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Judge Cancels Testimony for the Day in Casey Anthony Trial; Born in a Refugee Camp; Growing Up in the Shadow of HIV; Obama's Ambassador Turns GOP Candidate; U.S. Talking to Taliban
Aired June 20, 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 wasn't Casey Anthony or even little Caylee that was the focus during Anthony's murder trial today. But instead, the tense face-off between her attorneys and prosecutors in what the judge called their game playing. In fact, the judge was forced to cancel today's testimony, and he made it clear he had had enough of their games.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE BELVIN PERRY, ORANGE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT: Enough is enough. And both sides need to be forewarned that exclusion, even at the price of having to do it all over again, exclusion may be the proper remedy if it continues.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The big issue right now is over the defense's witnesses and their surprising opinions. It boils down to this -- prosecutors are claiming Anthony's lawyers are breaking the rules. The rules are each expert witness is supposed to give a report of their opinions to both the prosecution and defense. But clearly, that is not happening.
Steve Helling was inside the courtroom and has been covering this trial closely every day for "People" magazine. He's joining us now from Orlando.
Steve, glad you're with us.
The judge appeared pretty calm and collected in that sound that we just played, but awfully firm as well. What happens if this bickering and what the judge called gamesmanship continues there in court?
STEVE HELLING, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: Well, you know, he sounds very calm, and he is being calm, but he's also -- it almost feels like he's just trying to bite his tongue and hold his temper, because there have been a lot of games back and forth. And if they continue, the side that does it -- in this case, the defense -- could be looking at actions by the state bar, could be looking at being held in contempt, fined, even jail time.
KAYE: And the jury wasn't even in the court, right, at this point? HELLING: No, the jury never made it into the courtroom today because all of this back and forth was going on. So the ball wasn't even moved down the field at all today.
KAYE: Yes. Today's battle over witnesses, though, actually really started on Saturday, wouldn't you say, with this forensic anthropologist who was supposed to testify about the Duct tape found on Caylee's remains? Why would you say that was significant?
HELLING: Well, it's significant because the Duct tape is the strongest physical evidence that they have on how Caylee Anthony was killed. So the idea that there are opinions out there that haven't been released to both sides can really be damaging. And so the judge wanted to make it very clear that we need to be playing by the rules here because this is very important testimony.
KAYE: Jose Baez, Casey Anthony's defense attorney, lashed out at prosecutors about these depositions. How is he defending himself, would you say?
HELLING: What he's saying is that the prosecution is refusing to depose witnesses, and then turning around and blaming that on the defense. He said that they not only want to come after Casey Anthony, but they want to come after her lawyers as well. So that's his excuse.
KAYE: All right. And the possibility of a mistrial. What's the judge saying?
HELLING: Well, we're hoping not. The judge has not used the word "mistrial" at this point, but we're going into week five, where it's not moving as smoothly as everybody had hoped that it was moving, and it is the back of everyone's mind, the prosecutors, the defense, and everybody watching. At this point it would be a disaster, so we're just hoping that it will keep going as it has been going.
KAYE: All right. Steve Helling from "People" magazine there in the courtroom in Orlando for us.
Thank you as always, Steve.
HELLING: Thank you.
KAYE: And time now for our "Sound Effect." And at the Republican Leadership Conference over the weekend, one speaker stood out among the group of Republican powerbrokers -- Barack Obama. Well, an Obama impersonator named Reggie Brown.
The first half of his act was well received with health care and birth certificate jokes, but when he started telling Republican jokes, well, things got ugly, like this one about Mitt Romney being Mormon.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGGIE BROWN, OBAMA IMPERSONATOR: A little birdie told me that you're all looking for someone to challenge me in 2012. (APPLAUSE)
BROWN: Yes. Really? Well, how's that going for you?
OK. Well, let's see. You've got your front-runner, Mitt Romney. Now, don't get me wrong, he might make a great president, along with his first lady, second lady, third lady.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: It was shortly after that when he started a Michele Bachmann joke that organizers turned off his microphone. Now, here's how he described it to our Kyra Phillips earlier today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: I was just entering my set where I started to have some fun with the Republican candidates. So, I do believe that I was over my time by a few minutes, and I also believe that the material was starting to get to a point where maybe they started to feel uncomfortable with where it was going.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The head of the RLC said he thought Brown had gone too far with racially insensitive jokes aimed at the president, and said that if he had been in the room at the time, he would have stopped him much sooner.
