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Obama, Clinton Campaign Appearance Next Week; Scott McClellan Under Oath; Midwest Floods Disaster
Aired June 20, 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: In Volusia County, Florida, a robber tried to make a point. Take out this convenience store surveillance video. Yes, that man is holding the always dangerous palm frond, demanding money from the clerk.
Look. Look. Look. Those points can be -- yes, OK. I don't know what the heck he's saying, but apparently the clerk's associate wasn't intimidated. He ran the guy off and told police that he actually recognized the guy.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: This is a palm frond!
HARRIS: Yes. I'm trying to listen.
All right. Police arrested a 33-year-old man and charged him with armed robbery. And there he...
COLLINS: How did they charge him anyway? OK.
HARRIS: OK. Good morning again, everyone. You're informed with CNN.
I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: And I'm Heidi Collins.
Developments keep coming into the CNN NEWSROOM on this Friday, June 20th.
Here's what's on the rundown.
Now on the same page, the same stage. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton make plans to campaign together.
HARRIS: Big operations and small-town spirits as high as the mighty Mississippi. Sandbaggers pitch in to keep the river out.
COLLINS: And a high school with a high rate of pregnancy. The principal says some girls made a tact to be moms -- in the NEWSROOM.
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton campaigning together for the first time since she suspended her campaign. We just got word this morning about their plans.
Suzanne Malveaux is joining us now live from Washington with details. All right. We don't want to get carried away here, Suzanne, but what's going to happen?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We're not going to get carried away here, because nobody's singing "Kumbaya" yet. But it certainly is a very important symbolic gesture for these two candidates to appear together. It's going to happen a week from today.
They're going to hit the campaign trail for the first time together. They're keeping the details mum, exactly where and when this is going to take place. But clearly, this is for his candidacy for president of the United States. It is a reality that Hillary Clinton accepted two weeks ago, four days after Obama won the nomination.
And what we've seen over the last couple of weeks, both of these teams have held these kind of joint conferences, these conference calls, trying to figure out a why for these two teams to merge. We have seen Barack Obama just this past week meeting with union leaders, also reaching out to women's groups, to Hispanics, to try to win over some of those voters that were certainly in Hillary Clinton's camp.
I've spoken with supporters of both sides and people who know these two well. And they say there still is some tension here.
One of the sticking points is obviously how to retire Hillary Clinton's debt. You ask people, some people say it's $20 million. Others say when you look at campaign expenses, as much as $30 million, not including her own personal finances that she threw into this. A bit of frustration on Hillary Clinton's part that they haven't put a dollar figure and made a real commitment saying this is what we're going to do to help you out here.
On the other side, the Obama camp looking at this, saying that they are trying to win over those voters as much as possible. And what aides to both of them say, those who know them, they say this is really about political accommodation here.
He needs her support, he needs her voters. Hillary Clinton looking at her political future. Obviously, both of them looking at their own interests. And so Friday, that's when you're going to see these two together.
COLLINS: What is the result that is expected from that one appearance together do you think? And will it be pretty immediate?
MALVEAUX: Well, really what you want to see, what they are hoping to see, is really, take a look at the body language. How do they interact with one another? What are they saying? We've gotten some hints of that in the past, hearing Obama talk about Hillary Clinton in very flattering terms, about how her candidacy has been historic.
What they want to show essentially, her supporters, is that it's OK to support Barack Obama. And essentially, that supporting Obama is better than supporting John McCain. So they need to unite, they need to come together.
And the supporters are really going to be looking very closely at how these two behave with one another. You know they had that secret meeting a couple of weeks ago...
COLLINS: Yes.
MALVEAUX: ... just to kind of break the ice, to make that a more comfortable setting. That is what they're going to try to show the Democrats next Friday.
COLLINS: All right. Well, you know, I bet we'll be covering it. Thanks so much.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux. Suzanne Malveaux from Washington.
Appreciate it.
HARRIS: Standing his ground, former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan testifying on Capitol Hill about his bombshell book on the Bush White House.
Live now to CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry.
And Ed, boy, you teed it up for us when you suggested pay close attention to the Q&A. And boy, Scott McClellan was questioned very closely by the ranking member, Lamar Smith.
