Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Jury Selection in Sandusky Case; Drone Targets Al Qaeda Leader; Political Dividing Lines Growing; A Rare Royal Speech; Recall Election in Wisconsin; Why Wisconsin Matters to You; Al Qaeda's Number-2 Man Killed in Drone Strike
Aired June 05, 2012 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Suzanne Malveaux. Want to get right to it.
Jury selection has started in Jerry Sandusky's child abuse trial, sex abuse trial. He is the former assistant football coach at Penn State. He is charged with molesting 10 boys. Several potential jurors have already been dismissed today because they had close ties to Penn State or to Sandusky himself.
U.S. Investigators trying to determine if a drone strike hit Al Qaeda's number two guy. That is right. An American official says Albu Diah Aldi (ph) was targeted yesterday in Pakistan's tribal region. A hit on Aldi (ph) would represent one of the most significant blows against Al Qaeda since the killing of Osama Bin Laden last year.
We're now divided over politics in the United States than over race or class or sex. That is now according to a new pew research center study. I want to bring in Mark Preston to talk about with what all of this means. I guess in a way, you know, Mark, that we knew that things were very partisan, that's not surprising. But if you look at how pew researchers measure this, 48 different ways of measuring how we feel about politics over the years, and they find that we're more divided than ever. Almost double over the past 25 years. Why?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Well, you know, Suzanne, talk about a comprehensive study that Pew has done now right now. You know, there's a lot of reasons. And what's interesting about is study is that it shows that not only are we more divided politically but we're also seeing a growing middle. You know, a growth within number of folks not aligning themselves entirely with the Democratic party or entirely with the Republican party.
But I think what you're seeing is just a lot of frustration out there right now on how to lead forward. And I think you might even be able to tie in the fact that social media has become so prevalent in helping organize people. You know, 10 years ago, we didn't have Facebook or Twitter or these organizing tools that people were able to use to get together. And I think what you've seen is you've seen these political parties. You've seen the very extremes of these political parties to be able to use these tools to really push their message forward. MALVEAUX: Mark, explain to us where we're seeing the widest divide. Some of this is not surprising, right, when you talk about maybe social issues. But then the environment was one of these -- one of these topics that people really felt very differently about when it comes to the role of government.
PRESTON: Yes. And I think this is -- yes, you can really boil this down, I think, to an economic issue in many ways, because what you're going to hear from conservatives, and certainly from a lot of Republicans, is that one of the regulations that are coming out of here in Washington, D.C. are adversely affecting people out across the nation. You know, and it's greatly hurting them maintain their jobs, start shutting down plants.
And also, they are seeing all of these other nations around the world who are not really abiding by the environmental -- you know stringent restrictions that you're seeing here in the United States. So, I think you're certainly seeing that from the conservative side. And then, from the more Democratic and certainly the liberal side, they are saying, look, we need to really keep these in place and they've really dug in on the issue.
MALVEAUX: And to be fair here, we're going to look at these numbers. This gap started to widen, this extreme partisanship under George W. Bush, but then it has blossomed and really gotten very partisan over President Obama. He really wanted to bring people together. That's what he said back in 2008 as part of his campaign. Who actually benefits from learning this kind of information? Does this put more pressure on the Obama campaign to prove that ,look, we can work with Congress, we can try to get something done?
PRESTON: Well, they are certainly looking at these numbers this morning, and they're saying to themselves, how are we going to deliver our message to try to win re-election, you know, in November? And of course, Mitt Romney's campaign is doing the same because we know you and I know and our viewers all know that the election is not won on the wings. The election is going to be won right in the middle.
So, what they need to do is that they need to appear now -- President Obama and Mitt Romney, appear to be willing to at least with the other side but not give up on their values, their core values where their core supporters are expecting them to stand strongly by. So, that's this very tight rope that you're going to see President Obama and Mitt Romney walk over the next five months. They want to appear as conservative as they can be, if you're Mitt Romney. You want to appear as liberal as you can be if you're Barack Obama. But at the same time, you have to at least acknowledge that they need to work with the other side.
