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How to Keep Safe When Traveling in Europe; Britain Raises Travel Alert; Wanted: Young Voters; Travel Alert for Americans in Europe; Lessons from the Mumbai Attacks; "The New Mr. Las Vegas"
Aired October 03, 2010 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Top of the hour now.
The U.S. is issuing a new travel alert for Americans in Europe. The alert issued by the U.S. State Department this morning says information indicates that al Qaeda and its affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks there. It urges Americans to be conscious of their surroundings and to be aware of the potential for terrorist to target tourists sites, airports and mass transit.
So what can you do to keep yourself and your family safe if you are in Europe? Well, last hour, I spoke with former State Department Counterterrorism Expert Don Hamilton and he shared some rather interesting tips.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON HAMILTON, FMR. STATE DEPT. COUNTERTERRORISM EXPERT: 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 putting - and then not alerting people.
This has been - this has been more or less standard policy ever since the Pan Am 103 bombing when there was 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 a - 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.
HAMILTON: So -
WHITFIELD: An alert. Essentially, telling people to be vigilant, be careful about their surroundings. However, you know, when people hear that this is the information coming out and recommendation coming from the State Department, certainly they are wary especially if they are traveling to Europe and - 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 take it to the next level?
HAMILTON: Sure. Well, it's once again as Nic (ph) 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 a tour bus is a big, fat obvious target. And, as you know, that people have been taken from the tour buses -
WHITFIELD: And mass transit -
HAMILTON: -- and busses of all kind -
WHITFIELD: -- type of thing.
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: Oh, I see, that I'm a tourist. And what, you know, about talking to strangers. A lot of times people, you know, they don't - they're not able to find their way around. They approach a stranger and they're more apt to talk to people who are from that region to get a little bit of information and consequently - consequently they also probably share some information. What's your recommendation on that?
HAMILTON: Right. Well, I think it's probably not a bad idea to ask someone for a direction or something, but I wouldn't reveal any more than I had to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. One more thing to think about. Don Hamilton says don't wear sneakers in Europe unless you're going for a run. Unlike Americans, most Europeans don't wear them unless they're involved in some kind of sporting activity. So in other words, he says you need to try to blend in whenever you do go abroad.
All right. Americans aren't the only ones on alert. Britain is changing its travel advisory for its citizens in France and Germany from a substantial threat of terrorism to a high threat.
CNN's International Correspondent Nic Robertson is in Hamburg, Germany. He joins us live from now. So, why is this happening right now on such grand scale?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it appears to be because of a threat that's really emanated from this mosque behind me that's closed down the mosque here is the very same mosque that Mohammed (ph) after the 9/11 hijacker got together with a small group - a small cell back in the late 1990s and again has been the place where a group of young radicals have got together and gone off to training camps in Pakistan about a year and a half ago.
One of them now in U.S. custody, Ahmed Siddiqui (ph), talking about this Mumbai style attacks across different cities in Europe. But although that's not what is explicit - that's not explicit in this travel advisory, it does seem to correlate because it's talking about the same countries -- Britain, Germany and France.
What's interesting here, while Britain also has raised its warning for British people traveling overseas, Germans here are saying that they are not seeing an increase threat and they're not raising their threat level in Germany. The Spanish too is saying their threat level is at two on a scale of one to four. They'll leave it right there. The French too, their threat level is on a red level. They say it's been that way since 2005 and they see no imminent threat and no reason to change it.
And in Britain the threat level there on the British Isles remains severe which means a terrorist attack is highly likely, but, again, the British authorities are saying that they're not going to raise that level. So I think the European perspective is that - that it's not necessary to change - to change the way they read the terror situation.
Having said that, they're all very vigilant, very aware and certainly the officials in this city are very aware that some of the people that left this mosque part of their original group are still out there, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Nic Robertson, thanks so much from Hamburg, Germany. I appreciate that update.
All right. Back in this country, let's talk about some nasty weather and how weather is also impacting many folks who are traveling this week trying to get the new workweek started.
Our Bonnie Schneider is in the Weather Center, Bonnie.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hi, Fredricka.
You know, a lot of people are. It's a busy Sunday, the first weekend in October. And if you are heading out or wondering what's going on with my flight, well, here's what's happening. We've got some delays out there. Philadelphia, 35 minutes; Cincinnati, departure delays 20 - 25 minutes; and Washington, D.C. also reporting delays.
And if you're wondering does this have anything to do with the weather, oh, yes, it does. Take a look at this. We have got a lot of rain sliding up from the east affecting the Jersey Shore, for example, all the way up to the east end of Long Island and now trying to clipping areas just south of Boston like in Plymouth getting some light showers.
But the airports I mentioned - D.C., Philadelphia, all affected by the wet weather and so is unfortunately North Carolina. Wow. I'll tell you, the rain this week has been incredible and it's not over yet. Brand new area of low pressure kind of spinning about, still creates the risk for flooding. We have flood warnings posted for parts of eastern North Carolina and even up into northern New England, and you can see the low sort of rotating the showers on in from Virginia. It's getting a little bit better for North Carolina which is some good news. And speaking of good news, if you love October for the cooler weather, well, look at this. A big ridge of high pressure is in place. Now, what does that mean? Clear skies overnight without cloud coverage, the heat can re-escape back up into the atmosphere. Imagine the clouds as a blanket to keep the heat of the ground. When they're not there, boy, it's going to cool out tonight. We are looking at some frosty conditions overnight.
