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Serial Stabber Case Arrest; Thousands Back for Housing Help; Same-Sex Marriage Ruling; From Battlefield to Business World; What's Hot; Birth Tourism Boom; Muslims Fight Extremist Image
Aired August 12, 2010 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And hello again, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
Top of the hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, where anything can happen.
Here are some of the people behind today's top stories.
Serial stabbing suspect caught after 20 attacks and five deaths. We've got the story behind the capture.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ETWAN WILSON, STABBING VICTIM: He said, "Thank you."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then?
WILSON: He stabbed me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Desperate times lead to chaos. Tens of thousands of people show up for help getting a home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's ridiculous. It's like -- it's like animalistic conditions. It's inhumane.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: You are online right now, and we are, too.
Reynolds Wolf is following the top stories trending on the Internet -- Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right, Tony.
Really popular on CNN.com, JetBlue's funny bone. Apparently, the airline doesn't have a problem being the butt of a joke. In fact, it's making jokes about the runway flight attendant that you see here.
You can check that out on CNN.com.
And something else for you. Get this -- 43 percent of men say they would rather have bacon than sex. That's right, rather have bacon than sex.
Tony, who are these people? That's amazing. Amazing stuff. You're speechless.
HARRIS: OK.
WOLF: That's the story.
HARRIS: I'm going to totally leave that alone.
Let's get started with our lead story.
We are expecting a ruling that could come at any moment on whether same-sex marriages can resume in California. A federal judge is expected to decide whether to keep a temporary stay in place on his ruling to overturn the state's ban on gay marriage.
We will bring it to you when it happens and we will break down what the ruling could mean in California and around the country a little later this hour.
An arrest is made in a serial stabbing case. A person of interest picked up last night in Atlanta. Twenty people attacked across Michigan, Ohio and Virginia since May. Five of those victims died.
Here is how one victim who survived the stabbings described his encounter with the alleged killer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILSON: "Where's Pearson (ph) Road?" I said, "That's Pearson (ph) Road right at the light." He said, "Thank you."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then?
WILSON: He stabbed me. I pushed off of him and ran, ran to the first house I saw with a light on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: All right.
Let's get to CNN national correspondent Susan Candiotti. She is joining us from New York.
And Susan, let's start here -- what can you tell us about the arrest?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Boy, what a story this is, isn't it, Tony?
Authorities caught up with him at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta about 10:00 last night, just as he was, according to authorities, ready to jump on a plane to Israel. Now, a law enforcement officials tells me that he was carrying an expired Israeli passport.
Of course a number of local, state and federal agencies are all working on this. Michigan State Police tell us -- they're part of a task force -- they're saying that this all started with a tip yesterday that they got, an anonymous tip to a phone line from someone who said they thought they recognized him from that composite sketch that we've been looking at.
That, in turn, led them to a business, somewhere in Michigan, they're not saying where. That, in turn, led them to a name. The name was punched into all these federal law enforcement systems' computer searches, and eventually that came up with a name, a name of someone who was on a flight manifest.
That had people rushing to the airport in Atlanta, and that's when they put the cuffs on him. No incident when that happened.
And this how police are summing up the day's events, all of those rapidly-changing events. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Late yesterday afternoon, one of those tips developed into a strong investigative lead that identified an individual who has ties to both the Flint, Michigan, and Leesburg, Virginia, areas. Investigators from the Michigan task force, Leesburg, and the FBI worked this lead throughout the night. A person of interest was taken into custody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: And in fact, he's being held on charges. We're still trying to confirm whether those include an assault charge at this time or murder-related charges.
They're calling him a person of interest right now. Not revealing his name until probably officially, anyway, at a news conference, a series of them that will be held this afternoon.
HARRIS: Is there reason for that, Susan? We keep calling him the suspect, the person of interest. Why haven't authorities released his name yet?
CANDIOTTI: It would seem like they want to get all of their ducks in a row. And in fact, some of this paperwork may be being filed as we speak. It appears to be happening.
Now, of course, one thing that they need to do among many, many things, is to try to link this person of interest to these stabbings. So that could include taking a DNA swab. I mean, who knows, to try to pinpoint that this is the same individual that they've been looking for.
