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Georgia Pleads for Western Help After Russian Advances; Move to Impeach Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf; Cancer Vaccine: Is It Making Some Girls Sick; Hubble Space Telescope Reaches Major Milestone
Aired August 11, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.
Heidi is off today but Brianna Keilar joins me at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.
See events come into the NEWSROOM live on Monday, August 11th. Here's what's on the rundown, Georgia pleading for help from the West charging Russia is out to crush democracy. Angry Georgians are asking, where's the U.S.? Where's NATO?
The cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil. Some girls say it's making them sick. A CNN special investigation report.
Two down, six to go. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps trying to trump Mark Spitz' record gold haul. The man to beat, in the NEWSROOM.
Shades of the cold war. Russian troops march into neighboring territory. And the U.S. exchanges word with Moscow.
Let's set the stage here.
Headed this hour to Moscow with cease-fire proposal signed by the president of Georgia. That's the former Soviet Republic under siege from Russian tanks, troops and warplanes. Russia's target, Georgia's breakaway province of South Ossetia.
Frederik Pleitgen live now inside the Georgian capital.
And Frederik, Georgia has been asking for a cease-fire, really, since the shooting and the bombing started. Any reason to believe Russia will sign and follow through?
FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, that could very well be. I mean we heard a statement earlier today from the Russian president Medvedev saying that basically Russia has achieved all of the objectives that it has. It says that the province of Southern Ossetia, which is a breakaway province from Georgia, is basically under Russian control right now, and that the Georgian forces have been pushed back.
Now the Georgians say that the Russians are still attacking their forces and that they are trying to go beyond this breakaway province of Southern Ossetia into a town called Gori. That's basically one of the last administrative centers before this breakaway province of Southern Ossetia.
The Georgian saying that the Russian's shelled their positions there, conducted air raids on that city, and that there was a lot of violence going on in the city.
Now there was one incidence today in that city of Gori when Georgia's president, Saakashvili visited the area together with the French foreign minister and the Finnish foreign minister. And they are, all of a sudden, as they getting ready to enter their vehicles, one of the body guards of Saakashvili screamed for them all to get down.
The President Saakashvili was covered and then brought into a vehicle. There's certainly a moment there of utter tension in that area. Apparently the bodyguards there fearing that there might be an air raid coming into the town. Certainly that is something that the Georgian forces are saying has been going on in that area over the past couple of hours, over the past couple of days.
Now we should say that the Russians deny that is true. They say they have not been attacking that city of Gori. And they say that they are staying in Southern Ossetia and have that province under control -- Tony.
HARRIS: OK. Frederik Pleitgen for us this morning.
And you know this hour, President Bush is headed home from the Beijing Olympics, but the spirit of international goodwill overshadowed by Russia's military offensive.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I express my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia and that we strongly condemn bombing outside of South Ossetia.
It was just interesting to me here we are, you know, trying to promote peace and harmony and we're witnessing a conflict take place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, President Bush has complained directly to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Russian president Dmitry Medvedev.
So who are the key players to watch in this crisis? The Russian president Medvedev says a major part of the military operation has been completed in South Ossetia. He is expected to begin talks tomorrow on a cease-fire plan backed by the European Union.
French president Nicholas Sarkozy, who also serves as EU president, will promote the agreement through shuttle diplomacy and tomorrow he will visit the capitals of both Russia and Georgia. In Tbilisi he will meet with Georgia president, Mikheil Saakashvili, has already signed the agreement.
And this really is a potential powder keg. Russia reasserting itself as a superpower.
Here's CNN's Tim Lister.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TIM LISTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A small town in Georgia may be the latest outpost in a resurgent cold war. The fighting in South Ossetia and Abkhazia is not about mineral wealth or a strategic real estate, it's about old-fashioned nationalism on both sides.
The people of Georgia have always resented Russian dominance before, during and hence the Soviet era. President Mikheil Saakashvili wants his country accepted into the European Union and NATO.
When President Bush visited Georgia in 2005, he received a rapturous welcome and said of Saakashvili...
BUSH: The president is very clear about his intentions to meet the obligations to join NATO.
LISTER: To Moscow, an intolerable provocation. Regional observers say Russian leaders now see an opportunity to flex their muscles in what's known as the "near abroad."
