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More Snow for Oklahoma City; Controlling 'Bath Salts'; Possible Help for 99ers; The Gift of Life

Aired February 09, 2011 - 14:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right. It is 2:00 out East, where we are, and it's 11:00 out West.

And take a live look from Little Rock, Arkansas, 1:00 there in the Central Time zone. And boy, oh, boy, look how gray and hazy it is.

You know, they don't need to bother declaring a state of emergency in parts of the country, especially in Oklahoma. The ones from last week's storm, still in effect, really.

This latest winter blast is small by comparison, but still prompting watches, warnings and advisories from Texas to West Virginia. And once again, parts of Oklahoma had double-digit snowfall, while temperatures are barely out of single digits. Dallas- Fort Worth picked up one to three inches, but at least the Super Bowl is over. Remember the problems they had last week?

CNN's Ed Lavandera is back in his big coat and back in Oklahoma City.

Ed, is it feeling like Groundhog Hay?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It absolutely is, Don. You know, you're showing those pictures from Little Rock, and this is what it looks like on the back side of this storm. The worst of the snowfall has passed through Oklahoma, and we're starting to see the sun come out. And that means the cleanup process begins here as well, or at least trying to clear the roadways that have been so hard hit here over the last 12 hours or so.

Really, the northern part of Oklahoma is the area that was hardest hit, but it still has caused and wreaked havoc across the state. Schools shut down. Businesses shut down.

Airports are just now kind of starting to come back on line. The airport here in Oklahoma City is trying to get flights out here more and more over the course of the next few hours. And the airports in Dallas starting to reopen as well.

So, really, the best news of all, Don, is that the temperatures are starting to slowly creep back up, at least into temperatures that are still below freezing, but not so devastatingly cold, it just makes you so miserable. The wind-chills this morning, Don, out here dipping down to about minus 15 degrees below zero.

LEMON: OK. And records will be set possibly. There's a strong possibility?

LAVANDERA: Oh, yes. The snowfalls that have fallen here over the course -- if you take in last week and other snowfalls that have happened here, they've gotten more than twice the amount of snow that Oklahoma is used to seeing on average during the winter season. So this has been a devastating few blows for a couple of weeks.

And if you look back down these streets, you still see piles of snow. That's the remnants from last week's snowstorm. It still hadn't completely melted away.

LEMON: Ed Lavandera.

OK, Ed. Stay warm. Be careful. We appreciate it.

And CNN's meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is watching this storm sweep across the South. And she'll show us where it's headed, what it's doing, what it's expected to do, in just minutes here on CNN.

Now I want to talk about the backlash over bath salts. And the first thing that you need to know, really, they're not actually bath salts. They're similar to hard drugs, though entirely legal in most places and relatively cheap.

When snorted or smoked, they can cause a violent, almost psychotic high. And that's why you see the police in Louisiana right there taking them off store shelves.

CNN's Alina Cho has more on this right now from New York -- Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Don.

The name sounds innocent enough, "bath salts." But don't let the name deceive you.

Drug experts say they're just a synthetic version of cocaine or ecstasy. And experts say their effects can be as powerful as using those drugs -- psychotic episodes, hallucinations, even suicidal thoughts. And in most states you can buy these so-called "bath salts" legally.

Now, Florida, Louisiana and North Dakota, we should note, have taken action. They've actually banned the drugs. And Congress is now hoping to do the same.

Senator Chuck Schumer of New York recently proposed a bill that would put these bath salts on a list of federally-controlled substances.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: The so-called "bath salts" are nothing more than deadly narcotics, and they're being sold to cheaply to all comers, no questions asked, at store counters around the country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: The drugs are available in convenience stores, smoke shops and online. And again, perfectly legal in most states.

They come in Kool-Aid-type packets with names like "Red Dawn" and "Purple Wave," and they typically sell for about $20 to $80 a packet, relatively cheap. And that makes them particularly appealing to teenagers. The salts can then be smoked, snorted or ingested for a quick high.

The White House drug czar recently put out a warning about these bath salts. And poison control centers say they've seen a sharp rise in calls about the drugs. More than 250 calls, Don, so far this year -- Don.

