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Vick Investigation; Gonzales Testifies; Sex Abuse Case Dismissed; Major Flooding in England; Lindsay Lohan in Trouble Again

Aired July 24, 2007 - 10:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: ...NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.
You asked, they responded. The CNN/YouTube debate broke ground. What's the buzz today?

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A home invasion turns into a house fire. Three family members are dead. Now authorities look for answers from two suspects.

HARRIS: And a language barrier gets an accused rapist out of jail. Attorneys weigh in on the outrage. It is Tuesday, July 24th, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Eight Democrats vying for the White House, sharing the spotlight with everyday voters. Their questions submitted to the Web site YouTube and served up on CNN. A first of its kind debate. Some questions a bit silly, others deadly serious, and many deeply personal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY: Hi, my name's Mary.

JEN: And my name is Jen.

MARY: And we're from Brooklyn, New York. If you were elected president of the United States, would you allow us to be married? To each other?

ANDERSON COOPER, MODERATOR: Congressman Kucinich?

REP. DENNIS KUCINICH, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Mary and Jen, the answer to your question is, yes. And let me tell you why. Because if our Constitution really means what it says, that all are created equal, if it really means what it says that there should be equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered should have the same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the ability to have a civil marriage ceremony. Yes, I support you and welcome to a better and a new American under a President Kucinich administration.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. Analysts say there were no knockout punches, but some think the format may break down a few traditional barriers.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES KOTECKI, POLITICAL BLOGGER: I think we're going to see more and more candidates engaging on YouTube, talking directly to people, and hopefully they learn from this experience that YouTube is a very powerful, political force and they should just engage directly with people who want answers on that medium.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Republicans will have their turn in just a few weeks. The GOP candidates will gather in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the CNN/YouTube debate on September 17th.

COLLINS: A developing story this morning. Lindsay Lohan, we have been telling you a little bit about this latest arrest now just five days after being arrested in connection with a May drunk driving charge. Actress Lindsay Lohan was arrested early this morning on five charges. They include the following -- drunk driving and possession of a controlled substance. Let's see, DUI, driving on a suspended license and possession of a controlled substance. So, in all there are five counts.

Apparently she was stopped while driving a car that did not belong to her. The officers then smelled the alcohol, so they conducted a field sobriety test, which she failed. We are trying to learn more about this and specifically the controlled substance that they found, according to officers in her pocket. They say it's a white powder that did test positive for opiate.

So we will continue to follow this story for you. Trying to confirm whether or not she has gotten out of jail, but she was waiting bond of $25,000 early this morning, once again, in Santa Monica. So CNN is trying to confirm that. We are hearing from some sources that indeed she has posted bond and is now out, but we'll continue to follow that and bring you any new details should they come in this way.

Meanwhile, the NBA dealing with a major mess over an ex-referee. Tim Donaghy is expected to surrender to authorities in a gambling probe within days. He is suspected of betting on basketball games he officiated. The FBI looking into whether Donaghy affected the outcome or point spreads of any games. Donaghy just recently resigned. Next hour, NBA Commissioner David Stern makes his first public comments about the allegations.

HARRIS: Sidelined by the NFL? The league telling Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick stay away from training camp. Today Vick's bosses speak for the first time since Vick's indictment in a dog fighting case. CNN's Rusty Dornin joins us live from team headquarters in Flowery Branch, Georgia.

Rusty, good to see you.

Pretty strong message from the commissioner. RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right.

Well, Tony, all is quiet on the Falcon front here in Flowery Branch. Of course, in two days, the players are going to show up for training camp. No body was expecting Vick to come because he's going to be at the arraignment in Virginia.

But it did come as somewhat of a surprise when the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, issued a very stern letter directly to Michael Vick. This is part of what he said. "While it is for the criminal justice system to determine your guilt or innocence, it is my responsibility as commissioner of the NFL to determine whether your conduct, even if not criminal, nonetheless violates league policy, including personal conduct policy."

Now apparently Goodell is known as somewhat of a disciplinarian. He also had met with Vick in April to talk about this whole thing and reportedly Vick had denied any involvement in it at all. We also understand they will be talking to federal investigators to see how strong the case is.

