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American Morning
23 Killed, Hundreds Injured in Pakistan Suicide Blast; North Korea Threatens U.S. if Future Interferences With Shipping Occur; Fight Over Confirmation of Supreme Court Nominee; Same-Sex Marriage Ban; Companies Flooded with Resumes from New Grads
Aired May 27, 2009 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning once again to you. It is 8:00 here in New York on this Wednesday, May 27th, I'm Kiran Chetry.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you all, I'm T.J. Holmes.
CHETRY: And we start once again with breaking news this morning. We're going to be breaking down stories for you in the next 15 minutes.
Pakistan right now, dealing with an attack that took place. Police targeted there. At least 23 people killed after an apparent suicide blast in the northeastern city of Lahore. Officials called the attacks well-coordinated, reducing the police building with hundreds inside to rubble. More than 250 people were injured.
North Korea threatening war this morning, after South Korea joined U.S.-led efforts to crack down on the trafficking of weapons of mass destruction. Also reports, North Korea's main nuclear plant, may be operating again.
President Obama going all-out for fast confirmation of his Supreme Court nominee, just a day after making that historic selection.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And today I nominated a brilliant individual to serve on the United States Supreme Court, Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: We're going to be taking a look at how conservative Republicans are gearing up, whether or not they're even gearing up for a confirmation fight.
And also we begin the hour with the breaking news out of Pakistan. This was a well-coordinated attack, officials are saying in Lahore. One of the deadliest in the country this year. Officials say that 23 people are dead, after gunmen pack a van with explosives. They leveled a police building that had about 200 people inside.
We turn to our global resources right now, and bring in Reza Sayah live in Islamabad.
Tell us the latest, and who police think is behind this attack, Reza?
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Look, Kiran, police say it's too early to tell who was involved in this attack and no one has claimed responsibility. But a few hours ago, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik in a live television interview said in recent weeks, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud, issued a general threat saying if the Pakistani military does not stop its military offensive against the Taliban in the Swat Regions, the Taliban or the militants will attack a major city. A large Pakistani city. And certainly, no city with the exception of Karachi is bigger in Pakistan than Lahore.
This was a deadly attack targeting the heart of the security apparatus in Lahore. The weapon? A large passenger van packed with 100 kilograms of explosives. This was indeed a suicide attack. It's not clear what this suicide attack was targeting. We know this van wanted to penetrate a compound that housed a lot of sensitive buildings. Government buildings, the offices of the ISA, Pakistan's intelligence agency, police headquarters.
When the van approached the initial barrier, according to police officials, three men jumped out. Two of them with guns started firing. One of them lobbed a grenade. In that initial confusion, they past the initial barrier, then came the large explosion that brought down the two-story emergency response headquarters.
The death toll now stands at 24. More than 250 people injured. Kiran, police officials say three people are in custody. In Pakistani local television show would appear to be two of them being led away by police - Kiran.
CHETRY: Wow. All right. Reza Sayah for us this morning in Islamabad. Thank you.
HOLMES: And developing news out of North Korea. The rogue nation threatening military action if the U.S. or any of its allies trying to stop or search any of its ships. A South Korean newspaper also reports U.S. spy satellites have caught steam rising from a North Korean nuclear plant.
CNN's Barbara Starr live for us at the Pentagon.
What do we know about this nuclear plant? Anything confirmable just yet?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, T.J., not yet. This is all very interesting. We've talked to several administration and U.S. officials over the last several hours, even overnight. No one saying that there is confirmed U.S. intelligence that the plant, the plutonium reprocessing plant at Yongbyon has been restarted. That, of course, would be a matter of great concern to the United States.
And it's probably doubtful. Just logic would dictate, it hasn't been fully restarted, if at all. Because, of course, we saw the pictures a few months ago of the cooling tower being destroyed. And it would be a real question about whether or not that has been secretly rebuilt.
All of that said, certainly, U.S. Intelligence looking at this area again now that the press reports are out, looking at it all the time to try and determine what the North Koreans are up to. And, fundamentally, that's question this week.
With all of the rhetoric, with all of the developments we have seen, can anybody make even a good guess about what Pyongyang is up to? And U.S. officials say they really don't know. This might be about the succession crisis in North Korea. It might be about trying to get more international aid from the U.N., trying to deal with the six-party talks to restrict North Korea's nuclear program. It's an extremely paranoid regime there, and no one has very good insight about what they really up to -- T.J.
HOLMES: That's the million-dollar question. Barbara Starr for us from the Pentagon. Thank you so much this morning.
STARR: Sure.
CHETRY: President Obama is making a big push for fast confirmation of his Supreme Court nominee, Federal Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Republicans, though, are taking a go-slow approach. The battle lines are being drawn.
