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American Morning
New Haven Police Announce Imminent Arrest in Annie Le Case; FBI Conducts Raids in Denver to Break Up Alleged Terrorist Plot; First- Time Homebuyers Tax Credit Ending; FBI Announces Possible Investigation Into ACORN; Afghanistan Reality Check; "Sex and the City" Fashion
Aired September 17, 2009 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Hello once again. Thanks so much for being with us on this Thursday, September 17th. Almost 7:00 right on the nose here in New York City. I'm Kiran Chetry along with T.J. Great to have you this morning.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, and good morning to you all as well.
CHETRY: Meanwhile, the top stories we are breaking down in the next 15 minutes.
First a press conference set to start any minimum now in a case of the strangled Yale student found dead on her wedding day. Police now tell us an arrest is imminent, and we will have that press conference for you the second it starts.
HOLMES: We're also looking at the investigation into a possible terror strike moving west this morning, the FBI searching a home in Denver. They say it belongs to an Afghan man who made trips to New York. We'll have the latest on the pre-dawn raid. That's coming up.
CHETRY: Also, ACORN in more trouble. In now has the attention of the FBI after a string of hidden camera tapes appeared to show staffers giving advice to a couple posing as a pimp and prostitute.
So what's next? And who are the people behind those videos? We're going to get some answers for you later in the hour.
But first, our top story. We're waiting for new details on the murder of grad student Annie Le. Police now tell us an arrest is imminent.
CHETRY: New haven police are about to start a press conference. There are live pictures right now. And reports say that there is a DNA match.
It is unclear, though, whether this evidence points to 24-year-old Raymond Clark. He is the person of interest in this case. He was a researcher, he was a tech that worked in that lab.
Clark was released after submitting DNA samples. You're looking right now at new video and pictures of the hotel where he spent the nature under police surveillance about ten miles from his home. Police say that Le, who was just 24-years-old, was strangled. Then found her body hidden behind a wall panel in a lab basement on Sunday. That would have been her wedding day.
Our Mary Snow is following the latest on this investigation. She is live in New Haven this morning. And we have seen the developments move fairly quickly. They went through 700 hours of surveillance tapes. They collected lots and lots of evidence from the scene, and now they say an arrest is imminent.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That is the word, Kiran, this morning from the New Haven police department, which is also now saying that it is delaying a bit this press conference that was supposed to start at 7:00. It may be delayed by as much as an hour at this point.
The New Haven police department told us earlier this morning that it was seeking an arrest warrant. As you mentioned, the person of interest that -- as described by the New Haven police department -- Raymond Clark, a 24-year-old Yale technician, had been under surveillance.
The New Haven police department said that even though he was not officially labeled a suspect, that they knew where -- his whereabouts at all times. And we know that there was another local police department who was also saying they were assisting in surveillance.
What the police department has been saying is that it had been collecting DNA samples. That process had been expedited by the Connecticut state police.
Whether or not those reports about a DNA match, all the New Haven police department would say this morning is that -- the spokesman said he didn't know, he could not confirm those reports. But he did say that an arrest was imminent.
And police say that while Raymond Clark was named as a person of interest, he is the only person of interest that they had executed a search warrant. He was taken into custody two days ago for about five hours as DNA samples were taken from him and his home was searched. Also, his car was impounded to also gather more evidence -- Kiran?
CHETRY: All right, Mary Snow standing by for us. And again, it looks like the New Haven police department is saying they have now moved the press conference. It will be delayed possibly as long as an hour.
But again, we have a live picture up, and as soon as they come to the podium we will bring it to you live. Again, they're saying an arrest in this case is imminent.
HOLMES: Another developing story we are keeping an eye on here. Feds shifting the focus of a terrorism investigation after raids here in New York rattled the borough of Queens.
Now they're turning their sites on Denver and to an FBI national who's been doing a lot of traveling lately. He's been interviewed, and his lawyer says he turned over writings, fingerprints, DNA samples. Deborah Feyerick following this story for us, which is really crisscrossing the country now.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It definitely is. It started in Denver, came to New York, went back to Denver. Federal agents are looking to see whether in fact New York is the end point or maybe just a stopping point along the way, and if so, are there going to be more raids. All of it an open question.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: With some New York City residents on edge, an investigation into a possible terror strike ongoing this morning. FBI agents searched the Denver home of an Afghan man who recently traveled across the country.
He is 24-year-old Najibullah Zazi, and airport limo driver who moved from New York to Denver six months ago. This as FBI Director Robert Mueller answering questions on Capitol Hill about Monday's pre-dawn raid on two apartments in Queens, New York.
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, (D) NEW YORK: Could you assure New Yorkers and the American public that the situation is under sufficient control and there is no imminent danger to their safety?
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: I can say I do not believe there is imminent danger from that particular investigation.
FEYERICK: So far no one has been arrested. CNN affiliate KUSA in Denver spoke to Zazi and his lawyer. He says Zazi went to New York to resolve an issue related to a vending cart business and denied that Zazi has any ties to terrorism.
ARTHUR FOLSOM, NAJIBULLAH ZAZI'S ATTORNEY: I think the main thing he wants people to understand is that he had absolutely nothing to do with this. He loves this country. He loves living here. That's why he brought his family over here.
