Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Rahm Emanuel Leaving White House; Child Brides in Yemen

Aired October 01, 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: Well, the West Wing is losing some muscle this morning. White House chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel is set to step down today, heading home to run for mayor of Chicago. That's the word from CNN sources.

In just about an hour, President Obama is expected to make a personnel announcement. But the White House refuses to confirm that it is related to Emanuel's departure. We're going to bring you that when it happens.

And the man known as Rambo has built quite a reputation as a warrior. An old-school politician who wasn't afraid to twist some arms to get things done on a national level, but that is politics Illinois style. It's a state with a history of corruption. One hand often washes the other and voters look the other way.

I mean, three governors in the past four decades were convicted of federal corruption charges. Who can forget just this year, Rod Blagojevich accused of trying to sell a Senate seat, convicted of lying to the feds, but keep in mind, the guy he replaced went to prison for using taxpayer money for his campaign workers.

And in 1973, Governor Otto Kerner got caught taking bribes from a racetrack manager, but this trickles down to local government as well. A recent investigation by the University of Illinois actually called Cook County a dark pool of political corruption and Chicago's at the heart of it. Nearly 150 county employees, politicians and contractors have been convicted on corruption charges since 1957.

And just this year, an Alderman, who was a close political ally of the current Chicago mayor, Richard Daly. But the legacy of corruption dates back decades, to prohibition era, the titles mobster and politician overlapped in the case of "Diamond Joe Esposito," a Chicago ward boss in the '20s. He actually earned a reputation for protecting bootleggers and everything that came along with them. Extortion, prostitution, labor racketeering, that is until he was gunned down.

So, with such a corrupt history, what can Rahm Emanuel actually bring to the city if he is elected? Senior White House correspondent Ed Henry in Chicago. Tell you what, Ed, he is going to have a lot to take on.

(LAUGHTER):

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, extortion, prostitution, other than that it is a really clean political system here in Chicago.

PHILLIPS: It is easy.

HENRY: Yes, it's fine. So Rahm is walking into not a big deal. No, in all seriousness what is fascinating is to see how as chief of staff, Emanuel is sort of the top dog back at the White House when I cover him there he has got the media and he has got the Congress. He is working all the systems.

Here though, he is just one of about a couple dozen people that want to be mayor and it is interesting to look at the front page of the "Chicago Tribune" here today. It has got a big picture and a story about the governor's race here and there is a little thing over here saying "Rahm will leave White House Friday" it is on page eight.

So it maybe the hot story in Washington. It is an important story here but it's not the only story. There's already 10 people who have gotten into the mayor's race here. There's another dozen who are mulling it. And I have to tell you, I spoke to some voters outside city hall here in Chicago yesterday and they were saying, you know, Mayor Daley has been a tough boss. They don't need the same kind of guy. They want a breath of fresh air.

But there are more voters, I would say, that I spoke to yesterday who said they think having Rahm Emanuel, with the clout he has, not just in Washington but here in Chicago, he represented part of the city as a congressman, you remember, for several terms. They think he will be a very effective mayor and I certainly heard a lot of the people on the streets of this city telling me over the last 24 hours or so, they think he is going to be a very strong candidate but even though there will be a couple dozen candidate, someone with his money and stature is likely to rise to the top.

But in talking to people close to Emanuel, they know it is not a slam-dunk. They know that just because you are power in Washington doesn't mean you are going to be coronated. And he knows he has got a lot of work ahead, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. We are definitely going to follow it. We're waiting for that announcement, possibly in the 11:00 Eastern hour. Ed, thanks so much.

We're also hearing with Rahm being out that Pete Rouse is in. He is actually poised to take over as interim White House chief of staff today. And unlike the man who came before him, Rouse has kept quiet, mostly avoiding the spotlight. Not a lot of people outside the beltway really know his name.

So here is a Pete Rouse primer for you. He is 64 years old, White House senior adviser, known as a problem solver and he has helped put out political fires over Guantanamo Bay and top-level appointments. He has also served as Obama's Senate chief of staff. And before that he was a powerful aide to Senator Tom Daschle.

Again, President Obama scheduled to make personnel announcement from the East Room of the White House in about an hour. That is 11:05 Eastern time. We will bring it to you live as soon as it happens.

All right. Let's check in our severe weather. We are talking about the East Coast. If you are anywhere between North Carolina and Maine, you are probably living in it right now and ready for a dry day. The storms, the flood waters, high-wind warnings, the story on the East Coast. That is all they are talking about and days of pounding rain flooded streets and stranded cars, sent a lot of people to shelters and delayed far too many flights.

Rob Marciano, did I just sum it all up there for you?