In the meantime, the NFL has told the Falcons, don't do anything yet. No disciplinary actions. Let us do the review first.

Now this comes on (ph) a lot of pressure, of course, from animal rights groups. They were protesting out here over the last few days. Also in New York, outside the NFL offices, also protesters. So there's been a lot in the media, a lot of people putting a lot of pressure on to do something about this. We'll have to see what and if the team does this afternoon. There's going to be a press conference later.

Tony.

HARRIS: And Michael Vick due in court in Virginia on Thursday morning. Is that correct, Rusty?

DORNIN: That's correct. Thursday morning.

I wanted to mention -- you know, here - let's take a look at the local press -- the local sports columnist, Terrence Moore (ph), just saying, it's the end for him. We've been hearing a lot of people drive by saying, "let him play, let him play." So obviously, there's still a lot of controversy about this whole thing.

HARRIS: Oh, boy.

CNN's Rusty Dornin for us this morning.

Rusty, thank you.

And there's this. A nightmare for a Connecticut family. Police say a mother and her two daughters died after an apparent home invasion and arson. The father survived. Police say two suspected burglars entered the home, held the family hostage and forced one to withdraw money from a bank before setting the house on fire. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To think that something like this has happened to that family and in this community is just hard to even understand or accept.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Well, the two suspects are due in course any minute now. They are being held on $15 million bond each. The charges against them include sexual assault, arson, kidnapping, robbery and arson.

COLLINS: More than a million people now stranded by flooding across England this morning. The historic flooding also threatened to spark a public health disaster. Nearly 350,000 people have no clean drinking water. The pressure has come out on the under (ph) army and police guards. Some distribution centers have been set up, but not everybody can get there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GAIL SUTTON, GLOUCESTERSHIRE RESIDENT: It's a house without (ph) running water. And, like, obviously, no drinking water either, which, I mean, on the radio they keep saying, oh they're giving out bottled water, but we can't get to get the bottled water. I went out this morning to fill buckets and bottles up from the baser (ph) at the top, but you can't drink that. They're telling me you can't drink it. And to be honest, you're carrying it in buckets back through here, and there's not very nice things floating about in here at the moment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: A massive Red Cross effort also under way. Workers bringing supplies to thousands of stranded residents. The situation, though, could get even worse. More rain is expected across southern England tonight.

HARRIS: Well, I'm not a meteorologist, but I'm willing to fake one on television for just a moment until we get to Rob Marciano.

Rob, you showed us a few moments ago a jet stream with a big dip in it and we've been around long enough with you to know that means some cold temperatures on one side and maybe some real heat on the other side of that jet stream.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: And quickly want to get you to this now. The story out of Santa Monica this morning. Let's listen in to the very latest on Lindsay Lohan and a new arrest, DUI.

QUESTION: Who was in the vehicle with her? We understand there were two people with her.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was other friends of hers.

QUESTION: Friends of hers?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct.

QUESTION: OK. And this morning, what was her reaction? What did she look like? Did she have anything to say as she was being released?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, we didn't discuss any of that with her.

QUESTION: Was she cooperative during the arrest?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was cooperative during the arrest.

QUESTION: What was her blood alcohol?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twelve percent and 13 percent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So that's more than the . . .

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's more than the 0.08 legal limit.

QUESTION: And, sir, when we talk about a chase with the mother of her personal assistant? What does that look like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well it's her following or trying to catch up to the car that's being driven by the mother of her personal assistant. The mother then tried to make it here to the Santa Monica Police Department. She didn't make it here. She ended up in the parking lot. And that's when she called the police department on her cell phone and we responded.

QUESTION: Did she feel like she was being . . .

QUESTION: (INAUDIBLE) was concerned for her safety (INAUDIBLE) DUIs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry.

QUESTION: So what about the situation with her license? Is it revoked? Is she driving on a suspended license? What's the situation there?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was driving -- well, I'm not sure what her status is with her driver's license.

QUESTION: Did the mother . . .

QUESTION: Did she feel threatened? The mother feel threatened? Is that why she . . .

