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American Morning
Pakistan Making Stand Against Taliban in Swat Valley; White House to Keep $329,000 Photos Secret; Michael Savage Banned in UK; Ex- Piston Elected Mayor; Former Porn Star Stormy Daniels Discusses Possible Run For Louisiana Senate; Paula Abdul Admits Painkiller Addiction
Aired May 06, 2009 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: It brings us to the top of the hour. Good morning.
Thanks for being with us on the Most News in the Morning. It is Wednesday, the 6th of May. I'm John Roberts.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kiran Chetry.
Glad you're with us.
We have a lot to cover this morning. A look now at the big stories we're going to be breaking down for you in the next 15 minutes.
We're following breaking news right now.
The Pakistani army is blasting Taliban extremist, strongholds in the Swat Valley. They are sending thousands running for their lives. Show of force coming just as President Obama welcomes the presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan to the White House to talk about eradicating the Taliban and al Qaeda in both of those nations.
We're standing by for the latest economic numbers. The employment numbers coming from the private sector. Payroll giant, ABP, will release its report this morning. The CNN Money Team and Christine Romans standing by to break it down for you.
Taxpayers will not be repaid the more than $7 billion in bailout money to Chrysler. The detail was buried in the carmaker's bankruptcy filings last week. The Obama administration says more than $4 billion that will go to Chrysler when an exit bankruptcy should be paid back.
But we begin with President Obama's crucial meeting with the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistani security forces launching an offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Valley just 100 miles from the capital of Islamabad.
And as Pakistan's army pounds Taliban forces with helicopter gunships and heavy mortar rounds, there were reports of panic and also civilians getting caught in the crossfire.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is live at the White House. And this offensive in Pakistan, it's sure to be on the top of the agenda at today's meetings with both the Afghan president as well as the Pakistan president.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Kiran. And both of those leaders in some ways blamed the other for this problem that has happened. The Taliban as well as al Qaeda gaining power in the region. Senior administration officials say, look, this is not just about peace in that region, this is about the security of the United States. So what are they trying to accomplish today?
Well, one senior administration official put it this way. He says, look, this is just a process. This is not precooked. We're just simply trying to get these guys together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): They are the leaders on the front lines of the war against extremist, and they're asking for President Obama's help.
ASIF ALI ZARDARI, PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN: I need drone to be part of my arsenal. I need that facility. I need that equipment. I need that to be my police arrangement.
MALVEAUX: Pakistan's president with CNN's Wolf Blitzer says the Taliban is gaining ground.
ZARDARI: That cease-fire agreement is not holding, but we are going to try to hold them to it.
MALVEAUX: By all accounts President Obama agrees. The conditions in the region are deteriorating, posing a serious security risk to the U.S.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The situation is increasingly perilous. It's been more than seven years since the Taliban was removed from power yet war rages on and insurgents control parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
MALVEAUX: But U.S. officials are careful to say they are still confident in Pakistan's relatively new leader.
RICHARD HOLBROOKE, U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR AFGHANISTAN & PAKISTAN: Our goal must be unambiguously to support and help stabilize a democratic Pakistan headed -- headed by its elected president Asif Ali Zardari.
MALVEAUX: But the U.S. Congress is less generous.
REP. GARY ACKERMAN (D), NEW YORK: Let me be blunt, Pakistan's pants are on fire.
MALVEAUX: Pakistan's neighbor Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he's grateful for the additional U.S. and NATO troops that will soon arrive in his country, but it is not enough.
HAMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN: The return of the Taliban is because we did not address the question of sanctuaries in time. Unfortunately today, Pakistan is suffering with us massively in a consequence of that. We will have an occasion between us, Afghanistan, Pakistan and America to discuss this very question.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Kiran that really is a very critical issue in the discussions, and one thing that has happened is since Obama's taken office, the emphasis has been going after al Qaeda as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan, sending more than 21,000 additional troops.
But there's been a strategic review that has happened since then and the problem now, the shift is the focus to Pakistan. That is because they say the Pakistani government has failed to provide basic services to its people while at the same time, the Taliban is increasing in strength - Kiran.
CHETRY: Suzanne Malveaux for us this morning at the White House, thanks.
ROBERTS: Checking your "Political Ticker" this Wednesday. Bush administration officials who approved harsh interrogation methods like waterboarding may not face the possibility of criminal charges. Sources say, Justice Department investigators are recommending against prosecution in a draft report, but it does raise the possibility of sanctions by state bar associations.
Welcome to the team now, back at the line. With his switch to the Democratic Party, the Senate voted to strip Arlen Specter of his seniority on five key committees. That's nearly 30 years wiped out. Democrats say they will consider revisiting Specter's seniority claim only after the midterm elections next year.
Las Vegas, the city that depends on people flying, is using Vice President Biden as its latest poster boy. Its mocking comments that he made last week in relation to the swine flu that he wouldn't go anywhere in confine places right now. The Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority took out a full-page ad in "U.S.A. Today," saying, "Mr. Vice President, if you would have said it here, no one would have known."
You know, whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Get it?
