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Americans Leaving Libya; Great Grandma Sets The Pace; Fly In Style; Greek Worker Strike Turns Violent; Rahm Emanuel Elected Mayor of Chicago; Tim McGraw Up Close; Burning $$ on a Canceled Rocket

Aired February 23, 2011 - 07:59   ET

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


T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour here on this AMERICAN MORNING. Thank you for being here. I'm T.J. Holmes.

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry. Glad you're with us this morning.

We start by showing you a developing story. Pictures out of Greece this morning, where there is a developing story. The nationwide worker strike and it's turning violent. Demonstrators throwing rocks, police firing back with tear gas. Thousands of people are marching through the streets toward parliament. Businesses also throughout the country are shut down.

There's a live picture right now of Athens. Greeks are furious with the government austerity program that cuts salaries and pensions while hiking taxes. And, again, they are showing their displeasure with this march to parliament to protest against the E.U. and INF prescribed measures.

But, meantime, again, it turning violent at some times with the protesters hurling bottles, stones, and the police firing back, trying to disperse the crowd with tear gas.

HOLMES: Turn to Libya now where right now, Americans are scheduled to be leaving. A ferry was scheduled to leave right now, which is 3:00 local time there in Tripoli, to take those Americans over to the island nation of Malta. You're seeing it there on your map.

But, again, Americans were told to start gathering there in Tripoli at this port to be taken over. But that ferry was supposed to be leaving as we speak. There are some 5,000 citizens in Libya trying to get out as that situation gets more and more dangerous.

Meanwhile, Moammar Gadhafi, he is vowing new crackdowns and it looks like this violence could continue to spread. He is saying he will stay and he will fight until his last drop of blood.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MOAMMAR GADHAFI, LIBYAN LEADER (through translator): It's not possible that I leave this place. I will be a martyr at the end.

(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: Also, there sources close to Gadhafi who are telling "Time" magazine, at least, that he has ordered security services to start sabotaging their oil facilities. Reportedly start by blowing up several oil pipelines and could cut off flow to some Mediterranean ports.

CHETRY: And all of this political unrest in Libya is rocking the oil markets. Prizes jumped 6 percent yesterday alone on the news yesterday. At one point, the price spiked to $98 a barrel. Saudi Arabia is hoping to alleviate some concerns about the oil prices. Its oil minister said yesterday OPEC has the capacity to increase production in the case of an emergency.

Now, at the same time, stock markets took a hit. The Dow plunging more than 200 points during the final hour of trading and was able to recover just a portion of that, ended up closing down 178 points. The biggest drop we've seen in three months for the Dow. The NASDAQ and S&P 500 also closed down.

HOLMES: Well, he said it was his dream job and appears he is getting it now. Rahm Emanuel has been now elected mayor of Chicago. First new mayor they have had there since 1989. Mayor Daley had been in office there some 20-plus years.

Rahm Emanuel, he'd beat out his five rough rivals and got 55 percent of the vote. That was important for him, at least, because this allows him to avoid a runoff. If he got more than 50 percent, no runoff was necessary.

Listen to the mayor-elect from last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAHM EMANUEL (D), CHICAGO MAYOR-ELECT: Thank you, Chicago for this humbling victory. All I can say, you sure know how to make a guy feel at home!

(CHEERS)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: OK. Obviously taking a dig there at some of the folks who questioned whether or not he was eligible to even run for mayor of Chicago. Of course, he was working at the White House as chief of staff and some thought he didn't meet the eligibility required for living in Chicago. He is going to take office in mid-May.

CHETRY: What's happening across the country right now: budget wars going on between broke states and being struggling state workers.

In Wisconsin, where all of this started, demonstrations continued yesterday against the budget bill threatening the power of the state's worker unions. Fourteen Democrats still out of the state right now, fleeing the state to stall a vote on the bill in the Senate; and Governor Scott Walker holding a televised address last night trying to appeal to protesters, calling the system broken. In Indiana, Democrats have followed Wisconsin's lead. They also staged a walkout. The bill before the House would prevent unions from requiring workers to pay dues for representation.

Then in Ohio, thousands demonstrated at the statehouse in Columbus yesterday. Republicans have enough members to make any Democratic walkout meaningless in that state. The bill limits the collective bargaining power of unions and has expanded state workers to include firefighters and police officers.