LEMON: Alina, thank you very much for that.

Want to check some of the other big stories of the day right now.

A school district in southwest Washington, get this, is cracking down on student sexting. The Kelso School District voted unanimously this week to ban all explicit messages sent from students' phones on school property. That includes any sexual pictures, text messages and e-mails students send.

So, how will school officials know? All right, listen.

Under the new code, school administrators will be allowed to confiscate and search students' personal cell phones. If a student is caught sexting, parents and police are notified. A second or third offense, and that's a long-term expense and even expulsion. The district's ban on sexting goes into effect this fall.

Have BlackBerrys and iPhones become more popular than personal computers? It sure looks that way. The research firm IDC is reporting this, that smartphones outsold personal computers in the last few months for the first time. Worldwide, smartphone makers shipped more than 100 million devices in the fourth quarter of 2010.

That's an 87 percent increase from the year before. Compare that to the 92 million PCs that were shipped that same period. More than 300 million smartphones were shipped last year.

We go now to Egypt, day 16 of the conflict, and no sign of the movement losing any steam. In fact, the crowds just keep getting bigger.

Swarms of defiant protesters taking over Tahrir Square again today. Some of them broke away to block Egypt's parliament and prime ministry building. They say they won't go away until President Hosni Mubarak does. Many of those protesters were galvanized yesterday when Egyptian activist Wael Ghonim addressed them in Tahrir Square after being jailed for 12 days.

An unexpected defeat for GOP leaders when they failed to pass an extension of three key provisions of the Patriot Act. The House voted 277-148 in favor of the bill. That was short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass it.

Twenty-six Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the bill, including new lawmakers backed by the Tea Party. House Republicans say they'll bring the bill up again under rules requiring just a simple majority.

Ever heard of the 99ers? The 99ers? More money may be headed their way. But you still wouldn't want to be one of them.

We'll explain. Today's "Taking the Lead," next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Some lawmakers are introducing a bill today to help the so-called 99ers. They're the out-of-work Americans who have exhausted their 99 weeks of unemployment benefits.

The legislation would give them another 14 weeks of benefits. But even if it passes -- even if it passes -- it's only a temporary solution for people like Gregg Rosen, who's in Washington today to help sponsor, push the bill.

CNN's Mary Snow has his story in today's "Taking the Lead" segment.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the outside looking in, it would seem this Philadelphia suburb would equal a comfortable life. And it's that reason why Gregg Rosen wants people to hear his story, and he's going to D.C. this week to tell it.

GREGG ROSEN, 99ER, STILL LOOKING FOR WORK: I'm the cautionary tale to America. You look at my home, sure. You look around, it looks like he lives well.

SNOW: Rosen is 43 and has been unemployed for three years. He says his six-figure salary as a marketing executive became a casualty of the recession in 2008. Making things worse, he told us his nest egg vanished. It turns out, it was part of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme.

ROSEN: The sad reality is that unemployment is a disease that does not discriminate. It's not just a matter -- it just doesn't hit those that have not graduated high school, that don't have college educations.

SNOW: Rosen has been able to recoup some of the money he's lost with Madoff, but it's not enough to avoid tough choices. For example, he's had to scale back on medicine he needs for an existing condition, hoping vitamins will help him stay healthy.

While he looks for a job, he brings people like himself together with the American 99ers Union, an umbrella group for American who is have exhausted their 99 weeks of federal and state unemployment insurance and can't find work.

ROSEN: This is a business. It truly is. It's the business of survival.

SNOW: So far, Congress has failed to extend benefits for 99ers without a way to pay for it. And some, like Douglas Holtz-Eakin, economic policy director to John McCain's presidential campaign, argue the money would be better spent on training programs.

DOUGLAS HOLTZ-EAKIN, AMERICAN ACTION FORUM: The longer they're unemployed and their skills are getting worse, the harder it is for them to find a job.

SNOW: In fact, Rosen tells us that he has been rejected by prospective employers because he's been out of work too long.

(on camera): How do you deal with that?

ROSEN: You either curl up in a ball, which I did for a period of time, or you continue to fight on and you just keep pushing and putting the resumes out there. And hope that eventually -- you hope eventually the economy is going to catch up with me and say, OK, we now need you.

