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Former V.P. Candidate Addresses Governors; Changing Dynamics: Diversity in Every Workplace; James Brown's Son-in-Law Dead; Pastor Finds His Lost Family; Toddler Leads Team to Victory
Aired November 12, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Big three on the brink. Democratic leaders want to throw out a lifeline. Some economists want to reel it in. The president on his future and the future president. An exclusive CNN interview.
It's Wednesday, November 12th, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Heidi Collins. And you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Waking up and watching the markets. We can't help ourselves. In the middle of more recession talk, Asian and Pacific markets have slipped just a bit. Japan and Australia, both off a percent or more. So far Europe's trading even after the major markets opened way down.
Next hour, an update from treasury secretary, Henry Paulson, on the big financial bailout, and we could see another one, this time for U.S. automakers.
Monitoring all of it, our Christine Romans in New York.
So, how do you think the stock markets are going to react to these rumors?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, you never know. I mean to be quite honest with you about that. This market has been so skittish and nervous and when we've seen it move one way at the open, it's closed sharply lower or sharply higher, depending so, you know, we got to kind of keep our eye off the ball -- take our eye off of the stock market, too, and take a look at, you know, what's been happening with our pocketbook.
You know? Because the stock market is one thing and it's in our retirement. But every week and every time people fill up their tanks they're seeing something that's actually really good for them right now, and that is lower gas prices.
I mean take a look at gas prices over the last month, right?
WHITFIELD: Yes.
ROMANS: Current price, $2.20, a gallon last month, $3.21, last year $3.11 a gallon. These are record declines in gas prices, so that is definitely good news for American consumers and something that is an immediate stimulus for millions and millions of people.
So we can argue about the stimulus, we can argue about bail-outs, we can argue about what's happening with the macro economy, but we know that on a very near-term basis, those -- those lower gas prices are certainly helping people right here.
WHITFIELD: Yes, I among many were very skeptical we'd ever see gas prices go down...
ROMANS: I know.
WHITFIELD: ... once we got to the $3, you know, a gallon mark.
ROMANS: There are a few states, Fred, where the average is now below $2 a gallon. Just one of our co-workers...
WHITFIELD: It's a huge relief.
ROMANS: ... here said $1.99 she paid to fill up this morning.
WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. Wow. That's incredible. All right, meantime, let's talk about Henry Paulson.
We are expected to hear from him in the next hour, not just only about the $700 billion bailout that we were all accustomed to in terms of really resuscitating the financial institutions, but now there's talk of the U.S. automakers who need a little help possibly from that bailout?
ROMANS: Right. The Democrats would like to see some of that bailout, that $700 billion, used for the auto industries. And there are other industries, frankly, that are trying to figure out maybe if they could somehow qualify for that $700 billion.
I mean it's a whole lot of money that Congress has already set aside. So where is that money going? I mean I want to show you exactly how it's been used so far.
About half of it still hasn't been allocated for anything. You know the next president must go to Congress first and say, listen, I need to spend that money and then Congress will authorize it. $250 billion has been authorized to inject directly in the banks, to buy shares in the banks.
$40 billion is -- has been authorized to buy preferred shares in AIG, an insurance company. And then this administration, or the next administration, early on, has $60 billion left to spend that has already been allocated by Congress.
So that's where all your money is, right there. How it's been used and whether -- whether it's working remains to be seen. We have a lot of -- there'll be a lot of questions for Treasury Secretary Paulson on that.
WHITFIELD: And so will one of those questions be that $60 billion yet for the next administration, will that question be is that the kind of money that might help the U.S. automakers? Are we talking about a whole new bailout plan? ROMANS: Where would that money go? Could some of that $60 billion be used for automakers? Should there be a whole new bailout? Is a whole new bailout sending good money after bad? Would it even help the industry?
These are all very good questions.
WHITFIELD: All right. Christine Romans, thanks so much. I know we'll be talking to you again on all of this. Thank you so much.
ROMANS: Sure.
WHITFIELD: Let's talk a little bit more about bailing out the big three.
U.S. automakers say without one, they simply won't make it. $25 billion is the figure being tossed about. Democratic leaders are for it, but not everyone is on board.
Here now is CNN's Gary Tuchman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The cars are there. The buyers are not.
(On camera): Could you use a new car?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I can use it if I don't have to pay for it.
