Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
The Life and Times of Walter Cronkite; Obama Addresses NAACP Convention; GOP Will Not Block Sotomayor
Aired July 18, 2009 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Fredricka Whitfield. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
A U.S. F-15 Eagle fighter jet crashed in eastern Afghanistan early this morning, killing the two crew members. The area where the jet went down is considered relatively peaceful and U.S. commanders don't think any hostile fire was actually involved.
The death toll in yesterday's Indonesia hotel bombings is now at 9. That number is believed to include the two suicide bombers who set off explosions at two Jakarta luxury hotels. Eight bodies were found in the wreckage yesterday and the ninth turned up today. So no claim of responsibility, but investigators suspect a splinter group linked to al Qaeda may be responsible.
Americans are remembering the man who was the face and voice of the "CBS Evening News" for nearly 20 years. Walter Cronkite, who pioneered the role of television anchorman, died yesterday at his home in New York. At the height of his career, Cronkite was regarded as the most trusted man in America. CNN's John Roberts says that, quote, "Anything that came out of Walter's mouth, you could believe because you knew he believed it." Walter Cronkite was 92.
Cronkite covered some of the biggest stories in recent American history, the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Jr., (SIC), the Martin Luther King, Jr., assassination, the Vietnam War, Watergate, to mention just a few.
Well, we're going to talk about his legacy now with Howard Kurtz, host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES." So Howie, your most vivid memory of Walter Cronkite?
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Well, in person, it would have been two years ago when I visited him in his Manhattan apartment. And he had slowed down. He was a little hard of hearing. But he was still sharp and full of opinions, as you might expect.
WHITFIELD: And what did you all talk about?
KURTZ: Well, talked about, in part, his decision -- wasn't really his decision -- to step down in 1981. He was a relatively young 65 years old, and the truth is that for all the praise they heaped on him now, CBS kind of forced him out to make room for Dan Rather, and I think that he still had some bitterness about that. He felt that he could have gone for another five or six years. And CBS didn't make much room for him on the air after that, and I think there was resentment there, as well.
But professionally, Fredricka, I remember watching in October of 1972, when Walter Cronkite devoted about two thirds, about 14 minutes of the "CBS Evening News" to the Watergate scandal, which was then going nowhere fast. Richard Nixon on the verge of being reelected. And the fact that he, at a time when network newscasts really mattered, devoted so much time and stood in front of a map with charts and explained the complexity of that scandal -- that helped put the story back on the media radar in a way that I'm not sure anybody else could have accomplished.
WHITFIELD: You know, it was his simplicity that many people remember, in which how he tried to convey the news, how he did convey the news. And that was kind of the, I guess, really forward-thinking approach to what we use now as graphics, et cetera, those tools that you were talking about.
KURTZ: He wasn't flashy. He wasn't a showman. He was kind of a guy who could have been your uncle at a dinner party explaining the news. I think he had disdain later for the kind of shout shows that some cable networks put on.
But also, you know, I mean, he didn't have that much to work with. They didn't have fancy graphics on television...
WHITFIELD: Right.
KURTZ: ... in the early 1960s. They didn't even -- you couldn't go to Vietnam for a live show. You had to wait for the tape to be flown in from Saigon to somewhere else, so -- and I look at the early broadcasts, you know, didn't even really have working teleprompters. He would look down on his notes every few seconds and kind of memorize what he was going few say.
But through all of that, people trusted him because -- for several reasons. He had the warm personality. He seemed not to be full of himself, as, frankly, some people in television these days are. And also he just -- you know, he was a guy who had been a wire service reporter, UPI, covered World War II. He'd gone on bombing missions. So he spoke with the authority of a guy who'd been a working stiff reporter, still liked to get out in the field. I think that was part of the secret of his enduring appeal.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he was one of a kind, but you heard from a number of network anchors who talked about how he was an inspiration and how that very example that you just gave is exactly what made him the reporter's reporter. He wasn't just the guy who was on the desk, but he said you had to be involved in the story. You had to get out there. If not to be the best reporter, you had to get out there in order to be the best anchor, too.
KURTZ: Which is why he went to Vietnam, came back with that famous assessment of how the war seemed to be a stalemate at a time when the government certainly was not viewing it that way. That helped influence public opinion. But I think also, you know, no journalist today could be the most trusted man in America. It's a more cynical age. The media are not held in anywhere near the high esteem they were then. And the three network newscasts don't command the huge audience share that they did in the age of Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkley.
So he was the product of his time. He reflected his time. We see that in so many of the clips that have been filling the airwaves in the last day or so. But really, he was an extraordinary person, journalist and reporter.
