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North Korean Rocket Fails; Newark Mayor Saves Woman from Fire; Affidavit: Zimmerman "Profiled" Martin; Feds Call for New Brake Override; North Korea Admit Its Rocket Failed; New Spending Scandal Rocks GSA; Newark Mayor Saves Woman from Fire; J Lo Upset in "Idol" Shocker
Aired April 13, 2012 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Thanks, Soledad.
Good morning to all of you. I'm Carol Costello.
Happening now, failure to launch. The North Korean rocket that wasn't. It's being called humiliating, fruitless, a failure. Despite that the United States this morning standing strong as the United Nations meets to see what the next steps are.
Mayor to the rescue. Cory Booker racing into a neighbor's burning house crossing through smoke and flames to save a woman's life. Newark, New Jersey, has a new hero this morning.
In control. The government taking a huge step in your safety behind the wheel. It's a brake override. We'll tell you all about it.
Jackass Award. The GSA scandal getting worse this morning. The agency using your money to invent a fake award show at dinners you paid for. We're on the case.
Housing alert. Have prices finally hit rock bottom? We're hearing this morning the value of your home could go up for the first time in seven years.
And it's iconic, studied in one of the most popular pieces of art around and now it's hitting the auction block. Get ready for "The Scream."
NEWSROOM begins right now.
Up first this morning, North Korea defies the world and then surprises it. The secretive regime now admitting that its controversial rocket launch was a failure. Pyongyang says the long- range rocket broke apart before it could put a satellite into orbit. But the United States and other countries saw the launch as a test of a future ballistic missile. Today world leaders will discuss those concerns at the United Nations.
CNN's Stan Grant is in North Korea's capital with the latest. Hi, Stan. STAN GRANT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Carol. What an embarrassment isn't it, really, when you consider the eyes of the world's media were here. They really gambled. They invited the media in, even took us up to the launch site it built. I stood right next to the rocket. That's how confident they were that this would be a success.
And all of this was being played out against the backdrop of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the founding father of the country, Kim Il-Sung, part of a massive celebration here.
This morning we heard the news not from North Korea that the rocket had taken off but from the United States, and then later, again, within minutes the word from the U.S. that this had in fact failed. Still nothing from the North Korean officials. It took hours before state media here actually acknowledged the failure. That in itself was an extraordinary step to put out a statement saying yes, it had failed and they were launching an investigation.
But other than that, nothing. We've had no comment from any officials. No one has come forward to explain what the process was, what may have gone wrong. No one has come forward to tell us what -- what they're going to tell their own people when this of course was meant to be such a statement of power and prestige for the country -- Carol.
COSTELLO: The United States has already taken action. Tell us about that, Stan.
GRANT: Yes, well, the U.S. of course had knotted out a deal with North Korea for food aid. Now that deal was worked out just in February this year. But it was contingent on stopping these types of tests. The White House is now saying it looks as though it would be impossible to implement a deal such as that given the provocative action and the unpredictability of this regime.
Interestingly -- interestingly though, President Obama also left the door open saying that they are willing to be able to talk to North Korea if North Korea was willing to put an end to this type of activities, this type of provocation, and be able to provide for its own people.
What is extraordinary here, Carol, is you have a country that cannot feed itself but is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on just this type of program. At the end of the day failing to deliver -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Nothing to show for it. Stan Grant reporting live from inside North Korea this morning.
The Republicans' presumptive nominee Mitt Romney was quick to criticize President Obama over the rocket launch. In a statement issued last night, Romney said, "Instead of approaching Pyongyang from a position of strength, President Obama sought to appease the regime with a food aid deal that proved to be as naive as it was short lived. At the same time he has cut critical U.S. missile defense programs and continues to underfund them. This incompetence from the Obama administration has emboldened the North Korean regime and undermine the security of the United States and our allies."
At the bottom of this hour we'll take a look at the military implications of this latest defiance from North Korea. Retired Army general, Spider Marks, former commander of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center, will join us live.
And now to Greenland, New Hampshire, where four police officers were shot. A police chief was killed and now the suspect has been found dead. It all happened during a tense standoff overnight. Officials say the body of 29-year-old Cullen Mutrie was found inside his home where he barricaded himself along with a female acquaintance. The woman was also found dead.
