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Newborn Baby Kidnapped From A Texas Hospital; President Bush Steers Clear Of Hugo Chavez's Insults, Anti-American Rhetoric; Pork- Barrel Spending Declines, Says Watchdog Group; Hillary Clinton Says She Supports Iraq Withdrawal Timeline; Junk Food Before Bed Helps You Sleep; Captain America Assassinated

Aired March 10, 2007 - 16:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LT. SCOTT HUDGENS, LUBBOCK TEXAS, POLICE: If the person that has this baby is listening, I would just implore them, please, take them to some place safe. Drop them off if need be. And that's our main concern right now, the safety of this child.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Next in the NEWSROOM, a bold hospital kidnapping of a newborn badly in need of medical attention. We'll take you live to Lubbock, Texas.

Plus, the man in charge of U.S. troops in Iraq just back from a tour of insurgent strongholds, and our cameras were there. Stay tuned for this CNN exclusive.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(DEMOSTRATORS CHANTING, DRUMMING)

WHITFIELD: Also, loud and sometimes violent protests greet President Bush on his Latin America tour.

Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Welcome to the NEWSROOM.

This is the woman who entered a hospital early this morning and allegedly kidnapped a newborn baby. Lubbock, Texas police say the unidentified suspect posed as a hospital worker and repeatedly entered the mother's room, saying the child required treatment.

This is the newborn, her name, Mychael Darthard-Dawodu. Doctors say Michael has an urgent need for either mother's milk or electrolyte formula. She is underweight and suffers from jaundice.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUDGENS: If the person that has this baby is listening, I would just implore them, please, take them to some place safe. Drop them off if need be. And that's our main concern right now, the safety of this child. There is some medical conditions that we're concerned about. And we just really would like to get that child back so they can get the proper care. (END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Now for more, from Lubbock, reporter Bryan Mudd of our CNN affiliate KLBK.

So, we know, Bryan, the composite drawing is out, we've seen surveillance tape, photograph of the child since that time, all that information being released, any tips that police are getting?

BRYAN MUDD, REPORTER, KLBK NEWS: What police are getting at this hour, Fredricka, has to do more with the vehicle the woman was last seen getting in, possibly with that baby. A late model red Dodge pickup that was last seen leaving the hospital, and possibly with another man inside that pickup.

Again, you mentioned the medical condition of the baby. That is only adding to the intensity of the search at this hour.

WHITFIELD: What is the best explanation --

MUDD: Still no leads.

WHITFIELD: OK. What is the best explanation at the hospital, officials are giving, as to how their security system could have been breached?

MUDD: Well, that's the big question at this hour, because the baby -- each child that comes through that hospital system, they are at Covenant Lakeside, requires two bands on their ankles. One similar to this one I'm holding here, which contains numbers that have to be matched to both the mother and father in order for the baby it leave the hospital.

There's also an electronic armband that is supposed to trigger alarms when either the band comes too close to one of the doors of the hospital, or it is removed. We are told from Gwen Stafford, who is the senior vice president at Covenant Lakeside, that particular electronic wristband was removed which leads to questions whether the suspect was able to deactivate the alarm somehow, or it just simply didn't work. Those questions Stafford was not able to be answered today.

WHITFIELD: And, Bryan, this suspect had direct interaction, right, with the parent -- or at least the mother -- in the hospital. And they were convinced that this person was legit, they were actually a hospital worker?

MUDD: Sure. And you saw from the surveillance video there as well. She's wearing scrubs. She's in there. We don't know if she had any sort of name tag on as well, but she had been in at least once, possibly twice, talking to the family.

Again, the last time when the baby was taken, she told that family the baby needed more tests, possibly for that jaundiced situation. This is obviously a very well plotted out, very well throughout out plan put in to effect by this person and that only adds to the danger for the baby. WHITFIELD: Bryan Mudd out of KLBK out of Lubbock, Texas. Thanks so much. Keep us posted.

Here to talk more about the urgent need to find this child, Doctor Sujatha Reddy, and ob/gyn, and assistant professor at the Emory University School of Medicine.

Good to see you again. So talk to me about the importance of either the mother's milk or electrolytes formula for this baby?

DR. SUJATHA REDDY, EMORY UNIV. SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: What's key for any newborn, they really need to have formula or breast milk. They cannot digest regular milk that we buy in the grocery store. Hopefully, whoever has this child knows that. That is very important. Especially nutrition and dehydration in an infant at this age is very important.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about what jaundice is, and why it's so common in so many newborns.

