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Reporter Slaps Dem for Conceding; U.S. Mission Attacked in Libya; Shuttle Enterprise to Intrepid Museum; Wisconsin Governor Walker Keeps His Job; NYPD Sued For Surveiling New Jersey Muslims; From Owning to Renting?; Report: Miley Cyrus Engaged; "Enterprise" on Way to Intrepid Museum; Tires Gone Wild

Aired June 06, 2012 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Soledad.

Stories we're watching right now in the NEWSROOM.

Historic win. Wisconsin's Republican governor, the first to survive a recall vote. How will the brawl in the heartland reshape the race for the White House?

Love letters to his victims? What could be damning evidence in the trial of Jerry Sandusky.

Sheryl Crow facing a new health concern. After forgetting the lyrics to some of her songs she reveals she has a benign brain tumor.

And they're one win away from their first Stanley Cup but it's what the L.A. Kings are doing off the ice that has us talking. They're on a crime fighting mission.

Good morning to you. I'm Carol Costello. Thanks for joining us this morning.

The Wisconsin recall is over. Republican Scott Walker wins big. Now who knows. He may be in the running for a new job as Mitt Romney's running mate. But there is still work to be done. Wisconsin is still bitterly split. Case in point, keep your eye on Walker's Democratic challenger Tom Barrett. You saw it there.

One supporter reacted to him conceding before -- before last night's votes were actually counted by slapping him. A reporter with CNN affiliate WISN was up close. He says the Milwaukee mayor seemed stunned by the slap and simply walked away from the woman. She remained, though, scowling because it was Walker's night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R), WISCONSIN: When there have been leaders of courage what has sustained them is there were good and decent people who stood with them shoulder to shoulder and arm to arm. That's what you have done for Wisconsin and for America.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: Ted Rowlands is in Madison, Wisconsin.

Good morning, Ted.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Boy, you see that video of the woman slapping Barrett. That is just a great example of the emotion last night. For the winners it was a great party because those folks supporting Walker put in a lot of work over the last year plus to try to make sure he kept his job.

On the other side, people also dedicated their lives out trying to knock on doors, making calls for the last few weeks trying to get the vote out and they were bitterly disappointed. You saw the woman slapping Barrett in the face because she believed that he was conceding too early. We got a lot of that outside the state capital here where people were upset that the election was called.

They thought it was going to be close and they were expecting a long night and the bitter facts that Walker won and won by seven points, a considerable margin, was really tough to take.

Listen to one individual we talked to outside the state capitol here last night. He actually broke down in tears. He was so upset.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not just disappointed. This is the end of democracy. We just got outspent $34 million to $4 million. This was -- this was the biggest election in America. And I hope you keep me on tonight. Because this hurts us all. Every single one of you out there in the nation, if you're watching, democracy died tonight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROWLANDS: Now, Carol, that individual and a lot of other folks very emotional here and both candidates last night said that one thing that needs to happen is some sort of healing here in Wisconsin because of the bitter divide. Barrett said he wants to work with Walker. Walker is saying that he's going to throw a little party inviting Democrats over for brats and beer.

We'll see if that's enough to change the current situation here. People are very disappointed on one side and very happy on the other. We'll see how it plays out.

COSTELLO: Well, it's a start. Ted Rowlands, reporting live from Madison, Wisconsin.

Overseas now, a U.S. diplomatic office hit in an IED attack. The blast damaged the gates of the office in Benghazi, Libya. The United States says no one was injured.

Nic Robertson is now on the phone from Tripoli.

Nic, who's behind this attack? NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No one has claimed responsibility yet at least according to embassy officials that we've spoken with here. But there is a great deal of concern about this. They're saying that they've asked -- they've asked the Libyan Interior Ministry to provide more security around U.S. embassy facilities in the country and indeed we've heard from security sources here in the capital that actually the city has now gone on -- the capital has gone on a 48-hour heightened security alert.

And they will be providing heightened security around all western embassies inside Tripoli. So there are no indications but there are -- there are a number of Islamic groups in that area around Benghazi. Indeed there is one camp being run by an al Qaeda leader, sent here by al Qaeda, to set up a camp in Libya.

