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Myanmar Reeling from Cyclone Nargis; Indiana, North Carolina Voters Head to the Polls; Georgia to Resume Death by Lethal Injection; Howard Dean Weighs in on Primaries
Aired May 06, 2008 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CO-HOST: OK. It may not be their last chance to turn the tide or close the deal, or do whatever they need to do, but for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, today's primary in Indiana and North Carolina are the last best chance. Together they're worth -- get this -- 187 pledged delegates, more than any other contest still on the calendar.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CO-HOST: At the moment, Obama has 1,745 delegates, by CNN's count. That's total. That includes super delegates. Clinton has 1,602. Now, whoever gets 2,025 gets the nomination.
LEMON: You saw there at the bottom, John Edwards has 19. Did you see that? Yes.
KEILAR: Yes, still.
LEMON: What happens to his? Maybe we'll ask Howard Dean. He's going to join us a little bit later on. He's chair of the DNC.
Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar in for Kyra Phillips. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
First this hour from Myanmar, the numbers are mind-numbing. State radio and opposition sources say more than 22,000 people were killed in the cyclone. That is more than double yesterday's count.
At least 41,000 may be missing, as many as a million people homeless. We don't know for sure, since many villages are virtually cut off from the rest of the world.
Food, shelter, safe drinking water all urgently needed. And many nations are offering it all, including the U.S.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our message is to the military rulers, let the United States come and help you, help the people. Our hearts go out to the people of Burma. We want to help them deal with this terrible disaster. At the same time, of course, we want them to live in a free society.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, few people were untouched by the killer storms. CNN's Dan Rivers and his crew have reached the southern township of Bogalay, where most everyone has lost nearly everything. He's the only western correspondent in that area.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This family is typical of those who've survived Cyclone Nargis. They're living in what remains of their house, but as you can see, it's completely destroyed. A lot of their possessions got swept away.
They have some food. You can see they've got some eggs and some rice that's been handed out by people in the town, but not very much, they say. Only -- it's going to allow them to eat for a few days.
But just have a look at the level of destruction over here. This is typical right across this region that we've driven through. Bogalay district is one of the hardest hit. There's talk of 10,000 people having been killed in this district. And many of the houses are made of this very flimsy material, which there's no match for Cyclone Nargis.
We have passed quite a lot of army convoys coming down here. Obviously, the authorities are doing what they can. The Red Cross has been out here, as well. But generally, every single house that we pass pretty much has been like this for the last, I guess, 30 kilometers. Just total destruction, almost 100 percent of the houses completely flattened.
The weather is still pretty bad, as well. There have been some pretty heavy rain storms. So it's just miserable for these people, having to survive under a bit of tarpaulin and gather what food they can.
Dan Rivers, CNN, southern Myanmar.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Much more ahead this afternoon right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We'll talk more about the devastation in Myanmar.
And we know that many of you just might want to help out. At CNN.com we have a special page on devastation in Myanmar, complete with links to reputable aid agencies that are organizing help for this region. This is a chance for you to impact your world and let us be your guide with that.
KEILAR: Early voting, new registrations, new registrations, lines at the polling sites. By any measure Hoosiers and North Carolinians are savoring their moment as the center of this political universe.
And CNN's Dan Lothian is in Indianapolis.
And Dan, I know the county clerk there is predicting a heavy voting day. Is that the case?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right on the money. Heavy turnout, not only in this city, but we're told all across the state and in this particular precinct where we're at, actually two precincts here, one here and one right next door, we're told that in the seven hours since they've been open they've already exceeded the all-time record for an entire day. So that gives you a good sense of how people really have been turning out to the polls.
As they've been coming here, we've been talking to them. And two of the issues that are important for many of these folks: the economy and the war in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The war in Iraq. The economy. Just the feeling that -- that the country is not going in the direction that it should be going.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's the economy and the war. The economy is really tough in Indiana right now. A lot of people don't have jobs. I feel lucky to have one. But who knows how long it's going to last?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LOTHIAN: now I had a chance to also ask about whether or not there was any impact, any influence at all from some of the negative campaigning, some of the controversies that surrounded the Democratic race here in the state. And some of the folks told me that they really didn't pay attention to it or they were turned off by it.
And what's interesting, for some, they still had a difficult time, despite all the face time that they got with the candidates in the state. They still had a difficult time making up their minds, one lady telling us that she didn't decide on a candidate until this morning -- Brianna.
KEILAR: Very interesting. Well, of course, Dan, some primaries are open; some are closed. Indiana has an open primary. Can you just explain what that means?