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You did. You know -

PHILLIPS: We got nothing to talk about?

MARCIANO: No. Way too much and not enough time. The most impressive thing about this note, most newsworthy thing about this is how many people are affected by this storm system, which had some tropical characteristics, some leftovers of tropical storm Nicole and then had this very strong fall storm sucking all that moisture in.

So we have got about three inches of rain in New York so far, still raining there, seven inches in Allentown, Baltimore, and a lot of the heaviest rain is further away from the coast. That happens a lot with - when you combine the two systems like this, almost a foot in Hampton Roads area there, Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Boy, there were hammered yesterday and then Wilmington, that's really been the - really the epicenter of this mess with over 20 inches of rain in the last five days. And they didn't see that back in 1999 when Hurricane Floyd came through.

All right. Where is the rainfall right now? It is moving off to the east. It's trying to get out of here quickly but there is a little bit of wave right there. You can see the curly Q happening. Every time we think we are trying to get this thing on the move it kind of backs off just a little bit.

Nonetheless, we are getting some heavier rain from New York and now it is about to move into Boston. A couple of these cells, out in Long Island, also out toward eastern Mass now. These are becoming severe, we could see some damaging winds with this. So, on top of the flooding rain that this has brought, it has also brought a little bit of wind.

So especially in South Carolina, we saw it in parts of Virginia yesterday, we will see a couple more inches of rainfall today with this system. There are a number of rivers that are in flood stage. The Connecticut River, parts of New Hampshire and then back towards upstate New York, the Catskills. They are under a flood warning. A lot of rain across parts of Binghamton and eastern New York and those rivers, most of them will crest today or this afternoon or tonight and then begin to subside fairly quickly.

50 to 60-mile-an-hour winds today, as this little wave I showed you kind of scoots across northern or eastern New England and that does include parts of eastern Long Island. So those are going to be the main weather issues there.

As far as travel delays are concerned, here are the most current delays that we have. Look, another ground stop at La Guardia. Every time they try to get planes in there they put a ground stop on there, until 10:30. Ground stop at Philadelphia as well. We thought the rain might stop there relatively quickly but still dragging its heels. And then ground delays at San Francisco getting into the act also.

I will say this for some optimism, once we get through this today it is relatively dry back in through the rest of the country. So, this weekend does look to be for the most part dry, albeit cool, so for the folks dealing with flooded areas and flooded basements and yards and streets, they will begin to dry out as soon as quickly as tonight. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK. Rob, thanks.

MARCIANO: You bet.

PHILLIPS: And the economy taking a toll on tying the knot. We are going to talk to couples who say the recession is forcing them to put off their marriage plans.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PHILLIPS: Love and marriage, not without dollars and cents. I like the dancing over here, by the way. More people are actually saying "I don't" to tie the knot and many of them blame the economy because of that. Last year, for the first time ever, the number of adults ages 25 to 34 who said they had never been married exceeded those who were married and only about 52 percent of adults reported being married last year. That is a record low. Compare that to 72 percent in 1960.

Well, this is more than cold feet. People are really avoiding walking down the aisle because it is just too expensive. I'm joined by Nakia Anderson and Karim Aziz. They are engaged but the wedding in on hold. That would be a good wedding song. You're moving pretty well over there, Karim. You're kind of digging that. Old-school music.

All right. First of all, how did you guys meet? How did you meet, fall in love, and how did it all happen?

NAKIA ANDERSON, ENGAGED: Well, a friend of ours had a dinner party and we met there since then, we have just been inseparable.

PHILLIPS: Inseparable ever since.

Karim, was it that easy?

KARIM AZIZ, ENGAGED: Oh, pretty much.

PHILLIPS: How did you pop the question? AZIZ: I did it on - we were like on vacation in Vegas and I just popped it. I was real nervous, you know?

PHILLIPS: Why would you be - she is pretty intimidating. She is smart. She is beautiful, I can see that happening.

AZIZ: Yes. Yes.

PHILLIPS: She says yes.

AZIZ: Yes and she did. So, yes, it has been on ever since.

PHILLIPS: How did you do it? How did you do the proposal?

AZIZ: I just - well, we were out, you know, kind of dancing and having a good time. It is Vegas, right?

PHILLIPS: That's true. What happened in Vegas - what is it, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

AZIZ: Exactly.

PHILLIPS: You can tell me this. I like how you both said "exactly."

AZIZ: So I just did it private. I didn't make too big of a spectacle out there because it was only us. So when we got back to our room and I just popped the question, I got on one knee and did it and she cried. It was -

PHILLIPS: It was a mushy moment?

AZIZ: Yes.

