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Mississippi Cresting at Memphis; President Obama Tackles Immigration; Soaring Gas Prices; Underage Kids with Facebook Accounts; Boomers Don't Stop Moving

Aired May 10, 2011 - 11:00   ET

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

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: From Studio 7, I'm Drew Griffin, in for Suzanne Malveaux today. Let's get you up to speed for Tuesday, the 10th of May.

The big story, the big river the Mississippi hitting its high- water mark today. In Memphis, it's going to stay at near record levels for days. The city's riverfront promenade, under water. Most of the heavy-duty flooding is in outlying areas though. That's due to backups on the Wolf and Loosahatchie rivers, which normally empty into the Mississippi.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GERTRUDE JONES, RESIDENT: I don't want to swim in the pool, and wading around and having to swim in and get stuff. I would rather just go ahead on and get out of here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: The Mississippi River nearing 17 feet at New Orleans. Engineers have opened one spillway west of the city. They may open a second to manage the water levels there. Much of the flooding in Louisiana will take place along tributaries just west of the Mississippi River.

To Pakistan. Pakistan will now allow the United States to question Osama bin Laden's three wives, now widows. The widows have been in Pakistani custody since the secret U.S. commando raid that killed their husband.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: I think they can offer some atmospherics about what it was like to live there when they moved in. But in terms of operational details about al Qaeda, very little, because for some, they wouldn't be able to meet any men.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: NATO war jets carried out three bombing raids on Tripoli last night and into this morning. NATO said it hit command and control facilities for the Gadhafi regime. Libyan officials that NATO actually bombed a library and a hospital for burn victims. In Japan, Japan's prime minister announcing he's going to give up at least one of his paychecks until the nuclear crisis is over. His prime minister's salary, almost $250,000. He's going to give it up. However, he's still going to draw a paycheck as a member of parliament.

And President Obama, on his way to El Paso, Texas, this morning to reboot the debate over immigration. He is going to pressure Republicans to work with him, come up with a comprehensive immigration reform plan, a key promise from his 2008 campaign.

The president's address, live, right here on CNN. That happens at 3:30 Eastern Time.

Congress looking at smartphones and your privacy this hour. Specifically, how those iPhones, Droids and BlackBerrys and their apps can secretly collect and use personal information about you. Executives from Google and Apple are on hand to answer the senators' questions.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg announcing a big upgrade to the city's emergency alert system right now. Notifications will be pinged off cell phone towers so everyone with a cell phone within that tower's range will get that alert. So, for example, if Times Square needs to be evacuated, alerts can be pinpointed anybody who is in Times Square.

Shocker -- splitsville for the Schwarzeneggers. The former California governor and his wife, Maria Shriver, say they're living apart while they try to patch up their 25-year-old marriage. Schwarzenegger, restarting his film career with another "Terminator" movie. Shriver, a journalist and member of the Kennedy clan, is looking at career options as well. She's calling this time of transition "stressful."

CNN "In Depth" now on the troubled waters. That swollen Mississippi River right now cresting at levels we haven't seen in more than 70 years in Memphis, Tennessee. Thousands of people there evacuated.

And our meteorologist Rob Marciano is right there witnessing this all -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hello, Drew.

You know, the river levels, pretty much where they were yesterday at this time. But officially, it's cresting. That's going to be the theme, I think, going forward, is how excruciatingly slow this water has risen and how slow it's going to go down. How much it's risen, that's indisputable, and that's painful as well.

Typically, it would be about a half a mile wide. Now it's three miles wide. This is Riverside Drive. Should be just a road. Now it's part of the river across parts of Memphis.

We're on the western edge of town, obviously. We're also at the western edge of Beale Street, which comes into an intersection with Riverside Drive. That's flooded.

The famed night spots and blues establishments a little bit further east are untouched. Graceland, untouched. And for the most part, in downtown Memphis, it's business as usual.

But you go to some of the surrounding areas in the outskirts of the city where the tributaries are feeding into the swollen Mississippi, which, really, the river is just not allowing any more water coming in, that's where we're seeing most of the flooding. We've got over 900 homes that have been affected by this flooding. Over 400 people are in shelters across the area, and there's still evacuations that are under way.

