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Tensions Rising Between North and South Korea; Gun Battles Take Over the Streets in Jamaica; BP Hoping to Smother Gushing Oil Spill; Two American Tourists Kidnapped in Yemen
Aired May 24, 2010 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Let's check top stories. Tensions rising now between North and South Korea. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls the situation, quote, "highly precarious." South Korea accuses the North of sinking a warship, a charge the North denies. Forty-six South Korean soldiers died in that country's worst military disaster in half a century. South Korea's President has suspended trade with North Korea and is demanding an apology.
Running (ph) gun battles have taken over the streets in some parts of Jamaica. The government there has declared a state of emergency. Masked gunmen protecting a reputed drug warlord who's being sought in the U.S. on charges of trafficking drugs and weapons. More police stations have come under attack and at least one of them has been set on fire.
BP is hoping to smother this gushing oil spill. In just a couple of days crews are getting ready to pour heavy mud and cement into the ruptured pipeline. That technique is known as top kill. If that fails, BP has says it has other methods its going to try.
CNN's Ed Lavendera has more now from New Orleans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVENDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Get used to hearing the words "top kill" over the next few days. It is the best hope in the near future of stopping the oil leak.
(voice-over): Dozens of shipping vessels are moving into place in the Gulf of Mexico, preparing for what could be the most crucial moment in the battle to cut off the oil spill. BP says in the next few days, crews will be ready to attempt what's called the "top kill," a process to inject drilling mud into the blowout preventer on the ocean floor. The hope is the cement will seal the well. But it's not a sure thing. The risks are great. Failure means the well could keep spewing oil into August.
DOUG SUTTLES, BP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICE: I would stress that these operations are quite complex. We won't start the job until all of the equipment is staged and everything is in place.
LAVENDERA: But as the moment draws closer the stress and emotion are building up across the Louisiana coast.
KEN SALAZAR, INTERIOR SECRETARY: I am angry and I am frustrated that BP has been unable to stop this well from leaking.
LAVENDERA: Three cabinet secretaries from the Obama administration were dispatched to the region and talk is turning to mistrust of the way BP is handling the crisis.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do I have confidence that they know exactly what they are doing? No, not completely. Since the incident began, I promised that we would keep our boot on BP's neck and in the past few weeks we have absolutely been doing that.
BOB DUDLEY, BP MANAGING DIRECTOR: Well, all of us at BP are trying to solve the problem. Those words hurt a little bit because we've been open about what we're doing.
LAVENDERA: If the top kill effort fails, BP officials say they have other ideas to stem the flow of oil and vow to keep trying to shut off the well. More and more oil is creeping into the Louisiana marshland every day, threatening the pelican nesting ground near Grand Island where the beaches are closed.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R), LOUISIANA: It is clear the resources need to protect our coast are still not here. Boom, skimmers, vacuums, jack-up markers (ph) are all in short supply. Oil sits and waits for clean up and every day that it sits for cleanup, more of the marsh dies. And we know this is only the first wave. We know there is more oil coming.
LAVENDERA: And with it, anxiety builds on the Gulf coast.
(on camera): That anger and anxiety is really starting to fester along the Gulf Coast, as people are wondering, is the worst yet to come?
Ed Lavendera, CNN, New Orleans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Both Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar are headed to the Gulf today. And in two hours, President Obama is scheduled to hold his first daily briefing with the Governors of the respected Gulf states. Now, as the administration tries getting in front of this crisis, that slick, as you know, is widening.
Take a look at the area impacted right now. Only beach reports span from Dauphin Island, Alabama, all the way to Grand Island, Louisiana. Folks in Louisiana, and others around the country are lashing out at BP. But, not just BP.
Take a listen to Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser, as he discusses the situation with Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL NUNGESSER, PRESIDENT, PLAQUEMINES PARISH: You've got the Governor standing up, wanting to do everything possible. The Coast Guard, the Core, the Federal Government, all be saying, what can we do to help? Not give me a better drawing, give me a better sketch. Tell me why it's not -- you know, those are excuses. Leaders don't give excuses. They solve problems. But they're in our way. If they're not going to help, get the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) out of way. This is absolutely ridiculous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: If you want to watch the live feed on the Gulf oil spill, just go to CNN.com. The live streaming footage from a mile below the surface is available right now on CNN.com, live.
