Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Unarmed Teen Killed; Pakistan In Peril?; Questions About Guns; Austin Gun Standoff; Placing Blame; Greed vs. Need?

Aired November 13, 2007 - 10:00   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A big endorsement this hour for Fred Thompson. A bounce, perhaps, for his presidential campaign, this Tuesday, November 13th. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
An unarmed teen killed in a barrage of bullets. Police firing 20 shots. CNN's Alina Cho is in Brooklyn this morning with more on this story.

Good morning to you once again, Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, good morning to you.

CNN has literally just gotten off the phone with New York City's deputy police commissioner. And here is what we have confirmed at this hour.

Just after 7:00 last night, police say they responded to a 911 call that was made by the victim's mother. On the 911 call you can apparently hear a young man in the background yelling, "I've got a gun. I've got a gun." He said this apparently repeatedly.

Police responded to the scene. Eventually that young man, remember just 18 years old, climbed outside the first floor apartment window. Not sure whether he was trying to escape at that point. But nonetheless, that is what he did.

Police say at that point he crossed the sidewalk toward police officers. Now police say the victim at the time was carrying some sort of black object in his hand that was hidden under his shirt. Police then opened fire. They say 20 shots were fired in all. And when all was said and done, it turned out the young man was not carrying a weapon but a hairbrush.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANDRE WILDMAN, NEIGHBOR: The boy didn't have no gun. He had a brush on him. So what you all (ph) going to say now? What you all going to say now? He had a brush and they (ph) started shooting him for no reason.

CHO: How do you make sense of it?

WILDMAN: That's not that much to say. That's not a good look at the police.

WAYNE HOLDER, NEIGHBOR: At least see a gun before you start to discharge it, you know. They don't even have to see it. They think you got one, you're going to get shot in this neighborhood. I don't know about other neighborhoods, but here, if they think you got one, you're going to get shot.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Now police say they cannot officially confirm this but they do believe that earlier in the day the boy's mother tried to have her son committed to a psychiatric hospital. Obviously that did not happen. And, in fact, there are some reports that say the young man had a history of mental problems.

Either way, Heidi, community members say they don't really care about that. What they care about is what they call 20 shots fired. They call it excessive force. They are demanding answers and accountability.

COLLINS: Yes, a lot more to be seen on this story, obviously.

Alina Cho, thanks so much.

Also developing this hour now word of a blast in the Philippines. We have just confirmed it happened outside parliament. At least five people were injured, including three lawmakers. Police have cordoned off the area. An investigation is underway. Details still coming in on this developing story as well, so we'll keep you posted as soon as we learn more.

COLLINS: Pakistan, a critical U.S. ally. Today it's future and its democracy though uncertain. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is under house arrest but she is on the attack and reaching out to CNN. CNN's Zain Verjee is in Lahore now with the latest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Benazir Bhutto tried to hold a rally for the second time. And for the second time the masses have not come out on to the street. She is being held under house arrest in her home a few block downs that way. She has been ringed by hundreds of police and security forces, like these, heavily armed.

According to police sources, about 3,500 of her supporters have been arrested as this clampdown goes on. Benazir Bhutto's rhetoric has also hardened. She says that General Musharraf should resign as army chief and he should no longer be president even.

CNN has also learned that Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will be in Pakistan a little later this week. He was actually already scheduled to be here, but, obviously, the current situation is precarious. The U.S. is concerned. And this is going to be top of his agenda.

Zain Verjee, CNN, Lahore.

(END VIDEOTAPE) COLLINS: Headed home. The Pentagon drawing down forces from the so-called surge in Iraq. The first to leave, a combat brigade from Fort Hood, Texas. The Pentagon says insurgent attacks and sectarian violence are down. If it stays that way, more troops could head home soon. The number of troops in Iraq will be back to where it was before the increase.

