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CNN Saturday Morning News
Getting Ready for Indiana Primary on May 6th; FBI Looking for Kidnapped Pilot; Worldwide Food Crisis; Fatal Shark Attack Off the Coast of California
Aired April 26, 2008 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING, April 26th. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm T.J. Holmes. It's the weekend. So, a lot of people are going to the grocery store -- maybe you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Now, I approach it with a list and I get only what's on the list. And I get to what I have coupons (ph) for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The all important coupons these days. Walk along the aisles with me and learn how to save money. Yes, I'm going to take you grocery shopping. That's a scary proposition.
NGUYEN: It is a little frightening, isn't it?
HOLMES: The economy is your main issue this weekend and we've got you covered.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAMELA WILES, MOTHER OF MISSING MAN: We'll do anything we can to get our son back and bring him home safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: A mother pleads for the return of her adult son. It's a rare for kidnapping for ransom in the United States.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I joined the army because I wanted challenges, and now, I've got challenges every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Healing the wounds of war, veterans put their lives on the line. Now, they get to do a little fishing.
NGUYEN: First up though, he was killed in a hail of bullets on his wedding day. And this morning, relatives of Sean Bell and civil rights leaders plan a rally to protest the verdict in this case. And emotions ran outside the courthouse yesterday -- look at this video -- after a judge acquitted three New York detectives of all charges in Bell's death. He pointed to inconsistent testimony and other problems.
The Justice Department is reviewing this case. Now, police fired a total of 50 shots at Sean Bell and his friends outside a strip club after Bell's bachelor party. An argument had erupted and the detectives (AUDIO GAP) thought one of the men had a gun.
I talked with CNN security analyst, Mike Brooks, about the decision to use deadly force.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE BROOKS, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: As soon as he drew the weapon, I -- I mean, me, if I was drawing my weapon, and then I think somebody has gone, I'm going to say, "Please, put your hands where I can see them," and I'm going to say (ph), and then go from there, and maybe they didn't hear him. Maybe, there could have been hollering and screaming going on. And maybe he didn't believe that he was a cop.
If that officer -- those detectives, told those people to put their hands where they can see them, and they did not, and they did not do what they've told them to do, and they thought that officer feared, that detective feared that his life was in danger, maybe someone is reaching gun under seat, he has the right, if he decides, to go ahead and use deadly force.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And the detectives say that they were responding to what they perceived as a threat. And they called the verdict in the case -- fair and just.
HOLMES: A deadly strike on California, possibly by a great white. The shark attack forcing a closure, right now, of eight miles of Southern California beaches until at least Monday. Helicopters resume their patrol of the area in just a couple of hours.
NGUYEN: Yes, they're looking for the shark off the coast of Solana Beach, which is just north of San Diego. It is the first confirmed shark attack in the area in nearly 15 years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD ROSENBLATT, MARINE BIOLOGIST: Shark attacks in Southern California are very rare. But no, I would say it's not unusual to be 100 and 150 yards offshore. I understand the water was possibly 20 to 30 feet deep. The only thing that's perhaps a little unusual was that it was at over a sandy bottom. And typically, the white sharks tend to hunt over more of a rocky bottom with their camouflage.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: A 66-year-old Dave Martin was swimming with friends when the shark struck. A cut deep into his leg, he bled to death. Friends gathered on the beach to remember Martin, not far where he was carried to shore.
NGUYEN: There are new details in that polygamist sect case in West Texas. And this morning, all of the children moved from that ranch are waking up in foster homes. The last group was bussed out yesterday after a Texas court denied the latest appeal by some of the mothers. Even those moms who had evacuated with their children nearly three weeks ago were separated from them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHLEEN, FLDS MEMBER: I said you get on the bus, you will never see your father and mother again if you don't do what we say.
DARRELL AZAR, TEXAS CHILD PROTECTION: There was a systematic process going on in which young girls were being groomed to become the wives of middle-aged men and have their children at a very young age, as young as 13 years old. And in that environment, there was no way to make those children safe.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Some of the children were placed in homes in Liverpool, Texas which is about seven hours from the polygamist ranch. And this morning, the mayor of Liverpool is asking for donations of baby clothes and diapers.
HOLMES: We turn now to the race for the White House and one primary contest shaping up to be a pretty tight one. A new poll of Indiana Democrats shows Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in a statistical dead heat. You can't get closer than that right there.
The Indiana primary is May 6th, less than two weeks now to campaign. North Carolina is also coming up on May 6th. Very important right now in the all-important delegate race.
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser joins us now from Washington.
Out of Pennsylvania, you've made your way elsewhere. So, good to see you this morning. We will start with Indiana. Does anyone -- we see the poll there has it really tight. But given the make up of that state, should one have the upper hand?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know, I think that poll is absolutely right. This state is going to be a battleground because both candidates have some pluses and minuses in that state, T.J.
Hillary Clinton, I think she can do very well in that. There a lot manufacturing jobs in the sate, a lot of blue-collar workers in that state and she does very well with those people. We saw that, we saw that in Pennsylvania, we've seen it in Ohio and other states. So, it's a yes for Hillary Clinton in that state when it comes to those demographics. She's also got a big supporter there in the Senator Evan Bayh, former governor, very popular in Indiana.
But Barack Obama, he's got some pluses as well in Indiana. It is right next door to his home state of Illinois. So, he's done very well in states that border Illinois. Wisconsin, a big victory, Iowa, Missouri, he won as well, and northwest Indiana, very much like, it's really in the Chicago media market; a lot of people up there. It's basically in the Chicago media market and it's Barack Obama's hometown.
HOLMES: Paul, what else can play into this thing here? If they're both, they have some pluses and minuses in that state, it sounds like it's going to be tight race no matter what. So what -- I guess some of these outside things that can help out. Is it -- can money help? Of course, Senator Clinton has raised a little money, but still, Barack Obama still way ahead in the money race, and also this Reverend Wright controversy has come back into the mix.
STEINHAUSER: Yes. First on the money real quick, yes, she did raise $10 million right after her victory in Pennsylvania. Both campaigns have odds up on the state, expect to see a lot more and expect to see the candidates there. They're both there today and they'll be there a lot next week.
But you mentioned, the Reverend Wright controversy is back in the news again. Reverend Wright on PBS last night, and talking about how he felt that his words, his controversial -- his sermons were taken out of context. He also talked about Barack Obama and kind of, you know, understood that well, "Barack Obama is a politician, he needs to speak one way; I'm a preacher, I need to speak another way."
This controversy will stay for a couple more days at least though because Reverend Wright speaks on Sunday, tomorrow, in NAACP convention in Detroit and then, Monday, he's right here in Washington, D.C., where he speaks with the National Press Club. So, you'll be hearing about this for another couple of days and Barack Obama probably doesn't want to talk about it but I think he will be asked about it at least through Monday.
HOLMES: And is Senator Clinton conceding North Carolina? That's where Barack Obama is expected to do well. Some polls had him way ahead, double digit, ahead in the polls, are we expecting him to win that one? And if he can win get a double win, with Indiana and North Carolina, is that finally the knock-out punch?
STEINHAUSER: Well, you know, yes and no. She is not conceding North Carolina. She was there yesterday morning, and she was there the day before. You'll see her back again in North Carolina on Monday. So, she's going to campaign there. Maybe she'll campaign a little bit more in Indiana than North Carolina, but she is there, and she was crowded, surrounded by a lot of former military generals and admirals. You see (INAUDIBLE) behind her there. She'll put up a fight in North Carolina.