The clock is ticking in New York, where the Senate is set to vote on a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage. Gay rights supporters rallied in support of the measure in New York City yesterday. Summer break for lawmakers is due to begin after today's business.
The measure was passed by the state assembly last week, and right now 31 senators, including two Republicans, support the bill, but backers need one more Republican to vote in favor for it to pass. Critics say voters, not lawmakers, should have the final say.
We are hearing the acting director of the ATF is about to resign. Two senior law enforcement sources say Kenneth Melson is expected to step down under pressure. It could happen possibly in the next day or so.
His move comes in the aftermath of the ongoing controversy over the Fast and Furious operation. Under that program, straw buyers were allowed to illegally purchase large numbers of weapons, some of which ended up in the hands of Mexican drug cartels.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Wal-Mart in what would have been the largest job discrimination lawsuit in U.S. history. The court ruled today that the lawsuit could not proceed because it was just too large.
The high-profile lawsuit involves up to 1.6 million women, and was seen as among the most important cases dealing with corporate versus worker rights. The ruling essentially means the women who are involved in the lawsuit may have to pursue their claims on their own or in a smaller group.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: So it's not like the Supreme Court said Wal-Mart does not discriminate. They didn't make any finding about whether Wal-Mart discriminated. All they said was, the structure of this case, with, as you say, potentially a million plaintiffs, was simply too big under the rules for class action.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: There is a fire sale of sorts in Greece. Facing a massive budget crisis, the government is getting ready to sell billions of dollars worth of state assets. Those include airports, highways and state-owned companies. Also on the block, banks and gaming licenses.
The move is a bed to stem a ballooning national debt there. The government's unpopular austerity plan triggered nearly daily violent protests across the country.
The U.S. State Department has just made a big announcement about Syria. We'll tell you what it is next and take you inside a refugee camp along the Syrian/Turkish border. It's a place thousands of Syrians are now calling home.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The U.S. Ambassador to Syria is traveling to the Turkish/Syrian border where a refugee crisis is unfolding. The Syrian government has closed that border.
As CNN's Arwa Damon reports, the military crackdown in Syria has produced thousands of refugees.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This baby was born a refugee. He's just a day old and named Recep Erdogan, after the Turkish prime minister. His parents say it's out of gratitude to the country they believe saved them from imminent death in their homeland. His father, who did not want to be filmed, angrily states, "It's better to die in Turkey than in a Syria ruled by Assad."
Ahmed Abdul Aziz (ph), faltering as he stands, is 103 years older than baby Erdogan. After just a few questions about his life, he starts to cry. He's from Jisr-Al-Shugur, one of the towns that had been the focal point of the Syrian military crackdown in recent weeks.
Thousands of refugees have streamed into Turkey. The media, until now, officially kept away from them. Turkish authorities finally granted the press limited access to the refugees in this camp on a carefully coordinated tour. We're able to break away and briefly hear some of their harrowing stories of survival.
This 4-day-old baby's uncle says he was born on the border before an ambulance arrived. "It was a miracle," he told us. Nine-year-old Jamiya (ph) remembers how she could hear the gunfire and see smoke before her family fled.
Row upon row houses terrified families. They live in bare tents. Most fled with just the clothes on their backs.
The refugees are provided with food, water, and other basics. As the tour progresses, a small demonstration. Chants of "Thank you, Turkey!" coupled with cries of, "The people want the downfall of the regime!"
As we depart, children perched on their playground chant anti- government slogans. All the parents who we spoke to tell us they dream of going home. But it's a dream that can't be realized, they say, until Assad leaves.
Arwa Damon, CNN, at the Boynuyogun refugee camp in Turkey.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Thirty years ago this month, HIV/AIDS was first discovered. Now many of those battling the disease have children.
Up next, we talk to a very brave 9-year-old who's growing up in the shadow of HIV.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Right now, when I say (AUDIO GAP) in your mind, probably death, right? Or at least sickness. But 30 years after HIV/AIDS was first discovered this month, people are surviving. They're living full, successful, and healthy lives as co-workers, neighbors, friends and loving family members.
