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American Morning: Wake Up Call
Indy Champ Wheldon Killed in Race; Disabled Adults Locked in Basement; Natl. Guard Joins Search For Baby; Conrad Murray Trial Delayed; 31 Days Of "Occupy Wall Street"
Aired October 17, 2011 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: A tragic and horrific crash at an Indy car race, more than a dozen vehicles involved in a fiery wreck. Driver Dan Wheldon was killed.
This morning, family members and fans across the world are paying tribute to the racing champion.
More "Occupy Wall Street" protests pop up over the weekend. Today, the movement marks a major milestone.
And a study shows harmful bacteria on most cell phones. What researchers found on the device that is could land you in the hospital.
Good morning. It's Monday. This is your WAKE-UP CALL.
I'm Christine Romans, in for Carol Costello. I'm joining you live this morning from New York.
This morning, race officials will begin deciding how they'll investigate a wreck that killed a two-time Indy 500 winner.
Thirty-three-year-old Dan Wheldon was one of a record 34 cars on the Las Vegas track. On lap 12, the unthinkable -- cars spinning out of control, bursting into flames, several actually going airborne. Three drivers were treated for injuries. Wheldon was airlifted to the hospital where he eventually died.
The race was canceled. But the drivers did return to circle the track five times as a tribute, some of them in tears. Dan Wheldon's father-in-law remembers one of the last times they spoke.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SVEN BHEM, DAN WHELDON'S FATHER-IN-LAW: I just told him that I just wanted one thing, Dan, I told him, I said I need you to win. I didn't say I need you to win, but that would be the birthday present I'd like you to have you -- I mean, I'd like to have from you. And so, he said my car is kind of slow, they're working on it. So, hopefully we'll do our best. I said have a safe race.
And then he was supposed to go to Australia after the race and I again said have a safe race. And that's all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Dan Wheldon leaves his wife Susie and his two children, Sebastian is 2 years old, and Oliver is seven months.
The FBI is joining the investigation into a disturbing case out of Philadelphia. This morning, three suspects are in custody, accused of chaining and holding four disabled adults captive in a basement.
Our Susan Candiotti has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police call it an act of evil. In a basement below the basement of this Philadelphia house, a chain shackled one of four mentally and physically challenged adults to a boiler, all of them locked behind a steel door. One woman and three men age 29 to 41.
LT. RAY EVERS, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: It looks like a dungeon. These people were stored like surplus meat in the basement.
CANDIOTTI: Held captive in a 15 by 15 foot room, emaciated, covered in bed sores and filthy conditions. The building's owner discovered them Saturday, when he heard dogs barking inside.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: CNN's Susan Candiotti in Philadelphia.
The four are believed to have been there about a week. Police think the three suspects had been stealing the victims' Social Security checks.
The involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor has been put on hold after the father of the prosecution's last witness died. Dr. Stephen Schaffer, an anesthesiologist began giving testimony last week. He's expected to give more testimony crucial to the prosecution's case once this trial resumes. And despite the delay, the jury is expected to get the case next week.
President Obama is hitting the road again today to push his plan to get Americans back to work. His first stop will be in the Asheville area of North Carolina. He also plans to visit Virginia as part of a three-day bus tour. Both are key battleground states that he won in 2008. The president said since his jobs package failed in the Senate, he wants lawmakers to pass every element of it piece by piece in multiple bills.
The "Occupy Wall Street" phenomenon now in month number two.
Thirty-one days ago, it started as a backlash against the economy and the power brokers and the corporate, financial and political sectors. And from Wall Street, it's gone global, with demonstrations now in cities across Europe, in Asia, Australia. In the U.S., there have been protests in places like Chicago, Phoenix, even up in Fairbanks, Alaska.
One of those arrested over the weekend in an occupy Washington rally was activist Dr. Cornel West. The Princeton University professor said his arrest was to honor Dr. Martin Luther King in the spirit of civil disobedience.
This weekend, that spirit was one of the many things honored at the dedication of the new King Memorial in Washington.
On Sunday musical groups, civil rights icons and the president and first lady were on hand. The memorial site with its 30-foot statue of Dr. King lies between the Lincoln Memorial and Jefferson Memorial on the National Mall.
Reverend King's daughter Bernice spoke about the new memorial honoring her late father.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. BERNICE KING, DAUGHTER, DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.: Today represents another milestone in the life of America. This is a day that all Americans can be proud of. And may I remind you that this is not just a celebration for African-Americans, but for Americans and citizens around this world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The dedication was originally planned for August, but was postponed, you remember, because of hurricane Irene.
