Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Actor Tony Curtis Dies; Northeast Flood Threat from Carolinas to New York; Congress Adjourns Early; Sex Spying Linked to Teen Suicide; Conversation with Members of Rock Band Rush
Aired September 30, 2010 - ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Thanks so much for being with us on this AMERICAN MORNING. It is Thursday, September 30th. I'm Kiran Chetry here in New York. Hey, John.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, Kiran. I'm John Roberts in Atlanta today. And, Kiran, the reason why I'm in Atlanta is yesterday my old buddies from Canada rushed play at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. We have a chance to sit down and talk with them 30 years after I first did. I actually got the kind of rock 'n' roll fantasy thrill of a lifetime. Got up on stage and played a little guitar with them.
CHETRY: Exactly. You did more than just talked. You went up there and actually jammed. So we're going to see video of that a little later. We're all looking forward to it.
ROBERTS: There are a lot of envious fans around the world today because of that. It was an amazing opportunity. Wait until you see it.
Let's get you caught up on what happened overnight. The east coast in for a drenching today. The remnants of tropical storm Nicole, along with another major rainmaker making their way north. The Carolinas already with over a foot of rain this week and more on the way. Our Rob Marciano is tracking it all. He'll have the details on what would be a messy and potentially dangerous commute for many people today.
CHETRY: Well, heading for the exit door. Members of Congress leaving Washington. It's happening earlier than expected. They're wanting to focus on their mid-term reelection. But they also left behind a lot of unfinished business like extending the Bush era tax cuts for the middle class, something they promised to do. We're live in Washington with more details.
ROBERTS: And a college freshman's intimate moments revealed in a most humiliating way. A Rutgers University student leaping to his death off of a New York City bridge after his sexual encounter with another man was secretly taped and posted online. The details on that just ahead.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN, breaking news.
CHETRY: Yes, and just crossing our desk right now. Some sad news from the entertainment world. "Entertainment Tonight" is reporting that actor Tony Curtis has died. He's the father of Jamie Lee Curtis, best known for his role in "Some Like It Hot" opposite Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon.
ROBERTS: Curtis also earned an Oscar nomination back in 1959 for starring in "The Defiant Ones" with Sidney Poitier. No word this morning how he died. He was 85 years old. We'll continue to follow this and bring you more information as it comes in this morning.
But up first, the east coast on alert this morning. Torrential rains and flooding in the forecast. There are flood warnings and watches from the Carolinas all the way up into New England. A whole lot of rain on its way there. The ride today from work -- the ride to work today in D.C., Philly and New York could be a dangerous one. South Florida and the Carolinas have already been pounded by the remnants of tropical storm Nicole and another major system that's out there as well.
Our Rob Marciano here with us in Atlanta in the extreme weather center. It's just a messy one.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is, welcome, John. (INAUDIBLE) sky weather-wise. Not only do we have all that happening, but right now we have two tornado warnings that are out for parts of Virginia and North Carolina. Let's go over to the magic wall and show you exactly what I'm talking about.
Kyra Tuck County, that is in northeastern parts of North Carolina, and then Matthews County, these pink polygons you see here, those are the areas where there are radar indicated tornadoes and both of these cells are moving to the north at about 40 miles an hour. So moving very, very quickly. And this is all within a tornado watch that encompasses a very large swath of real estate here across the mid- Atlantic until 1:00 this afternoon. So this is -- you know, we have remnants of a tropical system which was only around for a little bit. And we got a tremendous amount of rain and some spinning. Also, a mid-latitude storm system that's rolling up the east coast. So, flooding a huge issue.
Boy, I'll tell you some of the areas that we've already seen flooding in, like Wilmington, seven inches of rainfall. That's just in 24 hours. And that doesn't include, John, the 10 inches that they had two days earlier. So they may very well end up with 20 inches of rainfall without even a hurricane making landfall there in North Carolina.
ROBERTS: How long is all of this going to last?
MARCIANO: North Carolina will last for maybe another six to eight hours. But the northeast is still in for the rest of today. A lot of moisture out there. But I guess the silver lining is, a lot of these spots need some rain. We just don't need all of them at one time.
ROBERTS: So what you're telling me is getting back to New York today is going to be -- you might want to take the train?
MARCIANO: Yes. Hang around another day. ROBERTS: All right. Thanks, Rob.
Let's take it back to New York. Here's Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Thanks so much, John.
Well, Congress has called it a day. Lawmakers passed a spending bill that keeps the government running into December. Then they adjourned, skipping town yesterday eight days earlier than they had planned. They left plenty of unfinished business behind as well.
Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash is live in Washington. And I know this was something that you would talk about before. They wanted to get out there. They wanted to be able to campaign in some of these hotly contested districts. Yet, at the same time, everyone said, wait a minute, what happened to the middle class tax cuts you were going to extend?
