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Home Funerals and Burials; Pardoned Journalists Return From North Korea; Time Running out for Cash for Clunkers Program; New Developments in Oklahoma Rape Case; Obama Administration To Give $2.4 Billion in Grants to Building Electric Cars; Live News Conference on Deadly Gym Shooting in Pennsylvania
Aired August 05, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Numerous folks hit hard by the recession. You might not consider this group: families confronting the high cost of a funeral. The average cost for the services of a funeral home is about $6,000. But there is a far cheaper alternative that's growing in popularity now, do-it-yourself funerals at home. They can cost as little as $250. You may recall the story we told you of Melvin Stewart of Louisiana after his 15-year-old son died of cancer. He dug his son's own grave just to save a few hundred dollars on funeral costs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MELVIN STEWART, DUG HIS SON'S GRAVE: Everything was about a money thing, and everything was moving fast. I'm the one digging this hole knowing that my son's going to go in this ground. I mean, I'm digging my son's own hole. I mean, no, that ain't a pretty picture.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: That story just broke our heart. And whether you're trying to save money or not, why do a funeral home? Well, those who have done it point to the personal aspects, preparing the loved one for burial yourself, saying final good-byes privately, even building the coffin and not having to deal with a funeral home.
Joining us from Burlington, Vermont, to talk a little bit more about this, Joshua Slocum, the executive director of the nonprofit watchdog group Funeral Consumers Alliance.
You know, Joshua, I'm just looking at, for example, cutting funeral costs. You were giving us some numbers with regard to the casket, embalming, limousine, visitation.
I guess when somebody dies, you kind of assume these are the things you need to do and this is the price that you pay. But actually, you were saying embalming, which is a huge chung of money there, is a myth. You don't necessarily need to do it.
JOSHUA SLOCUM, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FUNERAL CONSUMERS ALLIANCE: Absolutely. This is what I like to call mortuary mythology. It's what almost all of us think we know about funerals but we're usually wrong about. Embalming is never routinely required by law in any state. Some states will require it if the body isn't buried or cremated or refrigerated within a certain period of time. Some states don't.
Most people don't know that they actually have specific legal rights as funeral shoppers that are given to them by the Federal Trade Commission's funeral rule because it's a purchase that is one of the most expensive we make, but one that we only deal with once or twice in our lifetimes.
PHILLIPS: So you're talking about the FTC rights, because that's what I wanted to ask you about. Is there a code of ethics out there? Because even when you look at the casket cost, a funeral home will charge you almost $1,300. Yet, at wholesale, it's only $325. And then the casket retailer is $625.
I don't think a lot of people realize how cheap these actually are.
SLOCUM: Yes. No, they don't. And caskets have traditionally been one of the highest markup items at the funeral home. In many cases, some of the service fees are starting to outstrip that.
But if people want to have a dignified funeral that fits their taste and budget, the best thing they can do is to plan ahead and shop around. Almost everyone when you do a consumer survey says they used a funeral home because it was the one they used before or it was physically close to their home. But if you don't call three, four or five funeral homes ahead of time, you have no idea whether the funeral home you have been using for three generations is reasonably priced or has been taking you to the cleaners. And the FTC funeral rule gives people important options and rights.
Number one, funeral homes must give you price quotes over the phone.
Number two, they have to give you printed, itemized price lists at the very beginning of any funeral discussion.
Number three, they have to let you pick and choose only the goods and services you want. So, if you want a simple cremation with no viewing, that's your option. If you want a burial with an open casket viewing or without that and with a closed casket service, that's your option too.
And they have to allow you to bring your own casket or one that you bought from a third party retailer. This is very, very important. A lot of people think that they have to buy the merchandise at the funeral home. Not true.
PHILLIPS: And it's just so hard, because when you lose someone you love, the last thing you want to think about is all this stuff. And people really take advantage of you.
You brought up an interesting point, too, about, don't prepay for the funeral. I think a lot of people think you have to do some sort of prepay.
You know what? Let's get down to an interesting part of this story, and that is home burials. That's really what caught our attention, in addition to, of course, all the numbers here.
But you're actually seeing more people doing home burials for two reasons. Not only the bad economy, but people are sort of wanting to make this a little more personal. Tell me about both and how they are leading to this popularity right now.
SLOCUM: Sure. Well, I usually use the term "home funeral." Home burial usually means you bury the person right on your own property, which is an option in some cases, but a home funeral is when the family acts as their own funeral directors, everything from filing the death certificate to caring for the body, maybe having a wake at home, transporting a loved one to the crematory or the cemetery.