Now, let's go to meteorologist Rob Marciano, who's live with me here in New York this morning.
And, good morning, Rob. Are those warm days behind us? What can we expect this week? It was a nice fall weekend in the Northeast this weekend.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It was pretty nice and pretty tranquil.
Good morning, Christine.
With a little bit of brisk breeze. And that breeze is going to cause a little bit in the way of travel delays. And then, you know, tropical or hurricane season not quite done yet. We're going to be affected by a storm as we go through the week.
New York, Boston -- the gusty winds today and sporadic showers will play those airports. Most of the delays, though, should be on the minor side, including Chicago to Detroit, down through Tampa, and Miami, and Orlando, we got a stalled frontal boundary down there. That's going to be the focal point for some rainfall. And then there's a tropical disturbance that's going to bring more in the way of moisture up, not only across Florida, but up across the Carolinas and in through the Northeast as we go through the rest of the week.
Here's the rainfall from the cold low that's been spinning across northeastern Canada. So, just a couple light showers today. I think the main deal is going to be the gusty winds.
And then there's your heavier rain across parts of south Florida -- boy, look at Miami, and down across the Keys, that's completely lit up with heavy rainfall today. Tropical disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico has the potential for becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm in the next couple days. But we think it will quickly make its way up the East Coast mostly as rainmaker.
All right. Here we go. We've been talking about this now for about 10 days. And a lot of people are scratching their head going come on, not again. Another satellite expected to fall to the earth.
This one, we're calling it ROSAT. It's been up there for about 20 years now. It's a big old telescope, did a lot of good stuff form about nine years. Now, it's coming back to earth and it's scheduled to arrive beginning Thursday through like Monday or Tuesday next week.
So, same deal. We don't know when it's going to fall. We think about 30 pieces will survive reentry. So, that's a little bit more than the last one.
And the largest one will be 800 pounds. So, here we go, Christine. This one is coming to town.
And although it's probably going the fall in the same area, 53 north to 53 south, because we've got a little more in the way of pieces, we have a one in 2,000 chance of this one hitting someone across the world. Slightly better chances --
ROMANS: And so hitting someone -- since there are so many people in the world, it means like I have a one in several trillion chance of it hitting actually me?
MARCIANO: Exactly. One in 2,000 doesn't mean it's going to hit you, but any human being on the face of the planet.
ROMANS: I mean, I don't mean to sound selfish, but an 800 pound mirror -- there's some kind of irony about television journalists and being hit by an 800-pound mirror, right?
MARCIANO: Yes, exactly.
ROMANS: We'll talk to you again very soon, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right. Did you see the remake of "Footloose" this weekend? Late night comedians got a big kick out of it. Here's your punchline.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
DAVID LETTERMAN, COMEDIAN: And then "Footloose" and then there's also a movie now, don't confuse it, about Michele O-Bachmann, you know, the presidential candidate from -- the Republican, Michele O-Bachmann.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michele Bachmann.
LETTERMAN: Yes, we have "Footloose." Now, don't confuse the story about Michele, it's called "a screw loose." That's a different story.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to go see "Footloose," and then after that I'm going to kill myself.
CRAIG FERGUSON, COMEDIAN: It was a remake of "Flashdance." You still got that clip of "Flashdance"?
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
ROMANS: All right. Samsung's war with Apple is only getting uglier. The tech giant wants sales of those new iPhones banned in two more countries. I'll tell you why just ahead.
But, first, our "Quote of the Day." Quote, "Tiger Woods will be 40 years old in 2016. Republican parties should begin grooming him for a run at the White House. His personal attributes and accomplishments on the golf course point to a candidate who will be a problem solver, not a politician."
Who wrote this? The answer in 90 seconds.
It's almost 10 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: All right. It's 11 minutes after the hour. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL. Good morning, everyone.
Now back to our "Quote of the Day." "Tiger Woods will be 40 years old in 2016. The Republican Party should begin grooming him now for a run at the White House. His personal attributes and accomplishments on the golf course point to a candidate who will be a problem solver, not a politician."
Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain wrote an op-ed in 2006 endorsing Tiger Woods for president. It ran on a Republican Web site run by Cain before reports of Woods' extramarital affairs became public. Sunday, Cain said he was joking about that column.
Not even Sesame Street is safe from hackers. People checking out its YouTube page yesterday saw explicit sex videos instead of those entertaining muppets that children adore. The names of two YouTube users were posted claiming responsibility for the hack before the content was taken down. But one of the users denies having anything to do with the hit. Certainly bad taste, hackers.
