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American Morning
Flood Waters Rising; Immigration System Overhaul; Navy To Allow Same Sex Marriage On Bases; Microsoft To Buy Skype; JetBlue & Southwest Beat Big Carriers; Surprise Separation; Graduate in 3 Years, Owe Less
Aired May 10, 2011 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Floodwaters rising.
I'm Christine Romans.
Memphis seeing its worst flooding right now. Thousands warned to get away from the rising Mississippi River and new danger downstream this morning.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: It was a risk President Obama was willing to take.
I'm Kiran Chetry.
Before launching the raid on the bin Laden compound, the president insisted that our Navy SEAL team had to be large enough to fight its way out of Pakistan. That means he was willing to engage an ally in armed combat. The latest ahead.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: A split that's sending shock waves across the country. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, separating after 25 years of marriage. We'll tell you why on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(MUSIC)
ROMANS: Good morning. It's Tuesday, May 10th. So much we are covering today.
Including more details about what was happening in the planning of the raid on the bin Laden compound, but also about the three wives. Pakistan now says three of bin Laden's wives can be debriefed by the U.S. We're learning more about that.
VELSHI: We're hearing from them soon.
Up first, though, Mississippi rising -- parts of Missouri and Tennessee have been declared disaster areas this morning. Ground zero for the flooding, Memphis, where the Mississippi River, the nation's most important waterway, is cresting right now. It's expected to hit 14 feet above flood stage.
CHETRY: Well, we've only seen this much water one other time in recorded history. That was back in the 1930s. And further South, people are bracing for the floodwaters coming their way.
ROMANS: Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour is warning people along the banks of the river: get out while you still can.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. HALEY BARBOUR (R), MISSISSIPPI: Well, of course, the integrity of the levee system is the critical thing. You will not have very much time -- if the levee fails, you will not have very much time to get out.
(END VIDEO CILP)
ROMANS: Rob Marciano is live in Memphis this morning.
And that's the conundrum here. For weeks, we've been talking about the bulge in the Mississippi River moving its way downstream. And so, some people might be lulled into feeling, you know, well, now, here's the crest -- you know, it's cresting. But it's still a very dangerous situation.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And because it has been such a slow-moving event getting here, Christine, and it's such a slow- moving event getting out, you know, there's a bit of a complacency there, especially when you start to see those levees hold.
We are on Riverside Drive, obviously, by the river. But it shouldn't be in the river, which is the way it has been for the past couple of days. The Mississippi now has swollen from half a mile in width to three miles in width. It is flowing like we have never seen it before. Thousands have been evacuated around the Memphis area.
The tributaries that flow into the Mississippi near Memphis have pretty much stopped flowing in there, because it is so swollen, it can't drain those rivers. And that's where we have seen the majority of the flooding so far.
Hundreds of people have been in shelters, about 900 or so homes have been affected by this, and a lot of other businesses and schools as well.
We caught up with Colonel Reichling who's the Memphis leader of the flood fight, with the Army Corps of Engineers, to ask him, you know, how these levees are holding up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: There's been so much pressure for such an extended period of time that we've never seen on these levees. Have you seen weaknesses?
VERNIE REICHLING, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS: Yes, we have. But they are all controllable. There has been no uncontrollable weaknesses. What we've seen is under seepage up in Cairo, Illinois, in Hickman, Kentucky. And now, down here in Memphis, we have some areas where we've seen some seepage but we've flood fight it and it's doing well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: Pretty good level of confidence there. There have been very few surprises. They took the extraordinary measures that you remember of blowing up the levees and opening the spillways up there where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers meet. That seemed to go according to plan, although not everybody happy about that certainly.
We've opened up one spillway down in Louisiana. We got another one that they can open up as well. That doesn't alleviate the pressure here, but it certainly will divert some of the water away from places like Louisiana when the crest gets downstream.
You mentioned this very slow-moving crest. It is pretty much cresting now. We've seen it go down a couple of inches, come back a couple of inches. But it will stay at this level above major flood stage for a week. It will take five days for this river to go down just one foot.
Extraordinary amounts of rain. A record-setting April just up river as far as how much rainfall we have. And, of course, all that snowfall during the winter, we're still trying to get some of that snow melt out of here. And it's a slow, arduous process to get down into the Gulf of Mexico.
CHETRY: It will be bringing a lot of not-so-good stuff with it. They talk about concerns about contamination as well.
MARCIANO: Yes, there's not good stuff floating in this river. I can tell you that.
And underneath -- what's lying underneath the river, there's been a lot of debris that's washed up from the river and other areas of down that you don't necessarily want to see that stuff in the river. So, once this does drain, there's going to be a huge cleanup effort and not all of it is going to be very pleasant over the next several weeks, if not couple of months.
ROMANS: All right. Rob Marciano in Memphis -- thanks, Rob.
CHETRY: We have some new details about the enormous risk that our president was willing to take to kill Osama bin Laden. According to "The New York Times," President Obama insisted that the assault team that stormed the terrorist compound had to be large enough to be able to fight its way out of Pakistan if need be. That means the president was willing to risk an armed conflict with an important ally to rid the world of bin Laden.