LOTHIAN: That's right. Right. Essentially, if you have a closed primary that means that you have to -- since this is a Democratic primary, you would have to register as a Democrat in order to take part in the primary.
This is open. That means that you can come in here as either Republican or Democrat. Doesn't matter what party you're registered to. And you can take part in this election.
And again, the fact that we're told by many of the people showing up here that the fact that this race has been so competitive, that it has lasted this long to where they feel that their vote actually counts, that is helping to kind of fuel the kinds of turnouts that we're hearing about here today.
KEILAR: All right. Dan Lothian keeping an eye on things for us in Indianapolis, thanks.
LEMON: Well, the head of the North Carolina Board of Elections says he can't remember a primary with this much excitement around it. Almost half a million voters cast ballots there before the first precinct opened this morning.
And CNN's Susan Candiotti is watching the voting. She is in Raleigh, North Carolina.
And Susan, you heard Dan Lothian talk about the turnout there. How's the turnout where you are?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's been very, very busy. People were lining up here out into the church parking lot before the polls even opened at 6:30 in the morning.
And as you indicated, at least a half million people participated via early voting. They are expecting 50 percent of Democrats to vote. Normally, it would be 30 percent in a primary.
Just to give you a quick look around here, we're at this church parking lot here. This is the polling place. And you've got all kinds of banners and signs out for all kinds of candidates. There is a friendly upbeat atmosphere here, light jazz playing in the background. But make no mistake: everyone here knows that this is a crucial contest.
Obama has always been in the lead here in North Carolina. And the latest polls on average, taken by CNN, all told, put him now up by two more points only since yesterday. So he is now ahead of Senator Clinton 51 percent to 41 percent.
Now the presidential race here, of course, is a big draw. But the governor's job is also up for grabs. And so people here are also drawn to the polls because of that.
Only one minor problem has been reported in the Outer Banks. That's when the person who was in charge of running the show out there didn't show up with all the materials he was supposed to have. So people there, what did they do? They drove about eight miles or so down the road and went to the next polling place.
But just to make sure no one is disenfranchised, we are hearing from the head of elections in the state of North Carolina they will keep the polls open in that precinct by just one hour. So they will close at 8:30 instead of 7:30 there.
Back to you, Don.
LEMON: OK, Susan. So you've been talking to some of the people there. Any issue at the top of mind there for the voters?
CANDIOTTI: For the most part you have to talk about the economy. Everyone is talking about gas prices. And I noticed in the last 24, 48 hours, that's the bulk of the ads that both candidates have been running, too. Hillary Clinton's idea about that summer relief gas break, taxes, and Barack Obama just saying it's not worth it. You'd only save about $3 all summer. It doesn't do any good in the end.
So the economy, gas prices, that's what we're hearing from people for the most part.
LEMON: People are concerned about their wallets, I'm sure. OK. Thank you very much for that, Susan Candiotti.
At 20 past the hour, DNC chairman Howard Dean. It's his party, but he's not crying about the nomination battle that never seems to end. We'll hear why right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. That will happen in just a little bit, about ten minutes.
Are you voting today in North Carolina or Indiana? If so send us an I-Report. We'd love to hear from you. Just go to IReport.com and send your photos, your video and any stories as you head to the polls there. We may feature it on our special coverage later this evening -- Brianna.
KEILAR: This just in to the NEWSROOM. We have information about a big drug bust that is involving some students at San Diego State University, of course in California.
Almost 100 people were arrested as a result of an undercover drug operation at San Diego State University. You're looking here. This is a cooler with some -- what appears to be money, perhaps some drugs, some drug paraphernalia. This is some of the evidence that was seized by the DEA, the Drug Enforcement Administration.
It said that 75 students were among those arrested, among the almost 100 who were arrested. And this includes students who were actually working toward criminal justice and homeland security degrees.
Now, according to a news release from the DEA, campus police, the DEA, they began this undercover operation following the death of a student from an overdose back in May of 2007. There was a second overdose death that occurred as recently as February at a fraternity house there.
You're looking at a text message that apparently is some of the information that was seized by these investigators, a text message that was used in a drug transaction.
And so DEA agents were able to infiltrate this several-student drug distribution cells. That's what they say. And they arrested again, 75 students and 21 non-students, a variety of drug charges here ranging from possession to selling cocaine.
We're going to have much more ahead here in the CNN NEWSROOM as officials there are planning a news conference and will bring that to you within the next hour.
LEMON: All right. Well, just a few months ago, $3 a gallon? Well, for gas, it seemed like a nightmare, but now it is a dream for most Americans. And one struggling car company wants to help you lock it in.
