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American Morning
John Edwards Endorses Obama; McCain Sets Goals Today; Child Rescued After Being Buried for Two Days in Rubble; Myanmar Government Stealing Aid; White Valedictorian Graduates at Morehouse College
Aired May 15, 2008 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He also questioned Obama's political courage.
JOHN EDWARDS (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Why would you over 100 times vote present.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: John --
EDWARDS: I mean, every one of us -- every one of us, you have criticized Hillary. You have criticized me for our votes. We've cast hundreds and hundreds of votes. What you have criticizing her for, by the way, you've done to us.
MALVEAUX: But on this night, the two put their differences aside, Edwards, Obama, and a nod to their opponent.
OBAMA: If you're willing to set down the cynicism and put down the fear and join John Edwards and Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and the Democrats, then I promise you, we will not just win this election, we will change the country.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And, John, talking to those who were in on the secret, those who were talking to Edwards right before he actually made his announcement, said this was a really tough decision for him. He had got to know both of these candidates very well over the last couple of months and as you had heard in his speech, he called Clinton a woman of steel, having character and strength. But he said it was Barack Obama who was the bold leader.
And now, what's happening, John, is these two men sitting down side by side really trying to plot how they're going to campaign together in the fall. It will not happen until there's an official nominee, but once that happens, they will get out there and they will work very hard they say together to make sure that he's the president -- John.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Suzanne, what's the read on that portion of the speech where he talked extensively about Hillary Clinton? Was that to say to the Clinton campaign, it's over, or was that to potentially set her up as a running mate? MALVEAUX: There wasn't a sense that they were setting her up as a running mate. I mean, there's been a lot of discussion about that. If anything, it was interesting how they actually said that the two of them almost had the same agenda, that they were a team together.
I had asked about whether or not John Edwards was interested in that second spot. Once again he said, no, he was not. His aide said, no. That wasn't what he was gunning for.
But it really to me was a sense of like a nod to Clinton here. She had worked really, really hard trying to get his endorsement. They have become close, but ultimately John Edwards looked at the math and he also looked at the tone of what was happening and really felt that it was weakening Obama, and it was weakening the party the longer this continues, and he said it was time to shut it down. It was time to move on -- John.
ROBERTS: Yes, a lot of people are betting if Edwards wants a position in a potential Obama administration it might be attorney general. Suzanne Malveaux for us this morning from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Suzanne, thanks.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Time to one of the positions (ph), John McCain wants the position of president. He's gearing up for a war speech today. Dana Bash on the phone with us out of Washington, D.C. Dana, what can we expect?
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Well, actually, this is going to be a speech like I've never heard a candidate give. I'm not sure anybody else has. What he's going to do is he's going to turn the clock forward and he's going to imagine that it's the end of his first term assuming that he wins here, and he's going to describe the kinds of things basically that he would want to accomplish if he is president.
He goes through -- really goes around the globe, but the big picture scene that he is pushing in this speech is that he intends to act differently, intends to reach across the aisle. He says he will have Democrats in his administration. He says he will have weekly press conferences. He even said that he will ask to go to Congress and take questions and even criticism from members of Congress, much like they do across the pond in the British parliament system.
He's also talking about the fact that, and this is sort of an interesting note here given what we saw from President Bush five years ago, he is saying that he envisions a situation where the Iraq war has been won, the Iraq war has been won. That's something that he is going to say. And he is going to say that he hopes by the end of his first term that most of the combat troops will be back in the United States.
But it's really -- he also says that he envisions a time where he will actually have caught Osama bin Laden, and he talks about health care. He talks about ethics. He talks about earmark reform. He basically talks about John McCain's Utopian world if he can get all the things that he's talking about on the campaign trail accomplished. Again, not something that we've heard from a candidate. It's going to be a very interesting way of presenting the kinds of goals that he has coming up if he is actually elected president, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And we will hear from John McCain and his speech and about those visions later on today. Dana Bash, thank you so much.
Well, talk about a new vision. If you picked up the papers this morning and read what former RNCC Chairman Tom Davis said, he said the image of the Republican Party needs to be revamped, that it is the worst since Watergate.
Congressman Tom Cole, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee now, joining us live once again from the Hill. Congressman, I think we got your mike fixed. Are we good to go?
REP. TOM COLE, CHAIRMAN, NATL. REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL CMTE.: It's been that kind of week.
PHILLIPS: Yes, exactly. Boy, you talk about repairing the image of the Republican Party, we're just working on our audio issues this morning. You know, it could get worse.
But let me -- let's get right back to what your predecessor was saying. This quote stood out to us this morning. He writes, "The Republican reputation is just in the trash can, and if this were a brand of dog food, you would just take it off the shelf because nobody is buying it."
Harsh words for your party. How do you respond?
COLE: Well, again, as I said earlier, I think sometimes your best friends tell you the hard truth, and I think Tom makes some very important points.
