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Arizona Wildfire Zero Percent Contained; Casey Anthony Murder Trial; Triage Center for Unemployed
Aired June 07, 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's bigger than Memphis, bigger than Kansas City, much bigger than Chicago. It's driven thousands of people out of their homes with little hope of seeing those homes ever again. It's not yet the biggest wildfire in Arizona history, but the so-called Wallow Fire in the Apache National Forest is still uncontained, and the smoke can be seen as far away as Kansas.
CNN's Jim Spellman joins me now from a command center in the town of Springerville.
Jim, what's happening there? Any sign that they are getting control of this massive fire?
JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Unfortunately, no, Randi. Still zero percent contained, despite having 2,500 firefighters here. It's brutal work.
They are hiking out there to the front line to try to get a handle on this fire. There's very few roads up into that area. They are battling these terrible high winds. That's the biggest enemy right now. Twenty-five-mile-an-hour sustained winds, 40-mile-an-hour gusts make it very dangerous for these firefighters -- Randi.
KAYE: What were your travels like? I'm curious. You know, you can see those pictures. I mean, was it difficult for you to get through the fire zone? And what did you see along the way?
SPELLMAN: It is. There's many roads closed here, and along the way, you can see the huge billows of smoke. In fact, even flying in yesterday from hundreds of miles away, you could see huge billows of smoke.
Right now there is basically one road in and out of here as the authorities here try to encourage people to evacuate. They will probably try to enforce that a little more come tomorrow.
And what you see is these thick timbers on these mountains here, and they go for only about 10 miles away from Springerville, is the front of the fire. And anywhere there is not this thick timber, there's this kind of grass. Listen to this. I mean, this is just fuel ready to go. So they say when it gets to this, it will spread even faster than it spread through the timber -- Randi.
KAYE: Yes. And speaking of it spreading, I mean, I know that some officials have said they don't even know where the fire is because it's moving so fast.
Do they hope to make some headway today even though the winds are so high?
SPELLMAN: They hope to. They have some helicopters up today doing water drops from a lake nearby here, but they are really not optimistic that they're going to get much of a handle on this thing until the wind dies down. They're saying it could be three more days of high winds, Randi, before they are able to really get a break and get the crews in here.
One of the big problems is what they call spotting, embers that can fly one, two, three miles on the other side of the fire line. Then the firefighters have fire on both sides of them and they have to evacuate.
Until those kind of conditions stop, they don't have really hope of getting it 25 percent, 35 percent, 45 percent contained. Their main thing now is to try to get it to divert it away from Springerville to save lives and property right here -- Randi.
KAYE: And Jim, just quickly, before we let you go, I mean, how many people are we talking about that could be affected by this?
SPELLMAN: Well, they have already had thousands of people evacuated. This is going to be the first town here, Springerville, thousands of people here. But it's pretty much a ghost town. I think people have heeded this warning.
They've seen the smoke for several days now and have been watching the news and been seeing how fast this has spread. And we have seen a steady flow of people who may be left here leaving out.
But it's homes like this -- fortunately, if there is a good side to this fire, so far it's been in unoccupied areas. Only four, like, vacation cottages so far destroyed. But when you get here, hundreds of homes right along the edge of where the fire is going to hit. Thousands of people with their lives and their families uncertain of how the outcome is going to be for them.
KAYE: Jim Spellman on the ground for us there in Springerville.
Jim, thank you.
Well, nature might not seem so cruel sometimes if only it were a little bit more balanced. While Arizona battles multiple fires and much of the Southwest longs for rain, folks from Montana to in Missouri and Montana are hoping that the levees hold. Huge amounts of rain have gorged the river and filled up half a dozen reservoirs.
Elsewhere in the hemisphere, more than 5,000 people have fled their homes in the Dominican Republic, where seven inches of rain fell there in a day. Floods plaguing Puerto Rico and a swollen river has forced hundreds to flee.
And also, you can see the drought and stubborn drought conditions flooded with rain in China, leading to 14 deaths.
