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American Morning
Tensions Run High in Olympic Torch Relay; Petraeus Calls for Suspension of Troop Withdrawals; What Do Athletes Think About Boycott?; FCC Proposes National System for Text Message Alerts
Aired April 09, 2008 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And as we saw yesterday from some of the pictures, the protesters are sure to follow. And we begin in San Francisco where the Olympic torch makes its only North American run this afternoon. And thousands of protesters angry over China's human rights record and actions in Tibet are expected. Hundreds of police also there to patrol the relay route.
The plan is to have 79 people carry this torch along six miles of San Francisco's waterfront. There you see it in fast motion. The mayor, though, says that the route could be changed to prevent a repeat of the mayhem that we saw from protesters both in London and Paris. Also, a candle light vigil last night where thousands gathered including the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actor Richard Gere. All of them coming out in support of a free Tibet and calling for President Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies in Beijing.
And we begin with CNN's Ted Rowlands. He's live in San Francisco with the latest on what they're planning ahead of today's anticipated protest. Hi, Ted.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kiran. A lot of people have their fingers crossed this will go off without any major problems. Every member of the San Francisco Police Department is working today. They took back vacations. The bottom line is San Francisco is not sure what to expect.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS (voice-over): It was all smiles for the carefully orchestrated arrival of the Olympic flame, but clearly the city of San Francisco is bracing for trouble. After watching the chaos in London and Paris, San Francisco police admit they're concerned the same problems could erupt along the planned six-mile San Francisco torch route, which they may end up changing at the 11th hour.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE POLICE OFFICER: Things still are subject to change based on the information that we receive. The goal is to have a safe event for everybody, the spectators and the participants.
ROWLANDS: Torch bearer Marilyn King knows firsthand the worst case scenario of the Olympic stage. The two-time Olympian was in Munich in 1972 when 11 Israeli athletes and coaches were killed by terrorists. She also lost her chance to compete in the 1980 Olympics because of the U.S. boycott in Moscow. She is planning to run with the Olympic torch even though she is concerned that something may happen.
MARILYN KING, OLYMPIAN: There are always people who are willing to step outside of those boundaries, so I have some anxiety about that.
ROWLANDS: Protesters have already made their presence felt in San Francisco with the precision-planned Golden Gate Bridge stunt that included using baby carriages to sneak in banners and climbing equipment past police.
PROTESTERS: China!
ROWLANDS: Several organizations held demonstrations Tuesday, including actor Richard Gere's International Campaign for Tibet. Gere sat down with us to discuss the torch protest which he describes as extraordinary.
RICHARD GERE, ACTOR: The whole world seems to spontaneously react to this situation, and know that it's a fraud what the Chinese are doing. It's a fraud. This is not an athletic game to them. This is pretty much a stamp of approval on repression and human rights abuses.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop lying to the world!
CROWD: Stop lying to the world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: China lie, people die!
ROWLANDS: San Francisco is the only North American torch stop in the world including China. We'll be watching to see what happens.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: And one of the things we'll be watching as well is the torch bearers themselves. Seventy-nine people are taking part in this. We understand that at least a few of them do plan to make some political statement in support of Tibet during their run.
Another thing to watch during this bottom line is a lot of people have their fingers crossed as we said just hoping this will go off without any major problems, but they are prepared. San Francisco police is getting help from other law enforcements, state and federal. The FBI helping out as well. A lot of eyes will be on this six-mile route here in San Francisco.
CHETRY: All right. Well, we'll certainly be watching as well and checking in with you throughout the morning. Ted Rowlands, thank you.
And coming up, we're going to be speaking with an athlete whose Olympic dreams were cut short because of international politics. Should the games be such a flash point? We're going to talk about that in about 10 minutes here on CNN.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Right now, a half a world away in Iraq. The government is bracing for more bloodshed. Baghdad on lockdown today. A shaky cease-fire could erupt into new violence at any time.
Even though a demonstration set for today has been postponed, a curfew was still in place. No cars are allowed into the city until midnight tonight. That's 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
There are fears that powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr will call his militia to action yet again. Last week, his fighters dug in against Iraq soldiers and hundreds died.
With all that as his back drop, the top U.S. commander in Iraq is asking Congress for more time. General David Petraeus will be on Capitol Hill for day two of his Iraq war report today. This time the House gets its turn.
The general told senators yesterday that there has been significant but uneven security progress in Iraq and that it's fragile and reversible. Petraeus says al-Qaeda in Iraq and a number of other extremist elements have been dealt serious blows, but that does not mean that all the troops can come home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS, MULTI-NATIONAL COMMANDER, IRAQ: I have repeatedly noted that we haven't turned any corners. We haven't seen any lights at the end of the tunnel. The champagne bottle has been pushed to the back of the refrigerator.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: CNN's Barbara Starr is live for us at the Pentagon this morning. Barbara, lots to talk about -- troop drawdowns or pauses, al-Qaeda, progress on the political front, and also Iran.
