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Giffords New Doctors Thrilled at Level of Recovery; U.N. Officials Concerned About Afghanistan Parliament Inauguration Delay; Baby Doc Speaks Out About Return to Haiti; Investigators Continue Search for missing 4-Year-Old in California Canal; Obama Touts $45 Billion in Trade Deals With China During Weekly Radio Address; Caring for Boston's Homeless; Possible Bin Laden Warning; Remembering Sargent Shriver
Aired January 22, 2011 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A desperate search in California. A child reportedly ripped from his grandmother's arms is still missing. A tip leads police to a canal.
The congresswoman's recovery. Gabrielle Giffords is now in Houston for more treatment and doctors say she's doing great after a gunshot wound to the head but she still has months of rehab before her.
And former Haitian dictator "Baby Doc" Duvalier speaks out for the first time since his unexpected return to Haiti. He insists that his reason for returning is not political.
More on Gabrielle Giffords. Two weeks after she was wounded by a would be assassin, the congresswoman is starting the next phase of her recovery. She's at a Houston hospital after being transferred from Tucson, Arizona, yesterday.
CNN's senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins us now from Houston.
So how is she doing and what's going to be the next step for her there?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I just got through talking with one of her doctors, Fred, and they said that they are thrilled with what she's able to do. She's actually able to do much more than they thought that she could.
Fred, I'm going to give you an example. This doctor his name is Gerard Francisco. He said that they noticed that she was dangling one of her legs a bit off the bed kind of like this and they asked her to put her leg up on the bed and she was able to get it up on the bed much like this.
They didn't think that she was going to be able to do it and she actually could. So they're just thrilled with how well she's doing.
WHITFIELD: And then she still -- she is in ICU, intensive care. How long is she likely to stay there, and what's the circumstance?
COHEN: You know, it's going to be at least another four or five days, Fred. Here's why, she has a drain in her head. In other words, she has hydrocephalus; she has some swelling and fluid around her brain. They need to drain that out, because if there's too much pressure, that's a problem. As long as she has the drain in there, she has to stay in intensive care.
They don't want that drain to stay in for too long because it could become infected so over the next couple of days they're going to have to make some decisions. Can they take that drain out? Is she OK without it, or do they need to do what is called an internal drain, which is that they would put a shunt in her head and that fluid, believe it or not, would drain into her abdomen? It would be an internal drain and she might walk around like that the rest of her life or they might be able to take the drain out completely. So once they make that decision, then they can move on and try to get her into rehab.
Now, I spoke with the head of rehab here in Houston and here's what he had to say about how she's doing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. GERARD FRANCISCO, CMO, TIRR MEMORIAL: She surprised us. She did not need as much assistance as we had anticipated. There were still people holding on to her as was described previously, but she's activating her muscles even more than what I had anticipated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: Now, Fred, once she gets -- once she gets moved into rehab, and that won't be for a few days at least, but once she gets moved into rehab, she could be there for four to six months -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Wow, extraordinary. Long road ahead. Very delicate step-by-step process. Thanks so much, Elizabeth Cohen, in Houston.
Stay with us for a closer look at what Representative Giffords faces, what else she may be facing. A brain injury specialist will be joining us in the 4:00 Eastern hour to talk about rehabilitation for such an injury.
All right, now let's go overseas politically. Afghanistan is a real mess today. A new parliament was supposed to be inaugurated this week, but that may not happen.
On the line from Kabul, CNN's Arwa Damon explains.
What is happening?
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, Fred, it certainly is a very complex situation and a very volatile one as well. Today we saw hours and hours of debating that were described as hectic, not very smooth, between President Karzai and parliamentarians. At the end of it they did come very close to clinching a deal that could see parliament finally inaugurated on Wednesday.
Now just to go back and explain all of this, parliamentary elections actually took place in Afghanistan back in September amid the usual widespread allegations of fraud and irregularities. The Independent Election Commission investigated and tossed out more than a million ballots before certifying results in November. But those results saw significant reduction in President's Karzai's power base. Many of the losers in these elections were from the predominant -- (AUDIO GAP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Sounds like we lost our connection there with Arwa Damon. If we're able to get her back we'll of course bring her back on the air.
All right. Meantime, U.N. officials say they are concerned and surprised about this inauguration delay. They also issued this statement saying, quote, "Afghanistan's peaceful future lies in the building up of robust Democratic institutions based on the rule of law and clear respect for the separation of powers," end quote.