And it could be like walking into Buzzsaw of sarcasm. But a member of President Obama's cabinet is going on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. He, in the Stetson and bolo ties, is expected to push the administration's plans for a green economy. We're sure that Stewart will stay away from all of the Stetson material.
And remember that botch photo-op of a low-flying presidential aircraft that terrified New Yorkers last week. Well, if you think that that was just plain dumb, get this, it's not over yet.
What happened to the $300,000 publicity photos that they shot that day? Our Alina Cho joins us now.
A $1 million question, when are we going to see these pictures?
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, probably never, guys.
Good morning.
Good morning, everybody.
You know, you would think after all of that bad publicity the White House endured that we'd at least get to see the photos. The reason for the flight in the first place, but some may be surprised to learn the White House says those photos are off limits. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice-over): It started as a public relations stunt that arguably has turned into the worst PR move yet for the Obama administration.
Monday, April 27, the president's plane flies low over Manhattan and sets off a wave of panic.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Run! Run!
CHO: Dark reminders of 9/11, all for new beauty shots with Lady Liberty as the backdrop. Now, the White House says those photos, those infamous photos, will not be made public.
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I didn't notice a lack of archival material from -- from that flight.
PETER VALLONE JR., COUNCIL MEMBER, NEW YORK: When we first got word....
CHO: New York City Councilman Peter Vallone says the White House already screwed up once by keeping the flight secret, why keep another secret?
VALLONE: They declassified the terrorist interrogation documents for the entire world, but these, these photos are classified? It's part of the secrecy that got them into this mess in the first place.
CHO: New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg agrees.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: If I were them, I think I get less publicity by putting them out rather than keeping them in.
CHO: Adding to the outrage, the price tag of the Manhattan fly- over -- nearly $329,000 taxpayer dollars. Some argue for that kind of money we should see the photos -- if only we could find them.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: The photos they took, we haven't seen them.
GIBBS: I don't know where those are.
CHO: On the streets of New York.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think they should release the photos, why not?
CHO: Others say the White House has suffered enough. The best advice -- move on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are bigger problems to worry about right now than some photos of a jet.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's no need to continue on with the controversy. It's over.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: And that's another viewpoint. Now as one writer said using Air Force One as a promotional prop, nothing new. It is the iconic photo. Of course the big question is, to what lengths do you go to get that photo. And now that the PR damage has been done so to speak, some wonder, why not just release the photos.
New York City Councilman Peter Vallone, John, says, that is just making things worse.
You know, you want to make the story go away, release the photos.
ROBERTS: Or maybe that would just cause a delay.
CHO: Well, yes. You know, that's the other way.
ROBERTS: Maybe the plane thought that it looked like it had a big nose.
CHETRY: That's right.
ROBERTS: Well, the whole thing certainly giving the late-night comics a lot of material. Here's what David Letterman said about it last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Remember, last week, two weeks ago, everybody wakes up on a Monday morning and is scared silly because there's the Air Force One, the big 747 is just like, you know, just grazing just right above the treetops, flying over central park. That it goes on -- and people were going nuts, and then there's fighter planes. Well, they were just taking pictures, you see?
Now the White House says they will not be releasing the photos that the Air Force One -- the plane that took of the landmarks of New York City and vice versa. I don't know what they were doing. They're putting together a brochure. I don't know. Three hundred thousand dollars for the big photo shoot and the White House says, now, they're not going to release the photos. Is it just me or is Obama "Bushing" it up a little bit on this one.
(LAUGHTER)
Does it sound like it's Bushing it up a little bit?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: But pretty soon they're not going to have him to kick around anymore.
ROBERTS: Bushing it up.
CHETRY: Yes, exactly.
ROBERTS: Thanks, Alina.
CHETRY: All right. Well, thanks, Alina.
One of our AMERICAN MORNING players also stayed up pretty late last night. Actually, he's done it with a taping at 4:30 p.m. But hey, it's late for us.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta was a guest on "Letterman." Dave asked the good doctor why he took himself out of the running for surgeon general.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a bad time for me. I have three small children. I decided I didn't want to be a commuting dad for four or eight years, depending how long.
LETTERMAN: You live in Atlanta, is that correct?
GUPTA: I live in Atlanta and sort of -- our kids are, you know, starting school and starting their lives there. Also interestingly enough, I found that I wouldn't be able to continue practice surgery as surgeon general.
LETTERMAN: Yes. Oh, that's odd, isn't it? Because surgeon general, but you're not really doing surgery.
GUPTA: Yes. So I thought -- you know, I'm 39 years old. And I'll be 43 and essentially have abandoned my surgical career. But I think -- I think it's a great position. It just wasn't the right time.
LETTERMAN: And the money -- the money is not good, really.
(LAUGHTER)
GUPTA: You know, I worked for cable news. I'm not a late show host, you know.
LETTERMAN: You're doing just fine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Yes, you know, surgeon general is typically a job that people take at the end of their careers. Right in the middle, Sanjay would have been the youngest surgeon general in history.
CHO: Oh yes, just 39 years old.