Tonight pretty far south all the way through Mississippi even a couple counties there into Northeast Mississippi. A good portion of Central Tennessee and back out through Oklahoma into Missouri. The Southwest Missouri will be frosty. And no surprise really because this time of year it gets a little cooler in Chicago. Well, the actual city and most of the suburbs not under this frost advisory. You can see right here.
But once you start heading farther off to the south and further to the west, it's going to be cold out there tonight. Temperatures will drop into the mid to upper 30s. Also freeze warnings meaning it will definitely get below freezing up into Wisconsin tonight, for Green Bay and Oshkosh, so bring in the potted plants, protect the pets or maybe just take a walk out tomorrow morning if you like that cool weather.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And when you come inside, fire up that fireplace. That's one thing I so love about the cold weather. Just the smell of the wood burning and the fireplace and, of course, hot cocoa.
SCHNEIDER: It all - it's so nice this time of year.
WHITFIELD: I had a hot cocoa today. I'm like, chill in the air.
SCHNEIDER: Go for it.
WHITFIELD: Break out the hot cocoa now. All right. Thanks so much, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
WHITFIELD: All right. Only four more weeks now of campaigning and Democrats are pulling out all of the stops to bring in the votes just in time for midterm elections.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: So it's just two years ago when young voters played a crucial role in getting President Barack Obama elected and the White House is pushing hard to reenergize them. But as CNN's Dan Lothian reports, it's not a sure bet.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This hip, energy filled, loud music-craving crowd is once again feeling the love from President Obama.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Hello, Wisconsin!
LOTHIAN: This week a massive rally at the University of Wisconsin, a conference call with college journalists and a 40 and under DNC event to pump them up for the midterm elections.
OBAMA: The biggest mistake we can make is to let impatience or frustration lead to apathy and indifference because that guarantees the other side wins.
LOTHIAN: But some of those frustrated young voters wonder why it took a midterm election to get the president's undivided attention again.
HEATHER SMITH, PRESIDENT, ROCK THE VOTE: It's like you go out on a really great first date and it was awesome. And you sat there and waited for the text message back. And two years later, it comes and you think to yourself, where have you been? And you still go out with him the second time, but maybe this time there's a little more skepticism. It's a little less sexy.
LOTHIAN: The sales job was much easier during the presidential campaign when young people like then college student, Matt Miller, were flush with hope and enthusiasm.
MATT MILLER, YOUNG VOTER: He seemed very passionate and energetic.
LOTHIAN: During an Obama rally at his University of Maryland campus in 2008, Miller who was studying to enter the medical profession thought the future looked bright. But two years later he's working a part-time job outside of his field in a still struggling economy and so many promises he says are stuck on Capitol Hill.
MILLER: I personally voted for Obama hoping that he would help alleviate some of those situations, but it almost seems that - that the partisanship battles are - are increasing in intensity within Congress and a lot of progress is being halted because of that.
LOTHIAN: Heather Smith, President of Rock the Vote says while some young people might be cynical, most are optimistic. Matt Miller isn't ready to throw out the Democrats despite his frustration.
MILLER: I'm not really feeling as strongly as I was before about the current administration, but to say the same I think on the other side of the aisle it's only getting more extreme away from the direction that I want to go as a voter.
LOTHIAN (on camera): A new Gallup poll shows Democrats are making some gains among those 18 to 29, up nine points from August but down slightly from earlier in the summer.
The big hope for Democrats is that they can get these young voters excited and that they'll end up going to the polls on Election Day.
Dan Lothian, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD: All right. So, now, let's talk about the week ahead in politics. Our Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser joins me now from Washington.
So, Paul, the president heading the campaign trail again this week. What's the first stop for him?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You got it. First stop will be Maryland on the campaign trail later this week, Fred. And he's going to go out there to help the incumbent Democratic governor right now, Martin O'Malley, who's fighting for re-election and thinks it's a tough rematch against a guy he beat four years ago, Republican Bob Ehrlich.
And this will be interesting. This is one of the first times we'll see Barack Obama at an actual rally. He's been campaigning a lot this year, but mostly fundraisers. This is going to be an actual rally we haven't seen that many of those, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And so we also hear the president will be making a stop in Chicago, his old hometown. Who is he campaigning for?
STEINHAUSER: Yes. Among the things that he'll be doing in Chicago is campaigning for Alexi Giannoulis, who was the State Treasurer in Illinois and who's the Democrats nominee for the Senate seat there. It's a very tough re-election right now between him and Mark Kirk, the Congressman from the Chicago area, the Republican nominee.
And remember, this is Barack Obama's old Senate seat. This is the one he stepped down from in late 2008 after he won the presidency. The Democrats really would like to keep this Senate seat as well as Joe Biden's old Senate seat in Delaware in party hands, Fred.
WHITFIELD: OK. And then at the end of the week, he's not done. We're expecting that the last job numbers will be coming out. So, clearly, the president is likely to have to comment on that or at least will be asked about it no matter what the outcome.
STEINHAUSER: Oh, no doubt. And, you know, I like to say and I think a lot of people would agree that the unemployment report is probably are even the most important number in politics right now. And this, as you said, would be the last one.
