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Allegation of Rigging the Counts on Zimbabwe's Presidential Election; Deadly Workplace Shooting in Louisburg, North Carolina; Autism: Unraveling the Mystery
Aired April 01, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi there, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Heidi Collins.
HARRIS: And (INAUDIBLE) back with our story.
NGUYEN: You are rearing to go today.
HARRIS: I sure am. Watch events come into the NEWSROOM live on this Tuesday morning, April 1st. I'm watching you, Betty.
Here's what's on the rundown.
NGUYEN: Independent truckers. You see some on the roads. Well, they are set to protest high diesel prices today. Many may even park their big rigs.
HARRIS: Cleaning up from spring storms in the heartland. Severe weather threatening the Deep South today.
NGUYEN: Also April, autism awareness month. This hour one family's struggles. A day in the life, in the NEWSROOM.
Up first, the nation's economy, fueling new concerns today on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are set to grill top oil industry executives specifically, why are the companies entitled to massive tax breaks when they're raking in record profits?
And driving home the cost of those sky-high fuel prices? A possible strike by independent truckers. They could park their rigs and choke off deliveries to your neighborhood stores. We're going to go on the road to find out more.
And the price of oil is holding steady after yesterday's big drop of four buckets s a barrel -- bucks a barrel. Not sure if it's buckets. But experts can't agree on where prices are headed to next.
Now a snapshot of the economy for you. It may become a bit more clear by the end of the day. Next hour we're going to get the latest numbers on manufacturing and construction, and both expected to show continued declines.
Get you off the road now and on message. The nation's 500,000 independent truckers, many of them, as I mentioned, could park their rigs today to protest fuel costs. And that could leave some store shelves empty.
CNN's Ed Lavandera has been talking to drivers.
So, what are you hearing from them besides the fact that fuel is, you know, really sky high?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, ass many of them try to figure out whether or not they're going to join in this shutdown, they really hope that the message that they're sending is loud and clear, that these prices are too high, they're not able to pass along fuel surcharges and make more money as they're driving down the roadways. But this is clearly that a lot of drivers around the country are talking about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice over): Word of an independent truck strike is rumbling across the country's highways.
UNIDENTIFIED TRUCK DRIVER: I turn the key off. We're done.
UNIDENTIFIED TRUCK DRIVER: Just to show some solidarity.
LAVANDERA: There are about 500,000 independent drivers nationwide but it's hard to say how many drivers will actually join in this loosely organized shutdown and turn off their engines for a whole week.
RON JONES, TRUCK DRIVER: If we shut down for five days, six days, we're making a statement that we are not going to put up with prices like that unless our -- pay starts to increase.
LAVANDERA: Filling the gas tanks of a big rig can cost as much as $1,000, about $300 more than it cost last year. That's having a devastating impact on the independent drivers like Ted Gennick. Most drivers aren't reimbursed for their rising fuel bills, so they eat the extra costs.
(On camera): Is it harder for the independent guys to kind of stay afloat?
TED GENNICK, INDEPENDENT TRUCK DRIVER: It is because we don't have the purchasing power. So we're not able to get the discounts that the large carriers get from both fuel resellers, maintenance and repairs, tires. We're paying premium dollar for those.
LAVANDERA (voice over): And at gas stations really average price for a gallon of diesel fuel has passed $4, the owner of this popular trucker pit stop in Dallas says he's seen grown men brought to tears.
JOHN BENDA, GAS STATION OWNER: We're in for hard times in the next few months. It really is now affecting people and changing their lives and their lifestyles, and we'll see it over the next few months.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: Betty, there are three main trucking associations that represent these independent drivers, and none of these organizations are formally endorsing or supporting this shutdown, but they do say they understand why these truckers are doing what they're doing or considering shutting down for the next several days. But of course, this will come at great expense to many of the drivers that choose to do so because they're only making money if they're driving -- Betty?
NGUYEN: Absolutely. Now, now some of them aren't just shutting down. Aren't some simply slowing down to help with that cost of fuel?
LAVANDERA: Right. And this is all very, you know, personal, on an independent basis. So maybe some drivers choose to kind of show their support in different ways. But, you know, clearly the message they want to get is just to kind of bring attention to the plight that they've been under over the last few months and in the last year really where these prices are up over $4 a gallon and these charges, all of that is just essentially cutting into the profits they're able to take home.
NGUYEN: No doubt. All right. Ed Lavandera joining us live today.
Thank you, Ed.
And you do want to keep watching CNN. Our money team has you covered, whether it's jobs, debt, housing or savings. You can join us for a special report. It's called "ISSUE #1, THE ECONOMY." It's all this week at noon, Eastern, only on CNN.
