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Mexico Drug Lord Arrested; A Financial Planner Gives Advice to College Students and Grads; Venus Williams Discusses Her Recent Injury
Aired May 21, 2011 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: You're in the CNN Newsroom where the news unfolds live this Saturday, May 21st. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
Here are some of the stories that are happening right now. A manhunt is underway in Oklahoma City for two men who shot and wounded an off-duty deputy. Major John Waldenville had been working security at a restaurant overnight when the gunman shot him in the head. The 25-year-old veteran is listed in critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery.
Police in Mexico have arrested the leader of one of the country's most notorious drug reasons. Police say Gilberto Barragan Balderas operated a drug route between Mexico and the U.S. I talked to a former DEA agent about this gang a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OF BOB STRANG, FORMER DEA SPECIAL AGENT: This is major. You've got to remember this gang was responsible for large shipments over a long period of time, over ten years, that were coming from Mexico to United States. You're talking about cocaine, marijuana. Also, because they were able to free up the borders and get control over the borders, there is methamphetamine and heroin that crossed the borders as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Barragan was wanted in the United States. The United States offered a $5 million reward for his capture.
A suicide bomber attacked an Afghan military hospital in Kabul today. A Taliban spokesman claims 51 people died including foreigners. The afghan government puts the death toll at six with 26 others injured. The attack comes as General David Petraeus warns of a summer surge in high-profile Taliban attacks.
The Obama administration is sending an envoy to North Korea for the first time in two years. Robert King is the U.S. State Department special envoy for North Korean human rights. The White House says next week king will begin a five-day tour to look into the country's need for food. The U.S. cut off food aid to North Korea two years ago. The water is rising. Your neighbors are evacuating. What can you do? How about build your own levee. Our Martin Savidge found one family near Vicksburg, Mississippi, that did just that. Take a look. So far it is keeping the flood waters at bay and keeping three acres and the homestead high and dry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
I.N. HART, HOMEOWNER: When it got to 55.5, we knew we had to do something.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's worked. So far it's holding.
HART: So far it's holding. We started designing a levee to hold 105 feet. Then it came it was going to be 107, and when we started we said we're going to put it high as the levee will go, at 110 feet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So far, so good. Martin says the homeowner told him the family always wanted lake front property. Jacqui Jeras, some people keeping a great sense of humor. This is very serious. They're lucky. So far, so good.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, they worked for it, didn't they? It's amazing to think that all that effort paying off for now. But the thing that people have to keep in mind, not just with that one home, but also with the entire levee system, is that even though some of these places have crested or in the process of cresting, those things still have to hold for days if not weeks still ahead.
WHITFIELD: That's going to be the real test for them as well.
JERAS: So if we get through this entire event and everything holds through, that's incredible to think a system that is dozens and dozens of years old is still doing its job.
SO Let's talk a little bit about a few things in the forecast that concerns me a little bit coming up with the flood situation. The weather pattern has changed and things are becoming a little more active. Wet weather is going to be moving in over the middle Mississippi river valley and the Ohio River valley.
At this hour things are looking pretty good here. The only thing that's really happening is in the upper Mississippi river valley. You say can this make its way all the way downstream? Yes, it will. We don't think lit be heavy enough. In Minnesota, way up here is the source of the Mississippi River. It takes about 90 days for a drop of rain to make its way down to the Gulf of Mexico.
Let's talk about the rain in the next five days. We think things will become active later this evening. The big focus of the heavy rain is going to be in the Ohio River valley where we can see at much as three to six inches of rain. That's probably through the middle of next week.
The Ohio, remember, dumps into the lower Mississippi River valley. This I don't think is going to be enough to necessarily bring those levels back up to where they were before or bring them back up to record levels for those of you that have receded. It could be enough that it could keep the levels elevated a little bit longer, keep the crest around a little higher, keep flood stage around a little bit longer.
