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American Morning
Earthquake Hits Mexico-California Border; Insurgents Strike American Consulate in Pakistan; Tiger Woods To Return at Masters; Shuttle Discovery's Mission; Surviving Unemployment; A Look at Hollywood's Epidemic Pill Problem
Aired April 05, 2010 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning on this Monday, April the 5th. Thanks for joining us in the Most News in the Morning. I'm John Roberts.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Glad you're starting your Monday with us. Good morning, everybody. I'm Alina Cho. Kiran Chetry has the day off. Our top stories at this hour, a full scale attack on the U.S. consulate in Pakistan. As many as four bombings and gunfire and several people dead. Islamic militants are among them. Our Paula Newton is on the ground in Islamabad with the latest.
ROBERTS: Damage reports are widening this morning along the border between the United States and Mexico after the largest earthquake in the region in nearly two decades and more strong aftershocks are expected today.
CHO: Tiger takes Augusta. He is making his return to pro golf this week at the Masters. He was on the course practicing on Sunday and he faces the media today. He will answer questions for the first time since his sex scandal erupted. We have a report from Augusta National just ahead.
And of course, as always, the "A.M. Fix" blog is up and running. We would like you to join the live conversation right now. We would like to hear about anything happening in the news this morning. Just go to CNN.com/amfix.
ROBERTS: Breaking news out of the Pakistan this morning, the U.S. consulate targeted by a series of rapid bomb attacks and now on lockdown. Six people are now confirmed dead after as many as four explosions rocked the area surrounding the headquarters.
The violence this morning followed a deadly suicide bombing at a rally for the province's ruling political party. CNN's International Security Correspondent Paula Newton is live for us this morning in Islamabad. Good morning, Paula.
PAULA NEWTON, CNN INTERNATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: And good morning, John. U.S. officials have just confirmed to me now that, in fact, two U.S. consulate employees that were Pakistani nationals, they were a security detail for the embassy, have died in the attack.
They say several militants came to that first checkpoint at the consulate in Peshawar. They detonated a car bomb and then, John, they tried to penetrate that exterior perimeter using hand grenades, assault rifles. The people on the scene are still trying to ascertain if there's any ordinance around.
U.S. officials tell me that right now all U.S. personnel is safe and accounted for, but as a precaution they want to make sure there aren't explosions still on the scene.
Quite dramatic moments John -- if you were on the consulate, you would have heard the rattle of those consecutive bombings and then you would have been told to go into lockdown. Right now the embassy is not taking chances in terms of getting personnel out of there.
They way of course they condemn the attacks and are waiting for further information from Pakistani authorities. John?
ROBERTS: Dramatic pictures of those bombs going off. Any claim of responsibility? Do we know if this is Al Qaeda or the Taliban?
NEWTON: There is one claim of responsibility from the Taliban. CNN is unable to confirm that at this moment. Safe to say, it has been relatively quiet here in the last couple of weeks until today. We had that other explosion that killed up to 30 people also in that area of Pakistan, but not very close to Peshawar.
Also, the president, President Zardari here making what should be in about an hour a very important speech here to parliament. What the Pakistani military tells me is that they realize these attacks will continue to be ongoing and very well coordinated even though the Taliban has been disrupted here.
What they are trying to do is have those huge spectacular attacks, and we saw one here this morning on the American consulate.
ROBERTS: Paula Newton for us this morning from Islamabad. Paula, thanks so much.
CHO: Another developing story this morning -- southern California bracing for the possibility of more strong aftershocks after the largest earthquake to hit the region in 18 years. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake was centered in Baja, California, but the USGS says most of southern California felt it. So did people in Phoenix and Las Vegas.
Seismologists say as many as 20 million people may have felt this quake in two countries. There is new video coming in this morning of homes shaking, water sloshing in swimming pools as it happened. South of the border officials say two people have died, one when his home collapsed.
Our Ted Rowlands is joining us live by phone from California. Ted, good morning to you. I know you're very close to the epicenter. It's going to be a couple of hours before the sun comes up. What are you seeing?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Alina, we spent the evening in Mexicali across the border in Mexico, and what we saw was basically darkness, widespread power outages, which has made it difficult for people and for the medical personnel helping those people that are injured.
They basically had to move their operations outside of the hospital and use generators because the hospital itself, the main one in Mexicali, is unsafe. We were at a clinic earlier overnight and a few people came up and were treated, again, in an outside scenario.
To be honest, after a 7.2, most of the structures did survive. There's a ton of damage, glass everywhere, and debris everywhere. It's going to be days and days if not months of cleanup. And there are injured and there will be more deaths most likely talking to officials there. There are two confirmed deaths and a lot of critically injured people.
But the bottom line is the magnitude of earthquake had a lot of peopling saying it would be much worse. It's more a matter of cleanup and dealing with the injured once they get the power and water back.