On Friday, the Labor Department will release September's unemployment level. Right now it's 9.6 percent unless it, you know, plummets dramatically, and I don't think anybody expects that. This will be difficult for the Democrats with unemployment hovering near 10 percent.
Take a look at this. This is our recent CNN Opinion Research Corporation National Poll. We asked who is more to blame for the economic mess right now, more responsible for the economic problems in the country. And you can see more people say Republicans than Democrats by six percent. But then, if you go to the next board, we asked which party would be more likely to improve economic conditions in this country and again, though, the Republicans come out on top. And why is this important? Because the economy, of course, is the top issue with people and it's the top issue for them when they go to vote on November 2nd, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes. And continues to be. All right. Thanks so much, Paul Steinhauser. Appreciate that from Washington. Appreciate it.
STEINHAUSER: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: OK. Also coming up, a second helping of viral video rewind. Josh, what's in store for us today?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, we have fun stuff for you, Fred, of course.
WHITFIELD: Of course.
LEVS: We have this animated social commentary. OK. This one is not fun, but it's cool. It's about war and it's now being considered for the most creative video in the world. We also have really fun stuff. A giant baby, like an actual giant baby. We have Beyonce crashing a house party, and, folks, we have this. Take a look.
What is Mike Tyson doing? All of this is up next in "Viral Video Rewind".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Welcome back to the NEWSROOM. A look at our top stories right now.
A new alert for Americans traveling in Europe, the U.S. State Department is advising Americans to be aware of their surroundings and to be cautious especially at tourist sites, in airports and when they are using public transportation. The department says the alert is based on information suggesting that al Qaeda and affiliated groups continue to plan terror attacks in Europe.
And 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 for the 57th year in a row, lawmakers and members of the High Court attended Red Mass. It's celebrated every year for members of the legal profession and it's held the day before the U.S. Supreme Court begins its new term. Critics say it's an unhealthy mix of politics, law and religion.
We know you love viral video so that's why we have rewind. You get to see it again and sometimes you get to see more on Sunday and that's today. Like these celebrities in spandex.
LEVS: I know you want to see Mike Tyson.
WHITFIELD: So that's what I saw, Mike Tyson. Oh, I'm excited about Mike Tyson's spandex, yes. No, I want to know about this dance move. What (ph)?
LEVS: As part of the inherent humor of it all, right?
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: Let's get right to it the ones that we're talking about. Check it out, everybody. Return of a classic pop.
Oh, my God. So it's Mike Tyson. This is put together by Wayne Brady. We all know Wayne Brady sings.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: He's also a comedian. He dreamed up this entire thing. This skit of Bobby Brown's mega '80s hit "Every Little Step." It' is for funnyordie.com. And Bobby Brown himself, see, showed up to mix it up a little bit.
WHITFIELD: Hey, OK.
LEVS: Kind of giving his stamp of approval.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: Yes?
WHITFIELD: Rather than saying OK. Yes, I like this song, why not? You know?
LEVS: OK. So that's what happened -
WHITFIELD: I'm not going to have anybody else do my tune. I'm going to do it.
LEVS: I know. Well, yes. He's like I'm going to keep owning this thing.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: But it was pretty funny. And we were saying, Mike Tyson was funny in "The Hangover" but I think he's even funnier there.
WHITFIELD: Hilarious. I think "The Hangover", I mean, he probably displayed humor somewhere else but "Hangover" maybe - maybe it was one of my first introductions to him and humor.
LEVS: Right.
WHITFIELD: And now maybe he's not interesting (ph).
LEVS: See?
WHITFIELD: Oh, you've got something here. You got to run with it.
LEVS: That's a good point. You're right. They broke it down (ph) in the movie. Now, they are here. Wow. Good analysis from Fred. WHITFIELD: Sure. And see somebody's age (ph).
LEVS: For that he did it pretty well. So that's what happens when you got a music video with choreography.
How about when like a superstar just crashes a dance party?
WHITFIELD: Oh.
LEVS: Take a look at this. Beyonce -
WHITFIELD: And that have to be fun.
LEVS: -- just drops in -
WHITFIELD: No.
LEVS: -- on this block party -
WHITFIELD: Where?
LEVS: -- in Jersey.
WHITFIELD: Oh, in -
LEVS: -- and she crashed this block party and then basically took over. They're in West Orange, New Jersey. There you see, JC's mom.
WHITFIELD: oh.
LEVS: She just starts dancing with these girls.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that's - how did she know this dance?
LEVS: Woman, I can't (INAUDIBLE). You know what? I don't know. I don't know. I don't mind it (ph).
WHITFIELD: But what's interesting is that electric slide. That's not the electric -
LEVS: I think it is electric slide.
WHITFIELD: -- the electric slide that I was doing?
LEVS: And I know that's what I'm doing, it's like the new wave version.
WHITFIELD: (INAUDIBLE).
LEVS: Meanwhile, OK, look at what a superstar she is. Like, if you didn't know who she was, you just see this like block party, who's the superstar?
WHITFIELD: It's very (INAUDIBLE) electric slide now.
LEVS: Yes. They've got their own thing going. WHITFIELD: Right. But that's cool.
LEVS: I don't know.
WHITFIELD: Very fun. Love it.
LEVS: It must be really cool for them.
WHITFIELD: Very great to drop in on a block party.
LEVS: I know.
WHITFIELD: This could be the most memorable block party ever -
LEVS: In their lives.
