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Rutgers Women's Basketball Team Responds to Imus; Court May Decide on Anna Nicole Paternity Case Today; Some Units to Stay Longer in Iraq

Aired April 10, 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)
ESSENCE CARSON, RUTGERS TEAM CAPTAIN: We'd just like to express our great hurt, the sadness that it has brought to us. It's more than the game of basketball. It's more than Rutgers women's basketball team.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BETTY NGUYEN, CO-HOST: The players at the center of the Imus controversy are speaking out. Their message to Imus, Imus' comments today and their opinion as we ask you to weigh in.

You are live in the CNN Newsroom.

DON LEMON, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen in for Kyra Phillips today.

On-air cracks, off-court reaction, this time, it is no joke for Don Imus and no game for the Rutgers University women's basketball players. Last week, the radio host called them nappy-headed hos. And today they react to the comments, and Imus reacts to being suspended for two weeks.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DON IMUS, RADIO/TV TALK SHOW HOST: I'm going to serve it without whining, because as bad as I feel, I don't feel as bad as those young women at Rutgers do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, the Rutgers team says they have agreed to meet privately with Don Imus.

Let's go straight to the Rutgers campus in New Jersey and CNN's Jim Acosta.

Hi, Jim.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, don, good afternoon.

Yes, we're at the Rutgers Athletic Center, the RAC as they call it here, where this press conference just wrapped up. Coach Vivian Stringer of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights just answering a few more questions here about the controversy that was whipped up by Don Imus last week and those racially charged comments he made on his radio program on Wednesday.

The big headline here, though, is that the team will meet with Don Imus. They won't say when. They won't say where, but they will be meeting with Don Imus to listen to, as he put it, a formal apology from the talk show host. And it's not clear yet whether or not these ladies will accept that apology, but they are planning to listen to it.

We heard from the coach of this team, Vivian Stringer, who really talked at great length about how deeply hurt this team is. She called Imus' comments despicable and unconscionable.

Her players also got out there on the podium behind me here and said basically the same thing, basically talking about how this was just devastating to them after they had made it all the way to the NCAA championship.

But it was Coach Vivian Stringer who reminded the people in attendance here just who these women are.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VIVIAN STRINGER, COACH, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM: Is there malice in my heart? No, I'm hurt. But I do recognize that this issue speaks to a bigger issue. To utter such despicable words are not right, whether spoken by black, white, purple, or green, male or female, tall or short, skinny or thin, fat, whatever. It is not right.

CARSON: I would like to express our team's great hurt, anger, and disgust towards the words of Mr. Don Imus. We are highly angered at his remarks but deeply saddened with the racial characterizations they entailed.

Not only has Mr. Imus stolen a moment of pure grace from us, but he has brought us to the harsh reality that, behind the faces of the networks that have worked so hard to convey a message of empowerment to young adults, that somehow, some way, the door has been left over to attack the leaders of tomorrow.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: Now the women here, the women's basketball team here answered many questions. They were asked whether or not Don Imus should be fired. They did not elect to answer that question. They said that was up to the various companies that put Mr. Imus on the air.

They were also asked whether or not various presidential candidates who often appear on this program should continue to do so. They said it's up to those candidates to make that decision. What these ladies came out to say today basically was that they were still holding their heads up high, and that they were not going to let these comments from Don Imus make them feel any less about themselves. They're very proud of the achievements that they had during this past basketball season -- Don.

LEMON: CNN's Jim Acosta. Thank you so much for that.

You heard about what the women had to say about the comments. So you've heard them, the comments we've reported on, the controversy. What do you think? We want you to weigh in. Send us your e-mails to CNNNewsroom@CNN.com.

NGUYEN: We want to get you straight to the newsroom now and CNN's T.J. Holmes with a developing story that he wants to tell us about. Dealing with the Everglades, I understand, T.J.?

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, I'll take you down here to Sunshine Islands, actually, in Florida is where I want to take you right now. For this scene, a live picture we are watching right now.

