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Court to Rule on Video Game Sales; Flooding in Nebraska and North Dakota; Casey Anthony Trial Resumes; Bachmann Launches White House Bid; Congresswoman Bachmann's Record; Obama Intervenes in Deficit Talks; Serene Williams Lashes Out; Player Kicks Mom and Dad Out of Match; Bachmann Announces Presidential Bid; Supreme Court: Selling Violent Games OK; Dodgers File for Bankruptcy; Amtrak Crash: Twenty Still Unaccounted For

Aired June 27, 2011 - 10:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: And it's 10:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 7:00 a.m. out West. Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips.

At any time, the U.S. Supreme Court could hand down decisions on the final such day of its session. Potential rulings include campaign finance reform and selling violent video games to kids.

In North Dakota, floodwaters have swallowed more than 3,000 homes. The Souris River has crested a bit lower than expected, but it's still at its highest level in 130 years.

The murder trial of Casey Anthony resumes after the judge abruptly canceled Saturday's planned testimony. We'll take you live to Orlando.

At any moment, the presidential race gets more interesting and probably a lot more angry. Michele Bachmann, the powerful voice behind taxpayer frustration and Tea Party ideals launches her bid in the critical state of Iowa.

Jim Acosta is in Waterloo where she's already getting buzz as a potential frontrunner, right, Jim?

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra. You know, the GOP establishment in Washington woke up this morning to a near frontrunner in Iowa in Michele Bachmann.

This is not where she was supposed to be according to all the experts in the conventional wisdom just a few weeks ago, but she's been very smart in building a pretty effective ground operation just in the early going here in Iowa and that is starting to pay off not to mention the fact as you mentioned, she is a Tea Party favorite.

She is a social conservative. And she is a native of Waterloo, Iowa, which is going to do well for her in this state and that is where we are now. We are moments away from her announcement that's expected any minute now.

And what's interesting ability all of this, Kyra, is over the weekend this Des Moines Register Poll just took everybody by surprise. You know, people expected Michele Bachmann to do well in this state, but not this well.

If you look at the poll it's pretty startling. Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor in the lead with 23 percent and then right on his heels, is Michele Bachmann, the Republican congresswoman from Minnesota.

And it's interesting, you mentioned at the top of this, that there might be some anger in her message or she might tap into the anger out there. One of the things we've noticed in the last couple of weeks and especially in the last 24 hours, with Congresswoman Bachmann, is that has been toned down a little bit.

We're sort of seeing the softer side of Michele Bachmann. Not throwing out the red meat that we've seen in recent years with her. The red meat I would say is more well done than medium rare these days.

And so it will be interesting in just a few moments from now to see exactly what her message is going to be, because this is her first official speech as a GOP presidential candidate and we're all going to be watching here.

And there's actually a pretty sizable crowd here in this -- in her hometown. So she's going to get a hometown welcome and she hopes it's the beginning of a big surprise and shakeup in the Republican ranks with this nomination.

PHILLIPS: All right. Jim, let us know as soon as it starts. We'll head back to you and take that live. Appreciate it.

ACOSTA: We'll do.

PHILLIPS: Meanwhile, let's go and take a look at Michele Bachmann's reputation on the Hill, her paying job. Dana Bash joining us with a look at the congresswoman's stand on issues and her standing among colleagues. Dana --

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, you know, she is somebody who actually hasn't been here very long at all. She was just elected in 2006, ironically the year that Democrats took control of the House.

But she is on a couple of key committees, she's on the Financial Services Committee, which gives her a platform and has to rail against the bailout that she has said from the start was the wrong way to go.

And this year, she got a yes to her request to be on the Intelligence Committee, which is something that is really coveted here in Congress and gave her a way to hone her national security and foreign policy skills.

But she's also somebody who is, obviously, as Jim was just saying, as everybody knows, well known nationally now as somebody who's a Tea Party figure. She's a social conservative, fiscal conservative.

But she has ruffled feathers I think to say the least here among her leadership because of the fact that she has decided to be so anti-establishment even when it comes to tax cut deal, for example, last year.

And she also has gotten in some trouble by saying things like a couple years ago that President Obama may have been -- may have anti- American views. But I can tell you something interesting and backs up what Jim was talking about, Kyra. She was talking about the fact that she has softened her image a little bit.

I was talking to one of her Republican colleagues last night who said that he obviously agrees with her on a lot of issues, said that she definitely was not -- has not been very popular recently actually since she got here among her Republican colleagues.

But in the last couple months, he said that she has been much more polite within the conference. So she's not only softening her image out there with the voters which really matters for her bid right now, but also among people who she's going to need support for if she continues along this path.

