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Opening the Morganza Spillway; Florida Imams Arrested; Advice To Grads That Could Save Their Lives

Aired May 14, 2011 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Topping our news at this hour, Louisiana's Morganza Spillway is opening. It's expecting to begin diverting the Mississippi River's floodwaters away from New Orleans and Baton Rouge at any minute now. While major cities will be protected, the homes and farms of some 2,500 people will be expected to be flooded.

An arrest warrant may be issued for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi for crimes against humanity. An official close to the international criminal courts tells CNN to expect a formal announcement on Monday. It's the first time the ICC has investigated alleged crimes against humanity while the conflict is on-going.

And two Islamic leaders in South Florida and one of their relatives in California arrested today, charged with providing support to the Pakistani Taliban. That's a terrorist group with close ties to Al Qaeda, responsible for carrying out attacks on the Pakistan- Afghanistan border. Three other people in Pakistan were also indicted. A federal indictment said all six conspired to kill, injure, and kidnap people abroad.

And welcome news for motorists struggling with high gas prices. President Barack Obama plans to speed up domestic oil drilling. He made the announcement in his weekly address to the nation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm directing the Department of Interior to conduct annual lease sales in Alaska's national petroleum reserve while respecting sensitive areas and to speed up the evaluation of oil and gas resources in the mid and south Atlantic. We plan to lease new areas in the Gulf of Mexico as well and work to create new incentives per industry to develop their unused leases both on and off shore.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The president's announcement follow similar moves by the GOP controlled House. They have recently passed several bills opening up coastal areas for drilling.

Well, thousands of people who thought they won a green card to stay in this country are now out of luck. The U.S. State Department is invalidating results posted on its web site because of a computer glitch. Every year, millions worldwide apply for just 50,000 green cards. A new lottery will now be held in July.

And at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the countdown has begun for NASA's next last shuttle mission. The shuttle "Endeavor" is scheduled to blast off Monday after its planned launch in April and that was scrubbed because of a technical problem. Astronaut Mark Kelly is commanding the flight. His wife, injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords is scheduled to attend this launch.

More now on top story of desperate measures along the flooded Mississippi River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is opening the Morganza Spillway in Louisiana to protect New Orleans and Baton Rouge, but it will mean disastrous flooding for others. Our Ed Lavandera is at the spillway and any moment now, the expectation is that spillway is being opened. Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, about a minute ago -

WHITFIELD: Is that what we're seeing?

LAVANDERA: We're going to zoom in, yes, exactly, about a minute ago, the water started gushing out of the one gate that was just opened up. So we're going to zoom in there so you can get a good look at it. And for now, just one gate will be opened.

It takes about 15 minutes to fully open, but you can already see just how much water is starting to pour out of that one gate. Now to kind of put everything in perspective here. This Morganza flood structure, almost 5,000 feet long. There's 125 of those gates. Not all of them will be needed here in the coming days to relieve the pressure off of the Mississippi River, but you can see the force and the pressure that is already coming through just that one gate.

And this numbers we have been talking a lot about today is that 1.5 million cubic feet of water per second. That's the pressure in the Mississippi River. Anything over that starts to compromise the levee integrity around Baton Rouge and New Orleans, and obviously that's the peak we have reached and what has triggered this moment and this order by the Army Corps of Engineers to lift up this first gate. The pressure we last heard was more than 1.6 million cubic feet per second. So that's why these gates are open.

Now what they're going to do here, Fredricka, as you can see the water gushing out there. They're going to do this very slowly. So you'll kind of see that water gushing out over the course of the next 24 hours. This will probably be filled up with two to three feet of water. And the reason they're doing that is to give wildlife around here a chance to kind of scatter and kind of get used to how things are quickly going to change over the coming weeks.

But to give you a sense of how slow and how much water is going to be coming through these gates in the coming days as they continue to open more and more gates, the crest of this is not expected to reach down in Morgan City, which is 100 miles south of where we are, until May 24th. And in the water will stick around a couple of weeks after that. So the people south of where we are going to be looking at almost a month of floods that they will be dealing with and having to stay away from their homes in those low-lying communities as they wait for all of this water to dissipate.

And that is not even taking everything off from the Mississippi River. There's a great deal of water that is still moving through that region as well, and the Bonnet Carre Spillway, one of those other structure similar to this that has been opened up, is at full capacity. Now, this particular structure can open up almost 600,000 cubic feet of water per second.

