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American Morning
Giffords Facing Difficult Rehab; End Of World In Dubai?
Aired January 21, 2011 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, there, everybody. It's top of the hour here on this AMERICAN MORNING. Glad you could be here with us. I'm T.J. Holmes sitting alongside Kiran Chetry this morning.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Good to see you as well. Some people had a longer commute than others because of the snow in the northeast, but it's supposed to be tapering off in the next hour. We'll update you on that.
In the meantime, our top story this morning, in just a matter of hours, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is getting set to leave Tucson and she's going to continue her vigorous recovery in Texas.
She is almost standing on her own. She's able to scroll through her iPad. Elizabeth Cohen had a chance to speak exclusively with the chief of the new facility that she will be rehabbing at later today.
HOLMES: Also, some people are shocked by the comments of a former U.S. senator who was also a potential U.S. presidential candidate. He says that the president's stance on abortion is, quote, "remarkable for a black man," end quote.
You'll hear from him as he tries to explain those comments.
CHETRY: And a latest British import is MTV's racy teen drama "Skins." You may have seen some of the promotions for this. Is it provocative television or straight-up child pornography? We're going to be speaking with "New York Times" media reporter who has been following the controversy about this new drama.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
HOLMES: And just getting in to us here -- another tape, another possible proof of life, if you will, from Osama bin Laden, could possibly be new threats here. This is another audiotape.
We see these over time. Sometimes, they come out two at a time, if, will. But we haven't seen one in a while, but another one just now purportedly from Osama bin Laden. This is thought to be his voice. Still some confirmation needs to be done there, but initially, it's thought to be his voice.
In this particular tape, he is not warning the U.S. necessarily this time, but apparently warning France, telling that country they need to pull their troops out of Afghanistan. And, if not, he'll consider, and I'm quoting here, "a green light," end-quote, to kill two kidnapped French journalists. Now, France will pay, quote, "a high price," once again according to the voice on this particular videotape.
Now, these are a French cameraman and reporter. You may have heard they were captured back in early December. France, meanwhile, has 4,000 service members in Afghanistan right now. But, again, purportedly the voice of Osama bin Laden saying that they will kill these journalists, saying or at least confirming in his eyes that they have these two journalists and they will be killed unless France pulls out.
But, again, this word just coming in to us. Some more confirmation, but usually these tapes oftentimes, these experts can look at them and hear them quickly and know whether or not. Still more analysis needs to be done, but initially, they think this is, in fact, Osama bin Laden.
CHETRY: All right. Well, we'll continue to follow the details on that throughout the morning.
Also, in just a few hours, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords will be leaving the hospital and heading to Tucson to continue her recovery. Her husband, Mark Kelly, sent out a tweet this morning and here it is. "GG going to the next phase of her recovery today. Very grateful for the docs and nurses at UMC, Tucson PD, sheriff's department. Back in Tucson, ASAP."
She's apparently doing so well. She was able to get outside. Here's a picture that was released of her husband Mark Kelly. Gabrielle Giffords was in the hospital bed, was wheeled outside. She was able to a look at the mountains of Arizona and do some physical therapy yesterday outside.
Her husband is also guaranteeing that she will make a full recovery.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK KELLY, REP. GIFFORDS' HUSBAND: I'm extremely hopeful that Gabby is going to make a full recovery. I've told her that. She recognizes it. She's a strong person, a fighter. I mean, she's a fighter like, you know, nobody else that I know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, he sounds awfully optimistic. Certainly the doctors are optimistic as well. But still, they are saying she's got a tough road ahead. That road now leads to Houston. That's where she's headed today -- in just a few hours, going to be making her way there.
That is where our Elizabeth Cohen is already at this medical facility, this rehab facility.
Elizabeth, good morning to you. She is on her way.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. She is on her way. She's supposed to land here at 1:00 local time. And let's talk a little bit about some of the things that doctors say she's able to do, because it's really quite amazing, considering that this woman took a bullet in her head less than two weeks ago. She can scroll through an iPad. She can pick out colors.
And, T.J., here's one thing the doctors told me yesterday that I hadn't heard before. They said that she reached out and adjusted her husband's tie, which you think like that -- well, so what? But that indicates a certain level of thinking. You think I see something, I want to change it, you direct your arm to make that adjustment.
That actually indicates a relatively high level of cognitive thinking and they are thrilled that they are seeing this at this point -- T.J., Kiran.
CHETRY: Also, you had a chance to speak to the chief of neurosurgery there about what he's going to be looking for and what we can possibly expect from her treatment down the road. What did he say?
COHEN: You know, he was quite cautious. As a matter of fact, the congresswoman's office had originally said that she was coming to the rehabilitation facility that's behind me, but the doctor told me, "No, that's not true," that she's not physically ready for rehabilitation.