WHITFIELD: You'll likely be talking more about Walter Cronkite on "RELIABLE SOURCES" tomorrow morning. What do you look forward to in terms of who you're hoping to expound on their experiences (INAUDIBLE)
KURTZ: We have just an all-star cast of people, ranging from Connie Chung to Don Hewitt, to his first producer, or one of his producers, Sandy Saccone (ph). I want to talk more about the journalist and the reporter that Walter Cronkite was. Everybody knows he was a nice guy and we all liked him. I want to tease out a little bit more about how he made a difference, journalistically speaking.
WHITFIELD: And the reach. What an incredible reach. All right, Howard Kurtz, thanks so much. Good to see you.
KURTZ: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, of course, you, our viewers, are also logging in and you're sharing your comments on our blog, your memories of Walter Cronkite. Dan Fleury writes, "Walter now shares a place in heaven with colleagues like Charles Kuralt, Tim Russert and Peter Jennings. The world will never be the same without you, Walter, but somehow, I feel better knowing that you are watching over us."
And Shorty writes,. "I watched with my parents Walter Cronkite and the moon landing on a black-and-white television. We were just as giddy as he was." And Michael Armstrong writes, "Walter always covered the most important breaking news. I wouldn't be surprised if Ted Koppel learned his trade from this legend."
Well, you can tell us more of your thoughts on Walter Congite -- Cronkite, rather. Just log on to CNN.com/fredricka on my blog. And we're also on Facebook.
Much more straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, this breaking news that we continue to follow now. CNN confirmed that authorities say in Fayetteville, Tennessee, five people have been found dead. Just about 35 miles north of Huntsville, Alabama, is where Fayetteville, Tennessee, is located, and this taking place in Fayetteville on South Lincoln Road, for anyone who may know that area. It's unclear the circumstances. Authorities do believe this is a homicide. The bodies were found early this morning. And we don't know who found them. We really don't have much more information than this, but we're going to continue to follow it for you to give you the latest information on these five people found dead in Tennessee. Police so far investigating it as a homicide. More information as we get it.
Meantime, President Obama is helping America's biggest Civil Rights group celebrate its 100th anniversary. In an address to the NAACP's annual convention in New York, he said African-Americans have made a lot of progress, but he told the crowd there's still a lot of work to be done to end discrimination for all minority groups.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Because Civil Rights laws were passed, black mayors, black governors, members of Congress serve in places where they might once have been able not just to vote but even take a sip of water. And because ordinary people did such extraordinary things, because they made the Civil Rights movement their own, even though there may not be a plaque or their names might not be in the history books, because of their efforts, I made a little trip to Springfield, Illinois, a couple of years ago, where Lincoln once lived and race riots once raged, and began the journey that has led me to be here tonight as the 44th president of the United States of America!
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: But make no mistake. The pain of discrimination is still felt in America by African-American women paid less for doing the same work than colleagues of a different color and a different gender, by Latinos made to feel unwelcome in their own country, by Muslim- Americans viewed with suspicion simply because they kneel down to pray to their god, by our gay brothers and sisters still taunted, still attacked, still denied their rights. Prejudice has no place in the United States of America.
And 100 years from now, on the 200th anniversary of the NAACP, let it be said that this generation did its part, that we too ran the race that -- full of faith that our dark past has taught us, full of the hope that the present has brought us, we faced (ph) in our lives and all across this nation, the rising sun of a new day begun!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So there was that speech, and yet there was another talk involving President Obama in a much more intimate setting, where a handful of African-American journalists were invited. And it took place, the interview did, the conversation, on Air Force One. And among those journalists, CNN's political analyst Roland Martin. He's now joining us from New Orleans. Good to see you.
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Glad to be here.
WHITFIELD: OK, so explain. How did you get the invitation to be on board?
MARTIN: Well, actually, there were several of us from the black press. We had folks from "Black Enterprise," "Essence," BET.com, American Urban Radio Networks, "Black Enterprise" and also "The Amsterdam News." And of course, in addition to being with CNN, I'm also with "Essence" and TV One cable network, "The Tom Joyner Morning Show." So the whole idea was...
WHITFIELD: You do do it all!
MARTIN: Well, you know, look, I have no problem with jobs, so...
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: OK.
MARTIN: So again, the whole idea, they really wanted to have a conversation dealing with the black press because of, frankly, who our audience is. And so he was headed to the NAACP, so you know, it was certainly a great opportunity to be on Air Force One. You know what, Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: What?
MARTIN: As journalists, we sit here and say that, Oh, no, we're impartial, we stand back. But you know what? We all, you know, are enthralled with the idea of riding on the most famous plane in the world. So it was a great experience, but more importantly, an opportunity to ask the president some pointed questions and...
WHITFIELD: And what were some of those questions that you asked?
