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Selecting an Ambassador to China; Protesting in South Bend; Angels and Demons Controversy
Aired May 16, 2009 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello everybody and welcome back. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM, I'm Betty Nguyen.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: And hello there, I'm T.J. Holmes. It is Saturday, May the 16th. Glad you could be here.
We'll start in Indiana, where anti-abortion groups are in an uproar over President Obama's planned graduation speech tomorrow at Notre Dame. They're angry the catholic university would invite a pro- choice, pro-stem cell research president to give their commencement address.
Meanwhile there's a new poll out that shows most Catholic voters really have no problem with the invite. CNN's Susan Candiotti there in South Bend, Indiana.
Susan, we know the speech is scheduled for tomorrow but I guess what is the campus community and the larger community there, how are they gearing up for it?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're very excited about graduation day tomorrow. And if there's one thing that all these seniors agree on, is that it's going to be a great day tomorrow and that's what they're looking forward to, so of course, secret service here, a lot of other groups to make sure that everything is secure that day. The difference has come up because of the students who are debating whether President Obama should be getting an honorary law degree here from Notre Dame, because of his pro-choice position on abortion. And because of that, you've been seeing pictures like this, outside of campus, what's believed to be a small group of students who are against President Obama's appearance here tomorrow.
They have been demonstrating for weeks and weeks, and in quiet protests, but nevertheless being arrested by the local authorities on trespass charges. And that's a furor, again, that you're seeing outside the Notre Dame campus. But inside the opposite, this is what you've been seeing for the last several days. Mainly family, friends, relatives of graduating seniors, going through campus, taking their last look around before they leave after the graduation ceremony tomorrow on Sunday. And for the most part, the majority of students here say they agree to disagree, even though they might not be of the same opinion as President Obama on issues including abortion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHRIS LABADIE, NOTRE DAME SENIOR: It's the end, it's the celebration of the past four years. And a celebration of all the sacrifices that I've made and that my parents have made for the last 21 years. To make sure that I got to this point. And it was -- it seemed like I couldn't take that away from them just because of this one issue.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Now that actually was from a student, who is opposed to President Obama getting that honorary law degree, but he is going to attend the ceremony anyway. Now, this is a student who will be attending the graduation ceremony, and supports Notre Dame's decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL ANGULO, NOTRE DAME SENIO: He's also one who understands the tragic situation that every abortion in this country is and is willing to do something about it, to reduce the number. And that's something that the opposition refuses to -- to concede.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: Students who decide not to attend, who are boycotting the ceremony, will be attending a prayer vigil here on campus. Back to you, T.J.
HOLMES: Well, we are waiting to see just who shows up tomorrow and what protests we to see. Susan Candiotti for us in South Bend. Thank you very much.
If you all would like to see as well how it works out, make sure you tune in right here tomorrow. We will be bringing you the president's commencement address at Notre Dame. It will be live 2 o'clock eastern time, 11:00 pacific.
NGUYEN: We do want to hear from you this morning, your response to the situation and the protest and whether the president should be there at all to speak. We're getting some responses, actually. Let's go to my Facebook page really quick. And Jack says this, "Notre Dame should have had the foresight instead of putting our president in a pickle, but the point being made here, though, is that the president would not have accepted this invitation to speak at commencement if he did not want to be there."
HOLMES: And this is along the same lines I guess in that thinking as Jack on my Facebook page saying, "Obama isn't catholic. If Notre Dame wants speakers who follow catholic beliefs, then don't ask non-Catholics to speak." I guess that's the simplest no-nonsense answer you can give to that question.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. You can stay connected with us every weekend, check us out at i-Report, Facebook, our Twitter pages. We also have a CNN blog that is cnn.com/newsroom. There are many ways to stay connected with us, so let us know what you think about many of the issues that we have on the show today. In the meantime though, President Obama taps a potential rival as his ambassador to China. Utah's republican Governor John Huntsman Jr. supported John McCain in the last election. Well, now he's being mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in the next election. He's also a former trade representative who is fluent in mandarin Chinese and actually adopted a daughter from China.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Time and again he's brought people together across party lines to overcome our common challenges and to move our nation forward. What John brings to this post isn't just a steadfast commitment to advancing the interests of the American people. It's a lifetime of knowledge and experience that will help advance this important partnership.