BARBARA STARR, PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: You know, John, that's right. All the words yesterday and all those hours of hearings that we expected to hear them talk about the pause, all of it. But Iran, interestingly enough, wound up being one of the threads that perhaps was not quite so expected. A lot of tough language about Iran from both General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker about Tehran's involvement in the situation in Iraq.
Both men raising the specter, believe it or not, of Lebanon, that essentially Iran is engaged in a Lebanon -- Iran is engaged in a Lebanon strategy inside Iraq, perhaps exerting its influence to the extent it's trying to make Iraq a puppet state like Lebanon was at one point, like many people still believe it may be.
The candidates, Senators McCain, Clinton and Obama taking somewhat of differing lines in response to that. Listen for a minute to what Senator Obama had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that increased pressure in a measured way in my mind, and this is where we disagree, includes a timetable for withdrawal. Nobody is asking for a precipitous withdrawal, but I do think that it has to be a measured but increased pressure, and a diplomatic surge that includes Iran. Because if Maliki can tolerate as normal neighbor to neighbor relations in Iran, then we should be talking to them as well. I do not believe we're going to be able to stabilize the situation without them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Bottom line, if Barack Obama is elected president, he just said yet again that he would be talking to Iran, and that certainly is a statement that's getting a lot of attention, John.
ROBERTS: I think, too, Ambassador Crocker said that he would be open to talks with Iran as well if it would help solve the situation there in Iraq. What about this pause, this 45-day pause sometime in July that General Petraeus talked about? How much could that be extended depending on situations on the ground?
STARR: Well, you know, he got asked that very question by Senator Levin and he refused to be pinned down because Dave Petraeus is not going to get pinned down on any timelines for troop withdrawals in Iraq, but the calendar, as we talked about yesterday, does tick on. Sometime in the fall, another brigade is scheduled to rotate out of Iraq.
So General Petraeus' 45-day pause or not, is going to be facing a number of decisions on the calendar when these other brigades which are scheduled to finish their 15-month tours of duty in the fall, when they rotate out, is he going to ask for replacements or is he just going to let the troop levels decline, John?
ROBERTS: Barbara Starr for us at the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks very much -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, if you're flying American Airlines you may want to call ahead today. The carrier saying it expects to cancel more flights today to check wiring on about 300 of its planes. Close to 500 American flights were canceled yesterday for the very same reason. The second time in two weeks that the airline has had to cancel flights for failing to meet FAA standards for wiring. The airline says it will try to arrange other flights for travelers and will foot the bill for meals, hotels and ground transportation.
Disturbing new details coming out this morning about what was going on behind the scenes of a polygamist ranch in Texas. This massive investigation sparked after a call from a 16-year-old girl saying she was forced to marry a 50-year-old man and be his seventh wife. The court papers are now saying that the teen is pregnant again.
She called a local family violence shelter several times last night, saying that her parents brought her to the ranch a year ago and that she was physically and sexually abused by an adult male member of the church. That she was, again, forced to enter a spiritual marriage with.
She says this was the case for many girls as they hit puberty in that compound. Four hundred sixteen children are now in temporary legal custody. That girl though has still not been accounted for. Police are still looking into the matter, and we'll get a live report at the bottom of the hour.
Meanwhile, the government is expanding its warning on the blood- thinning drug heparin, after discovering that the number of deaths linked to tainted batches has now tripled. The Food and Drug Administration now says 62 people died since last January, and they may be related to contaminated heparin. That's up from the 19 deaths the agency previously reported during that period.
The tainted supplies came from China. The Feds are asking manufacturers to check codings on devices like stents and catheters as well for any potential contamination.
And Congress is going to hear some noise today about hybrid cars being too quiet. Sure, they're great for the environment, but the National Federation for the Blind says they are dangerous. In tests, blind people could not hear hybrids coming. A proposal to Congress would involve a safety measure that perhaps makes hybrids noisier.
And finally, a would-be burglar in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was stopped in his tracks. It turns out the suspect was busted into the wrong home of a former pro Boxer. When the woman saw the guy go out of a window in her son's room, she chased him down, hopping over a fence until she caught up with him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DERDRE RODRIGUEZ, CAUGHT UP WITH BURGLAR: He was pretty shocked. The look on his face was where do I run.
Gave him one slot with this to the head, and he pretty much stayed down after that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Yes, that would do it.
ROBERTS: Oh, my goodness.
CHETRY: Wouldn't it?
ROBERTS: Yes, it would.
CHETRY: The 16-year-old faces a second-degree burglary charge.
ROBERTS: So we got a smackdown there at that household. We got a smackdown between Fed chiefs as well. What's going on?
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. There's a reality check at the end of this one. They are names that people probably haven't heard of for a long time, but we know Alan Greenspan has been talking recently in recent months a lot about don't blame him for any of this mess.
