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Possible Break in the Etan Patz Case; Romney Vows 6 Percent Unemployment; Zimmerman's Ties to Sanford Police; Oil Prices at 7- Month Low; Don't Over-Hydrate Right Before a Run; Baby Put in Washing Machine
Aired May 24, 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: Yes. I'll let you guys duke it out now amongst yourselves.
(LAUGHTER)
Good morning to you happening now in the NEWSROOM, a break in the case. A New Jersey man being questioned in the disappearance of this little boy, Etan Patz. The 6-year-old went missing more than 30 years ago. Will this new suspect give police any clues?
The 6 percent promise. Mitt Romney now saying he can bring the unemployment rate down to 6 percent and he can do that in four years. We will put his claim to the test.
A new recording of George Zimmerman surfaces and so do new questions about the murder suspect's relationship with police. We've got the tape. You'll hear it in 10 minutes.
And look out. We've seen dash cam video before but nothing like this.
NEWSROOM begins right now.
And good morning to you. I'm Carol Costello.
We begin with breaking news on a mystery that first focused national attention on child abductions a generation ago. After 33 years, we may finally have some answers in the disappearance of 6- year-old Etan Patz. The New York Police Department says it now has a man in custody and the department promises to release more details later today.
CNN's Mary Snow is tracking the latest developments from New York.
What did you find out, Mary?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, the New York City police commissioner is saying that the man in custody made statements to detectives implicating himself in the disappearance and death of Etan Patz and here's what we're learning. CNN's Susan Candiotti spoke to two law enforcement sources who say the man was picked up in New Jersey yesterday and that he worked in the neighborhood where Etan lived with his family. Now one source is saying that the man's claims are being treated with a healthy dose of skepticism and adds that he has been looked at in the past. He's not new to police.
Now tomorrow marks the day that 6-year-old Etan Patz disappeared 33 years ago on his way to school. It was the first time that he had taken the school bus by himself. And this case received national attention because he became one of the first missing children to appear on milk cartons and this case had renewed interest just last month when both local and federal law enforcement began digging up a basement in the neighborhood where Etan disappeared.
That search ended. Police say there were no obvious human remains found and if you remember at that time police were questioning a handyman who had a workshop in that basement but no charges were ever filed.
Now the NYPD, as you just mentioned, does plan to release more details about this case and about this man now in custody later today -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Mary Snow live in New York.
The morning that Etan disappeared, it changed the outlook for a generation of parents and their children. Our coverage continues this morning with Susan Candiotti.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): May 25th, 1979. It's a Friday and 6-year-old Etan Patz is upstairs in his family's third floor apartment getting ready for school.
(On camera): He comes straight out this door all decked down in a corduroy jacket, pants and a kids' pilot hat. He can't wait to get to school. For the first time Etan's mom and dad are allowing him to walk two blocks down the street this way to get to his school bus stop all by himself.
LISA COHEN, AUTHOR, "AFTER ETAN": It was the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and this was going to be one of his last opportunities and they finally relented and said he could go.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): It's just after 8:00 a.m. According to author Lisa Cohen Etan's mom kisses him good-bye and watches him walk toward the bus stop.
(On camera): Everything seems fine so his mother runs back upstairs to take care of her 2-year-old son.
This is the corner where Etan was heading to meet the bus. We're just two blocks from their apartment. I can still see it from here. But Etan never made it. At the end of the school day when he didn't come home, his mom calls police.
COHEN: By that time several hours had passed before anyone had any idea that there was something wrong. Those were crucial hours for an investigation.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): Etan's dad, frantic, starts grabbing photos of his son to show to people in the neighborhood. Investigators interview the parents and start canvassing the area for the youngster.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: The NYPD is promising to reveal more details at any time. Of course we'll bring you the latest developments as we get them.
Happening now on the campaign trail, Republican Mitt Romney is promising freedom of choice for millions of American schoolchildren. Right now he's at a charter school in suburban Philadelphia. The presumptive presidential nominee says education would be one of his top priorities.
His plan would allow low-income and disabled students to take their share of federal funding and attend any school they want to, even private schools. But Romney's education plan is not what's making people talk this morning. It's his 6 percent promise that's making waves.
