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U.S. Issues Travel Alert for Americans in Europe; Avoiding Cancer; High Court and High Profile Cases

Aired October 03, 2010 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. State Department issues a travel alert for Americans in Europe. We'll tell what you prompted it and what you need to know to protect yourselves overseas.

And they are called survivors, people with cancer genes who choose to fight the disease before being diagnosed. Hear their compelling stories straight ahead.

Then at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time, George Wallace, the king of comedy in clubs and now on television and on the Vegas strip. George is in the CNN NEWSROOM today talking about his unique Las Vegas act.

Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in Atlanta. It is Sunday, October 3rd. Let's get started with that new travel alert. If you or your family members are headed to Europe, the U.S. State Department wants you to be extra vigilant. An advisory issues today says information indicates Al Qaeda and its affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks.

The alert urges Americans to be conscious of their surroundings and to be aware of the potential for terrorists to target tourist sites, airports and mass transit. Americans aren't the only ones on alert. Britain is changing its travel advisory for its citizens in France and in Germany from a substantial threat of terrorism to a high threat.

CNN senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is in Hamburg, Germany, so what kind of precautions are people being asked to take, Nic?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think the main one is really to vigilant. That's what we're hearing across Europe and specifically for Americans right now is to avoid the sort of tourist places where typically you might understand that a lot of Americans might go. Avoid the restaurants that are sort of known in that area or that city as being ones where Americans might go. Time to try out another couple of restaurants.

The advice is not to stay away but just to be more alert and not to take a taxi from somebody who doesn't appear - who may not be a regular taxi driver. Go to the taxi rank, get a taxi there. If you are going to meet a stranger, meet them in a public place. Check who it is who is knocking on your hotel room door before you answer the door. Normal precautions but just things for people to have in their minds, Fredricka.

Meantime, U.S. military personnel, they were ordered to maintain a curfew. What happened and what's the status now?

ROBERTSON: Well, the status seems to be that there is no curfew in place for tonight as far as we know. What the personnel were asked to do at Ramstein Air Base near Frankfurt, a couple of hundred miles from here was not to go out on Friday night, to stay on base and for those leaving at other times not to wear their uniforms off base.

And this perhaps given the terror threat that's been talked about in Europe at the moment Mumbai-style attacks from radicals is to try and defeat a threat by Al Qaeda and in Germany here, specifically three years ago, radicals here had a plot with a huge amount of explosives to target American servicemen and other U.S. citizens in Germany, discos and cafes and restaurants that they frequent and against U.S. bases. So I think it's an awareness that in the past Al Qaeda has tried to target these types of places. We're not being told specific information.

German officials that are talking to us are saying that they're not aware of any imminent threat here but it does seem to be in line with Al Qaeda in the past trying to target U.S. citizens in this way here before, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson, thanks so much for that update, coming out of Hamburg, Germany. Appreciate that.

So what else should you do to keep yourself and your family safe if you find yourself in Europe? Joining me now from Washington is Don Hamilton. He is a former State Department counter terrorism expert. So Don, is this a pretty serious move that the U.S. State Department is making?

DON HAMILTON, FMR. STATE DEPT. COUNTER TERRORISM EXPERT: No. This is the mildest thing they can do and the State Department is historically extremely cautious on these things, Fredricka. They don't want to be accused of having knowledge before hand and then not alerting people. This has been more or less standard policy ever since the Pan Am 103 bombing when there were some hints that the State Department had that something might happen.

And so we used to call it Lockerbie rules. That is if you know something might happen, you have a moral duty to tell people. But this isn't a travel warning. A warning is very specific. It's sort of a term of art with the State Department. This is about the mildest thing they can say.

WHITFIELD: An alert. An alert essentially telling people to be vigilant and careful about their surroundings. However, you know, when people hear that this is the information coming out and the recommendation coming from the State Department, certainly they are wary especially if they are traveling to Europe or if they have family members already in Europe.

So what are your recommendations to take some of the ordinary recommendations from the State Department when abroad and take it to the next level? HAMILTON: Sure. Well, it's once again as Nic indicated largely common sense. Don't try and save a few bucks by taking a gypsy taxi from the airport. I might specifically avoid a tour bus today because or for the next several days because the tour bus is a big, fat obvious target. As you know people have been taken from -- that tour bus is a (INAUDIBLE) of all kinds.

