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CNN Live Saturday
E. Coli Outbreaks Traced to California Food Company; Pope's Remarks Offend Muslims; Nonaligned Summit Meets in Havana, Cuba
Aired September 16, 2006 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now in the news, investigators say more than one spinach producer may be linked to an outbreak of E. coli. Right now health officials have linked the outbreak to fresh spinach products packaged by a California-based company, Natural Selection Foods, known for its Earthbound Farm brand. More than 90 illnesses are reported in 19 states. One person has died.
In New Mexico, a city on edge after a threat of deadly violence. Officials in Las Cruces say residents should be on the lookout for any suspicious activity. The city has received two letters from a writer threatening random shootings unless substantial ransoms are paid. We'll talk to the city's mayor live in 30 minutes.
Angry protests in the Muslim world over recent remarks over Pope Benedict XVI. The pope quoted a 14th century emperor who criticized Muslim teachings. A the Vatican spokesman says the pope's remarks have been misinterpreted. A live report on the controversy, straight ahead.
In Iraq, two deadly car bombings today. Two Iraqi soldiers were killed when they approached a car that had been rigged with explosives. Another car bomb exploded an hour later killing one Iraqi civilian and wounding 22 others. We head live to Baghdad for the latest in about 15 minutes.
And 90 miles south of the U.S., a meeting with a distinctly anti- American tone. The presidents of Iran, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe are part of a Nonaligned Nations Summit which is underway in Cuba at this hour. We've got a live report from Havana coming up in 30 minutes.
Now let's check in with Bonnie Schneider in the weather center. What's happening?
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, thank you so much Bonnie. And we update the top stories and weather every 15 minutes on CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Your next update is coming up at 12:15 Eastern.
Straight ahead, money management made easier. We'll tell you what's on the horizon for on-line banking.
And this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our house had been completely quiet, I mean, no TV, no music, no sound, I mean it was just always quiet. And then my husband and I just heard London bridge being played perfectly down in the play room.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
And the person playing that London Bridge, Matt Savage. He once hated sound of music, now he's prodigy who's played with Chaka Khan and others. We'll tell you all about his unique form of genius.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, welcome to CNN LIVE Saturday.
No apologies so far, but a Vatican spokesman says Pope Benedict XVI is very upset that Muslims were offended by some comments in a speech he gave in Germany his week. The pope quoted a 14th century emperor who criticized Islamic teachings. Outraged Muslims have reacted with a series of protests and demonstrations. And today, Morocco recalled its Vatican envoy for consultations. The Vatican says the pope's remarks were misinterpreted.
Let's bring in CNN's Faith and Values correspondent, Delia Gallagher -- Delia.
DELIA GALLAGHER, CNN FAITH & VALUES CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka, yes, the Vatican issued a statement today saying the pope sincerely regrets that certain passages of his address could have offended the sensibilities of Muslim E. coli Midwest Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Gordon two Baghdad car bombings killed insurgents targeting Iraqi security forces Taking care of finances on-line Carolyn Bigda Cal Perry Bonnie Schneider Delia Gallagherfaithful. The statement also reiterated his commitment to interreligious dialogue and his esteem, they said, for Muslims around the world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GALLAGHER (voice-over): It didn't take long for the pope's words to resonate around the world. At this demonstration in India, accusations the pope had dishonored the prophet Mohammad and should be punished. Pope Benedict XVI made the controversial remarks this week at a German university where he once taught theology.
As part of a lecture that went on for more than half an hour, the pope quoted what he warned was a startlingly brisk statement from a 14th century Byzantine emperor.
POPE BENEDICT XVI (through translator): And I quote, show me just what Mohammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhumane such as his command to spread by the sword the fate he preached.
GALLAGHER: A full read of the highly technical lecture shows the pope was quoting the emperor to make a larger point that reason and faith go hand in hand and the concept of a holy war is always unreasonable and against the nature of god, Muslim or Christian. But many only heard the criticisms of Mohammed, their calls for an apology now loud and clear.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): The pope has dishonored our prophet. He said our profit was a terrorist and he had used a sword. Those who say such things whether they are in India or abroad should be condemned and punished.
GALLAGHER: The Vatican has tried to clarify the pope's remarks, but stopped short of making an apology.