All right, this isn't directly related to the political instability in Afghanistan today, but terrorism officials are going over a new audio message that claims to be the voice of Osama bin Laden. The person on that tape has something to say about western troops in Afghanistan. We'll have more on that in a few minutes.
And Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier is speaking out. Friday's comments marked the first time since his unexpected return to Haiti that the former dictator addressed the public, but he wasn't very forth coming about his plans.
Our John Zarrella explains. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN MIAMI BUREAU CHIEF (voice-over): After five days back in Haiti, Jean-Claude Duvalier finally broke his silence. He didn't really have much to say. He spoke for less than ten minutes in an address aimed at the Haitian people. He said he felt heartened by the support of the young people, a reference to the fact that many of Haiti's population hadn't been born when Duvalier ruled.
He also acknowledged the one question everybody has been asking, why he had come back, but his answer was no different than what we heard all week from his handlers.
JEAN-CLAUDE DUVALIER, FMR. HAITIAN PRESIDENT (via translator): From the moment I took the decision to return to Haiti to commemorate with you in our country this sad anniversary, I was waiting for all sorts of persecutions. But believe me; the desire to participate at your side in this national reconstruction effort is more important than all the problems I could face. The price to pay is not important. The essential thing for me was to be with you.
ZARRELLA: Duvalier did not address the charges against him, charges that he stole from the country coffers and human rights violations, nor did he address his health. There had been speculation that he is gravely ill.
After his address outside the house where he spoke from, about 50 of his supporters chanted his name. Many of them had been paid to be there. A few minutes later, Duvalier appeared on a balcony above and waved to the crowd, getting them to just chant his name all the more. But Duvalier never answered questions for reporters. So many of the questions that are still out there remain.
John Zarrella, CNN, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: A former U.S. congressman is among a group of American lawyers trying to help former Haitian dictator Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier. I spoke to Representative Bob Barr just a few hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB BARR, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN (via telephone): The family reached out to us initially through Ed Marger, the attorney in Jasper, Georgia, with whom I am associated because Ed had been involved with, had represented and worked with the Duvalier family for a number of years, both during the presidency of Jean-Claude's father, Francois Duvalier, and had assisted the family in other legal matters back in the 1980s which was also the last time I was here.
The family now reached out as soon as Mr. Duvalier arrived a few days ago back in Haiti in order to see if that would be available and through Ed, myself and Mike Mcleese (ph) in Atlanta, Georgia, to assist Mr. Duvalier accomplish what he wants to accomplish and that is to do something to help Haiti.
WHITFIELD: Well, assist in what way -- assist in what way, Congressman. Because Duvalier says he wants to come back to help Haiti, but President Preval had said, sure, Duvalier, you can come back but when you come back, you're going to face some charges. And so now he's found himself in the court there. But give me an idea in what way would you be able to assist him and what is it that Duvalier actually wants. Why has he returned?
BARR: As the former president said yesterday he was very well aware of the risk -- the personal risk that he faced in coming back to Haiti. But that paled in comparison to the needs of his people in Haiti. What he would like to do is see funds made available to help end relief effort which by any reasonable estimate here has not progressed well. Just in the day and a half that we've been here it's very obvious that the resource -- the relief efforts, the resources are not reaching the people, are not meeting the needs of the people, and Mr. Duvalier is concerned about that certainly.
WHITFIELD: How is he promising to facilitate those things?
BARR: Well, that will certainly remain to be seen. He has just arrived here a few days ago. We just got here yesterday. There is obviously much to be done. We have spent a great deal of time with the former president and plan to spend additional time with him this weekend to start reaching out to people, both in the international community as well as in the United States.
WHITFIELD: So Congressman Barr, I'm wondering for you, personally and professionally, did you ever feel that there was a conflict or did it seem in any way uncomfortable for you to be involved with Duvalier, even though he's asked for your assistance, given that you're a former U.S. public servant and given the U.S. made huge concerted efforts to not only depose -- help get rid of Duvalier but also tried to help that country mend post-Baby Doc Duvalier's administration?
BARR: Obviously, if those were the goals of the United States in years past, they have failed miserably because the country is in worse shape now than it was during the time that Mr. Duvalier was president. But there's no conflict at all. What we're doing here is trying to assist the people of Haiti and one would hope that would be the goal of the United States government as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Former U.S. Congressman Bob Barr there who says he is assisting Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier on his return to Haiti after 25 years in exile.
All right. We're going to take a look back at the president of China's historic visit to the U.S. and how it could impact jobs here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Investigators in California have resumed their search of a canal for signs of a kidnapped 4-year-old boy. The toddler has been missing since Tuesday and police say he was snatched from his grandmother's arms by this man, Jose Esteban Rodriguez. He is the former boyfriend of the boy's mother.
