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Swine Flu Cases Continue to Grow; Dallas Cowboys Practice Facitility Damaged in Storm
Aired May 03, 2009 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A pounding system of storms is sweeping from Texas to the Carolinas and it's packing high winds and spawning floods. Yesterday, fierce winds ripped through the tent-like roof of the Dallas Cowboys practice facility. Flash flood submerged cars across the southeast and quarter-size hail fell in Mississippi. For more on the dangerous weather, we go to meteorologist Karen Maginnis in the CNN severe weather center. Karen?
KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Fred, we're seeing yet again another volatile outbreak of weather. All across the Gulf Coast states, strong storms, especially moving through Mississippi and Alabama, making their way towards the metro Atlanta area if they hold together.
What we can expect over the next several hours is a moderate risk of severe weather, meaning we could see some high winds as well as hail and the possibility of tornadoes. But right now, these are severe thunderstorm watches in effect for portions of Georgia, also Alabama, into Mississippi and portions of Florida as well.
This is a very vigorous weather system, Fred, that we were looking at yesterday that sparked all the activity all the way from Dallas towards Birmingham, and Birmingham seems to be hit the worst, not necessarily the metro area of Birmingham, but all the counties to the south and to the east.
Right now this purple shaded area, that's where we have a tornado warning in effect. Take a look at this particular super cell right here. This is the cell that we're watching. Generally speaking, moving off to the northeast at just about 35 miles an hour. So it's got very vigorous activity associated with that.
We had one tornado touchdown, confirmed touchdown in Macalla, Alabama. That was about 1:30 local time. Fred, we'll stay on top of it and continue to bring you updates.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you very much, Karen. We're going to have a little bit more on what took place in the Dallas area involving the Cowboys. Strong winds tore through the roof of the Cowboys indoor practice arena during a rookie minicamp where actually a dozen people got injured.
It happened when a powerful thunderstorm, the one that Karen was talking about, hit yesterday while the players were actually going through the workouts. Let's take a look at the video here. It's all captured. You can see the facility is just an air-supported canopy with a metal frame. Right there, that's the remnants of such now.
Players and coaches, up to 70 people, in fact, overall, were actually on the field when the storm struck. A crew from CNN affiliate, WFAA, captured everything, including the first signs of the tent's vulnerability.
(PLAYING VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: You can see some pretty frightening moments there, and of the dozen people hospitalized, their injuries, we understand now, consisted - 10 were actually taken to emergency room via the emergency vehicles too. One actually went on his own. One man who witnessed the collapsed told CNN affiliate WFAA exactly what he saw.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
I was actually one of the first people here on the scene. The full structure of the building over there pretty much did see fall over to its side and there were bodies scrambling on the outside of the building. A couple of ambulances over here previously before did carry a couple of bodies off with them.
It was pretty quick. It did happen all of a sudden. So it wasn't just a quick fall but it did. As it was on the ground, the high winds kind of kept pulling things apart. I was shocked, just frightened, pretty much, for the people that were inside.
As I saw people scrambling, there was nothing I could do to help, but still just in shock. I did see people running out, and some of the ambulance paramedics were coming out of the building that were in the building on backboards, so to speak, carrying bodies out. I did see two people come out on backboards.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Pretty frightening stuff. One special teams coach suffered a broken back. Eleven others had minor injuries. Team officials says no players were actually seriously hurt.
All right. New developments today in the global swine flu outbreak. The CDC announced an additional 66 confirmed cases in the U.S.. Worldwide, there are now 853 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus, but health officials say the jump in the numbers indicate that they are catching up on testing the backlog of previously collected samples and don't reflect new infections.
World health officials believe the disease may hibernate in the summer but don't want people to become complacent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREGORY HARTL, WHO SPOKESMAN: We cannot lower our guard. There is a high possibility that this virus will come back, especially in colder periods. Mexico is in the northern hemisphere. We are entering the summer months where normally influenza activity is low.