MARTIN: Well, first of all, he was asked specifically to comment about the case in Philadelphia, where the day care school of mostly minority kids were denied an opportunity at the swimming pool. And he said -- and this is important because he touched on it in the NAACP speech. He talked about this whole notion that we're really not in a post-racial world where -- people are still experiencing discrimination. Yes, it is indeed better.
He also talked about New Orleans and Katrina and the rebuilding effort here. I specifically asked him, What is the most important issue in black America? And he said, Without a doubt, it is education and closing the achievement gap.
And so -- and that's really, you know, one of the issues -- I'm in New Orleans for the Alpha Pi Alpha (ph) convention, and with a symposium on young black men and education. And that's really what it boils down to. How do we confront the reality, when in Detroit, 25 percent of young black men graduate from high school. In Chicago, 35 percent are graduating from high school. The reality is, black parents -- for decades, they have been emphasizing education, and this generation is falling further and further back, and that really has to be the most dominant issue in black America.
WHITFIELD: So each reporter that was invited had one question which to ask.
MARTIN: One question.
WHITFIELD: That was yours. And I understand a question that was also asked involved a criticism coming from Republican National Committee chairperson Michael Steele.
MARTIN: Oh, yes.
WHITFIELD: What was his response to that criticism from Steele, that Obama is not doing enough to address the needs of the black community?
MARTIN: Taylor Chappelle (ph) of "Ebony/Jet" magazine actually asked him that question. He said, frankly, that Michael Steele needs to get his own house in order when it comes to the Republican Party and their outreach to African-Americans and what their policies are. So he pretty much laughed off Michael Steele and really, you know, blew his response off.
And frankly, he's absolutely right. I mean, you know, look, you can sit here and say that African-Americans want to hear more than just the president talking about, you know, parents and talking about education, and they want to hear specifics. But the reality is, What is the agenda from the GOP?
Now, I have long argued that African-Americans should be looking at the Republican and the Democratic Party. But frankly, when you are not articulating a message that is appealing to people of color, then they're not going to listen to you, even if your chairman is an African-American. And so...
WHITFIELD: Did the president address or reiterate what we've heard him say already, that, you know, It is not my purpose to serve any one particular group, not to be the president of black people...
MARTIN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... but of all America, and if those are -- those who are disenfranchised happen to beep mostly black or something other, then he would hope that -- and he's said this before -- he would hope that whatever issues he tries to bring forth, whatever new initiatives, it would be applicable to everyone.
MARTIN: Right. Absolutely. And again, he is not a black president. He is a president who happens to be black. So he said when he has confronted the economy, when he's talking about health care reform, that is going to obviously affect African-Americans. A report came out just this week showing the significant numbers of black unemployment numbers, especially in Alabama, New York, as well as Illinois. And so when you talk about the economy, and so that affects African-Americans.
The health disparities, the lack of insurance -- we have African- Americans who do not have, you know, in terms of a job with the benefits, they can't have health insurance. And so he -- absolutely, he is looking to help all people, but he also recognizes that there are specific things his administration can do to appeal to those areas most hit. He talked about charter schools. He talked about economic empowerment zones. He talked about how do you rebuild inner cities. On Monday, they rolled out this new urban affairs initiative, knowing, full well most African-Americans, frankly, live in major cities in the United States.
And so that was certainly a part of it, but yet he is not going to say, Here is my black agenda. He has to say, Here is my agenda for all Americans that encompasses African-Americans.
WHITFIELD: Roland Martin, thank so much. And congrats on getting the ticket to be on board Air Force One. And I know you're wearing your journalist hat, but come on, what kind of souvenir did you walk away from...
MARTIN: Oh, actually -- actually...
WHITFIELD: A little snapshot, a little (INAUDIBLE), what?
MARTIN: Well, actually, on my Facebook page, I've got the video up and the photos. So we were doing all kind of stuff. And the chief flight attendant, Reggie Dixon (ph), loves watching CNN, and so he made sure that we got some of the presidential M&Ms with the seal on it.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: There you go!
MARTIN: So you know, those of us who love chocolate, we definitely had to get that.
WHITFIELD: I know. And I know the president has said that his daughters really like the M&Ms, too.
MARTIN: Right. Although, I did say to the president who doesn't like wearing French cuffs, I wouldn't mind some presidential cufflinks. But hey, we won't ask for too much.
WHITFIELD: We're just saying.
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: I'm just saying.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Roland. Appreciate it.
MARTIN: I appreciate it. Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Enjoy New Orleans...
MARTIN: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: ... and the Alphas tonight.