TUCHMAN (voice over): An industry that is the backbone of the U.S. economy is in desperate straits. A serious lack of economic confidence and a history of disastrous decision making has put the big three on the brink.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We certainly have hope that things are going to turn around, but until you got more confidence than I have right now, you're just not comfortable enough to do it right now.
TUCHMAN: David Cole from the Center of Automotive Research in Michigan says 2 to 3 million jobs could be lost quickly if the big three go bankrupt.
DAVID COLE, CENTER FOR AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH: The bottom line is, is that this industry is on the edge of the cliff. If it goes over that cliff, the cost to the economy is going to be enormous.
TUCHMAN: Democratic congressional leaders are pushing for a lame-duck session to try to pass legislation to make automakers eligible for help under the already passed $700 billion bailout measure.
So far, the Bush administration resisted the idea. Some experts say a company like GM hasn't learned from past mistakes.
PETER MORICI, ECONOMIST: If we subsidize General Motors now so it doesn't go under in 2009, it will go under in 2011. But when it does, it won't disappear. The factories won't go away. It will go through a bankruptcy reorganization.
Then the new company will emerge that makes the same cars, but with much lower costs and much better competitive prospects.
TUCHMAN: But others say the immediate financial devastation would be immense and that the big three automakers are positioned for future success if they get the infusion.
COLE: I don't like the idea of government involvement. But when you consider the size of this industry, the importance in the economy and the fact that the costs of prevention here is much lower than the cost of a calamity, it is the right thing to do in terms of what's best for this country.
It is absolutely a special case. And it has been for a long, long time in our economy.
MORICI: The automobile industry is not a special case, any more than the steel industry or the airline industry were a special case.
TUCHMAN: A 180-degree difference of opinion, but all agree that right now, business stinks.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: President-elect Barack Obama still putting together his transition team. The team members already in place, meeting for the first time Tuesday.
CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is joining us from Chicago this morning.
So, Suzanne, what did we learn about what's happened in this meeting?
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, what we expect today is that Barack Obama and Joe Biden are going to be behind closed doors. They're in the Chicago offices, obviously, talking about the transition, the possible -- the names coming up in the Cabinet.
Yesterday was the first briefing that we got from the head of the transition team. Former chief of staff, John Podesta, who laid this all out. It is an extraordinary operation. There are some 450 employees that are involved. So there's about a $12 million budget, half of that being -- going to the government, paying for it, half private donations.
But there are a lot of heavy-hitters that are essentially involved in giving advice to this transition team. One of those people, a former senator, Sam Nunn, from Georgia, who's going to be an informal adviser, just one of the many names coming out.
Obviously, this is a top priority. They're looking at treasury, they're looking at state. Those are the two positions that we expect that will roll out in the weeks to come. But obviously still getting all their ducks in a row here. And, Fred, this is something that we won't necessarily see these two men publicly, but behind the scenes, a lot of work that's being done.
WHITFIELD: And meantime, speaking about behind the scenes, what about that behind closed doors meeting between President Bush and President- elect Obama taking place on Monday? I understand there's a little bit more to glean from it.
MALVEAUX: Well, you know, these two men, they sat down. They talked about their priorities and both the White House and the transition team were very careful afterwards to say that there was no deal- making, wheeling and dealing that was going on between the two, but we did learn that Barack Obama stressed the importance of the second economic stimulus package to President Bush.
But President Bush has been against it, and Barack Obama trying to use really kind of his weight as well as the Democratic Congress to get that push through before he actually takes office.
He also made a case for more of that bailout money to be used to help out the auto industry, which has been doing so poorly. We've gotten such bad news out of the automakers recently.
On the other hand, President Bush saying that he really wanted to see the Colombia Free Trade Agreement pass, and that is something that Democrats have been kind of reticent about, but both of them saying that this is not something that was a quid pro quo necessarily, but clearly both of them making it -- making it obvious that this is what they want in the weeks to come, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right, Suzanne Malveaux in Chicago. Thanks so much for that update.
An American aid worker killed in Pakistan. It happened near the border with Afghanistan. Police officials say gunmen opened fire in Peshawar, killing the aid worker and his Pakistani driver. The U.S. embassy is taking part in the investigation.
U.S. government employees had been warned to stay away from the area because of previous attacks aimed at Americans.
Iran says it has successfully test fired a new long-range missile. The country's defense minister says the surface-to-surface missile has a range of about 1200 miles. That means it could easily reach Israel.
The White House reacting to the test this morning, saying Iran should not do any further tests, if they really want to gain the trust of the world. Iran's government says, it is only a defensive weapon. They're not saying when the missile exactly was fired.