I'm told by government officials that it is a camp that the government here is watching, but they're not in a position to close it down right now. They are aware of this camp. So it could be any number of different groups in that -- in the east of the country -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Nic Robertson reporting live for us from Libya this morning.

Now let's turn to the Jerry Sandusky trial. A lawyer for one of the alleged victims says the former Penn State football coach sent notes to the boy. ABC News is describing them as love letters and says they will be read into testimony.

Susan Candiotti is outside the courthouse in Pennsylvania.

Susan, what do we know about these letters?

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, I can tell you we're being told about both notes and letters. Notes that include birthday cards. A letter, according to our source, letters that are very likely to be or expected to be entered into evidence. Now ABC is describing these as love letters.

We can also tell you, Carol, about gifts. According to our sources, it is possible that prosecutors will introduce into evidence gifts allegedly given by Jerry Sandusky to the same accuser, accuser number four. Gifts that include golf clubs and football jerseys. Some of these gifts were talked about in the grand jury's report. And it's entirely possible that these will be entered into evidence by the prosecution to again talk about the relationship between Sandusky and the alleged victims in this case.

COSTELLO: Let's turn now to seating a jury. Have all the jurors been chosen?

CANDIOTTI: No, nine of them have been. And with just incredible lightning speed. That's what a lot of observers are saying. Certainly everyone, I think, is surprised at how quickly this process has been going along. That means seven are left to be -- chosen including the alternates and a lot of people are expecting that they could be matching the pace of yesterday and that an entire panel could very well be seated by the end of today.

COSTELLO: Susan Candiotti reporting live for us from Pennsylvania this morning.

L.A. sports fans have embraced the improbable postseason run of their hockey team now on the brink of winning the Stanley Cup. The Kings are giving back to the community in a rare move for a sports franchise. The Kings have contributed $50,000 to a reward fund to find the gunman who killed a 1-year-old baby. The contribution was announced as team owners launched their 2,000 Acts of Hope charitable initiative.

And just a few hours from now, the murder case against former Illinois cop Drew Peterson heads back to court. Lawyers will argue motions over the central charge that Peterson murdered his third wife. Her death was originally ruled an accidental drowning. That trial is expected to begin next month.

Peterson also became the focus of a police investigation after his fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, disappeared in 2007.

The woman who signed off on JPMorgan's risky investments is back under the microscope today. You may remember Ina Drew, the former chief investment officer at the nation's largest bank. She made more than $15 million in 2010 at JPMorgan Chase but she lost her job last month. She officially retired after her department lost $2 billion, but now she's in line to receive a settlement package worth nearly $15 million.

Lawmakers are demanding answers. In the next hour, a banking regulator testifies on whether her pay should be, quote, "clawed back." The stunning news of the bank's losses has revived talk of financial reform on Capitol Hill.

It is moving day for the space shuttle Enterprise. The the prototype that launched the shuttle program is on a barge and just bout an hour from making its final, final, final voyage. It will pull away out of barge from the New Jersey shoreline, trespassed the Statue of Liberty, and heads for its new home, the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.

Alina Cho is following its track in New Jersey. It doesn't seem to be moving yet, Alina.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No.

(LAUGHTER)

CHO: Not yet as you can see behind me, Carol. It's still stationary. Good morning. And I think it's safe to say that this shuttle now has been where no other shuttle has been before. Jersey City, New Jersey. That's where we are. Here at Week's Marine. And what a gorgeous sight behind me. Take a look., 57,000 pounds of shuttle. You're looking at the Enterprise behind me, it's sitting atop a barge and later, as you mentioned, it will move along the water to its final resting place. The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum on the west side of Manhattan.

Now here's how it will play out. Starting at about 10:15 a.m. Eastern Time, about hour from now, Enterprise will leave jersey city and this port. It will go by tug boat. It will pulled out of the north. It will travel north past the Statue of Liberty, at about 10:50 a.m. Then it'll move past the World Trade Center sight at 11:40 a.m. Eastern Time. And then it will finally reach the Intrepid at about 12:30 p,m. Eastern Time, that's if all goes as planned.

It's about a 7.4 mile trip but it's obviously going to move slowly up the water, and it'll take about two hours to get there. Once it reaches the Intrepid, it will be hoisted on to the flight deck with a crane, which is right there behind me on the barge. That whole process will take about three hours then Enterprise will remain on the flight deck, eventually with a protective cover and it will open to the public on July 19th.