So, let's take a listen to what he told me yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Why isn't she going right to the rehabilitation hospital?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, there are concerns about ongoing medical issues. And, again, I don't want to be more specific about that, but she's not quite ready for rehabilitation yet. So, we're going to be coming here doing a thorough assessment. And once we've been able to do that, we'll be able to tell you more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Now, they say they think that the congresswoman has certain medical needs that need to be addressed before she's ready for rehabilitation. They didn't say exactly what those needs are -- Kiran, T.J.
CHETRY: All right. Elizabeth Cohen for us this morning, it looks like she's heading in the right direction, though. And it will be great to see this next phase. And, hopefully, it goes well for her. Thanks so much.
Also, CNN has obtained some new video of the shooting suspect Jared Loughner. It shows a much different side of him. Here he is playing the saxophone. This is in his middle school years in eighth and ninth grade, and his hair a lot longer, obviously.
This boy, now a 22-year-old man, accused of one of the most infamous shootings in recent memory.
HOLMES: Also, you may have heard -- there's a mob roundup yesterday. The FBI is calling it one of the biggest mob busts ever, about 127 alleged mobsters in all. The raid took place in New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island, Italy as well. The charges go from murder and extortion, to gambling and drug trafficking and.
A lot of people are fascinated by mob life, usually glorified sometimes in movies and the shows, "Sopranos." And listen to this, some of these names sound familiar? Tony Bagels, Vinny Carwash, Junior Lollipops, Meatball -- just a few of the names included in those indictments.
CHETRY: Well, an incredible family reunion. A baby stolen just 19 days old is finally home after 23 years. And this morning, for the first time, the world is getting a chance to see this woman reunited with her mom and dad and they are hearing from Carlina White. She was kidnapped from a hospital in New York in 1987.
And she basically solved the crime herself. She found her own baby photo on a missing children's Web site. She thought it was a lot like her own baby picture. And all of that work led to this, a very happy and overdue family photo. Police have not yet identified her kidnapper.
HOLMES: We take another live look outside. Weather is going to be a problem for a lot of folks, whether you're trying to get outside right now and make the commute in the car or in the air.
This is a live look at Columbus Circle, right outside of where we are here at the Time Warner Center in New York City.
The storm, the good news at least, is that it's moving fairly quickly. I guess the bad news is that it came through in the first place.
CHETRY: Yes. And, of course, the good news for the kids is a lot of schools are closed, our area is closed. A lot of places in New Jersey as well.
Jacqui Jeras is in the extreme weather center.
It looks like right outside of New York, in Westchester County, we got about four to six inches out there. So, it was a bit messy but, hey, we're old hat. I mean, we had a blizzard. We got 20 inches in December. We're fine.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, but be ready for the next one. I'm just saying.
The computer models are really pumping up a major storm starting in the South, heading to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast for the middle of the week. So, I'd just wanted to prepare you for that one over the weekend. I hate to be the bearer of bad news.
All right. Let's deal with the one that we have, though, out of the gate here, right? And that is, you said, yes, we got about four to five inches on the ground. That's the bad news.
The good news is, it's pulling on out. It's pretty heavy right now, though, across eastern parts of Connecticut. Up towards Providence and Boston, we could see as much as an inch per hour with this thing as it moves on through. Thankfully, it's a fast-mover. So, that's going to keep the totals down a little bit.
On the tail end of that front, look at what it's doing down here in Florida. We're seeing showers and thundershowers, some of which are very heavy in producing a lot of lightning. So, use caution along I-95 today. And that's pushing south of Tampa and even some isolated thunderstorms for you around Orlando. And we expect more to kick in by the way for the afternoon hours.
Now, where is our northeastern storm going? Well, this thing is going to be riding up the coast. So, it's going to stick with you throughout much of the day in Boston. Providence, you're going to stick with it until tonight and then it's really going to intensify as it moves into the Canadian maritime.
So, even though this thing is pulling out of here, guys, we're still going to have some wind issues. So, that means we can have some problems at the airport.
High pressure controlling in the plains and that's making it brutally cold! Oh, take a look at those wind chills! And now that I mentioned them, because people are just going to get mad at me.
Back to you.
CHETRY: Negative 39! It's warming up in Fargo!
JERAS: There, you said. I know, right? Better than 42. Hello!
CHETRY: Yes, thanks so much.
HOLMES: Thanks, Jacqui.
CHETRY: Have you had a chance to see this yet on MTV, "Skins"?
HOLMES: I hadn't heard of it even until you guys were talking about that today.
CHETRY: Yes. I saw some of the promos for it that show open tongue kissing. This is on MTV. Well, a lot of people are saying it crosses the line. It's rated TV-MA, but the young kids are watching it. Taco Bell actually pulling out. Some are claiming it's child porn.
We're going to talk more about it. And you can judge for yourself -- coming up next.