Life after June -- January 20th, that is, for the nation and for him. President Bush sits down for a one-on-one interview with our Heidi Collins.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Breaking news, revealing developments, see for yourself in the CNN NEWSROOM.
WHITFIELD: A candid conversation with the commander in chief. President Bush sitting down with our Heidi Collins for his first post- election interview, talking about the president-elect, popularity and U.S. forces overseas.
An important focus for the president on Veterans Day.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks for doing this today. We really appreciate it.
My first question is about veterans, obviously, on Veterans Day. We know there are roughly 24 million veterans in this country. And on a day where we are honoring their service, how do you feel about your service as commander in chief?
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Being the commander in chief is as high an honor as you could possibly imagine. And I've given it my all to support our military, to support our veterans.
What does that mean? Well, it means still the Congress would say, let's make sure our military families have good housing, good health care, good educational benefits. It means helping -- work with the Congress to get money for our veterans, but it really means saying to our troops, I will make decisions based upon what is best for our country, not best for me politically.
Now I don't want our troops to think that the decisions I have made were about politics or about my standing. The decisions were made how to secure this country, how to protect ourselves in the long run. And that was important for those troops to know their commander in chief, not only supported them, but stood with them in their mission.
COLLINS: As you stand with them and their mission, there are two months left...
BUSH: Yes.
COLLINS: ... to your presidency. How will that feel to leave office in the middle of...
BUSH: Well, you know, I'm trying to figure it out, because there's a lot going on. Obviously, we got an economic situation, the campaign just ended. We still have troops in harm's way.
I'll be meeting with families of the fallen today, so the job, you know, will end on January the 20th, and so this is a better question on the 21st. I'm not sure what to tell you, because I've -- I know I'm going to be going from 100 miles an hour to near zero overnight.
And it's going to be -- I'm not sure what to expect. I know I'll miss certain things about the presidency. I also know I'm looking forward to getting home. So, it's -- I've got mixed emotions, I guess.
COLLINS: What will you tell -- and maybe you spoke about this yesterday with President-elect Obama...
BUSH: Right.
COLLINS: ... about taking care of America's veterans and active servicemen and women.
BUSH: Yes. Well, first of all, to the extent he asked my advice, you know, I -- and he may want to ask it again, and the best way to make sure he feels comfortable asking it again is for me not to tell you in the first place what I advised him.
So we had a very private conversation. It was relaxed. It was interesting to watch a person who is getting ready to assume, you know, the office of the president, it's going to be a fantastic experience for he and his family.
I don't -- I mean, he didn't need my advice about supporting the military. He knows he must do that. And we had a good conversation. I was very pleased. And I remember the conversation I had with my predecessor, Bill Clinton.
A matter of fact called him yesterday, and, you know, I said, Bill, I'm getting ready to meet with the new president. And I remember how gracious you were to me, and I hope I can be as gracious to President- elect Obama as you were to me.
COLLINS: In fact, you said, you didn't have to do this.
BUSH: That's right. It was -- but it was interesting yesterday. You know, one question I can share with you is that one of the things that President-elect Obama was really interested in, after we had had our policy discussion, was his little girls. How would they like the White House?
And it was interesting to watch him go upstairs and he wanted to see where his little girls are going to sleep. And clearly this guy is going to bring a great sense of family to the White House. And I hope I -- I hope Laura and I did the same thing.
And -- but I believe he will. And I know his girls are on his mind, and he wants to make sure that, first and foremost, he's a good dad. And I think it's going to be a -- I think it's going to be an important part of his presidency.
COLLINS: This is your first interview since the election.
BUSH: Yes, it is. It is.
COLLINS: So you know I'm going to ask you, how did you think that turned out? What was your impression?
BUSH: Well, my -- choice didn't win. I was for John McCain. I felt he battled hard. But I meant what I said after the election, that the election of Barack Obama is an historic moment for our country.
There are a lot of people in America who did not believe they would ever see this day. And it is good for our country that people have hope in the system and feel vested in the future.
And so President-elect Obama has a great opportunity. And I really do wish him all the best. I mean, I am just as American as he is American. And it is good for our country that the president succeeds, and so the transition that we're working with him on is a genuine effort to help him be able to deal with the pressures and the complicated issues of the presidency.
COLLINS: Where do you see this country in four years?
