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McCain's Fix: Tackling the Economy; Children of the Sect; Major Airline Merger

Aired April 15, 2008 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. You're informed with CNN.
I'm Tony Harris.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes. And I'm Betty Nguyen, sitting in for Heidi Collins today.

HARRIS: Developments keep coming in to the CNN NEWSROOM on Tuesday, the 15th of April.

Here's what's on the rundown.

NGUYEN: Gas tank politics. John McCain wants to suspend the federal gas tax this summer.

HARRIS: Delta and Northwest pushed into a shotgun marriage by soaring fuel prices.

NGUYEN: The pope in the air and headed for a presidential welcome in Washington today. Pope Benedict in America -- in the NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: John McCain a short time ago laying out his plan to fix the economy -- gas, housing, health care, student loans, you name it.

Live now to our Dan Lothian in Philadelphia.

Dan, for folks who missed the speech last hour, what did John McCain have to say?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he really did lay out a pretty comprehensive economic plan. And you know, for so long he has been criticized by his Democratic opponents for not really talking enough and not laying out a complete plan of what he would do to fix the hard economic times currently in this country. And also, not really talking at all about what he would do to fix the mortgage crisis.

Well, today, as I mentioned, he did lay out that economic plan and offered at least one proposal that would help families dealing with foreclosure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Under the home plan I have proposed, our government will offer these Americans direct and immediate help that can make all the difference. If you can't make your payments, and you are in danger of foreclosure, you will be able to go to any post office and pick up a form for a new home loan. In place of your flawed mortgage loan, you will be eligible for a new 30-year fixed rate loan backed by the United States government.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: Senator McCain also talked about proposing an alternative tax system. This one would be -- give taxpayers really an option, and it would be less complicated. And he also talked about sort of easing the pain at the pumps by rolling back at least that federal gas tax this summer. It would go from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Our Dana Bash says that advisers tell her that it would cost anywhere from $8 billion to $10 billion. But certainly he sees that this as something Americans are really struggling with and wants to offer help.

Now, certainly, he wants it before this summer. He won't be president this summer.

HARRIS: Yes, he can't do that.

LOTHIAN: And he's not president. That's right. But he is a senator, and he hopes to introduce some legislation in the Senate to deal with that gas tax.

HARRIS: Yes. Perfectly kind of situated there in the political season, isn't it?

All right. So, Dan, what is -- what is the latest beyond target practice from the Clinton and Obama parades this morning?

LOTHIAN: That's right. And as you know, you know, this has been really intensifying over the weekend, and certainly yesterday. And again, Senator Clinton rolled out this new television ad here in Pennsylvania.

And it's using testimonials from people who are saying that they were insulted by the remarks that Senator Obama made about small-town voters here in Pennsylvania, and that they feel that he is out of touch. Now, Senator Obama pointed out in a statement that this just shows that Senator Clinton is willing to do or say anything to get elected, and what they are trying to paint is a Clinton campaign at this moment is desperate -- Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Dan Lothian for us in Philadelphia.

Dan, great to see you.

More on the candidates at CNNPolitics.com. CNNPolitics.com is your source for everything political.

NGUYEN: Leaving the children behind. Many of the women who belong to a polygamist sect in west Texas are back at the ranch this morning, but the 416 children are still in protective custody. So what's going to happen to them? Well, a hearing is scheduled for Thursday.

CNN's Sean Callebs has been following the story from San Angelo, Texas.

And Sean, you have some new information about some of the women from the ranch. What can you tell us?

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, yesterday, late afternoon, the state moved the 416 children to the pavilion you see behind me here in San Angelo. And they said many of the mothers with children ages 5 and under were allowed to accompany the children here. Those with kids who are older than that had to either go to the compound or to what the state is calling a safe house.

Well, last night, when we had a chance to speak with members of the FLDS, they said all of the women went back to the YFZ Ranch. Well, today, state Child Protective Services said that is simply not the case. They're saying that there are six women who actually are now being housed in that safe house. Very contradictory information coming from both the state and FLDS as this becomes very bitter.

Now, a lot of this really focuses on what is going on behind the closed walls at that compound. Allegations of underaged girls having sex, allegations of physical abuse.