CHO: You live in Los Angeles. Did you feel it? If so, what did it feel like from where you were?
ROWLANDS: I did not feel it. I was outside walking my dog. But a lot of people did in Los Angeles and even north of Los Angeles. The further south you went, people in San Diego, some native Californians said this was the strongest earthquake they felt.
And then when we went into Mexico last night, the reports of people saying that -- one person said it was like the movie "2012." It was so intense. And the debris is just thrown everywhere. You get a feeling of how the people must have felt when this hit.
CHO: That's right. We'll have to see what it looks like when the sun comes up. Ted, thank you.
Earlier on "AMERICAN MORNING," we spoke to Amy Vaughn, a USGS geophysicist. She told us and talked about whether we will see more damage and if this one is just a warning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: For folks in southern California and up in San Francisco where the San Andreas fault runs right through, what should they think this morning?
AMY VAUGHN, USGS GEOPHYSICIST (via telephone): Probably the same thing they should be thinking anytime. The unexpected can happen at any moment. We do know this is a seismically active region and a large earthquake could occur at any time. Not necessarily because of this one because, but anywhere in the world they could happen at any given point anywhere in the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Rob Marciano is monitoring all of the aftershocks. Rob, there have been a lot -- whenever you get a quake of that size, it's going to be followed by smaller quakes and aftershocks, and some quakes on other fault lines that have had the pressure released. What have we seen this morning?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: We've seen a number of aftershocks, well over 50. Most of them have been in the two to four range. And here you see on a map, anything in red in the past hour and orange in the past day.
Zooming into where this epicenter was, about 36 miles southwest of Mexicali. So here's where the main quake was. That was at 7.2. And with all of action happening along this particular fault, we've got more aftershocks that have happened across the border.
Most of those were in the extreme southern California, and this is along the main boundary between the North American plate and Pacific plate, which is that strike slip fault type of deal.
Notice the aftershocks kind of roll off into the San Andreas Fault like. This was not along the San Andreas Fault per se, but it was darn close and runs parallel to that. There was actually a decent quake, 5.0 along Grand Canyon. You may remember after the Haiti quake there was a subsequent earthquake triggered at Grand Canyon as well.
Right now we're in a bit of an unstable mode along the plates, especially across parts of southern California. Aftershocks will probably last several days if not several weeks.
ROBERTS: It's a big world, Rob but all of this stuff is somehow interconnected, right?
MARCIANO: Very much so.
CHO: Rob, thank you.
ROBERTS: All eyes will be on Tiger Woods this week as he makes his return to golf at the Masters. Woods faced his fellow golfers for the first time on Sunday during a practice round at Augusta National.
CHO: And most Americans think it's about time for Tiger's comeback. According to a CNN opinion poll, 75 percent say Tiger Woods' return at the Masters is appropriate. Just 19 percent think he should wait longer after the scandal that shattered his personal life.
Samantha Hayes has more on Tiger's return from Augusta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMANTHA HAYES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Alina and John. Tiger Woods always brings star power to this tournament, the first major of the year. But this year is unique in so many ways.
While the glory of a fifth green jacket is Tiger Woods' primary focus, he may have other reasons for his much anticipated return to the game of golf in Augusta, a city full of southern charm and southern manners. Golf pro Chris Verdery says Woods appreciates the respectful tone and tightly controlled atmosphere.
CHRIS VERDERY, GOLF PRO: This makes sense. People love him in Augusta, been wonderful for the Masters and the city of Augusta.
HAYES: While Augusta is accustomed to hosting one of biggest events in sports every April, the sorted drama now associated with Woods is new. The four-time Masters champion recently admitted to multiple extramarital affairs. Augusta mayor Deke Copenhaver says the spotlight is lesson the sport and more on the spectacle.
DEKE COPENHAVER, MAYOR, AUGUSTA, GEORGIA: TMZ, "Entertainment Weekly," and "People" magazine along with "Extra" are typical calls I don't get on Masters week.
HAYES: As a star athlete, Tiger Woods is supported in Augusta.
DICK BENCK, MASTERS TICKET HOLDER: I love his golf and that's what we're here for. I really don't care about his personal life.
HAYES: But ask about his personal life, and at least off the course you get a different answer.
MICHAEL O'ROURKE, MASTERS TICKET HOLDER: That kind of humiliation is hurtful, and I'm sure he wakes up and wonders, what the hell was I doing?
HAYES: Woods starts with a practice round this morning followed by a solo news conference in the afternoon.
In Augusta, Georgia, I'm Samantha Hayes. John and Alina, back to you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: At 7:30 Eastern time we're going to take a closer look at Tiger Woods' comeback with "Sports Illustrated's" David Dusek.
