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Autism Rates on the Rise; Another Snowstorm for Mid-Atlantic Region; Coalition, Afghan Troops Plan Marjah Assault

Aired February 08, 2010 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Boy, that is fun. Time now for your top-of-the-hour reset.

I'm Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.

It is 9:00 in California, where new findings appear to reinforce a link between a mother's age and autism.

It is noon in Washington, where the federal government is closed for a snow day, with another storm on D.C.'s doorstep. Yikes.

And it is 9:30 in the evening in Afghanistan, where troops are ready to launch one of the biggest offensives of the war.

So let's do this -- let's get started.

Autism rates on the rise. A new study suggests it might be because women are waiting longer to have children.

Let's talk about this with our senior medical correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen.

And Elizabeth, let's start with this. Let's break this down.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: All right. I'm just going to give you the results of the study, and then we'll get into some of the whys and wherefores and should women freak out. OK.

So, results of the study, this was a really nicely designed study, according to the people we talked to, by the folks at the University of California at Davis. They looked at millions of births, and what they found is that when a mom is in her 40s, she has a 51 percent higher chance of having a child who will later develop autism, compared to that 25-year-old mom. So those numbers really are quite clear in this very large study.

HARRIS: Why would this be?

COHEN: All right. There are two camps here, the biological camp and the socioeconomic camp. So let me start with the biological camp.

Some people believe that as we get older, our DNA changes, and that women kind of pass those DNA issues on to their babies, sort of defective DNA, as it were, DNA that doesn't work quite the way that it used to work.

Here's another theory, is that the more time we spend on Earth, the more time we spend inhaling chemicals and other kinds of pollutants and just bad stuff. So, a 40-year mom has been inhaling the stuff for 40 years, a 20-year-old mom has been inhaling it for 20 years.

But there's another theory that says that it's actually much simpler than that and it's not biological at all. This theory says, look, who has babies in their late 30s and early 40s? Better-educated women. Better-educated women and their husbands are more likely to be aggressive about making sure that their kids get the right diagnosis.

So, for example, a poor mom may not have the time or the education to notice when their kid has signs of autism. A wealthier mom might be more likely to notice them, might be more likely to actually have a pediatrician that she can take her child to.

HARRIS: Access, right.

COHEN: Access. Exactly. Exactly, access. And just sort of the -- and also the knowledge that if you get your kid an autism diagnosis early, you're more likely to get the services that you need. All of that.

So it's really two different camps, basically.

HARRIS: Well, you know, I always ask you to sort of bottom-line this thing for us. How freaked out should moms be, if they should be freaked out at all?

COHEN: You know what? I think they shouldn't be freaked out. And here's why.

There are plenty of women who give birth to babies who develop autism when the mom is 20. So, it's not as if it is a sure thing, that having a baby when you're young, the baby won't have autism, ,or when you have a baby when you're old, that they will have autism. Also, there's a lot of this you can't control.

I mean, if you're 35 and not married, you shouldn't look at the study and say I'm going to get myself pregnant no matter what because I want to have a baby before the rates autism go up. There's nothing you can really do about it. So, if you are married and you are 35, and you're thinking about having kids, maybe you want to start moving because there's all sorts of things that you increase the chances of as you age.

HARRIS: So, include this in your base of knowledge. You know? And there's no one-to-one correlation.

COHEN: Right.

HARRIS: OK.

COHEN: And again, it may not be your body. It may just be because better-educated women tend to have children later. And that may explain it.

HARRIS: Right. Awesome, as always.

Elizabeth, appreciate it.

COHEN: Thanks.

HARRIS: Thank you.

Other big stories we're following for you.

President Obama is planning a half-day health care reform summit. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress are invited.

The president says Republicans should come prepared. He wants to see their plan to lower costs while expanding coverage to 30 million Americans. Republicans have criticized the president, as you know, for largely excluding them from health care negotiations and holding talks behind closed doors.

The summit, coming up a week from Thursday, will be available live, and of course you will see it live, right here on CNN.

