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Finance Committee Rejects Government-Run Plan; American Samoa Hit by Tsunami; Obama to Make Decision About Afghanistan; White House Wants GOP support; Identity Privacy Versus Security; Top Five Hot Cities for Young Graduates; Local Boy Makes Good and Gives Back

Aired September 30, 2009 - 08:00   ET

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

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: That brings us to the top of the hour. Thanks for joining us on the "Most News in the Morning" on this Wednesday, the 30th of September. I'm John Roberts.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us.

Here are the big stories that we're going to be breaking down for you in the next 15 minutes.

First, a powerful earthquake triggering a deadly tsunami in the South Pacific. More than 80 people have been killed. The director of health services in American Samoa said he thought that it was, quote, "the end of the world." We're going to be getting a live report from Samoa in just minutes.

ROBERTS: President Obama meeting today with his national security team to figure out a strategy for the war in Afghanistan. The cost of the conflict in both lives and dollars is mounting, while support among Americans is waning. Our Barbara Starr is live from the Pentagon this morning on the difficult options facing the president.

CHETRY: And, who would think that what you do online could have the police watching you if you're doing something innocent. Well, it does happen. Our special series "Watching You 24/7" will show you the secret centers all over America where privacy and security can sometimes collide.

First, though, dramatic developments in the South Pacific right now. An absolutely disastrous scene in what was a true paradise. A magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the Samoan Islands triggering a massive tsunami and waves that flattened villages, swept cars and people right out to sea.

Joining us on the phone for the latest is journalist and filmmaker Steve Percival, with a look how things are there.

Steve, what -- what are you seeing around you today in the wake of this tsunami?

STEVE PERCIVAL, JOURNALIST, FILMMAKER (via telephone): Well, we're beginning to see a grieving process come into play where the people who have lost members of family and relatives are coming together to grieve their loss and to say farewell to their loved ones. I just myself returned from a funeral of a first cousin.

So, it's going to be quite devastating to many, many, many people throughout the country because it's a very close knit community and the loss of life will be felt throughout the country.

CHETRY: And such a tragedy, it came so quickly and most people were just powerless to do anything. Can you explain why -- you know, where it hit and why some parts of the island are OK and others are just completely devastated?

PERCIVAL: Well, the epicenter of the earthquake was some 200 kilometers south of the two islands that make up Western -- what was formerly called Western Samoa, and some 35 kilometers deep in the Java (ph) Trench. So, when the epicenter -- when the earthquake took place, the fingers of waves' energy that was released from that traveled northwards and hit the south coast of this country and American Samoa and neighboring country that make up Samoan archipelago.

And fingers of energy -- wave energy traveled south, southwest, and actually went as far as New Zealand and hit some of the countries in that area. And I believe that the same earthquake triggered reaction in other parts of the fault line causing another earthquake to occur in other parts of the region.

CHETRY: Yes. We are hearing reports...

PERCIVAL: So, the north coast of -- the north coast of this island, for example, will not have much of an impact, although witnesses observed that the ocean did in fact (INAUDIBLE) as it did in the south coast, but not as much. And there was not the wave formation the way it formed in the south.

CHETRY: And as we understand it, they are saying that it could actually get worse in terms of the number of dead as rescue workers are still in the process of trying to access parts of the island that were, you know, just completely cut off because of the damaged infrastructure. So, this could get worse.

PERCIVAL: It is expected to get worse. A lot of the villages are very, very low lying. And villages are typically made up of some (INAUDIBLE) inhabitants of the village, on a general rule. And so, looking at the number of villages that could have been affected in the region, that district, looking at significant numbers of homeless this evening who are going to be trying to seek shelter further inland or with villages that have been spared by the waves -- because some neighboring villages look completely normal as if there's been no water intrusion and yet the neighboring village a few hundred meters away could be completely flattened.

So, the landscape changes as you travel around that area, and I'm sure that the number of casualties will be rising as more and more comes to light. And probably by the end of tomorrow, authorities will have a much clearer picture of the extent of damage and the extent of loss of life.

CHETRY: It's a devastating situation there. Steve Percival, giving us a first hand account of what is going on -- thank you for joining us this morning.

And as we talked about before, the president is declaring at least American Samoa a disaster area. Help is on the way. I believe they are sending FEMA officials and help from Oakland, California, as well as that C-130 transport plane from Hawaii.

