Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Royal Engagement Announced: Britain's Prince William to Marry; Having the Winning Touch; Bristol Palin Talks About Pregnancy; What's Next for Nancy Pelosi?; The Importance of Compassion in Health Care

Aired November 16, 2010 - 07:00   ET

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

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good Tuesday morning to you and thanks so much for joining us. It is November the 16th, I'm john Roberts.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us. Here are the top stories this morning.

His career and reputation on the line, and he walked out. The jury deliberating the fate of Congressman Charlie Rangel this morning after a mini circus erupted during his corruption trial yesterday in Congress. We're live in Washington waiting to learn his fate this morning.

ROBERTS: Big news for all of you rock 'n' roll lovers after a long and winding road, apple's pursuit to carry music from the Beatles may be over. We've got new details about the announcement that has everyone talking.

CHETRY: Royal family watchers are busting out the bubbly this morning. We're learning that Prince William is engaged to his long- time girlfriend Kate Middleton. They became engaged in Kenya on a holiday in October. We're going to details about when they plan to tie the knot.

ROBERTS: But first the jury's still out this morning in the case against New York Congressman Charlie Rangel who walked out of his own trial yesterday. The man who helped write the U.S. tax code is accused of not paying his and facing more than a dozen ethics violations.

Brianna Keilar is live for us on Capitol Hill this morning. And Brianna, some people might be seeing what Charlie Rangel did as a stunt yesterday. Others saying, hey, the man just needs some representation. If he didn't have it, why should he be there?

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, certainly what we can say is Charlie Rangel, and we've always known this, has a flare for the dramatic and it was on full display yesterday.

He walked into this ethics hearing room with a smile on his face and he was all by himself, no lawyer by his side. He was representing himself and he basically told this ethics subcommittee I'm not sticking around. Here's what he said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. CHARLIE RANGEL, (D) NEW YORK: I object to the proceeding and I, with all due respect, since I don't have counsel to advise me, I'm going to have to excuse myself from these proceedings because I have no idea what this man has put together over two years that was given to me last week.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: So Rangel was saying that he talked to the law firm that had been representing him for a couple of years. He'd already paid them about $2 million in legal fees. And in discussions with them, it became apparent that it could cost $1 million more. When he told them he couldn't guarantee payment, he says they withdrew.

But a spokesperson for this law firm, Zuckerman Spader, telling a different story in a statement yesterday. She said this law firm did not seek to terminate the relationship and explored every alternative to remain as his counsel consistent with House ethics rules prohibiting members from accepting pro bono legal services.

And the way this all wrapped up yesterday, John, is we were thinking this whole thing could maybe take a week give or take. It wrapped up very quickly because Rangel wasn't there to really refute any of the prosecution. They just picked through the charges, detailed the evidence, and now deliberations continue.

This ethics subcommittee will begin again deliberating on the fate of Charlie Rangel at 9:00 a.m. eastern this morning, John.

ROBERTS: So what are some of the most serious charges facing him? And what potential sanctions might he face as a result of this?

KEILAR: There's a number of different things. One of the biggest ones is probably that he -- and he admits this, that he failed to pay taxes on income from a rental villa that he owns in the Dominican Republic. Keeping in mind at the time he was the head of the powerful House ways and means committee.

He also failed to disclose hundreds of thousands of assets in his congressional financial disclosure form. Also, he stands accused of misusing a rent-controlled apartment in Harlem for campaign purposes.

And another pretty big one that he used Congressional letterhead as well as staff time, staff resources, Congressional resources to solicit donations for a college center bearing his name. And some of the companies that he was soliciting donations from actually had business before his committee.

So how does this all boil down? Well, the worst punishment that he could get from this trial would be a recommendation of expulsion. That's not expected to happen. That's something that's more reserved for someone who has faced some sort of criminal conviction, which Rangel certainly has not.

And then there's varying levels of rebukes -- censure, reprimand. Perhaps he could face a fine. We're going to find out when this committee puts its recommendation out there. And then, John, it's going to come down to the whole House taking a vote, assuming they find him guilty and recommend a sanction, it'll come down to the whole House making a decision about whether that should stand.

