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American Morning

Primary Races Oust Well-Known Incumbents; Protestors in Thailand Burning Down Buildings After Government Crackdown;

Aired May 19, 2010 - 07:00   ET

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


JIM ACOSTA, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: Good morning. It's Wednesday, May 19th. I'm Jim Acosta in for John Roberts on this post Super Tuesday Wednesday.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: That's right. It sure is. I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us. And we're going to be talking about that in the next 15 minutes.

A tea party win, a veteran senator out, and another fighting for her political life this morning. It was a very big election night, crucial primaries in three states, setting up potential trouble for incumbents come November. We're going to break down the results for all of you.

ACOSTA: Plus, a bloody crackdown on anti-government protestors in Bangkok, Thailand. Here's a live look at the city. Huge plumes of black smoke coming from fires set by rioters. We know a TV station, several banks, and the stock exchange all burning and the building that you're seeing right is on fire. It's a shopping mall. We are live on the ground with the latest.

CHETRY: And also suspected Taliban insurgents launching a pre- dawn attack against America's Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. The fighting is tapering off at this hour, but the attackers used rockets and grenades just a day after a car bomb killed six soldiers in a NATO convoy. Army officials say nearly a dozen attackers were killed.

ACOSTA: We'll have a talk about it. The "A.M. Fix" blog is up and running. Go to CNN.com/amfix. I'm sure a lot of people are talking about politics this morning.

CHETRY: We would love to hear your thoughts.

There was quite a message sent to the establishment last night in the crucial primaries. Three states, and it seems to have rattled the political system, but none bigger than what happened in Pennsylvania. That's where a 30-year veteran of the Senate is out.

Arlen Specter seeking his sixth term, his first one as a Democrat, losing to Congressman Joe Sestak. Sestak, who will be speaking to us in about 30 minutes, was able to cash in from the switch from Republican to Democrat last year.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE SESTAK, (D) SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: A win for the people over the establishment, over the status quo, even over Washington, D.C.!

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And in Arkansas, another incumbent on the ropes, Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter forcing incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln into a June runoff election. This was much closer than people expected. Halter ran to the left of Lincoln with support from labor unions and groups like moveon.org.

Lincoln found herself on the defensive throughout that campaign. She was accused of being too cozy with Wall Street and not progressive enough on health care.

CHETRY: Also in Kentucky, the Tea Part claiming another big victory. Political newcomer Rand Paul, Congressman's Ron Paul's son, beat Secretary of State Trey Grayson, the man handpicked by the GPP. Dr. Paul joined us to talk about his victory earlier on "AMERICAN MORNING".

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. RAND PAUL, REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR KENTUCKY SENATE: I tell people it was the perfect storm. It is the mood of the country and our message being exactly equal to the mood of the country, which is we've got to get our government back. Our government is out of control and spending is out of control.

And really the deficits are getting to the point where they endanger other country. You look at Greece and the chaos there with the debt crisis, I don't think people want that to happen in our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: And the best political team on television is here to talk about the implications of all of this. Jessica Yellin is live in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and Dana Bash in Little Rock, Arkansas. To Jessica first. This was not unexpected that Rand Paul had this size of a victory and big victory over Trey Grayson. I guess the question next is can we win in the fall?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's an open question but the answer seems to be yes given the mood of Kentucky and country as he says. Rand Paul definitely has ideas outside the mainstream.

But as he continues to point out, the key message that he's been delivering does seem to resonate with voters who are both Republican and independent, even some disillusioned Democrats, which is that essentially our government doesn't get it. They need to stop spending so much money and make the more rational choices we have to make at home.

We do expect a very fierce campaign from his Democratic opponent. Already the Democrats are suggesting this will be about whether Rand Paul is like you or me or outside too outside the mainstream to represent well. He will run as a tea party candidate. He's proudly embracing it, Jim.

ACOSTA: He almost has a "T" next to his name instead of an "R."

CHETRY: Dana, we talked about this before hand, you never know what's going to happen until people get in the booth. We saw this anti-incumbent sentiment with Blanche Lincoln, she's now facing a runoff. You saw it with Arlen Specter, been in the Senate for 30 years. Is this all politics are local, or is there a broader message here?

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, I think it's the opposite. Usually all politics are local is we don't like Washington but we're OK with our senator. That doesn't seem to be what's going on here. The anger is that deep, that they are angry at their senator.

Here in Arkansas, Senator Lincoln last night, she said, look -- I actually talked to her after it was clear that she was going to have a runoff. She said I just have to explain better to the people here in Arkansas that I'm not a typical senator. I might be in Washington, but as she said, your both parents of small children, I need to explain to people that I spend a lot of time in the time-out chair, meaning I try to fight my own people in Washington.

