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Calls for Congressman Weiner to Resign After New Photos Surfaced; First Giffords Photos Released; Putting America Back to Work; Representative Cummings' Nephew Killed; Interview with Ron Paul; More Americans Renting than Buying Homes

Aired June 13, 2011 - 07:00   ET

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

KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Snap shots from the House gym. The calls for New York Congressman Anthony Weiner grow to resign after a new round of embarrassing photos surface in Weiner's sexting scandal on this AMERICAN MORNING.

It's a new week, but we're talking about the same old thing. Welcome to AMERICAN MORNING. Monday, June 13th. I'm Kiran Chetry. Ali Velshi is off, but Christine Romans is here. She's in Manchester, New Hampshire where they're getting set for the big GOP debate tonight. Hey, Christine.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Kiran. We come to you live this morning from Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire, the site of the first in the nation presidential primary and tonight's Republican presidential debate. Many of the candidates will be on the stage made the rounds this weekend.

Tonight, you're going to hear from former Massachusetts governor, Mitt Romney, former speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, former governor of Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty, Congressman Ron Paul, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota, Herman Cain, he's former CEO of Godfather's Pizza, and you know, he did pretty well in South Carolina recently. He's got a lot of, I don't, buzz about him. Also, former Pennsylvania senator, Rick Santorum.

Here's a look at how it all came together in fast forward. Seven hundred New Hampshire voters are going to be in attendance tonight along with people from across the state asking questions on two big screens. You can see us putting the whole thing there together. It's just amazing to see how much activity has gone on here already.

But first, there's another developing political story right now. Kiran is in New York. You got that, Kiran.

CHETRY: Yes. This is what I was saying. We were talking about it last weekend, and the weekend goes by, more pictures come out, and now, when the House and Senate return to work later today, Congressman Anthony Weiner will be a no-show. His political future more uncertain than ever now after new photos emerge on the website, TMZ, taken by Weiner showing him in various stages in the locker room at the House members gym.

So far though Weiner has maintained he will not resign. He is, though, taking a short leave of absence from Congress. This is video shot over the weekend, our Jason Carroll and other TV crews trying to get him to answer questions about this. Meantime, Democratic leaders are telling him in no uncertain terms, that's not enough.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: I think that Anthony Weiner needs to resign so he can focus on his family, focus on his own well-being.

REP. STENY HOYER, (D) HOUSE MINORITY WHIP: It seems to me extraordinarily difficult that he can proceed to represent his constituents in an effective way given the circumstances of this bizarre behavior.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHETRY: CNN's Kate Bolduan is following developments for us this morning. She joins us from Washington. It's a new week, but the same problem for the congressman.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kiran, I couldn't say it better myself. It's Monday, so it must be another chapter in this scandal, I guess.

We went into the weekend with Democrats hoping this distraction, as more and more of them are calling, it would go away. But with new pictures emerging it was clear that was not going to be the case. So what we saw this weekend was a significant shift. Democratic leaders who had resisted calling for Weiner's resignation are joining the intensifying pressure to push him out, from the House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi to the man in charge of house democratic campaign efforts and also a fellow New York congressman, I should add, Steve Israel, all. More and more people saying it's time for Anthony Weiner to go.

But simply put, a political party can't force a lawmaker to leave office and Democratic sources tell CNN, Weiner, apparently doesn't want to make a decision about his future yet until his wife, who is a long-time aide of Secretary Hillary Clinton, returns from a trip with Clinton in Africa and they were scheduled to return this Thursday.

Until then, a spokeswoman for Weiner says he's taking, as you said, a short leave of absence from the House to, quote, "get evaluated and map out a course of treatment" at an undisclosed treatment center.

But one thing seems to be certain in this continuing to develop story is House Democrats did not want to come back from recess today and go into a third week of having to deal with this scandal rather than talking about their agenda, and that's why we're seeing more and more people come out.

CHETRY: How would that work, though, Kate? Is it -- it's not unprecedented that a Congress person would take a leave of absence. But, you know, in terms of doing that to sort of take some heat off of a scandal and then coming back, can that work? BOLDUAN: Unclear if it can work. But it is not unprecedented. People can take a short leave of absence for an illness or you can take a short leave of absence, say, if you have to go back to your district because of a natural disaster and you need to spend more time there. So it's not unprecedented for a member of Congress to do so and it's not hard to do so per see procedurally. You have to write a letter to House, has to be read, doesn't have to be voted or approved. If it will take the heat off of him, we have to see.