Also, rally supporting union workers are popping up in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Georgia.

HOLMES: And listen to this: a beauty queen now homeless. Miss Colorado is who we're talking about. Twenty-three-year-old Blair Griffith, her family recently fell on some hard times. Her father passed away when she was 14 years old. She was promising to take care of her mother who had suffered a heart attack.

Now, they have been evicted from their home because the mother wasn't healthy enough to work. And also, the store, the Saks Fifth Avenue where the young beauty queen was working is now going out of business.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLAIR GRIFFITH, MISS COLORADO USA 2011: I feel like these are all just moments that are teaching me -- teaching me how to be a stronger person.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Even though she is talking about her situation and gotten some attention for it, she, of course, as many of you know, going through the same thing that so many other people in this country are going through right now. Miss Griffith, though, she graduated magna cum laude from the Art Institute of Colorado. And she is telling her story, talking about it, sharing it, hoping it can make other folks make it through their struggles as well.

CHETRY: Reynolds Wolf is in the extreme weather center for us. He is keeping an eye on things this morning where it's -- not too bad, is it?

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No, you know, p of the nation looks pretty good and part of the nation, we have some now that's going to be coming up and it's going to be center of the U.S. right across parts of the Midwest for tomorrow. And especially tomorrow afternoon, we could see a nice bout of some scattered showers, which is good. But then later in the day, possibly some rough weather. So, a little bit bad side to it, too.

In parts of the Pacific Northwest, we're talking about snow. Some places could see a foot. Other spots, just a few inches here and there.

In terms of your temperatures, it should be fairly comfortable and the heat that we're going to be feeling across parts of the Midwest is going to be a big catalyst to the possibility of storms tomorrow. In fact, a quick snapshot of what we can expect as we fast-forward from later today and into tomorrow is going to be that sandstorm system emerging from the Rockies, developing across the Central Plains, bringing those scattered showers ahead of it into the Ohio Valley.

And then as we fast forward from Thursday into Friday, that's where things get really interesting. Possibly, some damaging winds and tornadoes are going to be a possibility, maybe even some large hail and flash flooding could be certainty as we fast forward into Friday, perhaps even into early Saturday morning.

So, it's going to be an interesting scenario, and we're going to keep a very sharp eye on it. We're going to have your travel weather coming up in a few moments, too. So, sit tight.

CHETRY: All right. Thanks, Reynolds. We'll sit tight. Forty-one degrees today, we're happy. We can't complain.

WOLF: There you go.

CHETRY: And more snow is coming.

HOLMES: Thanks, Reynie.

And coming up here: we're going to give you an update about what's happening in New Zealand right now. Rescue teams are on their way, many are already working there to try to help pull earthquake survivors from the rubble.

CHETRY: Also a little later: your call, you may want to sleep with your cell phone in another room. At least according to a new study, using cell phones alters your brain activity. Jury still out on whether that means it's actually dangerous. We're going to dig deeper into that study, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Ten minutes past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Christchurch, New Zealand, in ruins this morning. That's the second largest city in New Zealand, got hit by a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. Now, 75 people confirmed dead, but hundreds more are missing and many more are feared dead.

You see part of the rescues have been taking place the past 24 hours, and rescue teams at some point had to be pulled out of part of the city over concerns that other buildings could collapse.

Many people there now just waiting for word on their missing loved ones.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our school collapsed and I saw and I heard that my friend, they didn't come out. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just worried.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The dogs are gone. That's what we hope the dogs will find her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Like a (INAUDIBLE).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's a dog lover.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't believe it. Why this building?

(END VIDEO CLIPS)

HOLMES: Search and rescue teams are, yes, on the ground there working now. But many more from around the world are going to help, including one from Los Angeles. Seventy-four specially trained firefighters along with doctors and engineers and 27 tons of equipment that could detect a person breathing beneath tons of concrete. The same unit went to Haiti last year to assist after the deadly earthquake there.

You can, as well, help with the relief efforts after this earthquake. You can find out how by logging on to CNN.com/impact.

CHETRY: We're learning more this morning about the final moments of the deadly hijacking off the coast of Somalia, where four Americans were killed by pirates just four days after their yacht was seized in the Indian Ocean. Jean and Scott Adam from Marina Del Rey, California, and Phyllis Macay and Bob Riggle from Seattle, Washington, all died.