QUESTION: Is that why she called the police?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Correct. The mother was afraid. She wasn't quite sure what was going on. So she called the police because she wanted to make sure everything would be OK.

QUESTION: What did she say in that phone call?

QUESTION: What was she driving, sir?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not sure what kind of car she's driving.

At this point, there's no further information that I can release. What I am going to be giving out is a copy of her booking photo so that you can have that.

Thank you very much and I do apologize in the delay in being here.

I'm not sure what the bail amount was.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much. That was Lieutenant Alex Padilla of the Santa Monica ...

COLLINS: As you may have heard there in the tail end of that, apparently that was Lieutenant Padilla at the Santa Monica Police Department. The very latest story and information coming in on Lindsay Lohan. Let me get you up to speed quickly.

She was apparently stopped while driving a car that didn't belong to her. This just happened early, early this morning. Officers smelled alcohol, conducted a field sobriety test that she failed.

She also ultimately brought to jail, blew into the machine where she was over the legal limit. Also had some type of controlled substance in her pocket. We are trying to verify whether or not, as you see on the bottom of your screen there, apparently that turned out to be cocaine. We already know from the police department that it did test positive, of course, for opiate.

But now, just so you know the charges here, five counts including DUI, driving on a suspended license and possession of a controlled substance. You also heard from Lieutenant Esposito (ph) there that apparently her mother was the one who called police. He said that she told them she was feeling threatened and very worried about the situation, whatever that may have been.

So we will continue to follow that developing story for you. Lindsay Lohan now out of jail on $25,000 bond.

Still ahead, a suicide car bomber strikes near a children's hospital in Iraq. Dozens of casualties.

HARRIS: Also, you saw history unfold right here on CNN. Candidates on the stage, voters and their questions in the spotlight. Weighs in on the Democrats and looking ahead to the Republicans.

COLLINS: A child raped and molested. The case dismissed. The court couldn't find an interpreter. Justice served? We'll talk about it with two attorneys.

HARRIS: And tree sitter out on a limb for nine days. The cat finally comes down and fast. He's got places to be. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales not stepping down. In fact, he is testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee right now. The very latest from our justice correspondent Kelli Arena.

Kelli, good morning to you.

In fact, he not only says he's not stepping down, he says he wants to stay at his post to fix all of the problems.

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I mean he has said that he is staying. He's going to fix the problems plaguing the Justice Department. You know, he wants to move on, but Democrats say that there are just too many unresolved issues. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY, (D) JUDICIARY CHAIRMAN: The Department of Justice must be restored to being worthy of its name. It should not be reduced to another political arm of the White House. It was never intended to be that. The trust and confidence of the American people in federal law enforcement must be restored.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ARENA: Heidi, you know the topics that will be covered today are those fired U.S. prosecutors. In fact, we heard for the first time a suggestion from Republicans that a special prosecutor be named to investigate that whole debacle. We're going to hear about violations of the Patriot Act and, of course, that very dramatic meeting with former Attorney General John Ashcroft in the hospital room where Gonzales allegedly pressured him into approving the warrantless domestic spying program.

You know the last time that Gonzales appeared before Congress, it was fully expected that he'd be out of a job soon. That is not the case this time around. He still has the support of the president. And as we said right at the top, I mean, he says, look, I'm here to stay, deal with it.

COLLINS: Yes. And, Kelli, you know, we've been reading some of these reports that say that there are expected to be some very tense moments, a stormy hearing at best. Are we talking mostly about the fired prosecutors?

ARENA: You know, it's everything. I mean, as I said before, it also involves the violation of the Patriot Act. And then, of course, the subsequent issues about those fired prosecutors and whether or not, you know, the White House, you know, has that executive privilege right to stop people from testifying on that issue.

I mean there's a myriad of issues that Democrats are unhappy with. They say that morale at the department is at a low, that it can't function properly with Gonzales at the helm. So, you know, we'll hear -- and you'll also hear a lot not only from the senators, but from people that are there witnessing this testimony. Groaning and right when Gonzales walked in, someone yelled "fire him, fire him" and they've had to ask for decorum several times in the hearing room.

COLLINS: CNN's Kelli Arena watching those fireworks for us today.

