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Female Jockey at Kentucky Derby; Controversy Over Releasing Photo of bin Laden's Corpse; Initial White House Misstatements Questioned; Inside the Bin Laden Compound; Bush Declines White House Invitation to Ground Zero;

Aired May 04, 2011 - 10:00   ET

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

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: This morning, we continue our coverage of the Osama Bin Laden story. What could be the biggest development since his killing?

Good morning to you. I'm Carol Costello, sitting in for Kyra Phillips. Right now, we're awaiting a White House decision on whether to release a post-mortem photo of the terrorist leader. It could silence sceptics. It could also feel anti-American anger around the world.

Former President George W. Bush says thanks, but no thanks. He turns down a White House invitation to join President Obama at Ground Zero tomorrow. We'll tell you why.

And this hour, Attorney General Eric Holder is on Capitol Hill. He's appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. We're keeping a close eye on this to see if he makes any comments on the killing of Osama Bin Laden.

But we start this hour with public skepticism. The White House can blame itself for at least some of that. Administration officials have repeatedly changed key details of the raid, including crucial accounts of Bin Laden's final actions before he was shot to death.

Barbara Starr is live at the Pentagon. Barbara, let's start with information about Osama Bin Laden using one of his wives as a human shield. That turned out to be incorrect, right?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, it did, Carol. What the administration is saying is there was in fact a rush to get details out to the American public and indeed to the world on Sunday night and Monday in the hours after this happened.

They wanted to tell as much as they could, but now that fog of war, the confusion that always happens right after a significant event is beginning to clear and they are amending some of what they said. On the question of a woman killed.

Originally they had said that there was a woman acting as a human shield with Bin Laden in the room when the Navy SEALs entered. What they're saying is there was a woman believed to be his wife. She rushed against the assault team and they shot her in the leg. There was a different woman down stairs who was killed in the cross fire, but Osama Bin Laden's wife, they say, was shot in the leg and is still alive. Carol --

COSTELLO: And she's in custody now in Pakistan from what we understand. The next inconsistency is about whether Osama was armed or not. Listen to John Brennan on what he said about that on Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN BRENNAN, WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISER ON COUNTERTERRORISM: There was a female who was in fact, in the line of fire that reportedly was used as a shield to shield Bin Laden from the incoming fire.

The concern was that Bin Laden would oppose any type of capture operation. Indeed, he did. It was a firefight. He, therefore, was killed in that firefight and that's when the remains were removed.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So was there any return gunfire at all from people in that mansion?

STARR: In the house, absolutely, Carol. The Navy SEALs, the administration is adamant that a heavy firefight did break out that would indicate people returned fire. They were armed inside that house, by all account.

They never - you know, to be precise, nobody ever said Bin Laden was holding a weapon and got any rounds off. But the question for the Navy SEALs is, did he pose an imminent threat when they entered that room?

Did they have reasonable reason to believe that they would be in fear for their lives that he was threatening them? He's an enemy combatant, the world's most wanted man, I don't think anybody's going to challenge the notion that he posed a threat.

What we don't know is how did he pose a threat? Did he lunge at them? Did he reach for a weapon? Did he are a detonator? Did he have a suicide vest? Was he gesturing to perhaps someone else in the room and the SEALs interpreted that as an order to fire?

These are all of the scenarios people would be thinking about. We honestly don't know the answer yet. They're adamant that he did pose a threat to them.

COSTELLO: I'm just wondering because we hear there's video of this, the whole thing is on tape. Is that true, not true?

STARR: Well, you know, I don't know that we know the answer precisely so that either. Let me say this, when U.S. Special Forces go into the field and often regular military forces as well. It's not like somebody's going along carrying a hand-held video cam like you or I would. But they have equipment with them that does tape these incidents and very often, there is video of them. I think there might be of this one. I think whether or not we ever see it is another whole question.

And nobody has actually come out in public and said openly that there is a tape. A lot of this information is being very closely held by the CIA and the White House. We keep asking the questions. We'll keep pressing away for answers.

COSTELLO: We like that. Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon.

Also this morning, Pakistan is angrily rejecting claims that it dropped the ball in the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Government officials are reacting to this quote from CIA Director Leon Panetta.