Samsung is beefing up its war with Apple. The tech giant wants sales of the newest iPhone halted in two more countries.
Let's go to Kristie Lu Stout now live from Hong Kong.
Good morning, Kristie.
KRISTIE LU STOUT, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Hey there.
Samsung is again accusing Apple of patent infringement. So, it has filed an injunction to block the sale of the iPhone 4S in two countries, in Japan and Australia. And this is the latest move in a series of recent lawsuits that have seen the two companies sue and countersue each other.
Now, Apple is claiming that Galaxy tablets and smart phones have copied its iPads and iPhones. Samsung denies those allegations.
But, Christine, it is important to note that both companies have worked together. Samsung makes parts for the iPhone and the iPad. So, a very interesting, complicated symbiotic relationship.
Back to you.
ROMANS: A globalized interconnected world, of course, for technology. But they can still have their disputes and spats right now. Google meantime adding 14 more languages to its conversation mode that's featured on its Android phone.
Kristie, how does it work and what languages will we all be able to speak now?
STOUT: Yes, this is coming out soon on Thursday. The conversation mode in Google translate for the Android. It will be able to handle 13 new languages and they are Brazilian, Portuguese, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Polish, Russian and Turkish.
And, currently, the software only translates into English and Spanish. The app, it lets you speak into the microphone of your Android phone, and then have your words translated. I have the app for the iPhone. It is pretty impressive.
But factors like background noise and regional accepts can affect its performance. And Google says that the quality will improve as we use it more. Back to you.
ROMANS: I can't believe what we can do with our phones today. We don't just call with them. We talk to them, they talk to us.
All right. Kristie Lu Stout, thanks so much.
Herman Cain changing his tune about building a deadly border fence. One day after making the remarks, he says, OK, this was all just a joke. But will voters find it funny when they head to the polls?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Get ready to see the GOP candidates like you've never seen them before. Here is your punch line.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
JIM FALLON, COMEDIAN: As a former front-runner, I have one great question for our great, great question. How did I screw this up? Seriously, y'all used to love me. Now I'm pulling behind Mitt and the pizza guy. What happened?
Hello, I'm Mitt Romney. No, I'm not. And I'm ready to fight for America. Nah-huh.
Hi, I'm Michele Bachmann and I want to be your president. As a member of the congressional intelligence committee, I know a lot of scary stuff most Americans don't know. I know for a fact that China is using lasers to blind our satellites and melt the North Pole. I know there's a lizard king that dwells at the center of the earth and alcohols the weather with his mind.
(END VIDEO CLIPS)
ROMANS: All right. Time now for your Political Ticker with Tim Farley, host of "Morning Briefing" on Sirius XM POTUS, live from Washington.
Good morning.
TIM FARLEY, SIRIUS XM POTUS: Good morning.
That Jimmy Fallon is something, isn't he?
ROMANS: Very talented, very talented guy.
Herman Cain backing off calling for a deadly electrical fence along the U.S. border. First -- here is what he said Saturday. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: When I'm in charge of the fence, we're going to have a fence. It's going to be 20 feet high, barbed wire on the top, electrocuted -- electrified and a sign on the other side that says "It will kill you."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: All right. This is how he put it yesterday, a day later.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAIN: That's a joke, David, that's a joke.
DAVID GREGORY, NBC NEWS: That's not a serious plan?
CAIN: That's not a serious plan. No, it's not.
GREGORY: You've got a big laugh, but that's not what you do do.
CAIN: That's a joke. I've also said America needs to get a sense of humor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: He has, Tim, said America needs to get a sense of humor. If you listen to that first clip, he was playing to the crowd and they were laughing along. Will this hurt him, this joking and people asking him if these jokes are serious policy?
FARLEY: Probably not, I don't think. Maybe we could use one of those translators that you and Kristie Lu Stout were talking about, the things you can translate what Herman Cain is saying.
Well, first of all, he said it's a joke. So, he's -- you've got to sort of take him at his word. He kind of giggled at what he said and maybe the way he delivered it.
The other thing is even if it's not a joke, is it really something that's going to upset the people who might vote for him in a primary? Because that's what it's all about right now, getting the primary votes. And there's an awful strong sense among very conservative Republicans, the kind of people who vote in these primaries, that you need to have strong control of the border. So, if it's an electric fence, do it. That may be the opinion.
But I don't think it's going to hurt him either, the short term or the long term. It might come back to hurt him if he, of course, for some reason would manage to get into the general election. But I don't think that's going to happen. I don't think he's going to wind up being the nominee.