The authorities here in Morganza say they will need all of this to handle and by able to take off the pressure off the Mississippi River, but as one of the colonels here just described a little while ago. This is a historic day. These gates have not been opened and needed for this kind of flooding in almost 40 years.

The last time this was opened up was in 1973. So this is not something that people see very often in their lifetimes. You go around here, Fredricka, you will also hear a lot of people say they hope they never see this again.

WHITFIELD: And 40 years ago, was there a lot of damage when they did open that spillway. And if so, are people, you know, bracing for a repeat of that or did it do more good than harm?

LAVANDERA: A lot of people had to readjust. For example, down in Morgan City, they had a six-foot wall that surrounded part of the city. That has been changed dramatically in the historic downtown part of that city. There's now a 20-foot wall that protects it on the historic downtown side. There is concern on the other side of town where there are lower sized levees that those could be compromised with these floodwaters as they start making their way down there.

As I mentioned a little while ago, it will take three days for the majority of this water to reach all the way down to Morgan City, which is 100 miles south of where we are.

WHITFIELD: Ed Lavandera, thanks so much, in Morganza, Louisiana where they have opened up that one bay of that Morganza Spillway. And as you just heard Ed said, likely, others will be open as well. So more water will be relieved from the Mississippi River. But the downside to that is a number of homes and even farmlands will be sacrificed here as this also helps potentially save New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Jennifer Delgado in the weather center now. So we're talking about watching this right now, but over a span of up to two weeks to see just how much damage or how much protection this offers.

JENNIFER DELGADO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, absolute lay. We're going to be dealing with this rising water going downstream, but also want to point out to you, Fredricka, it's going to take a while before we see these rivers actually falling below major flood stage. Now we were talking about the Morganza flood gate. And we saw Ed and they opened up part of the gate there. As I show you here, this is area in the red, this is the spillway.

This is the Mississippi River. Now, keep in mind when they open up the spillway, we're talking about rushing water coming towards the west. Now, they're doing this slowly so residents have time to get out of the way and also for the animal and wildlife to move out of that region, but this area right here, we're talking about a 34- square-mile region as I widen it up a bit more for you, you're going to see as we go down towards the south on this graphic a bit more.

This water that's going to be coming is also going to be going over to the Atchafalaya River and it's also going to eventually spill down to the Gulf of Mexico. But before it happens, there is interstate 10. And interstate 10, say if you have driven from New Orleans to Houston, you have gone over this interstate, potentially, we could see the water getting high there as well.

As we go further into this graphic, we want to talk about Morgan City. You talked about this region. The good news is they do have a good levee system across this region. But the problem is this is if the levee holds up, Morgan City should be good, and that's great news. Now as I continue to go on a bit more for you, I'm going to pull this out of the way for you and talk a little bit more about the levee system here.

As we go over to this, this is going to show you potentially how a levee works. Say if the levee fails, we're going to see all this water rushing through, and you have to keep in mind what the area including Morgan City and the Atchafalaya Basin, many homes there, a lot of structures, they're going to see all these water coming through.

Now on the flipside, if you do have a levee there, of course, hopefully the water stays below it. That's going to protect the homes. But by opening up the Morganza Spillway, that's going to leave more protection downstream for areas including Baton Rouge as well as New Orleans and they really need it because that is a low-lying area. You're looking at video right there of the opening a part of the Morganza Spillway.

Now let's talk about what we're going to expect and how far we're going to see these rivers actually cresting above flood stage. For Vicksburg, 12.8 feet. For Natches, 12.2, and look for (INAUDIBLE) we're talking major flooding, May 22nd at 14.1 feet. Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness, people will be looking at the calendar as well as the clock as you tick toward that.

DELGADO: Yes.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, Jennifer.

Separating children based on academic abilities. This controversial school policy is called tracking, and while some parents have embraced the new system, others are calling it discrimination.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Breaking news today. Two Islamic leaders, a father and son from two South Florida mosques among six people charged today for allegedly sending money to a known terror group overseas. Susan Candiotti has been working on this story all day long. She's joining us right now from New York. What more do you know, Susan?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred. Well, the FBI identifies the 76-year-old leader of the Miami mosque, Hafiz Mohammad Khan (ph), as the one who spearheaded the alleged conspiracy, and the FBI said they arrested him at about 6:00 this morning when he was leaving the mosque after morning prayers.

