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New Twist On The Modern Family; "Just Friends" Raising Kids; Boston Bombing Suspect Calls Family; Christie Won't Appoint Replacement; CDC: Boys Should Get HPV Vaccine; Royal Baby Bump

Aired June 04, 2013 - 14:30   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Bye-bye.

HARLOW (voice-over): Dave and Evelyn were co-workers before co- parents.

(on camera): You were her superior.

SNOW: I was, but we weren't -- we weren't messing around. So we weren't breaking every rule.

HARLOW (voice-over): Heidi and David, friends for 20 years, joked in college if neither had a child by 36, they would have one together.

HEIDI SADOWSKY, NATE'S MOM: I wanted a partner in parenting. So I circled back to David and I said, I'm ready. All systems are go on my side and I would like to do this with you.

HARLOW: They're parenting partners, not romantically involved, not married, but sharing the huge task of parenting.

(on camera): Do you ever feel judged?

SADOWSKY: Absolutely.

DAVID ARRICK, NATE'S DAD: We've heard a lot of comments, positive and negative, with respect to what we have done here.

HARLOW (voice-over): Heidi and David do it living apart.

(on camera): Do you ever worry that this may confuse Nate when he's trying to figure out for himself what a loving relationship is?

SADOWSKY: That a boy. David and I have a loving relationship. We don't have a romantic relationship, but we have a loving relationship.

ARRICK: Just because he wasn't conceived as a result of a romantic interlude doesn't mean we'll be less as parents. It doesn't mean we love him any less.

HARLOW (voice-over): Evelyn and Dave do it living together.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I do think it is a little easier for a single woman to become a mother and not be looked down on.

SNOW: And I found it different. I found it actually that people have a lot of questions, and there has been more resistance than I expected.

HARLOW: Darren Spadaly has tapped into the trend by starting "Family By Design," a web site to match up co-parent hopefuls.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where I've seen this work the most successfully is where the people have taken the time to build that bond of friendship, where I have seen challenges is where people jumped into this too quickly, and didn't build that bond.

HARLOW: Critics say parenting partnerships can confuse the child and feel like divorce.

ARRICK: To address the naysayers who may say you're doing something that is unnatural, and I take issue with that word, I would like to say more something less than conventional. Yes, this is a new paradigm in parenting.

JANET WEISBERG, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: We don't have statistics to say how it will work. I think for me the hardest thing would be when one or the other loses interest in the arrangement and wants something different.

HARLOW: Like dating other people. Something all four parents want one day. Whatever the agreement, get it in writing.

SNOW: It is a disaster plan, but we don't plan to use it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: To protect yourself because you don't know what the future is going to hold.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARLOW: You absolutely don't and all the lawyers I talked about this said, Brooke, get it in writing, get a legal agreement. But you know, this is very controversial and we're seeing more and more web sites pop up matching people to be co-parents. So we reached out to the Center for Marriage and Families at the Institute of American Values and I want to read you part of the statement they sent us because they vehemently oppose this.

They wrote to us, "Parents who have been unwilling even to try to love or bond with one another are unlikely to be able to cooperate together throughout a child's lifetime. Other ties will draw them away from the co-parenting relationship whether for romance or work. Grown-ups are supposed to take on the job of making one family for a child. It is a hard job, but these parents are not even willing to try."

So as you know, Brooke, in things like this, there are people on very different sides that think this is absolutely a good idea and others who think it is absolutely not.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: I got to tell you. When I first watched your piece today, Poppy, I was almost speechless and I wanted -- we'll talk to a clinical psychologist in a moment because I have a gazillion questions about this.

HARLOW: Right.

BALDWIN: But you're seeing this with both gay and straight, men and women, right?

HARLOW: Absolutely. And the guy in our piece Darren Spadaly that started "Family By Design," the web site, told me he's actually seeing a vast majority of straight men and women that are doing this and that even surprised him. You know, this is interesting if you look at the numbers, Brooke. It tells us a lot.