But stranger things happen.
ROMANS: Well, that's true. And when you look at the polls, and how much money he's raising, too -- it starts to show you that politics can get -- things can turn on a dime in politics, especially with so many months left in the race.
Let's talk about money and how much cash Republican candidates raised in the third quarter.
Take a look at there. Rick Perry on top there, Mitt Romney. Ron Paul bringing in more than $8 million.
You know, what they raise still doesn't compare to President Obama who brought in much more.
FARLEY: Yes, President Obama, $70 million declared. That's split maybe 50/50 between the Obama reelect and the Democratic National Committee.
But remember, all the money is going to the Republicans right now split up. And there's still a lot of money waiting on the sidelines. That doesn't include the amount of money spent in the PACs that don't have to declare how much is being raised.
What it does say, though, if you look among the Republicans is that Rick Perry, despite his problems with the debates, is going to be competitive in Iowa and New Hampshire and whatever other early primaries there are because he's got the money to spend.
Ron Paul is spending money.
Herman Cain has got to pick up his game a little bit and he has to get up there in Iowa and New Hampshire on the ground. That's why I said I still don't see him with a pathway to the nomination.
But Ron Paul will be a factor. But the others are running on fumes right now, including Jon Huntsman and Newt Gingrich, both of whom are in debt. You even see Tim Pawlenty raised a million dollars in the third quarter. He's still in debt from a campaign he abandoned in August.
But the big story out of the numbers is that Rick Perry is in this at least for the first few primary contests. That's where it's going to determine how long-term a candidate he is, Christine.
ROMANS: You know, Jon Huntsman, so interesting that his economic policies are endorsed by the "Wall Street Journal." But also on paper, he's the one, you know, a couple years ago, last year, that many insiders said the White House was most concerned about, Jon Huntsman.
And you see like him pulling up there. And, you know, a campaign, some say when you look at how much money he's raising, could be on fumes. But we'll continue to watch all of those.
Tim Farley, host of "Morning Briefing" on Sirius XM POTUS, nice to see you this Monday morning. One day, four to go.
FARLEY: See you tomorrow.
We want to remind you that CNN and the Western Republican Leadership Conference are hosting the next Republican debate. Seven candidates will face off in Las Vegas. Jon Huntsman, by the way, is skipping this go-around because he's taking sides with New Hampshire over Nevada in the fight over the primary calendar.
CNN's Anderson Cooper will monitor the debate Tuesday night, beginning at 8:00 p.m.
All right. The dirty secrete your cell phone may be hiding. It's enough to make sick. Details just ahead.
But, first, boil some water, throw in your favorite type of noodle and top it off with your favorite sauce. That's because today is National Pasta Day. Did you know that a Frenchman built the first industrial pasta factory in America? It was in 1848 in Brooklyn. Oh, yes.
Twenty-one minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: In the battle over Sirte, Libya, our Dan Rivers tells us, even with the end in sight for the rebels, the dangers are far from over.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The front line hasn't moved much for days now. But that doesn't make it any less dangerous.
This is the safest way to get around here. Snipers have been picking off NTC soldiers every day. They have plenty of ammunition, just not much discipline when they use it. Gadhafi sniper can keep a dozen NTC troops pinned down for hours.
But the revolutionaries are their own sharp shooters. Patiently they wait on rooftops until they see movement and then the inevitable.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Dan Rivers in Sirte, Libya.
Let's go around the world with Zain Verjee live from London this Monday morning.
Zain, Dan talks about some of the serious dangers that remain in Sirte, especially snipers. But in Tripoli, they're already erasing signs of the Gadhafi regime, aren't they?
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: They are because they've got the bulldozers out and they are getting rid of the Bab Al-Aziziya compound where Moammar Gadhafi used to live in.
And what officials there are saying, Christine, is that they want to basically make it a public park, a nice green space so Libyans can just come and enjoy what once used to be what they call a symbol of tyranny. They said that this is really a symbolic moment, that they just want to get rid of it.
You can see with the pictures, they're raising it down to the ground. The other place, too, interesting, is that there was a courtyard where Moammar Gadhafi would give these fiery speeches. They're saying, according to the locals, that they want to turn it into a place to sell pets. So, that's what they want to do with that.
ROMANS: Meantime, the "Occupy Wall Street" movement in its second month now, day 31. And the movement is spreading to cities across the U.S. and now the globe, Zain.
Where are we seeing these protests pop up?
VERJEE: Yes. Let me show you some of the video. It spread across the Atlantic -- Rome, in Italy.
