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Glimmer of Hope in the Gulf; Primary Week for Several States

Aired May 16, 2010 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: There's a glimmer of hope in the Gulf. Crews have inserted a mile long tube into that ruptured oil pipe.

And it is primary week in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Arkansas.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM where the news unfolds live this Sunday, May 16th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

After weeks of frustration in the Gulf of Mexico, there's some encouraging news to report. Crews have finally managed to insert a mile-long tube into the pipeline that has been gushing oil. And most of that oil is now being diverted to a tanker ship. It's just a stop- gap measure. But it seems to be working. CNN's David Mattingly joins us now from New Orleans. Any idea of measuring how much of the oil is actually making it into that tube?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Not yet, Fredricka. We were asking BP those very hard questions. How much of this oil are you actually stopping and collecting and keeping from going into the Gulf of Mexico? The answer so far is they're not sure. And they're not going to give any estimates. Right now what they say they hope to have in the next couple of days, to be able to optimize the flow of this operation that they have now. To be able to fully pump the oil that they have down at the bottom through that tube that they've inserted to a waiting containment vessel at the top, on the surface of the water.

At that time in a couple of days they hope to be able to quantify how much oil they are collecting and how much oil they are keeping from going into the Gulf of Mexico every day. But, again, this is the first bit of good news that we've had since this disaster began. And it's the first success after a week of failure. Almost a week to the day after that containment dome failed.

WHITFIELD: And so David, while we were looking at a graphic that showed a submersible, and it also showed, you know, some of that pipeline or that tube that would make its way a mile down, were there any kind of visuals that were offered during that press conference to try and show, you know, how they will be able to watch the success or failure of this attempt?

MATTINGLY: Again, what they're looking at, the success of this will be determined in how much oil they eventually collect and how much they are able to take from that tube, that pipe that we've seen billowing those clouds of oil out. But this is just a temporary measure. They're going to slow down the flow of oil into the gulf in a week to 10 days. They have a new plan. They will be using something called kill mud.

This is a heavy liquid solution that they use in drilling operations. They're going to use that and pump that directly into the well to shut the flow of oil off completely. This will do this temporarily until they've managed to finish that drilling operation where they will pump cement in to cap this completely and permanently. But, again, we're seven to 10 days away, they say, from seeing the next attempt to shut the flow of this oil off completely.

WHITFIELD: All right. David Mattingly, thanks so much in New Orleans. Appreciate that.

Also in New Orleans, what's happening today, a concert to try to help raise money for people who rely on that coastal shoreline. We're going to actually be joined by singer and musician Tad Benoit. He's one of the performers during the concert that's taking place all day and into the night. And we'll talk with him in just a few minutes, about 10 minutes from now, in fact, about why he's decided to be part of this huge effort.

All right. Let's get straight to Karen Maginnis in the severe weather center because we're talking about how a tornado warning taking place in Oklahoma?

KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: This is very serious. As we take a look at some pictures out of Oklahoma City. Take a look at this. We've got the radar. We also have some video, live pictures, actually, coming from CNN affiliate. Let's go ahead and show you that there.

You can make out a wall cloud. There are some (inaudible) clouds. This is from KUTY. This is out of Oklahoma City. This is breaking news. There is a tornado warning which has been issued for Canadian County and King Fisher County. Where are those counties located? Let's bring you back to the radar map and I'll show you that.

Right here is Oklahoma City. King Fisher and Canadian county are here. Right in the middle. That's where we're looking at that tornado warning. Let's go ahead and zoom in across this area. And you'll see what I'm talking about. This cell, this particular super cell is moving towards the southeast at just about 30 miles an hour. So it could enter the proper areas of Oklahoma City or Oklahoma City proper, perhaps, within the next 30 minutes to one hour.

It's a very dangerous situation. This is the coverage area that we're looking at. Over the next hour or so. This tornado warning goes for about the next 25 minutes. Maybe we can go back to those live pictures from the chopper. They were looking at those severe thunderstorms and scanning the skies to see what they could see, if there's any kind of circulation or, perhaps, a funnel cloud.

