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Najaf Pre-Election Car Bomb; Oscar Countdown; 9/11 Mastermind Trial
Aired March 06, 2010 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: All right, we begin in Iraq where voters are preparing to chart their country's future, but on this day before national election as sign of just how uncertain the future is. A car bombing in the holy city of Najaf killed at least three people, dozens more were injured. CNN's Arwa Damon is in Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: The car bomb exploded only a short distance away from one of Shia Islam's holiest shrines, a heavily guarded area of the southern city of Najaf. This on the day before Iraqis are heading toward the vote so critical, many are calling it the most decisive moment is Iraq since 2003.
There are great concerns about election violence, not only coming from the Iraqis themselves, but also from the security forces. They were targeted a few days ago by suicide bombers in Baghdad when they were assembling before casting their votes themselves.
Now, the Islamic state of Iraq, the umbrella organization that is headed by al Qaeda, has vowed to derail these elections and has now gone so far as to issue a curfew from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Election Day telling people they need to stay inside or face the consequences.
Now, these elections will determine which path Iraq is going to take in the future. Whether it stays on this path of Democracy, if that's what's we want to call it, or if it moving towards being a more religious and conservative state. The race is proving to be a lot closer than anyone had anticipated and the stakes are very high.
Arwa Damon, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And Iraqis in the United States are weighing in on the future of their homeland. Ahead of Iraq's national elections tomorrow, Iraqi expatriates are casting early ballots. This polling place is an extension of Iraq. This is actually in Arlington, Virginia. The elections will determine who will govern Iraq and deal with the sectarian tension as the U.S. prepares to pull its troops out by the end of next year.
And in Afghanistan, British troops get a pep talk from their country's prime minister. Gordon Brown made a surprise visit to Hellman Province, today, where British troops are battling the Taliban. Among his stops, Britain's main base in the province and a police training school as well as a British forward operating base.
A Democrat who switched to the Republican Party in this country in December is leaving the GOP call this weekend to scrap the health care bill and simply start over. Alabama congressman Parker Griffith delivered the Republican weekly media message today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP PARKER GRIFFITH (R), ALABAMA: In the next ten days Democrats in Washington will try and jam through a massive government takeover of health care. It would raise taxes, slash Medicare benefits and destroy American jobs. It would put federal bureaucrats in charge of medical decisions that should be made by patients and doctors, and it must be stopped. The American people have said loudly and clearly that they do not want this job-killing government takeover of care. They want us to start over way clean sheet of paper and a step-by-step approach focused on lowering costs for families and small businesses.
But President Obama and Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refuse to listen to the American people. For them, health care reform has become less about the best reforms and more about what best fits "Washington knows best" mentality. Less about helping patients and more about scoring political points.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Meanwhile, President Obama is using his weekly address again to tell the American people the Democrats' reform bill is a good idea. After speaking with insurance industry executive, the president says, starting over is not an option.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: Despite all the progress and improvements we've made, Republicans in Congress insist the only acceptable course on health care is to start over. But you know what? The insurance companies aren't starting over.
I just met with some of them on Thursday. And they couldn't give me a straight answer as to why they keep arbitrarily and massively raising premiums. As much as 60 percent in states like Illinois. If we don't act, they will continue to do this. They'll continue to drop people's coverage when they need it. They'll continue to refuse coverage based on preexisting conditions. These practices will continue. And that's why we have to act now. That's why the United States' Congress owes the American people an up or down vote on health insurance reform.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The president also spoke directly to Democrats who are wavering on the health care reform bill saying they should settle their differences and pass the bill. Well, he's barely had time to learn the rope on Capitol Hill, but Senator Scott Brown is back out on the campaign trail. Brown is stumping for Senator John McCain in Arizona this weekend. It's his first campaign trip since becoming the junior senator from Massachusetts. Brown and McCain are traveling together to Phoenix and Tucson. Brown says the country needs good and honest people like John McCain.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN SCOTT BROWN (R), MASSACHUSETTS: If you told me five months ago I'd be standing here in front of you, I'd say you're full of it. I would never in my wildest dreams believe that I would be here with you all and really standing and helping somebody that I personally, long before politics, have always thought is a -- an American hero.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: McCain faces the toughest re-election bid in his political career. Conservative opponent J.D. Heyworth calls him too moderate for Republicans in Arizona.
