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New Revelations About John Edwards; Winter Storm Moves East; Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Impact on Obama's Base
Aired January 30, 2010 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: This hour on CNN, the further we read into the new tell-all book about John Edwards, the worse it gets. Tonight, we're live in Edward's home state of North Carolina.
The president has a few choice for words for Republicans again. Wait until you hear what he said this time.
Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown taking credit for the president's appearance yesterday in front of House Republicans. Brown tells voters his win is a huge game changer.
Don't Ask, Don't Tell. A president's promise, but has he boxed himself in on an unwinnable issue? Tough talk this hour.
Who dat talking about suing Saints fans? The NFL, that who, the question is why?
LEMON: We start tonight, though, with a political bombshell. Many chapters of them. Disturbing revelations about a man who could have been your president. A man Washington insiders say could have taken down the Democratic Party. This one, John Edwards, former Democratic presidential contender admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock after lying to everyone about it. The lurid details all released today in a book called "The Politician." Authored by Edward's long-time Andrew Young. Young spoke to ABC News about how he, Edwards and Edwards mistress, Rielle Hunter, hatched a plan for Young to claim he was the father's baby.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW YOUNG, FORMER AIDE TO JOHN EDWARDS: There wasn't a lot of time to sit back and contemplate. Hey, is this logical? Was it logical? No. Was it stupid? Yes. Did we do the right thing, morally? No. Absolutely not.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Andrew Young also writes that he has a videotape that shows John Edwards having sex with a woman who appears to be Rielle Hunter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG: There was one tape that was marked special and we're just aghast. It's a sex tape of Rielle and John Edwards made just a couple of months before the Iowa caucuses.
BOB WOODRUFF, ABC NEWS REPORTER: Are you absolutely sure that this is John Edwards and Rielle Hunter?
YOUNG: It's definitely him. You never see her face. It's a visibly pregnant woman.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: John Edwards' attorneys are weighing in on the release of this book. Here's what they're saying at this hour, "While we have not had an opportunity to view the interview or read the book, we urge extreme caution by everyone involved. From media reports, it is obvious there are many allegations that are simply false. It appears that Andrew Young is primarily motivated by financial gain and media attention."
In a moment, we'll speak to the man who broke the story that many doubted from "The National Enquirer". But first, to Edwards' home state of North Carolina. Jim Morrill covered John Edward's presidential campaigns in both 2004 and 2008. And he has covered politics for "The Charlotte Observer" for more than 20 years.
How are people reacting there in his home state?
JIM MORRILL, CHARLOTTE OBSERVER: Well, hi. You know, some people are really tired of this whole story and wish it would go away. And for them it can't go away fast enough. You know, for other people, it's like watching a train wreck that keeps piling up and piling up, and you're kind of drawn into it. But I think, generally, most people are tired of it.
LEMON: Yes. And they feel that this book coming out today only adds to whatever it is that they want to get rid of.
So then, what's the sentiment there in North Carolina about Elizabeth Edwards. Because at the time we know that she was supposedly dealing with cancer, and now that they have broken up.
Is this viewed as a personal, as their own business, or are people siding with her on this issue?
MORRILL: You know, I think a lot of people still are siding with her, but it's really relative now. You know, she started out with a great well of sympathy here -- you know, four years ago, five years ago, when she was first diagnosed with cancer, when it first became public almost on election night 2004. And there was a great well of sympathy for her. And then when it came back in 2007, I think, you know, people felt a lot of sympathy for her. She was, you know, a very sympathetic person. She had written a powerful book dealing with her own problems and the death of her older son.
But then, you know, as things began to unfold with this scandal, people realized that she knew about the affair even before her second diagnosis, and let her husband go on with the campaign. A lot of people think she should have pulled the plug on it right there. LEMON: And, Jim, you bring up a very good point. I want to play another clip from the interview last night on ABC News, and then we can talk about it. It involves Elizabeth Edwards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG: He was cussing her out, calling her crazy. And saying that she had sworn to him that she was physically unable to get pregnant. And that he just felt like he had been setup. The senator tried to convince her to have an abortion. He tried to convince me to convince Rielle to have an abortion.
WOODRUFF: Did you try to convince her?
YOUNG: No. He was furious with me for that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So that one is about Rielle. There's another one that says that Elizabeth Edwards knew about this before, as you said, he went on the campaign trail. But this one was about Rielle Hunter, the mistress, here. The one who is supposedly pregnant with his child. And who is now supposedly living in North Carolina, in the Charlotte?