Joining me now from New York to talk about the changing face of the disease is Chevelle Wilson and her son Robert, Bennett. Chevelle, as well as Robert's father, we should point out, are both HIV positive, but 9-year-old Robert is not. He was born without the disease, and his parents call him a miracle child.
Thank you both for joining us on the show today.
Chevelle, I'd like to start with you, and I'd like to start with when you and Robert's father learned that you had contracted HIV.
CHEVELLE WILSON, RAISING SON WHILE HIV-POSITIVE: Me and Robert, we -- was more positive before I was -- found out I was. And I found out on January 2nd of 2000 that I was HIV positive. So after that, we kind of --
KAYE: And how did you share this with your son?
WILSON: Well, we both sat him down and talked to him and discussed the sickness, because there was a thing that came up in the school where they wanted to tell Robert about the HIV status and what was HIV. And we decided among ourselves that it would be better that he heard it from us that we were HIV positive and the stigmas that go behind it.
KAYE: And Robert, did you understand at the time what your mom was telling you, that both your parents have HIV?
ROBERT BENNETT, CHEVELLE WILSON'S SON: Yes.
KAYE: And how did that make you feel? Were you concerned? Were you nervous?
BENNETT: I was concerned.
KAYE: Chevelle, is HIV an open topic of conversation now in your household? I mean, you've discussed it with your son. I mean, are his friends aware? Is this open for discussion at any time?
WILSON: Well, I don't have a problem with discussing my HIV status. Anybody that meets me knows I have no problem with opening up about my status. Along with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, I also have a DVD out that tells about my HIV story.
KAYE: And Robert, I want to ask you, I mean, if your parents' situation has affected your life at all. Do you feel dinner from your friends? How does this make you feel?
BENNETT: No, I do not feel different. I just feel the same as everyone else.
KAYE: And do you help take care of your mom?
BENNETT: Yes.
WILSON: Yes, he does.
KAYE: Chevelle, what are some of the challenges for you as someone who's living with HIV in terms of taking care of your son? Just the day-to-day parenting for anyone can be exhausting.
WILSON: Yes, it is pretty exhausting. It's kind of hard, you know, because there's not enough financial stability for somebody that's HIV positive out there.
Like, right now, I'm having a hard time getting Social Security with me being HIV positive. But they feel I'm not sick enough due to the fact that I'm not on meds and I've never been in the hospital, I've never been sick. But I have other ailments that affect me besides HIV.
KAYE: And do you have any advice before we let you go for other parents who have HIV, who might be struggling to figure out how to tell their children about it?
WILSON: Sit your child down, be open and honest, let them hear from you that you're HIV positive, not hear from somebody else. Because that might devastate them, or you might not build the relationship that me and Robert has, as far as him knowing that I'm HIV positive and his father is as well.
KAYE: All right. Chevelle and Robert, thank you so much.
Robert, you're a brave young boy, so be sure to continue to take care of your parents.
Thank you both.
WILSON: Thank you.
BENNETT: Thank you.
KAYE: And the time right now, about 20 minutes past the hour. And it's time for some top stories.
Sources say that acting ATF director Kenneth Melson is expected to resign in the wake of the ongoing controversy over the Fast and Furious operation in which straw buyers were allowed to illegally purchase large numbers of weapons, some of which ended up in the hands of drug cartels in Mexico. He may step down in the next day or two.
More on this story, of course, as it develops.
A new study in the "Journal of Pediatrics" found eight percent of children under 18 in the United States now have at least one food allergy. Even more striking, among those with allergies, about 39 percent, had a history of severe reaction, and 30 percent were allergic to multiple foods. The most common food allergen was peanuts, followed by milk and shellfish.
Ryan Dunn, one of the stars of MTV's "Jackass" films and TV series was killed in a fiery car crash on a Pennsylvania highway early this morning. That's according to police. A passenger in Dunn's 2007 Porsche 911 GT3 was also killed, but investigators have not positively identified the body, according to the police report sent to CNN.
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has cancer. That's what his defense attorney is telling several news agencies. He says tumors were found in a recent exam. Mubarak is scheduled to stand trial in August for ordering the deadly crackdown against protesters earlier this year.