CNN's Jim Acosta is following it for us. And, you know, this is what we see happen whenever the president makes a Supreme Court nominee, the opposition party says, hold on a second, hold on a second. This is our one chance to review the record of a person who has to get a lifetime appointment. But it seems that there are some unusual risks for Republicans with this particular pick in general, Jim.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And cultural conservatives are already weighing in, Kiran. Rush Limbaugh has called her a reversed racist. Pat Buchanan has called her an affirmative action pick. And this is why RNC Chairman Michael Steele is saying, be careful about this, we could alienate Hispanic voters.
And Judge Sonia Sotomayor sort of a big fan of the classic legal drama "Perry Mason." And that's a good thing, because she's about to be put on trial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JUDGE SONIA SOTOMAYOR, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: I strive never to forget the real world consequences of my decisions on individuals, businesses, and governments. ACOSTA (voice-over): The case before the court of public opinion: Sonia Sotomayor, President Obama's pick for the Supreme Court. Conservatives are already preparing their briefs.
WENDY LONG, JUDICIAL CONFIRMATION NETWORK: What we've seen since she's gotten on the bench is that she is very much a liberal judicial activist.
ACOSTA: Exhibit A, according to conservatives, is this 2005 panel discussion at Duke University, where Judge Sotomayor was extolling the virtues of sitting on the appellate court.
SOTOMAYOR: The Court of Appeals is where policy is made. And I know, and I know this is on tape, and I should never say that, because we don't make law. I know.
ACOSTA: Sotomayor's critics say that's judicial activism, in other words, legislating from the bench.
For exhibit B, conservatives refer back to 2001, when Sotomayor told a symposium at Berkeley, "I wonder whether by ignoring our differences as women or men of color, we do a disservice both to the law and society."
Which takes conservatives to their exhibit C, Sotomayor sided with an appellate court decision against a group of mostly white firefighters who say the City of New Haven, Connecticut, discriminated against them when it came to promotions.
Add it all up, and it's case closed for Rush Limbaugh, who's sounding a familiar battle cry.
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Do I want her to fail? Yes. Do I want her to fail to get on the court? Yes. She'd be a disaster on the court.
ACOSTA: Objection, says the White House. Sotomayor's defenders say the judge has made other statements and rulings that show she is no ideologue.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: She is a rule of law person above all. And let me say, I think this nomination process is going to be more a test of the Republican Party than of Judge Sotomayor.
ACOSTA: The president points to Sotomayor's ruling that ended a baseball strike in 1995.
OBAMA: Judge Sotomayor saved baseball.
(LAUGHTER)
(APPLAUSE)
TOM GOLDSTEIN, SCOTUS BLOG: It's a very balanced record. Conservatives are going to call her an activist just the way liberal groups called the last nominees activists. It's just what they do. But I think the record doesn't bear it out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: Republicans have had a chance to weigh in on Judge Sotomayor in the past. Back in 1998, several GOP senators voted in favor of elevating Sotomayor to the Court of Appeals. Her nomination had been held up for a year. The reason? Some conservatives feared she would make it to the Supreme Court one day.
And, Kiran, she is on that road right now.
CHETRY: You know, it's interesting, though, because the loudest voice of dissent you had that's been out there is Rush Limbaugh who's not...
ACOSTA: Right.
CHETRY: ... he's a radio talk show host. He's not one of sitting senators.
We talked Republican Jeff Sessions of Alabama, who is the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee. And he had a much more measured, you know, approach to this, saying, that, you know, they're just going to listen and they're going to ask her questions, and they're going to want to find out a lot about her, but they're not really seeming to come down as harsh as, let's say, Rush.
ACOSTA: Well, there are some in Washington who say the RNC stands for Rush, Newt, Cheney. And because of that, there are Republicans out there who are saying, hold on a second. These are voices from the party's past. And perhaps we should be a little bit more forward-thinking on this, which is why you hear people, like Jeff Sessions, who is taking a more judicious view on this.
And the votes, really, just aren't there for the Republicans. And so, they are being careful about this. And I think that's why we are hearing that from Michael Steele that -- is this worth having a fight over if we can't take her down in the process.
CHETRY: All right. And we're going to be talking more about it with our political pundits coming up, Ed Rollins and James Carville, in about 20 minutes.
Thanks so much, Jim.
ACOSTA: You bet.
HOLMES: And also new this morning, Kiran, you got to hear this one. You know, Guinness has a world record for just about everything out there. Well, they've just named a man, um, the world record holder for filing the most lawsuits in his life.
So what did he do after he got that bestowed upon him? He sued the "Guinness Book of World Records." His name is Jonathan Lee Riches. He has sued George W. Bush. He sued Britney Spears. He sued Adolf Hitler. Maybe had a beef with Adolph, possibly. He also sued Google, the Queen of England. He sued CNN once before. He's currently serving time for wire fraud right now.