According to two sources inside a closed-door meeting, Panetta told lawmakers, quote, "either they were involved or incompetent. Neither place is a good place to be," speaking about Pakistan.

Washington's doubts over Pakistan strains a key relationship in what was once known as the war on terror. And in that mission, trust is everything.

Foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty is live at the State Department. So Jill, what exactly is Washington asking the Pakistanis now?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, they're pressing the Pakistanis to give information about that compound where Osama Bin Laden was living, who owned it, who built it, what were the security precautions around it.

You can imagine they'd want to know, did anyone visit it. Then they also are looking at information and data, as they analyze the tapes and the hard -- I should say the computers and the hard drives that were taken from that compound.

That will be very important because that could be key in establishing communications between Bin Laden and others and then finally, direct meetings. The representative, special representative for the United States on Afghanistan and Pakistan, went to Islamabad.

That trip was scheduled, but Mark Grossman did meet with all of the top officials and the president, President Zadari, the head of the military, the head of military intelligence and the subject was definitely discussed.

We don't have a lot of details about that, but senior officials do tell us that they -- as it was explained, there are -- there is a belief that perhaps senior officials did not know but people below them did.

They're saying, in other words, the senior officials who met with Grossman expressed surprise that Osama Bin Laden was in that compound and they are taking, they say, taking them at face value until they find out. So far, we should say, there's no compelling evidence that they did know.

COSTELLO: The other thing I was curious about I know there were people in the house and the Pakistanis now have those people in custody and apparently they're questioning them.

And then during the raid, the United States confiscated lots of papers and computers and hard drives and they took them back to the United States. Do we know if Pakistanis and officials within the United States are kind of sharing information or not at all?

DOUGHERTY: You know, that is not clear at this point because certainly the Pakistanis have the human beings whom they're questioning and then the United States has the documentary evidence, but it is not clear whether they're sharing it.

In fact, some of that could become a point of debate and discussion and perhaps fighting as this goes on, because I can tell you, based on what CNN in the field in that region is learning, there is a lot of the anger on the part of the Pakistanis who feel that the United States is unfairly criticizing them.

And then here in the United States, we all know that on Capitol Hill and other places many people are saying, how could it possibly have happened that he was living in that compound and no one in Pakistan seemed to know about it?

So it's an unfortunate situation and this relationship is already tense, but now it's getting much worse.

COSTELLO: Yes, Jill Dougherty, many thanks, live from the State Department.

CNN crews are fanned out across the world to bring you all the latest details. CNN's Nick Payton Walsh in Abbotabad, the military town where Bin Laden may have spent the last several years.

And Nick, you now have new information on the other people that were inside the compound that Jill and I were talking about just a short time ago. Tell us about them.

NICK PAYTON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Some more details from senior Pakistani intelligence official. Now he is listing a bit more detail about who they were, eight or nine children, one of whom is thought to have been a 12 or 13-year-old daughter currently in Pakistani custody.

Two, perhaps three women, one identified as Osama Bin Laden's 29- year-old Yemeni wife, not entirely clear her name as yet and also the four to five men, including Bin Laden, four dead bodies found at the compound, one unidentified male, one son to Bin Laden, and two Bin Laden's brothers so other casualties from the Bin Laden family as well, Carol.

COSTELLO: So those surviving members, the adults. They're being interrogated. Are they being -- what might happen to them? WALSH: It's not exactly clear, really, what the final will be. I've heard suggestions from officials they may get sent back to country of origin, repatriated down the line. I think as Jill was saying there is going to be some contention between Washington and Islamabad who gets access to who.

I'm sure the Americans want to talk to all of those and patch up, piece together the information they've got from the technical data from inside the compound to the human beings that explain what's going on.

As it currently stands given absolutely awful state it seems of Pakistani/U.S. relations today. I'll be very surprised if they found a quick or easy compromise as to how they get access to those different pieces of information, Carol.

COSTELLO: Nick Payton Walsh live from Pakistan. Thank you.

Newspapers around the world are criticizing Pakistan in the wake of Bin Laden's death. CNN's Zain Verjee is following that from London. So the United States is not the only country criticizing Pakistan?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: No, Pakistan is in the spotlight, and many countries around the world are raising some serious questions. Let's start with the national, Carol, from the United Arab Emirates.