We're following a developing story out of Yemen, right now. Two American tourists, their driver, and translator, all kidnapped by tribal gunmen. The captors are reportedly demanding a swap. They say that they'll hand over the tourists in exchange for two of their jailed tribesmen. Government sources tell CNN that they've started moving forces to the kidnapping scene near the capital. But their first option is negotiations. This comes on the heels of an ominous new message from an American-born cleric believed to be hiding out in Yemen. Anwar al-Awlaki says, we will kill your people.
Homeland Security correspondent Jeanne Meserve live in D.C.
So, Jeanne, what are we seeing on the new online video?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, in the video Anwar al-Awlaki justifies and encourages the killing of American civilians because, he says, they elected this administration and are financing the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Al-Awlaki, U.S.-born, living in Yemen, is believed by intelligence officials to be playing an increasingly operational role in al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, and has been linked with several recent terror attacks. He exchanged e-mails with the alleged Fort Hood gunman, U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan.
In the new video he calls Hasan, "heroic and great." And he asks every Muslim in the U.S. Armed Forces to follow suit.
Sorry, we don't have that sound for you at the moment. In the video, al-Awlaki also praises the man who tried to bring down a plane on Christmas Day, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. He says those that could have been killed in the plane are a drop in the sea.
U.S. officials expect Abdulmutallab and al-Awlaki had contact when Abdulmutallab traveled to Yemen last year.
Back to you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Are we getting any more feedback from the government with any kind of reaction to these online comments?
MESERVE: Yes. Al-Awlaki is on a list of suspected al Qaeda leaders, targeted for capture or assassination. On Sunday, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs addressed the issue saying that, yes, indeed, the U.S. was looking for him and for others that want to harm the U.S.
Al-Awlaki was reportedly the target of a December air strike in Yemen. But in his video the cleric claims to move freely in that country and says if the Americans want me, let them come and look for me and God will protect me -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Terrorists are awfully cocky.
Jeanne Meserve, thanks.
Well, he got three quarters of a million bucks. It seems you could have afforded a couple of minutes with the Prince of England. The Duchess of York busted on camera with cash, selling access to her family.
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pretty incredible. It was all caught on camera. An undercover sting operation by a local tabloid where Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was seen pocketing tens of thousands in cold hard cash. I'll have more details when we come back.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: And strong storms this weekend, including a massive tornado caught on tape, up to a half mile wide. Coming up in a few moments we'll let know if me say more of this rough weather across the Plains today. This coming up in a few. We'll see you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A royal embarrassment for the Duchess of York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK: If we want to do a big deal with Andrew, then that's the big one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do. Of course. OK no of course. So you need 500,000 in pounds.
FERGUSON: But that's in wire transfer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That has to be in wire transfer I mean obviously.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Yes, that's Fergie. And in that black bag, a whole lot of cash. She was busted by a British tabloid selling time with her ex. And apparently a few minutes don't come cheap.
Atkia Shubert, live in London.
So, Atika, explain how this went down.
SHUBERT: Well, it's pretty incredible. Basically an undercover reporter for "News of the World" was posing as a businessman. He said he wanted access to Prince Andrew, and he was willing to offer cash. Now, the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, apparently offered to open the doors to Prince Andrew for 500,000 pounds. That's about $700,000. And $40,000 in cash right then and there. And that's what that what the video shows.
In fact, we can take a quick look at that right now.
(VIDEO CLIP)
SHUBERT: Now, perhaps most damaging of all, she said Prince Andrew knew about her sort of introductory fee and supported her. That has been flatly denied by the Royal Family. Sarah Ferguson herself issued a statement of apology saying, quote, "I very deeply regret the situation and the embarrassment caused. It is true that my financial situation is under stress. However, that is no excuse for a serious lapse in judgment and I am very sorry that this has happened."
She also said, "I can confirm that the Duke of York was not aware or involved in any of the discussions that occurred. I am sincerely sorry for my actions. The duke made a significant contribution to his business role over the last 10 years and has always acted with complete integrity."