HOLMES: Also, how this for an experiment? Could you do it? Put the BlackBerry and the cell phone down for an extended period? Could you do it?
We'll introduce you to one family that did. And they said you need to try it as well.
It's nine minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, 12 minutes past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
Did you catch this in the skies, you folks on the West Coast? How did you miss it? This was a big sucker, 23 stories tall. It was the largest rocket to ever take off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, said to be the largest on the West coast to ever take off.
But a big boom as it did. It was some 50 miles away -- some people were reporting hearing this thing.
Now, the rocket, again, like I said, 23 stories tall and said to be carrying some secret spy satellite stuff into space and that's all I can really say about.
Also, rough ride. Look at these guys. Can you imagine being on this boat, a fishing boat, getting knocked around like this? This is off the coast of New Zealand.
The funny thing here is they had an option not to go through this. They could have taken the longer way around, but they wanted to go through this particular channel and take on these waves. Why? They wanted to get home.
They had been out on a week-long fishing trip and were trying to get home as quickly as possible. Nobody hurt here.
CHERTRY: It doesn't look like the most efficient way. But, hey, they made it.
MTV's racy new teen drama "Skins" is a hit, at least so far. But does it expose too much?
The Parents Television Council wants Congress and the Justice Department to investigate the show for child pornography, an exploitation of underage stars. One of the sponsors, Taco Bell, actually pulled its ads and there's also word that the network holding a flurry of meetings concerned about the content.
If you don't know what we're talking about, here is one of the milder clips that we found.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What is up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know what's standing up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, busy?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When are you ever busy?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Busy busy. Remember?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like you said, thanks for the tip, man.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, give her a big hello for me!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: All right. Well, Brian Stelter has reported on the story for "The New York Times" and joins me now.
So, "Skins," it's interesting -- this show is an import from Britain. It's very popular there and MTV is certainly no stranger to putting on racy content.
BRIAN STELTER, MEDIA REPORTER, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": Yes.
CHETRY: But this now, they are saying may cross the line into child pornography. What is going on with "Skins"?
STELTER: Well, there's a concern inside MTV that some of the upcoming episodes might go too far. You know, MTV is sort of in business to go and push the envelope, push right up to the edge. "Jersey Shores," one of the biggest hits of the year, is all about doing that. But all of the reality stars on "Jersey Shore" are over the age of 18.
What really matters in this case that some of the actors on "Skins" are 15, 17, 16 years old. In fact, they promoted it that way. It's a purposely, you know, youthful character to be more realistic. But that's where they could cross the line.
CHETRY: Parents Television Councils irate, you may have been upset about other shows in the past.
STELTER: Yes.
CHETRY: But they're actually going as far as to say it is child porn, and apparently, that is concerning the executives at MTV. The question is they didn't know this? I mean, they didn't know that some of this may be called into question before they decided to air it?
STELTER: Well, there's a lot we don't know. The MTV has not said what they're doing to edit the show. They're not saying what they think is too far if anything is too far. You know, I watched the third episode. There are parts that made me cringe. Then again, you know, one reviewer said, this might be the most realistic show on TV, you know, because there a lot of teens that probably get in trouble and do things their parents aren't going to want to know about.
The problem with "Skins," perhaps, is that it's rated TV, it may. It's rated for mature audiences, but 1.2 million of the viewers on Monday night were under the age of 18.
CHETRY: Right. So, PBMA (ph) means if you're 17, you're not supposed to --
STELTER: You shouldn't be watching it. Like rated R in the movies.
CHETRY: And yet, when they take a look at the breakdown of the demo --
STELTER: Right.
CHETRY: They had a lot of --
STELTER: We can see a lot of under 18-year-old viewers. Now, on the other hands, MTV says we've tried really hard to let people know what's in the show. We air it late at night. So, we're trying to be responsible. And I think to some extent, you know, they are trying to be responsible by letting people know what's in the show. Then again, having the Parents Television Council say it' the most dangerous show ever might actually encourage teens to watch.
CHETRY: That's right. And so, some people are saying this is just really great marketing ploy. You get Parents Television Council irate about it. Then, of course, we're all covering it. And so, of course, everyone is going to want to tune in. This is the January 31st, episode three, that's in question, because people want to see it.
STELTER: In these meetings at MTV, they even talked about who could possibly go to jail. Now, that's a big leap. We're nowhere close to that, but they were clearly concerned earlier this week at MTV about what content could go too far. In part because this show was filmed in Canada. Most of these actors are Canadian. You know, but the laws here in the U.S. are pretty clear. As a fiction of something that's sexually explicit that includes minors, they can be in trouble, potentially.
CHETRY: Here's what MTV says about it. "We review all of our shows and work with all of our producers on an ongoing basis to ensure that our shows imply with laws and community standards." And then go on to say that they're confident the episodes of "Skins" will not only comply, but also with our responsibilities to our viewers.