MARK BRZEZINSKI, FMR. NATL. SECURITY COUN. OFFICIAL: They're not unhappy the Americans are distracted and bogged down in Iraq with Afghanistan and with Iran, and second, they have almost an exaggerated notion of their own ability to shape things and to control things across through Asia.
LISTER: As president, Vladimir Putin warned repeatedly that if Kosovo was allowed independence from Serbia, then South Ossetia and Abkhazia had the same right. The west went ahead and supported an independent Kosovo. Putin did not forget.
But Moscow sees its sphere of influence as going far beyond Georgia to include Ukraine where the Russian Black Sea fleet is still based.
SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), ARMED SERVICES CHAIRMAN: If those Russian ships leave that port in the Black Sea and if Ukraine decides that it is not going to allow those ships back into that port, because Ukraine has always claimed that as Ukrainian territory, that is a potentially much greater conflagration involving a wider, regional area.
LISTER: There are also Russian separatists in Moldova that have long demanded independence.
In the past, Russia has used economic pressure against its neighbors cutting fuel supplies to Ukraine and halting rail services to and from Georgia. Moscow also opposes plans for a natural gas pipeline that would connect central Asia to western markets through Georgia but avoid Russia.
So even if this conflict is resolved, a wider struggle may continue.
BRZEZINSKI: There was tremendous unhappiness amongst the siloviki, the elite now in control in Moscow, about the demise of the Soviet Union. And success would be seen in some kind of resurrection of what had been the former Soviet Union or the former Soviet bloc. This runs in contradiction with Georgia's and Ukraine's aspirations to join NATO.
LISTER: Once part of the Soviet Union, many of Russia's smaller neighbors from the Baltic to the Black Sea see that future as part of a democratic Europe, but Russia is clearly ready to assert itself in what it considers its backyard.
Tim Lister, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, turning the city over, police spread out in Montreal this morning in search of young people involved in a wave overnight violence.
Rioting set off after police shot and killed a teenager in this neighborhood. Take a look at these scenes. Fires were set, beer bottles thrown at responders, three emergency workers were hurt including a police officer who was shot in the leg. Arrests have been made. It is not clear how many.
So take a moment. Remind yourself, it is August, now check this out. We will get to Rob in just a moment.
We're going to talk about a hail storm here. Video from one of our iReporters in New Jersey. He says his house wasn't damaged. Hard to believe? But the hail did knock down some tree limbs and branches.
This looks kind of like a river we're going to show you here next, but it is actually a road in western New York. Lots of scenes like this around the area after heavy rain caused dangerous flooding. Look at this. A pickup driver got stuck in the water that was up to four feet deep. A firefighter had to swim out to save him.
And more hail. This is in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Look at this scene. We're told some of it was -- and you knew this was coming -- hail the size of golf balls. Yes. Gusty winds brought down some tree branches. But that was about the worst of it there.
And there is some rain expected in the southern plains. Meteorologist Rob Marciano -- let's get to him.
He's tracking that from the Severe -- Doctor, good morning.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, Tony. Crazy weather today.
HARRIS: Yes.
(WEATHER REPORT) HARRIS: How about that?
MARCIANO: Maybe -- and it feels like school's about to start. Summer -- no. Not ready.
HARRIS: No, no.
MARCIANO: I'm not ready to call summer out.
HARRIS: Don't shut it down just yet.
MARCIANO: We got tropical action as well, next, in about 30 minutes. We'll talk what's going on...
HARRIS: Terrific.
MARCIANO: ... in the Atlantic. We have some things brewing.
HARRIS: Thanks, Rob. Appreciate it. See you then.
Imagine this for a second. A bus's tires and underbody torn off. Do I even need to say it? A violent crash, at least 20 people were hurt in this accident in Nevada last night.
The country's third serious bus wreck in three days. This time an employee shuttled from a Nevada sort. Police say the bus swerved out of its lane then smashed into the guardrail. Investigators this morning are looking into the possibility it was caused by tire failure.
Three people were killed when another bus overturned Sunday morning near Tunica, Mississippi. That bus was carrying passengers to a casino there.
And in Texas, federal officials have shut down a bus company involved in a rollover crash that killed 17 people -- we told you about this one -- Friday. Investigators say the owner is the same person ordered to shutdown another fleet for safety hazards back in June. They say they believe he continued operating the buses under a new name.
Investigators say a blown out front tire on the bus had been re- treaded. Now that is a violation of safety rules.