Now, FLDS members we had a chance to speak with last night, getting a rare opportunity to go behind their very closed society. And here is what one had to say about those allegations.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: The state is making very strong allegation that there were underaged girls having sex with much older men, and young women, 14, 15, 16, as parents. Did you see any of that out here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is no force here. Everyone has their choice to do exactly what they like. There is no force. And we want the children, and they want us.

They are clean and pure. And this is the worst thing that has happened to them. They are learning terrible things just from the questions that are being asked. Things that they have never been exposed to.

They have been so protected here. So protected.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Now, interesting. Think about the timing about this. Why did the sect choose to let us in last night, just a couple of days before this all-important hearing?

The state is trying to have the children either moved to foster homes or some other locations they consider safe, away from their parents. Clearly, the parents are trying to get those 416 children back.

We also asked them about this alleged phone call from a 16-year- old girl known as Sarah who first called an abuse hotline here in San Angelo and said that she had been beaten and raped by her much older husband. When we talked to FLDS members last night, Betty, everyone said there was no such person. They claimed that it's a "phantom or ghost," and something that the state cooked up to rationalize allowing the raid to happen.

NGUYEN: But Sean, isn't there, I guess, a little bit of a connection, or possibly could be? Because you had the 16-year-old girl call in Texas, and then you had another teenage girl call about the situation in Arizona.

CALLEBS: That's what the FLDS members were saying. They said, look, this is all too convenient.

Here it happens twice in a seven-day period. Both times at large areas where members of -- these FLDS members live. But the state says they have no doubt this really happened, but they still have been unable to find that 16-year-old girl, Sarah.

NGUYEN: Yes. And that's key in this.

OK. Sean Callebs joining us live.

Thank you, Sean.

And CNN's Anderson Cooper also spoke to one woman at the ranch. She talked about how the women who live there want their story to be heard.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHLEEN, FLDS MEMBER: The state of Texas has confiscated our children on an alleged allegation that has no facts, and now they are holding our children. And we want the children back.

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": And whose idea was it to come forward and talk to the media?

KATHLEEN: It was ours, because the nation has been so prejudiced against us that they have a false image of what we are.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Well, Texas officials are allowing mothers of children under the age of 5 to stay with their kids at the shelter in San Angelo, Texas.

HARRIS: A major airline merger. Delta and Northwest talking about the deal at a news conference last hour.

The new airline would be the nation's largest, operating out of their seven domestic hubs headquartered in Atlanta, site of Delta's biggest hub. But the massive deal still needs federal approval, which is probably months away.

What would this mean for passengers -- you, me, and the industry?

Rusty Dornin is in Atlanta talking to travelers. But let's get started here with CNN Senior Business Correspondent Ali Velshi in New York with the bigger picture.

Ali, good morning.

ALI VELSHI, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony.

I think it means two things very distinctly. If you are concerned about prices and you have seen airfares going up over the last several months, this is not going to bring you any relief. It's not going to be lower prices.

When one airline and another merge, routes will be eliminated. It's just not going to end up with lower prices.

If you are concerned in the last year, if you have been a traveler -- and Rusty is probably hearing from people about this, where you've had baggage delays, flight cancellations, overbooked flights, things like that, this airline might be able to more efficient by coming together. They will cut some costs, they'll become probably a stronger airline, because the airlines really have had trouble in the last several years. Northwest and Delta were both in bankruptcy. So, it depends on what your perspective is.

Airfares are not going down, partially because of the high price of gasoline. Nearly $114 a barrel for oil, $3.38 for unleaded gasoline. It's a lot more for jet fuel.

But we have seen such a disastrous year in 2007 in terms of the airline industry. This airline just might be able to run better.

It will be the world's biggest airline. It will be based in Atlanta. It will be called Delta.

It will have 75,000 -- more than 75,000 employees. And as you just mentioned, they will keep all their hubs in place, plus their international hubs. Northwest has Amsterdam, Delta has Tokyo. And it still needs a lot of approvals -- the Department of Justice, the Department of Transportation, shareholders, and those pilots over at Northwest who are not supporting the deal at this time -- Tony.