ROMANS: We are also learning that the evidence seized from the compound is mostly aspirational, as they call it, so far. That means it's more wishful thinking than actual planning. Officials say there's no evidence for any concrete plans for terror attacks, but, you know, there's a lot more data to decipher from all of this.
VELSHI: And new development this morning in the U.S.'s effort to get access to three of bin Laden's wives. Pakistani officials now appear to grant America's request to interview the women if we ask their country's of origin for permission.
CHETRY: Well, an orthodox Jewish newspaper in New York is getting a lot of unwanted attention this morning for publishing a doctored version of the photo of the president's national security team during the raid on Osama bin Laden.
Now, here's the original picture. This was from the Situation Room, courtesy of the White House. And, of course, you see right in the foreground, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A little bit in the background, Audrey Thomason. She is the administration's director of counterterrorism.
VELSHI: The only two women in the room.
CHETRY: That's right.
Well, now, look at the picture. This was published by "Der Tzeitung" newspaper, history rewritten. Clinton and Thomason, the only two women in the room, PhotoShopped out of the picture.
Rabbi Alfred Friedman explains what happened here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RABBI ALBERT FRIEDMAN, DER TZEITUNG: Usually, we don't -- we are not allowed to publish pictures of women.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?
FRIEDMAN: Due to Jewish laws of modesty. However, women are very much respected, as you see in that statement. So, the person who's in charge of these pictures, he did not read the fine print. He did know that the White House pictures are not supposed to be edited without permission.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: There you go. The newspaper has now apologized to the White House and admits it should not have published the air brushed paper.
VELSHI: So, the issue here in respecting their policies and what they believe to be the cause, it wouldn't be to air brush people out of the pictures, don't publish the picture, if you can't do that. I mean, I think that's the issue.
CHETRY: Right, because, editorially, it changes. If that picture was to show the Situation Room, their viewers were not getting a clearer picture of news here.
VELSHI: And lots of news publications have - don't publish people who are dead or whatever the case. But you can't take the dead people out of the picture. You just have to publish a different picture.
ROMANS: Right. Obviously, the newspaper admitting that it was a mistake.
VELSHI: Right.
ROMANS: That they're not allowed to that to the White House pictures.
OK. From the House to the White House -- former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will announce his presidential campaign tomorrow. That's according to his spokesman. Gingrich will then get a chance to test the political waters. He addresses the Georgia Republican convention on Friday.
In the latest CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, 10 percent favored Gingrich for the GOP presidential nomination. Sarah Palin, Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee all topped him in that poll.
VELSHI: And this news is breaking overnight. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver have split already. They announced their amicable separation yesterday. In a joint statement, they say they are living apart while they decide on the future of their relationship. But they stress their four children will remain top priority. Shriver has moved out of the California mansion. The two have been married for 25 years.
CHETRY: Well, despite the flooding, there was still basketball in Memphis last night, lots and lots of basketball, I guess you could say. Triple overtime in game four of NBA playoffs, Oklahoma City Thunder outlasting the Grizzlies. They ended up winning 133-123 to tie the series. Now, it is two games a piece. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook of the Thunder combined for 75 points.
ROMANS: All right. The president today is making a trip to El Paso, Texas, where he's going to give a speech calling for the need of immigration reform in this country, probably -- insiders are saying -- going to talk about what the administration has been doing to tighten up security, what they have been doing to try to control the border better, and then comprehensive immigration reform has to come next. We'll give you a quick preview.
CHETRY: Well, when it comes to gays in the military, we've talked a lot about "don't ask, don't tell," the president vowing to overturn the policy. Well, now, the Navy is allowing its chaplains to perform same-sex marriages on bases, to go into effect with "don't ask, don't tell," when that policy is lifted. We'll have more on that.
VELSHI: And our question of the day: should chocolate milk be banned from school lunches? We're getting a lot of feedback from you on this, the idea of school districts saying, too much added sugar, we don't want chocolate milk. Email us, tweet us, go to our blog, find us on Facebook.
We are reading your comments later on the show. I have to tell you, we are not getting very many
ROMANS: It's all in one direction.
CHETRY: We're not getting a lot of pro-ban.
VELSHI: We are not getting a lot of people pro-ban. So, if you are pro-ban, your chances of getting your comments read are significantly higher.
CHETRY: But don't change your mind on account of us.
VELSHI: Nine minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: We're following the case of the remains found on a very remote beach in Long Island. Well, now, there is new information from investigators that there could actually be more than one killer out there. They say that four sets of human remains found on a Long Island beach are not linked to a serial killer. The remains turned up in March and April near where four other sets were found late last year.
Police say the remains found in December were all that of sex workers who advertised their services on Craigslist.
