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New Law Increases Regulation of Tobacco Industry; Iranian Presidential Election Draws Massive Voter Interest; Holocaust Museum Reopens; Doctors Concerned about Public Health Insurance Reimbursement Rate; Airlines Cutting Flights; Storm Chasers Study Tornados; Obama Hails Tobacco Law
Aired June 12, 2009 - 10:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It is Friday, June 12th, and here are the top stories we're following for you in the CNN NEWSROOM. The old way of regulating cigarettes about to go up in smoke. A vote to give the FDA new control over how tobacco products are made, marketed and sold.
Election day in Iran. After massive marches and rallies, voters decide if President Ahmadinejad stays or goes.
And chasing storms in search of answers. Meteorologist Rob Marciano takes us on a mission to learn the hows and whys of dangerous tornadoes. Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris, and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Big changes for big tobacco. The House votes this hour on a bill that gives the Food and Drug Administration new power to regulate tobacco products. House approval sends the bill to President Obama for his signature. The Senate passed the measure yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHRIS DODD (D), CONNECTICUT: It has been incredible to me that for more years than many want to believe and count, we've had an industry that's gone basically unregulated. And of course, the idea that you can put cherry-flavored and strawberry-flavored and cartoon figures on kids, that's not aimed at the 30- or 40-year-old tobacco user. That's aimed at children, that 3,000 to 4,000 who begin every day, 1,000 of whom, by the way, become addicted. And half that number die prematurely.
SEN. MIKE ENZI (R), WYOMING: I thought long and hard about this, and after a lot of work and a few good improvements, I believe this bill is the only bill we'll consider seriously that will make it difficult for kids to get tobacco, make it difficult for them to start smoking. And that's really the important thing. I want to be clear, I still don't think there's nothing in this bill to stop smoking. One smoker's too many, but maintaining the current state of tobacco regulation is not acceptable to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, the legislation would allow the FDA to control the content of tobacco products to protect the public health. Ban the use of flavors like candy and fruit in tobacco products and limit advertising that targets young smokers.
It would require face-to-face transactions to make it harder for young people to buy tobacco products, actually strengthening warning labels and ban the use of labels such as light to mild or low.
Tobacco use causes more than 440,000 premature deaths every year and racks up $96 billion in medical cost. My goodness, that's according to the Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention.
Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here to talk about the health implications of the bill before the House right now being voted on.
We believe in this hour -- you know what, in all of this, I'm interested to know, Elizabeth, who even smokes today? Are there stats out there on that?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I know it feels...
HARRIS: It's so expensive.
COHEN: Right.
HARRIS: Yes. I mean I'm just -- I'm curious some smokes.
COHEN: And I think in our lives we probably don't see a whole lot of...
HARRIS: Yes, yes.
COHEN: We work for a company where you're not allowed to smoke. You walk around, you don't see people smoking, but, in fact, people really are still smoking in this country.
Let's take a look at those statistics. Twenty percent of U.S. adults smoke. That's right, 20 percent of U.S. adults. Also 20 percent of high school students smoke. And when you look at the cost of smoking to all of us, it is nearly $200 billion in health care costs and also in lost productivity. So we're talking about a big cost. And 70 percent of smokers say they want to stop.
HARRIS: And they want -- yes. I can totally get that and understand it. Is there any reaction so far from the tobacco industry? This has been working its way through Congress for a while now. So I'm curious. We're this close to passage and the president may be signing it later today. Any reaction from the industry?
COHEN: Right. We've had some reaction from Philip Morris.
HARRIS: Yes.
COHEN: And Philip Morris has said actually that they are supportive of some aspects of this bill, but there is one aspect that they seem to really not like and that has to do with marketing and what Philip Morris has specifically said is that they have First Amendment concerns about anything that would restrict their ability to communicate truthful information to adult consumers about tobacco products.
Now I think the other side would say hey, you want to communicate the truth, go ahead and communicate the truth.
HARRIS: Yes.
COHEN: Their concern is -- you know, doctors' concern is that people like Philip Morris have not been communicating the truth.
HARRIS: Right.
COHEN: Right.
HARRIS: Well, Elizabeth, you're going to come back in just a couple of minutes here. We're going to talk about the president's trip to Chicago next week to talk to the American Medical Association as we continue our discussion about health care reform and maybe we'll get to the bottom of what the AMA wants. We know it doesn't want a government-run health care option. So let's talk about that.
COHEN: Right. And the way that Obama has described it, they're not so crazy.
HARRIS: Yes.
COHEN: It'd be interesting to see how they all get along in Chicago.
HARRIS: Whoo, let's talk about it. All right, Elizabeth. Thank you and see you a little later.
Senator John McCain pushing President Obama to keep detainee abuse photos from public view. We will talk with the senator live in the next hour of CNN NEWSROOM. Nicole Lapin here to tell you how to join in the conversation.
Good to see you. Good morning, Nicole.
Nicole, I don't think we have your microphone on or is it -- we can't hear you? No, not yet. All right, well, what we'll do is -- we just want you to go to our blog page. Just go to CNN.com/newsroom and just click on our blog page.