Let's pull them up for the viewers. This is a Pew Study from 2010. What it found is that 52 percent of Millennials said being a good parent is one of the most important things in their life versus just 30 percent saying that about a successful marriage. Those numbers tell us a lot about the shifting trend and shifting importance of things to young folks these days -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: Poppy Harlow, thank you for bringing us the piece. How exactly does this work? Here she is, clinical psychologist, Barbara Greenburg. Barbara, thank you so much for coming on. I mean, My first thought was, I don't have a poker face. I was, like, what? You know, but then I guess I started thinking, I guess, isn't it all about loving the kid no matter how you co-parent? What is your take on this?

BARBARA GREENBERG, PH.D., CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: From my experience in working with kids and working with teens for over 20 years, the most important thing is the quality of the relationship between the adults who are raising the kids, that is much more important than the relationship between the two adults raising the kids as long as it is a harmonious relationship. Whether or not it is a romantic relationship, I believe, is unimportant.

BALDWIN: You know, one thing I was interested in, is one of the women in Poppy's piece, said, you know, listen, sex doesn't get in the way because there is no romantic involvement whatsoever. So that's not an issue. I'm wondering, you know, could that factor into a child not seeing that kind of affection among parents? Does that even matter?

GREENBERG: I don't think that matters. When the children are old enough and you start to talk to them about all things romantic and sexual, you can define the relationship that you are having with your co-parenting partner.

BALDWIN: What about, this is something somebody just tweeted me what happens, I'm reading your tweet what happens when they start dating other people? There are husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, coming into this co-parenting mix?

GREENBERG: As we all know, families come in all shapes and sizes these days, and I think children can handle a lot. They're very resilient. As long as things are defined for them, boundaries are clear. They know who is setting the rules, and who to go to for various things. I think these things can be explained to kids. Clarity is the most important thing here.

BALDWIN: Friends with kids. It was a movie. It is reality. Barbara Greenberg, thank you so much for your perspective. I appreciate it.

GREENBERG: Very well.

BALDWIN: Coming up next, the parents of the Boston bombing suspect have shared a recording of their one and only phone conversation with their imprisoned son here. This is the first time the world has heard Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's voice since he was arrested in April. A live report from Russia just ahead.

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BALDWIN: We are learning much more today about a phone call made by the Boston marathon bombing suspect, to his mother. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev called his family in Russia last week, from a federal prison in Massachusetts, where he's been ever, really, since April. His mother is sharing that recording of that phone conversation and Phil Black joins me now live from Moscow. Phil, what did he say?

PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Brooke, what we know about this phone call is from a section of it, a portion of it that his mother recorded and has released and made public. And from his mother's description of the bulk or the rest of the conversation, it took place about a week ago, we're told.

And his mother and father say that at the time they were told not to discuss the Boston bombing case, the details, anything to do with the attack itself. So much of the conversation is really filled with parents asking questions about their son's health, safety, and well- being, checking he's OK, trying to comfort him.

But for much of the conversation, it sounds like Dzhokhar is really trying to comfort them. At one point, he is asked by his mother, are you in pain? And to that, he replies, with this, he said, no, of course not. I'm already eating and have been for a long time. They're giving me rice and chicken now. Everything's fine.

His mother said you have to be strong. And he replied, everything is good, please don't say anything. His mother says he went on to say that he's receiving good medical care. He has a good doctor. He's healing well, feels stronger every day. The only ongoing health problem, she says, is some sort of problem with his hand.

Injuries on his face and neck are said to be healing well. His mother said she was surprised just how calm and controlled he was. She expected him to be far more emotional. But she says in the end it was him comforting her, telling her everything is going to be OK -- Brooke.