Santa's helpers hurry up. If you've got a family member serving in Iraq or Afghanistan you need to get to the post office. Today is the last day you can send packages parcel post with delivery for Christmas. The next cutoff for shipping is November 27. That's for space available mail. And, of course, if you're willing to pay lot more, you can wait until December 4th. That is the deadline for priority and first class mail.

O.J. Simpson back in court next hour in an alleged robbery case. Want to go live now to CNN's Dan Simon outside the courthouse in Las Vegas.

Dan, who are we going to be hearing from today?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, first of all, I think it's fair to say that last week was not all that wonderful for the prosecution. You basically had two witnesses come to the stand and say, they never heard O.J. Simpson say anything in advance about bringing guns into the hotel room. One witness saying it's even possible that O.J. Simpson did not see the gun based upon where he was standing.

That is not expected to happen today. Two witnesses expected to come to the stand today and actually bolster the prosecution's case. Among them, Michael McClinton, a security guard, and Walter Alexander.

Let's talk about Alexander. He has described himself as a Simpson golfing buddy. But you have to wonder where their friendship stands right now. He has taken a plea deal in exchange for his testimony against Simpson. He is expected to testify that O.J. Simpson told him to bring a gun into the hotel room, said something to the effect of, "you want to look tough when you walk into that hotel room."

CNN caught up with Alexander last week here at the courthouse. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WALTER ALEXANDER, O.J. SIMPSON WITNESS: I'd like to say I'm sorry to my family at home and to my church family. It was not my intention to do what I did, but I take full responsibility.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SIMON: Well, four more witnesses expected to testify in this preliminary hearing before it goes to the judge to determine if, in fact, there's enough evidence to send this case to trial. Remember, Heidi, O.J. Simpson looking at some very serious charge here. Robbery and kidnapping among them. Kidnapping the most serious charge carries a possible life sentence.

Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. CNN's Dan Simon for us in Las Vegas this morning.

Dan, thank you.

And new questions this morning about the sudden death of Donda West. She is the mother of hip-hop mogul Kanye West. An official from the L.A. County Coroner's Office says there are initial indications Donda West may have died because of complications from surgery. No word on what kind of surgery, but a plastic surgeon who claims to have operated on West told the celebrity website THZ he did nothing wrong and says her death could have been caused by other medical problems. An autopsy will be done tomorrow. Donda West died Saturday at age 58.

A lingering disaster. Did the Coast Guard's slow response make the San Francisco oil spill even more damaging?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins.

Some call it Atlanta's battle between need and greed.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SALLY BETHEL, UPPER CHATTAHOOCHIE RIVERKEEPER: There's an attitude that more growth is better. Any kind of growth is the way to go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Finding the source of a water crisis.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A wake-up call for police. An inmate manages to smug a loaded gun into her cell. We'll have that story just ahead.

But first, Betty Nguyen is standing by in the NEWSROOM now to tell us a little bit more about something that's happening in Texas here. Some sort of S.W.A.T. standoff at a gun shop.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, in Austin, Texas. And we have some new video coming in to CNN of S.W.A.T. team members. It appears that they may have gone into the building. At least part of them. You see them by an armored vehicle in this new video.

Let me talk to you about what's happening in the building. It's the McBride's Gun Shop. And around 4:30 this morning local time, the alarm was triggered. And when police arrived they noticed that the phone lines were cut, the power was out and then they searched the building around the entrance and they saw guns all over the floor, boxes of ammunition open.

But they have not been able to find the actual suspect. That's why this is believed to be a standoff. But again, they have to find the person inside if, indeed, that person is still inside. They couldn't go in initially because of the possible danger and that the area with inside the gun shop was pretty tight. So they were going to send in a robot, but then they weren't unable to maneuver that.

So the S.W.A.T. team is on hand and they've been waiting it out, trying to get some kind of communications. And it appears that some of them have gone into the building. So hopefully we'll know a little bit more about whether someone is still inside that building or what is occurring in this standoff. At this point, though, no shots have been fired according to the reports that we have.

