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American Morning
Moscow Subway Blasts; Midwest Militia Roundup; Tornado Warning for Ft. Lauderdale; Sarah Palin On The Stump; Stock Rally; A Soldier's Next Step; Out of this World "Chicks Network"; Living in a Food Desert
Aired March 29, 2010 - 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: Good Monday morning to you. Thanks so much for joining us on the Most News in the Morning. It's March the 29th.
I'm John Roberts.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us.
We have a lot of big stories we're breaking down in the next 15 minutes.
We start with terror in Russia, two deadly explosions rocking Moscow subway stations. It happened during the rush hour, the trains and the platform jammed with commuters. Moscow's mayor is calling it an act of terror carried out by female suicide bombers.
We're live from the scene in Moscow in just moments.
ROBERTS: Sources say a militia arming itself to fight the coming antichrist was the target of raids across the Midwest this weekend. We'll find out more in court this morning and show you their recruiting videos on YouTube.
CHETRY: And something else for Democrats and Republicans to fight over, President Obama's recess appointments, putting 15 people into key -- to key administration jobs -- easy for me to say.
The White House says the GOP forced the president's hand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR WHITE HOUSE ADVISER: We are in a position where the Republican Party is taking a position where they're going to try and slow and block progress on all fronts, whether it's legislation or appointments.
SEN. LAMAR ALEXANDER (R), TENNESSEE: What it's called is checks and balances. And what the president has done here is throw fuel on the fire at a time when the civil -- when the debate about politics is a very angry debate to begin with.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: We're going to touch on that and also dig deeper on Sarah Palin on the stump with political experts Mary Matalin and Lanny Davis.
And, of course, we want to hear from you. Our blog, amFIX is up and running. You can join a live conversation by heading to CNN.com/amFIX. And we'll read some of your comments throughout the hour.
ROBERTS: We begin this morning, though, with a terrible story still developing this morning.
Two deadly explosions tearing through subway stations in Moscow during the morning rush hour when the trains were jam-packed. Investigators say female suicide bombers blew themselves up around 8:00 a.m. local time when it would have been standing-room-only on the rails. The first bomb ripped through a train right underneath what used to be KGB headquarters.
Our Matthew Chance is live for us in Moscow this morning.
And, Matthew, anyone claiming responsibility for the attacks as of yet?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, in fact, we had some information earlier today, John, that there had been a claim of responsibility carried by the rebels. But that information appears to be incorrect. There has been no claim of responsibility for these attacks.
But, the finger of blame, according to the authorities is pointing very much at rebels from Russia's very unstable North Caucasus region. The head of the country's FSB, the Federal Security Services, the successor of the KGB, has come out quite clearly and said that these two attacks that rocked the Moscow metro system in the early hours of rush hour this morning, local time, here in Moscow were carried out by suicide bombers, female suicide bombers, said to be from the North Caucasus region.
And so, again, the finger of blame pointing pretty squarely at that region, and the casualty figures are now 35 people confirmed dead and about 40 injured. Some of them are very seriously indeed -- John.
ROBERTS: Matthew, as we saw in the London bombings back in 2005, you know, there were several plots that were triggered to sort of, you know, take place over a period of time. Are they concerned that there could be other bombers out there still at large this morning?
CHANCE: Yes, that's certainly a concern. Just because there's been two suicide bombers detonate their explosives today this morning, it doesn't mean that there aren't going to be more suicide bombers this evening in the rush hour, where hundreds of thousands of people use the metro system in Moscow to go to and from work. That will certainly be foremost in the minds of commuters in this, the Russian capital, as they get back on trains again this evening.
And the system has been pretty much reinstated now and is working, except for a few areas that have been sealed off while forensic team goes through the area to try and piece together whatever evidence they can.
But, certainly, if you are a commuter in the Russian capital, you're going to be very concerned over the next 24 hours, over the next few days or so, about the possibility of future attacks -- John.
ROBERTS: Sure. Matthew Chance for us this morning in Moscow -- Matthew, thanks so much.
CHETRY: And also developing this morning, seven alleged members of a self-proclaimed Christian militia group are expected in federal court today. They were rounded up during FBI raids in three states over the weekend. Their Web site says they are getting ready for battle with Satan.
ROBERTS: Our Susan Candiotti is here this morning. She joins us now live with more on what this group is all about.
Getting ready to do battle with Satan?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I am, you know -- apparently, this is what part of the Web site says or seems to indicate according to those who are familiar with the group. We're supposed to get more details when all this is unsealed in federal court today. A federal law enforcement source says the FBI executed raids in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana over the weekend, netting at least seven arrests.
For now, the case is officially under wraps. However, a Michigan militia leader says the targets are some members of a Christian militia group called Hutaree. The FBI won't confirm who is involved.