And what you're seeing here is a few people who have gathered and are being collected right now after they took kind of a dump in the water because they were on that right there, which you can make out is that this is an airboat, Betty, that was down there. And it appears, according to police, that there was quite a few people on that boat, maybe up to nine or ten. And this sucker overturned some kind of way.

These airboats, of course, are -- you know, have the big fans, whatnot, propellers on the back which allow these things to go through some of those shallow waters around that area. This is around the Miami Beach area, down again, in the Sunset Islands.

But this is about a quarter mile north of those Sunset Islands where this -- where this boat appears to have overturned. And it appears the police are saying that maybe the kids were on this thing and maybe going a little too fast, faster than they should have been going and had a little bit of a mishap.

Now several people were in the water, at least nine, who were all plucked out of the water by officials there. Kids had to be rescued. But it does not appear right now that they are very serious injuries to go along with this.

We've been watching video of some of the fire and rescue folks actually spraying down and wiping down some of the young people, looked pretty young, actually, some of the people who were plucked out of the water. Out of the water there. Wiping them down, getting them covered up, get them out of the water.

So it appears that everybody may be OK. But an interesting -- and not exactly the ride some of these kids may be looking out for. Keep an eye on it, Betty, and we'll let you know.

NGUYEN: All right, T.J. We appreciate it. We'll be checking back in with you. In the meantime, this just in to CNN, we understand that the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee has served a subpoena to U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, seeking documents related to the firings of U.S. attorneys.

And this goes back to the firing of eight U.S. attorneys back in December. There's been a lot of talk about this, the motivations behind that. And, today, we are learning that the House of Representatives has issued a subpoena to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, seeking documents relating to these firings. And of course, as we get more information, we'll bring it straight to you.

In other news, DNA does not lie. And the truth about the paternity of baby Dannielynn Stern may finally come out today. A Bahamas court is expected to rule in the matter two months after the death of the baby's mother, that being, of course, Anna Nicole Smith.

Joining us now from Nassau is CNN's Rusty Dornin to give us a peek at what is going on.

And I already know what's happening. This has got to be media circus. It's been this way since her death, unfortunately.

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's an international media circus, but it's also sort of an international tourist Mecca. We're just showing you the street here right next to the courthouse, and you can see what looks like a big high-rise building. That is one of the many cruise ships that come into town and pour out thousands of people, of course, who all want to come in and see what's going on here.

About 40, 45 taxis have come by in the last couple of hours.

We can show you, we've got ABC over here, Court TV. We've got people here in the court-yard, a lot of the tourists, a lot of the people just curious, gathering, wanting to know what's going to happen. Are they going to find out today who's the daddy? And that is the big question.

But I think there is something that people are a bit mistaken about. You have to remember that Larry Birkhead, the former boyfriend of Anna Nicole Smith, did hire a DNA expert to take the DNA from the young child. It will only be compared to him. It will not be compared to any of these other people who have claimed to be the father.

Also, we may or may not find out the results today. In the Bahamas, traditionally, the court proceedings are closed to the public until the issue is resolved. So it's unclear whether this issue will be resolved or not.

We did speak to the assistant for Dr. Michael Baird, who's the DNA expert. He is ready to come out and talk to the press if the court allows him to. So if we come out, we see Larry Birkhead come out there with a big smile on his face, but he can't talk, we might surmise what happened in court. But we will not be able to know for sure until the court releases the gag order on all of the participants -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Oh, so it's more wait and see in this saga of Anna Nicole Smith and who's the daddy of her little baby girl. All right. Rusty Dornin, we appreciate it. Of course, we'll be checking in with you.

Well, it looks like there may be some more legal wrangling in Howard K. Stern's future. Stern has just hired attorney Len Wood, who made his name pressing defamation suits for JonBenet Ramsey's parents. And in a statement yesterday, Wood said Stern has been falsely accused of involvement in Anna Nicole Smith's and her son, Daniel's, death. He added, quote, "The trial of Mr. Stern in the court of public opinion, based on sensational lies, speculation, rumor and gossip, is over," end quote.

LEMON: In Washington, it's still a standoff over a bill to fund the war. The president says he'll invite leaders from both parties to the White House next week to discuss it. But he won't budge from his opposition to any bill that includes a timetable for withdrawing the troops from Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The Democrat leadership in Congress has spent the last 64 days pushing legislation that would undercut our troops, just as we're beginning to make progress in Baghdad.

