Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Deadline Day for BP Plan; Arkansas Flash Flood Claims Young Victims; "Humanitarian Catastrophe"; The Price of Oil Disaster; USA Ties 1-1; Obama Heads to Gulf Coast Again; Patients Supports Dr. Murray; Flotilla Raid Inquiry; A Fortune in Afghanistan; Space Capsule Lands
Aired June 14, 2010 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good Monday morning. Thanks so much for joining us on the Most News in the Morning. It's the 14th of June. I'm John Roberts.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us. We have a lot of big stories we're telling you about in the next 15 minutes.
First, the White House and BP. The administration telling BP to pick up the pace. The president demanding to see a new plan for capturing more of that leaking oil in the gulf, and he wants that plan in his hands by midnight tonight.
ROBERTS: President Obama will be heading to the gulf later this morning for a two-day stay. It's going to be his fourth trip there since the spill last month. He's going to visit three states where there's a lot of pain right now -- Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. How the president wants BP to ease that pain in just a moment.
CHETRY: Search teams will be back in the water and trying to move piles of tangled trees and debris, continuing their search for one person still missing after flash floods tore through an Arkansas campground. Crews have now found a 19th victim. We're live at the scene and we're also talking to the state's governor this morning.
And as always, the amFIX blog is up and running. Join the live conversation by heading to CNN.com/amFIX.
ROBERTS: Pick up the pace and come up with a plan. That's the message this morning from the president to BP. This is day 56 of the disaster in the gulf. And there's a lot going on as the oil continues to foul the Gulf of Mexico.
BP faces a midnight deadline. The White House demanding a plan today for speeding up containment to the leaking crude. Exactly how much crude is leaking? That mystery could be cleared up later this week now that BP agreed to install pressure sensors inside the ruptured well yesterday. As for the cost of this catastrophe, the White House is now demanding the oil giant set up a million billion dollar clean-up fund to be administered independently. Our Chris Lawrence is live in New Orleans this morning. And, Chris, as the president gets ready to head down to the Gulf Coast again today, are we getting any information about what this new containment plan might be?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: You know, we are, John. And basically what this is, is the Coast Guard is telling BP the plan that you had may have worked for what we thought was gushing out of that ruptured well. Now that we think it may be twice as much, the plan's got to get a lot better and faster.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): BP has just started installing the first pieces of a new conduit system it says could contain two million gallons of oil every day. It's supposed to be ready in July. Crews have also started building the first of six sand berms that could keep oil out of the Barrier Islands. State officials say it will be done in August.
The here and now is oil-soaked birds, tar-stained beaches and local businesses going bust, which is why the Coast Guard gave BP a Sunday night deadline to speed up its plans. The government estimates anywhere from 900,000 to 1.7 million gallons are gushing into the gulf every day. It told BP to deploy pressure sensors to get a more specific number. On Sunday, the company used remote control robots to position those sensors inside the containment cap itself. But a BP official told us it will take a few days to know if they're sending better information. Quote, "It's a complex operation and how effective it will be, we don't know. It's not as if they'll plug these sensors in and get readings right away."
BP says it's capturing 600,000 gallons every day. And starting Tuesday, plans to re-jigger that top kill system. Now it didn't work when the ship was pumping mud down to plug the leak, but now the same pipes will suck up oil and BP claims it can contain another 400,000 gallons a day.
The system can't capture enough oil so other ships are skimming it off the surface. But as they head towards one beach, the constantly shifting oil slick splashes into another. So the Coast Guard commander ordered a change in strategy. Skimmers need to get further offshore to collect the oil that's not being captured above the well.
ADMIRAL THAD ALLEN, U.S. COAST GUARD, NATIONAL INCIDENT COMMANDER: We're finding out is we're getting to a point we need to fight this war between the shore and the offshore well where the oil is starting maybe 15 miles off the coast.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: Of course, remember these plans aren't perfect. The sand berms, for example, could block that oil from getting to the wetlands. It could also collapse before they do any good or block needed water from getting there -- John. ROBERTS: And what about the wildlife there? Any update on how badly they're being affected by all of this, Chris?
LAWRENCE: Yes. Last week, my colleague Jim Acosta was blocked from getting access to some of the triage centers where the animals were brought in. Now, over the weekend, we were finally allowed in to see what happens when they bring some of those birds in to treat them, try to clean them up. A very stressful process. We saw the birds getting the oil scraped out of them, getting fluids injected.
The big problem that I heard from the Coast Guard was, even though they collected over 300 birds at this particular location on Grand Isle, he feels most of the birds that collect oil out there simply die in sync. And so, really, the problem is much bigger because they just never account for how many oil-sick birds there really are out there.