I think the silver lining from the Republican standpoint is simply that there's nothing wrong with our values. As a matter of fact, the Democrats ran on the values and issues in Mississippi and Louisiana, ran as pro-gun, pro-life. They wanted to cut taxes. They want to hold down spending. Sounded a lot like a Republican.
I think the message people were sending to us is we're not sure you're living up to your own beliefs and commitments. And, second, we want you to talk not just about your opponents, but we want you to tell us what you're specifically going to do. And we've already begun to address that.
We rolled out this week our agenda for American families, and I think you'll see in subsequent weeks other ideas, but we've got to be positive and innovative as well as critical of our opponents.
PHILLIPS: Well, how do you -- how do you become innovative? I mean, what is the answer?
COLE: Well, actually I -- PHILLIPS: Davis goes on to say look, it's President Bush. It's his reputation. This is what has caused the demise of the Republican Party, and you have -- it's 20 seats in the House, six in the Senate at risk as these losses continue.
COLE: Well, yes, I'm not convinced the fall election will be anything like that at all. Quite frankly, I think we'll have a great debate between John McCain and Barack Obama that will be very helpful to the Republican Party, and we'll clarify the issues.
Now, John McCain is running very well, well ahead of what a generic Republican is doing because he's done exactly the types of things that Tom has suggested in his memo. He's been bipartisan. He's staked out independent solutions, he's offered specifics. If we do that as a party, I think we'll do equally well.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Well, do you think John McCain --
COLE: And I look forward to the contest.
PHILLIPS: Do you think John McCain has purposefully disassociated himself with President Bush because of this image problem?
COLE: No, not at all. Again, I don't think it's helpful in the fall election to be in an argument with your own president. And frankly, I think the president, and he has told us this much, knows that he will recede during the course of the campaign.
Campaigns in America are about the future, not about the past. So I think, you know, the president's got a lot to be proud of and we're certainly proud of him, but the discussion in the fall will be about where does America go. And I think we've got the winning ideas in that. I think, frankly, Democrats have gone very far to the left. I think they'll pay a price for that in November.
PHILLIPS: Your phone must be ringing off the hook. There's got to be pressure on you. Are you getting the phone calls to step down?
COLE: No. Again, I think these things -- you know, there's a sort of Washington parlor games that go on and then there's real politics across America. I have been doing this a long time, and I think I understand the situation that we're in. I also frankly am much more optimistic about it than I think the pundits are today. So mood will change many times between now and November, and I think mostly to our advantage.
PHILLIPS: We'll be following it. Congressman Tom Cole, appreciate it.
COLE: You bet.
PHILLIPS: John? ROBERTS: Eight minutes after the hour now. We're just about an hour away from President Bush who is going to be addressing the Israeli parliament. He is there to push the stalled Israeli- Palestinian talks to mark the nation's 60th anniversary. Live picture there this morning from inside the Knesset. The president said the United States is Israel's "oldest and best friend in the world."
Meantime, a rocket ripping through an Israeli mall just as Prime Minister Olmert and President Bush talked about violence in the region. A chunk of the roof came down, glass, and twisted metal injuring more than a dozen people. A group aligned with Hamas claimed responsibility.
Israel countered with air strikes reportedly killing two people. One resident taunted President Bush with a vulgar sign asking him if he has the fortitude, shall we say, to sleep in that area of southern Israel. Only it didn't say fortitude.
PHILLIPS: Well, we're heading into a critical period for Homeland Security. Agents are preparing for the worst, fearing that terrorists might take advantage when we change presidents. It's a CNN exclusive.
Gas prices already above $4 a gallon in one state. Could your state be next? We're going to have the latest gas price numbers coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: $4 a gallon gasoline is a reality in Alaska. According to AAA, Alaska is the first state to hit that mark with the current statewide average of $4.02. Connecticut, California, New York and Illinois are all within just a few cents of joining Alaska. What a dubious distinction they have.
Checking our AMERICAN MORNING gas gauge, national average for a gallon of self-serve regular $3.78 this morning. That is the eighth straight record, 39 cents higher than last month and 68 cents higher than last year.
The gas was pretty high this time last year as I recall. Will those record gas prices finally change our driving habits? AAA is going to release its projections for Memorial Day weekend travel today. Last year, more than 32 million Americans hit the road on Memorial Day weekend even though the price of gas was relatively high last year.
PHILLIPS: How do you ever put a price on speculation, Ali Velshi?
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: How do you ever?
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: You're getting so creative.
VELSHI: And if you could, the market would be no fun. I mean, I know that doesn't sound like good fun.
By the way, AAA, so far, saying $3.90 for Memorial Day. And that rate of increase in the price of gas, more than a penny a day. That is -- that's very disturbing. And we talk about speculation. You've heard people saying that speculation is what is driving the cost of a barrel of oil up.
I think we all know that supply and demand is responsible for a great deal of the price, but let's just talk about speculation for a moment. Speculation is the idea of selecting investments that have higher risk than normal, than sort of standard investments in order to profit from price changes, and those price changes can be up or down.