According to U.S. Central Command, U.S. Navy forces were following the seized vessel, hoping to at least get close enough to be able to rescue them. They were negotiating with the pirates and then gunfire. Navy SEALs rushed on board only to discover all four Americans shot, ending up being mortally wounded. Efforts to help them were not successful. The Navy SEALs had to kill two pirates while taking control of the yacht and four pirates in all were killed.

HOLMES: And we continue to learn more about what happened in the Tucson shooting, but we're also getting more insights into the alleged shooter, Jared Loughner. We're also getting a different look at him, a different view of him.

New booking photos of the suspect. Take a look here. Similar to some of the pictures you had seen before that were taken again that same day. These are booking photos here you're taking a look at.

But a lot of people you still there what has become a familiar grin, the same grin he had in some of the earlier shots. He also has a bruise on his head and a swollen eye and these were obtained by CNN through a Freedom of Information Act request that was filed last month.

CHETRY: And this is some video just in to us out of St. Louis. We heard Reynolds talking about the weather being rough in parts of the Midwest. And certainly in St. Louis, Missouri, they are dealing with a lot of problems because of the weather, ice. We're talking about many accidents. And this one has at least 20 vehicles involved in this crash. It's on Interstate 64/40, in the eastbound lanes.

We understand from affiliate reporting that fire and rescue crews say that two ambulances and a fire truck were also involved in this and they say that several people are injured, which is they have had to shut this down as they try to tend to the people and get them out of their cars. They say that there are well over 20 accidents in general around the St. Louis area due to the weather. They talk about several other highways due to icy conditions being shut down.

But, again, this is at least a 20-car pileup. You see a big FedEx rig there as well. Twenty vehicles involved on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 64/40 in St. Louis, Missouri. We'll continue to bring you developments on how the weather is impacting travel throughout the country today.

Also, still ahead, Operation Home Front. Country superstar Tim McGraw is hitting the road, trying to raise awareness and money for U.S. troops and their families. We're going to find out what' behind the effort, why he's so passionate about it and how you can help. We're going to be talking to him live, coming up.

HOLMES: Also, coming up, sometimes you're just not feeling it at work. So, what do you do? You just fake a smile.

That's a bad idea. That could actually backfire on you. We'll explain why.

It's 14 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Just put a happy face on, it may backfire. According to a new study in Michigan State University, it said that forcing workers to smile may actually be bad for business and you make their mood worse. It can lead to emotional exhaustion and withdrawal. The study followed bus drivers in East Lansing, Michigan, for two weeks, but there's a little more detail to this that I was reading about because I thought, you know, how they usually say if you're not happy and you smile, it can actually lift your mood?

Well, they said people who just put on a superficial smile but they're not really doing anything to feel that way. it can make them more less happy. But if you actually try to conjure up a positive image or a positive thought that makes you naturally smile, it can boost your mood. See?

HOLMES: I see big air of my ways now.

CHETRY: Just trying to help you out.

HOLMES: This morning talking, we're talking about cell phones and your brains. A lot of talk over the years about the damage it could possibly do. Well, researchers announced that 47 adults and who they were exposed to a 50-minute phone conversation. It says now, they concluded, the radiation increases the activity in the brain cells. What exactly does that mean, though? Well, they're not sure that this radiation exposure causes cancer.

They do know that the phones that were turned off did not create the same brain activity. So, we don't know what to think of this, but the wireless industry trade group has responded saying there is no research that cell phones are dangerous to anyone's health.

CHETRY: Well, she's 95 years old and she can probably outrun you. Ida Keeling coming in at 83 pounds, getting 4 feet 6 inches tall, and she trains every day by running the stairs in her apartment, lifting weights, and riding a bike. She runs 60 meters in 29 seconds at a race in New York City. That was the fastest sprint ever for a woman in her age group.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

IDA KEELING, WORLD'S FASTEST 95-YEAR-OLD: After it was all over, I felt so uplifted and relieved. I said, this is what I need.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Now, the great grandmother didn't run her first 5k until she was in her 60s. She said she wants to live until 108. And I mean, she's really doing the right thing. They say that especially doing weight-bearing exercises for older women, it prevents bone loss. So, she's doing great.

HOLMES: She's on to something.