MORRILL: She's living in Charlotte. Yes. Nobody can quite understand why. It seems to have made more sense for her to live some place in a big city or something. And, you know, she's living here, and nobody's quite sure why. She was living at the beach until few weeks ago, apparently. And then they bought her a house. And then for some reason that fell through, even though they did buy the house, and she's living in a rental house right now.
LEMON: Jim Morrill joining us tonight from Charlotte. Thank you so much. He works with "The Charlotte Observer," more than 20 years. And he said people there are simply just want this to be over with. And the new book just opens up another chapter on the story.
Thank you very much, sir.
And the John Edwards story opens up a wide range of issues. Jim Morrill will rejoin us a little bit later on this hour. And so are Barry Laveen. He leads the tabloid that broke the Edwards story wide open, "The National Enquirer."
Also, the president's pledge to remove Don't Ask, Don't Tell. What are the political implications?
We also want to know what's on your mind tonight. Make sure you log on to the social networking sites. We'll put your comments on the air.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: You notice that nasty night in the eastern part of the country. An icy blast is slamming much of the region. Virginia is seeing some of the worst of it right now, with a foot of snow expected. In D.C., officials are telling everyone to stay off the roads. Stay of the roads. Carolinas under an ice storm warning. Beverly Perdue has declared a state, a state of emergency there.
The storm moved east from areas like this in southeast Missouri. It left quite a bit of a mess behind. Some parts of Missouri got more than nine inches of snow. Further to the west, Oklahoma City got a coating of ice. Official say power is out to more than 125,000 homes and businesses throughout the state.
Our Bonnie Schneider joins us tonight from the CNN severe weather center. We've had an update.
Bonnie?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Don, we are still watching the advisories, and I have more to tell you. Because some of them have been expanded. Look at this.
We have advisories for Baltimore, now expired for south of Washington. But up towards Philadelphia, and even the counties on the shore -- on the Jersey shore into Ocean County. Look at this. We have advisories posted. This all goes until tomorrow morning. So watch out for more snow to accumulate.
And down in the Carolinas, a winter weather advisory. What this means is that temperatures tonight will stay below freezing. So every -- all that ice that's on the ground will stay frozen. So just be careful out there if you're traveling.
As you can see, we are still tracking the wintry weather not just into the south, but across much of the northeast. Look at this. Plenty of heavy snow, sweeping across Delaware into Maryland. And even up into New Jersey and New York, our iReporters have been on the scene. And we have an iReport to show you of some of the snowfall accumulation.
Well, they're pretty happy out there. George Bornello says that in Norfolk, Virginia, you don't really see a lot of snow. But when you do, boy, the people talk about it. On average, they only see a few inches a year, barely if they get any. But this time it certainly did covered most of the region. We're getting reports about 8 or 9 inches in Norfolk, Virginia. So we're definitely looking at some snowy conditions there.
Let's check out the current temperatures. It's 27 degrees at Norfolk at this hour. We'll be looking for temperatures to drop down in the teens tonight. It's already in the teens in Richmond. 26 in Charlotte. These temperatures will stay cold for tomorrow, so, Don, keep in mind, this entire region will be below freezing on Sunday. So everything will stay frozen. It will take days for all that snow to melt.
LEMON: Oh, boy, oh, boy.
OK, thank you, Bonnie. We'll check back with you.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
LEMON: Saints fans are supporting these all-around New Orleans. Look at that. See those "Who Dat" shirts. But the NFL really wants the shirts off their backs.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: We are following a developing story out of Haiti, where a group of Americans are accused of trying to take children out of Haiti without permission. A senior U.S. official tells CNN there are, perhaps, six Americans in Haitian custody right now, among a group of 10 people who are caring for 33 children. A senior U.S. official says there are no indications that this involves trafficking. He says it appears their orphanage was damaged, and that the group was attempting to move the children to their facility in the Dominican Republic, but failed to obtain exit visas from Haiti.
We'll continue to follow this story as it develops. We have a reporter on it, and as soon as we get more information, we'll bring it to you.
Meantime, flights transporting critically injured Haitians into the United States have been temporarily suspended because of logistical issues. The White House says there is no official to suspend the flights but the situation arose because they were running out of room.
Florida Governor Charlie Crist has asked the federal government to help Florida and other states to help pay the costs of treating those patients.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. CHARLIE CRIST (R), FLORIDA: They're not stopping coming into Florida. I wrote a letter to Secretary Sebelius expressing that the federal assistance would be helpful to us. And if we can share that with some of our sister's state, it would make a big difference. Obviously, because of Florida's proximity to Haiti, we've really bore the brunt of it. But we are happy to continue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: According to the White House, there have been 435 Medivac flights from Haiti to the United States so far.