There you go. And you can join in the conversation. What questions do you have for Senator John McCain? We'll get an opportunity to talk to the senator and share some of your questions and get some of his answers to your thoughts next hour right here in the CNN newsroom.
Iranians head to the polls as the world watches. Massive political rallies have filled the streets of Tehran this week. These shots of pro-reform supporters headed towards the freedom monument in Tehran. Amazing pictures all week. Are these pictures are of incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad supporters.
They're referring to reformist challenger Mir-Hossein Mousavi as a liar who is serving America. This iReporter has asked us not to identify him. He says while there hasn't been any violence, in this words, it's been really, really close.
HARRIS: All right. The Holocaust Memorial Serious is open again and people can't wait to go inside. Our Barbara Starr has the exclusive pictures only CNN can show you. And afternoon showers, brining heat in some humidity.
Rob Marciano with your forecast. That's next right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. We want to get you now to our Christiane Amanpour, our CNN's chief international correspondent. I know this has been amazing for you to see today. If you would, talk to us about the election process as you've watched it unfold before your eyes today.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, throughout, Tony, throughout this week we've told you about these massive street rallies that have been taking place and most of them, of course, a wave of green for the opposition candidate Mir- Hossein Mousavi. That's his killer green and those shoes rallies turned into huge turnouts at the polls today.
Even before the polls opened at 8:00 a.m. this morning. That's nearly 12 hours ago. People were waiting outside. This country has never seen anything like it. The polls, are unprecedented. The voter turnout is unprecedented. And by our own informal exit polling, we have found that all across this town, the numbers have been very heavily in favor of the challenger, Mir-Hossein Mousavi.
Well, many people are telling us, in fact, old people are telling us is that they're voting not so much for a candidate but a massive no vote against the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. This is a major protest vote, we're being told. And everybody is telling us that they have voted for, quote, "change."
HARRIS: Christiane, we understand that text messaging is not working in Iran today. Is that significant?
AMANPOUR: It is significant in a way. It was more significant during the run-up to this election because text messaging was how Mir-Hossein Mousavi campaign and supporters, mobilize their supporters and got them out to street rallies because they did not have access to the mass media, to the radio, to all the other state apparatus that the incumbent Ahmadinejad had.
So, they used the Internet, e-mail, SMS text messaging. Since last night, text messaging has gone down. We know it because we can't text message and we've got none of the flood of text messaging that people has done over the last week.
But frankly, I'm not sure it mattered because all that mattered was today a turnout at the polling booth -- at the bowling booth. And the turnout was being shooed and everybody predicted in the run-up that if the turnout was huge, it would in fact, favor the incumbent.
And this is why it's important because up to about two weeks ago, people were saying they were going to turn out. And then they started saying well we'll vote for this person and that person and then in the last two or three days, the momentum shifted very heavily to the one person they thought could conceivably unseat Ahmadinejad?
Again, it's a protest vote and it's a wave of green according to what we've been over the last 12 hours at the polling booth. We're not making a prediction.
HARRIS: Sure.
AMANPOUR: We'll wait for the official results to come in, but what we've seen and what we've heard from the provinces, as well, which is important. The villages and provinces around the country matches what we're hearing in Tehran and what we witnessed in Tehran.
HARRIS: And Christiane, before I lose you, one more quick one for you. Could the outcome of this election, however it plays out, affect Iran's position on its nuclear program?
AMANPOUR: Well, look, people told us, people voting for Mr. Mousavi told us that what they were very fed up with was their country being humiliated and held in contempt and isolated in the international community, especially over the last four years.
Of course, that's mostly been over the nuclear program. They are proud people and patriotic people who want their country to retain its prestige in the world. That's what they say they're voting for.
Now Mr. Ahmadinejad's supporters have told us that they were proud that they have become, quote, "a peaceful nuclear power." So, it's very nationalistic issue here and, of course, it's going to be a main issue in upcoming negotiations with the rest of the international communities.
But what we do know is that both, in fact, all main candidates, including resident Ahmadinejad has said that he and they are willing and want to go into negotiations and a new relationship with the United States based on what Mr. Obama has said and that is change. They say if they see change, they'll deliver change, too.
CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour with us. Christiane, good to see you, thank you.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'm Rob Marciano, CNN severe weather center. Here's where you look for the action today.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: What in the world these guys doing? Check that out, huh? That's a tornado, Tony.
HARRIS: Yes. MARCIANO: That's -- those guys are in the way of it but they've got some instruments. All part of Lavortex II mission (INAUDIBLE) tomorrow in about half an hour. We'll discuss what they've been dealing with in the past five weeks. We'll see you then.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Just the last hour as you see in these pictures. I believe these are new pictures, correct me if I'm wrong here. Margie, new pictures we're going to see in just a second here? OK. Of the Holocaust Museum reopening to the public. Actually, when you think about it, with a new horror to remember. This one at its front door. The shooting that left the museum security officer dead.
CNN cameras were the first inside the museum after the attack. Our Barbara Starr has the exclusive.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The violence began with a gesture of kindness.