CHETRY: Kate Bolduan for us this morning, thanks so much. Christine?

ROMANS: All right, Kiran. Ahead of tonight's debate a poll out showing who has the most to gain and lose tonight. It has Mitt Romney in the lead at 24 percent. The next two closest people, Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani, they aren't even in this race as of now. And the underdogs are already on offense.

Joining us now is CNN's Chief National Correspondent, moderator of tonight's debate, John King. John, how do these candidates break out? Break out of the pack?

JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, part of it will be attack the front runner. Mitt Romney is the front runner and the front runner here in the state of New Hampshire. The people of New Hampshire know Iowa has invaded this morning. Don't tell them.

ROMANS: Don't tell them.

(LAUGHTER)

KING: Part of them will break out trying to differentiate within the Republican field - "I will do a better job on the economy or Governor Romney is wrong." Expect Governor Romney to have the target on him.

Another way to break out, like 1992 here, the economy is dominating this campaign. People are is skeptical of all politicians' talking points. If they gave the same, people will say I have heard this before. You try to do what Bill Clinton did in this state in 1992. With all these things swirling around his candidacy he thrived saying "I feel your pain, I connect to you." Can the politicians make a connection to voters on the economy, tap their economic anxiety in a way the voters say I think this guy gets me?

CHETRY: How about putting distance between them and the president's policies? Who can be -- is president Obama the other person they're debating here?

KING: Absolutely. The easiest person to debate in a Republican primary is the Democratic president. Ronald Reagan used to this have 11th commandment, "thou shalt not criticize a fellow Republican." Well, they're going to criticize Governor Romney. Governor Pawlenty started that yesterday by calling the Massachusetts health care plan "Obam-ney-care."

But you try -- President Obama will be the big spending, big regulating, taxing, big government liberal tonight. And my job and the job of the voters to try to move past the talking points to contrast the policies.

ROMANS: We know some of the polls showing traditional values have fallen in importance in the polling, jobs and the economy still number one. How do these candidates differentiate their position on the economy more than just, you know, connecting with voters? I feel your pain, et cetera, because it starts to get technical. They all want to cut spending, cut taxes, support current tax levels or fewer taxes. And then business will be happy and the economy will grow. I mean, that seems to be the platform overall.

KING: And so you try to find something that makes you a little different. Broadly, there are differences between them. But broadly they want to cut taxes, cut regulation, get government out of the way of business. So when you have that how do you differentiate yourself?

Governor Romney will say I was in the business community. Herman Cain coming from nowhere to 10 percent, he's not a politician. He wants to say I understand the economy, I have been a CEO, hired and fired people, how this works and I'm not one of them. I'm not a politician, not tainted. That has appeal with the Tea Party.

You try -- what makes you different in the field is one way to do it. Another way is to try to show that you will take the fight to the president. One thing Republicans worry about the social issues will be important, more so in Iowa than in New Hampshire. You can't win a Republican primary without checking those boxes.

ROMANS: Romney is not going to it Iowa.

KING: Romney is not going to Iowa in part because he wants to emphasize the economy not the social issues. One of the challenges tonight, in a television audience people watching at home, I could take it to President Obama. We know he's a good debater, passionate candidate. I'm the guy you want in that debate next October. That's part of the challenge not just to distinguish yourself on the issues but to prove that in a general election, you can win.

ROMANS: That's what makes these debates exciting, all unscripted. We don't want know what the sound bite, the dark horse could be after tonight.

KING: It's two hours.

ROMANS: Good luck, John. Good luck. Thanks, John.

And we'll have the first major debate of the election live tonight beginning at 8:00 eastern right here on CNN. Back to Kiran in New York.

CHETRY: Christine, thanks.

A Maryland Congress man Elijah Cummings' 12-year-old nephew has been shot to death in his Virginia apartment. Christopher Cummings was a student at old dominion university. He was found in his off campus home Friday morning. One of his roommates was also show critically wounded. Police have not released details or a possible motive. The power is out, phone lines down after a series of earthquakes rocked the New Zealand city of Christchurch. You'll remember that was the same city that was hit by another quake almost four months ago, and 180 people were killed in that quake. Police telling CNN that there is some damage caused by the shocks which struck within two hours of each other. There are also a few injuries, but officials say they are not serious.

