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American Morning
Change in Command in Afghanistan; Team USA Advances to Next Round in World Cup; Troops React to McChrystal Piece; One Couple's Journey Toward Fatherhood
Aired June 24, 2010 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. It is Thursday, June 24th. I'm Carol Costello, in for Kiran Chetry this morning.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm John Roberts. Welcome to you. Good to see you here.
Lots to talk about today, so let's get right to it.
Change of command: President Obama turns to the most prominent general to lead the war in Afghanistan -- but CNN is learning Defense Secretary Robert Gates may not have been onboard with that decision. We'll go live to the Pentagon for new details of the story.
COSTELLO: Team USA alive and kicking this morning. Landon Donovan's last-minimum goal against Algeria launching the Americans into the next round of the World Cup play. But can this memorable moment start a love affair with soccer here in America? A.M. soccer guru Richard Roth and our sports guy, Max Kellerman, debate.
ROBERTS: A groundbreaking CNN documentary set to air at 8:00 p.m. Eastern tonight, it's called "Gary and Tony Have a Baby." Join Soledad O'Brien as she track as gay couple's journey into fatherhood. Gary Spino and Tony Brown in less than 15 minutes to talk about he show and their struggle.
And, of course, the amFIX is up and running this morning. We'd like you to join the live conversation right now. It's simple. Go to CNN.com/amFIX.
ROBERTS: But, first, the White House is looking forward this morning to a quick confirmation hearing for General David Petraeus, the four-star general President Obama has picked to lead the war in Afghanistan.
COSTELLO: Change in command coming after General Stanley McChrystal was done in by his own words in "Rolling Stone" magazine.
Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon this morning.
Barbara, you are learning new information about that decision process. What are your sources telling you?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, senior Pentagon official has confirmed to us that Defense Secretary Robert Gates advocated keeping General Stanley McChrystal on the job, that he felt it was essential to keep McChrystal in place so there would be no interruption in the war. Gates, of course, overruled.
Now, life moves on. General David Petraeus will be in charge of the war in Afghanistan. His confirmation hearings are expected to come quickly, early next week. But that's not to say there won't be a lot of questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator John McCain, ranking Republican, has already signaling what his concerns are.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: The concern we have is the -- issue that will be raised in General Petraeus' confirmation hearings is exactly what he's meant by withdrawal in the middle of 2011. Whether that is, quote, "etched in stone" as the president's spokesperson, Mr. Gibbs, stated, or whether it would be conditions based. Obviously, we feel very strongly that it needs to be condition-based because if you tell the enemy when you are leaving, then obviously, it has an adverse effect on your ability to succeed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Now, General Petraeus has long said that that July 2011 date is not, you know, the time in which the U.S. just packs up and leaves Afghanistan, but it's the beginning of the process. But at the White House, they want to see real progress. They want to see a significant number of troops come home in July of next year. General Petraeus is going to be questioned closely on that -- John, Carol.
ROBERTS: So, Petraeus is taking over Afghanistan, leaving CentCom behind. Who takes over CentCom in his place?
STARR: Oh. That's now -- you know, the "help wanted" sign is on the front door there. They are looking for a new commander for the U.S. Central Command, no clue who it's going to be yet. But job number one there is going to be the Persian Gulf, Iran continuing with any potential war planning for Iran and continuing to try to line up the Persian Gulf allies for very strong position on Iranian sanctions and really trying to keep Iran in check in that region.
Guys, back to you.
ROBERTS: Barbara Starr for us this morning -- Barbara, thanks.
President Obama may have put a new face on America's longest war, but he has made it clear that there will be no change in policy when it comes to dealing with Afghanistan.
COSTELLO: Already, President Obama has spoken to Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, and the White House says Karzai welcomes General Petraeus' nomination and assured the president he will take all steps necessary to support a successful transition.
ROBERTS: And stay with us. In less than 10 minutes' time, CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" host, Candy Crowley, and our senior political analyst, David Gergen, weigh in on whether the decision to let General McChrystal go was a necessary one for President Obama.
COSTELLO: New information for you about the Gulf oil leak on day 66 of this disaster. BP says it put the cap back on the busted well, again collecting oil after another major setback in the effort to contain the leak. BP says they had to remove it yesterday after a robot sub ran into it, leaving almost nothing to stop the 60,000 barrels a day gushing out.
ROBERTS: And a new federal report confirming what we can't see. Plumes of oil under water in the Gulf of Mexico, extending six miles from BP's ruptured well, more than 4,000 feet deep. And it says, levels of oil and gas in the cloud are even higher than pools on the surface.