MARTIN: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right, well, our special correspondent, Soledad O'Brien, will be bringing us a new look at being black in America. "Black in America 2" premieres next week, on July 22nd and 23rd only here on CNN. And then CNN tonight, the first African-American president visits Africa. Anderson Cooper takes this historic journey with President Obama. It's an "AC 360" special tonight, 8:00 o'clock Eastern on CNN.
All right, Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings, over. well, what happens now, and how fast? Our senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley, is on that, along with our Capitol Hill correspondent, Brianna Keilar, coming up. And what this means for the Obama presidency.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A beautiful summer day across much of the country, and that includes some cooler than usual temperatures. But very much welcome, right, Jacqui Jeras in the weather center?
JERAS: Oh, my gosh!
WHITFIELD: I like it. I usually like it hot, but I actually really liked it this morning.
JERAS: Isn't it awesome? I can't tell you, like, how many comments on my Facebook page I've had about, What's going on? What's with the great weather? You know, it's just so fantastic. And is it unusual? Yes, it is. You know, unusual enough that we're talking about records.
WHITFIELD: Yes, it's July.
JERAS: And this is a handful of what is probably a good dozen records that were broken today -- Valentine, Nebraska, 46 degrees, 49 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They're getting ready for Rag (ph) Ride, the great bike race across Iowa. That kicks off tomorrow. Beautiful weather for that. Cincinnati, 54 degrees, and 59 degrees in Huntsville, Alabama.
Why is this happening? High pressure in place. A big cold front has dropped on through, and it's all the way down here by the Gulf Coast, so it's allowing this cool Canadian air to push on in. We're going to get a little bit of a reinforcing shot of that cool air pushing in tomorrow, so tomorrow's lows will likely even be colder than today. So some more records will likely be set.
Overall, the weather is really quiet here. Not a lot of showers and thunderstorms on the map. We do have a risk of some severe weather right in there, across parts of Colorado and western Kansas into the panhandle of Nebraska, stretching down towards the panhandle of Texas, as well. But this is just a slight risk. We're not expecting anything major here today.
If you're trying to travel, overall, things are really great here. We do have a couple of delays. We also have a closure here at Teterboro. It's closed. That's due to runway construction, so nothing big is going on. And then some delays, about 45 minutes at JFK and 55 at Newark, and that is due to some gusty winds from that front that blew on through -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: OK, Jacqui. And I can't wait...
JERAS: Get some (INAUDIBLE) outside.
WHITFIELD: Yes, I know. But I can't wait to hear how your garden is doing, the recession garden is doing in this kind of weather.
JERAS: Yes. That's what I've been doing outside.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, that's all right, getting your hands dirty. So...
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: ... the bounty.
JERAS: Sugar snap peas and...
WHITFIELD: Impressive!
JERAS: You know, it's actually gone a lot better than I thought. But we've had a few problems, so...
WHITFIELD: Oh, this looks good. OK, so you...
JERAS: I'll tell you about it coming up.
WHITFIELD: Yes, in 20 minutes, in 20 minutes. Watch the clock. In 20 minutes, we're going to hear about Jacqui's garden there. It looks good. I'm ready for lunch now.
(LAUGHTER)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, stories we're working on right now in the CNN NEWSROOM. An Air Force jet crashed in Afghanistan, killing two U.S. airmen. The F-15 went down before dawn this morning in Ghazni province. The military says the crash was not caused by enemy fire.
Some of the wounded victims of the Indonesia hotel bombings have been flown to Singapore for treatment, and police say the remains of another person have been found. That raises the death toll to nine, including the suicide bombers.
Tributes are pouring in for Walter Cronkite. "60 Minutes" creator Don Hewitt calls Cronkite, quote, "the consummate television newsman." Cronkite anchored the "CBS Evening News" from 1962 to 1981. He died yesterday at his home in New York. Walter Cronkite was 92. The Senate Judiciary Committee may vote as early as Tuesday on Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. CNN senior political correspondent Candy Crowley reports after this week's confirmation hearings, she seems to have a clear path.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's all over but the voting, and the probable nays are letting it slide.
SEN. JEFF SESSIONS (R), ALABAMA: I don't think any member of this side will support a filibuster or any attempt to block a vote on your nomination.
CROWLEY: It ended well for Judge Sonia Sotomayor. She spent three days answering all questions while saying nothing about her take on controversial hot button issues.
JUDGE SONIA SOTOMAYOR, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: Senator, would you want a judge or a nominee who came in here and said, I agree with you, this is unconstitutional, before I had a case before me?
CROWLEY: Just no clue from the witness table where a Justice Sotomayor would come down on things like limits on abortion or property rights or gun ownership -- legal questions, political dynamite.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: People now understand the role of the court in modern society when it comes to social change. That's why we fight so hard to put on the court people who see the world like us. That's true from the left and that's true from the right.
