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American Morning
Gunman's Girlfriend Speaks About Rampage; Pakistan's First Ever Primary Elections; Phoenix Mayor on Checking Immigration Status
Aired February 18, 2008 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: CNN special investigations unit correspondent, Abbie Boudreau, stepped down for an exclusive interview with Jessica Baty.
She also talked to you, Abbie, about some of the last letters and the last gifts that she got from Kazmierczak before this happened.
ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Yes Kiran. You're exactly right. You're about to hear the last message that the gunman sent to his girlfriend and she received it on Valentine's Day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA BATY, GIRLFRIEND OF GUNMAN: You are the best Jessica. You've done so much for me and I truly do love you. You will make an excellent psychologist or social worker someday. Don't forget about me. Love, Steven.
BOUDREAU: Jessica Baty is reading the last words her boyfriend wrote to her, a note that she got on Valentine's Day, the same day Steven Kazmierczak killed five students and himself at Northern Illinois University.
Do you still love him?
BATY: Yes I do still love him.
BOUDREAU: Is it hard to love him?
BATY: No, it's not. Because I know the real Steven. The person that I knew was not the one that walked into the hall and did that. I mean, that wasn't the Steve I knew. He was anything but a monster. He was probably the nicest, most caring person ever.
BOUDREAU: She says he had a troubled childhood and spent time in a group home as a teenager battling depression. Looking back, were there any warning signs?
BATY: He did cut himself and when he showed me the scars on his arms, I made him promise never to do that, that if he was feeling bad that he needed to talk to me and we would get through it.
BOUDREAU: Baty is a person who likely knew Steve Kazmierczak best. During our two-hour conversation, she revealed the medication he had been taking. BATY: Prozac.
BOUDREAU: And she says NIU officials and police got some things all wrong. What are some of the things that you've heard being reported that you think are not true?
BATY: A lot. They've been saying that he was acting erratically in the time before he did, and he wasn't acting erratically. He was just under a lot of stress from school and he didn't have a job. So he felt bad about that. He wasn't erratic. He wasn't psychotic.
He wasn't delusional. He was -- he was Steve. He was normal. He was on medication and he did stop taking it, and he stopped taking it because he said it made him feel like a zombie and that he was lazy. That's why he stopped taking it. He didn't behave erratically.
BOUDREAU: They lived together for the past year and she says she knew he had guns in the home.
BATY: I knew about the shotguns and I knew about one of the handguns. I think I knew about the highpoint. But the other two, he bought on a day while I was at work. So I had no idea until I read about it, and I was like, my god, he did this while I was at work.
BOUDREAU: Baty doesn't know what set off Kazmierczak's deadly rampage. She thought he was visiting his godfather who was sick. She had no idea he was at DeKalb near campus. He didn't seem struggling?
BATY: No. He called me that nigh and said he got there and told me that he loved me and said he would see me on Thursday and he missed me. He called me before he was going to go to bed, and he said that, you know -- he told me not to forget about him and he told me he would see me tomorrow and had we got off the phone he said, good-bye Jessica and he never said good-bye Jessica. He always said you know, see you later, Jesse, it was never good-bye Jessica and I just thought that was strange.
BOUDREAU: In the days after the shooting, she says police told her they confiscated packages Kazmierczak had sent to her, one contained these textbooks for school and a new cell phone. He also sent her "The Anti-Christ" by Niche. Then she revealed what another package contained.
BATY: They think that there was a package with some ammunition and like a holster in it.
BOUDREAU: After all of this, she says she's not angry. She's just hurt and confused.
BATY: I can't believe he's gone. I can't believe he took other people with him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOUDREAU: Jessica also told us he was seeing a psychiatrist on a regular basis and was extremely stressed about school and about not having a job. If want to see more on this interview go to CNN.com -- Kiran.
CHETRY: What a sad story. Abbie, thank you.
Meanwhile, we have extreme weather to tell you about this morning in Alabama. Boy, the victim, one town of a terrible tornado, it was Prattville about a few miles northwest of Montgomery and about 30 people injured, two critically. 200 homes and businesses damaged and one-third of the town lost power in that storm.
Also, a tornado touched down in Florida in the Florida panhandle. Four homes destroyed. No injuries reported there. The storm's expected to move through Florida today. Several counties under a tornado watch.
In the Midwest, it was snow that caused the problems. Snow and freezing rain fell in Wisconsin and Iowa, where blizzard warnings are still in effect in Missouri. Heavy snow and slush forced officials to close the Kansas City International Airport yesterday. It was closed for six hours. That was the longest shutdown in its history. Here to bring us up to date on the extreme weather right now, Rob Marciano, tracking it for us.
How are we looking in terms of a possible blizzard?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Still a little bit of snow on the scope. Things are winding down as far as blizzards go. Milwaukee into Chicago, you've got a little bit of snow coming your way and some lake effect snows will be kicking in through the Grand Rapids.