FEYERICK: During the trip, Zazi was stopped by police before crossing the George Washington Bridge for what he was told was a random drug stop. Later his rental car was towed for alleged parking violations.
Police asked if they could search the car and examine a laptop while it was impounded. Zazi agreed.
Zazi's return visit to New York prompted FBI agents to raid the two homes of people he contacted. One of the men questioned by agents spoke to us and on condition we not use his name.
The man said while not close, he's known Zazi for about seven years. He ran into him at a Queens mosque and agreed to let him stay at his place for the night.
Quote, "He's Pashtun. You can't turn away a fellow Pashtun," said the acquaintance, who did not see Zazi leave the next day.
(END VIDEOTAPE) FEYERICK: There are several events that have put New York on heightened security, the President's visit to Wall Street, of course, earlier, and the upcoming United Nations General Assembly when world leaders will gather next week.
So everybody has been on alert in the city. But again, this is part of an ongoing investigation. What happens next, everybody is watching. The danger, of course, is escalating something that's sort of in a linear phase up to something that's more right now. But those are the facts we know.
HOLMES: This case in Denver is one thing. You take those facts and put them in New York with all this going on, this city's history, it's totally different.
FEYERICK: Completely different, absolutely.
HOLMES: Deb Feyerick, we appreciate you as always.
And we will be talking more about this just ahead with CNN national security contributor and former Bush Homeland Security adviser Fran Townsend. Also, former FBI agent Robert Strang will be here with us. That's coming up here on the most news in the morning.
Also new this morning, another alarming development in the Jaycee Dugard kidnapping case. Investigators say they found bones on the property where sex offender Phillip Garrido lived with his wife and the child he allegedly snatched and kept as a prisoner for 18 years.
Bones were previously discovered on the property next door to which Garrido had access. The bones were sent to a lab to determine if they are from a human or an animal.
CHETRY: And the case against a Kentucky high school coach could go to the jury later today -- 37 year old David Stinson is being charged with reckless homicide. One of his football players, Max Gilpin, collapsed during practice on a hot day, hot summer day, and that's when the high school sophomore died three days later.
Prosecutors claimed that Stinson denied him water and forced him to run wind sprints in brutal heat. The player's stepmother testified that Max already wasn't feeling well that day.
HOLMES: And take a look at Chris Brown. You can't tell too much -- that's him from the back there. That's Chris Brown. He is picking up trash on the side of the road.
This is part of his punishment, punishment for beating his ex- girlfriend, singer Rihanna. The community service is part of the sentence. The sentence also includes five years of probation, 12 months of domestic violence counseling.
CHETRY: All right, there you go. All right, let's move on.
ACORN responding to these uncover videos that were shot at various locations. The head of the organization talks to us, weighs in on this undercover investigation that reveals that some workers may have been trying to help people commit crimes.
Jessica Yellin joins news just about 20 minutes. It's eight-and-a- half minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Empire State of mind this morning. And a live look at New York City, where it is going to be cold, where I might need a jacket. Showers and 66 today, right now about 57 degrees.
News to tell you about here on this "American Morning." A scandal plagues South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. Well, he had his security clearance temporarily yanked because of the scandal. It was yanked by the Department of Homeland Security.
Federal documents show that after the governor's secret trip to Argentina to visit his mistress, the government sent him a letter questioning his judgment and trustworthiness. Reports say that his security access was taken but restored a week later.
CHETRY: Also good news at the supermarkets, stores drastically slashing prices on many of your weekly staples. After a year where we have seen food prices go up, there has been a sharp decline in commodity prices, and it's triggering lower prices in grocery stores, including wheat, corn, and milk.
You can sort of call it an upside to the global downturn.
HOLMES: And where do you think young rich Americans live? Well, I guess, we just gave it away. Not New York. Not L.A. They are in D.C.
A new report says the highest concentration of 25 to 34-year-olds making more than $100,000 a year -- I don't know if that's exactly rich these days -- but they are living in the counties surrounding the nation's capital.
The appeal of Washington is believed to be jobs, strong education, and health care institutions, a moderate climate as well, and easy access to recreation facilities.
CHETRY: And we want to bring you up to date now, T.J. on the latest on this alleged terror plot that took place, some of it starting in Denver, moving on to New York City.
FBI agents with bomb-sniffing dogs raided the Colorado apartment of an Afghan national that they allege could be linked to al Qaeda and could be linked to a plot to launch a terror attack in New York City.
Meantime, the man at the center of that probe, Najibullah Zazi, was given writing, fingerprint, and DNA samples. He gave them to federal agents according to his attorney and claims his innocence.
Joining me now to discuss the latest on in terror probe, Frances Townsend. She is a former Homeland Security adviser under President Bush. And also Robert Strang. He's a former FBI employee as well as a former DEA special agent. He now co-chairs a New York legislative terrorism task force. Thanks to both of you for being with us.
ROBERT STRANG, CO-CHAIR, NY LEGISLATIVE TERRORISM TASK FORCE: Good morning.
CHETRY: And Robert, let me just start with you just to get some clarity on this situation with Zazi, the guy this was questioned and gave these samples to federal agents.