This would be very difficult to see because if there were a tornado in those skies that we're looking at right now, it would be rain wrapped and very difficult to detect. But they do have a tornado warning in effect. But this entire area across much of Oklahoma, Fred, is now under severe thunderstorm watch. But we could see those cells erupt at any time. But we'll keep you updated.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Karen. I appreciate that.

All right. Well, his story and his face have been in the headlines ever since he allegedly tried to set up a car bomb in Times Square. But up until his arrest, Faisal Shahzad was all but invisible. Now there's a grass roots effort to spot people like Shahzad before they can act.

CNN's national correspondent, Susan Candiotti, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty busy.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This convenience store owner Naeem Khalid is among a group of Pakistani- Americans in Connecticut who took it personally when accused terrorist Faisal Shahzad allegedly tried to blow up a car in Times Square.

NAEEM KHALID, BUSINESSMAN: The first thing came out of my mouth, hopefully this is not another idiot or somebody from Pakistan.

CANDIOTTI: But it was. Like them the suspect is a Pakistani- American who also lived in Connecticut. A new citizen who law enforcement sources say became radicalized despite living what appeared to be the American dream.

KHALID: If there is a heaven on earth, this is the country.

CANDIOTTI: Naeem Khalid is fighting back. He's joining about 100 fellow Pakistani-Americans in Connecticut who answered a call from a local physician to start a new grassroots effort to help police identify potential troublemakers.

KIMBERLY MERTZ, FBI: The tragic event on may 1st has been a rude awakening for us as a community. No tragedy should go by without learning from it.

CANDIOTTI: Dr. Saud Anwar is the vice president of a Pakistani- American advocacy group and founder of the American Muslim Peace Initiative. His audience included businessmen, homemakers and students.

DR. SAUD ANWAR, AMERICAN MUSLIM PEACE INITIATIVE: We will fight this to the end.

CANDIOTTI: Yet it's hard to overcome the built in distrust some Pakistani-Americans may feel towards authorities when casting suspicion on someone in their own community.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We need them to feel comfortable to reach out to the FBI, the local police, when they see those first indicators, if you will.

CANDIOTTI: Indicators, Dr. Anwar says, like looking for anyone who may show signs of becoming radicalized.

ANWAR: We are free to have our own political ideologies. But if somebody starts suggesting in an indirect or direct manner that they are going to start to become more violent at some point, those are some signs that we need to look at.

CANDIOTTI: Law enforcement sources say Shahzad told investigators he felt America had demonized Islam.

KHALID: If you don't like America or western society, please stay where you at. Don't come here.

CANDIOTTI: Back at his convenience store, Naeem Khalid hopes others will join him.

KHALID: Some may call me a snitch. But it's my strong belief, it's better to be safe than sorry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CANDIOTTI: And blunt what some call an embarrassment to the Pakistani-American community. Fred?

WHITFIELD: all right. Susan Candiotti, thanks so much.

All right. Call them musicians on a mission. Tad Benoit and surprise guest, do you recognize him, Dr. John, performing today, at a benefit concert in New Orleans. It's lasting all day into the night. These two are going to be joining us momentarily to tell us why they decided to be part of this Gulf aid effort.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Musicians are holding a benefit concert in New Orleans today. The fundraiser is to help relief efforts for any industry affected by the massive oil leak in the gulf and to raise money to protect the fragile wetlands. Contemporary blues singer Tad Benoit is with us as well as Dr. John. Both are really native sons of Louisiana in so many different ways. And with us now. So I understand that this gulf aid effort really came together in about a week. How did you, Dr. John, get involved in this, and how did you say, I'm on board?

DR. JOHN, MUSICIAN: Well, I believe in doing anything I can to try to help save our wetlands. And in this, this being such a common tragedy in the gulf with the oil spills, and this is a ridiculously large one, I couldn't help it.