Authorities say Mutrie opened fire on police when they arrived at the house with a search warrant. The Greenland police chief was killed just days before he was to retire. And as I said, four other officers were wounded.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL DELANEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE ATTORNEY GENERAL: The law enforcement community in New Hampshire is certainly grieving this morning. But they have come together, federal, state, and local agencies, to do the job that law enforcement officers do every day to secure the safety and protection of our citizens.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The police officers were trying to search Mutrie's home as part of a drug investigation.
If a Newark, New Jersey, woman didn't support Mayor Cory Booker before, she probably will now. The mayor ran into his neighbor's burning home last night through smoke and flames and carried that women to safety. Booker burnt his hand and suffered smoke inhalation but he's OK this morning. He came out of there with a new respect for firefighters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR CORY BOOKER, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: I couldn't see anything but the flames coming out of the kitchen. And I really had this moment where I thought, OK, I think this is -- I think I'm trapped. I think we can't get out.
MATT LAUER, CBS' "TODAY SHOW: And what's the smoke inhalation feeling?
BOOKER: You know --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was wondering that.
BOOKER: I got out and I just couldn't breathe. And I kept coughing and taking deep breaths was really hard. And that's why, you know, I -- today I have a new profound -- I have an incredible feeling -- you know, yesterday all of my problems were really big to me. This -- today things feel a lot more clear and I have a lot more respect for firefighters.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The neighbor, she's in stable condition with burns on her neck and back.
Reporter Nick Holmes has more about the -- about the mayor's heroics.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK HOLMES, REPORTER, NEWS 12 (voice-over): An embrace of relief shared by two people who had faced fire and survived. Mayor Booker, his hand wrapped in gauze, protecting second-degree burns. The woman identified herself as the fire victim's sister who is hospitalized with burns on her back. Firefighters say Mayor Booker's actions probably saved her life.
BOOKER: Yes. Just some second-degree burns. And, you know, it was -- just we thank God. Thank god that everybody is OK.
HOLMES: Detective Alex Rodriguez was outside the mayor's home waiting for the mayor to return. He says he spotted the flames on the second floor about one minute before the mayor pulled up.
DET. ALEX RODRIGUEZ, MAYOR'S SECURITY OFFICER: The mayor happened to pull up at that time. He ran in and without thinking for his own safety ran upstairs and assisted in rescuing the young lady that was in the front room here.
HOLMES (on camera): Now your job is to protect the mayor and you see him running into a burning building.
RODRIGUEZ: Absolutely. And --
HOLMES: What's going through your mind?
RODRIGUEZ: Protecting the mayor.
HOLMES: Take a look how narrow it is in here for the mayor and his security crew to be coming down these stairs and the smoke and the flames. Must have been incredibly intense. When you get up here in the second floor and you see the amount of damage, you really get an idea of what the mayor and the security detail had to go through just to get that woman out of here.
(Voice-over): The men made their way to the front room. Space was tight. There was smoke, flames and not much time.
RODRIGUEZ: I believe pulling the young lady out the fire from the kitchen he burned his hand trying to pull the lady out.
HOLMES: The residents of the two apartments are believed to all members of the same family. They all made it out alive. One firefighter told security five more minutes, there would be nothing left. Instead, there's this. A shared moment from neighbor to neighbor.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: And Mayor Booker will talk more about this later this morning. CNN will carry his news conference live from Newark. That will come your way at 11:00 Eastern.
Also this morning, the National Rifle Association opens its biggest meeting of the year with the Trayvon Martin case as a critical backdrop. This year the group's focus on gun rights is sure to include the Stand Your Ground law and the self-defense claim central to George Zimmerman's defense.
Today's speakers are veritable who's who of the Republican Party. Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich will be there. Along with former contenders Rick Santorum and Rick Perry.
Also set to speak, Eric Cantor, the House majority leader. The NRA says about 70,000 people will attend that convention in St. Louis.
This morning we have some stunning new photos from last week's crash of a Navy jet. The images make it all the more amazing no one was killed when that FA-18 Hornet slammed into the courtyard of an apartment complex. The two-person crew ejected from the jet. They were among the seven people injured.