ROBERTS: Difficult to get a handle on just exactly how big this disaster is. We learn more every day.
Chris Lawrence this morning in New Orleans. Chris, thanks so much.
CHETRY: Meantime, the president leaves the White House this morning just after 9:00 a.m. And the first stop, Gulfport, Mississippi where he'll get a briefing on the oil spill from Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen. He'll also meet with local officials and residents before heading to Alabama this afternoon. Then he'll arrive in Pensacola, Florida tonight. He'll spend the night there.
And the president will address the nation on the oil spill. It's happening at 8:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night. It will be the first time that he's used the Oval Office to speak to the American people, and CNN will carry the speech live.
ROBERTS: And another suck (ph) to the environmental gut. This one in the foothills of Salt Lake City where crews think they have stopped 21,000 gallons of oil that was headed straight for Utah's Great Salt Lake. A Chevron pipeline burst on Friday night sending sludge flowing into a creek until it was shut off the next morning. Neighborhoods are covered in crude. The spill taking a toll on wildfire at area creeks and ponds, coating about 300 birds with oil and possibly threatening an endangered fish species.
CHETRY: Well, new developments this morning from Arkansas. Police say they found the 19th victim of the flash flooding that tore through the campgrounds on Friday. The search through muddy, mangled piles of debris will continue this morning for one person still missing.
There was no warning. Survivors talk about a wall of water roaring through, sweeping away everything in its path. They've gathered with family members at a nearby church and some are going to the site to recover what's left of their possessions that they had at the campground. Police say at least six flood victims were children. Casey Wian is live for us at the command center in Langley, Arkansas with the story of one victim in particular. Good morning, Casey.
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kiran, John. One of the flood's 19 victims was a little girl named Kylie Sullivan who lived in Texarkana, Texas about two hours from here. Her family is still struggling with the fact that she is gone.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN (voice-over): Seven-year-old Kylie Sullivan was fresh out of first grade and excited to be going on a camping trip.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She loved people. That was her main thing. She never met a stranger.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The heart that Kylie had was just so full of life and she just loved things. But she was so kind. She was just a kind child.
WIAN: But Kylie's trip to Camp Albert Pike with her mother, relatives and friends would turn deadly as Friday's flash floodwaters raged. Her great grandparents heard about the flood and rushed to the area.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All that we knew on the way up there was the information that we would hear on the radio and we heard them say there was 10 people killed. And then the next time, she said there was 12. And then she said there was 14. And that's all we knew. We kept thinking, where are our babies?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's when we first heard that Kylie and Gable (ph) and Julie didn't make it. That was our first time we heard that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And what was that like?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God. Worst thing ever. Worst thing I've ever heard.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Kylie's playroom. So I don't see how I can ever move these things because I would sit here with her when she put them here. And she would, you know, say Barbara, will you come and play with me? She always called me Barbara. That's all she's ever called me. And I -- this is just where she loved to be when she was here. And I loved for her to be here. She just has left lots of precious memories for us.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't believe God took Kylie. I believe an accident happened and I believe, you know, that she is in heaven now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Kylie's best friend and her grandmother also perished in that flash flood. Kylie was supposed to start band (ph) camp today. Instead, her funeral is planned for tomorrow. Rescuers and search crews are continuing to comb -- or will be combing this area at first light this morning searching for the one person who's still officially remained missing -- Kiran and John.
CHETRY: You know, and, Casey, it is heartbreaking, I mean, to hear that family's story and so many just like it. But amazingly, they had really downgraded the number of people missing. At one point over the weekend, I believe they thought it was 20 people that were still accounted for because the records washed away. And now they're still searching for one person.
WIAN: Right. And part of the confusion was the records washed away. Part of the confusion was this area is very remote. People can access it from different roads. Not everyone registered with officials. And some of the people who they thought were missing as late as yesterday they've now determined were camping in other areas in Arkansas and were simply out of cell phone range. So it's now down to one person missing and they'll be searching again later this morning.
CHETRY: Such a tragedy there. Casey Wian for us this morning, thanks so much.
Coming up at 7:40 Eastern, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe is going to be updating us on the victims, on the search and rescue effort, and talk about a little bit more about why this happened, how it was possible, and is there any way they can prevent another tragedy like this happening in the future. He's coming up, joining us in just about an hour.
ROBERTS: Other stories new this morning, graphic new details today about Joran van der Sloot's murder confession and transcripts released by Peruvian police. Van der Sloot says he elbowed Stephany Flores in the face in a Lima hotel room before strangling her, and then suffocating her with his own shirt. Van der Sloot tells police he thought about hiding the body but fled instead. He's now charged with murder.
