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More Dads Staying Home with Kids; New York's New Tallest Building; Bombs Rain Down on Journalists; Obama Jokes About Future Plans; Journalists, Stars Mix And Mingle; Clinton's Big Role In Obama Campaign; Hollywood Glitz Meets Washington; Student Debt: A Crushing Burden; Cramming a Life Into 18 Months; Politics of the Bin Laden Killing

Aired April 30, 2012 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Suzanne Malveaux live from Washington today. It is 12:00 noon, 9:0 a.m. on the West Coast. I want to get you up to speed for this Monday, April 30th.

More than a decade after the terrorist attack brought down New York's Twin Towers, One World Trade Center, also known as Freedom Tower, about to become New York City's tallest building, surpassing the Empire State Building. Workers are putting up steel columns that are going to make the unfinished building more than 1,200 feet high. It happens in about 90 minutes. We're going to take you there live to capture this milestone event in the skies over Lower Manhattan.

And George Zimmerman has a new Web site. The man who killed the unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin, is back online, but this time, his site is being run by his defense attorney. Attorney says it's a place where people can get information about Zimmerman's case, can also donate money to his defense. Now, Zimmerman's previous website raised more than $200,000, which he failed to disclose to the court until just last Friday.

Think of it as the safest apartment building in the world. Residents in an east London apartment complex have gotten leaflets warning them that surface-to-air missiles could be put on top of the building to defend the Summer Olympic Games. There could also be 10 soldiers positioned up top there for two months.

Now, the building is two miles from the site of the Olympic Stadium, but the kickoff of the games will begin in less than three months.

Elizabeth Smart, she is speaking out again almost 10 years after being kidnapped from her Utah home at knife point. She is an advocate for missing and abused children and she is sharing her story around the country about being held captive and raped repeatedly for nine months before being spotted and freed near Salt Lake City.

Smart's message is one of hope.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH SMART, SCHILD ABDUCTION SURVIVOR: It just seems like there are no more miracles, that every case that is investigated comes to a sad ending. But not all of them end sad. I am here. Mine was a happy ending, and I know there are many more children out there who have the same happy ending waiting to happen to them.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right. This is interesting. A major gender role shift is taking place in this country. It's a sign of the times. It's also as sign of the economy we're in.

More fathers than ever before say that they are staying home with the kids while mom is at work.

I want you to check this amazing statistics. According to the Census Bureau, one in five fathers whose wives are working, they stay home and take care of the kids for the children under age 5. Now, apparently, Michael Keaton is Mr. Mom ahead of its time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where does your mom keep the vacuum cleaner?

UNIDENTIFIED KID: You mean jaws?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your mom calls the vacuum cleaner jaws?

UNIDENTIFIED KID: Yes.

UNIDENTIFEID MALE: Where is it?

UNIDENTIFIED KID: Over there.

(ND VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right. CNN Money's Jessica Dickler wrote an article for CNN.com.

Jessica, we always love that movie, "Mr. Mom," in the '80s. I mean, that was really funny because they're like, oh, this guy, he doesn't know what he's doing. I mean, how is this possible?

But it's a reality now. I mean, he lost his high-paying job, his wife was able to get one, and now you find a situation where a lot of other families are in the same position.

JESSICA DICKER. CNNMONEY.COM: That was a great movie, by the way.

But it's true. There are a lot more dads staying home and taking care of their kids and there are a lot of -- there are a lot of reasons. Child care costs have gotten a lot more expensive. And then with incomes staying mostly the same, a lot of families are struggling to afford daycare. And with men out of work, a lot of men out of work after the recession, sometimes it just makes financial sense for them to stay home with the kid and be the primary caretaker.

There are a lot of women that are also out earning their husbands these days. More than a quarter of women in a dual income households earn more than their husbands do, or at least 10 percent more than their husbands do. So, in those cases, it just makes sense.

MALVEAUX: And, Jessica, you say this is not just a story about the economy, but you talked to the dads, and they want to be with their kids. They want to stay home and take care of them.

DICKLER: That's right. I did a story a couple weeks ago on mom staying home, and I got a lot of responses from dads that were saying, you know, we do this, too.

And it wasn't always a financial decision. A lot of the dads that I talked to said that they really wanted to be there for their kids. They wanted to participate and do things with them, especially when they were so young.