WHITFIELD: Yes, with Louisiana being hit so hard on so many different levels, whether it be a natural disaster on the scale of a hurricane like Katrina, a flooding that you all had this morning, et cetera, you know, Tad, give me an idea why this is so important to be a part of this gulf aid relief when I understand the foundation isn't quite clear how the monies will be distributed? What organizations will actually benefit?

I know that you have for a long time been very passionate about the Louisiana Wildlife Foundation. Is your hope that a lot of this money will go toward helping to preserve wildlife?

TAD BENOIT, VOICE OF THE WETLANDS: Well, I don't know if it's about the money as much as it is about the information that needs to get out there to the rest of the country. You know, these are man- made problems. These are man-made disasters.

Katrina was a by-product of the storm. We got to remember that. The hurricane didn't directly hit and directly flood New Orleans. It was water that was pushed into Lake Pontchartrain because we lost the wetlands that cuts Lake Pontchartrain off from the Gulf of Mexico. This is the same thing. I mean, our coastline is disappearing at an acre every hour.

You know, that's a very significant number. And that's our protection from anything that gets into the gulf, no matter what's out there in the gulf. This is our protection from the gulf. So being a wetlands advocate to us is being active in trying to save the coast of Louisiana and all of the things that the country relies on as far as like the seafood, like the oil industry. I mean, you know, we have refineries down there on the line. You know, and I'm trying to figure out, you know, why the oil companies haven't stepped up before and said, you know, look, we need to protect ourselves and protect this place that's provided so much for this country.

WHITFIELD: Well, let's talk about these fishing industries.

BENOIT: That's why we're doing it.

WHITFIELD: Yes. And Tad, give me an idea. What are you hearing from your friends or neighbors who rely on the coastline for, you know, in order to get food on the table, these fishermen? What are you hearing from them about their frustration?

BENOIT: Well, I mean, obviously, they're frustrated. They can't work right now. Even if - you know, we haven't seen a significant amount of oil wash up on shore yet. You know, they've shut down oystering. They've shut down shrimping. They've shut down commercial fishing even before the problem gets into it.

So you know, you're already talking about people who are out of work. People are frustrated, trying to get in there, trying to help to clean this mess up before it hits our land. So that they can continue and so they can go back to work. Because if it gets in here, you know, it could be years and years and years before we're able to use that seafood again.

I mean, you got to understand, you know, that the potential - the potential problem could be astronomical, you know.

WHITFIELD: And Dr. John, the lineup today is incredible. You see a lot of these fellow artists on during so many other occasions, festivals, jam sessions, et cetera. Is it different when you run into Kermit Ruffins today or even Allen Troussant today because of this collective effort to try and help to gulf?

DR. JOHN: We're all concerned, you know. It's like it's hit us all in so many directions. You know, the fact we actually feed the United States almost half the seafood that there is in the United States. And if you get past that, it affects every one of us. And it's on a deep, personal level.

BENOIT: We've talked about - you know, we've been talking about this stuff for years. Before any big disasters came out. You know, we started the Voice of the wetlands, the band and the organization, to try to tell people out there that we have problems coming. And, you know, try to get ahead of the game and get people geared up for the disasters that were coming. And we've talked about all of this.

None of this has been a shock or a surprise to us, you know. The only surprise is that the rest of the nation doesn't see or hear about the problems that are ongoing here. On the coast of Louisiana, we live in a state of emergency 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We always, it's a fragile place. And we're always waiting for the next hit. And obviously you can see that we keep getting hit. But people here are strong, and they can handle it. We just have to be smart about it. We have to let these people jump in there and help.

You know, they're trying to save their own livelihoods. And they're frustrated right now because they can't just get in there and help fix this problem.