ROBERTS: How was your Easter Sunday? Did you color up a lot of eggs?
CHO: No, I took a bike ride.
ROBERTS: How about this -- the White House has 14,500 eggs hard boiled, dyed up, and ready to roll. The annual White House Easter Egg roll is set to start in about half an hour. A live look at the south lawn of the White House there this morning. President Obama and first lady will speak at 10:45 eastern.
CHO: A lot of celebrity guests will be there too. It's a good thing the weather is nice. The gang from Sesame Street and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. Actress Reese Witherspoon will be there along with gold medal speed skater Apollo Ohno.
ROBERTS: And we'll check back in to see how things are going at the White House this morning. Right now at 11.5 minutes after the hour, Discovery's seven astronaut crew is heading for a rendezvous with the international space station. We'll check in with John Zarrella live at Cape Canaveral this morning to see what's on tap for the mission.
CHO: At 7:25, a new series here on American Morning -- "Addicted," a look at America's problem with prescription drugs. Today how Hollywood got hooked and the doctors who supply the stars.
ROBERTS: At 7:50, was it H1N1 overkill? We'll talk with a health expert about what will happen to 70 million swine flu shots never used in this country. Here's a hint -- they may have to throw them away. Stay with us, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Coming up on 15 minutes after the hour. New this morning -- the box office gods have smiled on the 3-D epic "Clash of the Titans."
CHO: Well done.
ROBERTS: The Warner Bros. film debuted at number one this weekend. Full disclosure, Warner Bros. is owned by Time Warner, the parent company of CNN.
It doesn't have anything to do with --
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: It has absolutely nothing to do with that.
ROBERTS: We just want to let you know that we're reporting on one of our own family members.
CHO: We're all about full transparency.
Weather now. Severe thunderstorms striking the Midwest. And the winds in Missouri downing huge trees and knocking over at least four semi-trucks in just a matter of minutes. The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes in the town of Mexico, Missouri. Some areas had hailstones the size of baseball.
ROBERTS: Right now, seven astronauts are rocketing toward the International Space Station. The shuttle Discovery and its crew cleared the tower at the Kennedy Space Center, launching about 50 minutes ago. They're going to be in space for the next 13 days. For more, let's check in with our John Zarrella. He's live at Cape Canaveral this morning. He joins us for the launch and is now tracking the shuttle as they make their way to the space station.
And this is one of the last shuttle launches not just of the year but ever, John.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's it. You know, now that Discovery is off the ground, John, you're down to three remaining shuttle flights. The last one scheduled for September. If all goes as scheduled and you know, none of them could be any prettier than what we saw this morning in that pre-dawn darkness as Discovery lifted off lighting up the night sky. You know, it's funny because two months ago we were all talking about that being the last night launch. And then because the Discovery launch slipped by a few weeks, it became a night launch. So I tried to call this a pre-dawn launch rather than a night launch.
But the seven astronauts on their way now to a rendezvous with the International Space Station. They'll be chasing down the station and should catch up with it on Wednesday. And at that point, they will dock.
Now, you know, what's really kind of cool about this mission, they have three spacewalks on it, bringing up a lot of spare parts, a lot of supplies for the space station. But there are three women on board the space shuttle. Only the third time in the history of the space program that three women have flown on the same vehicle.
And once they get to the space station, there will actually be four women in space because they'll be joined by Tracy Caldwell Dyson, who is already on the International Space Station. She flew up to the station on a Russian Soyuz rocket about a week or so ago. And that will be the first time in history that four women in the same place in space at the same time. So a 13-day mission, a lot of excitement ahead for these astronauts. And again, the space shuttle program winding down, John, and only three missions scheduled to go after this one -- John.
ROBERTS: The shuttle has been flying so long, John, it's hard to think that it's not going to be around much longer. Wow.
ZARRELLA: Twenty -- yes, you know, this week while they're up in space will mark the 29th anniversary of STS-1, which was John Young and Bob Crippen, who flew that very first shuttle Columbia flight 29 years ago.
ROBERTS: Pretty amazing. John Zarrella for us this morning, watching all the action from Kennedy Space Center. Thanks so much, John.
Do you have any questions about this NASA mission or the future of space travel after NASA retires its shuttle fleet? Leave them on our live blog at CNN.com/amFIX and get answers from Astronaut Katie Coleman. She and John will be back later on in the hour live from Cape Canaveral for us.
Eighteen and a half minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: It's coming up on 22 minutes after the hour. Friday's job numbers certainly a ray of hope for so many millions of Americans who have been out of work for so long. And then, you know, people are starting to think about the idea that hey, maybe there's a job around the corner. Christine Romans with us "Minding Your Business" this morning with some tips on how to get back in the job market here and what to watch for.