These pictures absolutely jaw dropping. Can you imagine this? A tractor trailer plunging into the Chesapeake Bay. The results, death.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Traffic is still slow this morning across the main bridge over the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. This is why. Look at this. An 18-wheeler jumped off the Bay Bridge early Sunday.
The driver was killed in the three-vehicle accident. Two other people were injured. Both released from the hospital. The truck filled with frozen chicken plunged 30 to 40 feet. Only one of the bridge's two lanes have reopened. The other expected to open this afternoon.
R&R in Hawaii. Barack Obama off the campaign trail, vacationing with his family. He is hitting the lanes, playing a little golf, jogging and visiting old stomping grounds. Obama, as you know, was born in Honolulu. He says he doesn't plan to do much work this week.
Democrats promising an all-star lineup two weeks from now at their national convention in Denver.
Barack Obama's wife Michelle holds the spotlight Monday night. Then Hillary Clinton takes center stage Tuesday, a nod to her strong showing in the primaries. Wednesday, Obama's yet-to-be-named running mate will take the stage, and so will former president Bill Clinton. He will also be in the audience Tuesday when his wife makes her speech. Then Thursday the convention moves to Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium for Barack Obama's speech.
Notably missing from the speaker's list, the former vice presidential nominee, John Edwards. He is dealing, as you know, with a sex scandal.
VP watch. John McCain campaigning in Pennsylvania today with former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge.
White House correspondent Ed Henry in Washington for us.
Ed, good to see you. You know everything we hear about this relationship between John McCain and Tom Ridge starts with, you know what? These men really like another?
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Tony. You know it's interesting, if chemistry becomes...
HARRIS: Yes.
HENRY: ... the lead factor for John McCain, Tom Ridge is going to be very high on that short list. But on the other hand, Tom Ridge is someone who has supported abortion rights throughout his career as a moderate Republican. And I can tell you I was just in Ohio with John McCain talking to conservative about who they want to be his running mate, and a lot of them were saying they want someone who can turn out conservatives.
If pick someone who supports abortion rights, obviously, that's not going to help the cause. And I can tell you, these voters told me they've got one person, in particular, they want John McCain to pick. But they also have a little bit of a wild card, if you will.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY (voice-over): Hard core Republicans in a key battleground state fired up to see John McCain.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And we can win in November if we can carry Ohio.
HENRY: But these voters are on edge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When are you going to announce who your running mate is? I'd like to wait until tonight.
HENRY: Republicans told us they're fretting that with the race this close McCain may have trouble getting conservatives to the polls. So the VP choice may be crucial.
(on camera): Anybody want to talk about McCain's VP?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want it to be Mitt Romney because we need a conservative. McCain's not conservative enough.
HENRY (voice-over): Support for the former Massachusetts governor was overwhelming.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, Mitt Romney.
HENRY (on camera): They were just talking about that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mitt Romney.
HENRY: Why Mitt Romney?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because, I think -- look at his business acumen. McCain's no businessman. He's somebody...
HENRY: Other people agree?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
HENRY: So you're all Romney fans or...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I think he's got an economic message that John McCain needs, the only thing he's lacking.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And Mitt Romney would be the best bet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So yes, absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he's a little more conservative on family values.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Right, exactly.
HENRY (voice-over): What about the governor of Minnesota? His support in this crowd can be boiled down to a gesture.
(on camera): What about Tim Pawlenty? Don't know? What about Tim Pawlenty? He kind of talked about being reformer. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know anything about him.
HENRY (voice-over): Some Republicans said they'd be open to Pawlenty if McCain unveiled him with a strong sales pitch. But others are hoping for a wild card.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Vice president?
HENRY (on camera): For vice president, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's a woman, she's an African-American and she's smart. She's very intelligent.
HENRY (voice-over): Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She already said no, but if he gently twist her arm, she would say yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HENRY: Now several voters told me that they also like Condoleezza Rice's national security credentials, but, of course, that experience came while working for a very unpopular Republican president, someone John McCain, right now, is trying to separate himself from. The other problem, of course, is that Condi Rice keeps saying, I don't want the job -- Tony.
HARRIS: Repeatedly, yes.
Hey, Ed, we're hearing that John McCain is going to make a statement this hour. What do you know about that?
HENRY: He's going to be talking, once again, about the situation in Georgia, and likely lash out again at Russia, something he's been doing a lot the last couple of days.
HARRIS: That's right.