Millions of dollars in aide have poured into Haiti, but the situation there is still desperate.
CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Desperate Haitians still struggling for food, water and shelter, nearly three weeks after the earthquake. More than 100 countries and 500 relief organizations and 20,000 American troops are here. But it's still not enough for the more than one million displaced. Listen to the top U.S. commander.
GEN. DOUGLAS FRASER, CMDR., U.S. SOUTHERN COMMAND: We're still not up to meeting the needs of the Haitian people as far as the amount of supplies that are there. We don't have an accurate number of exactly who needs -- still needs shelter, who needs food.
STARR: Many Haitians are trying to get out of Port-au-Prince to go live with friends or family. Relief workers are trying to figure out who is left and who needs help. CNN's Christiane Amanpour spoke to Haiti's prime minister.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: There's no heavy tents. Where are they?
JEAN-MAX BELLERIVE, HAITIAN PRIME MINISTER: I don't know. It's a good question. Normally we have a report that they're already sent 20,000 tents in Haiti and 20,000 on the way. The president himself asked to see the storage place. And we only counted 3,500 tents.
AMANPOUR: 3,500 tents.
STARR (on camera): The situation remains grim. The Navy hospital ship "Comfort" has almost no room for more patients. Medical capacity in Haiti is now being maxed out. And the bottom line, no one can say how long it may take to meet the basic needs of Haitians, or how much it may cost to do it.
Barbara Starr, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: The president's pledge to remove "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." What are the political implications? We talk about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: News now about the state of our nation. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Since 1993, it's been the official U.S. policy towards gay serving in the military. Next Tuesday, the top two military leaders in the Obama administration will tell Congress they want to revisit that policy.
William Cohen dealt directly with "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as defense secretary under President Clinton. Today he is chairman and CEO of the Cohen group which represents defense contractors. Tonight, I spoke with him about lifting the ban.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM COHEN, DEFENSE SECRETARY, CLINTON ADMINISTRATION: They're risking their lives every day to serve this country. And that's something we have to come to agree to. This is why I think the president said, this time, after 17 years to review the policy and repeal it if it can be done.
So I think the time issue is not one that's really the positive case. We're having two wars, that's true. But when the policy was adopted, there were no two wars going on at that time. It was relatively calm in terms of the international scene as far as the United States. And yet, the issue has always been, it's not time yet.
(CROSSTALK)
The time has come to look at it and say that people should be able to serve honorably. The key issue should be capability, and the key issues should be conduct.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Win or lose, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," has serious implications for President Obama and his administration, especially within the gay and lesbian community that supported him during the presidential campaign.
With me to discuss the impact, taking on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," are three prominent members of the gay community. Michelangelo Signorile is a radio talk show host. He is on Sirius XM. And joining us on the phone, Charles Moran, Log Cabin Republicans. And Neil Giuliano, the former mayor of Tempe, Arizona and former president of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Again Defamation.
Neil, you say it's not really a matter of whether or not it's time to, whether or not -- Neil says whether or not it's time to get rid of it. And you say the same thing, Michelangelo.
Do you think it's more about -- has the president made a promise that he's able to keep?
MICHELANGELO SIGNORILE, SIRIUS XM RADIO HOST: Well, I believe the president can do this much, much more quickly than he has moved so far. The public has come dramatically far since the '90s. We now have polls that show 75 percent of Americans support this. Many Republicans support it. There really is no reason why the president should be waiting. It's something that he promised. It's something he can do very quickly. And I'm concerned already seeing the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs saying they're going to be ordering another study to investigate this. It seems like more stalling. There's no need for any more studies. They have been done. You heard William Cohen. He said it's time to do it.
LEMON: We heard. But there are members of the military, and there are Democrats as well. People who support the president, who are saying that this will hurt the military. That it should, (INAUDIBLE), one of the men who drew up the legislation 17 years ago with President Clinton is saying that he thinks that it should not be repealed.
SIGNORILE: Well, that is his opinion. That is, you know, what he thinks. People have their own issues about gay people. And I think we know bigotry is a part of this, too. Bottom line is, the majority of people in the military, 66 percent of people in the military surveyed recently said they wouldn't have a problem with it. There was a study The Rand Corporation did a couple of years ago said that there would be no problem with unit cohesion. So let's go by the facts, let's go by the studies, not by people's personal biases.
LEMON: I want to talk to Charles Moran now. Charles, because, it has been said that the president does stand to alienate a part of his base, especially a more conservative part of his base, which are African-Americans and Hispanics on this issue of gay marriage and gays in the military.
Do you agree with that?