STELTER: Like (INAUDIBLE), they will. They still have time to edit these shows, and we're not sure what exactly they'll look like when they finally make the air.
CHETRY: The other question, too, is just about, you know, they also go on to say this doesn't air until 10 o'clock at night.
STELTER: Right. CHETRY: But we're just flipping through the cable channels in daytime. We have two small kids. And I've said -- I mean, they have tongue kissing, you know, open-mouth kissing, and a very provocative promos that are running during the day. Now, obviously, I don't let my kids sit around and watch MTV, but, I mean, at some point, you're flipping through the channels, that's what you're seeing.
STELTER: That's right. And in the age of DVRs, a 10:00 p.m., 11:00 p.m. timeslots matter less and less, you know? When you can record a show and when you can watch it online any time, it matters less and less.
CHETRY: Well, we'll see what they do. And as we said one skittish advertiser already Taco Bell already pulling its ads from this show. We'll see if it helps or hurts. Brian Stelter, thanks so much for joining us this morning.
STELTER: Thank you.
CHETRY: T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Kiran, it was meant to be one of the most exclusive and luxurious places in the world, but it may be under water before anybody ever gets to move in. We'll explain.
Also, George Clooney is explaining he contracted a disease, a scare he has had in his health, something that actually kills so many in Africa. It's 18 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, some people are going to being waking up under water in Dubai, apparently. Twenty minutes past the hour. You may have heard about this. According to the Publication of Telecraft, though, these were 300 small islands that were built off the coast of Dubai. It was called the world because all of these little islands, again, man-made were supposed to look like different countries around the world. This was --
CHETRY: They just look like blobs to me there.
HOLMES: You can't see their vision. You have to see the vision. But the financial crisis, actually, stopped construction of them, but they're sinking apparently. That's the report. These things are starting to sink and most of the construction is not done because of the financial crisis they had there.
A bunch of celebrities reportedly were getting their hands on these, celebrities like the likes of Brad and Angelina, David Beckham, Rod Stewart, Tommy Lee. Again, those are just the rumored folks to have bought some of these. A spokesman for that project insists the islands are not sinking.
CHETRY: When they -- for sure of that (ph). I mean, they're basically digging up sand and shooting out of the water and making this a lot of people saying it does not work long term. You know, they learned that in many areas where they try to combat beach erosion. But then, the second thing is, maybe, it's good there was a financial crisis because can you imagine if you paid millions to build a house on there, and then, it starts to sink five years later.
HOLMES: We don't know how much money is invested already if you had to get in early and put some money that. Maybe you can get that deposit back.
CHETRY: Maybe. Well, good luck for that.
Meantime, textbooks are out. IPads are in at least in one private school in Tennessee. T.J. finds this outrageous. You would be forced to buy a product that one company has a monopoly on. A fourth through 12th graders at Web School Knoxville are required to have iPads. That's right. And if you can't afford, then you can lease one for $20 a month. School officials say they want the tablets to, eventually, replace textbooks.
HOLMES: Well, also, George Clooney, the heartthrob, the actor, the activist. He is revealing something to our Piers Morgan now. Listen to this, he got malaria twice.
PIERS MORGAN, CNN HOST: George, I was going to start this final segment with you by asking about the glory of being George Clooney, but you've just told me that you've got a bout of malaria. Doesn't sound that great?
GEORGE CLOONEY, ACTOR: Well, you know, even with malaria, it's just good fun.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: I mean, you're looking slightly overheated now. I thought it was down to me, but it turns out it's actually this -- I mean, you do get malaria quite regularly, do you?
CLOONEY: No. I've had it twice. This is just -- I just, you know, some -- I guess the mosquito in Juba looked at me and thought I was the bar.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: So, he recovered, but he was out 10 days, very, very ill. Don't miss the entire interview with George Clooney and his father, Nick. It airs tonight, "Piers Morgan Tonight," 9 o'clock eastern.
HOLMES: Well, Apple once again is making a change. Does this mean you have to buy a new iPhone? Not necessarily, but they got some tech geeks pretty upset about what they're doing. Our Stephanie Elam will explain.
CHETRY: Also, President Obama, abortion and race. Some eyebrow raising comments from a potential presidential hopeful, Rick Santorum. We're going to tell you what he's said about why the president should feel differently when it comes to being pro-choice.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: A good song that had stuck in your head, Stephanie. It's a tape. It's a song.
CHETRY: I have a wiggle song stuck in my head, so be glad for that.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Any Katy Perry song, it's -- I hear it. I'm like, you know, stuck in my head.
HOLMES: Stephanie Elam joining us now at this day. We have a new -- it's not a problem, but what's the deal? Iphones are trying to change what now?
ELAM: They're not trying.
HOLMES: They are changing?
ELAM: They are changing.
HOLMES: Different set of screws?