So I think we would want to wait awhile before making a definitive decision, but certainly maybe this current round of activity has peaked. But really, we are only 10 days into this outbreak, so we must wait and see.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The CDC is reporting that the flu is now present in 30 U.S. states. And add to that list now North Carolina, possibly. The governor of that state announcing just minutes ago that the CDC has confirmed a case in North Carolina, however, we have not heard independent confirmation from the CDC as yet.
U.S. health officials are a bit more optimistic about the swine flu outbreak. They say the virus does not appear as dangerous as they originally feared, but the CDC is still urging people to take precautions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANN SCHUCHAT, CDC, SCIENCE & PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM: I am heartened by the Mexican authority's reports, but I am very cautious. I know that influenza can be surprising and that the time course here in the United States is later. We believe we're just on the upswing here, and that in several parts of Mexico, cases began quite a while ago, several weeks ago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The swine flu outbreak triggered the closing of several schools around the country last week. That in turn sparked both strong criticism and support.
CNN's national correspondent Susan Candiotti reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's goodbye to mask-wearing sanitation crews and hello to students at St. Francis Prep School in Queens.
After a top to bottom scrubbing, hallways won't be empty anymore. At least 59 confirmed swine flu cases and two dozen more suspected gave the Queens High School the state's highest concentration of the virus.
DANA DEROSA, PARENT: It was scary for me. It was so close to my home and not knowing what to expect.
CANDIOTTI: Dana Derosa and her daughter live across the street. 14- year-old Alyssa goes to a different school, so far untouched by swine flu but when some classmates got sick, Alyssa's mom kept her daughter home and missed work to stay with her.
DEROSA: Just wasn't sure if the schools were doing everything they needed to do to - for her health. CANDIOTTI: Even unconfirmed cases of swine flu have prompted schools in at least 19 states to shut their doors as a precaution. In southern California, some closings called an aggressive move to slow the spread, but some parents question it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We take the precautions that we need to be doing, but don't overreact, because I think we're a little overreacting.
CANDIOTTI: In Texas, Ft. Worth schools are closed for two weeks. In Washington state, public officials ask employers to bear with parents who need unexpected time off to care for their children. Parents are frustrated.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I guess I have to stay home with my kids. It's really scary.
CANDIOTTI: In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a tennis tournament went on as planned but other non-sport related after school activities were cancelled.
Back in Queens, New York, Dana Derosa is waiting nervously to see what happens next.
CANDIOTTI: Will you change anything about what you do when you go back to school?
ALYSSA DEROSA, STUDENT: I'm going to start carrying sanitizer more now.
CANDIOTTI: Students at St. Francis and other high schools likely to do the same.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): While this school has given itself a clean bill of health, it maybe a few more weeks before others are ready to re-open. And with the end of the school year rapidly approaching, a lot of parents may be wondering, will their schools be forced to shut their doors?
Susan Candiotti, CNN New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And later on in this hour, doctors are actually answering your questions about the swine flu.
All right. The grand old party wants to be a grand new party. Republicans try to rebuild their image.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: President Obama turned his attention to overseas this week. He is set to meet with Israeli President Simoun Perez on Tuesday and then on Wednesday at the White House, President Obama talks with Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai. The U.S. has been pressing Mr. Zardari of Pakistan to crack down on Taliban militants along the Pakistani-Afghan border. Another focus this week, surely, the president's pick to replace retiring Supreme Court justice David Souter. The president said he's looking for "somebody with a sharp mind and independent mind and a track record of excellence and integrity." Today on CNN's "State of the Union," John King talked with the president's former Harvard law professor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN HOST: You're having these classes, a young man in your class, I don't know if you knew at the time he would go on to become the first African-American president. I want to get your sense, you know the pressure he's under, name an African-American, name a Latino, name a woman. How will he approach the choice?
PROF. CHARLES OGLETREE, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL: I'll tell you what he won't do. Barack Obama won't sleep at a Holiday Inn and have an epiphany and say I've got the right choice. He's the best person in the position to make this choice. He is a constitutional scholar. He is a constitutional lawyer. He is a public servant, and I think he's going to find somebody who is brilliant, who is young, who is stable, independent and mature.
