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Cholera Outbreak Hits Haiti; Fireworks at Florida Senate Debate; Extremists Target Tea Party; Alcohol/Drug Abuse Becomes Problem for Working Mothers; Races Heat up; The Latest Trends in Video Conferencing

Aired October 24, 2010 - 18:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Right now on CNN: the Senate debate down in Florida that nearly turned into a wrestling match. It was nasty. It was personal. And it was hosted by CNN. So, we'll take you behind the scenes.

And a young American swimming champion cut down in the prime of his life right in the middle of an overseas competition found dead in the ocean. His coach is here to tell us what happened.

And uncovering a growing and disturbing trend: drunken moms -- mothers taking to the bottle when the kids, the job and the husband become too much to handle.

(MUSIC)

LEMON: We begin in Haiti tonight where a fast-moving infectious disease has already killed 253 people, sickened at least 3,000, and is well on its way to becoming the next big international tragedy. And to make matters worse, cholera has reached the crowded capital of Port-au-Prince. It is a story we'll be following next week, and CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta and his team are headed there now.

But our Paula Newton is already on the ground and what she is witnessing in tent cities and in hospitals, the sick and the dying, is unjust unbelievable.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're now on the grounds of the hospital here at St. Nicholas and people are lining up to try and get the treatment they need. In many times, they're feeling terribly. They are vomiting. They have diarrhea.

As you can see down here, even children are just sprawled out in the open air just waiting for something, for someone, to come and help them.

There are many people here just lined up. We've spoken to many people who haven't had care for several hours, in some cases, one or two days. The staff here are doing the best they can but, as can you see, people continue to line up.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Paula Newton joins us live.

Paula, five cases so far at least in Port-au-Prince, just the beginning.

NEWTON: They hope not.

Those five people came from the area where I am right now and as you said, this is the epicenter of what is going on here. It is not good news and I'll tell you why. Those people traveled from this rural region to Port-au-Prince and that, of course, goes on here all day long. And that's why they're saying to really expect it not to hit Port-au-Prince is a bit too much to hope for.

On the other hand, they do believe that they can mitigate a lot of the worst effects of cholera by just making sure people use preventive means, cleaning their hands, making sure they have clean water, and also, setting up those isolation centers where people can be treated for cholera quickly in isolation.

I can tell you, Don, here, we only just started this process and the scenes here up to now have been horrific.

LEMON: So, listen -- is there a sense of panic or calm? What's going on throughout the rest of the country, Paula?

NEWTON: Well, when word of mouth spreads that perhaps there are other cases confirmed, look, I'm going to be graphic about this, Don, people have diarrhea here a lot. And, so, of course, they get panicked and they go to the hospital. But what we're talking about with cholera is severe diarrhea and vomiting, and that's why you can really die from it so quickly. People are going to seek medical help if they feel they need to but the panic is unfortunately right here where I am.

You know, Don, just moments ago, we saw yet another person carried off to the morgue. We saw another person who completely collapsed in front of us even though we're on the outskirts of the isolation unit, clearly had no control over his bold functions anymore and was going into shock. These are the kinds of scenes that we're seeing right now.

And health officials say, look, give us 10 more hours, two more days -- they really hope by the middle of next week, they will have not just a lot of the treatment centers in place and that involves isolating people, but a lot of those preventive measures will be in place.

LEMON: Paula, thank you. And remember, all of this is happening down in Haiti as a result -- partially as a result of last January's devastating earthquake.

Again, Paula Newton is there, and CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta headed over with the team as well. We appreciate it.

Let's move down to Florida now and talk politics. It's perhaps the most hostile debate of the political season scene right here on CNN.

It is a race for Florida's open Senate seat -- Governor Charlie Crist running as an independent now, Republican Marco Rubio, and Democrat Kendrick Meeks. Crist and Rubio especially were gunning for each other and it's a good thing that Meeks was in the middle -- sitting in the middle there because Crist brought up old reports that Rubio used Republican Party credit card to pay for personal items like groceries and repairs to the family minivan.

Look at the drama.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CNN'S STATE OF THE UNION)

MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA SENATE CANDIDATE: Any time we get into the issues, the governor wants to turn it into something else because he's wrong on the issues. So, the bottom line is: let me say on the ideologue --

(CROSSTALK)

GOV. CHARLIE CRIST (I), FLORIDA SENATE CANDIDATE: Why won't you release your RPOF credit card and clear this up?

RUBIO: On the ideologue issue -- on the ideologue issues, as of today, I have now been --

CRIST: Why is there a federal investigation into your reporting income?

RUBIO: This is just one litany of falsehoods after another.

