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China Demands Apology over Chen Incident; Critics Scoff at Obama's Afghan Trip; Two-tone Lobster; FBI Gave Alleged Bridge Plotters "Bombs"; Edwards' Ex-Aide's Wife Back on Stand; Rep. Ryan Moves to Stop Defense Cuts
Aired May 02, 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: Hi, Soledad. And good morning to all of you. I'm Carol Costello.
Happening right now in the NEWSROOM, Afghanistan waking up rattled after being rocked by deadly explosions. This just hours after President Obama says we could see the light of a new day in that country. This morning fresh calls saying the president's trip to Afghanistan was about nothing but politics.
Anarchy in Cleveland. New information today on the five men accused of plotting to blow up a bridge. Reports this morning they were all tied to the "Occupy" movement.
Payback. Wal-Mart, the quintessential American megastore, digging deep and cutting a check for almost 4,000 employees. A probe finding the company violated overtime laws cheating workers out of thousands of dollars.
And searching for Maddie. The parents of the missing 9-year-old Madeleine McCann going public this morning saying the little girl's brother and sister now want to join the search. The family holding out hope that their little Madeleine is still alive.
NEWSROOM starts right now.
After an emotional phone call with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng is in a Beijing hospital this morning and China is not happy. In fact, China is demanding apology from United States. Now we did manage to get this photo of Chen just a few hours ago. That means he was indeed holdup in the U.S. embassy and U.S. officials brought him here to the hospital.
U.S. officials also telling us Chen will get that medical treatment and will later reunite with his family to a safe environment.
Chen fled his home in April where he had been under house arrest for more than 18 months. He does say today he wants to stay in China.
Stan Grant has followed this story from the beginning. He's on the phone from Beijing. Stan, first of all, tell us about this phone call that Chen had with Hillary Clinton because I understand at the end of it he said he wanted to kiss the secretary of state.
(LAUGHTER)
STAN GRANT, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You're absolutely right. You know it's one of the great human moments in what has been a very dramatic story. According to the U.S. officials who were involved in these backroom negotiations to try to allow Chen to leave the embassy as a free man, they said that they grew very close to him. That it was a very real human relationship. They described him as being very affectionate, that he was constantly touching their arms, and when he left he asked that his first phone call, his first conversation be with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Now in the past Clinton has raised Chen Guangcheng case in the past. She's been very much a champion of his and now he had the chance to speak to her directly. He said to her in his broken English, yes, you're right, I want to kiss you. And she -- she responded in a statement today that she is very pleased that he's out and he's having a chance to be reunited with his wife and children.
She's also adding a more somber note, though. She's hoping that the U.S. government is able to monitor this deal and that China keeps its commitment that Chen is absolutely freely and safely -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Well, tell us about that commitment. I mean Chen does not want to leave China. He doesn't want to come to the United States so the United States and China has come to some sort of agreement about how Chen will be treated.
What is it?
GRANT: Yes, a lot of details in this. Basically what it boils down to is this. A man who is being placed in prison in the past, he's campaigned against the One Child Policy who is also here been under house arrest for the last 18 months be allowed to live as a free man. They also saying that he should be able to attend a university of his choice to be able to study freely. They're saying that he and his family should be able to live without any harassment, without any threat that friends of his who helped in Chen's escape also not face any retribution.
Now the government here, the Chinese government is saying that we're agreeing to this ,but at the same time there's a very hard line coming this as well. They're saying that they're not happy with Chen seeking refuge in the embassy. They are asking for the U.S. for an apology and demanding an investigation and that those responsible for allowing him into the embassy be punished -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Yes, we'll have to wait and see if the United States decides to apologize to China.
Stan Grant reporting live from Beijing. GRANT: Indeed. Thank you.
COSTELLO: President Obama on his way back from Afghanistan after a super secret history making visit. Two hours after the president left on Air Force One, the Taliban struck. A suicide car bomber targeting a compound that houses international contractors and aid workers in Kabul. At least seven people were killed, 17 more wounded. The president is fine. While but we was in Afghanistan, Mr. Obama did turn the page on the U.S. mission there. He signed an agreement with the Afghan president and that agreement spells out that most of our troops will be out of Afghanistan by 2014.