And now more fallout from Representative Andrew Weiner's tweets. And first, let's hear from Andrew Breitbart said he has an X-rated photo of Weiner who he will not circulate and does not plan to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANDREW BREITBART, BREITBART.COM: I am not the cruel person that the media and the people on the left think I am. And I guarantee you it is a newsworthy photo, but I don't want to be known as the person who released that photo.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: So you will never release it now after he confessed?
BREITBART: Here is what I will say. I am starting to hear from somebody that they are going to -- if they go after the girls, if they start to release stuff about the girls and some of the images that were sent to him as a way to tell girls to not come forward, I have the photo. I have no intention, and I can't fathom that he would be stupid enough to go after the girls and to start releasing photos of them that they have given.
Let it lie. OK?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And one of the girls that Breitbart is referring to is Megan Broussard, who talked to ABC about her online relationship with Weiner.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEGAN BROUSSARD, HAD ONLINE RELATIONSHIP WITH ANTHONY WEINER: He was eager to hear about if I wanted him or thought he was attractive or that sort of thing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How much of it was sex talk?
BROUSSARD : I mean, he would attempt all the time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: I believe that everyone deserves an apology here, and I'm certain -- I will be -- here's what --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where is your wife right now?
WEINER: I apologize to Andrew Breitbart. I apologize to the many other members of the media that I misled. I apologize, first and foremost, to my wife and to my family.
(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: Some of those misled media members are right here at CNN. You may remember this exchange with my colleague Wolf Blitzer just days ago --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: This is the picture. I'm sure you have seen it by now. Is this you?
WEINER: I can tell you this -- we have a firm that we've hired to -- I have seen it. I have seen it -- a firm that we have hired to try to get to the bottom of it. But 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. Look, I have said the best I can, that we are going to try to get to the bottom of what happened here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Jon Stewart has known Weiner for years. For him, the pain of what has happened is personal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW": You know what is perhaps the most upsetting thing? The most upsetting thing about having a friend caught up in a scandal of this nature is finding out, A, he is packing jumbo heat; and B, that he's ripped.
(LAUGHTER)
STEWART: I can't believe this guy and I are the same (EXPLETIVE DELETED) age. That's my problem. Here is picture of me from morning. I mean, how good is the congressional health care plan?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And we of course want to know what you think about all of this. Should Representative Weiner resign?
Join the conversation on our blog, CNN.com/Ali. And you also post on either Ali's or my Facebook and Twitter pages. Keep those comments rolling in.
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Casey Anthony's capital murder trial continues today in Florida. The scientific testimony which began Friday marked a departure from the dramatic testimony and evidence offered in the first nine days of the trial, but there were some developments today as the prosecution focused on possible chloroform findings in Casey Anthony's trunk.
"In Session" legal contributor Sunny Hostin joins me now.
Sunny, if you can, break down what went on today. First of all, we know that chloroform is important, because we know that Casey Anthony was found to have actually searched for chloroform online, on her home computer
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR: That's right. And, in fact, she searched for how to make chloroform, at least that is the allegation of the prosecution. Of course, that was a computer at the Anthony home, and there were other people, Randi, that had access to that computer.
But yes, that is part of the prosecution's theory, that she not only searched how to make chloroform on her computer, but she also allegedly made chloroform or used chloroform to knock out her daughter and subsequently kill her with Duct tape.
And so we are hearing a lot more from the forensic witnesses about chloroform. We heard today from Dr. Michael Rickenbach. He's an FBI forensic chemist. And he searched and examined the trunk of Casey Anthony's white Sunfire, her car, and he said that he also found chloroform in her car. He said that he was surprised to find chloroform, because chloroform is very volatile and should disappear, and he found evidence of chloroform in the car.
We heard yesterday that Dr. Arnad Vass also testified that there was chloroform found in the car, the smell of chloroform, which he described as a significant amount, almost overwhelming. So we are hearing the prosecution's theory played out with these scientific experts.
KAYE: And Sunny, for those who may not follow this case every day, or as closely as you and I do, just explain for our viewers the focus on the trunk.
HOSTIN: Well, the prosecution's theory, Randi, is that little Caylee Anthony's body was in the trunk of Casey Anthony's car, although the remains, her remains, were found in a wooded area not too far from the Anthony's home. And so this trunk is crucial evidence for the prosecution in this case, because as I have said many, many times, no one will testify that they saw Casey Anthony place Caylee Anthony in that trunk or take her out of the trunk. But they've had many, many expert witnesses testify about the -- expert witnesses and also lay witnesses, Randi -- testify about the odor of decomposition coming from that car.
