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U.S. Mexico Task Force; Google Exec Rallies Egyptian Protesters; The Amazing Shrinking Cubicle

Aired February 09, 2011 - 10:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: ... the credit goes to healthier chicken feed.

As we begin at the top of the hour, eyes of many of us focused on the demonstrations and clashes in Egypt. Well, a U.S. security success story might have gotten a little lost in the mix because of that. A little known task force is playing a big part in cracking down on smuggling and illegal immigration along our southern border. The coalition is made up of U.S. and Mexican security forces.

Yes, caught our attention, too. ACTT is the Alliance to Combat Transnational Threats. It's made up of members of the U.S. Border Patrol, American police agencies, and the Mexican federal police.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALAN BERSI, U.S. CUSTOMS & BORDER PROTECTION COMM.: This is about team work. This is about providing an unprecedented determination and energy and resource base to restore the rule of law.

RANDY HILL, TUCSON SECTOR BORDER PATROL CHIEF: As you all know, border security is a tremendous concern for all of us. We recognize that no one agency can stand alone when it comes to securing our communities against criminal organizations.

MATTHEW ALLEN, ICE SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE, ARIZONA: Our strategy is not one that just focuses on the border itself, on that physical line in the sand that marks the geographic boundaries between the United States and Mexico. Our efforts extend deep into Mexico and they involve partnerships with law enforcement organizations that we have not necessarily worked with in the past.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now since the ACTT was fired up about 15 months ago, they seized drugs. And they arrested people trying to enter the U.S. illegally and pulled assets and weapons out of the hands of criminals that are a direct threat to our border security. We are going right to the source on this.

Joining me now, David Aguilar, deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. And commissioner we are curious because we didn't hear about this for 15 months. Not a peep. Why was it kept under the radar? DAVID AGUILAR, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: Kyra, good morning. Thank you for having us here with you today. One of the things that we wanted to do was to commence operations and basically get results done. And that's what you're hearing today.

Over the last 15 months, there has been a coming together of over 60 law enforcement officers, both Mexican and American law enforcement agencies working together with a very focused effort all on securing the border. You know, CBP and DHF has the lead responsibility for securing our borders with both Canada and Mexico, but one of the greatest assets that we have are the other federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies that work in unison with us, and for the first time we have over, as I said, over 60 law enforcement agencies working together in the state of Arizona, very focused on bringing security to the border between Mexico and the United States.

PHILLIPS: And here's my question. How did you all train together? Did you train together? And come to common ground on how you were going to make arrests and seize assets and work together? Because, you know, U.S. law enforcement on many levels works very different from Mexican law enforcement, and, you know, we've done a lot of stories on the corruption within Mexican law enforcement. So how did you build that trust, how did you train, and how did you make this work?

AGUILAR: Kyra, one of the most important things that we accomplished here was basically unifying our efforts from a strategical level down to the tactical level and making sure that there was a clear understanding of just what we were facing as a unified force on that border, facing an entrenched adversary, an entrenched adversary that is in Mexico and is very relentless of not wanting to let go of what they believe they own a piece of the border.

Well, it is this unified force that is going to drive them out of there. Everything from training, from strategy, from deployments in a unified fashion. Each one of us taking our own independent authorities, our own independent assets and capabilities and unifying them in such a way that we are becoming an overwhelming force.

If you take a look at the data that is now available, for example, there has been a 39 percent decrease in illegal alien activity over the last two years in this area since we began. There has been a decrease in narcotics trafficking. There has been a decrease in violent crimes in some of these border counties.

These are assets - these are data that portrays a picture of reality, that the border today is much more secure than it's been in the past. Now, a lot more work yet to be done but it is unified activity. It is this tactical approach in unison that gets us to where we want to go.

PHILLIPS: All right. If you don't mind, the tactical side of things, for example, when you made arrests, OK, or you seized large amounts of drugs, how did you decide who was going to keep those arrested and also the assets that you seized? Was it the Mexican authorities or the U.S. authorities? How did you come to terms on that?