So that is what you'll hear from her as she campaigns in the next three weeks in the runoff.

But in Pennsylvania, absolutely. This is a guy who was in office for 30 years, and not only was it a time for a change from the perspective of Pennsylvania voters, but Arlen Specter decided to switch parties last spring in order to stay in office, and made the case he needed to do that for the people of Pennsylvania because his experience helps them. That was not the right calculation in this anti-incumbent year. They said, see you, we don't need that.

ACOSTA: That margin of victory in Arkansas was stunning in that it was only sort of a two or three-point victory for Blanche Lincoln. Getting back to Pennsylvania, the chief in staff in John Murtha's office actually won and held on to his former boss's seat.

A lot of folks are saying perhaps the tea party wave is not as strong as we all might have expected. Tom Davis, the former Republican congressman said if you can't win a seat trending Republican in a year like this, then where is the wave? Dana, what is your sense of that? Is that a local race?

BASH: I really do think so. You spent time in John Murtha's old district. This is a district that certainly does have a Republican constituency and voters. But John Murtha is very a unique situation. He brought home the bacon. People in that district see every day in their lives how much federal dollars he brings back to Washington helps them.

So I think it is very unique in that district. The whole idea they'll send somebody back who is a protege of his makes perfect sense considering the fact that they have been so helped by the representation in Washington.

CHETRY: And Jessica, the other interesting thing that you sort of take away from this is that many of the people that ran to either the left or right of moderate or centrist in their party, what is the message for people that want to get things done and want to be perhaps more practical and willing to work with the other side?

As we move to the general how, will we see coalescence to the center or is this not going to be tolerated in this mood in the country?

YELLIN: It's a fantastic question. I don't know how work will get done in Washington that these candidates are envisioning.

Both sides say when you talk to them on the tea party right and on the left side say that they'll work with the other team if they agree. But there's almost no agreement.

And the idea -- the mood of the country is such that they want to throw out, as Rand Paul has said, they want the politicians out and regular folks in to make more rational decisions. But there's not a lot of common ground for compromise.

So we either have to assume they go there and realize they have to build coalitions and people change over time or we'll see a more gridlocked Washington in the future, if you can imagine it.

ACOSTA: Yes. It will be interesting to see a Democrat in the White House in President Obama and a Republican Congress if that materializes in the fall. Dana Bash and Jessica Yellin joining us live in Kentucky and Arkansas where those two big elections happened last night, thanks so much for your input there.

At the bottom of the hour, we'll talk to another one of last night's big winners, Congressman Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania, who took down Arlen Specter. That's coming up in a few moments.

CHETRY: Meanwhile it's eight minutes past the hour. America's largest military base in Afghanistan attacked in a before-dawn raid by Taliban insurgents. We're live at the Pentagon with more on the implications ahead.

ACOSTA: And a young mother poised to begin her army life has to deal with trouble on the home front. The latest installment in our report "A Soldier's Story" is just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: It's 12 minutes past the hour. Welcome back. We've been following a really dicey situation in Thailand this morning. We want to show you live pictures of a city skyline covered in black smoke. Rioters set fire to banks, the city's stock exchange, a local TV station. There is a burning building there, the shopping mall, actually. And the government actually declared an overnight curfew, trying to get a handle on things.

ACOSTA: That's after today's bloody military crackdown on anti- government protesters killed three people. During the fighting the city sounded like a warzone. Check out this incredible tape from one of our iReporters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(GUNFIRE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the worst.

It's like right there in that area.

People running down --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: For the very latest on this we'll bring in Sara Sidner live from the Thai capital. They were talking about using live ammunition, trying to disburse some of these thousands of anti- government protesters. Set the scene for us and tell us what started this violence in the first place.

SARA SIDNER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, these protesters came into place about six weeks ago, and they were demanding that the government dissolve parliament, that the prime minister step down, very angry with the government, feeling that they weren't represented by the government. That's when this all started. They sort of took over certain parts of Bangkok.

And today the government had warned on Monday that it is going to crack down. Today we actually saw the crackdown happen. We heard in that incredibly loud video that seemed like it was going on and on. That's what it sounded like in Bangkok today.

Then you would see some of the groups of soldiers going into the areas where these protesters were and knocking down their barricades and picking up arms. They say they've been shot at as well. It looked like a battle scene and certainly sounded like one. Kiran?

CHETRY: And you know, when you look at exactly what they are trying to do to defuse the situation, we were hearing conflicting reports, government forces saying they were back in control in Bangkok and other reports saying no, some parts of the city were still out of their control.

You spoke about the curfew. What else is on the plate to try to gain some more control?

