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American Morning

Dangers of Diet Pills; Report on Blagojevich Contact with Obama Team Released; Shirtless Obama: How Paparazzi Got So Close

Aired December 23, 2008 - 08:00   ET

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


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour now. Here are this morning's top stories. The Food and Drug Administration issuing a warning against 28 different diet pills after those companies refused requests for a recall. The list of pills includes Imelda Perfect Slim, ProSlim Plus and 7 Day Herbal Slim. Now some have amounts of prescription drugs that greatly exceed maximum recommended dosages. Many of the pills can be bought over the Internet or in some stores.
Right now Wall Street bracing for what is expected to be a slew of dismal economic reports. Among them, experts forecast the sales of new and existing homes will have fallen in November. Investors also expecting a drop in the Gross Domestic Product which is the measure of goods and services produced in this country. We'll bring you that report as soon as it's released.

And today, President-elect Barack Obama will reveal just how much contact his transition office had with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. CNN has learned the internal investigation will show there was some contact between Obama's chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel and the governor, as well as the governor's former chief-of-staff. But the report is expected to conclude there was no wrongdoing.

Last night, Vice president-elect Joe Biden weighed in on whether he thinks Blagojevich should resign.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: Those tapes that were released by the special prosecutor, by the -- excuse me, the U.S. attorney, seem incredibly, incredibly incriminating. It's a decision for the people of Illinois to make and the legislature of Illinois to make. But from where I see it, he looks like a guy who is not capable of governing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: The Illinois governor vows the federal corruption charges will not drive him from office.

Much of the country is still getting slammed by old man winter from the Pacific Northwest to the northeast. People are buried in snow or frozen solid. One town in Maine waking up this morning to 3- 1/2 feet of snow. You heard it right, 3-1/2 feet.

There is plenty of passenger turbulence at the airports, too, where holiday travelers have been going nowhere fast. And there is more in store. Another big storm brewing in the Midwest. Rob Marciano was watching it all from the CNN weather center. When does it hit us, Rob? Just tell us now. I'm ready.

(WEATHER REPORT)

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: An emotional verdict in New York City. Former Sopranos actor Lillo Brancato Jr. acquitted of murder charges in the killing of an off-duty New York police officer three years ago. The 32-year-old Brancato was convicted of a lesser charge of attempted burglary. He still faces three to 15 years in prison.

Michael Jackson's publicist denying tabloid rumors that the 50-year- old singer is seriously ill, saying Jackson is, quote, "fine health". The spokesman was responding to a report in a British tabloid newspaper. The report quoted a writer working on a Jackson biography who said Jackson was battling a rare lung disease and in need of a transplant, but too weak to undergo surgery,

She still hasn't been confirmed, but Hillary Clinton is reportedly planning to build a more powerful State Department. "The New York Times" says Clinton wants a bigger budget and a more prominent role in dealing with global economic issues.

Earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, Politico's Mike Allen said he's not surprised that Clinton would try to broaden her role.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE ALLEN, POLITICO: During the campaign, her husband, Bill Clinton suggested that he and the first President Bush go on around the world tour to rebuild goodwill. So this is another sign that they are thinking big on the economic side, the stimulus package that he's talking about is bigger than the Vietnam and the Iraq wars added together. So this is the reason that Senator Clinton was chosen for this. But she has the stature to get more budget, to get more power, to get key experienced people, go around the world capitals and really show that America is back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: And Hillary Clinton is said to be recruiting Jacob Lew, her husband's former budget director to secure a larger share of financial resources for her State Department.

COSTELLO: You know, can't a president-elect go to the beach without this happening? How did the paparazzi get so close to him anyway? He's buff, though, isn't he?

ROBERTS: He certainly is.

COSTELLO: I'm jealous. Anyway, the big buzz on these photos of a shirtless Obama. We'll talk more about it, next.

ROBERTS: You're jealous? Shouldn't I be jealous?

COSTELLO: I'm not in that shape. ROBERTS: (INAUDIBLE) that's for sure.

And he was called the power behind Fidel Castro. A man who became a counter culture icon, now a new epic five-hour film. It takes a look at the life of Che Guevara. Director Steven Soderbergh will be here to talk about it. Very controversial film. Six minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Eight and a half minutes after the hour. Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" this morning.

She's here, and a lot of people got a hate on for Wall Street.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, they do. Good morning. You're right. American finance has a really bad image problem. And usually --

ROBERTS: You think?

ROMANS: You will hear people say, oh, it's a perception, it's not the reality, you know. In the big money industry, you know, we're always made out to be the bad guy. Well, hello, you have a housing crisis. You have a subprime mess. And now you have this guy name Bernie Madoff, who's accused of what could be a $50 billion Ponzi scheme, even if the numbers don't get that big.

I mean, you're talking about a huge problem with a lot of victims starting to come out of the wood work, including charities and foundations, and a lot of rich, well-known people. But also people who are really, really say they are hurt here.

So what do our poll showing about what you think about American finance? Well, we asked people if Bernie Madoff's behavior is common in financial institutions, and 74 percent said yes. 23 percent said no.

I will say that all of us who have been watching this Bernie Madoff scandal -- I mean, we've never seen anything like it. I mean, it seems to be a pretty unique -- a unique set of circumstances there. But that's not what people think that Wall Street is corrupt.