And so that is why this evidence sort of connecting Casey Anthony to this trunk is so very, very crucial to what is in large part a circumstantial case.
KAYE: How significant, Sunny, would you say the levels of chloroform -- just getting back to that for a moment -- might be? Because we know that the expert yesterday for the prosecution testified that there were very high levels. I think he said the highest in 20 years that he has ever seen. But today, the person who you mentioned who is on the stand, the expert there, said that he was seeing pretty low levels.
Does that matter?
HOSTIN: That's right. It does matter, but it's sort of a distinction without a difference, because Arnad Vass, the expert that testified about very high levels of chloroform, was testifying about the smell of chloroform. This expert today, the FBI chemist, was talking about and discussing not just the smell, but the actual appearance, the composition of chloroform.
So, the way I've been explaining it is, you know, if you have some perfume, and you put a dot of perfume on your wrist, yes, perhaps there is a significant smell there. But if you are testing just for the dot of perfume, the composition of that perfume, you're not going to find as much. I don't think though, Randi, that this difference has been made clear to the jury, so perhaps we will hear a lot more about this in closing arguments.
KAYE: All right. Well, closing arguments, boy, those sound like they are weeks away. But of course we will continue to follow it, along with you.
Sunny Hostin, thank you.
HOSTIN: Thanks.
KAYE: And, of course, for continuous live coverage of the Casey Anthony trial, you can head over to our sister network, HLN.
It's the ER of the job market. You heard right, a triage center for the unemployed. We'll tell you all about it in just two minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back.
The picture of the nation's economy has been pretty bleak of late -- plummeting stock market, terrible home sales, the jobless. But of all the sectors in people hurting, those feeling the worst pain are the long-term unemployed.
Poppy Harlow spoke to some of them.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hey there, Randi.
Well, you know, when you look at all of the bad economic signs that we saw last week, it was capped off with a very, very somber jobs report. Fifty-four thousand jobs added in May. That's down from more than 200,000 added in April. We have 9.1 percent unemployment.
But the big problem is for the long-term unemployed in this country. The longer you are out of work, it is proven the harder it is for you to find a job. The numbers show that.
So we spent the day at a job center in New Jersey talking to some of these people who have been working for people for months, some of them for years, and their frustration is palpable.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN DEGROAT, FMR. BILLING MANAGER: There were a lot of jobs out there, but they are slowing down. I have 18 years of experience, but I have no degrees under me. I have my high school diploma, but there's no jobs out there when they can bring students in for $11, $12 an hour, instead of taking someone with 18 years of experience because of the degree.
SALVATORE MASTROENI, DIRECTOR, ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER: We are the emergency room for this crisis. I did see a very nice, steady growth and a reduction here at the One-Stop of the number of people that were coming in on a daily basis. However, recently, I have seen an uptick.
ELISA JOHNSON, UNEMPLOYED: In March, there were more listings of job availability. Between last month and this month it's even harder. They list the jobs, but are they really going to call you for the interview? If you're going to downsize in your company, you obviously can't hire.
DEXTER FRANCIS, FMR. IT MANAGER: The last few months of 2010, the beginning of 2011, I was going on a lot more interviews, as opposed to now. I think they are not hiring. The jobs are being listed, it's just that they are not hiring.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: Now, the head of the career center says the uptick that he was seeing in jobs earlier this year has waned, it's pulled back. And he says that's in part due to regulatory uncertainty in Washington, in part also due to the natural disaster in Japan and all that weather we have been having in the United States.
And when you look at the numbers, 6.2 million Americans have been unemployed for six months or longer, and more than two million Americans have gotten so frustrated looking for a job, they have actually stopped looking for work. And I should note, those two million-plus Americans are not even counted in the more than 9 percent unemployment rate in this country.
Obviously, you can get a sense of how these people are feeling listening to them. You can see a lot more of their story. We've got it all right here on CNN Money -- Randi.
KAYE: Thank you, Poppy.