He adamantly and repeatedly denied having any involvement in any terrorism, any bomb-making. But we know that agents were seizing and actually removing materials from the Queens home where he had visited.
What do you think or what are some of the moves right now by the federal agents telling you about where they might be going with this investigation?
STRANG: This is a very fluid and dynamic case. This is an international case. There are a lot of sources of information from wiretaps, from hard drives, you know, from -- seizing from the computers, from cell phones, from informants. So there is a lot of information coming in now.
But I think really what they are looking at is he has been the key focus here. So for him to deny ever being involved in this, to say "I had nothing to do with this" is absolutely crazy. He's the one that started this investigation. He's the one they had under surveillance.
So he's the one that led them to the apartments in Queens where they were able to get a federal search warrant and search those apartments. So clearly, he is a key person involved in this case, a co- conspirator, if you will.
CHETRY: And where that goes is still up in the air. Fran, we learning the man Zazi drove from Denver to New York City in a rental car and that they were acting on some information and suspicions as Robert just said about this cell of Afghan nationals in the New York area associated with the same mosque that might be planning to carry out a terrorist attack in New York.
As you're watching this unfold, what is your reaction of how this has been handled so far?
FRANCES TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: I will tell you, you know, the NYPD has one of the most aggressive and competent intelligence organizations in the country. And they have a wide network of informants.
So I think we -- what we are probably seeing play out is a combination of federal electronic surveillance and, based on New York City police department informants. They come together and put that together, and that leads to their focus on these apartments.
Here's the problem with the apartment. You know, you find backpacks, you find maps. While those things are very suspicious to people that work in law enforcement and intelligence, you also worry that if these are poor Afghan immigrants in an apartment who are tourists, they have got -- you can imagine they'd be staying in a flop house, a lot of them together with backpacks and maps.
So they have to do the forensics. And I think that's probably what's going on now.
CHETRY: But, Fran, the interesting thing, though, and it seems to be downplayed a little bit right now by FBI Director Robert Mueller, saying that there is no imminent danger from this particular investigation. And now some are raising the question, wait a minute, did law enforcement judgment the gun here?
TOWNSEND: I think they probably did go sooner than they wanted to go. But given all of the events that Deborah had mentioned, the president being in New York, the U.N. General Assembly, they felt that they had to go.
And there was operational activity that they were seeing that they didn't fully understand. And rather than wait until something happened, they wanted to interrupt the cell.
I think that's why, the interruption is why you hear the director of the FBI say he doesn't think there is an imminent threat from this case now because they obviously disrupted it and gone over it with their investigation.
CHETRY: So what does this do in terms of a prosecutorial standpoint or in terms of trying to get a case together?
STRANG: It's always a balance, when do you execute the search warrants, when do you bring the case in daylight?
Fran said it right. This was almost the perfect storm. The president was in town. We had the anniversary of September 11. We had person under surveillance coming to New York. So everything was happening at one time with what authorities believe with direct ties perhaps to Al Qaeda.
So this was really a situation where you had to move quickly. You know...
CHETRY: How did they get that direct ties to Al Qaeda? Is it because he visited Pakistan and Afghanistan recently?
STRANG: Right.
And you know, Fran talks about the New York informants. And NYPD is the best working with the FBI. They do a terrific job, the joint terrorism task force here.
But we also get information from Afghanistan and from Pakistan from our military experts. They, too, execute search warrants. They don't have to do the same kind of due diligence we do to get a search warrant. But they are in seizing hard drives, cell phones, notes. They have informants. They are giving us information here.
So people who are traveling back ask forth from Pakistan and Afghanistan, back to the United States, we are watching those people. We are looking who they meet with there and here. And that's how many of these cases are developed.
CHETRY: All right, it will be interesting to see where this goes forward. I want to thank both of you for your insight on this, Frances Townsend as well as Robert Strang. Thanks to both of you.
STRANG: Thank you.
TOWNSEND: Thank you.
CHETRY: Right now we are going to take a quick break and we'll come back with much more, including, of course, the latest. We're waiting for this news conference, this press conference by New Haven police on the Yale university murder of the grad student.
There is a live look now. It has been pushed back. They say an arrest is imminent.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right Christine Romans, the producer is making fun of here about the YouTube. Anybody?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Please. You too?
HOLMES: What do you want from me? I don't know that song.
ROMANS: Later we are going to be interviewing Kiss.
CHETRY: There is this other really good band called the Rolling Stones.
HOLMES: I heard of them.
CHETRY: Sometime I will let you listen to their music.
HOLMES: I'm going to excuse myself or Kiss, though.
We were having a good conversation about this housing market and the debate about how much do you need to give folks to entice them to get them to buy these things, the clunkers, the houses.
CHETRY: I know.
HOLMES: And so this tax credit. People have until December 1st to close.
ROMANS: That's right. I mean, this is sunsetting, this very popular $8,000 tax credit for people who are first time home buyers, people who don't own a home right now.
And there are income restrictions, you have to -- a couple has to make $150,000 or less or $175,000 or less for an individual. It expires on November 30th.
