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President Obama Delivers Commencement Address at University of Michigan; Oil Spill Could Devastate U.S. Seafood Industry; Protesting Illegal Immigration Law in Arizona
Aired May 01, 2010 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Government shouldn't try and dictate your lives, but it should give you tools you need to succeed. Government shouldn't try to guarantee results, but it should guarantee a shot, an opportunity for every American who's willing to work hard.
(APPLAUSE)
So, yes, we can and should debate the role of government in our lives, but remember, as you are asked to meet the challenges of our time, remember that the ability for us to adapt our government to the needs of the age has helped make our democracy work since its inception.
Now the second way to keep our democracy healthy is to maintain a basic level of civility in our public debate.
(APPLAUSE)
These arguments we're having over government and health care and war and taxes, these are serious arguments, they should arouse people's passions. And it's important for everybody to join in the debate with all the vigor that the maintenance of a free people requires. But we can't expect to solve our problems if all we do is tear each other down.
You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it. You can question somebody's views and their judgment without questioning their motives or their patriotism. Throwing around phrases like "socialists" and "soviet style takeover" and "fascists" and "right wing nut."
(LAUGHTER)
That may grab headlines, but it also has the effect of comparing our government, our political opponents, to authoritarian, even murderous regimes.
Now we've seen this kind of politics in the past, it's been practiced by both fringes of the ideological spectrum, by the left and the right, since our nation's birth, but it's starting to creep into the center of our discourse, and the problem is not the hurt feelings or the bruised egos of the public officials who are criticized, remember, they signed up for it, Michelle always reminds of me of that.
(LAUGHTER)
The problem is that this kind of vilification and over the top rhetoric closes the door to the possibility of compromise. It undermines democratic deliberation. It prevents learning, since after all why should we have to listen to a fascist or a socialist or a right wing nut or a left wing nut.
It makes it nearly impossible for people who have legitimate but bridgeable differences to sit down and hash things out, it robs us of rational and serious debate, the one we need to have about the very real and very big challenges facing this nation, it courses our culture and what is worse it sends signals to the most extreme element of our society that perhaps violence is a justifiable response.
So what do we do? As I found out after a year in Washington, changing this part of politics is not easy, and part of what civility requires is that we recall the simple lesson most of us learned from our parents, treat others as you would like to be treated, with courtesy and respect.
(APPLAUSE)
But civility in this age also requires something more than just asking if we can't all just get along. Today's 24/7 echo chamber amplifies the most inflammatory sound bites louder and faster than ever before. And it's also, however, given us unprecedented choice, whereas most Americans used to get their news from the same three networks over dinner or a few influential papers on Sunday morning, we now have the option to get our information from any number of blogs or Web sites or cable news shows. And this can have both a good and bad development for democracy. For if we choose only to expose ourselves to opinions and viewpoints that are in line with our own, studies suggest that we become more polarized, more set in our ways. That will only reinforce and even deepen the political divides in this country.
But if we choose to actively seek out information that challenges our assumptions and our beliefs, perhaps we can begin to understand where the people who disagree with us are coming from.
Now, this requires us to agree on a certain set of facts to debate from. That's why we need a vibrant and thriving news business that is separate from opinion makers and talking heads.
(APPLAUSE)
That's why we need an educated citizenry that values hard evidence and not just assertion.
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As Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan famously once said, "Everybody is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."
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Still, if you're somebody who only reads the editorial page of the "New York Times," try glancing at the page of the "Wall Street Journal" once in a while.
If you're a fan of Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh, try reading a few columns on the Huffington Post Web site. It may make your blood boil; your mind may not be changed, but the practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship.
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It is essential for our democracy.
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And so, too, is the practice of engaging in different experiences with different kinds of people. I look out at this class and I realize for four years at Michigan you have been exposed to diverse thinkers and scholars, professors and students. Don't narrow that broad intellectual exposure just because you're leaving here. Instead, seek to expand it.
If you grew up in a big city, spend some time with somebody who grew up in a rural town. If you find yourself only hanging around with people of your own race or ethnicity or religion, include people in your circle who have different backgrounds and life experiences. You'll learn what it's like to walk in somebody else's shoes, and in the process, you will help to make this democracy work.
(APPLAUSE)
Which brings me to the last ingredient in a functioning democracy, one that's perhaps most basic, and it's already been mentioned, and that is participation.
Class of 2010, I understand that one effect of today's poisonous political climate is to push people away from participation in public life. If all you see when you turn on the TV is name-calling, if all you hear about is how special interest lobbying and partisanship prevented Washington from getting something done, then you might think to yourself, "What's the point of getting involved?"
Here's the point. When we don't pay close attention to the decisions made by our leaders, when we fail to educate ourselves about the major issues of the day, when we choose not to make our voices and opinions heard, that's when democracy breaks down. That's when power is abused. That's when the most extreme voices in our society fill the void that we leave. That's when powerful interests and their lobbyists are most able to buy access and influence in the corridors of power, because none of us are there to speak up and stop them.