PHILLIPS: All right. Dana, a little bit of trivia here, making the leap from the House to the White House, I know you, you've always got your bit of history.

BASH: Well, we got help on this one. This is very interesting. You know, we talked about how rare it was for President Obama, then Senator Obama, to go to the White House, that hadn't happened since John Kennedy in 1960.

So there was a question what about the House, even more rare as you can imagine. James Garfield, Kyra, in 1880, he was the last person to go from the House of Representatives to be elected to the presidency.

You know, he was in Congress for a while. He was a Republican, I think almost 18 years, and he also happened to be a civil war hero.

But that just shows you how unusual it is to make the leap that Michele Bachmann is trying to make from this end of Pennsylvania Avenue in the House to the other end at the White House.

PHILLIPS: Well, we're all watching. Dana Bash on the Hill. Dana, thanks. Stay with us because as soon as Michele Bachmann gets ready to speak, we will return to Waterloo and carry her announcement live.

Now as Michele Bachmann celebrates a homecoming of sorts, some of her Republican challengers are fanning out across the country. Jon Huntsman has a number of stops today in California, Mitt Romney talking the economy and jobs in New Hampshire, and then Rick Santorum also in Iowa, he's stumping in Sioux City.

Well, President Obama ramping up efforts to diffuse the nation's ticking time bomb, our debt crisis. With an August 2nd deadline to raise the debt ceiling, well, the president is meeting with senate leaders to try and break that stalemate.

Democrats say that taxes will have to be raised. Republicans want to only slash spending.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), MINORITY LEADER: You cannot achieve what you set out to do if you say it's just about cutting. It has to be about increasing the revenue stream as well. There are many things you can do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Our Brianna Keilar is at the White House. Brianna, run down the sticking points for us.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, there are a number, a big one as you mentioned has to do with spending cuts. What you have really is Republicans looking more towards programs, largely Democrats are looking towards the defense budget, and I think, obviously, there will be a combination of the two things.

But certainly those are some areas that both parties are looking to target. Tax increases, as you heard, discussion of that. What Democrats will call closing tax loopholes, we're talking for instance about things like ethanol and oil subsidies and also entitlement reform.

This was overhauling Medicare was a hallmark of the Republican proposal, Democrats say no way, this would end Medicare as we know it. Those are some of the major sticking points, but President Obama really jumping into the fray today.

He's meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid this hour at the White House. He'll meet later today this evening with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

And these are meetings that he's largely left up to Vice President Biden who for weeks now has been spending hours with Democrats and Republicans in both the House and Senate.

That's all came to a sort of a halt last week on Thursday when Eric Cantor, the number two Republican in the House pulled out of those meetings saying that Democrats were not budging.

That they wanted tax increases, again Democrats will say this is closing tax loop holes and he said there wasn't common ground and it basically needed to be kicked upstairs, so to speak.

So now it's really bringing in President Obama, Kyra, and he's now sort of finally operating in these discussions ahead of that August 2 deadline as the negotiator in chief.

PHILLIPS: All right, "The Washington Post," Brianna, reporting possibly some pretty big cuts to military spending.

KEILAR: Yes. That's a report saying that the House Republicans may be open to there being -- that may be open to some defense cuts, which is something that typically Republicans have not been a fan of.

So now there's this question, perhaps, there is some common ground on the spending cuts. But I should tell you a lot of the negotiations have been kept under wraps and you see both sides kind of staying mum on them.

So, you know, as they work towards a deal. We actually are lacking some of the details as they kind of stay mum.

PHILLIPS: All right. Brianna Keilar at the White House. Brianna, thanks.

Four rounds into play at Wimbledon, some controversies percolating at the all England Club and Serena Williams is smack in the center of one of them.

Zain Verjee has more now from London. So Zain, what's the deal? She feels like she's getting dissed?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Yes. She sure feels that way. You see what happens typically at Wimbledon is that every day the matches are posted and they're usually two men's matches and one woman's match.

So the boys get to play on the good court, the show court, center court as well as court one. What's happening is that the women, they go off to court two or three or other courts that are not as great.

So what the controversy is right now, is that they're saying why is that? Why should that be? This is what Serena said. They like to put us on court two, me and Venus for whatever reason. I haven't figured it out yet.

Maybe one day we'll figure it out. They, meaning the darling Jocovitz (ph) are never moved across. She said Venus and I have won more Wimbledons together than a lot of the players in even by ourselves in doubles.

So she's getting a lot of support from the women in the world of Wimbledon about all of this. The Wimbledon itself is officially saying we're not discriminating against the players here. There's no intention of doing that. But the fact is, is that the guys do get the great courts and the women do get moved off to the others. Kyra --

PHILLIPS: You and I could get talking about that, but that would take another hour.