CHETRY: Yes, right now --
ELAM: These little ones out there looking at you can't see. That's what they're changing.
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: And they're going to change them to --
ELAM: They're changing them because they basically want to keep your little fingers out of it for all the people who are tech know people who like to jail break or break into the phones and make changes. When you go in to service your phone, it comes back, it's got to have this new little screw in it. In fact, we have a picture of it to show you. A pentalobe, it's called.
CHETRY: Pentalobe?
ELAM: I know it's very nifty. But if you take a look, it looks kind of like a flower. It's pretty. Pretty design on the side of your phone. T.J. didn't like that. But the whole idea is to make it harder for you to get into. The new phone is being shipped out in Japan with these new screws. And if you take yours in for servicing, it's going to come back with these, and the Apple is the only one has it. They just want to make their stuff proprietary.
HOLMES: It's not just the new phones, even if I take mine in now?
CHETRY: They're going to switch it up.
HOLMES: Can I say I want my original screws? ELAM: No.
CHETRY: No.
HOLMES: I don't get an option?
CHETRY: You don't.
ELAM: Option-free.
HOLMES: That is -- come on!
ELAM: So, that's why people are upset about it. They're like, it's your phone, but Apple holds the keys.
HOLMES: So, you're telling me I can't get this phone serviced.
ELAM: Yes, you can.
HOLMES: I have --
ELAM: You're just going to have a few more pentalobes in it.
HOLMES: But I can't tell them I want my original screws?
CHETRY: No.
ELAM: No, you can't.
HOLMES: OK. You know, I have a problem right out.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Well, the other thing -- and I was talking some of our tech-know geeks out here who help us all the time. They said, also, OK, so, if you jail break it, that's a software thing. You go in there and so you can download other things that Apple doesn't allow, well then, that nullifies your warranty. So, if something's happen to your phone you go take it, they'll know that. They won't fix it.
ELAM: I don't think this applies to most people. I think most people buy their phones and they leave it alone like were you really planning to go on the inside? I don't need to see the inside of my phone. I just want to make sure my iPhone works. I love my iPhone.
CHETRY: There are two reasons I would want to. I have had to rescue my Blackberry from a.k.a. the bathtub and the toilet a couple of times from water, thanks to my kids. And you need to be able to --
ELAM: I'm glad you added to thanks to my kids, otherwise, I was going to wonder what the heck you were doing.
CHETRY: Yes. And as you need to be able to open this thing up and get the parts out, get the battery out quickly and then dry it out in dry rice for 48 hours and then put it back together and it works.
ELAM: So, you do this a lot?
CHETRY: Yes.
ELAM: OK. Just lucky you (ph). Hey, how about we talk about some company perks besides some pentalobes? Oh, you're upset. Sorry. Bumming everybody on a Friday.
HOLMES: I'm sorry. It's a good one now, right?
ELAM: Yes, this is a good one.
HOLMES: OK.
ELAM: If you want to take a look at a list of what companies are doing for some of their employees. Take a look at this. This is SAS. Child care, look at that, at $410 a month. Now, that I'm a parent, I appreciate that. Summer camp for kids, and also, you can get your car cleaned while you're there. And since we are talking about Apple --
CHETRY: Yes. They detail your car for you.
HOLMES: For free?
ELAM: Yes.
CHETRY: On location for free.
ELAM: That's for your perk, and now Google. Those free food at the cafeterias, and it's not just junk food, it's good food at the Google facility out there in California. Free laundry, and also, everyone got a 10 percent pay hike in 2010 because it's getting more competitive. Not bad. And then REI, you know them for their outdoor gear. Well, four-year paid sabbatical after -- you don't know REI?
HOLMES: No, I'm sorry.
(CROSSTALK)
ELAM: He's from the South. Four-week paid sabbatical after 15 years, 50 percent to 75 percent discount on the gear, and 300 gear for outdoor adventures whatever you're planning on doing. It's pretty cool stuff. If you want to see the whole list always go to CNNmoney.com and see what other cool company perks are out there.
We have a bike rack. It comes up a lot. People are excited about the bike rack.
CHETRY: It's interesting because we talk about this competition for the highest people, you know, the top ten -- top tier people. These are things that made people stay with a company. Whole Foods, they pay all of their medical expenses, their premiums.
ELAM: Other companies you can use the company jet if you have a medical emergency, all sorts of stuff, very cool. You guys have to go do some other things.
HOLMES: We have a long way to go. We will get back to the iPhone thing here shortly.
CHETRY: I'm getting you a screwdriver for Christmas.
HOLMES: I hear they are hard to find.
News we're getting in here having to do with a possible new threat from Usama bin Laden. We are getting a new audiotape purportedly to have his voice on it. On this one, not a warning for the U.S., rather for France, telling that country to pull its troops out of Afghanistan or, quote, he will green light the killing of two kidnapped French journalists. He is saying they will pay a high price for France's alliance with the U.S. These two journalists, a cameraman and another reporter were kidnapped back in December.
