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American Morning

President Obama Bound for Mexico; Maersk Alabama Crew Finally Home; Hero Captain Flying Home Soon; Palin Still Courting 2012 Presidential Race; Stock Market Roller Coaster

Aired April 16, 2009 - 06:00   ET

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

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN BREAKING NEWS.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome. It is 6:00 here in New York, and we do have breaking news on this Thursday, April 16th. I'm Kiran Chetry.

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: And the breaking news we begin with this morning, a wave and celebration and sheer relief overnight. The crew of the Maersk Alabama stepping back on U.S. soil as the captain and the crew of another American cargo ship attacked by pirates pulled in to safe harbor in Kenya.

Right now, we're standing by and hoping to see Captain Richard Phillips. It's believed that he is still onboard the Navy destroyer Bainbridge which pulled into port in Mombasa about two hours ago. It docked shortly after the Liberty Sun arrived. That's the ship that the Bainbridge escorted after pirates attacked it off of the coast of Somalia on Monday.

Meantime, at Andrews Air Force Base this morning, there were cheers, tears, and big smiles as the crew of the Maersk Alabama stepped off a plane and reunited with their families.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

QUESTION: How does it feel to be back?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It feels wonderful, feels wonderful.

QUESTION: Is that your wife?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's my daughter.

QUESTION: Your daughter. How does it feel to be off the plane?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's great. We were cheering in there as soon as we landed. There's spontaneous cheering.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Most of the crew members, including Captain Shane Murphy decided not to talk at the airport, instead focusing more on those long-awaited embraces with their loved ones.

We've got reporters up live following the story here in this country and overseas. Full coverage on all of that coming up in just a couple of minutes.

CHETRY: But first, an interview with President Barack Obama you'll see only here on CNN. Before departing this morning on a trip to Mexico and Latin America, the president spoke exclusively with CNN en Espanol. He was asked by correspondent Juan Carlos Lopez how he'll convince Latin American leaders that America's recent past isn't a prologue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ, CNN EN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: There is a sense of mistrust in the region towards the U.S. You inherited -- you said you inherited the economic crisis. Did you inherit this from previous administrations? And how are you going to convince Latin Americans that the U.S. is sincere and that you really want to have an approach.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, you know, I don't want to overstate the degree of anti-American sentiment. I mean, I think that, you know, these things go in ups and downs.

But there are an awful lot of people in Latin America who are, you know, are inspired by traditions of equal opportunity and entrepreneurship. And, you know, there's a reason why there are consistently so many immigrants to our country from Latin America. I think people still see America as a place full of hope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: And President Obama also talked about U.S. relations with Cuba, helping Mexico fight the border drug war. We're going to have much more on the interview with CNN Espanol throughout the morning.

ROBERTS: Now back down to our breaking news, we are standing by for our first look of the skipper of the Maersk Alabama, Captain Richard Phillips, following his arrival in Mombasa, Kenya. He was onboard the Navy destroyer USS Bainbridge as it docked in the Kenyan port in just the last couple of hours.

CNN's David McKenzie is live in Mombasa for us. It's been a long day for David. He's been up since yesterday following this story.

Are we seeing any movement there aboard the Bainbridge, David, as we take a look at some live pictures of the ship behind you?

DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, the Bainbridge came in a little earlier today. There is a lot of movement in and out. There are some crew members of some kind. There are people going in and out. They're remaining pretty tight lipped about what's going on.

There's heavy security in the port behind me. The ship is docked in the next port in Mombasa, which is a section of the port which is being blasted off by containers which isn't typical here, of course. There have been FBI agents earlier. They had a Navy frogman going in and checking (INAUDIBLE).

That really was a dramatic moment when that USS Bainbridge came in to port. They stayed all out on the deck, John, and they came through. And guess what song they played when they docked? Obviously, "Sweet Home Alabama" which was a pretty nice touch, I think -- John.

ROBERTS: Well, definitely. I'm sure that Captain Phillips is anxious to get back to his family here stateside so they're probably just waiting for some transportation to pick him up.

David McKenzie for us this morning in Mombasa. David, thanks so much for that update.