As you mentioned, he's up in the polls anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent. And if he can win both states, I think there will a chorus, a chorus of people telling her to get out. But at the flip side, T.J., if she wins Indiana and comes close in North Carolina, boy, this race is going to keep going.
HOLMES: Well, on the lighter side here, one place where we are pretty sure he can beat her, it's probably on the basketball court. Let's show some video here. It's got to be an interesting little idea, an idea to get some kids involved -- young folks involve din a little three-on-three there in Indiana.
STEINHAUSER: Exactly. Three-on-three hoops is a contest to get young people to come out and vote. And if the young people got 20 other people to register to vote, they were able to enter this contest. You can see it right there, Barack Obama, his team won the first game, 15 to 5 before the media was ushered out.
Remember, T.J., like you, a heck of a basketball player. He was part of that state -- in 1979, his high school won the state championship in Hawaii.
HOLMES: Yes. He won't play me though.
STEINHAUSER: Because he knows that you can beat him.
HOLMES: Yes, we'll just put that out there.
All right, Paul Steinhauser for us this morning, good to see you. We're going to see you again. We're going to be talking about McCain here in just a bit, later on this morning. Good to see you, we'll see you again here soon.
STEINHAUSER: Take care.
HOLMES: And, of course, folks, next for the Democrats: Indiana, North Carolina. You can join the best political team on television for a complete coverage, Tuesday night, May 6t, starting at 8:00 Eastern, only right here on CNN: Your home for politics.
NGUYEN: So, really think you can take Barack Obama on the court?
HOLMES: I'm telling you right now, I can take Barack Obama.
NGUYEN: What about bowling? I can both take a bowling.
HOLMES: Oh, I can take left-handed, blindfold and the whole thing. Sorry, Senator.
NGUYEN: Exactly.
All right. Coming up though, listen to this story, a pilot goes missing though not during a flight. A Florida man is an apparent victim of a kidnapping for ransom.
HOLMES: Also: Tracking what was some pretty serious weather. That was, that mean it's over, Reynolds? REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Not quite. Today is going to be round two, guys, where we could see some strong storms in parts of the southern plains. Possibly, some tornadic activity and then back in to the Minnesota, we're talking about some heavy snow, winter storm warnings in effect and yes, it is still April.
We'll have more on the weather stories and so much more, coming up right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. See you then.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: New this morning: firefighters are battling an apartment fire in Norwich, Connecticut. Now, we're told that three buildings are involved and more than 100 people have been displaced. We're going to continue to follow this story for you and bring you more information as soon as we get it.
HOLMES: Wild in Wisconsin: a campaign trailer landed on top of a building as powerful storms swept through that state. Lightning and high winds led to thousands of power outages and despite widespread damage, no injuries were reported.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I shut the door and no more than I shut the door, I heard this whoof (ph). The lights went out and it was like the air was sucked right out of the basement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Weather investigators will try to confirm today whether a tornado hit the town of Waucena (ph).
And they are cleaning up in northern Kansas after a tornado hit early yesterday. Baseball-sized hail and 80-mile an hour winds also pounded that area. A half mile wide twister downed power lines and damaged at least one home, no one is hurt there.
NGUYEN: All right. But still there are more storms in the forecast as rain even snow expected today. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is in the severe weather center. We don't call that for nothing, Reynolds. Boy, you're dealing with a lot today.
WOLF: You know, it always seems that way in a weekend but it really seems this way during this time of year, whenever you have a transition in seasons, and right now, we're just going from really, a spring time, summer is not too far away. To tell you the truth, winter is not far in the (INAUDIBLE) either. When you have these changes taking place that's when weather gets really weird.
And for example, we had some strong thunderstorms in parts of the northern plains the day ago. Now, we're talking about some heavy snowfall. We've got some snow video for you, this is a Mayflower truck covered with snow in Mitchell, South Dakota. This is just yesterday. Not only that they had the heavy snowfall, some places up a (INAUDIBLE), some wind gusts topping 60 to 70 miles-an-hour. Whiteout conditions, it is a big mess.
And as we go back to the weather computer, you're going to see the big icy mess is now moving into parts of Minnesota from Federnam (ph) back over to Detroit Lake. You will notice, we are seeing a lot of the scattered snow showers moving from the north to the south. We've got plenty of cold air at the surface, and with the overrunning moisture, that's going to be the combination that's going to bring in snowfall.
Now, as we make our way farther to the west, we're going to be seeing, again, the warnings, the advisories in effect. We're looking at (INAUDIBLE) from anywhere from eight inches up to a foot of snowfall. Again, if you check out the calendar, the calendar says April, not unusual to get this amount of snow but still, that's something you see around much of the country every single day.
Here's what we have from Nashville south to the Columbus, some scattered showers and thunderstorms. In Texas, it looks like things are getting better because we're seeing a lot of these showers and storms begin to work their way offshore, some places like Corpus Christi still dealing with the thunderstorms. But later on today, parts of north and west Texas could be dealing with a round of strong storms, possibly tornadoes in the mix also.
So, another big busy weather day for you. We'll keep you up to speed right here in the weather center throughout the day. Back to you, guys.
NGUYEN: Guess what springtime does. I mean, yes, it's a great time of year, but for a lot of folks, it's really kind of a dangerous time of year.
WOLF: It really is. I mean, transitional phase, you've got a lot of moisture coming in from the gulf, a lot of those fronts now move just right across the country very quickly. And when they do, that combinations (INAUDIBLE) can give you all kinds of weird stuff to talk about.
NGUYEN: All right, Reynolds. Stay on top of it for us. Thank you.
WOLF: You bet, guys.
HOLMES: I know something Reynolds will be paying attention to today even though football season is ways off. It's a very big football day today. Off the field, excitement, the NFL draft, Betty, starts today.
NGUYEN: All right. OK. So, no suspense over the first pick, right? The Miami Dolphins already signed Michigan offensive tackle, Jake Long to a big deal. He joins a well-paid list of recent number ones.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN (voice-over): Last year's overall number one draft pick, quarterback JaMarcus Russell. He went to the Oakland Raiders. He is expected to average more than $10 million a year during his six-year contract.
In 2006, defensive end Mario Williams signed a six-year deal with the Houston Texans. That could earn him some $54 million. He is considered one of the NFL's top young pass rushers.
In 2005, the San Francisco 49ers snapped up quarterback Alex Smith with incentives and bonuses over six years. He stands to make some $49 million but he was sidelined by injuries last season and he played only a few games.
In 2004, the San Diego Chargers selected quarterback, Eli Manning. But he never played for the Charges. A draft day trade sent him to the New York Giants. Manning blossomed late in the 2007 season, leading the Giants to a win in Super Bowl XLII. So far, he's earned more than $22 million with the Giants.
In 2003, quarterback Carson Palmer was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals, viewed as a great player trapped on a not-so great team. Palmer earned nearly $40 million during his five years with the Bengals.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Some serious cash and you pointed out, a lot of them, you know, that's guaranteed.
HOLMES: The number one picks have so much guaranteed money on those contracts before a guy ever plays a single down in the NFL, is guaranteed. So, some of this guys $20 million or $30 million on these contracts, guaranteed no matter what, no matter how terrible he might turn out to be.