However, here's what we know about the group from its Web site and videos posted on YouTube. You see people, faces covered, carrying guns, possibly rifles. And it's all put to music. Gunshots are sometimes heard. Hutaree's insignia is a cross with what appear to be two spears crisscrossed across the bottom.
On the Web site, these statements are posted, quoting here, "We believe that one day, as prophecy says, there will be an anti-Christ. All Christians must know this and prepare just as Christ commanded."
Now, a big show of force complete with helicopter Saturday night, agents swooped in and closed some roads while arrests were being made. Some who said they're familiar with the group said they train in the woods sometimes at night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE LACKOMAR, SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN VOLUNTEER MILITIA: They are gearing up to fight alongside Jesus against the forces of Satan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: A federal law enforcement source says the arrests are not related to any terrorist plot and the suspects are not planning attacks on government targets. But again, the FBI won't confirm members of Hutaree are among those being arrested.
In a media report, a different Michigan militia claims that Hutaree is targeting Muslims. Now, CNN has not been able to confirm that. However, the Council on American Islamic Relations says it's asking the FBI for more information and we should know more when some of these details and the charges are explained in federal court, likely this morning.
CHETRY: All right. Susan Candiotti for us on this -- thanks so much.
CANDIOTTI: You're welcome.
ROBERTS: We're five-and-a-half minutes after the hour now. Just in to CNN, Rob Marciano has been telling us about the bad weather going across Florida. Well, apparently, it's gotten very serious. Rob's here live, with more details.
Tornado, Rob?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Tornado warning right now. Not confirmed on the ground, but the radar signature is pretty strong right now. And the problem with this thing is it's now heading out of the Everglades and into more populated areas along the I-75 and 595 Intersection there. You see the rotation there that we've indicated and the lightning, of course.
This is all moving to the northeast at 35 miles an hour. So folks who live in eastern Broward County is going to -- you're going to want to take shelter -- especially Fort Lauderdale proper over the next 20 minutes, this thunderstorm with possible rotation will be rolling towards your area.
So, again, no confirmation on that storm or tornado touching down on the ground, but certainly showing all the signs of that potential here, especially over the next 20 minutes.
Over the next several hours, we have a tornado watch in effect for all the south Florida peninsula. Again, that's until 11:00 in the morning.
And then the thunderstorms will train to more steady rain across the Northeast. And that's going to be the big player for some of the major metropolitan areas here, from Philly all the way to Boston, three to six inches of rainfall total over the next 48 hours. That means flooding is likely because all the rain, you've already seen this month.
Up and down the east coast, a very active weather situation -- not only this morning but will last right on through tomorrow afternoon.
We'll keep you updated on this potential tornado moving towards Fort Lauderdale throughout AMERICAN MORNING.
John, Kiran, back up to you.
ROBERTS: So, later on today, Rob, you know, obviously, a lot of people will be commuting this evening in the Northeast. What's expected to happen at the airports?
MARCIANO: Well, there's going to be big delays for sure. And the winds will increase. They're not bad now. But they'll increase later this afternoon and especially tonight. Tonight is going to be a stormy night.
But the usual delays, at least an hour at LaGuardia, probably two at JFK up through Boston as well. So, if you are traveling -- and it's not going to be a cakewalk on the roads either because there's going to be some flooded streets and certainly some ponding, and rush hour in general across those cities is going to be a bit of a headache.
CHETRY: All right. Take it easy out there on the roads. And if you can reschedule your travel, try to do so.
MARCIANO: Yes.
CHETRY: By the way, we have a quick picture, Rob, to put up of -- a live shot of Miami right now where things don't look very pleasant there either. The skies tell the story there. So, we'll keep tracking of all of this today. Again, as Rob said, tornado warnings at Fort Lauderdale today.
ROBERTS: All right.
CHETRY: Still ahead: Sarah Palin -- she's back and she's firing up the tea party activists. She spoke at a rally in Nevada where she attacked big spending Democrats and called for firing Nancy Pelosi, and had some harsh words for what she calls the lame-stream media as well.
Eight minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN, FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Washington has broken faith with the people that they are to be serving. That's why here in Searchlight and across the 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 spending spree is over. You're fired.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, love her or hate her, it's hard to ignore Sarah Palin. The former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential candidate is certainly a political lightning rod and she struck again over the weekend when she introduced Senator John McCain at a campaign event. It's one of our political hot topics this morning.
And joining us now from New Orleans, CNN political contributor Mary Matalin; and from Washington, Lanny Davis, Democratic strategist and former White House counsel.
Thanks to both of you for being with us.
So, this was interesting to watch, because after a year of sort of sniping between Senator John McCain's camp and Sarah Palin's camp, they're back together. And he needs her now. You know, he was -- she was invited to come speak for Senator McCain.