The Duchess of York has always had a strained relationship with the Royal Family. This is probably be the final blow, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: We'll follow it as it continues to unravel. I'm sure there will be much more to come.
Atika, thanks.
Reynolds Wolf now tracking all the severe weather for us.
Where do we begin? We have a little bit of everything today.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Talk about peaking at a young age. A California teen goes out of his way to get into the record books -- about 29,035 feet out of the way.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, Mt. Everest. The tallest welcomes its youngest. This weekend 13-year-old Jordan Romero of California, became the youngest person to summit Everest and make it back down.
Think about how far up he actually was. The tallest buildings in the world don't even come close to Everest. I mean, take a look at the Eiffel Tower, 1,052 feet. OK. Then you've got the Empire State Building, 1,250 feet. That also comes up way short. The tallest building in the world, there you go. The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, a measly 2,700 feet. Then you see Mt. Everest. That puts it right there into perspective, 29,000 feet and change above sea level.
A passenger jet cruising at 32,000 feet would barely clear it. But Jordan Romero made it. He's now climbed six of the seven tallest mountains. Just got one in Antarctica to hit now. He's planning a trip there, come December.
Let's check our top stories. We've got some new numbers from the FBI about crime in the U.S. These are for 2009. Violent crime down more than 5 percent versus the year before. Murders down more than 7 percent. And robberies down more than 8 percent. The FBI isn't explaining the decrease. Doesn't think anyone's complaining though.
President Obama sending Congress an anti-pork bill. It could let him to take a few months to look for wasteful or unneeded spending in bills that already have signed into law. He can then send Congress a list of cuts.
And BP going for the top kill in the Gulf, trying to seal the oil that's been rushing for 35 days. Today, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will fly over that area with a group of senators.
The summer's almost here. Parents, you've got your sun block. Have the kids had their swimming lessons? Today there are new guidelines on the skills that could save their lives.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The school year is winding down, the temperature is heating up, and the swimming season finally here. Now parents of young children have new guidelines to consider about how young is too young for swimming lessons.
Let's get the details now from CNN's Senior Medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Kyra, summer's upon us and that leaves many of us parents wondering, at what age should we start our kids in swimming classes?
Well, the American Academy of Pediatrics has just weighed in and here's what they have to say. The say that most children are ready to start swimming classes at age one. Previously pediatricians weren't really sure whether kids were ready at that age to take in what teachers say in swimming lessons. But now they say that kids are ready and, in fact, they say new research has found that children who get classes between the ages of one and four are less likely to drown.
Now, there's other recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics in the report. First of all, they say if you have a swimming pool in your yard, fence it in. Doesn't matter if the pool's above ground or in the ground. Also they say all parents should learn CPS, but especially if you have a pool in your yard. Also, avoid inflatable swimming aids.
Kyra, I know I see these at the pools all the time. Kids are wearing these water wings that you can inflate. The American Academy of Pediatrics says they're a bad idea because they can deflate and they're not designed to keep swimmers safe -- Kyra.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Elizabeth Cohen, appreciate it.
Well, it's a trying time in two ways for the families of the India air crash victims. First, knowing loved ones are dead. Second, having to give DNA samples to identify remains.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Human error has not been ruled out in the crash of an Air India flight. Crews are searching for the plane's flight data recorder after Saturday's crash that killed 158 of 166 passengers on board. Families and friends of the dead have come to the mortuary in that city of Mangalore, to identify loved ones. And in some cases the bodies have been burned beyond recognition and relatives have been asked to give DNA samples.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they are not able to identify the bodies which are charred due to this tragedy, we are arranging for the taking of samples of those bodies and getting it tested.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Air India and the Indian government are giving families up to $25,000 for each dead passenger.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, when it comes to Wall Street, volatility has been the name of the game. Just in one month, take a look at this on our graph starting from the 17th all the way to the 21st. Talk about up and down. One point it was looking good in the middle of the month. Stocks were doing pretty well. But then, as you can see, this is exactly what happened. We had the flash crash and last week the Dow tumbled 4 percent.
(BUSINESS REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Over $4 billion in federal education money up for grabs. You don't need a fancy diploma to know that's a whole lot of zeroes.