ROBERTS: And Steve was saying there was another powerful earthquake, this one on the other side of the Australia plate that hit western Indonesia. It was magnitude 7.6 -- initially thought to be 7.9. They downgraded it to a magnitude 7.6. Not too far, though, from the epicenter of the earthquake that triggered the killer tsunami across the Indian Ocean the day after Christmas in 2004. Witnesses say hundreds of homes on the island of Sumatra have collapsed.

Let's turn to our Jacqui Jeras in the weather center in Atlanta.

And, Jacqui, two extremely powerful earthquakes, as we said -- same plate, different fault systems. What's going on?

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right. Well, you know, I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on geology. So, we're going to leave that to the USGS to explain whether they were related. But it's possible. You know, think back to fourth grade, fifth grade geography. And you talk about those plates, tectonic, or those pieces of the earth crust that move, they can push together and converge, and earthquakes develop as a result of that.

You know, there's two different kinds of earthquakes. We've got the two when the plates move together just side by side like that, and then we've got the ones where they move up and down. And those are the types that we get worried about when tsunamis can occur.

And as you mentioned, the earthquake that just occurred about an hour and a half ago or so had been downgraded to 7.6. These tsunami watches which were in place have now been canceled. So, we don't think that threat is out there any longer.

You also mentioned the 2004 earthquake which was a 9.3, and tsunami that was a result of that as well. So, it gives you an idea where it is in relation. This is all in the Java trench, a very deep area in the ocean floor.

Now, on the other side of the Australian plate, over here, this is where the Samoa earthquake and resulting tsunami happened. And this is a 24-hour seismic activity. So there you can see the big circle or real the big one that occurred. And all these little dots are all of the aftershocks. So this has still been ongoing. And we can continue -- excuse me -- to see those aftershocks in the upcoming days.

So, by the way, just a word of note. We also had an earthquake in Nevada about a half hour, about a 4.7. But we haven't heard any word if there's any type of damage or whether people felt that one.

ROBERTS: All right. Well, certainly, the world remains a very active place.

Jacqui Jeras for us this morning -- Jacqui, thanks so much.

CHETRY: A developing story right now as well as we're almost 10 minutes past the hour -- America's top military commander in Iraq says that the U.S. is speeding up its military withdrawal, sending 4,000 troops home by the end of October. General Ray Odierno will talk about the status of operations before the House Armed Services Committee later this morning. The drawdown will bring the number of U.S. soldiers in Iraq to 120,000.

And to the conflict in Afghanistan now. President Obama is preparing to meet with his national security team this morning with the casualties and the cost rising and support for the war here at home dropping, the president must decide on a new strategy in Afghanistan.

Our Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon.

And, Barbara, as we know the White House has several options, all of them coming with their own set of problems. But are we getting a clearer picture of how the president may decide which way to go when it comes to Afghanistan?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, so far, the answer to that is, no, Kiran. We're really not sure. But when President Obama sits down at the White House today, he will look into that video teleconference screen and see General Stanley McChrystal in Kabul, and for the first time in weeks, hear from General McChrystal directly about why more troops may be needed.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: Lance Corporal Christopher Fowlkes killed in Afghanistan -- one of more than 140 troops paying the ultimate price since June when General Stanley McChrystal took command of this increasingly troubled and uncertain war. The White House is now reviewing basic strategy, goals, and what it will take to win.

STEVE CLEMONS, SENIOR FELLOW, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: All the choices facing the president right now in Afghanistan are costly and problematic.

STARR: After meeting with NATO secretary-general was President Obama hinting at cutting back on the anti-Taliban counterinsurgency campaign to a narrower goal.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We both agree that it is absolutely critical that we are successful in dismantling, disrupting, destroying the al Qaeda network.

STARR: That's a strategy far short of the troops, money and commitment that General McChrystal says is needed for the U.S. to regain the momentum against the Taliban. If McChrystal's counterinsurgency plan is adopted, it may lead to still more casualties because McChrystal says it will only work if the U.S. takes the risk of leaving some of its protection behind.

The general told CBS's "60 Minutes": troops must get out of vehicles and walk with the people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CBS "60 MINUTES")

GEN. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, COMMANDER, U.S. AND NATO FORCES: What I'm really telling people is, the greatest risk we can accept is to lose the support of the people here. If the people are against us, we cannot be successful.

STARR: The number of wounded already skyrocketing. Even though the number of overall troops only rose 16 percent, the number of seriously wounded troops jumped six fold -- 27 in June, 186 this month.

Experts say that there will be costs beyond the finances and lives of American forces if the U.S. does not regain the initiative in Afghanistan.