HARRIS: OK.
CANDIOTTI: It could include a photo lineup. HARRIS: Susan Candiotti for us.
Yes, exactly. OK. It makes sense.
All right, Susan. Appreciate it. Thank you.
Now to issue number one, the economy. The weekly jobless report just out shows new claims for unemployment benefits jumping by 2,000. Here's the new number: 484,000. That is the highest level in almost six months.
The latest foreclosure numbers carry a bit of a mixed message here. More than 325,000 filings in July. That's up 3.6 percent from June, but down almost 10 percent from a year earlier.
I just mentioned a job opportunity is really enough these days to draw long lines in many places across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got here at approximately 3:00, 3:15 this morning. I've been unemployed for over six months. And I'm looking for anything that's available.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People are really desperate out here. I was just speaking to people in line. Some of them don't have utilities on in their homes, no water running, no lights. So it's more than just -- this is just a temporary 10-to-15-day job. And we've got almost 1,000 people here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: This is going on in America right now.
You heard what the man said, almost 1,000 people going for 450 jobs. They started lining up before dawn at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. Positions from grounds keeping to ticket sales were available. Most people say they didn't care what they got, they just wanted to work.
People desperate for housing assistance turned out by the tens of thousands outside Atlanta yesterday, resulting in chaos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They should let us know something, a time, when to be here. Some people have been here since Sunday morning, Monday morning. It's ridiculous.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was unorganized. Completely unorganized.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been up here in Section A.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't have housing for my kids.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, it's clear -- housing authority officials were unprepared for the huge crowds. Sixty-two people, in fact, were injured.
Our Josh Levs is there.
And Josh, if you would, give us a sense of what's going on there today.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, I mean, it's definitely good news in the sense that things are pretty simple and easy and orderly to understand today.
As we take a look at these cars, let me tell you what all these people are doing. There's a continuous stream of cars all day long, and the authorities here are saying don't get out of your car. Take your filled-out application for subsidized housing and hand it over and just keep driving.
And this is what they've been pushing for all day. They don't want to see people parking, getting out of their cars, creating big lines here.
I also want everyone to understand what's happening here where I am, in this little city, East Point, Georgia, is a national story. People are driving here from New York, from Chicago, from the West Coast, from all over the country, because when they see that someone is now making available some Section 8 housing, a waiting list for it, they want to get on it right away.
I talked with one woman earlier. Her name is Patricia McNeill. She has seven children, she's 33 years old. She told me what brought her here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PATRICIA MCNEILL, COLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA, RESIDENT: You know, I've been trying to apply for Section 8 since 2001. So when I heard the opportunity that was available, I just said I'm not going to miss this opportunity to get assistance, you know, to whatever may be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Now, I'll tell you, we've been talking to a lot of people about what brings them here, the foreclosure crisis, the unemployment crisis, losing jobs, struggling in this economy in so many different ways. So many people telling us, "Look, I'm not looking for the government to give me everything, but what I do want is for basics so that I can provide for my family."
There's another woman I talked to who's 25 years old. Today is her 25th birthday, actually. She has two kids.
And I said to her, "Look, there's some people out there who say the government already does enough." She told me she is living on government assistance, now she also wants Section 8. I said, does she think that the government is offering maybe too much help and that people need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps?
Here's what she said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VONDA SMITH, DECATUR, GEORGIA, RESIDENT: It's hard out there, and if you don't have the right income at that time, then if you need help, then you need help. If you need assistance, then what's wrong with assistance? You know what I mean?
I know there's a lot of people out there abusing the system, but there's a lot of people who also need it. So I don't knock it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Tony, a lot of heartrending stories here today, as we talk to people about just trying to provide for their families, for their children.
I will tell you one piece of good news. Thirty thousand people turned out yesterday. Authorities here say everyone got an application that wanted to get one. Absolutely everyone got one. So a little piece of good news there.
HARRIS: OK. So you've got 30,000 people who were in line trying to get the application to apply.
How will the housing authority make a decision on who gets help?
LEVS: Yes. And this is what part of what's so tricky and part of what was so complicated about yesterday.
In fact, there were people who brought people with them. So we're not even sure exactly how many different families there were. But we know 13,000 applications were handed out.