To Arizona now, where 7,000 people are being allowed to return home, but at their own risk. The second largest wildfire in the state's history is still only 10 percent contained. Evacuation orders were lifted over the weekend in two towns, Springerville and Eagar. Authorities still warning the elderly, people who have health problems and very young children to stay away because of the lingering smoke. The fire has burned an area twice the size of New York City over the past 15 days and spot fires have spread to New Mexico.

Victory sweet for the newly crowned NBA champion Dallas Mavericks and their fans. The Mavs beat the Miami heat 105-95 last night to win their first ever NBA title in six games. Mavs star Dirk Nowitzki was named finals MVP.

Next on "American Morning," the public getting its first look at Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords during her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head. We're going to talk with Dr. Sanjay Gupta about the photos and about her prognosis.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: It's 12 minutes past the hour. She looks happy, she looks healthy. Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, people posting photos on her Facebook page, the first public images of Giffords since she suffered a gunshot wound to the head in January. And they give us an indication of how far she's come.

Chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins us now from Atlanta. And they really are remarkable pictures, Sanjay. To the average eye you can barely tell that she was shot point blank in the head.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it's true. There's a lot of things you take notice of when you look at the pictures. Looking at her overall, obviously she's making eye contact with the camera, she's smiling, really as you point out, looks great.

There are a few of the things that are worth pointing out here, specifically, though, in terms of, you know, some specific things. We've been talking about this area of her head, for some time now, the left side of her head. You can see the depressed area. That's where the bone was removed, Kiran, what we've been talking about. The skin closed over that area, but really no bone underneath that part.

This picture was taken before she had that bone substitute placed back in. If you look really closely over here, you can see scars as well. That's probably from where the actual initial injury was. And then just simple things like down here in her neck, that's a pretty classic looking incision for what's known as a trach-scar.

But as you point out, she does look fantastic. I mean, it's a great picture and probably over the next couple of weeks will look even better as she's recovering from the initial operation where she had the bone placed back in now.

CHETRY: So, m we do know this was taken before, as you said. She's since had that part of the skull which is now going to be I guess silicone, replaced and physically I mean she looks amazing. What about the news she's heading to outpatient rehab? What is that like, and what do we know about what she's going to be going through now that she's officially released from the hospital?

GUPTA: I think that it's pretty much part of the normal course of things. This isn't surprising, you know, January, the beginning of January is when this injury took place and then a few weeks later at the end of January when she first went to rehab and she's been there for some time now.

So this is a pretty typical course going to outpatient rehab. She's going to stay in Houston, get her outpatient rehab at the same place she's getting her inpatient rehab.

Some of the big differences are focusing on things known as activities of daily living, just starting to live more independently -- using a kitchen, using your own bathroom, things like that. That's really important as part of your rehab and much easier to do in some ways in an outpatient setting.

So while inpatient was important when someone still needs hospital care, now that she's had her operations, now that she doesn't have any what we call acute medical issues, it's time to sort of ramp things up in terms of letting her take care of herself independently.

CHETRY: When it comes to her cognitive skills is she on the road to being the same Gabrielle Giffords?

GUPTA: You know, as doctors put it to me that cared for her, she's not going to ever be 100 percent what she was before. I think everyone sort of recognizes that.

What they seem to intimate is that look, almost since the beginning, since this all occurred, she was always able to understand, to process, to somehow, you know, follow commands. So the understanding what we call the receptive part of speech, has been there. It's the expressive part, Kiran, that seems to be more difficult. Speaking in one or two word sentences primarily, having a hard time verbalizing, having a hard time communicating her thoughts to other people, even writing things down sometimes.

Also the strength on the right side of her body. Left side of the brain, controls the right side of her body. Left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, that's still been affected, what we hear as well. So in terms of getting around, learning to write with her left hand instead of her right hand, that's an ongoing process still. So, according to her office, she's nowhere near what she used to be and that's still, you know, a long time coming. These things are measured in months, not days or weeks.

CHETRY: Amazing, though, these pictures. I just know that immediately after those pictures were posted there were a lot of likes on the page. A lot of people commenting about how wonderful she looked and voicing their support. I mean, certainly been a long road but just to know four and a half months out that's how good she looks, it's amazing.

GUPTA: Yes. And so, you know, I think people still amazed that someone could survive a gunshot wound to the head, you know, and survive and then, you know, a few months later look the way she looks now. I know people want her to be more normal, you know, recover more quickly, but it's pretty remarkable as you say what she's done so far.