VELSHI: The passenger who rushed the cockpit on American Airlines flight to San Francisco appears to have mental issues. That's according to law enforcement officials. Rageit al Murisi was subdued by passengers and employees on Sunday while he was pounding on the cockpit door. San Francisco police say Murisi was travelling with a Yemeni passport but does not appear to have any link to terrorists.
ROMANS: President Obama, you guys, making his way to Texas today. He'll be speaking about immigration reform in El Paso, a U.S. and Mexico border city. It's the president's latest attempt to rally support behind a new immigration bill perhaps and to put pressure on Congress to act on this divisive issue. The president says he wants to both toughen the border and provide an easier path to citizenship for illegal immigrants already living in the U.S.
We're joined live by El Paso Mayor John Cook.
Good morning, Mr. Mayor. First of all, in a perfect world, what would the president say to you today that would make your city safer, already a very -- the safest in the America, but would be good for the country and immigration reform. You are a border city mayor. What do you think?
JOHN COOK, MAYOR OF EL PASO, TEXAS: Well, you know, I'm pleased that he is going to talk about immigration reform. It is something that he campaigned on when he ran for president and got -- it sort of got sidetracked with all the other things he had going. But he's already done a lot of work. This administration has, to secure the border. The number of border patrol agents that exists between the ports of entry has been increased.
What I would like to hear him say is that he's going to put additional emphasis at the ports of entry so that, for example, in El Paso, we have about $70 million worth of trade with our sister city, Ciudad Juarez. And we have the same number of customs agents that are sitting at the border. In 2005, that number was approximately $50 billion worth of trade. So, we have more trade and the same amount of customs agents -- even though I must compliment the president, Secretary Napolitano, for the great job they have done putting additional boots on the ground between the ports of entry.
ROMANS: And that has been an administration's talking point, at least about enforcement and security and more border patrol folks, and more intelligence folks along that -- I guess, you know, analyzing data along the border as well. Also, you are seeing more enforcement, interior enforcement, in terms of employers, cracking down employers who are hiring people illegally.
The thing about immigration reform is you have to have all of these different parts working at the same time, right? We have to have enforcement of the borders, you have to have enforcement of employers, and you also have to have a means to convince the American public that if there is a pathway to citizenship, laws will be enforced.
COOK: Right. And, you know, it doesn't -- in my mind, it doesn't even have to be a pathway to citizenship. It just has to be a pathway to legalization, to get these folks, whatever it is, 10 to 12 million people out of the shadows. Get them to come out and have their place in the United States be legal. In my mind, it doesn't necessarily have to be a pathway to citizenship.
ROMANS: Mr. Mayor, let me tell you what a Pew Research Center Poll recently found about a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants. If they were to pass background checks, pay fines and have jobs in February and March, 72 percent favored a pathway to citizenship and 24 percent opposed.
Do you think that the political climate is better now or what do you think the political climate is like now for the president to try to push this issue, which was very divisive when President Bush tried to do it?
COOK: Well, I think, in light of having been successful with Osama Bin Laden, the people are going to be very supportive of the president and his initiatives. That's just my humble opinion, but I would say that that's probably a reality that the American public is in a good mood right now. We feel that we've made major strides in the war against terror.
Folks like people who live in El Paso, in San Diego, in Brownsville, know that the borders are pretty secure, even though, not everybody would agree with that. I think those of us who live on the border feel that it's very secure.
ROMANS: But, you know --
COOK: But we do realize --
ROMANS: On that point, let me ask you, because here, you got El Paso, which is the safest large city in America, over 500,000 residents, and then, you've got Juarez, which has had thousands of murders. I think 2,600 murders in the past year.
COOK: No, 7,000.
ROMANS: 7,000 murders.
COOK: 7,000 in the last three years.
ROMANS: Unbelievable. So, why -- are you concerned about cross- border violence and how have you managed to avoid cross-border violence?
COOK: Well, I think the big difference is that on this side of the border, people trust their police departments. They trust law enforcement. On the other side of the border, if you tell somebody the guy down the street is a drug dealer, you're not sure if you're talking to a good guy or a bad guy.
So, people in the United States trust law enforcement to a large degree. There's been a culture of corruption in Mexico for over 100 years, and I think that's what President Calderon has to fight is that culture of corruption.
ROMANS: All right. John Cook, mayor of El Paso, Texas. The president will be coming to your town. Do you say the time is right to try immigration reform? Others are concerned about the timing. Maybe, there's never a good time for immigration reform. We've tried it every 10 or 15 years since the 20s and still keep having to revisit it, but thank you, sir, so much for joining us. Really appreciate it. Have a nice day. Kiran and Ali.
COOK: You, too.
VELSHI: Thanks, Christine. A new plan for the navy. Chaplains will be allowed to perform same-sex marriages in military chapels. This will begin when the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policies lifted. It's only going to happen in states that recognize same-sex marriages. The chaplains will have the ability to choose whether or not to do the service based on their own religious beliefs.
I assume if you're getting married in a state that does allow it, you'll be able to find some chaplain of some faith who will do it for you. Pentagon officials are expected to sign off on the new rules in a few weeks.