The Environmental Protection Agency says there has been no significant harm to sea life but there are marine biologists who have talked about so-called "dead zones" with oxygen levels low enough to kill fish.
COSTELLO: Let's talk a little tennis now. The tennis crowd at Wimbledon had watched an epic battle unfold over the past two days and it's not over yet. The record-setting match between American John Isner and France's Nicolas Mahut resumes in a couple of hours. (INAUDIBLE) in short pants.
They've been on the court already for 10 hours, making it the longest ever tennis match by far. The fifth set alone lasting more than seven hours. When play was suspended last night, the deciding set was tied at 59 games apiece.
ROBERTS: Well, this one went into overtime, but there was an outcome. The end was near but in one stunning moment that may forever change the way Americans feel about the other football. Team USA came back from the brink -- Landon Donovan's last-minute goal lifting America past Algeria yesterday and into the round of 16 in the World Cup.
Earlier, on AMERICAN MORNING, we asked Donovan if he had any idea how much his heroics meant to U.S. fans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LANDON DONOVAN, TEAM USA: 2002 when we advanced farther in the tournament, we didn't have a real idea -- we were in Korea -- we didn't have an idea what was going on back home. But, now, with the inventions of YouTube and Facebook and Twitter and things like that, I think we all get a pretty good idea. I spent all morning watching all of the reactions in the bars around the country of people watching the game. And it's pretty cool to get to see that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Landon leads Team USA into the round of 16 on Saturday when the Americans take on Ghana. And this is going to be a rematch from 2006 where Ghana beat the U.S. two-nothing.
One more look at the goal there. So, I guess they will have, you know, some jitters going into this game because, you know, last time, they lost. So --
COSTELLO: Oh, but their adrenaline is going. I mean -- you know, Landon seems so calm when we were talking to him but you could you tell he was just ready to go.
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: He thought that his appearance in 2006 was a little disappointing. People thought that it would come forward more as a leader than he did. But he's -- as President Obama said in the campaign -- fired up and ready to go --
COSTELLO: That's right.
ROBERTS: -- for the match on Saturday.
COSTELLO: Good luck.
ROBERTS: Speaking of that, speaking of the president --
COSTELLO: Speaking of the president.
ROBERTS: President Obama's authority tested. Petraeus is in and McChrystal is out. Candy Crowley and David Gergen weigh in -- coming up next.
Nine minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Eleven and a half minutes after the hour. General David Petraeus will soon take full ownership of the Afghanistan battle plan -- a fight that is now the country's longest, and this month, one of the deadliest.
Joining me now to talk about President Obama's decision to switch commanding generals: CNN chief political correspondent and host of "STATE OF THE UNION," Candy Crowley; and CNN senior political analyst and former presidential adviser, David Gergen.
Good to see both of you this morning.
The president faced a criticism of leadership. So, he took a four-star general head-on and reasserted civilian control over the military.
Candy, was this a necessary decision for the president?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I tell you, John, the truth is that up to a couple of hours prior to the decision becoming known, I thought it could go either way. But then when I listened to the president in the Rose Garden, it occurred to me he probably had very little choice. We're now hearing from Barbara Starr that Secretary Gates of Pentagon argued that McChrystal should stay on.
But as the president presented it, to me, the most forceful argument he made is: we need to have a team that's working in unison and when you look at -- back at the things that General McChrystal and some of his aides said in that "Rolling Stone" article, it's hard to imagine General McChrystal calling up Ambassador Holbrooke or calling up national security adviser Jim Jones and talking to them without what was said about them in that article coming up. It just didn't seem possible to move forward. Not because McChrystal maybe had even lost the president's confidence, but it's hard to keep together a cohesive team given what was said.
ROBERTS: But, David, what's your take on this? Particularly the point that Secretary of Defense Gates didn't want McChrystal to go, saying that he was vital to the war effort. And if you're talking about, you know, wanting a team that acts in unison, you got Karl Eikenberry complaining about Richard Holbrooke, and Jim Jones saying, well, don't worry because Holbrooke will be gone and then Hillary Clinton steps in to say, no, no, he's my guy, I want him to stay?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, John, I think the president did have a choice and I thought he would probably keep McChrystal. I understand why Bob Gates argued what he did. But this is ultimately a presidential decision. And if you've lost faith, if you've lost confidence and you're commander in the field, then the president has every right to replace him.