ROBERTS: We'll be watching it. Brianna Keilar for us on Capitol Hill this morning. Thanks so much.

CHETRY: No regrets -- that's how former Secretary of State Colin Powell sums up his decision to back Barack Obama for president in 2008. Powell was on "LARRY KING LIVE" last night and the 73-year-old former general says that President Obama deserves credit for stabilizing the economy and for his handling of the wars in Iraq and.

But he also says had believes the president overreached and lost focus in his first term in office and that the next year will be critical.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, CNN HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": You endorsed the president, Mr. Obama for president two years in. Any second thoughts?

COLIN POWELL, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: None whatsoever. When I endorsed then senator Obama in 2008, I thought he was the right choice for the country. The country was in deep economic despair. I think the country needed a significant and transformational change, and I thought president Obama would provide that for us.

The American people are losing some focus on President Obama, what he's trying to do. And when you look at the election results, as he said, I mean, he got shellacked. I think it was more than a shellacking. I think it was a real body blow that he has to reflect on and figure out how to come back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Powell says the president's biggest problem has been a failure to prioritize and effectively communicate his ideas to the American people.

ROBERTS: Winter weather is approaching and it's causing quite a mess in the state of Colorado. Check out this. It's a 34-car pile-up. Icy and wet roads led to the accident on I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs. The highway was shot down for four hours yesterday. A dozen people went to the hospital with minor injuries. They're expecting more wet snow in Denver tomorrow night.

CHETRY: Terrible pictures.

The FDA is closer to making an official warning about the dangers of caffeinated alcoholic drinks. Industry experts expect the Food and Drug Administration to tell manufacturers that the drinks are not safe. The agency is facing pressure to make a decision after several instances of young people getting sick from drinks, most prominently the malt liquor caffeine combo Four Loko. ROBERTS: Facebook is trying to revolutionize the way we communicate online. The social networking site unveiling a one-stop shop for instant messages, text messages, Facebook messages, and e-mail. What could be the biggest feature? The new service will allow Facebook users to message people who don't have a Facebook account. The site is planning a slow rollout as they call it.

CHETRY: And former JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater extending his 15 minutes of fame, signing a deal with a company that makes mobile communications applications. He'll be judging a contest for them. Air travelers being asked to submit their craziest travel experiences on a plane, and Slater will be judging, picking the best one.

ROBERTS: So what happens if the craziest experience is the day the flight attendant went nuts?

And the feds are now investigating a California man who warned TSA screeners not to "touch his junk." You're looking at John Tyner's secretly recorded iPhone video of his confrontation with security agents on Saturday.

Tyner is speaking out now and he says he's heartened by all the support he's getting. Despite that, the security director says his agents acted appropriately and that Tyner faces a fine.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIGUEL AGUILAR, TSA FEDERAL SECURITY DIRECTOR FOR SAN DIEGO: We looked at the incident from start to finish as to what occurred, and the potential -- the actual civil penalty could go as high as $11,000. We do in our investigation look at everything, including the behavior of officers. I will tell you I'm very proud as you have also seen on this blog of the professionalism and the courtesy exhibited by the officers here at San Diego.

JOHN TYNER, REFUSED SCAN AND ENHANCED PAT-DOWN: The response has been overwhelmingly positive. I get a certain number of people saying, hey, you know, if you don't like it, you don't have to fly. But by and large people are saying, hey, you know, we're glad you stood up and did this because that lot of people when they go to the airport, they've invested a lot of money in whatever trip they're about to take and they're over a barrel and can't -- can't opt out of it because they'd be out a whole lot of money.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

So a lot of people are asking the reason he may face the fine. Apparently it is a violation if you go in through the security process and you don't complete it.

Meanwhile, lawmakers and civil liberties groups in New Jersey are calling on Congress to review the TSA procedures. They believe their state's privacy laws are being violated. And the U.S. travel association says in the past five days, it has received over 1,000 complaints about these TSA screenings. At 8:40 eastern, hero pilot Sully Sullenberger will join us. He made headlines when he landed a U.S. Airways 1549 in the Hudson River. He's back making more headlines when he says flight crews should not be required to submit to body scans. We'll ask him how much is too much when it comes to airport security.