CHETRY: Also Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is just hours away now from leaving an Arizona hospital. Yesterday she was able to spend some time outside in her hospital bed with her husband by her side. Later today she heads to Houston to continue her rehabilitation.
HOLMES: Also a story that had everybody talking this week. There is the scene, a reunion 23 years in the making. The one of the left there, she was taken out of a hospital as a 19-day-old infant. She realized the family she was with wasn't her real family. She reached out and was able to find her real parents and the reunions happened this week. Brand new picture we are getting this morning.
CHETRY: Also Chinese President Hu Jintao is wrapping up his visit to the U.S. today, but before leaving visiting a high school and visiting a company who is expanding its business into China.
HOLMES: Also, some people are scratching their heads others are flat out outraged by what former Senator Rick Santorum said about the president's race and the abortion issue. He linked the abortion issue to the civil rights movement. Listen to what he said that got everybody talking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANTORUM, (R) FORMER PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR: -- Is that human life a person under the Constitution? And Barack Obama says no. Well, if that person, human life is not a person then I find it almost remarkable for a black man to say, no, we are going to decide who are people and who are not people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Santorum has talked about being a challenger possibly to President Obama in 2012. Jim Acosta is live with us in Washington with more on these comments. Calculated or a gaffe?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Rick Santorum says it's not a gaffe. It will depend on how things play out as to whether or not people think this is very calculated.
As you mentioned former Pennsylvania senator and possible Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum is not apologizing. In fact he is doubling down on the comments that President Obama's race should make him an opponent of abortion.
Asked to explain his remarks in that interview you just played, Santorum released a statement to CNN and other media outlets defending his comments, saying, quote, "I am disappointed that President Obama, who rightfully fights for civil rights, refuses to recognize the civil rights of the unborn in this country."
And Santorum, I should mention, went further just this morning, filling in as a guest on the Bill Bennett radio show, telling his listeners "If there is a question to have in this country it's the issue of race and abortion." Last night Santorum, we should mention, is a FOX News contributor, again said there is nothing wrong with what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANTORUM: I'm not apologizing! I don't think there is anything to apologize. I would agree with you when I used the word "black," all of a sudden, it gives people a reason to say, he is trying make some sort of racial comment. I was not. I was trying to talk about a historical fact of how the constitution was interpreted and how it's interpreted today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And since all of this has come up, a lot of conservative bloggers have come to Santorum's defense, and many are flat out just trying to explain what he meant when he said these things.
And we should note there is wide speculation that Santorum will throw his hat in the ring and run for president. He has set up a political action committee and he's hiring staff members in New Hampshire, which you know is a very see early primary state.
HOLMES: You say people are coming to his defense because a lot of people feel kind of the same way. They maybe think he didn't say it the way it should have been said, but people are linking the civil rights movement to the abortion rights issue. And odd to say, this could possibly help him in some ways with a certain crowd if he is going with that 2012 nomination.
ACOSTA: That's right. Conservative bloggers like on redstate.com. A guy in D.C. who writes for daily politic, Matt Lewis, are basically saying look, this is something talked about in the pro life community, that many pro lifers see themselves as modern day abolitionists. They see the plight of the unborn as they put it as being very similar to the plight of minorities during the civil rights movement and of slaves during the Civil War times.
So, you know, this is something that is not unheard of in that segment of the community. It just sounds very striking when you hear it and, as you put it, T.J., an inartful way of putting it. A lot of people are reading this as a gaffe.
But looking at 2012, if he throws his hat in the ring, remember that anti-rights abortion community is a very powerful segment of the GOP and they will watch Rick Santorum closely, especially in the aftermath of these comments. Controversy creates exposure in this business.
HOLMES: Unfortunately. And they know how to play the media sometimes. Jim, we appreciate you this morning, as always. Thank you so much.
ACOSTA: Sure.
CHETRY: Can you go six months without touching anything technology?
HOLMES: Absolutely not. I can't go the rest of this show.
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: This was a tech detox, I guess you could call it. One mother and her three teenagers decided to give it a go, six months, how it changed their lives. They will be joining us to talk about it. It's 36 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Thought you had the radio on this morning, didn't you? No, we are still here. Welcome back to this "AMERICAN MORNING," a live picket of central park in New York city where it is going to be a doozie of a day. The snow is supposed to stop. It actually started overnight last night.
CHETRY: I can't believe you just said doozie! It's a doozie, from "Groundhog Day." Watch that puddle! It's a doozie!
HOLMES: I didn't even remember that. What?
CHETRY: You like that song a lot. You clearly paused and you want to hear it play out yourself.
HOLMES: I don't even know what that song was.