BUSH: You know, it's hard to tell. I -- I'm pretty confident we'll recover from the economic times. That, you know, Iraq will be a symbol of freedom. That Afghanistan will improve.
In other words, there's a -- the country will be secure, and it's going to be very important for the president and Congress to work together to make the decision so that we can succeed in keeping us secure and helping us regain our prosperity.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, what the president thinks about his popularity and the poll numbers. More of Heidi Collins' interview with President Bush coming up in the next hour.
And President Bush's choice, Senator John McCain -- well, he's talking for the first time about his failed bid for the presidency. Last night he told NBC's Jay Leno that he doesn't blame Sarah Palin for the loss.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I'm so proud of her and very grateful that she agreed to run with me. She inspired people. She still does. And, look, I'm -- I couldn't be happier with Sarah Palin. And she's going back to be a great governor, and I think she will play a big role in the future of this country.
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Did she ever get off message at one point?
MCCAIN: Did you expect mavericks to stay on message?
(LAUGHTER)
LENO: Well...
MCCAIN: No, I'm sure that from -- but she was -- look, we did a lot of things together, a lot of these rallies. The people were very excited and inspired by her. And that's what really mattered.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The 72-year-old McCain also told Leno that he has no plans for a presidential run in 2012. He says, he'll leave that to, quote, "another generation of leaders." All right, tracking a silent killer. A blood test to tell if your health is at risk. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta with what you should know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Brain aneurysms are often referred to as a silent killer because symptoms don't usually appear until it's too late. But a new study says a simple blood test may tell if you are at risk.
CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, joining us now.
Sanjay, is there really a way to know in advance if you might be facing an aneurysm somewhere in the future?
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's the question a lot of people have been asking. And Yale researchers, at least for the time being, say yes.
Let me tell you, Fred, this is after a lot of work. They've been studying this for about 15 years, specifically looking at the DNA of more than 10,000 people around the world trying to figure out what is abnormal about those people who have aneurysms.
And after looking at all of these DNA markers, they zoomed in on three specific areas which seem to be abnormal in people who had aneurysms. If you have a defect in those three areas, you're three times more likely to have an aneurysm.
So this is probably the first sort of predictor we have of people who are the most likely to have them. Now for people who don't know, you may remember because we've talked about this in the past, an aneurysm itself is sort of a blood blister on the blood vessel wall.
Take a look here, Fred, if you will. This is the blood vessel and then all of a sudden you see this little pooching here. That is a sort of blood blister. That is where the blood vessel has leaked. That is where it can leak or rupture and that is a problem, a significant problem when it happens in the brain.
So a lot of focus on trying to figure this out ahead of time and, again, Yale researchers think maybe they are on to something here.
WHITFIELD: Wow. So in the case of Vice President-elect Joe Biden, he is one who had a history of aneurysms, a test like this, might it have helped him detect it before it were to happen had it been available?
GUPTA: It could have been if they had been available at that time. The most likely scenario on that sort of situation is that somebody would get the blood test and they would find that they are more likely to develop an aneurysm they might get a brain scan that could show something ahead of time.
So, for example here, this may be hard to point out. This is a CAT scan. But this is a little abnormality in the blood vessel wall, that would be an indication to the radiologist and then the neurosurgeon to maybe do something about it. It's not available yet. It's about five years away, at least according to Yale, and it may not be for everybody except for people who are considered more high risk. But, again, you know, the first -- the first chance of at least predicting what are sometimes deadly aneurysms.
WHITFIELD: Wow, and you're at more -- you're at greater risk, because, what, does it run in the family type of thing?
GUPTA: Right. So there's some concern that there may be a genetic component to it in the sense that if your parents have it or a first- degree relative have it, you might be more likely to have it as well.
But, you know, these are treatable problems. I can tell you that as a neurosurgeon, but, again, one of the keys is trying to treat it before it starts to leak.
WHITFIELD: Right.
GUPTA: Before it ruptures.
WHITFIELD: Wow. All right. Dr. Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much. Appreciate it.
GUPTA: Thanks, Fred. All right, thank you.
WHITFIELD: From the Senate to the vice president's office, it's a road well traveled. How will Joe Biden handle the transition and his new role? We'll take a closer look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Live in the CNN NEWSROOM, Fredricka Whitfield.
WHITFIELD: Concerns about the fate of the American auto industry and the overall economy hit stocks on Tuesday.