And the river is going to take -- well, heck, it's going to take a full five days before this river in this spot goes down just one foot. So we're going to be in major flood stage here for at least a week, if not two weeks.

You know, earlier today, Drew, I spoke with Colonel Reichling, who is the man in charge here in Memphis with the Army Corps of Engineers. He says the levees are holding up pretty good, they have got some weaknesses, some leaks that they have had to patch along the way. But for the most part, things are going according to plan.

But what's not in the plan is to have this type of historic flood up and down the Mississippi, with that historic rainfall we saw further upstream. And seeing the rivers rise like this is certainly something to witness. If you're part of the flood, you certainly don't want any part of this history-making event. And it will be two, three weeks before this water gets down into the Gulf of Mexico -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Yes, Rob. We're going to talk to Reichling later on, but, I mean, I guess right now, even though the river is not expected to rise any further, or maybe just a little bit further, it's the pressure, the pressure for days on those dikes and levees, that really is what the Army Corps is watching. Right?

MARCIANO: Yes, absolutely. And that's what they're concerned about.

And they're up and down the river, they're up and down on these levees, monitoring them, checking for weak spots, little springs that may pop through the walls. And like the colonel will probably tell you later on -- he'll give you more specifics on that -- but that's where they're working the hardest.

Obviously, they're opening up some spillways in some spots, but maintaining the miles and miles of levee system that protects this now very populated riverbank system, much more so than it was back in the '20s and '30s. Those are the valuable assets that they're trying to protect.

And by the way, the water that is coming in here is not clean, it's not healthy. And when it finally does drain out of here, there's going to be a big mess to clean up. So that's the other aspect of this. It's not just beautiful, clean water that's washing up here on shore. The people that have them in their homes, in their businesses here, it's going to be quite a headache for the weeks to come -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: All right, Rob. Wipe your feet before you get back in the satellite truck. And we'll see you later.

Thanks a lot.

MARCIANO: All right.

GRIFFIN: Well, here's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. Today's question: Should the GOP reconsider their stand on raising taxes?

Carol Costello joins us with more in D.C. -- Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, maybe it is time. President Obama did the unthinkable. He toppled Osama bin Laden. But can he slay the budget dragon?

Not without striking a deal with this guy, House Speaker John Boehner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), HOUSE SPEAKER: The mere threat of tax hikes creates more uncertainty for job creators and more uncertainty that results in less risk-taking and fewer jobs. So we're serious about balancing the budget and getting our economy back to creating jobs. Tax hikes should be off the table.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Many economists say tax hikes don't necessarily hurt job creation. History shows job creation depends on a variety of economic factors.

So why isn't there some wiggle room on raising taxes then? Could it be because of this --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE H. W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Read my lips: no new taxes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: That cost George H. W. Bush a second term, possibly, but that was then and this is now, as they say. A recent poll shows some 70 percent favor tax hikes on wealthy Americans to help cut the deficit, including a majority of Republicans.

Still, Speaker Boehner is talking tough. Norm Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute calls it a risky strategy, appealing to GOP hard-liners, but making it harder to reach a deal.

So, the "Talk Back" question today: Is it time for the GOP to blink when it comes to tax hikes?

Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll read your comments later in the show -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: All right, Carol. I look forward to those.

And ahead "On the Rundown," the widows of bin Laden. We might soon find out what they know.

And also, next, the president in El Paso, Texas, with a plan to overhaul our flawed immigration system.

Plus, Democrats and Republicans running their same old playbooks on the gas prices.

And a Facebook alert. Consumer Reports says more than seven million underage kids have Facebook pages.

And battling Boomeritis, as Baby Boomers pushing themselves hard to stay in shape.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Two issues on the political front burner today: immigration and gas prices. We're beginning live coverage of both of these events as President Obama is heading to El Paso, Texas, right now to push his immigration plan and Congress gears up to tackle soaring prices at the pump.

First, to CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry.

Ed, the president will stand at the U.S./Mexican border today to make his case. His case for what exactly?

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, the first time as president that he's at the U.S./Mexico border. And the case is going to be pretty straightforward.