Traditionally, long before we had commercial mortuaries, people cared for their own dead as a matter of course. It's just something we've sort of forgotten the common lore about. And a lot of people don't realize that in most states, it is perfectly legal.
Most people who have asked us about home funerals in the past or who have told us about them have said they have done so because they want to make this a personal, family-centered event, rather than turning their loved one over to a stranger. But certainly since the economy has taken a downturn, we have been hearing more from people who are considering taking on some or all of the funeral aspects themselves who might not have done so in better economic times.
PHILLIPS: Wow. Well, you've got a great Web site, Funerals.org.
I encourage everyone to go online and check it out.
You've got such good advice. And I think, too, Joshua, it doesn't matter how much you spend or how little you spend. It doesn't in any way say how much you love somebody. That's for sure.
SLOCUM: Absolutely. We say in this business that it doesn't matter whether you spend $1 or $10,000 on a final sendoff. It doesn't make you love or miss that person any more or less. And the things that really count can't be measured by how much money we spend on the funeral. So, pick something that fits your taste and fits your budget, and whether that's a home funeral or something else, that's what's most important.
PHILLIPS: Joshua Slocum, thanks so much for your time.
SLOCUM: Thank you. Appreciate it.
PHILLIPS: And we're going to have a link -- you bet. I appreciate you.
A link to the Funeral Consumers Alliance Web site where Joshua works, it's going to be on our blog, CNN.com/Kyra, so check it out if you are going through a tough time right now. Well, President Obama is not the only one hitting the road to talk recovery. Vice President Biden and three cabinet members are holding events in four states. Biden is actually in Detroit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For Michigan to recover and for our nation to recover, we have to build on Detroit's rich path. I'm not saying that because I'm here. I'm saying that because it's true.
We also need to have a vision of what can be a richer, better future. And then we need to invest in that vision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, ahead in our "Energy Fix," Poppy Harlow shows us how Detroit is banking on batteries. That's later this hour, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ladies and Gentlemen, please help me in welcoming home Laura Ling and Euna Lee.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, after four-plus months of hell, a moment of pure joy. Euna Lee and Laura Ling, arrested in North Korea while on assignment for Current TV, sentenced to years of hard labor for illegal entry. They're home in California now mere hours after former President Clinton paid a surprise visit to Pyongyang to win their freedom. And in an airport hangar in Burbank, it was a tearful Ling that thanked Clinton, Current TV founder Al Gore, and everyone who wanted, worked, and prayed for their release.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LAURA LING, NEWLY FREED FROM NORTH KOREA: It is what kept us going in the darkest of hours, it is what sustained our faith, that we would come home.
The past 140 days have been the most difficult, heart-wrenching times of our lives. We are very grateful that we were granted amnesty by the government of North Korea, and we are so happy to be home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AL GORE, FMR. VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We want to welcome Laura and Euna home. We want to thank President Bill Clinton for undertaking this mission and performing it so skillfully, and all the members of his team who played key roles in this. Also, to President Obama. Laura mentioned this, but President Obama and countless members of his administration have been deeply involved in this humanitarian effort.
To Secretary Clinton and the members of the State Department, several of whom are here, they have really put their hearts in this. It speaks well of our country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, does all this signal a breakthrough in U.S./North Korean relations, a kinder, gentler Kim Jong-il?
Let's ask CNN's Elaine Quijano at the White House.
I don't know if we can really say those words, Elaine, but I guess we can only hope.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a kinder, gentler Kim Jong-il.
Well, you know, it's interesting, Kyra. Let's not forget the fact that Kim Jong-il, the North Korean leader, did get something out of all of this too; right? It was the North Koreans, after all, who said that they wanted Bill Clinton, former U.S. president, to come to Pyongyang and to help negotiate the release of these two journalists.
Well, the North Koreans got what they wanted. And Kim Jong-il also got a boost in stature as well with those photos, of course, of him side by side meeting with former President Bill Clinton.
You know, is this a kinder, gentler Kim Jong-il? Well, it's interesting to note that even in the characterizations of how this meeting went, North Korea and the U.S. cannot agree. State-run media said that the former president apologized to Kim Jong-il, saying that Mr. Clinton "expressed words of sincere apology."
The problem is, that's not what the White House says. It's not what Secretary of State Clinton says happened at all. The White House emphatically denying there was any kind of apology -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So, what's the next move for the Obama administration then?