The Navy says the jet experienced a catastrophic mechanical malfunction and was leaking fuel. Witnesses say it was already in flames by the time it hit the ground and set fire to five surrounding buildings.
We could be in for a wild weekend across a big chunk of the country. A string of nasty storms and even tornadoes from Texas to northern Minnesota.
Rob Marciano is here to tell us -- I'm just going to say, what else is new?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I know, but with the last couple of tornado outbreaks it occurred kind of the east of the Mississippi River. This one is going to shift back toward traditional tornado alley and then expand. But it starts today and really goes through the entire weekend.
(WEATHER REPORT)
MARCIANO: Carol, back over to you.
COSTELLO: Thank you, Rob.
One of the most famous paintings in the world is going on the auction block and on display for the public for the first time ever. The Norwegian artist Edvard Munch's famous painting "The Scream" is on display in London.
It's one of only four original versions and the only version in private hands and the only one to feature the poem that inspired the painting, which is hand-painted on the original frame and it's also the only one to be auctioned off.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SIMON SHAW, SOTHEBY'S: He would draw on his own personal experiences of love, anxiety and death, and create universal resonance, images that we could all understand.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The piece is said to be owned by the son of a friend of Munch and is expected to fetch more than $80 million.
Still to come, new insight and new questions this morning in the death of Trayvon Martin. We'll take you to those crucial moments that February night and what prosecutors are saying happened.
$100 a mile. That's what you pay to relocate a GSA employee from Denver to Hawaii. And here's the kicker. He only stayed on the job for one year and then he left.
And back from the '80s. Child stars against Kirk Cameron. A new tongue-in-cheek video hitting the Web and calling Kirk out. We've got your showbiz headline as your Friday edition of NEWSROOM continues after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The second degree murder case against George Zimmerman, prosecutors are not tipping their hand. But new clues to their strategy are revealed in a probable cause affidavit, released in Zimmerman's first court appearance. More on that in a moment.
But, first, listen to Zimmerman's attorney last night on "PIERS MORGAN".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK O'MARA, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN'S ATTORNEY: I will tell you. You may have seen it on today's TV. He was smaller and younger-looking than I thought he was going to be from the one picture that I had seen and everybody else had seen. He stands about 5'8", 185 pounds I think. So, I at 6'2" sort of tower over him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: CNN legal analyst and former federal prosecutor Sunny Hostin is in New York.
Hi, Sunny.
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Good morning, Carol.
COSTELLO: Good morning.
I found that a bit of sound interesting from Zimmerman's attorney because he mentioned his client as just 5'8" tall and he mentioned he's over six feet tall and Trayvon Martin reportedly was at least six feet tall.
Is this going to be part of the defense?
SUNNY HOSTIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: It may very well be. But the bottom line is I'm certain that the person that we saw yesterday at the first appearance perhaps is not the person that Trayvon Martin saw on February 26th because reportedly, his other attorney said he hadn't been eating, that he'd lost a significant amount of weight. If you look at surveillance video of the police station of Zimmerman on February 26th, he looks a lot heavier than he looked yesterday.
And so, the bottom line is, I mean, Mark O'Mara is his attorney. So, of course, he's saying things helpful to his client's case but I don't think we can't read too much into that.
COSTELLO: OK. Let's get for the probable cause affidavit. Prosecutors claim that Zimmerman profiled Martin and ignored a police dispatcher's order to stop pursuing the teenager before killing. Is this issue of profiling going to be the crux of their case?
HOSTIN: I think it's going to be part of it. We did learn a lot about the prosecution's theory in that probable cause affidavit which, by the way, the judge it was in front of did find probable cause quite readily. But we did learn that the prosecution's theory is that George Zimmerman profiled Trayvon Martin, disregarded what a police dispatcher told him to do which is not follow Trayvon Martin. The prosecution thinks that George Zimmerman did follow Trayvon Martin and started a confrontation.