CHETRY: 39 years old
CHO: Just 39 years old.
CHETRY: He's got a whole life ahead of him.
CHO: With the baby face. He looks even younger.
CHETRY: He does.
All right, well, go, Sanjay. We're happy -- we're proud of him. Good job.
ROBERTS: Absolutely.
CHETRY: The conservative host of radio's "Savage Nation" now banned from Britain accused of stirring up hate. We're going to hear what American talk show host Michael Savage says about what he's going to do about it.
And the controversial Ms. California. She caused a stir for her answer when she was asked whether or not she supports gay marriage. Well, she may lose her crown now. Not because of that, but apparently because of risque photos that have her in hot water with the pageant bosses.
It's 17 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
She stole the headlines. Now she could lose her crown. Ms. California's controversial answer at the Ms. U.S.A. pageant defending traditional marriage caused a major flap, but now she's defending her semi-nude photos. She says the photos were taken when she was 17 in an attempt to land a job as a Victoria Secret model. But according to a state pageant spokesman, Carrie Prejean breached her contract by keeping the risque photos a secret. And she could have that beauty queen title taken away from her.
There is another photo of course that sparked a lot of controversy and cost at least a little bit of a career setback for Olympic gold superstar Michael Phelps. He now just finished his three-month swimming suspension, after that picture of him smoking out of a bong surfaced in British tabloid. Phelps' first race since the suspension will be in North Carolina, May 14th.
And after years of speculation "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul admits that she was addicted to painkillers. In an interview in the "Lady's Home Journal," the 46-year-old star told the magazine that she took so many pills she could have killed herself. She says she suffered from chronic pains since high school and tried to keep everything hush-hush on "American Idol." She admits relying on prescription painkillers, on injections of Lidocaine, as well as Chinese medicine, but after being, quote -- after that close to death -- being close to death last fall, that's what she said -- she checked herself into rehab facility for withdrawal.
Well, it's the British government's least wanted list. Britain's Home Office revealing a list of 22 people banned from entering the country for, quote, "stirring up hatred." That list now includes conservative American radio talk show host Michael Savage, who says he was shocked when he heard the news and is now planning to sue.
CNN's Paula Newton is live in London with more on this list.
And Michael Savage is very, very upset about this when he says he's going to sue to prove that people in Britain shouldn't be scared of him. They should be scared of the Home Office.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, he's saying, look, I'm no hate monger and I do not promote violence. He wants to know exactly why the British government is banning him, and he says he intends to take them to court.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON (voice-over): When Britain decided to formally name and shame those who believed stir up hate, American's Fred Phelps and daughter, Shirley, could have fallen under the category of the usual suspects. They had already been banned from Britain a few months ago after picketing the funerals of U.S. soldiers claiming their deaths are punishment from God because the U.S. tolerates homosexuality.
But Michael Savage, one of the country's top-rated radio personalities, just didn't see it coming. He, too, had been banned from Britain by the country's Home Secretary Jacqui Smith for, in her words, "seeking to provoke others to serious criminal acts and fostering hatred which might lead to intercommunity violence."
She adds, "To individual who abuse our standards and values to undermine our way of life, they are not welcome here."
Michael Savage made it known on his radio show he's just not going to take it.
MICHAEL SAVAGE, CONSERVATIVE RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: I will sue her until the last day on earth to prove that she, in fact, is the individual who the English should be afraid of, not me.
NEWTON: Savage says he will sue for defamation and accuses the British government of gagging free speech. He has stirred up controversy even recently suggesting illegal Mexican immigrants were engaged in germ warfare by spreading swine flu.
He is being criticized for his conservative views on everything from homosexuality to autism, but he says he is no hate-monger and does not promote violence.
But in Britain this is not a first amendment issue. It is what they call a hate issue, and along with 21 others, including anti-gay preachers, radical Muslim clerics and the Ku Klux Klan, Michael Savage says the British government is not free to speak on the queen's soil.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NEWTON: OK. Well, that's the queen's soil. That's Britain. But irony of all of this is that, you know, a few days ago, if you would have asked someone here, you know, who is Michael Savage, they would have said, "Ha? Don't know."
Now many people in Britain here, Kiran, talking about this story, and clicking on the Internet to see what he has to say about lots of topics - Kiran.
CHETRY: Oh, yes. I mean, it may be outrage, but it's certainly probably good for his ratings.
Paula, any chance that they may be rethinking this decision now.
NEWTON: Absolutely not. Let me tell you, the Home Office, we've called them. They're not reacting to this. They are saying we put out the list for a reason and we're sticking to it.
Michael Savage says, I'll see you in court.
CHETRY: Wow. All right.
Paula Newton for us morning, thanks.
ROBERTS: The porn star who may make the turn into politics joins us live. Stormy Daniels on whether she is seriously considering the Senate.
And we're standing by for new employment numbers from the private sector. Our CNN Money Team standing by to break down what they tell us about our economic recovery.
It's coming up on 19 minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Just in to CNN. Payroll Giant ADP releasing its April report on employment in the private sector.