Now President Obama's race to the top program is turning into a dead sprint. Fifteen states and D.C. found out today that if they are still in the running for a portion of the stimulus cash, here's the goal of the program: better teachers, better schools, and smarter students ready to head to work or college.
It's simple, Econ 101. When skyrocketing college costs intersect with the great recession, you end up with a ton of smart kids who just can't swing the costs of an elite higher education. So more and more these days, students are saying, no thanks, to the big name schools and going for good value instead.
Alina Cho, live in New York.
So, Alina, you actually tracked down one student to talk about the big choice, right?
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's absolutely right, Kyra. Listen, here is the bottom line these days. In this economy, more and more kids are graduating from college and they can't find a job. Many are in debt. And at the same time, colleges and universities are feeling the pinch, too. Endowments are down. So at many schools, tuition is up.
What we're finding is that some kids are actually turning down those top tier schools in the name of value.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHO (voice-over): Liam Coffey is a college admission officers' dream, valedictorian, varsity hockey, honor society. His pick of schools. He got into Boston College, was waitlisted at Brown and Cornell. But his choice, TCNJ, The College of New Jersey, a state school.
LIAM COFFEY, FUTURE TCNJ STUDENT: Four years of TCNJ is less than one year of Boston College. That right there is the point that sold me.
CHO: Especially now.
DENNIS COFFEY, LIAM'S FATHER: But I think that with this economy, it is a lot more real to the kids and the parents because the money is just not flowing the way it used to.
CHO (on camera): The reality is, in this economy, kids can't find work. So, in growing numbers, they are going to or staying in school. 7 in 10 high school grads now go straight to college. That's a record. But they are also paying more. Average cost in a private institution including room and board is more than $35,000 a year. At a public school, it is $15,000. That's why the buzz word these days is value.
CHO (voice-over): Liam's school where applications are up 8% this year, even has a value comparison calculator on its website. Perspective students can click on any number of schools in competition with TCNJ and see just how much money they will save over four years. In some cases, it is more than $100,000.
LISA ANGELONI, DEAN OF ADMISSIONS, TCNJ: We do say that this is what you are going to get for that $1.
CHO (on camera): Value?
ANGELONI: That's right. And it is comparable. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am able to sit back and relax, you know, at the end of the day, I have a little extra cash, you know, to go out on the weekend, or see a movie or something that, you know, just --
CHO: Have a life?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CHO (voice-over): Other institutions like Manchester College in Indiana are offering three-year bachelor's programs as a way to save on time and tuition. Cost-conscious community colleges are bursting at the seams. But what about the prestige of an Ivy-League education. Doesn't a Harvard degree mean something?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We still live in a world where these institutions do open doors. It is not the only way into some of the finest companies and graduate schools in this nation but it is still a way.
DENNIS COFFEY: There you go. There is your college list right there.
CHO (on camera): That is still entree, right? You don't ever think about that?
DENNIS COFFEY: Well, I am not going to lie. We wrestle with that a lot. And I think that there is a lot of peer pressure to say, among his friends and our friends to say wow, why aren't you going to Boston College, or, you know, why didn't you more aggressive in going to one of the Ivys?
CHO (voice-over): For Liam, first in his class, it is a choice that makes dollars and sense. He is planning to go to medical school and wants to start in the black.
LIAM COFFEY: I was just looking for a great education. Whatever school that may be. And at a better value, that's just more reason to go.
DENNIS COFFEY: They are calling it Ivy School on a budget. So it's a great education for less than half the cost.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: Certainly is one way to look at it. How about this -- Liam got a $28,000 merit scholarship from the College of New Jersey. He also received two other scholarships, Kyra, totaling $8,000, all over four years, which he could not transfer to a private institution. So as I said, it really did make sense for him to choose the state school over the private school. It's funny, you know. Liam's dad says with all the money he's going to save over four years he can buy Liam a car and a house at graduation.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Hey, that makes it all worth it. Because as you know, when you put money into education sometimes you don't realize, wait a minute, how do I pay for everything else?
CHO: That's right.
PHILLIPS: And then the bills skyrocket. Alina, thanks.
More from the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Checking top stories.