HENRY: This is a real opportunity for John McCain to show and try to, sort of, showcase those national security credential he has. Barack Obama is also, even while you noted, he's on vacation in Hawaii, he's been putting out statements on the situation, but John McCain, especially with Obama on vacation, wants to be all over this situation.
You remember that 3:00 a.m. phone call...
HARRIS: That's right. That's right.
HENRY: ... that Hillary Clinton ran? Both sides want to show that they're ready to be commander in chief -- Tony.
HARRIS: OK. Ed Henry, our White House correspondent this morning.
Ed, great to see you. Thanks, man. Oil climbing down from record highs, but will fighting in Georgia push prices up again? A question for the CNNMoney team.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Your money, your concerns, issue No.1 here at CNN. Good news at the pump. Gas prices have dropped for the 25th -- count them, 25th -- straight day. AAA reports the national average is now at $3.81. That is down almost a penny from yesterday.
Stocks got a boost on Wall Street and housed some of their biggest gains in months. At play, cheaper oil and a stronger dollar, but can it last? The markets open just minutes from right now.
Ali Velshi is "Minding Your Business."
Ali, that was a good -- you've got the drum back?
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I got the drum. Why? Because this is why we have this drop for 25 days...
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: ... in gasoline prices. Oil prices are down. $115.20 is where it settled on Friday. Now they -- they're around the same place right now, and when people see prices going down, the calculation amongst investors is that if people are pending less on energy and gasoline, that means they've got more money to spend on other things, and that's why we're seeing stocks sort of creeping up.
We've had big moves recently, Tony. Sometimes, you know, more than 100, 200 points.
HARRIS: That's right.
VELSHI: So look at what happened on Friday -- 2.5 -- 2.7 percent gain on the Dow. That's 300 points. NASDAQ was 2.5. The S&P, 2.4 percent. And right now we're looking for about a flat open but we're still seeing these oil prices at these levels.
Now I think that's what the market's waiting to see. Are we -- is this a blip?
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: Is it going down? Is it going to stay in this range? And we are up 140 bucks plus, so this is quite something to see. That's the effect that we've been having.
The other thing, Tony, you and talked about, the U.S. dollar and oil go against each...
HARRIS: Beautiful. Glad you're going there.
VELSHI: Yes.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: So with oil going down, the dollar's been gaining. Take a look at this. To buy a euro, you need a buck 51, used to be $1.61. To buy a British pound, $1.92, it used to be over $2. And to buy a Canadian dollar, you now need only 94 cents. If you recall, a Canadian dollar from what was -- for a while more expensive than a U.S. dollar.
So all of these somewhat positive signs now, Tony.
HARRIS: We need it. We need it.
Let me ask you for your take on this new analysis out predicting that China could actually overtake the United States...
VELSHI: Yes.
HARRIS: ... as the world's, what, largest producer of goods?
VELSHI: Yes.
HARRIS: As soon as next year? What do you think?
VELSHI: That's right. And there were some speculation at the way things were growing it would actually happen by about 2013.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: But because of the slowdown here in the United States, we've seen a reduction in -- we manufacture less. And as a result, they're saying by next year, China could be the world's biggest manufacturer. So that, you know, again, we're in a very -- we're in a state of flex in the world because one of the things is as our economy weakens we buy less from China. So is that going to affect them, too.
But for the moment the new -- this is a prediction by Global Insight, which is a very well-respected consulting firm in Boston.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: Economics firm. And they're saying it could be next year.
HARRIS: What's your favorite event at the summer games? Are you watching at all?
VELSHI: Yes. I'm -- I mean I always thought it was interesting when curling became an Olympic event. I used to work -- you know, I used watch that as a kid and I always thought that was a little odd.
HARRIS: What's the other one? Air rifle or something?
VELSHI: Yes, an air rifle. I was watching yesterday. That was one of the -- that was, you know -- I always like events like that. That are some unusual and -- but curling I'll have to wait for winter. But this is one of these -- these ones are always... HARRIS: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Because I never see them any other time.
HARRIS: You sure don't. Maybe there's a reason for that.
All right, Ali, appreciate it. Thank you.
VELSHI: All right.
HARRIS: I mentioned only because we're about to talk about the Olympics. Mining for gold, and of course, we're talking about Americans.
Michael Phelps, he goes two for two in the search of a new gold record.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris. Heidi Collins has the day off and Brianna Keilar joins me at the top of the hour.