(WEATHER BREAK)

CHETRY: Well, for fans of the Beatles, there's a lot of anticipation about Apple reportedly about to fill one of the biggest holes in its iTunes music store.

ROBERTS: Yes, could it be that Apple and Apple are getting together? Our Christine Romans is "Minding your Business." Big news, because they'll fill in that missing piece of the logo, I think.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Could it be "Let it Be?" coming to iTunes. This is the way apple works. They are very mysterious and cryptic trying to build buzz, certainly getting a lot of buzz this morning.

Let me show you why we think the Beatles' catalog will be coming to iTunes. A mysterious message on the iTunes website yesterday. Apple is known for this, of course, but Apple saying that tomorrow will be a big day. You will never forget it.

Take a look at what they said. Look at the clocks. Take a look at 1965, the "Help" album. A lot of the bloggers and people watching for signs this is going to happen are pointing to these two message and saying this is Steve Jobs, a huge Beatles fan, his way of telling the world he's got a big announcement at 10:00 eastern time in New York today and that will be finally an agreement to allow Beatles music to be sold on iTunes.

We don't know how much they'll be charged, whether you'll be able to buy single songs or a whole album or what. But we do know this creates a hole in the iTunes lineup. Apple iTunes sold 10 billion songs so far. They have a catalog of over 12 million songs. The Beatles have sold 177 million albums. These were sort of the last really big holdouts -- there are some others, but really big holdouts in the iTunes catalog.

You're still seeing more people buy CDs and they're still more profitable for the music industry. But you're seeing digital downloads of songs taking off -- iTunes accounts are about 70 percent of those.

So we'll know more about 10:00 eastern time of what it actually is going to look like, a lot of buzz this morning, because these are two companies that have mostly been fighting in court over the past I don't know how many years over their logos and trademarks, Apple and Apple. The "New York Times" called this the digital holy grail. I don't know if I'd go that far.

CHETRY: I said -- am I missing something here, because I can't understand why you can't upload your CDs. They said money's all you need to understand, Kiran. This is tech PR at its worst.

ROMANS: One thing I think is interesting about the whole iTunes model, Apple says it doesn't make any money on iTunes, but when you buy the gadgets, that's where they make the money.

ROBERTS: They don't make any money on it?

CHETRY: They say it's not a big profit center for them. The iTunes part of it -- what they make the money is the gadgets, not selling the songs.

ROBERTS: Well, perhaps. Still a couple of -- I don't believe anything from the companies. But still a couple of notable exceptions to the iTunes library -- Kid Rock. You search Kid Rock and you get kid songs on iTunes. And AC/DC are still holding out.

ROMANS: There are a couple others too. But apple -- sorry, Beatles was the big get that Steve Jobs had been going for, and he got them we think. At 10:00 we'll know for sure.

ROBERTS: Maybe this is the top of the slippery slope for others.

ROMANS: Maybe.

ROBERTS: Thanks, Christine.

CHETRY: Still to come, this could be a princess in the U.K. next year and the future queen, as well. All the details about the newly revealed royal engagement in a live report from London.

ROBERTS: And fist-bumps, chest-bumps, high-fives, low-fives, don't leave me hanging -- why that basketball team touch that you see could be the key to whether or not they're winners or losers. It's 12 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: It's coming up now on 15 minutes after the hour. And it is official -- the prince is getting a princess. Prince William announced his engagement to Kate Middleton this morning.

CHETRY: This comes after months and really years of speculation about when the long-time couple will be tying the knot. We have our own Richard Quest this morning outside of Buckingham Palace to give us more dish on this.

What an amazing announcement on this Tuesday morning. Give us more details, Richard.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And the funny part about it, Kiran, you don't often think about an engagement being announced on a random Tuesday in November. But that's exactly what we've got.

