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American Morning
Independent Truckers Plan to Park Rigs in Protest; New Proposal to Split Up Michigan's Delegates Between Democratic Candidates; Chelsea Clinton Questioned Again About Lewinsky Scandal
Aired April 01, 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: You saw that first year on AMERICAN MORNING. Sanjay Gupta talking about the chest compression only CPR. And now, it's being adopted as the way to go.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: The paradigm shifts yet again. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING on this Tuesday, the first day of April. And you know what that means.
CHETRY: It's April Fool's.
ROBERTS: Be prepared to be punk today. I think either you're on your way to work or waking up or when you get there.
CHETRY: In some way, shape, or form, it will feel like a cruel joke today.
Well, we have breaking news this morning. We've been telling you about this fire. It's in Lock Port, Illinois. This is about 35 miles southwest of Chicago, Illinois, where firefighters have been working since about 4:00 a.m., their time. So 5:00 a.m. here on the East Coast.
They put out a fire at the Towpath Inn, a hotel there. Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, Andrew Gatz, a freelance photographer described what the scene was like.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF ANDREW GATZ, AT SCENE OF FIRE: Now it is at a five- alarm fire with flames pouring through the roof. In Chicago right now, there's heavy wind. And that's causing the fire to just not go out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: They've since made significant progress. The pictures tell that story. They have been able to knock it down. It was a five alarm at one point. Gatz said several rescues were made. It's not clear if anyone else is still trapped inside.
But right now, there are no reports of any injuries. And again, as we get that information about whether or not they are still working to get people out, we will bring it to you.
ROBERTS: We still can't get any information from any of the fire department or the police department. So we're going to continue work that just to make sure that there are no injuries.
As we continue right now, no reports of any injuries, but that doesn't actually nail down the point as to whether or not they were.
Now to issue No. 1, your money. Today, oil company executives will surely get a grilling about the high prices that we're paying at the pump. And why companies like Exxon, Shell, and Chevron deserve to keep billions of dollars in tax breaks. The oil company says they need the breaks to keep investing in exploration and production.
And right now, take a look at this. Gasoline going for a record $3.28 a gallon for regular unleaded that's according to AAA.
And truck drivers who are feeling the pinch of rising diesel prices. They average now at $4.2 a gallon for diesel. About a hundred truckers showed up for a rally in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania to get lawmakers to cut state fuel taxes. They are roughly high there in the State of Pennsylvania.
And from that small protest to a nationwide strike. Today is the day that independent truckers plan to park their rigs in protest. Our Ed Lavandera is live at a truck stop for us in Dallas this morning.
What's the turnout like there, Ed?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's really hard to gauge. We're at this particular truck stop that we are at. So we're going to be seeing some trucks coming and going this morning. So clearly they are working. But you know, this is a shutdown that is not being supported by the large trucking companies.
So it really falls on the shoulders of independent truck drivers. And because of that it's really hard to gauge just what kind of impact or how widespread this will be.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Word of an independent trucker shutdown is rumbling across the country's highways.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I turn the key off. We're done.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just to saw 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 or six days, we're making a statement. 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 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 where the 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: And you know, John, a lot of these drivers find themselves in a Catch 22. Essentially, you know, they only make money when they are driving. So many of them really have to decide how important making this statement will be to them over the next few days. And of course, many of the trucking associations that represent a lot of these drivers say they are not supporting the strike even though they understand why they are doing it -- John.
ROBERTS: So many people in a difficult position because of those high fuel prices. And all indications are its only going to get worse from here.
Ed Lavandera for us this morning in Dallas. Ed, thanks.
CHETRY: Meantime, Ali Velshi here right now to explain the impact of the truck strike could have on us.
You know, we talk about those fuel surcharges.
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
CHETRY: And there are many ways that the impact of the higher diesel price is really trickle back down to the consumer.
VELSHI: Well, we are paying an average of $3.29 for a galloon of gasoline in the United States. Look at what diesel cost. It's $4.02 as the average. So $329 is gasoline versus $2.69 a year ago. Diesel is $402 versus $285 a year ago and everything we get.
You know, so much of what we get in stores is trucked to those stores. Now we understand fuel surcharges but the idea of a fuel surcharge on an airline or a FedEx package is that, that goes directly to the fuel cost. Now a lot of these independent truckers -- about half a million of them are saying that in many cases the fuel surcharge, this charged on the front end isn't actually given to them. One of the trucking associations would like that to be the case. They'd like it to be legislated that when there is a fuel surcharge it goes to them. Because as, Ed, was saying these truckers pay sometimes up to $1,000 to fill their rigs. They don't get paid if they are not moving cargo. So as a result of this, they have to make a decision.
As the price of gasoline and diesel goes up, they are making absolutely less and less per haul. So they have to make a decision. It might just be easier for them to park. Now if there were a strike and if it were to catch on across the country, it would be devastating to the economy. The things that just couldn't be delivered because there's not enough slack in the system to pick up for these independent truckers.
That said, our look at this and Ed's look at this is that it does not appear to be widespread, although it's early so we don't know how widespread it will become. It's just very hard because these are independent truckers.
