Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Mitt Romney Announces Bid for Presidency; Russia Bans Veggie Imports; Saving Detroit's Schools
Aired June 02, 2011 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: It is a fact of American politics, if you want to run for president, you have to spend time in New Hampshire, and sometimes you have to share the spotlight.
If you were with us just last hour, you saw Mitt Romney, after months of campaigning and fundraising, declaring that he's actually officially running for the Republican nomination in 2012.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The last few years haven't been the best of times. But while we've lost a couple of years, we have not lost our way. The principles that made this nation a great and powerful leader of the world have not lost their meaning. They never will. We know we can bring this country back.
I'm Mitt Romney. I believe in America. And I'm running for president of the United States.
(APPLAUSE)
ROMNEY: Thank you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Well, guess who else is visiting the Granite State today? Sarah Palin's One Nation bus tour is on the move, and on a mission which Palin says is reminding Americans what our foundation is. Palin says she's sure Romney won't object to her coming.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN (R), FMR. VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If he personally would be offended by me stepping foot in a state that he is in, I wouldn't do it, but I don't believe that Governor Romney is offended at all. We happen to have on our schedule a stop to meet some good people and have some good New Hampshire food.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not kind of drown him out?
PALIN: Not at all. And truly, if he were to be personally offend by us being in the same state, I wouldn't do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: Now, Sarah Palin is not a declared candidate, by the way, nor is former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who also feels the need to spend the day in New Hampshire.
And all this brings me to Candy Crowley, the host of CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" and our chief political correspondent. She joins me from where else? New Hampshire.
Candy, nice to see you.
Does Romney's announcement change anything, do you think? I mean, it's not like he was on the fence, right, about running?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: No. And this was, you know, the least surprising of any of the announcements that have come.
This basically is a candidate who has been preparing since losing the last time around to make a second run at it. He's been doing it quietly and below the radar.
He's set up a PAC, gave money to various congressmen along the way, picking up those chips, working important states, including this one of New Hampshire, which really is a must-win for the former governor of Massachusetts, of course right next door. So not a surprise.
Does it change anything? It further solidifies the race.
And what it's -- it's kind of a marker on the calendar, Randi, which says to other candidates, get in or get out, one of the two here. So you look at people like Sarah Palin, you look at people like Rudy Giuliani, and you say, if you're going to do it, people are beginning to kind of take sides here, and they don't have a whole lot of time left.
KAYE: And what do you make, Candy, of Palin's historical mystery tour? I mean, she certainly was maybe stealing a little bit of Romney's thunder today. Should he be worried about her?
CROWLEY: I can only tell you that he didn't seem to be. Listen, if Sarah Palin gets into the Republican presidential race -- and I can tell you, I didn't find anybody here among a lot of New Hampshire experts on politics who actually believed she was going to -- but nonetheless, if she should, she's going to be a force. And she and Mitt Romney appeal to very different parts of the Republican Party.
She, today, said that she didn't think that his Massachusetts health care plan would be anything that he could sell to the Tea Party. And of course the Tea Party is a major backer, at least Tea Party people a major backer to Sarah Palin. So she'll be a force, but let's also remember that keeping herself in the headlines is a way obviously to keep your profile high, and that keeps your speaking engagements high, it keeps selling books.
So, again, I didn't find anyone here who actually thought she was going to run, but you don't know. I don't think it changes the way Mitt Romney runs his race, because he can't be Sarah Palin, and vice versa.
KAYE: I just want to quickly get your thoughts on this. I mean, I found it interesting that Romney took aim today in his speech at Obamacare. But isn't health care reform with mandates his own Achilles' heel, really?
CROWLEY: It is. It has been. And they're trying to shake it.
And I think also in the speech today, you heard him say that Romneycare -- that is the care that he -- health care he put in place in Massachusetts, which was very close to the president's health care package that was passed -- saying that was a state solution to a state problem. And he wants people to see a difference between, OK, I thought it was right for Massachusetts at the time, but it's a federal power grab and it shouldn't be done at the federal level.
We'll see if that sells. It's certainly his best attempt to try to explain that to people who are a little suspicious about the fact that he supported mandates for people that have to buy health care, something now pretty much anathema in the Republican Party.
KAYE: Candy Crowley, thank you. Nice to talk with you.
CROWLEY: Thank you.
KAYE: Well, one of the names often floated among the possible GOP hopefuls, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. But in a new controversy over his use of a state helicopter to get to his son's little league game could throw a wrench in any presidential plans.