CHETRY: And meanwhile, the crew of the cargo ship, Maersk Alabama, getting a big welcome home from family members after their harrowing ordeal at sea. Just minutes after landing at Andrews Air Force Base overnight, the crew and their families boarded buses and headed to a hotel a short drive away in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

CNN's Chris Lawrence is live there this morning. And I'm sure they wanted to get a chance to catch up, get a chance to sort of reunite and tell their loved ones what they went through and just enjoy them for a while. What's going on today?

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, exactly, Kiran. They're all sleeping in the hotel behind me and really, only had a couple of hours of asleep. They got at Andrews about 1:00 in the morning. They're out there. There was just a huge banner that said welcome home for the Maersk crew.

You could see the families just kind of pacing very nervously in anticipation before that. Then the plane touches down and there was just this rush. The crew came off, pumping their fists, cheering. Family members rushed them.

A lot of -- some of the crew members were saying that it really made them think about how valuable their family is and really start to appreciate them. And obviously, these family members have been waiting for quite some time.

The only thing that was missing was obviously the captain. Now, he had been originally expected to travel back with his crew, but because he was onboard the Bainbridge when it had to divert to help that other American freighter, he was not able to come. But we do expect him back in the United States within the next day -- Kiran.

CHETRY: And what about -- what about all the other American ships that are out there right now? What's the next step for the U.S. to fight piracy?

LAWRENCE: Well, there's going to be a big meeting tomorrow. President Obama's original tough talk didn't seem to do much to deter the pirates. So now, he's bringing the full weight of the U.S. government together. The Departments of Justice, Defense, State, Homeland Security, intelligence officials -- they're all going to get together. They're going to group tomorrow to try to figure out some ways to stop American ships from being pirated out at sea.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also talked about trying to find ways to track down and freeze the pirates' access, basically denying them access to their money to buy some of these boats and weapons they've been buying, sort of like we do with drug traffickers and terrorists. As far as the military option, no plans on the table to rapidly beef up the force there. But they are looking at some ways to possibly weed out some of the -- some of the pirates at their bases in Somalia.

CHETRY: Chris Lawrence for us this morning, thanks so much.

Also that emotional homecoming of the Maersk Alabama crew captured in some still photos we wanted to show you. A look now at crew member Shane Murphy greeted by his wife Serena as he arrives at Andrews Air Force Base early this morning. There's a look at that as she wraps her arms around his neck.

Also, family were clutching American flags as they went out to meet their loved up on the tarmac. There you see another crew member reunited with his family. And another Maersk Alabama shipmate all smiles. We got (INAUDIBLE) for you, but he was all smiles after being reunited with his wife, Elizabeth, and young child.

ROBERTS: The Obama administration announcing new diplomatic efforts to freeze the assets of Somalia's pirates and work with shippers to improve their defenses. The idea is to slow pirate efforts to buy faster boats and more sophisticated weapons. And Secretary of State Clinton says America means business.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: These pirates are criminals. They are armed gangs on the sea. And those plotting attacks must be stopped and those who have carried them out must be brought to justice. Let me underscore this point. The United States does not make concessions or ransom payments to pirates.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Experts say they expect Somali pirates to begin trying to shift their assets to banks that are out of America's reach.

And a reminder that we're watching the scene for you there this morning in Mombasa, Kenya. The USS Bainbridge tied up at a wharf there. We don't know if Captain Richard Phillips is still onboard. We believe he is and may be disembarking the vessel very soon.

You can see heavy security there at the port. They've got some containers set up along the wharf so that vehicular traffic can't get up there. And there's a sailor on the fantail of the Bainbridge there manning a 50-cal machine gun so they're taking no chances this morning with their precious cargo as they dropping it off there in Kenya this morning.

CHETRY: We have a look now at some of the other stories making news today. The National Security Agency went too far, bugging phone calls and intercepting e-mails of the American people. That's an acknowledgment that came this morning from the Justice Department. Justice officials say they've now taken comprehensive steps to correct the problem and that the NSA surveillance program is now in compliance, it says, with limits set by Congress last year.

We're also "Minding Your Business" this morning tracking an alarming rise in the number of American households facing foreclosure. In the first three months of this year, the numbers shot up 24 percent. It also could still go higher with big lenders starting to renew foreclosure proceedings after taking a temporary break. From January through March, 804,000 U.S. homes received at least one foreclosure notice.

President Obama leaving for Mexico in just a few hours. We're going to hear what he's saying about the drug violence along the U.S.- Mexico border. It's an exclusive interview you'll see only on CNN.