AGUILAR: Well, it all depends on where the enforcement actions are being taken, Kyra. As an example, when the United States Border Patrol between the ports of entry or our ports of entry make the apprehensions we work in unison with our other federal, state and local tribal partners. But at every opportunity when we have the authorities, if you will, to work with the Mexican government, to make sure that they take every piece of evidence that we get and they prosecute on the Mexican side, we take advantage of that.

So there is this unified approach to make sure that these criminal organizations no longer have the opportunity to operate with impunity anywhere along this area of focus.

PHILLIPS: David Aguilar, deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was pretty interesting. Pretty good that you kept this out of the press' eyes for 15 months. It will be interesting to follow the task force though and see how it continues to make a difference. Really appreciate your time today, sir.

AGUILAR: Thank you, ma'am.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

Huge crowds funneling into the center of Cairo, defying predictions that the anti-government movement would lose any momentum. It is day 16 of the uprising, and protesters again swarming right there into Liberation Square. Now, yesterday's gathering was the largest in days, and our crews in Cairo say that today's size could be just as massive. One of the focal points at the very center of the square, a shrine displaying photos of some of those killed in the violence.

Protesters have been pausing to pay their respects, and one of the emerging faces of the opposition, well, it's this man. Holding the microphone, Wael Ghonim. Egyptian police had jailed the Google executive for nearly two weeks after he posted on-line criticisms of the government and the beating death of an activist who was in police custody.

Mother nature letting loose again. Snow, ice, gusty winds. Another winter storm hitting parts of the country and a winter warning in place across nine states from Texas to Alabama. Up to a foot of snow expected in Oklahoma. It's already enough on the ground to make this little snowman. And at least some people are trying to have some fun with it.

Rob Marciano, what are the eyes, Scotty?

Oh, pennies for eyes.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Ben Franklin would be proud.

(LAUGHTER)

MARCIANO: You know - PHILLIPS: That's a cheap snowman, though, two cents.

MARCIANO: Exactly.

PHILLIPS: That's just my two cents.

MARCIANO: But you know, in the big screen it looks rather impressive.

PHILLIPS: Yes, it does.

MARCIANO: Even though it's without a nose and a mouth.

PHILLIPS: Or a top hat. It's two inches high.

MARCIANO: I mean, frosty is really turning over in his puddle right now. All right. Let's move on. These are some of the preliminary snow totals. These are going to change and some - I just glanced over in some of the options and there are some numbers that are higher than this especially across parts of northwestern Arkansas and northeastern Oklahoma, approaching the 20-inch mark in some of these spots.

You get the idea of over a foot or better in places like Kansas, Oklahoma, and even Texas, seeing a half a foot of snow. All right. If it's not just the snow, it's the cold as well. It's 19 degrees in the current temperature in New York City, it's three in Chicago, it's seven in Kansas City, minus two in Minneapolis, minus three in Denver.

So we're talking about millions of people that are, at least, in the single numbers if not below zero actual air temperature and you factor in the wind chill and it's just brutal out there. We are getting into the middle of February. It's tougher to get these cold air masses down into the south, but we're doing it and we're doing it this weekend. That's for sure.

All right. We got winter storm warnings that are posted for these number of states including Oklahoma, Texas. Arkansas really getting it right now. These are some of the numbers that we expect to accumulate. One to three inches of snow and freezing rain in Dallas right now. The winds are gusting over 30 miles an hour. It's just really a nasty, nasty day in the Big D. And all is heading towards Memphis and Nashville. We'll probably see - I don't know, a couple of inches in Memphis, maybe a little bit more. Little Rock really getting hammered right now with heavy, heavy snow, and this is going to continue to press off towards the east.

I just want to quickly show you one other thing as far as the track of this, how much snow we expect to see. There are some of the wind chills. The actual track of this is going to make its way across the Gulf of Mexico. Snow across parts of Alabama and Mississippi, and then North Georgia as well. I think Atlanta will see a quick pulse of wet snow overnight but nothing much more than an inch.

Here's our forecast tallies right now. The brunt of the storm hitting - well the Arklatex region, for the folks there. Go out there and build yourself a snowman, and, yes, just use pennies. Don't use quarters. The economy is tough. What do you got next? What do you got cooking over there?

PHILLIPS: Well, apparently the president stopped smoking.

MARCIANO: Oh, I heard that. I heard that. For good though this time.

