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New York OKs Same-Sex Marriage; Record Flooding in Minot, ND; Running the Muddy Buddy; Zany Ideas Build Business; New Movie Releases; Syria's Protester Crackdown; Multi-Vitamin Debate; Face to Face with Logano and Leffler
Aired June 25, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Top of the news at this hour, gay marriages will be legal in New York in less than a month. Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the nation's newest same-sex marriage law just last night, just hours after the New York legislature approved it. It will go into effect July 24, making New York the sixth and most populous state allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry. We'll have a live report in just a moment.
And a fresh wave of clashes across Syria, anti-government protesters on one side, police and Syriancists (ph) on the other. A human rights group reports at least 10 people died in street fighting across the country yesterday. The government blames armed gangs for keeping the violent uprising alive.
In Minot, North Dakota, flood waters still rising, swamping more homes, sending more people to higher ground. We should see the river crest in about nine hours or so. About a fifth of the city already is under water, with flood waters already breaking records. Now people in the nearby small town of Sawyer are being told to evacuate.
In Nevada, at least two people were killed when a tractor-trailer slammed into an Amtrak train. This was the scene in Savrino (ph) yesterday. It isn't clear exactly how many people were injured. Two hundred and four passengers and fourteen crew members were on the bus (SIC) when the crash happened.
An abrupt and unexpected recess today in the Casey Anthony murder trial. The judge called a recess this morning after about a discussion with attorneys both in and out of court. The judge wouldn't specifically explain what happened, only saying, quote, "A legal issue has arisen." Testimony continues on Monday.
And both Williams sisters make the last 16 at Wimbledon. This is Serena Williams easily dispatching Maria Kirilenko today in London. Big sister Venus made the fourth round yesterday. Both have been away from the professional tennis circuit due to health problems.
And now back to our top story, New York's new same-sex marriage law. Appropriately enough, the bill was signed as New York City's Gay Pride weekend was getting under way.
CNN's David Ariosto is in New York City. So David, it sounds like the gay community will have plenty to celebrate this weekend. DAVID ARIOSTO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Fred. It is sort of ironic. The passage of this bill occurred on the same weekend as the pride weekend here, a parade here (INAUDIBLE) meander down 5th Avenue. It will effectively just meander past the Stonewall Inn, where in 1969, a raid sparked what many people consider really the beginning of the gay rights movement.
New York now obviously being the most populous state is joining a list of five other states, including the District of Columbia. And what that means -- to put this in a little bit of perspective, is what that means is essentially is -- is that the number of Americans who are living in same-sex states will effectively double.
Now, we spoke with a number of individuals who are both for and against it, those who supported the bill and said this was sort of a long time coming, an historic moment in which same-sex partners and couples will be able to achieve equal rights in terms of taxation, hospital visitation rights, employer medical benefits. Those came in detraction (ph) were -- were -- say it could provoke unintended consequences against religious organizations.
Now, the passage -- and many people ask, How did this happened? Many efforts to pass this senate bill had failed in the past. And what most people have told us is that it was really a dedicated sponsor and -- and the ability of -- and the willingness of Republican swing voters -- swing senators who voted against the measure in 2009. This time they cast their vote in favor.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ALESI (R), NEW YORK STATE SENATOR: I have lost politically my conservative endorsement. But I go by the constituents that have contacted me. And again, I go by my own heart. You cannot live or die by a single vote. This political life is not a real life. Political life -- your real life is what's more important.
DANIEL O'DONNELL (D), NEW YORK STATE SENATOR: It's a battle I've been fighting for a very long time. We've been a couple for a very long time. All we ever wanted was just to be treated like everyone else. I can get a piece of paper like other people get, and it will give us all these rights that we currently don't have.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ARIOSTO: Now, what we're looking at here is a change in the laws here at the state level. However, some of the federal-level laws are still in existence. So same-sex couples here in New York, despite some of the new -- new -- new freedoms and the new equality rights that they gained in terms of state taxes and other state benefits, federal laws, such as collecting Social Security benefits, that remain at the national level will still remain out of reach for these individuals -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: David Ariosto, thanks so much, in New York.
So let's bring in CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin. He's joining us right now from White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. OK, so Jeffrey, how soon would people be able to marry?
All right, we're going to try and work out our audio problems there with Jeffrey Toobin, coming to us from West Virginia, as soon as we can.
All right, meantime, let's move on to massive flooding. The water has reached the rooftops.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is unbelievable. It kind of just makes a big lump in your throat.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And then there is more on the way. Folks in Minot, North Dakota, are bracing for the flood of the century. We'll take you live there next.