VERJEE: Yes. Yes. You know, Wimbledon about four years ago there wasn't even equal pay for men and women for winning, right, and they made it equal four years ago. They have had a history of these issues. PHILLIPS: All right and another issue, shall we say, one of the players getting upset at mom and dad, saying can't play until you remove the parents?

VERJEE: Yes, right. Marion Bartoli, the number nine seed, playing this weekend and just basically said mom and dad out. The reason that she gave later was that she was really frustrated and didn't want to break her racket or kick her racket bag.

And so she just said I was really emotionally charged, I needed to do something so I said, mom, dad, out. So she's got a history of being a little bit of a confrontational character. I don't know the relationship between her and her father, but that's what happened, not very nice.

Kyra, I just want to show you one other thing. Rafael Nadal, I want to show you this picture, and he has this cool superstition where he, when he comes on to the court, he never steps on any of the white lines because he thinks it's bad luck, right.

So, he's just sort of tip toes. You see there was a time lapse picture done and you see him stepping over all the white lines until he starts playing. Wasn't there a movie with Jack Nicholson or something not wanting to step on the cracks in New York?

PHILLIPS: Exactly.

VERJEE: Right.

PHILLIPS: It seems to be working for Nadal. You know, he's a great tennis player. Avoid the white lines. What can I tell you? Zain, thanks.

All right. Once again, we want to remind you, that we are keeping our eyes on Waterloo, Iowa. Why? Because Michele Bachmann about to step up to the mic, the latest Republican about to enter the presidential race. As soon as we see her, we will take it live.

Looking for a job? Why don't you head to Tucson? They're looking for a marijuana connoisseur. Well, that story and others when we go cross country.

And the Casey Anthony murder trial back in session after the judge rules that she's -- competent -- or incompetent to stand trial. We're live in Orlando with the details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Live to Waterloo, she just made the formal announcement. Michele Bachmann is now saying she's in the running as a GOP presidential candidate.

MICHELE BACHMAN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And from this great country and not because of the position of this office, but because I am determined that every American deserves these blessings and that together, once again, we can secure the promise of the future for America.

Because I want to bring a voice, your voice, to the White House just as I brought your voice to the halls of the United States Congress, to secure that promise of the future, not only for our generation, but for the generations yet to come.

I often say that everything I need to know, I learned in Iowa. I learned those lessons at Hawthorne Elementary, at Valley Park Elementary and at my home, which are a very short distance from where we're standing today because this is where my Iowa roots were firmly planted.

And it's these Iowa roots and my faith in God that guide me today. I'm a descendant of generations of Iowans and I know what it means to be from Iowa. I know what we value here and I know what's important.

Those are the values that help to make Iowa as my mother used to tell me, the bread basket of the world. Those values are the best of all of us put together, which we must recapture to secure that promise of the future.

Now Waterloo was very different five decades ago when I was here. That elementary school building was much younger then and I have to admit so was I five decades ago. Five decades ago when I went to those elementary schools, the halls were literally teaming with young people running up and down the halls.

Parents who had dreams for their children and for their future, a future with promise and parents who wanted it filled with even more opportunities than they and my own parents had known. Five decades ago, in America, we had less debt than we have today. We had $30 billion or less in debt. A gallon of gasoline was 31 cents and owning a home was part of the American dream.

Today, that debt stands at over $14 trillion. A gallon of gas is outrageously expensive, and unfortunately, millions of too many Americans know what it is to have a home that's in foreclosure and so those dreams are distant for many Americans.

Times have changed here in Waterloo, but the people haven't. The people still have the same spirit in Waterloo that Iowans have always come to exemplify. We work hard, we don't spend more money than what we take in and we expect to pass on a better life to our children.

But the problem is, our government keeps getting bigger and it makes it tougher for all of us to pass on our values and our lives to our children. And it's caused jobs to go overseas and they are spending more of our money than we want them to and that means that we get to keep less.

So don't mistake my happy memories of growing up here in waterloo, Iowa, as pining for the past. I recognize it's impossible to turn the clock back and to go back to a different day. Instead, I want this moment to serve as a reminder of the best of who we are as a nation and of what our values are and what it is to make America great, to recapture its best for the promise of the future.

I want my candidacy for the presidency of the United States to stand for a moment when we, the people, stand once again for the independence from a government that has gotten too big and spends too much and has taken away too much of our liberties.

As Americans we've always confronted challenges and our history is one marked both by struggles as well as by prosperity. My younger days like so many Americans were difficult, especially during the years when my mother struggled after a divorce, but we made our own way.