What's going on, Mary?
MARY MATALIN, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well, the senator and Governor Palin were never at odds. The campaigns, as Lanny will tell you, we've been through a few, tend to get tense at the end there. And that one did. And it's well-documented.
But the senator has always been loyal to her and vice versa.
And she made a very good point. We need new blood. We need fresh blood. We need Constitutionalists.
So, we need statesman and heroes, and people who know how to work the system. And John McCain does. So, they -- it was a good trip for both of them.
CHETRY: Well, Lanny, let me ask you about this, because John McCain was asked several months back, name some, you know, GOP hopefuls that could run for president and he didn't mention Sarah Palin, his former GOP running mate. But as you said, Mary, you don't think there's any bad blood between the two of them. But it's really interesting because she's out there. These crowds love her.
Yet when you look at the polls, even among Republicans, only 56 percent say they want her to seek office, that they don't want her to seek office, rather. Eighty-eight percent of Democrats don't want her to, and among independents, 65 percent don't want her to. Yet, she is so popular at these events.
What to make of that division there, Lanny?
LANNY DAVIS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, first of all, nice to be on with Mary. And we usually agree, which is a disappointment to your audience that loves partisanship. But I agree with Mary, first of all, that John McCain has always taken a gracious high road. And so has Sarah Palin with John McCain. And despite the sniping among the staffs, it did not happen between the two of them.
And secondly, I give Sarah Palin a lot of credit. First of all, she's always impressed me as a political performer and also as a political talent. And I think any Democrat that underestimates her is making a mistake. Secondly, I give her credit for standing up to this Tea Party movement that is opposing John McCain, and I think her going there tells me something. That she's willing to stand up to what she might consider her base and that is a good definition of political courage.
CHETRY: Yes, it's a little confusing, though, because a lot of the things she said are the exact things the Tea Party wants to happen. I mean, from less government, lower government.
And, in fact, let's listen to what she said. This was at a rally in Senator Harry Reid's hometown of Searchlight, Nevada, on Saturday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PALIN: We're not inciting violence. Don't get sucked into the lame-stream media's lies about conservative America's standing up for freedom as inciting violence. Violence isn't the answer. It's a bunch of bunk what the media is trying to feed you. Don't let them divert attention from the debate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: So, she seemed to brush off the media, brush off the violence and sort of point the finger at the media. She, also, in another one of the speeches over the weekend, said it was ginned up. And she referred to the media as the lame-stream media.
Mary, does that work -- blaming the media instead of talking more seriously about some of these quite credible threats that have happened in the wake of health care reform passing?
MATALIN: Well, I don't know that they are necessarily credible. All of that was videotaped and they -- they have yet to appear, be any credible appearances filmed. But that's not the issue here. The tea party activists, we should be careful not to paint them with a broad brush. They are not monolithic. They are largely pulled together by their Constitutionalism, they are federalists, they are tenth amendment people. They want less government or government closer to the people that's more accountable. And the mainstream press was slow to come to cover them.
They eventually did -- CNN did a great job eventually covering them. But it was a slow walk to get there. And that's just part of the Democrats say it and Conservatives say it. And the press is easy to pick on. But they are doing okay covering everything now. But this -- these notions of violence and threats that is -- that has happened, I don't think is credible and secondly that it never happens to Republicans or Conservatives or by the hands of Liberal Activists is nonsense.
CHETRY: Lanny, do you take the same thoughts as Mary when it comes to whether or not this is a bigger deal?
LANNY DAVIS: I'm sorry to disappoint your audience that wants some fireworks here. But I do agree with Mary. But I would also like to have Mary and I agree that there are haters on the Left that can be focused on and then extrapolated to mean all Liberals. I hear Republicans do that. Now the Democrats are focusing on the true haters/extremists of the tea party movement and extrapolating and saying that's the whole movement.
There are Conservative ideas that are at the heart of the tea party movement that goes back to Ross Perot and goes back to George Washington for goodness sakes. And as Liberals go back to Franklin Roosevelt and all the way back to Thomas Jefferson.
There are themes in both parties in the mainstream and I think the tea party movement does represent Conservative thinking, but there are extremists in both sides that both parties need to repudiate, including Sarah Palin. There was evidence of some nasty behavior. And she should repudiate that the same way Democrats should among the haters on the Left of which there are many.
CHETRY: All right, Mary Matalin, Lanny Davis. Great to get your take this morning. Appreciate it.
MATALIN: See you, Lanny.
DAVIS: Take care, Mary.