Governor Christie holds a news conference just about an hour and a half from now, at 3:30, and CNN will bring that to you live.
Our other top story this hour, rescue workers have been searching house to house for survivors of deadly tornadoes that ripped through western Massachusetts. At least four people were killed and 40 were injured when at least two tornadoes touched down in Springfield. As many as 19 communities reported damage from the storms.
In the meantime, a sad milestone in Joplin, Missouri, where the list of people missing is now down to zero. Authorities say they have located all people who were unaccounted for or have confirmed that they did indeed die.
A deadly E. Coli outbreak spreading in Europe as officials try to pinpoint the source. Ahead, concerns two people here in the U.S. may have contracted the same rare strain.
We'll tell you about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: An E. Coli outbreak in Europe has killed 16 people and sickened at least 1,000 others. Fifteen of those deaths are reported in Germany, but other countries affected include Austria, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Even though no one has pinpointed the source of the outbreak, Russia is banning vegetables from the European Union.
Our senior international correspondent Matthew Chance is live for us in Moscow.
Matthew, what are Russian leaders saying about the ban?
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're saying that they had to institute this very tough ban on vegetables from the European Union for a couple of reasons.
First of all, it's been going on for a month, and they needed to take action, they say, before the E. Coli epidemic spreads to Russia. And secondly, because the European officials concerned with this have not been able to pinpoint the source of this E. Coli outbreak. And so they've taken this blanket approach, banning all vegetables coming into the ports of Russia and through borders from the European Union.
Also, seizing any vegetables that are already on the shop shelves and in the market stores here in Russia, and warning Russian citizens not to eat anything from the European Unions in terms of vegetables, but instead, to buy locally, eat domestically-produced vegetables. And so there's been some concern that that smells a little bit of protectionism, as well. Certainly the European Union says it's disproportionate, and they've called for this ban to be lifted -- Randi.
KAYE: It's certainly understandable that they're taking these precautions, but are they jumping the gun to soon? Is there any feeling of that there?
CHANCE: Well, not really. Remember, there's been 16 people die as a result of this already across the European countries, and many hundreds, more than a thousand people, I understand, have been infected with this E. Coli outbreak. And so, the Russian government wants to be seen to be acting in a responsible way with regard to the health and safety of its own citizens.
And so they reject this idea that, you know, this is jumping the gun. But there is some concern being expressed that, you know, that this might lead to food shortages inside Russia. That's also something the Russian government objects to and rejects.
Let's take a listen to what the Russian agricultural minister had to say a few hours ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YELENA SKRYNNIK, RUSSIAN AGRICULTURE MINISTER (through translator): We have enough business proposals on vegetable supplies from other countries. Therefore, we don't foresee a shortage of those food products nor any price increases.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: Russia imports about 20 percent of its vegetables from the European Union at the moment. It's saying it's going to increase imports from other parts of the world to compensate for that -- Randi.
KAYE: Matthew Chance, live for us from Moscow.
Matthew, thank you.
And we're also lending two people in the U.S. may be sick from this rare strain of E. Coli that's blamed for the deadly outbreak in Europe. Samples from the patients are on their way to a lab at the Centers for Disease Control right here in Atlanta.
And I'm joined now by senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.
Elizabeth, I guess the first thing is, what do we know about these two U.S. patients?
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Randi, that list you read of all the countries where there have been cases of E. Coli, the United States will likely be added to that list sometime soon.
I talked to an official from the CDC, and he said that it is likely -- that is the list there -- it is likely that the two cases in the United States are this strain, this European strain of E. Coli, because the two patients just got back from Germany and they have a disease called Hemolytic-uremic syndrome, which is a kidney disease that 500 people have gotten in Europe. So it looks like a very close match. "Likely" was the word that he used.
KAYE: I'm not going to even try and say that name. I'll go with HUS if that's OK.
COHEN: HUS sounds good, yes.
KAYE: Are we seeing more cases of HUS in Europe than we normally would?
COHEN: Yes. It's interesting. I mean, 499 cases is a lot.
I'm going to compare that to the largest E. Coli outbreak ever, which was in Japan in '96. They had 120 cases. So 500 cases in one outbreak is the most that we have ever seen in the world.
So, for some reason, this particular strain, it appears that it is leading to more cases of HUS. HUS is a horrible disease. I mean, it can shut down your kidneys and it's really awful.