Another member of Congress walking away from Capitol Hill. Congressman Eric Massa of New York says he's stepping down effective Monday. The first-term Democrat faces a harassment complaint from a male staffer and says an ethics investigation would tear his family apart. Earlier this week he said he would not run for re-election because of health concerns.
All right, the Oscars are tomorrow night, and a small budget sleeper is an explosive contender in this year's race for best picture.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: OK. The Oscar countdown is on. Those highly coveted golden statues will be handed out tomorrow night and a potential big winner with nine nominations "The Hurt Locker." It's a battlefield thriller that rooted in reality. Here now is CNN entertainment correspondent Kareen Wynter.
Reporter: laying on the charge
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAREEN WYNTER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's the small-budget sleeper that's become an explosive contender in this year's best picture Oscar race.
"The Hurt Locker" focuses on an Army bomb unit on patrol in Iraq.
Nail-biting scenes like this leave viewers on the edge. The delicate work of detonating bombs, think it's just the stuff of movies? Not for this elite group of airmen. It's real-life warfare as we quickly learned during a visit to Nevada's Nellis Air Force Base, where we caught members of the EOD team, the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit in action. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We'll walk you down to where the IEDs at.
WYNTER: They've served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and know firsthand the dangers of disarming bombs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here's an IED.
WYNTER: Master Sergeant Kieran Flynn has had his brush with death.
MASTER SGT. KIERAN FLYNN, U.S. AIR FORCE: It's 24/7. It doesn't stop. And these teams spread throughout the country who are actually doing this, living in the gutter for months in and months end. And sometimes you're living in some deplorable conditions.
WYNTER (on camera): Some would say you've got to be out of your mind to do it. Why do you do it?
FLYNN: Why do I do it? I enjoy the thrill. I enjoy the accomplishment of defeating an IED.
WYNTER (voice-over): In the movie, Jeremy Renner plays an IED team leader who loves to take risks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's he doing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If I'm going to die. I want to die comfortable.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WYNTER: Master Sgt. Flynn says in the real world, that wouldn't fly.
FLYNN: He's a cowboy. We don't try to operate like that.
WYNTER (on camera): What happens if you do?
FLYNN: Well, one of my team members is not going to let me.
WYNTER (voice-over): Teammates like Senior Airman Michael Buras.
SR AIRMAN MICHAEL BURRIS, U.S. AIR FORCE: That's how we do what we do. We have each other. We use each other, we build off each other, we train together, we live together, we eat together. And when you're over there, you're together every day, every night.
WYNTER: We rode along for a practice drill on the base's desert range. The conditions are similar to the rugged terrains of Iraq and Afghanistan. And just like scenes in the movie where soldiers use robots to scour for bombs, this EOD team zeros in on a possible roadside explosive.
The team assesses the size and strength of the IED, then secures the surrounding area. In today's exercise, they decide to detonate the device from a distance. But sometimes they've got to go in with the suits on, the kind Renner wore in the movie, 80 pounds of protective gear. Renner's character gets pinned down on the number of bombs he's defused.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many bombs have you disarmed?
JEREMY RENNER, SSG WILLIAM JAMES: I'm not quite sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sergeant...
RENNER: Yes.
RENNER: I asked you a question.
RENNER: 873.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WYNTER: In real life for some, that subject is taboo.
(on camera): How many bombs have you detonated? Do you even keep track of this, or too many to count?
FLYNN: I could keep track, but I don't.
WYNTER: Why?
FLYNN: I just don't think it's a good omen to keep track and count of our IEDs.
WYNTER (voice-over): Flynn has lost three of his own team members. An estimated 64 American EOD technicians have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, a reminder to these airmen that each call to disarm could be their last.
BURAS: You have to learn how to put that behind you, you know, and keep mission first.
FLYNN: There's a lot of experiences. And a lot of them are not happy, and you want to keep them to yourself. I mean, it's war, and it's war from a different perspective.
WYNTER: It's a sense of duty and danger that these airmen say keeps them on the battlefield.