Kelli, thanks so much. We'll check back later.

HARRIS: You know, on the face of this next case seems like a total outrage. Sex abuse case dismissed because the court could not find an interpreter? Civil Rights attorney Avery Friedman and former prosecutor Pamela Hayes join us in a moment. First some background on the case from Greta Kreuz of WJLA in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRETA KREUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Montgomery County's top prosecutor said he's going to fight a judge's decision to dismiss rape charges against 23-year-old Mahamu Kanneh because the court couldn't find a suitable translator in time.

JOHN MCCARTHY, PROSECUTOR: We believe that that decision to dismiss these charges was improper. We, therefore, have requested that an appeal by taken to reverse the court's order and to set this matter back in for trial.

KREUZ: Kanneh was charged with nine counts of rape and child sexual abuse involving two female relatives, one seven years old, the other only a year and a half. He allegedly abused them repeatedly over the course of a year between September 2003 and August 2004 while living in this Gaithersburg apartment. The older girl lived in this townhouse, just a block or so away. But Kanneh, who's from Liberia, speaks a rare dialect known as Vai and the court could not find a translator in time. So three years later, the case was dismissed. We just happened to meet Matthias Bannister, who speaks Vai, outside the courthouse.

Do you think it's that difficult to find a translator?

MATTHIAS BANNISTER, SPEAKS VAI LANGUAGE: I don't think so. I don't think so. There as, as a matter of fact, there are a lot of Vaimineese (ph) out there.

KREUZ: Prosecutors had argued Kanneh didn't even need a translator since he went to high school here and attended Montgomery Community College. Kanneh now lives in this apartment building in Rockville, mere blocks from the courthouse. A relative who answered the door said he was at work and declined comment.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Civil Rights attorney Avery Friedman and former prosecutor Pamela Hayes joining us now. Good to see you both.

Avery, let me start with you. Does the right to a speedy trial override the charges in this case? I guess we're getting at the question of whether the judge did the right thing.

AVERY FRIEDMAN, PUBLIC INTEREST ATTORNEY: Tony, the judge did the wrong thing. Under the Constitution, everything has the right to a speedy trial.

HARRIS: Sixth Amendment of the Constitution, Avery.

FRIEDMAN: That's exactly right. But the other right that Americans have, one of their civil rights, is to waive that speedy trial. And that's exactly what Kanneh and his lawyers did in this case. And to argue, this is a guy that successfully went to high school and got through in Montgomery County, went to college in Montgomery County, no problem, even spoke with the police and now he's arguing he needs a translator. Believe me, that's a terrible argument. This case is going to be reversed on the court of appeals.

HARRIS: OK. So we all understand that.

Pamela, look, in the final analysis, this guy can't go free. I don't know whether or not he's guilty of the charges against him, but he can't go free. Certainly not on the issue at hand here. So how do we get to the right and just outcome here, which is a trial?

PAMELA HAYES, FORMER PROSECUTOR: The first thing we have to do is the prosecutors have to appeal the judge's abuse of discretion. I say it's the judge's fault in this instant because the judge controls the procedure of the trial, the speed of the trial. This is an instance where we had excusable ties, meaning that there was a legitimate basis for this case to be stalled. It was nothing -- no -- nothing. They could have gone to the State Department. I understand they went to the U.N. But there is no excuse for this case not being tried immediately.

In the first instance, the defendant didn't need an interpreter. He was a citizen of Liberia. English is the national language. He's lived in America. He went to high school here. He went to college. So I don't know why he would need an interpreter.

FRIEDMAN: Well, the answer to that, obviously, is the court found that he was entitled to an interpreter.

HAYES: No, no, the answer is, they made a mistake. They made a mistake.

FRIEDMAN: It makes no sense.

HARRIS: Pamela, Pamela, Pamela, Pamela, come on, you can settle this by finding an interpreter.

FRIEDMAN: Right.

HAYES: Absolutely.

HARRIS: "The Washington Post." (ph). Settle this. Find an interpreter. Let's get on the with the trial. Let's get on with the trial. FRIEDMAN: Right.

HARRIS: I hear -- I hear a lot of -- Pamela . . .