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. You know, the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said yesterday, Kiran, that senators may not agree on much, but they agree with time to get home to their states. Republicans that we talked to said they wanted to get out of here. In the words of one GOP senator, to not do any more damage to the country. But walk in the halls and talking to lawmakers as they are wrapping up yesterday, it was the Democrats who were the most eager to leave the place that voters are really angry at and get back home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. LOUISE SLAUGHTER (D), NEW YORK: Everybody needs to be home. Everybody needs to get home.
BASH: Why is that? You said everyone wants to get home, why?
SLAUGHTER: Because they can do more good at home than they can sitting here.
REP. TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: I'm always more comfortable being at home, I think, especially now, making the case for why they should give me another shot at it. And I think when I'm not there, it's easier to say things that I can't defend.
REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D), FLORIDA: It's like we're in the "Wizard of Oz" and we're pulling the curtain back behind the wizard when we go back to --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now usually, you see the party in power go home and trumpet all of the things they've accomplished. But what is interesting about this year is what we're seeing is Democrats heading home to defend many of those big victories, Kiran, from the economic stimulus bill to the health care bill which voters are really skeptical about.
CHETRY: It's interesting to hear them say it's easier to, you know, defend myself when I'm there, as opposed to being in Washington. They likened it to the "Wizard of Oz." Pretty interesting stuff. But one of the things is the promise, Nancy Pelosi promised that this middle class tax cuts are going to be extended. They may not happen now but what exactly happened with the timing here?
BASH: You know, Democratic leaders blame Republicans, especially in the Senate. Republicans did vow to block any extension of the tax cuts unless it included all tax cuts. And the president and Democratic leaders, they just wanted to extend the middle class tax cuts.
But here's a reality check, Kiran. Republican opposition has not stopped Democrats before from even trying to hold votes before Congress especially to make a political point like this, which Democrats could say they tried to extend the tax cuts for the middle class but Republicans stopped it.
So here's the main reason Democrats decided not to even try and it is division within their own ranks. Democrats are divided on which tax cuts to extend. And many in tough re-election battles beg their leadership, we are told, begged them not to force them to take a vote, that their opponents will immediately use against them in these last weeks before the election. You know, these tax cuts do expire at the end of the year, so this is going to be one of the many things that Congress now is going to take up in the so-called lame duck session when they return after the election on November 15th -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Yes. What was it saying? Were they saying, bottom line, we don't have the votes?
BASH: Yes, they don't have the votes. And the reason is, you know, obviously, Republicans were opposed to just extending the middle tax cuts without those also for the wealthy. But the main reason they don't have the votes is because a lot of Democrats agree with Republicans. They said do it all.
CHETRY: Wow. All right. Well, we'll check in with you throughout the show. Thanks so much, Dana.
BASH: Thanks, Kiran.
CHETRY: John?
ROBERTS: Yes. Now before Congress adjourned, the House did pass a bill that provides free medical coverage to 9/11 first responders. The $7.4 billion measure also provides compensation to people who were exposed to dangerous toxins at the World Trade Center site. The Senate has not yet taken up that bill.
CHETRY: All right. Well, he's talking tough but yesterday Carl Paladino, the Republican nominee for new York governor, almost took things a step further than that when he got into a heated argument with a "New York Post" editor who wanted to know what evidence he had that his opponent, Andrew Cuomo, cheated on his wife. That was a claim that he had made earlier in the day.
Well, Paladino shot back telling "The Post," lay off my daughter. Here's a look at the scuffle captured on a cell phone.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PALADINO: You send another goon to my daughter's house and I'll take you out buddy.
DICKER: You will take me out?
PALADINO: Yes.
DICKER: How are you going to do that?
PALADINO: Watch.
DICKER: What, are you threatening me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Well, the two men were eventually separated by aides. The scuffle came just hours after Paladino picked up the crucial nomination of the state's conservative party -- John.
ROBERTS: Interesting. In Canada, Kiran, stunning news this morning for the world of cycling. Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador tested positive for a banned substance during this year's race. He has been provisionally suspended by the sports-governing body and faces a possible two-year ban. A spokesman says Contador denies taking the substance, Clenbuterol, blaming it on a case of food contamination. Contador is expected to hold a news conference later on today in Spain.
CHETRY: Well, there is a horrific scene on a highway outside of Washington. A tour bus from Pennsylvania fell 45 feet from a sky ramp. There was one death. The driver was killed. But amazingly several passengers were hurt, but they survived. A lot of them were children. Some were pinned down in the wreck. The NTSB is now investigating. It's not clear what caused the bus to veer off the road.
ROBERTS: Wow. Fortunate that not more people were killed.
Well, here's some news that we've been looking for. Remember, we were talking about UFOs yesterday, Kiran? Well, could they possibly have come from here? A new planet has been discovered and it appears that earth may not be the only inhabitable spot in the universe. Astronomers called their discovery "Gliese 581g." The planet is located in the constellation of Libra. The climate appears to be very much like earth's, maybe a little bit more breezy. One problem though in terms of reaching out to see who's home, it's 17.5 trillion miles away, about 20 light years, which means that at the speed we can currently travel, it would take tens of thousands of years to get there. So, Kiran, dinner may be cold by the time we get around to visiting it.