Mary Snow, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And CNN's Mary Snow joins us now live.

So, Mary, extending benefits has been tried before. So does it have a better chance of passing this time around?

SNOW: You know, Don, it's not looking good. And here's why.

The sponsors of this legislation don't have a way to pay for it. And a spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner said that the House Speaker would not support it because of that reason. But the sponsors say that they're hoping to get around that by getting an exemption, declaring this an emergency. But they admit that this is a very tough battle, but they say it's worth the fight.

LEMON: A lot of people have been out of work for a long time. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.

Oh, Lindsay. Who am I talking about? You know who I'm talking about, right? Ms. Lohan back in court today.

Nothing to do with her old cases. This is a brand new one. This is new trouble. We'll talk law, order and addiction issues with celebrity attorney Mark Geragos and HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Just half past the hour. Quarter past the hour, I should say. And we want to update your latest developments on our top stories.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is starting to speak again. Her spokesman says she has been able to ask for toast.

Giffords is undergoing rehab in Houston after a gunman shot her in the head last month. The spokesman says the rehab facility is doing a fabulous job working with her.

In Egypt, on the 16th day of demonstrations aimed at ousting the longtime president, crowds have spilled out of Cairo's main square into a compound housing government buildings. Now, state TV says parliament had to be moved as a result of that.

The former Google executive who helped sparked the revolt tells CNN this is no longer the time to negotiate with Egypt's government.

The terror threat facing the U.S. may be at its most heightened state since 9/11. So says Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in testimony to Congress. She cites a growing trend to recruiting Westerners to carry out attacks.

And you can bet investors are keeping an eye out for a proposal due Friday from the Obama administration recommending a phase-out plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They're the two government-sponsored mortgage backers that ran into so much trouble and got so much blame for the nation's financial meltdown. A White House official says the plan will include three different options for reducing the role government plays in the mortgage market.

All right. Another ugly snowstorm is rolling out of the Plains today and punching east very fast to places like Little Rock, Memphis, Birmingham, Atlanta. You know, parts of Oklahoma have seen double- digit snowfall, while temperatures, well, they fight to get above single digits.

Will this ever end?

(WEATHER REPORT)

LEMON: We're going to talk about Lindsay Lohan in just a bit.

And also this -- the 14 healthiest foods that you should buy right now. We'll tell you what those are, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: God, there's so much food in the show, it's making me hungry. So now today's big breakdown, some of the foods you might want to stock up on. OK? "Food Technology" magazine has put out a list of the 14 healthiest must-eat foods. Some of them you might be familiar with. Other ones, not so much.

OK. So, first up, some good grains. And we'll start with barley, which can apparently help lower both total and bad cholesterol. Barley. Sounds yummy, right?

Then check your grocery or health food store for quinoa, and then also buckwheat. Buckwheat's actually good, crunchy. You eat it like cereal. They're full of compounds -- people are shaking their heads here -- they're full of compounds that work as antioxidants and help protect cells and body chemistry.

And then it's our old friend brown rice. Swapping white rice for brown could help lower your risk of type two diabetes.

And then there's rye. It is a multitasker. Apparently, it can help with glycemic levels which affect weight management. Plus, it fills you up, cutting down your appetite.

All right. So time to go nuts right now.

Almonds is a great source of so-called good fat and fiber. Hazelnuts, antioxidant-rich, though you've got to leave the skin on since that's where all the good stuff is.

Pistachios -- what is it, "A Mighty Wind," or one of those movies, where the guy's going, "Hazelnuts, pistachio nuts"?

Pistachios, delicious and nutritious. They've got anti- inflammatory properties. And then there's walnuts, which seem to cut the risk of heart disease, especially in diabetics.

In the fruit family, reach for blackberries. Studies suggest they prevent the development of intestinal tumors. And then blueberries have had a great reputation for a while, lots of antioxidants. But it turns out they can also help improve insulin sensitivity, which is a big deal, especially for folks who are obese and may be pre-diabetic.

So, mom was right. We should always finish with our broccoli and our cauliflower. They can help protect stomachs and prostates.

