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Elizabeth Edwards Battling Cancer Again; Senate Committees Votes for Subpoenas for White House Staff; Bomb Shocks U.N. Secretary- General Visiting Iraq; CNN Speaks with a Chicago Bartender Assaulted by a Police Officer; Arrests Made in Connection to the 2005 London Bombings
Aired March 22, 2007 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The bottom line is, the cancer is back. We are very optimistic about this because, having been through some struggles together in the past, we know that the key is keep your head up and keep moving and be strong. We intend to do exactly that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DON LEMON, CO-HOST: It is our developing story this hour. A cancer setback for the wife of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards.
Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CO-HOST: And I'm Brianna Keilar live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Kyra Phillips is in Iraq on assignment here in the NEWSROOM.
Well, family comes first, but the campaign will continue. As you know if you've been watching CNN, Democratic presidential hopeful John Edward and his wife, Elizabeth, just met with reporters. And Mrs. Edwards' cancer, which first appeared in 2004, has returned.
CNN's Mary Snow was in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for their announcement, and she joins us now live.
Hi, Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Brianna.
And John and Elizabeth Edwards announcing that Elizabeth Edwards' cancer is back, as you said and that it is not curable but they say it is treatable. A doctor later diagnosed it as metastatic stage IV cancer.
What John Edwards and Elizabeth Edwards describe it as being largely confined to the bones. But they say they are very optimistic and that this will not affect the campaign of presidential Democratic hopeful John Edwards. In fact, both of the Edwards will be traveling later today. Clearly here in North Carolina, some emotional moments. Some supporters came along with the press. You could see one woman tearing up as the news had been announced. This was widely anticipated, because it had been announced last night that there would be a press conference.
Elizabeth Edwards stressing that her experience with battling cancer is not uncommon with many women across the country and around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELIZABETH EDWARDS, WIFE OF JOHN EDWARDS: This is what happens to every cancer survivor, not that you ultimately get a bad diagnosis. But every time you get something suspicious, you go into alarm mode. And that's all -- every cancer survivor that you know personally has exactly that experience of knowing that pain they feel in their side, the ache they feel someplace could be the sign of something worse. This turned out to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SNOW: Elizabeth -- Elizabeth Edwards had a test yesterday. John Edwards was by her side. And they said they both talked about what to do next and that they had decided that they did not want to interrupt the campaign.
In John Edwards' words, he said, you can cower in the corner and hide or go out there and be tough and stand up for what you believe.
Elizabeth Edwards saying that she feels fine and that she hasn't shown many symptoms. She will be going for treatment. Her doctor says it will begin in a week or two, but it is not exactly sure what those treatments will entail.
But later this afternoon, John Edwards is heading to New York for a fundraiser. An aide says Elizabeth Edwards will be heading to Boston to be with her oldest daughter -- Brianna.
KEILAR: Mary Snow, thanks so much for bringing us up to speed on that -- Don.
LEMON: All right, Brianna.
Let's talk more now about the specifics of Elizabeth Edwards' battle against breast cancer. It's a battle waged by more than two million women in the U.S. And our medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen, joins us now.
You watched the press conference and examined, you know, what they said and body language and everything. What did you take away from that?
ELIZABETH EDWARDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What I took away from this is that she has a fight in front of her. When someone is diagnosed with breast cancer for the first time, doctors will sometimes say, "You know what? The cancer is only in your breast. We can give you surgery and chemo and radiation, and we can lick this. You could be cancer free, you know, this time next year or whenever."
In this case, where the cancer has traveled, that is probably not what they're telling her. In fact, they said they're telling them that it is not curable. The cancer is there. It needs to be dealt with.
And something that was -- that they mentioned but really didn't go into much is that this cancer is in the bone and that it is possibly maybe in other organs, as well. So we know the breast and the bone, maybe in other organs. That would be very much additional bad news if that were to come to pass.
LEMON: And Elizabeth, you mentioned that now you said it's treatable, but it's not curable. Some of the treatments, what might she go through?
COHEN: I asked some breast cancer specialists that. And it sounds like they haven't decided what she's going to go through. But a woman in this situation with breast cancer that has moved to the bone, these are some of the treatments that she might be facing.
