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Boy Set on Fire Will be in ICU for Months; Afghan War Strategy Session; Teen Convert Fears Parents
Aired October 14, 2009 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. It is Wednesday, October 14th. And here are the faces of the stories behind the headlines today.
Senator Max Baucus, health care reform architect. Now that his blueprint has been voted out of committee, I'll ask him what's next.
Seventh grader Michael Brewer set on fire over a video game and a bicycle. Doctors say he is facing years of painful rehab after this life-changing attack.
Edwin Chandler, wrongfully convicted of manslaughter. Sixteen years later, he is cleared in the shooting death of a gas station clerk.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Well, first, an incredibly cruel and shocking attack. Doctors say a 15-year-old Florida boy who was set on fire will be in ICU for months and faces years of recovery. Michael Brewer was burned on 80 percent of his body. Doctors have him heavily sedated because of the pain.
Police have charged five middle school boys with the attack. Authorities say they showed little remorse and some even laughed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF AL LAMBERTI, BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA: This group of kids thought that because the kid may have snitched them out and turned them in because they were trying to steal his dad's bike, they felt in their mind it was OK to set him on fire. Well, we've got to send a message to our kids, that is not OK and it's not a way to resolve any kind of differences or any problems.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Got to send a message.
Broward County Florida Sheriff Al Lamberti joins me now on the phone.
Sheriff, good to talk with you. Thanks for the time.
First of all, let's talk about the suspects. Five in custody now, ages 13 to 15.
Do you have a positive I.D. on these suspects from the victim?
LAMBERTI: Not from the victim, but from witnesses that actually were there as well, some other kids and some people that live in the area and actually witnessed the attack. So, we're confident that we have the right people. Some people did come forward and told us who they were, yes.
HARRIS: And Sheriff, has the victim been able to help you in your investigation at all at this point?
LAMBERTI: Well, he's -- like you said, he's in the burn unit at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, and he is sedated. We have not been able to talk to him, nor do we really want to at this point. His recovery is probably the most primary thing we're concerned about.
HARRIS: Sheriff Lamberti, are the suspects cooperating anymore than they were, say, yesterday? Do they understand the gravity of the alleged crime?
LAMBERTI: Well, a couple of them were kind of laughing it off, and they thought it was funny. One is definitely remorseful and realizes the gravity of what they did. But overall, like I said, one did and a couple of the others are just laughing it off. And they have had their appearance in court, so we're not talking to them at this point.
HARRIS: Yes.
What, if anything, has been the reaction of the parents of the suspects to this crime?
LAMBERTI: Well, I don't want to divulge that part, but I'll tell you, the community, this is one of those cliches. You know, it's a crime that shocks the community. Well, this one definitely shocked the community.
And in my 33 years in law enforcement, when you say to yourself, you know, you think you have seen it all, something always happens that convinces you, you haven't. And this is that kind of example.
And it fits in the category of one of the most heinous crimes you've ever seen. This one does. Like you said, over a bicycle, over a video game, you know, to set someone on fire. He does have second- degree burns over 80 percent of his body. So, he's looking for a long haul recovery.
HARRIS: The local bully, as described by -- I believe by you yesterday, what do you know about him, this young man? And does he have a juvenile record? Was he directing the others in this alleged attack or actively participating, maybe both?
LAMBERTI: Yes. All five of them have criminal records. Some minor, some not so minor. But yes, the one said, "He's a snitch. Burn him. Burn him." And that's when the one other suspect dropped the lighter that he was carrying into the alcohol and set him on fire.
HARRIS: Yes.
And what's next for the suspects?
LAMBERTI: Well, we'll be discussing with the state attorney's office right now -- one has been charged with attempted murder, the one who actually lit the fire -- whether they be charged as juveniles or adults. That's what we're trying to decide now with the state attorney's office here in Broward County. And we'll come to that conclusion in the near future. Right now they're charged as adults, ,but that could possibly change.
HARRIS: Sheriff Lamberti, appreciate your time. Thank you. Thanks for the update.
LAMBERTI: Very good. Thanks.
HARRIS: And let's fast forward now through other top stories.
"People" magazine has a new photo of Jaycee Dugard, the first since her 18-year-long kidnapping ordeal. Now 29, Dugard's blonde hair was brown, but she still flashes that big, beautiful smile. Dugard says she's provided pictures to lift the veil and show she's OK. Her accused kidnappers are awaiting trial.