Now, I'm saying all these things, but I want to be clear here. In the United States, there is absolutely no reason for panic. Just because there are two people here with the disease, this disease can spread person to person, but it rarely does. KAYE: OK. So if they don't know much about this rare strain, they've never seen it before, do they know how to treat it? I mean, what can doctors do to treat patients who have been sickened?
COHEN: You know, it's very tough. You would think, here's a bacterial infection, let's give these people antibiotics. Right?
KAYE: Yes.
COHEN: That would make sense. You don't do that with this disease, because what they found is that when they tried that, they actually made patients sicker. And the reason why, they think, is that the antibiotics would make the bacteria explode and toxins inside the bacteria would get spit out into the patient's bloodstream.
And that's what they think is -- that's what causes all these terrible problems. So they don't give them antibiotics. And really, when I ask doctors what you can do, they're kind of quiet and they say nothing.
KAYE: So, just quickly, before I let you go, is there anything that we can do to protect ourselves?
COHEN: Well, the only thing that you can do is what everybody should be doing all the time anyhow. You want to wash your hands before you cook your meals and before you eat. You want to wash your hands after using the bathroom. All of those sorts of things you should be doing anyhow.
Other than that, I mean, in this country, there doesn't appear to be any reason for worry. It hasn't shown up in any food here. Just because there are two folks here who likely have it, it's unlikely that they would spread it to other people.
KAYE: Yes. OK. Well, that's a good warning. Thank you, Elizabeth.
COHEN: Thanks.
KAYE: Appreciate it.
It has been called a disaster, a disgrace, a national embarrassment. So what is Detroit going to do to fix its public school system? One man has an idea, but not everyone is on board with it. We'll tell you all about it coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan calls Detroit's public school system a "national disgrace." Nearly half of its students are gone, and of those left, only six out of 10 are graduating. Now the man in charge wants to turn things around by chartering a third of the city schools.
But as CNN Money's Poppy Harlow reports in our "Taking the Lead" segment, one elementary school is saying, not so fast.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (singing): Good evening, Glazers. So glad you're here.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A rallying cry from Detroit's Glazer Elementary School. It's one of 26 public schools the city wants to be chartered to help cut the district's $327 million deficit.
LACHELLE WILLIAMS, PRINCIPAL, GLAZER ELEMENTARY: This is a principal's dream right here at Glazer.
HARLOW: Glazer's principal doesn't want to see that happen.
WILLIAMS: I like that butterfly, too. You did a good job.
HARLOW: When we visited, Glazer was set to be chartered or closed. But the district has since ruled if no charter company qualifies, Glazer will stay open. Five of Toletha and Chris Turner's children attend schools up for charter.
(on camera): What's your favorite thing about Glazer?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Math.
CHRISTOPHER TURNER, FATHER: It shines in the middle of a troubled neighborhood.
HARLOW (voice-over): The district says Glazer has performed well, but like enrollment across Detroit, attendance has fallen significantly.
ROY ROBERTS, DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOLS EMERGENCY MANAGER: We've lost over 50 percent of our students. We have got to right-size the school system here.
HARLOW: Enter Detroit Public Schools' new emergency manager, Roy Roberts. The former GM executive is attacking the crisis like a failing business.
ROBERTS: It's looking at the totality of this community and says, how do we put a system in place that makes sense for this community and do the best job of educating young people?
HARLOW: That includes closing yet another 15 schools.
WILLIAMS: Parents should have a right to have a choice. If their children are in a place where they feel safe, where they're learning, where they feel loved, that's a school that should stay open.
HARLOW: By chartering schools, the district no longer bears their cost, but charter schools must operate more efficiently with the limited state funds they get. ROBERTS: We're doing it to put an alternative school in place where students can have a choice.
HARLOW: If their school is chartered, students can choose to attend or go to another nearby public school.
A 2010 study commissioned by the Department of Education found charter schools are neither more nor less successful than public schools in improving student achievement, though in some subjects, charter schools have had a more positive effect on low-income students in large urban areas.
(on camera): What about turning Glazer into a charter school?
TOLETHA TURNER, PARENT: It wouldn't be the same because I don't know who would come in and teach them. It just wouldn't be the same.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And Poppy's joining me now.
Poppy, it's clear that the parents and the teachers you talked with don't want their school to become a charter. So is this really about money for the staff, or what?
HARLOW: It's a good question. It is part of it. I asked that exact question to the principal of Glazer -- you saw her in the piece -- and she said, look, that's part of it. None of us want a $30,000 to $40,000 pay cut. And it's true, generally, people that work at charter schools make less money.