SIDNER: I think the difficulty is that once they were able to clear the main stage area where a lot of people had been hanging out and protesting and refusing to leave and some of the areas that there had been battles in the streets, once they started clearing that, suddenly you saw some of these groups breaking off and wreaking havoc in other parts of the city, setting for example a mall on fire, a bank building on fire.

And then you had fires in different spots of the city that the government and troops had to contend with. So you went from a large protest in sort of one certain area to a lot of small little riots around the city, the government trying to deal with that right now.

Not a good situation in Bangkok. Everyone thought that finally when the protest leaders said that they were going to turn themselves in and they wanted people to stop protesting because they didn't want to see more bloodshed, then you hear about the small groups going around and creating havoc here in the city.

CHETRY: Difficult situation, the pictures tell the story especially as you see that shopping mall still smoking this morning.

Sara Sidner for us this morning from Bangkok, Thailand. Thank you.

ACOSTA: And from Thailand to Afghanistan, the fighting has finally sub sided at the largest U.S. military installation in Afghanistan less than 12 hours ago. Suspected Taliban insurgents launched a surprise attack against the Bagram Air Base just north of Kabul.

Chris Lawrence is live at the Pentagon this morning.

Chris, what do we know?

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Jim, we're getting a little bit of an update now. We're hearing that 10 insurgents have now been killed. One U.S. contractor, one American contractor was also killed in this attack and about nine American troops were injured. Two of those have already returned to duty. Their injuries were pretty light.

The others are in stable condition. So it looks like those troops will be OK. You know, one of the lieutenant colonels there on the base said it's clear that the enemy intended to stage a spectacular attack here at Bagram. You know, this attack happened about 3:00 in the morning and involved rocket propelled grenades, hand grenades, small arms fire and suicide bomber as well.

Of those 10 or 12 insurgents who were killed, four authorities are now saying had suicide vests and attempted to blow themselves up. This isn't the first time that Bagram has been targeted. I've been at Bagram when they received random mortar fire at times.

And back in 2007, when Vice President Dick Cheney came to the base, there was a suicide bomber who tried to blow himself up right outside the gate. That ended up killing about 20 local Afghans at the base. Bagram is a target. This was a more spectacular-planned attack than perhaps than what goes on normally and it falls in line with what the insurgents had announced just before President Karzai came here to the U.S. that they plan their own offensive targeting troops in the region.

ACOSTA: Chris Lawrence at the Pentagon. Thanks, Chris.

CHETRY: In fact, right now there is a live shot to bring you the shuttle "Atlantis" crew this morning. These are amazing pictures. I always - the fact that we can get these pictures --

ACOSTA: If we can hit the side of the camera.

CHETRY: Exactly, somebody straighten up those rabbit ears. Anyway, right now, astronauts, Steve Bowen and Michael Good are conducting the -

ACOSTA: Here we go.

CHETRY: Hey, listen -- the second of three planned space walks. They are to fix a camera cable and replacing batteries on three of the solar array. None of this is easy. The battery weighs more than 360 pounds itself. They estimate it to last six and a half hours. Yesterday they had an electricity short for a little while and they got through it.

ACOSTA: I'm going to miss those space shuttles.

CHETRY: We'll still be up in space.

ACOSTA: But the shuttle is cool. Anyway --

CHETRY: And now it will be a piece of history.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson joins us later in the hour. We'll get his take on Tuesday's primaries and the message voters seem to be sending to Washington. And his view on the immigration debate, that's right, that is raging next to his state there in Arizona. He's in New Mexico and he's got a lot to say about that as well so stick with us. It's 18 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: A shot of the control room this morning, hard at work, as always.

ACOSTA: They are looking chipper.

CHETRY: Yes, they are. Well, 20 minutes past the hour. Christine Romans is "Minding your Business" this morning. We're talking about, you know, a big gap - we always talk about narrowing the gap when it comes to gender and racial equality. There's a new study that shows we have more work to do.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: We have, in fact, more work to do now than ever before over the past generation. It shows, really, that the incredible amount of wealth created in this country over the past 25 years, an incredible epic amount of wealth created was basically concentrated at the high end of the spectrum among white high income, already high net worth families. This is a study by the institute on assets and social policy. What we already know is there is a huge wealth gap that is big and growing between the haves and have not's. What this did is it studies specifically the same group of black and white families and found in 1984 the difference between wealth between white and black family was about $20,000. By 2007 it was $95,000.

So that's -- what you're seeing there is the gap. You're seeing that gap was much narrower back in 1984 and exploded as the wealth in this country was created over the past generation. We know, for example, we know from numerous studies that the income gap and wealth gap has exploded for everyone.

It's this -- the concentration of wealth at the top has been very well documented. This documents specifically the concentration between black and white families. In that period from 1984 to 2007, African-American families doubled their debt. One in 10 owed $3600 and at least a quarter of them had no assets.