They are not striking one particular industry. They are trying to make a point that the increase in the cost of fuel -- if it does not transfer over into some sort of a fuel surcharge that they get is going to be problematic. And at some point, it is going to be worth it for them to stay home -- to park their rigs and stay home.
ROBERTS: Don't they just charge more to haul.
VELSHI: You are charged more as the shipper to haul. But a lot of these independent truckers are saying is they don't get that money. It doesn't come through the system to them.
CHETRY: Who gets it?
VELSHI: That is a good question.
CHETRY: The companies?
VELSHI: Who gets them? Somebody gets it. There are a few hands in the pie there. And they are saying, we would like to get it. If you get $5, you got trucks $5 extra per 100 pounds to ship something. The driver is saying we would like that to pay for gas. So it is a complicated issue.
CHETRY: Thanks, Ali.
VELSHI: All right.
CHETRY: Also, be sure to keep it here for coverage of America's No.1 issue, the economy. Ali Velshi as well as Gerri Willis and the entire CNN Money Team providing in-depth coverage each weekday. It's at noon Eastern, "ISSUE #1" right here on CNN.
ROBERTS: Seven minutes now after the hour. Turning to politics. There is a new proposal on the table to seat Michigan's 156 delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The idea, being floated by Congressman Bart Stupak. It would award a little more than half of the delegates based on the state's January 15 primary. The remaining 73 delegates would be dolled out according to how each candidates fares in the national vote once all of the primaries are complete. No word yet from either campaign as to whether they like the idea.
Senator Clinton is making new promises that every vote will count though. She is accusing Senator Barack Obama's campaign of trying to suppress votes in the upcoming contest. It's a charge that the Barack Obama campaign calls, "completely laughable." Obama calls the protracted campaign a struggle but insists it will strengthen the party in the long run.
And for the most part, Senator Barack Obama focusing his fire not on Senator Clinton but the presumptive Republican nominee, Senator John McCain. Obama charging McCain is looking backwards and clinging to the policies of President Bush.
CHETRY: Well, Chelsea Clinton once again asked about the Monica Lewinsky scandal. Once again saying it was personal. But this time she did go a little bit further. The question came up at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. The student pressed her saying that because her father had been president, it does make the issue the public's business.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHELSEA CLINTON, DAUGHTER OF SEN. HILLARY CLINTON: Well, sir, I respectfully disagree. I think that is something that is personal to my family. I'm sure there are things that are personal to your family that you don't think are anyone else's business either. On a larger point, I don't think you should vote for or against my mother because of my father.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: The exchange ended on a light-hearted note. The student told Chelsea that he wasn't leaving because of her answer, rather it was because he had to get to class.
Well, it is not an April Fool's joke. Former Minnesota governor and former pro-wrestler, Jesse Ventura, could get back into the political ring maybe as president.
Well, Ventura, told the Associated Press that he is not planning on it but, "You never say never." It came up after Ventura wrote about running for president in his new book. But he says it's not any hidden plan to run.
I thought he was going to say something, but he was just flexing. All right, well, you can see Ventura tonight on "LARRY KING LIVE" at 9:00 Eastern. You know, you don't want a chance that you cut off Jesse Ventura, you know, because the consequences can be quite dangerous.
ROBERTS: Not with those beard braids. You don't want to cut off a man with beard braids. ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is right.
CHETRY: You never know.
CHETRY: Hi, Alina.
CHO: I haven't seen him in a while.
CHETRY: I know.
CHO: He looks about the same. His hair is darker or something. Something is still a little bit different, but anyway.
CHETRY: He grew some on the sides.
CHO: I don't know. More on that later. Good morning, guys, again. Good morning everybody. New this morning. We're getting dramatic new video this morning of a fireworks accident at a wrestling event. Take a look.
It happened Sunday night inside the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium in Orlando. Fireworks officials say that the fireworks malfunctioned. Of course, showering the crowd with burning embers. You can see the chaos as people tried to run away from the mess. At least 40 people were treated for burns.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi wants President Bush to consider boycotting the opening ceremonies of the upcoming Beijing Olympics. Now, Pelosi has criticized China's crackdown on Tibetan protesters. She met with the Dalai Lama last month. You see the pictures there. Pelosi thinks the president should avoid the ceremonies but not the games themselves.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy may skip the opening ceremonies and Germany's Angela Merkel has announced she will boycott the games altogether.
This morning, one of the first Olympic athletes is joining the protest. The captain of India's soccer team is refusing to carry the torch though New Delhi. Anti-Chinese protestor expected to follow the torch around the world over the next month -- 1500 or so Tibetan protesters rallied in front of the White House yesterday, demanding that President Bush boycott the opening ceremonies.
The president himself is in Ukraine right now. There are some late pictures that we are getting in of the president paying respects at a memorial to Ukraine's famine in 1932 and '33. In less than two hours, he is going to go ahead to the NATO Summit in Bucharest, Romania.
President Bush is pledging to work as hard as he can to help Ukraine and Georgia gain membership to the NATO alliance. That's despite the objections of Russian president Vladimir Putin who does not want to expand the alliance.
We have an update on a story we have been following for you. Prosecutors in Arizona have now charged a 15-year-old girl who was caught on camera fighting with her bus driver with disorderly conduct. Now, the incident happened back in February. If convicted, the girl could spend up to six months in a juvenile detention facility. No charges were filed again the bus driver.