CLEMONS: It's the cost of how America's perceived around the world as well where countries like Iran, I think, see us bogged down in a complicated quagmire.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

STARR: So, even as the U.S. sits down to try and struggle with its strategy in the war, Kiran, General McChrystal says he expect that this winter, the Taliban elders will also sit down and set their strategy for the coming year -- Kiran?

CHETRY: Barbara Starr for us at the Pentagon -- thanks.

ROBERTS: So, the health care debate continues. A lot of action this week in the Senate, the House is also making a lot of noise. We're going to be talking with a person who can be a key player in the overall health care debate and whether or not we actually see some health care reform this year and what form it takes. Maine Senator Susan Collins joins us -- coming up next.

It's now thirteen-and-a-half minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Welcome back to "The Most News in the Morning." The Senate Finance Committee voting twice to reject the public option on the health care reform bill. Some of those votes coming from democrats. It's just one of the many road blocks the plan has faced and the White House also trying to get some Republicans in Congress on board.

And while they've tried, our next guest really has been a tough sell. Joining us live from Capitol Hill Republican Senator, Susan Collins. Senator, great to see you. We were talking off camera. You said that you don't recall ever seeing times like these, there's so much going on.

SUSAN COLLINS, REPUBLICAN SENATOR: There is. I can't remember another time when there were more important issues on the table. We've got the two wars, and a major decision coming up in Afghanistan. The health care debate, a faltering economy, the need for financial reform, environmental legislation, the cap and trade bill. It's just an enormous array of issues all of which are extremely important.

ROBERTS: Well, well, this morning let's take a narrow slice of all of that and talk about health care reform. Are you going to be able to vote for health care reform, do you think?

COLLINS: John, I want to vote for a health care bill but so far I haven't seen one that accomplishes what I think needs to be done. And that is to really focus on the cost of health care. It's the cost of health care that's the biggest barrier to the uninsured and causes such a struggle for middle income families and small businesses.

ROBERTS: So you say that cost is the central concern that you have. And proponents of this public option said that's one really good way to lower costs. But, you don't like the public option, you don't like this idea that your fellow senator Olympia Snowe is proposing about a trigger to a public option, so what do you do?

COLLINS: There is so much that we could do. For example, we could allow small businesses to band together to boost their purchasing power. We could pass medical liability reform that would have a direct impact on cost. We could revamp the Medicare reimbursement system so that it focuses on quality rather than quantity. That would help to reduce unnecessary tests. We could buy tax credits for small businesses so they could help insure their employees. There is a lot that unites us and I think that's what our focus should be.

ROBERTS: Now, if you were to adopt all of the measures that you have just outlined there, how much do you think it would reduce in America, the number of people who are currently uninsured?

COLLINS: Well, 82% of the uninsured are in families where someone works. They either work themselves or they work for small businesses that can't afford to provide health insurance, or they are self employed. So that's where I would start. And from my conversations with many small businessmen and women, I'm convinced that if we gave them a generous tax credit they would provide health insurance for their employees. That would substantially reduce the number of uninsured Americans.

ROBERTS: Now, I know that you are a very sought after vote there in the senate, the White House is certainly pitching you hard. Give us some idea behind the scenes look here, Senator, at the sales pitches. You know. How hard are they wooing you here? COLLINS: Well, I appreciate that the White House has reached out to me. I've had great discussions with the director of office of management and budget, with Nancy Andicarl , the White House adviser, with Rahm Emanuel, and I hope we can get to yes, I would like to see a bipartisan bill that makes a real difference in reforming health care to expand access, and to lower costs, without greatly growing the role of the federal government. I don't think that that's what the people are looking for.

ROBERTS: Senator Susan Collins of Maine, it's always great to catch up with you. Thanks so much for joining us this morning.

COLLINS: Thank you, John.

ROBERTS: Alright, we'll see you again soon.

And, we know that you got lots of questions about health care reform. We're helping you sort fact from fiction, putting all of the answers for you on line. Just head to cnn.com/healthcare. Kiran?

CHETRY: Well, still ahead, we're going to be talking about the top five cities for college grads. Where can they go or where do they want to go where they can earn a living and have a little fun at the same time. Christine Romans is going to be joining us with that. Twenty minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONAN O'BRIEN, TALK SHOW HOST: Companies begun making bath robes that are supposed to look like Jedi cloaks. Bath robes that look like Jedi cloaks.

(LAUGHING)

O'BRIEN: The bath robes are available in his and his parents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(LAUGHING)

CHETRY: There is a hers in there -- his mom.