So I asked earlier -- I said, "How are you going to decide who gets it?" There are so many different factors that people really can't know.
Part of it is how little money you make. But then they have to factor that against where you're currently living and how that applies to the poverty level over there.
There's a little bit of preference for people who live in this area. They look at how many children you have. They look at various factors.
And it's really unclear, even to the authorities here. They can't give any kind of official list. So part of what's tricky going forward, Tony, is that people don't know if they will get a call tomorrow, in a month, in a week, or maybe in five years.
The last time East Point offered this was 2002. Now they tell me with all of these applications, they probably have more than enough to keep them busy for more than 10 years.
Tony, more than 10 years before all of these people get help. And who knows where we'll be by then?
HARRIS: We've got to turn this economy around. Whatever it takes, we've got to get this going again. This is ridiculous.
LEVS: I know.
HARRIS: All right, Josh. Appreciate it. Thank you, sir.
All right. An Arizona border town school takes steps to protect itself in the illegal immigration battle.
First, though, our "Random Moment" in 90 seconds
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Embattled but defiant. For a third time this week, New York Congressman Charlie Rangel is publicly pressing the Ethics Committee in the House to put him on trial now so he can defend himself.
Here he is last hour in his Harlem district.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D), NEW YORK: Ethics is going to be in Washington. I made it abundantly clear that I'm not asking for leniency. I'm asking for a hearing. So you'll have ample time to take a shot, but for God's sake, don't repeat each other when it's not even included in the allegations from the Ethics Committee.
The reason I'm so lengthy about that is because as of today, I will not be able to entertain any questions that any of you have concerning a hearing which I don't have. I personally have to prepare to defend myself for my family, for my colleagues, for my community, and that's all I've been after, just an opportunity to say, I came in 40 years ago with dignity, and there is no question in my mind that there will be no obstacles, politically or in the newspaper, that's going to stop me, good health allowing, from clearing my name from these vile and vicious charges.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And how about this -- fancy political footwork last night at New York's Plaza Hotel. The 20-term congressman drew a big crowd for his 80th birthday celebration, which doubled as a fund- raiser. He ripped the Ethics Committee's slow approach to his case.
And earlier this week he went to the well of the House to defend himself. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANGEL: I'm 80 years old. I don't want to die before the hearing.
I apologize to the leadership. I feel for those people.
For God's sake, just don't believe that I don't have feelings, that I don't have pride. If I can't get my dignity back here, then fire your best shot. I deserve and demand the right to be heard.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Rangel faces trial in the House on 13 ethics charges, probably next month. The congressman admits to mistakes, but says he didn't violate House rules.
Who knew? The Senate can work quickly and efficiently when senators' vacations are on the line.
A special session today to approve a border security bill with just two senators in the chamber. New York Senator Charles Schumer and Maryland's Ben Cardin passed a $600 million emergency measure on voice vote. Democratic and Republican leaders agreed on the procedure to keep vacation disruptions to a minimum.
A small school is taking big steps to protect itself amid the growing battle over illegal immigration. Arizona's Little Red Schoolhouse in the border town of Nogales has erected a seven-foot barbed-wire fence. It is intended to keep out illegal immigrants and smugglers from coming down the nearby mountainside onto school grounds, and to also block border patrol officers who often chase suspects across the campus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GREGORY ZAPATA, CONCERNED STUDENT: A lot of people crossing over with drugs, and we need to feel safe. We need to be safe because they go through the school.
IRMA CARRILLO, CONCERNED PARENT: And our kids are always coming homing, "Mom, they got somebody else. Mom, they were chasing somebody."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Severe weather hits Gaithersburg, Maryland. That's just outside the Washington. This happened this morning when a strong storm moved through the area.
We will check in with Reynolds Wolf.
We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: While 15 million people are out of work, a Nebraska woman is still going strong at her job. And here's the kicker. Are you ready for this? She's 101 years young.
Sally Gordon, that elegant lady there in -- there she is in the hat -- was honored yesterday in Lincoln, Nebraska, as America's outstanding oldest worker. She is one of two recipients in the country. Gordon has worked for the last 84 years, 26 as an assistant sergeant at arms in the Nebraska state legislature.