CANDY CROWLEY, HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Well, why don't you -- maybe he would let you -- why don't you -- can you answer this question, and then we'll --

(CROSSTALK)

CRIST: -- across the state of Florida for the past year.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why not release the fully IRS records, the full credit cards statements from what you charged on the card?

RUBIO: Adam, these questions have been answered now since February. My tax returns are public. I've gone well beyond the point of disclosure. The bottom line is: people want to focus on these issues because they're wrong on the important issues. This country has a $13.5 trillion debt. This country has --

CRIST: He doesn't want to release them because he doesn't believe in transparency. I created the Office of Open Government in the governor's office for the first time in the history of our state.

RUBIO: I've never had a heckler at the debate. I've always had them in the audience.

(LAUGHTER) (END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: CNN's senior political director -- editor, I should say, Mark Preston, joins us now.

Mark, you were in the room. There's no love lost here. What was it like in the room? You could cut the tension, couldn't you?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Yes, you absolutely could. You know, at the beginning of the debate, they were very cordial. They were talking about taxes. By end, I literally thought that Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio were going to start swinging at one another.

And thank God, as you said, that Kendrick Meek was in the middle of them. As a former football player, he kind of sat back. But certainly he was certainly in a good position to keep things safe and sane, Don.

LEMON: Yes. You know, we say that Rubio and Crist were, but Meek, he got something in as well. I want you to pay attention to this exchange, Mark, and then we'll talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRIST: Ideological arguments without common sense, you know, compromising to do what's right for the people. You're seeing it right here right now. That's why I'm running as an independent is to give the people of Florida a choice.

KENDRICK MEEK (D), FLORIDA SENATE CANDIDATE: Let me just say this -- let me just say this -- let me say this. All right, we know why the governor is running as an independent because he couldn't beat Marco Rubio, OK? Let's just -- let's just put it that way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was one that really just sort of cut to the chase and was probably one of the most honest exchanges there. And it's showing up in the polls because Crist is behind, isn't he? And what Meek said was true.

PRESTON: It is true. And let's just give our viewers the back story. We'll start with the Rubio exchange. Charlie Crist very upset that Marco Rubio pushed him out of the Republican primary. Kendrick Meek, very upset at Charlie Crist because Charlie Crist is eating into his Democratic support. So, not only are they political enemies, but there's a lot of personal animosity.

Right now, the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation/"TIME" magazine poll shows that Marco Rubio has a 14-point lead over Charlie Crist, and a 26-point lead over Kendrick Meek. So, I think, that's what we saw in the state today, a lot of frustration from Charlie Crist, a lot of frustration there from Kendrick Meek.

LEMON: Boy, it's getting down to the wire and as it gets closer, it gets nastier as well.

Mark Preston, thank you. We'll see you in just a little bit.

You know, the spotlight stays on Florida. Be sure to watch CNN tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. It's a "JOHN KING, USA" special, the Florida gubernatorial candidates' debate. John King moderates the showdown right here on CNN, tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

You know, is the Tea Party providing cover for hate groups? An investigation by a leading magazine says that's exactly what's happening. What was discovered? Just ahead.

Plus, a U.S. swimmer, an Olympic hopeful, dies suddenly while competing. We're learning more about his death.

And we want you to be part of this show as well. Make sure you send a message on Twitter or Facebook. Check out our blog, CNN.com/Don. And we're at Foursquare.com as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A provocative magazine investigation to tell you about now with midterm elections just nine days away. "Essence" magazine now reports right wing extremists are gravitating toward the Tea Party and its strong anti-government message.

I spoke with CNN's political producer, Shannon Travis, who has traveled extensively with the Tea Party and with "Essence" editor-in- chief Angela Burt-Murray about her magazine's article on white supremacists trying to infiltrate the Tea Party.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANGELA BURT-MURRAY, EDITOR IN CHIEF, ESSENCE: Our reporter Jeanne Sykes (ph) spent six months travelling around the country and going to various white supremacist meetings, gatherings to really take a pulse on what these people are talking about. And what they've done is really interesting, because they've gotten quite sophisticated about their message.

And they understand that in order to be a part of the Tea Party conversation, which is now the national conversation, they've got to tone down their hate message in order -- so that the Tea Party does not turn against them, because the Tea Party doesn't want to be painted with the hate group brush because they know they'll be discredited immediately.

LEMON: You're saying because of the outrage and because of the voice the Tea Party has --

BURT-MURRAY: Exactly. Exactly.

LEMON: -- and how they feel about the country that some of these groups find fertile ground here.