NGUYEN: We are on the wrong business. I mean, how much water girl, does that pay well?
HOLMES: I don't think it does. I think it might be too late for you, Betty.
NGUYEN: I'm going to stay right where I am. Thank you, T.J.
OK. Well, it's only the beginning. We have much more on the millionaires to be with our own top picks, sports business analyst, Rick Horrow. That's coming up in about 30 minutes.
HOLMES: All right. And also, something that's been in the news a lot lately. The global food crisis; it's hitting home now for U.S. consumers. We'll tell you what's in limited supply.
NGUYEN: And: He's used to being at the controls but now, a Florida pilot's life may be in the hands of a ransom demanding kidnapper.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We'll have a quick look at some other stories making headlines.
NGUYEN: The Olympic torch relay made its way through Nagano, Japan today, which is the site of the 1998 winter games. There were a few minor anti-China protests and lots of security but no major disruptions. The next stop for the relay is South Korea on Sunday.
HOLMES: A show of force in Chicago this morning. More police are on patrol. Last weekend, nine people were killed in some three dozen shootings in the city. The police are trying to prevent that from happening again.
During the last school year, 31 area students were killed. Blair Holt was murdered by a gang member. Now, his father who is a Chicago police officer is lobbying for stricter gun laws. We'll have a whole lot more on his story in our 8:00 Eastern hour.
And what happens to Robert Wiles? The Florida pilot disappeared almost a month ago. Now, FBI is looking into whether this is a ransom kidnapping.
NGUYEN: Susan Candiotti is following this story from Miami.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Robert Wiles dropped out of sight April 1st just after closing up shop at National Flight Services, an aircraft maintenance company at a regional airport in Lakeland, Florida.
THOMAS WILES, FATHER OF MISSING MAN: We have not heard from Robert since then. And nobody in our family has heard from him.
CANDIOTTI: Two days later, his family received a ransom note. It demanded money, made a threat, and was signing a, quote, "unique way." The FBI refuses to disclose anything more.
PAMELA WILES, MOTHER OF MISSING MAN: We are worried about Robert. We love Robert and we are terribly concerned about his safety.
CANDIOTTI: The FBI says the parents tried to contact whoever sent the note but never heard back.
DAVID COUVERTIER, FBI: They've done everything they could possibly to do. They tried and follow the directions and instructions provided to them. For some reason, the individual, again, or individuals involved here have not responded back to them.
CANDIOTTI (on-camera): The FBI says it didn't disclose the kidnapping until now, more than three weeks later, because they were trying to track down leads in Florida, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, even Thailand. But the wells run dry.
(voice-over): Robert Wiles parents appear to struggle for what to say.
T. WILES: Robert is -- has a business management development. He is a pilot.
CANDIOTTI: The 26-year-old can fly multi-engine aircraft and ran his father's company in Lakeland. It's Web site's cites other locations in Ohio where it's headquartered, Texas and Toronto.
P. WILES: We want him to know that his family loves him and we care about him and we want him to come home.
CANDIOTTI: Wiles is described as an avid fisherman and diver. His parents are offering a $10,000 reward in hopes of generating new leads.
P. WILES: Robert loves life. He loves nature. And he believes in God.
CANDIOTTI: Ransom kidnappings are rare, not even the FBI could provide statistics. And without evidence to the contrary, agents say, Wiles disappearance is being treated as the real deal.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, the FBI says that it is investigating some persons of interest. But the agents won't release any names or say why Wiles may have been targeted. We'll continue to follow that story for you.
HOLMES: And you may think that the global food crisis affects only poor faraway nations. Think again. You can go to some warehouse stores today right here and you'll see, they are setting some limits on what customers ban buy.
NGUYEN: And Josh Levs is here with the reality check on the presidential campaign. Hey, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to you guys. OK. So, Hillary Clinton is saying that she has more votes than Barack Obama. Technically, that's true -- sort of. I'll explain, coming up right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: What you see today on store shelves might not be there in the next few weeks. We're talking about ways to shop smart this Saturday morning.
Hello again, and welcome back. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to thank you for starting your day with us.
And speaking of food, let's get right to the food crisis. It's now gripping much of the globe, protests erupted in South Africa this week over the high price of wheat and maize. Food aid coming in Haiti runs out, leaving many families hungry and the U.N.'s World Food Program is appealing for an additional $755 million to continue its mission.
Program officials say they are dealing with a 40 percent hike in food costs and an increase in aid request. So, it isn't something that you would expect to see here in the U.S., but, as this food crisis intensifies around the world, some warehouse clubs here at home are limiting the amount of rice members can buy at one time. So, why is this happening?
Mike Santoli is an associate editor for "Barron's" and he joins us now live from New York. Let's get right to this limiting. We don't want to go so far as you call it rationing, but it's not at that point just yet, but some of these discount clubs are limiting the amount of rice. Is this something that we're going to see as a trend perhaps in other areas well?
MIKE SANTOLI, ASSOC. EDITOR, BARRON'S: Well, maybe locally and maybe with selected products, yes. I think what the warehouse stores are observing is that, with the price of rice specifically having doubled in the last year, and all these news reports of the shortages around the world, genuine shortages, they're basically observing people hoarding a little bit. They're buying in bulk, especially small businesses and restaurants.
Remember, those are lot of the customers of these warehouse clubs and they want to make sure that there's going to be enough to go around for anybody who actually wants to come in and buy a bag of rice to actually eat.
So, I do think there might be a little more of these limits on exactly how much you can buy at one time. I wouldn't though go to the point of saying that there's a genuine shortage in the sense that there's not enough food to go around.
NGUYEN: All right. So, what's at the root of this? I mean, does this have something to do with fuel prices as well? Getting the rice from here to there, I mean, it can't just be a singular problem with rice alone.
SANTOLI: It's not. No. In fact, it's across the board. Food inflation has been a trend that's really been gathering steam for a while now. It is related to the high price of oil and gasoline and diesel fuel. Everything on your supermarket shelves pretty comes there by truck or train. Obviously, the cost of fuel is a big part of the ultimate transport cost, but also, the other element here is we've encouraged the production of ethanol.
We're basically taking our food and putting in our gas tanks in some sense. A lot of farmers decided to cash in on that, plant corn instead of other crops, and this has basically caused the supply and demand imbalance in a lot of these products that caused prices to go high.
NGUYEN: Really? That's interesting because a lot of people might say, you know, hey, that's going to help you with your gas but now it's kind of cutting into, like you say, the other crops. I wouldn't think that would have caused the problem but we're starting to see the effects of that.
SANTOLI: We certainly are. It's been the case since the energy bill really, that encouraged the ethanol production did take effect and let's keep in mind, of course, you can't overnight increase the production. You can't reallocate cropland quickly. So, you can't accelerate a harvest. That's why we're seeing this law (ph) of supply and demand problems.
NGUYEN: It's seasonal, yes. Absolutely. OK. So, now that we know the problem, we are seeing it and feeling it, what can people do about it? Are there ways to try to help families who already are having a tough time trying to make ends meet as it is?
SANTOLI: It's not particularly easy. In fact, I think one of the reasons the warehouse stores are kind of the epicenter for a lot of this, is people are trading down from supermarkets, from organic food stores to buy these large bulk purchases which makes a lot of sense actually. It might be the easiest way for a lot of families to look for ways to economize because obviously, these clubs are the ones where you can get the most for your money.