She might possibly have more surgery. She had a lumpectomy the first time. Possibly now she might have a mastectomy to have the entire breast or have both breasts removed. Again, a possibility. We don't know, and her doctors don't even know what she's going to have.
Possibly also hormonal treatments. That's a possibility. Also possibly there's a new drug out there called VEG-F, which is one of these newer cancers drugs that does a better job of getting right to the cancer.
LEMON: Right.
COHEN: And not making the rest of your body sick. So there are things out there that she hasn't tried that they might want to have her try now and different chemos. She was obviously on chemo, but there are other chemos that she can try.
LEMON: We mentioned two million women. So, you know, many people are, sadly, not strangers to this disease, but there are people who don't know. Stage I through -- she mentions she has IV.
COHEN: Right.
LEMON: What does that mean?
COHEN: Stage IV is the end of the scale. It's stage I to stage IV. Stage I means that the breast cancer is just within the breast. Stages II and III means that the cancer has moved on to nearby lymph nodes or to nearby tissues. Stage IV means that it has moved on to distant organs or tissue. In this case, it has moved from the breast to the bone. So it is stage IV breast cancer.
LEMON: Yes. And you know, she has been very vocal about this and obviously is a leader, at least on the forefront when it comes to treatment and getting awareness about this.
What might she go through after this? Because, you know -- what does this mean for her as far as we talked about treatment? We talked definitely she has a road ahead of her. But what does this mean for her as far as in the future?
COHEN: You know, unfortunately, they don't have good survival rates for people who have metastatic breast cancer. In other words, breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body.
So unlike when a woman has breast cancer just in her breast, they can say, you know what? Eighty-eight percent of the women in your situation are alive five years after diagnosis. Eighty-eight percent of the women with breast cancer just in the breast, 80 percent of those women are alive 10 years after the diagnosis. Those are terrific numbers.
Unfortunately, this leaves her and women in her situation psychologically in a different state. They don't have numbers to hang their hat on that says, "Gee, I've got an 88 percent of being alive five years from now, an 80 percent chance of being alive 10 years from now."
LEMON: Right.
COHEN: It's -- you're moving to a different psychological state when you don't have those numbers.
LEMON: CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. Thank you so much. And we certainly wish Elizabeth Edwards the best.
COHEN: That's right.
LEMON: Thank you -- Brianna.
KEILAR: Well, Don, we want to hear from the viewers. What do you think about the Edwards' decision to stay in the race? E-mail us. The address, CNNnewsroom@CNN.com. And we'll go ahead and read some of your responses throughout the afternoon.
Now also, the White House press briefing is currently under way. And a short while ago, White House press secretary Tony Snow talked about this announcement from Elizabeth Edwards, from John Edwards. He himself, of course, also a cancer survivor. Let's hear what he had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: First, our thoughts and prayers with Elizabeth Edwards.
Also, as somebody who has been through this, Elizabeth Edwards is setting a powerful example for a lot of people and a good and positive one. She has been on top of diagnosis and follow-up. When you have cancer, it's very important to keep checking. She's being aggressive.
She's living an active life. And a positive attitude, prayers and people you love are always a very good addition to any kind of medicine you have.
So for Elizabeth Edwards, good going. Our prayers are with you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Those comments from White House press secretary Tony snow. He, of course, also a cancer survivor.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Congress is one step closer to a court confrontation with the White House. Late this morning, a Senate committee approved subpoenas for advisers to President Bush in the probe into the ousters of U.S. attorneys.
Standing by live on Capitol Hill, CNN's Dana Bash.
Hi, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Brianna.
And that really made it so that the Congress has dealt a double barrel threat to the White House with this vote, a voice vote, in the Senate judiciary committee authorizing subpoenas for the chairman to give to Karl Rove and other top White House officials if, in fact, he thinks it comes to that.
I say double-barrel threat because the House Judiciary Committee did the exact same thing yesterday.