WHITFIELD: A mass transit type of things.

HAMILTON: -- have been attacked. I would think that a regular mass transit would be fine but you don't want something that says hey bus load of Americans.

WHITFIELD: That I'm a tourist. And what about, you know, talking to strangers? A lot of times people, you know, they don't - they are not able to find their way around. They approach a stranger. They are more apt to talk to people who are from that region to get a little bit of information and consequently they also probably also share some information. What's your recommendation on that?

HAMILTON: Well, I think it's probably not a bad idea to ask someone for a direction but I wouldn't reveal anything more than I had to. I wouldn't do that here in Washington. I wouldn't do that in London. I wouldn't do it in Rome. That's just a good sound practice.

The one thing you should especially keep your eyes out for is an abandoned parcel. If you see a backpack, a suitcase, a briefcase somewhere, move away from it. Don't run but just move smartly away from it. Go to someone who is in authority whether it is a security guard or just one of the transit personnel and say there is an abandoned package there.

So that is certainly one thing to do. And look for someone who is dressed more heavily than the weather might indicate. And stay clear of them. They may just be an eccentric but I certainly wouldn't cozy up to someone who is dressed for subzero weather when it is 40 out.

WHITFIELD: OK. And speaking of dress, your own dress. The type of tags you might have on your luggage. I mean, I'm a child of a State Department family and so as we were growing up we always knew we had to be very careful about being as neutral about our clothing when traveling abroad. What's your recommendation now with this heightened alert?

HAMILTON: I don't know that the heightened alert would have anything for it. I've always advised people to pay attention to where you are and who you are. It's not wise whether defending you're yourself against a criminal or a terrorist to try to blend into the crowd.

You know, notice that Europeans for the most part do not wear shorts unless they are participating in athletic activities. Very few people other than Americans wear sporting shoes, sneakers around when they are out for a walk. So those are always good ideas. On the whole though, I would say that terrorism at this stage is a serious matter. It's something to think about but you are much more likely, I think, to be the target of a criminal attack or of some sort of random accident.

Most likely a trip to the studios today would be on your trip home would be more dangerous than a flight to Europe if I had plans to go to Europe I would go in a heartbeat and I would have a nice time and I would try to as I've been trained for many years to keep my eyes open for abandoned parcel and strange behavior and to not stick out in a crowd.

WHITFIELD: All very smart advise. Thanks so much, former State Department counter terrorism expert, Don Hamilton. Thanks for your time from Washington today.

HAMILTON: Glad to be there, Fredricka.

We're going to talk now about some nasty weather that has inundated the East Coast for a couple of days now. And right now there's a whole lot of cleanup ahead for parts of the East Coast after all of that rain and flooding. Eight deaths from North Carolina to New England are blamed on the extreme weather.

Windsor, North Carolina, still under a state of emergency with much of that town still under water, we understand. North Carolina Governor Beverly Purdue is getting a firsthand look at the damage today as she tours the area.

Let's check in with our Bonnie Schneider. And boy, this weather is never ending as it pertains to all these rain.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right, Fredricka. And we had the influence of a tropical system and it always enhances moisture. You have slow moving tropical weather and yes, even more rain coming up the eastern seaboard after we had a washout. Some places like in eastern North Carolina received more rain in four days than they do normally in six months. So wow, that's a lot of moisture on the ground. More is working its way across the mid Atlantic right now but let's head down southward and you can see flood warnings remain for South Carolina all the way up to northern Vermont for some of the rivers.

It will take a while for that runoff to really drain out and the water levels to recede. Please use caution if you're going to be traveling anywhere where it tends to be flooded. Do not ever attempt to drive on a road that has water covering it even if it's in a small area. Even if the car in front of you made it through. It only takes six inches of water to dislodge your vehicle even an SUV. Very, very dangerous.

We have heavy rain with low pressure developing across the North Carolina coastline. This is again the flood area. We're seeing some of the rain work its way up into the Virginia region right now but by no means is this going to be as intense as the system we saw this past week. Across the country I haven't seen that word on the map in a while. Cold.

It may be the first weekend in October and we are feeling some chilly temperatures reminding us that we are well into the fall season and that temperatures are plummeting so much so that frost and freeze warnings are popping up all over the place into Springfield, into southwest Missouri and then check this out. Jackson, Tennessee, even northern Mississippi, just north of Tupelo. So we're talking about the deep south now.

