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American Morning
Storms Pound the Midwest; Obama's Message of Hope to Joplin; Palin's One Nation Bus Tour Begins; Homes for our Troops; Women in Combat; "Hangover 2" Tops At Box Office
Aired May 30, 2011 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING, more powerful storms pounding the Midwest, damaging homes and knocking out power to thousands in Illinois and Michigan, all while the president visits tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri, where they're still burying the dead and searching for the missing.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Sarah Palin decked out in leather launching her one nation bus tour on a Harley. No one's actually seen the bus yet. We did get an exclusive interview with the potential candidate for president.
ROMANS: And on this Memorial Day, a struggling Marine prepares to walk into his new home after losing both legs to a roadside bomb in Iraq. An inspiring tribute to an American hero, next on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Parts of the Midwest hammered again by Mother Nature. I'm Christine Romans.
A powerful line of storms hitting Michigan and Illinois, bringing down trees, leaving tens of thousands this morning in the dark.
CHO: And I'm Alina Cho. Sarah Palin launching her bus tour at a biker rally. The former Alaska governor in black, head to toe, but is she running for president? She talks exclusively to CNN on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ROMANS: Good morning this Memorial Day.
CHO: Good morning.
ROMANS: Kiran and Ali are off today. We hope that you'll be doing some barbecuing later on.
CHO: Later at least.
We hope you're waking up and having a little coffee though --
ROMANS: That's right.
CHO: -- on this holiday morning. And we've got a lot of news.
ROMANS: That's right.
CHO: And we begin with the weather. You know, first a new wave of spring storms is pounding the Midwest. In fact, some of the worst damage is in Battle Creek, Michigan. A storm packing 80-mile-an-hour winds snapped trees, brought down a lot of power lines. In fact, across the state some 100,000 homes and businesses lost power.
ROMANS: A violent storm also hit the Chicago area. Ferocious winds uprooting trees and sending them on the tops of houses and cars.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The trees just doubled. It was the strongest wind I've seen in a long time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's the important part. Nobody got hurt. Houses can be rebuilt. People takes a long time for them to get rebuilt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The severe weather grounded 450 flights at O'Hare airport Sunday. It could be more of the same today. We'll let you know whether there could be more of this.
CHO: That's not exactly the news you want if you're coming back from your holiday vacation.
ROMANS: That's right.
CHO: So we want to know what's in store for you today. Rob Marciano in the extreme weather center with a look at that. So, Rob, what's it looking like this morning?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, good morning, guys. Folks who live in the south, south of the Mason Dixon specifically, you should be OK. But north of that, we've got some trouble.
We had over 170 reports mostly of wind, damaging winds yesterday, across the stationary boundary and the bigger cities including Chicago and Detroit got hit pretty hard. Well, guess what? The bigger cities now off to the east are going to get hit pretty hard too.
A little piece of that energy is rolling across the Allegheny and the Appalachians now down into through across Delaware and yes, right into the New York City area. Severe line of thunderstorms stretching from the 684 interchange and 84 all the way down through Trenton and this is moving rapidly off to the east at about 60 miles an hour. So the Big Apple about to get pounded here with heavy rain. A lot of lightning and certainly some gusty winds with this. These are deemed severe, so just be careful over the next 30 to 40 minutes. If you can, take cover. Do so. And we're also going to reinvigorate this line of storms that developed across parts of the Midwest.
Moderate chance of seeing severe weather in this area across northern parts of the Midwest, just south of Fargo, back through Sioux Falls. And as far as daytime highs today, searing heat, that's the other big story, guys. It's going to feel more like the middle of July or the Fourth of July than Memorial Day today. High temperatures easily in the 90s across many states.
Back to you.
CHO: And we thank you for the beautiful weather in the New York area, Rob. Thank you.
ROMANS: We've been cursing him for months. But we'll thank you today.
CHO: We'll take it.
ROMANS: All right. President Obama getting a firsthand look at the devastated landscape of Joplin, Missouri. The president toured the city yesterday. He met with survivors and spoke at a memorial service telling residents of Joplin that what happened to their community is a national tragedy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The question that weighs on us at a time like this is why. Why our town, why our home, why my son, or husband or wife or sister or friend? Why? We do not have the capacity to answer. How we respond when the storm strikes is up to us. How we live in the aftermath of tragedy and heartache, that's within our control. There's no doubt in my mind that Joplin will rebuild. And as president, I can promise you your country will be there with you every single step of the way.
(APPLAUSE)
We will be with you every step of the way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: In Joplin Sunday, they observed a moment of silence at 5:41 p.m. That's the moment the tornado hit a week earlier.
