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Trump Won't Run in 2012; IMF Chief Denied Bail; Diverting the River; Endeavour is in Orbit; Air France Data Recovered; Rahm Emanuel Takes Oath as Mayor of Chicago; IMF Chief Denied Bail On Sex Charge; Emotional Graduation Walk; CDC Holds onto Smallpox Virus
Aired May 16, 2011 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Suzanne, thank you.
Well, if he ran, he says he would win. But Donald Trump now says business is his greatest passion and he won't be running for president. The real estate mogul and reality TV star issued a statement just minutes ago thanking, quote, "the millions of Americans who have joined the Trump grassroots movements and promising to continue to voice his opinions loudly, as if he can do it any other way.
We'll bring you more on the Donald's decision and the fallout for the 2012 campaign in our "Political Tickers" coming up.
Meanwhile, another major story developing this hour. The chief of the international monetary fund has just been denied bail at his arraignment on charges that he tried to rape a hotel maid in New York City.
Dominique Strauss-Khan was arrested Saturday for allegedly chasing a housekeeper through his luxury hotel suite naked and trying to force himself on her. Let's go straight to Richard Roth who's been following today's developments. Richard, bring us up to date.
RICHARD ROTH, SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: All right Randi, the proceedings have just concluded, and basically, Dominique Strauss- Khan, the leader of the international monetary fund, has been charged for sexual assault on a maid in a New York hotel in Time Square on Saturday.
We're just now seeing, and we just heard the formal charges, so it is important, I think, to go through these.
Strauss-Khan charged with two counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree, one count of attempted rape in the first degree, one count of sexual abuse in the first degree, one count of unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, one count of forcible touching, one count of sexual abuse in the third degree.
The top charge, criminal sexual act, carries with it a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison. The prosecutor argued that Dominique Strauss-Khan was a flight risk, that he could be like Roman Polanski, the film director who faced charges in California then went to Paris, France, and never came back despite the charges. The defense argued that Strauss-Khan should be allowed to post bail, that he's not a flight risk, that he has a daughter who lives in Manhattan, that he could stay with her, that he has the money and that he is not a flight whisk, that he called the hotel as a sign, in effect, that he's not a flight risk to say, bring my cell phone that he left in that hotel suite out to the airport. Lawyers saying this shows he was not trying to hide from anyone.
According to the criminal complaint filed by the district attorney, Strauss-Khan shut the door in his hotel room thereby preventing the victim, a member of the cleaning staff, from leaving. He grabbed the victim's chest without consent, attempted to remove her panty hose and forcibly grabbed the victim's vaginal area.
Then the prosecution says he forced her to commit oral sex. The prosecutor laid out his case before the judge, the defense said he is not guilty of these charges. There will be another -- and he was not allowed to leave -- no bail allowed, the judge said he was a flight risk. The next court proceeding where Strauss-Khan will appear, this Friday, May 20th. Huge throng in the courtroom and outside from international press and U.S. press from around the world. An astounding case -- Randi.
KAYE: All right, Richard Roth for us covering that. Richard, thank you.
Also, we want to tell you that it is now Morganza to the rescue, that's right, or Morganza the disaster. Where you stand, of course, depends on where you live in relation to this historic flooding on the lower Mississippi.
We're coming up now on 48 hours actually, believe it or not, if you're keeping track since the Army Corp of Engineers started opening the floodgates on the Morganza Spillway. And the floodgates, as you know -- you probably recall, hadn't been budged since 1973, that's right, 1973.
The spillway acts like a pressure valve on the swollen Mississippi River, diverting water and danger from the downstream cities of Baton Rouge and New Orleans to the much less populated bayous and farmland to the west and the south.
Now, you can see here in blue, that is the water's path. This is the Atchafalaya Basin, hope to 4,000 people who would not have been flooded out otherwise. About half of those are under mandatory evacuation orders, the others strongly encouraged to find higher ground.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUY CORMIER, PRESIDENT, ST. MARTIN PARISH, LOUISIANA: I guess the sentiment of the people here and just the atmosphere is just that people just know it's coming, they're nervous about it, and they're watching it very closely. And we know that we're going to get the water, it's just a matter of when it's going to be here, and I don't know, it's just -- it's just a weird feeling, that here it is, we're sitting on this beautiful, cool morning watching this beautiful sunrise, and we're going to be in, you know, knee-deep in water right here before, too, before long.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: St. Landry Parish is another place where lives are being loaded onto trucks. No one knows how high the water will actually get, how long it will be there or what will be left when it leaves. But our Ed Lavandera met one man who's thankful he and his neighbors have time to get out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDDIE SONNIER, ST. LANDRY PARISH, LOUISIANA: We fortunately we have what we have and we have an opportunity to get out. Material things we can replace. Our family and what we believe in daily is just -- can't put -- can't put prices on that.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Did you put up this sign?