Earlier in her life, she was a model. Apparently a comedian, too.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SALLY GORDON, 101-YEAR-OLD STATE LEGISLATURE WORKER: I'm 101 years old, the same age as the legislature. You know, I used to be a model, but right now I feel like a Model T. But I hope --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Wow. Gordon says Calvin Coolidge was the president when she first started earning a paycheck. Man, oh man.
We are expecting a key legal decision on same-sex marriage soon. Find out what it could mean for gay couples.
We're back in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So, a key legal decision on same-sex marriage could come at any time, any moment, really. A federal judge in California ruled Proposition 8 banning gay marriage unconstitutional, and is now considering whether to lift a stay on that ruling.
That brings us to Jean Casarez, a correspondent for In Session's live daytime trial coverage on our sister network, truTV.
Jean, good to see you. Thanks for your time here.
JEAN CASAREZ, CORRESPONDENT, "IN SESSION" ON TRUTV: Thank you.
HARRIS: Yes, it's good to see you. Let's sort through a couple of things here.
If the judge decides do lift the stay, that means same-sex marriages will be legal. I'm wondering how long before couples could actually go out and get married, should that happen?
CASAREZ: It could be a few days, it could be immediately. And you're exactly right. The Attorney General's Office in California is asking the judge to lift his own stay, what he imposed, because, remember, this action is going to be appealed. It is in the process of being appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. And normally decisions are stayed when they are appealed.
But they are saying that there is a public interest here to lift this stay. And they're saying because of many reasons -- because of the equal protection argument, that there was a trial, there was a judge's decision. He ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional. There, in and of itself, the stay should be lifted.
But also, there's just blatant unfairness in this situation. And same-sex couples in California should be able to marry.
But the other side is saying no, it was decided wrongly, we are in the process of appealing. And if you allow couples to be married now, you are going to allow credit reports and property reports and employee reports to be changed, showing that marriage. And if in the interim it's determined that they cannot marry, that is going to be irreparable injury to the state of California because of all the things that have been done.
HARRIS: Hey, Jean, you can see merits in both sides of both of those arguments. So what's next here? What do you think is going to happen here?
CASAREZ: Well nothing's easy. All right?
HARRIS: Right.
CASAREZ: And even if the judge lifts the stay, the proponents, the plaintiffs, the defendants in this case can go to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal and ask for a stay to be imposed. They could go to the Supreme Court of the United States and ask for a stay to be imposed. So I don't think that it will be an easy victory for either side.
HARRIS: Yes.
Jean, let's, if we could for a moment here, let's turn our attention to the federal corruption trial of the former Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich.
So we're 11, 12 days now into deliberations, and the jury appears deadlocked. That seems to be clear. They can't agree on every count.
So what happens next? Might we get a partial verdict here?
CASAREZ: I think we're very close to something happening here, yes. And I think you're exactly right.
You know, when you have so many counts, 24 counts, they can't reach verdicts on some of them. If the judge -- he's supposed to be having a meeting at this very moment with counsel, and the judge will see the gist of what's happening. If they do have some verdicts for some counts, then I think those verdicts will be recognized and a mistrial will be declared on the other verdicts. If it would be all of the counts they can't decide on, then the judge may tell them to keep working. I don't think he would have an entire mistrial at this point if all of those counts are undetermined.
HARRIS: Jean, good to see you. Come on back and see us more often. We appreciate it.
CASAREZ: Thank you. Good to see you. Thank you.
HARRIS: Yes, my pleasure.
Five years after Hurricane Katrina, folks are doing amazing things to rebuild New Orleans. "CNN Heroes: Coming Back From Katrina," hosted by Anderson Cooper, catches up with three CNN heroes. 2008 Hero of the Year Liz McCartney is committed to rebuilding homes.
Check out this preview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LIZ MCCARTNEY, 2008 CNN HERO OF THE YEAR: When Katrina hit, we were living in D.C. Zach, my boyfriend, we came to New Orleans to volunteer. And when we got here, we were totally shocked by the physical devastation.
We knew that more than anything, people needed to get back into their homes. And so we started the St. Bernard Project.
We rebuild homes. To date, we've done just about 300 houses. We've got more than 50 under construction.
