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Lawmakers Set to Question Oil Execs. on Tax Breaks; Independent Truck Drivers Angered Over Diesel Fuel Prices; Senior Taliban Commander Captured
Aired April 01, 2008 - 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: You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
The nation's economy under the microscope and in the headlines again today and it is fueling new concerns on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are set to grill top executives of the oil industry. Specifically, why are they entitled to massive tax breaks when they are raking in record profits and driving home the cost of those sky-high fuel prices.
A possible strike by independent truckers. They can park their rigs and choke off deliveries to your neighborhood stores. We will go on the road to find out more.
And the snapshot of the economy may soon become a bit clearer. And at any moment, we will get the latest numbers on manufacturing and construction. Both are expected to show continued declines.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, off the road and on message. The nation's half million independent truckers. CNN's Ed Lavandera had been talking to drivers and he joins us now live.
What are those drivers telling you about the high cost of just doing business?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know this potential shutdown has been spread essentially, sort of, on a Web site. It has been essentially spread by word of mouth across the country. And definitely truckers across the country are talking about it. Whether or not thousands of people turn out to start turning off their engines over these next few days remains to be seen.
You know, many of these trucking companies aren't supporting this shutdown. They have to continue making money, obviously. So, really, it is falling on the shoulders of independent truck drivers to do this symbolic shutdown, if you will.
But to give you a sense of what they are protesting. AAA reports that the average price for a gallon of diesel fuel right now is at $4.02 a gallon. Last month it was $3.67. And if you go back to this time last year, it was about $2.83, $2.85 a gallon.
So, most of these big rigs usually cost about $1,000 to fill up. That's -- if you kind of work the math on this, these truckers are paying an extra $300 every time they fill up at a gas station. So, you can understand why they are upset and many of the drivers are not able to pass along these fuel charges to the companies that are paying them to haul goods. So, they are eating a lot of these costs as you might imagine, it is hard to find a happy truck driver these days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERESA MULDONADO, OKLAHOMA TRUCK DRIVER: The people would start to scream because there would be no fuel. There would be no milk. There wouldn't be anything in the stores.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They would go up and up and up. They told me because the gas increased, transportation. They have to increase the price.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: We are trying to talk to some of these drivers that are filling up here this morning. They expressed to us just a little while ago just how upset they are and how they felt the effects of these rising fuel prices.
But you know, many of these drivers drive for companies. And so you know they are not supporting the strike. It is hard for them to talk on camera.
But also, the association, about three of these major associations that represent independent truck drivers, they are not formally supporting this should down either. Many of them say they actually worry this will have a detrimental effects on many of these drivers because as you know, they are really making money if they are on the road driving.
NGUYEN: Yes, that's true. It's one thing to make a statement but it's another to pull in a paycheck. So, definitely, you know, they are between a hard spot today. All right.
Ed Lavandera joining us live. Thank you, Ed.
And you want to keep watching CNN because our money team has you covered whether it's jobs, debt, housing, even savings. You can join us for a special report. It is called "ISSUE #1" -- the economy -- and it's all week at noon Eastern, only on CNN.
HARRIS: Checking in now with the race to the White House. All three major presidential candidates are on the road this morning. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are courting voters in Pennsylvania three weeks ahead of state's primary.
John McCain revisits his youth. Day two of his get to know me tour. He is holding a town hall meeting at his old high school in Alexandria, Virginia. In Mississippi, yesterday McCain highlighted his family's military service. We plan to hear from all three candidates live later this morning. NGUYEN: Throwing us back to this developing story that we have been telling you about out of North Carolina, about 35 northeast of Raleigh. We understand there has been a workplace shooting that has killed at least two people according to local law enforcement there.
The police chief says two people were killed at the Phelps Temporary Staffing Service had morning. It happened around 8:45 local time. A man and a woman are dead at this hour. But a third person did escape but with some injuries in that shooting.