Now this actually -- this vote came after about an hour and a half, surprisingly so, of some pretty intense sparring inside the judiciary committee, the Democrats making the point quite vocally that they simply think that the offer that the White House gave them to have private conversations with Karl Rove and others, no transcripts, nothing under oath and obviously nothing in public, that's not acceptable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D-VT), CHAIRMAN, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: What we're told we can get is nothing, nothing, nothing! We're told that we can have a closed-door meeting with no transcript, not under oath, limited number of people, and the White House will determine what the agenda is. That, to me, is nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now, you saw the chairman, Patrick Leahy getting a bit exercised there about his position.
On the other side, most of the Republicans on the committee made the point that they think that even giving the chairman the authority to issue subpoenas is premature right now, that they say that -- many of the Republicans think that what the White House has offered, at least for now, is a good way to start, to at least try to get to the bottom of the facts. Of course, the facts of this overriding is why eight federal prosecutors were fired.
Listen to Republican Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: Fred Fielding has made a very good offer here. Now, as I view it, if we are really about trying to get the facts here, he's offered to produce White House people here in the way he has defined in his letter. That's quite a -- quite a concession.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: So essentially what you saw was some very interesting public posturing inside this hearing.
And, also, Brianna, some kind of good cop/bad cop with the Democratic chairman and his ranking Republican, Arlen Specter.
Patrick Leahy saying over and over that he heard the president, he heard the president's spokesman say, "This is our offer. Take it or leave it." So why even bother having a counter proposal or trying to compromise?
But Arlen Specter saying, you know, "We're all lawyers here. That's how you negotiate." So he actually, Senator Specter, the Republican, offered a counter proposal of sorts. But Senator Specter said later that he hasn't actually sent that over to the White House yet. He said he's waiting for the dust to settle.
So we're going to see how this plays out as the public posturing continues and the private discussions may go on.
KEILAR: Well, we certainly will wait for that, Dana. But of course, this controversy is really just eclipsing everything else that's going on on the hill, or is there anything else going on, on the Hill?
BASH: There actually is a lot going on, on the Hill. The Senate is actually debating the budget, which is -- which is important. A little bit wonky, but nonetheless important.
And over on the House side, Brianna, the House is starting to debate Iraq. It's starting to debate a war-funding bill, which, as you remember, includes the -- the Democrats' bill includes a date certain for U.S. combat troops to come out.
That vote won't happen till tomorrow. But I can tell you there's a lot of activity going on there, because Democrats in the House are scrambling to get the votes for that, because they don't yet have it.
KEILAR: Dana Bash, live for us from Capitol Hill. Thanks, Dana.
Somewhat lost in the shuffle, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Now, as head of the Justice Department, Gonzales of course, is under attack over the prosecutor firings and other recent controversies. But today in St. Louis, he signaled again that he's not backing down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I'm not going to resign. I'm going to stay focused on protecting our kids.
There's a lot of work that needs to be done around the country. The department is responsible for protecting our kids, for making our neighborhoods safe, for protecting our country against attacks of terrorism, to going after gangs, going after drug dealers. I'm staying focused on that.
At the end of the day, we have a situation where the president of the United States has the authority to hire and to fire United States attorneys. I'm going to be going up to the Congress and providing further clarification about what happened here. We are working with Congress voluntarily.
No United States attorney was fired for improper reasons. And that's the message that I'm going to deliver to the United States Congress.
Thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: The Justice Department says Gonzales is reaching out to U.S. attorneys after receiving a vote of confidence from President Bush.
LEMON: She was shocked to learn that her attacker was a police officer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAROLINA, BARTENDER ATTACKED BY OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER: Actually, I couldn't believe it. I was like policemen supposed to serve and protect, not beat up people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Bartender beating caught on tape, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Bombs' big blast. A reality check for the new U.N.'s new Secretary-general. I'm Kyra Phillips live in Baghdad. I'll tell you what happened, coming up from the NEWSROOM.
LEMON: And a South Carolina mother could lose custody of her obese son. The state says he's got to lose weight.
KEILAR: And a reminder to send us your e-mails. What do you think of the Edwards' decision to stay in this race? E-mail us. The address is CNNnewsroom@CNN.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: It's 17 past the hour. And here are a few of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, announced last hour that her cancer has returned. But her husband's campaign for the White House will roll on.