Rodriguez's own mother says that she's worried something bad will happen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONNA AVILA, SUSPECT'S MOTHER: I'm afraid because I know my son has a bad temper. He's not going to just give up, I just know and I'm scared in my heart that something is not going to go right. That's what I'm afraid of. You know, that there might be violence or something with the police and he's not dangerous. He won't hurt anybody, I know my son.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The canal has been the focus of the investigation since a witness reported seeing a vehicle similar to Rodriguez's car going into the water.
Keith Olbermann has unexpectedly signed off from his show on cable's MSNBC. He made the announcement last night that he's done. It ends a sometimes tumultuous run at MSNBC, but he leaves as the network's highest rated host.
Howard Kurtz, host of CNN's "RELIABLE SOURCES" explains what may have led to Olbermann's abrupt departure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES:" Keith Olbermann was in a virtual war with his bosses at NBC, at MSNBC in recent months. During that controversy over the political donation thing he made to Democrats, he threatened at one point if they didn't truncate his suspension to go public, to go on "Good Morning America," "LARRY KING" in fact. In response, Phil Griffin the president of MSNBC told Olbermann's agent that if he did that, he would be fired.
So relations had so badly deteriorated after years of internal struggles, even though Olbermann, very talented broadcaster who basically revived MSNBC network and led it in a leftward direction, which was good for its ratings, despite a key role that he played at that network, the relations were so frayed with people that had been his friends for years that I became convinced that it was just a matter of time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Olbermann's announcement was so abrupt last night that the network was still actually running "Countdown" ads an hour after that announcement.
All right. During his weekly address today, President Obama touted $45 billion in trade deals with China. Those deals were made during this week's visit by China's president. CNN's Jill Dougherty reports on Hu Jintao's visit to the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Symbolism --
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have an enormous stake in each other's success.
DOUGHERTY: -- and substance. The Chinese president doing some American-style handshaking. The American president sounding like salesman in chief.
OBAMA: We want to sell you all kinds of stuff. We want to sell you planes, we want to sell you cars, and we want to sell you software.
DOUGHERTY: The two presidents met with American and Chinese CEOs. Winning more access for American businesses to China's 1.3 billion consumers is a top priority of President Obama and he was eager to tout $45 billion in export deals.
OBAMA: From machinery to software, from aviation to agriculture, these deals will support some 235,000 American jobs. And that includes many manufacturing jobs, so this is great news for America's workers.
DOUGHERTY: Outside the White House, protests against China's human rights record. Inside, different views on protecting freedoms.
OBAMA: We can engage and discuss these issues in a frank and candid way, focus on those areas where we agree, while acknowledging there are going to be areas where we disagree.
HU JINTAO, PRESIDENT OF CHINA (through translator): China is willing to engage in dialogue and exchanges with the United States on the basis of mutual respect and the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs.
DOUGHERTY: Amidst the carefully choreographed state visit, a misstep. Translation glitches that plagued the joint press conference.
JINTAO: Because of the technical translation and interpretation problem, I did not hear the question about the human rights.
DOUGHERTY: Economics, trade, security, the U.S./China relationship is complex and growing, with both leaders under pressure to show that it will pay off for their citizens.
OBAMA: To our people, the citizens of the people's Republic of China and the United States of America, may they grow together in friendship.
DOUGHERTY: Both sides say they understand they have a stake in each other's success, but President Obama says now they have to develop a win-win situation in what has been perceived as a win-lose situation.
Jill Dougherty, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: A fun-loving couple got married at the mall. Yes, that's pretty different. Their unusual wedding video did go viral. I'll show it to you in one minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Time to go cross country and check the stories our affiliates are covering today. In Houston, police are hoping this surveillance tape will help track down a robbery suspect. The just- released tape shows three men holding up a jewelry store last April. One of the suspects is still on the run.
A class action lawsuit is targeting Taco Bell. Plaintiffs claim the company uses false advertising on its menu. Among the key issues, the meat used in the taco filling. The suit says it's mostly fillers and shouldn't be advertised as beef.
And in Augusta, Georgia, a debate over cursive writing. Computers and other technology have changed the way kids communicate. So the school district there is considering whether to drop cursive writing altogether as a requirement.