HARRIS: Ali, just one quick one. Might we see additional mergers in the industry? We have been talking about this happening since 9/11 really.

VELSHI: Continental and United are on deck at the moment. We know they have been talking.

I think that when you have one wig merger like this, what I would do if I were Continental or United, I would be paying very close attention to coverage, resistance, how this is going to go. And once this seems like it has momentum, they will probably announce -- if they can arrive at a deal -- that they have got a deal. I think it will end 2008 looking at a very different airline landscape in America than it started.

HARRIS: There he is, Ali Velshi in New York.

Ali, appreciate it. Thanks.

VELSHI: All right.

NGUYEN: So what are passengers say thing morning? Well, CNN's Rusty Dornin is at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, where Delta has its home base.

And I know what they are hoping, though, Rusty, is, what does this mean, cheaper fares?

RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think just like Ali was saying, it depends on what your perspective is, how you feel about it. Now, of course, you know, here's the front cover of the hometown newspaper, and the city of Atlanta is ecstatic about this. They are hoping to up their image all over the world because of this.

Now, of course, for passengers, it also depends where you sit. For the Northwest passengers, they're a little nervous. The identity of their carrier is being taken away, and they have to be wondering, does that mean frequent flier miles are going away, too? Let's listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to be good. The only thing is I have a lot of miles (INAUDIBLE). And I don't know how that will be affected, you know, with the sky miles and the (INAUDIBLE) miles and the number of seats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: Now, Delta passengers seem to be taking this all in a little more stride. They have been hearing about this possibility for a very long time. It doesn't look like a lot will change, except for that consolidation of routes, which could affect airfares and could drive airfares up somewhat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's so many companies going out of business. If they can consolidate some of the workers in the back office, they can probably save some money and maybe keep prices where they are.

DORNIN: How about your pocketbook? They are talking about the fact that since there is less competition, there's the possibility that, you know, airfares are going to be going up again. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that's always a risk. I think they are going up a lot just because of the fuel costs. So I think that's probably going to affect it more than just the merger of the airline.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DORNIN: The one good aspect about these two airlines is they don't have a lot of route overlaps. So there won't be as many cancellations as there might be with some other airlines that are merging.

So, most folks here not really sure how this whole thing is going to shake out, but Northwest passengers, a little more nervous than Delta folks -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Yes, no doubt, including Northwest pilots, because they are not so how they're going to fall in line when it comes to this merger.

DORNIN: That's right. And as we were talking about, it's going to be a long haul. You're going to have the union negotiating in there, of course, for it, the Northwest pilots, and the Justice Department is going to be looking at it. As Ali said, this could shake out to be a very different deal by the time it gets approved, if it does indeed get approved.

NGUYEN: Absolutely, as a plane flies over just now.

Thank you, Rusty.

HARRIS: Time to talk about issue #1, your money.

Inflation is up. Gas and oil prices higher than they have ever been.

This morning, the government reported inflation at the wholesale level jumped 1.1 percent last month. That is almost triple what many analysts predicted.

It is the second biggest increase in more than three decades. Oil prices hit a new all-time high, trading above $113 a barrel this morning.

And AAA says the average cost for a gallon of unleaded regular gas is $3.38. That is up more than a penny over yesterday and more than 10 cents last month.

So keep watching CNN. Our money team has you covered. Whether it's jobs, debt, housing, savings, join us for a special report. It's called "ISSUE #1: THE ECONOMY." All this week, noon Eastern, only on CNN.

NGUYEN: New casualty figures just in from a deadly plane crash in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Government officials now report 75 passengers and crew members killed, and 15 survivors. A foreign ministry spokesman tells CNN the DC-9 went down just after takeoff from the city of Goma. It crashed into a neighborhood near the runway.

HARRIS: Technically, they are for support. But practically, U.S. forces are doing much more for Iraqi troops. We go on patrol in a dangerous Baghdad slum.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Sixty people killed in bombings across Iraq today. These pictures just in to CNN from the deadliest of those attacks.

It happened in Baquba. A car bomb detonated outside a crowded restaurant, killing 40 people and wounding 75 others. The blast was centered near a courthouse and other government offices. A coalition spokesman said the attack does not reflect the overall security situation and that it is the first suicide attack inside Baquba in almost 90 days.