At the same time, Randi, you've got a more than $300 million deficit for this school system. The kids are not passing in terms of where their graduation should be. The graduation rate is 62 percent in Detroit. Something needs to change, and the bottom line is, the man you saw in the piece, Roy Roberts, who's now in charge of the whole system, has total control, Randi.
He has been given the authority by the government in Michigan to eliminate all union contracts, take away their collective bargaining rights. So, the bottom line here is they've got to somehow close that gap, they've got to get the graduation rate up. And there is opposition among the parents we talked to and the principal and the teachers to turning it into a charter school.
They would likely make less money, some of their pensions might go away, their seniority. So it's a big concern.
At the same time, you've got to think about the kids of Detroit, first and foremost. I don't know if this is the answer. We've been following these schools for a long time, but some would say that chartering them is better than closing them. And in last year, you've already seen 60 schools in Detroit closed and 15 more to come.
But it's a big debate. We're going to know in about a week or two whether Glazer is chartered and what happens to those other 25 Detroit schools that are on that list up for charter -- Randi.
KAYE: All right. Well, be sure to update us when you do find that out.
HARLOW: Sure.
KAYE: Poppy, thank you.
KAYE: Well, this weekend, be sure catch a special "Education Makeover" with Principal Steve Perry. He'll attempt to help one teen from failing the ninth grade. That's Saturday, 2:30 Eastern, right here on CNN.
When LinkedIn went public, shares surged 109 percent in their first day, causing a ripple effect of excitement in the social media sector. But will this tech stock boom end badly?
Ali Velshi and Richard Quest will debate that topic next in a special edition of "Q&A."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS" and so do I.
We are here together in the CNN NEWSROOM and around the world.
Hello, Richard.
RICHARD QUEST, HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": And a good day to you.
Each week, Ali and I are coming to you from around the world, on both sides of the Atlantic. We're talking business, travel, innovation.
We say nothing is off limits. And today, we're all about LinkedIn, IPOs, and the general excitement that's caused so much excitement in the social media and tech sector.
VELSHI: You know there's something going on when people who otherwise don't pay attention to the stock market are talking about all of these high-tech IPOs.
So, specifically, Richard, our question is, will the tech stock boom end in tears?
You have 60 seconds.
QUEST: Of course it's going to end in tears. Only a fool thinks otherwise.
What is the definition of a bubble? It is a sharp rise in the initial price of an asset that generates further investments for the pure purposes of making money and speculation.
You don't have to think of social media or even tech, or Argentina. You don't have to think of Asia. You have to think of tulip mania in the 17th century.
Ali might just about remember that. Three hundred percent or 400 percent increases in the price of tulips that all ended in tears.
And yes, in Asia, there was investment. And in Argentina, there was investment. And in tech there was investment. It was 250-odd days from IPO to bust for Pet.com (ph).
I don't think this is going to happen immediately, but if anybody believes that LinkedIn, Facebook, Groupon, and the like won't eventually see some tears, then they are deceiving themselves and others.
(BUZZER)
VELSHI: Richard, you make some good points, but I'm going to take the other side of this.
Give me 60 seconds.
(BELL RINGING)
VELSHI: There is no question that these companies are overvalued. LinkedIn's shares surged 109 percent in their first day, valuing the company at nearly 550 times its 2010 profits. That certainly takes us back to the tech boom, Richard. But this is just the beginning.
You mentioned Groupon -- Zynga, Facebook -- all of those may go public with even bigger valuations than LinkedIn. Does that necessarily mean we're in a bubble? And if it does, does it mean it's going to end badly?
We're only talking about a handful of companies, Richard. And unlike the tech boom in the past, these are real businesses.
Sure, LinkedIn only did about $250 million in revenue last year, but you'll recall, Richard, that's a far cry from the '90s, when companies with no revenues, just a "dot-com" on the end of their name, would go public before even bringing in a dime of revenue. In fact, the whole Internet landscape Richard, think back to the '90s.
Most of us were still using dial-up. Today, we don't even do this particular "Q&A" segment until we tweet out for topics.
(BUZZER)
VELSHI: So I think this is real. There might be some tears, but it's real.
QUEST: You are confusing the old path to profitability with projected sales. And once again, you'll be the first person, Ali -- the first person -- to be commenting on this bubble when it finally blows up in our faces.
Let's go to "The Voice" for the quiz. VELSHI: It's a good thing we're recording this so we can play it back.
