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Show of Unity: Obama, Clinton Campaign in New Hampshire; Zimbabwe Elections Continue to Create Controversy; Oil Prices Keep Climbing

Aired June 27, 2008 - 14:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Wow, very interesting.
You were just watching Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton on stage campaigning together for the first time, Unity, New Hampshire.

Do we have some of the -- can we get some of the sound of the crowd in the background? Because it's very interesting, really, to witness this moment.

And the entire time this was happening, Brianna, I have to tell you, I was getting e-mails from people saying, it's interesting to see them on stage, it's nice, they're playing nice. Boy, they certainly were very kind to each other. And both had very good things to say about each other. And it appears that, you know, they have absolutely come together, you know, after all of this.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: She did make reference though to -- what did she call it, "spirited dialogue," which got quite a -- the spirit of dialogue they had had in the primaries, that got quite a laugh from the crowd.

LEMON: Absolutely.

KEILAR: She laughed as well.

LEMON: Standing by, our Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley, our Senior Political Analyst Mr. Bill Schneider, and our political editor there, Mr. Mark Preston. Everyone listening to this.

Candy Crowley, we're going to start with you.

Boy, they certainly were chummy, weren't they?

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. This whole day has been pretty chummy, from kissing her on the cheek at the tarmac in Washington, D.C., sitting together on the plane, coming together up on the stage here. He had his arm around her waist.

Listen, this is about the picture today. This is about, we are together. You know, that old picture is wording a thousand words? Well, that's what this is about. But the message was really interesting too, because it was twofold. Yes, it was about unity. And Hillary Clinton said, you know, we have to take this field here in Unity and move on to those Capitol steps in January to swear in Barack Obama. So there was a lot of that. But if you listened to their speeches, it was also about the choice.

OK, fine, we know some of you are still -- have hard feelings. But let's talk about the choice. You can either stay in Iraq, says Barack Obama. Or we can start to withdraw. You can either try to get comprehensive health care or you can remain having this piecemeal sort of system.

So, they're trying to move the dialogue forward, saying, look, stop looking back, the primary is over. As bitter as you may be, the stakes are pretty dang high, and we need to move into the fall because we can't do it unless we're together.

So, visually, they are together. You saw them today. They are in sync with their message. They're saying all the right things.

I can tell you that there are, of course, people around them that are still upset. And talking to a senior aide today, he said, "We recognize this is going to take time." But they really feel that they have taken some huge steps forward this week, including last night's meeting between Barack Obama and her fund-raisers. And then this very visually enhanced sign of unity today that they have done here, as you said, in Unity, New Hampshire -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Our senator political correspondent, Candy Crowley.

Appreciate it, Candy.

KEILAR: And Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider joining us now as well.

Bill, what caught your ear here?

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, a couple of things. One is change. That's what they united on.

They united on the need for change. Though probably aside from the reference to a spirited dialogue, which you mentioned, which was the only time when any sign of tension showed up, she referenced it, laughed about it. She said, "It's the nicest way I can say that."

She did make this point, and a very powerful point. She said, "McCain and Bush are two sides of the same coin, and it doesn't amount to a lot of change." That is what she was talking about, that change is what they're both campaigning for. He talked about turning the page on the last seven and a half years.

And the one issue that got a lot of emphasis here was energy, energy policy, because they know full well, and McCain knows this, too, if there is one issue that's burning right now in this country, it's high gasoline prices. Americans want something done about it. And they made a very powerful commitment to the voters here that, when we talk about change, the first thing that's got to change is our energy policy.

KEILAR: Let's talk about that spirited dialogue. This primary campaign between these two candidates, very bitter. She called it a spirited dialogue. You said before she called him an elitist. He made a disparaging comment about her as Annie Oakley.

Can you really wipe this slate clean?

SCHNEIDER: Well, I mean, those things are not going to be instantly forgotten, no. What you have to do is what they're trying to do, say, look, we have another job now. There is another task before us, which is a general election in November, when the people have to choose between the status quo and something new, something different, change.

So what they're doing is finding common ground that they can agree on. That's the need for change. And saying, we're united in that purpose.

Maybe she still thinks he's an elitist. Maybe he still questions her judgment. That can go on. But the fact is there is a bigger purpose that is uniting them. And the purpose is change.