And the Senate Judiciary Committee investigating the possible political firings of U.S. attorneys approves the use of subpoenas for White House aides unwilling to testify voluntarily.
And attorneys for former astronaut Lisa Nowak enter pleas of not guilty to charges that she planned the assault and kidnapping of a romantic rival. Nowak's trial is scheduled to begin on July 30.
LEMON: And now to the fight for Iraq and the first-time, firsthand look at the Iraqi capital by the newly installed United Nations secretary-general. Ban Ki-moon received a rude introduction today to the state of affairs in Baghdad. Let's get more on that and other Iraq developments from our Kyra Phillips.
Kyra, he looked surprised by all of that.
PHILLIPS: Well, I mean, we felt it here where we are in our compound. We felt the newsroom shake. We felt the windows shake. So immediately, we started to work this story to find out what was going on not far from us.
Take a look at the video, and then I'll tell you how it happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(EXPLOSION)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: You can actually see the new secretary-general of the U.N., Ban Ki-moon, he sort of hesitates, doesn't know if he should hit the deck or move out of the room. He looks a little shaken.
But what's interesting is just the contrast. Nuri al-Maliki, the prime minister, right next to him remaining very calm. His guards wanted to shuffle him out immediately, concerned about his safety. He turned and looked at them, and in Arabic he said, "Makushi (ph), makushi (ph)," as in "I'm fine. Stay here; don't move." He was telling them, "I don't want to go anywhere." He actually got a little bit upset with the guards because he wanted everything to remain somewhat neutral. Obviously, attacks like this happen on a regular basis here in Baghdad and throughout Iraq. And it was two mortars, we are told, that fired not far from where they were, just outside of the conference center there, in the fortified Green Zone where they were holding this press conference. Ban Ki-moon talking about the reconstruction of Iraq.
So it was a reality check for his first trip in country, no doubt thinking a lot now about security and not just the reconstruction.
LEMON: All right, Kyra Phillips, thank you so much. We'll check back with you on this and other developments in Iraq. Thanks so much.
KEILAR: An announcement today from presidential candidate John Edwards and his wife about her health. What does it mean long term for Edwards' presidential campaign?
And we're going to read e-mails, your e-mails. What do you think of the Edwards' decision? E-mail us. The address is CNNnewsroom@CNN.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
E. EDWARDS: I'm ready for this. I'm ready for that. Honestly, I have -- I have all the energy. One of the reasons to do a press conference as opposed to a press release is that you can see, I mean, I don't look sickly. I don't feel sickly. And I'm as ready as any person can be for that.
You know how grueling it is in general. There is a likelihood that some of the medications that I will be taking will at some times make me tired.
I have, as you all well know -- and a lot of you know -- actually know that my children, my younger children, 6 and 8-year-old. If I get tired, I actually suspect they're going to be the reason, as opposed to the medications that Dr. Carey is going to be giving me. But there's a chance they both of them will make me tired sometimes. And so sometimes I'll step back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That was Elizabeth Edwards along with her husband, John Edwards, announcing in the CNN NEWSROOM last hour that her cancer has returned, the cancer that first appeared in 2004. But her husband, John Edwards, who's a Democratic hopeful for the presidency, says his campaign goes on.
We'll continue to follow this story right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. And coming up at the half hour, our very own Candy Crowley will give us some political analysis on this information -- Brianna.
KEILAR: Some cancer related news, now. If you need another reason to reach for a piece of fruit, a new study from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, says a diet high in fruits and low in meat can reduce your risk of colon cancer. It's also the latest study to show that meat-heavy diets can make us more susceptible to colon cancer.
And fruits and vegetables, it seems, can help older women avoid breast cancer. Research published in the "Journal of the National Cancer Institute" found that women who eat lignans -- that's an estrogen-like compound in flaxseed and several fruits and veggies -- were 17 percent less likely to get breast cancer.
The findings are based on surveys of 58,000 post-menopausal women.
LEMON: Not changing your car's oil every 3,000 or even every 5,000 miles? Well, one automaker says don't worry about it, not so much. You don't have to do it.