Clarence House, which is where they live, which is the home of the prince of Wales, Prince Charles and Camilla, just up the road behind me, are going to be from where am I at Buckingham Palace. Clarence House announced it. They said the prince of Wales, Prince Charles, has agreed to the marriage. It's said the two will get married in the summer and spring of 2011. So we don't yet have a date on when the wedding will take place. They will continue to live in north Wales in a little house where he is serving in the British military. And interestingly, it said Prince William has informed the queen. So gone the stuffy days of the queen granting her consent and all of that. This was a modern man with a modern fiancee telling a modern monarch, we're getting married.

CHETRY: The interesting thing, though, Richard, is that she was accepted by the royal family by all accounts and that, you know, this was -- there was certainly a comfort between Kate Middleton and the members of the royal family. Something we didn't necessarily see with Diana or Fergie.

QUEST: I think times have moved on phenomenally since those days. Kate Middleton comes from an upper middle class background and she's had a good education, the right sort of education. She went to University with Prince William. They've been together for years. They had a small breakup, if you like, a trial break down in 2007. Kate Middleton's parents have met William. They've even been to Balmoral, the queen's Scottish estate, for a shooting holiday. And we're not informed whether the queen has met them yet. But, yes, to answer your fundamental point, it is still quite extraordinary that a commoner made good will become eventually the queen of England.

CHETRY: Very interesting. All right. Richard Quest, thanks so much.

Well, it gives new meaning to having the shooter's touch. A new study says the secret to a basketball team's success may be how many times they slap, bump and smack each other.

ROBERTS: Our Carol Costello joins us now live from Washington. And the first thing that many people may wonder, Carol, is who would study something like this? And the second thing is, do the results really bear fruit?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kate Middleton, Prince William, fist pump, pat on the behind, they're going to get married. Just kidding.

No, no, this is a serious study done by the University of California- Berkeley. And they asked the question, how much is a first bump worth or a high five or if you're a baseball player, pat on the backside?

Researchers from the University of California Berkeley say it is worth a winning season. We talked to the researcher, Michael Kraus, who said his team studied the entire 2008/2009 basketball season and they found the greater the intended contact like fist-bumping after a play, the more winning the team.

I know what you're thinking. If you're winning, of course, you're going to fist bump. But consider this. The studies showed that touch improved performance even after accounting for player status and pre- season expectations. Touch is a sophisticated way of saying I'm on your side, I'm going to be working with you. You're making those inferences, you know, when you jump up and do the chest bump.

ROBERTS: You know what's interesting is that, you know, in sports, the touching thing is OK, builds teamwork. You know, good feelings. That sense of I support you. Try that at the workplace, you'll be in a whole heck of a lot of trouble. Who are some of the more touchy, feely guys out there in the league?

COSTELLO: I'm glad you asked that, John. Kevin Garnett, if you're a Celtics fan, you know that Kevin Garnett was found in this study to be the touchiest player, which makes sense because he's the most physically demonstrative people. He's one of the most physically demonstrative people in the league. He really likes to touch his teammates and lets them know that he's a great defensive player. Chris Bosh, Matt Barnes, Kobe Bryant, they also ranked high on this touchy meter. So maybe it's no surprise that the Celtics and the 2009 NBA finals champion, the Lakers, were the top touchiest teams.

Now, I know what you both are wondering.

ROBERTS: Yes, we're wondering about Chris Bosh and --

CHETRY: LeBron James.

COSTELLO: LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

ROBERTS: Yes.

COSTELLO: Geez. You know, are they touchy players because they've gone to the Miami Heat and there's great expectations of that team. Well, it turns out that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, not as touchy as some of their teammates. And we'll just have to see as the season plays out if their lack of touchiness affects the Miami Heat's winning abilities.

CHETRY: Well, they better start groping according to this study so they can have a winning season.

COSTELLO: You sent me the "Dougie."

CHETRY: Yes, you like that?

COSTELLO: I did like it. And a Washington Wizards player was doing the "Dougie," which proves the "Dougie" does not work.

CHETRY: Poor Wizards.

ROBERTS: Maybe the Detroit Lions will adopt it next.

CHETRY: Yes, the touchdown dance.

COSTELLO: They have to do some --

CHETRY: If they could get a touchdown.

COSTELLO: I know it was bad.

CHETRY: I can do a dance.

COSTELLO: At least they gave the Bills their first win, right?