It's headline says "All Eyes are on Pakistan." It goes on to say, the discovery of Osama Bin Laden in an afluent garrison town less than 50 kilometers that's about 30 miles from Islamabad exposed Pakistan to embarrassing accusations yesterday that either its government or security service was sheltering the world's most-wanted man.

Take a look at what the Australians headline is. "Judged by the Company You Keep." The article says, these suspicions mark a new test for U.S./Pakistan relations, raising uncomfortable questions for both sides. Among them being the competence of Pakistan's security service and the extent of the country's complicity in harboring Bin Laden.

Finally, Carol, take a look at today's Zaman from Turkey "Embarrassed Pakistan was excluded from Bin Laden Raid." It goes on to say Pakistan has a long history of nurturing extremist militants and the interests of its strategic objectives, primarily facing up to what it sees as its biggest threat, India. Carol --

COSTELLO: Zain Verjee, fascinating. Thanks, Zain live from London.

At the very heart of the Osama drama, one heroic group of men, the Navy SEALs sent into the compound to get the job done. In 20 minutes, we'll take a look at these guys, their training and why they were chosen for the mission.

And in the horrible aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, this is one of the few images to bolster American spirits. It's an iconic moment that will not be relived tomorrow when President Obama travels to Ground Zero. We'll tell you why.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Looking ahead in the Bin Laden story, President Obama visits Ground Zero tomorrow for a ceremony, but he will not be joined by his predecessor, George W. Bush, who was invited by the White House, but declined an invitation to attend. We want to bring in our senior political analyst, David Gergen. David, welcome.

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: President Bush said he likes to keep a low profile and that's really not why he's going to attend the ceremony at Ground Zero with President Obama. What do you make of this?

GERGEN: Well, Carol, there are people around President Bush who are irritated, sore, that they're not getting more credit for what they did in years past. They believe that the harsh interrogation techniques used on detainees in Guantanamo did provide a clue to help find the courier that led to Bin Laden. They believe that President Obama should have given more credit to President Bush in that famous speech that he made a couple of nights ago.

There is some sourness around the president, but I don't think that what motivates President Bush. You know, he and his family, and you see this in the father as well, they have an old fashioned view that we only have one president at a time.

And a former president should essentially stay in the shadows and not second guessing and to his credit I must say, President George W. Bush has not been critical of President Obama at various moment as long the way when he might have been vulnerable to criticism.

So I think this is quite genuine on the part of President Bush that he doesn't want to stay in a lower profile.

COSTELLO: I hear you, but at this moment in our history, you know, President Obama, when he gave his speech, he said this was a time that maybe the country could be unified.

That we could celebrate this moment together if you will, and so in that sense, should Mr. Bush attend despite, you know, his desire to keep a low profile?

GERGEN: I think if President Obama felt it was important for the country that former President Bush show up, that President Clinton show up, that these former presidents come together for some event, he'd be there.

But I think this is seen more as a celebration and President George W. Bush has issued a strong statement of support for President Obama, giving him credit, and he's been very gracious about this.

I think the White House has been very gracious. I don't think it's necessary. Would it be, you know, I think it's a kind of picture we would all enjoy but at some point you've got to give -- you've got to give some deference, wishes to keep somebody private.

COSTELLO: How do you think the Obama camp views this?

GERGEN: I think they're fine. I don't want to be cynical about this, but they -- you know they are very much putting this president, President Obama, forward as the man who had guts to do the deal and to -- and they want him to get credit for it.

They'd like him to be in the limelight. He does deserve credit. They invited President Bush out of a sense of courtesy and that was a gracious thing to do, but do I think that they're crying over the fact he's not coming, no, I don't.

COSTELLO: David Gergen, many thanks. We appreciate it.

GERGEN: Thank you very much, Carol.

COSTELLO: Coming up, what do Osama Bin Laden and Miley Cyrus have in common? We'll tell you how the singer factors into the biggest terrorist takedown ever.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The death of Osama Bin Laden was celebrated on American streets and online and somehow Miley Cyrus ended up right in the middle of it. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" host A.J. Hammer is here with more on how Miley's getting a bump from all of this.