One thing that is fascinating. Everyone, working families of all strives, everyone over the past generation has seen their wealth basically stagnate. It's the very top end that has done very well. When you look within that everyone, you can see this other racial divide as well.

These policy makers are fascinated within they say that it shows the great wealth producer over this period accrues to the highest income whites and they say it's very important for policy makers to understand this as they make important decisions about tax cuts for retirement savings and school loans and all of this kind of stuff because all of it feeds into this really important back drop of this wealth gap.

CHETRY: Fascinating. Well, thanks, Christine.

Coming up, we'll bring you "A Soldier's Story." Army Private Latricia Rose, she begins her basic training, but Jason Caroll tells us trouble at home threatens to derail her military career before it ever really begins. It's 24 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ACOSTA: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning, it's 7:25. Top stories are only 5 minutes away, but first, an "A.M. Original." Something you will only see right here on "American Morning." We've been following this story of Latricia Rose, a wife and mother embarking on her Army career.

CHETRY: Unfortunately, there's some trouble on the home front that may threaten to derail it before it even starts. Jason Carroll is here now with the latest chapter of "A Soldier's Story." And right there, we're looking at video of Latricia's husband who will be the primary caregiver for her baby girl.

ACOSTA: That is true and you know what Latricia Rose and her family are dealing with, they're dealing with the same thing that a lot of military families deal with on a daily basis. And it all has to do with the Army's family care plan, which requires troops to have child care. Latricia thought her husband, Brandon, was the one going to be responsible for that, but that responsibility turned out to be too much.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tuck your shirt in.

JASON CAROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Latricia Rose's training barely underway at Fort Leonard Wood Missouri.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You need to fix that mess.

CARROLL: And already, after just three weeks, her Army career is over.

LATICIA ROSE, NEW RECRUIT: I'm a tad bit disappointed not so much sad. I look at it like everything happens for a reason.

CARROLL: Latricia is being discharged from the Army after it determined child care for her 2-year-old daughter is no longer adequate.

ROSE: I don't feel like I could have focused enough knowing that my daughter needed me. It was kind of stressing.

CARROLL: Her husband, Brandon was supposed to be the full-time dad.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was overwhelmed and I just didn't know what to do really.

CARROLL: But less than a week into his new role, Brandon said he was already feeling the pressure. You become overwhelmed. Then what?

BRANDON ROSE, HUSBAND: I just go, go to -- and drop her off.

CARROLL: Drop her off with Latricia's mother?

BRANDON ROSE: Yes.

CARROLL: Latricia's mother, Yaronda, agreed to care for her granddaughter but only temporarily.

YARONDA NEEL, MOTHER: I would have helped more had I had enough notice, but finding out the day off and there's no time for me to plan.

CARROLL (on camera): who is she calling for?

NEEL: She's calling for her dad, yes.

CARROLL: She's calling for her daddy?

NEEL: Yes, she is. CARROLL: By the time Brandon did come back it was too late. Army policy is clear. New recruits who are parents must prove they have reliable child care to qualify for service.

CAPT. LAURIE NIELSEN, CO. COMMANDER, U.S. ARMY: Family is very important and you need to make sure that your home life is strong enough to handle a separation for a period ever time and make sure your children are taken care of.

CARROLL: As Latricia waits for discharge papers, she is tasked with duties like guarding weapons and picking up trash.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go.

CARROLL: While her fellow recruits train to become soldiers. She now stands out in formation with no gear of her own.

ROSE: I'm kind of jealous, I would love to do the things they are doing right now.

CARROLL: Brandon knows what happened is a result of his actions and speaking to Latricia about it has not been easy.

(on camera): What did you say to her?

BRANDON ROSE: I apologized. She told me it's OK.

CARROLL: But do you feel any sense of guilt?

BRANDON ROSE: A little bit. She had to put what she was doing on hold to come home to deal with the family situation so yes, I feel guilty.

ROSE: I knew it was going to be hard for him. But maybe it's just harder than expected so I understand. I mean, I'm not mad.

CARROLL: Little anger, some disappoint. But for the moment, all of that erased on the day Latricia goes home.

ROSE: Give mommy sugar.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CARROLL: Well, it's unclear if Latricia's soldier story is over. She can qualify to go back into training in six months provided she can prove she has reliable child care. In the meantime, Brandon says he will go back to work.

CHETRY: I know.

CARROLL: You're bidding your time.

CHETRY: I just, I feel for the whole family. It's not an easy situation. But I mean - the position she was put in is a really difficult situation with a small child going away for that long and not knowing if she can rely on the people back home, her husband and her mom, to take care of them. I mean, is this the right time for her to be in the military?