Susan Lisovicz is on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange today with the very latest on this.
OK, wants to help us lock in cheaper gas prices? Is that what's happening?
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. You get the savings, the gas savings, Don, and it hopefully will boost its sales.
Remember, Detroit has not exactly been known for its energy efficient cars. It's something that it's more recently adapting to. But Chrysler says it will guarantee gas $2.99 per gallon for three years, up to 12,000 miles per. The offer is good through June 2 on most of its models.
The way it works is that you get a special gas card, and when you charge your gas, it will get charged to your personal -- personal card at those rates. You get -- you'd save about $465 for 12,000 miles driving a Dodge Ram pickup.
I know you got a lot of cars and vehicles, Don. I'm not quite sure a pickup is in your fleet.
LEMON: No, only one that I drive. The other one is just for -- just for fun. No pickups in the fleet, but you know, we can always use one, especially when it comes to weekend housework warriors and that kind of thing.
I'm afraid to speculate on just how high gas and oil prices are likely to go, because it seems they've just been going up and up and up, Susan.
LISOVICZ: Right. And I'm looking at the board right now. Oil is trading more than $2 higher and just -- yes, just over $122 a barrel. These levels basically doubled what we saw just a year ago.
A fresh prediction forecast from Goldman Sachs says crude could trade as high as $200 a barrel in the next two years. At those levels the folks from the Oil Price Institute say gas -- a gallon of gas would approach $6.
Of course this is having a huge impact on consumers and companies alike. Take a look at what JetBlue is doing. It will suspend indefinitely its plans for transcontinental flights from L.A. to New York and Boston. The company says it can't support the flights at current fuel prices without incurring major losses.
LISOVICZ: As for stocks, well, we've rebounded from some losses we saw earlier in the session. Right now modest gains despite that bug step up in oil prices. Right now the Dow is up 32 points. The NASDAQ is up 13 points.
We are seeing some fresh losses to Fannie Mae. The biggest backer of home loans lost more than $2 billion in the first quarter. That was worse than expected. But Fannie Mae and some financials are rallying. And we're seeing a modest rally at this point, despite a $2 jump in oil just today. That is a jump, by the way, Don, of about $10 since last Thursday.
LEMON: Oh, OK. Susan Lisovicz, we'll check back. Thank you.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
KEILAR: Interpol hardly ever asks for your help, but they're so worried about this guy and what he could do, they are making an exception.
And more on our breaking story, a major drug bust at San Diego State University. We've got new details coming into the NEWSROOM, and we will bring it to you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Well, hours from now Georgia could become the first state to resume executions after a Supreme Court ruling upholding lethal injections. More now from CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If the state of Georgia gets its way, William Earl Lynd will be put to death by lethal injection tonight. He was convicted of killing his girlfriend as she lay incapacitated in the trunk of his car.
TOMMY FLOYD, PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS COUNCIL OF GEORGIA: There comes a time when enough is enough. If we're going to have a death penalty in this country and in this state, it ought to be carried out in an expeditious manner.
ARENA: Last month the Supreme Court ruled that lethal injection is constitutional. At least eight states immediately scheduled executions, believing they got a green light to proceed. But the justices examined the way that executions are carried out, only in Kentucky.
GEORGE KENDALL, DEATH PENALTY APPELLATE ATTORNEY: In other states that have executed, there's been a pattern of executions gone awry, where things have gone wrong.
ARENA: What's more, death penalty opponents say not every state follows the same procedures as Kentucky, opening the door for more appeals.
James Craig represents a Death Row defendant in Mississippi, which uses a lower dosage of drugs than Kentucky.
JAMES CRAIG, CARL BERRY'S ATTORNEY: I don't think Mississippi's procedures, to the extent we know about them, will -- will withstand the scrutiny that Kentucky's did.
First of all, Mississippi, like a lot of states, conducts these proceedings with the utmost secrecy.
ARENA: It's unclear whether the Supreme Court would accept another lethal injection challenge, but opponents won't stop there.
(on camera) Just last week one more Death Row inmate was exonerated, this time in North Carolina. Truth, opponents say, of a system that is fundamentally flawed.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: Hail, heavy rains and maybe a few tornadoes, even. Let's get to Chad Myers in the CNN weather center. I mean, it seems just like this never-ending saga of this weather for people in the middle of the country, Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KEILAR: We know you'll be watching. And I like how you did some cardio there during your forecast. We should have your computer malfunction more often.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's OK. No problem.
KEILAR: Thanks, Chad.
MYERS: You bet.
