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Bypassing the Senate; Tea Party in the Desert; "Flash Mob" in Philly
Aired March 27, 2010 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Lawmakers have left Washington for a recess and the president is taking advantage of it, making some big changes. Live from the nation's capital this hour with a breaking political firestorm.
The judge has spoken in the case of a high-profile athlete who brought guns into a locker room. No jail time. Special treatment? We investigate.
Earthquakes in the unlikeliest of places. Jacqui Jeras shows us a city in danger -- a CNN special report.
Young and violent -- that's their M.O., and not knowing where they'll strike again. That's why Philadelphia police are on alert right now for flash mobs. We are watching the streets in the City of Brotherly Love tonight.
Good evening, everyone.
Reactions are poring in, both positive and negative, to a very controversial decision by President Obama that we learned about just a few hours ago. The White House has released a statement announcing that President Obama will make what's so-called recess appointment so that 15 of his nominees can bypass confirmation by the full Senate. The nominations have been hung up for various reasons.
Republicans say many of them face bipartisan opposition. But Democrats accuse Republicans of playing politics.
Here's what a top White House adviser told our Candy Crowley in an interview for CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Senators, Republican, wrote to him and said, please don't do a recess appointment with Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board. They think that he is a union plant, if you will. They think that he will do check card. They think he is bad for this board. And yet, the first thing the president did, of course, was to go ahead and do that recess appointment.
Was that necessary?
DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: Well, he made a series of recess appointments because, Candy, we are in a position where the Republican Party has taken a position where they're going to try and slow and block progress on all fronts -- whether it's legislation or appointments.
Just to make the comparison at this point in the Bush administration, there were five appointees who, on the floor of the Senate, would have not been approved. When the president -- that President Bush, made 15 recessed appointments.
We have 77 appointees who have -- who have not gotten a vote because they've been held up by the Republican Party. Some of them are in various sensitive positions, in Treasury and Department of Homeland Security and on boards like the Labor Relations Board that -- where there are -- there are a huge number of vacancies.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That's David Axelrod on "STATE OF THE UNION."
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell is blasting the appointments tonight. In his words, "The president previously held that appointing an individual in this manner meant that the nominee would have less credibility, and that assessment certainly fits this nomination."
The strong views stirred by issues like recess appointments have helped fueled the Tea Party movement. And this weekend, Tea Party activists have traveled across the American West to a tiny desert town -- and not just any town, the hometown of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Searchlight, Nevada.
They say they're there to protest Washington and Reid's role in advancing President Obama's agenda, to kick off a new nationwide bus tour, and to hear former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin take down Democrats, liberals, and all things big government.
Our national political correspondent Jessica Yellin is covering the rally -- Jessica.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, thousands of people came here to rural Nevada, many from out of state, to kick off a nationwide cross-country bus tour by the Tea Party Express. They delivered their message. They want smaller government, the repeal of the health care law, and right here in Nevada, the defeat of the state's senior senator, Harry Reid.
Now, the day's big attraction was none other than Sarah Palin. She is the movement's rock star and she delivered her message with force.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: What is going on in our country? What's going on in D.C.? Washington has broken faith with the people that they are to be serving. That's why here in Searchlight and across country, we're sending a message to Washington. It's loud and it's clear, and in these upcoming elections, we're saying that the big government, big debt, Obama/Pelosi/Reid's spending free is over -- you're fired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: Sarah Palin also accused the media of mischaracterizing her remarks. Specifically she said, when she indicated that it's time for the movement to reload, she meant it's time to go out and vote, not to commit violence.
Now, this event is taking place in Harry Reid's birthplace, Searchlight, Nevada. And in a statement to CNN, Reid actually thanks the Tea Party activists to coming to his town, and spending money, stimulating the local economy. He said, though, the election in Nevada will be decided by Nevadans, not by folks from out of state.
From here, the Tea Party Express rolls on across the country and it plans to end with a big rally on April 15th, Tax Day, in Washington, D.C. -- Don.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. Thank you very much, Jessica.
From Nevada -- now to Philadelphia. It is a city dealing with a rash of violent flash mobs. A flash mob is when a group of people use Twitter, Facebook, texting and instant message to converge on place in a large group.
And CNN's Susan Candiotti is in Philadelphia tonight where police are hoping to stop this next flash mob before it turns ugly.
Good evening, Susan.
So, do police have any clue that another flash mob might be imminent?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, police have not told us they have any inkling as to when there -- or whether there will be another flash mob to come. Neither do some young people that we talked with tonight.