REV. FEDERICO LOMBARDI, VATICAN SPOKESMAN: It was certainly not the intention of the Holy Father to undertake a comprehensive study of the Jihad and of Muslim ideas of the subject, still less to offend the sensibilities of the Muslim faithful.
GALLAGHER: Only a few months ago, riots broke out across the Muslim world after the publication in Denmark of cartoons deemed offensive in Islam. With tensions escalating, what will quell the anger?
BARIA ALAMUDDIN, FOREIGN EDITOR, "AL-HAYAT": I hope the pope takes this opportunity to indeed open a dialogue with the Muslim leaders and explain his comments.
GALLAGHER: The pope is scheduled to visit the officially secular, but predominantly Muslim country of Turkey at the end of November. But should he?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There clearly is great alarm about what kind of reception he's going to get.
GALLAGHER: All ready plenty of criticism from Turkish politicians.
HALUK KOC, TURKISH OPPOSITION MP (through translator): The pope's words have added fuel to the fire in a world where the risk of interrelation conflict is on the rise.
GALLAGHER: The pope's lecture was a call for genuine dialogue among cultures and religions of the world, a dialogue, but not the one he wanted, has certainly started.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And Fredricka, Vatican sources are telling CNN today that tomorrow the pope will address this controversy during his weekly noontime address from St. Peter's Square.
WHITFIELD: And so the hope is that this might placate the Muslim community or that a long shot?
GALLAGHER: Well, I think that what the Vatican has been hearing from the Muslim community is they would like to hear an apology directly from the pope himself. So, I think that tomorrow will be that opportunity and if indeed he does do that, I think it might go a long way towards quelling the controversy.
WHITFIELD: All right, let's hope it helps. Thanks so much, Delia Gallagher in New York.
Well, also here in the U.S., a huge health concern, investigators are on the hunt this hour for the source of the tainted spinach responsible for an E. coli outbreak. That outbreak is now linked to a California company, Natural Selection Foods, Earthbound Farm, but government officials are looking into other processors as well. Right now, the outbreak has spread to 19 state, nearly 100 people have been sickened and one death has been reported in Wisconsin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JIM DOYLE, WISCONSIN: We are the states that discovered it that pulled the -- that discovered the strain and have identified more cases and it may be that in the -- today and in the next few days you'll see other states with similar kinds of numbers. It simply may be that we're ahead in having identified this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Many grocery stores across America are taking no chances, they're pulling fresh bagged spinach off the shelves, among them Wal-Mart, the nation's biggest retailer. Many restaurants are also pulling items containing fresh spinach off their menus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE OATHOUT, RESTAURANT MANAGER: We are just serving salads and sandwiches with just regular romaine lettuce and leaf lettuce and we're working with our vendors -- our produce vendors and they're going to try to work something out so we have fill greens without spinach by the end of next week.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Why was this strain of E. coli found such the fresh spinach, such a huge health concern? Some answer now from CNN's Christy Feig.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTY FEIG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Health officials are concerned about this outbreak because this type of E. coli is one of the most dangerous. Symptoms include abdominal cramping and diarrhea that can be bloody. There is concern in some cases, especially children, that it can progress to kidney failure and even death.
With E. coli medicine to stop diarrhea can sometimes make you sicker. Officials say if you've eaten bagged spinach recently and you have symptoms go to your doctor.
DR. ROBERT BRACKETT, FDA: What they should do is go immediately to their physician, and if it's bloody diarrhea even to the emergency room if they have to have that evaluated. They should not be giving them any kind of over-the-counter medications. FEIG: E. coli is found naturally in the intestines of cows and other animals and outbreaks are linked to contaminated waste in water, meat, or unwashed produce. The CDC estimates every year, this strain of E. coli in the United States causes about 73,000 illnesses and 60 deaths. The question is, how did the bacteria get into the spinach?
BRACKETT: It could end up with wild animals such as deer walking through, that could contaminate the product. It could come from contact with contaminated surface waters, streams or ponds that might flood or if you irrigate the product with contaminated water.
FEIG: Those are just some of the possibilities public health investigators will try to track down because until they find the source of the outbreak, they can't be certain it's over.
I'm Christi Feig reporting from Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Natural Selection Foods, the company linked to the outbreak sells products under more than 30 different brand names such as Earthbound Farm, Dole, and Trader Joe's. You can find a complete list of brands of spinach affected on our website at cnn.com.