It has been used so far for 1.2 million home purchases. So there are people who have been enticed by this and by lower home prices and low mortgage rates. And they have gotten out there and they have helped maybe stabilize the housing market a little bit.
There is a push by some lawmakers to extend this homebuyer tax credit. How would you like that? Don't let this sunset. Extend and it push it through maybe into another year to try to help stabilize the housing market.
There are some people that don't like the idea, because they say, look, you have to pay for this. And we -- it is not free money. You have to pay for this, and maybe the housing market should be allowed to settle out and find, you know, find its base.
The value of your homes, I want to show you quickly an CNN opinion research poll, a poll showing that people -- how they think about their home price as year from now -- 35 percent of you think that your home price is going to be higher, 44 percent think it will be the same, 22 percent think it is going to be lower. Interesting.
So we will see if --
CHETRY: Optimism.
ROMANS: But we will see if this idea of more money, taking away the income restrictions, maybe even make it $15,000 in a tax credit to buy a home. There are people in Congress we are talking about that.
CHETRY: And time for Romans numeral. And this is a number we bring you every day on our program, a numeral that's driving a story about your money. What is it this time?
ROMANS: The number is 31, and it's 31 percent. And it's down 31 percent.
CHETRY: The number of people buying a new home?
ROMANS: Gosh, no.
CHETRY: Year to year?
ROMANS: It is -- this number is the decline from peak to trough in the average home price.
Now, my theory is that people are driven much more about home prices and mortgage rates than they are by a little bit of government cash, because if you and your neighborhood -- I mean, they are down by a third, and mortgage rates in the low 5 percent.
Over the course of the 30-year mortgage, you know, you might be able to afford a house again for the first time in a long time. So 31 percent, that's the average price of a home decline from peak to trough.
CHETRY: Thanks, Christine.
ROMANS: Sure.
HOLMES: Thank you. CHETRY: Still ahead, ACORN responds. We are going to speak to the head of the community organizing group. Jessica Yellin digging deeper on this undercover investigation that's really put them on the defensive.
It's 23 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: It's 26 minutes past the hour. Welcome back to the most news of the morning.
The nonprofit group ACORN under fire this morning, and head of the FBI is signaling that his agency could launch an investigation after a staffers in three states and D.C. were caught on hidden camera giving advice to a couple posing as a pimp and prostitute.
ACORN, which is supposed to help people in some of the country's poorest neighborhoods get housing, says it is now putting a hiring freeze in place and will launch its own independent review of the programs.
ACORN's CEO talked with our Rick Sanchez last night. Rick was filling for Campbell Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: How do you explain what Americans have seen on some of these videotapes, somebody advising, you know, alleged pimps and prostitutes, or people describing themselves as pimps and prostitutes to set up brothels? How do you explain that?
BERTHA LEWIS, ACORN CEO: Pretty horrendous, isn't it?
SANCHEZ: Yes.
LEWIS: I mean, this would curl anyone's hair. And it was outrageous. It was indefensible. But be that as it may, I will not tolerate unprofessional -- not meeting our standards.
SANCHEZ: So the people -- so the people have been fired. The people we see on the tapes have been fired.
LEWIS: Yes. But listen, Rick, I have over 700 employees. And you know, this is a handful of folks.
I immediately took swift action. And I said, you know what, we are going to look at this, we are going to make a review from top to bottom so that this thing never happens again. We worked too hard to have some trumped up thing like this happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Now, that was the response from ACORN's head there. But where did the tapes come from? Who shot them, and why? And why until these hidden camera videos released was the story so far off the radar?
Our Jessica Yellin has that side of the story for us this morning.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, T.J., two self-described filmmakers have made big news with their undercover ACORN videos. Now they raised lots of questions about more than just what's on the tapes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
YELLIN: These are the hidden camera videos that triggered a firestorm over grassroots activist group ACORN. Behind the videos, two 20- somethings, Hannah Giles, seen here posing as a prostitute, and James O'Keefe pretending to be her pimp.
JAMES O'KEEFE, FILMMAKER: Anna Giles and I continued our investigation of ACORN
YELLIN: The two are conservative filmmakers. According to her web biography, Giles is the daughter of conservative writer Doug Giles. Now an Internet sensation, she has appeared on FOX News.
ANNA GILES, FILMMAKER: As I sat there, I was like cannot believe they are actually falling for this -- not necessarily falling for it, but what can we get them to say next.
YELLIN: O'Keefe says he is a filmmaker dedicated to exposing corruption he believes the mainstream media ignores. Here he is in his pimp outfit on FOX News.
O'KEEFE: I think this is the future of investigative journalism and it is the future of political activism.
YELLIN: The two have gotten results. Since these videos were posted, the U.S. Senate has voted to cut off some of ACORN's funding. And media outlets from "The Washington Times" to Jon Stewart are asking --
JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": Where were the real reporters on this story? You know what investigative immediate yes, give me camera three -- where the hell were you?
YELLIN: It is not the first time agenda driven activists have made headlines with hidden camera reports. The animal rights groups PETA makes them tall time. And political campaigns have driven news with videos like this. Remember macaca?
GEORGE ALLEN, (R) FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Macaca, or whatever his name is.
