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U.N. Security Council Meets to Discuss Massacre in Syrian Village of Houla; Tropical Storm Beryl Threatens East Coast. Franchetti Wins Indy 500; Oppressive Heat Gripping Midwest U.S.; NBA Playoffs Down to Final Four; NFL Draft Pick Talks Politics
Aired May 27, 2012 - 18:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody. Thanks for joining us. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Alina Cho, in tonight for Don Lemon. And just moments ago, the U.N. Security Council released a statement condemning the massacre in the Syrian village of Houla and directly blaming the Syrian government forces for the killings. The council met today in a rare closed door session. And while the U.N. diplomats were talking, residents of Houla were burying their dead. 108 victims of Friday's massacre, 49 children. The atrocity could be considered crimes against humanity according to one U.N. official.
Outraged Syrians poured into the streets defying their government in mass protests. Our Mohammed Jamjoom joins me now by phone from Beirut, Lebanon, with more on this. Mohammed, what more do we know about the massacre?
MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Alina, still a lot of questions being asked. You have an investigation that's been launched by the U.N. observer mission in Syria, as well as an investigation, the Syrian government is saying that they've launched into this, as well.
But Syrian activists say that it was a horrific massacre that happened in the town of Houla on Friday, that first the town was shelled by mortars, and that once that stopped, the pro-Assad (ph) militias entered the town and started indiscriminately slaughtering men, women and children, entire families. Now, the latest awful numbers from the U.N. say that at least 49 children under the age of 10 were killed on that day. It's an atrocity that is outraging not just the Syrian people but also the international community. We're seeing more gruesome scenes emerge from video taken in that town. Horrific scenes showing children by the dozens in small rooms, their lifeless bodies caked in blood, horrifying, gruesome, very disturbing scenes, really shocking the world as to how this could have happened. Alina.
CHO: Mohammed, obviously the Syrian government not taking responsibility for this, but are they saying anything about what happened?
JAMJOOM: Well, the Syrian government has flatly denied that they had anything to do with this massacre. There was a press conference earlier today by the Jihad Makdissi, he's the foreign ministry spokesperson in Syria. He said we absolutely deny that the government -- that the armed forces had any responsibility in committing such a massacre, and we strongly condemn the terrorist massacre that targeted our Syrian people. He blamed the media and the opposition in Syria for spreading what he called a tsunami of lies.
That having been said, though, the Syrian opposition says that's just not the case. They say the Syrian regime was behind this, and more and more international condemnation coming from the international community, including the UK's Foreign Secretary William Hague, who said it has been the track record of the Syrian government to continue to blame the violence and the atrocities that go on there on armed terrorist groups, but more and more believing and blaming the Syrian government for this massacre.
CHO: Mohammed, you do mention that -- the international community, and I have to ask you because as you know, the U.N. Security Council met in an emergency session today. I'm wondering, that meeting wrapped up just about an hour ago. Any word of what came of that meeting?
JAMJOOM: Not yet, and that's the key question. Will the U.N. Security Council be able really to do anything to stop this? Time and again over the past several months, we've seen international pressure stepped up on Syria, whether it be the U.N. or other agencies. We've seen the EU impose sanctions. Arab League monitors were in there a few months ago. Now there are U.N. observers there, about 300 on the ground. And yet no matter who is there or what type of pressure is being applied on the Syrian regime, this endless cycle of violence, this brutal crackdown that's been going on for 15 months, doesn't seem to be ending.
The Syrian activists, the opposition that we speak with in Syria don't believe that the international community has been effective in doing anything. They are calling out for intervention, for help, even for air strikes against the Syrian regime. They are saying that they are being slaughtered, they are being massacred, and they want the international community to help them.
There's been diplomatic deadlock that's been going on. The U.N. Security Council hasn't really been able to be effective in curtailing what's going on there, and so the question is now, even with these emergency meetings, even with this high-level diplomacy going on, will anything be able to stop this endless cycle of violence that seems to be going on in Syria?
CHO: All right, Mohammed Jamjoom, live for us in Beirut, Lebanon. Mohammed, thank you very much.
The outrage over the massacre is exploding in places other than just Syria. One hundred activists rallied outside the White House chanting "free, free Syria." Others yelled a slogan urging President Obama to act, saying, "Obama, Obama, you decide, human rights or genocide."