ROBERTS: Well if you are invested in the stock market, or you have a 401(k) or anything like that, it's kind of nice to get your statement these days. You aren't cringing anymore. The stock market is up, at least the Dow, more than 900 points in just the past couple of months. Should investors be celebrating or is the other shoe about to drop? Christine Romans is "Minding Your Business" she's got a full report coming up. It's now 18 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Twenty minutes after the hour. Not too long ago, any time you got your 401(k) statement in the mail you would probably just go like this. Throw it away. But now you can open it and go, wow, that's not so bad.
CHETRY: That's right. We've seen some unprecedented gains in stocks, up, up, up. Christine Romans is here. Will it continue or are we looking at --
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I know is your money talking or is your money about to start walking again. That's the big question right?
ROBERTS: Come on, it's just that you are dressed in black today.
ROMANS: I know, poor John. For the past two years every time I talk about the stock market, I'm the angel of darkness. But look it's been a really big rally. Over the past 45 days, just the last 45 days, just the last 45 days, it's almost up 1,000 points.
I mean, that's the kind of performance that over the course of a year you'd look back at history, wow, and say that was a very good year. But packed into this period we've had a very, very good run here. A year to date the Dow is up 4 percent. S&P up more than that. Nasdaq up more than 5 percent. This is all about corporate profits. Companies are starting to make money. They've cut jobs. The government is pushing money out into the system and you are starting to see companies make money again. And that's the fuel for the stock market.
The question is what happens now, right? Half the people I talk to say you'll see a 30 percent decline. I mean we've come too far, too fast. Half the people say you are crazy if you aren't invested fully and we're going to go to 14,000. So take your pick. There are a lot of big concerns still. Unemployment at 9.7 percent. How can you have so many people out of work. More people out of work since Reagan was president, yet the stock market going gangbusters. Consumer spending is still a problem. You can't borrow a lot of money to go out there and spend like crazy.
So that can't be the only pillar of the economy. And a lot of questions about the strength of the economic recovery. We talked last hour or two hours ago about you know will there be a double dip. People still concerned about a double dip some people. And they are concerned about debt in this country. Debt in Europe. So many concerns.
CHETRY: But the job numbers are coming up Friday.
ROMANS: They are. And they are expected to be pretty good. Maybe 190,000 jobs created. Maybe 200,000 jobs created. Some economists this morning --
ROBERTS: Wow, wouldn't that be nice?
ROMANS: Some economists are saying this could be the real turning point.
ROBERTS: A lot of companies, though, were still anticipating terrible times ahead.
ROMANS: They're cautious. They are adding temporary workers. Not necessarily permanent workers without all the benefits. We have a lot of work to do on this economy. Look all I'm saying is the stock market has been doing very, very well. Doesn't help you if you are out of a job. But maybe in the long run it would if it means that slowly but surely companies get more confident that they begin hiring again. A lot of work to do but --
CHETRY: Well if you are out of a job, it can't happen fast enough. But these are good signs at least.
ROMANS: Yes, that's right. And the "Roman's Numeral" quickly is 23 percent, Down 23 percent. Because I'm wearing black and I have to validate all of John's concerns.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Twenty-three percent, down 23 percent -- over the past decade the Dow?
ROMANS: The Dow is still down 23 percent from its peak. So you are looking at all this that's happening. From 2007 to today, a quarter of the value of the stock market has been obliterated. So look that's big. All I'm saying is the very near term there's been a big rally.
ROBERTS: Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" this morning. Christine thanks so much.
You probably heard somewhere along the line about food deserts. These are areas typically they are in inner city areas where there are more fast food restaurants than there are grocers. People can't get a hold of good food. It's all, you know, fast cooked. It is heavy on fat. And it's leading to an obesity epidemic the inner city. Well, one organization is trying to fight that head on.
And we're going to be talking with a person from that organization about what they plan to do to try to eliminate the food desert. Create an oasis of good food in the inner city. Twenty-four minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to "Top Stories" just a couple of minutes away.
First, though we have an "A.M. Original" for you. For months the army has given CNN unprecedented access to show you what it's like to enlist and learn through the eyes of a soldier.
ROBERTS: His name is Will McLain. The story of Will and his family is one that we are proud to tell you. And one that you're only going to see here on CNN. Our Jason Carroll joins us this morning with part six of this "A.M. Original" series, the soldier story. Good morning to you.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, you know it has been great to see Will go through all these changes and learn about what soldier go through as well they enter the army. You know, what we are about to show you is what happens to a private once the training wraps up. What happens to them? Where do they go? Will McLain and the others are about to find out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go, go, get down faster.
CARROLL (voice-over): Urban warfare training.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, what your shooting at?
CARROLL: One of a series of crucial exercises soldiers like will McLain undergo at Ft. Lindenwold Missouri to become army combat engineers. Learning how to secure buildings and hostile regions is key. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on son. Get in the fight.