CARROLL: Well, it's the right time for some but it just turned out not to be not the right time for her. What I also want to remind people of is the age of these two. You know, Latricia is 20, Brandon is 23. Ayana (ph) is two. So do the math in terms of - so this is a very young people dealing with a lot of pressure.

ACOSTA: And doing the best they can.

CARROLL: Yes.

CHETRY: You brought up a very good point. You said at least -- I mean the military is focusing on not only the soldier but the family and how far-reaching it is. They have to have a family plan. They have to stick to this because of the type of difficulties.

CARROLL: Remember, this is serious business, We're at war. They don't want new recruits, new soldiers coming in to a war, fighting a war and having the stress of dealing what's going on at home.

ACOSTA: Jason Carroll, thanks a lot. Appreciate it.

CARROLL: All right.

CHETRY: Well, now, we're passing the half hour and it's time for our top stories. We're following a developing situation in Bangkok that doesn't seem to be getting any better this morning. Rioters setting fire to banks, a shopping mall, the city's stock exchange, offices of a local TV station. The government declaring a night time curfew and the Army says the operations continue through the night. Government forces storming a group of anti-government protesters at the make-shift camp.

ACOSTA: The euro has hit a new four-year low. It's now worth $1.22 and maybe heading even lower where analysts say new financial regulations announced in Germany overnight will make investing in the euro even more risky and that could trigger a further sell-off. We don't want to hear that.

CHETRY: Get this kudzu, the fastest growing vine, covers more than seven million acres in the south, maybe contributing -

ACOSTA: That stuff is everywhere.

CHETRY: Yes.

ACOSTA: It is.

CHETRY: Well, you know what, it could be adding to the air pollution in the region. Researchers are now linking the plant to the production of o-zone, a colorless, odorless gas, a key component of smog. The Asian vine was planted in the south decades ago to stop soil erosion, which it did.

ACOSTA: Yes. CHETRY: But -

(CROSSTALK)

ACOSTA: And then it started covering the trees and the bridges and everything else down there. Don't start me on (INAUDIBLE).

CHETRY: You don't like it?

ACOSTA: Don't get me started on that.

CHETRY: You spend your free time trying to just -

ACOSTA: Speaking of what's spreading like (INAUDIBLE). Anti- incumbency fever across the country. It was an early exit for the longest serving senator in Pennsylvania's history, Arlen Specter losing in the Democratic primary last night. He had an endorsement from President Obama but it did not help in his fight against Congressman Joe Sestak. We saw what happened last night.

CHETRY: Oh, yes. There you see quite a drubbing. Sestak cashed in on the senators' switch last year from Republican to Democrat. He had a very, very tough to watch ad out there that was just blistering. Sort of painting Arlen Specter as the selfish flip-flopping Washington politician showing images of President Bush, former President Bush and also using Arlen Specter's own words against him.

Well, Congressman Sestak joins us live from Philadelphia this morning. So it is the day after and you know, a lot was made but thank you for being with us, by the way, Congressman. Thanks for waking up. I know you had a busy night last night.

But have you had gotten that call from President Obama yet, saying congratulations?

REP. JOE SESTAK (D), PENNSYLVANIA: Yes, yes, he called last evening. But first was Senator Specter's call and the second phrase he said was "Joe, I'm going to support you." I think it was a real mark of a person when he did that. And I was gratified with the president's call and I want to be a strong ally, one of the strongest ally but obviously not a yes man. I'm looking forward to this.

ACOSTA: What did he say? What did the president say in that phone call, congressman?

SESTAK: He said "Congratulations, and Joe, I'm really there for you and I look forward to working with you and getting you in the United States Senate." Couldn't have been nicer.

ACOSTA: He didn't have the support of the president or the vice president or the governor in your state during this primary battle. Can the Democrats bend some fences here and rally around your campaign? And did that, were you a little miffed about all that during this campaign that they want to Arlen Specter, somebody who is a Republican until about a year ago? SESTAK: Oh, not at all. Look, I didn't begrudge with the Democratic establishment in Washington, D.C. did. They felt they needed a 60th vote. I happen to disagree with that type of a deal. I don't think we seize the White House through deal making. We did it through audacity.

But I always remember what John F. Kennedy once said. Sometimes the party asks too much. And I really felt this wasn't right for the families of Pennsylvania. But to your other part of the question, I always remember when then Candidate Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton went through Pennsylvania.

At the end of the day, this president swept Pennsylvania when he was the candidate. And that's what we're going to do come November.

CHETRY: All right. So, you still have a lot of work to do. I mean, this was a tough primary fight and now you got your other fight ahead of you, you got to go against Republican Pat Toomey who has been getting, you know, a lot of support. He switched because he knew the polling was against him going against Pat Toomey who has been getting, you know, a lot of support. I mean, that's the initial reason why Arlen Specter said he switched was because he knew that probably the poll was against him, going up against conservative Pat Toomey.