In general though, I do know that food banks across the country are kind of struggling to keep up with demand. And so, you know, we're kind of -- I think they're hoping that all this attention promotes more donations and promotes a lot more supply coming their way.
NGUYEN: Yes, and just very quickly. Have we seen the ceiling here or is it going to continue to rise?
SANTOLI: I wish we could know. It seems as if the markets want the prices to go higher for the short-term. I do think they'll ultimately high prices of the solution for high prices because it will encourage more production.
NGUYEN: All right. Mike Santoli, associate editor of "Barron's." Thank you today.
SANTOLI: My pleasure. Thank you.
HOLMES: Now, let's see what the presidential candidates are up to today. Hillary Clinton is heading back to Indiana. She was campaigning in North Carolina yesterday. She has a 10 a.m. rally in Fort Wayne. We will bring some of that to you live when it happens.
Also on the agenda: Barack Obama live. He's holding a town hall meeting in Marion, Indiana. That happens around 10:45 this morning.
Also: John McCain is taking a bit of a break after his appearance with Mike Huckabee in Little Rock, Arkansas. McCain is in Florida but he has no public events. However, Mitt Romney is campaigning for McCain today in Nevada.
And one of the disputed claims among Democrats right now is the popular vote.
NGUYEN: Both candidates claim to be ahead. You heard it right. So, who's really telling the truth here?
Our Josh Levs is going to try and clear it up for us because every time you hear somebody, some pundit, some other person talking, it's like so and so is ahead. Oh, no, no. So and so is ahead. So, which is it?
LEVS: So, you can (INAUDIBLE) however you want.
NGUYEN: Right.
LEVS: Especially after Pennsylvania, which in the way did reset things at least slightly enough that it gives Clinton an opportunity.
HOLMES: Josh, who's ahead?
(LAUGHTER)
LEVS: You have to keep paying attention. Well, it is an interesting debate, right? We can agree on that one. OK. Look, who's counted, who doesn't? It also comes down to the fact that there are some states did count but don't count.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS (voice-over): On the day after (ph) Pennsylvania victory, Hillary Clinton has made an interesting statement about the popular vote.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have received more votes by the people who have voted than anybody else.
LEVS: Technically that's true. RealClearPolitics counted up the popular vote though four caucus states cannot be counted because they don't release their popular vote.
Among the states that report numbers, Clinton has just over 15.1 million votes and Obama has just below 15 million. But this total includes Florida and Michigan. Neither is being counted by the Democratic Party. And Obama took his name off the ballot in Michigan.
Without those two states, Obama has 14.4 million while Clinton has 13.9 million.
Clinton acknowledges how she's doing the math.
CLINTON: If you count as I count, the 2.3 million people who voted in Michigan and Florida ...
LEVS: Obama often insisted he will win with the most votes.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We won twice as many states, we won the popular vote.
LEVS: After he lost Pennsylvania, a reporter asked him whether Florida and Michigan should count toward the popular vote. He didn't take a position. OBAMA: If you want to count them for some abstract measure, you're free to do so. But, you know the way that the popular vote is translated is into delegates. That's how these primaries and these caucuses work.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEVS: Of course, the delegate count has also some complexities. As we've talked about on this show, it's not always a direct reflection of the number of vote. And in the end, the popular vote really might be the clearest sign, guys, of just how split Democrats really are nationwide.
HOLMES: We can't even agree now as well on her victory in Pennsylvania. We said she had a 10 point victory, 10 points, 55 to 45. That's not in dispute. Are you OK?
LEVS: And this is such a reminder of how petty some of the fans and supporters on both sides will get. You're right because you're fighting that one now. Well, it boils down to this, Clinton got 55 percent, Obama got 45 percent in Pennsylvania. So, that's a 10-point victory.
But some Obama fans and supporters are saying, "You know what, if you look at the raw numbers it was like 9.4. So, you shouldn't round that."
But let see show you, guys. I'm just showing (ph) I'm not being crazy. See this here. Look. Can we see this? This is from the CNN Political Ticker today. All these pages are people weighing in on that debate over whether she should declare a double digit victory in Pennsylvania or not. That's how much some of these people care.
NGUYEN: All right, Josh. And again, so, who's ahead?
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: We gave you 2.5 minutes to end up right the same back spot.
LEVS: And the delegate count is very clear, Obama by far. How's that?
NGUYEN: All right, Josh.
HOLMES: OK. Thank you. Well, you can see more of the candidates on the campaign trail today. Well, an unfiltered, special edition of BALLOT BOWL today, at 3:00 o'clock Eastern and also tonight at 8:00 o'clock Eastern here on CNN.
NGUYEN: All right. Attention: grocery shoppers, money saving advice on aisle 5.
HOLMES: Yes, go shopping with me.
NGUYEN: Frightening, isn't it? HOLMES: Not just me, I took an expert along here. Just to find ways at least to cope with these skyrocketing food prices. We're helping you watch your dollars.
Also, Reynolds Wolf is watching your weather. Good morning to you again, sir.
WOLF: Good morning, guys.
Yesterday, we had some strong storms across parts of the Midwest. Right now, it's not really a rain story but rather a snow story for much of Minnesota. Farther to the south in Texas, we are looking at potential, some strong storms, maybe some tornadoes before the day is out. That and more, coming up right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. We are talking the economy. It is issue number one with gas prices nearing $3.60 a gallon and food prices, they are skyrocketing, too. And we're all trying to find ways to cut costs. And some shoppers, well, they have their own strategy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I head to circulars before I come, I buy in bulk whenever I possibly can. We also belong to wholesale clubs. I used coupons whenever possible. I shop the sales and I also tend to shop the store brands.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My strategy today happens to be coupons. Under normal circumstances, I would just say, "Oh, I have tickets here," (INAUDIBLE) to my children, I made them put it back otherwise. They could get whatever they want.
But now, because we are trying to save more money, and I pulled coupon I say, "You can get this or this. And I give them a choice of what they can pick instead of just going in and randomly pulling something off of the shelves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: That's some good advice there. You know, saving a dollar here, a dollar there, it adds up especially in this economy.
HOLMES: It adds up in a major way, to really hundreds of dollars. You just need to take your time and the key really is to shop smart. Recently, I actually hit the aisles.
NGUYEN: Really? I see that look in your face.
HOLMES: Yes, I took somebody with me though, who actually know what she's doing, a consumer advocate. Great tips, I picked up a lot. But check them out now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES (on camera): We haven't made it to a single item, no groceries, and all no food, but still we need to be working right now and be mindful of what's going on.
ROBYN SPIZMAN, CONSUMER ADVOCATE: Exactly. Before you put your foot in the door, you want to check out the store. So, the first thing I'm going to do is I'm going to look at the store circulars, see if there's any manufacturer coupons and already I have hit the big one. There's pages and pages of coupons right here ready for me to use.
And then I might look to see how long they're good for which is that all month. So, now I know if I don't have time to use them now, I could use them later.
HOLMES: One of the first things you often see when you come into this store are deals. This time, they often have this very kiosk like this set up and you look at them. Buy one, get one free. Two for this, two for that. These are important to stop at always, why?
SPIZMAN: Why? Because first of all, take a look at them, take a second. It doesn't mean spend all day, I'm going to spend just a few minutes. But for example, this vinegar, it's two for $4, and it's a brand name that I use all the time. And I am saving $2.38 on buying two.