HARRIS: Checking in now on the race to the White House. All three major presidential candidates are on the road this hour.
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are courting voters in Pennsylvania three weeks ahead of that 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 today McCain -- actually yesterday, McCain highlighted his family's military service.
We plan to hear from all three candidates live later this hour. Obama and Clinton are crossing paths today as they crisscross Pennsylvania.
CNN's Dan Lothian is live for us in Philadelphia.
Dan, good morning.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony. Yes, indeed, they are ending up in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. We don't know if they'll actually see each other because Senator Barack Obama will be -- holding a rally at around 11:30 or so. Then Senator Hillary Clinton will be there about 2:30 in the afternoon. Before that, though, she will be here in Philadelphia meeting with union members, AFLCIO.
And again, the focus for both of these candidates will be the economy and trying to reach out to those working-class voters. Now Senator Clinton has -- still maintains a double-digit lead here in the state of Pennsylvania, but she has been under heavy criticism over the last couple of days to get out of the race. There has been that call, even some of Barack Obama's supporters have been repeating that message for her to get out of the race because the math really doesn't add up.
Obama himself, though, has said even earlier this morning on a radio show, said that Senator Clinton should stay in the race as long as she wants to. And as for Senator Clinton, she says she's not going anywhere.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I see that sign out there which says please don't quit. Well, one thing you know about me is I do not quit.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it is a good thing. It is a healthy thing that so many people are passionate. I think it is great that Senator Clinton supporters are as passionate about her as my supporters are about me. I think that's helping to drive high turnout. I think that is making this historic race that much more compelling. I think that Democrats will be unified. We will be unified when this whole thing is over. I am absolutely convinced of that, regardless of who the nominee is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LOTHIAN: Tony, now, Senator Clinton really has been taking advantage of this controversy. She's sent out a fundraising letter and with this message essentially that when people call for her to get out of the race what they're doing is try to keep your vote from counting, essentially suppressing your votes. So she's trying to get the base voters out there energized so that they can, in turn, vote for her -- Tony.
HARRIS: My goodness. Dan, it's a process. It is a process. Let -- well, anyway, no one's asking me what I think.
Dan Lothian in Philadelphia for us this morning.
Dan, appreciate it. Thanks.
NGUYEN: We're going to hear it any ways, though, Tony.
HARRIS: Well, OK.
NGUYEN: Well, let's talk about this. A busy morning for Chicago area firefighters. Look at this video. Dozens of them beating back a hotel fire in the suburb of Lockport. As many as 30 fire engines were sent to this scene and they kept the fire from spreading down a row of neighboring buildings. The fire also affecting the morning commute southwest of Chicago but there are no reports of injuries.
HARRIS: You know the calendar flipped to April today, April Fool's Day. No laughing matter here.
NGUYEN: No joke here.
HARRIS: Winter dragging on in the western U.S. Interstate 70 back over this morning, over Vail Pass in Colorado a day after a snowy pile-up -- boy, look at these pictures -- dozens of vehicles smashed into one another. One person was actually killed and several others injured. Parts of the Midwest could get up to 10 inches of snow before the storm's all over. There are fears rain combined with melting snow could cause some flooding.
Spring in full force in Oklahoma. Unfortunately that means pounding rains, even a pair of tornadoes as we reported here in the NEWSROOM yesterday.
OK, some severe weather in the Deep South today as well?
NGUYEN: Meteorologist Rob Marciano has been watching that.
HARRIS: Is he back?
NGUYEN: He is back with us today.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, guys.
NGUYEN: Good to see you, Rob.
HARRIS: Good to see you back.
MARCIANO: Good morning. Good to see you.
NGUYEN: Wish you had better news.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: Yes. Where is spring for them.
HARRIS: Yes. Good to see you, Rob.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you.
Cell phones more dangerous than cigarettes? Really? Well, a new report links cancer to calling, and our Dr. Sanjay Gupta gives us his conclusion.
ANNOUNCER: CNN NEWSROOM brought to you by...
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Welcome back, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM. The Iran factor in Iraq. Ferocious battles between Iraqi troops and Shiite militants come to an end after Iran intervenes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Covering the angles, uncovering the details, see for yourself in the CNN NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: A tense calm in Iraq's oil rich city of Basra today. It looks like a cease-fire to end a week of fighting between government forces and Shiite militias is holding. And it happened after Iran intervened.
CNN's Nic Robertson reports on Iran's influence inside Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): After six days of fighting, a cease-fire and a revelation, the Iranian government brokered the deal. In Basra, Baghdad and other cities, where just 24 hours earlier militia members loyal to Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr had battled Iraqi security forces, there was relative calm. Militias gone from view, though not disarmed. Curfews were lifted. Iraqis were venturing back on the streets. Government officials said operations would continue.