REDDY: Jaundice is where the bilirubin levels in the baby's blood get high. What bilirubin is, it's the breakdown product of red blood cell. And newborns, and sometimes premature infants, don't have enough liver enzymes to break down the bilirubin, so their bilirubin level gets high and they turn that yellow color.

And phototherapy, which is those ultraviolet purple lights, can break down the bilirubin until the baby's liver can catch up.

WHITFIELD: It is fairly common, isn't it?

REDDY: It's actually very common.

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's talk about the child's weight. This baby only five pounds, and three days old. Let's talk about how critical medical care is for a baby with that birth weight.

REDDY: Well, it's actually not a bad birth weight. The baby would go home if it was a normal delivery. What's important with that birth weight, is this a premature infant? In which case it may not be ready to be discharged home. And did the mom have medical problems, like high blood pressure in pregnancy that could make to make this baby have other issues and also contribute to the birth weight. So if there's other medical issues at hand that would be very important for the caretaker to know.

WHITFIELD: Of course, everybody's hope is -- even if this suspect has any kind of medical background, that they'll return this baby to the hospital, and to the parents.

REDDY: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, doctor.

Lubbock police are desperate for information. That could lead the Baby Mycheal, or the alleged kidnapper you're about to see the picture of, the composite drawing, the number to call is 806-775-2788. And we'll read that back to you. 806-775-2788.

President Bush solidifying some friendships -- and at the same time -- angering opponents during a five-nation Latin American tour. Protesters angry over U.S. trade and immigration policies have taken to the streets in several nations on the president's tour.

These demonstrations are in Mexico, Colombia and Uruguay. And this was the scene in Uruguay's capital last night. Let's take a look. President Bush is in Uruguay right now. We'll take you there live in just a few minutes from now.

First, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq takes CNN's Jennifer Eccleston on an exclusive tour of some of the country's most dangerous areas: Fallujah, Ramadi, Baghdad. It is footage you'll only see here on CNN.

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JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (On camera): General David Petraeus, just one month into his job as commander of multi-national forces today on his first trip to Iraq's western Al Anbar Province, a major front in the fight to secure Iraq.

Now we traveled to the town of Heet (ph), a Sunni stronghold, along the Euphrates River, the once the domain of Al Qaeda in Iraq, a town that had been a war zone on and off for the last three years. A town that was also very hostile to American forces who patrolled this area.

That seems to have changed recently. Why? Well, General Petraeus says it's twofold. The American approach to securing this area has changed. He said, instead of engaging insurgents, clearing out areas and moving on, the United States, alongside with Iraqi police and the army, setting up semi permanent bases showing the local population their efforts to bring security to the town are genuine and long term.

And that led to the second aspect that keeps security, building trust among the powerful tribes that have ruled this province for centuries. Once they knew that the Americans were here to stay, they urged the local population to turn in foreign fighters, their sympathizers, and weapons cachets and bomb making materials that streamed across the border from nearby Syria and ended up in major cities, like the capital here in Baghdad.

He called instability in this region a dagger pointed at Baghdad, and the only way, he said, to secure the capital city is to stabilize Al Anbar. Jennifer Eccleston, CNN, Baghdad.

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WHITFIELD: And this message, stay out of Iraq sectarian conflicts. The pointed message delivered today by Iraq's prime minister to some neighbors, namely, Syria and Iran.

In his opening speech at a regional security conference, Nouri al-Maliki says Middle East countries need to stand together against terrorism in Iraq. The talks brought U.S. officials face to face with their counterpart from Iran and Syria. Iraqi officials say the delegates had a, quote, "lively exchange". But they insist their conversations were constructive.

Now, take a look at this. Pretty alarming, and very upsetting, without a doubt. Some of the most disturbing pictures of this weekend. A mother attacking a 101-year-old woman. You have to stick around for this one.

Plus, this is more than just a cookie. It can help you deal with moving up your clock tonight. That would mean, spring forward. An explanation from Dr. Bill Lloyd, when he joins us live.

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(DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING, DRUMMING)

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WHITFIELD: That's the sound and the sights of angry protesters on the streets of Uruguay's capital. Demonstrators burned the American flags to show their feelings about President Bush's visit. It is the second stop on his five-nation tour of Latin America. Our Elaine Quijano is traveling with the president.

Elaine, the president trying to ignore these protesters?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: He certainly is. Not the protesters necessarily, but Hugo Chavez, when asked about that. Interesting to note that as President Bush continues on his tour here in South America, Hugo Chavez is on a Latin America tour of his own. Essentially trying to taunt the U.S. leader, but President Bush is steering clear from a verbal fight.