Chances are one of these cute, funny, weird clips landed in your e-mail box at some point today. Bonnie Schneider with us now on "Viral Videos," the stuff that people just can't simply get enough of.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: The more I look at viral videos, the more I want to look at them because they're so great. The first one is called a flash mob wedding. I don't know if you've heard of a flash mob.
WHITFIELD: Yes. When you're in a public place and all of a sudden everybody is involved and it's like, hey, how come I didn't get that memo?
SCHNEIDER: This is in the Prudential Center in Boston, Massachusetts, in the middle of a busy shopping mall. Imagine you look over and people are singing and dancing. It wasn't just about the singing and dancing, there was something special happening here. Let's go to the next part. All of a sudden in the middle of the music a bride and groom emerges. The groom was actually playing the bass. He was wearing his tux. They rolled out the carpet and there's the flower girl. If you look closely in the crowd, you can tell there's a lot of people that were wedding guests that are all dressed up for the wedding. Then you'll see the actual ceremony took place. There's people dancing, enjoying the festivities. This is a lot of fun.
WHITFIELD: I think the rehearsal has to be as interesting as the actual event as it unfolds. Don't you wonder when do they get a chance to rehearse when everybody is together and so they can get the moves down?
SCHNEIDER: I watched this a couple of times and it was in perfect sync. At the end you'll see the wedding ceremony happening. You'll see the bride and groom are actually getting married.
WHITFIELD: That's fun.
SCHNEIDER: Yes, it really was fun.
WHITFIELD: Now that's a unique wedding for sure.
SCHNEIDER: It sure was.
Well, we have some other good stuff here. Imagine the honor and prestige of singing the "National Anthem."
WHITFIELD: Better know the words.
SCHNEIDER: Know the words, hit the right notes, but then sometimes there are technical glitches. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: By the dawn's early light what so proudly we hailed --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: This is Elizabeth Hughes and she was singing the "National Anthem" at the Norfolk Admirals hockey game. She's doing very well. Then let's move on to what happens in the middle of the song. Gave proof --
WHITFIELD: Oh, the crowd helps, I like.
SCHNEIDER: The mike goes out and everybody knows the words so they join in.
WHITFIELD: She's a pro, she kept going.
SCHNEIDER: She kept going. I love that. That video has definitely gone viral. I've seen it everywhere.
WHITFIELD: I like it. I love that she keeps going, and she had a beautiful voice.
SCHNEIDER: She did.
WHITFIELD: And she's a sport about it.
SCHNEIDER: Our next viral video is also about singing too.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes?
SCHNEIDER: Yes. I'm sure you've heard of the country singer Taylor Swift, pop singer.
WHITFIELD: Of course.
SCHNEIDER: Well, she has some big fans in Alabama. And one of the fans was a young man that thought, you know, he was trying to figure out who should he take to his prom and he thought about what about Taylor Swift, maybe she's available.
WHITFIELD: And?
SCHNEIDER: And let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: [music playing ] songs that I love to hear, I heard our song and it didn't take long for me to remember that prom was near, I said wouldn't it be neat if I could somehow meet and go to prom with Taylor Swift
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SCHNEIDER: He is a high school junior at James Powers. This was on YouTube and he just changed the words around. So his theory was --
WHITFIELD: Any replies?
SCHNEIDER: Well, I think he's waiting to hear. But he loves playing guitar and he thought this would be a way to get her attention. Celebrities do go to proms. Taylor Swift herself actually went to a prom with another student in 2008 so he probably figures why not. 2011, it's his chance.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that would be so cute. That would be a great follow-up right there.
SCHNEIDER: We'll see what happens.
WHITFIELD: OK, Bonnie, appreciate that. Love those viral videos.
All right. Well perhaps you've had your fill -- I shouldn't be asking you this. Had your fill of winter weather? You love this stuff. Well, look right here. Some other folks are enjoying it too. Lots of great pictures that come with all that snowy cold stuff. We're going to get down and dirty on the forecast for the winter after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Burr, it's going to be very cold for those NFL playoff games, but first a check of the top stories right now.
A mental health evaluation of the Ft. Hood shooting suspect has been completed, but it's not yet known if army psychiatrist major Nidal Hasan has been found fit to stand trial. He is accused of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in a shooting rampage back in 2009.
And funeral services were held today for the man who founded the Peace Corporation and headed the Special Olympics. Sargent Shriver died Tuesday after suffering from Alzheimer's disease for many years, he was 95 years old. First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and former President Bill Clinton led a host of dignitaries attending today's service.
And a new day and a new look at the University of Colorado. Yesterday, the school unveiled its new logo. Officials say it replaces literally hundreds of other logos now in use and provides the university with a consistent image and brand. The cost of the logo, $780,000.