All you can do is run. Eighteen countries that touch the Indian Ocean are conducting Tsunami evacuation drills. It is the first test of a new Indian Ocean warning system put in place after the 2004 disaster. The drill is designed to test police and rescuers, as well as the general public.
Britain raising its troop levels in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Gordon Brown today announced he is sending 500 more forces to the war zone, and that would make 9,500 total British troops in that battle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GORDON BROWN, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: The combination of force levels, equipment levels and tasks that I'm setting out today follows the clear military advice from our chiefs of staffs and from our commanders on the ground on implementing our strategy and reducing the risk to our forces. And it's on this basis that I've agreed in principle to a new British force level of 9, 500, which will be put into effect once these conditions are met.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Raising U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan is one of the key issues on the table right now at the White House. President Obama is meeting with his war strategy team. The president stresses they are considering several element in the decision-making process.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The military security that's provided and our ability to train Afghan forces is one element of it. Another element of it is making sure that we are doing a good job in helping build capacity on the civilian side, in areas like agriculture and education. And I would expect that we will have a completion of this current process in the coming weeks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: OK. Live now to CNN Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr.
Barbara, there's a lot of speculation on the number of troops that will be sent to Afghanistan. What are you hearing?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: A lot of speculation, Tony, and no confirmed facts at the moment.
Today, another day in Washington, another meeting about Afghanistan at the White House. General David Petraeus arriving for that meeting earlier this morning, along with other top military and Pentagon officials, the whole national security team. Secretary of State Clinton weighing in from her travels on the road. But nothing confirmed yet.
You know, there's a range that you begin to hear being talked about. We've spoken a lot about this number 40,000. This appears to be the sort of centrist position, if you will, what General McChrystal, officials say, behind the scenes is really asking for. But there's a broader range, indeed, anywhere maybe from 10,000 to 80,000.
I don't think anybody really thinks 80,000 is a sustainable number and something that really could practically be put into effect. So, at the end of the day, likely to come back to a more centrist position. And likely, it will be a little bit of everything -- more troops, more civil aid, more reconstruction, more effort to make it all work -- Tony.
HARRIS: Yes. OK.
Barbara Starr at the Pentagon for us.
Barbara, appreciate it. Thank you.
As the president continues meeting with his national security team on whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, we are listening to you. Here's what a few of you have had to say.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hello. I think that the United States needs to allow the president and his team to review this Afghanistan War. And we just need to go in and try to do what we can to prop up the people and have those people develop a plan where they can help themselves. And then we should be out of there in no less than 24 months.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I support the current war in Afghanistan and would like to see General McChrystal's point of view put forward.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm Alma Jean (ph). We do not need to send any more troops to Iraq. We need to pull back as fast as we can, and we need to pull back with as many soldiers as we can get home from Iraq. The war over there is worse than Vietnam, and it's going to ruin our president just like it ruined a president back in the '60s.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get the troops out of there. You'll never win the war.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HARRIS: And we still would like to hear from you about the war in Afghanistan. Just call us. Here's the number: 1-877-742-5760. Let us know what you think the U.S. should do next.
It could be a big day for stocks. Let's take you to the Big Board, New York Stock Exchange, right now.
We are flirting with this number of 10,000 for weeks now. We may actually get there today. The Dow, as you can see, 9,975. We're watching the Big Board throughout the day with Susan Lisovicz, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: A teen runaway who says her parents want to kill her may soon be sent back to Ohio. This is the case of Rifqa Bary, the 17- year-old who converted from Islam to Christianity.
Our Susan Candiotti is live from New York.
And Susan, I can remember being in an airport about a month ago when I believe you first filed on this story. It was intriguing then.
What is the update?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the update now is that a judge in Florida has said, OK, let's move the whole thing to Ohio, where the family lives. And this is a partial victory for the 17-year-old (sic) parents whose daughter ran away and took refuge with a minister and his wife in Florida after someone bought her a bus ticket to go to Florida. And now a judge says it's time to send that runway teen, Rifqa Bary, back to Ohio, where her family lives.
