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Presidential Candidates Talk Pocketbook Issues; Wildfires Rage in California; Woman Offers to Trade Kidney on Craigslist

Aired July 08, 2008 - 15:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: No red carpet, no paparazzi, but that's not stopping the Obama family from going Hollywood.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, what would you give to save your spouse's life? This woman is willing to give her kidney, or, rather, trade it.

PHILLIPS: And it's the last thing Californians need, another fire. But they're getting it, and they're getting out.

Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live in New York.

LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon live at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

PHILLIPS: John McCain and Barack Obama go toe-to-toe over the top issue, the economy front and center again today for both men. Obama spoke at a town hall in Georgia and McCain addressed a Latino group in Washington.

At his town hall this morning just outside Atlanta, Georgia, Obama talked about pocketbook issues, including the credit crunch. Among other things, he vowed to reform bankruptcy laws to help financially strapped military families and homeowners. He also talked about the Iraq war, and he had some tough words as he compared his plans for Iraq to those of John McCain.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I hear John McCain saying we can't surrender, we can't wave the white flag. Nobody's talking about surrender; we're talking about common sense. We cannot be there forever. We can't be there for 50 years. We can't afford it. Our military families can't bear that burden. We've got to get more troops in Afghanistan.

I am going to bring this to an end. So don't be confused. I will bring the Iraq war to a close when I'm president of the United States of America.

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, in the next hour, at 4:30 Eastern, Obama is scheduled to speak to the League of United Latin American Citizens in Washington. We're going to have live coverage in THE SITUATION ROOM as soon as that gets under way.

And John McCain addressed the League of United Latin American Citizens today at its convention in Washington, the same group that Obama will speak to next hour. In his speech, seen live here on CNN, the Republican candidate talked about creating jobs by using an American resource, coal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Clean coal technology will create jobs in some of America's most economically disadvantaged areas. Our coal reserves are larger than Saudi Arabia's supply of oil. Clean coal demonstration projects alone will employ over 30,000 Americans. My proposal...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, John McCain and Barack Obama each have budget plans and they're getting a lot of attention lately. Ahead in the NEWSROOM, we're going to see how those plans compare and how much they're going to cost you.

LEMON: The Obamas go to Hollywood. An interview with the Democratic presidential candidate and his wife and daughters will air on "Access Hollywood" tonight, "Access Hollywood." Now, here's what -- some of what daughter Malia had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MALIA OBAMA, DAUGHTER OF BARACK OBAMA: I read the "People" magazines and everything. And they always have those sections, you know, how much people's dresses cost. And so I saw that magazine, and I'm like, oh, mommy, you're in this, because I have never seen mommy in there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it cool?

MALIA OBAMA: It's pretty cool, because I usually see people like Angelina Jolie.

MICHELLE OBAMA, WIFE OF SENATOR BARACK OBAMA: The real important people.

MALIA OBAMA: You know, real important...

(LAUGHTER)

MALIA OBAMA: No offense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: All right, so you heard it. Is this interview a good idea? Is it the right venue?

With me now by phone, "Chicago Sun-Times" columnist Ms. Stella Foster. Stella, thank you for joining us today.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: How are you?

STELLA FOSTER, "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES": Fine. Good afternoon. Glad to be talking with you.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: So, listen, is this a good idea, this sort of venue? I know that you're a columnist. Some people call you a gossip columnist. Do you think this venue is a good idea? Hollywood? Why not a more serious network?

FOSTER: Well, he's doing it all. When you think about it, Don, I mean, everybody pays attention to gossip, an entertainment news show. So, why not go to where the people are?

Just like little Malia just said that she was reading "People" magazine and her mommy was in there, that was impressive to her. You have to go to where the people are. And let's face it. People love those type of shows. News magazine shows are just very popular.

LEMON: Well, you know, we talked about this for a little bit, Stella. And you said, considering, you know, the problems that we're having with the family structure, especially, you know, we have heard about the statistics, African-American families as well, what does this say about that?

FOSTER: Well, you know, what I love about it is that here you have such a great family image. You have got the father in the home. You have got the mom in the home. They're both educated. You have two beautiful children who are getting -- their formative years are in -- are just being -- they're being molded into great citizens, as far as I'm concerned, at a young age.