SARA BLOOMFIELD, DIRECTOR, U.S. HOLOCAUST MUSEUM: He saw an elderly individual and his first response was to help this individual to enter the museum, that's what he thought he was doing.
STARR: Officer Steven Tyrone Johns, big John, his friends called, opened the door for the man who shot him.
BLOOMFIELD: It all happened very quickly. I think in a matter, it was like a minute and a half, the whole thing, it was extremely quickly but it happened outside the museum.
STARR: Sara Bloomfield is the director of the U.S. CNN holocaust memorial museum. CNN cameras were the first allowed inside. She told us how holocaust survivors were in the museum when the shots echoed around the somber building.
BLOOMFIELD: Yesterday, one of our survivors Nessie (ph) who was a young girl herself, a young teenager in Lithuania, and was in and out of several ghettos and labor camps, of course, she heard the shots and you can imagine what hearing guns for these people is.
STARR: Nessie, Nessie Goden, now in her 80s, jumped under this desk when she heard those gunshots.
And as the floor was cleaned and the glass door cracked by bullets taken away, Sarah Bloomfield said Stephen Johns will never be forgotten.
BLOOMFIELD: Contagious smile and he could make anybody's day really happy no matter what was going on and we will really miss him. But his legacy will live on forever.
STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington D.C. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: That museum opening today. Reopening today.
Whether it's your teenager or grandchild. You probably know what young person really needs to shop. Our personal finance editor Gerri Willis answers your questions about credit cards and credit ratings.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: Former defense secretary William Cohen was at the holocaust museum during the shooting. Cohen is talking right now to CNN's senior White House correspondent, Ed Henry, on his radio show, "44 with Ed Henry," and the host of "The Situation Room" Wolf Blitzer is joining the conversation, as well. Let's listen in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Young black boy, 14 years old, who was lynched because he was whistling at a white woman and she wrote this play about this imaginary conversation that the two young kids might have had.
And, you know, what was so sort of eerie was that someone allegedly walks into the U.S. holocaust museum who hates Jews and African- Americans and I wonder if you had that same chill when you comprehended what was going on in terms of the timing of this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: OK, I believe we just can't hear the former secretary. We can hear Wolf just fine, but we can't just hear the former secretary. Maybe we'll get an opportunity to work that out and fix those bugs and get back to that conversation. Boy, I really want to hear that.
All right. You've got questions about your money, your mortgage, your retirement. Personal finance editor Gerri Willis has some answers for you. It is Friday and Gerri joins us to tackle some of your e-mail questions.
Gerri, good to see you. Good Friday to you.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good to see you. Happy Friday.
HARRIS: You want to dive into that inbox?
WILLIS: Absolutely. Yes. Yes.
HARRIS: OK. Gerri, our first question is from Jason in Indiana, who writes -- he wants to know if a child or a teen who is not 18 receives a credit card in the mail and they decide to sign and use the credit card, are they responsible for the payments? The answer seems obvious here, but I'll let you take it on.
WILLIS: Well, Jason, bottom line here, is if you're younger than 18, the contract between you and the credit card company, hey, it is null and void and you will not be legally obligated to pay those balances.
The bank would have to eat the debt. That said, though, you know credit card companies know this and they won't intentionally try to send a credit card to a minor. It's probably a mistake.
Keep in mind that just because you receive a credit card application in the mail doesn't mean you'll get the card. And hey, Jason, if this is you, use some common sense here. Don't use the credit card if you're younger than 18. You might as well not start those bad debt habits early.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes. Good point. Our second question comes from Mary in Florida, Gerri, who says my son is 22 years old and his girlfriend is 24 years old. They are considering marriage, but she has an awful lot of credit, awful credit right now.
"If my son marries his girlfriend with the awful credit, will he be affected by her awful credit?" Sorry.
WILLIS: I love this question. This is a great question, right? Well, Mary, hey, the good news is that your son won't be affected directly. They can open a joint bank account without giving any thoughts to their credit score. That's according to the folks at Credit.com.
However, the couple should avoid opening up a joint credit card. The low credit score may also become an issue if they decide to get a mortgage and buy a house. My best advice here, why don't you wait until the girlfriend can clean up her credit score before applying for a mortgage or a credit card.
HARRIS: Yes.
WILLIS: Need I say a marriage license, you can't control that, right?
HARRIS: Right.
WILLIS: But at the end of the day, yes.
HARRIS: Yes, exactly.
WILLIS: It would be better if she had a better credit score.
HARRIS: So we've got one last question. You got time for one more?
WILLIS: No miracle advice there.
HARRIS: Yes, exactly.
WILLIS: I never get to do that.
HARRIS: You didn't figure that this morning. Did you? Finally, this last one comes from Ross. He's in New Jersey and he writes, "If you filed for bankruptcy," Gerri, I understand there is a five-year payment term to your creditors at a negotiated rate." During those five years can you purchase anything such as a new car? WILLIS: Well, great question.
HARRIS: Yes.
WILLIS: Look, you're talking about a Chapter 13 bankruptcy here and bankruptcy attorneys we talked to say you cannot incur more debt until your plan is over and your case is discharged.