CROWLEY: I's why Republicans were intensely critical of Sotomayor's public speeches, including her most famous words that a "wise Latina" "would more often than not make better decisions" than a wise white man. They think it smacks of identity politics and a judge with an agenda. She says she was misunderstood and her 17 years on the bench show race, gender and background do not color her decisions. Republicans are still deeply suspicious and otherwise confused.
SEN JOHN CORNYN (R), TEXAS: What is creating this cognitive dissonance for many of us, and for many of my constituents who I have been hearing from, is that you appear to be a different person, almost, in your speeches and in some of the comments that you have made.
CROWLEY: It was a pretty cordial affair, questions were pointed, but polite. Even if she didn't answer, Sotomayor seemed to appreciate the effort.
JUDGE SONIA SOTOMAYOR, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: But, I love that you're doing my job. And I love that I am doing my job as a judge. I like mine better. SEN TOM COBURN (R), OKLAHOMA: I think I would like yours better as well. Although I doubt that I could ever get to the stage of a confirmation process.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Candy Crowley joins us now from Washington.
So, Candy, Tuesday, clearly the White House is ready for its first confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee.
CROWLEY: Yes, they are. Now, they will have -- there is still a process that has to go. Sometimes Congress is like watching paint dry, but they will next week likely, the committee, will go ahead and pass the nomination out, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and then they have promised before the August recess, that in fact, they will have that confirmation, so well before October, which is when the next session of Supreme Court starts.
WHITFIELD: Is there a feeling that this administration, in these first four years, just might be seeing that they're going to be at this crossroad again, if not once, but potentially twice more.
CROWLEY: Yes, there are justices that you look at on the bench who are well into their 80s. And this is what presidents wait for, frankly, because it is there, one of the biggest marks that they make on history. I think next to war, or things that happen overseas it is just huge to be able to name a Supreme Court nominee, because you can affect the balance of the court and because they're on it for so long, decades. They are well into their 80s as they do it.
There's also ill health, but as we learned with Justice Souter when he announced his retirement he simply wanted to go home and spend some years there. So, there are any number of reasons and you don't really know who is going to hang on, who is going to put in their resignation, but presidents really look at this as one of their most solemn and powerful duties.
WHITFIELD: And Souter fairly young at retirement.
CROWLEY: Yes, yes. Especially for the Supreme Court.
WHITFIELD: Right. All right, Candy Crowley, thanks so much. Appreciate it from Washington.
And so this brings us to age, at just 55, Sotomayor could serve for decades. So, we wanted to get reaction to this, these confirmation hearings, from the next generation of lawyers. I spoke with some law students from both Emory University and the University of Georgia about their chosen profession and about the Sotomayor hearings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
You are all third year, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes
You are all third year and are you feeling more inspired, more encouraged, more certain now than ever about this field that you've chosen? Or are any of you at a -- a point where you are starting to reconsider, is this what I want?
JEFF ZACHMAN, UNIV OF GEORGIA LAW STUDENT: Is this a question about the economy?
WHITFIELD: You can look at it any way you want to. The economy certainly is a major influence, here.
JASON ESTEVES, EMORY UNIV LAW STUDENT: Absolutely, and I think the hearings are a bright spot in the legal world when in past year and a half it's been nothing but darkness. And something that I think we are -- we feel needed frankly. And hopefully this will continue that turnaround toward the positive. Not that it is going to turn around the recession, but at least in the legal world, it will brighten our days.
RHANI LOTT, EMORY UNIV LAW STUDENT: In some sense this is the best of the legal world on display. This is the complete opposite of the bad lawyer jokes. This is -- this is it, this is a Supreme Court justice who has this incredibly compelling life story.
ZACHMAN: I'd lock to practice law for a few years, but I think the attention, that the Sotomayor confirmation hearings has, you know, got me thinking about judicial opportunities.
SEAN SOBOTTKA, EMORY UNIV LAW STUDENT: I think, you know, my mom is an Irish immigrant. The judge's parents were immigrants, they worked really hard to provide her a life. She worked really hard to get even further. I mean, she probably -- I mean, her parents probably never dreamed that she would be nominated to become a Supreme Court justice.
The idea that even in tough economic times in very partisan times that if you work very hard and that you live well that you can achieve these really unimaginable dreams, that's what is so inspirational about Judge Sotomayor's story.
WHITFIELD: You are all certain she will be confirmed Tuesday?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
ZACHMAN: Barring any, grand (ph) meltdown. She'll get confirmed.
LOTT: I think she might even get some Republican votes.
SOBOTTKA: Definitely. She has in the past. And there are Republicans coming out now saying that they're going to be voting for her. And I think that speaks -- she's a great candidate. And I think that speaks to it. Her, second, her second district nomination, she did get support from both side of the aisle, so...