So that was clear I think from the probable cause ad which I have in front of me. I think what's also interesting is that they have disregarded or at least don't believe George Zimmerman's account of that night. We know that it is his position at least and what he said to the police was that Trayvon Martin attacked him from behind on his way back to his SUV, that he was indeed not following him. So, completely, completely two different stories and versions of events is what I think we're going to be hearing about not only at trial if it gets to trial but also at any sort of "Stand Your Ground" hearing.
COSTELLO: Well, if it does get to trial -- I mean, we heard Zimmerman's attorneys say this trial won't even happen this year.
HOSTIN: Yes. I mean, it's interesting because, you know, that's sometimes the case. Of course, defendants are entitled to a speedy trial. Sometimes they waive that right. But I suspect if George Zimmerman doesn't get bond and remains in prison, perhaps we'll see a trial a little earlier than that. A little earlier than next year because sometimes when a defendant is being held without bond, the process is quicker because they want to see their day in court. They want the opportunity to defend themselves.
So, I'm not so sure that we really can assess what the time line will be yet. Too soon to tell.
COSTELLO: Got you. Sunny, thanks.
HOSTIN: Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: Still ahead in THE NEWSROOM: a tragic accident leads to new federal measures. What's being done to help make sure your car is safe?
And rock bottom. Is the housing market there yet? Maybe. Signs that 2013 might be the year we see prices pick up. That's also ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: You might remember the story. Nearly three years ago an off duty highway patrol officer and three family members were killed after the accelerator in his Lexus got stuck, causing him to spin out of control. That accident led to a major recall and now it's led to new federal measures.
Lizzie O'Leary is in Washington with more. Tell us about this, Lizzie.
LIZZIE O'LEARY, CNN AVIATION AND REGULATION CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, a lot of people remember that accident, Carol, because this was the thing that prompted the recall of millions of Toyota vehicles. They got slapped with a $50 million fine from federal investigators.
And now, what we're talking about is new standards that would be mandatory in all new cars, starting in about two years. And what we're talking about here is something that's called a throttle override system, and the basic idea behind it is it would allow the brakes to override, sort of in a computer electronic sense override the throttle. So, if your accelerator was stuck like we saw in that Toyota or in that Lexus crash in 2009, the brakes would override it.
So, here's how it kind of breaks out. It sounds like a dramatic fix but it's a fairly easy one. What we know is that you already have this on a lot of late model cars and so basically it's a computer switch. It impacts most modern cars.
It's a quick computer switch. This is easy. This is not something that sidelines cars for a long time.
Right now, this is a proposal but it's likely to become the mandatory rule. And in terms of cars that already have this, you basically have a lot of them that do. Toyota made this standard for all models after 2011. You already have G.M. doing it for cars made this year and Ford did it in a lot of cars that were made after 2010, Carol.
COSTELLO: So I'm just curious. What about people that drive stick shifts or manual transmissions and have to put down at gas and brake pedals at the same time. How does it impact them?
O'LEARY: Yes, it shouldn't impact them too much. This is really about what happens when the car gets the computer signal to keep the accelerator down. So it really affects more automatic transitions and you might have it be sticky if you have a manual transmission, but it really shouldn't be that big of an issue.
The idea here, remember, most cars are computerized nowadays. This is about making sure the car is getting the correct computer impulses.
COSTELLO: Lizzie O'Leary live in Washington for us this morning. Thanks.
Now is your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning: should gun laws be reviewed or not? The National Rifle Association is holding its big convention in St. Louis today. Front and center, GOP candidate Mitt Romney. He'll most likely talk about his strong support of Second Amendment rights.
The NRA is, as you know, a very powerful lobby. So powerful gun control advocates blame it in part for what happened to Trayvon Martin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG (I), NEW YORK: In reality, the NRA's leaders weren't interested in public safety. They were interested in promoting a culture where people take the law into their own hands and face no consequences for it. Let's call that by its real name, vigilantism.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The NRA has largely silent on Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law. It has refused our request for an on-camera interview, but its president did speak to a St. Louis newspaper reporter before charges against George Zimmerman were announced.
Wayne LaPierre said, quote, "We don't know the facts as to what happened in Florida. The law enforcement is doing their job. When they come down to a determination, then we'll have something to say."