An investigation under way right now in Middletown, Connecticut, where an explosion killed at least five people at a power plant. More than two dozen others are hurt.

The plant was under construction, so officials say it is hard to tell exactly how many people were there at the time. A search for anyone who may be trapped is on hold because of safety concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DEP. CHIEF MARC FONGEMIE, MIDDLETOWN FIRE DEPT.: It's a large metal building. There has been a lot of exterior sheet metal that has blown off the building and continues to fall off. The weather has affected that a little bit. There is quite a bit of wind there, so there are pieces that continually are flying off and presenting a danger to rescuers.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: So, Middletown's mayor says workers were purging a natural gas pipeline yesterday when the blast happened.

Toyota dealers say the company will fix the brake software problem on the 2010 Prius. They expect a recall to be announced this week. The software bug can cause the Prius' brakes to be unresponsive for a second or so. Some Lexus hybrid models are also impacted.

Toyota cranked up production at six North American factories today. Live pictures now from the company's flagship American plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. Assembly lines idle for a week while Toyota repaired accelerator problems on eight popular models.

Toyota's top American executive has been live online answering customers' questions. More on that later this hour.

It doesn't matter if you're in a Prius or a Humvee, or whatever. Getting around in the Mid-Atlantic states is not easy today. The region is trying to dig out of some of the heaviest snow in years, two to three feet in some areas.

Where is CNN Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf? He is in Alexandria, Virginia.

Reynolds, are crews going to be able to clear enough streets before the next storm rolls in?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I think so. You know, a lot of main roads like here in this section in Alexandria, it looks pretty good. Cars are coming on through.

But I will tell you that CNN photojournalist -- let's take a look, we do have some cars backing up there -- Tony Morani (ph) had a really great moment of sharpness, which he has plenty of. He's as sharp as a knife.

He knows that in the shade, you have a lot of the ice and you have a lot of snow. But then, when you hop over into place where you have the full sunlight, well, it begins to break up a little bit. And then a lot of the black ice we were dealing with earlier now mostly just puddles. So that's certainly some good news.

Let me show you something else as we walk on over here.

Come on, Tony. Watch your step, man.

We are seeing a lot of activity here in town, like you see these snowplows coming on through. These guys still have plenty of work to do back on the side streets, Tony.

Things are great here on the main roads. The side roads, all kinds of issues, clogged with snow and ice, especially, as we mentioned, those place where you have those taller buildings in the shadows. And here you have a lot of those taller townhome-style houses. So that certainly is an issue.

But what we are going to be seeing is, again, more of those problems on the roadways. On the interstates, things are looking pretty good, but you still have a few bad patches.

And then, overnight, as the temperatures drop, a lot of this is going to turn back to ice. And then, unfortunately, in the forecast, as Chad is going to tell you coming up in mere moments, we've got more snow coming ahead.

Now, in terms of transportation, the roads are all right, but, still, they want you to stay off the roads if you possibly can. Things have been kind of sketchy at the airports, though we have seen some planes fly overhead on their way to Reagan National, which is some great news. We have seen also some taxis out like this one you see, this yellow cab that's coming along. But other city services like buses, again, have been kind of hit or miss. You see a few, but certainly none of the volume you have on a normal day where the weather situation is perfect.

Metro, the railways over at the nation's capital, they're fine, below ground and running every 30 minutes, which is, again, kind of slow from what you'd normally expect. And then the stuff that happens above ground, that certainly is not going to happen at all. And with this other batch coming through, it certainly may be a problem.

Again, we're talking about snowfall. We still have clumps of it everywhere. And again, as Chad is going to tell us, it looks like more is on the way.

Let's kick it back to you.

HARRIS: All right. Let's do that. Thank you, Reynolds.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Gearing up for one of the biggest offensives since the start of war in Afghanistan, U.S., NATO and Afghan forces targeting heavily-populated Marjah. Residents are fleeing, militants digging in.