Romney says he can bring the unemployment rate down to 6 percent from its current rate of 8.1 percent and he says he can do it in four years.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I can tell you that over a period of four years by virtue of the policies that we put in place we get the unemployment rate down to 6 percent or perhaps a little lower, and depends in part upon the rate of growth of the globe as well as what we're seeing here in the United States. But we get the rate down quite substantially and frankly the key is we're going to show such job growth that there will be competition for employees again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Jim Acosta is our national political correspondent. He's following the Romney event and he's followed the Romney campaign.
So, Jim, can Governor Romney do it?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, you know, he probably can if he -- if he gets into the White House. But the Obama campaign will say, wait a minute, so can we, and almost immediately after those comments from Mitt Romney came out yesterday via "TIME" magazine, the Obama campaign, Democrats, liberal activists on Twitter were pointing out the Congressional Budget Office earlier this year put out its own projections for the unemployment rate for the next four years and it shows lo and behold -- let's show a graphic -- put it up on screen. The unemployment rate is expected to drop to 7 percent by the end of 2015 and 6 percent, Carol, in 2016 and keep dropping after that.
Mainly because this is what happens in business cycles when you go into recession and climb out of a recession the unemployment rate naturally drops. Now what is interesting about this claim that Mitt Romney made yesterday is that it sort of fights against something that he said just earlier this month at a campaign event when he said it would be, you know, not satisfactory if the unemployment rate stayed above 4 percent. And here's what he had to say about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: 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)
ACOSTA: So you have that. But the Romney campaign is sort of pushing back against, you know, being pointed out by Democrats and the Obama campaign. They point out that last September, Carol, they put out an economic plan, the Romney campaign put out a 59-point economic plan at that at that point predicted if he were to win the presidency the unemployment rate because of policies would drop to 6 percent or 5.9 percent they said in that economic plan.
So the Romney campaign is saying, hey, wait a minute, we said 6 percent a long time ago. It wasn't just yesterday.
COSTELLO: OK. We'll see if he talks anymore about that in Philadelphia today.
Jim Acosta live in Washington for us.
President Obama also on the road and raising money. He's expected to rake in nearly $3.5 million in a series of fundraisers from Colorado to California and then onto Iowa. In Colorado Springs, the president delivered the commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He addressed the military's first graduating class in nine years that will not have the Iraq war looming overhead and he says they'll be building on, quote, "a new era of American leadership."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Of course the world stage is not a popularity contest. As a nation we have vital interests and we will do what is necessary always to defend this country we love even if it's unpopular. But make no mistake, how we're viewed in the world has consequences for our national security and for your lives.
See, when other countries and people see us as partners, they are more willing to work with us. It's why more countries joined us in Afghanistan and Libya.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: The president says the new graduates are entering a military that will be leaner than in previous years but he says it will remain the top fighting force in the world.
The State Department is taking its fight against al Qaeda to the Internet and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says that effort is having a significant impact especially in Yemen where Clinton says specialists hacked into the websites tied to the terror network, ads on those websites, try to recruit new members by bragging about killing Americans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Within 48 hours our team plastered the same sites with altered versions of the ads that showed the toll l Qaeda attacks have taken on the Yemeni people. And we can tell that our efforts are starting to have an impact because we monitor the extremists venting their frustration and asking their supporters not to believe everything they read on the Internet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Clinton says this new approach is designed to shed light on what she calls al Qaeda' contradiction including attacks on Muslim civilians.
The director of the Secret Service is defending his agency but not those agents involved in the Colombia prostitution scandal. Director Mark Sullivan appeared before a Senate panel. He described the incidents as, quote, "poor choices by a dozen agents who had too much to drink." They were drug. The man who broke the story about the scandal was on CNN's "STARTING POINT" today.
Ronald Kessler, an investigative reporter for "the Washington Post," says the hearings never actually probe what really goes on in the secret service.
RONALD KESSLER, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: The real story is that this is a disaster waiting to happen. And unfortunately the only test on whether the Secret Service is doing their job properly is whether there's an assassination. That is -- that is really the tragedy that may happen unless steps are taken to get this agency back on track the way it used to be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Director Sullivan says the agents' misconduct never compromised the president's security.