CHETRY: Lightning strikes apparently set off a major gas fire. It happened in Greensboro, North Carolina. Officials say a 20,000 barrel tank erupted in flames early Sunday. It happened at a gasoline company's tank farm. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to other tanks in that pipeline complex.
ROBERTS: And yes, she'll do it again. Abby Sunderland, the 16- year-old who tried to sail solo around the world says she's in awe of the rescue effort and plans to try again. The California teenager was plucked from her disabled sailboat on Saturday after spending three days adrift in the Indian Ocean. Writing on her blog, Sunderland says she thought it would take weeks to be found.
CHETRY: We'll see if her mom lets her. When we talked to her last week, she said my knee-jerk reaction is to say, "keep all the kids at home."
ROBERTS: Yes. If I was her mom, I would. But don't go to the one or headed back out in the high seas again.
CHETRY: No way.
Well, it's 11 minutes past the hour right now. Time to get a check of the weather and this morning's headlines. Jacqui Jeras in the extreme weather for us this morning.
Hey, good morning, Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hey, good morning, guys. Wet stuff on the radar again today. And we're looking at some incredible downpours, as much as two inches per hour. We've got another one of those clusters of thunderstorms that's moving across the plain states and the flood risk very high across parts of Kansas, Missouri and Iowa at this hour. We do expect some of the thunderstorms to become severe later on today from Texas all the way up through the Ohio River Valley with very hot temperatures across parts of the southeast.
We've got heat advisories in effect where it's going to be feeling like 100 to 112 degrees. Plus the tropics starting to get a little interesting. We'll tell you all about that when we see you again. We'll be back half hour. John and Kiran, back to you.
ROBERTS: Well, let's hope it's not too interesting. Thanks, Jacqui, we'll see you soon.
Still to come on the Most News in the Morning, violence explodes in Kyrgyzstan. A look at what sparked it and why this is a sensitive region for U.S. interests. We have a live report coming up.
It's 12 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Fifteen minutes past the hour right now. Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
A humanitarian catastrophe -- that's how one Red Cross official is describing the worst ethnic violence Kyrgyzstan has seen in decades.
ROBERTS: At least 114 people have reportedly been killed in the bloodshed. More than 14 others have been wounded, and tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.
CNN's Matthew Chance is following developments for us this morning. He's live in our Moscow bureau. What sparked all of this in the first place, Matthew?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: John, it's a good question. I mean, not much is known about this sort of ethnic tensions that have existed in this part of Kyrgyzstan between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz people. Been going on for decades, the sort of the rivalry over, you know, kind of property and water resources, things like that. It's a very impoverished country. But what we do know is that back in April, the government was toppled in Kyrgyzstan in a popular uprising and the new government, the interim government have been -- have never been fully able to impose their authority on this part of Southern Kyrgyzstan. And so that's allowed for these ethnic tensions to simmer over again in these very bloody scenes that we've been seeing in person over the past few days, John.
CHETRY: And explain for people here why this could affect U.S. interests. What is it about the fighting that's going on in this nation that could have implications here at home?
CHANCE: Yes. It -- it's not a country, is it, that you hear much about in the U.S. or really anywhere else in the world. But, you know, this is strategically important because both the Russians and the U.S. have very important military bases there. And, you know, the U.S. military base at Manas is the key installation that the U.S. uses to re-supply the troops in Afghanistan.
It's not under threat at the moment. It's away from where this violence is taking place. Obviously, Washington watching the situation in this unstable but crucial country very closely indeed, Kiran.
ROBERTS: So what's the situation on the ground there presently, Matthew?
CHANCE: Yes. Well, it's very unclear. We don't have anybody of our own on the ground yet, so we've been speaking to various eyewitnesses. A lot of people have been killed, first of all, mainly Uzbeks, apparently set up on by gangs of ethnic Kyrgyz men. We have at least 114 dead.
But, you know, what the Red Cross is telling us is that there are bodies strewn over, you know, the streets of cities like Osh in the south, Jalal-abad in the south as well. And so those bodied haven't been counted yet.
It's obviously a very acute humanitarian crisis. What we do know is that in neighboring Uzbekistan, there are tens of thousands, 80,000 people according to the Red Cross, that have flooded out, mainly women and children, into these refugee camps. They've left the men behind to defend the property, which they say is under attack by these ethnic Kyrgyz gangs, John.
ROBERTS: Matthew Chance with the very latest for us this morning from Matthew -- from Moscow. Thanks so much, Matthew.