LEMON: In just a few minutes DNC chair Howard Dean, it is his party, but he is not crying about the nomination battle that seems to never end. We'll hear why straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Just what are women looking for this election season? That is big on candidates' minds, since women are expected to easily outnumber men at the polls.
CNN's Randi Kaye traveled to one of today's key primary states, Indiana, to see what women are thinking.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What does it sound like in Indiana these days?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At least I'm going to go in and I'm going to be informed.
KAYE: That's the sound of an informal caucus.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't look at them both as individuals regardless of their race or their gender.
KAYE: One of dozens happening daily around the state. Just days before the primary, Nicole Schoville was still undecided.
NICOLE SCHOVILLE, UNDECIDED VOTER: I am doing my homework, and I'm very methodical and analytical when I make decisions. Sometimes it drives my husband crazy, but that's how I am.
KAYE: That, some experts say, is why most women wait longer than men to pick a candidate. Women want specifics and solutions.
Dawn Yingling, a single mom, is voting for Hillary Clinton. CNN polls show she's trailing Barack Obama among women nationwide, though leading among white women.
DAWN YINGLING, HILLARY CLINTON SUPPORTER: She doesn't just talk about what she wants to do. She talks about how she's going to go about doing it.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let's investigate these high prices.
KAYE (on camera): What do women want here in Indiana? Affordability and security. They want a candidate who can deliver on the economy, education and health care. Someone who gets it, who can prove to them he or she understands their daily struggles.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you don't have health insurance, then I want to make sure you can buy health insurance that's as good as the health care I have as a member of Congress.
KAYE: Do you see the difference in what women and men think about?
SCHOVILLE: He's more about the economy and, you know, about the war. I think he's more on a global perspective than I am. I feel like I'm more centered in the community, on more of a local level, a more personal level than he is.
KAYE (voice-over): Women look at issues that hit close to home: survival issues, the rising cost of gasoline and groceries.
YINGLING: We fill up the gas tank. We buy the groceries. I want to think about the whole world, but day-to-day, I'm thinking about what's happening in my house. I'm thinking about whether or not I can pay the electric bill.
KAYE: Women like candidates they can identify with. Stephanie Spirer, just 26, favors Obama. Like him, she was saddled with student debt.
STEPHANIE SPIRER, VOTING FOR OBAMA: And I know how much it costs to go to college. The debts that students accumulate right now is astronomical.
KAYE: Nicole works two jobs and still can't afford health care.
SCHOVILLE: Do we stand a chance of losing our health because we can't afford, you know, our hospital bills? I mean, these are really huge issues for us.
KAYE: Finally, women like to be inspired. Sally Zweig was so moved by Obama's message, she switched her vote.
SALLY ZWEIG, SWITCHED FROM CLINTON TO OBAMA: That's really what turned it for me, and I think that's something you cannot walk away from, you cannot ignore. I remember Kennedy as president. I remember a 45-year-old president and what that did for the country.
KAYE: Bottom line: you don't have to be a woman to get the woman's vote. But you may have to think like one.
Randi Kaye, CNN, Indianapolis.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: You can be the first to know the results in today's primaries. Just sign up for CNN breaking news e-mail alerts, and you'll know when we know. You can sign up at CNN.com.
LEMON: All right. The Clinton/Obama marathon has been -- well, you can say it's been great for the Democratic Party or awful, depending on whom you ask and when.
Likewise, this has been a great time or an awful time to be chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and only one man can answer that one, and that is Howard Dean. He joins us now from Washington with his thoughts on the race, the party and the vote in November.
Thanks for joining us today. I know it's a very busy day for you as for your two candidates, who are still in the hunt here.
HOWARD DEAN, DNC CHAIRMAN: Thanks for having me on, Don.
LEMON: I've got to ask you. Depending on today, I mean, have you come up with different scenarios as far as plans if Clinton wins both today or if they split them or Barack Obama wins both? Have you come up with a plan that you're -- you're going to ask them or the super delegates or the party to do after this, after today?
DEAN: No. Our plan has been clear right from the, I'd say five or six or eight weeks ago when we realized this was probably going to go to June 3. And that is one, let the voters speak. Let them say who they're for. Give them the time to do that. Respect -- I know everybody in places that have already voted are going, "Oh, my Lord, how long is this going to go on?"
The people are so excited in Indiana and North Carolina and Indiana today. Hundreds of thousands of new people coming to vote, hundreds of thousands of people switching from the Republican Party so they can vote for one of these Democrats. That's a big deal. And it's happening in 50 states.
LEMON: It is a big deal.
DEAN: It's extraordinary.
