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Pension Insurance in Jeopardy; Chrysler Cutting 789 Dealerships; The Young and the Jobless; Harvard's ROTC Ban; 47-Million Year Old Primate; First Meeting of President's Economic Advisory Board Underway; Synthetic Vaccine for H1N1 Developed in Boston
Aired May 20, 2009 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: The stakes are life and death. In the NEWSROOM, a boy dying of cancer, his family refusing chemo for him, and now the boy and his mother are on the run. We'll have an update for you on that story.
And a former soldier's life on the line. A Kentucky jury deciding the fate of a man who murdered four Iraqis. Hear our exclusive interview of one of Steven Greene's closest friends and fellow soldiers.
And also, a boy's life saved by a power drill. Can you believe it? The doctor's tool kit because the hospital is bare. It is Wednesday, May 20th. Hi everybody, I'm Heidi Collins.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
In Minnesota and across the country, police are searching for a missing mother and son. They're at the center of a court case that could force the boy to take chemotherapy in order to save his life. They vanished after X-rays showed the boy's cancerous tumor had grown.
CNN's Jason Carroll has been closely following the case. He joins us now live from New York, with the very latest.
And Jason, it is a complicated case.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Very complicated. And you know, Heidi, at last check, authorities still have no leads.
Authorities across the country, obviously, on alert for Daniel Hauser and his mother. And they're ready to take her into custody. Colleen Hauser and her son failed to show up for a scheduled court hearing yesterday. The boy's father telling the court the last time he saw his wife was Monday night, when she told him she was leaving "for a time."
Daniel, as you know, Heidi, has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. A court-ordered X-ray revealed his cancer is getting worse. His mother testified earlier that she didn't think her son was in any medical danger and does not want him having any chemotherapy. Instead, she says she wants to treat him with Native American remedies, including herbal supplements and vitamins. She said in a recent interview, people should respect that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLLEEN HAUSER, MOTHER OF DANIEL HAUSER: We're a simple, honest family. We're not out to harm anybody. We never -- this is just our way of life. And why people want to infringe on it, I don't know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: Doctors say chemotherapy and radiation would give Daniel an 80 to 95 percent chance of survival. Without it, they say, Heidi, he could die.
Daniel testified he believed the chemo would kill him and he told the judge if anyone tried to force treatment, he'd fight it by punching and kicking. But Daniel is a minor, and according to our own Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin, really, he has no say in the matter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFFERY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: If need be, they have to take the kid away and strap him down and apply chemotherapy that way. It's horrible to think of, but I mean, this is life or death.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: The judge has ordered Daniel be placed in protective custody in order to get proper medical treatment. Hauser's father is cooperating with authorities and is now pleading with his family to come home. Colleen Hauser could face charges of child neglect and child abuse. But if she were to return her son, her warrant would be removed.
Obviously, Heidi, the key here is before prosecution just to find Daniel and get him some sort of a treatment.
COLLINS: Yes, that is what I was going to ask. The latest from the police is, do they have leads, who are they talking to, the community?
CARROLL: Well, obviously, they're keeping in close contact with Daniel's father. Daniel's father also saying that if his mother does call, he will, of course, call authorities immediately. You know, Daniel has siblings as well. If they hear anything, they will also help out.
But in terms of strong, solid leads, Heidi, at this point, in terms of last check, nothing yet.
COLLINS: All right. CNN's Jason Carroll, for us on the story this morning live from New York.
You know, in fact, Jason, the father of the boy has apparently backed off from his earlier refusal of medical treatment. He says he now believes the boy should go back to the doctor so the best treatment can be mapped out.
And Anthony Hauser has a message for both his son and wife. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANTHONY HAUSER, FATHER: I'd like to tell them, you know, come back and be safe and be a family again. That's what I'd like to tell them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Hauser says he last saw his wife Monday night and doesn't know where she and their son are.
Closing arguments begin this morning in the sentencing phase of a former soldier convicted of murder. Steven Green was found guilty earlier this month of raping and killing an Iraqi girl and killing three other members of her family.
CNN's Deborah Feyerick joining us now live, outside the courtroom in Paducah, Kentucky.
What are we likely to see here today, in these closing arguments, Deb?
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, really his lawyers are going to tell the jury why they should spare Green's life. And it's interesting because the Private First Class and the one who is in 1st Airborne, made it out of Iraq alive. He was discharged honorably and now a civilian court is going to decide whether he should die for crimes he committed while there. The premeditated murder of an Iraqi family, including the execution of their 6-year-old daughter.