In both the House and the Senate, majorities have passed bills that substitute the judgment of politicians in Washington for the judgment of the commanders on the ground.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was quick to respond, saying it's time to refocus the mission. He quoted General David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, who has said it must be 20 percent military and 80 percent economic, diplomatic, and political.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: Things are not OK in Iraq. As the pope said on Easter Sunday, a slaughter is taking place in Iraq. The pope further said nothing good is coming from Iraq. The president must realize that. He has to deal with Congress.

We are an independent branch of this government and, by our Constitution, we have equal say that he has. He's got to listen to us. Because we are speaking for the American people; he isn't.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And Reid added that he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered to meet with the president a week ago without preconditions.

While our elected officials fight over funding, some troops have learned they could be fighting on longer than expected in Iraq. For more on that, let's go to our Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Don, some of the troops in Iraq may be facing very tough news indeed. CNN has learned that the Pentagon is considering a request from commanders in Iraq that up to 15,000 troops have their one-year tour of duty extended for as much as four months.

Why are they considering this option? Well, it's the only way right now that they can keep that higher level of troops on the ground, that so-called surge.

And this is something that's going to be really tough for many of these troops. They will have finished their year-long tour of duty and could be facing up to another 120 days on the front lines.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is now considering this request from the commanders in Iraq. No final decision yet, we are told, but he could sign such an order in the next several days -- Don.

LEMON: Is this just the beginning, Barbara? Or can we expect more of the same? More redeployments?

STARR: Well, you know, that is really the point, is there is going to be more of this, our sources are saying. If they want to keep the so-called surge going over the months ahead, we're going to see more of this sort of thing.

This particular option right now will keep the so-called surge going through, essentially, September, October of '07. But if they get the results they want and they want to keep going forward, they will have more of this: more troop extensions, more troops going early. More troops returning to Iraq without having spent even a full year back at home with their families -- Don.

LEMON: CNN's Barbara Starr. Thank you so much.

NGUYEN: And we are following this developing story, this in to CNN, that the House of Representatives has issued a subpoena to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, seeking documents related to the firings of eight U.S. attorneys.

As you recall, that happened back in September. There's been a lot of talk behind those firings and what sparked them. Let's take a listen now to White House deputy press secretary, Dana Perino.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANA PERINO, WHITE HOUSE DEPUTY PRESS SECRETARY: I don't know what's different there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That the House Judiciary Committee has issued a subpoena to the attorney general seeking those documents that they haven't yet provided? PERINO: I think that -- I think the Justice Department has been working hard to be fully responsive to the request, as the president asked them to do. And so I don't know what's new here, and we'll have to check it out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And, of course, we here at CNN will check it out, as well. Going to learn some more about exactly what this committee -- the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee -- is hoping to get from these documents as a result of the subpoena on U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

In fact, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux, our White House correspondent, will be joining us shortly with some more information on this developing story.

LEMON: And Betty, we're also following another developing story. We've been following it all morning. A challenge from the Rutgers women's basketball coach.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STRINGER: Are women hos? Think about that. Would you have wanted your daughter to have been called that?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Ahead in the CNN Newsroom, more on an unforgettable season capped by a controversy they never sought.

And here's a reminder to you. We want to hear from you. Weigh in on the Don Imus comments and controversy. E-mail us at CNN Newsroom@CNN.com.

NGUYEN: And patient or prisoner? We are taking you to a place no human being is allowed to meet a man almost no one would envy. Is his quarantine unfair? Well, that's ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(AUDIO/VIDEO GAP)

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I-Reports, show you a couple of them. With this snow in the area this time of year, it's just -- is a little bit too much for the eyes.

This is from Daniel Moss. He's from Mayfield Heights, Ohio, a substitute teacher. Said he had about a foot and a half of snow outside of his house. It did not stop until last night. And obviously, he's probably digging his car out this morning.