I can hear her snickering now. CNN's Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with all the details on that.
You know what? When I first started driving, my dad said every 2,500. Makes your engine run like a snap.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Your dad probably took very good care of the family car. But, you know, for those of us like yourself, I'm sure we don't get our hands dirty. We leave it to the professionals.
The accepted rule is that you should change your oil every 3,000 miles. That's gone by the wayside. Ford is extending its oil life guidelines to 7,500 miles. The change applies to its new models, 2007 and beyond.
The extended limits are the results of higher oil quality and new engine designs.
Some other manufacturers like Honda and GM stopped making oil change recommendations on most of their models. Instead, they use sensors that measure oil temperatures and alert the driver when the lubricant should be changed.
And I'm sure you pay careful attention to that, Don.
LEMON: There you go. My producer said, "Don, that's why you drive a 1986 Caddie." And I do. Keep the oil changed every 2,500 miles, of course.
LISOVICZ: Yes. One would have to.
LEMON: Less -- less oil changes, less money spent, right?
LISOVICZ: I'm sorry. I'm just picturing you in that Cadillac, Don. It's distracting me.
It's certainly one of the benefits, cost cutting. Ford estimates that drivers can save as much as $600 over a five-year period by going 7,500 miles between changes.
There are also, of course, environmental advantages.
It could mean trouble for some companies. Places like Jiffy Lube, Greasy Monkey, local gas stations, Pennzoil. Some critics say that, depending on the driver, waiting even 5,000 miles is sometimes too long.
One mechanic says when deciding when to change your car's oil, you should consider the weather and how much freeway driving you do or just listen to Mr. Lemon, right? Your dad, Don's dad.
(STOCK REPORT)
LISOVICZ: That's the latest from Wall Street. Coming up, one star (ph) shopping for your medical -- one stop shopping for your medical needs in Newark's Liberty International Airport. Details next hour.
You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Hello. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar in for Kyra Phillips. Facing down a killer in the face of a killer campaign. Ahead in the NEWSROOM, we're going to talk with our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley, who knows John and Elizabeth Edwards very well. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: It is the bottom of the hour and we start with this news that Elizabeth Edwards faces another battle with cancer. Can't be viewed apart from her husband's run for the White House. Now at their news conference a little while ago, John Edwards, he made it clear, he's still in this race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN EDWARDS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The campaign goes on. The campaign goes on strongly. Elizabeth and I have talked at length about this already, talked with our children about it. Basically, as I mentioned earlier, we had been confronted with these kind of traumas and struggles already in our life. And we know from our previous experience that when this happens, you have a choice. You can go cower in the corner and hide or you can be tough and go out there and stand up for what you believe in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And now our senior political correspondent Candy Crowley is following these developments from Washington. They both seem, Candy, so poised and so upbeat, and have a lot of admiration for each other. And I want you to talk to me first about their relationship because you spent time with them. You have followed them on the campaign trail for a long time.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I did in 2004. It was a really interesting campaign. She, first of all, is one of those very open candidate's wives. I mean, you got the sense of a truly real person, somebody who could be anybody's wife that was -- you know, found herself out there on the campaign trail. They're very close.
They met in law school. She is a lawyer. He always said she was a much smarter lawyer and better lawyer than he was. She quit lawyering after their son, Wade, died in a car crash when he was 16 years old. So they have been intellectual equals. They seem to be help mates to one another. It seems to me that this came across as a very joint decision by the two of them.
I spoke to a friend of theirs prior to the announcement, who said, I just don't think Elizabeth would let him get out of race. So she seemed -- and you heard her talk about it, saying, listen, you know, as bad as this is, I talk to people who have lives so much worse than I do. And that's why I think it's so important to go on with this. You know, there's a lot at stake in America.
So it seemed every bit as much her commitment to the campaign as his.
LEMON: Yes. And I think he referred to her as strong, at least, or feisty or what have you. When she said she was 57 years old, you know, everyone in the newsroom went, wow, she looks great. She doesn't look 57. She looks great for 57. But you know,, I want to talk about the campaign trail. How are they going to handle this pressure along with the campaign? It seems like a whole lot to put on your plate, Candy.