Kareen Wynter, CNN, Nellis Air Force Base.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right, catch countdown to Oscar night on CNN and HLN tomorrow night, first at 7:00 on CNN, we've live from the red carpet and then at 11:00 live on HLN, the night's biggest showdowns and controversies, perhaps, watch ROAD TO GOLD, CNN tomorrow night at 7:00 and again 11:00 p.m. Eastern Time. All right, Governor David Paterson says he's not stepping down, but could he be forced out? Our legal guys take a close look at the continuing controversy surrounding the New York governor.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault, again. A 20-year-old college student says he attack her in rural Georgia early Friday morning. His agent issued a denial of the allegation. No charges filed in this case or a previous case where a woman claims she was raped by Roethlisberger at a Lake Tahoe hotel back in 2008 and filed a civil suit against him.
Another sex scandal for the Roman Catholic Church, but this time it's at the Vatican. A choir singer claims he provided male escorts for a married Italian politician who also worked as an usher for Pope Benedict. The politician has been jailed on unrelated corruption charges.
And we're learning more about the man who opened fire on two police officers outside the Pentagon. John Patrick Bedell had a history of mental health problems, and run-ins with the law, he also apparently a degree in physics. Bedell was killed in the shoot-out. The two injured officer are expected to recover. More top stories in 20 minutes.
And the White House is considering doing a 180 on where to try alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. A senior administration official says the White House adviser may now recommend hold Mohammed's trial in a military court instead of a civilian court in New York. The official said the advisers are hopeful a decision will be made before the president leaves for an overseas trip on March 18.
Let's check in with our legal guys on this case and many others. Avery Friedman is a civil rights attorney and law professor and Richard Herman is a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor. Good to see both of you.
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTY: Hi, Fredricka.
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTY: Hi Fred.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, I wonder if you both have thoughts on kind of the legal merit of this possible about-face? Richard, you first. May have potentially taken place in New York, now the White House saying, maybe not. Let's reconsider this whole military court. What are your thoughts?
HERMAN: Well, when the mayor of New York says, you know, it doesn't belong in New York City, this trial, we shouldn't have it here, and that's Bloomberg. I think that the powers that be take that very seriously. New legislation by McCain and others are being promulgated to have these kind of cases tried in military tribunals only. I think, Fred, I really believe, that's where this case is headed.
WHITFIELD: All right, and Avery.
FRIEDMAN: Fredricka, I am thunderstruck that a president, our president, who's a former congressional law professor would ever permit a cut and run from trying a case in federal district court where all of these cases belong. The idea that we would experiment with a military tribunal which has little experience and the law keeps changing with that, as opposed to our try and true federal court is astonishing to me. He's indicated a decision will be made by March 18, Fredricka, but I'm hoping he's stick to his guns and keep the case in New York.
WHITFIELD: All right, well let's talk about a case that is right now in a civilian court, and we're talking about Imam Akram Musa Abdallah. You know, Richard, you first. He has apparently expressed he's not happy with what he calls FBI trickery in questioning him, and we're also in the sentencing phase. Where is this case going? It's not necessarily one that's resonates with a lot of people, but why does this matter?
HERMAN: It does matter, Fred, it matters because the judge commented on the abuse that the FBI heaped on this guy. He got sentenced to 18 months. That was the low end on the plea deal he made for allegedly lying to FBI agents about fund-raising. We don't know where the truth stops and begins because he had been pushed by FBI agents to change his story to fit their vision of the case.
Fred, Avery, I'm telling you, this happens all the time in the United States. I've seen it happen with an FBI agent in New York, where he interviewed government witnesses, didn't like the interview and tore up the interviews. I've seen it by a federal prosecutor in Orlando, the middle district, same thing. They get a vision of the case, Fred, and they force their witnesses, to broad (ph) their versions to fit their case.
FRIEDMAN: Richard, the broad brush of painting the FBI like that, I don't think is fair at all. I think this is a case...
HERMAN: I'm not broad brushing it.
FRIEDMAN: And that's what it sounds like, though because...
(CROSSTALK)
HERMAN: It happens. It happens.
FRIEDMAN: This individual had something to do with other individuals, Najibullah Zazi who the week before was convicted of trying, with two others, to blow up New York subways. The fact is that I think the sentence is just, it's a proper thing. It worked in this case, another successful terrorist-related trial in New York federal court. Good thing that happened here.