And I noticed one other thing there that he did mention. He brought up Bill Clinton. He talked about the importance of Bill Clinton in this campaign. And he said, "We need both Bill and Hillary. We need them badly."

KEILAR: Yes, speaking of which, though, how much of a liability might Bill Clinton be for him, for Barack Obama? Because some people definitely argued he was a liability for Hillary Clinton.

SCHNEIDER: Well, Hillary Clinton is not the Democratic candidate. We don't know that she's going to be on the ticket. Bill Clinton has a lot to contribute, especially in unifying the Democratic Party.

The one issue that people do associate with Bill Clinton, aside from all the problems of his tenure, they associate the good economy. They think Bill Clinton is one of the people in this country who understands the economy best.

So when it comes time to thinking of innovative solutions to very serious problems, people think, you know what? The last time that happened was in 1993, when he first took office and started to change the way the economy was working.

It was very unpopular at the time. And he lost badly in 1994. But in the end, it all worked out. And people remember that Bill Clinton, they believe, was a good steward of the nation's economy, and that's what they want to see again.

KEILAR: Yes, good point there, Bill.

Bill Schneider, our senior political analyst -- thanks.

LEMON: Joining us now, another part of our best political team on television, Mr. Mark Preston. He is our CNN political editor.

Mark, thank you for joining us.

Before I get to you, I have tons to talk about, but I want to play a little bit of the moment when Hillary Clinton introduced Barack Obama. I want to play what happened and I want to talk to you about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(APPLAUSE)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Now don't fall backwards.

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I think that's a good idea.

AUDIENCE: Thank you, Hillary! Thank you, Hillary! Thank you, Hillary! Thank you, Hillary!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: OK, Mark. We saw them in a number of debates we had here on CNN. And at times, we thought they were going to go at it on stage. And there was so much tension there.

That looks to be like it's over. Is it real? Is it not real? What did you come away with this?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, let me tell you, Don, Hillary Clinton looked a lot more relaxed this time when she was up there talking about why Barack Obama should be the next president of the United States than she did just a few weeks ago when she stood on stage here in Washington, D.C., and really gave her full-throated endorsement of him.

I think she's come to grips right now that Barack Obama, you know, has won and that she needs to define what her role is going to be, whether it be as a running mate or whatever she's going to do down the road, whether she stays in the Senate or even looks into the White House down the road.

LEMON: And he said to her -- you could hear, "You sure you don't want to stand next to me as I do this rather than sit down?" Or, "I don't want you to fall backwards on the chair." And both Brianna and I sort of, you know, talked about it while we were up here, we commented.

She certainly seemed that she was in the moment here, that she had thought about this, maybe rehearsed the speech a little bit. And she knew what she was going to say. She was in the moment here. PRESTON: Well, look, it's all about symbolism. For her to step back and really go into the back probably might be perceived by some of her supporters that, OK, she has endorsed Barack Obama and now he's going to push her to the back. By having her stay so close, he really pointed out that she's going to be part of the team. He actually emphasized that a couple of times during his speech.

But look, this whole tour has been about symbolism, right? You know, last night, Barack Obama reached into his pocket, Don, took out $2,300, as did his wife, to help pay down her debt. They took an airplane up to Unity, New Hampshire, no less, to have this event. But there are political calculations.

The fact is, New Hampshire is a tossup state. There are four electoral votes on the table. They need to campaign there.

LEMON: Hey, I can't get the "why" from this question, but I just need a yes or no. Are you surprised that he brought up Bill Clinton?

PRESTON: Absolutely not. He needs Bill Clinton, and that's just another olive branch to try to fix it.

LEMON: OK.

Mark Preston, our political editor.

We appreciate it. Thank you very much, sir.

And we'll have much, much more on this historic campaign event tonight on "THE SITUATION ROOM," beginning at 4:00 p.m. Eastern, only here on CNN.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: The fight to save the levee may be over, but the fight to save Winfield, Missouri, is more intense than ever. Floodwaters are still a few hours away, so everyone is sandbagging there. They're trying to save all of the homes that are in harm's way.