Bloomberg is urging the repeal of "Stand Your Ground" type laws in nearly two dozen states but that's not likely to happen any time soon. Right now, no gun control law has a chance of passing in Congress. The debate lately has been less about gun control and more about protecting gun rights.
So the talkback question for you this morning: Should gun control laws be reviewed or not?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN, Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour.
North Korea's big launch was more like a big laugh. The rocket never left the atmosphere. But it proved one thing yet again. All the pressure on earth is not stopping North Korea from doing what it pleases.
So, what does that mean for us? We'll have more on that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Home prices have plunged since the housing bubble burst a few years ago. And since then, there's been no end in sight. Now a new study says prices may soon hit rock bottom. You know what that may mean.
Patricia Wu is at the New York Stock Exchange to tell us.
Good morning, Patricia.
PATRICIA WU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.
Well, the expectation is that it could happen this year. This is really key, because once prices hit bottom, well, there's no place to go but up. It will take a while to get back to where prices peaked back in 2006, since prices have fallen more than 30 percent since then.
And when you have value falling that dramatically, it pushes people into foreclosures and short sales and even if you do stay in your home, since homes are often the biggest asset you have, it makes you feel like you have less money. You also feel stuck. You don't want to sell when your home is less worth than you paid for it.
So, this is certainly welcome news that new forecast from "Reuters" say the prices expected to rise 2 percent next year -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK. So, I don't mean to bring us down after that. But there's got to be a catch.
WU: Well, it could be foreclosures. If we get a wave of foreclosures, that will push prices down further. And that could happen because foreclosures slowed after the 2010 robo-signing scandal when people were accidentally being foreclosed on because of bank errors. So, banks sort of hit that pause button until they got clear guidelines in place.
Well, that happened with the $26 billion mortgage settlement we got in February which put together a standardized process. The result is that banks are now moving forward with confidence on those foreclosures. As a result, foreclosures are up 45 percent in Indiana compared to last year. Yes. Up 26 percent in Florida.
So, it could become an issue. But one way or another, you've got to get these foreclosed properties out of the pipeline so that the housing market can stabilize and then hopefully see prices on the rise.
COSTELLO: Patricia Wu, live at the New York Stock Exchange.
Other stories we're watching right now in the NEWSROOM this morning.
The National Rifle Association opens the biggest meeting of the year with the Trayvon Martin case as a critical backdrop. This year, the group's focus on gun rights is sure to include the "Stand Your Ground" law and the self-defense claim central to George Zimmerman's defense.
Today, speakers are who's who of the Republican Party. Presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich will be there, along with former contenders Rick Santorum and Rick Perry. Also set to speak, Eric Cantor, the House majority leader.
The NRA says about 70,000 people will attend the convention in St. Louis.
We have some stunning new photos from last week's crash of that Navy jet. The images make it all the more amazing, but no one was killed when the F/A-18 Hornet slammed into the apartment complex. The two-person crew ejected from the jet. They're among the seven people injured. The Navy says the jet experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure and was leaking fuel.
Witnesses say it was already in flames by the time it hit the ground and set fire to five surrounding buildings.
North Korea now admits that its controversial rocket launch was a failure. Pyongyang says the long range rocket broke apart before it could put a satellite in orbit. But the United States and other countries saw the launch as a test of a future ballistic missile. Today, world leaders will discuss those concerns at the United Nations.
Apparently, all of the pressure in the world wasn't going to stop North Korea from at least giving that launch a shot.
CNN contributor, General Spider Marks, is here. He served as senior intelligence officer in South Korea.
And welcome, General.
SPIDER MARKS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: You know, a lot of are laughing about North Korea's latest bust. I mean, one headline out there called it a weapon of mass dysfunction.
But there is a bigger issue here. That the North will do what it wants despite the threats.
So, what does this mean for the United States?
MARKS: Well, you know, Carol, it's very easy to look at North Korea especially in light of what they just did. They brought the international community up there. They brought all of the media. Let's look at this rocket we're about to launch this thing. And then it goes sideways off the pad.
The issue really remains they have an incredibly capable military. They literally can launch artillery shells into downtown Seoul with no warning and the time of flight is probably just a couple of minutes. You really can do some incredible damage.