WHITFIELD: And we know in a big way you, Tad Benoit, Dr. John, are part of that ongoing effort to try to offer as much help as you can to our fellow brethren there right on the Gulf Coast. Gulf Aid, the concert going on all day today. And a lot of the fun for what likely will be a pretty huge turnout will be going to the Gulf Relief Foundation. Thanks so much, gentlemen and enjoy the day. And all the best in your fund-raising efforts today.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: And of course, we'll be going to the concert momentarily as the musicians play there. Joining me again later on, the younger generation of the Neville Brothers, Ian and Ivan Neville will be joining us to talk about their input here. Why being part of this Gulf Aid concert is so important to them. That will be in about 15 minutes from now.

All right. Let's go back to Karen Maginnis. We were talking about a tornado warning in Oklahoma. Where are we now with this?

MAGINNIS : We have incredible video just in a few minutes ago. Let's go ahead and show it to you. This was just a few minutes ago. A storm chaser, not sure who they are affiliated with. We know there was a helicopter in the air with KWTV and KOTV, out of Tulsa and Oklahoma City. This is on the ground. Somebody obviously in a car. Watching this tornado.

It is - because of the trees you can't see if the funnel has actually touched the ground. It looks like a super cell that has spawned this tornado. They are saying up to baseball-size hail has been reported with this. That would be almost, about three inches in diameter if you can imagine that. This tornado is moving to the southeast.

Let's go ahead and show you what's happening on our radar image. I'll just point out this to you. Here's Oklahoma City. This is our super cell right here. We're going to give you a little bit closer look here in just one second. This is moving from northwest to southeast at just about 30 miles an hour.

In its line of sight, should this tornado remain on the ground over the next 30 to 45 minutes or so, we could see it enter the territories right around Edmond, Oklahoma, also the Villages, Oklahoma. They're sitting right along the interstate here. This is interstate 40. This cell as I mentioned moving towards the southeast. They are under a tornado warning.

But in this large shaded area, this yellow shaded area, that's where the severe thunderstorm is in effect until 10:00 p.m. tonight. So the atmosphere is very conducive for thunderstorms, and we're also looking at these super cells that develop that have the potential for tornadoes. We want to show you those pictures that were just in just a few minutes ago.

Obviously, a storm chaser on the ground looking - these are live pictures, I'm being told, right now. Live pictures. A very ominous looking sky right there with a wall cloud that has been seen. We've seen funnel clouds. I was watching the live feed. There were several funnel clouds. They were not touching the ground. But it was very obvious. And we'll show you the tape right now of the storm chaser that actually spotted the tornado on the ground.

Do we have any reports of any damage or any injuries yet? No, we don't. But this is one of the counties. There are actually two counties under this tornado warning for the next 10 minutes. It is King Fisher, also Canadian County, that are under this tornado warning for about the next 10 minutes or so. But my guess is those two counties are going to be shifting a little bit closer as we get towards Oklahoma City. So Fred, a very dangerous situation for the folks in central Oklahoma today.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks for keeping us and them informed. We'll check back with you. Karen, appreciate it. Much more in the NEWSROOM after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

WHITFIELD: All right That's Alvin Troussant there on one of the two stages, part of a nearly 10-hour event, it's the Gulf Aid Concert under way right now in New Orleans. A host of musicians have volunteered their time and their talent to try to raise awareness, try to raise some money for the gulf region. Devastated by that oil spill in the gulf. A look at the top stories right now. BP is reporting progress today against that massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. The company says it is pumping oil into a ship on surface after it says successfully reinserting a siphoning tube into the damaged well pipe on the ocean floor.

And a small plane crashed into a house in Clearwater, Florida, today. All six people in the house escaped injury. And none of the three people on the plane actually suffered serious injuries either.

And the crew of "Atlantis" is paying a visit to the International Space Station today. They opened the hatch and delivered a fresh set of batteries to the floating observatory after they arrived. Today's shuttle docking marks the last time "Atlantis" is scheduled to visit the outpost. NASA has just two shuttle missions remaining.