Six people in all are indicted for raising at least $53,000 in donations to help the Pakistani Taliban. Prosecutors call that money the tip of the iceberg of their three-year long investigation. The terrorist organization is linked to a number of attacks. You'll remember last year's convicted Times Square bomber as well as a suicide attack only yesterday in Pakistan and another 2009 suicide attack that killed seven soldiers at a military base in Pakistan.

Now court papers state that when one imam in this case heard of that attack, he said that he wished that 50,000 more would have been killed. Now the FBI and prosecutors say that they tracked a string of suspicious transactions sent from the United States to Pakistan and at this point will not say who any of the donors are.

Authorities stressed that the two south Florida mosque communities themselves are not under indictment. Investigators say the money was meant to help the Taliban carry out terror attacks overseas, to help them buy guns and support schools that train children to become Taliban soldiers. These people are expected to appear in court on Monday and law enforcement officials say this investigation has absolutely no connection to the killing of Osama Bin Laden. And Fred, we also spoke to the counsel of Islamic American relations in south Florida this afternoon when he heard about this indictment, and he said that he wanted to make clear that Islam never supports terrorism of any kind, and certainly not financing anything like this. Fred.

WHITFIELD: Susan Candiotti, thanks so much in New York.

Some other stories making headlines now around the world.

A former pop singer has been inaugurated as Haiti's new president. But a power outage before Michael Martelly's swearing in cast a shadow over the ceremony. It was a stark reminder of the challenges facing Haiti after last year's earthquake.

And more than 400 people fleeing Libya and Tunisia arrived overnight on a tiny Italian island of Lampedusa. The refugees are seeking a better life in Europe. Some 30,000 people have fled the unrest in north Africa since February.

And at least 35 people were reportedly wounded when security forces in Yemen opened fire on a protest. Witnesses say sniper were taking aim at the demonstrators. Several other cities saw protests but those were largely peaceful.

A controversial school policy called tracking in this country has sparked some heated debate. Supporters say it makes sense to put students with a higher academic ability in the same classroom, but critics argue it discriminates against others. Deborah Feyerick looks at how one New York school system deals with that situation.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Audrey (INAUDIBLE) took over as principal of Long Beach Middle School three years ago, she was stunned by what she saw.

AUDREY: We did have classes that seemed to be somewhat segregated.

FEYERICK: That's because students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade honors classes were primary white while in regular classes, students were primarily Latino and African-American, among them Jennifer Smith's daughter.

(on camera): If she was getting honors, why wasn't she put in an honors program?

JENNIFER SMITH, PARENT: She was in the high-90s in every class, and I couldn't understood it. No one was pushing here, you know, to go at honors.

FEYERICK (voice-over): It's called tracking, separating children based on academic abilities, but in Long Beach, the racial disparity in grade six became hard for educators to ignore.

(on camera): What is the danger in tracking somebody in sixth grade?

AUDREY: In my opinion, it's developmentally inappropriate.

FEYERICK (voice-over): As one of Long Island's oldest communities, it is also one of its most economically diverse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were not providing equal opportunities and equal access to all youngsters, and that needed to change.

FEYERICK: In a controversial move two years ago, Superintendent Robert Greenberg (ph) did away with tracking, mixing sixth graders of all difference academic abilities and creating a more challenging curriculum.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we begin to prepare youngsters in this way in middle school, they're far more successful in high school.

FEYERICK: But some parents like (INAUDIBLE) argue smart kids like his daughter are being unfairly penalized.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If someone is intelligent enough that they belong in an honors program, they should be in an honors program. If someone doesn't belong in that program, they should be in a program that teaches to their level.

FEYERICK: Martha (INAUDIBLE) initially skeptical has embraced the new system for her younger daughter.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What they're really afraid of is opportunity for their children. Opportunity to get scholarships to colleges. FEYERICK (on camera): What is the message you're trying to give children who traditionally were not put in an honors classes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The message is you can do it, you're bright, and you can perform well, and we expect you to.

FEYERICK (voice-over): As proof it's working, school officials say a greater number of kids are enrolling in advanced classes. However, test scores are still out. This week, the school board decided not to detrack the seventh grade in the fall.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, Long Beach, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: CNN's Soledad O'Brien reports "Don't Fail Me, Education in America," this CNN documentary examines the crisis in our public education system, and why America's financial future is at risk if our students can't excel in math and science. "Don't Fail Me, Education in America" premieres Sunday night at 8:00 Eastern, only on CNN.

