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Obama, House GOP Talk Debt Limit; Big Fines for Aiming Lasers at Planes; White House Wants Another $2.4T to Spend; Palin, Trump Talk Politics, Eat; Boy, 13, Tortured and Killed; Congressman Calls Producer "Jackass"; Weiner: Done Talking About Photo; $50,000 Bail for Egyptian Executive; Endeavour Completes Final Mission; Singer Expected to Fully Recover; GOP Leaders Recruit New Candidates; Paris Hilton on Sex-Tape Scandal; Measuring Stress State-by-State; Report: Dempsey Leaving "Grey's"
Aired June 01, 2011 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): About to meet with congressional Republicans, all of them. The meeting comes after the GOP control of House who voted down the president's request to raise spending limits.
Right now feds are announcing a crackdown on the knuckleheads who shine lasers into aircraft cockpits. Safety experts say they can blind pilots and jeopardize landings. Last year, there were 2,800 cases, nearly double from the year before. N ew federal penalties will include massive fines.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Since the economy tanked a few years ago, many of us have tried to spend less and pay off more of our bills. Not the federal government. Just a couple weeks ago, the fed's maxed out their credit so to speak.
Right now, the government's debt ceiling is $14.3 trillion. That's trillion with a "t." The White House wants to bump up its spending limits another $2.4 trillion. It would push the new debt limit to $16.7 trillion.
Lawmakers in the House rejected that request yesterday. And at this hour, President Obama will make his pitch in person to congressional Republicans to change their minds.
Brianna Keilar is at the White House. This is gathering is unusual, but will it help?
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it certainly is unusual, Carol. President Obama has not met with all of the House Republicans and certainly there will be a few who aren't here, but the ideas that these are certainly almost all of the Republicans in the House.
He's only done this a couple other times by my count. This is being billed by White House Press Secretary Jay Carney and also Republican sources on the Hill as really a chance for the president to listen.
This is going to be Republicans kind of airing their concerns and saying their piece. The way we understand it, President Obama will open this discussion briefly and then House Speaker John Boehner is going to take over and he'll be calling on Republicans who will get to answer -- ask questions of President Obama.
This meeting is scheduled for over an hour, an hour and 15 minutes. So you can imagine there will be a lot that will be discussed. Certainly the debt limit will be discussed and that vote failed last night with Republicans voting against it and some Democrats joining Republicans.
As I understand it from Republican sources, they will be making demands with President Obama that he puts forth the vision on entitlement reform. This is a closed meeting. So we don't have access, Carol, exactly to what's going on inside.
But both sides have been emphasizing to me that these are not negotiations. That those are going on separately, of course, with Vice President Joe Biden who's leading those negotiations with Democrats and Republicans in Congress, Carol.
COSTELLO: So how are those negotiations going?
KEILAR: You know, there was some skepticism at first. A lot of people were paying attention to what was going on with the bipartisan gang of six in the Senate and those discussions kind of went all but belly up.
So a lot more attention is being paid to what's going on in these deficit reduction discussions with Vice President Joe Biden. You talk to both sides and they're putting very much an optimistic spin on things.
Just listen to what Jay Carney said yesterday talking about how there's agreement on deficit reduction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY CARNEY, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: We are committed to reducing the deficit. That's why we have moved so aggressively and seriously with these negotiations, why we're encouraged by the fact that we have produced positive results so far.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: But here's the thing, Carol, and you and I are going to continue to talk about this in the coming weeks. There is disagreement. Republicans have said they do not want tax increases.
Of course, the White House is pushing that for wealthy Americans. They say they want spending cuts and there is not, of course, overarching agreement on that ahead of that August deadline that the Treasury department has set -- or said exists for increasing the debt limit.
COSTELLO: Brianna Keilar, you're right. We're going to be talking about this for a long time. Brianna Keilar live at the White House.
All this talk about the debt ceiling, what does it all mean? Kind of makes your head spin, doesn't it? Well, the debt ceiling is sort of like the credit limit for your credit card only much, much bigger.
You've already heard it's about $14.3 trillion. This is money the government has already spent. Stacked on top of each other, 14 trillion dollar bills would reach from the earth to the moon, more than four times.
Your share of this pile of debt, just under $47,000. We hit the debt ceiling on May 16th. So the Treasury secretary is now juggling bills to keep the country from defaulting until August 2nd.
Secretary Geithner says not raising the debt limit by then would be, quote, "catastrophic." So we'll see what happens in Congress and that meeting at the White House.