JOHN HUNTSMAN: I wasn't looking for a new job in life. But a call from the president changed that. So, Mr. President, I humbly accept your call to service.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Huntsman nomination now goes to the U.S. senate.
HOLMES: Pakistani intelligence sources say a suspected U.S. air strike has killed at least 20 people in the country's northwest tribal area. This happened this morning in the town of Mir Ali in Waziristan region. A Pakistani official tells CNN the missiles dropped from an unmanned aircraft hit a religious school. The area has long been a haven for Taliban extremists and has been previously targeted by the U.S. military, despite complaints from Pakistan that such air strikes violate the nation's sovereignty.
At least seven people also dead and another 32 wounded in a car bomb in Peshawar, Pakistan. This explosion tore through a school bus and destroyed an internet cafe. This blast happened roughly 10 hours after that missile strike in Waziristan. And as of now, no claims of responsibility for this attack.
NGUYEN: You can learn more about what is happening in Pakistan this Sunday on "GPS" Fareed Zakaria has an exclusive interview with former Pakistani President, Pervez Musharraf.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, FMR. PAKISTAN PRESIDENT: I wish the government well. That they must handle Pakistan and take it forward, bring peace and economic development. If that happens, one is -- I would be the happiest person doing continuing whatever I am doing.
FAREED ZAKARIA: But if Pakistan is still in trouble?
MUSHARRAF: If Pakistan is in trouble and if any Pakistani, including myself, if we see that we can do something for it, I don't think, well, my life is for Pakistan.
ZAKARIA: And if the political party that supported you, the Muslim EQ, want to ask you to be its leader again, that's possible?
MUSHARRAF: They haven't asked me yet. Let them ask me first, then I'll reply.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Ok. Well, hear more of this exclusive conversation, between Fareed Zakaria and Pervez Musharraf on "GPS" Sunday at 1:00 eastern.
HOLMES: Help now and some more will come your way later. That's from Mexico's growing battle against drug lords. The United States has sent eight armored vehicles for Mexico's federal police to use and counter narcotics operations against the heavily armed cartel. The U.S. plans to send an additional $39 million worth of equipment plus training programs for Mexican officers.
NGUYEN: Mexican police say drug cartels may be involved in the brutal murders of four young adults from the San Diego area. Their bodies found across the border in Tijuana. CNN's Brian Todd has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): An official with the attorney general's office in Tijuana tells CNN authorities there are investigating possible drug trafficking connections in the killings of four Americans. Their bodies were found inside a van on this street in Tijuana last Saturday. The attorney general's office tells us the four were beaten, strangled with traces of tape on their wrists and ankles. A CNN affiliate reports a pool of blood spilled from the van. The victims, identified as 19-year-old Brianna Hernandez and 20-year- old Carmen Ramos of Chula Vista, California, 23-year-old Oscar Garcia of Nester, California, and 21-year-old Luis Games. One reason authorities suspect a drug connection?
ROMMEL MORENO MANJARREZ, ATTORNEY GENERAL, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO: We arrived at the conclusion that one of the tests was positive in one of these murders.
TODD (on camera): An official in Tijuana tells us traces of cocaine were found in Brianna Hernandez's body, but the official also says they're investigating whether the killings could be connected with the possible relationship of one of the victims with someone serving jail time in the U.S. on drug charges.
(Voice-over): That official did not say which victim that was. Asked about reports of a threatening note found with the bodies, a police official says that's also part of the investigation. Tijuana is one of the hardest-hit cities in this border region savaged by drug violence, but authorities say criminal activity has dropped in recent months after a spike last year, and they're trying to reassure potential visitors.
MANJARREZ: It's safe. But sometimes it's difficult, because if you are related with drugs, it's unsafe. TODD: Despite an active pursuit of this case, one official tells us a week after the bodies were discovered, they still have no suspects. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. High school grads, you need to listen up, because we're going to show you how to find money for college. I bet you stick around for that.