PHILLIPS: No more sneaking a smoke out on the east lawn.

MARCIANO: Listen, it's a tough job. I wouldn't be too hard on him (INAUDIBLE).

PHILLIPS: Well, apparently smoking in the boys room.

(LAUGHTER)

PHILLIPS: Perfect. The president's going to love that. Exactly. He's lighting up right now. Why do they have to talk about this? Apparently it's been almost a year since he has kicked the habit. You know he has talked about his struggle with smoking, and he was asked about it in 2009, and he said he was 95 percent cured. Well, apparently he has quit. It's good. It's not good for you.

MARCIANO: The great American smoke out starting from the big cheese himself.

PHILLIPS: He needs to be a role model for everybody.

MARCIANO: Let's hope it'll last. Congratulations.

PHILLIPS: Rock on. Thanks, Rob.

MARCIANO: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Lindsay Lohan, wonder what she is smoking? She can't stay out of trouble. Now she is expected to be charged with stealing a $2,500 necklace. What is going on with Lindsay? And what is her fate?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Oh, Lindsay, Lindsay, back in court today, facing grand theft charges this time around. Apparently, allegedly, she took a necklace from a jewelry store without even forking the money.

"Showbiz Tonight" host and chief Lindsay Lohan correspondent, A.J. Hammer, here, to give us the scoop.

A.J. HAMMER, HOST "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": That's me. Your sigh says it all, Kyra. I love it when you talk about Lindsay you go (INAUDIBLE). Here's the scoop. L.A. prosecutors announced last night that Lindsay Lohan is going to be back in all too familiar spot. She is scheduled to be in that L.A. courtroom at 1:30 Pacific time. Lohan is accused of walking out a jewelry store with a $2,500 necklace back in January. Now, the store owner reported the incident to police. Lohan sent an assistant to return the item to the police but for her part Lohan's attorneys have vehemently denied these charges and they promised to fight them in court. Lohan is, of course, on probation from her 2007 drunk driving conviction and we all know too well that Lohan just can't seem to stay out of the headlines.

Well, also still in the headlines this morning, Christina Aguilera, who is recovering, of course, from her national anthem blunder during the Super Bowl and now, a minor league baseball team in Aguilera's native New York is among those who have offered her a chance to sing the anthem before one of their games to prove she knows the words.

Of course, she has performed the anthem in public before that. Here's even footage of her as an 11-year-old singing it. So I don't know that she needs to prove that she can do it but her next big appearance, perhaps some redemption will come during Sunday's Grammy Awards. She's going to be participating in a salute to Aretha Franklin and Aretha herself told me, just yesterday, that she is looking forward to watching that tribute. Christina and all from the comfort of her own couch on Sunday. When I spoke with the queen of soul, she told me that despite having to cancel a bunch of shows due to an illness, she is feeling much better.

Listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARETHA FRANKLIN, SINGER (ON THE PHONE): I'm feeling super. I'm doing very, very well. And I cannot wait to get back on the bus and get out there. Somebody trying to call her there. I can hear call waiting going off.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

The Grammy's executive producer tells "Showbiz Tonight" that their musical get well part on Sunday is going to feature performance by Yolanda Adams, Christina Aguilera, as I mentioned, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride and Florence Welch. And Kyra, I also spoke with the great Jennifer Hudson yesterday who told me she is over the moon about being able to perform in a tribute to Aretha Franklin but feeling a little pressure because Aretha, of course, is going to be watching.

PHILLIPS: Oh, guys, I can totally imagine. I mean she's the queen diva right there. Yes, I'd be nervous too if I had to perform.

HAMMER: That's it.

PHILLIPS: It's great to hear though that she is feeling well and she's hanging in there. A.J., thanks so much. Well, if you want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J. has got it every night "Showbiz Tonight" at 5:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. on HLN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: All right. Let's go cross country. Let's look at stories from around the U.S. for you. First stop, Houston, Texas. Consider this the revenge of the pothole. City crew showed up to patch it but the roadway collapsed and swallowed the dump truck. Apparently a broken water main had undermined the road.