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COSTELLO (voice-over): Let's talk about Sarah Palin now and her bus tour. It took a swing through Manhattan and she made a quick stop at the Trump tower where she met, as you see, Donald Trump who recently announced he would not launch a White House bid. The two shared a pizza, a private conversation and very few details on what they discussed.
SARAH PALIN, FORMER ALASKA GOVERNOR: What do we have in common? A love for this country and a desire to see our economy put back on the right track and making sure that we have a balanced trade arrangement with other countries across this world so that Americans can have our jobs, our industries, our manufacturing again.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you support Sarah Palin as president?
DONALD TRUMP, CEO, TRUMP INTERNATIONAL: Well, she didn't ask me for that. She's a terrific woman.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Donald and Sarah --
TRUMP: Well, she didn't ask - but, I will tell you. She's a great women, a terrific women and a good friend.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: A bit later, a CNN crew pressed Palin for a few more details. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PALIN: Talk about specific candidates and potential candidates, what our perception was of each of these folks. It was interesting. Yes. It's kind of on the same page there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How was dinner?
PALIN: Dinner was great. We had great pizza, wasn't that good? Real New York pizza. It was fun to get to be there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: As for Palin's political plans, she'll only say she's seriously considering a presidential bid.
Some Iowa businessmen aren't happy with any potential GOP candidates for president. They want Governor Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor to run. They flew all the way to New Jersey to talk to him about it.
Christie has said repeatedly he is not running. Was the trip worth it? We'll ask one of those powerful businessmen in a few minutes.
Also overseas, the brutal killing of a 13-year-old boy in Syria draws a strong response from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Gruesome pictures of the boy's body were posted online. Activists say he was tortured and mutilated by government forces. Here's what Secretary Clinton had to say.
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HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Every day that goes by, the position of the government becomes less tenable and the demands of the Syrian people for change only grow stronger.
And, therefore, we continue to urge an end to the violence and the commencement of a real process that could lead to the kinds of changes that are called for.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Let's bring in CNN's Zain Verjee with international reaction to this. Hi, Zain.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol. Hamza's death is really top of the mind of most newspapers around the world and editorials.
In "The Guardian" in the U.K., this is the headline "Teenage Victim Becomes a Symbol for Syria's Revolution." It says, Hamza has come to symbolize the innocent victims in a struggle for freedom against tyranny and repression.
The "International Herald Tribune," it says, "Syrians See Tortured Boy as Symbol of Brutal State." It says, the youth's battered body has cast into shocking relief the terrors wielded by the Syrian state against its people.
Thailand's "Nation" has this headline, "Heroes on the Streets Will Bring End Game for Syria's Bloody Junta." It says this heavy use of violence will allow it, meaning the government, to ride on the backs of the people, to insult them and torture them in ways they had never previously dreamed of. Carol --
COSTELLO: Zain Verjee, I mean, I just wonder what leverage the United States has over Syria just going back to our possible role on what happens in that country.
VERJEE: The U.S. doesn't really have a whole lot of effective leverage right now, Carol. I mean, there are already sanctions in place. They want to push for harder sanctions.
They have already frozen the assets of specific individuals and also the thing, too, is unlike in other countries, there is no cohesive opposition that the U.S. can back. And the developments in Syria have wide ramifications for the U.S. if it goes down. So it's definitely really worrying.
COSTELLO: Zain Verjee, live in London. Thanks so much.
It's fair to say the story about Congressman Anthony Weiner and that lewd picture sent from his Twitter account is, well, it's getting more intense. Listen.
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REP. ANTHONY WEINER: You do the questions, I do the answer and this jackass interrupts me? How about that as a new rule of the game?
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COSTELLO: Weiner is being pressed to answer more questions about that story. We'll talk about what the congressman is saying and what he isn't saying in a few minutes.
Plus, is McDreamy really McDone with "Grey's Anatomy"? The latest stories in showbiz coming your way, next.
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COSTELLO: The pressure is mounting on Congressman Anthony Weiner to answer questions about that lewd photo that was posted on his Twitter account and things are getting heated.
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REPRESENTATIVE ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: I do the answers and this jackass interrupts me? How about that as the new rule to the game?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congressman --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's also trying to get answers.
WEINER: Let me just give the answer. The objective of the person who is doing the mischief is to try to distract me from what I'm doing. For the last couple of days that has happened, I've made a decision, I'm not going to let it happen today or tomorrow. You're doing your job. I understand it. Just go ahead and do it. You'll have to do it without me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The 21-year-old woman who supposedly -- who was supposedly meant to be the recipient of the picture says the congressman did not send it and Weiner says his account was hacked.