It's eight minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.

In just a few hours, President Obama embarks on his first trip south of the border since taking office. He's going to meet later on today with Mexico's president, Felipe Calderon, in Mexico City. Deadly drug violence along the border will certainly be high on the agenda.

In an exclusive interview with CNN en Espanol, correspondent Juan Carlos Lopez or at least with CNN en Espanol's Juan Carlos Lopez, the president was asked about America's commitment to help fight the drug war next door.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LOPEZ: One of the issues that was discussed in Mexico is that that government spends between $7 billion and $8 billion on their war on drugs, while the U.S. invested $1.4 billion for the Merida Initiative that includes Central America and is spread out through several years. It's not seen as equitable.

OBAMA: Well, first of all, I think it's important to recognize that my budget has actually sought to increase by about 50 percent the amount of money that we're spending. We are already moving forward on, for example, Black Hawk helicopters to be sent to Mexico to help in the fight against the drug cartels. So, I want to put as much additional resource as we can into this effort.

I think Mexico has been very serious about dealing with the problem. There are a number of Central American countries who are going to need our assistance as well. and my commitment is to make sure that the United States is working in a multilateral fashion with all the countries in the region are finally putting an end to the power and the strength of these drug cartels. (END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: President Obama is scheduled to arrive in Mexico City this afternoon. CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is already on the ground there waiting the president's arrival. She joins us now.

Suzanne, the drug war is going to be the big thing in the spotlight when the presidents meet today?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, John. And one of the things that he is doing obviously showing a sign of respect to the Mexican leader. But it was just yesterday as Homeland Security secretary named a border czar. This is a new position to really deal with the drug violence across the U.S.-Mexican border. And, John, this is really just one of the many issues that the president is going to be focusing on here in Mexico City.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX (voice-over): President Obama's goal to forge a new relationship with Latin America.

OBAMA: We are ready to turn a page and write a new chapter in this story.

MALVEAUX: As a candidate, he slammed President Bush for neglecting the region.

OBAMA: We need to be full partners with those countries, show them the respect that they deserve. That's how all of us are going to move forward.

MALVEAUX: Now he says it's time to re-engage our southern neighbors. His first stop, Mexico, to show support for its president, Felipe Calderon, who's taking on his country's violent drug cartels.

FELIPE CALDERON, MEXICO'S PRESIDENT: We need to stop the flow of guns and weapons towards Mexico.

MALVEAUX: Here Mr. Obama will reiterate what his attorney general and secretaries of state and Homeland Security have said visiting this side of the border. The U.S. shares the responsibility and blame for the deadly flow of drugs and weapons across the U.S.- Mexico border.

CLINTON: Our demand for drugs is what motivates these drug gangs.

MALVEAUX: Immigration reform which collapsed under President Bush will be another hot button issue.

Friday, Mr. Obama heads to the twin island Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago for the Fifth Summit of the Americas. There he'll be one of 34 world leaders addressing the summit's official agenda, which includes the global economic crisis, the environment, energy, democracy, and security. But many political analysts say Mr. Obama's most important task will be to reconcile a bruised and neglected relationship with the western hemisphere.

PETER DESHAZO, DIRECTOR OF AMERICAN PROGRAM, CSIS: That's the key -- the key factor there. A desire to work with the United States just as the United States is going to demonstrate its desire to cooperate with the countries in the region.

MALVEAUX: Aides say the president's approach will be similar to the one used in Europe last week, to listen and learn, as well as lead.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And, John, White House aides tell me that the trip is not likely to produce any big breakthroughs but the hope is is that it really is going to set a new tone for relations between the United States and Latin America -- John.

ROBERTS: Summit of the Americas I think it was back in 2005, Hugo Chavez from Venezuela really was the star down there in Argentina. How does President Obama plan to deal with Hugo Chavez in Trinidad and Tobago on Friday?

MALVEAUX: The White House aides prior to the summit already kind of anticipating that he might say something that attracts attention. As you know, a lot of bluster that usually comes from him. They say this is not going to be a summit that is regarding Hugo Chavez, that they are not going to necessarily deal with him. He is going be a part of the larger, broader agenda. And that is mainly, John, talking about the global economic crisis.

So, obviously, a balance here. They recognize he is a player. He's already talked about Cuba. That he will be recognized but not in a way that it's going to overshadow what the real agenda is.

