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Myanmar's Government Agrees to Accept More International Aid; Individual Custody Hearings Begin for Children Taken From Polygamist Parents; Senator Kennedy Undergoing More Tests

Aired May 19, 2008 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning again, everyone. You are informed with CNN.
I'm Tony Harris.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Heidi.

HARRIS: Developments keep coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on this Monday, the 19th of May.

Here's what's on the rundown.

NGUYEN: Heading into the Oregon primary, Barack Obama -- look at this -- plays to an overflow crowd. Hillary Clinton pins her hopes on a Kentucky victory.

HARRIS: Child porn and pandering. A short time ago, the Supreme Court ruling on a federal law that makes promoting kiddy smut a crime.

NGUYEN: Myanmar agrees to let its neighbors in Southeast Asia bring in aid for cyclone victims.

Still waiting -- in the NEWSROOM.

People starving and injured. This morning, Myanmar's military government agreed to accept more international aid. Teams going into the most devastated areas.

On the phone with me, our correspondent in Myanmar.

And my first question, this idea of more aid from international aid agencies being allowed into Myanmar, but what about international aid workers? Are they being allowed into the country?

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, so far they're not being allowed into the country. We talked to a lot of international aid workers here on the ground in Myanmar. And many of them say they're very frustrated at what's going on.

They say many of their people, or all of their people, still haven't gotten visas to get into the country. Others are allowed to stay in Yangon, which is a very big city, but not allowed to get into the areas that have been most devastated by the cyclone. And you know, this is not only about distributing things like rice, water, and also medication, it's also that many of these aid agencies have actually flown equipment in here. Things like water purification plants that need experts to man them. And many of the aid agencies are now telling us the situation has gotten so bad, that they're actually thinking of training Burmese workers to try and man those technologies like water purification plants, at least get some help to the people, but that, of course, could postpone this whole effort for another several weeks.

And you know, I was able to get into those very badly devastated areas just yesterday, and the situation there really remains very dire for the people. We saw a lot of people who had to flee their homes, people who just put a few things into their boats and just took off. They told us that they received no aid from Myanmar's government. And all they said is if they don't leave their villages now, they would probably starve -- Tony.

HARRIS: I have to ask you -- we're looking at -- just a moment ago, we were looking at pictures of the military officers, part of the military government, offloading some of the supplies. And we started to receive some reports last week of some members of the military, some members of the government actually hoarding those supplies.

What's the latest on that front? Is that in fact happening?

UNIDENTIFIED CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, that's something that we haven't been able to independently verify. But it is certainly something that we are hearing from a lot of people, especially the people, of course, in those very hard-hit areas, in the towns where some of that aid is actually going to.

The way you have to imagine that is that there is aid getting into that area. There's especially private Burmese convoys that are getting into the area that are trying to bring food and water into the areas. But what we're actually not seeing is that aid actually get to the people who need it most.

Those are the people who are living in smaller villages, the very remote villages that are hard to physically reach, only accessible by boat and by helicopter. And many of those villages have received no aid at all.

And as to what you were saying, of course we've been hearing reports from many people that we've talked to. Of course, they don't tell you this openly. You have to work on them for a while.

You have to tell them that you won't tell anybody else. But they do say that they have also heard that members of the military and also members of the police force have been hoarding -- they have been taking tolls at certain checkpoints from people. Those are reports that we hear -- we haven't been able to independently verify those because, of course, we ourselves not allowed to be in the area -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK. Our correspondent on the ground in Myanmar. Thank you for that report.

At CNN.com, you know, we have a special page on the devastation in Myanmar, and it links you to a number of the aid agencies trying to do work in that country right now. It's an opportunity for you to impact your world. Let us be your guide.

NGUYEN: Well, in Texas, individual custody hearings get started today for more than 400 children taken from polygamist parents.

Our Ed Lavandera is outside a Texas courthouse in San Angelo.

And Ed, the proceedings have already begun, so any idea what, if anything, is going to actually be decided today?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we just got a little bit of a sampling of what's been going on inside one of these hearings, one woman at this hearing who is the mother of eight children. And she described in this hearing how her eight children are essentially almost in eight different places. So she's having to drive essentially all over the state of Texas to see her children at this point.