CARROLL: Nearly 13 weeks into his training, Will is beginning to learn how to become a leader.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Brother is coming out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go go.
CARROLL: But on this day, it's hard for all of them to stay on top of their game.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get from behind this corner, son. You can't shoot around corners. You're not superman.
CARROLL: Why is this day a distraction?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One. Go, go.
CARROLL: Now that will has completed basic and is wrapping up specialized training, he and the others will get orders for their first station. It's where the army will send new soldiers for more training before many are deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq.
(on camera): We're actually talking to Will now before he's actually gotten his orders. How are you feeling about that?
WILL MCLAIN, U.S. ARMY RECRUIT: It's kind of like I'm anxious to see what I'm going to get because I know of so many places.
CARROLL (voice-over): Thousands of miles away, back home in Rosamond, California, his mother Lori is anxious, too.
LORI MCLAIN, MOTHER: So that's I'm waiting for his call. I can't be tough. And discuss that because that just pulls my strings right now the.
CARROLL: Lori McLain has seen dramatic changes in Will in the three months he has been gone. He dropped 54 pounds and more.
L. MCLAIN: It was kind of a symbol of him growing up and doing his thing. More like I'm not your baby anymore, tough stuff. He's always my baby.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First group, Hamburg, Germany.
CARROLL: Now second away from another major change in Will's life. Ft. Stewart, Lewis, McLain.
W. MCLAIN: Ft. Stewart, Georgia. That's all right. I can do it. It's Down south. A good drive to Texas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm living it up in Hawaii.
CARROLL: New assignments always come with a few jokes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get yourself a Georgia girl. Good, home cooking.
CARROLL: McLain will have a familiar face with him at Ft. Stewart. His battle buddy Demetrius Daniels. The recruit assigned to be his partner during basic training.
W. MCLAIN: Just knowing he's in my same unit will make it easier when I get there. So at least I know somebody, there's somebody I can avoid getting in trouble with. You know all that fun stuff.
DEMETRIUS DANIEL, BATTLE BUDDY: We were prepared to part ways. But I think it's still good we're together.
CARROLL: Welcome news for his mother back home.
W. MCLAIN: I was calling to let you know we got our orders in today. (INAUDIBLE)
L. MCLAIN: And?
W. MCLAIN: Yes, I'm stationed in Ft. Stewart, Georgia.
L. MCLAIN: He's not going to be put into a war immediately. Thank you, Lord.
CARROLL: Not immediately, but for soldiers like Will, war is still a very real possibility.
W. MCLAIN: Fire in the hole.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CARROLL: Well, at Ft. Stewart, Georgia, Will and the others will receive even more intensive combat engineer training which could last for months.
This is very similar to the path that many soldiers follow before going through deployment. And you know I know a lot of folks may not have seen parts 1 through 5 up until 6, and if they don't or haven't, you can always go to CNN.com/amFIX.
Check it out. I encourage everyone to do it.
CHETRY: A total transformation. I mean he still doesn't know where he's ultimately going to end up.
CARROLL: Does not. But we have an idea.
CHETRY: I guess --
CARROLL: More on that a little bit later.
ROBERTS: Slowly revealing.
(LAUGHTER)
ROBERTS: Peeling back the layers. CARROLL: Yes.
CHETRY: Keep on watching.
ROBERTS: And on that topic, Jason is going to be back tomorrow with part 7 of his "Soldier's Story." We're with Will McLain as he graduates from his training at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri, but his battle body, Demetrius, whom you just saw in Jason's piece, is nowhere to be found. Find out why, coming up tomorrow.
CHETRY: Meanwhile, we're crossing the half hour. It means it's time for the top stories and first, terror in Moscow.
Chechen separatists are now under suspicion in involvement with two subway bombings in the heart of the city. Russia's emergency agency says at least 35 people are dead after two female suicide bombers blew themselves up at the height of rush hour.
President Obama has released a statement sending his deepest condolences to the people of Russia.
ROBERTS: Seven alleged members of a Christian militia group are expected in federal court this morning. Sources say they were the target of an FBI round-up in three states over the weekend.
The group shows off its guns and recruiting video on YouTube saying that it is preparing for the end battle with Satan.
CHETRY: And President Obama expected to arrive in Washington about a half hour from now following his surprise visit to Afghanistan. He was there for six hours. It was his first trip to the war zone as commander in chief and a real morale booster for the troops who got a chance to hear him speak.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We are going to disrupt and dismantle, defeat and destroy al Qaeda and its extremist allies.
That is our mission. And to accomplish that goal, our objectives here in Afghanistan are for also clear. We're going to deny al Qaeda safe haven. We're going to reverse the Taliban's momentum. We're going to strengthen the capacity of Afghan security forces and the Afghan government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: The president also met with Afghan president Hamid Karzai, pressing him to root out government corruption and to do more to improve internal security.