Good morning.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. You're right. Friday, as the president called it was the turning point, it's this number that everyone has been looking for. Finally, some job creation, some meaningful job creation after three years. But there are a lot of people who are still weathering unemployment and trying to figure out what they're going to do and what these numbers mean for them.
I want to be clear, people who are long-term unemployed are looking at 100 and some thousand jobs created and wondering, wait a minute, is this going to be an opportunity for me? There are 44.1 percent long-term unemployed. This is a record. This is a number that is off the charts. In a democracy, in a western economy like ours, it is unheard of to see that many people, such a large percentage of a long-term unemployed. That's 15 million people out of work. And even more if you count the people who have dropped out of the labor market because they're discouraged or stayed home to raise children. Now they want to go back to work and they're in this tough labor market.
So here are some important things for you to do if you're one of those long-term unemployed. Evaluate your search. You don't have time to lose. You have to know exactly what you're looking for and treat the job search like a job itself. There are going to be opportunities in the coming months. You want to make sure that you're very strategic.
Look for people not jobs. We hear this all the time. Do not say at the top of your cover letter, I would love an opportunity to work at your X company in the role of X. You need to start the cover letter, Susan Smith told me that you are the person I should be talking to. You need to connect with them immediately. Networking is still the best way to do this.
Rebalance the budget. That means the longer you're out of work, the biggest the cuts to your expenses you're going to have to make. Don't tweak if you just lose a job or you've been out of work for about a month or two. You could look at a six months, seven months, eight months unemployment. Slash your expenses quickly and as soon as you possibly can.
Mind the resume gap. Everyone says this. Do not focus on the eight months you've been out of work. I've been out of work for eight months. You don't want to say that. On the resume and the cover letter, you want to fill that gap with volunteering for professional organizations, volunteering for school groups. Also those are going to be good places for you to network as well, so fill that space on the resume and deemphasize that big gap.
And remember, you guys, it's not necessarily a stigma like it used to be. A lot of people have been out of work for a very long time. So you don't really even have to apologize about that six months of work. Just make sure you fill the gap. Back to you. CHO: All right.
ROBERTS: Great tips.
ROMANS: Sure. Thank you.
CHO: We are taking a look at Hollywood's pill problems this morning. An epidemic of prescription drug abuse. Some of the most well-known people in the world, really, are hopping from doctor to doctor undetected. It's a new "A.M. Original" series, "Addicted."
Twenty-four minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: 7:26 now. Your top stories just about four minutes away. But first, an "A.M. Original," something that you will see only on AMERICAN MORNING.
Friends say actor Corey Haim was trying to get clean before his sudden death last month. But California investigators linked his name to a massive illegal prescription drug ring. And his desire to be drug free may have been no match for the line of doctors who are more than willing to keep him hooked. Our Kareen Wynter is taking a look at who is supplying in our new series "Addicted."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, Corey Haim, Anna Nicole Smith -- their deaths raised questions about one of Hollywood's dirty little secrets, prescription drug abuse that in recent months has dominated the headlines.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two doctors charged with conspiring to furnish Anna --
WYNTER: Smith's doctors pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to supply her with controlled substances. At the time of her death, at least four different sedatives were found in her system, including Klonopin and Valium, drugs made readily available to celebrities says actress Mackenzie Phillips.
(on camera): It is as easy as just picking up the phone, saying I need that prescription, I need that medication?
MACKENZIE PHILLIPS, ACTRESS: You know, I mean, I've been to doctors who never even touched my body or took my blood pressure, and I walked out with a prescription for 130, you know, hydrocodone tablets. I mean, yes, I guess it's easier for famous people.
WYNTER (voice-over): A teen star and the daughter of a famous musician, Phillips writes in her book "High on Arrival" about her long time battle with drug addiction and how some doctors willingly overprescribed pills despite her history as an addict. She says she's been clean for a year and a half now. (on camera): There are some doctors out there, many doctors perhaps, who may be enamored by a star and they're just trying to please their client. But come on, you have to have stars on the other end who may be using their fame to get these drugs.
PHILLIPS: Well, I'm sure that that is definitely something that helps them to get the doctor to give them whatever they want. And I know I've been in that position myself.
WYNTER (voice-over): Addiction specialist Dr. Drew Pinsky has worked with stars like Phillips and says the power of celebrity addicts can present unique challenges for doctors.
DR. DREW PINSKY, ADDICTION SPECIALIST: I tell my peers that are trying to take care of celebrities, do not go there alone. You must have a team. It's too seductive. Addiction is too powerful. You will get sucked right into it.
WYNTER (on camera): How does it work? You have a celebrity with so much power and they want to get their hands on this drug. They're addicts.