And I think you have to start teaching your kids family values and morals when they are young, because, once they get to be teens, you know, then you have a problem. And I think, in the black community especially, we need to see this type of image of a family that's really pulling together and raising great children, because, let's face it, most of the black households are headed up by strong black women. And I think our young black men need to see a Barack Obama.

LEMON: And it doesn't matter which venue, whether it's a newspaper and one of your columns or whether it's a serious network or entertainment news?

FOSTER: It can be, you know, print, electronic media, Internet, "Access Hollywood," "E.T.," your show, CNN.

(CROSSTALK)

FOSTER: Come on.

LEMON: All right, Stella.

FOSTER: We need this. We need this image out here. Plus, he will be a great president because he's a brilliant, warm, and kind young man.

LEMON: Stella Foster, thank you very much for that. Miss you in Chicago. We appreciate you joining us today in the CNN NEWSROOM.

FOSTER: Thanks for calling me.

LEMON: More on "Access Hollywood" tonight. And, also, at 8:00, Campbell Brown will uncover this issue as well right in the "ELECTION CENTER," 8:00 p.m. Eastern, only here on CNN -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, firefighters gain ground on some of California's biggest fires, only to see others flare up again. Hundreds of people in Butte County are being told to get out after the winds shifted. About 1,000 people live in the evacuated areas just north of Sacramento. And all roads have been closed to incoming traffic. And you can see why. The fire is everywhere.

A news crew with our affiliate KOVR actually drove right into it with Mike Mohler of the State Forestry Division at the wheel. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE MOHLER, CAL FIRE: If it's not safe, we can't put engines down here. And that's what we're experiencing right now with the high winds and the fire behavior. So...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm just looking at this...

(CROSSTALK)

MOHLER: Yes. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's no way. I don't even want to be here right now.

MOHLER: Yes, we're actually going to turn around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Right now, crews are in neighborhoods closest to the fire clearing away wood, propane tanks, anything that might ignite.

And three weeks in, as you can imagine, firefighting resources are stretched thin. More than 20,000 people are fighting these fires, including National Guard troops and crews from other states. More than 1,400 fire engines are on the front lines. And 97 helicopters are in the skies.

Nearly 70 homes have been destroyed and more than 960 square miles burned. That's about the size of Rhode Island.

LEMON: Kyra said it. Firefighting crews are being stretched thin.

Any relief in sight for the crews and the people out there?

I turn now to our -- can we call you senior meteorologist Chad Myers?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm the oldest one.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: But are you a senior yet? That's the thing.

(LAUGHTER)

MYERS: I don't have my AARP card, but I'm working on it.

Don, I kind of want to get a couple of things here, because these are some thing you can go on the Cal Fire Web site and get some very interesting tidbits.

Look at where we are in 2008 right now. It's 630,000 acres -- more than that -- burned. That's the biggest number we have had for a very long time. That's the biggest number since 1936. Now, you have to realize, in 1936, there probably weren't a lot of helicopters out there, you have to think, huh? Not probably that many crews out there as well.

And the numbers, really even the ground crews, the personnel out there, this is nothing like they had back then. And these are some numbers that are still coming up and obviously so many places still burning at this point.

Some rain showers across the southeast, rain showers across the eastern part of the country and also still Bertha out there doing its thing, but really just making waves, not getting close to any land.

If you go on that Cal Fire Web site, a couple of things I bet you never thought of. If you leave your house, because they say get out, you should tear down your curtains. You should move your upholstered furniture away from the glass or the sliding glass windows, because the heat, the heat from outside can actually catch your house on fire from the inside.

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: Ah.

MYERS: There's a lot of good stuff on that Web site.

LEMON: Good advice. Chad Myers, we appreciate it.

Chad, we're going to go now to someone on the ground. But I want to tell you this. Preparing for the storm, if not Bertha, it could be -- crystal ball -- our John Zarrella is ready to show us how to get ready. OK. John Zarrella is going to show us that in just a little bit.

But, first, we want to go to Butte County in North Carolina, where winds are spreading a fire near a number of communities there.

Reporter Tom DuHain joins us now from affiliate KCRA. He's on the ground near. He's on the fire line near Concow.

Tell us about the firefighting efforts there.

TOM DUHAIN, KCRA REPORTER: What I can tell you is we're 2,000 feet in the Sierra foothills. We're about 85 miles north of Sacramento. And if you look behind me, you're going to see a canyon that is just filled with smoke. You can virtually see nothing.