Now, in the closing days of testimony, Heidi, Green's friends and family almost seem to plead with the jury to spare him. They described him tearfully at times as a happy kid from a troubled family whose mom didn't love him. His aunt testified, "We did not send a rapist and murderer to Iraq." Fellow soldiers who also took the stand on his behalf said that, in fact, the unit fell apart due to what they call a lack of leadership.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NOAH GALLOWAY, GREEN'S FORMER COMRADE: Truth be told, we're trained killers. We are not the boys you take home to mama. We're the men that set out to destroy everything in our path. And it takes that to win a war. You put that out there and then you take away a person's leadership and they have no desire to even live anymore. Bad things happen. And this is an example of what happens when the leadership's gone and you're not taken care of. You're hopeless and you're left alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: Now, also in court were members of the slain Iraqi family along with Iraqi officials. There were calls to try this case in Iraq. Instead, it's being tried here in Paducah, Kentucky, in a Federal court. That's because Green had already been discharged from the military for antisocial and personality disorders. This is considered by many to be one of the many war crimes trial of a U.S. soldier. Four co-conspirators who were tried in a military court -- they are serving various life prison sentences -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Deb, well I know you have to get inside that courtroom, so keep us posted.
Our Deborah Feyerick, in Paducah, Kentucky this morning. Thank you.
Congress may be putting money back in your pocket. As early as today the House could pass new limits on what credit card companies charge in fees and interest rates. Now that measure could become law by this weekend in fact.
Here to explain what it means, Christine Romans of the CNN Money Team.
So Christine, give us the nuts and bolts, first, of these changes.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, good morning.
It means no more fluctuating interest rates. It means no more mysterious fee. It means some clear writing on your statement. It means very clearly on your statement it will say how many months it will take you to pay off that credit card bill if you keep making minimum payments or whatever kind of payments you've been making and how much interest it will be.
So, a little more clarity for you, the consumer, about just what's going on there. If they raise your interest rates because you've had a late payment or whatever, they have to tell you and tell you why and give you some time to digest that. So, you will see changes, definitely, Heidi, for people who have credit cards and are carrying a balance.
COLLINS: OK.
So, what about the people who pay their bills on time or pay them in full every month?
ROMANS: They will probably see a difference, too. At least many people in the industry have been saying for some time now that this will not go unnoticed for people who pay their bills on time, who have good credit and are using their credit card as a very short-term loan and then paying it off.
It could be harder to get a card. It will definitely be harder to get a card for people under the age of 21. In the Senate version of the bill, there are restrictions on cards for -- new cards for people under the age of 21. It could mean higher interest rates for everybody.
According to the industry, they say if they can't price specifically for different risks among people, they might have to raise everyone's interest rates. You've already actually started to see that happening. Risky borrowers could be completely shut down and shut out. And there could be an annual fee for good customers, because many of the customers who are paying off their bills on time, credit card companies aren't getting any fees -- COLLINS: They're not making any money. Yes.
ROMANS: They're making money from the retailers who are charging a transaction fee. But they're not making any money off of you if you're not carrying a balance. And you could see the return of annual fees for some people. And there's even concern that maybe some of the rewards programs and perks -- those might be scaled back, as well.
COLLINS: Yes, so if you're a good guy who's paying on time, you are now kind of the bad guy all of a sudden it seems like, at least to the credit card companies.
ROMANS: And you know, the tough thing too, Heidi, is you can't say just let's just rip them up because you all need that credit score, right? To do everything. I mean, it is the number. More important than your age, your date, your weight, anything. That is your identifying number. So you do (INAUDIBLE) a credit card.
COLLINS: More important than our weight. What about the Romans Numeral today? I'm not sure if this is what you're doing but I was fascinated to learn exactly how much money in billions the credit card companies make in those interest rates.
ROMANS: Oh, they make a lot 00 I mean, they make a lot of money in interest here. Why else would it be such a great business over the past 20 or 30 years, right?
The number is 28,412. $28,412. This is the overall interest you would pay on credit card debt of $9,827. That's the average debt that people who have credit card debt are carrying, according to the group Demo's (ph).
COLLINS: Wow.
ROMANS: Yes, so for people who have credit card debt, that's the average that they have. If you paid the minimum, 18% interest and just paid a 2% minimum, in the end you're going to pay $28,000 in interest. Think of that.
COLLINS: Unbelievable. More than three times.
ROMANS: That money that you're borrowing -- you are borrowing it. And it is not free. That credit card debt is not for free.
So a couple things here. They're really going to make it easier for you to understand what's going on and why you're being charged and get rid of some of those charges. But the fact of the matter is, is a lot of people are buying things they can't afford to pay for and it doesn't come for free.
COLLINS: Yes, definitely. All right. So, we will watch for that possible vote in the House today.
Thanks so much. Christine Romans with our Money Team. Appreciate it.