But, look, hey, there are some exceptions out there. Let's say you have a car, it dies, you need it to get to work. You should contact that bankruptcy trustee for approval and you'll probably not be denied.
However you do have to show that the request is necessary and that you'll be able to make the payments. You can't just go on vacation or something.
HARRIS: Yes.
WILLIS: There has to be something essential that you really need and of course if you have any question, send them to me at Gerri@CNN.com. We love to answer those questions and we obviously answered them right here every Friday.
HARRIS: Look, you've got one of the best shows on the network, "YOUR BOTTOMLINE." Tee it up for folks this weekend, if you would, Gerri.
WILLIS: Well, we're talking about lots of things. 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning. "YOUR BOTTOM LINE." You know we're going to be talking to one of your favorite people. Elizabeth Warren.
HARRIS: Love her.
WILLIS: About what to do about finance products that are a problem. She is suggesting a financial product safety commission that would actually examine mortgages, credit cards.
HARRIS: Wow.
WILLIS: Any financial product out there and make sure they're safe for people. You know, you ever thought that way?
HARRIS: Absolutely.
WILLIS: Maybe you need somebody to check out financial products like we check out toasters.
HARRIS: Yes. Exactly. Can't wait this weekend.
Gerri, have a great weekend. Thank you.
WILLIS: Thank you.
HARRIS: You know you've heard the experts say, now is the time to follow your dream. Find your passion, but come on, how do you do that? Well, here's what you do. You log on to CNNmoney.com and click on "How to profit in the new economy?" There it is. There's the page. Again, that's at CNNmoney.com.
What you wear, how you present yourself, what you say, all important things to consider when interviewing for a job or, or a rich spouse.
CNN's Eunice Yoon learns how to marry a millionaire.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA JOHNSON MANDELL, AUTHOR, "HOW TO SNARE A MILLIONAIRE": Another mistake that women often make...
EUNICE YOON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At this class in Hong Kong, 100 eager students are learning how to invest in their financial future, though the advice they're getting isn't exactly textbook.
MANDELL: Oh, baby, oh baby, you're the hottest thing I've ever seen, and we need each other bad.
YOON: Being bad while giving a come hither look and American dating guru Lisa Johnson Mandell swears you're bound to snag a millionaire, one of the best ways, she says, to beat the recession.
MANDELL: From the caveman days, way back then, we had to mate with the men who were the most successful. These days, that kind of success often acquaints to wealth.
YOON (on camera): So whatever happened to try to find a man who had a good heart or who's intelligent or who had good character?
MANDELL: Plenty of millions who are good and honest with kind hearts.
YOON (voice-over): Johnson Mandell married her millionaire husband two years ago and said she's been proposed to more than 50 times, often by men pulling down seven-figure salaries. So how did she do it?
MANDELL: You really feel hot when you're wearing high heels and men love them.
YOON: Dress in bright colors and killer heels. Though the formula might not work as well for men.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I wouldn't have men wear...
YOON (on camera): Dresses?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, purple and a dress, exactly.
YOON (voice-over): No more power walking to work. Instead, amble.
MANDELL: Welcome to our special show, who wants to date a millionaire? YOON: And be willing to put yourself out there. Like this contestant vying for the attention of her alternative investment. Like this contestant vying for the attention of her alternative investment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello, ladies.
YOON: Once you've reeled them in, Johnson Mandell says, on the first date, don't talk about money, children or deadbeat luggage or your emotional baggage. Oh and don't jumpstreet into the sack, please.
MANDELL: There are lots of women who would sleep with a millionaire at a drop of a hat and very few who won't. So you have to distinguish yourself that way.
YOON (voice-over): Johnson Mandell admits her success rate is a little difficult to quantify and knows other financial experts might find her advice offensive.
(On camera): Did you ever hear the song by Kanye West "Gold Digger"?
MANDELL: Oh people bring up the G word all the time with me.
(LAUGHTER)
Nobody looks askance at men because they want a beautiful wife. But if you stay go out and find yourself a rich husband, it sounds awful. We women get short changed on that.
YOON (voice-over): And no smart investor likes to be cheated.
Eunice Yoon, CNN, Hong Kong.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: All right. Your money, your health. President Obama is pushing health care reform, but the nation's top doctor's group is saying, no.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In all these reforms our goal is simple: the highest quality health care at the lowest possible cost. Let me repeat what I said before. We want to fix what's broken and build on what works. As Congress moves forward on health care legislation in the coming weeks, there are going to be different ideas and disagreements about how to achieve this goal, and I welcome all ideas. We've got to have a good debate.
What I will not welcome, I will not accept is endless delay or denial that reform needs to happen.
(APPLAUSE) OBAMA: Because when it comes to health care, this country can't continue on its current path. I know that there's some who will say it's too expensive. I know some people say it's too complicated. But I can assure you the cost of doing nothing is going to be a lot higher in the years to come. Our deficits will be higher. Our premiums will keep going up. Our wages will be lower. Our jobs will be fewer. Our businesses will suffer.
