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Pain at the Pump; Georgia Passes Immigration Crackdown
Aired April 15, 2011 - 09:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is just before 10:00 a.m. on the East Coast, 7:00 a.m. in the West. I'm Carol Costello sitting in for Kyra Phillips.
In Libya, government tanks and troops are intensifying their assault on rebel forces. And Moammar Gadhafi faces a renewed attack on paper at least. In a joint op-ed that will run in international papers, President Obama joined the leaders of France and Britain to say Gadhafi must go.
And this morning, millions of Americans are dealing with a violent storm or its aftermath. At least five people are confirmed dead in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Today the threat of tornadoes hangs over the southeast.
And a new study raises concern about the food we eat. According to the findings published today in a medical journal, nearly half of all the poultry and meat samples were contaminated with bacteria. Proper cooking minimizes the risks.
So how much have you spent on gas this week? CNN is taking a closer look at why it's so expensive right now. And what you can do to ease the pain. And there's plenty of pain to go around. I know.
A year ago the national average was $2.86 a gallon. Today, AAA says it's $3.82 a gallon on average. And the summer travel season, weeks away now. There is so much pain at the pump, President Obama can't ignore it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I understand how big of a strain this is on family budgets, and, you know, already we've got about $3.85, close to $4. That's - that's tough. You know, if you've got to drive to work every day and you don't have an option in terms of the car that you're driving, and it's taking more and more out of your budget, that's a problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: OK. So let's be proactive here. There are some tricks to finding the cheapest gas in your area. CNN's Casey Wian joins us from Los Angeles, where gas prices are already above $4 a gallon. So you must know all the cheap places already, Casey?
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, there are tricks. Here in southern California, the average price of a gallon of regular gas is $4.20 a gallon. People are driving all over town just to try to find the cheapest gas station, but there is a better way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN (voice-over): Pain at pump is real for paint store delivery man Mark Murrillo.
MARK MURILLO, DELIVERYMAN: It hurts because of the high prices. But I have to do it to support myself and my family.
WIAN: There are ways to ease the pain.
(on camera): What's the best way for motorists to be sure that they're getting the best deal on the gas they buy?
JEFFREY SPRING, AAA: (INAUDIBLE) go way out of your way spending gasoline and money trying to find the cheapest gasoline. Try to plan your route to where the cheapest gasoline is in your area.
WIAN (voice-over): A growing number of web sites and Smartphone apps can help.
(on camera): I'm in a gas station in Hollywood where regular gasoline is selling for $4.39 a gallon. I think that may be too expensive. So I can go on my iPhone and check an application to find if there's anything in the neighborhood that's cheaper.
(voice-over): And there is. Less than half a mile away.
(on camera): Here we are just down the street, gas is selling for $4.15 a gallon, 24 cents a gallon less. That could mean a savings of $3, $4, $5, depending on how big your gas tank is. The only catch is, to get the savings here, you've got to pay cash.
(voice-over): Or pay a $0.45 ATM fee. Either way it's a big savings. Another tip, look for gas at or near wholesale clubs which use low gas prices to attract shoppers. Location is key, says Jason Toews, co-founder of chief gas finder, gas buddy.
JASON TOEWS, GASBUDDY.COM: Wholesale clubs tend to compete very aggressively on price. Of course, all the other competition lowering the price, too. So you want to look for an area where there's a (INAUDIBLE) community that has a lot of gas stations. You'll find some cheap (INAUDIBLE) better.
WIAN: Stations to avoid are those near tourist destinations and ritzy residential neighborhoods.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Now, today being the Friday before spring break, a lot of folks are hitting the road and hopefully they've already filled up with gas. That's because this time of year, a lot of gas stations raise their prices right before peak driving weekends. Carol? COSTELLO: So it's a double whammy. I always thought, Casey, that if you drive a long distance to buy cheaper gas you're not saving money in the long run anyway.
WIAN: Absolutely. If you have to drive 10 miles or so just to save 10 cents a gallon, it's probably not worth it. But with these applications that you can get on your mobile phone, that you can get on the internet, you don't have to search all over town. It's just as easy as a click or a touch of your Smartphone, Carol.
COSTELLO: OK. I'll give it a go. Casey Wian, live from Los Angeles. Thank you.
CNN is spending today looking at why prices are so high and what you can do to ease the damage to your wallet. Coming up at 12:40 Eastern today, how changing your driving habits might help you squeeze out a few extra miles per gallon.
Georgia has joined Arizona in passing what may be one of the nation's toughest illegal immigration bill. Among other things, the bill would allow law enforcement officers to question suspects in certain criminal investigations about their immigration status. It punishes people who transport illegal immigrants during the commission of a crime. And it imposes hefty prison sentences on those who use fake documents to get jobs.