THE VOICE: Good day, gentlemen. "Voice" here. Hopefully I won't burst your bubbles with this quiz.
Let's get started with number one.
General Motors' November IPO became the world's biggest after underwriters took up additional shares within a week of the offering.
What is the most successful one-day IPO in world history? Is it A, the East Japan Railway Company; B, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; C, the Japanese wireless phone company NTT Mobile; or D, Visa?
(BELL RINGING)
THE VOICE: Richard?
QUEST: Visa.
(BUZZER)
THE VOICE: Incorrect.
Ali?
VELSHI: Oh, I was going to go for that, too. I was going to say that, too. So my next guest is going to be, B, ICBC.
(BELL RINGING)
THE VOICE: That's correct. ICBC had the most successful one-day IPO in history with over $19 billion in new capital.
On to question two. Looking at the top 25 all-time largest global IPOs, 13 different underwriters have been used. By cumulative deal size - we're talking the most money -- which underwriter has sold the most of these top 25 shares to the public? Is it, a, Goldman Sachs, b, Goldman Sachs Asia, c, Merrill Lynch or, d, Morgan Stanley?
(BELL RINGS)
THE VOICE: Ali?
VELSHI: Following on my previous success, which was a Chinese IPO, I'm going to say Goldman Sachs Asia.
THE VOICE: Incorrect.
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
THE VOICE: Richard?
VELSHI: Go for a, go for a! Come on. QUEST: My logic - well, my logic says Goldman Sachs. All right. Goldman Sachs. But I think it's Merrill Lynch. Goldman Sachs!
THE VOICE: For once, you listened to Ali, and you got it correct. They have underwritten the most with over $42 billion in shares sold. Goldman Sachs Asia, however, is second with over $37 billion. On to the last question --
QUESTION: Hey, hey, hey, Ali, why are you being nice to me?
THE VOICE: Enough niceties. Let's go on to question number three.
VELSHI: I'm going to collect one of these days.
THE VOICE: Which company had America's first IPO? Was it a, Bank of North America, b, U.S. Steel, c, Standard Oil, or, d, Stroe's brewery?
(BELL RIGNS)
THE VOICE: Ali?
VELSHI: It was U.S. Steel.
(BUZZER SOUNDS)
THE VOICE: Incorrect. Richard?
QUEST: I'm going to go for Standard Oil.
THE VOICE: Incorrect yet again. Ali?
VELSHI: Wow! Bank of North America. Can't be Stroh's.
THE VOICE: Ha, that's correct!
(BELL RINGS)
THE VOICE: Bank of North America had the first U.S. IPO. So, Ali, you are today's winner. Try not gloat too much.
VELSHI: I can't believe that. I actually won after helping you.
(LAUGHTER)
QUEST: That will do it for us this week. Remember, we are here each week on "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS," 18:00 GMT.
VELSHI: And in the CNN NEWSROOM, 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Keep the topics coming on our blog. Go to CNN.com/qmb, and CNN.com/ali. Tell us each week what you want to talk about because we are in the tech age.
See you next week, Richard.
QUEST: See you next week. Good victory, Ali.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Well, it is about half past the hour. Here's a look at headlines and news you may have missed.
In day eight of the Casey Anthony murder trial, prosecutors took aim, debunking statements made by Anthony, one of which was her story of a wealthy boyfriend, Jeffrey Michael Hopkins, who introduced her to an alleged nanny, Zenaida Gonzalez. Hopkins took the stand to refute those claims.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you let law enforcement know that you don't have a child named Zachary?
JEFFREY MICHAEL HOPKINS, TRIAL WITNESS: That is correct.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that you are not rich from a trust fund?
HOPKINS: That is correct.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And that you did not have a girlfriend named Zenaida Gonzalez?
HOPKINS: Correct.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Casey Anthony is on trial for the murder of her daughter, Caylee, back in 2008.
A new report from the Global Commission on Drug Policy says the War on Drugs has failed. It claims efforts to crack down on users and those who provide the drugs have had a devastating effect on societies and individuals. The commission includes respected leaders from various fields, including former U.N. Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, and Nobel laureate Mario Vargaslosa. They made some bold suggestions, including legalization of some drugs and better treatment for addicts.
Food pyramid, your services, well, they are no longer needed. Say hello to the food plate. The new symbol revealed today is designed to remind Americans to make healthier food choices. According to the U.S. Agriculture Department, half of your plate should contain fruits and veggies as the new chart clearly shows.