MALVEAUX: All right. We'll see how this goes and we'll see how it plays out. Thank you, Mark, good to see you --
PRESTON: Thanks, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: -- as always. Queen Elizabeth saying a big thank you to her fans as her diamond Jubilee celebration is coming to an end. It is a rare moment other than her annual Christmas day broadcast. The queen hardly ever speaks directly to the nation, but she recorded a message yesterday in the presence room it's called in Buckingham Palace just before the big pop concert there. Let's listen in on her speech.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUEEN ELIZABETH: The events that I have attended to mark my diamond Jubilee have been a humbling experience. It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbors and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere. But Prince Philip and I want to take this opportunity to offer our special thanks and appreciation to all those who have had a hand in organizing these Jubilee celebrations. It has been a massive challenge and I'm sure that everyone who has enjoyed these festive occasions realizes how much work has been involved. I hope that memories of all this year's happy events will brighten our lives for many years to come. I will continue to treasure and draw inspiration from the country's kindnesses shown to me in this country and throughout the commonwealth. Thank you all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Well, the one person who's been watching all the Diamond Jubilee celebrations over the past couple of days, we're talking about our own Richard Quest who is in London. And Richard, take us -- pull back the curtain a little bit, if you will, and tell us about the queen's speech. How is that -- how is it done? It's a pretty rare thing there. What did you -- what did you make of it?
RICHARD QUEST, HOST, "QUEST MEANS BUSINESS": I think what I most take from it is the fact she just said it was a humbling experience and how touched she had been by the reaction. The royals are -- to some extent, they're always surprised by the affection that is shown for them. Famously once -- the queen once said when -- was talked about -- there was a big party and thousands of people turned up. She once said, I thought nobody would turn up. And so to that extent, she will have been very, very reassured, very grateful for it. And it's interesting, this vote of thanks, this comment of thanks to those people who made it all happen. To hear the queen speak -- she makes -- she gives lots of speeches but they are always very, very short, venal, opening this, closing that whatever.
MALVEAUX: Sure.
QUEST: But to hear her talking like this is quite unusual.
MALVEAUX: And certainly a lot of people did show up for this. Tell us what was some of your favorite moments there? I mean, clearly, there's a lot of pageantry and a lot of excitement.
QUEST: Oh, too many of them, but if I have to choose some of them. For me, what I will take, the Philharmonic Orchestra playing "Land of Hope and Glory" and the national anthem and the queen standing simply standing for hour after hour after hour, 86-year-old and she didn't sit still during the pageant. Today, the balcony and the fly past. Last night, the concert, mommy kissing of the hand, those are the little touches that one takes. And just being on the streets of the capitol. This is, you know -- this is London's year. We've got the Jubilee and now we've got the Olympics. And I think this has been the perfect way to get us into the mood.
MALVEAUX: Richard, explain to us the affection for the queen and for the monarchy and all of this. What does that -- what does that mean for you?
QUEST: As a Brit?
MALVEAUX: Yes.
QUEST: Put it this way. I am 50 years old, from the day I was born to today, that queen has been on the throne. She has -- I remember at school the Silver Jubilee and going to London and buying souvenirs. I remember the weddings of Charles and Diana. You remember it as a -- you know, Suzanne, you remember it as an event that you watched on television.
MALVEAUX: Yes.
QUEST: I remember it, because it was going to be the heir of the throne getting married. I remember it because it was part of the fabric of the country. Just as much as you look at 1776, and the flag and all the history that goes with your great country. So, I look at that and put it into the same context. And I can say it is not a soap opera. This is not some drama that's made for television. This is the fabric woven into the British psyche. Now, there are Republicanisms -- Republicans in this country who would like to get rid of the monarchy. They are few and far between. It's the -- and I know, I can hear some of your viewers wanting to tweet me at Richard Quest saying, but why do you want to -- I can feel the steam coming out of their ears.
MALVEAUX: Yes, people going, really? Come on.
QUEST: Here, it's the system we have. And just as much as you wouldn't want to get rid of the checks and balances that you have in your constitutional system that works so beautifully sometimes and brilliantly most of the time for the American people, so we have the queen.
MALVEAUX: Yes, tell me how you really feel, Richard. You know, you got that passion. I get the passion there. Tell me a little bit about --
QUEST: Hey, look, I have grown up with it. It's been with me since day one. You play the national anthem, "God Save the Queen," and I stand up.