Paul Volcker making a speech yesterday. Paul Volcker was the Fed chairman before Alan Greenspan. He was in office until 1984 and, by the way, oversaw one of the most serious recessions that we've had in the United States. He was giving a speech as well yesterday saying, you know, we're headed into a downturn. Probably won't be as bad as the one that he was in charge of in '79 and '80, but it's going to be bad, and this Fed should have done more about it.
For the Fed's part, the current Fed under Ben Bernanke, they released the minutes from their last meeting she'll be reading, let me tell you. You won't have to go through it.
The bottom line here is the Fed is not as worried about inflation as you obviously are. Inflation is of issue number one, which is the economy, the most important issue. Inflation and gas prices are way at the top of that list. There were some Fed governors at the last meeting where they cut interest rates who actually thought they shouldn't cut interest rates as much as they did because inflation was going to be contained. So that's one issue.
We're worrying about that because in three weeks we've got another Fed meeting. May, they cut interest rates again. And, of course, every day we're seeing prices rise. We've seen gas prices tick up again, even though the number that we rounded it to was $3.34 earlier this week. It's just a smidge above that but that trend up continues.
So as we've discussed in the last several days -- gasoline, corn, rice, wheat, meat, copper, aluminum, everything we're paying more for. So for a bunch of guys around a table to sit there and say not that big a deal, don't worry too much, I don't know where they shop because I'd like to know. Send the coupons my way.
ROBERTS: You know, you're talking yesterday about record prices for rice, and you're ahead of the curve. Everybody is all over it today.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: Because he was talking with the vice president of Sierra Leone yesterday when others perhaps were not.
ROBERTS: He moves in --
VELSHI: Unusual circles.
ROBERTS: Stratospheric circles. He does.
CHETRY: He sure does. Thanks, Ali.
VELSHI: Good to see you, guys.
CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning." And still ahead, we are tracking severe weather. Severe storms hitting Texas, and it could be a messy morning commute. Our Rob Marciano is in the CNN weather center tracking it all for us. He'll join us in a moment.
Plus, tensions high in San Francisco. The Olympic Torch Relay taking place today. In addition to the thousands that are going to be watching, protesters also expected by the thousands. So is there a way to separate the games from global politics? We're going to talk to an Olympian ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Fifteen minutes after the hour. Rob Marciano at the weather update desk tracking extreme weather in the state of Texas this morning.
Good morning, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, John. It will be Texas today. It will be Texas tomorrow, and then it will move eastward beyond that. We've got a pretty decent storm system wrapping up, unfortunately, and we are in the heart of tornado season.
Here is what's going on right now on the scope. Dallas, Texas, and everything eastward is seeing a heavy line of thundershowers. But you see that yellow watch box there? That is a severe thunderstorm watch that has been allowed to expire. So that's the good news here, but the heavy rains will continue as it passes up through Texarkana and through Little Rock and areas that certainly I don't need the rainfall into the mid-Mississippi River Valley.
Here's where the storm is. Low right about there, you kind of see all the swirling, and you can also see a little bit of white up here across the arrowhead -- or the U.P. of Michigan. And that's where we've seen heavy snow and that's where we have heavy snow warnings and winter storm warnings posted for the next few hours as this snow refuses to wind down. Four to eight inches of snow expected there.
But the next system about to roll through, and we already have, can you believe it's April? Almost the middle of April here. And we've got winter storm watches that are posted for the plains. Winter storm warnings that are posted for parts of Colorado and parts of Utah for 10 to 15 inches of snowfall in the next 24 to 36 hours. And then as this storm ejects into the plains tomorrow, we've got problems with a greater likelihood of seeing tornadoes. Some of which could be large, long-lived, and quite damaging, and this will be a two, if not three, day event, John.
Watching the system very closely. It looks very reminiscent to some historical tornado outbreaks that we've seen in the last few decades. Back up to you.
ROBERTS: All right. Rob Marciano for us this morning. Rob, I know that you keep a close eye on that. Thanks very much. Now, let's go over to Kiran who's talking Olympics this morning.
CHETRY: That's right. And the whole world will be watching today the Olympic Torch Relay hits the streets of San Francisco, and protesters are -- demonstrators protesting China's human rights record. In fact, that was the video from yesterday when protesters actually scaled the Golden Gate Bridge and hung huge signs. Also, protesting policies on Darfur, and there have been protests around the world.
Now, some members of Congress are calling on President Bush to skip the opening ceremonies in Beijing. Now, back in 1980, President Jimmy Carter led a 65-nation boycott of the Olympics in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and U.S. swimmer Craig Beardsley lost his shot at an Olympic medal during that year. He joins me now to talk more about boycotting the Olympics and the impact that it has on athletes. Craig, thanks for being with us.
CRAIG BEARDSLEY, 1980 U.S. OLYMPIAN: Thank you, good morning.
CHETRY: You know, you had written an article about this and talked about the endless hours you spent swimming, training, working for this dream -- you know, the pinnacle for athletes, which was to compete in the Olympics. What was it like when you learned back in 1980 that that was all for naught?