Noblesville, Indiana, a sickly cat gets an x-ray, and images make the pet owner pretty sick. 18 (INAUDIBLE) lodged into the skin. The teen has been charged. The owner says the cat is fine and will eventually have surgery.

Last stop, Kilgore, Texas, a woman says she bit into a spoonful of ice cream and it bit back. She says a broken razor was inside the frozen treat and cut the inside of her lip.

Wal-Mart says it's launching an investigation.

So you need a little more elbow room, a little more space at work. Don't count on it. Companies cutting back and work cubicles being sized down.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Stock market opening bell rang just about an hour ago. Checking those numbers. Dow industrials down two points.

All right. Are you feeling a little boxed in at work? Maybe more than just a feeling. It looks like companies are actually shrinking work space cubicles. CNN's Stephanie Elam joining us from New York with the lowdown. What's the scoop? What's the deal?

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It doesn't really -

PHILLIPS: We're already claustrophobic enough.

ELAM: Well, I know but now that guy sitting across from you with the annoying habit. Now you get to see him all the time because the cubicle walls are gone.

PHILLIPS: You are talking about my writer, Ed Perry. Yes.

ELAM: Calling people out. A lot of people know about that.

PHILLIPS: You want me to keep going?

ELAM: Keep going, I know. Every one knows somebody who does that.

Well, the whole cubicle idea came around. It's been around for so long but now that space is getting smaller and shrinking because well our technology has improved and a lot of people found that they were just taking too much space, those big cubicle walls. So take a look at this. In 1994, the average office worker had 90 sq. ft. but if you take a look at 2010, it's down to 75 square feet.

Now for senior office workers, they had 115 square feet and that's dropped to 96 square feet, according to the International Facility Management Association. But they are saying for the way people work now, think about it. You can just pick up your laptop, maybe take your iPad or your Blackberry, and you move around the office. You have different meetings in different places, so these officers are looking to build in more office meeting space and making more furniture that is more user friendly, maybe like what we have here in New York, filing cabinets that also have cushions on top. You can sit on those when you're down maybe with somebody.

ELAM: So you're seeing a lot more of that and they're saying, this is not really and it has happened over the last decade, it's not really about making the space smaller. It's about being more efficient is what they're saying. So a lot of offices saying folks working in teams and this is working. But guess - guess, Kyra, whose office isn't shrinking?

PHILLIPS: Tell me.

ELAM: The corner office. It's actually gotten bigger. Always getting bigger.

PHILLIPS: I didn't mean to rat out Ed. Actually I love sitting next to him but he always me nervous because every now and then I look over and he's pulled his t-shirt up over his nose. I'm thinking to myself I know I showered and I know Tracy on the left showered, and he pulls his t-shirt over his nose and he kind of sits there. And I'm wondering what it's all about. He can never give me an answer.

ELAM: Wait, is that because - you're convinced that they're counting moles on his chest? You're just looking at his belly. What's going on? What are you guys doing down there in Atlanta?

PHILLIPS: Weird habits. It's the early morning shift. You know what I mean, we're just doing anything to keep ourselves entertained.

ELAM: I understand.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, we knew this was going on. Yellow pages dying a slow death. What's all that about?

ELAM: There's a battle going on out in the city by the bay. San Francisco has actually taken up legislation recently. They are introducing it to say, you know what we want to ban all yellow pages, just the unsolicited distribution of them. Yellow pages actually not too excited about this but San Francisco, they're saying look so many of these big books end up in recycling bins not even opened. It's just a waste of paper. It's a waster of resources. It's a 20th century tool. We just need to get rid of them.

So what would happen then is that customers would have to opt in and say, "hey, yes, fine, I'm happy to have a yellow pages book sent to me. Yellow Pages would have to reach out to these people to get their OK. If they violated, the fines could be up to $500. Now Yellow pages says this violates their constitutional rights. They're saying that people should be able to opt out via a web site, something like yellowpagesoptout.com they're still working on. And they're saying doing it this way will affect jobs, hurt people.

But remember, Kyra, San Francisco is the city that banned plastic bags. So they actually did do that. They're about making change and staying green out there.

PHILLIPS: All right. Staying green is not a bad thing. That's for sure. Steph, thanks.

ELAM: Sure.