And hundreds of airline passengers again without a flight this morning at the new terminal five at London's Heathrow Airport. Those bags are part of the reason. British Airways cancelled 50 flights after an $8.5 billion computerized baggage screening system failed to work. That's what happens. Some 20,000 bags are now piling up.
The airline says it could take a week for the bags to be re- screened and sent to their owners. Another 50 flights will be cancelled tomorrow as well.
And it's going to cost the airline up to 50 million pounds. That is $100,000 million of course with the exchange rate. Not to mention the ripple effect of this big mess. You know, all those passengers who are kind of stuck without their bags and trying to get on other flights and all that kind of stuff so.
ROBERTS: I guess the folks at Heathrow never heard about Denver's airport experience with the computerize luggage system.
CHO: No. Apparently, it didn't travel across the pond. Yes, there's a big mess.
CHETRY: When it works, it's great. And when it doesn't work for you, it's hard.
ROBERTS: Lots of problem. The one at Denver never work.
CHO: Right. And they spent $8.5 billion. That was huge.
ROBERTS: That was for the whole terminal though.
CHO: Got it. Got it.
ROBERTS: The baggage screening part, obviously, didn't spend enough on that part.
CHO: I stand corrected. No, your right.
ROBERTS: Yes, really.
CHETRY: Work out the bags first. Screen the baggage second. Alina, thanks.
CHO: You bet.
ROBERTS: And today, we're following some extreme weather this morning. In Colorado, I-70 over Vail Pass is back open this morning after a deadly 75-car pile-up. More than ten inches of snow led to the crash. One person was killed. At least, 20 people treated for injuries. And severe flooding in parts of Oklahoma this morning after a series of storms moved through. The National Weather Service confirming two tornadoes touched down near Oklahoma City on Monday. Flood warnings are still in effect there. And severe weather is again in the forecast today.
Well, for who is going to get whacked with that severe weather, let's go to Rob Marciano. He's at the extreme weather center there in Atlanta.
Good morning, Rob.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHETRY: Well, a tow truck driver flees police while hauling an SUV. We're going to show you how this chase ended, coming up.
Also, a new recommendation coming up from the American Heart Association about how to perform CPR -- actually, making things easier. It's a story that our Sanjay Gupta first broke here on AMERICAN MORNING. He's taking a new way to save a life, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, recently reported on a new way of performing CPR that increases the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims. It's something that the American Heart Association agrees with and they are now recommending we no longer do mouth-to-mouth when it comes to life saving CPR.
Sanjay joins us now. We've always heard that people need oxygen when they are not breathing which is why the mouth-to-mouth has been a part of it. But if you cut this out, isn't it going to harm the person that you are trying to save?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it will. It's really interesting. If you think about it, John, when someone has a sudden cardiac arrest, they probably still have enough oxygen, sort of in their blood, in their body for some time. The real key here -- the real important goal here is to try and get that oxygenated blood, if you will, circulating. And that is why chest compressions seems to be the most important part of actual resuscitation.
So what the new guidelines say is, you know, for people especially laypeople, they can skip the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and instead do chest compressions quick, hard, and efficient chest compression, about 100 every minute, which is even faster than a typical heart beat to try and get that blood flowing.
That is basically how you should do it. And I said just last time and I'll say it again, this is a good opportunity to remind people to go ahead and get trained in CPR. Probably, what they are going to find is a little bit different than what they found in years past.
Now, the goal here is to try not to interrupt those chest compressions. We did report on this as you mention. First on AMERICAN MORNING. Here's one of the first responders in Arizona put it to us
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BEN BOBROW, ARIZONA PARAMEDICS: Interrupting the blood flow to the heart and brain for even ten seconds can be all it takes to actually decrease the chance of a successful resuscitation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUPTA: And based on that, they have actually been able to triple their survival rates for people who have sudden cardiac arrest using CPR. So some good information here this morning. Good news, John.
ROBERTS: Sanjay, this idea though that you've not doing artificial respiration at the same time that you are doing CPR -- I mean, would it not be better to try to get as much oxygen into the lungs as possible?
GUPTA: Yes, you know, -- to be fair, I think this is still somewhat controversial. I think for medical personnel in hospitals, I think the guidelines may not change that much. They'll still say mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is going to be important especially for someone who is having prolonged resuscitation, who is going to require CPR for a long period of time.
One of the issues I think here, John, that sort of driving this, is that a lot of people who just stand by and watch if someone has a cardiac arrest. They don't jump in. I think part of the fear is of the mouth-to-mouth component of it. Specifically, only about 27 percent of bystanders actually perform CPR. And what we know is that the survival rates drop. They drop seven percent to 10 percent for every minute of delay.
So I think part of the goal is to try and get immediate CPR done and to improve survival rates and get bystanders, I think, more involve with sudden cardiac arrest. If they just learn how to do CPR, and do it in their home, or do it in the field, they could save a lot of lives.
ROBERTS: We've got to get the emergency folks there though because how much oxygen do you have?
