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The Thunder of Launching Missiles, the Rumbling of New Warnings; Nuclear Negotiations with North Korea Back on Track; Barack Obama Shrugs off Crude Comment by the Reverend Jesse Jackson; New DNA Evidence on Jonbenet Ramsey's Death; Senator Ted Kennedy Back on Capitol Hill
Aired July 10, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's what's made her a historic candidate for president. It's that unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans.
You can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, it is because Hillary Clinton is going to be right there knocking down barriers and making sure it happens. When we finally transform our energy policy, it's going to be because she brings her fierce intelligence to the policy making process.
When we lift our children out of poverty, it's going to be building on the work that she's done. When we finally make our economy work for ordinary families again, it's going to be because she's helped make it happen. So I've admired her as a leader. I've learned from her...
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, good morning, everybody.
Heidi Collins and Tony Harris here now, 9:00 Eastern time.
Just to let you know what you are watching. We have dipped into Senator Barack Obama, you see flanked by Senator Hillary Clinton at a fund-raiser in New York.
This is the Women for Obama event. Let's go back and listen just a little longer.
OBAMA: And I am absolutely convinced that if we are working together and all the women in this room are working together, there is no way we're going to lose in November. That I'm absolutely confident of.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Now Hillary and I may have started on separate paths during the course of this campaign, but together we shared a common experience of chattering barriers that have stood firm since the founding of this nation.
Now, of course, we know that one election cantor race all the biases and outdated attitudes that we're still wrestling to overcome. And we saw some of that during the course of the campaign -- times where some of those ugly biases flared and emerged.
But while this campaign has shown us how far we have to go, we also know that because of what Hillary Clinton has accomplished that my daughters and yours look at America and look at themselves differently today. They're dreaming a little bigger, they're setting their sights a little higher.
My 10-year-old Malia -- Michelle and I were talking to her about the campaign, and what was striking was her understanding historically that what we had done was significant. She said, oh, yes, well, it's not surprising that, Daddy, if you won, you would be the first African-American president because there was all that slavery going on with Jim Crow.
And it wouldn't be surprising if Hillary Clinton was the first woman president because women weren't treated fairly. But what was interesting was how she saw that retrospectively, how she took for granted that now it was going to be different, how she took for granted that going forward she could do whatever she wanted, her girlfriends could do whatever they wanted, that -- that is the mark of the impact that Hillary has had in our politics, in our lives.
The question we face now is -- what kind of future are we going to build for those daughters? Are we going to make those wonderful assumptions that my daughter and your daughters carry with them? Are we going to make those a reality?
It's a question I ask, not just as a president, but as a father, thinking about the challenges that my girls will face as they start careers and families of their own. It's a question I ask as a son and a grandson and a husband who's seen some of the women I love most in the world confront so many of these challenges themselves.
Some of you know my history. I saw my mom -- a young single mother -- put herself through school and follow her passions for helping others. As Mia has told you, she was a specialist in international development and she ended up traveling all around the world in microfinancing projects.
She taught me very early on if you want to see a country develop, make sure the women are getting educated and they are given the resources that they need. And that's what she devoted her life to.
COLLINS: All right. There you go. Just a little bit more of the flavor of this fund-raiser that's happening in New York. Senator Barack Obama alongside Senator Hillary Clinton, the Women for Obama event there.
Well, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama together pretty much for breakfast. On the menu today -- money.
CNN political producer Alex Marquardt is at the breakfast fund- raiser in New York. He's on the phone with us right now.
This is just one of the several of these types of events that are planned, isn't it, Alex? ALEX MARQUARDT, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: It is one of several events. In fact, there were two others last night. This is only the third fund-raiser that they've done together. Really the only second appearance they've had in public since she dropped out of the race back in early June.
And this is an event that's really there to promote unity just like the event that happened in Unity, New Hampshire on June 27th. Hillary Clinton came out on stage and her message from the get-go was that there's so little that separates her and Obama compared to what separates the voters from John McCain.
So it really is all about -- her message was all about getting Obama elected and she wanted to drive that point home in front of a group of women on a day when Senator Obama's message is all about women and the economy.
COLLINS: There was a little bit of confusion, though, wasn't there, Alex, last night around some of these planned events, right?
MARQUARDT: Well, yes. Some of the fund-raisers are meant to help Senator Clinton help pay down her campaign debt and there actually was a reception organized for her last night in order to do that.
Unfortunately Senator Obama had votes in the Senate that lasted a little bit too long, so the event actually got canceled. What Senator Obama was meant to do was ask donors at his first fund-raisers last night when Senator Clinton wasn't there to contribute to her campaign.