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, and sworn in under oath for the first time ever. That is what's significant about this hearing.
We've seen the book already, but there's a different standard here when you're actually sworn in and you have to tell the truth to Congress. That's why you've heard the Republican Lamar Smith really zeroing in on some issues such as how much money Scott McClellan got for this book.
Since he's under oath, he answered. He had been coy about that, He said -- previously. And he said today $75,000 for the advance, plus royalties for how many books he actually sells.
Lamar Smith charging that essentially Scott McClellan had sold out to make money. That drew rebuke from a Democrat, Jerrold Nadler, who basically said this is character assassination. But beyond the back-and-forth on both sides, I think the key is trying to figure out whether or not this will really shed any light on what we know about the CIA leak case, about Scott McClellan's charges that the White House manipulated intelligence, et cetera.
So far, Scott McClellan has testified he's not aware of whether any White House official committed a crime in the actual leak of the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. But he did declare that he believes the White House is still concealing information and that now that the special counsel investigation is over, he issued a challenge -- the White House should finally come clean. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, FMR. WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The White House has sought to avoid public scrutiny and accountability. The continuing cloud of suspicion over the White House is not something I can remove because I know only one part of the story. Only those who know the underlying truth can bring this to an end. Sadly, they remain silent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: Now, also interesting, when asked about the president, McClellan said he did not think the president had any knowledge of the CIA leak before it happened. But when asked about the vice president, McClellan seemed to leave the door open just a little bit by saying, "I do not know." But I want to be clear, he did not present any direct evidence saying he was aware of the vice president knowing about the leak beforehand. You can bet that's something Democrats will try to push him on when they resume testimony this afternoon -- Tony.
HARRIS: Yes, I think you're right about that.
Ed Henry at the White House for us.
Ed, great to see you. Thank you.
COLLINS: I want to get you back to some of these pictures that we've been following in Miami Beach, Florida, coming in from our affiliate now, WPLG.
That is a fire boat, as you can see, because they are trying to knock down this fire. And what we have since learned is Solo's on the Bay restaurant.
Again, been working on this for a while. It looks really bad. I mean, obviously, I don't want to speculate that it's a total loss, but the structure is nearly gone. So unfortunately, that is a situation. Both marine and fire working to try and handle that.
Some of the video from a little while ago. Look at that. It's from one end of the building to the other.
Have not heard anything about injuries, have not heard anything about, you know, what the cause may be. I am looking at some notes here that said that it was unoccupied, according to some of our affiliates there in Miami Beach.
So of course we will continue to watch that because those pictures are pretty compelling.
Meanwhile, though, the Midwest floods and the power of the mighty Mississippi, the powerlessness of those who live near it.
Floodwaters have burst through at least four levees in Lincoln County, Missouri. Officials there are bracing for even more to fail later on today. In all, about 30 levees are now considered at risk. That's in addition to the 20 levees that have already being swamped, and that offers quite a twist.
The floodwaters spilling past all of those levees is actually lowering river levels down south. Now there are predictions that flooding downstream will not be as bad as initially feared.
Let's take a look at the numbers now for a moment. The flooding has killed at least 24 people and injured 148. Tens of thousands of people in six different states have fled their homes. Millions of acres of farmland have been swamped.
HARRIS: Winfield, Missouri, this time yesterday we showed you the collapse of one levee. More have since failed nearby. And now even more are at risk.
CNN's Reynolds Wolf joins us now from Winfield with the latest.
And good, because I'm glad to see you in the process. I was hoping that you weren't standing there as the good looking, you know, strong-back reporter. Now you're involved. I like the look of that.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. Right now I get to hold up in the old conga line here. We're passing these sandbags, Tony, going from Luke to my friend Justin, and it goes all the way down to a truck, where they're going to take it down to the river.
Let's keep going, guys. Here we go.
It's a never-ending process this morning, Tony. We've been out here since early. These guys have been earlier.
It's all in an effort to help hold back the Mississippi River. I know that right now it looks like it's not going to be quite as bad as a record-setter, but still, certainly concern for many people here in parts of Missouri.