Tensions rising between North Korea and South Korea. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls the situation, quote, "highly precarious." South Korea accuses the north of sinking a warship, a charge the north denies. Forty-six South Korean soldiers died in that country's worst military disaster in half a century. South Korea president has suspended trade with North Korea and is demanding an apology.
In Jamaica, running gun battles have taken over the streets in some parts of the capital. The government there has declared a state of emergency. Mass gunmen, protecting reputed drug lord, who is being sought in the U.S. on charges of drug trafficking. Four police stations have come under attack. At least one of them set on fire.
BP says it's hoping to smother a gushing oil spill in just a couple of days. Crews are getting ready to pour heavy mud and cement into the ruptured pipeline, a technique also known as top kill. If that fails, BP says it has other methods that it's going to try.
There is a new deal on the table to win the freedom of three American hikers who have been jailed in Iran since last July. Here are pictures of the three this past weekend with their moms, their first visit in ten months of captivity. The mothers came home empty- handed but with big news nonetheless.
But first, Susan Candiotti has more on the long-awaited visit with their kids.
BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): They came home alone. Sticking to a written statement and saying they were exhausted. Three American mothers said they were grateful to see their children, but leaving them behind was excruciating.
CINDY HICKEY, SHANE BAUER'S MOTHER: The pain we felt in having to leave Tehran without our children is more than we can bear.
CANDIOTTI: After only one phone call in nearly 10 months, the three Americans, Josh Fattal, Sarah Shourd and Shane Bauer, were allowed two visits in as many days with their mothers.
SHANE BAUER, DETAINED IN IRAN: We exercise a lot, read a lot, study. The last few months we've been able to do that. Have more material to do that. CANDIOTTI: The mothers maintain if their children cross the border hiking, it was an accident. They describe their children's health as decent.
NORA SHOURD, SARAH SHOURD'S MOTHER: Shane, Sarah and Josh have done nothing to deserve their continued detention and lack of movement in their case troubles us greatly.
SARAH SHOURD, DETAINED IN IRAN: Shane and Josh are in a room together, but I'm alone. That's the most difficult thing for me. I see them twice a day.
CANDIOTTI: Before the second and final meeting with their children, Iranian-run press TV show the mothers in an arranged meeting with families with Iranians said to be detained in Iraq in 2007. The mothers did not meet with Iran's president or other officials. The Swiss diplomat who acted as an intermediary says the trip was strictly humanitarian.
For the hikers' families, including Josh Fattal's older brother, a tearful reunion on TV seemed surreal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were in the embrace of their mothers. And they were close to the airport. It just seemed so easy, and so logical for them to just get on the plane and come home.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): Is a prisoner swap in the works? The Iranian government has said it wants one. The State Department insists it won't happen. The mothers say they're convinced the three will be home, eventually.
We thank the many friends and supporters of Josh, Shane and Sarah for their untiring efforts to make sure our children will be free. That day will come.
CANDIOTTI: The question is how, and when?
Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And this is just crossing the CNN wire. Hikers Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd got engaged in prison, we're being told, and plan to get married after their release, according to their relatives. The third hiker, Josh Fattal plans to be best man at the wedding.
Now, Iran's nuclear program is in the news today. Tehran has formally submitted its plan to send some of the enriched uranium to Turkey. The move was designed to tamp down international concerns that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons, but it is not likely to succeed. The U.S. is calling for a series economic and trade restrictions. And the idea has won initial support from both China and Russia.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: All right. Well, is there anything more fun than a little show finale? What do you think? Let's talk about some of the water cooler stuff, shall we?
(VIDEO CLIP)
All right. So what do you think? Do you remember that? The last M.A.S.H episode in 1983? B.J. Hunnicut leaves Hawkeye a special goodbye. It wasn't just a show. It was an event. Not to mention something like the most viewed nonsporting ever.
Now, remember the next one?
(VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, Tthat was the grand finale of "The Sopranos." Do you remember that episode? Tony and the gang going out with a bang and a little Journey song to punctuate it.
Now this could possibly be the greatest finale ever. Remember the Newhart Show? Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Honey?
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Honey? Wake up. You won't believe the dream I just had.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't you want to hear about it?
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: I know. We're going way back. Newhart wakes up to his wife Suzanne Plechette, his old wife from his old Newhart series in the '70. That whole Vermont (ph) thing with Larry and his brothers, Darrell. It was just a dream. Classic stuff.