(LAUGHING)

CHETRY: Christine Romans minding your business for us this morning. If you are fresh out of college, you know, you're all starry eyed and you want to make your dreams come true, where should you live?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: You know what, the most mobile part of the economy labor market, 18 to 29- year-olds, they're out of college. They have a little bit of an education, they've got the whole world as their oyster.

ROBERTS: You almost said they had a little bit of money.

(LAUGHING)

ROMANS: They've got a little bit of student loan debt. Where are they going to go. Where are the youth magnet cities. According to "The Wall Street Journal," it's not a very scientific poll, but it asked a bunch of experts where the places are. The tie for number one is Washington D.C. and Seattle. Washington, D.C., this is now the center of gravity, ladies and gentlemen of the international economy.

This is where lobbyists, defense contractors, the banking industry, everything you can imagine. 4,000 nonprofits there, big technology companies and Seattle it's the environment, the high tech industry, you got to like the rain -- if you like rain, Seattle is where you go. It rains there, I think half the time. Okay, the other one, New York, if you can make it there you can make it anywhere. Good old New York. Portland, Oregon, quirky urban culture they say, that's why a lot of kids want to go there.

Yes, I think it has something to do with unemployment. There's a lot of interesting things happening in Portland. Austin, Texas, the hip, casual, Austin. You know, tech, art conscious, young adults, so listen. If you are young and educated workers, these are innovators of the future, these are the towns that -- they are very mobile right now. They are looking. There aren't a lot of jobs. They are saying, where am I going to and these are the places they pick.

ROBERTS: If you go to Austin there is big magnet on sixth street.

ROMANS: Oh, yes. I know. Isn't that great? That's great. I think the festival is soon.

CHETRY: I'm surprised San Francisco is not on there. No Florida cities.

ROMANS: I know, it's not. But, I have a roman symbol. And the roman symbol is 80, 80% of kids who graduate from college are actually moving in with their parents right now while they are waiting to save some money before they can...

ROBERTS: Eighty percent?

CHETRY: Eighty percent?

ROMANS: According to one survey, right after they graduated.

CHETRY: I did.

ROMANS: I did for a little bit.

CHETRY: Six months. ROMANS: Because I had to kind of get my bearings.

CHETRY: And I had a job in the same town.

ROBERTS: I was out the door and puff.

(LAUGHING)

ROMANS: Eighty percent. Once they save a little more money then they go to these cool places.

ROBERTS: Is that a historic high?

ROMANS: I don't know. I don't know. That's a good question. I don't know. It feels like it, doesn't it?

ROBERTS: Yes. You know, when you talk to people and say it's different for kids now than when I was their age.

ROMANS: You got $20,000 in student loan debt and a job market where there are six qualified, you know, for every job.

CHETRY: My husband did it too, but he said his parents charged him rent when he came back after college. He doesn't let them live it down to this day.

ROBERTS: Brutal?

ROMANS: Now they baby sit for free, right?

CHETRY: No. I pay them. Kidding. I make it worth their while.

ROBERTS: Christine Romans Minding all of our Business, this morning. Christine thanks.

CHETRY: Well, still ahead we're going to be talking about this case in Japan right now where this father who had joint custody of his kids, his ex-wife took off with them and he decided to take matters in his own hands to try to get them back. Now he is in a Japan jail. There are issues about child care and custody are radically different than those in the United States. We're going to be joined by his current wife and his lawyer about what the next move is. 26 and a half minutes after the hour

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Twenty-nine minutes past the hour. Welcome back to the most news in the morning. The debate over your privacy versus your security has been heating up ever since the government intensified its watch for terrorists here at home, especially on line.

ROBERTS: Yes, and now the case of one man who took a picture of a governor and ended up in jail is shining a light on another secret way that the government may be keeping an eye on you. You might not know anything about this. Gerri Willis here now, with another report, watching you 24/7. I don't think most people have an idea that this even goes on.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: That's right, John. You know, since 9/11 there has been a lot of debate about privacy rights in an age of terrorism. Well, fusion centers are state-run domestic intelligence centers that have access to a lot of your personal data. Now, some feel they are central to the war on terrorism. But, others are worried that they gather too much information on people who aren't suspected of crimes.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIS: It was the morning of Governor Jodi Rell's inaugural parade.

KEN KRAYESKE, POLITICAL ACTIVIST: I pulled out my camera and I shoot the Governor Rell, about 23 shots.

WILLIS: Moments later, Ken Krayeske was stopped by Hartford police officers, handcuffed, arrested, and jailed.

KRAYESKE: I said "What did I do?" They said you shouldn't have been making those threats.

