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Unemployment Rate Down; 'Bloodbath' in Zawiya, Libya; Mom Finally Home From Libya; ROTC Returning To Harvard; Army Overhauls Fitness Test

Aired March 04, 2011 - 12:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. I want to get you up to speed.

We are looking at these pictures just in, coming into CNN right now, on the ground. A chaotic scene there, as doctors in the Libyan town of Zawiya describe a bloodbath. Fifteen people dead and more than 200 wounded after Gadhafi forces launch a crackdown.

I just want to take a listen, if we could.

(VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: An unbelievable scene that we are seeing play out there in Zawiya. One witness saying that these peaceful demonstrators were attacked with mortars and machineguns.

Libyan state TV reports that Zawiya has been liberated from what they are saying are "terrorist elements." And we have reports on the ground that innocent civilians, as you can see, protesters there, being attacked, running for their lives as that chaos unfolds. And a doctor at a local hospital describing what he is calling a bloodbath.

Also, we are getting fresh video of clashes out of Tripoli in Libya. This, too, where you have opposition, as well as pro-Gadhafi, fighting in the streets, explosions, smoke, chaos that is taking place. This is a country that is erupting in several cities, as they struggle to remove Moammar Gadhafi, and his supporters clamp down, crack down, and people are killed and wounded throughout.

Well, people are fleeing Libya, that's clear. A U.S. military plane brought tents, blankets, water, other humanitarian supplies to eastern Tunisia. That happened in the last hour or so, because that is where some 200,000 people are camped out, trying to get out of Libya after fleeing Libya. The U.S. operation is called "Odyssey Dawn."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Colonel Gadhafi needs to step down from power and leave. That is good for his country. It is good for his people. It's the right thing to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MALVEAUX: All of this happens following the crisis that erupted and the revolution in Egypt. Egypt's new prime minister got a thunderous welcome in Cairo's Tahrir Square today. He promised to be a prime minister of the people and promised to resign if he failed to deliver change to his country.

Well, American companies went on a bit of a hiring spree in February. That's good news. The Labor Department says the economy added 192,000 jobs last month. That was good enough to push the unemployment rate down just a smidgen to 8.9 percent.

Today's jobs report wasn't enough, really, to excite investors, though. Looking live at the Big Board there, the stocks down 100 points right now, as you can see. Blue chips surged almost 200 points on Thursday, making it the best day from 2011 so far.

Well, we told you about the encouraging news from the job market. The economy is continuing to add jobs.

That's a good thing, but Christine Romans joins us from New York with details.

Good, bad? Should we be optimistic about what we're seeing?

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, a lot of folks were optimistic about it, 192,000 jobs. It's the best we've seen since last May, and that jobless rate, Suzanne, over the past three months has fallen more quickly than any other time in 28 years.

So think of that. It's gone down really fast, to 8.9 percent.

When you look at the trend for job growth, that's what's the most important thing here. You see the last five months of jobs gains. You're seeing a couple of those months revised higher. And you can see that it looks as though the mass firing is over, and now the job creation begins.

A hundred and ninety-two thousand jobs, that's enough to absorb people into the labor market. It's enough to account for new entrants in the labor market. But it's not enough to really keep eating at the jobless rate.

A couple of other things I wanted to point out to you, 222,000 private sector jobs created. That's something that the White House really likes, because they like to see that business is creating jobs at the same time you lost jobs from state and local governments. That's because of those budget cuts on the state level.

I also wanted to talk about the 99ers for a minute. You've heard of this phrase. These are the people who have expired their unemployment benefits, they have been out of work for 99 weeks or longer.

It's a group of very restless and, I will say, angry people who have been having a hard time finding their way back into the labor market. How long have people been out of work?

This next chart will show you that it is a post-World War II record now. People who are out of work, on average, are out of work for 37 weeks. That is a very long time in this economy.

And what you're finding is this trend that people who are newly out of work, Suzanne, are having a better time finding a job now. Things have been getting better for them. The people who have been out of work for a very long time, still having a hard time in the labor market -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Tough, tough times. Thank you so much, Christine.

ROMANS: Sure.

MALVEAUX: President Obama and the secretary of Education are headed to Florida today. The president's going to deliver a speech from a Miami middle school on improving the country's education system.