Now, those protests started off relatively peacefully, and then they turned a little violent.
In London there were protests, too. You'll remember Julian Assange of WikiLeaks, he was also out there protesting.
In Germany, they called for direct democracy.
There are protests, too, in Madrid, Belgium and Sweden. Most of them, Christine, were pretty peaceful.
In some of these pictures, you'll see some people also wearing these masks with thin lips and a sinister face. It's actually from a movie "V for Vendetta." You know, that's about a masked hero that fights totalitarianism.
But, yes, you can see from these pictures how it has spread across the Atlantic and people are making their point.
ROMANS: All right. Zain, you're in London. You may be able to back me up on this. According to a new study, one in six cell phones in Britain may be contaminated with fecal matter that can spread E. coli. It's disgusting.
Researchers say it's likely because some folks don't wash their hands after they use the bathrooms and they're using their phones constantly. They say almost everyone they spoke to said they wash their hands, with soft and water when they could.
They say about 16 percent of cell phones harbored the E. coli bacteria -- 16 percent of cell phones. Mine is clean, I swear, Zain.
VERJEE: That's unbelievable. Well, I don't know -- I don't know you know that, too. But I know that mine is because I'm constantly using hand sanitizers, everyone around the London office does so. I know our phones don't have any of that matter.
But, yes, we're constantly doing this. I don't know if you are, too. I mean, prove it, Christine. Do you have it there, hand sanitizer?
ROMANS: I don't have it with me, but I like that. I like that.
All right. Zain, have a wonderful Monday. And, you know, only four more days to the weekend. How's that for (INAUDIBLE)?
VERJEE: All right. Thanks.
ROMANS: Although Zain is closer than we are because, you know, she gets up earlier and it's, you know, five hours ahead.
All right. Two weeks now and baby Lisa Irwin still can't be found. Ahead, who is joining the search now hoping they can do something to help police?
And "Occupy Wall Street" has gone global. See where those protests have spread.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Good morning everyone. It's Monday, October 17th. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL. I'm Christine Romans in for Carol Costello this morning, joining you live this morning from New York.
The time is now -- it's been about two weeks now since a Missouri baby disappeared from her home. Now, 25 members of the Missouri National Guard are joining the search for 11-month-old, Lisa Irwin, alongside local and federal investigators. Police say they haven't had any breakthroughs in this case. Look at her.
They're hoping a fresh set of eyes will help investigation. Two anonymous people are offering $100,000 for Lisa's safe return. She was now 11 months old when she disappeared. She is now 11-month-old.
The Maryland man held in Aruba in the disappearance of his travel companion heads back to court this morning. Gary Giordano hopes to win his release. His lawyer argues there is simply no evidence to hold him. Giordano says he was snorkeling with Robyn Gardner in August when she disappeared.
Police arrested him at Aruba's airport three days later as he waited for a flight back to the U.S. Her family and friends say she would never go snorkeling.
The trial of Michael Jackson's doctor is on hold today. That's because the father of the prosecution's last witness passed away. Dr. Steven Shafer began giving his testimony last week. He's expected to give more testimony crucial to the prosecution's case once this trial resumes. The jury could still get the trial as early as next week despite that delay.
All right. It started as a backlash against the economy and the power brokers in the corporate, financial, and political worlds. Now, Occupy Wall Street has gone global with demonstrations in cities across Europe, Asia and Australia. In the U.S., there've been protests in places like Chicago, Phoenix, even up in Fairbanks, Alaska. Today is day 31 of the protests.
The queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, was among the many celebrities and dignitaries marking the official dedication of the King memorial on the National Mall. A 30-foot statue of Dr. Martin Luther King now stands between the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. Those who spoke at Sunday's ceremony included some of King's children, Congressman John Lewis, newsman, Dan Rather, and the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: If he were alive today, I believe he would remind us that the unemployed worker can rightly challenge the excesses of Wall Street without demonizing all who work there. The businessman can enter tough negotiations with his company's union without vilifying the right to collectively bargain.
He would want us to know we can argue fiercely about the proper size and role of government without questioning each other's love for this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The dedication was set for August but was postponed by Hurricane Irene. Dr. King is the first African-American to be memorialized on the National Mall.
All right. Why scammers may have their eyes on your kids. That's right. That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: All right. Cross your fingers. So far, so good on the markets. Asian markets ended up this morning, Tokyo's Nikkei at a six-week high. The Hang Seng is just over two percent higher. European markets are up as well. And taking a look at Dow futures are also pointed up. Take a good hard look at the Dow Jones Industrial average, folks.