The president's visit, it was an amazing sight. The president wading into a sea of those American men and women now serving in Afghanistan. He vowed that he will not keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan a single day longer than necessary but his address to the nation was very clearly aimed at the audience back home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: As we emerge from a decade of conflict abroad and economic crisis at home, it's time to renew America. An America where our children live free from fear and have the skills to claim their dreams. A united America of grit and resilience where sunlight glistens off soaring new towers in downtown Manhattan and we build our future as one people. As one nation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: When President Obama returns home in a few hours, he faces a somewhat cool reception from some quarters. Many critics saying his stealth visit to Afghanistan was a thinly veiled campaign stop in his re-election bid.
And we want to turn to one of those critics right now. Chad Collins is a former U.S. army major who commanded a company of soldiers in Afghanistan. He's in Nashville this morning.
Welcome.
CHAD COLLINS, FORMER U.S. ARMY MAJOR: Good morning.
COSTELLO: Good morning. You say this appeared all too much like a campaign stunt. Why do you feel that way?
COLLINS: Well, I think more appropriately I said that I thought the timing was intriguing and certainly, you know, when you combine it with the hostage rescue that occurred in conjunction with the State of the Union address and the -- when you look at the timing in connection with the start of the political season election year, I think there are some questions that can be asked but I think most appropriately it's important, it's imperative that we send a clear message to our soldiers about the appropriateness of our mission there and their actions in Afghanistan.
COSTELLO: I think some might say that -- COLLINS: I think there's a real --
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: -- that's what the president was trying to do even Senator John McCain who has been very critical of the president said, quote, "I think it's a good thing. It's always good when the president goes to where young men and women are in harm's way and I think that many of us who have been involved in Afghanistan are very supportive of the strategic partnership agreement."
That's what John McCain said. And you could see by those pictures of the soldiers welcoming the president that they seemed to be happy to see him.
COLLINS: Absolutely. And I don't want to seem like I'm reversing my position here in saying this. But I think it's -- we do have to be careful about the questions that we ask. I think the point that I want to stress is that the only thing more unsavory for American soldiers than prolonged conflict is the thought that perhaps they are being asked to return home before their mission is complete, and so I appreciated the president's remarks last night.
I think if we can declare that we have achieved the strategic objectives that our military's mission is complete, then absolutely. We should bring our soldiers home and hail them as the conquering heroes that they are. But if there are resounding questions, I think it starts to undermine the heroics of their actions there.
COSTELLO: Yes, well, take a look at these numbers. This is part of that agreement that Mr. Obama signed with President Karzai. Mr. Obama wants to withdraw 23,000 troops by the end of the summer. That a full one-third fewer men and women than we had there just a year ago.
Do you believe that will actually happen?
COLLINS: Difficult to say. Without question Afghanistan is an extremely complex problem. The security issue is one of those complex problems. But the rule of law initiatives, the infrastructure development pieces continue to hamper that region and will make security challenges there very difficult in the years to come. Again, I hope that that is the case. I hope that -- you know, I think every soldier relishes or former soldier as the case may be for me, relishes the idea of peace and end of deployment. I just want to ensure that we do it under the correct auspices.
COSTELLO: Major Collins, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts with us this morning.
COLLINS: Thank you so much for having me.
COSTELLO: Criminal charges expected this afternoon in the suspected hazing death of Florida A&M drum band major. A source close to the investigation says several people will be charged for their involvement in the death of Robert Champion. Band members say Champion died after being beaten on a bus during a right of passage in November.
Three of the 12 Secret Service agents involved in the Colombia prostitution scandal are refusing to take a lie detector test. We're told they were among the first who were dismissed from the agency when news of the scandal broke.
And in an interesting twist, one hundred -- 120 Secret Service agents and their supervisors will begin an ethics training workshop later this morning at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. The school has partnered with the agency extensively in the past.
The bad economy forcing California to come up with some pretty inventive ways to raise cash. The state now renting out the governor's mansion and it's ground. Starting at a cool 1500 bucks, you get 14,000 square feet, marble fireplaces, a formal dining room, spiral staircase and a newly renovated pool, all for 1500 bucks a month. Wow.
And did you see this? Check out this catch from Nova Scotia.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Somebody get a paint brush. Come on.
COSTELLO: It's weird. Rob Marciano is with me.
(LAUGHTER)
COSTELLO: I've never seen a lobster like that.