CNN's Christine Romans "Minding Your Business." She joins us now with details.
Good morning. CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: So we combed through all of this weekly monthly reports to find out just what's happening for your job, folks. Because there's the economy and signs that it might be bottoming, but your economy is your job. And this most recent national employment report from ADP, the big payroll services company, finds that the pace of job losses is slowing. Let me say that again. At least this data showing that the pace of job loss may be slowing.
In April, about 491,000 jobs lost. So that is a lot better than the decline we'd seen in the month before. We'll have to see if the government official data mirrors this. But it shows a lot of people are still losing their jobs, but not as many as the month before. This company would know, because it actually processes payrolls for companies. So it can see what the books look like and how many jobs are out there.
Now, let's keep in mind about your job. Chrysler has idled its workers, many of its workers. GM is closing 2,600 dealers. That's going to affect an awful lot of people. Microsoft this week announcing it's going to lay off another 500,000 workers.
You're going to keep hearing these headlines -- job loss, layoffs, etcetera, etcetera. But the pace might be slowing, and that's what we want to keep watching.
ROBERTS: As you said yesterday, they are lagging indicator, right?
ROMANS: That's right. That's right. But the pace is slowing. You know, we will take what we can get, right?
ROBERTS: And that's a good thing as market would say.
Thanks very much, Christine.
Twenty-two and half minutes after the hour. Let's fast forward through stories that are going to be making news later on today.
There is word that "The Boston Globe" has reached a deal with its largest union on givebacks that could keep the 137-year-old newspaper running. Details of that agreement will not be made public until tomorrow, though.
At 11:15 a.m. Eastern, Ford will announce plans for nearly $400 million investment in its former truck plant in Wayne, Michigan. Now they're not retooling it to build new trucks. The now vacant facility will be used to build both gas and battery-powered models of the new generation, Ford Focus. Downsizing.
Today is the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. At 1:00 p.m. Eastern, Bristol Palin, the daughter of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, attends a town hall meeting in New York as part of a campaign by the Candies Foundation to raise awareness for teen pregnancy prevention. Bristol Palin is Candies' Teen Ambassador.
And those are the stories that will be making news today - Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. John, thanks.
Well, Pakistan forces now on the attack. They're taking on Taliban militants in the Swat Valley. Just ahead, we're going to be talking to an adviser to President Obama, David Kilcullen, who says the nuclear nation could be on the verge of collapse.
And moving from porn perhaps to politics. The adult film star who is considering a run for the Senate. She's going to be joining us live in 10 minutes. She's on a listening tour across her state. She wants voters to weigh in. So how serious should they be taking Stormy Daniels?
It's 23 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: All right. Twenty-six minutes past the hour now.
Checking our top stories. We have some breaking news.
There's word of a new pirate attack off of the Coast of Somali. The U.S. Navy says the pirates seized a German-owned ship. Eleven Romanian crew members on board. There's no word on their conditions at this time. Somali Pirates are believed to be holding 19 ships hostage across the Horn of Africa.
Drug dealers mocking President Obama. Police say they found bundles of marijuana at the end of a police chase near the Mexican border. Some of the packages have the words "Obama U.S.A." on them. Investigators say the message may have something to do with the president's recent trip to Mexico.
And former Piston's great Dave Bing as the new mayor of Detroit. The NBA all star won an election last night to replace Kwame Kilpatrick who resigned and went to prison after he admitted he lied during a civil trial. Bing, who also owns an automotive supply company now inherits a city on life support because of the slumping car industry.
ROBERTS: Pakistan's military is pounding Taliban militants this morning with helicopter gunships and mortar rounds. Thousands have left the Swat Valley fearing for their lives, and dozens of orphans are caught in the crossfire. But Pakistan's president is sounding defiant saying, he's not worried about Taliban sympathizers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ZARDARI: There aren't any, sir, sympathizers for them. There is a mind-set in the local area maybe who feel they are akin to the same religion, God, et cetera, et cetera. But nothing that should concern anybody as far as the nuclear arsenal or other instruments of such sort.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTS: For more now we're joined by David Kilcullen. He's the author of "The Accidental Gorilla War: Fighting Small Wars in the Midst of a Big One."
David, we've been trying to get you on for weeks. Glad that we could finally get on with you here in your schedule, because we've been quoting you...
DAVID KILCULLEN, AUTHOR, "THE ACCIDENTAL GORILLA WAR": Glad to be here.
ROBERTS: ...we've been quoting you for weeks. An article that you wrote where you said that Pakistan is in danger of collapse in the next few months.
What do you mean by that? And what are the implications for America?
KILCULLEN: Well, I think we've actually seen over the last few weeks something of a change in the situation on the ground in Pakistan. But what I was talking about at the start of the year was that the trend lines have all been very negative in Pakistan over the last seven years.
We've spent $10 billion trying to support the Pakistani military in its fight against the Taliban. In that same time, the Pakistanis have lost about 70 percent of the battles they've fought against the Taliban. And the Taliban in Pakistan have expanded to within 60 miles of the capital.