But how is the administration faring? That is the focus of today's "Talk Back."

And our Carol Costello, she joins us.

Carol, a lot of people wondering -- you know, they send their kids to school -- is it going to get any better? Are we even competitive with a lot of those countries that -- you know, China, India, who are doing so well?

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. I mean, people are very concerned about the quality of the education their children are getting in this country, because it is true, many of our schools are failing.

But what's the answer? More and more Republicans think it's the federal government that's to blame. Some even want to abolish the entire Department of Education.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RAND PAUL (R), KENTUCKY: We used to say as Republicans that we thought education was for the states and the localities, and we have a Department of Education that is consuming $100 billion. And it's time we go back to the Republican roots that says we believe in abolishing the Department of Education.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Now, the Department of Education's budget is actually about $70 billion, and a big chunk of that, $23 billion, goes toward Pell grants for low-income college students. An even bigger chunk, $25 billion, goes toward No Child Left Behind. It's that Bush-era program for disadvantaged students that really steams Republicans.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan says these programs are vital, though. He is actually asking for an 11 percent increase in next year's budget.

Duncan says, "At the end of the day, I believe we have to invest in education." Duncan's spokesman adds, "If the Department of Education is abolished, the people most at risk are the 20 million disadvantaged students served by the department's programs."

So, "Talk Back" today: What is the answer to America's education crisis? Is it abolishing the Department of Education, or is it something else?

Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll read some of your comments later on in the hour.

MALVEAUX: All right, Carol. Thank you.

COSTELLO: Sure.

MALVEAUX: Here's a look at what's ahead "On the Rundown."

First, a mother and child reunion after mom finally makes it out of Libya.

Also, Rodney King, 20 years after the police beating caught on tape.

And we're going to talk with the president of Harvard about the return of the ROTC to campus.

Plus, the Army's new fitness tests, our under-covered story of the week.

And finally, standing up to a flasher, one of the "Choose the News" options.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We're following breaking news, developments out of Libya, and new video that is coming here. First, Zawiya.

This is where there are reports now of 15 people who have been killed, more than 200 wounded. You are looking at fresh pictures there, video coming into CNN, really just moments ago as this tragedy, this story, unfolds. A doctor at a local hospital saying it is a bloodbath, that there are protesters that are being attacked in the streets. You can see the chaos that is taking place.

I want to just stop and take a look, take a listen for a moment.

(GUNFIRE)

MALVEAUX: It is not just Zawiya where this is happening. Also, in Libya's capital of Tripoli, there are clashes there.

New video, fresh video, pictures that we are seeing out of Tripoli as people run, throw rocks, run, smoke bombs. Chaos on the streets as protesters, those against Moammar Gadhafi and his forces, battle it out on the streets.

That is where our own senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is there. He is in Tripoli.

Nic, you are watching what's unfolding on the streets there. You also came from Zawiya. Give us a sense of what is taking place, how serious this is on the ground.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what seems to be happening in Zawiya is very serious. It appears that the government is trying to retake control of the center of Zawiya that's been held by armed rebels for over a week and a half now.

We saw them in the center of the city. And the video we've been looking at now, that's where the battle has been taking place, in what they call Martyr Square, in the center of the city.

Sources tell us now that 15 are dead, over 200 wounded. The hospital struggling to cope with the wounded.

Nine people buried so far, but we're getting very differing accounts now from our sources and from what the state media is reporting here. State media saying that the government has taken control of Zawiya. They say they've killed what they describe as a terrorist leader, captured 31 tanks, 45 anti-aircraft guns, numbers that belie what we saw with our own eye as last weekend, when we saw a couple of tanks and a couple of anti-aircraft guns.

But, according to our sources, they say that the battle there is still going on. They're saying what the government -- the government claim that the government has control is wrong, that the battle is still going on, and it's the rebels that still have control of the center of that city -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Nic, does it surprise you that it has gotten that serious, that dangerous, and that bloody?

ROBERTSON: This was always in the cards. The government has said two things.

One is that it didn't want bloodshed. Two, that it could crush the rebels there.

The rebels have told us they were afraid of just such an attack by the government. They have nowhere to go, they have nowhere to break out of the city and then join up with other forces. They were surrounded by the government on all sides, with significant elements of the army. So this was always a potential outcome, the government had said.