PINSKY: They may not be consciously thinking that way. It's not like I've got to get my vitamin. They're thinking, I hear Dr. Smith is pretty good. Translated, gives lots of good medication. So they go see Dr. Smith and they offer Dr. Smith a lot of money and they tell Dr. Smith you are the best doctor. You made me feel so great. I'm going to tell -- I have lots of important friends. I'm going to tell them how great you are. And I'm going to pay a lot of money. That patient starts getting out of control with their medicine.
JERRY BROWN (D), CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL: When you get the high anxiety that celebrity temporarily as it is, that then feeds the addictive propensity and then on top of that if someone is the celebrity, then these obscure doctors get a bit of a contact high, if I can call it that, by prescribing and being part of the mix.
WYNTER: California's attorney general, Jerry Brown, says it's a problem that goes beyond Tinseltown. His office has launched investigations into more than 200 prescription drug cases, involving addict patients and physicians who help them cross the line. An underground drug world Mackenzie Phillips says she's glad she left behind and cautions --
PHILLIPS: We've become this society that just take -- I'm sad, take a pill. I'm in pain, take a pill. Take a pill, take a pill. And really, it's just so -- it's just so dangerous. People are dying.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WYNTER: And you know, John, everyone we spoke with stressed that this issue of prescription drug abuse, this is an epidemic that really isn't unique to Hollywood. In fact, government statistics show that prescription pain killers they've actually surpassed heroin and even cocaine as the leading cause of death when it comes to drug overdoses. John. ROBERTS: Very easy to get from so many different sources. Kareen Wynter with that great look this morning. Kareen, thanks so much.
Tomorrow, by the way, we're going to take a look at prescription drug abuse outside Hollywood. The cocktails that are getting people high. How easy it is as we were just saying to start a habit and how hard it is to break it. Why experts say we made need twice as many rehab centers that we have now to deal with the problem.
CHO: Almost 31 minutes after the hour. That means it's time for this morning's top stories. A major earthquake rocking the Pacific coast, with a 7.2 magnitude quake hit just south of the border. Two people died in Mexico. There have been several strong aftershocks. The impact was felt in Southern California and as far away as Phoenix and Las Vegas.
ROBERTS: A series of bombings targeting the U.S. consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan. One of four large explosions was captured on videotape. Six people are confirmed dead, two Pakistani consulate employees and four militants. Officials say the American consulate building is in lockdown. The attacks came just hours after a suicide bombing at a political rally in northwest Pakistan killing 30 people and wounding 50 others.
CHO: And new federal guidelines save thousands of U.S. homes tainted by Chinese drywall won't be considered safe unless they are gutted. The drywall has been linked to corrosion of electrical components and wiring and hazardous fumes, 3,000 homeowners reported problems with Chinese-made drywall, most were in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Virginia.
ROBERTS: Tiger Woods ready for his close-up. He is going to meet the media today as he prepares to make his return to professional golf at the Masters.
CHO: That's right. The tournament starts on Thursday, but Tiger's news conference, his first since the sex scandal erupted will be its own event. David Dusek will be there. He is the deputy editor of "Sports Illustrated" golf group. He joins us now from Augusta.
David, good morning to you. You know, I don't think we can underestimate just how big this is. You know, a lot of people said Tiger -- golf without Tiger is like U2 without Bono. Just how big of a spectacle do you expect this week?
DAVID DUSEK, "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED": Well I think it's going to be a pretty big spectacle. Inside the gates of Augusta National Country Club, it's not going to be very different. Obviously there have not been more media credentials handed out, there have not been more badges handed out for more patrons in a bigger gallery. But the anticipation around here in Augusta is enormous.
A lot of people have just been looking forward to it. It feels like, at least at the onset, and obviously we're very early in the week, a very different kind of a Masters. People almost waiting and anticipating something is going to happen. We just don't know exactly what we're going to see from Tiger Woods today. What he's going to say and certainly once the tournament begins on Thursday how he's going to perform.
ROBERTS: David, let's take a look at the betting line here. Tiger Woods latest odds got him at 7-2. Phil Mickelson, another former Masters winners, 10-1. Ernie Eels at 11-1, but you know, it's been said time and time again that golf is a game of inches. That six to seven inches between your ears, it's all in the brain there. After what he's been through, I mean, obviously, he has got the physical capability. How do you think he'll play? Tiger is a guy who has been described as having another gear that other golfers don't have when it comes to mental concentration.
DUSEK: That was the Tiger Woods that we obviously had seen since his breakout here in Augusta in 1997 when he won the Masters, by 12 strokes, exactly how much he's able to keep that mental strength which is his greatest asset, as you mentioned. After going through this five-month scandal and what had to have just been an ordeal that he brought upon himself, is the ultimate question.
I'm going to be following him around with Fred Couples later this morning as they play their practice round. I'm curious to see what his body language is going to be like? How much is he going to interact with the fans, how much is he going to serve walk and act and play even in the practice round? Like the old Tiger Woods that basically dominated golf for over a decade.