In other words, a speculator is someone who is buying the product, trading oil just to make money on it. They do not produce or use the commodity. They risk their own money to trade these futures, and they profit from the change in price.
Now, what happens is when it is more attractive to buy oil than it is to buy stocks or real estate or invest in bonds because the U.S. dollar is low, that's part of what it is. So a lot of the price of oil is being bid up by people who just find it a good investment. They feel if they buy oil futures, they'll get more money from it. Now, how much of the price of oil right now at about $125 a barrel is actually speculation?
Here is the question. We heard Hillary Clinton saying oil should be $55 right now. We have got ranges of estimates between 30 and 60 percent of the price of a barrel of oil, which is $125 right now, is speculation. So if you take the speculation out of the price of oil, and you really can't do that, because speculation exists in any market. But if you did, the range of what a price of oil, a barrel of oil should be, is between $50 and $88 a barrel. Again, this is an academic discussion because oil is what it is because people are prepared to pay for it.
ROBERTS: So who do we get angry at about all of this?
VELSHI: Well, if you'd like to get angry with speculators you'd have to find them first of all, because they typically are hedge funds or --
PHILLIPS: Not quite sure where they are.
VELSHI: Right. They don't offer their names.
PHILLIPS: Not the way they know their purpose.
VELSHI: They don't generally fill out our TV shows and things like that.
ROBERTS: We know who a lot of these big hedge fund managers are.
VELSHI: Yes, we do, and they'll tell you. This is a free world, we get to make money. This is an investment opportunity. It would be as if to say to just be mad at the speculators is the same as being mad at people who are speculators in the housing industry.
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: Where you need to get -- the people with pitchforks and --
VELSHI: Well, just remember when the stock market goes up really higher than some people think it should be, like the Internet bubble, that too was speculation. So what tends to happen is the market adjusts itself.
There's a lot of feeling that if that much of the price of oil is speculation -- well, at some point the air comes out from underneath of that. It's just how much of the air comes out and when. June 8th as I have mentioned to you would be a good day.
PHILLIPS: Oh, boy.
ROBERTS: Thanks, Ali.
VELSHI: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Extreme weather in the Bayou. Louisiana right now under a tornado warning. A lot of scary colors on that radar as you can see. It follows heavy rains and Rob is tracking it for us just ahead.
Plus, something new at a traditionally black college.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSH PACKWOOD, MOREHOUSE VALEDICTORIAN: People have been willing to take a chance on me and get to know me as opposed to just writing me off as the crazy white kid who decided to come to an HBCU.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Meet the valedictorian who changed his campus, straight ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A rare miracle. After China's earthquake, a young girl rescued after becoming trapped under collapsed concrete. CNN's Sue Turton has the remarkable story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUE TURTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A sign of life under the concrete. He shouts, get a doctor. And then pushes a microphone through the gap. Which classroom are you in?
Grade two shouts a voice. Hang on. A tiny camera shows her legs jammed under the collapsed wall. The team carefully cuts through from above, and eventually they pull her out. Buried for two days but still alive.
But here in Bershuan (ph), most were not so lucky. Eight thousand people are still missing in this county alone. Alongside the rescue teams, aid is desperately needed to keep the survivors alive. The need is huge. In this county alone, they're asking for 50,000 tents, 200,000 blankets, and 300,000 coats plus drinking water and medicines.
And this is what they're up against, as the rescue effort pushes further towards the epicenter, destroyed bridges and flattened towns slow their progress. Troops reported finding one village where 80 percent of the residents had been killed. Cheng Jung (ph), a resident in Dujiangyan, just 40 kilometers from the epicenter, searches through the pile of rubble once his home clinging to the hope his son is still alive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): I just pray that someone will come and help me dig out my son. I'm hanging onto hope that he's still living. He was so young, just two years old.
TURTON: As the death toll continues to grow, Chinese television tells of dramatic rescues. A boy is pulled from a wrecked school in the northeastern city of King Chuan (ph), and across in the southern town of Mianzhu, reports that 500 people have been found alive in collapsed buildings.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Once again, that was ITN Sue Turton reporting. And if you'd like to help people in China and impact your world, head to CNN.com/impact to find the aid agencies that are helping out right now.
ROBERTS: Southeast of the quake zone as aid trickles into Myanmar, the death toll keeps on rising. The Red Cross now saying 128,000 people are feared dead from last week's cyclone. That is three times the figure from the military-run government which has been slow to let foreign aid into the country. The U.S. military says five additional U.S. flights have been cleared to land in Myanmar filed with supplies.
But there are reports this morning that Myanmar's military is confiscating some of the foreign aid intended for cyclone victims. Several relief groups in Myanmar claimed that aid is being stolen, diverted, or warehoused by the government. There have been reports of the military hoarding high quality foreign aid for itself, and replacing it with inferior products. Apparently, some of the foreign aid is showing up in markets for sale.
PHILLIPS: Our "Quick Vote" this morning, if Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination, who should he choose for a running mate? We gave you some suggestions and right now, here's what you're saying.