Now there's a funny moment at the end because he actually forgot to ask donors to do that.
COLLINS: Yes.
MARQUARDT: After he wrapped up his speech and the music started he had to cut the music and come back out and then ask them to do it -- ask them to contribute to her.
COLLINS: Yikes. I wonder which was more effective if he had done it the first time around or forgetting and then going back and having to cut the music. I guess we'll have to see on that.
Alex Marquardt, we sure do appreciate it -- our CNN political producer who is at that fund-raiser right now with Senator Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton.
Thanks, Alex.
COLLINS: John McCain campaigns in the swing state of Michigan today. He will be talking with workers and undecided voters in the Detroit suburb of Bellville. McCain plans to focus on jobs and small businesses during a town hall meeting. Later today he visits his regional headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Iran is testing more missiles and possibly the resolve of world leaders this morning.
Iran's state TV is boasting that it has launched more medium and long-range missiles. It is the second straight day of military exercises and muscle flexing. Iran says it is merely responding to threats from the United States and Israel. And, in fact, Iranian missiles would be capable of striking Israel.
Iran also says its missiles have special capabilities but does not explain what that means.
So what does it mean to Americans half a world away? Well, in a word, plenty.
Iran's saber rattling has drawn a warning from the White House. And we are following the latest developments from Washington.
CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr has the military angle and on the diplomatic front, State Department correspondent, Zain Verjee.
Zain, let's begin with you. What is the secretary of state saying about these tests?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN STATE DEPARTMENT CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, just a short while ago State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told us that Iran poses multiple threats to the region and the U.S., is working with its friends around the world to confront those threats.
Earlier Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had this warning for Iran.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are also sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and defend our -- the interest of our lives. We take very, very strongly our obligation to help our allies defend themselves and no one should be confused about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERJEE: Now the tests show, according to experts that we've spoken to, that Iran is serious about fighting off any attack on its nuclear facilities.
Tony, it also seems part psychological warfare. Iran responding to that high-profile show by the Israeli military last month that they could fly their planes hundreds of miles, as far as the Iranian nuclear facilities. So now what we're seeing is Iran strutting its stuff for a second straight day.
But there's another factor, too, Tony. See, there's an incentives package on the table for Iran to negotiate with the west over its nuclear program. So Iran may be firing off these missiles to kind of strengthen its hand ahead of these possible talks.
HARRIS: OK. So maneuvers beget maneuvers, rhetoric begets more rhetoric.
But in the final analysis here, Zain, what can the U.S. really do?
VERJEE: Well, the U.S. is pushing Iran hard, it says, in different ways over the nuclear program. On the one end, it's squeezing Iran with sanctions. And on the other, offering them these incentives to sit down and talk.
The thing here is that the U.S. doesn't have any direct contact with Iran. So if there's dangerous incident that happens, it's a lot harder to step back from the brink.
Another point that I think is important is that many are saying, too, that the larger point of the missile test is this -- it's not actually the missiles that make Iran dangerous. Missiles are conventionally seen by many as a poor man's weapon.
What does actually make Iran dangerous is its ability to project its power via proxies in places like Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, Iraq, Afghanistan. And that power is what worries the U.S.
HARRIS: OK. Our State Department correspondent Zain Verjee this morning --Zain, thanks.
COLLINS: And the Pentagon is also monitoring Iran's new missile tests this morning. We are also learning the U.S. Navy recently held a missile defense test checking out its communications network across the Middle East.
CNN's Barbara Starr is live now at the Pentagon with both of these stories.
Barbara, so what are the thoughts from the Pentagon on these new exercises?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Heidi, it may be saber rattling but the U.S. military is watching and listening to every one of those saber rattles.
There are a couple of Iranian exercises going on right now -- the missile launch tests that we're reporting on. There's also an Iranian naval exercise going on at the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
And all of this, the U.S. believes, is, in fact, what Zain is talking about, of course, which is saber rattling that Iran is trying to send a message to the world about its military capability.
But Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday went to great lengths to try and tell everybody to just take a deep breath.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: The reality is that there is a lot of signaling going on, but I think everybody recognizes what the consequences of any kind of a conflict would be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: So one -- what are the consequences and what could trigger something is a question a lot of people are asking. And one of the key questions, of course, that affects Americans right in the pocket book is, could Iran shut down the oil flow in the Strait of Hormuz and would they have any intention of doing that?