HAYES: They have to appeal it. They have to appeal it, Tony. They have to. Once they get a decision back from the court of appeals, they can move forward.

HARRIS: All I want to hear . . .

HAYES: Nobody wants this guy to be free.

HARRIS: All I want to hear is a little outrage for the work of the prosecutor here.

FRIEDMAN: Right. Right.

HARRIS: Can I hear something about the fact that the prosecutor didn't step out and look into the county and find someone? You know this is probably a pretty healthy Liberian community in Montgomery County.

FRIEDMAN: Tony, Tony . . .

HAYES: My understanding is they did it. They didn't do it well enough. It's an outrage that the case was dismissed. There are cases that just don't go to trial right away.

FRIEDMAN: Well, but the point is . . .

HAYES: But as a prosecutor, you have to move forward and say, hey, this is important.

FRIEDMAN: Wait a minute. Wait. The point is, there is a law in Maryland that gives the court discretion, 6.103 says you got your speedy trial, that's the first half. The second half of 6.103 is the court has discretion, in this case she abused it, look for a reversal.

HAYES: Absolutely. Absolutely.

HARRIS: Three years? Three years?

FRIEDMAN: Outrageous.

HARRIS: Can't we get a system that works? I'm thinking about the family of the young girl?

FRIEDMAN: Absolutely.

HAYES: Young girls.

COLLINS: Can't we get due process here? Can't we get the charges adjudicated in the court? Three years?

HAYES: Tony, sometimes you have incredible obstacles before you. But you're right. I think everybody is outraged. It's going to take them a matter of a few days, get this case back on track, go to the State Department, get an interpreter or resolve that he doesn't need an interpreter.

FRIEDMAN: The answer is, there's a group call the National Association of Judiciary Translators and Interpreters. They've been around for years. And guess what. The Association had translators for the defendant here in Montgomery County.

HARRIS: I'm just -- let me just put this out there for just a moment. I'm thinking about the judge, because I hear a lot of condemnation of the judge here, and I guess I understand where that's coming from. But the one thing a judge does not want is a case that can be reversed. A judge does not want that door opened.

FRIEDMAN: That's right. Right.

HARRIS: So if the judge feels after a, what, a psychological, clinical psychologist testifies that this guy probably should have an interpreter, why not -- why is the judge wrong in trying to pursue that, trying to want that down the road, getting the prosecutors on board?

FRIEDMAN: Tony, where does a psychiatrist . . .

HAYES: It's not a psychological issue, Tony. It's apples and pineapples you guys are mixing here.

FRIEDMAN: Apples and pineapples? Listen, the fact is that when the . . .

HAYES: Yes, nothing, Tony, not that -- just sound alike.

FRIEDMAN: It should be a linguist, not a psychiatrist.

HAYES: Absolutely.

FRIEDMAN: But you know what? The truth is, there is an organization. They have translators in Montgomery County. I don't know how you can justified it, Tony. I think it's an assault not only on those children, but on common sense. This is an outrage.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

OK, Pamela, you agree this is an outrage and we need to get this appeal filed and at least we need to go through the process. It can't end this way.

HAYES: Or a motion to renew the argument. They can do something else (INAUDIBLE).

FRIEDMAN: The judge didn't even write an opinion in this case. You have to get an opinion.

HAYES: Well, make a motion. Make a motion to re-argue or renew. It's in their criminal procedure law. They can do that and maybe they won't even have to take an appeal. FRIEDMAN: They're going to the court of appeals here. They're going to the court of appeals.

HARRIS: Oh, boy.

Pamela, Avery, great to see you. Wonderful debate. Good to see you both. See you next time.

FRIEDMAN: Take care, Tony.

HAYES: OK.

HARRIS: OK.

COLLINS: Star on the walk of shame. Actress Lindsay Lohan arrested for DUI. It is the second time in two months.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. Bottom of the hour. Welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.

COLLINS: Hi, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.

Lindsay Lohan in trouble again, the young actress arrested for the second time since May for driving under the influence. Tests showed her blood alcohol levels exceeding the legal limit. Officers also say they found cocaine in her possession. Lohan was released after posting $25,000 bail. She was just booked five days ago in connection with a May drunk driving charge, and had just finished her latest stay in rehab two weeks ago.