I think I've gotten a lot of text message and e-mails from people I haven't heard in decades who want the job, but I think Barack Obama will be able to find the right person to do it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Well, President Obama reviewed Supreme Court possibilities, republican leaders are looking at ways to rebuild their party. CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider joins us from Washington. Good to see you, Bill.
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi.
WHITFIELD: So there was a town hall meeting in Virginia this weekend but I hear there will be more, at least on this scale.
SCHNEIDER: Yes. This is a new effort led, really, by the house republican whip Eric Cantor, a young man who is on the rise in the republican party. They met at a pizza parlor in Arlington, just outside of Washington.
About 100 people were there, but it wasn't a harsh partisan meeting. In fact, their new organization which is called, I have to look this up. It's called the National Council for New America. It's officially non partisan.
The chairman of the republican party, Michael Steele, was not there, although supporters appear to be republicans. Mitt Romney was there. Jeb Bush, the former governor of Florida, was there, and of course, Eric Cantor. They said they're going to be listening to Americans to try to devise a more positive message for the country.
WHITFIELD: Interesting. So, one more time on the title of that because the word republican was not in it, right?
SCHNEIDER: No. The word republican is not in it. It's not in their website. It's the National Council for New America, and they're going to be going all over the country on a listening tour. Where have we heard that before?
WHITFIELD: So the objective here to is to kind of, I guess, sway people about what the party is all about, and at the same time it kind of sounds like very hip and cool. So are they also trying to reach younger people? Is that what's going on here?
SCHNEIDER: Well, they saw what happened when a gentleman named Barack Obama undertook a campaign to really listen to people, to appeal to younger voters, to talk about the future, to have a positive message, and they know that the republican party is hurting right now.
Polls show it has reached a very low level of public support. The democrats are branding it the party of no. They want to give the party a positive message, so positive that in fact, that they're not calling this partisan. They're not saying it's republican. They're saying it's officially non-partisan, although everyone involved seems to be a republican.
WHITFIELD: OK. All right. Let's talk about one of the other issues at task. At least for the president of the United States this week, we know he's going to be hosting some world leads. They're going to be talking about some international affairs, but still on domestic fronts, people seem to believe, front and center and hearing David Souter saying he is retiring, that that indeed going to be kind of, I guess, the moment that this president is going to be focusing on this week.
We heard from Charles Ogletree, his former professor at Harvard University that this is a young man who is very thoughtful as a student and he's still very thoughtful as a president. What inside that will be the moment president Obama is focusing on this week. We heard from Charles Ogletree, his professor at Harvard University that this is a young man who is going to be that's very that you feel as a student and he's still very thoughtful as a president.
So what inside Washington are people seeming to believe about what the next pick might - the makeup of that next pick might be?
SCHNEIDER: Inside Washington, the scuttlebutt, the buzz is, that it will be a woman. That is because Sandra Day O'Connor was not replaced by a woman. The last three appointees were confirmed to the Supreme Court were all white men.
You remember George Bush nominate Harriet Myers but she withdrew her nomination. So a lot of people are saying, time for a woman to be appointed. There is one woman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is on the court now. She is the second oldest justice. I believe she is in her 70s, and she has been ailing although she seems very fit right now and is eager to continue working but she says she's lonely being the only woman in the court, and she thinks women bring a special point of view. No guarantees about anything but she you ask me about the buzz in Washington. The buzz in Washington is for a woman.
WHITFIELD: OK. Bill Schneider, thanks so much from Washington. Appreciate it.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
WHITFIELD: All right. More scrutiny now of John Edwards, remember that name? His bid for the presidency and money that actually went to his mistress? Question mark there.
The "Associate Press" reports Edwards is acknowledging that federal investigators are looking into how he handled his campaign funds. The former North Carolina senator says that he's confident that no money was used improperly.