Joining me to talk more about this is CNN's Gustavo Valdes. Thanks for being with us. We appreciate it. And I know you spent a lot of time in the Georgia state house - the governor's having some second thoughts about signing this bill into law. Why is that?
GUSTAVO VALDES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, he campaigned last year promising he would support this kind of legislation and however, once he took office, he said, "Well, you know, we have to wait to see what happens in Arizona before we jump into something like this." The fear is that permission to verify employment - it raises concerns with the business community. They think it may hurt the economy and they don't want to do that.
COSTELLO: So in other words, the governor thinks this might hurt employers because also included in this bill, employers have to check the immigration status of people before they hire them. And then the government thinks that might be a hardship to employers. So it has nothing to do with the immigrants. Right?
VALDES: Well, it's not just the governor. Even people who voted for this bill had those concerns. The businesses in the state, especially their cultural industry, lobbied strongly against this bill because they thought it was going to hurt them. But in the end it was the electorate, the people in the districts who called their representatives, told them they wanted this law.
COSTELLO: OK. So a similar Arizona law is tied up in court. This stuff is going on, and I understand that the ACLU is protesting against this and may file its own lawsuit. So how likely is it that this bill will be signed into law by the governor and actually be implemented in the state of Georgia?
VALDES: There are many, many groups waiting for the bill to be signed. If it's signed to start legal (INAUDIBLE) however, the sponsors of the bill said they had the opportunity, they had the privilege of knowing what the objection to this were so they were able to tailor the language in this bill to avoid any further - at least come on the victorious side and it will get to the courts.
COSTELLO: And quickly, a lot of states are watching Georgia, because there are many other states thinking about passing similar laws. Right?
VALDES: There are some that already passed some type of version. There are some who rejected this type of legislation. Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, Florida is starting to debate something similar. Somebody said that it's up to 30 states that are thinking about this kind of legislation this year.
COSTELLO: Gustavo, I know you'll continue to watch it. Thank you so much.
VALDES: Thank you.
COSTELLO: Turning now to the war in Afghanistan, Senate majority leader Harry Reid is expressing doubt the U.S. military operation there will succeed. He tells CNN's Wolf Blitzer, the U.S. cannot continue to dump $100 billion every year into Afghanistan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HARRY REID (D), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: The president's indicated as commander in chief he's concerned driving down the forces this summer. It's a huge amount of money.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Huge amount of money.
REID: And we went into this - we went into this unpaid war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we had all of these tax cuts that were unpaid for. That's what we're talking about with this budget stuff. There is simply - it's not enough shared sacrifice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The president has said the U.S. will start drawing down forces in Afghanistan this summer.
Some other international headlines, President Obama and other world leaders are stepping up the pressure to get Moammar Gadhafi out of power. They released a joint opinion piece to several newspapers laying out their vision for Libya's future.
CNN's Monita Rajpal in London with more on that. What is this op-ed piece say?
MONITA RAJPAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, Carol, the leaders of Britain, the U.S. and France are all making it clear, that they have no intention of letting up in Libya. Their op-ed in "The Washington Post" says, "Our duty and our mandate under U.N. security council resolution 1973 is to protect civilians and we are doing that. It is not to remove Gadhafi by force but it is impossible to imagine a future for Libya with Gadhafi in power. The piece then goes on to say, it is unthinkable that someone who has tried to massacre his own people can play a part in their future government. Carol?
COSTELLO: Monita, many thanks. Live from London. I appreciate it.
A 10-year-old boy survives when his mother drives his three siblings into the Hudson River.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAEVE RYAN, PASSERBY: He was saying, "Help me, help me." So I opened my window and I said, "what's the matter?" And he said, "My mom drove the car into the water."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Coming up next, we'll hear more from the woman who came to the boy's aid, in her own words.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We're learning more on a heartbreaking family tragedy in New York. As we've been telling you, three young children are all dead. They all drowned along with their mother, Lashandra Armstrong. Police say the mother intentionally drove the family van into the Hudson River. Shortly before that happened, Armstrong posted and apology on her Facebook page writing, "I'm so sorry everyone, forgive me please, for what I'm going to do."
Armstrong's 10-year-old son survived. He escaped through a window moments before the van went under. Maeve Ryan happened to be driving by. She noticed the boy shivering on the side of the road. Ryan described the ordeal today on CNN's "American Morning."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAEVE RYAN, PASSERBY: He's in the car and he thinks that they're just going for a drive and I said, "Tell me what else happened?" And he said, "Well, we're just going for a drive, and mom was driving the car frantically. She was speeding." And by the time they got down by the ramp, he was, like, "Mommy, mommy, what are you doing? Stop, stop, stop."