And I spoke to very senior officials in the last couple of days, and Moammar Gadhafi, when he spoke for two-and-a-half hours on television here just two days ago, said that this situation couldn't last. And this seems to be the government.

We don't have the details yet of how this all began, but this seems to be the government not allowing it to stand, and going in, according to the sources there. They say the protesters were attacked by heavy machinegun fire and mortar rounds, small artillery rounds being fired on them.

So this does seem to be one of the outcomes that was quite predictable, although no one knew when it could happen -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And Nic, this video that we are watching, that we're seeing, both from Tripoli, as well as Zawiya, it looks like the demonstrators are just throwing things at the military forces. Is this by any stretch of the imagination a fair fight?

ROBERTSON: I think right now, what we're watching is the government use the level of force that it thinks it can get away with, with what it knows is international scrutiny on their clampdown on demonstrations now. We know that over the past couple of weeks, they've fired on demonstrators and killed demonstrators here in this capital.

They know that even though they try to control the journalists who are here and not allow us to get into the area in the east of the capital, where these pictures were shot earlier today, when protesters came out of noontime prayers Friday, they know that journalists are going to get there. So by firing tear gas and rubber bullets, that's not sort of an immediate escalation to lethal force.

It seems that the government is sort of tamping down the way that they're dealing with the protesters, but it's very clear to us that they will use whatever force is necessary to contain these demonstrations. And from what we've seen today, it does appear as if they've been able to contain the protests again and control and squash this anti-government movement in the capital. But what we've seen today is that movement, although it's perhaps losing the momentum, although it's perhaps weak, it is there and it is big -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And Nic, real quickly here, there was a doctor from that hospital out of Zawiya who was describing the situation as a bloodbath. How desperate are they for supplies, for relief, for help?

ROBERTSON: It's very hard for us to tell because we've had limited access there. When we were there, we could see that they controlled the center of the city, the armed rebels controlled the center of the city, and that around them were the government forces.

It wasn't like, let's say, an intense civil war, where you have a very clearly defined front line, where no one can really cross. This was what I would call a very soft, gray area of a front line, sort of an area where people could come and go either way.

So it would have given the rebels a chance to perhaps get some medical supplies in. But without doubt, the government checked vehicles going into that area. So any wholesale resupply of medical equipment would have necessarily been very hard to -- it's quite possible to imagine any medical facilities there being short of equipment and short of supplies -- Suzanne. MALVEAUX: All right. Nic, please be safe. We appreciate your reports. Obviously, we'll come back to you as we get more video and as those events on the ground warrant.

Thank you very much, Nic.

Well, as you can imagine, you know, getting out of Libya and the journey home from Libya finally over for a California woman. An incredible sense of relief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Judy!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: There's the reunion. We brought you that story, the first stories of Judith and Dena Drotar.

Dena was worried about her mom, Judith, who was stuck in Tripoli aboard a ferry chartered by the U.S. to get Americans out of harm's way. Well, she finally made it to Los Angeles yesterday.

Mom, daughter, joining us live here from L.A.

We are so glad to see both you.

We talked earlier in the week when everything was very chaotic and very tense. What happened when the two of you -- we watched that reunion. What happened when the two of you embraced? What were you feeling?

DENA DROTAR, REUNITED WITH MOTHER: I was feeling a lot of relief and gratitude that she was home.

JUDITH DROTAR, EVACUATED FROM LIBYA: Well, obviously, you know, I love my daughter very much, and so it was great to see her. I have a son in northern California. I talked to him as soon as I got home.

It's wonderful to be with my family and friends. And, of course, having just heard all of this going on in Tripoli, it's a very bittersweet feeling, because I've left a lot of friends behind, and it's obviously not looking very --

MALVEAUX: Tell me about that, Judith.

J. DROTAR: Oh, my gosh, I've just met some wonderful Libyans in the four years that I've lived there. And I know that a lot of them are trying really hard to stay out of harm's way. And, you know, I've known people from Zawiya and Tajoura, cities that keep coming up on the news, and I just cringe every time I hear it.

You know, getting a group of us to the airport -- or to the ferry -- we had to try to find somebody who had vans. And when we got there, I offered to pay them, and they wouldn't take any money. They said, "You can pay us when you come back." I'm like, "Well, I don't know when we're coming back." And they're like, "We believe you will come back, and if you don't, this is our gift to you."