Details now from ITN's Carl Dinnen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CARL DINNEN, ITN REPORTER (voice-over): Fearful of the coming battle, these people have abandoned their homes. They live in the Marjah district of Helmand, a Taliban stronghold. In what is widely anticipated to be the biggest offensive of the Afghan campaign, coalition troops will soon be moving in to clear up to 1,000 Taliban fighters out of Marjah.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We left our village because of the upcoming fighting and bombardment. I want to save the lives of my children and the rest of my family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I decided to leave the village. And we're heading to Lashkar Gah to rent a house.

DINNEN: The operation to clear Marjah will be followed by an Afghan-led move to reassert control of Kandahar City. The strategy is to secure population centers and...

GEN. STANLEY MCCHRYSTAL, COMMANDER, U.S. FORCES IN AFGHANISTAN: ... to sends a strong signal to the Afghan people that the Afghan government is expanding its security control. And, of course, this is an Afghan-led operation. DINNEN: Afghan leadership has become an article of faith in this campaign. As this elite Afghan police unit were preparing for Operation Mushtarak (ph) with their British mentors, the Afghan president was outlining his hopes for Afghan security forces.

HAMID KARZAI, AFGHAN PRESIDENT: By five years, Afghanistan should be able to provide security for its people so we are no longer a burden on the shoulders of the international community.

DINNEN: But the Taliban must be dealt with first. Now, supposedly, a twin track effort. On the one hand, there is this force about to be unleashed around Marjah. On the other, a hope that lease ideologically-driven elements can be persuaded to lay down their weapons, although the U.S. envoy said today they did not have any direct contacts with the Taliban.

And those civilians fleeing Marjah say the local insurgents are reinforcing and digging in for a fight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: OK. The upcoming operation to take back control of this Taliban-held district has been one of the worst-kept secrets in Afghanistan.

Our Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson knows that area pretty well -- very well, indeed -- and he joins me from London.

And Nic, why Marjah? Why now? What can you tell us?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's early in the year. We often hear talk about the Taliban fighting season, that they will lay off for the winter. But what's happened this winter, they haven't stopped their fight.

The casualty toll among NATO forces, U.S. troops, British troops and the others has only dipped slightly through the winter because the Taliban are keeping their fight going. And this very much appears to be NATO commanders wanting to push an early offensive against this is important area for them that they say the Taliban still has control over.

This area is adjacent to other areas where there have been recent operations in the past couple of years, so it sort of will extend NATO's influence and hopefully push the Taliban out of this heavily- populated area, although what we're seeing from those previous operations, the Taliban may fight, may run away, and then they will just continue from somewhere else with their sort of IED-planting, guerrilla tactics against the forces. Not centralized in one area, just coming in and striking where they can continue to strike -- Tony.

HARRIS: Sure.

And Nic, maybe you can explain why there has been so much advance notice of this pending operation. ROBERTSON: Well, since General McChrystal took control of NATO forces last summer, he's put as a high priority protecting Afghan civilians, almost over going out and chasing down the Taliban. So, by telegraphing the punch here, if you will, letting everyone know that this operation is coming, on the one hand it lets the civilian population move out of the area so they don't become casualties and victims in this operation, because that would drive them away from the international forces, away from the Afghan government. And that's something General McChrystal wants to avoid.

And the other hope is that if, as President Kara wants to do, which is encourage some Taliban, those who are willing to lay down their weapons, to come into negotiations, this will allow them to do that. They'll see that there's a big operation coming -- this is the idea -- and that some of them, those who are fighting, perhaps, for money and not for ideology, will avoid this conflict and fight.

But so far, the Taliban is saying that they will stand and fight. And indications are that they are digging in. But I think the other thing here, Tony, about this lead time, it allows all those UAV drone aircraft that will be over-flying the area to watch exactly what the Taliban are doing, because they'll be laying IEDs in some of the places where these troops are going to have to go into.

HARRIS: All right.

Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, for us.