All right. To Lampas, Texas. This is from Kathie Andrews. She's also a teacher. She's a little bummed out there was some snow on her blue bonnets, but she said it went away rather quickly.

CNN.com/iReport. We want to hear from you whenever there's some interesting weather in your neighborhood.

(WEATHER REPORT)

MARCIANO: Don, back to you.

LEMON: Yes. The only thing you know about Louisiana is it's going to rain. It could happen at any time.

MARCIANO: When it rains, it comes down heavy.

LEMON: Yes, it does.

All right, Rob. Thank you. And you know what? We talked about all the problems that growers are having. Susan Lisovicz is going to tell us how that's going to affect your grocery bill. Coming up a little bit later on in the NEWSROOM.

NGUYEN: You know it will.

LEMON: Yes.

NGUYEN: OK. Well, listen to this. That five syllable firestone -- storm, that is. Ahead in the NEWSROOM, other broadcasters are weighing in on the Don Imus flap and whether his words should cost him his job.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The big board today. Well, this weekend's cold snap forced people across the country to pull out their winter gear. But, as Susan Lisovicz reports from the New York Stock Exchange, those chilly temperatures could have a more long-lasting effect. And we are talking about higher prices for fruits, Susan.

Hey, there.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Betty. It does work that way. Doesn't it?

That frigid weekend weather that Rob was just talking about, hit many parts of the country, especially the southeast, which is home to significant crops of peaches, blueberries, apples and blueberries.

In some parts of Alabama, temperatures dropped to just 12 degrees. Too early to estimate the cost of the damage yet, but estimates are due later this week.

Georgia's agriculture chief says the damage is so bad, he might ask for federal aid. Fruit there has shriveled, leaves are turning black. In South Carolina, one farmer says he doesn't think there will be a good peach out of the entire state.

And in Alabama, fields of plums, peaches, and even pecans have been lost -- Betty.

NGUYEN: I hate hearing this, Susan. In fact, Don was just telling me that his little garden that he planted, he lost a bunch of plant there, too. So when we, you know, go to paying for fruit or vegetables, is that going to be very soon before we see these prices start to rise?

LISOVICZ: Yes. No question that they will rise. Too early to say how much.

While losing entire crops could cost consumers an extra few dollars, some farmers and state economies could be devastated. For example, in North Carolina, strawberry production is a $25 million industry. It costs about $13,000 to plant just one acre.

And prices at the pump, meanwhile, they're likely to keep going up, too, approaching the record highs set last summer. The government says that between now and September the average price for a gallon of regular will be $2.81, three cents lower than a year ago. How about that?

Yesterday, we told you that the Lundberg Survey's national average is $2.78 a gallon, so very close to it.

As for stock averages, well, they're little changed right now. The Dow Industrials were going for eight for eight rallies but right now faltering just a bit. The blue chips are down five points, the NASDAQ, meanwhile, is up three.

Coming up in the next hour, one of the nation's biggest health insurers is putting restriction on the referrals you get from your doctor. We'll tell you about that in the next hour. Meanwhile, Don and Betty, back to you.

NGUYEN: Really? Restriction on those referrals. I'll tell you what, Susan. We'll be listening for that. Thank you.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

LEMON: And listen to this one. What kind of a home will 300 grand get you these days?

NGUYEN: Well, it depends on where you live, right?

LEMON: I don't know if that's one of them. It's all about location, location, location.

NGUYEN: Location.

LEMON: We have got information that every home buyer and seller will definitely want to hear.

NGUYEN: And reminder for you right now, we do want to hear from you. Weigh in on the Don Imus comments and controversy. You can e- mail us, CNNNewsroom@CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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

LEMON: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.

NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen, in today for Kyra Phillips, who's on assignment.

Well, his style has always been shoot from the lip. Now plenty of people would like those lips permanently buttoned. Is anyone defending Don Imus?