Let's slide the map over to the East, the more action where the more action there is across the I-95 corridor. A pretty big batch of rainfall; this isn't severe weather but it will affect your morning commute across I-905 through New Haven, through Providence, Boston.
Slide the map down to south where we have more in the way of rough action. Hampton Roads, Virginia Beach, we've had a couple of severe thunderstorm warnings with this and the red squares you see there, that is the tornado watches that remain in effect for the next couple of hours. And we still have one potent across the panhandle of Florida. This is still part of the line that brought the tornadoes last night to southern Alabama and southeastern parts of Georgia.
We're already starting to see weather-related traffic delays at the airports. New York City, JFK, we've got a ground stop, ground delays at La Guardia and as well in Philadelphia mostly because of wind. Of course, in La Guardia, winds coming just a crosswind, it's miserable.
Good news? Like opt have a little bit of good news. Some much- needed rain in places like Georgia and Florida and Alabama which is so desperately need.
CHETRY: We also had a good shot of Daytona Beach, 88 degrees and gorgeous.
MARCIANO: Warm for the race. Guys were sliding, but got her done at the end.
CHETRY: The 50th running yesterday. Like it to be about 65?
MARCIANO: Sixty, 65, good grip and keep the drivers cool.
CHETRY: You didn't get in trouble? Right? Didn't blame the weatherman?
MARCIANO: They didn't. Got out of there just in time to see you.
CHETRY: We're glad you're back. Thanks, Rob.
Happening now, polls in Pakistan's first primary election in six years are now closed and today's vote took place with little violence and no major allegations of vote rigging. Now the tallying starts. Voters are picking a new parliament. It's also a referendum ruling on the embattled President Perez Musharraf. He says he'll accept the result. The first results are due in about two and a half hours.
And President Bush is spending a second day in Tanzania's part of his tour of a hospital, also handing out mosquito netting to help prevent the spread of malaria. Mr. Bush says that the suffering caused by malaria is needless and that every death is unacceptable. He's in the middle of a five-nation tour of Africa.
Endorsements making news again today in the race for president. Both Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have been courting their former Democratic rival John Edwards. Obama visited Edwards in North Carolina Sunday while Republican front runner John McCain is expected to get a presidential endorsement today.
The candidates are campaigning hard in Wisconsin as they head into tomorrow's primary and CNN's Mary Snow is in Milwaukee. Former President Bush is going to be endorsing, at least it's pretty much expected today, to endorse John McCain.
Hey, Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT Hi there, Kiran. A big endorsement for Senator John McCain and that is expected to happen later this morning in Houston, Texas. Then Senator McCain will be traveling here to Wisconsin later in the day to campaign.
On the Democratic side, as you mentioned, John Edwards hasn't yet said whether or not he'll endorse either of the Democratic candidates, but his support is surely being courted.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: Senator Barack Obama slipped off to North Carolina without the press. The formal rival John Edwards, more than week after Edwards had a similar sitdown with Senator Hillary Clinton. The fight for his support and his endorsement is about as heated as the fight for Wisconsin on Tuesday. SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're not taking anything for granted. We want every single voter throughout to come out. By the way, not just Democrats, but also independents and maybe some disenchanted Republicans, we want your votes as well.
SNOW: Obama took to the local air waves after bad weather derailed campaign stops. Hillary Clinton, too, had to change gears, canceling some appearances but making an impromptu stop at grocery store in Milwaukee. She's been looking ahead to Ohio and Texas but has been criticizing her rival for not debating her in Wisconsin.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think the fact he won't debate me says a lot about his campaign.
SNOW: While Obama's camp says they've debated enough.
On the Republican side, front-runner Senator John McCain took a break from the campaign trail but made a promise on ABC's "This Week" not to raise taxes if he's elected.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So on taxes, are you a read my lips candidate? No new taxes, no matter what?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No new taxes.
SNOW: It's a promise his Republican rival says is old news, Mike Huckabee claims he made the same pledge last year. He is advocating abolishing the IRS altogether. Huckabee campaigned in Milwaukee last night saying he's staying in the race to try to rally the traditional base of the GOP.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: And if Mike Huckabee is feeling the pressure as Senator John McCain moves closer to becoming the Republican nominee, he certainly isn't showing it. He did come to Milwaukee last night where he campaigned at a bowling alley and actually went bowling with his wife, his daughter there also, and Mike Huckabee is vowing to fight the fact that he's the underdog and it's mathematically impossible for him to catch up with Senator McCain, vowing to stay in it race and fight a hard race in Texas for the primary there on March 4th -- Kiran.
CHETRY: It's such a funny shot you got. It's hard enough to try to bowl a strike without all the campaign posters behind you and all the media videotaping you the entire time.