You know, it's a great sense of teamwork that we have here. Each of these bags are coming through. There's supposed to be about three scoops of sand in each of these. I guarantee you it's a lot heavier than that. Much, much heavier than that.
Something else, too, a little bit of personal side note. I'm old enough to be these guys' fathers. I feel like I'm their granddad. It's that kind of thing. I'm feeling pretty old right now.
HARRIS: Boy, I will tell you what, baby Anderson (ph) will be very proud, and the new baby as well, of dad's efforts today.
WOLF: Absolutely. You bet.
We're going to be at this, Tony, all afternoon and into the evening if need be.
HARRIS: That's great.
WOLF: So we're going to come back with more great stories from here, working really hard to hold back this water.
HARRIS: Outstanding. All right, Reynolds. Good to see you. Thank you, sir.
WOLF: See you, dude.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: A critical vote ahead, the world watching, but can there be fair elections with beatings, deaths and now charges of treason in Zimbabwe?
Live to South Africa.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Is Israel sending a message to Iran? U.S. officials thinks so.
They confirm a major Israeli military exercise earlier this month over the eastern Mediterranean. The maneuvers involve dozens of Israeli warplanes and aerial refueling aircraft. They travel about the same distance they would have to fly into Iranian air space to hit Iran's nuclear enrichment facility. Some analysts are saying that may have caused oil prices to go up by about $4 a barrel just since yesterday.
HARRIS: You know, it is hard to imagine an election where the president's party keeps throwing its opposition into jail, but that's exactly what's happening in Zimbabwe. Now the charges include treason.
CNN's Nkepile Mabuse is following developments from neighboring South Africa.
And Nkepile, if you would, bring us the very latest on what's happening in the run-up to this election next week.
NKEPILE MABUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, Amnesty International saying that on Thursday alone, 12 bodies were found across Zimbabwe. These people are believed to be opposition supporters who were tortured to death by (INAUDIBLE) supporters.
This has been -- this is what's happening in the lead-up to the election on June 27th, intimidation of opposition supporters, torture amidst killings. The MDC, the opposition in that country, alleges that about 80 of its supporters have been killed since the first round of elections, which was on March 29th. So the conditions on the ground really do not seem conducive for a free and fair election.
HARRIS: And Nkepile, we know from some reporting yesterday that the opposition party is considering opting out of the runoff election next week. What's the latest on that part of the story?
MABUSE: As things stand, opposition officially and publicly saying they're going ahead with the runoff election. Of course, the consequences would be dire. If they do not participate in this election, then Robert Mugabe automatically becomes president of Zimbabwe.
But there are some within the leadership of the opposition, MDC, who are questioning why the MDC is even bothering when Robert Mugabe has said if he loses this election on June 27th, he will take up arms. He will not concede defeat, and he will hold on to power. That's what he said publicly.
HARRIS: And do we have any kind of an agreement from the Mugabe government to allow outside election monitors to oversee the process?
MABUSE: The international community is calling for outside monitors, even South Africa's foreign affairs minister today saying international observers should be allowed into Zimbabwe. But Robert Mugabe's government saying this will not happen. They do not want enemies to come and witness the election. They will only be inviting African and Southern African observers.
HARRIS: Nkepile Mabuse for us from South Africa.
Good to see you. And thanks.
COLLINS: The villagers thought she was a goddess, the girl with eight limbs. Dr. Sanjay Gupta updates her remarkable transformation.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Cuba coming back into the international fold. The European Union agreeing to lift sanctions on Havana. The move aimed at encouraging changes in Cuba under the new leadership of Fidel Castro's brother Raul.
Washington criticizes the decision. The U.S. has maintained a decade's long trade embargo against Cuba and says there is no significant sign of the communist island easing a dictatorship.
A baby born with eight limbs. Indian villagers believed her to be a goddess. Now after pioneering surgery, she has a chance to be a normal little girl.
An update from Chief Medical Correspondent Sanjay Gupta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Like the goddess she was named for, Lakshmi Tatma had eight limbs when she was born in India's Bihar region back in 2005. In fact, villagers there believed she was the goddess reincarnated.