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HUGO CHAVEZ, PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA: (SPEAKING SPANISH)

QUIJANO: He wants to get attention and President Bush is his target.

CHAVEZ: Gringo, go home!

QUIJANO: Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez is again ratcheting up his rhetoric as President Bush tours Latin America.

While the U.S. president prepared for trade and immigration talks with his Uruguayan counterpart, Chavez led a rally of thousands in neighboring Argentina, decrying what he calls American imperialism.

Thousands protested in Uruguay's capital city of Montevideo, as well. And with demonstrations taking place across Latin America, President Bush's aides privately suggest Chavez is paying people to stage some of it. For his part, President Bush is going out of his way not to directly engage the socialist leader in a verbal fight.

QUESTION: President Bush, Hugo Chavez suggested that you are afraid to mention his name. So are you, and how much of a threat is he to the United States' interests in the hemisphere?

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I came to South America and Central America to advance a positive, constructive diplomacy.

QUIJANO: Bolstered by his country's vast oil revenue, Chavez wants to widen his influence, by offering neighbors discounted oil. His influence reaches an even wider audience.

(BEGIN COMMERCIAL)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Help is on the way. Heating oil at 40 percent off from our friends at Venezuela at CITGO.

(END COMMERCIAL)

QUIJANO: In the U.S., CITGO owned by Venezuela's state oil company, bills itself as meeting the energy needs of America's poor. Overall, Venezuela remains one of the top four oil suppliers to the United States.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the same time the political relationship has deteriorated, there is this economic dependence.

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QUIJANO: And analysts say that dependence is partly what' behind President Bush's push for ethanol as well as his move to deepen ties with South American countries. All moves that the Bush administration hopes will make the United States more energy independent, Fredricka, and also serve to counterbalance Chavez's influence -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Elaine, what are the hosts of the president's visits having to say about these protests?

QUIJANO: Well, certainly protests are nothing unusual. And we have heard time and time again the president's sort of standard response. That, in fact, he welcomes protests as signs of robust and thriving democracies. And really throughout South America here, it's been no different. We have heard the same thing certainly from aides privately.

At the same time, though, you do get the sense that obviously, there is concern about Hugo Chavez. At the same time, you heard the president being very careful, avoiding direct engagement. They know that any U.S. response might only serve to elevate Chavez in the eyes of some here -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano traveling with the president in Uruguay. Thanks so much.

Tomorrow the first couple hits the road again. Mr. Bush travels to Colombia for a meeting with the President Alvaro Uribe. Monday he heads to Guatemala.

Democrats is pulled the plug on a presidential debate planned for Nevada, co-sponsored by FOX News. They're angry over a crack about president's hopeful Barack Obama by FOX News Chief Roger Ailes. FOX News says canceling the debate shows that Nevada Democrats are controlled by radical fringe groups.

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WHITFIELD: Remember that horrific fire in the Bronx in New York earlier in the week? Now CNN confirmed that a tenth person has died from that fire. This time a seven-year-old girl who had been fighting for her life for the past three days. Sadly, she did not win that fight.

She is now the tenth victim from that blaze where so many people were, either jumping out of the windows of that three-story building, or some people were throwing their small children to try and save their lives.

What was to blame? It's believed a space heater.

Meantime, today a tragedy early, this morning in Chicago, a deadly fire swept through a row house, a block from Wrigley Field. In one apartment police found the bodies of three adults, a fourth body found in another unit. One man was able to escape by leaping from a third story window. The cause of that fire is still under investigation.

A bizarre story out of Colorado. Police say a woman's body was in the trunk of her car for nearly a month while her teenage daughter, accused in her murder, and friends had a great time using mom's debit card. Fifteen-year-old Tess Damn and her live-in boyfriend Bryan Grove face murder charges. Jared Guy, a friend who helped move the body, was also arrested. Police say the teens tried to dispose of the body twice, but failed.

Going on right now, the search for a missing boy in south Georgia. Police are looking for six-year-old Christopher Michael Barrios, Jr. Christopher was last seen Thursday night playing on a swing set near his home.

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CHRISTOPHER BARRIOS, SR., MISSING BOY'S FATHER: He's got to be around somewhere. He's going to turn up. You know -- I came home from work yesterday, and, to a child missing. That's very difficult.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Police have been using special heat sensors mounted on a helicopter to search along -- with mounted patrols and dozens of volunteers on foot.