Participation in public life doesn't mean that you all have to run for public office, though we could certainly use some fresh faces in Washington.
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(APPLAUSE)
But it does mean that you should pay attention and contribute in any way that you can. Stay informed, Write letters, or make phone calls on behalf of an issue you care about. If electoral politics isn't your thing, continue the tradition so many of you started here at Michigan and find a way to serve your community and your country, an act that will help you stay connected to your fellow citizens and improve the lives of those around you.
You know, it was 50 years ago that a young candidate for president came here to Michigan and delivered a speech that inspired one of the most successful service projects in American history. And as John F. Kennedy described the ideals behind what would become the Peace Corps, he issued a challenge to the students who had assembled in Ann Arbor on that October night: "On your willingness to contribute part of your life to this country," he said, "will depend the answer whether a free society can compete. I think it can," he said.
This democracy we have is a precious thing. For all the arguments and all the doubts and all the cynicism that's out there today, we should never forget that as Americans, we enjoy more freedoms and opportunities than citizens in any other nation on Earth.
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We are free to speak our mind and worship as we please. We are free to choose our leaders, and criticize them if they let us down. We have the chance to get an education, and work hard, and give our children a better life.
None of this came easy. None of this was preordained. The men and women who sat in your chairs 10 years ago and 50 years ago and 100 years ago, they made America possible through their toil and their endurance and their imagination and their faith.
Their success, and America's success, was never a given. And there is no guarantee that the graduates who will sit in these same seats 10 years from now, or 50 years from now, or 100 years from now, will enjoy the same freedoms and opportunities that you do.
You, too, will have to strive. You, too, will have to push the boundaries of what seems possible. For the truth is, our nation's destiny has never been certain. What is certain, what has always been certain, is the ability to shape that destiny. That is what makes us different. That is what sets us apart. That is what makes us Americans -- our ability at the end of the day to look past all of our differences and all of our disagreements and still forge a common future. And that task is now in your hands, as is the answer to the question posed at this university half a century ago about whether a free society can still compete. If you are willing, as past generations were willing, to contribute part of your life to the life of this country, then I, like President Kennedy, believe we can, because I believe in you.
(APPLAUSE)
Congratulations on your graduation, 2010. May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right, the President of the United States there at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, offering a number of challenges to the graduating class of 2010, among them saying expand your intellectual exposure, include people and thoughts of different persuasions and he also offered this challenge, saying, don't necessarily push for a smaller government or a larger government, but perhaps smarter government. The President of the United States there at Ann Arbor University of Michigan.
Here in the NEWSROOM, we're covering a number of big things taking place in this nation, everything from the oil spill in the gulf to also the immigration rallies that have resulted all over the country, all in response, in large part, to the immigration law in Arizona. We'll be getting to all of those momentarily, but first a big weather story we continue to watch right now, right now. Our Bonnie Schneider is in the Severe Weather Center.
We're talking about at least what, three tornado warnings right now?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right and we are talking about places, Fredricka, that saw severe weather last weekend -- into Mississippi, as well as into Tennessee. There's Tunica, Mississippi, you can see under a tornado warning, right now. We're also tracking them just here in the southeast corner of Shelby County, that's where Memphis is located. And then in advance of it, we had a new tornado warning that's also been issued for counties like Fayette and Tipton where we've had dramatic reports of heavy downpours of rain.
On the bigger picture, this is all moving to the northeast, but there's more behind it, so watch for heavy downpours of rain, frequent lightning strikes and very gusty winds. Look at that 90 strikes, you can see.
All right the flood threat, this is a huge story, we have reports, some unofficial confirmations of over eight inches of water on the ground in parts of Shelby and Tipton counties. You can see that we have had a lot of flooding, people have had to turn around from their roads because they just can't pass it when the water covers the roadways, very treacherous travel for those of you that are trying to drive on 64, I-40 or anywhere in the city of Memphis, you probably know what I'm talking about.
But it's not over yet. As we look towards our first forecast precipitation model, more rain is expected on top of the six, seven, eight inches on the ground, we could see another couple inches for cities like Nashville and Memphis.
Heavy rain is expected down through Mississippi. And it's going to be really, really tough out there for today because tornado watch also exists and that goes until 4:00 Central Daylight Time and that does include Memphis, Nashville down through Mississippi.
All right, so today is a big day, it's a high-risk day, meaning the Storm Prediction Center out of Norman, Oklahoma, has said within a 25-mile radius of the pink area you see highlight here, we have a 30 percent chance of a tornado occurring and not just a tornado, but possibly a very strong tornado, large hail is also a possibility along with very damaging winds. We have already had reports of hail and damage associated with this storm system and remember, we did have tornadic activity and one death occur in Arkansas with this same system overnight, last night.
