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President Obama Kicks Off His Re-election Campaign; Arraignment of 9/11 Conspirators; Examining Job Numbers; Changing Fashion Models
Aired May 05, 2012 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: President Barack Obama held his first official campaign rally today in Columbus, Ohio. He made the case for a second term in the White House and said if Mitt Romney were elected, he would rubber stamp the Republican Congressional agenda.
New court documents filed by attorneys for Jerry Sandusky suggest that there are now at least 17 accusers in the child sexual abuse case. There were 10 alleged victims cited in the criminal charges. The former Penn State assistant football coach faces more than 50 counts of sexual acts with boys. He pleaded not guilty.
The arraignment of the 9/11 conspirators before a military court in Cuba today had some fireworks. What should have taken minutes took hours, including one of the men blurting out, "They're going to kill us." Chris Lawrence is in Guantanamo.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, when the cameras were off and the court was in recess, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other defendants laughed, they talked to each other, and even had a copy of "The Economist" magazine that they would pass back and forth, but once the judge was asking questions and court was in session, they completely tuned out, refusing to participate or answer any questions.
One defendant, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, gestured at one point and shouted that they may kill us, that they may kill us and make it look like suicide. He said this may be the last time you see us. But that was really the only outburst. At times, the defendants would stop court to pray. But otherwise, they were completely disengaged.
One of the codefendants was actually -- had to be brought in in restraints because he had refused to come to court, and it's mandatory during an arraignment that they be present. So he had to be brought in shackled and restrained and it was only later in the hearing that those shackles were removed when he agreed to participate -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: Chris Lawrence, thanks so much, in Guantanamo.
So after making his first official campaign rally in Columbus, Ohio, this afternoon, President Obama is now in Virginia this evening, rather, for another rally. We'll be looking at live pictures momentarily when we get the -- oh, yes, folks are ready and poised, waiting for the president to arrive there in Virginia after making his way through Ohio earlier today. So let's go to chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin. So, Jessica, you were in Ohio earlier. And now, on your way there in Virginia, really a quick turn. What do we expect to hear from the president? Very similar to his stump speech there in Ohio? Or different audience, different message?
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, I think it's -- we are told that it will be the same speech, maybe slightly different emphasis in Ohio. There's a very heavy emphasis on the auto bailout, manufacturing, because one in eight jobs today say they are -- is connected in some ways to manufacturing.
But the theme you heard him deliver will -- the overarching theme will be the same, which from this campaign will be this idea that the president will -- has taken the economy from a place where he was handed it where jobs, the economy was hemorrhaging jobs and he did what he could to stop that hemorrhaging, to turn it around, and he cites a lot of data about private sector job growth, manufacturing job growth.
And he argues that it will get better in the future. One of the things that you'll note is in -- that stood out to me, is that in his message in Ohio, he's very critical of the Republican Congress. He was critical of Mitt Romney, but his attack on Mitt Romney was not bitingly negative.
It was a criticism of his policy and his approach. The attitude was more, Mitt Romney doesn't get it for middle class Americans. Here's what he had to say about Mitt Romney.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now when a woman in Iowa shared the story of her financial struggles, he responded with economic theories. He told her, productivity equals our income.
(LAUGHTER)
OBAMA: Well, let me tell you something. The problem with our economy isn't that the American people aren't productive enough. You have been working harder than ever.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: The challenge we face right now -- the challenge we've faced for over a decade is that harder work hasn't led to higher incomes. It's that bigger profits haven't led to better jobs.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Governor Romney doesn't seem to get that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: So you see how it wasn't a personal attack on Mitt Romney. It was more of a broader message about the distinctions in their policies. Here the president might focus more, for example, on women's issues, because they very much want to turn out the suburban women's vote. One note I'll finally wrap up on, Fredricka, he said, tell folks this campaign is still about hope and change, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jessica Yellin, thanks so much, coming to us from Richmond, Virginia.
All right. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is slamming President Obama over the new labor report that came out yesterday. Unemployment is down to 8.1 percent, but the economy only added 115,000 jobs last month. Romney says that's no cause for celebration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FORMER GOV. MITT ROMNEY, R-MASS., PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The unemployment rate has dropped to 8.1 percent. And normally, that would be cause for celebration. But in fact, anything over 8 percent -- anything near 8 percent, anything over 4 percent is not cause for celebration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The Republican presidential candidate said the country can't celebrate until unemployment is 4 percent.