CHETRY: Up next on AMERICAN MORNING, who is the best when it comes to luggage, when it comes to leg room on the plane? We have details on the latest survey of the best and worst airlines.
VELSHI: And royals rescued for the second time in two days. In Canada, they've been brought back safely to sea. We'll tell you where this was happening and how it happened when we come back. Nineteen minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Twenty-two and a half minutes past the hour. "Minding Your Business." CNN confirmed you that Microsoft has agreed to buy Skype for $8.5 billion. The formal announcement expected this hour. Skype will become a new unit within Microsoft and will run by current Skype CEO, Tony Bates.
CHETRY: I want to know -- is it going stay free?
VELSHI: Well, I mean, does this feel, Christine, like back in the, you know, the late 1990s and begin in 2000, these companies like billion with a "B," $8.5 billion. I like Skype. I think it's great.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Does it feel a little bubble issues, too?
ROMANS: I don't feel it's a bubble issues, but I think it shows the maturity of some of these big old standard names like Microsoft. It's just a big acquisition ever, and then, the new players seem to, you know --
VELSHI: It's vending machine money for Microsoft.
ROMANS: Vending machine money.
CHETRY: Will it stay free?
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: To be able to logon and have a Skype account, your friend has a Skype account, you guys can talk and that's still free.
VELSHI: Yes. No, I guess, you're right.
CHETRY: I hope it stays that way.
All right. Well, two discount airlines beat the big guys when it comes to quality, service, and comfort. According to a new survey by Consumer Reports, passengers gave Southwest Airlines high grades for check-in ease, for baggage handling, and for cabin cruiser as well as cleanliness. Now, JetBlue was the only airline to outscore southwest that is when it came to seating.
VELSHI: Because southwest, you got to charge in there and grab your seat. I don't like that.
CHETRY: Also the JetBlue, people say it has more leg room. They also earned top scores for in-flight entertainment.
VELSHI: That's good stuff they got in there. Every seat.
CHETRY: Also at the bottom of the consumer --
VELSHI: Let me guess. Hold on a second. Let me just (INAUDIBLE) for a second.
ROMANS: It's going to picture the MTV and --
VELSHI: Oh, U.S. Airways coming in last. What a surprise? I think it's a pretend airline, U.S. Airways.
ROMANS: Wow. Ali, you're going to get --
VELSHI: No. I get it from everybody else. I'm not -- I mean, I talk about airlines a great, and I get the feedback from everyone else, and it's always most widely negative about U.S. Airways. And surprise, surprise, the odd time that I can't avoid it, it definitely doesn't compare well to the other airlines. Not a very good airline.
ROMANS: All right.
VELSHI: Rescuers nearly running out of time and ideas to free a -- what kind of whale is that?
ROMANS: It's a --
CHETRY: A mink whale.
VELSHI: A mink whale from a shallow river in Nova Scotia whale.
CHETRY: This was news to you. You said you don't think they even have whales in Canada.
VELSHI: Oh, you didn't have to say that on TV.
(LAUGHTER)
VELSHI: All of my Canadian people are going to know (ph). I was just exaggerating. I knew they had whaled. You got stuck on a sandbar for the second time yesterday. Firefighters first rescued the whale over the weekend. This time, crews placed the whale on a boat and personally escorted it back to sea. I'm getting the sense that maybe that whale wants to be somewhere else.
ROMANS: Were you a girl scout? A brownie?
CHETRY: I was a brownie for a small period of time. It didn't go so well.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: No. Two Michigan girl scouts have started a movement to change an ingredient in girl scouts cookies. They say it was damaging wildlife and rain forests. We'll tell you about that.
VELSHI: Well, that's good to eat. I want to know what --
CHETRY: He wants to know, will I still be able to eat my thin mints? VELSHI: Yes, that's exactly what I want to know.
CHETRY: Still ahead, Illinois congressman on the cover of men's health mag. He's doing some ab work, OK?
VELSHI: OK. I don't think -- I think it's the same guy who's always on. They just change the head.
CHETRY: No, no, no. There are guys that really look like that, Ali. I swear. I heard Jeanne Moos say, is that his appendix sticking out?
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: And then, of course, Jeanne Moos found the one trainer on the street. He said, man, I think if he had a 10, he could be tighter. Anyway, we're going to talk more about whether it's appropriate or not for the congressman to be bearing all or bearing half? All right. Twenty-six minutes past the hour. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS (voice-over): High water heading south. The Mississippi River maxing out in Memphis. Right now, a 14-foot flood, and it may not go down any time soon on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Our top stories right now. We are talking about trillions. That's what House Speaker John Boehner says he wants to cut from federal spending in return for his support to raise the nation's debt ceiling. That would allow the government to continue borrowing beyond the current $14.3 trillion cap. That's the nation's credit limit.
The SEALs were ready to fight their way out if they had to. According to a report in the "New York Times," President Obama and his team were prepared to go after Bin Laden even if it meant engaging Pakistani fighters in combat on the way out.