Here's a second question, government regulation of financial institutions. In general do you think there's too much, too little, or about the right amount of government regulation in the stock market of financial institutions? Too little. Well, you know, we got a lot of regulation and where in the world were the regulators?

It's one reason why a woman in New York according to "Wall Street Journal" has sued the SEC, saying there are all these red flags. In fact, you were alerted specifically to this particular case. You did nothing for ten years. She's actually suing the government.

The question number three, this might be wise. So many people are putting their money in their mattress or at least in the bank, and not in investments. What would you do with $1,000 in cash that you couldn't spend to pay down your debt? Deposit it in a bank, 45 percent. Just put it in the bank. Only 24 percent would invest it.

ROBERTS: Look at this, though.

ROMANS: And more than that, would keep it somewhere in their home. Folks, we don't recommend things like that, leaving cash hanging around your house. But that tells you what people are thinking right now.

COSTELLO: You don't get any interest in the bank. And would you invest it in any stock right now? I would put it in my mattress, too.

ROMANS: And you know that's one thing -- that's kind of the heard mentality. It's always at times like this, there's somebody out there making money right now, Carol.

ROBERTS: Oh, yes, yes. Absolutely.

ROMANS: I guarantee you. It's not me, it's not you. Maybe it is you, Carol. But there's somebody out there who's bucking the trend (INAUDIBLE) and making money.

ROBERTS: But I think a lot of people got tired of giving their broker $100 and watching the broker turn it into $60, you know.

ROMANS: Nickeled and dimed by siege all this time, and this whole thing blows up. You can see why people are so angry.

ROBERTS: Absolutely. Thanks, Christine.

ROMANS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: Let's talk about some cheesecake now.

ROMANS: All right.

COSTELLO: So wrong, isn't it?

ROBERTS: Cheesecake or beefcake?

COSTELLO: Beefcake is better, isn't it?

ROBERTS: OK.

COSTELLO: If you're man, can't cheesecake? Does that apply only to women and like risk --

(CROSSTALK)

ROBERTS: You know, I don't want to describe the president-elect as cheesecake.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Anyway, this is the picture we're talking about. Everybody is talking about this this morning. So how did the paparazzi get so darn close to Obama and his family? We'll tell you how they got the chops. We'll talk to the owner of the photo agency that says they will not stop chasing the president.

And Sarah Palin is speaking out again about her failed campaign to become vice president. The Alaska governor is admitting her biggest mistake from the race. So what is it? The answer straight ahead. It's 11 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: 14 minutes after the hour, and here's a look at Tuesday's "Political Ticker." Vice president-elect Joe Biden sat down with our Larry King to discuss the role that he'll have in an Obama White House. Obama and Biden had their differences on the campaign trail, when they're both candidates. So the two also talk about how Biden would handle a huge disagreement with the president-elect.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BIDEN: It's possible there could be a fundamental disagreement on principle, on a very principled decision. And I think it's not happened in the past, but if that were to happen in the extreme, the only option a vice president has, I think, is to demur and step down. He is the president of the United States.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Biden says Obama asked him to submit cabinet recommendations. Biden also told Larry King that U.S. combat troops would be out of Iraq in 24 months.

Amtrak will add trains in and out of Washington to deal with crowds on inauguration day. "The New York Times" reports extra trains will run on the northeast corridor between the nation's capital in Boston making it possible for people to see Barack Obama sworn in and then head home on the very same day.

And world leaders gave Condoleezza Rice more than $300,000 in jewelry just last year. Jordan's King Abdullah the Second gave Rice an emerald and diamond necklace with ring, bracelet and earrings worth $147,000. The State Department released its list of official gifts to the Secretary of State just in time for Christmas.

She's a 67-year-old widow now left with nothing after the biggest alleged Wall Street rip off in history. Her husband died 20 years ago, shortly after he entrusted Bernie Madoff with everything that they had. AMERICAN MORNING's Alina Cho has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At 68, Norma Hill should be enjoying retirement, but two weeks ago everything in her life unraveled.

NORMA HILL, INVESTED WITH BERNIE MADOFF: I'm calm on the exterior but I'm dying inside. I cry at night but not now.

CHO: 20 years ago her husband Jack invested his life savings with Bernie Madoff. Two weeks later he died of a heart attack, leaving Norma alone to raise five children. She knew nothing about money or investing, so she went to the man she thought knew everything, Bernie Madoff.

HILL: He put his arm on my shoulder and he said, I'll take care of your money.

CHO (on camera): Did you believe him?

HILL: It was two weeks after my husband had died and I didn't know where I was -- you know, which way to turn and I decided that he was sincere.

CHO (voice-over): For years Norma had no reason to be suspicious.

These are blue chip stocks.

HILL: Yes. It's Exxon, Intel, JP Morgan.

CHO: And when the markets began to tank, Norma felt safe because her monthly statement said Madoff invested her money in Treasury notes. Then on December 11th, her son called with the news, Madoff had been arrested.

HILL: I thought it was just totally incredulous. I mean, why would a man who was so highly regarded by all the financial wizards in the United States be arrested.

CHO: Her entire nest egg, more than $2 million gone.

(on camera): What about the whole notion of not putting all your eggs in one basket?

HILL: Well, hindsight is 20/20. I have social security, period.

CHO (voice-over): It's not the first time Norma has been victimized. In 1981 she was taken hostage in the infamous Brinks heist and held at gunpoint. The news was splashed across the headlines, not unlike what is happening now.