CHARLES MORAN, LOG CABIN REPUBLICAN (via telephone): Well, I think that President Obama really has an opportunity to represent so many of the values that these constituencies that might be a little bit shying from a GOP agenda to fully bring them in to part of the American experience. Understanding that patriotism and the commitment to our nation is the first and foremost responsibility that we have.
And while some people may be uncomfortable with the gay and lesbian impact in the military, they've got to understand that these are men and women who are serving their country, who have made the same commitment as their heterosexual colleagues are making to preserve and defend what makes America great.
And regardless of your race, your religion, your gender, your creed or your sexual orientation, that commitment is the same. And this is a real opportunity for President Obama to engage in this dialogue. And I think that's, that's what he needs to bring to the table if he gets any kind of push back from these traditionally socially conservative constituents.
LEMON: Michael, the president said he will work with the congress. He didn't say that he would repeal. He said that he will work with the Congress. So even if he does start to work with the Congress now, it could take years before it actually happen. In some people, you have spoken about this on your radio show. I've seen you write about it. Some people are telling the president that it's possibly a second term issue. And if you take this on, there may not be a second term.
SIGNORILE: Well, I think the president really needs to take a stand on something he believes in, something he's passionate about. I think we saw just yesterday in that great performance he did, people like to see him passionate and believing in something. They want to get behind him. This is a no-brainer. 75 percent of Americans support it, and it is something that, you know, he said this year, I will work toward it. A lot of people took that as he is going to do it this year. But already we're seeing reports that the Pentagon wants to study it, perhaps for several years. That is not going to go over certainly with a lot of people in the gay community, certainly with a lot of people on the left who really believed he would do this.
LEMON: I've got to say, though, when you talk about the polls that are shown, because it depends on which poll you read. There are some that show that it's neck and neck. Others are showing that people don't want it repealed. And it sort of depends on how you ask the question, Charles Moran? MORAN: Regardless of people's personal hang ups and feelings, we have a commitment as Americans to support a structure that is going to best preserve and defend what America is. We didn't take a poll to see if it was popular to integrate the military with African- Americans. We didn't take a poll to see whether or not it was going to be popular to let women served side-by-side along with man in a combat zone. It's doing what's best with representative of our country, and doing what's best for our military and for our nation. And this is what true patriotism is about.
It's being selfless, of leaving behind the differences and going out and fighting for our country and what it means to be a true American, and to support with everything you have. The most important thing you have, which is your own life. And President Obama needs to be able to actually move forward with his agenda. So far he has just, he has admitted that he wants to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." He's talked about doing it, but we've seen no concrete action. Not only by him, but also by his administration and congressional Democrats.
And this is not going to happen unless there's actual political will put behind this. And right now, Nancy Pelosi has already admitted that there's not going to be any kind of controversial agenda moving forward in the Congress, in this session for 2010.
LEMON: And Charles that's going to have to be the last word on it. Charles Moran, thank you very much.
MORAN: No problem.
LEMON: Michelangelo Signorile in New York, thank you as well. We appreciate it.
You know, he won the election that shook up Washington. Republican Scott Brown is back in Massachusetts, taking a three-day victory lap with the folks at home.
And President Obama spent time Friday with House Republicans. The day he took a break and caught some college hoops.
Plus, John Edwards brought down by the "National Enquirer," and a story he denied for months and months. The "Enquirer" executive editor will join me to talk about public officials and their private behavior.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Let's check some of your headlines right now. If you own one of those millions of recalled Toyotas, your fix is on the way. A Toyota spokesman tells CNN, the company has met with federal regulators to discuss a repair program. The company has to replace millions of potentially sticky gas pedals. No time line yet. Toyota will only say it is coming soon. Meantime, Toyota's president has apologized to customers.
Rival automaker, Honda, has some problems of its own. The company is recalling 141,000 of its fit cars in the U.S. Some of the 2007 and 2008 models have faulty power windows. They have switches that could pose a fire hazard.
What could make 10,000 people flee in terror all at once? How about two tigers out of their cage and on the loose? It actually happened at a busy zoo in India. The "Indian Times" says the tiger slipped out while their cage was being cleaned. Thousands of visitors ran for their lives. But no one was hurt, fortunately. The tigers were tranquilized and they were captured.
President Barack Obama faced his critics head on, in person. And both sides are calling it a victory. Mr. Obama attended a retreat at House Republicans yesterday in Baltimore, taking questions from some of his toughest critics for almost an hour and a half. And it was all carried live right here on CNN. They talked about health care, the budget and the atmosphere in Washington. The mood was mostly cordial, at times funny, and in a few instances a little bit tense.