WHITFIELD: - there. You said East Orange?
LEVS: West.
WHITFIELD: In West Orange, New Jersey.
LEVS: Yes, in Jersey.
WHITFIELD: Cool.
LEVS: I know. Lucky them.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: OK. Talk about amazing. Look at this. Amazing. Watch it closely and then you'll see in slow-mo. The web goes wild over this shot. Look, the dude is hanging on. I know it's hard to see middle of your screen. Boom! In the hoop. Now, skip to the next section I put together.
WHITFIELD: No. He did not.
LEVS: The next section of the video they go in slow mo. Watch this. This stuff is so impressive. And break.com does a great job of gathering a lot of these clips.
WHITFIELD: No way.
LEVS: It's going to go in.
WHITFIELD: You know, I'm a skeptic.
LEVS: It's going. It's going.
WHITFIELD: No. No.
LEVS: And it's in there.
WHITFIELD: That's amazing.
LEVS: Now, you can think, did they fake it? Was it something?
WHITFIELD: Look at him. No way!
LEVS: We don't know how many times they tried. I don't see signs that it's fake. I guess if you keep trying that eventually.
WHITFIELD: That's a great shot (ph). I don't know.
LEVS: Amazing.
WHITFIELD: Chances of that, that's pretty amazing.
LEVS: By the way, at the end, I'll show you all our (INAUDIBLE) and see it for yourself.
WHITFIELD: Sure.
LEVS: All right. A little bit on the serious turn. This is cool. I told you in the past that YouTube and the Guggenheim have this competition now for most innovative video in the world.
WHITFIELD: Right. I remember that.
LEVS: So there's 125 in the short list. So we've been piecing through some more of them.
WHITFIELD: OK.
LEVS: This one is an interesting social commentary. It's about if wars were instead dances - I know it sounds confusing. Take a look here. They have - it starts off with this image. A lot of people checking this one out. It's a little kid basically reading a history book and they're showing when you read history you end up seeing like all of the stuff about war.
So then she imagines what if instead they worked everything out and they're dancing. All right. So with people looking at the short list, this is just another example of the innovative creative funky stuff that people are excited about, one of 125 now that might win most creative video in the world.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. Innovative for sure -
LEVS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: -- and happy.
LEVS: And one reason I want to go back to this is that it is from that collection, that short list, where we bring you today's Fredricka's relaxation moment, moment of relaxation. And this is a video about the need to relax.
WHITFIELD: Oh.
LEVS: All right. Take a look at this. Here it is.
WHITFIELD: I'll endorse that I'm sure.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Contemporary America. We love fast things. Fast cars, fast meals, microwaves, one night stands, instant credit, overnight express, cable modems, amphetamines (ph), pizza delivery, Mc-everything, what did we do before e-mail? I don't have time to write letters, read books, visit my friends, play with my little brother.
LEVS: All right. She's going crazy. And what you're going to see next is all of a sudden, all this wildness, all this craziness is going to come to a massive halt and she will suddenly feel like she's somewhere else and that's what everyone is saying. Look at that.
WHITFIELD: I want to get away.
LEVS: Just take another lifestyle. See. Just imagine that you're at the beach and relax and stay calm.
WHITFIELD: Yes. That's right. Use your imagination if you can't actually have a plane ticket to go somewhere.
LEVS: See. And everything else around you can go backwards. Doesn't matter so much anymore.
WHITFIELD: That was soothing.
LEVS: Yes. You just calm down, right?
WHITFIELD: It's all about going back to the basics.
LEVS: Back to the basics.
WHITFIELD: You know?
LEVS: I just worry about a lot of stuff too (ph), but it's sort of (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: Time to get a little too overwhelmed. It's too much going on.
LEVS: Yes. Go to your happy place.
WHITFIELD: Cut it down.
LEVS: The happy place.
WHITFIELD: Yes, imagination is free.
LEVS: Also on the short list. Al right. Now I'm going to bring you all back up. I promise before the break a giant baby.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes.
LEVS: You've never seen this kind of big baby.
WHITFIELD: Oh, OK. LEVS: Look at this big baby.
WHITFIELD: You're freaking me out here.
LEVS: This is our iReport this week.
WHITFIELD: Oh, God.
LEVS: Look at that thing and look how realistic it is.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: iReporter Kyle Burtom came about this in a visit to Shanghai Expo in Shanghai, China. And there's bubbles around it. It's a crying baby. People were probably mesmerized and captivated by it because it's so realistic.
WHITFIELD: Now, is it a model?
LEVS: It is - you know, I have to find out how they physically move it, but I know that they model it after an actual baby and it's that Expo there.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my God.
LEVS: It's huge.
WHITFIELD: Yes. I guess it's one of the electronic digital - you know, or some kind of a robotic thing. It's just - yes, a big old doll -
LEVS: It's amazing.
WHITFIELD: -- type of thing.
LEVS: It's amazing.
WHITFIELD: That is amazing.
LEVS: And good, we haven't got the wrap yet.
WHITFIELD: I like the bubbles. I like the bubble effects.
LEVS: I get to get one more. This is so much fun.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes. Thank you. We've got time.
LEVS: Because yesterday I started to show you one and we had to run. So I want to do a little bit more on this guy because this guy is a phenom online.
WHITFIELD: Oh.
LEVS: I kind of showed him for a second and said we have to go. Bye.