But, again, this is at the McBride's Gun Shop in Austin, Texas. And an alarm went off early this morning. And what was so alarming about it at all was that when police got there, they saw that the power was cut. The phone lines were cut. And that guns had been just pretty much thrown all over the place and ammunition boxes were open. So that led them to believe that someone was still inside. And that's what they're checking on at this hour.

Of course, we've been following this very closely. Hopefully it will come to some kind of a peaceful ending, if, indeed, someone is even still in there.

Heidi.

COLLINS: Boy, very scary.

NGUYEN: Yes.

COLLINS: All right, Betty, we know you'll be following it. Thank you.

The San Francisco Bay oil spill, was it cause by just a touch? Federal investigators now looking into initial reports by the cargo ship captain. One official says the captain called the collision with the bridge a touch. That so-called touch caused this massive gash in the side of the tanker. Fifty-eight thousand gallons of fuel oil were dumped into the bay. Investigators want to know if the captain intentionally downplayed the accident. CNN's Dan Simon has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): As crews continue to clean up this massive oil spill, the China shipping company and it's crew are now the focus of a criminal investigation. The Coast Guard concerned about the communication among the people at the controls.

ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN, U.S. COAST GUARD COMMANDANT: There are two things that have to be ascertained. Number one, that there was a discharge. We demonstrated that. And, number two, the culpability and responsibility associated with that and those facts have to be determined in the investigation. That is underway. SIMON: But the Coast Guard itself is facing scrutiny as well. Why did it take four hours for the agency to notify the public about the magnitude of the spill. A question House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had as she toured her home district.

REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D) HOUSE SPEAKER: While they may have prepared for a response commensurate with a larger spill, it still doesn't excuse the fact that they did not inform the city and the community that they should get off the bay. And that's a major concern that I have.

SIMON: The Coast Guard admitting today it messed up in not issuing the warning sooner.

REAR ADMIRAL CRAIG BONE, U.S. COAST GUARD: There's no excuse for the four-hour gap between when we knew what the amount was and when notification should have been made to city officials.

SIMON: The accident happened last Wednesday morning in heavy fog. The container ship struck a tower supporting the San Francisco- Oakland Bay Bridge. Two of the ship's fuel tanks ruptured. At first it was believed only 140 gallons spilled into the San Francisco Bay. A big difference from the 58,000 gallons that authorities say actually spilled. Only about 13,000 gallons have been soaked up.

REP. LYNN WOOLSEY, (D) CALIFORNIA: How did this happen? Why was the size of the spill underestimated and underreported? Why did it take so long for the local governments to know what was happening and what the responses were going to be and what they needed to do?

SIMON: Two hundred seabirds, meanwhile, have turned up dead. Hundreds more soaked in the heavy oil have been recovered and are being treated. At least 20 bay area beach remain closed. The city's beautiful backdrop tarnished by yellow containment booms.

LINDSAY PETERS, SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENT: It's horrible. It's a huge ordeal for us here because, you know, it's our home. It's in our backyard. And especially for the dogs and a lot of people here don't have yards. So it literally is in our backyard that it's happening and affect as lot of people.

SIMON: At this point it's believed that human error caused the accident, but the China ocean shipping company, the company that owns the vessel, has yet to comment about that. Meanwhile we're told that the cleanup could take months to complete.

Dan Simon, CNN, San Francisco.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Pacific storms rolling off the ocean and plowing into the northwest. Look at some of these pictures now. Wind gusts reach hurricane strength in parts of Oregon and Washington state. Downed trees and power lines left some 125,000 homes and businesses without electricity. The weather will be much better today, though, as people are working to clean up the mess. But they need to hurry up because more bad weather moving in tomorrow. Not what they want to be hearing in that part of the country. Jacqui Jeras joining us now.

Those storms are, as we said, moving east.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COLLINS: A wake-up call for Rhode Island police. One department now reviewing its policy for handling prisoners. A woman managed to smuggle a loaded gun, like this one, into her jail cell. Police in Woonsocket say the prisoner had a pat down before her arrest but they apparently missed the gun. At some point police say the inmate flushed the bullets and the clip down the toilet. The gun was too big. It slipped out of her pants the next day while she was heading to court on drug charges.