MALVEAUX: The hairs, you know, they stand up. And let me ask you this, real quickly here. Prince Phillip, you know, he got sick, we realize he wasn't able to be with the queen there for the final events. Any update on his condition?
QUEST: Yes.
MALVEAUX: Any statements coming out?
QUEST: Yes. No statements, but Prince Phillip's younger son, Prince Edward, (INAUDIBLE), he and his wife, Sophie, went to see -- he said that he -- that his royal highness is getting better and is doing well. And in royal parlance, that means he's not going to drop dead immediately and in royal parlance language, it means don't worry. The fact he went to the hospital, I'm guessing, is a matter of ultra caution. A 90-year-old man, you ain't going to take to many chances with not after he stood outside in the rain for four hours.
MALVEAUX: Good for him. We hope that he gets better real soon. And as always, good to see you.
QUEST: Good to see you.
MALVEAUX: Here's what we're working on for the next hour.
(voice-over): It's zero hour in Wisconsin for the recall that could prove to be a dry run for the national election.
Then, Sandusky on trial. Ten boys say he abused them. Now the disgraced football coach will get a chance to defend himself in court.
And trumpets, cannons, horses and massive crowds. The highlights of London's celebration of Queen Elizabeth.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: If you don't think today's recall election in Wisconsin has anything to do with you, think again. Governor Scott Walker's fight for political survival has got big implications for the November presidential election. Some even see it as a referendum on the role and size of government. Stakes are high for Democrats, as well as the Republicans. The race is also a test of Tea Party versus union support and could either give President Obama or Mitt Romney an edge in Wisconsin. So if you have doubts about how important this race is, just follow the money. Dana Bash has our in depth report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you plan to vote tomorrow?
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Phone calls, voter lists, door hangers, TV ads.
TOM BARRETT, GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE: The politicians in Madison aren't counting their calories.
BASH: All this phonetic activity in Wisconsin's gubernatorial recall comes at an unprecedented price tag, upwards of $63 million raised so far. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When we've come up with a final tally for this race, it's going to be somewhere in the $75 million to $80 million range.
BASH: That shatters Wisconsin's record, $37 million, just set in 2010 when Republican Governor Scott Walker was first elected.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is way out of proportion to a state this size.
BASH: What's also out of proportion, Walker has raised 7.5 times that of his challenger. Tom Barrett pulled in $4 million. Walker, $30.5 million. A quirk in Wisconsin law let Walker raise unlimited funds since he's targeted with a recall. And a lot of rich Republicans, seeing this as a preview of the presidential race, wrote Walker huge checks. Some names will probably sound familiar. Texan Bob Perry gave half a million dollars. He bank rolled the infamous 2004 Swift Boat attacks against John Kerry. Las Vegas casino magnet Sheldon Adelson and Michigan moneyman Dick DeVos each gave $250,000.
Seventy percent of Walker's donations last month came from outside Wisconsin. Contributions large and small from all over the country. Phil Pranga (ph) raised money for Wisconsin Republicans for 25 years.
BASH (on camera): And had you suggested that somebody donate here, they probably would have laughed at you in the past, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, they did laugh at me. So, yes.
BASH (voice-over): Outside groups sporting both candidates flooded Wisconsin with $25 million. A who's who of Washington interest groups. From big labor to Planned Parenthood to the NRA. One group, the Republican Governors Association, got $1 million from GOP high roller David Koch.
Then there's those stealth super PACs with anonymous donors.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, POLITICAL AD: This is a battle we need to win.
BASH: Blanketing airwaves to the tune of $8.5 million.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And our elections are being poisoned here, but the people of Wisconsin can't know who's paying for most of the poison.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Dana joins us live.
Dana, he talks about poison here. What is the implication, do you think, of having so much money poured into this race?
BASH: Well, one of the fascinating things about all of this money is that this is a small state and an expensive state. So people have been sort of scratching their heads trying to figure out how it's being spent, but the TV ads really don't cost very much. One of the answers is today, on election day, they are spending more money than they ever could before on both sides to actually get out the vote. And that is -- they -- both sides hope is going to be key at the end of the day today.
MALVEAUX: And, Dana, I understand they're using some of the tactics that we saw in previous campaigns. Literally, you know, folks who are actually paying for cab rides, cab fare to get them there or get them on buses or whatever it takes to actually get there. Tell us what's actually taking place on the ground. Are folks showing up in droves here? Is this really going to matter?