All right. It's crunch time for some incumbents. Voters in several states go to the polls this week in congressional primaries. Will the anti-incumbency mood we've been hearing so much about play out in the polls, and at which party's expense?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: We're on a huge political week ahead. A nerve- racking one for many incumbents in Congress. Several states are holding primaries on Tuesday. And the nation's anti-incumbency mood will be put to the test. Democratic senators face tough challenges in Pennsylvania, Arkansas, and in Kentucky. In Kentucky, Ken Newcomer, Rand Paul win the Republican Senate race?

Let's ask CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser who is supposedly watching all of these key races, joining us from Corbin, Kentucky. All right. So Rand Paul, yes, son of Ron Paul. Why is it Rand appears to be ahead in some of the polls?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, the two most recent polls here suggests he's got about a 10 or 12 point lead in the race. I tell you, Fred, the reason we're here in Kentucky is because of Rand Paul. So many people are talking about this guy as you mentioned, first time candidate, the son of Ron Paul. You remember him from the 2008 presidential election. He's considered an outsider in this year where outsiders are very popular. The establishment candidates, the Washington candidates, are not. Take a listen to what he said. Our Kevin Bond spoke to him yesterday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAND PAUL, (R) KENTUCKY SENATE CANDIDATE: If we win, it'll be a huge election for the Tea Party movement around the country. Everywhere I've gone across Kentucky, the largest events I have been to have all been Tea Party events. I think it is about not only the heart and soul of the Republican Party, but really what direction the country takes.

(END VIDEO CLIP) STEINHAUSER: You know, Paul's supported by the Tea Party Movement and by Sarah Palin, who endorsed him and that's bad news for this man right here that is Trey Grayson. He is the secretary of state here in Kentucky. He is very conservative, Fred. But he's considered the establishment candidate here. He was hand picked by Mitch McConnell. He is the senior Senator from Kentucky and the top Republican in the Senate. But Grayson says, listen, I'm proud to be a mainstream Republican. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TREY GRAYSON, (R) KENTUCKY SENATE CANDIDATE: There are real choices here in this election. There's differences of opinions. There's somebody like me who's a mainstream Kentucky Republican conservative that follows our party platform. Then there's others that don't quite have that record nor the results or the ideology. When you're looking at fixing Washington, who has the record of achievement and accomplishment. Who has the record of keeping promises and not just talk?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: You know, this Republican primary is getting all the attention. But there is a Democratic primary as well here in Kentucky for the Senate. You've got the attorney general going against the lieutenant governor. Fred, this battle is to succeed the retiring Republican Senator Jim Bunting. We're going to keep an eye on this, Tuesday is the big day.

WHITFIELD: Wow, OK. Tuesday a big day for Pennsylvania as well. Very familiar name, familiar face, Arlen Specter. Even though he left the Republican Party and became very popular among some because he became a Democratic and not so popular, of course, because he left the Republican Party, how is that influencing his chances to keep his seat?

STEINHAUSER: Well, you mentioned earlier that this is a big anti-incumbent year. Specter has been in the Senate 30 years. He jumped from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party to avoid a primary battle. He's got a tough one. Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak has caught up if you believe the polls. This will be a fascinating race on Tuesday. And you have also got another Democratic Senate incumbent, Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas, she also faces a very tough primary challenge on Tuesday, that is why these races on so fascinating Fred. We'll keep an eye on all of them.

WHITFIELD: OK. Paul Steinhauser, thanks so much, we'll see you again in the next hour as well with Mark Preston, political unit director. Thanks so much.

All right. The red carpet. It's time to go there soon. The stars that glitter and the movies that they hope will actually hit the box office. All part of the Cannes Film Festival. We'll take you there.

But first, the third full week of May began today. Here's some of what happened this week in history. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD (voice over): Five years ago in 2005, Antonio Villaraigosa was elected Mayor of Los Angeles, becoming the city's first Hispanic mayor in more than a century.

Ten years ago in 2000, former Ku Klux Klan's men Thomas Lanta Jr. and Bobby Franchere (ph) were arrested for the 1963 Birmingham Church bombing that killed four black girls ages 11 to 14. Lanta and Franchere were later convicted.