SONNIER: Yes, yes, I put it up, I'm proud of that sign. Because it's just what we say, we will be back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: So, what about the cities that Morganza was built to protect? Well, it's doing its job. Last week, Baton Rouge expecting the river to keep rising until May 22nd, that's next Sunday, and reach 12 1/2 feet above flood stage. We've been tracking the schedule for you, really for the last few weeks. New Orleans didn't expect to crest until May 23rd, two and a half feet above flood stage.
But now, I want you to look at the forecast now, look at what has changed here. Baton Rouge will see a crest five days sooner and two and a half feet lower than expected. And New Orleans is cresting now, right at flood stage, there it is.
And then, there's the tiny community of Krotz Springs where the water is rising and residents are leaving. Carroll Snyder is the mayor, and he joins me now by phone. Mayor, thanks so much for your time, I'm sure you're having a very busy day there today. What is happening there right now? Is Krotz Springs flooded?
CAROL SNYDER, MAYOR, KROTZ SPRINGS (via telephone): No, Krotz Springs does not have any water in it at this time. The main part of town is surrounded by -- surrounded by taller ring levees that the corps has built, and we have a railroad cross (ph) track that runs through there. The south part of town is -- it doesn't -- it never had any levee protection.
In 1973, they built a shorter levee, just a temporary levee, but time has just took its toll on that. And whenever we got word that we were going to get, you know, high water again this year from the Morganza floodway, sooner or later it would have to be open and we scrambled and put together and -- well, I say, we're in the process of putting together a levee now to protect about 240 homes and -- (inaudible.)
KAYE: So, are people putting up some levees by themselves? Are they taping up their homes as we've seen in some communities? Are they heeding the warnings to get out of town?
SNYDER: Yes, for the most part, they are and the people south of town that are not going to be included in the levee that the national guard and the department of transportation are building, they -- some of these people are building smaller levees around their homes in anticipation that we're going to get this backwater which is late.
The schedule they gave us is it should be here and we have not seen it as of yet, but they say it's coming. So, we're just sitting and waiting -- I say sitting and waiting, we're busy trying to get this levee completed, but it looks like we're going to have it done by the time we do see water.
KAYE: And is this the worst disaster that your community has ever faced? I mean, were you hit hard by Katrina at all?
SNYDER: Yes, Katrina we had a lot of damage. Gustav -- we had hurricane damage, but we had help at the same time, also, in both cases. You know, Katrina we didn't have very much damage, but I believe Gustav was the worst one in this area. And the guard was there to help us, I mean they stayed with us for the clean-up, to clear roads, it was very, very helpful.
KAYE: And what about the decision to open the Morganza spillway? I mean, do you resent it at all? How do you feel about sacrificing your town to spare the big cities?
SNYDER: Well, it was built for that purpose and the biggest part of Krotz Springs is thankful that it is inside of a ring (ph) levee. And the people on outside of town that we're getting the levee put around now -- I mean, whenever they built these homes, they knew they were in a -- in a flood zone and just nobody really paid any attention to it because it's not something that happens every year.
KAYE: Sure but a lot of these area wouldn't have been hit -- but some of these areas wouldn't have been hit, like your community, if they hadn't opened this spillway.
SNYDER: Yes, exactly. I mean, it's been 38 years since this has happened, you know, so -- and then, there's like I say, the structure was put there for that but just sometimes they wait too long, maybe, if you might say --
KAYE: Are residents understanding that the spillway's been opened? Are they accepting of that?
SNYDER: Yes, they've accepting of it, they're not happy with it, but it's something that we've been knowing for quite some time, that it was inevitable that it would have to be opened and there's just -- they come to deal with it.
KAYE: And any idea when people will be able to return to their homes?
SNYDER: We don't know. They say the water -- when we get the water, it's going to be here for a while, but we hope that it goes away quicker than it's coming because it's slow coming so we hope it don't stay as long as it takes it to get here, you know?
KAYE: Mayor Snyder of Krotz Springs, we really appreciate your time and certainly wish you and your community lots of luck as the water makes its way your way. Thank you so much.
SNYDER: Thank you.
