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Protests and Counter-Protests Continue in Wisconsin over Proposed Anti-Union Legislation; Demonstrations Continue in Bahrain; Former Supermodel Iman is Interviewed
Aired February 19, 2011 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: High fashion, ageless beauty, our exclusive chat with an international supermodel.
Children, a half million of them jostled from home to home like a game of musical chairs. We're talking about the troubled foster care system at 3:00 eastern.
And then later, states want to chop benefits and plenty of people are fighting mad about it. We're live in Madison, Wisconsin.
You're in the CNN newsroom where the news unfolds live on this Saturday, February 19th. I'm Martin Savidge in for Fredericka Whitfield.
These stories are happening now. Opposing sides mobilize in Madison. Security there is tight as the crowd of protesters grows. Teachers and other state workers are upset about a budget proposed by the state's new Republican governor. Today the Tea Party joined that fray in a show of support for Governor Walker's plan.
And to the Mideast and North Africa -- another tense day in the streets. From Algeria to the Persian Gulf, anti-government protesters are keeping up their call for change. In Libya doctors treating the injured there tell CNN of hovering helicopters firing into the crowds of protesters.
In Auburn, Alabama, thousands are expected to turn out this afternoon to honor the poisoned trees at Toomor's Corner.
Meanwhile more now on that contentious budget battle in Wisconsin and the major rallies there today. CNN's Casey Wian is live in Madison, Wisconsin. Casey what's the scene like right now?
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as you can see around me, Martin, it's a big, big scene here. There are tens of thousands of people who have gathered here in Madison, Wisconsin at the state capitol. Behind me you can see that there's a rally going on by supporters of Governor Scott Walker and supporters of his legislation to severely restrict the power of public sector unions in this state and also require them to contribute more in health and retirement benefits.
Now surrounding this group of tea party protesters on the capitol steps there, you can see members of the labor unions, teachers, and other public sector workers and their supporters marching all around the state capitol. They have surrounded this tea party protest and you do have police officers keeping the two sides apart basically.
So far these protests have been very, very peaceful, but very, very vocal. You can hear these people chanting behind me, "kill the bill." They want this bill killed. But others say that it's time that public sector unions have less power and pay more in terms of contributions to this state for those benefits that they enjoy. This issue has clearly divided people in this state.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's why we're here today because I don't think it's given a very good image of the good, hardworking people of Wisconsin. Our governor has come out very strongly and he's not going to bend. That's why we elected him. That's what we elected him to do.
And so that's why we're here today to show the good people of Wisconsin, or the good people of the country that we are supporting him. Not everybody's against him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The governor lied. The governor was voted in on a 66 percent voter turnout. He won the electoral by 52 percent. So 33 percent of Wisconsin are saying, hey -- and the governor ran on a platform that he was going to create 250,000 jobs in the state of Wisconsin, not that he was going to take away the working class.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIAN: This bill has been generating so much controversy is at a standstill now because Democratic members of the state Senate have left the state, depriving them of the quorum they need to move this legislation forward. The governor says he's not going to budge, he's not going to negotiate with the unions, which is what they want.
The unions do not want to give up their collective bargaining rights. So right now we're at an impasse, I have no idea how long this is going to last, but it's clear it's going to go into next week.
SAVIDGE: Casey Wian, live in the thick of it in madison, Wisconsin. Thank you very much.
In upstate New York, one school district declining state revenue is turning to cooperation instead of confrontation. The teachers and others employed by the west Genesee school district have accepted a wage freeze for the 2011-12 school year. The agreement helps bridge a portion of a $5 million budget gap.
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CHRIS BROWN, WEST GENESEE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: It's trust. I think it's trust. The organization is trusting the administration and the administration is trusting the organization.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SAVIDGE: The teachers association says it's agreeing to the wage freeze to keep teachers employed.
Now let's go overseas and get back to those protests in the Middle East and North Africa in places like Algeria, Libya, and Bahrain. Demonstrators are demanding a bigger voice in the way they are governed. One of the hot spots, Yemen. Hundreds of pro and anti- government protesters clashed at Sana'a University. Witnesses and a local human rights group say that gunshots were fired into the crowd, killing at least one person.