CROWLEY: It does. And we'll see, especially because we heard from the doctor and from Elizabeth Edwards herself that she's going to have to be going back to clinic more often than she has been. This obviously takes her off the campaign trail.
Very often in these campaigns, in fact more often than not, the wives are a separate campaign unto themselves because two can cover twice as much ground as one. So very rarely do candidates and their wives campaign together.
Now, he immediately started talking about how they were headed for New York and Boston and then out to California for some fundraisers together. That's not always possible. And they certainly still want to use her. She's a great asset to him on the campaign trail.
So insofar as she has to go back to clinic for these treatments once they decide what treatments they're talking about, that does take her off the campaign trail. So that will be one of the first differences we see, I think.
LEMON: And, Candy, she is an asset to him and we certainly do wish her the best. But, you know, this is politics. Might this actually help his campaign?
CROWLEY: Well, look, I think any time people see candidates as human beings, it's always helpful. And in struggles, people see human beings. And this is a struggle. So I think that always helps when voters and the American people can see a politician as someone who can relate to their problems. So I think that's always helpful, although nothing you'd wish for.
LEMON: And someone who has a platform to bring the eyes and attention to this disease as well, Candy.
CROWLEY: Yes, absolutely.
LEMON: Thank you so much for your analysis.
CROWLEY: Sure.
KEILAR: New details now in the Chicago bartender beating caught on videotape. Prosecutors there looking into whether the victim may have been threatened not to pursue charges against her alleged attacker, who, for now is still a Chicago police officer.
CNN's Keith Oppenheim has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The regulars gathered at this neighborhood bar in Chicago while a security camera recorded tape. In this surveillance video, notice the man in the upper right corner of your screen. The bartender, Karolina, didn't know it at the time, but that customer was an off-duty Chicago police officer. Karolina would give her first name only, but agreed to review the tape with me.
KAROLINA, BEATING VICTIM: I think I've been telling him that I'm not going to serve him anymore.
OPPENHEIM (on camera): Because you're concerned that he's getting wasted?
KAROLINA: Yes. Exactly.
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): He has since been identified as Officer Anthony Abbate. At one point, Abbate surprises Karolina and comes around to her side of the bar. But when Abbate bumps into the bar, he explodes. He punches her repeatedly.
Keep in mind, according to prosecutors, Abbate is 6'1" and 250 pounds. Karolina says she's 5'4" and 130 pounds. As frightened bystanders keep a distance, Officer Abbate walks away. Karolina gets up, despite multiple hits to her head, back and ribs.
DAVID NAVARRO, ASST. COOK COUNTY STATES ATTORNEY: It is one of the most brutal and savage attacks that I've ever seen caught on tape.
OPPENHEIM: Prosecutors have charged Officer Abbate with aggravated assault, a felony. Abbate's attorneys did not return CNN's calls.
(on camera): Karolina, what is your reaction that the person who beat you is a police officer?
KAROLINA: Actually, I couldn't believe. I was like, police are to serve and protect, not to beat up people.
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): Chicago police released a statement about Officer Abbate which said: "A recommendation for termination is expected pending the completion of the internal investigation. Karolina says she's left with bad headaches, and as you might imagine, bad memories from what happened in this bar.
Keith Oppenheim, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: And bystanders doing just that, standing right by. So would you have jumped in to help? That's what cnn.com is asking on the Quickvote today. And so far, a lot of you are feeling brave today. Right now 92 percent of you say, yes, you would have stepped in to help out. And 8 percent say no.
LEMON: A South Carolina mother could lose custody of her obese son. The state says he has got to lose weight. That is straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Plus, new developments right here into the CNN NEWSROOM. That terror plot in London in 2005 that killed 52 people, CNN is getting word that three people have been arrested in that. Our Paula Newton will join us from London coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: The deadline to file taxes is less than a month away. This year it's April 17th. But even after you file, there are still some important dates to remember. CNN's Jennifer Westhoven has more in this week's "Tax Time Made Easier."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER WESTHOVEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A question many taxpayers want to know, how long do I have to keep my tax records? Well, as a general rule, the IRS has up to three years to examine your tax returns. And during those three years, you have to keep all of those records in case you get audited. So you want to remember that the three-year period starts on the date the taxes are due.