CHO: CNN's Ed Henry has more on the president's message for Joplin and also there will be a major announcement today. Ed is live for us at the White House.
So, Ed, there was some criticism in some circles that the president didn't go to Joplin sooner. So how did he do?
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, you're right, Alina. I mean, that was the elephant in the room here, which is the fact that this, when you say it struck last Sunday, in the evening, that was when the president was about to go to Europe and so he really had to get there and show the people of Missouri how much this hurt him and how much the federal government was going to stand with the city, with the state.
Bottom line is that one of the reporters who was flying in on Air Force One basically said that what the president saw as Air force One was coming in for a landing over Joplin, was almost as if a giant had come in to the city with a lawn mower and just shredded it to absolute pieces. And the president himself noted he had just been in Alabama a couple weeks ago to see devastation, this was even worse.
And so, I think the bottom line is this is a president who knew that, you know, this is an area of Missouri that he did not win to John McCain in 2008. He had the added baggage of having been in Europe when all of this happened, so he wanted to make this up to them, number one.
And number two, think back to Tucson when there was a tragedy at the beginning of this year. He tends to rise to the occasion at these kinds of moments, these kinds of memorial services and it appeared that there were a lot of people who were thankful for him being there, no doubt. Alina.
ROMANS: Also today, we had a big announcement from the president concerning the nation's military. That's what we're expecting on Memorial Day for him to make this big announcement. What can you tell us?
HENRY: Yes. Well, he's going to name General Martin Dempsey, pardon me, as the new Joint Chiefs chairman replacing Admiral Mullen. Significant, he is the Army chief of staff, someone who has been very much in the front lines of overseeing the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan. And I think the bottom line of why he picked General Dempsey is that it's in the context of other moves are being made.
Let's not forget that in June, Defense Secretary Robert Gates is going to be stepping down and Leon Panetta is in line to replace him, who is already CIA director or the member of the national security team. And so this boils down to one word and that's continuity. This president wants to make sure that even as Iraq still winding down, very few troops there, but still some troops there, about 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, he needs continuity to finish these wars. No doubt about it -- Alina, Christine.
CHO: All right, Ed. And in addition to all of his credentials, apparently General Dempsey can sing as well. We'll talk a little bit more about that. We will be actually talking with the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs, that's Admiral Mike Mullen, at 7:25 Eastern today. Stay tuned.
ROMANS: On this Memorial Day, the president and first lady will be hosting a breakfast at the White House for families who've lost loved ones in combat. Later, they'll visit Arlington National Cemetery where the president will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns.
CHO: Also new this morning, the situation is deteriorating quickly in Yemen. Take a look at these incredible pictures. Troops open fire on protesters. Government forces are also using water cannons and tear gas to try to break up the crowds there. Medical officials say at least five people were killed, more than 90 wounded. The violence in that country has flared since the deal calling for the president's departure fell apart. ROMANS: And violence breaking out between Serbian police and demonstrators protesting last week's arrest of war crime suspect Ratko Mladic. Some people in the crowd threw rocks at police who responded by beating and kicking them. Nearly 20 people were injured. More than 100 people were arrested. Mladic is accused of ordering the massacre of Bosnian Muslims in the 1990s civil war, most famously Srebrenica where some 8,000 men and boys were pulled out of the crowds and massacred in the woods.
CHO: I think a lot of people were wondering if there was ever going to be justice, but finally came more than a decade later.
Meanwhile, imagine this happening to you on your holiday weekend. A scary end to a flight that landed in Atlanta over the weekend. Look at that.
The Delta Airlines flight from Pittsburgh caught fire on the runway. All 49 people on board were evacuated from the plane. Thankfully everyone is OK. Now there's some differing views on what happened. An FAA official tells us that the plane blew a tire while landing and that is what sparked the fire. But a Delta spokeswoman says no, no, no, no. The plane's brakes overheated. Either way, not a great situation.
ROMANS: That's right.
A helicopter on the way to the scene of a car wreck has a crash of its own. The Florida highway patrol chopper went down on an I-95 ramp in south Florida yesterday. The pilot is still in the hospital being checked for possible spinal injuries.
CHO: Well, after 11 days, 17 hours, 41 minutes exactly, the space shuttle Endeavour has undocked from the International Space Station. That separation took place just before midnight while all of us were sleeping.
The shuttle crew is taking pictures of the space station and will do some tests on its sensors. Endeavour, of course, is wrapping up its final mission and returns to earth at 2:35 a.m. Wednesday morning.
And we want to show you this breathtaking photo of earth courtesy of NASA. It apparently was taken from the International Space Station as Endeavour circled high above the Middle East.