HOLMES: A lot of people's pantries are full of stuff we don't know what's in there.
SPIZMAN: I promise that most -- and most women in particular, we likely have 10 bottles of salad dressing. Not all of us but some of us. And so, you want to start looking at what are you really using and running out of, so you don't have to run out every time. The rule is to look high and look low because store brands and a manufacturer, popular brands often will pay more for what's called a slotting fee.
And according to, you know, grocers that I've spoken to, they say that's why, you know, these brands in the middle. They paid for that right.
Seasonal is so important because one, that means the price is going to be better and then it also means that the product is in season so it's going to be juicer, you're going to get the value.
I think the goal is to be a conscious society (ph) and also we can save money in the interim by buying smart, sometimes buying less and knowing what you're buying. And there's great power in that because you only have to learn it once. And once you know, you're ready to go.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Now, you know.
HOLMES: Now I know and something you brought up here is something a lot of people do. They just want to get in and out. People think time is money. And if people just take their time and plan it out, take their time at the store, you can save a whole lot of cash.
NGUYEN: That's true. But I'd just want to get in there and get what I need and get out.
HOLMES: Yes, it's wasteful, Betty.
NGUYEN: It's cold in the grocery store.
HOLMES: It's wasteful. Take jackets, OK?
NGUYEN: I know. That would save me some more money, right?
WOLF: Guys, just a thought though, I mean, seriously, I mean, there is going to be a division among the sexes when it comes to this. Betty, I know you say that you go in very quickly, and you're going to (INAUDIBLE) but the thing is that females are so much smarter than guys because (INAUDIBLE).
HOLMES: There is that.
WOLF: Come on, we, guys, we're animals. We go in there, stashed (ph) as we possibly can, we yanked stuff off the shelves and just, you know, to me it's 10 minutes tops. I go in there with my hair on fire and grab as much as I can and then run out. I do remember to pay off course. (INAUDIBLE).
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: That could save you some money if you forgot to pay.
NGUYEN: But you know, it's smart though to make a list. And I do, do that. I make sure that I have that list so I'm not spending time just wandering aimlessly down the aisle because that's when you get in trouble and I think when you're hungry and you go to grocery store, that can really cause problems because you would buy everything.
WOLF: A list. That's the thing my wife writes for me that I leave on the kitchen counter and I remember when I get to the store. That's the thing you're referring to, right?
NGUYEN: And then you get home and she's complaining that you didn't get so and so?
WOLF: I knew you could hear us. All right, guys.
NGUYEN: Got smarter.
WOLF: Absolutely. Let's talk about some weather. Let's go shopping for some snowfall. If you are making your way up into Minnesota where it's coming down in droves, they can see up to a foot of snow falling in the twin cities today back up to Fargo. Believe me or not, this is not unusual. This does happen in April. In fact, last April, last year, they had around 13 inches from good part of the state for the month.
Now getting eight to 12 inches in just one big dose, that is a little bit strange. And that is something we're going to be seeing to the midday afternoon hours and possibly into tomorrow. What we're seeing right now is some strong thunderstorms in parts of the southeast from Nashville southward to Columbus, now moving through the Jackson, Mississippi areas, some thunderstorms.
And along the gulf coast of Texas, from Corpus Christi, South Padre Island, northward to (INAUDIBLE), let's see, it runs into Galvis (ph) and it's going to be a loud morning for you.
But later on today, parts of west Texas, north Texas, along parts of I-35 until Austin and getting (INAUDIBLE), yes, it's going to be booming. It's going to be very loud, some strong thunderstorms. There is going to be a slight risk of seeing some tornadic activity.
But more than anything, a rain event, maybe some large hail and some damaging winds. But certainly, an interesting day, we have the rain, sleet and snow. Big mix around the nation; no question about it. Back to you.
NGUYEN: That sleet and snow and it is the end of April.
WOLF: It happens.
NGUYEN: All right Reynolds, thank you.
HOLMES: Reynolds, thank you. Reynolds, Betty, by the end of the day today, I will have a new favorite NFL team.
NGUYEN: Really? Why?
HOLMES: Because an Arkansas runningback from my school, my alma mater is going to be a top pick in the draft. Whatever team he goes to, that's my new favorite team. Our Rick Horrow is going to drop by with a draft day preview. There he is. Always got some things for us.
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Super Bowl, credentials, tickets, yes, I got it all.
HOLMES: He's got it all. We want to hear from Mr. Rick Horrow right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: The dream starts today. The NFL draft, on deck, also making college stars into high-paid pros. University of Arkansas runningback Darren McFadden is sure to be taken in the top 10 ahead of anybody from the University of Texas -- Betty?
NGUYEN: Oh, don't you...
HOLMES: Sports business analyst, Rick Horrow, joins us now from West Palm Beach, Florida. Rick, always good to see you. You always got a good stuff for us. A lot of money that's going to be thrown around today. How much is money a part of what we are going to see today in this draft?
HORROW: A lot of money. Keep your intra host banter (ph) in your time, OK? We got a lot to cover today. And the bottom line of this is, you know, Betty's comment about you got to shop, avoid shopping while you're hungry, last segment -- great.
Well, there are 32 teams who want to do this. They want to go to the Super Bowl and they're all hungry. So, they're all going to be shopping. And the bottom line is, the draft by the way, is just like real estate and the stock market. Nobody ever knows. For every Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning, you've got an Andre Bruce (ph) and Tony Mandridge (ph) who were busts.
Of the 74 drafts, 34 first round picks didn't make it to the Hall of Fame level on the pro-ball (ph). First pick in the entire draft. So, it's a big issue. $30 million guaranteed to the first draft pick. Big dollars, merchandise, parking dollars for teams who are successful, New York economy impact, so it is huge.
HOLMES: Some of that is ridiculous. Before a guy even plays a single down in the NFL he gets $30 million in guaranteed money. The guy is good, make no mistake, but that just seems out-of-control. Maybe, they can get a rookie salary cap one day possibly (ph) like the NBA. But we shall see. Some teams are banking their futures on this draft. Who needs to have a good draft?
HORROW: Well, it's like, you know, an anchor signing some advanced bonus deal. It's the same kind of theory. So, I'm sure you wouldn't argue against that.
HOLMES: Who is this guy?
NGUYEN: He's had to say, didn't he?
HORROW: That is for another story. Two teams, really important, first, Atlanta Falcons. They've draft third, they've got to get out of the shadow of Michael Vick, obviously, the owner, Arthur Blank, is a retail genius. So, he needs it.
Second, Minnesota. I'd been to the state legislature, need a new stadium, this may be the time they'd run out of time, didn't go to the playoffs last year. They had a guy Adrian Peterson, who almost got them there. They need to get there now.
HOLMES: All right, this taking some of the suspense out of it, with the number one pick already signed to Miami, this what we should be seeing? Is this a trend? I know we've seen it before, but still, is this the way it usually goes?
HORROW: Well, not usually. But it may in the future, Jake Long, University of Michigan. By the way, I was one of the first 100 Dolphin season ticket holders, if you remember. So, we're jumping up and down because last year, the Oakland Raiders drafted JaMarcus Russell first, eight weeks of waiting (ph) before he signed. There's no holdout here. By the way, the Dolphins are only 25 or 30 players away from being competitive and this is one big check mark off of the Bill Purcell's (ph) to do list. So, that is good.