BEARDSLEY: It was incredibly disappointing and wasn't necessarily only disappointing for myself, but there are a lot of my fellow swimmers who had their big opportunity to win seven gold medals and they were deprived of that opportunity. It was difficult on my parents who spent countless hours of driving me back and forth. And so, it's not just the athlete. It goes beyond that.
CHETRY: Your record in -- I think it was the 200 meter freestyle...
BEARDSLEY: Yes.
CHETRY: ... would have actually broken the Olympic record.
BEARDSLEY: Yes. It was the 200-meter Butterfly and it was set -- I was lucky enough to set it at the trials that year.
CHETRY: And how does an athlete step back and watch? I mean, we've seen protests both in London and in Paris and expected protests today, and just a worldwide outcry based on the venue for the Olympics. How does that affect the athlete?
BEARDSLEY: It's definitely a distraction. I think the athletes need to be focusing on their sport and in their event. I think, of course, you can't deny what's going on in the world at this point. If anything, having the Olympics in Beijing has brought focus to these issues and has brought it to the forefront.
CHETRY: Do you think anything good came out of the boycott in 1980? I mean, was that an effective political tool?
BEARDSLEY: Absolutely not. There was no reason for a boycott. There was a couple of reasons for that. One, it served no purpose and accomplished nothing. Ultimately just affected the athletes. And second reason is the Olympics, it's such a huge event and it covers the whole world. It's an opportunity for athletes, spectators and people to actually get together and share ideas and experiences. And one way to resolve conflict is by communication, and by boycotting you're just putting a wall up between you and just making the matters worse.
CHETRY: Yes. It's interesting you have a personal story as well. Your mother actually is Chinese and your family had to flee China during the revolution. What do you think about the attention that's being called to China's human rights record?
BEARDSLEY: You know, these issues in China, Tibet and Darfur, and these things have been going on for quite some time. Obviously the Tibet issue has been going on actually before the 1980 Olympic boycott. And so, I think it's actually it's good that it's being brought into the media and people are acknowledging some of the problems.
CHETRY: Right. Do you think China is going to change its ways because of this?
BEARDSLEY: Absolutely not. Absolutely not. I think a boycott is a waste of everyone's time to pursue. There are other ways to go about it, but a boycott is not the answer.
CHETRY: Well, it's very interesting to get your perspective because as we said, you know, you were affected. I mean, that was your dream.
BEARDSLEY: Yes.
CHETRY: And back in 1980, it didn't happen because of international politics.
Craig Beardsley, swimmer, who had to boycott the 1980 Olympics. Thanks for being with us this morning.
BEARDSLEY: Thank you so much, Kiran.
CHETRY: You know, we've been talking about this throughout the morning as well. We wanted to know what you thought. Would a boycott of the Olympic opening ceremonies pressure China to change its human rights policy? Do you think that's an effective idea?
Cast your vote at CNN.com. We'll have a tally of the votes a little later in the hour, and we also want your e-mails as well. So drop us a line at CNN.com/am. Follow the link, and let us know what you think. We'll start reading them a little bit later in the show.
ROBERTS: Coming up on 22 minutes after the hour. Can cell phones save lives? Our Veronica De La Cruz takes a look at a proposed plan to set up a nationwide cell phone alert system. Find out how it might work on your phone ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Well, we've had bears on trampolines, smoking chimps, and water skiing squirrels. And in today's "Hot Shot," an elephant in a bubble. Check it out.
A self-proclaimed bubble artist and bubble scientist tried to set a record in Las Vegas by enclosing an elephant in a giant soap bubble. The event was part of Bubble Fest 12 at the Discovery Science Center. Did it happen?
ROBERTS: I'm not seeing a bubble.
CHETRY: Yes.
ROBERTS: I'm seeing an elephant.
CHETRY: I do see the elephant. We'll see. We'll see. The guy's first attempt, by the way, was interrupted by animal rights protesters. But here we go. See, there's the giant bubble. I think it worked.
ROBERTS: For a second there, yes.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: I think the elephant broke the bubble with his trunk. Did you see that?
CHETRY: That's probably been the problem the whole time. There you go. All right. Well, if you've going a "Hot Shot," send it to us. Head to our Web site, CNN.com/am. Follow the "Hot Shot" link.
ROBERTS: I'd like to see this elephant encased in the bubble and then just kind of float away. Now, that would be something.
Hey, the government is looking for ways to improve the emergency response system. Our Veronica De La Cruz has got details on a proposed plan. Good morning to you. What are they talking about?
DE LA CRUZ: Good morning to you. Well, it's simply discussion right now. It is a plan, and they're thinking about doing it with something like this. Right?
Everybody has a mobile device. We're also connected these days. And according to the "USA Today," Federal regulators are looking to do this via text message. Already Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Nextel and T- Mobile have all said that they will be participating in this plan.