All right. She is the center of an explosive scandal now. Colombian escort is revealing details of her night with U.S. Secret Service agents.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's take a look at some of the stories making headlines around the world now.
A top Russian general is warning the United States, either come to a deal on a planned missile defense shield in Europe or face the possibility of a preemptive strike against the launch site. The Obama administration and European allies have tried to ease Russia's fears over the project by insisting that the system is directed towards countering the missile threat from the Middle East.
And protesters against Egypt's military government returned to the street one day after deadly clashes with security forces. Government officials have imposed an overnight curfew in Cairo's central district.
And in a matter of hours, France votes in a presidential runoff, pitting incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy against challenger Francois Hollande. The latest opinion poll indicates Hollande could be the winner.
The woman at the center of the Colombian prostitution scandal that has shaken the U.S. Secret Service is calling the agents involved a bunch of fools, speaking to a Colombian radio station. Dania Suarez described a night of drunken revelry. She said she was introduced to one of the men by a friend and then went back with him to a hotel room.
She says she doesn't even know that -- she didn't know at the time that he was an agent, but that he went to sleep and then left files right open and right out in the open.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIA SUAREZ, PROSTITUTE (through translator): Of course. At that moment, if I had been a member of one of those terrorist gangs, it's obvious that I would have been able to get everything. Just like the newspapers say, I put them in checkmate. They're a bunch of fools. They're responsible for Obama's security and they still let this happen.
I told them, I'm going to call the police so that they would pay me my money. They didn't care. They didn't see the magnitude of the problem, even when being responsible for Obama's security. I could have done a thousand other things.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Suarez says her life as an escort is now over, but she says she's open to posing in men's magazines.
If you're on a job interview, there's one thing you should never say.
And tomorrow, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is profiling a guy who makes inventors' dreams a reality in the marketplace on "THE NEXT LIST."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's human nature to invent, right? 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, it's really freaking hard.
Good ideas should find their ways onto shelves because they're the ideas of people with the right luck or circumstance, but it should find their ways on the shelves because they're just great ideas that find them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Tune in tomorrow to watch "THE NEXT LIST" or set your DVR for 2:00 pm Eastern time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Good and not so good news on the unemployment front. The unemployment rate has dropped to 8.1 percent, but economists say that's because many people gave up looking for work. The economy added 115,000 new jobs in April, but that's fewer than expected.
All right. Every week, we focus on ways to get a jump start in the workforce. Today, we're looking at how to prepare for a critical moment in that job interview.
If you're in the running for a job, you probably prepped for the answers for all of those tough questions, at least the ones you're expecting. Are you waiting for the moment when the tables area turned and the employer -- or the potential employer asks, do you have any questions?
All right. Executive coach and author of "Successful Women Think Differently," Valerie Burton with us now, that says there are a few things you should and shouldn't do. Certain things you should never say at that moment -- OK, so how do we begin this? We want to go to the punch line, what you should never say when they say any questions for us?
VALERIE BURTON, EXECUTIVE COACH AND AUTHOR: You should never say --
WHITFIELD: No, I'm cool, thank you.
BURTON: (Inaudible) interview.
(CROSSTALK)
WHITFIELD: Or, "You covered everything." Don't do that.
BURTON: You always want to come with questions, because that shows you have an interest in the company, that you're a critical thinker. So never say no. Come prepared with some questions.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. So what kind of research do you need to do on the company so that you are best prepared, perhaps, moving forward, so you don't have that kind of cricket moment?
BURTON: You want to do as much research as possible. If there's anyone you know that works for the company, has the company as a client, obviously now with so much on the internet, you can do website research, et cetera. But you want to make sure you're demonstrating your interest in the company, that you really feel like this is a good fit.
But you also want to be asking questions that allow you to figure out, do they feel you're a good fit? What are the strengths that they're looking at? And do you have weaknesses that you need to kind of be able to show them that you can overcome?
WHITFIELD: So you're also putting that potential employer in a position where -- sell yourself to me, too, while I'm trying to sell me to you.