ROBERTS: Well, living in poverty and starving for good nutrition. Inner city neighborhoods are often completely devoid of full-service grocery stores. It's what health experts call a food desert. Take a look here at the statistics. A Chicago study highlighted several large U.S. cities where fast food restaurants far outnumber grocery stores in predominantly African-American neighborhoods. Research shows higher rates of health problems in those areas.
But our next guests are helping to change all of that. Joining me now is Elissa Barrett. She is the executive director of the Progressive Jewish Alliance based in Los Angeles which has launched a Passover project to try to change the equation.
And in Chicago, Mari Gallagher whose company did the food desert study.
Good morning to both of you. And Elissa, let's start with you. Tell us more about this Passover project. You and a group of your colleagues recently took a bus trip through east L.A. What did you see there?
ELISSA BARRETT, EXEC. DIRECTOR, PROGRESSIVE JEWISH ALLIANCE: Yes, the Progressive Jewish Alliance is part of a coalition of 30 organizations called the Alliance for Healthy and Responsible Grocery Stores. And we're raising awareness about the problems of food deserts.
So we took a bus tour with over 100 people and the neighborhood of east Los Angeles called Boil Heights. And what we saw was that there are dearth of options for the families there that are trying to provide healthy and safe food for their families.
ROBERTS: Mari, your groundbreaking study in Chicago was the first to really popularize the term food desert. When it comes to these food deserts -- these areas of the inner city where there are far more fast food restaurants than grocery stores that have any semblance of fresh food -- how serious a problem is it nationwide and where are the biggest food deserts?
MARI GALLAGHER, PRESIDENT, MARI GALLAGHER RESEARCH AND CONSULTING GROUP: Wow. Great question. Well, first of all, food deserts are in urban, rural and suburban areas across the U.S. It's not just an inner city problem.
Nationally, and being conservative, we're projecting about 10 percent of the population would likely live in a food desert. It's a very, very serious problem because if you are in a food desert, which, you know, again no full-service grocery stores, no main stream grocery stores, no small grocery stores.
Lots of fast food and other kinds of fringe food, and we're finding more death by diabetes and other kinds of diseases. Ten percent of the population, roughly 31 million people nationally. Very, very serious.
ROBERTS: Let me get you just to expand on that just a little bit, the health consequences of living in a food desert. Because we have seen particularly among minority populations, we had a study done on this last week. Much higher rates of obesity, particularly among small children. What's -- what are the attendant health problems with living in an area like that?
GALLAGHER: Right. Well, you know, the surgeon general says, you know, eat four or five, six fruits and vegetables every day. In some of these neighborhoods you can't find fruits and vegetables. Maybe you can find ketchup if you're lucky or a can of high salt.
ROBERTS: Wow.
GALLAGHER: String beans and so on. But the problem is, after you control for other factors, there's lots of reasons why people have -- and, you know, get diet related diseases. And after you control for the key things, we find just living in a food desert has an effect.
So you need good food to support a healthy diet. You need a healthy diet to have a long and good life. And unfortunately now for young children we're seeing more and more children have adult level diseases, really.
You know, different kinds of diabetes, obesity. Again, at much younger, younger ages. So in many of these communities, the deck is kind of stacked against you from the beginning because you cannot choose healthy food if you don't have access to it.
ROBERTS: Elissa, you've written a special commentary for our blog in amFIX which I'm just looking at here. And you cited a couple of very stunning statistics where you say 31 percent of white Americans live in a census track with a supermarket but only 8 percent of African-Americans do.
In this Passover project that your organization and the other organizations have, what are you hoping to do?
BARRETT: Well, what we're hoping to do is pass a citywide policy that ends the grocery divide. We want to bring together government, business and communities to create healthy food options, good jobs and build healthy communities.
And really this is a part of the story of Passover. You know on Passover, we tell the story of the Jewish people's journey of exodus from slavery to freedom. And we do tell that story through food.
Food is highly symbolic in the holidays.
ROBERTS: Of course.
BARRETT: So we eat matzos for eight days and deprive ourselves of bread and other similar foods. And what we're saying is we are giving up certain kinds of foods voluntarily for just a week. But people in food deserts don't have options 30 -- 365 days a year. And that's the injustice that we're seeking to address.
ROBERTS: Mari, how do you convince supermarkets to come in to these areas? And does the government play any role?
GALLAGHER: Well, the government can play a very good role. The market needs to play a role. Grocers are interested in figuring out the food desert dilemma if you will.
There's lots of different reasons why we have this problem. Margins are very tight for grocers. Some grocers left different kinds of markets, you know, 10, 20, even 30 years ago.