We are in downtown Philly at this hour. Show you a look around. It's a very popular place for tourists. If you've been here before, you know that. Stores, bars, all kinds of restaurants -- lots of things to do here during the day and at night, a popular place. And that's why the mayor is in that group of people tonight. He has come out here tonight to take a stroll around town to show that it's safe for families, safe for tourists.
And that is because last Saturday night, they had trouble and there were three our incidents within the last year that happened down here where kids got together in these flash mobs that you described. They came down here not necessarily looking for trouble but, in fact, trouble did break out. So, this weekend, the police are setting up patrols and trying to head things off before trouble does arrive.
We've talked to the mayor earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER, PHILADELPHIA: I think we've sent the right message, which is a combination of trying to demonstrate to young people that they have alternatives, reminding parents of their commitment and obligation to their children, and we certainly prepared the city from a law enforcement standpoint.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: And, you know, we also, Don, talked with a student activist. She is a young lady that belongs to a group that gets together every Saturday, and they try to come up with positive activities for young people. It turns out she was here last Saturday night. She said she was not part of any of the problems that went on, but she said there's something else at issue here. There just isn't enough for us to do.
Here's part of what she had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
SHARNELL BENNETT, 16 YEARS OLD: We always go in with the kids and like, cut the things that we did for fun, like they try to close swimming pools, parks (ph), centers and libraries.
CANDIOTTI: So, there's not much to do?
BENNETT: No. There's really nothing, that much. No.
SHELLY YARNOFF, EXEC. DIR., PUBLIC CITIZEN FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH: The fact that kids have nothing to do is their fault, not theirs, because we haven't developed the programming. And, of course, it is our fault if they're not being adequately parented, either.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
CANDIOTTI: And, of course, Don, that was also another community activist with whom we spoke, who said, look, there have been a lot of budget cuts, from state money here. The economy is tough. Parents are working two jobs. You know, the mayor says it comes down to this: there's no excuse for stupidity and we won't put up with bad behavior -- Don.
LEMON: All right. Susan is going to be standing by. Susan, I know that neighborhood very well. My first home, two blocks from there. You're in Abbotts Square, Second and Lombard, and there, Mayor Michael Nutter right behind you.
Susan, thank you. We'll check back tonight. Appreciate it.
CANDIOTTI: It's a great town.
LEMON: Yes, it certainly is.
Now that the president's signature is dry on health care reform on that bill, we'll meet a family who says it wasn't a moment too soon.
Plus, this NBA star won't have to play pickup games in a prison yard, but did he get off too easy on gun charges?
Also, be a part of our conversation tonight. We want you to weigh to our conversation coming up on the language being used in the health care debate. We want you to weigh in.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: This week, President Barack Obama signed into law a sweeping overhaul of the nation's health care system. Some of the changes won't be seen for a few years, but others will start affecting families much sooner than that -- and as our Kate Bolduan tells us, how fast it will happen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sugar?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Robin and Stuart Miles-McLean say they felt the impact of the new health care law almost immediately.
ROBIN MILES-MCLEAN, MOTHER: There's a big difference. Yes. I can imagine it's a big deal for a lot of families.
BOLDUAN: Why? Start back 11 years ago.
R. MILES-MCLEAN: Jake slipped and fell off a high dive at a local pool and landed on the pool deck, on the concrete pull deck, and sustained a skull fracture and severe traumatic brain injury.
JAKE MILES-MCLEAN, SON: I cannot -- I keep collection.
BOLDUAN: Despite great progress, Jake still needs assistance, visits with doctors four times a month, with physical therapy twice a week. His younger sister Haley, a college student, also suffers from a significant medical condition, fibromyalgia.
HALEY MILES-MCLEAN, COLLEGE STUDENT: Which means I have chronic aches and pains especially in my joints.
BOLDUAN: So far, both Jake and Haley have been covered under their father's insurance through his job with the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington.
STUART MILES-MCLEAN, FATHER: I would feel very fortunate that I did have good insurance and we haven't really sat back and thought about, well, gosh, if we suddenly have to pay for all of this tomorrow, how much would it cost? But if we did, yes, it would be devastating. R. MILES-MCLEAN: And this is coffee.
BOLDUAN: And devastating may have been right around the corner because Jake, now 21, was going to be dropped from his parents' coverage next year. As it the case in many states, their dependent coverage extends only until age 22. The family estimates that would likely double their out-of-pocket expenses to close to $30,000 a year.
But this provision of the health care law changed that, extending the age for dependent coverage to at least 26 years old nationwide.