The unrest in the Middle East and North Africa could have a serious impact on the United States on a number of issues affecting every single American are at play here from the war on terror to the price of oil. To Washington now and CNN Pentagon Correspondent Chris Lawrence. Chris, what are your sources saying about the protests in Bahrain? Are they concerned?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Marty, Pentagon officials say they are concerned about what's going on in Bahrain, primarily first of all for those 6,000 American troops, civilians and their families that are based in Bahrain's capital.
Right now no Americans are being targeted by the protesters or anything like that, but a lot of these Americans live off base in the community and they have been advised not to go anywhere near where those protests are going on.
On a bigger scale the concern is that the U.S. fifth fleet is based there in Bahrain. We have at least one carrier at this point right now, we have got two carriers operating out of there and their strike groups. It's sort of the lynchpin really for the entire Middle East defense strategy. It's where the U.S. goes after pirates, it's where the U.S. does a lot of its counterterrorism missions. And it's where the United States military protects those vital shipping lanes that get the oil out of Saudi Arabia and on its way to the United States.
In all, it's a different relationship with Bahrain than the U.S. military had with, say, Egypt.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES CARAFANO, HERITAGE INSTITUTE: The Egyptian military relied on us for sustaining the Egyptian military. This is different. The Bahrainis are really us something. And the reason why they're giving it to us is not because they're nice guys, but because they realize that the ability of Iran to dominate that region is not in anybody's interest. Have the U.S. military there is kind of a deterrent effect, a cop on the block.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAWRENCE: Bahrain is one of several countries that have accepted U.S. patriot missiles as part of a regional defense against any potential aggression from Iran. Marty? SAVIDGE: And, Chris, as these protests seem to spread to other countries, what are those other nations that the United States is very concerned about as far as its interests?
LAWRENCE: Take Yemen -- obviously there's no U.S. base there, but the U.S. military have been training the Yemeni forces for some time and has been trying to expand some of the training of Yemen's counterterrorism forces.
Why is that so important to those of us back here? Because intelligence officials now say that the Al Qaeda group that's based there in Yemen, Al Qaeda in Arabian peninsula, is the number one threat to the homeland, to the United States.
Right now the president and the government have been very favorable in allowing the U.S. to use drones to go after high value targets. It remains to be seen exactly if new leaders are elected if they would be as amenable to the U.S. having such a strong presence there.
SAVIDGE: Chris Lawrence, thanks very much for that information.
Other stories making news, a Scranton jury convicted a former Pennsylvania judge in a so-called kids for cash scheme. Prosecutors say that Mark Ciavarella accepted millions in bribes and kickbacks for putting juveniles into detention centers. Those for-profit detention centers were owned by friends.
Ciavarella was found guilty of racketeering and fraud, among other things. One distraught mom lashed out after that verdict. Her son committed suicide after being sent to a detention center for a minor offense.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDY FONZO, ENRAGED MOTHER: My kid's not here. He's dead because of him. He ruined my life. Do you remember my son? An all-star wrestler, he's gone. You scum bag.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: Ciavarella is free on bond until his sentencing, and he could face 157 years in prison.
On a lighter note, wet weather in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky couldn't put a damper on homecoming ceremonies. Look at this, about 235 troops stepped off the plane to cheers and happy tears yesterday. They are the first group from the 101st combat aviation division to arrive, another plane carrying members of the third brigade combat team due in come Monday.
Iman, the fashion icon reveals how she turned her interest into a business in part two of her face to face interview with Fredricka Whitfield.
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SAVIDGE: From supermom to business mogul, does Iman know why she's lasted so long in the fashion business?
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SAVIDGE: Her name is synonymous with fashion, her iconic face with modeling. Iman talks face to face with Fredericka Whitfield about being a business mogul and her staying power.
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FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Fashion week in New York means a lot of excitement on the run ways, among the models and the fashion designers. Someone whose fame rose from the runway, Iman, says been there done that. She says you will rarely find her at a show today. She tells me she loves how models of today are seizing the opportunity, recognizing that the catwalk and magazine covers can be a springboard for even bigger business breaks.
IMAN, CEO, IMAN COSMETICS: I was awarded the fashion icon award. I was, I was totally surprised because it's not a yearly award that they give, they have given it only to another four women, I believe Kate Moss and Nicole Ritchie, Sandra Bernhard and I can't remember the other one. I have to say, it's great for the ego, at my age, I'm 55, so I thought, how perfect, you know, right?
WHITFIELD: Very relevant.