And I'm sure that this infuriated -- the McChrystal article had infuriated the people around the president and the White House. This is -- you know, in this White House, discipline and team loyalties are extremely high values. So, I'm sure they were angry and what they did and having said all that, I think they came up with an ingenious solution, one that serves the country well because the emphasis now should be on General Petraeus and he is, of course -- McChrystal is a good general who made indiscretions. Petraeus is a great general.
And if there's anybody who's going to stop the dysfunctionality -- and by the way, that dysfunctionality and to talk to people with great trust and candor, that was gone before this incident. So, I think Petraeus is not only going to be helpful in the war, but I think he will also be helpful on making -- creating a better functioning team.
ROBERTS: Candy, do you think that this McChrystal episode is illustrative of something bigger, and there's might be growing tensions between the military leadership and the civilian administration to an increasing degree? I mean, there are military people who are in the White House. But you got a president who didn't serve military time and a lot of people in the White House who didn't do service in the armed forces.
And might there be some sort of friction between those two?
CROWLEY: There's always friction, I think, between civilian leadership and the military. And I think you heard some of it reading it in the "Rolling Stone" article. I don't think it has much to do with the president's lack of service.
Sorry, I think that the country moved past that in some ways. They are still obviously in the military. It still is a larger deal. But I do think, John, that one of the larger problems that we have been talking about and that was evident in that article is the rank and file soldiers.
Those on the ground in Afghanistan who really were giving it to McChrystal in one of the vignettes in the article about how the strategy wasn't working, about how they didn't like the restrictions on what they could and could not do in this counterinsurgency effort. So they have a real problem in the field. And that's where the administration, I think, has a problem rather than the top rank of the military in the White House.
ROBERTS: David, for General Petraeus, this is at least a sideways move from CentCom commander. Obviously he's -- is a loyal soldier, he is a terrific general, and he will do whatever the president asks him to do.
But do you think the president made some kind of commitment to him saying, general, I want you to go back to Afghanistan and here is what I will do when you come back?
DAVID GERGEN, FORMER PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER: I'm not sure. I doubt it was explicit, John. But I do think that the -- General Petraeus is technically taking a step backwards in his career pattern and taking one for the team here.
He's doing this because he believes in the war and he believes -- actually believes in this president and I think - but I think he is doing this with some sacrifice to himself and to his family. So that - I think of all the people here deserve praise is General Petraeus being willing to take this.
But let me add to what Candy said. I do think, John, that there could be -- potential for friction in the future between even as good a general as General Petraeus and the White House. Because the White House is looking at this through a political lens. They would like to get those troops out of there in time for the general election and, you know, they are very committed. They are not -- very committed to bringing the troops down.
When General Petraeus testified last week, he put a qualifier on when the troops were going to come out. That was the conditions on the ground. So -- if this war continues to go badly there may be a differences between the -- military and the White House on the further prosecution of the word. We will have to wait and see. Hopefully we won't get to that point.
ROBERTS: And we will see how sharp the questioning is during the confirmation hearings next week. David Gergen and Candy Crowley, as always, thank you so much.
GERGEN: Thank you.
COSTELLO: When we come back, we are going to take a look at gay parenting. CNN is going to have a documentary on Friday, "Gary And Tony Have a Baby." Well Gary and Tony will be here with a preview along with Soledad O'Brien. It's 17 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: "Gary and Tony Have a Baby" that is the title of a unique documentary airing on CNN tonight. The show follows the journey of a gay couple attempting to become parents. It is hosted by Soledad O'Brien. Here is a quick look for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CARY SPINO: Growing up Italian, this something I was taught to want. Grow up, get married, and have kids.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, HOST "Gary and Tony Have a Baby"(voice-over): They have been together 20 years. Both men are in their late 40s.
(on camera): There are a zillion kids in this park.
SPINO: And I have got to tell you since we moved here, I'd come here and sit there and watch one or two kids interact and run around and follow them and think -
BROWN: That's true.
SPINO: I want to have a child.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): This couple is ready for the next big step in life. Gary and Tony want to have a baby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: That is a big step. Joining us to talk about it this morning, their quest for parenthood Gary Spino and Tony Brown, along with Soledad O'Brien. Welcome to all of you.
O'BRIEN: Thank you.
BROWN: Thank you very much.
SPINO: Thank you very much.
COSTELLO: So you arrive at this difficult decision that you are -- you want to have a baby in a world that, you know, not everybody accepts you want to have a baby. So what went into this decision? And how agonizing was it for you?
SPINO: We really weren't thinking about other people -- we just, it's the way I was raised. Grow up, get married, go to college have a baby. So it was always a part of something I wanted to do.