We depended on our neighbors, we depended on ourselves. It wasn't our government that we depended on for our health because we trusted in god and our neighbors and not in government. Americans still have that same spirit but government --

But government keeps trying to erase that spirit because government thinks it knows better. Government thinks it knows better how to spend our money.

Government thinks they know better how to make a better life for us, they think they create jobs, they even think they can make us healthier but that's not the case.

PHILLIPS: Well, naming where she grew up, even her grade school, touting her Iowa roots. Michele Bachmann as you can see right there in Waterloo, Iowa, the latest Republican to enter the presidential race.

She was born there in Waterloo and may have a hometown advantage over other fellow Republicans if you look at the polls. We're following the rest of her speech. We'll keep you updated throughout the morning.

Also, the opening bell rang just about 45 minutes ago. Let's go ahead and check the big board. Dow Industrials up 77 points.

Last night's BET Awards could have handed out the most uncomfortable moment of the night to one young man or young woman rather. She gets the winner's name wrong, not just once, but twice. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Breaking news out of the U.S. Supreme Court. Getting word now that the nation's highest court has decided on whether states can actually ban the sale and rental of violent video games to minors.

Our senior legal analyst Jeff Toobin on the phone from New York. Jeff, the decision has been made and not every parent very happy about this.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST (via telephone): Well, you know, this has been a very tough issue for the Supreme Court. It was a very divided court at oral argument, but by a 7-2 vote today. The Supreme Court said that California's attempt to limit the sale of violent video games is unconstitutional.

They said it's a violation of the First Amendment. I think it just really underlines that this Supreme Court liberals and conservatives alike have a very broad notion of freedom of speech protections.

And they are hesitant to approve any sort of restriction even one like this, which on the surface has a lot of appeal.

PHILLIPS: Well, and two, we've done a number of the stories here on CNN about research that exists about the influence of this violent video games on our kids. How did that weigh at all? How is that brought into the decision?

TOOBIN: Well, it did weigh in, and the court said that when you are dealing with restrictions on speech, when the court looks at a case like that, they need proof that this is justified. That there is a good reason for it and they looked at the justifications for this law and they found it was not enough.

They found that the research was more speculative than iron clad proof and they said given the fact that the constitution is designed to protect freedom of expression this sort of restriction was not justified. There wasn't enough proof that this was a good use of the very narrow power that restricts speech.

PHILLIPS: All right, our Jeff Toobin. Jeff, thanks for calling in. We're following all the decisions there now being handed down from the court as it enters the final session.

A Fox News anchor asked Michele Bachmann if she's a flake then quickly apologized. So does she benefit from being under estimated? Our political buzz panel tackles that question next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right, checking top stories, the Los Angeles Dodgers have filed for bankruptcy and the team will continue to operate during reorganization, but will probably be sold.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get away from this smoke. It will kill you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Three days after that tractor trailer truck slammed into an Amtrak train in Nevada. At least 20 people are still unaccounted for. Six people were killed in that crash.

As you just saw on CNN, Michele Bachmann officially running for president. In -- the congresswoman just made that announcement from Waterloo, Iowa, her birth place.

Political buzz now, your rapid fire look at the hottest political topics of the day. Three questions, 20 seconds on the clock.

And playing today, Democratic pollster, Cornell Belcher, Sirius XM political talk show host and comedian Pete Dominick and conservative talk show host, Dana Loesch.

First question guys, Andrew Cuomo legalizes same-sex marriage in New York. Gay activists already talking about 2016 now and the presidential run. Could a President Cuomo actually have a national appeal? Dana.

DANA LOESCH, CO-FOUNDER OF ST. LOUIS TEA PARTY: Well, I guess that solves the 9.1 percent unemployment rate and high energy prices. I mean, I look at those who talking about running Cuomo as a serious presidential contender and I have to think it's a little bit political naive.

Because we all forget -- I don't, maybe some of us do, this is the same Andrew Cuomo that was secretary of HUD and convinced Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to get all of these low interest loans to people who couldn't afford them and boom we had the housing crisis. We had the economy crash, all of this. No, no, no, we can't have this guy. We cannot have this guy.

PHILLIPS: Cornell?

CORNELL BELCHER, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: Look, I think 2016 is a long ways away. However, I mean if you look at what he's been doing in New York, bringing Democrats together and Republicans together not only sort to move contentious legislation through in this manner.

I think it speaks well. I mean, the American people like that idea of bringing people together and move legislation through. He's done that. He's been successful at that. I think he's a contender in 2016, although it's a long ways away.

PHILLIPS: All right. Pete?