Nic, appreciate it. Good to see you. Thank you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who dat going to beat them Saints? Who dat? Who dat?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: So, it is official. They are -- look, they're losing their minds in New Orleans. Super Bowl champs, with a little Mardi Gras thrown in for a little extra flavor. Boy, it is a long way from Katrina. And I will talk to someone who's been along for the entire ride.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(NEWSBREAK)

HARRIS: We will get another check of your top stories in 20 minutes, but I want to stay with this Super Bowl theme here, more about them Saints and what their win means for New Orleans.

Jeff Duncan is with "The Times-Picayune" in New Orleans. But right now he is on the phone from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Jeff, are you trying to get out of Florida right now and get back home? JEFF DUNCAN, "THE TIMES-PICAYUNE": No. Actually, I'm flying back tomorrow morning. I'll be back in time for the parade. But I had to stay for the Drew Brees press conference this morning, the Super Bowl MVP press conference.

HARRIS: Hey, what did he say about winning and this being more important than an individual accomplishment and a team accomplishment? What did he say on that?

DUNCAN: Well, Drew and a lot of players on the Saints' team really have a unique understanding of the whole situation. And I don't think they came to New Orleans with that understanding, but it certainly has grown on him and the rest of the team as they've been immersed in this dynamic in the city post-Katrina.

And to their credit, they get it. And he talked all season long, and he reiterated that point again this morning, that a lot of people felt like that might be a burden on this team, the responsibility of leading a city. But they actually see it as a responsibility and a motivator. And I really believe that the city helps fuel this team on game days and, in return, the team fuels the city. It's a very symbiotic relationship.

HARRIS: Well, you look at the coach, Sean Payton, you look at that Super Bowl-winning MVP performance from your quarterback, Drew Brees there, and, Jeff, what kind of leaders have they been for the city of New Orleans over the past four years?

DUNCAN: Well, you hit on it right there. That really is part of the attraction to this team, is the leadership of Drew Brees and Sean Payton.

There's been a vacuum of leadership at the highest level in the city since Katrina. People are thirsting for accountability and quality leaders.

We saw that during Katrina with General Honore, the way he came in and took over the recovery efforts. We see that with the Jim Letten, U.S. attorney. And we also see that now with these football heroes. And it's part of why I think this team is so popular right now in the city.

Drew Brees and Sean Payton can do no wrong. They'll never buy another meal or a drink or pay a parking ticket in New Orleans for the rest of their lives.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: Well, Jeff, I mean, it's a football game. And I know that -- and I know it's more than a football game. I'm not that silly. I wasn't born under a rock.

But, you know, it is, at the end of the day, a football game. And what can a win like this -- and maybe you can weave in some of the Saints' history here.

How can this change that city?

DUNCAN: Well, it gives people hope, and I think that's a big part of what's going on in this city. I mean, not a lot has gone right in New Orleans over the last four or five decades since the civil rights movement, actually. It's really been a depressed town business-wise, economically, and then Katrina just really threw a whole wrench in everything else.

And now we're starting to see some momentum in the city. A lot of recovery efforts are starting to move forward. We're seeing a lot of street repairs, things that -- money that had been bottled up for years.

There was a new mayor elected on Saturday which brings with it new hope. And I think the Saints just continue that momentum.

You know, for years, this city has kind of looked at itself in the South, and looked around and seen the great progress in Atlanta and some of the Florida cities where we see the Sun Belt taking off. And New Orleans is losing population. One of the few cities in the South that's losing population.

The state is ranked 49th almost across the board in everything. Thank goodness for Mississippi. But they feel like that there's just bad -- just a lot of bad news. And this is something that gives people, I think, positive news for the fishes time in awhile?

HARRIS: Can you turn this into dollars? Can you get the convention business going again? You know, that's a destination location. Folks have to want to go to New Orleans.

DUNCAN: Well, I think that will always be there. I think what New Orleans needs to do is branch out into the other sectors and start attracting businesses and getting people back, and understanding that the city is back.

You know, the Saints provide a national global spotlight now on the city of New Orleans. And people are going to see that and I think open their eyes to the recovery, and see the progress that has been made and the progress that's going forward.