And we go live to Arizona for an update on the fire that's become the nation's number one priority, according to the U.S. Forest Service chief. So keep it here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: Ian Reitz from KGUN, our affiliate in Tucson, is joining us live from Sierra Vista, Arizona, for an update as well on these fires. Ian, are things looking any better today? I think I saw a little bit of -- actually, quite a bit of smoke there behind you in the distance. How's it looking there?
IAN REITZ, REPORTER, KGUN: Yes, there's still quite a bit of smoke here in Sierra Vista. Firefighters, of course, entering week two. They're beginning their assault this morning, taking nothing for granted. But perhaps the biggest gift that Mother Nature has given them is less wind.
Take a look behind me. You can see still some of that white smoke off in the distance, there over the Huachuca Mountains. But yesterday, wind was gusting up between 45 and 60 miles an hour.
Today, it's really a much different story. We're looking at wind gusts about 10 to 15 miles an hour. And fire crews say that is what they want. That helps them get a handle on this.
We've seen them making some drops this morning on some of those hot spots that are popping up along the mountains, trying to contain it as much as they can. At last count, it had burned just under 27,000 acres. It's about 27 percent contained or so.
Crews are also still making an assessment this morning, trying to update some of those numbers. They do that by flying over, looking down, and trying to figure out exactly what has burned overnight.
As far as structures go, we know that 47 houses have burned. We know a couple of restaurants have burned. Those burned yesterday.
Just up the road for me, this highway has been shut down for some time now. Crews not letting anyone in, although deputies letting folks with some medical needs and pets and livestock. They're escorting them into their homes and helping them get what they need, and then bringing them back out because it's just not safe to be too far up the road there.
KAYE: And Ian, have you had a chance to talk with any of the people there? I mean, are they doing anything on their own to try and protect their homes or save their homes?
REITZ: Yes. You know, we've seen a number of folks taking what they can into their own hands. We had one gentleman who took a hose up onto his roof, and he started hosing down his roof, just trying to make it as wet as possible.
As you guys mentioned earlier, we haven't seen any rain since late December, early January. So, it's very dry out here, which is not good for crews.
So we've seen a number of folks try to protect what they can using chainsaws to clear brush from the front of their house, cut down trees. We had one guy say, so much for the landscaping, but he was willing to do it just to try to save his home. So, a number of those stories popping up.
And also, crews trying to clear out debris that may be hazardous. We had some propane tanks exploding yesterday.
We've got a pool supply company right over here. They cleared out all the chlorine products. They just don't want to risk it. In case the fire makes its way over here, they don't want to leave any kind of fuel in its path.
KAYE: All right. Ian Reitz, thank you so much for that update. We appreciate it.
More drama and tension in the Casey Anthony murder trial. And this time it is Casey's lawyers that are in trouble with the judge. We'll explain when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Oh, just about half past the hour now. And here's a look at some of the news you may have missed.
Today's session of the Casey Anthony trial ended almost as soon as it began. Judge Perry scolded the two lead lawyers and accused them of gamesmanship. The defense was expected to bring in its last witnesses, but the judge said he would exclude key witnesses if they continue to present opinions that the judge and prosecution are not informed of ahead of time. Casey Anthony is on trial for allegedly killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee back in 2008.
Hundreds of demonstrators have jammed the halls of New York State Senate hoping their voices will be heard. The Senate is set to vote today on a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in the state. The countdown has begun since summer recess for lawmakers begins tomorrow. The measure was already passed by the state assembly last week.
You're used to seeing Web sites ending in dot-com or dot-org, but a group charged with overseeing the development of the Internet voted earlier today to allow domain names using any combination of letters and numbers. So, this could include dot kids, dot food and well, dot XXX. The group will begin to accept applications for new domain endings in January 2012. And of course, we'll continue to follow this story for you as well.
An exhilarating win for Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open. The 22- year-old Irish golfer made history when he walked away with the title, becoming the youngest winner since 1923. It was the perfect Father's Day gift for his dad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RORY MCILROY, 2011 U.S. OPEN CHAMPION: To have him here. You know, to witness firsthand me winning my first major on Father's Day, it's very, very special. I'm sure it's a moment we'll never forget.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: He posted a picture of himself on Twitter with two words to sum up his victory: Winning bounceback, a reference to his collapse at the Masters. You may remember that one in April.