All right. We turn to politics now and blame it on the ego. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said that was the reason he took jabs at Mitt Romney during the 2008 GOP presidential campaign. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NYC MAYOR: Well, I mean, there's a certain amount of personal ego in that. I, at that point, I was probably comparing his record to my record, and maybe it was circumstances or whatever, but I had massive reduction in unemployment. He had a reduction in unemployment, of about 8, 10 -- I think it was 15 percent. I had a reduction in unemployment of 50 percent. They had a growth of jobs of about 40,000. We have a growth of jobs of about 500,000. So I was comparing what I thought was my far superior record to his otherwise decent record, but the numbers weren't as great. That's all part of campaigning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: All right. After hearing that, you may not believe this but it's true -- Giuliani has now thrown his support behind Mitt Romney. In fact, he told CNN's Candy Crowley the digs, well, they're just all part of the campaign.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta took aim at Romney today for his attacks on the withdrawal strategy in Afghanistan. Romney has criticized the 2014 date for pulling out of Afghanistan, calling the time line naive. Well, today on ABC's "This Week," Panetta said the Republican criticism is all campaign rhetoric.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEON PANETTA, DEFENSE SECRETARY: I think you've got 50 nations in NATO that agree to a plan in Afghanistan. It's the Lisbon agreement. An agreement that, you know, others, President Bush, President Obama, everyone has agreed is the direction that we go in in Afghanistan. What is that direction? It's to take us to a point where we draw down by the end of 2014. That is the plan that has been agreed to. And it's a plan --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: All right. Panetta went on to say that 2014 withdrawal timeline is the only way to ensure a successful transition over to Afghan forces, and he says by the way, it's a plan that's working.
A suspected NATO air strike killed eight civilians, including six children, in eastern Afghanistan last night. A spokesman for the governor of the province says the attack wiped out an entire family. NATO and Afghan officials are investigating the claims right now. They say NATO troops were under attack in the province and had asked for air support.
Well, many of you, not us here at CNN, but many of you are enjoying a couple of days off this Memorial Day weekend, but don't tell that to Mother Nature. Wildfires out west, sweltering weather in the midsection, and Tropical Storm Beryl hitting the southeast coast. Our Jacqui Jeras looking at all of that. Boy, you're busy, Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I know. We're going to focus on Beryl to start out, because it is posing threats and it is starting to kind of hone in on the Florida coast already. If you haven't been paying attention today, we've had some big changes with Beryl. And that's that it's really intensified today. Maximum winds, 65 miles per hour, gusts could be approaching hurricane strength, and we've seen a huge increase in the wind and the waves today. We've already had gusts between 35 and 55 miles per hour, and the real heavy steady rain is just off the coast. So conditions really deteriorating with landfall tonight and a flood threat throughout the holiday weekend.
CHO: Wow. Boy, for all those people who were at the beach and were hoping to have a safe time there in the water, there are rip current problems, and we're going to get to that in just a minute, so, Jacqui, don't go anywhere because in just a minute we're going to take a look at those dangerous rip currents as a result of Beryl. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: All right. We're back with my friend, Jacqui Jeras. Tropical Storm Beryl causing some real problems in terms of rip currents. They've closed some beaches and obviously advising people to stay out of the water.
JERAS: Absolutely, yes, the red flags are flying, but the lifeguards have still been out there because people have been going in and not heeding the warnings, unfortunately. And more than 100 people have been rescued. We've had people rescued off the coast of Georgia as well as the Florida coast. Thankfully so far no fatalities to report. I have been watching tower cams all day long out of Jacksonville Beach, and we've been seeing the Coast Guard and other lifeguards patrolling and telling people get out of the water. It is just not safe.
And that threat is going to continue as Beryl gets closer to the coastline. It's really going to keep things churned up here, so I think we're going to have that risk of rip currents going on through your Monday, even possibly into the middle of next week. So keep that in mind.
But conditions are going downhill now, with showers and thundershowers, so it's not going to be as great getting down to the beach.
Now, you might be asking yourself, OK, what's a rip current, what's a rip tide? It's really technically called a rip current, because it doesn't have anything to do with the tides. And let's talk a little bit about what you can do to get out of it. You never want to fight that current. It's a fast channel of water that moves away from the shore. And so you want to swim parallel to the beach, OK, to try and get out of this thing.
And I've got a picture here that I want to show you, and it really kind of illustrates what happens. And so when winds are strong and the waves kind of get churned up with the storm, what happens is that the water piles up near the beach, and eventually it creates enough pressure as it goes back through, it will break through a sandbar or a small spot where the break is, and that is where that fast channel of water is. It's so fast even an Olympic swimmer really can't get out of these things sometimes, and that's what makes it so dangerous. So stay out of the water, go to the pool, and the storm is bearing down now tonight anyway so you pretty much want to stay inside.