President Obama in Iowa this week is trying to win more support for health care reform said this extension is one of the first benefits to kick in.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Because if you start your lives and your careers, the last thing you should worry about is whether you go broke just because you get sick.
UNIDENTIFIED KID: The black tea (ph) caffeine.
S. MILES-MCLEAN: It does have caffeine and I don't want you bouncing off the walls.
BOLDUAN: The Miles-McLeans know they still face many challenges ahead but now, they say, there's at least a little more time to figure it all out.
(on camera): What does, then, four extra years mean for you guys?
R. MILES-MCLEAN: It's just a huge relief. Some extra sleep, some not laying awake at night going -- oh, my gosh, how are we going to do this?
BOLDUAN: It's breathing room?
R. MILES-MCLEAN: Breathing room.
BOLDUAN: Employee benefits experts say this is one of the most significant and immediate changes in the new law. Experts are saying, with so many young adults falling within that gap between their parents' coverage and having their own insurance, the result could mean higher cost for companies and potentially higher premiums for employees.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, Kate.
And another key change to health care goes into affect in September. It prevents insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions, but that's something one Texas family could use right now. Doug and Kim Tracy's son is less than 2 weeks old but he's already been rejected for insurance. Houston Tracy was born March 15th with a serious heart defect. Blue Cross and Blue Shield both refused to pay for corrective surgery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG TRACY, FATHER: They kept saying that it's pre-existing. It's pre-existing. But I don't know how it can be pre-existing on a baby that was just born.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The Tracys are fighting Blue Cross and Blue Shield over this. The company says it can't comment on the situation. And make sure you tune into the CNN NEWSROOM on Monday morning. My former co- anchor, Kyra Phillips, welcomes the Tracys as guests, 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Eastern. They'll be on during that hour.
Turning off the lights with a purpose. City skylines are going dark and millions of people around the globe are hitting the light switch tonight. Why are they doing that?
And they're celebrating in Baghdad. How the new Iraqi government is shaping up after the national election.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: A major setback for the Obama administration. The president's second pick to lead the Transportation Security Administration has withdrawn his name. No one has filled the role in more than a year. Retired Army General Robert Harding pulled out less than three weeks after he was nominated. Harding says he fears his prior work as a defense contractor would be a distraction in the position.
Iraq's election results are in and it means new leadership in the country. A coalition led by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi took the most seats in the parliamentary election. And Allawi says he's open to direct talks with all parties as he forms a new government for Iraq. Current Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki wants a recount. But the U.N. says the election results are credible.
Hundreds of people turned out in Los Angeles today for what people say was a peaceful march and rally for immigration reform. Organizers say they want the Obama administration to make immigration reform its next priority. The president says he will seek bipartisan support for legislation that would create a path for citizenship for some of the 11 million illegals in the United States.
We're just a little over an hour away from Earth Hour -- Earth Hour. We're talking about it right here on the east coast. It is an hour of darkness, meant to enlighten the world about climate change. Businesses, city, states, counties, and individuals, like you, will turn off the lights in solidarity. Organizers say last year more than 1 billion people took part all over the world. City after city, landmark after landmark, went dark at 8:30 p.m. local.
Joining me now to explain more about Earth Hour is Carter Roberts. He's the president and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund.
Thanks for being here. And I should say cities and countries all over the world. How many people have you signed up so far?
CARTER ROBERTS, CEO, WORLD WILDLIFE FUND: It looks like it's going to be hundreds of millions of people. We've got 126 countries. We've got about 6,000 cities; 3,000 businesses in the U.S., every state in the U.S. And as you said, there's just a spectacular array of the world's biggest landmarks from the Acropolis to the Forbidden City, to the Eiffel Tower to Mount Rushmore in the United States.
LEMON: So, listen, some of your global colleagues were pretty clever and offbeat about getting the message out. So, I want you to take a look at this spot from Hong Kong.
(VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That sounds more like a -- that looks more like a nightmare than something fun.
So, listen, so -- the message, then, seems to be, I don't know, use of energy -- use less energy I should say, but I understand your focus is climate change. So, what exactly are you trying to say about this mass switch-off here?
ROBERTS: So -- first of all, it knits together the world. It gives people an opportunity to give voice to the fact that climate change is real. They're committed to do something about it and they want to ask others to do something about it.
So, if you go to EarthHour.org, there's a whole array of tips, different things you can do in your everyday life, from windows to lights to commuting to the rest. But it also -- it gives the world the ability, the moment to say, look, this is a problem, we're all in this together, and we want -- we need to solve this problem.