YELLIN: That remark, considered racially offensive by some, took down an incumbent senator.
Experts in investigative journalism say reporters are wise to be cautious about posing as fake characters and using hidden cameras to get a story. ROBERT ROSENTHAL, CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING: Really have to weigh, again, how important the information is, how important the story is to society, to the community, and is there any other way to get at it, because I think it does raise questions of fairness and credibility of the media.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
YELLIN: The video makers turned down our request for an interview through their sponsor, the conservative commenter Andrew Brightbart. Brightbart tells us the two made these videos out the sense of idealism and righteousness, and he tells us they have more videos coming -- T.J., Kiran?
CHETRY: Jessica Yellin for us this morning, thanks so much.
It's half past the hour now. We check our top stories. Vice President Joe Biden pushing Iraqi leaders this morning. He met with Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki and stressed the importance of setting political differences aside to stabilize the oil-rich nation's economy.
It's day three of his unannounced trip to Baghdad. "The New York Times" also reported that the heavily fortified green zone where the vice president is staying was hit by rocket attacks late last night. One reportedly landed on the edge of the American embassy compound about a mile from the building where the two leaders met wounding several people.
HOLMES: And breaking just hours ago, the U.S. reportedly scrapping plans for a missile defense shield in Poland. The Polish ministry of defense confirms the move, adding this is catastrophic for Poland.
The pricey plan proposed the Bush White House has been a sore spot between Washington and Moscow, but the U.S. officials won't confirm that it is on the shelf just yet.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN, ANCHOR: And police in New Haven, Connecticut, say an arrest in the murder of Yale grad student Annie Le could happen at any moment. Reporters say there is a DNA match. But it's still unclear whether the evidence points to the so-called person of interest, Raymond Clark, the Yale lab tech who was questioned and then released by police. The coroner's office also says that Annie Le was strangled to death.
HOLMES: We turn now to the make or break debate over health care. We have two chambers of Congress made up of two parties trying to agree on one reform bill. Good luck. Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee has released a plan that could appeal to enough Democrats and Republicans to pass but it does not include the government-backed insurance. That so-called public option.
Over in the House, several progressive Democrats who say that's essentially a deal breaker and one of those is our next guest, Congressman Anthony Weiner, Democrat. Good morning to you, sir. Thank you for being here. REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: It's my pleasure. Good morning.
HOLMES: This is a much awaited, highly anticipated bill coming out of the Senate Finance Committee. We have seen it but from what you have seen and what you know now, right now, after all that work, is this thing in the House essentially dead on arrival?
WEINER: Well, unfortunately, it is. I mean, I commend my colleagues in the Senate for moving the process forward but they didn't really make much progress in terms of trying to figure out a way to hold down costs for health care. You know, whether you are a fiscal conservative concerned about the idea that we need to get this under control which is something we all should be, or someone who is concerned about having choice and competition in the marketplace, the Baucus mark does not accomplish either of those things. And that's problematic.
HOLMES: And congressman, you said, you appreciate them moving the process forward. So I guess - you said dead on arrival. So how far did we even come? Did we make any progress with this bill?
WEINER: Well, it is a necessary box we had to check. We had to have the committees at the House and Senate do it. Now, we have five committees in the House and Senate. That's closer than we have ever been and since we passed Medicare 44 years ago. But unfortunately the - the Senate bill is probably going to have to be approved a great deal if not just put aside and we start with the House bill.
You know, the president said he wants a public option and the American people say they want an option. And frankly common sense dictates it. So I think it has got to be plan.
HOLMES: And you talk about the public option. Now you say that the president wants but he said that joint session that -- aside from some of the other theatrics, there was news the president made in there in saying that "the driving idea behind reform has been to end insurance company abuses and make coverage available for those without it. The public option is only a means to that end and we should remain open to other ideas that accomplish our ultimate goals."
So you say the president is behind it but he doesn't seem to be behind it in the way you are which means it has to be in there or no bill.
WEINER: Well, let's not - that's not true. I think basically the president is just saying the same thing. Earlier in that speech he explained why the public option is so necessary. Look, maybe there is some other tool to keep down costs. But it certainly is not in the Baucus bill. Look, we say to insurance companies, here is another 30 million customers. But they don't do anything to make it so that they cost - cost of that insurance starts coming down so we can afford and so the taxpayer isn't bankrupted. That's the problem here.
It is fairly easy to provide someone with coverage or give them a subsidy to go out and buy it although the subsidies still aren't high enough. But unless we contain the cost it's going to continue bankrupting our system. HOLMES: And do you think - you mentioned there that you don't think that's what the president was saying or he laid out the need for public option. Yes, he says he wants it. But I think a lot of people would agree it has been clear that he has backed off and he doesn't have the same stance you have at least which is the public option must be in the bill. You think and you the president see eye to eye?
WEINER: Well, I think so. I mean, the president did say in that speech he wants the public option in and the American people have said that, too. He said something that, frankly, I'd agree with. If there is another tool to contain costs and competition, he's open to it.
But for example in the Senate bill, they have something called the cost which allow people to do it state by state. And then wouldn't allow them to join together as individual cost. It doesn't really do it. So unless someone has a better idea they want to put on the able, there is no alternative now to the public option. Let me make it very clear for 200 million Americans, including and you me, we won't be eligible to go into the public option anyway. It is really just for a small sliver of the population.