CHO: Good thing I'm a pool girl anyway.
JERAS: Yeah, it's a little cleaner.
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: All right. Thank you, Jacqui, very much.
You know, it's Memorial Day weekend, of course, so what better time to take a look live at the Iwo Jima Memorial, which captures one of the most stirring scenes of World War II, what a beautiful shot there, beautiful weather there. Iwo Jima was one of the fiercest battles in the first attack on the Japanese home islands. President Obama will honor our fallen soldiers tomorrow at Arlington National Cemetery, a time honored tradition.
And another Memorial Day weekend tradition, even as we honor those who died defending freedom, we certainly can't forget those who are missing in action. So every Memorial Day, these motorcyclists remember them by gathering in Washington for an event called Rolling Thunder. Many of you are familiar with it. This year they've actually singled out one soldier, Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, America's only known prisoner of war. Bergdahl was captured in Afghanistan back in 2009, and today his father made him a promise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT BERGDAHL, SON IS AMERICA'S ONLY KNOWN POW: Thanks to you, our POWs and MIAs are never forgotten and they never will be forgotten. Bowe, if you can hear me, you are not forgotten. And so help me God, you will come home. We will not leave you behind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Bergdahl has grown a beard, as you saw there, to show how long his son has been in captivity.
Well, the Memorial Day weekend also means a little bit of fun in New York City, especially if you're a member of the military. It's Fleet Week, of course, a parade of tall ships and a flood of sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen descend on the city. I always love it this time of year in New York. This Fleet Week by the way also marks the 200th anniversary of the war of 1812.
And a big birthday for the famed Golden Gate bridge. The famous bridge opened 75 years ago in the midst of the Great Depression. It was a powerful symbol at the time of what America could do despite the odds.
The bridge also has a dark side. Eleven people were killed during construction, and 1,400 more have committed suicide by jumping off the bridge. But today is about the Golden Gate's glittering legacy as you look live there at the bridge. What a beautiful sight. Later on, music and fireworks will mark this important anniversary.
A pastor calls for gays and lesbians to be locked inside an electric fence.
And today, he had some extra visitors at his church, and they weren't there to support him.
And we want viewers to stay connected to CNN even when you're on the go, so grab your mobile phone, go to CNN.com/tv, or on a desktop or laptop you can also watch CNN live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back. Protesters are taking on the North Carolina pastor who told his congregation recently that gays should be put inside an electric fence.
Well, a crowd showed up at Catawba County, North Carolina to denounce the inflammatory sermon that Pastor Charles Worley delivered on Mother's Day. His comments came just days after North Carolina voters approved a statewide referendum which essentially outlawed gay marriage.
6 percent unemployment. Well, a couple of years ago that would have sounded horrible. These days it sounds pretty good, doesn't it? And one candidate for president is making a promise he can make it happen. Our Don Lemon spoke with CNN contributors Will Cain and LZ Granderson.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: So, guys, this week Mitt Romney made a prediction about unemployment if he's elected. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY, GOP CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT: I can tell you that over a period of four years, by virtue of the policies that we will put in place, we will get the unemployment rate down to 6 percent or perhaps a little lower.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: OK, so, political analysts say if you win the economy, then you win the election. But is that kind of like promising $2.50 a gallon gas prices, which Newt Gingrich did?
WILL CAIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, honestly, it kind of is. I mean, I don't know why you would go on the record and put a specific goal on what your unemployment targets would be should you be elected. He should have learned a lesson from the guy who, I don't know, who's sitting in office right now, who promised below 8 percent unemployment if you passed a stimulus bill. How your policies directly relate to the specific unemployment rate, I don't think that's a wise thing to be doing.
By the way, Don, I think here's why you can get away with it. He is saying, look, I'll be there for four years. Surely I'll get it after four years.
LEMON: And there are some estimates that show if everything remains as is, regardless of who the president is, then he's pretty much on target. That's what they are expecting. But let's move on, because LZ, Will brings up a good point. In 2009, President Obama said that if I don't turn this economy around, then I don't deserve a second term. Does he deserve a second term?