CHETRY: It sure is. Well, good to see you, Sanjay, this morning. Thanks so much.

GUPTA: Thank you. You got it.

CHETRY: President Obama thinking about his job security and also yours today talking about how to pull us out of the unemployment ditch. Two small business owners tell us what they think they'll need.

It's 16 minutes past the hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: We are live in New Hampshire this morning, only hours away from the big Republican presidential debate tonight. And it's an issue that will likely follow President Obama all the way to the polls. Jobs.

Today the president will travel to North Carolina to talk about ways to get America working again and he's betting on green jobs to give employment a little bit of a boost. To help get some perspective on that, I'm joined by two small business owners in the Raleigh-Durham area. Maria Kingery, co-founder and president of Southern Energy Management, and also joining me Sam Bratton, president of Wake Stone Corporation.

Welcome to both of you. Very nice to meet you this morning.

I want to start with you first, Maria. I mean, you've grown your revenue over the past year. You've added quite a few workers, almost 50 workers to the rolls. Things are looking better for your company. First of all, tell me why and tell me what you'd like to hear from the president's competitiveness council when you meet with them later today?

MARIA KINGERY, CO-FOUNDER & PRESIDENT, SOUTHERN ENERGY MANAGEMENT: So we've been very fortunate. There have been a lot of attention placed on energy independence and helping our country to become more energy independent and that's something that Americans care about. We'd like to hear the president talk about more ways that we're going to continue along this path toward energy independence and allow us to create more great jobs that our people love to do and are proud to do every day.

ROMANS: And, Maria, tell us, give us a little sense of what your company does in the energy independence field. You do work in solar, right?

KINGERY: We do. We do. We install solar panels. We call ourselves the boots on the roofs. So we have people who get up and install solar panels every day and we also do energy efficiency work, helping homeowners and building owners to make their buildings more efficient and save money in the long run.

ROMANS: Sam, what does Wake Stone do and how has the economy and jobs been important to you?

SAM BRATTON, PRESIDENT, WAKE STONE CORPORATION: Wake Stone Corporation is in the crush stone business. We have five rock quarries, four in North Carolina, one in South Carolina. We provide crushed stone for road building and general construction concrete, asphalt. We're an ingredient in that.

As far as the construction industry and related to the materials industry we're in, we've seen about a 30 percent loss in jobs since the downturn in the economy. We did have the stimulus, but that was too little and too short, $29 billion for roads and infrastructure.

ROMANS: Yes.

BRATTON: Only four percent of the whole stimulus package or less than four percent. And so we've seen a little bit of a benefit from that and now we've got a downturn coming again and in order to keep from losing jobs we're going to need the president to get with Congress and pass a multiyear transportation bill. And we also need federal regulation on banking to be loosened so that we can get lending started again.

ROMANS: Now that's an interesting point, Sam, because you're worried that there's just not money flowing to small business. You're worried that there just isn't -- the loan money available to small business to try to recover?

BRATTON: That's exactly right. I think there's not a lot of pent up demand but there's a little bit and you've got to get -- you've got to get capital flowing into the market for growth to occur.

ROMANS: Yes. It's really the tale of two economies. You're talking about solar on one hand. You're talking about construction and transportation on the other, crushed stone, and you can just see two different kinds of demographics, you know, two different kinds of situations going on there.

So, Maria, you voted for President Obama last time around. I mean, tell me what you would like to hear from the president today and from the Republicans that we'll be hearing tonight. I mean, who do you think is going to have -- what do you need to hear for a plan for jobs and the economy to keep it going? KINGERY: So, you know, I will talk about my industry. I think that both sides, no matter who we're voting for, energy independence and -- is a great thing for this country and I would love to hear both sides get together and talk about how we're going to create a comprehensive energy policy.

Right now, you know, our business is doing well. It could be doing better and lots more businesses could be doing better with a comprehensive policy. It's a national policy instead of 50 different individual policies based on states. That's a real challenge.

ROMANS: Sam, you voted for the Republican candidate last time around, Senator John McCain. There will be seven Republican candidates on the stage tonight. What do you need to hear from them? What do you want to hear from them about job creation? Is it about getting the money flowing for small business? Is it about lower taxes, lower corporate taxes? What is it?