ROMANS: Sure. COLLINS: Money is "Issue Number One" at your home and in the White House as well. This morning, President Obama holds the first quarterly meeting with his economic advisory board. Much of the focus will be on energy and jobs.
CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is joining us now with a closer look at all this.
What exactly is this group all about? What are they supposed to do?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, they're going to meet in about 45 minutes or so. This is an independent group. This is a group that represents folks outside of the White House, obviously, some high-powered figures.
About a 16-member group or so, and they serve a two-year term. We're talking about representatives from unions, major corporations, you name it. They are essentially going to be giving the president economic advice outside of the White House.
This is something that the president came up with even before he officially became the president, when he was in his transition period. He brought this group of people together, said look, I want to get some opinions from outside of the echo chamber, as he calls it.
So, this is what we're going to see, the first meeting of four meetings that occur during the year.
The head of this, Heidi, obviously, a very powerful figure. We saw him entering the White House early this morning. That is Paul Voelker, the former chair of the Federal Reserve. And this is a person who served under six presidents, democrats, republicans alike. Known to tackle runaway inflation of the '80s, and this is somebody who has the president's ear. The president once saying that he has a tremendous influence on his thinking.
And one of the things, Heidi, that he has done, that aides say, is that he's tried to slow things down just little bit. We know that the administration has been moving very quickly to try to tackle the recession when it comes to regulating the financial institutions. It's been Paul Volcker, who's said, look, let's take a close look at this. Let's not move too quickly in enacting all of these government regulations, those types of things. So it's his influence as well as these other members who are basically going to be giving their opinion on what they think and how things are going so far.
COLLINS: Take a deep, cleansing breath, he'd say.
Suzanne Malveaux, we'll be watching for those meetings today. Appreciate it, outside the White House this morning.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
COLLINS: Iran says it has successfully test-fired another long- range missile. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says the missile has a range of 1,200 miles, which would make it capable of reaching Israel or southern Europe. They had similar success with a missile test, as you may remember, in November. Now, today's firing comes just days after President Obama talked about greater sanctions against Iran if they refuse to take part in negotiations over their nuclear program.
A race to battle the deadly swine flu. Now a researcher says he has a vaccine that can be ready in a matter of weeks. That's a faster timetable than we have ever heard before.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: The H1N1 swine flu virus is still spreading. We want to give you an update on what we know right now. In fact, the World Health Organization says there are more than 10,000 swine flu cases worldwide. Almost 5,500 of those cases are here in the United States. The CDC has linked six deaths to the outbreak, at least 80 worldwide. And New York City health officials say tests indicate a 16-month-old boy who died after suffering respiratory symptoms was not infected with h1n1.
Meanwhile, drug makers trying to make a vaccine for the virus, they say that's still months away, but a Boston company claims it has a synthetic vaccine now that can be ready in just a few weeks.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta's here now with more on that.
What does it mean to create a synthetic vaccine?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, the way we make vaccines right now is pretty after can...
COLLINS: From eggs?
GUPTA: Yes, they use fertilized hen's eggs, millions of them to make a vaccine. It takes months and months. They inject a little bit of the virus into an egg, let it replicate, wipe it off and attenuate it. Weaken it a bit so it doesn't make people sick, it just gives them the inflammatory response.
This company, Replican, says they might be able to create a vaccine that looks at the genetic structure of the virus, and they found two areas to target. One is responsible for the ability to infect cells, and the other is the ability to replicate, once it gets in the cell.
They say we can create the series of proteins that blocks that. So, if you have the virus in your body it blocks those things from happening. So, you might still have the virus, but it can't do any damage, so to speak.
This has not been tested. They say they need a pharmaceutical partner to test it for safety and effectiveness, but they say, as you said, it could be made within weeks, if it's all favorable.
COLLINS: So, what's the deal? Make it at least and test it, right?
GUPTA: I think that's what they're trying to do now is get the pharmaceutical company to sign on. There have been examples of other synthetic vaccines in the past, so this wouldn't be a first, but I think, you know, we've got to make sure those two questions are answered before we know whether or not the vaccine's going to be available to us.
COLLINS: Yes, yes. In fact, most of the flu experts we have talked to have said it is likely that this virus, h1n1, is going to sort of be dormant is probably not the right word, but go down, be at a lull during, what, spring and summer, and then come back? But these people don't think that.
GUPTA: Yes.
COLLINS: Why?
GUPTA: It's very interesting. So, the same company, the same doctors over there who are biochemists, primarily, first of all, they were some of the first to predict that there would be this pandemic, and they do it all by looking at the genetic structure of the virus and predicting how transmissible it's going to be. What they say, the bad news is, they think that this virus has a genetic capability to stay very transmissible even during the summer months. That's the bad news. The good news is, also looking at the genetic structure, they don't think it's going to be very lethal. It's not going to be very deadly.