MAJ. GEN. ABDUL-AZIZ, IRAQI ARMY SPOKESMAN: Starting from today we will work on clearing the other places from the wanted individuals and criminals and those who are still carrying weapons.
ROBERTSON: Iraq is burying their dead. Some of them killed by U.S. air strikes in support of government forces. And the political implications of Iran's involvement are being assessed. The calculation, it was Iranian intervention, not U.S. bombs, that silenced Sadr's militia.
MAHMOUD OTHMAN, IRAQI PARLIAMENTARIAN: It is another -we -- another, let's say, point for the sake of Iran or U.S.
ROBERTSON: And not just the victory over the U.S. Having ordered security forces into a battle they weren't winning quickly, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's judgment was being questioned. He, too, needed Iran's help for a face-saving way out.
OTHMAN: But I think in the longer term this will weaken Maliki. Maliki will be more needing Iran, maybe. And Iran will have more influence over him.
ROBERTSON (on camera): Officials at the U.S. embassy here say they have no knowledge of what role Iran may or may not have played in bringing an end to the fighting. Until now, they say, Iran has played a negative and unhelpful role in Iraq, arming and training extremists.
(Voice over): By ending the first ever significant battle between the Shias, Iran appears to be ready to intervene more aggressively. GEORGE JOULWAN, FMR. NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: Iran is trying to consolidate its political gains in the south. And with the upcoming elections in October in Iraq, this is an opportunity to do so. And to do that, they have to consolidate all these different Shiite factions that are right now fighting one another.
ROBERTSON: On the eve of a major progress report on the U.S. surge in Iraq, Iran has shown yet again it is an increasingly indispensable part of the equation.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. We're going to shift gears now. Listen to this. Could cell phones be more dangerous to your health than cigarettes?
Well, an Australian neurosurgeon says cell phone use will overtake smoking as a leading public health danger. The doctor's report suggests using a cell phone for more than 10 years can double your risk of brain cancer.
All right. So now that you've heard that, our own neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta is here to put his perspective on this. This is kind of frightening when you think about it. I mean, it really is, putting a cell phone up to your ear just as bad as lighting up a cigarette?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the American Cancer Society will say emphatically no. In fact, you know, smoking, there's lots of evidence of links between 15 or so different diseases. Some of them cancers, and there's just no science to show that cell phones cause any kind of cancer. This particular paper that you're talking about in Australia was not new research. It was basically looking at existing claims and trying to compile those into some sort of link between cell phone usage and brain cancer.
The cell phone industry says, look, this is inaccurate, possibly misleading. There have been at least two dozen scientific studies saying no link.
But here's the thing, Betty. And this is where it gets a little bit interesting is that, you know, there's not a lot of long-term data yet.
NGUYEN: Right.
GUPTA: Cell phones, even though -- as much as we use them, really widely available only over the last 15 years. I think one of the biggest concerns is kids. They use it even more so than adults. Take a look at some of the numbers here in terms of averages in terms of how much people use it on average, about three hours plus -- a 13 hours plus, I should say, a month on average. But between 18 and 24- year-olds, 22 hours a month. The average calls, three minutes. And look at that last number, one trillion minutes were exceeded in the first half of 2007 alone. NGUYEN: Wow.
GUPTA: Bigger dose because you use it so long, it does pose a bigger risk. That's the question a lot of people are trying to answer.
NGUYEN: It is (INAUDIBLE). Well, you know, I guess the good thing is a lot of people are starting to text these days.
GUPTA: Right.
NGUYEN: And it keeps it out of your ear. But I would ask you this, because some phones you can, you know, listen to those little ear pieces that you plug into the phone.
GUPTA: Right.
NGUYEN: Is that better because it has to go through the line all the way up to the ear and you don't get as much?
GUPTA: That's what these doctors say. And again, this is mainly anecdotal. But you know, I -- as you know, Betty, I use one all the time. The two concerns here, one is that, does this give off some ionizing radiation, and, two, does it give off heat? There's a thing known as heat activation proteins, which are in your ear area, and do they get activated when you simply hold the phone to your ear. This wired ear piece, if you will, seems to take care of both of those problems. Again, we emphasize, purely anecdotal. There's no scientific evidence that say that.
NGUYEN: Right. Well, then there's the problem, because some of the phones don't allow to you use one of those and you have to use one of these.
GUPTA: Right.
NGUYEN: A blue tooth, which is essentially right there up against your ear.
GUPTA: Yes.
NGUYEN: So is that any better?
GUPTA: Well, (INAUDIBLE) spent the last several hours last night trying to answer that very question because I was curious about that. There's not a lot of data to suggest this. I mean these are relatively new still if you think about it. Certainly not long-term data. The problem is, again, in an anecdotal way, they say you put those things in your ear, a lot of people hold them there all day long.