They're very generous people. And, you know, my daughter actually came to visit last year, and she --

D. DROTAR: I did, and I was actually really surprised. I thought the country was beautiful and the people were so sweet. And I feel very grateful to them for helping my mom get out. And I hope that there's something that I can do to help them.

MALVEAUX: Judith, do you think you could ever find it in your heart to go back to Libya? I mean, it seems like it's a chaotic time for many people. Do you see that that would be your calling again?

J. DROTAR: You know, I'd go back in a heartbeat if it is a place where it's safe. I don't think my daughter and son would appreciate it --

D. DROTAR: No.

J. DROTAR: -- if I went back now.

D. DROTAR: Last week was enough.

MALVEAUX: Dena says, no, not allowed to happen.

D. DROTAR: No, period.

J. DROTAR: No.

MALVEAUX: What do you do now?

J. DROTAR: What do I do? Well, you know, I'm still responsible for a number of people. I came back, and my mom -- hi, mom -- is in the hospital, so I need to go up and see her tomorrow. And it's just one step at a time.

You know, I think to me, this wasn't an extraordinary thing. We just, you know, got through it the best we could. And I think what I feel now is -- you know, I'm the first one to go to the grocery store and buy one of those weekly magazines that has all the stars' lives in there. But honestly, I've discovered that there's a piece of extraordinary in everybody, and I've just met so many extraordinary people that I would like to read about that aren't, you know, famous.

But it's just been very wonderful. And my daughter has -- you know, was able to get through to me from time to time.

MALVEAUX: A new appreciation for life.

J. DROTAR: And her belief in me was, you know, empowering.

MALVEAUX: Well, Judith, Dena --

D. DROTAR: And all the prayers that we've had coming our way.

Right?

J. DROTAR: Yes.

MALVEAUX: Well, we appreciate your talking with us today. And the journey you took, we know it was very difficult. Speaking with both of you, we know it's very emotional. We're so glad to have you back. So thank you very much.

J. DROTAR: Thank you, very much.

D. DROTAR: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Well, here's your chance to "Choose the News." We're going to tell you about three stories. You vote by texting for the one that you'd like to see.

The first choice, women, far superior to men, just about everything you can name. Of course, we already know that. But we're going to show you research to back it up.

Or you can pick royal wedding security. We're going to walk you through the root that Prince William and Kate Middleton will travel when they tie the knot next month. And you may be surprised at the possible threats that are along the way.

And your final choice, a woman honored for standing up to a subway flasher. She is being called a "shero" for making sure the offender was brought to justice.

All you've got to do is vote by texting 22360. Vote 1 for "Women Do Things Better"; 2 for "Royal Wedding Security"; or 3 for "The Shero who Brought a Subway Flasher to Justice."

That winning story is going to air later this hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: It's been an amazing couple of months. An uprising, a revolution that's taking place in the Arab world. The unrest started in Tunisia, quickly spread to 16 other countries in North Africa, as well as the Middle East.

So, where do things stand now? Well, we thought we would ask our own Michael Holmes to get us up to speed, because a lot of moving parts over the last couple of weeks.

MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That map's fascinating, isn't it? Just how widespread it is.

(CROSSTALK)

HOLMES: I know you covered Libya with Nic, but it's worth remember, while that's going on, all these other things haven't stopped. They're still going on. Let's take a look at Tunisia first, which inspired all of these other revolts. A very busy week there.

First, the prime minister there quit on Sunday after a weekend of bloody protests. Now, he's the guy who took over after Tunisia's president of 27 years was forced out. He fled the country.

Remember? It seems like so long ago he went to Saudi Arabia. At least three Tunisian government officials have resigned since then.

Now, the country has a temporary prime minister, 84 years young, says he's going to serve until elections in July. And street protests, you can see, continue there to demand the suspension of Tunisia's constitution.

Protesters, still not happy. They want an assembly formed to lay out Tunisia's transition to democracy. Not over there.

MALVEAUX: Next, we saw Egypt. What is the update with Egypt?

HOLMES: Yes, a lot still going on in Egypt. A lot of uncertainty going on in Egypt. But it does appear that things may be going the way of protesters.