So his name his Dub FX. WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: All right. Take a look at this. Real name Benjamin Stanford. He's a music producer -
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes.
LEVS: -- who performs on the street, right?
WHITFIELD: Yes, yes, yes.
LEVS: He uses only his voice and a loop station and the base effects pedal to create his own layered compositions. He's so well known now this is actually selling out tours of Europe. Let me show you what happens. He records some stuff in front of you and then he loops that and then loops something else and something else and now let's skip to the next section of the video. I want to show you the kind of harmony he creates in front of you.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEVS: Just he didn't happen to have any instrumentation, just what he did with his own feet right in front of you. And he has become this phenom. And now, this filmmaker, Ben Dawson (ph) documented this and people are going wild about it online having a field day with it.
WHITFIELD: Where did you say this was out at again?
LEVS: This - he travels all over the world.
WHITFIELD: Oh, he travels everywhere. OK. Cool.
LEVS: He's sold out tours in Europe and in Russia and he plans to tour the U.S. next year (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: Wow. How about this?
LEVS: These guys are just cool.
WHITFIELD: People are creative. It's, you know, and that's the great forum that you have here of just kind of incorporating all these different expressions of creativity -
LEVS: Right.
WHITFIELD: -- innovation out there and we get to see it without getting on a plane and going.
LEVS: Exactly. Actually (ph) celebrating.
WHITFIELD: It's all right here.
LEVS: And I got (INAUDIBLE) here. Got to wrap. OK. So here's where the list is, let's go to that list. It's Facebook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN, the whole list is up there for you. Check it out. Send me your favorites and we will have them next time. And I just noticed seeing myself in the monitor, I can't do this anymore because I look like I'm trying to sell you a car.
WHITFIELD: I like it. Good job. Lots of fun.
All right. You know this guy?
LEVS: I do?
WHITFIELD: George Wallace.
LEVS: Oh, yes. Yes, yes.
WHITFIELD: Comedian. You see him everywhere. You've seen him in "Seinfeld". You've seen him on standup. You've seen him on the "Red Foxx Show".
Well, guess what? Now you're going to see him right here in Atlanta, in the CNN studio. He's going to talk about his show on the Vegas Strip. He's passing through on the way back to Vegas.
LEVS: I'm sticking around.
WHITFIELD: Yes. The security's well (ph). But we're glad he's here.
George Wallace, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. We need to tell you about a new travel alert for Americans. The advisory issued today by the U.S. State Department says information indicates that al Qaeda and its affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks in Europe. The alert urges Americans there to be conscious of their surroundings and to be aware of the potential for terrorists to target tourist sites, airports and mass transit.
Many Americans are at U.S. airports right now with tickets in hand, heading to Europe. CNN's Stephanie Elam caught up with some of them to see if the travel alert was in any way impacting their plans.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Fred, for most of the people that we talked to, really, it's just about continuing on with your day, continuing on with your plans, even if that involves going to Europe.
We talked to a few people today and they're say, you know what? I planned these trips a while ago. Plane tickets are expensive in this economy and I'm not going to give up on my travel plans. In fact, here are a couple of people that we spoke to today here at Newark Airport.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's just normal for me. I'm - we're just cautious when we're in an - an unusual area to begin with. And air travel is so common, we're either - where we're from, we're 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'd prefer you not traveling, or if something more than just being diligent to saying we have a lot more activity.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I made the arrangements so - six months ago. It would probably take an incident of some sort where there was real danger.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because you only live once. I mean, what are you going to do? I can't let these people terrorize me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ELAM: Now, with that in mind, it's interesting to note that other 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. It wasn't anywhere else until we told her about it.
And then, the other woman says she heard about it before she left California, but it really didn't impact her. She says it's 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're being very diligent about what they're hearing. I just want to read this statement that we have here for you. They're 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's the deputy commissioner of the New York Police Department.
So as far as we're concerned, as far as the people that we've spoken to, it's really business as usual. Travel. Do what you need to do. Just be more aware of yourself as you're heading abroad, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Good deal. Thanks so much, Stephanie Elam.
So the intelligence community has been following new details about possible terror attacks in Europe for several days now. One nugget of information suggests that a commando attack similar to the one seen in Mumbai two years ago could be launched. The Mumbai attack made American police reexamine their own ability to handle such a brazen assault.
Here now is CNN's Jeanne Meserve. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mumbai was a low tech, high impact attack. Terrorists armed with only semiautomatic weapons, grenades and bombs hit multiple civilian targets in quick succession.
Back in 2008, as they watched the carnage, the chaos, the 60-hour siege, some U.S. police officials had this thought.
ASSISTANT CHIEF PATRICK BURKE, WASHINGTON METRO POLICE: We're not ready for that specific type of attack, especially on soft targets.
MESERVE: Los Angeles and New York immediately dispatched personnel to India to learn all they could. There was one big take away.
DEPUTY CHIEF MICHAEL DOWNING, LOS ANGELES POLICE: You have to put the threat down immediately, and you have to run toward the fire, not - not away from it.
MESERVE: Now, every police recruit in New York is given some heavy weapons instruction, and 250 officers have been trained and equipped to reinforce the department's emergency team.
The NYPD, knowing the Mumbai attackers moved by boat, has identified 100 sensitive locations in the harbor. New technologies help identify suspicious people and vessels, and schematics have been reviewed in case a boat is taken over.