The woman with whom Edward had an affair worked for the campaign making documentary videos.
And with more and more people out of work, putting on your best face on your search.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The Italian automaker that plans to buy Chrysler is also interested in a chunk of General Motors. Fiat says it's in negotiations to buy GM's European operations. That includes Opel, Volvo and Saab. GM has been trying to sell off it's non-core operations in hopes it can avoid following Chrysler into bankruptcy.
And here in the U.S., Chrysler plants are now idle. They won't re- open until the companies Fiat deal is completed. And even after that, the future is cloudy. Court documents show that five more Chrysler plants will be shut down by the end of next year. They're in Detroit and Sterling Heights, Michigan, in St. Louis, in Kenosha, Wisconsin and in Twinsburg, Ohio.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TERRY SCHRECHENGOST, CHRYSLER WORKER: I'm just shocked. I'm astonished. I don't know. You know, you give a company like this your whole life, you know, hard work and they just kick you in the sewer like a dog.
MONICA HERCHICK, TWINSBURG, OHIO RESIDENT: There are so many of us who are really wounded by what's happening in the economy and we're trying to get by, and just it's another hit on top of another hit, and you kind of wonder where we're going to go.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: City officials in Twinsburg, Ohio are already reacting to the news. The mayor says the city will contact President Obama's auto task force to seek help finding a new employer. And it's a tough job market right now, and everybody is looking for an edge. In some cases, that edge means plastic surgery. CNN's Kara Finnstrom reports on some experience workers who are banking on younger looks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDA MASON, PLASTIC SURGERY PATIENT: I got a facelift from Dr. Simoni because I wanted to stay young in this very competitive market.
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Linda Mason is a commercial video producer in her early 50s. She believes the nip-tuck she got several weeks ago will help her keep her job in today's tough job market.
MASON: Young kids, 20 years older are coming in and starting to take your job, you know. And a lot of times they are less experience.
FINNSTROM: Mason may be part of a recession borne trend. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons says overall U.S. cosmetic surgeries were down nine percent in 2008. But plastic surgeons like Payman Simoni are also reporting an uptake in patients who consider looking young a job necessity.
PAYMAN SIMONI, SIMONI PLASTIC SURGERY: I have patients who have excellent qualifications, now they're realizing that they have to work on the way they look and on their appearance to be able to stay ahead. Only their skill doesn't cut it anymore.
FINNSTROM: Some surgeons are catering to that clientele advertising job fighter packages of cosmetic procedures. Simoni says he's changed how he does surgery to make it more affordable in this bad economy.
SIMONI: I do most of my procedures without anesthesia, wide awake. I do my facelifts wide awake, which I created the Simoni lift. I did my eyelids wide awake. I do my liposuction wide awake. So patients don't have to pay for an anesthesiologist. So the cost is down, since I don't use anesthesia, people go back to work faster.
FINNSTROM: Emily Fowlkes, a 52-year-old graphic designer also underwent the knife. Getting a facelift and eyelid surgery, she says, to stay competitive.
EMILY FOWLKES, PLASTIC SURGERY PATIENT: I wanted that refreshed look because I felt like things were starting to droop, and I am competing with a lot of younger women in the same field.
FINNSTROM: USC sociology professor Dr. Julie Albright says she isn't surprised by any of this.
JULIE ALBRIGHT, USC LECTURER: Well, there is an age limit in the job market, certainly. And when the crunch comes and the competition increases, people want that little edge, and this is one way, through plastic surgery, to get that edge on the competition. FINNSTROM: It's hard to quantify how many women might seek that edge through plastic surgery, but the American Society for Plastic Surgeons recently conducted a survey of 750 women and found about 13 percent would consider it. Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Hollywood.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Swine flu questions and answers next. Much these days.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: And now the latest on the swine flu. The CDC says the H1N1 virus may turn out to be milder than originally feared, but health experts warn that it's too early to actually let your guard down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. ANNE SCHUCHAT, CDC, SCIENCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROG.: So it's good news that we've only confirmed one death and we have 30 hospitalizations at this point, but it's too soon to say the extent of this disease. From what I know about influenza, I do expect more cases, more severe cases, and I do expect more deaths. And I'm particularly concerned about what will happen in the fall.