So, to those who criticize our efforts, I ask them, what's the alternative? What else do we say to all the families who spend more on health care than on housing or on food? What do we tell those businesses that are choosing between closing their doors and letting their workers go?
What do we say to Americans like Laura, a woman who has worked all her life, whose husband has worked, whose family has done everything right, a brave and proud woman whose child's school recently took up a penny drive to help pay her medical bills. What do we tell them?
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Here's what I'm going to tell them, that after decades of inaction, we have finally decided to fix what's broken about health care in America. We have finally decided it's time to give every American quality health care at an affordable cost.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: All right. President Obama there, pushing for action on health care reform. The president spoke at a town hall meeting in Green Bay, Wisconsin, that was yesterday. We want to show you some live pictures right now because we've been telling you that the House is set to vote on, boy, sweeping changes on a bill giving the Food and Drug Administration really unprecedented controls over the tobacco industry. And we're talking about major new rules here.
The vote is going on right now. We will get you the final results. It is expected to pass, and the bill is expected to get to the president's desk for his signature later today. Let's get back to health care now.
You know, the reforms backed by the president and some Democrats call for a government-funded health care option, but that idea is running into opposition from the American Medical Association.
Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is back with us to talk more about it. What, 250,000 doctors or so are in the AMA, represented by the AMA? Here's what I want to know, Elizabeth. What is it that the AMA is saying? Why is this group opposed to the Obama plan as it's just being outlined right now?
COHEN: OK, let me put it in their words.
HARRIS: OK.
COHEN: All right, this is from a letter that the American Medical Association wrote to Congress last month. And what they said was, "The AMA does not believe that creating a public health insurance option is the best way to expand health insurance coverage and lower costs across the health care system."
So, the AMA knows that we need health care reform.
HARRIS: Right.
COHEN: I mean, everyone knows it. And so, what they say needs to happen is that there need to be reforms to the private health insurance system.
HARRIS: So, make that system better?
COHEN: Make that system better, and they say try doing that to insure the 46 million who are uninsured as we speak.
HARRIS: And when we hear -- I want to follow up on that. But when we hear the AMA is suggesting that they have real concerns about the cost-cutting measures -- right? -- the efficiencies in a government plan, aren't they really saying that we have concerns that we won't make as much money in a government plan?
COHEN: Let me put it in their words again.
HARRIS: All right, that's me saying.
COHEN: OK, that's you saying it. Let me put it in their words again. Because they've actually been straightforward. The AMA has been straightforward about what they don't like about this public health insurance option. They have two -- they have several objections, but here are two of the biggies.
They say that they don't want to be reimbursed at low Medicare rates.
HARRIS: Yes.
COHEN: They're concerned that a public health option would reimburse at Medicare rates. Medicare is reimbursing doctors at the rates that they made in 2001. All right?
HARRIS: Wow.
COHEN: So, it hasn't expanded. Also, the AMA does not want doctors to be required to participate. They don't want the government to say to doctors, you have to care for patients in this public health option (INAUDIBLE).
HARRIS: Well, is the president saying that?
COHEN: Well, what's interesting is, he isn't.
HARRIS: Right.
COHEN: So, it's not entirely clear to me why they think that they would be required to participate. I don't know why they think that someone's going to put a gun to their head and say, Dr. Harris, you've got to do it or you're going to jail.
HARRIS: Isn't the real issue here that doctors are just so concerned about malpractice insurance, and they want real tort reform. And because there is so much concern over malpractice that doctors are part of a problem in the system by ordering tests that aren't necessary because they want to protect themselves against the possibility that they could be sued, and that is part of the cost overrun that's built into this system right now. Am I right or wrong here?
COHEN: Many people would say that that's true...
HARRIS: OK.
COHEN: ... that too many doctors are doing too many expensive procedures that they don't need to do. But I would -- let's get back to your first question...
HARRIS: Sure, sure.
COHEN: ... that doctors don't like this plan because it means they'll make less money.
HARRIS: Yes.
COHEN: Would you want to make what you made in 2001?
HARRIS: No.
COHEN: No. There you go. There's not much more to say, is there? I mean, they don't like that. They're afraid that this public insurance option is going to bring their salaries down to 2001 rates. That's the concern. Among other concerns, that's a concern.
HARRIS: Boy, this should be interesting on Monday.
COHEN: Oh, on Monday. I wish I could be on a fly on the wall.
HARRIS: Yes, exactly. Well, you can watch it right here.
COHEN: That's right, I can.
HARRIS: Elizabeth, have a great weekend. Thank you.
COHEN: Thanks.
HARRIS: And CNN plans live coverage of President Obama's speech at the American Medical Association conference. Boy, this should be good. That is coming up on Monday. And we are focusing on the health care debate all next week, issue by issue, along with the Elizabeth Cohen. We will examine different topics every day, from prevention and pre-existing conditions to who pays the most and who gets the best and worst treatment.
The pros and cons of the Democrats', Republicans' and the president's plans and, of course, opportunities for you to weigh in. Join us all next week, 11:00 to 1:00 Eastern.