WILLIS: Local police had been on the lookout for him after state police gave out a security bulletin with his photo on it. officials wouldn't comment pending a civil lawsuit, but court documents reveal state police were alarmed by Krayeske's blog posts -- "Whose going to protest the inaugural ball with me?" And, "No need to make nice."

KRAYESKE: Why do I have to be nice to a political figure simply because she won an election?

WILLIS: Police began digging for more information, mining public and commercial data bases. They learned Krayeske had been a Green Party campaign director, had protested the gubernatorial debate, and had once been convicted for civil disobedience. He had no history of violence.

Law professor Danielle Citron says police aren't supposed to gather information on citizens who aren't suspected of a crime.

DANIELLE CITRON, PRIVACY ADVOCATE: If we're interested in someone because they are an advocate for a Green Party candidate and we think they are suspicious because they want to get people to protest ideas but not because we think there is a true threat to their lives, I think that's troubling.

WILLIS: Today law enforcement collects and shares more information than ever. And much of it goes on in state intelligence centers called fusion centers.

WILLIS (on camera): Fusion centers were started after 9/11 to help federal, state, and local law enforcement connect the dots and stop a terrorist attack. The Department of Homeland Security says they are a critical tool in keeping the nation safe. JANET NAPOLITANO, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: In a typical fusion center an FBI agent might be sitting next to a state highway patrol officer. They don't merely share space. They share databases and techniques.

WILLIS: But what's going into the databases has critics worried. The ACLU says there is evidence that some fusion centers have targeted Muslim groups and peace activists for surveillance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Collecting information about people that has no relevance to whether or not they're breaking the law.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're in the center of the analysis element.

WILLIS: The director of New Jersey's fusion center says law enforcement works hard to balance national security with individual privacy.

RICH KELLY, DIRECTOR, REGIONAL OPERATIONS INTELLIGENCE CENTER: We in law enforcement and certainly in fusion centers are very attuned to the Bill of Rights. We are not in the business of investigating First Amendment or constitutionally-protected rights.

WILLIS: But Ken Krayeske thinks police in his town crossed the line.

KRAYESKE: The police did not determine the difference between who was dangerous and who was merely expressing protected constitutional -- or constitutionally-protected viewpoints.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: It's really surprising. How many of these fusion centers are out there?

WILLIS: John, there are 72 fusion centers around the country. And while there is no strict federal oversight, there are guidelines in place that fusion centers are supposed to adhere to.

ROBERTS: So it sounds like a lot of trouble for people, particularly if you are picked up on in this net. Should people be concerned about all?

WILLIS: If even if you're not a political activist, you need to think about it. It's always advisable to watch what you say and do online. If you are on social networking sites make sure you set your privacy settings.

It's not just law enforcement. Employers are also increasingly searching the web for information on job candidates. So if you're one of the millions out there looking for a job you need to think about this.

ROBERTS: It's really surprising to most of us, but there are some people out there who have been chatting with us saying we've been telling you all along, so it's about time you did a story on this. So good on you this morning, Gerri, thanks.

WILLIS: Thank you.

ROBERTS: So what do you say? Should the government be watching to this extent? Now that you've seen our "Watching you 24/7" series got to CNN.com/amfix and weigh in.

As we cross the bottom of the hour checking our top stories, first lady Michelle Obama is in Copenhagen, Denmark today. She is there to help Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. President Obama is going to join her tomorrow just before the International Olympic Committee announces the winner.

The competition: Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, and Tokyo.

More fiery reaction this morning after a poll posted on Facebook asked if President Obama should be killed.

Earlier here on AMERICAN MORNING, we talked to RNC chairman Michael Steele and I asked him about something written by Tom Friedman of "The New York Times" that we're seeing anger, quote, "the sort of which existed in Israel on the eve of the Rabin assassination."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL STEELE, CHAIRMAN, REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Where do these nut jobs come from? Come on. Stop this. Wait a minute.

ROBERTS: Tom Friedman is a nut job?

STEELE: I'm saying to make those kinds of equations, examples, and put that out there that way, to me it's just crazy. And yes, I'm sorry, but if you're going to approach this discussion, approach it from a rational position.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: No response from Tom Friedman yet. As for the Facebook poll, Steele's response, quote, "How stupid is that?"

Plus a new study commissioned by the NFL shows those hard hits like the ones that we see every Sunday are leading to higher rates of Alzheimer's and other brain injuries for players.

Earlier here in "American Morning" we talked with the former doctor for the Pittsburgh Steelers who warned about this years ago. He says it's time for the NFL to do something.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. JULIAN BAILES, FORMER PITTSBURGH STEELERS PHYSICIAN: They always say they are going to do their own study, and finally they have. So let's see how they react to this.