Twenty-eight percent of you say Hillary Clinton, 46 percent John Edwards, 13 percent Bill Richardson, five percent of you say Joe Biden, and seven percent of you are voting for Chuck Hagel.
Just head to CNN.com/am. Keep those votes coming in. Also you can send us an e-mail if you'd like. Just let us know why you picked who you did and offer up your own suggestion for a running mate if you want to. Head to CNN.com/am and click on "email us."
ROBERTS: Coming up on 21 minutes after the hour. It's a special day in New Orleans. Actor and musician Harry Connick, Jr. is unveiling a special home this morning in the Musicians' Village that he helped create. Remember we brought you that story last year. A look inside that home coming up later on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: The class of 2008 probably graduates Morehouse College this coming Sunday. It has been a traditionally African-American college for 141 years. But this year for the first time, its valedictorian is white. CNN's Don Lemon has got the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's graduation season and the proud men of Morehouse College in Atlanta are ready.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're men of Morehouse when we cross that stage on May 16th. We will be Morehouse men.
LEMON: For over a century, Morehouse men have prided themselves for personifying Dr. King's dream, intelligent, successful and black. Until now.
JOSH PACKWOOD, MOREHOUSE VALEDICTORIAN: I'll be the first white student at Morehouse to become valedictorian.
LEMON: Surprising to some maybe that a white guy who also had a full ride scholarship to Columbia University would end up at a historically black college, but not to Josh Packwood, who attended a mostly black high school.
PACKWOOD: It was very -- I guess it was kind of strange. I just kind of always gravitated towards -- towards, you know, to the black community.
LEMON: Josh fit in at Morehouse immediately. School administrators say he was elected dorm president and the class council in his freshman year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Packwood is deserving. He has earned this, and we're committed to merit, to hard work no matter who it might be.
LEMON: But Josh is aware that his top of the class status has raised eyebrows among some students but mostly among alumni.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that segment of our alumni has to wake up to a new world basically -- diverse world. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Most likely they never had the opportunity to even dream of becoming valedictorian at a predominantly white institution, so I can definitely understand where they're coming from. I respectfully disagree.
PACKWOOD: People have been willing to take a chance on me and get to know me as opposed to just write me off as the crazy white kid who decided to come to an HBCU.
LEMON: Josh's brother starts at Morehouse this fall. Don Lemon, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: Interesting story there this morning.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sign of the times.
PHILLIPS: I would love to be in a discussion on race there at Morehouse with that guy and the students.
CHO: It's a great story.
PHILLIPS: Alina, good morning.
CHO: Hey, we got some news in the weather department, guys, right now. Good morning, everybody. Two new warnings, tornado warnings in Louisiana.
We want to get straight to Rob Marciano. Hey, Rob, what do people who live in Louisiana need to know right now?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, one of the larger cities in Lafayette Parish, Lafayette itself, is under a tornado warning now. So the typical procedure is to get to the center of your home and take cover. We'll zoom in and show you exactly where they are.
Tornado watch in effect, by the way, until 10:00 local time for much of the state especially the eastern half. We're zooming towards a little bit more where the action is. The two areas affected here are Vermilion Parish. That's this one through here, and the one to the north and east. That's heading towards Lafayette, in Lafayette Parish. Both in effect until 6:45 local time.
This one seems to be the stronger of the two heading -- shooting the gap between Crowley and Abbeyille. This is a less populated area. The strong that has -- not quite as strong of rotation issued the gap towards Bow (ph) Bridge and here's Lafayette is right there.
So these two tornado warnings in effect until 6:45 local time. And if you live in Scott here in the next few minutes, you're going to be affected, and then Lafayette and Broussard at 6:40 local time. These are Doppler indicated tornadoes, meaning there are no reports of them on the ground.
But we have had reports of trees down in Sulfur (ph). That's in western or southwest Louisiana for strong straight line winds around Lake Charles, over 50 miles an hour. Also associated with this storm that's pressing off to the east.
We should also mention, Alina, that heavy rainfall, as you've been reporting on across parts of northern Louisiana, over 10 inches in two days in Shreveport. That will shift a little bit farther to the south and east, but nonetheless, more heavy rain aside from the tornado threat today across the Bayou State. Back to you in New York.
CHO: Yes, big problem. Four inches expected today, right, Rob?
MARCIANO: In some spots.
CHO: Yes, something like that.
All right. Bad news for them. All right, we'll be watching that very closely. Rob, thank you.
MARCIANO: Yes.
CHO: Meanwhile, crews in Florida are battling a 10,000 acre brushfire that's burning in the Everglades National Park. It's happening right now.
The flames are burning dangerously close to an area of endangered species, specifically the seaside sparrow. Park managers they usually allow the fires there to burn out on their own but in this case, they're going to try to suppress it.
For the first time, the Endangered Species Act is being used to protect an animal whose nemesis is global warming. The Interior Department has put the polar bear on the threatened species list. Biologists say the bear is on the way to extinction because of the rapid disappearance of arctic sea ice. Critics say the new restrictions won't give polar bears any more protection than they already have under current federal guidelines on oil drilling.