Drive a gas gobbler? Well, record pump price could make you feel like a turkey this Thanksgiving.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins.

The so-called plant talks. Exclusively to CNN, a college student claims the Clinton campaign fed her questions for the candidate.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Hey, hey, look at this. The Dow Jones Industrial average is up 124 just a second ago. It's 125. So maybe we're going in the right direction on this thing. Resting at 13,112. Yesterday at the close, down about 55 points. We'll continue to watch those numbers for you. The Nasdaq also to the positive, up 37 points. We'll be talking in a little while to Stephanie Elam. She's going to tell us a little bit more about how much it might cost you to be driving or flying for Thanksgiving. Not a pretty picture. We'll get to that shortly.

Meanwhile, as we say, it is going to cost a lot more to visit your mom this Thanksgiving, if that's where you're headed. The government's top energy forecaster, in fact, predicts gas prices will rise another 20 cents over the next two or three weeks. Right now prices are already above $3 a gallon in some places. If we see that price jump at the pump, we could break the all-time high of $3.22. Big thanks in part to record oil prices near $100 a barrel.

Well, it looks like we're all making more money, but a new study shows the gap between African American and white families is getting wider. In a nutshell, the study finds the income for white women increased more than fivefold. Income to white men was relatively stagnant. Income for black men actually declined, but it was offset by gains among black women. The study tracked more than 2,000 families for more than 30 years.

Calling on a higher power. Georgia's governor is joining lawmakers and ministers today to pray for rain. The state and others in the southeast struggling with historic droughts. The city of Atlanta is also looking for solutions in the water crisis with a battle joined along developers lines. CNN's Ed Lavandera explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Construction booms in metro Atlanta. New buildings needed for the 630,000 people who have moved to this area in the last seven years. But some say poor planning and greedy developers are threatening the region's water supply.

SALLY BETHEL, UPPER CHATTAHOOCHIE RIVERKEEPER: There's an attitude that more growth is better. Any kind of growth is the way to go. Instead of looking at quality of life for the people who are here and for future generations.

LAVANDERA: Sally BETHEL heads up an environment advocacy group called the Upper Chattahoochie Riverkeeper. She says part of Atlanta's water problem is cause by new construction that eats up green space, allowing water to escape unused. And that leaky pipes across the area waste a lot of water every day. Despite being four years into a water/sewer replacement project. BETHEL also points to new homeland landscaping requiring too much water.

BETHEL: In metro Atlanta there has been sort of a chronic addiction to a type of development over the past decade that we have got to change if we are going to have a sustainable water source into the future.

LAVANDERA: Developers say the biggest problem isn't the amount of water being used in Atlanta, it's the amount of water the area is forced to release downstream to neighboring states.

MICHAEL PARIS (ph): The growth and development industry is an easy target because we're a visible target.

LAVANDERA: Michael Paris represents Atlanta's developers. He says developers want to conserve water but doesn't think slowing down development is the answer.

PARIS: I don't think slowing down development is frankly possible in the atmosphere we're in. So I think we really all need to work hard in doing a better job of long-range planning and using the resources we have properly.

LAVANDERA: So the battle between what some call greed versus need continues.

Ed Lavandera, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Where will the young people be on Election Day?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm asked all the time by young people, how do you get started? And I say, the only way to get started is to start.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: Meet a young filmmaker trying to spark the vote.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: O.J. Simpson back in court. Testimony could send the football great to trial on armed robbery charges. A hearing underway next hour in the CNN NEWSROOM.

ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins.

COLLINS: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Heidi Collins. Tony Harris is off today.

Word of a deadly blast in the Philippines this morning. It happened outside parliament in the capital. This video just in to CNN now. It's reported the driver of a lawmaker was killed in the explosion. Nine people were injured, including three our lawmakers. Police have cordoned off the area. An investigation, is, of course, underway. We will keep you updated on the story.