I think you're right -- more research, more trying to figure this out. I think we've identified the problem. I think it's a big deal, and I think has to be addressed now with rules changes, conservative management.

And remember, everything that the NFL does is going to trickle down to younger athletes in high school and college and even pee-wee athletes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTS: The study shows that players between the ages of 30 and 49 develop some kind of dementia at 19 times the rate than the rest of us -- Kiran?

CHETRY: Well, it's a heart-wrenching international custody battle going on right now. A father who traveled to the other side of the world to try to get his kids back is now in jail in Japan.

It started last month when Chris Savoie got a call from his children's school in Tennessee saying the two were not there. Chris called his ex-in-laws in Japan to see if they knew anything. Let's listen to the call.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS SAVOIE, CHILDREN ABDUCTED TO JAPAN: I said they're what? They're what? They're in Japan?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: That was Chris recounting the call. He has had joint custody of the kids at the time, so he traveled there to Japan, 7,000 miles. And on Monday he took the kids from his ex-wife as she was walking them to school then drove straight to the U.S. consulate.

But his ex-wife quickly alerted the Japanese police who intervened and threw him in a Japanese jail. That's where he still is today.

Joining me is Chris's wife Amy Savoie who is in Nashville this morning. Amy, thanks for agreeing to talk to us this morning. And also we have Chris's lawyer Jeremy Morley with me here in New York. Thanks for being here.

Amy, I know this has been a difficult and unimaginable situation for your family right now. Tell me a little about what you're going through and whether or not you heard from Chris since his arrest in Japan.

AMY SAVOIE, HUSBAND IMPRISONED IN JAPAN: I have not heard from him since his arrest. I miss my husband. I want him to come home. I love him, and it's been very, very hard.

One thing that made me feel better today, though, I found a note that Isaac had written to his daddy around Christmas time last year, and it says, "The force is in you, daddy. The force is in you, daddy."

And Christopher needs to be strong while he's in jail. I know he's going to be scared. He has to be distraught, upset, and worried about his children. Christopher needs your prayers. Isaac and Rebecca, they need prayers, too.

CHETRY: Those are his children. And boy, this is a difficult situation for all of you. And as you were going through the back and forth, the custody exchanges, because there was joint custody, did you guys ever get the feeling that this is something that his ex-wife Norika would try to do?

SAVOIE: We knew it was something she always wanted to do. We knew that the threats were real. She never behaved as if our love and attention toward the children was valuable at all. She seemed always to be bothered by the fact that the children loved their father or that, you know, he loved them.

She just felt it was a bother to have this ex-husband who wanted to play baseball with his son and take his daughter to music lessons. She just thought it was a major inconvenience to have to deal with him.

And she didn't see the value in his love and attention and she would always say he's a terrible father. And I know for a fact he's not a terrible father. He's a wonderful father. He's an affectionate father and his children love him, and you have all these photographs that will attest to that fact.

You cannot make up that affection, that genuine love you see in all of those photographs. And signs like this, "The force is in you, daddy."

CHETRY: And he wouldn't have, you know, taken this type of personal risk, I'm sure, and I'm sure it was difficult for all of you that he did this.

I want to bring in Jeremy right now. The arrest of Christopher sounded quite dramatic. According to a friend and a witness he was able to get past the first barricade at the consulate. And then they say the consulate's gate was not open despite his cries for help.

They say his young daughter was crying in arms, his son Isaac was just standing there frozen in the middle of the street, and then he was taken into custody in Japan. This is something that could land him in jail for five years.

Do you see him being released anytime soon?

JEREMY MORLEY, ATTORNEY FOR CHRISTOPHER SAVOIE: We don't hear that. We have organized two lawyer there, a family lawyer and a top criminal lawyer to try to get access to him. They may have seen him earlier today. We hope so. We're waiting for news on that. We're very worried.

And it's a terrible situation. It's not right, it's not fair, and this happens frequently with Japan. This -- I've handled dozens and dozens and dozens of these cases where American kids have been abducted by Japanese parents to Japan, and basically they never get the kids back.

CHETRY: Japan's not party to the 1980 Hague Convention on international child abduction which would require in this case that the children be returned to Chris.

And so what are you working with? They also have a different cultural stance when it comes to shared custody. They don't believe in it. So one parent gets the kids and the other parent is expected to sort of move on.

MORLEY: The other parent is kind of deemed a nuisance if they want to continue to have involvement in the life of their children in many situations.