Here's what we're looking at when we talk about high risk, a high risk advisory is only issued just a few times a year, so we could see very intense tornadoes, Fredricka, and widespread wind damage. We're tracking it for you here. I'll have the latest as we go more warnings and I'll tell you as soon as they come in.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Bonnie. We'll count on that.
Let's now turn to the oil spill, well, perhaps a man-made and natural disaster are colliding. President Obama, a very busy weekend from the commencement at the University of Michigan to tomorrow he's planning to visit the Gulf Coast to see for himself what's happening as 5,000 barrels of oil a day seep into the gulf. BP, which owns the leaking well now says it plans to add large amounts of chemical dispersants to the water near the leak, those chemicals are designed to latch onto the oil, cause it to sink and then disperse.
The Coast Guard says more than a million and a half gallons have already spilled and that has a lot of people are worried about what will happen to this fragile ecosystem along the gulf as you say on that map. And we're already seeing birds and marine life coated with oil. This, as a time when nesting, breeding and egg hatching peaks.
The Louisiana coast alone is expected to be hit first and possibly the hardest. Forty percent of the coastal wetlands in the continental U.S. are actually in the state of Louisiana. So it's huge, important grounds for fish, shellfish, bird life, all of it breeding grounds and so many commercial industries also counting on that coastline.
Our Reynolds Wolf is in Venice, Louisiana.
So what areas that you know of right now are being affected by the winds that are helping to push this water and push the oil closer to the coast?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely, Fredricka, well obviously the coastal regions, the southern end of the Mississippi Delta into the state of Louisiana that flows out into parts of the Gulf of Mexico is butting right up against the strong waves, the strong winds that are pushing in from the south and that is also pushing that oil closer to the shore.
Now, there have been some reports of traces not the heavier crude, but rather some of that sheen getting a little bit closer to some of those islands on the outer part of the delta.
While we're talking islands, keep in mind, we're not talking that it's miles across, in many situations the island can anywhere from just a few feet across, others other times, 10 feet cross, others that are several yards, so again, not the biggest things. But, there have been traces of those getting closer.
Now, one of the big problems is as we get the heavier amounts, as they make their way toward shore, we're talking about the crude oil, the darker heavier stuff, toward St. Bernard Parish or even Plaquemines (ph) Parish, well, there is, again, a very detrimental effect that it can have on some of the grasslands. And just yesterday, we spoke biologist Shane Granier he gives a better explanation of what we can expect if that were to happen.
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SHANE GRANIER, LOUISIANA WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES: If you have either a very thick or a lot of oil that covers a plant entirely, or if you have a continued stress from the oil, even if it's a light stress over a long period of time, that's what causes major concern.
Basically a single swathe of oil that comes through and gets a little bit on the plant, most of the plants down here can handle that fairly well, it's the long-term, continued, you know, contamination that that'll cause some problems.
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WOLF: You know the funny thing is people might hear that and they'll say, the grasses a big deal, that's not a big deal at all. Well, it's a tremendous deal, the reason why it's a tremendous deal is because, Fredricka, if those grasses die out, you have those root systems that hold on to that soil, if the root systems are gone and the soil drops then the islands no longer exists, which is a tremendous problem. But what could happen with plants is only part of the problem. You have to remember the animals. And there was actually a bird that was actually picked up in the Gulf of Mexico just yesterday, let's go right to the video and show you that, this brought in from WWL, one of our CNN affiliates, right here on the Gulf Coast.
As you take a look at this video, this bird is called a Northern Gannet. They travel from Newfoundland to the central Gulf Coast every year. These migratory birds feed on many of the smaller fish, the actually are diving animals, they go below the surface of the oil -- below the surface of water to get their food, and without, again, this cleanup that this bird is going to undergo right here at a recovery center, here in, thankfully, in Venice, Louisiana, that bird would certainly have a rough time. That bird is actually going to be recovering for the next seven to 10 days and then re-released back to the wild.
Now the thing is, how are they going to protect the shoreline? Well, the big thing they've been doing is they've been loading up boats, like this one right here behind me. There's the Carista Shane (ph), farther beyond that, you have a shrimp boat that's coming in, even beyond that, you have another one that's being filled up for those emergency burns.
Some 270,000 feet have been placed around Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, they have another 300,000 that they're going to put around the region possibly over the next couple of days and weeks. Fredricka, it's a bit story, we're on top of it, let's send it back to you in the studio.
WHITFIELD: It really is and when you talk about the marine life, the wildlife, the birds, while many of them will be released back into the wild, are they trying to relocate them? Because clearly that bird is going to do what it naturally does, if it's released in that area, it is going to dive into what are presumably still going to be oily waters to try to nourish itself.
WOLF: Absolutely. We know, when the relocate, the best thing they'll probably do is try to move the birds a little bit farther off to the west, because as the current flow in the Gulf of Mexico, it's kind of a clockwise circulation, so a lot of that slick is going to be pushed farther off towards the east, so they'll probably put the bird a little bit father off to the west where it will have cleaner waters to do what it naturally does, to feed in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico, to nest possibly along parts of the far western coast of Louisiana or even Texas, but certainly they would not put it right back out in the oil slick and have a repeat performance of that trouble that they're having out there in the waves in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.