I would look for his game to have a little bit of rust on it. There's a big difference between hitting balls on the practice range and hanging out with your coach than there is actually going out and competing against the best on one of the most challenging courses there is. So I don't know exactly how he's going to play but I think that he's going to improve each day he's here.
And boy, if he can get himself in contention and get some confidence going, then it could be one of the greatest comeback stories in sports. I mean, to have gone through everything that he's gone through and then to come out and actually contend to potentially win something like this. I don't think he's going to win. But if he can somehow get himself into the mix, it would just be an enormous achievement.
CHO: All right. David Dusek of "Sports Illustrated," we'll be watching along with you, of course, as Tiger makes his return to the masters. David, thank you.
DUSEK: Thank you.
ROBERTS: David Dusek for us this morning.
Ask an astronaut. We've been asking you to send questions in for Cady Coleman. She's sitting with out John Zarrella at Cape Kennedy this morning. They were watching the space shuttle launch and they'll be joining us in just a couple of minutes. 35 minutes now after the hour. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ROBERTS: Thirty-eight minutes after the hour. Right now, the space shuttle "Discovery" and its seven member crew are heading for a rendezvous with the International Space Station. And all morning we've been asking for your questions about this mission and the future of NASA. For some answers let's go to Kennedy Space Center and our John Zarrella plus real-live astronaut Cady Coleman. Good morning.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
CADY COLEMAN, NASA ASTRONAUT: Good morning.
ROBERTS: Great to see you. First question comes from Bob from Houston. It's a fairly simple question but an intriguing one. What is more fun for you, Cady Coleman, traveling to or from earth?
COLEMAN: You know, my family is not going to like the answer to this question. But I will say definitely traveling from the earth is better because when you're traveling back to the earth, that means you're coming home from space. And as much as I love my family, I will tell you that after a 16-day mission and certainly after my five- day mission, I was not ready to come home. I would like to go there and live for a, long long time and see what people can do up there. That's why I'm excited about long duration.
ZARRELLA: That's why she's excited about going for six months.
COLEMAN: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: She'll have the opportunity. She'll be a little more excited about coming home after being up there for six months.
(LAUGHTER)
COLEMAN: We'll have to see. I tell you. Sometimes it happens you have to extend. They'll say, you know, it's going to be another month or something. And I tell people in advance, do not worry about me when that happens, because it's the place to be.
CHO: Yes, I know you call it a magical place and say its addictive. Clearly, it's addictive for you, you know. John, I have a question for you, because you know, after today there are just three shuttle missions left. Hard to believe, you know. I know the President is going down to Cape Canaveral to talk with NASA officials later on this month. So what does this mean for NASA? What's next?
ZARRELLA: Well, that's just it. You know, that's the big question that -- and one of things that a lot of people are hoping here is that when the president comes down here on the 15th of this month, that he will announce perhaps the addition of one more space shuttle flight and you know, it's still just talk. There's nothing to say that he'll do that. You know, they cancelled the Aries program at this point. A lot of people at NASA are looking for more clarity in NASA's direction, right, Cady? And you may pick up from there.
COLEMAN: You know, it's true. But no matter how much more clarity we get when he comes down here, I will tell you there is change involved. It is a transition and change is hard for all of us. And yet when we think about the space program, we may be ending the shuttle era of the space program but we're not ending exploration. I mean, we saw the launch this morning.
People are going to do that. People are going to leave the planet. You cannot stop them. And it's a question of what role NASA needs to play in that process as we continue to leave the planet. We've got a space station up there for as long as it will stay up there, which I think is a long time. A lot of great work to do up there. Other places to go. NASA will be a part of that and our contractors and NASA, there's no way to stop them. But it is a tough time and a time of transition, no matter how much clarity we get.
ZARRELLA: Yes, that's just the reality.
ROBERTS: All right. Well, thanks so much for joining us this morning. Cady Coleman along with our John Zarrella. Great questions this morning. Cady, thanks so much. We look forward to spending the next eight months with you as you get set to head up there in the International Space Station. It's going to be a lot of fun.
ZARRELLA: Do I still have -- do I still have eight more months to put up with her? Or maybe it's vice versa?
ROBERTS: John --
COLEMAN: You know, it seems actually quick to me except for those Zarrella part of it, the eight months actually seems very, very quick to me.
ROBERTS: Well, I was just going to say, Cady --
COLEMAN: -- a lot to do in eight months and I can't wait.
ROBERTS: You talked about you prefer to leave earth as opposed to come back. You're going to miss John when you leave?
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: Don't answer that, Cady.
COLEMAN: you know, I'd like to plead the fifth on that. You know, the nice thing is when I'm up there, I can call him but he can't call me.