(WEATHER BREAK)
CHETRY: So how's this for an experiment. A mother of three teens takes away all of the Internet, all of the TV, all of the iPods, iPhones, cell phones, and video games for six months. What did they talk about? What did they do? They are live in the studio with us to explain how their experiment went. It's 43 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Forty-six minutes past the hour.
Imagine what you would do some if someone took away your cell phone, your computer and your TV; not just for a day and not just for a week but for six months.
Well, our next guest did just that and she did it for herself and her three teens. Susan Maushart wrote about it her book, "The Winter of our Disconnect". And she's here this morning along with her daughter Sussy. Thanks to both of you for joining us.
SUSAN MAUSHART, AUTHOR, "THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONNECT": Oh thanks for having us.
CHETRY: So Susan, you were just noticing how addicted you were to your phone, to your computer and to all of these devices as well as the members of your family so you decided to go for this six months. How do -- how was it received in your household?
SUSAN MAUSHART: Well, initially, you know, their response was very muted and when I announced what we were going to do. And then I realized it was because everybody had their ear buds in and they didn't hear me.
CHETRY: They weren't listening to you saying that these devices are going to be gone.
SUSAN MAUSHART: Exactly.
CHETRY: So when they finally realized this was really happening what were some of the biggest culture shocks I guess you could say in the household?
SUSAN MAUSHART: Well, the first thing they said was, but mom, what about our homework because they knew that would hit me right where I lived. But I had long suspected that maybe that was a little bit overplayed because when I would watch them doing their homework, there were usually ten open windows and most of them were Facebook chats and eBay auctions and a lot of other stuff that was going on that wasn't homework.
As it happens, their schoolwork actually improved. Academically they all did much better during the experiment than they did before.
CHETRY: And Sussy, you were 14 when this happened?
SUSSY MAUSHART, CUT OFF OF TECHNOLOGY FOR SIX MONTHS: Yes.
CHETRY: You were the youngest and as your mom wrote in the book. I thought it was interesting you were the tech native. You know that --
(CROSS TALK)
SUSSY MAUSHART: Yes.
CHETRY: -- you're the digital native. That was where -- you grew up around it. So what was it like for you to have all of this, your normal communication just simply cut off?
SUSSY MAUSHART: It was really weird. Like it changed my social groups and it changed like my sleeping, it changed my schoolwork. It like -- it was for the better, I think but --
(CROSS TALK)
CHETRY: But you rebelled against it, you did not like it at first?
SUSSY MAUSHART: I didn't like it. No, like how could I?
CHETRY: And how long did it take you to get used to it?
SUSSY MAUSHART: Probably within the first like month and a half maybe, two months. And then I really got into it. It was good.
CHETRY: You -- you describe in your book and this is interesting. You said, when this first happened, Sussy was sleeping a lot --
(CROSS TALK)
SUSAN MAUSHART: That --
CHETRY: -- and you -- you thought originally that the reason that she was upset or you know, get -- you know -- was a changed person. You thought ok, this is hormonal, this is the teen years. But you said it was really a wild sleep deprivation?
SUSAN MAUSHART: Absolutely. So much of the behavior that my adorable daughter had been showing as a 14-year-old, you know that, almost like mood disorders. And you know how everybody says, oh, well, they are hormonal, you know. She's 14, that's what teenage girls are like, but really her first reaction to the tech deprivation was to sleep.
CHETRY: Because she had been so sleep deprived?
SUSAN MAUSHART: Yes, I mean, she said it's so -- so boring around here mom, there is nothing to do. So I'm just going to you know go to sleep. So she napped and she napped and she napped, she slept practically around the clock when she wasn't in school.
But when she woke up from her swoon about five or six weeks later, I swear it was like she'd had a personality transplant. So the devices, the Facebook, the MySpace, the -- the phone that have been waking her up through the night, Skyping, you know even in the middle of the night.
I'll never forget the time I went into her bedroom I thought she was watching a video. It was my first experience at Skype, somebody looked up to me from her screen and said hi, Susan, and waved. I almost had a heart attack.
CHETRY: And then -- you also talk about the dinner conversations as well where you -- you'd missed the eye contact and you didn't realized that no one looked at each other because everyone is looking down at their phones.
SUSAN MAUSHART: Exactly. It was speed eating. You know, I sort of insisted that people come to the table to have an evening meal. And I actually didn't let them bring their phones to the table ever but they just went through the motions. They just sat down, they snarfed (ph) their food and they were off back to where, for them, real life was happening which was on the screen.
Once we cut it all off, frankly, there was nothing more interesting to get back to. You know, so --
CHETRY: So that became you said, your household revolved around meals, which is also very interesting. But you also said that your friends wanted to come over and they wanted to play board games.
(CROSS TALK)
SUSSY MAUSHART: They do.
CHETRY: They wanted to do, you -- you said your cat got more exercise than the --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Because -- in this digital world where we are so plugged in this was almost arrest; even for your friends.