HARRIS: Sidelined by the NFL, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick now being told to stay away from training camp. Vick is facing federal dogfighting charges. His first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, the same day Falcons training camp begins. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's message, to Vick, "It is my responsibility as commissioner to determine whether your conduct, even if it is not criminal, nonetheless violated league policies, including the personal conduct policy."

Vick's bosses with the Falcons have a news conference coming up this afternoon. They will be speaking for the first time since the indictment.

COLLINS: And the NBA dealing with a major mess over an ex-ref. Tim Donaghy is expected to surrender to authorities in a gambling probe within days. He is suspected of betting on basketball games he officiated. The FBI looking into whether Donaghy actually affected the outcome or points spread of games. Donaghy just recently resigned.

So next hour, NBA Commissioner David Stern will make his first public comments about the allegations. We will cover that live.

HARRIS: Hundreds of children infected with the HIV virus, and the medical staffers convicted of contaminating them. Today, freedom for the five Bulgarian nurses, and a Palestinian doctor. Libya released them after eight years in jail. And a deal brokered by the European Union, it pays $1 million to each family of a sickened child. The children were infected by transfusions. Evidence suggests the hospital's poor hygiene existed years before the staffers arrived.

JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: I'm Jacki Schechner.

Coming up in the NEWSROOM, you got to ask the questions last night, now we want to know how do you think we did, and how did the candidates do. We'll have all of that reaction coming up when NEWSROOM continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Bridging the political gap. Voters took their questions directly to the candidates. Today, voters are taking their opinions straight to you. Hear what the iReports CNN's Internet Correspondent Jacki Schechner.

Jacki, nice to have you here today.

SCHECHNER: Thanks for having me.

COLLINS: You bet. What do people think of the candidates last night?

SCHECHNER: Well, let's just say, Heidi, I didn't get a lot of sleep last night. So, between the time that I left here last night, and I got back here this morning, the iReports literally non-stop flooding in. Everybody had an opinion.

Let's take a listen to one person. This is James Autry (ph) from Greenbelt, South Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES AUTRY: I think that the person that I'm leaning towards right now would be Clinton. She seems to be the most honest, the most up-front and the most frank.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHECHNER: He actually is in the majority this morning. We're seeing a lot of positive reaction to Hillary Clinton's performance last night. A lot of people also said that Obama was the most improved, that he certainly had stepped up his game last night. Edwards also getting some good response, and Biden, a lot of people thought that he was particularly strong in that format last night, Heidi.

COLLINS: What did people say about the format, though? We've been talking for a while about, you know, this was the first time that anything like this has ever been done. SCHECHNER: Let's give you some more reaction from Mary Matthews (ph) and Jen Widenbaum (ph). These are the two women who posed a question last night, and then they sent in their iReport with their response to the format.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ...conversations.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Any debate after this needs to have this kind of user-generated element, because it really speaks volumes. Hearing people's concerns directly, their voice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHECHNER: They think that it set a precedent, which is definitely the reaction that we're getting online. People were skeptical, but said they liked this format because they felt like it gave the candidates an opportunity to move away from the talking points (ph), and to give more direct answers, to do less sound bites.

We're also seeing some people saying that it lived up to the hype, we did a lot of promotion for this, there was a lot of information out there, and people say it definitely delivered. And another comment saying that, you know what, if it makes politics fun, let's go for it. Anything that makes politics more interesting, more exciting, they're always behind that, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes, because you know we still have a ways to go ...

SCHECHNER: Yes.

COLLINS: ...until the actual election, so that might be very true.

SCHECHNER: True (ph).

COLLINS: We're going to be talking more next hour, too, Jacki, with Bill Bennett and Donna Brazile, get their opinions as to how things went.

We also would like very much to hear more from the people at home. That would be you. We would love to have more iReports as you just saw from Jacki or e-mails, feedback on how you think things went last night.

Meanwhile, Republicans will get their turn to talk to the voters, too. The GOP presidential candidates will gather in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the CNN/YouTube debate on September 17th. So go ahead and start sending in your questions for that.