Word spread to India's renowned surgeon, Dr. Sharan Patil.
DR. SHARAN PATIL, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON: In spite of the beliefs, as a medical man, I certainly thought she needs help.
Lakshmi. GUPTA: Dr. Patil examined Lakshmi and recommended surgery to remove her extra limbs, even though it was a high-risk operation.
PATIL: Amazing. The first time I've seen anything like this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There we go.
GUPTA: Tests revealed the heart, liver and lungs, just one working kidney. Another would be transplanted from the parasite.
PATIL: One of them located here. Other functioning kidneys located here.
GUPTA: The twins were also fused at the spine. They'd need to rebuild her pelvis.
An agonizing moment as Lakshmi goes into surgery. A team of 30 doctors had prepped for a month. At 16 hours in, a critical milestone.
PATIL: The parasite is off.
GUPTA: After 27 hours, Lakshmi, with two arms and two legs, is transformed.
DR. THIMAPPA HEDGE, SR. NEUROSURGEON: The hero in this whole story is Lakshmi.
GUPTA: Today, Lakshmi recuperates at a facility in Rajasthan and still needs work on her spinal cord and clubbed feet. But doctors say her progress is remarkable.
PATIL: I see her growing up as a normal girl.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: We would really like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the journalists, the CNN team of journalists, in fact, who covered this story. And also "National Geographic." "The Girl With Eight Limbs" premieres this Sunday night, June 22nd, at 9:00 Eastern and Pacific on the National Geographic Channel. And you can see the lead doctor, Sharan Patil tomorrow morning on "CNN SATURDAY MORNING."
COLLINS: Small town, big scandal. Teens in a pact to get pregnant. We'll talk to a local reporter.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And coming up on the half hour, welcome back. Good Friday to you, everyone. Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: Hi there, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. The Midwest floods. In some areas, the bad gets even worse.
This time yesterday we showed you the collapse of a levee in Lincoln County, Missouri. That set off a domino effect. Rising floodwaters have caused several more levees to fail. Lincoln County officials believe even more will likely be swamped before the day is over.
But that offers new hope downstream. The floodwaters spilling past all those levees is actually lowering river levels to the south. Now it appears that flooding downstream will not be as bad as initially feared.
(WEATHER REPORT)
COLLINS: Back to the flood waters now that have pushed past the levees, in effect, have created new rivers and, of course, new dangers.
Frantic residents are now shoring up levees that had appeared safe just a day ago.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Clarksville, Missouri, where that is the situation.
Hi there to you, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, there, Heidi.
You know, as I stand here, it's almost kind of frightening to think that it's just this wall, this bunker of sandbags, it's all that separates you from the Mississippi River. Take this away, and there would be a huge rush, an intense rush of water coming in into the city here.
That's why you see this long line of sandbags down this way, pumps up and down the area, because this is interesting. There is no -- there are no levees here in Clarksville. So this is what is -- the last line of defense between the river and the rest of the city.
So the water that is seeping through, they're using those pumps to push it back out and get it downstream. And for -- and for right now, this is holding up very well. They'll continue to monitor it throughout the day. They're still doing some sandbag work just down the street here, as well.
This is a historic little steam boat river stop along the Mississippi River. So, you know, they really depend on a lot of tourism and a lot of people driving through. And they're anxious to get back to that kind of work. But right now, the work that's being done is watching these sandbags and doing the last line of work.
We talked a little bit in the last time we spoke with you, Heidi, about the water levels. Seem to have gone up just a smidge, if you will, up on that power line post. You can see there that it's gone back up to the water mark from what I've noticed, a small amount. I don't think it's going to alarm folks around here, because all in all they're really feeling like they're doing a good job and they're actually winning this battle against the Mississippi River here this afternoon.
COLLINS: Boy, I just can't get over all of those sandbags behind you. And it's just a fraction of what we're seeing in total in this whole area.
Ed Lavandera for us, appreciate that, Clarksville, Missouri.
If you would like to help get involved and help these victims of the flooding in the Midwest, you can go to "Impact Your World," it's a Web page that we have where you'll find links to several different organizations that are stepping in to offer assistance. That's at CNN.com/impact.