The prime minister tapped by Mubarak to lead the country after he was forced out -- remember, it was an old crony of his -- well, he's quit. The military has appointed a new prime minister.

His name is Essam Sharaf. He spoke. He went out actually into Tahrir Square, spoke to the protesters, said he was of the people.

He wanted their imprimatur. He said he would quit if he didn't live up to what they wanted. No definite date yet set for a referendum on constitutional changes. There are meant to be elections in September. We'll see if that happens.

MALVEAUX: So, in the meantime, where's Hosni Mubarak?

HOLMES: Oh, yes. Well, he's still believed to be at his rather lovely house in Sharm el-Sheikh. If you've never been, you should go. It's a beautiful place.

MALVEAUX: I've been to Sharm el-Sheikh.

HOLMES: Exactly. It's a great place. Yes, of course, you have been there.

Next week, he's going to have to go to Cairo, though, back to the capital, to be questioned in the corruption case that the government is building against him.

Now, we've got to talk about Yemen. A very important country. It's on the periphery economically in the Arab world, and everything else, but very important when it comes to al Qaeda.

Shiite protesters there won't accept anything other than their president's resignation.

(CHANTING)

HOLMES: And as you can see, protests continuing there, including today. Eyewitness, in fact, tell CNN several people were killed by security forces. Aircraft also said to have been used against the people.

Now, President Saleh there, he's ruled the country since '78. He promised not to run for president in the next round of elections, but that's not until 2014.

It wasn't good enough for the Shiite people, who make up most of the protesters there. The opposition says it is not going to take part in talks until the regime leaves altogether. As I said, a very important country when it comes to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

Now --

MALVEAUX: Tell us about Iraq.

HOLMES: -- Iraq, also, now -- because it's very easy to forget all these other countries. There have been weeks of demonstrations there. They're not after overthrow, they're after a change of conditions.

Things there are still horrible for local people. You had water cannons used to disperse protesters in Basra, in the south.

(CHANTING)

HOLMES: Now, as I said, the protesters aren't going against the government so much, but the quality of basic services. We're talking about food shortages. Still, two hours of power a day, if you're lucky in Baghdad. Crumbling infrastructure. The sewer -- I mean, it's really bad.

I mean, I was there most recently in August. It still is bad there.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki gave the government ministers 100 days to eliminate corruption or be fired. We'll see what happens there. The security forces there who are trained and armed by the U.S. have been cracking down on people in the streets there.

MALVEAUX: Still, a lot to follow.

HOLMES: Yes.

MALVEAUX: A lot to watch, a lot to follow.

HOLMES: That map said it all.

MALVEAUX: Yes. Well, you can talk about it to anybody this weekend. You've got the whole area covered.

HOLMES: Really, exactly.

MALVEAUX: All right, Michael. Thanks. Have a good one.

HOLMES: Good to see you.

MALVEAUX: Have a good weekend.

HOLMES: You too.

MALVEAUX: Well, Harvard invites military recruiters back to campus for the first time in 40 years. I'm going to speak live with Harvard president Drew Faust in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: The president of Harvard and the Navy secretary will sign an agreement today allowing the ROTC to return to campus. The change will end decades of dispute over war and military policy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): It was the height of the Vietnam War. And on Harvard University's brick and ivy campus in the heart of Cambridge, Massachusetts, the anti-war movement was celebrating a symbolic victory. The banning of ROTC, the Reserve Officer's Training Corps from Harvard Yard. The students who received scholarship money for training in the military.

When the Vietnam war ended, another battle took its place, between Harvard and the armed forces. This time, it was over the military's policy of banning gays from openly serving their country. That was fuel enough for Harvard and other Ivy League colleges to keep the ROTC ban in place.

Shortly before the "don't ask, don't tell policy" became law, then-secretary of defense Colin Powell delivered Harvard's commencement speech. I covered his 1993 visit to the campus, where he was met with protests. When I asked him how he justified "don't ask, don't tell," he said, it was to maintain order.

For years, university leaders, including former law school dean and current U.S. Supreme Court justice Elena Kagan continued to cite the military's policy as reason enough to continue to keep ROTC off- campus.