KAYE: Our "Sound Effect" is immediately recognizable but one we'll hear live only one more time.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, zero -- and lift-off for the final launch of Endeavour, expanding our knowledge, expanding our lives in space.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (Inaudible.)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roger roll (ph), Endeavour.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Houston is now controlling. Endeavour beginning to roll over on to its back, the roll program under way as Endeavour begins the heads-down position on course for a 51.6 degree, 136 by 36 statute (ph) mile orbit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Endeavour is now a little more than four hours into its final mission and the next-to-last mission of any shuttle. We'll bring you much more in our big breakdown, that's a tough one to say some days, next hour.
Other news now, it's a major break-through in the investigation of what caused an Air France plane to plunge into the Atlantic Ocean. After a two-year mystery, the investigators have recovered the information from the flight data and voice recorder found in the wreckage two weeks ago. Investigators say that includes the last two hours of conversation inside the cockpit.
It could take investigators several weeks to analyze all the data, they are hoping it will give them a glimpse into the last moments before the plane belly-flopped into the ocean during a storm killing all 228 on board.
Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is now officially Chicago's mayor. Emmanuel was sworn into office this morning. The Democrat who served two presidents now shifts his attention to the nation's third largest city, promising to cut spending as he tackles the city's $700 million deficit. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife were there for Emanuel's inauguration. Emanuel replaces Richard M. Daley who had been the city's mayor for the last 22 years.
Controversy swirls around new guidelines from the Vatican aimed at fighting child abuse by catholic priests. What the guidelines are not asking bishops to do is next.
And, we want to know what you think about the new Vatican sex abuse guidelines. Join the conversation on our blog, CNN.com/Ali and you can also post on either Ali's or my Facebook and Twitter pages. Send us your thoughts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The Vatican is releasing new guidelines aimed at stopping child abuse at the hands of priests. The new rules tell catholic bishops to cooperate with police but don't order them to report abuse allegation unless local laws require it.
In a letter from the Vatican, catholic bishops worldwide are told, quote, "Sexual abuse of minors is not just a canonical (INAUDIBLE) but also a crime prosecuted by civil law." The letter goes on to say that local laws on reporting suspected crimes to police, quote, "should always be followed."
Meanwhile, advocates for victims of abuse say these new guidelines will not solve the problem. Many believe bishops get can (INAUDIBLE) and hide child sex crimes and can still get away with it since the new rules do not require bishops to report suspected abusers to the police.
This issue has been hitting the catholic church in the collection plate as well. Eight catholic diocese and one Jesuit order have filed for bankruptcy protection in the face of lawsuits by victims according to Bishop Accountability, which tracks reports of abuse by priests.
The new guidelines are the latest in attempts by the Vatican to stop child sex abuse in the church. Pope Benedict XVI issued new rules last year. They included doubling the statute of limitations on the church's own prosecution of suspected molesters from 10 to 20 years, making it a church crime for a priest to download child pornography, and allowing the pope to defrock a priest without a formal Vatican trial.
Well, it is official, the U.S. hit its multi trillion dollar debt ceiling today. What exactly is the debt ceiling and how does this affect your wallet? Important answers just a few minutes away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Today's the day the U.S. government reached its $14.3 trillion debt ceiling this morning. That's the amount it's legally allowed to borrow. According to the Congressional Research Service, the debt ceiling has been raised 74 times since March 1962. And while both Republicans and Democrats agree failing to raise the debt ceiling is not an option, both sides are still far from a deal. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said he can move money around to keep the U.S. out of default until August 2nd, but urged Congress once again today to raise the country's legal borrowing limit soon to, quote, "protect the full faith and credit of the United States and avoid catastrophic economic consequences for citizens."
Ali Velshi spoke about what needs to be done in Washington with CNN contributor Roland Martin and CNN Money's Jeanne Sahadi.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN: We wanted to keep our debt at the level as it -- that it's at right now, not reducing it, just simply keeping it from growing just through spending cuts, we'd have to cut our spending by 35 percent. That's about $1.2 trillion or basically our government's entire budget for discretionary spending, including defense. Now, to achieve the same goal of keeping our debt where it is just through tax increases -- so forget about spending cuts -- the government would need to take in 50 percent more in tax revenue.
Bottom line is, it seems to me that we have to do both. As I explained earlier, it's simply not feasible to seriously tackle our debt without both spending cuts and increasing revenue, although you will continue to hear some conservatives say this is a spending problem, not a revenue problem. I know this. You know this. When is Washington going to start reflecting this?