COSTELLO: And it is not an easy process, is it? BROWN: For us it was not an easy process there's no accidental surrogacy births, I don't think. But it was a very considered process. I mean, as Gary said, there is something that -- it had been ingrained in us that this -- sort of the next step. But - you know, for us it was -- a big step.
COSTELLO: Big step.
O'BRIEN: And what was interesting for us was to follow the process. I mean, the name of the documentary is really what we wanted to show. Two guys that decided to embark on this process. And along this process, I think there is an understanding that while we are opening up our lives up to a lot of people, what might the reaction be. There is also the legal loopholes and things you have to -- hurdles you have to jump over there's the story of surrogate who is dealing with her own issues. And the egg donor who is trying to decide how she feels about somebody else --
COSTELLO: Well that's the really interesting part to me. That there is one egg donor and then there is a woman who carries the fertilized egg. Why is that? Why can't it just be one woman?
BROWN: It can be one woman. And that's called traditional surrogacy. What we did is called gestational surrogacy. But surrogacy is completely state law based. So every state has a different rule. Some states have prescription against surrogacy, in New York it has prescription against surrogacy. Since our son was born in North Carolina we had to follow North Carolina law. And in North Carolina law you cannot have a traditional surrogacy you have to have had a gestational surrogacy. Separate egg donor.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I mean and it makes sense too. I mean imagine, it is, I would imagine for a woman much easier to hand over a baby to another couple when that baby is not biologically yours. You are the womb carrying the baby.
COSTELLO: The whole process sounds so scientific and cold. But it is far from that, isn't it, Gary?
SPINO: It is. Tony asked like science fiction. Well it might be science but it is not fiction. It has been going on for a long time. And not just with same-sex couples.
COSTELLO: You got to know the surrogate.
SPINO: Very well.
COSTELLO: And annoyed her, I hear.
O'BRIEN: In a nice way. Annoyed her in a nice way. Helpful clues. She was very funny. Because, she said, you know, and I remember my husband use to do similar thing, read the book and describe for you all the symptoms you should be having. And you are like -- OK. Stop before I kill you. COSTELLO: Do you keep in contact with her now that the baby is born?
SPINO: Oh, yes, absolutely.
COSTELLO: Why -
BROWN: The egg donor as well.
SPINO: That was our agreement from the beginning. Friends I grew up, adopted, who did a lot of work, birth parents, and - we just want to save Nicholas all the time and just have it be open and no secrets. And a natural family connection--
COSTELLO: So you stay in contact with the egg donor and the surrogate -
(CROSSTALK)
BROWN: Uh huh.
COSTELLO: And so -
SPINO: Their kids, their parents -
COSTELLO: You guys get together and have birthday parties for the kid?
SPINO: Yes. We - as recently -
O'BRIEN: --
SPINO: Three weeks ago, yes. It's one big happy --
BROWN: Extended --
SPINO: Family.
O'BRIEN: It's one of the reasons that they were a terrific couple to profile because everybody was very open to that. Because we knew we could follow all these paths and all these stories and ask very blunt questions. And some of the tough times and some of the great times and really tell the story thoroughly about the journey, about their path. It's not the story of every gay couple in America. It is a story of two guys who've decided to embark on something that's different.
COSTELLO: And all of this is a wonderful joyous time for you. There will be some negative feedback because of the documentary and the subject matter.
O'BRIEN: You know, to me, I guess I just worry about the story. I'm telling the story of their journey. I think you know, it is not -- it is not a political story. It is a story two guys and what happens to them. And the different people who come into their lives. It's a story of a surrogate, as well, it's the story of the egg donor. It's a story of their parents. And everybody. And your background, and history. That's the story. So what I worry about is a story - I think no matter what you believe about anything, you are going to love this story.
COSTELLO: OK so just one final question. At what point, at what age, will you show your son this documentary --
BROWN: He's already seen it a number of times.
(LAUGHTER)
O'BRIEN: My son, who is 5, said it is not fair that Nicholas has a movie.
(LAUGHTER)
SPINO: At the first screening when he saw family members, he squealed. First time he saw movie in big screen.
COSTELLO: And that proves he is going to be brilliant.
SPINO: Yes.
COSTELLO: Thanks to all of you.
BROWN: Thank you.
SPINO: Thank you very much.
COSTELLO: Thanks, Soledad. John.
ROBERTS: Don't forget to join Soledad as she follows Tony and Gary and their struggle against legal and personal obstacles to become parents. "Gary and Tony Have a Baby" tonight, 8:00 p.m. eastern, only on CNN.