And who doesn't dream about this? Being a race car driver! Oh, I kind of did the (INAUDIBLE) tomboy that I am, and I got a chance to get right there in the passenger seat with NASCAR's Jason Leffler (ph). (INAUDIBLE) "Face to Face."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, we continue to monitor the situation in Minot, North Dakota. Rising flood water has already reached the rooftops in Minot's low-lying neighborhoods. Much of the city is under water right now. But as bad as it is, the next two hours could be even more critical.
Let's bring in Jim Spellman. He has been there for days now. And you've seen the evacuation spread, so give me an idea of what people are able to do, if anything, at this point.
JIM SPELLMAN, CNN: Yes, hey, Fred, not much, really, they can do at this point. The city has just become inundated with water over the last 24 hours, and it's filled with people trying to do what they can. There's people up in helicopters. They've been dropping large sandbags on various trouble spots that pop up. They're pumping water like this out of the city hall complex, water that's backing up through the storm drain systems. And there's continued work on dikes like this that they've erected to protect some of the more valuable infrastructure items around town. This is the city hall complex, major bridges, things like that.
As far as the people that have been evacuated, about 12,000 people or so, they're showing up here on the edges of the floods, trying to get a glimpse of their house. But they know that, basically, if they live on this side of the flood water, that their house has sustained heavy damage.
You can't even tell right here that this was once a railroad bridge and a road that went under this tunnel. It's just been taken away by this river, Fred. WHITFIELD: So we're about hours away, is it not, nine hours or so away from where -- you know, when that river is expected to crest. What's the expectation when that happens there?
SPELLMAN: Well, we just have just recently got some -- what could be a small bit of good news here. It sounds like they've downgraded their earlier estimates and that this river might only go up a few more inches.
Now, as you can tell, it's already pretty well inundated. I'm not really sure that another foot would make too much of a difference to many of these neighborhoods. But a little good news, only expected to go up a few more inches, down several feet from their worst-case scenario of a couple days ago -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: So a little bit ago, we spoke with a resident of Minot, Stewart Dahl (ph), who talked about there really isn't a place for anyone to go. There are no any hotel rooms. There aren't -- there isn't any more space in shelters. And if you've had to evacuate, you're staying with friends or family. Paint a picture for us of exactly what has been living been like for other residents there since the evacuations got under way.
SPELLMAN: Yes, well, it's actually really interesting, Fredricka, because Minot, North Dakota, has been something of a boom town the last couple of years. There's been a great increase in oil industry up here, this oil that is embedded in sand up here, all the way up into Canada. So all these oil workers have been moving in, and already before this happened, there was barely any rental stock of apartments or anything.
And FEMA, when they provide assistance to people, the first thing they look for are hotel rooms, apartments, things like that long before they resort to anything like the trailers we saw for Hurricane Katrina. So it's going to be a real problem.
Now, short-term, they can get into a Red Cross shelter, sleep on cots, you know, in, basically, a gymnasium. But where people are going to go with their families next week, the week after, as they try to rebuild, that's still a big question mark for the authorities here and the residents to deal with, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: OK. All right. Thanks so much, Jim Spellman. Appreciate that, from Minot, North Dakota.
All right, two years ago today, the world lost a legend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LATOYA JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SISTER: Well, Michael told me that they were going to murder him. He was afraid. He was afraid for his life.
PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": Who was -- who was going to murder him?
JACKSON: The people that were involved in his life, the people that were controlling him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And now, two years later, a still (ph) debate about Michael Jackson's death, his sister, Latoya, speaking out to CNN. That's coming up next.
But first, here's CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras with today's "Travel Insider."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hey, everybody. I'm CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras. And today we're in Conyers, Georgia.
One of my favorite things to do for traveling is to check out a region and area parks by doing adventure races. This is the old equestrian park that they used for the 1996 Olympics in the Atlanta area.
This is my buddy, Mike. And you do this kind of a race with a partner. It's a really great introductory race, where you mountain bike, you do some trail running, and then you do obstacles in between.
It's only about six miles, so it's a great warm-up for a lot of people just getting into adventure racing. And yes, of course, at the end, there is a mud pit.
One of my favorite things about the Muddy Buddy is that it's all about fun. In fact, you get bigger prizes for having a great costume than you do for coming in first place with your time.
All right, we're here at the starting line. I'm a little bit nervous, but I'm really excited. Frank is a veteran over here, so he's going to blaze the trail. Hopefully, I'm going to be able to follow him. We'll see what happens. So wish me luck.