HERMAN: I'm not criticizing the sentence.
WHITFIELD: OK, well let's stick with... HERMAN: I'm not criticizing the sentence. I'm criticizing the tactics used by our government. That spoils the entire judicial system. If our government is forcing witnesses to lie so they mold their testimony to fit the vision of the prosecutor or the FBI at.
FRIEDMAN: Too broad brushed against the FBI.
HERMAN: Well it happens is all I'm saying.
FRIEDMAN: (INAUDIBLE) examples, too broad brushed. No. I don't agree.
HERMAN: I've seen it.
WHITFIELD: OK, let's talk about another situation in New York, your backyard, Richard, but this time talk about Governor David Paterson. He's under fire, in hot water, whichever way you want to put it. He allegedly got involved in a domestic violence case, reaching out to the alleged victim, and now apparently his spokesperson stepped down after being questioned by the attorney general's office who's also probing into this case.
This is going to be a very difficult one, is it not, Richard, for the governor to -- not comment on? Are we looking at especially as he says, he's not going to seek re-election, are we seeing that he is going to leave himself even more open to, I guess, a criminal probing?
HERMAN: You know, Fred, there are seven separate probes going on now against the embattled Governor Paterson. And this is what happens when political appointees who are not qualified for positions, get promoted to this level. Look, we had Spitzer before, who was qualified, but who had his problems. Now we have Paterson, there. Who's investigating Paterson, Fred? The person who wants to be governor who's leading every single poll, Andrew Cuomo, the attorney general, is now investigating this guy.
You know, but, in all fairness, the last one that's charged with $2,100 Yankee tickets, that's what they want to get him on now. Seven different probes.
FRIEDMAN: Well, it's more than that. I think it's more than that, Fredricka. I think we have a case where not only are we seeing different probes, but we're seeing all these advisers one after the other resigning. Why? Because this incident occurred in the Bronx, we think the Bronx district attorney is going to look into it.
The question, I think is, is it political or will it be legal? Is the governor responsible for a conspiracy to interfere with a judicial proceeding or conspiracy to intimidate a witness? That's the legal question that's presented here. I actually don't think it's going to happen. I bet you, Richard, you agree with that?
WHITFIELD: Do you, Richard?
HERMAN: Well, if you lie to authorities, Fred, he's going to be prosecuted. They're not going to give him a pass on this. WHITFIELD: OK, let's talk about the Amanda Knox case, quickly, because we're talking about a young girl, in Italy, she's serving time and now apparently the judges come out and say, we didn't necessarily buy the prosecution's case. We don't think this was a premeditated murder. Instead, we think it was just some kind of strange sex party that went wrong, and next thing you know, you know, her roommate, Amanda Knox' roommate is dead. And so, now the family of Amanda Knox watching this very closely, they're trying to appeal this case. Does this 400-plus page document help, Richard, in any way? Help Amanda Knox?
HERMAN: This is a bombshell, Fred. This is really a bombshell. Four-hundred and thirty-seven-paged summation decision by the judge where, of import she found that this was not a murder, this was not intentional. There was no intent to kill her. That is huge, Fred. That is a big relief for the family, and I think that 26 year, 27 prison sentence that she's faced with right now is going to be substantially reduced based on this finding.
FRIEDMAN: That's exactly what I said. Either it's going to be acquittal or substantial reduction. And this is certainly going to help on the appeal. This is the starting point, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: I wonder, why would the judges even make this decision to go ahead and release something like this? Knowing that it could potentially jeopardize the case.
FRIEDMAN: WELL, that's how the process works. There is no appeal that starts until the judges review what the verdict was. So that was the starting point. A very big, important development for Amanda Knox.
WHITFIELD: All right. Avery, Richard, thanks so much. When we come back and talk with you again for part deu, which we love to say. We're going to talk about a case of vehicular homicide, man who's serving time after a young child gets killed in a multicar collision, but now he's saying, wait a minute, I was driving a Toyota. You put two and two together and see where this case is going. All right, Richard, Avery...
HERMAN: Toyota defense.
FRIEDMAN: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: And we'll talk to you in a moment.