ELENA KAGAN, SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: We were also trying to protect our own anti-discrimination policy. MALVEAUX: Now with the ban abolished, Harvard will lift its ban as well, allowing ROTC students to train on its pristine campus. A symbolic bridge between two different worlds, education and defense.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And we're going to be talking with the president of Harvard University, Drew Faust, after this quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We're going to have the president of Harvard University soon, Drew Faust.

But first want to go to this week, marking 20 years since the Rodney King beating. Twenty years since a grainy videotape of white Los Angeles police officers beating a black man became news around the world. The eventual acquittal of those police officers sparked widespread riots in L.A. and changed that city forever.

Our Don Lemon sat down with Rodney King to talk about how the past two decades have changed him, and that is in this week's "What Matters."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In the 20 years since his life was turned upside down, Rodney King has relocated to suburban Rialto, California. He's 20 years older, and according to him, a lot wiser. He admits his past is riddles with bad decisions.

(on camera): If you could do it all over again, what would you do? Would you go out that night?

RODNEY KING, BEATEN BY L.A. POLICE OFFICERS 20 YEARS AGO: Stay home. I think I would have stayed home.

LEMON (voice-over): For years after the beating, Rodney King continued to have run-ins with the law. In 1996, he was sentenced to 90 days for a hit-and-run involving his wife. He was also arrested several times on charges related to domestic abuse, drug intoxication, and indecent exposure.

(on camera): Why after all that? That's what people would say, especially black people. Why after all that, Rodney, are you still getting in trouble?

KING: I guess the trouble that they see me in is a part of my life that I'm working on.

LEMON (voice-over): And 20 years later, Rodney King still lives in fear.

(on camera): Years after the beating, you wore a vest. Do you still wear a vest?

KING: Oh, yes. Yes, I do. I do.

LEMON (voice-over): He wears a bulletproof vest in large crowds because threats against his life were all tot real. The FBI once infiltrated a white supremacist plot to assassinate King.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you constantly looking over your shoulder?

KING: You know, I never feel safe, you know. Just things that happen.

When you are part of history and it changes for the better, you've got a lot of devilish people out there that don't like it.

LEMON (on camera): When Rodney King had the blood on his face, that mug shot of you with the blood on your face, who was he then?

KING: Oh, man, a guy that was almost dead and just, like, happy to be able to still have that face, to be able to see that face.

LEMON: And Rodney King now? All cleaned up, trimmed goatee, beads around his neck. Who is Rodney King now?

KING: I'm a -- I consider myself a decent, you know, good human being.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: To hear more about King's story, to find out whether he's forgiven the police officers who beat him 20 years ago, watch the "RACE AND RAGE: THE BEATING OF RODNEY KING." It's a special tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK0

MALVEAUX: We've been telling you about it this hour. The president of Harvard and the Navy secretary will sign an agreement today, allowing the ROTC to return to campus. The change will end decades of dispute over war and military policy.

Drew Faust, she is president of Harvard University. She joins us to talk about the return of the ROTC. President Faust, thank you for joining us this afternoon. Tell us how you --

DREW FAUST, PRESIDENT OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Thank you so much.

MALVEAUX: You're welcome. Tell us how you reached this decision. Was there a tipping point?

FAUST: I thought about this decision a great deal during my initial years as president, and it seemed to me that the sentiment on campus really focused on the "don't ask, don't tell" law and how that inhibited opportunities for our students. And that that really was the barrier to the return of ROTC. And I began saying that in public statements, and indicated that with the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," we would move forward in welcoming ROTC back to campus. So, that really was the element that was critical to this decision.

MALVEAUX: And the ROTC is recruiting the best, the brightest to receive education, military training. But, honestly, let's face it. Very likely those young adults are going to end up going to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Are you okay with that? Do you feel okay with how this is going to play out?

FAUST: I'm always impressed when I attend the commissioning ceremonies for our ROTC students every year. At the kind of dedication that they display in taking on these responsibilities at such a critical time. And their willingness to sacrifice, their willingness to defend the nation and act in its service seems to me extraordinarily admirable.

MALVEAUX: As president of this university, as a leader in your community, do you feel that this is -- the execution of the wars, is going well?