So, you know, it wasn't just about -- it wasn't just about staying home. It was really about participating and working dads, too. I mean, they were pitching in more at home and taking on more responsibility.

MALVEAUX: All right. Love your story. Folks should go read it at CNN.com. Thank you, Jessica.

DICKLER: Thanks.

MALVEAUX: We want to bring in a stay-at-home dad, Lance Somerfield, and his wife decided -- they decided they could make the most financial sense for him to stay home to raise the baby. Three years ago, Lance started a New York City dads group to connect with other fathers who are staying at home. The group now has more than 550 members, and Lance is joining us from New York.

Hey, Lance. We're celebrating you today --

LANCE SOMERFIELD, STAY-AT-HOME DAD: Thanks for having me.

MALVEAUX: -- and all the other dads who are out there taking care of the kids. Tell us about your situation.

SOMERFELD: So our situation is -- started to become more common. It's nice to see more families sorting to do what's best for their family and kind of push the traditional roles and stereotypes aside.

We were having our son, and we knew that we wanted someone to be home with our child at least for the first few years, and it made both financial sense and quality of life sense for me to be the one within our family to be our son's primary caregiver. It's been an awesome ride.

MALVEAUX: And, Lance, was that because you were making less -- was that because you were making less than your wife?

SOMERFELD: I think there were a few components to it. I was definitely making substantially less than my wife. Her career track was on a better trajectory than mine. But, again, the two of us truly knew that we wanted to be active, involved, and engaged in his life early and often, and it just made more sense from a family decision for it to be me.

MALVEAUX: Lance, I love those photos of you and your wife and your little boy. He's absolutely adorable. You're a very attractive family.

Tell me a little bit about what it's like to be home with him.

SOMERFIELD: So, you know, there are amazing days. I would say what's -- what I love most about being home with him is that I get to experience those small wondrous moments, not quite those major milestones that everybody seems to focus on, but just riding the public bus and subway around New York City, hitting the local park or playground, just chuckling over silly things. Those are the kind of moments that really leave those imprints on my mind, probably more than, you know, the day he talked and what his first words were.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

SOMERFIELD: So -- sorry.

MALVEAUX: No, go ahead.

SOMERFIELD: So it was nice to have -- it's nice to be able to have those bonding experiences with him, because I know he's not going to remember them, but I certainly will.

MALVEAUX: And, you know, those days when you take him to the park and you're the dad and you're taking your little boy, how do the other moms react when they see you?

SOMERFIELD: Primarily it's positive. You know, I think when I'm the solo dad, I'm pretty confident in my role. I have no problem walking over and starting a conversation with the other mothers about potty training or, you know, what preschool or nursery school you're trying to get your child into.

So, you know, these are really parenting conversations, so it's nice to be able to mix with them, but it's nice to have that camaraderie, support, and network I have with the NYC dads group, too.

MALVEAUX: I understand that you guys, you have this online, this blog. Why did you feel it was necessary to reach out to other men for advice or to share stories?

SOMERFIELD: You know, I really wanted that camaraderie and support almost like a dad-ternity feeling to be able to mix it up and socialize with people that are going through the same thing that I am. So, initially, actually, we started an online site, but the goal was really to get people away from their computer and in front of each other face-to-face. I think that's just been one major reason aside from having an amazing partner in my wife on why I've truly embraced my role.

It's nice to have that support network. To hang out with these other guys doing workshops, listening to author discussions, and doing the local gym class with our kids when it's a dozen dads together.

MALVEAUX: And, Lance, final question here, if the economy turns around and people -- you're able to get a good-paying job along with your wife, would you still say and stake care of your son, or do you think you'd find daycare for him? Do you think that would change your family's circumstance?

SOMERFIELD: I don't think it would actually. I think what you're going to start to see is more and more families starting to make the decision what's best for the family. And you're going to see people starting to shatter those stereotypes and more dads taking on that role as primary caregiver. We're living through an awesome time right now.

MALVEAUX: Well, you know, I love to hear that, an awesome time. A lot of people are really discouraged about this, but clearly there's a silver lining to this.

And, again, the best to you and all those dads out there staying home and taking care of the kids. You have a beautiful family. Thanks for joining us, Lance.

SOMERFIELD: Thanks for giving me the opportunity to talk with you guys.

MALVEAUX: Sure. Here's the rundown of some of the stories that we are covering.