She was presented with what we've been talking about, this service plan, which is essentially a list of guidelines and goals that these parents must meet if they are able -- if they are ever going to get custody of their children back. They have to agree with these.

This particular woman said she agreed to all of these outlines, all of these recommendations, and all of these steps that she needs to follow, as long as it doesn't impede on her religious beliefs. At that point the judge cut her off saying, look, we all know why we're here, and it is important for you to remember -- the judge talking to this woman -- and say, look, your religion ends essentially if there's a law broken.

So law trumps religion in this case. Those were the judge's words to this mother. So a little bit of a sense of what's been going on inside these courtrooms.

As we've mentioned, there are five different courtrooms, five different judges. All of this happening simultaneously. And there's so many cases that this is expected to last about three weeks -- Betty.

NGUYEN: All right. What's the latest on these DNA tests? We've been waiting to see who -- whose children these are. I mean, if they indeed come from, you know, many of the same parents.

LAVANDERA: Right. Well, you know, state investigators have been saying they need these DNA tests to essentially make out the family trees. We're still a couple of weeks away from getting the results of those DNA tests. So we anticipate those.

But many investigators are still trying to piece together just who's related to who, what the family structures are here. And they say that remains confusing at this point.

NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Ed Lavandera joining us live.

Thank you, Ed.

HARRIS: A pair of primaries on tap tomorrow in Oregon and Kentucky. Take a look at the crowd. Barack Obama drew in Portland tens of thousands on hand for the outdoor event. He is expected to win Oregon. He is campaigning in Montana today.

Hillary Clinton is in Kentucky again today. That's where she spent the weekend. She is expected to carry the state tomorrow.

On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee is putting himself back into the picture, talking about his desire to be John McCain's running mate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There's no one I would rather be on a ticket with than John McCain. Whether or not I do the best for him, that's something that only he can decide. I'm going to support him because I think he's the right person for America.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: But McCain may not have heard those comments, Betty. He was up late poking fun at himself on "Saturday Night Live."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I ask you, what should we be looking for in our next president? Certainly someone who is very, very, very old.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. I've heard that four times this morning. It's still funny.

NGUYEN: Well, there's another one, too, when he talks about he has great-great, great grandchildren...

HARRIS: Yes, that's right. That's right.

NGUYEN: ... and some of them are of retirement age. Really poking fun at himself.

HARRIS: It's good stuff.

He's back at work today. McCain gets back on the campaign trail with a scheduled speech this morning in Chicago.

NGUYEN: Well, Senator Ted Kennedy, he is undergoing more tests in a Boston hospital today. Doctors hoping to find a clue to the senator's seizure.

Our Dan Lothian is outside the hospital.

Dan, what's the latest on that? Have you heard anything new?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, just heard from a family spokeswoman who told us that Senator Kennedy had a restful evening, and that he does continue to be evaluated here at the hospital. But she said that it is unclear whether doctors will have anything definitive either today or tomorrow.

Doctors have been, for the most, part tightlipped since that statement that they released over the weekend, where they did confirm that he did not have a stroke, but instead had a seizure. That they continue performing tests, hoping to find out, of course, what caused the seizure. And then trying to figure out how they will treat it -- Betty.

NGUYEN: The senator, no doubt, has received a lot of calls from politicians. Give us an idea who has called with their well wishes.

LOTHIAN: Well, not only from politicians, but a lot of close friends. Yes, Chris Dodd called him on the phone. He also spoke with Senator Barack Obama.

As you know, he is part of the Barack Obama campaign. He has been really staying in close touch with him, has campaigned for him as well, has endorsed him. And Senator Barack Obama says he considers him one of his dearest friends.

Here's what Senator Barack Obama said while campaigning in Oregon over the weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The main thing I wanted to just say was that I talked to Ted Kennedy this morning. He sounded great. He sounded like his usual old self. And so my sense is that everybody's optimistic about the prognosis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LOTHIAN: Senator Kennedy also has been surrounded by his family members here at the hospital. His wife Vicki has been by his side. Also, his nephew, Joe Kennedy was also here, along with his wife. And his niece Caroline has also been here at the hospital as well.