Temperatures Monday morning will be in the mid to upper 30s. So grab the jacket if you are heading out and bring in the potted plants, protect your pets because we will see frost across those areas. I want to show you some of the temperatures right now because it may be afternoon but we're enjoying some cool weather.

Temperatures are in the 50s this hour. Green Bay, Wisconsin. Notice it is up to 50 into northern Michigan. We actually were in the 40s most of the day there. So this cooler air is dropping pretty far south and even into Charleston and West Virginia, the temperature is 53 degrees. So it's really feeling like we're in October. And Fredricka, you mentioned you like this kind of weather.

WHITFIELD: Yes, feels good. I mean, my favorite season is summer. I do like it hot but this is a nice relief.

SCHNEIDER: It is. It's a pleasure to be out there.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it is. All right. Thanks, Bonnie. Check back in with you and of course, we'll be chatting in the "Chat room." Can't wait. We got some good stuff.

All right. The new term for the U.S. Supreme Court kicks off tomorrow with a very busy docket. We'll highlight some of the more challenging cases ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Images now from the annual red mass which celebrates the legal profession in this country. There you see chief justice of the Supreme Court. Other justices were also there this morning. So was the vice president as well as congressional leaders and diplomats. Critics call the red mass an unhealthy mix of politics, law and religion. So red mass is always held the day before the U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term.

Well, tomorrow the high court welcomes new Justice Elena Kagan and begins tackling some high profile cases. Here's our Kate Bolduan.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Supreme Court currently has more than 50 cases on the docket. The most controversial range from immigration reform to free speech challenges.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: America, America.

BOLDUAN: One of the first deals with anti-gay protests at military funerals. Albert Snyder sued the West (INAUDIBLE) Baptist Church and it's leader Fred Phelps after they staged a demonstration outside his son's funeral in 2006. 20-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was killed in Iraq.

ALBERT SNYDER, FATHER OF MARINE KILLED IN IRAQ: It comes down to dignity. No one - I don't care if you're not military. No one should be buried with what the Phelps did to him.

BOLDUAN: This is a case of free speech versus privacy rights. The court will also weigh in on the case of Texas and death row inmate Hank Skinner. Skinner says he is innocent of the triple murder he is convicted of committing. Skinner argues he has a civil right to request DNA evidence testing post conviction to prove it.

HANK SKINNER, DEATH ROW INMATE: All the district attorney has to do is turn over the evidence and test it and let the chips fall where they may. If I'm innocent, I'm going home. If I'm guilty, what's so hard about that?

BOLDUAN: Prosecutors argues Skinner had his chance to appeal and argued that if he wins it will open the flood gates to frivolous lawsuits clogging the criminal justice system.

Other high profile cases is California's attempt to ban the sale of violent video games to children. An appeals court says the law violates the first amendment. The court will also consider a challenge to an Arizona law cracking down on businesses hiring illegal immigrants. Opponents argue federal law trumps state efforts.

TOM GOLDSTEIN, FOUNDER, SCOTUSBLOG.COM: The federal government says we have the immigration laws. Arizona kind of throws up its hands and says yes, but you are not enforcing them.

BOLDUAN: Meanwhile, the newest justice, Elena Kagan, is taking to the bench for her first term which also marks a historic first for the Supreme Court. Three women serving at the same time.

(on camera): However, Justice Kagan has already (INAUDIBLE) herself from 25 pending cases. Because of her work as a former solicitor general she's withdrawn to prevent any conflict of interest, leaving the possibility of a split 4-4 decisions as the term kicks off.

Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And did you know that some cities are considered brainier than others? We'll explain in the "Chat Room" straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. A look at the top stories right now.

Suspected U.S. drone strikes have been increasing lately in Pakistan. Just yesterday three drone strikes killed 18 people, mostly militants. Pakistan's ambassador speaking on CNN's "State of the Union" with Candy Crowley saying that Pakistan does not want U.S. troops on its soil and that his country will fight terrorism on its own schedule and not Washington's schedule.