He's going to say look, there are Republicans who have been pushing for years for more border security first, before you move on to any sort of path for citizenship for illegal immigrants. And he's going to make the case that, starting in the Bush administration, carrying on now through this administration, that since 2004, the government has doubled the number of Border Patrol agents and tripled the number of intelligence analysts along the border to try and make it more secure.

There are certainly critics on Capitol Hill, not just on the Republican side, some conservative Democrats as well, saying look, it's still not enough. So the president is going to try to make the case that this is a down payment in terms of improving security, so now there should be some sort of a reasonable path to citizenship if people pay a penalty first if they are in this country illegally, but if they show that they're paying their taxes, and they want to become a citizen, that there should be some way that they can do that. And he believes there'll be some economic benefits as well. So he's going to make that case, but I have to tell you, it's still an uphill climb on Capitol Hill. The chances of getting a deal on such a tough emotional issue seems pretty remote right now.

GRIFFIN: Yes. And Ed, the critics will also point out that this indeed is the president's first trip to the border since he was elected. You know, it was a campaign promise that he made. And they'll say, hey, probably, this is just pandering for the Hispanic vote for the next election.

HENRY: He's certainly going to face that criticism, you're right. And as a candidate in 2008, he basically said he was going to get progress on this issue by the end of his first year in office. Here we are now well past two years in office, and there frankly has been very little progress.

Look at the vote totals when you think ahead to 2012. You mentioned that election. That, of course, has to be on the mind of the president, as well as Republicans who are going to be battling him.

2004, Democrats only got 53 percent of the Hispanic vote. You see in '06 and '08, the midterms where Democrats took control. In 2008, when Barack Obama was elected, 69 percent and then 67 percent of the Hispanic vote.

Then it slipped in 2010 in those midterms down to 60 percent. So Democrats still have a commanding lead, and there are Democratic groups who say that these totals are actually a little off and they're undercounting how well the Democrats did in 2010.

But the bottom line is they had some slippage in 2010, compared to '06 and '08, among Hispanic voters. That is one of many factors that led to Democrats taking a beating in the 2010 elections. If the president is going to win re-election in 2012, he is going to need to up that total among Hispanic voters, no doubt about it.

GRIFFIN: All right, Ed. Thanks a lot. I know you'll be watching. So will we, and anybody who's watching CNN, because we're going to carry that speech live, right here on CNN. That happens at 3:30 this afternoon Eastern Time -- 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Now to the other pressing national conversation, lowering the price of gas. Right now it's averaging $3.95 a gallon.

Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash says if the rhetoric from both sides of Congress sounds suspiciously familiar, it's because you've heard it all before.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As gas prices started spiking, President Obama talked tough about investigating price gouging.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I asked my attorney general to look into any cases of price gouging so we can make sure nobody is being taken advantage of at the pump.

BASH: If that sounds familiar, it is, part of the rhetorical playbook politicians have used for years when gas prices go up.

AL GORE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The need for investigation of collusion, antitrust violations, and price gouging.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: There has been a real gouging going on in the field.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: State authorities will be monitoring gasoline prices to make sure consumers are not being gouged.

BASH: Experts say price gouging investigations don't lead anywhere, and politicians know it.

AMY MYERS JAFFE, RICE UNIVERSITY: That's just camouflage. That's just, "I want to pretend I'm doing something, even though I'm doing nothing."

BASH: Then there is the page from the Republican playbook -- oil drilling. Gas prices are up, so House Republicans pushed to drill more at home.

REP. LOUIE GOHMERT (R), TEXAS: You lower energy prices by using more of our own energy.

BASH: Yet another solution debated for decades when there is pain at the pump.

BUSH: We have got abundant supplies of energy here in America, and we better get after it and better start exploring it.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: Lift the ban on offshore drilling.

CROWD: Drill, baby, drill! Drill, baby, drill!

GOV. SARAH PALIN (R), ALASKA: You betcha! Drill, baby, drill.

BASH: To be sure, oil drilling doesn't get far because of environmental concerns and partisan differences. But politicians also tend to drop it when gas prices drop.