HILL: My car was commandeered with my mother in it.

CHO (on camera): Do you feel like you've been commandeered in another way.

HILL: Yes. Actually that's a good way of putting it.

CHO: Really like a house of cards, isn't.

HILL: Yes. It is. It finally collapsed.

(END VIDEOTAPE) CHO: It is so sad. And nobody knows how many more stories there are just like that. You know, Norma says she only has enough money in savings to last her two more months. After that, she will probably have to sell her only asset which is her home, and then of course, she'll have to find another place to live. Norma says her sons have offered to help her, but she says they have their own financial burdens. One of her granddaughters is about to go to college.

The one lesson she has learned, be careful who you trust. And she also says, John, she feels like she has aged 10 years in just the past two weeks. She feels sad. She feels angry. A whole range of emotions, shock, of course. She blames herself for being naive, she says, and she blames Bernie Madoff for being greedy.

ROBERTS: (INAUDIBLE) feel like that would just be so stressful.

CHO: I mean, you really could see it in her eyes.

ROBERTS: Let me ask you this question. Is she certain that she has no investments left, because she had statements saying she was invested in blue chip stocks, treasuries? Those just don't go away, if the investment was actually made.

CHO: Well, I ask her. I mean, we look at those statements. They look legitimate. You saw them in the piece. But nobody knows. And I asked her, do you know if this money was ever invested? She said I don't know if I ever have this money. Ten years ago, 20 years ago, maybe I had it. But 10 years ago, I don't know.

(CROSSTALK)

CHO: Who knows?

ROBERTS: Like all would just be figures on paper.

CHO: That's right. That's right. What she does now is she doesn't have any money now to the tune -- she's lost more than $2 million.

ROBERTS: Incredible. Unbelievable.

CHO: And it's so sad.

ROBERTS: Yes, it certainly is. Thanks, Alina.

CHO: You bet.

ROBERTS: Well, it's this morning's big buzz. Swimsuit photos of the first family on vacation. How did the paparazzi get so close to the president-elect? We're talking to the owner of the agency that snapped the photos. We'll find out all about that. 19-1/2 minutes now after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Just before we go any further, just wanted to make sure that you got everything quite clear, though. Condoleezza Rice received all of that money in jewelry, particularly from King Abdullah of Jordan. She didn't keep it. She had to give it all back.

All right. 22 minutes after the hour. And this, this is what we're waking up to today. Here he is, about to be sworn in as the most powerful person in the world, and he's shirtless. Great figure, though, I'll tell you that.

How did the paparazzi get this close to the president-elect? And it wasn't just him, it's the whole First Family in swimsuits. Well, now we've got the answer.

Joining us in the telephone is Frank Griffin. He's the co-owner of the Bauer-Griffin Agency, whose employee shot those photographs. And this is the agency that's selling them around the world.

Frank, thanks for being with us. The White House press corps had been told by the transition team that there would be no photos, that the beach time was off-limits. How did your photographer get into that area to snap those photos?

VOICE OF FRANK GRIFFIN, BAUER-GRIFFIN AGENCY: First of all, he's not a member of the press corps. Are you getting -- can you hear me, OK?

ROBERTS: Yes, yes. I understand that he's not a member of the press corps. But the White House press corps had been told no photos, and I'm just wondering how your photographer got in.

GRIFFIN: He walked along the beach. He was told not to cross a line in the sand which was literally drawn by the security detail. He did do that. He took the pictures and left.

ROBERTS: Right. Did any of the security details seem to mind the fact that he was out there on the beach? We should preface this by saying that in Hawaii, all beaches are public, which means that, you know, unless there's some sort of emergency or extraordinary security situation, those beaches can't be closed down. And even if you're at a big ritzy hotel, anybody can still walk along those beaches. So did his security detail show any concern about the fact that your photographer was there?

GRIFFIN: He's still alive, and I therefore assume that he was allowed to do it.

ROBERTS: Well, I assume that the United States Secret Service --

(CROSSTALK)

GRIFFIN: He was -- he was --

ROBERTS: Do we need to be that flip about it? Could you just tell us whether or not he had any problems?

GRIFFIN: No, otherwise, he wouldn't have taken them.

ROBERTS: Right.

GRIFFIN: He was literally drawn a line in the sand by the security detail. He was told he wasn't allowed to cross that line in the sand. That line was approximately a football field away from the president- elect and he complied to those instructions.

ROBERTS: Right.

GRIFFIN: Anybody walking along there, as did others who perhaps didn't have the equipment that we had, or our photographer had, also took pictures.

ROBERTS: A question that some people are asking this morning, Frank, is there's a photograph in there of the children as well. And the official White House press corps has sort of, I guess, an unspoken agreement with the transition team, the Barack Obama people, to not take pictures of the kids in settings like that.

Why did your photographer take the pictures of the kids? Why are you selling pictures of the kids?

GRIFFIN: There was no -- there were no requests made, and no permissions granted or otherwise to take or not take pictures of any situation there.

ROBERTS: Right. As far as your agency is concerned, are the Obama children fair game in terms of taking photographs?

GRIFFIN: I don't know how you -- why do you call them fair game? I think they weren't (INAUDIBLE) convention and filmed and photographed?

ROBERTS: Yes, but they were --

GRIFFIN: Were they consider -- was that fair game from the point of the other people that photographed them then? I don't like the term fair game.

