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Obama's Trip Aims to Mend Fences with Muslims; Sotomayor Continues Meet and Greet; Consumer Bankruptcy Filings Increase; Muslim Congressman: U.S. Outreach Helpful; Ronald Reagan Statue Unveiled; Actress Rashad Makes Theater History

Aired June 03, 2009 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone, it is Wednesday, June 3rd. And here are the faces of the stories that are driving the headlines today in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is day two on the Hill for Judge Sonia Sotomayor. She is meeting with senators to lay the groundwork for her Supreme Court confirmation. Representative Andre Carson -- he is one of two Muslim congressmen. As President Obama travels to the Middle East, this Indiana Democrat tells us what Muslims want and need to hear.

And former first lady Nancy Reagan in Washington to see a new statue of her late husband. It happens live this hour. Good morning, everyone, I'm Tony Harris, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

President Obama on a mission to the Mideast. He is hoping to begin a new dialogue with the Muslim world, new pictures just in from Saudi Arabia where the president is holding talks with King Abdullah. From there, he heads to Egypt for a major speech tomorrow. As we hear from senior White House correspondent Ed Henry, it is part of the president's strategy to mend fences with Muslims.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president's outreach to the Muslim world began week one, when he gave his first television interview in office to Al Arabiya.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My job is to communicate the fact that the United States has a stake in the well- being of the Muslim world. That the language we use has to be language of respect. I have Muslim members of my family. I have lived in Muslim countries.

HENRY: On a leader visit to Turkey, the president took his shoes off to show respect before entering a mosque.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) Barack Hussein Obama...

HENRY: And in a speech to the Turkish parliament, tried to make a clean break from the rhetoric of the Bush years.

OBAMA: So let me say this as clearly as I can. The United States is not and will never be at war with Islam.

HENRY: Top aides say the president plans to build on that theme in Cairo, where expectations are building, perhaps too high.

IBRAHIM EL MOALLEN, SHOROUK GROUP, LEADING ARAB PUBLISHER: Everybody is looking for him as the magical man.

HENRY: Ibrahim el Moallen, a media mogul and influential cultural figure in Egypt, says years of frustration has built on the Arab streets.

MOALLEN: We think if he can handle the problem of the Arab- Israel conflict not in a biased, not in a double standard way, and if he can really begin to reach an overall comprehensive just peace, this will immediately win the heart and the mind of the Arabs and the Muslims.

HENRY: That's one reason in advance of his trip, the president has been getting tough on Israel. Pushing a two-state solution in meetings with the resistant Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. And he used a meeting with Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas last week to issue a warning to Israel.

OBAMA: In my conversations with Prime Minister Netanyahu, I was very clear about the need to stop settlements, to make sure that we are stopping the building of outposts, to work with the Palestinian authority in order to alleviate some of the pressures that the Palestinian people are under.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And Ed Henry is joining us live now from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he is traveling with the president.

Ed, as always, good to talk to you. Break this out for us. What is behind the stop in Saudi Arabia?

HENRY: This was added at the last moment, Tony. And it's clearly a sign of respect to King Abdullah. President Obama wants to see King Abdullah offer a gesture, as well as other Arab leaders to Israel. To try to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks which have been stalled for quite some time.

But essentially in advance to the trip, what the White House has been hearing from Arab leaders is they want to see a gesture from the Israelis and around and around it goes.

HARRIS: Yes.

HENRY: And this just shows how difficult this process is. If it were easy, a previous U.S. president would've already gotten the job done. It's going to take a lot of work.

HARRIS: Yes. Hey, Ed, what can we expect from the president's speech in Cairo tomorrow? What message is he trying to send?

HENRY: Well, clearly, he wants to suggest that he's turning the page from the Bush years and that he sort of has a new era of openness to the Muslim world, try to make them feel welcome, and try again to lay the ground work for peace.

This is beyond just trying to have a flowery speech. It's to actually get some result. But I think it's very clear while the White House raised some expectations with the speech, the president promising as a candidate that he would deliver it in the first place, they're trying to ratchet the expectations down ever so slightly now because they realize one speech is not very likely to turn this whole process around. It's just one step. Perhaps a big step, but just one step, Tony.