The goal there is building a four-foot sandbag wall before this water pouring through the levee reaches the town about 45 minutes from St. Louis. For days we have watched volunteers, National Guard troops trying to shore up that levee, but just before dawn today, a corner of it gave way.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRAVIS TUTKA, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS: This particular problem did eventually fail this levee, it occurred rather rapidly. It did not give us time to respond -- within approximately 15 minutes of when our guys got the notification the breach had already occurred.

It's a difficult road. And I wish it didn't turn out this way. But we are where we are. And it was just an amazing effort, in my opinion, with how hard everybody worked so far.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: And here's what's really interesting about this. The Army Corps of Engineers blames muskrats for weakening the levee to the point of collapse.

LEMON: Monster firefighting efforts going on in northern California. Fire crews from 41 states are helping corral fires that have burned for a week. The one outside Big Sur is so unpredictable, officials have closed part of the Pacific Coast Highway. We'll have a live report from our Dan Simon straight ahead, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Heavy smoking is hanging over Phoenix, Arizona. Twenty-five hundred acres of brush have burned south of town. And so far, no homes are threatened, but about 50 families have left because of the dirty air.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK. After months of a sometimes brutal campaign, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton came together publicly today in Unity, New Hampshire. It was unity in Unity.

Are their supporters united too? Well, let's talk to a couple of them.

Asma Gull Hasan is an author and political blogger and a Clinton supporter. She joins us from New York.

David Hardt joins from us Dallas. He is the president of Young Democrats of America. And he was initially a Clinton supporter.

OK, now that we have the introductions out of the way, let's get right to it.

I've got to ask you, Asma, were you feeling the love?

ASMA GULL HASAN, AUTHOR, BLOGGER: No. I'm sorry, I wasn't feeling the love.

LEMON: Why not?

HASAN: Well, I know that this is just a politically expedient occasion for both of them. I really wanted a female president in my lifetime. I know feminists that are older than me have really wanted that.

You know, Hillary was the best chance. So I wasn't feeling the love. You know, in my opinion, the more qualified candidate is the one that's not running.

LEMON: OK. Do you think that many of Hillary Clinton's supporters feel like you and won't make the jump, won't be able to vote for Barack Obama?

HASAN: Well, I'm not your traditional Hillary supporter. I'm actually a registered Republican.

I was purely for Hillary as a woman. So right now, if I had to vote today, I'd probably vote for McCain along my party lines.

LEMON: So that was -- you're a one-issue voter when it comes to that?

HASAN: That's right. That's right.

LEMON: OK.

HASAN: And so Obama, I mean, I'm still open. He can come and get my vote. I live in Colorado, I'm in a swing state. So I'm waiting for Obama or McCain to come and persuade me to vote for them.

So I'm undecided now. But my one issue is out of the race, unfortunately.

LEMON: OK. I want to talk to David. I'm going to get David Hardt in just a little bit, but I want to play this. Both them really patting each other on the back.

And I'll talk to you, David.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINTON: So think hard about how we will fulfill the promise of this great nation, how we will uphold the ideals we cherish and reclaim the country we love. And the answer for me here in Unity, New Hampshire, is to pledge my support and my hard work and my effort to the next president of the United States, Barack Obama.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I've admired her as a leader. I've learned from her as a candidate.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She rocks!

OBAMA: She rocks. She rocks. That's the point I'm trying to make.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: I am proud to call her a friend. And I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and as a country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right. Let's just be honest with it. Some are saying -- and I heard -- I think I heard Hasan say it, David -- they had no choice. She needs him. He needs her. She needs the money. He needs her voters.

DAVID HARDT, OBAMA SUPPORTER: Well, I don't think that he absolutely needs her to win. I think it's important for her to come out and support Barack Obama now and help unify the party early, because Barack Obama is going to be able to help Democrats up and down the ballot in nontraditional Democratic states.

And if he's worrying about unifying the party all the way into November, I still think he can win, but I don't think he's going to win in as big of a landslide. Nor will he be able to help all of the Democrats up and down the ballot. So I think it's really important for both Clintons to come out now and help Barack Obama unify the party early and get to the business of electing Democrats.

LEMON: You know, David? And I've got to call Hasan out on this, because she said that she wasn't -- you thought it was disingenuous. You didn't believe either of them. You thought they were doing this purely for political purposes.