NGUYEN: Show us the money. Josh Levs is here with that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are investigating a gruesome discovery at a public playground. The body of a little boy believed to be between 3 and 5 years old was found buried in the sand. His body was found after a woman noticed a shoe sticking out of the ground yesterday. The medical examiner is trying to determine exactly how he died. Police are looking for women seen earlier at the park with several children. Perhaps they can provide some kind of clues.
HOLMES: That is horrible.
NGUYEN: Isn't it?
HOLMES: What a horrible scene for that woman to see a shoe like that sticking up at a playground.
Let's turn now to some video here that would disturb you if you were looking out of the window of a plane you were on. This is from a website here, Toronto Sun is the name of it, but you can't make it out that well there. We can re-rack that for you so you can see it. But what you are seeing is a passenger who was taking video reportedly out of a window of this Colgan flight 3268 and the wheel fell off and rolled away. Here it is another shot of it. Yes, the wheel comes off and it goes away. Now thankfully there's another wheel there as you can see so it held up that side of the plane at least. This was shot by a passenger who was on this Q-400 bombardier plane as it landed in, where else, Buffalo, New York. It was the same type of plane that was operated by Colgan Airlines that crashed into a house three months ago near Buffalo and killed 50 people.
NGUYEN: Want to show you this, two astronauts outside the shuttle "Atlantis" tackling the toughest repair job yet on the Hubble space telescope. Johnny Grunsfield and Drew Foysahl(ph) will try to the survey camera using new tools while keeping track of dozens of little pieces there. That's got to be difficult in zero gravity. If they get away, those pieces could damage the telescope or even the spacecraft, so this is very critical. This is the third of five space walks on NASA's final fix-it-mission to the Hubble.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Well, 'tis the season for commencement speeches. And the former first lady, Laura Bush, giving the commencement address at her alma mater this morning at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. She earned her bachelor's in elementary education from SMU in 1968. And then later this afternoon, the current first lady Michelle Obama will give the graduation speech at the University of California at Merced. We're going to be covering that at 4:00 eastern today.
NGUYEN: It is high school graduation time around the country and millions of young people are kicking off their last big summer before college.
HOLMES: Yeah, but a lot of people are kind of stressed out right now, trying to figure out how to pay for school, they're looking for scholarships right now. Josh Levs here with some much-needed help. Josh?
JOSH LEVS: Do you guys remember your last summers before college?
HOLMES: I was enrolled in college a month after my high school graduation. I went on the summer program so I didn't get all that.
LEVS: Oh, you had to get a jump start.
NGUYEN: I just had a good time.
LEVS: Yeah, I did, too. Man, we got to live it up. Well it is different these day. We were talking earlier about how tough it is in the market right now, so many people looking for scholarships, what I want to do is empower you to find every dollar that should be used. Let me say that again. Every dollar should get used this year. There are three websites that experts say you should trust. I'm going to zoom in on them and then I'm going to tell you where to find the list. So don't worry about writing them down.
Three, number one, fastweb.com has a scholarship search it will look for your specifications. Number two over here, petersons.com does the same thing. Also these places will alert you if something new comes up that matches your criteria. The third one here is from the College Board, collegeboard.com. These are the three major ones experts say to trust. They say do not use any other sites that charge you. Do not use any sites at all that charge you. You cannot trust them. Now, I want to do something else here. Zoom in over here. This is how you can find them. All you have to do, I just tried this, just Google CNN find college scholarships. Boom, my story comes up and you see us list right here. Also you get the video version over here and it will take you to all three of these sites.
So guys hopefully these tools are useful to people. Also on top of that, I'm doing everything I can to get you this list, I sent it out by twitter here and I sent it out by Facebook, Joshlevscnn, so seriously. Let's hope that every scholarship dollar that's available in this country gets used this year.
NGUYEN: Josh, it's one thing to know where to go, but really the big hurdle is winning that scholarship.