We are told by police that the dead man appears to have been the shooter although at this time there is no indication as to what the motive might have been. So, of course, we are going to continue to follow this story for you. It is out of Lewisburg, North Carolina, which is about 35 miles northeast of Raleigh. So, stay tuned for the latest on that.
HARRIS: And on Capitol Hill right now, lawmakers want answers about toxic trailers used to house Katrina victims that officials try to cover up a health hazard. The whistle blower speaks. Our Sean Callebs is in New Orleans.
And Sean, I would imagine people in New Orleans will be paying close attention to this hearing today.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. People all along the Gulf Coast, some 40,000 trailers, still out there. People living in those trailers more than two-and-a-half years after the hurricane punished this area.
What's going on right now? There is a subcommittee meeting on Capitol Hill and they are going to be grilling members of the CDC's arm that focuses on looking at toxic substances. Now, the real problem when did the CDC know just how dangerous it could possibly be for people living in these trailers?
Back in December of 2006, the first flag was raised and think about how long ago that was. It wasn't until February of 2007 that the first health study was done. Basically the committee does not mince words simply blisters the CDC.
Listen to this. They say the agency failed to translate these scientific findings warning people just how dangerous it could be. It goes on to say that they CDC and FEMA created an illusion of safety that was used to drive FEMA policy maintaining tens of thousands of people living in the FEMA trailers.
The issue, of course, formaldehyde. It is a colorless gas but has a very strong odor. It's used in all kinds of production from carpet to plywood, basically everything that goes inside of a mobile home or a trailer home.
Well, one official with the agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. That is an arm of the CDC, did raise red flags repeatedly. Dr. Chris De Rosa and how is he rewarded? Well, he was demoted. Well, today the head of the subcommittee made it clear to the CDC he wants to see DeRosa's job restored.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. BRAD MILLER (D), NORTH CAROLINA: I want to make it clear to the management of CDC and TSCR that this committee considers Dr. De Rosa to be a whistle blower. Much of our information about this came from Dr. De Rosa and joined Chairman Gordon and Chairman Lamson in signing a letter to Dr. Gerberding expressing that position very forcefully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Well, there are three different panels that are going to appear before the subcommittee today, Tony. Dr. De Rosa is scheduled to speak in just about an hour. But they expect some fires works a little bit later on because the head of the agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Dr. Howard Frumpkin, is also going to be before that panel later on today -- Tony.
HARRIS: And Sean, as I recall, one of the recommendations to people who might have been concerned about formaldehyde exposure from the CDC was to air out the place a bit, open the windows and vents. Crack the windows.
CALLEBS: That will take care of it. That has been -- that comment has just been ridiculed by virtually every investigative body. Now, the CDC and FEMA held a news conference here back in February and said you mo what?
The situation was worse than we let on. CDC, I talked with them last night and they say look, we want to move forward. We know that some mistakes were made and let's use this hearing to try to get something positive out of it.
But you know what? That stuff swallowed people who have been living in these trailers because we are not talking about simple runny noses, itchy eyes which are some of the side effects of formaldehyde. Long-term effects could be cancer and this could be -- go on through generations. So, this is very, very serious.
HARRIS: Sean Callebs for us in New Orleans. Sean, great to see you. Thanks.
NGUYEN: Well, it has been a busy morning for Chicago area firefighters and dozens of them beating back this. A hotel in the suburb of Lockport. As many as 30 fire engines were sent there and they kept the fire from spreading down a row of neighboring buildings. That fire also affecting the morning southwest of Chicago. And there are no reports so far of any injuries.
HARRIS: On the calendar flipped to April today. April Fool's day but winter is dragging on in the Western U.S. Nothing funny about this. Interstate 70 back open this morning over Vail Pass in Colorado, a day after a snowy pile up. Dozens of vehicles smashed into each other. One person was killed and several others injured. Parts of the Midwest could get up to ten inches of snow before the storm is over. There are fears rain combined with melting snow Betty could cause some flooding. Spring in full force elsewhere in the Midwest.