SUSSY MAUSHART: Yes.
CHETRY: So what was that like?
SUSSY MAUSHART: Well, my friends were like can I have a sleepover this week? And I was like well it should be at your house because I don't have like Internet, TV or anything fun. And they're like are you kidding me that sounds awesome? Like we can play like board games. We can like -- and they did come over and it was like, it was good. It reminded me of when I was like 10 or so. It was fun.
CHETRY: Yes, you probably -- you connect a lot more. And the other interesting thing that you brought up which I thought was amazing is that your son, your older son fell in love again with the saxophone --
(CROSS TALK)
SUSAN MAUSHART: Yes.
CHETRY: -- and began playing it several hours a day. And is now, I mean he got a scholarship off of this or is -- he plays professionally?
SUSAN MAUSHART: He has been admitted to a jazz performance program at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
CHETRY: It's amazing.
SUSAN MAUSHART: And he put his saxophone away because he didn't have time for it, he was too busy shooting people on "Halo".
CHETRY: Right. And you said you're heart breaks for the people spending endless hours mastering "Guitar Hero" when they could actually be accomplishing something.
SUSAN MAUSHART: Right and because that goes nowhere. And you know, it's interesting what Bill says today is that his only regret is that he lost out two years, which is basically when he descended into the gaming world, of practice time and if he could only have that time back, you know, he would give anything and that's a real heartbreak for a parent.
CHETRY: Right. Well, it's a -- it's certainly an attention grabber, it's a -- it's a wake-up call in some ways. And it's very fascinating to see how you guys went through it and now you're back on the other side but with a different perspective.
Susan Maushart, the author of "The Winter of our Disconnect" -- I love the title -- and Sussy, thanks so much for joining us this morning.
SUSSY MAUSHART: Thank you.
SUSAN MAUSHART: Thank you.
CHETRY: We're going to take a quick break.
It's 52 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All right, about 5 minutes to the top of the hour.
You do not see this every day. In fact, we hardly ever see it. A California mother literally being given a voice; Brenda Jensen is her name. She is the second person in the U.S. to ever get a larynx transplant.
Her airway was permanently damaged by a breathing tube during surgery some 11 years ago.
CHETRY: And she was left unable to smell or speak. She communicated using an electronic device that sounded like a robot until now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRENDA CHARETT JENSEN, RECEIVED LARYNX TRANSPLANT: Just being able to speak again and be able to smell food, which I'm not able to eat yet, but, boy, I can't wait until I can dig in.
It's just been amazing because when I talk on the phone, people don't hang up on me no more. I got a real voice. They don't think I'm a telemarketer or a mechanical machine. It's just been a big, big difference.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Amazing. Well, Jensen's first words after the transplant, "Good morning and I want to go home."
HOLMES: Yes. That's a good choice. Five minutes to the top of the hour. Quick break, we're right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We're getting close to the top of the hour now. We have been talking a lot about the weather this morning. A live picture of Boston -- that community waking up to some bitterly cold temperatures and a lot of people worried about maybe getting to school, getting to work this morning. But of those people waking up to some these cold temperatures, about 2,000 of them are homeless women.
CHETRY: Yes. This week's CNN hero is giving them someone that they can actually count on. Quality health care, right in the shelters for free. Meet Dr. Roseanna Means.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ROSEANNA MEANS, MEDICAL MARVEL: You ok?
Every week, I talk to women who are sleeping outside.
It's only 17 degrees out so I didn't want you to get frozen.
There's so much pain and suffering right on the fringes of our perspective.
Do you need some help, hon?
Boston, despite all of the medical resources for the homeless population, I was seeing very few of the women using the services.
For women who are poor, homeless, or battered, to deal with a system of health care becomes overwhelming. They don't have an address. They don't have a phone. There are lots of emotional issues, psychiatric issues. I just didn't like the idea that they were falling through the cracks.
I'm Dr. Rosanna Means and I bring free, high quality medical care to the women and children in the shelters of Boston.
Good morning!
The women come into the shelters to get warm and to feel safe and we're there.
Come on in.
There is no registration. We're not charging anything. If they want to come see us, we will use that moment to try to build a relationship.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my safety net right here.
MEANS: The women learn to trust us as ambassadors of the health care system. Over time, we can teach them how to use the system as it was intended and eventually they do move forward.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I knew she really cared, I started wanting to take care of myself.
MEANS: I love these women no matter what.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're doing a great job.
MEANS: And it starts to get taken inside that if I matter to somebody else, maybe I matter to myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Amazing.
HOLMES: Another great story from our CNN Heroes.
We do appreciate you being with us here this week on this AMERICAN MORNING.
CHETRY: Yes, hope you have a fantastic weekend. We'll see you back here on Monday.
Meantime the news continues with Kyra Phillips in the "CNN NEWSROOM". Good morning, Kyra.