ROBERTS: Yes. Nothing worse than having a dance and no opportunity to employ it.

Carol, thanks so much.

CHETRY: Well, Sarah Palin's opening up about her daughter's pregnancy. We're going to hear what she has to say about the moment that Bristol told her she was expecting a baby.

ROBERTS: And wait until you see this, one feisty feline faces up against two alligators. I know, you're thinking kitty litter, right? Well, our morning talkers are coming up next.

Twenty-one minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: This next story had us talking this morning, actually laughing pretty hard, as well. It was one of the most random "Family Feud" answers ever. And it seemed -- it was made all the more funny because the contestant just was completely sure of himself, hit the buzzer and blurted it out. Here's a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE HARVEY, HOST, "FAMILY FEUD": Something a burglar would not want to see when he breaks into a house.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Naked grandma.

HARVEY: Naked -- huh!

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: He's looking over his family for support and they're shaking their heads at him. So, show me naked grandma.

Well, it certainly left Steve Harvey speechless for a few minutes. Believe it or not, though, they actually gave it to him. I think just because of his enthusiasm, because it was under the category of gun occupant. And they gave it to him, naked grandma.

ROBERTS: Wow. And it was the number two answer, right?

CHETRY: Yes.

ROBERTS: There you go.

Donovan McNabb, no Washington lame duck as many people in Washington are these days. The quarterback turns 34 next week, just signed a five-year $78 million extension with the Redskins with $40 million of that guaranteed.

CHETRY: I can't understand that one, sorry.

ROBERTS: I can't understand those numbers to begin with let alone who they're for.

This comes just two weeks after he was benched in the final minutes of a loss in Detroit because the coach didn't think that he had the stamina. Last night, the Skins were routed by McNabb's old team on Monday night football. Michael Vick had six touchdowns. The Eagles won it 59-28.

CHETRY: There you go.

Well, Kobayashi's belly aching. The competitive eater failed in his attempt to break the world pizza eating record in Brooklyn. It was a speed challenge, so he needed to finish this 12-inch pie, and he did, in just two minutes and three seconds. However, that was 18 seconds off of record pace. They say it's a little weird that he chose to eat with a knife and fork. You think that would slow you down a little bit. Kobayashi also complained that the pie was too soft to scarf it down in time.

ROBERTS: Well, people have been debating whether it's a reality show or a political ad. But whatever it is, it appears to be a success. Sarah Palin's new television show a real hit with viewers. Nearly five million people tuned into the premiere of "Sarah Palin's Alaska" making it TLC's number one launch ever.

CHETRY: And Palin's daughter, Bristol, opened up about her pregnancy and relationship with Levi Johnston on last night's "Dancing with the Stars."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BRISTOL PALIN, SARAH PALIN'S DAUGHTER: Growing up, I was like the golden child and I never really had any problems or challenges until I started dating Levi.

SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: Our little world kind of stopped spinning the day that Bristol came to us and told us that she was pregnant. Naive us thought it couldn't happen to our family, you know. It wasn't long after that that I was tapped to be the vice presidential nominee for the Republican Party and here Bristol was, her little baby bump growing on the national stage for all the world to see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Well, there you go. Meanwhile, Bristol made it again. So she's one of the last four couples to make it even though she had the lowest score last night. Her fans have kept her on the show.

ROBERTS: It really is just a made for TV reality show, isn't it? That whole thing.

CHETRY: Five million people watched TLC.

ROBERTS: Yes.

How about this? A house cat walked in a standoff with an alligator. The video is all over the Internet. My daughter called me last night saying I'm watching a cat and alligators square off.

And look at what the cat does. The paws come out and the alligator -- what kind of self-respect does this alligator have? Instead of snapping up the kitty in its jaws, it says, I've had enough of this. I'm out of here. But the alligator comes back with some help. Alligators travel in packs, you know.

CHETRY: So creepy.

ROBERTS: Look at this. It's sneaking up saying what's this cat all about? And the cat, watch this. Oh, hang on. We didn't see it there.

It's all in the perils of editing. The alligator comes up to probably take a nip at kitty and kitty smacks him on the snout.