JAFFE: Politicians swirl around and talk about proposing bills when gasoline prices go up, but then they don't follow through. We stopped feeling the pressure to have an energy policy or a good energy bill, and it all passes by us. And that's been the pattern for 30 years.

BASH: As for the Democrats' playbook, they want to end subsidies for oil companies.

OBAMA: They still have a tax loophole that is costing taxpayers $4 billion every year. BASH: Again, an oldie. Democrats slapping oil companies is standard gas crisis fare.

GORE: We'll have a president who is willing to stand up to the big oil interests.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I have been putting forth plans that would require the oil companies to give up their tax subsidies.

BASH: But experts say it would not affect gas prices short term. In fact, a reality check, nothing either party is pushing now would.

JAFFE: There is nothing that a politician is talking about in Washington today, not the Democrats, not the Republicans, that are going to help the average American at their gasoline pump. These are all red herrings.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Dana, great story. You can just replace every single political sound bite in that with "blah, blah, blah." I mean, is there anything they can possibly do that would do anything for the current gas price situation?

BASH: You know what? Here's the problem, Drew, is that when you get to the point of crisis, it is hard for Washington to really affect the prices. There are some things that they can do.

The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, the SPR, the president, Congress, they could tap that and that could have an immediate effect. But presidents, historically, Democrats and Republicans, have been very reluctant to do that. They say it only happens in emergencies.

Some experts say, well, we're at war in two places, look at everything that's going on in the world, this is kind of an emergency. But politicians are reluctant to do that.

Another thing that experts say that they can do just is use leadership. Tell people drive less, carpool, use public transportation. But, Drew, since the days of Jimmy Carter, when he got hammered for telling people to turn their thermostats down, politicians really don't want to go there.

GRIFFIN: Yes. That wear a sweater thing didn't work so well.

So what's going to happen at the hearing? I mean, who's going to talk?

BASH: Well, the hearing that the Senate is going to have on Thursday is going to be interesting because it is going to be along the lines of the Democratic playbook that I just illustrated in this piece, which is going after these oil companies. Five -- the big five oil executives were invited. We believe four at this point have accepted. And you're going to see the Democrats really hammer away at these oil companies in order to set the stage for what they're going to push, we believe, on the floor of the Senate next week, which is a bill to take away the oil subsidies that roughly add up to about $4 billion for these oil companies, these big oil companies. Again, though, talk to experts -- these are nonpartisan experts -- they will say if you want to use the money for deficit reduction, that's fine. But if you think that taxing, even getting rid of these subsidies and even taxing these companies 100 percent is going to help with gas prices now, no way.

GRIFFIN: In fact, maybe just the opposite, Dana. They'll just pass the cost right on to the pump.

BASH: Potentially. Potentially.

GRIFFIN: All right. Dana Bash, great report.

BASH: Thanks, Drew.

GRIFFIN: We'll see what happens Thursday. We'll put in the "blah, blah, blah" meter.

Thanks so much.

Well, what do they know? What will they tell? The U.S. is going to get a chance now to question Osama bin Laden's wives after all.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: In the aftermath of the OBL kill, former defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld is criticizing the White House on its handling of the information. Rumsfeld is discussing it with CNN's Piers Morgan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": They have decided to release, perhaps, in your view, too much intelligence, and should now desist from releasing any more. Would you like to see them stop now and say no more about this?

DONALD RUMSFELD, FMR. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, it was pretty clear the White House -- most of all of this information came out of the White House. Practically none of it came out of the Department of Defense. And it seems to me that the very fact that they had to correct 10 or 15 different statements that were made out of the White House, which proved to be inaccurate, is an indication that they rushed out with a lot of things. And they would have been better off turning it over to the Department of Defense and letting them manage what was said about it in a way that could create the greatest advantage for our country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: Rumsfeld says he was elated when one of his staffers informed him that bin Laden had been killed.

We now have confirmation also that the U.S. will be allowed to question Osama bin Laden's widows.

Our Reza Sayah joins us live from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.

Reza, I was a little confused. Was Pakistan at first denying our access to these widows?