Also this morning another milestone in the nation's space program going commercial. Two days after SpaceX successfully launched its private spacecraft. The unmanned dragon capsule has carried out a fly by of the International Space station. It's a dry run of sorts to test its operations as it gets ready to dock with the station tomorrow. Dragon is delivering food and other supplies to the space station's crew.
Buckle up for some crazy video this morning. Keep your eye on the truck. You see it -- come around that corner and didn't make it. The combination of speed and cargo cannot defy the laws of gravity. Truck tips. As you see, it gets over. It skids down the highway, slams right into an oncoming car. Somehow who know snow. Neither driver was seriously hurt.
From slamming the cops to supporting them. Inside George Zimmerman's change of heart about the Sanford Police Department.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Fifteen minutes past the hour. Checking our top story now. Egyptians are heading to the polls in the second and final day of voting in that country's historic presidential election. Thirteen candidates on the ballot. Although have already If no one gets a majority, a second round of voting will be next month. Results of this first round are not expected before the weekend.
Four days of deliberations and still no verdict in the John Edwards' trial. The jury which began its work nearly a week ago has asked to review four exhibits related to the case. Edwards is accused of accepting illegal campaign contributions during his 2008 presidential campaign.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and $1.5 million fine.
And money problems are forcing the oldest two-year college in Texas to furlough nearly all of its 100 employees indefinitely. While officials at Lon Morris College say the school will now operate with a score staff of just 11 people. They stress that no one has officially lost their job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVE HUBBARD, LON MORRIS COLLEGE SPOKESMAN: No one has been terminated. It simply is a downtime for the reorganization efforts to be done so we can begin to be fruitful and go forward in a positive manner in the fall.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Some of the school staff tells CNN they have not been paid in three months.
Also this morning, we're getting startling new insights into the Trayvon Martin case, specifically a shift in the relationship George Zimmerman had with the Sanford Police Department. That's important because that's the very relationship that critics pointed to, noting that Zimmerman worked closely with the police during his time as a neighborhood watch volunteer in the months before he shot and killed Trayvon Martin.
David Mattingly is here now with new and interesting videotape.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It is interesting and we're finding out that George Zimmerman had some very strong opinions about the Sanford Police Department. He wasn't afraid to share those opinions with the department even in public. First was early in January of last year. He was at a public meeting and he was talking about a ride along he had with a Sanford police officer and he was very uncomplimentary. Let's listen.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: I also have had the opportunity to take ride- alongs with the city of Sanford Police Department and what I saw was disgusting. The officer showed me his favorite hiding spot for taking naps, and explained to me that he doesn't carry a long gun in his vehicle because in his words anything that requires a long gun requires a lot of paperwork and you're going to find me as far away from it. He took two lunch breaks and attended a going away party for one of his fellow officers.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
MATTINGLY: This was at a public meeting in front of the police chief. You get the feeling the department probably picked the wrong officer to go on a ride along that day. Zimmerman didn't hesitate to say exactly what he thought about this officer's behavior, but as he got involved in the neighborhood watch program in his neighborhood, Zimmerman had a lot of contact with the community organizer there, the volunteer organizer with the police department and he had some very good things to say about her and he sent the chief an e-mail about this officer.
And he said that "I have high hopes for and restored faith in your administration and the Sanford Police Department in its entirety."
So you see he had a complete turnaround in his opinion of the professionalism of the Sanford Police Department after his experience with the volunteer organizer for that department.
COSTELLO: So has the Trayvon Martin family commented at all on this latest -- I can't even call it a revelation. It's just another interesting piece to the puzzle perhaps.
MATTINGLY: Not a comment from the family but we did reach out to the police department to find out what they thought about Zimmerman's comments about that ride along. The new chief says they can't confirm that ride along happened.
So, at this point, it's sort of looking into the state of mind of George Zimmerman and how he felt about the police department, but not so much any information about how the police department felt about him.
COSTELLO: David Mattingly, thanks so much.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Now is your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. The question for you this morning, why are we so obsessed with virginity? Yes, we decided to take a break from politics and talk about sex.
Virginity just made Lolo Jones a household name. Yes, she's a great athlete but that's not why she's trending in the news. No, it's because she's a virgin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LOLO JONES: I want to wait until I'm married to have sex. My mom was with my dad for 20 years and never got married and they're not together anymore. So, I just want that -- I want to have that solid bond. It's a gift I want to give to my husband.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Most women would say, good for Lolo. It's her choice. And they respect it.