LZ GRANDERSON, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Absolutely, because here's the thing that we need to start talking about is that no one is creating jobs without it being affected by the global economy. We need to have that conversation more. In other words, we are no longer in a vacuum. We can't just say we can just fix America. We need to be cognizant of how everything else is happening in Europe and their economy, what's going on with China, what's happening in Japan. All of these are factors in terms of unemployment. And so if he is able to communicate that, and despite navigating those choppy waters still keep us at or lower by 7 percent or 8 percent by the time he gets there in November, I think he definitely deserves a second term based upon the economy.
LEMON: We talked about this. I knew it was going to be a big deal. But this Cory Booker thing, he really stepped in it when he talked, when he, you know, denounced the Obama strategy in going against Bain Capital and private equity here. The question is, well, they all get money, all the candidates get money from private equity.
CAIN: Right.
LEMON: So does this really have legs, and does the -- can the voter distinguish between private equity and Bain Capital, which might be a legitimate place to look to find out Romney's records on jobs? First, LZ, on jobs, first to you, LZ.
GRANDERSON: That's like the $5 billion question, right? Can the president take this conversation and move it away from attacking, you know, private equity, which is what it sounds like, and actually addressing his time at Bain. And right now he's struggling to do that. He needs to focus more in, not necessarily on how much money was made, but just on his management style and what was left in his wake. That's what he needs to focus in on. I still agree with Cory Booker. He's right in terms of the tone.
LEMON: So you know what, LZ, the thing is, I don't know if the voter gets that nuance. I think that they may be too smart for their own good, because if you're --
(CROSSTALK)
CAIN: No, they are too smart, period. They're too smart, period. See, the problem is, truth is not on Barack Obama or anyone making that argument's side. You want to say that Bain Capital is some vulture capitalist out there in society, vampire capitalist, however, whatever negative adjective you want to put on that -- they load companies up with debt, suck the profits out and lay off employees. You have to answer then why Bain has been in business since 1987? No one would fund an operation like that. GRANDERSON: He's running for president of the United States. He's not running for CEO of the United States. If his goal was to make it like a very clean machine and make as much money as possible, great. But here's the thing, if you're laying off people, you still need to take care of those people who don't have jobs. So on the one hand, you can have a net growth, sure, but you still have to be concerned about the individuals who don't have jobs. That's what the president of the United States does. If he wants to be a CEO, that's fantastic, but he wants to be president. That's why he needs to be cautious of what he's talking about with this.
LEMON: All right, we want to move on. It is memorial weekend, so we're going to take it down a little bit. A lot of people are vacationing. I don't want all of this -- you guys are making them anxious as they are watching. They're like, hey--
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: -- enjoy my margarita, how dare you. So listen, I have a bit of trivia for you. Don't change horses in midstream was a campaign slogan for which candidate for president? Was it Ronald Reagan, was it FDR, was it Eisenhower? Will, first?
CAIN: I have -- honestly -- I'm going to go with Eisenhower.
LEMON: LZ?
GRANDERSON: I'm going to go with Reagan.
LEMON: You're both wrong. It was FDR. FDR in 1944. 1944.
CAIN: With all those terms, he had a long stream he was asking nobody to change horses in.
LEMON: You guys have to brush up on your trivia. OK. A lot of people traveling by automobile this weekend. It's a big Memorial weekend, a big travel weekend. So, LZ, you were born in 1972.
GRANDERSON: Yes, sir.
LEMON: What was the average price of gas in 1972? Was it 55 cents, 65 cents or 78 cents?
GRANDERSON: I'm going to go with 65 cents.
LEMON: You are wrong. It was 55 cents. All right. 55 cents, come on, guys. All right.
So here's, Will, you were born in 1975. Average price of gas, 47 cents, 57 cents or 69 cents.
CAIN: 69 cents. It hiked greatly in those three years between when LZ was born and I was born.
LEMON: 57 cents, you're wrong. I'm not going to tell you the year I was born, but the average price of gas was 32 cents, so I'm way longer in the tooth than both of you.
CAIN: Deduction, deduction. That means you were born --
LEMON: Thank you, guys. Have a great weekend.
GRANDERSON: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: 32 cents a gallon. Don? Right. Coming up, hitting a major home -- Major League home run, rather, is challenging enough, but today one player hit one over the fence without holding on to the bat. Now even if you're not a sports fan, you definitely want to see this.
Also, each week CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta profiles innovators from all walks of life and all fields of endeavor. The program is called "The Next List," so we want to show you a little preview here. Next Sunday, Sanjay looks at David Peterson, who created a new language for one of TV's most popular shows.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Dothraki are a kind of a wandering tribe in this kind of imaginary world that George R.R. Martin and his books have created. They're first and foremost warriors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We took the tribe from George Martin's best- selling series, and in George's books the Dothraki speak their own language. And we thought we could create that fictional language for a few lines. And we tried to do that, and it sounded like gobbledygook.