HARDT: I disagree with that. Both candidates are very proud Democrats. Both candidates understand that this election is probably the most important in at least my lifetime, I know it is the most important.

There is so much at stake for this election. The Supreme Court balance is up for grabs. Global climate issues, the economy. There is so much at stake for this election that Barack Obama has to win.

And Hillary Clinton understands that. And I think most Democrats understand that.

LEMON: OK. That's going to have to be the last word.

I wanted to get Asma Hasan in to talk about what she said, that Hillary was -- the role she was playing. But unfortunately, we'll have to do that later. And I invite both of you back.

Thank you very much for joining us today. OK, guys?

HARDT: Thank you ver much.

HASAN: Thank you.

LEMON: All right.

So, forget McCain versus Obama for just a second there, because we've been talking about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Well, how does this sound? Sanchez versus Rocca -- that's Mo Rocca -- tomorrow night in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Rick Sanchez talks with political satirist Mo Rocca, from the candidates, to the veepstakes, to the future first wives club, and which CNN anchor would Mo vote for, for president. That's tomorrow night at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, right here on CNN.

KEILAR: Voters trickling in, in Zimbabwe. Low turnout for a controversial presidential runoff.

And a sad story, some sad news out of Sacramento, but also a little bit of good news. We're going to tell you what happened to a toddler inside of this home.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Nice shot of our international desk there. It's a very busy day in our international unit.

Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon live here at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

LEMON: We're working on a ton of stories for you here today in the CNN NEWSROOM, including this one. Another levee breach in the Midwest. The Mississippi River broke through a levee protecting Winfield, Missouri around dawn. Emergency workers are still hoping to save 100 threatened homes.

Despite these long lines, overall turnout is said to be low today for Zimbabwe's disputed presidential election. Some of the voters who did show up said they feared government reprisals if they stayed away.

A peaceful explosion in North Korea. The North Koreans destroyed this nuclear power plant cooling tower to try to convince the West that they're sincere about giving up their nuclear program.

KEILAR: A bizarre election being held today in Zimbabwe. It's a one-man runoff. The sole candidate being a man who has been in power for 28 years. His challenger dropped out a week ago saying the election is a sham and his supporters are being killed by the dozens.

CNN's Isha Sesay watching all of this from our international desk.

Isha, why do folks even bother voting there?

ISHA SESAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brianna, in many cases it appears that people were actually forced to vote.

Here on the international desk, we've been busy monitoring the disturbing developments in Zimbabwe throughout the day. It kept us really, really busy. The polls have now closed and Robert Mugabe is assured a victory there. The man that is supposed to be challenging Mugabe but decided to boycott the vote is of course Morgan Tsvangirai. He is calling the election an exercise in mass intimidation.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MORGAN TSVANGIRAI, ZIMBABWE OPPOSITION LEADER: President Mugabe is intimidating African leaders; he is intimidating the world. It is part of this culture of denying his mistakes. Let me say this. He cannot continue to intimidate the Zimbabwean people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: Well, Zimbabwean journalists report people being coerced to vote for Robert Mugabe by armed militia. And MDC says thousands of its supporters were displaced. And we're hearing -- from CNN, people on the ground in South Africa that a lot of these people are now living in camps because they were actually kicked out of their homes. And that's the situation, Brianna.

KEILAR: What's being done, Isha, to stop the violence -- anything?

SESAY: Nothing immediate.

But today there was more international condemnation. This time coming from group of eight industrialized nations that were meeting in Tokyo. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice adding her voice to that chorus that is now saying that they are going to push the United Nations Security Council to impose more sanctions on Zimbabwe, Brianna.

Listen to what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: This kind of sham could not possibly produce a legitimate outcome, and that is the view of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SESAY: And Brianna, I think it's important that we emphasize the level of tension that many people in Zimbabwe are feeling right now if they did not vote. We want to show you these pictures now -- pictures of President Robert Mugabe voting.

And you see there -- he's dipping his finger in ink -- in colored ink. Now, that's how the authorities can tell whether or not you voted. Many residents in Zimbabwe right now, their big fear is that if they don't have ink-stained fingers, then the militias will know that they didn't show up at those polling booths and that basically they will face violent repercussions -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Isha Sesay at the international desk -- thanks.

