Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Blaming U.N. Peacekeepers for Cholera Outbreak in Haiti; Jay-Z Getting Down to Business; 'Big Plays'; Chevy Volt Does Well at the L.A. Auto Show; The Day's Wacky Videos; Getting that Raise
Aired November 17, 2010 - 10:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. Live from Studio 7 at CNN world headquarters, the news and information you need for this Wednesday, November 17th.
An earthquake, a hurricane, and now riots in Haiti. Angry protesters blame U.N. peacekeepers for cholera in the country.
GM unwraps the Chevy Volt at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. Across the country, GM's new stock gets a giddy welcome on Wall Street.
And rapper Jay-Z gets down to business -- entertainer, mogul and author. He talks to CNN's Poppy Harlow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY-Z, RAPPER: Get involved in things that you love, and also have a standard for yourself and have some sort of integrity, and try to find some sort of truth in what you're doing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris.
Those stories and your comments right here, right now in the CNN NEWSROOM.
First, let's get started with big stories happening live right now.
The Transportation Security Administration's top man on enhanced body scans and pat-downs -- you refuse, you don't fly. John Pistole answering to a Senate committee right now as privacy concerns grow.
President Obama behind closed doors with his national security team this hour for an update on the war in Afghanistan. The administration's report card on the president's surge strategy is expected in mid-December.
And to New York. Federal prosecutor prosecutors discussing accused Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout. The man known as "The Merchant of Death" will be arraigned today after extradition from Thailand. OK. The growing cholera epidemic in Haiti now sparking violence in the city's second largest in Haiti. Angry protesters accuse U.N. peacekeepers of bringing the deadly waterborne disease to the Caribbean nation.
Our Ivan Watson is on the phone.
And Ivan, if you would, what is the situation today?
IVAN WATSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, parts of the city seem calmer. We are seeing peacekeepers sweeping up -- United Nations peacekeepers sweeping up some of the debris from the fighting over the last two days. There are still barricades in the roads, and cars are still not able to move freely through the streets.
I'm right now, Tony, at a cholera treatment center. It's a gym that's been turned into a cholera treatment center.
And as the situation has improved a little bit in the city, since last night Doctors Without Borders, the organization here, says people have been bringing in urgent cases of cholera, victims who are quite sick. He estimates maybe 150 people just since last night, and they're trying to treat them now. Part of the problem was during the riots, people couldn't bring deathly-sick cholera patients to the hospitals to get treated -- Tony.
HARRIS: And Ivan, to be clear, you're in Cape Haitien, and that's the second largest city in Haiti. And my understand is there is no vehicle traffic being allowed where you are right now.
Why is that?
WATSON: Well, this explosion of anger that began on Monday directed against the United Nations peacekeepers, against the government, against the police, succeeded in locking down the city. The United Nations has accused political groups of trying to destabilize the country ahead of presidential elections that are less than two weeks away. But some of the protesters we've talked to say they're angry because there hasn't been enough help to deal with the cholera epidemic.
More than 1,100 people dead in Haiti in a month's time. The first time they've seen cholera in more than 50 years, and many patients accused the United Nations, a Nepalese contingent, of bringing cholera to this country. That is an allegation that the U.N. unequivocally denies.
HARRIS: OK. CNN's Ivan Watson for us.
Ivan, appreciate it. Thank you.
Again, the latest figures from the Haitian government show 1,110 people have died of cholera since the outbreak started last month, 18,383 people are hospitalized. The country is still struggling to get back on its feet after the January earthquake killed 230,000 people and left more than a million homeless. We are online, just like you are right now. And here's what's getting a lot of buzz on the internet.
Brandy, the singer Brandy, getting kicked off "Dancing With the Stars" despite having the second highest scores for the season. She earned a perfect score Monday night and she still got the boot.
Now, of course people are pointing out that Bristol Palin, who has remained at the bottom of the leader board for much of the season, including this week, is still very much in the running. What's going on here?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Time to go around the country for a look at news around the nation.