But virginity has become something of an obsession. Tim Tebow's virginity is so hot, Ashley Madison, a dating Web site specializing in infidelity offered $1 million reward to anyone who can prove Tebow is not a virgin.
Even New England Patriots Rob Gronkowski joked that he wanted to be the one for Tim Tebow.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROB GRONKOWSKI, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOT: I'd (EXPLETIVE DELETED) Tebow to take his virginity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's great.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Virginity once private is now very public. Girls pledge their virginity and chastity balls.
One woman auctioned off her virginity online. MTV was going to whip up a reality show about losing your virginity until conservative critics fought back.
Dan Gainor of the Media Research Center told FOXNews.com, quote, "This is part of the media attempt to mock people who have morals and to treat virginity like a disease that must be cured."
Still, the reality is most of us don't wait. A Kinsey Institute survey shows on average, girls lose their virginity at 17. Boys at 16. But that doesn't mean we all turn into Snooki.
Just last week the CDC said teen birth rate declined since 1998.
So, the talk back question for you today, why are we so obsessed with virginity? Facebook.com/CarolCNN, Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I read your comments later this hour. I actually can't wait.
Mitt Romney has a promise for you. Elect him and he'll trim the unemployment rate. He even gives a specific figure and his to do-list on day one just got longer. We're talking about that and more, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Relatively good news ahead of your holiday weekend. Memorial Day drivers are in for an easier time at the pump. How long will it last and how low will those prices go?
Let's go to the woman in the know. Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange.
So, what are we talking about, $2.50 a gallon? Ha, ha, ha?
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, keep laughing because I don't think that's going to happen ever.
But, you know, let's look at the bright side. We haven't seen oil price this is low in seven months. They're down about 15 percent just this month.
So, that is giving us a little bit of relief at the gas pump. It's going down incrementally, every little bit helps. The national average is almost 20 cents lower than it was a month ago.
There are a few reasons for this decline. For one, the European downturn means less demand for oil worldwide as well. And Iran -- tensions between the U.S. and Iran have calmed down, at least for now. Also, oil supplies, a report yesterday show there's an increase in oil supplies in the U.S. so if you do economics 101, higher supply, less demand means pressure on prices -- Carol.
COSTELLO: OK. So, let's talk about the prices. What should we expect this summer at the pump? Long-range forecast?
KOSIK: Long-range forecast, they expect to see prices go up just a little bit. The government lowered his estimate for summer gas prices earlier this month to $3.79 a gallon. So, that's good news. In fact, they are saying you can expect prices to stay stable through the rest of the year and at least nobody is talking about $5 for a gallon of gas at least not at the present time. That's the good news -- Carol.
COSTELLO: I like that glass half full kind of stuff.
KOSIK: They were positive.
COSTELLO: Tough time with that, but I'm trying. Alison Kosik live in the New York Stock Exchange.
Other stories we're watching right now in the NEWSROOM:
A possible break in a missing child case from 1979. New York police say they have a man in custody who has implicated himself in the disappearance of Etan Patz. Police plan to reveal more details later today.
The passenger who set off a security scare on a plane this week will not be charged. Authorities are sending the French woman back to her country saying the crew and passengers were never in any danger. The U.S. Airways flight was diverted after the woman said she had a surgically implanted device inside her.
And we're getting a sneak peek into what kind of hurricane season may be ahead. NOAA will make a prediction about an hour and a half from now. The six months Atlantic hurricane season begins officially on June 1st but we've already had one tropical storm, Alberto.
Mitt Romney is making you a promise. A 6 percent unemployment rate in four years if you elect him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I can tell you over a period of four years, by virtue of the policies that we put in place, we get the unemployment rate down to 6 percent or perhaps a little lower.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: And if he wins, his first day in office just got busier. He's already said he'll move to kill Obamacare, approve the Keystone Pipeline and introduce tax cuts. And now, the day one to-do list is even longer.
Check out his new ad.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NARRATOR: What would a Romney presidency be like? Day one, President Romney announces deficit reductions ending the Obama era of big government, helping secure our kids' futures. President Romney stands up to China on trade and demands they play by the rules.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Wow. I guess he's going to skip the inauguration ceremony.