It usually takes anywhere from eight to 12 weeks of volunteer labor to do the bulk of the work, and then the homeowner can move in.
Hi, guys. How's it going?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good.
MCCARTNEY: The St. Bernard Project would be nowhere without our volunteers. We've had over 24,000 in the last four years. Our goal is to get those last 1,000 families out of FEMA trailers and back into their homes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, here's Keith and Lisa now!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got in touch with the St. Bernard Project. The first day (ph) of volunteers, I just, like, bawled.
MCCARTNEY: Yes, they get to back into a home, ,but I think the relationships are such a significant part of it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't understand how much all of you helped out. MCCARTNEY: It's important to build new homes in the Lower Ninth Ward. I'm excited to think that this empty lot will be a beautiful home that a family can move into. It will be affordable and it will be a place that people are proud to call home.
The country needs New Orleans to be back. We want to create, we want to be a strong place. We want to be the place to live in the U.S. in the next couple of years. There's a lot going on, and this city is really feeling strong and ready to totally transform.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Boy, she's one of our favorite people on the planet.
To learn more about Liz McCartney and the St. Bernard Project and other heroes, check out "CNN Heroes: Coming Back From Katrina." It is this Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern, hosted by Anderson Cooper.
What happens to U.S. vets once they're done fighting overseas? They have to get jobs. And that's really hard right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What the military -- what we're really, really good at is managing chaos. And we thrive in chaos. So, in small business, that's what it's all about.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: We will tell you about a program that is putting them on the path to owning their own business.
Let's gets you to the top financial website on the web, CNNMoney.com, of course. A surprise tax cut for the almost rich. And I guess the question here is, does $250,000 make you rich? Really? Are we really asking that question? It's $250,000. CNNMoney.com. Our team does a terrific job there.
Let's get you to the big board, the New York Stock Exchange. We're about three hours into the trading day and we've been down most of the day. We're down 41 points now on the big board and the Nasdaq down as well. The tech-heavy Nasdaq, as we like to call it, down 14 points.
You know, they're heroes on the battlefield, no doubt about that, but when American servicemen and women come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, they often struggle to find a job. Now a program at six universities across the country is teaching some disabled vets to become successful entrepreneurs. CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN IGLESIAS, IRAQ WAR VETERAN: It blew up. Felt like somebody hit me in the face with a 2x4. POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM (voice-over): It was an IED explosion in Iraq that nearly killed Brian Iglesias. In total, nearly 40,000 American men and women have been injured fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
MIKE HAYNIE, ENTREPRENEURSHIP BOOTCAMP FOR VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES: Brian's story has been phenomenal.
HARLOW: Mike Haynie and Brian Iglesias were brought together by war. Both veterans and now both entrepreneurs.
HAYNIE: What is entrepreneurship? What are the fundamentals of entrepreneurship?
HARLOW: After serving 14 years in the Air Force, Haney became a professor of entrepreneurship. But he saw his fellow veterans struggling to find work after returning from war.
HAYNIE: Self-employment, entrepreneurship, going out and starting a business has been a vocational path (ph) that the government has virtually ignored when it comes to the transition process for veterans.
HARLOW (on camera): So what was it like for you looking for work after serving for so long?
IGLESIAS: It was probably one of the toughest things I had to go through. Because then when you don't get a job, you know, it's like rejection, after rejection, after rejection, after rejection. It gets pretty tough.
HARLOW (voice-over): So Haynie set out to change that, founding the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities, or EBV. It's a free training program for visit who want to start their own businesses. The competition is steep, but vets that make the cut take 40 days of online classes and then a summer course at one of six universities that have signed on.
HAYNIE: The most American dream possible, I think, business ownership. That's the aim of this program. Passion is the number one criteria.
HARLOW: Brian's passion was film. And he set out to make movies, starting his own production company.
IGLESIAS: It was that purpose. It was that mission. It was, we will do it no matter how tired you are, no matter how hungry you are, you don't have an option to stop or quit. I don't want to owe anybody money, right, so I found another veteran, got together, so let's do it.
HAYNIE: Brian had no resources. He bootstrapped. You know, that's what we call it in entrepreneurship. He bootstrapped, found a way to get his movie made.