ROMANS: That's an awesome picture.
CHO: It is.
ROMANS: All right. It's called the greatest spectacle in racing and yesterday's Indy 500 didn't disappoint. Rookie J.R. Hildebrand cruising to victory when, you can't believe it, he crashed on the final turn in the very last lap and that allowed Dan Wheldon to win the race.
Hildebrand's car is sponsored by the National Guard and the heartbreak could be felt in Iraq where troops are watching the race. Oh. CHO: Oh.
ROMANS: The accidental Indy winner -- no, he is the Indy winner, Dan Wheldon, who's going to be our guest at 7:35 Eastern.
CHO: They thought maybe that Hildebrand might pull it off and be one of the first people, if not the first to win on three wheels coming in in the stretch.
ROMANS: That's why every single lap counts, you know.
CHO: That's right. That's right.
Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, Sarah Palin kicks off her one nation bus tour, arriving at a biker rally in D.C. on a Harley. Now she got a lot of attention for that, but is she running or is she just another Donald Trump? We caught up with her exclusively. Hear what she had to say ahead.
ROMANS: And Germany says it's switching off its nuclear plants. Where will all that power come from now?
It's 10 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Well, the Sarah Palin one nation bus tour is under way. There's still no sign of a bus yet, but there were plenty of bikes yesterday. There's the former first lady of Alaska on a Harley. Actually the first governor of Alaska telling bikers that the Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally in Washington D.C., this is what she said, "I love the smell of emissions."
CHO: OK.
ROMANS: She didn't say anything about her plans for 2012. Sandra Endo caught up with citizen Sarah for an exclusive interview at yesterday's rally.
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine and Alina, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen, addressed the 24th annual Rolling Thunder event here on the National Mall. And the group shines a spotlight on the mission to free POWs and bring back those missing in action. Secretary Gates says the government will not rest until everyone is accounted for.
And riding in with this group this year, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. She's also a potential presidential candidate and she was not scheduled to address the crowd on stage, but we caught up with her after she arrived.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: I'm an American. I have no title. I have no office. And to be an American citizen with the freedom to come out here and assemble and thank our veterans, I can't tell you how honored I am to have been invited to participate.
ENDO (on camera): And what about this bus tour?
PALIN: The bus tour is to get out there and remind Americans about our foundation, our declaration of independence and constitution and the historical sites that should be a reminder every day to every American about how important it is to stand strong on our foundation and build upon what made this greatest country on earth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ENDO: Rolling Thunder said it's a group that's non-political, non- partisan and would welcome any American regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum - Christine and Alina.
CHO: All right. So the big question, of course, is she going to be running for president or is she just another, as one of my former colleagues said, a trump on the stump. Well, it appears that Sarah Palin doesn't mind keeping us waiting for an answer. Even the man who introduced her to America, John McCain, says he doesn't know exactly what she's up to, but guess what? If she does decide to run for president, the Arizona senator says he has no doubt she can beat President Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Of course, she can. She can. Now whether she will or not, whether she'll even run or not, I don't know.
But, you know, a lot of things happen in campaigns. You remember I was written off a couple times and we're able to come back. She certainly is a major factor and I believe that she can be very competitive.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Be sure to catch "JOHN KING USA" at 7:00. He's aboard the CNN Express closely following the Palin bus tour. Will we see her on the 2012 ballot? Some insights tonight at 7:00 P.M. Eastern on "JOHN KING USA."
CHO: And that leaves us to our question of the day. So do you think Sarah Palin will run for president or is she just doing this for publicity? We want to hear your opinion. E-mail us at CNN.com/AM, give us a tweet, @CNNAM or tell us on Facebook, Facebook.com/AMERICANMORNING. We will read some of your responses later in the hour. Also, you're @ChristineRomans, I'm @AlinaChoCNN. You can always -
ROMANS: Yes.
CHO: -- send us a direct message.
ROMANS: And we'll read all of them.
OK. Also new this morning, hip-hop and reggae singer Sean Kingston is hospitalized after crashing his jet ski into a bridge in Miami Beach. Police say the 21-year-old Kingston had a female passenger on board when he crashed last night. Kingston is reportedly in stable condition. Police investigating this accident.
CHO: Well, it's become this generation's Elvis sighting. So imagine the shock when a story appeared on the PBS website saying rapper Tupac Shakur is alive and in New Zealand. The fake story was posted by online hackers who say they did it in retaliation for the network's program called "WikiSecrets." Tupac Shakur, of course, was shot and killed in Las Vegas in 1996.