Well it was great theater. Landon Donovan lifting team America from the edge of World Cup elimination with a last-minute goal. Can this memorable moment trigger a love affair with soccer here in America? Or will the allure of the other football continue to elude us?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I would like to say something almost happened, didn't happen but almost happened. It seems as though it was unfolding in a way that it might happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: AM soccer guru Richard Roth and our sports guy Max Kellerman will give us their take, coming right up, stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Half past the hour now and it is time for this morning's "Top Stories." General David Petraeus is on track to become the new commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Senate leaders are promising a quick confirmation process. One that could begin as early as next week. His predecessor, General Stanley McChrystal, resigned yesterday after criticizing members of the Obama administration.
COSTELLO: It is the unseen disaster. A new federal reporting is confirming what many scientists have been saying for weeks now. Plumes of oil under water in the Gulf of Mexico extending six miles from BP's ruptured well more than 4,000 feet deep. And it says levels of oil and gas in the cloud are even higher than the pools on the surface we can see.
ROBERTS: It is finally here. Apple's iPhone four hitting stores across the country today, a lot of the tech giant's fans already have one, thanks to pre-orders and homely delivery.
Experts say it looks like it will be another huge hit for Apple. AT&T told CNET, the iPhone demand is 10 times what it was during apple's last iPhone launch for the 3GS model.
COSTELLO: Only time will tell. But when Landon Donovan delivered team USA from the brink of elimination yesterday, scoring that heart-stopping last-minute goal, a lot of people thought it was the moment Americans fell in love with soccer like the rest of the world.
ROBERTS: A lot of Americans are clearly caught up in the excitement, but they are not necessarily falling for the other football.
Watch as CNN's resident soccer guru Richard Roth and soccer naysayer Max Kellerman take in yesterday's match together.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: It's about to begin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tremendous! Nothing like getting American sports fans excited.
MAX KELLERMAN, CNN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR: I think if they pick up the ball and run it forward, throw it forward, I think we would have something here.
(APPLAUSE)
ROTH: The goal doesn't count.
KELLERMAN: This passes for sports entertainment.
ROTH: I never groaned like this listening to any of your radio or TV reports.
KELLERMAN: I would like to say something almost happened.
ROTH: I want to watch the end of game without Max. KELLERMAN: I'm ruining it for him.
ROTH: Only two and a half minutes left. Max, it has been fun being with you.
Goal! Goal! I told you. I told you there would be a goal at the end and I missed it watching you.
KELLERMAN: I saw it. Something happened!
ROTH: I couldn't find out the score because of you. Oh, yes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: All right. Richard Roth and Max Kellerman join us. I have to tell you, we are getting all sorts of messages saying the arrogance that you can be dissing soccer.
KELLERMAN: I really felt bad I was ruing it for Richard. Clearly I was. There is nothing worse than watching something you are into and someone else isn't. I wasn't intentionally -- I wasn't trying to ruin it for him. I just waited for 91.5 minutes before something happened.
ROBERTS: Do you really not like soccer?
KELLERMAN: I think it is a great participation spore. It is fun to play. I think it is not bad as wall paper in terms of entertainment. You can put it in the background and let it go. If something happens rewind the DVR.
ROTH: Sounds like a National Basketball Association. For your comments right now, I'm going to give you a yellow card, a yellow card.
KELLERMAN: All right, in that case should I feign injury? That seems to happen a lot in soccer. I can't go on!
ROTH: Your comments are injurious to the sport. What about the growing trend in the United States, more in the minority, will be the majority. This sport will grow over time. You have --
KELLERMAN: It's been a lot of time so far.
ROTH: Have you a team game that kids play, the U.S. has the second most soccer players in the entire globe. The sport is a sport based on class and skill, beauty.
COSTELLO: Let me ask you a about kids playing soccer. Lots of kids played soccer for a long, long time. When they grow into adults they don't play soccer. They don't watch soccer.
ROTH: I think increasing number do. In my apartment building, there is a man and his son and daughter who play, go to games. This is going to happen. KELLERMAN: Wait until these kids grow up and get to watch and make their own choices and watch the NBA and the NFL. Here's the thing.
ROTH: The NFL is not played in the winter with gambling. Check back later.
KELLERMAN: Soccer, there's no adding up. In baseball, even if you have a 1-1 game or 0-0 game late in the game, are you into the other team's bull pen? How many pinch-hitters do you have left? How many pinch -- there are things that add up. In football, how's the other defense?