But back there are two communities being threatened by flames which have broken containment. The so-called Camp fire yesterday was about 9,000 or 10,000 acres. It's way bigger than that today. And so two communities overnight had to be evacuated. Officials used reverse 911 calls and the deputies went door to door banging on the doors and windows to wait people up to get out all night long.

Some of the people, by the way, we're told, refused to leave. They're actually locked themselves in their homes, putting themselves and apparently firefighters who may try to save them at great risk. So, we have about 2,000 people evacuated here. They have gone about 20 miles to a high school in Orville, California.

So far, firefighters have been unable to save five homes. They burned this morning. And this fire is also spreading to another nearby town called Paradise. So, evacuations have been ordered for the east side of Paradise as well.

Unfortunately, it is so extremely dry here in California, when you get an easterly downslope wind, which is somewhat unusual here in California, coming down off the Sierra, it's very dry. They tend to be rather strong and they spread fire very, very quickly.

So, the situation here is very fluid. People have evacuated firefighters, and, as you know, equipment here in California strained to the limit. So, a lot of the local cities have fire strike crews up here from all around the Sacramento Valley trying to help out.

LEMON: Very interesting, Tom. And I think one of the more interesting points, you said that they're going door to door. And people refusing. Folks just don't understand that when you have a fire coming your way.

DUHAIN: Yes. Some people apparently believe -- they have so much faith in the fire service that they're going to be saved, that their homes will be safe, or that if they leave they will never be seen again. Of course, what's much more important are their lives. And, for the firefighters, they have three priorities. And that is lives, properties, and environment. And lives come first.

LEMON: Thank you very much for your reporting. We appreciate it -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Now to issue number one, the nation's economy and your money. Gas prices aren't down, but they aren't up either. AAA says that the national average for a gallon of regular is $4.11, same as yesterday, way different than a year ago.

So, do you believe that we were paying $2.96 last July?

All right, let's check out what the markets are doing right now, the Dow industrials up 117 points. That's good news. It's been gaining. And in about 10 minutes, a market update from our Susan Lisovicz down at the New York Stock Exchange.

Now, our nation's oil addiction made him filthy rich, but even this Texan thinks it's time for an intervention. Billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens has unveiled an eco-friendly energy plan. A key component, investing in renewable resources like wind power.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

T. BOONE PICKENS, FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN, BP CAPITAL: If I can get the wind replace the natural gas, then the natural gas will -- I can put it in transportation fuel. And there are eight million vehicles in the world today that are on natural gas.

And you could put it right in the transportation fuel and reduce our imports by 38 percent. And that would reduce the $700 billion by $300 billion.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And the gist of all those numbers he's throwing around? Well, our dependence on foreign oil drops by a third. Pickens said that it could be a done deal within 10 years if the government steps up and signs on.

Now, the Fed stepping up for future homebuyers of America. Chairman Ben Bernanke just talked about new rules that will be coming down next week. They address shady lending practices that have burned lots of people with subprime mortgages.

One example, the new rules would bar mortgage people from making loans without proof of the borrower's income.

LEMON: Once defeated, a lethal and smart enemy is back in force in Afghanistan. We will look at what the Taliban are doing differently both on the battlefield and in villages.

You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, a couple desperately needs your help. Dave needs a new kidney. And his wife is making an amazing offer to anyone who will help. We will talk to both of them ahead in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Well, you know, Capitol Hill isn't the only place where a battle is raging over when to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq.

Iraq's national security adviser today issued his government's strongest comments yet on the controversial issue. He is insisting on a timetable before accepting any security deal with Washington. President Bush says he's opposed to a timetable, that any withdrawal must be based on conditions on the ground. Some type of deal is needed, because a U.S. mandate keeping troops there expires at the end of the year.

PHILLIPS: Turning to Afghanistan, the Taliban was rooted by American troops seven years ago. But now they're back using tactics borrowed from insurgents in Iraq and U.S. forces.

Here's our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LT. BRIAN CAGE, U.S. MARINES: Go ahead. And take us in so you can show us the damages and we'll fill this slip out for him.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Marine Lieutenant Brian Cage spends a lot of time talking to Afghan. A big change from when he first arrived two months ago.

CAGE: I'm fighting every day. In fire fights every day. ROBERTSON: In Afghanistan's southern Helmand Province, Cage's experiences mirror those of coalition troops in other parts of the country. Move in, fight the Taliban, win local support.