LEMON: It's interesting that you say that: let the people speak, let the votes count. Because we know about Michigan; we know about Florida. And some people say that the voters there are not -- their voices are not being heard. You have said that you plan to seat all of those delegates.
DEAN: I haven't said that at all.
LEMON: OK. I heard an interview where you said to you plan to, at the convention or at least to have them make their votes count. How do you plan to do that?
DEAN: What I have said is that we will -- I will do everything I can to seat delegations, some kind of delegations from Florida and Michigan.
Now there's a rules committee meeting on the 31st of May. We will decide -- or the rules committee will decide how to do that. And in order to do that, you've got -- there are three principles you have to take under consideration.
One is we want to respect the voters who went to the polls. There was politicians that made a mess of this, not the voters.
Secondly, you have got to respect these two candidates. You cannot change the rules at the end of the game and change the outcome.
Thirdly, you've got to respect the 48 states that followed the rules the way they were supposed to, that honored the other states and did the right thing.
And so there will be some sort of compromise in the rules committee on the 31st of May, I hope. And I hope there will result in seating delegations from Florida and Michigan. But we don't know what that compromise is going to look like right now.
LEMON: All right. Let's just be honest. There are people who are saying, "You know what? This is splitting the party apart." Some people are saying, "You know, this is great." I led into you by saying that I've been reading people saying, "You know what? This is the best thing and the most exciting and interesting primary season we've had in over two decades."
Do you believe that?
DEAN: I do. It's extraordinary. It's actually since 1968 was the last time the race went this far. We are getting thousands -- actually hundreds of thousands of new voters from the Republican Party in all 50 states. We have all of this stuff.
In the last three years we've spent putting into technology that we didn't have before -- we have all these folks' addresses. We know what they believe in. We know what they want. We know how to get them to come out and vote in the fall. It's unbelievable to have a vote in a place like Pennsylvania or even North Carolina or Indiana, which could be important states for us in the fall. And have a dry-run election with both candidates getting all the air time they're getting. People are really excited about this.
And I know the rest of the country is going, "Oh, Lord, when is this going to be over?" I want the rest of the country to remember how excited you were to have your state count for the first time in 40 years in these primaries.
LEMON: OK.
DEAN: It is an extraordinary thing today in Indiana and North Carolina.
LEMON: While you are focusing on the issues. You're trying to, at least. And the candidates are trying to focus on the issues, we've had all this outside stuff. You know of course the Reverend Wright stuff, Bosnia, all this stuff that comes into the elections here, that some people are focusing on.
Meantime, the Republicans are concentrating on their agenda and getting what they want to out. John McCain talking about the importance of electing judges. I want you to hear what he has to say, and then we'll talk about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Senators Obama and Clinton have very different ideas from my own. They're both lawyers themselves, and don't seem to mind at all when fundamental questions of social policy are preemptively decided by judges instead of by the people and their elected representatives.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That is getting the message across with really no opponent to take another side there.
DEAN: Well, I think if you've seen some of the ads that we've put out on Senator McCain, they've been very powerful. The Republican committee is going crazy because of those ads, because they show John McCain in his own words, he drops 10 points when people -- independent voters see our ad about his Iraq policy, the 100-year policy that he's got.
LEMON: But how do you respond to him when talking about judges? Because that's going to be...
DEAN: I'll tell you exactly. The Republican Party, the right wing of the Republican Party, which includes both Senator McCain and George Bush, has engaged in putting people on the courts who should not be on the courts. Even Alberto Gonzales, the former attorney general, said that one of these candidates that John McCain voted for was an extreme and unconscionable judicial activists. Right wingers have put judicial activists who have the made law where it doesn't exist, and you've it again and again and again. The voter I.D. law that was passed in Indiana, it was a perfect example last week put together by the majority that George Bush has caused to be appointed with the appointment of Sam Alito and John Roberts.
LEMON: Is it your belief that that's voter suppression?
DEAN: Of course it is voter suppression. The court themselves admitted there was not one single incidence of voter fraud prosecuted in the state of Indiana in its history from people who voted, and they still made it harder for people to vote.
This is what's wrong with John McCain. He's wrong on the courts, he's wrong on Iraq, he's wrong on the economy, he's wrong on health care, supporting President Bush' veto of the children's health care bill. He's even sadly wrong on torture. He went out and stood up against using torture, which the United States should not be using if we want to be a great nation. And then he supported President Bush veto of the bill that would have stopped it. This is a guy who is back in the 1940s, and we need a president for 2010.