In many ways Yosemite National Park is a victim of its own success. It's soaring natural beauty has resulted in massive crowds and traffic gridlock. Now gridlock in the courts, over the best way to preserve the park's future. Peter Viles reports from Yosemite Valley, California.

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PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On a winter's day it's hard to imagine a crowding problem in Yosemite Valley, but in the summer, a different story. Huge crowds. And now a group of environmentalists is accusing the federal government of failing to protect the park, and secretly plotting to commercialize it.

GREG ADIAR, FRIENDS OF YOSEMITE VALLEY: The plan called for more asphalted surface area in Yosemite Valley, worse air, higher noise levels, brand new hotels to be constructed; the expansion of restaurants, wider roads and re-aligned roads and about half the valley's roadways. This whole litany of new construction.

VILES: Friends of Yosemite has sued and blocked a building project that would have upgraded roads and sewers and employee housing Yosemite Valley. The $400 million plan dates from a devastating flood in 1997. Parts of it are finished including a new fleet of hybrid buses to reduce auto traffic.

SCOTT GEDIMAN, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK: Visitors overwhelmingly love what we've done. For people to think that this is the U.S. government arbitrarily trying to make Yosemite a mass commercial center is simply not true.

VILES (On camera): Now, almost everyone who visits Yosemite wants to see these water falls and be close to them. So the federal government built a new project beneath the waterfalls. This walkway, it's a paved walkway. Environmentalists would say you shouldn't be paving in the forest. The federal government says, wait. We're keeping people out of the forest and we're actually reducing the human footprints in the park.

SARAH SALWASSER, YOSEMITE VISITOR: I think it only makes the park better. It makes it easier to walk up, and see, you know, the falls, and to see what the park is all about.

VILES (voice over): In siding with the environmentalists and blocking construction, a federal judge said the Park Service had failed to meet federal guidelines that require it to set limits on crowds. Tourism in the park peaked at 4.1 million visitors a year in 1996. Last year, 3.4 million people visited park.

Steve Hanick visits the park every winter and approves of the changes he's seen.

STEVE HANICK, YOSEMITE VISTOR: You know, it's a give and take. But I think the things I've see seen, it's generally favorable. I think they made a lot of improvements where they really need to.

VILES: But this is not a popularity contest, it's a federal court case. And so far in court a handful of environmentalists have blocked any new construction in the park. Peter Viles for CNN, Yosemite Valley, California.

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(SCREAMING)

WHITFIELD: And this is crazy. A trip to a local supermarket turns very bizarre. And it's in Las Vegas. That story, coming up.

(SCREAMING)

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WHITFIELD: And is it a rotten idea, spending millions to see how long vegetables can last? Veggie ways side of pork? Straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Meteorologist Jacqui Jeras in the CNN Weather Center. Heavy rain and melting snow means a high risk of flood across the Pacific Northwest. The latest on you new storm is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Jacqui Jeras now in the Weather Center.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Why does pork always get a bad rap? How bad is the pork? A public interest group released a report this week announcing just how much public money is going to lawmakers' pet projects. Uproar last year, led many politicians to promise reform this year, but it hasn't happened. CNN's Josh Levs has the "Reality Check".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Let's start in outer space where aliens better not try to attack Earth, because we've got a million dollar defense appropriation for this telescope searching for extraterrestrials. There's also more than $1 billion for F-22 fighter jets that the Government Accounting Office says aren't needed. More than a million for research into extending the shelf life of vegetables. And $4 mil for a rail line linking two towns in Alaska.

A public interest group calls it pork barrel spending, and says that's not all, folks. The total for 2007, more than $13 billion. But this is good news, sort of.

TOM SCHATZ, CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE: The congressional "pig book" this year is the smallest it's been since 1999.

LEVS: Citizens Against Government Waste credits a handful of Republicans, like Senator Jim DeMint, who help block some appropriations bills at the end of the last Congress. And the group thanks Democratic leaders in the new Congress who put a moratorium on earmarks, including Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, who's been accused of bringing home lots of pork in the past.

So how did some pet projects of individual lawmakers get through? They were added to two bills that were enacted by the last Congress, Defense and Homeland Security. Democrats are vowing to slice the pork, and Republicans know the stakes. Senator John McCain says it's why they lost control of Congress.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... because of our failure to control spending and the earmarking which led then to corruption, which then led to members of Congress going to jail.