The White House "Road to Recovery" tour stopping in Kalamazoo, Michigan. There you see the vice president, Joe Biden, highlighting how the Recovery Act and the funds from that act are being spent on infrastructure projects across the country. Once again, Joe Biden, Kalamazoo for an interstate improvement project groundbreaking. Joining him is Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholn, senators Carl Levin, Debbie Stabenow and other local officials.
All right, airlines across the country made drastic capacity cuts last year, but it seems those cuts weren't enough. Now, two major carriers are scrapping more flights. Susan Lisovicz is on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange with details.
Susan, good to see you. Good Friday to you. You know, talk about bad timing. We're getting into the heavy summer travel season here, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And don't be fooled, Tony, because we know that every flight we get on...
HARRIS: Is crowded.
LISOVICZ: ... is crowded, and that middle seat, have you had a middle seat in the last two years, Tony?
HARRIS: Oh, yes. It's not fun.
LISOVICZ: I mean, like, elbow room? Well, it's going to get more crowded, but it's not because of demand, it's the lack of. So, what airlines have been doing to cope, cutting back on all sorts of things, including just a number of flights that it operates.
So, details now. Delta cutting capacity 10 percent in September. American is cutting capacity 7.5 percent in August. Both are greater cuts than previously announced. We do have some details on which cuts Delta is suspending. Delta is going to suspend its direct Atlanta to Shanghai and Seoul, its direct Cincinnati to Franfurt, Germany and direct Cincinnati to London-Gatwick.
We don't know exactly yet which domestic flights, but, you know, the problems are pretty easy to determine. It's not only the recession, it is swine flu, which is affecting global demand.
HARRIS: That's right. That's right.
LISOVICZ: I mean, check out "USA Today." I mean, this is still a problem. This is primary schools in Hong Kong, for instance...
HARRIS: In Hong Kong, yes.
LISOVICZ: ... that are being shut down for two weeks, and also business travel. A decline there.
You know, I flew last week for CNN in and out of Houston, one day. This was a flight that I was able to get for Memorial Day weekend for less than $300. It was $1,200 to go in and out the same day because the airlines know they've got you. They know it's a business expense, and that's their most profitable part. But on the other hand, businesses are cutting back because of it.
HARRIS: Yes, well, let me pick up on that. Does the cutback in the flights mean that ticket prices could start rising again, Susan?
LISOVICZ: Oh, it's entirely possible, but airlines know that people aren't flying, businesses aren't flying because everybody is trying to be careful about what they're spending. On the other hand, you also have one of the biggest expenses for airlines is jet fuel. And you and I have talked about what's happening in the oil pits. Crude right now trading at $72 a barrel.
It's taken a big jump, about 20 percent since the beginning of the year. It's not like we saw last summer, but it's going up, and it's going up markedly. What's not going up are the three major averages. Right now, the Dow is down just by six points. The Nasdaq is down 22 -- Tony.
HARRIS: Awesome. All right, Susan, have a great weekend. Thank you.
LISOVICZ: You, too.
HARRIS: Want to take you back to live pictures now from the House floor as the vote continues. Boy, the bill today giving the Food and Drug Administration unprecedented controls over tobacco. That is what's being voted on right now. And we're talking about major new rules for the tobacco industry. This piece of legislation passed in the Senate yesterday. Boy, and when you think about it, the bill gives the FDA final say on everything from, let's see, packaging to the amount of nicotine in cigarettes.
So, the vote continues right now and am I correct here? The president will actually make a statement on this legislation when it passes -- and it is absolutely expected to pass -- 12:10 Eastern time from the Rose Garden. And, of course, we will bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. A break, and we're back in a moment.
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HARRIS: Tough new sanctions likely for North Korea over its push for nuclear weapons. The United Nations Security Council could vote today on a resolution restricting North Korea's non-nuclear weapons exports. The measure would also limit the country's financial dealings and allow inspections of suspected North Korean ships. Meanwhile, CNN has learned that Pyongyang may be preparing for another nuclear test, its third since 2006.
A new child for Madonna. Malawi's supreme court says the pop star can adopt a second Malawian child, a 3-year-old orphan girl. Today's high court ruling overturns a lower court decision that Madonna did not meet local adoption laws. The supreme court chief justice says the lower court should have considered Madonna's longtime commitment to helping disadvantaged children in Malawi. Madonna's lawyers say she will begin to make preparations to bring her newly adopted daughter home.
Hip-hop king Kanye West thanking public school kids in Chicago just for improving their grades. Yesterday's show, called "the Second 'Stay in School' Benefit Concert," is part of the Kanye West Foundation started by West's mother. It is the first major event for the foundation since she passed away in 2007.
We're back in a moment.
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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know the only way I could probably describe it would be just somebody hit you in the chest with a sledgehammer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was just black.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I was in the water backwards, and it was immediate. I mean, there was just boom and in the water.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. I just felt like somebody had just beat me and then lit me on fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Man, that is -- ooh! Not quite the day on the lake they'd been expecting. Missouri father and son Gabe (ph) and Christian Neal (ph) say they thought the severe weather had passed Sunday night when they headed out on to Lake Harrisonville. Seconds later, it was another story.