Let's talk with our CNN contributors: Roland Martin leans left and Will Cain leads right. Welcome to both of you.
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning.
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I'll lean to the right just to throw you off.
COSTELLO: That would so confuse me I would have to go home. Let's first talk about Romney's promise to lower the unemployment rate to 6 percent. It's now at 8.1 percent. Can he do that, Will Cain?
CAIN: Can he do that? I do not have a crystal ball. I do not make predictions tied to specific numbers. I don't know I would encourage Romney to do that.
If you remember not very far back another president promised unemployment would be below 8 percent if you adopted policies he suggested in that case a $800 billion stimulus package and the president was of course our current president, Barack Obama. That has not come true. I don't know you should make policy decisions tied to specific unemployment numbers.
Do I think under Mitt Romney's policies unemployment would be lower? Yes, I do. I just wouldn't put an exact number on that.
COSTELLO: It's funny you should say that. I guess just about three weeks ago, Mitt Romney said this. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: Anything over 8 percent, anything near 8 percent, anything over 4 percent is not cause for celebration.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: So Roland Martin, any comments after that?
MARTIN: How about you just simply shut up and focus on policies. Also, why don't you go actually read what Congress has said, even the Obama administration projected. They all said that by 2016 unemployment should be around 6.1 percent. So, frankly, he can stand still and unemployment is going to go down based upon the slow growth pattern that we're on right now.
So, you know what? First of all, this is what happens in presidential campaigns. All of the candidates do that. Here's the deal. He's going to learn if it gets in the White House -- he's not able to move the unemployment figure like he actually thinks.
(CROSSTALK)
CAIN: But are you -- are you touting prediction with unemployment below 8 percent if you adopt their policy proposals?
MARTIN: No, actually --
CAIN: My only point here, Roland, is I don't know we should accept these guarantees.
MARTIN: There are no guarantees. I'm simply stating what the current projections are without Romney's policies.
CAIN: What are those words?
COSTELLO: Let me interrupt. Roland is right. Bipartisan Congressional Budget Office says unemployment w will hit 7 percent by 2016.
MARTIN: Of course.
COSTELLO: And 5.5 percent by the end of 2017. So it does look like the jobless rate is headed down with or without Mitt Romney and its policies.
(CROSSTALK)
CAIN: Economic experts told you unemployment would be below 8 percent if you adopted the stimulus package. Why are you willing to project three years -- hold on, Roland -- why are you willing to accept projections out three years it will be 6 percent and discuss that Mitt Romney's guarantee was going to happen any ways?
MARTIN: There's a projection just like Jerry Jones is predicting Cowboys will win the Super Bowl again. Your Cowboys, it will never happen. Sorry, Will. It's called a projection. It happens. We do it all the time. We didn't say it's a guarantee.
Breathe. Wuzzah. Do yoga. It's OK.
COSTELLO: OK. Let's pivot and talk about the campaign ads that Mitt Romney put out. He has a list to do on day one, Will.
CAIN: Yes, he does. Good for him.
We always talk on these TV shows about how Congress and executive branch and our government in general doesn't do anything. Doesn't get anything accomplished. He's got a list of things he says he's going to get done on day one. Isn't that when we say, bravo?
COSTELLO: Yes, but I was --
MARTIN: No. Here's the deal.
COSTELLO: -- I was wondering how that could happen because he still has Congress to deal with unless you think like the Senate is going to be Republican by the time Mitt Romney takes office.
CAIN: He's suggesting what he stands for. I think it is somewhat metaphorical. That this is what I would do and put it at the top of my agenda.
MARTIN: Three words, Carol: ain't going to happen. OK?
As a president, you can't do all of those things. Plus, on the first day, you'll be calling other world leaders and trying to figure out where the bathroom is and how to work the phone. OK?
But as Will said, this is what candidates do, they say, when I get in there, I'm going to do this here but reality smacks you in the face.
CAIN: I can't believe we're taking it literally.
MARTIN: Will, I'm just making a point -- President Obama made all kind of promises what he was going to do on day one. Trust me. Reality sets in. Campaigning is different from actually being the president. It sounds cute though.