LEMON: Mr. Dean, I'm up against the time issue here, and I apologize in advance, but I need to get to this quickly, and If you can answer quickly. Are we placing too much importance on the superdelegates, and should it be on the pledged or unpledged delegates so far who may end up deciding this?
DEAN: All of these delegates are elected by various constituencies in the Democratic Party. For the most part they're either elected officials who are responsible to -- elected to voters, or they're members of the Democratic National Committee who look like voters. They are every size, shape, color, 50 percent are women. So I don't...
LEMON: But what I'm saying -- the unpledged delegates make a decision that may be able to help you as far as deciding who's the nominee's going to be without going to the superdelegates?
DEAN: The unpledged delegates and superdelegates are the same thing. Superdelegates is a word that's a creation of the media. There's no such thing actually as a superdelegate. Unpledged delegates are people who are elected and aren't pledged. And we're asking them to cast their votes alongside with these other folks that are voting in these primaries. And we'd like them all to say who they are for by the end of June, and then we'll know who our nominee is.
LEMON: By the end of June. OK, good. That explains it. Thank you very much for that explanation. Howard Dean, the head of the DNC, we appreciate you joining us here today in the CNN NEWSROOM. Always a pleasure to have you.
Later on in the NEWSROOM, the victory chair of the Republican National Committee, Carly Fiorina, she's going to join us in a little bit to talk to us about what Howard Dean just had to say, respond to him. She's going to join us in a little bit right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
KEILAR: Myanmar is a country in crisis after that deadly cyclone that killed thousands. And our international assignment editors and correspondents are working overtime to bring you every angle of this story. T.J. Holmes with that and more in the NEWSROOM.
Also, a worldwide manhunt under way. The target, this man, a white male suspected of sexually abusing young boys in Southeast Asia.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
KEILAR: The death toll soaring from a monster cyclone halfway around the world. Our T.J. Holmes is tracking Myanmar developments from our international desk.
What is the latest, T.J.?
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, we get it the best we can. It is a tough situation, of course, on the ground there in Myanmar. Information is tough to come by. We're trying to collect it the best way we can. A lot of it is coming online.
But just the numbers are staggering. Again, state television, radio, they're reporting now that some 22,000 have been killed. Who knows if that number could go up.
But let's just show you some of the pictures we are getting here. This is from the Democratic Voice of Burma. This is an antigovernment group. You can see some of the devastation here as it was happening. Roofs were peeling off. We've been hearing a lot about that. Of course the flooded streets, wind, rain whipping all around. And look at that picture there, just folks just trying to make it through.
Again, on Friday and Saturday some 10 hours straight of rain, 20 inches of rain dumped on Myanmar in certain areas. So just a devastating scenario happening there.
A Chinese news agency reporting to us that more than 10,000 were killed in particular in the township of Bogalay, again, the township of Bogalay. That's in the country's southern delta region, as you're seeing here. So if this turns out to be the case, then this would mean that more than -- or about half of the total number killed would have been in this one particular township.
We're getting reports from our people on the ground that there are just so many bodies out there that they're actually being dumped in the river. One particular area, particular village there in the Bogalay region, where some 369 homes were, only four survived. The rest destroyed. And the big humanitarian issue right now with food, also with water, the water supply pretty much cutoff in many areas. There's no power, most telephone, cell phone service is out. Transportation just almost impossible in some of these areas right now. We do have some help in telling some of these -- telling this story from an i-Reporter here. Erik has been sending us a few i- Reports. Here's another shot just of people on foot making their way through, trying to make their way around some of the devastated areas. Also, a picture here of a road partially blocked. You see several cars being hid by this -- by a tree, a big tree that's gone down there. I believe we do have another one from him as well.
But big problem here. You see the cars. Even if you have one, it's tough to get around for one thing, but also gas. The gas prices have just shot up since this storm hit, quadrupling by some accounts that we are getting.
Also, we're getting some information, and we can give you this excerpt we've got from an op ed really in the Southeast Asia news magazine, this is a magazine that covers this area, but again, we're trying to get as much information as we can and some of it is trickling in through Web sites and also reports like this, but saying that, "Some reports from the devastated country speak of looting and even rioting, as prices of food and other essentials soar. Shock and anger are the prevailing mood of the people."
And also, a sad note we found on the Internet as well from one missionary group that is trying to get in touch with its people that it had on the ground. Says, "We have a critical situation in Yangoon. Communications have been cut off. I have not been able to make contact with our people. All we can do at this point is to pray."
So, everybody's trying to reach out. Everybody's trying to help. Everybody's trying to get information. Also, stories from family members trying to get ahold of people on the ground.