But the man you saw questioning that congressman is a long-time CNN Capitol Hill producer, Ted Barrett. Here's what he had to say about the exchange on Capitol Hill.
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TED BARRETT, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL PRODUCER: I think his answers have not been forthcoming. He has not tried to offer any evidence or specific proof as to why this was a prank or a hack, as he had said. And so we needed to get at why he wasn't being forthcoming with us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Kate Bolduan live on Capitol Hill. Kate, tell us a little more about Congressman Weiner.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he's well known up here, of course, on Capitol Hill, Carol. He is a New York Democrat, a reliable liberal member of the House. He's married to a long-time aide to Hillary Clinton, actually.
If you're a Democrat, you like having him on your side. If you're a Republican, if you don't agree with him politically, he definitely is a worthy opponent and a fiery opponent at times.
I think some of our viewers may remember most Congressman Weiner from a while ago having quite a heated debate and very passionate words on the House floor during a debate over a health care bill for 9/11 first responders. I think we have a little bit of that debate to remind our viewers of.
COSTELLO: So do you think this will go away eventually?
BOLDUA: I mean, that kind of is up to the media coverage as well as Congressman Weiner. First, Carol, just kind of rewind a little bit to show our viewers that fiery debate that I was talking about in the House to remind our viewers a little more about Anthony Weiner.
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WEINER: You vote yes if you believe yes. You vote in favor of something you believe it's the right thing. If you believe it's the wrong thing, you vote no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yield to the gentlemen. WEINER: I will not yield to the gentlemen and the gentleman will observe regular order. The gentleman will observe regular order!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Well, that debate was one of his colleagues on the Republican side. Anthony Weiner is also known for not being shy for calling out even his own party or even the White House.
He can frequently criticize his own party and the White House for not standing their ground. While we are not seeing the side of him right now that we're seeing our viewers, Carol, he's also known for quick whit and be quick to make fun of his own name.
So he's known to be quite a seasoned politician and media savvy, but now he has answers -- well, we'll hopefully get more answers today as we're trying to --
COSTELLO: Simpler answers and not talking points, which he seems to be giving out. Kate Bolduan, live on Capitol Hill, thank you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO (voice-over): Checking stories cross country now, another international businessman accused of sexually assaulting a New York hotel maid. He's been arraigned. Bail was set at $50,000 for that Egyptian executive.
Last month as you might remember the head of the International Monetary Fund was accused of sexually assaulting a maid at another New York hotel.
It is the end of an era for the space shuttle "Endeavour." Earlier this morning, it completed its final mission with a picture perfect landing in Florida. The landing means that NASA's 30-year-old space shuttle program has only one flight remaining.
Singer Sean Kingston is expected to make a full recovery following a jet ski crash in Miami. Sources tell us the 21-year-old suffered a broken jaw, a fractured wrist and water in his lungs.
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COSTELLO: Some Republicans in Iowa are not too happy with the list of potential Republican candidates for president. They are more interested in New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, even though he's repeatedly said he's not interested in running for president.
Still, yesterday this group of powerful Republican businessmen flew to the governor's mansion in Trenton to meet with him and maybe get him to bend a little. Bruce Rastetter is one of the Republican business leaders who made the trip.
He's the CEO of Hawkeye Energy and Summit Farms. Thank you for being with us.
BRUCE RASTETTER, CEO, HAWKEYE ENERGY HOLDINGS: Well, thank you for having me.
COSTELLO: Tell us what happened at the meeting.
RASTETTER: Well, we originally set the meeting up to build a relationship with Governor Christie to ask him to lend his voice to national issues and encourage him to run for president.
And by the way, it wasn't out of that we don't think the field is strong enough, we just think highly of Governor Christie and thought it was important at this juncture in the country that he consider running for president.
COSTELLO: Well, I hear you, but I still would like to ask you this question. What does Chris Christie have in your mind that Mitt Romney doesn't?
RASTETTER: Well, I think what Chris Christie has that a number of political aspirants don't have is the ability to be very blunt and direct and articulate and be able to communicate in such a way that you know exactly what he's thinking.
He has a common sense approach to government in terms of how he approaches issues and problems. And I think clearly at this time when there needs to be blunt talk on how we cut the budget and how we deal with budget deficits and how we prioritize and make things better, I think his style of governing and his approach and humility is really critical in how he has that common sensibility.