Twenty years ago in 1990, Muppet creator Jim Henson and entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. died on the same day.

Twenty five years ago in 1985, the FBI arrested retired navy warren officer John Walker and his son Michael an active duty seaman, they were convicted of spying for the Soviet Union along with another member of the Walker family. John's brother, Arthur.

Ninety years ago in 1920, Harold Boytio (ph) was born in Poland. He later became Pope John Paul II.

One hundred fifty years ago in 1860, Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln for president.

And 240 years ago in 1770, future French King Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Some talented musicians are rallying to help the Louisiana coast today with a benefit concert. The money will go towards a relief fund to combat the economic and ecological damage from that massive oil leak in the Gulf. Well two of those performers are joining us right now. Ian and Ivan Neville, of Dumps a Fund. Good to see you all.

IVAN NEVILLE, MUSICIAN: How you doing?

WHITFIELD: I'm doing pretty good. Performing at concerts, festivals, this is old hat for you all. But how is this one different?

IVAN NEVILLE: Well, it's always unfortunate to have to get together for these reasons. You know, I mean, we've come here, we've gotten used to it obviously in this region. It's good that people do rally around, you know, the great city of New Orleans and the Gulf coast region. Because we've had our share of, you know, not so nice things go down, you know.

WHITFIELD: Right. You all came from different parts of the country. Do I get this right? Ian, you were in Alabama, and Ivan, you were in California? And you somehow came together this weekend to be a part of this. How important was it for you to make sure you could be here? Because this was pulled together in just a week's time. IAN NEVILLE, MUSICIAN: Yes, it's definitely kind of a last- minute thing put together for us as well. Some of our guys drove in from Texas also. You were in Cali.

IVAN NEVILLE: I was in San Francisco, yes.

IAN NEVILLE: This is our home. It's the least we could do is get back to where we came from as quick as possible to help out.

IVAN NEVILLE: Yes.

WHITFIELD: In a way it's got to be very gratifying because this is home that you were able to do something directly that will impact, you know, the industries that are being hurt by this, helping to protect the coastline, if that's where this money will be going. Do you feel a certain sense of gratification that comes out of this project that, perhaps, you know, other people who are traveling from other parts of the country don't have ties to Louisiana may not be feeling?

IAN NEVILLE: We see the direct benefits of it.

IVAN NEVILLE: Yes. You know, we're absolutely blessed to be from this region. And it's -- you know, we hate to see, you know, the seafood industry and things like that be affected by some --

IAN NEVILLE: Something out of our hands.

WHITFIELD: Yes, you know I was talking to Dr. John and Tad Benoit a bit ago and I asked them what it's like this time around to perform with all the people you all are used to being in the company of as well at various festivals, but does it feel different this time? Does everyone come to the table knowing that what they're doing today is directly impacting the industries or the wetlands, and so the mood, might it be a little different than other concerts or big festivals?

IVAN NEVILLE: Yes, it's a little different. I mean, like I said earlier, we've kind of gotten used to this, unfortunately, you know. But we love our region. We love this part of the country. It's a treasure. We saw what happened five years ago that we -- you know, we almost lost this great place, you know. A lot of people came aboard and did what they could to help out.

And right now it's just as important that we, you know, anybody out there listening, if you have any idea about, you know, the Gulf coast region and how special it is to our country, and to this world, you know, do what you can.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

IVAN NEVILLE: To help out.

WHITFIELD: Ian, I wonder, do you all feel, like, a different level of responsibility even? You're the youngest generation of the performing artists of the Neville family. Your dad, Art, and, you know, and Aaron, also your dad, Ivan, so do you all feel like a different level of responsibility because you're that next generation to help impact these industries?

IAN NEVILLE: I mean, we have what of an act to follow with what we do. But basically we, you know, throw down with our band, Dumpsaphunk, with the best way we can.