SNOW: Yes. Everybody dissecting what his bowling efforts will mean in the presidential campaign. So -- certainly a lot of pressure there. But he's not -- not just on the bowling alley but in the race. He seems to be relaxed, have a lot of fun and made an unusual stop this weekend in the Cayman Islands. He gave a speech there. He did that on Saturday taking a bit of a detour on the campaign trail.
CHETRY: When reporters were making something of that he said I'm the only one running not paid by the federal government. I got to find a way to make my money. What he said about getting paid to give that speech out there in the island. Mary Snow, great to see you. Thanks.
Here's a check now are the political calendar. Tomorrow, February 19th, Hawaii holds its Democratic caucus and Washington and Wisconsin hold primaries. Join us for results and analysis Wednesday morning here on AMERICAN MORNING.
Thursday right here on CNN as well, Senator Clinton and Senator Obama going head to head in their next debate. It's live from Austin, Texas, Thursday night right here on CNN.
Still ahead, the credit crunch has hit college loans. CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis explains what it means if you're paying for college.
Also, under what circumstances should police officers be allowed to ask whether or not you're a legal U.S. citizen? We'll talk about new policy in Phoenix. Is it anti-immigrant or is it smart police work? We'll talk to the mayor coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Breaking news this morning, a Russian navy ship is adrift in stormy seas in the Aegean Sea. A rescue mission is underway right now. Right now the Greek coast guard says the ship is drifting in rough seas with 88 crew members onboard sounding a distress signal. Not clear though what went wrong or whether this ship in danger of sinking. We'll keep an eye on it for you throughout morning.
Still ahead, the mayor of Phoenix wants to change the way his police officers deal with immigration. Soon police will be asked to follow a new policy where people arrested for a crime can be asked about their legal status. But someone who's pulled over, not arrested, cannot be asked to provide proof of citizenship.
It's a move that maybe could be too late for people like American citizen Israel Correa. Last week in our series "Uncovering America," we told you what happened to him after pulled over for driving without headlights. He says he was thrown in jail and held for an immigration check.
ISRAEL CORREA, U.S. CITIZEN: I was born here and they treated me as like a criminal, like I murdered somebody.
CHETRY: So is the new policy fair? How will it work? Mayor Phil Gordon joins us now live from Phoenix.
Thanks for being with us this morning, Mayor.
MAYOR PHIL GORDON, PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Thank you, Kiran.
CHETRY: What will people see on the ground out there in the streets of Houston? What's going to be different if pulled over other arrested when it comes to checking immigration status? GORDON: Well in Phoenix, what's going to be happening is, if you commit a crime, then your status will be inquired about. It you're not committing a crime, a state or local crime, then there won't be any.
In the case you just showed, which wasn't a Phoenix police department, it was another agency, civil traffic violation, there's no inquiry at all. If there's a misdemeanor or a felony, then the status will be a factor in determining flight risk and whether one should be arrested or not, as the type of crime would be.
It's a bright line so that everybody, the police, the community, the immigrant community will know what the Phoenix police are doing and aren't doing. And that is, commit a crime, the officers will have the tools to make sure that there's arrests or prosecution or when status is determined.
If you're not involved in a crime or if you're a witness to a crime or a victim of a crime, the Phoenix police will not be inquiring about your status, because we need people to testify in order to convict the bad people that are out there hurting this community.
CHETRY: I misspoke and said Houston. I know it's Phoenix. You guys have a population of about 34 percent Hispanics. You're also about 200 miles from Mexico and you really do have a heavy influx of illegal immigrants coming into that area. And this is receiving mixed reaction. I mean there are some who say it doesn't go far enough that simply being here illegally you're committing a crime, so that it is fair game to be questioned about. How do you respond to that?
GORDON: Well first and foremost, the vast majority of the community both Hispanic and immigrant community and the public citizens as well as the police have supported this new policy, because it makes sense. It gives the officers the tools. It ensures against racial profiling by requiring a form to be filled out so that we can make sure that either if an officer is accused of racial profiling or is doing it we can check that against the record.
And thirdly those complaining should realize that the duty of Phoenix local police to protect and serve, and that means going after criminals, those that are dealing drug, those that are break into our home, smuggling individuals here. Our Phoenix police have actually arrested over 11,000 criminal illegal aliens over the last two years and turned over to ICE about 2,500 individuals that were here on status violations at drop houses. Again, that's as a result of further going after the criminals and breaking up these organizations.
CHETRY: And now I understand there are civil rights advocates say it could open up a door to more racial profiling, to people look Hispanics or speak with an accent are more likely to be pulled over or are more likely to be questioned by police officers leading to possibly more arrests. Do you see any possibility that that could be a danger?
GORDON: Throughout the country unfortunately racial profiling of all ethnicities has been going on. Here in Phoenix we've adopted safeguards. Number one, everyone will be asked the same question, no matter what one's ethnicity, color of skin. We can have Canadians that are here in Phoenix that have overstayed think visa, come here illegally or from Europe.