Also, Pakistan, a key U.S. ally and armed with nuclear weapons. Today, though, its fragile democracy may face greater peril. Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is under arrest and on the attack today. She called for Pakistan's president to resign in a phone call to CNN. Pervez Musharraf has placed Bhutto under house arrest. Police have also rounded up thousands of her supporters. Bhutto says her party will likely boycott the upcoming elections. CNN's Karl Penhaul is in Pakistan and has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Islamabad is a city swathed in barbed wire. Pakistan's now in its second week under de facto martial law. The riot shields are ready, but today, at least, there's been no fresh clashes between protesters and police at the barricades. "Today, it's all been quiet, thank goodness," he says.

General Pervez Musharraf has promised general elections in early January, but he's giving no guarantee on lifting emergency rule.

PRES. PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, PAKISTAN: I do understand that emergency is to be lifted, but I cannot give a day for it.

PENHAUL: The president says his emergency crackdown is designed to stem Islamic militant attacks, but in practice, it's spelled arrest for thousands of moderate.

Opposition politician Benazir Bhutto's house in Islamabad is ringed by security forces and concertina wire. And this is the scene at ousted Supreme Court chief Iftikhar Chaudhry's home, he's under house arrest. Despite calm in the capital Monday, opposition to emergency rule runs deep. (on camera): At this time of day, this city market should be bustling but many shoppers seem to be staying away, apparently unsure of President Musharraf's next move.

(voice-over): Baker Mohammed Abassi says trade has dwindled at the tea shop where he works. He doesn't believe free and fair elections will be possible if emergency law remains enforced. The rules ban political rallies and any sign of protest against Mr. Musharraf. "It's going to be difficult. People who believe in democracy won't accept this election as legitimate," he says.

Up the street, Baqar Qureshi says he's too busy trying to scrape a living to go out and protest. Emergency rule has dented business and he says he can scarcely earn $3 a day. "Rich people can protest and go home safe and sound, but it's the poor people who get killed in the streets," he says. Like many Pakistanis, he's lost patience, not just with Musharraf, but all politicians. "Political leaders always make promises, but they come and rob the country and leave," he says.

Others still back the president in the fight against militant violence. Butcher Shebhaz Khan hopes he can vote in January elections, but concedes Mr. Musharraf has broken political promises before. "If he goes back on his word, what can we do? He is the government," he says.

A government that for now, is silencing anybody's word but its own, with riot cops and barbed wire.

Karl Penhaul, CNN, Islamabad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: I want to get to London now and tell you about the story we are just learning about. According to the Associated Press, they have learned from British veterinary authorities about a case of potentially lethal H5N1, you know that to be bird flu. In fact, they are also saying that this is the same type of bird flu, the same strain, I should say, found in Asia. Apparently, they found it on a farm in eastern England. So, we'll keep you updated on that. According to Associated Press, once again, a case of bird flu has been found in eastern England. We will follow it for you.

New York police tangled in a shooting controversy in Brooklyn this morning. This was the scene after police shot an unarmed 18- year-old 20 times. New York's deputy police commissioner tells CNN the young man's mom called 911 to report a domestic dispute and the operator heard the teen say in the background, he had a gun. Commissioner Paul Brown also said the teen came out of his building with an object under his shirt. It turned out to be a black hairbrush.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He shot him for no reason. No gun or nothing, no drugs or nothing. They shot him -- it was not serious, it wasn't. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: I thought you said that he did have a gun.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had a gun, but when they shot him, he did not have the gun on him. He did not have the gun on him. (INAUDIBLE) it's still in the building.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He dropped his brush and then when he dropped his brush, they started letting shots open.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It was after he dropped the brush ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After he dropped the brush, they started shooting him with a gun nine or ten times. And then after they shot him up and all that, they put their knee in his back, handcuffed him and dragged him to the car.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: CNN's Alina Cho is following the story for us. We'll update you with new information just as soon as we get it.