LEVS (on camera): The question now is whether the new Congress will enact lasting reform that will seriously bring about change, or whether things will just snap back to the way they were before. Senator John McCain, who you just saw there, also said that sometimes inside Congress, the battle against pork barrel spending faces what he calls retaliation, especially from some lawmakers who are used to, as they say, bringing home the bacon. Joshua Levs, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So let's talk to one of the people responsible for this "pig book," Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Again Government Waste, joining us from Washington to highlight the low-lights of the 2007 "pig book," which is thinner this year. Does that necessarily mean that there's a little less pork spending?

TOM SCHATZ, CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE: There is less, as the report just said, $13.2 billion compared to $29 billion last year...

WHITFIELD: Right.

SCHATZ: ... which was seven years in a row of record spending.

WHITFIELD: Right. Though, how do you compile this book?

SCHATZ: We look through all the appropriations bills that are signed into law, and then we look through the committee reports. And the committee reports are where most of those projects are put. And the reports don't have the force of law, but the federal agencies know that they ignore those projects at their peril. Members of Congress say, basically, it's not the law that you have to fund those projects, regardless of what the law says.

WHITFIELD: So let's talk about, or let's zero in on some of the items that really kind of get under your skin. Let's talk about millions of dollars spent on trying to extended the shelf life of vegetables. What's that all about?

SCHATZ: Well, that was served up by Senator Patty Murray of Washington. And I recall my father telling me stories about getting through the Battle of the Bulge with K-rations. I'm not sure why we need to have fresh strawberries out in the field for our troops. And I don't think they'd last that long in Iraq and Afghanistan anyway.

WHITFIELD: So what was the reason? What is this all about, anyway?

SCHATZ: Oh, it's a company in the city of Seattle that is called Arcadia Bio Services, obviously a constituent of Senator Murray's, and they're doing research and this area, and she just threw some defense money at them.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, you mentioned military personnel. What's so bad about making sure our military personnel is lean and not on the heavier side, especially if they're called to duty?

SCHATZ: There's an obesity in the military program, research program, $1,350,000. We thought that that was taken care of in basic training. If you're not fit before you go into the military, you should be by the time you're on active duty. I don't think we need a research program for that.

WHITFIELD: All right. And then in Hawaii, there are telescopes. What's the matter with that? Everyone wants to take in the natural beauty of Hawaii.

SCHATZ: It's another telescope like the one in the Allen (ph) telescope arrays, another telescope, $11 million this time, that again is looking for objects that are colliding in space. There's no defense relationship. There's no defense purpose. And we clearly have enough to do with national security and funding for genuine programs, not extra ones like this.

WHITFIELD: All right. Just some of the items in "pig book" 2007. Interesting reading. Tom Schatz, president of Citizens Against Government Waste, thanks so much for your time.

SCHATZ: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: Coming up next: The outrage continues, but this time it involves the president's -- well, we just talked to him, actually. Sorry. We've got other outrageous things coming up in the NEWSROOM.

ANDREA KOPPEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Andrea Koppel in Nashua, New Hampshire, where a little few hours from now, Hillary Clinton is going to be addressing one of the premiere fund-raisers for the Democratic Party here in New Hampshire. Coming up.

WHITFIELD: All right. We told you there'd be other outrageous things straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Perhaps were you looking forward to one of the presidential debates taking place in Nevada? Well, forget it. No more. Democrats have pulled the plug on that debate, co-sponsored by Fox News. They're angry over a crack about presidential hopeful Barack Obama by Fox News chief Roger Ailes. Fox News says canceling the debate shows that Nevada Democrats are controlled by radical fringe groups.

And now to the campaign trail and surprising news from Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton. She's taking a new stand on a timetable for U.S. troops in Iraq. Details now from Andrea Koppel, covering the Clinton campaign in Nashua, New Hampshire -- Andrea.

KOPPEL: Hi there, Fred. Well, this is Senator Clinton's third trip to New Hampshire since she set up her exploratory committee for president. During her stop here in downtown Nashua, after initially saying that she did not support setting a deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq, she's now saying that March 31, 2008, March of next year, should be the goal for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

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SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, actually, I have been consistently advocating that we needed to have a transition to a phased redeployment. In fact, back in November 2005, I voted for that. In June of 2006, I voted for that. I've advocated it. And what we have done now in the legislation put forth in the Senate is to set a goal, a goal to try to move the president to understand what needs to be done in order to change the mission in Iraq and to begin to bring our troops home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOPPEL: In fact, Senator Clinton is now a co-sponsor of some new legislation that Senate Democrats plan to debate, and hopefully, vote on next week which would have that deadline, which Senator Clinton has not explicitly signed onto until now.