IVAN NEVILLE: Obviously we want the next -- the ones that are coming up after us, we hope that they have this beautiful place that we were fortunate to be raised here, right here in New Orleans. We want this place to still be here. With the rate that things are going on, I mean, come on.

WHITFIELD: Ian and Ivan Neville, you guys perform in about four hours from now. So you've got a little time on your hands in which to, I guess, converse with all of your fellow entertainers out there and get warmed up. We'll be popping in from time to time with our live cameras. Hopefully we'll be able to catch you a little bit later on this evening. Have a great show.

IAN NEVILLE: Cool.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much.

Of course, we will be getting back to the concerts throughout the evening in New Orleans. Next hour I'll be talking to Mos Deaf and Ben Jaffe at 5:00 Eastern Time.

If you have to help the relief efforts, go to CNN.com/impact. There's you'll find the latest on what's being done to minimize the damage from that oil leak. Plus you will see a list of organizations requesting everything from your time to your hair to help battle that spill.

All right. On now to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Landing on the shores of France for the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. A much anticipated sequel made its debut at Cannes on Friday. Our own Brooke Anderson sat down with the cast members of "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Stars are so thrilled to be here in Cannes, they're like kids in a candy store. I sat down with the cast of "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps." Oliver Stones follow up to his hit 1987 drama and they couldn't stop talking about the excitement of Cannes. It's 24-year-old Carrie Mulligan's first film here. She revealed to me, she has been here before.

CAREY MULLIGAN, "WINNIE GEKKO:" I came here when I was 12 years old as a tourist. It was a day before the festival was opening. I remember walking around and there were news cameras and I was trying to get in the back of the shot. I was so desperate. So it's really, really odd to be back here and be in the film.

ANDERSON: Costar Frank Langella first came here to Cannes back in the '70s. He told me he remembered the scene as much wilder back then. FRANK LANGELLA, "LEWIS ZABEL:" It may have been the fact that I was very young. But it was wilder than it is now.

ANDERSON: Really.

LANGELLA: People in outrageous out fits coming in on barges with dogs and trained lions. There was lots of music.

SHIA LABEOUF, "JACOB MOORE:" To be here, Cannes, these are film fans. You look out here. These aren't jaded -- these are fans. To be the biggest festival in the world with the movie that you're proud of with a director that you love and a cast you really -- you know, this is a really great opportunity for me and a moment in my life that -- this is memorable.

ANDERSON: This is Shia's second time at the festival. I spoke with him two years ago when he was here for "Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." Shia admitted to me today that making this film, his first drama, after a string of action movies, was extremely challenging. He told me he really was nervous and intimidated day in, day out on the set by the stature of his costars.

LABEOUF: You're stepping into a cage with lions. I felt like an underdog coming on the set. I'm the "Transformers" kid. To come onset with Josh Brolin, and Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, and Carrie Mulligan and Michael Douglas, it is daunting. The other side of the camera is Oliver Stone.

ANDERSON: "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" will roll into theaters this fall.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. It's graduation season. And that means many of you face this gift dilemma. To help you avoid the never used gift trap, we've enlisted an expert, a tech expert, Marc Saltzman, joining us from Toronto, Canada. All right. Via Skype, yes?

MARC SALTZMAN, SYNDICATED TECHNOLOGY WRITER: Yes. How does it look, OK?

WHITFIELD: You look good. Good quality. I like it.

SALTZMAN: All right.

WHITFIELD: All right. So let's begin with some of the least expensive and then go to the priciest gifts that grads would love to get, beginning with a Microsoft life cam, web cam.

SALTZMAN: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Under $50.

SALTZMAN: Right. Speaking of our Skype chat right now, for $50 you can pick up a high definition web camera for your desktop or laptop. What better gift to get a high school grad who's going off to college in another city so now mom and dad and their friends can keep in touch with the grad at their new school without having to spend a dime on those long distance chats and with video, too.

WHITFIELD: That's a lot of fun. Then something that's kind of get smartish. This wristband communicator. What does it do?