You know? And she was, like, "Get into the back seat." So he went to the back seat. And she went to the back seat as well, and cradled all the children with her arms, and said, "If I'm going to die, you're all going to die with me." Two or three times she said that. So he broke free from her, but she was still holding on to him, because he was wearing a pair of green pants, and she was holding on to his pants, but he broke free from her, and went outside the driver's side. I'm presuming, I think it was the driver's side window that he was able to roll down a little bit and get out, but at the last minute, when he was leaving to go out the window, he heard his mother saying, "I made a terrible mistake. I made a mistake."
So she came from the middle of the row to the driver's side and tried to reverse the car back out, but at that time she was too much in the water at that point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To get out?
RYAN: Yes. Too much in the water at that point to even leave. So he said, "The best thing I could do, Maeve," he said, "was go for help," and he said, no one stopped for me. No one was stopping for me. He said, "Thank you so much for stopping for me." He said it about 50 times. "Thank you for stopping for me. Thank you for stopping."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: He feels so guilty for not being able to save his siblings. Such a sad story. That little boy is now being cared for by relatives.
A new study raises concerns about the food we eat. According to the findings published today in the "Clinical Infectious Diseases" magazine. Nearly half of all the poultry and meat sampled was contaminated with a drug-resistant bacteria. The researchers collected and tested 136 samples from five U.S. cities. The USDA had this response. "We will determine if new information warrants changes in our policies to protect our nation's food supply."
35 years after a traffic accident reduced her vocal capacity to a little more than a whisper, Kentucky's Jan Christian is hearing her voice. That's something she hasn't heard since she was a teenager.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAN CHRISTIAN, VOICE IMPAIRED: I feel like I'm finding myself again. You know, I feel like part of me -- the inside's coming out and it's just - I'm full of joy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Doctors surgically repaired her vocal cords allowing her to speak after 35 years - she simply could only whisper because she had that crushed voice box. Something her husband and children have never heard her voice. And one of the many things Jan is saying these days, "thank you."
Well, she's 94 years old. Not in the best of health. But this morning's buzz is Zsa Zsa Gabor's maternity plans. Your entertainment round-up ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Severe weather wreaks the plains overnight leaving at least five people dead and possibly a sixth person also dead. Three of those fatality in central Arkansas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sirens started going of and wind's blowing pretty hard and raining really, really hard. Maybe a little hail. Next thing you know, I heard a big boom and was hoping it didn't land on the side of the house. It landed on cars, (INAUDIBLE) pretty bad storm we went through.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Thousands in Arkansas lost power during the storm and at (INAUDIBLE) County, Oklahoma, a series of suspected tornadoes are to blame for killing two people and injuring more than two dozen. That same system poised to hit the south later today in a big way. So let's check in with Rob Marciano.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: We're seeing severe weather this morning from that same system, Carol. A lot of the energy has driven down to the south. I want to show you some pictures out of Oklahoma. We mentioned there are three fatalities at least in Arkansas from falling trees but the twisters actually touched down across eastern and central Oklahoma, where there were two fatalities there in Tushca, Oklahoma.
This is tornado alley, as you know. But now these storms are rolling into what we call Dixie alley, which is of recent years, just as dangerous. A couple of tornado warnings that are out this morning for parts of Mississippi as this storm moves off to the east from dangerous cell just north and east of Jackson. Tornado watches in effect until 3:00 this afternoon as this line continues to barrel towards Alabama. So that's going to be the target here of concern. Big red area shaded in this map showing you that's where the bulk of the severe weather will be, although the risks will be extending into the Tennessee Valley and across into the northern parts of the Ohio Valley and eventually into parts of Georgia later on tonight and tomorrow and this whole complex rolls up to the northeast tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow night, but by then much, it will be much, much weaker. But the next 12 to 18 hours, Carol, are going to be a little bit dicey. We'll keep you posted.
COSTELLO: Thanks. We really appreciate it. Thank you, Rob.
Checking the news cross country now, in Detroit every public schoolteacher will be getting layoff notices. The move is part of the city's collective bargaining agreement with its teachers' union.
In Washington a school district is asking every parent to give $1 a day to bridge the state's budget gap. That would amount to $360 a year for each student in the district.
In California, lawmakers driving state-paid vehicles are nearing the end of the road. The state's Citizen Compensation Commission voted to discontinue them saying it's an unnecessary expense. Lawmakers will get a $300 a month travel stipend instead. Coming up what is the buzz inside the beltway? We'll touch on the budget fight, the birther debate and mosh pits. Our political buzz team will weigh in on the hottest topics in Washington, next.
And I hope you didn't throw away your old turntable because vinyl records are making a comeback. Is the iPod generation going old school. We'll have more on that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Checking our top stories now. A medical journal reporting that much of the meat and poultry in the United States are contaminated with multi-resistant bacteria. The bacteria can be killed through cooking the meat thoroughly, but researchers say that people may still be at risk due to cross-contamination and poor food handling.