BASH: Well, as you can see, it is a beautiful day in pretty much the entire state of Wisconsin. So there's no reason why weather should keep anybody home. And we're understanding, anecdotally at least, that turnout is pretty high. I talked to somebody who was at the voting place at 8:00 this morning. He was already 219 voting there.
And just bigger picture here. The last time the presidential race happened here in 2008, it was about 3 million people who came out. For the first race where Walker actually won two years ago, it was about 2.1 million. They expect it to be presidential levels when it comes to turnout today.
MALVEAUX: That is unbelievable. What do you think that says about the ground game on both sides? Does it look like either side, whether it's the Democrats or the Republicans, are doing better?
BASH: Well, you know, talk to Republicans here, they say, you know, thank you for this gift to Democrats because they're trying to make the case that Wisconsin, just four years ago, as you know, Suzanne, did very, very well for Barack Obama. He did -- John McCain basically didn't have a race here at all. And so Republicans, until Scott Walker, really haven't been energized and hadn't had the organization to prepare for this next presidential election in just six months. Now they have a tremendous organization, tremendous infrastructure.
The question is whether or not people on the Republican side are going to be fired up for somebody like Mitt Romney versus Scott Walker, who is incredibly polarizing. It could be a very different kind of thing.
MALVEAUX: All right. We'll have to see. Thank you, Dana. Good to see you.
He's accused of sexually abusing ten boys. Well, now, after a firestorm, Jerry Sandusky finally going to stand trial.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We're watching today as jury selection gets underway in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial. He is the former Penn State assistant football coach who has been charged with 52 counts of sexual abuse of boys. This is a case that has gotten a lot of publicity and the trial is taking place in an area where the school is the biggest employer around. Already seen today several potential jurors dismissed because they either have a close connection to the school or to Sandusky himself. Well, CNN contributor Sara Ganim, she is on this story, as she has been since she broke it for the "Harrisburg Patriot News." And, Sara, I know that at least three jurors have been selected. We're getting some of the details here. Two females, one male. Juror number one being a middle-aged white woman. Works at Wal-Mart. Doesn't know much about the case. Has two kids. Juror number two, a 24-year-old man going to school for automotive technology. His father worked for Penn State. And then juror number three, a middle to older white woman whose husband worked in the same medical practice as John McQueary, the father of Mike McQueary. Why is this juror number three, why is that important there? Because I know that was a controversial pick.
SARA GANIM, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Right. And not only is Mike McQueary expected to be a key witness in this case, later on in the week when jury -- when the trial actually begins, but his father is expected to be a witness, too. And she said -- juror number three said that she did occasionally see John McQueary because her husband worked with him, but the judge basically said to the attorneys present that, look, this is a small town, this is going to happen. And unless there's a reason, we're going to keep her. And she ended up being a juror.
MALVEAUX: And, Sara, remind our viewer who the McQuearys are.
GANIM: Mike McQueary is the assistant football coach who witnessed, n 2001, says he witnessed Jerry Sandusky in a shower with a young boy in a Penn State football locker room. He said something sexual was definitely going on. He left the locker room and immediately called his father. And together they decided that, in the morning, the next day, that Mike McQueary would report this to head Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno. About 10 days after that, he had another conversation about what he saw with two top Penn State officials.
Fast forward about 10 years, they're now being charged with perjury and failure to report that incident. Perjury because grand jurors didn't believe them when they said that Mike McQueary said he didn't see anything that serious or very sexual happening in the shower. Mike McQueary told grand jurors that he did. That led to charges against Jerry Sandusky. And so he is expected to be a main witness in this case.
MALVEAUX: OK. So, Sara, paint a picture for us, if you will, there. You've been at the courthouse. You've seen some of these potential jurors. You've also seen Sandusky as well. What does he seem like today? Does he seem to be ruffled in any way or calm?
GANIM: Well, we're told that he is actually participating in some way in jury selection. That he leaned over and said to Joe Amendola, his attorney, at one point, I think this person can be fair. In a case where Joe Amendola might have moved to strike a juror, a potential juror. And that person is still on the panel. So he is participating actively in his defense. And that's kind of in line with what we've been hearing for the last seven months, that he's been going through evidence and helping attorneys build his case.