In case you're wondering, the odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime, 1 in 5,000. Those storms, nothing to fool around with.
And, Rob, we are amazed at the work of those storm chasers. They go out and get us these terrific pictures. And I know you had an opportunity to take a look at some of the new technology. It's all about the vortex, huh?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, yes, not only brave, but very smart. A lot smarter than me and you, for sure. You may remember about a month ago, I went out and chased storms for about four days with Vortex to research. It was an unprecedented historical tornado research project, covering five weeks this year, another four weeks next year. And it comes to a wrap for this year tomorrow. Take a look at what they've been up to.
HARRIS: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, when you all decide to move, please let us know on the radio. Thank you. W band out.
MARCIANO (voice-over): The mission: Chase storms, surround them and try to understand how, and why tornadoes do what they do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The biggest thing I've learned storm chasing is that I know very little. Every year I go out, I see things that I haven't seen before.
MARCIANO: That, coming from one of the best forecasters in the severe weather business. Howie Bluestein is a professor and a high- res radar team leader.
HOWIE BLUESTEIN, PROFESSOR OF METEOROLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA: Why don't we stay here until it gets really close.
MARCIANO: Grad students from across the country armed with an arsenal of severe-weather gear. Long- and short-range doppler radars scan the sky. Mobile mezzanette (ph) minivans for close-in drive-bys and tornado pods placed directly in the path of the storm.
The doppler on wheels gets the most attention, and its developer, Josh Wurman from the Center for Severe Weather Research wants to know why some storms produce strong tornadoes while others don't.
JOSH WURMAN, CENTER FOR SEVERE WEATHER RESEARCH: We suspect that there are subtle differences in the temperatures and relative humidities in the air surrounding the tornado that's feeding into the tornado that's wrapping around it, but we haven't been able to measure those yet or document them. If we can learn those subtle differences, then we've really had an accomplishment here on Vortex 2.
MARCIANO: The first three weeks of the mission gave them little more than a few thunderstorms. Then finally on the 26th day...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Awesome.
MARCIANO: ... tornado in Wyoming. Cool pictures and a complete data set.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It will show the complete life history of the tornado. And hopefully after analyzing this data set, we may learn quite a bit about why tornadoes form. But it will be years before we have any conclusions.
MARCIANO: Conclusions that Bluestein hopes will help forecasters more accurately warn those in the path of these killer storms.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MARCIANO: And that is the ultimate goal. Right now with the advent of doppler radar, we're able to give folks about a 10- to 20- minute lead time with warnings. But not all those warnings verify a tornado. Only about 10 to 15 percent. They want to get to a point where, when they say a tornado is coming, it's coming. They want to know when it hits the ground. They want to be able to forecast how long it's going to be on the ground and how strong it's going to be.
Take a look at some of these stills, Tony. This is Howie's team. His high-resolution doppler radar is getting close to the tornado. There it is, roping out there, just to the right of the car. And then these guys out at Texas Tech -- I mean, this is a multi-university international effort -- these guys poke these stick necks into the ground with instruments right in front of the path.
They obviously get the heck out of there once they're planted. But these are just some of the things these guys are doing. And they were really stressed out because for the first week, there was nothing.
HARRIS: I remember you were there, and you, you know, you were having coffee and tea and lattes. There was nothing going on.
MARCIANO: Yes, yes. We were throwing footballs around and you name it.
HARRIS: I was trying to put you on television but there was nothing.
(LAUGHTER)
MARCIANO: Maybe we'll have better luck next year. But they managed to get that couple of good cells and one good tornado.
HARRIS: Yes.
MARCIANO: But this is the prime time. It was a quiet year, unfortunately for them, but I think next year will be a little bit more active.
HARRIS: Appreciate it, Rob. Good stuff. Thank you, sir.
MARCIANO: You got it.
HARRIS: You know, just minutes after shots rang out at the Holocaust Museum, CNN's senior White House correspondent, Ed Henry, was on the scene. Ed is discussing the attack on a CNN radio show right now, "44 with Ed Henry." And we've got you, doctor. Terrific. Good to talk to you, Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon.
HARRIS: You know, one of the joys of our work is that we're doing something pretty much different every day. But I'm wondering, could you quite believe what you were hearing, shots at the Holocaust Museum? And then if you would, share with everyone what you did. In essence, you did your job.
HENRY: Well, yes. I mean, you know this as an anchor, even though you're an anchor there in your big, powerful job. If you're out shooting a story, all of a sudden something pops up that's not necessarily what you do every day, your first instincts as a reporter jump out, and you jump in and start asking questions. So, that's all we did, which was do our job.
And, you know, when we first got the call saying that there had been some sort of awful shooting at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, we just realized that obviously the White House is just a few blocks away. And we could already hear the sirens building from all around Washington, just sort of descending on the scene.
And so, I jumped in with Jocko Riggs (ph) one of our fine photojournalists here at Washington -- at the Washington bureau of CNN. He was at the White House with me, and the two of us jumped in the cab at the Treasury Department...
HARRIS: And we're looking at your some of your pictures right now as you describe this, Ed.