LOTT: And she was appointed by Bush, originally.
SOBOTTKA: Right.
LOTT: Senior.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, Sonia Sotomayor would be the first Latina to serve on the U.S. Supreme court and our Rick Sanchez talked with some Hispanic women in the Miami area who don't mind being called "wise Latina women." He talked to them about that phrase and other things.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELVIRA SALAZAR, HOST, MARIA ELVIRA LIVE: Latina women -- for many people that are watching you- are maids. That's why I don't like the name Maria. You know, Maria means being a maid, so Sonia is trying to say, I'm not a maid.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Are you serious?
FEMALE VOICE IN THE BACKGROUND: I studied...
SALAZAR: Oh, yes. I went to law school. I went to...
SANCHEZ: Does anybody else feel that way? Do you fight those stereotypes?
(CROSSTALK)
SYLVIA TINERA-VAZQUEZ, FORMER ASST. U.S. ATTORNEY: We battle them on a daily basis.
JACQUELINE BECERRA, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: You've shown up to court or to a law firm, and people thought you were the court reporter, or people thought that you were somebody's assistant, I mean...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Or somebody's wife.
TINERA-VAZQUEZ: Or somebody's wife.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right, well I had a chance to talk about -- talk to Rick about his conversation with these women and this was his impression.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: This woman had raised herself up from a boot strap, made it in the projects of the Bronx. The projects, which means, she didn't...
WHITFIELD: She's a tough cookie. SANCHEZ: She didn't have a father and they're lecturing her on things like, on things like discrimination, on things like how much money -- there was a justice who asked her do you think you can survive on the salary of a justice? This woman grew up in the projects and you're asking her that?
WHITFIELD: I know what it is to have no salary.
SANCHEZ: She knows exactly.
Another woman quoting Martin Luther King saying do you understand what Martin Luther King meant, it almost seems and to many of these women that's the point that they're making like, do you know who you're talking to, because maybe that's not necessarily fair. But it's up for American to tell.
WHITFIELD: Did they at least walk away with any sentiment about whether this confirmation hearing was conducted any differently because of the fact that Sotomayor was a Latina?
SANCHEZ: They didn't specifically say that. They didn't say that they thought it was being done differently, they just thought that the perspective that they understand as Latina women, that you understand as a woman, that I understand in many ways as a Hispanic is something that some of these men who sat on that particular commission will never understand and can't understand they haven't been there. Which goes right back to what they told me to begin with.
In America, as we move forward, we need to be able to understand different perspectives even more than we did in the past. And they made the example of the fact that for the first 100 years, every single man who sat on the Supreme Court was a white Anglo-Saxon protestant male. Do you think, they asked, that they didn't bring some of their perspectives and their prejudices with them? Of course they did.
WHITFIELD: We heard from Alito who said yeah, especially as a father. He does bring his perspective as a father. Whenever he has cases that involve children he can't help but bring that life experience to the equation.
SANCHEZ: So, it all comes back to her record. And there, you know, most of them, the women I talked to and even most of the senators who have been talking to her, say, you know your record is impeccable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And believe it or not, there is more from Rick and from those ladies that he spoke with in our 4:00 Eastern hour that we want to bring to you. Don't want to miss that conversation. And our Josh Levs has also been looking through a number of comments that many of you have been sharing with us about Sonia Sotomayor and beyond. What are they saying?
JOSH LEVS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Fred, great weekly tradition. Basically, during the 4:00 hour, right, as we focus on this issue. What goes on simultaneously to real live, is this online discussion that a lot of people are taking part in. A lot of you saw the hearings, parts of it at least, you have a lot thinking about it. You want to weigh in, you want to have your view heard. And you're going to by taking part in the online discussion.
Let's zoom in quickly. First of all -- well, OK, let's go straight to this. CNN NEWSROOM, this is how you reach us -- CNN.com/Fredricka, the easiest, short cut in the world. Come on, people.
Also, she's got her Facebook page. We got one more here, show everybody, the one with my pages. We're using those too, every which way. You got Facebook.com and Twitter.com,/JoshLevsCNN. Pick your favorite way of getting involved online. Tell us what you think. And also let me encourage you -- bow let's zoom in -- because some of you have things to learn, right, about her positions, about where she stands, about what she's been through. We will show you a little bit of what we've got on CNN.com. you can educate yourself.
Zoom in here. We have a lot of photos, which obviously look good on TV. But what you should check out is this. Just click "Sotomayor" at the top of the page, it's going to talk you through all sorts of things including comparing her with current Supreme Court justices and this, Sotomayor's key rulings.