At today's USDA event to unveil the symbol, first lady Michelle Obama took time to explain why she supports this new initiative.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: When it comes to eating, what's more useful than a plate? What's more simple than a plate? This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we're eating.
(END VIDEOC CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Yemen appear to be edging closer to all-out civil war with fighting escalating between government forces and opposition tribal fighters. To talk more about that with us today is Fionnuala Sweeney. She is here to tell us -- so, what's happening there?
FIONNAULA SWEENEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, what starred out as a nonviolent protest demonstrations by thousands and thousands of people is turning into a violent potential civil war with the tribes now wanting to take on President Saleh, who has refused, despite many agreements and statements saying he would step down, not to step down. Yes.
As a result the U.S. adviser on counterterrorism, John Brennan is in Saudi Arabia and also meeting with the Gulf Corporation countries because President Saleh agreed back on May 23rd, just very recently last week, that he would really, really step down this time. But he hasn't. And so the tribes have taken it on themselves.
And so what turns out -- what started as a peaceful nonviolent protest by thousands of people is rapidly, as you can see from your television picture there, becoming an extremely violent, difficult situation with of course, al Qaeda front and center in U.S. minds.
KAYE: Right. And that's probably why the U.S. has sent Brennan over there, right? Because I mean, Yemen is a key ally in the fight against al Qaeda.
SWEENEY: Well, in some ways, the devil you know is sometimes better than the devil you don't. So in a sense, while they may have had potential private disagreements behind the scenes how he ran his country, he did at least seem to keep al Qaeda at bay. And so the fear is now there is violence, increasing violence, this might open the genie bottle, so to speak, and we see more potential problems for the United States and the rest of the world in the region from al Qaeda if there isn't stability, which there is.
KAYE: Right. Let's talk about Libya. This very disturbing development. When I saw this come across, I couldn't believe it. The women who was allegedly raped by Gadhafi's security forces, Eman al Obeidy, who had stormed into the hotel with all the journalists claiming she had been raped has now been deported. After escaping Libya, she is now back?
SWEENEY: She was released from prison, she went to her sister's house, I believe, in Tripoli and then she left the country a few weeks ago. She actually went to Qatar in the Gulf, and she was applying for and had been given refugee status. There you see pictures of her as she was making her journey out of Libya, actually, and hoping she would escape freely a few weeks ago, which she did.
UNHCR, the U.N. High Commission for Refugees, gave her refugee status, or were in the process of giving her refugee status. And then she found that she was unable to meet with the UNHCR representative that guards were posted outside her hotel room in Qatar. And then before she knew it, she was being taken on a plane to Benghazi.
Now, the UNHCR sayd they and third parties were trying to keep her into the country. She was going to move on from Qatar onto a new life. But the Qataris say her visa to enter Qatar expired, which the UNHCR says was negligible anyway because she had been given refugee status.
KAYE: So, she's back in Benghazi apparently, even though we don't --
SWEENEY: That's the last we know. That's the last we know. She was in Benghazi. We don't know where she is --
KAYE: And that's rebel territory. So, that is safer for her?
SWEENEY: Safer for her in the sense that as long as they hold on to that territory, of course, because her family, part of her family, is thought to be in the eastern part of the country, her mom and her dad. And so one assumes that as long as rebels hold on to the eastern part of Libya, she will continue to be safe.
KAYE: She -- there's nobody there that can help her. I mean, nobody that can get her out. She had to escape, remember, she went in a car and she went through so much to get out.
SWEENEY: But that was in Tripoli in the western part of the country, Gadhafi's stronghold out of the country. So, being in the eastern part of the country, assuming she is safe, would be safer for her, as I said. As long as rebels hold on to that part of the country.
KAYE: All right. Fionnuala Sweeney, nice to have you on the show. Thank you.
How do you stop drugs from being sold? How do you keep kids and your friends away from drugs? Well, get ready to rethink all of your answers. We will explain, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: A startling new drug report released today is rocking the very foundation of how we fight the War on Drugs. This report was released by a global commission. We're talking a group of 19 highly respected politicians and former world leaders from various different countries with a wide range of expertise, including billionaire businessman, Richard Branson.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD BRANSON, COMMISSION MEMBER: Personally, I don't think the United States can afford to keep the drug policy as it is. It's costing them more and more every year to achieve something which -- where they're not winning. I mean, it's not achieving anything. If they --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And that brings us today's "Big Breakdown." The report says very bluntly, the global war on drugs has failed. Not only that, we failed with devastating consequences, it says.