ROMANS: And he is not in New Zealand.
CHO: He's not in New Zealand.
ROMANS: Germany announcing early this morning it will shut down all of its nuclear plants by 2022. They provide a quarter of Germany's power. To make up for the loss, Germany will instead rely on renewable energy. Japan's nuclear crisis prompted the German government to take its nuclear plants offline.
CHO: A bribery scandal is rocking soccer's international governing body. FIFA is suspending two senior executives. The two men allegedly offered $40,000 to a group of Caribbean delegates to sway their votes towards one of them who is running to be FIFA's president. He's now withdrawn from the race while that investigation continues.
ROMANS: And a day of the dragon, more than 20 teams competing in this year's China Open Dragon Boat Race. The annual event is one of China's traditional sports dating back more than 2,000 years. Look at those pictures. Wow.
CHO: Those guys are in shape. I would say so.
One hundred fifty-year-old sea turtle that become tangled in a fisherman's net is safely back home this morning. A fisherman says the turtle got tangled in his ropes in the waters off China. He pulled it up, took it home and was actually going to sell it, but then thankfully he had a change of heart. Look at that little guy.
Now, this was identified as a green turtle, a protected species in China. Scientists say it is one of the few species that is so old that they watched dinosaurs evolve. Isn't that interesting? Look at that little guy. He is healthy and -
ROMANS: Back in the wild.
CHO: -- back in the wild.
ROMANS: Up next on AMERICAN MORNING, find out why a member of the Saudi royal family wants you to pay less for your oil.
CHO: All right. Plus, the iPad about to go where no tablet has gone before. So where? We're minding your business. It's 20 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: It's 22 minutes after the hour. "Minding Your Business" this morning.
A member of the Saudi royal family calls for lower oil prices. Prince Al-Waleed Bin Talal telling our Fareed Zakaria that oil should be selling around $70 a barrel so the U.S. wouldn't speed up its search for alternative energy sources.
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin falling victim to what it describes as a significant and tenacious cyber-attack. It happened earlier this month. The company says no personal data was compromised.
Blockbuster hoping to lure customers back by lowering prices. If the one in your neighborhood is open, you can now rent new movies for just one night. It will cost you $2.99 and 99 cents for each additional night.
Alaska Airlines replacing its pilot flight manuals with iPads loaded with electronic versions of the documents. It's the first airline to do so. It saves more than 20 pounds in weight and allows pilots to store more in their carry-on bag.
Is the 3D movie fad starting to fade? Ticket sales for new 3D releases have been lower than expected. Analysts tell "The New York Times" that higher 3D ticket prices are probably playing a role here and the novelty of wearing those glasses is wearing off.
And Americans apparently love a good hangover, the sequel, at least. "Hangover Part 2" took in an estimated $86 million over the holiday weekend, the best three-day opening for a live action comedy.
AMERICAN MORNING will be right back after the break with a story of volunteers helping out an American hero.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Good morning. It's 28 minutes after the hour. Happy Memorial Day. Checking our top stories.
The Midwest getting battered again by spring storms. Parts of Michigan and Illinois are littered with downed trees and power lines. Some 100,000 homes and businesses in Michigan lost power. More than 400 flights were canceled just yesterday at Chicago's O'Hare Airport.
ROMANS: And General Martin Dempsey is set to become America's top military officer. Later this morning, President Obama will nominate him to become the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff replacing Admiral Mike Mullen when he retires in the fall. Dempsey was just sworn in as Army Chief of Staff last month. His nomination, of course, has to be approved by the Senate.
CHO: Mike Mullen will be with us in the next hour, by the way. After nominating General Dempsey, the president will head to Arlington National Cemetery where he will honor America's fallen heroes on this Memorial Day by laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns. ROMANS: One Marine who gave so much and asked for so little is getting something back this Memorial Day. Volunteers are building Corporal Daniel Gasca and his family a new home. Nearly three years after both of his legs were blown off by a roadside bomb in Iraq.
Casey Wian reports on a young man from Texas who proves every day that walking tall doesn't always require a healthy pair of legs.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imagine changing your son's diaper in a cramped one bedroom apartment on prosthetic legs. Two dozen surgeries make bending over painful.
CORP. DANIEL GASCA, U.S. MARINE CORPS: My back.
WIAN: Then, try heading down steep stairs, carrying the boy to take out the trash, while watching your 4-year-old ride his bike carelessly close to the balcony.
GASCA: Hey. Be careful with that thing.
WIAN: That's the kind of daily struggle Marine Corporal Daniel Gasca endures since losing both legs to an IED in Iraq nearly three years ago.