The latest in terms of how long he'll be here, the family spokeswoman saying that it's expected that he'll be in the hospital for at least the next couple of days -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Yes. Still trying to figure out what caused that seizure.

All right. Thank you, Dan Lothian, joining us live. HARRIS: And new this morning, the Supreme Court last hour upholding a law aimed at stopping the promotion of child pornography. The vote was 7-2. The 2003 law is aimed at stopping the spread of child porn over the Internet.

Among other things, it prohibits possession of child porn even if it is computer-generated and does not involve any real children. And the judges brushed aside worries the law might apply to innocent e- mail, classic literature, or mainstream movies depicting teen sex.

NGUYEN: Clouds of smoke, they are still rising over parts of Florida this morning. Take a look.

Firefighters are battling around 100 wildfires, and the worst is in Everglades National Forest. More than 200 firefighters are trying to contain the 36,00-acre fire. A smoke advisory has been issued in that area of south Florida. And last week's damaging wildfires up the coast in central Florida are now about 75 percent contained.

So there's a little bit of good news there.

HARRIS: Yes. I'm thinking about our friends in Palm Bay, Florida...

NGUYEN: Right.

HARRIS: ... really hit hard last week with the wildfires. I'm wondering if maybe there's some relief there. And then I know Jacqui's going to transition into all this record heat.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Well, on the road to the epicenter. We are tagging along with the Chinese military as the troops bring help to earthquake victims.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Barack Obama making a statement, John McCain making the comedy show rounds, and Mike Huckabee making his case. We're talking about all of it this morning.

Republican analyst Rich Galen is with us from Washington.

Rich, good to see you, sir.

RICH GALEN, REPUBLICAN ANALYST: How are you?

HARRIS: And in -- well, thank you.

Democratic strategist and host BET's "My Two Cents," there he is, Keith Boykin.

Keith, good to see you. Welcome back to the program.

KEITH BOYKIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Hey, Tony. HARRIS: And good to see you.

Let's start with some sound from Barack Obama from over the weekend. He's throwing around the nominee tag. And then let me get you to comment on it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: But let's face it, nobody thought a 46-year-old black guy named Barack Obama was going to be the Democratic nominee.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: What do you think here? Keith, let me start with you. It feels confident. There's a certain swagger to it.

Is it appropriate at this point? He hasn't locked up anything.

BOYKIN: Well, notice he didn't say, Tony, that he is the nominee.

HARRIS: Yes, he didn't.

BOYKIN: He said -- he said no one thought that he would be.

HARRIS: Well, I've got to -- I've got to try to stir it up somehow here.

BOYKIN: I think it would be presumptuous if he had said that he were the nominee. But since he's just talking about it in the hypothetical sense, I don't think it's overstating the case. He really knows he can't go too far out here.

Hillary Clinton is still in this race; she's going to do well in Kentucky. She may even do well, surprisingly well, in Oregon. So he wants to make sure he doesn't get ahead of himself.

HARRIS: And Rich, in Republican circles it's time to aim the fire at Barack Obama, isn't it?

GALEN: I think so. But, you know, we're enjoying this. And McCain said it on Saturday night, too. I'm still holding out hope for the "L" word, lawsuit, before this thing is over between...

HARRIS: You would like to see trouble made throughout this process.

GALEN: All the way to the first Monday in October when the Supreme Court comes back.

HARRIS: And you know what, Keith? In order for that to happen, something big needs to happen for Hillary Clinton.

Do you see anything out there? She will -- is expected at least to win Kentucky, but I wonder how that changes anything in a material sense. BOYKIN: It doesn't change anything, Tony. Mathematically, the race is over for Hillary Clinton. Everybody knows that Barack Obama will be the nominee. The only real possibility for Hillary at this point is if Barack Obama's campaign somehow implodes.

HARRIS: Yes.

BOYKIN: And given everything he's survived right now, it doesn't seem likely.

In terms of Oregon and Kentucky though, Tony, it really seems to me that Oregon is far more important than Kentucky. Oregon is a reliably Democratic state. I worked for Mike Dukakis way back in 1988, and even he won Oregon. And you know, if Hillary Clinton cannot win Oregon, you know, she cannot win the general election.