So, there's no family law system that will protect Chris in this situation over there. We're appealing for diplomatic help.

The United States government has been trying to strongly encourage, request, demand, Japan sign the convention and actively participate in the convention. That's been going on for years and years and years, and it's time it stopped. It's time that these abductions of American kids to that country end.

And I'm pleased for one thing, and that is this case is horrible, it's horrific, it's the first time that I've heard that one of my clients being arrested over there -- that shows you how desperate he was.

But this happens all the time. It happens every month to so many fathers and children here, and it just needs to end. And we need to get the message to the State Department that diplomatically we need pressure. And Japan has to change its ways.

CHETRY: Amy, how do you see this ending?

SAVOIE: I don't know. I received a surprising phone call yesterday from a woman who called me up who stated that she's a 62- year-old grandmother who went to Japan to see her grandchildren and she was arrested -- she was taken into custody for 11 days.

And she told me she was tortured in the Japanese jail and she was told repeatedly she was a terrible person, a terrible person and that her son was a terrible person. They were bad people because they wanted to try to spend time with her biological grandchildren and her son's children.

CHETRY: We certainly hope for the sake of this whole entire family that Chris gets released soon and that in some way this is resolved. I know that it's not been easy for all of you. We wish you the best, Amy. Thanks for speaking to us today.

And Jeremy, as you said, you've had dozens and dozens of cases like this. We'll see if this one turns out differently. Keep us posted. Thanks for being with us.

MORLEY: Thank you. CHETRY: John?

ROBERTS: What a terrible story.

As far as the weather goes across the country, some storms moving into the Midwest. And with cooler temperatures sweeping into parts of the country just how cold does this winter going to be? And what effect does El Nino have. We'll find out when we check in with Jacqui Jeras coming right up.

It's now 17 minutes to the top of the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Hey, what a nice day in Atlanta; sunny and 51 degrees right now. Later on today, sunny with a high of 73, just about as pleasant as pleasant can be.

But, what does the future hold? Jacqui Jeras monitoring all of the extreme weather across the country at the Weather Center. We heard a report last hour that for the people in the northeast, at least, this could be one of the coldest winters that we remember.

JERAS: Could be. Then again, maybe not. Well, you know, you talked about El Nino a little bit earlier, John.

And typically in an El Nino type of season we'll see the cooler and wetter weather across the southern tier. The extreme northern tier would see warmer than normal condition which would include like the Pacific Northwest and maybe like northern New England.

But when you talk about the northeast, the mid-Atlantic, in general we're talking about equal chances. So I think it's still a little bit too early to say one way or the other. But certainly we want to have the extra blanket handy though.

Today's weather pattern though is going to be cooler than normal. A lot of that due to a cold front that's pushing across the Northeastern Corridor; that will also likely cause some airport delays later today, Philly and D.C. will get in on that action. So be aware of that.

The nation's midsection, this is our big feature across the country. And this is the first time we've had severe weather in the forecast at least for the last couple weeks. I seriously can't remember the last day we've had at least a slight risk.

And there we see it across the Dakotas, through say Omaha and down into the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma; behind it very cold air. We're going to see snow into the higher elevations and very windy conditions across much of the west as well and those temperatures staying cool.

And there you can see the delays; those winds are going to cause delays in Las Vegas as well as Salt Lake City -- John and Kiran. ROBERTS: You know, I'm not sure, Jacqui. Are you a meteorologist or an economist? On the one hand we can be -- and then on the other hand...

JERAS: You always have to play it safe, right?

ROBERTS: Exactly. We'll see how it goes in the months ahead. Jacqui Jeras for us this morning, Jacqui thanks.

CHETRY: Still ahead we're going to talk about a wonderful story of a man who had to leave school in the eighth grade and he went around collecting donations and saying if you help me pay for school I promise I'll pay you back in some way. And I will invest in this community.

Well, we're going to show how that paid back big time in just a moment. It's our "Latino in America" series.

Forty-eight minutes past the hour.

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CHETRY: A look at the airplanes at LAX this morning; this comes to us courtesy of KCBS and KCAL this morning in Los Angeles. It's fair, it's 58 degrees. A little bit later it will be sunny and 78. I'm a little bit jealous.

What does it take to grow up and get three advanced degrees from Harvard when your parents worked in the field and English is your second language?

ROBERTS: In our special series "Latino in America," Soledad O'Brien has the inspiring story of an ER doctor extraordinaire who never forgot where he came from.

Watch this.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, John -- two hours southeast of Los Angeles sits the small town of Coachella, California. Its 40,000 citizens are mostly Spanish-speaking, working- class immigrants.