Historic flooding in eight states this morning. Thousands of residents have evacuated in Memphis where the Mississippi is cresting and danger downstream now. The army corps of engineers opened a spillway north of New Orleans with no sign of the river letting up. Jacqui Jeras in the Extreme Weather Center for us right now. Jacqui, give us a picture of what's going on.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, the river is cresting, and it's a long process, guys. Is it cresting? Has it crested? What does that really mean? Take a look at the river gauge from the Mississippi River at Memphis. What this is going to show is at about 2:00 this morning the river was at its highest at 47.85 feet. But look at how long it has been there. This started cresting at about 5:00 last night and it has been holding near that level. There are going to be little tiny peaks and valleys, but staying near the crest until tomorrow morning.
And then take a look at this. We are talking about way beyond the weekend while it is still in major blood major flood. So it's an extremely slow, long progress. The significance really of that crest basically means the water is at its highest point and has the most stress on it at this time as well.
Take a look at what we are looking at down the line. This river will continue to stay high and push through record flood, at least through the 23rd. That is 13 days from now. As we take a look at the big picture, we haven't talked a lot about what's going on in Illinois and into Missouri. All these purple dots are river gauges that are in major floods. Even though they crested, the water is still really, really high.
And take note downstream, we are looking at major flood down to Baton Rouge. We are talking about more than a week before it crests. We will continue to watch that bubble of water, that big crest and peak make its way hundreds of miles downstream.
ROMANS: Thanks, Jacqui.
CHETRY: We all love them, but now they are going to be a little bit different. I'm talking about girl scouts cookies. Two Michigan scouts convinced Kellogg's to change an ingredient, palm oil. The scouts stirred up support last month after finding out that palm oil plantations can cause deforestation and habitat loss for endangered animals in places like Indonesia and Malaysia. Now Kellogg's says it's going to use a more eco-friendly alternative to palm oil.
ROMANS: Just like mom, Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol is jumping on the reality show bandwagon. The show will follow Bristol as she moves to Los Angeles with her son, Trip. She will be rooming with friends and working in a charity. The show will air at the end of the year on the Bio network.
VELSHI: LeBron James apologizing for saying the "r" word. He made the offensive comment during a presser after Miami's loss to Boston on Saturday. A reporter asked Dwayne Wade a question and James dismissed it, but the mic picked it up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was that just level of competition and the oceans?
LEBRON JAMES, NBA PLAYER: Retard.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Please.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: No word yet if the NBA will take any action.
CHETRY: It is all about fitness for one congressman, Illinois representative Aaron Schock, gracing the cover of "Men's Health" magazine. There he is, in shape and certainly showing it. Schock says he did it to encourage healthy eating and exercise. He did what? He did 1,000 sit-ups a day?
VELSHI: I think he took the picture, the photo.
CHETRY: Some politicians are questioning if it was a wise career move. He said it was a risk he wanted to take. Schock is the youngest member of Congress, 29 years old. Senator Scott Brown posed in Cosmo with no clothes on, and they had this pesky fold in the magazine so you didn't see a lot. I'm kidding. Remember, he did that to finance his law school education.
ROMANS: But if you talking about obesity in America and the need for people to get out and the wellness, you could see how this would be a move.
VELSHI: What's obscene? He had clothes on. It is obscene for a guy to look like that. Normal guys don't look like that. Gentlemen on the floor, raise your hands if anybody looks like that or wants to. You don't go for a guy that looks like that.
ROMANS: I don't like that. It scares me, because a guy spends way too much time on their appearance, it's scary. But exercise is good.
VELSHI: It is good.
ROMANS: Up next in AMERICAN MORNING, another example of a very fit, very lean, trim figure, Keira Knightley. She is coming by to talk about her new movie "Last Night."
VELSHI: How about getting a quicker diploma with less debt? It sounds like a fantastic idea. I love it. Tom Foreman is talking about building up America, some new ideas for college education. It is 35 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: A new drama starring Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington takes you inside the lives of a married couple for 36 hours in which they're both tempted by other people. It's called "Last Night." Here's a clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You didn't tell me that she was in L.A. with you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She wasn't in L.A. with me. We were there at the same time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael, face me. You didn't tell me anything about her before tonight, but then I think you know that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Keira Knightley joins us live now. Welcome to the studio. Good to see you.
KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, ACTRESS: And you.
VELSHI: This was a -- it seems like a love triangle, but it is a little more complicated than that.
KNIGHTLEY: It is about infidelity. So it's about a husband and wife who are tempted over a sort of 36-hour period by other people. I think it is sort of a discussion between what's worse between a mental betrayal and a physical betrayal.
CHETRY: Which one is worse in your opinion?
KNIGHTLEY: I don't know. I think we all started saying the mental betrayal is much worse, you fall in love with somebody else and it is much worse. Other people said it is the actual act. So I don't know.
ROMANS: It's interesting how quickly in 36 hours this seemingly happy couple were so tempted and tested, how 36 hours could change them forever.