Well, we don't know if this exactly healthy. Eating a pepperoni pizza every day for three years. It doesn't sound healthy, but it can actually save your life. At least, it saved this woman's life. An 82-year-old woman. You're going to see her in a second. She's been ordering a Dominos pepperoni pizza every day for three years. Well, Dominos thought something was wrong when they had not heard from this woman in three days.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's our first call of the day, always. She always ordered a large thin crust pepperoni pizza and two diet cokes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I said she hasn't called in three days. I got to go. I got to go. And he was like, he was like, no, you don't have to do that. I said, yes, I do. And said clock me out if that's what you got to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: There she is. She had to be hauled out. What had happened with this woman is that she had taken a tumble. She fell and wasn't able to get up, so the Domino's delivery person went to check on her, got to the door, found her and called 911. And she's going to be OK and ordering pizza again soon.

CHETRY: Good for her. And that was so nice of the woman.

HOLMES: Yes.

CHETRY: She knew something wasn't right. So, that's great.

Well, they're called boomerang kids. The adult sons and daughters, they move back in with mom and dad, but why are parents, I don't know, more likely to say come back home, son, than come back home daughter? Christine Romans takes a look at that whole issue coming up.

HOLMES: Also coming up, he said it was his dream job. Well, now he's got it. Rahm Emanuel will be the new guy in Chicago. We'll check in there. Twenty minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Twenty-four minutes past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING. We are "Minding Your Business" now. Last year, the safest in aviation history flying on Western Built Jet Slide (ph) Boeing according to the International Air Transport Association, there were 17 accidents. That averages about one accident for every 1.6 million flights.

CHETRY: Wow.

This morning, you're paying more for some of those flights. According to farecompare.com, most U.S. airlines have now bumped the fare for last-minute tickets by $20 to $60. It can now cost you an extra $100 for a same day ticket.

HOLMES: Also, everybody is going to sign up for this rewards program here. There's a new way to fly to Las Vegas. It's LV Air. It's going to start flying from New York's JFK this fall. The planes, though, when you step in them are going to have a club atmosphere. There's going to be mood lighting. There's going to be music.

You're going to have celebrity holograms, giving you a briefing on what's coming up in Las Vegas. So, it is going to be something different. The airline is promising to deliver luggage free to your hotel room even. I don't have the information on how much that ticket is going to cost you.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And if you want to buy a house once there, it's only $109,000, and you get home prices continue to climb in Vegas --

CHETRY: Christine!

ROMANS: I'm just saying.

HOLMES: We were having a nice moment.

ROMANS: You could move to Vegas. You could buy your retirement home in Vegas.

CHETRY: $109,000, that might be more accurate as well.

ROMANS: Your enthusiasm for the new flight to Vegas is --

HOLMES: Well, you brought me down, didn't you?

ROMANS: No, no. I'm saying you can find a place in Vegas.

(CROSSTALK)

CHETRY: He wants to stay at a hotel and casino. He won't go there and mow a lawn.

ROMANS: Take a seat. Everybody to get on that plane and go there and spend some money, right?

HOLMES: Absolutely right this morning.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: I don't even know where to start with you now.

CHETRY: Well, you don't need to spend.

ROMANS: You have a little more money saved. So, maybe you're feeling a little better about things. New information this morning about your 401(k) from Fidelity, the biggest 401(k) administrator in the country. They say that the 401(k) balances on average last year recovered to a 10-year high. That average balance $71,500. All of you over breakfast getting ready for work, think about how much you have.

Is it more than that? Is it less than that? Think about that. And how much are you deferring into your retirement accounts? Fidelity says the average is 8.2 percent. I just asked my producer how much he's deferring, and he said 10 percent because he' been listening to me complaining about how much --

CHETRY: But that's someone enough to retire.

ROMANS: No, I mean, you got to be saving within the 401(k). The house is what's the killer here lately because you got to have money stashed in that house to retire. There are a lot of good calculators, like, first, you will go to CNNMoney.com to find out whether you have enough -- if you put enough away. Another new study from the American Institute Certified Public Accountants found that other people putting out the baby boomers putting off retirement.

This is how much they're putting them off. About a third of them putting it off by up to three years. 39 percent of boomers who have to put out for retirement say it's been taking them four to six years to recover what they need, seven to ten years. Wow! That would really hurt to be turning 65 this year and think you got to work another seven years to recover your money.