It's a virtual world, but there are some real life concerns. Are pedophiles finding a second life on the Web?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you vote in the last election?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you interested to vote?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, I'm actually not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just did it with like, when I renewed my driver's license, but I haven't actually voted.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Young people should be registering, young people should be voting, young people should be volunteering.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, the participation of the young, it's pathetic.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm talking about young people, who in many ways, are the future of the country. They don't seem to think it matters.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We don't understand how the government affects us.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: They don't think that it's effective. They don't think it's going to do anything for them.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel like it's out of our control.

RICHARD DREYFUSS, ACTOR: Well, that's because you are addicted to instant gratification.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: A crisis of confidence in the political process. What will it take to get young people to pay attention and cast a vote?

One filmmaker is trying something new. His film is "18 in '08." David Burstein is in Philadelphia and joining us this morning. Actually, David, I know you're the director of the film. I also know that you spent about three years working on it.

DAVID BURNSTEIN, DIRECTOR, "18 IN '08": Yes.

COLLINS: Kind of missed a lot of normal, if you will, high school activities. Why'd you do it?

BURNSTEIN: Well, you know, in 2004, I had a bunch of my friends over on election night. We were sort of sitting around and the next morning, I was sort of reflecting on why is it I couldn't invite my entire grade over for an election night party? And sort of thinking about the fact that these issues that are being decided now in Washington are issues that really impact our lives directly.

So, it concerned me that people weren't taking as much of a stake as I hoped they would. And I said, you know, film would be a great medium to sort of show everyone what these issues are and why they are important and why we have to take a stake and what can happen if we do.

COLLINS: Well, yes, it's a really cool film, too. In fact, you know, we seem to do segments on the youth vote every four years, as you would imagine. But it seems apparent that this group really grown up sort of in a different world. We've heard a lot from MTV -- Gideon Yago. He sort of addresses that in your film, in fact. Let's listen for just a moment.

BURNSTEIN: Sure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIDEON YAGO, MTV NEWS: I think a level of cynicism amongst young people in terms of politics is just way off the boards because if you're 18 now, when has there been a politician that's actually level with America? If you're 18 now, you were barely aware of politics when you had the whole Monica Lewinsky scandal. You've had WMDs in Iraq, and I have yet to hear a politician on a major way come out and say, I recognize all of the doubt that you might have.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: So, David, is your generation different? And if so, if you would explain it that way, then what's it going to mean in 2008 when people are actually casting their votes? BURNSTEIN: Well, I think with our generation, there's a really, really exciting thing going on, which is that we're more passionate than people have been -- young people have been in quite a long time. We volunteer more than so many other generations. We are engaging in work with NGOs. We founding NGOs.

But I think there's a lot of cynicism amongst young people in the political process. And we look at being able to contribute in other ways. And I think the real thing here is trying to figuring out how we can channel that sort of passion and activism into the political process. And I think that we are seeing a move towards that in 2008.

In 2004 and 2006, the youth vote was up tremendously in those elections. And I think it's on an upward trend. It's not where it should be.

COLLINS: Yes.

BURNSTEIN: But in 2008, I think we're really going to see a change.

COLLINS: Yes, but when you ask people, you know, hey, are you going to vote and you got a lot of nos. I imagine that most people know by now their most important and powerful right is to get out there and cast a vote. The cynicism, does it get in the way?

BURNSTEIN: I think it does. And I think -- and that's the biggest challenge that there is to getting more young people to vote is telling people, look, I understand your cynicism. And I think that's the key thing is too often, we sort of say, how can you be cynical? And I think it's important to legitimize that, and then say, let's work from there and sort of engage in real conversations with these people, which is what I do.

And I encourage my friends to do when people say, you know, it's all corrupted, I don't think my vote counts. And I really think it's important to engage in those conversations because, if we as young people become a reliable voting bloc, we can actually influence these things and start to change the way that we feel cynical about.