"Saturday Night Live" cast members come together for a humorous look at being a bridesmaid. She wrote it, and she's one of the movie stars as well. So who is the brainchild behind this new box office hit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Baseball pays tribute to the civil rights movement this weekend in Atlanta, just outside the doors of the CNN Center. MLB offering young people the chance to meet major league players and play a game at a clinic in Centennial Olympic Park. MLB, Major League Baseball will also use the weekend to honor its greatest African- American players including legendary Braves' slugger Hank Aaron.

T.J. Holmes asked Aaron about the state of the game.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HANK AARON, : It could be better. It could be a lot better. We don't have as many African-Americans playing baseball now as we used to have. Anytime we have an economic struggle in this country, we, and I mean we, the blacks, are going to feel the pinch a lot quicker than anybody. And baseball is a very expensive game.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): The kinds can turn on the TV, they can see that immediate, that instant fame or what not from basketball or football.

AARON: I just don't believe baseball has sold itself as much in the black area as it should have. You know, I think that somehow I think football has done a terrific job and I think basketball has done another terrific job of selling its sports in the areas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: MLB honored Aaron with a Beacon of Life Award at the civil rights weekend two years ago.

And tonight, we'll be talking with this man right here, the most powerful man in baseball, Commissioner Bud Selig. He'll be sitting down to discuss the toughest issues facing baseball. He'll answer some of your questions as well that you suggested to me via Twitter. And you can see the interview tomorrow beginning at 2:00 Eastern time right here on CNN. (INAUDIBLE) talk with Bud Selig.

All right. If you have ever been in a wedding party, you know just how crazy things can get sometimes. Well, that's the premise behind one movie that's bringing together a few "Saturday Night Live" alums for what they hope will be a big draw, bringing big laughs at the box office.

Movie critic Matt Atchity with Rottentomatoes.com joins me right now from Los Angeles with today's previews. All right. Good to see you.

MATT ATCHITY, ROTTENTOMATOES.COM: Hi, good to see you, too.

WHITFIELD: So you know, there's a lot of pressure on "Bridesmaids," that's the name of the movie because some folks are saying this is kind of the female version of the "Hangover" which was a huge hit. And that was like, you know, knee slapping funny. So let's take a quick look at and there's Maya Rudolph, everyone knows her from "SNL." Let's take a quick peek at "Bridesmaids.

(LAUGHTER)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So will you be my maid of honor?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Of course I will.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just throw the bachelorette party and shower.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh my god.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are we doing for the bachelorette party?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What about a princess theme -

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Or (INAUDIBLE) meets the gold rush.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm thinking tanned gentlemen that swallow fire and wear sarong.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A female fight club. We grease up, surprise, beat the crap out of her.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't hate it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: OK. Is it going to make me laugh, Matt?

ATCHITY: Absolutely. You know, a lot of people compared this movie to "The Hangover." I thing that's a little unfair. This movie is funnier than that.

WHITFIELD: What?

ATCHITY: I really liked that.

WHITFIELD: Is that possible?

ATCHITY: Yes, absolutely.

WHITFIELD: Oh my god. That was side splitting humor.

ATCHITY: This is a really funny movie. And it's really honest, I think. I mean not that I would know, not that I have been a bridesmaid, but from what my friends say, you know, this is a really honest portrayal of what it's like. Kristen Wig stars as a woman who is asked to be Maya Rudolph's maid of honor, and her life kind of falls apart. It's really hilarious. It goes on a little bit long. There's one scene that's a little bit gross, a little bit unnecessary, but I thought it was hilarious.

You know, that's the scene right there. They all proceed to get very, very sick in the dress shop. But this movie is great. I really liked it. I have to say, Melissa McCarthy really kind of steals her scenes in this. She's from "Mike and Molly." She's really funny. The whole cast is really funny. I strongly recommend this movie. I gave it a "B."

WHITFIELD: Oh, that's a pretty high grade. All right. And everybody loves Maya Rudolph. She's oh, so funny, was on "SNL.: She played me on an episode of "SNL." I'll have to check this one out. "Bridesmaid."

All right. Let's talk about another movie. Let's talk about "Priest." This one, a warrior priest defying the church to search for his niece in a world ravaged by a war between humans and vampires. It sounds like creepy to me. Let's take a look at this clip.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) you promised me. Kill them all.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of your own has broken his sacred vow, but we'll find him.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He'll come after me. He'll come after you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's something I'm absolutely counting on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a trap.