Let's go to Stephanie Elam at the New York Stock Exchange to see how things are going. I realize that there was already a response pre- marketwise, but what's the expectation for the U.S. market?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, unfortunately, those concerns are still plaguing investors so we're expecting a lower open when we get there in about 30 seconds.
Treasury secretary, Henry Paulson, is set to give an update on the $700 billion financial rescue package this morning. Many -- or I should say most of the money has been allotted to buy shares in financial institutions, but yesterday House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she wants Congress to give some of that cash to GM, Ford, and Chrysler.
Some analysts say that without helping the government, GM could go bankrupt. GM shares closed below three bucks on Tuesday and that's the first time since 1946. It's also a big week for retailers. Macy's said before the opening bell that it swung to a third quarter loss. And Best Buy had its annual outlook amid what it calls the toughest retail environment it has ever seen. Because of that weakness, the nation's number two mall operator, General Gross Properties, well, it's warning that it's on the brink of bankruptcy. General Gross, their shares are down 28 percent.
All right, we've got the numbers. Tallying it up right now, the Dow up 81 points at 8607, Nasdaq off 25, at 1555. So, we're already off one percent. I said up, but I meant down. I was just trying to be optimistic, I guess, but I meant to say down. But they are down.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we need all the optimism we can get, right?
ELAM: Right. And look -- I mean, already out of the gate off one percent, Fred. So, we will see if we're in for another rocky day.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Stephanie. Appreciate it. We'll check back with you.
ELAM: Sure.
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, as Stephanie mentioned, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson is set to speak in about an hour from now. We're expecting an update on the government's financial rescue package. You want to catch his comments live right here in the NEWSROOM.
World leaders head for the White House later this week for an economic summit. But don't expect to see President-elect Barack Obama there. His aides say that he is serious about the U.S. having one president at a time, and for now, he and the vice-president elect are focusing on all the issues that they'll have to tackle together come January. What kind of vice president, by the way, might Joe Biden be? CNN's Alina Cho takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was chosen for his foreign policy experience. But some who know him best say Joe Biden's greatest asset as vice president will be his candor.
GEORGE MITCHELL (D), FORMER SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: One benefit, above all others, that Joe Biden will bring to the new administration is he will tell President Obama what he thinks, good, bad or indifferent.
SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), VICE PRESIDENT-ELECT: Believe me.
CHO: Friends called Biden persuasive, charming, a man who has mastered the art of aisle crossing. But Biden's tendency to speak his mind unfiltered has gotten him into trouble.
VOICE OF BIDEN: Mark my words, it will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John F. Kennedy.
BILL BENNETT, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: He tends to talk as he thinks. So, there's a little bit of what has Forrest Gump's line, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get."
CHO: For the past eight years, Dick Cheney has been an influential vice president. Critics argued too much so the subject of jokes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president can do nothing without checking with the vice president.
CHO: Biden calls Cheney dangerous and says he'll be different.
BIDEN: The primary role of the vice president of the United States of America is to support the president of the United States of America, give that president his or her best judgment.
CHO: Political expert Larry Sabato says Biden could learn from predecessors like al Gore who he says focused too much on pet projects like the environment.
LARRY SABATO, CENTER FOR POLITICS AT UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: You didn't see Vice President Cheney taking on a wide variety of extracurricular assignment. That just doesn't work if you want to be in the inner circle of any administration.
CHO: He says Biden, to be effective, must be in the inner circle.
SABATO: The key to a successful vice presidency is proximity to the president. Biden has been around Washington long enough to know that.
CHO (on camera): Something else Biden understands, restraint. A former senior adviser told me that Biden is old-school loyal. He understands the pecking order. So just as he'll give it to Obama with the bark off as one said, he'll never speak out publicly against him. It's simply not his way. Others say he'll stay above the fray. Some have said if Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff, is the attack dog and the bad cop, Biden will be the good cop. Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: A political rising star, or just a name for the history books? We're talking about Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. We've seen a lot of her since the election just last week. Well, today, this is the focus for the Republican governors and the futures of the GOP, all meeting in Miami. CNN's John Zarrella reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If you thought she'd fade away, forget it. Not happening. As republican governors gather in Miami, Sarah Palin will be the headliner for a discussion on the future of the party. But is her high visibility serving the party best? JIM KANE, POLITICAL ANALYST: We need Sarah Palin to go away for a while, and they need some of their other leaders to participate in how the party is going to be run for the next several years.