NGUYEN: Well, it's a teaching lab where the wrong answers can get you killed. U.S. forces are trying to show Iraqi troops how to win, and our Nic Robertson joined the night patrol.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COL. JOHN HORT, U.S. ARMY: OK. Are you the officer in charge?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Nighttime in Sadr City. Colonel John Hort is using the safety of the dog to check on his Iraqi counterparts.

HORT: You know, we put this tower in for you last night -- or a couple of nights ago -- by special request. And there is nobody in it.

ROBERTSON: He is come to one of the Shia slums' most dangerous outposts, a former police station in a key intersection.

HORT: Make sure that when you are...

(GUNFIRE)

ROBERTSON: A sniper shot rings out, interrupting their conversation.

HORT: Make sure when you are -- make sure that when your guys are outside that they have all their stuff on, OK?

ROBERTSON: The compound is rapidly becoming a front line in the battle with cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's militia, the JAM, and special groups reputedly backed by Iran.

HORT: You know, literally, a street separates them from the special groups and other JAM members that continue to want to fight the government of Iraq and obviously the Iraqi security forces, coalition forces. So, they're right on the front lines.

ROBERTSON: Barely a week ago, the Iraqi army had to fight their way in here, seize control back from militias.

(on camera): It's too dark right now to get a precise idea of the damage, but there is a lot of destroyed police vehicles here. One here, another one here. All the windows put out. A lot of rubble on ground here. It looks like there has been quite some intense fighting.

(voice over): The fighting is far from over.

HORT: Well, that was your friend that got killed, right?

ROBERTSON: Hort's told snipers killed an Iraqi soldier a few hours earlier. And mortars still fired at the base.

HORT: Your forces right now are the front of all the Iraqi army. You are in the lead.

ROBERTSON: He's trying to raise morale, filling a void left by Iraq's lack of skilled junior officers.

In recent battles with militias, Iraq's soldiers have been tested. Hort sees improvement.

HORT: We have seen them continue to increase their confidence and get stronger and stronger.

ROBERTSON: But he knows there's a long way to go.

HORT: I appreciate what you are doing out here. Just stay very focused. Don't become lazy, don't become complacent with the enemy on the other side of the wall.

ROBERTSON: Nic Robertson, CNN, Sadr City, Iraq. .

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(NEWSBREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, just unstoppable on the football field, but a mental disorder almost did him in. .

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERSCHEL WALKER, FMR. FOOTBALL PLAYER: I've tried to hurt myself many times.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Like what?

WALKER: I've tried suicide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Herschel Walker's shocking revelations as he talks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Well, it is the bitter battle. Is it Barack Obama's words or the backlash brought on by Hillary Clinton that will resonate on election day? We have that story in three minutes right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Yes. That's where you are, in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And good morning, everyone, I'm Tony Harris. It's Benedict XVI now en route to the United States for his first U.S. visit as Pope. Benedict left Rome a few hours ago, he will receive a private greeting from President and Mrs. Bush when his plane, Shepherd One, lands at Andrews Air Force Base this afternoon.

Included in the Pope's six day itinerary masses at National's Park in Washington, and Yankees Stadium in New York. Benedict will also address the U.N. General Assembly. One goal of the trip is to energize U.S. Catholics, the papal aide tells the Associated Press Benedict will also address sex abuse by priests.

NGUYEN: Well, intensive security planning has been under way for Pope Benedict's U.S. visit. With his arrival today, that plan goes into action. Here is our Homeland Security Correspondent, Jeanne Meserve.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the Pope. Not Benedict XVI, but the man who plays him in security rehearsals for this week's visit. The Secret Service has been preparing for these four days for five months. Enlisting 27 state, local, and federal agencies to help out.

JEFF IRVINE, U.S. SECRET SERVICE: Every security aspect that you have ever been exposed to will be deployed. And quite frankly, quite a few that you've never even seen deployed.