Unfortunately, that means pounding rains, even tornadoes in Oklahoma. A two-year-old girl is missing after being swept away in a flooded creek.
NGUYEN: Oh, man. So you have snow, rain, all these severe weather. It is really a mess out there.
And meteorologist Rob Marciano is tracking it all for us this morning. He joins us from the severe weather center.
Hey, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, that I-70 crash, I was driving on I-70 just east there yesterday.
NGUYEN: How bad was it?
MARCIANO: I missed it. But obviously, for those trying to get up and over Vail Pass which is miserable. A lot of that energy coming out of the mountains now, ejecting into plains and spreading eastward. Just some light rain showers but causing some problems at La Guardia.
So, just, you know, Atlanta, some low clouds and fog down here. And more severe weather across parts of Mississippi and then into part of Alabama but it's winding down just a little bit. Hattiesburg is about to get smacked with some thunderstorms there. This have had a history of being severe with some hail and some gusty winds and some rains. Just be aware of that.
All right. Up to north we go with the northern part of this system. 10 to 18 inches of snow possible across U.P., including Marquette. Blizzard warnings are posted there. Wind, you bet. You could see winds. We are seeing winds gusts to say 30, 35 miles an hour in places like Detroit.
Got a live shot for you there. Take a peek. Our affiliate out that way, WDIV looking across the river there from Windsor, Canada. You can see the white caps there blowing. Wind blowing waves there in advance of this system that is about to roll in.
All right that's Detroit. A little bit gray. You see the mid and higher level clouds there, above the buildings. Let's go west to Seattle. See a different story. Look at that. How cool is that? Yes. I knew that would get a reaction from the anchor desk.
HARRIS: That's terrific.
MARCIANO: Cairo, baby, looking from Queen Anne Hill south. There is the Space Needle. We have a low -- we have, obviously, some fog at the lowest levels of the atmosphere. Buildings downtown just peeking up. And the sun coming up and over the Cascades just glimmering off that lower marine deck.
NGUYEN: What a gorgeous shot.
HARRIS: That's what you would call an artist surrender. That's terrific. Can we see it again? Oh, OK. We have to go.
NGUYEN: Come on. Later. Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right. See you.
NGUYEN: All right. So, how are political ads like real estate? Location, location, location.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Good morning again, everyone. Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.
An airline goes belly-up and the CEO feels the heat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What matters is that in the inner island, people will have work.
DAVID BANMILLER, ALOHA AIRLINES CEO: The mathematics won't work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Screw mathematics. Look at us.
BANMILLER: I'm not going into this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course, you're not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Getting pounded. Aloha means good-bye. In the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: In Hawaii, the end of an era. Aloha Airlines halts more than 60 years of passenger service. Competition and fuel costs said to be the causes. Many say the blame does not end there.
Details now from reporter Gina Mangieri of CNN affiliate KHON.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What matters is at the inner island people will have work.
BANMILLER: The mathematics won't work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mathematics. Screw mathematics. Look at us.
BANMILLER: I'm not going to get into.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course, you're not.
GINA MANGIERI, REPORTER, KHON: Aloha employees lashed out at the company's CEO after bankruptcy court, angry about the weekend decision to stop flying passengers. They weren't the only ones.
GOV. LINDA LINGLE (R), HAWAII: I had no indication from Aloha that they were going to come out, we're closing down and we'll close our business on the 31st. No indication whatsoever.
MANGIERI: The CEO disagrees and says he laid all the cards on the table when he met with the governor before filing for bankruptcy.
BANMILLER: And we said we had serious problems. And I don't know what the government entities have a flexibility to do. I mean, only they know that. I don't know that. I know that we needed cash and financial support.
MANGIERI: Support he says didn't materialize.
BANMILLER: This train has been coming down the track I talked to the governor about for two years. And over at state and everybody federal. And all of a sudden at the last second, he lets help.
MANGIERI: But the governor, creditors and even employees say they think there could be resources for Aloha Airlines to keep flying passengers longer.