PHILLIPS: So did you ever think when you were thinking about proposing to her that it might not happen for a while because of financial issues, because of the bad economy? Did it ever enter your mind?

AZIZ: It really didn't at first but then, you know, as - when we got to reality and when we got back home and, like, she hit the ground running. She was planning and doing different things and it was like - this is going to cost. There was just so many details and it was like, OK.

PHILLIPS: You could see the dollar signs.

ANDERSON: You have to budget. That is the most important thing is that you really have to budget. And when you get the list and you look at different things, you are like, OK, this is what I need and this is what I need. You are like, "oh, gosh it is adding up. It is adding up."

But you also have your life outside of that. So you have to keep up with those things. So, it's - it comes to a crunch.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: So, then who at what point said, "all right, we know we love each other, we want to have a wonderful wedding but this is just not a good time, we got to put this off." How did you -- because that's got to be a weird conversation, right?

AZIZ: We were fighting it for so long. It was just like - and I kind of saw it coming. I don't know if she saw it before I did, but I was just like - it was just a lot of things going on. We were keeping up with our regular lives and paying every bill that everybody else has to pay. So it just - and I didn't know there were so many details in it, you know, because I kind of - I was kind of a smaller, intimate wedding.

PHILLIPS: Right.

AZIZ: But, of course, you know, this is her day, you know?

PHILLIPS: I'm going to be a princess.

ANDERSON: You know, because when you are young, as little girls, we think of I'm a princess. Even when you get older, you're saying I want to have that dream wedding and not necessarily this big, extravagant but something that is nice and elegant.

PHILLIPS: So you don't want to budge on that?

ANDERSON: No, I don't want to budge on that. So, I mean if it takes a little bit longer.

AZIZ: I'm trying to. It has been a fight. You know, I do want to give her what she wants but it is just going to take some - a little bit of time.

PHILLIPS: But do you have to marry this guy? A sweetheart. So how do you guys then cut back? Because I want other young couples to listen to what you've done because you have been very good at budgeting and all of that. Give us some specifics of what you're doing to now plan for that dream wedding that you want, not as soon as you want it, but what are you doing?

AZIZ: Well, both of us, when we get paid, automatically draws from our account to different savings accounts with various credit unions and just - just have to cut back on a lot of - like we used to like to eat out a lot. You know, when you're courting and dating and stuff like that, you want to - you're wining and dining and it is like you to do more cooking and stuff like that.

PHILLIPS: Well, that can be romantic, too, right?

AZIZ: Yes.

ANDERSON: Absolutely.

PHILLIPS: See what Karim is made of. See what he can do in the kitchen. ANDERSON: He's a pretty good cook.

PHILLIPS: OK. Another reason why you need to get going here. What else, Nakia, have you had to cut back on things and how are you budgeting?

ANDERSON: More so I budget now is when I go to the grocery store. A lot of times we go into grocery stores and different stores, and you're just like, "oh, this is on sale. This is on sale." Really now, what I do is I write out a list of everything, all of our necessities, everything that we need. And I say, OK, "I'm going in the store and this is what I'm getting." Because sometimes when you go in a store, you start grabbing different things, and it's just - you are like, "OK, I didn't intend to spend this much."

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: I have even seen contests out there, like sign up to - you know, for a free wedding. People are getting creative in the bad economy. Have you guys done anything unique or creative or - to maybe try and -

ANDERSON: I have entered a few contests.

PHILLIPS: You have? Have you really? Have you won any?

ANDERSON: No, not yet. Or at least I don't know just as of yet.

PHILLIPS: And you are actually positive that you're not saying I'm getting cold feet and blaming it on the economy?

ANDERSON: I don't think it is cold feet.

AZIZ: No.

ANDERSON: I just think we just need to kind of, you know, save a little more and eventually, we will get there so -

PHILLIPS: Good. So when do you think then? What is your goal?

ANDERSON: My goal is April, May of 2011.

PHILLIPS: Karim?

AZIZ: That sounds possible. I guess anything's possible at this point. And we - we are shooting for that. And that has been the main objective. You know, we have changed one time and hopefully, you know, we can meet somewhere in the middle.

ANDERSON: Yes.

PHILLIPS: I tell you what, you are not the only couple, there are lots of couples dealing with this but you know what's the positive and the upside of al that is that finances, that's one of the leading causes of arguments, divorces, I mean it is horrible. So the fact that you are dealing with all of this now, right, kind of getting in talking about money, talking about budgeting this could be a positive?

ANDERSON: Yes.

AZIZ: Yes. It has made us stronger.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Beautiful couple.

ANDERSON: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: You better let us know when the wedding date is. I want video.