BURT-MURRAY: Right. And it's interesting because Washington University Institute did a study that shows members of the Tea Party are 25 percent more likely to have feelings about race that show them that African-Americans are untrustworthy, are lazy, and are, you know, more likely to be involved in criminal activity. So, the white supremacist groups are seeing an entry point to allow them to be a part of that conversation.

LEMON: And you got that story. You had to hire journalists, right?

BURT-MURRAY: We did. We had to hire a white journalist to go to these meetings and organizations. We're an African-American publication. So, you know, we couldn't necessarily send one of our writers to go in there and really hear what people had to talk about. So, it's really a fascinating journey.

LEMON: Are people of the Tea Party well aware of this?

BURT-MURRAY: We do seem to see from our reporting that they're aware of it. And, you know, the Tea Party is certainly interested in getting their numbers up and things like that. But, again, it's a very delicate dance because they don't want to be painted with a hate brush -- because again, it will discredit their message immediately.

LEMON: So, Shannon, you spent a lot of time with the Tea Party. You have an hour-long documentary coming up next weekend here on CNN.

What's your experience in regards to this fringe hate groups within the Tea Party, as the reporting that "Essence" magazine is doing?

SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: You know, my experience, Don, is that you absolutely see certain fringe elements when you go, attend some of these Tea Party rallies -- as I traveled along with them, as you said, for many months now. But they're not pervasive. They are not across the board.

I mean, by and large, most of the people there that I run into, they're mothers and fathers, or, you know, doctors, lawyers, policemen or what-have-you -- by and large, I would say that the masses, the most of them, are not a part of these fringe groups or fringe elements. But you absolutely see some of these groups there. I just came back from Ohio, an event in Ohio, some other places I've travelled to, across Colorado, following the Tea Party movement.

So, they are there. It's just a question of how pervasive, how many.

LEMON: Yes.

TRAVIS: And in terms of this point of infiltration, how deeply they've infiltrated the movement.

LEMON: Well, here's a question, Shannon -- some people asked Angela if they were aware. They said they are aware to some point.

When they are aware and you being there, do they denounce these people? Do they tell them to get out? What's their response to those folks?

TRAVIS: It's not just a matter of them denouncing it to me privately. They've denounced it publicly. Amy Kramer, who's the chairperson of the Tea Party Express, she's even gone on "The View" and looked into the camera and said, "If you are a racist and you want to be part of this movement, we don't want you."

Let me give you an example, an anecdotal example. I was following Sarah Palin at a huge Boston Tea Party rally back in April. And it was, you know, by and large, the same kind of scorched earth rhetoric against the government and the economy or what-have-you.

But there was one guy there. He was holding up a sign that -- and I'm quoting here -- it said, quote, "White people are pissed." I went to go and talk to him and see what it was about, but a group of people surrounded him, saying, "Why are you here, what is this for, and what is it about?" It turns out that the guy was actually kind of heckling the people there. This wasn't him making a statement --

LEMON: And so, they wanted to shut him down. They wanted to shut him down.

TRAVIS: They shut him down.

LEMON: And, Angela --

(CROSSTALK)

BURT-MURRAY: Yes, I mean, it's interesting --

TRAVIS: Right. It's not that they shut him down. They did shut him down.

BURT-MURRAY: Right. And the white hate groups, they are sophisticated and they understand that they cannot come out of the closet in, you know, full sheet regalia and go to these events.

So, even when you look at to their Web sites, like the white nationalist organization Stormfront, if you look at their Web site, they actually give tips on telling their members how to try to infiltrate Tea Party organizations and how you have to tone down the rhetoric. You can't hand out, you know, KKK flyers and stuff like that, you have to find common ground within the Tea Party and then bring them in to your deeper message.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: You can read that entire investigation in November issue of "Essence" magazine, and you can watch this entire interview on our blog, CNN.com/Don.

Why are thousands of people flocking to a tiny Mississippi town? One word: Oprah!

And at least some people are calling it the biggest change in aviation in 50 years. Just be ready to pony up a little cash -- a lot of cash as a matter of fact.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's check your top stories right now on CNN.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is defending his decision to disband most private security firms working in his country. Both the U.S. and U.N. worry the move could leave development groups vulnerable to attack. The only exception would be firms protecting embassies and diplomats. Without the protection, some aid groups may pull out of Afghanistan.

What is left of typhoon Megi is soaking southeastern China tonight with torrential rains. The storm has been downgraded to a tropical depression but the damage has already done. Thirteen inches of rain fell on coastal villages, forcing the evacuation of more than 300,000 people. No deaths have been reported in China, but nearly 60 people died earlier in the Philippines and Taiwan.