LINGLE: What we're asking the court at this point through the end of April specifically on the cash flow issues and we are also saying to look at the Dislocated Worker Law which buys another 60 days.
MANGIERI: But the court sees it differently. The bankruptcy court judge says "I will leave it up to the debtor. It is really not the court's business as long as it's a good faith decision based on the best interests of the estate." Employees see it otherwise.
LINGLE: Most serious impact will be to the individual employees and their families. We are fortunate that the state has a relatively low unemployment rate.
MANGIERI: A factor some say may have delayed the state's response to the pending crisis.
BANMILLER: My personal opinion is that no job loss is good. No relocation to another job is good. It is painful. It is unsettling.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: OK. Here is the thing. Folks in Hawaii still have service between the islands. There is Hawaiian Airlines and Go Airlines. In fact, Aloha officials say price war competition helped doom the business.
NGUYEN: Reaching the most eyeballs. How are the political candidates spending their ad money?
Well, CNN's Tom Foreman takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: Wheel of Fortune. Pat Sajak and Vanna White.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Those are some of the most important words in politics these days. Because all three presidential contenders are spending big to advertise on the wheel.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This is not like "Price is Right." You're not going to get a big prize.
FOREMAN: Obama has dropped more than $1 million on wheel. Clinton almost $815,000. McCain, more than $167,000.
And CNN media consultant, Evan Tracey, has a clue why.
EVAN TRACEY, TNS MEDIA INTELLIGENCE: It's a very good way to reach average American voters. This is when they are winding down, they either had dinner or they're eating in front of the TV. They got their kids off to bed. They are getting ready to start their evening of television watching.
FOREMAN: Like real estate the issue is location.
UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: A check of your forecast. What a difference in today.
FOREMAN: But what campaigns want most is ads during local news casts. They've spend collectively almost $37 million there to reach audiences loaded with likely voters.
TRACEY: It's like ocean front real estate, if you can afford it you buy it.
FOREMAN: But in key states during primary season, that ad time sells out. So, candidates buy the next best thing, ads in talk shows, dame shows, and sitcoms that air near the news. For Clinton and Obama, that means big buys in "Oprah," yes, Oprah endorsed Obama but millions of women watch and not all will follow her lead politically.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The choice is clear. John McCain.
FOREMAN: And for McCain, "Jeopardy" is the answer to the question after "Oprah," where do I spend my campaign cash?
FOREMAN (on-camera): You may wonder why they are not all duking it out in prime time. Well, even for big-time politicos that's expensive.
FOREMAN (voice-over): So, perhaps it is no wonder that right now Obama with by far the most money is outspending Clinton in prime time. Well, over two to one.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, the boys of summer are back and the ballparks are bustling.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are enjoying a meal at Friday's just above the view looks pretty good from the 300 club. And over here, the deck appears to be sold out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Stadium by Lego in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Take a look at this new video coming in to CNN regarding that workplace shooting in North Carolina. We are going the try to put that up for you. Here it is. A look outside the scene, you see a vehicle there. We don't know exactly how that was involved or if the bullets just flew off of some of those vehicles.
But here is what we know. That shooting occurred in Louisburg, North Carolina, which is about 35 miles northeast of Raleigh. Around 8:45 local time this morning. Now, a man and a woman are dead. But a second woman suffered nonlife-threatening injuries. So, perhaps she can provide some information as to what exactly happened.
Unfortunately, you are looking at -- I believe those might be body bags there. From this shooting. This happened at the Phelps Temporary Staffing Service and, again, two people dead, a man and a woman. One female did survive that shooting.
But at this point there is no word on what the motive is. So as soon as we get that information we will bring it to you.
HARRIS: Betty, big went up at Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange right now. Let's show you the pictures. Don't take my word for it. Take a look at it for yourself. The Dow up, wow, inside the first hour of the trading day. 223 points. Didn't you predicted, you said that this could be a good day.
NGUYEN: Yes. I just no it's no April Fools.
HARRIS: These numbers are real.
NGUYEN: It's the real deal.