ROBERTS: So I'm signed up for the D.C. alert system in Washington. We get weather alerts mostly.
DE LA CRUZ: Right.
ROBERTS: Snow alerts, that type of thing. What type of alerts are we talking about here?
DE LA CRUZ: We are talking about weather alerts. We're also talking about child abductions. We're also talking about terrorist threats. So, a myriad of different alerts.
And the way that it would work here is a first responder, be it local, federal, would notify a federal agency serving as a clearinghouse and then that agency would notify carriers. And then, messages can be sent to a county, state, or entire country depending on what type of problem it is, John. And then at least to start the messages would be limited to English, 90 characters. And then, you know how you signed up for a plan?
ROBERTS: Right.
DE LA CRUZ: Well, the sign up here wouldn't be required as long as you do subscribe to one of these four participating carriers. So you wouldn't even have to sign up.
ROBERTS: Yes. There's always something going on somewhere. So wouldn't it clog up the system to have all these emergency messages going on?
DE LA CRUZ: Well, that's such a big part, you know, of why they're doing this. You think back to 9/11 or you think back to all those events in history, where we haven't been able to make a phone call, we haven't been able to send out a text message. And the way it would work is those messages will be sent out on a single pathway-like radio signal, and that would avoid all the congestion that's happening now.
Now, in order for this to work, cell phone carriers would need to upgrade their systems and cell phones, which is why this is simply a plan. They're saying it's going to take place hopefully in 2010. But according to "USA Today," the FCC may not necessarily require them to do so. So again, just a discussion. It is a plan. They're hoping 2010 would be a target date.
ROBERTS: I mean, one great thing that we've seen in the last year is the fact that so many of these colleges now have these alert notifications for kids. It all comes in the wake of the Virginia Tech killings.
DE LA CRUZ: Exactly.
ROBERTS: But it's great to know that if something happens on campus, cell phones, you know, BlackBerries, e-mail, these kids are going to, you know, will have some idea if there's a problem there.
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: Right. And so important for all of those cell phone providers to be on board with this so people wouldn't have to sign up, like you had to go through the process of signing up.
ROBERTS: Yes. Great. Good deal. Maybe it will come true. All right. Veronica, thanks.
CHETRY: You're watching the "Most News in the Morning." Still ahead, inside a secret sect. Revelations from the young girl who first alerted police to the polygamist ranch in Texas sparked off a massive investigation. There are new details coming out this morning.
Also, the story of one man's sacrifice so moving President Bush was unable to hide his emotions. That story and today's headlines when AMERICAN MORNING returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Pretty shot this morning of the capitol in Washington, D.C. It's 49 right now, going up to 64, which is a good thing. But cloudy, which is not so good thing.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: See now. This is the frustrating time of year when spring is kind of there and kind of not. And you have saying hey March 21st was weeks ago now. When are we really going to get spring?
CHETRY: What did the groundhog say again? Six more weeks of winter?
ROBERTS: That was a long time ago. That was like forever ago.
CHETRY: Yes, well, it feels like this has been a long winter. I'm still not quite sure if it's spring yet.
ROBERTS: Always this way though. You know, you get some teases in February and it gets warm. And you think, oh good, it's right around the corner, and then it seems to take forever to get here. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Thanks for being with us.
For the first time since it was raided, we're hearing about the horrors of what may have been going on in that polygamist ranch in Texas.
Court documents described a late-night phone call from a frightened teenage girl whispering details of beatings, threats, and children forced into having sex with adults. CNN's Ed Lavandera is live for us in Eldorado, Texas this morning.
Good morning, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John. You know what, those court documents revealed that that 16-year-old girl was described as the seventh wife of an adult male. But they also point out just how difficult this investigation is for child abuse investigators. They have been unable or unwilling, excuse me -- many of the children they're dealing with, to identify their own parents.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Child abuse investigators allege in newly-released court documents that every child inside the YFZ compound was at risk of physical and sexual abuse. The investigators say a culture of adult men marrying teenage girls once they reached child-bearing age is rampant. MARLEIGH MEISNER, TEXAS CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES: We also have a couple of people on board that are working with us that are really helping us with the therapeutic needs of these children. They're very familiar with the issues that go into the people that live within this compound.
LAVANDERA: Investigators also detailed the polite of an unknown 16-year-old girl. The court records say the teenage girl called a family violence shelter saying she was being held against her will and wanted to escape. She reported the court record say that the adult man she married beat and hurt her whenever he got angry. And then if she tried to leave, she would be found and locked up.
But at the end of the phone calls, investigators say the girl began crying and she said everything she said should be forgotten. Despite removing 416 children from the ranch, child abuse investigators still haven't identified the teenage caller.
Since authorities raided the compound last Thursday, the air space above it was closed, but not anymore.
As we fly over the compound here, you can see the large temple and the beautiful grounds that around it, well manicured. As we come around one side of the temple here, you see one part of the building surrounded by cars. Those are all the law enforcement authorities that have been searching this 1,600 acre ranch since last Thursday.