Number two is a form in order to contact ICE will have to be filled out. So we'll be able to track all those. And most safeguards weren't in place before. So actually, we have the highest protection. We have four constitutional attorneys, well known here in Phoenix, that went through this and came up with this recommendation. The chief of police has embraced it, as has the Hispanic community leaders since last Friday.
CHETRY: All right. Hopefully this plan will work for you guys. Mayor Phil Gordon of Phoenix, Arizona, thanks for joining us this morning.
GORDON: Thank you very much.
CHETRY: Still ahead, it's the largest meat recall in U.S. history. 143 million pounds, all that from a California meat packing plant recalled now. Some 37 million pounds of it went out to school lunch programs and government health officials say most of the meat has already been eaten. So far, though, no illnesses have been linked to it.
That brings us to our Quick Vote question. Do you trust that the U.S. food supply is safe? Item now just 15 percent say yes. 85 percent say no. We'll do another tally in the program this morning.
Still ahead, one in three women will deliver their children by c- section. It's a stat that's climbing rapidly. Is there a medical reason? Elizabeth Cohen will join us with more.
And toymakers from around the world are filling up what's new. Parents, are you sure these toy, safe?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were asleep at the switch stop checking on its own laboratories and factories in China.
CHETRY: Our Greg Hunter looking out for you, going to show us some of the changes made since last year's major toy recalls.
Also, the credit crisis spreading and driving up the costs of college loans. CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis has advice if you have one of those loans ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, the credit crunch began as a so-called sub prime mortgage melt down spreading to other loans including student loans. CNN's personal finance editor Gerri Willis joins us now with your financial security watch.
For some students, it may be harder to get a loan and if they even get one, it may cost them more? GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Absolutely. This is some bad news for college students. You know money for student loans is raised the same way that mortgage money is raised. It's sold to investors and now investors are so worried about the mortgage crisis they're reluctant to invest in these loans as well.
So here's what you're going to face if you're a student trying to a type of loan from a bank this year for college. You're going to have higher interest rates, as much as a full percentage point higher. Thirteen percent will probably the average rate on the loans. What's more, you need a better credit score -- 650 the likely score that most banks will ask for and you're going to have to have your parents' cosign.
Some of those benefits, some of those extra special bennies for people who paid on time or put their payments online automated them, that's all going away. Now, I should say there is at least one bank out there who's saying we're not walking away from this market. We think it's important. JP Morgan Chase is one of those banks saying we really like student aid and will keep doing it.
CHETRY: Why are they going away? If you're somebody that shows you can pay back and will pay on time, shouldn't you be rewarded?
WILLIS: One would think that but you know with the mortgage crisis, lenders worry about all kind of different debt. From mortgage debt, credit card debt, auto loan, name it, they're concerned.
If you're wondering what to do, you're a student out there and saying, holy cow, if I can't get a private loan what will I do? You've got to step up your efforts in getting scholarship, work study. There's a lot of free money out there, if you go a Web site called collegeboard.com, you can find some great scholarships. Billions of dollars given away every year. This isn't stuff you pay back. To students who apply. So you definitely want to think about that.
And you also want to think about the federal dollars, too. Fedaid.org is a great place to go if you're trying to get money from the government. Their terms will be better but I have to tell you lenders out there are worried about doing the government loans, too. You'll see rates creep up there as well. The credit cards out here, isn't just bad for corporate America, it's also bad for individuals.
CHETRY: It's a tough situation. I remember when we in college, we had books. You would look up where you could get loans and --
WILLIS: It's all on the web now.
CHETRY: Everything's on the web.
WILLIS: That's right.
CHETRY: You should do your homework. You're right. There's a ton of money out there and some of it never gets used.
WILLIS: That's right. Free money. Check it out. Collegeboard.com, great place, check it out.
CHETRY: Gerri, thank you.
WILLIS: My pleasure.
CHETRY: You're watching the most news in the morning.
President Bush promoting disease prevention during his trip to Africa this week. We're going to get a report on the president's efforts live from Tanzania coming up.
Also, it used to be quite rare. Now it seems like everyone is having possibly a c-section. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen explains why we're seeing this happen more and more with deliveries.
Hey, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kiran. This is especially a story for people like you who are in your condition. You should know, c-section rates are skyrocketing. Are all of those surgeries really necessary? We'll have that when AMERICAN MORNING comes right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Coming to us from WTMJ, Milwaukee, Wisconsin this morning. Light snow. Right now 30 degrees.
Not too bad if you're heading out to the polls today, right?
MARCIANO: Lavergne and Shirley, I'm sure are dancing in the snow on the way to vote.
CHETRY: Exactly. I can't find a sidewalk there in that mix, but, you know, I'm sure, just walk over the top of the snow. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. We are tracking some extreme weather this morning and it's not really the snow but actually some extreme storm that has caused some problems in the south.