After just a few weeks ago of talking about potentially a bear market, suddenly, you've had things roaring back and within striking distance really of 12,000. So, it's come back pretty nicely. A lot of folks saying that they don't think there will be a double-dip recession now, and they think that Europe might be under control.
All right. One sector making a comeback this year, business travel. The Global Business Travel Association Expects a 6.9 percent increase in domestic travel spending over last year to $250 billion. And the organization expects business travel to grow well next year but at a slightly lower pace. It says despite uncertain economic conditions, companies know the value in personal relationship.
All right. Attention parents. Keep a close eye on your children's identity. The Better Business Bureau cites one report saying kids' identities are 51 times more likely to be stolen than adults. 51 times. Among the top targets, your child's Social Security Number. Seems those numbers are assigned but not used much.
Scammers find those numbers and sell them because it could take years before you and your kid finds out there's a problem. And by then, a scammer has used your identity for years and years and years, taking out car loans, taking out driver's licenses, credit cards, the whole bit. It can be a real mess to fix up. That's why the younger the identity, the better it is for thieves to steal it.
All right. The game was over, but the action was not. We're going to show you two NFL coaches who turned a simple postgame handshake into a postgame fight.
But first, time for your "Get Smart" question of the day. What percent of parents admitted to being distracted by a cell phone or electronic device while teaching their child how to drive? All right. A. It's 15 percent, B. It's 53 percent, C. is a whopping 74 percent. We'll have the answer for you right after the break. It's 38 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: All right. It's almost 41 minutes after the hour. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL. Good morning.
Now, the answer to today's "Get Smart" question of the day. What percent of parents admitted to being distracted by a cell phone or other electronic device while teaching their kid how to drive? 15, 53, or 74 percent. The answer is 53 percent. Wow!
That comes from a new study by State Farm Insurance. Transportation secretary, Ray Lahood, warns parents' driving habits provide a lifelong lesson for their kids.
All right. Now, some of the days sports headlines. The St. Louis Cardinals flew into the World Series last night. They won the National League championship series four game to two. Cardinals took an early lead in the game and never looked back, winning 12-6. They'll face the American League champ, the Texas Rangers.
The Rangers clinched a world series berth on Saturday beating the Detroit Tigers. Carol is crying tears of pain.
(LAUGHTER)
Game one of the world series is Wednesday night in St. Louis.
To the gridiron now where you might expect to see players get physical, but check this out. The postgame handshake between two NFL coaches turns into a postgame scuffle. You expect, you know, sometimes players get physical, but coaches? San Francisco coach, Jim Harbaugh, is a bit pumped up after his 49ers beat the Detroit Lions.
Lions' coach, Jim Schwartz, took exception to the enthusiasm and getting his face. Both coaches address the tiff in their postgame news conference as Harbaugh admitted shaking hands too hard. Schwartz said he understood the excitement, but added, quote, "there's a protocol that goes with the league."
Tense moments, right? In college football, the Bowl Championship Series unveiled its rankings. The LSU Tigers narrowly beat out the Alabama Crimson Tide for the top spot. You can bet the college football world will be watching when the two play in three weeks. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State round out the BCS standings.
All right. Animals shrinking in size. What's to blame and what could it mean for all of us. Just ahead.
But first, this day in history, October 17th, 1931 was the day Al Capone was convicted of income tax evasion. He was fined and sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. That ended his control of the Chicago underworld. Forty-three minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Good morning. It's Monday, October 17th. This is your A.M. WAKE-UP CALL. I'm Christine Romans in for Carol Costello joining you live this morning from New York. It's about 46 minutes after the hour.
Iran's leadership in the middle of a bit of a power struggle, and that could change everything. Let's go around the world with Zain Verjee live from London. Good morning, Zain. I mean, I know a move to change how leaders take power in Iran. What's brought this on? What does it mean?
VERJEE: Well, this is a pretty significant and interesting development. The Ayatollah Ali Khomeini made a speech to students basically saying why bother having an election for president if we can just pick whoever we want? So, he's basically floated this idea out.
Now, this is much more serious in what it's underscoring here, because there's been a massive power struggle between Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the elected president, and the more religious clerical establishment in Iran. So, what we're seeing in many ways is different things playing out, but that's really at the core of this.
So, it's significant for the Ayatollah to say this because he was the guy that actually backed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a controversial election in 2009. And now, he's saying, well, let's just get rid of that position in terms of it being an elected one in the not-too-distant future.