And then one of my favorites, pomegranates, have really surged in popularity, which is a good thing since they may prevent kidney problems. Pomegranates, very good.

And finally, that staple of the summer, tomatoes. Eat them all year round to help lower your blood pressure.

And now you know.

A Virginia senator calls it quits. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke answers questions from Congress. And other stories you might have missed. That's up next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. We want to catch you up on some of the stories that you might have missed this hour.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is starting to speak again. Her spokesman says she has been able to ask for toast. Giffords is undergoing rehab in Houston after a gunman shot her in the head last month. The spokesman says the rehab facility is doing a fabulous job working with her.

Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early spring, but winter is not quite over. Another winter storm making its way through the southeastern United States right now. Snow has already blanketed parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas, and winter storm watches, warnings and alerts are in place from Texas to West Virginia.

We are now in day 16 of demonstrations in Egypt's Tahrir Square. Large crowds have overtaken the square. It's spilling into a nearby compound that houses government offices. State TV says parliament had to be moved as a result.

Wael Ghonim, the man who helped spark the protests, has taken a leave of absence from the company and says the time to negotiate with the current administration is over.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sat down for the first time in front of the Republican-controlled House to answer questions about the nation's economy. He called for a credible program to tackle the deficit and warned lawmakers that even after the economy returns to normal, the budget will remain unsustainable unless significant fiscal changes are implemented.

Senator Jim Webb, a Democrat from Virginia, has announced he will not run for reelection. Having served only one term, Webb says he'll return to the private sector. Military veteran and former Navy secretary, Webb narrowly beat then-Senator George Allen in the 2008 election.

What's up with Lindsay Lohan? She is back in court today, nothing to do with her old cases. This is a brand new one, new trouble. We'll talk, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. Here we go again. The past couple of years, it almost seems like Lindsay Lohan has been auditioning for "Law & Order." In and out of court, in and out of jail, rehab. There were the DUI charges, the probation violations. Now she's basically accused of being a jewelry thief.

The actress is due in court later today. The charge prosecutors say, felony grand theft of a one-of-a-kind necklace. For a closer look at what she's accused of, plus the legal and the personal implications here, we're joined by defense attorney Mark Geragos in L.A. And HLN's Jane Velez-Mitchell in New York. Mark, we'll talk about the legal aspect in a minute. But I want to go to Jane first.

Jane, personally, is this a cry for help? Is this a sign of an addict, or is it someone who feels like they are entitled possibly?

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN HOST, "ISSUES": Well, I don't want to convict her. She's just been accused, but she has been accused of this sort of thing before. And this is classic addict behavior. Addicts have the ultimate sense of entitlement, Don. Whatever they want, they get. The sense of desperation for a drug, I will do anything for it, that creates that sense of entitlement. I will do anything to get what I want.

And it crosses over into other behavior. So there are no rules. The rules do not apply to me. I am special. Boundaries do not apply to me. And the other thing that addicts do is, the truth is a dead issue for them. So, they tell themselves a story, like this is being loaned to me, and then they believe it.

LEMON: They believe it. How many chances must -- before -- I guess they say, Jane, you would know, you have to reach rock bottom before -- you have to really want to help yourself before you can get help. How many more chances should Lindsay Lohan get?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, she's only 24, but I have to say, I really believe that we have a two-tiered system of justice in this country. And if Lindsay, given all her behavior, her DUIs, high-speed chase down PCH, being caught with cocaine. If she were a poor minority, I think she'd be in the slammer doing hard time right now. And that's the problem with this whole case, is that we don't want a two-tiered system of justice in this country. And that's why prosecutors have to take this case and prosecute it to the full extent of the law.

LEMON: OK. Now let's go to Mark and talk about the legal aspects. All right. Felony grand theft, what are the potential punishments? As Jane says, she's just been accused now. But this is bad, right/.

MARK GERAGOS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, felony grand theft is punishable by state prison, but there's about as much chance of her going to state prison as Jane giving her the presumption of innocence.

This is not going to end up in a state prison sentence. It's a $2,500 piece of jewelry. She's got a, it appears a pretty good defense to it. Anybody who buys or sells jewelry knows you can always take it out on loan. That's part of what happens in the jewelry business. You just sign for it, or you take it out and bring it back. That's going to be her defense. I don't think that's going to be a real problem for her.