The ruling came during a hearing in Florida. And in that courtroom, Rifqa and her attorney. And on the phone in Ohio, another judge, Rifqa's parents. And in both states, child welfare agencies. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE DANIEL P. DAWSON, ORANGE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT: It's this court's opinion that the sooner that these parties get into one courtroom, in front of one judge who is going to have jurisdiction for the remainder of the case, the better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: But before Rifqa can be sent back, the judge is demanding two things -- proof that Rifqa is in the U.S. legally, something her parents have so far failed to provide but say they will, and the guarantee that the 17-year-old can continue taking classes online once she leaves Florida. Now, if those conditions are met, Rifqa will be sent back to Ohio in state custody, not back to her parents, who Rifqa continues to insist want to kill her for converting from Islam to Christianity.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RIFQA BARY, RUNAWAY: They have to kill me. My blood is now halal, which means that because I am now a Christian and from a Muslim background, it's an honor. If they love God more than me, they have to do this. And I'm fighting for my life. You guys don't understand.
They don't understand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: But a Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigation has found no credible threats to Rifqa. And when I spoke with her parents last month, they said they love their daughter and would never hurt her.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did not fight over it. We just asked, and that's it.
CANDIOTTI: Your daughter says that at one point you held up a laptop and said, "I'm going kill you."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not at all true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: The family moved to the U.S. in 2000 from Sri Lanka to get medical care for Rifqa when she lost sight in her right eye after an accident.
Now, as part of the court ruling, Rifqa and her family will all have to undergo psychological testing and counseling. Until then, Rifqa will remain in foster care in Florida, and that won't change in Ohio until everything is sorted out -- Tony.
HARRIS: Well, that's good. That's good to hear. All right. Susan Candiotti.
Clearly, some more digging needs to be done. And all the parties have to agree on something here.
Susan, appreciate it. Thank you.
CANDIOTTI: You're welcome.
HARRIS: The decline of the dollar could mean you'll pay more for gas and heating oil this fall. So, should the U.S. do more to defend the dollar? And what would that mean?
That's a hot topic for chief business correspondent Ali Velshi on his radio show today. And Ali is going to be joining us in just a second as he wraps up with a caller.
And Ali, good to talk to you. Good to see you, Doctor.
ALI VELSHI, CNN SENIOR BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: There we go.
HARRIS: Yes.
VELSHI: How are you, my friend? I could see you talking to me but I couldn't hear you. No I got you.
HARRIS: It's all good. It's all good. We've got you.
Hey, walk me through this, if you would, Ali. I'm reading this morning that the dollar index has lost about 10 percent of its value since early March.
Now, what's happened in that time to the price of commodities like oil?
VELSHI: Well, listen, there's a couple ways of looking at this. One, is oil and gold go up. They're traded in the dollar. So, if you think the dollar is going down, or if the dollar is actually going down in value, it costs you more of those to buy the same product.
So, that's why the commodities are going up. But there's a larger theme to this as well, and that is that commodities are becoming more interesting investments right now.
As there is uncertainty about how other things go, we do see an economy that is recovering somewhat around the world. And as an economy -- as economies recover, people will consume more oil. We know that. They will consume more commodities. And those prices are going up.
So, there are two things that are happening now at the same time, but the effect is that the dollar is weakening. And that is becoming -- at the degree to which the dollar is weakening is becoming a concern for people. But it's not such a concern that it's affecting everything else. You're watching that Dow along with me. We're pushing towards 10,000 on the Dow, something like a 60 percent improvement since March. You were talking about the dollar has dropped since March that much. The Dow has increased more than 60 percent since March.
HARRIS: I don't know how concerned to be about this, but why is the dollar losing value? And what are we looking at? Clearly more expensive oil this winter.
VELSHI: Yes. Well, look, there's two questions.
The oil issue, I mean, we are in a recession and we've got oil at $75 a barrel. What happens when things are really good and everybody actually needs more oil and is spending more money? So, that's a concern. You'll start to see it ticking into gasoline prices, which we have generally seen stabilize for the last couple of months. You'll definitely start to see it in heating oil if you're not locked in on a price.
So, that is a concern. That's like a tax. That takes money out of your pocket just as this economy might starting to be getting a little better. And, of course, for some who have lost their jobs, not better.
How concerned should you be about the dollar? The dollar is a barometer. It's not a measure in and of itself.
So, at the moment, it is what it is. There's not much you can do about it. It's about -- you know, when you travel, obviously it's going to affect you.
The dollar -- a lower dollar helps our manufacturers and exporters because it makes American-made goods cheaper to other countries. So, that could help a battered sector if the dollar is low.
But a higher dollar is often seen as a source of pride for Americans. It's a source of strength for Americans. So, there's a sense that we don't -- when we don't have a high dollar, that means things are bad in America. I think for most of us, for the moment we just watch.
HARRIS: Should we be concerned at all about inflation here?