And a lot of you all want to help in a situation like this. So, if you would like to, you can go to our Web site, CNN.com/impact to find out how you can directly start making contributions and how else you might be able to help in, Brianna, what has just been an unbelievable disaster right now.
KEILAR: That's right, if you want to donate money, you can find reputable charity organizations and the like there. T.J. at the International Desk, thank you.
HOLMES: All right, Brianna.
LEMON: A worldwide manhunt is under way for this man, check out his picture here. He is suspected of sexually abusing boys as young as six-years-old. The International Police Agency INTERPOL is taking the rare step of appealing to the public for information to help identify the suspect.
And CNN's Phil Black joins us now from London with the very latest on this -- Phil?
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Don.
Yes, this is only the second time that INTERPOL has launched such a public campaign to find a suspected pedophile. For two years, they've been hunting a man who they say shamelessly appears in photos abusing young boys. Now, they need the public's help to find this mystery predator.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLACK (voice-over): The images are clear. His identity isn't. The world police organization, INTERPOL, says this man is a pedophile. His name and nationality are unknown. They claim to have 100 images which show him sexually abusing at least three boys, aged between six and 10. The photos were found on a computer in Norway, but it's believed they were taken somewhere in Southeast Asia.
It's not much to go on. Investigators have been trying to find this man since 2006. They've now decided to ask for the public's help.
KRISTIN KVIGNE, INTERPOL'S HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT: We're doing this appeal now because all lines of police investigation have failed. And we believe that this man, because there are so many images out there and he's linked to several children, is someone that can abuse again, can and will abuse again.
BLACK: Going public as an investigative tool is something INTERPOL has only recently embraced. Last year, the organization appealed for information on this man, Christopher Paul Neil, a Canadian teacher who appeared in Internet photos with a swirl effect hiding his face. Investigators were able to decipher the images and once they were released, Neil was tracked to Thailand where he's now facing child sex charges.
INTERPOL is hoping for a similar result in its hunt for this man and they're confident someone, somewhere, must know him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLACK: They're confident because the quality of these images is so high. And either way, INTERPOL says that publicly and internationally outing suspected pedophiles is something they're going to be doing more of in the future when they believe children are at risk, Don.
LEMON: Phil Black in London. Phil, thank you.
KEILAR: A deal at the pharmacy counter. Yes, it is true. More prescription drugs cheaper than ever before. Dr. Sanjay Gupta saves you money in just minutes.
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LEMON: When money's tight across the board, Wal-Mart announces plans that could save you more on prescription drugs. It's expanding its $4 program and now, Target plans to match part of it.
Here's our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He'll explain. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: We know a lot of people spend up to thousands of dollars a month, each month, for prescription drugs. People looking to defray some of those costs. What Wal-Mart is proposing might actually help.
Now, it's important to note this is actually the next phase, if you will, of the prescription drug plan. Take a look specifically at what it means. There's 350 generic medications around that that are now going to be offered at $10 a month for a 90-day supply. Previous phase of the program was around $4 for a 30-day supply.
What does that specifically mean to you? Well, take a look at some common medications that are often prescribed. Fosamax, for example. The generic version of that will be $9 for a 30-day supply. Previously, $54 for a 30-day supply.
If you keep going down the list, looking at some of the other common medications, Paroxetine, $10, $150 at most other pharmacies. Metformin, which is a diabetes medication, $10 versus $63. Levothyroxine for low thyroid, $10 versus $54.
Is this going to make a difference? Well, Wal-Mart says this is going to cover about 95 percent of the medications that are taken out there. And they're sort of setting the trend. Late last night, according to the "Associated Press," Target also announced it is going to match a lot of these programs.
Now, take a look overall at drug costs in this country. I mean, they have gone up considerably. $216 billion a year roughly in 2006. Now, what's even more concerning, that's up 50 percent from 2001. And they do have effect, those costs. People foregoing these medications in order to pay their mortgage, in order to buy food. A lot of times, skipping their doses.
There are other things that might make a difference as well. If you're watching this right now and have been struggling with health care costs, specifically generic drugs, talk to your doctor about this. But there are some generic drugs that may be very appropriate.
And this other tip will require a little bit of reading on your part, but if you look at the insurance plan that you have and you're taking a certain medication, make sure that medication is on the formulary or there's a comparable medication.
Mail order plans. Now, this is typically for three-month supply of drugs. And look for static co-pays, pay the $10, $15, $20 instead of a percentage. Those percentages are going to get higher and higher as drug costs go higher.