A.J. HAMMER, HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": Yes. I better explain this, Carol. Obviously, every historical celebration needs a theme song, right?

Well, as Americans poured out on to the streets and on social networking sites for impromptu celebrations on Sunday, after the president announced that Osama Bin Laden had been killed.

A huge Miley Cyrus hit became the accidental anthem of the moment. You remember this song, right? That, of course, "Party in the USA."

Within minutes of the news breaking, the Youtube video from Miley Cyrus's 2009 hit "Party in the USA" became the go-to spot for virtual celebration of Bin Laden's death. Commenter's widely agreeing that the track was as they put it, the official funeral song of Osama Bin Laden.

And soon after a Facebook group to that effect was launched, people played the song while celebrating outside the White House as you saw. People on Twitter adopted it as at night's theme song.

Last check, Carol, 151 Youtube users took time to give a thumbs up to a comment reading, like this comment, if watching this video is literally the first thing you did after you learned Osama was dead. Miley Cyrus and Osama Bin Laden in the same breath, never saw that coming.

COSTELLO: Pop culture and Osama Bin Laden, on another tact, people are talking about Jack Bauer "24" and the connection to what actually happened in Pakistan. Tell us about that.

HAMMER: Yes, well, of course in the hours after news of Bin Laden's killing broke, Jack Bauer was on a lot of people's mind. In fact, he was one of the biggest trending topics on Twitter. Jack Bauer, of course, the action hero of the spy drama from "24" from TV.

No doubt a lot of people were thinking a Bauer-like character must have been responsible for the actionable intelligence that led to President Obama's press conference and "24" fans are thinking the timing is now perfect for that show to get the big screen treatment.

The good news is a movie version does remain in the works at 20th Century Fox. In fact, producer Brian Grazer, whose company was behind the TV show, recently acknowledged that he's very much on board for the movie.

In March, Sutherland told the women of "The View" that the movie is going to come out in 2012. I'm thinking they might be rethinking that timeline a bit now.

COSTELLO: And the plot, too because I heard they were having trouble coming up with a good story line because Jack Bauer's done virtually everything to save America, but maybe this will enter into the plot line now.

HAMMER: Yes. And as we were discussing yesterday, I really think this is going to influence a lot of what we see come out of Hollywood. I think it is obviously made for TV, made for film plot line.

I want to talk a little bit more about what people are talking about throughout Hollywood, Bin Laden's death still topic A on so many celebrities' minds.

We were right there last night at the premiere of the new movie "Something Borrowed" in Los Angeles. John and Jennifer told "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" how the news affected them. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN KRASINSKI, ACTOR: I really remember thinking about is how long people have been over there. How long our armed forces have been over there fighting for us and a big event like this makes you think that maybe it's all over.

And you have got to remember how long they've been in this and this one moment for them is one moment, it's a big one, but they've been doing it for a long time and we owe them a whole debt of gratitude.

GINNIFER GOODWIN, ACTRESS: It certainly allows for closure in a really important way. It's a strange thing to me to root for death in any situation, but I certainly recognize that it was something that needed to happen in order for us move forward.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAMMER: Carol, we've been on a lot of red carpets in the last couple of days and what we're finding in "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" is that people do want to talk about this. There's patriotism across the board. It's neat to see and everybody pretty excited or at least reflective on the news of Bin Laden's death.

COSTELLO: A.J. Hammer, many thanks.

Want information on everything breaking on the entertainment world? A.J. has it tonight on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" 11:00 p.m. on HLN.

Checking news cross-country now, in Portland, Maine, police looking who painted anti-Islam graffiti community on a Muslim community center. The message read, Osama Today, Islam Tomorrow, Long Live the West. It appeared overnight after the U.S. reported the death of Osama Bin Laden.

A Georgia college student threatened with deportation after a traffic arrest revealed she was an illegal immigrant can complete her U.S. studies. The federal government awarded Jessica a year-long deferment while her case is being reviewed.

Finally, in Lafayette, Louisiana, parents of a boyscout troop rescued from a flooded camp ground in Arkansas are glad to have their sons home. A National Guard helicopter rescued six scouts and two leaders who were missing in a national forest.