FRANK: I'll blaze it for you, Jacqui.
JERAS: We'll see you at the end.
FRANK: Stay right on my tire.
JERAS: Why did I do this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fun stuff. Fun stuff.
JERAS: All right, to the mud!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get down low, please!
JERAS: Whoo! What better way to cool down than in the mud? Have some fun with some friends. Explore a little bit of your region. That's the Muddy Buddy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right, it's been exactly two years since the death of the King of Pop. Michael Jackson died from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol and a mix of other drugs. But his sister, Latoya, says it was murder. Here's what she told our Piers Morgan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PIERS MORGAN, HOST, "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": How do you think he died? You've been quoted as saying you believe it may have been murder. Do you still think that?
LATOYA JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S SISTER: Absolutely.
MORGAN: Why? Why are you so sure?
JACKSON: I will never, ever think differently because, first of all, Michael told me that they were going to murder him. He was afraid. He was afraid for his life.
MORGAN: Who was -- who was going to murder him?
JACKSON: The people that were involved in his life, the people that were controlling him.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is charged with his death. Murray's attorney wants the start of his involuntary manslaughter trial delayed. It was supposed to start come this fall. The judge says he will issue a decision on delaying the trial next month.
All right, tonight on CNN, Don Lemon speaks exclusively with friends and family about Michael's last days. Watch "Michael Jackson: The Final Day" tonight, 8:00 o'clock Eastern. Then at 9:00, see Piers Morgan's entire interview with Latoya Jackson. It's all tonight right here on CNN.
All right, they used to be a hot item, now Justin Timberlake and Cameron Diaz are back together, this time on the big screen. But is their new movie, "Bad Teacher," scoring an A with critics?
Plus, could too much of a good thing be bad? Dr. Bill Lloyd (ph) joins me to tell us which vitamins to take and which ones you just ought to avoid. That's coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A Disney Pixar sequel races back to the theaters this weekend, and Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake pair up one more time, this time on the big screen in "Bad Teacher." Film critic Grae Drake from Sandango (ph) and Movies.com joins us from Los Angeles.
So Grae... GRAE DRAKE, MOVIES.COM: Hello!
WHITFIELD: ... Lightning McQueen and all of his buddies back on the screen, much anticipated not just...
DRAKE: (INAUDIBLE)
WHITFIELD: Yes, not for just kids, but also for adults, too. So let's take a quick peek at, you know, Lightning and Mater and the rest.
DRAKE: Sounds good.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tokyo International Airport.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Listen, this isn't radiator springs (ph). These are medicines (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're clearly master spies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, you've got to be joking!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right, so stars Owen Wilson, back, Larry the Cable Guy and Michael Caine. So this one goes overseas. I mean, the first one was a huge, huge hit, this one now overseas. What do you think? What did you like about it?
DRAKE: You know...
WHITFIELD: Uh-oh!
DRAKE: ... I actually had an easier time understanding the plot of "Inception."
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: You're kidding me! Oh, my goodness!
(CROSSTALK)
DRAKE: ... pretty complicated.
WHITFIELD: Really?
DRAKE: I have a feeling that -- and the first one was kind of simplistic, and so Pixar hired maybe moonlighting quantum physicists to write the script.
(LAUGHTER)
DRAKE: It's kind of hard to understand, and I don't think kids are really going to get the story. WHITFIELD: No?
DRAKE: But they are going to love the 3-D. It looks great. There's a lot of color. And there's cars coming at your face!
WHITFIELD: Wow!
DRAKE: So, you know, it works on that level. I think "Cars" is kind of more known for its merchandise than for the actual film.
WHITFIELD: Yes, quite true.
DRAKE: And as a result, this movie has more new cars in it than Jay Leno's garage. Yes, you're going to have to buy all of these toys for your children. Maybe it's time for a second mortgage on your house.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness!
DRAKE: But -- yes, it's pretty crazy. There are so many of them. But really, like, what this movie lacked for me is heart...
WHITFIELD: Oh!
DRAKE: ... which is something that I've come to expect from my Pixar movies. And it made me really sad, but...
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: There was a lot of fun in the first one!
DRAKE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
DRAKE: You know, you can't win every single time. But for some people, there's Larry the Cable Guy using a bidet, so I don't know. It may work for some people.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness!
DRAKE: This one...
WHITFIELD: (INAUDIBLE) grade?
DRAKE: It kind of fails the Grae Drake emissions test because it stinks.
WHITFIELD: Oh, no!
DRAKE: So I gave it a D.
WHITFIELD: Oh! That's huge! D? That's bad! Oh! OK, well, maybe...
