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Rebels Set Cease-Fire Conditions in Libya; Unrest Flares in Jordan; Unemployment Number Drops; Unemployment Down to 8.8 Percent; Anarchists Plan Wedding Protests; A Father's Fight to See; 30-Foot Wall Fails to Save Japanese Village Twice Destroyed By Tsunamis; Impact of Radiation on Sea Life
Aired April 01, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: NEWSROOM continues now with Suzanne Malveaux.
And Suzanne, I'll join you shortly to talk about those messy budget negotiations going on in Washington.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: We need you to anchor the next two hours Carol. Sorry.
COSTELLO: No, no, no. I've done enough.
MALVEAUX: April Fools. I thought I'd get you. All right. See you in five minutes.
COSTELLO: OK.
MALVEAUX: Thanks, Carol.
Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. Want to get you up to speed for Friday, April 1st.
Moammar Gadhafi may be scrambling now for a way out. Advisers are hinting that he would accept a political solution where he steps aside. Sources tell CNN there is an emerging consensus within the regime that the old guard must give way to younger leaders. Well, sources say Gadhafi's son, Saif Al-Islam, would play an important role in any transition.
Well, whether it's coincidence or unrelated, we really don't know, but a rebel leader in Benghazi now has offered the Gadhafi regime a cease-fire today. Our CNN's Nic Robertson tells us that any deal to stop fighting would carry conditions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: One of the goals of this cease-fire and any agreement, they're saying, must ultimately be regime change. This is a conditions-based cease-fire coming from the rebels, and this is the first time we have heard talk of a cease-fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MALVEAUX: Our Reza Sayah joins us live from Benghazi. He's going to be joining us shortly.
Gathered outside Brega for the third day today, lobbying what little firepower they have at Gadhafi's forces. U.S. analysts say that Libyan troops are intensifying their attacks as they drive the rebels east. U.S. officials say that the opposition is outnumbered 10 to 1.
"The New York Times" journalists captured by Moammar Gadhafi's forces are describing six days of brutal physical and psychological abuse. They tell CNN that they were sure they would die.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TYLER HICKS, "THE NEW YORK TIMES": When they demanded we lay on our stomachs, we all were begging no, we don't want to go. We're sorry. We're begging not to go on our stomachs.
We all felt that once we were on our stomachs, they were just going to start shooting. And as soon as I went on my stomach, I was just waiting to hear gunfire, and it was really a sinking and empty feeling.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Protests and new violence erupting in the Middle East today. Government opponents flooded the streets in Yemen, Jordan, Syria and Egypt after Friday prayers. Syrian police opened fire to drive demonstrators off the streets. Egyptian protests returned to Tahrir Square today. They're angry over a proposed law to criminalize protests.
A Japanese official says people who live near the Fukushima nuclear complex won't be going home for months. Seventy-eight thousand residents from the 12-mile-wide evacuation zone are now in shelters.
The world's largest concrete pump is going to Japan. The machine's 230-foot boom can be operated by remote control safely, away from the radiation. Workers could use the pump to bury the crippled reactors in concrete. For now, they're going to spray some water.
The unemployment picture brightened in March. The Labor Department says the economy created 216,000 new jobs, more than the experts actually predicted. That pushed the national unemployment rate down just a notch, to 8.8 percent.
People around Tampa Bay are busy cleaning up spring storm damage today. A possible tornado ripped through two dozen homes in Hillsboro County Thursday. Storms also flipped small planes at the St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport.
One week. Just one week to go either to come up with a budget deal or the federal government is going to shut down. Now, all sides are feeling the pressure. We can imagine. Which brings us to today's "Talk Back" segment and our Carol Costello for more -- Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, Suzanne. Oh, the budget battle, it is messier than ever.
It turns out reports a deal had been reached between Republicans and Democrats were premature. House Speaker John Boehner is now trying to be the voice of reason here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), HOUSE SPEAKER: We control one-half of one-third of the government here in Washington. We can't impose our will on another body. We can't impose our will on the Senate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Which is Democratically controlled, right? The House Speaker is under intense pressure though from those conservative Republican freshmen, many of them Tea Partiers who were elected to slash the budget. A Tea Party activist wants Boehner to man up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY DIRR, TEA PARTY ACTIVIST: I say to the Republican leadership, take of your lace panties, stop being noodle-backed (ph), take a strong, bold, unwavering stand for and with the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Never mind that reported $73 billion budget compromise. Fiscal conservatives want $100 billion in cuts to things like "Obamacare, Planned Parenthood, and NPR," all things the president would likely veto. What's lost in all of this is reality.