And food lovers, listen up. The once banned French delicacy foie gras is legal again in the city of Chicago. Now, foie gras is made of duck and goose liver. Really tastes good I have to say.
It was banned for two years in the Windy City. Animal rights activists say foie gras is a product of animal cruelty because the birds are forced fed to make their livers larger. Some say the banning and subsequent unbanning of foie gras seems to say more about classic Chicago politics than it does about food.
Yes, I think they talked a lot more about it than people ever ate it. But I have to say --
PHILLIPS: I like the saute, not the pate.
CHO: Oh, I like the pate.
PHILLIPS: Oh, you do?
CHO: On little bread. Oh, yes. Good.
ROBERTS: Get a hamburger every once in a while.
CHO: And add a little -- add some French fries.
PHILLIPS: You like Kobe beef. We like the foie gras.
There you go, tomatoes, tomato. All right, guys. Talk about great food, great music, take a listen to this.
The sounds of Harry Connick, Jr. and Shamarr Allen on the trumpet live from New Orleans there. Harry doing a little dance session for us. Connick is there as part of the Musicians' Village that he helped create.
There's jazz great Brandford Marsalis. I think Shamarr is going to be working his way up to Marsalis status. That program is meant to provide homes for displaced New Orleans' musicians and other Habitat for Humanity partner families.
So joining us now, three-time Grammy award winner Harry Connick, Jr. and musician, Shamarr Allen live from inside one of the homes in musicians village this morning. Wow, Harry. This - and I understand this home is a part of the project. And there's actually a studio in there for Shamarr, is that right?
HARRY CONNICK JR., MUSICIAN/ACTOR: Well, we haven't seen the whole house yet. This is Shamarr. He's one of the jewels of New Orleans. Sweetest guy in the world, incredibly talented and he represents what I think New Orleans is all about. And he's a proud new owner of a home in the Musicians' Village. And this is our first time seeing this incredible job done by House Beautiful. It's really amazing.
PHILLIPS: Well, Shamarr, tell me about the house. What makes it so incredible?
SHAMARR ALLEN, MUSICIAN RECEIVING HOUSE: I mean, I just walked through the house and I have seen so -- it's like a whole cool and comfortable environment, you know. Like we've been through so much down here, you understand, and it's crazy to be able to just come into something like this and know that it's mine now.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
ALLEN: If it wasn't for this situation, I probably wouldn't be able to buy a house right now. This is beautiful.
PHILLIPS: I know you're a single dad, and I know you've lost friends, not only in the storm but in the violence there. Harry, you have grown up in that city, too. I had the absolute honor of working there as a reporter. Got to even know your father. All of you so involved there in the city. Tell me about how many homes have now been completed in this idea that you had, and are the musicians staying and coming back, musicians there like Shamarr? CONNICK: Well, the core side of the Musicians Village is 72 houses and about ten elderly friendly duplex residences. And we're also about to break ground on the Elise Marseilles School for Music. And much of that have already been done. About 80 percent of the people living in the village are musicians and their families. So, really kind of accomplished what we set out to do, which is to entice musicians to come back and people like Shamarr, I mean, you can't have New Orleans without guys like this. This is what New Orleans is all about, and we're just so proud that we've been successful and that there's been so many, you know, tens of thousands of volunteers to come and help build, and we just feel really blessed about it.
PHILLIPS: And this is a big presidential year obviously, Harry, and if I'm correct, you're supporting Obama, is that right?
CONNICK: Very proudly so.
PHILLIPS: Well, and let me ask you, has he come through there and have you told him what you need? Have other presidential candidates come through there?
CONNICK: Well, I spoke to Senator Obama in 2005, not long after Hurricane Katrina. I had the pleasure of going to his office in Washington and speaking to him. The first thing on my agenda was, you know, what can we do to help my city? And, you know, he was - he was and is very passionate about rebuilding this city, and I think that if he were elected or when he's elected, I feel very confident that he will be. We're going to be in good shape because I think he truly, truly cares about the breadth of the people in this country. He cares about everybody, black, white, rich, poor. So I think we'll be in good shape, you know, if it turns out the way we want it to.
PHILLIPS: And Shamarr, as you stand there next to Harry Connick Jr., I know that you appreciate his music and admire him and here you are in a home that he helped create. Tell me what this is doing for your community, for other musicians and you know, you've talked from the heart about what it's done for you, but on a bigger impact, how is this saving the city?
ALLEN: It's just -- it's knowing that a lot of people can come together and really accomplish something in the rebuilding of the city of New Orleans.
PHILLIPS: And you actually have a recording studio in this house, is that right?
ALLEN: Actually, I have not walked through yet. I really don't know personally.
CONNICK: We stopped at the living room. We're both dying to see the rest of the house.