(on camera): The only way to see what's going on inside the polygamous compound is to fly over it. They've never allowed anyone in. In fact, since they started moving in four years ago, every time pilots would fly over, they'd say that they'd see people scattering for cover, that they didn't want to be seen. Today it's at a standstill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: And, John, we spoke with one source that is close to the leadership of the compound here in the Eldorado area. And they say that the leadership is angered by the way this investigation has been handled. And they wonder how the story of one girl could lead to the whole cell round up of 416 kids.
ROBERTS: If what she says is true though, Ed, it really is kind of stunning that it took this long for the authorities to act.
LAVANDERA: You know, a lot of people here are asking this question. Actually, in a lot of people around here say it was just a matter of time. That they just needed that one reason. Child abuse investigators say the way they operate, they have to count on one report like this to come in, and they really can't do anything before that comes in.
Ed Lavandera for us this morning in Eldorado, Texas. Ed, thanks very much.
Kiran? CHETRY: Well, there is a new curfew in place in Baghdad this morning. No cars are allowed into the Iraqi capital as the government braces for protests, and hopes that a shaky ceasefire will stay intact. All of this as the commander of U.S. forces goes back to Capitol Hill today for day two of his Iraq progress report.
General David Petraeus yesterday telling senators that there has been significant, but uneven security progress in Iraq. And he called for a pause in troop withdrawals this summer. It was a chance for all three major presidential candidates to outline their positions on the war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Some of the statements and suggestions that have been made leading up to this hearing and even during it, that it is irresponsible or demonstrates a lack of leadership to advocate withdrawing troops from Iraq in a responsible and carefully planned withdrawal, I fundamentally disagree.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I continue to believe that the original decision to go into Iraq was a massive strategic blunder. That the two problems that you have pointed out, al-Qaeda in Iraq and increased Iranian influence in the region, are a direct result of that original decision. That's not a decision you gentlemen made. I won't lay it at your feet. You are cleaning up the mess afterwards.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Over 1,000 Iraqi army and police deserted or underperformed during that operation. This is four months after Basra achieved provincial Iraqi control. What's the lesson that we are to draw from that? The 1,000 Iraqi army and police deserted or underperformed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, the general's proposed midsummer pause in the troop draw down means that there could be 140,000 troops in Iraq when the next president takes office in January. And these hearings are going to be continuing today. You can watch a live coverage of General Petraeus, as well as Ambassador Ryan Crocker.
It starts again at 9:00 Eastern Time this morning, and you can follow the links to the live event.
ROBERTS: New this morning. Feel like you're losing your wallet every time you fill up at the gas station? Prices at the pump hit another record high. According to AAA, the nationwide average price for a gallon of self-serve regular now $3.34. That's up 12 cents from last month. 55 cents higher than it was last year at this time.
If you're flying American Airlines today, definitely a day to call ahead. American may have to cancel more flights today after close to 500 flights were held yesterday for inspections on MD-80 model planes. The FAA wants American to look at wiring on those aircraft.
American says it will try to arrange other flights for travelers and they'll also foot the bill for meals, hotels, and ground transportation for people who are inconvenienced by the inspections.
Pope Benedict XVI arrives in the United States next week. And part of his mission will be to heal the damage caused by the church sex abuse scandal in this country. That is according to the Vatican secretary of state who says the pope will, quote, "Try to open the path of healing and reconciliation."
Nearly 14,000 molestation claims have been filed against the Catholic Church since 1950.
An emotional and somber ceremony to honor a fallen hero. President Bush awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously to Petty Officer Second Class Michael Monsoor. Monsoor selflessly threw himself on a live grenade saving two of his fellow S.E.A.L.S and three Iraqi soldiers. The emotion of the moment was not lost in the president as he stood with the Monsoor Family and recognized their sacrifice in his speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. and Mrs. Monsoor, America owes you a debt that can never be repaid. This nation will always cherish the memory of your son. We will not let his life go in vain.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest military award for valor. Petty Officer Monsoor is the first member of the Navy and the third member of the Armed Forces to receive it for heroism in Iraq.
Still ahead, fleeing from the shadow of a volcano. 2,000 people evacuated from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island after the Kilauea Volcano began venting elevated levels of sulfur dioxide.
Sulfur dioxide can cause breathing problems, especially in people who already have respiratory issues. Officials will decide whether to reopen the park today after checking weather forecast, as well as the wind direction.
39 minutes past the hour now. And Rob Marciano tracking it all for us. Maybe we should send you to Hawaii. You can get a closer look and help us out with that story.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROBERTS: They have already invested tens of millions of dollars in the Summer Olympic Games. Now as protesters follow the Olympic flame, what's the fallout for American companies?
And a brutal assault videotaped by teen attackers. Is the YouTube generation to blame? That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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CHETRY: Time now 43 minutes past the hour. Ali Velshi, "Minding Your Business." Talking about corporate sponsorship as it relates to the controversial Olympics.