PHILLIPS: All right. More from the CNN NEWSROOM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It is just about half past the hour. Let's check our hot stories. Another day of huge crowds on Cairo's main square. The 16th day of anti-government uprising. Egypt's vice president says the demonstrators are being disrespectful to the country by demanding that President Hosni Mubarak step down.

And a new study raises questions about the way breast surgery is performed. It says that many women in early stages do not need their lymph nodes removed, as it is often recommended and findings could mean less radical surgery and fewer complications.

And this scene is all-too familiar for millions of Americans. A powerful snowstorm pounding the nation's midsection and it's plowing east. Let's check in for the latest, CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano. Rob.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Rob.

A showdown over abortion is heating up on Capitol Hill. It's a decades-old debate, but there's new fervor over who foots the bill for some of the procedures. Republicans pushing a pair of bills both aimed at clamping down on taxpayer-funded abortions. But top Democrats are furious. They say it is an assault on women's health care.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MIKE PENCE (R), INDIANA: The need for permanent, government-wide prohibition on taxpayer funding abortion has probably never been more important.

SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: According to medical experts, your agenda risks of health and lives of women.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: This issue top of mind for lawmakers this week. There was a hearing yesterday and another one this afternoon. Senior congressional correspondent Dana Bash is live on Capitol Hill. Dana, the topic definitely makes emotions flare. It always does.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It always does, no question. This time is no different. Look, what Republicans who now control the House are saying, Kyra, that they are simply trying to make permanent that decades-old prohibition that Congress does pass every year, which is to make sure there is no federal funding for abortion.

But the sponsors of the legislation are going a bit further in terms of dealing with private insurance. Here's what they are saying. Current law allows people who buy their private insurance to get tax deductions for health care costs. What this legislation would do is say that if that including abortion coverage, that tax deduction is no longer available.

Small businesses get a tax credit for offering employees health insurance. Under this legislation, if it includes abortion coverage, again, no deduction at all anymore. Listen to part of the debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. TRENT FRANKS (R), ARIZONA: I think it's fairly tame, considering some of the tragedy that occurs. Every day in America, four thousand unborn children are aborted. It's the greatest single cause of death in our nation. And I just am just astonished that somehow this administration believes that that's a priority to continue to fund that with taxpayer dollars against their own persuasion.

REP. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D), FLORIDA: While the Republicans don't seem to have a jobs agenda, they do have a decidedly anti-woman agenda. And they've made that very clear, introducing their third most important bill, HR-3, to send a very strong message to women about what a tax on them means to Republicans.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now, that's just one bill Republicans are pushing. Another bill, Kyra, that would make sure from their perspective there is no federal funding for abortion when it comes to the health care law that of course was passed last year, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: And Dana, this is, obviously, as we pointed out, a tense debate. And it's stirring the pot even more, this series of undercover videos from inside Planned Parenthood clinics. It was released by an anti-abortion activist group. The tapes actually show a couple posing as a pimp and a prostitute, seeking advice about getting abortions for underage sex workers.

Here's a little clip from that sting, and I got a question for you.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you have pregnancy testing? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Um, (EXPLETIVE DELETED). At that point, it still needs to be -- you never got this from me. This will make all of our lives easier.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Okay.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If they are 14 and under --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- just send right them there if they need an abortion, OK?

(LAUGHTER)

(END AUDIO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, Dana, Planned Parenthood told us that the employee in that video has been fired and that their workers did tip of police that something wasn't right. And the group also says it's going to retrain members nationwide, but is this making waves on Capitol Hill as this whole issue has been brought up?

BASH: It absolutely is making waves on Capitol Hill. Mike Pence, the Republican from Indiana, he has already had legislation, Kyra, in the hopper for four years. And that legislation would say that federal funding that currently goes to clinics that help low-income women with health care, like Planned Parenthood, that that federal funding would be cut off if those clinics also perform abortions. Obviously, this legislation is aimed squarely at Planned Parenthood.

Again, he has had this legislation out there for some time, but it is gaining steam in a big way, Kyra. There are now 150 co-sponsors to this legislation, including a handful of Democrats. Not clear when or if the Republican leadership in the House would take this up, but we do expect a hearing on it sometime soon.