And yes, take a look, that is the dress that made Marilyn Monroe famous. The white dress worn in the film "The Seven-Year Itch" sold for more than $5.6 million in a Beverly Hills, California auction. Bidders paid another $2.7 million for three other Monroe movie outfits. Tons of other Hollywood history was auctioned off from a collection accumulated by actress Debbie Reynolds over the past 50 years.
The rich are getting richer, while the rest of us hardworking Americans are earning about the same as we were 40 years ago. According to "The Washington Post," the income gap has reached levels not seen since the Great Depression.
But why? One of the main reasons behind the widening income gap, company execs who are banking the big bucks. An analysis of tax returns found the top 0.1 percent of earners make at least $1.7 million. Their average salary is more than $5 million. And it turns out their paychecks alone make up more than 10 percent of the nation's income.
But they're only 0.1 percent of the population. And we're not just talking about Wall Street executives, it turns out. The bulk of those, 41 percent are executives, managers and supervisors in nonfinancial companies. Wall Street and other finance types made up 18 percent of the top earners.
And here's the thing. Check it out, you see the green line. That's the pay for those top execs. While pay 90 percent of us has essentially stalled, if not declined, since the 1970s. Other research shows paychecks for executives at the nation's largest firms has roughly quadrupled.
The first lady heading to South Africa. Why she's going and who she's meeting, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Talking to the enemy. Outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates acknowledges that U.S. officials have been talking with the Afghan Taliban. Joining us for his take on whether this is a good idea or not, Michael Holmes. We always trust your take.
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, really?
KAYE: Well, that's what I was told.
HOLMES: That could be silly.
(LAUGHTER)
KAYE: What do you think?
HOLMES: Well, it's interesting. What he's saying also, is that it's only going to work if we keep up the pressure on the Taliban right through to the end of the year. Everybody's been saying for a long time, you're not going to get any kind resolution in Afghanistan on a political level until there are talks, unless the Taliban is brought into the negotiating and there's some sort of measure of power sharing or give them something, to give them something, give a reason not to fight.
But he doesn't think it will work unless the pressure is kept on, at least through the end of the year.
KAYE: But he does think talk is key. And I could be wrong, but haven't we tried this before, at one point?
HOLMES: Not on a serious level. I mean, there haven't been real, serious talks with the Taliban in years. I mean, this is a ten- year war now that's been -- the Taliban have not shown any indication that they want to.
But now they've sort of been sent on the run, in places like Helmand province and around Kandahar and places like that. There's a sense if they continue to put the pressure on them throughout the end of this fighting season, if you like, they'll be more willing to come to the table.
The problem is at the moment that even the U.S. officials who are having these contact at the moment, they are not sure they're talking to the people who can speak on behalf of the leadership of the Taliban. So, it's all very early days.
KAYE: Can we talk about the first lady?
HOLMES: Oh, yes, sure.
KAYE: Or you want to talk about Syria first?
HOLMES: Whichever you want.
KAYE: OK, well, let's talk about the first lady.
HOLMES: She's off to South Africa.
KAYE: Yes. And she's taking her girls and her mom?
HOLMES: Which makes it sound like it's a fairly low-key sort of thing. But there's actually political importance to this for her husband. What she's going there officially, is to emphasize youth leadership, education and health. But she is going to be meeting with the president and she's going to be meeting with the Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Now, the thing with South Africa is over the last few years, really, there's been at times a bit of a prickly relationship between South Africa and -- well, let's say the West, including the United States. Remember the U.N. was trying to put a resolution against Robert McGarvey or -- to make some moves against Robert McGarvey in Zimbabwe. South Africa headed that off.
They tried to negotiate in Ivory Coast, but backed the other guy that the world said had not won the election. And so, there has been a little bit of attention there. So, she's going to be trying to soothe that, I think, a little bit.
KAYE: And where do they stand on the NATO strikes? There's supposedly some talk that she's bringing a message from the president, right?
HOLMES: Well, there's kind of a flip-flop on that. And usually, South Africa did say yes, we'll back it. But now they're saying, well, maybe not. Maybe we should back away from this, do some negotiating. And so, they're not being the fulsome allies that the U.S. and West in general would like to see. There will be a little bit of maybe sweet talking there. Softly-softly approach.