BURTON: Absolutely. Every company is not a good fit for you. So you need to ask questions for yourself, as well. You're also interviewing them.
WHITFIELD: OK. Well, they -- you know, is there fear that, perhaps, as you do that, they'll be thinking, wait a minute, are you kidding me? Are you coming for a job here? Are you pursuing the job or are you really putting our feet to the fire? BURTON: No, I think a lot of people, you ask good questions and you ask them in the right way. Obviously, you're going to be friendly but you want to be very well spoken about it, then it says, you know what, this person is really thinking about what it will be like to work here. They're really giving this some thought. They're not just looking for whatever job. They have an interest in us as a company.
WHITFIELD: So what are some of those questions you need to ask that prospective employer?
BURTON: Well, one of them is -- and it looks different depending on what you have seen online, but you want to say, I noticed on the website that, or I was watching the news, or whatever it is that's going on, how does that affect this position?
So you're basically telling them, I have been checking up on you, I've been reading, I understand what's going on. And I'm curious, how does it affect my position? That's always a really good question.
WHITFIELD: And you really think these are like make-or-break kind of moments?
BURTON: These are, because it gives you an opportunity to go back and forth with them. I think that's so critical in the interview process. You're building rapport.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. All right. Well, hopefully folks will feel empowered do that. Because an awful lot of times people go to a job interview, they're intimidated by the whole process and they kind of get a little nervous about the idea of challenging a prospective employer because they're afraid they're going to turn them off.
BURTON: You're afraid of that, but you also want to ask, I mean, simple questions like what do you feel is an ideal fit for this role? Do you see any reasons why I might not be the right candidate for the role?
This enables you to go back later on and to say, you know what, when I follow up, I want to kind of show them you, you know, they saw this as a weakness, but maybe there's some other experience I didn't share. And you always want to end with that, you know, what are the next steps? What is the timeline, so that you understand what is coming next in the interview process.
WHITFIELD: And that follow-up's still very important.
BURTON: Oh, absolutely.
WHITFIELD: How you kind of seal it.
BURTON: Following up with a handwritten note, email is great, but also do the handwritten note. Many people don't do that these days, and it stands out.
WHITFIELD: Handwritten, not typed? Really, you want them to see your penmanship? (LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: Is that safe?
BURTON: Yes, it's --
WHITFIELD: That might be the deal breaker (inaudible).
BURTON: It's the personal touch. You might have to practice a little bit first if your penmanship's not good. But it's always great --
WHITFIELD: There you go.
BURTON: -- it shows people that you have taken the time to do something that is personal.
WHITFIELD: Interesting. All right, Valerie Burton, thanks so much. Appreciate that. Good tips.
BURTON: Thanks, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Stop starving and start eating. That's the message to fashion models from "Vogue" magazine.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. "Vogue" magazine is turning heads with a surprising promise. It says it will no longer use models younger than 16 or models who appear to have an eating disorder. Critics have long complained that the exceedingly skinny and adolescent-looking models simply don't reflect reality. Former model Sara Ziff tells me she agrees.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARA ZIFF, MODEL AND ACTIVIST: I started working when I was 14 years old as a model, so I have seen both the good and the bad sides of the industry, and I know first-hand what young models can go through. I think that "Vogue" is really taking a very positive step in not hiring models who are under 16.
WHITFIELD: So what do you mean, what models go through? Like give me an example of what you consider to be quite harsh for a young 14-year old breaking into the business, or other young teens?
ZIFF: Sure. Well, if you look at any other group or performer, whether it's actors or dancers, they have unions. And models don't have any kind of support like that.
So not only are they minors, but they're working in an adult industry without any kind of structural support, and so there are issues, ranging from lack of financial transparency, pressure to stay very skinny, obviously, that adolescent physique is tied to youth, and so I think that "Vogue" is really addressing the thin issue, that size 0 issue, by saying we're not going to use models under 16. WHITFIELD: What do you remember hearing about the whole weight issue, about what it would take to fit into the clothes, to make sure the clothes are being showcased, because your weight had to be, you know, at its lowest point or a certain size? What do you remember specifically?
ZIFF: Well, it's sort of a vicious cycle. Everyone likes to point fingers. People, the editors say that the designers, by cutting their sample sizes on the runway to a size 0, then that means that the models who are being cast for those shows have to be a size 0.