CHETRY: We don't have it. This is the second time. I don't know why we don't have it, but I've seen it on the net.

ROBERTS: Yes, and the cat --

CHETRY: The alligator runs back again into the water.

ROBERTS: The cat smacks the alligator and he says enough of this.

CHETRY: They can't be too vicious of alligators, anyway. You see the guy in flip-flops standing a couple of feet away, so --

ROBERTS: They were perhaps a little domesticated, but any alligator when hungry might behave a little differently than those did. So, kitty better watch out.

CHETRY: Still to come this morning, our top stories, including credit cards. Are they about to become obsolete?

Well, the CEO of Google thinks so. What the next generation of android will be able to do for you ahead.

Twenty-eight minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

CHETRY: 32 minutes past the hour right now. We check our top story. The jury's still out on Charlie Rangel, one of the most powerful Democrats in Congress. He walked out of his own ethics trial yesterday. The congressman facing 13 ethics violation. Among them, failing to pay taxes on his home in the Dominican Republic. ROBERTS: Could the next generation of Android make credit cards obsolete? Google's CEO says yes. Eric Schmidt says the Android 2.3 in its tap and play function will use so-called near field communication sensors to read price tags and link up with vendor payment systems.

CHETRY: A new children's book by President Obama is now on bookstore shelves. Publishers say his girls, Sasha and Malia inspired the president to write "Of Thee I Sing, A Letter To My Daughters." The book is described as a tribute to 13 ground-breaking Americans, among them baseball great Jackie Robinson and founding father George Washington.

ROBERTS: Well, she is now officially a princess in waiting. Just a little over an hour, the British family announced that Prince William is now engaged to be married to his girlfriend, Kate Middleton.

CHETRY: Yes, there's been a lot of buzz about this of late. But now it's official, the wedding will take place next year sometime in the spring or summer. Joining us on the phone from London is royal biographer Mark Saunders. Thanks for being with us this morning, Mark.

MARK SAUNDERS, ROYAL BIOGRAPHER, ENGLAND(ON THE PHONE): Good morning.

CHETRY: So does this come as a surprise to you?

SAUNDERS: Well, it doesn't come as a surprise. If it's supposed to have been a secret, it hasn't been a very well-kept secret. Everybody's been expecting it for some time. But they always - they seem to have this knack, the royal family announcing it just at the right time.

Today it was a surprise, and the story is across the country and across the world as a tremendous breath of fresh air. It's a wonderful news story. And it's something that everybody seems to be really enjoying at the moment.

ROBERTS: You know, we all remember the big royal wedding back in 1981, Charles and Diana. And we are fascinated here in the United States by all the pomp and ceremony that was involved in that. What are we expecting this time around? Will it be the same? Will it be as majestic? Will it be as big or might it be in this economic times to be a little more scaled down?

SAUNDERS: Well, I think you'll find it will be as big if not bigger because even though the technology was available in '81 to show the whole world that wedding, that technology is even greater now. So it'll be even faster and quicker beamed around the world.

But if you remember, '81 was also a time of austerity, particularly in this country. It was a very bleak year apart from that royal wedding. And I think the same thing has happened. If there is one thing that the British family does have a very good knack for, it's coming up with the goods when the people need them. And there is nothing like a royal wedding to unite this country and the rest of the world. And we've always had this fascination with the Americans' fascination with our royal family. Seeing as how she fought a war to get rid of them. It seems that the Americans are the ones who actually enjoy this more than we do.

ROBERTS: Well, we were just getting rid of them from this country, not from yours.

SAUNDERS: Well, I mean, the tribute to the Americans, he wasn't (INAUDIBLE) but no, I think it's just going to be a great event. And William and Kate as senior members of the royal family will take the royal family in for the future and beyond.

CHETRY: Mark, the other interesting thing that's going to happen, of course, is the obvious comparison between Charles and Diana's wedding and this one. Obviously very different couples. But people are going to make those comparisons.

SAUNDERS: They will do. There is a slight difference in the Princess Diana came from the very top drawer of the British aristocracy. She was born on the queen's estate, the royal estate, that's Sandringham, her family and the royal family were always connected. I think at one time it was noted that she would be a great wife for the Duke of York, Prince Andrew.