But how did we fail? This goes back 40, 50 years to the U.N. and President Nixon's launch of the U.S. government's War on Drugs. Simply put, the thought was crime and punishment would lead to a drug- free world. We've poured a trillion dollars into the War on Drugs in the last 40 years, and that's just in the United States.
But despite all of that money, time, and effort, you can see right here, take a look. Drug use of opiates, cocaine, and marijuana has only increased. Add to that, this. That is a ranking of drugs based on how dangerous they are to you. These are based on current scientific tests that measure relative health risk. The most dangerous being heroin and cocaine at the top left. The least dangerous drug, at the bottom right.
But the different colors represent the U.N.'s rankings. According to the U.N.'s classification, the most dangerous drugs are the ones in green. But today's report says that classification is based on 50-year-old research and little evidence. You can see the discrepancy here between actual risk versus current U.N. classifications. It's startling, really. Alcohol and tobacco are actually more dangerous than marijuana and LSD.
But that brings me to the solutions. The commission recommends possibly legalizing and regulating drugs like marijuana. It also recommends ending criminalization of drug users while emphasizing treatment instead, and points out educating youth is absolutely key.
Of course, we want to know what you think about all of this. Has the war on drugs been successful, do you think? Join the conversation. Go straight to our blog, CNN.com/ali. You can also post on either Ali's or my Facebook and Twitter pages and share your thoughts with us.
Weinergate, as it's come to be called, just keeps getting more bizarre. The drama over Congressman Anthony Weiner and what may or may not be a picture of him in his underwear that was or was not tweeted to a 21-year-old college student by a potential hacker or prankster, still a mystery. The congressman's answers, still evasive.
After lashing out at one of our producers on camera, Congressman Weiner decided to have a do-over, so to speak. His interview with Wolf Blitzer is today's "Sound Effect."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": This is the picture -- I'm sure you've seen it by now. Is this you? WEINER: I can tell you this. We have a firm that we've hired -- I've seen it, it's -- I've seen it -- a firm that we've hired to get to the bottom of it.
It certainly doesn't look familiar to me, but I don't want to say with certitude.
BLITZER: Well, we just want to resolve it once and for all.
You would know if this is your underpants, for example.
WEINER: The question is -- I appreciate you continuing to flash that at me.
I can tell you this, that there are -- I have photographs. I don't know what photographs are out there in the world of me.
BLITZER: You didn't send that photo to that woman in Washington state.
WEINER: I did not send it to that woman in Washington state.
BLITZER: But you're not 100 percent sure whether the photo is actually you?
WEINER: What I am going to say is that we're doing everything we can to try to answer that question, but we're doing an investigation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Still so many questions. Kate Bolduan is on Capitol Hill. She joins me with now with some new developments on this. Kate, what do you know?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there, Randi.
Well, this morning, Congressman Weiner made pretty clear that he was done answering questions on this Twitter controversy, at least for today, and that he wanted to go back to work. But with so many questions remaining, the attention has not moved away. My colleagues and I, Deirdre Walsh and Ted Barrett, caught up, as well as Paul Corson, caught up with the number two Democrat in the house, Steny Hoyer,a s he was heading out actually to the White House with a meeting with the president.
And we were asking him many questions that many people have of the effect that this has on the caucus, on Democrats, and if there should be further investigation. If the FBI should be involved or if the Capitol police should be involved. And to that, Steny Hoyer said the issue is serious and should be handled seriously.
That's when I also asked him if he's spoken with Anthony Weiner. Listen here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. STENY HOYER (D), MARYLAND: He and I had a brief discussion at which point in time I told him that he needed to handle this and give the facts accurately to the public.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has he done that to your satisfaction?
HOYER: I frankly have not been following the story. So, I don't know whether he's done that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: Apologies there. Lot of ambient noise there. He was about to get on a very big bus that was right near us.
But it's very clear from members that we've spoken to and aides that we've spoken to, Randi, that they are ready and hoping to move away from this issue. It's clearly distracting Democrats from their big message. But still, many questions remain and why the attention still stays focuses on Congressman Weiner today. Randi?
BOLDUAN: All right, Kate Bolduan. Thanks for the very latest, the update. Appreciate it?
Should all bumper stickers, no matter how lewd, how racist or offensive be protected by the First Amendment? Our "Stream Team" tackles that subject next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: So, we have see them every day. Some are funny, some downright offensive. Bumper stickers mention just anything you can imagine from rock bands to environmental causes. Some religion, philosophy, sports, all kinds of stuff.