CHETRY: We just have to build faster planes. Maybe in ten years, we will knock that down to only, you know, 50 million years. ROBERTS: Wouldn't that be nice if they could travel through space, though? That's kind of the dream of so many people.
CHETRY: Yes. Richard Branson is going to make it happen and he'll take you along, don't worry.
ROBERTS: I'll be there. I'll be there.
CHETRY: I know you love that.
We're also following this disturbing story out of Rutgers University. A college student taking his own life after a private sexual encounter was secretly taped, police alleged by his roommate and then streamed online for everyone to see. Clinical psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere is going to be joining us to talk about what would drive kids to do this type of thing, and also law professor Paul Callan. Are the laws keeping up with technology when it comes to getting charges against the people who may have been behind this?
It's 10 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning. It's 13 minutes past the hour.
This is really a heartbreaking story out of Rutgers University. A freshman who was apparently driven to suicide by an invasion of privacy. 18-year-old Tyler Clemente, he was a gifted musician, played the violin, said to be devastated when his private sexual encounter with another man was secretly taped and streamed online, allegedly at the hands of his roommate. A body believed to be Clemente's was found floating in the Hudson River yesterday and police were still waiting on a positive I.D. at this point.
But the team, posting this final message on Facebook -- sorry, this is the wrong graphics. Let's put that one down. He posted on Facebook, "Jumping off the GW Bridge, sorry."
Well, we're joined by clinical psychologist Jeff Gardere, as well as law professor Paul Callan. Both of you also really found this case troubling and wanted to talk about it this morning.
First of all, Paul, I just want to ask you legally speaking, the two students who are now facing charges, Dharum Ravi and Molly Wei (ph), Dharum (ph) being this deceased boy's roommate, they've been charged with invasion of privacy. But when you see what the allegations are about secretly hiding these cameras around the room and then streaming the sexual encounter, I mean, invasion of privacy just doesn't seem to hit the mark, does it?
PAUL CALLAN, PROFESSOR OF MEDIA LAW AT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY: No, it doesn't measure up, especially with this tragedy with Clemente, you know, committing suicide in this horrible, horrible way. I think it's an example how technology has really outrun the law. New Jersey is actually very advanced though having this invasion of privacy law. It makes it a criminal act to stream something like this over the Internet. And these young adults who are charged, these other Rutgers students could face up to five years in prison for having done this. So, it is a criminal offense to do this in the state of New Jersey.
CHETRY: It also just brings up the moral issues and just makes you wonder what's going on. I want to show you, Jeff, the tweets from the roommate that were apparently sent from his account, which is now gone.
But he said, "Roommate asked for room till midnight. I went into Molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay." Then he has a second one that says, "Anyone with iChat," which is the, I guess the Apple version of Skyping on the computer, "I dare you to video chat with me during the hours of 9:30 and 12:00. Yes it's happening again."
What's your take on what was going on here?
JEFF GARDERE, AUTHOR OF BOOKS ON LOVE AND PARENTING: First of all, I'm just so profoundly sad by this. I mean, I just don't know. It really hits my heart so - so badly.
But I think part of what's going on is cyber bullying is a possibility here. Certainly, maybe this person who - who taped this or streamed it was a homophobe. Maybe he was just trying to be - play a prank. We don't really know what's going on with the two students who are involved.
But, either way, it's a horrific thing that happened, and might even rise to the level of some sort of a bias (ph) crime. You can only give the two students who are involved in this streaming the benefit of the doubt and say perhaps they didn't realize what they were doing would cause eventually the death of this young man.
But, either way, it's a horrible situation, and we know with transgendered, bisexual, questioning youth, they're four times more likely to commit suicide over issues having to do with their sexuality. And I think this is a prime example.
CHETRY: All right. It certainly seems troubling on its face. But, as a lawyer, how would you prove that what they did was the direct, you know, reason why this young man took his own life -
CALLAN: Well -
CHETRY: -- that seems hard to prove.
CALLAN: That's - is what lawyers call proximate cause. And, in a criminal case, I don't have to prove that because in New Jersey, to stream somebody involved in an intimate act like this over the internet is a crime. You don't have to prove that proximate cause -
CHETRY: But how much - I mean - CALLAN: -- it's five years they would face.
CHETRY: And that would be the maximum?
CALLAN: That would be the maximum. If they're first offenders, probably they're not looking at that.
In terms of a civil case for damages for the death, you might be able to prove that this was an intentional infliction of emotional distress and it therefore caused somebody to kill themself (sic). So there is the chance, at least on the civil side, that you would have a substantial recovery for damages in this case.
But, you know, it - the thing about this that really gets me, and I see it in my office now, with people coming in with cases. They've been defamed on the internet. The internet has given people a tool, and they're using this tool to strike out against others, especially our young people.