ROBERTS: That was -- that was --

GRIFFIN: It simply -- it employs a (INAUDIBLE).

ROBERTS: That was a very public setting. This was, I guess, obviously it was on a public beach, but the setting was supposed to be somewhat more private, and I guess out of respect for the president- elect and his family, some photographers have agreed not to take photographs.

GRIFFIN: Some photographers have agreed in return for which they get special situations where they are allowed to take pictures and they comply with those limitations. I have to say at this stage that, yes, they are yes-men, they do what they're told.

ROBERTS: Right.

GRIFFIN: That's my opinion. I do feel that if the security detail had not wanted or were in the position that they weren't to allow any other photographers or passers-by, onlookers, then they would have -- they could have closed the island down.

ROBERTS: Right.

GRIFFIN: They could have closed the state down if they wanted to.

ROBERTS: Well, I think that would have been a little difficult. Is this an indication that this new incoming president will see a lot more interest from some non-traditional sources, the main I guess coverage of presidents has always been the White House press corps, a lot of local press do it.

There is -- there is some coverage of the president from outside agencies. But is this an indication that the Paparazzi really will be interested in getting photos of the president-elect or president when he becomes the 44th president of the United States?

GRIFFIN: Well, to tell you, you're drawing a classification between paparazzi and traditional press. Can you explain that difference? If I remember right, when he was on vacation in Hawaii, there were shots taken by a photographer or photographers of him body surfing. I think he was even wearing the same shorts or a similar color shorts.

Is there a big difference, do you think?

ROBERTS: Well, you know, paparazzi, as you know, typically will be taking pictures of celebrities, some of them I guess do it in a more traditional way than others. I'm just wondering if there will be more interest by agencies that tend to deal in celebrity than traditional news agencies.

GRIFFIN: Do you think Barack Obama is not a celebrity?

ROBERTS: Oh, I absolutely think he's a celebrity (INAUDIBLE).

(CROSSTALK)

GRIFFIN: There you go. Then I think -- then I think that paparazzi -- I know that (INAUDIBLE) coin the phrase that paparazzi are of course journalists, they just happen to specialize in celebrity. They are the last -- the true photojournalist because very often they don't just do what they're told.

ROBERTS: Were the photos worth a lot of money to your agency?

GRIFFIN: No.

ROBERTS: No?

GRIFFIN: Well, there certainly not as much as, say, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would be.

ROBERTS: All right. OK, Frank Griffin, thanks for being with us this morning. Good to talk to you. GRIFFIN: My pleasure.

ROBERTS: All right, take care.

GRIFFIN: Bye, bye.

COSTELLO: I think Mr. Griffin had a chip on his shoulder. Whoo! I enjoy that actually. Didn't you think so? He just -- he didn't want you to call him paparazzi. He didn't want you to call his photographers anything wrong.

(CROSSTALK)

ROBERTS: Well, I mean, I don't want to really discuss this when he's not involved in the conversation. He obviously has his point of view. And that's his point of view, that's his take on things, and others might have a different take. So we'll see how this all works out in the wash.

COSTELLO: Yes, we will.

How far will some men go, single men that is to get a child of their own when mom is not an option? Our special series "Baby Quest" continues. What's driving the daddy boom? It's 28 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Next week marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power and brought a whole new dangerous element to the cold war. And now Steven Soderbergh, the Academy Award winning director of "Traffic" and "Erin Brokovich" is out with a new film about Che Guevara. It's about the man who's been called the power behind Castro, who is now one of the America's favorite T-shirt logos.

Steven Soderbergh joins us to tell us more about Che -- welcome.

STEVEN SODERBERGH, ACADEMY AWARD WINNING DIRECTOR: Thanks.

COSTELLO: Well, first of all let's get into this fascination that many young people have with Che Guevara, even though they may not realize what exactly it is he did.

Why do you think there's such a fascination with him?

SODERBERGH: Well I think I was one of those people before I got involved with this. I didn't know much about him. I knew he fought in the Cuban revolution, I knew he died young, I knew he was beautiful. And that was about it. So part of the eight-year process of making this film was reading everything we could find to read and talking to people that actually knew him.

COSTELLO: And you know, I think there is a tendency when people talk about Che Guevara, they really don't know much about him is to romanticize him and it kind of skip the negative things that he did during his days as a revolutionary. What is romantic about him, what is it about him that captures the imagination?

SODERBERGH: Well, I think there's something romantic about sort of trying to implement your idea of a new society or a different society 50 years ago in that part of the world, in Latin America, the idea of picking up a gun and going into the jungle was a much more romantic notion than it would be now. The film, I think is not a very romantic view of that life. It's very, very tough to do what they did. He was a very hard character and I don't think anyone would say he comes across as nice.

COSTELLO: Well, some critics say that you went too easy on him. You know, for example, I don't think many people realize that he and Fidel Castro and his brother went into Cuba, took over, you know implemented communism. And then Che Guevara was in charge. He was the chief executioner in Cuba for a while --

SODERBERGH: Yes.

COSTELLO: ... before he went to Bolivia. Is that portrayed in your movie as well.

SODERBERGH: There's a part in the film where he comes to New York to speak at the U.N.. During that speech, he talks about the executions. And he says we have killed people and we're going to keep killing people. So he's not -- the film deals with the two campaigns in Cuba and Bolivia. But the question is, if you saw the film and you read about the incident at La Cabana, would you be surprised? No.