COLLINS: Because you would instantly think if it has the ability to...
GUPTA: Transmissibility.
COLLINS: Yes, transmissibility, that it would be very strong.
GUPTA: But you can have something wide in scope but not significant in severity, and I think that's the message they're giving.
COLLINS: We are obviously watching that story closely, but we're also watching this story. We want you to stick around for obvious reasons.
GUPTA: OK.
COLLINS: Listen to this now. A doctor using the tools at hand. That's what he had to do, because in this case, a handyman's power tools ended up being the right tool. An Australian boy had fallen off his bike, hit his head on the pavement. The doctor at the local hospital realized the boy had bleeding on the brain, but the hospital had no neurological drills. So, the doctor sent for a household drill from the maintenance room. Getting help on the phone from a respected neurosurgeon, the doctor was able to drill into the boy's skull, drain the blood clot, and ultimately, save his life.
Pretty incredible story, right? Not so. This guy's done the exact same thing. Remind us of what happened in Iraq.
GUPTA: Yes, it was pretty similar. In Iraq, you know, we had patients over there. We did not have cat scanners, so you're operating out of these dusty, desert tents. So I think in part because they count on helmets to prevent the head injuries, they didn't have neurosurgical tools there.
At one point, I was literally asked to put on my surgeon's cap and look at a patient. What he need was a similar operation. He needed to have pressure taken off of his brain, so we had to use a drill. We sterilized the bit, of course, the drill bit we used to put up a tent, and used that to essentially move the outer part of his bone.
The good news is, if you do that, it can be almost instantaneous in terms of how well a patient can do. You're just simply taking the pressure from his brain off of him.
COLLINS: It's amazing.
GUPTA: Yes.
COLLINS: I remember when this happened, but the way you say it, I didn't remember that. It's the same drill we used to put up a tent.
GUPTA: Yes.
COLLINS: Really, really incredible, reminding everybody, he is a certified neurosurgeon.
GUPTA: Yes. Nobody had to talk me through it, but he probably had what's called epidural hematoma, like with Natasha Richardson.
COLLINS: That's right.
GUPTA: Simply getting the pressure off is key there.
COLLINS: Good for him. Glad you were here to comment on that. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent.
Michael Vick leaves his prison days behind. What's next for the former NFL star convicted of dog fighting? Don't be surprised if it involves dogs.
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(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: On Wall Street, one of the nation's biggest banks has raised billions of dollars, but investors aren't celebrating just yet. They're waiting to hear from some of the president's top money men.
Now Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with a preview. SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Heidi.
We're expecting updates on the economy from some of the president's key advisers this morning. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner speaking this hour before the Senate Banking Committee. He'll face questions about the Obama administration's plan to steady the financial system.
And in about a half hour, President Obama's economic advisory team will hold its first public meeting. It's expected to be the first of what will be regular quarterly updates from the blue-ribbon panel headed by former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker. Bank of America halfway to its goal of raising $48 billion. That's how much the government says the bank needs as a result of the stress tests. Bank of America sold more than $13 billion worth of common stock. That adds to the $7 billion it raised by selling its stake in a Chinese bank.
In the tech sector, Hewlett-Packard posting a 17 percent drop in quarterly profit due to weak computer and printer sales. To cope, HP plans to cut nearly 6,500 jobs. HP also cut its full-year sales outlook. HP shares right now are down more than three percent, but the three major averages are up.
The Dow is up 51 points or about 2/3 of a percent. The NASDAQ's up by about the same. You saw the opening bell. Ringing it, Solar Winds, the fifth IPO of the year. That's one public offering per month, Heidi, in the dot-com era. You could have five a week. But here's something that might be considered more foolish -- a key gauge of volatility, the VIX? We talked about it, Heidi.
COLLINS: Yes.
LISOVICZ: It dropped yesterday for the first time to a level last seen since Lehman Brothers collapsed in September. That was a real line in the sand for the economy and the stock market. A lot of people have been asking, is the stock market rally we have seen over the last two months real? Well, the declining VIX suggests fear is dissipating, and if fear is declining, you know what's increasing, Heidi --
COLLINS: Consumer confidence.
LISOVICZ: Consumer confidence and greed -- the appetite for risk.
COLLINS: Oh yes. Really? You have to be that negative.
LISOVICZ: It's just the way Wall Street works.
COLLINS: Yes, it is.
LISOVICZ: Even Oliver Stone is down here, by the way.
COLLINS: Oh, cool.
LISOVICZ: Yes. He's been here. Yes, I suppose that Tom cruise is out here so we would know.