HARRIS: There he is, our senior White House correspondent, Ed Henry traveling with the president in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Ed, as always, great to talk to you. Thank you.

HENRY: Thanks.

HARRIS: Here was a look at the president's itinerary for the rest of his overseas trip to Saudi Arabia. The president travels to Egypt for his speech in Cairo tomorrow on Muslim relations.. From there the president will visit Germany and France where he will take part in a ceremony commemorating D-Day.

As President Obama arrives in the seat of Islam, Saudi Arabia, a swift rebuke comes reportedly from Osama bin Laden. The country's most notorious son. Bin Laden's stinging audio taped message being aired on Al-Jazeera.

CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen, and joining me from Washington.

Peter, good to talk to you. First of all, the timing of the tapes. Yesterday from Zawahiri and today from bin Laden on the eve of the president's speech to the Arab and Muslim world.

Is al Qaeda, in your view, threatened at all by this president and his outreach to the Arab and Muslim world?

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, I think al Qaeda is being threatened by every American president going back to President Clinton, Tony. I mean al Qaeda used to use pictures to President Clinton for target practice before 9/11.

So, they're sort of bipartisan in their disdain for American presidents whether Republican or Democrat. After all, there is a great deal of agreement between the two parties that American foreign policy in the Middle East is not going to be changed wholesale.

HARRIS: I see. Pete, the tape reportedly from bin Laden says in part that U.S. policies in Pakistan have generated new seeds of hatred and revenge against America. To what extent do you believe al Qaeda has tried to use the fighting in Pakistan and in particular in the Swat Valley as a rallying cry against America?

BERGEN: Well, I mean I think the tape speaks for itself. I think what's interesting about the tape is it appeared to be made several weeks ago.

HARRIS: Yes.

BERGEN: When there were smaller numbers of refugees than there are now. So, the bin Laden tape was not made to kind of upstage the Cairo speech. They couldn't have predicted that when they made the tape. But certainly Al Jazeera may well have kept it back as to -- you know for a more newsworthy moment, i.e., right now as the president is in the Middle East.

HARRIS: How relevant are bin Laden and Zawahiri in your view at this point?

BERGEN: I think they're pretty relevant. I mean, you know, recently bin Laden called for attacks in Somalia, you know, encouraging foreign jihadists to go to Somalia back in March.

Of course there are now foreign jihadists flocking to Somalia. So, you know, one of the best ways to predict what the militant jihadists will do is what bin Laden or Raymond al-Zawahiri say. They're not in operational control of al Qaeda and al Qaeda itself is being quite weakened by the drone strikes we've seen in Pakistan, but they do continue to provide strategic guidance to, you know, jihadists around the world.

HARRIS: Yes. Pete, let me change gears on you a little bit here and try this out. What are your thoughts on the president's speech tomorrow? Could the president win some real support from Arab leaders in the Middle East for his peace efforts there? If his speech is viewed as being balanced on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict?

BERGEN: Well, you know, I've talked to senior Saudi officials and you know, really they want some statement on Israel that's more than just platitudes and -- you know, that the president and his team, of course, understand that. And we've seen the ground being prepared over the last week or so with a lot of statements on the settlement.

So, I would anticipate a very strong endorsement of the idea that the settlements must be frozen. I'd also anticipate -- you know, the fact that he's seeing King Abdullah.

HARRIS: Yes.

BERGEN: Is very significant because after all, it's King Abdullah's plan. The 2002 King Abdullah plan is the basis for peace in the Middle East. It is the 67 borders, it is recognition of Israel, the two-state solution, and King Abdullah has a great deal of credibility in the Arab world. He's, after all, the custodian of the two holy places.

The fact that Obama went there I think is quite significant. Not only just some of the things that Ed Henry talked to you, but also the fact that it is King Abdullah's plan that really is the blueprint for potential peace.

HARRIS: All right. CNN's national security analyst, Peter Bergen for us. Peter, appreciate it. Thanks. Thanks for your time.

BERGEN: Thanks.

HARRIS: And of course, we want to hear from you about the purported bin Laden tape. He says the U.S. policy in Pakistan has generated new seeds of hatred.

Here's what we'd like you to do, just go to my blog at CNN.com/newsroom. Tell us your thoughts on this. And how important is it to find bin Laden in your view?