Here's a look at how things went.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I'm using this as a specific example. So let me answer your question. You asked a question, I want to answer.
There's got to be some test of realism in any of these proposals, mine included. I've got to hold myself accountable. I guarantee the American people will hold me accountable. If what I'm sellin' doesn't actually deliver.
REP. JEB HENSARLING (R), TEXAS: Your administration proposed a budget that would triple the national debt over the next ten years. Surely you don't believe ten years from now we will be mired in this recession and propose new entitlement spending and move the cost of government to almost 24.5 percent of the economy. Now, very soon, Mr. President, you're due to submit a new budget and my question is...
OBAMA: Jeb, I know there's a question in there somewhere because you're making a whole bunch of assertions, half of which I disagree with and I'm having to sit here listening to them.
At some point I know you're going to let me answer.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: When you say that suddenly that I have a monthly budget that is higher -- a monthly deficit that's higher than the annual deficit left by the Republicans, that's factually just not true. And you know it's not true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, some say yesterday's bipartisan Q&A never would have happened without the recent upset election in Massachusetts. Incoming Republican Senator Scott Brown is on a three-day tour of his home state, thanking voters for their support. It was Brown, of course, whose win cost Democrats their 60-vote supermajority in the Senate, and torpedoed President Obama's health care reform plan. Brown says his unexpected victory has changed Washington's agenda.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT BROWN (R), MASSACHUSETTS SEN.-ELECT: Right now there's a whole new feel in Washington. And what do I mean by that? I means that, yesterday, the president actually met with the Republicans, there's finally some dialogue that's happening, bringing good conversation back to the equation. To make sure that we can really address the very real problems that are affecting our country right now. And taxes, spending, dealing with terrorism and the terrorist issues are affecting our country. And, obviously -- obviously, the most important things is jobs and job creation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Earlier today, President Obama took in one of his favorite pastimes in snowy Washington. A college basketball game between Georgetown and Duke. Vice President Joe Biden joined the president on the front row there at The Verizon Center, not far from the White House. The president, of course, is a big basketball fan. He played at least -- he's played at least a dozen pickup games with friends and members of his staff since becoming president of the United States.
He tried to become president of the United States twice. Well, tonight, his political career is in shambles. A just released book is making disturbing claims about former Democratic Senator John Edwards. This week Edwards admitted to fathering a child out of wedlock, after lying to everyone about it.
And there are new and lurid details in a book called "The Politician." Authored by Edward's long-time confidante, Andrew Young. The whole Edwards story opens up a wide range of issues. Everything from privacy to infidelity, and the private lives of public officials.
Jim Morrill rejoins me. He has covered John Edwards for years with the "Charlotte Observer". And on the phone tonight, Barry Levine. The executive editor of the "National Enquirer," which blew this whole story out in the open.
And, you know what, Barry, I interviewed you when this story first broke. Not many people believed you at the time. And you stood by your sourcing and stood by your story.
Now, how do you feel?
BARRY LEVINE, NATIONAL ENQUIRER (via telephone): I think we certainly feel vindicated tonight here at the "National Enquirer." Certainly, this has been a long, long road from our first article in October 2007. Followed up two months later by our first report that he had father a love child with Rielle Hunter and was engaged in a massive cover up for a long time. The mainstream media avoided this story, and we just continued to go down that road -- you know, month in, month out, year in, year out, until we finally got that brief confirmation from him of paternity, you know, a week ago.
LEMON: You know, and I hear -- you mention the mainstream media and avoiding the story. And, you know what, I had to say that you're right on that, because they did for a while. And I sat and I watched that interview last night. I read the "Enquirer," the article that you put out. I watched the interview last night on ABC. And I sat there, stunned, thinking, what if this man had become president. What if he had been elected to some office? Or appointed to some key position? What would happen now? No one would have believed your story, and you know, he would have gone on to do other things. What would have happened now? Do you think about that?
LEVINE: Well, I mean, I certainly think that, you know, if we didn't stay on the trail, if we didn't catch him in the hotel room with his mistress on the night of July 21st, 2008, you know, just plugging away at the story, that he might have gotten away with this. Certainly, you know, here we are on this story, a man's running for president, and most of the media is avoiding it. It still blows my mind to this day. And I was amazed when Mr. Young said on television that the cover-up cost $1 million. I'm just absolutely stunned by that.
LEMON: Unbelievable. Stand by, Barry.
I want to bring in Jim Morrill, because Jim is there. And he's in Charlotte. And he's covered Mr. Edwards for years. So you hear, Mr. Levine say, you know, if it had not been for the reporting, that this may not have come to fruition. You are saying that people just want this to go away.