COSTELLO: Some Republicans say that Sarah Palin has a common sense aura to her. When you see her on her bus tour going across the country, seeing her meeting with Donald Trump in Manhattan, what goes through your mind? Is that a good thing for the Republican Party?
RASTETTER: Well, I think the broader the field, the better. And I've met Sarah Palin and I think one of the abilities she has is to talk in a way that connects with people in America.
COSTELLO: Should she run for president?
RASTETTER: I think rather than beat around the bush, I think people know where she's coming from, where she's at and if she chooses to do that, there's a number of people that will support her.
COSTELLO: She hasn't exactly reached out to, you know, prominent politicos in Iowa. She's running an unusual campaign. What is your reaction to that?
RASTETTER: I don't know that she's running. I think that she's -- she has again, an interest in having a discussion and sending a message and clearly communicating with Americans. She has been to Iowa a number of times and met with a number of people, including fund-raisers a year ago. She's been here.
COSTELLO: OK, so just back to Chris Christie. So do you think there's any way that you or anybody else can convince him to run for president? RASTETTER: You know, I think, my sense was from last night that he's made a commitment to the people of New Jersey. And I think the people of new jersey need to ask themselves the question, if they'd be better off and we'd be better off as a country having Chris Christie as their governor or as their president.
And I think as the summer goes on, that would be a great question for people in New Jersey to ask and clearly the governor has a commitment to make sure does he as good a job at being governor of New Jersey as he can.
COSTELLO: Mr. Rastetter, thank you for joining us this morning. We appreciate it.
RASTETTER: Thank you.
COSTELLO: Another celebrity's emotional drama takes center stage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PARIS HILTON: I just felt so betrayed. This is not some random guy. This was someone I was with for a few years.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That you loved?
HILTON: I thought I did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Paris Hilton opens up about her sex tape scandal as her mom breaks down on air. That's next.
And are you feeling less stressed these days? According to a new Gallup poll, it may be about where you live. Washington, D.C. ranks number five among the least stressed states followed by South Dakota, North Dakota and Wyoming at number two. Which is the nation's least stressed state? We'll tell you after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: And as promised we've identified the nation's least stressed state. You guessed this, but if I could have a drum roll. Thank you. The least stress state in America is Hawaii, the Aloha state tops the Gallup poll for three years in a row.
On to entertainment news now, he's been the heart and the heartthrob of "Grey's Anatomy" since episode one, but there are reports now he is checking himself out of the hospital.
Katie Caperton has all the dirt for us. She's the entertainment editor at cnn.com. Katie, welcome.
KATIE CAPERTON, CNN.COM ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Hello.
COSTELLO: So Patrick Dempsey is going to go? CAPERTON: He might. He might. He gave an interview to Italian "Vanity Fair" and he said next season, that's it, I'm out, I'm done.
And of course, his publicist has followed up with a statement saying it was out of context. That's not what he meant to the say. What he meant to say is that his contract is up next season. So we don't know what the future holds.
COSTELLO: Well, is "Grey's Anatomy" still doing well?
CAPERTON: It's still doing well. People love it. You know, there's a big fan reaction this morning. Everyone saying please don't go. Please don't go.
In my opinion, it isn't like George Clooney leaving "E.R.," but it's "Grey's Anatomy" that have a lot of bad characters leave over the past few years.
Obviously, Katherine Heigl left and that was a big back and forth for a few months whether she's going to stay or whether she was going to go. So if he does leave, the writers have some --
COSTELLO: True, OK. I hate talking about this, but I guess we must because that's what my producer tells me. Paris Hilton is back. I don't know why, but she's back. She gave an emotional interview to Piers Morgan, but then I always think is that really real?
CAPERTON: It's real. Yes, she's back. You can't avoid her. It's funny because for somebody who is in the spotlight so much for so long, warranted or not, we didn't hear from her a lot over the last two years.
But she's now staging a comeback of sorts. She has a new reality show on the Oxygen Network and she went on the Piers show last night to talk about it.
And of course, they talked about the sex tape and she said she's very sad and upset, and how she dealt with it. But at the end of the interview, Piers asked her how she would like to be remembered at the end her life.
And she said that she likes to be remembered for making people smile and having a big heart. So I hate to break it to you, Paris, I think the sex tape is how we're going to remember you.
COSTELLO: I know -- I actually think we have a clip from the Piers Morgan show. So let's let her roll.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILTON: Now when people look at me, they think that I'm something I'm not, just because of one incident, one night with someone who I was in love with.
It's hard because I'll never -- I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life and explain it to my children. It's something that has changed my life forever. I'll never be able to erase it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Come on.