The U.S. doesn't think they have an intention. Do they have the capability at this point? They could possibly do it for a short period of time, but the U.S. military is always on patrol in that region and would take great steps, very quickly, to reopen the strait.
U.S. officials say they would not allow Iran to shut down that vital waterway -- Heidi?
COLLINS: Yes. Well, I wonder, though, what more we know about these Navy exercises that we were talking about?
STARR: Right, all part of keeping that water very open to all nations.
The U.S. Navy last month did a fascinating exercise. They had one ship in the Persian Gulf. They had another ship over in the Mediterranean. And those ships sent, if you will, radar signals to each other practicing on how they would defend against an Iranian missile launch, if Iran was to launch one of those long-range missile, that possibly could reach Israel and even possibly into the southern regions of Europe.
So they're testing out how they could establish a U.S. naval umbrella over this region, part of the signaling back and forth -- Heidi?
COLLINS: Yes, understandable. All right, CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr -- thanks, Barbara.
STARR: Sure.
HARRIS: Boy, this story really took off yesterday afternoon.
Crude comments overheard on an open mike and now Jesse Jackson has some explaining to do. You may have heard his original comments but Jackson talked to CNN this morning and you'll hear from him in just a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Iran test fires another round of missiles in the oil- rich Persian Gulf, so here's the question: will that impact the price you pay for gas?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live breaking news, unfolding developments, see for yourself in the CNN NEWSROOM.
COLLINS: Here's a picture no one wants to see -- foreclosures mounting up. More than 250,000 notices went out in June. 71,000 properties were repossessed according to a tracking company.
Hardest hit, homeowners in Nevada, California, Arizona, Florida and Michigan. Some states are giving borrowers more time to pay their mortgages. And a $4 billion mortgage rescue plan is being hashed out in Congress.
HARRIS: And breaking news this morning, Iran test fires missiles in Persian Gulf for a second day of running. Will the rumbles be felt all of the way to the gas pump? That is the question.
Ali Velshi is "Minding Your Business" this morning. He's with us from New York.
And, Ali, we're trying to break down the impact -- the potential impact...
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
HARRIS: ... of all of the saber rattling that's going on...
VELSHI: Right.
HARRIS: ... between the United States, Israel and Iran right now. And you've got a pretty cool way for us to sort of gauge the potential impact on each and every one of us.
VELSHI: Yes, well, you know, Barbara was referring to it and secretary of defense -- Defense Secretary Gates was saying we all know what the impact of conflict with Iran would be.
Well, let me explain to you exactly what that is. When you think of the Middle East and you think of oil, you think of Saudi Arabia. It's the world's largest producer of oil.
But Iran is actually the fourth largest producer. Now that whole crescent on the left of the screen, the left of the Persian Gulf, that's the oil rich part of the Middle East. And that little part, that coastline of Saudi Arabia, where it says Persian Gulf...
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: ... the biggest refineries of the world are right there but they leave the gulf on ship mainly. That's the biggest way to get that oil out of there.
So look at how it would go. It would move down the Persian Gulf over to the right side of the screen...
HARRIS: yes.
VELSHI: ... where it says Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz controlled by Iran. At its narrowest point it is 21 miles wide.
Now Iran has said that if anybody were to threaten it or attack it, it would shut down the Strait of Hormuz. It is Iranian-controlled water but U.S. boats patrol that area and the U.S. has said they will not allow that oil to stop flowing.
But the bottom line is it's two channels -- one in each direction -- with ships that sort of line up to go through and Iran does control it. So if Iran wanted to...
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: ... it could definitely create mischief in the Strait of Hormuz by way of mines under the water or attacks from over sea. And all you have to do is get one tanker and you've got yourself a problem with backed up oil.
Now, that oil, Tony, can't be redirected. About 30 percent of it can flow in pipelines west but that's all. So let me just -- I think it's 40 percent of all the oil in the world that is shipped and if you heard me say...
HARRIS: Yes, I heard you say that this morning.
VELSHI: In Japan, Europe and the U.S., 40 percent of it goes through the Strait of Hormuz. So that oil flow stops you will see the price of oil shoot up to levels we haven't seen.
HARRIS: But, Ali, come on, Iran benefits from the traffic through the Strait of Hormuz as well.
VELSHI: Absolutely.
HARRIS: What's Iran got to gain from any potential conflict and living up to the threat here?
VELSHI: Very little as I see it. Frankly, all the parties in this don't have anything to gain. The rest of us will pay a great deal for oil...
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: ... regardless of the ethnic and religious tensions, geographic tensions of the area. Iran gets about 85 percent of its budget from the oil that it produces themselves and from the money that it gets from people going through the Strait of Hormuz.