You can look at issues like the environment, finances, health, civil rights. It will talk you through some of the key rulings. Get yourself educated, take part in our discussion. And Fred, during the next hour, I will pop in here and there with some of these comments.
WHITFIELD: I know and there are lots of comments. We're already starting to get many, many, many. We've shared quite a few already. But more later. All right, Josh, appreciate it. Thank you.
LEVS: You bet.
WHITFIELD: All right, changing lives in some of Brazil's toughest neighborhoods. We introduce you to a "CNN Hero."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Brazil is one of the most glamorous vacation destinations in the world. But, for those who live in the Brazil's shanty towns it is a struggle just to survive. But, one man is helping kids find hope despite the hardships.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ANNOUNCER: This is "CNN Heroes."
FLAVIO CANTO, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: I've never seen anyplace as beautiful as Rio de Janeiro, but it does have its dark side. (BEGIN GRAPHIC)
Millions of people in Brazil live in shanty towns called "favelas."
(END GRAPHIC)
There is violence all over.
JOAO VICTOR, RESIDENT OF RIO DE JANEIRO (through translator): The bad things that happen here are the shootings.
CANTO: It's the kids who have the toughest here.
(BEGIN GRAPHIC)
Joao Victor witnessed his father's murder when he was 6 years old.
(END GRAPHIC)
VICTOR (through translator): Sometimes I get scared.
CANTO: They don't have many options. Kids die every day making the wrong choice, but, you know, every time I see a favela, the first thing that comes to my mind is potential.
My name is Flavio Canto. I'm a judo Olympic medalist, but the best part of my life is changing people's destiny through sports.
I usually tell the kids that we can't let ourselves get used to the violence that surrounds us. We have to fight back somehow.
(BEGIN GRAPHIC)
Since 2000, Flavio's institute has provided free judo and education classes to more than 1,000 kids from three of Brazil's toughest shanty towns.
(END GRAPHIC)
Instead of fighting in the streets, they learn how to use their energy in the right way.
VICTOR (through translator): I feel less afraid. Flavio helps me win lots of championships, and he helps me feel very proud of myself.
CANTO: Helping kids avoid the wrong choice is one of our goals. They don't need to follow their destiny everyone told them they would have. They can change it. They're the true heroes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: They all are really, truly heroes.
So, July is the last month to nominate a "CNN Hero" for this year. And you can do that at CNN.com/heroes. You can also join the fans following "CNN Heroes" on Facebook. That's where you'll find exclusive photos and videos of all "CNN Hero" nominees.
A giant in the field of journalism is being remembered.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALTER CRONKITE, CBS NEWS: Good evening from the CBS News control center in New York, this is Walter Cronkite reporting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: He's the giant and how the world is honoring Walter Cronkite.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: For decade, Walter Cronkite was the face of "CBS News," he was called the "most trusted man in America." An entire generation tuned into Walter Cronkite for the events that defined momentous era.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CRONKITE: Good evening from the CBS News control center in New York, this is Walter Cronkite reporting.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The eagle has landed. (INAUDIBLE) thanks a lot.
CRONKITE: Whew. Oh, boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you.
CRONKITE: Whew. Boy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK, we're going to be busy for a minute.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wally, say something, I'm speechless.
CONTRITE: From Dallas, Texas, the flash apparently official, President Kennedy died at 1:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, 2:00 Eastern Standard Time, some 38 minutes ago.
Old anchormen, you see, don't fade away, they just keep coming back for more. And that's the way it is, Friday, March 6, 1981, I'll be away on assignment and Dan Rather will be sitting in here for the next few years. Good night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Former CBS anchorman, Dan Rather is remembering Walter Cronkite, the man that he replaced.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN RATHER, FMR CBS NEWS ANCHOR: He was literally a living legend and now a legend in memory, the very best in journalistic craft. In many ways, many important ways, he defined the role of a network anchor. (END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: This is perhaps one of Walter Cronkite Cronkite's most famous broadcasts, announcing that John F. Kennedy, Jr. had died of gunshots in Dallas, President Obama recalled this moment. He said that Cronkite, quoting here, "crystallized the grief of a nation."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: OK, we promised Jacqui would be back with lunch and it's out of her garden. I like.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: (INAUDIBLE), but I'm trying.
WHITFIELD: I'm very impressed. That basil looks much better than the basil in my garden.
JERAS: It got wilty, actually, from sitting here in the light. But for those of you who have been following us, we planted a recession garden. And gardening is huge this year and sales are up by about 30 percent and they're saying a lot of that reason is because people are trying to save money. So we were trying to see if we could save money. So far, I'm doing way better than expected.
WHITFIELD: So you really are plucking things from your garden and you're putting it on the table, putting it into the meals, your salads and everything else and it's working.