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: The Olympics is huge. I mean, being able to sponsor the Olympics is such a big deal. And the biggest names that you know of are sponsors of this Olympics. Some of the biggest names in this Olympics are Coca-Cola, General Electric, Lenovo, the computer maker; and Samsung.
Now, what do they do about this increasing tension and the reputation risk that they have? Coca-Cola has said in a statement that it expresses deep concern for the situation on the ground in Tibet, but firmly believes that the Olympics are a force for good.
Now, the hope on the part of all these companies is that people watching what's going on don't start to associate things going on with China and Tibet with these brands. They want the Olympics to be seen as a force for good.
Coke has said that it's witnessed firsthand the cultural, economic and social benefits of the Olympics and what it brings to the host city and country.
Lenovo, the computer maker, they took over the computer making business from IBM, says the Olympics -- the sponsorship is a vital part of its marketing brand worldwide.
And General Electric has said that GE is transparent about its human rights policies and the sponsorship money that comes from companies actually funds teams that would otherwise not get to go and we think that consumers get that.
Now, obviously, this is a moving target. And as this story develops, these companies will have to continue to evaluate whether people think that their sponsorship of the Olympics somehow sponsors China's activities in Tibet and how that all plays out.
But at the moment, the major sponsors are standing pat. They're standing by what they believe, and they're talking about the Olympics being a good thing and trying to remove themselves from the politics. But, you know, these things, they're hard to separate sometimes.
CHETRY: Very true. All right, Ali, thank you.
VELSHI: OK.
ROBERTS: All right. 45 minutes now to the top of the hour. We've got news for people with diabetes and the risk for heart disease. Ways that you can lower that risk. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us more about this, coming up at the top of the hour.
CHETRY: Behind the shocking tape. Teen rage. A girl cornered and beaten while other girls rolled the camera. What drives kids to the extreme? The victim's mother speaks out.
Gossip, bullying, and revenge in the age of the Internet, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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ROBERTS: It's coming up to 11 minutes now to the top of the hour. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.
This is a story that's been getting a lot of play here across the country in the last couple of days. A brutal attack on a teenage girl captured on tape. Captured on tape because they intended to post it online.
The 16-year-old victim was lured into a Lakeland, Florida home. Police say six girls first knocked her unconscious by slamming her head against the wall. When she woke up, they began beating on her again.
Two boys are suspected of acting as lookouts in all of this. All eight of them face charges of battery and false imprisonment. Police say the attackers wanted to put the video on YouTube. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd describes what he saw.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF GRADY JUDD, POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA: I must tell you, I've been involved in law enforcement for 35 years. And I've seen a lot of extremely violent events, but I've never seen children, 14 to 18 years of age, engage in this conduct for a 30-minute period of time. And then make these video clips that they wanted to distribute to embarrass and humiliate this very young victim.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: So why would teenagers engage in such behavior? Our next guest is here to explain all that. Psychologist Susan Lipkins is a specialist in high school violence. Also the author of "Preventing Hazing." How parents, teachers, and coaches can stop the violence, harassment, and humiliation.
Doctor Lipkins, good to see you here. I am the parent of a 16- year-old daughter. And I look at that tape and I think what in the world is going on?
SUSAN LIPKINS, AUTHOR, "PREVENTING HAZING": I think it's the next stage of cyber bullying. You know, the kids are violent. The whole culture is violent these days and they want to show. They are transparent.
They want to show what they're doing. So they don't think anybody is going to get caught by anything they show on the Internet. And it was staged. You know, violence is planned. And in this case, the victim was planned as well.
ROBERTS: Allegedly, the victim in all of this had been trash talking these girls online. They lured her over there to teach her a lesson and as retaliation as the sheriff said. They wanted to post this on line.
The sheriff also said that they showed no remorse at all. I mean, where do they lose this sense of morality, right and wrong, and boundaries?
LIPKINS: A lot of times, we even have honor students and kids who are, you know, leaders get involved in these kinds of acts. They do not think they'll get caught. They think the entire society is doing it, and they think it's funny. So they put it on YouTube. And I don't think they expect kids to get really hurt, and they also don't expect to get really caught.
ROBERTS: Yes. I just don't understand that. If you're putting -- it's like people who post these racy photos of themselves online and then they complain when they get out there in the public. Are we creating a generation of kids who really don't know the boundaries between right and wrong?
LIPKINS: I think they don't expect to get caught. They know the boundaries of right and wrong if you ask them on a test. They'd be able to tell you that. However, they don't act it out. There's a disconnect between their actions and their thinking.
ROBERTS: And you know, the videotape, right before the end, you hear the girl who is handling the video camera say I only got 17 seconds of videotape left. Make it good.
LIPKINS: Right. They're doing it on purpose. You know, it's that 15 minutes of fame. And now we have the technology that allows them to take the digital video or photographs straight onto the Internet. And it's one, two, three. And the entire world is doing it.