And as I was making those comments, province after district, you know, was falling. I think the latest offensive which you were just talking about, if it is actually carried out effectively, could turn things around. But I think the jury is very much still out on that at this point.
ROBERTS: And President Zardari meets with President Obama today. Yesterday, he assured Congress that Pakistan can take care of the situation here and also assured America that Pakistan's nuclear weapons are safe.
Do you have faith?
KILCULLEN: I remain to be convinced. We've had a long history of promises and commitments that haven't been followed through. Now this is a new government. It's a civil, democratically-elected government. And I think that's a very important difference.
Pakistan is not the enemy of the United States. But there are enemies of the United States in Pakistan. And a lot of those people have been looking for ways to undermine President Zardari and the democratic state. And I think we need to be supporting the government of Pakistan, but the civilian government.
ROBERTS: When Pakistan's government signed this deal with the Taliban in the Swat Valley, a lot of officials here in the United States were shaking their heads saying, wow, what you are doing?
Yesterday, we had Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S., Husain Haqqani, on who said well the strategy is working because the Taliban broke the agreement and now public sentiment is turning against them and in favor of Pakistan's government.
What do you think of that logic?
KILCULLEN: Well, there's been a 20-year campaign in that part of the country by an organization called TNSM, the movement for the restoration of Sharia law. To restore the old law system that was in placed under the valley of Swat before. Pakistani law was there.
But what happened after the agreement was signed was that the Taliban started beheading people, blowing schools up. They flogged a girl publicly, which created a lot of tension inside Pakistan. And so people felt like, well, the Taliban were not honoring the deal.
But I think actually this is the latest in a series of deals, which the military has made and promoted with the Taliban which have allowed them to cover their own failure and fighting the Taliban by sort of negotiated surrender which seeds territory to the enemy.
So, I think, you know, on the whole, the lesson out of this whole series of events is we need to do more with the civil government and the police and all of the other civil authorities to secure areas of Pakistan that we still hold.
ROBERTS: Right. And, of course, there's a lot of -- a lot of driving in Congress toward economic development in Pakistan as well.
KILCULLEN: Right.
ROBERTS: With the measures and money. David Kilcullen, one of the foremost experts in the world in that region, it's great to have you on this morning. We really appreciate you coming in.
KILCULLEN: I appreciate it. Thank you.
ROBERTS: All right - Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Thirty-one minutes past the hour. We fast forward through the stories that will be making news later on today.
At 9:00 a.m. Eastern on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are going to be holding a hearing on the swine flu. The H1N1 virus is now blamed for at least 30 deaths worldwide, although they believe that the threat is the now waning.
Today, an attorney for the woman who was mauled by a chimpanzee back in February is expected to ask a judge to freeze the assets of the animal's owner. Lawyers are seeking as much as $50 million in damages. Doctors say the woman who was attacked is now blind and faces at least two years of surgical procedures.
And this morning, at 11:15 Eastern, Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy as well as Republican Congressman Mike Castle will introduce bipartisan legislation to close a gun show loophole. The legislation will require background checks on all firearm sales at gun shows -- John?
ROBERTS: Porn star, Stormy Daniels, may run for the Senate. It looks like she's for real. She's on a listening tour across her state right now and will tell us what her platform is -- coming up next.
Thirty-two minutes now after the hour.
And this morning, the president is scrambling to evacuate southern California as wildfires burn dangerously close to their homes. Breaking developments on those fast-moving flames -- straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
She got her start in porn, and now, she's thinking about politics. Adult film star Stormy Daniels is considering running for Senate against Louisiana Senator David Vitter in 2010. Now, Vitter, you may remember, was link to the D.C. madam and her services back in 2007. Daniels has launched what she's called a listening tour in Louisiana. She visited Baton Rouge yesterday; New Orleans, she's going to later today, but she joins us first.
Stormy, great to have you with us this morning. Thanks for being with us. All right. So...
STORMY DANIELS, CONSIDERING U.S. SENATE BID: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
CHETRY: You are considering this possible Senate run in Louisiana against Senator David Vitter, and he is infamous, I guess you could say, for his link to the D.C. madam, the woman who ran that prostitution ring.
So, as a former porn star, is there a little bit of irony here?
DANIELS: I think so. I think that's one of the things that people find kind of entertaining about the whole thing.
But you've got to remember, what I do is legal and what he did is not. So, yes, I think that people will find it very interesting. I hear the word karma a lot.
CHETRY: And are you -- you are still going to file the papers yet, right? How seriously are you considering this run for Senate?
DANIELS: Well, I'm seriously considering it. That's whole reason why I'm here this week during the listening tour. I think that before I can decide whether or not I'm going to move forward with actually campaigning and undertaking a possible candidacy, I want to do the responsible thing and do a listening tour so I can get a better feel of the people here really want me to do. CHETRY: And so, you had your first experience with that yesterday, right? You were in Baton Rouge. What was the reaction from people? Are they taking you seriously and do they hold your past in adult film against you?
DANIELS: You know what? I'm -- I was really, really overwhelmed by how positive and how good the turnout was yesterday. Every seat in the place was taken. There is tons of news there. Everyone had very serious, positive questions for me.