CAPERTON: The look on your face.
COSTELLO: I think she's had brushes with the law, drunk driving. She went to jail. She was crying.
CAPERTON: Yes.
COSTELLO: She based a reality show on the pub she got from that sex tape.
CAPERTON: It wasn't one night, one incident. It's been a lot of incident, but you can't deny it the public is fascinated by her.
COSTELLO: Well, maybe a segment. OK. Thank you very much. It was a fun conversation, though, I must say.
Sarah Palin's bus tour makes a stop in New York City for pizza and she asked Donald Trump to join her. But what message is coming out of this pizza party? We'll have more on that, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Her bus tour stops in New York City and Sarah Palin invites Donald Trump out for pizza and late-night comedian Jimmy Kimmel puts his spin on how he thinks that meeting went.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY KIMMEL, COMEDIAN: Here's a weird pairing. Sarah Palin tonight had dinner with Donald Trump in New York. She walked in the restaurant, shot that rodent right off his head, first thing out. They had a two-hour conversation, consisting mostly of you're fired and you betchas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: What a better set up for "Political Buzz," a rapid-fire look at the hottest political topics of the day. Each of our brilliant political observers get 20 seconds to answer three probing questions. Cornell Belcher is a Democratic pollster, Dean Obeidallah is an award-winning comedian, and Will Cain is a conservative political analyst and CNN contributor.
Welcome to you all. Let's get to question number one. The president meets with a bunch of Republicans at the White House today. In fact, that meeting is going on right now. They'll be talking about whether the debt ceiling should be raised. Is this a good sign or a waste of time? Cornell?
CORNELL BELCHER, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: It's a good sign. What's a bad siren is yesterday you had Republicans go on the floor and basically, you know, introduce the bill that they knew they weren't going to pass. And then they back channeled their Wall Street buddies saying don't worry about it. They were putting on political theater.
But this is a good thing ultimately because we have to get this passed.
COSTELLO: Will?
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Look, a, there must be spending reform. The people want it, politicians know it. B, the debt ceiling must be raised, period. Unless you're an advocate for depression, a concept which is not without its merits.
So, how do we work these out? These guys have to get together. Is it a waste of time? no. Is it a good sign? We'll see.
COSTELLO: Dean?
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, COMEDIAN: I think it's a great sign. I think they have to do more than that. They should go to dinner, maybe take a carriage around New York City, go to a Broadway show. They need to talk.
But the one thing that President Obama that I hope he doesn't give in, the Republican plan to decimate Medicare as we know it. My mom is an older American. She depends on it. Millions of other Americans do. So, give in on certain things, but please don't give in on Medicare.
COSTELLO: OK, question number two. Sarah Palin and Donald Trump meet over pizza in New York. What message are they sending the Republican establishment? Will?
CAIN: That they're two peas in a pod, they're birds of a feather. They're reality television hosts who will, for populace, tell people whatever they want to hear.
By the way, what does that mean, establishment? I used to think I knew what that meant. Now, it's anybody for whom Sarah Palin and Donald Trump don't send a tingle up their leg. So, I don't know. I don't know what establishment is.
COSTELLO: Cornell?
BELCHER: Establishment is all the people you have running for Republican nomination. What this is saying, the field is so weak, that you can have someone without an ounce of policy experience, not even a coherent ideal, leap into the race and probably end up being the second person if not the frontrunner in your Republican primary.
COSTELLO: Dean?
OBEIDALLAH: I think they're testing the waters for a great new reality show that I would watch every day. Palin and Trump would be a great team. But how frustrating it must be for, like, Mitt Romney and for Tim Pawlenty, trying to get some traction while Trump and Palin go to the Olive Garden and get more press. So, it's a challenging time for the mainstream Republicans by far.
COSTELLO: OK, now it's time for the Buzzer Beater. Ten seconds apiece only. Congressman Anthony Weiner, a Democrat, a liberal, and evasive about a lewd tweet supposedly sent to a college student. Will this hurt him politically? Cornell?
BELCHER: I don't think -- I hope it won't hurt him politically. I don't even understand the story.
Look, I'm old school. Ladies, if you want to send me naked pictures, send them to my e-mail.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: Will?
CAIN: Either his Facebook and Twitter account were hacked, which is a pretty big deal, or he took a picture of himself in his britches half-massed. I don't see how this doesn't hurt him politically.
COSTELLO: Dean?
OBEIDALLAH: I think Americans are tired of politics as usual. Anthony Weiner's changed that. He's - I think all elected officials should send pictures of their own underwear to their constituents. Let's see that they have nothing to hide. That's what Americans want --
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
OBEIDALLAH: We want a different kind of politician.