CHETRY: Because you (INAUDIBLE) - I mean, you know, you take away the human interaction element, it's easier to be cruel.
CALLAN: Well, you know, that's -
GARDERE: And then - and they're - and they're so desensitized to some of the drama that they see on television and other parts of the media. So, now, it really is about the Truman show. It really is about reality, and this is where they're getting their kicks.
CALLAN: And I think, you know -
GARDERE: I don't think they realize the power they have when they put something on this on -
(CROSSTALK)
CALLAN: Sure. When kids were little - when - you know, when we were growing up, you know, there'd be a gossip circle and maybe somebody would be talking about somebody else, but it stopped there. They broadcast this on the internet, destroying this young man's life and his reputation. And now, the lives of three young people are going to be destroyed.
CHETRY: Right.
CALLAN: That's because of the power of the internet -
GARDERE: That's right.
CALLAN: -- and we're not educating our kids that they have this horrible tool in their hands - Facebook, Twitter, iChat -
GARDERE: When you talk about five years that they -
CALLAN: -- Skype. GARDERE: -- that they may get, that they have to spend the rest of their lives living with this horrible thing that they did and how it impacts all of the families, not just Clemente's family but all the families -
CHETRY: Right. Because - because people who knew all of them says that -
GARDERE: Yes.
CHETRY: -- these two were actually pretty good kids as well. So, I mean, we'll have to - we'll have to wait until more of the facts come out. But it is such a disturbing story. We're going to bring you back in the next hour to talk more about it as well.
Paul Callan, Jeff Gardere, thanks.
GARDERE: Thanks.
CALLAN: Nice to be here.
CHETRY: Well, bullies are pervasive, and it's a problem both in and out of school. We're going to be tackling the issue on AMERICAN MORNING all next week for our special reporting on bully-proofing the classroom and your kids. Is it possible?
We'll be taking a look next week -- John.
ROBERTS: It's such an amazingly tragic story and so disgusting what those students did, posting that on the internet. Unbelievable. Looking forward to more discussion from Paul and Jeff this morning.
Meantime a McWarning from a fast food giant. McDonald's threatening to drop insurance coverage for thousands of its hourly workers because of new mandates in health care reform. We've got that story coming up for you.
It's 19 minutes now after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Twenty-three minutes now after the hour. We're back with the Most News in the Morning.
Doctors say former President Jimmy Carter is likely battling a viral infection. Carter spent a second night in a Cleveland, Ohio hospital. He was taken there after becoming sick during a flight from Atlanta. A hospital spokesman says Carter's infection is clearing up and he's recovering well.
He celebrates his 86 birthday tomorrow, Kiran, so hopefully he'll be feeling better for a little cake and ice cream.
CHETRY: Yes. Poor guy. You don't want to spend your birthday in the hospital. Well, McDonald's is warning the government some 3,000 hourly workers may be dropped from their health care plan unless regulators waive the new health reform mandate. The fast food chain is asking for some leeway on the percentage of premiums paid towards benefits.
The company says its insurer will not be able to meet next year's requirements to spend at least 80 to 85 percent of those premiums on medical care.
ROBERTS: And here's a new twist on the old ripping off the liquor store caper. A French grape farmer is seeing red after someone stole his entire crop.
Police in Bezier, France say thieves swiped the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes at night using a wine harvesting machine to get the job done in a hurry. They drove off with - listen to this - 30 tons of wine grapes. That's a year's worth of work down the drain.
Unbelievable.
CHETRY: Something doesn't seem right there, OK? I mean, you know, first of all, how would they be able to bring that wine harvesting machine in there unnoticed and get the entire crop and - and drive away? I mean, maybe you need a little security at your - your Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard.
ROBERTS: You would - you would think that at some point somebody might have heard something, but who knows? Maybe it was an inside job as well.
CHETRY: Yes. You'll never know.
ROBERTS: We'll never know, perhaps.
CHETRY: I'm actually surprised they don't even have (INAUDIBLE).
ROBERTS: Well, coming up -
Well, maybe it's the beginning of a trend. Let's hope not.
Coming up on the Most News in the Morning, by the way, still rocking after all these years, the three members of the rock band Rush talked to me about the group's remarkable body of work and how they have stayed together for so long. And I also got what you might call the ultimate rock 'n' roll fantasy camp experience, to play with them live on stage.
I don't know if you want to hear that part, but you'll want to hear what they have to say.
It's 25 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUSH PLAYING
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
That, of course, is the legendary Canadian rock group Rush from their Time Machine concert last night at the Verizon Amphitheater here in Atlanta.
For more than four decades now, they've been making music and touring, and unlike many bands who fade away over time, the trio of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart are more popular now than ever. Thirty years after I first met them, this expatriate Canadian had a chance to sit down with Rush again to talk about how in the world they keep going.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALEX LIFESON, GUITARIST, RUSH: Yes. We also look at each other and shake our heads. We fooled them again.