And Ford has expand the recall to include almost 1.2 million full-size pickup trucks. Air bags can go off the trucks when not needed. The recall mostly covers F-150s built between 2003 and 2006.
The stock market opening bell rang, just about an hour ago. We're up about 28 points.
You might have a bunch of old albums stored away in the attic. Who needs them in the iPod age, right? Well, get this. The vinyl record is back. The iPod generation learning what scratches and turntables are all about. I think they know that part, Se, but this is weird. Do they liked the sound of the vinyl record playing on the record player?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: It is actually a really big thing for some of the younger folks out there, about listening to records. We'll get into that. But you know, when you take a look at it, record sales are actually - doing better than digital sales. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true.
If you look at it, vinyl record sales are actually growing faster. The numbers from Nielsen Sound Scan says vinyl sales rose 13.6 percent last year while sales of digital albums rose 13 percent. OK. Now, Not a huge bump there but it is noticeable enough. There are some big names like Best Buy, Amazon and Urban Outfitters are now stocking records.
So we head out to a record pressing plant in Brooklyn to ask an owner about his business and what he's seeing happening.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL SOCLOV, PRESIDENT EK5 MANUFACTURING: A couple of years ago I thought we were going to close and go out of business, because the customers for manufacturing vinyl were dwindling.
I had two years, I had 10 employees. Now we're probably 13 or 14, and I could see, you know, soon probably having another person come in. You know, because we are definitely growing carefully, but we are growing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELAM: Now, he does say that his business is definitely benefiting because the industry has gotten so much smaller and that's helping him out. He says the East Coast used to have 60 vinyl pressing plants, and then now there are just three. And another big factor in this resurgence is the Indy rock scene. Believe it or not, that is having a huge part of it. The local regional bands are coming out. They are getting orders for a few hundred at a time. And while that's less than they used to get, it's actually still increasing volume sales because there's more of these little bands doing this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SOCLOV: We used to do runs of 5,000, 10,000 pieces, and that's really busy doing that. Now we have all of these bands that do 300, 500. I have 100 record special where people can do 100 records for a particular price which a lot of people do, because they just want to get a record out, and they want to bring it to their shows.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELAM: You know, he even told me, too, that a lot of people like to get records because they feel like once they see their music in vinyl, that's a sign that they've actually made it. It means something to them. So now to pump up the industry even more, record stores band together once a year to celebrate record store day. And Carol, in case you're ready to celebrate, it happens to be tomorrow.
COSTELLO: OK. I'll run out and get one. Again, I ask you the question, what makes vinyl so great again?
ELAM: Well, yes, there are a few reasons. But one thing most people say is that there's a new generation that's discovering vinyl, and they swear the quality is better than digital. In fact, one of those young 25-year-olds, a fan here, he told me what he thinks about it. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSE KANE-HARTNETT, VINYL RECORD FAN: With CDs, they compress and take a lot of stuff out to save space. It's usually stuff outside the human hearing range. So people thought, hey, it doesn't really matter, but not all the experience with listening to music is about listening to it. It's actually about feeling things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELAM: Ah, yes. Feeling. Well, that feeling has been explained to me as a type of warmth that, Carol, you'll love this. One person even compared the warmth of vinyl when they're talking to me, to rum and the crispness of digital to vodka. Of course, you'd have to know those two things and some may be too young to know that. But of course, while there may be this record renaissance, it's still very much a niche market of the nearly 450 or 326 million, we got updated numbers albums sold last year, only one percent were vinyl.
Nevertheless, aficionados are happy about the small comeback here, Carol. But yes, it's really funny. You sat there, and we actually did sit and listen to the same song. Listening to it on vinyl and listening to it on an iPod, and you actually can tell the difference. You just have to deal the hisses and the pops and all that when you listen to a record.
COSTELLO: I just hope they don't leave them in the sun as I always did and they melt. I'm sure they won't. This generation is smarter.
Thanks, Stephanie. Appreciate it.
(CROSSTALK)
ELAM: I think they told me, this is so cool to have. Yes. It is.
COSTELLO: Thanks, Stephanie. We appreciate it.
It is time for political buzz, a lightning fast conversation, hitting the hot political topics of the day, each of our brilliant political observers gets 20 seconds to answer three probing questions.
Amy Holmes is a former Republican speechwriter. John Avlon is an independent and CNN contributor and comedian Pete Dominick will lend his own unique political perspective. Welcome to all of you.
First question, is the deficit more important or the creation of jobs? Amy?
AMY HOLMES, FMR. REPUBLICAN SPEECHWRITER: Well, if you're to ask the voters, the creation of jobs. And of course, that was President Obama's job number one when he passed this system bill. Unfortunately, it didn't create the jobs that the voters needed. So that's where I would put it. Jobs over deficit.