BRATTON: Well, it's a real combination of things. Unfortunately, we feel -- I feel like we really tapped ourselves out. I don't know where the money is going to come from if you take the recommendations of the Simpson-Bowles panel on deficit reduction. I think that would be great to have some action on that. I feel like the politicians today, they really would rather not make the decision because then they can't make a mistake and they want to blame somebody else for their problems. I need to see -- what I would like to see is Congress and the president coming together and I'd like to see the Republicans try to work together. There's just too much -- it's too contentious and we're just kicking the can down the road right now.

ROMANS: And I think what we all want to see is we want to see an economy start to grow again. Really, it certainly -- it certainly helps when you have a stronger economy as a tailwind at your back which we just don't have. Maybe you do a little bit, Maria, in your business, but certainly not in a lot of others.

Thanks so much, Maria Kingery, from Southern Energy Management, Sam Bratton, Wake Stone Corporation.

BRATTON: Thank you.

ROMANS: It's 26 minutes past the hour. We're back right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHETRY: Twenty-nine minutes past the hour. Your top stories now.

The New Zealand city of Christchurch rocked again by a series of earthquakes. They struck within two hours of each other earlier this morning. There are reports of some damage and some minor injuries. But it's the same area where an earthquake devastated more than several months back, more than 180 people killed in February.

Police in Norfolk, Virginia, are investigating the fatal shooting of Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings nephew. Twenty-year-old Christopher Cummings, seen on his Facebook page here, was a student at Old Dominion University. He was found dead in his off-campus apartment Friday morning. His roommate also critically wounded. There is no word yet on a possible motive for the shooting.

The stage is set. The first major debate of the presidential race will take place tonight in New Hampshire only on CNN. There's a look at the debate prep in fast forward. Seven Republican hopefuls there, Mitt Romney leading the polls right now and may be wearing a front runner's bull's eye. Christine --

ROMANS: That's right. We're live this morning from Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire for the very first debate and the first primary state. One top New Hampshire Republican told us it's introduction day for voters, not decision day.

Brand new polls back that up. One shows Mitt Romney is going into tonight with the early lead. The next two closest people, Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani, they aren't even in the race as of now. There they are with 20 percent and 12 percent respectively.

And Republicans do think he has the best chance of being there at the end of the primary season. Forty two percent saying Mitt Romney will most likely be the GOP nominee. Now a new "Boston Globe"/University of New Hampshire poll shows that money matters the most right now to New Hampshire voters.

Thirty six percent of voters saying the economy is issue number one. Another 20 percent saying it's all about jobs. Tonight, you're going to hear from former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, former speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, also former governor of Minnesota Tim Pawlenty, Congressman Ron Paul, Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann of Minnesota, Herman Cain, the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. Who's missing? Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman hasn't made his campaign official yet.

President Obama will be in North Carolina today meanwhile, talking about putting America back to work with a job panel in North Carolina. While Republicans fight to take his job here in New Hampshire.

So with election 2012 ramping up we want to know what issues are most important to you? It's our question of the day today. Here are some of your responses.

CHETRY: All right. Let's start with David Guthrie, "I think an in depth challenge to Romneycare should be pressed. Why isn't the Massachusetts plan good enough for the whole nation since it works so well, and the people in Massachusetts are so happy with it?"

ROMANS: Bob in Houston on the blog says, "Campaign finance reform. After the Citizens United ruling I want to know if the Republican candidates believe in corporate money or the voting rights of everyday Americans."

The theory of one person, one vote is being put to the test and of course, that Citizens United ruling the Supreme Court said corporate money can play.

CHETRY: All right, we got an easy one from James on Facebook. "The economy, stupid."

ROMANS: I've heard that before, right. B. Harper Davis on Twitter say, "Economy and debt ceiling."

Kiran, it's so interesting too because for the Republicans, part of the strength for people like, for example, you know, Rick Santorum, it's -- he's seen as a culture warrior, traditional values.

But our polling is showing that people are so concerned about jobs and the economy that's where they need to try to differentiate themselves tonight.

How will they -- how will they help with jobs and the economy and set themselves apart from the president. That's what they're trying to do.

CHETRY: Absolutely. All right, we're going to find out what one strategy will be at least, the big matchup just hours away as Christine has been saying, the first debate in the critical early voting state of New Hampshire.

And Congressman Ron Paul was trying to build on what he accomplished in 2008. His campaign took on a life of its own on the web, surprised a lot of the pundits and experts.

Joining us now from Texas, 2012 presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul who will be participating in tonight's New Hampshire debate. Congressman, great to have you with us, as always.