FAUST: This decision today is about making sure that the individuals in the military are ones that have had the opportunity to benefit from education and to take advantage of the resources of our universities. And that, to me, seems an important part of making sure that the individuals who are making decisions about war have been exposed to the widest range of education. General Petraeus was here a couple of years ago at our commissioning ceremony and he has often spoken about the importance of ideas and the importance of soldier scholars in leading our military. And I feel that Harvard has a real contribution to make in that regard.

MALVEAUX: Do you feel it's appropriate to offer your own position about how the wars are being executed?

FAUST: As an individual?

MALVEAUX: As an individual, sure.

FAUST: Is that what you're asking?

MALVEAUX: Certainly.

FAUST: I speak out on public matters that relate to higher education and to the responsibilities that are mine as president. I feel that those are the places that my voice can matter. So I have spoken about ROTC and about our students, but I don't make statements about broader issues that are, I believe, the responsibility and domain of others.

MALVEAUX: OK. When I was on campus, there was certainly a feeling that there was a stigma around those students who participated in ROTC, that they somehow were warmongers or non-thinking individuals. You know, misperceptions, clearly, but how do you tackle that aspect that the culture on campus, or people who feel that way or think that way about people in the military?

FAUST: I don't believe that that is the culture on our campus now. There's a student who was commissioned last year, a young woman named Shawna Sunot (ph), and she wrote me a letter after her commission and graduation and said how she was a little fearful initially about coming to Harvard thinking she might encounter a culture like the one you described. And that is not, she said, that was not her experience. Instead, she felt that she could play a vital part in this community, introducing many individuals in our student body who never will be part of the military to important issues that relate to the military.

I've also spent time reaching out to these ROTC students, inviting them to lunch, hearing their concerns. And, for the most part, they feel that they are an essential part of the Harvard community and that this has been an excellent environment for them.

MALVEAUX: And President Faust, I covered Secretary Colin Powell's visit when he delivered the commencement speech back in 1993. I asked him, because there were protests, his visit was being protested, how he justified the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, and he said at the time it was to maintain order. This reversal on the side of the military, the government, really a political and culture sea change. Do you feel that Harvard is also ready for a sea change of its own? Beyond offering office space, access to classrooms and athletic fields for the ROTC, but to establish a real ROTC unit on campus?

FAUST: The sea change is one that it's important to note and to celebrate today. With the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" and the landmark that is for inclusion in our society. So I just want to reinforce what you said about that.

Our arrangements with the Navy are those that the Navy found most desirable. And so we have followed their guidance in setting up the particular set of policies and arrangements that we will follow for Naval ROTC and its return here to campus.

MALVEAUX: All right. President Faust, thank you so much for your time and good luck to you, as well as Harvard alums and those on campus. Appreciate it.

FAUST: Thank you. Thank you so much.

MALVEAUX: Well, don't forget to "Choose The News." Vote by texting 22360 for the story you'd like to see in detail. Vote one for proof that women are better in just about everything. We know it, but there's proof now. Vote two for a look at royal wedding security or three for the Shero who was honored for bringing a subway flasher to justice. The winning story is going to air in the next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Time for a look at one of the underreported stories of the week. The Army is overhauling its fitness test for the first time in 30 years. So, push-ups will be replaced with the casualty drag, where soldiers drag the equivalent of a body's weight. Instead of sit- ups, the ammo can shuttle sprint. And instead of two-mile run, a 400- meter run with a rifle.

Joining us with his take on the undercovered stories, that is Dean Obeidallah, cofounder of the Arab-American Comedy Festival.

So, Dean, what do you think here? I mean we've heard the first lady say that most, you know, a lot of kids, a lot of young adults, they can't pass the fitness test to now serve in the Army, to serve in the military. What's the change about, do you think?

DEAN OBEIDALLAH, CO-FOUNDER, ARAB-AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL: Well, it's 30 years. I mean the last time they updated it were 30 years ago. People were wearing members only jacket and little ties with piano keys. I mean, I think it's time to update things.

The one thing I noticed specially was that casualty drag, where you drag a 180-pound bag, which supposedly represents your injured fellow soldier. How come all those war movies I saw, remember Forrest Gump, he went back, he put the guy over his shoulder and carried him. I don't want to be dragged if I'm wounded. I want to be carried like a baby in a blanket, you know? The guy's dragging me, I'm like leave me. I'll go with the enemy at this point. I do not want to be dragged by you.