And just one week ago the earth was shaking and buildings were crumbling in Chile. We'll return to see how things look now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, it's been a week since an 8.8 earthquake rocked the South American nation of Chile, a week marked by a number of powerful aftershocks. CNN's Karl Penhaul spoke with Chileans who are still trying to help their country recover.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Army divers push off in a dinghy. Their mission, search for bodies the tsunami dragged away.
"If we find any bodies, we'll take them back to the truck and take them to the morgue," he says. They search a high and low tide along the coast and up river near Concepcion, one of Chile's hardest-hit towns.
(on camera): We're sailing up the Maule River right now and you can see how the force of the tsunami has dragged these fishing vessels about 2.5 miles or four kilometers from where they were originally anchored.
(voice-over): From the air, you see the scale of the disaster. On the ground, you follow the trail of destruction. Asked fisherman Agustin Diaz what happened that morning before dawn. Even if you don't speak Spanish, you can hear the anxiety in his voice.
"As I ran out of the house, I saw two huge waves crashing in, one from the north and one from the west. They came together and rolled over the top of the trees," he says.
Across the river from his house, there's an island. He says up to 400 tourists were camping there as part of a summer festival. Diaz ran with his family to high ground, but the tourists were stranded on the island, right in the path of the killer wave.
"There were horrible screams, people calling out for us to go and rescue them. They were crying for help, but there was nothing we could do," he says.
Diaz says the screams stopped after the first wave rolled in. "I'm sorry, so sorry. I have grandchildren myself, and every day I saw children over there on the shore playing soccer," he says.
Morgue officials say they've recovered more than 80 corpses around Concepcion, but judging by local accounts of the number of tourists on that island, hundreds may still be unaccounted for.
Back on the water, pelicans are spooked by the dinghy's engine, as army divers head out at high tide to resume their search for the missing.
Karl Penhaul, CNN, Concepcion, Chile.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well, hard to believe that was just one week ago ...
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is.
WHITFIELD: ...and still so many tremors are being felt. Reynolds Wolf in the weather center, boy, it's just been an incredible journey for people in Chile. WOLF: No question about it, I mean just an awful time. Hopefully, things will get certainly better for them between, of course, what's happened there, what's happened in Haiti, it's just been mind- boggling.
You know, in terms of weather, the snow and the cold that we've been dealing with this winter season in North America has been just mind- boggling, too.
WHITFIELD: That's true.
WOLF: But we're finally getting a little bit of a break on the Eastern Seaboard in terms of the snow and certainly the cool temperatures. Things are going to be a little bit of an upswing in terms of our highs for today.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: The Toyota defense: an old crash may get a new look and a suspect involved in the deadly crash is hoping to get a conviction overturn. Our legal guys will be weighing in.
And are you starting to feel like it's next to impossible to cash in those airline rewards? Well, you're not alone. CNN's Ayesha Tejpar explains why in this week's "On the Go."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE CLOONEY, "UP IN THE AIR": Last year, I spent 322 days on the road. I flew 350,000 miles. The moon is 250,000.
AYESHA TEJPAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the movie "Up in the Air," George Clooney's character is on a mission, to rack up 10 million air miles, the peak of elite status. Entry level for most airlines' elite programs is 25,000 miles. The most popular perk ...
TIM WINSHIP, FREQUENTFLIER.COM: What they're after first and foremost is upgrades from coach to first class.
TEJPAR: Last year, many airlines regularly offered double elite qualifying miles.
WINSHIP: The net effect of that has to be that more travelers earned elite status than would otherwise be the case.
TEJPAR: But the airlines have cut capacity, which translates to fewer first class seats, making it tougher than ever to get an upgrade.
WINSHIP: It's just going to be that much more difficult for elite members to find one of those first-class seats.
TEJPAR: Like Clooney's character in "Up in the Air," you can always clock miles just for the sport of it. Just don't count on relaxing in first class.
(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Let's take a look at our top stories right now. Another member of Congress is calling it quits. New York representative Eric Massa says he will step down as of Monday. The first-term Democrat faces a harassment complaint from a male staffer and says an ethics investigation would tear his family apart. Earlier this week, he said he would not run for re-election because of health concerns.