COSTELLO: John?
JOHN AVLON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Deficits are related to job growth. It's a question on whether you believe government created jobs or the private sector. If you lower the deficit, you create a better long- term economic future for America.
COSTELLO: Pete?
PETE DOMINICK, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well I mean listen, the same people who think that deficits are the biggest problem I would like to cross-reference whether they think climate change is also really an important of an issue. The answer to the question is, if you don't have a job, jobs are the most important issue. Not deficits that we really need to deal with but aren't that big of a concern today.
COSTELLO: Second question. Is President Obama as Congressman Paul Ryan suggests in the partisan mosh pit? John? AVLON: You know, that speech was a political speech as much as it was policy speech. I don't think you need to create a moral equivalence here. He did take some hard shots at Paul Ryan's plan. That is politics. We're starting a president's campaign season. But I don't think it's quite what the far right has said in recent years.
COSTELLO: Amy.
HOLMES: Well, I think I was comparing it more to the World Wrestling Federation and try to give Republicans a smack down, but I don't think that he was able to pin, to continue the metaphor, beat this dead horse - I don't think he was able to pin Congressman Ryan and the budget battle will continue.
COSTELLO: Pete?
DOMINICK: Carol, I know that you, because you just said you listen to a lot of vinyl, you probably spent a lot of time in mosh pits. And I'll tell you this, mosh pits aren't competitive places. When someone falls and gets hurt in a mosh pit, there's a sense of community. People help them up.
No, what we're doing in Washington is far beneath what happens in a mosh pit.
COSTELLO: OK. Next question. Arizona passed a birther bill that says you have to produce a birth certificate to run for political office. One state lawmaker says this is not about President Obama, it's about maintaining integrity of the Constitution. Do you buy it, Amy?
HOLMES: No. And I wasn't born yesterday, but nor was I born in the United States. So, I don't have a live birth certificate. I have one that was certified later. Clearly, this is about Barack Obama, President Obama. But it should be noted that there were questions about John McCain when he was running for president. He was born in the Panama Canal on that Navy base. And there were questions whether or not he was properly qualified to be president based on his birthplace.
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
COSTELLO: John?
HOLMES: What was that?
(CROSSTALK)
AVLON: The buzzer? this is absolutely about President Obama. There's been a recent rash of ramping up crazy conspiracy theory arguments in the Constitution. And it actually diminishing the Constitution at the end of the day. This is a conspiracy theory. It's all about President Obama, not about constitutional principles.
COSTELLO: Pete? DOMINICK: Well, first of all I love that Arizona is suddenly so concerned about the Constitution. But unfortunately, both Amy and John are wrong. This has nothing to do with President Obama. He's already president. This has everything to do with any future non- white presidential candidate.
COSTELLO: Oh. Interesting. Thanks to all of you for playing along with our "Political Buzz." We appreciate it as always. Amy, John, Pete, and hopefully we'll see you back Monday.
(LAUGHTER)
Nobody said anything. They were afraid that buzzer was going to ring again.
Coming up --
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
COSTELLO: -- there you go!
Coming up, a warrior returns home from battle. Oh, but the demons of war follow. He finds his only escape in something no parent wants to see. His family is fighting for his legacy. Barbara Starr has his moving story in JUST a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: This next story is about a U.S. Marine who survived the horrors of war only to find little peace at home. He killed himself when he could no longer bear the torment. Advocates for veterans say he is among the overlooked casualties of war. We'll take a closer look at that issue in just a minute. But first, his story from CNN's Barbara Starr.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: When Clay Hunt finally came home from tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, the horror of war came home with this young Marine.
STACY HUNT, CLAY HUNT'S FATHER: He absolutely he could not shake the tremors and rigors of PTSD. I mean, he tried hard. He went to the VA. He went to the counselors. He took what he thought was the right medicine.
STARR: But in late March, Clay, suffering only in ways another combat veteran can really understand, took his own life at home in Texas. Fellow Marine and best friend Jake Wood remembers how the war changed his friend.
JAKE WOOD, CLAY HUNT'S BEST FRIEND: He knew he needed help, and he often was going in search of that help.
ANNOUNCER: But you're not alone. STARR: Clay appeared in this public service announcement for troubled veterans. He worked to raise money for the wounded. But amid the devastation of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Clay found some peace. Traveling there with Jake and a group of veterans known at Team Rubicon, they provided medical help to hundreds of the injured.
Clay in his own words:
CLAY HUNT, COMMITTED SUICIDE AFTER RETURNING FROM WAR: I was there to do a job, to help people, and I have a renewed faith in humanity.
STARR: But Clay's death will not be counted by the Pentagon as an official military suicide since he left the Marines in 2009. His mother has no doubt her son's death was a result of serving his country.