So what so you do now, while there are some who are critical of you an say that it's going to be difficult for you to secure the independent vote in a state like Pennsylvania. What's your game plan going forward.

SESTAK: Well, it's to continue what I've always done. You know, after I left the United States Navy, after 31 years, about three or four years ago, I've been a congressman. And my district is 53 percent Republican, 35 percent Democrat. I reached across the aisle. I am going to be in this for all Pennsylvanians, Republicans, Democrats and independents alike.

And I have already debated Congressman Toomey twice and I want to continue to do that. Because, I mean, with Congressman Toomey, it's kind of a look backwards. He supported George Bush's policies and they didn't create one job. But I want to look forward and see how can we now after the (INAUDIBLE) session we came out of that Congressman Toomey helped us get into. How do we go forward to the right tax cuts for small businesses of majority of Pennsylvania's work. That's why's it's going to be a great backwards versus forwards kind of debate between the two of us.

ACOSTA: And you know, as you have notice across the country, there's this tea party movement that has had a big effect on races, you know, across the country. Down in Kentucky, Rand Paul won very big down there. I'm just curious, you know, a lot of what is driving that movement on the right is concern about the national debt.

What would you do to deal with the deficit so the president has put together a deficit commission, would you be in favor of raising taxes to take care of deficit? And will you talk about that during the campaign? SESTAK: Absolutely. I will talk about this national debt issue. In fact, as you well know -

ACOSTA: Would you raise taxes, I mean, would you be in favor of raising taxes?

SESTAK: I have been out there and said Congressman Toomey where he gave 53 cents of every dollar in tax cuts to the top one percent of wage income earners of America, the multimillionaires and trickle down economics didn't work with that, that to the very, very wealthy doesn't, shouldn't continue.

Those are revenues that literally if they went to the previous tax bracket, would have, as in the Clinton administration created 22 million jobs and created zero during the Bush administration. But more importantly than that, I always remember how Congressman Toomey actually threw out the window with George Bush, what's called pay as you go, balance the government's checkbook and tripled the national debt.

So now we got a lot of interest that we got to pay when they used our credit card on the national level. So I do believe in fiscal conservatism and therefore it is going to take an ability that I voted for to make sure that if you want a new program, cut another one.

CHETRY: Yes. But you said that you agree with fiscal conservatism but you did vote for all the spending bills in this session. How do you square that?

SESTAK: Well, remember, there we were steaming along. A torpedo hit the ship, we were sinking. We literally lost it. And as you well know, nine million jobs. So that stimulus money actually caulked the holes that kept that ship from sinking down all the way.

Now is where I have voted and it did pass into statutory law that we have to balance our checkbooks under pay as you go as we go forward. Look, George Bush's savage policies that's Congressman Toomey voted for, literally tripled our national debt, literally ran our economy aground.

I come from the military. There's emergency funding to help us in the war as it was. And for this war at home, this recession. Now after the damage that was done by that past administration, we've got to go forward and make sure we pay for it as we go forward.

ACOSTA: Spoken like an admiral. Congressman Joe Sestak, live in Philadelphia this morning. Congratulations on your victory. We'll see you during the fall campaign. Appreciate it.

SESTAK: Thanks for having me both.

CHETRY: Congrats. Take care.

Well, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is going to be joining us in a moment. He's weighing in on all of these day-after election results. Getting his take on whether anything can get done in Washington with a partisan atmosphere but also his view on the immigration debate that is raging next door. His state is right next door to Arizona. We'll be right back.

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CHETRY: Well, it's 41 minutes past the hour. Welcome back to the most news in the morning. We're joined now by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, a friend of the show. We wanted to get his take -

ACOSTA: Absolutely.

CHETRY: - on what went down yesterday in the primaries.

ACOSTA: He's in Washington this morning. He's not in New Mexico but he does have the goatee, we want to discuss Arizona's controversial immigration law since his state is right next door. Now, governor, first, let's get to Tuesday's primaries.

First of all, good morning. Thanks for being with us.

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON, ARIZONA: Nice to be with you. Thank you.

ACOSTA: What was the biggest surprise for you last night, Arlen Specter?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I served with him in the Congress. He was a terrific senator, public servant. But I think what hurt him was the party switching, a devastating ad that Congressman Sestak had on his switch.

ACOSTA: Was that ad over the line, do you think?

RICHARDSON: No, you know, in politics these things happen. It is an anti-incumbency vote throughout the nation. If you ran against Washington, you did well. For Democrats, our bright spot was keeping the John Murtha seat. The Republicans got a big blow, the establishment did in the Rand Paul election in Kentucky because this was a tea party candidate.