HOLMES: All right. And we promised you we would let you get this in here, your sleeper of the draft. Give it to us.
HORROW: Hey, I'm not crisping (ph) but here he is, name is Mike Flynt. He played in Sul Ross State in California. He's eligibility is over. He's 59 years old. He played last year as the grandfather. He is the oldest player in the history of college football eligible for the draft. Somebody ought to take him. My insight
HOLMES: No wonder you like him, you are in the same age bracket.
HORROW: Oh, there you go. Thank you.
HORROW: No wonder they have you as sleeper.
Let's take a quick shift now to Danica Patrick. She won her first race here finally now after 50 tries, I believe it is. How big is this for her? In terms of marketing standpoint and her getting away from just being a woman who poses and scantily clad in so many ads; she's going to get a whole lot more respect because she's proven she can win?
HORROW: Well, by the way, she's proven that she's a good racer no matter what. And so, the winning is validation of what everybody thought all along that she was going to win. She won in Japan, she won late last Saturday. So, the news media didn't cover it until later in the week. She makes $5 million a year in endorsements wise anyway. You've got Motorola. You've got some other companies. Now, it's going to be even bigger.
So the Indy 500 this year, the open wheel racing, a big time, it's even bigger than it has been before. So, we'll cover that as well.
HOLMES: All right. Rick Horrow, always good to see you. Good luck with you and your sleeper in the draft, the 59-year-old.
HORROW: Good luck to your buddy McFadden. I know that's important for you and all the other Arkansas...
HOLMES: It is very important for us. Thank you for that. Rick we'll end on a good note. Good to see you, buddy. We'll talk to you soon.
HORROW: See you next week.
NGUYEN: I can't believe he actually said something nice.
HOLMES: It took him to the end of the segment to say it.
NGUYEN: Yes, he's probably just forget about it. All right. You know, let's talk about this because it's an important story. Helping ease the pain of war, wounded warriors take on a new challenge at the water's edge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE FOLKERTS, WOUNDED IN IRAQ: It was a big part of my, I guess, emotional recovery just being able to get back to doing every day normal things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Veterans get a healing hand when they go fly fishing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: A rod, a reel and rehabilitation. A program that's helping wounded veterans recover by taking them fishing.
NGUYEN: Yes, it's called Project Healing Waters. And CNN's Kate Bolduan shows us how it can mend both the body and the spirit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rose River farm in Madison County, Virginia is far from the front lines or the hospital bed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that.
BOLDUAN: But it's where some of the nation's wounded warriors have found what they consider the best rehabilitation: Fly fishing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to let it play it out so I'm getting nice and tired.
BOLDUAN: Sergeant First Class Jake Keeslar lost both legs to an IED blast in Iraq in 2006.
JAKE KEESLAR, WOUNDED IN IRAQ: I joined the army because I wanted challenges and now, I've got challenges everyday.
BOLDUAN: Many of Keeslar's fellow anglers are also recovering from life-threatening injuries.
DIANE LOPES, WOUNDED IN IRAQ: I've got shrapnel in my arm here and there.
BOLDUAN: They're all part of Project Healing Waters, a non- profit organization that works with military and Veterans Affairs hospitals across the country, offering a unique, and they say, "effective form of rehab to wounded and disabled veterans."
ED NICHOLSON, PRESIDENT, PROJECT HEALING WATERS: There's nothing like seeing a great big smile on the guy or on the lady's face when he's got to trot any kind of fish on the line. BOLDUAN: Ed Nicholson, the founder of the project, he says the physical benefits are obvious with improved mobility and stability. But possibly more important are the benefits not so visible.
DAVE FOLKERTS, WOUNDED IN IRAQ: It was a big part of my, I guess, emotional recovery just being able to get back to doing every day normal things.
BOLDUAN: Project Healing Waters started in Washington, D.C. nearly four years ago. The project has now expanded to about 20 programs reaching from Maine to Hawaii.
NICHOLSON: As a military man, former military man myself, I figured it's more that I can give back to them, who have been giving for us, of course, overseas for four or five years now.
BOLDUAN: Some participants are returning to duty overseas, others continue their recovery. But out here, it's not about the wounds or the rehab, it's about the fish.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you are fishing, any day is a good day as far as I'm concerned.
BOLDUAN: Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And we do want to hear from you about your memories of loved ones lost in wars. We're going to share some of those stories when we mark Memorial Day. Just send us your stories, your photos, video, letters. Just go to iReport.com and get started.
HOLMES: From the CNN Center in Atlanta Georgia, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Yes, hello, everybody, and good morning. I'm Betty Nguyen.
One California beach is closed this weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard screaming and we turned back and swam to him and he'd already been hit by a pretty good sized shark.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Yes, it was big. Experts think it was a great white shark and the search is still on after an attack leaves one man dead and a community in mourning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This year has been an extremely good year for us because the number of people that I think have found fresh vegetables because they are looking for a cheaper source of food out there in the marketplace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Park and pick, it's the latest trend for people trying to save money on produce. We're covering all the angles on issue number one, the economy.
NGUYEN: And park your car, forget about gas prices. This is real horse power.
HOLMES: One way to do it.
NGUYEN: One way, but we do want to start with a rare shark attack off the southern California coast.
HOLMES: A deadly strike by what's believed to be a great white shark, possibly up to 17-feet long. One swimmer killed, 66-year old Dave Martin bled to death from the bite. The mayor of Solana Beach says that shark is still out there somewhere in the waters north of San Diego.
CNN's Ted Rowlands has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An eight-mile stretch of beach in southern California just north of San Diego remains closed as searchers continue to look for this shark that attacked a 66-year-old very retired veterinarian, Dr. Dave Martin Friday morning at around 7:00. Martin was with a group of swimmers, a group of about 10 that actively swim in this area, only about 130 yards off shore when he was attacked by this great white shark. They believe it is a great white shark.
According to witnesses, the shark attacked from beneath the swimmers, came up, bit Martin on the legs, actually put him into the air and took him down back into the water. When Martin was able to resurface, he was screaming according to witnesses.
The other swimmers immediately attended to him. They were able to bring him on shore and tried to keep him alive and brought him to this area here where there is a life guard station and it is here where he was pronounced dead before he could be taken even to a hospital. Both legs severely injured.
Experts looked at the bite. They believe that it is a great white shark. They will also do a full autopsy obviously to try to make sure. In the meantime, swimmers, surfers and anyone else being told to stay out of the waters here in southern California at least until Monday.
Ted Rowlands, CNN, Solana Beach, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: An unarmed man shot and killed just hours before his wedding. Next hour relatives of Sean Bell and civil rights leaders including Reverend Al Sharpton plan a rally to protest the verdict in that case. Yesterday, a judge acquitted three detectives of all charges in Bell's death.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This city going to pay for this, man. This city is going to pay.
REV. AL SHARPTON, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: The question is now before the Federal government whether their civil rights was violated. The policemen do not have the right to just walk up unidentified on someone and expect them not to react.
They clearly would not have pulled off if they thought they were cops. They had nothing to pull off from. They didn't have a gun. They weren't committing a crime. Why would they have run from the police? The only reason they moved is because they didn't know they were police.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Bell was killed and two of his friends were wounded outside a Queens, New York strip club in November of 2006. Detectives say they thought one of the men had a gun. Police fired a total of 50 shots.