COLLINS: All right. All right.
LISOVICZ: Greed is good, I believe is the line from one of his movies.
COLLINS: That's right. Susan Lisovicz, thank you.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
COLLINS: We'll check back in later.
LISOVICZ: You're welcome.
COLLINS: We could see some banks repaying that bailout money soon. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is on Capitol Hill this hour testifying about oversight for the Troubled Asset Relief Program. You know it as TARP. It allowed the Treasury to buy up to $700 billion in bad assets. The Federal Reserve says many big banks are ready to start repaying that money in the next few weeks.
Live pictures there for you.
New fears that another federal bailout will be needed for the government agency that insures pensions for 44 million Americans. The "Associated Press" got a hold of a report on the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation. It shows a record deficit of more than $33 billion. But the head of the agency promises there's enough to cover checks for the near future.
The deadline is looming for Chrysler dealers. Owners of the nearly 800 dealerships that are being dropped have until next Tuesday now to appeal. Many are planning to fight Chrysler's decision, while others are just trying to make the best of it.
CNN's Brian Todd has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Angling out of the Dallas Motorcars lot to test drive a new Jeep Wrangler. As we tool around Leesburg, Virginia, dealer Hamid Saghafi points out the popular features.
HAMID SAGHAFI, JEEP DEALER: It's very fun during the summertime.
TODD: Folks in this town won't be able to test drive these models much longer. Saghafi and his brother Kevin, who own the only Jeep dealership around here, were abruptly told by Chrysler last week, the Jeep division of their business, which also includes Subarus and Kias, has to shut down by June 9th -- one of nearly 800 dealerships the automaker is moth balling in bankruptcy.
The Saghafis have to sell dozens of vehicles in three weeks and are slashing prices more than they and many other dealers would have ever thought possible. (on camera): It's spring time in northern Virginia. Normally, a really hot time of the year to sell the jeep wrangler. Normally, dealers would not be offering any discounts on this particular vehicle, but right now, this 2008 wrangler is $7000 off the original asking price.
(voice-over): The high-end jeep commander SUV is marked down even more.
RAY O'BRYHIM, CHRYSLER-DODGE DEALER: We've taken deep discounts from $42,385 MSRP to $29,900. That's about a discount of $12,000 from its MSRP, about $10,000 from invoice.
TODD (on camera): Right. Below what you paid for it.
(voice-over): Down the street, Pohanka Chrysler Dodge is shutting down completely and Ray O'Bryhim and his partners are making even more drastic cuts. Take the Dodge Nitro SUV, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This particular vehicle here is almost $30,000 -- $29,170. And we've marked this thing down to a sale price of $17,510. You know, if you do the math on that one, it's 40 percent off.
TODD: These two dealerships have been successful, but now have no choice but to take huge losses on the Chrysler Dodge jeep brand.
(on camera): Can you put a dollar value?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Millions. It's literally millions.
TODD (voice-over): That's because unlike a normal situation when a dealer has to shut down, this time because Chrysler's in bankruptcy, it can't buy back the cars or parts, so the dealers have to absorb all the losses.
A Chrysler spokesperson told us they're sorry for what the dealers on the shutdown list are going through, but they're trying to at least help them sell their cars and parts to other dealers who will remain in business.
Brian Todd, CNN, Leesburg, Virginia.
COLLINS: A blow to President Obama. Senate Democrats say they will not approve the administration's request for $80 million to close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center.
First, they want the president to submit a plan for the 240 terror suspects detained there. This is all happening just after a Republican campaign against closing the facility prematurely. A Pentagon spokesman still says there is no indication the shutdown is in jeopardy by the January 2010 deadline.
No sighting yet of former football star Michael Vick. He slipped past photographers early this morning when he was released from the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. He'll spend the next two months under home confinement in Hampton, Virginia. Vick, former quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, was convicted of financing a dog fighting ring. His attorney says Vick wants to work with the humane society to help end the blood sport. And he hopes to persuade the NFL commissioner to reinstate him.
All right, so, lots of people talking about this story, as you would imagine. We want to know what you think. He is out of prison. Should he be reinstated into the NFL?
Just head to our blog, share your thoughts on the Michael Vick story. We want to read them. Go to cnn.com/newsroom -- cnn.com/newsroom, and then just click on my name, as you see Matt doing right there.
The Coast Guard searching now the waters off San Diego for the crew of a Navy helicopter. Five people were on board when it crashed near the Coronado Islands overnight. The crew was flying a training exercise at the time. And there is no word on survivors or the cause of the crash.