GEDDY LEE, LEAD VOCALIST, RUSH: Once we get over the fact that we're still hanging around with each other after 40 years, it's - yes, it's pretty amazing.
NEIL PEART, DRUMMER AND LYRICIST, RUSH: And still have an audience who - I mean, the fact that we can say, OK, we'll go out and tour this summer. But that's - we'll look out at the audience sometimes and look at each other and say, why are these people here? You know? So that's when we're fooling them.
ROBERTS: So why do you think they are here so many years later?
LIFESON: I don't know. It's something -
PEART: There's no humble way to answer that question.
ROBERTS: I know. There should be a little hubris here.
LEE: It's amazing. I think it's a combination of things that have happened over the last few years have kind of reignited Rush fans, and I think they - obviously, this documentary that came out this year which seems to be very popular has brought renewed interest in us.
And our hard core fans are always here. And then, I think a combination of things that -
PEART: OK, but (INAUDIBLE), we look out and see people who care so much about what we do, you can't help but care about it more. You know, just the fact that - it's a kind of a responsibility, that dedication.
On the other hand, it's an automatic response to want to live up to it. So that forces us to make each show as if it's the last one we're ever going to do, and the audience senses that dedication, I think. So it's a feedback and salute, really, that what we - we feel inspired by what they give us and they're inspired by why - by what we give them.
ROBERTS: The reason for the handful of bands who have made it as long as you guys have, Geddy, what do you - what do you think is the magic that has allowed you to do that? Is it the fact that you and Alex were high school buddies who grew up with the same musical influences, wanted to do the same thing? I know that Neil was still the new guy.
NEIL PEART, RUSH: A mere 36 years. My theory is that we all make the same number of mistakes. So, nobody can get mad at each other there can't be factions forming, you know? If somebody has a bad night, somebody else has a bad night the next night and we all feel kind of an equal basis that way. There's never any competition about it.
GEDDY LEE, RUSH: Yes, the strange truth is we like each other, and for some ridiculous reason, we still enjoy what we do tremendously. And we like the music that we're making together. And it kind of begins and ends with that.
So, when we get into rehearsals or planning a tour or planning something, we have a good time. And we kind of still believe in what we're doing. And we keep wanting to push the boundaries of what our abilities allow us to do.
ALEX LIFESON, RUSH: Also, we're equally handsome.
PEART: Yes, the same number of girls are equally impressed by our vision every night.
ROBERTS: When everybody is as handsome as everybody else, there are no egos involved. Everybody --
PEART: Yes, there's a lot of band breakups.
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: So, you guys are pushing 60 now, 57 years old.
(CROSSTALK)
LEE: Well, 50s is the new late 40s, right?
ROBERTS: I hate to break it to you that from a guy in his early 50s, you guys are getting close to that magic number. I'm just wondering what it is -- what it is that gives you satisfaction? Is it coming out here and playing the music? Is it recording the music? Is it family? Is it friends?
LIFESON: Yes, it's all those things. Playing a great show gives me immense satisfaction. Every night, I look forward to playing the best that I can, that we all play the best that we can. It stays that way. I look forward to spending every second I can with my grandkids, to be with the rest of my family, with -- you know, playing golf, with all of those things.
PEART: A measure of life is all of those things, how successful you are at home, as family people as we've been as well. And cooking a good meal for your family is as satisfying as playing (INAUDIBLE). You know, they are in different levels, but they all contribute t your sense of accomplishment and meaningfulness.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: They seem, they're just cool --
ROBERTS: Alex is actually --
CHETRY: Yes, down to earth. It's amazing.
ROBERTS: They are. They are so down to earth.
Now, as I said, I've known the guys for 30 years and I haven't seen them for a while. So, it was great to get back together with them.
I was just about to say, Kiran, that Alex is part owner of a golf club and he's a golf fanatic. And he said true happiness for him is sinking a 40-foot putt. But, you know, a matter of some controversy for Rush fans as to why they haven't yet been inducted in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame --
CHETRY: Right.
ROBERTS: -- particularly with the latest slate of nominees that was announced this week, a glaring omission is what many people might think about it. The band doesn't really worry too much about it, though they do have a sense that if they were an American band, rather from Canada, they might be in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame already. So, to Rush fans, this morning, we say, keep up the lobbying effort.
By the way, we talked for about 20 minutes. So, later on today, we're going to post the entire interview on our blog, at CNN.com/amFIX. It will take us a few hours to do that. Poor Steve Samaniego, who's the producer, has been up all night canning this all together. So, give us a few more hours to get that done.
CHETRY: All right. Why don't we show the video of you rocking with them on the stage, right now?
ROBERTS: That unique pleasure will come in 90 minutes' time. So stay around with that. Stay tuned for that.
CHETRY: We're going to put that in the Web, too.
(CROSSTALK)
ROBERTS: All right. We're crossing the half hour. Extreme weather to tell you about this morning. Torrential rain, flash flood watches along the east coast this morning. The Carolinas already with 15 inches of rain this week, could set a record today. Storms could dump six to 10 inches of new rain from Mid-Atlantic all the way up to New England.