LEMON: Also overseas, a week after a ferry clipped over in rough weather, rescue drivers in the Philippines are giving up the search for more bodies. The reason -- officials say a load of highly toxic chemicals is somewhere on that ship.

Now it was an horrific accident. About 850 people were on board when a typhoon hit. And so far, only about 200 are accounted for. Most of them, though, are dead. The Philippines vice president says more than 10 tons of pesticides went down with the ferry. The search has been called off until the water is safe. KEILAR: Six lonely days and six dark nights in a home in Sacramento. That is how long police say a toddler survived by himself after the death of his mother. At last report, the unidentified boy was undergoing medical testing.

Shaken neighbors told reporters they never knew what was going on.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAY VILLARREAL, NEIGHBOR: Had I known, I would have kicked thee door down myself. But -- if I had heard the kid, but I never did. I never heard him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Now, police broke in the door of the home after a family services workers heard the child crying. That worker had gone to the home because the mother had a chronic illness.

LEMON: A drunk driver is sentenced to a 43-year prison sentence for a crash last year that killed a mother and four young girls. The family was returning home from a Christmas trip when the crash happened on an interstate highway in Toledo, Ohio. Police say Michael Gagnon was drunk and driving the wrong way when his pickup hit the family's minivan.

The judge called Gagnon a dangerous person who has a drinking problem and doesn't know it.

KEILAR: Some are predicting the North Pole may be ice free by September. That's right, the North Pole. Is that really possible? What does that mean? We'll be asking an expert.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Well, see it for yourself. It's a monster fire-fighting effort going on in northern California. Fire crews from 41 states are helping corral fires that have burned for a week.

The one outside Big Sur is so unpredictable officials have closed parts of the Pacific Coast Highway.

And just moments ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he was asking President Bush to declare a federal state of emergency in California. CNN's Dan Simon and his crew have wound their way through Big Sur, which is usually beautiful country, Dan, and he joins us now with what he has seen.

Dan, what have you seen?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Don.

This fire is burning in a very remote area. The reason why that's so important is because fire crews are unable to get their bulldozers and heavy equipment to the outer flanks of this fire. And because they can't do that, they can't build the fire lines and those stop gap defenses that are so critically important to prevent this wildfire from spreading.

Let me show you where we are. We are in a canyon just off of Highway 1 -- the huge thoroughfare that runs through this community. And you can see some flames off there in the substance. A tree still on fire. You can see some smoke still billowing in this canyon. And where this came through in a very scary place -- if we walk this way to my right, Jim (ph), if we can make our way over to this area -- you can see, as we go around this van and this fence over here, Don, to my right is the Henry Miller Library.

This is a very important landmark to the Big Sur community. It was dedicated to the famous American author. There are some original works in there. And the flames came dangerously close to overtaking the structure. But fire crews were able to keep the flames in check.

And Don, I don't know if you can tell this, but it's very foggy here. This is really weird conditions for a wildfire where we are. It's also very cool. But when you get into the higher elevations, about 1,200 feet up there, it's actually very sunny and very dry. Because of those dry conditions, that's why this fire is really starting to spread, Don.

LEMON: Dan Simon -- and Dan, you put it correctly. It looks hazy there. Big Sur usually a beautiful, sunny place.

Thank you very much, Dan.

KEILAR: Oil prices soared to a new record high yesterday and they are climbing even higher today. CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our "Energy Fix" from New York.

Hi, Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hi, Brianna.

Pretty historic move today, certainly in the commodities market. A lot of momentum in the energy market these days. Yesterday, crude topping $140 a barrel for the first time ever. Just about a half an hour ago, it surged within a penny of one $143.

Prices are up more than 45 percent since the beginning of this year. So everyone out there certainly asking -- what is going on? A number of factors at play here. The U.S. dollar falling against the euro. That is prompting investors to jump into the oil market. Also, Libya threatening to cut its oil production. And OPEC's president coming out and saying prices could reach $170 a barrel this summer, Brianna.

That is all weighing on what we're seeing happening today.

KEILAR: And Poppy, a lot of people asked this question: Saudi Arabia promising earlier this week to boost production -- so then why aren't prices surging in response?