She's come under a lot of heat out here on the campaign trail in recent months for, first of all, authorizing -- voting to authorize the war back in 2002, not wanting to say that that was a mistake. Her most recent comments have been that if she only knew then what she knows now, she would never have voted to authorize the war.

During her stop in Nashua, she visited a local chocolatier, where a lot of folks who came out to see her in some instances said they wanted to hear more about her position on universal health care. Others said that they just wanted to look the candidate in the eye. Many people said they were still on the fence as to who they would support. After all, Fredricka, we are still well over a year from the New Hampshire primary.

Now, what's going to happen behind me later tonight is Senator Clinton is going to be the headliner of what is considered to be the top, the premiere fund-raiser for New Hampshire Democrats. And I am told by members of the Clinton party here that she has sold out more tickets than any other single candidate who has spoken to the 100 Club, as it's known, in any previous dinner.

WHITFIELD: All right. Andrea Koppel. It will about full House. Thanks so much.

Well, three of Senator Clinton's challengers are also on the stump today. Senator Barack Obama, Joe Biden and former senator John Edwards are all taking their messages to, where else, Iowa, each trying to build momentum for the state's lead-off caucuses in January. On the Republican side of the campaign trail, Senator Sam Brownback and Fred Thompson are also talking to Iowa voters. Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani -- well, he's in Nevada, and Senator John McCain is in south Carolina. And former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is campaigning in Florida.

Well, it's called Daylight Savings Time, but we lose an hour of sleep. We'll get some tips for a better snooze from Dr. Bill Lloyd and why it's important.

And it's not quite the USO tour, but U.S. troops in Japan did get a visit from -- hoo-hoo! -- Michael Jackson.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: So nearly everyone loses an hour later on tonight with the return to Daylight Savings Time. Remember, set that clock one hour ahead before you go to bed. Then you won't forget. Because, you know, forget about the 2:00 AM thing, you know? Anyway, don't lose any sleep over it because, you know what? Sleep has something to do with our health. Yes. So you need to pay attention to this.

Dr. Bill Lloyd is joining us now to give us an idea of why we shouldn't sweat over losing an hour sleep. If anything, you know, they say you've changed your clocks, it also means it's time to change the batteries in, say, your smoke detectors. You say it's time to change your sleeping habits altogether? How come?

DR. BILL LLOYD UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-DAVIS MEDICAL CENTER: Hi, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Hi.

LLOYD: You know, it's -- you stole a little bit of my thunder about setting the clocks ahead because-

WHITFIELD: Oops!

LLOYD: ... the University of Michigan says the best way that you can adapt to tonight's time zone change is to give yourself a few minutes extra, go to bed a few minutes extra, and set all your clocks before you go to bed tonight.

WHITFIELD: Right.

LLOYD: That includes the car in the driveway. Set all of the clocks ahead of time, and then set your alarm clock for the real time that you're going to be getting up Sunday morning, and that will smooth that adjustment. And even though you lose that one hour of sleep, it won't seem as abrupt than waking up in a panic, you're late for church, and all the clocks in the house are wrong.

WHITFIELD: Oh. OK. That's good advice. I like that formula. So meantime, let's talk about the importance of sleep. It's so important to get a good night's rest. You hear from so many folks who say, You know what? I can operate on four hours sleep, five hours sleep, but really, they're fooling themselves, aren't they.

LLOYD: About a third of adults have regular problems getting to sleep every night. And it's not always just insomnia -- I can't get to sleep. Oftentimes, there's a treatable problem behind their ability either to fall asleep or to stay asleep. So they might have a problem with sleep apnea. So if your sleep partner is making a lot of noise at night, they might want to get that sleep apnea checked out. Or a movement disorder. Remember Kramer, he used to talk about the "jimmy (ph) legs." So if you have those restless legs, that can keep you up at night, as well.

Older folks, particularly adults with early or even advanced Alzheimer's, have all types of sleep problems. Folks with chronic pain -- get the pain fixed, and you'll be able to sleep better, as well. Folks often want to take a drink before they go to bed, thinking it'll make them drowsy. Just the opposite happens, and in the middle of the night, if you're drinking too much fluid, you're going to have to get up anyway.

WHITFIELD: So that whole cookies and milk thing?

LLOYD: Oh, cookies and milk...

WHITFIELD: What about that?

LLOYD: ... perfect solution!

WHITFIELD: Oh.