A 26-year-old American swim star died today during a competition in the United Arab Emirates. Fran Crippen, a standout open water swimmer and former NCAA champion was competing in the 10-kilometer Marathon Swimming World Cup. He died during the last leg of the race and his body was recovered about two hours later.

Preliminary tests indicate he died of a heart attack. University of Virginia graduate, Crippen was from an accomplished family of swimmers.

Next hour, we'll speak with one of Crippen's former coaches about his tragic death. Make sure you join us.

You know, for most of us, flying isn't all it is cracked up to be anymore -- long lines, delays, extra fees. But for weekend pilots who want to just have some fun, there's a new way to take off.

Gary Tuchman shows us in today's "Edge of Discovery."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Soaring over these California canyons is the ICON A5. It's an example of the FAA's newest class of plane called light sport aircraft.

KIRK HAWKINS, ICON AIRCRAFT: It's been called the biggest change in aviation in 50 years.

TUCHMAN: To fly it, you'll need a sport pilot license that typically costs less and requires less training than beginner pilots needed before. But the license also comes with more restrictions. Pilots can't fly light sport aircraft at altitudes higher than 10,000 feet, in bad weather, at night or in congested air space.

Designers say this bad boy is made for fun, not commuting or long distance travel. HAWKINS: This airplane is designed to take you and get you out and let you explore the planet in a very visceral, interactive way, in a way that will just blow you away.

TUCHMAN: It's still a prototype. In addition to being able to take off and land in the water, engineers say the final version will have folding wings and a sports car-inspired cockpit, all for a cool $139,000.

Gary Tuchman, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: That is one of the coolest things I've seen recently. You like that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes.

LEMON: Yes, very nice.

This is a growing and disturbing trend: Mothers turning to alcohol and drugs when life as a wife, a mother and a worker becomes too much for them. We're taking a few minutes to talk about this important topic coming up.

And you've heard of people stealing copper wiring from homes and businesses to make money, but this thief had a really tragic ending.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK. Moms, dads, husbands, wives, pay attention to this next story. It's a very important one because next month, "Working Mother" magazine will focus on a dirty, big secret that many families are facing right now. Mom works, she cooks, she cleans, and when the kids go to bed, she picks up the bottle, she drinks. We're talking about alcohol.

The November issue reveals just how common alcohol and drug addiction is among working moms.

"Working Mother" editor-in-chief Suzanne Riss is here with us. And we also welcome Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, a recovering alcoholic and mom blogger.

Thanks to both of you for joining us tonight.

So, Suzanne --

STEFANIE WILDER-TAYLOR, RECOVERING ALCOHOLIC AND BLOGGER: Hi.

LEMON: -- you started looking to this after, remember that thing that happened with New York with the mother, Diane Schuler, she crashed her car last year, killing herself and then seven others. An autopsy showed that she had been drinking and smoking pot.

So, Suzanne, how big a problem is this with working moms and do you think that the economy is a big factor here?

SUZANNE RISS, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "WORKING MOTHER": Well, the Diane Schuler case definitely haunted us because we couldn't really -- there was a disconnect between this cable executive who was raising two kids, seemingly had it all together, and then, according to police reports, was drunk and high when she crashed her car.

And when we looked into it, looked into addicts in general, what we learned is that many adds I can't hide a secret. They seem like they have it all together, but actually, inside, they're dying, and they're also in trouble because they're responsible for kids.

LEMON: How prevalent --

RISS: This is a big --

LEMON: -- how prevalent is this? How many families, how many kids come in contact with moms who are facing alcoholism?

RISS: There are one in four kids whose parent is an alcoholic, and the problem is actually on the rise in terms of women. Twice as many women are turning to alcohol over the last decade, and we see the use -- abuse, rather, of prescription medication quadrupling.

LEMON: OK.

RISS: So, these are both on the rise.

LEMON: So, according to your reporting, that's -- man, that is amazing. One in four, that's very interesting.

Stefanie, you have formed an online group for moms who are alcoholics because it's such a big deal. So, what's been the response for that? Are women realizing that they are sick and they have been -- had some suspicion all along? Are they getting help by your Web site?

WILDER-TAYLOR: Well, I think that one of the big problems is that so many women are ashamed because I think we all have to be disabused of this notion that alcoholics are, you know, living under a bridge down in Bushmills, you know, or crying in their bathroom drinking mouthwash. I mean, there are so many people that are just like me and like many other women who just, you know, nightly turn to too much wine and it becomes a problem at a certain point. You can't stop.