JEANNE SAHADI, SENIOR WRITER, CNN MONEY: Well, I think under a couple scenarios. One, if we have a bond market crisis, which is not necessarily likely but that would definitely inspire people to get busy negotiating and compromising. The other might be, if Americans stand up and say, you know what, I don't want a third of the federal budget cut. I want to have some of the federal budget cut but I also am willing to pay a little bit more in taxes.
There was a -- board members of the Concord Coalition, which is a deficit watchdog group, said something really smart this week. The board is made up of former lawmakers from the left and the right and they basically said, look, neither party has the muscle or the public trust to push through a one-sided solution. They don't have the votes for it. So bipartisan solutions are mandatory. It's not an option. You know, compromise shouldn't be seen as giving up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And be sure to join Christine Romans for "Your Bottom Line" each Saturday morning at 9:30 Eastern. And don't miss "Your Money" with Ali Velshi Saturdays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern, Sundays at 3:00.
Well, we've been reporting this hour on the arrest of the International Monetary Fund's top man. He's just been denied bail at his arraignment for allegedly attacking a maid at a New York City hotel. The IMF is responsible for handling hundreds of billions of dollars of the world's money. In fact, IMF chief Dominique Strauss- Kahn was supposed to be meeting the key European Union leaders this week. Instead, he is in New York answering attempted rape charges. So, will his arrest really impact the IMF and the global financial picture? Joining me now is CNN's John Defterios in Brussels, Belgium.
John, the IMF isn't only one man, is it? Because a lot of people are wondering how this is going to impact all of us.
JOHN DEFTERIOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Let's put it this way, Randi, there's a noticeable absence here at the European headquarters of the European council where Dominique Strauss-Kahn should be. One man does not make an organization, but he was supposed to be at the table at fairly delicate proceedings. You were talking about the U.S. debt situation right now. The International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank have put up $400 billion to support Portugal, Ireland and Greece. And he was a key player around the table to rough off the edges here when there are bumps in the road. The European council, in their meetings behind me, in these closed door sessions that are taking place right now, just signed off on a $100 billion package for Portugal. So the work goes ahead.
But, Randi, it does raise some very serious questions about leadership at the International Monetary Fund. During the U.S. financial crisis, this was a key organization and Dominique Strauss- Kahn was a key player to move from the G-8 structure to the G-20, to bring the that added capital into the International Monetary Fund and to underwrite the U.S. bailout. So the number two at the organization, John Lipsky, announced his resignation in August, but he's now stayed behind in Washington as acting managing director. But it raises huge questions about a power vacuum at the top of one of the leading institutions in terms of the financial restructuring and, of course, the bailout that's taking place in Europe as we speak.
KAYE: And how much impact, I mean, might this all have on the future of the IMF, do you think?
DEFTERIOS: Well, I don't want to get too complex, but to break it down this way. Traditionally, the International Monetary Fund has been led by a European and the World Bank by an American. And now that we've gone to this so-called G-20 structure with all these emerging markets around the table, it does beg the question, why not one of them to lead the institutions going forward? Why does it need to be a Frenchman? Why should an American lead the World Bank? And already in replacement of John Lipsky, there are rumors that there's a candidate from India, a candidate from Mexico and potentially a candidate from China as well.
So it's changing the dynamics ever since we had that Lehman collapse in the autumn of 2008. It was always the structure of a European leading the International Monetary Fund and an American at the World Bank. I think it's fair to say there's a big question mark over the proceedings at the International Monetary Fund right now. Also, let's watch what comes out of an informal board meeting from Washington after the ruling by the judge not to grant bail to Mr. Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
KAYE: All right, John Defterios for us there in Brussels, Belgium. Thank you, John.
Time right now, 24 minutes past the hour, time for some top stories.
Just in to CNN, businessman Donald Trump has announced that he will not run for president in 2012. In a press release he said, "after considerable deliberation and reflection, I've decided not to pursue the office of the presidency. This decision does not come easily or without regret." Stay tuned to CNN for updates on this developing story.
In Louisiana, water from the Mississippi River is gushing through nine floodgates on the Morganza Spillway today. The federal government plans to open as many as 20 more. The move spares Baton Rouge and New Orleans by flooding other areas that are upstream. In total, the flooding has affected eight states from Missouri to Louisiana and Mississippi.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Zero and lift-off for the final launch of Endeavour.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Space shuttle Endeavour roared into space for the final time this morning. Astronaut Mark Kelly is commanding the 16-day mission to the International Space Station. His wife, Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who's recovering from a gunshot wound to the head, watched lift-off at Kennedy Space Center.