DRAKE: Didn't like it. WHITFIELD: ... you will -- oh, maybe you'll give the "Bad Teacher" a good grade. Let's check it out, Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake, romantic comedy, of course. "Bad Teacher." Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) you shouldn't be teaching. I mean, I can't think of anyone less suited to being a teacher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't need a blackboard or a classroom to set an example.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So stupid.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Morons!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Elizabeth, want to, like, grab a bite sometime?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you still a gym teacher?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Then, no.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, cool. Well, awesome. (INAUDIBLE) great. All right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From now on, my full-time job is finding a guy who's going to take care of me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, there!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Scott Delacorte (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Elizabeth Halsey (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm the new sub.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) watch. Is that a (INAUDIBLE)?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The family business.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh! "Bad Teacher" -- mean teacher, too. But it looks funny. Did you like it?
DRAKE: Cameron Diaz is once, twice, three times a train wreck in this move, and I loved it! I could not take my eyes off of her.
WHITFIELD: Really?
DRAKE: And she is supported by a really great cast. Like you said, there's Justin Timberlake in this one, who's really quickly becoming, like, one of my favorite performers. He's a quadruple threat. He sings, he dances, he acts, and he's Grae Drake's personal (ph) misses (ph). Worth every penny.
WHITFIELD: Really?
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: OK, then!
(CROSSTALK)
DRAKE: ... and I'm sticking to it.
WHITFIELD: OK, you stick with it, then. OK, so this was funny. You know, this...
DRAKE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: I mean, you know, it's kind of a little knee-slappers and it's just, you know, tongue-in-cheek, kind of fun.
DRAKE: It is. And I think Cameron Diaz kind of should never be in another romantic comedy every again because she's much better when she's being bad. And this movie is edgy, it's dark, and mean, really mean. And I guess I like watching hot chicks be mean because this movie was fun.
WHITFIELD: Oh!
(CROSSTALK)
DRAKE: ... educators a good lesson, I think. I think that she's teaching us that maybe our American education system wouldn't be in so much trouble if our teachers wore more Daisy Dukes and...
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh!
DRAKE: ... stole more money from children.
WHITFIELD: OK, let's not corrupt the children! OK, so your grade on this one?
(LAUGHTER)
DRAKE: I give this one a 1600 on the SATs, which stands for slutty alcoholic teacher. I also give it an A.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness! You are funny! OK, so let's talk about DVDs really quick. Do we have time for that?
DRAKE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: No! Apparently, we don't. I'm sorry.
DRAKE: Oh! Too bad.
WHITFIELD: Grae!
DRAKE: Well, there are a lot of good ones out this week.
WHITFIELD: Oh, good. OK. Well, maybe next time. But we had fun with those. Thumbs up on one, thumbs down on the other.
DRAKE: Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right, Grae Drake, appreciate it. Always good to see you. Thanks so much.
DRAKE: You, too. Bye.
WHITFIELD: All right. So now you've seen the pictures, a bloody, brutal -- we're talking real life now -- three-month-long government crackdown on protesters in Syria. And until now, no media allowed inside. But that has changed. CNN's own Hala Gorani is reporting from inside Syria with an exclusive interview with a top-ranking official there.
But first, Tom Foreman reports in today's "Building Up America" segment.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the shipping line, the slap (ph) watches are running fast, out the door all day, every day, another trendy hit for business partners Jim Howard and Lori Montag.
JIM HOWARD, BIG TIME BRANDS: It's mind-boggling trying to get your arms around it.
LORI MONTAG, BIG TIME BRANDS: And we've had up to 300 people, you know, at a time working here in our distribution center.
FOREMAN: Their small company is making huge waves in the competitive world of gift items. For example, those oddly shaped rubber bands that kids can't seem to get enough of -- when Jim and Lori put their Zanybandz on the market...
MONTAG: The phones did not stop ringing night and day.
HOWARD: At one point, we were missing 700 to 800 phone calls a day.
MONTAG: A day.
HOWARD: Missing. Missing.
FOREMAN (on camera): From retailers.
MONTAG: Going into our...
HOWARD: Yes.
MONTAG: Yes. FOREMAN (voice-over): Since then, they've sold $40 million worth of Zanybandz.
HOWARD: We just sold 50,000 packages today for the Middle East.
FOREMAN: And they believe a key to their success is the economic crisis itself because while people have cut back on buying more expensive items, they are convinced it has spurred the market for lower-cost fun products, like their watches, which go for about $20.
HOWARD: It's what's been making the economy tick lately.