So, I think that by me coming out and talking about this and then blogging about it allowed a lot of women to see themselves in my story, which is not so extreme. And those women really need the support to quit and they found in my blog a Yahoo! group. And, yes, it's way more women than I ever thought possible.

LEMON: Stefanie, I want our audience to be clear about this. I just want to get across. You just -- you talked about it a little bit.

WILDER-TAYLOR: Yes.

LEMON: But you used to write books, that sort of made light of the fact that you drank and then later, you had to admit that you had a serious problem with alcohol.

WILDER-TAYLOR: Yes.

LEMON: So, there is a big difference. Most moms, especially these days, if you have kids and you're married and you have a job, you're an overachiever. So, you know how to hide it.

So, give us some wisdom from someone who knows.

WILDER-TAYLOR: Well, it's really difficult because it's something that only you know if you're suffering from. I mean, for me, I didn't know I was an alcoholic. I really thought I was, you know, an alcohol enthusiast. I thought I really liked to drink. I couldn't imagine that, you know, people didn't like it the way I did.

And then at a certain point, I had a lot of extra stressors in my life and one thing led to another and I realized -- wow, I'm drinking way too much.

So, I think for the mom at home, if you're really wondering if you have a drinking problem, chances are good that you do.

LEMON: Yes.

WILDER-TAYLOR: I don't think that people that don't have drinking problems are sitting around going -- oh, my God, I wonder if I drink too much.

LEMON: Yes. And, Suzanne --

WILDER-TAYLOR: That's one way. But --

LEMON: Suzanne, Stefanie has a point here, because, you know, she realized but not every -- not every woman or mother realizes that. And your article next month's tells the story of two career moms who hid their addiction for years, even decades.

RISS: Yes. There was one mom who had a rule. She would drink after her kids were in bed when she did the house cleaning. She went to her job all day, fed her kids, put them to sleep and then she would drink until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning while she was folding laundry and she was able to continue with that, except it got progressively worse. And she started drinking earlier in the day and people found out. So this is something that women can hide for a long time until it gets so intense, it progresses so much that the secret's out.

LEMON: The November issue of "Working Mothers" magazine. And then also, what is your web site? What's the web site?

RISS: Workingmother.com

WILDER-TAYLOR: Stefaniewildertaylor.com. Oh, sorry. LEMON: Stefanie, go ahead in that.

WILDER-TAYLOR: It's stefaniewildertaylor.com. And on my web site, you can find a link to our Yahoo! group, the booze-free brigade.

LEMON: I want people to know about the magazine and the web site because I think people should get help and I think it's underreported. And good job bringing light to it.

We appreciate it. Thanks to both of you.

WILDER-TAYLOR: Thank you.

RISS: Thank you.

LEMON: Karl Rove has been pretty clear about his feelings for Sarah Palin, but does he think she would make a good president? That, plus President Barack Obama out on the campaign trail, and former President Bill Clinton stomping in the Midwest. That's in today's "Political Ticker."

And video conferencing, convenient? Yes. Always reliable? No. That's about to change though.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Man, oh man, nine days until voters head to the polls. Only nine days, everyone. The excitement is building for the midterms and beyond.

And CNN's deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser, joins me now from our political desk in Washington.

I was talking to you, it was the day before yesterday, and I said, 11 more shopping days until midterm elections.

(LAUGHTER)

So it's getting close.

Listen, Paul, good to see you. I hear Karl Rove had something interesting to say today about Sarah Palin. What was that?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, you know, the former -- the former top adviser to President Bush and, of course, he was the political mastermind behind both the Bush's election victories in the presidential contest.

But you're right, Don, he's not been maybe the biggest fan of Sarah Palin. He was asked would she make a good president. This is how he responded. He said, "I don't know whether she's going to run or not, and if she runs, she would be a formidable candidate." But I guess he didn't answer the question.

Palin, talking about Sarah Palin, Don, she's been very visible on the campaign trail this election cycle. In fact, yesterday, we saw her with Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee chairman, at a rally and fund-raiser in Orlando, Florida.

She's not the only person who may want to run for the White House in 2012 who has been very active on the campaign trail.

I'm going to ask John Bennett, our cameraman, to zoom in on the "Political Ticker." Let's talk about Haley Barbour, the Mississippi governor and chairman of the Republican Governor's Association. He kicks off a five-day, 13-state tour across the country to campaign with fellow -- for fellow Republicans. And joining him will be Tim Pawlenty, among others. Time Pawlenty, the Minnesota governor, also thinking maybe about running for the White House -- Don?