SUSAN SELKE, CLAY HUNT'S MOTHER: In my mind he is a casualty of war. And he died over here instead of over there.
STARR: Suicide among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have risen over the last four years. Clay's fellow veterans argue everyone must be counted.
WOOD: Part of clay was killed in Iraq. Another part killed in Afghanistan. And the rest of him was killed in Houston, Texas.
STARR: Barbara Starr, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: So many whys attached to Clay Hunt's suicide. We do know his suicide won't be counted by the Pentagon because it happened after Hunt left the service. And we want to talk more about that and what it means with the executive director of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Paul Rieckhoff. Welcome, Paul.
PAUL RIECKHOFF, EXECUTIVE DIRECT, VETERANS OF AMERICA: Thank you. Good to be with you, ma'am.
COSTELLO: Hunt's family says he committed suicide because of survivor's guilt. Four of his friends were killed during Hunt's service. Was that part of this?
RIECKHOFF: I think it probably was. Clay was a friend of mine. He was an active member of our organization. He did a lot of great work with other organizations like Team Rubicon and Ride to Recovery. So, this is a tremendous tragedy to the entire veterans' community and to the entire nation.
I think there were a number of contributing factors and right now, we don't know what it actually was about but we know Clay was hurt and Clay dealing with his service. And Clay didn't get enough help, and it's a real tragedy. And I hope it serves as wake-up call.
You know, Clay's funeral has really sent shock waves around this country. There's been a lot of press attention because he was such an amazing person. To lose him is such a tremendous tragedy. I know Clay and his family would want this to serve as a wake-up call so we don't lose other veterans to suicide.
COSTELLO: Well, that's what we're trying to do right here this morning. Why doesn't the Pentagon count's Hunt's death as a military suicide? I know he left the service in 2009, but his family says his depression arose from his service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
RIECKHOFF: Yes. He's off the Pentagon's books. When you come home and you separate from the active duty military, you are no longer in the Defense Department. Just in February alone, there were about 16 suspected active duty Army suicide alone. It's just the Army. Just active duty. They're going to see if they're confirmed.
But once you leave the military, whether it's the Marine Corps, Navy or whatever service, you go out into the civilian world. And those numbers are not counted. We don't know how many folks like Clay Hunt have committed suicide. We know anecdotally from the community that number is rising, and it's a major problem. It needs national attention, and we need the president to get involved. This is a real problem for our nation right now.
COSTELLO: Well, I was just going to ask you, why is it important for the Pentagon to count these kinds of suicides for the families' sake?
RIECKHOFF: I think because it honestly is just the tip of the iceberg. 2.2 million men and women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11, but only a percentage of that are still on active duty. So, there are folks who came home in 2003, 2004, and they're not tracked. There's no national registry to keep track of them. Not just for suicide, but for illness, for even unemployment, other problems like that. We need to have the good research so we can drive effective programs, we can drive resources, and we can tell the American public how they can help.
COSTELLO: Paul Rieckhoff, thanks so much for joining us this morning. We appreciate it.
RIECKHOFF: Thank you, ma'am. We appreciate it very much.
COSTELLO: Don your blue taking a whole new meaning as police step up security after last month's near-fatal beating outside the ballpark. We'll have the latest on that, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: No more half-price beer. No more tailgating. Police in Los Angeles take a tough new stand against rowdy Dodgers stadium plans. It's prompted by that brutal opening day beating of a Giants' fan outside the ballpark.
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez is live at Dodgers' stadium with more. Thelma, last night was the first Dodger home game since the attack. The police presence was -- it was fierce. THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Carol, this is definitely a new area -- era here at dodger stadium. New era of security. Fans were saying that as they arrived here at the stadium, they were greeted by police at the entrance to the stadium, by police on horseback out in the parking lots, and then even at the turnstiles as they were waiting to get in. Even at the concession stands. No question. Huge police presence even at command center inside that stadium. Brought out lights, additional security cameras, and then they announced a zero tolerance policy to any fan that was unruly.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEPUTY CHIEF JOSE PEREZ, LOS ANGELES POLICE: We've had a great, safe game. We think this is a benchmark that we will use in future dodger games, and we're going to continue to have an appointment here sufficient enough that we'll be able to secure the event to be a safe event.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GUTIERREZ: Now, police say that overall it was a success, that zero tolerance policy. They say they issued 38 citations for minor offenses like carrying an open container, that kind of thing, but no major incident.
Now, right now, all the focus is on trying to capture the two suspects who beat, who savagely beat, 42-year-old Brian Stowe back on March 31st and they've released an updated composite sketch. They're looking for two men. They say one of the men has a distinctive mole on his cheek and they are hoping someone will come forward. There were 100 witness whose watched this man get beaten on the 31st and they are hoping somebody who was there at the park will come forward with information. They've offered a $100,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the men who savagely attacked Brian Stowe. Carol?
