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Libyan City Under Siege; Arming the Rebels; Outgunned by Gadhafi Forces; CIA On The Ground In Libya; The Help Desk; Florida Storm; Talk Back Question

Aired March 31, 2011 - 12:01   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the hour now. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in today for Suzanne Malveaux.

Let's get you up to speed. A possible tornado and damage in Florida

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Meantime, overseas now, seawater radiation levels at Japan's Fukushima nuclear plant spiked to a new high today. Officials say it is 4,300 times higher than it should be. International experts are pressuring Japan to expand its evacuation zone. That's because radiation is high in a town 12 miles outside of the zone.

Meantime, in this country, the Environmental Protection Agency is going to keep a closer check on dairy products here. The EPA says radiation from Japan has been detected in milk on the U.S. West Coast. The government says it is minuscule compared to what most of us absorb every day, and it maintains the milk is perfectly safe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BLAIR THOMPSON, WASHINGTON DAIRY PRODUCTS COMMISSION: "Radiation" can be a scary word, but I think it's important to remember that actually, we live surrounded by radiation every single day. It comes from the sun. It comes from our televisions. It comes from our cell phone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL VEIRA, SPOKANE'S FAMILY FARM: We've had some asking about it as they're buying six and eight gallons of milk with their car full of kids, so I'm not too concerned. You know, like I said, food safety is utmost important, but I think this is probably just a little drop in the hat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Outgunned, Libyan rebels gave up more territory today to Gadhafi's fighters. They have retreated to Ajdabiya. They began this week 253 miles to the west, outside of Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte.

A U.S. intelligence source says CIA operatives are on the ground in Libya today to size up rebel fighters. The source says they're not there for battlefield direction. "The New York Times" also reports today British spies and Special Forces are working in Libya.

The U.S. Labor Department says first-time unemployment claims are still on a downward trend. Applications fell to 388,000 last week. That's down 6,000 from the week before. The government releases the unemployment report for all of March tomorrow.

State workers plan to protest the New Hampshire Capitol in Concord at this hour. The state House has approved a bill that severely limits collective bargaining rights for public workers. The vote had been scheduled for today, but House Republicans quietly moved it up a day to avoid protesters.

In Washington this afternoon, FDA advisers will recommend whether to restrict or even ban food dyes. Experts say science has not shown a definitive link between dyes and hyperactivity in children. Most do agree additives like dyes can aggravate disorders in certain susceptible children.

All right. More now on Libya and a city under siege for weeks. Moammar Gadhafi's forces have pounded Misrata. Rebel fighters are outgunned, civilians are suffering, and much of the city is in ruins now.

CNN's Frederik Pleitgen is one of the few Western journalists able to get inside the city after the most recent attacks. He takes us to the front lines now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FREDERIK PLEITGEN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Weeks of urban combat have taken their toll on Misrata, badly-damaged buildings, streets littered with wreckage. Libya's third largest city, the final position stronghold in the west, is under siege by pro-Gadhafi forces.

(on camera): All right. So we're extremely close to the front line right now. We're with a couple of the fighters from the opposition forces. And this is in downtown Misrata.

There's a lot of destruction everywhere. Most of the buildings here have some sort of damage to them, pockmarks. There's a lot of destroyed cars in the streets, as well. And you can also see that the people that we're with, the fighters that we're with, are very, very tense at this moment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go. Let's go.

PLEITGEN (voice-over): A celebration on a destroyed armored vehicle, a step too far for pro-Gadhafi forces nearby, and the scene turns ugly.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire! Fire! Fire!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you see, that all is destroyed from Gadhafi's forces. Building, gas stations, schools, restaurants, police station, even fire station, they destroyed it.

PLEITGEN: Most residents have fled downtown Misrata as pro- Gadhafi forces have positioned snipers on tall buildings and used tanks and artillery in the city center. The anti-Gadhafi fighters, badly outgunned, fight back with the few weapons they have. They provided us with this video saying it shows a man disabling a battle tank with a rocket-propelled grenade.

Those civilians still left in Misrata are suffering. Twelve- year-old Mohammed (ph) and his 15-year-old brother were wounded when mortars hit their parents' home. Mohammed (ph) lost several fingers on his left hand and his whole right hand.

Their father swears revenge. "Gadhafi should be killed," he says. "He's not a human, and he should be killed."