COSTELLO: What kind of reception has your film gotten with let's say in Cuba versus Miami?

SODERBERGH: Well, pretty different. Yes.

COSTELLO: In Cuba, they -

SODERBERGH: Well I wasn't there. Benicio was there.

COSTELLO: Benecio Del Toro stars in the movie.

SODERBERGH: Yes. Sorry. Well the official paper was pretty critical of the movie. And I think Benicio said that the audiences were a little more kind.

COSTELLO: And in Miami?

SODERBERGH: Very polarized. Some people you know don't like it and some people can sort of look at it and say that's a pretty unromantic view of this guy. What's interesting is what everybody brings to the movie. That tells you a lot about them.

COSTELLO: Interesting. I can't wait to see it.

SODERBERGH: Well, you're going to need a few hours.

COSTELLO: I have heard. I have read about it. Thank you so much for joining us. SODERBERGH: Thanks for having me.

ROBERTS: It's 34 minutes after the hour now, we got news just in to CNN on housing starts, gross domestic product and we all know how bad the economy is, these number will give us an indication of the way that things are going. Analysts were widely expecting contraction in both of those areas.

Our Christine Romans is watching it all. What's the news looking like, Christine?

ROMANS: Well, on GDP, John, no big surprise, a decline of 0.5 percent in the third quarter. The economy shrank by half a percent. That's what we had expected. The fourth quarter that a lot of economist keep going back and sharpening their pencils and saying the fourth quarter could be quite ugly with some economists who are saying there might be a 6 percent contraction even in the fourth quarter. But the third quarter number now is maybe a 6 percent contraction even in the fourth quarter. But the third quarter number now is in the books, it's a decline of 0.5 percent.

You remember, John that in the second quarter the economy grew by 2.8 percent. That many people say is because of those stimulus checks. One thing in these third quarter numbers, that I find pretty interesting, is a little bright spot here, the federal government. There's plenty of spending and investment going on by the federal government. And so that's in these numbers. Other than that pretty much every component is showing weakness and broad declines. Declines that are expected to escalate into the fourth quarter.

So what this is telling us that the economy is slowing. It is weakening, and many people think it really slammed on the breaks the fourth quarter but you're seeing it here in these third quarter numbers. These numbers are always a real lagging number and those housing numbers we're going to get at 10:00 Eastern time. Those are expected to be pretty ugly as well, John.

ROBERTS: So many people are wondering, Christine, if the third and fourth quarters are this bad, how bad is first quarter of 2009 going to be?

ROMANS: That's absolutely right, and a lot of people are saying, that a lot of really smart economists are saying that the worst, the teeth of the recession and slowdown could come at the early part of next year. We'll see.

ROBERTS: Christine Romans for us this morning. Christine, thanks so much.

COSTELLO: You know when the weather gets really cold like this and the pipes freeze and then unfreeze under ground, you get big water main breaks. That's what you're looking at right now in Cabin John, Maryland. That's in Montgomery county. It's near Washington, D.C.. This is right on River Road, which is a pretty major road going through Montgomery County.

ROBERTS: Aptly named river road this morning.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Look at the cars trapped in this water main break. People inside the cars, rescue workers trying to get them out. It looks like they're in the middle of a river.

ROBERTS: Yes, River Road living up to its name, no question about that.

COSTELLO: Yes. Absolutely.

ROBERTS: A lot of water flowing. That must have been a huge, huge water main.

COSTELLO: Yes. We're going to get more information about this. But again rescue workers in Cabin John, Maryland trying to get these trapped drivers out of the middle of huge water main break.

ROBERTS: So if you're watching at home there and you're in Montgomery county --

COSTELLO: I can't believe --

ROBERTS: Coming in from north of the belt way, you want to find an alternate route this morning.

COSTELLO: There's got to be something more to this story. It's like the entire road, River Road, and everybody was driving down the street and then they were overcome by water.

ROBERTS: With water main breaks, it doesn't take long for all that water to start moving down there, in a big wave. And if you can see by the amount of flow there, and things in the -- look at it rippling off of the edges there, that's just so much water that would really take you by surprise. No question about that.

COSTELLO: I can't believe how cold it would be. Can you imagine getting out of your car and having to walk through the water and to get out? I would get out of my car, I don't know if that's the safest thing to do. But some people are remaining in their cars waiting for rescue crews to come and get them.

ROBERTS: Yes. I'm wondering if that's a rescue helicopter. I would assume because of the altitude it's flying, it's probably a rescue helicopter, a police helicopter checking out to see how the people are in those vehicles. You obviously, don't want to jump out of the car and try to walk. Not with the water flowing that will sweep you away in a heartbeat.

COSTELLO: Well, I guess there were rescue workers up the way in a boat trying to get to people.

ROBERTS: It would be difficult in a boat to get to them with the water flowing at that speed.

COSTELLO: Look at the current --

ROBERTS: Yes. that's pretty incredible.

Making the commute very interesting this morning on your way to Washington, D.C. Well how far will some single men will go to get a baby of their very own? In our special series "Baby Quest," meet men who say, no mom, no matter, they're just driven to be a dad.

And speaking of driving, how would you like to drive to the mall and stash your man nearby while you shop. Forget the car, see where they set up a special place to park your man. 38 minutes after the hour.