COSTELLO: Wondering, you showed pictures of all of thsoe police officers. How long will they keep this up at Dodger stadium?
GUTIERREZ: Well, they say this is a new policy. This is the way of the future now. When fans come, they're not going to have tailgating parties. They will not be able to drink until you know, they are intoxicated. And police say that they will keep an eye on those people who are yelling out obscenities, who look like they could get violent. They're said going to make sure and, you know, step up those patrols so that these people are taken out of the park to prevent anything like that March 31st incident.
COSTELLO: Thelma Gutierrez reporting live from Los Angeles. Thank you.
Talk about the kind of sports we want to talk about right now! Because topping our sports this morning, Johnny Damon makes Major League Baseball history, and he does it dramatically. Bottom of the tenth inning, Tampa Bay trailing Minnesota by one with a runner on base. Damon goes deep to right field for the game winner. Damon has hit a walk-off home run for five different teams. Something that has never been done before. Congrats to Johnny Damon.
Hard to find a better starting pitching than in Philadelphia. Cliff Lee had 12 strikeouts against Washington last night. Seven in a row in one stretch. His complete game follows one on Wednesday by teammate Roy Halladay. Wow!
NHL playoffs, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. The first game of their series goes into overtime. The Kings give up the puck and the Sharks rush up the ice. Ryan Slove (ph)clears the way for Kyle Wellwood. You see the trail on Joe Pevelsky (ph), for the winner for San Jose.
Staying in the Bay Area now, San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum is helping a fan in dire need. Lincecum donating $25,000 to the Brian Stowe fund. Stowe, just talking about him. He's the Giants' fan beaten up at Dodgers' stadium. He remains in the hospital.
One more thing from the ballparks to show you. A New York Mets' ballboy make a leaping catch. Watch this! That's amazing! Not only does he make a great grab, he keeps the ball from hitting fans. I think someone should sign him up.
President Obama has a message for the birther movement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I was born in Hawaii.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And the president also has a warning for Republicans who want to play the birther card in 2012. Our political ticker is next.
And she's 94 years old and not exactly in the best of health. But this morning's buzz is all about Zsa Zsa Gabor. Having a baby. Hmm. Your entertainment roundup, just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We just can't stop talking about this. 94-year-old Zsa Zsa Gabor could soon become a mother. At least that's what her husband says. "Showbiz Tonight" host A.J. Hammer live in New York. Oh, you guys broke this story. Didn't you?
A.J. HAMMER, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" CO-HOST: Probably, Carol. You know, I don't even know what's going on. Honestly, it's so bizarre, yet I'm strangely fascinated by it.
COSTELLO: I know!
HAMMER: I mean, it's so unusual. Talking about Zsa Zsa Gabor's 67-year-old husband, who's saying he wants his 94-year-old wife to become a mother again using an egg donor. Artificial insemination and a surrogate mother. Frederic Prinz von Anhalt tells CNN this yesterday, "I've gone through the initial steps of donor matching and bloodwork. In the next week, the donation process will begin."
Why would they want to do this? Well, Gabor apparently wants someone to carry on the family name. Zsa Zsa has a daughter, 64-year- old Francesca Hilton, who told CNN that she was shocked at news. And I think Hilton spoke for all of us when she added, "This is just weird."
Now, Carol, please keep in mind, Zsa Zsa's husband, the prince, he also had declared he was the father of Anna Nicole Smith's baby when all that was going on.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes. I do remember. Thanks for reminding me.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Let's talk about Charlie Sheen, because he's in negotiations with his old show producers?
HAMMER: Well, you know, it's kind of tough to tell what's really going on here. Depends who you want to believe. Sheen has been talking about how he may wind up returning to his old sitcom "Two and a Half Men." He says that he and the show's producers are in discussions that could bring him back.
But lawyers for Warner Brothers, which produces the show, say Charlie's lying. They want him to stop talking about it in public. In fact, they sent Sheen's attorneys a letter. It's pretty clear. Listen to this. They say, "There have been no discussions, there are no discussions and will be no discussions regarding his returning to or having any involvement with the series."
Seems clear, right? But Sheen's attorney responded to that letter by telling TMZ there have been discussions as recently as Tuesday and all parties have been involved. So, just like everything else involved in Charlie sheen, who knows what the heck is going on?
COSTELLO: Yes, you're right about that. Sad news for a lot of people. Two more soap operas, cancelled.
HAMMER: Yes. This is sad news. A lot of people are actually in mourning over this. These soaps have been around a long time. The news declaring that ABC decided to close the book on long running soaps "All My Children" and "One Life to Live." Obviously a lot of upset fans. But we've been hearing from celebrities who loved or were involved in those shows. Perhaps the most recognizable soap opera star of them all, "All My Children" Susan Lucci. And she tweeted this: "It saddens me "All My Children" is cancelled. I loved playing Erica Kane and working with Agnes Nixon and the incredible people at AMC."