LEMON: But you, you admit even yourself that you -- you say it's a stunt, because, listen, I don't know but I've heard -- I've read, just doing research here saying that, you actually use more electricity when everybody flicks the lights back on than if you kept them on the whole hour. So, you admit that it's a stunt. But it's mostly about awareness, right?
ROBERTS: Look, there are moments in time when the world comes together and makes a statement and acts. We saw it with the march on Washington, from the civil rights movement. We've seen it in other cases.
Symbolism is important and -- but more than anything else, this gives the world a moment in time to say, look, this is -- this is a problem. We've got to act. And we're seeing people in this hour make commitments that last throughout the rest of the year. LEMON: All right. And, Carter Roberts, president and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund, that's going to have to be it. Thank you so much, sir. Good luck.
ROBERTS: Thanks a lot.
LEMON: All right.
If you want to participate in Earth Hour, turn off your lights, 8:30 p.m. local time, wherever you live.
Emotions boil over after Congress passed health care reform. But vandalism and terrorist threats are way out of bounds. How did it get to this point? A panel will join me next to tackle that issue.
And later, our Jacqui Jeras joins us with a look back at a huge earthquake in the U.S. that could happen again. That's right. It could happen again. If you think it was California, you'd be on the wrong coast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK. I know everyone's going to be talking about this conversation, law, people will be upset by it, but it's really just to sort of get to you pay attention to what's going on. Maybe it will help educate you a little bit. Maybe it will educate me. Right now, our guests, our panel.
The vigorous debate over health care reform has stirred up a lot of emotions all across the country. In the aftermath of the historic vote in Congress, some of those emotions spike, resulting in some ugly words, threats and actions, directed at both sides of the aisle.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), MINORITY LEADER: I know many Americans are angry over this health care bill, and angry at Democrats here in Washington for not listening. But as I've said before, violence and threats are unacceptable. They have no place in a political debate.
REP. LOUISE SLAUGHTER (D), NEW YORK: Someone hurled a brick through the window of my district office in the dark of night.
REP. STEVE DRIEHAUS (D), OHIO: My wife and kids are at home. They're organizing protests in front of my house. We're getting death threats.
REP. ERIC CANTOR (R-VA), MINORITY WHIP: A bullet was shot through the window of my campaign office in Richmond this week and I've received threatening e-mails.
REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: This morning, with the regular mail, there was a threatening letter with some white powder in it.
(END VIDEO CLIPS) LEMON: OK. So, let's take a closer look at, really what can be called reckless even dangerous rhetoric and how a few key words can push all the wrong buttons and inspire people to do really crazy things.
Our guests tonight: Tim Wise, author of "Colorblind," soon to be out; and "New York Times" bestseller, "New York Times" columnist, I should say, Ben Zimmer; and Marc Lamont Hill of Columbia University.
Good to see all of you.
Mark, you're always smiling. So, let's see if we can keep you smiling throughout this.
MARC LAMONT HILL, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY: You make me happy.
LEMON: OK. So, listen, Tim, start with you tonight.
Again, good to see all of you.
So, you believe it's not just the angry words being used by health care opponents and people on the right? Some people on the right, but you said the Obama administration is also choosing the wrong language when it came to this health care bill?
TIM WISE, AUTHOR, "COLORBLIND": Well, what I think the Obama administration overlooked, and I write about this in my upcoming book, is that when they, you know, back in the summer of last year, were using the phraseology of a public option. I think they were naive in the sense that what they forget is that for the past 40 years, whenever we talk about public anything in this country, public transportation, public housing, public schools, an awful lot of people hear, whether it's meant or not, hear people of color as the beneficiaries.
And so, when you put that out there, a lot of the white folks, who already are being told by Limbaugh and Beck that this health care bill is just reparations for slavery, end up having that reinforced by the somewhat naive post-racial rhetoric of the administration. I think they played right into that.
LEMON: And I --
WISE: Yes?
LEMON: Tim, I see Marc shaking his head, trying to get in here.
Marc, why are you shaking your head?
HILL: Well, because I think there's been a very consistent strategy from the right to racialize public policies that poor white people who are often most vulnerable or most in need of those policies will vote against it to align themselves with a certain kind of whiteness, and whiteness' property so that the poor white guy in Mississippi that needs welfare votes against welfare because he thinks he's voting against a poor black woman in Harlem. LEMON: Right. I want to get Ben in on this. Because Ben you're write about language, in the "New York Times," Sunday magazine every Sunday, words matter, and when you look at -- you've written a little bit about it. How are you seeing the words being played out? Because they can move and motivate people.