WHITFIELD: And there's a note of cautious optimism in Mexico where the flu apparently originated. Mexico's health minister says the virus is now in its declining phase there. Checking the latest developments now. In the swine flu outbreak, the number of cases of H1N1 viruses in the U.S. climbed to 226 after the CDC announced an additional 66 confirmed cases today.
Health officials in North Carolina today announced the state's first confirmed case but it was not immediately included in the CDC tally. That raises the global number of cases to 853, but officials with the World Health Organization say the increase reflects ongoing testing of samples and not a reflection of new infections.
So you've had so many questions about h1n1, which is why this time yesterday, we spoke for an entire hour on the swine flu outbreak. A panel of experts joined me and our Josh Levs. Included in that panel, a vaccine specialist, an infectious disease specialist and author John Barry who has written extensively about the 1918 flu pandemic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD (voice over): There are other questions from our viewers. Josh has one.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, the most popular thing we're hearing today is people saying, it's not a big deal. Look at history; it's not a big deal. Here is one example that we got on facebook from Tim O'Connor, "To me, Josh, the swine flu has never been an issue. Don't folks realize that a thousands people die each day from common flu's all over the world. John you know it well, are people making too much of a big deal of the swine flu so far? JOHN BARRY, AUTHOR, "THE GREAT INFLUENZA:" Well most of last week I was actually trying to tamp down people's concerns, but now there seems to be a lot of the attitude you just expressed. This is still real serious. 1918, between 15 and a 100 million people died of that outbreak. That's 30 percent of the population of the population of the world. Even a very mild flu epidemic, the annual, regular flu, as I'm sure your viewers have heard by now, kill 30,000 Americans a year. But a new virus is going to infect many more people than the regular season flu because they won't have any immune protection against it.
So even if it's no more deadly than the normal influenza, it will still kill many more people the first time people's immune systems see it. In fact, the CDC did a study in 1968 of what a mild pandemic virus would do and they believe it would kill a minimum of 89,000 Americans, and it got worse from there. So this is still something that needs to be taken seriously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: We want to focus our attention right now on some severe weather; we understand there is a confirmation of a tornado now, Karen McGinnis.
KAREN MCGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well we have a lot to tell you about. A tornado has been confirmed on the ground by the public in the area to the east-southeast of Gadsen, Alabama. This is an area that seen these thunderstorm that keep rolling through all day long, but now it is in this area, I will circle it. This particular cell that seems to be the problem right now, and they are currently are under a tornado warning for about the next 30 minutes or so. This is an area where you need to take cover immediately. A tornado has been spotted on the ground. It is in the area of Piedmont near Jacksonville that is in Alabama. And that is very close to the Georgia line.
All this area is under a severe thunderstorm watch, but we are looking at tornado warnings. Where you see these purple boxes, especially Clayburn County, Charity County, Edward County, all encompassed by these tornado warnings. Very interesting and I will just show you, the beginning of what essentially is a bow echo, and we see that continuing all the way down towards Louisiana as well. So anywhere along that line, we could see this severe outbreak of weather that we're seeing now.
But Fred, just want to repeat, take cover now. If you're in east Central Alabama, strong storms moving there, but in the vicinity of Piedmont and Jacksonville, the public has reported a tornado on the ground. So take cover immediately, get out of a mobile home and don't stay in your car, either. Get down into a low-lying area.
Fred, back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much, and oftentimes if you're in your home, the best place to be is in that small bathroom on that lower level or perhaps in a closet. Thanks again, Karen McGinnis. We appreciate it. The Dallas Cowboys are reeling after their brush with the pretty dangerous weather. The storm crashed through the indoor facility yesterday, injuring a dozen people including a coach. We've been showing you how it unfolded with the help of WFAA. Cameras were actually rolling right there but here's some more video that you may not have seen just after the storm crashed into the practice facility.