President Obama's overseas speeches are under fire from a former White House hopeful. Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney says President Obama is too apologetic.

In an interview with CNN's Campbell Brown, Romney said the president needs to focus more on America's sacrifices and accomplishments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN HOST, "CAMPBELL BROWN": It seems that you were suggesting the president's outreach to the Muslim world, including this trip is in your view one big apology tour. What's wrong with the president's efforts to mend fences?

MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No harm in speaking with other people, but if you look at his last trip to Europe and also the comments that he made on Arabic TV as he became president, I think you can become very troubled as I have been.

On Arab TV he said that America dictates to other nations. In fact, America has sacrificed more to free people from dictators than anyone I -- any nation I know. And with regards to his apology tour in Europe, it was simply misguided, even London's "Guardian" newspaper said that no American president has been more critical of his own country while on foreign soil than President Obama.

That's a distinction I wouldn't want under any circumstances. But now with Iraq and particularly North Korea, pursuing nuclear weaponry, that's not the kind of apology tour I think is appropriate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: He is a Muslim congressman who advises President Obama on issues in the Arab world. Coming up at the bottom of the hour, we will talk with Representative Andre Carson of Indiana. We will get his views on what's at stake for the president in his speech to Muslims tomorrow.

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor back on Capitol Hill today. She is meeting with more senators trying to reassure them about her judicial philosophy after the controversy over one of her comments.

Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash live with us now from Capitol Hill with the latest. And Dana, looks like another busy day for the nominee.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Very busy day, indeed. She's already on her second meeting with a Democrat. Democrat Patty Murray of Washington.

And then Judge Sotomayor is going to head to meet with the Republicans. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who you remember over the weekend, said that he was so disturbed by her comments, now infamous comments, from 2001 suggesting that her experience as a Latina woman makes her better qualified to make a decision than a white male that he wanted an apology.

Well, they are going to meet one on one. I am told from an aide to Lindsey Graham that he isn't necessarily going to demand anything in this private meeting, but it'll be interesting to see what comes out of it given his comments.

HARRIS: Well, Dana, let me follow up with the -- we're getting some news that the former speaker, Newt Gingrich, is now backing off some inflammatory remarks he's made about the nominee.

BASH: He sure is. He wrote an op-ed in the conservative publication, "Human Events," and I think backing off is one way to put it, doing a 180 is another way to put it.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes.

BASH: And in fact, I'll read to you what exactly he said. He said, "My initial reaction was strong and direct, perhaps too strong and too direct. The sentiment struck me as racist and I said so. Since then some who would want to have an open and honest consideration of Judge Sotomayor's fitness to serve on the nation's highest court have been critical of my word choice.

"With these critics who want to have an honest conversation I agree. The word racist should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves were unacceptable, a fact which both President Obama and his press secretary Robert Gibbs have since admitted."

So, there you see that he is, again, backing off this idea that he called her, explicitly called her a racist because of those comments. I actually had a chance to talk to the lead Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Jeff Sessions, when I found out about this and I asked him. Listen to his reaction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ALABAMA.: This kind of hostile. I just haven't felt that it's appropriate to make those kind of strong statements about her.

BASH: You're glad he backed off of it?

SESSIONS: I'm very glad he backed off. I think that's unusual that commentators do that. And I think it was very good that he did. I think that'll help us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now the context of this is as follows, Tony. Republicans here who actually get a vote, Republicans who serve on the Judiciary Committee and then more broadly, they were intentionally not using language even close to that.

And we're very clear that they were not comfortable, most senators said they were not comfortable with that language because their approach has been to really drill down on her -- the differences that they have potentially with her judicial philosophy and they're still making clear they have those differences, but not to use that kind of language. So that may be the reason why Newt Gingrich backed off.

HARRIS: And there you go, our senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash for us. Dana, appreciate it. Thank you.

You know, it may be very difficult to ultimately figure out what caused the Air France flight to crash in the Atlantic. French investigators say they're not optimistic about finding the flight data recorders. They could be as far as three miles under water and submersible caps really just can't explore that deep.

Yesterday, investigators determined the debris found floating was wreckage from the doomed flight. Brazil is in the middle of three days of national mourning. 228 people were on that flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris when it ended up in the sea Sunday night. Three Americans were also on board.