And Rutgers University will hold a vigil tonight for freshman who committed suicide after a video of his sexual encounter with another man was posted online. Tyler Clementi killed himself by jumping from a bridge into the Hudson River. His roommate and another student are charged with invasion of privacy. Police say they taped Clementi's sexual encounter without his knowledge and broadcast it on a web site.

And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is urging Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to keep peace talks going after Palestinian leaders called for an end to the talks. At issue, Israeli settlement building. The settlement construction freeze expired just last Sunday. The Palestinian leaders say they want to extend it or they will leave the talks. Israel has not yet agreed to reinstating the freeze.

All right. Welcome to the "Chat Room" now. Bonnie Schneider here. This is kind of one of the highlights of our hour. We get to talk about all those funny little, sometimes quippy things out there. We think they need a little air time including a pro-football player Chad Ochocinco on his cereal in a big old boo-boo.

SCHNEIDER: That's right. It was pulled from the shelves because of a really bad typo, unfortunately, it included a phone number that's supposed to belong to the charity Feed the Children but the number is actually a sex line. Feed the children said they accidentally sent the wrong number to the cereal company.

WHITFIELD: Yes. So it's Feed the Children's error and not necessarily the cereal company or even Ochocinco. In fact, Ochocinco even had a comment. He tweeted about it, right? He says he feels horrible about it. Do we have that quote from him? OK. The answer is no.

(CROSSTALK)

SCHNEIDER: That's the last thing you want.

WHITFIELD: You're trying to do something good and then something like this happened. He apologized to everybody and they're trying to do the right thing by pulling cereal from the shelves.

SCHNEIDER: Next time, check the numbers before you print it.

WHITFIELD: Yes. I think so. We too -

SCHNEIDER: Oh, we definitely do.

WHITFIELD: If we get a phone number, we always check a number before we put it on the air.

SCHNEIDER: It's just a practice you got to do especially if you're in the business of cereal box.

WHITFIELD: And you got kids who are buying cereal.

SCHNEIDER: Good point.

WHITFIELD: All right. That's my little commentary for the day, right. Just a little encouragement.

OK. Now, let's talk about the brainiest cities out there. Some no brainers. We know Washington, D.C. tops the list.

SCHNEIDER: And look who is from Washington D.C., our own Fredricka Whitfield.

WHITFIELD: It's so true. It's the smartest town. It IS a big college town. You can be on the metro. You can be at any bus stop. You can be at any restaurant or you can be at any park and you start a conversation with anyone -

SCHNEIDER: And it's a conversation.

WHITFIELD: Yes, a fantastic conversation. People are very smart in that town.

SCHNEIDER: We got a couple of west coast cities - San Francisco, San Jose and out east, Raleigh, North Carolina, not surprising and Boston, Massachusetts, where I used to live before Atlanta. Again, so many universities there. That's not surprising at all.

WHITFIELD: And then there is a list for what they say - I guess the less intelligent, less educated.

SCHNEIDER: This doesn't mean everyone that lives there.

WHITFIELD: I happen to like a lot of these cities. I don't know if folks are going to like being on this list of less educated. New York. New York City.

SCHNEIDER: That's surprising.

WHITFIELD: Not surprising?

SCHNEIDER: No, it is surprising.

WHITFIELD: That's right. Very surprising. Los Angeles again very surprising. San Diego, Las Vegas.

SCHNEIDER: Las Vegas, too much fun.

WHITFIELD: Too much fun.

All right. Now, we're going on this list of cities that have made a name for themselves, there are also cities that some would say are rather haunted.

SCHNEIDER: Well, it's October now. We're getting closer to Halloween. So we have to start thinking of places to go for Halloween that are a little scary out there. Rent.com has this list just in time for Halloween. Number one is Savannah, Georgia. Beautiful city but ghost land. Also in South Carolina, not too far away, Gettysburg. Salem, Massachusetts and New Orleans.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: I could see New Orleans. I love New Orleans. But New Orleans sometimes does have a little something in the air there and you know what same goes for Savannah.

SCHNEIDER: These are older cities.

WHITFIELD: Only because I think of the moss hanging from all the oak trees. While it is beautiful but there is something a little haunted about it.

SCHNEIDER: I spent, you know, many Halloweens in Salem, Massachusetts because I used to live in Boston and it is fun - the witches and the parade. It's a great time for Halloween.