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, there was some doubt, some question the last week whether Pakistan would give the U.S. access to these three widows of Osama bin Laden. These are three women, one of them a Yemeni woman, two Saudi women who were found in the compound, the safe house during this U.S. raid.

These are women who certainly could have some valuable information about Osama bin Laden and his daily activity. And there was some speculation that perhaps Pakistan was reluctant to give the U.S. access to these women because they may be concerned that they would reveal some information that would link elements within Pakistan's government and security establishment to some sort of support network for Osama bin Laden.

Today, Pakistan's interior minister said the U.S. would have access to these women. And he denied that the government was ever concerned that these women would reveal incriminating information to U.S. intelligence officials. The interior minister also rejected the allegation that bin Laden had a support network here that included military or government officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REHMAN MALIK, PAKISTANI INTERIOR MINISTER: We know we're not involved in it. We know that we are a victim. And there is no such thing at all. Not an iota of doubt in the mind of --

SAYAH: So you categorically deny --

MALIK: Categorically deny.

SAYAH: -- that he had a support network here?

MALIK: No support network from the official sources.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAYAH: That's Pakistan's interior minister categorically denying that Osama bin Laden had a support network here. Of course, earlier last week, on Sunday, you had U.S. President Barack Obama, who came out and said Osama bin Laden did have a support network here, and the president didn't rule out that support network, including current elements of Pakistan's security establishment, Pakistan's government.

Drew, it's these types of allegations, this type of finger- pointing that has really been symptomatic of this volatile relationship between Islamabad and Washington. But the fact that Pakistan now is agreeing to allow the U.S. to have access to these wives could be a barometer of things to come, at least in the short run. This is a signal that they're willing to cooperate in this very critical investigation.

GRIFFIN: Reza, could it also be a signal that these women really didn't know much at all?

SAYAH: Well, that's not clear until U.S. intelligence officials speak to them. But I think many people you speak to here in the intelligence community here in Islamabad believe that having lived with Osama bin Laden for years, some of them on the same floor, knowing his activity day in and day out, they know something -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Yes. And then it's up to them to actually cooperate, right?

SAYAH: Yes.

GRIFFIN: OK.

Reza Sayah, live from the Pakistani capital.

Thanks, Reza. Good reporting all week on this.

Well, there's a slow-motion flood disaster unfolding in Tennessee and Louisiana. I'm going to talk with the commander for the Army Corps of Engineers about, boy, trying to manipulate that river, the mighty Mississippi.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Here's a rundown of some of the stories we're working on.

An Army Corps of Engineers commander talks to us about battling that rising Mississippi.

Figuring what more than seven million underage kids are doing on Facebook.

And getting their second wind. Baby Boomers doing whatever it takes to keep active.

In depth now. While the Mississippi is cresting in Memphis, folks upriver are dealing with the aftermath in Illinois. Flood waters are beginning to recede. People in Olive Branch returning to destroyed homes. This woman returned to her home of 17 years completely soaked, her furniture destroyed. She wouldn't let her 70- year-old husband see this because it would be too much for him to take, she says.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHYLLIS FRY, FLOOD VICTIM: You're thinking how in the world can you rebuild after something like this happened? (END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: The family doesn't have flood insurance.

In Smithland, Kentucky, some folks made their own levees to keep the Mississippi out of their living rooms. The river crested here days ago, but people still keeping a 24 hour vigil. One man, this guy, rebuilt a homemade levee three times. Sandbags and pumps.

And in Branson, Missouri, federal and state emergency workers had their first tour of the town's flood damage yesterday. Branson officials say it looks like about $700,000 worth of damage. They're hoping to become eligible for a presidential disaster declaration.

(WEATHER REPORT)

GRIFFIN: We're going to bring in the commander for the Memphis district. His name is Vernie Reichling, and we thank you so much for talking with us, Commander.

You've been out there and we've been talking about the pressure this Mississippi is putting on the various levees and control systems.

How is it all holding up?

COL. VERNIE REICHLING, COMMANDER, ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, MEMPHIS: I think the levees right now are holding up as designed. You know, even though we're cresting here in Memphis, the point is is that we continue to have enormous pressure on the system. And even though the crest is going down river, we'll continue to evaluate our levees all through the next month and year.