VELEZ0-MITCHELL: Oh, please.

LEMON: All right, listen, listen. Here's what I'm hearing, though. I'm hearing - and correct me if I'm wrong -- that they asked her for the necklace, and she said she didn't have it. Then they found it on video and then a staffer turned it in when they threatened to get a court order to go in and get it. GERAGOS: Well, that's what's being reported, but the fact is if she returned it, her defense is going to be, look, I didn't have any intent to deprive you of this. That's one of the elements of the crime. If she didn't have that specific intent to steal, then she's not guilty. So, I wouldn't be rushing to the conclusion that she's going to get any significant time on the basis of this.

Her bigger problem is really the probation violation. And she is on probation, and you're going to see this afternoon, somebody's going to make a decision or at least attempt to get this case combined with the probation violation in Beverly Hills.

LEMON: OK, Mark, let me jump in here. Listen, if you -- you attract things that you think about, you bring things on you. It just doesn't happen to you. Lindsay Lohan is doing a lot of attracting of some negative things. I'm going to let you jump in real quick, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Don, what if everybody went around -

LEMON: Let me go back to Mark here real quick --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What if everybody in the world went around borrowing jewelry? The rules have to apply to her, and the jewelry store has said, nonsense. You have to fill out a whole bunch of forms before we lend you jewelry. There are no such forms that exist.

GERAGOS: It's just --

LEMON: OK, Mark, last year, here's what you said you here. You believed that she was being treated more harshly because she's a celebrity. Is that -- do you still believe that now?

GERAGOS: Right. I could not disagree with Jane more on this idea of two-tier except -- with her interpretation of it. I mean -- generally, the D.A.'s office is not filing felony charges for $2,500. And generally at that LAX court, if you go in there on your arraignment day and you admit the violation, they will reduce it on the spot to a misdemeanor.

So, you know, at $2,500, you're just barely over the limit of what a petty theft be, and generally that will get reduced. I mean, the history in Los Angeles County at least, is that those are not things that generally get prosecuted for a felony at that dollar level.

LEMON: So, she's not going to get in trouble for this, but you believe the other charge she's in jeopardy much, much more. What's going to happen today do you think when Lindsay Lohan goes to court and leaves, where will she be going?

GERAGOS: I think that they're going to want to set a bail. They're going to ask for a high bail, and they're going to try and combine this case with the probation violation case. This case today, she's appearing in the LAX court, which is a separate court from Beverly Hills but supervises the Beverly Hills court. And I think you're going to see the judge or the D.A. attempt to get both of those cases combined.

LEMON: OK, Jane, listen, the law is going to take care of itself. You know that. Either she'll she'll go to jail or she won't. She'll pay for repercussions or whatever.

But she has to want to get better in order to get better. Does she need maybe even more than jail? Does she need more rehab and just stick with it?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, she's been to rehab five times already. And I think people have to stop enabling her. I think people who say it's OK, whatever excuse you throw out, we're going to accept it blindly, they are not helping her. They're reinforcing the notion that she's unique.

There's a phrase in recovery called "terminally unique," because that attitude the rules don't apply to me often result in termination of jobs and sometimes even your life when you carry it to the extreme. What we need is an intervention on her and say, hey, the rules do apply to you. Maybe the best thing that could happen to her is being convicted and being sent to prison because that would be the ultimate wake-up call. Maybe that's the only thing that's going to get to her.

LEMON: Jane, are you covering this tonight at all. Will you be covering this tonight on your show?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, yes. We have -- in fact, we have Dr. Drew Pinsky joining us tonight to analyze, really -- this is really a metaphor for the addiction problems that are happening in America. We talk about the famous people who are suffering from addiction, but addiction is across the board, epidemic in the United States, both illegal drugs and prescription drugs. It's a really important issue, and we'll look at it tonight on "ISSUES."

LEMON: Jane Velez-Mitchell, 7:00 p.m. Eastern on HLN. We'll be watching. Mark Geragos, thanks as always.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thanks, Don.

GERAGOS: Thank you.