KNIGHTLEY: I think that's what I like about the script was the idea you feel completely solid in your life. You know what's going to happen, and then all of a sudden you meet somebody, in the case of my character, an ex-boyfriend and your entire life changes in a short amount of time.
CHETRY: In this day and age where you could reconnect with all the people so easily -- back in the day, you didn't know where your high school and college friends were. Now it is in your face constantly. Do you think it is more about the temptation or your personal choice to cheat or not cheat?
KNIGHTLEY: I think it is a bit of both. I think we all think we won't be tempted, but the fact is you never know what's going to happen or what is going to come around the corner. That's what this film is about. You simply do not know how you are going to react until you're in a situation.
ROMANS: The three of us are all married. You are a single girl. What did you have to harness for this role to go from being married and then tempted and testing this marriage?
KNIGHTLEY: I think it is imagination really. The amazing thing about this particular subject is so many people have -- you talk to so many different people and they have all got experiences of it in some way, not necessarily that they have cheated, but temptation is something we all have. I spoke to lots of people and got lots of stories, and that was great.
CHETRY: The other interesting thing, being married for a long time, that doesn't necessarily also guarantee safety or security.
KNIGHTLEY: No.
CHETRY: Not to say infidelity was involved. I was shocked whether I read the papers of Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger are separated. They have four kids and have been together for 25 years. It just seems at that point isn't it going to last?
KNIGHTLEY: Who knows? Life changes, people changes. And then, you have changed and they have changed and you are in a different place.
VELSHI: Does this taint you about your view of love?
KNIGHTLEY: My parents have been together for over 40 years. I come from a very solid family background. But I completely think that you never know what's going to happen.
CHETRY: Can you tell us about your male co-star and how much fun that was to work with him.
VELSHI: And this other cast of stars?
ROMANS: And the very wonderful actors who also happen to all look very, very good?
KNIGHTLEY: Which one? Everyone is brilliant. Johnny Depp is wonderful. They are lovely. I have been very lucky. I am a very lucky girl.
CHETRY: I envy you, I have to say. That sounds fun.
VELSHI: What are you saying? You don't think you have good- looking men to work with? Did I just get dissed here?
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: He is like Orlando Bloom with glasses.
CHETRY: I usually say Tom Cruise, but I hear you.
The other interesting thing, were you in London for the royal wedding. When you saw this gorgeous Kate Middleton come out --
KNIGHTLEY: She did look great.
CHETRY: What did you think?
KNIGHTLEY: What did I think? I thought she looked lovely.
CHETRY: About the whole excitement again?
KNIGHTLEY: I missed quite a bit of it so I didn't actually see all of it. It looked lovely. She looked lovely. He looked lovely. There were lots of street parties in London. I was actually on stage that night so I missed all the street parties. ROMANS: Tell us more about that. You are on stage now.
KNIGHTLEY: I just finished a play in London. Elizabeth Moss from "Mad Men" and Evan Burston, and I am just about to go over to L.A. to do a film with Steve Carell, which should be fun.
ROMANS: Can you tell us who are about it?
KNIGHTLEY: It is about the end of the world. I am really sorry. My mom keeps watching it and says can you do something happy, please?
CHETRY: Keira Knightley, very nice to meet you. Thanks so much for being with us.
ROMANS: The surprise split -- Dr. Jeff on the Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Sriver, the news that they are separating today. We will talk more about that when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: It's 44 minutes past the hour. Pakistan may be ready to let the U.S. question the wives of Osama bin Laden. They were at the compound when bin Laden was killed. A senior Pakistani intelligence official tells CNN the U.S. will get access to the women, but only if their country of origin, which is Yemen and Saudi Arabia, gives permission.
Japan's prime minister says he won't collect his salary until the nuclear crisis I over. It came the same day we are getting brand new pictures of 100 residents returning to their homes near the nuclear plants. They are only allowed there to gather their belongings. Questions remain whether they will be able to return permanently.
In Memphis, the Mississippi River is cresting at a near record of 14 feet above flood stage. Parts of the city are under water. In New Orleans, a spillway was opened to protect that city from the flooding.
ROMANS: Also, the final launch of the space shuttle Endeavour now scheduled for next Monday. It has been delayed because of an electrical problem.
The markets open in 45 minutes. Right now the Dow, NASDAQ, S&P all up in the futures. Shares of Microsoft are trading slightly lower. That comes on the news of an agreement to buy Skype for $8.5 billion. Go to CNNmoney.com for the very latest news about your money.
And now you are caught up on the day's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING is coming right back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSH: We've been talking about it all morning. I was getting some tweets from people who said, "Why were you shocked?" Well, you know what, people are shocked. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Marina Shriver are separated.
ROMANS: You know they've been in the spotlight for decades taking over Hollywood and then political playing field as well.
CHETRY: You know, after 25 years, the pair says that they are living apart. They're deciding the future of their relationship.
We wanted to bring in clinical psychologist, Jeff Gardere, Dr. Jeff. He counsels married people, people that are going through problems.