PHILLIPS: All right. I'm going to you tour the rest of the house and, Harry, I have an idea. I think the two of you need to cut a little something and sell it and make some money for other musicians like Shamarr, what do you think? CONNICK: Amen. That sounds great. You know, it's funny because Shamarr and I have played together but most of the time we play together for press events or interviews and it's usually just me standing around clapping while he's playing. Have you noticed that?
ALLEN: Yes.
CONNICK: It's me kind of going like this the whole time, which is fun. I have a great time but one day we're actually going to do something for real.
PHILLIPS: Tell you what, we're going to get on to some other news. Maybe as we move to break I can talk the two of you to -- Harry, I don't know how your voice is this morning but maybe you can give us a little jam a little later on if you two want to work on that.
CONNICK: We'll see.
PHILLIPS: In other words, forget it, Kyra. All right. But maybe I can talk your dad into it. He's a great musician, too. You keep playing that trumpet.
ALLEN: He's a good singer.
PHILLIPS: Yes, he is. Shamarr, thank you so much. Harry, appreciate it. Thanks, guys.
CONNICK: Thank you.
ALLEN: Thank you all very much.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Maybe we could talk you into it.
PHILLIPS: Oh, no. You know what, I tell you what, I would jam with Harry Connick Jr. and Shamarr any day. I love living in that city. And seriously, Harry's dad is an amazing musician.
ROBERTS: Oh, totally. Yes.
PHILLIPS: I have seen him perform.
ALINA CHO, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: He's so humble. You know, I met him when he came to the CNN "Heroes" event in the fall. He flew out to New York for it. He's just so earnest and so humble and so great at what he's doing.
PHILLIPS: They're a great family.
ROBERTS: Extraordinarily nice guy.
Taking the plunge and then taking flight. The "Rocketman" soaring over the Alps on homemade wings. Look at this. It's what we wanted to do for millennia.
And America has still got game. How the U.S. keeps its competitive edge in the world. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
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ALI VELSHI, CNN, SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hi. Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. I'm Ali Velshi. We are talking about good news for America. A new survey that comes out every year by a business school in Switzerland called the "World Competitiveness Yearbook" ranks the United States number one once again. Take a look at this. U.S. ranks number one, Singapore, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Luxembourg follow. This is a yearbook list that is based on a certain criteria, actually 331 criteria about how competitive these nations are. And it measures things like economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, infrastructure for doing business. 55 countries are analyzed.
The U.S. came out on top because it measures very well in things like investment, the amount of investment that actually takes place in the United States, the amount of services that are exported. It's said to be the easiest place to get venture capital to start up a business, and it dominates in the use of technology, particularly in computer use. So, here is a piece of good news for you. While there are cautions that things are changing in the United States and we have to work very hard to stay competitive, bottom line is once again America comes out at the top of the world competitiveness index.
ROBERTS: Where is the hairless prophet of doom this morning?
VELSHI: I'm telling you where is he, I ask you?
PHILLIPS: He's gone. We're all going to speculate where he is.
ROBERTS: We got all good news. All right. Thanks, Ali.
11 minutes after the hour and a half. Rob Marciano has got some important news to tell us about the weather. Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: Hi, guys. Those tornado warnings in southern Louisiana have been extended now and they're moving off to the north and east. We're going to talk more about that right after the backside of this break. Stay there.
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MARCIANO: We have got to show you this video once again before we get to weather. A wing and a prayer. Soaring 8,000 feet over the Alps at 180 miles an hour it is a "Rocketman." He's 48 years old. A pilot with Swiss Air who spent five years building an eight foot wings with jet engines. Let him take flight. Can you believe? That's like out of cartoon. He flew for five minutes and says he next wants to soar over the English Channel and one day through or at least over the Grand Canyon. Unbelievable stuff.
Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING, everybody. Busy day here in the weather department. I'm Rob Marciano. We're tracking severe weather across down southern Louisiana. Tornado watch in effect until 10:00 later on this morning. But the southern part of Louisiana certainly under the gun right now. Across parts of Vermilion Parish and the Lafayette Parish, we have tornado warnings that are posted right now. Total of about four, two of those are about to expire. Basically, they're sliding off to the east. Vermilion Parish has been under the gun as of late. This circulation heading towards Abbeyville. That's hard core Cajun country right there. If you live in Abbeyville, folks, you definitely want to take cover. This is a radar-indicated tornado there.
We'll slide the map up and show you the other areas affected, this tornado watch does slide into a warning which does slide into Lafayette Parish. Breaux Bridge, Lafayette, and Scott, right through here, very populated area. So, those folks, if you live anywhere from Scott eastward across Lafayette towards Breaux Bridge, you got to want to take cover now because there's a tornado warning in effect for you. And this does extends up towards Opelousas as well where it is not spinning as far as the potential for tornadoes go. It's going to be raining to beat the band today, John.
Extreme flooding across northern Louisiana the past couple days. Today it will be central and south Louisiana and then moving into Mississippi as well. Back up to you in New York.
ROBERTS: All right. Thanks, Rob. Keep it a close eye on the weather down there.