Kelly Ripa got her start in "All My Children." She says this to "Showbiz Tonight." "This is like losing a member of your family. "All My Children" was more than a job, it was my family. It was there that I met my husband, it was there where my first two children were born and there when I met many of my lifelong friends. It was the greatest training ground ever. I feel heartsick."
And when you look at the list of actors who have been tied to these shows, Carol, really impressive. Stars like Josh Dumahel, Ryan Phillipe, Marcia Cross, Melissa Leo, Christian Slater, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tommy Lee Jones, just naming a few. ABC replacing the soaps with talk shows. Truly a sad end of an era and also, quite frankly, a lot of people out of work. The nature of the business. When you think of the hundreds of cast and crew and support staff involved with this, it will have an economic impact for sure.
COSTELLO: Oh, definitely. When "As the World Turns" went off the air, that did it for me. It is sad. The end of an era. Because you know, you grew up with these things. I still remember vividly the characters and "As the World Turns" hasn't been on the air for quite some time now. A.J. thank you so much.
HAMMER: Yes, that's right. And I just want to point out for any fans that are worried, "General Hospital" not affected by this. It is sticking around. They're going to keep on going.
COSTELLO: And the "Young and the Restless," too. And "The Bold and the Beautiful." See, I know. A.J. Hammer, thank you.
You want information on everything breaking in the entertainment world, A.J.'s got it tonight on "Showbiz Tonight" at 5 p.m. Eastern and 11:00 p.m. on HLN.
The possibility that Donald Trump may run for president is giving late-night comics a load of material. Check out Conan O'Brien.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONAN O'BRIEN, "CONAN": Critics saying it's illegal for Donald Trump to run for president while hosting his own TV show. They also say it's illegal to run for president if your hair wasn't born in this country. This is a big compliment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Ah, you got to joke about it or you'd cry. President Obama suggests the birther controversy could come back and bite the Republicans in the general election, you know, as in 2012. CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is here with more on that story. Hi, Paul.
PAUL STEINHASUER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Carol, it's been out there. Some Republicans may want to run for the White House, like Donald Trump, bringing it up a lot. Some other Republicans saying, not a good idea.
So, the president in an interview last night with ABC, he said that it proabably could come back to hurt the Republicans in the general election if the issue continues on.
Here's one reason why, Carol. Look at this recent poll from CNN/Opinion Research Corporation. National poll. It indicated almost three out of four Americans say he was definitely or probably born in the United States.
Last night at fundraiser in Chicago, among a friendly crowd, the president brought up where he was born. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I was born in Hawaii.
(AUDIENCE CHEERS)
OBAMA: But I -- but I became a man here in Chicago.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHASUER: Something tells me, Carol, it's not the last time we're going to hear this issue.
COSTELLO: Oh, I hope it is. I just wish it would go away. I really do.
Talk about -- 2012 is coming. I'm sure the president already has a strategy mapped out. What do you think it might be?
STEINHASUER: We saw a little last night. Those first three fundraisers in Chicago, first ones he's doing for his re-election. I guess you could call it president by day, fundraiser by night. And you know, its the same strategy we've seen from previous presidents when they were running for reelection, like George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. So, you'll see this president doing fundraisers every now and then, but still, the day job of course is president.
And Carol, back to the birther issue. Of course, CNN and other organizations, we've seen the original birth certificate. We, of course, believe the president was born in the U.S.
COSTELLO: Yes, and all those who say it, birther, it's just a lie. We'll just say it. Thank you, Paul, for reaffirming that. Appreciate it.
Coming up in the next hour of NEWSROOM, gas prices climbing towards a new record, but the way you drive could be hurting your wallet as well. We'll tell you about some tips to get the most mileage for your buck.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Here's a look at stories that will be making news later today.
About an hour from now, here in Atlanta, relatives of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. join interior secretary Ken Salazar for the reopening of a restored Ebenezer Baptist Church. It's where the civil rights trailblazer preached until his 1968 assassination.
4:00 Eastern Time, in Boston, former Minnesota governor and potential Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty set to speak at a Tea Party-sponsored tax rally.
And this afternoon, in Phoenix, the Iraqi father convicted of murdering his daughter in a hit-and-run honor killing faces a judge for sentencing.
That does it for me, but Suzanne Malveaux is here to take it away for the 11:00 a.m. Eastern hour of NEWSROOM.
And I'll join you in about, oh, 10 minutes to talk about class warfare.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Oh, that's a big one. A hot topic. Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
MALVEAUX: All right. See you soon.