PETE DOMINICK, SIRIUS XM RADIO HOST: Kyra, you've asked me to speculate on who's appealing on 2016. I will not play this game, Kyra! I think the names we are thinking in 2016 might as well be Mr. Spacely and George Jetson --

PHILLIPS: Come on, you have an opinion, Pete!

DOMINICK: They should be Dionne Warwick and the Psychic Friends Network. We don't know who's running next month, Kyra! Maybe you will be president! President Phillips. That's what I speculate.

PHILLIPS: Oh, that's a scary thought. All the skeletons out of the closet, I don't think so. Be like you running for president, Pete. All right. Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann --

DOMINICK: I can do the negative attack ads now.

PHILLIPS: Yes, exactly. You and I against each other, who would be worse? Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, said in the recent weeks President Obama hasn't done enough for African-Americans. Exit polls show Obama took 95 percent of the black vote in 2008. So, could their support really be up for grabs in 2012? Dana?

LOESCH: I don't know. I think it's -- it would be very difficult to say it wouldn't be considering that when this president took office, black unemployment was at -- I think, what 11 percent and now it's at 16 percent, over 16 percent?

I mean you have to look at the fundamentals here. There is a huge amount of job loss in the black community from a president who was going to bring hope and change. Jesse Jackson is even saying, "I don't see it happening."

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

LOESCH: The guy with that National Black Chamber of Commerce even said this guy is against business --

PHILLIPS: Dana, you kept the extra five seconds! Look at her! I have to give you a little bit more then, Cornell.

LOESCH: I'm talkative today.

CORNELL: That's kind of hilarious to me.

I mean, look, our economy was in a nose dive when the president came in. But the campaign is not going to take any vote for granted. They're going to work hard for the African-American vote like they're going to work hard for every vote.

But I want to veer off for a second. You tell me Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann are the ones bringing this charge? Because Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann have such credibility in the minority community.

I mean, really? Really?

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

BELCHER: Come on.

PHILLIPS: Pete? Really?

DOMINICK: Well, the truth is, this president hasn't done enough. They're right, Newt Gingrich and Michele Bachmann, for African- Americans. This Congressional Black Caucus would be the first to say so.

But I mean, Michele Bachmann and Newt Gingrich pointing this out? Cornell is right. That'd be like Reverend Al Sharpton advocating for higher salaries for CEOs, It's ridiculous and no, they're not going to get any black support -

(BUZZER SOUNDS) DOMINICK: --Newt Gingrich or Michele Bachmann.

PHILLIPS: All right. Buzzer Beater, guys. Ten seconds to answer this on. Fox News anchor Chris Wallace asked Michele Bachmann if she's a flake. Then he quickly apologizes.

So, does Bachmann benefit by being under estimated? Cornell?

BELCHER: Yes, she does. And by the way, she is a bit of a flake, but that doesn't disqualify her for being a nomination. She's been underestimated; it's going to benefit her a lot. She's going to be one of the last two or three people standing in the Republican primary.

PHILLIPS: Dana?

LOESCH: I sort of agree with Cornell. God help me, I agree with Cornell a little bit in that she is underestimated. But if we're going to judge what people say in terms of flubs as a measurement as to whether or not they're a flake, then we need to look at what the president says because he has -

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

LOESCH: a lot of gas as well.

PHILLIPS: Pete?

DOMINICK: I mean, this is hilarious. It gets her base riled up. She's probably underestimated. But Kyra and everybody America, listen. If you're Rick Santorum or Michele Bachmann or any other candidate for president that doesn't believe in science -

(BUZZER SOUNDS)

DOMINICK: -- you should absolutely be disqualified! Disqualified. That buzzer should go to you!

PHILLIPS: Cornell -

DOMINICK: Sorry!

PHILLIPS: -- Dana, Pete. Don't ever be sorry, Pete. Thanks, guys.

The floodwaters have quit rising in soggy Minot, North Dakota, but the misery could last for weeks. Thousands of people forced from their homes. A live report from the flood zone just ahead.

And if you're keeping track of your blood pressure, hey, there's an app for that. We'll tell you about a new device that helps you actually monitor your blood pressure using a smartphone or tablet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Stories making news "Cross Country." Vandals nearly derail Chicago's gay pride parade. Hours before the big event yesterday, somebody snuck in and slashed tires on all 51 floats. Organizers scrambled to fix or replace the busted tires, and all but three floats made out it out of the warehouse in time.

Fifteen children, eight adults recovering from a school bus accident near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They were on their way to camp when the bus was hit by a Cadillac and flipped over. Three of the children were pinned inside. Police say the elderly driver out of the Cadillac jumped into the bus's path.