After passing six stop-gap measures to keep the government going, lawmakers are arguing over a budget that started last year. Now Senate Republicans have a kind of new idea to force compromise. They want to add an amendment to the Constitution that requires Congress to pass a balanced budget every year. We haven't amended the Constitution since 1992.
So, "Talk Back" today: Would adding a constitutional amendment force lawmakers to compromise on the budget?
Write to me at Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll read your responses later this hour.
MALVEAUX: And amending the Constitution is no easy task. Not an easy thing to do. And it would take some time, as well.
COSTELLO: Yes. And it probably is likely not to happen, but it's an interesting idea.
MALVEAUX: Sure. Absolutely. All right, Carol. I look forward to the responses.
COSTELLO: Cool.
MALVEAUX: Thanks.
Here's a look at what's ahead "On the Rundown."
Cease-fire proposals now in Libya. We're going to take you live to Tripoli.
Also, cries for reform spreading across the Middle East, why Jordan is the newest hotspot.
And more jobs created here in the United States. But are they coming fast enough?
Plus, real fears over the royal wedding. Could anarchists make William and Kate's big day a big nightmare?
And finally, a Japanese town destroyed after a wall that was supposed to protect it fails.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: New developments in Libya, signs that Moammar Gadhafi may be looking for a political solution to the fighting that is raging in his country.
A source close to the Libyan leadership says the regime thinks there is still time for dialogue with the opposition. And an opposition leader has laid out conditions now for a cease-fire.
I want to bring in our CNN's Nic Robertson. He's on the phone from Tripoli with details.
Nic, tell us, what do we know about these conditions that are spelled out, first of all, by the opposition here? There could be some negotiations here.
ROBERTSON: What they're saying is that the government must stop its attacks, must pull back from its sieges around Misrata and other towns in the west, must remove its snipers, militia and mercenaries from the conflict. But ultimately, the opposition say there must be regime change.
What we're hearing here, and something that we've been hearing for a while in the background -- and I have to say, this is something that we've heard in the background, but I have heard it from a senior source -- that this is still something that this is still something that's being considered by the leadership -- that, ultimately, when Gadhafi feels that he's tidied up what he considers to be a mess in his country, and straightened everything out, that he can see a future here where he fades into the background.
When I said this is probably not a whole lot different than regime change, the sources said that's correct, this is essentially the same thing. The reality is, there's a huge gap and a lot of diplomatic legwork that will need to be done to bring the two sides together over this. So though the language sounds the same, there's still a huge gap between where they are and how do you manage this, how do you get the language that both sides will agree on, or even the people to begin to agree to this kind of language? So that's where we seem to be at right now -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: And Nic, does this look like to you possibly the beginnings of an exit strategy for Gadhafi?
ROBERTSON: I think that this is something that in the language of the regime has always existed, but it has never been fully explored. And I'm not clear on how fully it's even being explored right now.
We do know that the leadership has had a senior envoy in London over the last few days, somebody I've known for a long time who's trusted by the leadership here, who is the right-hand man of Saif al Gadhafi. And he is exactly the sort of person you would expect to be having behind-the-scenes negotiations, or talks or discussions, about what avenues may be open in the future, what channels can be pursued. But there's absolutely no firm indication that that's what he's been doing. When I talked to him before he left, he told me that he was going to London to organize some arrangements for his family there -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. Nic, thank you very much for your insights.
Want to go as well to talk about the latest developments from Libya from our CNN contributor retired Army General Russel Honore.
Thank you for joining us here in person. Good to see you in person, in the studio.
LT. GEN. RUSSEL HONORE (RET.), CNN CONTRIBUTOR: You're welcome.
MALVEAUX: You've been listening to Nic's reports, as well as our own Reza Sayah. They are talking about a possible, potential backdoor deal here, negotiations between Gadhafi's forces, as well as the opposition.
What's your reaction? Do you think that this is realistic?