HARLOW: The result was a documentary about the brutal Korean war battle at Chosin, and it's now being turned into a $100 million feature film. And Brian will be an executive producer.
IGLESIAS: So with the military what we're really, really good at is managing chaos. And we thrive in chaos. So in a small business, that's what it's all about. As hard and as difficult as it was, it will never, ever be as hard and as difficult as combat. Like that's the beauty of perspective.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Poppy, loved this story. Brian's passion on screen. Are we going to get an opportunity to see this film? I hope so.
HARLOW: I saw it. It's great. I'll send you a DVD.
HARRIS: Love it.
HARLOW: I mean it is -- it is coming out in theaters in New York, in L.A. It's going to be on TV from the U.S. to South Korea. And, you know, in our conversation with Brian, he said he's bought his lottery ticket in a sense. He is hoping that he might even get nominated for an Academy Award for this documentary. And amazing to see that a feature film, a $100 million feature film, is going to be made out of this guy's first documentary. That's going to be in theaters in 2012 -- Tony.
HARRIS: Hey, Poppy, why no government money on this? Some help from the government.
HARLOW: That's a good question. I really pressed the V.A. on that one and said, look at this program, look at the success rate, why aren't you guys funding this? And they said, look, we clearly support the program and we're willing to look at funding it now that we know more about it. If they change their -- the fee system, the billing system. They would have to become approved by the V.A., change a little bit of the logistics around how it works, then the V.A. may be able to fund them. So at least the V.A. is aware of it now. They're looking into it. We'll see. We'll keep an eye on it and see if they can get some government money -- Tony.
HARRIS: Yes. Go, Brian. Love it, love it, love it.
HARLOW: Go, Brian.
HARRIS: I'm looking for my DVD copy of that as well, Poppy. I'm going to hold you to that.
HARLOW: I'll send it over.
HARRIS: Good to see you, lady.
HARLOW: You got it.
HARRIS: Take care.
HARLOW: You too.
HARRIS: New developments in the arrest of an alleged serial killer. What police are saying today about a man arrested in Atlanta.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Here's a look at our top stories right now.
Police say a person of interest in a serial stabbing case has connections to at least two areas where the attacks took place. He was arrested last night trying to board a flight to Israel at the Atlanta airport. Five people died in 20 stabbing and hammer attacks across three states.
A federal court in California will decide today whether to keep a ban on same-sex marriage while the case goes through appeals. Boy, I think we have some live pictures. Can we get that up? Oh, I don't think we can. A judge overturned California's Proposition 8, but, there we go, live pics. But then, as you know, the ruling was put on hold.
And a rise in jobless claims. New government figures show first- time claims jumped to a five-month high. Four hundred and eighty-four thousand people filed for unemployment benefits last week.
You are online right now. We are too. Reynolds Wolf is the man today.
Reynolds, what's hot?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Oh, heaven help us. Take a look at this, Tony. A 2,200-year-old gold coin found in Israel. Amazing to look at. Wonder how much that thing is worth.
And remember this guy, George Michael? Well, he has been charged with alleged drug possession. We're going to talk more about that coming up in a few.
And you are watching CNN. See you in a little bit.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Born in the USA and the Constitution says you're a citizen. Well, some Republicans say it's time to rethink the 14th Amendment, calling it an incentive for illegal immigrants. Consider this for a second. A Pew study out today says one in 12 babies born in this country is the child of illegal immigrants. One example now from CNN's Gary Tuchman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): By the looks of them, you would never know this mother and son are at the heart of a national debate. They've both lived in Mexico their whole lives. But while 26 Lupita and her husband are Mexican citizens, three-year-old Hector is a U.S. citizen.
LUPITA, MEXICAN MOTHER (through translator): I made a decision to have my child born in the United States. I wanted him to have dual citizenship so one day, if he moves to the United States, he will not have any problems.
TUCHMAN: Lupita, who did not want her last name used, is well aware of U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment, which declares all persons born in the U.S. are citizens. And she admits she came to Texas on a tourist visa while pregnant specifically to give birth to a U.S. citizen.
LUPITA: One day we might have to immigrate to the United States and I would like my child to be able to take full advantage of his rights and be able to stay in the United States.