REP. RON PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Thank you very much. Good to be with you.

CHETRY: I want to take a look at the latest CNN poll. We actually just released about 90 minutes ago. Take a look at the field of GOP contenders, you come in sixth place with about 7 percent of the vote. This is your third time running. What are you looking to do in tonight's debate to win over more voters?

PAUL: Well, sometimes I question some of these polls, but that's a different story. But no, I don't change strategy. I just keep doing the same thing and it's always been building.

Certainly there is an explosion of interest in what I've been doing for 30 years, four years ago in the last campaign, and it's continued. The momentum has continued. So I think I just have to continue to do what I'm doing and have been doing because the country has finally awakened and found out what we've been doing is wrong.

I've been warning people about the deficit, warning people about the stupid foreign policy and the wars that we continue to fight, the silliness of printing money when we need it and people are starting to wake up and say, yes, that makes a lot of sense. This is what I have been talking about for a long time. So I would say I'm not adapting to the status quo as much as challenging the status quo and the status quo right now is moving in my direction, is moving rapidly. So our campaign is pretty optimistic about what's happening.

CHETRY: Right. I mean, when you bring up the point and a lot of ways it really should be your time because these issues that you've talked about and I remember interviewing you back in 2008 about cutting spending, cutting the debt, shrinking government. Really you're front and center now.

Then again there are some other views like isolationism that could potentially keep you from being a mainstream Republican candidate. So do you really think that there's a path to victory for you even though some of your stances are a little bit controversial?

PAUL: Well, they certainly are tried to be made controversial by the media who always wants to use the word isolationism because that is not what I'm talking about. If anybody studies what I'm doing will know you can't use that word.

I talk about non-intervention. I'm a free trader. I don't want closed borders and, you know, I just think that there's a big difference between not aggressively starting wars versus isolationism.

Isolationism is closing ourselves off from the world and I want to take the advice of the founders and follow the constitution. That is get along with other countries, promote trade and promote travel.

That's what we need to do so it's the last thing in the world from isolationism and besides, it's very traditional and very American and it's very --

CHETRY: I was just --

PAUL: Go ahead.

CHETRY: You're taking issue with the term, let's lose the term. Let's just talk a little bit about some of the positions that you've talked about. A pull out from Afghanistan at a faster pace. Iraq.

What about Libya, Yemen, some of these other countries where we are involved in, whether it's major show of ground troops, know, but at least some sort of military intervention, be it drones or special operations forces, what would be your stances on some of those?

PAUL: What it's been for a long time, just come home and quit that. The majority of the American people are saying that. They're sick and tired of a 10-year war and now that Bin Laden is killed, especially now, just come home.

I mean, the foolishness of going into Iraq, and now under U.N. orders and no permission from the Congress, going into Libya, starting another battle in Yemen, in Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, we can't afford it. I mean the people know it. They're sick and tired of it. So I don't think this is strange at all. I think I am mainstream America right now on this foreign policy.

CHETRY: You also said that you would -- there's no authority in the constitution for FEMA. After some of the disasters we've seen this year, I mean, technically the government wouldn't be there to help people in their neediest hour.

PAUL: Yes. Well, they don't do a very good job, FEMA has a bad reputation. I live on the coast and I've taken a very strong stand against the problems that FEMA causes and believe me, we got tons of calls when the hurricanes hit, because FEMA gets in the way and take over.

They're very costly. FEMA and that whole concept of insuring people with other taxpayers' money to go and deliberately build in dangerous places, I mean, it's so anti-economic to encourage people to do the things that the marketplace wouldn't allow them to do.

But just think of the recovery effort with the major hurricanes in the last several years. It doesn't have a very good record and no, it isn't in the constitution. When did we get into the insurance business? I mean, it's not there.

CHETRY: I mean, just imagine --

PAUL: And FEMA, let me finish. FEMA is also about $18 billion in debt so it's not a very successful organization.

CHETRY: Taking the challenges, perhaps, of the organization itself aside, could you see yourself as President Ron Paul standing there saying, I'm so sorry your entire town of let's say Joplin, Missouri, is wiped away, but the federal government can't do anything for you?

PAUL: Well, I think following the law, that's a little presumptuous forming a question like that. No, we try to make things work, but the whole thing is, if they paid into and as part of the system, but long term and philosophically it's not a good idea.