QUIJANO: Yes. Well, what they are going to do now is debrief the former president, Clinton. We don't know exactly when that's going to happen or where it might take place, but members of the president's national security team are going to be doing that. And they are going to be, of course, very interested in seeing what the health of Kim Jong-il really was. There's been a lot of questions about that and questions about the succession process in North Korea as well.
And they are also very much interested, of course, in finding out whether or not the nuclear issue came up. The U.S. obviously does not want to see nuclear weapons in the Korean peninsula. And they say, look, they are obviously trying to get all of these answers.
We tried asking Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, this morning -- did this in fact come up? And he said there just hasn't been enough time yet for our national security folks to really get with the former president to get that kind of information. But, obviously, this will be a window into what has been a very difficult country to try and get any solid intelligence on -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Elaine Quijano from the White House.
Elaine, thanks.
Well, we want to know what you think about the second 100 days of the Obama administration. Cast your vote now at CNN.com/reportcard. And coming up later this hour, we're going to give you a quick demo of how to cast your vote. Then, get the results on CNN's "National Report Card" special. That's tomorrow night, 8:00 Eastern, only on CNN.
Cash for Clunkers facing a make-or-break deadline. Will the Senate approve an extension to the program? And what do you think about it?
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be along to answer some of your questions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Time is running out on Capitol Hill for the government's Cash for Clunkers program. If the Senate doesn't vote on a $2 billion extension by Friday, the money now available runs dry.
The House has already passed a similar measure. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today actually warned colleagues, if they don't vote by Friday, he may keep them in session until they do. And that would mean they would miss at least part of their August vacation.
We've been asking you to send us your questions about Cash for Clunkers to "Mail to the Chief."
Joining us now live from Washington to answer some of them, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Also joining us, Chief Business Correspondent Ali Velshi.
Mr. Secretary, let's start with you.
As you can imagine, we've got a lot of questions for you today, because this was a very popular program as soon as it began.
Doug Johnson actually sent a tweet. He said, "Cash for Clunkers is nice for people with old cars, but how does this not just cost the rest of us billions to buy the new cars?"
RAY LAHOOD, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Well, look, the program was really designed to get gas-guzzling cars off the road and to get people into more fuel-efficient automobiles. And it also will be a lifeline for the automobile industry.
Both of those goals have been accomplished. The lion's shares of the cars that are being bought, the average miles are 25 miles to the gallon, and we know the ones that are being traded in are SUVs and trucks that get much, much lower mileage.
And we know that sales are off the charts all over the country. So, those two goals have really been met. And the structure of the program has really accomplished I think what Congress wanted.
PHILLIPS: And Ridener (ph) asks, "With so many poor people that have no way to get a job, how does the administration justify destroying all those cars?"
LAHOOD: Well, look, scrap yards all over the country are very, very happy. Their business has been hurt dramatically because they haven't had the kind of cars being towed in there. It's a boon for scrap yards and their ability to sell off parts from these cars.
And look, part of the economic recovery, people got -- 95 percent of the Americans got a tax cut. So, this program was really designed to get gas-guzzlers off the road, more fuel-efficient cars, and help a number of people in the automobile industry continue to have jobs. And that part has worked very well.
PHILLIPS: Ali, you got a thought?
ALI VELSHI, CNN SR. BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
Mr. Secretary, good to talk to you.
Listen, here's the thing. As a program, it's worked very effectively. It's actually had a better-than-expected result in pushing up fuel efficiency of the cars that are being bought. It's even working, as you say, as a stimulus program. Ford says it sold more cars in a month than over two years.
Here's the problem. I think this is what's having it held up in the Senate. How do we pay for this?
It's remarkably successful as a program. There's no question about that. And I have to say, some of us were doubters. But how will it be paid for? Whose money is this that pay for this money that gets given to people who trade their clunkers in?
LAHOOD: The House passed a bill with well over 300 votes, which is a huge vote, by transferring money from the energy portion of the economic recovery. They transferred $2 billion from the energy portion over to this program. That's what we are asking the Senate.
I believe the Senate will do that, which will be an identical bill that the president can sign. So, ,the money is being transferred from a bill that's already been passed by Congress as a part of economic recovery.
PHILLIPS: Well, here is a good question. Broken -- you've got to love that name -- says, "Is running out of money an indication of success or failure?"
Mr. Secretary?
LAHOOD: A huge success. A huge success.