And then last night, the finale everybody's talking about here in modern times, "Lost."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She said we were leaving.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Moving on.
(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Now apparently many fans will be lost without this. Six seasons, and it's done. Unlike the last MASH or Newhart, lots of people were tweeting about the last "Lost," updating their Facebook statuses and so on and so on.
Let's talk more about where the big finish ranks with the other finales we mentioned. Eric is the media critics from the St. Petersburg Times.
All right, Eric, I'm not sure of your age. I'm kind of checking you out. You remember the MASH episode? Can we go that far back?
(LAUGHTER)
ERIC DEGGANS, MEDIA CRITIC, ST. PETERSBURG TIMES: We can go that far back. I'm such a TV geek that I was actually watching MASH when it was actually on the air. And I actually watched that finale when it aired, even though I was a little kid. You know, that little bit of lore that the water tables in New York actually dropped during the commercial breaks in the MASH episode -- because that's when everybody went to the bathroom. Everybody was watching.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Okay. So you take something like that finale, right, that so many of us you know, I guess older types remember very well.
DEGGANS: People of a certain age.
PHILLIPS: There you go! Of a certain mature stature. And then you think about "Newhart" which still to this day we talk about that finale, at least in our home, I remember this one. Then you look at "Lost."
But none of these finales, not even "The Sopranos" didn't create the kind of buzz that "Lost" created. What is it? Is it the social networking nowadays? Or was it something about this show, Eric, that has just been completely different than all these other favorite shows and famous finales?
DEGGANS: I think it's two things. Number one, I think the nature of "Lost" made it very attractive to social media and to the online world. So, you had all these geeks -- and I am one of them. I was right there with everybody. I wrote updates on my blog every Tuesday night or Wednesday morning after every episode in the last season.
And I twittered and Facebooked last night with everybody else. This show has so many theories, so many explanations, so many mysteries that it really lends itself to being discussed and pored over and dissected. That made it a great series for social media. We had the explosion social media, Facebook and Twitter at the same time "Lost" was reaching its maturity. The two things went very much hand in hand.
PHILLIPS: You know, it's interesting. There is so much talk about reality shows and shows like "American Idol." they're kind of mindless shows, right, that have been really, really popular. People blog and talk about them. Are you saying this had more of an intellectual context to it and so that allowed for more discussion and social networking opportunities?
DEGGANS: Are you saying there is no subtext to "American Idol"? Is that what you're saying?
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Hey, look, I love seeing the average person make it big. Don't get me wrong. I love watching "American Idol." it's great.
DEGGANS: I just have to say for the Google generation, for the Facebook generation, for the Twitter generation, "Lost" was a show with a lot of different meanings. You could watch an episode and have one take on what happened. And another person could watch the episode and a different take.
Now, I've got to say when you watch "American Idol" and you see Simon Cowell tell someone they sound terrible, I mean, there is only one way to take that.
So, I think "Lost" gave you a little more depth to talk about, and it attracted people already on social media. These people were early adopters, anyway. If we could do a poll to find out how many have iPads, I have a feeling it would be a pretty high percentage. So, early adopters, social media, and a really great show with things to talk about equals an explosion of discussion.
PHILLIPS: All right. Final question. Is this the way to go for TV producers? Because there have to be a lot of producers, Eric, sitting back thinking, okay, how do I make my show that popular? What do I need to do? How do I create a show that became that popular?
Is it all about the social media impact or, bottom line, is this just a really well-produced show with an interesting way at presenting television?
DEGGANS: Can I just say I love the idea that a bunch of producers are on the edge of their seat in Hollywood waiting for me to tell them what to do?
But, basically what's going on here is that the producers of "Lost" wrote a really nice balance between telling the story they wanted to tell and acknowledging that the fans had an investment because they followed the show and they kept track and they kept it alive on Internet message boards and podcasts and blogs across the world.
So, you saw, even in the finale they had pieces of dialogue that were a little hat tip to fans to say, hey, we know you're paying attention. We know there are some things you want us to answer, so we'll do that, even though we have a story we want to tell and we're going to tell it, even though we know it may disappoint some of you and it may not live up to the finale you had in your head.