NGUYEN: You see people walking through the malls with them and you don't even know who they're talking to.
GUPTA: Right.
NGUYEN: You realize they got one of these in their ear.
GUPTA: And oftentimes they're young children or younger people and they're going to have them in their ear for many years to come. And the question is: does that do any harm? Again, the available scientific evidence would say no. But a lot of competent and, I would say, well-respected doctors including Johnnie Cochran's doctor who believes that he died of a brain tumor because of cell phone usage are sounding the alarm on this.
NGUYEN: Wow. It's definitely something that's going to get you to sit up and think about it next time you answer that phone and how long you're actually going to talk on it.
GUPTA: Yes. If you want of these, I'll buy you one, Betty.
NGUYEN: OK. You'll give me one of those?
GUPTA: Absolutely.
HARRIS: Wait...
NGUYEN: Then buy me a phone that...
HARRIS: Can you help me out, Doc?
GUPTA: Tony, I'll get you two, because you'll lose one. You have another one...
NGUYEN: Yes. Exactly.
HARRIS: That is rude.
NGUYEN: Sanjay, thank so much.
GUPTA: All right, guys, thanks.
HARRIS: Well...
NGUYEN: We do want to remind folks, check this out. Sanjay is not done, oh no.
HARRIS: I've read it.
NGUYEN: "New York Times" best-selling book -- you do?
HARRIS: Signed.
NGUYEN: Was it?
HARRIS: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: Can you say something nice in it?
HARRIS: Terrific. Absolute -- yes, of course, he did. Of course, he did.
NGUYEN: Oh he's paid to do that.
GUPTA: Tony will now be -- he could have written the book. He was the model for the book.
HARRIS: Yes, model. Right.
NGUYEN: Was it "Chasing Life"?
GUPTA: It's out in paperback.
NGUYEN: Out in paperback today.
GUPTA: Start to help people.
NGUYEN: Get it, because it's got some really good information. Sanjay knows everything.
GUPTA: We're proud of it. Thanks.
NGUYEN: Yes, and we're proud of you. Thank you.
GUPTA: Appreciate it.
HARRIS: And if the neurosurgeon says, you know, go with the little ear piece, guess what I'm doing?
All right. Still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, the truck stops here. A nationwide independent truckers strike planned for today. Will it hit you in the pocket book?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The nation's independent truck drivers reel at the sky- high cost of diesel. Their protest could actually impact you.
Ali Velshi this morning "Minding Your Business."
You know what, Ali, whenever we get one of those train derailments of cargo cars, you remind us how much of America's commerce travels on the rail system of this country.
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
HARRIS: So when you think of how much of American commerce travels by truck this really could impact all of us.
VELSHI: Yes, and you know, even when things travel by rail, one of the things that you often see when you look at those rails, at those intermodals, all those containers that can go on a ship.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes, I did.
VELSHI: Then on a rail and then on a truck, it has to get to your warehouse usually by truck and then to your distribution center or your store. Probably some -- by some estimates, 80 percent of anything you touch has to get somewhere by truck in the United States. There are about three million truck drivers in the United States, about half a million of those are independents. And those are the ones we're talking about today. They don't work for a big company. They're contractors in some cases, or, you know -- and those are the ones who might be striking.
Now this is becoming an unprofitable business for many of them, because, you know, when you ship something -- we're used to if you ship Fedex or you go on a plane, you got a fuel surcharge. That fuel surcharge is supposed to pay for the fuel.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: A lot of these independents say that while the fuel surcharges made on the front end, they don't actually get the money to pay for the increase in gasoline, which by the way could cost $1,000 to fill up a rig. We pay $3 -- let's round it up, $3.29 for the -- that's the national average for self-serve gasoline.
Look at diesel. Diesel is $4.02.
HARRIS: Whoa.
VELSHI: And by the way, you can't be shipping around. You can't be moving around for the best price in diesel. Truck drivers fill up where they have to fill up along their route. And that's often very expensive.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: So this is a real problem. These truck drivers park their rigs. The choice they're making is -- you know, is a very important one.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes. I think you make a great point there. I'm wondering -- you know, it seems that this could really take some traction here, pardon the pun, if fleet drivers join in the protest.
VELSHI: Yes, and that's probably going to be less likely to happen. First of all, you can't -- I mean organized strike in the trucking industry would attract the interest of the government. It's of the anti-trust and that wouldn't likely happen. And they're not striking anyone in particular. They're trying to strike to draw attention to how serious this issue is. Now if it did get traction and it were to spread, you'd feel it very quickly in the prices that you pay for goods, because things just wouldn't get to the store.