HARRIS: Yes.

You know what, Rich? Let me change topics with you for just a moment.

I'm wondering what you your thoughts are on the dustup last week. I guess it was last Thursday. The president in the Knesset making comments that seemed to be directly aimed at Barack Obama.

What were your thoughts on the comments?

GALEN: Yes, my thoughts were when I watched it, and when I watched it again, that it was directly aimed at Jimmy Carter. And I was struck, as were a lot of folks here in Washington, that Obama's campaign and Obama himself had demonstrated really thin skin about that, about being called an appeaser. In the clip you played a little bit ago, he trotted that out again.

I'm absolutely certain -- I mean, I haven't talked to anybody in the White House, but my clear sense was that the president was talking about Jimmy Carter.

HARRIS: You know, we received guidance on that...

BOYKIN: I...

HARRIS: Let me -- hang on a second, Keith.

You know, we received some guidance, because I've heard this pushed back a couple of times. We received guidance from our own correspondents traveling with the president, in kind of a side meeting, that this was in fact, sure, Jimmy Carter, but it was also some Democrats, and yes, Barack Obama always well.

So I'm sort of curious, what are you hearing that we're not hearing?

GALEN: Yes, well, that's reporters talking to themselves on the plane. I mean...

HARRIS: No, no, no, no...

GALEN: One of the things we know about reporters is when they say observers...

HARRIS: Rich, don't say that.

BOYKIN: ... they're talking about people at the bar (ph).

HARRIS: OK.

BOYKIN: I have to jump in here. I think, Rich, you're talking from Republican talking points here.

GALEN: No, I write them. I write the talking points; I don't read from them.

BOYKIN: Maybe you're writing the talking points in this one. It really doesn't make any sense, though. It doesn't pass the laugh test.

I mean, President Bush went to the Knesset in Israel and he made a reference to an American senator who, during the buildup to the war, World War II, was speaking in favor of appeasement.

GALEN: Yes. That's right.

BOYKIN: If he could only have talked to Hitler. He wasn't talking about the American president. The use of the word...

(CROSSTALK)

GALEN: That is a stretch beyond all possible stretches.

BOYKIN: Well, you're the only one who didn't see it then, Rich. Everyone who was watching this obviously knew who he was talking about.

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: Keith, stand down for just a second.

Rich, more appropriate, are you suggesting, to take that kind of a shot at a former president?

GALEN: Oh, yes, absolutely. I think everybody, including Democrats, think that Carter was way, way out of line two weeks ago when he went off on his own foreign policy junket. I don't have any doubt about that.

HARRIS: All right. Then, Keith, I've got to move on.

BOYKIN: OK.

HARRIS: Turning to the Republicans, let's talk about John McCain just a bit here. Take a look at the comments. We've been playing throughout the morning because they're funny, from "Saturday Night Live," and then I've got a question.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: I ask you, what should we be looking for in our next president? Certainly someone who is very, very, very old.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: OK. All right.

Now, Keith, that's funny, although you don't want to laugh. You know it's funny. It's funny, but I'm wondering, beyond that, what kind of a job is John McCain doing in defusing the whole age issue question?

BOYKIN: I think he's doing a respectable job in defusing the issue. I mean, he has himself said that he's old as dirt. And he has to use the humor issue in order to deflect it, because people can't deny the fact that he's old.

You can't deny the fact that Barack Obama is black or Hillary Clinton's a woman. You can't do anything about that, so you've got to make an advantage out of it. And the same what Ronald Reagan tried to do when he ran for president in '80 and '84. He said he wouldn't use his opponent's youth and inexperience against him.

GALEN: That was in the '84 re-election. Keith's exactly right.

And you know, there's even a name for what McCain is doing. It's called inoculation. That is, that in this case, he can use humor, and then if he does it well enough, the 527s that come down the road that are going to accuse McCain of being too old, it makes them look mean.

HARRIS: Yes.

GALEN: So this can be very powerful.

HARRIS: OK. One more quick one before we have to go.

Hillary wins Kentucky, Obama wins Oregon. What's the headline on Wednesday?