MESERVE: One of three Pope-mobiles has been shipped in to move Pope Benedict around Washington. A Virgin Mary will watch over him and heavy bulletproof glass will surround him. But because he you can see him, and because the car sticks out, some standard security tactics cannot be used.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Clearly that will make this a little more challenging than when we can play different shell games or moving the vehicles around and moving the proctectee around.

MESERVE: The guest list for the Pope's meeting with religious leaders was modified for security reasons. Sikh representatives will not be there because they wanted to wear their ceremonial daggers. But the stadium where Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate mass in front of 46,000 people poses the biggest challenge. Larry Cunningham knows he handled security for John Paul II's visit to the U.S.

LARRY CUNNINGHAM, FMR. SECRET SERVICE AGENT: By the sheer numbers and the size of this building, it is difficult to control. MESERVE: A mile and a half of the nearby Anacostia River will be shut patrolled by Coast Guard boats with machine guns. So, if anybody pose as threat, they are in trouble.

LT. LYNDA LECRONE, U.S. COAST GUARD: We can use force.

MESERVE: Air traffic restrictions will also be tightened and local roads and bridges will be closed to traffic. Administration officials say there has been no specific threat involving the Pope, but because Osama bin Laden mentioned him in a recent audio tape, and because he is visiting two high threat cities, Washington and New York, every precaution is being taken. Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: And you want to stay right here with CNN for complete coverage of the Pope's visit. This weekend, T.J. Holmes and myself will anchor live from New York for the Pope's visit. On Sunday, we will be live for the Yankee Stadium mass.

HARRIS: Pope Benedict XVI coming to America right now. He is on the papal plane, Shepherd One. Also on board, CNN'S Senior Vatican Analyst John Allen. John, good to talk to you.

VOICE OF JOHN ALLEN, WITH THE POPE ON "SHEPARD ONE": Hey there. How are you?

HARRIS: OK, all right. Just want to make sure that we had a connection, that you were hearing me just fine. John, let's take care of some of the nuts and bolts here. Why is the Pope coming to the United States at this particular time? .

ALLEN: There are a lot of reasons. One, is that this is the 200th anniversary of the foundation of four major American diocese. Including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Louisville. Another is that he was invited to address the United Nations General Assembly -- the U.N. in 2008 and that's an obvious reasons for him to come.

(INAUDIBLE). A Pope has not been to the United States since 9/11 happened, a Pope has been to the United States since the sex abuse crisis happened. There's been a lot of water under the bridge in terms of world history and American history. I think Pope Benedict feels it is time for him to come here and address it.

HARRIS: John, you mentioned the Catholic church and the sex scandal that certainly rocked the church. I understand the Pope actually addressed that on Shepherd One.

ALLEN: Yes, that's right. I actually had the opportunity to ask a question of the Pope this morning, and I asked him precisely what his message would be with regard to the sex abuse crisis in the United States. His answer, I think, was quite forceful. He said -- and this is a quote, "We are deeply ashamed, and we will do whatever is possible. This will not happen in the future." He said quite pointedly that there is no room in the priesthood for pedophiles. He indicated he wanted to reach out in terms of healing and assistance to victims. And also, ensure a very careful process in seminaries to make sure that only sound men are ordained as priests.

And he concluded on the note that it is important -- it is more important to have good priests than to have lots of them. And so, I think it was a fairly strong statement from the Pope this morning on the (INAUDIBLE).

HARRIS: John, I've heard you say that this is an enormously important trip for the Pope, that in effect he is introducing himself to America. Expand on that, if you would, please.

ALLEN: Well, I think that the raw reality is that despite the fact that Benedict XVI he has been pope for three years, he is still very much a question mark in the American market. The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life recently did a survey of Americans and found 80 percent of Americans, including two-thirds of American Catholics, say that they know nothing or next to nothing about this pope.

Part of that, of course, is because he's a fairly cerebral figure that doesn't have the rock star charisma of John Paul II. Part of that may be that aside from certain sort of tangles with Muslims, this Pope's agenda has been a little more directed to the internal life of the Catholic church. For whatever reason the reality is he does not have a strong public profile in the United States.

And, therefore, I think this is hi opportunity to introduce himself to the American public, and also introduce himself to American Catholics who represent the third largest and certainly the wealthiest and most influential Catholic church in the world.