WHITFIELD: Yes and you talk about old cities. Talk about some of these old cities with you know, pretty significant pasts.

SCHNEIDER: Right.

WHITFIELD: Charleston, Atlanta being a big (INAUDIBLE), of course. You know, some might want to draw some connections there of the type of history associated with, like you said, you know, Salem and witches and again it's Halloween season. So why not? Right?

SCHNEIDER: One more.

WHITFIELD: And then let's talk about something that has made growing up so fun for so many people. The "Flintstones." Yes, to the "Flintstones" turning 50 this week. 1960. "The Flintstones," Hannah Barbera's cartoon debuting in ABC Television. Oh Fred Flintstone. Everyone loves him. Barney, Wilma, Betty.

SCHNEIDER: It's funny watching this after all these years.

WHITFIELD: Did you watch "Flintstones?"

SCHNEIDER: Yes, Dino, the dinosaur pet. I love the car. I always wanted to do that.

WHITFIELD: Oh, I know. I love "The Flintstones." (INAUDIBLE) I'm Fredricka. Everybody called me Fred Flintstone. It's only natural that my dog would be named Dino.

SCHNEIDER: Oh, I didn't know that.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

SCHNEIDER: That's great. Happy birthday.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Dino kind of sticking his head through the convertible top there. My dog does that. He was doing the same. There's my Dino right there.

SCHNEIDER: Adorable.

WHITFIELD: He's a standard poodle. So you know, kind of dinosaur like there.

SCHNEIDER: Definitely.

WHITFIELD: Love them.

SCHNEIDER: Yes, happy birthday.

WHITFIELD: And of course when "The Flintstones" came out, you know, it's interesting it was the first television on American television to show a man and a woman in bed together.

SCHNEIDER: Oh, I didn't know that.

WHITFIELD: Yes, Fred and Wilma. All clean cut stuff but you know, it was a cartoon to appeal to both adults and children and it did then and it has forever and it lives on. 50 and still strong.

SCHNEIDER: That's right.

WHITFIELD: All right. Bonnie, thanks so much.

SCHNEIDER: It was fun

WHITFIELD: We'll see you a lot later because we still got some crazy weather in the East Coast and other places too.

SCHNEIDER: I'm good.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks.

Here's a question for you. Pretty alarming one too. What would you do if your child was kidnapped and taken overseas and you knew where your child was but you were not allowed to actually get your child back? It's a troubling problem for many American parents and we'll look at how U.S. lawmakers are trying to fix that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. The U.S. is issuing a new travel alert for Americans in Europe. The U.S. State Department cites information suggesting that al Qaeda and other terror groups continue to plan attacks. The alert urges Americans to be aware of their surroundings and remind them of the potential for terror attacks at tourists' sites and on public transportation systems. The State Department says it is not telling Americans to avoid traveling in Europe but rather advising them to take "common sense precautions."

So how are Americans who are heading overseas to Europe reacting to this new travel alert? We sent our Stephanie Elam to Newark International Airport to find out. STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fred, for most of the people that we talked to really it's just about continuing on with your day and continuing on with your plans even if that involves going to Europe. We talked to a few people today and they are saying you know what I planned these trips a while ago. Plane tickets are expensive in this economy and I am not going to give up on my travel plans. In fact, here are a couple people that we spoke to today here at Newark Airport.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's just normal for me. We're just cautious when we're in an unusual area to begin with. Air travel is so common, we are either traveling by small plane because we don't have a lot of roads or we're traveling by jet to get out of the states so it's just a mode of transportation we take for granted and we're still I think pay attention but not necessarily uncomfortable. If they came back and said we prefer you not traveling or if it was something more than just being diligent to saying we have a lot more activity.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I made the arrangements six months ago. It would probably take an incident of some sort where there was really danger.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You only live once. I can't let those people terrorize me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: Now with that in mind it's interesting to note that of the people that we talked to one person definitely heard it before he got to the airport but he's coming from New Jersey. One woman has been traveling for a while because she was coming from Alaska so she heard it when she got to New Jersey but she said it wasn't on Facebook and it wasn't anywhere else until we told her about it and the other woman said she heard about it before she left California but it really didn't impact her. She said she is going to be part of a tour. She feels safe. It would take a lot more than that to deter them.