A mother in Indianapolis outraged after a principal's reprimand of her son gets physical. The boy and another student were caught defacing a school bus seat. Right? Video surveillance from the bus shows the principal grabbing the child by the sweatshirt and shaking him, and then forcing him down into the seat.
A fire damages a historic hotel in Logan, Virginia. It took crews about an hour to put out the flames. The fourth floor of the hotel was destroyed, and the rest of the building has extensive smoke and water damage.
Rapper Jay-Z gets down to business. He talks about his career, the role of rap, and much more in a new book.
Poppy Harlow of CNNMoney.com sat down with the music mogul.
Poppy, good to see you. Tell us about the interview.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Good to see you, too, Tony.
You know, you never know what to expect going into an interview like this. He was very candid, very open, thoughtful in his answers. You'll see what I'm talking about when we play part of the interview for you.
But we sat down with him because he just came out with his first book. It's called "Decoded," and in it, what he does is he basically explains how the lyrics of 36 of his songs tell his life story.
It's a fascinating read looking at how he was rose up from being raised in the projects in Brooklyn to where he is now, how successful he is in music and in business.
But interesting, I asked him, "Why did you write the book now? Why did you wait until you were 40 years old?" And he said it actually has to do with where our country is now and a lot to do with President Obama.
Take a listen. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAY-Z: I wanted to make the case that rap is poetry, for one, and, you know, some of the decisions we made to give those decisions context, why these songs are the way they are, why there is this certain gangsta rap. You know, why this is taking place in America. And it just felt like the perfect time to write it.
HARLOW: You've said President Obama had the courage to tell the press that he had your songs on his iPod. You have been a big supporter of his the entire way through.
Has he followed through on the hope that he promised?
JAY-Z: I think he has -- he's on his way to delivering that, but it's impossible for someone to take eight years of our last administration and turn it around in two years. It's very difficult to deliver on everything. You know, I think he's moving in the right direction, yes.
HARLOW: You insist that rap is poetry, and you wrote "Chuck D. famously called hip-hop 'the CNN of the ghetto.'"
Does hip-hop and rap have a responsibility to report and not just entertain, to take it one step further?
JAY-Z: Yes, of course. You know, you can entertain -- it's everything. Rap is entertaining, it's informative, it's provocative, it's funny, it's silly. You know, it's all of these things. So absolutely.
HARLOW: What did you learn on the street? Because you talk about being 13 and selling crack. Did that teach you something of how to be a successful businessman or how we all --
JAY-Z: Yes. All the things that you apply in business. You know, they say that he has great instincts, but, while on the streets, having great instincts can be the difference between life and death, not just losing a deal.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARLOW: And you know, Tony, he went on to say, "Of course I don't condone life on the streets selling drugs." But that was his situation.
He said, "I didn't have any other choice." And he said the lesson of following your instincts, he realized what he had in common with Warren Buffett, the famous investor. They had lunch a few months ago, and he said that was Buffett's advice, as well, follow your instincts and have that trust in any business deal that you do -- Tony.
HARRIS: Boy, I hope folks take the message in that. You have to trust. And it's hard sometimes. You know, you're faced with some circumstances, and it's hard to trust and have faith. But you're right, that is well said, Mr. Jay-Z.
Poppy, appreciate it. Thank you.
HARLOW: You got it.
HARRIS: Let's get a market check here.
Is that Mr. Jay-Z?
We are, let's see, 90 -- better than 90 minutes into the trading day. And take a look at stocks here, the New York Stock Exchange.
We're selling a bit. We are off of session lows, however. We're down 9. The Nasdaq, I believe, is up. So we've got a mixed day going for stocks.
Ryan Stewart is in the House. It is time to talk -- flaps up -- big plays.
Cabbage Patch? Come on now. Are you going to do the Snake here? Is that's what's next?
RYAN STEWART, "2 LIVE STEWS": I will, Tony.
HARRIS: Let's talk sports. Let's talk Michael Vick. And let's talk about the heat I'm taking over our reporting on the Michael Vick story yesterday. Do you want to do that?