COSTELLO: I'm glad time ran out on that one. I was getting scared. Thanks to all of you for playing "Political Buzz" today. Of course, "Political Buzz" will be back tomorrow. It was fun.
Checking our top stories now. Joran Van der Sloot, remember him? Well, his lawyer is throwing in the towel, saying he cannot defend him against murder allegations in Peru. He's citing differences over strategy. Van der Sloot is a one-time suspect in the disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway.
Beginning today, civil unions are legal in Illinois. That means same-sex couples can enjoy many of the rights usually reserved for married couples, which include hospital visitation, the ability to make emergency decisions for their partners and adoption. Five other states plus D.C. have similar laws.
Will and Kate are perhaps one of the most photographed couples in the entire world. Now, just over a month after their wedding, a never-before-seen photo is featured on the cover of "Vanity Fair." The magazine also has details about the couple's honeymoon.
The World Health Organization now says exposure to cell phone radiation might cause cancer. Elizabeth Cohen has been following this and has the latest for us. And you know, the word might is in there which says to me, like, I don't know what to think about this.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they use the word possibly.
COSTELLO: Oh, that makes it better.
COHEN: Cell phones possibly being a carcinogen for humans. So, there's still this question mark, but I will tell you, Carol, this say big deal. This is the first time a big, respected group has said, you know what? There might be a link here, there's a possible link here. Before everyone said there's no there there. Saying there is there there is a big deal. It puts cell phones in a category along with things like lead and car exhaust and chloroform. Those are other things that are in the same category.
COSTELLO: OK, so how freaked out should I be?
COHEN: All right. I'm going to tell you not to be freaked out. And here's why. First of all, whatever damage you might have done is done. If you were on your cell phone 24/7 --
COSTELLO: Oh great, Elizabeth!
COHEN: I mean, it's done, right? So, first of all, we don't know that damage was done. But if it was done, it's done.
And here's the other good thing. Here's the other piece of good news. There's something you can do about the future. That is -- let me get my phone here.
COSTELLO: Props.
COHEN: Do not do this. All right?
COSTELLO: Which I've been doing for the last 15 years!
COHEN: Right. And there's really no reason to be doing that, all right? Because we have these things called headsets. Headsets. OK, we need to remember these. A Bluetooth headset is fine. You can put this on and hold your phone at a distance. And that way the radiation goes out into the air instead of into -- you know what's on the other side of this phone? My brain.
COSTELLO: And right into other people walking near you?
COHEN: What's great about this, and sort of the good news here is this radiation, it sort of dissipates very quickly. So, if you hold it like this, you're not really hurting yourself nearly as much as if you're doing this.
COSTELLO: What about holding the phone? See, there's so many questions that come up. What about holding the phone? Doesn't the radiation from your phone affect your hand?
COHEN: You know, I suppose that might be true. But that's not the same as affecting your brain. I mean, that's a whole different thing. All the experts I talked to, even the ones who are extremely concerned about this say, look, just do this. It's very simple. Just do this.
COSTELLO: OK, so what do cell phone makers say about this? Because they can't be really happy right now.
COHEN: No, I don't think they are very happy because they've been saying for years we don't think this there is a link here, you know, forget it. But we have an actual statement from them. Let me read part of it. The Wireless Association says, "This classification from WHO does not mean cell phones cause cancer. The WHO finding is based on limited evidence." So, that's their stance.
COSTELLO: OK. I'll talk like this. No, actually, I'll use my ear buds.
COHEN: Do you want me to lend this to you? I can throw it to you, right? Can you catch it?
COSTELLO: You seem so far away! But thanks!
(LAUGHTER)
COHEN: You're welcome!
COSTELLO: We appreciate it.
Japan's nuclear crisis, remember that? The newest hope may now rest in the oldest hands.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (via translator): My generation, the old generation, promoted the nuclear plants. If we don't take responsibility, who will?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Retirees volunteer to return to the crippled nuclear plant for a final mission. We'll have their stories coming up.
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COSTELLO: This morning, some new developments in Japan's nuclear crisis. A short time ago, an international group of atomic watchdogs issued a mixed report. The IAEA blasted Japan's planning for tsunamis but praised its overall response to the disastrous meltdown.
And now a group of seniors is volunteering to help bring the crisis to an end.
CNN's Kyung Lah has more on these so-called suicide corps.
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KYUNG LAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In this cramped office, these seniors are leading the charge to get retirees back on the job, for one last and critical call.