CAGE: One of the big projects we're trying to work on here in the upcoming week, is that we're going to try and get the school back open.

ROBERTSON: But in the battle for popularity, Cage is not alone. The Taliban also compete with their own IO, Information Operations Campaign.

CAGE: The ones that weren't killed went to Pakistan. There's been some reports of them kind of starting to trickle back in and trying to do their own kind of IO thing, asking how people are and how their families are.

ROBERTSON: For Cage and his commanders, the Taliban tactic of taking sanctuary in Pakistan's lawless border region and returning when fighting is over, is a growing frustration. Another frustration, the Taliban's ability to hide in the local population. On this coalition video release, two Taliban suspects dress in female burqas, walk with women and children. So, while troops battle for hearts and is minds, Taliban fighters are still there.

CAGE: They're observing us. They are amongst the populous still. But they're not as -- they're not active right now. We've been looking for weak spots, opportunities. Lay IED's. Conduct possible ambushes in the area.

ROBERTSON: Recently, those opportunities have been coming with lethal regularity. 46 coalition troops killed here in June, more than during any other month since the U. S. -led invasion began in 2001. According to commanders, it's coalition not Taliban tactics that's causing the surge in deaths.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are doing operations in areas that we never used to be before. In other words, we're bringing the fight to the enemy.

ROBERTSON: But taking the fight to the Taliban isn't just increasing coalition casualties. It's boosting Taliban recruiting. Because the coalition troops are outsiders. And for some, that makes them the enemy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's no typical Taliban. We group them in many tiers. There are some which are ideology-based, some are just local tribal-based and everybody who is a foreigner, is an enemy.

ROBERTSON: Which makes Lieutenant Cage's hearts and minds patrol so critical. Changing perception, foreigners need not be the enemy.

(on camera): As tough as it was for the Marines to drive the Taliban out of this area, experiences of other troops in Afghanistan who've shown that this may be the hardest battle to win. Keeping the local support and keeping the Taliban out.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Nic joins us now from our London studio.

Nic, a senior Afghan government official said that today -- well, actually, told us today that Monday's attack on the Indian Embassy that you talked to us about bears all of the hallmarks of Pakistani involvement. You and I were talking about the Taliban involvement. What's the story?

ROBERTSON: Well, the story is that Afghan officials have long said that most of their problems come from the Pakistan side of the border.

They say that Pakistan, either at a government level or at a sort of quasi-government level, retired security officials support the Taliban, and that that seems to be the root of this evidence. Now, specifically, what the evidence is, the Afghan government isn't saying.

But this really raises the stakes. They're saying here, Pakistan -- and this is a country that the President Hamid Karzai threatened to invade just a few months ago -- is taking a direct role about targeting the Indian Embassy and Afghan civilians.

It's really raising the stakes by saying this. It's becoming a very, very dangerous political game that's playing out there right now. PHILLIPS: Well, and the talk is that Pakistan is the problem here. And that's where the terrorism continues to flourish and affect all these outer lying countries.

And, so, you have got this delicate dance that Pervez Musharraf is doing with President George Bush. And what are U.S. troops, what re they supposed to do? The mission is to fight terrorism, yet, they can't go into Pakistan. The U.S. supports Pakistan military. Then there's this political issue. What do you do?

ROBERTSON: And this really is the most pressing problem for U.S. officials in the region. When I was in Kabul a couple of weeks ago, I was talking to embassy officials there.

The status quo, i.e. not being able to go across the border and deal with the Taliban and these other groups inside Pakistan, where they have really taken root and Pakistani government can't deal with them, that status quo, they say, just isn't going to hold. But they don't know who to deal with.

Do they deal with the Pakistani government while it's getting too weak? Do they deal with the military? Well, the military is -- is military's waiting for its government to step up to the plate here? What games are playing out behind the scenes in Pakistan?

It's a big, big frustration. And it cannot carry on. But this is the big pressing problem. What do you do about it? Pakistan is a sovereign country. The United States can't just cross the border. The troops aren't allowed to go in and take a direct role, although there are specific strikes against specific targets.

But the Pakistani government, at the same time, is too weak, and it's proven that in offensives that have failed over the past few weeks, too weak to deal with the rebels and the Taliban in that border area. So, this is a long ongoing headache right now, and no one -- no one appears to have an answer.