COLLINS: But you know, it seems like there's a lot of criticism when we do do these segments to the media and then also to the politicians themselves about, you know, you're really not recognizing this voting group. Not doing or saying what the younger generation wants to hear, therefore, not getting them interested. But in fact, in your film, you sort of brought that up. And here's what people had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't say to them, how dare it not matter to you. Do you not realize that you're the future of this country?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The reality is the government has a huge impact on their future. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Every day, I make a decision in the United States Senate, every vote I cast has more to do with your lives than it does mine.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Young people need to use their energy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am asked all the time by young people how do you get started? And I say the only way to get started is to start.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: So, specifically, David, do you think the candidates in this election are really focusing in and giving what the young voters want, paying attention to them?

BURNSTEIN: Absolutely, I think that we're seeing for the first time, almost all the major campaigns have a full-time youth vote director and they're really engaging in sort of groundbreaking efforts to sort of get young people involved.

And with stuff like YouTube and Facebook and MySpace, I think the candidates are really taking advantage of those resources to sort of realize this is a great way to engage young people in the political process.

So, I think we are definitely seeing a move towards that in this particular election. I think the campaigns are really starting to realize that there are 29 million people between 18 and 24 who will be eligible to vote in 2008. And I think any campaign that's smart is going to realize that that's a group of people that will be great to get a large number of them on their side.

COLLINS: Yes, actually, we know that here in the media, too. We like them all to watch our television programs. It's a great demographic.

All right, David Burnstein, we certainly appreciate your time here ...

BURNSTEIN: Thanks so much.

COLLINS: ...the director of "18 in '08," great new film. Thanks so much, David.

BURNSTEIN: Thanks, Heidi.

COLLINS: Lights, cameras, baby, it's not a movie, but real life for a little girl born with extra arms and legs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GERRI WILLIS, PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Credit card offers, they're everywhere, in the mail, online and on TV. And they usually come with incentives ranging from cash back to hotel points and airline miles. But, before you get wooed by all those incentives, read the fine print.

Rewards cards typically carry higher interest rates, and that could negate any benefit of the so-called incentives. So, look for a card with a low APR, some even offer zero interest for six months to a year. Also, watch out for hidden fees, such as late fees and overcharge fees. They can add up quickly.

Another catch, restrictions. For instance, if you have a travel reward card, see if it has black-out dates. Dates where you aren't allowed to use points for travel and check on expiration dates. You don't want to save up miles or rewards points for something special, and then find out you can't use them.

That's this week's Saving Money Now. For more on saving money, watch "OPEN HOUSE" every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time right here on CNN. And you can catch us on Headline News every Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: A surprisingly strong earnings report from Wal-Mart is giving stocks a bit of a lift. Stephanie Elam is at the New York Stock Exchange now with the latest from the world's largest retailer.

Hi there, Stephanie.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

COLLINS: I want to go ahead and show these pictures to you here in just a moment. We're going to be looking at O.J. Simpson. As you know, there are some court proceedings going on today. He's just now arriving at court. So, just want to show you some of the new video in to us here at CNN again.

Just a few moments ago, O.J. Simpson, you see him there right in the middle of the screen, going into court. Going to be addressing more of those possible charges against him. All of that, those incidents that happened in Las Vegas and the hotel room where he was -- apparently, went in and tried to reclaim some of his sports memorabilia with several other people who entered the room with him, as you also may know. Most of those people are prepared to testify against him. So, arriving at court, O.J. Simpson. We'll continue to follow that story for you.

Also, following this story for you in our -- CNN has now confirmed this story on bird flu. We told you just a few minutes ago, the Associated Press had learned from the British veterinary authorities that there is a potentially lethal H5N1 strain of bird flu. They found it on a farm in eastern England. This is the same strain that was found in Asia that you are familiar with, I'm sure. So once again, CNN now confirming that there has been a strain of potentially deadly bird flu found in eastern England.