CHERTY: Well, we're getting some news into our newsroom this morning -- a sad news from the entertainment world. Tony Curtis has died. The father of actress Jamie Lee Curtis, best known for his role in "Some Like It Hot" opposite Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemon. There's no word this morning on how the Oscar-nominated actor died. But he was 85 years old.
ROBERTS: And Faisal Shahzad planned to come back and detonate a second bomb in Times Square had his first attempt been successful. According to court documents, federal prosecutors say Shahzad hope to kill at least 40 people. And he studied live webcams of New York City pedestrian patterns to try to maximize casualties.
CHETRY: Just into CNN, Pakistan has banned NATO supply convoys from entering Afghanistan. Officials claim that cross-border fire by NATO troops killed three Pakistani soldiers.
Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is following this developing news for us. She joins me now.
Good to have you with us here in New York.
There has -- of course, there's been a lot of controversy over the drone strikes, the drone attacks, and just the whole relationship between Pakistan and U.S. and NATO forces.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Oh, absolutely, Kiran. And this is news that U.S. troops in Afghanistan did not need this morning. There was an early morning air strike on the border region, and by all accounts, when the NATO aircraft fired, they fired into Pakistan, killing three border Pakistani troops. The Pakistanis have now responded, saying they are shutting down access for those convoys coming from Pakistan into Afghanistan -- Kiran, critical U.S. military supplies.
NATO is now talking to the Pakistanis, urgently, trying to get this reopened and get this all fixed, because, of course, U.S. troops are very dependent on that supply route for getting their gear, getting resupplied for the war.
And this comes also this morning, as we are learning and confirming that by all accounts, Afghan civilians were killed in another strike in eastern Afghanistan.
You know, we've seen the number of air strikes pick up in recent weeks as troops have been trying to deal with the insurgency. And this is the price that's being paid.
CHETRY: It is really a tough situation to deal with right now, as we talked about the critical supply routes. Obviously, it's in the hands of, you know, some diplomacy right now to get them to open it up. But as these hours tick by, how big of a difference does it make for those troops that are in theater in Afghanistan?
STARR: Well, you know -- I mean, the reality on the ground is, they have extra supplies on hand. They have warehouses. They can last a while.
This is, though, Kiran, as you point out, a diplomatic issue, a military diplomacy issue, if you will. Things are very sensitive constantly between the U.S., the Pakistanis, the Afghans. This is a very tight border region, very volatile. And it's one of those things that they just don't need right now.
The Pakistanis, of course, the Pakistani military still on its side of the border, dealing with the insurgency, dealing with the flood issue in Pakistan. They're very sensitive to any problems right now. They're going to want to show a very tough stance on this.
CHETRY: It's interesting. We talk about the pickup in drone strikes. Some of it was related possibly to intel, having to do with a German who -- an Afghani who was taken in Germany and is now being questioned in Afghanistan. As this intelligence comes in -- I mean, how critical are these drone strikes to preventing another terror attack?
STARR: Oh, you know, absolutely. Because, of course, the U.S. troops can't cross into Pakistan. They are dependent on staying on the Afghan side, by all accounts, the plot, the planning to a large extent is still happening on the Pakistani side of the border. So, the only way to really get to that are those unmanned drones carrying missiles, cross the border, fire, and using the best intelligence you can and hope you're hitting the al Qaeda and Taliban targets that you want to.
CHETRY: Right. And, unfortunately, what we're seeing is that when that goes awry, there are major consequences.
STARR: That's what we're dealing with at this hour.
CHETRY: Well, it's good to have you.
STARR: Thanks. Good to see you.
CHETRY: We'll get you back as well and talk a little bit about Fort Hood situation, sad news out of there when it comes to the suicide rate. Thanks.
STARR: OK. Great.
CHETRY: Well, we're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we're going to be joined by Elizabeth Cohen. She explains why being a bad patient could actually save your life.
Thirty-eight minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: It's coming up now at 41 minutes after the hour and time for an A.M. "House Call," stories as about your health.
Being nice and not speaking up can be hazardous to your health especially when you're at the doctor. Our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen learned firsthand just how important that is. She talks about it in her new book "The Empowered Patient." And she's here with us this morning with her latest establishment.
Good morning, Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
You and I both know that doctors sometimes get things wrong. Hospitals sometimes get things wrong. It's just the way that it works. And sometimes, you have to take charge, which can make people a little bit mad. But if you try to be a nice, good patient, that can hurt you.
Here's a story of something that happened to my mother. We bring you her story with the help of Turner Animation Studios.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COHEN (voice-over): Works (ph) as a firecracker, mother of four, grandmother of 11, wife, lawyer and social worker, she's been active and healthy her whole life. But around the time she turned 60, something changed. She began feeling achy and dizzy, her blood pressure went up and she was so tired.
My mom's family doctor told her, don't worry about it.