HARRIS: Boy, oh, boy.

DUNCAN: I think they feel like it's a positive.

HARRIS: What a win. What a celebration.

Jeff Duncan is with "The Times-Picayune."

Jeff, you write great columns and capture the spirit of that city, post-Super Bowl win. And thanks for your time today. We really appreciate it. Enjoy that celebration and the parade tomorrow.

You can catch the Saints in the winners' parade tomorrow night. That's at 6:00 Eastern from New Orleans. Live coverage right here on CNN. What would you say if your security screener had a criminal record? Well, at one airport, the TSA said he had to be hired.

We will get details of this strange story from our Security Desk team.

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Well, the TSA breaking its own rules. Federal officials issue ordering an airport to issue a high-level security badge to a convicted felon.

We need more on this. CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve is on the Security Desk in Washington.

And Jeanne, what's going on here?

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, the TSA says, actually, it's following the rules, but the rules may seem a little strange. Here's how this story unfolds.

Back in 2002, a TSA security screener was hired for the Richmond, Virginia, airport and given a security clearance. But recently he asked for a higher level clearance, and when the airport did its records check, they discovered he had committed a felony within the past 10 years, which they say under their TSA approved security plan he should be disqualified.

The TSA says no, not so, because this crime occurred when this man was 17 years old, and he entered his guilty plea when he was 18. Here's what the TSA told us in a statement.

They said, "With respect to juveniles, both the United States government and Virginia do not view juvenile offender adjudications as convictions under federal or state law. Therefore, a TSA employee with a Virginia juvenile offender adjudication for one of the disqualifying crimes would not automatically be prohibited from employment," even when that employment is doing security screening.

Now, the congressional delegation has weighed in on this. Eric Cantor, who's a member of Congress, wrote a letter to Gail Rossides, who's the acting director of the TSA. In that letter he said, "these actions by TSA defy common sense. This is a matter of national security and our citizens deserve better." He says, in fact, the TSA is undermining efforts to keep aviation safe.

I spoke also with a man who's president of the Richmond International Airport. He said he was blown away by this decision. He says is it really right that someone who has a felony in their background should be doing airport screening.

Tony, back to you.

HARRIS: Well, yes, Jeanne, let me follow with a quick question on access. What kind of access to the airport does someone with this kind of pass have or gain?

MESERVE: This is the highest level of security pass. So this person would have access to the runways, to the gate areas, to the baggage areas. Essentially they'd have free rein over the entire airport. About 50 percent of the screeners in Richmond have these sort of higher security passes. This individual did not. But now he does.

The TSA insisted that he must be given one and he has been. They say, hey, it's a juvenile offense. He should be given a second chance. And under the law, that's what he gets.

HARRIS: Yes, all right, CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve for us.

Jeanne, thank you.

MESERVE: You bet.

HARRIS: Toyota executives are trying to fix the safety concerns with their cars as they try to contain the PR fallout with their customers. Poppy Harlow, from our CNN Money team, will bring us the very latest. We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A little slow. Try to get to cnnmoney.com so I could at least give you a heads-up on the top story at cnnmoney.com. What is it? After the what? The gold rush. It's like three of you guys talking to me at the same time. I appreciate it. Thank you. But if you want the latest financial news and analysis, just go to cnnmoney.com.

Let's look at the numbers now. New York Stock Exchange, the big board, three hours into the trading day as you can see. As Stephanie Elam likes to say, we've been dancing along the flat line here. The Dow is down eight points, almost nine points. And the Nasdaq is up eight. So kind of a mixed day. We're following these numbers with Stephanie throughout the day for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Repairs for many Toyotas are underway, but the company's troubles aren't over yet. The carmaker may be preparing to announce another recall. CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow joining us now from New York with more on this.

And, Poppy, the Prius is at issue this time around?

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Yes. I mean this is what happened, Tony. Toyota came out last week said, yes, there's a problem with the Prius brakes but they haven't issued a recall yet. So let's just update all the Prius owners on what they need to know.