It's a little confusing, but so if the filing deadline this year is April 17th, even if you file early, you've got to keep all that paperwork until April 17th, 2010. Now, if you file after the April 17th deadline, that's where your clock still starts on the date that you actually do file.
Now there are some exceptions. The IRS has six years to go back and challenge a return if you underreported your income by 25 percent or more. And there's no time limit for the IRS to challenge a fraudulent tax return.
Now when it's finally time to get rid of your old documents, be sure to use a paper shredder so that you cut the risk of identity theft.
For "Tax Time Made Easier," I'm Jennifer Westhoven.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. You can send in your tax questions to taxes@cnn.com. And tune in to the CNN NEWSROOM, the afternoon edition right here Tuesdays and Thursdays for "Tax Time Made Easier" with Jennifer Westhoven. More from the NEWSROOM in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Developing story now coming into the CNN NEWSROOM. Word of arrests made in connection to the 2005 bombings in London. Let's go live now to Paula Newton standing by.
Paula, what do you have for us?
PAUL NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has been 20 months now and there you have it, two men arrested at Manchester Airport on their way allegedly to catch a flight to Pakistan, a third man arrested in Leeds, that is in north England, in connection with the 7/7 bombings.
They have been arrested on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terror. Just to let everyone know here, the legal system works a little bit differently here in Britain. They will hold them for questioning and they can hold them for up to 28 days. And that means that they can either be released or charged.
We have no word yet of any charges. There are several properties being searched in north Britain, in Leeds and also two other locations in East London. The reason this is such an incredible development is that for many of the victims of 7/7 and the victims' families, they thought -- they were led to believe that this was a self-contained cell, four men going on three subway trains and a bus, blowing themselves up, 52 people dead, scores injured.
And they thought that this was that kind of a self-contained cell. Potentially, if these men are tried and convicted of what the suspicion is right now, that would mean that it is not. And how much danger has that put people here in London and in Britain in and exactly what else is this connected to? Could this possibly have had anything to do with constructing those bombs? Was it offering financial support or any kind of accommodation?
These are the kinds of things that Scotland Yard tells us they're investigating right now. This had to do with a fairly extensive intelligence and surveillance operation we are told here. And I was just speaking to the victims' families -- some of the victims' families last week. And you know, this really was their worst fear. They thought, what if it wasn't just the four men? What if others who killed our family members are still out here? And I think this is going to be very unsettling news for them to hear today. Because of a lot of the different legal procedures here in Britain, it will be difficult to get any of the details of this until there is a trial, if there ever is one.
KEILAR: All right. Paula Newton, live for us from London. And thanks so much for the new details on this. And as more details do become available, we'll bring them to you.
LEMON: Justin Painter (ph) is his name. He plays T-ball and soccer and he does his homework just like any 7-year-old. But he weighs as much as five 7-year-olds, more than most heavyweight boxers. And his mother, well, she is just beside herself.
Reporter Craig Beatty with our affiliate WSPA has more.
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CRAIG BEATTY, WSPA REPORTER (voice-over): Justin Painter is a lot bigger than most boys his age. At just seven years old, Justin weighs more than the average adult, 254 pounds.
JOYCE PAINTER, JUSTIN'S MOTHER: I just noticed he started putting on weight.
BEATTY: His mother, Joyce, says she first realized Justin's weight problem when he was three, and for the past four years has visited doctor after doctor looking for a cause and a solution. But most every time, Joyce says, she was told to watch his diet.
PAINTER: I've got him on three meals, you know, meat and two vegetables, you know, and give him a plate and that's it.
BEATTY (on camera): No snacking?
PAINTER: No snacking. We don't have chips. I've removed all the chips, all the cookies, all that stuff. I quit buying it.
BEATTY (voice-over): Despite a strict diet and physical activity, Joyce says her son continues to grow. Now she says the Department of Social Services has visited her after getting a complaint about Justin's size. Joyce says she was shocked at what DSS told her.