(END VIDEO CLIP) WHITFIELD: OK. That just screams creepy, and man with the cross on his forehead, I'm not seeing that one. Anyway, what did you think, Matt?

ATCHITY: You know, I have to admit I'm a little guilty to say this, I kind of liked this movie.

WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness.

ATCHITY: It's schlock. I will admit that this movie is a total schlock. It's this goofy derivative movie. You see elements of things like "Bladerunner" and "Judge Dredd" and "Mad Max," and it's kind of slapped together of elements of better films, but in a weird sort of way. It kind of worked for me.

WHITFIELD: Really?

ATCHITY: I liked it. I will admit.

WHITFIELD: Oh my gosh. You have some crazy tastes. All over. Just every (INAUDIBLE) from here.

ATCHITY: Exactly. But you know, but it's kind of fun. The fight scenes are well staged. It does keep you moving along. It's not as scary as it wants to be, but I kind of liked it. It worked for me.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: And what was your grade, then?

ATCHITY: I gave it a "C." It's not a great movie. It's not essential watching, but I don't thin you would be unhappy sitting through it.

WHITFIELD: Well, you said kind of liked it. So that what a "C" would do, right?

ATCHITY: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right, Matt, very fun. Well, maybe, you know, you'd rather, you know, stay at home and watch a movie on DVD, something like that. Well Justin Bieber, this "Never Say Never," is among those that is going to be out on DVD soon, as well as "No Strings Attached." OK. So and there he is. This was a hit, wasn't? People really loved this at the movie theater. Is this a keeper? Is this one I need to rend or one I need to own?

ATCHITY: You know, I will say that if you got a young girl in your home, then you have to own this. You know, there's no question, right? But if you want to rent it, this is a decent movie. I'm not a big Justin Bieber fan, but I came away with a real appreciation for his talent and how hard he works. And I thought this was a decent - you know, I thought it was actually a pretty good movie. I really enjoyed myself watching it.

WHITFIELD: OK. And then "No Strings Attached"? We're confusing people. We see that at the bottom but really what we're looking at Bieber. So real quick. "No Strings Attached," like it? There he goes, the new star of "Two and a Half Men," but for now, on DVD.

ATCHITY: Yes, now on DVD, this movie is not great. It's another example of an Ashton Kutcher movie that's not particularly good. I hope we see better things out of him on "Two and a Half Men." I didn't really enjoy this one.

WHITFIELD: OK. Matt Atchity, thanks so much. Brutally honest, but hey, that's why you're a movie critic. We like that.

ATCHITY: Exactly.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. Good to see you. We'll have much more in the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now. The first bay of Morganza Spillway is open. It's slowly diverting dangerous flood waters from the Mississippi River away from Baton Rouge and New Orleans. It comes at a great cost to others, as water gushes through the spillway in the coming days, homes and farms across the Atchafalaya River Basin will be flooded.

And jury selection in a sensational Florida murder trial will continued today. Lawyers are working a full day trying to seat jurors to hear the murder case against Casey Anthony. Live pictures, right now, it is still underway. She is accused of killing her two-year-old daughter nearly three years ago. The little girl was missing for six months before her skeletal remains were found in the woods near her home.

And legendary singer Etta James is in the hospital this evening with a blood infection. James is best known for her 1961 hit, "At Last." Her son tells CNN his mom was admitted to a hospital in Southern California and she's doing a little better but she's not out of the woods just yet. Etta James is 73 years old. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease just two years ago.

An autopsy is being conducted today to find out what killed New York Rangers player Derek Boogaard. The hockey player's body was discovered yesterday in his Minneapolis apartment. He began his NHL career in Minnesota before joining the New York Rangers. Boogaard supported a foundation that gives the children of military families the opportunity to play hockey. He was only 28 years old.

And it's been 64 years since Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball's color barrier. Today, MLB marked how far baseball has come. Atlanta is hosting the civil rights game this weekend. Baseball legend Hank Aaron is taking part in the celebrations all weekend long, and his home run record may have been eclipsed by Barry Bonds, but not everyone thinks Bonds is the new home run king. Because of accusations he used performance enhancing drugs. Our T.J. Holmes got the chance to sit down with Hank Aaron to ask him about it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What would you say to those fans who say Hank Aaron is the home run king? He will always be my home run king. And they refuse to acknowledge anybody at this point that is above your name? Would you say let it go, folks. The guy above me has more home runs. He is your homerun king. Or would you say--?