So Iran has very little to gain because, let's say it stopped the flow of oil and oil prices shot up.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: But we already know that at $150 or close to $150 a barrel, we see people pulling back on demand around the world. It's called demand destruction. If the price goes up too fast, demand for oil will just drop off. So nobody has anything to gain. HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: That's why the saber rattling may just be saber rattling.
HARRIS: OK. There he is, "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Ali Velshi in New York -- Ali, great to see you.
VELSHI: Thanks, man.
COLLINS: It is the worst salmonella outbreak in years. We're asking Dr. Sanjay Gupta about raw evidence in a case that has health officials baffled.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: You're watching CNN NEWSROOM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
COLLINS: More than 1,000 people sick with salmonella. The FDA calling it the worst outbreak in at least 10 years. And the source still remains a mystery.
Chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is joins us now from New York.
Boy, Sanjay, how wide spread is this outbreak now and what sort of produce should we actually be passing up?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, the FDA chief called this spectacularly complicated. And I thought that was a good way of describing it.
It is progressive, no doubt. And I think most frustrating for people, especially the FDA, is that despite all the consumer advice that they've been giving over the last several weeks, this progression of the outbreak continues. So it is fairly wide spread.
Take a look at some of the numbers here. Some of them you already cited. But over 1,000 people -- 1,017 now known cases, 203 hospitalizations, so about a fifth of the people requiring hospitalization. That's pretty significant. One confirmed death and one linked death, meaning that person was already sick and the salmonella made that person sicker.
But I think the most concerning thing is the bottom thing. Despite everything that we've heard so far, up to 40 new cases a day, many of them yet -- not yet diagnosed. People get sick, they have a few bad days. They don't recognize that, in fact, they were contaminated with the Salmonella Saintpaul.
There's the map, Heidi. And I think this explains, in part, why this is difficult. It is wide spread as you can see from all those colored states there. But also what they look for are clusters. Clusters of cases trying to figure out what is going on. Here, some of these states have just between one and four cases. Is that significant, is it not? How do you start to piece this all to the? It is a real medical mystery.
Heidi, I think you'd be surprised to hear, as I was, they haven't found one tainted tomato as of yet. That conclusively say that tomatoes are absolutely the cause of this but it's these clusters that leaves them to say that there's certain tomatoes that you should stay away from -- the certain ones that are suspect.
For example, the raw red plumb tomatoes, the red Roma tomatoes, the red round tomatoes -- those are the ones that are suspect in this.
But they're not taking things off the list. They're adding to the list.
COLLINS: Yes.
GUPTA: As you mentioned, the jalapeno peppers, the serrano peppers and the fresh cilantro now also suspects as well. So this thing continues, Heidi, to your point.
COLLINS: Yes. Actually I didn't mention those so I'm glad that we put those up there because that's what we're learning a little bit more about this morning -- just things that sort of come with tomatoes or are served with tomatoes on salads sometimes.
Is it fair to say, you think, that peppers now have actually usurped tomatoes as the lead suspect here?
GUPTA: I don't think they can say that. I don't think they can't say that right now. It's really remarkable. Again, and you know, it's one of those things that -- it's incredibly hard to sort of piece this all together and figure it out. So they're still leaving tomatoes on the list as one of the prime suspects but now adding things.
COLLINS: OK.
GUPTA: And some of these foods, as you pointed out, oftentimes are eaten together. So you could see the complexity of this.
COLLINS: Yes, all right. So how much longer until they tracked down the source of this outbreak?
GUPTA: You know, it's funny. I have been out in the fields, actually, with investigators looking at how they actually try and track this down.
COLLINS: Yes.
GUPTA: And it can be difficult. I would say now, after talking to people about this, they've got about a 50/50 chance of actually figuring this out conclusively. Actually getting all the trace backs and figuring it out. I mean you're getting food in restaurants, food in homes that are both contaminated. So how do you put it all together? They may never know. And this thing may trickle down over time. But as some people have said, it may get worse before it gets better. And right now you said 1,000 cases.
COLLINS: Yes.
GUPTA: It could go up to 10,000 cases making it definitively the largest outbreak ever so...
COLLINS: Yikes.
GUPTA: ... people are worried but, you know, a lot of investigators trying to still put it all together.
COLLINS: Yes, well, it's definitely growing.
And I saw you there out in the field, just sort of tasting things. Did they say, hey, Sanjay, can you taste that and if you get sick we'll know that this is the source?