BALDWIN: What about, Phil, the reports of donations coming in to the Tsarnaev family. Did the mom say anything about that? BLACK: She did. She did touch on this. She said that they have -- money has been pledged to them. She was a little bit vague, but she talked about $8,000, being pledged to the family by those who are either sympathetic to Dzhokhar's situation or those like his parents who simply believe neither he nor his brother were responsible for this attack.

They said they offered this money to Dzhokhar over the phone and he said he didn't need it because he was receiving money or pledges or donations himself. Again, wasn't specific about where they were coming from. But they claim that they are receiving support, both emotional and financial from people they don't know around the world.

BALDWIN: Phil Black, live in Moscow. Phil, thank you.

Coming up next, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie walking a political tight rope, if you will, when naming the next steps for that Senate seat now vacated by long time Senator Frank Lautenberg.

Coming up next, we'll talk to Wolf Blitzer, talk about the implications this choice may have here on Chris Christie, on the Republican Party, on Democrats looking ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Big news today in New Jersey. A special election has been called to replace Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey who died Monday. Governor Chris Christie made the announcement moments ago and we brought it to you live. The governor also said he would appoint an interim senator but not to expect -- hello, no, there we go, OK, but not to expect a clone of Chris Christie in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: But I always respected the vigor, which he put into his job each and every day. So while we're saddened by his passing and will look to the rest of the week to remember his life and his service, I know that Senator Lautenberg wouldn't want the people of New Jersey to go without a voice in the United States Senate.

So today we're going to begin the process of sending a new representative to the U.S. Senate. Let me be clear. This is a way I see my responsibility for the people of this state. This is about guaranteeing the people of New Jersey both a choice and a voice in the process and the representation that they deserve in Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was Governor Christie just a little while ago, making this major announcement here, which could have, obviously, state but also federal implications. Wolf Blitzer is on this for me in Washington. Wolf, I mean, Chris Christie had, you know, broad discretion here. Whatever he chose could be criticized. But, first, explain to us what initially his choice was once he learned of the passing of Senator Lautenberg? WOLF BLITZER, HOST, CNN'S "THE SITUATION ROOM": The rules in New Jersey are a little murky out there, but by and large, he could have done -- he did -- he could have done what he did today, announce a date for a primary for the Democratic and Republican Senate candidates and then a date for the special election, the election dating October 16th. He could have waited until November when he's going to be on the ballot and a whole bunch of other contests, state wide and local elections are taking place in New Jersey.

But he decided to have it on October 16th, which is his right, but a lot of Republicans would have preferred is for him to name a Republican to replace Frank Lautenberg, keep that Republican as the interim senator until November 2014, another year and a half or so you would have had an incumbent Republican who could have built up some credibility or whatever, and may have been able to retain that seat in the United States Senate.

It has been 41 years since a Republican has won a Senate seat from New Jersey, but he decided to go ahead and have this expedited schedule. It's going to cause a lot of heartburn for some folks. For example, why didn't he just wait to have the special election in November when people are already going to the polls in New Jersey as opposed to October 16th? It is going to cost a few million dollars to have a state wide election on October 16th.

The argument is, as you know, Brooke, is that he didn't want this election, which presumably is going to go to a Democrat, almost certainly going to go to a Democrat, to either upstage or undermine other Republican candidates, maybe even himself, who were going to be on the ballot in November. Gets a little complicated, but by and large, this is typical Chris Christie. He does what he thinks is the right thing and this is the right thing as far as he's concerned.

BALDWIN: I think we have got it. And so if and when that seat goes to a Democrat, as it is blue Jersey, New Jersey, how might because in the ether, you know, Chris Christie's name is thrown out as a possible presidential contender in 2016, how might this choice today affect him then? Let's just go there?

BLITZER: Well, assuming there is going to be a Democrat, let's say Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, New Jersey, and he's made it clear. He would like to have that seat that was held by Frank Lautenberg who passed away yesterday. Let's say it is Cory Booker who is going to be the next Democratic senator from New Jersey, two senators, Bob Menendez, a Democrat and Cory Booker a Democrat.