MALVEAUX: And, Sara, tell us about -- a little bit about the moment the judge took some of these potential jurors aside to talk about the fact that they would not have to be sequestered here. How did that come about? GANIM: What he did is he took off his robe, he stepped down off the bench, he walked into the gallery where the potential jurors were seated and he said, look, I want to have a conversation with you. From this point forward, I trust you. I'm not naive. I know that you've probably read something about this case. But from this point forward, you're a juror and I expect you to take that seriously. And if -- you know, we have this trust. We're going to build this trust. And I'm not going to -- you're going to get to go home at night. You know, I'm not going to sequester you. In return, I expect that you don't read any media reports, don't -- aren't influenced by what you might have already heard.
MALVEAUX: All right. Sara Ganim, also excellent reporting as always and we'll be getting updates as the jury selection continues.
Thank you, Sara.
Seventy-seven cents on the dollar. That, on average, that is how much less a woman makes than a man for the same work. Going to take a closer look at what is going on in the workplace.
And, don't forget, you can watch CNN live on your computer while you're at work at cnn.com/tv.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: New violence is under way in Syria.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(GUNFIRE)
UNIDENTIFIED SYRIAN MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: An opposition group reports 20 more people killed today. Syria's government announced it's expelling diplomats from 11 countries a week after those nations expelled Syrian officials, a coordinated response to a massacre and the ongoing crackdown against the opposition.
The Senate is voting on a bill designed to prevent pay discrimination against women. Republicans say more involvement in the private sector. Democrats say the Paycheck Fairness Act would make it easier for women to prove discrimination and sue for damages. It is also part of their high-profile push for support from women in November.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HARRY REID, (D-NV), SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: Even Mitt Romney has refused to publicly oppose this legislation. He may oppose it but he's afraid to say anything about it. Why? Because it's obvious why. He should show some leadership. My opinion, Governor Romney. And tell his fellow Republicans that opposing fair pay for all Americans is shameful. Instead, no one knows where he stands.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The only Republican to speak on the bill so far says he supports equal pay but not this legislation.
Showdown over cigarette taxes in California. Voters are deciding whether to raise the tax on cigarettes by $1 per pack. That would generate an estimated $735 million a year but three-fourths of the money would go to cancer research. Critics say the tax would be an extra burden on an already tough economy.
And royalty, British pride. London erupting in celebration of Queen Elizabeth. We have all those highlights.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERING)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: 60 years on the throne and she is throwing a party.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Queen Elizabeth, it is her Diamond Jubilee. A couple of hours ago, she was greeted by many of her adoring fans from the balcony of Buckingham Palace, you can see. Also aircraft from the Battle Britain saluting her with a fly-by. We see the red, white and blue smoke trails coming from the planes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: The star of a huge pop concert at the palace. Paul McCartney and Elton John were there as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Just heard from the queen in a rare speech to the nation, giving her thanks. Let's listen in.
(SINGING)
MALVEAUX: It's a gracious thank you from the queen. Let's listen to her message.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUEEN ELIZABETH II: The events that I have attended to mark my Diamond Jubilee have been a humbling experience. It has touched me deeply to see so many thousands of families, neighbors and friends celebrating together in such a happy atmosphere.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: A lot of folks there really excited about the Diamond Jubilee.
One of our reporters talking to folks on the ground. Becky Anderson joins us live from London.
Wow, Becky that was one heck of a party, four days.
(CROSSTALK)
MALVEAUX: Big.
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We started in the rain and we closed out in the rain. But let me call the crowd intimately (ph) British. They were jubilant and stoic. You remember the river pageant. It poured with rain. The crowds were huge. They were a million people lining the banks of the River Thames to see what we haven't seen on the river in 360 years. It was quite the most phenomenal spectacle. I was down in the crowds on Sunday and on Monday. On Tuesday, today, behind me are the gates of the palace, Buckingham Palace, as the queen came out to wave at the crowd. 250,000 people here again today. Last night for the concert, another quarter of a million people. It's been absolutely remarkable.
Like I say, the weather has been -- let's call it inclement or, as we say here, iffy.