In his new lawsuit, he claims he faces imminent danger and bodily harm because of the publisher's plan to tell his story and name him the world's most litigious person.
So I just know I'm going to get sued for doing that story.
CHETRY: I know. Well, his last name is Riches. He must have a lot of money to keep filing those lawsuits.
HOLMES: Not enough to get himself out of jail right now.
All right. Well, coming up, California's high court upholds a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, but the fight is far from over. We'll ask former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown what's next.
Also we're breaking down the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor. CNN analyst Ed Rollins and James Carville on the confirmation challenge ahead.
It's 11 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
We're coming up on 14 minutes past the hour right now.
Iran is lifting its block on Facebook. Tehran restricted access to the social networking site last week prompting accusations the government was trying to muzzle the opposition ahead of a June 12th election. The main pro-reform candidate is hoping for a strong turnout from young voters and has used Facebook to reach out to them.
Well, it seems everyone is tweeting these days, even Elizabeth Taylor. The actress just got out of a Los Angeles hospital, and told fans she's feeling great with a post on her Twitter page. The 77- year-old screen legend opened her Twitter account earlier this year as DameElizabeth.
And Twitter's top twitterer may not be tweeting much longer. Ashton Kutcher is upset by reports that Twitter may be partnering on a new TV show and that puts ordinary people on the trail of celebrities in a competitive format. Kutcher says he fears it will lead to stalking, and that he may just have to stop posting to his 2 million Twitter followers -- T.J.
HOLMES: Also this morning, supporters of gay rights are promising to fight for same-sex marriage after the California Supreme Court upheld Prop 8. Protest rallies from coast-to-coast stretch late into the night yesterday. The court did, however, approve the validity of some 18,000 marriages celebrated before the November vote. This is one of the most popular stories we're seeing on CNN.com.
And joining me right now for reaction is former San Francisco mayor and columnist for "The San Francisco Chronicle," Mayor Willie Brown.
Mr. Mayor, thank you for being here.
Sir, I will ask you initially, just what is your reaction to what the court did yesterday?
WILLIE BROWN, FORMER SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR: Well, I think the court made a mistake, frankly, because it invited additional litigation. There's no way you can place 18,000 people in one spot, and then say to anybody else coming along, you're not entitled to it.
HOLMES: Well, in the majority of opinion, Justice Ronald George Rhodes. We're going to put up on our screen for our viewers and let you hear it as well. "Prop 8 does not entirely repeal or abrogate the aspect of a same-sex couple, state, constitutional right of privacy and due process. Instead, the measure carves out a narrow and limited exception to the state constitutional rights reserving the official designation of the term marriage for the union of opposite sex couples."
Essentially here he's saying you can restrict marriage without affecting a same-sex couple's fundamental constitutional rights.
Do you buy that?
BROWN: I buy that completely except that he should have continued by saying, if the issue was whether or not this matter is constitutional vis-a-vis the U.S. constitution, then there may be a different ruling.
And as a matter of fact, T.J., a group of lawyers representing two separate county entities showed up on Friday of last week before this decision and filed and challenged the whole question of whether or not the federal government and the 14th Amendment is the place we ought to be on this issue. And if they win, it's applicable to the whole nation.
HOLMES: Well, sir, are we here at a point? Because it doesn't seem like there is any end. Well, there is talk now of another ballot initiative to go against Prop 8. And I'm sure if that one happened to pass, then those who were for Prop 8 will come back and have another ballot initiative. They will be tied up in the courts.
Do we just need the Supreme Court to settle this? Are we just going to have a back and forth in the courts until the Supreme Court steps in?
BROWN: I think we need the U.S. Supreme Court, the federal system, to make this decision. So you don't have the question of full faith and credit in one state, not applicable in the next state. Who knows how those 18,000 people will now be treated when they go to a different state that doesn't have an approval of same-sex marriage.
But when Olsen who worked -- Theodore Olson who worked for Mr. Bush and who was in that operation, and when David Boies, the man who represented al Gore get together as lawyers and filed a lawsuit, that means that the left and the right have gotten together. And they'll be before the federal court under the equal protection clause, and that's the real story coming out of this Prop 8 matter.
HOLMES: And maybe one final here for you. I know you didn't like how the court ruled, but also I guess those 18,000 companies -- excuse me, companies. Excuse me, couples, who were allowed to remain married, and their marriages are still valid, would you have preferred if the court was definitive one way or another?
There seems to be some kind of a split ruling where Prop 8 stands, but still these 18,000 marriages stand as well.