But, for now, the medical staff at one of the few functioning hospitals are struggling to keep many of the wounded alive. They lack even the basics -- anesthetics, operating tools, and space. Some patients must stay in the parking lot. The emergency room is in a tent in front of the building.

DR. ALI ABDULLAH, SURGEON: We don't (ph) go from there. All the doctors and medical staff, they live here now.

PLEITGEN: And they won't leave any time soon, as opposition fighters struggle to hold on to this besieged town and forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi continue to pound what not long ago was one of Libya's most prosperous places.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Frederik Pleitgen joining us live now off the coast there.

So, recently, you told us about people in Misrata who were very concerned about Gadhafi actually placing snipers in the city. Is that still a concern that many people have there?

PLEITGEN: A major concern, Fredricka. That is still something that is very much going on.

We went to a sort of higher point, a vantage point, on the outskirts of Misrata, and we could see on the tallest buildings, there were a lot of people walking around that were pointed out to us as being snipers. Those buildings also flew the flag of Moammar Gadhafi.

And certainly people tell us that, especially in the center of town in Misrata, people are really afraid to venture out. They say at any point they could be struck by snipers. And as you could see in our video just now, we ourselves came under fire as well. So, yes, snipers are a big concern, but not just that, Fredricka. You also have things like tanks in the street. And we repeatedly heard tanks open fire on buildings within the city's center while we were on the ground in Misrata -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Frederik Pleitgen, thanks so much for joining us off of the coast of Libya.

All right. Let's talk politics now in this country.

The Tea Party is holding a rally at the U.S. Capitol right now, and potential 2012 presidential candidate Michele Bachmann is there. She thinks conservative women like herself and Sarah Palin are unfairly criticized.

And that brings us to today's "Talk Back." Carol Costello's been getting an earful from many of you who have differing views on whether women are getting criticized more aggressively than men politicians.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, let's face it, we hear it a lot. There is a double standard when it comes to criticizing politicians who are women. Republican and Tea Party favorite Michele Bachmann, who has had a few missteps with historical facts, says yes, she made mistakes. But she, unlike liberal politicians, did not get a pass from the media.

Bachmann told CBN's David Brody it's something she, Sarah Palin and other conservative women have to deal with.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), MINNESOTA: She has been unfairly criticized, and I think that we've seen that with other conservative women as well across the country, whether they are political commentators or whether they're in public service.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Commentators like MSNBC's Ed Schultz, who calls Bachmann a "psycho talker," and Jay Leno, who holds nothing back when it comes to the so-called "Mama Grizzlies."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAY LENO, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, now under fire for claiming the founding fathers eliminated slavery. Well, and Sarah Palin, oh, she is upset. Well, sure. Another female Republican out there trying to steal the dumb-ass vote?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: All this is not surprising at all to Sarah Palin, who was asked about it on Fox.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SARAH PALIN (R), FMR. ALASKA GOVERNOR: Yes, of course. Women are held to a different standard in all areas.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why?

PALIN: But my point is going to be, so what? I am through whining about a liberal press that holds especially conservative women to a different standard because it doesn't do me any good to whine about it. I made my point.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Politics is rough for both women and men. Just how rough? Maybe it does depend on your gender.

So, the "Talk Back" question today: Are Republican women unfairly criticized because they're women?

Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I will read more of your comments later on in the hour.

WHITFIELD: Can't wait for that. All right, Carol. Appreciate it.

COSTELLO: Sure.

WHITFIELD: All right. Well, here's a look at what's ahead "On the Rundown."

Arming rebels in Libya, good or bad idea? If history's any judge, it could backfire.

Also, where would the weapons land? Some fear right into the wrong hands.

And an Egyptian-American imprisoned in Syria, but charged with nothing.

Plus, how much is too much? Traces of radiation tracked in U.S. milk.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Air strikes might have knocked Moammar Gadhafi on his heels, but they're not stopping him. Now there is growing debate over whether the army of Libya's rebel forces should indeed take place.

Our Carl Azuz is here to show how that strategy has played out in past conflicts, because this would not be the first.

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS: It would absolutely not be the first, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: It would not.

AZUZ: Yes, it hasn't always worked out well. I mean, you bring up a couple good points here.

And we have to see that these rebels have been retreating today. I mean, they've been beaten back out of western Libya. And many people are asking, well, what are the alternatives? What can be done if the United States and the United Nations want to the enforce the part of the U.N. resolution that protects the Libyan opposition?

The White House, kind of unclear on this. It says it's undecided on whether arming rebels is the right thing to do.