TUCHMAN: Hector was born at this public hospital in Fort Worth, where officials tell us an average of 70 percent of births are to undocumented mothers. Seventy percent. Immigration attorneys say the 14th Amendment is very well known to legal and illegal visitors alike.
JAIME BARRON, IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY: A lot of people sacrifice themselves and say, OK, well, at least my child, if they're born in the United States, is almost guaranteed a better life than mine.
TUCHMAN (on camera): Lupita's three-year-old son may never permanently live in the United States. Officially, though, he's as American as any American citizen. But notably, U.S. immigration officials are permitted to stop pregnant women from entering the country if they feel they're coming here just to have a baby.
Did you tell the border people, I'm here to have a baby? Would you have told them that or would you have been afraid to say that?
LUPITA: I only told my family. I did not tell the immigration officer. I hid my appearance to get my entry permit into the United States.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Hector and his mother are in Fort Worth this week to visit extended family. She's using the same tourist visa that was in effect when she gave birth to Hector. The 14th Amendment, she believes, guarantees all children are equal.
TUCHMAN (on camera): So, some day, would you like your son maybe to help you become a U.S. citizen? He'll be allowed to do that when he's an adult.
LUPITA: Well, yes. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. But if we're doing badly in Mexico and we have to emigrate, why not?
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Lupita hopes to have another child and says she'll likely do it the same way, as long as she still has the 14th Amendment to rely on.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Fort Worth, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Got a question for you. Where's the sizzle at your house? The kitchen or the bedroom? It turns out some men prefer bacon over sex. It's "What's Hot" in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So, here's the thing. You've got to see Reynolds here, because Chad Myers has the day off. And Chad has handled "What's Hot." I'm telling you, he has.
WOLF: Yes.
HARRIS: Ines Ferre is off today and she certainly has handled what's hot. Josh has handle it, but he's covering a story for us. So it falls to you, doctor.
WOLF: So I'm the player to be named last (ph). That's basically what we're saying right here.
HARRIS: And we've got a couple -- boy have we loaded --
WOLF: I know.
HARRIS: We've stacked the deck today on you.
WOLF: It gets to interesting to weird to weirder.
HARRIS: OK.
WOLF: Let's get things started off with how to see the Perseid meteor shower. Here it is. It's a great thing offered by mother nature. You get the opportunity to see this. It's a great thing. You'll have to look up in the sky to see it. Well, an iReport teacher -- iReport science teacher named Mike Black from Belmar, New Jersey, has got all the details.
HARRIS: Yes.
WOLF: You can kind of find out when the meteor shower takes place, the best place to see it, et cetera.
Now let's get to the interest thing. Seventeen mouthwatering facts about bacon. Bacon. Yes, it's the stuff you have for breakfast. Well, I've got something for you that's a little bit more interesting than breakfast.
HARRIS: What do you have here?
WOLF: Check it out. I want you to see this number right here, 43 percent. What's interesting about that is, 43 percent of men say they would rather have bacon than sex. Explain that one to me. I need to point out, though, this survey was conducted by Maple Leaf Foods, which actually does make bacon. But, still, who are these people? What is up with this?
HARRIS: What would be the properties in bacon that would lead you to --
WOLF: A reconstituted pork product over that? I don't know. HARRIS: Yes, OK.
WOLF: Along that same vein, not bacon but with the other thing we're talking about, read this one.
HARRIS: The other thing.
WOLF: I know. Yes. Half of women say they'd give up sex rather than gain 10 pounds.
HARRIS: Wow.
WOLF: I know. You've got to think about that. And then if you look down here at some of the other sacrifices people said they'd give, watching television. People would give up that -- about 54 percent, during the summertime. Shopping, 54 percent.
HARRIS: Who are these people?
WOLF: I do not know. But then you go to having sex. That's 21 percent. And then showering, 6 percent. I don't know. I don't know what to tell you about this.
HARRIS: Who are these people? And will you send us an email or something. Send us a note to our Facebook page.
WOLF: Yes.
HARRIS: Do you want folks to send you tweets on this?
WOLF: I'm just going to go into the weather office and cry for a little bit. I don't know how to handle this. This is an amazing thing. That's a -- that's rough stuff.