LEMON: Yes, and you talk about the games being played. Let's just hope the Taliban doesn't continue to win out.

Nic Robertson, thanks.

LEMON: So, if they gave awards for the latest, 10 airline flights would be the greatest -- the tardy bunch coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right.

Well, Southwest Airlines has topped another industry list, this time without even trying.

Despite their rep for good service, Southwest 2709 from Houston to San Diego is the most chronically delayed flight in the country. It was late 100 percent of the time in May, the most recent data available. Next worst, Northwest 851 from Detroit to Anchorage, Alaska, third, a much shorter haul route, Skywest 2718 between Muskegon and Flint, Michigan. Then it's American Flight 1555 from New York's congested JFK down to Miami. American actually had the most chronically late flights overall. They took the fifth, the seventh, and eighth spots as well. Ninth, it's Frontier Flight 677, Orlando to Denver. And number 10, ExpressJet 1290 flying the crowded Northeast Corridor.

(BUSINESS REPORT)

LEMON: Let's talk now a deadly and horrific bus crash. Could all of this have been prevented? Investigators now say yes. We will hear from the grieving families in their own words.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Confusing highway signs, driver error, poor passenger safety features all factors in last year's bus crash in Atlanta. Five college baseball players from Ohio, the driver and his wife all died in that crash. Federal investigators are out with new findings now and grieving families are shedding new tears.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN BETTS, SON DIED IN BUS CRASH: From my perspective, and I think from our perspective -- I think I believe I speak for all of us in that regard -- is that the apathy has gone on too long. These recommendations were made 40 years ago. And specifically in 1999, had any of those recommendations been implemented that the NTSB required or certainly when it legislated at that time, our sons would be alive today. That's not a wish, that's not a fantasy, that's a fact.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT ACCETTA, INVESTIGATOR IN CHARGE, NTSB: After assessing the events of this accident, the team members identified the following safety issues -- inadequate HOV traffic control devices the lack of motor coach (INAUDIBLE) protection and the lack of event data recorders on motor coaches.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BETTS: These lives that were lost, it absolutely was preventable. That's the most frustrating piece for any of the family members is that this was preventable. Not the accident. Accidents will occur. HOV lanes can be corrected. My son cannot be brought back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Let's talk now about Hurricane Bertha. It's a bit less menacing than it was just a few hours ago. It has weakened to a category two storm and is veering away from the East Coast.

But that shouldn't stop residents from, getting ready for the storm to come. And for some people, that means having extra power.

Here's CNN's John Zarrella.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Generators range from a few hundred dollars to many thousands. They come in sizes to meet whatever your need, from a few thousand watts, to run fans, lights, TVs and refrigerators, up to the big boys.

JOE DARGAVAGE, HONDA POWERHOUSE: You do bump up to the $11,000 and the $15,000 when you really want to run your entire house.

ZARRELLA: Joe Dargavage is with Honda Powerhouse.

DARGAVAGE: So many people bought generators last year in a rush and didn't necessarily get a full description on safety and how to run them.

ZARRELLA: Right out of the box, here are two key safety items -- use heavy-duty extension cords, 10 or 12 gauge; keep your generators outdoors, away from windows.

DARGAVAGE: This generator right here puts out 10 times more carbon monoxide than one vehicle. The first thing you want to do is you're always going to make sure that you have plenty of fuel.

ZARRELLA (on camera): Right.

DARGAVAGE: OK, and that the fuel is good and new. And you're also going to check your oil level. And we talked about always having plenty of oil on hand. So check your oil level. And you want to check our oil level about every day-and-a-half when you're running this thing, as well.

All you're going to have to do on this model is you pull the choke out, the electric start, you turn the switch and it starts right up.

ZARRELLA (voice over): Only now, after you have started the generator, do you plug in your extension cords.

DARGAVAGE: You start with your largest amount of power first and let it get up to speed. If you're going to start with your refrigerator, you would plug in the cord that's running the refrigerator and let the generator -- and you're going to feel the load on the generator. And let it even itself out before you plug in your next cord for lights or your fans, and so on.