Part of the reason for that might be based on history, the problems that the strategy has caused in the past. We want you to take a look at a few of the nations where this has played out before.

1984, the United States arms Afghan rebels who were fighting off the Soviets. Little did we know those same weapons that we gave the Afghan rebels would be pointed at U.S. troops in our current conflict there.

And then it's hard to believe in hindsight, but in the 1980s, the United States also armed Iraq during the Iran-Iraq War in an effort to kind of turn the tide there. That, ironically, helped bolster Saddam Hussein the years before Operation Desert Storm.

And then there's news today that CIA operatives may already be on the ground in Libya. That's causing a lot of folks to make comparisons to the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion when the CIA organized a force of Cuban exiles to take out Fidel Castro. Those forces, defeated in just three days.

So, essentially, Fredricka, the logic here is the enemy of my enemy is my friend. It suggests that we're United with Libyan rebels against Moammar Gadhafi.

But history has shown there are far more complex relationships between these rebel forces and the West. And things have not always gone as planned.

We want you to remember this, too. These are not all trained soldiers, the rebels. They're volunteers.

They come from very diverse backgrounds as disparate varied as doctors, lawyers, teachers. So there's also an immediate concern of whose hands we're putting guns in now, let alone what unfolds later.

We're not saying that arming the rebels is a terrible idea altogether, especially when an alternative could be putting U.S. or NATO troops in harm's way. But this is still its strategy with some significant historic pitfalls -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And we're going to be talking to General Russel Honore a bit more about the "what ifs" in that scenario.

Thanks so much, Carl. Appreciate it.

AZUZ: Thank you, Fredricka. (WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: More on that and other news right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More now on those discussions about the U.S. potentially arming rebels in Libya. Lawmakers peppered Defense Secretary Robert Gates with questions today about the Libyan rebels and about Gadhafi's military advantage.

Well, here is what Gates said about the rebels' shortcomings during a congressional committee hearing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GATES, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I think that what the opposition needs as much as anything right now is some training, some command and control, and some organization. It's a pretty -- it's pretty much a pickup ball game at this point.

And as I got a question yesterday in one of the briefings, the truth is in terms of providing that training, in terms of providing assistance to them, frankly there are many countries that can do that. That's not a unique capability for the United States. And as far as I'm concerned, somebody else should do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So we want to bring in CNN contributor and retired Army General Russel Honore to talk about the idea of arming rebels.

Good to see you.

So, if the U.S. were to supply weapons, besides giving extensive training to use them, what are your greatest concerns about this potential arrangement?

LT. GEN. RUSSEL HONORE, (RET.), CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Fred, I think we need to get some boots on the ground either from the French or the British or some other coalition member to give them the help they need to defend themselves right now, and then to find some kind of sanctuary on the forward front lines to be able to conduct that training. And it has to be done quickly.

WHITFIELD: So the U.S. has already said, President Obama already said no U.S. boots on the ground. If the U.S. were to ply the weaponry, would it be feasible that boots from another country, part of this international coalition, would pick it up, pick up that responsibility from there?

HONORE: That is quite possible if you understand the U.N. mandate. There's no reason why the French can't put a power (ph) brigade in there with the capability to cull fires, to kill Gadhafi's tanks. His center of gravity is his tanks and its artillery. That's his tactical. His strategic center of gravity is his oil fields and his ability to sell oil.

We have taken the oil away from him. Now we've got to kill those tanks and artillery so the freedom fighters will have a chance.

WHITFIELD: OK. So if, already, the track record has not been incredibly impressive, meaning the U.S. supplying weaponry, whether it be in Afghanistan, or maybe even Iraq, why would this potential arrangement be different?

HONORE: Well, Fred, we've got an opportunity here. We've got a thousand volunteers, literally, who admitted they are doctors, lawyers, a few soldiers off of the street, who has, on more than one occasion, has put Gadhafi's army on the heel.

What we need now is clear weather in Libya so we can get the air power back in. NATO's got to get in there and pound them. I mean actually get in there and pound them, get some Special Forces in there from the U.K. and from France that could do laser on those tanks, kill those tanks, and give the opposition, those thousand men who have put their lives on the line, the opportunity to take back Misrata and hold their current position. And then France and Britain need to come up with a couple of regiments to put on the ground to kill this Gadhafi army.

WHITFIELD: All right. General Russel Honore, thanks so much for your insight. I appreciate that.