No recall yet. It's the middle of the night really in Japan, so we're probably not going to hear anything till Tuesday morning at the earliest here. But they have admitted that there is a problem with the brakes and that a fix is on the way, a solution is near for that. One of the Toyota dealers here in New York that I just spoke with this morning, I've been keeping up with him every day on this story, and he told me, we haven't heard anything from Toyota on the Prius yet and, in fact, he even sold a Prius this weekend, Tony. So they're waiting for a fix.

But what else is really making news that's going on with Toyota now, a big move forward for the company is that this morning they started production once again on those eight recalled models. Let's show you some live pictures here of a Toyota plant, the biggest in North America, in Georgetown, Kentucky, where you see mainly Camrys that have the fixed -- I should emphasize -- the fixed accelerator pedal that we saw the major recall for over the last few weeks. They have resumed production. They started this morning about 6:30 a.m.

One of our photojournalists, Rick Hall, is there. He asked some questions of people that work at the plant. Take a listen to what Renee Brown had to say about the whole Toyota issue going on. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RENEE BROWN, TOYOTA PLANT EMPLOYEE: It's been kind of scary. And, you know, of course we're all very concerned about the recall. We do take it very personally. I mean Toyota always has the perception that we build cars like our family's going to drive it. So we're very adamant about our quality. Are we worried? Oh, definitely. It's the talk of the south (ph) when the lines are down. But, you know, we've had a chance to refocus, even though we have great quality checks and stuff in place. I mean now we're even stronger. I mean it's going to make us stronger as a company.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right, so there you heard it from a Toyota employee herself.

HARRIS: Yes. Yes.

HARLOW: Tony, saying quality is key. That's the message that this company has been trying to drive home to consumers.

Tony.

HARRIS: Well, you know what? You know, Toyota's image certainly has been battered -- and by the recall.

HARLOW: Yes.

HARRIS: And the Prius issues. And maybe we're starting to see a bit of the public relations offensive there letting us into the plants and talking to workers. What else is going on, Poppy?

HARLOW: What else they're doing, you're exactly right, Tony, on the PR front is Jim Lentz, he's the head of U.S. sales for Toyota. He's really been at the face of this whole debacle here in the U.S. He came out to national media on Monday. Well now you're looking at digg.com where more than 1,300 people have posted their questions for him. He's going to be taking those in a live digg chat today starting at 5:00 Eastern Time.

I want to read you some of these questions. First one, "what did Toyota know, and when did they know it? Please explain how long it took from the time you heard rumors of acceleration problems to the time you took action via recalls, or stopping sales." They want to see a time line here.

And then another very different question, Tony. Someone wrote in, "do you believe Toyota is being unfairly maligned due to this recall and the brake problems on the hybrids? Ford has had similar brake problems on its Fusion hybrid but nobody is paying attention to those issues. Why is Toyota getting all of the attention?"

Just some of the 1,300 questions that he's going to have to sort through today. But again, a PR offensive certainly coming from Toyota.

HARRIS: Better to take on really tough questions. It's just the smart way to go.

HARLOW: Right. Right.

HARRIS: All right, Poppy, appreciate it. Thank you.

HARLOW: You got it.

HARRIS: Top stories after this, including the latest on Michael Jackson's doctor.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: All right. We are checking top stories for you now.

We are hearing Michael Jackson's personal physician will finally turn himself in today. Prosecutors are expected to charge Dr. Conrad Murray with involuntarily manslaughter within the hour. Murray will then report to court at about 4:30 Eastern Time. CNN's Ted Rowlands is at the L.A. courthouse and will keep us updated.

Also, Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, will respond to the news on CNN's "Larry King Live." That's tonight at 9:00 Eastern Time.

Federal and state investigators are trying to find out what caused an explosion that killed five people at a power plant in Middletown, Connecticut. Sunday's blast also injured more than two dozen people. Middletown's mayor says plant workers were purging a natural gas pipeline when the explosion happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Seven, six, five. We have (INAUDIBLE) ready to start. Two, one. Clear. Booster ignition.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: I love that scene, rocketing into space. The shuttle Endeavour lifting off just about eight and a half hours ago now. The six-member crew will install a new room for the International Space Station during their 13-day mission. This was the last time a shuttle will be launched at night.