And no break in sight for anybody, it seems, for all this frigid weather. In fact, some parts of the country are getting the coldest weather so far this season, just in time for all these NFL playoff games.
SCHNEIDER: Oh, yes.
WHITFIELD: Do tell, Bonnie Schneider.
SCHNEIDER: You know, the players, I think, kind of brace themselves. They know they're going to play in that kind of weather. What about all the fans, sitting out there? They're not moving around as much, (INAUDIBLE) - WHITFIELD: They're diehards too. They have their parkas, their sleeping bags -
SCHNEIDER: Thermos.
WHITFIELD: -- their - yes. Warmers.
SCHNEIDER: Well, we're watching a lot of weather for tomorrow. If you're going to be outside, out and about, a whole lot of things are happening. We're watching for a development of a storm across the Gulf of Mexico, and this could be a snow maker as it develops - a low pressure develops right over Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.
Get ready, the south, you could be seeing more wintry weather, and I'm talking about rain, snow, sleet. It's all on the way back for Tuesday into Wednesday, and as the storm works its way up the coastline, it could impact I-95, cities like Philadelphia, New York, Boston.
We may get rain, we may get more of a mix. It depends on the proximity of the low to the coastline, but right now there is a chance of snow in the forecast for all these cities, especially as we go into Wednesday. So we'll be watching that for travel.
This is our future radar and it shows - notice the rain/snow line in Tennessee, kind of dipping down just to the north of Atlanta, so Atlanta, you may see rain possibly mixing with snow at times. And then, north of the city, it will be all snow. Just what we need, right?
All right. Well, we're talking about the playoffs. I want to show you the forecast, because it is a frigid one, whether you're in Chicago, whether in Pittsburgh.
So the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, Soldier Field, 3:00 P. M., 19 degrees with a wind-chill of 10. You have to be a real diehard fan to enjoy that. Mostly cloudy skies.
And for the Jets, playing at Pittsburgh, really, it looks just - only slightly colder, not much. Temperature of 14 and a wind-chill of six. That's good football weather, right? If you like the cold.
WHITFIELD: Yes, it is. Yes. But I'm thinking, oh, the nighttime temperature. You know, that chill, day side feels so different than that same temperature night side. So, that's OK. I think I'll pass.
SCHNEIDER: You know, watch it on the -
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: I have to watch it on TV.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Thanks for these tickets, but I don't know. I'll have to give these away.
SCHNEIDER: Right.
WHITFIELD: I think I'll just watch it on TV.
All right. Thanks so much, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
WHITFIELD: All right, an American official says the voice sent - will send a chill up your spine. He claims that the voice is that of Osama Bin Laden's, and he has a message for the president of France. Details, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. We'd like to introduce you to a new - new heroes, someone who puts other people before themselves and someone who gives. So watch this video and think of this woman the next time a cold blast of winter air goes down your back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. ROSEANNA MEANS, MEDICAL MARVEL: Are you OK?
Every week I talk to women who are sleeping outside.
It's only 17 degrees out, so I didn't want you to get frozen.
And so much pain and suffering right on the fringes of our perspective.
Do you need some help, hon?
In Boston, despite all the medical resources for the homeless population, I was seeing very few of the women using the services. For women who are poor, homeless or battered, to deal with a system of health care becomes overwhelming. They don't have an address, they don't have a phone, there are lots of emotional issues, psychiatric issues.
I just didn't like the idea that they were falling through the cracks.
I'm Dr. Roseanna Means and I bring free, high-quality medical care to women and children in the shelters of Boston.
Good morning.
The women come into the shelters to get warm, to feel safe, and we're there.
Come on in.
There's no registration. We're not charging anything. If they want to come see us, we'll use that moment to try to build a relationship.
This is my safety net right here.
The women learn to trust us as ambassadors of the health care system.
All right, honey. God bless. (INAUDIBLE).
Over time, we can teach them how to use the system as it was intended, and eventually they do move forward.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I knew she really cared, I started wanting to take care of myself.
MEANS: I love these women, no matter what.
You're doing a great job.
That starts to get taken inside, that if I matter to somebody else, maybe I matter to myself.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Who do you think is a hero? We'd love to tell their story. Go right here, CNN.com/heroes, and click the tab labeled "Nominate."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Details on a new warning, reportedly from terrorism mastermind Osama Bin Laden, in a moment. But first, a look at our top stories.