BROOKE ANDERSON, ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brooke Anderson in New York.

Lindsay Lohan has been busted again for alleged drunk driving. I'll tell you how the mother of her former personal assistant was involved and what charges she faces, next in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: And a pay raise for more than 5 million people who go to work today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: We'll give you an update on this story we've been following throughout the morning here. Five days after being booked in connection with a May drunk driving charge, actress Lindsay Lohan in trouble again.

This morning, Brooke Anderson is covering the story for us out of New York. Brooke, bring us up to speed on the latest here with Lindsay.

ANDERSON: OK, Tony, Lieutenant Alex Padilla (ph) from the Santa Monica Police Department held a press conference a short time ago, and he told us that police responded to a call very early this morning from the mother of Lindsay's personal assistant who had quit earlier in the day. They were called to the Pacific Auditorium parking lot because of a verbal argument going on there.

They detained Lindsay in that parking lot. Officers smelled alcohol, conducted a field sobriety test, which she failed. So they then hauled her into the jail where she blew between a .12 and a .13, well over the legal limit of .08.

Apparently, according to the officer, she was chasing after another car driven by the mother of this personal assistant, and the mother was afraid for her safety. So, we're a little bit unclear on all of the details there, but according to Lieutenant Padilla, that is what happened.

Now, Lohan also had a controlled substance in her pocket described as a white powder, which tested positive for opiate. She's charged with five counts, including DUI, driving on a suspended license, and possession of a controlled substance.

As you mentioned Tony, this comes, you know, after Lohan crashed her car, fled the scene of the accident back in May, Memorial Day weekend, and from that, she's charged with DUI and hit-and-run from that incident. Police say that at that time, they found cocaine on the scene.

Now, interestingly, Lindsay just completed rehab at Promises in Malibu and she was actually wearing an alcohol monitoring bracelet. Her representative told us she was wearing that, Tony, so that there were no questions about her sobriety if she chose to go dancing or dining in a place that did serve alcohol.

So, obviously, Lindsay Lohan, a very, very troubled 21-year-old facing five new charges now.

HARRIS: How does she get around this alcohol-monitoring bracelet? Questions there ...

ANDERSON: Right, some people ...

HARRIS: ...there's all kinds of questions.

ANDERSON: Yes, some people speculate was that a fraud? Was it purely for her image, or was someone monitoring her?

HARRIS: Some serious charges for Lindsay Lohan right now.

Brooke Anderson following the story for us out of New York. Brooke, thank you.

ANDERSON: Thanks.

COLLINS: Millions of the nation's lowest-wage paid workers will soon find some extra cash in their paychecks.

Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with more on the first minimum wage hike in a decade. Good morning to you, Susan.

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HARRIS: And still to come this morning, river runs deep, where it's never run before.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been in that house 45 years, and never dreamed that a flood would ever get here.

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HARRIS: The English try to keep a stiff upper lip in the face of historic flooding.

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GERRI WILLIS, PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: I'm Gerri Willis, and this is Saving Money Now.

A five-minute phone call to your credit card issuer could save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars in interest rate charges. All you have to do is ask for a lower rate. Remember, credit card companies are competing to keep your business. Call the issuer of your higher-rate card and say, hey, you're thinking of going with a lower rate card unless it matches that lower rate.

Even if you don't get the response that you want, hang up and try a few hours later. Persistence pays, you may get a different customer service rep on the phone who is more willing to work with you. Of course, you'll help your case if you've had the credit card for a while, you pay your bills on time, and you haven't maxed out on your credit limit. If your credit card company just won't budge, you may be better off looking for another deal or transfer your balance to a lower rate card. That's this week's Saving Money Now. For more on saving money, watch "OPEN HOUSE" on CNN every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time, and Headline News every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.

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COLLINS: Water knee-deep in homes, people becoming desperate for the basic necessities. It's a flooding disaster in England, and there is no end in sight to the misery.

We get more from ITN's Geraint Vincent in Tewksbury, England.