Now as far as the New York Port Authority is concerned, the New York Police Department saying that they are being very diligent about what they are hearing. I just want to read this statement that we have here for you. They are saying that the New York Police Department monitors intelligence from around the world every day and while there's nothing specific regarding an attack on New York City, we adjust our counterterrorism posture daily with over 1,000 officers assigned to counterterrorism duties on a daily basis. And that's coming from Paul Browne who is the Deputy Commissioner of the New York Police Department.

So as far as we're concerned and as far as the people that we have spoken to, it's really business as usual. Travel, do what you need to do. Just be more aware of yourself as you are heading abroad.

Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Stephanie Elam at Newark Airport. Thanks so much.

All right. Cancer, the word alone can be frightening to anyone but what if there was something you could do to avoid it? We will talk to two women about their eye opening journey.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. A look at our top stories right now. The trapped miners in Chile could be home with their families sooner than expected. Rescuers say they could reach the men by the middle of this month. They've been trapped underground since early August. The first test of a rescue capsule was carried out successfully on Thursday.

And law makers, diplomats and members of the high court were in Washington this morning for Red Mass. It celebrated every year for members of the legal profession and it's always held the day before the U.S. Supreme Court actually begins its new term. Critics call it an unhealthy mix of politics, law and religion.

So much information as it pertains to health and medicine. We'll try to break it down for you. Because you will be seeing a whole lot of pink ribbons this month. It's National Breast Cancer Awareness month which focuses on causes, preventions and of course research. Our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen has the story of one survivor who through her own research discovered a new test affecting both her and her young daughter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Geralyn Lucas beat breast cancer but she is terrified it is going to come back and what scares her even more is that her daughter Skye will also get it. So Geralyn is about to take a cutting edge test to find out if there's a gene for breast cancer hiding in her DNA and if so, has Skye inherited it? The test takes about a minute. The test called BRCA searches deep into a woman's DNA to look for breast cancer genes.

DR. RACHEL WELLNER: This is Geralyn's blood sample. To everyone this is just a vial of blood. But for Geralyn this is her future and perhaps even more importantly to Geralyn, this is about her daughter. This is about what happens to her daughter. If this test does show Geralyn has a dangerous genetic mutation, she'll have her ovaries and her other breast removed and there would be a 50-50 chance that she passed that gene down to Skye.

GERALYN LUCAS, BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR: I feel very guilty that this is part of her vocabulary and this is part of her world. In the same breath I feel like maybe I'm teaching her a lesson. Knowledge is power.

WELLNER: How have you been?

LUCAS: Nervous.

ELAM: A month passes; Dr. Rachel Wellner has the results in her hand.

WELLNER: No surgery needed.

LUCAS: It's negative. I don't believe it.

Mom got her results. It's negative.

ELAM: How did it feel to tell her just now?

LUCAS: Getting to tell Skye was the hugest thing of that news. I feel that I did it for her.

ELAM: What's pretty amazing is Geralyn discovered this cutting edge test on her own from other breast cancer survivors. What lessons have you learned from all this?

LUCAS: I have to keep searching. I can't rest on my laurels.

ELAM: By do her own research and staying ahead of the curve, Geralyn stayed ahead of breast cancer.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. So we're about to talk to two women who took that very same test that BRCA test. They are previvors and they have never had cancer but they have a predisposition to develop it. Well a book out called "Previvors" it is out this week and it profiles five women all previvors and details the life changing decisions that they have made. Two of them right now joining me from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Rori Clark, good to see you.

RORI CLARK, CANCER PREVIVOR: Thank you. Thank you for having me.

WHITFIELD: And Suzanne Citere. Good to see you as well.

All right. Ladies, this is a very difficult road for many to travel. But some might say to see that there is a test that can let them know especially with a family history of cancer that this really can be the light at the end of the tunnel or at least give you an idea how to proceed. So I wonder, Rori, for you, how enlightening was taking this test and how much did it help you make decisions about what would be next for you?

CLARK: Well, it was everything for me. I watched my mother die a horrible death from ovarian cancer. Shortly after that I watched my sister battle ovarian cancer and she also has the BRCA1 gene and after she was tested and went through eight rounds of chemotherapy I knew that I had to get tested for the BRCA1 gene as well and mine did come back positive. I feel so powerful that I have and so thankful that I have this knowledge.