Folks in the upper Midwest are keeping a close eye on the weather this morning. CNN's Bonnie Schneider is in the weather center with more on that. Why is that?
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Well, violence again rocks Baghdad as the government proposes an unusual idea to secure the city. We'll tell you how they're planning to do that live, coming up.
Also, one island, many adversaries, the summit in Cuba is attracting a who's who of U.S. haters. We're live from Cuba in 20 minutes.
And later -- don't you wish you could play like that? That is Matt Savage and his disability, as they say, is really a hidden gift. So is it a disability? Dr. Sanjay Gupta has his story. You're watching CNN LIVE Saturday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: At a quarter past the hour, here's what's happening right now.
Anger in the Muslim world still growing after some comments made by Pope Benedict XVI. Morocco has now asked that its envoy to the Vatican return its homeland of Morocco. In a speech this week, in Germany, the pope cited a medieval text that described some teachings of the Prophet Mohammad as "evil and inhuman." The Vatican says the pontiff sincerely regrets that Muslims have been offend by some of his comments. Health investigators in the U.S. are searching for the source of a big E. coli outbreak. So far spread is linked to a bagged spinach products from a processing company in California, but other producers are being checked out as well. The outbreak in 19 states has killed one person and sickened dozens more.
In Afghanistan, another coalition soldiers dies at the hands of the Taliban. Officials say the insurgents attacked a base in Khost Province, near the Pakistani border. Another coalition soldier and some Afghan troops were wounded. Khost is one of the areas targeted by coalition forces in "Operation Mountain Fury," a new push against the Taliban.
Former Texas Governor Ann Richards is being remembered this hour. Former President Bill Clinton among the mourners who are paying their respects as Richards' body lies in state the Texas capitol. Richards died Wednesday at the age of 73 after a battle with cancer. Her funeral is Monday.
High above planet Earth, a relaxing start weekend for the space shuttle "Atlantis" crew, they got to sleep this morning and they're taking half the day off after a very busy week. Atlantis is schedule to wrap up its visit to the International Space Station tomorrow.
Now let's check in again with Bonnie Schneider, boy a few things taking place. The Mideast -- let me rephrase that. In the Midwest, we know that on the East Coast, there's threatening storm and then on the Pacific Coast as well.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, METEOROLOGIST: That's true. We have a lot of activities in the tropics and we're also kind of waiting and monitoring for activity to break out in the Midwest. There's an area for moderate risk, this comes from the Storm Prediction Center out of Norman, Oklahoma. We can show you the graphic on to your 115, it shows you the area in red and that's where we're expecting some very strong thunderstorms to break out later today in parts of Minnesota, Kansas, Iowa, just be ready for it.
We're also tracking a brand new hurricane on the bottom of your screen there, that's Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Gordon is up to the north. This new hurricane, Helene, may threaten Bermuda, we'll be tracking that as well, so lots to come -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, we look forward to that, that's so much, Bonnie. We update the top stories every 15 minutes on CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Your next update coming up at 12:30 Eastern.
In Iraq, two Baghdad car bombings killed three people today and 47 bodies have been discovered in a number of Baghdad neighborhoods. Now the Iraqi government is considering an unusual new tactic to curb the violence. CNN's Cal Perry joins us live with more on that -- Cal?
CAL PERRY, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Well, good afternoon to you, Fredricka. Two very serious attacks today, again, insurgents targeting Iraqi security forces. The first at about 10:00 a.m., two Iraqi Army officers were investigating a dead body they found in a car, that car turned out to be rigged with explosives. It exploded, killing both those officers.
About an hour later, a joint Iraqi police patrol, Iraqi police and U.S. military on patrol in the southern side of the city, a suicide car bomber targeted that patrol, killing one person, 22 others wounded.
We understand from both Iraqi officials and U.S. officials no troops involved. That is no solars involved in the killed or wounded that is civilian falling victim, once again, to insurgent attacks.
And overnight, another grisly discovery by Baghdad police, 47 more bodies found. That brings the total since Tuesday to more than 150 bodies found across the capitol -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Cal Perry, thank you so much for that live report out of Baghdad.
This report just in that we're watching out of Missouri -- out of Lonedale, Missouri, this shocking report of a woman claiming that another woman walked into her rural home, slashed her throat and then stole, took away her 1-week-old baby. And now the Franklin County Sheriff's Department has an all-out search for the suspect and for the baby. The baby is described as being named Abby Woods and is wearing a pink dress with flowers on the collar.