Walking across the stage. Something we all probably take for granted. But for one new college grad, his was the walk of a lifetime. You'll get to meet him next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Happening now right here on CNN.
President Obama, you see there, in Memphis, Tennessee, right now to address graduates of Booker T. Washington High School. These are live pictures from the event. The school won the honor of having the president speak by winning this year's race to the top commencement challenge. The school boosted its graduation rate from 55 percent to 81 percent over the last three years. And while in the Memphis area, the president will also take a look at the flood damage from last week.
Now a very special graduation moment. We don't usually spend time showing graduates walking across the stage, but one guy really caught our eye. His name is Austin Whitney. Here he is getting his degree this weekend at the University of California at Berkeley. Austin is a paraplegic who wore a pair of mechanical legs to help him get out of his wheelchair so he could walk up and get his own diploma. But he didn't walk alone. All 15,000 people there cheered him on.
An amazing sight and very special story, but we're not done. Austin Whitney joins me now from Berkeley, California. Austin, so great to have you on the show today. You said it was the greatest moment of your life. It certainly looked that way. Tell us what you were feeling as you stood up on that stage.
AUSTIN WHITNEY, PARAPLEGIC WHO WALKED TO GET DEGREE: Randi, thank you so much for having me today.
It was truly, truly a unique experience, standing up for a second, going back to the worst memory memories of my life; a car accident that put me in a wheelchair and then some of the best memories of my life; being accepted to Berkeley, and then realizing I had completed in four years a goal that I had almost given up on at one point.
Looking over, seeing 15,000 people giving me a standing ovation and cheering me on. It was truly the stuff dreams are made out of. Totally surreal, something I will never forget. Something that, you know, if I saw on television, it's something I know would give me hope. And it certainly has -- this whole experience has certainly given me so much hope about the future, about technology, about the world we live in.
It's very exciting.
KAYE: If you can, just help us understand just real briefly how these mechanical legs have helped you walk.
WHITNEY: Oh, sure. It is a project I've been involved with for about nine months ago. It is a mechanical exoskeleton. I worked with Professor Kazerooni and a team of mechanical engineers here at Berkeley. There're two leg braces and there's a computer is in the back brace. And you talk -- you basically talk with that computer with a controller in the crutches or walker -- I was using a walker on Saturday. And with that you can tell it to walk, to stand up, to sit down and basically control your legs, for me the first time in years.
KAYE: Your father was so emotional during this ceremony. I want to listen again to what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM WHITNEY, AUSTIN'S FATHER: Austin has always wanted his accident to have meaning and this today really culminated in giving meaning to, I think, hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Could you see your parents smiling at you as you went to get your diploma?
A. WHITNEY: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. That was probably, you know, the best part of everything, looking over at them, seeing their faces, seeing my mom cry. It was -- it was truly remarkable in every way. Everything though, this whole -- sorry.
KAYE: No, finish what you were saying. A. WHITNEY: Oh. You know, through everything though, it's just important to remember that while it was a great moment for myself, it was truly -- the heroes of the story are truly the Professor Kazerooni and grad students who built this device. I'm just a lucky individual who happened to be able to use it at my graduation. I'm the lucky one --
KAYE: And before we let you go, I do want to ask because your dad said that you did want your accident to have meaning. So what do you hope for in terms of this technology and helping others?
A. WHITNEY: Oh, well, there are other exoskeletons around. What makes our device special is we're hoping to be the first mechanical exoskeleton that will be affordable to people, something that will be accessible to people in wheelchairs. Hopefully like the model-T of mechanical exoskeletons, something that you'll be able to see in the world and hopefully a platform that can be built on. And, you know, one day years from now hopefully the technology will be around that can replace the wheelchair with mechanical legs or something related.
KAYE: Well Austin, congratulations to you on getting your diploma and thanks again for coming on and sharing that very special moment with all of us. Appreciate it.
A. WHITNEY: Thank you so much for having me.
KAYE: Thank you. Best of luck to you.
We should tell that you this is the same technology that we showcased here on the program last November. You may remember it the moment our guest Amanda Boxtel walked for the first time in 18 years.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMANDA BOXTEL, ELEGS TEST PILOT: Now there's no excuses, Ali. There's -- for a doctor to ever say again you will never walk again, because we've got bionic technology right in front of us, and this is happening right now.