MARCIANO: It's a two-tone lobster. I mean breaking news out Nova Scotia, you have to look at this carefully and think, you know, there's something weird about it. But -- obviously. But it's not man-made. This is apparently something that exist out there in the wild.
COSTELLO: Radiation?
MARCIANO: Well, lobsters -- they grow symmetrically. And I suppose from the spine on out. And one half of this lobster's body doesn't have the pigment. It looks like one half is cooked because when you -- when you --
COSTELLO: Yes.
MARCIANO: -- throw these in the pot of boiling water they turn that bright, beautiful orange.
(LAUGHTER)
MARCIANO: This is -- we've seen this a couple of times in through the Boston area. Maybe two or three times in the past. The odds of it happening are actually like 1 in 50 million.
COSTELLO: Wow.
MARCIANO: Yes. So this is incredibly rare. It's right in that sweet spot, though, of about a pound and a half or maybe 2 1/2 pounds where lobster meat is just really, really tender and succulent. But I think that --
COSTELLO: They're not going to eat that?
MARCIANO: I don't -- yes, I think this two -- you know, David Bowie, eat your heart out here. I mean this is good stuff. And I think it's going to save this lobster's life.
COSTELLO: Well, that's the bright note in the story. Thank you, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right, you're welcome.
COSTELLO: Just ahead on NEWSROOM, the building started popping. Part of Tyler Perry's studios going up in flames. This morning fire crews trying to find the cause.
And the alleged bridge plotters of Ohio, the FBI says it gave them the fake bombs. If agents had not done that, would these men have gone through with their alleged plans? We're talking about that in a minute.
And the parents of Madeleine McCann say they hope -- they have new hope after the disappearance of their daughter nearly five years ago. We'll tell you why.
CNN NEWSROOM Back in two minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Checking our top stories now, human rights activist Chen Guangcheng is at a Beijing hospital and will reunite with his family there. The blind lawyer and Chinese dissident escaped house arrest last week and had taken refuge in the U.S. embassy.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she's pleased the U.S. was able to help him, but China is demanding the U.S. apologize for interfering with Chinese affairs.
We'll hear more exclusive testimony today in the trial of the man accused of murdering three of Jennifer Hudson's family members. A neighbor said he witnessed William Balfour spying on the family two months before he allegedly killed Hudson's mother, brother and nephew. But the defense says the violence was connected to Hudson's brother's drug dealing.
And investigators this morning are trying to find out what caused a fire at Tyler Perry's studios last night. It broke out at the 60-acre complex in Atlanta where he films a lot of his TV shows and movies. Part of one building collapsed. No one was hurt. Perry was there last night, but he refused to talk to reporters.
Five men are in FBI custody, accused of trying to blow up a major bridge near Cleveland, Ohio. Several suspects call themselves anarchists and have reportedly been involved with the Occupy Cleveland movement.
FBI agents have been watching them for months, and even provided them fake bombs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN DETTLEBACH, U.S. ATTORNEY: The defendants planted the explosives at the base of the bridge. The defendants armed the explosives. The defendants left and went to a remote site and they then sitting there entered the codes they thought would blow up a bridge with innocent people traveling over it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Investigators say the public was never in any danger. Occupy Cleveland leaders say the suspects don't represent the group.
If this alleged plot had panned out, though, not only could people have died, it could have caused many other problems. Transportation officials say there's a utility line on that bridge and at least one fiber-optic line nearby. It turns out that's true of many bridges.
Listen to what a homeland security expert told CNN's Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We found something under here, right, that's under a lot of bridges?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Many bridges, Brian, have oil and gas pipelines. They have fiber-optic cables. That's how our financial system in America works. That's how we communicate. Everything from Internet to our telephone, they run beneath bridges. You blow up a span, you cut the city off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Now, clearly, the FBI thought the men were a threat. But were they really?
We want to talk more about that with David Shipler. He's an author and expert on homegrown terror.
David, welcome.
DAVID SHIPLER, HOMELAND TERROR EXPERT: Good morning.
COSTELLO: So, obviously, the FBI infiltrated this group, this group of five men. They provided them with what they thought were C4 explosives and these men were going to blow up this bridge.
In your mind, does that mean these five men were serious about what they were going to do or were they sort of goaded into it?
SHIPLER: Well, it's hard to know without reading the criminal complaint, reading the transcripts of the conversations between them and the informant.