So there was nothing about Diana that even though they tried to sell it that she was a normal girl, she wasn't. She was always a member of the aristocracy. Whereas Kate isn't. I'd say Kate is kind of in - we have a different system than you guys, but kind of what we would call the middle class, which means she would be a very good bridge between us normal people and the royal family.

ROBERTS: And they have proven that thus far, at least, Mark, that the relationship has stood the test of time. So there's another difference, as well. Mark Saunders for us this morning. Mark Saunders, it's great to talk to you. Really appreciate it.

SAUNDERS: Thanks.

CHETRY: Thanks, Mark.

ROBERTS: It's going to be an interesting week on Capitol Hill, no question about it. House leadership votes are going to be held tomorrow. Then on Thursday, Democrats and Republicans meet with the president, South Carolina Democrat James Clyburn coming up next with what we can expect.

It's 37 minutes after the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ROBERTS: It's 20 minutes now to the top of the hour.

Changing of the guard is underway on Capitol Hill. Republicans are taking charge of the House and democrats are jockeying for power in their fast-changing pecking order. Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina is currently the majority whip. He's in line to become the number three ranking Democrat assuming a newly created position of assistant leader.

Congressman Clyburn joins us live from Capitol Hill. Congressman, great to see you this morning. Thanks for being with us.

REP. JAMES CLYBURN (D), SOUTH CAROLINA: Well, thank you so much for having me.

ROBERTS: I wanted to talk to you about what the next two years are going to look like. Just sort of the broad brush by looking at a CNN opinion research corporation poll that we did just over the last couple of days, people were asked about the Republican victories. What they were a result of? 70 percent said they were a rejection of Democratic policies. So I'm wondering what will the Democratic Party in Congress do differently over the next couple of years?

CLYBURN: Well, I think that we will get people to do a better job of getting people to understand exactly what it is they we're trying to get done. I believe that everybody knows that this economy two years ago was on the brink of a real disaster. I think that policies that President Obama put in place stabilized this economy, brought us back from the brink.

And I don't think we did a good job of getting people to understand that that was necessary before you can start to grow the economy. People wanted to see an immediate turn around, which we did not get, and it's impossible. And so I am very pleased with what we did. I am not pleased with our ability to explain to the American people exactly what we did and why.

ROBERTS: Is it all about communication? Or is it more about the policy?

CLYBURN: Well, I don't know that you would say a policy's bad. When you stop hemorrhaging 800,000 jobs a month. And that's what we did. That's got to be a good thing. I think that the problem was that when you turn this around and you start trying to grow, when people who would like to see us growing 100,000 jobs a month, and you're only growing 15,000 or 20,000 jobs a month, then their expectations are greater than that which we were able to deliver.

And I really believe that we had explained to people a little better that would be the process by which we were going through. We would've done better at the polls. The expectations got far greater than any possibility of us fulfilling them.

ROBERTS: Congressman, let's talk about the leadership and the expectations for that. Of course, the big vote going to take place tomorrow unless these folks in your party who are pushing for a delay win the day. It would most likely see Nancy Pelosi as the minority leader, Steny Hoyer as the whip, and you in the number three position, in this newly created position of assistant leader. You were the majority whip. I know you wanted the whip position. Are you happy with this number three spot? CLYBURN: Well, I was number three for the last four years. In the majority, the whip is number three. In the minority, the whip becomes number two. And so what we're doing is saying that everybody will maintain their relative position in their 112th. And so being number three allows that to happen. So there's nothing unusual about this.

And I was very pleased with the resolution that Speaker Pelosi came up with and I accepted it. Now, there is some reticence on the part of a lot of people as to exactly what does this mean. It means that we will be moving forward, keeping at the table the kinds of experiences that I bring to the table. And hopefully as we develop policy, those experiences will be honored and we will have the kind of input that's necessary to have good, solid policy development.

And what about with Speaker Pelosi continuing on as the minority leader? There are a number of Democrats, a couple of dozen of them, in fact, including a lot of blue dogs who say it's unacceptable for her to continue on as leader. The congressional black caucus has thrown its support behind you. But as a body, they haven't thrown their support behind her. Are you happy with her as the leader?