Keith, let me start with you.

BOYKIN: "Obama Clinches Majority of the Delegates." That's what he's hoping to say. And that's what he hopes will be the spin.

HARRIS: Yes.

BOYKIN: And I think it's really an important marker for him and his campaign.

HARRIS: And Rich, what do you think? GALEN: I think that's exactly what he'll say. The problem is that if Hillary keeps winning these -- every other state, it's not going to end until June 3.

HARRIS: And you just love the notion. Look at you. You love the -- Rich Galen, good to see you. Keith Boykin, as always, good to see you as well.

BOYKIN: Thanks, guys.

HARRIS: Thanks, guys.

NGUYEN: Well, stressed out and pregnant? Could it give your baby allergies? Elizabeth Cohen looks into the link.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know, we've been anticipating the statement throughout the morning, and we are just seconds away from hearing from the president and his treasury secretary, Hank Paulson, talking about the economy. You know, the guidance that we're getting is the president will get a cautiously upbeat report.

And here it is.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I just got back from the Middle East, and the secretary came over to talk about the economy and how he sees it. And we're working through tough times.

And I appreciate the leadership you're providing.

He did assure me that the refund checks are heading out. People are getting that money. And that's good. It should help our economy.

And more importantly, help people pay their bills. And, you know, will people use that money and take care of their families, and shop?

I also asked him how he was doing in helping people stay in their homes. We spent time talking about the housing industry. And one of the really impressive programs has been the Hope Now program.

Secretary Paulson has taken the lead into help people refinance, and help people get the financial help necessary to stay in homes. And that help comes in all different kinds of ways, but generally it just means the lending institutions are helping a creditworthy person stay in their home. And that's what we want to have happen.

Since the program started, 1.4 million people got mortgage relief, so they can stay in their homes. And in the first quarter of this year, 500,000 households, 500,000 families were helped.

And I appreciate your leadership on that, Hank. It's been -- our policy in this administration, laws shouldn't bail out lenders, laws shouldn't help speculators. The government ought to be helping creditworthy people stay in their homes.

And one way we can do that, and Congress is making progress on this, is the reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That reform will come with a strong independent regulator.

The secretary is briefing me on the progress being made on the Hill on this very important subject. My fellow citizens have got to know that these major players in the mortgage markets, if reformed properly by Congress, will really help stabilize the markets and make it easier for people to stay in their homes. And we look forward to working with Congress to get a good piece of legislation to my desk that helps our fellow citizens and helps us get through this housing issue.

So Mr. Secretary, thank you for your briefing. And I appreciate very much your leadership on the issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: President Bush getting what's described as a bit of an upbeat -- and it sounded as though he was in fact getting an upbeat assessment of the economy from Treasury Secretary Henry "Hank" Paulson this morning. Secretary Paulson last week telling business executives that the country is closer to the end of the market turmoil than the beginning.

What does all that mean? We will take that up with Susan Lisovicz a little bit later, this hour, in the NEWSROOM.

NGUYEN: Well, in the meantime (INAUDIBLE) extreme stress during pregnancy, because it could spell trouble for your newborn. A new study links a mom's stress hormones to her baby's allergies.

Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now.

This is pretty stunning. I mean, what's going on in a woman's head can actually affect her baby.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, because what goes on in your head affects your whole body. It affects your hormones. And so if you're pregnant, it's going to affect your baby.

So what Harvard researchers did is they looked at more than 300 pregnant women, and they asked them about the stress in their lives. The women who were under the most stress, their babies, after they were born, they measured levels of IgE in their umbilical cords.

NGUYEN: What does that mean?

COHEN: And I'll talk about that in a minute.

NGUYEN: OK. COHEN: And the women who had the highest stress had the highest IgE levels. High IgE levels are associated with asthma. In other words, people or children who have high IgE levels also tend to have asthma. And the higher the level, the worst asthma.

NGUYEN: Really?

COHEN: So this is really a pretty incredible study, because they took what was going on in the moms' lives -- and you can actually measure it in the umbilical cords. And one of the researchers called stress a social pollutant. I thought that was sort of an interesting term.