We don't have an economy like we used to where they were warehousing and people would keep a lot of stock in the back. Stores keep what they need when they need it and they get it from the distribution center on time. So again, I don't think it's likely to catch on too much.
HARRIS: Got you.
VELSHI: But it is going to be an issue if it happens. And if nothing else, it draws attention to the plight of truck drivers in this country and how it affects all of us.
HARRIS: There he is, Ali Velshi, "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Ali, we'll see you back here for "ISSUE #1, THE ECONOMY" at noon Eastern.
VELSHI: Yes. Absolutely. Thanks.
NGUYEN: Well, claims of vote rigging and election fraud. What's going on in Zimbabwe's presidential election?
We're going to go live to southern Africa.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, the most trusted name in news. Now back to the CNN NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. Hey, Tony, how are you doing?
HARRIS: How are you doing, Betty?
NGUYEN: So far so good on this Tuesday. Welcome back. You are in the NEWSROOM. I'm Betty Nguyen, in Heidi Collins.
HARRIS: And what do you say we get everybody to the New York Stock Exchange right now? The opening bell sounding just moments ago. What do you say we get the business day started? The Dow starts the day at 12,262, after picking up 46 points yesterday. Bring on the second quarter, huh? Let that be the sentiment of the day. Bring on the second quarter.
Can we move beyond the credit concerns? Can we figure out a way to keep more people in their homes?
NGUYEN: Let's hope so. But you know it is April Fool's Day.
HARRIS: Oh boy, (INAUDIBLE) out there.
NGUYEN: Watch very closely.
HARRIS: We are following the markets. Susan Lisovicz with us throughout the morning, right here in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Well, we are also following this. But at this point, still no results. It's been three days since presidential elections were held in the South African Nation of Zimbabwe. The electoral commission slow pace in releasing results. It's prompting allegations that president Robert Mugabe's party is rigging the count. And CNN's Nkepile Mabuse joins us now with more.
Nkepile, let me ask you this. Any word on when there might be a final result?
NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No word, Betty. There is growing tension and anxiety in Zimbabwe. Three days ago, Zimbabweans went to the polls. They are expecting final results. But the Zimbabweans Electoral Commission is taking its time. They've only released about 60 percent of the parliamentary seats.
Of course, Zimbabweans voters for parliamentarians, senators, local government representatives and the all-important presidential vote. At the rate things are going, it seems like it is going to take days until the full outcome is known by all.
Betty?
NGUYEN: Nkepile, let me ask you this, too. You know, as people are waiting, there are lots of worry that there may be some rigging going on. So what's the reaction on the street? Are people starting to get a little frustrated?
MABUSE: Even before the election, a lot of human rights groups cast doubt on the credibility of the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission. Many believed that it is an instrument used by the ruling party to rig votes, vote after vote, for the past -- since 2000 when there was a credible opposition in Zimbabwe.
They have been accused of helping President Robert Mugabe cling to power. So now those suspicions are growing in Zimbabwe. People do not trust that what they are getting from the electoral commission there is the truth.
Betty?
NGUYEN: Well, how much confidence is there in this political process? And are people wanting to stay and see how it plays out? Because I know a lot of Zimbabweans have fled to neighboring South Africa. That not only is one reason, but another is because they really can't afford to stay with the inflation rate at over 100,000 percent.
MABUSE: Betty, we are broadcasting from the border between South Africa and Zimbabwe. This is at this point of entry for Zimbabweans. I don't know if you can see them behind me. You really get a true sense of the economic collapse in that country.
Zimbabweans are streaming in on a daily basis. Just looking for work in South Africa. Looking for basic food stuff that they cannot get in their stores in Zimbabwe. The things such as made meal and cooking oil. So they are living under really, really desperate situations. And many of them want change.
Betty?
NGUYEN: We'll see if it will come. Nkepile Mabuse joining us live. Thank you.
HARRIS: President Bush in Eastern Europe this morning meeting with the Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko. They are talking trade and Ukraine's attempt to join NATO. President Bush says the U.S. strongly supports Ukraine's bid despite opposition from Russia. It's a key issue at this week's NATO summit. CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Afghanistan and the resurgence of the Taliban loom large as President Bush prepares to head to his final NATO Summit. Priority one for the president, drumming up additional troops for the fight in Afghanistan.
STEPHEN HADLEY, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: We all need to do more. And I think the president's message is going to be one of the importance of success in Afghanistan.
QUIJANO: But Julianne Smith, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies says more NATO troops alone won't address Afghanistan's deeper challenges.
JULIANNE SMITH, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: Even if NATO succeeds in securing say 2,000 or 3,000 more troops, we still are facing a situation where without the required reconstruction assistance, NATO will not be able to succeed.