And what you also have is North Korea is a nuclear power and not a signatory to the Nonproliferation Treaty. So, this is a really toxic mix.
Now, the fact that this missile failed to get into orbit keeps North Korea -- what we've learned from this -- it keeps North Korea as a regional threat and a regional concern. They are not an international concern. Had they been able to put that thing into orbit, they could threaten almost anyone. Then it is a matter of marrying the nuclear capability up with the missile and now you have a legitimate intercontinental missile problem.
It doesn't exist today. We are lucky it does. But North Korea will continue to try to advance that capability.
COSTELLO: OK. So, of course, this has become a political issue in the United States. Mitt Romney slamming the president for appeasing the North with food aid because the president was going to enforce more sanctions against North Korea if it launched this rocket.
This is a quote from Mitt Romney. He says, "This incompetence from the Obama administration has emboldened the North Korean regime and undermine the security of the United States and our allies."
I guess the question for you -- is that true?
MARKS: My view is that North Korea does what it wants. They have demonstrated since they've been around for over 60 years that they are immune from international pressures. They view -- the North Korean regime, they view the peninsula in a way that it is theirs. The notion juche or self-reliance exists in all aspects of what they do and how they live.
So, what the outside world does is really of little import to them. So, a statement like that is truly not important.
Plus, guess what's going to happen? The United States is ultimately going to end up giving food aid back to the North Koreans even though they said they didn't because those that suffer in North Korea are the population. The regime and the elites will continue to do what they do. And the United States and other international partners are going to do the best they can to just contain this problem.
The only way North Korea changes is if they decide to change or there is some forcible change that is imposed on them and that's not likely.
COSTELLO: General Marks, thanks for joining us this morning.
MARKS: Thanks, Carol.
COSTELLO: You're welcome.
You have seen the evidence of lavish spending at the GSA convention. Now, details of even more lavish spending. Millions of your tax dollars sent to relocate employees. More on that story after a quick break.
And child celebrities are a special club. Hear why many of them from the '80s are speaking out against one of their own. Showbiz headlines next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: House Republicans have released new information about a spending scandal involving the General Services Administration.
CNN's Dana Bash has all of the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We've seen the GSA employee videos mocking wasted abuse.
We've seen evidence of the lavish 2010 GSA convention in Las Vegas costing taxpayers more than $800,000.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am wearing all Armani.
BASH: Now, new information exposing what appears to be excess spending beyond all that -- what one GSA official calls millions of taxpayer dollars spent in a two-year period to relocate GSA employees.
In one move alone, relocating an employee from Denver to Hawaii, it looks like the GSA spent $330,000. That comes from a transcript of an interview conducted by a GSA inspector general investigator with an unnamed GSA event planner charged with relocating employees.
The transcript was provided to CNN by Republicans on the House Oversight Committee. In it, the event planner said it, quote, "blew me away how much it costs to relocate somebody."
"It's crazy. It's astronomical. Hundreds of thousands of dollars." Going on to say, quote, "I mean, it's outrageous."
Among the relocation costs generally picked up by the GSA, a house hunting trip, temporary quarters for up to 90 days, one vehicle shipped, and groceries and laundry.
Beyond that, the event planner said the government would pay closing costs on a home purchase. If the person relocating can't sell their house, we have a guarantee that we'll buy it, then sell it off.
As to how much the GSA has spent in two years, "Oh, millions," replied the GSA event planner. "How many employees are we talking about?" the investigator later asked. "I'd say right now, probably about 15 files on my desk," said the GSA event planner. The investigator simply replied, "That's amazing."
(on camera): We should note it's unclear from the transcript whether the government was reimbursed for any of that $330,000 relocation from Denver to Hawaii. Now, the GSA doesn't just deal with relocating employees in its own agency. It also sets the relocation policy government-wide.
And in a tacit acknowledgement there's been concern about excess spending of taxpayer dollars, a GSA official told me they set up pilot programs around the country to cut down on costs when moving employees.
Dana Bash, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: It's all in a day's work for Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Do a live call in show at 10:00 p.m. and then go into a home and save a neighbor from a house fire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CORY BOOKER, NEWARK MAYOR: Thank God. Thank God that everybody is OK.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: More on his heroics, next.