LEVS: I know exactly, yeah good point. Because you can find them, there's tons of competition this year, so that's something we were looking into. I spoke with an expert from Ohio State University, her job is to make sure that everyone out there can kind of get these dollars. She has good advice on what a winning scholarship will have -- application will have.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TALLY HART, OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY: Your uniqueness may help distinguish you. Remember that there are going to be lots of people competing for those dollars. Especially if you've overcome some obstacle or found something that has really inspired you, don't worry if it doesn't fit the usual mode that you think describes the scholarship. An example might be a student who's had to work to help finance part of their high school costs and plan for college and has worked flipping burgers, but took on a management task or became a team leader. Those things are really of interest in distinguishing a student in a scholarship process.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Really great advice there from Tally Hart. And you might have a story out there. Maybe you found some scholarships elsewhere. Let me show you this graphic where you can weigh in here. That's what we were just showing. The various pages where you can talk to us, fire back, let us know what you've seen and not seen. What you have. Let's go to this graphic if we have it guys, there you go. You can check out the Newsroom blog, also you got my Facebook page there, Joshlevscnn, twitter.com/joshlevscnn. On Facebook and Twitter I've already been hearing from people talking about how they are finding scholarships, how these sites help them, tricks to using them. You know, there are hundreds of millions of dollars out there in scholarships. Let's hope that everyone out there who needs it can find a little something and then maybe have a little bit more of a summer like Betty and I had back in the day where we could relax a little bit.
NGUYEN: I didn't say I spent a lot of money, I just said I had a good time.
LEVS: Oh no, no, I didn't mean that.
NGUYEN: All right, thank you Josh.
LEVS: Thank you guys too.
HOLMES: Well teachers behind bars.
Also iconic landmarks possibly up for sale. These are just some of the things happening in California, now the governor there, Schwarzenegger, he's looking at another option to cover the state's budget shortfall.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Well, California teachers trade civics for civil disobedience over possible budget cuts. Education in the state could take a big hit, if voters don't pass a handful of budget measures next week.
HOLMES: And right now that passage seems a bit doubtful, so California's governor is outlining his plan "b." Casey Wian explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Dozens of Los Angeles teachers were arrested Friday, while protesting the threat of tens of thousands of education layoffs because of the state's budget deficit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, hey, reform out of L.A.
WIAN: Parents also held a rally, while the governor was receiving an honorary degree from USC.
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, (R) CALIFORNIA: Arnold Schwarzenegger, doctor of humane letters. I love it.
WIAN: He plans to cut at least $3 billion from public schools or $5.4 billion if voters reject a package of budget reform measures Tuesday. Other proposals include a 7 1/2-day reduction in the school year and larger class sizes.
CHRISTINA BYNUM, PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER: We just really feel that this is an injustice to the kids, to society, really.
WIAN: Also on the table, withholding $2 billion from local governments and dramatic reductions in social services, including cutting off nearly a quarter of a million children from state-funded health insurance and eliminating drug treatment programs.
SCHWARZENEGGER: I understand that these cuts are very painful, and they affect real lives. This is the harsh reality in the crisis that we face.
WIAN: But critics say some of the governor's plans are not based in reality, such as selling off state assets including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Local officials say the state doesn't have the authority to sell the stadium and because it's a historic monument, the governor has exaggerated its monetary value.
ZEV YAROSLAVSKY, L.A. COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS: I think somebody up in Sacramento decided that the way to generate support for the ballot measures on next Tuesday's ballot was to scare the hell out of the voters. And instead of scaring the hell out of the voters, I think they're angering the voters.
WIAN: Tax increases also are part of the plan.
JON COUPAL, HOWARD JARVIS TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION: If the polls are correct and this package of reforms goes down in a big way, maybe that will be the 2 x 4 upside the head that will finally get these people to recognize voters are taxed to death, highest taxes in America, poor level of service, they've got to start taking care of the state's business. WIAN: Schwarzenegger plans to ask the Obama administration for a waiver allowing deep spending cuts without jeopardizing federal stimulus money.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, there is a mad rush to the hospital, and that leads to a really dramatic rescue in Buffalo, New York
HOLMES: A police officer, this is a video you're seeing here, kind of hard to make out. The officer there is holding a baby, he is credited now with saving the life of the child who had an allergic reaction to medication and stopped breathing. This is surveillance video here now and it shows the officer, Jose Vega, giving CPR to that little guy. The parents were rushing the child to the hospital when they spotted the cop and flagged him down for help. Now, listen to Officer Vega.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OFC. JOSE VEGA, BUFFALO, NEWYORK POLICE: Every morning I wake up and pray that the Lord will make me an instrument at his disposal, and on this day, my prayers were answered.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, Vega, a 22-year veteran of the force, the child is hospitalized still in critical condition right now. Hope the little guy's ok.