And you're looking at live pictures in just a moment of Paris' famed Notre Dame Cathedral where relatives and friends of the victims are gathered for an inter-religious memorial ceremony.

Most of the flight's victims were either French or Brazilian. The rest is from 30 other countries. If no survivors were found, this will be the deadliest crash in Air France's history and the world's worst civil aviation disaster in eight years.

The Urban Dictionary of American Slang. Have you checked it out? Well, they've added an entire new list of words that involve the slumping economy. We're going to have some fun with this. We'll tell you what TARP really means. That's next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: This just in to the CNN NEWSROOM. Just before 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, boy, 18 minutes or so ago, we're learning that a suspect with a handgun was reported near the Dodd Hall dormitory of Princeton University in New Jersey at the Princeton University Department of Public Safety. We understand that police from Princeton Borough and the township are actually investigating right now. Let's see. Do we have the Web site up? OK. There is the Princeton Web site up. There was a message on that Web site. I can't read it, the print is a little small. But students are being advised to stay indoors until further notice.

Again, this is because shortly before 11:00 a.m., a suspect with a handgun was reported near the Dodd Hall dormitory. And Princeton University's Department of Public Safety, that is the building in question right now, in addition to the Dodd Hall dormitory.

Princeton Borough and township police are on the scene investigating right now. Putting you as close to the ground as we can right now, thanks to Google Earth. We have pulled up the Web page where, we understand, there is a message to students from the university.

Students are being advised to stay indoors until further notice, until further instructions. We are working to get additional information obviously on this story. Once we do, we will bring you an update as quickly as possible.

A quick check of the Big Board now. As you know, the Dow is on a four-day winning streak and at least early on, oh, boy, signs aren't good that that winning streak will be extended into a fifth day. The Dow, as you can see, is down 87 points. We will continue to follow the market developments with Susan Lisovicz.

Meanwhile, you know, there are signs -- we're going to talk to Susan here in just a moment -- that the trouble in the housing market is cutting across all levels. Not even the Treasury secretary has been spared.

Boy, Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with the details on Timothy Geithner's struggle to sell, I shouldn't be smiling about this, his home outside of New York. But you're right. This downturn is hitting everyone, it seems.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Timothy Geithner feels our pain.

HARRIS: Yes.

LISOVICZ: He's just like millions of people, Tony, across the country. He is stuck with a house he can't sell. He bought a lovely five-bedroom Tudor home in Westchester County in 2004. The purchasing price for this home, $1.6 million. I know there's gasps. But that's what stuff goes for in Westchester County.

He paid more than the listing price. It was listed as $1.45 million, but there were bidding wars. Remember that? In 2004. In February when he was appointed Treasury secretary, he tried to sell it quick because the listing price was $1.5 million. No buyers, so Mr. Geithner has decided to rent it out for $7,500 a month, Tony.

HARRIS: $7,500.

LISOVICZ: A month.

HARRIS: Wait a minute. That's a pretty penny, but is that even enough to cover -- Westchester County we're talking about here -- the mortgage and the property taxes?

LISOVICZ: Probably not.

HARRIS: OK.

LISOVICZ: Because property taxes alone, Tony, $27,000 a year.

HARRIS: Are you kidding me?

LISOVICZ: So, what Geithner is doing is what other people are doing, which is instead of having -- settling for something way under what he paid, he's renting it. He's buying time until home prices rise. And you know what? The Treasury secretary is among those key people trying to solve -- trying to restore stability...

HARRIS: Yes.

LISOVICZ: ... to the housing market. But in the meantime, there's an estimate from First American Core Logic, 20 percent of mortgages are under water.

HARRIS: Wow.

LISOVICZ: That translates into about 8 million homeowners, Tony. And of course we know under water means that the mortgage is worth more than the home is worth currently.

HARRIS: Absolutely. Well, maybe he can try a short sale. We can get some advice from Gerri Willis in just a couple of minutes for the Treasury secretary.

LISOVICZ: Ask Gerri. I think that's an excellent idea, Tony.

HARRIS: All right. Susan, appreciate it, thank you.