HARRIS: That's CNN's Senior Vatican Analyst, John Allen on Shepherd One with Pope Benedict. John, good to talk to you. Thank you. You can follow Pope Benedict's six-day U.S. visit on CNN, and of course, at CNN.com. And, tomorrow morning, we will take you live to the White House for the Pope's historic visit there. See it here in the newsroom.

NGUYEN: Facing a foreclosure.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever imagine that they would lower you to five percent?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never in my wildest dreams.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Drowning in her mortgage payments, one woman gets a lifeline. All she had to do was ask.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Breaking news now. There has been a plane crash in the Congo, Goma to be exact. We've been telling you about that. And We want to speak with the person on the ground who is near the crash site at this hour. Her name is Anna Ridout. She is with Worldvision, which is a Christian humanitarian aid organization.

And, Anna, if I have you on the phone, talk to me about how close you are to the crash scene.

ANNA RIDOUT, WORLDVISION: Hi, Betty.

I'm not far from the site of the crash. What I can see is a whole parade of shops that have collapsed and fire at (INAUDIBLE). There is smoke filling the sky, and I have already seen a number of stretchers with dead carcasses, dead bodies on them.

And I just was speaking to a man who actually went into the plane and rescued six people. One of them, a small baby. He described how the plane was just full of smoke. he couldn't see very much.

But the situation up here is obviously very chaotic. And the -- it's notable (ph) trying to rescue people from the wreckage.

NGUYEN: Yes, we understand at this hour that at least 75 people have been killed. Five crew members and 10 passengers, though, did survive the crash. You mentioned a man who just rescued six people, including a baby. Let me ask you this, because you talked about the shops being on fire. We understand that it hit in a residential neighborhood. Is that not the case?

RIDOUT: Yes, that's right. It actually failed to take off from the runway and went straight through the commercial center here in Goma, where it was 3:00 local time, and women were selling their sugar and their avocados, just like a normal day. And from what I hear, people were close (ph) to meet the plane. We have no idea of the scale of this situation at the moment.

NGUYEN: And this has been on fire for a little while now, because we have been covering this plane crash for at least an hour, hour and a half. Any indication when they're going to be able to put that out and if there are indeed any other survivors inside?

RIDOUT: We really don't know. Some here giving space to the medical services and the people trying to rescue people from the plane. But you're right. It has been more than two hours ago now. The flames are still going. So chances of survival are -- I'd think it to be faint (ph).

NGUYEN: Your office is nearby. And I imagine that you're familiar with the planes that come and out of that airport there. Let me ask you about this plane in particular, because I understand that this airline has had some problems in the past. It's privately operated Congolese airline called Hewa Bora. What do you know about that?

RIDOUT: All I know is that there are a number of airlines that have had a bad history of plane crashes (INAUDIBLE). And from what I know form speaking to local people, this particular airline was rather well respected, and I think it was quite a shock. I don't think this was, you know, an expected problem with the particular airline.

NGUYEN: All right. We have Anna Ridout on the line with us today. She is with Worldvision. She is there near the crash site, where we have learned that at least 75 people have been killed in that crash. Five crew members and ten passengers, though, we understand, have survived. The plane is still on fire at this hour. And as soon as we get more information, we'll bring it straight to you.

HARRIS: And, Betty, getting back to T.J. Holmes in the CNN NEWSROOM. And, T.J. some pictures coming in now of that situation in Chicago we were just talking about moments ago. Some deep distress there with the city's transit system and folks trying to get on buses to get on with their day.

HOLMES: Yes. You now, transit and commute in the morning can be tough enough just on its own, but you don't need this, when your train gets shut down.

Let's take you to these pictures you were just talking about, Tone. Yes, this is the aftermath. This is what people are going through, still trying to get to work and get to where they need to be this morning after subway trains were shutdown. The blue line is the one that was shut down. That's the second busiest in the city there, in Chicago, carries some 59,000 folks a day, or during a weekday at least. So a lot of folks use this line. But it had some mechanical issues, and then they had to shut down power to several other lines around that one. So what they have to do now is get those folks out. They had to actually walk people through the subway tunnels, get them out, try to get them on buses to try to get them on their way.