GASCA: The way I started to see, you either come home or you don't. I never saw in between.
WIAN (on camera): What's it like being in between now?
GASCA: It's - it's definitely hard to get adjusted. You know, it changes your life. Completely.
WIAN (voice-over): Now his life is about to change again. Volunteers celebrated Gasca's service and started building Gasca a four bedroom house especially designed to accommodate the wheelchair he needs for some tasks. It's a gift Gasca and his wife and sons from Homes for Our Troops, which has built more than 100 houses free of charge for wounded warriors with special needs.
JAMESE REID: These young men and women have given a lot, a loss of a limb, loss of both limbs, ability to care for their families when they come back.
LARRY GILL, HOMES FOR OUR TROOPS: It allows them to renew their source of independence. I can no longer take care of these men and women on the battlefield but can take care of them in the aftermath.
WIAN (on camera): The speed at which the volunteers work is really incredible. A little more than an hour ago, this was a cement slab. Now, as you can see, the walls are almost entirely framed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm blown away. I'm totally happy, excited. I can't even explain it. It's just happy. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to mean the world. Daniel is so self-sufficient. He's going to just be himself back in that handicap house.
WIAN (voice-over): The house is scheduled to be finished in 90 days. Already, Agascas re imagining where to put furniture, and leaving notes to each other on the wood frame.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to say thank you to all the American people who donate their time, money, efforts, their skills. There's just nothing that I could do to repay them.
WIAN (on camera): You've done a lot to repay every American, I think.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But that was my job.
WIAN (voice-over): Corporal Gasca plans to leave the Marines Corps in July and pursue a career in law enforcement.
Casey Wian, CNN, El Paso.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Great story.
ROMANS: Casey's got it totally right. He already paid.
CHO: That's right.
ROMANS: And then some.
CHO: New this morning, wildfires raging in Texas. Hundreds of people evacuated in Amarillo. About 300 homes are still in danger. Crews are still working to contain a fire that spread over Randall County. Texas fire fighters say this is one of the worst wildfire seasons in history. More than a million acres have burned throughout the state.
ROMANS: A mud slide threatening homes in Alton, Illinois. Heavy rain and a broken water main are being blamed. One house on the edge of a bluff where the ground is giving way is in imminent danger. Local firefighters say they'd had mudslides before but nothing this big or this dangerous.
CHO: National Guard is helping the flood efforts in North and South Dakota. Thousands of soldiers were sent in over the weekend to help finish levees, fill sandbags and protect water supplies. Floods from the Missouri River are expected to hit the capital cities in both states.
ROMANS: Rob Marciano in the extreme weather center for us.
Wow, when you see those pictures of how ferocious all that water can be, it's amazing.
MARCIANO: Yes, just -- you know, we've been dealing with the Mississippi River floods and now, Missouri River. The Colorado Rockies, all of the Rockies, have seen a tremendous amount of snowpack. So, what doesn't drain into the Colorado River on the west side is draining east and we're seeing some of that snow melt right now. And Montana is having its own issues as well.
All right. Severe weather threat today is going to be across the northern plains, moderate risk of seeing some thunderstorms here. But, little pulse that rolled through Michigan last night did all that damage with at one point over 100,000 people without power. A little chunk of that energy has moved into the big apple.
And here we go -- line of thunderstorms. This is severe thunderstorms that are rolling right into the New York City metropolitan area, stretching up towards White Plains, back to Trenton. This is moving to the east at about 50 to 60 miles an hour. So, you're probably feeling it right now. Just give it 20 minutes and it will be done.
But, right now, it's pretty rough out there and certainly dangerous. There will be some gusty winds that will take down some trees and maybe some power lines as well. So, a nasty, nasty go of it, at least to start the day today.
We do have heat as well, heat advisories out. It's feeling more like July or August this Memorial Day weekend and today is going to be no different. So, Memorial Day services, where everyone is dressed nice, and formal, just try to stay cool and grab some shade and water if you can.
Eighty-eight degrees eventually once these storms move through. That will help rinse the atmosphere just a little bit. We're going to get cooking again. Ninety-two degrees for the high temperature in D.C., and 92 degrees in Atlanta, Georgia. So, just try to stay cool out there, guys. In the next 20 minutes, don't go out in New York City if you don't have to. Back to you.
CHO: All right, Rob.
ROMANS: We're busy for the next 20 minutes.
MARCIANO: I see.
ROMANS: OK, thanks.
CHO: Thanks, Rob.
You know, it was an entire generation's guide to eating right. More than two decades. Well, now, the food pyramid apparently is out. It's replacement is the food plate. Don't call it a pie chart, though. The Department of Agriculture says it's swapping the pyramid for the plate to help Americans make healthier food choices.