So, $71,500 is the average 401(k) balance, but many boomers, another say that (ph) they do not feel like they have enough money saved. And another boomer news. We found this fascinating little study from the UK about boomerang boys.

HOLMES: Oh, yes.

ROMANS: Boomerang boys. These are -- think about the boomers who now you're thinking about your own retirement, and your kids graduate from college and university, and they're coming back home. Well, it turned out in the study, parents are more likely to welcome their boomerang boys over their boomerang girls.

58 percent of British mothers said they spoil their sons. 35 percent of moms said they spoil their daughters. In general, the boys more likely to pay rent, help with household chores. It's really (ph) nice to mom and dad. Girls, apparently, not so welcome coming back from the university.

CHETRY: Why? Because they cause some drama at the house or something?

ROMANS: It's unclear. The boys on the rent and the chores part. I mean, girls, I guess, they need to get out there and start fixing the loose gutters or something, and then, mom and dad will feel better about them. I don't know. An interesting study about boomerang girls and boys.

HOLMES: We're all mama's boys at heart. (INAUDIBLE) like to admit, but we are. And we look out for our moms, and moms like to take care of their sons.

ROMANS: I like to hear --

CHETRY: She has three sons. She's thrilled.

HOLMES: You absolutely. They are all coming back home one day.

(CROSSTALK)

ROMANS: Not from you. I'm saying I already have my three little T.J.s if they turn into a nice young men like you, T.J. I'm a married woman here.

CHETRY: She has to break that news to hubby.

(LAUGHTER)

ROMANS: This is a family program.

CHETRY: Thanks.

HOLMES: We are at 28 minutes past the hour right now.

Coming up, we need to tell you now about -- we've been telling you all morning that we're scheduled to leave. The Americans are trying to get out of Libya. A ferry was scheduled to leave Tripoli for Malta a half hour ago. We're waiting to get the update to see if those Americans are on their way out of that country. State department says there are some 5,000 Americans in Libya. We're not sure how many could possibly be on this ferry heading out. CHETRY: Also, a nationwide workers strike in Greece turning violent. Police firing tear gas and rock throwing. Demonstrators in Athens and thousands of people are marching through the streets toward parliament. Businesses throughout the country are shut down. They are furious when the government austerity (ph) program that cut salaries and pensions last year while hiking taxes.

HOLMES: Well, at least one potential candidate for 2012 not coming out saying he is not going to run. We're talking about South Dakota Republican senator, John Thune. He's telling supporters he will focus on his work on Capitol Hill instead. A lot of people labeled him a rising star in the GOP after he beat then Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle back in 2004.

CHETRY: And Senator Harry Reid wants to ban brothels in his state. The Democrats calling on Nevada lawmakers to have what he calls an adult conversation about outlawing prostitution. Reid believes brothels are not good for Nevada's image.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. HARRY REID, (D) NEVADA: I've talked to families who feel the same way. Parents who don't want their children look out a school bus and see a brothel or to live in a state with the wrong kind of red lights.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: Reid also said that Nevada should focus on new jobs, not focus on the oldest profession.

HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: He gave up a pretty good job to get his dream job. Now Rahm Emanuel is Chicago's mayor-elect. CNN's Jessica Yellin tells us about the former White House chief of staff moving into another job in Chicago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Rahm Emanuel welcomed this win with a joke.

RAHM EMANUEL, (D) CHICAGO MAYOR ELECT: Thank you, Chicago, for this humbling victory. All I can say, you sure know how to make a guy feel at home.

YELLIN: That's a dig at opponents who tried and failed to kick him off the ballot, claiming he spent so much time in Washington he wasn't a Chicago resident and legally qualified to be mayor. But Emanuel pushed back. His proof this city is home -- Consider the things he stored in a Chicago basement.

EMANUEL: Our family kind of most valuable possessions, which is Amy's wedding dress, our family china, our family photo albums.

YELLIN: Emanuel is Chicago-born and bred, the middle of three brothers, now famous for their outsized achievements. His younger brother Ari runs a major Hollywood talent agent and his older brother Zeke is a renowned bioethicist. Rahm Emanuel earned his reputation as an aide in the Clinton White House and then chief of staff to President Obama. He's known as a fear strategist with a foul mouth.

BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Rahm, when he was a kid, had lost part of his finger in an accident, and it was his middle finger so it rendered him mute for a while.

(LAUGHTER)

YELLIN: In this race, his message was about creating jobs and closing the deficit by negotiating with unions, not attacking them like some Republican governors.

EMANUEL: In Chicago, we're going to charter a different course. We are not going to charter a course that Wisconsin set.

YELLIN: Because?

EMANUEL: I'm going to work it out with them. They're partners.

YELLIN: Some Emanuel observers wonder if he could be the nation's first Jewish president. But those closest to him say, no, mayor of Chicago is the job he has always wanted. That or speaker of the U.S. house, but that job is taken -- for now.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: Thanks to our Jessica Yellin reporting to us from Chicago. And for the latest political news, CNN.com/politics.

CHETRY: Well, if you're a country music fan, you're going to love our next segment coming up in a couple of minutes. Tim McGraw is going on the road for U.S. troops and their families and a cause near and dear to his heart and we will talk to him coming up about it.

HOLMES: And snow out west, fog in the sought, chilly temperatures in the northeast -- Reynolds Wolf has it all for you coming up in a moment. It's 33 minutes past the hour on this "AMERICAN MORNING."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: I like that. You're looking at the country music capital there, Nashville, Tennessee. A pretty nice day in Nashville, 61 degrees there, 32 degrees right now. We will be talking to Tim McGraw in a bit, Kiran will here in just a bit.

CHETRY: Rock on. I should stop saying rock on. It's country music.

HOLMES: They rock, too.

CHETRY: That's true.

(WEATHER BREAK)

CHETRY: Country superstar Tim McGraw is hitting the road to help raise awareness and money for U.S. troops and their family ps. We will be speaking with them live about you can help coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It seems like a no-brainer. Of course, you wouldn't let your 12-year-old child drink a beer. But a federal study says six percent of kids between the ages of 12 to 14 drink alcohol in the past month, and that a third of them got those drinks at home from their parents or from other family members.

The report is warning, of course, this is risky behavior for such a young person to start drinking because they say the younger you are before drinking alcohol before you're 15, those are six times to more likely to develop a drinking problem down the road.

CHETRY: There was a flight from Tel Aviv, and all the airline offered to eat was pork. The U.K. budget airline Easy Jet is now apologizing this morning to its Jewish customers. Passengers who don't eat pork for religious reasons were forced to go hungry for the four and a half hour flight from Tel Aviv to London. The airline was only offering ham melts and bacon baguettes. The airline says it loaded the wrong food canisters and had promised kosher meals in all of this the whole route, so a big oops.

HOLMES: A pretty big one there.

Auburn now, where they are trying to desperately to save those 130- year-old oak trees at Toomer's Corner. Specialists are now working to remove the heavily poisoned oil from around the trees. They said at the initial part of this they didn't think trees would survive. They still think it's a long shot but they are trying their best to save them.

Police have arrested a 62-year-old man who apparently is an Alabama fan, the big Auburn rival school, for poisoning those trees which have been such a part of the tradition at auburn for so long.

CHETRY: Prosecutors in Philadelphia are considering assault charges against a basketball coach over this incident caught on tape at practice. A player at Holy Family University claims that John O'Connor intentionally elbowed him and knocked him to the ground during a drill last month.

Matthew Cradchuck (ph) suffered a bloody nose and some scratches and went to the police more than two weeks later. The school suspended the Coach O'Connor. Other players though issued a statement supporting the coach calling it accidental body contact.

HOLMES: We're just about 17 minutes to the top of the hour. A quick break and we're right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING.

You've seen him on the concert stage and you've seen him on the silver screen. Later today, some lucky American troops will get a chance to see country superstar Tim McGraw up close and in person. It's part of Outback Steakhouse's annual Thanks for Giving campaign and it kicks off today.

Tim McGraw joins us from Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, along with the Outback Steakhouse President Jeff Smith. Great to have both of you with us this morning, thanks so much.

JEFF SMITH, PRESIDENT, OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE: Good morning.

TIM MCGRAW, SINGER & ACTOR: Good morning. Thank you. How are you?

CHETRY: We are doing great. We're happy that you guys joined us this morning.

Tim, I want to start with you, I know that you've been doing a lot of acting lately. You star -- you were starring in two hit movies, you're always singing and now finding time to set aside to honor the troops.