LEMON: Many in Egypt view him as a hero and the face of the people's power or revolution. Well, what he's saying and other developments from Cairo, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Welcome back, everyone. Let's talk about Egypt, the pro- democracy protests are taking a significant turn, spilling outside Cairo's Tahrir Square and gaining the support of several key labor groups.

Here with me now to talk about all of that and other developments, CNN's International anchor and correspondent, Michael Holmes. Michael, we're seeing strikes by members of the trade unions, oil workers, public transportation, all joining this. What's going on here?

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It was less than two weeks ago we were saying, I wonder if this thing has legs. Well, it's getting more legs. The demonstrators are sort of showing an ability to make this thing grow, as you say. It's spreading outside of Tahrir Square. It's happening now outside the parliament building, also outside of Cairo. There have been widespread industrial action reported.

And as I said, two people were killed, others wounded in clashes with police in southern Egypt. There are reports of big demonstrations outside of Cairo now. This thing seems to be growing, not shrinking.

LEMON: Growing and not shrinking, but what does that mean? Does it have any effect on what's going to happen in the government, or is it just a show of --

HOLMES: Well, that's a whole other thing. We saw the vice president today talk about the threat of a coup if things --

LEMON: A coup.

HOLMES: Yes, well, of course, the protests angrily denying that, and opposition groups, too, saying it's yet another scare tactic by the government. The government has a long record of putting up scarecrows and saying there will be chaos if we're not running things. That's another example, according to the protestors.

The government and its promises, quite simply, just are just not trusted. The fears are now, among some of the protestors, that the ground is being laid for more of a crackdown. Perhaps even one protestor said marshal law being introduced if you create this atmosphere that everything is falling apart and we have to step in and stop it.

LEMON: Let's talk about the Google executive, Wael Ghonim. A week and a half, he was locked up. Now he's out and saying, time is over for negotiating with the government.

HOLMES: He's a remarkable young man. He says his inspiration, by the way, is Gandhi and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook because of the social media aspect of what's going on. You see how he's greeted in the streets there just walking along.

This man was held for 12 days by the government who initially deny -- or did not confirm they had him. Now he's become something of a face of the protest. A lot of the opposition groups have leaders that the protestors say don't represent them. This guy is grassroots. He was one of the instigators of the whole protest movement with that Web page on Facebook. Now he's out, being seen as something of a hero. Whether he's going to be able to be that galvanizing figurehead for the protest movement remains to be seen. But at the moment, he's generating a lot of buzz in the square and outside.

LEMON: We'll be watching that. Let's talk about Italy now. The case against the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Prosecutors have asked for a former - a formal trial in this case. An underage prostitute.

HOLMES: They want to fast track it. The judge has yet to decide what they're going to do, whether to fast-track it or have more investigations or move it outside the jurisdiction, blah blah blah. I mean, you couldn't pick a world leader that gets into more trouble than this guy, I've got to tell you. Yes, the essential -- and he's facing a bunch of other charges as well on different things.

LEMON: But sex with an underage prostitute, that's the big one.

HOLMES: But on this case, that may not be the thing that trips him up. Yes, he's accused of having sex with that young lady there, better known as Ruby to her fans and followers. She's now 18, but she was 17 at the time of the allegation that he had sex with her, which of course is a crime. Paying for it as well.

The other thing that makes this interesting is that he then made -- when she was arrested on charges of theft, he picks up the phone, calls the cops and says, release her. He's saying that he was told that she's actually the niece of -- wait for it -- Hosni Mubarak, and he was trying to avoid a diplomatic incident. But calling the cops makes it another charge of abuse of power. That, politically anyway, is the far more serious. Unbelievable, isn't it?

LEMON: We've seen it on comedy shows. They've been making fun of him and doing skits. But you know, it's --

HOLMES: Another --

LEMON: The charge is serious, but it's like this guy is tripping all over himself.

HOLMES: Oh, yes. He's been -- he's had like a hundred charges against him over the course of his premiership. It's pretty amazing.

LEMON: We'll see.

HOLMES: Entertaining.

LEMON: When will we know if it's going to happen? If a formal trial is going to happen?