Many critics complain that the food pyramid was simply too confusing. It was introduced in 1992.
Now, the food plate will be officially unveiled on Thursday. And the suspense is building.
ROMANS: Senior medical correspondent Alina -- Elizabeth Cohen --
CHO: Thank you very much. I just got an upgrade.
ROMANS: She's going to give us a sneak speak of what's on that plate.
CHO: I think half the plate is fruit and vegetables.
ROMANS: That's right. I just remember that the meat is supposed to be the size of a deck of cards. Does anybody really eat meat the size of a deck of cards?
CHO: I think that's part of the problem, right?
ROMANS: So, maybe a plate will help.
All right. He dropped the kid, then he dropped the ball. Check -- I love this video. Check this out. A dad holding up his daughter at the Dodger game, let's go of her when a foul ball comes their way. And he didn't -- there she is. Everything is OK. And he didn't even catch the ball. The girl is OK but maybe bruised on the inside. She even threw an elbow when he went in for a hug.
CHO: What was he thinking?
ROMANS: Oh, come on. It's all about the game. And the ball.
CHO: OK. All right. We're glad everybody turned out OK on that.
On Memorial Day, we're going to remember our fallen troops, including the hundreds of women who have been killed in battle. Up next, we're going to talk to a woman who fought in Iraq as a Marine combat officer on the front lines, why she says the policy banning women from the front lines must change.
ROMANS: Today's question of the day for you, do you think Sarah Palin will run for president? Send us an e-mail, tweet, tell us on Facebook. We're going to share some of your thoughts a little bit later in the program.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: There are more than 200,000 women serving in the U.S. military. Thousands shipped off to Iraq and Afghanistan.
CHO: That's right. And while the U.S. still officially bans women from combat, there are many still fighting and dying on the front lines.
Joining us now is Marines Corps Reservist Jane Blair. She tells her story in a new book called, "Hesitation Kills: A Female Marines Officer's Combat Experiences in Iraq." And Jane joins us right now.
I want to get why you named the book what you named it. But, first, you know, so few countries allow women on the front lines. The U.S. is not one of those countries that does, and they offer them -- women to do that in limited roles. So, how did you end up on the front lines in Iraq?
JANE BLAIR, AUTHOR, "HESITATION KILLS": Thank you very much for the question. You know, today's battlefield is a lot different than it may have been, you know, just even 50 years ago. People find themselves in support units on the front line because the front line is no longer a defined space. People in support roles or in different units are finding that the battlefield is really everywhere.
You know, serving in Afghanistan or in Iraq, you can find yourself really just confronted in any role that you are being on the front lines.
ROMANS: You were doing aerial reconnaissance, is that right?
BLAIR: That's correct.
ROMANS: So, that's the role you were doing on the front line?
BLAIR: Exactly. I served in the aerial reconnaissance unit and my unit found itself actually leaping ahead of a lot of the combat units because we had to go ahead of the infantry sometimes.
CHO: And you joined the Marines in 1999. This is obviously before 9/11. Did you ever think you would end up on the front lines?
BLAIR: You know, I get this question a lot. I didn't. I mean, of course when you sign the oath, that's part of the stipulation, is that you know what you're getting into. You know that could be a possibility. But I joined during peace time and there wasn't even really the thought that I might be going into this role.
But, you know, I'm very proud of my service that I did overseas and I think that it was always a possibility. And you have to prepare mentally for the idea of, you know, am I going to be prepared to go into that role?
ROMANS: The book is terrific. It's called "Hesitation Kills." Why "Hesitation Kills"?
BLAIR: Well, you know, it was something an officer said to me when I was in training. And he pulled a group of us aside and he said, you know, hesitation kills in combat. It's so important that people are prepared to make that decision, but not lightly. Killing is not something that I necessarily advocate. It should always be a last resort in the policy.
CHO: Right. But you're, obviously, well aware of the debate, you know, about female combat troops. They're too emotionally fragile. They're not physically strong enough.
Did you experience a lot of discrimination from your male counterparts when you were overseas?
BLAIR: You know, as a second lieutenant, when I was first in Iraq, there was a certain amount of rites of passage every Marine goes through. But I personally wrote this book to show that there is a role for women in the military, a positive role. And I felt once I learned to deal with the military culture, people accepted me just like any other Marine.
ROMANS: You wrote a piece for "The Washington Post" about the five myths about women in combat. And you touched on physical strengths, sexual tension, the idea that women can be a distraction on the battlefield. Are those myths?