BROWN: Well, there's no question. The court was absolutely right when they said, the marriages which have taken place, they took place with our blessings, because we have previously said same-sex marriage was in fact legal. And there was no Prop 8.
When Prop 8 passed, now the court has said that may be a change in the law. Only as it relates to the State of California and our own city attorney, Dennis Herrera, in his efforts to represent the best interest of the people of San Francisco challenge the court. The court ruled only on the basis of the state constitution, not to the U.S. constitution. And so now the new challenge by these two incredible lawyers from a different perspective, politically, may very well change the nature of same-sex marriage nationwide.
HOLMES: Well, the debate and the protest and the lawsuits will continue. Mayor Willie Brown, we appreciate you getting up early for us out there in San Francisco.
Good to see you, sir. You have a good one.
BROWN: Thank you.
HOLMES: And you don't want to miss, today, 5:00 Eastern, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger answering your questions about the state Supreme Court's ruling on the same-sex marriage. That will be live online. Just head to CNN.com/live - Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Well, it's been a challenge facing educators for years. How to level the playing field for kids in poor neighborhoods? Ahead, an extraordinary new program in New York City that's closing the education gap and giving children a chance to compete.
Plus, it's a case of too many graduates, not enough jobs. So if you're a corporate recruiter with a desk covered with resumes, how do you know who to hire?
Twenty minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Here you go. There's a shot of Atlanta. We wanted to show it to T.J. since he's not going to be there in person today judging from the weather. He was scheduled to head back, but scattered thunderstorms are messing up the Hartsfield Airport. It's going to be 79 but rainy.
So it looks like you're staying in the big apple. Get comfortable over there.
Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
More than one million young Americans can now call themselves college graduates. The problem, though, is that there's too many of them and not enough jobs right now, and it's leaving employers flooded with resumes. Senior correspondent Allan Chernoff has today's "Life after Graduation" report.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: T.J., Kiran, employers who are able to say "you're hired now" are able to pick from a great pool of talent and improve the strength of their bench.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF (voice over): The real world, as college students call life beyond campus, has rarely been less than biting for graduating seniors. 1.1 million of them are entering the labor force when jobs are scarce. So for companies that are hiring, it's an employer's market.
DAN BLACK, DIRECTOR OF CAMPUS RECRUITING, ERNST & YOUNG: There are a lot more applicants and a lot fewer jobs. So just doing the math, as an accountant, it has been very difficult for students graduating this year.
CHERNOFF: Ernst & Young, one of Fortune's Best 100 Companies to Work For, has had its share of layoffs over the past year. But now, the accountant and consulting firm is hiring 2,700 graduates worldwide. Competition is stiff. After recruiting on college campuses, Ernst & Young granted more than 6,000 interviews for the entry-level slots.
Joe Mancari nailed his interview and is now one of the company's new accounting hires. Joe landed job offers from all of the big four accounting firms before graduating from Villanova. Yet, accounting wasn't his first choice. He had planned to work on Wall Street. But correctly anticipating trouble in finance, Joe decided to turn his plan B into plan A.
JOE MANCARI, 2009 GRADUATE: I knew that I needed a backup plan in case finance didn't work out.
CHERNOFF: Flexibility is critical for job hunters today. Recruiters say students need to expand their job search beyond their dream company or even dream industry, and they need to be proactive. Meaning, network as much as possible. Online networking is now part of the job hunting game.
Ernst & Young attracts applicants on its Facebook page, but job hunters need to make sure their Internet presence is professional. More than 1 out of 5 companies will do a search online to see if you posted pictures of yourself drunk at a frat party beer bash. Upheaval in the economy is creating opportunity. Even as the unemployment rate keeps rising, companies are hiring. It just takes more effort to find and land those jobs.
GARY GOLDSTEIN, RECRUITER, WHITNEY GROUP: The deck is being reshuffled. And I think there are a lot of new players, all of whom are looking for talented people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: Joe begins his job in September, but he's not planning a summer a summer of pure relaxation. He'll be studying for the CPA exams. That's the type of extra effort that you have to make in this economy and the type of dedication that companies expect these days - T.J., Kiran.
CHETRY: Allan Chernoff for us, thanks.
Tomorrow in our "Life after Graduation" series, there's been a huge spike in interest for the program "Teach for America." The program takes some of the top college grads, seniors, sends them to teach for two years in some of the country's poorest school districts. Why all the interest now in the program? Well, we're going to talk more about it tomorrow here on the Most News in the Morning.
HOLMES: And President Obama callings on the Senate to fast track the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, but is that a realistic request? Two of the best political minds on TV, Ed Rollins and James Carville, break down the process she's about to face.
It's 26 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Good morning, everybody. Coming up at the bottom of the hour, we're here.