Police are searching for a missing 4-year-old boy in Northern California. He was snatched from his grandmother's arms. The boyfriend of the child's mother is accused of taking him. Divers are using sonar equipment to search a nearby canal for both.
And doctors in Houston have high expectations for recovering Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. She is in intensive care at a Texas hospital while doctors evaluate if she is ready to begin rehab. That could take several days.
Giffords survived an assassination attempt during a mass shooting at a rally in Tucson two weeks ago.
Overseas, protesters are clashing with police in Algeria. They're demanding that the government release detainees and lift a state of emergency that's been in place for decades now. They also want the right to march in protest, which had been banned as well.
Still unconfirmed, but terror experts are working to authenticate an audio recording with a man's voice who claims to be that of al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. The message is a warning, but this time it's not aimed at the United States. Here now is CNN's Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A U.S. counterterrorism official says his words send a chill up your spine, especially considering there are two lives at stake. In an audio message broadcast in part on Al Jazeera, a speaker claiming to be Osama Bin Laden warns the French government two French journalists being held hostage are in peril because of your actions.
ALLEGED VOICE OF OSAMA BIN LADEN, AL QAEDA MASTERMIND (through translator): The refusal of your President Sarkozy to get out of Afghanistan is the result of his subservience to the United States and this is considered to be the green light to kill your prisoners without delay.
TODD: U.S. counter terror officials tell CNN while there's no reason to believe that isn't Bin Laden speaking, it's not clear how much influence he has over the fate of the two journalists who were seized by the Taliban in 2009.
Bin Laden's most recent message before this came last October, and, like this one, contained a threat against France. I asked terrorism expert Brian Fishman why Bin Laden singles out France.
BRIAN FISHMAN, NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION: What I think Bin Laden sees is that France may be the weak link. In Afghanistan, 80 percent of the French population opposes the war in Afghanistan, and he thinks that he can apply some pressure on the French population and perhaps get them to pull out.
TODD (on camera): But it may not work with the French.
FISHMAN: I don't think it will work with the French at all, actually. I think that the French population, despite the fact that they are opposed to the war in Afghanistan, the French government is committed to the fight.
TODD (voice-over): U.S. officials believe Bin Laden is still hiding out somewhere along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. They say there's no indication he's directing al Qaeda operations, despite his threats.
BIN LADEN (through translator): This position will cost you dearly on all fronts in France and abroad.
TODD: Fishman says there's still no one on Bin Laden's level who can command global attention to Jihad like he can, but that he's not as effective on that front as he once was.
FISHMAN: I think this is one of Bin Laden's biggest problems is that he's lost a lot of (INAUDIBLE) share, frankly.
TODD (on camera): He's lost it, says Fishman, to young jihadists like this man, Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born cleric believed to be hiding in Yemen. He's a key figure in the al Qaeda branch where some of the most serious recent plots have come from - a Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Fishman says al-Awlaki speaks more effectively than Bin Laden in English to potential supporters in the U.S. and Europe.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's see what else is happening outside the U.S. That's why I have Ralitsa Vassileva with CNN's International.
So let's begin with what was to be the inauguration of members of parliament in Afghanistan. Now what's going on?
RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there's been slight movement. President Karzai initially wanted to postpone it for another month. He wants yet another look at some fraud allegations, even though the election, held five months ago, was certified by a commission.
Complaints were looked at, a million votes were thrown out, and what the legislators said is we're going to swear ourselves in, even if you don't want us to. So this was creating a very dangerous tension. Now he's said, OK, we'll swear in the parliament on Wednesday. However, I still want to look yet one more time at fraud allegations.
Not clear how this is going to be resolved, whether the parliamentarians will agree to this. And - and the significance for the United States is that if this creates further tension, there will be violence, possibly another level of tension and conflict in addition to the Taliban insurgency, which could delay the pullout date for the U.S. troops, 2014.
WHITFIELD: Boy, this doesn't offer too many assurances for the people of Afghanistan, nor for Afghanistan's allies who -
VASSILEVA: Not at all.
WHITFIELD: -- want them to get on with a stronger -
VASSILEVA: Five months with no government.
WHITFIELD: -- government. Oh, boy.
All right, now let's talk about Jean-Claude "Baby Doc" Duvalier, making his way back to Haiti. A surprise to many people outside Haiti, except those that he says he's got lots of friends who've been helping to finance his life for the past 25 years in exile. Do we have a really concrete reason as why to why? We know he says he wants to be part of reconstruction, but really, why?