HOLMES: New information this morning out of Zimbabwe, authorities have released the initial results of a recount of last month's parliamentary election.
NGUYEN: And it shows the opposition party holding onto its majority. Now in another development, Zimbabwe police raided the offices of the opposition party and the office of independent election monitors. This happened yesterday. The opposition party says they took away computers and documents linked to the election. Hundreds of people were detained. The raid came a day after a U.S. envoy declared the opposition candidate won the disputed March presidential election.
HOLMES: And as can you see there, few scuffles and anti-China protests as the Olympic torch relay made its way through Nagano, Japan today. Lots of security on hand to keep things under control there. For the most part no major disruptions reported. The next step for the relay is in South Korea tomorrow.
NGUYEN: Turning to politics right now, two more primaries to talk about today.
HOLMES: Yes, Indiana and North Carolina coming up in less than two weeks. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are both in Indiana today where all our latest polling shows a dead heat. Take a look at these numbers.
NGUYEN: The big number to watch is the 10 percent still undecided, the candidates courting voters by attacking each other.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARRATOR: Harry Truman said it best. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. Who do you think has what it take's?
What's Hillary Clinton's answer, the same old politics, misleading negative ads.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser rejoins us again from Washington this morning. We're seeing these ads and that is the fear by many Democrats. These two are beating each other so bad that they are just going to be so wounded going into a general election that it's going to be really tough for them to beat McCain.
STEINHAUSER: They are both spending a record amount of money on these ads, Barack Obama more than Hillary Clinton. Her ads, even though she's spending less, seem to be maybe a little more effective, kind of biting.
You just saw that kitchen ad that she ran in Pennsylvania and remember the 3:00 a.m. ad she ran in Texas and Ohio. She's kind of taken the lead there. He's kind of forced to play catch up and it's been effective I guess for her because she has won some of those contests. But as you mentioned, there is a downside to this.
A new Pew poll just came out earlier this week and it showed that 50 percent of Democrats say you know what, it is too negative out there right now in this campaign. That's way up more than double what the number was in February.
Our Bill Schneider, our senior political analyst was sifting through the exit polls from Pennsylvania and T.J., he's finding that Clinton supporters, more and more Clinton supporters are now saying, you know what, if Obama is the nominee, they may not vote for him in November and the same thing, especially the other side, Obama supporters saying if Clinton is the nominee, maybe they won't vote for her in November because of this negative stuff.
HOLMES: That is not good news for Democrats to hear. On the line of negative ads, a negative ad put out in North Carolina by the Republican Party there that Senator McCain is actually opposing and asking them not to run this ad. Tell us about this.
STEINHAUSER: This ad is online right now and North Carolina Republicans say it's going to go on TV next week. You can see visuals, that audio of Reverend Wright from the Wright controversy which we've been talking about. Now this ad is actually directed at two Democrats who are running for governor.
But the Republicans in North Carolina say that those two candidates are supporters of Barack Obama and they tie the Wright controversy to it. The McCain campaign asked the North Carolina Republicans not to run that ad. They are running it any way. HOLMES: And Senator McCain, I guess on the Republican side, a lot of Republicans were -- some gave them credit at least for keeping it kind of clean, things between Huckabee, things between McCain when that contest was still going on. McCain has been able to I guess, stay above it in a lot of ways.
But he has hit pretty hard here on Obama talking about Hamas, which the U.S. certainly considers a terrorist organization, endorsing Obama. Let's take a listen to what he said here and we'll talk about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's just a fact that Hamas apparently the North American spokesperson is endorsing Senator Obama.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: That sounds like some pretty tough stuff, but he is referring to a spokesman for that group who did come out and sounded like a resounding endorsement of Obama.
STEINHAUSER: He brought it up earlier yesterday with bloggers on a conference call and you just saw that tape right there. He was asked about it at a press conference. And while he says that he wants -- he respects both his opponents, Clinton and Obama, he did bring this up and maybe it's an attempt to try to divide the Democrats.
HOLMES: Divide the Democrats, like they need to be divided any more at this point. Paul Steinhauser for us, our deputy political director, we appreciate you as always. Good to see you.
STEINHAUSER: Take care.
HOLMES: And of course, as we were saying, Indiana and North Carolina are next for the Democrats. You can join the best political team on television for complete coverage. That's Tuesday night, May 6th, 8:00 Eastern only on CNN, your home for politics.
NGUYEN: The economy is still issue number one for voters, especially the economy of the gas tank. Prices hitting a record again, $3.59 for a gallon of regular unleaded. That's up two cents from one day. Diesel fuel is holding steady at $4.23 a gallon. So what are the presidential candidates going to do to address this?
CNN's Brian Todd takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ratcheting up off along with those prices on the pump, the pressure on White House hopefuls to take action. John McCain's got an idea to relieve you from that looming $4 a gallon market and he's drafted a bill to make it happen. MCCAIN: I propose that the Federal government suspend all taxes on gasoline now paid by the American people from Memorial Day to Labor Day of this year.
TODD: A so-called gas tax holiday. That means for three months, 18.5 cents per gallon in Federal tax would be taken off your bill at the pump. Hillary Clinton says she'll consider the idea. That tilts her more toward McCain's side on gas prices and is one of those rare instances where she splits from Barack Obama on policy.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I thing John McCain's proposal for a three-month tax holiday is a bad idea. You got 18 cents. We're talking about 5 percent of your total cost of gas that you suspend for three months which might save you a few hundred bucks, that then will spike right up.
TODD: Analysts say it may not even save you that much.
ROGER DIWAN, PFC ENERGY: With two cars, if they fill 10 times a month, that will make only something like a $30 difference. So it's not huge.
TODD: Still, McCain says a timely drop in gas prices could also reduce costs for food, packaging, other transportation-related services and the economy would get an overall boost. But most of the tax revenue goes into something called the highway trust fund used to maintain bridges and roads. Some, including Obama argue that if there is no gas tax for three months, millions of dollars will be lost from that fund.
But some experts say the real impact on the country's infrastructure would be marginal. Obama's plan for gas prices does not focus on the immediate, but rather on long term ideas like moving the country toward more fuel efficient vehicles, less dependence on foreign oil. The McCain and Clinton campaigns also favor that approach.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama agree that oil companies should be hit with a windfall profits tax which John McCain opposes. An oil analyst tells us that would recover some revenue, but he says the oil companies would turn that around and hit the consumer with higher prices.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: How does the gas tax affect the price that you pay at the pump? Our Josh Levs will be along in about 15 minutes to break it down for you.
HOLMES: Are you tired of shelling out big bucks for gas? I'm sorry, I know that was a stupid question. Well, you can try riding a horse to work. Saddle up, Betty, a Kentucky man taking a stand against the record prices and he is hoping to start a movement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALLAN PEERCE, GAS PROTESTER: With the oil companies, they could care less what I think. If I can make a statement, then two people might make a statement and if two people and four people and eight people and it can be ongoing and get off their high horse and get on a real horse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: What would you do to see me galloping I-20 coming to work tomorrow morning?
NGUYEN: Where we would park it or put it or whatever you call it when it comes to that horse?
HOLMES: We just scat our (ph) way into the CNN parking deck like we always do.
NGUYEN: On the horse.
HOLMES: On the horse. He says if diesel hits $4.25, he'll ride his horse up to city hall, camp out on the lawn. So he's trying to make a stand and that's one way to go.