And the bus involved in this deadly rollover outside Phoenix should not have been on the road to begin with, apparently. A federal transportation official say it was operating illegally. Six people died in yesterday's crash. The bus was traveling from central Mexico to Los Angeles when it hit a pickup and simply lost control.
And 150 full-body scanners are being installed in 11 more airports in the next few months. First up, Boston Logan. Their new machines go online Monday. The scanners are already being used at 19 other airports. Government officials say they boost air security, but civil liberties groups say they're a violation of travelers' privacy.
Let's check in one more time with our legal guys, Avery Friedman and Richard Herman, and let's talk about this case involving a man who's serving, how many years? Eight years ...
FRIEDMAN: Eight years.
HERMAN: Eight.
WHITFIELD: ...actually, for vehicular homicide and he says you know what, I was driving a Toyota. A six-year-old died in this multicar collision and now he says, Richard, let's reopen this case and let's take these things under consideration. What kind of chance does he stand?
HERMAN: Well, look, let's face it. Toyota's lost a lot of face these days, major recalls on Toyotas. The problem with this case, Fred, is that of all the Toyotas that have been recalled, his car is not one of them.
FRIEDMAN: Right.
HERMAN: So, that's for starters. Secondly, during the course of this trial, Fred, two engineering experts, one for the prosecution, one for the defense, examined his vehicle and neither one found any mechanical defect. Eight years, I think this guy's going to be doing eight years.
FRIEDMAN: Well, you know what ...
WHITFIELD: Wow. Avery, you agree?
FRIEDMAN: I disagree and let me tell you why. This week, the House Oversight Committee that's dealing with the Toyota travail, it requested additional information. They are unsatisfied. The prosecutor in St. Paul involved in this is welcoming a revisit to this and even the victim's family, Fredricka, has indicated that they're willing to go along with it.
You know what, prosecutors, many prosecutors think they got to put people in jail. This is a wonderful decision by the prosecution. Give Mr. Fong another chance to prove the truth. So, I think he's got a shot.
WHITFIELD: OK, all right. Well, let's talk about ...
HERMAN: The prosecution won't -- the prosecutor won't make the call, a judge will and I think the law's not going to allow it, Fred.
FRIEDMAN: I don't know.
WHITFIELD: All right, all right. Well, let's talk about another case that's involving the Chicago gun law. It's gotten a lot of attention within the past few months, Avery. And now, we're talking about a Supreme Court case that also talks about the constitutional rights of bearing arms. Will this handgun ban see its last day or is it going to stay?
FRIEDMAN: You know, I love reducing complicated constitutional cases into shirt-sleeve English. And you know what, you and I have actually done this. This is the McDonald case. Two year after the Supreme Court said that you have a right to bear arms in the District of Columbia, federal property, the question is, if you live in a state or a city, do you also have that right?
That was argued this week in a very exciting proceeding, very exciting argument, and what happened is the Supreme Court will do this -- the 14th amendment takes that right of bearing arms as well as other bill of rights and incorporates it to state and local government. What that really means is that we're expecting a majority, five to four, to say it does, meaning that Otis McDonald in Chicago will probably win his case. The handgun ban will be invalidated.
WHITFIELD: Richard? Do you see that happening?
HERMAN: Yes, in late -- in -- yes, Fred. In late June, bad, bad Leroy Brown is not going to be the baddest man in town in Chicago. That gun ban is going to be lifted as Avery just said and the state of Illinois is now going to be able to promulgate gun control, rules and regulations, but the no ban policy, that's going to be history and it's going to be in every state that has it.
WHITFIELD: Wow, all right. Well, now let's talk about iPhones. You know, a lot of folks really love their iPhones and that whole, you know, interface there. And now Apple says, wait a minute. We're filing a patent infringement suit because they're seeing a little copycatting going on. Richard, where might Apple stand in this?
HERMAN: Well, listen, they want to preserve because they're the kings. They're at the top of the heap right now. So, all you young lawyers, patent litigation, that's the place of the future, happening right now. The problem here is HTC. They make -- one of the divisions that they make are the T-Mobile G1 phone and Verizon Droid Eris. FRIEDMAN: Right.