(on camera): You want to do this.
YASUTERU YAMADA, RETIREE: Yes, sure. Why not?
LAH: Why?
YAMADA: I'm the one of the eldest people.
LAY (voice-over): Age, says 72-year-old Yasuteru Yamada, is a plus when the work site is the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant, a place still dangerous, highly contaminated with radiation after the tsunami caused a full meltdown in at least one of the reactors. These workers are the frontline to control the national crisis at high risk of exposure and long-term health impacts. The elderly, says this group, don't worry about much, anything belong term.
"Death becomes familiar as we get older," says 69-year-old Kazuko Sasaki. "We have a feeling death is waiting for us. Not that I want to die, but we're not afraid of it."
She's not the only one. Two hundred and fifty volunteers, all over the age of 60, are now compiled in this database. Calling into the group, volunteering to work at the plant, a team calling themselves the "Skilled Veterans Corps." An idea that Japan's point man to the nuclear crisis initially brushed off last week, saying, quote, "our principle is we should stick to procedures that would not require such a 'suicide corps.'" A label these seniors reject, saying they prefer doing what's right.
"My generation, the old generation, promoted the nuclear plants. If we don't take responsibility, who will?"
(on camera): We called TEPCO at their Tokyo headquarters. They would not speak to CNN on camera. A spokesperson had this to say, though, about the elderly volunteers, "Thanks, but no thanks. We have plenty of employees."
The seniors, though, don't buy it. The government has already told a nuclear regulatory agency that it needs to come up with a system to boost the number of workers, implying they are concerned about a worker shortage.
(voice-over): Workers like Hikaru Tagawa, a temp who once worked at the Fukushima plant. "Nothing can make me go back to work there," he says. He calls the levels of radiation too dangerous.
Whether concerns of a worker shortage or the persuasive seniors, just this week, the same government point man who called the seniors a "suicide corps" appears to be less resistant to the idea of elderly volunteers. He now says, "I met the leader of the group," says Goshi Hosono, "and we have started a discussion, looking for any possible, practical next step."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Kyung Lah reporting.
Checking stories "Cross-Country" now. A commercial flight from Washington, D.C. bound for Ghana got turned around after a fight broke out between two passengers.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CONTROLLER: United 990 heavy, supervisor wants to know if you have the passenger secured.
PILOT: Negative, the passenger is not secured at this time. The passenger has settled down, though. But an assault has taken place. But at this time, he is not secured.
CONTROLLER: United 990 roger.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Happened Sunday night and prompted a pair of Air Force jets to escort the plan back to Dulles. Police met the passengers at the gate, but in the end no charges were filed. We did reach out to United Airlines for more information, and we've gotten no reply.
To Arkansas now, a reporter went from covering the news to making the news. It was all caught on tape. KARK reporter Adam Rodriguez swam to the rescue of a woman whose SUV got stuck on a flooded road. Both reporter and rescued woman are OK. Her vehicle is another story.
And Florida has a new law requiring adult welfare recipients to undergo drug tests. Republican governor Rick Scott signed the measure. It goes into effect next month.
There's a live event happening right now, and it involves our secretary of state Hillary Clinton. She's speaking to the press at the State Department. And she's talking about Afghanistan now, so we wanted to listen in.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
HILLARY CLINTON, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: -- are very concerned any time there is any civilian casualty caused by the NATO ISEF military mission. And every single one of the issues or events that is brought to the attention of the military command is investigated thoroughly.
General Petraeus has consistently emphasized that we have to do everything in our power to reduce the number of civilian casualties, and we are seeing a steady increase of Afghan lead through their army and security forces on any night raids. And procedures are being put into place in preparation for a transition to greater Afghan responsibility to ensure that such operations are properly authorized and approved by senior representatives of the government of Afghanistan.
So, we're going to continue to do everything we can to express our deep regret when a terrible incident occurs and civilians are injured or killed. And I would only underscore that that stands in stark contrast to the indiscriminate kill be, the suicide bombing, the IED, the improvised explosive devices that are used by the insurgents without regard for any human life.
With respect to Yemen, we continue to watch the situation, and we are where we've been for weeks in doing everything we can, along with the international community, to convince President Saleh to step down from power. If it wasn't obvious before, it certainly should be now that his presence remains a source of great conflict, and unfortunately as we have watched over the last several days, even, you know, military action and violence.
President Saleh was given a very good offer that we strongly backed by the Gulf countries. And we cannot expect this conflict to end unless President Saleh and his government move out of the way to permit the opposition and civil society to begin a transition to political and economic reform.