And also the obesity thing is a good point. I mean Secretary Gates talked about that. Maybe 180 pounds isn't the right weight. Maybe you have to supersize that bag, make it 250, 260 and make it more representative of some of the people.

MALVEAUX: You think --

OBEIDALLAH: So I think it's time. It needs to be updated.

MALVEAUX: You think with the change in these tests, do you think more people or less people will be able to do that?

OBEIDALLAH: I think it's going to be much more challenging. From what I read, they were just doing little tests on it and they had guys who were coming out from behind their desks to actually make them do this physical activity and they were sweating profusely. But I think, you know, you should add some other things. I mean maybe yoga. That's good for the mind. And maybe for technology -- you know, technology has been a big part of the military. Have an eye/hand coordination. Maybe they should do jumping jacks while twittering or, you know, maybe running on a treadmill while doing Nintendo, because when you operate those drones or missiles or radars, you've got to be ready with that kind of stuff. So those are my suggestions for the military. Take it for what they want. I'm just a comedian. But just trying to help.

MALVEAUX: All right. Well, are you swayed in either way? Do you think you'd like jump in and try the test?

OBEIDALLAH: Me? I think I wouldn't make it -- I don't even think I could (INAUDIBLE). I wouldn't -- I would start sweating. I'm in decent shape, but I couldn't do the things they're doing, dragging bag, running for miles and stuff like that. You know, I tend to do it really well on like video games. I'm really good at like "Madden Football." I can play for hours. I'm really good at that. MALVEAUX: And, you know, the uniforms only come in green, as Goldie Hawn had once said. So, you know, if you don't want to sport green (INAUDIBLE).

OBEIDALLAH: (INAUDIBLE). I'm more of a blue -- light blue type of a guy.

MALVEAUX: All right, thank you, Dean.

OBEIDALLAH: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: Well, your votes are in. The winners for "Choose The News," that's up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Well, you texted it, we're going to air it. The winning story for "Choose The News." It is the woman honored for bringing a subway flasher to justice. Our Derricke Dennis with affiliate WCBS has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NICOLA BRIGGS, SUBWAY RIDER: (INAUDIBLE) guy -- his penis out. That's it!

DERRICKE DENNIS, WCBS REPORTER (voice-over): It's the YouTube video that had all of New York City talking. Subway rider Nicola Briggs refusing to be victimized by a subway flasher, angrily calling for his arrest.

BRIGGS: I'm escorting you to the police station, OK? Oh, yes. Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED) yes.

DENNIS: Her tough stand back in September honored by the Women's Democratic Club of New York. Briggs being called a Shero, fittingly at the famous Stonewall Inn, home of the Stonewall Riots for gay and lesbian rights. Briggs bringing attention to subway harassment against women.

YETTA KURLAND, WOMEN'S DEMOCRATIC CLUB: I think it's courageous, I think it's beautiful, and I think it's inspiring for many women.

BRIGGS: At that moment, not one iota of fear. I knew what I need to do.

DENNIS: And she did. Fifty-one-year-old Mario Valdivia arrested, convicted, sentenced to four months in jail, and is branded as a registered sex offender, a predator for life.

BRIGGS: Because that's what a predator is trying to do to you, to shut your emotions down, to shock you, to violate you to the point where you're immobilized and not able to react against what he's doing.

I know what I saw! DENNIS: You can tell from the video, Briggs did see something.

DENNIS (on camera): But what you can't tell from the video is how tiny she is. She's a feisty five feet tall.

BRIGGS: Well, frankly, when you're petite, you've got to stand up for yourself. And I learned from a very early age not to take any guff from people.

I'm escorting you to the police station!

DENNIS (voice-over): One woman's courage, now an example for victims everywhere.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Wow, she is tough. Briggs is a self-defense instructor, but says it was her own sense of right and wrong that made her stand up.

Well, CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Don Lemon, in for Ali Velshi.

Don, loved that interview with Rodney King. Really looking forward to seeing that special over the weekend.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, thank you so much. I'm looking forward to it as well. And you know what, Suzanne, I have to say this in all honesty, you're a little like my mom and you're very tough as well.

MALVEAUX: I'm small and tough, that's right. A little feisty.

LEMON: Have a great weekend.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thanks, Don.