And don't forget our talk back question today. This is the question for you this morning. Should gun control laws be reviewed or not?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN, Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: In case you missed it Newark, New Jersey, Mayor, Cory Booker rescued his neighbor from her burning house last night. She is in stable condition this morning. She has burns on her neck and back. The Mayor came out of this with a burned hands, smoke in his lungs and a new appreciation for firefighters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR CORY BOOKER, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: I couldn't see anything but the flames coming out of the kitchen.
CHARLIE ROSE, CBS NEWS: Yes.
BOOKER: And I really had this moment where I thought, ok, I think this is -- I think I'm trapped. I think we can't get out.
ROSE: And what's the smoke inhalation feeling?
BOOKER: You know I -- I got out. And I just couldn't breathe. And I kept coughing. And taking deep breaths was really hard. And that's why I know I have a -- today I have a new -- I have a new profound -- this incredible feeling yesterday all my problems were really big to me. This -- today things feel a lot more clear and I have a lot more respect for firefighters.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: I bet. Mayor Booker by the way will talk more about his heroics in about 15 minutes. You can see him live right here on CNN.
Child stars of the '80s and '90s are speaking out against one of their own in a spoof that while funny is also very serious. Showbiz correspondent Nischelle Turner is in Los Angeles with the scoop. Hi.
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey Carol. Yes the hits just keep on coming for Kirk Cameron. His acting peers are now letting him know they do not approve of recent comments about homosexuals.
Like you said a collection of child stars from the '80s and '90s have teamed up for actually a really funny mock public service announcement on the Web site "Funny or Die". They call themselves "Child Celebrities Opposing Kirk Cameron". The now grown-up actors include Keith Coogan, from "Adventures in Babysitting", Josie Davis "Charles in Charge", and Christine Larking from "Step by Step". Also Ken Michael from "The Parenthood". So why don't we listen to some of their message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Experience in the entertainment showed us that most homosexuals are kind, hard-working people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure some of them (EXPLETIVE DELETED) --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Neil Patrick Harris.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Neil Patrick Harris.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want my money dude.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But Kirk, like all of us, lived and worked in the company of homosexuals for years and I would challenge him --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would challenge him to name one thing they ever did to hurt him, his community or civilization as a whole.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TURNER: So you're right. Very funny there, Carol, but also a definite message that they want to get across.
COSTELLO: And if you watched the whole -- well, we couldn't play a lot of it because it was really blue. Let's turn now -- it was really funny and serious at the same time.
Let's turn now to "American Idol" because there was a show shocker. It sent J Lo into a frenzy.
TURNER: Drama. Yes it did, she -- it was high drama on "American Idol" last night. The judges, J Lo in particular actually stormed the stage to save contestant Jessica Sanchez. She has been eliminated by the fan vote.
But the judges have one Save a season that they can use. And last night yes, indeed, they used it, 16-year-old Sanchez is one of the favorites this season.
And backstage Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler told "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" they were stunned by this vote just like everyone else. They admitted they never thought this would happen. They said sometimes fans think -- fans think their favorites are safe and then they just forget to vote and they do believe, Carol, that that's what happened here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JESSICA SANCHEZ, AMERICAN IDOL CONTESTANT: (SINGING)
JENNIFER LOPEZ, JUDGE, "AMERICAN IDOL": Give me that mike. This is crazy. Yes, we're going to save. You aren't going home. Go sit down. Go sit down.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Oh that was so nice.
TURNER: It was.
COSTELLO: Well good for her. Because she does have a beautiful voice. I mean what else can you say?
TURNER: You know what -- you know what they say, like there are people that can sing and then there are people that can sang. This little girl can sang. She is ridiculous. She really is just that good.
COSTELLO: She put it.
TURNER: Yes, American got it wrong last night.
COSTELLO: Thanks Nischelle.
TURNER: Ok.
COSTELLO: We have fantastic news for a cancer survivor. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm like officially done with cancer and chemotherapy, like once and for all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Oh but that's just part of it. Unbelievable day for that guy he got to play catch at Corrs Field and it had nothing to do with his cancer. That story is ahead in "Sports".
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: We asked you to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning, "Should gun control laws be reviewed or not?"