Alabama, Prattville, about 200 homes and businesses damaged; a tanning salon. A short time ago I spoke to one of the employees there who was in the store. He says they had 30 seconds notice before taking cover in one part of the building before the roof collapsed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID SHOUPE, TORNADO SURVIVOR: We were standing there, like we saw the carts going across the parking lot and then saw things start flying, and one of our customers was yelling, you all run. And as soon as she said that, we all took off down the hallway. We opened the door to the laundry room and dove in. As soon as we dove in, Kate who was on the ground. I got on top of Kate, and was covering her up, and then Melanie was behind me, and Ken did the same for her and then everything just started falling through at that time.
(END VIDEO CLIP) CHETRY: David's car was damaged during the storm. There's a look at it. He's just happy that no one was hurt. Rob Marciano tracking all the extreme weather for us right now. So, we are above average for tornadoes in February.
MARCIANO: Yes. Now, we've had over 100 already. And February's usually our quietest month. That number will be whittled down as they go out and check them out. But typically we only get 20, 25. So, certainly it has been active and folks injured in the tornadoes last night but certainly lucky that at least right now, no fatalities reported.
We want to show you where the line of storms is moving to and out to sea eventually but we saw some rough weather to deal with across the Carolinas in through the Delmarva at the mouth of the Chesapeake. That looks like that rough weather has moved east. But I'm concerned about this line that is moving through, say, Lake City, just north of Gainesville and through Jacksonville, Florida. That's holding together pretty well. That tornado watch remains in effect for the next couple hours.
Behind this front is some more tranquil, chilly weather, and we have a few showers to get through. You know what, there's a lot of airport delays because of the rain that's been moving in, and the wind that's now being picked up across parts of the larger metropolitan airports. JFK ground stops in effect. La Guardia also, some ground stops, Teterboro, Newark, also arrival delays Philadelphia ground delays. This is mostly because of the rain that moved through, and now the winds, you get a crosswind there at La Guardia, forget about it.
Cold air will be moving in behind the second front. And once that happens, then we'll feel the chill. But I think it'll be pretty warm up and down the east coast even after this rough weather moves through. We don't see much in the way of severe weather after this batch, at least for a few days. So we can use a bit of a break. It has been very active as you mentioned.
CHETRY: Yes. And strange. I walked out today and thought, is it summer now? It felt very frizzy and damp outside this morning.
MARCIANO: Yes. It will get chillier today and tomorrow.
CHETRY: I'm not really complaining.
MARCIANO: You've been begging for that snowstorm. It hasn't come yet.
CHETRY: You know what happened, it snowed a little bit. Ran out, got the snowsuit for the baby. And before that, before I could get it on her, it rained and was gone.
MARCIANO: That's the kiss of death. Leave the snow suit inside.
CHETRY: Well, to politics now. Republican John McCain making a key campaign promise on ABC's "this week" the host, George Stephanopoulos. tried to pin down McCain's position on taxes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, "THIS WEEK," HOST: So on taxes, are you a read my lips candidate? No new taxes, no matter what?
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No new taxes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Meanwhile, George Herbert Walker Bush, the President's father is expected to announce this morning that he will endorse McCain for president.
Barack Obama also hoping to pick up a key endorsement. He met with John Edwards yesterday at Edwards' North Carolina home. Obama said they talked about focusing on issues affecting the middle class. Edwards reportedly torn whether to support Obama or Hillary Clinton.
Speaking of Hillary Clinton, her campaign releases its blueprint to fix the economy, a 13-page plan that spells out Clinton's plans to fix the home foreclosure crisis, create jobs and how to pay for universal health care. A key part of the plan is to create an environmentally "green collar jobs."
And a programming note, this Thursday night, you don't want to miss the democratic debate. CNN and Univision hosting it. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama face-off live in Austin, Texas, Thursday night, 8:00 Eastern.
And also tomorrow, Hawaii holds its democratic caucuses. Washington and Wisconsin hold their primaries and we'll be bringing you full coverage all day and night, Tuesday, final results Wednesday morning.
Well, President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush are in Tanzania today where they visited a textile factory where mosquito nets are made. Earlier they were at a hospital handing out those nets. Mosquito nets are a simple but effective way to stop the spread of malaria. A disease that kills thousands and thousands of children each year in many, many countries in Africa. White House correspondent Ed Henry is traveling with the President. He joins us now from Dar Es Salam, Tanzania.
Ed, what's going on this morning?
ED HENRY, CNN, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kiran, it's interesting. This trip is all about the president trying to tout humanitarian successes here in Africa, trying to make the case of his legacy. His legacy should not just be about the Iraq war. Specifically, he toured a hospital with the First Lady today, talking up his initiative to battle AIDS in Africa.