And that's why I loved the finale on Sunday. I felt like it was a resolution to a story they wanted to tell, but in the same way, it was a hat tip to the fans and an acknowledgment that all of us had been on this ride together, and we finished it together.
PHILLIPS: Well, I tell you, we all need a little distraction somewhere. Apparently, across the world, "Lost" was the show for so many people, including you, Eric Deggans.
DEGGANS: And I've got to say, if anybody need as consultant to help them with their new show, I'm available.
PHILLIPS: You're available? OK! All Hollywood producers, pay attention. Eric is available. We'll talk to you again.
DEGGANS: Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: You bet.
The "Lost" finale definitely got us reminiscing about our favorite finales. You saw them there, a number of them -- MASH, "Sopranos" "Seinfeld" show. That actually bombed, remember?
We want to hear from you. What was your all-time favorite TV series finale? Go to my blog, CNN.com/kyra. Let us know. We'll share your favorites later this hour.
It's one thing to have a census worker knock on your door. It's another when that census worker is a sex offender. Talk about outrage.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Taking part in the census, doing your duty as a citizen. You've got to trust that the person who comes to your house to get your info is legit -- not a criminal. Right? Yes. So, imagine one woman's shock when the census worker at her door wanting all her information turned out to be a registered sex offender. It happened in New Jersey. A mom says she actually recognized this guy from a state sex offender registry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMY SCHMALBACH, IDENTIFIED CENSUS SEX OFFENDER: I just had an overwhelmingly bad sense about this person.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Was it a gut feeling?
SCHMALBACH: It was just a gut feeling. I have never had it happen to me before. It just literally washed over me. My stomach dropped, and I just felt the urge to get away from this person. When I turned around, he had gotten a little closer to me. He was very shifty when he was writing down answers to the questions that I was answering, almost wanting me to invite him in like he had no place to write.
Something about his eyes -- they were just darting all over the place. I was trying to add all these things up in my mind -- where had I heard this name before? Why did he look familiar, and right after I handed out my home telephone number, it dawned on me that I had seen him from the New Jersey state police sex offender registry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The next day, police arrested Frank J. Cooney, 47 years old, a registered sex offender. He used an alias, Jamie Shepherd, to get a job as a census worker. He was charged with false representation and impersonating a public official.
Can you believe that? Can you imagine this guy getting all the information about you and your children? Then going to the neighbor's house, getting the same type of information. That's unreal. I'm not sure how he got through the cracks, but hopefully the government will fill it quickly.
The Gulf oil spill -- more than a month and still gushing. CNN iReporters have been sending in their solutions and next hour, Bill Nye the Science Guy tells them if it will work.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A lot of "Lost" finale hangover this morning. It's on the front page of newspapers around the world. And it's topic one around the water cooler.
In honor of this finale, we're talking about our all-time favorite finales on the blog this morning. Here's what some of you sent in.
Kenneth says, "To me, it was M.A.S.H. The great writers of the show provided the perfect closure, plus the rocks spelling good-bye at the end was the best touch.
Nancy says, "The best series finale was the Bob Newhart show."
"My all-time favorite finale: -- this came from Lee - what did she like about the Newhart show? I thought there was more to that. OK.
Here's what Lee said. "My all-time favorite TV finale is definitely "Six Feet Under." it was the most satisfying finale I can think of because we got to see how every characters' life ended, which was so fitting for a show about death.
And Ponce said, "It has to be 'Ugly Betty' because she showed that not all happy endings include getting married or getting the guy. It was all about her and her journey to the end."
And a Florida fan says, "My all-time favorite TV finale, Miami Vice! I cried for days because I loved that show."
We want to hear from you. Go to CNN.com/kyra and share your comments.
I remember Tony used to wear a white linen suit and patent leather shoes.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, yes! It was Crockett and Tubbs, right?
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: I remember back in the day, I was Tubbs and my partner at the time, Vince Chillini. Do you remember Vince Chillini?
PHILLIPS: I remember -- I used to anchor with Vince Chillini!
HARRIS: Yes! And we worked in Cleveland together. He was Crockett and I was Tubbs.
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: That was a lot of years, a lot of hair ago. Kyra, have a great day.