DAVID PETERSON, LINGUIST: That's where I came in. I created the language for the Dothraki and worked as a translator on the show.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was a little bit skeptical, but once we actually got the Dothraki language that David Peterson created and we saw the actors performing the lines, there was no question. It made a huge difference in those scenes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Coming up on half past the hour now. Let's get a look at today's headlines. The U.N. Security Council is condemning Friday's massacre in the village of Houla, Syria. In a statement, the U.N. blamed the slaughter on government artillery and tank shellings on a residential neighborhood. 108 people were killed. Among them 49 children.
Investigators are looking into reports that a NATO attack killed eight civilians, including six children, in Afghanistan. Reports from the eastern province say last night's attack wiped out an entire family. NATO officials say insurgents in the area attacked security troops, and that those troops had asked for air support. Both NATO and Afghan officials are investigating the claims. Two Americans are in police custody in Japan in connection with the death of a female exchange student from Ireland. Here's what happened. The two allegedly met the victim at a concert in Tokyo. A little bit later on, hotel staff found 21-year-old Nicola Furlong (ph) unconscious in a room with one of the men. She reportedly died from being strangled. The U.S. State Department confirmed the arrests but is not providing any more details.
In Italy, people want to make sure a long-running unsolved mystery is not forgotten.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: These are relatives and supporters of Manuela Orlanndi (ph), marching in Rome today. Manuela (ph) vanished when she was 15 years old. That was way back in 1983. Theories about her disappearance pointed to the Vatican and the mafia. Police are still working on the case. And just yesterday, they announced that a priest, who used to run a church in Rome, is under investigation.
Well, weather now. If you're in the southeast watch out for Tropical Storm Beryl. It's not what you think. The National Weather Service says there is a high risk of rip currents until 8:00 tonight eastern time along many Florida beaches threatened by Beryl. In fact, many of those beaches have been closed. Daytona Beach recorded at least 70 rescues yesterday alone. Surf conditions are considered treacherous.
Well, he overcame heat and avoided a last lap collision. Now Dario Franchetti can claim the title of three-time champion of the Indy 500. Of course, drinking the milk at the end is a tradition. I learned that just a couple of years ago. The second year in a row that the race was decided by a crash on the final lap. Franchetti won Indy back in 2007 and 2010. Today's victory makes him the seventh man to win the race three times.
All right. We want to talk about the Indy 500 with Jamal Anderson, one of our favorite sports experts. He's here now.
Jamal, tell me about this. Was this a surprise? Do you watch the Indianapolis 500?
JAMAL ANDERSON: I do.
CHO: Do you?
ANDERSON: It's an exciting race. And Dario Franchetti is obviously in the last six years he's won now three times. He becomes the seventh driver in the history of the Indy 500 to win three times in a row. Again, in the last six rounds. There was a crash in the last few rounds. Here's the thing, there was a record 35 lead changes on this particular Indy 500. 10 different drivers were able to lead in the end. You saw Dario Franchetti. Obviously, his wife famous for being Ashley Judd, the movie star.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: A fantastic victory for him again. Third Indy 500 win in the last six years.
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: That's more my speed.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: You know what, it was so close. And, again, with so many lead changes and also --
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: That's a lot.
ANDERSON: There was a record one degree shy of the record temperatures in Indianapolis 500 --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: 92 degrees, 91 -- 92 was the record. It was 91. So you imagine how hot it gets on those tracks with the tires and everything else so fantastic victory for him.
CHO: All right. So a man -- homerun? No bats. What's that?
ANDERSON: Yes. A homerun -- you got to look at this video. Todd Frasier -- Jamie Moyer, one of the oldest pitchers to play this. Frasier lets go of the bat so usually obviously you're holding on to the bat when you hit a homerun. Jamie Moyer is a pitcher who has been in the league for a number of year. Fraser kind of lets go of the bat here. You watch it slow motion. Let's go of the bat. Still is able to connect.
CHO: Wow.
ANDERSON: And it still goes out for a no-hands homerun. Pretty amazing play.
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: I'm sure with Jamie Moyer as long as he's been in the league that hasn't happened to him too many times.
CHO: That's just another day at the office.
ANDERSON: An amazing day at the office.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: Amazing day at the office.
CHO: I do that every day.