There is no identity as of yet of who the suspect is, but the child's mother is describing the fact that she was able to call police at 12:40 p.m. from a neighbor's house after this alleged stranger came in, attacked her and then was able to take the baby -- the 1-week-old baby. Police are asking for anyone with any information, this coming out of Lonedale, Missouri, to call authorities. We'll have more on that story as developments crop up.
Meantime, point, click and save. Want to maybe the most of your money on-line? We'll add it all up and tell you how in our "Dollars and Deals." CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Paying the bills has got to be one of the worst ways to spend your time, but take that task on-line and it can be easier, quicker, and maybe even error free? Carolyn Bigda from "Money" magazine is here to tell you why. Joining us from New York.
Good to see you, Carolyn.
CAROLYN BIGDA, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Hi, how are you?
WHITFIELD: All right, well you give some pretty basic tips that most people have probably heard about by doing everything from getting direct deposit from your pay check, paying you bills online, eliminating the paper trail and then getting money deposited immediately into your 401K or other source of savings, but the bottom line is at lot of us are afraid to do this activity -- financial activity over the Internet particularly because of identity theft, being rampant these days, so how do people feel a little bit more confident about some of these measures that you recommend?
BIGDA: Well, there are some simple steps that you can take to sort of secure yourself when you're working on-line. The first thing you want to think about you need is make you have the right or updated anti-virus or anti-spy ware software.
That's something anybody should do when they're competing online, it's not an extra outlay, but you just want to make sure that you have the up-to-date software. A
Another thing is to make sure when you are logging onto your bank account's website, you're doing it yourself. You're not clicking on an e-mail that might then pop up to a web page because you want to avoid getting caught by a phishing attack which is when a (INAUDIBLE) sends you and e-mail.
WHITFIELD: Now this isn't for everyone, is it?
BIGDA: I like to think that it's for everyone. Some people who are very organized, who are paper oriented might not like this. But this is really for something when you're busy, when you're travels, if you've got a family and it's hectic. I mean, automating your bills, putting them on-line is an easy way to take care of your finances.
WHITFIELD: So, we all got used to writing checks and then now we have been accustomed to doing a lot of these financial transactions on-line. So, what is next? What do we expect is right around the corner?
BIGDA: Well, banks are making it more and more appealing for to you do your banking on-line with them. The reason why it's very cheap for them -- or it's cheaper for them. They don't...
WHITFIELD: Meaning your bank will help designate where your monies go for you?
BIGDA: Yeah, well, there just going to create more services for you. For instance bank of America is an example that comes to mind. Now, they are now actually instead of just paying your bills on-line with them, they are collecting your statements, so it's all collected right there on the website, and so you can view your statements and pay them at the same time. So, it's just getting more and more consolidated and more and more features are coming on-line for to you manage your finances
WHITFIELD: All right, Carolyn Bigda of "Money" magazine, thanks so much for you're your time.
BIGDA: Oh, no problem.
WHITFIELD: Helping us save money and maybe make a little along the side, as well. So, after you've saved all that cash online, check out cnn.money.com to find out how fast it will add up to the millions you are hoping for. You can also check out best places to retire. That address is money.cnn.com. A New Mexico city goes public with an unusual request. Keep an eye out for someone who's threatening to shoot people at random. We'll talk to the mayor of Las Cruces in five minutes.
And united in their opposition to the United States, a who's who of defiance meets in Havana, a live report straight ahead.
CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories.
The Vatican says a speech Pope Benedict XVI gave in Germany this week has been misinterpreted, and the pope is very upset about the reaction to it. The pope quoted a 14th century emperor who criticized Islamic teachings. Many Muslims are accusing the pontiff of religious intolerance.
A California company has recalled all of its spinach products. Spinach packaged by Natural Selection Foods has been linked to E. coli outbreak blamed for one death and at least 90 cases of illnesses. The recall covers spinach marketed under a variety of brand names, including Earthbound Farm.
Another recall in this news, this one involving infant formula. The Abbott Health Care Company has recalled 300,000 bottles of Similac advanced liquid formula and Similac advanced with iron. The bottles are missing a seal that keeps oxygen out and that may prevent babies from getting enough vitamin C.