HOLMES: All right. So I want to make sure I'm clear. It does not sound like the co-op, at least, the way it is in his bill. You think it could be improved in some way and you can get onboard with the co- op plan?
WEINER: Well, there hasn't been a co-op in the country that worked the way -- you need something big and muscular to compete with the insurance companies. And if we are saying, you can only do them by state and those co-ops can't join together and negotiate for prices around the country, you're basically not just going to have a big enough (INAUDIBLE) to be able to do it. The co-sop a nice idea except it won't accomplish what we need, which is true competition.
HOLMES: All right. And last thing. Essentially, a yes or no. Does bipartisanship even matter to you on this bill anymore? Sure, you would like it but you're OK going ahead without it?
WEINER: I think you put it exactly right. I'd like it but as a means to an end. Not an end of itself. It is pretty clear many of my Republican colleagues - Republican colleagues decided they would rather not help with this process and I understand that. So it is our job to get it done.
HOLMES: Well, Representative Anthony Weiner, again, Democrat from New York. Sir, we will be talking to you plenty throughout what is looking like it is going to be an extended health care debate. Sir, thank you for being here this morning. You have a good one.
WEINER: Thank you. I look forward to it.
CHETRY: Well, first we heard and yell "you lie," where the president was speaking now. Now, Congressman Joe Wilson is responding to some of the charges out there like from former President Jimmy Carter that this had a racial tinge to it. 36 minutes after the hour.
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HOLMES: All right. Good morning, everybody. About 20 minutes to the top of the hour. Welcome back to the most news in the morning. Here are a few things we are following.
First, the Senate approved a measure that would allow Amtrak passengers to carry licensed handguns in checked bags however on the trains. The legislation said Amtrak would lose federal subsidies if it doesn't allow passengers to bring guns on board. Another security restriction similar to those that the airline use. One opponent said the necessary security adjustments be so expensive that the railroad could shut down.
CHETRY: Well, the 2016 Olympics, will they wind up in Chicago? Well, if the president gets his way they will. He staged a homecoming style Olympic rally. It took place at the White House yesterday, saying the whole country is rooting for his hometown of Chicago to land the 2016 summer games. Chicago is in a tight race with Rio de Janeiro, Madrid and Tokyo. Looks like they were doing some impromptu taekwondo matches there on the lawn. Pretty cool.
Well, the first lady will travel to Copenhagen. She's going to try help influence the International Olympic Committee when they meet to choose a host city in just two weeks.
HOLMES: She could be influential. When the first lady shows up, that could help Chicago out a whole lot. There is a new proposal to battle obesity. And it is calling for a tax of a penny per ounce on that soda pop. A group of nutrition and economic experts say if you pay more for that Coke or that Pepsi, you cut back and lose maybe two pounds a year. They say the idea, much like the cigarette tax will cut consumption while raising government revenues more than 30 states already charge sales tax on soft drinks.
CHETRY: All right. Former president Jimmy Carter is speaking out again. He is backing up his claim that racism is behind a lot of the opposition to President Obama in the town hall debates, et cetera. He said that protesters that compare Obama "an animal or the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler" are part of a radical fringe element. President Carter also said that race is behind the now infamous "you lie" outburst from Congressman Joe Wilson.
Well, the "Washington Times" asked the South Carolina Republican what he thought about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Congressman, if you were sitting right across from former President Jimmy Carter, you would have no response to him about him calling you a racist?
REP. JOE WILSON (E, SOUTH CAROLINA: I would say... that Mr. President, let's discuss health insurance reform. Let's discuss the issues before us. And I -- respect the office of the president and - I would just tell him, hey, you need to get focused on the issue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, this debate has also hit our AMFIX hotline. A lot of you really divided over whether or not race is a factor in the protest against the president. Here is a little bit of what you are saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF GREG, AM VIEWER FROM OKLAHOMA: Jimmy Carter, 30 years ago. How is he relevant now?
VOICE OF ROUISE, AM VIEWER FROM ARIZONA: I agree with Jimmy Carter. Finally somebody had the nerve to step up and say the truth.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think all this talk of racism against Obama is just ridiculous. It shows that the left wing thinks in terms of identity while the right wing thinks in terms of ideas.
VOICE OF DAVE, AM VIEWER FROM VIRGINIA: I look at some of these posters, some of these things they are carrying around, I think it's just sick.
VOICE OF THOMAS, AM VIEWER FROM ILLINOIS: President Carter hit it right on the head. There are a lot of people out here who feel that a black man cannot run this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: All right. So we want to know what you think about all of this. You can leave a message on our show hotline. The number is 877-MYAMFIX. You can also post a comment on our blog. The address cnn.com/amfix. And on there you can also link up with twitter and many other places. We want to hear what you have to say. We are going to try to get as many opinions out there as we can on the show.
HOLMES: I know a lot of opinions on this. This is one that you have in the NEWSROOM and your friends are calling you about it, getting text messages about it. Everybody is part of this debate. So we appreciate it. Keep them coming. Right now, it's about a quarter to the top of the hour.