(LAUGHTER)
Jamal, thank you very much.
And don't go anywhere. Stay right here.
ANDERSON: I'll be here.
CHO: Because I'm going to see you again in a couple of minutes to talk NBA playoffs.
Plus, more on the heatwave blanketing much of the Midwest with Jacqui Jeras. We'll have an update on that.
But first, a revolutionary new technology that's actually changing lives. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Drew Miller was 43 with no major health issues until ALS limited his ability to speak and move. Now though he's able to communicate and connect online with the blink of an eye.
BARBARA BARCLAY, TOBII: Eye tracking is revolutionizing life for people with disabilities. Now they have a communication tool. They can take part in social media.
TUCHMAN: For Drew and people with similar disabilities, eye tracking technology is a huge part of their lives. And it could become a part of everyone's sooner than you think. New computers allow you to flip through folders, scan over map, even select music with a glance of your eye.
BARCLAY: In the next five to 10 years I think it will be in almost every device you use on a day-to-day basis.
TUCHMAN: Which could mean using your eyes to adjust settings in your car, scroll through the web and even play games.
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Ah, yes.
TUCHMAN: It looks like a lot of fun but can also give insight to how we think.
BARCLAY: So many things about the way your eyes move is related to how your brain is working.
TUCHMAN: It's also helping doctors spot early developmental problems in children, and rehabilitate people with traumatic brain injury. It's the technology of tomorrow with advantages you can see today.
Gary Tuchman, CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: All right. It's Memorial Day weekend, so we're all curious about the weather, right? Well, oppressive heat is gripping the midsection of the country. That, includes Indianapolis where the Indy 500 was held.
Jacqui Jeras is with us.
How bad did it get, Jacqui?
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It was brutal. Officially, 91 degrees. But that temperature was taken at the airport, right, in the middle of Nowheresville. And the record was 92, set back in 1937. We didn't quite break that, but I've seen estimates by as much as 130- plus degrees because of the asphalt, the heat from the engines and all the concrete, the crowds that are around. Either way you slice it, it was certainly brutal for the people in the cars and out there just watching the race. It was definitely a hot day in Indianapolis.
And it wasn't just Indianapolis. Take a look at all the record highs broken today. Hattiesburg, Mississippi -- Pennsylvania, 98 degrees. Chicago-O'Hare, 97. Hello, it's May still, right? Paducah, Kentucky, 95. 93 in St. Louis, Missouri and 91 in Des Moines, Iowa. So it was very warm.
The hot temperatures are going to continue and spread eastward through tomorrow. Watch out for that. We even have excessive heat warnings now for Philadelphia for Monday and Tuesday both.
CHO: All right. I mean, I love hot weather, Jacqui, but I don't know. 90s in May, it's a little early for that.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: All right, Jacqui.
Visiting war memorials and battlefields can be a lesson in history and in life. Rob Marciano has more on a trip of one World War II vets in this "On the Go."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Former Marine Bill McColloch returned to Okinawa to see his best friend.
BILL MCCOLLOCH, MARINE CORPS VETERAN: It was very important to me to be there and see his grave and think back about the -- about that day and our friendship.
MARCIANO: Bill joins the growing ranks of veterans who returned to where they fought to reflect on the battle and the life that followed. MCCOLLOCH: To go back and see a graveyard like that and realize many young men had been cut off in the prime of their life, it was a very poignant moment.
MARCIANO: Historic battlefields have become a popular destination with big anniversaries of many conflicts.
JOHN POWELL, MILITARY HISTORICAL TOURS: To encapsulate big anniversaries coming up, the 60th anniversary of the Korean War effort going on now. You have the 100th anniversary of World War I. You'll have the 70th for Normandy, places like Guam, Saipan, Iwo Jima, the Midway battle. You'll also have the 50th anniversary for Vietnam.
MARCIANO: All the years disappeared for Bill the moment he was able to return.
MCCOLLOCH: You always remember. You remember just exactly what happened. But then to go back and relive it, it was very important, very meaningful for me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: A college student had a little too much to drink. All right, way too much to drink. Then she walked into the wrong house. And wait till you hear what happened.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: All right. Welcome back.
Just before the break, we told you we'd tell you the story about a woman who had too much to drink and wandered into the wrong house. Well, that Colorado woman is now facing felony trespassing charges after she was actually shot by the person who owned the home that she entered. Now, her name is Zoe Ripple (ph). She walked through an unlocked screen door in the middle of the night. It happened last Wednesday. Police say her blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit.