And coming up next on the Most News in the Morning, making -- making BP pay for the gulf oil spill. The new push to make the oil giant help Gulf Coast fishermen and businesses.
Christine Romans "Minding Your Business" coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) ROBERTS: Yes. Everything old is new again. Still the best around, the "Karate Kid" remake was the big winner at the weekend box office, taking in $56 million, with Jackie Chan and Will Smith's kid replacing Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio.
Another '80s flashback, "The A-Team" -- they remade "The A-Team"? Why?
CHETRY: It gained 26 million the first week, I guess that's why.
ROBERTS: It came in a distant second, oh.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: There you go.
ROBERTS: It just goes to show --
ROMANS: I think it's two hours out of "The A-Team." I'm interested about that. I mean, it barely made the -- what is it? I can't remember, half hour now --
ROBERTS: Forty-seven minutes was difficult to stretch out, because that's how long those programs are.
ROMANS: When they start remaking the shows that we all grew up with --
CHETRY: Doesn't it make you feel a little old?
ROMANS: Yes. It does.
CHETRY: Making -- it bothered me more that they remade "The Karate Kid," because that was a masterpiece. I loved that movie. But --
ROMANS: Did they do "wash on, wash off"? Was that in there?
CHETRY: I didn't see it yet.
ROMANS: Someone please e-mail us and tell us if there was "wash on, wash off."
CHETRY: "Wax on, wax off."
ROMANS: Oh -- "wax on."
CHETRY: That's right.
ROMANS: Oh, Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, Christine Romans is here, "Minding Your Business." She joins us now. And we're talking a little bit about making BP pay.
ROMANS: Yes.
CHETRY: There was a big meeting at the White House and they want the company to really give assurances that they're going to help provide financially for these communities.
ROMANS: That's absolutely right, and the president would like an escrow account. He would like BP to put money in an escrow account to make sure the money have been set aside so there are no questions once this entire bill has finally added up that BP will have to pay.
How much should be in that escrow account? Senator Harry Reid says $20 billion.
BP also under pressure to suspend its dividend payment. This is the money that it gives every quarter to shareholders, investors in the company. There's a meeting of the board of BP today. It's unclear whether they'll make a decision on the second quarter dividend, but one of the -- one of the possibilities is that they could put it -- defer the dividend. So shareholders, investors will be promised that they'll be paid a certain amount of money but only after people are paid back for the damage because of the oil spill.
Let's talk a little bit about the cost of the spill, because we got an update earlier this morning from BP about what they've spent so far. It's $1.6 billion.
If you look at how much money in the first quarter the company made every day, $66 million. You multiply that by 56 days since the spill began. The profits to this company have probably been in the -- the three -- $3.5 billion range. So they are still making more money than the cost of the spill, but, again, we don't know what the ultimate cost of this spill will be.
Also, an update on the claims submitted, 51,000 submitted so far. Payments made so far, $26,500 and $62 million worth. That also includes some payments to some states and also to Louisiana, for example, to try to figure out how to -- to build some -- some containment measures.
So, still a lot of people are criticizing BP, saying not enough of these claims are made. And Thad Allen from the Coast Guard would like to see an independent third party be in charge of paying out those claims.
He says, look, these guys are in the oil business. They're in the business of making -- making money from oil. They're not in the business of organizing and paying out claims from the damage. He'd like to see somebody else doing that.
ROBERTS: So what's this morning's "Romans' Numeral"?
ROMANS: Eleven cents. So, all this drama about BP and gas and oil --
ROBERTS: Gas and oil's -- gasoline's gone up 11 cents since the spill?
ROMANS: Gone down 11 cents in three weeks. So, at the pump, you are noticing lower prices for gasoline, and that's mostly because demand is down right now because the economy -- you know, people still -- a lot of people are still out of work.
But, longer term, when you look at the futures market for oil, there are some concerns that these restrictions on deepwater drilling could mean higher oil prices down the road, years down the road, if there -- you know, if there's bigger regulatory hurdles for -- for offshore drilling.
ROBERTS: Christine Romans, "Minding Your Business" this morning. We'll see you again soon.
CHETRY: Thanks, Christine.
ROBERTS: Next up on the Most News in the Morning, it wasn't a win but it was the next best thing. We'll take a look at the big game between the U.S. and England at the World Cup.
When is a tie a win? Well, this might have been a clear-cut example.
Twenty-five minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back. Twenty-seven minutes past the hour right now.
For a few hours on Saturday afternoon -- did you watch, by the way, the World Cup?
ROBERTS: No, I didn't.
CHETRY: Well, the United States was a football nation, football as in soccer.