ROBERTS: So as a psychologist you deal with this all the time in counseling. You've written books about hazing. What do you suggest to parents?
LIPKINS: Well, I think that we need to look at our culture. We have a violent culture. We have an extreme culture of winners and losers. And we have a very competitive culture and we're pressuring our kids and we're losing that connection, that human beingness early on and we lose them as they move in to adolescents.
ROBERTS: Dr. Susan Lipkins, thanks for joining us with some insight on that. Appreciate it. It's all very troubling and obviously gets into the legal realm as well because these eight kids are all charged.
CHETRY: That's right. And just where they're going to be facing these charges as adult. Is it juvenile court depending on their ages? Right now, we're bringing in AMERICAN MORNING's legal analyst Sunny Hostin.
Only one of the seven is 18, but there are four that are 17 years old. How does that play into the D.A. deciding where they're going to face these charges?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, prosecutors are going to look at each kid and they're going to look at each kid's role in this. And they are children, but Kiran, they are from the ages of 14. And like you said most of them are 17 and 18. And they're really old enough to know better and prosecutors are going to look at that.
They're going to look at their records. Have they been involved in anything before? And what our guest was saying was that, you know, they showed no remorse. And that is something that a prosecutor is going to look at. Is this behavior that's going to continue? Is this indicative of future behavior? And by not showing remorse that is something that is also going to be considered.
CHETRY: Yes. I can't imagine how you defend it. First of all, you have it on tape. You hear varying things that play into that, like you said. One of them saying, there's 17 seconds left, make it count.
HOSTIN: Premeditated.
CHETRY: Apparently, on the tape also, you see one of the boys allegedly a look out, saying quiet down, the neighbors can hear you.
HOSTIN: I think, Kiran, what's horrifying about this is that it was not only premeditated and they lured her and they laid and wait for her. She did not fight back and the assault continued. Then the behavior continued.
There was sort of a pack mentality. And I think that is something that prosecutors will look at. Anyone that has seen this video, especially someone in law enforcement as the sheriff said, it's very, very violent and something that he hasn't seen in many, many years of law enforcement. Something that I haven't seen in my years of law enforcement. And so I think this is something...
CHETRY: At the hands of young girls. That's the part that's so disturbing.
HOSTIN: Young girls but old enough to know better.
CHETRY: Right. This girl, Victoria Lindsey, has a concussion, possible permanent hearing loss, possible permanent vision loss.
HOSTIN: Yes.
CHETRY: Nightmares. Is this going civil as well?
HOSTIN: I smell a civil lawsuit. Absolutely, there's no question. And I have to tell you, the parents are likely to be held liable for the damages caused by their children. And so if you're talking about permanent damage here, Kiran, I think we're going to see liability, and their parents are going to be held liable.
Many states find parents -- allow parents to be found liable for civil liability, but also criminal liability. CHETRY: You think any of these parents may face criminal charges?
HOSTIN: In this particular case I don't think so. I think it's a different case than lets say a parent allowing a loaded gun in their home and then having their kid blow someone's brains out. I think that is very different from a case where you have perhaps a parent allowing a child to drink and take drugs and then that child driving a car and killing someone.
This is different. So criminal liability, I don't see it. But I absolutely see civil liability here.
ROBERTS: It just makes you sick to your stomach watching this.
HOSTIN: It really does.
CHETRY: It does. And you know, we're going to continue to talk about this with Sheriff Grady Judd, who is the sheriff in this case, at 8:15 Eastern Time.
And we're also going to talk to the mother of Victoria Lindsey. First of all, a lot of our viewers are just saying how is this girl doing after that, both physically and emotionally. So we're going to talk to her mom and see if there is any lessons to be learned for other parents as well.
HOSTIN: Absolutely.
CHETRY: Sunny, thank you.
HOSTIN: Thanks.
ROBERTS: Unprecedented security today in San Francisco for the Olympic torch relay, but will it be interrupted by protesters? We're watching new developments for you. And CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour is going to join us live, coming up on our next hour.
And the general, looking for more time. Lawmakers looking for answers on Iraq. Senator Joe Biden joins us next hour to tell us why he thinks time's up. Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Quick check this morning's "Quick Vote" question. We're asking would a boycott of the Olympic opening ceremonies pressure China to change its human rights policies. Right now, only 33 percent of you say yes. 67 percent say no.
Cast you vote at cnn.com/am. We'll continue to tally the votes throughout the morning. And we also want to hear from you as well with some e-mails. Drop us a line at cnn.com/am. Let us know what you think.
Just expand on your thoughts a little bit as to why a boycott would work or would not work. We're going to start reading them coming up in our next hour of AMERICAN MORNING, which starts right now.
War on the Hill. The commander of U.S. forces reports to Congress in front of the next commander-in-chief.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The current strategy in Iraq has very real costs.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Going to Iraq was a massive strategic blunder.
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