ROBERTS: Right. Suzanne Malveaux for us live in Mexico City this morning. Suzanne, thanks so much - Kiran.

CHETRY: All right. Well, not long ago, Sarah Palin was the darling of the GOP. Now it appears Palin 2012 is a political pipe dream. We're digging deeper on the Alaska governor's future in the Republican Party.

And we continue to follow breaking news. The crew of the Maersk Alabama finally arriving back on American soil getting a hero's welcome from family and friends. But we're also standing by to see their captain, Richard Phillips. He could come off that Navy destroyer in Kenya any moment, and you'll see it live here on CNN.

It's 16 1/2 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANNOUNCER: This is CNN BREAKING NEWS. ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.

As we continue to follow breaking news for you, the American sea captain freed by Navy snipers docking in Mombasa, Kenya in the last few hours. You're looking live at the gangway coming off of the USS Bainbridge. That truck is pulled up there to remove the trash from the USS Bainbridge.

We are hoping to see Captain Richard Phillips emerge potentially down that gangway at any minute now. We believe he's still onboard the ship.

Meantime, the crew of Phillips' hijacked ship, the Maersk Alabama back on American soil. Crew members reuniting with family and friends on the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base.

CHETRY: All right. Well, now to politics and some new questions about Sarah Palin's political future.

The Alaska governor will be the featured speaker tonight at a Right to Life event taking place in Indiana. So is Palin back, or is she fallen too far from grace in the GOP? Alina Cho takes a look.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, John and Kiran.

Hard to believe just a few months ago Sarah Palin was seemingly at the top of her political game. Now, for the first time this year, she's headlining her first major public event outside of Alaska. And it's got a lot of people wondering, is her time in the national spotlight over? Is the Alaska governor damaged goods? Or is Palin 2012 still an option?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHO (voice-over): Sarah Palin was once the darling of the GOP. That was then, this is now. Political science professor Larry Sabato.

LARRY SABATO, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: The difficulty she's having now with the Alaska legislature to various investigations ongoing in Alaska of Palin or Palin's administration to the criticism about being an absentee governor.

CHO: And, of course, the distractions with the extended family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE TYRA BANKS SHOW")

TYRA BANKS, HOST, "THE TYRA BANKS SHOW": Every time you practiced safe sex?

LEVI JOHNSTON, BRISTOL PALIN'S FORMER FIANCE: Yes.

BANKS: Every time?

JOHNSTON: Every time.

BANKS: Levi. JOHNSTON: Most of the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Then just this week, her former running mate, John McCain on "Jay Leno" conveniently forgetting to include Palin as he lists the names of Republican rising stars..

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO")

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: And I left out somebody's name, and I'm going to hear about it.

JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: So is time running out? Is Palin still a viable presidential candidate? The party faithful say yes, including the Susan B. Anthony List which supports anti-abortion politicians.

MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, PRESIDENT, SUSAN B. ANTHONY LIST: She has a charisma that attracts people like we have not seen in a very, very long time.

CHO: Others say her growing list of problems has turned Palin into damaged goods.

SABATO: The damaged good candidate can become a Richard Nixon and stage an incredible comeback, or the damaged goods can be like Dan Quayle and remain damaged.

CHO: After Nixon lost his bid for governor of California in 1962, he was all but written off.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RICHARD NIXON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You don't have Nixon to kick around anymore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Six years later, he won the presidency. Quayle never quite recovered from all the bad press that surrounded him during his time as VP, while Palin's appearance before conservative voters could be critical if she wants a future with the GOP.

DANNENFELSER: They're more enthusiastic, not less. And every single time she is beat up in the media or by the political elite, they come racing to her defense.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHO: Palin's appearance at the Right to Life banquet has proved, some say, that she's serious about running for president because political analyst say if you're trying to lock up your party's nomination, even several years out, court your base, exactly the kind of people, John and Kiran, who show up at the polls.

ROBERTS: Well, President Obama is on his way to Mexico this morning. But before he takes off, he sat down with CNN en Espanol. We have the exclusive interview. Here what he has to say about drugs, border security and relations with Cuba. We'll have it for you all morning long.

It's 23 1/2 minutes now after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. President Obama heading to Mexico just a few hours from now. He's got a long list of issues to discuss with Mexican President Felipe Calderon this afternoon.