AZIZ: OK. Got you.

PHILLIPS: Thank you, Karim. Thank you.

All right. We will be back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking top stories. Sources say the White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel will resign today to run for the mayor of Chicago. Deputy chief of staff Pete Rouse expected to take over the post on an interim basis. We're going to bring you President Obama's announcement live, 11:00 Eastern.

Flood warnings in place from the Carolinas to Maine, as tropical depression moves up the Atlantic Coast. More than 22 inches of rain has fallen in Wilmington, North Carolina, this week. Heavy winds will hit the northeast today and you can expect more airport delays.

NASA laying off more than 1,200 workers today. Many of those employees have worked on the shuttle program, which is scheduled to shut down.

She was just 11 years old and forced to marry a man nearly three times her age. Her parents waited until after she was raped to buy the wedding dress. They didn't want the money to go to waste.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, state of emergency in Ecuador right now after what President Rafael Correa is calling a coup attempt. Rebel police officers incensed over a new law that said - that says it would cut their pay. Well, they kidnapped the president at a hospital near the capital.

Actually, they attempted to kidnap him. Hundreds of troops came to the president's rescue, exchanging gunfire with the officers for nearly an hour. Two police officers were killed. The president who is recovering from knee surgery, was able to get out of the hospital in a wheelchair. He says those responsible for the kidnapping will be held accountable. At an age when most girls are not even dating, a 14-year-old Yemeni girl is already a divorcee. That is not a joke either. It is a cruel story of forced marriage, rape and family members who order the girl to go along.

CNN's Mohammad Jamjoom reports from Yemen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Reem Al Numeri is 14 years old and just recently, a divorcee. Reem was 11 when she says her father forced her to marry a cousin more than twice her age.

REEM AL NUMERI, FORMER CHILD BRIDE (through translator): I said, are you out of your mind? You want to marry me off to a 32-year-old man and I'm only 11.

JAMJOOM: She says those desperate pleas left her father unmoved.

AL NUMERI (through translator): He said you need to go into the room where the judge is and tell him you agree to the marriage. I said I won't go in there. He took out his dagger and said he'd cut me in half if I didn't go in there and agree.

JAMJOOM: For Reem, the terror and the trauma were just beginning. She says she was told to sleep with her husband and refused, but every night she locked herself in her room, but he managed to sneak in and rape her. Reem says members of her family first ordered her to submit, then expected her to celebrate.

AL NUMERI (through translator): They chose not to buy me any bridal dresses until they were sure I had sex with him because they didn't want their money to go to waste. Once they were sure, they brought me the bridal clothes and threw me a party. After that, I burned the white bridal dress I was given and then used a razor to try to kill myself.

JAMJOOM: Reem's father and ex-husband did not return CNN's calls. Her attorney, Shada Nasser has represented several child brides seeking divorce and believes not enough is being done in Yemen so young girls can keep their childhood.

SHADA NASSER, REEM'S ATTORNEY: She must continue her studies. She must dream and she must play with her toys (INAUDIBLE) I think it is not marriage, I think it is rape.

JAMJOOM (on camera): But in Yemen, a deeply tribal society, the issue of child marriages is a complicated one. In 2009, Yemen's parliament passed legislation raising the minimum age of marriage to 17, but conservative parliamentarians argue the bill violated Shariah or Islamic law which doesn't stipulate a minimum age of marriage and because of a parliamentary maneuver, the bill was never signed into law.

More than 100 leading religious clerics called the attempt to restrict the age of marriage un-Islamic. (voice-over): Mohammed Abulahoum advises Yemen's president. He says the fight against child marriage restrictions are a distraction, a way for the parliament to avoid bigger, more sensitive political issues.

MOHAMMED ABULAHOUM, YEMEN ECONOMIC CIRCLE: I think there should be an age limit. If you sit even with the religious people and if you ask them would you let your daughter marriage at the age of 12 or 13, they would tell you, no. So, it is something that we use it for politics more than social worry or social concern.

JAMJOOM: Politics or not, human rights activist Amal Albasha is outraged the practice continues.

AMAL ALBASHA, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST: So just two days ago, a nine-year-old girl got married (INAUDIBLE). Nine. Because our lawyer was there trying to prevent this and because the lawyer is not with us, you know, there was police outside the party, forcing us to move away and the wedding to finish and the husband go and have - and sleep with the - she is only nine.

JAMJOOM: Attorney (INAUDIBLE) insists Reem and other girls like her need laws to protect them. She begs the clerics standing in the way.

NASSER: I ask them to give this girl mercy. These girls, they ask for mercy from you.