MONTAG: And we have stores that have even said to us, Your product kept our store alive.
FOREMAN: Their company has, simply put, found a sweet spot in the sour economy, sweet enough to support 270 jobs across the country and to keep their sales building up every hour of every day.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories right now, bottom of the hour. NATO officials acknowledge that its aircraft mistakenly hit Libyan opposition forces while targeting forces loyal to Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. It happened Thursday in the key contested oil city of al Brega. NATO says it regrets any possible loss of life or injuries.
And gay rights advocates are celebrating. New York governor Andrew Cuomo signed the nation's newest new same-sex marriage law last night just hours after the legislature approved it. It will go into effect July 24th, making New York the sixth and most populous state allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.
The next several hour will be critical in Minot, North Dakota. The Souris River continues to rise. We should see it crest sometime after midnight Eastern, and after a fifth of the city is already under water. With the flood waters already at record levels, people in the nearby small town of Sawyer are being told to evacuate.
The CNN family and sports fans everywhere are remembering this man. Nick Charles, he was CNN's first sports anchor and he, along with his co-anchor, Fred Hickman, were fixtures on "SPORTS TONIGHT" for two decades. Charles died of bladder cancer this morning. He was 64.
And today marks the sixth anniversary of the death of an angel. "Charlie's Angels" star Farrah Fawcett died of cancer two years ago. She became an icon when some 12 million copies of her pin-up poster were snapped up in 1976. You know exactly the one I'm talking about, the one with Fawcett in the red swimsuit. She was 62 when she died.
To Syria now where the government has kept CNN's cameras and reporters out since the anti-government uprising began there in March. That has now changed. We have crews in Syria now, although they are being closely watched by government minders.
Here's Hala Gorani on her first walk through Damascus in months.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
HALA GORANI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): OK. So this - this young man (INAUDIBLE), he just came out of the - of the mosque and he said he doesn't want any trouble. The country is with Bashar. You're seeing a small group of pro-government demonstrators. They're expressing their support for the regime.
This (INAUDIBLE) -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
GORANI: OK. And his name is Bashar (ph), ironically. So you -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
GORANI: This young man is saying people are paying money, (INAUDIBLE). OK. From outside in order to foment this - this unrest.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That was Hala Gorani there reporting, where a group of supporters of President Bashar al-Assad there in Damascus had converged. And, again, Hala Gorani and our CNN crews are closely being watched by Syrian government minders while they report there.
And according to a human rights group, more than 1,600 people have died in Syria, most of them anti-Assad protesters. Hala Gorani got an exclusive interview with the country's Deputy Minister who says Syrian troops and police aren't killing anyone.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GORANI (on camera): Why are Syrian security forces and the military, and this has been the testimony of many people in some of those cities, why are they shooting at demonstrators and in some cases killing them? Why is - why is that crackdown happening in Syria right now?
FAYSSAL MEKDAD, SYRIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER: There is no crackdown. There's a crackdown from these military groups against the government and against civilians.
GORANI: So who's doing the killing? Who's doing the killing?
MEKDAD: The killing was initiated and is still going on by these extremist groups. GORANI: Who are they?
MEKDAD: They are extremist groups, extremist religious groups and groups that are financed from outside Syria and groups that do not want to achieve reform in Syria.
GORANI: Are they Syrians financed by - with outside money?
MEKDAD: I don't - I mean I cannot -- I'm not a security. I don't know who is financing them.
GORANI: Well, we've been able to see both from evidence collected from people who fled to Turkey and other places is that some of these demonstrators were clearly shot and they were shot by people with the intent to kill them. And they died, and that's at least 1,300 people.
MEKDAD: Hala - Hala, believe me, this is a big lie. I think when you speak about the refugees to Turkey, this is a big lie.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: All right. No Syrian official has elaborated on exactly what religious group or armed gang is according to them attacking and killing protesters. The Syrian government position remains there is no crackdown.
All right, most families think they're doing a pretty good job taking daily vitamins, but are all those vitamins really necessary? Dr. Bill Lloyd joins me next with the breakdown.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: It's a must have in many households, moms, dads, and kids taking daily vitamins, but with so many labels and different types, are you really getting what your body needs?
Healthy Living expert Dr. Bill Lloyd joins us right now. So, Dr. Bill, multivitamins, big business. More than $24 billion in sales back in 2008. Does everyone benefit from daily vitamin supplements?
DR. BILL LLOYD, HEALTHY LIVING EXPERT: Fredericka, the evidence shows that most Americans, adults and children who eat a balanced diet don't need to be taking a daily multivitamin. But there are many Americans that should be taking these supplements.