ROBERTS: Every flat screen in every pub, soccer experts and the soccer illiterate all locked in on Team USA versus England in the World Cup, even though the Yanks got a gift from England's goalkeeper. A one-one draw never ever felt so good.
Richard Roth has got all the excitement for us this morning. Were you watching? Obviously, yes.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I was. I wonder what you were doing.
CHETRY: You've got your World Cup tie on.
ROTH: I headed, by the way, to our nation's capital where John has spent many years, to personally see people watching the big match, much anticipated in hype for months.
The English scored first after four minutes or so. That deflated many in Dupont Circle, where I was. But further along in the first half, the English goalie badly bubbled (ph) a shot by Clint Dempsey.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
ROTH (voice-over): England has still not defeated the Americans in World Cup play. Of course, it was 60 years ago that the U.S., with an amateur squad, knocked the English off in a shocker one-nothing.
After this one-one tie or match, I spoke with a man who has represented the U.S. in World Cups before.
ROTH (on camera): Eddie, how do you interpret a one-one tie?
EDDIE POPE, FORMER PLAYER, U.S. MEN'S SOCCER TEAM: I think it's great for us. You know, we went out and everyone was saying the English was going to crush us, you know, they're going to get a great result.
But the boys stepped up, they played well. They all know me. I love you, boys. Keep it going. We're going to get through to the next round. That's all I have to say.
ROTH: It sounds like you're trying to try out for the team again.
POPE: Absolutely.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: The thousands who attended this fan festival organized by two Washington private citizens thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Some post-match analysis from both sides.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: You're an American. You painted your face. Was it worth it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely. Yes. This victory, I feel partly responsible for.
ROTH: Victory? It's a tie.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, it's a victory in my heart.
ROTH: How do you interpret this? It's disappointing, isn't it, for you as an English fan?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. It's an American victory. In my -- in my thinking it's an American victory. They played well and they played well against a very strong English team. I think this is an English team that could go all the way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's fantastic to see this sort of atmosphere here in the -- in the USA. I've been to World Cups before and it was as good as any that I've seen.
(END VIDEOTAPE) ROTH: Next match for the United States, Friday morning against Slovenia.
The U.S. plays three matches. They've already played one with England. It's still a tight try (ph) to get out of this group stage with the four teams.
CHETRY: It's funny though that you call it a tie. I mean, that that -- I mean, the impression is that a tie, because our team was not favored, is a win.
ROTH: That's right. There was a big headline in the New York papers here about the U.S. winning, that was --
CHETRY: Yes, it says USA wins 1-1.
ROBERTS: I was hoping to see the scene where the goalkeeper bobbled the ball but I guess we don't have rights to show. Can you re-enact it?
ROTH: Yes, I will. Maybe later in the show, I'll bring a ball out here. But it was --
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: -- because I didn't watch the game.
ROTH: Yes, I heard that. It's a new ball. And many of the players object to it, they say it acts strange. It moves in different ways and they're having trouble holding on.
CHETRY: Yes, blame the ball.
ROTH: I do occasionally. But you hear -- some say don't -- some say don't blame the ball, blame the players. But that is the trend so far, bad goalie play. We saw that yesterday in another match.
CHETRY: That he didn't watch where you talking about Ghana?
ROTH: Well, he may have tried -- he was flying back from South Africa maybe for the opening ceremonies. But you both have been busy in the Gulf and all that. But the World Cup is very important around the world, you know, billions watching.
ROBERTS: Yes. I'll look forward to the re-enactment later this morning.
ROTH: OK.
ROBERTS: In slow-motion.
ROTH: But we don't stage things in CNN. So, it's a reenactment.
ROBERTS: It's a reenactment. Yes. He'll give us the old Richard Roth slow-mo as well. Nothing like it. Wait until you see it.
Thanks, Richard.
Crossing the half-hour. Top story this morning: Flash floods in Arkansas now claiming 19 lives. Police say they found another victim yesterday. No one has been found alive since Friday but the search continues this morning for one person still missing somewhere in all the mud, water and debris.
CHETRY: Well, still a nightmare for travelers if you're going Spirit Airlines. Passengers stranded for a third day in a row after the company's pilots are still striking. All flights are canceled now until Wednesday. Pilots have complained that their pay isn't competitive with other discount carriers. The airline, though, so far, has refused to go to the bargaining table.
ROBERTS: No to mention that but they were charging for the carry-on luggage, too. No, just kidding.
The president is heading to Mississippi this morning. He's also going to make stops in Alabama and Florida on a two-day visit to the Gulf Coast. He's giving BP a deadline of midnight tonight to come one plan to capture more leaking oil faster. The White House wants BP to set up a multibillion dollar fund so claims can be paid out much more quickly.