First, the Freedom Tower just one steel beam away from piercing the ceiling of the New York City skyline.

Countries in the world on the brink of war.

And then you heard the punch line --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I had a lot more material prepared, but I have to get the Secret Service home in time for their new curfew.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: I'm going to take you behind the scenes at the White House correspondents' dinner. The annual event nicknamed the nerd prom.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: More than a decade after a terrorist attack brought down New York's Twin Towers, One World Trade Center, also known as Freedom Tower, is about to become New York City's tallest building, surpassing the Empire State Building. Workers are scheduled to install a beam that will lift the tower to 1,271 feet. That is 21 feet higher than the city's tallest building right now, that is the Empire State Building.

Poppy Harlow is live in Lower Manhattan.

And, Poppy, explain to us why this is important -- this milestone -- and why it's bittersweet for some?

POPPY HARLOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm sorry, Suzanne, I had a hard time hearing you. Can you just say that one more time?

MALVEAUX: Yes, this is a milestone here. This is a celebration in some ways. But it's also bittersweet for some. Remind us of why that is.

HARLOW: Absolutely it is. It is a celebration. It's a beautiful day here in New York City.

As one person who is building the World Trade Center said to me this morning, it's kind of reminiscent of September 11th. It's a beautiful, clear sky.

It marks a very important milestone for New Yorkers because this becomes New York's tallest building. It makes New Yorkers think we are almost there. We are rebuilding once again.

At the same time, Suzanne, I would be remiss not to mention the timing. This comes one day, one day before the one-year anniversary of the capture and killing of Osama bin Laden.

So there have been a lot of questions here about security. What security measures are being taken? Have there been any credible threats to New York or the United States from al Qaeda or any terror groups?

I want to read you a statement I just got from New York City Police Department's deputy commissioner, Paul Browne. I spoke with him on the phone. He said, "There is no known threat to the World Trade Center or New York City because of the anniversary. But the NYPD continues to maintain a robust counterterrorism posture."

What they have done here, Suzanne, is that they have put basically 200 more police officers down here, a whole new division in the last six months or so. So, they're obviously heightened alert.

But as you remember, Suzanne, heading into the days before the 9/11 anniversary, the 10-year anniversary, there were some credible threats to this area, and there are not today.

MALVEAUX: Was it timed, coordinated, to actually unfold in this development with the killing of bin Laden?

HARLOW: It was not coordinated whatsoever. It just happened. They realized a week ago they were going to hit this point because they've been building about a floor a week.

So, it was not coordinated. It's really just coincidental. But, of course, it brings up a lot of questions.

Suzanne, I had a chance to tour the site and actually to go to the 76th floor of One World Trade Center back in August. We're going to roll some of that video for you so you can see. I spent time going around with a man named Mike Mennella.

And Mike, very interestingly, built the first World Trade Center, then watch the towers fall, and then came back to build it once again. He is leading the construction. You see him there with me.

And I want you to take a listen to what he told me this morning when we talked about how meaningful this is for him personally. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: What does this day mean for you, Mike?

MIKE MENNELLA, EXECUTIVE VP, TISHMAN CORPORATION: Well, today is the day we can really look back and say that the milestones we've surpassed and overcome are certainly more significant than the ones ahead of us. We have challenges going forward, but the building is in position where we can see, you know, it come to the top, and we can see it being finished off in a very, very, very significant way.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: So obviously very meaningful for him.

I spent the day talking to a lot of New Yorkers about what this means for them. It means a lot, symbolically and just putting a close to that chapter. Also what it means for many tourists lined up here, Suzanne.

And I think you're going to carry it live at about 1:30. They're going to put that steel beam on the top floor of the 100th floor, making this building about 21 feet higher 21 feet -- that's all it takes -- than the Empire State Building, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Twenty-one feet, it sounds like nothing, but it's everything -- means everything to folks.

And, Poppy, of course --

HARLOW: It is.

MALVEAUX: -- we're going to see you in about an hour or so to capture that moment, that historic moment taking place over Lower Manhattan. Thank you, Poppy.

Well, under fire journalists run for cover as gunships and fighter jets take aim inside the world's newest nation.

(COMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: It's the newest country in the world, but right now, it is on the brink of a full-blown war with its neighbor. We're talking about the two Sudans in northeast Africa. Now, South Sudan officially broke away from the larger, more powerful Sudan last summer. That was after two wars over a 50-year period.