GUPTA: Well, you know, the air that we are breathing in right now is about 21 percent Oxygen. And when you are doing mouth-to- mouth, you are breathing in even less as a percentage of oxygen. You are breathing in a lot of carbon dioxide as you know. Or exhaling, I should say, a lot of carbon dioxide.
ROBERTS: But in terms of minutes, how quickly do you need to get people here with a defibrillator.
GUPTA: Well, few minutes. I mean, (INAUDIBLE). You don't want to delay, you want to call 9-1-1. They say about six minutes is sort of the critical period but it depends on your preexisting condition. Older person maybe less and younger person more.
ROBERTS: All right, Sanjay, good advice this morning. Also, by the way, congratulations, Sanjay, because of your best-selling book "Chasing Life" now out in paperback. So in addition to being a neurosurgeon, he is now a paperback writer.
GUPTA: Yes, that is right. We are delighted with it. It's done real well. Thanks for that, John. Thank you.
ROBERTS: Well done. Congratulations. Thanks, Sanjay.
Kiran?
CHETRY: Where does he have the time to write a book on top of everything else?
ROBERTS: Who knows? I don't know.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: He's already cloned himself. I think he's already cloned himself. I think he's just not telling us yet.
ROBERTS: I think the Gupta Family is a little larger than we think. He's got identical twins.
CHETRY: Exactly.
Well, hey, it's time now for our "Hot Shots" this morning. And this one is just hysterical. I'm sorry. This is Gibson, the world's tallest dog. There he is. He's a Great Dane and he's so sweet. Look at him shaking hands with a little boy there. He actually -- when he is standing on his hind legs, he measures more than seven feet tall. There he is.
Don't want him to give you a hug first thing in the morning. You will fall right over. He is actually starring in a new British documentary. The London Film crew filmed him on St. Patrick's Day in his California home, John.
He's in Grass Valley, California. The Great Dane already crowned by the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest dog in the world. I would take a picture too if I was there. He's really cute, by the way. He looks like a little Dalmatian.
ROBERTS: Doesn't look that tall on four legs, but when he stands up on the behinds, oh my gosh.
CHETRY: There he is. You can play pro-basketball. Beautiful Great Dane. And if you have a "HotShots" by the way, send it to us. Head to our Web site CNN.com/am. Be sure to include your name, where you're from. A little bit about the picture or video. And we love to see him, so thanks.
ROBERTS: The Yao Ming of the dog world.
CHETRY: That's right.
ROBERTS: Safety in the skies. A new report on just how many pilots are carrying guns aboard aircraft. That's coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Coming up on 26 minutes after the hour. And several interesting developments to talk about this morning in the race for president. There is a new proposal to split up Michigan's delegates between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Plus, Chelsea Clinton back in the spotlight facing another question about Monica Lewinsky. John Dickerson is CNN's political analyst. Also, the chief political correspondent for slate.com. He joins us this morning from Washington.
John, let's take a look first of all at this plan being flooded by Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak to divvy up the delegates there. He wants to split them in half.
Eighty-three of them would be allocated based on the January vote which would give Hillary Clinton 47 delegates, 36 to Barack Obama. His name was not on the ballot, but certain number of people voted uncommitted. And using the formula, 55 percent of the vote for Hillary Clinton, 40 percent uncommitted. That's the way the delegates split up. And then 73 would be allocated based on the nationwide popular vote after the primary process is all over with.
That plan likely to fly with anybody?
JOHN DICKERSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, we don't know. There have been so many plans floated here. The big goal for Democrats -- all Democrats is finding some way to nullify the voters of Michigan and Florida.
What it really depends on here is that campaigns. And there's an argument, of course, about whether Barack or the Clinton campaign is putting forward the argument that Barack Obama doesn't want to have these do-overs and these contests because he wants to just kind of sit on his lead.
So it depends here whether the Obama campaign and Clinton campaigns buy into this, this and whether they think the pain that they will suffer from not having some kind of way to seat the delegates is worth giving up what they may achieve through some other strategy. And so, you know, it's just another plan floated here and we will just have to see what they say.
ROBERTS: You know, the fact that some of those delegates would be allocated based on an uncommitted vote, is that something that the Barack Obama campaign is likely to agree to?
DICKERSON: Well, it is a little goofy. And also the fact that some portion would be allocated based on the national popular vote which is hard to figure because in some states you had primaries, some you had caucuses. So how do you figure that out?
You know, the Obama campaign will embrace it if the Clinton campaign has raised the pain level by suggesting that Obama is thwarting any effort to seat these delegates. And they have been pushing that argument hard. And so if that pain has started to stick with the Obama folks, they may embrace this just as a way of getting it off the table and stop talking about it.
ROBERTS: Chelsea Clinton at a campaign event in North Carolina yesterday again asked about the Monica Lewinsky scandal by a young fellow who said he thought that it was a legitimate question for that student in Indiana to ask. Let's listen to how she responded to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
C. CLINTON: Well, sir, I respectfully disagree. I think that is something that is personal to my family. I'm sure there are things that are personal to your family that you don't think are anyone else's business either. On a larger point, I don't think you should vote for or against my mother because of my father.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: We should point out, too, that that fellow wasn't walking out because of her answer. He had to get to class. But how is she handling that controversy do you think, John?