You know more of you are filing for bankruptcy. And you might say it's becoming a bit of a new trend. So, what do you really need to know before you go to court? Personal finance editor Gerri Willis has your top tips next right here in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know it is a trend on the rise, and I can't say it's not expected. I'm talking about bankruptcy here. What you need to know before you file. CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis with us. Where is Gerri? She's in New York.

And Gerri, get us started here. Good to see you this morning.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good to see you, Tony. Yes, U.S. consumer bankruptcy filings. People right here rose 37 percent nationwide in May from the same time a year ago. The American Bankruptcy Institute expects almost 1.5 million new bankruptcies by the end of the year.

HARRIS: Boy. So who should consider filing bankruptcy, Gerri?

WILLIS: Well, you're considered a good candidate for bankruptcy if you have high, very high credit card debt, legal or medical debt that you don't think you're ever going to be able to pay back. That's because if you're eligible to declare chapter 7 bankruptcy that debt is discharged, forgiven, it goes away.

And Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you can generally get what they call a fresh financial start, but thanks to changes in the bankruptcy code, qualifying for one of these is really tough.

HARRIS: Yes.

WILLIS: A lot of folks will only qualify for what they call a Chapter 13 bankruptcy in which you pay back some of what you owe. If you have high student loan debt, though, alimony payments, unpaid back taxes or court imposed fines, you still got to pay those no matter what.

HARRIS: Hey, Gerri, do you lose everything in bankruptcy? Or are there some things you can actually keep?

WILLIS: Well, you know a lot of people file bankruptcy think they're going to save their house. Not the case. When you file for bankruptcy, foreclosure proceedings are delayed, they're stalled, they're stopped dead in their tracks and it won't resume until your bankruptcy is completed. And that can buy you enough time to actually become current on your payments if you can afford the house.

HARRIS: Right.

WILLIS: Now if you've missed a few mortgage payments and you declared chapter 13, you can spread out what you owe over time and there are certain properties you can keep. But that varies state to state. You need to know the state law.

Here are some of the examples. You can typically hold on to retirement savings, some home equity, Social Security payments, college savings, and cars and household goods up to limits.

HARRIS: OK. All right.

WILLIS: Yes. Yes.

HARRIS: If someone out there is, you know, in a bit of a pickle here to the point where they're actually considering bankruptcy, boil this down for us. What's your best advice?

WILLIS: All right. So, if you're really up against it...

HARRIS: Yes. WILLIS: ... in order to even file for bankruptcy, you have to receive guidance from a credit counseling agency, approved by the U.S. Trustees Office. So, go to USDOJ.gov/ust, click on credit counseling and debtor education.

Next you'll have to find a bankruptcy attorney, make sure you get referrals from some people in the know and keep in mind that, you know, this isn't cheap, Tony. It could cost you anywhere from $2,300 to $4,300, depending on whether you filed chapter 7 or chapter 13.

And of course, if you have any questions about bankruptcy or any other money matter you're up against, e-mail me at gerri@CNN.com. We'd love to hear from you. We answer those questions right here every Friday.

HARRIS: Gerri, appreciate it. Thank you.

WILLIS: My pleasure.

HARRIS: Let's give you a quick update on the breaking news we brought you just moments ago. We told you at that time that a suspect with a handgun was reported near the Dodd Hall dormitory, Princeton University, near the university's Department of Public Safety, that police from the borough and the township were on the scene investigating and that there was a message on the Web site of Princeton University advising students to stay indoors until further notice.

Well, we've got an update on the story for you. Police are telling us now that the lockdown has been lifted and that someone is in custody. So, once again, the lockdown at Princeton University has been lifted. Police telling us that someone is in custody. We will pass along more details to you as soon as we learn them.

President Obama's in the Middle East to speak to Muslims. Hear what an American Muslim congressman says about this trip and what to expect. Representative Andre Carson is live next in the CNN NEWSROOM.

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HARRIS: President Obama has a tough task ahead in trying to reshape the U.S. image in the Muslim world. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll shows only 14 percent of people in Muslim countries have a favorable opinion of the United States, 6 percent neutral and a whopping -- look at this -- 78 percent of those in the Muslim world with an unfavorable opinion of the United States.

President Obama has made a point of saying he will listen to Muslim views. One person helping to advise the president about issues in the Arab world is Representative Andre Carson. The Indiana lawmaker is one of only two Muslims in Congress. He joins me from Capitol Hill.