This is the forecast. We've crested now in Vicksburg. We're cresting in red river valley -- landing, excuse me, as well as Natchez and retaining the man-made flow in baton rouge and New Orleans. We're still looking at three weeks, talking middle of June, Fredricka, before all the areas will be above flood stage.
WHITFIELD: That's incredible. Thanks so much, Jacqui. We'll check back with you throughout the afternoon.
Meantime, politics now, a big day in the world of politics. Let's start of in Atlanta where a new name has been added to the list of GOP presidential candidates. Herman Cain officially declared his candidacy. The talk radio host and former CEO of Godfather's Pizza told supporters why he felt the need to run.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN, (R) GOP PRIMARY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have become a nation of crises. We have a moral crisis. We've got an economic crisis. We've got an entitlement spending crisis. We've got an immigration crisis. We've got a foggy foreign affairs crisis. And we've got a deficiency of leadership crisis in the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Cain is a Tea Party favorite, but he is trailing his GOP rivals in early polls.
Former Utah governor Jon huntsman is making a swing through New Hampshire prior to a probable run for the White House. He spoke at southern New Hampshire University's graduation today. But he didn't make an announcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON HUNTSMAN, (R) FORMER UTAH GOVERNOR: Talk about putting somebody on the spot. The only announcement I have here today is to say that your president, President Leblanc looks pretty darn studly in the bling he's got around his neck.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Barack Obama actually delivered the commencement speech at that same school four years ago.
Another Republican could soon toss his hat into the ring. Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty is expected to announce his candidacy for president Monday. And he has picked a special place to do that, neighboring Iowa. That's where the caucus kickoff usually takes place for the presidential primary calendar.
And getting your child to become an independent, financially strong person, we have five simple steps, next.
And after that, tennis champ Venus Williams talks about the industry that sidelined her, and she tells me face to face what she's thinking when she competes against her sister Serena.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: It's graduation season. For some of you this means your children are going to school or starting work. Karen Lee joins us to make sure you're financially savvy. This goes to your graduates, it's not your parents' responsibility to get you on board but it's yours as well. It's funny, most kids when they're graduating from high school or even college, they're not thinking about their financial future. They're thinking about the here and now.
KAREN LEE, FINANCIAL PLANNER: I have a high school senior. He's going to college. I thought, I've got three months.
WHITFIELD: Congrats on that.
LEE: Thank you. I have three months to teach him the skills he'll need to go off to college. The things we're going talk about, you'll be shocked when you think about, they've never gone to the bank and deposited a check.
WHITFIELD: What do you want him to do first?
LEE: The first thing we started with. This is a list of what I'm doing with my son. I've done some of them but not all of them, but I will before the summer is over. The first is the banking skills. He already had a savings account. We set up checking, got a small amount in there. Got him going online, figuring out how to transfer, make a check, make a deposit through the atm.
WHITFIELD: So really some kids graduate from high school and college and have never done that before?
LEE: Sure, if they don't have their own checking account. Go over all the hidden fees. He had no idea if you go to a different machine, there's going to be a fee here.
WHITFIELD: It adds up.
LEE: That's right. That's the banking. Of course, make sure you go overdraft, minimum balances, any of those hidden fees.
The next thing is going to be credit cards and debit cards.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh, especially for incoming freshmen, it's extraordinary how the credit companies seek out kids. You're trying to figure out your schedule, and now you're trying to make a decision about a credit card.
LEE: My children know that they are not to deal with those offers, that mommy will get them a credit card when we're ready.
What I'm doing to get him started, he already has one of my credit cards in his wallet for emergencies. I'll do what I do with my office staff, which is I've got the control account. He's going to have his own so we can segment out just his charges, teach him how to establish an online access so he can look at what he's got charging. It's going to be his responsibility to pay it off each month.
WHITFIELD: My mom did that. Thanks mom. She did that a while back.