BLAIR: I believe so. I think, you know, if an officer enlisted woman presents themselves in a positive manner, and shows herself first as a military member, avoids (ph) making any excuses or expecting any kind of special, you know, concessions, I think her role can be just like any other military member, and whether that's serving in a support unit or serving, you know, in a role that she finds herself on the front lines I think so.
CHO: You do believe that women should be able to serve in full combat roles, though, right? What's your best argument for that?
BLAIR: Well, you know, as a military member, I support what Congress says and I think that they have the best avenue of really looking at the issue from all different angles. But from my personal opinion -- I mean, women are already serving in this capacity. I think there's a role for them that is out there, whether their cultural representative or providing some kind of language ability or service on the front lines, or serving fully as a female in those front lines.
CHO: Well, let's be honest. It's happening anyway because of the nature of the wars, right?
BLAIR: Exactly. And, you know, it's important that we do look at the fact that women are serving in this capacity.
CHO: But do you think -- I mean, since you've been on the battlefield with men and other women, do you think what men and women process, I don't know, some of the emotions of the battlefield differently? I mean, do you see or does your training take away sort of those differences so it is about the training and the experience in that way?
BLAIR: You know, I think it's harder for women at first just because of the way that women are raised in America to integrate into the military. I mean, some women maybe not. But because of that, I think training sort of equalizes the playing field, and certainly, there's a longer learning curve I think sometimes for women to reach that role where, you know, you're part of the team and you're integrated fully.
But, I think after a while, you know, serving in the military, you become like any other sailor, Marine, you know? So, it's -- you become fully integrated.
CHO: One last question. It is Memorial Day, of course. I'm sure Memorial Day takes on a different meaning for you. Your brother-in- law is in Afghanistan, right?
BLAIR: Yes. Captain Timothy Blair. He serves with the Wolfhounds there in the mountains of Afghanistan right now with the 27th Infantry Regiment. And I just wanted to remind people there are men and women still out there on the battlefield and their families are always worried and thinking about them. It's important that we remember them.
My brother-in-law's unit just had casualties last week and I think it's important that people remember that there are still people serving out there.
ROMANS: Jane Blair, author of "Hesitation Kills." also a Marine Corps reservist, thank you so much for joining us.
Jane Blair, author "hesitation kills": Thank you. Thank you so much.
Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, storms strike again. Michigan and other parts of the Upper Midwest in shambles this morning and also in the dark. We're going to tell you where and when the lights will come back on. It's 45 minutes past the hour.
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CHO: A lot going on this morning. Here's what you need to know to start your day.
People in Michigan cleaning up this morning from a round of severe storms that left more than 100,000 homes and businesses without power. Battle Creek, Michigan, suffered some of the worst damage.
President Obama hosts a breakfast at the White House this morning for families who've lost loved ones in war before he heads to Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns.
At least five people were killed, nearly 100 injured, when government forces in Yemen opened fire on thousands of protesters. The violence there escalating after the president backed out of the deal to step down from power.
Sarah Palin kicked off her one nation bus tour at a biker rally in Washington yesterday. She'll make an appearance in Gettysburg today, and then, there's still no word if she's running for president.
Space shuttle "Endeavour" is undocked from the International Space Station. The crew will conduct final tests of the space station sensors before wrapping up its final mission and returning to earth at 2:35 a.m. Wednesday morning.
And Americans are spending this Memorial Day weekend with a second hangover. The movie sequel was number one at the box office with an estimated $86 million in ticket sales. "Kung Fu Panda" came in second with $48 million.
You're caught up on the day's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING is back right after this.
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ROMANS: Parts of Michigan and Illinois the latest to be battered by powerful storms overnight in the Midwest.
CHO: Not a great situation there at all. CNN's Rob Marciano has more on the severe weather. So, what's in store for today, Rob?
MARCIANO: Another batch of rough weather, but in different spots, and some of the energy that moved through Michigan and Chicago has moved off to the east. We had 170 reports of wind damaging winds in some cases knocked out power to 100,000 people at one point.
We had hail the size of golf balls and numerous spots across this little stretch of real estate, but Michigan certainly getting hit the hardest, and with winds enough to cause some big time trees come down and do some damage not only to power lines, but obviously, the homes as well. So, that's the main threat with these storms that are now actually moving east into the New York City area.
If you're in New York City, if you're up towards say White Plains and Fairfield Connecticut, east towards Great Neck, Queens and Brooklyn now getting it, but this is moving pretty rapidly. As a matter of fact, the main punch of the line is already through Manhattan, and this will continue to move off to the east about 50 to 60 miles an hour, but these are severe.