Congressman, good to talk to you. Thanks for the time.

REP. ANDRE CARSON (D), INDIANA: Great to talk to you. Thank you.

HARRIS: Hey, let's get started on this. And let me start with the news of the day. The timing of tapes from Ayman al-Zawahiri yesterday and the tape reportedly from Osama bin Laden today on the eve of the president's big speech to the Arab and Muslim world tomorrow. Is al Qaeda threatened by this president and his outreach to Arabs and Muslims?

CARSON: Absolutely. President Obama's reaching the hearts and minds of the Muslim community, both here in the United States and internationally. This is no different, Tony, than in the late '80s and early '90s when we had gang wars, particularly on the West Coast. I, myself, standing on a school bus stop 16 years old, survived a drive-by shooting.

This is the same kind of thuggery we see with these extremists, who want to pump fear in the hearts and minds of people. But it's not working. President Obama's reaching the Muslim world. We applaud him.

HARRIS: Do you buy the analysis from our Peter Bergen that it, you know, it doesn't matter whether it's Obama or what president it is, this is the message, and it will always be the message from al Qaeda?

CARSON: Well, I think we have to be mindful and careful about these self-appointed gatekeepers of the religion of Islam. The religion of Islam is a peaceful religion. We certainly have great contributions from Muslims in America and Muslims abroad who want to see a peaceful world, who want to see the world better. We have to be very mindful about making the distinction between these kind of extremists and peace-loving Muslims across the world.

HARRIS: All right, let's get to the speech tomorrow. I want you -- before we talk in specifics, I want you to have a listen to what former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney had to say about the president's trip. Romney was with our Campbell Brown last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROWN: It seems that you are suggesting the president's outreach to the Muslim world, including this trip, is, in your view, one big apology tour. What's wrong with the president's efforts to mend fences?

MITT ROMNEY, FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: No harm in speaking with other people, but if you look at his last trip to Europe and also the comments that he made on Arabic TV as he became president, I think you can become very troubled, as I have been. On Arab TV, he said that America dictates to other nations. In fact, America has sacrificed more to free people from dictators than any nation I know.

And with regards to his apology tour in Europe, it was simply misguided. Even London's "Guardian" newspaper said that no American president has been more critical of his own country while on foreign soil than President Obama. That's a distinction I wouldn't want under any circumstances. But now with Iraq and particularly North Korea pursuing nuclear weaponry, that's not the kind of apology tour I think is appropriate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: An apology tour. Representative Carson, first of all, what's your reaction to that? And have you in effect been consulting with the president on what is going to be viewed by some as an apology tour to the Muslim and Arab world?

CARSON: On this tour, no. But I've spent some time with our president, and I can tell you this: He gets it. I'm a former police officer. I worked for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security in counterterrorism and intelligence. And I can tell you that there are some serious national security threats that face our nation. The president is well aware of this.

He understands, though, he has a universal vision, he understands that you have to communicate with people. We've seen eight years of disrespect, we've seen eight years of arrogance, and we've seen eight years of our wonderful great nation shoveling our opinions down the throats of other nations. It's unacceptable, and President Obama is the man to help move us forward and heal some of these wounds.

HARRIS: No, I get that. For many, you know, the view of this speech really hinges on what the president says about the Israeli- Palestinian peace process going forward.

CARSON: Sure.

HARRIS: In Cairo tomorrow, will the president again call for an end to Israeli West Bank settlement activity?

CARSON: I don't want to put words in if president's mouth.

HARRIS: Oh, come on, you've been consulting. Help me on this one.

CARSON: No, look. I am hopeful, and I trust our president will deliver the necessary message that the Muslim wants to hear. He's opening the doors of dialogue. We won't agree all the time, but he gets what we're trying to do. And we support him.

HARRIS: You know, the Muslim world is not monolivic.

CARSON: That's right.

HARRIS: The president can't deliver a "one size fit all" speech for everyone. So, how is he going to manage that balancing act of offering up a message that is meaningful for everyone in this non- monolithic community?

CARSON: Well, I think the first step to establishing any good relationship is communication. The speech is so necessary, in saying, here I am. This is who I am. This is who we are, the United States of America, and we want to work with the Muslim community. It's a great first step.