BEN ZIMMER, COLUMNIST, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": They sure can, and very often there's this kind of a flashpoint and certainly the health care reform debate has been that kind of flashpoint. And with last summer from the town hall meetings and the rise of the tea party movement, we've seen an increasing polarization of the rhetoric, and that has led to some real rancor and we can see that when times are really tense like this, that words really do matter and especially when there are threats to public officials.
That means that everyone has to be cognizant of the kind of tone that they strike, and the kinds of metaphors and figures of speech that are being used may sometimes be inappropriate and sometimes can really be a cause of concern.
LEMON: Well, here's a question. Should lawmakers be held responsible for the rhetoric that they're putting out there? We're going to place some of it in a just little bit. Do people even realize that they're being motivated by this and that the talking points that are coming from lawmakers? A whole lot to talk about here, including Sarah Palin out today talking about reloading.
So, guys, stick around. We'll be right back with more on this important discussion right after a short break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Let's continue our discussion now about the rhetoric taking place, overheated across America. I want you guys to listen, that's our panel right there. Listen to Sarah Palin out today talking about reloading.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN (R), FMR. VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I talk about, it's not a time to retreat, it's a time to reload. When I'm talking about -- now, media, try to get this right. OK? That's not inciting violence. What that is doing is trying to inspire people to get involved in their local elections and this upcoming federal elections. It's telling people that their arms are their votes. It's not inciting violence. It's telling people, don't ever let anybody tell you to sit down and shut up, Americans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: All right, Tim, Ben and Marc are back. Marc, listen, freedom of speech. I always say that. People have the right to say whatever they want. I will fight tooth and nail for that, but is it responsible for someone to say that? Especially a leader, considering the anger that's going on right now? HILL: This is wholly irresponsible for anyone who prides him or herself as a political leader. I mean, you have cross hairs on a map. You have gun language, militaristic language and the sort of inciting towards violence. That's a very problematic thing. We live in a country where six years ago people were shot down for public policy progress.
This is another major public policy moment. The same thing could happen again. 20 years ago when he had a president shot. We live in a moment right now where people are constantly threatened and intimidated through gun violence. We live in a country that has had more gun violence than any other developed nation combined. So it's very irresponsible in that moment to throw rocks and hide your hands and suggest that you're only using metaphors as opposed to possibly inciting the most extreme whim of your party.
LEMON: So I want to ask Tim this because I just got someone on Twitter -- if we can show the board here. Tim said, "Unbelievable, Don Lemon. All three panelists are working from the assumption of racism. Anybody see this nice diversity of opinion." And there are people I've been getting things saying when we do discussions like this, don't talk about race. You're dividing people when you talk about race. And to that, you say?
TIM WISE, AUTHOR "COLORBLIND": Well, look, to blame the conversation about race for racism is like blaming the speedometer on your car for the ticket that you just got. It doesn't make any sense. When you have mobs of people surrounding John Lewis, one of this nation's preeminent heroes in the civil rights struggle and using the "n" word with him. You've got folks showing up at rallies with signs about the president with a bone through his nose dressed like a witch doctor or pictures of the White House lawn covered in watermelons. You don't get to retreat and go "gee, don't talk about that." If you wouldn't talk about it, it would go away.
We wouldn't say that about any other problem. I mean, think about world hunger. Who would say, world hunger, "gee, if we just don't talk about it, maybe food will miraculously appear on the plates of the hungry?" I mean, no other problem on earth do we say that. Here's the thing, Don, historically white America has never wanted to talk about race. We didn't want to talk about it in 1963 when two out of three white Americans said the civil right movement was pushing too much and was being divisive and in '68, Pat Buchanan told Richard Nixon, not to go to Dr. King's funeral because he was one of the most divisive people in American history. A lot of white folks on the right have always wanted to stop talking about this and they've always been wrong. And they were asking for it.
LEMON: And Ben, this isn't just -- he mentioned, you talked about whites and blacks and what have you. But it's not, this is -- this isn't a Republican -- or is it a Republican or Democrat thing? Because language has been used on both sides to sort of stir people and to rile them up and to get them motivated. So it's not -- is it a Republican and Democrat thing?
ZIMMER: Well, I mean, I think that no party, no side has a monopoly on inflammatory rhetoric. Very often it's the party that is out of power that will have the most inflamed rhetoric, let's say. Very much it's kind of raging against the machine. Now, sometimes you might be able to look at it through the racial prism, as has been suggested, but a lot of times what we see is that just a kind of a polarization of both sides, and we can see that this happened through the kind of echo chambers that happen on both the right and the left through partisan blogs and the use of social media has a way of actually hardening the positions on both sides of the debate.