I was expecting at least a little bit of controversy, but surprisingly, there was none. And everyone's question seemed to be very serious.
CHETRY: And so, what are they -- what did you tell them when they were seeking answers about, you know, help with the foreclosure situation there, help with job losses. How are -- how are you telling them you're going to be able to make their lives better?
DANIELS: Right. Well, you got to remember this isn't the actual campaign, this is the listening tour. So, the whole idea of me going there yesterday was, I was supposed to be asking the questions to them. I wanted to get their feedback so that I could decide what my platform was going to be on each of those topics.
I was very impressed with the turnout. I was very pleased with turnout, and the response. But I was -- quite honestly, I was a little disappointed that more people didn't speak up and let me know what their issues were. I think they were very intimidated by the amount of television crews and cameras that were in the room.
Of course, everybody wanted know to how I felt about taxes. A couple of people wanted to know about David Vitter and the same that I said yesterday was, I wasn't really there to talk about him. I've done enough of that. If they had questions about David Vitter, then they have to go and talk to David Vitter about that.
But overall, I mean, I'm here to listen to decide what their opinions are.
CHETRY: So, you're -- you've got this Web site up or at least people who are supporting you, DraftStormy.com. They say that it's a chance to start with a clean slate elect a representative we can be proud of, who will work tirelessly, who will change the status quo. If people are saying, "OK, well, maybe that, you know, this isn't a joke," maybe it sounds like a joke in the beginning, what do you say to them and convince you -- to convince them that you'd make a good senator?
DANIELS: Like the whole draft story came about, like I said before, I had nothing to do with it. I largely ignored the situation in the beginning, and the only reason why I am moving forward and I'm sitting here talking to you guys today is because everyone is encouraging me and I've gotten so much positive feedback.
And the only thing I have to say to people is, you know, I don't have a hidden personal agenda or political agenda. This wasn't my idea. I'm strictly doing it because I have been called to the duty for nothing else. And I think that by taking the steps in this listening tour and really listening to what people have to say and what their concerns and their issues are, and forming a way to help them with these things, I think that they're really beginning to take this seriously.
Anyone who knows me and has worked with me in any of the businesses that I've been involved in before knows that never take anything lightly. I work extremely hard. I'm always up for a good fight. And I don't undertake anything that I don't think that I can be the best at.
CHETRY: All right, well, good luck to you, Stormy. And let us know if you decide to officially throw your hat in the ring as Louisiana's new senator. Thanks so much for being with us - John.
DANIELS: Thank you.
ROBERTS: We're following breaking news this morning. Right now, flames threatening more than 1,000 homes in southern California. Mandatory evacuations underway. We'll bring you the latest on conditions on the ground in just a moment.
And Paula Abdul admits that she's been addicted to painkillers for years. She says that she was always sober on "American Idol."
It's 40 minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: It's 43 minutes after the hour.
And, oh, my, goodness. Do my eyes deceive me? Is that a little bit of sunshine in New York City? It is. And we're going to get a little bit of that today with the high up around 65, but it's going to be short-lived back into the rain and the slot later on tonight.
Rob Marciano is tracking all the weather across the country, including some extreme weather across the south.
More tornados, more big storms down there, Rob?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, a couple of severe thunderstorm watches that are posted right now and also, a couple of tornado warnings. A pretty big line of thunderstorms right now is rolling across the mid-south from Texas all the way to Alabama. So, this is a cause of concern.
And what we have across parts of Mississippi right now, especially central Mississippi into Columbus, this is a tornado warning in effect. The tornadic thunderstorm not -- no reports of a touch on the ground, but certainly enough to be concerned there and the entire southeast will be under the gun today.
As far as the northeast is concerned, a little bit of a dry slot as you mentioned there. The rain is moving out. Rain will be coming back in, it looks like, as it we go in later in tonight. Heavy rain will be the call across this stationary boundary once again, but heat back to the west and when I mean heat, we got a little bit of wind.
We've got problems in a form of fires all across southern California. This out of Santa Barbara, where about 450 acre blaze is burning, not under control as of yet. They've got two choppers working this thing. This is the time of night or morning where the winds get going. So, they want to get a handle on it during the daytime hours again today, but winds will once again be a little bit breezy.
All right. From those kind of warm breezes, we go to the warm tropical breezes down under. Some interesting things happening in Australia. This particular person won the dream of a lifetime to take care of paradise. Give it a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To go away now as the island caretaker for Tourism Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef is an extreme honor. I hope that I can fill the boots as much as everybody is expecting. My swimming hopefully is up to standard and I look forward to the new roles and responsibilities that the task involves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Boy, he is serious, man. He's one of like 10,000 applicants to get this job of a lifetime, John and Kiran. For six months, he'll be the caretaker of a beautiful island near the Great Barrier Reef and one of his jobs will be to go out and swim and feed the fish. Not a bad deal.
CHETRY: That would be such a dream. Wouldn't you love it, Rob?
MARCIANO: I'd do it. But I'm -- I sense I'm not as good of a swimmer as that man. I'll give it a try, though.