We're tracking breaking news out of Pakistan. Gunmen launching a ruthless attack on police there. At least 23 people are dead after an apparent suicide blast in the northeastern city of Lahore. Officials say the attack was well coordinated and reduced a police building with hundreds inside to rubble. About 250 people also said to be wounded in this attack.
Also, we're watching new developments out of North Korea. The communist regime threatening war and throwing out the truce that ended the Korean War after South Korea joined the U.S. efforts to limit WMD trafficking. Also reports that U.S. spy satellites have detected steam coming from the North's main nuclear site. U.S. officials have yet to confirm those reports.
Also an FBI wiretap transcript could spell some trouble for Illinois Senator Roland Burris. It reveals Burris promising to, quote, "personally do something," end quote, for Rob Blagojevich's campaign. The taped discussion with Blagojevich's brother came while Rod Blagojevich was still governor of that state, but before Burris was tapped to fill President Obama's old Senate seat. Burris claims he never discussed the seat with Blagojevich or any of his representatives - Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Well, in just a few months, Sonia Sotomayor could become the first Hispanic to sit on the Supreme Court, but first her nomination now has to clear the Senate. So, we want to look at how that confirmation process may go, we bring in our political panel.
We have James Carville with us, CNN contributor and Democratic strategist. Also Ed Rollins, CNN senior political analyst and Republican strategist.
Thanks to both of you for being with us this morning.
So, James, let me start with you. You certainly praised and a lot of people have, President Obama's selection of Sonia Sotomayor. It's very interesting. A lot of people are saying that she could have the side benefit, besides being qualified and the being the first Hispanic, of causing a little bit of a divide in the Republican Party, if they choose to go after her.
JAMES CARVILLE, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Yes, I mean, Ed and I were talking in the green room and so far the people who are going after the Rush Limbaughs and the Ann Coulters of the world have been very cautious that people have to actually go out and get votes, who have been very cautious about what they're saying. We'll have to see how this plays out.
But I do think that they have some trepidation about getting in the middle of this fight. But we'll see how far they get pushed by the talk radio crowd.
CHETRY: How delicate of a balance will this be? The former Bush adviser called this, if we go after it, we'll be hurling ourselves off a cliffy, opposing Sotomayor, what do you think?
ED ROLLINS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, I think that you have to be very careful about it. She has a very compelling story. Obviously an extraordinary woman who overcame a great deal in her life. She's been on the bench for a long period of time.
You know, I think to a certain extent, you have to remember when Scalia, who was, obviously, a very controversial judge today, but when he was confirmed, first Italian-American, the vote was 98-zip. He sailed through and I think to a certain extent there are 11 senators who voted against her who are still in the Senate. They may again feel compelled to do that but I doubt very seriously it'll go any higher than that.
CHETRY: There are others who say that if they sidestep a court battle over this that they risk alienating the base and losing some fund-raising donations.
CARVILLE: They do and as a lot of people in the race that are demanding a fight here and it's, you know, certainly some of the republicans are going to accommodate the base. How many of them do? I don't know. And, look, who knows, if things happen in these things that we don't know about, maybe somebody finds something or something is said that causes more of a brouhaha. But right now certainly most people say that she's probably on the road to being confirmed.
ROLLINS: And she's replacing Souter who is the invisible judge that everybody thought was going to be a conservative, who has never given a conservative vote in the 19 years that he's been there. So it's not like a fifth vote or even an add-on.
CARVILLE: It's like if Justice Kennedy retired, it probably would be a little bit more..
ROLLINS: Yes. I think it might be.
CARVILLE: Right.
CHETRY: I want to ask you this because I still remember back to Alito nomination. I mean the, quote, nuclear option. I mean, it caused a big ruckus in the senate. Democrats lined up against Roberts and Alito and then senators Obama and Biden voted against Roberts and Alito and went so far as join the attempted filibuster of Alito's nomination. So this call for a speedy - a speedy confirmation process. Does that ring a little bit hollow with this session?
CARVILLE: Right. Well, you know, look, everybody says that we want a speedy. And the republicans said that we demand up and down vote (inaudible) maybe we will filibuster. The truth of the matter is it will probably come out. I am sure she'll probably have 25, 30 republican votes against her. The question is do you go through the motions and then vote on it, or do you try do something more than go through the motions? I think it'll go through the motions.
ROLLINS: And I think that they'll treat it with great respect. In the case of both Roberts and Alito who were extraordinary talented men who are going to be long term drivers of the agenda and I think to a certain extent she's going to be on the court for a long period of time too. So I think that she'll be questioned pretty accurately and thoroughly about her views.
CHETRY: In the end as we've talked about, it's Rush Limbaugh that we're hearing from, calling her a reverse racist. A hack. But also acknowledging that the odds are long. That this confirmation will be stopped. Is that helpful to the republican party?