CHETRY: Well, the president is trying to show the American people that he is on top of this catastrophe. After he wraps up his two-day Gulf Coast visit and aggresses the nation tomorrow night, he'll then meet face to face with BP executives at the White House on Wednesday. Too little, too late -- according to Republican Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: He could have picked up the phone and called the CEO of BP sooner than 50 days. I'm glad he's meeting with the chairman of BP next week. But I think the fact that he never spoke to the CEO of British Petroleum for the first 50 days of this incident is emblematic of the kind of detached style of leadership that we're seeing here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: In less than three hours, President Obama will be departing the White House to make his fourth visit to the Gulf Coast since the oil began to gush, and we may know soon just how much crude is really pouring into the ocean. BP installed pressure sensors in the leaking well yesterday. It could be a few days before we can final readings and a calculation on that.
CHETRY: And with each day that passes, more damage is inflicted. The despair is growing. Beaches overcome by crude and livelihoods withering away.
Our Dan Lothian is in Alabama this morning.
And tell us a little bit about what's going to be different about this trip than the last time the president visited some of these Gulf Coast regions?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kiran, a number of things. First of all, the president is coming to these states for the first time, to Alabama, to Mississippi, and to Florida. Some folks in these -- in this region, have complained that they haven't gotten the kind of attention that Louisiana has gotten. So, he's coming to these states for the first time.
Also, we'll also see the president on the water for the first time. He will be on a ferry going to an island not far from where we're standing.
And then the third thing is that the president will be spending the night in the Gulf. He'll spend the night in Pensacola, Florida. There have been some claims that the president essentially just zoomed in to Louisiana, would check out, survey the situation, talk to officials, then leave and not spend the night. So, he will be spending time here in the Gulf.
Residents here are eager to hear what the president has to say. But one man we spoke to hopes that the government will talk less and do more.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM HALL, GULF COAST RESIDENT: Looking at the overall picture, I wish he would take more assertive power in what's going on as far as protection of our environment. My property values have probably dropped 30 percent, 40 percent in the last 50 days. And I know all about the claims and I know all about the payment back, but I just wish the government would become a little bit more active in taking care of we, the voters.
These visits are somewhat of a photo-op. And I don't see any real action taken as a result of the visit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LOTHIAN: Now, when President Obama lands in Mississippi later this morning, he will be briefed by Admiral Thad Allen, who is the government's point person in the region for this crisis. He'll also sit down for a roundtable with residents, a chance for him to hear their concerns and to give some reassurances -- Kiran and John.
ROBERTS: What does the White House hope to gain from all of this, Dan?
LOTHIAN: Well, again, you know, after weeks of criticism that they have not been -- the president has not been fully engaged, this is an opportunity for the president again to show that he's on top of the situation. That he's meeting face to face with residents and listening to their concerns.
But it also gives the president essentially some talking points, if you will, as he heads back to Washington on Tuesday when he gives that address, he will be also to say, listen, I was just in the Gulf, I had a chance to see this and I had a chance talk to people and here's what my plans are, and the administration's plans are going forward, John.
ROBERTS: In for us this morning on the Gulf Coast -- Dan, thanks so much.
The president will address the nation on the oil spill at 8:00 p.m. Eastern tomorrow night. It will be the first time that he has used the Oval Office to speak to the American people. And CNN will carry that speech live.
CHETRY: Still ahead and coming up on the Most News in the Morning, a doctor accused of causing Michael Jackson's death could lose his medical license. And some of Conrad Murray's patients are coming forward to support him. We'll have the latest in the investigation -- still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ROBERTS: It's 39 minutes after the hour. And time now for your "A.M. House Call," stories about your health.
Troubling news for millions of people taking some popular pills to treat high blood pressure and heart failure: new research out of Britain shows angiotensin receptor blockers, or ARBs as they're called, could raise cancer risk by 10 percent. The study shows that the risk is highest for lung cancer. Researchers say they can't name the exact risk and they want drug regulators to investigate.
The fight against childhood obesity is now on your local mayor's to-do list. The Obama administration is telling mayors across the country First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move Campaign won't work unless entire communities join in. Leaders are being encouraged to help the cause by building parks, supporting farmers markets and pushing for healthier school launches.
And are Americans overexposing themselves to radiation? The FDA thinks so. It says too many medical tests have pushed the average American's dose to six times what it was 30 years ago. The government does not regulate radiation exposure except in mammograms, but the FDA is now pushing for it in other medical tests like CT scans -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Well, the doctor accused of having a role in Michael Jackson's death will be fighting to keep his medical license again in court today. In this "A.M. Original," something you'll see only on AMERICAN MORNING, a much different opinion of Dr. Conrad Murray.