NGUYEN: OK. But how stressed out do these moms have to be in order to see these levels rise?

COHEN: The moms in the study were really stressed. These moms were part of an inner city clinic. They were stressed out about guns in their community; they were stressed out about abuse that was going on in their life. So it's not clear -- not a whole ton of women have that kind of stress. So it's not clear if you're just under other kinds of stress, what that means.

NGUYEN: It's hard to say, hey, why don't you just control your stress. Dial it down a little bit.

COHEN: Right, just calm down.

NGUYEN: How do you do that?

COHEN: It is --

NGUYEN: It's almost stressful thinking about, oh, no, I'm getting stressed.

COHEN: Right, exactly. And then the stress just keeps building.

NGUYEN: Building, yes.

COHEN: There are certain things you can do to try to control the stress in your life. Whether you're male, female, pregnant or not pregnant. And here are a coupe of hints that we have.

Manage your diet and fitness. If you eat well and if you exercise, even if you just take a little walk every day, that can do a lot towards reducing stress.

Recognize your mood swings. If you find yourself going from one extreme to another, that's a sign that you're under stress and you need to do something.

Also, shore up support systems, especially during pregnancy. Get all the people you love around you, get them to support you. This is really the time to do it.

NGUYEN: After all you're having a baby. COHEN: Right, you're having a baby. You have to empower yourself to handle your stress. So that's part of being an empowered patient. There are other things that people can read. I write a column about this every week on CNN.com/empoweredpatients. Other hints for how to empower yourself and be stress-free and healthy.

NGUYEN: I feel empowered already.

Elizabeth, thank you.

COHEN: OK. Thank.

NGUYEN: Good morning. Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Betty Nguyen in for Heidi.

HARRIS: And good morning, everybody, I'm Tony Harris.

And then there were five; and two are tomorrow. The Oregon and Kentucky primaries to be precise. Hillary Clinton running hard in the remaining states. Barack Obama increasingly looking ahead to the general election.

CNN's Suzanne Malveaux now part of the best political team on television.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: While Hillary Clinton tried to appear unphased about Barack Obama, all but ignoring her --

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I am proud to be campaigning in Kentucky. Now, my opponent said the other day he wasn't coming back, so I've got the whole state to myself. What a treat.

MALVEAUX: The battle for the Democratic nomination soldiers on. Clinton in Kentucky, another state she's favored to win.

Obama in Oregon, where he's favored.

OBAMA: Thank you (INAUDIBLE)

Hey!

MALVEAUX: Over the weekend, Obama got even closer to the nomination, continuing to pick up more delegates. While Clinton insists she's staying in the race until the very last contest, her use of the past tense raised eyebrows. Instead of saying when I am president, as she's asserted in the past, she said --

CLINTON: And if I were president, that's exactly what I would do.

MALVEAUX: Between ice cream stops and a visit to a senior center, Obama bypassed Clinton addressing voters' issues concerning health care, jobs and energy. He also defended his willingness to talk to adversarial leaders without pre-conditions.

OBAMA: Because George Bush and John McCain have suggested that me being willing to sit down with our adversaries is a sign of weakness, is a sign of appeasement. Understand that George Bush had a policy of not talking to North Korea, and not talking to Iran, and over the last eight years they are stronger as a consequence of George Bush's foreign policy. All right. So their way has not worked.

MALVEAUX: For his part, Republican John McCain took a break from campaigning. Instead, poking fun at himself and his age on Saturday night live.

MCCAIN: Controlling government spending, isn't just about Republicans or Democrats; it's about being able to look your children in the eye. Or in my case, my children, grandchildren, great- grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and great, great, great- grandchildren, the youngest of whom are nearing retirement.

MALVEAUX (on-camera): While Clinton is determined to show that her West Virginia win was not a fluke, Obama is determined to move beyond the primary to the general election. Announcing that his victory rally on Tuesday will be held in Iowa where he became the Democratic frontrunner to beat.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Frankfort, Kentucky.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, "Indiana Jones," back on the big screen. The long-awaited fourth film making its debut in Cannes. We'll take you there for the first reviews.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: A treacherous journey to the epicenter, trying to get critical help to quake victims in China.