Over $700 million has been spent on the program. Almost 200,000 new automobiles, fuel-efficient automobiles that average 25 miles per gallon, and the lion's share of vehicles being traded in are trucks and SUVs. This is a wildly popular program and enormously successful and it helps many segments of our economy.
PHILLIPS: Well, here's somebody with a specific. Allyson wants to know -- or a specific point here about this -- Allyson wants to know, "Why is it that your registration and insurance have to be current for the 12 months prior to turning the car in? We are ineligible for the program because we had an insurance lapse temporarily after I lost my hours at work. This polity prohibits some people from taking advantage of the program. And for what?"
LAHOOD: Look, there are very few guidelines for this program, but you do have to show ownership so you don't have people bringing in cars off the street or something, you know, or there's a lien against it and they don't really own it. And you have to show proof of insurance. You have to have insurance on these automobiles.
Look, there aren't that many requirements. There's not that much paperwork here.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: But let me ask you, why 12 months? That's kind of a long time.
LAHOOD: It's not a long time. I mean, if you haven't owned a car for 12 months, it makes you kind of wonder who owned the car before and how you were able to purchase it. It was one of the metrics that was put in there by Congress.
Look, it's not that big of a deal, really. And if we sold -- look, if we sold over 200,000 cars, it means 200,000 sellers have been able to verify three or four different things.
VELSHI: So, Mr. Secretary, I mean, really, the idea here was to avoid a new market and people going and buying scrapping cars so that they could turn them in and get $4,500 off the purchase of a new car. You were trying to avoid it becoming a new business for people.
Am I right?
LAHOOD: Yes, that's right.
VELSHI: OK. I want to ask you one other thing, Mr. Secretary.
You know, we saw greater gains if fuel efficiency when gasoline hit $3.55 a gallon, then $4 a gallon. I mean, the spike in gas did more for energy conservation than anything Congress has done in a quarter century. And now we've got this program.
It makes you think that the low-hanging fruit seems to be working better in terms of saving energy and saving gasoline than complicated legislation.
LAHOOD: Well, this legislation is not complicated. I don't know if that's what you were implying.
VELSHI: Yes.
LAHOOD: This is pretty simple. No, I mean, it really is.
You take your car in, and if you get 18 miles a gallon or less, you get $3,500 or $4,500, particularly if you buy a car that gets better gas mileage. Almost all the cars that are being manufactured today get much better gas mileage than 18 miles per gallon, and we know the average that's being sold of the over 200,000 cars that have been sold are averaging about 25 miles a gallon.
VELSHI: Wow.
LAHOOD: This is a win-win for Americans. It really is.
PHILLIPS: Well, that's what this one tweeter is asking -- "What is Cash for Clunkers really going to do for the economy? Is it a long-term plan or just a short-term boost? And can we really afford it?"
LAHOOD: Well, it's helped a lot of car salesmen, mechanics and automobile dealers keep their doors open. It's helped Americans buy cars. It's helped the car manufacturers. It's helped the American worker who makes the cars.
This has helped an enormous number of people around our country keep their jobs, hold on to their jobs. And in many instances, come back to work, in the instance of car dealers who have to call salesmen back to work.
PHILLIPS: Secretary Ray LaHood, Ali Velshi, thanks, guys. Good conversation.
VELSHI: Pleasure, Kyra.
LAHOOD: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Appreciate it.
Sonia Sotomayor is one day closer and one vote closer to a seat on the nation's highest court. Senators are heading toward a confirmation vote on President Obama's nominee to replace David Souter. And for all the opposition coming from Republicans in floor debate, the nominee's adding to her comfortable lead. Missouri Republican Kit Bond is the seventh in his party to actually break ranks and announce that he'll vote to confirm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. KIT BOND (R), MISSOURI: There has been no significant finding against her. There's been no public uprising against her. I do not believe that the Constitution tells me that I should refuse to support her merely because I disagree with her on some cases.
I will support her. I will be proud for her, the community she represents, and the American dream she shows is possible. I will cast my vote in favor of the nomination of Judge Sotomayor and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And assuming no major surprises, Sotomayor will be the 111th Supreme Court justice and the first Hispanic.
Drawing (ph) out in the blue grass where sunny skies are welcome after flooding rains put the city on the brink.
Chad Myers tracking it for us.
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(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Well, a man who pleaded guilty to raping a 4-year-old may not walk out of prison next month. We're talking with the rapist's daughter and the attorney general who says he may have new cases against him to keep him off the streets.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: New developments now in an Oklahoma rape case of a 4- year-old that drew national outrage. And it outraged us, too. And that's why we've been tracking it for months now. In June, David Harold Earls pleaded guilty to brutally raping a 4-year-old little girl. Then a judge actually accepted his plea deal.