Some in Africa are a little disappointed. When Obama was elected, well, here's a man with a Kenyan father. We'll be seeing a lot of him in Africa. They haven't really.
KAYE: Now he's just going to send his wife.
HOLMES: Send the missus, that's right.
KAYE: Can't make it, guys, sorry. I'm a little busy. All right. Now, let's talk Syria. Hmm.
HOLMES: Yes, we heard -- we heard Assad speaking, the president coming out and speaking. It was interesting, because when I listened to that speech, it was something that was very vague. I mean, there were vague promises of this, vague promises that, very little specifics. So, the only specifics really were about the protesters, and he said, they're going to work on tracking down everyone who sheds blood or plotted in the shedding of the blood of the Syrian people.
Yet again, we heard him blaming foreign conspiracies for the protests. Germs --
KAYE: Armed gangs.
HOLMES: Armed gangs that you heard. Fermenters of chaos. That's a pretty colorful one. And Muslim extremists as well.
It is, however, still, I got to say - it's a measure of how much pressure he's feeling at the moment, that he did come out and offer some sort of broad -- I want to say -- not even concessions. He's talking about having this national dialogue, which we hear in a lot of these countries. But it's not clear with whom he will have the dialogue. He's just saying with the opposition. But a lot of the opposition he's talking about are the people on the streets who were out minutes after his speech ended, too, and continue to protest to this day.
So, who he's going to have this dialogue with have people suspicious. And whether he's genuine.
KAYE: And also, he appeared somewhat rambling, would you say, and somewhat weak? HOLMES: It was a different him. He was a lot more cocky the last time he spoke. He spoken three times in the last few months about this, the last couple of months about this, saying - and he was a lot more cocky before, saying these are the bad guys. They're the evil ones and we'll deal with it. We've been asked to come into these cities and handle this.
Yesterday he actually admitted that civilians have died. He said there have been martyrs of regular people, nonmilitary. There were elements of concession, but what it leads to, nobody's certain with them. I mean, the regime was going to look after themselves.
KAYE: All right. See, your take.
HOLMES: There you go.
KAYE: I trust it. Every word!
(LAUGHTER)
KAYE: Thank you, Michael.
HOLMES: Good to seE you.
KAYE: You too! Thank you.
Well, you want to remember his face and name. He once served under President Obama, but now he's positioning himself to replace him. Why Jon Huntsman could be the Republican frontrunner for the White House. That story is next.
But first, when she's not be walking the runway, model Petra Nemocova is helping children rebuild their lives after natural disaster. She talks about her Happy Hearts Fund in this "Impact Your World."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PETRA NEMCOVA, MODEL: Hi. I'm Petra Nemcova.
And you can make an incredible impact on the lives of children after natural disasters.
When the Indian Ocean tsunami happened in 2004, my partner and me were swept out of the bungalow. I lost my partner. My pelvis was broken four times.
After I was able to walk again, I started to talk about creating a foundation. Happy Hearts Fund focuses on helping children after first-responders leave.
We have rebuilt 51 schools in five years. And we have a presence in nine countries around the world.
Join the movement and impact the world. Go to CNN.com/Impact.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Jon Huntsman is expected to officially announce his bid for the GOP presidential nomination. But President Obama's former ambassador to China is already emerging as a strong contender to beat out the president.
In today's "Big Breakdown," we take a close-up look at the latest Republican presidential candidate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Texas Congressman Ron Paul can pack the house with passion, so he frequently wins straw polls like the one this weekend at a Republican Leadership Conference in Louisiana.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ron Paul, 612 votes.
(APPLAUSE)
CROWLEY: But look who plays second. Even the vote counter seems surprised.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jon Huntsman, 382 votes.
JON HUNTSMAN (R), FMR. UTAH GOVERNOR: How are you?
CROWLEY: Jon Huntsman is a former Republican governor with a bipartisan twist to his resume.
DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR STRATEGIST, OBAMA CAMPAIGN: Well, I know him because he was President Obama's ambassador to China.
CROWLEY: And as Huntsman prepares to officially launch his campaign, his former buddies on team Obama's just want to hug him to death.