(CROSSTALK)
DR. JEFF GARDERE, CLINICAL PHSYCHOLOGIST: Yes.
CHETRY: People that are deciding whether or not to divorce. Some people would say, wow, they have been through the hard stuff, four kids. You know some of them are already --
VELSHI: And probably the toughest part of their careers.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: Pain.
GARDERE: Yes, political.
ROMANS: The governor's mansion.
GARDERE: Yes.
CHETRY: Yes, this pressure cooker that is the governor's mansion and now they are splitting up.
GARDERE: Yes well, but let's look at what's really going on here. These are very successful people, independently-minded individuals, very intelligent. They've raised four children. We haven't heard any stories as to whether the kids have been acting out. They are both independently wealthy.
So they have every reason to not stay together because of financial reasons. And that's why you see a lot of couples are breaking up. Number one, it happens to be the finances. That's not an issue for them.
ROMANS: You know, I'm -- it's interesting because after 25 years of marriage, you think, well, why are they breaking up now?
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: But you shouldn't assume, we shouldn't assume because of their 25 years --
GARDERE: Yes.
ROMANS: Does that means they are any happier or any more in love than anybody else?
GARDERE: Even though statistics do show that 46 percent of marriages end by the 15th year. We do know that by the 20th year, most of those couples stay together.
VELSHI: Right.
GARDERE: It's what you're saying, you are used to one another, why make this transition now?
But there is something else going on. And it's this whole issue that people are living longer and therefore after a very long-term marriage, if they decide to call it a day and a night, now they have the opportunity to go out and recreate themselves, whether professionally or even personally.
VELSHI: If somebody comes to you after five years of marriage and says they are having problems, you might be inclined to say, you're -- you're young and you haven't really worked it all out yet. After 15 years of marriage, you might say ok, that's -- that's how long people sort of give it. After 25 years of marriage, would you say, "Are you kidding me?"
GARDERE: I would always say to them after 25 years of marriage, do everything you can to stay in that marriage.
VELSHI: Right.
GARDERE: But I would it say to the person being married for five years or the people being married for 15 years. But the point that you're making, after 25 years, why do it then?
VELSHI: Right.
GARDERE: What we can say is that after 25 years, we are talking about people who are more mature. And therefore and as Schwarzenegger and Shriver have said they thought about this very, very carefully before deciding to separate.
And therefore, you give them the benefit of the doubt that they have the wisdom. They have tried everything. And now at this point, they feel that they have to start a new chapter in their lives.
CHETRY: There's two things that I always wonder about. One, first of all when people say that they are separating does that most likely, most of the times does that lead downright to divorce? Or do they say, yes, we separate for a while and we miss each other terribly and now we are back?
GARDERE: For some people, it is a delaying tactic.
CHETRY: It's a delaying tactic --
(CROSSTALK)
GARDERE: Yes, they -- they don't know whether they really want a divorce. But my experience has been most people who separate end up divorcing. And legally -- I'm not an attorney -- you know after a year or so then it does allow you to divorce much, much easier.
CHETRY: I also want to know, is it easier to move on for men than women? Because you know women tend to feel like they have an expiration date more than guys.
GARDERE: Things have changed a lot. Now we know that two-thirds of marriages are initiated by women and men are caught in the headlights like deer.
VELSHI: Really?
(CROSSTALK)
GARDERE: And they don't know.
CHETRY: And two-thirds of divorces.
GARDERE: Two-thirds of divorces are initiated by women. So a lot of guys are caught unawares and they don't know what to do.
VELSHI: Right.
GARDERE: My experience in working with couples, women seem to transition better than the men, because the men, again, don't know what just happened.
ROMANS: And Jeff, that's also interesting. I always think it's a baby boomer phenomenon. For the first time, we've got boomers with means who can -- who have been married for 25 years, it's a different kind of a generation than their parents.
Tipper and Al Gore, they announced that they we're going to be divorced; and they weren't married abut Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon, after many, many years together.
So I mean, it's not, it's shocking for this couple but not unprecedented.
GARDERE: Women are no longer caught in marriages where years ago they felt they had to stay because of the kids and because of finances. Women are doing as well as men if not better in this recovery and, therefore, they feel that they have an exit strategy. And therefore that's why we are seeing more of these separations and divorces.
ROMANS: Jeff Gardere, always so nice to talk to you. Thank you, sir.
GARDERE: Always a pleasure, thank you.
CHETRY: Thanks, Dr. Jeff.
VELSHI: All right, one of the things we talked about a lot is the -- we were just talking about it yesterday, the graduating class of 2012 graduating with the highest level of debt in history. What about graduating in three years and ending up with the same college degree and owing less money? Interesting story about that coming up.
It is 52 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: All right. Well, it's 55 minutes past the hour right now. We'll explain what the chocolate milk or the so-called chocolate milk is doing here in a second.
But meanwhile, a four-year degree for a lot of people is just too expensive these days. You graduate with all this debt. A lot of people are saying, "Wait a minute, can I get this done in three and save some money?"