Homeland Security is preparing for a critical period coming up. It's the firsthand off of power in Washington since the attacks of 9/11. CNN's Jeanne Meserve is getting the exclusive look at how they train for the worst. She joins us now from a training center in Glenco, Georgia. What's up there, Jeanne?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, I'm at a simulator now driving a fire truck to a plane crash. I could turn on my siren here as I go. Sometimes they throw in a few weather effects. I've got to figure out what to do. Some explosions. I'm going to pull over this way to try to block the traffic. You see it started snowing here. This is just one of the things that some career department of Homeland Security officials are doing here in Georgia this week to prepare for the change in administrations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE (voice-over): It is mayhem as law enforcement hunts down and takes out a lone gunman. It's also fake. A training exercise. Part of a crash course for more than 100 Homeland Security career employees who will step into top jobs when political appointees leave during the presidential transition.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How confusing is it in that environment? Very, right?
MESERVE: They see one scenario after another. Get a tutorial on picking out a suicide bomber.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he look the part? There is no look to the part, right? MESERVE: They get hands-on instruction on how law enforcement clears a room. They even get to stop a hijacker.
NANCY WARD, FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY: Well, I don't often shoot at people so that's probably the most vivid for me.
MESERVE: Nancy Ward will take over the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, during the transition. Ward says she now has a better understanding of the 21 other agencies in DHS.
WARD: It's the first time I have ever really been able to see what they do on a day-to-day basis and understand how they do and why they do things the way that they do.
MESERVE: It's also a chance to meet key players like Wayne Parent, who runs the department's operations center and would give critical guidance in a catastrophe.
WAYNE PARENT, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY: We see all the chess pieces and we provide context for them. We tell him if the piece is in the right place or the wrong place.
MESERVE: Critics say DHS has relied too much on political appointees and contractors and should have prepared a cadre of employees to take over long ago.
P.J. CROWLEY, CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: I don't think you can create in three days what you fail to do in five years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MESERVE: Critics say there is no specific threat in the coming months that they're aware of now, but they're aware that terrorists struck in Britain and in Spain during times of transition and so they feel the time to strengthen the department and its interim leadership is now. John, back to you.
ROBERTS: Extraordinary stuff, Jeanne. Driving that fire truck that you were driving, how real does that simulator feel?
MESERVE: Well, actually it makes you feel a little nauseous. It's what it makes you feel. What's kind of cool is that there are some other simulators behind me and they can all be interconnected. So when people are gaming, multiple people, you see other people's vehicles come in. You're communicating with one another on the radio, trying to figure out who is setting up the perimeter, who is doing the actual response, who is setting up the command center. So it's a real test of people's ability to respond to these sorts of emergency situations and they think it's the kind of perspective that top management should have on the nuts and bolts of the department.
ROBERTS: Jeanne Meserve for us this morning from Glenco, Georgia. Thanks very much, Jeanne.
PHILLIPS: When times get tough you still got to have fun, right? Where some families are going to save money this summer coming up. And dramatic rescues from the earthquake in China. Children pulled from the rubble after being trapped for 72 hours. The amazing story straight ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING.
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PHILLIPS: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. The sluggish economy is changing some people's summer travel plans. John Zarrella has been traveling around Florida all week just to check them out, and today he hits an alternative to Disney World.
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JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The mermaids drop down 16 feet into the well. When you next see them, they're swimming in crystal clear spring water. This is Weeki Wachee. The roadside attraction has been around for 60 years. It has seen its share of struggles. The big theme park's drying up Weeki Wachee's business faster than a mermaid out of water. But today's slumping economy may actually help.
JOHN ATHANSON, WEEKI WACHEE SPRINGS: We know people are becoming a little bit more frugal. Where can we go and still have a wonderful family outing but for a lot less money.
ZARRELLA: That's what Kate and Mark were looking for, an inexpensive place their little girl could enjoy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's a lot of good different things they could do without having to spend the whole day or a lot of money.
ZARRELLA: Many smaller attractions are counting on families staying closer to home and looking for deals.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everything is going up right now. So, we just have to take advantage of all the discounts we can find.
ZARRELLA: Orlando's Fun Spot is doing everything it can to bring in the locals. Free admission, free drinks and --
MARK BRISSON, FUN SPOT: This year we're giving away a car on Labor Day. A 2008 Dodge Charger.
ZARRELLA: The park needs new revenue to offset rising costs for electricity and gasoline. The go-carts run on gasoline and the price of gasoline is as we know going up, so the cost for Fun Spot - hey, what are you doing? Is going up.
To cut costs, Fun Spot is looking into powering its go carts with used vegetable oil from the snack bar. Talk about a slick track.