LEMON: As I'm sitting here, reading some of the comments. Listen, I'm going to wrap it up here. Ben Zimmer, thank you, Marc Lamont Hill, you know this -- quick, what's the solution here? Where do we go from here? I mean, really quickly.
HILL: We need to change the language. The language reflects our sensibilities. But in addition to changing the language we also need to change our practice and really address structural racism in this country.
LEMON: Same thing, Tim. I got five seconds.
WISE: Marc's right. You have to bring me back and I'll tell you more.
LEMON: Thank you. Thanks to all of you. Ben Zimmer, Marc Lamont Hill and also Tim Wise. We appreciate the conversation and we appreciate our viewers weighing in as well.
Coming up, we have seen the suffering and the damage from several earthquakes abroad, but did you know that an equally powerful quake could hit the southern U.S.? We'll take you to the city that was hit by the strongest earthquake east of the Mississippi River.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: You've seen the headlines. Devastating earthquakes all over the world really have dominated the news now for several months. And while we know the threat in the U.S. is real, you might be surprised where the next big one can happen. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras joins us now. You're all aware of the risk of California.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
LEMON: You've been doing some investigating on this, and what you found out was pretty interesting.
JERAS: Yes. I think it's going to surprise a lot of people, unless you live in that spot, you know, some people know. Most of them do happen in California, but some of the largest earthquakes in U.S. history have actually happened in the midwest as well as into the southeast.
LEMON: Chicago had that little tremor just a couple of months ago.
JERAS: They did. I think a lot of people are aware with the new Madrid fault, but about Charleston, South Carolina? Yes, we'll take you there. Where they could experience an earthquake that could be as powerful as the one that happened in Haiti in January.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD COTE, AUTHOR "CITY OF HEROES": It was the most catastrophic earthquake ever to hit anyplace east of the Mississippi in all of U.S. history struck Charleston with a ferocious roar.
JERAS (voice-over): Author and researcher Richard Cote describes the horror that filled the steamy Charleston air on August 31, 1886. An estimated 7.3 earthquake devastated this charming southern city.
COTE: Two-thirds of all the bricks in Charleston were either destroyed or severely damaged.
JERAS: And it was felt from Montreal to Nebraska, Cuba to Bermuda.
(on camera): So this is the church bells, one of the most severely damage in the earthquake.
COTE: This is one of the most magnificent churches in Charleston, St. Michael's Episcopal Church. The entire bell tower separated with a huge crack to the side of the building.
JERAS (voice-over): Amazingly the church was put back together with earthquake bolts as were many other building in town.
(on camera): So these are the earthquake bolts?
COTE: These are Charleston's legendary earthquake bolts. What you see on the side of this building is not actually the earthquake bolts itself. That's the long iron rod that runs all the way through the building.
JERAS: What are we going to see at the fort?
PRADEEP TALWANI, RETIRED GEOLOGY PROFESSOR: At the fort, you're going to be seeing the effects of the earthquake.
JERAS (voice-over): Retired geology professor Pradeep Talwani has spent decades researching the 1886 quake. He says the faults zone is just as deep and runs right through nearby historical Fort Dorchester.
(on camera): Talwani has show the 1886 earthquake was one of at least seven quakes to happen here.
The frequency of earthquakes that we're getting is about every 500 years on average.
JERAS: So it's not a matter of if another powerful quake will rattle Charleston but when, and is the city prepared?
(voice-over): Charleston Mayor Joseph Riley says earthquakes are fused into Charleston's history and future.
MAYOR JOSEPH RILEY, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA: We've made our building stronger. So they would -- more well withstand an earthquake than they did 144 years ago, and then we are placed and ready to get through it, and to recover.
JERAS (voice-over): The South Carolina Emergency Management Division released the results of a study that outlines what could happen today if a 7.3 magnitude earthquake were to strike the same area. The report estimates that 900 people would be killed. 800 bridges would be damaged beyond use. 36 million tons of debris would be generated and total economic losses would reach $20 billion.
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JERAS: Those were just incredible numbers to look at at those types of statistics. The mayor says they've been doing things to help prepare for earthquake, they just retrofitted the city hall as well as the community theater with steel within the buildings to help protect them if an earthquake were to happen to prevent it from crumbling but he said, you know, with Hurricane Hugo, for example, he was mayor during that time, they had days to get ready for it. With an earthquake, you just never know when it's coming.
LEMON: So, Jacqui, do you have any idea? You mentioned these places, do we know? Can we predict where another one will come in maybe one of these places we don't think it could happen?