HONORE: We'll have to see. You know, the last two days, we were not able to prosecute the air campaign because of weather. That's given him an opportunity to go on the offense.
It would appear to me that if he was serious, he would make a deal to start drawing his tanks back. That is not the case.
On the other hand, the rebels are now trying to propose some type of a cease-fire from -- not from a position of strength, but a position of weakness. You're better off negotiating from a position of strength. And that's where I think NATO and our administration's got to come in and play the heavy hand here to say it's time to stop. They're destroying the country. Too many people are dying for a common cause.
MALVEAUX: What do you make of the idea of one of Gadhafi's sons, Saif Al-Islam, being involved in these negotiations, potentially, talking to folks in London to arrange for, OK, stop the war, the cease-fire, and somehow his father will take a back hand to power, and Saif, or one of the family, or close advisers would step in that role?
HONORE: If that's true, that's good news. But we can't confuse the idea of them talking with actions on the ground. And until they show some good faith and saying -- putting forth a proposal where the fighting will stop -- because Libya is going to turn into a major humanitarian problem that we tried to prevent.
We've got Misrata about destroyed. Most of the country, they're doing no commerce, there are no ships coming in. They're going to have limited food supply. This is going to end up being a big problem in a week. So, hopefully, Suzanne, it's good news, but we have got to judge that by actions.
MALVEAUX: What do you make of the fact we have not seen Gadhafi in quite some time?
HONORE: I think that is probably normal for a guy who now has CIA operatives on the ground, has the most powerful air campaign in the world that can be prosecuted on a country, and his own people who despise him. That's not unusual, particularly when you stop dropping million-dollar bombs within his courtyard.
MALVEAUX: Let's talk about the CIA being on the ground, because it's highly unusual that you would have U.S. officials, anonymously, of course, acknowledging that you have CIA on the ground in that country. They don't even acknowledge that there's CIA in Pakistan.
Is this a way for the administration to play a psychological game, a mind game with Gadhafi, play into his own paranoia to let him know, we're watching you, we're keeping an eye on you, and we've got you?
HONORE: I think it's that, Suzanne, and you have said it well. It's psychological.
There's also a level of commitment. We put the CIA on the ground. They're going to work with the freedom fighters, and we are committed to see the end to this fight, whether it's through NATO or we have to adjust the plan and put U.S. emphasis back in there with a stronger air campaign. And that's what we need right now.
I'm afraid this back-off of U.S. air is going to create a gap that's going to give Gadhafi's ground forces an initiative to continue to attack. We've got to keep the air up and pressure on. And as of 3:00 today in Libya, the weather is clear and we can get back in there.
MALVEAUX: All right. General Russel Honore, thank you so much for joining us. In person, too. Appreciate it.
HONORE: Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Well, after Friday prayers finished today, the protesters, they hit the streets. We're going to take you to the latest flash point of unrest in the Arab world.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: After weeks of unrest, the fire is not out in the Arab world. Once again we are seeing the region erupt in protest.
Today, in Syria, Jordan, Yemen and Egypt, people are taking to the streets en masse. We're taking you through all of it in the next two hours.
First, to Jordan, where as many as 1,000 police officers have been deployed to the capital. They're trying to keep the peace between pro-and-anti-government demonstrators.
Stan Grant is there for us. He's on the ground in Amman.
Stan, tell us what is taking place.
STAN GRANT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're just seeing a protest breaking up now, Suzanne. People have been here for the last four or five hours, after Friday prayers finished around about 1:00 this afternoon, and what we've seen here are the reformists.
Now, these people are calling for democratic change. They're looking for a literal change, more freedom of expression, less restrictions on the media.
They've been here, but another group of protesters we can call the loyalists, who are carrying placards, carrying pictures of King Abdullah, chanting "Long live King Abdullah," have been walking past here throughout the day. And that's where the real problem has been in the past, these two groups of protesters coming together and clashing.
But what's kept them apart today has been this big police contingent. We've seen police in full riot gear. They have surrounded the protesters here, trying to keep the two groups apart.
They have managed to do that. And as you can see behind us here, the protesters are now starting to disperse. They were thanking the security for averting any of the violence that we saw just a week ago -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: And Stan, you mentioned a week ago you had the loyalists, the protesters. They were fighting in Amman, swinging sticks, hurling stones.