HARLOW: Exactly. People are wondering that.

But here is what's going on. Energy markets are so touchy right now, extremely volatile. One little piece of news can send prices off and running. And even though Saudi Arabia said last week it will boost production if the market demands it, one analyst we spoke with said he's really skeptical about what impact that will have. He says production increases won't be enough and he says we're in what he is calling an inflationary spiral.

Also, you don't want to forget about the demand factors. A lot of that demand from China where -- this is a really interesting fact -- heating oil imports were 34 times higher last month in China than a year ago. So that gives you some perspective on just what the world is calling for in terms of oil.

KEILAR: Thirty-four times more. That is an increase.

And gas prices, though, they have been falling for most of this week, Poppy. Are they going to turn around?

HARLOW: Unfortunately, not likely. If history is any indication you can bet that they will rise very soon.

It takes about two weeks for oil to affect the price you see at the pump. Now AAA says the national average today for a gallon of regular unleaded -- right around $4.07. That is nearly 40 percent higher than the price that we were paying last year.

If you want to follow oil, gas prices, you can do that right on our Web site -- CNNMoney.com. We've got all the up to the minute numbers right there and all the stock market numbers for you as well, Brianna.

KEILAR: All right, Poppy. We'll certainly look at CNNMoney.com. Thanks so much.

HARLOW: Sure.

LEMON: Of all the things that you can count on -- ice at the North Pole. This year that could change. Make sure you stay with us for a chilling prediction of warming temperatures.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Environmental activists say it's chilling evidence of climate change. The North Pole is melting. And scientists see a 50/50 chance that it could be ice free by September.

James Balog is founder and director of the Extreme Ice Survey, which documents disappearing glaciers all over the world. He is joining us now from us Denver.

James, thanks for being with us.

JAMES BALOG, DIRECTOR, EXTREME ICE SURVEY: My pleasure. Thank you. KEILAR: And the way you explain this is really interesting -- really just talking about why does this matter. It's basically a matter of insulation, right?

BALOG: Yes. Essentially when you have the summer Arctic Ocean changing from being a heat reflecting body, when covered with ice, and it's changing to a heat absorbing body when the ice is gone. And now it's black sea water. It's just the same differences in the summertime when you're outside on a 95-degree day and you have a white shirt on or you have a black shirt.

The white shirt bounces heat away and the black shirt absorbs heat. And that's what is happening in the Arctic right now.

KEILAR: And James, I'm here with our meteorologist Karen Maginnis. She has an intense personal interest, in fact, in this topic. She's traveled around.

This is you pastime. You travel in search of polar bears and look at the habitat.

KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Wherever there is a bear, I'm there. And polar bears, right around Churchill, Manitoba, a very famous place that they hang out until the ice develops on the Hudson Bay. And literally, when you go there, the bears are very anxious, looking for the ice.

There is one of the bears.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: And these are pictures that you took.

MAGINNIS: By the way, Mr. Balog's photographs are just beautiful -- they are stunning -- of the arctic ice.

But these bears wait for that ice to develop. And if it doesn't develop soon enough, they're just waiting around, waiting for a way to get on the ice floes in the Hudson Bay to go out and get their food.

KEILAR: And James, what's the impact? Talk to us about the impact on wildlife here.

BALOG: Well, yes -- we're having a whole series of ripple effect all across the world, but most especially in the Arctic as these conditions change. Certainly the polar bears are going to be very stressed over the next couple of decades, as their core habitat, the sea ice floes, change -- and where they are and how the animals are able to hunt for food. That's why the polar bear has just been put on the endangered species list.

KEILAR: We're showing some of the recent pictures that you have taken on trips to Alaska as well as and Greenland. We're talking about the North Pole today. But this is also something that is mimicked in other places you've been. Talk to us about that. BALOG: Yes, our Extreme Ice Survey is monitoring glaciers that are retreating or thinning out all across the northern hemisphere. And what the scientists are seeing with the sea ice reducing is consistent with what we're seeing with the glaciers. So this is a global, systemic problem. It's visible, it's quantifiable, it's measurable. This is not about projections and imaginings and statistical modeling. This is the real thing.

KEILAR: James, what can you do about this? What can be done?