DEPUTY INSPECTOR DAVID DRISCOLL, NEW YORK POLICE: We know how to take control of certain ships and where fuel turnoffs are.
MESERVE: In New York and in Washington, the lay outs of hotels, transit hubs and other potential targets have been mapped in case police have to get in or hostages have to get out. Police are also learning how to harness technologies like surveillance cameras and cell phones so they can use them and attackers cannot.
BURKE: Making sure that these persons, these terrorists potentially don't have access to each other, and making sure that they're not getting information from public sources that they can use to our detriment.
MESERVE: Some police now exercise how to counter the tactics used in Mumbai, even as they watch for new innovations in the terrorist playbook.
RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER: You have to be careful not to fight yesterday's war. You have to look over the horizon.
MESERVE: But if Mumbai is the template for an attack here, at least New York, Washington and Los Angeles feel better prepared.
DOWNING: Well, I hope it wouldn't last more than 30 minutes before we contain it and neutralize it. MESERVE (on camera): Making preparations like this is expensive. Not every city can afford to do it. Not every city is ready for an attack like Mumbai.
Jeanne Meserve, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. So much serious news. Well, we've got a guest here, a man who gives you a few reasons to laugh, right after this.
Look familiar? There he is. Mr. - the new Mr. Las Vegas -- George Wallace. Catch your breath. Right after this.
Let me get you some water.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now.
Rutgers University will hold a vigil tonight for a 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, and police say they taped Clementi's sexual encounter without his knowledge and broadcast it live on the web.
China's premiere says his country's huge stimulus plan has created economic growth. Premiere Wen Jiabao appeared on CNN's "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS" earlier today, and Wen also said despite the financial crisis in the U.S., he has not lost faith in the economic management of the world's largest economy.
And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is urging Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to keep peace talks going after Palestinian leaders call for an end to the talks.
At issue, Israeli settlement building. A settlement construction freeze expired last Sunday. Palestinian leaders say they want it extended or they will leave the talks. Israel has not yet agreed to reinstating the freeze.
So if you want a good laugh, actor and comedian George Wallace is your man. He's been part of some of the most popular sitcoms of our time, shows like "Seinfeld," "Red Foxx Show". And for the past seven years, he's had his own show at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, and we're lucky (INAUDIBLE) that George Wallace is here, right here in Atlanta.
In Atlanta because you live here. You live in Vegas. You live everywhere. You (INAUDIBLE).
GEORGE WALLACE, COMEDIAN: I live in New York. I live - yes. I live everywhere. I live at United and Delta. That's where I live, at the - at the airports.
WHITFIELD: And they love that.
WALLACE: I'm at the airport in Atlanta. Have you gone through the new metal detector?
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: They got a new one where you don't have to take your shoe off. You don't have to take your hat -
(CROSSTALK).
WALLACE: And a lot of people don't like it. They say it's an invasion of privacy.
Well, it didn't bother me. I walked through that machine. I found out I had a ruptured spleen, two slip disk and enlarged prostate. And - because it saved me $2,800. I was on my way to the doctor. So -
WHITFIELD: So by being in so many airports, being in so many cities, you get a lot of your material just in your travels, don't you? The stuff just kind of falls in your lap.
WALLACE: It's just - you know, life is good, and that's what's good about living. And, you know, you can just laugh about everything, you know, like just coming to Atlanta, you can laugh and get off the plane and some of the stupid stuff that - sort of some of the things people say.
Like I just saw my uncle, and he lives in (INAUDIBLE), right? Rich, but he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Give me the person that will ask you a question and then answers it at the same time? I've got an -
WHITFIELD: That happens all the time.
WALLACE: All the time.
WHITFIELD: Just excited about talking. They really want to hear themselves.
WALLACE: He'll ask a stupid - how did you all get up here? Walk? Well, where your dad, at work?
WHITFIELD: And you're like are you going to let me answer this time (ph)?
WALLACE: What time you get off? Six o'clock?
No, he answers them. He - all - what's your mama cooking, chicken? Why you walking like that, boy? Your feet hurt? They ask you the question and answer it at the same time, so you can just laugh.
And then another thing here in Atlanta. I'm at the 7-Eleven store today.
WHITFIELD: Yes. WALLACE: I'm the only customer in the store. Cashier says to me, you next? And I'm looking around -
WHITFIELD: Like, who else is here?
WALLACE: I says - I says, excuse me? Are you next? Well, why don't we just wait until the next customer come through the door.
Now, I'm at the 7-Eleven. I had a pint of Haagen-Dazs ice cream, a loaf of bread, three bananas, six Coca-colas -
WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh.
WALLACE: -- "Wall Street Journal", honey bun, moon pie -
WHITFIELD: You've gone birthday shopping.
WALLACE: -- and three bags of pork rinds. Cashier says, you want a bag?
I just - I just laugh at stuff like that. (INAUDIBLE) - it's just stupid stuff.
WHITFIELD: So just common, everyday occurrences become, you know, part of your material. You keep it current, not just because it's funny little things that happen in your moments. I call them kind of "Seinfeld" moments. You were on "Seinfeld Show" so I think you could probably appreciate that.
Just regular, ordinary stuff, but at the same time, you know, you try to incorporate kind of current events, news events into, you know, your - your show. But you say, you know what? It's something that the entire family can enjoy.