We've been hearing a lot about the Navy SEALs that went in and took down Osama Bin Laden. Coming up, we'll go inside the special ops force, look at their training, why they were picked for this mission to go into Pakistan.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We continue our coverage of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Here's what's new this morning. Right now, we're awaiting a White House decision on whether to release a gruesome photo of Bin Laden's corpse. While it could silence sceptics, it could also fuel anti-American anger around the world.

Former President George W. Bush says thanks, but no thanks. He turns down a White House invitation to join President Obama at Ground Zero tomorrow. A spokesman says Bush appreciates the invite, but he's chosen to remain out of the spotlight in his post-presidency.

And the White House once again changes its account of the military raid that killed bin Laden. The administration now says Osama bin Laden was not armed when he was shot to death.

They got in, they got their man, and they got out. There's a huge interest right now in the Navy SEALs who pulled off the bin Laden raid. Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence has an inside look at this elite group of warriors. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The team that killed Osama bin Laden had gone through thousands of scenarios for assaulting a compound. Just like this group of Navy SEALs on U.S. soil. But the team that went after bin Laden was special, part of the naval special warfare development group, or Dev Group.

STEW SMITH, FORMER NAVY SEAL: This SEAL team is the all-star of the SEAL teams.

LAWRENCE: Stew Smith is a former SEAL who says the men in that raid have at least five years as special operators.

SMITH: This SEAL team is based on combat experience. And all these guys probably have 100, 200 missions.

LAWRENCE: The CIA provided detailed satellite pictures of bin Laden's compound, enough to build a replica where the SEAL team practiced. A senior defense official says for a time they trained without knowing who their actual target was. But by Sunday, they knew the location of every gate and window in that compound, the exact height of the walls.

JOHN BRENNAN, DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: They operated according to that, and they didn't know when they got there exactly what some of the internal features of it would be.

LAWRENCE: The defense official says by the time the SEALs ran out of the house with bin Laden's body, they could probably count the exact number of steps to the helicopter outside.

Special operator training is brutal. At least six months of sheer hell.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go, Johnson. Buck (ph) just passed you up.

LAWRENCE: Bit the men that took down bin Laden don't necessarily look like linebackers.

SMITH: They have a great deal of muscle. Just not everybody is massive. You know, you don't have to be, you know, 6'5", 250 pounds to be a SEAL.

LAWRENCE: Two teams were supposed to fast rope down from the Black Hawks. But one helicopter had mechanical problems and had to land hard. But one team directly on the ground. There was a contingency plan, and the SEALs scrambled out to continue their mission.

SMITH: There's a reason why they brought two helicopters. Because in the SEAL teams we say two is one; one is none. And, you know, they knew what to do even in the event of a downed helicopter.

LAWRENCE: An official told me that the White House left the actual selection of the team up to the military, and the question they asked themselves was, how much force do we need? He says, the special SEAL team was selected because it best fit the mission. Not because it's necessarily better than, say, Delta Force. He says a 12-man Green Beret outfit team might have been too small to assault a compound this size whereas he knew they didn't need an entire battalion of Army Rangers. He said the special SEAL Team was the best combination of size and capability.

Chris Lawrence, CNN, the Pentagon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: The decision to blow up a levee along the Mississippi River triggers a lawsuit in Washington. We'll have the latest on that.

Plus, in a few minutes, we're talking live with the governor, the Missouri governor who was against the intentional flooding of thousand of acres of Missouri farmland down river. He's angry.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: We're going to continue to follow the bin Laden killing. Coming up in a few minutes, a young man inspired by 9/11 to attend the Citadel. What does bin Laden's death mean to the next generation of military leaders? We'll talk to cadet William Walker. He'll join us live in just a few minutes.

All right. Now, let's talk weather because not everyone is happy with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers decision to blow up the Birth Point Levee in southeastern Missouri on Monday. Engineers intentionally breached the levee along the rain-swollen Mississippi River to protect Cairo, Illinois from extensive flooding.

But that breach meant flooded farmland for home owners down river. And in Missouri, attorneys representing some two dozen families filed suit in Washington for unspecified damages.