ZARRELLA: Among them, three other star-power governors -- Florida's Charlie Crist, Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty, Louisiana's Bobby Jindal -- all were mentioned as possible Senator McCain running mates. In an image-conscious world, all are young, polished and popular. But can they lead?
JIM GREER, CHAIRMAN, FLORIDA REPUBLICAN PARTY: I think experience they have. They certainly understand the importance of serving the citizens of their state, and as we look to the future, I think governors are where the leadership is going to come to bring the Republican Party back into power.
ZARRELLA: Along with Palin, anyone of them could carry the Republican torch in 2012. Jindal wouldn't comment on the presidency but has said he's not interested. Yet the charismatic governor is clear on where his party needs to focus.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R), LOUISIANA: If we will show that we remain the party of controlling, spending and cutting taxes, crack down on corruption and offer real solutions to the problems that matter the most to American families, I think we'll be successful.
ZARRELLA: Jindal believes he and his fellow Republican governors are positioned to lead the party.
JINDAL: And I think governors across the country can show what they're doing in their states and they can say this is not about rhetoric or campaign promises, look at the results we're producing every day for our people.
KANE: I think we'll definitely going to see somebody coming out of this delegation in the next four years of Republican governors. That's going to step forward and probably take control of the Republican nomination.
ZARRELLA: Of course, a lot can change. Four years is a lifetime in politics.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA: Now it seems somewhat silly that before Barack Obama has even sworn in as the next president, we're already discussing who might be challenging him on the Republican side in 2012. But that just goes to show you, how much work the Republican Party has to do to get its house back in order, and they say and admit, they've got to do it pretty quickly.
Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And so, John, while the governors' conference is already under way, has there been a grand entrance of Sarah Palin? Any Sarah Palin sightings? ZARRELLA: No. Not yet. Lots of other governors we've seen already and talked with briefly, but at this point, not clear if Sarah Palin is in the house as they say. But we know she'll be here at 1:00, because she has an interview scheduled, though, with Wolf Blitzer at that time, which will, of course, air later today in "THE SITUATION ROOM." So, we know she's going to be here for that.
Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, John Zarrella. Appreciate it. We know she's somewhere in the house. In fact, she's going to be in the CNN's house as we underscore here, John Zarrella's point there. She's going to be in "THE SITUATION ROOM" with a sit-down interview with our own Wolf Blitzer. You don't want to miss that. You heard him say they're getting ready taping it, 1:00 p.m. Eastern hour, but you don't want to miss "THE SITUATION ROOM," beginning at 4:00, that interview at 6:00.
And she'll also be a guest, for those of you who can't get enough of Sarah Palin. She'll be on "LARRY KING LIVE," this evening, 9:00 p.m. You don't want to miss that, either.
All right. You don't want to miss our Jacqui Jeras. She's in the weather center. Let's check in with Jacqui to see what's going on.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: We got a lot of rain going on, Fred. Look at it.
WHITFIELD: Where? Oh, yes, that is a lot of rain.
JERAS: It is a lot of rain. But you know what --
WHITFIELD: I bet it's heading our way, too.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right. We know that low-cloud cover sometimes causes, you know, a few flight delays. Kind of frustrating in and out of Atlanta, but it happens. All right, Jacqui, thanks so much. We appreciate it.
All right, they are calling it TroopTube. The U.S. military has launched its own version of YouTube. The new video-sharing Web site is being unveiled 18 months after the military restricted access to YouTube because of security concerns.
Well, members of the Armed Services, their families and Civilian Defense Department employees can now sign up to TroopTube. You can upload videos from any Internet connection, but the Pentagon will screen each video for taste, copyright violations and, of course, national security issues.
All right, well, he just got hired for the top job, ever. Will having Barack Obama as our president do anything for diversity in hiring?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Having a president who's black is going to open the minds of people to say, you know what, I can do this, too. I can be a leader, I should be a leader.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. So, not just in the White House, everywhere else in this country. The President-elect already making a huge impact. How could it change your workplace?
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WHITFIELD: A Latino group is outraged over the stabbing death of an Ecuadorian man in what police are calling a hate crime. Seven Long Island teenagers face charges in the attack. Police say the group had gone out for what they called "Beaner jumping."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DETECTIVE LT. JACK FITZPATRICK, SUFFOLK, NY POLICE: Their motivation was to find people -- to find Latinos and to assault them. And that was what they went out to do that night, and that's exactly what they did do.