ZARRELLA: Now, I never used to believe in mermaids, but I do now. Now, these roadside attractions, of course, they count as a bonus. The out of state tourists, and they are really counting on people from the area to come to these attractions in the summertime as an alternative to spending the big bucks at the more expensive theme parks. And they really believe that's going to help them in an economy that's struggling. Now, Kyra, Karly, Ashley, and Tara wanted you to send their best to John if you wouldn't mind. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I must say that opening shot of the mermaid got everybody's attention. John, I can see why you switched from Mickey Mouse to the three mermaids behind you. It all makes sense now. Enjoy yourself. John, the mermaids send their love.
ROBERTS: How does he get those assignments? I only go to wars. I'm doing the wrong thing.
Our "Quick Vote" this morning. If Barack Obama wins the Democratic nomination who should he choose for a running mate? We gave you some suggestions here. Right now 30 percent of you say Hillary Clinton. 45 percent voting for John Edwards. 13 percent say Bill Richardson. And 5 percent say Joe Biden, and 6 percent of you voting for Chuck Hagel today, Republican. Head to cnn.com/am and keep those votes coming. Also, send us an e-mail and let us know why you picked who you did or offer up your own suggestion for a running mate if you didn't see them there. Head to CNN.com/am and click on email us.
PHILLIPS: Barack Obama apologizing to a reporter. We're going to tell you what he said that's got the political blogs buzzing this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS (voice-over): Backing Obama.
JOHN EDWARDS (D), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The Democratic voters in America have made their choice and so have I.
PHILLIPS: They both wanted it. He got it.
EDWARDS: That man is Barack Obama.
PHILLIPS: The John Edwards' factor. Now will blue collars bolt for Obama?
And saving the polar bear. But how? We go to the zoo for answers, ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDWARDS: There's one man who knows in his heart that it is time to create one America, not two, and that man is Barack Obama.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: John Edwards' decision to support Barack Obama may not make a huge difference at the polls this late in the game but it's another signal that Hillary Clinton and Democratic Party leaders are uniting behind Barack Obama. Tad Devine is a Democratic strategist, former senior adviser to the Kerry-Edwards campaign in 2004, also heavily involved in the Al Gore campaign back in 2000. He joins us now from Washington. Ted, good to see you. What do you think the impact of all this is going to be?
TAD DEVINE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, John, I think it's an important moment. I think Senator Edwards realized it was an important moment. We saw what happened yesterday. It was really the Hillary Clinton show until suddenly it was stopped by a special announcement from the Obama campaign, and the coverage changed. And so I think it helped in the short run. I think it will help in the long run. I think John Edwards is the kind of guy that can help Barack Obama precisely with the voters he's been having trouble with. So I think it's an important endorsement.
ROBERTS: Was this more of a change the subject kind of moment than an actual effect because it comes as we said awfully late in the game here. He's only got 19 delegates. It's not going to make that much of a difference even if they all get behind Barack Obama.
DEVINE: Yes. It was a change the subject moment, but you know, Hillary is running out of time and running out of delegates. You know, to take away from her this incredible, positive focus that she was going to have in the days after West Virginia I think was an important thing for the Obama campaign, and I think they will benefit enormously from it.
ROBERTS: Hey, Tad, could we get you to stand by for just a second here. I don't mean to interrupt you but apparently President Bush is about to speak live in the Knesset in Israel. So, let's quickly switch to Tel Aviv or to Jerusalem and we'll take a look at that and here is the president.
PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES: Mr. Prime Minister, Madame Speaker, thank you very much for hosting this special session. President Baynish, leader of the opposition, ministers, members of the distinguished guests, Shalom. Laura and I are thrilled to be back in Israel. We have been deeply moved by the celebrations of the past two days. And this afternoon I'm honored to stand before one of the world's greatest Democratic -- and convey the wishes of the American people with these word words -- [ speaking in foreign language ] It is a rare privilege for the American president to speak to the Knesset.
Although the Prime Minister told me there's something even rarer. To have just one person in this chamber speaking at a time. My only regret is that one of Israel's greatest leaders is not here to share this moment. He's a warrior for the ages, a man of peace, a friend. The prayers of the American people are with Ariel Sharon. We gather to mark a momentous occasion. 60 years ago in Tel Aviv David Ben- Gurion proclaimed Israel's independence founded on the natural right of the Jewish people to be masters of their own fate. What followed was more than the establishment of a new country. It was the redemption of an ancient promise given to Abraham and Moses and David. A homeland for the chosen people, Israel.
11 minutes later on the orders of President Harry Truman, the United States was proud to be the first nation to recognize Israel's independence, and on this landmark anniversary, America is proud to be Israel's closest ally and best friend in the world.
ROBERTS: President Bush in Israel this morning speaking before the Knesset in Israel on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the formation of Israel. Condi Rice and wife Laura Bush also there in the Knesset looking on this morning. We'll have full coverage of the President's visit to the Middle East coming up here on CNN in the coming days.
Right now, let's get back to Tad Devine who is in Washington talking more about John Edwards endorsement of Barack Obama. Is this Tad, going to help him with white working class voters and an area where in many states at least Barack Obama still finds himself wanting compared to Hillary Clinton?
DEVINE: John, I think it will be a help. John Edwards' best group is white working class voters.