VELSHI: Well, generally speaking, when the dollar goes down, it's a reaction to inflation. But at the same time, you usually see interest rates going up. And we haven't seen that.
We haven't seen yields on bonds going up. We haven't seen -- when you go to a bank or put money in a CD or a money market, you don't see those rates go up.
Inflation is not present at the moment. Some of this concern about the dollar and the rise in the price of gold to record levels is people thinking there's going to be inflation. And certainly when you see oil at $75, you have to start to worry about that a little bit. At the moment, we don't have inflation. There are people who are worried about inflation later down the road.
HARRIS: You are more than our chief business correspondent this morning. You're Dr. Velshi. We just went to school.
VELSHI: Well, I thank you.
HARRIS: That's a good teacher.
What's the phone number, real quick here, Ali?
VELSHI: The phone number is 877-266-4189. We love taking those calls and finding out what people want to know or what they think or what their suggestions are -- Tony.
HARRIS: Awesome. Let's get your calls going, Ali. Good to see you. Thank you, sir.
And let's get you caught up on our top stories right now.
CNN affiliate KDAK in northern California says officials are blaming this fiery pileup on a dust storm. We're hearing at least one person was killed in the crash yesterday on Interstate 5 near Bakersfield.
California first lady Maria Shriver caught redhanded, apparently. Well, there you go. Photographic evidence.
The celebrity Web site TMZ has photos, and you can see them right here, of Shriver driving and talking on her cell phone. Her husband, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, signed a law into 2008 that prohibits drivers from using handheld phones.
Also, basketball legend John Wooden marks another milestone. It's his 99th birthday today. Wooden coached UCLA to 10 championships in 12 years. He is the wizard. He is in the Hall of Fame as both a coach and a player.
Happy birthday.
Many companies are holding open enrollment for employees. And with health care premiums on the rise, one way to save may be higher deductibles.
Personal finance editor Gerri Willis has your "Top Tips." That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. If you are one of those people who never gets sick, save yourself a few bucks. Consider a high-deductible health insurance plan.
Gerri Willis, your personal finance editor, has the ins and outs of this. And Gerri, I've got to tell you here -- first of all, good to see you.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good to see you.
HARRIS: I don't want to be in a high-cost anything. But under some circumstances, it might actually make some sense to be in a high- deductible plan?
WILLIS: Well, maybe a few. I think you need to hear the whole argument here, basically.
Look, you know, these plans, the reason people are drawn to them, is that they have bargain basement low, low, low monthly premiums. For example, a single person would contribute $438 annually to a high- deductible health insurance premium through their employer. But if you're a single person and use another kind of insurance, you probably pay twice that, $801 a year. That's according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
So, for young people who don't go to doctors very often, you can see why they would be attracted. The costs are low. And employers, let me tell you, Tony, they love these plans...
HARRIS: I bet they do, yes.
WILLIS: ... because it shifts more of the health care burden onto you. In fact, now 75 percent, most companies, are now offering one of these plans.
HARRIS: Yes. HARRIS: How does a high-deductible plan actually work, Gerri?
WILLIS: All right. So, the high deductible, it can be as much as $1,000 to $10,000 for family coverage. Are you hearing me here, $10,000 for family coverage?
I know. The higher the deductible, the lower the monthly premium. Once your deductible is reached, your plan kicks in and covers a percentage of your medical costs, 80 to 100 percent. It's usually paired with what they call a health savings account. You're probably familiar with that.
HARRIS: Yes.
WILLIS: You put pretax dollars into the account, as can your employer, in order to help offset the high deductible. Now, the money isn't taxed when you take it out for qualified medical expenses, but you can't use it for anything else. Next year, as a single person, the contribution limits are $3,050 and $6,150 for families, and you can usually take that money with you if you leave the job.
HARRIS: Got you.
Overall here, what's your assessment?
HARRIS: Is this a good idea or are you inviting trouble?
WILLIS: I'm not a big fan. I'll tell you why.
Young people are drawn to these because they don't have chronic medical conditions. They don't use their health insurance very often. So, they figure, what the heck? I'm going to go the low-cost option.
But what if something happens and you have to pay all of this money out of pocket? I mean, at the end of the day, you're really running a risk.
And certainly if you have chronic conditions, if you take a lot of medications, you see a doctor on a regular basis, a high-deductible plan would not be ideal for you.
Now, if you are thinking about this high-deductible plan -- and everybody out there is weighing this right now. They're looking at the offerings from their employers. Watch out for exclusions of pre- existing conditions because that is pretty common here.