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COSTELLO: OK. We're going to go back to this developing story in Montgomery County, Maryland. River Road, that is near Washington, D.C. As you can see there has been a massive, water main break. River Road is a pretty major thoroughfare through Montgomery County. If you want an exact location, it's River Road and Fenway Drive.

We have been seeing emergency rescue workers in boats trying to get to people who are still trapped in cars. Do not get out of your car, because of course if there's a downed power line, you'll be in big trouble plus the current looks pretty strong here. And it's mighty cold outside. You can see a helicopter hovering above, we don't know if that's a news helicopter or rescue workers, but we do know there were boats above.

In fact, we have been watching this live feed. There it is, a rescue helicopter, they have dropped down a basket. We have been watching this live feed for about a half hour now. This is from our affiliate WJLA. Someone is inside the basket.

ROBERTS: Obviously the basket went down to the car, the person probably climbed out the car and got into the basket, they're just trying to pull it up now. a little difficult with all the rotor wash coming off the helicopter blowing the trees around as well, you definitely don't want to get that basket caught up in the trees.

COSTELLO: I can't imagine how frightening that would be to be in that basket. Imagine you're driving down the road, and this huge water main breaks and you're trapped suddenly in the middle of what seems like a river.

ROBERTS: You're on your way to work and the next thing you know, you're in a basket being hauled up in a helicopter. I mean, how incongruous was that, right? How was your morning commute, dear? Well, let me tell you --

COSTELLO: It was eventful.

ROBERTS: To say the least.

COSTELLO: Yes.

ROBERTS: Extraordinary pictures here.

COSTELLO: Like about eight cars, all up along River Road. At least we believe this is River Road.

ROBERTS: Yes. It could be Fenway as well but River Road in that area is a fairly wide road. I believe it's four lanes in that area. That doesn't look like a four-lane road. That could be Fenway coming off there -

COSTELLO: Up towards (INAUDIBLE) doesn't it get more rural?

ROBERTS: Yes but don't forget it's still a major thoroughfare that connects the district with the beltway. So it looks kind of like that -- oh, maybe it is River Road. It is difficult to know.

COSTELLO: Well, you know the weather has been really weird in that part of the world. You know, living in Baltimore, it's been really cold and then it gets kind of warm.

ROBERTS: Look at that, with the rotor wash, blowing the rushing water over those cars. And somebody is inside. They are trying to get out when they lowered down the basket. My goodness.

COSTELLO: I just can't imagine.

But anyway, it's been really cold and then the weather warms up. And does the number on the pipes that are underground which causes water main breaks like this. Of course, you know, water main breaks happen all the time in the dead of winter when it gets brutally cold like it's been lately in the Washington, D.C. area.

ROBERTS: The water is running really fast through the area too because you're on the edge of the escarpment that leads down to the Potomac River. And you know, quite a substantial rise between the Potomac River and up there in Cabin John, River Road and Fenway.

So you got a steep grade going down and you've got a tremendous volume of water and it is obviously rushing. That's flowing faster than the Potomac in most areas other than you know Great Falls and just north of the Key Bridge -- not the Key Bridge, but the --

COSTELLO: Oh, I knew you would stick with --

ROBERTS: Chain Bridge.

COSTELLO: Chain Bridge.

ROBERTS: Chain Bridge just north of the Chain Bridge is a little rapids as well.

COSTELLO: I guess emergency workers are saying --

ROBERTS: There goes the basket back down again.

COSTELLO: There's three to four feet of water here so you really cannot get out of your car.

ROBERTS: You kind of wonder the size of the water main that broke. COSTELLO: You see the door open, John. (INAUDIBLE) at the back trying to get out of his car.

ROBERTS: The basket's coming down there.

COSTELLO: So what are they going to do? Grab the basket and then climb aboard?

ROBERTS: Yes. The basket blowing around there a lot on the rotor wash. I don't know if it's windy in Washington today as it was in New York yesterday as well.

This is going to be very delicate, because this guy or woman has to reach out the door of the car, as the basket comes down, grab the basket, without stepping in the water, because you can imagine, the water running as deep as it is, and it looks like it's at least a foot there, it would just take your feet out from under you in a heartbeat and you would be downstream before you knew it. So this will be a very delicate operation here.

COSTELLO: Oh, man. My palms are starting to sweat.

ROBERTS: Look at how they're trying to take the basket away. The cameraman puts on the double so we can get a little bit close and closer here in the lens. Wow.

COSTELLO: I think this is going to take a while.

ROBERTS: Horrible, horrible position to find yourself in. And that water would be awfully cold as well. It is not a warm day.

COSTELLO: Well, I wonder where exactly the point of the break is and how long it took for the water to gush out and where these cars are in relation to the initial break.

ROBERTS: Yes, you saw in the wide shot that there were areas of what looked like river road there that were still dry and then there was water gushing out of the ground right at that intersection. So it would seem to be right about at that point and there's a golf course just to the northwest of there. I'm just looking at it on Google Earth there as well. A lot of homes in that area. I mean --

COSTELLO: Well it's a gorgeous area. There it goes.

ROBERTS: It's a lovely little area there.

COSTELLO: See that basket gets tantalizingly close there and then it blows away. That's got to feel bad.

ROBERTS: Yes. the person trying to hold the door open there against the water in the road from the helicopter as well.

COSTELLO: Go, go, go.