The time right now, 21 minutes past the hour. Checking our top stories for you. The biggest fire in eastern Arizona has grown to more than 230,000 acres. Firemen there say that they are having a really tough time battling one of the worst fire seasons ever, and the fires aren't only affecting Arizona. Spillover smoke, fueled by high winds, has disrupted flights and prompted an quality alert for neighboring New Mexico.
Embattled Congressman Anthony Weiner could face an ethics investigation after admitting he sent lewd photos and messages to six women. Members of his own Party, including House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi -- Minority Leader, I should say -- are calling for the probe.
This Representative Weiner story has been blowing up when it comes to social media. You guys have left all sorts of comments on our blog, as well as Facebook and Twitter pages.
Derek posted this one on our blog: "Rep. Weiner should not resign because of this Internet scandal. There is no evidence that he broke any laws or committed any acts that were deemed unforgivable by society's norms."
A user named Gizmo posted this one on our blog: "Our country is in serious trouble and I see why. Our politicians are too busy cheating, having affairs, sending nude pictures of themselves to young girls. Americans are sick of it."
And this one Rusty posted on my Facebook page: "Pack his bags and go home. He is morally and politically damaged to the point that it would be next to impossible for him to continue on in office."
And Stephen was short with his comment. "He lied. He should leave."
To join the conversation, head to our blog, CNN.com/Ali, and you can also post on either Ali's or my Facebook and Twitter pages.
Thank you for sharing all your thoughts.
Well, severe weather expert Chad Myers will be joining us next with details on one of the worst Arizona wildfires ever. But more than Arizona is in jeopardy, so don't go anywhere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: Can we go "Off the Radar" now?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Let's do it.
KAYE: I hear news of another launch today. What have you got?
MYERS: A launch? What do you mean a launch? We're not launching anything.
KAYE: Oh, we're launching. We have liftoff, buddy.
MYERS: Well, the Russians are going to be launching at 4:12.
KAYE: All right. Whatever.
MYERS: Well, there's going to be an astronaut in there, a cosmonaut, and a Japanese astronaut. The Japanese astronaut, going to the Japanese pod and going to grow vegetables in space.
KAYE: They're going all that way to grow vegetables?
MYERS: But they can't eat them.
KAYE: Why?
MYERS: They won't let them eat them because they don't know what -- they have to go bring them back down here and make sure they're OK.
KAYE: After all that work they can't even get a meal?
MYERS: After all that. They shoot it off today, and they go up there and they do all that work, they grow vegetables for six months, and then they have to bring them back down.
KAYE: Yes. I don't know if I would want to eat them yet.
MYERS: We have some pictures. Some of these pictures of these -- there you go. These guys are guarding. They're standing guard right here in this Cosmodrome. Here's one of the officers right there. There's the rockets on the bottom of that thing.
You know -- wow. That has to be cool and scary at the very same time.
KAYE: Yes, I would say so.
MYERS: And it's getting pulled by a train. And there it goes.
KAYE: I will keep my feet safely on the ground right here in the studio.
MYERS: 4:12 p.m. today, Eastern Daylight.
KAYE: All right. We'll be watching it.
MYERS: OK. All right.
KAYE: Thank you.
MYERS: Sure.
KAYE: Well, she's an outspoken blogger whose controversial posts have made her a hero to some in Syria, but now her friends and family say that she has been abducted by Syrian forces. Much more on this coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Time now to catch you up on stories that you might have missed.
It is not yet the biggest wildfire in Arizona history, but the so-called Wallow Fire in the Apache National Forest is growing fast, and smoke can be as far away as Kansas. Crews say they are having a tough time battling the blaze. It has already scorched more than 230,000 acres. Spillover smoke into neighboring New Mexico has also grounded some flights there.
And just in to CNN, House minority leader Nancy Pelosi has now officially requested an Ethics investigation into Congressman Anthony Weiner. Just moments ago, Pelosi sent a letter to the Ethics Committee chair requesting that they look into this matter.