(LAUGHTER)
It's been the most tremendous experience. And I think when you heard words from Her Majesty, she meant it when she said she thanked those for coming out to help her mark what has been a quite phenomenal reign over 60 years -- Suzanne?
MALVEAUX: Becky, two questions. What stood out the most over the last four days? Secondly, is everybody on board with the Diamond Jubilee or is there pushback from folks that are not fans?
ANDERSON: Let me deal with the good part first. There was a bad part, but the good part, I talked to a 98-year-old on Sunday who said she was just happy to be here. She had been at the coronation and she was happy to be here. I spoke to a 6-year-old, probably the youngest. I tried to speak to younger than that, he really had nothing to say.
(LAUGHTER)
But the 6-year-old told me that she was here because she wanted to be queen at some point so she was just here to practice effectively. She was watching what the queen did and she would perform going forward.
(LAUGHTER)
So good luck to her going forward.
On the downside, there really hasn't been one. The anti- monarchists, as they are -- and there are people who aren't great fans of the royal family but they are few and far between. There was a protest, about 1500 people down at the river on Sunday. But I've got to say, we perhaps expected more but we didn't see very many protesting a phenomenal experience. The last poll shows that more than 60 percent of people here in the U.K. and around the commonwealth and the world support the royal family. There has been a sea change in support over the last 10 years and this has been the epitome of all of that.
MALVEAUX: You've got the Olympics coming up as well.
All right, Becky. Good to see you as always.
He was al Qaeda's number-two man, now killed in a drone strike in Pakistan. We're getting a live report on what it means for the terror group and as well for our safety.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We have just gotten confirmation that al Qaeda's number-two man has been killed. The U.S. official says Abu Yahya al Libi died in a drone strike yesterday in Pakistan's tribal region. Al Libi was second in command behind al Qaeda's Ayman al Zawahiri who took over the terrorist group after the killing of Obama bin Laden last year.
I want to bring in Barbara Starr at the Pentagon to tell us what is the significance of this guy, who is he and how did it happen that they took him out?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, by all accounts, this was a drone strike by a CIA unmanned drone over that Pakistan border region. It's the CIA that flies these armed drones, let's be clear about it. They go target various suspected terrorists. They have been doing it for years now. This was someone they wanted to get very badly. Al Libi, a key operative in al Qaeda for some time now, even before the death of Osama bin Laden. He has appeared in many videos. He is a jihadist Islamic scholar, a key operative in al Qaeda, someone with a lot of clout in the organization and able to draw a lot of attention.
What happens now? Does it make America safer? That would remain to be seen. Al Qaeda has showed remarkable resilience in basically regenerating itself, bringing new leadership to the table, even as they are decimated by these continued drone strikes.
The key question for al Qaeda for the future, experts will tell you, is whether this regeneration of new leadership can still lead to financing, planning, organizing and carrying out attacks. So far, they haven't been very lucky in doing that lately by their standards. But still, worth watching. This man was very key. Now U.S. officials saying they have indeed killed him.
MALVEAUX: Do we have any response, any reaction from al Qaeda yet?
STARR: That's what people are going to watching for, exactly that, in the coming hours. Typically, when these things have happened in the past, eventually, over time, you begin to see messages posted on jihadist web sites, on al Qaeda web sites, in chat rooms and other online message forms. People are going to look for that in the coming hours.
I think it's very important to say that while a U.S. official says he was killed, they are not telling us how they know that. They will say they know it from multiple sources. So they may have already seen one of these messages online. They may have intercepted a cell phone call inside Pakistan. They say they have multiple sources that are -- lead them to be able to confirm that he's dead but they are very critically not telling us how they know that.
MALVEAUX: Barbara, they don't have to see a body in order to confirm that. Right?
STARR: Well, they wouldn't necessarily and they likely do not have the so-called DNA evidence, one can only suspect. This is a very remote area of Pakistan, not friendly to outside officials. They may have a satellite image. They may have tracked him on that imagery that is taken by drones.
MALVEAUX: Right.
STARR: And they may know it that way. They may also know it through some of these cell phone monitoring methods.
MALVEAUX: Barbara Starr, thank you so much --
STARR: Sure.
MALVEAUX: -- in the developing story.