NGUYEN: Yeah.
HOLMES: Well, a stinging critique for house speaker Nancy Pelosi from someone who knows the job all too well. Newt versus Nancy. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: It's half past the hour, and happening right now -- Pakistanis blame a suspected U.S. air strike for killing at least 20 people. They say an unmanned aircraft dropped missiles on a religious school in a tribal area near the border with Pakistan. There's no comment from the U.S. military.
President Obama chooses a potential rival as his ambassador to China. It's Utah Governor John Huntsman, a moderate Republican known for his diplomacy. In his career Huntsman has served as ambassador to Singapore and U.S. trade representative and is expected to easily win Senate confirmation.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it's being billed as a heavyweight fight up on Capitol Hill. Newt versus Nancy. The former speaker of the house, Newt Gingrich, throwing some body blows at current speaker, Nancy Pelosi. He says she flat-out lied about when the CIA briefed her on the use of aggressive interrogation techniques. She, of course, on the other hand, had already said the CIA had flat- out lied to her. Well, CNN's Tom Foreman with the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Someone is not telling the whole truth. But who? Trying to track that down starts with the briefing the CIA gave to Representative Pelosi in the fall of 2002. As the leader of the intelligence committee, she insists she was misled in that meeting, about when or even if harsh interrogation techniques were used against suspected terrorists, including al Qaeda leader, Abu Zubaydah.
REP. NANCY PELOSI, (D) HOUSE SPEAKER: Those briefings to me in September of 2002 gave me inaccurate and incomplete information. The only mention of waterboarding at that briefing was that it was not being employed.
FOREMAN: No way. That is the sentiment from President Obama's own CIA director and Pelosi's fellow California democrat, Leon Panetta, in a note to his staff obtained by CNN. "Let me be clear, it is not our policy or practice to mislead congress. That is against our laws and our values. Our contemporaneous records from September 2002 indicate that CIA officers briefed truthfully on the interrogation of Abu Zubaydah, describing the enhanced techniques that had been employed." Pelosi has admitted for the first time this week that she was told about the so-called torture techniques back in 2003, but said nothing because of secrecy rules. It is all feeding a republican frenzy. They see Pelosi tarring Bush officials over the interrogations, but ducking her own culpability. The latest to pile on, former speaker Newt Gingrich on ABC radio.
VOICE OF NEWT GINGRICH, (R) FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: I think this is the most despicable, dishonest and vicious political effort I've seen in my lifetime.
FOREMAN: At once trying to damage control and turn up the heat on others, the speaker issued a late statement saying in part, "My criticism of the manner in which the Bush administration did not appropriately inform congress is separate from my respect for those in the intelligence community who work to keep our country safe."
(On camera): Still, she remains caught between republicans who are accusing her of hypocrisy and some of her own democrats who are wondering why if Nancy Pelosi believed for six years that America was torturing prisoners, she did not sound the alarm. Who's not telling the truth? We still don't know for sure. But it feels like we're getting closer. Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, former presidential hopeful and Arizona senator, John McCain, and GOP chairman, Michael Steele, are both speaking at the national rifle association's convention. It is being held in Phoenix this weekend. And McCain says the drug war in Mexico is no excuse for restricting gun rights. Steele echoes a similar sentiment saying the democrats are using violence across the border to frighten the public and push forward proposals to change gun laws. HOLMES: President Obama says he respects the second amendment and favors commonsense gun laws, but, ooh, if you want to get some gun owners fired up, tell them you might be taking away their rights or even tampering with them. They will come out in force. Here now, our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Now that democrats control Washington, you would think gun control advocates would be celebrating, but they're not.
DENNIS HENIGAN, BRADY CAMPAIGN TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE: I guess the right term is we're frustrated.
SCHNEIDER: Just this week the senate voted 67-29 to allow visitors to national parks to carry concealed weapons. In February, the new attorney general said --
ERIC HOLER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: There are just a few gun-related changes that we would like to make, and among them would be to reinstitute the ban on the sale of assault weapons.