DICKERSON: She is handling it pretty well. She looks poised. And it doesn't look overheated. And you know, she's in a different place than her parents. I mean, clearly, this was a part of the national dialogue for a very long time, interrupted our political and governmental process for a long time. Of course, it is a reasonable thing to ask the Clinton campaign about.
Now, whether she should feel compelled to give more of an answer than she did, I don't necessarily think so. And she's handled that quite nicely, it seems to me.
ROBERTS: So the Clinton campaign has not made her available for interview -- media interviews. Obviously, she takes questions from audiences at campaign stops, which the media has agreed to because mostly she's been just sort of espousing the qualifications of her mother to be president.
But yesterday, she really took some shots at President Bush. If she gets into the area of criticizing the current occupant of the White House, should that open her up to media scrutiny?
DICKERSON: Yes. I mean, she should be opened to media scrutiny because she is out there working for her mother as all children of the candidates or many anyway do. And so, you know, if they are using her to make a pitch about the family, then at some level she should be out talking about, you know, the campaign.
Open to questions and I think in this case, you are right, she's playing more of a role, why not have her answer some questions. She certainly seems like she can handle herself.
ROBERTS: You know, I was just wondering if, you know, when you start to criticize current politicians whether they be Republican or Democrat, if then you should be open to questions, if then this idea of media immunity is no longer valid.
DICKERSON: Well, I agree with you. You know, even if it is - when you're criticizing a president but also because she is a part of the campaign. She is out there, a very powerful surrogate for her mother and she is making a pitch.
And that pitch is, you know, an effort to convince voters. And so why not allow that pitch to face a little bit of questioning from the press? It seems it's kind of an unfair balance.
ROBERTS: All right. We'll see if anything changes. John Dickerson for us this morning. John, good to see you, thanks.
DICKERSON: Thank you.
ROBERTS: Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, it may have seemed like an April Fool's joke but it wasn't on one Florida highway. Let's take a look at this video. This just wrapped up a couple of minutes ago. And our affiliate WPLG caught it all on tape. It was a gator who was on the side of the road but coming dangerously close to try to head on to state Route 7.
Northbound traffic there ended up being shut down to a single lane as police and sheriff's deputies did their best. It was the Broward Sheriff's deputies that were called out there.
ROBERTS: That's one big gator.
CHETRY: I hope that we have stuff from a little bit before this because he didn't make it easy on them. OK. We don't. Anyway, they were using squad cars at one point to block the gator from actually crossing the road. I mean, you see alligators, obviously it's Florida, but to snarl traffic on April Fool's Day, I'm sure many people thought it's got to be a joke.
ROBERTS: This was no joke though.
CHETRY: There he is.
ROBERTS: He's a big fellow.
CHETRY: Yes, he's being taken back to a better place for a gator. He doesn't need to be stuck on state Route 7 near the overpass to the Florida turnpike, unless he is planning on heading somewhere for spring break perhaps key west. There he is, all right, headed to safer ground for everyone.
Still ahead you're watching the most news in the morning, a driver tries to outrun the police in a tow truck while hauling an SUV. Sounds like a great idea. We will show you how the chase ended. Also a little music to put you in the mood, will it really make us safer at airport security? Well, take off your shoes and your belt, stand in line, this time you may be calmer. Some changes designed to make airport security screening experience more pleasurable, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: All right. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
You have been seeing the pictures all morning. You have a fire in Illinois. Right now on the phone with us -- there it is Lockport, Illinois. WLS, this fire broke out around 4:00 a.m. Central time -- 5:00 in the morning here in the East Coast.
They have made significant progress in trying to get this thing out. It was a five-alarm at one point with dozens of firefighters battling this.
On the phone right now, we have battalion chief Paul Hertzmann with the Lockport Fire Department.
Thanks, for being with us this morning, Chief.
VOICE OF PAUL HERTZMANN, LOCKPORT TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT: You're welcome.
CHETRY: Well, you know one of the things we were wondering about, there was talk at the beginning that they had rescued one person, people were out. Can you tell us if anyone is still inside and what is the status of rescues?
HETZMANN: At this time initial crews arrived on the scene and found heavy smoke in the upper floor of the building. We believe most people have self-rescued themselves prior to their arrival or upon arrival, the fire department. We have no confirmation or reason to believe at this point that anybody is still inside.
Crews were able to do a quick primary search upon initial arrival. And I know they are going back in after they got the main body of fire knocked down, a real good secondary search.
CHETRY: All right. So you're saying that the initial search. They did not believe that anybody were still trapped. Right now. there are no reports of injuries. Any word on where this thing started and why?
HERTZMANN: No. It's way too early in the investigation phase to even speculate on that.
CHETRY: We did see that it seemed to be coming out of the top floors. Do you know anything about this inn? They said that there was - that this inn people often have long-term stays in some of the top floors?
HERTZMANN: Right. It is in the building that was built in the late 1800s or early 1900s, the first floor of the building is a restaurant and bar. The second, third and fourth floor is a hotel. And like you said, there are some people that long-term stays in there.
CHETRY: You guys had more than 30 fire trucks at the scene. They were at some point dozens of firefighters battling this thing. So, I mean it really was a big one. Were there any rescues conducted?