Is there a sense of progress on either side of this fight?
GRANT: The real concern here is that we could be seeing some division between Jordanians and Palestinians. Now, there is a big contingent of Palestinians, a big Palestinian population inside Jordan. In fact, more than 50 percent of the country. And what some of the protesters here have been telling me is that there are elements within the regime, elements within the government who are trying to fan those flames, trying to create this division, blaming Islamist groups for the violence last week.
They reject that. They say that any of the violence that we saw last week came from the elements, in fact, within the government. So those tensions still remain.
And those tensions are going to remain until the reformists see the change that they're after. They want to see change. They want to see particularly more democracy, more representation. But they say they're tired of hearing simply talk about this, they want to see action.
Now, King Abdullah has formed a committee to look into change, but they're rejecting that. They're saying no, the time for that has passed and they want to see the change before we actually get to the situation in Jordan that they have seen in other parts of the Middle East -- in Tunisia, in Egypt, in Yemen, and now Syria. They don't want to see the fallout violence that we've seen there, they want to see the reform here to head that off, and they're going to continue to protest until they see that change -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right.
Stan Grant, out of Amman, Jordan.
Thank you, Stan. We appreciate it. We'll be following that.
We also have three stories featuring slices of American life. We want to know which one you would like to see in the next hour.
You vote by texting. Here are your options.
DUI defender. A state lawmaker says drunk driving laws destroy the traditional way of life, and he says they're bad for business.
Your next choice, a financial crunch means America's last island prison is closing after 138 years. Charles Manson and the famed Birdman of Alcatraz served time there.
And finally, Jane Lang (ph) says she was born a Yankees' fan and she was also born blind, but that doesn't keep her from making the trek by train and foot from New Jersey to the Bronx to cheer on her team dozens of times a year.
Vote by texting 22360. Text 1 for "Lawmaker Defends DUI"; 2 for "Last Island Prison Closing"; or 3 for "Blind and Dedicated Yankees Fan." The winning story will air in the next hour.
In Boston, more than 2,000 women are homeless, living transient, often chaotic lives. But this week, CNN's Hero gives them something that they can count on, quality health care right in the shelters for free.
Her name is Dr. Roseanna Means.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. ROSEANNA MEANS, CNN HERO: You OK?
Every week I talk to women who are sleeping outside.
It's only 17 degrees out, so I didn't want you to get frozen.
There's so much pain and suffering right on the fringes of our perspective.
Do you need some help, hon?
In Boston, despite all the medical resources for the homeless population, I was seeing very few of the women using the services. For women who are poor, homeless or battered, to deal with a system of health care becomes overwhelming.
They don't have an address. They don't have a phone. There are lots of emotional issues, psychiatric issues.
I just didn't like the idea that they were falling through the cracks.
I'm Dr. Roseanna Means, and I bring free, high-quality medical care to women and children in the shelters of Boston.
Good morning.
The women come into the shelters to get warm, to feel safe, and we're there.
Come on, Ellen (ph).
There's no registration. We're not charging anything.
If they want to come see us, we'll use that moment to try to build a relationship.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is my safety net right here.
MEANS: The women learn to trust us as ambassadors of the health care system.
All right, hon. God bless.
Over time, we can teach them how to use the system as it was intended, and eventually they do move forward.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because I knew she really cared, I started wanting to take care of myself.
MEANS: I love these women no matter what. You're doing a great job.
That starts to get taken inside, that if I matter to somebody else, maybe I matter to myself.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Remember, all of this year's CNN Heroes are chosen from people you tell us about on the CNN Heroes Web site. To nominate someone that you think is changing the world, go to CNNHeroes.com.
Well, more jobs added, fewer Americans are now out of work. But is it happening fast enough to really make a difference? We're going to take a look at the numbers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Here's a look at what's ahead "On the Rundown."
Jobs numbers are up, unemployment down. We'll tell you what today's new report means for the economy.
Also, what is all the radiation in Japan doing to the marine life? We're going to go to the Georgia Aquarium to get some answers.
And some fear that Britain's royal wedding could be ruined. We're going to tell you why.
Good, but not great. All in all, though, there is some encouraging numbers out today for the monthly jobs report, numbers better, in fact, than most of the experts expected.