ROLLINS: Well, you know, he'll spend 60 days basically hammering away and at the end of the day it's all part of what's going on with the party. We're sort of pushing and shoving each other. It always happens sometimes when you have lost a couple of elections. At end of the day, people who get elected look at things differently than people who are on the outside and get (inaudible).
CHETRY: Speaking of pushing and shoving, you had a big debate last night at Radio City Music Hall. James Carville versus Karl Rove. We heard that it was worth people's money. CARVILLE: I hope so. I hope so. It was contentious at times. Less times it was less than contentious. Tonight in Boston and I think the next night in Chicago and unfortunately I had to miss my daughter's eighth grade graduation. I had no idea. This is a really big thing. I am paying a heck of a price back home for missing this.
CHETRY: So you'd rather go up against Karl Rove than disappoint eighth grade children?
CARVILLE: No but I think - yes, but, but, but daughter she has done very well this year and I'm very proud of her and I am missing her eighth grade graduation...
ROLLINS: Well, buy her a new car.
CHETRY: You owe her one.
CARVILLE: Yes, I owe her.
CHETRY: All right. James Carville and Ed Rollins, great to see both of you as always.
CARVILLE: Thank you.
ROLLINS: Thank you.
CHETRY: Thanks so much -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. And President Obama will make a stop in Beverly Hills later today for a pair of DNC fundraisers. Last night, just hours after naming his Supreme Court nominee, the president put on his "fundraiser in chief" hat at a Las Vegas event for Senate Majority leader Harry Reid. The president drew some laughs when he compared this Vegas visit to his last trip there which was as a candidate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: It's good to be back in Vegas. I was telling people, I am back at Caesars. That was the hotel where we stayed at when we were campaigning here in Nevada and I thought I had a pretty nice room. But - but now that I'm president, they upgraded me. I got the upgrade. It's a really nice room now - man!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, nothing like the presidential suite. The top tickets for the fundraiser, which featured performances by Bette Midler and Sheryl Crowe went for nearly $30,000.
It's always been a fact of life in this country, kids from poor neighborhoods getting short changed when it comes to education. Now a new program in New York is reversing that trend. Now, they're managing to level the playing field.
It's 36 minutes past the hour. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Thirty-nine minutes past the hour. Some of the top videos right now on CNN.com.
A British toddler wakes up from a coma singing Abba. That's right, meningitis left three-year-old Leila in a coma with little chance for survival, but five days later much to the surprise of doctors and her mom, she woke up singing the words from her favorite musical "Mamma Mia!."
Octo-mel, well, Mel Gibson on "The Tonight Show" confirming rumors that his new girlfriend is in fact pregnant. Mel has seven kids with his former wife and now his new baby would make eight.
A suspect leading police on a high-speed chase through Houston. The hood of the car, check that out, flipped onto the windshield. He kept driving. I mean, can't see a thing at this point. The chase lasted more than 20 minutes. He eventually crashes and police were able to box him in and arrest him.
There he goes, T.J.
HOLMES: Genius.
CHETRY: Yes.
HOLMES: Well, some exciting things happening in Harlem, New York. A new program there, is opening eyes and proving it is possible to close the black-white achievement gap in this country. Our Soledad O'Brien now on the reversal of a trend that's far too common in our poor communities. She's live in our beautiful Miami bureau with a preview of the CNN documentary series "Black in America II."
Soledad, hello. We remember "Black in America I" from last year. This one, this time around focusing on the pioneers of today and also the leaders of tomorrow. Looking forward to this one.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, thank you, T.J., thank you very much.
And as you mentioned, educators have really literally spent decades trying to figure out how you close that achievement gap which is the academic performance difference between white and black and brown students. So some people say, well, fix schools. That's one strategy but for kids in poverty that's often not enough.
Another strategy is taking a look at societal change. Good jobs and housing and health care and all of those things. But there's a place in Harlem where they're trying to do both things at once and it's really working.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What number? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 15.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): The children at this Harlem preschool are learning all the skills they'll need to be successful in kindergarten. Reversing a trend so common in poor communities.
GEOFFREY CANADA, FOUNDER AND CEO, HARLEM CHILDREN'S ZONE: Poor children gain language about half the rate of middle-class kids. By the time they're at the end of kindergarten they're already - thousands of words behind it appears.
O'BRIEN: Geoffrey Canada grew up one of those poor kids in the south Bronx. Now he's on a mission, to level the academic playing field for children in Harlem.
CANADA: We think part of the problem in poor communities is we come up with a great program and it work with kids for two years. Guess what? That's not going to be sufficient.