PHILLIPS: All right, we'll track it. Dana Bash on the Hill. Thanks, Dana.

And imagine this. Our men and women in uniform wrongfully foreclosed while they're actually in harm's way. Well, our active duty troops are supposed to be protected from that, right? Under the Service Member's Civil Relief Act. But right now, a congressional committee on veterans affairs is looking at accusations that lenders actually violated that rule. These are live pictures right now.

We are talking specifically about JP Morgan Chase. The bank reportedly foreclosed on 14 military families while their loved ones were overseas and then overcharged thousands more.

Now, Marine Captain Jonathan Rowles and his wife, Julie, are among those families. They say they were hit with threatening collection calls, even though they say they did everything they were supposed to do. I actually had a chance to talk to Julie and her lawyer last month, and this is what they told me. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JULIA ROWLES, FILED LAWSUIT AGAINST JP MORGAN CHASE: We didn't sleep for years. John would be on the phone with collection agents, walking to a flight brief. So, for me to think about that, that the only thing he thinks about before a flight is Chase and how they are harassing myself and my husband is not where his mind needs to be. And not the other minds of thousands of other families that are going through similar situations that we did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Julie is absolutely right. And JP Morgan Chase says its working to fix the problem. And by the way, the Service Members Civil Relief Act caps interest rates for loans to active members at a six percent annual rate and shields them from foreclosure.

Well, the country's newest Medal of Honor recipient, Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta, is leaving the Army. He plans to move to Colorado with his wife in June to continue his education. He is going to take advantage of the GI Bill. Sergeant Giunta has served two tours in Afghanistan. He was awarded the medal in November for valor against Taliban - against the Taliban, rather.

He is the only living Medal of Honor recipient from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And that comes with some perks, including an $1,100 monthly pension for life, as well as an invitation to every presidential inauguration and inauguration party.

It has been a year since the first lady declared war on childhood obesity. So, how are we doing, America? We'll take a look.

And we have body scans at the airport. Why can't we have liquid scans, too, so we don't have to fool with those little clear plastic bags anymore? We'll tell you about a professor who is working on it.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Remember ancient times when you could actually carry liquids on a plane and not really worry about it? A chemistry professor at the University of California in Davis could bring those days back. Years ago, he created a wine scanner. It actually checks the wine's chemical contents without having to open up the bottle. Now, he's using that same concept on a scanner that checks liquids for explosive content. The new scanner could be ready in about a year.

First lady Michelle Obama's crusade against childhood obesity hits a milestone today. She helped launch the Let's Move campaign one year ago, and she's spent many of the past 365 days talking to mayors, governors, food manufacturers, schools, parents, kids, all in an effort to fight one frightening statistic. The White House says one in three American kids is overweight or obese. Mrs. Obama says the Let's Move campaign isn't just about food. It's about learning a new lifestyle. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I've always talked about balance in this campaign. I mean, we're really trying to make some changes, and if you go at a parent and say, "You can never take your kid to get a burger," you've lost them because that's not the that reality we live in. It's not my reality.

So I do talk openly about my obsession with French fries because I want people to understand the changes that we have to make in our lives are not whole-scale changes. Many of the changes for kids are small things, things like adding fruits and vegetables and getting our kids moving and putting more water in the diet -

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, so, how do you keep kids at a healthy weight? Dr. Rovenia Brock, author of "Dr. Roe's Ten Secrets to Living Healthy" joins me. And Dr. Ro, we have seen a lot of headlines about kids and obesity in the last few days. And this one caught all of our attention and actually sparked a lot of conversation about childhood obesity being linked to working moms. It's a study of 900 kids. It was published in the journal "Child Development."

What do you make of that? Because a couple of my coworkers said, "That is so sexist! I don't even want to talk about that."

DR. ROVENIA BROCK, AUTHOR: Well, Kyra, what I make of it is that here again, this is another opportunity that people take and shouldn't, perhaps, to make working mothers feel guilty. And I say, dispense with the guilt. They don't need a guilt trip. What they need are solutions to help them to deal with their time-starved lives and to help them to come up with healthy solutions for feeding their children.