He has already put up $15 billion. He wants Congress to up it to $30 billion. When Mr. Bush took office, there were only about 50,000 Africans getting treatment for HIV AIDS. Now, there are about 1.3 million. Also, he has a malaria initiative, battling that deadly disease. Kills a child in Africa about every 30 seconds.
He toured a factory with the First Lady today where they make these mosquito nets to try to repel the bugs, the insects that are infecting children and he talked about stepping up that campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Today, I'm pleased to announce new steps in this campaign. Within the next six months, the United States and Tanzania in partnership with the World Global Fund will begin distributing 5.2 million three bed nets. This ambitious nationwide program will provide enough nets to protect every child between the ages of 1 and 5 in Tanzania.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: For all the success though, the administration has been dealing with some major problems in this continent as well. The President dispatching Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today to Kenya to meet with Kofi Annan, the former U.N. Secretary-General to try to broker some peace there on the ground, that post-election strife that has been so difficult, but also tomorrow the President going to Rwanda, which dealt with that tragic genocide in 1994. There's likely to spark more questions of pressing President Bush about why the U.S. is not doing more to deal with what Mr. Bush himself has called genocide right now in Darfur -- Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Ed Henry for us in Tanzania this morning. Thank you.
Nancy Reagan is in a Santa Monica California Hospital this morning. The 86-year-old former first lady was admitted yesterday after a fall at her home. Doctors say she did not break her hip as they had initially feared. She was kept overnight as a precaution. She is said to be doing well and is in good spirits.
Well, chances are that one in three pregnant women will now deliver by c-section. And it's a statistic that's on the rise. This morning we're asking why that is and whether or not the safest option for mother and baby. Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is in our medical update desk. There was a time when it was very, very rare for us to see C-sections and now they seem to be more common than ever.
Why is this happening, Elizabeth?
COHEN: You know what, Kiran. It is this perfect storm. That's what one expert called it. More mothers are asking for them and also the medical and legal system is kind of pushing people in some ways in that direction, and the numbers are truly staggering. As you said there was a time when it was sort of an odd thing to do. Now it's almost a usual thing to do. Let's take a look at some of these numbers.
In 1995, 20 percent of all births were delivered by cesarean section, and then just ten years later, 2005, 30 percent of all births. That is a huge jump in just 10 years. And it's distressing to many people, because there are more dangers with c-section births. Let's take a look at some of the dangers that are involved here.
First of all, for moms, the mortality rate, the rate at which the moms die, goes up by four times greater with a c-section. Now, the raw numbers are still pretty small, but still it's a four times greater increase. Also, there's infection, hemorrhage and injuries for moms when they have C-sections, and also there are sometimes problems with the baby. They sometimes have breathing problems -- Kiran.
CHETRY: And you talk about also deliveries on demand. I mean, some people find it easier. I mean, anecdotically, people say oh, you know, it's easier. I can know when, I can know that, you know, everything's going to go OK and it's just -- the doctor goes in, does it, and I'm done.
COHEN: Right. You hear that and you certainly hear sometimes that celebrities had c-sections by choice. In fact, one person called it being too posh to push. You're too posh to push. You're just going to have the doctor go in there and take it. But experts I talked to say you know what maternal choice is only a smart part of this. Really what we're looking at is doctors who are often afraid to do a tricky delivery. If anything looks like it might go wrong they're like, OK, let's do a c-section.
They're going to have fewer lawsuits, and also there's just more of a push to induce deliveries and try to induce a vaginal delivery. Once you go that route, once you try to induce, you're more likely to end up with a c-section.
CHETRY: You know, I mean, sometimes doctors actually do push you for it, or make it easier, as one of your options. Do you want to schedule this?
So, if you don't want to be someone who has a cesarean, that you want to give it a go to have a natural birth is there anything you can do to better your chances?
COHEN: You know, there are. There are some very specific things that you can do. First of all, you can, as we talked about, you can not get induced. Getting induced. You think I'm going to have a vaginal birth, I'm just getting induced. No, getting induced can sometimes set you on the road to a getting a c-section.
Also, labor at home early on, if you're one or two or three centimeters dilated, you don't have to be at the hospital. Once you're at the hospital, sometimes the medical technology takes over. Also, choose your doctor and hospital carefully. Look what their c- section rates are. There is a big difference among practitioners.
CHETRY: Wow. That's very interesting. Elizabeth Cohen for us. Thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
CHETRY: Still ahead, they're breaking new ground and it's paying off. Who are the people who were not afraid to maybe do business a little bit differently? And what's the secret to their success. Our Polly Labarre introduces us to some mavericks in the workplace. Next.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (voice-over): Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING. Testing the toy makers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The toy industry got complacent. Stopped checking on its own laboratories and factories in China.
CHETRY: Our Greg Hunter is at the toy fair looking out for you.
GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, there's no way to swallow this.