She loves to dance, but should she be allowed to dance in front of the world?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Take a look at this.

You see that big tour bus caravan there? On those buses, champs. Champs. Super Bowl champs. The New Orleans Saints heading to the Miami International Airport for the trip back home to New Orleans. Can you imagine -- is that when they arrive, 2:30 Eastern Time? OK. 2:30 Eastern Time the plane lands. And they will be greeted as conquering heroes. Can you imagine the turnout at the airport for the Saints when they arrive with the Lombardi trophy as Super Bowl champs?

Forty-six years ago, the Saints were awarded a franchise. Forty- six years later, they take apart the Indianapolis Colts with the old world quarterback Peyton Manning. Take them apart 31 to 17. And there you go, there's the caravan. The champs are on those buses. Maybe we'll get a chance to see some pictures of Drew Brees at the airport.

You know, she's definitely got the moves, but that little girl has certainly danced her way into a national controversy in Brazil. Some people say she shouldn't be dancing quite like that. Not for mature audiences, not at her age, and not that late at night.

CNN en Espanol's senior Latin American affairs editor Rafael Romo has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAFAEL ROMO, CNN SENIOR LATIN AMERICAN AFFAIRS EDITOR (voice- over): Like any girl her age, Julia Lira likes playing with her friends and siblings. What makes seven-year-old Julia different is the costumes she likes to wear. And she definitely stands out when she starts dancing, especially in front of a large audience. Julia says she likes the rhythm of samba, but seems completely unaware that she's at the center of a national controversy in Brazil.

MONICA LIRA, MOTHER (through translator): My daughter has always loved to dance. She has always danced at home, but I never imagined she would get to this level. She was very well accepted at the samba school and also by the community.

ROMO: Julia was named drums corps queen for a performance during the upcoming Carnival celebrations. That role is normally given to scantily clad models whose job is to engage the drummers by incorporating sensual moves into their dancing. But Julia's father says the only thing that will be on display is her dancing talent.

MARCO LIRA, FATHER (through translator): My daughter is seven years old. I ask you, who in the world would have their daughters participating in a parade if they knew that she would be seen as something sensual?

ROMO: Sexual exploitation of children is still a problem in Brazil and many here say allowing the girl to dance during Carnival sends the wrong message.

JOICE HURTADO, SAMBA SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE: I think there is no sense to think like that because she's just a girl, a little girl. She likes to dance. And they're parents, they think there is no problem. There is any problem with that. They will be with her all the time.

ROMO (on camera): The case is now in the hands of a family court here in Rio. The judge is asking questions about the girl's role in the parade, the costumes she will be wearing and also how late into the night she will be performing.

(voice-over): We waited until midnight for an interview with the girl and her parents. Then she performed for a crowd of more than 6,000 at 3:00 in the morning at the samba club managed by her father and under the watchful eye of her mother, who happens to be a police officer. The judge is expected to rule on the matter in the next few days.

Rafael Romo, CNN, Rio de Janeiro.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: All right. And that brings us to today's big blog question. We asked you, should Julia be allowed to lead the samba at Carnival. Well, here's what some of you are saying.

Coleen says, "I'm siding with the Brazilian family court's outrage. This girl is too young to be displayed so publicly and provocatively."

Howard says, "this is their national dance. Just because we as Americans don't approve, it is not our place to judge other cultures."

But when it comes to our quick vote, right now, ding, ding, ding, the tally, 100 percent of folks responding say Julia should be allowed to lead the samba at Carnival. Cnn.com/tony if you'd like to weigh in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Sarah Palin, who is the mother of a down's syndrome child, tore into a top Obama official for using a variant of the word retarded. CNN's Carol Costello takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The "r" word. In the world of partisan politics, it's become a favorite nonpartisan slur. Everybody's doing it. The president's chief of staff called liberal democrats "f'ing retarded." Conservative pundit Ann Coulter called Pennsylvania voters "retards." A "Huffington Post" columnist jokes Sarah Palin would run on a "retardation platform" in 2012.