All right. Meantime, we want to get back to this breaking story involving this tornadic activity, activity in Florida. And now we understand reports of 70 people potentially trapped.

Chad Myers with us now on this.

About what vicinity are we talking?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: There was a SUN 'n FUN aviation showing going on in Lakeland, Florida. And as we know it, there's Lakeland, here is Tampa, here's where the tornado that we know went over near Largo, then over to Tampa, then south of Brandon. We'll zoom into Lakeland a little bit.

Just about 15 minutes ago, that large line of weather rolled through. And then over Winter Haven. This was a very fast-moving storm.

We talk about tornadoes, but we also talk about how the winds could be 70 miles per hour (AUDIO GAP) of the Lakeland airport. And it appears that there was a hangar issue. One of the hangars may have come down on some people here, and there is the picture right there of the Lakeland airport.

I have no idea what building we're talking about, but that's what the airport looks like in Lakeland, Florida, with 70 people trapped. Fire and rescue, on the way to try to get those people out of that collapsed building. I assume probably one of those Quonset Hut type things, or just one of those steel buildings. All of a sudden, the wind starts blowing. Those panels of the steel building may have come down on people. We'll get -- we have crews on the way, obviously, but this is going to take a while.

This is east of Tampa by a half hour or 45 minutes.

WHITFIELD: OK. And so at that Lakeland airport, apparently, was the SUN 'n FUN Aviation Fair that was under way.

MYERS: Fair, right.

WHITFIELD: Fair, that brought all of these people there. OK. Well, fingers crossed. Hopefully everybody is OK and emergency preparedness, on the way, a response teams on the way.

MYERS: You know, more people will get hurt and injured by flying debris than get picked up in a tornado like "The Wizard of Oz." You don't just get picked up and get dumped in Kansas somewhere. That's not how people get killed.

They get killed because they get hit by debris. These people were doing the right thing. They were actually inside the building, as we know of it, but obviously the building didn't stand up

WHITFIELD: Right. And scary stuff in the middle of the day like this.

MYERS: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right. Chad Myers, appreciate that. We'll check back with you.

MYERS: Sure.

WHITFIELD: And of course we'll have much more in the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here is the very least Japan's nuclear crisis. Japanese officials say the levels of radiation in the waters off of the coast of the Fukushima plant are in now more than 4,000 times above the legal limit. There is a 12-mile fishing ban in the area as well.

More international help, by the way, is on the way. A French nuclear group has sent five specialists who are experts in treating contaminated water. And the U.S. Department of Energy has sent 40 people and more than 17,000 pounds of equipment.

So, samples of milk taken this past week in two West Coast -- we're talking U.S. now -- states, show trace amounts of radiation. Milk samples in Spokane, Washington, and California's San Luis Obispo County showed radioactive iodide at a level the FDA calls minuscule. However, senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen knows that even when you hear minuscule, people get a little nervous about this. So, give us an idea. How do you measure this? What does this mean when we hear some of the milk in the U.S. may be contaminated?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, it's scary. So I will put that out there, right it's scary to hear radiation is in milk. And radiation is in milk, at least in these two places. But it's 5,000 times lower than what the FDA has said is a safety standard. Or, to compare it to something that many of us do quite often. If you drink a pint of this milk, it's less radiation than a plane ride or about the same -- less radiation than a plane ride.

WHITFIELD: Because we're exposed to radiation all the time when we get on a plane.

COHEN: So, it's actually less than. It's not the same. It's less than five hours on a plane. Because we're exposed to radiation right now as we speak, but you get even more radiation when you're up on a plane. So, we all take plane rides and don't think about it.

WHITFIELD: And so then, folks want to know if, OK, we're talking about cows ingesting radiation because maybe these particles somehow has gotten into the soil, into the grass, then what about all of the other animals in the food chain that are relying on the land like that?

COHEN: That's right. So, let's take a look at how that actually happens. So the radiation came from Japan, and in very, very small amounts landed on the grass. Cows eat that grass, it gets into their milk and it gets into the milk that we drink.

Now, of course, that cow also -- or other cows would give us meat. Chickens would give us chicken. Pigs would give us pork and we asked some experts, well, is that a problem? And they said actually the kind of radiation that they're seeing so far is iodine. So radioactive iodine, and they said that doesn't get into tissue, so this is really a concern at this point about the milk, not about the tissue or the meat or anything like that.