LEMON: I get confused sometimes watching television. I think it's 2008, because I see President Obama all over the place. I'm like, wait a minute, he's already won. Then I think it's the '90s, because I see Bill Clinton everywhere. So I'm not sure. What's Bill Clinton -- is he on the ballot? What's going on?

STEINHAUSER: The president isn't on there, neither is the former president. But you're right. He's become a rock star this election cycle for Democratic candidates. He's been everywhere on the campaign trail. About an hour ago, he was in Anne Arbor, Michigan, campaigning for John Dingell, long-time congressman, Democratic Congressman in Michigan, who often wins his elections by huge numbers. So if Dingle is needing the help of the former president, you can tell that's sign of the times.

Don, a little later tonight, former Bill Clinton heads up to Minnesota. He's going to do a little tailgating. He's going to mix football and politics to help out a state lawmaker who is challenging Michele Bachmann, a congressman who is a big favorite of the Tea Party movement -- Don?

LEMON: All right, thank you, Paul.

You know a lot of people know what's happening nationwide because we've been covering it. A lot of people don't know, Paul, a lot about their local election. We're going to help them out. So thank you for that.

For the latest news, go to CNNpolitics.com.

More political news at the top of the hour with our folks at the political desk.

But since we have you, we're talking about CNN.com, this is CNN.com/politics. This is where you can go here to find out about the races not making national headlines or what's going on in your area. So go to CNNpolitics.com, and once you go here to "More" from "Election Center." You click on the "Election Center" button and here is what it will look like. I'm sure you know your zip code. Punch it in and it will tell you exactly what's going on in your area. We punched in the zip code for Georgia, where we are here, and there it goes, it shows, oh, for U.S. Senate, Johnny Isaacson, Governor Sonny Perdue. And voter registration deadline is October 4th. Everything really that you need to know. Most everything is on there. Not everything. You may have to look further for some questions or for more information, but there you go. Even tells you the total income, total spent on the campaign. All of that, even if it's just, if you need to know what's going on with your legislature, who's running for sheriff, or what have you, it should be on the site. It's CNNpolitics.com and go to "Election Center" to find out what's happening in your area. News can you use right there.

We're looking at what's making news coming up this weekend, including "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." It's back in court.

And the earnings report that could affect your portfolio.

Plus, run amok in Kansas City. How much damage can one chimp do? A chimp, not a chip, a chimp.

(LAUGHTER)

A lot if her name is Sue.

Stop laughing at me.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's check some of your top stories right now.

The cholera outbreak in Haiti has now claimed at least 253 lives. Another 3,000 people are ill from the deadly and highly infectious disease. Even more disturbing, five cases are now confirmed in Port- au-Prince, a city full of crowded camps after last January's massive earthquake.

More than 1,000 Yemeni soldiers and security forces have launched an assault in a region of the country thought to be harboring terrorists. The operation follows a government ultimatum to local tribes to eradicate al Qaeda operatives. A cleric linked to the Christmas day bombing attempt aboard a U.S. airliner and the Ft. Hood massacre is believed to be hiding in that region.

Police in Southgate, California, say a man was killed and a woman critically burned while trying to steal copper wire from an electrical transformer that exploded. Officers say the woman was burned when she grabbed her husband trying to save him. Two children believed to belong to the couple were found in a truck near that scene. They were unharmed and taken into protective custody.

It's time to look ahead at the news stories that we will be covering in the week ahead. We begin tonight in Washington, D.C.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian at the White House. After campaigning hard out West for Democrats, the president hits the campaign trail on the east coast, starting out Monday in Rhode Island, where he will be attending a fund-raiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. There's not a hotly contested senate race in Rhode Island, but Democrats there want to hang onto that House seat being vacated by the retiring Patrick Kennedy. Then on Saturday, the president campaigns in Pennsylvania, Connecticut and back to Chicago.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Chris Lawrence. Coming up this week at the Pentagon, military leaders will still be dealing with the fallout of the WikiLeaks release of nearly 400,000 documents from the Iraq war.

They're going to keep a close eye on the Ninth Circuit Court in California as it rules on whether "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" stays or goes for the next few months while that court is considering an appeal.

For that matter, Pentagon leaders will be keeping a close eye on the lead-up to the election because there's a spending bill and also Congress is handling of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," that could hinge on how this next election plays out.

POPPY HARLOW, HOST, CNN MONEY: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. A big week ahead for the economy and Wall Street. We'll be watching all of it. At the beginning of the week, both new and existing home sales will be released. We'll also get the latest reading on home prices across 20 major U.S. cities. We'll see if there's been any improvement whatsoever in the housing market.