In Iraq, two deadly car bombings today. Two Iraqi soldiers were killed when they approached a car that had been rigged with explosives. Another car bomb exploded an hour later, killing one Iraqi civilian and wounding 22 others. Also in Baghdad today, authorities report finding 47 more bodies over a 24 hour period.
A coalition soldier has been killed in Afghanistan. The soldier died in Khost. That's one of the five provinces where Afghan and U.S.-led forces are staging Operation Mountain Fury against the Taliban.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Here's something you don't see everyday. Cuba's capital playing host to some of Washington's most outspoken critics. Dozens of world leaders are at a summit in Havana, and CNN's Morgan Neill joins us now with more on what they're all talking about.
MORGAN NEILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, that's right. Today is the final day of the Nonaligned Summit here in Havana. We've heard speeches from many world leaders; among them, as you say, some of Washington's sharpest critics.
We heard yesterday Iran's leader, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, accused the United States, for example, of using the Security Council to impose its will on the rest of the United Nations. We've also heard Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez accuse the United States of planned conspiracies against both Venezuela and Cuba.
But it's important to remember, this an organization that includes now 118 members, among them some very close allies of the United States. The one common theme we've heard in our private discussions with delegates here has been what they're looking for is a unified way in which they can respond to what they do, often seen as U.S. unilateral policies. Many of them saying they're not interested in these sharp criticisms, these vocal condemnations of the Bush policy.
Now also coming out of this summit, it's the -- we're wondering whether or not we would see ailing Cuban President Fidel Castro make an appearance. The answer to this point, no. The summit has been hosted by his brother, acting President Raul Castro, he took over power after July 31st when Cuban President Fidel Castro was forced to hand off power due to intestinal surgery. Raul Castro has been making speeches, welcoming the various delegations, something that really would have been unimaginable just a few months ago.
Also in the state media, we are constantly being told, however, that this is a temporary condition and that Fidel Castro should be back to resume his duties once he has recovered -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Morgan Neill, thanks so much. Of course, the big question is, when might that be, weeks or months from now?
President Bush is at the White House today focusing on the war on terror. CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us live now -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you -- Fredricka.
In the face of staunch opposition from members of his own party, President Bush is digging in. In his radio address today, the president reiterated some of those impassioned arguments that we heard from the president yesterday in the Rose Garden on why he thinks Congress should pass his proposed legislation dealing with the treatment and the trials of high value terror suspects.
Now, President Bush said yesterday that CIA interrogators will not be able to do their jobs, he believes, and extract vital intelligence from detainees, if they don't know what the guidelines are. Specifically, the president says that, "a phrase in Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions is just too vague." A phrase that bans, quote, "outrages upon personal dignity."
Well, today the president again suggested that unless his legislation is passed to clarify that, he will be forced to shut down the CIA's interrogation program, which he says has been invaluable.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The information that the Central Intelligence Agency has obtained by questioning men like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed has help disrupt terrorist plots, including planned strikes inside the United States and on a U.S. marine base in East Africa, an American consulate in Pakistan and Britain's Heathrow Airport. This CIA program has saved American lives and the lives of people in other countries. Unfortunately, the recent Supreme Court decision put the future of this program in question, and we need this legislation to save it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, the president there was referring to the Hamdan case recently in June, which, among other things, said that Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions does, in fact, apply to the conflict against al Qaeda.
But as I noted, the president is, in fact, facing very strong opposition from some very powerful Republican senators; Senators John Warner, John McCain and Lindsey Graham. They are basically backing a different set of rules dealing with detainee treatment. All three of those men, of course, have some strong military ties, including Senator John McCain, a former P.O.W.
In a statement, in fact, after the president's speech, Senator McCain reiterated their that central argument, that the president's legislation, in their view, would allow other countries to apply their own interpretation of Common Article 3, putting U.S. personnel at risk if they were captured.
Now the immediate window for Congress to act, the immediate window of time, really is closing fast, Fredricka. In just about two weeks, members of Congress will be heading home to campaign full-time. And of course we're just now seven weeks away from those all important congressional midterm elections -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. And those races just now getting really hot. All right, thanks so much. Elaine Quijano at the White House.