The Labor Department reports that 216,000 jobs were created last month. Now, that knocks the unemployment rate down just a notch, to 8.8 percent. That's the lowest, though, it's been in two years.
Our Christine Romans, she's joining us from New York.
So, Christine, tell us what this means. It's modest growth, but it's growth, nevertheless. Are people going to feel this? Is this significant?
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'll tell you where people are feeling it, Suzanne. They're feeling it if you have just recently lost your job, you're finding that it's a little easier to get a job. If you have been out for work for a very long time, you are not feeling it.
So, it's this two-speed recovery here, almost two years after the recession ended, just now starting to get some growth and some momentum in jobs creation. So, people at the very front end who just lost a job are having an easier time finding a job than people at the very end. Let's talk about where those jobs are being created, Suzanne.
They're being created in business and professional services. They're being created in health care, in hospitality. In leisure, bars and restaurants, hotels are hiring people again. That's showing an economy that is starting to gain some momentum.
Temporary workers, also adding jobs. This has been a big boom over the past year or so, companies, instead of adding permanent workers, they're testing the waters on the economy and they're adding temporary workers.
And a lot of people in the outplacement firms tell me -- you know, the headhunters and the like, tell me that many of those temporary jobs are starting to turn into permanent jobs now, so that's been good for people.
But you're losing jobs in some of those local governments. You know, state budgets have been really tough so government workers have been losing their jobs and that continues there.
One last point I want to make, Suzanne, something I think that your beat, your White House beat, you know very well. That group of people who have been out of work for a very long time, they're now out of work on average 39 weeks.
That becomes a political problem. When you have so many people out of work for such a long time, they're starting to really, you know, shake things up and say, what are you doing about this. We're starting to see employment benefits cut back in some of the states. What are we going to do about a really big group of people who have been out of work so long?
So 39 weeks the average length of unemployment, and that's still a problem in this report, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: That's a tough one for the Obama administration.
Do we think that the sign of the jobs numbers that it's a sign the economy is recovering, or is it really too soon to tell right now?
ROMANS: You know, there are some who are telling me that this is a -- the kind of improvement you want to see but again and again and again and again. You need some bigger numbers than this and you need to keep putting them back to back to back. And so, this is still the beginning of the recovery in this.
And I'm going to be honest with you, high oil prices, something that CEOs are watching very, very closely, some of them had been saying well, we think we're going to add some workers this year. Oh, wait, I have to see what kind of impact high oil prices might have on my business.
There's still a lot of uncertainties out there, but we're moving in the right direction here and that's what's so key and critical.
You know, 8.8 percent, it's the best jobless rate in two years. It's been a terrible two years, but it's the best jobless rate in two years. And the private sector job growth, 230,000 jobs private businesses, you've had 1.8 million of those jobs created in over a year. That's the right direction.
MALVEAUX: And what about the temporary workers? You said there were like 30,000 that were added. Is that significant?
ROMANS: We're watching those temporary workers because that's often kind of a foreshadowing of an economy that's going to be getting -- labor market, rather, that's going to be getting better. And right now, you've got -- the labor market is a lagging indicator, as the economists say.
So the economy is getting better, has been getting better, but they haven't been adding jobs because businesses are so scared. They have been adding temporary workers. They have been adding contract workers. So that's been an area where there's been some action. You want to see them turn into permanent jobs eventually, right?
But I will say something else. You have got workers themselves who are more and more saying, I think I'm going to get a new job this year. That's showing some activity and action in the labor market, and that's also a good thing to see, too.
MALVEAUX: That's good too.
ROMANS: I mean, I've been saying -- quite frankly, Suzanne, bosses beware, because your workers have been working really hard. As soon as they see an opening someplace else, they might go. So bosses be good to your -- be good to your peeps.
MALVEAUX: They might be jumping. All right, that's a good message, bosses beware.
Thank you, Christine. Appreciate it.
Well, the royal wedding may be a royal security mess. Anarchists are promising trouble in London. CNN talks to one of the leaders about why.
And the nuclear crisis in Japan deepening. The latest on the spread of radiation and how it's affecting now sea life.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Three unique looks at American life, you get to pick one in today's "Choose the News." Vote by texting 22360.