JAMJOOM: Far from receiving mercy, Reem says she has been stigmatized by her divorce and now lives the life of an outcast. Without a husband or father to support her, she cannot attend school. Still, Reem says she did the right thing.

AL NUMERI (through translator): It's my right. I'm a young girl. I was 11 years old. Is it wrong for me to have gone to court and asked for a divorce from a 32-year-old man? There's nothing wrong with that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Mohammed Jamjoom joining us now via Skype from Yemen. So is there any indication that the law will pass any time soon and can it be enforced, Mohammed?

JAMJOOM: Well, Kyra, the good news is Yemen's parliament announced yesterday that they are taking the issue up again on Saturday, the start of the work week here, tomorrow, and that they may actually vote on it. They may have actually gotten past their deadlock. But in Yemen, it is a very tribal society, as we said before, and a lot of the child marriages, most of the human rights activists that we have spoken with say that the majority of the child marriages that take place here take place in areas outside of the capital. You only hear about the ones that happen in the capital because the media have access to the brides here whereas they don't in the more rugged and mountainous areas in Yemen. Nonetheless, people here are saying that even if the law passes, all these human rights activists told us, even if this law passes which would be a very good thing, it is not able to ensure that the government here is going to be able to enforce this law.

And they are worried that even if the law goes through finally after two years of trying, that the brides here will still be in danger, the children may still be getting married off. Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, we will definitely follow up with you, Mohammed. Thanks.

Remember when there was the Scarsdale diet and maybe two others. Dieting was so much simpler then. These days there is a deluge of diets. Next, we are going to look at which ones work and which ones aren't worth their salt.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PHILLIPS: CNN's taking a cross country food journey all this week, and we've sent reporting teams to every corner of America and beyond. And our mission is to get fresh answers about how our food is grown, how the choices we make impact our health and our state of mind, our budgets and of course, the pure joy of eating.

And we have teamed up with the new CNN.com food destination, Eatocracy.com to bring you "Eatocracy: Mind, Body and Wallet." And this hour, we are looking at the American diet. Over two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and selling skinny has become very big business. As a country, we spend about $35 billion a year on weight loss products, all in hopes of getting slim quickly. Fad diets, easy weight loss plans, well, we have seen them all through the years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANNOUNCER: Mettrical invents a new way to help keep slim, new Metrical cookies. Nine Metrical cookies make a complete lunch.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I lose weight because I'm not hungry. And dexatrim is caffeine-free. So I don't feel nervous or jittery.

SUZANNE SOMMERS, ACTRESS: I used to do aerobics until I dropped, then I found Thighmaster.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Today, we want to separate diet fact from fiction. Liz Neporent is a health journalist, joining us live from New York today. Liz, name a diet -- you have probably tried it investigated it, read about it. You have done your research probably on everything out there, right?

LIZ NEPORENT, HEALTH JOURNALIST: Just about, I think. I have been subjected to a lot of crazy foods. Combinations of foods. PHILLIPS: I can just imagine. Were there ever times you thought, why am I doing this? why am I doing this to myself?

NEPORENT: Well, I know why I'm doing it. I'm getting paid to do it. I don't know why everyone else is doing it.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: That is actually good point.

Well, I talked to you earlier this morning and I wanted to somehow try and narrow this down because it is so difficult to -- okay, if you are going to diet, how should you do it? We all know we should eat better and exercise, and we get that. But let's just be realistic with how we are as human beings and in this society and all the pressures that we have on us, and we want to lose weight fast.

I thought we could break it down, maybe start with the most outrageous diets that you've investigated, and then maybe talk about the ones that, shall we say, you hate the least. Why don't we start with the most outrageous. Sound good?

NEPORENT: That sounds good to me.

PHILLIPS: Okay. Great. Now, you gave me three. You gave me the charcoal diet, the baby food diet and the cookie diet. Let's start with the charcoal diet.

NEPORENT: The charcoal diet is when you take the stuff that you put in your fish tank to filter your fish tank and you sprinkle it on your food and it is supposed to have some magical powers where it is supposed to absorb somehow the calories.

And it really just makes your food taste very funky and gives you a weird texture. And I really -- I just can't figure this one out at all, but apparently, it was all the rage in Hollywood recently. And a lot of stars were doing it. And I just don't know why you would eat something that you would put in your fish tank.

PHILLIPS: OK, that sounds absolutely crazy.

NEPORENT: Yes. It is crazy. And again, I think it brings up a good point that you really shouldn't be taking advice or trying a diet just because someone in Hollywood is doing it. That is probably -- should be a red flag for you or probably the worst reason for you to try a diet.

PHILLIPS: So true. A lot of things we learn from Hollywood that we shouldn't do in our own lives.