In just a minute, we're back with Ryan Stewart in just a moment.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. Ryan Stewart -- let's just dive into this -- co- host of "The 2 Live Stews," the number one sports talk radio show in the country, is with us as we talk a little sports.
How did I end up in the middle of all this hotness over Michael Vick?
STEWART: Because it was hot yesterday, Tony.
HARRIS: It was really hot.
STEWART: Because it was hot.
HARRIS: So here's the thing -- it was hot in the kitchen. OK? And I'm not talking about the back of my neck. It was hot in the kitchen.
So here's the thing. I'm trying to explain what an amazing performance Michael Vick turned in on "Monday Night Football," the premier stage -- right? -- short of the Super Bowl or professional football. I made the point you have to consider this performance in the context of a guy who 18 months ago was in prison. Right? STEWART: Right.
HARRIS: Amazing story, OK? And, Ryan, I was lit up.
STEWART: I agree, it's one of those dynamics where you have a job to do, and you have to inform your --
HARRIS: I think it's fascinating.
STEWART: Exactly. And talking about how great he has become, sometimes you have to be deterred to the demise that dropped him from glory six, seven years ago.
HARRIS: Yes.
STEWART: OK? So I understand where you're coming from in talking about the dog fighting, but the problem comes in, Tony, where a lot of folks did not talk about the greatness that we saw on "Monday Night Football" at all last night.
HARRIS: And we did. We certainly did.
STEWART: You did.
HARRIS: So why did I get lit up?
STEWART: Well, because there are some protectors of Michael Vick.
HARRIS: Yes. I agree, yes.
STEWART: And a lot of people don't feel as though he has been justly treated since the dog fighting situation. People don't feel as though he was justly treated prior to the dog fighting situation. And, of course, that will come along racial lines.
HARRIS: OK.
STEWART: I'm telling you the truth.
HARRIS: It's what's in the room when you have this discussion. Right?
STEWART: Right. The conversation is totally different at my barbershop than it is where I go get my morning paper. It's totally different.
HARRIS: It's totally different. Where you get your morning paper, the conversation is about what?
STEWART: Oh, it's about Mike Vick and how bad he is and how he's not going to succeed.
HARRIS: At the barbershop it is?
STEWART: "We love him. He's an MVP," which he really is right now.
HARRIS: OK.
STEWART: Right now, a 115 quarterback rating --
HARRIS: Oh, come on.
STEWART: -- no interceptions, no fumbles. Every game he started his team has won. He's playing incredible football.
HARRIS: But you and your brother have taken an interesting position, I think, on how you report the Michael Vick story moving forward. Tell everybody what your position is on this.
STEWART: Right. Tony, we've simply decided that we are not going to talk about the 18-month stint that he spent in jail for dog fighting.
HARRIS: Now, why are you taking that position? You said he's moving on.
STEWART: Because he's past that now. That's in the past. We're moving forward.
This guy has done a phenomenal feat. He's incredible on the field right now.
He's studying as a professional. He's succeeding. His team is following him. He is a true leader.
HARRIS: Yes.
STEWART: So we've decided that when it comes to talking about Michael Vick, we're going to talk about the success story and what he's doing for the Philadelphia Eagles to get them to the Super Bowl, instead of talking about his demise when he was at the roughest point of his life.
HARRIS: And don't you believe that as he continues to stack up accolades, the story of -- and I'm going to say it again, and I'm going to get blown up again -- the story of the demise moves farther and farther down in the story of Michael Vick? It's no longer the third paragraph. Maybe it's the 10th paragraph to be written.
STEWART: As the book continues to be written, we will move away from the situation that he was a part of. But that all depends on him continuing to do the right thing and staying out of trouble.
HARRIS: Wow. So I was lit up. I was called everything but --
STEWART: You were the devil.
HARRIS: I was the devil. Yee!
Cam Newton, the outstanding quarterback for the Auburn Tigers, what is happening with this story? What do you see happening down the road here?
STEWART: Well, everything is still alleged, but the latest thing is, John Bond, the snitch/narc that spilled the beans on Cam and his father's situation in the first place, he sat down with the FBI here recently. We don't know what was said.