GRIFFIN: Next month and year. So you're expecting the long term damage on this could have effects for months on end?

REICHLING: We're going to see a lot of stress on the system. And we're evaluating that right now. We've had minor stress on it in terms of sand boils and slidings, but ultimately, we'll go back out and do an assessment of this. My engineers are out there right now collecting that information.

GRIFFIN: Explain to our viewers what you just said about sand boils, because many of us who don't live along flood areas or rivers think, you know, the levees will hold as long as the river doesn't come over the top of it. But the real issue is the underpinning, the under gutting in layman's terms, I guess, of the levee system.

REICHLING: Yes. First off, we have no concern of any overtopping of levees or flood walls. I want to make sure that's clear.

GRIFFIN: Right.

REICHLING: But in terms of the under seepage on our levees, that is to be expected in this type of pressure and this type of environment. Where we get most concerned is when the water comes up underneath the levee and brings with it material. And that's when we start our flood-fighting activities to try to equalize the pressure on the land side of the levee.

GRIFFIN: This is such a historic event. We haven't seen a flood like this since 1937, and back then, Commander, they had an estimate of 20 million acres of land flooded.

Any idea how big this flood will be?

REICHLING: Well, I think this is historic flood. We haven't seen anything like this since 1937. But we right now have four million people living behind these levees. They are performs as designed and, you know, our number one priority is the safety of the public, and we'll continue to work with our local and state communities to make sure that happens.

GRIFFIN: Just real quickly, commander, are you getting everything you need?

REICHLING: We're getting everything we need and we're working very closely with everyone up and down the river to make sure this flood fight is successful.

GRIFFIN: All right, commander. Thank you so much. Colonel Vernie Reichling with the Army Corps of Engineers.

Appreciate the work you and your guys are doing out there. Thank you, sir.

Well, 7.5 million preteens are doing it and they shouldn't be. Facebook delinquents. A new survey finding their parents, well, the parents aren't too worried about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Apple and Google executives are on Capitol Hill right now. Congress wants to know whether those companies have been tracking users by storing their locations on smartphones, tablets and other devices. Senator Al Franken chairing the hearing. It comes after recent reports users' smartphone movements are being tracked. You're looking at live pictures of that hearing. If anything newsworthy happens, of course we'll let you know.

Facebook also being called to task over the number of underage kids with accounts. Consumer Reports stated the net survey found in the past year, 7.5 million Facebook users were under 13. Facebook's rules require users to be at least 13.

So what does this all mean? Joining me now is Wired.com' s New York bureau chief John Abell.

John, what's the concern?

JOHN ABELL, WIRED.COM NEW YORK BUREAU CHIEF: Well, the concern is that your kid being on the internet AND being so young may not have the common sense that some of us tend to get when we're a little older.

The bigger issue, for me anyway, is that if your kid is on Facebook, she's already on the internet, which is a pretty scary place writ large.

GRIFFIN: Yes. And my question is, if a kid who is 13 or younger is on Facebook, then they're on their family's computer. It's not likely these kids have accounts independently of their parents.

So where are the parents, right?

ABELL: Well, they actually do have accounts independent of the parents. Facebook doesn't require anything other than a valid e-mail address to have an account. Lots of places require credit cards as sort of a proxy to indicate that you're sort of of-age, but Facebook doesn't. They may eventually be asked to do so but they don't now. So anybody -- anybody literally with an e-mail address can be on Facebook.

GRIFFIN: Yes, I guess it wasn't that they had Facebook accounts unbeknownst to their parents, it's the fact that they have access to computers unbeknownst to their parents. I mean, parents most likely know their kids are online.

ABELL: Sure. And, as I say, that's the bigger issue. Even kids at that age have schoolwork that they need the internet for. It's become sort of an entertainment, not sort of, it is an entertainment platform for kids. So the notion that you can sort of just cut them off completely and expect them not to be going places that they maybe shouldn't be going is a little bit unrealistic.

GRIFFIN: Facebook did give us a response to all of this. I want to read it for us both now, John.