COSTELLO: Cute? I think what it sounds -- I think it makes voters confused. I think maybe politicians -- I'm not just talking about Mitt Romney. I'm talking about both of them. They should make promises they can keep so voters decide which candidate they want to elect into office. But I guess -
CAIN: He's saying in the ad what he would stand for.
COSTELLO: OK. Gotcha. Interesting conversation.
MARTIN: You love fake promises. You know that.
COSTELLO: We all go back and say these are promises he didn't keep. Gives us something to do.
Will Cain, Roland Martin, thank you so much.
CAIN: Yes, thank you.
COSTELLO: The studio behind the third "Transformers" blockbuster agrees to pay. How much it agreed to pay an extra who was seriously injured when a stunt went terribly wrong.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: "American Idol" has crowned yet another winner. It was down to two. Phillip Phillips and Jessica Sanchez.
"Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer is here to reveal the one last standing.
Phillip Phillips, that's really his name?
A.J. HAMMER, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: That's his name. It's his real name.
But you know what? I'm not going to reveal it. I figure Ryan Seacrest gets paid all that money to stretch it out, Carol. So, let's watch him reveal it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RYAN SEACREST, HOST, AMERICAN IDOL: The winner of "American Idol" Season 11 is Phillip Phillips.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HAMMER: And the crowd goes wild. He's 21 years old. Yes, his name is easy to remember. Phillip Phillips, the new "American Idol." he doesn't even consider himself to be a great singer. While 16-year- old runner-up Jessica Sanchez has great voice.
So, you're wondering -- how did he win? The last five "Idol" winners have been male. There are a lot of people out there speculating it's because the audience for the show is so young and so female and they are likely to vote for the cute boy. Not to take anything away from Phillips' artistry, as well. But I will tell you, Dave Matthews fans have gone nuts all season calling his tile a derivative of Dave's.
Still, he's got a great deal of individuality as well. And it is always interesting, Carol, to see where artists and "Idol" winners go from here. Some make it big and some just go away.
COSTELLO: I know. Maybe soon he'll just go by one name, Phillip. Why not?
You're also following a big settlement over a "Transformers 3" stunt that went terribly wrong.
HAMMER: That's right. An extra who was injured during the filming of that movie will reportedly receive an $18.5 million settlement. Her name is Gabriella Cedillo. She was driving a car in the background when a stunt car broke loose from a cable and it hit her causing permanent brain damage.
Now according to her claim, she had a portion of her skull removed. She still suffers from memory problems, seizures. She's blind in one eye.
So, she sued Paramount in 2010 saying the accident was caused by a poor welding job and the studio reneged on paying her medical bills. But apparently now they settled and Paramount did release a statement saying only that they are pleased the family is moving on after the settlement. And, quote, "This was a tragic accident and thoughts and prayers remain with Gabriella." Tough situation there.
COSTELLO: Definitely. A.J. Hammer, thank you.
A.J. will be back with us next hour with more showbiz headlines, including an posthumous honor for disco icon Donna Summer.
An Olympic athlete is trending in the news not because of her great athletic skills but because she's a virgin and that brings us to our talk back question today. Why are we obsessed with virginity any way? Your responses next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Forty-five minutes past the hour.
Checking our top stories now:
Later today, the first round of voting in Egypt's historic election will come to a close. Some 50 million people are believed to have participated in the election which a former top U.N. official says could be the turning point for the country.
Today, the teenager accused in a deadly Ohio shooting is back in court. This is a live picture of the hearing. Prosecutors are arguing T.J. Lane should be tried as an adult. Authorities say Lane entered the Chardon High School Cafeteria in February and opened fire on five students.
A psychiatrist ruled while Lane does suffer from mental illness, he's competent to stand trial. Three of Lane's victims died in the shooting. If he's convicted in adult court, Lane faces life in prison without parole.
After four days without a verdict, jurors in the John Edwards' trial are set to begin their deliberations today.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: After four days without a verdict, jurors in the John Edwards' trial are set to resume their deliberations today. They're trying to decide if the former presidential candidate accepted illegal campaign contributions. A charge that could get Edwards up to 30 years in prison.
And a shortage of cash is forcing the oldest two-year college in Texas to furlough nearly all of its employees. Officials at Lon Morris College say the school's financial problems are so severe it will now operate with just a core staff of 11 people. That is down from the current total of 100.