SALTZMAN: That's right. So this is called the helium digital wristband communicator. As the name suggests, it lets you chat with a nearby cell phone using blue tooth technology. The if the grad on your gift list does not like wearing a blue tooth ear piece, and I happen to be one of those as well. This is an alternative. When the call comes in the wristband or bracelet vibrates and chimes. And when you want to take the call, you simply press the little black button here to accept the call and you can start chatting on your nearby cell phone as if you were wearing a blue tooth headset.

WHITFIELD: I think I like that better than the blue tooth on the ear.

SALTZMAN: If you leave your cell phone behind by accident it actually vibrates to let you know you've done that when you walk away.

WHITFIELD: I see coming, from that invention, I see a little decorated with rhinestones and stuff. Girls are going to like that one.

SALTZMAN: You could bling it out.

WHITFIELD: Let's talk about this iPad. Gosh, who doesn't want that? And it's not cheap. But, hey, you know, you've just graduated. You deserve a nice little --

SALTZMAN: That's right. You want to get an iPad? That was my last one because it was the most expensive one. But why not, so $500 to start for the Apple iPad. Of course, any grad would just begin drooling. They'd salivate if they opened up something like this for graduating high school or college. So this is, of course, Apple's much hyped and well deserved, almost ten-inch tablet computer. Look how thin that is. This is a small little device that lets you read electronic books that you've down loaded from the internet, watch videos, play games, use your finger to navigate on the web. It's a beautiful device. Must-have damage et of 2010, if you will.

WHITFIELD: Yes, what grad is not going to want that? Marc Saltzman, thanks so much, appreciate it. Very fun and giving a lot of us some great ideas on what to give a new graduate, they seem to have everything. Appreciate it.

SALTZMAN: You too.

WHITFIELD: All right. If it costs the most, it must be the best, right? Placing value on college campuses.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Tuition costs at public colleges rose at an annual rate of about 5 percent over the last decade. That's on top of inflation. A big consideration for students and parents these days education value. Here's CNN's Tom Foreman on the road for our series "Building up America.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Anyone who has driven a child to college recently knows just how daunting the cost can be. Take a look at some of the most expensive schools in this country. Each one has a total price tag well over $50,000 annually. That means you could be pushing a quarter million dollars for a four- year degree once you add in all the incidentals.

But that's not the way it has to be. Right now I'm driving to a school where it's very different. The University of Virginia consistently appears near the top of those lists of the best values in college education. Confirming time and again what Portia Henry learned several years ago. You can spend a whole lot more for an education. But do you think you'd get a much better education?

PORTIA HENRY, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: No. No. I feel like the University of Virginia is a wonderful intersection.

FOREMAN: Intersection of what?

HENRY: Between cost and value. I get the best of both worlds.

FOREMAN: And directing traffic at that intersection is chief operating officer Leonard Sandridge.

LEONARD SANDRIDGE, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: We budget very carefully. We know what we can afford. We know that we can't be everything to everyone.

FOREMAN: They can, however, demand accountability from everyone. Each office here from those providing food services to student entertainment is held strictly responsible for its spending. If they run over, they must make up the difference on their own. No passing the buck to students. All new construction is kept within campus limits to contain the cost of spreading utilities, computer connections, and security services far and wide. Free or reduced tuition for the children of staff members, not here.

(UNIDENTIFED FEMALE): So more A's than --

FOREMAN: A year at UVA still costs a lot, $21,000 for in state students. About double that for out of state. And this is a state school. So it's wrestling with rising tuition like most others. But knowing that he could have spent tens of thousands more elsewhere for a comparable education, Josh Mitchell is satisfied.

JOSH MITCHELL, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA: I think, you know, that saying that you get the most bang for your buck is definitely applicable here. FOREMAN: Accountability and attention to detail can make education affordable.

SANDRIDGE: I think it can make a difference.

FOREMAN: That is why this school is at or near the top of all those value lists. Helping students build up their future on terms they can afford.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Charlottesville, Virginia.

(END VIDEO CLIP)