Text 1 for the story about a state lawmaker who says DUI laws should be taken off the books. Text 2 for America's last island prison closing after more than 130 years. Text 3 for blind, but dedicated Yankees fan who goes to dozens of games with the help of a guide dog.
The winning story will air in the next hour.
Ah, the British royal wedding. Less than a month out and already anarchists say they're planning large-scale protests.
Our senior international correspondent Dan Rivers reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the nightmare scenario for those planning the royal wedding, anarchists attacking a car carrying the royal family.
On this occasion, it was Prince Charles and Camilla, but this is the same car that will be used to take Kate Middleton to the wedding and anarchists are vowing to do their best to interfere with the event.
CHARLIE VEITCH, ANARCHIST: For the royal wedding, we're going to see what we call see what we call a disruption spectacular.
RIVERS: Charlie Veitch is an ex-city banker who was laid off and is now a committed anarchist protester. He was among this student protest against austerity cuts last year, and is warning there will be more of the same on April 29th which he describes as --
VEITCH: Shock and awe campaign. It will involve a lot of fireworks. It will involve a lot of people dressed in black. It will involve a lot of very, very loud music.
RIVERS: Security expert Roy Ramm shows me the aftermath of the latest protest.
ROY RAMM, SECURITY ANALYST: You see them here doing this kind of damage, which is just completely --
RIVERS (on camera): And this is just one widow of hundreds.
RAMM: Oh, absolutely.
RIVERS (voice-over): He say it is royal wedding presents an incredibly difficult challenge.
RAMM: The police have not a job to get the public in, close up to the wedding, but they have got to keep the people who want to cause disorder and damage like we have seen here away from the royal wedding. It could be immensely disruptive. And you know, it's a very unenviable position that the police are in.
RIVERS (on camera): The big problem for the police is getting enough evidence to stop the anarchists doing something before they get to the wedding route. There is talk of using stop and search powers. The problem is, who do they stop and search.
Experts say intelligence before the big day will be crucial. Anarchist websites are already humming with references to the wedding.
(voice-over): Anarchist websites are already humming with references to the wedding.
VEITCH: There are plans which are being passed around online in encrypted forums and through encrypted e-mail which the government cannot hack to basically disrupt the procession route, as well.
RIVERS: But knowing exactly where to deploy riot police is tough. The protesters could strike at almost any location in central London.
CMDR. BOB BROADHURST, LONDON POLICE: There's a lot of chatter out there, no real intelligence. But we must bear in mind people that have a right to come and protest.
RIVERS: The anarchists will have to blend in with a crowd like this, and these staunch royalists could be the best defense the police have.
ANDY HAYMAN, FMR. ASST. COMM. LONDON POLICE: I don't think it will be very easy for the anarchists to infiltrate. The great majority would stop that happening.
On the other hand, if there was a pot of paint that was thrown at any kind of the royal VIPs, that would be a worldwide embarrassment.
RIVERS: An embarrassment that the police are desperate to avoid, one that the anarchists would consider a huge victory.
Dan Rivers, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Well, you can see all the stories about the princess- to-be and her Prince William leading up to the main event on April 29th. CNN is launching a royal wedding special with Richard Quest every Saturday at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. He goes to Kate Middleton's quaint hometown, learns some lessons in royal etiquette, and it is starting tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
Well, each week we introduce you to ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things as part of our "Human Factor" series.
For most of Isaac Lidsky's life, his goal has been to study law, but as a young teenager, he was told he would slowly be going blind. But CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta tells us he didn't let his disease deter his dreams.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Isaac Lidsky's newest job is learning to take care of the three beautiful new babies. That's a challenge for him because he can't see his children.
Lidsky has retinitis pigmentosa, it's a rare form of blindness that progresses over time. He got the diagnosis when he was 13, soon after landing a role on TV's "Saved By The Bell: The New Class."
(VIDEO CLIP, NBC UNIVERSAL "SAVED BY THE CLASS: THE NEXT CLASS")
ISAAC LIDSKY, FOUNDER, HOPE FOR VISION: I loved acting, being on a set. And, you know, it's just exciting.
GUPTA: But acting wasn't his dream. Law school was.
LIDSKY: As I really started experiencing vision loss in college, it was more of a nuisance than a disability.