ROBERTS: All right. Thanks so much. You can join the conversation too, by the way, just head to cnn.com/amfix. Leave questions about this NASA mission or the future of space travel after NASA retires the shuttle fleet. John and Cady are going to be back with the answers in our next hour right here on the most news in the morning.
CHO: Forty-two minutes after the hour.
Someone we never get tired of. Rob Marciano checking the weather for us. Travel forecast and also what's going on in California, right, Rob? With all those aftershocks after the earthquake?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, aftershocks continue to rumble across Baja, California and Southern California. We'll talk about that plus record-breaking heat across parts of the east coast, severe storms in the central part of the country and a very winter like storm out in parts of California. Weather is coming up. It's 42 minutes after the hour.
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ROBERTS: A look this morning live at the South Lawn of the White House where the Easter Egg Roll is under way. You got bunnies there and Smurfs and --
CHO: Hey, that's Bugs Bunny.
ROBERTS: I don't know, Bugs or --
CHO: Charlie Brown.
ROBERTS: It is a bunny.
CHO: It looks (INAUDIBLE).
ROBERTS: Thirty -- 30,000 people expected today, and the president is coming out with the First Lady not too long from now and will help to kick off all the festivities.
Oh, there's Bugs there.
CHO: Yes.
ROBERTS: So, yes, lower left hand (INAUDIBLE) of the screen.
CHO: They're getting into it.
ROBERTS: Bugs was always my favorite.
The Annual Easter Egg Roll have been a tradition for a long, long time in this country.
CHO: And chefs were busy, 14,500 eggs.
ROBERTS: Can you imagine?
CHO: It's 45 minutes after the hour. We're going to get a quick check of the -- this morning's weather headlines. Rob Marciano in Atlanta, taking a look at that for us.
Hey, Rob. Good morning. ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, guys. Let's do the Easter Roll forecast. I mean, by the way, what's Papa Smurf doing, frolicking about with the rest of Easter bunnies there?
Seventy-nine degrees is the expected temperature. Boy, that's just perfect, perfect egg rolling -- it might be a little too warm, actually. Keep those eggs in the fridge for as long as possible before you start rolling them out there.
Fifty-five right now in New York. In D.C. it's 56 degrees, so the warm air across the eastern two thirds of the country continues to remain in place.
Now, we had some record shattering temperatures over the weekend. These are just from yesterday. Boston, Massachusetts yesterday, 77 degrees; Portland, Maine, 76. Yankees/Red Sox, first of many games this season. So spring is in the air, my friends, as opening day for a lot of teams will happen today.
There shouldn't be a whole lot of rain expected across the Great Lakes. This will be diminishing, I think, as it heads over the Appalachians. So, relatively calm weather east the Mississippi. Maybe some rough stuff.
Look at that, Kansas City, just to the south and west, some thunderstorms developing there. Probably have some hail and some wind in there, and this is the area we're going to watch throughout the rest of this morning and this afternoon for the potential of seeing severe weather.
I mentioned (ph) the winter-like storm across parts of California, raining through San Francisco, across Fresno, down to Los Angeles, eventually, and this is all turning to snow at the higher elevations. We had snow down to 2,000 feet in some spots. And look at this, not only a winter storm warning across parts of these -- the Cascades and the Sierras, but also the grapevine just north of Los Angeles, they might see 4 to 8 inches of snow, so this is feeling certainly more like February than the middle of April.
All right, in April we certainly get strong to severe storms that we're -- that's what we're looking at here. This swath of red is where we expect the action to be today. You saw it already starting to pop on the radar there in Kansas City.
Got the heat. That's one of the ingredients of sure -- for sure 80 degrees in Kansas City; 45 degrees in Salt Lake City; and later on today we'll look for temperatures to be rising a little bit more across New York.
All right, a number of aftershocks, well over 50 if not 100, between the 2 and 4.5 range. And of course this 7.2 magnitude quake happening yesterday just south of the border with limited amounts of damage across the U.S. but certainly some damage across parts of Northern Mexico. The active plate movement continues, at least in the last three months.
We're coming up on the three-month anniversary of the Haiti quake three months ago.
John, Alina, back up to you.
ROBERTS: Rob, thanks so much.
This morning's top stories are just minutes away now, including homes collapsing across the border, skyscrapers shaking in several states. Rob is talking about the earthquake.
We'll show you the aftermath of that major quake, coming right up.
CHO: And half past the hour, we will continue our look at why Hollywood is hooked on prescription drugs with a drug counselor from "VH1 Celebrity Rehab" and "Sober House". Why wouldn't doctors say no to celebrities with problems.
ROBERTS: And at 50 minutes after the hour, it could be the next big thing on web. Have you heard of Foursquare? Well, four years ago you didn't know what Facebook was either.