Meanwhile, Congressman Anthony Weiner says he is not resigning. But his political future may be in jeopardy. Weiner admitted posting a lewd picture on his Twitter account and lying to cover it up, but he says he did not break the law.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: I engaged in inappropriate, online conversations with people that included photographs. And it was a mistake to do that, but I didn't - I don't believe that I did anything that violates any law or any rule.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: A well-known female blogger has allegedly been abducted in Syria. Relatives of Amina Abdullah say that he hasn't been seen since she was bungled - bungled a car yesterday by Syrian security agents yesterday. Abdullah's outspoken blog, "Gay Girl in Damascus" has made her an icon of the Syrian uprising, often challenging the al Assad regime. Her disappearance has prompted thousands to join online campaigns on Facebook and Twitter, demanding her release. Abdullah is a dual citizen of the United States and Syria.
Casey Anthony's capital murder trial continues today in Florida. A crime scene technician testified about a smell coming from Casey's car trunk where the prosecutors allege Casey Anthony put her two-year- old's daughter's body. Prosecutors and witnesses maintain the odor is identifiable as human decomposition. The defense says a bag of trash sat in Anthony's trunk during the heat of a Florida summer, creating that odor.
Some amazing pictures we want to show you now coming out of Chile today. That is where a volcano has been shooting smoke and ash six miles into the sky. The volcanic ash is grounding flights in that country and in neighboring Argentina. And as you can see, there was some lightning there all being produced by that volcano. So far, 3,500 people have evacuated the area.
Brave words or just plain foolish? We will tell you about Moammar Gadhafi's comments after the heaviest NATO air strikes to date against his compound. "Globe Trekking" with Michael Holmes right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The situation in Yemen grows worse by the day. Tribal fighters seized a key southern town today, and U.S. officials say that President Saleh's wounds may be far more serious than previouslu known.
Here to talk about all of this is Michael Holmes. Nice to see you. You away for a couple of days?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Nice to see you! Yes, a little break there. A day off to keep me going.
KAYE: Certainly did. And Yemen certainly kept going.
HOLMES: Yes, we heard that President Saleh of course after the bomb went off in his compound, he was taken to Saudi Arabia. He walked a off of the plane and people thought he was looking pretty good, but the wounds are more serious than we first thought. He is 40 percent burns, got a punctured lung, so he is not in great shape.
You know, I will tell you that a lot of people who are watching Yemen at the moment hope that his recovery is a measured one, a slow one, because he is out now, and will the Saudis let him go back? Will they talk him out of it? Financial inducements.
KAYE: Right. And what about the fighting that's taking place in the southern cities?
HOLMES: Well, Taiz is the main one. Yes. No, the fighting continuing again. This tribal aspect going on as well, and his government forces clashing there, too.
It has happened in several other cities, too. You can see them outlined there as Zinjibar was where suspected al Qaeda elements were based as well. And they were hit pretty hard.
So, yes. The fighting continues. It's getting worse. Saleh out of the country is seen as a good thing at the moment, and hopefully they will get some talks going, and cease-fire.
KAYE: Still concerns, though, about al Qaeda there?
HOLMES: There's great concerns about al Qaeda. Couple of things that are hugely concerning. Al Qaeda and the economy. This place is toast. I mean, economically, it is a basket case. And the danger - and this ties in with al Qaeda, the danger is if it becomes a failed state. Already, you have had Saleh pulling his forces in back in around the capital and other major cities to reinforce his fight against the protesters and the tribes taking him on.
But that has left an open field for al Qaeda in other parts of the country. Al Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula is based in Yemen. It has regrouped, rearmed and is loving this going on. I mean, if there is a failed state in Yemen, it is home field advantage for them. And of course, Yemen has produced a couple of serious attempted attacks on the U.S. The Detroit plane attempted bombing and the printer cartridges bombs came from Yemen. Very important that al Qaeda is kept under the thumb there. At the moment, it is a pretty open field for them. And then as I said, the economy. This is a country that --
KAYE: Food shortage?
HOLMES: Yes, food shortage, water shortage. You know, Sanna could become the first world capital, according to the World Bank, to ever run out of water. To not have water in a country that's got the same population as Saudi Arabia.
KAYE: Which is what is giving rise to the protests, right?