ZARRELLA: So you don't try to power more than your generator can handle. It should come with a reference guide to tell you how many watts each appliance needs to start it and run it. Generators may not provide all the comforts of home, but they sure beat living in the dark.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZARRELLA: Now, you've got to make sure that you get the heavy duty extension cords -- 10, 12 gauge -- because anything more like a 16 gauge, it's really not enough and they can catch fire. They're not heavy enough. And, you know, one of the things, Don, that we found out while covering Hurricane Wilma and living through Hurricane Wilma down here a couple of years ago is I ran out of oil. I knew I had plenty of gasoline, but I didn't have enough oil. And so a lot of people make that mistake. So make sure you have plenty of oil, too, for those generators.

And a really good idea, a carbon monoxide detector, because we know every time there's a hurricane, many people end up dying not from the storm, but in the aftermath, because of carbon monoxide, because they put that -- that generator too close to the house. So things to be mindful of.

And we've got a basket of goodies. We're ready to go with that, as well. So we're ready for the hurricanes, if we get them. Hopefully we don't -- Don.

LEMON: All right. John Zarrella.

And I see folks are preparing behind you, as well.

Appreciate your advice, sir.

ZARRELLA: Yes.

LEMON: Thank you very much.

All right, the latest information now on Bertha. Mr. Chad Myers joining me now in the CNN Weather Center.

OK, upgraded, downgraded, concerned?

MYERS: Lost its eye.

LEMON: OK.

MYERS: Probably losing its identity, getting into some colder water.

LEMON: Eye-dentity.

MYERS: Eye-dentity.

(LAUGHTER)

MYERS: Really. Probably getting into some colder water now, because it is traveling to the north. It is traveling so far to the north that, in fact, it's actually probably going to miss Bermuda completely, even though it's still on the map. There's Bermuda and there's the cone. It has moved to the east of the cone there -- the cone has moved to the east. The whole thing now is just going to kind of be in a weakening stage. It was a pretty big storm for a while. Then it's 90, then 80, then 70, then probably it's down to a tropical storm itself.

This thing is not going to turn left. It's coming around a big tropical ridge. We're OK with this thing. I think we're going to be just fine.

One more thing about these generators. And I'm getting this from my engineering school background. If you plug this thing into your house and try to run the whole house, you have to have the breakers shut off, otherwise you're going to electrocute somebody who's trying to get your power back on. Big time. You want to just plug whatever you want into the generator itself. Don't try to run your whole house if you don't know what you're doing, because you're going to be feeding power back into the system and somebody is going to be out there trying to put your lines back together with that power in.

LEMON: How do you know all this stuff?

MYERS: I don't know. It's just in there.

LEMON: You're like the answer man.

MYERS: It's just -- I'm Cliff Claven. They won't come out.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: All right. I like calling you Chad Myers, though.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: All right, Chad. Appreciate it.

MYERS: All right, Don.

LEMON: Thank you very much.

MYERS: Yes.

LEMON: Kyra?

PHILLIPS: Well, its illegal to sell your organs in the United States and Canada, but what about a trade?

Ahead in the NEWSROOM, a woman offers a trade in hopes of saving her husband's life. We're going to talk to them both straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, right now in the United States, about 95,000 people are on a waiting list to get a life-saving organ. And right now in Canada, more than 4,000 people are awaiting a kidney transplant. Dave Wilson of Abbotsford, British Columbia is one of those individuals who is waiting patiently. The 70-year-old father and grandfather could be waiting for a new kidney for years.

So his wife Lois went online to make an offer that got our attention. She placed an ad on craigslist, which reads, in part: "My husband needs a kidney from a B negative living donor. I have an A negative kidney which I'm willing to trade. This is a matter of life and death and it's not a joke."

Lois Wilson joins me live from Vancouver.

And her husband Dave joins me on the phone from Abbotsford. Dave was not able to make the trip to the studio with Lois because of his physical condition, but at least we have you both.

Hi, guys.

LOIS WILSON, OFFERING KIDNEY TRADE: Hello.

DAVE WILSON, NEEDS NEW KIDNEY: Hi.

PHILLIPS: Well, Lois, I want to start with you.

We just read what you put on craigslist.

I mean why did you do this? What gave you the idea?

L. WILSON: We had some friends visiting us from Nashville, Tennessee. And when -- we hadn't seen them for 17 years or more. And so when he saw my husband, he said to me, this is a different man. We need to get this boy a kidney. And he's been wracking his brains. He does these things. His name is Blake Emmens (ph) and he helps people.