Well, now, they are locked in an escalating battle over an oil field, along the contested border.

Reporter Robyn Kriel came under fire as warplanes from the north launched an attack on the south.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBYN KRIEL, REPORTER (voice-over): We've been promised a story. This is close to the front line of the border clashes with the north. And the South Sudanese commander is willing to talk.

But another story is about to break around us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come down.

KRIEL: It's coming, these soldiers shout.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come, come, come!

KRIEL: Sudanese warplanes are streaking in, and we have just seconds to find cover.

(GUNFIRE)

KRIEL: We find a small trench, try to make ourselves invisible as at least half a dozen bombs drop around us.

We wait for the sound of the planes to fade, then we make our escape.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get in, get in, get in.

KRIEL (on camera): We were just three kilometers from the front line when we heard incoming fire from what the soldiers say were gunships and MiGs. We were then forced to take cover and once the firing -- once there was a lull in the firing, we decided to head out in our vehicle because it was simply too dangerous and we didn't know what to expect.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go, go.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: That is incredible reporting and video there. The U.N. Security Council has demanded that Sudan immediately stop those air strikes.

Some big wigs on Wall Street could be out of jobs. We're going to have more on the latest, more than 20,000 banking jobs that are right now on the line.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here is a rundown of some of the stories that we're working on.

Next, 20,000 bankers could soon be out of work. We're going to tell you what it means, those Wall Street layoffs, what it means for the bottom line.

And then, its nicknamed the nerd prom. What were all the celebrities doing at the White House correspondent's dinner? We're going to take you behind the scenes.

And later, everybody wanted to take out Osama bin Laden. But a year later, his death is suddenly causing a lot of political mudslinging.

Wall Street could turn into another dead end for jobs. Consultants, recruiters say thousands who work in securities are facing layoffs. That could start soon.

Felicia Taylor, she's joining us from the New York Stock Exchange.

Felicia, tell us -- first of all, any word which companies would be cutting these jobs?

FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: The only one we know for sure at the moment is Credit Suisse. They announced that 35,000 cuts would happen as of last year. So far, they've only laid off about 2,000.

Our corporate cousin, "Fortune" magazine, says Bank of America and Barclays could also be laying workers off as well. And other consultants and recruiters have said there's about 21,000 jobs that could be cut in New York alone. And, obviously, New York is the financial center.

But, obviously, you know, things have slowed down with regards to the economy. That also means that things have slowed down with regards to Wall Street.

Now, that could rival the cuts we saw during the absolute epitome of the financial crisis, which was in 2008. And "Fortune" magazine also says those cuts could start soon, not kind of surprising after the first quarter -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Felicia, what is actually driving this? Do we know?

TAYLOR: Well, we aren't seeing as many mergers and acquisitions because of the weak economy. So, therefore, you know, not as many people sort of are in the mix. We've also got tougher regulations. Wall Street reform was a result of the recession, and it's meant to stop another financial crisis. But naturally, it hits banks' bottom lines. They don't have as much money to garner around and make deals with.

So, higher borrowing costs, Moody's, and Standard and Poor's say they may downgrade several bank's bond ratings. That's obviously not a good thing. And any layoffs would likely impact New York City, as I mentioned. Obviously, this is the financial center of the United States.

Bankers tend to buy expensive things like real estate, which does help the economy here. So, that's good fallout of that -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: And as for the markets, we heard today, Spain is in recession. Last week, you had a report that the U.K. also in recession as well. How does that affect the U.S. stocks today?

TAYLOR: Well, what's the problem when it comes to the U.S. stock market is it again puts that eurozone into the uncertain category and it makes us wonder how much bank exposure U.S. banks have to the eurozone. So, that's a bit of a problem.

But, today, honestly, the markets are kind of floundering around a little bit. There's not really any clear direction as we wait for the unemployment number to come out on Friday. That's going to be the real direction. But things are pointing to the downside although we had a very good week last week.

So, investors are sort of sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see what's going to happen on Friday -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Felicia, thank you. Good to see you.

So if you're a journalist, it's actually the biggest party of the year. Everybody from the president to Kim Kardashian was there. But what was comedian Dave Chappelle doing behind the scenes around the White House correspondents' dinner festivities? I got a chance to talk to him.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: It's nice the president, the first lady joining our nation's journalists along with celebrities, athletes, politicians and newsmakers to poke a little fun at themselves.