JERAS: It's working. All of this, this morning. Yeah, I got some Roma tomatoes and the base is just about done, so I'm (INAUDIBLE) to try and dry it out a little bit, basically and see if I can use it...
WHITFIELD: You can chop it up and freeze it.
JERAS: Oh yeah, basil?
WHITFIELD: it's fantastic.
JERAS: Thank you for that.
WHITFIELD: Just thought I'd help.
JERAS: The green beans I love. Love green beans. That's my favorite part. Next year I'm planting like twice as many because we eat them every day.
WHITFIELD: Not even all deformed and crazy looking.
WHITFIELD: No, they're good. And I actually have one strawberry left. I thought they were done, but I had one left. So, it's not enough to have maybe feed my family every day, but it's good for nibbles and...
WHITFIELD: Treats.
JERAS: ...supplements and you know, that kind of stuff. But like I said, no garden is without its trouble so we brought in our expert Walter Reeves to help us out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
Well, it's about two months since we planted our recession garden and as you can series, made a lot of progress. I've already picked some vegetables, sugar snap peas, we've had strawberries and also some tomatoes are just about ready to be picked, but it hasn't been without its problems. So, our garden expert, Walter Reeves, is here to join us and help us with a little bit of troubleshooting.
WALTER REEVES, GARDEN EXPERT: Jacqui, I am so proud of you. I mean look at, we've got tomatoes. You talk to me about the strawberries you harvested. We got the sugar snap piece, you've done a fabulous job.
JERAS: But it hasn't been all peaches and rose since this time, I've had problems with animals, as you can see, I put up the chicken wire.
(voice-over): Pests, the No. 1 frustration of gardeners, my husband and I had to invest $10 in chicken wire to keep out the rabbits and squirrels and $5 for bird netting.
REEVES: So, how about the bugs? Do you have a problem?
JERAS (on camera): Well, not right now. But I did and hopefully you'll be proud of me and I made a good decision about this. I was not able to get a hold of you because you were out of town, so I did some research on the Internet and I think a lot of people probably will use that as a valuable resource to help them for troubleshooting.
And I learned that I can just take a little bit of dish soap and some water and that will help take care of aphids. It was aphids, they were little tiny green bugs and they were all over the sugar snap peas.
(voice-over): A big no-no according Reeves, the dish soap I used has detergent in it.
REEVES: That detergent also will burn through cells of your plants and that is why I'm seeing some damage down here. You should have used a soap.
JERAS: Or better yet, Reeves suggested an organic insecticide. Reeves said you should tour of your garden every day to look for problems.
And if you find an insect that is chewing on the leaves or boring into the stem, identify it and then use the appropriate means to control it. You can get organic ways as well as synthetic pesticides to control insects. Diseases, many times just picking off the leaf and just discarding it is the best thing do at first, but if it's a spreading disease that seems uncontrollable by picking it off, there are organic ways to control it as well as synthetic pesticides that will control it too.
JERAS (on camera): The next concern I have has to do with the discoloration I'm seeing of some of these plants, like my green beans and the peppers. You know, they're producing green beans and they all look great, but they kind of look sickly in terms of the leaves.
REEVES: If you put your hand to your ear, you can hear those talking to you Jacqui and they're saying, "Feed me! Please, feed me."
JERAS (voice-over): Leaves turn yellow when they are lacking nitrogen and need to be fertilized. Reeves suggests fertilizing your garden three weeks throughout the summer.
(on camera): All right, thanks, Walter.
REEVES: You bet.
JERAS: So, we'll continue to keep you update and I'll let you know how things work out here in the garden and we'll find out whether or not we saved that money and just how many vegetables and fruit we gather.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: OK, I am so impressed. That garden looks good.
JERAS: Thank you.
Like I said, so much better than expected. But I have help from Walter. Not everybody has help from Walter. So, you're probably going to get on the Internet or read books. And as you can see, maybe not all of the methods are the best, but check it from a reputable Web site to make sure that you're doing the right thing.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that's so great.
JERAS: You know, most nurseries, by the way, have a little info place, go during a time when it's not so busy. You know, don't go like right -- it's Saturday afternoon kind of thing, but go when maybe there are fewer people there and you can ask them questions about what to do when you start having some of those problems.
WHITFIELD: Well, I've enjoyed this journey since you started in the spring and now the fruits of your labor.
JERAS: I know, it's been fun.
WHITFIELD: It's so impressive. Very good.
JERAS: I've got cucumbers coming, too. That's my other big excitement. I'm going to pick them and show you them today, but they didn't want to like, it needed to grow like this much more.
WHITFIELD: OK, good, well, I look forward to the cumber display.
JERAS: We'll have more to come.
WHITFIELD: Appreciate that.