I do know that in other cases I've looked at, you get a mixed picture. Sometimes the suspects are hapless wannabes who come across as not being able to light the right end of a fuse. They are coaxed and encouraged by informants who are often convicted felons on the FBI payroll who are trying to work off a charge, get a reduced sentence and so forth.
They come to the attention of the FBI often with radical statements outside a mosque or online. And then the FBI will begin to cultivate them so to speak or at least contact them, talk to them, see if they are serious about doing some kind of violence.
COSTELLO: I guess my question is, is once an FBI agent infiltrates this group, he's undercover. I mean -- aren't there restrictions on how much he can incite the group to act?
SHIPLER: Well, there are restrictions, yes. But the law on entrapment, which is the typical defense that is claimed after a case like this, is fairly strict. To prove entrapment, you have to show that you had no predisposition to do the crime. No predisposition.
That means you were not willing to do the crime. You weren't interested in doing it. The agent really created the whole thing and pulled you along.
And the FBI and the Justice Department argue that they are very careful to give people exits. They suggest along the way, you know you're going to kill a lot of people and you're going to do a lot of damage. Are you sure you want to do this?
Those -- as you read the transcripts of the cases, though, those exit signs are not exactly in bright neon very often. They are a little subtle and often they are accompanied by some coaxing. The agent, the undercover agent, who is perhaps pretending to be an al Qaeda operative and that sort of thing will say, well, the brothers expect you to do this. You said you were going to do this. What are you going to do for Allah?
And so, there's a bit of pressure that's built up at the same time that an exit is provided.
COSTELLO: Although, you know, according to the FBI these five men went out of their way. I mean, they planted these fake C4 explosives on the bridge. They tried to detonate them by using a cell phone. The cell phone didn't work. They called the FBI operative and said what's up with these.
So, it did seem like these five -- it did seem like these five were serious about this. And as a citizen, I would kind of want the FBI to go in and fare it out, even these kinds of people.
SHIPLER: That's right. I mean, the FBI normally creates a kind of drama, a piece of theater that goes all of the way to the conclusion where the bomb, the fake bomb, is set. The bomb provided by the FBI, by the way. The cell phone provided by the FBI. The number provided by the FBI.
So the whole thing is a theater of piece of drama which the suspect plays his part in. So, there's no question that the FBI does this pretty well.
The question -- there are a couple questions that arise in these methods. Most frightening terrorist attacks that have been foiled in the United States since 9/11 actually have been sting operations of this kind. So, a couple questions arise: would these people have done this on their own without FBI involvement? Another question is, is this the best use of limited manpower that's aimed at finding real terrorists?
So these are serious questions that need to be addressed. And there's no question that these particular people who get -- take their steps way down the road to the point of actually wanting to detonate an explosive that they think is there, are potentially dangerous people. The question is, well, would they have done this without government involvement?
COSTELLO: Food for thought this morning. David Shipler, thanks so much for being with us.
SHIPLER: Thanks for having me.
COSTELLO: Still ahead on NEWSROOM: thousands of Wal-Mart employees denied overtime pay are finally going to see the money.
And later, George Zimmerman's MySpace page from 2005 has surfaced, and you've got to hear some shocking comments he made about Mexicans.
CNN NEWSROOM back in three minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: This morning, the prosecution continues to build its case against John Edwards, as the wife of his former close aide heads back to the stand. She testified why she videotaped the home and possessions of the senator's mistress Rielle Hunter in 2008, saying she needed proof of the affair. And today, Edwards' former chief of staff is expected to testify.
Joe Johns has more for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Today in the John Edwards campaign finance trial, Cheri Young is expected to wrap up her testimony. She is the wife of Edwards' former right hand man and fixer Andrew Young. She handled the finances for the Young family. She made the case that her husband had to come forward to tell the truth about Edwards and his affair with Rielle Hunter because Edwards hadn't done it.
Cheri Young, like her husband, was a combative witness under cross-examination, but her credibility came under attack in the trial. The John Edwards' defense team asked her how much money she and her husband made from a book and movie deal about the Edwards case. She says she could not remember.
After Cheri Young finishes testifying, the next witness expected to take the stand is Josh Brumberger, a former aide for Edwards who was reportedly present when he first met his mistress at a hotel in New York City.
The main issue in the case is whether Edwards intentionally accepted illegal campaign money to try to cover up the affair.
