. Ask anyone who's gone there.

Now let's talk about big oil, in the news, all over the place this morning. Chevron battening down the hatches for the next hurricane season. Hard to believe, but it is on the horizon as we've been talking about lately. They've got back-up computer systems down in the Gulf, spare inland offices, evacuation process for say 2,500 employees. They still are pumping 100,00 barrels a day less than they were last year, Miles, down there because of platforms that are not up to speed and were wrecked.

And that is part of the problem. The Gulf is still not up to speed and they're still not in full production down there because of last year.

M. O'BRIEN: Wow. All right. That's a lot to digest.

SERWER: Yes.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you, Andy Serwer.

SERWER: You're welcome.

M. O'BRIEN: Do you have a question for me?

SERWER: I might later.

M. O'BRIEN: Later.

SERWER: Well, 10:30 Eastern Time you'll want to meet me at Pipeline. Cnn.com/pipeline is the place. We'll put up the Miles Cam in the office and we'll start reading and answering as best your humble correspondent can your questions. Now, however, is your opportunity to provide said questions and send them to us at am@cnn.com. That's in the blue letters up at the top there. And, once again, those excellent questions will be read at 10:30 Eastern Time on the Pipeline product, which is something you'll want to check out anyway. CNN.com/pipeline.

Soledad.

S. O'BRIEN: Hey, guys, want to share this story with you. We've been talking about it this morning. The woman in Saint Charles, Missouri, really the worst possible thing that could happen while you're driving happened to her. She had a heart attack, veered across all the lanes, hit the guard rail. But guess what, sheer luck, a defibrillator salesman and a couple of nurses happened to be driving by. They're all with us this morning. They're going to talk about their story. There she is, Carolyn Holt right in the middle, and some of her saviors. We'll share that story with you just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: What could only be described as terrible luck turned into incredible luck for Carolyn Holt. She went into cardiac arrest while she was driving. Her car veers across the highway. She's unconscious. Now here's the incredible luck part. Two of the people who rushed to help her, well, one was a nurse, Mary Blome, and the other was Steve Earle, a defibrillator salesman who used a demo model that he happens to carry in his car all the time to shock Carolyn's heart and save her life. They're all with us this morning in this incredible story and they're coming to us from Saint Joe's Health Center in Saint Charles, Missouri. Carolyn Holt, and Steve Earle and Mary Blome.

Nice to see you. And it's so nice to see you smiling. I know you're doing much, much better. First, Carolyn, take me back to when that happened. Do you remember having the cardiac arrest? Do you remember the car sort of going out of control and ending up against the guard rail?

CAROLYN HOLT, HEART ATTACK VICTIM: No.

S. O'BRIEN: Nothing?

HOLT: No, I do not.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow. Wow.

HOLT: The first thing I remember is waking up in the hospital.

S. O'BRIEN: Really? So did you feel badly beforehand when you got in the car and you were driving off?

HOLT: No.

S. O'BRIEN: Really? Wow. Wow.

Well, then let's get right to Mary. You're a nurse. What did you see? What did you do?

MARY BLOME, NURSE: Well, we just thought we saw her car coming across our lane and crashed into the median and we -- everyone that got out thought we were just going to be a witness to a vehicle accident and realized real soon that she was in a great deal of trouble.

S. O'BRIEN: Because she was unconscious, right?

BLOME: She was unconscious and we couldn't get her out of the car because the electric locks. And with the help of some gentlemen and they got in her -- smashed in her window and got her out and it was another nurse and I there and we just knew she was in cardiac arrest and we needed to start CPR. And then . . .

S. O'BRIEN: OK. Right. That's luck part number one. OK, you have an accident and there are two nurses who can do the two-man CPR on you. So that's the lucky part number one. Then the bizarrely lucky part number two, I think, is Steve, who happens to have a defibrillator in his vehicle.

Now, Steve, I understand you're a salesman. Do you always carry this thing in your car?

STEVE EARLE, DEFIBRILLATOR SALESMAN: Yes, I carry several of them in my car on a daily basis just for demonstration purposes, sales presentations, and I guess emergencies like this now.

S. O'BRIEN: Wow. Yes, I guess you're never going to ever leave it, you know, out of your car.

Tell me what happened. Did you automatically grab the defibrillator knowing that she might have had a cardiac arrest? Was it just something -- I mean, I don't know. What happened?

EARLE: Well, yeah, when we sort of swerved around her as she came into our lanes, I looked over and noticed that she looked to be unconscious and pulled over on the shoulder. And my first thought just from talking about it on a daily basis was that it -- maybe there was some cardiac potential. And I got in the back of the car and grabbed the power heart and headed towards the car just in case.

S. O'BRIEN: So have you used this on somebody before? I mean, did you know what you were, you know, really doing? Obviously you demo it a lot. But did you -- have you done it before on a human being who was in cardiac arrest?

EARLE: No, never in emergency situations, just through training and, like I said, demonstrations and presentations. But, no, never in a situation like this.

S. O'BRIEN: Were you nervous?

EARLE: I was extremely nervous. Extremely nervous.

S. O'BRIEN: Gosh, I bet. I bet.

Look at Carolyn. She's like, oh, well he didn't show it because he did a good job with you.

Before we get back to Carolyn, Mary, I've got to ask you a question. You're a nurse. You're doing the two-man CPR. You know, everybody's tense and, obviously, I'm sure, very freaked out. A guy shows up with a defibrillator in his car. What went through your mind at that moment?

BLOME: It was awesome. At first I just had to look up because we were down lower and when we figured out what it was, it was a true miracle of God that evening that all of us were there. And with the help of this defibrillator, Carolyn is with us today. And just so thankful that we got to meet today. Just very happy she's doing well.

S. O'BRIEN: So this is your first meeting because, of course, the paramedics then took Carolyn and took her away and she -- her heart was back and pumping. And now, how you feeling, Carolyn? How are you doing?

HOLT: I feel fine.

S. O'BRIEN: Really? You look good.

HOLT: Um-hum. Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: I mean they've still got you in that, you know, the hospital gowns are never all that cute, but you look good, I've got to tell you.

HOLT: You don't like these?

S. O'BRIEN: No, it's all right. You know, as they go, it's beautiful. And I bet you're happy just to be able to talk about it. How do you say thank you, Carolyn, to somebody who has -- to people -- I mean a handful of people who have stepped in and stepped up? And honestly, if it were not for them, you would not be here to share the story.

HOLT: That's right. I don't know, other than repeated multiple thank yous. I really don't know how you say thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: I know you had a first chance to meet and greet and hug and what was that like?

HOLT: Right. It was great. You know, you just -- when I reached consciousness and, like I say, in the hospital and people told me about it, and then it seems like I hear a bit more of the story all the time. It's just amazing. And people have been kidding me about, you know, make sure you go out and buy a lottery ticket, you know, and we can just (INAUDIBLE) for you.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, I'm with that group. You know what, if you're going to get one, today is your day. Carolyn Holt, so nice to see you. Mary and Steve Earle as well, thank you so much for talking with us. Mary Blome the nurse and Steve Earle with the defibrillator in his car. Wow, what a great story to share. Thank you. Thank you.

HOLT: Thank you.

BLOME: Thanks, Soledad.

EARLE: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: A short break. AMERICAN MORNING is back in just a moment. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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