WHITFIELD: All right. I hope it's comforting. I hope it is.

COHEN: I think it is. I know, it just sounds so scary when you say it. But again, it's alL about dosage. and these amounts are so teeny tiny that even experts who are big anti-nuke folks -- and it would behoove us to scare the heck out of us -- even they're saying it's not dangerous.

WHITFIELD: All right. Very good. Elizabeth Cohen, thanks so much. Appreciate that.

Meantime, something else we want to keep close tabs on right now, we're talking about some nasty weather in Florida. Chad Myers, more on this tornado.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Chad. Appreciate that.

All right we'll have much more in the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right more on that tornadic activity. Look right here, this is the result of what's believed to be at least one twister that hit the ground there. You can see winds strong enough to flip over these planes here, and we also understand that there are a number of people who may be trapped in a collapsed building at the Sun and Fun Aviation Fair at the Lakeland Regional Airport in Florida, as well. Very frightening moments this midday.

Our Chad Myers in the weather center. We're talking about a system that began on the West Coast and now it's traipsing all the way across to the potential to the east coast of Florida?

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: All right. We'll keep everybody posted on this very frightening scenario here for this good portion in the midsection of Florida. Chad, thanks so much.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You are welcome.

WHITFIELD: We'll be right back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, welcome back. We continue to watch the weather developments. Take a look right there midsection of Florida. We know that this system, this weather system, has brought not just wind, not just rain, but potentially at least one twister that's already touched down and caused quite a bit of damage. These image just coming from our affiliate, WFLA.

And we already know that there's been a situation at an airport in the Tampa area as well with a building collapsing and possibly up to 70 people who've been trapped. We know that emergency preparedness, emergency response teams are on the way to try to get to those folks. And when we get more information, we'll be able to bring that to you and Chad Myers will be along with us throughout afternoon to continue to talk about this system making its way from the west coast of Florida onto the East Coast potentially.

Meantime, let's talk about overseas now. And rebel fighters in Libya retreating in the face of attacks by Moammar Gadhafi's forces. The rebels had gained control of key towns on their march westward, but Gadhafi forces pushed them back. CNN's Ben Wedeman reports from the city where the rebels may have stalled.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: To say this front is fluid is a serious understatement. Here we are yet again at the gates of Ajdabiya, which has now become the frontal defensive position of the rebels in eastern Libya.

Just a few days ago, they'd pushed way ahead to Ras Lanuf, to Bin Jawad and there was talk about them reaching the town of Sirte, Gadhafi's hometown. But that talk has seemed to evaporated into nothing. This despite the fact that there is now a no-fly zone over Libya, and that the coalition air forces have taken out much of the armor of the Libyan army in this part of the country.

Despite that, morale among the rebels appears to still be high. They're talking about eventually making it to Tripoli, but that talk may be little more than wishful thinking.

I'm Ben Wedman, CNN reporting from the gates of Ajdabiya in eastern Libya.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right let's bring in our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, with his perspective on things. Live from Tripoli. So, Nic, an intelligence source is saying that the CIA operatives are already on the ground in Libya. And in contact with rebel fighters. What more can you tell us about this relationship?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's a relationship that's going to bring in proof, understanding of the rebels of what they're capable of achieving. How quickly they may realistically or not able it get to Tripoli, as we just heard Ben talking about there. And what dangers could be there arming the rebels in terms of al Qaeda elements, Islamist elements. They may want to divert weapons for their own needs for later. And the possibility, therefore, of a protracted fight with Gadhafi's forces. If that's the outlook, then that would raise concerns about weapons getting into al Qaeda's hands. They will undoubtedly try to funnel off or make -- take some advantage of the situation.

So with those operatives on the ground, it should give the administration a much better, a more nuanced understanding of what the rebels are actually capable of right now, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, Nic, what more can you tell us about this defection of the foreign minister and former intelligence chief, Moussa Koussa and that he found refuge in Great Britain?

ROBERTSON: Well, the government here is really struggling to come up with a plausible answer. They've said that he was given time off because he was sick, because he was old, because he had blood problems, because he had other health issues, but that doesn't really match with what they were telling us until the news broke. They were saying he'll be back at any moment.

It seems that the government's putting up the best -- putting up the best face that they can on this. But the reality is, they've said they've spent almost 24 hours to come up with any sort of an answer. He's a very important and political figure here and an intelligence figures, head of intelligence for 15 years. So this is a blow to the regime. And they're really struggling to overcome it at the moment, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Nic Robertson, thanks so much, in Tripoli. Appreciate that.