And finally, you asked me a question about a third country in one question --
QUESTION: Mubarak's trial.
CLINTON: Mubarak's trial. That is a decision for the Egyptians to make. Obviously, we want to see the rule of law. We want to see appropriate due process. And procedures followed in anyone's trial, particularly in such a highly charged trial as that will certainly be.
And we are keeping very close watch on events in Egypt. We're, you know, disturbed by the reports of efforts to crack down on journalists and bloggers and judges and other which is we don't think is in keeping with the direction that the Egyptian people were heading when they started out in Tahrir Square.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next question goes to Luis Fernandez (OFF- MIKE)
QUESTION: Madam Secretary --
COSTELLO: OK, we're going to step away. Hillary Clinton answering questions about three country which is would be Egypt, Yemen and also Afghanistan. On the Afghanistan front, she was answering questions about the -- Hamid Karzai's demands that the U.S. led coalition stop air strikes on civilian homes. As you know, that demand came after a U.S. military air strike in the Helmand province killed nine civilians, including women and children.
We'll keep following that press conference. If there's any more information to come out, of course, we'll pass it along.
A man that many Republicans would like to see run for the White House is facing a flap in his home state. It seems New Jersey governor Chris Christie took a state helicopter to see his son's game. Our "Political Ticker" comes your way in less than ten minutes. We'll be back.
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COSTELLO: The Dow down now 164 points. Not good, but hopefully an uptick will take place soon. We'll get to the New York Stock Exchange shortly.
But right now, imagine a not-for-profit restaurant that the serves the hungry customer and the community, too. CNN's Tom Foreman has the recipe in his "Building Up America" report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In busy downtown Charlotte, by lunchtime folks had built up an appetite. So at the King's Kitchen Restaurant, that's when the real building begins because Chef Jim Noble's goal every day is to help his diners help their community.
CHEF JIM NOBLE, KING'S KITCHEN: And I think everybody wants to help. They just don't know how.
FOREMAN: Noble is one of the state's most renowned chefs and deeply religious. So he opened the King's Kitchen a year and a half ago as a non-profit restaurant. The money made here goes to programs that feed the poor throughout the community. Last year -- $50,000.
Mindful of recessionary pitfalls that could derail this effort the chef started by raising enough donations to open without any loans.
NOBLE: This is not the best time in the world to get in debt in a restaurant, you know. So -- so we wanted to do this debt- free.
Number five. And what does that say?
FOREMAN: The restaurant also offers job training for jobless people, folks such as Philip Lewis who joined the program less than two months ago when he heard about it at church.
PHILIP LEWIS: I've gotten more than I've asked for here. Faith, finances, everything I needed this place has given me. It's a life-changing place.
No matter where you are in your life and it brings something positive to it that wasn't there before.
FOREMAN: Sure, this non-profit restaurant competes with Chef Noble's for-profit places but he has faith there is room for all.
NOBLE: Sometimes in life you have to make a distinction between success and significance.
FOREMAN: And for him, the significance lies in knowing every plate that goes out of the kitchen here means poor people are being fed all over town.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Charlotte, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Coming up in the hour of the CNN NEWSROM, a man drowns in San Francisco Bay while firefighters and police do nothing. And it's all because of budget cuts. Next hour, we'll talk to the fire chief.
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COSTELLO: Sarah Palin's East Coast bus tour made a stop in New York for pizza, and Palin shared that pizza with Donald Trump. You see the picture right there.
Jim Acosta joins us from Washington. So, what did they talk about, Jim?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Apparently they were handicapping the field for 2012. And that might give us at least some hints as to what Sarah Palin and Donald Trump may be up to. They're obviously toying with the idea of running in 2012. Trump recently said he's not running and now has been hinting he may jump back in as an independent. You know, Palin and her family did go to the statue of liberty this morning and they're heading up to Boston. And then we're expecting to see her up in New Hampshire. So, plenty of 2012 speculation there.
Also, the other story we're watching this morning is Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey. According to media reports out of New York, including our affiliate WPIX in New York City, they are reporting that the governor there used a state helicopter to go to his son's baseball game on the taxpayers dime in New Jersey yesterday. So, we're following up on that one as well, Carol.
COSTELLO: Ooh, not good for Chris Christie. We'll see what happens. Jim Acosta, live in Washington. Many thanks to you.
ACOSTA: You bet.
COSTELLO: CNN NEWSROOM with Suzanne Malveaux coming up right after our break.
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