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

NGUYEN: Well no joke for Don Imus, and no game for the Rutgers University women's basketball team. After calling them nappy-headed hos on his nationally syndicated radio show last week, Imus now is facing a two-week suspension, starting April 16th.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DON IMUS, RADIO HOST: I'm going to serve it without whining. Because as bad as I feel, I don't feel as bad as those young women at Rutgers do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And the Rutgers team plans to meet privately with Imus sometime in the near future, but today, the players told him and the rest of us how they feel.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ESSENCE CARSON, RUTGERS' TEAM CAPTAIN: I would like to express our team's great hurt, anger and disgust towards the words of Mr. Don Imus. We are highly angered at his remarks, but deeply saddened with the racial characterization they entailed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, for a lot of people, a two-week suspension for Imus isn't nearly enough. They're looking for something permanent. From Washington, let's bring in April Ryan of American Urban Radio Network. And from Miami, former radio host Coz Carson.

Nice to be in Miami, Coz.

COZ CARSON, FMR. TALK SHOW HOST: Yes, it's very nice down here. LEMON: Thank you for joining us.

But real quick -- should there be something more, April? Should he be fired, or two weeks enough?

APRIL RYAN, AMERICAN URBAN RADIO NETWORK: I don't want to ever call for anyone's firing but something has to be done. This is a perpetual problem for him. And for him to just get two weeks and to be -- to be served starting Monday? Something -- that's just a slap on the wrist. It's not enough.

LEMON: Why do you say it's a slap on the wrist? Why would you say that?

RYAN: If they were serious about this, he would have started serving his suspension today. He would not have been on the air.

LEMON: That's some people who are saying that by allowing him on the air, the network will receive the benefits of higher Arbitron, or higher ratings, because people will tune in to him to see what he has to say with this. Coz, do you agree with that?

CARSON: Absolutely. I agree that Arbitron will reflect a reaction to this. Hoowever it could be negative or it could be positive. I think Don Imus' ultimate punishment will be what Arbitron and the advertisers do. I also think that Don Imus, as I look at the First Amendment, I have a copy of it right here, was well within his rights to say what he wanted, and we're well within our rights to say that was horrible, that was detestable and should never have been said.

But at the same time, I think it is the height of hypocrisy to have some of these so-called black leaders standing up calling for his jobs, when they, too, live in mansions of glass and have done many things and said many things that are harmful to other people. Don Imus will apologize. He'll take his two-week vacation, because we know that's not really a suspension. And he'll come back and he'll either get the wrath of the people, or he will get the benefit of it, because his audience may be exclusive to an audience that likes to hear that.

LEMON: Coz, I get your point -- nobody's perfect, but just because someone else did something wrong or said something stupid, does that mean we have to allow every person to go on the air to make an ill comment?

CARSON: Don, I'm not saying allow him to go on the air without some type of repercussion, but again, I think that the court of public opinion, Arbitron will ultimately be the arbiter of this situation. I think that Don Imus is one of the greatest broadcasters in America. He's a funny guy. He's a surly old coot at this point in his career. And he's an equal-opportunity offender. I don't think he had a racist intent in his heart, but it came off as racism. I have friends in broadcasting, Don, and many of them you know could say nappy-headed hos all day long and people would laugh right along with it and never make this big to do about it. I think because Don Imus is who he is he has a huge target on him.

LEMON: I understand that, Coz, and there are people who say, you now, I can call my sister, or my cousin or whatever some nickname that we call each other, but it doesn't mean that every other person can do that.

RYAN: Coz is totally wrong. You cannot stand up for wrong. You cannot stand up for wrong.

CARSON: I'm not...

RYAN: I'm offended as woman and a minority for someone to say nappy headed and then a ho. Not only that, he started off saying these are hardcore hos, OK? That goes into a whole another direction. So...

CARSON: April, my point -- my point is this -- my point is this -- I have a mother, I have four sisters, I'm raising a 7-year-old and I have two grown daughters. I was equally offended to hear him say that. But we have black talk show hosts, we have black disk jockeys, who not only say that and worse but play records that are worse as well, and I say that is more offensive.

RYAN: They need to be held accountable.

CARSON: Some people are saying that, you know what, it's all -- some of this is hip-hop's fault, it's the music industry's fault, because you call people -- you know, he used the words hos. And you know the other words that they used, and they're saying this is hip- hop's fault. My question is, I'm not saying that it's right, but when did hip-hop sort of become the excuse for every wrong or racist remark in the black community?