HERTZMANN: to my knowledge, I don't know that there was any rescues conducted. I have very limited information on what actually occurred initially down there. The initial crews are still obviously down there. As so as far as what specifically happened when they arrived, there's been no information back to us yet.
CHETRY: I got you. They also said that they shut down for a time the metro Commuter Rail Service canceling train service into Chicago along one particular line that was near that fire. Any word on -- was that because of smoke or concerns of people being in the vicinity?
HERTZMANN: No. That rail line runs immediately behind the building. That rail line carries Amtrak, like you said also the Metra train that runs up to Chicago and also some freight traffic. And due to the water supply issues we had laid lines across the railroad tracks.
CHETRY: All right. Are you guys still out there right now? Is this still actively -- or would you say it's pretty much out?
HERTZMANN: It appears to be pretty much out. But everybody that was called to the scene all the way through the fifth alarm is still on the scene.
CHETRY: All right. Looking as you said, making a more thorough secondary search. But as it stands now, it looks like most people were able to get themselves out and it doesn't look like anybody remained trapped in that hotel or in and no reports of injuries. Great work by all the firefighters that went out there this morning.
Chief Paul Hertzmann, thanks for being with us.
HERTZMANN: You're welcome. Thank you.
ROBERTS: Fortunately all those people got out because that fire erupted very quickly. At that time of the morning sometimes difficult to evacuate. Wow.
New this morning, President Bush is in the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine. He is promising the United States will stand behind NATO bids for Ukraine and Georgia. But that idea is against Moscow's wishes, President Bush heads next to Romania where he will meet with NATO leaders.
Two teenagers are lucky to be alive after becoming trapped in a haul of a burning boat for nearly 40 minutes. Unable to reach the two, and look at the intensity of the flames there, firefighters at the Miami Beach Marina had to get on another boat, then they saw a hole in the burning vessel to free the teens through. The two teens were treated for smoke inhalation and released.
Check out this video, a tow truck driver gets towed off to jail after leading police on a nine-mile chase through Ocala, Florida. The chase ended with the river swerved off the road, almost hitting a parked police car. It all started when police pulled the driver over to question him about a crime that had been committed earlier in the day. And there they go running after him right there.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is suggesting that President Bush should boycott the opening ceremonies of this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing. Pelosi has been a vocal critic of China's crackdown on anti-government protesters in Tibet. She says that does not think that U.S. athletes should boycott the games themselves.
We wanted to know, do you think President Bush should boycott the opening ceremonies. It's this morning's "Quick Vote" question. Right now, let's take a look at the results -- 77 percent of you say, yes, don't go. 23 percent said go there, wave the flag, enjoy the Olympics.
CHETRY: This stayed pretty much the same all morning. Usually we see big change.
ROBERTS: Sometimes they swing back and forth. But I guess people's opinions were pretty firmly set this morning. Still time for your voice to be heard. Cast your vote at CNN.com/am and we will bring the final tally in about 20 minutes time just before we hand it over to the NEWSROOM.
CHETRY: All right. Meanwhile extreme weather in middle America. Heavy snow and violent storms spawning tornadoes. Our Rob Marciano is in the CNN Weather Center tracking all of it for us this morning.
Hey, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Kiran.
Yes, the severe weather that was in Oklahoma, Missouri yesterday, now sliding to the south and east. And there will probably be another round of severe whether come tomorrow and Thursday for the same areas of the country.
The immediate concern along I-20 south of Jacksonville, some severe thunderstorms have been rolling through this area and heading towards the south and east. You see the brighter colors there maybe hail, definitely some gusty winds and certainly some heavy rain as they begin to drift toward the Gulf of Mexico.
Birmingham you've got clobbered with some thunderstorms that begin to fan out and weaken and heading into a bit wedge cooler air. So, stabilizing atmosphere just a little bit across parts of Georgia with some rain and some low clouds. It could be an issue if you're traveling through the Atlanta Airport. Severe threat continues today as this front sags to the south. The main energy from the storm moves to the north. And that's going to bring with us some snow across parts of the U.P. of Michigan and some gusty winds as well.
So, Chicago which is already seeing the gusty winds. And we showed you that with that fire, not helping things. Winds gusting to 25 and in some cases 30 miles an hour. And the winds will extend over the towards say Flint, Michigan, and Detroit as the storm continues to roll it's way off towards the north and east.
This comes on the heels -- this came out of the Rocky Mountains. Two days snow totals some of these really amazing for this time of year. Snowmass, Colorado 20 inches of fresh powder. Solitude, Utah 16 and 15 inches at Vail, Colorado.
John and Kiran, back to you.
CHETRY: All right. Rob, thanks a lot.
MARCIANO: OK.
ROBERTS: Twenty minutes now to the top of the hour. A Navy Seal who gave his life to save his comrades will be posthumously awarded the nation's highest military honor.
Petty Officer Second Class Michael Monsoor is the fourth person awarded the medal of honor for heroism in Iraq and Afghanistan. He threw himself on top of a grenade during a battle with Iraqi insurgents in Rahmadi back in September of 2006. Monsoor's family will receive the medal at a White House ceremony next week.
CHETRY: Still ahead, another worry at the airport. And a new warning today about aircraft landing gear. Federal Aviation Administration saying that a major supplier used substandard parts. We have the story ahead.