QUIJANO: Also on the president's agenda, laying the ground work for a missile defense system and enlarging NATO to include the eventual membership of former Soviet Republics Ukraine and Georgia. Both moves have Russia fuming. So President Bush plans to end his trip by accepting an invitation from outgoing Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to meet at the Russian Port City of Sochi on the Black Sea.
SMITH: What President Bush is trying to do on this visit, is as he leaves office, try and patch up the relationship with Russia as best he can before the next U.S. president gets into office.
QUIJANO (on camera): President Putin is first expected to attend the NATO Summit. Are you against Ukraine and Georgia's membership bids? Just how confrontational Putin is in voicing that opposition, may set the tone for the meeting in Russia with President Bush. Traveling with the president, Elaine Quijano, CNN, Kiev, Ukraine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, House speaker Nancy Pelosi with a message for President Bush. She wants him to consider ditching the opening ceremony at the Olympics in Beijing this August. Pelosi says the president needs to take a stand against China's human rights record. Now, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, has already said she won't be at the opening ceremony and French president Nicolas Sarkozy says he may skip it, too.
HARRIS: OK, Betty, it is rush hour and you've got to get to work. You're driving along and driving along and this is what you find on the road. Angry, snappy, ill-tempered. A gator there in Florida. Started on the road. They manage to get the gator to the sidewalk there -- into that grassy area there, and then the fight is on. Fully engaged, as you can see here. The gator obviously caught. And I think the all-clear has been given, maybe not. But new video just in to CNN from our affiliate there, Fort Lauderdale, WSVN is actually in Miami. But capturing these pictures for us.
NGUYEN: How do you explain that to your boss? Well, you see, there was an alligator on the road today. All right.
HARRIS: You see, what had happened was is that -- hey, Rob, good morning. I'm trying to figure out if you get gators on the road just because they just want to go wherever they want to go. And no one is big and bad enough to stop them.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. I think in Florida, it's kind of like squirrels, you know. They're just kind of out there. I mean, did you notice that animal enforcer guy or a cop. He was just like -- it was like he was walking his dog. It was no big deal. Meanwhile, this eight-footer is doing barrel rolls along the sidewalks.
HARRIS: Exactly. Just sort of reeling in (INAUDIBLE) big fish. A big fish at the end, you know.
NGUYEN: A tug of war there for a minute.
HARRIS: Catch it today.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: In the fight for the long haul. Families living with autism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We had a typically developing child up until a point and then we started losing him. Then now, we're getting him back. And that's one thing we don't want to do, because we don't want to lose him again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Boy, a family travels far for their son's care. It is a story that is close to home for us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: And this just in to CNN. We have information about a deadly workplace shooting. Our affiliate WRAL is providing us information. The police chief there in Louisburg, North Carolina reports that two people have been killed and one injured in a shooting at Phelps Temporary Staffing Service.
This morning, it happened around 8:45. A man and a woman are dead. A second woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The police chief also says that the man who was killed in this appears to be the shooter, but they have not established a motive as of this point.
Again this is in Louisburg, North Carolina, which is northeast of Raleigh. A workplace shooting. Two people dead. One person injured. We will continue to follow this story.
HARRIS: You know, we are bringing you stories of love and courage this week with our special "Autism: Unraveling the Mystery." Jonas Dear story is one close to our heart. His dad, John, is a CNN producer. Here's a day in the life of the Dear Family.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: I usually get the kids up around 6:00, just to not get them up too early, because otherwise it is going to be a really long day for them.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Six, seven, eight.
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: He's excited all the time.
I get him dressed. They get their breakfast. Brush their teeth. Make their lunches, and then pretty much get them ready for the car ride. And then usually we sit -- we always sit about an hour and a half. Thank you. Bye-bye. Good job.
Thank you. Bye, bye. Good job.
JOHN DEAR, PARENT OF A CHILD WITH AUTISM: We are really happy about what he gets there's at Emory, because two-thirds of the student there are typical. And the other third are autistic. We feedback his peers and right now, he's learning from kids his own age that are talking and role playing and you know, that's what he's bringing home. And that is what we are seeing is more and more, Jonas, coming out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will fly into the bag. Fly. You got it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Basically, I just wanted to talk to you guys first to go over the home-teaching goal schedule.
DEAR: We have seen so much improvement in Jonas. And we basically, when we brought him there, he wasn't speaking. He wasn't...
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: He didn't respond to his name. He wouldn't look at us.
DEAR: He was in his own world.
We spend $800 plus a month in gas, four plus hours a day on the road. 175 miles a day on our cars.
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: What are you having a fit about? What are you doing? Come one.