RYAN: When you know better, you do better.

CARSON: I don't think it is. But it has certainly opened the door to other folks saying inappropriate things. And when we -- when companies like the company you work for, April, have a station that plays a record and says ho or something else every 20 minutes on their air, it seems to be the height of hypocrisy to now want to put a target on Don Imus' back and blow his career away.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: These people are not in the format of giving news. They're not respected as news broadcasters.

CARSON: That's not exactly what Don Imus does either.

LEMON: That's not their industry. Don Imus works for a huge network, NBC, MSNBC, CBS. Those are huge networks that have big news organizations, part of big news organizations. So I don't know if you can equate -- make that same equation there, or make that same -- what's the word I'm looking for -- relationship. That's the word I'm looking for.

CARSON: Imus as a journalist?

RYAN: And, Coz, it is not fair that you...

CARSON: are you saying that Don Imus is a journalist, Don?

LEMON: It's not up for me to say that.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: You know what, it's not up to me to say that Don Imus is a journalist, but he was one of the 20 people at "Newsweek" a couple of years ago, 20 people who are changing the way that we are getting news in the U.S.

RYAN: And he does have a news component in his show.

LEMON: And He has a news component in the show.

RYAN: Yes, and he also talks to newsmakers.

CARSON: And so does every black radio station in America that continues to play this kind of nonsense. They all have news components. That's a nonissue.

RYAN: Coz, Coz, the issue is -- Coz, let's not run from the issue. Yes, everyone has a responsibility ...

CARSON: I'm not running from anything.

RYAN: Let's put it where it is. Right now, it's Imus. We can talk about the rappers, yes, they have a responsibility as well. Are you going to jump on that tomorrow?

CARSON: Sure they do.

RYAN: Yes, so, the bottom line is Imus.

CARSON: You know, April, my point is this, is that our leaders aren't jumping on them. Our leaders won't say to Bob Johnson -- they'll run to Bob Johnson's house to have dinner, but nobody runs to his house and say, no, you're playing some of the most fallacious (ph) videos and degrading videos I've ever seen.

LEMON: Let me ask you guys this. On his blog today, Al Roker who is part of NBC, part of the "Today Show" as well, said, "What he said was vile and disgusting, it degenerated an entire team and the extent -- and by extension, a community in its pride in a group that had excelled." He went on to say, "CBS Radio and NBC needs to remove Don Imus from the airwaves and that is what needs to happen. Otherwise, it just looks like profits and ratings rule over decency and justice."

What should happen with the networks who stand behind -- or who these people work for. How much of an onus (ph) is on the network?

RYAN: You know what going to happen, a lot of people -- if Imus does stay after these two weeks, he will be looked at as taboo. He will not have the kinds of persons who were on his show. And not only that, you know, going back --

CARSON: No, absolutely. I disagree.

RYAN: Well, going back to the issue, unfortunately --

CARSON: I disagree, first of all, I think that what we've -- I'm sorry, April, go ahead, go ahead. Go ahead, April.

RYAN: You know, you were talking about how Don Imus is this upstanding person. Do you realize you talk about your father -- listen to what he's said. He has now put spotlighted these young ladies who were articulate -- listen to me, he spotlighted these young ladies who were articulate and achieving and now they have to go to the world and explain who they are? Why, because he didn't. They didn't have to do that. They still shouldn't have to do that to say I can play the piano without looking at a note.

CARSON: April, with all due respect, April ...

LEMON: April, and Coz, I'm going to have to cut you off. This is good, I must admit. And I'm really learning a lot from you. And I really thank both of you for joining me today, I would like --

CARSON: Well, I didn't expect to get a lecture from April about, but ...

RYAN: Stick around, I can help you.

CARSON: I love Don Imus, I think he's one of the greatest broadcasters, I think he made a huge mistake and we should shut up and move on and let this man continue his career.

LEMON: OK, April, I'll give you the last word, go ahead, what do you say?

RYAN: It's a sad time that we are still dealing with issues of race and people fighting about was it right or wrong? It was indeed wrong, and it was offensive to humanity, not just minorities and women.