Joe Johns, CNN, Greensboro, North Carolina.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Now is your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning: What does the resignation of a gay spokesman say about the Romney campaign? Rick Grenell was the master of the message for the Bush administration at the United Nations, on all hot issues like Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. Grenell's expertise landed him a job as foreign policy spokesman for the Romney campaign.
Yet, within two weeks he's out. Why? Well, you see before he was hired, Grenell had a history of posting scathing tweets, some ridiculing the appearance of prominent women like Hillary Clinton and Callista Gingrich. Some might wonder why Grenell was hired in first place when Republicans are actively courting women voters. But arguably, Grenell's resignation had nothing to do with those snarky tweets but with the fact he's openly gay -- something that angered social conservatives like Brian Fischer of the American Family Association.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN FISCHER, AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION: The homosexual agenda represents the single greatest threat to religious liberty and freedom of association in America today. When Governor Romney picks someone who is active as homosexual and puts him in a prominent position, he is sending a shout-out it seems to me to the homosexual lobby.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: In a statement, Grenell cited hyper-partisan discussion of personal issues for his resignation. Republican pundit David Frum says Romney missed an opportunity here to, quote, "declared his independence from others on the right". He apparently did not.
So the talk back question for you: what does the resignation of a gay spokesman say about the Romney campaign?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN, Facebook.com/CarolCNN, I'll read your comments later this hour.
Still to come on NEWSROOM: she vanished from a family vacation, sparking an international search. Hear why her parents are hopeful that the search will be resumed.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Thirty-one minutes past the hour.
Wal-Mart is paying up after failing to pay some workers overtime. Now, thousands of Wal-Mart employees are getting their money.
Alison Kosik is live at the New York Stock Exchange to explain.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: And they are probably saying about time. So, Wal-Mart says it has to pay up almost $5 million to these thousand of workers who are owed back pages and damages and then Wal-Mart is going to have to pay another half million dollars in civil penalties.
What happens is here is that some managers in Wal-Mart's vision centers and security departments, they weren't given overtime because what Wal-Mart considered them as is workers were exempt from these federal regulations that require overtime pay. But Wal-Mart says that they corrected the problem at this point and they reclassified these workers and when we talk about these workers, we're talking about 4,500 workers who are going to be in line for the money.
So, clearly, the hits keep coming for Wal-Mart. This, of course, after last month's allegations that Wal-Mart bribed Mexican officials to fast track store openings in Mexico.
As for now, shares of Wal-Mart not reacting too much. They are down a fraction. As for the broader market, yes, it's down even more. The Dow down 48 points, that's after a weak report on jobs.
ADP, that's the private payroll processing firm, said that private companies in April added fewer jobs than expected. Of course, now there are worries about what Friday's government jobs report is going to look like -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Alison Kosik at the New York Stock Exchange.
And good morning to you. I'm Carol Costello.
Stories we're watching right now in the NEWSROOM:
Hours after President Obama left Afghanistan, a car bomb in Kabul exploded. At least seven people are dead. More are hurt.
Two U.S. troops were killed in a blast in another part of the country. And just yesterday Obama said troops would not stay in Afghanistan a day longer than necessary.
Human rights activist Chen Guangcheng is reunited with his family at a Beijing hospital. The blind lawyer and Chinese dissident escaped house arrest last week and had taken refuge in the U.S. embassy. Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, says she is pleased the United States was able to help him. But China is demanding the U.S. apologize for interfering with Chinese affairs.
George Zimmerman's MySpace page from 2005 was full of crude comments specifically against Mexicans. He called some want to be thugs and other comments he brags about his run ins with the law.
"The Miami Herald" uncovered the old profile and Zimmerman's attorney confirmed it is legitimate, also showed Zimmerman had a very diverse group of friends.
Just last week, we had new time lapse pictures of what Madeleine McCann would look like now, nearly five years after she vanished from a family vacation in Portugal. Investigators are saying she could be alive and they have hundreds of leads that have yet to be pursued. It's a development that's giving renewed hope to Madeleine's parents just days before the anniversary of their daughter's disappearance.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERRY MCCANN, FATHER OF MISSING GIRL: I think we are more hopeful now of finding Madeleine than we have been at any point since the early days after she was taken. That's largely changed with the investigative review being undertaken by the metropolitan police.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Zain Verjee is live in London.