Let's start with fertile women, young women who could become pregnant, they ought to be taking folic acid every day even if they're not pregnant yet. Of course, women in the first trimester also need folic acid. It's important in protecting their babies from birth defects. They also need to take iron as well. Infants ought to be taking supplemental Vitamin D, especially if they're breastfeeding.
Now older Americans, folks over 55, they also need Vitamin D to protect their bones and, Fredricka, they also need Vitamin B-12 to protect their brain. It's been shown you can have improved brain power by taking Vitamin B-12. And, of course, anyone who's been diagnosed with a vitamin deficiency will be prescribed vitamin therapy. And don't forget vegans and vegetarians, they also need to load up on Vitamin B-12 and iron because often they can't get in an ordinary vegan diet.
WHITFIELD: So, Dr. Bill, you know, in some supermarkets the vitamin aisle is bigger than the breakfast cereal aisle. Why are there so many different kinds of vitamins and supplements now in the world you make a selection?
LLOYD: Having mentioned that, you know, cereals are loaded with vitamins -
WHITFIELD: OK.
LLOYD: -- but to the point as to why there's so many products on those aisles, you know, the requirements vary for different age groups and for different genders when it comes to vitamins, we shouldn't all be taking the same vitamin products. And, by the way, there's unlimited formulations, some emphasize Vitamin C and D, as you know, and others are loaded B-12 with folic acid, so you have to identify what is it that I want that's going to work for me.
Many people, of course, are in that debate between, you know, chemically manufactured synthetic vitamins versus the natural vitamins that may have been obtained from botanicals or other organic sources. And then, of course, there's many different types of products. We grew up taking vitamin tablets every day, but, of course, there's capsules and liquids and those ever popular gummies.
WHITFIELD: And now, are there - OK. So there's the over-the-counter kind of supplemental vitamins and sometimes your doctor may prescribe a certain vitamin, is there a difference between the over the counter versus the prescribed ones?
LLOYD: Well, the big difference is, if you think about a prescription medication, it has to get through a series of rigorous tests to prove that it's safe and effective. The FDA will not let a prescription drug on the market unless it's shown to have a benefit. Now, all these vitamins and supplements, they are very poorly regulated and almost anybody can out anything on that supermarket shelf.
And speaking of prescriptions, it's important if you're taking prescription medications, talk to your doctor before you start a vitamin regimen. One good example is Vitamin K. If you're taking blood thinners and many older Americans are, you may be taking Vitamin K in that multivitamin which can get you into a bleeding problem.
WHITFIELD: And can it be a case of too much of a good thing, some vitamins may say, you know, you can take up to six a day, that apparently was on one label of a supplement and then sometimes, you know, I guess people can get sick or claim that they don't feel well after taking vitamins?
LLOYD: Yes. Too many vitamins can take you toxic. You have to think of what they call the fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K. These are stored in your body. And if you load up on A, D, E and K, you definitely can become very, very sick.
So what do you do? You look at all those small numbers on the labels, they're made by committees. Committees try to determine what these recommended daily allowances are for these different vitamins. But what do committees do? They're always compromised in a consensus. So instead you want to consult, you know, a registered dietitian, your pharmacist or your family doctor to find out what specific supplements you ought to be taking and the precise dose that's calibrated for your age.
WHITFIELD: All right. Dr. Bill Lloyd, thanks so much, always good to see you and thanks for making us healthy.
LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.
WHITFIELD: All right.
All right. Have you heard Sarah Palin has a new movie coming out? And - and now word today on how she's going to celebrate its big debut.
And the new viral video of President Obama, a couple of kids and a cell phone, except - guess what? It's not really new. We'll kind of explain.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Time for our "CNN Equals Politics" update. We're keeping an eye on all the latest headlines at the CNNPolitics.com desk. And here's what's crossing right now.
Sarah Palin, documentary film star, the feature length movie about Palin's time as governor and a vice presidential nominee debuts next week, and guess where? Iowa. The production company announced today that the Palins will attend. The documentary is called "the Undefeated."
And have you seen this video yet? It is going viral. What if you were this kid? President Obama showing a couple of kids around the presidential limo, right there, he hands the presidential phone to a boy, right there he says, "Hey, call your mother." And so he did. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Who do you want to call?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to call my mom, sir.