CLYBURN: Yes, I am. But the fact of the matter is four years ago when we were out there in the wilderness where we'd been for 12 years, she was at the helm and brought us through two consecutive victories and gave us the majority in the house. Now we're running through a bad patch. I don't think that that disqualifies her as leader. She has done a good job. She will do a good job and I support her leadership.

ROBERTS: So with that in mind, would you encourage your colleagues in the Congressional Black Caucus to throw their full support behind her?

CLYBURN: I've already done that. I think you may have seen the letter I sent out last week saying that I was supporting her thrust to be leader. And I asked the members of the caucus to do that, as well. Last night I asked them to do that. They said that we may do that. But first, we've got to see exactly what the portfolio is for this number three position that you have accepted. And so that's -- we're getting there and I think we'll get there in due course.

ROBERTS: Congressman, Jim Clyburn, it's always a pleasure. Thanks for spending time with us.

CLYBURN: Thank you so much for having me.

ROBERTS: All right. Kiran.

CHETRY: John, thanks.

Well, fighting for his reputation and career 40 years in the making. Congressman Charlie Rangel, who walked out of his ethics trial yesterday, is now waiting on the jury's decision today. We're live in Washington with what has become a bit of a circus.

Also, the south waking up soggy and soaked this morning and we're facing that in the northeast, as well. Rob is going to have a look at this morning's travel forecast right after the break.

It's 46 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

ROBERTS: Well, it's a proud day, a historic day for the U.S. Military. The first living soldier to receive the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam era honored today at the White House. Barbara Starr on the heroics that earned him the honor, coming up live in our next hour.

CHETRY: And we're going to be joined by hero pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. He made headlines this week when he said that flight crews should not be required to submit to body scans. We're going to ask him how much is enough when it comes to airport security.

Fifty-one minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Right now he went from doctor to patient in an instant when a devastating fall changed his life. Well now, he has a whole new outlook on the power of compassion in health care.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta has this week's Human Factor.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Medicine has always been is Dr. Brad Burk's passion. A cardiologist and CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center. Berk was known as a real go-getter. But that changed in May of 2009 when Burk had a bicycle accident. He knew immediately it wasn't a simple fall.

DR. BRAD BURK, CEO, UNIV. OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER: I quickly noticed that I couldn't feel my legs. Couldn't feel my left arm. And I moved my right arm and then suddenly it couldn't move.

GUPTA: Burk had broken his spine and was paralyzed from the neck down. As paramedics loaded him into the ambulance, he turned to his wife Mary and apologized.

MARY BERK, DR. BERK'S WIFE: I knew when he said I'm so sorry that he had a pretty good sense of how our lives were going to change.

GUPTA: Berk spent 12 days in the ICU of his own hospital and there he began to see the importance of compassions in patient care. On a ventilator, unable to communicate, he knew the technology was keeping him alive, but it was his family and the staff that made his life worth living. Something as simple as a friendly nurse washing his hair brought him tremendous joy.

B. BURK: I called it the healing power of touch because I felt so good after that. And what she didn't know is the only part of my body that could feel sensation normally was my head.

GUPTA: In less than a year, he was able to return to the hospital he loved as CEO, but he was different.

B. BURK: I really came to realize how critically important what I call compassion and attentiveness are both for provider satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and driving quality and safety.

GUPTA: Burk insisted the Patient and Family Centered Care Initiative, designed to improve patient care and the employee work environment.

B. BURK: It's about valuing and respecting everyone.

GUPTA: And today, Berk works with a therapist to help him walk even though he can't feel his steps. He has promised himself to live as normal a life as possible.

B. BURK: Courage is not the roar that you make when you go into battle but it's the quiet voice that helps you get up every day and try again.

GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: Wow. Brings a whole new concept or a whole new perspective to the concept that walk a mile in my shoes.

CHETRY: Yes, absolutely.

ROBERTS: Wow.

CHETRY: Amazing man.

ROBERTS: Amazing.

Top stories coming your way right after a quick break. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)