In my personal opinion, Tony, I think it's just a matter of time before he is deemed ineligible. That's just my thoughts.
HARRIS: Right.
STEWART: I think where there's smoke, there's fire. But it's still all alleged. He's still playing incredible football. And if I was the Auburn Tigers, or the administration, I would continue to let him play at this point, too. Maybe they won't find anything.
(CROSSTALK)
HARRIS: So get the -- win the national title, apologize for it later and give it back later.
STEWART: Right. Take it back from me in five years or in two years, but I want it for right now.
HARRIS: Ryan, it's good to see you.
STEWART: Same here, Tony.
HARRIS: Our best to your brother.
We're back in a moment.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Leave me alone, America!
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK. If you're clicking on it, posting about it, digital expert Derek Dodge is tracking it for us.
Derek, here is something that's trending this hour. It's National Unfriend Day on Facebook. What's that all about?
DEREK DODGE, CNN PRODUCER: OK. This is something that comedian Jimmy Kimmel has thought up. It's kind of a comedic bit/publicity stunt. But the whole idea is people have too many friends on Facebook.
So, Tony, I want to ask you -- this may be a personal question, but how many friends do you have on Facebook? HARRIS: You know what? I had a lot, and they're not really friends. Many of them weren't really friends. So I started to -- is it "unfriend" or "de-friend"? What is it, unfriend?
DODGE: Unfriend.
HARRIS: Yes. So I literally have 19 friends, because they're really friends. What a concept.
DODGE: Well, that would make Jimmy Kimmel happy, because he thinks if you have more than 120 friends, then you should start unfriending people because they're not really your friends.
HARRIS: Yes.
DODGE: I don't know if I agree with that, but he got some help from some country music superstars, Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker.
Take a look at this video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": We've had a couple -- but we go now to Rochester, New York, where country music superstars Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker are on stage.
Are they ready? OK.
Ready here now to ring in a new day in unfriendship. Take it away, fellows.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): To all of the friends I've earned (ph) before, who sent me quizzes about "Jersey Shore" --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Nice.
DODGE: So I don't know if I really agree. I mean, I feel like -- I have 200 friends on Facebook. They're actually all my friends.
HARRIS: OK.
DODGE: I don't think that's too many. But this is definitely what people are talking about.
HARRIS: Yes. I love that folks are talking about it. This is a good conversation to have. I mean, 200 friends. And they're not all your close friends.
DODGE: But they are.
HARRIS: They are?
DODGE: If I ran into them on the street, I would totally say hello to them and be happy to see them. I would give them my phone number, which is --
HARRIS: You don't run into close friends on the street. You arrange to meet close friends.
DODGE: But, see, that's what Facebook is for, is to keep in touch with all your high school friends, your college friends.
HARRIS: Right. Oh, lord. I don't want to talk to any of them.
DODGE: There's a lot of them.
HARRIS: All right, Derek. Appreciate it. Thank you.
My high school friends?
The automobile putting hard times in the rearview mirror and driving into the future. Live to Los Angeles for the Los Angeles Auto Show.
We're back in a moment. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Let's do this -- let's check some live pictures from our tower cams right now.
A White House meeting between President Obama and top congressional Democrat and Republicans leaders has been postponed. It is now set for November 30th, and here's the reason. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader John Boehner said they had scheduling conflicts.
On Capitol Hill, leadership elections in the House for the incoming Congress. Democrats are meeting right now. Republicans, this afternoon. A lot of eyes will be on current Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is hoping to be elected minority leader in the new Congress.
On the West Coast, car lovers' delight. The Los Angeles auto show is under way. On display, a lot of concept cars you might be seeing on the highway in the next few years, and a lot of environmentally-friendly vehicles.
A family business that survived 96 years and four generations is closing its doors, a victim of the sagging economy. Stauffer's Home Furnishings first opened in 1914 as a mom-and-pop general store. It has been selling furniture exclusively for the past 17 years.
Owner Dave Staufer says the economy forced his hand.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE STAUFFER, OWNER, STAUFFER'S HOME FURNISHINGS: I do care about my employees. They're staying with me until the end.