HENRY: ... and raced over there.
Yes, and you can see some of the pictures we took. I just took those on my iPhone, just to kind of -- because initially we were still trying to get a truck there and try to get other cameras there to try to bring the people some of the pictures.
That woman there, 19 years old, her name was Maria.
HARRIS: Yes.
HENRY: She was one of the eyewitnesss I was able to bring on the air with Kyra Phillips, who really talked about -- I mean, I'll never forget some of the things she said about witnessing. She saw the fire back and the shots being fired back and forth. You had Stephen Johns, the special police officer, who tragically was killed. The other police officers, his comrades, who tried to help him and actually ended up shooting the suspect.
The bottom line there is, you know, having been on the scene almost immediately, I can tell you what a hero Stephen Johns was. You've heard it before, but let me just remind you that we're now being told the suspect had maybe ten more live rounds on him in this rifle.
HARRIS: Wow.
HENRY: There were more than 2,000 people in that museum at the time, and I saw many of them come out, and many of them were schoolchildren. And so, as awful as this tragedy was, it could have been worse.
HARRIS: It could have been a lot worse. Ed, appreciate it. I know you've got to finish up your hour there, "44 with Ed Henry," our senior White House correspondent. Ed, have a great weekend. Thank you, sir.
CNN tonight at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time, how about this, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin on her state's natural gas pipeline deal that could benefit other states. Sarah Palin in "The Situation Room," CNN tonight, 6:00 p.m. Eastern.
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HARRIS: Let's get to President Obama making a statement from the Rose Garden.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
OBAMA: ... brief statement about the kids' tobacco legislation that passed the Senate yesterday. This bill has obviously been a long time coming. We've known for years, even decades, about the harmful, addictive and often deadly effects of tobacco products.
Each year Americans pay nearly $100 billion in added health care costs due to smoking. Each day, about 1,000 young people under the age of 18 become regular smokers. For over a decade, leaders of both parties have fought to prevent tobacco companies from marketing their products to children and provide the public with the information they need to understand what a dangerous habit this is.
And after a decade of opposition, all of us are finally about to achieve the victory with this bill, a bill that truly defines change in Washington. I'm proud that the House and the Senate have acted swiftly and in overwhelmingly bipartisan fashion to pass this legislation that will protect our kids and improve our public health.
Along with legislation to protect credit card owners from unfair rate hikes, homeowners from mortgage fraud and abuse, and taxpayers from wasteful defense spending, this kids' tobacco bill will be the fourth piece of bipartisan legislation that I've signed into law over the last month that protects the American consumer and changes the way Washington works and who Washington works for.
So, I look forward to signing it. I want to thank all the people in the House and the Senate for working so hard to pass this bill in a bipartisan way. And I want to give a special shout-out to my legislative director, Phil Schiliro. He and his team have just done an outstanding job. They've been working on this for a long time, even before they joined the administration. I'm really proud of them.
All right? Thanks, guys. Have a great weekend.
HARRIS: OK, there is President Obama wishing everyone a wonderful weekend -- oh, well, he's going to take a question. Let's listen.
OBAMA: We are excited to see what appears to be a robust debate taking place in Iran. And obviously after the speech that I made in Cairo, we tried to send a clear message that we think there's the possibility of change, and, you know, ultimately the election is for the Iranians to decide.
But just as has been true in Lebanon, what's can be true in Iran as well is that you're seeing people looking at new possibilities. And whoever ends up winning the election in Iran, the fact that there's been a robust debate hopefully will help advance our ability to engage them in new ways.
All right? Thank you, guys.
HARRIS: The president there talking about the election today in Iran and talking about the robust debate that is going on in Iran now and reflecting for a moment there on his speech in Cairo, in which he feels he set a tone for a robust debate across the globe, really. And before that, you heard the president talking about the legislation that has just passed the House, which also passed the Senate yesterday.
So, this is the bill that now goes to the president to be signed, a new cigarette bill. The FDA getting unprecedented control over tobacco, and really we're talking about regulating all kinds of tobacco products, new rules governing the tobacco industry. The bill passed the House just moments ago on a vote of 307-97.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. HENRY WAXMAN (D), CHAIRMAN, ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITTEE: I think we are, today, at the last gasp of the tobacco industry's efforts to protect their profits at the expense of the health and lives of the American people and to get children to take up this habit. We're moving away from it fast in this country. The FDA will help us succeed in ending this tobacco epidemic.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: The legislation would allow the FDA to control the content of tobacco products to protect public health, ban the use of flavors like candy and fruit in tobacco products, and limit advertising that targets young smokers. It would require face-to-face transactions to make it harder for young people to buy tobacco products, strengthen warning labels and ban the use of labels such as "light, mild or low." The former FDA commissioner says it's the right move.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. DAVID KESSLER, FORMER FDA COMMISSIONER: For the first time, it gives FDA the ability to regulate. It's the most dangerous product out there. FDA regulates everything else that comes in contact else with the body, everything we put on our skin, everything we ingest, all our drugs. Why shouldn't it regulate the most dangerous product?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