At least 98 people dead in a plane crash in Java, Indonesia. A military transport plane went down in a residential area early this morning. Rescuers did manage to save at least 15 people from the flight, but the death toll is increasing because 112 people were thought to be on board. Two people on the ground died when the plane landed on some of the homes. No word yet on what may have caused the crash.
A plea for help for the nearly two million people displaced in Pakistan. Fierce fighting has forced them from their homes. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the U.S. is promising $100 million in humanitarian aid. She is also asking you to help by texting. You can donate $5 just by texting the word swat to 20222. You see it on the bottom of your screen there.
The money goes to the United Nations High Commission on Refugees to provide food, clothing and medicine. It is your chance to make a difference. Check out cnn.com for links to other agencies helping the people of Pakistan, too. It is your chance to impact your world, and we are giving you the tools.
Tough times for the millennial generation. They are facing higher than average unemployment, but there's one group trying to help out, giving young people new opportunities.
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COLLINS: Unemployment in the United States stands at almost nine percent. Now imagine if that was twice that high. It almost is among young people. A new group, though, is trying to change all that.
Our Josh Levs is checking it out, and joining us now to talk more about it. Yes, it's really hurting some of these people. We've done a lot of stories on college graduates and so forth on the CNN NEWSROOM.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Remember, we talked about this the other day. How incredibly few college grads are getting jobs now? And it's not just the college grads. It's the young people in general. Some young people can't afford college right now, need to work to help their families. They're in the workforce. They can't get jobs. This is the site right here.
80millionstrong -- 80millionstrong.org, and here to tell us about it is the co-chair of this group, 80 Million Strong, Matthew Segal. He's joining us right now.
Matthew with us.
Hi, there.
MATTHEW SEGAL, CO-CHAIR, 80 MILLIONSTRONG.ORG: Good morning.
LEVS: You can hear me, right?
SEGAL: Hi.
LEVS: Yes, yes. Good.
SEGAL: Yes, I can.
LEVS: All right, great. So talk to me a little bit. First of all, why 80 million? What's that number about, and what's your group doing?
SEGAL: Well, 80 million is significant for the 80 million members of the millennial generation born roughly after the year 1980. We are three million larger in numbers than the baby boomer generation at 77 million. And the purpose of our coalition is to convene a grouping of some of the largest youth organizations in the country to come together and propose solutions towards the youth unemployment crisis. And to do this, we'll convene a summit in July where we can create legislation.
LEVS: But I know you're focusing really on legislative efforts. Let's go to a graphic here, because I was really interested in a few points that your group points out. We were just talking about the unemployment there. Check this out.
Undergrad average debt coming out of college, $27,000. So, you know, young people already burdened this way. And then you also point out that a lot of young people have been targets for predatory lenders. Now, some people say it's been irresponsible young people. But you can say that about people any age. And you have seen that that's a big problem for people your age, right?
SEGAL: Well, for one, young people, even prior to college, are targeted by credit card companies to basically put everything on credit. And this is not a matter of irresponsible spending. I mean, if you look at the $2,000 in credit card debt that young people average by the age of 24, a great deal of that is for things like textbooks, for room and board for college, heck, even groceries are a large cost of the debt. So, these are not superfluous shopping sprees that young people are spending irresponsibly. LEVS: Yes. I mean, there are some, but it's true. The statistics back you up on that. A lot of young people trying to make it through school and end up building up debt along the way. Plus, student loan programs are falling apart.
All right. You're group has put together a series of goals. We're going to bring them in this thing called side panels here. What I want to do is talk to you this four major goals that you have. We're going to start off with this first one. You want Congress, you want lawmakers to bring in support for young entrepreneurs. How can Congress do that?
SEGAL: Well, we have this small business administration and we can apply that successful model of, a, freeing the flow of credit for young entrepreneurs, providing tax breaks and lower interest rates on the loans they take out to start young companies.
I mean, ultimately, if we're going to pull ourselves out of this recession, we need to invest in young companies and young ideas, and we need to have a legislative environment that's receptive to freeing credit and giving young people some incentives to innovate.
LEVS: It is so interesting. Let's bank through the next two goals here. The second one here is debt deferral. Now, we were just talking about the debt and the challenge there.
But let's go to the third one, because I find this really interesting. You want lawmakers to help create basically laws and fund programs that would tap young talents.
What are the young talents that are not being tapped today by stimulus funding?
SEGAL: Well, the stimulus funding did create a lot of the shovel-ready jobs, which are quite important, though a lot of these jobs are the same construction jobs that have been around since the new deal. But we think there are mission-critical areas like cyber security, defense jobs, green jobs, jobs to innovate our health care industry which are really forward-looking careers that our government can create more of vocational training at community college for so that we can immerse more young people into crucial fields to innovate and really tap our generation's technological savvy and so forth.