Why was it important for you to get involved in this program?

MCGRAW: Well, you know, I -- I -- I love my country and you know, I appreciate the sacrifice that the troops make when they have to leave their families behind and -- and go overseas and -- and put their lives on the line for -- for me and my family.

And I think that hooking up with a company like Outback and their Thanks for Giving program is just a perfect opportunity for me to be able to sort of take this platform that I'm on with music and a position it's put me in to help those families and to help those soldiers feel secure about their families being taken care of.

And I think it's a great promotion and I'm proud to be involved with -- with them and with -- with Outback and the fine folks there.

(CROSS TALK)

CHETRY: And Jeff --

MCGRAW: Especially Jeff. He is a pretty good guy.

CHETRY: Yes, Jeff, as I understand it, you've been with the company, boy, you worked at the very first Outback, right? Years and years ago and you guys have had a history --

MCGRAW: You've been, like -- what -- 52 years you've been with the company?

SMITH: I -- I did, 21 years.

CHETRY: That's how long we've eating --

(CROSS TALK)

SMITH: I just missed it by two years, I think. CHETRY: Well, let me ask you about -- why Outback find it important to give back? I know you guys are giving $1 million, you try to bring a little taste of home to the troops that are stationed abroad and now you're doing this program which is also giving gifts and cash and things to the families of the troops.

Why is it so important for you guys as a company to do this?

SMITH: It is. It's always been, you know, part of our principles and beliefs is that we give back to the communities in which we do business and certainly the -- the troops are -- and veterans and their families are part of that community. And anything that we can do for the sacrifices that they have made for our freedoms that Tim was mentioning, we can never do enough of.

And there -- there's a -- a real need that they have for funds and awareness for all of us to be involved and so we can all do that by, you know, joining in and helping with the red, white and blooming effort and ordering from a specific menu and part of those proceeds will actually go to the $1 million that we're committing to operation Home Front that does tremendous work around the country.

CHETRY: You know, and Tim, you also understand firsthand. You had a sister who was a veteran of the first Gulf War, what it's like not only putting, you know, your life on the line when you're go away, but worrying are your families ok. You know, we've been seeing an increase in foreclosure among veterans, everybody hitting hard times but when you have one person overseas and you're there responsible for holding down the home front.

What are some of the biggest challenges, especially to family members? What are they facing right now?

MCGRAW: Well, you know, feeding your family, just like all Americans. But, you know, it's twice as hard when you have a loved one that's away and your hands are full with children and getting kids to school and worrying about your rent and all of -- all of the things that that people worry about on -- on an everyday basis is sort of magnified when -- when you got to worry about your loved one being overseas or they have to worry about you being home.

So, you know, it's just one of those things that -- that if you can take a little bit of the pressure away and -- and take a little bit of the load off their shoulders, it's something that really goes a long way and is a big relief to these families. And -- and this program is -- is just -- it's a great way to do that. And it's a great way for the -- for the general public and the consumer to get involved.

You know, they -- they go to the restaurant, they order off the red, white, blooming menu and part of those proceeds go to help.

CHETRY: You know as we're seeing the states having to cut back and federal government having to cut programs as well. Jeff, I mean, how much are we going to be relying on corporations and private companies to give back more and to help more with philanthropy as we face budget challenges? SMITH: I think that we'll continue to see that and -- and the need is -- is really great. That there's a -- you know, far too many of the veterans that are coming home and that have really, you know, been disabled and are wounded warriors that really need help getting assimilated back into society and finding how have -- how they can contribute to society and just, you know, really kind of making ends meet.

This morning, we're going to go and help four families here in San Antonio with basic needs such as you know paying their rent and utilities and providing a furnished apartment for a family. Another family with -- with computer needs and other essentials that they need to be able to survive.

CHETRY: You guys are doing a great thing, absolutely. I'm glad we can talk to you about this. I want to ask you a quick question Tim about whether or not you're jumping into politics here. It was interesting, I mean, everybody would love, every Democrat would love the endorsement of former President Bill Clinton.

And here is what he said about you. He said, "I think he's got it". He said, "The Democrats need candidates whom people can relate to in a personal way, people who understand their lives and share their values. And I think that something Tim can do without even pretending."