BALOG: Well, I think the biggest thing we can all do is wake up. We've been in denial and avoidance for a long time. It's time to pay attention and it's time for all of us to use our voices. That's why I'm here with you today. This gives me a chance to use my voice to tell the story to your listeners. This is vitally important.

KEILAR: Certainly. I think the pictures really drive it home. You're looking at something right now, I believe, from -- in 2007 -- from the spring into the fall where you can see just how the ice disappears. It recedes and kind of comes back over the year in the North Pole.

But of course, James, this is 50/50, right? In total, coming up through the summer, this could be completely blue? It could be all water?

BALOG: Yes, the key thing to remember is the trend line. Ever since satellites have been able to start watching the sea ice trends in the Arctic Ocean, that's -- those pictures started in 1979. The trend has been towards diminished sea ice over that nearly 30-year span. We're seeing record sea ice losses in 2007 and in 2005.

So the trend, regardless of what just this summer does, the trend is strongly negative for the foreseeable future. This is a very, very big event happening right under our noses, right now.

MAGINNIS: James, do we see the same thing in the southern-circum polar regions as well? You say that this is a trend. Is this something that will reverse at some point in time -- do you suspect?

BALOG: Well, it's -- we're witnessing a trend that's driven partially by natural variability. But we're also witnessing a trend that's driven by human-caused warming. Among serious scientists who really understand the subject and the material, there's not much doubt about that anymore.

The southern areas are -- there's a whole different climate regime down there. And it's almost like it's two different planets for the moment. But even Antarctica is starting to show signs some these same events. But the real story is in the northern latitudes right now.

KEILAR: James Balog with the Extreme Ice Survey. Thanks so much for joining us.

And Karen, thanks for your unique expertise as well. MAGINNIS: Thank you.

KEILAR: Don --

LEMON: All right. Thanks, guys.

Now, this is how you throw a birthday party. Invite 50,000 -- that's right, 50,000 -- people to Hyde Park in London and you put on a show. It's all for former South African President Nelson Mandela's 90th. It's set for tonight. Queen, Simple Minds, Eurythmics, Amy Winehouse. That is quite a lineup. With all the proceeds going to Mandela's AIDS charity. Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday is actually next month. It is July 18th. Happy early birthday to him.

A very long dive into a very shallow pool. We'll show you what happened.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK. I have to say this. Don't try this on your own. Do not try this on your own.

A 35-foot dive into one foot of water. Well it may sound crazy. Maybe it kind of is. But that's what a stunt diver who calls himself Professor Splash, tried to accomplish. Reporter Kyle Clark of CNN affiliate, KUSA, has the story from Federal Heights, Colorado.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL BORRILLO, RINGMASTER: Twelve inches of water in a kiddie pool from a 35.5 dive.

KYLE CLARK, KUSA REPORTER: Darren Taylor has made a living out of not listening to what his mother told him.

BORRILLO: He must land face first in 12 inches of water.

CLARK: The man who calls himself Professor Splash is about to teach a lesson in gravity to a crowd of kids who all appear to know better.

BORRILLO: Should you guys try this at home?

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: No.

BORRILLO: No, absolutely not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he is going to break his arm or his leg.

CLARK: He's going for a 35-foot, five inch belly flop into an ordinary kiddie pool.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll break your head or something?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happens if he doesn't land in the pool? BORRILLO: We're talking about a Guinness World Record that will be broken today. And hopefully, that is what will be broken and not our diver.

CLARK: The folks at Guinness, who really don't like people dying trying to get in to their book, they've made him put a foam mat underneath the pool.

These kids could probably tell the professor that being disqualified is not the worst thing that could happen here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he might break his arm or something. He's way high.

CLARK: Don't act like you don't want to see it again.

BORRILLO: (INAUDIBLE) a world record.

CLARK: Somewhere, Darren Taylor's mother is smiling, and probably shaking her head.

DARREN TAYLOR, DIVER: Did I have a pretty big splash?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: I love how he said, don't act like you don't want to see that again.

LEMON: I just think it's dangerous. I'm sorry, guys. You may not agree.

I know sorry.

KEILAR: It is dangerous.

LEMON: That was Kyle Clark, CNN affiliate of KUSA.

Professor Splash also held the previous world record for a shallow dive.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.