(WATCHING A VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Pretty serious stuff. Again that was the practice field of the Dallas Cowboys' when this micro burst, a lot of people don't know what that is, a great explanation from our weather team earlier today. It's kind of like an inverted tornado which certainly caused a lot of wind which brought down that tent, it looks like, pinning some that were in that building. A dozen people were actually injured.
All right. Now there are also lots of tributes coming in from both sides of the aisle today after some very sad news to report to you. The death of former Congressman Jack Kemp. Kemp also a former Buffalo Bills quarterback died of cancer last night. He was 73. Besides serving nine terms in Congress, he was a cabinet member, President George H.W. Bush's housing secretary, and in 1996, he was Republican presidential candidate to Bob Dole. President Obama issued the following statement following hearing word of the death of Jack Kemp.
"Jack kemp was a man who could fiercely advocate his own beliefs and principals while also remembering the lessons he learned years earlier on the football field, that bitter did divisiveness between race and class and station only stood in the way of the common aim of a team to win."
And another death in the news to report to you, the Rev. Vernon King has died in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was 48. A nephew of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Vernon King was the senior pastor at Greensboro Church. He served on the boards of the Kings Center and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference that is the Civil Rights Organization that his uncle co founded. No word on the cause of death.
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WHITFIELD: With new layoffs seemingly announced every week, finding a new job is getting tougher, no matter what your field, but one state is offering an incentive to both employers and the jobless and it doesn't cost either a dime.
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WHITFIELD (voice over): Among the more than 1 million Americans out of work, Marcos Guzman is confidently auditioning for a full-time job with a Decatur Georgia Uniform Sales Company. Not the case initially when he was laid off in January.
MARCOS GUZMAN, AUDITIONING FOR JOB: It's not a good feeling at all.
WHITFIELD: Guzman took the common next step. GUZMAN: I went down to the unemployment office, and while I was in there and they were going through the different telling you the information about different things and you apply for your unemployment, all of that.
WHITFIELD: But he overheard a conversation about this so-called Georgia Works Program, an eight-week job audition of sorts with a select group of employers.
GUZMAN: It sounded interesting because I had never heard of a program through the Department of Labor to where they actually put you somewhere. They place you somewhere.
WHITFIELD: This is how it works. The unemployed, on audition for two months, don't receive a single paycheck from the companies but still draw unemployment checks from the state.
GUZMAN: It's kind of like a training period kind of to see if you will fit. And if you do, you'll end up being hired.
WHITFIELD: Finding the right store manager was the primary focus for Rosie Cecil, owner of Demaros Uniform Service. She said the state's labor departments program relieved her of a lot of stress.
ROSIE CECIL, OWNER, DEMAROS UNIFORM SERVICES: It was really good because they will kind of screen through those resumes that they get and they will submit the ones that they think are pertinent to you and your position.
WHITFIELD: This audition for a job concept is the brainchild of Georgia Department of Labor commissioner Michael Thurman. Who started it more than five years ago. But in the last year, the recession has increased its popularity in state.
MICHAEL THURMOND, GEORGIA LABOR COMMISSIONER: Job seekers are feeling more desperate and there is a desire to get a foot in the door anywhere so that I will have an opportunity to interview and to demonstrate my field and ability.
WHITFIELD: He says other eight states, but won't reveal which ones, have called for advice.
THURMOND: Michael Thurmond tells me about this job auditioning program they have in Georgia. It's different, but I don't think we can afford to do what we've always done. We need new ideas, new strategies, and new solutions.
WHITFIELD: The success rate? Impressive. The commissioner says 60 percent of the trainees get hired. Still, he understands skeptics' points of view.
THURMOND: Wait a minute; I can train this person for a job, right? No calls to me, you pay the unemployment insurance benefits, and at the end of eight weeks I can make a decision about whether or not I'm going to hire. They think it's too good to be true, but it's not.