In soccer, 90 minutes played, 90 minutes go by. Not only is there no score but the game -- the situation of the game hasn't changed at all. No one acquired any territory. Nothing.
ROBERTS: How do you explain that it is so popular in 95 percent of the world?
KELLERMAN: Less competition for the entertainment dollar, irrational nationalism.
ROTH: Those comments will earn you a red card now. Your comments -- I would be very interested in what were your thoughts on tennis as a sport, and yesterday we had a marathon 59-59. How do you view that?
KELLERMAN: I think tennis is a great sport. It is fun to watch. Although I will say this -- and this is an odd circumstance. It's incredible that -- it is great thing. I'm very interested in this.
But I really think that this is a result of graphite rackets. In the old days, you know, Borg and McEnroe couldn't play for ten straight hours because it is not just like ace, ace. Each guy close to 100 aces.
ROTH: Are you bored by the 59-59?
KELLERMAN: No.
ROTH: Do you turn to the patrons and say "Something happened?"
KELLERMAN: Points were occurring the entire time. Things are happening the entire time.
COSTELLO: There were 118 points scored in the last game watching golf --
KELLERMAN: I would rather not watch golf.
COSTELLO: To me, watching soccer is like watching golf.
ROTH: The spore, soccer needs stars.
ROBERTS: Now we are dissing golf. Now I'm going to send an e- mail.
ROTH: You need stars. You have David Beckham here end of his career. Not enough. You need big money stars.
KELLERMAN: What you need two, three generations, full generations, participation among all of America's children, and then you need billions of dollars invested and all the stars in the world here.
ROTH: Soccer doesn't have to be number one. Why can't it be one of the five popular sports? Can't you include soccer?
KELLERMAN: I accuse you of being the grumpy old man. Now I am the grumpy old man. In the old day we had baseball, basketball, football, boxing, and I loved it! I mean, really. I really am. I enjoy watching those sports and tennis, I think.
By the way, let me comment about the tennis situation. Because -- I think the women's game has gotten much more interesting than the men's game because you have rallies.
ROBERTS: Interesting at the U.S. open last year when Serena Williams --
ROTH: Can we agree boxing is in a worst state than soccer, your favorite sport? Two men in a ring just slugging it out.
KELLERMAN: It might be the most interesting sport of all.
ROBERTS: Speaking of boxing, there's the bell.
COSTELLO: We have to go now. You can continue this.
KELLERMAN: This is all in fun.
ROTH: No, it is not.
ROBERTS: I'll e-mail you about golf.
KELLERMAN: Why is Richard trying to get his interns to jump me backstage?
ROTH: Only one knife, five interns. One knife -- they are going to share in the act.
ROBERTS: What he is doing -- he is getting the interns to fight over the knife, too.
KELLERMAN: Team of rivals.
ROBERTS: Thank you, gentlemen, good to talk to you.
COSTELLO: It was very interesting and spirited, which is what we like.
ROBERTS: You are in trouble for your comments on golf. COSTELLO: Coming up next, environmentalists are revitalized and it is over the gulf oil spill. Could this disaster be what we need in this country to change the way we feel about oil? We'll try answer that question in a gut check coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "THE LATE SHOW": We hit at Algeria -- great news, another country that will hate us now.
(LAUGHTER)
And England also advanced to the next round in World Cup competition. Tony Hayward was so excited he fell off his yacht.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: It's 41 minutes after the hour.
A growing number of environmentalists are hoping the oil crisis in the gulf will change how Americans treat the environment. We have seen that quick remember action after disasters in the past.
COSTELLO: I know. Earth Day was born out of an oil disaster. So we wondered, will it change the way we feel about oil or will it be back to business as usual? A gut check for you this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: It is called Hands Across the Sand. Back in February, it drew 10,000 Floridians in protests of offshore drilling. This weekend Hands says it goes international, and 599 American cities will take part as will 20 countries.
DAVID RAUSCHKOLB, HANDS ACROSS THE SAND: I believe this is a huge opportunity for us and it is time that we take control of our energy future.
COSTELLO: David Rauschkolb hopes Hands will be the catalyst Earth Day was in 1970. It was born after an oil spill in California, and it's credited for strengthening the Clean Air Act and helping President Nixon create the Environmental Protection Agency.
The Clean Energy Works campaign has hopes, too. It launched an ad campaign pushing for clean energy legislation. Green Peace is actively using the spill as a catalyst, too, its members so intent to do something a contest to design new BP logo has attracted half a million visitors to its Web site.