And then the editors are hiring them for the magazine. So I think that "Vogue" is actually taking a stand and saying, you know, we need to change this. This has been going on for too long.
WHITFIELD: Did you feel that kind of pressure to look as youthful as possible, but at the same time, kind of, you know, be a grown woman at just the tender age of 14?
ZIFF: Well, obviously when you're 14, 15, your body hasn't really developed yet, so you can naturally have that kind of gangly adolescent body.
And I think the problem with eating disorders really kicks in when kids feel that they have to maintain that body type. Obviously, it's just unnatural to try to, you know, have the body of a 14-year old as you're growing up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Sara Ziff.
And now, kids say some pretty crazy things, we all know that, and sometimes they don't even realize the meaning of what they're saying. But a 6-year-old is in serious trouble for repeating a song that he saw on television. Tyler Lopez of affiliate KMGH has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TYLER LOPEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He has seen the video, and knows the lyrics.
D'AVONTE MEADOWS, FIRST GRADER: "I'm sexy and I know it."
LOPEZ (voice-over): But when 6-year-old D'Avonte Meadows told a first grade girl in his class that same line Wednesday, he was suspended from Sable Elementary in Aurora for three days for sexual harassment.
STEPHANIE MEADOWS, D'AVONTE'S MOTHER: I'm just, I'm floored. They're going to look at him like he's a pervert, period, and it's like, that's not fair to him.
D. MEADOWS: This is a sleeping bear.
LOPEZ (voice-over): With a passion for art, this first grader came to Sable as a special needs student in January. He's had other discipline problems, including quoting the same line to the same girl last month, when his mother and D'Avonte met with the assistant principal.
D. MEADOWS; I only just said the song.
S. MEADOWS: I think it's kind of overwhelming, you know, sexual harassment on a 6-year-old.
LOPEZ (voice-over): No one from Aurora Public Schools would talk to us on camera, but we checked the district's discipline code. It reads "Sexual harassment must have negative effects on the learning or work of others," something that senior child psychologist at Children's Hospital says a 6-year-old won't comprehend.
DR. JEFF DOLGAN, SENIOR CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST, CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: Purposefully going out of your way to irritate and sexualize a relationship, I don't think so. I think there's probably a better way to talk about it, appropriate and inappropriate.
S. MEADOWS: I can understand if he was fondling her, looking up her skirt, trying to look in her shirt. That to me is sexual harassment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And that was Tyler Lopez of affiliate KMGH reporting.
So from the basketball court to the classroom, find out why former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal is in cap and gown today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A decade after the 9/11 attacks, the five men accused of phased -- (inaudible). Let's start that all over again. The five men who were accused and now facing a military judge in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the mastermind admits that he said nothing, apparently trying to disrupt the arraignment by refusing to take part.
At one point, another defendant, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, blurted out, "They're trying to kill us." At other times, the five stopped to pray. Court is now in recess.
New court documents filed by attorneys for Jerry Sandusky suggest there are now at least 17 accusers in the child sexual abuse case. There were 10 alleged victims cited in the criminal charges. The former Penn State assistant football coach faces more than 50 counts of sexual acts. He has pleaded not guilty.
And President Barack Obama in Virginia this evening, holding his second official campaign rally of the day. In a speech a few hours ago, he made the case for second term in the White House. He also told the crowd at Ohio State University that if Mitt Romney were elected, he would rubber stamp the Republican Congressional agenda.
A muddy track could slow the field in today's Kentucky Derby. The race is the first in the Triple Crown. Thirteen horses will compete, whether forecasts say that there is a 50/50 chance of rain. But overnight storms already canceled morning training.
NBA star Shaquille O'Neal has had a lot of titles over the years, from Shaq Fu to The Big Aristotle. Well, now you call him Dr. O'Neal. Shaq earned a higher degree in education from Barry University in Miami. He said he did it for his mother, who always stressed the importance of education. O'Neal graduated with a 3.8 grade point average. Congratulations to him.
All right, that's going to do it for me. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Much more of the CNN NEWSROOM at the top of the hour with Don Lemon. Up next, "SANJAY GUPTA, MD".