O'BRIEN: So Canada created the Harlem Children's Zone, where kids are surrounded with a series of programs, including baby classes, preschool, charter schools, after-school programs and tutoring for college students.
CANADA: What are you learning about?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Worms.
O'BRIEN (on camera): Ew.
(voice-over): It was hands-on learning when we visited the Promise Academy Charter School in the Harlem Children's Zone.
(on camera): So these are fourth graders.
(voice-over): These fourth graders had been in the zone's pipeline since birth.
CANADA: This particular class is the smartest class, not only at Promise Academy but probably in all of New York state.
O'BRIEN: And he's got the numbers to prove it. Math and English scores, that beat the city and the state averages. And a Harvard study that concludes these students have closed the black-white achievement gap?
OBAMA: When I'm president of the United States of America, the first part of my plan to combat urban poverty will be to replicate the Harlem's Children Zone in 20 cities across the country.
O'BRIEN: Canada says just creating just one program on the same scale as the Harlem Children's Zone will take at least $35 million. A tall order during a tough economy.
CANADA: We think if you look at what the cost is not do this well, you know, these same communities, it's, you know, emergency room. It's special ed. It's jails and incarceration. It just doesn't...
O'BRIEN (on camera): You can either front end it or back end it.
CANADA: That's exactly right. You are going to pay one way or the other. At least you end up with people who give back more money than you ever paid them.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
O'BRIEN: Now President Obama has asked for $10 million in the 2010 budget for what he calls promised neighborhoods, modeled after the Harlem Children's Zone. But as you heard by the back there, T.J., it's really going to require much more money than that. Canada says 60 percent of its funding comes from private sources and if you think about how bad the economy is right now he's really taking a hit. He has had to cut some staff.
So far he says he hasn't had to interrupt any programs that are serving his kids. We're going to talk more about education and some of the strategies that are really working for black America when we do our second part of "Black in America" that is on July 22nd and 23rd. We hope that you watch it.
HOLMES: Yes, of course. And of course, a lot of people will hear that $35 million and think that it's a wonderful investment given what the country is spending so many, many billions on in other ways. Soledad, thank you so much for that. Looking forward to more of those reports. And of course "Black in America II." Enjoy Miami. We'll see you.
Well, of course like she said, need to mention before we go here, July 22nd, 23rd. 8:00 p.m. Eastern. That is when "Black in America II" will premiere. Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Got it. We'll be watching, for sure.
Well, mean while, a key deadline passing for GM. Tens of thousands of workers watching the clock tick. Is bankruptcy now the only option left?
And Prop 8, a ban on same-sex marriage upheld by California's highest court. It has thousands taking to the streets in protests. We're going to examine where this battle may be heading next.
It's 45 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Forty-seven minutes past the hour. We fast forward through the stories that'll be making news later today.
Bankruptcy watch now from the nation's largest automaker. GM bond holders failing to reach a restructuring agreement yesterday. That all but guarantees a bankruptcy filing from the company within days. Today is judgment day for Chrysler as well. With hundreds of its dealerships as well as hundreds of its dealerships at 10:00 a.m. Eastern, a federal bankruptcy court could hand down a ruling on whether the struggling automaker could pull some of its assets out of bankruptcy and sell them to Italy's Fiat. Chrysler filed for bankruptcy April 30th.
Also today, marks the beginning of the 2009 script national spelling bee. 293 spellers. The most the event's ever seen are trying to spell their way to more than $40,000 in cash and prizes. The spelling bee begins at 1:15 p.m. Eastern time.
Meanwhile, we check in with Rob Marciano right now. You know, the funny - you know how hard those words are?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
CHETRY: These kids spend hours and hours studying?
MARCIANO: And yet that one kid last year didn't know how to spell numna or did he spell that correctly?
CHETRY: Know how to spell what?
MARCIANO: It was numna, numna and he misinterpreted it as something else.
Anyway, it was a great highlight.
(WEATHER REPORT)
CHETRY: All right. So numna, that was the word that the guy couldn't spell in the spelling bee. Is it the plural of the sort of -
MARCIANO: It could be. I don't know - I don't think he asks...
CHETRY: A place?
MARCIANO: I'm not sure that he asked to use it in a sentence but they got it cleared up.
CHETRY: All right. I know that you can use it in a sentence. However it would not have the same meaning. All right, Rob, we'll see you tomorrow. Take it easy.
MARCIANO: All right.
CHETRY: T.J.
MARCIANO: You got it.
HOLMES: That's done. I could watch this all morning. All right, stay with us, though. Stay with us at the top of the hour here on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Supporters of same sex marriage have been dealt a setback in California. The state Supreme Court voting to keep the practice ban ahead. The impact on thousands of newly married gay couples and how activists plan to fight back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now, California's highest court has upheld a ban on same-sex marriage but the fight far from over. Opponents of the ruling say it only makes them more determined.