We want to get the very latest on the flooding situation right now. Missouri governor Jay Nixon joins us live on the phone from the state capital of Jefferson City. Thanks for joining us, Governor.

GOV. JAY NIXON (D), MISSOURI (on the phone): Good morning. I was down in that region again yesterday for my fourth trip down to in Poplar Bluff Sights (ph) and all the way down to Caruthersville. Flew over the Birth Point's levee that has been -- you can call it breached. I call it - it was clearly blown up to move that water through there. Devastation damage for half of a county, 130,000 acres.

COSTELLO: You did not want this to happen, and you've been fighting against it. Yet it goes on. What is the latest act you're taking to prevent more breaching of the levees?

NIXON: Well, we're focused on making sure that we're recovering now. Bottom line, water's moving downstream. So, we're looking at a crest in Caruthersville, which is downstream from there, about 35 miles that will be three-and-a-half feet higher than water has ever been down there. So, we're still flood fighting in southern Missouri as the waters begin to slowly recede in that northern section. We're focused now on making sure the flood fighting in Caruthersville saves that city.

COSTELLO: How many people are affected by flooding in Missouri?

NIXON: I mean, tens of thousands of people own property in the area that's significantly flooded. This is - I mean - this is the most fertile farmland in America. We produce tremendous amounts in that area. It's an agricultural environment that has produced for this country for years. These are record flood levels, higher than they have ever been either in '27 or '37. And even outside of what they call the box, 130,000 acres, you've got standing water and problems all through the region.

COSTELLO: And that the Army Corps of Engineer did this to save a town in Illinois and you're in Missouri, and now you've got to deal with massive flooding and homeowners in need of help and probably state aid going to them. What are your feelings about that?

NIXON: Well, I mean, my feeling is as chief executive, say, I try to bring people together. The tougher the times, the more Missourians stand together. Obviously we didn't want this levee blown up, but we're well past that point. They're talking about another explosion lower today to get that area cleared out so that the water can move through more freely, which may have a deleterious impact on downstream.

The bottom line is, we have to get beyond what has happened and to get to the point of what we can do to help families in those areas. We want to rebuild, we want to recover, we want to replenish so that --

COSTELLO: And who is going to pay for all of that, Governor?

NIXON: That's a very - you know, you have -- it's a complicated rubrik. We've been working with legislative leaders today to outline a package at the state side. Also spoke with Secretary Napolitano and the folks at FEMA. We're also working with USGA. We are going to use every source necessary to return this, you know, our -- the fertile center of our country back to the production it was before. It's also vitally important for the economy of the region and of our country.

COSTELLO: Governor Nixon, thanks for joining us this morning. Much luck to you.

A week ago today, much of the South was shuttering with the historic outbreak of deadly tornadoes. Today, a near day-long telethon is underway to help those hardest hit in Alabama. This is a live broadcast transmission of CNN affiliate WVTM out of Birmingham. The station has teamed up with the central Alabama United Way to help hundreds of storm victims who are now homeless.

Here's a couple of ways you can help. Text tornado to 50555 to donate $10 or you can visit the United Way's Web site or call toll free 1-855-205-HELP.

In today's "Building Up America," we look at homes built to survive tornadoes. They're made of steel with safety at the top of your mind. CNN's Tom Foreman takes us to Tornado Alley in Little Rock, Arkansas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thousands of homes damaged or destroyed, hundreds of lives taken. Officials in Alabama and other states are still adding up the losses from those killer tornadoes.

Far away in another part of the so-called Tornado Alley near Little Rock --

It all looks perfectly normal.

John House's home is a model of new technology aimed at stopping such destruction.

JOHN HOUSE: They would have no idea whatsoever unless they went up into the attic.

Foreman: let's go up in the attic.

HOUSE: Ok.

FOREMAN: Up here we can really see the difference.

HOUSE: Right, because you have bolt together structural steel.

FOREMAN: The frame is not made of wood but of steal.

HOUSE: This is an (INAUDIBLE).

FOREMAN: John is the president of Kodiak Steel Homes and he says despite the economic downturn, despite the fact that these houses can cost up to 5 percent more than usual, folks like the Tacket (ph) family are snapping them up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You might be spending a little bit more now, but it is going to pay for it in the end. The house isn't going anywhere.