HOLMES: Yes, yes. I mean, the water is running out, the oil is running out. The foreign investment, of course, has dried up. And with that drying up, the money that Saleh was giving to the tribes as sort of patronage funds, that's dried up. So now, they are turning against him even more because they've got no money. So the country is a mess even without all of this.
KAYE: Well speaking of a mess, how about Libya. Fresh air strikes on Moammar Gadhafi's compound.
HOLMES: In fact, a continuous bombardment.
KAYE: Yes, pretty strong.
HOLMES: Well, people there in Tripoli -- I was reading their e- mails as I was sending them out this morning, and it was 10 explosions heard, 20 explosions heard. Then over 30 explosions heard. And significantly, this in daylight hours as well, so really hitting hard the compound.
And a couple of other places as well. The Libyans were claiming they hit the state television, but that claim is rejected by NATO.
KAYE: And Gadhafi came out today.
HOLMES: He did. His typical self. It was said to have been a live recorded -- or a live audio speech, and of course, the usual sort of stuff. What did he say? He said we will not surrender, and we will not give up, and we have one option in our country, we will remain in it till the end -- dead, alive, victorious, it doesn't matter. So, the usual sort of stuff you would expect from Gadhafi.
But pretty much everyone says this guy's got nowhere to go. The war is slipping away. The rebels now have got their eyes on Tripoli. They are not close to taking it on or anything, but they are feeling very emboldened by this.
KAYE: It is amazing how the winds change.
HOLMES: Yes. And they don't want a cease-fire either, because then you have a risk of the country being split as well, which we have discussed in the past which neither side really wants.
KAYE: Yes. Well, I could talk about this for hours with you, but we do have other news.
HOLMES: You have other things to do.
KAYE: It is fascinating, I agree. And that is why we talk about it almost everyday. Michael, good to see you. Thank you.
Driven a Ford lately? Well, Ford may be known for its big pickups and SUVs, but its going after some unexpected drivers to increase profits. We will break it all down for you, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: And this is just into CNN moments ago with the stakeout cam on Capitol Hill. Senator Harry Reid spoke briefly about the political scandal surrounding representative Anthony Weiner. And here is what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: What about the situation with Congressman Weiner, and do you think that it is enough of a distraction from the agenda that he should resign?
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: I know Congressman Weiner. I wish there was some way I can defend him, but I can't. OK?
QUESTION: Senator Reid, later --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: In other news when we say for Ford, you think Thunderbird and Mustang. Maybe some of you are even nostalgic about your Taraus or maybe even your Crown Victoria? Well, Ford has had its shares of ups and downs, but is proving its staying power. Its stock is skyrocketing and today, Ford Motor revealed its aggressive plan to boost sales worldwide 50 percent, focusing on expanding into emerging markets like China and India.
That's despite fears of a double-dip recession and uncertainty over auto sales. Ali Velshi spoke with Ford's chief executive Alan Mulally, who is largely credited with reviving the second-largest U.S. auto company. He talks about Ford's shifting focus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALAN MULALLY, CEO, FORD MOTOR COMPANY: In the United States in the past, we could not make money on smaller vehicles, and that is why we concentrated on the SUVs and the trucks. And quite frankly, the smaller vehicles we made were not the best in class.
And when we decided five years ago that we were going to have a full family of vehicles and we went to the UAW and got a transformation agreement where we can actually make cars in the United States right now and do it profitably, we fixed our cost structure, we're converting truck plants to car plants - that commitment to the consumer, best in class, no matter what size, quality and safety. This is a time to take another look at the Ford, because we have got the vehicles that people, I think, are really going to appreciate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Ford's stunning comeback seems appropriate for a company that began the car revolution. In today's "Big Breakdown," we take a look at those defining moments of innovation that shaped Ford Motor.
Ford pioneered the way 103 years ago with the Model T. Up until that point, the cars were for rich. Henry Ford made cars affordable to the average American. His secret weapon? Well, you see it? It's the assembly line. Ford didn't create it but perfected the process, and that transformed the auto industry, becoming a defining moment for the Industrial Revolution.
Things went a bit downhill though with stiff competition from GM and Chrysler during the 1920s. By World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt referred to the auto industry in Detroit as the "arsenal of democracy." Ford Motor is credited with playing a pivotal role in both World Wars. It turned its mass production towards the war effort, churning out warplanes and military cars as fast as one an hour.