HARRIS: Representative Carson, thanks for your time.

CARSON: Thank you.

HARRIS: I believe you're back with us tomorrow, right? And we'll talk about the speech.

CARSON: Let's do it.

HARRIS: Yes, you better be here. Representative, appreciate it. Thank you.

CARSON: Thank you.

HARRIS: And you can watch President Obama's much-anticipated speech to the Muslim world live tomorrow 6:00 a.m. Eastern on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING." And in case you don't catch the speech at 6 a.m. -- it's pretty early -- we will be airing a large portion of it at 11:00 a.m. Eastern here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We will also devote the hour to reaction to the speech.

A big step for women's equality in India. There you see members of parliament thumping their desks to cheer after electing the country's first female speaker ever. She is also a member of India's lowest caste, the untouchables. Wow. Meira Kumar was elected unopposed as speaker. She presides over parliament's powerful lower house.

Live pictures now. You are watching the unveiling of a new statue of former President Ronald Reagan on Capitol Hill. At the ceremony, former first lady Nancy Reagan, along with several prominent members of Congress. You will hear Nancy Reagan's speech in just a couple of moments.

A few facts about the statue. It is seven feet tall, it weighs about 500 pounds -- hang on -- and contains a piece of the Berlin Wall. You remember Mr. Reagan's famous "Tear down this wall" speech back in 1987. The statue replaces one of Reverend Thomas Starr King, who was influential during the Civil War.

We are getting your reaction to President Obama's trip to the Middle East. IReporters from Cairo to California are talking.

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HARRIS: Very quickly now, back to Washington, D.C. There you see James Baker, the former chief of staff to President Ronald Reagan. He is speaking at the unveiling of the statue to honor the former president.

JAMES BAKER, FORMER CHIEF OF STAFF TO PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: Like Samuel Adams, he was an American patriot. Like Henry Clay, he was a superb orator. Like George Washington, he was a truly great president. And like Will Rogers, because the Gipper and Oklahoma's favorite son had a lot in common. They both starred in the movies, they both love horses and they both were great at telling a joke.

When Ronald Reagan walked into the Oval Office on January 20, 1981, our nation had faced a number of crises: Vietnam, Watergate, oil shocks and economic troubles. Inflation and unemployment were high, and public confidence was low. Experts said America's best days were behind her and that we ought to lower our expectations.

But Ronald Reagan and his boundless optimism would have none of that. We are not, as some would have us believe, doomed to an inevitable decline, he said at his first inaugural. We had every right to dream and to dream heroic dreams.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, we did. President Reagan demonstrated the power of big ideas. He was guided by deeply held core values. Principles about taxes, and about spending, and about national defense. And most of all, perhaps, about the essential goodness of the American people and the greatness of America itself. He never a wavered from those beliefs.

At the same time, this idealist was also a principled pragmatist. He would fight the good fight, and when he had won all that could be won, he would accept the compromises that are dictated oftentimes by political reality, declare victory and move on.

So you say, well, how did he do? when he left office in 1989, the melees of the 1970s was but a distant memory. America's economy was more than six years into a boom that would continue almost two decades longer with only the briefest of recessions, truly minor ones by historic standards, until our present difficulties began.

And when he left office in January 1989, America's preeminence in the world had been fully restored. He had strengthened our military. He had talked earnestly and productively with our historic adversaries in Moscow. The fall of the Berlin Wall 10 months later was a testament to the wisdom of his policies.

After restoring our economy and restoring our confidence, and setting the stage for the end of the Cold War, Ronald Reagan retired from politics. And then he retired from public life. "When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be," he wrote, "I will leave with the greatest love of this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future."

You will remember we bid him a final farewell five years ago right here in this Capitol with the deepest respect and with love and, yes, with tears, and with a renewed appreciation of what he had done for the United States of America, that shining city on a hill that he saw so clearly and that he loved so very dearly.

And now fittingly comes this magnificent bronze statue of this great American. It will stand forever as a silent sentry in these hallowed halls to teach our children and our grandchildren about that which was once was and to inspire them with visions of that which can be again today, tomorrow and unto the generations.

May God bless America and Ronald Wilson Reagan. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

NANCY REAGAN, WIFE OF FORMER PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much.