VASSILEVA: No, we don't. Even though he spoke for the first time last night, he said he's there to - also - to - in sympathy with the quake victims. He did offer sort of a sympathy for the victims of his own dictatorship, a brutal dictatorship.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
VASSILEVA: He might be facing some charges on human rights allegations. He is facing charges of misappropriation of funds. Some speculation that he came back because he's in bad health, he wants to be there, to die there in his country. Others say that it's about money. We don't know.
WHITFIELD: That maybe he has some money -
VASSILEVA: Yes.
WHITFIELD: -- significant millions squirreled away somewhere.
Now let's talk about this South Korean ship. We've been - we have been hearing for the past few years now about the pirates of the coast of Somalia. They still remain very active.
VASSILEVA: Huge problem. Huge.
WHITFIELD: And now this time involving a South Korean ship. What happened?
VASSILEVA: Yes. Well, they fought back. For the first time, the South Korean said we are not going to pay ransom. After paying ransom for a ship last year, they came under criticism -- $9 million. This time, naval troops got into the ship.
You see, it was a very risky operation. You see the - how pock- marked the ship is with bullet holes. You see that the captain was injured in the stomach, but it's not life threatening. The crew was rescued, all 21 of them.
WHITFIELD: Wow.
VASSILEVA: Eight pirates killed, five have been arrested.
WHITFIELD: Incredible.
VASSILEVA: So very risky, but they fought back.
WHITFIELD: Wow. It's incredible how vigorous the pirating is - remains off the east coast of Africa.
VASSILEVA: Huge problem and a growing problem. Ten percent rise in piracy last year compared to the previous year.
WHITFIELD: Oh, fascinating.
All right. Ralitsa, good to see you ,as always.
VASSILEVA: Good to see you too.
WHITFIELD: Love to see you every weekend, especially now on this set, too. We see each other enough in the building, now we can see each other in person on the set.
All right. Thanks so much. Appreciate it.
VASSILEVA: My pleasure.
WHITFIELD: All right, could Lance Armstrong find himself in legal hot water over all those doping allegations and investigations? Stick around to hear what our legal guys have to say.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: An elderly woman died waiting for an ambulance. New York City blames the blizzard, her family blames the city.
That's one of the cases I talked to our legal guys about earlier today, civil rights attorney Avery Freedman and criminal defense attorney Richard Herman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: What is the family's argument going to be, Richard? What can it be?
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: The argument is going to be - yes. It can be this. Is it reasonable that it takes 45 minutes to get through on a 911 call? Is it reasonable that it takes three hours for emergency vehicles to get to someone's house in New York City? And is it foreseeable that if they delay that long in responding to a 911 call and actually coming to a house, is it foreseeable that someone could die?
And the answers to all of those are the city is going to be liable. They've got to get their checkbook out. I've heard commentators say there's no liability, there's immunity. They're wrong. The city is going to get banged out on this, Fred.
WHITFIELD: So, Avery, you're disagreeing on this one. Can the city be in control of the weather and that things such as a calamity like this kind of weather would stand in the way and it would be responsible still?
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Yes. Well, that's exactly the point. I mean, Mayor Bloomberg made a point of saying he was disappointed. Maybe that's evidence, I don't know what weight or the value of it is, but the fact is that indeed when you have a major snowstorm, unless a state can show that the circumstances were so unreasonable and so foreseeable that it would have resulted in the death of Yvonne Freeman, who had a heart condition. She was 75 years old. I think and - you know, I wish the family the best but I don't see any liability coming out of this case. I think the case should be dismissed.
WHITFIELD: It is a sad case and the family is pursuing $20 million.
FRIEDMAN: Yes. Absolutely. WHITFIELD: Let's talk about Lance Armstrong now. He could be facing indictment by a grand jury. And one has to wonder, is this mostly because of eyewitness accounts? Is there any other evidence that this grand jury would be considering before there would be any charges imposed, Avery?
FRIEDMAN: OK. Yes. There - there are witnesses all over the place. The problem is there's an irrefutable connection between doping and cycling. Lance has been tested tens of thousands of times. He's always come out clean. But because of the way drugs are administered, because of the form of testing, multitude of issues, the grand jury has been looking at this, by the way, since August. Still no result. It remains to be seen. But again there is a problem.
Lance is smack dab in the middle of it. Whether or not there's an indictment, it remains to be seen.
WHITFIELD: So Richard, "Sports Illustrated" Magazine asking how serious is this federal inquiry and we have to ask the same thing.
HERMAN: Yes, it's very serious. The use of Hemstat (ph), the use of other drugs by Armstrong, there's a lot of eyewitness testimony against him on this.