OK, so charcoal diet, forget about it. If people are out there wanting to try this, nix it. All right. The baby food diet. Really?

NEPORENT: Yes, and that one is really making the rounds right now. And what that is is you're supposed to -- there is variations of it. But you're supposed to eat 14 packs of baby food a day, just the same stuff you feed your kids before they learn how to eat real food. And then eat one meal a day, some variations, you just eat the baby food.

I lasted, I think, about six hours on the diet. I just couldn't do it. It tasted -- because I thought I would be safest doing all fruits, but it was sort of like a combination of Lifesavers and cat food for me, and I just couldn't stay on it for more than six hours.

And I had a bunch of people on Twitter doing it with me, and then I forgot to tell them I went off it and they were really angry with me because I think that somebody lasted like two days on it and it was really -- that, for me, was the worst one. I really - yes. I really didn't like that at all. That was a bad one.

PHILLIPS: And I'm curious, OK -- we are going to get to the third one in just a second. But the charcoal diet and baby food diet. I mean, can you even say that there's anything healthy at all about those two things for grownups? I mean, is there -- or are these just -- you know, not good for your body on all levels?

NEPORENT: Well, the charcoal diet does, you know - charcoal in very small amounts is used in herbal remedies. They use it in hospitals for food poisoning and for alcohol poisoning, but it is really not meant to be used in large quantities over long periods of time. So, I would say that you really -- that one could actually be unsafe.

The baby food diet, you know, baby food does have nutrients. That's why babies eat it. I think for adults, there is certainly -- if you wanted to eat pureed foods, there is certainly cheaper ways to do that. In fact, when I did the analysis, just pureeing your own food would be about 30 to 40 percent cheaper, even if you bought packaged, pureed food would be about 30 to 40 percent cheaper.

So, the really good trick there is just portion control. So, I don't think it's unsafe in terms of nutrition of it, although you really wouldn't get all of the nutrition that you need in a day. You just wouldn't.

PHILLIPS: Finally this third one it is spelled C-O-O-K-E. Is it the Cooke diet or the cookie diet?

NEPORENT: Cooke diet. Yes, I actually saw you did that on the promo. That one has been around since, I don't know, the 1930s or '40s. But seems to is cycle through. And again, that one comes right out of Hollywood. Again, the trick is portion control --

PHILLIPS: What is it? What is the Cooke diet?

NEPORENT: Well, the secret is you're just supposed to eat cookies all day long, and then one meal a day. And again, it is just portion control. I have not done that one, and you would actually have to pay me to do that one.

(LAUGHTER) NEPORENT: But again, the he secret really is that you just eat cookies and you eat pure calories during the day. It teaches you nothing about how to eat properly, so I don't think it is a very smart way to eat. And the secrets are -- excuse me, the cookies are supposed to contain some secret ingredient that make you lose weight magically, but there really is no magic to it. You just eat fewer calories. Yes. No, no, no.

PHILLIPS: Finally -- we don't have time to go through all three of them, but I wanted to, you know, put the caveat in that there is no one perfect diet.

NEPORENT: Sure.

PHILLIPS: We reiterated this over and over, eating well, exercising, the best way too do it.

But the three diets that you hate the least -- I love how we put that. Mediterranean Diet, the Zone diet and Eat This, Not That. Obviously, everybody's body is different, so everyone is going to react differently to certain diets. But why would you say those three are the ones you hate the least?

NEPORENT: Well, I like the Mediterranean diet because it has a lot of science behind it, and I actually do think most people could follow that and do very well on it and modify it. And what I like about it, it allows to you modify it the way would you like to eat. And it just has a lot of healthy fats and a lot of healthy foods on it. And a lot of really delicious food and it is not about deprivation, it is about health. So, I think that is a very good diet that a lot of people would do very well on.

PHILLIPS: Got it.

NEPORENT: I think the Eat This, Not That not really a diet, per se, but a beautiful pictorial book that tells you could eat this or you could eat three slices of pizza. But instead, if you wanted to eat the same number of calories, could you have all of these things that would be healthier or even half of that for fewer calories. And it just teaches you how to eat instead. So, I think that is a really good one to try.

The Zone Diet I like because there a lot of people like to eat high protein it, they are carbo-phobic. And I get that. I don't agree with it, but I do understand that there are people who like to eat that. I think Zone is most sensible of all the high-protein diets.

PHILLIPS: Got it. All right -

NEPORENT: So, that's why I choose that one.

PHILLIPS: Well, good information and good news that we can use. We always wonder what is good and what's not, and if they are really healthy.

Liz, thanks so much. Great information this morning.