WHITFIELD: And BRCA1 gene just for some folks who are just hearing this for the first time this is the gene that of ovarian cancer. So you tested positive correct?

CLARK: Yes. WHITFIELD: What did you do with that information?

CLARK: It's the ovarian cancer and breast cancer gene. What I did with that information is I started doing a lot of research and meeting with several doctors and what they told me and what they recommended was that I went ahead and did a hysterectomy and a double mastectomy and to be honest with you, I was completely floored.

I was not expecting this. And I really was not ready to do something like that. I did surveillance for a very long time until I knew that I had to have a hysterectomy. I had several close calls. I had several biopsies done with my breast and I decided I needed to the following year have a double mastectomy.

WHITFIELD: So there have been some people in the medical community who have called that very radical when they listen to other women who have taken that kind of preventive measure, that preemptive measure. Now that you have done that, hysterectomy, mastectomy, do you feel a lot of relief? Do feel like that is the direction that you needed to go in order to feel some kind of comfort or some reassurance about your future and cancer?

CLARK: My god absolutely. I have three children that I need to be here for. And the fear, the mental anguish I would go through every six months of doing surveillance and not to mention the cost. I feel so free now and I feel so lucky to be healthy and be alive after watching what my mother and my sister thank god she's alive and well but I feel so thankful and so less worried.

WHITFIELD: So Suzanne is that something that you can empathize with, that you relate to, that you feel like this preventive measure really does give you some freedom and is it the case that more women in particular are taking this route or is this still what some medical experts call radical and maybe rare?

SUZANNE CITERE, CANCER PREVIVOR: They can call it whatever they want. But cancer is pretty bad. If I could take steps to prevent myself from getting it, the information is empowering. The organization we both met through Facingourrisk.org of course stands for facing our risk of cancer empowered. We have power to change our future.

My mother never had that opportunity. She got breast cancer in the '60s and they didn't even have chemotherapy then. But I had the BRCA test. I had my mastectomy which I think is what scares a lot of people and why they think of it as so radical. But plastic surgery has come so far that I look better now than I did before my surgery. And I think if women know that they would know there's nothing to be afraid of.

WHITFIELD: Wasn't there some trepidation on your part initially. I mean did it take you a while to get to that point where you said OK my answer is yes. I'm going to do this mastectomy right now as a preventive measure?

CITERE: Not even for a second.

WHITFIELD: You didn't hesitate?

CITERE: Nope. It was run, don't walk. I couldn't get into that operating room fast enough because I was nearing the age of my mother's diagnosis and even though statistically my odds were not very high of being BRCA positive due to my family history, I on some very primitive level knew that there was a problem. So I was actually really pro-surgery. Not everyone is.

It isn't for everybody. But I couldn't live with that anxiety anymore. I drove myself crazy every year, every mammogram and just panic until the next year. Because I was that sure I was going to end up the way my mother ended up.

WHITFIELD: So Suzanne, Rori your stories are in this book, "Previvors." There are three other ladies, Lisa, Maddy and Annie whose stories are documented in this as well. What do you want people to learn from this firsthand account of being a previvor?

Rori.

CLARK: What I want other women to learn, men and women, I want them to know that if they do have a family history to make sure that they are aware of the choices out there and to do surveillance and definitely go to previvor.com and take the seven simple questions to find out if you are at high risk. You can locate genetic counselors, doctors and mammogram facilities and you do have the power to not be afraid. This is a gift of knowledge.

WHITFIELD: And Suzanne.

CITERRE: I was very afraid to have surgery. Absolutely. It's very empowering. There's nothing to be afraid of. Cancer is far scarier than what we went through. Don't sit around and wait for somebody to tell you what to do. No one told me to get a BRCA test. I never even knew what a breast MRI was. I should have had that information.

I gave my family history to every physician I ever was examined by and no one ever told me this. I found out on my own through the Internet. Thank god for that because I don't know if I would be sitting here right now if I didn't take those steps myself and not wait for somebody to do it for me.

WHITFIELD: Suzanne Citere and Rori Clark, thanks so much women for your courage and for sharing this and for being the previvors that you are in sharing your story. Appreciate it.

CLARK: Thank you for having us.

WHITFIELD: Thank you.