Even in the food desert, sometimes the cost of land is expensive. So putting these deals together can be difficult. But, you know, people do eat. There is a market for food. And so that's what we need to do is figure out how to get mainstream grocery stores into this type of market and certainly the government can help with incentives and lots of other folks can help, too.
Everybody can do something. And that's why -- you know we're excited to hear about the project in Los Angeles.
I just got back from Alabama the other day. And a group there is working with kids who have never seen grapes or strawberries before.
ROBERTS: Unbelievable.
GALLAGHER: So we have a lot of work to do.
ROBERTS: Well, a lot of great work that all of these organizations are doing.
Mari Gallagher, thanks for joining us this morning.
Elissa, good to talk to you this morning as well. Good luck with your project. Really hope you can make a difference.
BARRETT: Thank you. Thank you for helping us tell the story.
ROBERTS: You bet.
GALLAGHER: Thank you.
CHETRY: Fascinating story, and a good one. We'll hopefully have a good update to give our viewers.
ROBERTS: Can you imagine it's easier to get French fries and a hamburger than it is to get an apple in many of these areas.
CHETRY: Yes. Of course.
ROBERTS: Terrible.
CHETRY: Of course.
Hey, a quick update right now. CNN confirming that the number of dead in those two attacks in Moscow up to 38 right now. We're going to be following the latest on that.
And also a look at the bond between NASA's female astronauts. John Zarrella with "Countdown to Cady".
Thirty-nine minutes past the hour.
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CHETRY: She sure does. Astronaut Cady Coleman is preparing for the trip of a lifetime. She's going to the International Space Station in the not-too-distant future.
Our John Zarrella has been following her yearlong journey to prepare. He's live in Miami this morning. And we've seen her through some of her grueling training exercise. But now we're learning about the support she's getting from fellow female astronauts.
It's pretty neat.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it really is, Kiran. And you know I had an e-mail from Katie just yesterday. And she said last week she said she felt like ground beef when they finished with her on Friday night because they literally took her into a room where they basically hang you in your space suit on the wall and they vacuum chamber where they make sure your space suit is OK.
Then they put her through all kinds of other tests last week. So it was a very busy week. One of the things, though, that we wanted to know is, is there more pressure because you are both a woman and an astronaut?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA (voice-over): Katie Coleman puts on a space suit.
NICOLE STOTT, NASA ASTRONAUT: Does that feel OK?
CADY COLEMAN, NASA ASTRONAUT: Yes. Just put these shoulder things.
ZARRELLA: Her friend, Nicole Stott, prepares for a walk outside the International Space Station.
STOTT: And we have a very important piece of equipment that we have is our com cap. It allows us to talk to each other.
ZARRELLA: Kay Hire repositions storage racks on the shuttle.
There's no special attention. None of this is a big deal because women flying in space is no big deal. Not anymore.
COLEMAN: In terms of the astronaut thing, I have to say that when I grew up -- you know, I was born in 1960 -- girls didn't really do this.
ZARRELLA: Cady was 18 when they started doing it. Six women made history and helped make Cady's future possible. They were part of the astronaut class of 1978. Sally Ride, America's first woman in space, was one of them. Those are tough footsteps to follow in. There's pressure standing on the shoulders of giants.
COLEMAN: Being a woman there, you are just by -- you know, just by when people look, you are more visible. By definition. And so by being more visible, you would always like that to be good visible.
ZARRELLA: And good visible is a heck of a lot easier when you're looking out for each other.
STOTT: We kind of have like this little chicks network set up, I think. For the EVA, I've compiled a list of things I thought might be interesting to you and the rest of the ladies.
ZARRELLA: Nicole Stott spent three months on the International Space Station. Cady is headed there in December. Their e-mail is one of many Nicole sent down to Cady while she was up there. It dealt with the challenges of spacewalks for women.
Other e-mails were more down-to-earth.
STOTT: I think we feel an obligation to each other. You know? There's no reason why somebody should go up there and have to figure out that they should have brought hair conditioner. I mean, it's just -- you just should know it.
COLEMAN: Sometimes the women astronauts will get together are the ones on the station. And talk about, you know, just hygiene up there and just, you know, what you're going to wear.
ZARRELLA: The bond they share makes it easier to focus on why they are there.
COLEMAN: I think I can say that -- it's probably true for all of us -- that we do what we do because we feel very passionate about it. And we don't do it because we're women, we just really want to be part of exploring the universe.
ZARRELLA: And they are. Because being a woman and an astronaut is no big deal. Not anymore.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA: Now next Monday morning when the shuttle "Discovery" lifts off from the Kennedy Space Center, three of the six astronauts on board are going to be women. Only the third time in the history of the U.S. space program that's happened.