Rob Marciano coming up next. That's all you need to say.
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CHETRY: A lot of changes in Arkansas over the past couple of weeks. The high rise -
(INAUDIBLE)
HOLMES: They are trying to get me a picture out of my home state of Arkansas.
CHETRY: We did and -
HOLMES: It does not look like that in Little Rock. So -
CHETRY: That's the upper west side of Manhattan this morning as we take a look at the weather for New York today. Chilly. Feels like fall. In fact, right now it is only --
HOLMES: What?
CHETRY: All right.
HOLMES: 57 degrees all the ay -
CHETRY: Why don't we ask the expert.
HOLMES: It felt like 57 when I walked in this morning --
CHETRY: Can I phone a friend? Rob Marciano, what is it going to be like for us here? It certainly feels like fall this morning.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, you got some clouds and it is cool. Although the clouds aren't helping you warm things up. I've been doing some research on Arkansas this morning. And I will get T.J.'s inside knowledge in just a second. Flood watches out for this area. And then also, cool. Yes, definitely cool air across parts of the northeast today. That's the other big story.
One to two inches of additional rainfall on top of what you've already received across parts of southern and central Arkansas at one point yesterday, about half the state was under a flood warning. Right now, though, things are beginning to wind down a little bit. This low is actually backed up and rotating moisture in. As far as what kind of moisture you were seeing in parts of Arkansas, there you go.
Up at Mountain State Park seeing treacherous flooding there. They had to shut down that guy. Plus fairly regularly but not nearly as what they have seen the past couple of days. All right. Check out some of these numbers. This is just from yesterday. North Little Rock got over three inches. And Nashville, Tennessee, actually getting in the act of 1.75 inches.
Let's give you an idea of the expanse of this thing. It's stretching now all the way to the Atlantic coastline. So as this thing spreads out, it does get a little bit weaker and hopefully tomorrow or the next day, it will begin to kind of rain itself out.
All right. What's going on across parts of Maine? It's 28 degrees right now in Caribou. That's kind of chilly. New York City, you are at 57. So a little bit warmer there. Toadsuck , Arkansas - Kiran, if could you ask your colleague next to you where - if he has ever been to Toadsuck, apparently they got over nine inches of rainfall in the last 48 hours.
HOLMES: Toadsuck is around the central part of Arkansas. They have a festival every year called the Toadsuck festival there. It's right around Conway. So yes, I have been there. MARCIANO: I supposed we don't really want to know what the Toadsuck Festival is all about.
HOLMES: No, you don't.
MARCIANO: OK.
HOLMES: No.
CHETRY: There are some people who would pay good money to go to that thing. Hey, listen, it is only going to be 66 for a high here in New York. OK. It's time to get up here, Rob. Get your butt up here and start picking some apples.
MARCIANO: All right. I like that. Yes. Maybe do a little - leaf viewing as well.
CHETRY: Do a little what?
MARCIANO: Leaf peeping.
CHETRY: Leaf what?
MARCIANO: Leaf peeping and apple picking.
HOLMES: I should go. I should go, man.
MARCIANO: All right. See you guys in a little bit.
CHETRY: We don't have anyone else walking off the set because of what Rob said.
All right. I'll leave it there to you, Rob. Meanwhile, it is Fashion Week. Alina Cho, she disappears - she's gone for a whole entire week twice a year because she is our resident fashionista. Well, she is back looking great and she's going to show us some of the highlights of what they are wearing this fall. It's 48 minutes after the hour.
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CHETRY: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. 50 minutes past the hour. We're talking about fashion and street chic and it's Fashion Week here in New York. And if you're into that, you're probably a "Sex and the City" fan. And what's "Sex and the City" without all the window dressing, of course. Our Alina Cho is here to answer that now. We've missed you.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't even know what you're talking about. Disappeared for a week. I've been here, working hard. Good morning. You know, there's no denying, Kiran, that fashion does play a leading role in "Sex and the City," the shoes, the clothes, the bags. It seems whatever the characters wear suddenly became major fashion trends. And guess what it doesn't happen by accident.
The creative genius working behind the scenes, dressing the characters, well she's a celebrity herself. Patricia Field.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice-over): If Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha are the fab four -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There were about four different dresses -
CHO: Patricia Field is the fifth girl. The flame-haired iconic costume designer for "Sex and the City."
CHO (on camera): Can you explain what the experience of working with Pat Field is like?
CYNTHIA NIXON, MIRANDA ON "SEX AND THE CITY": It's, you know, you're in the hands of a master.
CHO (voice-over): The woman who some fashion insiders say is single- handedly responsible for starting countless fashion trends. The "it" bag, accessories, or shoes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello, lover.
CHO: No matter how quirky.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You look -
"CARRIE," "SEX AND THE CITY": Why, thank you.
CHO: How crazy the look, if someone on "Sex and the City" wears it, it sells. I caught up with Pat Field on the movie set of "Sex and the City 2," the sequel, in production right now.
(on camera): What inspires you?
PATRICIA FIELD, COSTUME DESIGNER: If it tells me some story, if it communicates something to me and it looks good, I go with it.