DEAR: What about this one? What color is this one? What color is that? UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Yellow.
DEAR: Yellow. Good job saying yellow.
It took us five months from the point that we started suspecting something to actually get a diagnosis. And it was something that we knew in the back of our minds might be possible. But when it came, it was just like a brick hitting us in the head. Then we felt horrible. We felt like it was our fault. That, you know, we should have done something sooner.
Raff (ph) must be doing the same things that Jonas was doing. And you know, we're petrified.
UNIDENTIFIED MOTHER: What are we going to do if two of our kids are autistic? How are we going to get to make it all work?
DEAR: We just hope that, you know, we're going to give him that opportunity to fulfill his dream and maybe even ours.
How about the teeth way in the back. Give him a hug.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Don't you like it.
DEAR: This isn't going to go away. This problem is here and it's happening now. And it's happening to families just like us. We had a typically-developing child up to a point, and then we started losing him. And now, we're getting him back. And that's one thing we don't want to do -- is we don't want to lose him again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Oh boy. John and Matt Dear doing all they can to help, Jonas. But boy, the cost is adding up more ways than one.
John, joins us now to talk about life with baby boy. It's good to see you, man.
JOHN DEAR, PARENT OF A CHILD WITH AUTISM: Thanks for having me.
HARRIS: If you would, just sort of talk to us about what life is like in financial terms, in terms of Emory and the care you are getting there, and the school that Jonas is going to right now, which I understand is a great school. The toll financially, what is it costing you a month? What is it costing you a year?
DEAR: Roughly a year, Emory is costing us a little under 24,000 a year. And $800 plus gas is what you heard in the piece that you just ran. And not mentioning the hours on the road. So, yes, it takes a toll on us, especially our family.
HARRIS: And you mentioned there was a time when he was -- about 18 months or so in that he kind of slipped into his own world. And when folks go to the blog, they will learn more about that precise moment. You talk about the family being sick, and everyone else recovers but Jonas doesn't quite. And talk to us about the moment after you get the diagnosis and you start the treatment when you begin to feel that he's connecting with you again and what a relief that must have felt like at that moment.
DEAR: Right. Up to that point, he was essentially nonverbal. And a few months into Emory, he started actually saying a few words. And up to that point before, before we all got sick, he actually said a few words and then he was nonverbal. And then after the treatment he started talking and coming out. And we actually started seeing some drastic improvement.
And you know, doctors say that it would be the same for other families, but we saw great strides from Jonas and we're seeing to the end.
HARRIS: All right. I don't want to pound away at the insurance industry, but we need to talk about it a bit here. To what extent does insurance, medical insurance, helping you with the cost of caring for your son?
DEAR: Well, at this moment not very much. I mean, we are getting speech and O.T. therapy through our insurance provider.
HARRIS: Occupational Therapy, OK, OK.
DEAR: Occupational therapy and speech therapy. But the most common treatment, ABA is not supported by any insurance.
HARRIS: Now, what is ABA?
DEAR: Applied Behavioral Analysis. And it's probably one of the most common and effective means of early intervention. And retraining children's brains so they can actually...
HARRIS: And John that's what you need.
DEAR: That's what we need.
HARRIS: And insurance doesn't cover that?
DEAR: That's correct. Unless -- some states do actually provide it. For instance, New York does. And you know, they'll pay for ParaPros or actually the ABA that children need. It's -- in Georgia, no, it's not provided.
HARRIS: And so you're providing that out of pocket?
DEAR: That's correct.
HARRIS: At what cost?
DEAR: We'll probably spend roughly $40,000 this year alone getting Jonas the treatment that he needs.
HARRIS: $40,000. OK, let's add it up. So there's 40,000 for the ABA treatment. There is another 24,000 for school over at Emory. And we're talking about a mortgage, we're talking about $800 a month in gas.
DEAR: Over.
HARRIS: Over $800 a month. You're talking about what four hours on the road back and forth.
DEAR: That's correct.
HARRIS: So how tapped out are you financially? I mean, we love you here, we don't want to lose you. And we'll get to that in a moment. But how tapped out financially are you?
DEAR: We are pretty much at our breaking point. I mean, realistically, in the next couple months we're going to have to make some drastic decisions. We'll probably going to have to walk from our house and rent. And you know, who knows what it's going to do with our credit. With the soft housing market at the moment, we have zero equity in our house. We'll probably have to pay someone to buy our house or like I said walk.
HARRIS: All right. And John, please talk to me in the remaining seconds here about the toll on your family life. And I'm talking personally about you and your wife. And I'm just curious as to how you cope and what kind of quality do you even have in your marriage at this point with what you are dealing with now?