WHITFIELD: All right. Big job that is growing. Reynolds Wolf, thanks so much, appreciate that.
Meanwhile the oil spill could devastate a key industry along the Gulf Coast. Now we're talking about the seafood industry. Shrimp and oysters are especially vulnerable.
CASI CALLAWAY, MOBILE BAYKEEPER: You're not going to have shrimp.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Not going to have it?
Not going to have it. The kind of biggest deal right now for us, is when you've cover the grass beds, that's where the shrimp are born, that's where they come, that's where they grow, that's where they live. And we have had a cold winter so they're just now coming out. What we -- when those grasses are covered and buried, the shrimp are gone. Gulf shrimp come from the bottoms and the bottom is where we're pushing the oil with the dispersant that they're using. So it's laying down on top of the shrimp beds. We won't have shrimp.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: All right, that conversation with T.J. Holmes earlier this morning. This 130-mile long oil slick is expected to travel to Alabama's coast by Monday, you see right there, all of the places that could be impacted. The state's governor, Bob Riley, is declaring a state of emergency saying the giant slick poses, "A serious threat to our environment and economy." The slick could reach Florida by Monday as well. An expert there says this disaster is way bigger than we actually think. The coast guard tells 1.6 million gallons have already spilled, so far. But a Florida state profession who is an expert in ocean biology said it is at least five times that number by his estimate.
All right, taking it to the streets: Thousands of people rallying across the U.S. not because of this oil spill, but because of Arizona's new immigration law. We'll have live reports, straight ahead.
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WHITFIELD: All right, happening this afternoon, several demonstrations across the U.S. Immigrant rights activists are gathering in New York, Phoenix, Los Angeles and dozens of other cities. They're voicing opposition to Arizona's new tough immigration law. Our reporters are spread out around the country. We have Casey Wian in Phoenix, Ted Rollins in Los Angeles, Susan Candiotti in New York.
Let's begin with you, Casey, in Phoenix.
CASEY WIAN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, protesters are just beginning to gather here outside Arizona's state capitol to protest that tough new crackdown that Arizona has passed seeking to target illegal immigrants.
Now yesterday Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed legislation seeking to clarify that law, seeking to clarify that it does not give police the power to arrest anyone or stop anyone based on the way they look or because of the color of their skin.
Despite that, protesters say they still do not like this law they are worried that people will be pulled over for minor violations of municipal codes. They are worried that illegal immigrants won't cooperate with law enforcement investigating other crime. And they are also worried that many more people will be deported out of Arizona as a result of this law, and they want the federal government to step in and stop it. We're expecting many more people here later this afternoon. Now let's go to my colleague Ted Rollins in Los Angeles.
TED ROLLINS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: All right, thanks, Casey, here in Los Angeles they're expecting 100,000 people to hit the streets downtown. Organizers say that what happened in Arizona has bolstered the spirit of this year's event. This is an annual event in Los Angeles and around the country.
A couple of years ago in 2007, more than 600,000 people came into the streets of Los Angeles, that event ended in violence where police shot rubber bullet into the crowd, something that the Los Angeles police department was criticized for, they are not expecting this crowd to be anything but peaceful, but organizers say what happened in Arizona absolutely will affect what happens here today in Los Angeles.
Let's swing out to New York and check with Susan Candiotti -- Susan.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hi Ted, good morning to you. Well, here in New York City's Union Square, there's a pretty healthy turnout, one police estimate puts the crowd so far at about 500 to 600 people.
Now, this is an annual event here, too, May Day, but last year's turnout was pretty small due to bad weather and outbreak of swine flu. That's not the case this year. That's because protesters here say they have been galvanized by the immigration bill that was passed in Arizona.
A lot of people, as you see over here, today, we've got adults and we have a lot of families with children. Signs including this one, "equality for all" one right next to it that says "we are America."
Here, people also very concerned about what immigration reform will mean to them. In fact there is a resolution pending in the state assembly here that calls for a boycott of Arizona and some politicians who are planning to go to Arizona this week to possibly tie themselves, lock themselves up to a fence there, again, as a sign of protest.
We are expecting many more hundreds of people here this day, lots of speeches, a concert and more speeches after that, a full day of events.
Fredricka, back to you.
WHITFIELD: All right, Susan, thanks so much.
And thanks to you, Ted, and Casey, as well.
All right, demonstrators aren't the only ones that are against Arizona's new immigration law. Even a police officer is suing to keep from enforcing it, in Arizona. Well, does he have a case? We'll find out from our legal guys.
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WHITFIELD: All right, Bonnie Schnieder, we promised she'd be back if she had more information on tornadoes, and here we go -- Bonnie?