And the Republican establishment was with the other candidate. So, you know, it was anti-incumbency, anti-Washington. Congressman Sestak, I just heard him. He sounds very good. I never served with him. But I'm kind of sad about Arlen Specter because he was a very good public servant.

CHETRY: Well, you bring it up and I want to ask you about this, because this is what Arlen Specter said yesterday about Pat Toomey, I mean, Sestak going up against Pat Toomey, who will be his GOP contender in the general election. If Sestak is nominated, he's not going to beat Toomey. He really isn't. And there is a feeling and there was a feeling among the Democratic leaders that it would be difficult for him to win a general election.

And as we just heard from the congressman, a lot of it was rolling back George W. Bush's failed policies. I mean, going forward, is that going to be the message that you're coming to Washington and it's still the blame Bush mentality?

RICHARDSON: Well, I think Congressman Sestak is a very attractive candidate. He is an admiral. He served in Congress, he has experience. I think the American people want bipartisanship. They want positive messages. My hope is that the message is one of economic growth, of creating jobs. I think Pennsylvania has had those terrible job problems like many other states. Governor Rendell who I served with, has been a real champion of job creation.

I think if Congressman Sestak stays on the positive and talks about what this country needs, bipartisanship, coming together, he's going to do well. He's obviously an attractive candidate.

ACOSTA: Yes.

RICHARDSON: At the same time I'm sorry about Senator Specter because he was a friend and did a lot of good things.

ACOSTA: And governor, you were almost a part of the Obama administration. And I'm just curious, you know, a lot of those anti- establishment fever that's just ripping across the country right now has a lot to do with the president's agenda, does it not? I mean, do you think it was a good idea for the president to have gone for health care reform last year?

It erupted into those very vicious town hall sessions that happened across the country. It pushed back portions of his agenda that are much more popular with the public like Wall Street reform. What do you think about that ?

RICHARDSON: Well, no, Jim. I think the president has done a good job. Internationally, he set us in the course of once again being respected. I'm here for the president of Mexico's visit.

ACOSTA: Health care was the right call, you think?

RICHARDSON: Yes. It was the right call. You do it early. You do it when he's popular, when he has political capital. He's got it done. Now, you move on to jobs, jobs, jobs. Financial reform is important. We need an energy bill. We need immigration reform, a comprehensive immigration reform. I think he's back strong and I think he's going to be an asset in the elections in November.

CHETRY: I want to make sure we get to this immigration issue in Arizona. You've said that you think the new law is terrible, but what do you say to Americans who believe the federal government has not done an adequate job when it comes to protecting the border, securing the border, cracking down on drug violence in the border and that the Arizona law was basically an outgrowth of that frustration of the people living in that state?

RICHARDSON: Well, I agree with that sentiment. You know, I'm a governor on the border. I declared a disaster area two, three years ago. We have the same problems that Arizona has, not on the scale they had.

But I don't think you react by taking the law into your own hands, as the Arizona legislature did. I do agree with the frustration of most Americans that we need comprehensive immigration reform, we do need to secure the borders with more border patrol, more National Guard. We need more technology.

But, at the same time, we need comprehensive immigration reform that says to those that are here, the 11 million that are here legally, if you're going to stay, you've got to learn English, you've got to pay back taxes, you got to have a background check. And the Congress has failed to address immigration reform, as the president has been pushing.

We need to have comprehensive immigration reform. It needs to happen now because you don't want what happened in Arizona to spread to many other states, as it is happening today.

ACOSTA: Well, Sarah Palin has said that we are all Arizonans. Those are her words.

RICHARDSON: Well, you know, that's just gimmickry. That doesn't make any sense.

Yes, we need to secure the border. Yes, we need to have comprehensive immigration. But this is a federal responsibility. States shouldn't take action in their own hands as Arizona did.

We need the Obama administration to contest this law because it's a federal responsibility, to throw it out and find a way to deal with this problem that Congress is ducking its responsibility to have comprehensive immigration reform, not just for border states like mine, but for everyone in this country.

CHETRY: Right, but is it - sometimes there's a sense of wanting to have it both ways, in some cases. If the states - you know, let the states take care of this. Let the states decide when comes to gay marriage. Let the states decide all these other things but if it's something that, you know, we're not in favor of, then it's not the state - it's not up to the states individually to take this into their own hands.

I mean, is that sort of trying to have it both ways?

RICHARDSON: Not really. You know, every state abides by federal responsibility that immigration is federal. Arizona took a different step.

So what I'm saying is that because the Congress has failed, states like Arizona that are frustrated, understandably, take the matter into their own hands. That's the wrong thing to do.