And also you want to talk to a real person when booking an airline flight. Well, many people do. But it will cost you a little bit more. We are taking a look at some of the rising fees for flights, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the most news in the morning.
If you are headed out to the airport this morning, take a look at this. These are the airports with the longest wait times at security for a typical Tuesday morning. JFK Airport here in New York has got the longest wait up to 33 minutes followed by Tampa, Philadelphia, Las Vegas, and Orlando.
Kiran, remember that one time we were flying out to Las Vegas and it was just, the wait time was just awful. It was like 45 minutes to an hour, terrible there. CHETRY: Also it's a visual thing because so many people are flying in and out of Vegas, you walk in the airport and there's a sea of people. Well, with those wait, it's no wonder some people get a little bit nervous in those lines, maybe agitated, annoyed.
But now the Transportation Security Administration has some new plans aimed at keeping you calm and safe at the airport. And our Homeland Security correspondent Jeanne Meserve is live at Reagan National this morning with details for us.
Good morning, Jeanne.
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN, HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran.
Both of you travel a lot and everybody who does has seen it. The crabby screeners, the crabby passengers. And the Transportation Security Administration wants to change that vibe and at the same time improve security. It's doing it by redesigning check points and we got to look at a prototype.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE (voice-over): Mellow music, cool spectrum lighting, snappy graphics, all aimed at making check points calmer so when an agitated terrorist will stand out in a crowd. There will be more employees in front of the check point studying behavior, hopefully picking those terrorists out.
RANDALL LARSEN, AUTHOR, "OUR OWN WORST ENEMY": Our technology will not allow us to detect many types of bombs today. So, the best way to find a bomb is by looking in the eyes of the bomber. And so we want to get the TSA people out there.
MESERVE: You will still need to take off your shoes, strip off your belt and take out your laptop but now there's a counter where you can get organized. Plastic bags for liquids provided.
More sophisticated bag screening machines will automatically recycle empty bins and divert bags that need a closer look instead of tying up the line. Some travelers will be asked to step into a body scanning machine.
(on-camera): And how do you pick the people who go through?
ELLEN HOWE, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: Well, we don't tell you that part.
MESERVE (voice-over): If you are uncomfortable with the intimate image the machine provides, you can opt for a pat down. Posters will even introduce you to the screeners who are getting new training on how to deal with travelers even uncooperative and abusive ones.
A former head of security at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport says the TSA is right to try to get the public on its side. RAFI RON, NEW AGE SECURITY SOLUTIONS: Our work in easier because then they cooperate. They do what we ask them to do and they actually help us to do what we are there to achieve.
MESERVE: For Teri Watson, a frequent traveler is skeptical.
TERI WATSON, FREQUENT TRAVELER: Window dressing. Window dressing.
MESERVE (on-camera): It's not going to improve the things that you think need to be improved?
WATSON: No. I think staffing is the number one thing. Having ample lines is another.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: Now, the prototype was set up on the ground of this airport. But the first real check point will be set up at Baltimore Washington International airport later this spring. And then officials will find out if it really delivers but they hope it will, which is better security and a better travel experience.
Kiran, back to you.
CHETRY: All right. Jeanne Meserve for us this morning. Thanks.
ROBERTS: New this morning, the Federal Aviation Administration is issuing a safety alert about airplane landing gear. It says maintenance provider AAR Corporation provided substandard parts for hundreds of Boeing jets across the globe.
The FAA detailed more than 300 instances of unapproved parts being shipped. U.S. Airways says it has voluntarily removed several parts after a partial failure of a parked plane's landing gear that was back in October.
About 10 percent of airline pilots are allowed to carry guns on board. That number could go up during the next few years as the Transportation Security Administration program to arm pilots grows.
Though it is not without its pitfalls, two weeks ago, a pilot's gun accidentally discharged during a flight. No one was hurt and it didn't do serious damage to the plane though we understand the bullet did go through the aircraft fuselage.
And there are new fees in the air. At Delta Airlines, $25 to book by phone. That might encourage people to book online. It now costs $100 to bring a pet on board, that is up from $75. Bringing an oversized bag that will cost you $150.
And Delta is going to charge $100 for a child who is traveling alone. The airline says the new charges are response to higher fuel prices. How does it cost more fuel for a child to travel alone?
CHETRY: I don't know. But, you know, it is a clear shift though, they want you to you book online. They don't want have to, you know, have people manning those telephones.
ROBERTS: Or it would people escorting unaccompanied minors on board the aircraft.
CHETRY: I'm sure that's fun for the flight attendant. Well, CNN NEWSROOM is just minutes away.
Betty Nguyen at the CNN Center right now with a look at what's ahead.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN, ANCHOR: Hey there, good morning.
Angry truckers there in the NEWSROOM today. Independent drivers planning to protest high diesel prices today. And here's what they may do. They may park their big rigs or even slow down traffic.
Also, big oil rolling in record profits. Today, oil execs explain their fat bottom line to Congress.
And the debate over cell phones and brain tumors. One scientist, listen to this, now calling the devices a greater cancer risk than cigarettes.