CNN's Ted Rowlands show us where the battle may be heading now.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kiran and T.J., across the state of California, tens of thousands of people took to the streets to protest the court's decision. Even though technically, that decision really wasn't much of a surprise.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTOR: Equal rights.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTOR: What do we want?
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTOR: Now.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Thousands of people in Los Angeles were still on the streets late into the night demanding that same-sex couples be allowed to marry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In a State like California, where it's so diverse and such like an open area, it's a shame that we have these kind of rules.
ROWLANDS: Similar scenes played out across the state. In San Francisco, streets were blocked by protesters joining hands. People also gathered outside the Supreme Court. Chanting their disapproval to the justices after the ruling.
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTOR: Shame on you. Shame on you.
ROWLANDS: The court's decision is the latest change in California's see-saw stance on same-sex marriage. It was ruled legal in May of last year but in November, voters supported Proposition 8, changing the state's constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
This latest ruling upholds Proposition 8 but it also says the estimated 18,000 same-sex marriages already on the books will remain valid. Little consolation says Cynthia Allen and Frances Nicolson who were married last year.
FRANCES NICOLSON, LEGALLY MARRIED TO PARTNER: Is that something to be joyful about? Oh you know, basically you know, you are normal- ish but we won't let anybody else do it like that.
ROWLANDS: 52 percent of the state voted for Prop 8 last November. Some of them were out applauding the court's decision to uphold what they say is the voter's will.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What it's all about is preserving the vote.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS (on camera): Supporters of same-sex marriage say there's two real tracks that they're going to pursue from here. The legal track, which they say will pursue in the courtroom, and then there's the decision of when to bring this back to the California voters. Put it on another ballot for another proposition. They say that could happen as early as 2010 -- T.J., Kiran.
CHETRY: Ted Rowlands for us, thanks. Sonia Sotomayor ready for her close-up. Jeanne Moos watches the judge made her debut on the supreme stage.
It's 55 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Sometimes we time it perfectly with the green light there at Columbus Circle but anyway here's a look at New York City right now, right outside of the Time Warner Center. It's cloudy. It's 54 degrees. It's not getting much better today. Sixty-six and cloudy later on as well.
And welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. So here comes the judging. Everyone seems to have an opinion now on Sonia Sotomayor and the impact that she may have on the supreme court. Well, what a difference a day makes.
CNN's Jeanne Moos was watching closely as the judge made her debut.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Courting Supreme Court style involved handshakes and pats. Handshakes and kisses. Kisses and whispers, advice from the vice president. Don't be nervous, followed moments later by -- and then when she finished her speech - but what isn't a piece of tape is pronouncing her name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Judge Sotomayor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What a moment for Sonia Sotomayor.
DAVID GERGEN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Sonia Sotomayor, we are, you know, we're all can't pronounce her name.
MOOS: Even the president seemed to vary his pronunciation. Judge Sotomayor. Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
MOOS: Not to be confused with that other Sotomayor from Cuba. Perhaps the best high jumper ever.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A new world record for Sotomayor.
MOOS: The supreme authority on pronouncing the Supreme Court nominee's name -
SONIA SOTOMAYOR, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: That person is my mother, Salina Sotomayor.
MOOS: Mrs. Sotomayor was repeatedly applauded.
OBAMA: Sonia's mom has been a little choked up.
SOTOMAYOR: I am all I am because of her and I am only half the woman she is.
MOOS: But tears weren't the only things to get in on eyes. The nominee's hair seemed to lash her eyelashes.
SOTOMAYOR: Violent crimes that devastate our communities, it is a daunting feeling to be here.
MOOS (on camera): Nowhere else will you hear in-depth analysis quite like this. May we introduce you to the umbrella that shielded the latest Supreme Court nominee as she entered the White House and we warn you it has feminine tendencies.
(voice-over): We only caught a glimpse of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, that might be her again.
MOOS: But we managed to track one down, an umbrella featuring female literary luminaries from Jane Austin to Emily Dickinson but it'll take more than poets and authors to protect her as the confirmation spin comes raining down. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Her mom was so cute crying in the audience. That's classic mom, right?
HOLMES: And given that story, that background, you know, that has to be a heck of a moment.
CHETRY: A lot of pride, for sure.
Well, it was great having you with us.
HOLMES: Thank you.
CHETRY: Supposedly heading back to Atlanta. We'll see if mother nature...
HOLMES: Flies on time.
CHETRY: That's the same idea. All right. Thank you so much for joining us on this AMERICAN MORNING. We'll see you right back here tomorrow.
HOLMES: All right. Now, here's CNN NEWSROOM Heidi Collins. See you soon, Heidi.