The Sierra Club site is hot, too. When Rush Limbaugh blamed environmentalists for forcing onshore drilling offshore --
RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: When do we ask the Sierra Club to pick up the tab for this leak?
COSTELLO: The Sierra Club used Limbaugh's comments to raise $120,000 and 110,000 signatures for climate legislation.
MICHAEL BRUNE, SIERRA CLUB: This is our chance to actually move beyond oil, and the outstanding question, question remains, is whether or not president Obama will seize this opportunity and get us off oil once and for all.
COSTELLO: While the passion sounds good for what critics call "tree huggers," is it real? Psychologist Jeff Gardier says while oiled birds and dirty beaches will raise awareness, it may not last. After all, there are government regulators already in place that were supposed to prevent disasters like this and didn't. So why bother?
Environmentalists get that but say this disaster will cut through the cynicism.
BRUNE: We set the ocean on fire. We put thousands of fishermen and women out of work, the coastal tourism economy is collapsing. And all of this is happening in slow motion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: It may be happening in slow motion but Americans have a complicated relationship with oil and nowhere is that better demonstrated than in Louisiana.
ROBERTS: Absolutely.
COSTELLO: They're angry at BP but sure don't want the oil industry to go away.
ROBERTS: You run into so many people down there, one side of the families in the fishing industry or tourism, the other side of the families in the oil industry. They know that they have to coexist.
Anything that raises awareness of the environment is a good thing, but you have to have -- you can't stop drilling because we are not going to stop driving cars.
COSTELLO: But will it drive something like climate change legislation? We just don't know yet. That's what environmentalists are hoping. We want to know what you think this morning. Write a comment on my blog, CNN.com/amfix. We're interested in what you have to say.
ROBERTS: The south is stuck in a hot and stormy rut. Bonnie Schneider has the weather forecast coming up for you. It's 45 minutes after the hour.
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BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning everyone, I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider with a check of your weather. We are tracking the threat for severe weather across much of the northeast today.
Just some strong thunderstorms in upstate New York right now. But as the day gets going, with the heating of the day, especially, this cold front may trigger severe storms across areas from Maine to Virginia and that does include Philadelphia, New York City, Boston, Hartford, Connecticut, all under the risk for severe weather for today. We could see some strong downpours.
The only good thing with this system is that it will help break the heat that's out there. Heat advisories all the way from Oklahoma to Memphis, Tennessee down to Charleston, South Carolina and certainly up into the mid Atlantic. It's 86 degrees in Philadelphia right now. The temperatures going up about ten more degrees; but it'll feel like 100.
Hot temperatures across much of the eastern half of the country, a little cooler for areas into Minneapolis and Chicago after some rough weather brought some strong storms in that part of the country earlier yesterday.
That is a look at your national forecast. Stay tuned, AMERICAN MORNING will be right back.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": General McChrystal was relieved of his duties because of derogatory comments he made about President Obama and other White House staffers. In fact, when you heard that Joe Biden was shocked and he said what? You get fired for saying something stupid? When did they start that? Is that new?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: General McChrystal's profile in "Rolling Stone" magazine did bring a swift end to a stellar career.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Hastings is the reporter who sealed McChrystal's fate. And he spoke last night to Anderson Cooper about how American troops in Afghanistan are reacting to the article.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL HASTINGS, CONTRIBUTOR, "ROLLING STONE": A number of soldiers actually had printout copies of the story and were discussing it and not knowing that I was the guy who actually wrote it. And I didn't necessarily volunteer that information.
But -- but at this point most of the feedback I have gotten from soldiers on the ground has been very positive. And specifically relating to the part of the story that deals with the new rules of engagement from General McChrystal's tactical directives which restrained the use of force among ground forces here which have been -- which are widely, widely unpopular and that General McChrystal gets blamed for that.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR, AC360: I mean, when you were writing this article and you were hearing him and his -- his advisers say this stuff, did it ever cross your mind that it could lead to -- to him basically being fired?
HASTINGS: No. In fact, I believed -- and this is talking to U.S. officials who even said this to me, that General McChrystal was unfireable. I didn't think this story would have had this kind of immense reaction.
For me the most important thing about this story has been the fact that we now have a chance to discuss the Afghan policy that America is pursuing here.
And in terms of on a personal level about how do I feel about -- how his career has ended, you know, this is -- the war is very serious business. And, you know, what is one career versus one life? And lives are being lost here on a daily basis.
I would -- I would love to profile General Petraeus and would love to interview him and ask him about, you know, what he plans to do in the war in Afghanistan. It's actually quite an incredible moment. We've now had two -- President Obama has now fired two top commanding war time generals in the space of a year.