This from Charles. "It's not the laws that need to be reviewed. It's people who think they can take the law into their own hands that don't need guns."
This from Aaron. "It's easy for people to point fingers and blame the NRA. That's like blaming GM for drunk drivers, it's insane. Gun laws do need to be reviewed so we can remove the thousands of insane laws restricting the rights guaranteed to us by the Constitution."
This from Paul. "The right to bear arms does not infer any arms, any time, or anywhere. If the NRA had its way any person could carry a shoulder-fired rocket launcher to school."
This from Susan. "I believe in gun control. I use two hands, criminals get guns and break many rules. Why must I as a law abiding citizen be denied the right to protect myself and property? People kill people."
This from Tom. "Since SPOONS are responsible for obesity and diabetes and now considered a deadly weapon, we should have the same right to bear SPOONS as we have the right to bear ARMS."
Keep the conversation going. Facebook.com/CarolCNN.
We're following a lot of developments in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in first with Athena Jones.
ATHENA JONES, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Carol. The Obama administration and the Romney camp have tough words for North Korea after it's failed launch. I'll have more at the top of the hour.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning, everyone. I'm Deborah Feyerick. A number of military families are coming forward complaining of rotting homes and accusing a private company of ignoring conditions they say have now made them sick.
PATRICIA WU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Patricia Wu with the New York Stock Exchange. After a steady rise, gas prices have been falling for the past seven days. So have they finally peaked? Could we get some relief at the pump? Carol, more on that next hour.
COSTELLO: Thanks to all of you.
Also will gun owners back Mitt Romney today at the National Rifle Association Convention? And how do they feel about a likely challenge to Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law in the George Zimmerman case?
A reporter who spoke with the top -- actually the top NRA executive will join us live in just a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: The mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Corey Booker talking about how he saved a woman from a fire. Let's listen.
MAYOR COREY BOOKER, NEWARK, NEW JERSEY: -- suffering from second degree burns.
I want to really take a moment to recognize Detective Alex Rodriguez, Detective Santos Duran. Last night when they noticed the fire, they were standing outside of my residence. They actually alerted the family that there was a fire in their building. It was almost a moment where they were having to convince the family inside that there's a fire. The family is like, who is it? And Detective Rodriguez said, there's a fire in your home.
The two of them then entered the building and were able to get most of the people out. It was at that point that I arrived on the scene, and walked into the building -- went into the building with the detectives, and found the situation at hand, which was a woman complaining -- Mrs. Williams complaining about her daughter that was still trapped in the building.
It was obviously a very difficult situation. The young lady was trapped in the back of the house beyond the fire, which was in the kitchen. And I really want to just give a lot of credit to the two gentlemen behind me -- the two detectives for acting very quickly in helping to evacuate the home.
I'm going to take any questions that you all have. I really appreciate everybody being here. And I'd be happy to answer any questions but really want to bring some attention to the two gentlemen who did some heroic things last night and got most of the people out of the building safely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your honor, how is your hand.
BOOKER: You know, it's a very minor injury. Second-degree burns, it's called. It's blistering but I'm going to be absolutely fine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you going back to work today?
BOOKER: I'm going -- I was in early this morning -- I just left the office. To be very honest with you I'm going to go in and try to take a nap for an hour or two before I get back to my daily job. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mayor?
BOOKER: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you explain what's going through your mind when right after this incident you found time enough to (inaudible) your position and everything.
BOOKER: So long story short is we came out right here. It was pretty bad off in terms of just the mayhem and stuff like that. I'm very grateful that the firefighters did show up. Got the fire under control pretty quickly.
We got the young lady who was most injured to the hospital. They insisted I went in because I was coughing quite a bit. And a lot of folks are starting to show up and express concern. And thankfully I have a lot of people following me on Twitter from the community. So it's a good way to get the word out that I was ok.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mayor a lot of people are calling you a super hero. Want to even have a statue --
BOOKER: I think that's way over the top, honestly. First of all, there are people that do this every day. The police officers that I was with showed really quick action and got into the building really quick. There are firefighters that do this every single day.
I am a neighbor that did what most neighbors would do which is to jump in action to help a friend.