HARRIS: Small town, big scandal, 17 pregnancies at a high school in Gloucester, Massachusetts. The principal is convinced at least some of the girls were in a pact to get pregnant.
On the phone with us now, Patrick Anderson, a staff writer for the "Gloucester Daily Times."
Patrick, thanks for your time.
PATRICK ANDERSON, GLOUCESTER DAILY TIMES: Thank you.
HARRIS: Well, my understanding is we're talking about a high school of about 1,200 students, with 17 girls under the age of 16 expecting. Are those the basic facts we're talking about here?
ANDERSON: Basically the latest report we've heard are that from June of '07 to last -- from this past May, it's actually 18.
HARRIS: 18?
ANDERSON: But -- yes.
HARRIS: Oh man. How many -- do we know this yet? How many of these young girls were part of this so-called pregnancy pact?
ANDERSON: That we don't know. The girls in the -- as it's been called pact -- have not been identified. School officials are very guarded in keeping their identifies. And -- so we don't know exactly...
HARRIS: Yes.
ANDERSON: ... how many are part of the pact and how many, you know, got pregnant before that, after, or unrelated.
HARRIS: But Patrick, the principal of the school has talked to some of these girls as part of an investigation. That's how we even get to this so-called -- the name on this group as being a part of this so-called pregnancy pact, because of the interviews conducted by the principal, correct?
ANDERSON: Right. The principal to me has described it to me not as a pact with any sort of formal contract, but as a clique, a social circle that began and has just sort of grown and drawn more people in.
So more -- and then it's taken -- taken place over -- really over an entire year.
HARRIS: Gotcha.
ANDERSON: It hasn't been one isolated event...
HARRIS: Right.
ANDERSON: ... or time frame. It's been quite extensive.
HARRIS: Well, just because I'm getting a little short on time here, Patrick, you asked the question, I'm sure, of the principal. I'm wondering how the principal answered the question of why? Because I'm sure the principal asked that question of the young girls.
Why they would do something like this and form this kind of clique to essentially get pregnant?
ANDERSON: There have been many speculative reasons thrown out there. The principal and all sorts of officials and people here from Hollywood, the media, to lack of self-esteem...
HARRIS: Wow.
ANDERSON: ... to peer pressure, to economic reasons. There has nothing -- no one idea has coalesced as of reason why.
HARRIS: OK. Well, then, Patrick, if we take just a step back for a moment, what was the school's response, if you know it, to the stream, I understand, of young girls requesting a pregnancy test? And were the parents informed of the request that was being made by their daughters?
ANDERSON: I don't believe that the -- that requests for pregnancy tests -- I believe those are confidential. The school has responded, I think, with the best in the school district. The city has responded with the best intentions, I think, of trying to have a community discussion about this to try to come up with a policy, because right now they don't have one about limiting teen pregnancy.
And really, unfortunately for them, everything is broken loose from there and gotten out of their control.
HARRIS: Yes, Patrick, one final question, is there going to be any legal action against the fathers?
ANDERSON: I talked to the police today. And they've told me that unless a complaint is issued by a victim that they are not launching an investigation. And at this point, they have not been contacted by anyone claiming to be a victim. HARRIS: Wow, OK.
Patrick Anderson on the phone with us, a staff writer for the "Gloucester Daily Times." Boy.
Thanks for your -- for being with us this morning and thanks for your coverage on the story. We will be checking with you on this story again, I'm sure.
COLLINS: Ice on Mars? Miles O'Brien tells us about mysterious disappearing white stuff on the red planet.
HARRIS: But first, record high flood waters forced thousands from their homes and businesses.
This week's "CNN HERO" was on the scene to help.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: 20 reports of tornadoes.
HARRIS: Eight people were killed from severe weather.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There it goes.
COLLINS: Crews are fighting fires on several fronts.
TAD AGOGLILA, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: The most critical phase of a disaster is the first few days. That's when you have to find the people that are in desperate need of medical attention -- food, water -- but you pull up and there's a building lying in the middle of the road or if 20 miles is underwater, how do you get all those resources to those people?