You know, there will be some Republicans who will argue why did you have to give this to the Democrats? Why did you have to give another Democratic senator at least for the next year and a half to the Democrats? You could have just named a Republican and then called the special election in November 2014?

So he'll get some heartburn from Republicans on that. At the same time, he'll get some heartburn from Democrats who say why do you have to do this election in October? You could have waited a couple more weeks. There is already an election. Now you're wasting taxpayer dollars having to organize a special election on October 16th.

So he'll get some heartburn from Democrats, but you know, that's the nature of the dilemma that he faced right now and that's his decision. As I said, I think it is typical Chris Christie.

BALDWIN: Wolf Blitzer, thank you for your perspective. So primary August, special election October. Thank you very much, sir. Appreciate it.

BLITZER: Good to talk to you.

BALDWIN: Thank you. A bombshell revelation from actor Michael Douglas on the possible cause of his throat cancer, so many of you are still talking about this. We're now hearing this is much more common than anyone thought and also, entirely preventable. Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins me live next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BALDWIN: Pediatricians have recommended for years that girls receive the HPV vaccine to prevent certain kinds of cancer. Boys should also get the shot, but that may not be so well known. Underscoring the issue here is actor Michael Douglas who was quoted as saying that his throat cancer may have been caused by HPV, the human papilloma virus.

With me now is our chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. I tell you, this story. It is all over the internet.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It's a talker.

BALDWIN: It is a talker. Let's talk about it. Why the sudden attention of this vaccine with boys?

GUPTA: Well, you know, as you point out, there has been a lot of attention on this for some time. Now there is a lot more attention because Michael Douglas is talking about this very openly. We think about HPV, human papilloma virus, as causing cervical cancer, which is why people think about this with regard to girls.

But we also know that boys in addition to girls can carry, transmit and get sick from this virus. That's really why the attention. You think about cervical attention in girls, oral cancer as we heard with Michael Douglas potentially being caused by HPV in boys and also men.

So that's been sort of known for some time. There are some specific recommendations that have come out about getting the vaccine as a result of all this. There was recommendation as far as girls as young as 11 and 12 getting this particular vaccine, but also boys, you can see it there, there are two approved shots now for girls, Gardasil and Cervarix, and one approved for boys.

BALDWIN: Why so young? That seems young to me.

GUPTA: You know, so when you think about human papilloma virus, one thing to keep in the back of the mind is that most likely everybody is going to get this infection at some point. BALDWIN: It is very common.

GUPTA: It is very common. You want to try and get this vaccine before they develop an infection. You want to give the vaccine at a time when their body is going to produce the most antibodies to it. That's when you're trying to do, get the body to produce antibodies. When they're young like this, they're going to produce those antibodies and they have protection through their adolescence and 20s and 30s.

BALDWIN: If it is so common that it only leads to cancer in some people?

GUPTA: That's a great question. It is unclear. There are some people who are probably better at fighting the infection once they get it. Their bodies clear the infection much more quickly so it doesn't have much time to sit there in the body and possibly cause mutated cells.

BALDWIN: How long does it sit?

GUPTA: Well, I mean, if somebody -- if they have a very good immune system or they have been vaccinated, it could be there for a very short time. But if you're already sick from something else, you never have been vaccinated. It can be there a much longer time.

The thing about it as well is that once you get the infection, it is like you've been vaccinated, right. Once you get an infection, your body now has developed the antibodies as a result of the infection.

It's not a good way to be vaccinated because you get sick as a result of the infection, but that's another reason why you want to get this vaccine early before people actually develop an infection.

BALDWIN: Just wanted to get the advice from the good doctor. People are talking about it.

GUPTA: Boys and girls.

BALDWIN: Dr. Gupta, thank you.

Coming up next, it is the queen's 60th anniversary of her coronation. While a ceremony was held in her honor, another family member might have stolen the show.

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