Were there ever any stories because we want to talk about infidelity here. Were there ever any stories about infidelity before this that you heard in regards to John Edwards?
MORRILL: No, no. It was the furthest thing from anybody's mind, frankly. I mean, this guy was all about family. I mean, the story about his older son being killed in a car crash in 1996 was well told and often told. He was often on the campaign trail with his younger kids and his wife. They are often together. So he was, you know, kind of beyond suspicion to a lot of reporters who covered him.
LEMON: Yes. So -- I'm going to get back to you, but I want to ask Mr. Levine, when you look at this men, we often talk about men in power. And, obviously, someone, you know, having an infidelity, nothing new. But when you think about, again, as we talk about, what was at stake here. Men in power and infidelity, you see it a lot. We see it with the Tiger Woods story. We see this.
What is the lesson here, if at all, because you cover it so much?
LEVINE: Certainly the lesson here is, if you're running for president, you should not be carrying on an extramarital affair like he was. He was not only lying to -- and betraying his cancer-stricken wife, Elizabeth, he was lying to the public and also the hard workers who were following him and his campaign. Certainly, you know, we just let the facts speak for themselves. Initially, I didn't believe the story --
LEMON: That was my next question. You didn't believe it. I was going to ask you if you believed it when whoever tipped you to it.
What did you think?
LEVINE: I mean, when the first call came in to our Los Angeles office that John Edwards was having an extramarital affair, it was obviously very hard to believe. The polls said at the time that of all the presidential candidates he had the best marriage. His wife was battling this terrible medical condition, certainly we were stunned, if the reporting took us down the path of obviously what turned out to be true. But I have to say, it had to be Mr. Edwards' just fantastic ego that would allow him to carry on like he did. And certainly, you know, when the man was running for president, this cover-up of massive proportion, I don't think we'll ever see anything again in American politics like this.
LEMON: Jim Morrill, I asked you earlier about being there on the ground, talking about Elizabeth Edwards as well. You said the public -- she had public support behind her, but now in light of some of the allegations from this book, and from the interview that she knew earlier on, and listening to voice mails as well, that some of that may be waning. But, still, I don't imagine that people there think that she deserved any of this?
MORRILL: Well, you know, people still think that they can explain -- some of her support eroded early on, when it became clear that she knew about the affair, let him go on with the campaign. It eroded even further with the book "Game Change," that came out a couple of weeks ago which depicted them both in a sorry light.
And then again in this book, which, you know, is critical of her, too. I think people still sort of explain away some of her behavior, though, by the fact that here she is with cancer, married to a guy who's doing all this.
LEMON: So Barry Levine, is he still seen out and about there?
LEVINE: Is John Edwards, we're still talking about?
LEMON: I'm Sorry, Jim Morrill.
LEVINE: Oh, sure.
LEMON: Has he still seen out and about?
MORRILL: No. I don't think he's been seen. The last sighting I heard of him was in the "Enquirer," when he was at his beach house, visiting one of the neighborhood bars.
LEMON: All right. So, you know what, Barry, he answered your question. You know, I was going to ask you the same thing.
LEVINE: We're still on the story, and we're still going to cover it, get to that outcome of the central grand jury. LEMON: All right. Barry, thank you so much. Jim, thank you as well. We appreciate it.
MORRILL: You're welcome.
LEVINE: Thank you.
LEMON: You know what, CNN was well justified in choosing Tom Henderson as one of the CNN Heroes of 2008. When we come back, we'll show you why Henderson is back on the hero's list.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Every week, we honor someone doing extraordinary work to help others as our CNN hero of the week. This week, we want to acknowledge one of our 2008 heroes, who is right now, bringing much needed supplies and hope to thousands of Haitians struggling after the quake.
Today, CNN hero salutes Tom Henderson and his disaster relief organization, Shelter Box.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More than 1 million people have been left homeless. That's one in nine Haitians. Hundreds of thousands now live in makeshift camps, intense build with whatever they can find. Many don't even have that.
That's what motivates 2008 CNN Hero Tom Henderson and his Shelter Box team. Since 2001, they've helped thousands of disaster victims around the globe by thinking inside the box.
TOM HENDERSON, SHELTER BOX: It really describes itself. It's shelter in a box. Pre-packaged aid delivered in a box. Blankets, cooking pots and pans. A 10-person tent.
SNOW: Twelve minutes after the Haiti earthquake the Shelter Box crew sprang into action.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The plan is to move as many boxes we can send to Haiti as we can.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The logistical challenges of getting the boxes from here into Haiti have been an absolute nightmare. Infrastructures virtually non-existent.