If you have questions, send them to me at Gerri@CNN.com. We love to hear from you.
HARRIS: That's so awesome. Good to see you, Gerri. Thank you.
WILLIS: Good to see you.
HARRIS: You know, it is all behind closed doors, hammering out what could be the new health care plan for the country. And we w ill talk to the man behind the bill. Senator Max Baucus coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. Hard work getting under way today on health care reform. Talks begin behind closed doors on merging two very different Senate bills, the one passed yesterday by the finance committee and an earlier version approved by the health committee.
Congressional correspondent Brianna Keilar is following developments on Capitol Hill. OK, Brianna. Let's start with who's in the room working on merging these two bills?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, of course, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be refereeing this whole thing, Tony. So, Reid as well as Senator Max Baucus, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, which passed its bill, a more conservative bill, yesterday. As well as Senator Chris Dodd, who shepherded that health care bill through the Senate Health Committee, passed back in July, and Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's chief of staff, will also be in the room.
And we are told, Tony, this is the first of many meetings to come. I'm also told that -- pardon me -- at this meeting today, decisions will not be made. They will just be touching base about where there's agreement and disagreement in these two bills. And this is a process that's going to take a few days before Democrats try to essentially show an outline to all Senate Democrats and really see where they stand on this plan and see if they can move forward.
But bottom line, we're not expecting this to go to the Senate floor for at least a week and a half.
HARRIS: OK. So, Brianna, Senator Olympia Snowe gave Democrats their only Republican support yesterday. What is she saying about her future role in this debate?
KEILAR: In short, she is saying that her support is conditional. And I spoke with her this morning, Tony, and I asked her just how conditional her support is. And this is what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE (R), MAINE: Well, it depends on the type of changes that occur, either in the merger between the finance and the health bill that will occur over the next few weeks, what transpires on the Senate floor. This bill becomes much bigger in different ways, more government. It's hard to measure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: So, you heard her talking about the different areas where there is an opportunity that this bill could change, and that it could become more liberal, which of course would be a concern to her as a Republican. And also it would be a concern to some of those centrist Democrats. But Tony, her particular concern was after all of this is said and done in the Senate, after the Senate passes its bill, and then presumably the House would pass its bill...
HARRIS: Right, right.
KEILAR: ... when the House and the Senate have to get together and hash out its differences, she is worried that is where there will be the biggest tug of war because of that support for the public option in the House.
HARRIS: OK. Brianna Keilar on Capitol Hill for us. Brianna, thank you.
And a reminder, Senator Max Baucus will be joining me live in just a couple of minutes, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Can't wait.
Well, the possibility of conservative radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh buying an NFL team has got you talking and writing us in huge numbers. Josh Levs is following that for us.
What are we getting, Josh?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And Tony, that's one of the things we talk about in the morning meeting every day, right?
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
LEVS: What did we hear from viewers yesterday...
HARRIS: Absolutely.
LEVS: ... what are they talking about the most. And sometimes, what you're talking about the most is a story like this. It's definitely got a lot of chatter going. By the way, you can get all the latest information at CNN from Sports Illustrated, sportsillustrated.cnn.com to keep you up to date.
Let me start off with some iReports, Tony. I got two for you here showing the divide. Take a look.
HARRIS: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ADRIANA MAXWELL, CNN IREPORTER: Anywhere he ends up on a media outlet that gives a snippet of what he's saying on the radio just simply draws in more listeners, which helps increase his ratings, which also in turn can increase the prices to the advertisers that show up on his program. Win-win for him.
I totally agree with the players' union along with the coaches' union about not having this man anywhere near the boardroom. It's just not worth it. I'm Adriana Maxwell, and that's my take on it.
CAMERON HARRELSON, CNN IREPORTER: It's time to move on and let the man on a team. I do believe he will have trouble finding a team. However, the NFL should not tell him no. He is a person, and whether you agree with him or not, he has the right to own a team, just like anyone else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: And by the way, iReports from young people are only approved after we check with parents, make sure it's all cool. Tony, I'll tell you, iReports is just one of the many ways people are getting in touch with us. One of the biggest ways is at the blog, cnn.com/tony or .com/josh.
And this is it right here: "Rush and the NFL." I pulled out a few quotes for us. Let's zoom to them right here.
HARRIS: OK.
LEVS: I want to show you a few that we're getting here. "I am a black middle-aged man from St. Louis, Missouri. I see no problem with Rush wanting to become part owner of the Rams. Why not? He loves football. Everyone has done or said things wrong. Last I checked, Rush is still an American."