HOLMES: Well, I think it's in the next few days, five days, I think. They'll work it out.

LEMON: Thank you, Michael Holmes.

HOLMES: Good to see you, my friend.

LEMON: Always good to see you. Take it easy.

Hey, we have something new here, a new segment that allows you, the viewer, to weigh in on what story we air. It's called "You Choose." Here's how it works, we give you three options, and then you head to CNN.com/Ali to vote.

Here are today's choices: number one, need to confess your sin? Then there's an app for that. Number two: practically free health care for nearly all patients. One doctor is doing it. And, number three: a burger challenge so extreme only two people have finished it.

Once again, head to our blog, CNN.com/Ali to vote and we'll bring you the story in about 10 minutes. Don't go away.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Time now for a CNN political update.

CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins me now from the political desk in Washington.

So, Paul, are you like, Gloria, you're not sitting on top of the desk, you're just standing there, right?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Because, Don, I know how to walk and talk. And listen, Don, Gloria and you were talking earlier about Senator Webb's announcement in Virginia, not going to run for reelection.

So, a lot of speculation now on Tim Kaine, the former Democratic governor of Virginia. He's now the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He said he's not interested in running, but I've talked to a source over there who says there could some kind of an announcement on whether he will or won't very soon. Of course, Democrats would like to try to keep that seat in party hands.

Also, coming up on the Ticker in a few minutes, but you get it first, I've got an article coming out about the Tea Party Express. Remember, they're one of the leading Tea Party groups around the country -- they are targeting now Senator Richard Lugar -- Senator Dick Lugar, the six-term moderate Republican senator, I guess you could say in a way, too moderate for them, in Indiana. They say they're going to try to defeat him next year. He's up for reelection next year. They're going to try to target him in the primary.

And, finally, Don, listen, is Israel the new Iowa on the road to the White House? Today, you've got Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour speaking in Israel. Last week, you had Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor. And last month, Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts, all in Israel -- remember, they're all thinking about running for the White House. A lot of Christian conservatives are very big supporters of Israel.

Don, that's what I've got right now on the Ticker -- back to you.

LEMON: All right. Good stuff. Thank you, Paul Steinhauser.

And your next update from "The Best Political Team on Television" is just an hour away. So, stay tuned.

Kevin Jordan accepted a baseball scholarship to Wake Forest University. But before playing in any games for the Demon Deacons, Jordan became ill and needed a new kidney. After not finding a match in his family, he found one in the man who had recruited him to play at Wake Forest, Coach Tom Walter.

And joining us now after successful transplant surgery is Kevin and Coach Tom Walter.

Thank you both for coming on.

So, first of all, Kevin, I have to ask you, how are you feeling?

KEVIN JORDAN, BASEBALL PLAYER, WAKE FOREST UNIV.: I'm a little bit sore, very happy, and in a good mood. Been busy all day, but I'm definitely glad to be here right now.

LEMON: Yes. What do you think about that man sitting next to you?

JORDAN: Definitely a good guy. I'm glad I chose to come to Wake Forest, and he may not think he's a hero, but he's definitely a hero to my family and my parents and me.

LEMON: So, Coach, how are you doing?

TOM WALTER, HEAD COACH, WAKE FOREST UNIV.: I'm doing fantastic, Don. I feel 100 percent better today than I did yesterday. I feel like if I had to, I could coach a baseball game tonight.

LEMON: Oh, really? So, what do you make -- he's saying that you're not a hero. Do you feel like a hero?

WALTER: No, I don't feel like a hero at all. I feel like I just did the right thing. I feel blessed to have been given the opportunity to do this. And the reality is, I would have been very disappointed if I hadn't been a match.

LEMON: I was just going to ask you, walk us through your decision to donate the kidney.

WALTER: Well, a lot went into it, but first and foremost, I have a strong sense of family. And when we recruit these guys to come to Wake Forest, we talk about family and we talk about making sacrifices for each other, and believing into something greater than the individual. And, so, this is I think a decision that most anybody would make for a family member, and that's how I look at our teammates, as family.

LEMON: Kevin, I want you to talk about your fall semester and dealing with dialysis.