But it's wrong also for the Congress to duck this issue, to not want to deal with it because it's tough politically.

ACOSTA: Well Governor - RICHARDSON: To -

ACOSTA: Yes, Governor, we could go on and on about this issue. But it's good to see you down there in Washington D.C. and - and thanks for joining us this morning.

RICHARDSON: Thank you, Jim. Thank you.

ACOSTA: Appreciate it.

RICHARDSON: Thanks for having me.

CHETRY: Good to talk to you as always. Thanks, Governor.

RICHARDSON: Thanks, Kiran. Thank you.

CHETRY: Well, we're coming up on 48 minutes past the hour. Jacqui Jeras up next with a look at your travel forecast, and boy, some rough weather heading our way in - in many places across the country. She's going to give us a quick look. You may be able to -

ACOSTA: But, you know, then it gets better. That's the thing about the weather.

CHETRY: Isn't that beautiful?

Unfortunately, if your flight is grounded, that may not be -

ACOSTA: That's not so good.

CHETRY: That may be cold comfort.

We're back after a quick break.

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CHETRY: Fifty minutes past the hour. Time for us to get a quick check of the weather headlines, and we turn to Jacqui Jeras now who's following Extreme Weather for us. Hey, Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, guys. Yes, it is extreme already at this hour of the morning.

We've got some really wicked thunderstorms that are moving across north central parts of Oklahoma at this hour. Check out the purple on the map, just east of I-35, likely seeing some big hail with this, maybe an inch in diameter or more and some strong, gusty winds.

There you can see a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 10:00 this morning and a lot of heavy rain with this too as it moves across parts of Kansas into Missouri, which is already very saturated. And so we do expect that some flooding will be likely here with an extra 1 to 3 on top of what you've already seen.

Now, in the northeast, we've got the remnants (ph) our area of low pressure here. We could see a few spotty showers in Southern New England, but, for the most part, this is going to stay up into Maine, but low clouds are going to persist, so airport delays are going to be expected anyway for you. Boston, New York City metros, a few thunderstorms for Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and Orlando, Dallas, 30 to 60, and 30 to 60 also in San Francisco.

The big show happens we think late today. Same spots that are getting it now could see some large tornadoes later on this afternoon. We'll have more details on that and track those storms throughout the day today.

Jim and Kiran, back to you.

ACOSTA: Thanks, Jacqui.

JERAS: (INAUDIBLE).

CHETRY: Well, before you open a can of food, you'll want to hear about this one, a new report finding a chemical that many people are trying to avoid in almost every metal container. We'll explain, coming up.

Fifty-two minutes past the hour.

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CHETRY: Fifty-five minutes past the hour.

New this morning, President Obama taking aim at Republicans for blocking a bill that would hold oil companies more accountable for cleaning up oil spills. Right now the law caps an oil company's liability for economic damages at $75 million.

Democrats proposed a bill raising that cap to $10 billion, but Republican Senator James Inhofe blocked it, saying that it would hurt smaller drillers.

ACOSTA: And during hearings on the gulf oil spill, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar came under fire for the way Washington does business with the oil and gas companies involved in offshore drilling. Check this out.

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SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I), VERMONT: I'm running out of time, but can you give me an answer to the question? Is it worth the risk? Is three cents a gallon in the year 2030 worth the potential risk of another disaster like this?

KEN SALAZAR, INTERIOR SECRETARY: The reality of it is that we will be depending on oil and gas as we transition to a new energy future. You are not going to turn off the lights of this country or the economy by shutting it all down.

SANDERS: No one is talking about shutting it all down. We're talking about reinstating the moratorium that had been going on, existing for many, many years. SALAZAR: You know, I think -

SANDERS: New drilling.

SALAZAR: Senator Sanders, I don't mean to be argumentative with you, but I think what we need to do, as the president has - has done and as we have done, is we've hit the pause button.

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ACOSTA: That's Salazar tangling with Independent Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders, and Salazar vowed that in the future the federal government would do a better job regulating the industry.

CHETRY: Well, a warning about some of the canned foods that you may eat, a report by an environmental health group found the chemical Bisphenol a, BPA, present in almost every can. They say that it can pose health risks to infants and pregnant women and animals.

The chemical has been linked to behavior issues, also an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The jury's still out about whether or not it's harmful to humans, although many people do try to avoid it. The FDA right now is not commenting on this report.

ACOSTA: And I bet you didn't know this, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan has a net worth of about $1.8 million. That's according to a Senate judiciary committee questionnaire. The largest part of the money is in retirement accounts.

If Kagan's confirmed it would be the first time in history three women have served on the high court at the same time.

CHETRY: And meanwhile, we're going to take a quick break. When we come back, your top stories, next.

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