Another key point came after the war. Ford created what would become a post-war classic, the '49 Ford. That move marked a new era for the company and put it back on the map. By 1957, Ford becomes the top-selling brand, producing 1.68 million cars. Its sales reach an all-time high 15 years later.
After introducing a wave of new cars throughout the 1970s, '80s and '90s, well, sales slowed down to the point where in 2006, Ford is forced to undergo major restructuring. The company mortgages all its assets to raise $23.4 billion in credit to finance part of the operations. It reaches a low point the next year when Ford reports losses of $12.7 billion.
But that is where things really begin to turn around. Under Mulally, who took over as CEO five years ago, Ford has drastically transformed its lineup from big trucks to smaller cars.
And that brings us back to today and Ford's announcement. It is a new direction that hopefully keeps them on the road, as we like to say, of success.
So should he stay or should he go? Congressman Anthony Weiner admits he messed up, but he says he is not going anywhere. Is that the right move? Our "Stream Team" weighs in, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It seems like we are spending a lot of time talking about political sex scandals like Arnold Schwarzenegger just last month. This month, it is Congressman Anthony Weiner and while there was no actual sex, the scandal is big news. Politically, it has the potential to be a deadly blow.
Weiner says that he won't resign. So, let me ask you this, what is worst a married man sending suggestive pictures to women or a politician lying about it after they go public? Here is what some of his constituents are saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Personally I think that he should step down for a while. You know, he made some mistakes. And I think that, you know, the whole thing he did, the tour with the news, that was bad. And I think that he can come back. But I think that he should step down for a while.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is funny and stupid, but it is irrelevant to anything, except to maybe his wife, and I don't know what their relationship is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you think that he should resign?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Resign for that? No. Resign for that? No. I think that he is one of the most effective decent congressmen out there, and that is why this thing probably even blew up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel sorry for the guy. I mean, we are neighbors, and seems like a nice guy. I don't know what to say. I don't want to be in his shoes for sure.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Still, at the heart of this is one simple question, should Congressman Weiner resign? So, let's bring in our "Stream Team" to talk about that. On the team today is Jane Velez-Mitchell, host of HLN's "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell." And CNN political contributor Mary Matalin.
Mary, let me start with you. Is Congressman Weiner, do you think, doing the right thing here?
MARY MATALIN, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well, you just played Senator Reid I don't think he is doing the right thing for his party or his colleagues. I don't think he's doing the right thing for his wife whom many Democrats, a lot of Republicans like. She has to go to work everyday still in the State department. And as you heard those voters say, common sense suggests he is probably not doing the right thing for his own health and welfare.
The guy has a problem. This is not a cheating thing, but this is something as clearly not right when a newlywed is sending pornographic pictures of himself to total strangers and then lying about it for a week. There is something that would suggest that he should take a couple of weeks off and think about his own health and his wife.
KAYE: Jane, let me bring you in here. Does it matter, do you think, that he had no physical contact -- at least what he is saying - with any of the women? Only pictures? JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN HOST: Absolutely not. Put yourself in his wife's shoes. If this were happening, if your significant other did this, would you consider it cheating? Would you consider it a betrayal? Of course.
And in the sex addiction lingo, they often talk about intrigue, which is the sexually charged conversation, the sexting, the exchange of photos, the exchange of sexually charged language. And that sometimes is actually more exciting. It gives people more of a thrill than the actual sex itself.
So, I think that it is very clearly cheating. It is very clearly betrayal, and I agree. I think he has a problem and I know it is a cliche, but there could be an addictive component to this. This wasn't one indiscretion. This was a pattern with at least six women, and I think he really does need to step aside and do some self- inventory and try to find out why he self-sabotaged this way. And does he have self-esteem issues. Was he trying to compensate for that? There is a lot that he really needs to look at, and I hope for his sake he does.
KAYE: Let me share this one comment from my Facebook page. Philip writes, "As a member of Congress, he is in one of the highest position of government and should adhere to a greater level of personal conduct, which he has failed to do. The honorable thing would be to resign, and if the people want him back, let them vote him back in."