JERAS: Well, we know where the risk areas are, Don, but we don't know exactly when they're going to happen. Professor Talwani in the piece says this happens every 500 years. But that's just an average. So you know, it could happen tomorrow. It could happen next year. It could be another 200 years and then maybe we'll not see something happen for 700 years.
So there's really no way to know. And this map behind me, too, by the way, we'll show you some of those risk areas in the red is really where you can look at. You can the see this out in California going all the way up the west coast and there you can see the big bullet here into the Charleston area and then you and I were talking earlier about the new Madrid fault zone. We'll talk a little bit more about that in two weeks when I travel to Memphis, Tennessee.
LEMON: That just the first parts. Thank you, Jacqui. We appreciate it.
All right. Let's talk about other news now. NBA star Gilbert Arenas could have gotten up to five years in prison for taking a gun into the Washington Wizards' locker room. Instead, he got 30 days, and a halfway house and a two-year probation. That happened yesterday. But he got a fine and community service. Is it another example of special treatment for the rich and famous? Or did the judge get it right? So let's talk now with "In Session " host, Ryan Smith, from our sister network TruTV.
RYAN SMITH, HOST, "IN SESSION": Still TruTV. LEMON: I thought the name of the network was "In Session" -- but anyway. It's good to see you. Good to see you. Did the judge get it right?
SMITH: Well, I think a lot of people think this was a very light sentence. Because he had a prior gun conviction. So he was looking at anywhere from six months to two years but the judge could have just gone with probation. So I think what the judge eventually did was he his community service. Gilbert Arenas has done a lot of charity work. He saw that he seems to be now remorseful and he said, you know what, let me give him 30 days in a halfway house. But it seems light.
LEMON: Yes but some people are saying, you know, he should have been made an example. This is yet another example of an athlete, you know, because of money and profile whatever, just getting away with something that they shouldn't be getting away with it. But if it is you or I or anybody else, we'd be in jail?
SMITH: Oh, I do think that. I tell you what, he had a prior gun conviction. So this is his second gun charge. So I think for a lot of people, it seemed real for him to get six months, even longer, and be that example. But here I think it is the case of his lawyer's got involved. He has a great legal team. They got involved and they got him on the right track. Initially, he started out and he seemed to have no remorse, playing -
LEMON: His behavior afterwards, pictures -- it was at the 76ers game -
SMITH: He was the 76ers game and apparently pantomimed like this gunslinger action with some of his teammates and he was suspended shortly after that. But the idea was he got off light.
LEMON: I think it was this post incident attitude -- I'm reading, I was speaking to people about this that made it easy to paint him as a bad guy. Were there any inconsistencies with the, you know, the prosecution about what exactly happened? Because again I think his attorney said he never picked up a gun. He just had them, you know, in the locker room.
SMITH: There was -- the thought was he came into the locker room with the guns, put them down and said to his teammates, who was involved in this pick one, and that he wasn't the one that was the aggressor. But the problem was, Don, was he -- you really couldn't bring those guns in the locker room in the first place.
So they thought there was going to be a much harsher penalty.
LEMON: He should know better.
SMITH: He should know better.
LEMON: And if anybody should be an example, he should come out of this, if he really wants to show remorse, he should come out of this and make it an example of himself and help kids. I understand he wants to do that, but I mean, come on. That has to stop. SMITH: I think you're right. He's got community service as part of this. So he has to go out and do some real community service and to show that he's remorseful.
LEMON: So listen, I'm flipping back and forth. You're on from 1:00 to 3:00, right?
SMITH: I'm on from 12:00 to 3:00.
LEMON: Flipping back and forth between CNN and you. I just want you to know I'm watching. Plus, my former executive producer is now your boss.
SMITH: Thank you, sir.
LEMON: You're in good hands. We appreciate you joining us. Ryan Smith, TruTV "In Session," our sister network. Thanks for joining us, sir.
You know what, there's always a lot of talk about cutting the fat in America's state capital but Mississippi's legislators are actually trying to lose weight. We'll talk to a couple of them about that, next.
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LEMON: OK. This maybe an example of a bipartisanship and we're going to ask them. Mississippi politicians are busy trimming the fat, not from the budget but from their waistline. Think of it like this -- "The Biggest Loser" State Lawmaker Edition.
About 12 weeks ago, more than 100 legislators began the "Paul Lacoste Fit 4 Change Mississippi Challenge". They're getting in to shape and they're setting an example for Mississippi, one of the most obese state in the nation. Republicans, Democrats and even governor staffers are all taking part in this.