SCHNEIDER: That's right, Fredricka. A brand new tornado warning across Mississippi and this does include the city of Batesville. Now, tornadoes have not been spotted on the ground, but they are popping up on our Doppler radar in terms of rotations of cloud, and you can see some of the counties affected in Mississippi as well as one that continues just to the east of Memphis, Tennessee.
We are looking at very heavy rain across Tennessee right now, the state being hit the hardest at this point. I've got to show you the flood watches because that will persist for a while. Here's why. Check out these pictures just coming to us right now.
In Memphis, Tennessee, the flooding is tremendous, at least eight inches of rain on the ground right now with the rain continuing. We're expecting at least another two inches of rain, cars are completely submerged and some people had to just turn around and abandon their vehicles because it just got so dangerous.
It is not just Memphis facing flooding, look at what's ahead, we're looking at heavy rain for Mississippi, all the way across Alabama as well. We could see up to seven inches in some locations in the next 48 hours. Finally, there's a tornado watch in effect from Nashville, further south through Jackson, Mississippi.
Remember, Mississippi hard hit this time last weekend with tornadoes in the Yazoo City area, now we have a tornado watch that will continue into the afternoon. This is a high risk date, Fredricka, for severe weather. We're tracking it here. Just be prepared -- it looks like it's going to be unfortunately a busy afternoon with severe weather.
WHITFIELD: Very active day. All right, thanks so much, Bonnie. We'll check back with you.
All right, meantime, two lawsuits have already been filed over Arizona's controversial new law, one of them -- one of the lawsuits -- filed by a police officer in Tucson who is trying to stop enforcement of the new law. He says he doesn't believe police should be going after illegal immigrants.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OFC. MARTIN ESCOBAR, TUCSON POLICE: I work throughout the years to establish a relationship with the community, legally or illegally, it doesn't matter. Where crimes get solved, that's what we do. By doing this law, it puts a barrier up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. We turn now to our legal guys, Avery Friedman, a civil rights attorney and law professor. Good to see you.
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Oh, coming to us from the nation's capital this weekend ...
FRIEDMAN: You bet, you bet.
WHITFIELD: Fancy-schmancy. And Richard Herman is a New York criminal defense attorney and law professor coming to us from New York City. Good to see both of you.
All right, Richard, you ...
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The original nation's capital, the original nation's capital, New York, OK.
WHITFIELD: OK. Having that been said, let's talk about what this police officer has to say, Richard. He says this jeopardizes the relationship between law enforcement and the community. Is that enough in this legal battle against this new law in Arizona?
HERMAN: No, no, that's not enough, Fred. In his statement that illegally or legally, it hinders his investigations on the relationships he's developed over time, that is not going to fly, that's not going to be enough. The other portion of his claim, though, makes it -- he states that the supremacy clause mandates that all immigration be governed by federal law, federal statute.
The federal law is supreme over state law and therefore, Arizona is overstepping their bounds as a state and that the federal law controls, but the Ninth Circuit -- Avery, the Ninth Circuit in 2008 has paved the way, I'm telling you, has paved the way to uphold this statute.
FRIEDMAN: Well, I ...
WHITFIELD: Avery, you're in agreement with part of that, I could hear your uhmms, but then something tells me that last part is what you're disagreeing with.
FRIEDMAN: Yes, there's a big difference between the Ninth Circuit case and what this legislation is. Look it, the president just finished his address about democracy being a precious thing. He's coming back here to the District, but I keep thinking about that when it comes to Martin Escobar's lawsuit. I agree that, you know, he is unhappy about how he's going to have to enforce the law. I think supremacy clause does knock this law out.
I think what he's also arguing, and this is another constitutional argument, that when it comes to enforcement, it may be a violation of equal protection. There are basically four grounds that will invalidate this law, Fredricka, and actually, I think Escobar is well stated in what he's saying. He's going to be joined by other organizations. Actually, the question is will the Justice Department then jump into this litigation.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well then, here's the other lawsuit, the National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders, their lawsuit is alleging that this new law usurps federal immigration enforcement. And so, that's the avenue that they're taking. Might they stand a better chance than perhaps Mr. Escobar, Avery?
FRIEDMAN: Well, I think so. I think the focus really is supremacy clause, I think there is a way of making the distinction between these organizations and the officer as well as individuals, compared to some of the other constitutional arguments. I actually think he's got a good shot at this case, I'm excited that there's a coalition joining in to challenge this legislation.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, there have been ...
HERMAN: Fred, Fred ...
WHITFIELD: Oh yes, go ahead.
HERMAN: I'm just saying, I don't believe, with all due respect, that the people protesting today, and I cheer them on because everybody has a right to protest, but they have not read the statute, they do not understand the statute. There's enormous misinformation flooding the airwaves in the United States over what this statute says and what it doesn't say. And the governor clarified the statute further this week. It is a violation of law ...