SCHNEIDER: The response?
WAYNE LAPIERRE, EXEC. VICE PRESIDENT NRA: 65 democrats wrote Attorney General Holder after he said he wanted to send that phony assault weapons ban back up on Capitol Hill and said, don't send this phony stuff up here. You ought to be enforcing the laws you have.
SCHNEIDER: Mr. Holder this week --
HOLDER: We want to enforce the laws that we have on the books.
SCHNEIDER: Why isn't gun control advancing? The election rallied gun owners.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've seen an increase in gun sales. You know, actually people coming through the door, ticket sales at the gun shows. Since October, the beginning of October, I think people saw the writing on the wall.
SCHNEIDER: Democrats have been making gains in a lot of conservative areas where gun owners are a powerful force to defend the second amendment.
LAPIERRE: They've proven over and over and over again at election time they'll go to the polls and defend it against politicians that try to take it away from them.
SCHNEIDER: What do democratic legislators have to fear? Fear itself.
HENIGAN: It's all about generating fear among gun owners that somehow President Obama and the federal government are coming after their guns. SCHNEIDER (on camera): The Democratic Party has been growing and when a party is growing, what does it need? A bigger tent. Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, it is more than sun, sand and surfer dudes, we're going to share the best-kept secrets in San Diego.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. How would you describe this scene? Well, one firefighter says it looked like a space shuttle taking off. It's a dozen tanks filled with oil by-products, this is on fire. This was near La Mesa in west Texas. One of the 25-foot-tall tanks blew up as you saw in that picture creating that big fireball. Investigators say a lightning strike may be to blame for setting all this off.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: You know every city has a secret, and in our series, "My city, my secret," CNN viewers are sharing some of their town's hidden hangouts. And today iReporter Chris Morrow gives us an insider's tour of San Diego.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS MORROW (on camera): Hi, my name's Chris. And San Diego is my city. And I want to show you some of my best-kept secrets. We are at Coronado Island, which is right next to San Diego. Coronado is one of my hidden gems, because it's so beautiful out here. There's the Hotel Del, there's the beach. And it's a gorgeous bike ride. What's unique about Coronado Island is you can jump on a ferry 15 minutes later and you're here and you're away from the big city. We're at the "W" Beach, it's a bar on top of the "W" hotel downtown San Diego where the sun and the sand meets. It's one of my top picks because it's close to home, it's easy to get to and it's a great atmosphere. It's warm, it's relaxing and it's a little bit of sun downtown San Diego. You can come up in the day time and have fun and also have a cocktail at night.
We're at the Tivoli, the reason I love the Tivoli is because it's just one of those old ice house bars where you can stop and have a good time. The best way to experience the Tivoli is to have a bear, have a burger and enjoy the baseball game. So those are my city's secrets now show me yours, go to ireport.com/mycitymysecret.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Those were very cool.
This is no secret though, Bob Barker famous for "The Price is Right," but his career actually could have taken a very different turn. In fact, he was offered a job to become a porn star of all things.
HOLMES: I can't imagine why he turned that down.
NGUYEN: We'll get the inside story on that.
HOLMES: All right, but first, we'll leave you with a couple of great moments from, what else, "The Price is Right."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB BARKER: Now, I don't think they heard your first words. What did you say?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I said I want to kiss you.
BARKER: My dear, that can be -- wow! Yes, all right. She has -- there's no sense in fooling around with a little peck on the cheek here, Darlene. What did you say?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I said I don't even care if I win.
BARKER: Let's forget this thing. Let's get out of here Darlene.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Oh, my. Ok, so, when you think of Bob Barker, you think of "The Price is Right," not Bob Barker, the porn star. Oh, yeah, that was one of the first job offers Barker got when he moved to Hollywood as a young man. It's all spelled out in his new book "Priceless Memories." Well, I recently sat down with him at his Los Angeles home to find out what exactly led to that job offer.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN (on camera): So, is it true that you were once offered the opportunity to be a porn star? What is that all about?