CHETRY: So, what's being done to reduce recalls and keep your kids safe? Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: The space shuttle "Atlantis" will soon be heading home. Earlier this morning it undocked from the International Space Station. The crew said their good-byes after a successful mission that saw the addition of Europe's first permanent lab to the station. The shuttle is due to land Wednesday either at Florida's Kennedy Space Center or the backup site, Edwards Air Force base in California.
China worried about America's plan to shoot down a dead spy satellite. This is what it would look like. China blew up a satellite of its own last year but it's worried that the U.S. shoot down may disrupt security in space. The U.S. military say it's just a matter of caution. There's toxic fuel aboard that could survive re- entry if the satellite is left to fall on its own.
Well, toy makers from around the world are in New York. It's the annual toy fair. Now, last year you may remember, millions of recalled toys -- 25 million. So, what is the industry doing to make improvements and to make sure that our children are safe? Well, our Greg Hunter is looking out for you. He joins us now.
You were at the fair? I'm sure that there was a lot of talk about the recall and what improvements they've made since last year?
HUNTER: It is a top priority, public enemy number one, lead paint, a lot of other things. Hey, lead paint, dangerous magnets, choking hazards, all problems that ended up in toy recalls last year and concerned parents have really only one question, are my kids' toys going to be safe this year? Well, the government and the industry say, yes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTER (voice-over): A good time maybe, but toy companies are serious about child safety. Under a new plan by the Toy Industry Association, and independent third party, not the toy companies themselves, will certify that safety standards are being met, starting with a toy's design all the way through the manufacturing and importing process.
JOAN LAWRENCE, TOY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION: It will be stricter testing, consistent testing, and checking of factories to be sure that they have process controls in place to make sure we never see recalls like we did in '07.
HUNTER: Toy makers also adopted new safety standards for toys with magnets to prevent them from being swallowed by children. So, there's no way we're swallowing this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no way we're swallowing this.
HUNTER: Magnex. The new magnet toy from Mega brands, encases the magnet inside plastic so it can't fall out and be ingested. Toy retailers are also taking safety steps. Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us just announced mandatory safety checks for their toy makers. Necessary changes, say consumer advocates who blame the Consumer Product Safety Commission for the huge jump in recalls -- 25 million last year. Five times the previous year.
ED MIERZWINSKI, U.S. PUBLIC INTEREST RESEARCH GROUP: They were asleep at the switch for so long that the toy industry got complacent, stopped checking on its own laboratories, and factories in China.
NANCY NORD, CPSC ACTING CHAIRMAN: Recalls show that the CPSC was on the job. The recall is the mechanism that Congress gave us to police the marketplace and make sure that things on shelves are safe.
HUNTER: Nancy Nord, the acting head of the CPSC is asking congress to grant tougher action against companies which produced unsafe toys. The toy industry hopes the safety initiative will get the monkey off its back.
Did the toy industry lose some credibility last year?
LAWRENCE: I think our consumer confidence was shaken in the wake of the recalls. Understandably, I'm a mom myself, but what we are doing is putting a program in place to address that and to restore confidence.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HUNTER: The CPSC got more funding this year from Congress and is going to use part of that money to beef up inspections at the ports, something they haven't done a lot of. They say, it's just one more way to keep dangerous toys out of the hands of children. If you have a story idea for me, you can contact me at lookingatit@cnn.com and here's one of Kiran's favorite toys. It's the Magnex, new and improved. It replaced Magnetix so it's Magnex. If you look at - I know you want to crush this.
CHETRY: I really did. What they did this year, which is cool, Greg, is that they made sure that thee magnets couldn't fall out. Last year, magnets falling out. They encased them in the plastic. HUNTER: That's right. Feels better and also the first question I asked, hey is this going to be -- the ball is going to be a choking hazard? And the PR guy says no. The balls are not magnetic. You notice they roll away. But they only stick to the building blocks.
CHETRY: They don't stick to each other. Because one of the problems is they were sticking to the sides of children unfortunately.
HUNTER: Huge problem last year. They had problems with the actual toys being swallowed and then you had the magnets coming out of another toy when they stick together on two sides. Really bad. This looks like it's not -- that's not going to happen. If the balls are swallowed, then they say they'll pass and, they're for, not little kids, they're for nine and up.
CHETRY: Still not recommended - you know, eat your vegetables, not your --
HUNTER: Ball bearings? Your choice.
CHETRY: Yes.
HUNTER: Got it.
CHETRY: Thanks, Greg.
CNN NEWSROOM just minutes away. Betty Nguyen at the CNN Center with a look at what's ahead.
Hi, Betty.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, good morning.
On the NEWSROOM rundown this morning. Millions of pounds of beef recalled. Why? And do you have any of the meat in your refrigerator?
Also, John McCain picked up a big endorsement this morning from former President Bush. You will see it live. And a gun debate. Should college students carry weapons to protect themselves from a campus shooter? We meet the accountant who does your taxes. Get this in a bar. Yes. Tony and Heidi are off today. T.J. Holmes joins me in the NEWSROOM at the top of the hour on CNN -- Kiran.