So joining us tonight to talk about this, live via Skype from Jackson, Mississippi, state senator Videt Carmichael and he is a Republican, and state representative John Hines, who is a democrat.
Good to see both of you. You're looking awfully svelte and thin. So tell us how much weight you've lost, both of you and give us a grand total for the group.
JOHN HINES, MISSISSIPPI STATE HOUSE: Well, I have lost 76 pounds in the Paul Lacoste Program.
VIDET CARMICHAEL, MISSISSIPPI STATE SENATE: I've lost 32.
HINES: Altogether, we have cleared over 1300 pounds.
LEMON: It hasn't been easy, has it?
CARMICHAEL: (INAUDIBLE) is not easy but it's been worthwhile.
HINES: All the (INAUDIBLE) easy (INAUDIBLE)
LEMON: Listen, representative or state senator Carmichael, why did you do it? Why did you decide to do this?
HINES: Well, I got involved because they were going to donate money to our local school districts and I wanted to take the money back home for the school. In the midst of that I was blessed by being one of the largest losers of weight. It was a real opportunity to say that I cared about my community and in return somebody cared about me.
LEMON: What about you Representative Hines, why did you decide do it?
CARMICHAEL: OK. (INAUDIBLE) so I was overweight and lazy and eating habits were terrible. This is a good way to join my colleagues in a friendly competition. (INAUDIBLE) the state and the nation that we're not just fat, we're friendly and we're trying to do something right.
LEMON: You guys -- the first question was meant for you and he answered it and then you answered his question. So we will move on. But listen, is this really -- you know we've been hearing so much about bipartisanship not being able to work together, this is really an example of bipartisanship, don't you think, in a different way?
CARMICHAEL: Well, yes, in a different way. We're not in this. We're friends. We see each other on the other side of the halls sometimes. (INAUDIBLE) did a great job of being the leader. Our team leader on our side was Terry Burton. He had -- he was a great captain for the city. It was fun. It was hard work but when you are (INAUDIBLE) together you have a purpose for that.
LEMON: What are you going to do, Mr. Hines, to celebrate once you're done?
HINES: Well, I think I'm going to go back with (INAUDIBLE) and run around the weight room with a huge (INAUDIBLE) I gave it up. I am extremely happy that I had an opportunity to lose some weight. I want to spend a lot of time with Paul. Trying to help him promote his program. Spending time talking to children about making quality choices, about their lifestyle. I want to really invest in African- American males because we really don't understand the importance of being in shape and having a healthy lifestyle. It is my dream that we can push Mississippi on a whole new pedestal that will not allow us to be (INAUDIBLE) but celebrated.
LEMON: Mr. Carmichael, what are you going to do to celebrate?
CARMICHAEL: You know, I've already started celebrating last week. Yesterday I reached my own personal goal. I wanted to lose between 25 and 30 and I exceeded that. So I started celebrating by eating greatly last night. It's a good job to cook on the grill and some great southern vegetables. (INAUDIBLE) the great place to work out. The facilities were fantastic. (INAUDIBLE) and getting the student program. I'm going to continue celebrating (INAUDIBLE) LEMON: I'm going to say this to you -- we have to run, I am going to say you better watch it with those pork chops because we don't want that weight creeping up. We know that they taste good -
CARMICHAEL: (INAUDIBLE)
LEMON: But listen -- listen I want to tell you guys, listen it's very important what you said and especially you talked about African- American and diets and what have you, it is important for all of us to be healthier. So good luck to you, guys. It is great that you can work together as Republicans and Democrats and we're going to be back to check on your progress to see if you gain that weight back. We hope that you don't.
CARMICHAEL: Thank you.
HINES: We look forward to seeing you again.
LEMON: You know what, every weekend here on CNN, we bring you interesting news items that you might have missed and I want you to take a look at this amazing video. This is from Iceland. What's fascinating is the volcano erupted underneath a glacier, right. Scientists are concerned that the intense heat will melt the glacier and cause a flood.
More than 600 people had been evacuated just as a precaution. The last time this volcano erupted was back in 1821, 1821. Certainly is beautiful but it can be very dangerous and we saw some of those pictures last week. They don't let airplanes fly close to those anymore so you can't get this, a close-up look there. But you saw the pictures there.
Anyway, I'm Don Lemon. I'll see you back at 10:00 p.m. Eastern, 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Make sure you join us. Next on CNN, a neighborhood terrorized by gangs, now five years later our Anderson Cooper returns to Hollenbeck to see if anything has changed.