CHETRY: Would you be after six months?
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: I think what Rob would like -- I think what Rob would like is if somebody said we have a snow covered mountain that we need you to look after for six months. He'd be up to that.
CHETRY: Right.
MARCIANO: I'd be up for that as well. Maybe six months of that and then six months on the island.
CHETRY: I'm with you.
ROBERTS: Fat chance, Rob. It's not going to happen.
MARCIANO: Yes, exactly. ROBERTS: All right. See you.
CHETRY: Now, get back to that magic weather wall!
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: All right. Well, a dramatic admission after years of speculation over her slurred speech, sometimes unusual and erratic behavior. "American Idol" judge Paul Abdul admitting to an addiction to painkillers. In an interview with "Ladies' Home Journal," the "Idol" judge says that she could have killed herself.
Carol Costello is here now with new details.
You know, it's interesting because this is something that she's denied in the past.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, she has denied it. In 2005, she denied it, Kiran. But lots of people thought that there was something wrong. Paula Abdul was caught more than once acting a little strange on "American Idol" and you could definitely tell something was up after Abdul gave an interview to local affiliates that popped up on YouTube. In that interview, she slurred her words big time.
Well, as you said, Abdul now admits she was addicted to painkillers, Lidocaine and a Chinese medicine. She told "The Ladies' Home Journal" she tried to keep everything hush-hush on "American Idol" but that her addiction could have been deadly. Saying, quote, "I could have killed myself. Withdrawal, it's the worst thing. I was freezing cold, then sweating hot, then chattering and in so much pain. It was excruciating." "But at my very core," she said, "I did not like existing the way I had been."
Now, Abdul took those drugs to control chronic pain caused by a series of accidents. She was actually diagnosed with something called reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome. It causes severe pain and swelling. Abdul wore a patch that delivered a dose of medication 80 times more powerful than morphine. And she also took muscle relaxant which could account for the slurred speech, right?
Well, she got hooked on the medications. And last fall, she checked herself into a rehab center, and now, she says that, Kiran, she's doing just fine.
CHETRY: Wow. And so, for people that watch the show and notice that, you know, at times, she seems to be acting strangely. What does she say about whether or not she under, you know, taking some of those pills during that time?
COSTELLO: Well, she didn't specifically say she was taking anything during her time on "American Idol." She just said she tried to keep everything hush-hush. But if she was addicted to this medication, you know, maybe she did have problems, and maybe she was under the influence of something on the set, we just don't know. CHETRY: All right. Well, it's terrible to be in chronic pain, no doubt. And if she described here trying to withdraw or get away from that withdrawal can be just as painful.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes.
CHETRY: So, hopefully, things get better for her.
Carol, thanks so much.
COSTELLO: Sure.
ROBERTS: The push for peace in the Middle East: The Obama administration wants a Palestinian state but Israel's new prime minister is against it. So, how does the process move forward? We're talking exclusively with Israel's new ambassador designate to the United States. Michael Oren is just ahead.
And when is it proper to stand for the president? The reporters who jumped up showing bias. Jeanne Moss shows us the ups and downs of covering the president.
It's 48 minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
The Obama administration's vision for peace in the Middle East involves the creation of a Palestinian state. Vice President Joe Biden reiterated yesterday it's a plan that Israel must adopt but has, so far, rejected. I sat down for an exclusive interview with Israel's ambassador-designate to the United States, Michael Oren -- just going through the confirmation process now.
I began by asking him about new Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's reluctance to embrace a two-state solution the Palestinians.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL OREN, ISRAELI AMBASSADOR-DESIGNATE TO THE U.S.: The prime minister has said openly that Israel has no desire to rule over the Palestinians, that he is a serious partner for peace, and that he will seek a solution that will assure the greatest amount of powers for the Palestinians, but not powers that will include the ability of terrorist organizations to impair Israel's security. No one wants a Palestinian state in which terrorists can fire missiles at incoming jets at Israel's largest airport or a Palestinian state that's going to make treaties with countries like Iran and perhaps Syria.
So, I would reiterate, John, that this government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is deeply committed to the peace process and does not want to rule over the Palestinians. ROBERTS: Right. But there's an awful lot of nuance in there, Mr. Ambassador, forgive me with respect, but you didn't come right out and say, "Yes, he is prepared to accept the two-state solution. This administration in Washington is saying it's got to be a two-state solution.
OREN: I think they'll have to go into the definition of two- state solutions. You know, states, John, have unlimited sovereignty, and we're talking about a solution for the Palestinian problem, a Palestinian-entity state or whatever you call it, cannot have the same type of limited sovereignty.
ROBERTS: Let me turn, Mr. Ambassador, for a moment to Iran. This was also an issue that came up at APEC conference. Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. You said in a panel that Iran will not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
What is Israel prepared to do to stop that?
OREN: Well, I think that Israel will not allow a country that is openly sworn to wipe it off the map to acquire the means for doing that. I think Israel cannot be expected to remain impassive.
ROBERTS: OK. So, what do you do to prevent that?