But so much of what we do in Washington is not a good idea. But you try to make it work the best you can and maybe somebody like myself who's a strict fiscal conservative, might be able to manage some of these things better until we decide that it is not the proper role of government.

Now, it is in this stuff, you know, like, you're not for the welfare state so you don't care about poor people. You don't care about medical care. It's such -- you know, challenge that just don't make -- doesn't make any sense.

CHETRY: All right. Well, I know you're gearing up for debate tonight. It was great to get some of your thoughts this morning. Congressman Ron Paul from Texas this morning, we'll be watching you tonight. Thanks so much for joining us.

PAUL: OK.

CHETRY: And of course, we have the first major debate of the election live for you tonight beginning at 8:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

Coming up, Congressman Weiner's leave of absence, what exactly will he be seeking treatment for? We're going to be talking to clinical psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere up next. It's 40 minutes past the hour.

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CHETRY: It's 43 minutes past the hour. A look at Washington, D.C. this morning where tonight is sunny, 66 degrees. A little bit later it's going up to a high of 81 and some sunshine. Better week weather wise.

Well, New York Congressman Anthony Weiner is resisting calls still from Democratic and Republican leaders to resign over the sexting scandal, which continues to grow.

New photos surfaced this weekend on the web site TMZ showing Weiner in various states of undress, apparently taken by himself in the locker room of the House gym. Now he's taken a leave of absence from Congress now to seek professional treatment.

Joining us to talk about that is clinical psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere. The political aspects aside, he announced over the weekend that he will be seeking a leave of absence from the House to go seek treatment for -- for what?

DR. JEFF GARDERE, PRACTICING PSYCHOLOGIST: Well, for what we talked about earlier when I was here during the week. This whole issue, there are deeper psychological problems going on for someone to behave in not just an outrageous sexual manner, but almost in a politically suicidal manner. There's got to be something at the root of that very destructive behavior.

CHETRY: So sexting would be a manifestation of what?

GARDERE: It could be a manifestation of some sort of depression, anxiety but even overblown ego, maybe some sort of personality disorder. As psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, we have to look at what is the underlying reason that someone would do something that would put his political life, his marriage, at peril.

CHETRY: You know, there are a lot of people out there that sort of scoff at this notion of sex addiction.

Does it exist? Is it real, and do you get rehab for it?

GARDERE: Sure. Sex addiction does exist. Internet addiction, cyber- sex addiction, all of those things are very real. They're not diagnosable by the DSM, which is the bible for shrinks to diagnose people, of course. But usually it is secondary to some sort of depression, anxiety, maybe even obsessive compulsive disorder. Or again, some sort of a personality issue. But people can become addicted to sex. They get that high and that high feels so good that it takes more of what's feeding them, whether drugs, whether sex, whether the gambling, to keep their personalities, their goals, their motivations going, because it felt so darn good in the beginning anyway.

CHETRY: So that leads me to wonder how do you put the pieces back together in a marriage or in a relationship? He's going to have to cold turkey stop sexting. He's going to have to stop doing what he's doing, reaching out, getting affirmation from other women other than his wife.

GARDERE: That's right.

CHETRY: And then, you know, just like an alcoholic is encouraged to avoid alcohol, what does he do? Not -- he doesn't Tweet, he doesn't go online, he doesn't look at other women online?

GARDERE: Well, normally we would say you have to stay away from the internet. But that's almost impossible in this day and age, and especially if you're someone like Anthony Weiner with the kind of position that he has. So perhaps he may get his staff to do a lot of that work for him. The triggers may be women trying to admire him. He's to stay away from that.

But with this treatment he'll probably get some sort of sexual addictions treatment, inpatient, 28 days, 30 days, 40 days, we're not really quite sure right now. He'll be medicated -- he'll be evaluated, medically and psychologically. They'll see whether medications might help.

But certainly he'll get individual psychotherapy, group psychotherapy. And part of this aftercare he's got to be involved not just in individual therapy, not just in a 12-step program but also in marriage counseling with his wife, and that has to happen. That is essential as part of his aftercare. And for them to try to repair that relationship if it is repairable, especially now there's a child involved in the future.

CHETRY: Yes. Do you see in your practice people being able to get up over this? It seems like an insurmountable hurdle.

GARDERE: Absolutely. And a lot of folks are saying there's no way he will make it back. I suspect he will make it back. But he's got to be real about that treatment. It can't be for political expedience, as a lot of people like to do. Oh, I'm in rehab, I'm in sex rehab. It's going to be OK.