HARRIS: OK. I'm just trying to figure out what's drive this surge in numbers right now. I'm wondering Nasdaq -- up 42. OK.
Construction numbers due in. Manufacturing numbers due in. Are those numbers in? And did they turn out to be better than expected? He is back. What's going on here? We will check in with Susan Lisovicz in just a couple of minutes, right here in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: All right. In the meantime, you have to see this. A Lego masterpiece, seven years in the making. Well, you thought you like Legos. Well this was built one block at a time. It's more than just a model. Oh, no.
More now from Patrick Paolantonio of Milwaukee affiliate WISN.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TIM KAEBISCH, ENGINEERING STUDENT: Right now, we just have the Brewers against the Boston Red Sox.
PATRICK PAOLANTONIO, WISN REPORTER: And the home team is looking good. Before a television audience with a man at the plate. Grab a seat in the house that Tim built.
KAEBISCH: Never thought it would turn out this elaborate and detailed.
PAOLANTONIO: Tim Kaebisch has been creating things since the age of four. Now, at 22 this engineering student at MSOE has pieced together a modeling marvel.
KAEBISCH: Consider it one of my greatest accomplishments.
PAOLANTONIO: A Lego version of Miller Park.
KAEBISCH: I have been working on it since 2001.
PAOLANTONIO: Nearly seven years and seven versions later, it is time to play ball. To get it right, Tim went to the real Miller Park over and over, dissected every detail and modified his model. There's the clock tower at the main gate. The lights, really light up. And it is just another day at the ballpark for the vendors.
And there is a lot the camera cannot see. I will be your eyes and take a closer look. For example, people are enjoying a meal at Friday's just above the view looks pretty good from the 300 club. And over here, the deck appears to be sold out. Behind those windows in the distance is the press box. And if weather closes in, so does the roof.
KAEBISCH: The roof takes about a minute and two seconds to open or close. And the outfield panels on the bottom takes about a minute and 45 seconds. And after I got the building done it took me another month or so to figure out how to motorize the roof itself. It was difficult to figure out.
PAOLANTONIO: And you don't get college credit or anything for this?
KAEBISCH: No, no college credit.
PAOLANTONIO: Just plenty of compliments. His personal project is now a tourist attraction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: An awful lot of work, hours and hours.
PAOLANTONO: Tim has no idea how many hours. He won't say home Legos he used. That's a secret because of a contest. The cost he puts it at a couple thousand dollars. So, why go through this?
KAEBISCH: Basically, most of my childhood I built small cities. And then I got bored and my space was limited and ran out of different configurations that I could think of. So, I basically decided to build a building that functions. And Miller Park is the best example I could come up with for that.
PAOLANTONIO: When you look at this what do you think?
KAEBISCH: I never thought it would come out to be this good looking. I'm very happy with it.
PAOLANTONIO: A Brewers fan with his very own field of dreams.
In Milwaukee, Patrick Paolantonio, WISN-12 NEWS.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: What do you bet that Lego doesn't call him.
HARRIS: I mean, come on. No college credit? How about a job?
NGUYEN: And I think he will do pretty well. You know our producer Sarah says she thought, it's a building with a castle, a Lego, nothing compared to what that guy was able to do.
HARRIS: Yes. But Sarah's got issues. Still to come in the news, this morning they are talking and you are listening. The Three presidential candidates speaking live this morning in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Bottom of the hour. Welcome, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.
Well, the Democratic race will it last until the convention? It is not the timetable, but the end game that has some supporters worried.
Senior political analyst Bill Schneider now, part of the best political team on television.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): The danger for Democrats is not that the race will go on too long. The voters seem to love it. The danger is that the loser will claim that he or she was cheated. When Barack Obama supporters urged Hillary Clinton to quit, she said unfair. They're trying to bully me out of the race.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are some people who are saying, you know, we really ought to end this primary. We just ought to shut it down.