AXELROD: When we were in Shanghai, we got a chance to talk, and he was very effusive -- this was in the fall of 2009 -- about what the president he was doing. He is encouraging on health care, he was encouraging on a whole range of issues.
CROWLEY: With no imagination whatsoever, and the help of President Obama's top political consultant, you can hear how an Obama/Huntsman race would play out.
(on camera): Do you think that Barack Obama has had a failed presidency?
HUNTSMAN: On the economic side, there are no signs of success. Very little.
CROWLEY: You think he has failed on the economic side?
HUNTSMAN: Failed on the economic front.
AXELROD: That is in conflict with what he communicated to us in 2009. And if he had suggestions on the economy, he had an excellent opportunity to suggest them then when we were all together in China. I think that what has changed is not his view of the economy, but his view of his own chances to, perhaps win the nomination. I understand, that's politics, he's a politician, and he sees an opportunity.
CROWLEY (voice-over): Huntsman also favors civil unions for same sex couples, entertained but did not enact the idea of mandated health care insurance. Thinks the U.S. ought to get out of Afghanistan and believes in the science of climate change.
Do you think Democrats will be rough on Huntsman? Sample a Republican.
JOHN E. SUNUNU (R), FORMER U.S. SENATOR: Everyone knows that Jon Huntsman has weaknesses on some substantive issues. But the fact that he served in a Democratic administration makes it a little tough in a Republican primary. And he understands that himself.
CROWLEY (voice-over): But tough, but you're acting like it's a nonstarter.
SUNUNU: He fawned over Obama to the point where he sounded like he should have been on MSNBC.
CROWLEY (voice-over): In political world, bipartisanship is nice in rhetoric, it can be darn toxic in the primary season.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Talking to the Taliban, the U.S. admits that they're discussing Afghanistan's future with the enemy. But what message does that send? Our Stream Team weighs in, next.
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KAYE: The U.S. in discussions with the Taliban in Afghanistan. We mentioned it just moments ago when we were talking with our friend Michael Holmes. The U.S. has been in Afghanistan since 2001. One thousand five hundred fifteen U.S. troops have died in Afghanistan, 178 this year.
There are around 100,000 U.S. troops there now. But President Obama is considering new plans to withdraw some of those troops.
So, here is the question for our Stream Team today: Should the United States be negotiating with the Taliban?
On the team today is Caroline Wadhams from the Center for American Progress. And Lisa Curtis, former CIA analyst and now a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation.
Thank you both for coming on.
Lisa, I'll ask you first, Secretary Gates says this is the way wars end, talk. But is negotiating with the Taliban really a good idea here?
LISA CURTIS, SR. FELLOW, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION: Well, it makes sense that the administration is putting out feelers to the Taliban right now. We're in a situation where al Qaeda's on its back foot. So, it makes sense to drive a wedge between the Taliban and al Qaeda.
However, I think U.S. officials have to be skeptical and cautious. We've seen that the new leader of al Qaeda, al-Zawahiri has already pledged allegiance to the Taliban leader, Mullah Omar. So, certainly, there are no indications yet that these two organizations are going their own ways.
And second, I just want to make the point that the more we talk about troop withdrawals from Afghanistan, the less we motivate the Taliban to actually make concessions at the negotiating table. I think that's a key point.
KAYE: Caroline, what's your take on this? Is it a good idea to be talking with them?
CAROLINE WADHAMS, SR. FELLOW, CTR. FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS: I definitely think it's exactly what the Obama administration should be doing, everyone agrees -- this is the U.S. military, NATO, various officials, believe the only way this war is going to end is through a political settlement in Afghanistan. Ultimately, the Taliban are going to have to be part of that, and it's going to be a long very difficult process to be able to get a political settlement. It's going to take most likely years, and that process needs to begin.
KAYE: And, Lisa, is there a message here? And if so, what kind of message is that? What kind of message does this conversation send to the troops and the American people?
CURTIS: Well, I think the administration has to explain what's changing here? What's different about the Taliban from 10 years ago, what makes the administration think there's even the possibility that the Taliban will make the kind of concessions that are necessary so that Afghanistan doesn't become a safe haven for terrorists any more.
So, I think the goal here in these talks should be to convince the Taliban to join the political process that's already underway, and not to allow the Taliban to dominate the political scene in a way that puts disadvantage ethnic minorities, women, children.