ROMANS: Around the world now, Zain, too. Israel, where we heard about the Israeli soldier has been since 2006. A deal was struck that he was traded for more than a thousand Palestinian prisoners. The story doesn't really end there, does it?
VERJEE: No, it doesn't. It really does fuel a lot of emotions on so many different sides here. And, the thing to focus on today is that you've got all these families, victims of terror attacks in Israel that have gone to the Supreme Court in Israel. And Christine, they are saying that they do not want these Palestinian prisoners released, more than a thousand.
A first batch is going to be a little bit over 450. And what they're saying is these people are terrorists. They have killed people that we loved. There was one person that lost his parents and three of his siblings in a cafe when it was bombed and attacked by Palestinians. So, they're saying that they should not be released.
Gilad Shalit has been captured since 2006, and that's the Israeli soldier that Israel wants back and is willing to make a deal, but many Israelis just don't want that to happen.
ROMANS: I know. And some are concerned, too, that it will just fuel more kidnappings, quite frankly, that if one Israeli is traded for a thousand prisoners, then does that just, you know, fuel a whole new round of this.
Zain Verjee, thank you so much, Zain. Talk to you again soon.
All right. This morning, race officials will begin deciding how they'll investigate the wreck that killed a two-time Indy 500 winner. Thirty-three-year-old Dan Wheldon was one of a record 34 cars on the Las Vegas track on lap 12, the unthinkable. Cars spinning out of control, bursting into flames, several actually going airborne.
Three drivers were treated for injuries. Wheldon airlifted to a hospital. He eventually died. The race was canceled, but the drivers did return to circle the track five times in a tearful tribute. Still in a state of shock, fellow drivers spoke about their friend, Dan Wheldon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TONY KANAAN, INDYCAR SERIES DRIVER: I know this is a dangerous sport. I know we're exposed to that every day in normal life as well, but, you know, you don't think about it. And today, we have to think about it. I lost one of my best friends, one of my greatest teammates, and I don't know what to say.
I think I'm getting old. I've been through too many of these already. So, it puts life in prospect for sure. If you ask any of us in this field, if we could choose a way to go, that's the way. I wouldn't have chosen different either.
DARIO FRANCHITTI, INDYCAR SERIES DRIVER: I lost, we lost a good friend. I think everybody in IndySar Series considered Dan a friend. I mean, you saw the reaction there. He's one of those special, special people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Indy drivers and fans brokenhearted this morning. Dan Wheldon leaves behind his wife, Suzie, and their two young boys. You see them there. Sebastian is two, Oliver is seven months old.
The FBI is joining the investigation into a disturbing case out of Philadelphia. This morning, three suspects are in custody accused of chaining and holding four disabled adults captive in a basement. Our Susan Candiotti has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Police call it an act of evil. In a basement below the basement of this Philadelphia house, a chained chalked one of four mentally and physically challenged adults to a boiler, all of them locked behind the steel door. One woman and three men, age 29 to 41.
LT. RAY EVERS, PHILADELPHIA POLICE: It looks like a dungeon. These people were stored like surplus meat in the basement.
CANDIOTTI: Held captive in a 15 by 15 foot room, emaciated, covered in bed sores and filthy conditions. The building's owner discovered them Saturday when he heard dogs barking inside.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: CNN's Susan Candiotti in Philadelphia. The four are believed to have been there about a week now. And police think the three suspects had been stealing the victims' Social Security checks. President Obama hitting the road again today to push his plans to get Americans back to work. His first stop will be in the Asheville area of North Carolina. He also plans to visit Virginia as part of his three-day bus tour. Both are key battleground states that he won in 2008.
The president says since his jobs package failed in the Senate, he wants lawmakers to pass every element of it piece by piece in multiple bills.
Now, let's go to Rob Marciano live from New York. Hi, Rob. Where are we expecting the flight delays this morning?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Maybe the northeast a little bit. We've got some wind. A couple showers. Not a really big deal. But checking out on the radar scope. This really feels like fall, doesn't it? A bit of a brisk breeze over the last couple of days. Lower levels of humidity, all with a storm that's spinning across Canada, and they will continue to spin in this direction in the next few days.
You see the rotation there. Just a few showers, but the wind is going to be the bigger issue. Heavier rains all across South Florida. Look at the rain shield popping up on the radar screen there. This is all tropical moisture that's feeding up from what could be a tropical depression or tropical storm here in the next 36 to 48 hours. We're watching that closely, but obviously, rainfall is going to be heavy.