In the exclusive interview with CNN en Espanol, the president elaborated on two of the critical topics, thawing out relations with Cuba and reforming immigration laws.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

OBAMA: Immigration reform has to be part of a broader strategy to deal with our border issues. And as I've said repeatedly, I am a strong proponent of comprehensive immigration reform. I've already met with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and committed to working with them to try to shape the agenda that could move through Congress.

LOPEZ: You're going to Trinidad and Tobago. Most of these countries it's the first time you'll meet with the leaders. They've been -- they want to bring Cuba a pressing (ph) issue. You lifted restrictions on Cuban Americans. How is this issue going to play out?

OBAMA: Well, you know, I have no problem with them bringing up Cuba as an issue. I think I've been very clear about my position on Cuba. What I've said is that we should loosen up restrictions on travel and remittances. We have now acted on that.

We also believe that Cuba can potentially be a critical part of regional growth in the region. But Cuba has to take some steps, send some signals that when it comes to human rights, when it comes to political rights, when it comes to the ability of Cubans to travel, that there is some signs that were moving away from what has been a set of policies that have really hampered Cuba's ability to grow.

LOPEZ: There is a sense of mistrust in the region towards the U.S. You inherited -- you said you inherited the economic crisis. Did you inherit this from previous administrations? And how are you going to convince Latin Americans that the U.S. is sincere and that you really want to have an approach?

OBAMA: Well, you know, I don't want to overstate the degree of anti-American sentiment. I mean, I think, you know, these things go in ups and downs. But there are an awful lot of people in Latin America who are, you know, are inspired by traditions of equal opportunity and entrepreneurship. And, you know, there's a reason why there are consistently so many immigrants to our country from Latin America. I think people still see America as a place full of hope.

But what is also true is there's always been a tradition of concern that the United States has been heavy handed when it comes to foreign policy in Latin America. The important message I think I have to send is that we live in the 21st century now. Times have changed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: The American seamen attacked by pirates on the high seas are safe and home this morning. The crew of the Maersk Alabama arriving at Andrews Air Force Base overnight and greeted by family and friends. Their captain who is rescued from his pirate captors is in Kenya this morning.

We are standing by to see Captain Richard Phillips depart from the USS Bainbridge. There's a live picture of it tied up to a wharf in Mombasa, Kenya. We believe he's still is onboard the ship, though we're not absolutely certain about that.

U.N. inspectors recently booted out of North Korea are in China this morning. Meantime, four American experts who are monitoring the Yongbyon nuclear plant near Pyongyang are preparing to leave. North Korea ordered the inspectors out after the United Nations Security Council condemned that country's April 5th rocket launch. Pyongyang now promising to boycott disarmament talks and to restart its program of plutonium production.

And a follow up to a story that we brought you earlier this week on CNN. Prosecutors in Spain deciding not to investigate whether high-ranking Bush administration officials approved torture against terror suspects at the U.S. prison camp in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. They say the case against six Bush lieutenants including former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was without merit because they were not present when the alleged torture took place.

CHETRY: Well, President Obama is heading to Mexico this morning as we've been saying. And he's also going to be meeting with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. The president sharing his vision about what it will take to tackle the drug cartels. Here's more now of his exclusive interview with CNN en Espanol.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I think that President Calderon has done an outstanding and heroic job in dealing with what is a big problem right now along the borders with the drug cartels.

The Kingpin Law allows us to go after the finances -- the financial underpinnings of the cartels in a much more aggressive and much more effective way. And so that's just part of a broader strategy in which the United States and Mexico will be partnering. We are putting more resources on the border. We are providing additional surveillance equipment. We are going to be dealing not only with drug interdiction coming north, but also working on helping to curb the flow of cash and guns going south.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Well, our next guest is a journalist who lives in Mexico City. John Ackerman joins me now from CNN's Mexico City Bureau.

Good morning. Thanks for being with us this morning, John.

So we just heard a little bit...

JOHN ACKERMAN, COLUMNIST, PROCESO MAGAZINE AND LA JORNADA NEWSPAPER: Good morning, Kiran. My pleasure.

CHETRY: And we did hear just a little bit ago about what the president said when it comes to trying to stop the flow of guns and money to the cartel. But as President Obama gets ready to meet with Mexican President Calderon, what guarantees do we need to get to Mexico first of all?