Our Phil Black is in London to tell us a little bit more about this. So, what more do we know at this point?

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Heidi, as you say, confirmation of what health officials and bird farmers here in Britain have feared. This particular avian flu outbreak on a small turkey farm in the area Suffolk has been confirmed to be the H5N1 virus. This is what health officials consider to be a highly pathogenic form of this virus, highly contagious, particularly among the bird population, but it also has, as we've seen around the world, the potential to spread from birds to humans.

Now, this is a concern because although it's a reasonably small farm, just 5,000 bird there or so, it is in a region where there are millions of birds currently being reared, particularly in the build-up to the busy Christmas period. There is a great threat to the industry broadly and, of course, there is also this other potential threat that the virus could spread to humans, as well.

Now, this is something that Britain has seen. Just recently in February this year, there was a significant outbreak of this highly pathogenic virus at a turkey farm where some 130,000 birds had to be slaughtered. There is very much the belief among scientists here that this particular virus now exists in Europe and these sorts of outbreaks may be something we have to get used to -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Wow, all right. Phil Black following the story for us in England today. Thanks so much, Phil.

A big boost for Fred Thompson, the GOP presidential candidate expected to get a major endorsement.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: A big endorsement this hour may give Fred Thompson a push in the race for the White House. You hear now CNN's Dana Bash, part of the best political team on television.

Hi there, Dana. Who's jumping into Thompson's corner now?

DANA BASH, CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a big endorsement, you're right. A big copp for Fred Thompson, Heidi. It is the National Right to Life Committee, one of the biggest grass roots organizations that, as you can tell by the name, is one of the biggest anti-abortion grass roots organizations.

This is a big endorsement for any Republican candidate, but especially for Fred Thompson because it gives him a much needed boost. His campaign since, he's gotten in, has seen some problems in terms of the polls, in terms of anecdotal comments from Republican voters in key first primary and caucus states simply saying that they don't -- that they're disappointed in his candidacy. But this is something that really helps him.

And the reasons of why the leadership, a press conference right behind me just a few minutes ago, gave in endorsing Fred Thompson really is in line with Fred Thompson's own campaign rhetoric, that he is the most consistent, conservative in the race. What they said is that his Senate votes when he was in the Senate were consistently pro, what they call pro-life, anti-abortion. And that the policies he supports now are as well and they insist that he is the most electable Republican candidate in the race that supports their stance on this issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID O'STEEN, EXEC. DIRECTOR, NATL. RIGHT TO LIFE: In the overwhelming number of national polls, has run second to Giuliani and you take the feeling of necessity for now, after looking, since January, and looking and giving the campaigns a chance to run, the necessity of pro-lifers uniting, to make sure we have a pro-life nominee, Senator Thompson just stood out as the clear person to nominate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, Senator Thompson has already released his statement, of course, welcoming and applauding this organization's decision to endorse him, saying that it's because he's a consistent conservative who stood with anti-abortion activists and voters around the country yesterday, today and will stand with them tomorrow, Heidi.

COLLINS: All right, CNN's Dana Bash following the story for us. Thank you, Dana.

BASH: Thank you.

COLLINS: Also, want to remind everybody the Democratic presidential candidates are hitting the strip. This Thursday night, all bets are off, as the Democrats clash again in Las Vegas with CNN's Wolf Blitzer and the best political team on television. That's this Thursday, 8:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN.

An unarmed teenager shot 20 times. Police believed he had a gun, but it turned out to be a hairbrush.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You're with CNN, you're informed. Hi, everybody, I'm Heidi Collins.

Developments keep coming in to the NEWSROOM on Tuesday, the 13th day of November. And here's what's on the rundown.

Pakistan's Benazir Bhutto take a new, tough stance. She says President Musharraf has to go.

A barage of bullets. New York police opened fire on a teenager. Did a hairbrush cost a young man his life?

Keeping them honest. This man says the U.S. sent him to Syria for torture. Now, he's waiting on an apology in the NEWSROOM.

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