And corporate earning seasons rolls out. We'll hear from Conoco Phillips and Exxon, they'll report their numbers, along with Visa and Microsoft. Then at the end of the week, we'll get the weekly jobless claims and we'll also get the first reading on third-quarter GDP. That's critical to see how the U.S. economy is faring. We'll track it all on "CNN Money."

A.J. HAMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm "Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer, and here's what we're watching this week. Janet Jackson is sitting down with the ladies of "The View," Monday. Everyone is wondering how she's doing more than a year after Michael's death.

Also, will Bristol Palin survive another round of "Dancing with the Stars." We'll be right there on the set of the show.

"Showbiz Tonight" is live at 5:00 p.m. eastern on HLN and we are still TV's most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m. eastern and pacific.

LEMON: Thank you very much, guys.

CNN's international desk editor, Azadeh Ansari, is here with stories we'll be watching overseas.

Oh, man, Haiti, cholera, last thing they needed and now in Port- au-Prince.

AZADEH ANSARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL DESK EDITOR: The numbers keep growing, Don. We're at 253, 3,000 infected. If they don't quarantine this somehow, it's going to spread. and that's our number one story going into next week.

LEMON: The worst fear was it was going to reach Port-au-Prince because of the tent cities and it's already been devastated since the earthquake in January.

Another sad story to talk about. in the United Arab Emirates, the kid swimming.

AZADEH ANSARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL DESK EDITOR: Fran Crippen, the 26-year-old star open water swimmer, died in the last leg of this race. We know this story. The investigation is still under way as to why he died. Doctors are pointing the finger to severe fatigue being the main cause. But his body is going to be turned over to the U.S. swimming federation going on Monday.

LEMON: Obviously, in the ocean, two hours to find -- it took them to find it. Do we know what happened? Is it because it was -- it wasn't in a contained area or what?

ANSARI: Possibly, but again, the investigation still under way to figure out all those details. and I know you have an interview coming up with this coach in the next hour or so. I'd be curious to see what --

LEMON: Coach is going to come. We're also going to learn more about the WikiLeaks and the hikers in Iran, all implicated in that report, and that will be following.

Azadeh Ansari, thank you very much. We appreciate it. Have a good week ahead.

ANSARI: Thank you.

LEMON: The -- work from home, see and talk to your loved ones online world is about to get even better. Video chat is taking a big technological leap.

And the mystery donation made this week at the World Trade Center site. We'll tell you about that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Video chatting lets you visit with your friends and family a continent away or seal a deal without leaving your office, but if you get frustrated when the picture freezes or the sound skips, you see it when we do satellite things here, you got to check out the new technology. You don't even need a computer to use most of the new technology though. You don't even need a computer to use most of it.

Tech wiz, Katie Linendoll, is here to show us how it works.

You've got the latest trends in video conferencing. I know how you need the 3-D glasses. Are those the new video conferencing glasses?

KATIE LINENDOLL, CNN TECH EXPERT: No, Don, they're not. And I just want to tell everybody that during the break, you told me they looked like your grandma's glasses.

(LAUGHTER) I just want to call you out.

LEMON: But my grandma had really cool glasses.

(LAUGHTER)

And everything old is new again.

LINENDOLL: Right.

LEMON: Sorry.

LINENDOLL: Right.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: Cat woman. Halloween. I don't know.

LINENDOLL: Yes.

LEMON: OK, carry on.

LINENDOLL: OK, we're talking about video chatting this week.

(LAUGHTER)

And I think this is really cool because this is like the latest trend in technology. Let's start with the mobile world. We're really seeing this evolution happen. On the mobile side, we're seeing a number of phones come out with this video chatting capability. Apple made an announcement that not only can you use iPhone 4 to chat, you can now pop into a Mac and ping them and go mobile to a computer, which is pretty nice. But you might say, I've been on Skype for years, video chatting is free. And finally, Skype is becoming a household word. They have these video phones too. I didn't even know this existed and I'm like enthroned in the gadget world.

LEMON: I like those. I've seen those. Those are cool.

LINENDOLL: Yes. It's like 250 bucks. It's like a video phone. It's for the older people so they don't have to, like, tie into a computer or download anything. It makes it really easy.

But let's talk about the future. Skype is now built into TVs. This is where the Jetson stuff comes in. If you have one of those units Skype is built into, you can video chat on a much larger footprint right on your television, which is pretty remarkable. And I think this is where things are going.

Also, in the next few weeks, we're going to see a Cisco Uni come out. This is groundbreaking because it brings in what they call tele- presence. Forget this choppy, low-quality video resolution. This comes right through your television, using a Cisco Uni, a 780P 720, high quality. and again, no use for a computer, no use for that small print, right into your television. LEMON: Really cool. I wish I had known that. I went out and got the iPhone 4. I wish we could have done face time because of that new technology.