HERMAN: And that's really what Apple's targeting. They still want to be on top of the heap as long as they can. Fred, the future here is going to be licensing.
FRIEDMAN: Yes.
HERMAN: Companies like Apple will have to enter into licensing arrangements to preserve their products.
WHITFIELD: Because I wonder, I mean Avery, doesn't it always seem to be the case? OK, there is this breakthrough kind of product, but the next thing you know, there are kind of look-alikes or imitations and everyone gets on the bandwagon and no one seems to be upset about it. Why that it's kept happening now, why is this now ruffling the feathers of Apple? Boy, I'm messing up today (ph).
FRIEDMAN: Well, it was ruffling their feathers a long time ago. They're claiming 20 patent infringements. The fact is though that this litigation's going to go on for years and years. Look for an HTC, that's the defendant, counterclaim that Apple's infringing on their patents.
And all it really means, bottom line is that it finally dawned on Apple that you know what, these other phones are really competitors, they're thinking that this is going to be a way to slow down the marketing. That's all it is. It's marketing, and the fact is it will never get resolved until years from now, and the marketplace will control itself.
WHITFIELD: All right. Richard, Avery, thanks so much, gentlemen. Good to see you this weekend.
FRIEDMAN: Wonderful to see you, Fredricka. Take care.
WHITFIELD: Have a great one. I know it's beautiful weather everywhere. Just about everywhere this weekend, get outside.
HERMAN: Keep that bottled ...
WHITFIELD: What?
HERMAN: Keep that bottled weather, Fred. It's beautiful in New York.
WHITFIELD: That's right. Keeping it right on shelf. All right, thanks so much, guys.
FRIEDMAN: Yes, see you.
WHITFIELD: Appreciate it. Have a good one.
All right, well, they are taking rock 'n' roll music to a whole other level. We're tracking latest spiral videos for you. That means Josh is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, here we go. Fasten your seat belts.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right.
WHITFIELD: There's a reason why videos go viral. Some of them are not only entertaing, but mesmerizing, maybe even hypnotizing.
LEVS: Hypnotizing.
WHITFIELD: Our Josh Levs has been checking into all this.
LEVS: And we got a lot of good ones ahead for you in the 3 o'clock hour today. We have so many lined up, so many videos lined up. No matter what you love, you love flying people, you love dogs, we've got it all.
WHITFIELD: Oh my.
LEVS: We've got a train, we've got it all. But it we wouldn't be doing justice to viral rewind today ...
WHITFIELD: OK.
LEVS: ...if we didn't look at the ultimate viral video of the past week, which is this new music video here ...
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: ...that contains the most amazing Rube Goldberg machine in history.
WHITFIELD: That's amazing.
LEVS: Take a look.
WHITFIELD: All right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC PLAYS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: All right, let me -- while we look at this, be a fan (ph) and I'll tell you what we're seeing. This is Trobou K Go (ph) and they rock at the art of the viral video. These guys are the ones who invented ...
WHITFIELD: Wow.
LEVS: ...this whole idea of doing some amazing dancing on those treadmills. So now, they work with this team out there that happens to be great at creating these Rube Goldberg machines ...
WHITFIELD: Gosh. LEVS: ...and it just keeps going and going and going. This was one shot, all one shot.
WHITFIELD: Oh really?
LEVS: Yes. So, there were no edits in here at all at any point. And it took this team quite a while to set it all up. You can see the words, OK, go, on different machines like that back there along the way.
WHITFIELD: Oh yes, that's cute.
LEVS: Literally, there's nothing fake. So, everything we're seeing was triggered by that one car.
WHITFIELD: So, they had to tape it in one shot, but surely they had to do this over and over again.
LEVS: Oh yes, until they got it right.
WHITFIELD: There had to be some errors.
LEVS: Oh, listen to this. They even got the music into there. They got the guitar to swing, and then hit those little bottles. They got the music right. So yes, in the end, it was one shot, but it took more than one take to nail it.
WHITFIELD: Yes, wow.
LEVS: I know.
WHITFIELD: Isn't it neat?
LEVS: Let me give you a taste of what's ahead today.
WHITFIELD: Yes, because there's more.
LEVS: 3:15 today, we got all the best viral videos of the week for you. We've saved them up all week.