VELSHI: Did you think you would walk again?
BOXTEL: You know, I never believed in my lifetime that I would be able to walk, and here I am, walking with you, side by side, eye to eye.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: So special. Really truly is amazing. ELegs are meant to help high-functioning paraplegics get back on their feet, quite literally. The plan is for them to be made available soon in rehabilitation centers before possibly being available for home use.
Donald Trump may have made a lot of noise as he eyed the White House. But it seems it was, well, all for nothing. The latest is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: A check on the latest and some stories that you may have missed.
Donald Trump just announced a short time ago that he will not run for president. Trump issued a statement saying, the decision was not easy especially because he says, quote, "My potential candidacy continues to be validated by ranking at the top of the Republican contenders in the polls." He then goes on to say, "However, business is my greatest passion, " and he's not ready to leave the private sector.
But despite Trump's claim about topping the polls, a new survey from Politico and George Washington University indicates more than two-third of Americans think the business mogul has, quote, "no chance of ever winning the White House." Those numbers follow a similarly poor showing for Trump in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp poll released just last week. That surveyed showed Trump has an unfavorable rating of 64 percent.
Floodwaters from the Mississippi River are pouring across southeast Louisiana. This is the result at the Army Corps of Engineers opened the Morganza spillway. While the move spares Baton Rouge and New Orleans, the diverted flood is wiping out communities, taking out thousands of homes and businesses. Others in the area are evacuating and simply waiting.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GUY CORMIER, PRESIDENT, ST. MARTIN PARISH: We know that we're going to get the water. It's just a matter of when it is going to be here. And, I don't know, it's just a weird feeling that here it is, we're sitting on this beautiful, cool morning watching this beautiful sunrise and we're going to be knee-deep in water right here, here, too before too long.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
The historic flooding has affected eight states from Missouri and Illinois down to Mississippi and Louisiana. As many as 22 cities and communities still remain flooded.
Two Florida imams are due in court this afternoon in Miami on charges that they helped the Pakistani Taliban. The men, father and son are imams at two separate Florida mosques and were arrested by FBI agents on Saturday. Six people were indicted, including several of the imam's family members. Authorities allege all six suspects conspired to support to kill, injure and kidnap people abroad and that they helped fund the Pakistani Taliban. U.S. officials say the arrests are not linked to Osama bin Laden's killing.
Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel is now officially Chicago's mayor. You can see there, Emanuel being sworn in to office earlier today. The Democrat who served two presidents now shifts his attention to the nation's third-largest city promising to cut spending as he tackles the city's $700 million deficit. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife were there for Emanuel's inauguration. Emanuel replaces Richard M. Daley, who had been the city's mayor for the last 22 years.
There is a deadly virus which only exists in two places in the world and it may be closer to home than you think. More details you'll want to know up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Thirty years ago, eradicating smallpox was once of science's greatest achievements. It's been described as one of the worst disease ever. It killed a half a billion people in the last century alone. However, two countries -- Russia and the U.S. -- still have hundreds of smallpox samples between them tucked away in secret laboratories. Many countries believe these stockpiles should finally be destroyed.
CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta goes to the CDC which has one of these labs to get answers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Smallpox is a disease no one has seen since the late 1970s. Caused by a virus called Variola and also responsible for up to half a billion deaths in the last century alone.
Many smallpox patients who did survive were either severely scarred or blind because of the infection. Dr. D.A. Henderson knows well how bad this disease is. He led the worldwide effort to stamp it out.
DR. D.A. HENDERSON, EPIDEMIOLOGIST: It's been the worst disease known to mankind. Plague, cholera, all of -- yellow fever, all of these are really minor problems compared to smallpox.
GUPTA (on camera): There hasn't been a case of smallpox in more than three decades and we don't routinely vaccinate for this anymore. But there are two places in the world where the virus still exists -- in Russia, and here in Atlanta in the United States.
A lot of people question, why do we even need this virus to be stored any longer?
DR. INGER DAMON, CDC'S CHIEF OF POXVIRUS & RABIES BRANCH: So diagnostic development, antiviral development and vaccine development has been the primary uses.
GUPTA: The CDC is very secretive about where exactly the virus is being kept. Even though they say that information isn't classified, they wouldn't even tell us if it's on this campus. But they did say they'd show me what the virus looks like.
(on camera): And we're looking at a slide of dead virus. Is that right?
DAMON: Correct.
GUPTA: Where do they come from?
DAMON: So this is a virus that was grown back in the '90s when some of the initial research was going on to begin to look at antivirals.