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Yes, let's talk about that. Let's talk about those clarifications because one of them, one of the clarifications would -- law enforcement would be able to stop suspected illegal immigrants only while enforcing some other law or ordinance and then, something else, a modification was made. The word "solely" was taken out, saying that they may not solely, that eliminated consider race, color or national origin.
So with those modifications, how much of a difference does that make in your view, Richard?
HERMAN: I think it clarifies the statute even further. A police officer can't walk down the street, hear someone speaking Spanish and say let me see your papers, that's not how this works. Absolutely not.
FRIEDMAN: (INAUDIBLE) anyhow, Richard.
WHITFIELD: They have to be suspected of breaking some other law.
FRIEDMAN: Yes, he can't do it anyhow. I mean, those sort of considerations are improper for law enforcement. This legislation does absolutely nothing other than I think handcuff law enforcement. These are federal rights anyhow, so I don't think this clarification offers very much of anything.
HERMAN: Excuse me.
WHITFIELD: So, you know what's interesting ...
HERMAN: Excuse me.
WHITFIELD: ...there are other border states, because I remember, Richard, I think you were making the argument last week that you know, unless you live on a border state, perhaps it's very difficult to understand why Arizona has taken this measure.
FRIEDMAN: That's true.
HERMAN: Yes.
WHITFIELD: However, now we're hearing that Texas, California, other border states who are saying this is actually not the way to go. I think it was even California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger who said you know, this is a mess ...
FRIEDMAN: Right.
WHITFIELD: ...talking about this type of law. So, if other border states are not showing empathy toward Arizona's choice in this law, then you have to wonder how this empowers perhaps the Attorney General Eric Holder, who may or may not challenge this state law.
Richard, you first on that.
HERMAN: Yes, Attorney General Holder can do all the challenges he wants. But last year -- in 2008, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Legal Arizona Workers Act and that act ...
FRIEDMAN: Different.
HERMAN: ...prohibited and -- no, it's not different because ...
FRIEDMAN: It is different.
HERMAN: ...what it did was it terminated employers who knowingly engaged illegal immigrants to work for them and it compelled employers to search databases to confirm employment status and residency of their employers ...
FRIEDMAN: That's private employers, not ...
HERMAN: ...and the Ninth Circuit upheld it.
WHITFIELD: OK, Avery, you ...
FRIEDMAN: The private employers ...
WHITFIELD: You quick, you quick on that last problem (ph).
FRIEDMAN: All right, very quickly. Private employers, this is law enforcement, the fact is it's a supremacy clause argument dealing with law enforcement because there are no standards. It is the province of the federal government. I'm very optimistic about this litigation and I'm -- I would like to see the attorney general involved in this.
WHITFIELD: Interesting. I love hearing from you smart men.
HERMAN: Fred, the statute is compatible with the federal law.
FRIEDMAN: We'll see. I don't think it is.
HERMAN: This is the federal law.
FRIEDMAN: I don't think it is. HERMAN: It mirrors federal law. It's the law, you cannot be an illegal immigrant in the United States, it mirrors the law.
FRIEDMAN: But it's different, Richard, it's different. I mean, look, we're not going to agree on this.
HERMAN: It's compatible with it, Fred. And Texas just signed a very similar act, Fred. Texas just signed a very similar act.
FRIEDMAN: It's the responsibility of Congress, not the states.
WHITFIELD: So, perhaps this legislation and this argument is an indicator that maybe some other modifications might be made before it is indeed actually enforced later on.
FRIEDMAN: It won't work, Fredricka.
HERMAN: Yes.
FRIEDMAN: It's Congress' responsibility to make it work.
WHITFIELD: All right.
FRIEDMAN: That's it.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much. Avery, Richard, always love talking to you. You all are so smart and that means it makes us a little bit smarter, too.
HERMAN: Have a good weekend.
WHITFIELD: Without the law degree. All right, appreciate it.
All right, oil closing in on the Gulf Coast, that's the other big top story that has a lot of people fuming. People who live there are bracing for the worst and we'll see how they are coping right now and how bad an ecological disaster this might be.
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WHITFIELD: Welcome back.
A look at out top stories right now. Advice from President Obama to the class of 2010. Mr. Obama delivered today's commencement address at the University of Michigan. Among other things, he told the grads they should focus on ways to help their community and their country and make government smarter, he said.
All right, thousands are taking to the streets this afternoon in cities across the U.S.. They are protesting Arizona's tough new immigration law and fear that it just might lead to racial profiling. Many who are demonstrating have that fear. Arizona's governor signed changes to the law designed to prevent that kind of profiling. Supporters of the law say it is needed and they add Washington has failed to protect America's borders. A new recall covers dozens of children's over-the-counter medications, among them Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl. The drug maker says they don't meet quality standards. The FDA says the potential for serious medical problems is remote, but it is advising consumers to stop using those drugs now.
And coming up, we're going to go to our Richard Lui. He's on the Alabama Coast where the concern is this 130-mile long oil slick just might hit those shores come Monday.