CHO (voice-over): It could be anything. Field is inspired by what she sees on the runway.
FIELD: Good luck to the two of you.
CHO: On the street. Even fans.
FERN MALLIS, SVP, IMG FASHION: Pat is the crystal ball. She's magic. A crystal ball with red hair.
CHO: But her real talent is putting it all together.
NIXON: Pat loves clothes and she's not afraid to mix the high and the low, something very expensive with like a $2 belt.
CHO: She has the eye.
DIANE VON FURSTENBERG, FASHION DESIGNER: Pat is a great editor. She can capture what happens in the world.
CHO: And the world follows.
"CARRIE": Manolo Bhanik.
CHO: So do designers who flock to her hoping Pat will choose them and put them on the map.
(on camera): Basically, anything your heart desires is yours.
FIELD: Well, 95 percent. There are a few fussy ones.
CHO (voice-over): And there's no denying, "Sex and the City" has made Pat, too.
The paparazzi, the fans can't get enough.
FIELD: I don't know what they do with these photographs.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: They frame them and they hang them up on the wall. "Sex and the City" has also given Pat a lot of opportunities. She's the costume designer for "Ugly Betty," the TV show. She has a deal with Payless Shoes, and she was even nominated for an Oscar for costume design for her work on the movie "The Devil Wears Prada."
You know, but talk to fashion insiders, Kiran and they say, Pat's real talent is that she's unafraid. She's daring and she really has inspired women everywhere around the world to be more daring in their fashion choices and she says that's really, really great.
CHETRY: So funny though, at the end of the day, what looks great on Carrie and Miranda, I would be embarrassed to wear it. I love it on them.
CHO: Well, listen. She says it's not always rooted in reality. It is a bit of fantasy but it is fun to watch.
CHETRY: It is. It's probably fun to talk to her, too. Great job.
CHO: Thank you.
CHETRY: Well, also, you can check out some of the behind the scenes pictures, these exclusive pictures from the set of "Sex and the City 2." They're all at cnn.com/AMFIX. It's 54 minutes past the hour.
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HOLMES: Welcome back to the most news in the morning. It appears the White House holding off on any move to send more troops to Afghanistan. President Obama says making those decisions will be, "very deliberate process." We know support for the war is lagging here at home.
And our Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon now to give us a look at the reality of what combat is really like there in Afghanistan. Barbara, good morning to you.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, T.J.. Well, for every U.S. service member on the ground, combat in that war zone gets tougher by the day. More troops may well be on the way because, T.J., now we have now learned that General Stanley McChrystal has made a decision on how many more troops he thinks he needs in the war zone, even if President Obama's not ready to approve anything just yet, commanders are getting concerned.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STARR (voice-over): Troops on patrol talk with Afghans about building a medical clinic. This is the type of action U.S. commanders want. Helping Afghans so they don't turn to the Taliban.
But the combat reality, senior U.S. officers increasingly believe urgent change is needed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I could change one thing today with what's happening in the south of Afghanistan, it would be more troops. But more Afghan troops.
STARR: In an exclusive interview with CNN, General James Conway, Marine Corps commandant, spells out how more troops might be used.
GEN. JAMES CONWAY, MARINE CORPS COMMANDANT: I think there's lots of places that we believe we can put the Taliban on the run, as well as disrupting his logistics and supply line (INAUDIBLE), his money source, which in large measure is drugs.
STARR: Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, now says even more U.S. troops may be needed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What will happen in that two or three-year period, do you think, in terms of the security environment while we're training?
ADM. MICHAEL MULLEN, CHAIRMAN, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: If it's - if we're just training?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MULLEN: I think the security environment will continue to deteriorate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
STARR: As public support for the war continues to slip, Conway says the public isn't seeing the full picture.
CONWAY: So I'm an optimist. I think that, one, the country needs to understand better perhaps what's taking place.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
STARR: So, how many more troops, actually, T.J.? Well, I can tell you, we've spoken this morning to a senior U.S. military official very close to General McChrystal who says he would not wave us off the notion 30,000 to 40,000 additional troops may be requested by General McChrystal.
Here's the interesting wrinkle today, T.J., that request is done, but General McChrystal has not sent it to Washington. This official says General McChrystal's been told to wait until that request is asked for. T.J.?
HOLMES: And before we let you go, Barbara, Afghanistan has some unique challenges, but also a unique environment, unique terrain. And the Army possibly testing out some new camouflage specifically for forces there?
STARR: Yes, you know, maybe making a bit of their own fashion statement about Afghanistan. Don't want to be too flip about it, but yesterday we got a chance to have a look at some new camouflage uniforms - here you see them - that the Army is testing for Afghanistan, hoping these kinds of patterns and colors, make the troops blend in better. But beyond making a fashion statement, perhaps, one says with a smile. The real news here, T.J., this is another sign that U.S. troops may be settling in for the long haul in this war for years to come, T.J..
HOLMES: All right. And a fashion week for the Army as well, I guess, in some ways. Barbara Starr for us this morning, thank you so much.
And stay here to CNN this afternoon until 4:00 Eastern time. Afghan President Hamid Karzai joining Wolf Blitzer in the "Situation Room." You do want to see that.