No injuries. No one hurt here. Anything along those lines, but still, just kind of a pain. Kind of pain -- it is a pain this morning, Tone, to have go through that. Don't know how long it's going to will be shut down, and possibly going to get it up and running by the evening commute. Hopefully they will. If not folks are going to have a really big mess on their hands.

HARRIS: You have that right. A massive inconvenience, to be sure. T.J. Holmes in the NEWSROOM for us. T.J., thanks.

HOLMES: All right, Tone.

NGUYEN: Wholesale inflation surges in March. Record oil and gas prices need means everything costs you more. It is issue No. 1.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: To business news now with a question. Will you put your summer vacation plans on hold due to record-high gas prices? As you know, some hotels are trying to combat the problem and it could translate actually into big savings for you and me.

Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange to explain. Susan, good morning.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

NGUYEN: Unstoppable on the football field, but a mental disorder almost did him in.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HERSCHEL WALKER, AUTHOR, "BREAKING FREE": I've tried to hurt myself many times. I've tried suicide.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Herschel Walker's shocking revelations as he talks to Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

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NGUYEN: Star athlete Herschel Walker, famous for his accomplishments in college and professional football, but there's another side. Revealed in his new book, "Breaking Free," he chronicles his struggle with a form of mental illness known as disassociative identity, which used to be called multiple personality disorder.

Our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently talked to Walker about his condition.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think it was surprising that he wrote the book and that he has been so public about this. In part, because it's just a confusing disorder. You think about multiple personality disorder, a lot of people simply don't understand it. Also, I think any time anyone famous sort of comes out and talks about mental illness so publicly, it's a little jarring for people, as well.

What was most stunning, I think to most people that read the book and for me when I sat down with him, is what DID, disassociative identity disorder caused him to do. Take a listen.

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WALKER: I've tried to hurt myself many times.

GUPTA: Like what?

WALKER: Oh, I've tried suicide. But you know, I asked my doctor why would I do something like that? He said Herschel, you're so competitive. You have a drive. This -- I don't know what you call it. But it's like -- you know, I would try anything. I would try almost anything.

GUPTA: I mean, did you try to take pills ...

WALKER: No, I played Russian roulette before.

GUPTA: You played Russian roulette?

WALKER: Yes, I played Russian roulette before, and stuff (ph), and it happened more than once. I played it more than once.

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GUPTA: As you listen to that, I mean, he's obviously a very likable, a very charming guy. The words -- what he's saying is really remarkable. But I think -- keep in mind, one of the cardinal symptoms of DID is that there's no recollection as a person flips from one alter personality to the next. The people that are closest to him often can describe it best.

Here's his wife, Cindy.

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CINDY GROSSMAN, HERSCHEL WALKER'S FORMER WIFE: I remember being in bed, I didn't have my contacts on, because I remember I couldn't see. And he got upset and you know those barber knives? He had it to my throat and he kept saying he was going to kill me, kill me. I think he choked me because I think I passed out.

When I came to, there was somebody else there. Cindy, Cindy, Cindy, Cindy, wake up, wake up. It must have scared him and he switched.

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GUPTA: It's pretty remarkable to hear what Cindy had to say there.

You think about DID specifically, keep in mind that it's easier to think about everyone, everyone around us sort of having multiple personalities. We all act different ways in different aspects of our lives. With DID, it's more reflection of not having a single cohesive personality. You have all these altars. Together, they don't make up a single cohesive personality.

Herschel Walker says he was abused physically and psychologically as a child. He was an overweight child, he stuttered a lot. That got a lot of taunting for him. And he said he developed those altars as a result of that, at least that's what his doctors say.

They also say, and this is important that while they did him a lot of harm, led to the end of his marriage, led to a lot of violence, they also did him some good as well overall in his professional life. He's getting treated now, very difficult to treat, but he is seeking treatment through his doctors.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: And Dr. Sanjay Gupta's full report on Herschel Walker, that's on "ANDERSON COOPER 360" tonight, 10:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

The CNN NEWSROOM continues one hour from now. I'm Betty Nguyen.

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