Your heart breaks for this family.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: Gosh, it is a parents' worst nightmare really. Madeleine would have been 9 years old by now. It's almost five years since she disappeared back in 2007 when the whole family was on vacation in Portugal, in an area known as the Algarve.
So they are really optimistic. They continue to hold on and what they are saying is there is something like almost 200 new leads potentially after about 40,000 new pieces of information have been analyzed. So they are clinging onto that.
Just listen to what Madeleine's father had to say when he was asked by an interviewer here in the U.K. about whether he imagines or dreams of what it would be like one day if he ever met his daughter again.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCANN: It's hard to go there because it would be so good, but you do think about it being reunited and it's happened for many other families. So, there's no reason why at this stage it can't happen for us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VERJEE: Now, the situation right now, Carol, as far as the investigation goes is that the Portuguese are saying the investigation is closed unless there are new and credible pieces of information. The McCanns are saying they have no doubt that one day the Portuguese will reopen the investigation. Now, the metropolitan police in U.K. are saying that they support it and they really want this to happen, but it cannot legally happen without Portugal agreeing to do it.
The McCann family, by the way, has also continued to hire a private detective and they continue to try and see if they get anymore leads and they are appealing to anyone who can still come forward with any information that could help -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Zain Verjee live in London for us this morning.
The actress, Betty White, using her celebrity status to help get a politician elected. It's all about how that politician treats dogs. Yes. It's coming your way in five minutes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's human nature to invent. It's human nature to try to make your life better. It's human nature to try to make the world around you a better place. And what stops people is to actually do that and to execute on all those ideas is really freaking hard.
Good ideas shouldn't find their ways on shelves because they're the ideas of people with the right luck or circumstance. They should find their ways on shelves because they are just great ideas. That's it, plain and simple.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Betty White is not a political animal, except when it comes to animals, you know, the kind with fur. In a new campaign ad, she's backing a congressman who's up for re-election in California and she's supporting the Democrat, Howard Berman, because he likes dogs.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Betty, if you want a friend in Washington, do you know what you do?
BETTY WHITE, ACTRESS: Get a dog. That's what I've been told.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And what else?
WHITE: Re-elect Congressman Howard Berman, the valley leader who fights for the humane treatment of all animals.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Oh, A.J. Hammer, we didn't show the part where he shows up with a little white dog. I would want Betty White's endorsement.
A.J HAMMER, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" HOST: I love it. As an animal lover, I'm so thrilled she's doing this. Some people, Carol, are calling this the coolest endorsement ever. That's Betty White and her "Hot in Cleveland" co-star Wendie Malick that we saw there. They are some of Congressman Berman's Hollywood supporters. Steven Spielberg has called him a champion of the entertainment industry. And the congressman has reportedly collected big donations for this elections from stars like Tom Hanks and Bette Midler and Kate Capshaw.
Now, Berman's district was redrawn. And that forced him into a bitter battle with Representative Brad Sherman. So, you got Berman versus Sherman.
The stars like Berman at least in part because of his efforts to fight video piracy in Congress and not just because as Betty puts it at the end of the commercial that we didn't see where Betty says he's very nice blue eyes.
(CROSSTALK)
COSTELLO: Yes, it can, it can. We did see him with the dog. I like that. For me, that was the money shot.
Let's talk about Patrick Dempsey's heroic rescue, and pulled a teenage boy out of a car that crashed near his home. What happened?
HAMMER: Well, we talked about this the other day. Dempsey was on the scene and police just released a relatively calm 911 call reporting the accident. Now, a woman apparently, a neighbor of Dempsey's is on the phone in this call talking to the operator. Let's listen to that.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
CALLER: There is a car accident.
DISPATCHER: How many vehicles?
CALLER: It's one vehicle. It's upside down.
DISPATCHER: Is the person trapped?
CALLER: My husband and three other guys just pulled the boy out.
DISPATCHER: So, no parties are trapped?
CALLER: No.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HAMMER: So Dempsey still hasn't responded to "Showbiz Tonight" with any additional details about the accident or how he and his neighbors pulled that boy out of the car. But everyone who was there deserves some credit.
The driver turns out was only 15 according to the local sheriff's office and not 17 as has been reported, but he's expected to make a full recovery thanks certainly in large part to Dr. McDreamy.