"Recent reports have highlighted just how difficult it is to implement age restrictions on the internet and that there is no single solution to ensuring younger children don't circumvent a system or lie about their age. We appreciate the attention that these reports and other experts are giving this matter and believe this will provide an opportunity for parents, teachers and safety advocates and internet services to focus on this area with the ultimate goal of keeping young people of all ages safe online."

I mean, in the world you circulate, does anybody think there is a Facebook solution to this that doesn't involve parents and families?

ABELL: Actually, there is. You can -- there's any number of software solutions to block sites entirely. It's possible without software solutions to do things to your computer so that it doesn't go to Facebook or someplace else. So, there are ways of doing this. It's a little easier when you have a site name that you can work with and just simply block. But the bigger problem is underage children, children that are young just floating around on the internet is just not a good idea.

GRIFFIN: All right. John Abell from New York. Thanks so much for coming in. Interesting issue. I don't know what the solution is going to be for a lot of parents. Maybe they should just monitor the kids.

Thanks, John.

Inside the Google nerve center. Silicon Valley correspondent Dan Simon gets unprecedented access into Google's hallowed labs. In about an hour, he's going to tell us what he saw.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

GRIFFIN: Battle for the U.S. Senate already heating up. Shannon Travis, part of "The Best Political Team on Television," is at the Political Desk in Washington with new poll numbers about the upcoming 2012 race -- Shannon.

SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: That's right, Drew. Everybody has been watching the presidential race, but we want to bring you some new poll numbers about the race for Congress.

These are fresh numbers from our CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out today. Who has the edge on taking over Congress? The Democrats. It's a small edge. Look at these poll numbers, the Democrats have a four-point advantage.

And when registered voters were asked who they might vote for in the next election, if it were held right now, 50 percent of them said Democrats and 46 percent of them said Republicans.

Now that's good for the Democrats because in the last election -- I'm sorry, in the last poll that we did, right before the last election, similar to this, Republicans held a six-point advantage. But before Democrats start celebrating this 4 percent lead that they have is within the poll's margin of error.

Moving on, a lot of our viewers were concerned if they have iPhones or Android phones or smart tabs that their locations are being tracked and possibly stored. There are some senators today who are going to be grilling Google and Apple executives on what's going on with that. That hearing is going to happen today. They'll have a lot of questions for why that location is stored and how it's used.

And last thing, a little bit of sad news in the political world, former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver, have announced that they are splitting amicably. It's not a divorce, but they say they have been living apart. This comes a few weeks after the couple celebrated their 25th year anniversary -- Drew.

GRIFFIN: Yes, that's a stunner. I must say. I, obviously, didn't have any inside information on that, but I thought they were cruising along.

Thanks, Shannon.

For the latest political news, you know where to go, CNNPolitics.com. You're letting us know what you think in today's "Talk Back" question. Is it time for the GOP to blink when it comes to tax hikes? Carol Costello has the responses just ahead.

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GRIFFIN: Well, have you seen this? It's a core issue for almost every election. In today's economy, though, the war over taxes is getting a little more complicated, and that brings us to our "Talk Back" question with Carol Costello.

I'm guessing anybody who is not rich probably thinks it's a good idea to tax the rich, Carol.

(LAUGHTER)

COSTELLO: Well, you're probably right about that, but we'll see.

The "Talk Back" question today: Is it time for the GOP to blink on tax hikes? They say the issue is off the table, but they're trying to put it on the table.

This from James, "While millions of Americans are jobless, homeless and hungry, big oil is collecting billions of dollars in profits per quarter. The GOP is proving they don't care for the average American and are interested only in lining their own pockets."

This from Valerie, "As long as they don't tax the middleman, I'm tired of paying for everyone else's problems."

From Vince, "I'm angry because I trusted these politicians to represent me and that's why I voted for them, but I feel so he betrayed. Big corporations have plenty of representation. Need a counterbalance."

And this from Mike, "When has supply-side economics ever worked? The tax cuts got us here, America. Are we really that dumb to listen to this BS? Wake up."

And this from Michelle, "I'm Canadian. I've got my own tax problems to think about. Good luck to my American friends."

Thanks a lot, our Canadian friend.

Continue the conversation, Facebook.com/CarolCNN, and I'll be with you again, Drew, in about 15 minutes.