But are they protected by the First Amendment? In Wisconsin, a coordinator for an immigrant rights group vowed to stop the sale of this sticker. Take a look. If you can't see that very clearly, well, it reads, "Illegal immigrant hunting permit" and it spurred a planned protest at a gas station where the bumper sticker was being sold. The planned protest caused the owner to pull the bumper sticker from the store.
But as far as the legality of printing and selling offensive bumper stickers, the U.S. Supreme Court has already weighed in on this type of thing. The court says that the fact that protected speech may be offensive to some does not justify its suppression.
So, our question for today's "Stream Team" is this: should all bumper stickers be protected by the First Amendment? Mark Potock is with the Southern Poverty Law Center. Pete Dominick is the host of "Stand Up with Pete Dominick" on Sirius XM.
Glad you guys are with us to discuss this. Mark, I want to start with you. Should all bumper stickers be protected, do you think, by the First Amendment? MARK POTOK, SOUTHERN POVERTY LAW CENTER: Well, I think they basically are all protected by the First Amendment. Is the First Amendment a good thing? Yes, in my opinion it is.
You know, other countries with different histories, for instance, Germany, obviously sees things differently in terms of suppressing speech having to do with glorifying the Nazis and so on. But I think this is clearly protected speech.
What wasn't protected, of course, was the apparent attempt to murder the woman who started this protest by starting a fire under her home.
KAYE: Right. That is being investigated as a possible hate crime. It hasn't been concluded to be that, but yes, that is a concern.
Pete, same question to you. Should all bumper stickers be protected by the First Amendment, do you think?
PETE DOMINICK, SIRIUS XM RADIO SHOW HOST: Almost all bumper stickers. I agree with Mark. Obviously, free speech is one of the most unique and best qualities in our Constitution. And yes, almost every single bumper sticker. Obviously, you can't threaten the president of the United States, and personally I don't think anybody should be bragging how smart their kids are on a bumper sticker.
But if you have the bumper sticker that says "Illegal immigrant hunting permit," it basically also says, "I'm a really stupid, stupid person." So, I don't mind those kind of bumper stickers personally.
KAYE: So, you do think some should be banned. But Mark, how dangerous do you think a bumper sticker like that one that we showed is?
POTOK: Well, look, I mean, this kind of propaganda does have consequences. It's worth pointing out the Klan used to put out very similar -- not bumper stickers but hunting permits for black people, and I can assure you that black people is not the phrase they used. So, you know, this is propaganda we see commonly out there.
You know, I think it's worth really looking at, it's not so much should the speech be suppressed but what's really happening out there? I think it's worth pointing out that just last month, a very similar case -- three men, three white men in a car, saw some Mexican men, five people in another vehicle, started yelling anti-Latino epithets at them. Chased them down the road in the high-speed chase, rammed their car repeatedly with their pickup truck, and knocked their car of the road. It turned over, burst into flames. You know, five people badly injured, one was in a coma. That is the kind of thing this propaganda leads to ultimately.
KAYE: So, I think the bottom line from you guys is it is free speech. It should be protected, but certainly can be dangerous and some of those may be our best left off those bumpers.
All right, guys, thank you. Interesting chat with both of you.
And coming up, did the permission slip parents signed for an eighth-grade field trip mention the kids were going to a very questionable place after that field trip? You've got to hear today's "XYZ." That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It is time now for my "XYZ." And today, I'm taking you to Baltimore, where a group of eighth graders on a field trip got a real education about, well, about scantily clad busty waitresses. There's just no other way to say it.
You see, the students from the central Pennsylvania's Burwick Middle School were visiting the National Aquarium in Baltimore. A great field trip for the kids. But it was where they went for lunch raising eyebrows. These eighth graders were taken to Hooters to for lunch.
Have you ever been? If you're not familiar with that chain, food is served by big-busted waitresses in tight, tiny T-shirts and even tinier shorts. About 15 or 20 students were actually taken by their chaperones to Hooters. Does anyone really go there for the food?
The district superintendent told reporters he wishes the group's co-ed chaperones had chosen a different restaurant but he says he hasn't received any complaints from parents.
Still, I would love to know what was more memorable for these kids, the dolphin show at the aquarium or the show that they got at Hooters for lunch?
CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: Zip, zip, zip. Randi Kaye, thank you so much.