Alina Cho shows you how you can help set the next trend and potentially make one fellow very rich.
Those stories and more coming your way at the top of the hour.
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CHO: Fifty-two minutes after the hour.
New this morning, cheers in Northern China as more than 100 miners are pulled alive from a flooded underground shaft. The mine flooded more than a week ago and more than three dozen people may still be trapped.
ROBERTS: Michael Jackson's former doctor, Conrad Murray, could lose his California medical license at a hearing later on today. The state's Attorney General wants his license suspended ahead of his trial for the pop star's death, citing a serious lack of judgment.
Murray has already admitted to investigators that he gave Jackson the powerful drug Propofol to help him sleep.
CHO: Well, more backlash this morning from the RNC's $2,000 tab at a bondage theme Hollywood nightclub. They aren't asking Chairman Michael Steele to resign over the scandal, but two senior GOP congressmen say they've lost confidence.
ROBERTS: Well, here's just what they didn't need off of the coast of Australia, a coal carrying ship from China slammed into Australia's Great Barrier Reef over the weekend, leaving a two-mile long oil slick in its wake. Authorities fear the vessel may be breaking apart. The crash happened in the protected section of one of the world's largest and remaining living coral reefs.
Not -- not good. CHO: No, not good. An incredible shock, though.
You know, if you were anywhere near an Apple store this weekend and saw lines and were wondering what was going on. Well, remember the iPad? Well, Apple's new iPad blew away sales expectations. They were expecting about 300,000 sold over the weekend.
Guess what? Seven hundred thousand of them sold during the first day they were offered, and analysts predicted less than half of that, as I said, would be -- would be sold.
ROBERTS: So, as you can expect, Apple stock doing pretty well these days.
CHO: Yes. That's right.
ROBERTS: I could have got it a -- a year ago January, I think, for about $75.
CHO: What's it (INAUDIBLE)?
ROBERTS: What was it, Brian (ph)? $238? Something like that? Yes, $238, somewhere like that.
Brian (ph), by the way, is the fellow who's producing the show. Just so you know I'm not asking --
CHO: Losing your mind or talking --
ROBERTS: -- some invisible friend what's going on.
Well, change is coming to the Supreme Court and that's going to present big challenges for President Obama.
CHO: Yes. Justice John Paul Stevens says the time to retire is finally coming. He turns 90 next week, and as Kate Bolduan tells us the Liberal wing of the nation's highest court hangs in the balance.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: John, Alina, Justice Stevens is the oldest Supreme Court justice, turning 90 this month. And after almost 35 years on the bench, speculation is swirling about his retirement plans, putting all eyes on the White House.
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BOLDUAN (voice-over): It's one of any president's longest lasting legacies, filling a Supreme Court vacancy. And, for President Obama, that opportunity is likely drawing near.
Speaking to "The New York Times" Friday, Justice John Paul Stevens said, quote, "I do have to fish or cut bait just for my own personal peace of mind and also in fairness to the process." Then, to "The Washington Post," he said, "I will surely do it, while he," meaning President Obama, "is still president."
THOMAS GOLDSTEIN, SUPREME COURT LEGAL ANALYST: If there's going to be a retirement, it's almost certainly the Liberal Justice Stevens, so President Obama can't move the Supreme Court to the Left in any way. Rather, he can cement his impact in the court with his nominees serving for decades in the future.
BOLDUAN: Stevens is expected to make an announcement about his future this month, less than one year after the president's history- making nomination of the first Latina Justice, Sonia Sotomayor.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Justice Sotomayor brings to the court both a mastery of the letter of the law and an understanding of how the law actually unfolds in our daily lives.
BOLDUAN: Sources close to the process tell CNN the White House is quietly but actively preparing to fill the spot.
Among those talked about for the job, Solicitor General Elena Kagan; Judge Merrick Garland, an appeals court judge in Washington; and Judge Diane Wood, an appeals court judge in Chicago, all Left leaning choices which could mean a tough confirmation fight ahead.
SEN. JOHN KYL (R), MINORITY WHIP: I think the president will nominate a qualified person. I hope, however, he does not nominate an overly ideological person.
That will be the test, and if he doesn't nominate someone who is overly ideological, I don't think -- you may see Republicans voting against the nominee, but I don't think you'll see them engage in a filibuster.
GOLDSTEIN: We're talking about determining the constitutionality of laws that relate to abortion, to affirmative action, to gay rights, to the separation of church and state. So the stakes are incredibly high.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: If Justice Stevens announces he is retiring this year, the White House's goal would be to get a nominee confirmed and in place in time to join the court before the next term begins in October. Meeting that that timeline would likely require a nomination by late May or June -- John, Alina.
CHO: Kate Bolduan, thank you.
Top stories are coming your way in two minutes. Stay with us.
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