NEPORENT: Oh, my pleasure to be here.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, "Eatocracy" -

NEPORENT: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: -- you bet - "Mind, Body and Wallet" continues next hour. Remember, CNN.com/eatocracy for more stories on healthy eating. It's also where you can learn more about how to unlock the CNN Healthy Eater Badge on Foursquare.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Checking top stories now

Dangerous weather hammering the East Coast again. Flood warnings and watches stretch from the Carolinas to Maine. At least four people have been killed in a weather-related accident.

White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel expected to resign today to run as mayor of Chicago. Sources say that long-time Pbama adviser Pete Rouse is in line to be interim chief of staff.

New charges could be filed in connection with the Rutgers University student who jumped off the George Washington Bridge. Tyler Clementi committed suicide after a secret video of his sexual encounter with another man was streamed online by two other students. Those students have been charged with invading his privacy, but prosecutors are trying to determine if bias played a role.

Democratic leaders have a message for the president: be more aggressive. News hot off the Political Ticker, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Live from the White House, President Obama's personnel announcement coming up in just a few minutes. The president expected to announce his top adviser, Rahm Emanuel, stepping down to run for the mayor other of Chicago. Scheduled about 11:05 Eastern time. We will bring it to you live as soon as it happens.

All right. Let's check out what else is happening in politics now. Dana Bash, running the desk for us there in D.C. What's crossing?

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: First, I want to point out something we put on the ticker late yesterday, Kyra, which is a story I found interesting. Sources told us there was a quite interesting meeting at the White House where Democratic leaders said to the president they really want him to get out there and be more aggressive in campaigning for him. And you know what, Kyra?

This is what it did today, because I think allergic to something here. I brought some water, are you happy?

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Good, yes!

BASH: Are you proud of me, I'm going to take a sip.

PHILLIPS: Thank you. Please take a sip. When you start feeling that in your throat --

BASH: Then I'm going to tell you about our second item. Our second item is actually something, unfortunately not a laughing matter, something that went on in your state, at least the senator from your state. Saxby Chambliss, he is somebody who had to fire a staffer in his office. Why? Because that staffer posted an anti-gay comment on a gay blog, Kyra, during the "don't ask, don't tell" debate. And he had to fire him and actually apologized to the person who was running that gay blog.

And last, I want to point out something we have been doing here at CNN, highlighting the top 100 House races. Gaby Giffords of Arizona is on the Ticker right now. Very interesting race. They should check it out. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right, Dana, thanks.

BASH: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: We're going to - you bet. She is keeping her water next to her. For those of you who don't know, I thought it was me. Poor Dana had this cough going on and we realized, we got to get that newsroom, find out what is in that newsroom making her allergic.

Anyway, the next political update in one hour. And a reminder for all the latest political news, just go to our Web site at CNNpolitics.com.

Recovering from Haiti's catastrophic earthquake. It is definitely difficult for everyone, but for the deaf community, it is even more tough. But a special group of people is doing something to help them specifically.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It has been nearly nine months since a powerful earthquake brought Haiti to its knees. More than a million people remain homeless, living in tent cities, still struggling with everything from trying to get food to work to raising children.

Now, imagine dealing with this catastrophic nature of the quake and being deaf or blind. There is a special group of activists who have not forgotten those who need special attention. They want to make sure that the deaf are not forgotten. Gallaudet University in Washington is one of the best- known universities for the death. An alumni there, including a Haitian graduate, are Making Their Mark, traveling to Haiti to get a first-hand look at how Haiti's deaf are coping during this very difficult time.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SYLVIE MARC-CHARLES-WIER, FOUNDER, FRIENDS OF DEAF HAITI: I'm Sylvie Mark Charles Wier. I currently have just found an organization called Friends of Deaf Haiti.

PHILLIPS: The goal is simple, yet daunting. Trying to make sure Haiti's deaf population isn't forgotten.

WEIR: We found the land and tents, water, medicine. Different organizations all working together.

PHILLIPS: This tent city in Port-au-Prince was set up exclusively for Haiti's deaf earthquake victims. 300 people are living here, and it's one of the cleaner and safer of the tent cities in Haiti. Friends of Deaf Haiti is made up of Gallaudet University alumni. Together with Haitian and French officials and several international relief agencies, they are making sure that Haiti's deaf community is left out during the reconstruction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via translator): After the earthquake, now we are working to focus on being you can have successful for deaf people and having them have equal rights with hearing people.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (via translator): Finding land, right we have temporary land. We'd like to find some more permanent. So, my dream for the future that that could happen, find good land to establish perhaps an education center.