LLOYD: You're talking about...

WHITFIELD: I like that.

LLOYD: ... snack research. Yes.

WHITFIELD: OK.

LLOYD: Now, a high-calorie snack that has a high glycemic index -- read, junk food -- a little bit of junk food before bed, something like an Oreo's cookie or a cereal that's low in fiber -- that's right, one of those sugar-coated cereals that we're not supposed to be eating for breakfast may be just the right thing to eat before you jump into the sack.

WHITFIELD: What?

LLOYD: Yes, it's going to release...

WHITFIELD: I'm confused. Now, what about your hips?

(LAUGHTER)

LLOYD: It's going to cause serotonin to be released from your brain, and it will help you fall asleep easier, as opposed to someone who might eat a high-fiber snack that may not help them at all.

WHITFIELD: All right. Back to the cookies and milk. I love my chocolate chip cookies. Thanks so much for helping...

(CROSSTALK)

LLOYD: Have a good night's sleep.

WHITFIELD: ... cookies. I will. Thanks so much. All right, Dr. Bill Lloyd, always a treat, just like cookies and just like Rick Sanchez...

(CROSSTALK)

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: My problem at home comes in the form of a 5-year-old and a 7-year-old who still are convinced that there's no funner place in the house than Mom and Dad's bed. And they just -- they just...

WHITFIELD: OK.

SANCHEZ: ... show up, like ghosts...

WHITFIELD: Really?

SANCHEZ: It's 3:00 o'clock in the morning.

WHITFIELD: Because there are cookies and milk there?

SANCHEZ: And all -- I mean, they're like this. They're like -- you know, they're on top of you and their feet are up and...

WHITFIELD: And you're, like, Get out of here!

SANCHEZ: It's crazy! Talk about restless legs. They have restless everything.

WHITFIELD: We know all about your household now.

SANCHEZ: Does your kid do this? No?

WHITFIELD: No. Thank goodness, he stays in his room.

SANCHEZ: Well, we can't -- we haven't been able to...

WHITFIELD: I'm so happy about that.

SANCHEZ: ... to do that. And my wife gets angry, but I'm cool with it. I'm, like, yes, come on...

(CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: Soon they're going to be in college and you'll miss them.

WHITFIELD: All of that tonight in the NEWSROOM? SANCHEZ: No, we're not talking about that. There you go again!

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: We're going to be talking about something else. As a matter of fact, of course, some of the big news stories that we're following are south of the border, the protesters that we've been following in Latin America. You've heart the chants, Gringo go home. Well, what we're going to do is we're going to try and compilate (ph) some of that video for you and show you exactly what's going on behind the protests.

And then, of course, tonight at 10:00 o'clock, we're going to be following a story about running and gunning. You know what "running and gunning" means? "Running and gunning" means...

(CROSSTALK)

SANCHEZ: ... what we now do to show how our reporters not only bring you the story, but what they have to do to get the story. It's kind of like a behind-the-scenes thing with our reporters.

WHITFIELD: Right.

SANCHEZ: And viewers love it. So it's going over very well. And you know, we like to shake things up on weekends and do things a little differently. So that's one of the thing we're doing.

WHITFIELD: We like that you guys shake things up.

SANCHEZ: Tonight you know what he's going to do? He's going to go after the guy who won the lotto, but he can't find him. You know, he's knocking on doors. It's a great piece. Come and watch.

WHITFIELD: OK. We look forward to that, so...

SANCHEZ: That's all (INAUDIBLE)

WHITFIELD: ... there may be some blanks being shot from that running and gunning.

SANCHEZ: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: Because it's hard to find.

SANCHEZ: Once in a while.

WHITFIELD: All right.

SANCHEZ: And if you get a formula for keeping the kids out of the bed...

WHITFIELD: But it's all part of the adventure.

SANCHEZ: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: It's part of the journey.

SANCHEZ: Let me know how to keep the kids...

WHITFIELD: It's not the destination, it's the journey.

SANCHEZ: Let me know how to keep the kids out of bed! Because now my wife's going to ask me.

WHITFIELD: Our producers and directors are going crazy! They're, like, Shut up!

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: OK. We'll see more of you tonight.

SANCHEZ: We'll look forward to it.

WHITFIELD: Thanks, Rick.

All right, so how about this? This is outrageous, and this will have you talking some more. What kind of man beats up on a 101-year- old woman? I say "man" because that's the suspect they believe is carrying out this deed in New York. A security camera catches it all.

We've got more of that in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Sorry. I have the giggles now.