But isn't it up to the voters, Mary, in his district, to ultimately decide whether he should stay put or not?
MATALIN: Yes, it is ultimately up to the voters, and as you just played a sample of, voters tend to take the entire career and life, and they are sophisticated and nuanced thinkers about these things.
But we are also living in a time when there are a lot of high stakes. Congress has held both parties in a historic low and we are using up a lot of air space talking about this. I'm not saying that we shouldn't be talking about it, but all of our kids are hearing us talk about it. And, you know, they have enough issue in the sexting world and saying, what is it with a sitting Congressman who is in a leadership, quasi leadership position -- what is he doing? What kind of example? So you have to take it all into consideration --
KAYE: So, you think he should resign?
MATALIN: I think he should do the right thing by his party and more importantly by his wife, and for himself.
KAYE: Mm-hmm.
Jane, do you think that will he ever be able to make people forget these pictures? I mean, will they ever be forgotten. They are always going to be somewhere on the Internet. I mean, can he effectively represent his district and make people forget? VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think that people will forget if he resigns. If he stays, he is going to prolong this story, and let's face it, there is always a possibility that this is the tip of the iceberg and there are more photos, more graphic photos out there. Some have suggested that as a real possibility. So, this could get a lot worse.
It is really in his control. He knows whether this is the tip of the iceberg. He knows if there is other stuff out there. So, ultimately, he has to take that into consideration when deciding whether or not to go.
So, hmm, I think that eventually another scandal will replace this. This has happened many, many times. When I heard about this, I thought oh, the Appalachian Trail. The hacking story reminds me of the Appalachian Trail story.
So, this is obviously some kind of trend with male politicians needing to betray their significant others and the public.
KAYE: Jane, Mary, great conversation. And we have the leave it there, but appreciate both of you coming on so much to talk about this. Thank you.
Well, it is hard to talk about the Anthony Weiner episode without also mentioning the name Andrew Breitbart. He is the guy who first posted those pictures online and gave voice to the accusations against the congressman. Breitbart is a darling of the conservatives and has become a fixture on the conservative conference circuit, talking to Tea Party groups and the like.
But his real podium is the Internet. He runs a host of Web sites like Brietbart.com and BigGovernment.com. Brietbart has been described by some as a one-man wrecking ball. He said he loves confrontation, and that is evident with some of this greatest hits. Remember the ACORN scandal? He had a hand in the undercover prostitute -and-pimp videos that eventually led to ACORN losing its federal funding?
How about the Shirley Sherrod controversy? Brietbart listed the snippet of video of Sherrod that led to her being fired. Yes, it was taken out of context, but Breitbard isn't apologizing. As he told me in an interview just last year, he is trying to right the wrongs of corrupt journalism. Well, people are listening and clicking on the web pages to the tune of three million unique viewers everyday. So, who is he going to go after next? Well, only Andrew Breitbart knows.
Just ahead in my "XYZ," Houston, we have a problem. I'll explain next.
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KAYE: Time now for my "XYZ," and this one is a doozy.
In Texas, lawmakers may reconsider a bill to outlaw what some call groping by TSA agents at the airport. The controversial pat- downs bill was shelved recently, but now because the Texas legislature is holding a special session, it could come back. Lieutenant governor David Dewhurst reportedly asked Texas governor Rick Perry to include it.
But here is the deal. Last time the bill was considered, federal officials threatened to cancel flights to Texas if it passed. Now come on. Would the federal government really shut down Texas airspace over this? Really?
Sure, other states have considered similar measures, but we are talking Texas, a major airline hub. But the feds seem to think the TSA has the power to close up shop at DFW airport or any other airport in Texas. A U.S. attorney warned Texas that, quote, "TSA would likely be required to cancel any flight or a series of flights for which it could not ensure the safety of passengers and crew. Sounds like hot air, doesn't it?
Well, the bill had already passed in the House, but you can bet, if it is called back for the Senate to consider, this could be bigger than the Alamo.
That will do it for me. CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.
Hi there, Brooke.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: I love that you can say the word doozy with a straight face, Randi Kaye. Doozy. That was a doozy. Thank you so much.
(LAUGHTER)
KAYE: Thank you.