WHITFIELD: Back at the uniform shop, early signs of a good fit.
CECIL: He goes back and looks at some of the historical things that we've done and then he will think about it and project on perhaps we should consider doing things just a little bit differently, and that's working out well.
GUZMAN: In my mind, it's taking a business and making it bigger than it was. I've done that, and I'm anxious to do it here.
WHITFIELD: Within days, this small business owner and this recently laid-off big corporate loan company employee hope to meet somewhere in the middle.
CECIL: I'm looking forward to Marcos being with us for quite some time.
WHITFIELD: Helping an enterprise grow while assisting one man get back on his feet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The Georgia Works Program is only available to people currently collecting unemployment benefits in the state of Georgia and they must have at least 14 weeks of benefits left.
Torture in a nation that is a` U.S. ally can mitify a member of the royal family.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A brutal act of torture caught on tape. A video has emerged that shows a member of the United Arab Emirates Royal family torturing a man in the desert four years ago. You should be warned that even the heavily edited portions that we're about to show you are still very difficult to watch. As Hugh Griffin from our special investigations unit reports, it's raising questions around the world over what happened there and why now the UAE has announced it will investigate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUGH GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT: It is more than just disturbing. A man led to believe he's about to be shot. Mental torture that takes a very physical turn. Most of this tape shot in the desert outside Abudabi in late 2004 is so graphic, CNN can't show it. It was given to CNN by this man, Bassam Nabulsi an American citizen who lives in Houston but for many years lived and worked half way across the world in the United Arab Emirates a booming kingdom and strong U.S. allie on the Persian Gulf. The tape came to light because Nabulsi is now suing this man, his former business partner, in the UAE for $80 million.
BASSAM NABULSI, FORMER BUSINESS PARTNER OF SHEIKH LASA: We were buddies. He swore to look after my family in case something happened to me. GRIFFIN: That buddy and business partner was Sheikh Lasa (ph) while he is not part of the government; his family ruled the United Arab Emirates. His half brother is the crown prince. Jake Lasa (ph) is also the torturer on this tape.
NABULSI: That torture was known to his family, the government knew about it. The government knew exactly what happened. They are looking away because he is part of the royal family.
GRIFFIN: The torture continues with the assistance of a private security guard, who holds the victim down. The Sheikh stuffs the man's mouth with sand and on several occasions orders the camera man to get closer. Over the next 45 minutes, the man is subjected to electric shocks from a cattle prod, his genital burned. He is repeatedly beaten with a nail board. The torture demands the man have salt to be rubbed into the wounds. Screams of pain as the victim is brought to the brink, and at the end, an SUV is actually driven repeatedly over the barely responsive man, a grain dealer accused of stealing.
How much money are we talking about here?
NABULSI: Nothing more than maybe $5,000.
GRIFFIN: The video was shot by Nabulsi's brother who also worked for the Sheikh; Nabulsi said the Sheikh ordered his brother to make it. After seeing the tape, Nabulsi says he confronted the Sheikh, telling him he must not be a god-fearing person. Nabulsi says that is when the Sheikh turned on him. In his lawsuit, Nabulsi claims security officers working for the Sheikh ransacked his home, demanding that torture video back. By this point, Nabulsi had smuggled the tape out of the country. Shortly afterward Nabulsi was arrested and ultimately convicted on drug charges. And in jail, Nabulsi said, he, too, was tortured and humiliated by United Arab Emirates police who demanded he return the tape.
NABULSI: I really don't like to talk about it.
GRIFFIN: The government of the UAE said Mr. Nabulsi was in no way mistreated during his incarceration. The tape has become evidence in Nabulsi's Houston lawsuit to bolster Nabulsi's claim that he, too, was tortured. The Sheikh's Houston attorney confirmed that this is indeed Sheikh on the tape and said the conduct of the tape, of course, is inexcusable. But the attorney goes on to say that Sheikh has been unduly defamed by the entire incident and that the man tortured in the desert was investigated by police for theft and bribery in the farming operation.