We asked you to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories of the day. The "Talk Back" question for you this morning. "Why are we so obsessed with virginity?"
This from Marisa, "Because this society is so immoral and selfish that the concept of virginity after age 17 is unheard of. I think she's awesome, Willow is awesome for doing it and saying it in public to be ridiculed."
This from Vickie, "We aren't obsessed. Puritans are."
This from Jason, "Because it's so rare it's fascinating. Most of us give in to our urges on a daily basis so we admire those with the will power we wish we had ourselves."
This from Ben. "We sexualize everything in this country. What do you expect when the country is allowed to be bullied by religious groups? We have the freedom of religion but not a freedom to take it from others."
And about my line, about our taking a break from politics and talking about sex.
This is from Gary. "How do you plan on separating sex from politics? I don't think that's possible."
Keep the conversation going. Facebook.com/CarolCNN. We're back after a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: As you know by now, I'm tackling a mini triathlon alongside Dr. Sanjay Gupta for "Fit Nation" and his team.
I've been training hard and frankly sweating a lot. So I was wondering how much water I should be drinking. I asked April Gellatly. She's a professional tri-athlete.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: Before I set out for my three-mile run.
APRIL GELLATLY, CNN FIT NATION ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Three mile run.
COSTELLO: How much water should I drink?
GELLATLY: Well, a three-mile run is going to take us 40 minutes, you don't need to worry about hydration that much.
COSTELLO: At what point minutes-wise do I need to prime myself by drinking some type of beverage before I ran?
GELLATLY: 16 minutes and over is usually my rule of thumb. So if I'm -- if I'm running longer than 16 minutes, I need to worry about, you know, where hydration is along the course, because you can only do so much before or then you're going to have fluffy watery stomach and nobody wants that.
COSTELLO: Let's say you're running a 10-miler, I have seen people with so much food strapped around their waist, you could see them for weeks.
GELLATLY: You -- as you strapped your waist stuff and everything along the way, you can gain weight on a 10-mile run. You know maybe every 45 minutes you want to be doing something like an energy gel or something, you're trying to get simple sugar in your body, so your body can process them immediately and ends up as fuel.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COSTELLO: If you want to get in shape with me and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, every Thursday I'll have a tip on how you can get there as part of the 2012 Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge with Dr. Sanjay Gupta right here on Thursdays.
We're following a lot of developments in the next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM. Let's check in first with Susan Candiotti.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi Carol.
And there are new developments this day in the 30-year-old case of that missing little boy Etan Patz here in New York City. Police are now questioning a man from Camden, New Jersey who claims that he played a direct role in the little boy's presumed death. I'll have more on that and the live report coming up.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And I'm David Mattingly, some new details in the George Zimmerman case. We're finding he had a drastically changing opinion about the Sanford Police Department in the year prior to the killing of Trayvon Martin. I'll have that story at the top of the hour.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: I'm Barbara Starr in Amman, Jordan. This important Middle East ally thinks there is a new al Qaeda threat and the U.S. needs to be watching. I'll have more at the top of the hour.
COSTELLO: Plus, Queen Elizabeth isn't the only British monarch making news, the diaries of Queen Victoria are going online 111 years after her death. We have a sneak peek.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Here's a story with a catch, actually two. Fishermen from Down Under were reeling in a blue shark when they ran into a real life scene from "Jaws". An 18-foot Great White reared up and bit the smaller shark right in half and that is when this violent tug of war began.
The incident happened a few months ago just off the coast of Bondi Beach in Sydney. And it was just put up on YouTube. We thought it was cool video so we decided to show you. Australian authorities have assured swimmers and surfers that lifeguards routinely patrol for sharks and the water is safe.
I won't be swimming there, though Jeff Fischel.
JEFF FISCHEL, HLN SPORT: Was there any anger there? Or is it just a shark being a shark? Like does he need therapy or is that really just how he attacks everything?
COSTELLO: I think it was just a shark being a shark and I want to stay as far away from it as possible.
FISCHEL: That's a good plan.
COSTELLO: Yes. Ok. Let's talk sports and start with baseball?
FISCHEL: No, we start with NBA playoffs.
COSTELLO: Oh, yes now.