ROBERTS: This, as I said, this is really, really tenuous, because with that basket flying around like that, you want to put a hand on it and bring it in close.

COSTELLO: But you're right.

ROBERTS: You've got to be careful that in your efforts to try to grab on to that basket, you don't accidentally step out of the car.

COSTELLO: It is 17 degrees in Washington right now.

ROBERTS: I'm kind of surprised actually that they have not put a rescuer in that basket to get down there and help the person in the car. It would help to stabilize the basket a little bit as well. You can see it's just rushing away there, the second it touches the water.

It would help to stabilize the basket to have a little bit more weight in it and certainly the rescuer would be able to help the person in the car get the basket to stay stable enough at the location of the car in order for that person to get in.

COSTELLO: It doesn't seem like there would be room in that basket for two people. This person I would think -- there we go. Got hold of it.

COSTELLO: OK.

ROBERTS: Be careful.

COSTELLO: You know, it is 17 degrees in Washington right now.

ROBERTS: And you're getting soaked. That water would be extraordinarily cold. Putting their first.

COSTELLO: I would do it.

ROBERTS: Wow.

COSTELLO: Get in the basket.

ROBERTS: it's a fellow, and here he goes. Oh, good move. Look at that, well, well done, that's terrific. One person in the car, now second person in the car as well.

COSTELLO: Oh, no.

ROBERTS: Second person in the car, don't let go of the basket, both people get in. The basket dropping down a little bit. You know the helicopter pilot is doing such a --

COSTELLO: A marvelous job --

ROBERTS: -- of holding that aircraft steady in these conditions. Wow. Look at that.

COSTELLO: That is unbelievable.

ROBERTS: I tell you. Pretty amazing. All right, well, two people rescued there in Cabin John. You can see that the water main break appears to be almost right a little bit behind where the helicopter is. Then the streets are dry and then you get this enormous torrent of water coming down right there from the edge of the roadways. So -

COSTELLO: We're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back with more actions. 48 minutes after the hour. Keep it right here on CNN. Incredible pictures today.

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ROBERTS: Back live now with more dramatic pictures. You're looking at River Road, this is just north of the beltway, not far from Congressional Country Club. We had at least two cars there in this raging torrent of water which is anywhere between a foot to four feet deep depending on where you are on the road and River Road this morning, living up to its name.

It is running as fast as the Potomac River runs on the day after there has been rain. We're watching some dramatic rescues today. There's a rescue helicopter hovering above those cars, we have so far seen three people pulled out of these vehicles. Rescuers are dropping a basket down and in what is, Carol, I think a fairly unusual move, at least in rescues that I have watched before.

COSTELLO: At least from a water main break.

ROBERTS: Yes, is that they're dropping down the basket with no one inside it, no rescue worker inside it and the people in the cars are having to reach out, there's the helicopter on the ground there. Maybe they have gotten everybody out of these vehicles, either that or they're just letting them off and then they we back for more.

COSTELLO: Let's show that because I think we have video and we have pictures of that rescue effort with the empty basket coming down and the driver in the car trying to desperately catch the basket so they could climb aboard. You see them getting out of the car right now. This was a 66-inch water main.

ROBERTS: Oh, yes. That's huge.

COSTELLO: It's a huge water main pump that burst and that's why there is so much water in this area and it's still coming out as far as we know.

ROBERTS: Look at this, the Coast Guard when they effect rescues like this, typically if it's a precarious situation like this, send one of the personnel from the helicopter, whether it be a rescue swimmer or one of the other personnel down there to help stabilize the basket, help to hang on to the, you know, the vehicle or vessel, whatever it might be as they try to pull the people out.

But they just kind of drop the basket down and it was up to the folks who were inside the car to get themselves out. You can imagine, 17 degrees there in Washington right now. You've got all that water, you've got all that rotor wash spraying all that water around. It's got to be just freezing. That on top of the fact that you are terrified on being in a situation -- and you can see the basket bouncing around there in the current.

COSTELLO: Five people in all were rescued. At least seven cars were stranded in the water.

ROBERTS: The folks there in the car are doing an amazing job of getting themselves into that basket. Because you can imagine with the water running as deep as it is and as fast as it is, you step one foot outside that car into the water, it would probably take your feet out from underneath you and the next thing you know you would be carried down the street.

COSTELLO: And never mind you don't know if any electrical lines have fallen, or what's going on.

ROBERTS: There's a boat that they had, obviously would appear that the boat was attached to the line there.

COSTELLO: Well there was one car, apparently, that rolled over on it's top and as far as we know that person got out of that car although we don't know much about that car. We do know that is upside or at least one car was.

ROBERTS: It looked like they had a boat, made a flat bottom boat there on a line that they were trying to drop down to people

And another basket swinging around there from a helicopter as you can see.

COSTELLO: The firefighters are along the banks of River Road. How bizarre is that? Trying to maybe shout out to the drivers inside the cars what do when that basket comes down.

ROBERTS: Right.

So live pictures here again, this is a -- I would assume that that's the second helicopter because the basket is different and the one helicopter we saw was on the ground so they dispatched another one there. And if they're still trying to drop that basket down that means there are still people who are inside those cars.

You can see there, that's where the water main broke, a 66-inch water main, more than five feet. You can imagine how much water that's carrying down there through the district and if that breaks, and obviously a catastrophic rupture for that much water to be coming through it.

COSTELLO: And River road is a pretty major artery through Montgomery county. And you could imagine River Road is going to be closed down for quite some time.