SCHNEIDER: Obama supporters warned that the superdelegates may try to reverse the will of the people -- something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is uncommitted, worries about, too.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: If the votes of the superdelegates overturn the -- what happened in the elections, it would be harmful to the Democratic Party.
SCHNEIDER: Then why do we have superdelegates, Clinton's supporters ask?
KIKI MCLEAN, SENIOR ADVISER, CLINTON CAMPAIGN: And the concept of the superdelegates is also that they will, in fact, use their best judgment about who they believe best represents the party and will best represent the country.
SCHNEIDER: Then why do we even bother to hold primaries, Obama supporters ask?
OBAMA: We've won twice as many states as Senator Clinton and a larger share of the popular vote, more pledged delegates.
SCHNEIDER: Then there's the little matter of Michigan and Florida. Clinton supporters argue that it would be unfair to refuse to seat the Michigan and Florida delegates.
GOV. ED RENDELL (D), PENNSYLVANIA: 1.7 million people cast their votes, so I think it's unfair to disenfranchise them.
SCHNEIDER: Obama argues it would be unfair to seat the Michigan and Florida delegates elected in January.
OBAMA: I didn't campaign there. My name wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan. Senator Clinton had that same view until it turned out she might need Michigan and Florida.
SCHNEIDER (on-camera): The last time the losing candidate claimed to have been defeated unfairly was in 1968, when the Democrats nominated Hubert Humphrey, who had not even run in the primaries. Eugene McCarthy's supporters took to the streets of Chicago. And Richard Nixon won the election.
Of course, the differences between Democrats over that war were much greater than the differences over this war. But this time a lot of Democrats are emotionally invested in a race between the first woman and the first African-American nominee.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HARRIS: And word this morning of a major Taliban figure captured in Afghanistan. Police say a senior Taliban commander has been arrested after a gun battle in a southern province. It is the third time this same commander has been arrested. He managed to escape from prison twice. The gun battle left three insurgents dead.
NGUYEN: We'll get you some more information now on that workplace shooting. We have some video coming into CNN out of North Carolina. The shooting occurred this morning. No motive, but look at the people on the ground.
Let me tell what you happened. Two people are dead. And police say a man and a woman are among those dead, with a second woman who suffered non-life threatening injuries. Again, no motive, but police do say that the dead man appears to have been the shooter. As you can see, all the crime scene tape there, at Phelps Staffing, has caused a bit of a backup, in the earlier shot on the freeway.
But the big question now is what happened. And I'm sure that they are going to be speaking with the woman who survived the shooting to get answers to that. Of course, CNN will follow it. We're trying to get the police chief on the phone to bring us additional details. So stay with us for the latest.
HARRIS: Have you been following this story the last couple of days? Baggage-performance issues we're talking about. British Airways misplaced at least 20,000 pieces of luggage over the last week. Can you imagine? The owners of all those bags. Passengers scheduled to fly threw the new terminal at London's Heathrow Airport, but a computer system malfunctioned, causing bags to pile up and flights to be cancelled.
British Airways says FedEx is now helping to reunite passengers with their bags. But it's going to take some time. In the meantime, more flights are being cancelled.
NGUYEN: There are some mad people today.
Well, let's talk from that to this -- gushing profits. Why should big oil companies keep their tax breaks? Congress puts oil execs on the spot today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
NGUYEN: Well, commuters in Broward County, Florida, couldn't believe their eyes this morning. That's why. No April Fool's joke. An alligator hanging out on the side of the road. It was enough to slow traffic, of course.
Eventually thought, authorities lassoed that gator. I guess, that's what you do. You lasso them. Had to do a bit of a -- the alligator wrestling match with it, but it was hauled away and no one was hurt.
HARRIS: Yes, ultimate fighting for a while there. Wasn't it?
NGUYEN: It sure was.
HARRIS: Boy, still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, for one dad, getting an autism label for his son was actually a relief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM BOULDEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You get that diagnosis because then everything changes. Schools change. The counsel changes. The people who can help you change. The doors get opened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: A personal story from CNN correspondent, Jim Boulden and Conor.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, I want to give you a live look now. This is Alexandria, Virginia. We are waiting for Senator John McCain to speak today. This happening at a town hall meeting at his high school, in fact -- Episcopal high school.