OBAMA: Let's see if she picks up.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does she pick up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just say call message - well, or have a message. OBAMA: Leave a message. Leave a message.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi, Mom. I'm in the president's car. So call me. It's cool. It's really cool
OBAMA: All right. Bye.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Can you imagine the look on mom's face when she heard that voicemail from her son and of course from the president's voice right on there? Well, the White House confirmed it, yes, it is authentic, it is real, it really did happen. But guess what? It didn't just happen, it actually was last September when the president was hosting the backyard meetings across America and this is a lesson to all moms in America, answer the phone next time. The president just might be calling, along with your son or daughter.
And for the latest political news, you know exactly where to go, CNNPolitics.com.
All right, more "Face To Face" with some of NASCAR's best, Jason Leffler and Joey Logano at the Charlotte NASCAR Hall of Fame.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: As Wimbledon heads into its second week, two American players are in the spotlight. Venus and Serena Williams are scoring win after win, wowing the audience and putting to rest questions about their ability to finish on top this time around.
Both have been sidelined with health problems for nearly a year. But now they could end up competing against each other in the finals.
Well, recently, I talked "Face To Face" with Venus Williams about competing with and against sister Serena.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VENUS WILLIAMS, TENNIS CHAMPION: There was one year, maybe '08, where I was playing. We play - we had to play each other in the Wimbledon final and we have to play a semifinal a day before. And I sprained my thumb so bad that I really couldn't hit a backhand, but I couldn't tell her that in the doubles because if she knows in the finals, so I just suck it up and -
WHITFIELD: You couldn't even share with her.
WILLIAMS: -- acted like nothing was wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So the Williams sisters have faced off in the Wimbledon Championship four times now. This year, who knows? Could be a fifth.
At ages 21 and 35, these next two athletes are at the top of the NASCAR game. Stock Car drivers Joey Logano and Jason Leffler talked to "Face to Face" about how they have excelled so quickly in a sport of speed, agility and endurance.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: So here we are at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. I'm with two of the brightest and the best in the biz, Jason Leffler and Joey Logano.
So the average age of the NASCAR drivers are somewhere between 25 and 30 and then on average that winning streak comes early 30s. Both of you seems to have defied the odds on your winning streaks very early in the game. So what is the secret?
You know, Joey, you first, how did you, you know, get out of the starting block so early and so good?
JOEY "SLICED BREAD" LOGANO, NASCAR DRIVER: I think for me, you know, I started when I was really young. You know, I think a lot of kids, they're coming into the - into the NASCAR series now are really starting when they're, you know, 6, 7 years old. That's when I started. And when I was 15 years old, Joe Gibbs Racing found me and gave me the opportunity to get into really good race cars at a really young age and really helped my learning curve go a lot quicker than I think it would have been if it went a different way, so -
WHITFIELD: You started at the age of 12, which is considered kind of late when you look at the -
JASON LEFFLER, NASCAR DRIVER: Like old now.
WHITFIELD: -- yes, when you look at the - the scale now. But for you, you know, do you feel like it come - you know, starting out any sooner might not have been the right formula for you?
LEFFLER: I think at the time it wouldn't have been. But the time I was 12 I wanted to do it so bad. I developed such a passion for it that I think that's what helped me later on in the years.
WHITFIELD: And who you admire there? Are there those drivers that you thought, OK, one of these days, you know, I'm going to be neck and neck with you. And then, voila, here you are.
LEFFLER: Yes. I mean, there's - there's numerous drivers on different - different levels that I've always admired, Jeff Gordon was one that I always admired growing up and Tony Stewart was very helpful. I mean, he was helpful in giving me my shot down here at NASCAR so any time I get a chance to race with those guys, I'm - I'm pretty excited.
WHITFIELD: So, Joey, what happens to you when you get ready to race, when you get in the cockpit, so to speak, behind the wheel? Is there like a real transformation that takes place with you?
LOGANO: Yes. I mean, I think there's two different Joeys, you know, there's Joey not on (ph) the racetrack and there's Joey at the racetrack. And, you know, I think that's kind of what you've got to be. You know, you've got to be able to enjoy life, for sure, but when you're at the racetrack, that's serious time. You know, it's time when you're working really hard on your race car and to make it better with your team, you know?
And before the race starts, I just become really quiet. You know, I think your mind is going a million miles an hour about all the situations that can happen, what you want to do if certain situations happen, what we can do, and it's just a bunch of unknowns basically until the green flags are up. And so you're just trying to prepare yourself the best you possibly can for that race and, you know, just in case something happens. So it's - you never know what's going to happen.
It's just like any other sport. Something can happen in lap one and if you get - put in position, you know, last night for the race, what are you going to do? You know, things like that they always run through your mind, and that's going through the whole race, you know, as you're going 200 miles an hour out there, you're thinking about the next pit stop, what your car is going to do, trying to position yourself for the end of the race. All that stuff is always going through your mind and that's why you just need to be prepared for all that in the best way possible.