They're going to be looking for work when they leave here. I'm concerned about that. My son is going to be looking for work. And I'm definitely concerned him and his family.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Yes. Stauffer says they plan to close the doors for good in two to three weeks, sometime before Christmas.
General Motors is about to go public again. And because of a change today, the automaker's IPO could be the biggest in history.
Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange with details.
Wait a minute. The biggest in history?
Hi, Alison.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Oh, yes. You know what? Hi, Tony.
You know, investors really want in on this action. GM's IPO first priced out at $10 billion, then it rose to $13 billion. Today, the estimate sitting at about $20 billion.
Expect GM to sell more shares than it originally announced. Now, many of those shares are currently owned by the government, but once those are sold, taxpayers are expected to recoup $11 billion of the $50 billion bailout -- Tony.
HARRIS: So, here's the question, Alison -- will investors like me, like you, be able to get some GM shares?
KOSIK: You know, that's a great question. I mean, think about it. It's going to be really tough if you want to go ahead and buy a share or two tomorrow, Tony.
You know, the fact of the matter is, millions of shares have already been allocated over the past few months. They've been allocated to big banks, institutional investors, fund managers. But taxpayers really want these GM shares to sell.
The more successful this is, the more money we, the taxpayers, make back. So, you know, Tony, we are looking for these shares to sell, and at a higher price.
HARRIS: Wow. So we're the people who bailed them out, and we're the last in line to buy -- OK.
If you would, Alison, give us a quick market check, please.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
HARRIS: So no doubt about it, GM is riding high as the Los Angeles Auto Show gets rolling this week. CNN's Ted Rowlands at the L.A. Convention Center.
Ted, good to see you. Good morning to you. The Chevy Volt -- let's see what we have here -- just named Car of the Year by Motor Trend. The IPO is being priced today, trading starts tomorrow. GM appears to be on a roll.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. Talked to GM folks. They're very excited not only about the IPO, et cetera, but very, very excited about this vehicle, the volt. The first real, full electric vehicle that is in production. They're going to start shipping it in the next few weeks.
You can see here, this is where you plug in your cord, if you will. You get about 25 to 60 miles per charge. You'd have to charge it overnight. There's a gas generator, though, that kicks in after that. Runs about $40,000. GM says when things were going south, this thing was not ever on the chopping block. They say this is the future.
This is Jessica Caldwell from Edmunds.com, a senior analyst.
Bottom line, is GM back?
JESSICA CALDWELL, EDMUNDS.COM: They've definitely come a long way since bankruptcy less than a year ago. They're finally coming out with products like the Volt that people are starting to like, and they're able to sell it without a lot of inventive. I think the jury's still out, but we're seeing a real promising start.
ROWLANDS: A lot of excitement, that's for sure. Fifty different alternative fuel vehicles here at the L.A. Auto Show, Tony. One of the great things about auto shows is you go around and look at the concept cars.
Take a look at this doozy. This is from Jaguar. It is a concept car. And this is an alternative fuel vehicle. Believe it or not, the CX-75. Micro turbines powers two generators. It has an extended range and they claim it could do 205 miles per hour.
Listen to the designer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IAN CALLUM, JAGUAR DESIGN DIRECTOR: We're a sports car company. We can't possibly compromise any of that stuff. So we've got to develop electric cars or alternative fuel cars that still maintain the performance that we're used to.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: Bottom line, Tony, concept cars are the most enjoyable thing about these auto shows. But they usually are never actually produced. The folks at Jaguar say maybe this thing will be for sale someday, still a long way off. What is clear, every single manufacturer has something that they're displaying in the alternative fuel category and they really seem to be pushing it here in L.A.
One note, we were here a couple years ago during the height of the downward spiral of the auto industry, and it was like a morgue here. In fact, see these big lights here that Chevy has now? When we were here two years ago, they didn't have lights. They had barely any personnel. It was really depressing. Things have definitely changed. You can definitely feel it in the industry, the energy moving forward.
HARRIS: Yes, yes. We're still making cars in this country. We need that sector to bounce back and bounce back big time.