It's the Annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner. This year, it was hosted by comedian, Jimmy Kimmel. It's affectionately nicknamed the nerd prom and it often generates some controversial headlines the next morning depending on who's doing the roasting.

It also gives the president a chance to show a lighter side. Sometimes even zing his opponents. Here is a bit about what President Obama joked he would do his second term.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: In my first term, I sang Al Green. In my second term, I'm going with Young Jeezy. Michelle said yes. I sing that to her sometimes.

In my first term, we ended the war in Iraq. In my second term, I will win the war on Christmas. In my first term, we repealed the policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." In -- wait though, in my second term, we will replace it with a policy known as it's raining men.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Having been to about 10 of these, this evening did not disappoint. One of the highlights for me was actually finding the missing comedian, Dave Chappelle, who was searching for a ticket to the dinner earlier in the weekend.

He was wearing a backpack and a hoodie. He ended the festivities leading a soul train line with actress, Rosario Dawson at an after party about 4:00 in the morning. He tells me he's been in Ohio on a ranch with his family including a 3-year-old daughter that he's had since he dropped out of the spotlight.

Obama's BFF and top adviser, Valerie Jarrett also hit the dance floor, just getting down in Justin Timberlake's "Bringing Sexy Back" and unexpected moment, actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson from ABC's hit "Modern Family" photo bombed me and actress Goldie Hawn.

It was a good time. We'll have more about the evening coming up with our political panel. Even the Kardashians made an appearance at the president's event.

All right, what a difference four years makes. In 2008, covered the epic battle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton fighting it out for the democratic nomination.

Fast forward now to 2012, and Clinton's husband, the former president, he is now doing an about-face playing a prominent role in president Obama's re-election campaign.

Joining us to talk about that and more, Democratic strategist Estuardo Rodriguez and conservative commentator, Tara Wall. Good to see you both.

First of all, I wanted to ask you about the dinner and all the parties around it. Did you catch a little Jimmy Kimmel or the president, they were both pretty funny.

TARA WALL, CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR: Pretty funny, yes. Actually, Suzanne, I think I watch every year just to see what you're wearing so I can make sure I stay on top of all of my fashion sense.

But seriously, yes, I think that, you know, it was funny all around. I think you still have to make light of things even in the serious economic situation we are in as a country. There are times for that.

But I actually frankly thought Jimmy Kimmel was funniest because he essentially kept it real, you know, and really kept it right on point even with his jokes. That's just the kind of event it is.

MALVEAUX: You know, I try to do my best, Tara, with the outfits. I don't know if I'm setting any fashion trends. What did you think, Estuardo?

ESTUARDO RODRIGUEZ, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, you know, I think the person who suffered the most throughout that whole thing was probably Jimmy Kimmel because, as we know, it's the host that ends up getting some of that spotlight for whether or not they go too far in attacking either side.

And I think we sensed through a lot -- through a lot of comments that he was relieved and even some of the interviews with him afterwards, he was generally relieved it went over well and that he's not being criticized and banned forever.

MALVEAUX: It's nice to see everybody kind of not taking themselves a little too seriously. Folks in Washington tend to do that. I want to turn the corner, something also that was really interesting that happened over the weekend.

This was on Sunday. There was a fundraiser, a private fundraiser. You had the former president, Bill Clinton, along with President Obama. This was at the home of Terry McAuliffe, essentially raising money hand in hand moving forward.

What do you think about that, Tara? Do you think this is going to be a threat to the Republicans and to Romney seeing this kind of powerhouse behind the president?

WALL: Well, certainly, you know, he has outspent by millions and millions almost billions. He knows that, but essentially, look, you got to remember, it's a little ironic. I mean, there is no love between these two.

I mean, it was Bill Clinton that said that the president was -- President Obama back four years ago was not ready for office. It was ironic it was President Obama that cited Bill Clinton -- cited Ronald Reagan, in fact, as the way to change the country and not Bill Clinton.

He said Bill Clinton had some missed years there and missed the mark. So it is a little ironic. I don't know if he's using this to validate some of the policies that have failed over the years. We'll see, but, you know, I don't know that it's a threat per se and that Republicans are fearful of this.