Terse words between Washington and Moscow as a military crisis unfolds in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Russia has launched an offensive there to regain control of the breakaway province of South Ossetia. President Bush is blasting Moscow's military action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: I said this violence is unacceptable. And I only said it to Vladimir Putin. I said it to the president of the country, Dmitry Medvedev. And my administration has been engaged with both sides in this trying to get a cease-fire and saying that the status quo ante of -- for all troops should be August 6th.
And, look, my -- I express my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has shot back at Washington. He criticized the U.S. for airlifting Georgian troops home from Iran. Georgia, a close ally of the U.S., made the request.
Memories of the cold war, a chilling back and forth between Russia and the United States over the growing crisis in Georgia.
Here's CNN's senior United Nations correspondent, Richard Roth.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): It was like the Cold War in August. But it was the hot war in Georgia that prompted a dramatic clash of the titans inside the Security Council chamber.
ZALMAY KHALILZAD, U.S. AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: We must condemn Russia's military assault on the sovereign State of Georgia. The violation of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity including the targeting of civilians and the campaign of terror against the Georgian population.
VITALY CHURKIN, RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: his statement, ambassador, is absolutely unacceptable -- particularly from the lips of the permanent representative of a country whose actions we are aware of including with regard to civilian populations.
ROTH: The bitter back and forth between Russia and the U.S. were the sharpest public exchanges in the Security Council in years. The U.S. ambassador said Russian foreign minister told U.S. Secretary of State Rice in a phone call that the president of Georgia, quote, "must go." That produced a moment similar to the Cuban missile crisis showdown of 1962.
KHALILZAD: Is the goal of the Russian federation to change the leadership of Georgia?
ROTH: The Russian ambassador waived away the question inside the council but later told journalists that some leaders meaning the Georgian president should contemplate how useful they've become to their people.
CHURKIN: Resume changes is purely an American invention.
(CROSSTALK)
CHURKIN: Were purely an American intervention. We, whenever apply this terminology in our political thinking.
ROTH: The U.S. ambassador said the Russians are living in a bygone era.
KHALILZAD: We want to make sure our Russian colleagues understand that the days of overthrowing leaders by military means in Europe, those days are gone.
ROTH: The U.S. said Russia is over reaching and threatening the long-term relationship of the two powers, throwing this response.
CHURKIN: Ambassador Khalilzad is a high-flying politician. I don't want to raise to that level. I don't think we are in danger of somehow jeopardizing our relations with the United States.
ROTH: Georgians rallied in front of the United Nations pleading for international help inside, a direct appeal.
IRAKLI ALASANIA, GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: Georgia is calling this institution, the highest international legitimate authority in the world, for immediate diplomatic and humanitarian intervention to protect Georgia from Russian ongoing aggression and occupation. ROTH: Other Security Council members are deeply worried about the escalation. A U.S. and European resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire is coming, but Russia refused to rule out a veto.
(on camera): This was the meeting where several brewing disputes and global hot tones finally erupted. Russian grievances ranging from Iraq to the Balkans boiled over, and suddenly the language from another era echoed in the Security Council chambers.
Richard Roth, CNN, United Nations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: A move to impeach Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan's Lower House of Parliament introducing a resolution today demanding that the president step down. Mr. Musharraf seized power in a coup nine years ago, but his adversaries won elections in February and set up a new government.
Now, the ruling coalition is coming up with a list of charges again him. That's the first step in the impeachment process. The party spokeswoman says those charges will include corruption, economic mismanagement and violation of the Constitution.
A U.S. Olympics spokesman says an American woman who was stabbed in Beijing is doing better this morning. Barbara Bachman and her husband were attacked by a Chinese man at a tourist site Saturday. Todd Bachman was killed. The couple's son-in-law is the coach of the U.S. men's volleyball team.
Shortly after the attack, the suspect leapt to his death from the Drum Tower, an ancient monument in Beijing. Investigators called the attack an isolated incident, but Beijing is tightening security at tourist sites.
Swimmer Michael Phelps now one quarter of the way to his goal of Olympic history. His relay team setting a record in a stirring come from behind win. Our Larry Smith is in Beijing with that and more highlights.
And Larry, if you would, talk to us about that race that Phelps and company won and the trash talking from France before the race.
LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. France should have learned from Athens four years ago, than when you trash talk at Michael Phelps, he just gets more determined. He got the victory, you know. So -- but yes, the funny thing is Michael Phelps and this relay race that's going to go down as one of the great races in Olympic history.
Actually, was not in the pool at the time. He swam the first leg and then turned cheerleader. Now, I think we have video to show you the final few seconds of this because this is one, I'm telling you, incredible race. And a year of great sports moments. This goes down with the best of them.
This is Jason Lezak, the 32-year-old. He is the oldest swimmer on the male U.S. team. He barely out touches the guy doing all that trash talking. Alain Bernard, the great French world record holder and beats him by 0.08 seconds. So U.S. not only getting gold and the celebration there afterwards.
In fact, Cullen Jones, who, by the way, becomes just the second African-American to win gold in swimming, he nearly fell in the pool during the celebration. Had he fallen into the pool, they would have been disqualified. And Phelps' dream of eight golds would have gone away.
But as a result, he does win his second gold and is back in the pool, Tuesday morning, Beijing Time. That's Monday night there on the East Coast to go for his third gold medal in the 200 meter freestyle.
By the way, very quickly, USA hoops off and running now. 101 to 70 victory over China in their opener. This was Sunday night. Again, Beijing Time. And they will go again Tuesday night versus Angola. But a very even team effort. Only four scorers in double figures. And so, right now, the U.S. again trying to -- they call themselves the redeemed team, looking for some redemption after struggling to only a bronze medal in Athens four years ago -- Tony.
HARRIS: That's terrific stuff. And maybe when we talk to you next hour, you can explain why if the swimmer had fallen into the water after the race, is that something you can explain to us quickly or is that complicated?
SMITH: Very quickly, it's just a rule.
HARRIS: Really?
SMITH: There's a rule that you cannot re-enter the water after you come -- yes, yes.
HARRIS: It's like you can't touch the net in tennis until the ball has bounced that second time. It sounds like -- you know that one? That rule as well? It's crazy.
All right, Larry Smith for us in Beijing. Good to see you, Larry.
We're going to talk about an Olympic reunion 60 years after winning gold. A couple of American heroes head back to the Games.
All right, we're going to check in now with Rob Marciano.
And Rob, just a couple of minutes ago, you said you've got your eye on the tropics. What's going on?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Interesting. So the politicians are not in Washington right now. And amazingly, the temperature are cooler.
MARCIANO: Yes. It has something to do with hot air leaving.
HARRIS: Coincidence? I don't think so. Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right.
HARRIS: Let's get you to the New York Stock Exchange right now as we get the business day started. What a great Friday running from the bulls. The Dow up 302 points or 2.65 percent. The tech heavy NASDAQ up as well. S&P up as well on Friday, but it is a new day.
It is Monday, and as you can see, the Dow is down 52 points at the start of the trading day. The NASDAQ down 7 as well. We're going to follow the markets with Susan Lisovicz throughout the morning right here in the NEWSROOM.
Keeping your kids ahead of the financial curve as they head back to school. Ali Velshi has lessons that are "Right on Your Money."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Introducing your child to the stock market early on may help them go from a corner lemonade stand to cashing in on Wall Street.
TROY DUNN, AUTHOR, "YOUNG BUCKS": It teaches them a quick understanding of profits and losses, make money, lose money.
VELSHI: Author Troy Dunn says step one is making it fun. He suggests having kids use their own money to buy a single share of stock in places they like to shop.
DUNN: Kids love Toys 'R' Us. Kids love Wal-Mart. Kids love Disney. And so when you help your child understand that they can actually own a piece of Disney, that's very exciting for a child.
VELSHI: Dunn says the stock market is a great way for kids to learn about more than just math and money.
DUNN: They get to figure out over time is that the world events that are happening that we see on the news and read about in the newspaper are impacting the money that they have in the stock market.
VELSHI: And parents could profit from the lessons too.
DUNN: One of the benefits of teaching your child about the stock market is you'll learn right long with them. And who knows. You as a family might end up increasing your personal net worth.
VELSHI: And that's this week's "Right on Your Money."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: A cancer vaccine. Is it making some girls sick? CNN's Special Investigations Unit reports.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Major concerns this morning about a vaccine given to teen girls that could protect them from a type of cancer, but now parents are saying the side effects may not be worth it. Abbie Boudreau with our Special Investigations Unit is here with more on this.
Abbie, good morning.
ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Tony.