PHILLIPS: As Haiti continues to dig out from the rubble, activists are taking it upon themselves to teach new skills to the deaf. Like sewing workshops for women. Classes are also held to build morale, like this fitness class. And painting and clay activities for children.

And amidst all the devastation, there are people here who say this is a golden opportunity for change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A terrible time, but it is a wonderful opportunity, as both the Haitian government and the international groups begin planning for a new Haiti. for deaf people, for people with disabilities, where the emphasis is not on disability, but the emphasis becomes on ability.

PHILLIPS: Haiti is one of the poorest nations on the planet, but the people here are proving they are resilient, both deaf and hearing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, still two years away from the presidential election, don't know if Romney, Palin and/or Huckabee are going to run. But we know this guy is. The Naked Cowboy throwing his hat into the ring. Thankfully, still wearing briefs. Oh, and he is wearing a suit, too. Got to see the transformation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC PLAYING)

PHILLIPS: Every day at this time, we honor the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan for us, and we call it "Home and Away."

Today, we are lifting up Staff Sergeant Tyler Edward Pickett from (INAUDIBLE) New York. He was killed in a roadside bomb attack in Kurkuk province in Iraq in 2008. Fellow veteran Keith Ryaner (ph) wrote us about had him. He said, "Tyler Pickett was the best friend a person could have ever asked for. He was the best man at my wedding and an excellent soldier. He was the type of guy who would do anything for you." And Keith wrapped up by saying, "You will always be remembered, my brother."

If you have got a comrade or loved one would you like us to honor, this is all you have to do. Just go to CNN.com/homeandaway, type in your service member's name in the upper right-hand search field, and pull up the profile. Send us your thoughts, your pictures. We will keep the memory of your hero alive.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: I see a couple problems with the Naked Cowboy's presidential bid. First of all, there is always a chance he will make us a nation of briefs, not boxers. That is an issue because this country was founded on briefs. Also, right out of the gate, he has got a credibility problem. He is not naked. Kind of false advertising.

That is my two cents. Now, here's two more cents from Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Instead of running around in his underwear, he is running for president.

THE NAKED COWBOY, PERFORMER (singing): I'm the naked cowboy

MOOS: And if you don't think he is serious, check out his new presidential look.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dude, I got to be honest, you are the Naked Cowboy still, right?

THE NAKED COWBOY: Hey, hey, how are you doing? Yes.

MOOS: Hard to believe is that the half-naked tourist magnet of Times Square, minus the hair.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For president?

THE NAKED COWBOY: Absolutely. Obama's going down.

MOOS: Don't let the underwear puns fool you.

THE NAKED COWBOY: I like to keep things brief.

MOOS: Robert Burke has a degree in political science from the university of Cincinnati. He wouldn't be the first cowboy president.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What?

MOOS: And he has already run for mayor of New York.

THE NAKED COWBOY(singing): No one's ever done more with less than me --

If I can literally build a global brand with a pair of underwear, boots and hat, think what I can do for the city of New York.

MOOS: What he did was drop out of the race, fed up with the red tape and a $250 fine he had to pay for failing to file a required form. Except in his attire, he is a conservative.

THE NAKED COWBOY: Unapologetic commitment to our borders, our language and our culture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.

MOOS: Confirmation that he is running came on celebrity-chasing TMZ. He scheduled a press conference, but when almost no one showed up, it was rescheduled. Only they got the month wrong on the Naked Cowboy's Web site and had to correct it.

(on camera): Back in the '08 campaign, there were designer Obama underwear, but no one's ever actually run for president in their underwear, and his campaign manager says the Naked Cowboy will not be campaigning in his undies.

(voice-over)At least no one will ever have to ask the naked cowboy this question.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it boxers or briefs?

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Usually briefs.

(LAUGHTER)

CLINTON: I can't believe she did that.

MOOS: Now the guy who used to walk into a parking garage to change in his car and come out dressed in his tighty whities is hanging up his briefs, at least while campaigning. Vote for the naked cowboy.

THE NAKED COWBOY: For a real change.

MOOS: Of underwear.

THE NAKED COWBOY (singing): Coming to a town near you MOOS: Jeanne moos, CNN --

THE NAKED COWBOY: All right. Don't touch the squishy parts.

MOOS: -- New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Oh, my Lord. Don, I never thought we would see Jeanne Moos in briefs. Or were those boxers?

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Those were boxer/briefs.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

LEMON: I don't really want to know. I don't care to know boxer/briefs really on anyone.

PHILLIPS: I don't know. Just the naked cowboy saying "squishy" grossed me out.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Have a great weekend.

LEMON: Always fun with you, Kyra Phillips. Thank you. Have a great weekend as well.