Here's what the homeowners told 911.
(BEGIN AUDIO FEED)
CALLER: College Avenue. Somebody came into our house.
Yes, she's in this house now. She's awake. She's fine. But she's shot.
She walked into our bedroom and we told her -- we were screaming at her and she kept coming in the bedroom, and we shot her.
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CHO: All right. Well, the couple is not expected to face any charges because of Colorado's "Make My Day Law." That allows people to use deadly force against a home intruder. Moving now to the big stories in the week ahead. From the White House to the Wall Street, our correspondents tell you what you need to know. And we begin tonight with the president's plans for the week.
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DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian at the White House. President Obama and the first lady will mark the Memorial Day and the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War by attending a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. They'll also meet with Gold Star families. On Tuesday, he'll present the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Former Astronaut John Glen and former Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright are among the recipients. Then on Thursday, former President George W. Bush and his wife will be at the White House for the official unveiling of their portraits. And finally, on Friday, President Obama hits the road, traveling to Minnesota and Illinois for events on the economy and the campaign.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I'm Paul Steinhauser at the CNN political desk. Mitt Romney teams up with Donald Trump Tuesday at Donald's Las Vegas hotel for a fundraiser for Romney. Trump flirted with his own bid for presidential nomination last year. Also Tuesday, Texas holds its primary and Romney is expected to easily win. He could capture enough delegates to officially clinch the Republican presidential nomination.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM CORRESPONDENT: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. Wall Street is gearing up for the all-important jobs report coming on Friday morning. Before that, we'll get key economic news on the Case-Shiller home prices in major cities across the city and a look at consumer confidence and construction spending. We will also get a revised reading of first-quarter GDP. That's the broadest measure of how much the economy is growing. We'll track that and all the business news of the week for you on "CNN Money."
A.J. HAMMER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm "Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer. Here's what we're watching this week. "Showbiz Tonight" is on location at one of my favorite shows, "True Blood." And I go one on one with the always provocative, Marlene Cho. Get ready for a freaking hilarious show you do not want to miss, 11:00 p.m. eastern and pacific on HLN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: All right, A.J., thank you very much.
The NBA playoffs are down to the final four. Our Jamal Anderson is back to give us a preview. Plus, he gets an NFL draft pick to talk -- politics?
And we want you to stay connected to CNN even when you're on the go. So grab your mobile phone, go to CNN.com/tv or get on your desktop or laptop. You can also watch CNN live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Jamal Anderson is back with us.
Why are you that far away?
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: I don't know. I love your little supreme get-up. It's so lovely.
CHO: Thank you so much.
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: I feel underdressed. I'm like, man, I have to snazzy it up.
CHO: You're looking good there.
ANDERSON: Thank you.
CHO: I want to talk not just clothes, but about the NBA playoffs. Down in Miami and Boston.
ANDERSON: We are.
CHO: San Antonio and Oklahoma City in the west. I just learned from Tom, our producer, that Oklahoma used to the Seattle Sun's --
(CROSSTALK)
ANDERSON: The Seattle Super Hosts. They did. Oklahoma City is the up and coming team, the young guns on the western conference.
CHO: Who is favored, do you think?
ANDERSON: It's tough. Oklahoma City, the Los Angeles Lakers were a tough series with the Sooners winning --
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: What happened?
ANDERSON: The Lakers got old.
CHO: OK, what happened?
ANDERSON: The Lakers were in situations where they certainly could have won games. It was a tough-fought series. I think the fans would appreciate what happened in those series, but there were situations where Kobe failed. You had the Oklahoma City picking it up and winning. The Spurs have lost zero games in the playoffs, so it's going to be an interesting match in games tonight. You have to go with the Spurs, I think, personally, with what they've been able to accomplish, they have championships, and they have a championship coach, but I expect them to bring it every night and have an excellent chance of winning this series.
CHO: My hometown team is the Portland Trailblazers.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
ANDERSON: It was around that draft when Kevin Durant came out.
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: You spent some time going out there and doing a little reporting for us, didn't you?
ANDERSON: I did. I did.
CHO: So you talked to the number-two draft pick. His name is Robert Griffin III. What did he tell you?