So many people are so confused when it comes to the wildly distributed HPV vaccine called Gardasil, which the Centers for Disease Control says helps prevent certain types of cervical cancer.
But since Gardasil hit the market 2.5 years ago, there's been an alarming number of serious adverse reactions and even deaths that some say are linked to the vaccine. And as more girls come forward alleging the vaccine made them sick, the more confusion and mystery there is surrounding Gardasil and its manufacturer Merck.
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BOUDREAU (voice-over): Taquaria Williams doesn't get to act like a kid anymore. She's just too tired.
TAQUARIA WILLIAMS, GARDASIL RECIPIENT: It's kind of hurt because I used to do a lot.
BOUDREAU: But Taquaria's mother says everything changed last December after her daughter received Gardasil, a vaccine that prevents 70 percent of cervical cancer.
MATIA WHITE, MOTHER: She's never been sick. She's never been in a hospital. Nothing, until the Gardasil shot.
BOUDREAU: Two months after getting the shot, Taquaria says she got a rash on her face and arms, leaving these scars. She had swelling all over, pain in her joints, and poor circulation in her fingertips.
Her doctor told us she now suffers from an autoimmune disease and says it is possible the Gardasil triggered her illness. Though she made it clear the cause cannot be proven.
According to a federal tracking system called VAERS, there have been 9,749 adverse reactions following the vaccination. And 21 reported deaths since 2006.
But Merck, Gardasil's maker, points out these are anecdotal cases. In a statement, company official say it, quote, "does not necessarily mean that the vaccine caused or contributed to the event."
An official with the Centers for Disease Control says VAERS does not provide enough information for researchers to prove whether Gardasil caused any of the reported side effects.
DR. JOHN ISKANDER, ACTING IMMUNIZATION SAFETY DIRECTOR: We want to have better data to reassure people, but, again, the patterns of the -- and the number of serious events looked at in their, do not suggest any increased in risk.
BOUDREAU: While the CDC believes Gardasil is safe, a conservative watchdog group called Judicial Watch, which has been studying Gardasil's safety says parents' concerns about the vaccine are valid.
CHRIS FARRELL, JUDICIAL WATCH: So without long-term studies and without a safety test, essentially the public is being used as a large-scale public health test.
BOUDREAU: What would have happen if you would have known that this research was out there?
WHITE: I would have never got it. Never! I would not have -- never had her get the shot.
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BOUDREAU: The CDC tells us it's working on a comprehensive study right now that will determine whether or not there's a pattern that links Gardasil to some of these serious side effects. That study is expected to be released in October.
In the meantime, both the CDC and Merck encourage women to continue to get regular Pap Smears even if they've gotten the Gardasil shot. That's really important to know that.
HARRIS: And that CDC study, the results of that really important because you want some clarity on this.
Abbie, let me ask you, is there any way to know at this point if the vaccine could actually trigger some kind of an illness?
BOUDREAU: Right. That's the hard question. Right now, that's what they're trying to figure out. They're trying to say -- OK, is there enough information in some of these reports that are being reported back to that federal tracking systems to know whether or not Gardasil actually causes this, these illnesses.
But right now they said they don't really know. The little girl that was in our report, I shouldn't call her little girl. She's a teenager, 17-year-old, her doctor that we spoke to over the phone said, well, it's entirely possible that her illness could have been triggered by the Gardasil, but there's no way to prove it. So, a lot more needs to be done.
HARRIS: We've got to get some clarity on this.
BOUDREAU: We're going to find -- I know, I know. It's frustrating a lot of parents we've heard from. We are going to find out more in a couple of months, in October, when that study is revealed.
HARRIS: I think that's the word. It's frustrating right now. Abbie, great report. Thank you.
BOUDREAU: Thank you.
HARRIS: Still to come, taking pictures, even now. The Hubble Space Telescope reaching a milestone today after traveling almost 3 billion miles.
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HARRIS: Hey, you know, we're going to put together a fresh podcast for you later today. You'll love it. I guarantee it. You know to catch us weekday morning from 9:00 a.m. until Noon Eastern. And we appreciate that here in the NEWSROOM.
But you can also take us with you anywhere on your iPod. We've been telling you about this for months now, seemingly years, and thanks for downloading the CNN NEWSROOM podcast. It is available to you 24/7. Just go to CNN.com and download podcast. Download the CNN daily NEWSROOM podcast right on to your iPod.