And then there's this.

RUSH LIMBAUGH, CONSERVATIVE RADIO HOST: Our political correct society is acting like some giant insult has taken place, like calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards.

FRANK STEPHENS, SPECIAL OLYMPICS: It's very hurtful for those who are trying to live in this community.

COSTELLO: Frank Stephens has downs syndrome. He's part of a campaign to, well, here's how he puts it.

STEPHENS: Let's stop using the "r" word. It's time we come up with a new word respect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have years to work.

COSTELLO: Most people we talked with agree, although many admitted they were guilty of using the word themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just shows ignorance. I mean it's like calling somebody an "f" word or "n" word.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very offensive.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it a word that you use?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I usually say it about myself most of the time.

COSTELLO: But thanks to the constant "r" word banter in the world of politics, Frank might get his wish. The Special Olympics organization has declared March 3rd as the day to "spread the word to end the word." Not only that, because of Rahm Emanuel's "f'ing retarded" remark, Special Olympics officials were able to meet with the president's chief of staff in the White House.

ANTHONY SHRIVER, BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL: My understanding is he was apologetic and felt remorse for what he said.

COSTELLO: Emanuel also signed a Special Olympics online pledge that read, "I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the "r" word from everyday speech." And he promised to examine congressional legislation that would remove the "r" word from federal law. A tough task since you run across the term "mental retardation" in federal documents and letters all the time. Maybe the whole "r" word controversy sounds silly to you, but to people like Frank Stephens, it's anything but.

COSTELLO (on camera): Do you think people are being mean when they say it?

STEPHENS: No, they just don't get the time to take the time to get to know us better. When they do, we're actually -- people that really like us.

COSTELLO: Emanuel and "The Huffington Post" columnist apologized for their use of the "r" word, but Limbaugh did not, saying he was only quoting Emanuel, it was satire. But if you ask Frank, it doesn't matter how you use the word, it's inappropriate and he wants it banned.

Carol Costello, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Here's a question for you. Would you get into a cab if you were worried about its brakes? In Japan, that is a real question for a lot of customers.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know, we've talked about it a fair bit today. The Prius brake problem is a big concern for taxi drivers in Japan. Maybe we haven't looked at it from this angle. Primarily because it could affect their bottom line.

CNN's Kyung Lah report from Tokyo.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Japan's number one selling Toyota happens to be the cool cab of choice. Prius taxi is all over Tokyo's roads. Thousands of people climbing in and out of the new Prius all day and all night. Taxi driver Kunihiro Shinji is on the night shift, driving one of the tens of thousands of the 2010 Prius' without the fix.

"I haven't had brake problems," says Shinji, who adds he's a big fan of the Prius' gas mileage. His worry is on the impact to his business. "I'll be in trouble if customers are afraid to use my taxi because of all this negative news," he says.

Most passengers we spoke to don't worry about it, but at least one passenger does. "I would think twice before getting into a Prius taxi," says Noa Unki Miakowa (ph). "I wouldn't want to get into at accident, even if it's a one in a million chance."

It's that small chance of a split-second brake failure that's led to the onslaught of negative Prius press.

LAH (on camera): When you boil it down to the numbers, the Prius problem is relatively small. We're talking about a few hundred thousand vehicles maybe between the U.S. and Japan that are effected that are currently on the street. But analysts say a ding into the Prius image could have a major impact on Toyota's future.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Financially damage might be relatively small, but (INAUDIBLE) damage on the brand image, (INAUDIBLE) strategy (ph).

LAH: Shinji says he'll keep on driving the Prius and get the fix when Toyota calls, willing to give the automakers some time to get its future back on track, hoping for his taxi business' sake that it's sooner rather than later.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: Let's take it to the next level. CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Ali Velshi.

ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Tony, thank you very much.