And we can end with this from Charles: "Not only is Limbaugh a bad role model, his role in the NFL would be a bad example to young kids."
Let's show everyone how they can weigh in. HARRIS: OK.
LEVS: I want everyone to see the Web addresses. We got a screen for you here. Mine is cnn.com/josh, and you've got Facebook and Twitter, where not only are people talking about this, but also saying how great it is that Tony Harris is now (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
LEVS: You're getting some welcome messages, Tony. And now, let's go to Tony's screen so everyone sees the number one place to go on the cnn.com/tony. It is the blog, and it goes to -- it's the same thing, /tony or /josh will get you the same question.
And we want to keep hearing from you. Keep that discussion going.
HARRIS: And my thing is, I just want a conversation. I just don't want to tell you, hey, here's the coffee I'm having today. I mean, let's get a conversation going. Let's get a discussion going.
LEVS: It's happening.
HARRIS: You don't need to know what the heck I'm doing today in the meeting or -- let's get a conversation about these issues.
Josh, appreciate it. Thank you.
LEVS: I'm with you.
HARRIS: A man wrongfully convicted 16 years ago is finally free.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Let's get you caught up on our top stories now. President Obama holding a fifth Afghanistan strategy meeting with his war council. His top commander asking for up to 80,000 more troops, according to the Associated Press, and warning of possible failure no matter how many troops he gets.
In Moscow, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton challenging Russians to move beyond the Cold War mentality. She tells college students that kind of thinking could limit their prosperity in the 21st century.
A Kentucky man who spent almost 10 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit has finally been cleared of the charges. Here's Lindsay English with CNN affiliate WAVE.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FREDERIC COWAN, CIRCUIT JUDGE: You are a free man. God bless you, sir.
LINDSAY ENGLISH, WAVE-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After nine years behind bars and five years of probation, Edwin Chandler sheds tears of joy because finally he's a free man.
COWAN: It seems absolutely clear that there's been a grave miscarriage of justice.
ENGLISH: Chandler was on trial in 1995 for the murder of 25- year-old Brenda Whitfield, a clerk working at the Chevron foodmart at Newberg (ph) and Goldsmith Lane (ph). She was shot and killed by this gunman, seen in surveillance video. On the stand during his trial, Chandler pled with jurors that police had the wrong man.
EDWIN CHANDLER, WRONGFULLY CONVICTED: I said, well, I'm telling you the truth. I didn't do it. And he said, I don't believe you. I think you're lying.
ENGLISH: The jury didn't hear him. Chandler says it wasn't until 2004 when attorney Marguerite Thomas and the Innocence Project started listening and investigating this case.
CHANDLER: I mean, I couldn't tell you how, you know, when you look for somebody to listen to you sometimes or, you know, you need somebody there. Somebody needs somebody. Everybody needs somebody, you know, and they were that somebody for me, really.
ENGLISH: With the request to reopen the case, LMPD Sergeant Denny Butler discovered a previously unmatched fingerprint that was lifted from a Colt 45 beer bottle. That bottle was left on the counter by the shooter.
SERGEANT DENNY BUTLER, LOUISVILLE METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: And that print is a match of Percy Phillips.
ENGLISH: Percy Phillips -- yes, that's the same man you may remember who made national news from this recent outburst in court on unrelated charges. Another eyewitness at the scene, John Gray (ph), also identified Percy Phillips as the shooter.
CHANDLER: How do you make this right? I don't know. Really, I don't know. I couldn't answer that right now.
ENGLISH: Remarkably, Chandler isn't pointing fingers. He says he just wants to move on with his fiancee and his family and celebrate his 1-year-old's birthday today.
STACEY PATTERSON, CHANDLER'S FIANCEE: It means more than words. I can't gather the words to say it because he's getting a new life, you might as well say. And it's long overdue.
EDWARD ELAM, CHANDLER'S BROTHER: It's one of those days you dream of, dream that it's going to happen. And it's actually here, so it's a very joyful occasion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Percy Phillips, the man whose fingerprint was, according to detectives, found on the beer bottle, is now facing charges in the gas station killing. He sponsored the bill, rallied the troops and pushed health care legislation. Senator Max Baucus joining me live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK, here's what we're working on for the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. A call for Latinos in the United States to boycott the census. We will bring you both sides of the controversy. Plus, live reports from the Pentagon and Afghanistan amid new questions about the number of U.S. troops needed in that war.