Ted, good to see you. Appreciate it. Thank you.
HARRIS: Storms rolled across the Atlantic Coast. We need to check in with our weather team. We'll do that in just a minute. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK, let's take a look at this together. Hey, Rob, take a look at this. Homes, businesses damaged. This looks like -- where are we? In Baltimore?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You probably know this area, Parkvale (sic) I think, or Parkdale -- just northeast of --
HARRIS: Parkville. Parkville. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Yes, I do know that area and I got to call home. OK. Trees and power out, right, to a lot of folks? Was it mainly the Mid-Atlantic that saw the worst of this?
MARCIANO: It was pretty isolated as far as these strong winds. Baltimore saw the worst damage by far. D.C. got some damage. At first, we didn't think there was a tornado, but getting these aerials in about an hour ago, I think we're rethinking that and I'm guessing that they're going to send a storm survey team out there to check it out. When you see roofs torn off like that, I mean, you need substantial winds, if not a small tornado.
HARRIS: Look at that blob of a system there moving up there.
MARCIANO: It continues to move up. These are the official reports of winds that we saw last night in through Delaware, Pennsylvania, and parts of Maryland.
So you get winds anywhere from 48 to 65 miles an hour, that will take down some trees and tree limbs and certainly some power lines. But doing that sort of structural damage to roofs, I think you need a little bit more than that. So it probably was a tornado. We'll get official word from that as we go on through time.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: We've got some wacky video for you.
MARCIANO: I've seen the Santa stuff, I haven't seen this wedding stuff.
HARRIS: Let's start with this. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It falls into that category. Check this out.
The just married couple making their grand entrance. How about this? Yes. Marble floor. Rob, didn't make it to the carpet. Marble floor.
MARCIANO: They are not going to do well in the chicken fight contest.
HARRIS: That had the potential to be concussive, wouldn't you say?
MARCIANO: Yes. They needed to wear some head gear.
HARRIS: Can we just watch it one more time? Why, because --
MARCIANO: I mean, they are a handsome bride and groom. I'll give them that.
HARRIS: How about that? And then there's this wonderful moment, really seemed like a good idea. Dude's upper body strength in question.
MARCIANO: It could have been a factor of the tuxedo being tailored too tightly and him not being able to bend at the knees.
HARRIS: What is going on here?
MARCIANO: This is bad Santa somewhere in a parking garage.
HARRIS: Right.
MARCIANO: Well you didn't get the stumbling part. This comes after the stumbling where he's --
HARRIS: What's he doing?
MARCIANO: He's taking care of business, as we like to say.
HARRIS: OK. Oh, he's wobbly. Oh, oh!
MARCIANO: Oh, I didn't see that part. He, too, needs a helmet underneath the Santa hat.
HARRIS: Recue it!
MARCIANO: That's Santa going to see a man about a reindeer right there.
HARRIS: That might have been a judicious edit right there to jump out of that.
Let's get to a break before these are the last days from Tony and Rob here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
MARCIANO: Oh, goodness.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: OK, as we mentioned, Democratic representatives are meeting to elect their leadership. Let's go to senior Congressional correspondent Dana Bash.
And, Dana, my goodness, you had an interesting conversation just moments ago, didn't you?
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. What's going on behind me is, as you said, the leadership elections for the Democrats in the House. It's been quite controversial that Nancy Pelosi wants to remains the top Democrat, it will be the House Minority Leader. Allen Boyd was a Democrat who was defeated in the elections earlier this month. And he is here, even though he doesn't get a vote, he is here to make it very clear that he thinks Nancy Pelosi running is the wrong thing to do.
Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. F. ALLEN BOYD (D), FLORIDA: The truth is that she is the face that defeated us in this last election. And it seems to me that at some point in time, you have to put your personal agenda and ambitions aside for the good of the country, and certainly of the party. And I don't know how we go into these districts, like the one that I represented, do represent now, will be giving up in January, and recruit good, moderate, Democratic candidates if you have the same leadership team, the exact same leadership team, headed by the same person, that you had in place when he lost that majority.