CARSON: We don't clean up our own back yard.

LEMON: All right, April Ryan and Coz Carson, thank you so much for joining us. I'm sure I'll have you on again.

RYAN: Thank you.

CARSON: No problem.

NGUYEN: That was really good.

Well, this is going to be very interesting as well. Patient or prisoner, we are taking you to a place no human being is being allowed. Meet a man almost no one would envy. Is his quarantine unfair, though? That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.

But first, one week till taxes are due. And in today's "Tax Time Made Easier," Jennifer Westhoven breaks down whether saving money for your child's education entitles you to a tax break.

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JENNIFER WESTHOVEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: David Stein from CharLotte, North Carolina asks, "I contribute to both of my children's 529 plans every year. Is this contribution tax deductible?"

Well, David, it's great that you're saving money for their education using the tax-friendly plans, but I can't definitively answer your question. And that's because the rules change depending on what state or university plan you're saving with.

The money you save is definitely not deductible from your federal taxes, but your state might give you a break. Now, the tax savings come when your child is ready to go to college. You can take the money out without penalty as long as it's for school expenses, tuition, books, supplies, and in most cases, room and board. But, you can't take out money for anything not school-related. Then you have to pay income tax on it, plus a 10 percent penalty on your profit.

So, David, when your kid finally does hit the books, be sure to use every penny to get the full benefit of the 529 account.

For "Tax Time Made Easier," I'm Jennifer Westhoven.

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LEMON: It's not often you hear that coffee and cigarettes may lower your risk of a particular disease, but a new study suggests that's the case with Parkinson's. The research does not prove the vices prevent the illness, but, it shows that among families prone to Parkinson's, those members who drink coffee or smoke are less likely to develop the disease. Researchers say the study offers clues about how environment works with genes to cause Parkinson's.

NGUYEN: Well, in Phoenix, a man is sitting in a jail hospital, that is, held against his will in conditions you would expect for an inmate. He's given the criminal treatment because he's very sick and very contagious.

Thelma Gutierrez got this exclusive access to the patient.

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THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the fourth floor of this Phoenix hospital, in a high-security jail ward, a patient is behind bars. He's considered dangerous, but not because he's committed a crime, but because he has a deadly drug resistant strain of tuberculosis.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that was a threat to the community.

GUTIERREZ: He is 27-year-old Robert Daniels. For the past eight and a half months, he has lived behind the doors of the sealed specially ventilated room without human contact. He was forced into quarantine by the Maricope County Health Department and this is the first time that anyone outside of the hospital has seen him.

CNN was given rare access to the ward.

(on camera): You've been there for eight months, what have those eight months been like?

(voice-over): But we had to interview Daniels on the phone, because he's contagious. Daniels says here he's treated like a prisoner, not a patient.

ROBERT DANIELS: All of a sudden, you've been called an inmate. You've been given a booking number and -- and the room you're in, it has bars on the windows. There is no shower.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's made his bed now, he has to sleep in it.

GUTIERREZ: The Maricopa County Sheriff's Department and health officials here say Daniels was warned to wear a mask in public. He didn't. So he was ordered into quarantine by the court.

DANIELS: Of course, I'm regretting what I did, I should have been a little more mature about all of this.

GUTIERREZ: Daniels says he understands why he's in quarantine but says the conditions are unbearable ever since the Sheriff's Department took away his TV, radio, and computer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I first came and met Robert, the case didn't seem right. Robert was not an inmate, but, yet, he was being treated like an inmate.

GUTIERREZ: One of Daniels's nurses who didn't want to be identified blew the whistle. The ACLU has stepped in, saying his constitutional rights are being violated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It really made me very upset to think that us and America could treat a patient so punitively.

GUTIERREZ: Daniels' treatment could take years, torture, he says, because his wife and son live in Moscow.

DANIELS: Every day, I sit on the bed and I remember my wife and I -- and I realized I can't talk to her. And I'd just sit there, cry. What else do I have to do? Because I couldn't do nothing, nothing.