LEVS: And we hear from lawmakers all the time and from the presidency about the concern about cyber security. Last goal here I want to point to -- paid internship. This is interesting, because unpaid internships can kind of reinforce an economic status quo. The kids who get them are the kids whose parents can pay for them to have them while they're there. You want paid internships to give more kids a chance, right?
SEGAL: This is an absolutely critical issue for us. I mean, we have a mentality in this government where only some of the most privileged demographics of young Americans can afford to take unpaid internships where their parents help subsidize their living, their food, their transportation costs, but we need to immerse different perspectives. People from different communities in these jobs which will give them the practical criteria they need on their resumes to be more competitive when entering the workforce. So we want to get federal grant money towards unpaid internships at the federal, local and city level.
LEVS: All right. I find this fascinating. Really quickly, I want to show a quick clip of a video that you have posted on your Web site here, because what you're trying to do is highlight some organizations that are run by young people. Take a look here.
OK, we don't have the sound here. That's OK. Basically, you're showing a name of the group here called The Intersect Fund, which is created by young people to try to get young people working for each other.
So part of what your site does is not just say, hey, Congress, pay attention to us. You're also trying to highlight programs out there by young, clever entrepreneurs that will build jobs and help the community, right?
SEGAL: Exactly. And this is a lot about a public-private partnership like Obama talks about. And it's absolutely crucial that we recognize that young people have an entrepreneurial and socially conscious spirit, and we need to cultivate that more and get more young people involved in creating their own job opportunities as well.
LEVS: Yes. I'll tell you, and I'm fascinated by this. I'm learning a lot from you. I'm learned a lot from your Web site, 80millionstrong.
We want to hear from you out there. Let's go to this wall screen. We'll show everyone how you can weigh in.
We got the Heidi blog, which I'm going to show in a second. You got my Facebook page -- facebook.com/joshlevscnn, twitter.com/joshlevscnn.
In fact, Matthew is helping me learn a little bit more about how to use those better.
And up at Heidi's page right here behind me. You can see we posted this just a few minutes ago. We're calling it "The Young and The Jobless." Here I am. We're calling "The Young and The Jobless." We want to hear from you.
So, Matthew, we're going to follow some of these stories that we get.
And, Heidi, I'll tell you, you know, we've already been hearing some moving stories from people. We're going to keep sharing them here on the air. It's a key part on what's going on in our economy now.
COLLINS: Yes. Yes. No question about it. All right, Josh. I'm really looking forward to our next segment, too. It's incredibly very serious.
LEVS: Oh, boy. Next hour.
COLLINS: "American Idol."
Game on, buddy. We're going to talk about that.
LEVS: Heidi and I are debating the marriage of (INAUDIBLE).
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: All right.
LEVS: (INAUDIBLE)
COLLINS: Very good. Nice interview. Thank you.
LEVS: Thanks.
COLLINS: She's no missing link, but she may be a big clue in man's earliest roots. We'll take you to an unusual coming out party in New York.
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COLLINS: It's a program you can join at many colleges, except one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. CNN's Carol Costello looks at Harvard's ROTC ban.
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CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Almost 40 years have gone by. Four decades since students passionately and sometimes violently protested the Vietnam War. It was no different at Harvard. Protesters torched an ROTC classroom and got what they wanted.
ROTC, then considered a symbol of American imperialism was booted off campus. Today, the ROTC is still banned at Harvard, but for a different reason. Now it's the military's don't ask, don't tell policy. The student handbook says it's inconsistent with Harvard's values as stated in its policy on discrimination. However, well- intentioned that policy may be, some ROTC students say it's time Harvard let go of the past.
JOE KRISTOL, HARVARD ROTC CADET: Be able to recognize and support ROTC on the one hand, on the other hand do whatever they want to protest policies that they might not agree with, but not to punish the students and use them as their tool to make that political statement.
COSTELLO: These students want to use their Harvard education to serve not in America's board rooms but on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. But because of Harvard's ROTC ban, they have to train at nearby MIT And while MIT doesn't blink an eye at a student in uniform, Harvard sometimes does.
SHAWNA SINNOTT, HARVARD ROTC CADET: I walk into the classroom in uniform, and the professor looked at me and said, what are you? Not like who are you? What are you doing? What this is about? But, like, what are you? And that was really shocking for me.
COSTELLO (on camera): So you felt comfortable in the classroom that point forward?
SINNOTT: So of. It was a pretty confrontational class.
COSTELLO (voice-over): Shawna Sinnott does say increasingly Harvard students support her choice, but not all.
MARCO CHAN, HARVARD COLLEGE QUEER STUDENTS & ALLIES: What's not often covered is the fact that queer students don't have that choice at all. There's not a choice of, oh, I guess I'll be inconvenience and participate in this program. They simply can't.