BASH: Do you feel that your defeat is in part because of Nancy Pelosi?
BOYD: Well, absolutely. I mean, that's not anything that should be in great question because of the tactic that was used by the other side was basically to run against Nancy Pelosi. So I don't think there's any doubt about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BASH: Now what's interesting is that Boyd actually is saying this publicly, but we first heard yesterday that he had this sentiment because he made this clear in closed-door session to Nancy Pelosi herself and every other member of the House Democratic Caucus when they had a very, long session yesterday.
Now I should emphasize again, that he, because he was defeated, does not get a vote in these elections, but he is a so-called Blue Dog conservative Democratic who is not alone and there will be somebody, Heath Shuler of North Carolina who is opposing Nancy Pelosi, it is unlikely he will get the votes, but very interesting that is the sentiment out there.
Should also make it very clear that Pelosi is very likely to get the House minority leader spot because not everybody believes what Allen Boyd believes. A lot of people are behind her and say that she is the right person for this job because of her spirit, because of her energy and because of the fact that she was in large part responsible for getting Democrats into the majority in 2006. HARRIS: Dana, is Representative Boyd in what we call a swing district, a district that is always prone to going one way or another given the facts on the ground in any given election cycle?
BASH: He is from a conservative district in the state of Florida, there is no question about that. And that is why, for the most part, he has sort of voted by way of his district.
I will tell you that he actually voted for health care, and he told us in this interview just moments ago that he doesn't regret that. He says that's what Democrats are supposed to do, they're supposed to vote for the health and well being of people in this country. But it's very interesting to see how outspoken he is about his concerns about Nancy Pelosi remaining the head of the House Democrats.
HARRIS: The conversations Dana Bash is having on the Hill these days.
Dana, good to see you. Thank you.
And taking a look at "Top Stories" right now, a former Soviet military officer known as "The Merchant of Death" facing a judge in New York today. U.S. officials have spent years pursuing Viktor Bout (ph), accused of supplying weapons to war zones around the world. He denies it.
San Francisco and Malibu did it, now L.A. County has banned plastic bags. The ordinance forces supermarkets and pharmacies in unincorporated areas to charge 10 cents for plastic bags. It goes into effect next July.
A dramatic rescue today in Argentina. A 3-year-old girl fell down a dried up well in Buenos Aries some 78-feet deep. Rescue workers lowered a net and pull her out to safety.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Say you got that interview for a new job. If you haven't been getting raises where you are now, you might be tempted to tell a perspective employer you make more than you actually do.
CNN's Stephanie Elam joining us now from New York. And, Stephanie, is this really going to help you get more money?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It's a tricky one. Is that why you're making eyebrows to all the viewers out there just now?
HARRIS: Yes. All of that, all of that.
ELAM: Don't do that. Yes, well, it's really -- think about all the people who for the last couple years, they haven't gotten a raise because of the economy is so poor, they maybe have even taken a pay cut because of this situation. A lot of people may be tempted, but 23 percent of job seekers admit they've lied or would lie during the interview process, according to a vault.com survey.
But you have to be careful. For some jobs like government positions, it's downright illegal to lie about your salary, warns Matt Woller (ph) a behavioral psychologist and he's with getraise.com.
Now other employers may fire you if they find out you fibbed. Woller recommends you treat your relationship with your boss the way you would treat any other relationship that you respect. You don't want to start the relationship based on a lie.
HARRIS: Right.
ELAM: Now, now that I've said all that, don't over share. Offering too much information about your salary to a potential employer could actually be to your detriment. Play it safe and hint at a range rather than revealing your exact salary if possible. That is what Rod Kurtz (ph) from AOL Small Business tells us.
And remember, in most cases, the hiring manager already has a pretty good idea of what you make and if they don't, Tony, they'll probably find out by calling your references or the HR department at your old company.
HARRIS: If you choose to inflate, we're not suggesting that you should, but you just can't pull a number out of thin air. Is there a fair way to inflate your salary if you choose to inflate your salary?