In a statement the lawyer said that Nabulsi kept the video from the media while his lawyer was asking for money, a claim Nabulsi's attorney denies. The government of the United Arab Emirate said it investigated the torture incident and found that all rules, policies and procedures were followed correctly by the police department. The review also concluded that the incidents depictured in the videotapes were not part of a pattern of behavior.
NABULSI: In our own country, they are the supreme law. They are the supreme law.
GRIFFIN: On the torture tape, little is heard from the grain dealer besides screams, whimpers. Eventually he confesses to the theft, but the Sheikh accuses him of lying and the torture continues. As far as the Emirate government is concerned, quote, the parties involved in the incident settled the matter privately by agreeing not to bring formal charges against each other.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRIFFIN: Well there has now been a change of how the government of the United Arab Emirate is now handling this. Four years after the torture tape, the Human Rights Office condemns the action on the tape, we're told in a statement, and is vowing to open a new investigation to what the government says, quote, appears to represent or violation of human rights, violations, we remind you, took place four years ago.
Drew Griffin, CNN, Atlanta.
WHITFIELD: More time to spend with your child less money to provide for the child's needs. A father caught in a child support crunch, some advice on what to do if you can't pay.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The strength of losing a job is bad enough, but what happens when you can't provide for your child because you've been laid off? The story from CNN's Brooke Baldwin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Five and 1/2 year-old Mikey Treichler is suddenly seeing a lot more of --
MIKEY TREICHLER, SON: My daddy.
BALDWIN: Both on and off the baseball field. Last December, Mike Treichler got laid off. After ten years at IBM, this divorced dad found himself out of work, and soon after, unable to pay the $1,200 a month he had been providing in child support.
MIKE TREICHLER, UNEMPLOYED FATHER: I've used up severance packages, I used up a 401(k) and I'm now at a point where I have to tap other resources, which I wish I didn't have to. I'm now on unemployment, and while that money is a huge help, it doesn't help with that big bill.
BALDWIN: It's a big bill that Mike has now told his son's mom he can't pay.
MELISSA TREICHLER, MOTHER: I was more disappointed, probably, than mad, but unfortunately, if I focus on that, then it weakens me in the event of maintaining composure, staying strong for my son and making sure that he gets what he needs.
BALDWIN: The result? Melissa and Mike Treichler are trying to reach a child support compromise. Right now they're negotiating out of court. And the current downturn of the economy is making it increasingly difficult for parents to provide for themselves and their children.
In New Mexico, for example, from February of 2008 to 2009, the State's Child Support Enforcement Division is reporting a 96 percent increase in the number of requests for case reviews and adjustments. Just this month in Alabama, the district attorney's office in Lauderdale County sent letters to 155 parents warning them if they don't pay child support by the first of May, they could be arrested.
Dr. Gary White works with Families First, Georgia's largest non-profit family service agency. He says this financial strain on unemployed fathers or mothers carries an emotional burden as well.
GARY WHITE, FAMILIES FIRST: But we say while you're out of a job that does not mean you're unworthy to be around your child.
BALDWIN: This little league coach doesn't feel unworthy.
How do you explain to him that daddy suddenly has all this time?
TREICHLER: He's happy about it, so I don't have to get into too much detail. It's all a positive thing, as far as he's concerned.
BALDWIN: But he does admit the stress of unemployment is starting to take its toll. Mike has already applied to more than 6,000 jobs. His biggest worry?
RTREICHLER: Am I going to have to take a very low-paying job and work so many hours that I won't have the time to spend with him?
BALDWIN: Brooke Baldwin, CNN, Kennesaw, Georgia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Later on in THE NEWSROOM, that coming up at 6:00 Eastern the lasted on the severe weather crossing the country.
Plus, a little girl who prays each night that she'll wake up to a home.
You will meet the new faces of America's Home.
And Chrysler's the way they were met to be. CNN's John Lemon gets behind the wheel of some really cool cars.
Fareed Zakaria of "GPS" starts right now.