FERNANDO MATEO, HISPANICS ACROSS AMERICA: We cannot harvest terrorists in our homes. These seven kids are terrorists. And they must pay as such.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, the teens have pled not guilty. The victims' family blames the boys' parents for the attack and plans to sue them in civil court.
Well, people will be watching, not only how Barack Obama governs, but also who he chooses to help him govern. CNN's Deborah Feyerick looks at the changing dynamics from the Oval Office to your office.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Barack Obama introduced his interim economic advisors, many people were struck by the diversity. Nearly half the team women, Hispanics and African- Americans.
MARC MORIAL, CEO NATIONAL URBAN LEAGUE, NYC: That sends a message, when the leader of the country has assembled a competent, diverse team, to business leaders across the nation that they ought to do the same.
FEYERICK: Some experts who track diversity say the election of the first black U.S. president will change dynamics in the workplace. They say white people who have never worked for an African-American boss will likely develop a new trust. While black people, they believe, will gain a sense of new possibility.
Luke Visconti heads Diversity Inc., a business publication.
LUKE VISCONTI, DIVERSITYINC: Having a president who is black is going to open the minds of people to say, you know what, I can do this, too. I can be a leader. I should be a leader. I have the talent. I'm working hard. This is a very positive thing for our country.
FEYERICK: On election night in Harlem, many people felt they, too, could succeed.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get out there, get jobs, get an education. You know, make a change.
FEYERICK: That spirit was not lost on the head of the National Urban League.
(on camera): There was a real sense of motivation.
MORIAL: A sense of responsibility. A sense of wanting to be involved. That's a positive thing. That's a good thing. And I think that's what happens when people feel that they have a stake in the American dream. There are hundreds of thousands, indeed millions, of young Barack Obamas out there. Men and women who are very skilled, highly-talented, articulate, and prepared to contribute to the future of this nation. They need to be at the table. The old closed club of governing, I hope, and I believe, is over.
FEYERICK: Diversity experts say studies show the faster companies adapt and hire wider, more inclusive talent pool, the faster those companies will become more profitable. Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Put up for abortion, or rather, put up for adoption, 67 years ago, now meeting the brother he never knew he had. And that's not all in the family.
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WHITFIELD: All right. Questions this morning about the bizarre death of the son-in-law of legendary godfather of soul, James Brown. Police say Darren "Chip" Lumar was shot multiple times as he parked his car at his gated community in Atlanta. Lumar was recently divorced from Yamma Brown's, the singer's daughters. Atlanta police and witnesses say the shooter was waiting for Lumar inside his house.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ERIC SCHWARTZ, ATLANTA POLICE: When he drove up to park his car in the garage, he was confronted. An altercation of some sort took place, and that's when the victim was shot, and it appeared to be multiple times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Wow. And the injured Lumar actually drove himself four miles to a hospital where he died. Sources say he was carrying $4,000 in cash when he was shot.
Well, he was listening to his mp3 player while walking on the tracks and never heard the train coming. Joshua Phillips was struck and killed. Crew members of the freight train say they sounded the horn, but the North Carolina teen never responded. Phillips was a member of a Christian rock band. His youth minister says he had a passion for music.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
That was his way of getting along with God, was through music. I really believe that. It's amazing that that's how he went, was listening to music that was helping his relationship with God.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, the teenager's mother had told him that morning that she would pick him up from school. She knew he walked on the tracks and she simply didn't like it.
A registered sex offender enraged because of his notoriety is now behind bars. Darren Kalani Kawamoto lost it when a news crew came looking for him at his mother's house in Oakdale, California, as you see there. Well, people living in the area fearing for their children's safety had actually raised concerns at a community meeting after he moved there from Fresno.
When reporters knocked on the door, Kawamoto threatened them with a box cutter. Cops then arrested him after watching this video.
An emotional reunion in Alabama, 60 years in the making.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHARLIE BOLT, WEDGEWORTH'S LOST BROTHER: Sure. He's a better preacher than I am.
DON WEDGEWORTH, FOUND HIS LOST FAMILY: We do have (INAUDIBLE) problems, our brothers and sisters straight.
BOLT: Yes, that's right.
WEDGEWORTH: Really, it's just -- overwhelming, really, because, you know, I just didn't have any idea at all about her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, Don Wedgeworth finally discovered his true identity after a search that lasted six decades. He was put up for adoption in 1941. And since then, he has been on a crusade to find his family. He and his wife scoured through phone books and census records hoping to find some kind of clue. Well, he got a break when the state released his original birth certificate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOLT: We first talked. He said, do we have any other family? And I said, do we?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, he now has seven brothers and three sisters. And it's obvious that they share DNA. One of his brothers is a pastor just like him and also sings and plays the guitar. Congrats to that beautiful reunion.