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HARRIS: You know, our next story may sound like science fiction. An experimental drug that could one day put critically injured soldiers in a state of suspended animation, then later bring them back. For one scientist, it has become his life's work. And it is among the stories featured in the book, "Cheating Death," by our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
Sanjay, tell us all about it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, all week long we've been talking about trying to buy time. Now, that's an essential component of cheating death. For example, with a new type of CCR, you can buy more minutes. With hypothermia, you can buy hours.
And there is something known as suspended animation. As you mentioned, this could help you buy a lot more time. We wanted to introduce you to the scientist who's working on this right now. He's a bona fide genius. And he's been -- he really has a personal mission as to why he's doing this as well. Take a look.
GUPTA (voice-over): Mark Roth is a biologist in Seattle. He's at the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center. Here in this lab he developed the approach of cheating death through suspended animation.
(on camera): Is the premise that if we can buy doctors or health care professionals a little bit more time?
MARK ROTH, FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER: The whole emergency medicine had -- you know, having it -- it's a time-dependent thing. And somebody either has enough time or they don't.
GUPTA (voice-over): Enough time. But there's something else. For Roth, the fight against death is also personal. It's grounded in a family tragedy.
(on camera): What happened to your daughter?
ROTH: She passed away when she was 1 after spending a month in the ICU following heart surgery.
GUPTA: Do you think that that had an impact on your choice of scientific pursuits?
ROTH: Oh, it did. Yes. Yes. So I spent -- there's things that happen. You get -- it focuses the mind when certain things happen to people. And it certainly focused mine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: Heidi, let me explain briefly how this works. We're talking about simply trying to eliminate all the oxygen from the body. So, for example, we're breathing in 21 percent oxygen right now. If I took that concentration down to 2 percent, we would likely die. If I took it down to .00002 percent, a really small amount, we could live as long as there was some sort of fuel for our cells.
That's exactly where Roth and his team are focused. Give something that can block the oxygen in the body but also provide fuel for the cells so they don't die. And that's what this shot is all about.
The scenario that was painted for me, you imagine someone in a war zone, for example, that's received a mortal wound. Something that just doesn't seem like it can be treated in the war zone and there's nothing that his fellow soldiers can do. So they actually inject a shot that puts the person into a state of suspended animation.
Their heart stops. They stop spontaneously breathing. But they're not dead. They're just suspended. Eventually they put that patient on a helicopter, move them to a hospital, get the whole health team in place, reanimate and go to work.
That's sort of what's possibly down the pike. Now, it's going to be some time. I mean, they're just recruiting for human trials now, so I imagine seven years at least. But that gives you a glimpse into the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And don't miss the prime-time debut of Sanjay's special series, "CHEATING DEATH," this Saturday and Sunday at 8:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN.
Well, he is with us. "Now is the time to get this done" -- those words from Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus just before his committee approved its version of a health care overhaul. Now the focus is on merging the Baucus bill with a very different Senate bill.
Senator Max Baucus joining us from Capitol Hill. Senator, good to see you. We've been trying to wrangle you on this program for some time now. It's good to have an opportunity to speak with you. Thanks for the time.
SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-MT), CHAIRMAN, SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE: Well, I'm glad we're here. I'm glad we're here.
HARRIS: Well, I've got to ask you, how does it feel, first of all, to have your committee's work done? And when I say that, I mean the work of the bipartisan group of six, the committee hearings turning your mark into a bill, long days, early mornings, the hundreds of hours of staff time. How does it feel to get it done?
BAUCUS: It feels absolutely great. It's a wonderful feeling that's a culmination of a lot of hard work and teamwork and a part of a lot of people's common-sense balanced bill. We got a great vote. I'm very happy.
HARRIS: We've got some tougher questions coming in just a second. But what do you think of Senator Snowe, her work on the bill and her willingness to break with the other Republican members of the committee?
BAUCUS: She is a very, very good, very effective senator. I've spent a lot of time talking with her in the last months. She asked a lot of good questions, and her goal, really, is constructive, good public policy. She's not partisan-centered. She's not ideological.
She wants good policy. And I'm very, very pleased with her support, because it's going to help make this bill even better.
HARRIS: OK. You know, it seems to me that perhaps you've opened yourself up to being criticized for bending too much to win Republican support. I'm not the first to suggest this to you. What's your response to those who say giving up the public option in your committee's bill was too high a price for Olympia Snowe?