Ted Rowlands talks to patients who say that Dr. Murray deserves praise, not persecution.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Conrad Murray is facing criminal charges in the death of Michael Jackson. His medical license is in jeopardy, yet he continues to practice at his clinic here in Las Vegas and at a clinic in Houston. And, believe it or not, patients are still coming to see him.
(voice-over): Dr. Conrad Murray, not in a courtroom but in a cardiology clinic, seeing patients who are eager to stand up for the man accused of killing Michael Jackson.
Gerry Cause says Dr. Murray saved his life after a heart attack 10 years ago. He now drives 160 miles, nearly six hours round trip, to see him.
GERRY CAUSE, PATIENT OF DR. MURRAY: He's the most compassionate man. He loves his patients better than any doctor I've ever been to. He will take time with you, as much time as it takes.
ROWLANDS: Most of these patients showed up because they were told we were coming. Many say they're upset with the media and Jackson fans portraying Dr. Murray as a murder.
HUGH CRANDELL, PATIENT OF DR. MURRAY: I know for fact, just knowing the man, he did everything possible to keep Michael Jackson alive.
ROWLANDS: J.D. Nicholas is a member of the Commodores and knew Michael Jackson. He's been a patient of Dr. Murray's for 10 years. He doesn't think that his doctor is responsible for Michael Jackson's death.
J.D. NICHOLAS, COMMODORES: I just can't see him being the person that he's being painted to be. I just can't see that. That's not the person that I know.
ROWLANDS: In the weeks before his death, while rehearsing for his upcoming concerts in London, Michael Jackson, with Dr. Murray's help, was using the surgical anesthesia Propofol as a sleep aid. Murray is accused of killing the pop star with an overdose of the powerful drug.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't want you sedating people.
ROWLANDS: As a condition of bail, Murray was ordered not to give anyone Propofol or any other anesthesia. Now, the California medical board wants a judge to stop him from practicing medicine all together. A motion filed last week says the board questions Murray's, quote, "fundamental judgment and skill as a physician."
Murray's lawyer, Charles Peckham, argues there's no grounds for taking Murray's license.
CHARLES PECKHAM, MURRAY'S CIVIL ATTORNEY: The question that the medical boards have is whether or not they have a doctor on their hands that is a threat to public safety -- and he's just not. He's a good doctor. He's a benefit to his patients. He's a benefit to public health. And so, they need to keep him.
ROWLANDS: Murray also has a practice in the struggling Houston, Texas, neighborhood of Acres Homes. Murray opened this clinic as a tribute to his father who spent his life practicing medicine here and is buried in the cemetery down the street. Patients here argue that taking Murray's license will hurt this underserved community.
RANSOM CRADDOCK, PATIENT OF DR. MURRAY: Dr. Murray is a good doctor, very good doctor. And I recommend him around the world. And we stand together with him in this community.
ROWLANDS (on camera): Conrad Murray allowed us into his clinic to shoot videotape of himself at work and allowed us to interview the patients inside, but he refused our repeated requests for an on-camera interview.
Ted Rowlands, CNN, Las Vegas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Ted Rowlands for us -- thanks.
ROBERTS: Well, Jacqui Jeras is in for Rob this morning. She's got this morning's travel forecast. She'll have it right after the break.
Stay with us. Forty-four minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Twenty-seven minutes past the hour as we take a look at Atlanta this morning where right now it's 76 degrees already. It's pretty clear. Little later, it's going up to a high of 93 degrees and looking mostly sunny in Atlanta this morning.
ROBERTS: New this morning, the United States is backing Israel's plan to investigate its deadly raid on a flotilla that was headed to Gaza last month. The Israelis have named a three-person panel to look into the May 31st incident that killed nine Turkish activists. Two international observers had been tapped to oversee the process. One is an Irish Nobel peace prize laureate, the other a former judge advocate general from Canada.
Nearly $1 trillion in untapped mineral deposits have been discovered by the U.S. in Afghanistan. A report lays it out in "The New York Times" showing that they include huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and essential industrial metals like lithium. According to the report, U.S. officials say that Afghanistan could theoretically be transformed into one of the most important mining centers in the world.
ROBERTS: These computer benefits (ph) give use over that lithium. And after a seven-year, 4 billion-mile journey, a Japanese space capsule has returned to earth landing overnight in the Australian outback. Scientists say it may contain the first-ever samples collected from an asteroid which could help them better understand the origin and evolution of the solar system. The capsule will be returned to Tokyo where scientists will open it in about two weeks' time.