HANK AARON, BASEBALL LEGEND: I would tell them thank you. I would thank them, first of all. Thank them if they think that way. But, here again, and we were talking about Barry Bonds. And you know, Barry Bonds hit more home runs than I did. And he should be justifiably be the home run king. That's the way I look at it.

I look at it saying he did everything he was supposed to do in baseball. Now, people say, well, you know, he was on this, he was on that. I don't know what he was on. You know, I have no idea. I'm not God. I don't have any idea. The only thing I know is that Barry Bonds was a terrific ball player. I hit 755 home runs. And no matter how you look at it, I'm not going to hit another home run, not in this era. I may do it somewhere else, not here. He hit more homeruns than I did, on Earth. So he should be classified as the home run king.

HOLMES: You don't believe he was on anything?

AARON: No, I didn't say I didn't believe he was on anything. I just said that no matter what it is, I don't know. I don't know what he was on. I have no idea. As I said before, I'm not God. I don't make those kind of rules.

HOLMES: You're the same guy who said once we got up to 50, 60 homeruns, something is funny. He has 73?

AARON: I said I think it's something funny. I think. There's a difference when you say you think. I didn't say I know. I think something is different.

(LAUGHTER)

HOLMES: You're a scholar and a gentleman. I love it, I love it, I love it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right, it's graduation season. Hundreds of thousands of students are getting diplomas. Can you guess how much they paid for their cap and gown? The answer when we come back.

Plus, five health lessons parents should talk to their graduates about.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, before the break, we asked you if you knew how much a cap and gown cost for the graduates out there? Well, depending on the school requirement, you can spend anywhere from $45 to $185. And that's without the tassels, honor cords, and stoles. So college graduation may be the last great opportunity for parents to guide their young adults toward a young, healthy life. In today's "Healthy Living" Doctor Bill Lloyd joins me with some advice on how we should do that.

He's a graduate of life, I guess.

DOCTOR BILL LLOYD: It's been a long time since I have worn one of these.

WHITFIELD: But it looks so good on you. The first lessons parents need to, I guess, re-convey to their youngens, is be safe. In what way?

LLOYD: Before they switch this tassel, parents need to tell their students to be safe. Be safe in all that they do. That includes responsible driving. Be sure to wear your seatbelts. Wear helmets when you're skateboarding or when you are skiing. And in 2011, have the discussion about sexually transmitted diseases. Fredricka, you're not going to make it to 80 if you don't make it to 30.

WHITFIELD: Good point. OK, then you say you need to reiterate the lesson about tobacco and smokers and I guess being in a smoky environment?

LLOYD: You are right. No tobacco in your life. And don't share your life with anybody else who uses tobacco. In addition to all the tobacco-related diseases, and we know the risks of lung cancer, there's serious risks for asthma and other respiratory conditions that may involve your children in the future. Don't forget the dangers of second-hand smoke. So, again, don't let anybody move in if they're puffing on a cigarette.

WHITFIELD: And then you want to, I guess, warn them about we used to call it like the freshman 10 or freshman 20. You have to worry about your weight, or at least be conscientious of it, what you are eating and how you're exercising.

LLOYD: Certainly. You know it is far easier to keep yourself from gaining the weight than trying to lose it 20 years later. So, educating your children about that. A good combination between restricting the amount of calories you eat and burning those calories with daily exercise matters, and determining whether you're going to have problems like diabetes or high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol later in life. And, Fredricka, remember, as you gain weight, there's more wear and tear on your joints, which will limit your ability for physical activity and even sexual activity. So you think about the future as you are getting off that graduation podium.

WHITFIELD: And then the conversation the parent needs to have about alcohol. This is kind of good luck. It's going to be a tough conversation in which to have if they're heading off to college. What are you suggestions on this?

LLOYD: Well, of course, you know, the best education is leadership by example. Your children are going to follow what you do. But you have to emphasize to your kids about restricting the amount of alcohol because of the lifelong changes and damage that can happen to many organs of your body. The devastating consequences that can occur with a DUI conviction, as well. Then there is always the problem of increased accidents and trauma that come with alcohol. And don't forget the changes that could affect your lives, your relationships, and your career if you drink too much. Keep it all in moderation. If you want to drink, have a little red wine.