So, flood watches are up for much of the state of Florida, at least the southern part of it. Anywhere from two to six inches of rainfall, 40- to 50-mile-an-hour wind gust with this as the tropical system develops and some rip currents are possible. All that rain will be moving up the east coast as well. And that could cause some flooding issues as far north as New England.
So, there are your delays expected today. New York and Boston because of the wind. Same deal in Chicago and Detroit. Tampa and Miami because of that rainfall. And another system rolling across the Great Lakes and through Denver. Gusty winds potentially there. Daytime highs today will be 61 in Chicago, 67 degrees in New York City.
Much cooler air, by the way, will be rolling into the eastern two-thirds of the country as we get toward the middle and end part of the week. Climate change, Christine. There's a new study out by the USGS and the World Conservation Union that says that climate change may be responsible for some of our animals actually shrinking.
They're saying some of the toads, tortoises, red deer, among others, even some polar bears potentially shrinking in size due to climate change and their food supply, in some cases, dwindling. And, who knows, you know, down the road if that affects the food chain. You know, people might even shrink, you know, over the next few centuries.
Certainly we've gotten larger, haven't we, in the past one or 200 years.
ROMANS: Wow!
MARCIANO: So, interesting study coming out about the potential effects of climate change.
ROMANS: That is really interesting. Who is the study by again?
MARCIANO: This is combination of USGS and the World Conservation Union.
ROMANS: Interesting.
MARCIANO: Yes. Yes. So, we'll see what happens. You know, I could stand to fit into some clothes from five or ten years ago. So, maybe we're shrinkier in the next --
ROMANS: No, I know. But you're a tall guy. Maybe it's not just shrinking in girth. I mean, I think it's shrinking -- anyway, how tall a guy are you?
MARCIANO: I'm 6'2", but yes, we were much shorter 100 years ago. You go into some of these older houses and the door jams are lower.
ROMANS: That's right.
MARCIANO: So, it's about time to fit back in some of those old homes.
ROMANS: All right. There you go. Rob Marciano, thanks, Rob. Talk to you again soon. Yes.
Christmas will be here before you know it, and we've got the list for the hottest toys of the years. Oh, yes. Of course, it's October. Toy industry wants you to get real excited right away, right? We're going to tell you what they are right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Welcome back. Now, let's go to my old friend, Joya Dass. She's taking a look at your money this morning. She joins us live from the NASDAQ MarketSite. Good morning. Nice to see you.
JOYA DASS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Christine, it's always good to see you. Good morning, everyone. I want to take a little walk back to the board and show you exactly how the futures markets are doing on this Monday morning. You can see that they're all pointing to a higher open.
Investors, of course, are keeping one eye on Europe this morning. But, more importantly, here in the U.S., we're taking up a whole slew of earnings reports including those from the likes of McDonald's, Apple and GE -- Christine
ROMANS: We're going to see some green arrows? Are you promising green arrows today, Joya? DASS: I can't ever promise anything. You know that.
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: I know. I know. Well, we'll look for some green arrows, at least. I mean, it's amazing how we were talking about a bear market a month ago, and suddenly, things have been coming back, but whatever. Maybe people will have money to pay for the toys that they want to buy for Christmas. You got the --
DASS: This holiday toys list.
ROMANS: What is it?
DASS: I know. And you know, it's earlier and earlier every year that we talk about this, but what's interesting is that there's a new survey out from timetoplaymag.com, and a lot of these toys actually seem to be geared towards boys. The first of which s something called the big action construction site which comes with a big remote control truck and allows you to haul bolders up and down ramps and the like.
Now, if you really want to make sure you protect your floor space, hot wheels has something called hot wheels tracks that have adhesives on the back. So, you can actually attach it to the wall. You don't have to be tripping all over your living room floor.
ROMANS: To the wall?
DASS: Yes. The adhesive has some kind of direction so you can make sure you don't take the paint off with it when you take it back down.
ROMANS: I wonder why boys are dominating the list this year.
DASS: OK. So, just to get a little democratic, there's something called Inno Tab, which is a scaled down version of the iPad, and it comes with kid-friendly-ask like an e-reader, an art pad, a coloring book, and what I thought was most interesting is an organizer, like a calendar so mom and dad can also keep track of all the kids' activities.
ROMANS: Interesting. I know there's always a really kind of must-have electronics device every year. And you're right. Every year the industry is, you know, well before Halloween telling us what everybody must have for Christmas. They're trying to get our interest peaked and get our wallets primed for the season.
Joya Dass, really nice to see you this morning.
DASS: Take care.
ROMANS: Talk to you soon.
All right. "AMERICAN MORNING" continues right now.