GUPTA: I was out there trying to keep you safe, Heidi. That's what I was doing.
COLLINS: See, I knew it.
GUPTA: I taste it first then I give it to you.
COLLINS: God, love you. All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thank you.
GUPTA: Thanks, guys.
HARRIS: Well, you know, the comments were just wrong, and Jesse Jackson knows it. He's on an apology tour now. Hear what he said about Barack Obama and what he told CNN this morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Heidi Collins and Tony Harris.
HARRIS: Coming up on the half hour -- welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
COLLINS: Hi there, everybody, I'm Heidi Collins.
Talking a lot about the stock market, unfortunately, today after everything that happened yesterday, I'm sure you saw at the close the Dow Jones Industrial Averages were down 236 points. Hearing also the S&P now also in a bear market.
Today we are hearing and hoping and crossing fingers and toes that stocks are poised for some early gains. So there you have the live opening bell right now.
Also everybody is going to be watching Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke. He's going to testify before House hearing on the restructuring the financial markets. So that's going to be some interesting testimony.
We will keep our eye on all of the numbers for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Let's talk about Iran now. The thunder of launching missiles, the rumbling of new warnings. Iran's state TV says it has launched more medium and long-range missiles this morning, in a second day of military exercises.
Iran says it's responding to threats from the U.S. and Israel. And, in fact, Israel is within striking distance of Iranian missiles. And on another ominous note, Tehran says its missiles have, quote, "special capabilities." It does not explain what that means. The White House made its response crystal clear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: We are also sending a message to Iran that we will defend American interests and defend the interests of our allies. We've done that both by, I think you know that in the Gulf Area, the United States has enhanced its security capacity, its security presence.
And we are working closely with all of our allies to make certain that they are capable of defending themselves. And we take very, very strongly our obligation to help our allies defend themselves and no one should be confused about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Now, the Iranian exercises were performed a month after an Israeli aerial military drill. Many analysts believe that maneuver was meant to send a message that Israel is capable of attacking Iran's nuclear program.
COLLINS: So how is Israel responding to this latest saber rattling?
CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Jerusalem once again for us morning.
What is the mood there now, Ben?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, the Israelis are accustomed to hearing threats from Iran. The Israeli media has been covering Iran's developing nuclear program for many years. So not undue alarm. In fact, just to give you an idea. This is one of the mass circulation daily newspapers in Israel. And the Iranian story isn't even on the front page.
So, the Israelis, as I said, they've been covering this for years. There has been some government reaction yesterday. We received a statement from the prime minister's office saying that Israel does follow the developments in Iran closely but it considers this to be an international problem. And, in fact, today, in response to the second round of Iranian missile tests, the prime minister's office reissued the identical statements. So the Israeli is following it very closely. But as I said, not unduly alarmed at the moment.
Heidi?
COLLINS: Any chance some of that is also sort of a P.R. move, if you will, so as not to cause any type of unrest or panic?
WEDEMAN: I wouldn't say panic because the Israelis have been preparing for a variety of eventualities. For instance, last month in Tel Aviv, they conducted a civil defense exercise in preparation for exactly this sort of thing. A missile attack, whether it's from Gaza, from Lebanon, or from Iran.
The Israeli military has been quite active in preparing, for instance, for a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. They did that on the 2nd of June in which they had what's being described as a dry run for exactly such an attack. So, not a lot of panic really. The Israelis have pretty steely nerves for this sort of thing.
Heidi?
COLLINS: Yes, they do. Understood. All right, Ben Wedeman for us live from Jerusalem this morning. Thank you, Ben.
Nuclear negotiations with North Korea back on track after a nine- month hiatus. The six-nation talks in Beijing focused now on verifying information. Pyongyang handed over about its atomic program.
The meeting comes just two weeks after the communist nation delivered its nuclear declaration, and then blew up a cooling tower at its main nuclear reactor to demonstrate a commitment to disarmament. The U.S. has promised to remove North Korea from a list of states sponsors of terrorism and relax some economic sanctions against it.
HARRIS: Apology accepted. Barack Obama shrugs off a crude comment by the Reverend Jesse Jackson on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." Jackson tried again to explain himself.
He says he didn't know his microphone was on when he made the remark. Jackson accused Obama of talking down to blacks about faith- based programs. And he said, he wanted to cut off part of Obama's anatomy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW/PUSH COALITION: Well, it is ugly and unnecessary. That's why I was really quick to apologize because Barack and I are friends. I am a passionate supporter of his campaign, longstanding and cur
Part of my anguish, frankly, beyond that is the limitations of the significant but faith-based programs. We need faith-based initiatives. We also need government-based, when bridges are collapsing, levees are being overrun. It requires beyond faith, the substance of real investment.