GUPTA (voice-over): Dr. Inger Damon is one of fewer than 10 people at the CDC with access to the live smallpox samples. If this were a live virus, we would not be in this room. We would be in what's called a BSL-4 lab with the highest safety and security precautions.
DAMON: You're working in a positive pressure suit so you're essentially working in a large plastic bag. There's air flow that helps to protect you from the environment that you're working in.
(on camera): So the chance of it reappearing naturally is so limited and you have it only stored in these laboratories, why not just destroy it and you wouldn't have to do all this research?
DAMON: Well, I think the reason for it is really the concern that it is possible that others have the virus who may not be so well inclined or -- and possibly tend to use the virus in a malevolent way.
GUPTA (voice-over): So the CDC believes the smallpox stockpile should stay intact for now. The Russians want to keep theirs, as well. But there are many people who say, look, there's no need, there's no good reason to hold on to something that's so dangerous.
HENDERSON: I think we need to get rid of anything we can do to diminish the likelihood of smallpox being released, we should do.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Offering no apology for the raid that killed bin Laden but taking pains to mend ties with Pakistan. Senator John Kerry's mission coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Senator John Kerry is in Pakistan trying to ease anger over the secret U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden. He made it clear to the Pakistanis today that the Obama administration had absolutely no intention of apologizing for the Navy SEAL mission, which caught both bin Laden and the Pakistanis by surprise. But Kerry emphasized the importance in mending a fragile relationship that was nearly snapped by the Bin Laden attack, and a relationship Kerry says the U.S. believes is necessary in fighting the Taliban both in neighboring Afghanistan and in Pakistan.
Stan Grant is in the Pakistan capital, Islamabad, covering Kerry's visit. Stan, what's Kerry's key message do you think to the Pakistanis?
STAN GRANT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, Randi, he really came here, in his words, to reset this relationship. There's almost an acceptance here of the shortcomings but also a reality that the two need to be able to work together.
He had some hard words. He said that there are some very tough questions being asked in Washington right now about Osama bin Laden living in Pakistan, the fact that he was found here, what Pakistani officials may or may not have known about it. But he did say that they want to be able to move beyond that. They want to be able to take some concrete steps to put some things in place that they can actually measure, some real markers here to actually get this relationship moving again for both sides' sake.
He also drew a line in the sand when it came to criticism from Pakistan about the secrecy of the raid. He said it needed to be carried out that way. He said that the United States respects Pakistan's sovereignty.
But this is what he had to say to criticism that the United States had carried this out without respecting that sovereignty. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), FOREIGN RELATIONS CHAIRMAN: My goal has been to talk with the leaders here about how to manage this critical relationship more effectively, about how to open up the opportunities to put this relationship back on track where isolated episodes, no matter how profound, don't jeopardize the larger relationship and the larger goal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRANT: Now, some real concrete steps he's talking about in terms of getting the relationship started again. And there has been one concession that Pakistan it now going to return the damaged tail of the helicopter that was downed during that raid. And Senator Kerry's message overall here is that, look, Pakistan is also suffering because of the war on terror. The United States and Pakistan need to focus on things that unite them and not divide them. Randi.
KAYE: And Stan, what is Kerry saying about Pakistan lawmakers' threat to close the land routes to NATO supply trucks bound for Afghanistan? Because those are critically important.
GRANT: Yes. He really stayed away from anything that could be conjecture, anything that is speculative. He really did want to focus very, very much on the concrete steps that can be taken, in his words, to move this relationship forward, to try to reset it. He was asked about drone strikes, that the United States has been carrying out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Again, he said that is not something he wants to be able to talk about publicly.
And when asked whether he really trusts Pakistan, whether he really believes that no Pakistan official, no military or intelligence or the government were working or colluding with bin Laden, again he said there is no evidence to suggest that. He's going to wait for any inquiries that are underway to come out first, but he's simply not going to speculate. Randi.
KAYE: And Kerry had traveled to Pakistan after first visiting to Afghanistan. Did he tell the Pakistanis that?
GRANT: Yes. Of course, they are aware of that. Afghanistan is absolutely crucial, and if you look at the overall strategy from Barack Obama, it is really an AF-PAC strategy, that Pakistan and Afghanistan need to be able to work together. When he was in Afghanistan, he did raise some concerns there, once again, about members of the Taliban who were living in Pakistan and moving back and forth across that border. He very, very much wants both sides to be able to close that border. Again, he is looking for more cooperation, more of a commitment from the Pakistan side, Randi.