And a rare photo of Billy the Kid sells for $2.3 million. The auction house expected it to go for $300,000 to $400,000. It's thought to be the only existing, authenticated picture of the outlaw.

Floodwaters threatening two nuclear power plants in Nebraska, but officials say no cause for alarm. Cooper Nuclear Station, about 20 miles north of Omaha's One, Missouri River is flooding there but the plant remains water tight. Then the Fort Calhoun plant about 100 miles north of Omaha has more severe flooding. Protective dam around part of that plant ruptured Sunday, but officials say that other protective systems are in place.

Now to the flooding problems in Minot, North Dakota. As many as 4,000 homes have flood damage now. CNN's Jim Spellman is there in Minot. So, Jim, any problems with the levees?

JIM SPELLMAN, CNN ALL-PLATFORM CORRESPONDENT: So far, the levees they've built around some critical infrastructure here are holding early into this event. A week ago they knew that the dikes throughout the rest of the city were just not going to hold up and they just concentrated on that vital infrastructure.

The good news here this morning, Kyra, is that this river has crested. This is as high as the floodwaters will get and, in fact, it started to recede a little bit. This - a neighbor spray painted this line on here at 9:20 yesterday evening, and the water moved back about this far right now, about ten feet or so. That's the good news.

The bad news, look how much farther it has to go back. I mean, this damage just goes on and on. We've seen neighbors coming up to the edge of the floodwater to get a look and see what the fate of their homes might be. And we got a chance to speak to a couple of them. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VICEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just the second house past the stop sign.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Devastating, heart breaking, heart wrenching. Saddened. When we had to evac ASAP, I mean, both sides of the neighbors and friends and family, they got us out.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SPELLMAN: And so many people here are just relying on their friends and neighbors. And whenever we come and cover disasters, there's just been so many this year, I'm always blown away by how great it is, how people are so nice to each other in these communities come together.

Kyra, 12,000 people or so evacuated and less than 30 staying in shelters. Everyone else taken in by friends, neighbors, families. So, the community is really coming together and they're going need that solidarity because it's going to be months before Minot is back on its feet. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Jim Spellman, thanks.

And the flooding Missouri River has hit historic levels now. But the good news is, the river has crested and is not expected to go any higher. Rob Marciano taking a look at that. Close call?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEROLOGIST: The dangerously high and it's going to remain high for a long time. Might come up a little bit in some spots, but the key is especially when you talk about these nuclear power plants, it's not going to come up three or more feet. And that's going to be critical.

Let's talk about what's going on at the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant. That one was offline briefly because the water was getting so high there. We'll zoom in. It's right along the river, of course. They use the river water for cooling purposes.

The reason they were in temporary shutdown mode a few months ago because they were refueling the plant. They decided not to ramp it back up because the water levels were getting so high here. And they're using something that's called an aqua dam. It's something that we've seen actually in the Mississippi River floods where they take a inflatable tube or bladder and they surround it around the areas that are - that they want to protect and they pump water into it. That's what they're using here. You can see around -- this is all electrical work here. So, that's what they're trying to protect the power that's used to cool the plant, which is way up there.

So, they surround it with these bladders. And what happened over the weekend is a fork lift or some piece of machinery punctured the bladder and allowed it to leak. And that allowed some of the water to get dangerously close. They briefly went off the grid, but they have since come back on and they think that they have things for the most part under control.

A little bit farther down river we have got the power plant closer to Omaha. The Cooper Nuclear Station. This one, the river has to come up another three feet for it to be in danger, and right now we don't think it will come up much more than a foot.

Other than floods, we have fire problems with nuclear sites. Los Alamos in New Mexico -- this fire which is about 5,000 acres in size, is currently out of control. Zero percent containment. Here is some fresh video coming into the CNN NEWSROOM. And the dangerous part about this, it's within one mile of Los Alamos, the laboratory with dangerous materials, hazardous and nuclear materials there. They have evacuated that area. Only essential personnel being asked to report to work. This is an employer of 11,000 people, Kyra. So, talking about a huge facility here that obviously has nuclear issues that they promise us all that material is contained and protected at the moment. But certainly has some folks nervous in New Mexico.

PHILLIPS: We'll keep watching. Thanks, Rob.

If you've got high blood pressure, now there's an app for that. Two companies have put products on the market that will let you monitor your blood pressure using your iOhone, iPod Touch and iPad. And you buy the inflatable cuff that wraps around your arm, and it's attached to a cable that you actually plug into your Apple gadgets. The monitor records your blood pressure and your heart rate, and it's going to cost you about 100 to 130 bucks.