And so, it's been part of as a private conversation. It was unfortunate and that's why I was quick to say what I did and he was quick to respond. And that's the good news.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: It is one of the cardinal rules of television. Always assume your microphone is on. Unfortunately for Jesse Jackson, he didn't.
CNN's Joe Johns reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Reverend Jackson's open mike moment came on Sunday on FOX News. He thought his mike was off when he said this to a fellow guest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REVEREND JESSE JACKSON, FOUNDER, RAINBOW/PUSH COALITION: See, Barack been talking down to black people on this faith based -- I want cut his (BLEPP) off. Barack, he's talking down to black people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JOHNS: By today, Jackson was in full damage control, calling leaders in the African-American community to explain even before many had heard of the comments, placing himself on the firing line at a hastily arranged news conference.
JACKSON: And if in this thing I have said in a hot mike statement that's interpreted as distractions, I offer an apology for that, because I don't want harm or hurt to come to this campaign. It represents too much of a dreams of so many who have paid such great prices.
JOHNS: Part of what Jackson was apparently trying to say is, Obama should not talk down to the African-American community in sermons when he discusses one of his themes, personal responsibility.
It was another messy moment for Barack Obama, who just seems to attract regrettable off-the-cuff remarks by high-profile people who are quickly forced to go out and take it back.
In a statement, Obama's campaign accepted Jackson's apology, but the candidate stood his ground on the issue of personal responsibility, saying: "He will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other. And he, of course, accepts Reverend Jackson's apology."
But Jackson didn't receive forgiveness from his own son. Illinois Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., who is a co-chairman of the Obama campaign, issued a statement saying, "I'm deeply outraged and disappointed in the reckless statements," which he calls divisive and demeaning, and says, "They contradict his inspiring and courageous career."
It's unclear what triggered Jackson's outburst. In June, Obama delivered a speech before an African-American congregation on the problems of fatherless black households.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Too many fathers are MIA. Too many fathers are AWOL.
JOHNS (on camera): Reverend Jackson is playing down the notion that this is any kind of a face-off between the old guard and the new guard of African-American politics.
But there have been rumblings for weeks that some in the Jackson camp in Chicago are upset because Obama's message hasn't been tailored and focused to appeal to more traditional black constituencies.
Joe Johns, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: To California now. More than 1400 fires there are contained, but over 300 still burn out of control. The number of California wildfires over the last two weeks is staggering. Our Reynolds Wolf is in one of the hot spots.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST (on-camera): I'm coming to you from Butte County, high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where crews behind me are still working. They've been working around the clock. Now, behind these trucks, you just step over this way, you can just make out a house. The house is empty. The people have evacuated.
In fact, over 10,000 people have evacuated from this area. And of course, all due to the flames that continue to move. Those flames have knocked out some 49,000 acres in this county and, still, you see the smoke, you see the fires. It is quite a mess.
And unfortunately, Mother Nature really hasn't been cooperating at all. In fact, humidity levels remain very low and into the afternoon hours we anticipate the wind to really pick up. So the fires that we have may indeed spread.
Certainly, tremendous issue not just here but across the state where we have over 300 fires that are burning as we speak. And crews from not just this area but from across the nation have been coming together, work very hard. They're going to redouble their efforts as we get closer into the weekend, trying to battle not just the elements but of course the fire on the ground as it continues to spread in many spots.
That's the story high in the Sierra Nevada and from California. Let's send it back to you in the studio. (END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And let's send it over to Jacqui Jeras in the severe weather center.
Boy, Heidi just mentioned -- what? 300 fires still burning in California?
COLLINS: Out of control. Yes.
HARRIS: Out of control. And Jacqui, firefighters need a break in weather conditions if they're going to get a handle on this.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Yes.
COLLINS: Yes, very much so. All right, Jacqui, we'll check back a little later on. Thank you.
Denver police say they now know who did not kill Jonbenet Ramsey. Startling results of new DNA tests.
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COLLINS: We are just getting word and according to the Associated Press that there has been a divorce settlement in this nasty, nasty divorce between Christie Brinkley, obvious, former super model, and Peter Cook.
Apparently, they have reached some sort of agreement on their divorce settlement. We don't have the details of it. But according to the Associated Press that is what has happened here.