JORDAN: It was a challenge, probably one of the harder things I've ever done, going to classes and coming home at night to get on a machine and monitoring my diet, the medicines and all that. But it was something I felt like I had to do, leaving high school, that's just something you have to do. You go to college.

So, I felt like I needed to do that, and see if at least I could do it. And I did it, got through the semester. And on to where we are right now.

LEMON: Are you going to take some time off from baseball? Or are you just going to -- as soon as you can get back on it? I hear it's either six to eight weeks. Are you going to take any time?

JORDAN: Well, I'm forced to because the wound has to heal. So, I'll be watching baseball from the sidelines. I won't be -- I won't touch a bat or anything for probably six weeks. And as soon as they clear me, I'll do as much as they tell me I can do.

LEMON: I bet you can't wait then.

JORDAN: I won't really take a break from baseball.

LEMON: Yes.

JORDAN: No. You know, as soon as they let me go.

LEMON: Oh, good.

So, Coach, how did your players take the news of your decision?

WALTER: Well, when I brought the team together on Monday and told them as a group that it was something that I had decided to do, the fist reaction was just stunned silence. And that was about 10 to 15 seconds where nobody said a word. And then they just broke out in a round of applause. And it was -- it was really heartwarming.

LEMON: Yes, I know it sounds like an odd question, but did you have to consult at all with the NCAA about this?

WALTER: No. Our athletic director, Ron Wellman (ph), when asked that question, said, we were -- we were referring to a higher power on this one. We were going to -- we were answering to a higher call than the NCAA.

LEMON: Yes.

So, Kevin, as I understand, your father was very instrumental in helping you to decide to attend Wake Forest instead of attending Auburn or turning pro. Tell me what he -- how he influenced you.

JORDAN: Well, we visited both schools, and I let him do a lot of the closer research into the coaches and everything. He looked up both coaches and looked up both schools. But he let me choose. He gave me the information and I chose.

And I chose Wake Forest because of the academics and the coaches. And it was close enough to home, far enough away. It was just a perfect situation and it turned out to help kind of preserve a little bit of life.

LEMON: Yes, the best decision you've made, huh?

JORDAN: Yes. Kind of lucky.

LEMON: All right. Thank you, Kevin Jordan and Coach Tom Walter. It's a great story. And we appreciate you for the inspiration that you've provided not only to us but for people the world over. Good luck to you, OK?

JORDAN: Yes, sir. Thank you.

WALTER: Thanks, Don.

LEMON: All right. Thank you.

Did the Obama administration ignore obvious warning signs about the upheaval in Egypt? You'll want to hear it in my "XYZ," just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. Now back to our "You Choose" segment where we ask you to vote on the news.

And here's the winner: donations-only clinic. That's the winner. Dr. Keith Swanson does not charge about 99 percent of his patients. Instead, most leave a $10 donation in a shoebox. The 78- year-old Swanson opened his Iowa clinic nearly 12 years ago, opting to forgo retirement.

So much debate about health care in the U.S., Dr. Swanson's wish is that others would learn from him. He sees about 150 patients each week.

And we'll post the stories about the Catholic confession app, the other stories, the extreme burger challenge, on our blog at CNN.com/Ali.

OK, time now for my "XYZ."

And in my "XYZ" today, Egypt and the Obama administration's handling of it. There's been a ton of criticism that the administration could have possibly headed off the violence and that they are coddling Hosni Mubarak. Those protestors on the streets of Egypt want democracy.

And here's the good thing about living in a democracy like we do, a democracy like ours. We're free to form our own opinions and we're encouraged to read, write, and even speak about them when and where and however we want to. So, without telling you how you should feel, I simply encourage you to read Jackson Diehl's eye-opening op-ed in today's "Washington Post."

He writes that the Obama administration was warned almost a year ago about the possibility of an Egypt uprising. Now, according to Diehl, a group seasoned on Egypt, foreign policy and beyond was formed a year ago this month for the sole purpose of, quote, "raising the alarm about Mubarak's crumbling regime and pressing the administration to adopt a different approach." Information on the group and their recommendations are all laid out in today's "Washington Post." And, again, not taking any sides here, read it. You decide. And that's my "XYZ."

The news continues now with Brooke Baldwin.