But, in the meantime, as we wait for him to take to the microphone, our Correspondent, Dana Bash spoke with McCain a little earlier. And talked with him about his temper.
That's something that he's written about in his books, it's something that he's been asked about a lot. So, listen to his answer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Everybody's life is a work in progress. I have a better and more impressive record of bipartisanship and working across the aisle, and legislative solutions and leadership than anybody that's running against me by far. And, those leadership qualities require an even temper.
And, those abilities to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats for the good of my constituents in the country are clear indications that that's a very minor thing as compared to my record of accomplishment. My record of accomplishment required even, mature and experienced judgment in order to achieve what I have achieved, and I'm confident that the American people will judge that as well.
And I am confident that they will look at my record and my vision and that's -- and if they don't expect me to get angry when I see corruption in Washington, when I see wasting needlessly of their tax dollars, when I see people behaving badly, they expect me to get angry and I will -- I will get angry. Because I won't stand for corruption, and I won't stand for waste of their tax dollars, and I will demand that people serve their country first and the special interests second.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: So there you have it. Senator John McCain. And again, we are waiting for him to speak at a town hall meeting in Alexandria, Virginia -- just any moment now. We will be monitoring that.
That speech, of course, coming from no only John McCain, but his high school there in Alexandria. So, it will be interesting to hear that. If you want to hear more of course, you can tune in to THE SITUATION ROOM at 4:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
HARRIS: The U.N. has designated this Wednesday as the first World Autism Awareness Day. Throughout this week, we are unraveling the mystery of autism.
Here now is CNN's Jim Boulden and his son, Conor, with a personal story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CONOR BOULDEN, DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM: I did enjoy it, because it is not like some maps, where you have to actually work your brain a lot to get around it, and answer. You know, it is good to see a drawing and painting.
J. BOULDEN: When you have autism, it is usually jumbled in with lots of other things. And so, Conor is on the autistic spectrum. So, it's Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ASD.
C. BOULDEN: There is like a whole range of scales in the autistic spectrum. I'm labeled as -- on the Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which is the stuff like you're supposedly have troubles with communication skills and social skills. You can get stressed sometimes, you can find some situations difficult.
J. BOULDEN: I'm sure parents who have children who are autistic understand this and would agree with me. When you get that diagnosis, it is a relief. You don't say to your self oh, no, my kid is autistic look, he's diagnosed. You almost celebrate the -- I hate to say it, but the label. You get that diagnosis because then everything changes.
Schools change. The counsel change. The people who can help you change. The doors get opened, and not easily. The doors get opened that you didn't have before. And so, once you get that label on the child, it's a relief.
I think one of the things we're working on very much is a very consistent environment at home, still and a very calm environment and that's really key. No matter how bad a day Conor might have or how bad things might go for him if he's gone out and come back is to try to keep it very, very calm.
C. BOULDEN: I never really been able to get over the fact that I can't just walk around. And if someone bumps into me, I get really annoyed and stressed out. And it's really annoying to have that.
J. BOULDEN: You have to fight for what you see and what you have to fight for what you think you need. We went out and found as many people as we could who help us, through the government, through private, through a doctor.
But having said that, if we couldn't have paid for some of this ourselves, I'm not sure we would have had the success and the wonderful young man that we have today. And that's a worry for other people.
My wife worked really hard on finding a special school for Conor and it's a miracle worker. I mean, one of the things we needed to do was get him to a school where the staff would understand boys with ASD. Many of them are high-functioning autistic. And it's worked out really well. So, it was a combination -- it was really a combination of diagnosis, the right medication.
I think for me personally, the reward is Conor himself because here's a child who through no fault of his own, obviously, got stuck in all these terrible situations. And a lot of well-meaning adults just didn't handle it, I don't think well. And then he came to a situation with my wife who's tough as nails. And she just would not take no for an answer with any of the authorities. And I think the joy of it all is is that Conor is coming out of all of this.