NGUYEN: More power to him.
HOLMES: Yes, horse power to him.
Reynolds, do you think that would catch on Reynolds?
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: A small town teenager accused of plotting a school bombing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He looked like a nice, well kid, well behaved.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The young suspect that nobody ever thought could be a threat. More about him coming up.
Also later, "HOUSE CALL."
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks guys. Someone dies of a stroke every three to four minutes. Why saving your life might just be a matter of time. We'll explain.
Plus, from motion sickness to loss of balance, staying on your feet when your world is spinning. When it comes to your waist line, where you live may be just as important as what you eat. We've got the rankings on America's healthiest cities.
Details coming up on "HOUSE CALL" 8:30.
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HOLMES: A small South Carolina town trying to understand why a teenager would want to kill his classmates.
NGUYEN: Here's CNN's Rusty Dornin.
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RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was an honor student, well liked just weeks from graduation. But authorities say unbeknownst to family and friends, 18-year old Brian Shellenberger (ph) was planning a murderous bombing spree at his high school. His parents called police when they opened a package and found 20 pounds of ammonium nitrate, the same material used in the Oklahoma City bombing. Police say Shellenberger bought it on eBay.
SHERIFF SAM PARKER, CHESTERFIELD CO., S.C.: They began their own investigation and I think went into their son's room and found documentation that was brought to us which was research of the Columbine shooting.
DORNIN: The Columbine killers Dylan Kleibold and Eric Harris dressed in trench coats and isolated themselves with their odd behavior. That wasn't Shellenger's MO according to fellow students.
DECLAN ROLLINS, STUDENT: I would expect somebody else to do it, like some crazy psycho that wore black every day. He wasn't nothing like that. He dressed like me, had his hair nice and fixed. He looked like a nice, well kid, well-behaved.
DORNIN: Chesterfield, South Carolina, population 1300 or so, established in 1785. If there was ever a model for small town America, this is it, complete with Main Street as its heart. For people here, high school sports are the major source of entertainment and pride. The nearest shopping mall, the nearest theater in Chesterfield is 40 miles away.
So what do high school kids do after school? A lot of them hang out across the street from the feed store. That's where we found Baron Adams, a classmate and he says Shellenberger never came here. You said he had his own group. Were they, did they isolate themselves from the rest of the kids?
BARON ADAMS, STUDENT: They stood outside, but I mean they weren't weird or anything. I went out there and talked to them a good bit.
DORNIN: Friends who knew Shellenberger says he crossed the sensitive lines of high school clicks to chat with ease. Did you ever hear anything that people were picking on him or making him angry?
ADAMS: People say now that people did, but I didn't see anything. DORNIN: Two days before his arrest, Shellenberger banged his head against the wall at his home and his mother called police. Prosecutors say the parents sought mental help for their son, but it's unclear what help if any they got. Shellenberger left behind an audio tape. Prosecutors will only say it was more a call for help than a murderous rant. Sheriff Sam Parker says the town is downright bewildered.
PARKER: This is a family-oriented, industrial town and we have a lot of hard-working people. We're devastated. We're all heartbroken and we're trying to deal with it.
DORNIN: Shellenberger is in jail on suicide watch, facing state and Federal charges including attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction. If convicted he could get life in prison. Prosecutors said they have no idea why Schellenberger wanted to do this. He did tell authorities he also planted pipe bombs but won't say where and none have been found. Everyone in this quiet little town hopes they simply don't exist.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
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NGUYEN: In your tough economy, pick your own farms pick up in popularity.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This year has been an extremely good year for us because the number of people that I think have found fresh vegetables because they're looking for a cheaper source of food here in the marketplace.
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HOLMES: Cutting out the middle man and bringing home the fruit.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I check the circulars before I come. I buy in bulk whenever I possibly can. We also belong to wholesale clubs. I use coupons whenever possible. I'll shop the sales and I also tend to shop the store brands.
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HOLMES: Some families looking for a break from high food prices are going past the store.
NGUYEN: As a matter of fact, they are heading straight to the farm.
Here's CNN's Ed Lavandera. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: With food prices soaring, people all over the country are looking for ways to save a little extra money when they go shopping, so it might not be a surprise that local farmers, like the Remsing family of Canton, Texas, are reporting a boom and if you're willing to pick your own, you might save an extra dollar that way too.
LYNN REMSING, OWNER, ? FARMS: In a given day, everybody will come in and pick anywhere from one to two gallons.
LAVANDERA: Everything Lynn Remsing grows gets gobbled up.
REMSING: We have seen a tremendous increase in the number of people that are picking their own fruits now.
LAVANDERA: Thousands of people are flocking to Remsing's farm in this Fort Worth, Texas suburb to pick their own fruits and vegetables. On this six acre plot, sales have doubled in the last year.
REMSING: This year has been an extremely good year for us because the number of people that I think have found fresh vegetables because they are looking for a cheaper source of food out there in the marketplace.
LAVANDERA: Remsing says the organic fruits and vegetables he grows are consistently cheaper than the non-organic foods sold in nearby super markets. That's because he doesn't have transport and packaging costs. Here you pick strawberries right off the bush. Do you think this is the wave of the future?
REMSING: I think it is. I think we're going to see this come. If you've ever been to, seen the European markets, they do a lot of greenhouses. They do a lot of local small farms.
LAVANDERA: Local farmers are reporting a boom in sales all over the country. In the last 10 years, the number of farmers' markets has nearly doubled nationwide and for the first time, the farm bill before Congress will allocate nearly $2 billion to help specialty crop growers expand where they sell their food.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Expanding the availability of produce, creating commodities that -- those are the types of things that I think will help -- could help bring prices down. It is a global problem as you're aware.
LAVANDERA: Of course, what many local farmers are fighting is the expectations games. For example, someone in Michigan come December or January in the middle of winter wants an orange, that's not something that's grown locally so that has to be shipped in.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Dallas.
(END VIDEOTAPE) HOLMES: We are showing you now ladies and gentlemen a live picture of the procession that is carrying the remains of Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin to a location there in his hometown where people will be able to visit and pay their respects to him today.
Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin, the 20-year old who had been missing in Iraq for some four years listed as missing, his remains were finally found just last month, just 12 miles from the site where his unit was ambushed. But his remains have made its way home.
He has made it home to Cincinnati, arrived just a short time ago at Dover Air Force base this morning. A 10-mile procession that is happening right now taking his remains to a site where people will be able to visit and pay their respects to the Ohio soldier today.
His funeral will then be tomorrow, but this is a 10-mile route where people have we have seen, lined the streets, waving some American flags and also people had lined that route with yellow ribbons to pay respects to this young man, again who had been missing for some four years.
People not knowing what happened to him, but remains have been found and Matt Maupin has made it home. The funeral tomorrow, the procession here taking his remains to a site where people will be able to pay their respects today.
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HOLMES: All right, folks, ready, set, get to spending. That's what President Bush wants us all to do. He says the tax rebate checks will start going out Monday to about 130 million wage earners. The president says the money should help us all pay for, what of course? The rising cost of food, the rising cost of gas. Also, help give the slumping economy a boost.
NGUYEN: Next hour, personal finance editor Gerri Willis has advice on coping with high gas prices and tips on saving money at the pump. That's coming up at 9:15.
HOLMES: But first, "HOUSE CALL" with Dr. Sanjay Gupta starts right now.