I think Republicans will continue to stay on message. The Romney campaign will stay on message about the economy and where we are as a nation now with unemployment, with youth, with women.

There are a number of things to point out that are very serious issues. I think they are continuing to rightly direct it in that direction.

MALVEAUX: Estuardo, I want you to get in here because obviously there is some irony. We know there's some bad blood between these two, but they're clearly trying to present a united front here.

I imagine that they're trying to use President Clinton to try to get the moderates and even some of those conservative states where Obama might not be as effective.

RODRIGUEZ: Well, I'd like to just grab something that Tara said, which is Romney is going to stay on message, which means they're going to stay on their message around the policy.

The biggest reason that Bill Clinton's out there with Obama now is because he knows exactly what the Romney policies for the economy, what they did during the Bush years, because it's an identical plan.

And he knows very well that it didn't work before Bill Clinton took office. What he was able to do, the model he was able to set for President Obama now, is what's going to continue keeping the country in the right direction. So it makes complete sense for Bill Clinton to be there hand in hand with Obama to say we need to keep moving forward.

As what Bill Clinton said that night, this weekend, was what Romney is offering is what Bush offered but on steroids. And we don't want to go that direction.

WALL: They have short memories. There was a lot of tension during that campaign and obviously they're going to have to brush some of that under the rug. He was the one that injected some of the race incidences early on in the campaign. There is no love lost between these folks. He's going to do what he's got to do to help the party essentially.

MALVEAUX: Tara, let me ask you this because considering so many Clintonites are actually a part of the Obama administration avid from Hillary Clinton, you have Obama's defense secretary, the attorney general, the treasury secretary, the chief of staff, and of course, Vice President Joe Biden, all who worked for President Clinton.

There really doesn't seem to be a lot of daylight between them. That there is a movement here afoot that they are going to do whatever it takes to rally the troops and get behind President Obama and get the people out to the polls.

WALL: Well, it's more of the same, more of the same kind of big government policies, more of the same rhetoric. It's just more of the same. It's cyclical and, again, I don't think folks will be surprised or should be surprised in that regard.

MALVEAUX: I want to talk a little bit about Bill Clinton, his role in this is part of an ad, an ad that actually talks about the decision that Obama had to make to order the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. I want you to take a look at this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: He had to decide, and that's what you hire a president to do. You hire the president to make the calls when no one else can do it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Estuardo, we've heard this. Some people imply it, some people say it outright, but they don't think Mitt Romney would have made the same tough decision to order that raid, the Bin Laden raid. The anniversary is tomorrow. Is that campaign -- are they politicizing the capturing and killing of Bin Laden?

RODRIGUEZ: Well, let's take it one step further, Suzanne. Mitt Romney in his 2007 election bid said himself it wasn't worth the cost and the risk to go after Bin Laden. Of course, two days later he reversed himself, but I think that's right.

I think Romney would not be -- if he would have been the president, would not have been able to demonstrate that kind of leadership.

MALVEAUX: But the question is really, are they politicizing the issue over Bin Laden? There are some -- Ed Gillespie, Romney's spokesman who said that's not right. That's actually not -- that's hallowed ground.

RODRIGUEZ: Let's be fair here. The answer to your question is that when this election really heats up even more than it is now, they're going to question whether or not Obama has the national security expertise and temperament to lead this nation.

To raise the Osama Bin Laden killing is very important here because he was focused. He had the opportunity. He went forward and executed what we now know as a successful operation.

MALVEAUX: All right, we've got to leave it there. Tara --

WALL: You put that on the table, but when you count yourself as a uniter and you use campaign issues like this to divide folks that's what's people are disappointed about especially when you say what someone would not do.

MALVEAUX: We've got to leave it there, guys. I know you're not going to agree on this point. We'll bring you both back and we'll talk a little bit more about it. Thank you. Tara, Estuardo, nice to see you.

RODRIGUEZ: Thank you, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Well, tired of shelling out money for the never ending student loan payment? We have some good news. The group trying to make that monthly money disappear, we're going to find out how they want to help you keep the cash in your pocket.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Even before most college grads find a job, they are already in debt. Student loans are becoming an increasing burden for all of them. Is erasing the debt fair or is it even possible in a tight economy? Here's Christine Romans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The ball around chain of the middle class, student loan debt. An offshoot of "Occupy Wall Street" wants to forgive all student debt, $1 trillion of it, more than car loans or credit cards.