SNOW: When boxes finally arrived last week, the impact was immediate. For Henderson, that's the whole idea.
HENDERSON: If you've lost everything, it's all about shelter, warmth, comfort and dignity. That's what shelter box is.
SNOW: By the end of January, more than 7,000 boxes will be in Haiti, housing up to 70,000 people. But those at Shelter Box know, there's much more to be done. HENDERSON: There are thousands of people dying every day. And that's what drives us forward, you know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well done, guys.
HENDERSON: This is not a job for us, it's a passion.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: With more than six million survivors of the Haiti earthquake are still in dire need of food, water and medical supplies. For more information on how you can help, visit CNN.com/Heroes.
Imagine watching the state of the union, and hearing yourself mentioned. It actually happened to a Philadelphia man. Well, we asked him what it was like to get a shoutout from the president. You're going to hear what he has to say.
And you have seen him in movies like "Men in Black" and "Dodgeball." But he is spending this weekend in a jail cell. And you won't believe why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: This past week during the state of the union address, President Barack Obama boasted a bit about his stimulus plan and said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Talk to the window manufacturer in Philadelphia who said he used to be skeptical about the recovery act until he had to add two more work shifts just because of the business it created.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: We decided to do just that, and track down what that window manufacturer. His name is Allan Levine. And I got a chance to talk to him. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: So, Alan, it must have been pretty exciting hearing the president mention you?
ALAN LEVIN, WINDOW MANUFACTURER BUSINESS OWNER: It was truly amazing. We were completely excited, overjoyed, giddy, everything.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: You know what, here's the interesting thing. You were skeptical about this process, about the stimulus, you were not exactly sure that it was going to the right people and help at all, and now?
LEVIN: I'm a believer. We were very skeptical that we were mortgaging the future. But we've seen the benefits by the job hirings. And we see the people, the families that we're feeding.
LEMON: Yes. So if this stimulus had not been given out, if you had not received this stimulus, I should say, where would your business, where do you think your business would be now?
LEVIN: We'd be struggling like the rest in the industry was before. The industry was off 30 percent before the stimulus act.
LEMON: Yes. And how was your business before the stimulus act?
LEVIN: We were fighting to keep down 10 percent.
LEMON: To get your cost and everything down 10 percent. You had 180 -- is it 185 employees last year, right?
LEVIN: Correct.
LEMON: And now?
LEVIN: 285.
LEMON: So you've added 100 employees in just one year. How much does that -- how much of that can be attributed to the stimulus?
LEVIN: I'd say a large part of it. I would say the majority.
LEMON: Yes. And also it's not just the stimulus. You've added 100 employees. You're doing much better now. But you've said, because of the tax credits that may have helped more than just getting the stimulus money to repair windows in Philadelphia housing.
LEVIN: Correct. They put in that 30-30 Act, which was a U value below .30, and a solar heat gain below. 30, and allowed the homeowner to get up to a $1,500 tax credit if they put in a high-energy- efficient window.
LEMON: And so how much business have you gotten from that?
LEVIN: We're up over 30 percent this year.
LEMON: Ah, that's really good. Listen, you have a 15-year-old daughter named Sydney, 15-year-old son, Austin, wife, Fran, high school sweetheart you met at 15 years old. She helps in the business as well. You know, you were really sort of -- you epitomize America, right, with owning your own business, the American dream.
So if you can explain to our viewers, in a way that they can relate, if you're a business out there struggling about the stimulus money, I would imagine your message would be, there's hope? I'm not sure. I don't want to put words into your mouth.
LEVIN: No, absolutely. I mean, it's truly the American dream. A business that my father, Earl Levin, started back in 1975 and, with perseverance, quality products and service, if you keep fighting, you know, it does pay off. LEMON: Yes. Anything else you want to say to the people of America, who may be watching, your family members, who've helped you throughout all of this, and maybe even the president for mentioning you in his speech.
LEVIN: Keep buying energy-efficient products and lower your energy costs.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Right. So listen, not is it we're only talking about housing and urban development, but it's also about clean energy, green energy, saving energy and money. So you know you are hitting a whole lot of points here.
Alan, we really appreciate it. Best of luck to you, OK?
LEVIN: Thank you, Don.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Nice guy.
Well, one week until the Super Bowl and the souvenir peddlers in New Orleans are getting a lot of grief from the NFL marketing police. "Who dat?" Say you can't sell no T-shirts. I'm not saying that.