And the three presidential candidates all speaking live in the NEWSROOM this morning. We get it started off at the top of the hour. Kiran.
CHETRY: Betty, thanks.
ROBERTS: Trying to lose weight, make sure you stick to a good schedule. Don't pound down your second breakfast burrito of the day. A new study said too little and even too much sleep can make that waistline bigger.
And it's a concern for parents with autistic children. How will they care for themselves when they grow up? Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta shows us a special success story. One man with the disorder who is living a very independent life.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: It's well-known that getting enough sleep is key to losing weight. Too little can lead to weight gain. But a new Canadian study says too much can also pack on the pound. Researchers followed patients for six years and found that those who slept five to six hours or nine to ten hours put on more weight than people who slept the recommended seven to eight hours.
CHETRY: You know this week we are taking a closer look at autism. CNN devoting its resources around the world to understanding what it is and what causes it ahead of the U.N. Autism Awareness Day which is tomorrow. As many as one in 150 children may have autism.
But what happens when these children grow up? Our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, has a story that should give many parents hope.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: Forty-two-year-old Bob Esposito is on his way to work.
(on-camera): Hi, how are you?
BOB ESPOSITO, AFFLICTED WITH AUTISM: I'm doing good.
GUPTA (voice-over): Bob works at the College of New Jersey. His day starts off with instructions from his supervisor.
TOM HASTY, BOB'S SUPERVISOR: What I want you to do, since it's cold out this morning, I want you to go to Fresino.
ESPOSITO: Sounds good.
HASTY: Then after lunch, I want you to go out to pick up. OK.
ESPOSITO: Sounds good.
GUPTA: Bob has held this job for more than 15 years. Bob has autism, a developmental disorder that causes substantial difficulties with social interaction and communication, unusual or repetitive behavior in young children.
Autism doesn't go away but with early and intensive therapy. Children with autism can learn skills that will allow them to succeed as they grow older.
Bob began receiving intensive behavioral therapy at New Jersey's Princeton Child Development Institute when he was eight years old. The institute has students as young as three and as old as 43. It's executive director Greg MacDuff has been working with Bob since 1977 when Bob moved into their first group home.
GREGORY MACFUFF, PRINCETON CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE: Not everyone will get to Bob's level where they can choose whether they are going to go out for dinner or go to a movie. But many of these students are choosing what kind of work task they are going to do. Some of them are choosing the order of their work. They are choosing what kind of rewards they purchase.
GUPTA: Bob still gets help from therapists who teach him new skills, like paying bills on his computer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's excellent, Bob. That's clicking and selecting checks. Good for you.
GUPTA: Bob live a fairly independent life. For the past two years, he has shared an apartment with another person with autism. He makes his own schedule, shops, cleans, does his own laundry and he loves to cook.
EXPOSITO: I like to cook spaghetti and meatballs. MACDUFF: I think he enjoys the fact that he pretty much controls his life at this point. He makes the decisions about what he eats, where he goes, how he spends his money.
ESPOSITO: It's great. You know, I'm just enjoying life and everything. So, it's pretty cool. Pretty cool thing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: And not all adults are going to get to Bob's level certainly living on their own as he does. But we don't talk enough about adults with autism. Children do grow up, obviously, become adults with autism.
One thing that seems to ring true consistently is that early intervention seems to make a difference in terms of prolonged outcomes -- John, Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, you know, there's so many interesting things about that. Because number one, they are diagnosing more people with the autism spectrum disorders and they are also doing this early intervention sooner and so.
What about the adults that are now living with autism? Do we know about how many there are and whether or not some of those new programs also work for them?
GUPTA: Well, you know, it's so interesting. We've been, as you know, researching this for a long time now, Kiran. It's very hard to get adult numbers, adults with autism. Part of that is that the counting process, if you will, takes place primarily in schools. So when a child graduates from school, and moves on from school, it's very hard to keep track.
University of Pennsylvania has the best numbers. Out of a population of about 12 million, they say approximately 50,000 adults with autism. But the problem is there's not enough resources. Again, we think of this as primarily as a childhood disease. So there's hardly enough resources even for Bob's program as you saw there, there's a long waiting list.
They only have 47 people at any given time. So, it is difficult. It remains difficult as things stand right now.
CHETRY: All right. Sanjay, thank you.
By the way, we're going to be getting an in depth look at the global impact and the latest science about autism, all day tomorrow here on CNN. We're also going to take a quick break on AMERICAN MORNING. When we come back a final check of the "Quick Vote."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: And before we leave you this morning, a final "Quick Vote" tally -- 78 percent of you say the president should boycott the opening ceremonies of the Olympics -- 22 percent say no. We've gotten some e-mails.
Amber from Florida saying: "There are certain places where politics can go and others where it just needs to butt out. The Olympics are a time for a country to show the world their greatest athletes, not their greatest or worst politicians."
ROBERTS: However, Jean from Michigan said: "Not only should President Bush not attend any ceremonies for the Olympics in Beijing, the U.S. should boycott the games. China was awarded the Olympics based on a pledge that it would clean up its act regarding human rights abuses but instead it's behavior has only worsened."
Thanks for writing. And we'll do it again tomorrow.
CHETRY: And thanks for being with us. "CNN NEWSROOM" starts now.
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