CHETRY: That would be one place I wouldn't want my accountant. I don't know.
NGUYEN: You don't think so?
CHETRY: I would want his sober.
NGUYEN: Maybe a few drinks, write offs. Who knows?
CHETRY: Thanks, Betty.
Well, business unusual. We're going to be talking to two CEOs who are playing the game differently and winning. Polly Labarre is going to introduce us. Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, the buzzword this primary season is change, and it's reaching into the business world as well. In her best-selling book, "Mavericks at work," CNN contributor Polly Labarre tells the story of 32 CEOs and companies redefining business as usual and she joins us now. Congratulations by the way. It was voted best business book of the year by the "Miami Herald," "The Financial Times" as well and you have some very interesting stories in here.
What one stood out to you the most?
POLLY LABARRE, CNN, CONTRIBUTOR: Sure. A wild variety, but they all stand out for one reason which is they don't just sell great products and services. These maverick companies stand for really important ideas. A great case, is our Coleman, who comes from the world of banking, but now is presiding over really the most exciting growth story in the world of the banking business, ING Direct.
He's a colorful guy. He rides Harleys. He's kind of a wild man. He reads palms. But that's not why he's a maverick. He's a maverick because the idea behind his business is to lead Americans back to savings, which is, we know the banking business. It's about spending too much, saving too little, borrowing too heavily. This is a business model built entirely around, how do we help the little guy save some money? It's a very dramatically different way to be in that business.
CHETRY: And you can see it all the way to the billboards.
LABARRE: Great marketing. Very colorful, but it's all about the savings message.
CHETRY: It's very interesting. Also somebody that we have heard about before. This is a woman with a very amazing story. She was a pharmaceutical rep and I think somebody asked her in a taxicab one day, you know, you guys, are the drug company, the ones with all the money. Why can't you help out people? It really got her thinking.
LABARRE: Yes, this is Dr. Victoria Hale, who had a high-flying career inside Genentech, and she was just sort of wracked by guilt. We spend so much money creating blockbuster drugs for the western world when millions of people are dying of curable diseases in the developing world. So, she set out, quit her job in 2000 and set out to create the world's first nonprofit pharmaceutical company.
Which I know, bends the mind but they're actually making a lot of progress. Eight years later, huge grants from the Bill and Melinda Gates' Foundation to fight malaria. They made strides in a disease called Kala-Azar which is really a horrible disease based in India and found a vaccine for it. They have an innovative distribution program. And so making real strides.
CHETRY: So she took risks, quit her job and did something completely different? LABARRE: She thought big and she thought about, there's a dramatically different way to be in the pharmaceutical business. It's not too expensive to develop drugs for the developing world.
CHETRY: So how can regular people do it?
LABARRE: OK. First, these mavericks ask provocative questions. Whether you're deep inside an organization or the CEO. One of my favorite mavericks inside IBM, Jane Harper asked a question in 1999, the height of the dotcom book, why would really great people want to work inside IBM? When they could go to a Google or start their own company.
And she didn't just ask the question, she enlisted support, got peer onboard and then she launched an experiment. She said, look I don't have a budget. I don't have permission but I'm going to start the ultimate internship program. It was called Extreme blue think, MTV's world beats the Manhattan Project. And now, it's a major initiative for innovation and talent development inside IBM.
CHETRY: So, it can start with one small idea.
LABARRE: Exactly.
CHETRY: Very interesting. The book is called "Mavericks at Work." It's now on paperback. Thanks so much for joining us again, Polly.
LABARRE: Thank you, Kiran.
CHETRY: And here's a look at what CNN NEWSROOM is working on for the top of the hour.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: See these stories in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Republican John McCain's new key endorsement this morning. We have live coverage.
Also, the largest beef recall in U.S. history. Do you have any of these stuff in your fridge or freezer?
Cleaning up after tornadoes hit the south.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you still love him?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The girlfriend of the Illinois University shooter in a CNN exclusive.
And Nancy Reagan, expected to go home from the hospital today.
NEWSROOM, top of the hour on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: And we get a final check now of this morning's Quick Vote question, it was relating to that 140 million pounds of ground beef recalled. Do you trust the U.S. food supply is safe? Well, 16 percent of you saying yes and a whopping 84 percent say, no. To all of you who voted today, thank you.
And we want to thank you so much for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING. CNN NEWSROOM with Betty Nguyen and T.J. Holmes begins right now.
HOLMES: All right. Thank you so much, Kiran.
Yes, you are in the CNN NEWSROOM and I am the aforementioned, T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. And I'm Betty Nguyen. Tony and Heidi are off. You can watch events coming into the NEWSROOM live on February 18th. It is President's day. Here's what's on the rundown.
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