ANDREW ROSS, LEADER, OCCUPY STUDENT DEBT CAMPAIGN: It's a crisis, and it's not going away, and the current reforms that President Obama is proposing out there on his campaign trail are like putting a band-aid on a tumor.

ROMANS: The theory goes this is a bailout for students that would also be an economic stimulus because money meant for loan payments would be spent in other ways. It's a far left battle cry to be sure, but student loan experts say it's unrealistic.

MARK KANTROWITZ, PUBLISHER, FINAID.ORG: I don't think all loans are going to get forgiven because it's just too expensive. There are much more effective ways of stimulating the economy if that's the goal.

ROMANS: And you the taxpayer would pay for it because 85 percent of student loan debt is backed by the federal government. Experts say the focus should be on limiting how much money we're borrowing in the first place.

Some experts advise planning for college like this. If possible, parents pay for a third, students pay for a third, and the students borrow a third. Too much student debt limits your choices later.

KANTROWITZ: You're still going to be paying back your own student loans when your children are enrolling in college. You won't have saved for their college education. You'll be less willing to borrow for their college education because you'll still be up to your eyebrows in debt.

ROMANS: He advises these rules. Number one, don't borrow more than you expect to earn your first year out. That means a liberal arts major shouldn't borrow as much as an engineer does. Rule number two, $10,000 a year should be the most you borrow. And rule number three, in almost all cases, bankruptcy will not get rid of your student debt.

Christine Romans, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE) MALVEAUX: The parents of a dying baby are making sure that their daughter has her first kiss, her first dance, and a tea party with her mommy. Their bucket list has inspired thousands.

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MALVEAUX: The news is heartbreaking to hear. It would devastate any one of us. But a couple in Texas is using this as an inspiration. Although their infant daughter is dying, they want -- they say that they want to use the little time they have left to build some lasting memories. Kevin Reece of CNN affiliate KHOU has their story.

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KEVIN REECE, KHOU CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): At a home in Bel Air, everything was right with the world. Her parents named her Avery. She arrived perfect and with a smile. But just a few months old, her legs went limp. Something was wrong.

LAURA CANAHUATI, AVERY'S MOTHER: I just started screaming and just -- it just doesn't seem real.

REECE: What was real was spinal muscular atrophy, a rare genetic disorder. The legs first. Avery's use of her arms will be next. Then the ability to breathe. At best, doctors give her 18 months. So what you do with that little time? You dance.

L. CANAHUATI: Do you like that?

REECE: Mike and Laura Canahuati took Avery's story online, created her own blog.

MIKE CANAHUATI, AVERY'S FATHER: The reality is, that this disease will take my life.

REECE: And offered her own bucket list, the moments, the memories they want her to have before she's gone.

L. CANAHUATI: Hey, Avery, you silly girl.

Mike always told me we've all the time in the world to cry. We can cry, you know, when she's no longer here. But, for now, we want to try and enjoy the time we do have with her and just make memories.

REECE: Memories like her first Easter, her first trip to college, her first innocent kiss, her first little girl tea party with her mom.

M. CANAHUATI: Oh, yummy.

REECE: All of this online for a reason.

M. CANAHUATI: We can watch her die or we can let her live. And through letting her live, we're going to try and educate other people about this so that they don't have to go through it, too.

REECE: SMA is a genetic disorder. There is no cure and very little research. But parents can get tested to find out if they can carriers if it's something they could pass to a child.

L. CANAHUATI: It's very aggravating that no one knows about this.

M. CANAHUATI: I refuse to think that my daughter will die in vain.

REECE: So Mike and Laura promised to chronicle every moment in a very short life so that we remember Avery, remember a disease that needs more research, and remember how they spent each day.

L. CANAHUATI: We didn't sit there and cry that day. We sat there and we made memories with our daughter.

M. CANAHUATI: And lots of them.

REECE: Memories they will keep alive hoping some day they lead to a cure.

Kevin Reece, KHOU, 11 News.

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MALVEAUX: Well, if you have a little one, you're probably holding them very close right now. We want to give you some information about spinal muscular atrophy. Elizabeth Cohen, she is joining us now.

And, Elizabeth, just tell us, what do parents need to know about this particular disease?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Oh, well, first of all, what a sweet baby. I mean I know the parents are trying not to cry. I'm trying not to cry now, too. She's just such a sweetheart.