ROMANS: Oh but -- this is the only country in the world where we send our kids to college to find themselves.
VELSHI: That's right.
ROMANS: A three-year degree when we talk about this --
VELSHI: There are substantially cheaper ways to find yourself.
ROMANS: Yes, I agree.
VELSHI: Right, there are a lot -- there are other countries and some universities in the United States are already giving students an option to get their degree in three years. It takes a little more work, it takes a different structure.
Tom Foreman, live, in Greensboro, North Carolina with today's "Building up America". Give it to us straight, Tom.
ROMANS: Hi there Tom.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I am glad to hear you've all done your homework. You know that college degrees cost a fortune and yes a few universities are experimenting with this radical idea, at least for a year, of saying maybe you don't have to hang around for four years.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN (voice-over): A bachelor's degree at the University of North Carolina Greensboro is a bargain, just over $11,000 a year for in-state students. But a handful here are now getting an even bigger break -- working toward a degree in three years, not the usual four.
Elyssa Tucker, who wants to be a psychiatrist, is one of them.
(on camera): Were you more interested in the economic benefit or the shorter time in school? ELYSSA TUCKER, UNCG STUDENT: For me personally, it was more of the shorter time in school because I do want to go to med school so, really, time is of the essence. I would rather get it done faster than trying to take my time and drag it out forever.
My parents -- economically, they're like, yes, this is a gold mine, do it. You are in this.
FOREMAN: A small but growing number of schools are tackling soaring tuitions by offering a three-year option. While some educators worry that it short circuits the college experience, proponents like Steve Roberson say hundreds of students here come from well below the poverty line.
STEVE ROBERSON, DEAN OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES, UNCG: The notion of a college degree that it's affordability is just extraordinarily frightening for most families.
FOREMAN: To join the plan, students must arrive with 12 hours of college level courses completed in high school or elsewhere. They must know their major and they must take on a heavy course load. But the savings --
ROBERSON: We estimate this will save students around $8,000.
FOREMAN: $8,000.
ROBERSON: Almost $8,000, which is about a fourth of a typical collegiate experience here.
FOREMAN: It's tough work.
TUCKER: If you are not driven, this is not going to work for you.
FOREMAN: But for those who are, it can mean a fast-track to even higher degrees, good jobs and less debt along the way.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FOREMAN: Again, this is not without controversy. Not even all the schools here have signed on to this program. But the simple truth is, a quarter of the students here are non-traditional. They're adults coming back for more education or they're ex-military people who are looking for their degrees. Many of these people are saying in these economic times, I don't have the money or the time to spend four years on it. Give it to me in three and everyone will benefit.
It's really an interesting program. Don't know how many schools are doing it right now; can't even find a real number for that. But other schools around the country are experimenting with it. And I am willing to bet a lot more are going to.
VELSHI: A lot of schools do it informally.
ROMANS: Right. VELSHI: In other words, it is not a program offered but they can build it for you if you need it.
ROMANS: There are almost a dozen programs. Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee, a former education secretary has been a big proponent of this and has been encouraging school to do more of it because, look, kids have to be focused but the school has to be on board because you have got to be able to get this class and then this class and then this class. And you miss a class you blow your three- year plan.
CHETRY: It was hard enough at Maryland when I went to graduate in four years. God forbid your change your mind about anything, tack on another year. So --
ROMANS: All right.
VELSHI: Tom, great story. Great to see you, great to see that bus like I said yesterday.
FOREMAN: Great to be with you all.
VELSHI: Give it another hug for me; Tom Foreman for us. What a great start. We should talk about this a little bit more.
CHETRY: Chocolate milk.
VELSHI: Right now we have to talk about chocolate -- chocolate milk.
CHETRY: That's right. Time to read your e-mails and comments for our question of the day. This has pegged out of a story coming out of L.A. L.A. school district could be the largest now to ban chocolate milk. They're talking about doing it. They want to get all the sugared milks. They only want it to be white, plain white milk in schools.
So we asked you. Should they ban chocolate, and by extension, strawberry milk in schools? Here are a couple of your comments.
Jake 7376, "How about not banning everything but getting off our lazy butts and getting outside to do things like exercise?" There are a lot of e-mails along that vein. We need to move more, not necessarily monitor everything we eat.
VELSHI: And Nicole says chocolate milk should be out. "While I agree with the other posts that healthy eating starts at home, if the parents aren't going to do it, someone should. These are our children. They depend on us to make the right choices. Everyone needs to go and see how those flavored milks are made. Maybe they'll change their mind after the nasty milk. Let's get rid of processed junk."
CHETRY: Was that your e-mail or was that Christine's?
ROMANS: You have weighed in with great enthusiasm on this discussion. So thank you so much.
That is going to wrap it up for us today and our chocolate milk.
VELSHI: Carol Costello takes over. Carol, have yourself a great morning.
CHETRY: Cheers, Carol. We're enjoying it now before it's banned here at the CNN Center.