WHITFIELD: OK, and usually Mom and Dad are reminding kids about the kind of checkups, the medical checkups they need to get. When you go off to college, you completely forget about that. What kind of discussions need to take place?

LLOYD: A lot of kids graduate from college and think they have a 30- year window where they don't have to worry about seeing doctors. But they need to have regular checkups depending on their family history and their own individual risks are. Things like screening for elevated blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol. Women, of course, have to have their annual health exam, as well. And then as they get older they need to be aware. And Fredricka, you know, many college graduates are now older than 21, as they get past 40, about their annual checks, colonoscopy, and mammography as well. And once again, parents, leadership by example.

WHITFIELD: And Doctor Bill Lloyd, I have to see that hat one more time. The cap?

LLOYD: My mortarboard? Oh, it is right here. We have graduated three collegians, and I have paid far too many tuition checks to remember.

WHITFIELD: Oh, fantastic. I'm hearing the sound of "Pomp and Circumstance" right now.

LLOYD: We're ready to go.

WHITFIELD: There we go. All right. Congratulations. You're off into the real world now. Doctor Bill Lloyd.

LLOYD: We'll talk to you again soon. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much. And congrats to all the grads out there.

WHITFIELD: All right, so we all knew, it might take a while for the housing market to bounce back, but it's taking a lot longer than anyone expected. And for homeowners drowning in debt, anxiety is slowly turning to anger.

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WHITFIELD: All right, time for a "CNN Equals Politics" update. We're keeping an eye on all the headlines at the Politics.com Desk. Here is what is crossing right now.

Newt Gingrich, he is in. The former House speaker let his Twitter followers know first, that he's running for president of the United States. His first official function as candidate, a home-state speech before Georgia Republicans last night in Macon.

And what about Mike Huckabee? Is he in? Good question. He says he'll answer it tonight on his TV show, and has not given many hints as to which way he's actually leaning.

And Ron Paul, definitely in. The Texas congressman is 75 years old and says his age and, quote, "irrelevant," and what matters is he deals with young ideas.

For the latest political news, you know exactly where to go, CNNPolitics.com.

Some say the only issue likely to matter in the 2012 election is the economy. And one sector that hasn't bounced back yet is the housing market. As Sarah Endo tells us, what underwater homeowners are telling us now.

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SARAH ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): This is what single mother Nancy Logan is fighting for. A big backyard and a room to read in with her daughter, Carly. The place in Northern Virginia they have called home for 12 years.

NANCY LOGAN, HOMEOWNER: I owe more on the house than it's worth. So that's my situation right now. It is kind of scary. Kind of stressful to have that financial pressure.

ENDO: Logan just found out her job is being eliminated, and her mortgage is going up $1,000 a month in January after her loan modification terms expire. Three years ago, she had to be inventive just to get her lender to hear her out.

LOGAN: I actually sent a picture of my daughter and I to the mortgage company in front of the house. And I said we're not just a loan number. Please help me because I wasn't getting any response.

ENDO: This time around, she took her plight to President Obama, asking him for help at a CBS News town hall forum.

LOGAN: My question to you, Mr. President, is do you have any plans to help improve the housing market so hard working Americans like myself don't lose our homes.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have more work to do. So we are trying to expand the loan modification program to reach more people.

ENDO: Millions of homeowners like Logan are underwater in their properties. A new nationwide survey from the home values Web site, Zillow.com, shows first quarter home prices declined 3 percent. The sharpest drop since 2008. The Housing and Urban Development secretary says so far the administration helped grant nearly 4 million loan modifications for struggling homeowners, but admits the market remains fragile. SHAUN DONOVAN, HUD SECRETARY: I would say that there are some encouraging signs. There are also signs of caution. We have accelerating job growth. That should help the housing market lift. The issue is that there was so much damage done in the crisis.

ENDO: Some housing experts are trying to look at the silver lining.

STAN HUMPHRIES, CHIEF ECONOMIST, ZILLOW.COM: The decline that is occurring at the moment is in a single digit. This is not a major decline. And in some markets based on their local economy, the prices are actually firming up.

ENDO: Optimism Logan is hanging onto.

LOGAN: I'm hopeful, I always am. I'm a survivor.