Well, it created controversy so strong that a state lawmaker actually wanted the judge kicked off the bench. Now Earls is scheduled to walk out of jail next month. The district attorney defended the deal, too, saying the little 4-year-old girl was too unstable to testify in court.
But justice is apparently not finished with David Harold Earls. Since we brought you this story, Earls' daughter, Denise, and another woman have come forward saying he sexually abused them, too. So now, Oklahoma attorney general, Drew Edmondson is convening a grand jury later this month to investigate possible new cases against Earls.
Denise Earls and attorney general Drew Edmondson join me live from Tulsa. Denise, let's go ahead and start with you. The fact that your father could get out in September, how does that make you feel?
DENISE EARLS, FATHER PLED GUILTY TO RAPE: Well, that just outrages me. I mean, I still don't understand why he got such a light sentence. Once I found out that this had happened, I immediately started thinking about all the things that I went through. And I was, once again, so disgusted and disappointed. So, I am hoping that he will not get out.
PHILLIPS: Do you think he would rape again?
EARLS: Absolutely. There is no doubt. I mean, he has gotten away with this. There are others. Absolutely. There is no doubt in my mind.
PHILLIPS: You know, Drew, this is scary as hell that this man could be back on the streets in a month.
DREW EDMONDSON, ATTORNEY GENERAL, OKLAHOMA: We agree with that assessment. Shortly after the plea was entered, our office began looking at the transcripts and legal pleadings to determine whether or not there was any action to be taken. Of course, there's a bargain - it's double jeopardy. We could not retry the crimes that Mr. Earls had already pled to or charges that were dismissed as a result of the plea bargain. So, our investigators set about to find whether there were other charges or allegations that had not been disposed of that could be brought to the attention of a grand jury.
PHILLIPS: I understand your investigation took you to three other states, and you feel confident you could have more charges here. I don't want to jeopardize the case in any way, but can you tell me where else you went and what else you came across that makes you pretty confident that you can keep him behind bars?
EDMONDSON: We did go to three different states and interviewed neighbors and other relatives here in the state of Oklahoma. We also reinterviewed two little children involved in the original allegations. We are confident we have the information we can present to a grand jury as to crimes and offenses that were not covered in the original plea or that were dismissed as a result of the original plea bargain.
We believe and agree with Denise that this mean is a serial child molester and cannot be safely released from prison. We will make every effort to present sufficient evidence for the grand jury to bring an indictment before this man is released.
PHILLIPS: And Denise, I know this has not been easy at all to talk about your father raping you. I know you have a mission behind this. Tell us what that is. It is to prevent him from doing this again. I am curious, too, if it has helped you in your healing process in.
EARLS: Yes, absolutely. I mean, like I said before, I want to be a voice. I just want young girls and women to know, don't ever think that it is your fault. You -- go to your counsel or your teacher, you know, someone that you trust, you know, and absolutely. This has helped me, because knowing that I can help one person by telling my story, then absolutely. I just want to heal anyone else that's gone through this. This is definitely healing for me.
PHILLIPS: That's great to hear. And, Drew, finally, a big part of this outrage was that Judge Thomas actually accepted Earls' plea agreement, you know, of this man who raped a four-year-old. And then members of Congress, a lawmaker called for him to be fired and taken off the bench. Is he in any way, shape, or form going to be involved in this case as it moves forward?
EDMONDSON: Well, while the sentence was shocking to all of us, I know it was distressing to Denise and to me, it was within the range that's allowed by law for this offense. So, neither the judge nor the district attorney can be sanctioned by the law for entering this plea agreement. It was, however, in my estimation, a travesty of justice. If we can correct it, we are going to do so.
PHILLIPS: That's what we like to hear. Attorney General Drew Edmondson, appreciate your time. We'll follow the case. Denise Earls, you stay strong. You are doing amazing things for the sake of other little girls. Appreciate you both.
EARLS: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: New details now in the murder of former boxing champ Vernon Forrest. Atlanta police have charged 20-year-old Mario Ware (ph) in Forrest's death. He went before a judge this morning on charges of robbery, aggravated assault and murder and was ordered held without bond.
Police believe that Forrest was shot to death in a botched robbery. At least two more suspects being sought, including the suspected trigger man.