CNN's Eunice Yoon goes along.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

EUNICE YOON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's the start of a long march. Tens of thousands of Chinese soldiers have converged on this place, where a pack leads to the epicenter of one of China's deadliest earthquakes. They're gearing up for a day-long trek toward the devastated county of Wenchuan, and we are going with them.

(on-camera): We just made it past the first checkpoint, and the lands around this area are still pretty unstable. As we were walking in, we saw the side of a mountain just crumble into the water. So we are seeing some rescue workers, though, starting to make their way into some of the hard-hit areas. If you look, there's actually a rescue team that's going in with some large equipment on a raft.

(voice-over): Normally people would get to the remote villages in Sichuan Province along this highway. Not now. Only tractors, construction trucks and rescue vehicles are allowed. Many are full of hitchhiking villagers, trying desperately to get out of a region without power or shelter.

But some people are trying to get in. Shen Guiyu and his brothers want to reach the town of Yu Togong (ph).

(on-camera): We got very lucky. We're on the back of a construction truck with a lot of people from the town who are trying to get up to the village.

(voice-over): Shen hopes to find his uncle there. He's had no news of him.

A group of nurses and doctors offer us a ride. And from here, despite the intense heat of the sun, we start walking again.

"No matter if he's dead or not, I have to see him," Shen says.

(on-camera): We've been traveling for about four hours now. And these people are actually from the town that we're going to. But even they don't know exactly which way to go because of all the devestation.

(voice-over): Buildings we pass are demolished. Survivors live in tents, terrified of staying indoors. No wonder, when their homes look like this.

Chinese soldiers dig through the rubble for any signs of life. And several kilometers later, this, at the edge of a collapsed highway. We press on, crawling down the side of a mountain, to be guided by the river. When suddenly -- some good news. Shen bumps into an old friend fleeing the area who tells him his uncle is alive.

Everything, food, water, power generators, has to be carried. We reach the highway again, or what's left of it. Eventually we arrive in the flattened town of Yingxiu, which a week ago had a population of 10,000. The Chinese government says only a quarter of the people survived.

We were told the bridge to Shen's uncle's home now dangles on its side by two ropes. So desperate people are using it to cross a raging river. Along with Shen, we spend the night with a family of survivors, who despite their situation, make room for strangers and share their meager food with us.

The next morning, despite the danger, Shen decides to keep going, to make sure his uncle is alive.

"He still needs food and water," Shen says. "I want to take him out."

And help his uncle start again, away from the shattered place.

Eunice Yoon, CNN, Yingxiu, Wenchuan County, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: OK. The return of "Indiana Jones" generating buzz in Hollywood and beyond. But not all of it good.

CNN entertainment correspondent, Brooke Anderson, takes a look at the Cannes Film Festival.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): "Indiana Jones" has received a pretty warm welcome here at the Cannes Film Festival, where the movie had its big premiere last night. The stars and the filmmakers faced the media and the critics, hoping for a positive reception.

Here's a look at the very first reviews of "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was really good, very enjoyable.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Extraordinary. We were really so -- it's so amazing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Fantastic.

Well done, Spielberg.

ANDERSON (voice-over): The new "Indiana Jones" charmed many at its Cannes Film Festival premiere.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think people will have some very interesting expectations and I think they'll be pleasantly surprised.

ANDERSON: Some, though, weren't quite as impressed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the old ones were much better. And this one is kind of too much action, in my opinion. I think the old ones are more -- they're much more fun.

ANDERSON: Indy takes a drumming in the film from Russian baddies. But most critics took it relatively easy on the adventurer.

LEAH ROZEN, "PEOPLE MAGAZINE," FILM CRITIC: You wanted to love it. And I think most of us liked it. It's fun. You feel kind towards it. But there are stretches where you're just going, why isn't this more fun; why isn't this really popping.

ANDERSON: "USA Today" says, "there is considerable fun, and it's good to see that Indy, though slightly weary, still has the goods."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This isn't going to be easy.

HARRISON FORD, "INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL": Not as easy as it used to le. ANDERSON: Other critics weren't so kind. The "Chicago Tribune" called it a "cockamamie story." And the "Hollywood Reporters" says Indy gets "swamped in a sea of stunts."