ANDERSON: Right. Robert Griffin III talked to me about a number of different things. He also talked to me about politics, his expectations of being the Washington Redskins quarterback. We talked about the Redskins' lack of success in the playoff. You'll see a clip of him right here and hear what it was like with his mindset going into Washington, D.C., and who he supports politically.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GRIFFIN III, NUMBER-TWO DRAFT PICK & WASHINGTON REDSKINS QUARTERBACK: Whenever I step on the field, I know I'm not going to get caught off guard. And if I do, it's not going to happen twice. You trust your preparation, know that all the hard work you put in to get where you want to go. Doesn't have to be in sports, it could be in anything. Know that all the hard work you put in that can help you be successful as long as you truly believe you did everything you possibly could.
I'd just like to stay out of that and let the politicians and everyone that wants to talk about politics do their thing.
ANDERSON: I have to ask you. It's CNN, I got to ask you.
GRIFFIN: Obama is the president right now, and I am the quarterback of the Washington Redskins.
(LAUGHTER)
So I got to go with Obama. We, in the same city. We got this.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: There you have it.
ANDERSON: He is such a fantastic talent. I had --
(CROSSTALK) CHO: He seems like a really nice guy.
ANDERSON: He is a very, very impressive guy. I'm very impressed with the Redskins. Watched him a number of times.
CHO: He looks young.
ANDERSON: He's young. He's only 21 years old. Here's the guy who is going to be the future of the Redskins. He's so polished. He was a world class athlete in track as well, so a gift to the Redskins, but I can't say enough how impressed I am with him and also Andrew Luck. But all these interviews will rollout coming toward football season, so I'm excited about it.
CHO: Good. That's great for the Redskins.
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: They should be happy about that.
ANDERSON: It's great for the Redskins, but they've got to see my Falcons. We'll be ready.
CHO: Wolf Blitzer is a big Redskins fan.
ANDERSON: Wolf Blitzer a big Redskins fan and I can't wait until we get down to the season because --
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: Are you going to go like this with Wolf?
ANDERSON: The dirty birds will be where they need to be.
(LAUGHTER)
I guarantee the Falcons will be in this. I guarantee the Falcons will have something to say about that, so we'll see.
CHO: Thank you very much, Jamal Anderson. Always great to see you.
ANDERSON: Appreciate it.
CHO: Come back soon.
Coming up, it's not just for strip clubs, already a popular way to work out, of course. The push is on to make pole dancing an Olympic sport?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: When people talk about pole dancing, they almost immediately think about one thing, and it ain't the Olympics. But that could change. Our Sandra Endo reports on efforts to change in public attitudes to make pole dancing a legitimate form of fitness.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC)
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don't call this a strip tease or some cabaret performance for these pole performances.
(MUSIC)
ENDO: For these pole dancers, showing some skin is part of the sport.
BECCA BUTCHER, POLE DANCER: It can be challenging. It can be Olympic-level difficulty.
(MUSIC)
ENDO: And Dancer Becca Butcher isn't exaggerating. These pole performers could soon be going for the gold.
Tim Trautman is the president of the International Pole Sport Federation and it's spearheading to push to make pole dancing an Olympic sport.
TIM TRAUTMAN, PRESIDENT, INTERNATIONAL POLE SPORT FEDERATION: The biggest challenge is going to be the stereo type thing we have to deal with, and quite frankly, everyone thinks pole fitness and pole sports and everything came out of strip clubs, but it started long before then. We have to take some of the eroticism out of the moves. Take off the high heels. We're going to frame it as these are athletes that you're watching.
(CROSSTALK)
ENDO: Over the last decade, pole dancing classes emerged as the latest fitness craze in health clubs. But it's moved far beyond a fad. Thousands of dancers around the world train to enter the national pole competitions.
U.S. national champion, Natasha Wang, hit her passion for the sport for six years until she started winning titles.
NATASHA WANG, U.S. POLE DANCING FEDERATION CHAMPION: I was in P.R. for 10 years, working in an office, and this was a hobby. It's a sport for regular people who come from very normal backgrounds.
ENDO: And that's what you'll see at the Annual International Pole Convention, where women and men come to train with the best.
Dancer and convention organizer, Jessalyn Medairy, says there needs to be more known about the sport before it goes on a global stage like the Olympics.
JESSALYN MEDAIRY, DANCER & CONVENTION ORGANIZER: People ask, why do you wear the bikini? We wear the bikini because we need our skin to stick to the pole. That's how we perform some of our skits.
ENDO: While pole athletes are excited to celebrate this sport, Wang says the world may not be better for it just yet.
WANG: I feel like the public perception needs to catch up to what the sport is all about.
ENDO: But it could bring some sexy into the world of sweaty sports.
Sandra Endo, CNN, West Palm Beach, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