But here's what parents need to know about this disease. The symptoms show up in the first couple of months of life. And it's important for parents and pediatricians to know because it is -- there's no cure. However, there are some things you can do to try to treat the baby, to try to make the baby more comfortable and better functioning while they're here.

So you saw the baby's limpness. I mean she's very alert. These children are very intelligent. But you saw the limpness in her legs, the limpness in her arms. I mean she really -- you just see her sort of making that connection there. The inability to hold up their heads. And it's not just -- it's not -- I mean some kids are kind of slow to development -- to develop. This is much more than that, Suzanne. I mean this is serious limpness. And if a parent thinks something is wrong, they definitely should go talk to their doctor.

MALVEAUX: She is such a beautiful baby when you see those pictures. And just -- it's so inspiring that they are trying to turn this around and really be hopeful and give her as much as she can in the little time that she has. Do we know if this is something that could be tested if you're a carrier or somehow you would get a heads up knowing that this was to come? COHEN: You can be tested, but here's the issue. You wouldn't know who to test. You would really have to test sort of everyone in this country. For example, let's compare it to something like Tay-Sachs disease, which tends to run among Jews of eastern European origin. So you know to get that test before you have children.

But this doesn't -- this cuts across all sorts of ethnic groups. And, you know, maybe there was a child in your family who died of this disease, you know, years back, but most people don't know it. It was either too long ago or it was just a baby who died early and no one's quite sure why. So, you know, this is very rare. You can look at these numbers. It's one child in every 6,000 to 10,000. There's a one in 40 chance of parents being a carrier. So it's rare, but it is actually, relatively speaking, a relatively common genetic disorder. So I guess the bottom line here is that there's no way to know whether you're someone who should be tested or not.

MALVEAUX: And Avery was just given 18 months as the prognosis. Is that typical or is it possible that there are little babies that could live longer?

COHEN: This is typical experts tell us. Now, babies are living somewhat longer than they used to because the treatment has gotten better. doctors are more aware of it, they're catching it earlier in many cases. But this is not a disease for which there is a cure.

MALVEAUX: All right, Elizabeth Cohen, thank you. And to those parents, thank you for your story and your courage.

He was the face of evil for a decade until a team of elite Navy SEALs took him out. But a year later, is the White House playing politics with the death of Osama bin Laden?

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MALVEAUX: National security and the war on terror have been political fodder for both Republicans and Democrats. You remember Hillary Clinton, she talked about that 3:00 a.m. call. Former Vice President Cheney's criticism that President Obama would make America less safe. Well, now, the killing of Osama bin Laden front and center in the fight for the White House. This story from our chief political correspondent Candy Crowley.

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CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was probably only a matter of time, about 356 days, before the death of Osama bin Laden got into the political groundwater of 2012.

BILL CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: He took the harder and the more honorable path. And the one that produced, in my opinion, the best result.

CROWLEY: The former president praising President Obama for approving the risky raid in a campaign ad suggesting Romney wouldn't have. "Which path," the silent screen asks, "would Romney have taken?" It quotes Romney's criticism of candidate Obama's promise to strike inside Pakistan if needed to go after terrorists. It quotes Romney in 2007 questioning where the pursuit of bin Laden was worth moving heaven and earth.

Where to begin and what can best be described as situational politics. Seems like only four years ago the Obama campaign was outraged by an ad from the former president's wife, then candidate Hillary Clinton. She used a picture of Osama bin Laden to question candidate Obama's credentials. The Obama campaign accused her of acting like then-President Bush trying to, quote, "invoke bin Laden to score political points." Four years later, the Obama re-election campaign has different rules.

ROBERT GIBBS, OBAMA CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISOR: Look, there's a difference in the roles they would play as commander in chief. And I certainly think that's fair game.

CROWLEY: Playing the part of the aggrieved this time, the Romney campaign, accusing the president of turning a unifying event on its head.

ED GILLESPIE, ROMNEY CAMPAIGN SENIOR ADVISER: He's managed to turn it into a divisive, partisan, political attack. I think most Americans will see it as a sign of a desperate campaign.

CROWLEY: That is mild compared to President Obama's 2008 Republican rival John McCain, who ran on his tough foreign policy credentials. He called it a "cheap political attack" and a "pathetic political act of self-congratulation."