ACKERMAN: Well, I think President Obama should be very aware of the situation that's occurring here in Mexico in terms of the serious politization (ph), which is happening with regard to the combat of the drug traffickers. Calderon has been very much emphasizing the military aspects of the combat of the drug traffickers, which I think is a mistake. We really need to think about institution building and changing the focus of the strategy of the attack on the drug traffickers. Obama should be aware of this. It's very easy to talk about the war on drugs. But it's also very dangerous because there have been serious attacks on human rights. And there has been enough have done in terms of combating corruption in Mexico.

CHETRY: Yes. You talk about corruption being a big problem. And you also said that even if they actually go out and arrest these people, the chances that some of these drug dealers are going to stay in jail are very slim to none. They don't have enough resources to process people through the courts. They don't have the institutions to make that happen.

ACKERMAN: Exactly.

CHETRY: Well, we're giving -- we've actually promised $1.4 billion in assistance to Mexico to help with all of this. Where is that money going? And isn't that enough?

ACKERMAN: Well, this was the Bush Plan. This is the narrative plan approve by one of the -- proposed by the Bush administration, proved by Congress last year. It's $1.4 billion. It's just about -- all of it, 89 to 90 percent of it goes towards high-tech helicopters, listening devices, military law enforcement, technology.

The problem is that, as you mentioned, it doesn't quite do the job. If we catch these drug traffickers, but they end up on the streets a few weeks later, and the criminal justice system doesn't actually work in Mexico, doesn't actually solve the problem. We need to have a more full complete vision of what the problem is and look for long-term solutions. I think that's what Obama can really contribute to this. Rethinking the narrative plan. Rethinking the way in which the United States and Mexico work together on planning long-term solutions to this serious problem we have in Mexico.

CHETRY: Are you talking more of ideas or aid? Because, you know, we're here in our country dealing with a lot of domestic challenges. We have a recession. We have record unemployment. So in terms of age, how much more should we be expected to give? Or are you saying more in terms of guidance?

ACKERMAN: I think it is both. We need to work together, Mexico and the United States on developing the solutions. The important thing is that Obama be aware of what's happening here in Mexico.

I mean, Calderon has been using this idea of a war on drugs as a kind of political ploy in many ways. And he has serious political legitimacy problems. And if Obama just kind of comes in and pats him on the back and says, "You're doing good job as my Eliot Ness," as he made this comparison in recent interview of Obama.

That would be unfortunate. I think we're just seeing Obama who has an open view of all the different kinds of proposal that exist in Mexican society. All different parts of Mexican government, which are making different kinds of proposals.

And yes, the money can be thought about, but there's really -- we need to think of a new kind statistic partnership, which breaks with this idea that the only way in which we can relate between the United States and Mexico is by giving military support.

CHETRY: Interesting perspective this morning from John Ackerman. Thanks for joining us this morning.

ACKERMAN: Thank you very much, Kiran.

ROBERTS: The ups and downs of a roller coaster stock market. A lot of Americans are having trouble stomaching all the swings. Ahead, monitoring the market makers and the emotions that influence their trades. It's 35 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Investing in the stock market has never been for the faint of heart. But these days the roller coaster swings have been so severe at times that even some of the most hardened traders have hit the sidelines. Carol Costello now on the question of whether there's too much emotion in the investing equation.

What did you find out?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's an interesting topic, John. It's been debated for a long time. Do traders use too much emotion when it comes to their decision making, especially if this time in history when fear seems to be driving so many things in our economic world? (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: It's something we're used to seeing, emotionally charged traders, buying, selling -- but with the Dow on a crazy roller coaster ride, maybe it's time to take the emotion out of the trade, or at least figure out how it affects decision making.

MIT's Professor Andrew Lo is studying just that.

ANDREW LO, PROFESSOR, MIT: While she's trading, looking at the screen and actually making trades, we're measuring all this physiological characteristics.

COSTELLO: Lo is actually wiring traders as they work with sensors to find out if all of the crazy emotion you see is killing your 401(k). And what he's found out so far might surprise you.

LO: Traders that were too logical ended up losing money in the same way that traders that were too emotional did.

COSTELLO: Still, Lo says powerful emotions like greed and fear are significant factors when it comes to poor decision making. Some traders agree with him.