(on camera): So, they told you, "Look, lady, if you just stop working so hard, your blood pressure will come down"?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't get excited. Don't enjoy life so much. Don't be quite so busy.
COHEN (voice-over): If mom's doctor had only ordered a simple blood test, instead of blaming her, he would have seen my mom's kidneys were in trouble. Caught early enough, a simple treatment could have fixed it. But now, it's come to this. She needs a kidney transplant to save her life.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bye, Darling. Thank you.
COHEN: When my mom first got sick, I wish I could have introduced her to Evan Handler.
EVAN HANDLER, ACTOR (as Harry Goldenblatt): Charlotte York, will you marry me?
COHEN: Evan plays Harry Goldenblatt, Charlotte York's husband on "Sex and the City." But here's what you might not know.
HANDLER: I was 24 years old when I was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
COHEN: In the hospital, Evan had to get pushy with his doctors and nurses. HANDLER: You know, you have your little squeezy thing to ring the nurses' station, and I heard exasperated voices saying, "Evan, we're on a dinner break. You know, we can come to you in 20 minutes." And I said, "Well, OK, the drug that's been running into my vein for the last 20 minutes is labeled with another patient's name." And there was a stunned silence and someone said, "We'll be right there."
I don't completely trust anyone. And it makes me difficult to deal with, but it's also saved my neck.
COHEN: My mother didn't challenge things like Evan did and it cost her her kidney.
(on camera): What advice would you give someone who's not feeling well but whose doctor says, oh, don't worry about it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't take the answer and don't take an answer that says there's nothing we can do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROBERTS: So, there's got to be a balance here between being an empowered patient, between being, you know, assertive and on the far end of the scale, being a royal pain in the rear end. So, how do you strike that balance?
COHEN: Right. You strike that balance by asking questions but by being polite about it. And by asking yourself, am I being too nice? Am I trying to please people? Because this is not a time when you want to please people. This is a time when you want to get things right.
So, we actually have a quiz that asks the question, are you being a good patient? Good being bad.
So, here are some questions you can ask yourself when you're at the hospital or at the doctor's office. You can ask yourself: are you worried, or am I worried about pleasing the doctor? Because if you're worried about pleasing the doctor, worried what the doctor thinks of you, that can be a problem. Are you too scared to tell the doctor that you want a second opinion? And do you stick with a doctor who's been treating you for a long time, but you're not getting better?
You know, John, we wouldn't take our car to a mechanic over and over again if they couldn't solve the problem. You have to ask yourself, is it time for me to move on, even if I like this guy?
ROBERTS: But a lot of people are worried insulting the doctor by saying, "Well, I want a second opinion," or "Are you really sure about this?"
COHEN: And, you know, I think that's a natural human instinct. Most of us are very nice. We don't like to insult people. But you can do it without insulting them.
And you can also not worry about insulting them. Your health comes first. Your popularity comes second.
ROBERTS: A little New York attitude when you're at the doctor's? It's probably --
COHEN: A little bit, but in a nice way.
ROBERTS: All right.
COHEN: A New York attitude with an Atlanta edge.
ROBERTS: That's a good way of putting it. Nice mix.
Elizabeth, great to see you this morning.
COHEN: Thanks.
ROBERTS: Thanks.
Don't forget Elizabeth's special report "The Empowered Patient," this Saturday and Sunday night, 7:00 Eastern, right here on CNN -- Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Good stuff.
Well, it's 45 minutes past the hour. Still to come on the Most News in the Morning: we're following severe weather. We can actually see the storm just blasting over the radar right now, all along the East Coast. Rob Marciano is following it for us, as well as the tropical outlook because south Florida is getting hit as well.
We're going to have travel forecast, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: It's 45 minutes past the hour. Still to come on the Most News in the Morning, we're following severe weather. We can actually see the storm just blasting over the radar right now, all on the east coast. Rob Marciano following it for us as well as the tropical outlook because South Florida is getting hit as well. We're going to have the travel forecast coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF KINNEY, AUTHOR, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: My name is Jeff Kinney, and I'm the author of "The Diary Of A Wimpy Kid" series. I think I spend between about three and four months on the road each year. I try to pack as lightly as possible. In fact, one time recently, I have a small bag and went for two weeks, and I actually ran out of laundry in the middle of the trip, and I had to wash my socks and underwear in the sink.
My most necessary high-tech gadget that I bring with me on the road is a drawing tablet that's kind of a computer tablet where I do all of my illustrations for my books. I feel like a plane ride is sort of like purgatory. I like to put this, you know, this big hood over my head when I'm on the plane because it somehow makes it seem like I'm not traveling. The hardest thing about being away is being away from my family.
Recently, I was in Vancouver, and my kids were going to have their first day of school the next day. So, I hopped on a red eye flight and made it all the way back and arrived in the driveway right as the kids were getting on the bus from school.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Welcome back. I'm Rob Marciano on the CNN Severe Weather Center and your hurricane headquarters. This was tropical storm Nicole for a brief period of time yesterday regardless of whether it's need or not. It's combining with a big old mess and a front that's moving across the east coast right now. We got only heavy rain and wind, but we got a tornado threat as well.