Finally, and a lot of doctors may not tell you this, but you could actually break a lot of pills in half. In fact, a lot of them are actually scored down the middle. Again, talk to your doctor about this. But if you can break it in half, you'll get double the number of pills for the same amount of money. There are some Web sites out there that could be a benefit as well. Take a look, Medicare.gov, copays.org, pparx.org. As more tips come to us to help lower the costs for you, we'll bring them to you.
Back to you for now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: And a story that we're following here in the NEWSROOM, a pretty big drug bust in San Diego. And what's interesting here, we're talking about almost 100 people arrested. We're talking -- many of those who were arrested are students. That's right, this is near San Diego State University. So, drug bust there.
And we're going to tell you more about this ahead in the NEWSROOM as we expect a news conference coming up at the top of the hour.
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KEILAR: You may have heard more in the past few weeks about the federal gas tax than you ever heard before or ever wanted to know. And for that, you can thank the presidential candidates. The gas tax holiday is the latest political flashpoint, though certainly not the last.
And joining me with some insights are Mark Halperin of "Time" magazine, also Sally Quinn of the "Washington Post."
Let's talk gas tax holiday first. Clinton says, yes, this is a good thing. Barack Obama's campaign saying it's only going to save you a half tank of gas, it's really a shell game. What do you guys think?
SALLY QUINN, WASHINGTON POST: Well, I am not an economist, and as Hillary Clinton says, she's not either and she doesn't care what the economists think, but I haven't seen a single economist, or a single editorial, or a single article that says that this is a good idea. So, it would seem that it was taking advantage of this political situation that she's doing. I must say that it's risky on the part of Obama to say that he's against what she's proposing because ...
KEILAR: Sure, Sally, because let me ask Mark, I mean, it's pretty attractive when you say you're going to save money on gas.
QUINN: Yes, yes, exactly, yes. And you know, it's a very courageous thing to say. It's like, remember Mondale said, you know, we're going to have to raise taxes, and everybody said, OK, that's it, he's over, he's not going to get elected president and he didn't. And of course, they had to raise taxes. So, everybody knows that it isn't true.
But I think that there's this lollipop that's hanging out there, and you say, oh well, gosh, you know, summer vacation, and maybe I can save a little -- a few bucks. And I think it's tough to take a position like Obama's taking. KEILAR: And Mark, I want to bring you in on another issue that's pretty big today. When we're looking at the events going on today, it was pretty much John McCain. He was talking about sort of his judicial philosophy, if you will, in North Carolina. Basically, pledging that he would nominate conservative judges.
If John McCain were to become president, how might this change the face of an already -- a Supreme Court that's been leaning more conservative obviously, but also other federal courts?
MARK HALPERIN, TIME MAGAZINE: Well, President Bush has made a high priority, not just getting those two conservatives on the Supreme Court but also the lower courts, nominating and getting confirmed a lot of conservatives.
I'm not sure given his record that John McCain would be every bit as determined as George Bush was on that front. But he does aim to let that message go out to conservatives, that he understands their belief that this is a really important part of being president. The speech today was his opening bid there.
And what's going to be interesting I think in terms of the politics of this is George Bush is great at pressing those hot buttons, those issues that don't just appeal to conservatives, but also appeal to a lot of voters in the center who care about issues like judges who don't legislate from the bench. It'll be interesting to see if McCain can carry that as a points of contrast as George Bush did when he ran for president.
KEILAR: So guys, just want to tell you, we have about a minute left. But I want to talk now hypotheticals about today. Does it really matter how things turn out today? Will we just continue to, I guess, if you will, slog through this Democratic primary season no matter what the outcome?
QUINN: I think that we are going to see this campaign go on at least until June 3rd. As Bill Clinton would say, until the last dog dies. But I do think that the superdelegates are finally going to put an end to everyone's misery in June because I think that people can't take it anymore. And the campaign's fatigue (ph) ...
KEILAR: And Sally, Sally, I'm sorry to interrupt you. I want to get Mark in there with the last word.
HALPERIN: If Obama wins both, I think Clinton is underestimating how much pressure she'll come under to get out of the race. And if Clinton wins both, I think Obama is underestimating just what a psychological blow that will be for his campaign.
KEILAR: All right, Mark Halperin, senior political analyst at "Time" magazine, Sally Quinn at the "Washington Post," thanks to both of you for being with us.
HALPERIN: Thanks.
LEMON: Thousands upon thousands are dead, missing or homeless. Offers of aid are piling up and starting to trickle in to Myanmar. The view from the ground in the NEWSROOM.
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LEMON: A college campus drug bust, dozens arrested. New details coming into the CNN NEWSROOM this hour.
Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon live here at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar.
You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