COSTELLO: And I'm sure he'll be grounded.
A.J. Hammer, thanks so much.
Congressman Paul Ryan making a move to stop defense spending cuts. He says U.S. security cannot afford $600 billion in cuts but Democrats say, wait a minute, we made a deal. Coming up, we'll get into that fight.
And our talk back question for you today: what does the resignation of a gay spokesman say about the Romney campaign? Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll have some of your responses after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Forty-six minutes past the hour. Checking our "Top Stories".
Human rights activist Chen Guangcheng is reuniting with his family today. The blind lawyer and Chinese dissident escaped house arrest last week and has been hiding out in the U.S. embassy. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she is pleased that the United States was able to help him out. But China is demanding the U.S. apologize for interfering with Chinese affairs.
President Obama on his way back to the White House after an unannounced visit to Afghanistan. In a speech to U.S. troops, the President said he is committed to the 2014 deadline to turn security fully over to the Afghans.
Mitt Romney by the way released this statement. He said quote, "I am pleased that President Obama has returned to Afghanistan. Our troops and the American people deserve to hear from our President about what is at stake in this war. Success in Afghanistan is vital to our nation's security," end quote.
Newt Gingrich plans to express his support for Mitt Romney this afternoon when he suspends his presidential campaign. Gingrich has released a video thanking supporters and saying he will keep working to defeat President Obama.
Democrats and Republicans are at each other's throats again over spending. Republican Congressman Paul Ryan has introduced a bill to stop automatic cuts to defense spending. Now this all goes back to that grand failure. You remember the Super Committee? Remember. I know it's pretty forgettable and not really so super.
It was created under the law that lifted the debt ceiling. In other words lawmakers agreed to raise it on the condition a bipartisan Super Committee would cut $1.5 trillion from the nation's deficit. The Super Committee failed. So come January, draconian automatic budget cuts will go into effect as in $1.2 trillion in cuts to Defense and entitlement programs. That was the deal except it wasn't. Congressman Ryan says we can't afford the $600 billion Defense cut for the nation's security sake. And some Democrats are furious that he's trying to like you know get rid of these cuts.
Joining us now, Democratic Congressman Peter Welch of Vermont. Welcome, Congressman.
REP. PETER WELCH (D), VERMONT: Hi it's good to be with you.
COSTELLO: Nice to have you here. You say that a deal is a deal. So what do Democrats plan to do?
WELCH: Well, the Republicans with this Ryan plan are running from the agreement that they made. You know the Super Committee had a shot. They could put everything on the table and it included revenues which incidentally would have softened the cuts both on the Pentagon side and on the domestic side. They failed.
But the agreement then was automatic cuts would go into effect when we get back to Washington in January and half would come from the Pentagon and half from domestic discretionary. So there would be shared pain.
Now is it realistic that you would fence off the Pentagon and in fact break the deal, try to have your cake and eat it too because the Republicans refuse to include revenue as part of the equation.
And incidentally, realistically, can we get to the debt reduction that we need when we say that the Pentagon has to make no contribution? Keep in mind, the budget there was $670 billion last year. Over ten years that's going to be $7 trillion or $8 trillion or $9 trillion.
So these cuts have to be part of the -- cuts in the Pentagon have to be part of a balanced approach.
COSTELLO: You say you got 130 other Democrats on your side. What do you guys plan to do?
WELCH: Well, see our goal actually is to work with Republicans to get a debt reduction accomplished. We do have to do that in this country. But what everyone knows who is not in Congress is that this has to be approach as a practical problem to be solved and not just this ideological battle. And if it's a practical problem, then we've got to put every single thing on the table. It means Democrats have to be willing to make some cuts in reforms and entitlements because we can do that and save money without compromising security.
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COSTELLO: Well but Congressman, we think -- I mean, I think the American people have heard it all before that you guys can sit down together and come up with some solution and it's been proved so many times in the past that you really can't.
WELCH: Well we are -- and the obstacle is an unwillingness to put everything on the table. I mean, the point here is there were 100 Democrats and Republicans; 60 Democrats, 40 Republicans who said to the Super Committee, you know what, go big. Go for $4 trillion and the way you would accomplish that is by including revenues, including the Pentagon; including domestic discretionary.