Well, we all believe our children are special, geniuses even. But how do you know for sure? Up next, I talk with Dr. Sanjay Gupta about his hour-long special. He profiles some remarkable prodigies.
And at 2:00 Eastern, life in Lebanon after the war. We'll find out about rebuilding efforts and what Hezbollah is doing to help people get back on their feet and into their homes. "CNN LIVE SATURDAY" continues right after this.
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WHITFIELD: The world of autistic savants. Most people think of Dustin Hoffmann's character in the movie "Rain Man." But what makes them appear as outsiders in our world makes them geniuses in their own.
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta sat down with a boy who once hated the sound of music, but is now a musical prodigy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Matt Savage finds expression on the 88 keys of the piano. This is what a hurricane sounds like to Matt.
MATT SAVAGE, 14: It kind of transfers from the brain to the fingers. It goes through your body. That's how it feels.
GUPTA: The home-schooled 14-year-old has recorded six CDs on a label his parents started, Savage Records. But Matt is a little different. He's autistic. As a child, he didn't like to be touched, and he couldn't bear the sound of music.
DIANE SAVAGE, MATT'S MOTHER: Our house had been completely quiet. I mean, no TV, no music, no sound. I mean, it was just always quiet. And then my husband and I just heard "London Bridge" being played perfectly down in the playroom.
GUPTA: Matt was six-and-a-half. His first CD came out a year later. Dr. Darold Treffert has studied savants for more than 40 years. He was an advisor on the movie "Rain Man."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How much is 4,343 times 1,234?
DUSTIN HOFFMAN, ACTOR: 5,359,262.
TOM CRUISE, ACTOR: He's a genius?
GUPTA: Treffert says Matt Savage is what is known as a prodigious savant, one of only about 100 in the world.
DAROLD TREFFERT, UNIV. OF WISCONSIN MEDICAL SCHOOL: Savant Syndrome is a condition in which somebody who has a developmental disability, including autism, for example, has some spectacular island of genius.
And we tend to think of ourselves when we're born, that we have a blank disk in this marvelous piece of equipment called the brain, and what we become is everything that we put on our disk. There's much more to us than that. We come with software attached. Matt Savage comes with that music chip installed.
GUPTA: Other researchers disagree. They say savants are simply able to overcompensate for a weakness or damage to the left side of the brain.
(on camera): What do you want to do with your life?
M. SAVAGE: Want to play jazz.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Dr. Sanjay Gupta with us now. So Matt Savage in the piece exemplifies being born with this genius clip. But as a parent, how do you identify something special within your child? And then you need to nurture it so it can come out as beautifully as it did with Matt Savage.
GUPTA: It is not easy by any means. A lot of parents who watch this piece, and they say, well, I wonder if there's something like that in my child. It's not easy. But the biggest piece of advice I think we got from most of the researchers and experts was to try not to close any doors on your child. You know, there might be a specific area of interest, whether it be music or art or something altogether different. To let those doors remain open for the most part.
But this whole idea, Fred, I found so fascinating, are people sort of programmed with this chip and we all these islands of genius within us? Or is it that it happens in people who have some sort of disability, in this case, autism and they're overcoming that autism in a way that makes them a genius in some other way? That is a controversial area here. A lot of people are working on that. But I find it really fascinating.
WHITFIELD: I, did, too. And you know, as a parent, every parent thinks their child is a genius, there's something in there. But say in particular, you're also noticing that your child, while may have that genius, they aren't as able to socially get along with everybody, interact? And so now you've got to deal with trying to educate the educators that are going to be with your kids so that perhaps that genius will be nurtured further and not suppressed. And that can happen, right?
GUPTA: Absolutely. You know, and I say that fully recognizing that a the lot of parents -- again, you and I are both parents as well -- recognize that this is difficult sometimes to find that. It's by no means easy. But the fact that, you know, when parents are spending more time with their children and they're actually not necessarily giving them always programmed learning, but actually allowing them to do natural learning or to "find their thing," quote unquote. Like with Matt, it was a toy piano that helped him find his thing.
That's really important. And I don't say that in any way to make it sound easy, because it's not. And it's very difficult. But if you can find that thing, the child may not only be very good at a particular thing, but also help them express their feelings through the piano, through the keys of the piano like Matt does, or in some other way, so that they become more social, as well.
WHITFIELD: So the medical community is saying about when do you start allowing your child to experiment like this? Are we talking about as soon as they learn how to crawl or learn how to walk? It starts that early?