(on camera): You know what most people think of when they think of traders?

(VIDEO CLIP, "TRADING PLACES")

They think of that Eddie Murphy movie.

(VIDEO CLIP, "TRADING PLACES")

JASON WEISBERG, SEAPORT SECURITIES: People joke about that movie always. But it's -- but the most successful people in this business have been able to remove emotion from the equation. That's hard to say that you can't use emotions sometimes to drive your thought process. But when you make your trading decisions, you have to be able to remove it.

COSTELLO (voice-over): Weisberg says the real troublemakers are the overly educated traders who use mathematical formulas and computer models to try to beat the system.

WEISBERG: These people tend to think that they're smarter than the system. And -- they might be smart some of the times, but not smart all of the time.

COSTELLO: But Lo says it's emotion that seems to trip up traders more. The solution may be to take his experiment out of the lab and on to the floor, permanently.

LO: Well, the science-fiction version of this would be that you have traders sitting at their trading stations, with physiological monitors, wireless devices that would show a central risk manager which of the traders are undergoing extreme emotional stress. COSTELLO (on camera): And then you hit a buzzer and it shocks them?

LO: Well, you may not shock them, but you may walk over to one of these distressed traders and say, you know what, maybe it's time for you to take a break.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Sort of like air traffic controllers. That's what they do. But consider this -- Lo says in general traders make the right decisions 52 percent of the time. 48 percent of the time, they get it wrong.

And 48 percent isn't exactly a small percentage. It means you have to have the emotional strength, the ability to forget your mistakes. In other words, excessive fear cannot ever enter into the equation. You just have to forget about these poor decisions you made 48 percent of the time, which is difficult.

ROBERTS: A buzzer to shock them?

COSTELLO: No, no, that was my -- my idea.

ROBERTS: I wouldn't want to be your financial planner, Carol.

COSTELLO: That's just me. And by the way, the traders tell me all of that craziness you see on the floor isn't really emotion, it's more passion for the job. And really they're not expressing emotions like fear or greed. It's just passion.

ROBERTS: Well, no question, they get passionate from time to time. Carol, it's good to see you this morning. Great story, thanks - Kiran.

CHETRY: All right. Well, we want to take you back now to Mombasa, Kenya. We've been following breaking news all morning. We're waiting to see Captain Richard Phillips disembark from this Navy ship that's docked now in Mombasa.

This is a live picture right now. We have a crew on the dock and we will see it when it happens. Again, they're just adjusting the shot there. But there you see the "USS Bainbridge." You see it docked there in port in Mombasa.

And any minute now, we're expecting the captain to finally disembark and get ready for that trip home, something he's probably been very, very eager to have happen. A bit of a delay, as we said, because of the "USS Bainbridge" ended up being the ship that went to the help of "Liberty Sun" after that ship was attacked by pirates off the Horn of Africa.

So again, a live picture right now. As soon as we find out more details about when the captain is going to be leaving that ship, we'll bring them to you live. Also back here at home, storms hitting parts of the country today. We're going to be checking with Rob Marciano to see if they're going to impact your travel plans.

It's 43 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Forty-six minutes after the hour now. We're watching extreme weather for you this morning. Rob Marciano is at the Weather Center in Atlanta.

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROBERTS: President Obama heading to Mexico about three hours from now, his first trip south of the border, a drug war on the agenda. We're talking to his Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, who is already on the ground in Mexico. That would be coming up live in our next hour.

And could legalizing drugs in the United States curb the demand that some blame for the deadly border violence? Wait until you hear what you, our viewers, are saying about that idea.

It's 48 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: President Obama arrives in Mexico City this afternoon where he'll meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderon. The drug violence along the U.S.-Mexico border should be a big topic of discussion.

All week, we've been investigating the problem, and one idea that's been floated for solving it is legalizing drugs in this country, so the Mexican drug cartels don't have any power. That idea generating a lot of discussion on our show hotline at 877-MY-AMFIX.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CALLER: I used to smoke marijuana, but now I don't because marijuana is illegal, and we can only go to alcohol. I say make it legal. Make marijuana legal.

CALLER: The law never stops anyone from smoking marijuana and we might as well just make money off of it.

CALLER: If we legalize marijuana, there would be plenty more jobs out there for people who need them, such as growers of the plant and distributors.