Meantime, in this country, we're keeping a close watch on tornadic activity in Florida. New images right now of the kind of damage being associated with this weather system. Our Chad Myers will be back with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUISNESS CORRESPONDENT: Time now for "The Help Desk," where we get answers to your financial questions. With me right now Donna Rosato, she's a senior editor at "Money," and Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is a writer for walletpop.com.

Thank you so much for being here with us.

Our first question is from Jeff in Michigan. And he writes in, "I am underwater on my home, but no one will help me because I am unemployed. I have paid my mortgage on time, but I've been told that I could get help if I stop. What should I do?"

Donna, we hear this so often.

DONNA ROSATO, SENIOR EDITOR, "MONEY": Oh, yes. It's never a good idea to stop paying your mortgage. And I know he's in a tough situation where he's unemployed, but last year the Obama administration did expanded some programs to help people like this young man here. And one of the things he can do is apply for a loan modification, which may help him reduce the amount of payments or he can get a suspension on his home mortgage payments.

But he really needs some good advice to do this and what I recommend is calling a Housing and Urban Development, a HUD-vetted counselor, which he can do through the Making Homes Affordable Program. The number is 888-995-HOPE. And he can also Google Making Homes Affordable program and get advice about what's best for his situation. But, you know, the damage to your credit score by stopping paying on your mortgage is really long term and he wants to try to avoid that if possible.

ELAM: And there should be some help for people who are actually making their payments despite their personal situation.

ROSATO: Sure.

ELAM: All right, our next question is from Brad in Arizona. He says, "I'm 31 years old and I'm just now at the stage of being able to save for my future instead of living paycheck to paycheck. I'm interested in investing in gold. Where should I start?"

Lynnette.

LYNNETTE KHALFANI-COX, WRITER, WALLETPOP.COM: You shouldn't start with gold, I can tell you that.

ELAM: I thought you might say that.

KHALFANI-COX: I'm sorry to tell you. Yo know, he's probably seen -- there's been a huge run-up in gold prices lately, but gold just hit a record high. And so you don't necessarily want to buy in at the top. I'm not saying gold doesn't have more room to go, but if you've just stopped living paycheck to paycheck and you're getting started in investing, gold isn't where you want to start.

First of all, if you've just stopped living paycheck to paycheck, before you invest anywhere, you need to do two quick things. Get an emergency cash cushion. You know, $500 to maybe $1,500 in case something goes wrong in your life. The car engine goes out. The roof leaks. Whatever.

Then start saving for the long term, three to six months worth of your expenses you need to amass in case you lose a job or in case some other long term unexpected thing happens. Then you start investing.

And, again, I'd suggest something like mutual funds, index mutual funds, low cost index mutual funds. But I would not get started investing with gold.

ELAM: Start putting away for your future if you haven't been able to do that, then you can go think about those high price (INAUDIBLE) metals.

KHALFANI-COX: That's a little later.

ELAM: All right, well, Donna and Lynnette, thanks so much. Of course, if you have a question you want to get answered, we'd love to help you. So send us an e-mail anytime to cnnhelpdesk@cnn.com.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, take a look. This is what happens when you have something the likes of tornadic activity, right? You've got a lot of damage there. This is at a gas station there in the Tampa area. You see that signs have come down. There are trees that are down as well.

And this storm system is still moving. It's making its way from the west coast of Florida and potentially all the way over to the east coast of Florida. Chad Myers can tell you much better than I on the tracking of this storm. But already very serious. Has caused some damage there. And we don't know how extensively, but that's just kind of a little look right now.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. (INAUDIBLE) said in the Tampa area, because the damage is literally as widespread. It started from offshore west of Largo, Mediara (ph) Beach, and then over Largo and did damage near the Largo Mall and then skipped along right over here to the bridge that goes over to Tampa, 275. And then along and south of Brandon and it kept going. Now, for a while, we had that squall line move through Lakeland and 70 people at least at one point were trapped either in a building or kind of in a show tent at the Sun and Fun Aviation Fair. And now that weather has pushed all the way to the east. Far enough to the east that I have to pan and move you over here to show you it's headed to Palm Bay.