BAUCUS: Well, it's -- the -- actually, there are a good number of senators among the Democratic side who have concerns about the public option, including a couple, three senators on the finance committee.
HARRIS: True.
BAUCUS: My goal is to get a good, solid, balanced bill and one that on the floor will get at least 60 votes. And I've just got to work with senators, and will do so with Senator Dodd and Senator Reid and the administration to put that final bill together that gets 60 votes.
HARRIS: I want you to take us into some of these negotiations with Senate Republicans and in particular Senator Snowe. Did she agree, in the final analysis, to the finance committee bill, knowing that her idea of a public option trigger will be a part of the final Senate bill?
BAUCUS: It's unclear. Olympia is very thoughtful. Her idea of a trigger is one that she's not discussed at length with me or with anybody else, but I think she's kind of keeping that in reserve as a possible solution, possible compromise.
But basically, when we go into these negotiations -- actually, it's a meeting where Democrats like-minded. It's the health committee and the finance committee. That's myself and Senator Dodd and Senator Reid. We're all basically together. We're passing meaningful health care reform, and we're just working now on the details and figuring out what it is that's going to get 60 votes. That's our main goal here.
HARRIS: OK. So, getting to 60 votes. I know you have -- you may not be paying very close attention, but I know you have an eye on what's going on on the House side. And here's why I asked the previous question. Is a public option trigger the only way to get the House on board and ultimately a bill to the president?
BAUCUS: I don't know. I don't think anybody knows the answer to that question at this point. We have to first see what the House passes, and -- you know, there's a big fixation now on public option. They're are infinite varieties of public option. So, it's -- a lot of ways we can skin that cat.
But don't forget, there are other very, very important parts of this legislation. One is delivery system reform. And a way we start getting health care costs much more under control. So, in many respects, those other divisions of the bill, in my judgment, are more transformative, they're more game-changing, they're going to make a greater positive difference on Americans in five, six, seven, eight years from now.
So, we can't lose sight of all that, too.
HARRIS: Yes.
BAUCUS: But we'll find -- you know, first, we've got to get the bill together on the floor. Second, it's got to pass the Senate floor. Then it goes to conference, and we'll see what the House has come up with when we meet the House in conference.
HARRIS: And because I'm not sure when I'm going to get you again, I'm going to squeeze a little bit more time from you here. I was particularly interested in your comments and concerns about improving the delivery system, the delivery system in health care. And maybe at another time, we'll talk more about that.
But what is your message to all of the stakeholders here? We're talking about health care providers, insurance companies -- you saw the AHIP report -- consumer advocates, labor unions and other interest groups as the final process plays out here? They're already screaming about your bill. You know that the knives are out already. What are you going to say to unhappy stakeholders?
BAUCUS: I think most stakeholders, frankly, want health care reform. That's the main point. And they want to work together to get health care reform passed.
The argument is not over whether we have health care reform. Rather, the argument is over the details and specifics and how do we get there.
And I say to everybody who wants to be part of health care reform, hey, you know, stay calm, be cool. Work with me. Work with others. Keep an open mind.
We want to work away to find solutions, compromises. I'm very practical, pragmatic, open-minded. I want an even, balanced solution here.
And so, I think when stakeholders understand that, the more they realize, the more easily we'll come together and find some agreements. Not everywhere. I'm a bit disappointed with the insurance industry. I think they, frankly, made a huge mistake by being so critical and a report that is so biased.
But maybe even the insurance industry might be able to mend its ways and see that maybe there's a way for them to not be so opposed to the bill. But if they are, they are. But I'm just trying to get people together.
HARRIS: At the end of the day, aren't you going to have to say to these stakeholders, you won't use this language, but I will? Pipe down, it's the best we can get done here at this time? We're going to be dealing with this legislation and changes to it, and improving the system for years to come, so pipe down for now, this is the best we can do for now?
BAUCUS: Or to say it differently, this train is leaving the station. There's a great sense of inevitability. We're going to pass health care reform. So, it's much better to be part of the solution than opposed to the solution. And I say to groups, hey, as much as possible, let's figure out a way to do this together.
HARRIS: Senator Baucus, appreciate your time.
BAUCUS: You bet.
HARRIS: And boy, this is a huge piece of legislation that you were able to get accomplished. And congratulations to you and your committee.
BAUCUS: Thank you very much. It's good for America. I'm very pleased.
HARRIS: All right.
Senator Max Baucus with us.
Senator, thanks for your time.