COSTELLO: The ROTC says recruits cannot comment on military policy but on the subject of why it's so important for schools like Harvard to embraced ROTC.
CHRISTI MORRISSEY, HARVARD ROTC CADET: As Thucydides once said, "The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools."
COSTELLO (on camera): Members of Harvard's faculty who could vote to lift the ROTC ban would not comment. Although, the university's president told ROTC students at last year's commissioning ceremony, I believe that every Harvard student should have the opportunity to serve in the military as those honored in the past have done.
Carol Costello, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: We have a whole lot going on this morning. And CNN crews are working hard to bring it to you. Let's go ahead and check in now beginning with Suzanne Malveaux at the White House.
Hi, Susan.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, President Obama within minutes is going to be meeting with an advisory board, outside advisory board to check in and see how he is dealing with this economic crisis. Some heavy hitters include the former Fed Chair Paul Volcker, as well as representatives from GE, Caterpillar, and Harvard. I'll have much more of that at the top of the hour.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano on the CNN severe weather center. Record-breaking, high temperatures across the Midwest. And Florida, well, it feels like hurricane season already. We'll have those details at the top of the hour.
LISOVICZ: And I'm Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange, where stocks are rising amid the economic updates we're getting from those heavy hitters. But over in the Golden State, the outlook is losing its luster. Californians rejected new budget proposals. Heidi, I'll have details on what's next for our most populous state in the next hour.
COLLINS: OK. Very good. Thanks, everybody. Appreciate that.
Coming up next, though, a story you have to see to believe. A quick-thinking doc reaches in to the tool box to save this boy's life.
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COLLINS: She's 47 million years old and an overnight star. Some say the capsized fossil may be a link to man's earliest roots.
CNN's Richard Roth gives us a closer look.
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RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Could the so-called "missing link" be behind the curtain? Behold the 47- million-year-old primate fossil.
JORN HURUM, UNIVERSITY OF OSLO: This is the most complete primate fossil before human burial.
ROTH: These paleontologists believe the primate is a gateway to discovering everything about human evolution. They found human-like nails, not claws, plus toes and teeth.
INGA BOSTAD, UNIV. OF OHIO: I remember from my school days the discussion about the search for a missing link.
ROTH: The female primate is believed to have drowned in a crater lake and was discovered in a shale mine outside of Frankfurt, Germany in 1983. It all makes for a very good TV show, doesn't it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The story of a little girl who connects possibly to every person on this planet.
ROTH: Unknown to the primate named Eda, numerous TV and book deals were signed. The History Channel special is called "The Link," but is it really the missing link of evolution?
HURUN: It's really, really hard to pinpoint exactly who gave rise to humans at that point, but this is as good as it gets, really.
ROTH: The scientists call the primate one of the ancestors of all of us.
JENS FRANZEN, SENCKENBURG INSTITUTE: We are not dealing with our grand, grand, grand, grandmother, but perhaps with our grand, grand, grand aunt.
(LAUGHTER)
ROTH: Eda the primate will be on display at the Museum of Natural History. Mayor Michael Bloomberg got the first look.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: This is what Darwin was looking for, and it just reconfirms the basic concept of Darwin. ROTH: They may not have the missing link, but the investigators hope the hoopla over the primate in a mine will lead to a gold mine of interest in science.
Richard Roth, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Wow.
Here are some of the other stories that we're watching right now. The U.S. military says recent civilian deaths in Afghanistan were most likely accidental. A new report released today said air strikes earlier this month in southwestern Afghanistan killed 65 Taliban fighters and as many as 30 civilians. One Afghan official earlier claimed those U.S. air strikes killed 95 children. The U.S. military had accused Taliban fighters of using civilians as human shields.
Iran says it has successfully test fired a long-range missile. They claimed it can travel 1,200 miles, which puts Israel and parts of Europe in rage. Iran successfully test fired a similar surface-to- surface missile last year.
New Hampshire lawmakers scheduled to vote today on legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage. They are considering three separate bills today. If they all pass, the governor could sign it into law as early as this afternoon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like to tell them that, you know, come back and be safe and be a family again. That's what I'd like to tell them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: A father pleads, a mother runs and the life of their son may hang in the balance.
Police across the country are on the lookout for a missing mother and son. They're at the center of a court case that could force the boy to take chemotherapy in order to save his life. They vanished from their Minnesota after x-rays showed the boy's cancerous tumor had grown.
CNN's Randi Kaye has the rest of the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Take a good look at this boy. His name is Daniel Hauser. At just 13 years old, he's on the run. Running from court order treatment for his cancer. If the law doesn't find him soon, he could die.