And a grim development for those three Americans arrested in Iran. An Iranian lawmaker says they could be charged with spying. A U.S. security official rejects that allegation. He says the three were merely backpackers who got apparently got lost and wandered off the unmarked border into Iran. The Iranians are saying very little about what might happen next.
Also in Tehran, Iran's heartland, the president sworn in for a second term. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad minced no words about the opposition. Out in the streets, protesters shouted out their feelings, "death to the dictator." The protesters still contend the June election was rigged and demand Ahmadinejad step down. His swearing in ceremony was boycotted by all three of the men who ran against him and moderate lawmakers. To them and those in the streets, Ahmadinejad said this is his inaugural address. Disrespect, interference and insults, he says, will not be tolerated.
Taking you live to Allegany County, Pennsylvania. Police getting ready to hold a news conference following last night's deadly shooting at a health club. Four people were killed, including the suspected gunman. Identified is 48-year-old George Soldini, described as a loner and according to some reports, someone who had planned this attack for months. He actually detailed his plan in an online diary, an attack only targeting women. When that happens live, we will take it and bring you an update.
Detroit needed -- well, Detroit has needed jumpstart for quite a while. Almost as long as electric car technology has been idling in park. Today, though, signs that it is really finally shifting into drive.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Staggering job losses and the auto industry have made Michigan's unemployment rate the highest in the country. Advanced battery technology could be the key to Detroit's comeback and today, help is on the way. CNNmoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our "Energy Fix" from New York. She is staying on top of the Detroit, Michigan story. Close to her heart and ours, right, Poppy?
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: It is, Kyra. There has been so much talk, especially from Governor Granholm, we want to be the green energy corridor for this country. But, billions of dollars are going into Detroit. That is really welcome news for the state.
Today, the Obama administration announcing $2.4 billion in grants for building these electric cars and the batteries that power them. The biggest chunk of that money is going to Michigan, over $1 billion split between 11 projects. Just announced this afternoon about an hour or so ago by vice president Biden. Named the winner. They include, of course, the Big Three: GM, Chrysler, and Ford. Also, a host of smaller, start-up companies, some universities also getting some grant money for research on these batteries.
And Michigan, of course, setting their sights on being the world leader in this technology. The goal, to create jobs, well-paying jobs, create a lot of them, and create jobs that are going to last and not go away. Take a listen to what the vice president said on that front.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is expected that they will be able to create, here, in your state, 19,000. Not jobs flipping burgers. 19,000 high-paying, decent jobs with benefits that will allow you to be able to live the way you live.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Good lifestyle for folks. On top of that money, some other good news. Michigan has already set aside $700 million in tax credits to bring companies in to build batteries and set up shop in the state and hire local people.
PHILLIPS: Building batteries assumes the electric car is going to catch on, but Americans have to buy them.
HARLOW: That's exactly right. And here's the problem. They're going to be expensive, pretty expensive at first. It's estimated the GM Chevy Volt that we are all waiting for is going to be about $40,000. Where do you charge these? You don't have outlets on every corner, you can't charge them all in the garage? We are seeing a paradigm shift, though, Kyra, when you look at the cars people are buying. That evidence is coming in this week from that cash for clunkers program because you've got the data showing that hybrids and compact cars have been the top sellers.
Look quickly at this data. Eighty-three percent of the vehicles traded in are trucks and SUVs. Sixty percent of the vehicles purchased as a result are that list of the small, fuel efficient cars. So, even though gas prices are down from last summer, you see fuel efficiency is a great concern. That's a great thing for people that are making a big bet on electric cars. We are asking people on Facebook if they would buy an electric car, too expensive, what do you think. Let me know. Facebook.com/poppyharlow. Great news for Detroit, we will take it, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. Thanks so much, Poppy.
HARLOW: Sure.
PHILLIPS: A new poll number shows that Americans divided over President Obama's health care proposals. The CNN Research Corporation Poll, 50 percent say they support the president's plan. Forty-five percent are opposed. Just 30 percent say their family would benefit. Forty-four percent say the proposals won't help them but will help other families. And 20 percent say the plans won't help anymore.
We want to know what you think about health care, the economy, the president's job performance. Give him a grade. See the results on CNN's "National Report Card." A primetime special tomorrow night.
How does that work, you ask? Well, CNN's Abbi Tatton joins me from Washington to walk us through it. Abbi?
ABBI TATTON, CNN INTERNET CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Krya. This is very simple to do. What we want everyone to do right now is to grade President Obama. The Obama administration's second 100 days right here on CNN.com/report card. Let me show you how it works. The question is, grade the Obama's administration handling the health care reform, in this instance. Say you wanted to give President Obama a B on that...