They've got some gusty winds, certainly, frequent thunder and lightning and torrential downpours, but it will be brief. Already starting to see a little bit of clearing on the backside of this particular system. As far as what we expect a little bit farther to the west, Storm Prediction Center is forecasting the threat for severe weather across the Northern Plains, including parts of North and South Dakota.
Moderate risk of seeing severe weather here as energy begins to come out of the Rocky Mountains. This is where we tend to see most of the severe weather as we get into June and July as well as this stuff begins to migrate to the north. It certainly feeling like June and July with temperatures well into the 90s, 94 in Dallas, 92 degrees in Atlanta, and 88 degrees in New York City.
Great day to go to the beach. Maybe go to an amusement park after you get done with your Memorial Day services in the morning. Just down the road here six flags Georgia, from CNN Center, they've got a new ride and got to take a little -- wet my beak in it. It's called the daredevil dive. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: What are the specs on this bad boy.
ALEX WALKER, CNN PRODUCER: We're going to go 2,000 feet in two minutes, but the most important thing, first and foremost, is --
MARCIANO: Straight up.
WALKER: Yes. Ten stories straight up.
MARCIANO: OK. That doesn't look too intimidating. WALKER: And at the back end of this is a 95-degree drop. Not 90- degree, not straight down, you're going in and down, going 95 degrees.
MARCIANO: Are you kidding me? This is 90 degrees.
WALKER: Just going to dangle here at the top before it drops you.
MARCIANO: Oh this is a nice view. Right here. Ah! Yes! Oh! That was awesome. Nice work.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: My stomach still hurts. By the way, that was CNN international producer, Alex Walker, who convinced me to come out for that media preview, and I got to get back at him for that. Anyway, guys, I'm not sure if that rates up there with the cyclone out there in New York City, but nonetheless, not a bad day to take in --
CHO: Did that rip your watch right off your arm?
MARCIANO: Yes. Yes. I mean I had to grab it and hold on to it for dear life. You try to hold your hands up, but when you come down from that thing after a 95-degree pitch from kind of going inverted and you hit the bottom of that, you got some G-forces, and I wasn't quite strong enough to keep my hands up. So, I slammed down.
ROMANS: We love roller coasters.
CHO: We love roller coasters. I don't know what you get -- I would thing I'd still get on it.
ROMANS: I would totally do it.
CHO: Yes.
ROMANS: Oh, wow! So, would you do it again?
MARCIANO: I did it again.
ROMANS: You did.
MARCIANO: After I ate lunch and that didn't end too well, actually.
CHO: Come on, oh really? Is that more information that you want to share?
MARCIANO: No. I was able to hold things down.
(LAUGHTER)
CHO: OK.
MARCIANO: Good times.
ROMANS: All right. Thanks, Rob.
CHO: Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right, guys.
CHO: Sarah Palin's one nation bus tour has begun, but no one is actually seen the bus yet. There she was just waving by on a motorcycle. The former Alaska governor was seen in Washington yesterday, all decked out in black, attending a rolling thunder motorcycle rally, and discussing tattoos with the bikers.
ROMANS: But she's not discussing her plans for 2012, not yet anyway. So, we want to know if you think she's running for the GOP presidential nomination.
At Vin 16 in Jersey says via Twitter. "Yes, she'll run. It's time for a no nonsense president. All we need Is Chris Christie to be the VP candidate."
CHO: Oh, boy. OK. Ervine, a blog post, "Yes, I think Palin will run and win. Palin 2012."
ROMANS: Here this one from Facebook, "Will she? Most likely. Should she? Absolutely not. She has no chance of winning."
CHO: Gayle Risley on Facebook, "Her last book tanked. No doubt this stunt is merely a revived book tour."
And just to prove that we read all of your tweets, this was sent to both of us. Christine, you saw this too. Aaron Nuevo (ph) says, "Sure Palin will run, but she'll quit halfway through. Seriously though, president will be too little money for her."
So, there you have it. Keep your comments coming, send us an e-mail or tweet or tell us on Facebook, we will read some more of your thoughts throughout the morning.
ROMANS: It looked like she was having a lot of fun yesterday.
CHO: She did.
ROMANS: Whether that was just on the rolling thunder rally or whether that was part of a precursor to a run, it looked like she was having a lot of fun.
All right. Top stories minutes away. Also, what's on your plate? The government replacing the food pyramid with a new platter. So, how is eating healthy different now? Elizabeth Cohen is going to have those details for you. We're going to tell you, you know, what that plate should look like in front of you this morning, except for the barbecue this afternoon. We'll be back in two minutes.
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