But the film's star, Harrison Ford, says he's prepared for and unafraid of inevitable criticism.

FORD: I'm not afraid at all. You know, I expect to have the whip turned on me. I'm not really worried about it. I work for the people who pay to get in. They are my customers.

ANDERSON (on-camera): Also the trade paper "Variety" says that the story and the style is very much in keeping with what has made the series so perennially popular.

The new "Indiana Jones" movie hits theaters in the U.S. on May 22.

Reporting from the 61st Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, Brooke Anderson, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Looking forward to it. I don't care what they say. It's still "Indiana Jones." Come on.

In other news, though, check that price at the pump. Regular gas, get this, 4 bucks a gallon. We're going to tell you where they're feeling the crunch.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Just in, this is something you definitely do not see every day. Look at that, a boat towing a plane. Here's what we know. This is out of Miami, Florida.

Authorities say three people are recovering from minor injuries after a plane crashed into waters near a roadway. And you see there on top of the plane is the diver, just sitting there, as this plane is being towed to the shore. And again, we don't have the condition of the three people, but we do know that they are recovering. No fatalities are reported at this time.

And as soon as we get more information, we'll bring it straight to you.

HARRIS: Gas prices, pumped up again. It is ISSUE NO. 1 this morning. You're paying an average of $3.79 plus, for a regular gallon. Premium's at $4.17? Diesel again, just off the charts at $4.52. Man, the independent truckers of the country, think about them for a moment.

AAA posting its 13th straight increase and 12th straight record high. Regular gas is already more than four bucks a gallon in some parts of the country, including Chicago and New York's Long Island. And with Memorial Day weekend kicking off officially, the summer travel season, analysts don't expect prices to fall.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

HARRIS: One family's foreclosure nightmares is another's opportunity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The reality is, is this is an opportunity for us as investors to look into.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Hop aboard the foreclosure bus tour. In the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: A sign of the times. Home buyers and investors taking tours of foreclosed homes.

CNN's Kate Bolduan, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As of right now nobody's purchased these homes.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Two and a half hours, eight homes, 20 potential home buyers, and one unique way to sell a house. On a bus.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will make an offer. There's definitely room to negotiate.

BOLDUAN: It's called a foreclosure bus tour. A first for this Virginia realtor in response to the flood of foreclosures.

CRISTIN PATTI, LONG & FOSTER REALTOR: Foreclosures happen every day. Properties are still being sold on the courthouse steps. They're still being sold on the auction block. Right now we're just making the process more organized.

BOLDUAN: While the potential home buyers have very different ideas of what they're looking for, all have one thing in common.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a great opportunity.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe that this is the perfect opportunity.

CHAD HESPELL, PROSPECTIVE HOME BUYER: I feel that we have an opportunity now to get a good bargain out there.

BOLDUAN: Like many people on the tour, Chad Hespell's looking to buy his first home. HESPELL: I kind of look at it like buying a pair of jeans. I could go to a designer store and buy a pair of jeans or I could go to like a Filene's Basement. So I kind of think of it as going to the Filene's Basement to get the best bargain for the same house.

BOLDUAN: Others say they're looking for the perfect investment.

YAMILEE DAMBREVILLE, INVESTOR: I've invested in other things and I'm looking for that gold mine.

BOLDUAN: A gold mine, that remains to be seen. Long and Foster says the open house on wheels resulted in one sale and more homes in negotiation.

DAMBREVILLE: Unfortunately with foreclosure, people are losing their homes and it's unfortunate. But the reality is, this is an opportunity for us as investors to look into.

BOLDUAN (on-camera): The realtors here say they're already planning more foreclosure tours, because they've received so many requests, they now want to tailor the tours to specific customer needs. Certain neighborhoods, or tours just for investors, others just for first-time home buyers.

Kate Bolduan, CNN, Alexandria, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well the CNN NEWSROOM does continues one hour from now.

HARRIS: "ISSUE #1" is next. But first, a quick look at the headlines.

(NEWSBREAK)

HARRIS: That's the news for now.

I'm Tony Harris.

"ISSUE #1" starts right now.