Super powerful magnets that can clump up in a child's stomach and kill him. If you're a parent, you've got to watch this. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Look at this unbelievable picture. This is an x-ray of a 13-month-old who swallowed her mom's magnetic bracelet. There have been dozens of cases across the country.
I want to bring in Elizabeth Cohen to talk about it.
First of all, you just gave this to me and it's -- what these bracelets are like, little magnetic balls that literally just stick to each other.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: They're not necessarily intended to be a bracelet. They're like these toys. Like I'm having fun right now.
(LAUGHTER)
You just sort of play with them. I made one into a bracelet. What happened was a mom did the same thing. Her child got a hold of it, swallowed it, and they formed a clump, they clump together in the intestines. I'm going to show this animation that's perfect at showing what happened. So if it's just one ball, it's not a big deal. But if you swallow more than one ball, they can cling to each other and they can pierce the intestines. That is extremely dangerous. There's a child right now in Louisiana who's been in the hospital for two months. Most of his intestines have died. He needs an intestinal transplant. He can't eat or drink anything other than water. These wreak horrible, horrible havoc.
MALVEAUX: So this could happen just with two little magnetic balls? Or do you need a whole bunch, swallow a whole bunch --
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: Anything more than one could cause a problem because they will cling to each other. You can feel it. These are tough to separate. These are clingy. These are high-powered magnets. These aren't you grandfather's magnets.
(LAUGHTER)
They're high powered -- they're called --
MALVEAUX: And you can see how a kid --
COHEN: And they're fun.
MALVEAUX: -- would love to get a hold of this.
COHEN: And the point is you're supposed to -- see this warning, keep away from children. Another warning down here, keep away from children. You're supposed to treat these really like prescription drugs and keep them away from kids. But, you know, that doesn't always happen and --
MALVEAUX: Has anybody died?
COHEN: There has been one known death and there have been hundreds of kids who have become sick because of this and needed surgery. And it's -- when it gets -- if it just gets into the child's stomach, it's not as big a deal. They put a tube down their throat and get it. But if it gets into the intestines, that's when you get these really life-threatening problems.
MALVEAUX: And these are very popular right now.
COHEN: They are popular.
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: These are selling like hot cakes. And the Consumer Product Safety Commission are seeing more and more reports of children becoming sick. So what happened is is that the nation's pediatric gastroenterologists got together. Many of these doctors have had several patients with this problem. They're in Washington right now. Actually, they're meeting I think in an hour with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Some of these doctors want these off the markets. They say they're just too dangerous. The makers say, hey, use them properly and it's not a problem.
MALVEAUX: You bring it home and you say treat that almost like it's medicine.
COHEN: Exactly, like it's medicine.
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: Keep it out of reach of children. The problem is if a couple of these roll away, you're in trouble.
MALVEAUX: Elizabeth, thank you.
COHEN: Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Appreciate it.
Also on this programming note, Elizabeth, she is counting down her lists of "25 Shocking Medical Mistakes." That's this Saturday at 8:00 p.m. She is also going to talk about how you can keep the mistakes from happening to you. That's this Saturday, on at 8:00 eastern right on CNN.
Ready to slash the grocery bill in half?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GINA LINCICUM, BLOGGER: It's making me think twice if I want to throw things in the cart and pay full price for them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: How a little planning can save you some big bucks. Easier than you think.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Most of us want to save on your grocery bill. You don't know how exactly. The answer might be in your mailbox or newspaper. We're talking about coupons.
Lisa Sylvester has some tips on some -- from a coupon-savvy mom. Let's take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Some things you can't control.
LINCICUM: The water bill is $172.64. Our mortgage is $1,845. Homeowners insurance, which is $672 for the whole year.
SYLVESTER: Gina Lincicum has a goal this year.
LINCICUM: Now we're really tackling the student loan, trying to get rid of the car payment by 2012.
SYLVESTER: That means looking for anywhere where she can cut.
LINCICUM: Oh, yes. We can buy this now.
SYLVESTER: Her secret? You can save a ton of money at the grocery store by couponing and --
LINCICUM: Getting items for free through store promotions. That brings your cost down a little bit. And once they add in some of the coupons I cut out, I can usually get it down to 60 percent.
SYLVESTER: That's right, 40 percent to 60 percent off her grocery bill.