HARRIS: That's disturbing, isn't it?
WOLF: Yes.
HARRIS: We're going to take a break. I'm not going to do that tease. We're back in a moment. We're -- you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: So we've got new details on the flight attendant who famously bailed on his job by grabbing a couple of beers and sliding down the escape chute. Steven Slater has been hailed as something of a working-class hero by some. His employer, JetBlue, is even making light of the situation, writing on its blog, "you can't make up this shtick." Now a passenger tells "The Wall Street Journal" it was Slater who was rude, cursing at a woman who asked about her luggage. Other passengers say he abruptly stopped handing out drinks and snacks in the middle of the flight.
A mosque near Ground Zero. Opponents step up their fight against the planed Islamic community center two blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks. Now they are putting anti-mosque ads on the side of New York buses. Even New York's governor has jumped into the fray, offering to help find a new location for the center. The developer rejected the idea.
Got to tell you, violent extremist in Islam certainly gets the headlines, right, but Muslim Americans say that's not who they are. They are countering with an online campaign to change that image. To at least try to counter it. CNN's Deborah Feyerick has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With wannabe jihadists being recruited online --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're plotting to kill this religion.
FEYERICK: It's radical voices within Islam getting the most attention. A reality not lost on mainstream Muslims.
EDINA LEKOVIC, MUSLIM PUBLIC AFFAIRS COUNCIL: Osama bin Laden or any these extremist figures can videotape a message in any cave, in any corner of the world and it will get played on air, translated for free.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Islam is a religion of peace. We're building (ph) community (ph), not destroying or tearing it apart.
FEYERICK: Now, a new video on YouTube is designed to counter the message of violent extremism.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We did not kill innocent people.
FEYERICK: Edina Lekovic produced the five-minute video titled "Injustice Cannot Defeat Injustice."
LEKOVIC: We realized it's time to step up and, you know, and engage in that -- you know, that virtual battle online.
FEYERICK: Nine influential imams and scholars from across the religious sector (ph) are featured. All denounce terrorism. Some are converts. Most, like Yasir Dahdi, are well-known to American Muslims and popular with younger generations.
YASIR DAHDI, ALMAGHRIB INSTITUTE: Have to help the oppressed and help the poor and help the weak.
FEYERICK: We met up with Imam Yasir and other clerics at a recent Islamic summit in Houston.
DAHDI: The senior-most scholars that all various stripes of Muslims look up to, denounce terrorism and they have denounced 9/11, they've denounced al Qaeda, they've denounced Osama bin Laden.
FEYERICK: And it's not just clerics fighting back, but young Muslims as well.
FEYERICK (on camera): The biggest reason some Muslim youth get radicalized, you have 40 percent say lack of general Islamic knowledge.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Meet the staff of "Muslim Matters." A website that answers questions using traditional Islamic teachings to counter arguments made by extremists.
IFY OKOYE, MUSLIM MATTERS: It can be confusing, especially if you're a young person, trying to navigate between your Muslim identity, your western identity, and to find the right path.
FEYERICK: In the last year and a half, the site's creators say they've gotten close to five million hits.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our goal was to be able to present an orthodox voice online and show that you could be 100 percent orthodox and 100 percent American.
FEYERICK (on camera): You're trying to counter the radical message by putting out something that's very positive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
FEYERICK: That deals with real issues. So if somebody is having a crisis in their life, it's not about building a bomb and taking it into the middle of Times Square. That's not a rational response to having a bad day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.
FEYERICK (voice-over): Iesa Galloway, a convert to Islam, defines the mission.
IESA GALLOWAY, MUSLIM MATTERS: It's to inoculate people so no matter what challenge life come into, they have enough skepticism and common sense to say, you know what, that's just ridiculous.
DAHDI: Our religion is not about violence and terrorism and killing people. The primary purpose of our religion is to establish a relationship between man and God. A relationship of love.
FEYERICK: It's not an easy sell. The moderate message put up on YouTube has garnered less than 20,000 views in a month. But the fight back has to start somewhere.
Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And just enough time to say CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Ali Velshi.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Good to see you, my friend. Have a fantastic afternoon, Tony.