You have to really believe that there is an issue and you have to buy in heart and soul into finding out what your issues are and working with those issues. And, of course, following through afterwards because if it is an addiction it's something that lasts a lifetime and you have to take it a step at a time, a day at a time, but be cognizant. It's something that's always looming, it's something that's very real in your life.

CHETRY: Wow. All right, Dr. Jeff Gardere, clinical psychologist and forensic psychologist. Great to talk to you, as always.

GARDERE: My pleasure, Kiran.

CHETRY: Thanks.

Morning headlines are coming up next. It's 48 minutes after the hour.

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CHETRY: Fifty minutes past the hour. Here are a look at your morning headlines.

The first big matchup of the 2012 election, it's tonight. The GOP presidential debate live from New Hampshire right here on CNN. Seven Republicans will be battling it out. New polls out this morning show Mitt Romney goes in with the lead.

E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemens reportedly seriously ill after suffering a stroke at his home in Florida. He's been Bruce Springsteen's right-hand man on stage from day one.

Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is all smiles in the first photos the public has seen since she was critically wounded in a January shooting. Giffords is expected to leave a rehab facility soon and begin outpatient treatment. But a spokesman cautions her recovery will be a long one.

The markets expected to open slightly higher after six straight weeks of losses. Right now the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 futures are all up.

Dallas, Texas, is title town. It's been an all-night party for Mavericks fans. The Mavs beat the Miami Heat last night, 105-95 to win their first-ever NBA title. Dallas star Dirk Nowitski voted the series MVP.

You're caught up on the day's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING is back right after the break.

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ROMANS: And there's the CNN express. We are here in New Hampshire for the first Republican debate in the first primary state. And it's all about the economy -- the housing market, the jobs market, when will it get better?

Meantime, if you're in the market for a home, you know it is harder than ever to qualify for a mortgage. You need 20 percent down. You need excellent credit. You need a job and a pretty decent job history. That's why millions of folks -- for millions of them, the new American dream is to rent.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

XANDER CLARKE, RENTER: If I own my own home I would not have any of these amenities. ROMANS (voice-over): Like a Full service building and outdoor pool. But amenities aside, 23-year-old Xander Clarke is at an age when some people consider buying their own home.

CLARKE: I thought about investing in a home. My father purchased a home when he was my age. So when I knew I was going to move to Baltimore, I looked at properties. But I just knew that in my line of work, that I would need to be relocatable.

ROMANS: And as the housing market sinks, Xander's seen friends who own homes struggling.

CLARKE: It's been on the market for a year and, you know, they're not getting the price they're asking for. And that's scary to think that you have to keep lowering the price.

ROMANS: The numbers tell the story. Home ownership has dropped steeply from its peak rate above 69 percent in 2004, to the current just above 66 percent. Home ownership is now at the level it was in 1998. But even those who have the money and can withstand the tougher credit checks are opting not to buy, but to rent instead.

Chris Mayer researches housing for Columbia University Business School.

CHRISTOPHER MAYER, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BUSINESS SCHOOL: I think a lot of people are looking and saying, you know, even if I can make the down payment, even if I have the income and I've got the credit, is this really the best time to jump into the market?

ROMANS: Doug Bibby is president of the National Multi-Housing Council.

DOUG BIBBY, PRESIDENT, NMHC: We're seeing some opting not to buy right now even though they could afford it because some are betting on housing prices falling farther. There are some predictions they will fall more. There are others who are betting on the ability to change.

ROMANS: And with the jobless rate at the 9.1 percent, being able to pick up and go where the jobs are is critical.

CLARKE: I prefer to rent. I like the flexibility that comes along with renting.

ROMANS: The face of a new generation of renters, and perhaps, the future of home dwelling, in general.

MAYER: I think there's a lot of evidence that people need to have down payments. And so we should have viable options for people who are not in a position in their lives to be owners. There's nothing wrong with that. And hopefully we'll start to eliminate some of the stigma and so when people buy, they'll buy for good reasons.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROMANS: For many people, it's their work that keeps them on the move. Xander works in human resources for a large department store. He can definitely see another move in his future so he needs the flexibility, especially if it would be hard to sell a house.

There's a lot more information about homeownership and renting and which is best for you as you repair your personal finances. All of that's in my book, "Smart is the New Rich."

Top stories after this break.

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