CALLER: I'm just wondering if everybody's forgotten that pot has carcinogens. We don't want anybody to smoke cigarettes, but we want everybody to smoke pot? Well, one cancer is still around, and it's a bad thing, people. CALLER: Mother Nature cannot be made to be illegal. Marijuana is an herb, it's not a drug. And God put it on this earth to benefit man. Used properly and responsibly, it is a great stress reliever. It is a benefit to man. (END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: Keep those calls coming. The number is 877-MY-AMFIX. It's 877-692-6349.

CHETRY: Well, we're asking for your help this morning in a race to a million followers on Twitter.com. No one has ever made it to a million followers on the site and hotshot actor Ashton Kutcher thinks he can beat CNN.

He threw on the gauntlet in a YouTube video, saying that he will ding-dong ditch CNN founder Ted Turner's house if he gets to a million followers. Of course, you probably remember that was a childish game, where you ring the doorbell and then when they answer, you run away.

Well now, it's for charity and it actually could help save lives. The winner will donate 10,000 mosquito bed nets to charity for World Malaria Day on April 25th. Here's how you can help. If you're already a Twitter member, just go to CNNBRK - that's for CNN Breaking News and click Follow. You get all of the breaking news alerts that come in to our newsroom and our newsroom's around the world.

It's very easy, though, if you don't have a Twitter account, to sign up, you just go to Twitter.com and you click on that big green "Get Started" box and then you fill out everything they ask you to fill out, and then click on "Create my account."

We only need about 50,000 to hit the magic number. Again, it's all for a good cause and a little bit of fun. So go for it.

Plus, what would you rather have? Up-to-the-minute information or, hey, I worked out at the gym today with my wife from Ashton Kutcher.

ROBERTS: There you go. And get on mosquito nets for Africa, too. What a great plus. So, if you are a member, get on there and just follow us. And if you're not a member, signing up is really easy. And you might have a whole lot of fun following people on Twitter as well.

Waiting for a hero to come home. We're hoping to see Captain Richard Phillips emerge from the USS Bainbridge any minute now. Live pictures of the Bainbridge tied up at the wharf there in Mombasa, Kenya.

Meantime, the crew of Phillips' hijacked ship, the Maersk Alabama back in American soil this morning. We'll show you their emotional reunion.

Plus, one-on-one with President Obama ahead of his visit to Mexico. We've got an exclusive interview. Hear what the president has to say about drugs, border security and relations with Cuba. It's 54 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.

Before heading to Mexico this morning, President Obama sat down for an exclusive interview with CNN En Espanol. He spoke candidly about his decision to ease travel restrictions to Cuba, and also the president responded to Fidel Castro's criticism that the U.S. still hasn't gone far enough.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LOPEZ: A lot of people are focused on how you will interact with other leaders, for example, how you will face Hugo Chavez. Have you thought about that? It is going to be any different than any other president?

OBAMA: Now, look, he's the leader of his country and he'll be one of many people that I have an opportunity to meet. And the whole message that we've tried to send throughout my campaign, throughout my recent travels overseas, at the G-20 for example, has been that the United States, I think, has a leadership role to play in dealing with many of the big problems that we face.

But we also recognize that other countries have important contributions and insights. We want to listen and learn as well as talk. And that approach, I think, of mutual respect and finding common interests is one that ultimately will serve everybody.

LOPEZ: Fidel Castro reacted to your lifting of sanctions, saying it was a positive move, but they've expected lifting of the embargo. And he said that Cuba won't beg but that's what eventually they expect from the U.S.

OBAMA: Well, I don't expect Cuba to beg. Nobody's asking for anybody to beg. What we're looking for is some signal that there are going to be changes in how Cuba operates that assures that, you know, political prisoners are released, that people can speak their minds freely, that they can travel, that they can write and attend church and do the things that people throughout the hemisphere can do and take for granted.

And if there's some sense of movement on those fronts in Cuba, then I think that we can see a further thawing of relations and further changes. But we took an important first step. I think it's a signal of our good faith that we wanted to move beyond the Cold War mentality that has existed over the last 50 years, and, hopefully, we'll see some signs that Cuba wants to reciprocate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: We're going to have more of this exclusive CNN interview coming up. We're going to see what he told us about his new border czar and also stopping Mexico's violent drug cartels.