Our Fredricka Whitfield headed to the Olympic Games in Beijing this week. She is not there to cover it for us though I gave her my number, and I am expecting a phone call, instead, she is with her father, a former Olympian there to see old friends.
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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Let me re- introduce you to my dad, Mal Whitfield. 1948 and 1952 Olympic medalist, gold, silver, bronze. I first introduced you to marvelous Mal a few years back when London became the host of the 2012 Games. Were you Euphoric?
MAL WHITFIELD, 1948 OLYMPIAN: Oh, yes, I was quite pleased that the committee chose London.
F. WHITFIELD: Well, now it's you and me off to Beijing. Are you ready?
M. WHITFIELD: (INAUDIBLE). I haven't had a good night sleep. I'll sleep on the plane.
F. WHITFIELD (voice-over): Clearly, we're both over the top thrilled as we pack our bags for China. One reason --
M. WHITFIELD: The Olympic Games becomes a family of people. People meeting people from all over the world
F. WHITFIELD: Together to celebrate and witness greatness. The other big reason for our excitement, you're looking at it.
M. WHITFIELD: For me going to Beijing will be the most exciting experience I've ever had in my life. Why? Because, personally, I'm almost 84 years old. Look at the time I've spent in sports since I was 8 years old. So I wanted to be an Olympian. F. WHITFIELD: And after so many years seeing other Olympians of his day. He doesn't know for sure who will be there, but hopes an Olympians like bronze long jumper Herb Douglas. Harrison Dillard, the only man to win gold as a 100 meter sprinter and hurdler. Gold medal divers Dr. Sammy Lee still both a cut up and pin up despite recent back surgery.
SAMMY LEE, 1948 OLYMPIAN: And Mal and I we're both being from Los Angeles. It's funny.
F. WHITFIELD: And still vividly reflective at age 88.
LEE: So-called experts who say that the wrong color, the wrong size, it inspires you to be tougher and you're more dedicated.
F. WHITFIELD: Despite discrimination, segregation, the depression and military drafts during World War II and the Korean War, they stayed on course to make Olympic history.
Dr. Lee winning two golds in the 10-meter platform in 1948 and 52, and a bronze on spring board. In the same back-to-back games, dad collectively winning three gold, a silver and a bronze.
M. WHITFIELD: I ran three events, 800 meters, the 400 meters and the 400-meter relays. I just always did it, but it was all worth it.
F. WHITFIELD: A fighter then and a fighter now who says the constant shooting pain in his joint is already feeling healing powers from the surprise-filled journey to Beijing. His only fear, old friends don't recognize him.
M. WHITFIELD: As old as I am, they will remember the face and my laugh.
F. WHITFIELD: Weeks after his final surgery --
LEE: I'm recuperating and the goal of going to Beijing is stimulating me to heal fast.
F. WHITFIELD: And the prospect of these octogenarian Olympians meeting at the XXIX Olympiad inspires me. Let the games and our adventure begin.
Fredricka Whitfield, CNN, Washington.
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HARRIS: Wow. I'd better get that phone call, Fred.
A landmark of sorts for the Hubble Telescope making its 100,000th orbit around the earth while still taking pictures. Here is the latest shot from the Hubble. This is a nebula about 300,000 light years from the United States. The Hubble has been taking snapshots of outer space for 18 years. The Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to launch in early October for the last planned shuttle mission servicing the telescope. The war in Georgia. Is Moscow trying to re-assert its super power status? What Russia wants?
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HARRIS: You know, he was called The Voice. He was called Black Moses. Isaac Hayes has died. Hayes was found unconscious at his Memphis, Tennessee home beside his still running treadmill. Paramedics were unable to revive him. The pioneering singer won an Oscar for the theme to the film "Shaft." He also won three Grammy awards.
But some of you may know him better for his animated alter ego. He provided the voice of Chef, a character on the popular show "South Park." Isaac Hayes was 65-years-old.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everybody. I'm Brianna Keilar. Heidi is off today.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the run down.
Russia says it has achieved its military goals in Georgia. Georgia claims Russian troops are taking the fight beyond two breakaway provinces.
KEILAR: And ice on the ground. Doesn't Mother Nature know that it's August? Powerful thunderstorms delivering hail and damaging winds to the northeast.
Scorpions and star fish? Oh, my. You don't get Chinese take-out like this in America. We are ordering from the Olympic menu today. Monday, August 11th, here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