And I don't even know -- I think we would have to go consult the history books to find out when there was a situation where someone like General Petraeus already a war hero is being called back to sort of save the day for a second time. That's Petraeus, the sequel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: You know, it doesn't, though you know -- obfuscate the fact that a very, very, very good general's career has come crashing down as a result of all of this.
COSTELLO: Well, but you have to wonder about his judgment in saying these things in front of a reporter. He clearly knew he was there. So maybe he wasn't so great? Is that a fair argument?
ROBERTS: Well -- I mean, I wasn't there. So I don't know what the situation was. But I don't think that you can deny that he was a tremendous warrior and did bring a lot to this country. This will be debated for some time to come. And you know, I think one of these days McChrystal will write a book about it and we'll get to hear his side as well.
"Building up America": Americans on the Gulf Coast remain hopeful despite the oil spill disaster.
Tom Foreman going across the Gulf Coast; we've got the latest installment of his "Building up America" series, coming right up.
Fifty-four minutes after the hour.
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ROBERTS: The full impact on the environment from the Gulf oil crisis still impossible to know at this point. The toll of this disaster is taking on businesses along the coast in dollars cost, still growing.
COSTELLO: So with all of the worry and heartaches, some people think this crisis could bring out the best in people in the region.
Tom Foreman talked to one such optimist and joins us live from Apala -- Apalapa -- Apalapa, you know I could never pronounce Apalachicola.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Are you trying to say Apalachicola, Carol.
COSTELLO: Apalachicola. I'm going to say it 500 times when you start your story, Tom.
FOREMAN: Yes.
Yes, it's a great town, Apalachicola, Florida, a wonderful place. I have been coming here for a long, long time. And I've got to tell you, this is absolutely right.
People in towns like this that live on shrimping and fishing and oysters that are particular for Apalachicola have spent their entire lifetime dealing with what they are dealt.
You get out on the water and there aren't any fish to catch, a big storm blows up. You simply react to it. Particularly as you get off the edge of the spill, more and more people are saying that's what they have to do with this catastrophe. Position themselves the best way they can and deal with what they have in front of them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN (voice-over): Heading out from Port St. Joe to hunt for scallops, Gary Hites has plenty of reasons to worry. His company Seahorse Water Safaris counts on tourism.
GARY HITES, CO-OWNER, SEAHORSE WATER SAFARIS: This has impacted everybody on the coast --
FOREMAN: Yet, even as reports of oil creep closer, Gary remains hopeful that this calamity will bring out the best ideas, the best innovations, the best efforts to people of the gulf have to offer.
HITES: If the problem is cleaning up then let's go on.
FOREMAN (on camera): you think some good can come out of all of this?
HITES: Some good will come out of it. I see people working the oil spill that have never worked in their lives. I think that the U.S. can benefit from this in the long run. Me personally, I will figure a way to survive.
Give me about 50 feet more. There lay it down.
FOREMAN (voice-over): Fueling such optimism for some folks, especially at the edges of the spill, is what they are seeing locally. Sure, the fear of oil has cut charter fishing reservations but it has filled hotels and restaurants with disaster response workers.
Yes, the fishing might be shut down if the oil gets closer but --
(on camera): -- the scalloping season was actually open about a week and a half early this year. Specifically to help people replace any lost income and to stay ahead of the threat of advancing oil.
HITES: There's not a lot there that's big but that's what we are finding out there.
FOREMAN (voice-over): And, of course, it is easier to be hopeful when the spill is still miles away. But folks like Gary believe building up these Gulf communities even as their neighbors struggle is critical.
(on camera): So all things considered another good day.
HITES: Another good day.
FOREMAN (voice-over): Because that may help the whole region come back whenever the oil finally goes away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN: And that's just the attitude for many people in places like Port St. Joe and Mexico beach. Of course, Carol, right here in Apalachicola.
COSTELLO: I apologize to all the Apalachicolans.
FOREMAN: They are understanding folks, they'll be cool with it.
COSTELLO: They are and I'm glad there are optimists out there in those parts. That's great.
(CROSS TALKING)
FOREMAN: There's no oil here, yet, either. They're happy about that.
ROBERTS: Good to hear this morning.
Tom Foreman thanks so much.
Continue the conversation on today's stories. Go to our blog at cnn.com/amfix. That's going to wrap it up for us. But we'll see you back here again bright and early tomorrow morning.
COSTELLO: Hey, Kyra. Take it away.