GUPTA: Yes, I mean, the interesting thing to me was that some of researchers we spoke with saying -- actually starting programmed learning, you know, even if they're number books or alphabet books -- too early might actually interfere with their natural learning.
So I guess the message is really as soon as possible, you know. I mean, instead of trying to do numbers with your 12 month old or 10 month old or whatever, allow them to play, be around, so they can sort of watch you and learn naturally. That seems to be an important key. WHITFIELD: So there is such a thing as too much of a good thing? You don't want to start too early, you don't want to inundate children with too much.
GUPTA: I mean, yes. And that was sort of one of the messages I really wanted to get at in this special was that, you know, you see those "Baby Einstein" tools and all those early educational tools, and you almost feel like you're committing child abuse if you're not spending $500 on all those things. I really wanted to get to the point of do they work, and if so, how do they work or could they be harmful?
And the message we kept getting back was they're probably really good marketing tools. They may not be any better than that. But sometimes it can interfere with a child's natural learning, their ideas about object permanence, their ideas of actually putting numbers together themselves. That's really important. You don't want to get in the way of that.
WHITFIELD: All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much.
GUPTA: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: And be sure to catch Sanjay's special, "GENIUS: QUEST FOR EXTREME BRAIN POWER," Sunday night at 10:00 pm. Eastern, right here on CNN.
And speaking of geniuses, well, it seems like a no brainer that we would want to talk to Ken Jennings this weekend. Coming up at 2:00 Eastern, the all-time jeopardy champ joins us to talk about his new book, "Brainiac."
And later, Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt joins us from the Monterey Jazz Festival at 4:00 Eastern.
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More on the story we've been following. You're now looking at a picture of a 1-week old baby who is missing out of Franklin County, Missouri. A woman in Missouri described it as happening this way. At about 12:40 yesterday, Friday, she says a stranger came to her house, knocked on the door, asked to use the telephone. When she entered the house, she allegedly slit the throat of the mother of this child and then took the 1-week old baby. And now police are launching an intensive statewide search for this 1-week-old baby, whose name is Abby Woods. Last seen wearing a pink dress with flowers on the collar. And authorities are asking if you see this baby or have any information about this alleged abduction, please call authorities there. Franklin County in Missouri.
And now to another very bizarre story taking place in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It being a serious threat that police are entertaining. Police say someone is vowing to randomly shoot people if the city doesn't pay a ransom. City officials are asking residents to keep their eyes open for anything suspicious.
Lieutenant Randy Laura of the Las Cruces Police Department joins me now by phone. And Lieutenant, first you were enlightened about this because two city officials, as well as the city newspaper, got this handwritten letter with this threat, as well as an ask -- a request for ransom?
LT. RANDY LAURA, LAS CRUCES POLICE DEPT.: Well, late yesterday, we received a second of two communications here at this city. And basically the person or persons involved is stating that they will begin to shoot residents of this city at random if their demands are not met. That demand involves a significant amount of money. So we're actively investigating this case right now.
WHITFIELD: Now, I'm sure city officials get strange letters all time, as well as the newspaper. What was it about this one that alarmed you?
LAURA: Well, again, we can't get into specifics of the investigation so much, but we did contact the FBI and SOME other local agencies and it was determined after looking at this issue that the threat was -- had a certain amount of credibility. And therefore, we made the decision to inform the public.
WHITFIELD: Is there a timetable that this letter spells out?
LAURA: Well, there -- that is an investigative detail that we can't talk about at this point. We just wanted to impress upon the residents of this community that they should continue with their normal everyday activities and we'll continue our investigation and update them as appropriate.
WHITFIELD: At what point did authorities there try to make a judgment on how much information to give the public so that they can be vigilant, versus providing information to the public, thereby alarming people?
LAURA Well, that certainly is a balance that has to be achieved. After we received the second correspondence yesterday, it was an investigative decision to come forward with this information and to get some more eyes on the issue and to just get the information out to the people and see if they could help us with this case
WHITFIELD: Lieutenant Randy Laura of the Las Cruces Police Department, thank you so much.
LAURA: Thank you.
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WHITFIELD: Well, "IN THE MONEY" with Jack Cafferty is coming up next after a check of the day's top stories, straight ahead right after this.
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