KAYE: All right. Stan Grant there for us in Islamabad. Thank you, Stan.
Time right now, about minutes before the hour. These are some of the top stories we are watching right now.
There will no presidential run for Donald Trump this time around. He released a statement less than an hour ago saying he had decided not to run for the presidency. In fine Trump form, though, he did say he thought he'd win the election, but that business was his greatest passion and he didn't want to leave the private sector. We'll have much more on this story throughout the day.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi by the chief prosecutor of the international criminal court. Gadhafi is being charged with crimes against humanity for Libya's crackdown on anti-government protesters. The prosecutor says Gadhafi ordered the killing of unarmed civilians and artillery attacks on funeral processions. Libya's deputy foreign minister says the government will just ignore the arrest warrant.
Police in Kenya are investigating the death of Olympic marathoner champion Samuel Wanjiru. The 24-year-odl died after jumping from the balcony of his home. Police say his wife had just caught him with another woman. Wanjiru had become a national hero after winning the Olympic marathon in Beijing three years ago.
Today is the first day for people to find out if they got tickets to the 2012 Summer games in London. Olympic organizers will start taking money out of the accounts of the nearly 2 million people who applied for seats. The results of the ticket lottery are random, so people may not actually be getting tickets for the events they even want to see. But around 6.5 million tickets are available.
Water is the most important element for human survival. So, how are astronauts living hundreds of thousands of miles from the Earth actually keep hydrated? We have the answer for you in two minutes.
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KAYE: This morning, the space shuttle Endeavour left on a 16-day mission to the international space station. And this made us think, well, how do astronauts living far outside our atmosphere get one of the most important elements of survival? We're talking about water.
Well, it turns out that they use what you are seeing images of right now. Check it out. The Cebate system, which uses a catalyst that reacts with carbon dioxide and hydrogen, both natural byproducts onboard the space station to produce methane and water. The methane is released, but approximately 1,000 to 2,000 liters of water are saved a year with this machine. A good amount, considering an astronaut only goes through about three to six liters a day, according to NASA. The system actually creates an 85 percent regeneration cycles, meaning for every 1,000 liters of water produced to the space station - brought there at least -- 850 liters are reused.
It may sound like a technology of the future, but it was originally developed by a Nobel-prize winning French chemist Paul Cebate in the early 1900s. According to Jason Cruzan, NASA's chief technologist for space operation, NASA is currently testing its long- form use for longer missions like trips to Mars for example.
Donald Trump has made up his mind on a presidential run, so how will his decision impact the field and the 2012 race? Your CNN political update is next.
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KAYE: Donald Trump won't be running for president in 2012. He made the announcement in a statement, released just a short time ago. Here's how he explained it. "I have spent the last several months unofficially campaigning and recognize that running for public office cannot be done half-heartedly. Ultimately, however, business is my greatest passion, and I am not ready to leave the private sector."
CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins me now from Washington. Paul, tell us more about this announcement. What do you make of it?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know, he has a little of that bravado that we have gotten used to, Randi. Listen, this is another thing he said in his announcement, in his statement. He said, "I maintain the strong conviction that if I were to run, I would have been able to win the primary and ultimately the general election." So, a little taste again of Donald Trump with his bravado there. But ultimately, yes, he is not running for the White House.
You know, we were planning on covering him this week in South Carolina. He was going to go down there in one of those crucial early voting states, the first primary in the South. I guess we won't be covering him anymore, Randi, when it comes to a race for the White House.
KAYE: Yes, at least not for that. I'm sure he'll figure out another way to get us all to cover him. But Paul, what does this mean to the field of Republican contenders?
STEINHAUSER: Well, it opens it up even more for those who haven't decided. Because remember, on Saturday, we had Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, somebody who ran for the Republican presidential nomination last time around saying he wouldn't run.
Now we have Donald Trump saying he won't run so kind of opens the door. Remember, we are waiting on Michele Bachmann, the congresswoman from Minnesota. Will she run or not? She's making moves towards it.
The same thing with Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah and of course, our ambassador to China, he's making moves. And Mitch Daniels, the Indiana governor, he is weighing a run for the Republican presidential nomination.
And there's one other person we are keeping our eyes on as well, Sarah Palin. Will these openings now or these, you know, these announcements that these two top men are not running change any of these minds? We'll see.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: We certainly will. Paul Steinhauser in Washington. Paul, thank you.
STEINHAUSER: Thank you.