I got this crazy idea to use one of my cranes to respond to a disaster and just open up roads so that the real heroes have the resources they need to continue to serve.
My name is Tad Skylar Agoglia. I provide help and hope to those in their greatest hour of need.
There's people on life support, people on oxygen. There's people that are going to die if we don't get there.
I put together a crew that stays on the road 12 months out of the year, respond to disasters all over America. Free of charge.
Here's what I'm thinking, right? If we get on 65, we're right there.
As soon as we see a threat striking anywhere in the United States, we feel it's severe enough, we leave immediately.
You know, where we can be of some help?
We see a lot of deaths. We see a lot of destruction. But there is something beautiful about looking at a disaster and seeing what good can come out of it.
Standby.
Oftentimes, a mess, why I do this? And I can't help but think, why aren't more people doing this?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: You can go to CNN.com/heroes if you know someone who deserves to be a "CNN HERO." You can see your hero right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: You know, it has been so hot lately in many parts of the country, you may think summer's already here, but it is not. It officially begins tonight at 7:59 Eastern for those of us in the northern hemisphere. That's when the summer solstice arrives, the longest day of the year, in fact.
There will be about 15 hours of daylight today. Plenty of time to scratch a few things off the old honey-do list. Again, just scratch them off the list, don't actually do them, OK?
COLLINS: You all are all the same.
Meanwhile, boiling hot, but ice on Mars? NASA scientists think the Phoenix Lander has found it.
Space correspondent Miles O'Brien fired up about this has more models than we know what to do with. This one you had contracted specially for this demonstration, right?
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you might call this Phoenix on the rocks...
COLLINS: Like it.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
COLLINS: I like it a lot.
O'BRIEN: Yes, yes. This is the Phoenix Lander. You remember Memorial Day it landed successfully in the Arctic regions of Mars. And it's been busy. They've had some glitches, but that's what happens when you're dealing with something that's 170 million miles away.
But basically they've gotten this shovel out and they've done some digging, made a few trenches, which is what they're supposed to do.
COLLINS: Right.
O'BRIEN: And they're hitting some pay dirt.
First, take a look at the scenery out there, Heidi. Pretty grim landscape...
COLLINS: Yes.
O'BRIEN: ... you might say.
COLLINS: Not much.
O'BRIEN: Yes, yes, it's like a parking lot in Arizona or something, right?
COLLINS: Or New Mexico.
O'BRIEN: But look at this. A little bit of dirt in there. And in that dirt may be something very special. You know that this is a hunt for water or water ice because wherever there is water on our planet, we find life. OK? Water equals life, just like CNN equals politics.
HARRIS: Yes.
O'BRIEN: It's the kind of thing.
All right. Take a look at this. They dug a couple of trenches here. This one is do-do, and this one is Goldilocks. Don't ask me why. I still am figuring up why. So Goldilocks may be just right.
But what's interesting is that area there. What's that white stuff? What would you guess?
COLLINS: I don't know, but it looks metallic to me. I don't even know that I would categorize that as white stuff.
O'BRIEN: Yes, could it be salt, could it be -- yes, who knows.
Let's take a look at another image just because this is a cool image I want to show you.
COLLINS: I'm sure we can.
O'BRIEN: I just like it. I have nothing more to say except that that's cool. And the bluer stuff is deeper. But that's all you need to know.
Now let's get to the pay dirt, though, so to speak, these are time lapse images shot over a couple of days on a loop. What's happening over here you might ask?
COLLINS: Life?
O'BRIEN: Something's missing. Now is there something up there grabbing pebbles? That would be news, wouldn't it?
COLLINS: Yes.
O'BRIEN: No, it's most likely the only thing that would disappear like that on Mars would be water ice, because what happens is -- when it's exposed to the surface -- here's your word of the day -- it's sublimates.
And that is truly a sublime discovery for the scientists, because it goes from solid to gas in very short order and disappears. Those are about the size of a dice.
COLLINS: OK.
O'BRIEN: And so now the scientists think, hey, we have finally gotten where we want to be. We're going to get this ice. We're going to put it in our furnace on the science deck of Phoenix.