PHILLIPS: Point well made. All right. What about this one from "Pediatrics: Child Obesity Linked to Formula"? And so -- I guess they were saying by the time the child is three, they will be six times as likely to become obese because they have been formula-fed?

BROCK: Well, you know, this is a study, first of all, that has a very small sample, so I think people should be -- should take caution when you read research and you read studies that give you these findings. Know that you should have a larger sample size, which means more people should be involved and it should be replicated over time.

Having said that, this particular study makes a great case for breast feeding, because the fact is, breast-fed children and breast- fed infants have virtually no risk of obesity later in life. And so you don't have the risk of obesity for the infant, and mom gets to lose her baby weight sooner because of breast feeding. So, there you go.

PHILLIPS: But, you know, it's easier said than done. You have so many working moms, and it's hard to do that in addition to raising the kids and also working. So, many moms nowadays depend on formula. BROCK: Well, you're right. And I don't mean - I don't want to throw this in the face of moms who have to depend on formula. But, at the same time, if we're talking about the risk of childhood obesity as it relates to formula, just know that breast-fed is the best fed.

Having said that, I would also say that when you start to feed infants solid food, let's go with vegetables before fruit. Babies are born with a naturally taste preference for sweetness, for sweet foods. And so, if you start vegetables before fruit, they will learn to adjust and like vegetables, and it will be easier to get them to eat them later on.

So, there is no time that's too early in the lifecycle to start children eating healthy. The point is we've got to do it as soon as possible.

PHILLIPS: All right. Which leads to my next question, and this is one that surprised a lot of us just because of the age range, Dr. Ro. And this is a study -- a British study talking about processed food linked to lower I.Qs. "If a three-year-old eats too much processed food, it might lower his or her I.Q. by the age of eight.

BROCK: Well, you know, we don't know, even with this one study, we can't necessarily extrapolate or make a cause-and-effect relationship between eating processed foods to lower I.Qs. Having said that, certainly it makes a good case for cutting out or certainly minimizing processed foods in the diets of children.

What we do know is we can find fatty plaque development in the arteries of three-year-olds right now. So, we know there's an awful lot of trans fats, saturated fats in processed foods. And so the earliest you can, you should, cut processed foods from the diets of children and the adults, of the moms themselves. Because it can lead to obesity.

So, I'm saying, get more fruits and vegetables. Get more beans in the diet. If you need time-saving tips or tools, cook food ahead of time. I know moms are time-starved. So, let's make batches of food on Sunday. Let's freeze bags of food, put them in the freezer and pop them out for each meal as you need them. Things like steel- cut oats for breakfast, hard-boiled eggs and so forth. Get as much whole foods and minimally processed foods in the diets of your children. And for God's sake, please, let's cut the sugary drinks. You can save up to 350 empty calories a day if you do.

PHILLIPS: Point well made. That goes for all of us, Dr. Ro. Thanks so much for weighing in.

BROCK: Yes. Always a pleasure.

PHILLIPS: Likewise.

Many Tea Partiers have questioned Orrin Hatch's conservative credentials. But the senator may have surprised them at a town hall meeting last night. We're going to hear what he had to say.

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PHILLIPS: Some members of Congress had their turn at a Tea Party Express town hall last night, and one senator may have surprised the crowd with his tough message. Political producer Shannon Travis has the story from our CNNpolitics.com desk. Hey, Shannon.

SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Hey, Kyra. There was a party last night, and you actually missed it. Where were you?

PHILLIPS: I was sleeping. You know me. I'm lights out by 7:30 on this early shift.

TRAVIS: Oh, yes, you know, you're right. But while you were sleeping, I was actually up. I was there at this Tea Party town hall. They are billing it as the first town hall interactive. People in the live audience giving six lawmakers questions. Some other Tea Party activists out on the Internet universe on Twitter and Facebook, posing questions.

The six lawmakers were there to basically say, hey, we support the movement and more importantly, we support the ideals of the movement: of limited government, less taxes, lower spending. There were six lawmakers. Among them, Michelle Bachman. You know, Kyra, she's one of the darlings of the movement. She's one of the favorites.