ELAM: Yes, in some cases you might just tell on yourself by doing that. Clearly, you didn't do your research. So you don't want to inflate your salary for the sake of making yourself seem more valuable or in the hope that you will get more compensation from a new employer.
You can, however, this is the sneaky one here, talk total compensation rather than salary. In your total compensation -- that's your salary, your bonus, any upcoming bonuses you may have, the value of the company stock options and your 401(k) match -- that's completely fair. That's what Matt Woller tells us.
And keep the number in the ballpark range. Remember that wording is important. You're no longer talking about salary here. You're talking about total compensation.
HARRIS: Nice.
ELAM: And this may make it seem like you are worth a bit more, Tony.
HARRIS: Love that.
OK, Stephanie, if you would, stick around. When we come back after the break let's talk about how to tactfully negotiate what you should be paid in that new job. Let's take a break. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
ELAM: Sounds good. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Let's rock on. Stephanie Elam back with us to talk about how your current salary can be negotiated with a prospective employer so you can get more money going forward.
How do we do this, Stephanie?
ELAM: The first thing you have to do, you thought when you got done with college you were done researching, not the case. You got to research about getting a higher salary.
So research salaries from similar positions at comparison sites. You can go to getraise.com, payscale.com is a good one, and also salary.com, and head into your negotiation with a number. That's what Matt Woller tells us, he's a behavior psychologist for getraise.com.
Now after you have set the bar, you can talk about previous experience, education, or why you think you're a good fit at that particular company and it never hurts to negotiate upwards after an offer has been made.
If an employer isn't willing to budge on salary, which may happen, this is the point where you can start discussing bonuses or extra vacation days to pick up the slack. That's what Rod Kurtz from AOL Small Business tells us. Because, you know, Tony, in the end it never hurts to ask. All they can do is just tell you no, right?
HARRIS: All they can do is say no. Very good, great advice.
Stephanie, good to see you. Thank you.
ELAM: You, too. Take care.
HARRIS: OK. Everyone is talking about Bristol Palin -- everyone -- and not just because she made it to the final round of "Dancing With the Stars." We'll tell you why the teen parent teamed up with a "Jersey Shore" star, the Situation. That's in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM.
And Burger King's famous for its, you know, old have it your way motto. Now one of BK's California restaurants is getting some attention for what this receipt had printed on it and it wasn't "thank you" and it wasn't very nice.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Prince William and fiance Kate Middleton are talking about their upcoming wedding. Kate now wears the same engagement ring William's late mother Diana wore when she married Prince Charles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOM BRADBY, ITV CORRESPONDENT: This is a massive thing you're going into now. You know, I mean, obviously, marriage is a big thing for everyone, but you know it's in such a public way. Excited? A little bit terrified?
PRINCE WILLIAM, UNITED KINGDOM: Mostly excited. Quite happy when the interview's over.
(LAUGHTER)
PRINCE WILLIAM: But no, we're hugely excited and it's -- you know, we're looking forward to spending the rest of the times, you know, the rest of our lives together and seeing what the future holds.
BRADBY: Kate, for you, you've had a long time to sort of contemplate this moment. Do you --
PRINCE WILLIAM: Let's not over --
(LAUGHTER)
KATE MIDDLETON, PRINCE WILLIAM'S FIANCE: It's obviously nerve wracking, because I don't know what I'm sort of -- I don't know what I'm -- sort of I don't know the ropes really (INAUDIBLE). But no, I'm willing to learn quickly and work hard.
PRINCE WILLIAM: She'll do really well.
BRADBY: So a lot of opportunities, obviously, within the family. You know, a huge ability to change people's lives for the better. I guess that's something you must have contemplated as well.
MIDDLETON: Yes. Well, I really hope I can -- I can make a difference even in the smallest way. Yes, I'm looking forward to helping as much as I can.
BRADBY: People are bound to ask, you know, it's a bit of a (INAUDIBLE) question, but children? Do you want lots of children? Is, you know, see what comes? What is your --
PRINCE WILLIAM: I think we'll take it one step at a time. We'll sort of get over the marriage thing first and then maybe look at the kids. But obviously, we want a family so we'll have to start thinking about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