ENDO: Sandra Endo, CNN, Centreville, Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And still on the economy, one state is hoping to boost cotton production in the U.S. to help create jobs. Tom Foreman takes us to North Carolina in this "Building Up America" report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Ronnie Burleson is laying in another crop of Carolina cotton just as his family has for years. But this is much more than a job these days.

RONNIE BURLESON, THURMAN BURLESON & SONS FARM: It's a thrill.

FOREMAN: Because a portion of his crop is going to Cotton of the Carolinas. That's an innovative program to build up the hard-hit textile industry here, by turning locally grown cotton into locally made clothing, creating locally needed jobs, at place like TS Designs.

ERIC MICHEL, TS DESIGNS: Our shirts going from dirt to shirt in 700 miles or less.

FOREMAN: That matters because company officials like Eric Michel stress green production. Using less fuel, which is difficult when cotton and cotton products are shipped back and forth to China, India, Pakistan.

MICHEL: ST Designs is a triple bottom line business. They also like to look after the three Ps, people, planet, and profit.

FOREMAN: Of course, what crushed the textile industry was lower labor costs abroad. These shirts still generally cost more than imports, but they have found fans in people who support local production, and the competitive edge may be coming.

SAM MOORE, COTC ADVISOR: Ultimately, with fuel costs and other things going way up, we're going to have a more sustainable supply chain, and a consistent quality here that other people may not have. FOREMAN: For Ronny Burleson, it's simpler.

BURLESON: We're going to church with people who worked in the cotton mills all their lives. And all that industry is gone, I feel proud to be part of what can try to bring back some of those jobs, and help my neighbors.

FOREMAN: Building up the fabric of his home town. Tom Foreman, CNN, Burlington, North Carolina.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In 10 minutes, we'll have an update on the Mississippi River flooding and the opening of the first bay on the Morganza spillway. Live pictures right now.

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WHITFIELD: All right, much more ahead in the NEWSROOM. My lovely colleague Don Lemon is here because, what? Just five minutes away --

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: And I was just talking to you.

They still don't know. Can we show the pictures, the Morganza spillway. This isn't an exact science. They don't know where all this water is going to go, exactly. And it is going to flood a lot of people, Fred, and we're going to be following that closely.

WHITFIELD: They did it 40 years ago, but anything can happen. It may not be an exact repeat performance of what happened 40 years ago with opening the spillway.

LEMON: And just to show you how old I am, I remember when they opened it. I remember water on the interstate and all.

WHITFIELD: Because you are from that region.

LEMON: I'm from that area. To hear the Morganza Spillway and the Bonnie Carrie Spillway, I'm like, am I going back to my childhood? And we're going to be following that very closely.

And also, Fred, we are going to speak live with a young man from Georgia, who some would say is trying to become an American citizen the right way-the right way. He is a high school soccer star and an illegal immigrant and he is he is leaving this country tomorrow to avoid deportation, and improve his chances of becoming a citizen. You are going to hear his story next hour. It is very interesting.

And we'll also have the conservative fury, you know, over hip-hop star Common and his invitation to the White House poetry reading. And we're going to talk to Tim Weis, among others, about this. Some people are saying there might be a racial tinge to this. Before this week, you never heard a controversial word about Common. His name and controversy in the same sentence, but the pundits are playing it out. There's fear, there is misunderstanding. So we're going to have a conversation about that. And get to the bottom of what it is. So if you want the real deal, you'll have to tune in, and you have an exclusive.

WHITFIELD: That's right. Because we're also going to have another conversation in the coming days or weeks about a book that you have authored. You have penned, it's called "Transparent" Don Lemon.

LEMON: Right here.

WHITFIELD: It is going to be on the bookstands soon.

LEMON: Well, I have it because the press starts next week. Fred was very kind. She went to my first television appearance, my first television taping about the book. You were there with me. There it is.

WHITFIELD: Yes, a fascinating look, a memoir into your life, your experiences in Louisiana, as we were talking about, the Morganza Spillway, you being a Louisiana kid, a lot more about that, and your life as a journalist.

LEMON: And you being my friend, so next weekend, we'll have an in depth conversation, we'll laugh, cry, talk.

WHITFIELD: We'll try not to cry.

LEMON: All right, thank you, Fred.

WHITFIELD: Yeah, awesome.

LEMON: I love you.

WHITFIELD: Love you back.

We'll see you again throughout the newsroom beginning in just three minutes from now.

I'm Fredricka Whitfield. See you tomorrow.

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