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GERAINT VINCENT, ITN REPORTER (voice-over): It's quiet in Tewksbury, the river has silenced it, and the doors can't open. The river's never been here before, so daily life can't be lived as before. Everything is now unsteady and uncertain, the future bound to be a struggle.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, shall we say we've been in that house 45 years, never dreamed that the flood would ever get here. We realized down the town, around rivers (ph), yes, but never here. And after -- being in the house so long, it's absolutely appalling to think that now it's rubbish.

VINCENT: Transport in Tewksbury is by canoe rather than car. Abandoned cars litter this town. The ones you can see, that is. You won't need the car to get to work, there's not much happening at the office today, and there won't be much being made on the factory floor for some time yet.

UNIDENTFIED MALE: I'm probably out of work probably four to six weeks, I think, so just rely on the insurance companies to help us out.

VINCENT: Across this part of England, there are tens of thousands of people stranded in flats and the upper floors of their houses. Some make their own attempts to get a way to get out of the limbo of living only upstairs. But when you've lost everything, where do you go? What do you do? In which direction do you start paddling?

For others, the overstretched emergency services are there to lift you out of trouble and away from everything that was your life. That life might have been very comfortable. Not anymore.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we've been over in France buying a house and we see on the French news, saying how bad the floods are in the U.K., actually around in Worcester (ph) and up to Ponslevlin (ph). And you know, we've come back to it and we found our house is submerged in water. Our car -- one of our cars is gone, and you know, we just don't know what we're going to do now.

VINCENT (on camera): So, what are your thoughts, you hear these stories (ph) on the telly, and here it is in reality.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't believe it, you know, everything's gone, but the thing is we're not going to be able to get back into a rented property in the time we're renting it, and what are we supposed to do and where are we supposed to go?

VINCENT: There are being and there will continue to be, of course, questions asked about whether or not all this could have been avoided and whether enough was done, but the reality is when this much rain falls in such a short space of time, this kind of disaster is bound to ensue.

And so, in the age of the Internet, when we're all used to being able to have whatever we want at the touch of a button, suddenly people here are cut off, they haven't got any fresh water, and they don't have the basics like being able to generate heat and light. And so, even life in comfortable 21st century Britain is very frail and very delicate when nature decides to turn against it.

(voice-over): There are tens of thousands of homes without power, and this is why. One of the mainstays of modern life, an electricity substation submerged and rendered useless. There were flood defenses here, but they look pathetic now in the face of the full force of the flood.

Here's another of those mainstays, a supermarket, where bottled water is being rationed. Everywhere else it's brown and dirty and not wanted. Here, it's clear and very precious. There's also a disturbing story of the effects nature can have on human nature.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was 250 people waiting at the store. At that stage, we hadn't been aware of a water problem. They came in, literally stripped the shelves of the water, and some of the other basic lies (ph), but water was the main one. And then it was found a bit later on is that there were people who were selling water outside the front of the store ...

VINCENT (on camera): They're making a profit on it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Big profit, big profit. They were selling them these bottles of (INAUDIBLE) at five pounds a bottle.

VINCENT (voice-over): There are those with nobler aims. This substation is still working, just, and here the armed forces are trying desperately to fend off the flood and maintain the electricity supply to 100,000 homes. They may well be fighting a losing battle. Water levels are set to get yet higher. This force of nature is far from spent.

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HARRIS: And still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, breaking a sacred trust, a referee at the center of a federal gambling investigation, the NBA Commissioner David Stern ready to speak out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JUDY FORTIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The benefits don't outweigh the cost for one popular cold remedy. Australian researchers analyzing 30 studies on Vitamin C found it does little to reduce the length or severity of the common cold for the average person, but marathon runners and skiers exposed to periods of high stress while taking 200 milligrams of Vitamin C reduced their chances of catching a cold by 50 percent.

Living near high traffic areas may be hazardous to your health. That's according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. A look at more than 4,000 people found those within walking distance from the air pollution of major freeways and other congested roads were 68 percent more likely to develop blocked arteries, increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Fasting may not be the best way to monitor cholesterol levels, new research shows. Patients are typically asked not to eat for up to 14 hours before testing, but new research finds elevated lipid levels following a meal are a much strong predictor of heart problems and even death.

Judy Fortin, CNN.

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