All right, let's talk about the most popular stories on CNN.com.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness! All right.

Brad Delp -- this is not a laughing matter, however, this is a very serious story -- lead singer of the '70 and '80s band Boston was found dead in his home in New Hampshire. Delp was 55. Foul play is not being suspected.

And extra airport security in India for actress Elizabeth Hurley. A scuffle broke out at her Hindu wedding between security personnel and reporters. Hurley married an Indian businessman on Friday.

Click onto CNN.com for details on these stories and much more.

And then there's this. This is outrageous. Who would do this? Beating up on a 101-year-old woman. Well, you're looking at the suspect. A security camera captured this shocking video. Watch him hit the woman, and then he snatches her purse. Then it wasn't enough to leave her standing there with her walker, he had to take her down with a hard punch to the face. The woman suffered a fractured cheekbone and bruises. The same man is suspected of mugging an 85- year-old woman about 30 minutes later.

And screaming, adoring fans -- Michael Jackson is seeing a lot of them in Japan, even at a U.S. Army base outside Tokyo.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER: Oh, it's a great experience. It was an honor to be here today with everybody. Great. I appreciate the invitation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: M.J. -- today the singer was greeted, and he greeted thousands of American troops and their family members. Jackson called the soldiers, quote, "some of the most special people in the world," and he thanked them for their service.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACKSON: Oh it was a great experience. I was honored to be here today with everybody. Great. I appreciate the invitation..

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about the Black Hawk? What about the ride over?

JACKSON: Oh, it was -- it was personally intimidating, but once we got up, I liked it very much. A very strong machine.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Jackson has attended several lavish parties in Japan. And at one of them, fans paid -- get this -- $3,500 top meet the pop star.

Well, he triumphed over Hitler, Tojo, communism and a litany of supervillains, bought a sniper's bullet ultimately took Steve Rogers's (ph) life. Well, perhaps you don't recognize the name. Well, that's understandable since most people knew him as Captain America. After nearly 60 years, Marvel Comics has killed off Captain America amid a controversial storyline.

CNN's Ali Velshi has the superhero's obituary.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the comic, Captain America, war hero, secret agent, the man behind the mask, is to stand trial. His crime? Defying a new law calling for those with superpowers to register with the U.S. government, a law that came into being after a superhero's tragic mistake causes a fictional 9/11.

DAN BUCKLEY, PRES., MARVEL COMICS: 9/11 every child knew about from -- if you could see a TV, he knew what 9/11 was, just part of story telling. Every popular fiction story telling thing (ph) does reflect these things.

VELSHI: The storyline was intentionally written as an allegory to current issues like the Patriot Act and the war on terror. Captain America -- or Steve Rogers -- eventually surrenders to police, but he's mortally wounded as he climbs the courthouse steps, a violent and strange end for an American icon.

Captain America first appeared in 1941 as America entered World War II. He was a symbol of American strength and resolve in fighting first the Axis powers and later communism. So if the current storyline is an allegory for the post-9/11 social and political situation, what does the death of Captain America represent?

JOE QUESADA, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, MARVEL COMICS: There's a lot to be read in there, but I'm not one that's going to tell people this is what you should read into it because I can look at it and say, No, I can read several different types of messages.

VELSHI: One clear message, Captain America is dead. Or is he?

QUESADA: There was a period in comics when characters would just die and then be resurrected. And the death had very little meaning, or the resurrection had very little meaning. So when I took over the helm, there were certain characters that were dead, that had meaningful deaths, and all I ask of my writers is, first of all, if you're going to kill a character off, please let that death have some meaning.

What happens with Cap, more importantly, what happens with the costume and what happens to the characters who were friends and enemies of Cap? You'll have to read the books to find out.

VELSHI: Ali Velshi, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Rick Sanchez, were you a big Captain America fan?

SANCHEZ: No, but I'm thinking as I'm watching that, they'll bring him back.

WHITFIELD: You think so?

SANCHEZ: He'll be dating Wonderwoman next week.

(LAUGHTER)

SANCHEZ: Come on! You know how it is!

WHITFIELD: Don't fall for it, huh?

SANCHEZ: As Tony -- was it Tony -- no, it was "The Godfather." They just want to suck you in so you can get more out of it.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: Oh!

SANCHEZ: Oh! Captain America!

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, we're sucked in to the next hour of the NEWSROOM, which you will be taking us through. Lots on tap. SANCHEZ: Boy, we're going to be talking about a lot of information. All right, here we go.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

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