Peter Cook, you know, apparently had this teenage mistress and also an online pornography habit. We will continue to follow this one for you. If we learn anything more about the details, we will bring it to you here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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COLLINS: Nearly 12 years after 6-year-old Jonbenet Ramsey was found dead in her Colorado home, new DNA evidence formally clears any family members of involvement.
CNN's Mary Snow reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nearly 12 years after Jonbenet Ramsey's murder, prosecutors are now clearing the little girl's family of suspects. And the Boulder County District Attorney is apologizing, acknowledging that, quote, "on going living hell that suspicions about the Ramseys created."
The D.A. says new DNA evidence points to a male but doesn't belong to anyone in the Ramsey Family. Jonbenet's father, John, Mother, Patsy, who died in 2006, or Burke, the little girl's brother. John Ramsey spoke to KUSA.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN RAMSEY, JONBENET RAMSEY'S FATHER: The most significant thing to me was the fact that we now have pretty irrefutable DNA evidence according to the D.A.'s office. And that's the most significant thing to me. And certainly, we are grateful that they acknowledge that we, you know, based on that, certainly could not have been involved.
SNOW: John Ramsey found his daughter's body on the morning of December 26th, 1996. Patsy had found a ransom note. They say an intruder had entered their house. But Boulder County police at one point said the couple was under an umbrella of suspicion. Ramsey was asked by KUSA about the on-going doubts as the family maintained their innocence.
RAMSEY: I think people don't want to -- they want an answer to that horrendous a crime. It's hard for people to accept, I think, that someone would come into a home and murder a child from their bed. And we were perhaps an answer.
SNOW: The Boulder County D.A. Mary Lacy told the Ramsey family that investigators used a new DNA technique that scraped items of clothing which did not show tracings of DNA but which JonBenet's attacker had touched. The tests were done on leggings that went over the little girl's underwear.
The D.A. also apologized to the Ramseys saying, "to the extent that this office has added to the distress suffered by the Ramsey family at any time or to any degree, I offer my deepest apology."
SNOW (on camera): An attorney for the family told CNN that Patsy Ramsey's death was one of the sad notes of the news, because she isn't here to celebrate the vindication of her family. Patsy Ramsey died of cancer in 2006.
Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: A polygamist sect leader is out of the hospital and back in jail this morning. Warren Jeffs was taken to a Las Vegas hospital on Tuesday when jailers found him feverish and shaking. Details of his medical condition have not been released. Last year, Jeffs was convicted of helping to arrange the marriage of a 14-year-old follower to her 19-year-old cousin.
COLLINS: Look, ma, no hands. A California man shows us what he can do. CNN I-reporters with their best stuff.
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HARRIS: A really good moment on the Senate floor yesterday. Senator Ted Kennedy was back on Capitol Hill for the first time since being diagnosed with brain cancer. He showed up to vote on a bill that would stop cuts in Medicare payments to doctors.
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SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: It's enormously a good report. Whole issue for our seniors to be able to be protected is a key defining issue for this Congress and for this country. And I didn't want to miss the opportunity to be able to express my voice and my vote.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: And how are you feeling, sir?
KENNEDY: I'm feeling fine.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Coming back full time, sir?
KENNEDY: Hopefully.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: Thank you, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE REPORTER: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Kennedy is chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, an Pensions Committee.
COLLINS: Wildfires, wild bulls, and a different take on California's hands-free law. All making the list of this week's top I-report submissions.
Veronica De La Cruz joining us now live.
What? I didn't even understand that.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Wildfires, wild bulls...
COLLINS: Right.
DE LA CRUZ: ...And hands-free.
COLLINS: OK, three different stories? I get it.
DE LA CRUZ: Three different stories. Hands-free, by far my favorite. So we're going to go ahead and save the best for last.
Let's go ahead and start in California with the fires, Heidi. Some pretty amazing images to show you, sent to us by Dan Lindsay of the fires in Goleta, near Santa Barbara County.
Dan says it looks like the fire is now more than half contained. Thanks to the amazing air assault that these fire crews had been staging. There you see a shot of another helicopter doing a water drop.
The fire is being fought by a crew of about 1100, Heidi. It's burning about 100 miles north of Los Angeles, along the California Coastline. So some pretty amazing photos sent to us by Dan Lindsay there.
All right. So let's talk about wild bulls for a second and get you to stay for the running of the bulls. The event there. It's in its third day. Look at this fantastic video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, man!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Did the guy get thwack?
DE LA CRUZ: No, no, no. Luckily, we don't see anything that gruesome. Yes, I mean, somebody falls down, but the good news is we don't see anybody get gored by a bull. This video was sent us by Erik Prowell in Portland, Oregon. He actually took a trip to Spain a few years ago. And as you can see, it really is a bull's eye view of the entire situation.