BOB BARKER, FMR. T.V. GAME SHOW HOST: Oh. What happened was this. I worked for a year in Palm Beach, Florida, before I came to California. I worked in a radio station there. And I also did some modeling. And there was a New York photographer who came down there to shoot, and I worked for him. And I told him that he -- my wife and I were coming to California. And he said, well, while you're trying to break in radio, he said, maybe you can do some modeling. He said, I'll give you a card here.
And he gave me a card of a photographer in Hollywood, who might be able to use you. So, I went down to -- on Santa Monica Boulevard, and this fellow did this so diplomatically and so gently that it -- I really had to talk with him for a few minutes before I realized he was offering me a role in a pornographic movie. And I -- when it finally got through to me, I said, mister, this is not for me, and I headed for home, but I was laughing because I couldn't wait to tell Dorothy Jo, my wife.
NGUYEN: How did your wife react to that? BARKER: So I came in and I said, honey, I've been offered a role in a pornographic movie. And she just looked at me straight faced and said "did you take it?" If there had been an audition, I would have never been offered the role.
NGUYEN: Oh! Let me ask you about Dorothy Jo. Tell us a little bit about the love of your life. How you met her and how you just had this wonderful relationship for so long.
BARKER: Our first date was November 17th, 1939. And do you know where we went?
NGUYEN: Where?
BARKER: We went to an Ella Fitzgerald concert.
NGUYEN: Wow!
BARKER: Now how is that for a first date at 15 years of age? And we were never apart after that. She and Ii fell in love. And we went through the rest of high school together. And then I went into the -- we went to college together for two years and then I went into the navy, and I was a naval aviation cadet, but when I graduated and got my wings and became an officer we were married that quickly. And that's how it all started for us. We were together through all of our life.
NGUYEN: And she passed away in 1981. You've never remarried since then.
BARKER: October 19, 1981. No, I never remarried.
NGUYEN: Ever thought about it?
BARKER: No, I really haven't. I've known some lovely ladies, but Dorothy she was Mrs. Bob Barker and to me she always has been and always will be.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And in fact, that indeed is the love of his life but right now he's got a little love in his life that being his dog named Jesse. He is still speaking out, wanting people to spay and neuter their pets. That's something he really pushed on his show. At the end of every show he would say help control the animal population, spay and neuter your pet and Jesse pretty much is Bob Barker's love at this point because anything Jesse wants he will do for that dog. He loves it. He got her from a shelter, in fact. She's a chow mix.
HOLMES: He's still living life and loving life, Bob Barker. That was cool to see, 85 years old, still looks real good.
NGUYEN: I know, and spent over 50 years in the business. We feel like we've been in the business for a long time, this news business, but it doesn't even compare to that. Now if you want to hear some more behind the scenes stories about that interview with Bob Barker, you can check out my blog, newsroom.blogs@cnn.com or if you have some comments about it, hit us up on our Facebook pages, Twitter as well. Let me go to my Facebook page really quickly, let's see, Bob Barker, almost a porn star? Dear God says Jonathan Ebanks. And I think that's a lot of people's reaction when they heard the fact that he was offered an opportunity to star in a porn flick. As we saw right there, the price is not right and morally for him he didn't think it was right either. But it was funny that Dorothy Jo, his wife said all right, well what did you say to that offer.
HOLMES: Hey, you've got to work. Hey, did you take the job? Hey!
NGUYEN: I don't know.
HOLMES: That was neat to see this morning. Fredricka, are you all wired up and good to go?
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I'm wearing a few different mikes just to make sure I can be heard.
NGUYEN: Why do you have two mikes on?
WHITFIELD: I don't know. To make sure I can be heard. How's that?
NGUYEN: We're listening very closely.
WHITFIELD: You can't hear me, so now I think everyone can.
HOLMES: We can hear you, good morning. Good to see you this morning.
WHITFIELD: Good morning, good to see both of you.
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE) up there?
WHITFIELD: Ok, I know this chair is high, I've got all kinds of problems, you think Bob Barker has problems with being offered a porn role? I have problems, too, here. My chair is way too high.
Any way, we have a lot coming up in the noon eastern hour including a lot of dealerships, Chrysler dealerships across the country have received that dreaded phone call, the one that they had been anticipating and were really hoping they wouldn't get, that 800 or so Chrysler dealerships would be closing across the country. One owner of a dealership in the Maryland area will be joining us to tell us what that was like and what it going to mean for his many employees who have been scraping by because the past few months have been pretty dismal for car dealers across the country.