But, so it was his idea to go on craigslist. Now, I don't know anything about craigslist, really. So he sat down with me and helped me write the ad. And we wanted it to get people's attention. That's what it did, obviously.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it did.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: And what kind of response have you received so far?

L. WILSON: Well, I can't believe the response. We've had -- it's only been a -- it's been a week and I'm still getting calls. And we've had about 17 calls so far, people offering to donate their kidneys.

PHILLIPS: And so is there a taker?

Is there a right match?

Can you go forward with this?

L. WILSON: Well, we actually belong to -- we were part of a pairing program that they have here in British Columbia that was just getting started. It's a pilot program. And their database is quite small as yet. And we belong to that. And so I was originally willing to give my kidney to my husband, but I was the wrong blood match. So we decided that we would go ahead and try out this pairs program, which is -- has been very slow.

Now, apparently, because of this whole thing, there may be a couple out there, we were told. And so some testing has been started to see if we can -- if I can donate and if my husband can be a recipient.

PHILLIPS: Wow! So you have a Plan A and a Plan B.

So, Dave, what do you think of your amazing wife here and what she's done?

D. WILSON: Well, you know, I really appreciate Lois' generosity and her concern. You know, giving a live organ is probably the ultimate precious gift a person can give to your partner. And I really thank her kindly for her willingness to donate on my behalf.

This whole thing was a bit of a surprise to me. I didn't realize that it was on craigslist until the last minute.

L. WILSON: Yes, I didn't tell him.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Why did you want to...

L. WILSON: I didn't want to get his hopes up, so...

PHILLIPS: Oh.

L. WILSON: ...I waited. And then, of course, we started getting calls from the media, so I had to tell him.

PHILLIPS: So, Dave, did you just give her a big hug and kiss or were you speechless?

I mean how did you react?

D. WILSON: Well, I think I still owe her one.

(LAUGHTER)

L. WILSON: I think he was in shock, actually.

PHILLIPS: Well, I love that after 38 years of marriage, you still want to give her lots of kisses. I think that's a -- that's a beautiful thing right there.

L. WILSON: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Dave, what do you go through on a daily basis?

I mean give us a reality check on -- is it getting worse, your condition?

I mean how -- what -- you couldn't even drive to the studio.

D. WILSON: No. What happened, when you're on dialysis, it's three days a week and it's four hours a day. And those days you're really tired and really weak when you get off dialysis. Even though your blood is a lot cleaner and they take a lot of fluid out, you're still really tired for the rest of that day.

So that leaves you one day in between dialysis that you have a little bit more energy, but not very much. And my kidneys are getting worse, but the dialysis compensates for that.

But the problem with me, I think, was chronic fatigue syndrome, which I had before kidney disease. In fact, I think it might have been connected with my kidney disease now that I think about it.

So, yes, fatigue is the main problem.

PHILLIPS: Now I know through all of these decades, you guys have shared so many things together -- from old cars to athletics to trips to grandkids. I mean you guys have just had an absolutely amazing marriage.

I mean what keeps you going, Dave?

Is it just believing that something is going to happen? Is it looking at Lois and just watching what she's doing? I mean what's motivating you?

D. WILSON: Well, actually, right now, I'm kind of treading water. You know, just going on dialysis keeps you alive, but it doesn't give you a lot of extra energy, which is what I'm missing. So I'm hoping with the new kidney, of course, I'll get some of the energy back and we can get it back into the things that we used to do.

L. WILSON: There's no quality of life. The dialysis keeps him alive, but there's no quality to that life. Previously, my husband just had a real zest for life. Life was a gift and he wanted to get everything out of it he could. So he has been extremely active in all kinds of sports -- rugby, flying parachutes behind boats, flying kites behind boats, motorcycle racing, skiing, golfing. You name it, he's done it. And we would still like to do some of those things that -- you know, especially golfing. When you get older, you quit jumping out of parachutes.

(LAUGHTER)

L. WILSON: But you know there are people out there -- just last week you had an article about an 82-year-old man who jumped out of an airplane on his birthday. And we have a friend who's 80 and plays hockey three times a week and skis -- still skis all the time during the winter.

So we may not have a lot of years left, but we'd sure like some quality to them. PHILLIPS: Well, I'll tell you what, we'll be crossing our fingers and saying prayers that you make it to that 39th year.

L. WILSON: Thank you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Lois, you're an amazing woman.

Dave, you stay strong.

We appreciate you both.