IMAN: And to top it off, Barney's gave me two windows and it was all celebration and love fest for a week.
WHITFIELD: Something tells me it's forever.
IMAN: Fashion is not forever.
WHITFIELD: So you say fashion is not forever, however, did you ever realize you would have this kind of staying power in the industry of fashion, of beauty, of business?
IMAN: No, it's all a surprise. If anything, I was more confident about my legacy, cosmetics. I was confident if the women got their hands on the cosmetics, they would be a believer.
As Iman, I have no idea how I lasted or why I lasted this long. And to top that off, I had stopped modeling in 198. To be still relevant in this industry, I have no clue, I have no clue how it happened. But I'm glad.
WHITFIELD: You did something that was unique, you forged a relationship with fashion designers, you had Calvin Klein, you had people asking you, how would you put this together? How would you wear it? If you wanted to make a statement, you wanted to put it on Iman.
IMAN: Unfortunately they don't use models like that anymore. Models used to be muses, and they really paid attention how you wear your own clothes and your personal style. So now that doesn't exist. And, yes, that had a lot to do with it. When I see Oscar de la Renta, I saw him at Versailles, he said you haven't aged a bit.
WHITFIELD: That's probably true, actually.
(LAUGHTER)
When you see models today, the it model or the up and coming, what are you homing for some of these young models on being able to stay in the industry or maximize this opportunity?
IMAN: I think a lot of models today understand the branding of one's self, they really do understand, because it's a new generation of models and of business that is at hand. They have a business plan. They have seen how Giselle or Kate Moss have navigated this, and so they are really aware the longevity doesn't exist anymore.
It's a very tough business. Lots of growth will go into it and the amount of girls that go into it, I would say 5 percent make it. It's a tough competitive business. And you loses your identity. You lose your identity, you lose yourself. You only see yourself through the eyes of how they judge you. So it is really tough on a young person.
WHITFIELD: So now what does your family say about the choices that you made that went as far back as when you were 18 and 19?
IMAN: They still think I made the wrong choice.
WHITFIELD: No, they do not.
IMAN: They think I would have made better in public service. I personally think I probably can do more on the outside than the inside. Inside is tough. You have to play by the rules.
WHITFIELD: Perhaps your philanthropy is part of public service.
IMAN: That's the only thing I'm really proud of is my philanthropy.
WHITFIELD: Fantastic. Your vision, your next act?
IMAN: I don't know. Usually it unfolds itself, you know, and it reveals itself. I wish I could say that I planned a lot of the things that have happened to me, none of it was planned. But once they arrived, I recognized it. I don't have it in my head, but once they arrive, I recognize them as my path.
WHITFIELD: Instincts mean something?
IMAN: Instinct means a lot. You know, I'm taking advantage of an opportunity when it comes. But it somehow reveals itself. When I was writing my book, "I am Iman," I had no clue what I was going to call the book. And as we went along, an English young man said it will reveal itself when you finish the book. The day I finished the book, it actually revealed itself. A lot of people say I'm being grand, "I am Iman." People in the streets sometimes say to me you look just like Iman. I say I am Iman. My name Iman is a man's name. So it's a play on I am a man.
WHITFIELD: Your dad played a big role in that, right? For some reason he said this young girl is going to be different, is going to be unique and I'm OK naming him a man's Somali name?
IMAN: The funny thing is that in the rest of the Middle East it's a girl's name. But in Somalia it's a man's name. So it's a high name, like to have faith, to have faith in god. And I do.
WHITFIELD: Next Iman tells me face to face the secret behind her 20- year marriage to rocker David Bowie.
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SAVIDGE: Taking a look at our top stories, the House has passed a Republican spending bill that calls for $60 billion worth of cut this year. Democrats call these cuts extreme and they're expected to fight them in the Senate. In addition the president threatens a veto. If the two sides fail to agree, the government could face a possible shutdown next month.
Protesters continue to demonstrate in Wisconsin. Teachers and other state workers are upset about the governor's proposed budget. Among other things it will cut benefits and collective bargaining rights. The government calls it necessary in order to reduce the state's $170 million deficit and avoid layoffs.
An Atlanta foster home has literally been a bridge to a new life for troubled teens. But the economy and budget cuts are forcing it to close after 40 years coming up at the top of the hour.
Stay tuned for a special, fashion week, backstage. We'll see you soon.
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