LEE: We'll set a pretty low limit. The other thing real important is help them understand what a late fee is and what a finance or interest charge is. Again, they don't know.
WHITFIELD: So you've got to really hammer the message home about budgeting, though. You know what? You don't have it. Don't spend it. That will come later.
LEE: It will. When I thought about this, I thought this is going to be a hard one, to teach a college kid because really you're already paying for their room and board. What kind of bills do they have? We'll do it with spending money. We'll set him up, is it 50 buck as week or 75.
WHITFIELD: Allowance.
LEE: What I'll do is I'll suggest I'll put it in his account every two weeks just like a paycheck. He'll use that for spending or the credit card bill. Here is the tough part for parents -- you cannot send them extra money. If they call --
WHITFIELD: If they get in trouble, tuition is taken care of, board, all that good stuff, food. If they get in trouble, this is the time to say this is your tough lesson.
LEE: Tough love. Ask me in six months if I can stick to it. That's my plan right now.
WHITFIELD: Crack that whip. I know you can do it.
(LAUGHTER)
LEE: I hope so. This came to me later as I was thinking about this segment, to start to introduce to them what we think might be higher level concepts, insurance.
WHITFIELD: Kids are not thinking about that.
LEE: And saving.
WHITFIELD: They're definitely not thinking about that. LEE: How about the fact that when my kid gets his first job, I'm hoping he'll pay his own car insurance, his own health insurance. Is that a reasonable expectation?
WHITFIELD: If he's got a job.
LEE: I'd like to think so. He has no idea what we pay for those things. One other thing that smashed me to call my homeowner's company and find out, we're sending him to college with a new mac book. Is that covered under homeowners?
WHITFIELD: Interesting.
LEE: If you live on campus -- for theft. If you live on campus, it would be covered. If you live in an apartment, you should get renter's insurance. They suggested. They said, Karen, you're not going to make a claim, you've got a $1,000 deductible. They suggested I buy a personal article policy. For a $1,000 computer it's 30 bucks for the whole year.
WHITFIELD: So bottom line, as they get ready to embark on their lives postgrad high school or college, they need to think about the big picture, your future, period and include the finances.
LEE: You as a parent, it's probably one of your final things to teach them. The last thing most important, you need to paint a picture for them of your expectations. I've been saying to my son for several years, you're off my payroll in four years.
WHITFIELD: I'm not bailing you out.
LEE: That's right. Paint that picture if they're living at home. A lot of kids aren't finding jobs. If they live at home, I recommend they perhaps pay a little rent, cover some grocery money, set some expectations.
WHITFIELD: Karen Lee, thanks so much and all the best to your grad.
LEE: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Nerve-racking, too. Congrats. That's great. And you can reach Karen at KarenLeeandassociates.com.
It has been four months since tennis-great Venus Williams played in a tournament.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Would you have your druthers, would you be more anxious to be on the clay court of the French or the grass of Wimbledon?
VENUS WILLIAMS, TENNIS PRO: I would say more anxious on the clay court and grass.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Trick question and trick answer. Face to face with Venus Williams after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Tennis star Venus Williams turns 31 in just a few weeks. Returning to a grand slam tournament would be the perfect birthday present. Perhaps that's why she did sign up for the international in the U.K. The early June event is considered kind of a warm-up for Wimbledon.
She says she's nursing a muscle injury carefully and knocking down any rumors that she's considering retirement any time soon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Four months ago Venus Williams was at the Australian Open doubled over in pain, making an early exit. Now, back at home in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, all 6'2" of her standing tall, relaxed, seemingly taking it all in stride. I met up with Williams at her favorite practice courts. She tells me face to face she's upbeat.
WHITFIELD (on camera): What is the injury specifically?
WILLIAMS: I tore about three inches in my muscle.
WHITFIELD: This is a groin injury?
WILLIAMS: Yes, a muscle that runs from the groin straight through the stomach. So it's a pretty severe tear.