WHITFIELD: Can you ever be too confident?
LOGANO: I don't think so. I think you need to be very confident. You know, I think there's a line between being cocky and confident, you know? I think you need to be humble and take a step back every once and a while, look at where you are and how lucky you are to be able to do something like this.
How many people want to drive a race car as a - as a living and get paid to drive race cars?
WHITFIELD: Everyone.
LOGANO: That's pretty cool.
WHITFIELD: Just about everyone.
LOGANO: I just - I can't think of anything else I would rather do, or anything else I probably can do, but -
LEFFLER: I'll second that.
WHITFIELD: But at least you know how to do it well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Oh, they are the envy of everyone. Who doesn't want to be a race car driver? I bet you Don Lemon at one of his life wants to get behind the wheel and just, ah, go really fast.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: You're as bad as you wannabe, aren't you? You're driving - WHITFIELD: It was fun to hang with them. They're just so wonderful, nice, smart and, you know, they are incredible athletes because it really does take, you know, some incredible training -
LEMON: To do that?
WHITFIELD: Yes. Just hold on to that car.
LEMON: I remember the video of you doing it. But I had my own race car experience. Just a few years ago, I'm going to make you jealous. Look.
WHITFIELD: No. You're going to hurt my feelings.
LEMON: Fred, I'm not as tough as you.
WHITFIELD: What was that car? You know I love cars.
LEMON: I can't remember what it was. I think it was a Chrysler.
WHITFIELD: Oh, that's beautiful.
LEMON: It's at the Atlanta Motor Speedway a couple of years back and again (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: But you stayed parked the whole time?
LEMON: It stayed parked the whole time.
WHITFIELD: Can I - can I just give you that dig (ph), though?
LEMON: OK.
WHITFIELD: You had it parked the whole time. That's not as fun, but that sure is a pretty ride.
LEMON: They weren't going to let me out in that car.
WHITFIELD: I like pretty cars.
LEMON: But, Fred, we have -
WHITFIELD: And a fast one, too.
LEMON: -- we really have some interesting topics -
WHITFIELD: Yes.
LEMON: -- coming up. I want you to remember this video, look at this, you see that woman running to the car. Well, she takes matters in her own hands after an alleged shoplifting incident and I'm talking to her, coming up.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh.
LEMON: Yes. In her own hands, she's like I'm going to take care of these robbers.
And then also, Fred, look at this video from Rochester, New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm observing what they're doing and they're arresting me. I don't understand what's going on. I did nothing. I did nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: She was videotaping a police arrest in her own yard, and then she was arrested. So the thing is, the cop said she sort of interfered because she was standing in her yard. So do you ever disobey the cops' orders even when you're in your own yard, on your own property with the camera? Yes.
WHITFIELD: That's interesting. I've got to see the whole thing with that one.
LEMON: OK. Remember this?
WHITFIELD: Yes - no.
LEMON: Remember this?
WHITFIELD: You know, I mean, what do I remember (ph)?
LEMON: Two years. I can't believe this was two years ago. Joe Jackson, rolling.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON (on camera): The last couple of days I know it's been really tough for you guys.
JOE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER: And? Yes, it has. It has been really tough. Remember we just lost the biggest star in the world - superstar in the world, so -
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That was Joe Jackson.
WHITFIELD: I do remember that.
LEMON: Can you believe it? It's been two years since Michael Jackson's death.
WHITFIELD: No.
LEMON: I have a documentary coming up tonight and also Joe Jackson joins me live. We're going to talk again two years later.
WHITFIELD: It will be interesting to see - see and hear what his sentiments
LEMON: Yes.
WHITFIELD: -- are now two years after the fact. I know there's also going to be like a candlelight vigil and a memorial taking place in Gary, Indiana.
LEMON: Yes.
WHITFIELD: The birthplace of Michael Jackson. Thanks so much, Don.
LEMON: I want to hear him. I want to hear him.
WHITFIELD: It's been this - it's been a long time since you and I were on the sofa together talking face to face. You've been on this, you know, nationwide tour all over the place.
LEMON: "Transparent" the book, we'll talk about it (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: And we're going to do that in this sofa, face to face.
LEMON: Thank you. Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right, Don. Thanks so much.
LEMON: Yes. Ms. Fred.
WHITFIELD: I appreciate that.
All right. I'm Fredericka Whitfield. Don Lemon up next just a few minutes from now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