ROBERTS: This is the north part of River Road, I thought that this was -- I thought this was -- originally I though south of the beltway. This is the part of River Road, it thought originally, I thought it was sort of the beltway, this is part of River Road, north of the beltway that runs up to Congressional Country Club. That area there just becoming a little bit more rural. It's two lanes.

COSTELLO: We got the Montgomery Fire Department on the phone. Pete, the public information officer.

Pete, this is Carol Costello and John Roberts.

ROBERTS: Pete, can you hear us?

VOICE OF PETE PERINGER, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, MONTGOMERY CO. FIRE DEPT.: Yes, good morning.

ROBERTS: Give us an idea of the situation here, we're watching these amazing live pictures there via our affiliate WJLA. We understand and we've seen you effect some rescues from these vehicles with baskets and helicopters.

Can you tell us what, bring us in to what the situation is here?

PERINGER: Well we have been at it for about an hour now. About 8:00 (INAUDIBLE) which is in the Potomac area, were confronted with a wall of water from a large water main, which is understand it's a 96- inch water main, and as a result, a dozen or so vehicles, maybe 15 vehicles became enveloped in this wall of water.

We have fire crews out, at least a dozen rescues are not a problem, accounted for a dozen people or so from their cars. At this point we have used some helicopters to hoist some people up. We have a lot of resources, not only our technical rescue but our swift auto rescue personnel have been brought it. But it's easier in the vicinity of Congressional Country Club which is again in Potomac between River Road and Bradley Boulevard.

COSTELLO: Pete. It's Pete Peringer from the fire department talking to us this morning.

Pete, it's Carol Costello, you know I just wondered how fast the water came up from that water main that trapped so many cars so far down the road from the initial break.

PERINGER: This is fairly popular commuter route. Again, we had, from what I understand, one of the -- that they were confronted with a four foot wall of water. And some of the people did required some EMS. There were exposed to some hypothermia but otherwise again it's been difficult for rescue workers. Again, this water is moving downstream. They pretty swiftly and they're powerful.

ROBERTS: Do you know how many people continue to be trapped in these vehicles, Pete?

PERINGER: I don't have my arms around that just yet. But we have made about a dozen or so rescue so far. And again, this is active (INAUDIBLE).

ROBERTS: Again, we're looking at the live pictures and it looked like the fire department or whoever is working, is trying to drop a boat down a little bit further towards the car there. They got it on a line. It doesn't appear to be anyone inside.

Is that en effective form of rescue or will you have to do it all through helicopters and the drop baskets?

PERINGER: We'll use whatever resources are necessary. We do have a water rescue team, we have airboats, we have regular boats for this type of situation. This is kind of unique because it's on you know, inland, if you will. But we have also used U.S. Park Police helicopter. In Maryland pushed helicopter to effect some rescues also.

ROBERTS: You can see in that white car, there does appear to be somebody inside of the vehicle that needs to be brought out of there. Is the water authority also try working on trying to get this water main turned off?

PERINGER: Yes, the WSS has been notified and they are on top of the situation and they are working with us to try to resolve it as well.

COSTELLO: The people inside the cars that are trapped, how are you keeping them inside the car? I mean, are rescue workers shouting directions to them, is that basket drops, is that possible?

PERINGER: You know. I'm not up close to that location. We'll communicate with them as best as we can. I believe most of those people already have been contacted, they've been told to remain in their car so we can stabilize it. We have already rescued a dozen people out of their cars already.

ROBERTS: It looks like a fire truck has pulled up to the bottom end of, I guess that would probably be the south end of this water main break. To try to effect a rescue down on that end. There are a lot of concerns too as well because it's a cold day there, got a lot of cold water coming down here, you worry that, I would assume that some of these folks in the cars are wet. You worry about hypothermia?

PERINGER: Yes, it's probably in the teens here this morning and then of course, this is a cold water situation. A few other people have been checked for hypothermia, that's correct.

ROBERTS: Anybody suffering from any of the effects? Or are they pretty much OK.

PERINGER: As far as I know everybody's pretty stable. Listen, I'm sorry I have to cut you off, but I have to go.

ROBERTS: No problem. Pete Peringer from the Montgomery County Fire Department. Thanks so much for being with us. Appreciate your time.

You can see there the source of the water main break just flooding out of the ground and down River Road. COSTELLO: Just a massive break. A 66-inch water main pump and they're trying to get the water shut off. 15 cars what trapped in this mess. But they managed to rescue everybody safely it appears right now.

ROBERTS: Well you can see that there was at least one person left in one of those cars, the white vehicle that was sideways to the road and again they are at the bottom of your screen, you can see the fire engine that they have managed to back up into that area.

COSTELLO: It's interesting that they're using so many methods to try to rescue people, they're using boats. They're using helicopters. They're using fire trucks. Anything they can do there are firefighters lining the shores of River Road if you, shouting out instructions to people who are still trapped inside their vehicles.

ROBERTS: Hey don't go anywhere because CNN is going to continue its Live coverage of this dramatic scene. It's in Montgomery County, Maryland just north of the beltway between the beltway and the Congressional Country Club on River Road here. A massive water main break just a torrent of water coming down that road. And you can see that white car there, still one person waiting to be rescued.

But right now, let's turn it over to Heidi Collins who is going to continue our live coverage this morning -- Heidi.