And we're hoping that Cady Coleman will be there to join us on the set, Kiran. And we'll have a lot to talk to her about -- Kiran.
CHETRY: That's going to be great to talk to her in person. We love it.
ZARRELLA: Yes. CHETRY: All right, we've been following her this whole time. I can't wait until that actually happens for her. Thanks John.
ZARRELLA: Yes.
ROBERTS: It's 46 minutes after the hour. Now, the weather turning serious in South Florida; we showed you a picture of Miami not long ago. And look at all that red. There were possible tornadoes embedded in that storm.
Our Rob Marciano is tracking the extreme weather for us. He's coming up next. Stay with us.
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ROBERTS: Here in South Florida this morning, you've got to be on a close lookout for the weather because it's really bad there. Rob Marciano was tracking it all; he's at the Weather Center in Atlanta.
(WEATHER REPORT)
ROBERTS: All right, Rob thanks so much.
A live picture we want to go through right now.
Andrews Air Force Base, Air Force One touching down in the rain. Blowing off a lot of spray there.
CHETRY: Look at that.
ROBERTS: As it hits the reverse thrusters. The president just back from his trip to Afghanistan; so, he'll be back at the White House today for a full day of work.
CHETRY: That's right. It was his first trip to Afghanistan, stopping by for six hours, giving a little pep-talk to the troops but also doing a sit-down with President Hamid Karzai talking about some of the expectations trying to prod the government a little bit more toward taking on some of the larger tasks, both of keeping areas safe but also with government services and cracking down on corruption within the government. So he did have a surprise six-hour stop in Afghanistan.
And there we see the picture from their landing safely back at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland.
ROBERTS: All right, we'll be back right after this. It's eight minutes now to the top of the hour.
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CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. Here's a look right now at 55 minutes past the hour of Air Force one making its landing at Andrews Air Force Base. The President landing just moments ago -- we just showed this to you -- after his unannounced trip to Afghanistan. That's where he met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The two men discussed many things including reiterated the commitment to helping wipe out terror in that nation.
ROBERTS: That is a mission now clearly evident in Zad (ph). The war against the Taliban forced more than 20,000 people living there to flee in the last few years.
Now the Marines are helping them return home. But first, they have to find hundreds of land mines and IEDs that have been left scattered in the dirt. Our Chris Lawrence is live now in Zad. He joins us with the CNN Exclusive.
Good morning, Chris.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John, Kiran. Wish it was just hundreds. There's actually thousands of IEDs here.
In fact the Marines that we've been embedded with have been hit by an IED just about every single day since we started this embed. But they have just started a new program working with the local Afghan government trying to get rid of some of these mines not only for themselves but for the Afghan people who live here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): In this part of Helmand Province, there really could be a bomb on any corner, a mine around every curve.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By all accounts we think Now Zad is one of the most heavily IED'd city in the world.
LAWRENCE: 20,000 residents abandoned this area four years ago when the Taliban came back to confront British soldiers. The Taliban and British forces went at each other here for four long years, but neither side was strong enough to kick the other one out.
(on camera): The Taliban used IEDs to protect their line of defense. Dozens, hundreds, and by the time U.S. Marines took over last year, thousands. In fact, four of the villages in this area are so heavily mined with explosives, they are completely uninhabitable.
(voice-over): Some afghan families have been killed trying to return home. Now the U.S. State Department is spending nearly $2 million to de-mine the area. 75 professional Afghan de-miners have relocated here. And they are training another 70 locals from Now Zad to help clear their valleys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What can we do as a team to find who is planting IEDs on the road?
LAWRENCE: Every week the Marines meet with a new district governor and local mullahs. it's hours of small talk and tea before one of them asks us to turn off our camera. And then he tells the Marines, look, the Taliban are coming between 6:00 and 8:00 at night, hiding among the sheep herders to plant new bombs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It takes several hours, a great deal of patience and several (INAUDIBLE).
LAWRENCE: But that patience is paying off. As a once bustling bazaar shows its first signs of life, merchants who believe the mines may soon be gone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: So those 70 locals will graduate, so to speak in about a month and start getting out there looking for the mines. Unfortunately with so many out there, this is a long slow process, hard to rush it. So it's going to take several years to get all 2,000 mines out of this area -- John, Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Chris Lawrence for us -- a huge challenge no doubt. Thanks so much.
It's 58 minutes past the hour. We'll be right back.
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ROBERTS: Continuing the conversation on today's top stories. Go to our blog at CNN.com/amFIX and let us know what you think.
CHETRY: Yes. We got a lot of good comments today so keep them coming. We'll read some on air as well tomorrow.
But meantime, the news continues right now "CNN NEWSROOM" with Kyra Phillips. Hi, Kyra.