So at the leadership level that's what we have to acknowledge because if you come up with a strategy which then gets doubled down where you take revenues off the table and now Mr. Ryan's latest plan is to take the Pentagon off the table, it means that you really have nothing left except health care, help to get our kids into college and with student assistance, nutrition programs, all of these are being axed and it won't work but will result in enormously punitive impacts on the American economy and the American people.
So Mr. Ryan is a leader here and if he's going to be serious about it, he has to acknowledge that revenues have to be part of this. The Pentagon has to make a contribution and it's -- everything's got to be on the table. Otherwise we just won't be able to succeed.
COSTELLO: Congressman Welch, thank you for being with us this morning. We appreciate it.
WELCH: Thank you.
COSTELLO: We asked to you comment on the big story of the day. The question for you today, "What does the resignation of a gay spokesman say about the Romney campaign?" Your responses after a break.
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COSTELLO: We asked you to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories. The "Talk Back" question for you. "What does the resignation of a gay spokesman say about the Romney campaign?"
This from Mary. "There are gay Republicans. I'm sure he wasn't fired for being gay. I bet it had a lot to do with his tweets, smiley face."
This from Debra. It says "Romney has flip-flopped so much and on so many issues that he's now too dizzy to know which side he supports and why."
This from Eric. "It could just be the person was not a good fit. I heard recently the Mormon Church was more accepting of gays. Maybe this guy is just a little too out there."
And this from Kevin. "Here's a tip. Keep your personal issues personal. The vast majority of conservatives don't give a flip about what you do in the bedroom. Good riddance. He's the one that's hypersensitive. Grow up."
Keep the conversation flowing, Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll get to more in the next hour of NEWSROOM.
And we are following a lot of developments in the next hour. Let's check in first with George Howell.
GEORGE HOWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are following developments hours away from learning who will be charged in the hazing-related death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion. We'll talk about the case and what to expect in this 2:00 p.m. news conference, coming up at the top of the hour.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Elizabeth Cohen in Atlanta. A New Jersey mom is accused of taking her 5-year- old into a tanning bed. We'll talk about tanning bed dangers for kids and for adults later in the hour.
COSTELLO: Thanks to both of you.
And companies say they are hiring, and they are hiring with great-paying jobs. Many people aren't getting job offers. Business owners say many applicants don't have the required skills.
Next hour we'll talk with one business owner and hear why he says trade schools are the answer.
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COSTELLO: How your team responds when a key player is out is critical in the playoffs. Nobody knows that better than Joe Carter.
JOE CARTER, HLN SPORTS: I'm always healthy. What are you talking about?
A lot of these teams are facing uncharted territory because it's been a long time since they faced lockout, the NBA. And since it's a shortened season they crammed a lot of games in here so a lot of these older players are facing injury, even some young guys.
The Boston Celtics are dealing with both obviously. Suspended guard Rajon Rondo was out last night because he was suspended because he remember he bumped a ref during the season opener against the Atlanta Hawks. Ray Allen out with the injury; he's got that ankle injury.
So they look to the truth, the captain -- Paul Pierce. He had to step up last night -- big, big game for him. He scored the first nine point of the game. He actually outscored the entire Atlanta Hawks team in the last 15 minutes. He had 36 points in all, 14 rebounds. This guy is 34 years young. Some people call them old early in the season.
Then in the game, this is the best part. He sinks a free throw as the clincher -- decides to Tebow.
COSTELLO: Yes.
CARTER: Why not? Actually he played 44 of the 48 minutes so some say he might have been just tired. Celtics go on to win the game, 87-80. Rajon Rondo is back for game three which is Friday in Boston.
So the bulls also facing injury without their superstar, Derrick Rose. He's gone for the rest of the season. He's obviously the reigning MVP. He tore his ACL. He did present the game ball. He got a standing ovation, but that was about the only thing Chicago had to cheer about, because, boy, they missed him a lot.
Their offense was out of sync. The 76ers grooving all night long; shot 69 percent from the field. Philly put the game away with a 36-14 run in the third quarter. It was over early. Sixers even the series with the Bulls one game apiece.
NHL playoffs last night; so if you're excited about the playoffs, this is a good time to be a sports fan. Devils/Flyers game two of their series. New Jersey playing without their injured stud Ilya Kovalchuk. Look at this guy. David Clarkson literally crashes on top of the net. Hits the rebound then goes on top of --