GUTIERREZ: Robert Daniels is not sure when he'll be able to see them or anyone else again. Thelma Gutierrez, CNN, Phoenix, Arizona.

(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: So, what does the sheriff of Maricopa County have to say about Robert Daniels being in his prison? CNN's Miles O'Brien talked earlier with Sheriff Joe, and he said that the forced quarantine was a bit of a bizarre situation. Although the sheriff says he'll give Daniels back the items taken from his room, he suggested that he doesn't view Daniels much differently than anyone else being held in his jail.

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SHERRIF JOSEPH ARPAIO, MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ.: He's getting a cell phone and he's getting his little TV -- I don't allow my 10,000 inmates to have television.

MILES O'BRIEN: But he's not an inmate, he's not an inmate, he's a patient. Right?

ARPAIO: He's in my jail. But on the other hand, I'm going to relinquish my policy a little. He's going to get it back. If he messes up, I'll take it back out. And if he's ever charged with a crime, then he's going to follow the policy.

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NGUYEN: Ultimately, Sheriff Joe Arpaio said health officials should come up with a different solution to handle a problem like Daniels'.

LEMON: What kind of a home will $300,000 get you these days?

NGUYEN: Hmm --

LEMON: Let's see.

NGUYEN: Could be nice.

LEMON: It's about location, location, location.

NGUYEN: Not in New York.

LEMON: Well, that's the rule in real estate, at least. Information every homeowner and seller will certainly want to hear.

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LEMON: Wow. Well, those all look nice.

NGUYEN: Not bad.

LEMON: On the heels of the sub prime mortgage meltdown comes the peak season for home buying and selling. So all this week, we take a closer look at the real estate market. According to the National Association of Realtors, the median U.S. home price last year was, get this, $221,900. That seems like a lot, that's a lot.

NGUYEN: It does, yes. That's the median price. LEMON: Yes. But as we all know, all real estate is local, just like politics. So what can you get for the money? We CNN's Chris Lawrence (ph) a $300,000 budget and sent him across country to find that out for us.

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CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): We start our search in sunny South Florida with a single mom and first-time buyer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: After working so hard, I think I deserve it.

LAWRENCE: Dorse Charito (ph) sees a three-bedroom townhouse 20 miles from the ocean. For about the same price, she can afford a two- bedroom condo two blocks to the beach.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is the range I can pay for $300,000.

LAWRENCE: But look what that same money gets you in suburban Detroit. Four bedrooms on half an acre.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that's quite a lot in for this area.

LAWRENCE: You don't get this kind of room in Florida?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no. And certainly not in L.A. .

LAWRENCE: Realtor Dawn Miller showed us a seven year home with a classic front porch and a corner house with 2,600 square feet.

DAWN MILLER, REALTOR: I believe this area was selling around the $320,000, $325,000 range a couple of years ago, and this house is priced at $280,000 now.

LAWRENCE: Even with everything upgraded, she'd only offer $240,000.

MILLER: And if they don't take it, we'll walk away and do it to the next house. Twenty-six houses in that subdivision? Someone's ready to move.

LAWRENCE: And so are we, onto L.A.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are going to see a condo, a one bedroom, one bath, about 650 square feet.

LAWRENCE: Open spacing, wood floors, in the heart of West Hollywood. And then, an even smaller studio at the base of the Hollywood Hills.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, kitchen is pretty small.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a small kitchen, functional but small.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Okay.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And you could reach it from the bedroom.

LAWRENCE: Relator Amber Christen said Korea town gets a little less expensive. Still a one-bedroom but with upgrades and a walk-in closet.

AMBER CHRISTEN, REALTOR: For the price, $279,000, if you want to live in L.A., that's pretty darn good. Your not going to get much better than that.

LAWRENCE: So you can live the glamorous life, walk to a Florida beach, or spread out in suburban Detroit. Look what $300,000 will get you.

NGUYEN: They didn't even go to New York for that story. Forget about it. All right, we're going to talk about this now about-face. The British military rethinks the plan allowing former captives to sell their stories. More on this controversy as we head to the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: But first, as we go to break, the big board, the stock market not moving much. More straight ahead in the NEWSROOM in just a moment.

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