LINCICUM: So I'm just spending a dollar or two for what I need.
SYLVESTER: She shares her knowledge in a blog, moneywisemoms.
LINCICUM: I don't need to buy the largest thing.
SYLVESTER: That brings her additional income.
LINCICUM: For a successful component, you really want to match the coupon to a sale that's in the sales ad or the store. You'll save more money. If you just cut something out and use it that day, you may save $1. But you could save a lot more than that if you go to a store that might double that coupon or if you can apply it to a sale or a store promo.
Let's go shopping.
SYLVESTER: She never buys chicken breast at the usual price of $4.29 a pound. LINCICUM: I know the sale comes up about once a month, so I just wait. We eat chicken until we run out of chicken and then we buy it again for $1.99.
One. SYLVESTER: One, one and the can, all for free.
LINCICUM: Right. So by waiting and holding on to this coupon, I'm getting three items for $2.
SYLVESTER: Stores heavily discount items at certain times of year.
LINCICUM: Here they are.
SYLVESTER: Baking goods before the holidays.
LINCICUM: You can use any of these on sale.
SYLVESTER: Barbecue and salad dressings in the beginning of summer.
LINCICUM: You need to look at the print, not the picture.
SYLVESTER: That's when you stock up.
LINCICUM: My coupon is "save $1 off of two." And they're on sale for a dollar, so I'm going to get them for 50 cents, which is fine. I'm going to us probably the whole thing --
(CROSSTALK)
SYLVESTER: 50 cents for barbecue sauce?
LINCICUM: Hm-mm. That's pretty good.
SYLVESTER: And by the way, she's not just a mom who is really good at this.
LINCICUM: Why would you pay $2-something when you could pay 80 cent?
(voice-over): Before I went to moneywisemoms, I did grant administration at a university.
(on camera): So this is a special deal that --
(voice-over): I had to run budgets of millions of dollars.
(on camera): So in my ad, I saw this. My kids will be happy to see these.
(voice-over): Try to use my business sense and get us on a budget.
(on camera): And since it's under 99 cents, they're going to double the coupon. SYLVESTER: An average family of four spends as much as $1,200 a month for groceries.
LINCICUM: It's $3.33 because it's on sale.
SYLVESTER: Gina says her monthly pill is about $450 to feed five.
LINCICUM: That's our last coupon and we can go to check out.
(voice-over): There's certain a lot of moms and grandmothers who have been doing this for years. It seems like it has trended a little bit more lately that more people are interested in couponing.
(on camera): Do you take competitor coupons here?
UNIDENTIFIED CASHIER: Yes, ma'am, we do.
LINCICUM: Great.
(voice-over): It's certainly gotten cooler.
SYLVESTER: A penny saved is a penny earned.
UNIDENTIFIED CASHIER: Your total savings is $61.16.
SYLVESTER: For Gina, it's been a good day on the job.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: All right, Lisa Sylvester is joining us live from Washington.
So, Lisa, you know, one thing we always asked, because it looks like it's time consuming to go through all of that. What do you need to do? Does it take a lot of time here? How do you get started with this?
SYLVESTER: Well, I'll tell you, about the time consuming -- one of the things Gina says is, if you think about it, people will have multiple trips to the store because they often end up going back because, oh, they forgot that one thing, forgot the milk. So the very first tip she advises people is you want to plan your trip. Even before you leave the house, you want to start with your grocery store insert. This is the advertisement that you get in the mail. It comes in your newspaper about midweek.
Take a look at this. It's not junk mail. It's very important. For instance, at the store I shop at, they have a two-for-one special for giant -- for fresh chicken breast. This is something that we buy every single week. But instead of buying it at the usual price of $4 or so a pound, I can get this on a two-for-one special. That's one of the things she says, is get to know a store very well. You'll know when their specials are coming up. And you will find that often times these specials happen about once every month or so. So you want to buy you enough to carry over essentially for the next month of so. And the last thing is avoid impulse buying. This is not about cutting out coupons you need, you don't need. You want to only focus on the things you need, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. It looks like you learned a lot there.
SYLVESTER: I did.
MALVEAUX: You're probably saving a bit of money, too, I imagine. All right, Lisa, good to see you.
CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Kate Bolduan.
Hey, Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey there, Suzanne. Thank you.