Last night's B.E.T Awards could have handed out the, quote, "most uncomfortable moment of the night" award and it would have gone to one young woman. She actually gets the winner's name wrong not once, but twice. Your "Showbiz Update" coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: The winners of the B.E.T Awards, whoever they might be, Lady Gaga accused of scamming herself and Tracy Morgan in the spotlight. Kareen Wynter has your "Showbiz Update."

So, there seems to be confusion at last night's B.E.T Awards show?

KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Ah, Kyra, confusion, that's really putting it mildly. This was about as awkward an awards show moment as I've seen. Get ready to cringe, folks. Tiffany GreenE, poor girl. She's a fan from Flat Rock, Michigan. She was chosen to announce the winner of the Coca-Cola Viewers Choice Award. And this is what happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIFFANY GREENE, BET AWARDS FAN PRESENTER: The winner is -- Chris Brown, "Look At Me Now."

(APPLAUSE)

GREENE: I'm sorry! Rihanna, "What's My Name."

(MUSIC PLAYING)

ANNOUNCER: OK. This is awkward. What's the -- okay. It's okay. It's okay. The winner is Drizzy Drake. Come over here, Drake. Congratulations, Drake.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WYNTER: Oh, my gosh. You just feel so sorry for her. Her big moment in the spotlight and this is what happens.

Okay. There were reports that Greene was actually backstage - poor thing -- crying after this who thing. Show producers blamed human error, but apparently, Kyra, it said Chris Brown on the tablet and you saw Rihanna on the prompter. So, it wasn't her fault for record.

After the show, B.E.T. announced Brown was the winner which gave him four major awards of the night. But if you were going to pick two names to mix up, you couldn't find a more explosive choice than Rihanna and her abusive ex. The show was loaded with other technical issues. But really, this one just so bad. And if you thought the show was a train wreck, I actually watched the pre-show, and it was just pure comedy. So --

PHILLIPS: And there you go. You tend to wonder what was going on behind the scenes there. Getting a lot of publicity for this!

WYNTER: I know!

PHILLIPS: Poor young gal, this could probably launch her career. Yes, wasn't her fault.

WYNTER: No, she's not going to show her face again for a long time. And it really wasn't her fault, but you feel for her.

PHILLIPS: All right. Lady Gaga. Used to controversy, on the other hand. But this is an odd things to be accused of, even for her.

WYNTER: Yes. Indeed. Odd thing from an odd source, Kyra. 1- 800-LAW-FIRM says they are suing Lady Gaga over her efforts to help victims of the Japanese earthquake. Gaga sold $5 wristbands with proceeds going to victims. She was one of the first celebs to step up to help out.

But this law firm says, quote, "While we commend Lady Ga for her philanthropic efforts, we want to ensure that claims that all proceeds will be donated to Japan's earthquake relief efforts are in fact true. Our intention with this lawsuit is to uncover any improprieties committed by Lady Gaga and appropriate the full donations assumed to the victims in Japan."

But Kyra, I think at this stage we should be giving Gaga the benefit of the doubt here. She was just performing at a benefit concert in Tokyo, so I think her heart is really in the right place here.

PHILLIPS: Someone else taking the stage, Tracy Morgan. How did that go?

WYNTER: Yes. Tracy Morgan, back on stage in the Big Apple for the first time after his onstage homophobic rant. Published reports have Morgan addressing the controversy during his show. "The New York Times" says Morgan claimed he was misunderstood and actually joked about being the child of one of the Village People. Apparently, the audience was willing to forgive the comedian. He's reported to have said, quote, "I don't have that in me. I believe gay, straight, everybody, anybody is supposed to be happy in this world, man."

Every time Tracy opens his mouth, it's like I'm waiting for something inappropriate to come out. He made it through this show. And let's just hope he kind of remains low for the time being. I don't want to do any more negative stories on Tracy.

PHILLIPS: There you go. I don't blame you. Kareen, thanks.

If you want more information on anything breaking in the entertainment world, we'll, you've got it on "Showbiz Tonight." Every night on HLN, 11:00 p.m.

The Philadelphia Phillies Roy Halladay showed again why he is one of the best pitchers in baseball. The two-time Sy Young winner had another dominating performance yesterday against the Oakland A's. He threw a complete game, his fifth of the season, no walks, 16 ground outs, including the game-ending double play. 3-1 was the final. Halladay's tenth win of the year. Philly leads the NL East by five games now. That's the biggest lead in any division.

All right. Nascar Sunday, and it's all about the bumping and grinding in Sonoma. They're allowed to get away with more on the road, of course. And the drivers settle any old scores. Watch Brian Vickers, he just takes out Tony Stewart. Kurt Busch, well, who knows a thing or two about driving, that's for sure, with road rage. He ended up winning the race.