WHITFIELD: Where do you feel you are right now, 50, 60, 70, 80?
WILLIAMS: I think 70 percent, 80 percent.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): Not quite ready to do this again. Not yet.
WILLIAMS: I just go lightly and try to pay attention to my doctor's advice and just keep reevaluating week by week. I do get better week by week.
WHITFIELD: She admits it's frustrating being sidelined.
WHITFIELD (on camera): You like to win?
WILLIAMS: I love to win, not just like. It's addictive.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): As much as she misses competing --
WHITFIELD (on camera): Do you dare go to any of the tournaments?
WILLIAMS: I've been playing 17 years. I've been to a good amount of tournaments. And I don't necessarily need to be a spectator. I've drawn the line now. I can't watch anymore on TV because I deserve to be out there.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): Will she be ready in time for this month's French open or June's Wimbledon?
WHITFIELD (on camera): Would you have your druthers whether you would be more anxious on the clay court of the French or the grass of Wimbledon?
WILLIAMS: I would say I would be more anxious to be on a clay court and the grass.
(LAUGHTER)
I hope that answers your question.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): Professional tennis hasn't been the same without her, absent her more than 100-mile-per-hour serves, her show- stopping, personally designed outfits, the hits and the misses.
WILLIAMS: This is the famous French open dress exposed.
WHITFIELD: Talk about exposed, what about those flesh-toned bloomers that caused such a stir.
WILLIAMS: The nude bloomers have officially been retired.
WHITFIELD (on camera): You're very much a girly girl, right?
WILLIAMS: I'm a tough girly girl.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): She keeps a sense of humor. She's recovering, but the winner of 21 grand slam titles and three Olympic medals is far from retiring.
WILLIAMS: No. I'm definitely at the top of my game and had a couple injuries lately that have been some bad luck.
WHITFIELD: Among the opponents she can't wait to take on again, her 29-year-old sister Serena, recovering from her own medical scare, a pulmonary embolism just two months ago.
WILLIAMS: Thankfully Serena was able to get treatment, so that way she can lead a healthy, happy life.
WHITFIELD: And to anyone who ever doubted their genuine competitiveness in eight grand slam finals, it's complicated, but very real she says.
WILLIAMS: There was one year, maybe '08 where I was playing -- we had to play each other in the Wimbledon final and I sprained my thumb so bad, but I really couldn't hit a backhand, but I couldn't tell her that in the doubles. So I had to suck it up like nothing was wrong.
WHITFIELD: This time on her return, Venus Williams wants everything to be right. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Venus is not on the court this weekend as the French Open as begun. When she and I spoke, there was still a little bit of time to sign up for the French Open. But no, not going to happen. Who knows? There stale may be Wimbledon.
So Venus talks more about the sibling rivalry with her sister and a personal milestone just around the corner. We're face to face with the tennis champ in the next hour of the CNN Newsroom.
And a country music superstar is moved to action after seeing devastated Alabama and wants you to join him, a challenge from Hank Williams Jr., next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The biggest stars of country music are doing what they do best, performing, to raise money for the families of the tornado-ravaged south. One of those stars wants you to join him, to impact your world.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HANK WILLIAMS JR., MUSICIAN: Hi, I'm Hank Williams Jr. You can make an impact to help the people of Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, that have been totally devastated by the worst disaster in the history of the state. You have to be here. You just can't describe it. It's absolutely unbelievable.
These cities need, not millions, they need billions. Help is on the way. America can survive and Alabama can survive. So please join the movement "Impact your World." Go to CNN.com/impact.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Meantime, some people are saying today is doomsday. I'm asking for your tweets on this judgment day. One viewer says, quote, I'm playing "Rapture" by Blondie all day long. Another one says "I'm drinking and repenting for all my bad deeds." I'll have more of your comments throughout the afternoon.
But first, do you use ear plugs for your cell phone? Find out why you should, next on a special "DR. SANJAY GUPTA MD" right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