FOREMAN: Other companies make steel homes but not many. John is proud to say his can withstand 140-mile-an-hour winds for four hours.

HOUSE: Yes. I'll take it right away.

FOREMAN: Sales have declined a bit but John says not nearly as much as for other builders because people want to be even more secure in their big investments now.

HOUSE: Instead of making our homes cheaper in response to the recession, we have made our homes better. FOREMAN: Would you have any doubts about being up in this attic during a tornado?

HOUSE: No, none whatsoever.

FOREMAN: And that he hopes will not only keep building up his business but also keep many families safer when the worse weather strikes.

Tom Foreman, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Osama bin Laden helped set a career path for many Americans inspiring them to serve their country in retaliation for his heinous acts. Next, we'll talk with a young man who was in seventh grade when the teacher turned on television and his whole class watched the World Trade Center towers comes down. In just a few days, he graduates from military college. We'll ask him about his future in the post-bin Laden world.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Think about it. Many young Americans don't even remember a pre-9/11 America. They don't know a time when Osama bin Laden wasn't out there hiding somewhere or remember that ground zero was once a busy place of business in New York City. 9/11 and the War on Terror have defined their world and shaped their way of thinking in so many ways. And for some, it determined what they would do with the rest of their lives.

People like William Walker. He's a senior cadet at the Citadel military college in Charleston, South Carolina. And this Saturday, he gets his commission as second lieutenant in the Army. So, first of all, William, congratulations!

WILLIAM WALKER, CADET, THE CITADEL: Thank you, Carol. I appreciate it.

COSTELLO: I'd like to know what you and your classmates were thinking when you heard Osama bin Laden had been killed.

WALKER: You know, Carol, a lot of different emotions. For ten years of my life and the life of my generation, this man really had been the symbol of evil for us. He was responsible for masterminding the murdering of innocent civilians on American soil. I would say that the news of his death was a relief, that that target and threat had been eliminated for America.

COSTELLO: You were in seventh grade when the towers came down. You were sitting in class, and the teacher turned on the television set. Tell us how you felt that day.

WALKER: Yes. I remember it like it was yesterday. Seventh grade, I was 12 years old, sitting in social science class. And the teacher comes in the classroom and he announced to the class that America came under attack. He turned on the TV, and that's whenever I first saw the footage of the towers coming down.

You know, at that age, you don't understand a lot of international relations. You may not understand a lot about relations with Afghanistan, but you knew that your home was under attack. And it changed my world forever.

COSTELLO: And how exactly did it change your world? I mean, did you dream of becoming a military officer before watching television that day?

WALKER: You know, up to that point, no. But you know, I want to tell you, Carol, where I'm from, where I was raised, which is Waynesville, North Carolina, up in the Appalachian Mountains, I've always had certain values stilled in me. And everyone I grew up with. Values like service to your community and others, integrity and honor. And whenever events of 9/11 happened, at that point I knew that there was something out there bigger than myself, that I was called to do it.

And as I grew up and had different mentors in my life, I decided the vehicle for me to serve my country was through the United States Army.

COSTELLO: And you have said before that your mission will to be engage the enemy. With bin Laden gone, does that kind of change your idea of who the enemy is?

WALKER: You know, honestly, Carol, no. In my opinion, there's still a threat out there. And I'm still being called to serve. And I'm still being called to lead soldiers. So, that's what I want to go do. And you know, whoever my commander in chief designate the enemy to be, I'll do my duty.

COSTELLO: We saw so many young people, people of your generation, out in the streets celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden. And you said it was a relief to you that he was finally dead and gone. But how does his death change things in your generation, or does it?

WALKER: Well, I think, you know, every generation, you know, has that one man that kind of characterizes evil for their time, whether it be Adolf Hitler or Josef Stalin or whatever -- whoever it may be. And Osama bin Laden was that guy for us.

I think for our generation, you know, our generation has sacrificed a lot in regard to this conflict. We've had family members overseas. We've -- it's torn families apart. We've -- our generation went over and served and put boots on the ground. You know, Osama bin Laden has changed the course of our country and the course of my generation. So, the fact he was brought to justice, I think, was just a huge victory not only for our country, but for my generation.