WALLACE: You can bring everybody at my show in Las Vegas. You can - five years up. It's a PG show. Five years up. I take everybody's money. Because the kids coming to my show, they're going to fall asleep late at night, you know? So I don't care. So we talk about everything.
I have the most diversified group in Las Vegas. I have young people, old people, black people, white people, hip-hoppers and gang bangers. And my generation - I'm so blessed to have all these people and all these - we just talk about everything, from the - the stupid commercials that are on.
Well, it's not a commercial, but I went into the Verizon store the other day, Fredricka. There were 20 people in line, but only two people working. Twenty people in line, only two people working. You know me, I'll be thinking. And I shout out as loud as I could, "Hey! Where's that network? Where are those 2,000 people supposed to be following me around everywhere I go?"
WHITFIELD: And are people looking at you like, who is this crazy guy? Or are they realizing, oh, OK. We get that (ph).
WALLACE: Well, they know - they know - well, yes, yes, yes.
WHITFIELD: George Wallace.
WALLACE: I may - I'm just going, yes, yes, yes.
So anything in life - I go to church, I laugh. I go to - if you can't do anything in church - I'm a serious person, but you got to laugh (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: So how do you keep it clean? Because, you know, there are - you know, when you - when you talk about going to stand ups, or, you know, people think comedy this - in this day and age, whether it's on HBO, that it's got to be dirty. It's got to be risque in order to be funny.
How to you keep it clean and keep it humorous and why do you do that as opposed to kind of -
WALLACE: You did a "Seinfeld" moment there, didn't you? Why -
WHITFIELD: Why? I tell, I love "Seinfeld".
WALLACE: Well, that my best friend for 35 years. You didn't know that, did you?
WHITFIELD: I didn't.
WALLACE: That's my best friend for 35 years. Yes.
WHITFIELD: Oh? It's fantastic.
WALLACE: And he'll be - he's watching us right now.
WHITFIELD: OK.
WALLACE: Matter of fact, he already - everybody's texting me, going, "Are you going to be on with that beautiful lady in the black dress?" I'm going, yes.
WHITFIELD: No.
WALLACE: But you keep it clean. It's harder to do clean jokes. And Seinfeld, Jay Leno and myself and few others, we grew up - Letterman, we grew up in an era when you had to do jokes to get on "The Tonight Show."
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: And that's - it's tougher to do clean jokes, but it's much more rewarding, and we just know - that's how we do it now because you just make a joke like - I did a clean joke the other night about the people in my show from New Orleans.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: And there were - and some of the people down there were still complaining about Mr. Obama. They say he didn't do enough about the oil spill. So I take a - what do you want him to do? I mean - I mean, what do you want him to do? Put on - you know, put on a life jacket and get his little skinny butt out in the ocean and then plug it up with a sham wow.
You know, little things like that. It doesn't - it's just moments -
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: -- that pop out of my head that are just funny.
You know, I'm saying, he's the president. He's not Aquaman. And you just - you just roll with it. Stupid things people say, you know?
I'm walking through the airport in Atlanta and some lady said to me this morning - I got my luggage. Say, "Mr. Wallace, what are you doing at the airport? Are you going somewhere?" I mean, stupid stuff like that. That's right.
WHITFIELD: Like why else would I be here?
WALLACE: I just - I come out here to do my laundry. I just make up stuff, you know? So -
WHITFIELD: Do you like being called the New Mr. Las Vegas?
WALLACE: Mr. - I'm the new Mr. Vegas. Wayne Newton is new - is Mr. Las Vegas.
WHITFIELD: Las Vegas.
WALLACE: And when I came there many years ago, I wanted to be like Wayne. I wanted to be like all of those guys, you know? And I'm blessed to be working the same stage that Sammy Davis Jr. worked.
And every night, I mention that on stage, how I'm blessed, because - he walked on that stage every night and had to go through the kitchen to work that very stage. And every night I think about it. I said he would be surprised today if he were alive to know that we're still going through that damn kitchen.
WHITFIELD: OK.
So what is the transition been like for you? You know, being in Vegas, you know, Wayne Newton, you know. He's still performing there. You've got a lot of, kind of, you know, vintage Vegas, and then you've got Prince. You also have this kind of private shows.
WALLACE: No. We've got some new people in now. There's a new group.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: I'm one of the first people to go on there. You've got Bette Midler, who's one of my favorites. Man, she just left. She's there. Cher's there. Prince came in and blew the place away. He would come to my show, like, four or five times. I just -- that's - that's what my show is like. You never know who's going to show up. Tom Jones, Aretha Franklin -
WHITFIELD: So do you like people on the stage? I mean, take me there, because I (INAUDIBLE). I guess I better get to Vegas -
(CROSSTALK)
WALLACE: Prince comes up on stage with me. Tom Jones come up on stage. William Shatner, Denzel Washington. You ever heard of Denzel Washington? The one (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: Right.
WALLACE: He goes to my church.
WHITFIELD: I'm sure.
WALLACE: He goes to my church and - so we'd make - I make jokes about him coming to church.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: Like, at my church, if you ever come to Los Angeles, you go to West Angeles Church of God in Christ. You'll see people like Magic Johnson, OK? We built a new church, and Magic Johnson donated $5 million. Denzel Washington gave $7.5 million.
I don't make as much money as they do, but I'm just as blessed as they are. I pledged $1 million.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
WALLACE: That's what I tell - well, you know, that's what I pledged.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Oh, I see. You didn't give it yet.