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WHITFIELD: All right, coming ashore any time now, hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil out of the Gulf of Mexico. President Obama plans to visit the region tomorrow to see just how bad it is and how the oil recovery operations are going right now. More than 200,000 feet of protective booms already ring the shorelines and more are actually on the way.
States of emergency are in effect from Louisiana all the way to Florida. And B.P., which owns the well out in the Gulf says it will be putting large amounts of chemicals near the site of the leak and those chemicals are designed to latch on to the oil, cause it to sink and then disperse.
So onshore, all anyone can do is watch and wait and hope the tide turns in their favor. Our Richard Lui is in Bayou La Batre where the weather has been nasty and I wonder how folks are coping because you know, as they wait for this oil slick, it's almost like waiting for that hurricane, isn't it? Just waiting and waiting for something to hit or something to happen.
RICHARD LUI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fred, you're right. And they are just going through everyday life right now, trying to cope with what might happen; they're not even sure if it will.
You know, yesterday, we were talking about fishermen going out and the shock to the culture that they have lived throughout their entire lives. So today, we thought we'd go door to door and see who we could find and see what they were doing and how they're reacting to that potentiality of an oil spill.
We bumped into Caroline Sturdivant and she was getting ready for her son's wedding. They were getting together the tables, they were putting together the bouquets and the flowers and you know how weddings go. You're worried about whether the DJ will show up on time. You're worried about whether the weather will be good. This is going to be a beach wedding, so they're concerned about high tides, low tides and how windy it's going to be, but an oil spill?
This is how she reacted to that potentiality.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROLINE STURDIVANT, DAUPHIN ISLAND RESIDENT: We can do it. We can handle it. Whatever it is, nothing lasts forever. I mean, an oil spill doesn't last forever, it's going to take a lot of effort to deal with it. It took a lot of effort to deal with the aftermath of Katrina. We were a year getting our condominium back where we could stay in it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LUI: And I tell you, Fred, you know, Caroline was so resilient, she gets up every day, she's a 30-year resident of this area of Dauphin Island, and she gets her coffee. She was showing me some pictures of what she went through during Hurricane Katrina. She was saying how they had to bounce back, they rebuilt their home. So for her, she is absolutely ready for this, she knows it could be catastrophic, but she is ready for it. She continues to live her everyday life on the day of the wedding of her son.
Back here in Bayou La Batre, they're getting ready also for a celebration here, Fred. There's going to be a parade of boats tomorrow. Maurice Rind (ph) just put together this boat. He was putting up the flags a little bit earlier. And then right behind me, behind St. Margaret's Church, they have a stone here because they have this festival each and every year. On that stone, Fred, it says "May there be blessings for an abundant catch throughout the season."
WHITFIELD: Oh.
LUI: So, you can see what's going on today. They hope for an abundant catch as the season continues, but then, they have the specter of what could happen right off the south of the Gulf Coast.
WHITFIELD: Right. Well, oh boy, I know a lot of folks are hoping and praying that the worst can be fended off in some way. Richard Lui, thanks so much, appreciate that. We'll check back with you throughout the day.
Well, all along the Gulf Coast, huge amounts of oil threatening the shoreline just like Bayou La Batre. How bad could this be for countless species of animals along the coast? We'll talk with an environmental expert about all of that.
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WHITFIELD: All right, on this May Day, we are seeing demonstrations taking place across the country. This perhaps one of the largest, Los Angeles, in large part because people in Los Angeles and so many other cities that are gathering for these demonstrations on this May Day are not very happy with Arizona's new immigration law.
We're going to continue to monitor demonstrations just like this one here in Los Angeles. I wish they would pan out because moments ago, we got a chance to see the scope of how many people and it is extraordinary, an extraordinary sight there in Los Angeles. Right there, take a look, Los Angeles, presumably, thousands of people who are turning out for demonstrations on this May Day, in large part because they are not happy with Arizona's new immigration law.
We'll continue to monitor this demonstration as well as many others taking place in major cities across the country, from Phoenix to New York as well.
Also, a huge spectacle, this 130-mile long, 70-mile wide oil slick in the Gulf. It has taken nearly two weeks for the oil to get to the outer reaches of the shoreline now and it could be months before we know the extent of the damage, especially to the ecosystems along the coastal line there in the Gulf.
Tom MacKenzie is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He's joining us now from Venice, Louisiana. And so, give me an idea, while there have been hundreds of feet and miles of booms that have been placed to try to contain this oil as best as possible, is there really any preventative measure at this point from keeping that oil to really damaging the ecosystem there from Louisiana to Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle?
TOM MACKENZIE, U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE: Well, Fredricka, really, we only have priority areas that we can boom. You literally can't boom the entire coastal system. So, we've selected priority areas that, in this case here at Breton National Wildlife Refuge, have nesting brown pelicans. Those have no place to go ...
WHITFIELD: And that's a Louisiana state bird, right?