In spite of the limited financial means, 20 years ago the town made an investment in a teenage boy who thought maybe one day he could become a doctor. Bottom line, the investment paid off for everyone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two, three.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Raul Ruiz is a busy ER doctor.

DR. RAUL RUIZ, ER DOCTOR: Did you have that pain up here?

O'BRIEN: He's the only full time Latino physician on staff at Eisenhower Medical Center, the Coachella Valley's only nonprofit hospital.

(on camera): How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a doctor?

RUIZ: Four years old.

O'BRIEN: Four?

(voice-over): Not an easy feat for the son of migrant farm workers.

RUIZ: I used to type it as my practice typing, "all things are possible, all things are possible."

O'BRIEN: He was a good student but terrible test taker. English wasn't his first language.

RUIZ: According to my SAT scores, I should have never gotten to college.

(on camera): What were your scores?

RUIZ: I'd rather not say.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): The biggest obstacle wasn't grades, it was money. A family friend paid for him to apply to UCLA but it was the community of Coachella that helped put Dr. Ruiz through school.

Coachella is a small farming town with mostly Spanish-speaking immigrants. The average family income is less than $25,000 a year.

RUIZ: I started knocking on doors saying I'm from this community, I want to become a physician and I'm going to come back. I want to offer you the opportunity to invest in your community.

O'BRIEN: He handed out home made contracts to sponsors like Juan Torres, owner of the hardware store.

RUIZ: I was able to raise about $2,000.

O'BRIEN (on camera): That's a lot of dough.

RUIZ: There was $20, $50, $100 at a time.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): He was 17 years old. With the money and more importantly the community backing, Raul Ruiz went off to UCLA. After graduation, he went to Harvard Medical School to become a doctor. That's not all.

RUIZ: I have a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School; it's the school of government. And I have a Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health.

O'BRIEN (voice-over): Three degrees from Harvard. The first Mexican-American ever to achieve that.

RUIZ: My efforts are not just mine alone; it's my family's and my community's. So, you know, we worked hard.

O'BRIEN: He could have practiced anywhere but he came back.

RUIZ: A promise is a promise.

O'BRIEN: And he continues to give back, mentoring eight Coachella teenagers.

RUIZ: There's only two obligations: one is that they show up; and two, that they participate with me in community service. And then we'll see if we can make a difference.

O'BRIEN: To ensure there will be a next generation in Coachella who will also give back.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Health care statistics as you know are dire for Latinos; a third of Latino Americans lack health care. Dr. Ruiz says he wants to use his public policy skills to improve communities like Coachella and around the world -- John, Kiran.

ROBERTS: Soledad O'Brien this morning.

Wow, what an amazing demonstration of commitment not only to his own education but his community.

CHETRY: I know. It's wonderful. You saw the smiles on the kids' faces as they were following him around. I mean, if they can see a real life example of someone who is just like them and made it, it really makes as difference.

ROBERTS: It really is a terrific example of giving back. Something we should all keep in mind.

And a quick programming note, by the way, coming October 21 and 22, CNN will present "LATINO IN AMERICA" a comprehensive look at how Latinos are changing America, reshaping politics, business, school, churches and neighborhoods. "LATINO IN AMERICA" coming October 21 and 22, only on CNN.

It's 55 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: Good morning Washington, D.C. where it's cloudy, 60 degrees right now. Later on today: mostly cloudy and not too much warmer -- the high only 66.

Finally this morning, only a day on the market, CNN's brand new iPhone application hits the number one spot on iTunes. It's the number one paid app on the list. How do you get yours? Go to iTunes and download it for $1.99.

You'll automatically get breaking news alerts, upload iReports right from the palm of your hand. There is video and all sorts of great things, you can plug in your favorites; it's one great way to stay connected. Check out the latest on CNN's app on the iPhone. Head to iTunes and get one for yourself.

CHETRY: Blackberry, you seem so inadequate.

ROBERTS: It seems so antiquated now, doesn't it?

CHETRY: Yes. Maybe get ourselves some iPhones.

ROBERTS: Especially when you can't get a signal.

CHETRY: Don't start that. I don't have a signal right now. I'm just telling you. No bars. Anyway...

ROBERTS: Continue the conversation on today's stories go to our blog at cnn.com/amfix.

That's going to wrap it up for us. Thanks for joining us this morning. We'll see you again tomorrow.

CHETRY: That's right. Hope to see you bright and early.

Meanwhile, the news continues right now: CNN NEWSROOM with Heidi Collins.