And right now, there's a tornado warning out for Virginia Beach and Norfolk for the next 20 to 30 minutes. So, this polygon that you see right there, that is where the radar indicated tornado may very well be. No reports around the ground, but if you live on the western parts of Virginia Beach and just north of Norfolk proper, that is where this potential tornado threat.
This is all moving to the north at about 40 miles an hour. So, it is a quick move. Just stay inside for the next half hour or so. This tornado watch is in effect until 1:00 for a good chunk of the mid- Atlantic, stretching all the way up towards Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. which, by the way, D.C. is under a flash flood warning right now until 10:00 this morning for heavy rain there.
And Wilmington, my goodness, I mean, we have seen 20 inches -- this is just yesterday for 24-hour rain total. We have seen 20 inches of rainfall in the last four days in Wilmington, and it's still coming down. That plus some wind with the system that's coming in. We're probably going to see some trees down as well. So, it's a mess across North Carolina and up and down the east.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Another question too, we got a lot of big cities, lot of big airports up and down the east coast, what is this going to mean for air travel?
MARCIANO: Yes, it's going to be a couple-hour delay, I think, anywhere from D.C. to New York just with the wind and the rain. So, that's a lot, you know.
ROBERTS: Yes, thanks. Not just me, but some of the other people. All right. Rob, we'll check back with you.
MARCIANO: Sounds good.
ROBERTS: Kiran.
CHETRY: All right. Thanks, John. Thanks, Rob.
Still to come, she may have been down, but she's not out. Republican senator, Lisa Murkowski staging a comeback after she lost to a tea party favorite in Alaska. We're getting the poll number straight ahead from the CNNPolitics.com desk.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back. We're taking a look at the Most Politics in the Morning. Fifty-four minutes past the hour, and crossing the Political Ticker this morning, there's a big question. Will she or won't she try to be a write-in candidate? Alaska senator, Lisa Murkowski, who has been widely written off after losing her primary to a tea party favorite may actually have a chance to keep her Senate seat. Senior political editor, Mark Preston, is live for us at the CNNPolitics.com desk with more on the decision. Hey there, Mark.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey. Good morning, Kiran. Yes, Lisa Murkowski who lost to the tea party favorite, Joe Miller, in a stunning upset just a couple of weeks ago is running as a run-in candidate. And she got some very good news. A CNN/Time Poll shows that it is a statistical dead heat right now for this Senate race up in Alaska. In fact, only separated by two points. Lisa Murkowski last night released two more ads, Kiran. One of those ads is to try to explain to voters how to do her as a write-in.
How to put her name on the ballot. I'll tell you, I dug a little bit into the numbers, Kiran. She has support from 4 in 10 Democrats. Lisa Murkowski getting support from Democrats who are not supporting the Democratic system. It may have Scott McAdams (ph). If she can continue to build her Democratic support, she could very well win the seat up in Alaska.
You know, Congress is leaving right now, Kiran. They're heading home. They're heading home to campaign. But democrats are saying that they are going to take John Boehner, the House Minority Leader, and they're going to try to paint him as an insider here in Washington. Boehner will be the speaker of the House, if Republicans are able to take back the majority come November.
But national Democrats are telling me that they're going to launch this new national campaign, including ads, paid media, earned media to try to point out that Boehner is very close and very cozy to lobbyists and special interests. The whole idea, Kiran, is to try to say that Republicans are saying that they're outsiders, but in fact, all they are part of the problem here in Washington -- Kiran.
CHETRY: Back in the Murkowski stuff, her name is not going to appear on the ballot or will they have to actually write it in?
PRESTON: They actually have to write it in. So, one appear in the ballot, they won't be able to check it off or punch it through. They'll have to write it in.
CHETRY: And they have to spell it correctly as well, right?
PRESTON: They have to spell it correctly, but if it is close enough to her name, there is a law in Alaska that will allow her name to count. If somebody misspells it but is close enough, it will count. CHETRY: And interesting, I mean, the polling of likely voters versus people actually going in the booth and writing in her name, I mean, it may not really, you know, add up?
PRESTON: Yes. Again, we are about a month out. But it's amazing that she'll have to rely on Democrats to try to get her over the finish line as well.
CHETRY: That is amazing. All right. Mark Preston, good to check in with you. We'll see you the next hour as well. And by the way, for all the latest political news, go to our website, CNNPolitics.com -- John.
ROBERTS: And you can bet, Kiran, that if it's a really close race there in Alaska, the rules for what is close to the correct spelling of Murkowski, no doubt --
CHETRY: I know.
ROBERTS: Will come into play.
CHETRY: And all three of the candidates names with "Ms". So, that's crazy, too.
ROBERTS: Yes. It's amazing.
Top stories coming your way right after the break. Stay with us. It's just a couple of minutes now to the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