I have so many people to thank, but I really particularly want to thank Nancy Pelosi for all she did to organize this, bring it together, make it happen. I'm very grateful to her. And to everybody else too, but especially to Nancy.

The statue is a wonderful likeness of Ronnie, and he would be so proud. You know, the last time that I was in this room was for Ronnie's service. So, it's nice to be back under happier circumstances.

I want to thank everybody for being here and to your support and your thoughts and your kind wishes and everything that's been said here today and the lovely, lovely singing. So beautiful. Thank you so much. That's it.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

REAGAN: Thank you.

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated for the unveiling of the statue. Ladies and gentlemen, the statue of President Ronald Reagan.

(APPLAUSE)

ANNOUNCER: Ladies and gentlemen, Reverend Daniel Coughlin will now deliver the benediction.

HARRIS: Wow. What did you think of the statue? Talk about capturing the likeness of the former president.

And what about the remarks from former first lady Nancy Reagan? She is something, isn't she?

A couple facts on the statue. It is seven feet tall, weighs 500 pounds and contains a piece of the Berlin Wall. We mentioned it just a few moments ago. You'll recall Mr. Reagan's famous "tear down this wall" speech. That was back in 1987. And the statue replaces one of Reverend Thomas Starr King, who was influential during the Civil War. What a moment there, huh?

Still to come in the NEWSROOM, the melting pot of America. No longer do we have white TV shows or black TV shows. You can find diversity just about anywhere.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: Actress Phylicia Rashad is back on Broadway, this time in an unexpected role that some say could change the way we look at theater. Here's CNN's Alina Cho as part of our "Black in America" series.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Phylicia Rashad may be best known for her 1980s role as TV's favorite mom, Claire Huxtable in "The Cosby Show."

PHYLICIA RASHAD, IN "THE COSBY SHOW": Cliff, listen to yourself.

CHO: The sitcom was considered groundbreaking in its portrayal of an upper middle-class African-American family. Nearly two decades later, Rashad is breaking ground again, this time on Broadway. The 60-year-old actress plays Violet Weston in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "August: Osage County," a drug-addicted mother in a dysfunctional family.

The move to cast Rashad is unusual, and it's making headlines because all of her relatives in the play are white.

RASHAD: I didn't know what to feel. (INAUDIBLE)

CHO (on camera): How did you feel?

RASHAD: I didn't know how to respond because it was so unexpected.

CHO (voice-over): One scholar of African-American theater calls it a significant step and a sign of the times.

HARRY ELAM, STANFORD UNIVERSITY DRAMA DEPARTMENT: In this age of Obama, in many ways, things are opening up and opening up possibilities. And so, this allows producers to think outside the box.

CHO: There have been plays in the past recast with actors of a different race than the playwright initially intended. But that's usually involved all of the actors, like "On Golden Pond" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," which also featured Rashad.

The actress downplays the significance of playing the matriarch in an all-white family.

(on camera): Do you look at this role as being groundbreaking as well?

RASHAD: I'm an actor doing my work. That's how I see it. I'm an actor doing my work.

CHO (voice-over): Will audiences buy it?

ELAM: Theater is built on the convention of disbelief, that you will accept something when you walk into the theater, so you can see an actor playing a dog or a chair, and you'll accept that for the time you're in the theater.

CHO (on camera): Is your hope that there will be more Violet Westons cast who look more like you?

RASHAD: My hope is that it won't matter. That is my hope. My hope is that we really put the tomato in our shoe and catch up, and that it won't matter.

CHO: Scholars of African-American theater hope that by casting Rashad in this role, it will also open up doors for black directors and black producers, that it will in a sense have a ripple effect and move beyond the faces on the stage.

Now, on the question of believability, I can tell you that I saw "August: Osage County" myself. I was watching the reaction of the people in the audience, talked to them afterwards, and frankly, people were so taken by the story, so taken by the acting that nobody was paying attention to race, Tony, and that I think is a good sign of the times -- Tony.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: All right, Alina. Appreciate it. Thank you.

You know, we're taking another look at what it really means to be black in America. Watch stories of people stepping up, taking charge and creating solutions. The documentary "Black in America 2" premieres July 22nd and 23rd only on CNN.