What do you think? Are you possibly going to run maybe for governor or perhaps U.S. Senator from Tennessee?

MCGRAW: You know, that would be something that would be a long way away. You never rule anything out. You know, I think this is a great country and it's -- in -- it's given me so many opportunities and given me such a wonderful life, you know, that, that you know, somewhere down the line if I feel like I can give back, I certainly wouldn't say no to it. But it would be a while and my kids would have to be grown because I certainly don't want my closet opened any time soon.

CHETRY: That is one of the things that stops people from running. I totally get what you're saying.

Well, Tim McGraw and -- and Jeff Smith, the good news is I mean, a lot of that is out there anyway right? When you're a public figure already, you know, there's -- your closet is a little smaller.

MCGRAW: Yes, yes. Exactly. I don't think I have to worry too much.

CHETRY: Well, thanks to both of you this morning. We're going to link it up with our Web site so people can find out more about how they can give back and what you guys are doing with this -- with this Thanks for Giving program.

So thanks so much for joining us this morning. We really appreciate it.

SMITH: Thank you. MCGRAW: Thank you. Good talking to you.

CHETRY: T.J.?

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: All right, Kiran. Thanks. We know there's some political opponent potentially already digging up stuff on Tim McGraw right now in Tennessee.

Well, coming up, NASA's final launch of space shuttle Discovery is a go for tomorrow. But some are saying we're wasting money on a rocket that's never going to fly again. We're live from Kennedy Space Center, that's next at seven minutes to the top of the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Three minutes to the top of the hour.

NASA says things are looking good for tomorrow's final launch, final launch of the space shuttle Discovery."

HOLMES: And certainly these seem to be something to celebrate here sending of this great shuttle that has been in use so many years. But it's also spending money here on millions of dollars on a rocket that's never going to fly again.

John Zarrella is live for us at the Kennedy Space Center. John, good morning to you sir. And some are scratching their heads about why are we still spending money on this thing?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a lot of people scratching their heads. You know, T.J., it's like you and I we go out and we buy a house and then we decide we're not going to live in that house but we still pay the mortgage anyway.

That's what NASA has been doing since October, spending more than $200 million and rising on the Constellation program and the Ares rocket which was supposed to replace the shuttle to take astronauts to the space station and onto the moon.

The problem is the White House canceled the program entirely. So why is NASA still spending the money? Well, Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama introduced legislation into last year's appropriations bill, NASA bill, that said, look, NASA, you can't spend that appropriated money on anything else but Constellation.

TOM SCHATZ, PRESIDENT CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE: Senator Shelby inserted a provision into one of the spending bills and it forced NASA to continue funding a program that's wasteful. It's really another example of a hometown earmark for a project that isn't going to benefit the taxpayers.

GEORGE MUSSER, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: It's certainly not the way you would spend the money if you were trying to be economical about it. Frankly, I think taxpayers should be annoyed by that, outrage by it even. ZARRELLA: Now Citizens against Government Waste recently gave Shelby its porker of the month award for his actions. We tried repeatedly to reach Shelby's office for a comment, we had no luck. NASA, on the other hand, says you know what? The money is not entirely wasted.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG COOKE, NASA, ASSOC. ADMINISTRATION FOR EXPLORATION PROGRAM: The constellation program has taught us the things that work and the things we could have done better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZARRELLA: You know NASA gets blamed and has been over the years for wasting a lot of money. This time it's not entirely NASA's fault -- T.J., Kiran.

CHETRY: Wow. Again, the last, you know, Discovery," the last space shuttle Discovery launch as well. I mean it's bittersweet and nostalgic for sure.

ZARRELLA: No question about it. Discovery's" last launch is coming up tomorrow and it looks good. And you know Kiran, the only way NASA can get out of this problem right now is for the 2011 appropriations bill to be passed which, of course, it hasn't been yet. Or, Senators Hutchison and Nelson have introduced a bill that is in committee right now to allow NASA to stop paying for the Ares program. But again, it's still hung up in committee, as well.

CHETRY: All right. Well, we'll have to see where that goes. Great to see you this morning, though. John Zarrella, thanks so much.

HOLMES: And to our viewers, excuse me --

CHETRY: No, I was just going to say bye.

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: Yes. Kyra Phillips, good morning to you.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR, "CNN NEWSROOM": Good morning, guys.