MCKENZIE: That's right, absolutely. And it was taken off the Endangered Species List, but it's still an incredibly gorgeous bird and well worth protecting, obviously. But we can't boom the entire coastline, so do we expect a hit? Absolutely. Now, we're doing everything we can for those key issues, but this has the potential of being purely devastating.
WHITFIELD: Oh, and you say we're doing everything we can, such as what? Booms are one thing, what else can be or are you doing?
MACKENZIE: Well, we set up the booms in the priority areas to hopefully block access to key areas of like Delta National Wildlife Refuge also, where folks are going out as we speak in this kind of weather. I don't know if you can see the wind, but it's really high wind.
So, once you get out of these protected areas in the open water, the waves are, you know, seven foot and that's real tough on small boats and you need small boats to get the boom material close to those islands. So, it's real tough in Breton. Now in Delta, though, it's tough to get around because it's a marsh refuge.
WHITFIELD: Oh.
MACKENZIE: And then, the next part we got to worry about as you were saying, was Alabama and Mississippi, and those coastal areas you know are stunningly beautiful, and we're hoping to protect everything we can, especially on the national wildlife side and those migratory bird species, the shore birds that we're assigned to protect.
WHITFIELD: Well, beautiful and vital because we're talking about this time of year where there's a lot of nesting going on, laying of eggs, hatching of eggs, et cetera and while these booms might help in those particular areas for things that aren't as transient, such as you know, oysters and shell fish, when you talk about these migratory birds, hence the word migratory. These birds will take flight, they move on. It's very difficult to contain them, is it not?
MACKENZIE: Well, absolutely. A matter of fact, the first oiled bird that we've received as part of this oil spill is a Northern Ganett and that comes up from Newfoundland, and it's going to be, you know, it uses here during these months and then heads up to summer in Newfoundland. So, there's 34,000 birds just in the Breton National Wildlife Refuge area, not counting the countless state areas and national sea shores that the National Park Service if course is assigned to protect.
The other stuff of concern for us, once -- if and when this tremendous spill ends up in the Mississippi and the Alabama area, our nesting sea turtles and that's coming up on their time right now ...
WHITFIELD: Right.
MACKENZIE: ...to come ashore, lay their eggs. And without a crucial nest like this, I mean a whole generation could be affected. We also have Gulf sturgeon which comes up river. That's a key one, and of course, if it goes all the way to Florida, you're talking about the manatee. Obviously, a charismatic creature that loved by millions.
WHITFIELD: Yes, so vulnerable. You talk about those turtles, you know, and once they hatch, we already know that the chances of survival are so, so narrow, and that's just on a regular basis and now, you've got oil slicks that potentially suffocate these little turtles that are able to survive. It's all so potentially devastating.
Tom MacKenzie with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, thanks so much. Hopefully, we can talk with you again to get a continuous progress report as this oil slick kind ...
MACKENZIE: Pleasure.
WHITFIELD: ...of encroaches on the coastline. Thanks so much, Tom. Appreciate that.
MACKENZIE: You bet.
WHITFIELD: All right, well, to see how you can help minimize the affect this spoil just might have on the environment, head to our website, CNN.com/impact. There, you might actually find a list of local organizations that are helping out in this massive cleanup effort. Again, that's CNN.com/impact and perhaps you can make an impact as well.
We'll have much more of the NEWSROOM after this.
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WHITFIELD: OK, 2:00 Eastern time, as usual, we always try to have an incredible money expert on tap for you to answer all of your money questions. And again, today, we deliver. We're going to have Ryan Mack who'll be with us to answer a lot of your financial questions.
And Josh Levs is here. He's already been seeing some of the questions ...
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ...that you have been sending.
LEVS: Yes, and Fred, you know what? What we're going to do is let you know right now, now is the time to send in those questions for him to tackle starting at 2 o'clock.
You know, every week there's some new financial news, right? This week, a little bit of hopeful signs, some growth in the economy. What does that mean for you about getting a job, about holding on to a job? What does it mean if you're looking into buying a house, selling a house? Any of these basics, here's how to send in your questions.
Get them going to our blog, CNN.com/josh or CNN.com/fredricka. I'm also following your questions already at Facebook and Twitter. You can see my page is there, it's just JoshLevsCNN. We're going to go through your questions, we're going to present them to Ryan in our 2 o'clock hour, and we're going to get in -- 2:00 Eastern, of course. We're going to get you answers live.
And Fred, as we know, every week we get some really interesting ones, so we'll be spending the next hour piecing through those, getting ready for that hour.
WHITFIELD: We do. Excellent. All right, thanks so much, Josh.
LEVS: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: OK, so folks tune in 2:00 Eastern time. Meantime, we are continuing to follow the oil slick as well as the protests taking place across the country involving the Arizona law and of course severe weather, tornadoes, flooding, all of that.
Be sure to stay with us throughout the day. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. "YOUR MONEY" right now.