But, Fred, like Martha Stewart, who did not get convicted of securities fraud, she got convicted for lying to the Feds, the same principle is going to apply to Armstrong. He lied to officials. I think he's going to get convicted on it. I think he's going to get at least indicted on it and he's got a serious problem ahead of him.
WHITFIELD: You have been very anxious to tackle this one. We're not talking about the balloon boy, but the balloon dad now. Because Richard Heene, everybody recalls the balloon boy situation, a young boy believed to be, according to the family, in the balloon as it was flying away in Colorado and then it all turned out to be a ruse.
So the dad, he was convicted, you know, 30 days in jail, 60 days probation, et cetera. Now he says I need an attorney because I'm suing the Justice Department, the Justice System here in Colorado, and the police because I shouldn't have been jailed in the first place.
HERMAN: He stood up in court under oath, made eyeball contact with the judge and admitted to committing a crime. Now he claims that the police are corrupt and the judicial system is corrupt and he's looking for a lawyer. Any of these people like Triple D, Charlie Sheen, dumb drugs and whatever, drinking and train wreck Lohan, they get to the legal system and that's how they get publicity. It's ridiculous.
FRIEDMAN: This guy will do anything to be visible. He's a five- alarm screwball. There's absolutely nothing there. And the fact is that this is consistent with the - with the way this guy does. He will do everything. He's now selling bear scratch devices and stuff like that out on the internet. There is no basis, Fredricka.
If a suit is filed - WHITFIELD: All right.
FRIEDMAN: I have to tell you this, the lawyer and he will be fined for bringing a frivolous action. It would be a ridiculous case, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Ouch.
FRIEDMAN: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: OK. Avery - Avery, Richard, thanks so much.
FRIEDMAN: So we agree?
WHITFIELD: Yes, I see we do agree on some things and then not so much on others. But that's the way we like it. Good to see you guys.
FRIEDMAN: Yes, absolutely.
WHITFIELD: Have a great, great weekend.
HERMAN: See you. Bye, Fred.
WHITFIELD: See you next weekend. Appreciate that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Avery Friedman, Richard Herman, we love having them every weekend.
All right. Meantime, a fond farewell to a great American, Sargent Shriver remembered at a mass attended by top political dignitaries.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Almost 50 years to the day that President John F. Kennedy asked Americans to get involved by doing good, family and friends bade farewell to Sargent Shriver, the man who started the Peace Corps.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARIA SHRIVER SCHWARZENEGGER, DAUGHTER OF SARGENT SHRIVER: Yes, daddy was a legendary public servant. He was enormously brilliant and creative, energetic, focused, charismatic, dashing, loyal, and always humble. Yes, his work changed lives and it continues to change lives every day. The programs he fought for, the ones he created, they still have impact as we stand here.
But for me as his only daughter, perhaps his greatest achievement was showing us in our family how to show up in other people's lives and how to love unconditionally.
CHRISTINA SHRIVER SCHWARZENEGGER, GRANDDAUGHTER OF SARGENT SHRIVER: Dear grandpa, I hope your passion for helping others, amazing hugs and sweet spirit lives on in heaven forever. We pray to grandpa and we pray to the lord.
CHRISTOPHER SHRIVER SCHWARZENEGGER, GRANDSON OF SARGENT SHRIVER: Dear grandpa, as Christopher Sargent, I hope that you can help me carry on my name and that you can help me help others.
CHRISTINA SHRIVER SCHWARZENEGGER: Most of all, we'll miss the one who swore he was the luckiest man in the world. We were so lucky to have grown up in your presence. May you watch over us now as we try to fill your unfillable shoes.
CHRISTOPHER SHRIVER SCHWARZENEGGER: Dear grandpa, even though you have gone to live with grandma, peace will still fill the room at the mention of your name. Happiness will still rise as you're carried in. But most of all, grandpa, guide me to make the right decisions so that one day I will see you again in heaven when you greet me with your strong, but not too strong, warm and loving handshake.
MARK SHRIVER, SON OF SARGENT SHRIVER: Whether he was interacting with a president, a vice president, first lady or cardinal, or whether he was talking to a cab driver, a trash collector or 2-year-old grandchild, he thought you were sent from God to be with him that day and that there was nobody more important than you at that very moment.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, 42CD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: From the cynical tough times of the late '60s and early '70s, to this amazing moment, he really was as good as his family just told you. And maybe even a little better. And a whole generation of us understood what President Kennedy meant by looking at Sargent Shriver's life.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