But take a look at the problem here in this (INAUDIBLE). Here's the science deck that looks like a little dog house here. Take a look at this image here and I'll show you what the problem has been.
You look up in here, it's clumpy. And there is a screen which covers the entrance to the little ovens which has one millimeter opening. And clumps are too big.
So how do you deal with that problem? How do you get your dirt with, hopefully, your ice crystals? In other words your lucky dice in your oven so you can figure out what's in it.
Take a look at this, Heidi, this is a plastic model of the actual shovel built on 34th Street in Manhattan. A little quirk of space technology there by Honey Bee Robotics. In the back here, you can see there's like a little drill bit thing and it is designed to get into really hard surface to break it apart.
It also vibrates the entire shovel when it is turned on.
Let's go back to that image one more time. If they just turn on the drill with the material inside here, down a little sprinkler, little pieces they hope, dirt and ice crystals like paprika on top of big stuffed potato or something.
COLLINS: Wow. I mean that's exactly how I would describe it. Paprika.
O'BRIEN: Paprika.
COLLINS: Yes. I love it.
O'BRIEN: And you know this is the part where I should say, bang, right?
COLLINS: Exactly.
O'BRIEN: I'm no emerald. I'm no emerald.
COLLINS: Because really the size -- you are the man with the models.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
COLLINS: When are we going to know? What's the bottom line here? When are we going to know what the stuff is? Definitively.
O'BRIEN: Well, there's a briefing coming today. I mean they're going to have to move quickly, because, you know, this...
COLLINS: It'll help.
O'BRIEN: ... sublimates -- they've got to get it in the oven quickly. And so this is going to happen, I would say, expected over the next few days. They've had a few computer glitches they've been trying to rectify.
I'll know later today what the real timeline is going to be.
COLLINS: OK. Awesome. We're looking forward to it.
Miles, thanks for the explanation. Appreciate it.
O'BRIEN: You're welcome. All right.
HARRIS: Authorities say he swindled millions and faked suicide to avoid prison. Now, they've arrested his girlfriend. Scheming investment manager on the run.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Just want to show you the latest picture. Look at the propane tanks. Is that correct, Sarah(ph)? Just floating there?
OK. Great.
Propane tanks floating in all of this standing water now as a result of the flooding. Lincoln County, Missouri is the location on this right now. Very near the town of Foley, which if you've been with us throughout the morning in the NEWSROOM is just south of Clarksville, Missouri, which is where our Ed Lavandera has been with us and reporting from this morning.
Again, just a series of levee breaches along the Mississippi and all of these towns along the Mississippi, bringing about all of this destruction and devastation and farmland is just overrun and levees overtopped, breached, failed, whatever you want to call it.
The latest example of the damage left behind. Again, this is Foley, Missouri in Lincoln County. We will just continue to follow these pictures as they come into the CNN NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Wow. Yes, with the latest levee breaches were. Man, that's amazing.
On to the business side of things now. 76 million Americans received economic stimulus checks this spring from the IRS, and the agency says that number will reach 110 million by mid-July. But a small portion of the population hasn't gotten their checks and they should.
Stephanie Elam at the New York Stock Exchange with the reason why.
Stephanie, you've been taking calls on this?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, right. Exactly.
COLLINS: Where's my money.
ELAM: Where is my money, right?
Well, Heidi, you know, when it came to the stimulus money in the first place, there were very few strings attached, but there was one really big one. And it was you had to file an income tax return. And many people whose main income is from Social Security or veteran benefits may not be required to file a tax return, although they are still entitled to the stimulus money.
So that's may be something they don't normally do. But if they do do it, then they get this money. The IRS says 5 million people, mostly seniors, have not filed, and so ergo, they have not received their checks.
And a report to the House Ways and Means Committee yesterday, a national taxpayer advocated cited lack of mobility. There's also a lack of access or familiar outing with the Internet.
Then there's some confusing information, as well, even fear of contact with the IRS. So all of these could be possible barriers as to why some people have not filed.
COLLINS: Yes. Wow. Well, does the IRS do anything to help these people so they can get their checks? Or do they not answer those phones when they're ringing?