GRIFFIN: Look forward to it, Carol. That's great.

Hey, Baby Boomers are staying active as they get older. With that comes the good and the bad.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GINNA MCFARLING, ORTHOPEDIC PATIENT: I ruptured my Achilles tendon. PAUL MCKINLEY, ORTHOPEDIC PATIENT: I had my hip replaced. Nine- and-a-half inch scar right here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GRIFFIN: I hate to tell you, that sounds like all of my friends. Hear why surgeons call this "Boomeritis."

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GRIFFIN: They were the generation that was going to change the world, and in many ways they did. The Baby Boomers, they reshaped politics, music, popular culture, perhaps like no generation before. And the first wave is turning 65 this year.

CNN NEWSROOM is taking a closer look at Baby Boomers and their impact. CNN's own Carol Costello focuses on Boomeritis, it's a phenomena of boomers getting injured because they're so active.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO (voice-over): Baby Boomers are on the move -- hitting the gym, tennis balls, running marathons, riding bikes -- but all that exercise comes at a price. Especially if you're past a certain age.

Every year, according to the CDC, almost 2.5 million Baby Boomers go to emergency rooms for overexercising. Orthopedists even have a name for it, Boomeritis.

Every Wednesday, you'll find Dr. Letha Griffin in the OR repairing the damage.

(on camera): So what percentage of the patients you see are Baby Boomers?

DR. LETHA GRIFFIN, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON: Just take this morning. I'll bet you out of 20 people we saw, there were at least five within that Baby Boomer category that had problems that need them solved because they wanted to keep exercising and keep going.

COSTELLO (voice-over): And I'm not talking about sprained ankles here.

GINNA MCFARLING, ORTHOPEDIC PATIENT: Ruptured my calf muscle three times.

JOHN TACKETT, ORTHOPEDIC PATIENT: I started having problems with my knee.

MCFARLING: I ruptured my Achilles tendon.

PAUL MCKINLEY, ORTHOPEDIC PATIENT: Hip replaced. Nine-and-a- half inch scar here. Three shots, cortisone shots in my shoulder.

MCFARLING: I had no idea you could pop your hamstring off the bone. COSTELLO (on camera): I didn't either.

MCFARLING: But apparently you can.

COSTELLO: That gives me shivers all over.

(voice-over): Yet they keep on keeping on. But for goodness sakes, why?

MCFARLING: It's keeping my mind active. It's exercise, which makes me very happy and the people around me very happy when I get exercise, because my endorphins are better. And, you know, it's social.

COSTELLO: Paul McKinley (ph) has played tennis for 45 years.

MCKINLEY: You want to keep it up. Maybe you don't want to admit that you're getting to the point where you can't do it anymore.

COSTELLO: John Tackett runs marathons.

(on camera): Something must have gone wrong with your body.

TACKETT: Well, actually, it went wrong in Boston. Halfway through the marathon, I started having problems with my knee. I looked down, and my knee had swollen up to the size of a grapefruit.

COSTELLO: OK, so on what mile did you notice your knee was the size of a grapefruit?

TACKETT: About mile 12. It took me almost five and a half hours to complete Boston, but I completed it.

DR. LETHA GRIFFIN: You're seeing a lot more people that want to stay active and fit. They're really taking care of themselves more, and if there's some reason they can't stay fit, they want to fix it.

TACKET: I don't want to give it up. I don't want to say oh, OK, I've got a knee injury, I can't do this anymore.

COSTELLO (voice-over): Just three days after our interview, John was just fine, finishing a 5K race in just over 26 minutes.

Paul was back competing on the tennis court.

(on camera): When you whoop a person who is 10 or 15 years younger than you, how does that make you feel?

MCKINLEY: Well, you just enjoy winning a tennis match.

COSTELLO: But it's an extra zing, isn't it?

MCKINLEY: It might be a little extra zing.

COSTELLO (on camera): As for Ginna, she is full speed ahead. MCFARLING: I don't know that I'm going to be able to let it go. Because if that happens, I'll be on morphine, I'll be in some bed somewhere.

(END VIDEOTAPE)