C. BOULDEN: You have to look at yourself. And if you know yourself well enough, the change, the bad things that you have, then -- and if you change that, then you can be quite a successful person. But now, I don't think anything's going hold me back from being a successful person.
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HARRIS: Again, be sure to tune in to CNN on World Autism Day, that's tomorrow, April 2. We go in depth on myths, facts, and reasons for hope. "Unraveling the Mystery," a CNN worldwide investigation, all day tomorrow. But you don't have to wait. Check out our special section at CNN.com where you can learn more about autism and how you can impact your world.
NGUYEN: Well, he is a 42-year-old man who shops, cooks his meals, cleans his home, and he has autism.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's great, you know. I'm just enjoying life and everything. So, that's pretty cool.
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NGUYEN: We're going to take you inside the independent life of an adult with autism.
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HARRIS: Boy, this was a story that we talked about a lot this morning. New numbers on education and they are jaw-dropping. We are talking about graduation rates in the nation's high schools. Here's a look. Suburban areas topped the list with a nearly 74 percent graduation rate. That's above the national average. Compare that with just over 60 percent graduating in all urban schools. And just around 52 percent in the nation's 50 biggest urban school districts. Seventeen of those districts had graduation rates under 50 percent.
Detroit city schools scored the lowest. Just under 25 percent of students there graduated. Indianapolis had a graduation rate just above 30 percent. Mesa, Arizona, topped the list of urban graduates at more than 77 percent. San Jose, California, and Nashville, Tennessee were right behind. The report was compiled by America's Promise Alliance.
NGUYEN: Well, listen to this. One incredible dog rising above the rest, quite literally.
The story now from Karli Bulnes of affiliate KNVN in Grass Valley, California.
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KARLI BULNES, KNVN REPORTER (voice-over): The main character in this tall tale is Gibson, a Harlequin great dane who lives in Grass Valley. His owner, Sandy Hall, says it's the same story wherever Gibson goes.
SANDY HALL, GIBSON'S OWNER: The first reaction is oh, my gosh. What is that? You know, after they get past that, it's just smiles.
BULNES: With a shoulder height of nearly 43 inches, and a standing height of about seven feet, Gibson has held the "Guinness Book of World Record" title for the tallest dog since 2004. Gibson has gained celebrity status with his Web site, book, many media appearances and did we mention size?
This family is visiting Grass Valley from Idaho and spotted Gibson from the road.
JULIE WINGHAM, GIBSON FAN: And we were driving by and we saw Gibson. And we had read about him in a magazine in Cordeline (ph), Idaho. And so, my kids were like, hey, there's Gibson. So we had to come by and say hi.
BULNES: Hall enjoys sharing Gibson with the world. She is particularly proud of his work as a certified therapy dog.
HALL: He's just got a magnificent spirit. He just makes you feel better.
BULNES: He also makes you feel, well, small.
(on-camera): Now, Gibson holds many titles. But one he's working on right now is becoming the world's tallest lap dog.
(voice-over): Hall breeds great danes and says there's only one negative. Big dogs breed big bills.
HALL: You know, we just had -- for example, a teeth cleaning at $800.
BULNES: But make no bones about it, all is forgiven when Gibson performs a special trick, saying I love you.
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NGUYEN: What is she feeding that dog, Miracle Grow? I mean ...
HARRIS: Everything in the house?
NGUYEN: Seven feet when it's on its hind legs. Oh my goodness. OK, so get this, Gibson turns six-years-old later this month. And a celebration is expected to include a life-sized birthday cake.
HARRIS: The dog needs to get a job.
NGUYEN: Exactly, because it's costing too much.
HARRIS: Way too much.
NGUYEN: Can you imagine how much it costs to feed that dog?
HARRIS: Yes, a lot.
Good morning, everyone. Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.
NGUYEN: Yes, hello, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen sitting in for Heidi Collins.
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