OREN: Israel will do whatever it takes to prevent it. And to the greatest degree, we will do it in consultation, cooperation with our allies.
ROBERTS: As you know, Mr. Ambassador, a report was delivered to the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday regarding the operations in Gaza during December and January, in particular, the attack against the U.N. compounds in Gaza. The report is quite critical of Israel. Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. secretary-general, said it was outrageous that that compound was attack.
What do you say in response?
OREN: All of the accusations raised in that Gaza report have been thoroughly investigated by the Israel defense forces. They've been found to be completely, utterly groundless. And what's even more shocking is that, by and large, the U.N. report is based on the testimony of Hamas terrorist, people who are backed by Iran, people who use civilians as human shields, who booby-trap schools and neighborhoods. That's the basis for this.
ROBERTS: But, Mr. Ambassador, is it true or untrue that Israel knew where that compound was and yet it was still attacked?
OREN: I was there that night that that happened, John, and Israel knew that the compound was there. The Israeli shells fell outside the compound and the reason Israel fired in that vicinity because Israeli troops had come under fire from Hamas operatives. And the -- and contrary to what the U.N. alleges, the overwhelming majority of people killed in that exchange were Hamas gunmen and including two very prominent Hamas commanders.
ROBERTS: I'm sure that we'll hear a lot more about this going forward.
Michael Oren, the new Israeli ambassador-designate to the United States -- good to talk to you. We'll look forward to talk with you a lot more as your confirmation -- after your confirmation process moves forward.
OREN: Thanks so much, John.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Still ahead: When do you rise when the president enters a room and when do you just stay seated? The politics of the up and down. Jeanne Moos, covering a president.
Fifty-five minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: White House reporters who stand up for the president, is this proper? Jeanne Moos shows you the ups and downs of trying to cover the president, especially one who pops in unannounced.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To stand or not to stand. It was more than someone on the right could stand to watch -- White House reporters staying seated for President Bush.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president.
OBAMA: I'm sorry, but Gibbs is screwing this thing up.
MOOS: Yet jumping to their feet for President Obama. The video put together by a writer for the Web site Politico is ricocheting around the Web.
OBAMA: I'm sorry, but Gibbs is screwing this thing up.
MOOS: Leading to comments like, "What a bunch of boot lickers." "I'm surprised they didn't kneel and kiss his feet." "The press corps jumped to their feet like contestants whose names are called on "The Price is Right."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on down. Thank you from the back row on the left-hand side. Here he comes.
MOOS: But wait a minute, reporters automatically stand ...
ANNOUNCER: The president of the United States.
MOOS: ... when the president is introduced at big East Room press conferences.
ANNOUNCER: The president of the United States.
MOOS: But smaller briefing room pressers, the norm is to stay put because the setting is less formal. And if reporters stand, they block the cameras in back from shooting the president walking in.
But what happened the other day ...
OBAMA: Hey.
MOOS: ... is that President Obama showed up out of the blue, for the first time in the briefing room, interrupting his press secretary.
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: So, I think that people in the room naturally had this impulse to say, "Whoa, wait a second." They weren't expecting this.
MOOS: Watch the surprise on the FOX News correspondent's face when in mid-question he sees the president ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The first time I believe.
OBAMA: Hey.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President.
OBAMA: I'm sorry, but Gibbs is screwing this thing up.
MOOS: ... pops up like all of the rest of those, what did they call them, boot lickers?
President Bush's arrival on the other hand was expected.
(on camera): No, no, no, don't get up. Just stay put on the couch. Don't stand up just because I've made an entrance.
(voice-over): Some on the right say the fact that reporters impulsively jump to their feet proves they love President Obama, but they have risen for President Bush in the briefing room ...
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you.
MOOS: ... for instance at his final press conference. But in general, this is not the place to ....
(MUSIC)
OBAMA: Please, everybody, have a seat.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN ...
OBAMA: Please, everybody, have a seat.
MOOS: ... New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE) CHETRY: I don't know. What do you think, you've been in there?
ROBERTS: Yes. You know, sometimes you stand and sometimes you don't in the briefing room. And people wonder why we stand up for the president anyways, and you know, this has been sort of an international thing that, you know, we don't stand up for the British prime minister but we do for the president, because the president is not just the president, he's also the head of state, and you show respect by standing up.
It just, you know, I think it was kind of like accommodation. Sometimes, we stood up when President Bush in this room and sometimes we didn't, in the briefing room. And I think I remember one time he came and said, "No, no, don't stand up. Don't stand up." You saw Chip Reid in the front there, Chip is like, "What do I do? What do I do?"
CHETRY: Right. I know, he's sort of like, it was so (ph), so it's not necessarily a political thing.
ROBERTS: No.
CHETRY: All right.
ROBERTS: Not in any way, shape or form.
CHETRY: It's a situational thing.
ROBERTS: Yes. It absolutely was.
Thanks so much for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING. We'll see you back here again bright and early tomorrow.
CHETRY: We sure will.
Right now, here is "CNN NEWSROOM" with Heidi Collins.