We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. "Who Dat," we've heard that over and over for the past couple of weeks, ever since we found out The Saints might have a chance to go to the Super Bowl. But you hear it a lot in Louisiana. As a matter of fact, I grew up with this. That was the original, one of the original "Who Dat" videos from 1980s. You saw Aaron Neville who was in it. Everyone excited because of The Saints. You are going to hear that phrase an awful lot between now and the Super Bowl.
But be aware of trying to sell "Who Dat" merchandise. The NFL says it owns the phrase. Really? Well, judge for yourself in this report from our affiliate, WAFB.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER (voice-over): You've heard the "Who Dat" mania, likely bought up some of the merchandise.
(VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: But have you met the man who says he put the beat behind it all?
CARLO NUCCIO, MUSICIAN: We brought the chant into the 'Dome. UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: Musician Carlo Nuccio says more than 25 years ago, he arranged the music of what's since become a sort of Saints battle cry by adding the Who Dat cheer to the song, 'When the Saints Go Marching In.'
NUCCIO: And pretty much the rest is history.
(VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: Aaron Neville recorded it, and even performed it on video with their own Eric Paulsen back in the early '80s. And right around the same time, Nuccio says he officially took ownership of the term 'Who Dat.'
NUCCIO: I and my partner of the time, Steve Monistere were the first to trade mark it.
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: According to documents from the Louisiana Secretary of State's Office, he's right. Who Dat registered in 1983 to Steve Monistere and Carlo Nuccio for the purposes of selling records, tapes, t-shirts, and bumper stickers.
So where did Nuccio get the idea to use Who Dat?
NUCCIO: "I first heard St. Aug. say 'Who Dat' talking about beating St. Aug."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wipe your hands and knees, hands and knees up.
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: Darren Dixon knows the chant all too well. The St. Augustine High School track coach is also a 1980 St. Aug graduate and former football player.
DARREN DIXON, ST. AUGUSTINE H.S. TRACK COACH: Yes, I used to play quarterback about 80 pounds ago.
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: And that's when he was introduced to the combination of those two seemingly simple words.
DIXON: I remember in '78 or '79, our fans started the tune of Who Dat. It was Who Dat, Who Dat, Who Dat, Who Dat is going to be beat them Knights.
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: But today, it's the NFL, trying to claim roots to Who Dat, sending area T-shirt shop owners cease and desist letters, ordering them to stop selling Who Dat shirts like this, saying, quote, "If Who Dat is used in a manner to refer to Saints football, we own trademark rights to it."
BRUCE SPIZER, ATTORNEY: I think nothing is further from the truth.
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: Attorney Bruce Spizer says if there's no Saints logo, it's clear to fans they're buying from locals not the NFL. He said if T-shirt shop owners have the money and time to wage a legal battle against the NFL, they may have a decent case because of how common the term Who Dat has become.
SPIZER: You can even lose your trademarks because it becomes so familiar and becomes a generic term. I just don't see how the Saints can say a term that originated back in the Vaudeville days is owned by the NFL. I don't see it.
UNIDENTIFIED WAFB REPORTER: As for Nuccio and his trademark, it apparently expired back in 1993. According to the state, someone did register the term "Who Dat" three years ago. The group? New Orleans Louisiana Saints.
LEMON: That was from our affiliate WAFB. You know, I think it's the Southern Jaguars who started it. My parents would take me to those games, that's where I first heard it in the '70s.
You know, source from the NFL denies the league is trying to stop people from using the phrase Who Dat. He says, quote, "Who Dat on a green or white T-shirt by itself is not an issue for us, but the inclusion of the Saints helmet, logo or colors becomes an issue. We do it to protect the businesses who invest in legitimate Saints merchandise."
Connecticut police respond to a bank break-in and say they found a drunk man with a gun inside. And perhaps you recognize the suspect from one of his many TV credits. We'll tell you about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Actor Rip Torn has had run-ins with the law in the past, but now he may have outdone himself. Connecticut authorities say Torn broke into a bank on Friday. They found him inside and drunk and carrying a loaded handgun. He's charged with burglary and possessing a firearm without a permit.
In the past, Torn has had several drunken driving arrests. He's famous for his roles in the "Larry Sander Show" and movies like "Men in Black" and "Dodgeball."
Very interesting.
OK, so you guys have been tweeting me a lot about "Who Dat" and "Pants on the Ground." Enough with the "Pants on the Ground," all right? I like it, too. Thank you for the responses.
I'm Don Lemon, CNN world headquarter in Atlanta. See you back here tomorrow night at 6:00 and 10:00 Eastern. Anderson Cooper 360 special report, "CNN HEROES: SAVING HAITI," begins right now.