We've seen a lot of gains for the people of Afghanistan over the last 10 years in terms of children going to school, women participating in the social and economic life of the country. And we simply can't allow those gains to be squandered. So, I think the administration has to be clear on these points.
KAYE: Caroline, Gates used the fact that the U.S. negotiated with former insurgents in Iraq to say that this is the way things get done. Do you think this is a different situation?
WADHAMS: No, I mean, ultimately, this war is eventually -- eventually has to end. And it's got to be -- and it ultimately will be up to Afghans to resolve their differences and create a more sustainable political dynamic than what currently exists. The U.S., in that, needs to make sure that its interests are protected, and that is that the Taliban insurgents separate themselves from al Qaeda.
But this process of negotiation will take a long time. It needs to be, as Lisa said, among various factions of Afghanistan, not just between President Karzai and the insurgents, but among multiple factions within the Afghan society. It's going to take a long time. But eventually, whether it's three years, five years, 10 years, the United States is going to be in a significantly reduced presence. We have to work towards a more sustainable dynamic there.
KAYE: And, Lisa -- just 20 seconds left or so -- do you think this conversation gives the Taliban more legitimacy as a recognized political power in Afghanistan?
CURTIS: Well, I think that is the danger. And if you're talking about Iraq, the biggest difference here in Afghanistan is that the Taliban is still very close to al Qaeda. And so I think the fear here is that those in the administration who want to exit Afghanistan quickly for political reasons, for domestic political reasons will actually leave in a way that emboldens the -- emboldens al Qaeda by putting the Taliban back in power in Afghanistan. And that would be a strategic defeat for the U.S. and the war on terrorism if this happens in a way that benefits al Qaeda.
KAYE: All right. Thank you both for weighing in on our topic today -- should the U.S. be speaking with the Taliban? Appreciate it.
And it's time now for a CNN political update. CNN's Joe Johns joins me now from Washington.
Joe, great to see you, what do you have for us today?
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Well, the buzz about Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and his re-election campaign just got some new fuel. He is a Republican Senate institution. He's going for a seventh term, but a new survey of Utah voters says he could be in a bit of trouble -- 38 percent say it's important to re-elect him because of his seniority. But here's the problem: six in 10 responded said he's been in office too long.
Hatch, of course, dismissing it. He says it's too early and incumbents are often down in the polls this far out from election day.
And conservatives are hot under the collar today about the telecast of the U.S. Open golf tournament. It doesn't have anything to do with the fact that Rory McIlroy powered the field. It's because the Pledge of Allegiance played on the air twice, leaving out the words "under God." The network has apologized but hasn't exactly silenced the critics. We're going to take a look at that controversy, plus a whole lot more tonight on "JOHN KING, USA" -- Randi.
KAYE: And you'll be in the anchor chair for that one, I understand.
JOHNS: Looking forward to it. Yes.
KAYE: All right. I know where I'll be 7:00 p.m. tonight. Thanks, Joe.
JOHNS: Thanks, Randi. You're the best.
KAYE: Well, your next update from "The Best Political Team on Television" is just an hour away.
Tweets from B.O. Who's that? It's next in my "XYZ."
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KAYE: Time now for my "XYZ."
Have you heard that President Obama plans to start tweeting? Sure, the @BarackObama account has been in existence since 2007. But his tweets haven't exactly been personally written. His staff has been managing his social media presence for him. No surprise.
By now, word from the White House is that the prez will start tweeting regularly all by himself. And no special privileges, he'll have to say what he wants to say in 140 characters or less, just like the rest of us.
And now, how do you know if you get a tweet directly from the president? Well, his staff says the president's personal tweets will be signed B.O. In the past, President Obama has said his thumbs are too clumsy to type things on the phone. So, I guess he's been practicing. Either that or his daughters Sasha and Malia plan to help type it all for him.
No doubt, his tweets will come in handy as he gears up for the 2012 election. And by the way, just for the record, I send all my own tweets. My producers are far too busy to send tweets from me. So, no need to sign them R.K. on my part.
And promise I do promise when I get my first tweet from the president signed B.O., I will be sure to retweet it.
CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin. I'll retweet it to you to, Brooke.