PHILLIPS: Abbi, I'm sorry. We have to go live to Pennsylvania. More on the news conference following last night's deadly shooting at a health club.
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UNIDENTIFED MALE: ...victims, and let the families know that the prayers of everyone in Allegheny County and southwestern Pennsylvania are with them for the recovery of the individuals that were injured.
I am also going to ask everybody to keep everyone that was affected by this shooting in their prayers over the next couple days, weeks, and months. This is going to be a long recovery for a lot of people.
I also want to recognize a few people that are with us here today. You are going to hear from a few of them, and then we will open up for some questions. As you know, you heard from last night, I want to thank Charlie for doing a great job of getting us through the last couple of hours. The superintendent of Allegheny Police, Charlie Moffatt, is with me.
Pat Valentine over here is with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, deputy director, office of behavioral health. Gary Vetuccio (ph), Collier Township manager, is with us today. He is going to say a few words before we open it up for some questions. Chief Tom Devin (ph), Collier Township police, is with us. Chief, I want to thank you for being with us today. I know tough times for you.
A few things I want to go over before we open it up. On, the county police are continuing to investigate this tragedy and provide support and assistance. The medical examiner has identified the deceased and is conducting autopsies today. The crime lab is processing evidence from the crime scene as we speak. The department of Human Service is providing counseling to the victims and their families. The county has arranged for counseling for anyone who has been affected by this tragedy and would like to speak for a trained professional.
And here's where I'll ask for some of your help. There is walk- in counseling available at Shartier's Mental Health at 437 Railroad Street in Bridgeville. There is a number you can call. 412-221-3302. Again, 412-221-3302. Also, Resolve Crisis Network is also providing walk-in counseling. That number is 1-888-796-8226. Anyone who is directly witnessed the shootings or the aftermath inside the fitness center can contact the Center for Victims of Violent Crimes, 24 hours a day. Their number is 412-392-8582.
There will also be a press release handed out that will give all the information from all of departments within the Department of Human Services. All the contact information is on that piece of paper. Anyone affected by the shootings in that area, there are several different agencies that are standing by to help you get through this tragedy that we're all dealing with as a community.
I have asked Charlie Moffatt, the superintendent, to come forward and give the most current details of what we know, of what's happened and where the situation is today. We are going to ask the township manager to say a few words on behalf of the local elected officials, and then we will open up for any questions you have for Charlie Moffatt or the chief of police from Collier or any one of us from the services that we're providing. At this point, I will ask Charlie Moffatt to talk about the most recent information. Charlie?
CHARLIE MOFFATT, SUPERINTENDENT, ALLEGHENY COUNTY POLICE: Good afternoon. I am sure most of you have the details we went over last night at the two news conferences. Is there anybody that don't have it from the beginning, or you want me to go back through the whole thing? I'm assuming everybody has that. The other additional information we can tell you at this time. There was four handguns he had on his person when the shooting went down. As far as we can determine at this point, he used two of the handguns -- excuse me, three of the handguns, two 9 millimeter semi- automatics. And he used a .45 caliber revolver. We believe it is was the .45 caliber revolver he used to take his own life.
He has been positively identified as George Soldini. This picture is up on the wall to my right. From every indication we have had from the investigation thus far, it indicates to us that -- it shows us that he had this intent to do this harm to these individuals. He had no relationship with anybody in that club that we know of.
He went in the club and just opened up, firing and ultimately shot 12 people. We have a listing of all the victims -- on the same list as him, listed as the act of Mr. Soldini. We will provide that list of names to you rather than me standing up here reading it off to you. It gives you the name of the victim, the three that are deceased and the others that were injured by gunshot wounds.
We just got off the phone with Mercy Hospital. There were several taken to Mercy. One of them has just been released. There are three other ones. Their condition has been upgraded to serious. Hopefully, there is no one else that we are aware of with life- threatening wounds at this time.
As I told you last night, there was a note found on Mr. Soldini when we processed the scene at the LA Fitness Center. That note has some ramblings on it. I can give you some of the information that was on it. He basically says that -- he complains he has never spent a weekend with a girl. He has never vacationed with a girl. He never lived with a woman. He has maybe had sex a few times in his life. He goes on like this.