Itsy bitsy spider, no longer baby girl's number one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: (SINGING) Fight CU down the field, CU must win.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: She's graduated to a college football fight song, and now she's leading a stadium sing along.
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WHITFIELD: A small secret weapon, propelling the University of Colorado's football team to victory. Inspiring players and fans, alike. The story now from Dave Delozier of CNN affiliate, KUSA, in Boulder, Colorado.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LORI PROK, MOTHER: Which one do you want to start with.
DAVE DELOZIER, KUSA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Some things what you just can't end the day without.
L. PROK: Bedtime at our house is a routine as anybody with a 2-year- old knows.
DELOZIER: It becomes a tradition.
UNIDENTIFIED FATHER: We go to bed. We read books every night.
DELOZIER: And --
UNIDENTIFIED FATHER: We sing songs every night.
DELOZIER: The songs you'd expect.
UNIDENTIFIED FATHER: She started maybe with like, Itty Bitsy Spider.
MIA (SINGING): Twinkle, twinkle, little star.
DELOZIER: And some you wouldn't.
MIA (SINGING): Fight CU down the field, CU must win.
DELOZIER: For a 2-year-old to remember the CU Fight Song, that's a far cry from "Itsy Bitsy Spider." L. PROK: She's easy to teach things, too. And my husband and I both are huge fans. So we spent a little time with her.
MIA (SINGING): Shoulder to shoulder we will fight, fight, (fight, fight) fight!
UNIDENTIFIED FATHER: We'll say one more song. And we ask her what song, and sometimes she says CU Fight Song.
MIA: I like the song.
DELOZIER: And like a lot of parents when your child learns something new --
L. PROK: Yes, we were at the breakfast table one day, and I asked her to sing it for me. I had my digital camera out.
UNIDENTIFIED FATHER: My brother Dan and Dave, two brothers got a hold of it.
L. PROK: Can you sing the Fight Song for me.
DAN PROK, MIA'S UNCLE: So, I got in touch with a few people up there, just sent them emails with the attachment of the file. And you know, they said that's great. We'd like to use this for something.
DELOZIER (on camera): But what? What to do with a home made video shot around the kitchen table of Mia singing the CU Fight Song? Well, that's when somebody here at CU came up with an idea.
MIA (SINGING): Fight CU down the field, CU must win.
DELOZIER (voice-over): They played the video during the West Virginia game.
UNIDENTIFIED FATHER: And we were just in the stands. And sure enough, there it comes.
DELOZIER: After winning that game, they played it again against K State.
D. PROK: You know, the way that they've got it going now, she kind of starts the whole Fight Song and everyone joins in.
MIA (SINGING): CU must win.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES (SINGING): Fight, fight for victory.
DELOZIER: And yes, you guessed it. They won again. And finally against Iowa State --
L. PROK: And they got the students going and they started singing.
DELOZIER: And yes --
UNIDENTIFIED MALES (SINGING): Shoulder to shoulder we will fight, fight, (fight, fight) fight!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're 3-0 when Mia sings. We're trying to keep the streak alive.
DELOZIER: Traditions it seems sometimes start in the most unexpected places.
L. PROK: We will always keep the CU Fight Song in the bedroom -- in the bedtime repertoire for sure.
DELOZIER: Next up, Oklahoma State, no pressure, Mia.
L. PROK, MIA, AND FATHER (SINGING): Shoulder to shoulder we will fight, fight, (fight, fight) fight!
DELOZIER: This is Dave Delozier, 9 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. How do you top that? Oh, we're going to try. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But we need just one for this next piece of video. Oh, that is kind of cute. And then a 3-year-old chimp stepping in to help raise a couple of white tiger cubs. They've become inseparable, as you see there.
The chimp plays, feeds, and even sleeps with the cubs. And according to the human handler, the trio can stay together for about six years before the tiger will get a little rough, and those teeth get a little big. Little tigers had to be separated from their mother when Hurricane Hannah damaged their sanctuary in September. Big ah on that.
And big ahhs on this. Your money, your home in focus. In Washington, new details on financial rescue and mortgage reform.
Plus, looking back and ahead. President Bush gets candid in an exclusive CNN interview. It is Wednesday, November 12th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Heidi Collins. And you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