CHETRY: Pretty fall (ph). It's 48 minutes past the hour right now. Time to get a check of the morning's weather headlines. We have Jacqui Jeras for us in the Extreme Weather Center this morning. Good morning, Jacqui.
JERAS: Hey, good morning, guys. The umbrella required again today in the plains. It's like every morning, you wake up and, it's the same sad song that you've got this big complex of thunderstorms that's moving across the area. You know, in the last seven days, you've seen anywhere between four and eight inches of rainfall. So, this is just adding insult to injury and causing a lot of the rivers and the creeks to be on the rise. We're getting lots of reports now out of Wichita from overnight, some very significant flooding and a lot of cars getting stuck as a result of that.
The heavy rain moving toward Tulsa, Springfield, Kansas City, you're going to get in on this action. And we think that complex is going to make its way all the way up to Chicago. So, flood watches and warnings are widespread in this area. The red area is at the warnings that includes Kansas City and then watches all across the area, the green. We've seen just really devastating conditions in the Midwest as a result of this, and unfortunately, our weather pattern kind of staying status quo. Slight risk that these thunderstorms will be severe especially later today and damaging winds will be the primary risk.
Now, high pressure to the south holding you hot across the southeast and the humidity levels are really unbearable. You can just feel how heavy the air is, even in the morning hours. Heat indices beyond 100 degrees expected, the lower Mississippi River Valley with advisories, as well as parts of the Carolinas and Georgia pushing 112. Look at the temperatures on the thermometer, well into the 90s for you but feeling good in Chicago and Minneapolis due to that cold front up there and staying very chilly across parts of the west.
All right. Things are certainly getting a little interesting here into parts of the Atlantic. There you can see Africa over here and this is the Caribbean. So, it's in the middle of nowhere right now. This is just a tropical wave, but it does have a pretty good chance of developing into tropical depression number one, possibly even before the day is over. The computer models bring it toward the Caribbean islands, however, the winds here not favorable. So, if we do get development here in the next day or two, it likely won't last very long.
John and Kiran, back to you.
ROBERTS: Essentially, though, a harbinger of things to come. Jacqui, thanks so much.
JERAS: Yes.
CHETRY: Keep bringing out the spaghetti models on Monday morning. Thanks.
ROBERTS: This morning's top stories just minutes away now, including BP on the clock. The president demanding a plan as he gets ready to address the nation about the worst oil spill in U.S. history. We're live in the Gulf this morning.
Also an A.M. original -- are you smart? Should 3 year olds be taking kindergarten entrance exams and can you change your brain as you get older? Alina Cho has a look inside your head for answers.
ROBERTS: And that sound. What is up with the horn session at the World Cup? Players, fans and networks all screaming, making it stop! Sounds like a swarm of bees. Oh my God. Those stories and more coming your way beginning at the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Five minutes now to the top of the hour. We're back with the Most News in the Morning. And we want to show you a new initiative from CNN.com. It's called "Home and Away." It's a tribute to our fallen heroes in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This is how it looks when you first logon. You get a map of Afghanistan on this side with the areas highlighted where U.S. troops and coalition troops have fallen, and over here, their corresponding home towns. Also have the same thing for Iraq here. You can see the number of casualties piling up as the dots begin to build on the United States, more than 4,712 casualties.
This morning, we want to highlight one particular casualty. This is Corporal Karen Nicole Clifton, Lehigh Acres Florida, 22 years old. She was with the 554th Military Police Company, the 95th Military Police battalion. She died June 21, 2007 when the vehicle that she was riding was hit by a rocket propelled grenade in Baghdad. And we got a tribute for Corporal Karen Nicole Clifton this time through the words of her, Chris. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF CHRIS CLIFTON, MOTHER OF SOLDIER KILLED IN IRAQ: Karen always had a big smile. She loved being around her friends. She loved being with the people that she cared about, and she was more of a leader type. You know, she took control. Let's just put it that way. She liked to you know -- if she could, do whatever she could to help out whoever she could. She just wanted to be that leader role, you know, that role model.
Karen really enjoyed going to the service. I think it was a different experience of being somewhere else and enjoying being the freedom that she kind of had there and then when they got deployed to Iraq. All her friends used to call her kid rock because they always used to say she was tough and she was just gung ho, just wanted to do whatever she could and keep going and try something new every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTS: And you can learn more about the brave men and women who have paid the ultimate price for America in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just logon to CNN.com/homeandaway.
Top stories coming your way right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