We'll follow up on the situation.

L. WILSON: Good.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Dave.

D. WILSON: Yes, thank you.

LEMON: Presidential politics -- the economy needs a fix. Both candidates say they'll deliver. We'll check out their plans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Adding up the numbers -- the Barack Obama and John McCain budget plans are getting more attention as election day draws closer.

But after all of the promises, are their plans really feasible?

Some analysts tell "The Los Angeles Times" they don't think Obama's proposals for new federal programs will add up. And, all of those things, the Democratic candidate has said that he would strengthen the nation's bridges and dams.

The price tag -- $6 billion a year. He wants to help make them -- or help make men better fathers, apparently. The cost -- $50 million a year. And Obama wants to help Iraqis displaced by war. The cost -- $2 billion in onetime spending. His health care plan would cost $65 billion a year. And he would add $18 billion a year to education spending.

LEMON: Well, here's what John McCain says. He says his plan is to balance the budget by the end of his first term.

But how realistic is that?

Our senior correspondent, Allan Chernoff, looked into it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John McCain claims he can balance the federal budget.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: American workers and families pay their bills and balance their budgets, and I'll demand the same thing of our government, which you're not getting now.

CHERNOFF: Is there any way it can be done?

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says yes, even predicting a surplus by fiscal year 2012 under current law. How?

Because the Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire in 2010. And the alternative minimum tax, introduced in the '70s to ensure the wealthy pay income tax, is due to affect more middle income households.

But that is not what John McCain has in mind.

MCCAIN: American families need tax relief. And I, not my opponent, will deliver it.

CHERNOFF: McCain pledges to extend the Bush tax cuts and protect millions of Americans from paying the alternative minimum tax. Those promises, some experts say, would dramatically increase the budget deficit.

BOB GREENSTEIN, CENTER FOR BUDGET AND POLICY PRIORITIES: The chance that he would really balance the budget by the end of his first four years, near zero.

CHERNOFF: On the spending side, John McCain says he won't back down in Iraq or Afghanistan. But the wars are costly -- budgeted at $188 billion this coming fiscal year.

STEPHEN BIDDLE, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: To the extent that it becomes possible to draw troop levels down in Iraq, there's going to be a tremendous demand not to bring them home, set them down and not use them, but to swing them, or at least some significant fraction of them, to Afghanistan.

CHERNOFF: Even if U.S. troops in Iraq were cut by 80 percent, the Urban-Brookings Tax Center says McCain would still face a deficit of nearly $450 billion. To balance the budget, McCain would have to make cuts as severe as chopping Social Security by 50 percent, slashing Medicare by 70 percent.

(on camera): And that is not happening. One more note. McCain says he needs reasonable economic growth in order to balance the budget. Given the fact that the economy here in the U.S. is quite lousy right now, it's reasonable to assume that economic growth when the next president takes office will be sub-par, which means less tax revenue, not more.

Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right, Allan.

Journalists from across the U.S. converged on Denver today, getting their first official look at the arena that will host the Democratic National Convention late next month. Construction is already underway in the Pepsi Center to make it convention ready. The final event will take place at the Denver Broncos' Stadium, which can seat 75,000 people for Barack Obama's nomination acceptance speech.

PHILLIPS: Well, the closing bell and a wrap of all the action on Wall Street straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, petty crime is not something that we often report on, especially not shoplifting. But the surveillance video of a suspected shoplifter right here, confronted by Wal-Mart security in Bozzetto, Ohio would make any parent wince. Look at this. The man keeps hold on the toddler, even as he falls to the floor. Police say the 28-year-old Justin Black showed no regard for his child as he tried to flee. Another man who was with Black began fighting with store security. Black was arrested on theft and child endangerment charges.

LEMON: The closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street. And our Susan Lisovicz is standing by with a final look at the trading day -- hey, Susan, I haven't seen you all day.

Did you have a good Memorial weekend or Fourth of July weekend?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I worked.

LEMON: And Memorial weekend, as well.

LISOVICZ: I worked.

LEMON: Yes, the same here.

LISOVICZ: Yes. So, OK. That's all right. You know, we have jobs. And that's one of the stories today.

LEMON: Yes.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

LISOVICZ: See you guys tomorrow.

LEMON: Have a good one, Susan. Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

And we'll take it now to "THE SITUATION ROOM" and Suzanne Malveaux in today for Wolf.