WHITFIELD: I know, you did a lot of homework. It takes time to get all these things together. Just as it takes time for these folks to come up with these videos.
LEVS: Oh yes.
WHITFIELD: These inventions in many cases.
LEVS: I mean, and sometimes it's some brilliant artwork that you see on the way.
WHITFIELD: I know.
LEVS: Even if like the Rube Goldberg machine, it's purely just for fun. All right.
WHITFIELD: Yes, all right. Cool, Josh. That was fun and we'll have more fun later on.
LEVS: 3:15. Gotcha.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much.
LEVS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right, Senator John McCain, he's tapping a Republican star on the rise to help him get re-elected. Why McCain is recruiting reinforcements.
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WHITFIELD: All right, looking at our top stories right now, what can Senator Scott Brown do for you? If your Senator John McCain, help his re-election campaign perhaps. The newly minted senator and rising star of the GOP is now stumping for McCain. McCain is facing his toughest reelection challenge yet. Former Congressman and conservative talk radio host J.D. Hayworth has launched a primary challenge against McCain.
And it was the cream of the crop of presidential impersonators, the biggest names from three decades of "Saturday Night Live" gathered on one set and then some.
CNN's Jeanne Moos reports.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If a get-together featuring five real presidents was a big deal ...
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This is an extraordinary gathering.
MOOS: Yes, well, then, so is this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now, listen, Borat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's Barack.
MOOS: The most famous presidential impersonators of all time gathered in one room to offer advice to the Obamas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Man, Michelle has got some legs on her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How did you get in here?
WILL FERRELL, IMPERSONATING GEORGE W. BUSH: The security code is still one-two-three-four from when I was prez. It only took me five times to remember it.
MOOS: "Saturday Night Live" stars like Will Ferrell.
CHEVY CHASE, IMPERSONATING GERALD FORD: Betty, did you change the locks again? MOOS: And Chevy Chase doing Gerald Ford.
DANA CARVEY, IMPERSONATING GEORGE H.W. BUSH: Well, if you'd listened to me, it would have raised taxes.
MOOS: And Dana Carvey doing George Bush Senior.
CARVEY: Yes, that second term of yours was a real victory lap or wasn't it, dubbers.
MOOS: Topped off with Jim Carey as Ronald Reagan.
JIM CAREY, IMPERSONATING RONALD REAGAN: To help Mr. Reach-Across-the- Aisles here grow a pair.
MOOS: It was a reunion of the presidents of comedy says director Jake Szymanski.
JAKE SYZMANSKI, DIRECTOR: Absolutely, it was incredible.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they're just as excited as everyone else. I mean, they're all friends and know each other, but they haven't done anything like this before. So, everyone's kind of just looking around saying, you know, I can't believe this is happening.
MOOS: The comedians donated their time to make this funny or die video to push for financial reform and the creation of ...
CAREY: The Consumer Protection Agency.
MOOS: The video, shot in a day from noon to midnight was directed by Ron Howard.
FERRELL: Can I put the Iraq War on my credit card? I'd never dreamed I would be paying 28 percent in interest rates.
GEORGE W. BUSH, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank the president-elect for joining the ex-presidents.
MOOS (on camera): Occasionally, the real presidents were unintentionally almost as funny as their impersonators.
(voice-over): For instance, when George Bush Senior almost shook hands with his hanky, or when Bill Clinton got lovey-dovey about the Oval Office rug.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I love this rug.
MOOS: Of coures, only the impersonators could bring back departed presidents.
CAREY: I'm dead, but I'm going to be a guest on "Dancing With the Stars" this season.
MOOS: Both the real presidents and the impersonators took a group photo. Should you decide to do what the video says and call your senator, make sure you use a phone, not the glass.
Jeanne Moos, CNN ...
CARVEY: President Barackodile O'Donnell.
MOOS: ... New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. The CNN NEWSROOM continues in an hour, at 2:00 Eastern time, putting off retirement and staying on the job longer. We've got tips to help get you on the fast track to retirement. Then at 3 o'clock Eastern time, students across the country rallying against rising college tuition costs. Our education expert has creative ideas to help you pay for college.
Meantime, "YOUR MONEY" starts right now.