WALLACE: No. I might send it in -
WHITFIELD: You haven't written the check yet (ph).
WALLACE: -- I might not.
I could have pledged $10 million.
WHITFIELD: But it's bold to make a pledge.
WALLACE: It's going to be $30 a week, if anybody (INAUDIBLE), you know? So -
WHITFIELD: Yes. It counts for something.
WALLACE: Stevie Wonder goes there.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: Oh, my God, is he a nice man. He loved to tell jokes. He's going to come out in Las Vegas and do jokes on my stage.
WHITFIELD: So do they make it for - do they make it known to you that, hey, you know, George, you know, Stevie Wonder's just walked in? Do they sit right up front? Because, you know, nobody wants to sit --
(CROSSTALK)
WALLACE: They sit in my booth. They sit in my booth because I have to pay for their drinks.
WHITFIELD: They send to your booth, so you know they're there?
WALLACE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And then do you sometimes just invite them on the stage and say come and join me?
WALLACE: Always. For the first time in 25 years, I had Sly and the Family Stone on my stage. Jennifer Holiday. You never know who going to - you never know what's going to happen.
WHITFIELD: Has it ever gone wrong?
WALLACE: No. Never goes wrong, because it's all about fun. And you never know what I'm going to do. I give away diamonds. I give away trips, cruises. It's just a fun show. I gave away a car last month.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: I gave away the little smart car. You know the little smart car?
WHITFIELD: Yes, yes. I love that.
WALLACE: A lady won it in Tucson, Arizona, and I put it in an envelope and I mailed it to her.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
WALLACE: Just fold it right there (ph).
WHITFIELD: So how do you keep it fresh? OK, so seven years. Do you see, you know, the next seven years, next couple years? When folks come to your show, what should they expect?
WALLACE: That's what I - I got people coming back 17 times now. It's just - that's why I have to change it up.
WHITFIELD: You have to change it every time.
WALLACE: I have to watch TV every day. I have to watch Paula Dean, and I got to watch, you know, food shows.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: I got to - I got to pay attention to food. I got to do everything. I got to do sports.
I mean, like I had Barry Bonds on my show. He's still in good shape and - and I was asking him about it because they said he was -
WHITFIELD: You had him talking about the serious stuff? Like do you talk -
(CROSSTALK)
WALLACE: Well, I ask him about - you know, because they said he was on steroids, and I said I don't know what you're on, but any time anybody can bunt the ball out of the park, you're doing something.
WHITFIELD: Well, what a pleasure.
WALLACE: And I talk about the people - just - just, this is life. It's a lot of fun. Just - just living every day and enjoying life. That's what it's all about.
WHITFIELD: You have to feel very proud that for a few decades now, you've been able to, you know, stay funny and just reinvent yourself and stay current, whether it's "Seinfeld," whether it's "Red Foxx Show," whether it's being on "Leno" and -
WALLACE: No. You know what's staying current? Staying current is watching CNN. That's what we do. We call this the Comedy News Network. That's what - that's all -
WHITFIELD: You really watch us (ph)?
WALLACE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: OK.
WALLACE: You - we have to take the serious news and take the twist on it.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: That's what we do.
WHITFIELD: Isn't that tough, though? Aren't there certain topics that you want to stay away from?
WALLACE: No. You can talk about everything. You can talk about death. You make people happy, and my job is to make people happy.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
WALLACE: Talk about the economy, like I went to McDonald's this morning. I ordered a double cheeseburger, and they took the one I had and just folded it over, you know?
You can talk about anything. You just - you can talk about the people in the - in the audience sometimes, they're looking for jobs. I say, well, there's going to be some more jobs because I was talking to Mr. Obama this morning and he said he was going to build some more unemployment offices, so there's going to be some work in the construction industry.
You can just - you can take all kinds of things. Just stupid things people say in the commercials and -
WHITFIELD: Well, thank goodness you still have that job in Las Vegas.
WALLACE: Well, something good is going to happen to you whether you like it or not. I'm at the Flamingo.
WHITFIELD: At the Flamingo.
WALLACE: At the fabulous Flamingo. And I tell you, I want everybody listening and watching now, call that - 702-733-3333.
WHITFIELD: OK.
WALLACE: 702-733-3333. Ask for the George Wallace BFF code, best friend forever, and you get $20 off the VIP ticket. I'm - I just gave somebody (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: I love it. You sure did.
WALLACE: And when you come to the show - and anybody - you come to the show. You're my guest, OK?
WHITFIELD: Yes. I'm coming.
WALLACE: I'm going to take you to dinner. And - are you married?
WHITFIELD: I like it. Yes. My husband will come. No? Not interested?
OK, hubby will you let me go to Vegas? Hang out with George Wallace.
WALLACE: Yes. I'll bring - I'll bring - bring your husband. I'm just kidding there.
But you were wonderful.
WHITFIELD: OK. George Wallace, good to see you.
WALLACE: Thank you so much for having me.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much.
WALLACE: And God bless you, and something good's going to happen to you, whether you like it or not.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
WALLACE: Any time.
WHITFIELD: See you next in Vegas. We'll be right back.
WALLACE: You're good (ph).
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much for joining me in the NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. I'll see you back here next weekend.
Don Lemon is up next with more of the day's headlines.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