ELAM: If they are getting through to the IRS, well, the IRS...
COLLINS: Exactly.
ELAM: ... does want people who are eligible to get their money to get their money. And the agency sent notices in March to about 20 million people who don't usually file, which means three quarters of them have filed and gotten checks.
For the rest, the agency plans to send out a revised notice later this summer with easy to read instructions. The IRS is working with the AARP and United Way to help out on the situation.
They said it would continue to such organization to reach out a veteran and retiree communities so they can coordinate free face to face tax prep services for them. So to take away from this, even if you didn't owe taxes? File your tax returns and get your stimulus check.
All right, taking away from that and on to Wall Street. Rough day so far. And I have to actually point Ford as well, because shares of Ford are up about 7 percent right now. They're saying their 2008 results will be worse than in 2007 when it lost $2.7 billion.
At one point hoped for a profit by 2009. Now they're saying it's unlikely they'll even break even.
So the Dow off 129 points, 11,933. NASDAQ's off about one and three quarters percent -- Heidi?
COLLINS: Ouch. It's not the way we had hoped the end the week.
ELAM: Not at all.
COLLINS: All right, Stephanie Elam, thank you.
ELAM: Thanks, Heidi.
HARRIS: So you're tired of that BlackBerry going off offhours? Here's one option. Another option, sue your boss.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. A new twist in the disappearance of a convicted swindler. Authorities say he faked his suicide to avoid going to prison. And now they've charged hedge fund manager Sam Israel's girlfriend. They say Debra Ryan admitted helping him Israel's pack an RV with his belongings before he vanished.
Israel was convicted of defrauding investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. His SUV was found on a bridge over the Hudson River and Upstate New York.
On the days he was supposed to report to prison, the words "suicide is painless" were written in dust on the hood.
Police were searching for a body, but now consider Israel a fugitive.
COLLINS: Some workers are fed up with having to use their BlackBerries after hours, and they're looking for payback.
CNN's Richard Roth reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. U.N. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The BlackBerry is a constant companion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Actually can't imagine life without it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I use it from the second I wake up to the second I go to bed.
ROTH: But the device can be a drag.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This thing is like take a ball and chain.
ROTH: Wired-up workers say they can't even escape from the job after hours. Now they want to get paid for it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I definitely think that we should be compensated.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But I think people should compensated where they're being asked to do. (INAUDIBLE)
ROTH: Writers and producers at ABC News demanded payment for after-work usage and reached a settlement with management.
Elsewhere, people keep multi-tasking while the office is closed.
VALORIE BURTON, LIFE COACH: For some people, they feel like they're missing out on something. I think, for others, there really is a genuine fear that they'll appear not to be a team player.
ROTH: And attorneys are sending a message to businesses -- prepare for legal action.
JEFFREY SCHLOSSBERG, ATTORNEY: Lawyers don't really perceive that there's a problem or an issue with employees using their BlackBerries outside of work. They don't see it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I'm expecting a message any minute.
ROTH: Financier Andrew Tsunis is separated from his BlackBerry only when taking mid-day naps.
ANDREW TSUNIS, BLACKBERRY USER: Please make sure to turn off your cell phone or your BlackBerry.
ROTH: He doesn't expect his employees to be messaging at night.
SUNNIS: Compensated for using the BlackBerry while at work?
ROTH: Twelve hours.
SUNNIS: No, I don't think that's a good idea.
ROTH (voice over): Maybe brute force can eliminate the problem.
(On camera): It is very tough to get rid of those. Holy crap. It's really good.
The world's strongest man in the United States cannot destroy this BlackBerry.
(voice over): But will companies be as tough when it comes to exhausted workers armed with a device?
Richard Roth, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: It's funny because I'm thrilled, I just got mine back from the BlackBerry hospital. It's fun not working after a couple of days.
HARRIS: You missed it?
COLLINS: Now, I'm going to turn it off.
HARRIS: There you go.
COLLINS: CNN NEWSROOM continues just one hour from now.
HARRIS: I'd left that thing there. "ISSUE #1" with Gerri Willis and Ali Velshi starts right now.
COLLINS: Have a good weekend, everybody.