GUPTA: Undeterred, he got into Harvard Law School and made it to the Supreme Court. He clerked for retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor as well as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
LIDSKY: It's hard to anticipate the experience of slowly losing your vision and then, you know, living as a blind person.
GUPTA: Now, at 31, he is legally blind.
LIDSKY: Right now, I'm sort of dealing with light and dark, maybe the occasional sort of shape.
GUPTA: While Lidsky can't overcome his blindness, he hasn't let him stop him from doing what he wants to do.
LIDSKY: With things like a walking cane, screen-reading software, it really doesn't slow me down in any practical sense.
GUPTA: This young lawyer hopes that one day people like him will see again, which is why he started Hope for Vision to raise awareness and money for research.
LIDSKY: At this point in my life, really, it's wanting to see my children. That motivates me to continue to work to overcome this challenge.
I want more than ever to find a treatment or a cure.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: We wish him the best.
Researchers at the University of Miami have discovered the gene that caused his family's condition. It affects about one in every 3,500 people.
The chief vet at the Georgia Aquarium, he is standing by. I'll be talking to him about new radiation concerns in Japan and the impact on sea life.
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MALVEAUX: Now, the latest developments in Japan's nuclear crisis.
Radiation was found in beef near the damaged nuclear plant in northern Japan. Officials say cows, chicken or pigs have eaten grass or feed that was contaminated. A Japanese official says it may be many months before the people who live in the nuclear plant evacuation zone actually get a chance to go home. Tens of thousands of people have been living in shelters and temporary housing since the quake and tsunami three weeks ago.
Among the casualties of Japan's disaster, a fishing village that built a 30-foot high wall to save it; did not work.
Our CNN's Paula Hancocks has the story.
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PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The fishing village Ryoishi is no stranger to tsunamis. One hundred years ago, a wave destroyed the town and is believed to have killed 90 percent of its residents.
So they built a wall to make sure the sea would never again swallow their homes and families.
(on camera): The villagers had complete faith in the tsunami wall. It had recently been made even higher. It's currently 9.3 meters, that's around 30 feet, and they believed it would stop any tsunami. But it didn't.
(voice-over): Hawisaki (ph) Takeshi used to live in the hills, but he moved to the coast after the wall was built. He said it made him feel safe.
He breaks down when he remembers the wave coming over the wall as he ran to the hills with his wife. He tells me, this isn't a bad place and tsunamis don't happen that often, but after seeing the great wave, my wife has decided we should not be here.
Takeshi also lost his boat and his livelihood, fishing for abalone and sea urchin. Fishing was one of the biggest employees in the Iwate Prefecture. Ninety-six percent of the boats have been destroyed.
He ties up any fishing gear he can find just in case. But at the age of 77, it's doubtful he'll build up a business again.
More than 40 people are dead or missing here, the grim search for bodies is not over. As survivors move away, it's hard to know if this village completely rebuilt after one tsunami can find the strength to start again.
Sifting through the debris of their lives, his neighbor finds a clock. It stopped at 3:22, the exact moment his life changed and countless others ended.
Paula Hancocks, CNN, Japan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Up next, we're going to be talking to expert at the Georgia Aquarium about the impact radiation has on sea life.
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MALVEAUX: I want to go beyond the headlines.
The nuclear crisis in Japan will have long-term impacts, not just on human beings living in the region, but also for sea life in the Pacific Basin.
A new dolphin exhibit is opening today at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. This man in part behind it, he's an authority on dolphin and whale disease in the wild. He is chief veterinarian officer Dr. Greg Bossart, he joins us from the exhibit.
Doctor, thank you so much for being here, we appreciate it.
As an expert in animal diseases, what does this mean? This nuclear crisis, what does it mean for the sea life around Japan?
DR. GREG BOSSART, CHIEF VETERINARY OFFICER, GEORGIA AQUARIUM: Well, at this point, it's really unclear what it means. What we do know is that mammals in particular, like the dolphins here at the aquarium behind me are found around Japanese waters where this nuclear reactor is. Mammals are exquisitely sensitive to radiation, more so than birds, fish, amphibians, or reptiles.
But the bottom line is we don't know. But we're concerned certainly about the impact of the animals locally there now and then potentially down the road here, the impact on animals globally.
MALVEAUX: So tell us in the short term, are we going to see the dolphins or some of the sea life, are they going to die? Are we going to see them floating to the surface? Or is this more of a long-term impact? Will we see immediate effects of this radiation?