Now, this is another more populated area. For a while, south of Kissimmee and Lake Wales, we were kind of in an unpopulated zone here. But now this weather is getting more intense back toward the Palm Bay. This would be Melbourne, Indi (ph) Atlantic Beach, all the way down toward Vero. And this, although not really spinning as much, could have just as much potential damage in a wider zone because if you have 60 or 70-mile-per-hour winds that might -- in an area 40 miles wide, you could certainly do damage with things flying around.

There are still tornado warnings going on. I don't see a lot of rotation with it. But with this storm, it's spun, it's stopped., it spun all the way along, that's why it skipped so many places. We'll have a lot of pictures of damage across Florida today.

WHITFIELD: Wow, but it picked up its fuel there in the Gulf. This is a system that started right there over the warm -- generally warm waters there in the Gulf and it has the momentum to just keep going like this.

MYERS: That's true. And now there are bigger cells back out to the west that may eventually get toward Bradenton. This would be Sarasota. And all these orange boxes are severe thunderstorm watch boxes, which means we could get winds to 60 or 70 miles per hour as this next squall line roll onshore south of Tampa, St. Pete and south of let's say the Sunshine Bridge.

WHITFIELD: So what do people need to do if they're in this path?

MYERS: You need to get the pets inside. You need to baton down the outside furniture. Everybody there has outside patio furniture.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MYERS: It could be blowing around. It could blow into your windows. If you can get that tied down -- if you have time. If the storm's in the way, the storm's right there, you need to get inside and get away from the glass. Even if it --

WHITFIELD: In that little bathroom or something that --

MYERS: Even if the tornado siren's not going off, exactly, stay away from the windows because things that will fly around will break glass and you would be cut.

WHITFIELD: Wow!

MYERS: The old adage was, open a window because your house won't explode. That was so wrong. That was so incredibly wrong at the time. All you're going to do is get cut because you're going to be close to glass when it breaks.

This is Lakeland. This is the airport that planes were flying, moved around, blown around. That is not the tent with 70 people that got trapped. There is other video that I've seen where much larger thing. This is back out towards Apollo Beach. Look at that. It looks like a hurricane. Those winds are coming in part of the --

WHITFIELD: And that season is a couple of months away, but look out, spring.

MYERS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Which oftentimes you have this kind of tornado, you know, kind of warning, tornadic activity this time of year.

MYERS: Yes. Right. That's out toward where that Largo -- that Largo damage was out there, Apollo Beach.

WHITFIELD: Scary stuff.

All right, thanks so much.

MYERS: You're welcome.

WHITFIELD: Hopefully folks are heeding the warning. Doing all the things that they have to do to stay out of harm's way. Chad Myers.

MYERS: Everybody that I know has someone they love in Florida.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MYERS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much. Appreciate that.

MYERS: OK. Sure.

WHITFIELD: We'll have much more from the NEWSROOM after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: One more time to talk politics and your thoughts on all of it. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann is thinking seriously about a run for president. She's appearing at a Tea Party rally this hour at the U.S. Capitol. Bachmann thinks conservative women like herself and Sarah Palin are unfairly criticized, which brings us to today's "Talk Back." Carol Costello with the punctuation on all that you're saying.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. It's the "Talk Back" question today, are Republican women unfairly criticized because they're women?

This from Julie. "Very much so. Even liberal women criticize conservative women. Women should stick together. We should champion each other." This from Tom. "I don't hear a lot of jokes about Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins or Elizabeth Dole or Kay Bailey Hutchison. Act like a dumb cheerleader, get treated like a dumb cheerleader."

WHITFIELD: Oh.

COSTELLO: Ouch.

WHITFIELD: My gosh.

COSTELLO: And this from Katie. "I always thought that bowing to big business, deregulation and cutting funding for programs like Head Start was a man thing. Then I look at Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann and I hear " drill baby drill" and "let's give BP a tax cut," I feel like they've sold out."

This from Dave. "Dumb is dumb regardless of plumbing. I would be delighted to jump on a stupid man's comment."

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness.

COSTELLO: People have very poignant opinions about this and --

WHITFIELD: People are unleashed.

COSTELLO: These were -- these were tame compared to some of the comments.

WHITFIELD: Really?

COSTELLO: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. Well, thanks for sharing.

COSTELLO: Sure.

WHITFIELD: And thanks for the folks at home for sharing. And so sorry we weren't able to allow you to choose the news today because we've just had so much breaking news, which, of course, will continue throughout the afternoon.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Carol Costello, good to see you. Suzanne will be back tomorrow, we think.