And of course in addition to the book, "Previvors" coming out August 5th there's also a free educational iPhone app called previvors. Next Sunday we'll talk with the genetic counselor about testing and whether or not your insurance will cover it and this programming note. "Empowered Patient" taking control of your health care. A special by senior health correspondent Elizabeth Cohen, that airs tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

President Obama's former chief of staff wants Chicago residents to tell him like it is as he tours the city tomorrow. One more step in Rahm Emanuel's expected run for mayor, a political update coming up.

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WHITFIELD: Let's check on what's hot in the CNN political ticker. Rahm Emanuel plans to launch a tell it like it is neighborhood tour tomorrow in Chicago. That word from his new website. Emanuel who stepped down Friday as President Obama's chief of staff wants to hear what Chicago residents would like from their next mayor. So Emanuel is expected to move back to Chicago and announce that he's running for the city's highest office.

Two Senators butted heads today over how many Congressional seats Democrats might lose if the midterm elections. On CNN's "State of the Union" Republican John Cornyn and Democrat Robert Menendez both said the Democrats will give up seats. Cornyn predicts a tsunami for the GOP but Menendez says his party will keep its majority in the Senate. Both men are responsible for how their parties will fair in the November election.

And the Republican Party is taking special aim at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The RNC's fire Pelosi bus tour is rolling across the country as the midterm elections draw closer. Today's stop Las Vegas where GOP chairman Michael Steele is holding a rally.

For the latest political news, cnnpolitics.com is the place to be.

All right. Everyone aggress this will be the parents night mare, your child is taken to another country and your parental rights are not recognized. Well changes apparently are on the way.

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WHITFIELD: The U.S. is hoping to pressure Japan to do something about international child abductions. Japan doesn't recognize that custodial rights of non Japanese parents, when a couple divorces and one is a Japanese citizen and the other is not, well the Japanese parent can hide their children in Japan. Well CNN's Kyung Lah looks at what U.S. lawmakers are now trying to do to change that.

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KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The resolution overwhelmingly passed by the U.S. House of Representatives is a call to Japan. Return abducted American children home to their American parents. For one father in this crowd, it's a small victory in a year of struggle with international laws.

CHRISTOPHER SAVOIE, PARENT OF ABDUCTED CHILDREN: This is no longer a David versus Goliath fight with grieving parents individually fighting an entire foreign government. This is now a government to government fight. And it will not go away until our children are returned. LAH: Exactly one year ago Christopher Savoie sat in this jail in Lagona (ph), Japan. Savoie's ex-wife Norigo (ph) had abducted their two children Isaac and Rebecca to Japan. A U.S. court gave full custody of the children to Savoie but when Savoie attempted to take his children to the U.S. Embassy, Japanese police stopped him and arrested him because he was on Japanese soil and Japanese law recognizes Norigo (ph) as custodian and not abductor. Savoie was charged with child abduction. Savoie was released after more than two weeks but ordered to stay out of Japan and away from his children.

SAVOIE: The Japanese government needs to do the right thing not just because it's the morally correct thing to do but because it's not in Japan's national interest to allow its citizens to continue to ignore international law.

LAH: The governments of the U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have all urged Japan to sign onto the Hague Convention an international agreement that protects children from child abduction. All G7 nations and approximately 80 countries are signatory and to date Japan has yet to sign on to The Hague.

HIDENOBU SOBASHIMA, JAPAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: We are of the seriousness of this issue.

LAH: Japan's ministry of foreign affairs says it hears what the international community is saying and is treating the child custody cases on a case by case basis but as far as changing its laws. So you are seriously considering signing The Hague but it will take time.

SOBASHIMA: I said the possibility.

LAH: The possibility.

SOBASHIMA: -- of concluding the Hague Convention but it will take time. That it was sort of internal domestic measures that we should achieve, but in order to become the party to the convention.

LAH (voice-over): U.S. lawmakers who push for the resolution in the House pledge to increase the pressure.

REP. CHRIS SMITH (R), NEW JERSEY: We've introduced legislation that would create a whole new mechanism within our government to hold countries that have a pattern of non-cooperation to account. We're not kidding. Japan, please listen. Send the children back.

LAH: The resolution is nonbinding so it lacks teeth but it continues to turn up the volume on Japan. But for American parents who are waiting, they have no choice but to wait longer.

Kyung Lah, CNN, Tokyo.

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