And some stories developing today. We are watching Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum address a Jewish group at 10:50 p.m. (sic) Eastern in Sioux City, Iowa. Following that, he's got two other events in Iowa.

And at 1:35 Easter, the Colorado Rapids, this year's major league soccer champs, hold a clinic for children of military families on the South Lawn of the White House.

And at 2:00 Eastern, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton releases a worldwide report on government's efforts to combat human trafficking either for slavery, sexual exploitation, forced labor or modern day slavery.

And convicted murderer Amanda Knox back in court in Italy. And she's shocked by some of the testimony at today's hearing. You'll hear it, too.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: American Amanda Knox in an Italian courtroom today appealing her murder conviction. Knox and two others were found responsible for the death of her study-abroad roommate Meredith Kercher. One of the men convicted took the stand today, and his testimony apparently shocked Knox.

CNN's Dan Rivers joining us from Perugia, Italy with more. Dan, fill us in on what happened so far.

DAN RIVERS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. This was the testimony of Rudy guede, who is the co-accused who has already been convicted as well of the murder of Meredith Kercher in 2007. He's already exhausted his appeal procedure.

But today he was called in to give evidence that they were hoping defense lawyers that he, under cross-examination, may sort of capitulate and admit that he was he alone that killed Meredith Kercher. But that's not what happened at all. In fact, he for the as saying that he always thought that they killed Meredith Kercher. So, it wasn't a great day for Amanda Knox.

But she was allowed to dramatically speak in this hearing. One of the rare occasions she has been able to speak in this appeal process. She said she was shocked by what Guede said. She said he knew we weren't in the house at the murder. The only time the three of us have been together is in court. I'm shocked he knows the truth. I don't know what happened. I'm sorry, I didn't have the opportunity to talk to him myself.

And Sollecito himself also spoke and said their lives have been ruined, that they've been in jail for four years, and that he, Guede, knew what had happened and by implication they've been convicted only on his evidence and his supposition and that the rest of the case was weak.

PHILLIPS: Well, Dan, this case has taken on so many twists and turns, stretched across four years now. There is any time frame for a ruling on this appeal?

RIVERS: Well, this will all now shift towards the forensic evidence. The hope for defense players here is that Rudy Guede would sort of collapse and basically admit that he did it on his own, that seems to have evaporated. Now they're going to focus on the forensic and DNA evidence. This may all wrap up sort of end of September, so we may get a result then.

If they fail in their appeal, there is one further avenue for them to go to the supreme court here before they have exhausted all of the different levels of appeal here in Perugia, Italy.

PHILLIPS: All right. Dan Rivers, thanks.

And coming up new in the CNN NEWSROOM with Suzanne Malveaux, an emotional return to school for Libyan children living in a war zone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Classes of this sort have resumed in Misrata, but after months of war, these children are full of pent-up energy and, perhaps, not far beneath the excitement lies a life's worth of trauma.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Ben Wedeman takes you inside the classroom and talks with students and teachers about getting back to school after months of time off.

Plus, we're taking a look at what other states are currently debating gay marriage laws and if New York's decision to legalize gay marriage has a direct impact on those debates. That and more in the CNN NEWSROOM with Suzanne Malveaux.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Add Michele Bachmann's name to the list of presidential candidates. She just made her official announcement in Waterloo, Iowa. And our Jim Acosta is there. Jim?

ACOSTA: Hi, Kyra. That's right. You can hear the music behind me, but the candidate is starting to had leave this announcement event that just took place in the last hour.

And you know, for a conservative firebrand who has gone after this president over the last several years, what we saw from Michele Bachmann at this announcement was sort of the softer side of the congresswoman from Minnesota. She has certainly toned down her Tea Party rhetoric, saying at one point during this event today that despite all the rancor of the campaign, there is more that unites us as a country than divides us. So, that was interesting to hear that from Congresswoman Bachmann.

But she also went after this president saying that Barack Obama will be a one-term president, calling his health care law unconstitutional and on and on. She has a busy campaign schedule ahead of her. She will be in Iowa over the next 24 hours, and then it's off to New Hampshire where, obviously, she's going to have a tougher road to hoe. And then on to South Carolina.

But she's off to a very good start, Kyra, to go into her announcement event. Showing up in the latest "Des Moines Register" poll, one point behind Mitt Romney at 22 percent. That is a very strong start for Michele Bachmann. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right. Jim Acosta, thanks.

That does it for us. We'll be back here tomorrow morning 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. We take it over to Suzanne Malveaux.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Good seeing you. Did you have a good weekend?

PHILLIPS: It was fantastic. Happy Monday.

MALVEAUX: Happy Monday. Here we go. Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You bet.