Also, Karl Rove, remember that name? Former White House aide, well his name being brought back into the legal mix and the special prosecutor is actually talking to him about those fired federal prosecutors. Remember that case? Well it's being dredged up one more time. Our legal eagles will be delving into that to see if this time executive privilege may not be able to be the best defense. What will he have to say and to whom will he be saying besides this special prosecutor? We'll be getting into all of that and more in the noon eastern hour and I'll be bringing my chair down or I'll be giving you the gangster lean.
NGUYEN: Hey, that one will work. Maybe we should try that, yes.
WHITFIELD: I'm looking way too formal up here. Ok, it didn't work?
All right. Let me keep my posture. Mom will be calling.
Sit up straight!
HOLMES: We'll see you --
WHITFIELD: Ok, bye!
NGUYEN: She needs some interaction on the show. She needs a co- anchor.
WHITFIELD: I'm always so alone.
NGUYEN: We'll come join you one day to keep you company.
WHITFIELD: Ok, good.
HOLMES: Not today, though.
NGUYEN: Yeah, not today though. We'll see you Fred.
HOLMES: We'll have another blockbuster, maybe? Sometimes they say that all press is good press? Well some religious groups now might be upset and enough outrage to ignite another blockbuster with the movie "Angels and Demons."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Producers of the new movie "Angels and Demons" are hoping that it is a bigger blockbuster than its predecessor "The Davinci Code."
HOLMES: Yeah, it has some religious groups upset however, but as Kara Finnstrom explains, to Hollywood, there's no such thing as bad press.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sealed crypts, secret societies, murder and intrigue, a highly anticipated "Angels and Demons" is hitting theaters with a conservative media watchdog group, the resistance promising to disrupt showings with sit-ins and The Catholic League mounting a public information campaign. BILL DONOHUE, THE CATHOLIC LEAGUE: You want to enjoy it for entertainment, have at it. To the extent that you think that this stuff is true, what they're saying about the Catholic Church, what I can demonstrate to you that this stuff is made up that these things are smears, myths and in some cases lies.
FINNSTROM: "Angels and Demons" is a follow-up to the successful and oh so controversial "Da Vinci Code." Both films based on best- sellers by author Dan Brown. In "Angels and Demons" a centuries-old secret organization called the Illuminati tries to wreak havoc on the Vatican.
RON HOWARD, DIRECTOR, "ANGELS AND DEMONS": The idea is that Dan builds into these thrillers are thought provoking and they stir a little controversy and it's -- that's something that appeals to people.
FINNSTROM: And to the big studios, too, says entertainment columnist Ben Widdicombe.
BEN WIDDICOMBE, CELEBRITY EDITOR, THE STYLEIST.COM: Still marketing budgets are being slashed, it's all about getting news outlets to want to write about the film themselves. Give them editorial space that the studios don't have to pay for. The best way to do that is to get some group to come out and say don't go and see this film.
FINNSTROM: Three years ago it worked big time for "The Da Vinci Code." The blockbuster took in more than $77 million opening weekend, one of the best U.S. launches of all-time and $232 million worldwide. But compared to the protests back then, the resistance to "Angels and Demons" has paled. This time around most major catholic groups aren't telling people to picket or boycott the film, just to take it at face value.
FATHER JOHN WAUCK, HOLY CROSS UNIVERSITY: I don't think that the Vatican has any particular interest in getting in an argument with a novelist and in this case, "Angels and Demons" we're dealing with a novel that's transparently false. It's simply, you know, a thriller.
FINNSTROM (on camera): Many critics are calling "Angels and Demons" a better overall movie than "The Da Vinci Code" but without the outcry it may not have the same draw at the box office. Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Hollywood.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And we'll see how it does this weekend. Well the NEWSROOM continues at the top of the hour.
HOLMES: Fredricka Whitfield, Fredricka hello there.
WHITFIELD: Hello again. You all have a great day.
NGUYEN: You too.
HOLMES: All right, we'll see you.