DEAR: Well, you know, it takes a huge toll on our family and especially with my wife and I. I think the statistics are over 80 percent of couples with autistic children get divorced. And you know, it's something that we're well aware of.
And you know, obviously, we don't want to become another statistic. And we are trying everything we can. We have not been on a date in five plus years. And you know, we come from different countries. My wife is Danish. And I come from Panama. And we don't have the family support.
Here, we have them, you know they help us out financially, but, you know, we need a break, and we can't get it. And you know, this is putting a huge strain on our marriage.
HARRIS: And finally, how is Jonas? How is he doing?
DEAR: He's doing great. I'm glad you asked. He's getting really good treatment. And we're seeing great results. And you know, we're just pounding away. We bring him home with us and we are hoping for the best.
HARRIS: Look, man, help is on the way. I don't know from where, but doctor help is on the way. John, thanks for sharing your story with us.
DEAR: Thank you.
HARRIS: We appreciate it.
DEAR: All right, thanks.
HARRIS: And once again, if you would like to know more about John's family, and others like them, and what they're going through, check out cnn.com. John's blog is running there now. It's a must- read. And here's a question for you. Why does the insurance industry say mandatory autism coverage is a bad thing? That story tomorrow as "Autism: Unraveling the Mystery" continues.
NGUYEN: And many CNN viewers have their own experiences with autism. Your personal and inspirational stories, those are still to come in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Autism, more than 25,000 children in the U.S. will be diagnosed with the disorder this year. And CNN is devoting its resources to looking into the mystery of autism, its causes and its treatment.
Meantime though, we have been asking you to send us your personal stories. Veronica de la Cruz is here to share some of the ones that she has been reading.
Hey, Veronica.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty. Like you were saying tomorrow is World Autism Awareness Day. And we have been asking you to send us your I-reports, your experiences of what it's like living with autism.
A lot of you have sent them to i-report.com. Our new Web site. We wanted to share a couple. This is from a person who writes about her family's experiences. She says "Living with autism in my house is not a burden, but a blessing. For three and a half years, there were three people living in our home but you could only hear two voices. Now, there are three voices and we are loving every moment and every sound.
Take a look at this photo. This is from Serwah Quaynor. She is in Ghana, West Africa. Her son has autism. And ten years ago, she founded a group called Autism Awareness Care Training. She decided to move all the way to Ghana to help families dealing with the disease there. The center provides support and education for those who are living with autism. So please keep those stories coming. You can head to ireport.com, submit yours. We're going to continue to read them tomorrow.
Betty?
NGUYEN: Well, let's talk just a minute, Veronica, about some of the other resources that are available to families out there online.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, you definitely want to check out our own Web site, cnn.com. We have a special report there called "Autism: Unraveling the Mystery." That goes along with our special coverage this week.
There you can learn more about the disorder, the symptoms, statistics. You can also get all the latest news. You can sign up for news alerts. Also find links to other online resources for people who might be dealing with autism. Again, that's at cnn.com/autism.
Betty, I wanted to highlight something else at cnn.com now. Unfortunately, you know, autism hits very close to home for a lot of people right here at CNN. We just heard from John Dear, one of our producers. I also wanted to share the story of Phil Riley. He is one of our senior writers on CNN NEWSROOM. And he, too, has written a very personal blog about his life with his autistic daughter, Emma.
In it he reveals typical kids don't want to hang out with a girl who doesn't share their interests or can't have a conversation. He also writes "But what most concerns my wife and me is this. How will Emma get along when she's an adult or when we are no longer physically-able to care for her or after we're dead?
NGUYEN: Those are real worries, and the concerns that out there for families. And the question is this, is there help? How can we find it?
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. So again, you can find all of that at cnn.com. That's also on our health page, cnn.com/health. Just look for Dr. Sanjay Gupta's blog.
NGUYEN: There's a lot of information there. Veronica, thank you so much.
DE LA CRUZ: Of course.
NGUYEN: And be sure to tune to CNN on World Autism Day. That's tomorrow, Wednesday, April 2nd. We're going to go in-depth into the myths, the facts, and the reasons for hope. "Unraveling the Mystery," a CNN worldwide investigation, all day, tomorrow.
HARRIS: Phil is our man, too.
NGUYEN: He is.
HARRIS: He really is. So important to our team here.
Hurricane victims given toxic trailers to live in. Did health officials know? The whistle-blower speaks out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody, I'm Betty Nguyen in for Heidi Collins.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown.
Katrina victims had a jam. The CBC on the spot this hour. Congress demanding answers about toxic FEMA trailers. NGUYEN: Also, live this hour. Getting to know John McCain. The Republican takes a walk down memory lanes.
HARRIS: It's Autism awareness month. The disorder through a teens eyes today. Tuesday, April 1st.
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