PAINTER: We have a report that all you're doing is just feeding your child all the time. That's why he's gaining weight.
BEATTY: Joyce says that's not the case. Polk County DSS wouldn't comment on the situation, citing confidentiality laws, but Joyce says the agency gave her two months. If Justin doesn't show signs of losing weight, they'll remove him from her home.
PAINTER: I do the best I can to cook him healthy meals and everything. And if I'm doing something wrong, somebody come show me. Show me what I'm doing. Come into my home and look what I've got in my cabinet. If there's something in there that I don't need to have, show me so I can throw it out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Well, that reporter, Craig Beatty, adds Justin is now in a weight management program run by a doctor. Next week he'll start a specialized program at Duke University.
KEILAR: Still recovering from three nights alone and being lost in the woods, 12-year-old Michael Auberry spent another night in a North Carolina hospital. His father says he's slowly regaining the feeling in his fingers and toes. The Boy Scout had wandered away from his Troop on Saturday and at one point he fell into a creek. A dog rescue team found him on Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENT AUBERRY, MICHAEL'S FATHER: As his parents, we had moments of, you know, deep despair. But he did, too. And one of the things he told me was that at one point, he would -- he prayed where he could starve to death so he could go to heaven. I think that was probably one of his dark moments out there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: And Michael wasn't actually missed right away, the other boys and Scout leaders say they thought he'd gone to clean his mess kit after lunch.
LEMON: What does it mean when cancer moves from breast to bone? Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, more on the news from John and Elizabeth Edwards. A cancer specialist, Dr. Otis Brawley (ph), joins us with the medical facts on that.
And meteorologist Bonnie Schneider has a look at some Midwest storms moving in. The news keeps coming. We'll keep bringing it to you. You're watching the CNN NEWSROOM, you're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
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KEILAR: Water up to the roof. This SUV, one of two vehicles swamped when a section of Highway 41 flooded near Lake Bluff, Illinois. The drivers say it happened in an instant. Now, both were rescued and they're doing fine. Emergency crews are on alert for more of the same today.
LEMON: Oh, my goodness. Amazing video.
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KEILAR: Well, his name is George Bush and he's joining the Navy. Presidential nephew George P. Bush has been selected to join an intelligence unit of the Navy Reserves. You might remember him from past presidential campaigns. He's the son of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Bush will go through a two-week officer training school and a year of basic intel training. And after that, his job will be to collect and analyze information to assist with battlefield decision- making.
And another star football player is following in the footsteps of Pat Tillman, the NFL standout turned-soldier who died on duty in Afghanistan. Jeremy Staat was a pro defensive lineman. He's now a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps. His unit is en route to Iraq today for an expected seven-month deployment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANCE CPL. JEREMY STAAT, FORMER NFL LINEMAN: The first NFL game, you know, it's going to be over in about four hours. I mean, this game is going to take about seven months. And the plays here are for real. I mean, this is life or death. And if you make a mistake here, you can't go back and play next week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Staat says he was motivated to enlist in the Marines by the death of his friend and college roommate Pat Tillman.
LEMON: Take a look at this smiling face, it belongs to U.S. Marine Corps Major William Chesarek. He's holding the British Distinguished Flying Cross, pinned on his chest by Queen Elizabeth herself. He's a helicopter pilot, decorated for braving hostile fire while saving the life of a British soldier in Iraq. He and a British army private soldier were honored at a Buckingham Palace ceremony. Major Chesarek is believed to be the first American pilot awarded that royal medal since World War II. Congratulations to him.
And we have a quick programming note for you. The secretary of defense, Robert Gates, is scheduled to brief reporters today at the Pentagon, that is at 2:45 Eastern. We plan to carry it for you live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
KEILAR: And at least one business is booming in Baghdad, tattoo parlors. And the reasons go way beyond body art.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: God forbid anything happens to you, but is this another way for your family to identify you if something were to go wrong?
"Yes, of course. I'll show it to my family so they'll know I have a mark on my body in case something bad happens to me."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Ahead in the NEWSROOM, marked for life in case of death.
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