LINENDOLL: Yes. We could have done that.

LEMON: You know how many times I've done face time? Probably three times because the other person has to have it. If not, may as well have a regular old phone.

LINENDOLL: Yes, I think you're on to something. A lot of these devices are not compliant with other devices. I get it. It's like a business.

LEMON: Right.

LINENDOLL: But it makes it tricky. Also, there's a really high- price point on a lot of these, which I think will be a challenge. I was telling you about that --

LEMON: Yes, how much is all this stuff you're talking about?

LINENDOLL: Yes, the video phone for Skype is 250, which is kind of high. But it's a one-time fee, which is kind of nice. But the Cisco Uni that I was telling you was right for your television, you don't have to buy a new TV like Skype. It's just a secondary device you put on top of your TV. It's 600 bucks and a $25 monthly fee, so I think that's going to be a challenge, even though we're still at this early adopter phase.

LEMON: All right, Katie, thank you very much, and thank your glasses as well.

LINENDOLL: Good time.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: See you next week.

Look at that face.

Can we go tight on Katie? Katie, let's look at that face. Just Katie.

Why would you want to cover that up with those glasses? Look at you.

(LAUGHTER)

I'm getting the "got to go" in my ear. It's getting weird.

LINENDOLL: Thanks, Don.

(LAUGHTER)

Always. Always. LEMON: Thank you, Katie. Enjoyed it.

Thousands of people making their way to a small town in central Mississippi. Why? It's all because of Oprah.

And police investigating a foul odor in this car where they make a gruesome discovery. The driver had a lot of explaining to do.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: For a lot of people, your afternoons probably may never be the same once the Oprah show closes up shop this season after 25 years. As her mega-popular show draws to an end, we're going back to see where it all started for the queen of TV talk.

CNN's photojournalist, Ken Tellis (ph), takes us to the spot where she found her first fans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIMMY COCKROFT, MAYOR OF KOSCIUSKO, MISSISSIPPI: I'd like to welcome you to Mississippi, a population of 7,372 people. We are located geographically in the center of the state and proud to be the birthplace of Oprah Winfrey.

TONYA THREAT, V.P., KOSCIUSKO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: We are on Oprah Winfrey Road and we are standing at the sight of her first home. She was born her and left when she was 6 years old. This was the community that she grew up in. And she would walk from this spot, where her house was to her church, which is just down the road about quarter of a mile.

COCKROFT: This is the original Buffalo Church, where she did face her first audience.

THREAT: When Oprah performed in front of her first audience at the church, it was an Easter recital, and she wore, just as all of the children did at that time, a paper mache dress. All the little girls had paper mache dresses that they wore as their costumes.

We have about 35,000 tourists that come through our Visitors and Information Center in a year's time. We have bus tours and we have four to five bus tours a year and they all come to Oprah Winfrey Road. We have people that come from within the United States and then we have international visitors that come here as well.

COCKROFT: This is her gift back to her community. This is the Oprah Winfrey Boys and Girls Club. What you see here today, Mr. Winfrey funded 100 percent. Inside, you have a gymnasium, an art room, a music room, a computer lab. Upstairs, they have a teen center.

This is grass roots Mississippi. You can go anywhere in any country in Mississippi and find a spot just like this on a small country road. And to come from this to where Oprah is today, as one of the wealthiest people, not just women, in the world, I think that gives everybody a little hope.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Time to catch up on some of the news you might have missed through the week.

People who keep exotic pets always face the possibility the animal can get out. Then things can get weird. Sue, the 300-pound chimp, did a number on a police car and scared some of our Kansas City neighbors before her owner finally came to the rescue. This was not her first brush with the law though. The 21-year-old chimp -- 21 years old, wow -- has caused numerous legal problems for the people who raised her from infancy. After this last escapade, the city decided Sue belonged in the zoo with other chimps. Probably a good idea.

With the economy the way it is right now, gifts to charities have fallen off in recent months, but there was a pleasant surprise this week when officials opened a 9/11 donation box at the World Trade Center site in New York City. Someone put $10,000 in crisp new bills inside the box. Still no word on who that anonymous donor is.

Police investigating an improperly parked car make a ghoulish discovery. This is one of the strangest stories I've ever heard. A mummified body in the passenger seat. The owner told police she had let a homeless woman sleep in the car then found her dead one morning. The woman said she was afraid to call police, so she carried the decomposing body around for months, covered by a blanket. Police say the body has been identified. The car owner was not charged.