BOSSART: Well, there are two effects of radiation. And really, radiation sickness is based upon the dose of radiation, the duration of radiation and the type of radiation. So it's very complex.
Typically, the immediate effects of a high-dose radiation effect really rapidly dividing cells like our intestinal tract, our bone marrow, our skin. So the immediate effect you would have conditions like diarrhea, vomiting, skin rashes, loss of hair.
But down the road, the delayed actions are even more worrisome because there you get into impacts like cancer, infertility, anemia, recurrent disease, impact on your immune system.
So the effects are very, very complex. The immediate effects we would expect to see fairly soon. The delayed effects can occur years, decades later.
MALVEAUX: And you're saying this would happen to dolphins, to whales and to fish and birds, the kind of things you just described there with skin and cancer? BOSSART: Well, I think -- the bottom line is we just don't know. There's precedent here. We just don't have a frame of reference. But based on studies in other animals, certainly mammals are more sensitive. We know that there's radiation getting into the sea life- area there.
Now, what those impacts are we just don't know. You know, we've detected the presence of isotopes in country, but those isotopes are very low, they're well below what would be considered public health hazard.
So literally the book is being written as we speak here. We really don't know what's going to happen, but we certainly have precedent for the impacts of radiation on animals in other scenarios.
MALVEAUX: Are we talking about hundreds of years, generations, multiple generations of sea life suffering because of this radiation in the water?
BOSSART: Well, yes, the delayed effects can be decades, many, many decades later. So that's the disturbing thing about radiation exposure. Again, with a high enough dose, a long enough duration and right type of radiation, these effects can be very, very long lasting. But again, we don't know in this particular scenario was going to happen.
MALVEAUX: Doctor, really quickly here -- I'm sorry, really quickly here, is there anything we can do to protect these animals, those that are under water from the radiation? Anything we can do now for them?
BOSSART: At this point, stop the leak.
MALVEAUX: All right. Doctor, thank you so much. We appreciate your time.
Well, today's "Talk Back": Would adding a constitutional amendment force lawmakers to compromise on the budget?
Adriana says, "They should pass an amendment saying if they can't agree they must vacate offices immediately."
More of your responses ahead.
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MALVEAUX: Here's a reminder about your choices for "Choose the News," three different stories, only one is going to air in the next hour. You get to choose, vote by texting us at 22360.
Text 1 for the story of a state lawmaker who owns a bar and says drunk driving laws need to be taken off the books. Vote 2 for America's last island prison shutting down, Charles Manson once served time there. And vote 3 for dedicated baseball fan who does not let her blindness keep her from making the trek to Yankee Stadium with her guide dog. The winner will air in the next hour.
The clock is ticking for the budget deal. If Congress can't come up with any kind of plan by next Friday, the government is actually going to shut down.
Carol Costello is joining us with today's "Talk Back."
We've been talking about this, because every single time there's like a little stop gap budget, another like, you know, couple weeks and then another budget, another budget. This is the final straw, yes?
COSTELLO: It is the final straw, and we're asking people what they think. I love these answers so much, it brings a tear to my eye, Suzanne.
"Talk Back" question today: Would adding a constitutional amendment force lawmakers to compromise on budget?
This from Jacqee, "First you have to get them to agree on the amendment, which they won't agree. So I would say no."
This is from Julia, "Why can't they put their big boy/girl pants on and elect them what we elected them to do? Why should we need an amendment. For once, I agree with Boehner."
This from Colleen, "No, the only thing that will make them compromise is anything that that affects them personally. If the government comes to a halt, so should their pay. They need to grow up and do their jobs."
This from Shamayah, "They should be like us, live on a budget and when it runs out, then get tough."
This from Graham, "No. You can't legs late common sense. Forcing Congress to act like adults will not work anymore than playing dress-up makes 8-year-olds adults."
Please continue the conversation, Facebook.com/Carol CNN, and I'll be back in a few minutes.
MALVEAUX: Common theme, grow up. That's what I keep hearing from these viewers.
COSTELLO: Sit down and come up with a compromise. Be mature adults.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: Let's see if this happens.
COSTELLO: We've only got a little bit of time.
MALVEAUX: All right, thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