According to the note, the second note that we discovered, he had practice runs at the LA Fitness Center. He had been there before. From the investigation, it showed that yesterday, he was there three times, starting at 11:40-something in the morning. He must have come in the back -- he came in about 7:00 something in the evening. He goes back out and comes in at 7:56. The first call that's dispatched to Collier Police was at 8:16 p.m. last night.
From the time he came in to the time he committed the murder, just a matter of minutes. He started shooting at people as they were in the same room he was in. He goes in the room, he shuts off the light. He says this in one of his notes that we recovered from his house he had planned to shut off the lights. Someone had showed him how to shut off the lights, although he was a member of the LA Fitness.
In our opinion, there's nobody was in that club that could have did anything to prevent Soldini from committing this terrible act. We have indications now from processing the scene he shot at least 36 times and had clips of ammunition that held 30 rounds, which prior to 2004 were illegal to possess when the assault-rifle ban was lifted. They also became legal to have. He had two extra rounds -- excuse me, two extra clips in his bag. That's about it. Anybody have any questions?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Before we take questions, I do want to ask Gary, the Collier Township manager, to say a few words. Then, we will get to the questions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
GARY VETUCCIO (ph), MANAGER, COLLIER TOWNSHIP: It's amazing. These very difficult times really do bring out the best in people. I initially want to start out by thanking the chief, who contacted me upon his call on the situation and the way we responded as well as the neighboring communities and the county that came involved. It was like a lightning flash. Everybody was there to help. I asked Chief what could I do? I didn't want to be in the way, because sometimes the suits can get in the way. And Chief said, if you'd man the phones, I'd appreciate it, which we did.
In less than a half hour, there were calls from France and Germany and everywhere. Our commissioner showed up. They asked what they could do. They wanted to be very helpful. Anything that we would want them to do or the chief would ask them to do, they would be happy to do it. Today, they are involved right now in the community, talking to the people. They wanted me to extend an invitation to all the Collier residents, anyone who may have a problem, who wants to discuss this further before they would go to professional help. They want to stop by the community building.
I will be there, open door, not a problem. Be happy to talk and give them the information we have that I can confirm. Again, finally, it's something that was as tragic as it was, it was handled very, very well. I couldn't be more appreciative of that. I want to thank all those people involved, Chief.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Questions.
UNIDENFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) The firearms he had...
MOFFATT: He did. Yes.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: He's had the hatred in him. He blames everybody, his mother and everything else, society. Yes, we feel he did. We turned the information over to our computer crimes task force, which is an interagency headed up by the FBI. They are in the process of looking at that blog to see if we can come up with anybody who may have saw these readings and if they did, why did they not contact somebody.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: Pardon me?
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: I have no idea. That would have to be -- a mental health expert would have to say that. He had a lot of hatred in him, and he was hell bent on committing this act and nobody was going to stop him.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: I think it might have been, not to be (INAUDIBLE), the one wall is all mirrors. Maybe he thought that he could do this -- I don't know -- without looking in the mirror. It is hard to say what's in somebody's mind when they commit those acts. For him to go in there and just throw the bag down and pull the guns and have that many guns on him when he goes in the place.
But they were registered. Three of the guns have been traced to him so far. The other gun was recovered at the medical examiner's office, and that's in the process of being traced as we speak.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: Two nine millimeters, a .45-caliber revolver and a .32- caliber semi-automatic in his pocket. One was in his pocket. The other one -- the other 9-millimeter he used, dropped it at the scene. The other 9-millimeter he used to spray some of the people. The .45 caliber -- he committed suicide with the. 45 caliber.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: Yes.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: I have nothing yet, nor does Collier Township. But we will certainly check the tapes to make sure there was nothing on there.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: No. The first 911 call was dispatched at 8:16. We are in the process of pulling the tapes to review what time they came in.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: You mean 911 calls?
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: Yes.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
MOFFATT: Some of the workers. We know that for a fact. You have to understand, and I am sure you know, when people -- when the women who was in the aerobics class, what they do is they come into the class. They throw their keys in the corner along with their cell phones. So they didn't really have them. I would assume most of them, the first thing they wanted to do was get out of there. They ran out of the doors.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) MOFFATT: No. He went in three times. He went in first at 11:00 something in the morning. And they we're assuming he had to leave. They don't have to check out but they check in. He went back in approximately 7:40. Then, he checks back in at 7:56. We are thinking in between 7:40, 7:56, he makes this call on his cell phone. We know it was made at 7:45. So, we're assuming he went outside to make that call and went out and back in at 7:56. The police were dispatched at 8:16, so we think he went in...