Take a listen to something that she said right off the top of her remarks. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: We saw that all of you and all of the people that are watching are the calvary that came in and did the rescue work in the last election. We are so grateful.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TRAVIS: High praise from Congresswoman Bachman for the Tea Party movement. There was another, a little bit of a subtext to this story as a carefully orchestrated event. But Senator Orrin Hatch was there. Now, the Utah Republican who could - who could -- face a possible challenge from some Republicans there in Utah as he tries for a seventh term in the Senate. Basically, a lot of Tea Party activists say he's not conservative enough.

But take a listen to Senator Hatch basically making an appeal and sounding like a Tea Party activist.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: We have run this country into the ground. We now have a $14 trillion national debt. By 2020, according to the president's own actuary, that will be over $20 trillion. According to his own budget, we'll double the deficit in five years and triple it in ten. This country can't take that, and we're not going to take it. And the fact of the matter is we've got to come back, and we have to fight for this country. (END VIDEO CLIP)

TRAVIS: Kyra, I spoke with Senator Hatch, and he says that he's not afraid of a possible re-election challenge. He told me quote, "I'm a tough guy."

PHILLIPS: Shannon, thanks.

We're going to have your next political update is in one hour. And a reminder, for all of the latest political news, go to our Web site, CNNpolitics.com.

Let's check out stories happening later today. First lady Michelle Obama marking the first anniversary of her Let's Move initiative. The program helps kids' nutrition through physical fitness and gardening. The first lady will speak about the program at a church just outside Atlanta.

We should hear today from the coach who donated a kidney to his player and from the player himself. Wake Forest baseball coach Tom Walter donated a kidney to Kevin Jordan earlier this week. Both are recovering at Emory University in Atlanta.

And prosecutors in California are expected to charge Lindsay Lohan with felony grand theft. The jewelry store owner says that the actress walked off with a $2,500 necklace. Lohan's lawyer denies the allegation. Lohan is on probe operation for a drunk driving conviction. A judge says he will send her to jail if she broke her probation rules.

All right, just to be clear: do not box up a puppy and try to mail it. Bad idea. Postal popies -- postal puppies -- a big no-no. Coming up, we're going to tell you about one woman who tried it and now maybe wishes she hadn't.

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PHILLIPS: All right. Now about Minnesota lady who tried to mail a puppy. We're not kidding. And listen to her try to blame the post office. Here's Jeanne Moos.

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Pets are mighty cute in a box or even with their head in a box, but who would put a pup in a box, take him to the Post Office and try to mail him from Minneapolis to Georgia?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was mailed Priority Mail.

MOOS: They see Champion's priority was to mail a puppy to her son for his birthday.

STACEY CHAMPION, TRIED TO MAIL DOG: I wanted to surprise him really, really good by a poodle.

MOOS: Instead, she surprised post office workers last month when he package started to move and they heard panting.

At one point post office workers called the postal inspector for guidance and held the phone up to the box so he could hear the panting inside. Worried that the breathing was becoming less frequent, he ordered workers to open the box.

Champion admitted lying to the postal clerk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you say that it was toy robot to the desk clerk?

CHAMPION: He kept throwing the box around. He kept throwing the box around, so I just told him it was a toy robot.

MOOS: Champion spoke at a hearing held so she could ask to get the pup back, plus a refund of the $22 she paid for postage. The poodle/schnauzer mix named Guess (ph) was taken to animal control after Champion was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty.

CHAMPION: They don't have no display what should be shipped and what should not be shipped.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We always ask you is it perishable...

MOOS: The postal inspector figures the pup would have perished during the three day trip -- either suffocating or freezing in the unpressurized hold of an airplane. Champion did poke air holes in the box decorated with fake money, but tape sealed the holes shut. The hearing officers ruled the pup stays put at the animal shelter.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Disgraceful. You cannot tell me that you did -- that you thought you were doing the right thing.

MOOS: Maybe she thought her son would be opening the box in a happy scene like the ones on YouTube. This puppy will be put up for adoption. He has plenty of offers if Champion can't afford to board him until the animal cruelty charges are resolved.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know you did wrong.

MOOS: Next time, keep the dog on the stamp.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

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PHILLIPS: That does it for us. I'll see you back here tomorrow. Suzanne Malveaux takes it from here. Suze?

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Kyra.