COSTELLO: William Walker, thank you so much for being with us. And congratulations. And I'm kind of glad you're going to be serving our country in this way. Thank you so much.

WALKER: Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Former president Jimmy Carter says the United States should give Pakistan the benefit of the doubt when it comes to bin Laden's whereabouts. Suzanne Malveaux sat down with the former president to talk about that raid in Pakistan. Her exclusive interview, coming up in the next hour.

And after she was diagnosed with breast cancer, Sheryl Crow was determined to eat more healthy foods. She teamed up with a chef on a nutritious menu, and a book was born. We'll hear from Sheryl Crow next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Sheryl Crow is a superstar in the world of music, winner of nine Grammy awards. But this morning, she's rocking a new cookbook inspired by her battle with breast cancer. She says it's all about good food and healthy living. Crow talked about it on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERYL CROW, MUSICIAN: Five years ago I was diagnosed and I decided instead of going the conventional route of taking Tamoxifen, I would try to really embrace a practical stance in using nutrition as being part of my staying -- staying well.

And I met with a nutritionist, named Rachel Beller who actually does the foreword in the book and learned so much about food and about the benefits of certain foods as far as staying well and building your immune system.

And I hooked up with Chuck when I was getting ready to go on the road, because I wanted to continue on with my staying on this course. And Chuck was writing recipes in Nashville, an -- and amazing cook, but also already knew so much about different components in food like spices and the benefits.

My cancer was detected really, really early. I am always preaching about how until we have an early cure, early detection and prevention is the best stuff that we have.

You know a lot of what I learned through nutrition is that what we do with regard to our bodies has a very distinct correlation to our wellness. And a lot of what's in the book -- it's a great handbook -- is stuff that we already do. It is just knowing -- it's having the power of knowledge to continue to incorporate some of the things that we already do on a daily basis.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Crow co-authored the book with her personal chef, Chuck White. It's titled "If It Makes You Healthy."

Taking a look at stories making news later today. At 3:00 Eastern on the White House lawn, President Obama hosts the Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride. In the following hour, Britain's Prince Charles visits with President Obama. That will happen around 4:30 Eastern.

Coming up in the next hour, Suzanne Malveaux has an exclusive view with former president Jimmy Carter who says America needs to be guarded with its relationship with Pakistan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUZANNE MALVEUAX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What do you make of the fact that Osama bin Laden was found in Pakistan and in a city, a million dollar home, not far from Islamabad. I mean, do we think we can trust the Pakistan government?

JIMMY CARTER, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think when we're in doubt about Pakistan, we have to give them the benefit of the doubt.

MALVEAUX: Why?

CARTER: Because they're so crucial. You have to remember that Pakistan probably has at least a hundred nuclear weapons. And I think that our alliance with Pakistan, despite some obvious difficulties, is extremely important.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: President Carter also gives his thoughts on the death of Osama bin Laden. That's Suzanne Malveaux's exclusive interview with former president Jimmy Carter. That's coming up in the next hour of NEWSROOM.

(COMMERICAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Checking stories Cross Country now. Engineers set to breach another levee on the Mississippi River today. The breaches are designed to ease spring flooding in towns along the river, but officials say water could rise to record levels in certain areas.

Yellow Nissan vans will soon be rolling through the streets of New York City. The Nissan Envy 200, the winner of the city's Taxi of Tomorrow competition. The new taxis feature extra leg room and GPS. They hit the streets in 2013.

The mother of Michael Jackson turns 81 today, and Katherine Jackson tells CNN she will attend the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. He's the cardiologist charged with negligence in the death of her son.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHERINE JACKSON, MOTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Worst come to worst, I'll step out you know because I heard they were going to show some autopsy shots, and I don't want to see that. So I'll leave and, you know, stay out in the hall or somewhere until it's over. Then I'll come back in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Murray's trial is set to begin in September.

Now it's time to toss it over to Suzanne Malveaux for a continuation of NEWSROOM. I'll join you shortly to talk about whether they should really release the photos of Osama bin Laden.

MALVEUAX: A lot of people debating that right now. All right. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: Sure.

MALVEAUX: Appreciate it.