FISCHEL: This is the good stuff now, Carol. Good stuff, because we are heading into a game seven and you can't beat that in the playoffs. The Celtics could have moved on in the NBA Eastern Conference finals with a win in Phi7lly last night. They could not get the job done.
AI was in the house for the Sixers -- Allen Iverson. Not suiting up for his old team but he got the biggest cheers from the home fans. Plenty of cheers leftover for Jrue Holiday, Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, they were fantastic. Holiday scored 20 points, Brand 13 and 10 boards. The Sixers stifle the Celtics' offense, and win 82- 75. Game seven, deciding game seven, Saturday.
Baseball now, and there you go, Carol, before last night's Yankees and Royals game, Alex Rodriguez said he was ready to break out of the slump, and he was right. I mean truly he's not a good two months -- first two months of the year. Smacks two home runs off Will Smith, the rookie pitcher and not the actor. It's A-Rod's 60th multi- homerun-- I just figured I should clear it up now. I didn't want any questions lingering.
The final Yankees 8, Royals 3. 39-year-old and Andy Pettitte gets the win for New York.
COSTELLO: Wow.
FISCHEL: As if the job isn't tough enough being an NHL of goaltender. New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundquist has to make one of the toughest saves when his own teammate Brad Richards fired a shot towards the net. Good shot, wrong net, terrific save. Richards snapped the stick in the process. The Devils win and they take a 3-2 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals.
All right. Check out this trick play from the Minnesota high school baseball team. The bases loaded, the pitcher throws towards center field, he throws it away. He is just pretending, he has the ball the whole time, but his team sold it and the runner on third went home, and they throw him out at home.
COSTELLO: I think that the Tigers need to try that.
FISCHEL: That is right, your Tigers can't find ways to win, they should try this. The trickeration -- it worked. The runner on third fully bought it.
All right. This is the best ball boy we've found -- actually ball girl. Miss Babe Ruth. Look, gets the bat. That's awesome stuff. That is at a Georgia Tech/Florida State baseball game.
COSTELLO: Does the dog do this every game?
FISCHEL: Not every game but it is helpful when it does.
COSTELLO: When needed.
FISCHEL: Yes, exactly.
COSTELLO: Ok. Jeff Fischel, thanks for sharing.
FISCHEL: Ok.
COSTELLO: You have heard the phrase throwing the baby out with the bath water. Well, in an absolutely confounding twist, we bring you the tail of a baby that was thrown in the wash.
Jeanne Moos has more. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is scary enough watching this surveillance tape of a guy playing with a one-year-old by putting him in a washer, and then the door automatically locks and the washer turns on. The man and the woman babysitting the child panic, but imagine you are the mother.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you the mom?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi mom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this the baby?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He is adorable.
MOOS: Sakia David (ph) is the 22-year-old mother who watched the video for the first time on the news.
SAKIA DAVID, MOTHER OF BABY PUT IN WASHING MACHINE: I said that you can't tell me that isn't my -- I said that's my baby and that is her.
MOOS: Her, being the child's babysitter who never told the mother what happened almost two weeks ago at this Camden, New Jersey laundromat. The babysitter and an unidentified friend brought one- year-old Samir Bush along to do the laundry while his mom was at work. After he got stuck in the machine, the pair frantically ran for help, A laundromat employee came to the rescue, heaving aside tables and turn off power to the machine. The other guy was jumping out of his skin. The babysitter was banging the table.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I pulled the baby out. I feel good because I saw that the baby is still alive.
MOOS: Still alive and basically unharmed. The pair took the boy to the hospital and then returned him to mom who noticed nothing amiss.
After the video went viral, police got in touch with the mother. The Camden County prosecutor's office says this was not an intelligent choice to put the baby in the washing machine, but it is not a crime. How's the mother feel?
David: I'm pissed. I was mad, because you should not put a kid in the washer, but at the same time, he was just playing around.
MOOS: As for the babysitter, the mom says she won't be baby- sitting anymore. Meanwhile back at washing machine number 15, the owner of the laundromat she knows it is ridiculous, but she's actually thinking of putting up signs to protect herself from liability, "do not put kids in washers". This is one story you can't spin as anything but dumb.
Jeanne Moos, CNN --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you feel like a hero?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
MOOS: New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