And believe it or not, Heidi. He says that it's not really as scary as it looks. He says that the run was rather anticlimactic. That's how he describes it. He says that he knows that the footage looks exciting, but he does assure us that he was never in any danger.
So, I don't know. I don't know about you, but I could never do it.
COLLINS: Yes, and I hate it. And I always just wonder, do the bulls ever win?
DE LA CRUZ: They always win.
COLLINS: True.
DE LA CRUZ: The bulls always win.
COLLINS: True. Why do they have to keep doing it, then?
HARRIS: Yes.
DE LA CRUZ: It's a tradition. All right, we want to get you to California now.
COLLINS: So this is the best one, right?
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. This is my favorite one. And it's all about the hands-free law. And the question here is -- will that new hands- free law even work?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm hands-free, baby. I'm Bluetoothing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that a verb?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, man, I'm running like 50 minutes late because I told (INAUDIBLE) your wedding invitations so I could catch up on my calligraphy. Yes. How do you spell Sarsazky (ph)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm on my new Bluetooth, man. It's liberating. You get so much done while you're just driving.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just alphabetizing my DVDs by directors' middle name.
David Leo Fincher, we go after Francis Ford Coppola.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: Will the new law even work? Our I-reporter Michael Abbott sure doesn't think so. He and his friends made this video, Heidi, to poke fun at that law which went into effect there in California on July 1st.
In the video,, the driver spends the entire day in his car, talking on his Bluetooth. He never once touches the steering wheel all while, running stop signs and people off the road.
COLLINS: I like it. That's a good one.
DE LA CRUZ: It's hysterical. You know, I wanted to tell you that this is the most popular video right now on the I-report Web site. It has gotten more than 160,000 views. Lots of people are commenting on this. So if you want to do the same, you can always log on to ireport.com. And you can also show your pictures and your video.
Heidi?
COLLINS: Yes. And don't try that at home. It was just an I- report little thing. All right, Veronica De La Cruz, thank you.
HARRIS: Why isn't he in jail somewhere in California?
Iran test fires another round of missiles. What's the message this time? That story just minutes away.
But first -- aching feet? Judy Fortin reports in today's "30, 40, 50" that footwear may be affecting you physically as you age.
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JUDY FORTIN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Nicole Desilvis loves shoes. From Paris to Payless, she's picked up over 50 pairs, mostly stilettos and high heels.
NICOLE DESILVIS, SHOE FANATIC: I like them because of the style, certainly not for the comfort.
FORTIN: Nicole has been wearing high heels since sixth grade. And over the years, her choice of footwear has caused her a number of problems.
DESILVIS: I have bad knees. I have broken my ankles a couple of times. And I have foot pain 24/7 and I still wear them.
FORTIN: Podiatrists say that's not unusual. Bad shoes lead to plenty of foot injuries. Yet a lot of people never associate their shoes with their podiatric pain until they begin to age.
In our 30s, it's all about the height of the shoe. Certain styles can cause years of pain as you get older.
DR. KATHYA ZINSZER, TEMPLE SCHOOL OF PODIATRIC MED: Heel pain, bunion formation, and flare-ups.
FORTIN: At Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine, researchers are testing the effects of different shoe styles on feet. Equipped with a runway, pressure plates and computer analysis, doctors are finding the higher the heel, the more stress on toes and ankle joints which cause a multitude of long-lasting health issues.
ZINSZER: We have the chronic parts of wearing heels for a long time that actually affect the muscles, the balance, the actual deformities, and the most -- the number one thing is degenerative joint disease also known as osteoarthritis.
FORTIN: And men can suffer from fashionable shoe issues as well.
ZINSZER: We're looking at the toe boxes and then, where they're a lot narrower. The bunion formation or the hammer toes.
FORTIN: In our 40s and 50s, deterioration of bones and muscles may cause the arches in our feet to become lax and lose support. Doctors say watch the flats and flip-flops, look for something with a little heel to give you balance, which can still protect your arches.
ZINSZER: Our feet need support. There's a lot of different muscles, there's a lot of tendons and insertions that because of the different types of mechanics of your feet, you need to support them.
FORTIN: And if you exercise at any age, make sure you got a good fitting shoe designed for the sport you're involved in. Tennis shoes don't work for running and vice versa. The wrong footwear can cause shin splints and joint problems that give you a lifetime of pain.
Judy Fortin, CNN, Atlanta.
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