I understand it's about $3 a ticket. Eventually there will be a permanent home built for Enterprise but that is going to take millions of dollars and lot of time. It's meant to be offsite so off the Intrepid but no date on when that will start and when will -- when that will happen.

Now if you've been following Enterprise's trek, if you will, it all began in late April when it landed in dramatic fashion at JFK Airport atop a 747 jet. Who could forget that sight. It stayed there until this past Sunday when it made the trip from JFK here to the Wake's Marine, and along the way, Carol, the wind picked up just the wrong time and Enterprise scrapes the wooden pilings of a rail bridge and it suffered a little bit of minor cosmetic damage.

I know, if you can believe it. But we have been told that the restoration has already been done including the paint and the shuttle is as good as new and ready to make its final trip.

COSTELLO: Alina Cho, we'll get back to you so we can follow its voyage to the museum. Thanks so much, Alina.

If you missed Venus's big moment in the spotlight, no worries, you can catch it again in the year 2117. Just kidding. Scientists and amateur astronomers across the world took plenty of pictures, though. It took six hours and 40 minutes for Venus to transit across the sun. A perfectly round dot blocking out a tiny speck of the sun's light gives you a rare perspective on just how huge the sun is. Venus represents about a tenth of 1 percent of the sun's surface. Wow.

And hopefully we will not ever see this again. Look at that picture. What's wrong here? We'll tell you how the mother driving this car explained it all to a police officer.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Fifteen minutes past the hour.

Checking our top stories now.

It was a big win for Republicans and a huge loss for unions and the Democrats. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, who stripped bargaining rights of public employees, survived Tuesday's recall election. He defeated Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett by seven percentage points.

Many believe the contest is a preview of the presidential race.

In Pennsylvania, stunning developments in the Jerry Sandusky child rape trial. A lawyer for one of the alleged victims says the former assistant football coach sent notes to the boy. ABC News is describing them as love letters and said they will be read into testimony.

We've got new numbers on how our state economy is doing based on the gross domestic product. North Dakota fared the best last year, benefiting from a boom in oil drilling. It led with economic expansion of nearly 8 percent. Rounding out top five were Oregon, West Virginia, Texas and Alaska.

In sports, the Boston Celtics are one win away from winning the eastern conference and reaching the NBA finals. LeBron James and Miami Heat are on the brink of elimination after losing at home last night, 94-90. Game six tomorrow in Boston.

Unbelievable. That's the Facebook posting that went with this photo posted by an officer with a Colorado Department of Transportation. It was part of a plea to remind everyone about the proper use of child safety seats. You certainly don't strap your gas can in.

The mother was pulled over as part of a routine traffic stop near Denver. The mom said the child didn't always want to stay strapped in the seat, so she put the gas can in there instead. Police did cite the mother for seat belt and car seat violations.

We're going in depth on the recall election in Wisconsin. It's a done deal. Now, we'll see how or if it affects the rest of the country.

Reince Priebus is grinning ear to ear this morning. He's head of the Republican National Committee, a Wisconsinite, and a big supporter of Governor Scott Walker. Did you get any sleep at all last night?

REINCE PRIEBUS, RNC CHAIRMAN: I got a couple hours. We're excited.

A big night for everybody involved. But I really think it's a big night for this country. So, we're excited.

COSTELLO: How big is it?

PRIEBUS: Well, I mean, I happen to think that it kind of shifts a narrative that's been out there that's been very frustrating and I hope that we finally now put to rest which is this idea that Democrats have a great ground operation out there. We've got a better operation. We've proven it over and over again over the last couple years in Wisconsin and our intention at the RNC is to do what we did in Wisconsin all over America.

It still is a voter to voter game. And that's what matters the most. And so, I think what we're doing in Wisconsin is that we're just proportionately doing better than the Democrats in turning out our vote. And so, that's why we think Mitt Romney can win Wisconsin in November.

COSTELLO: Well, look at these numbers and I want you to explain this in light of what you just said. The exit polling shows Wisconsin voters prefer President Obama over Mitt Romney. Most also think Mr. Obama is a better choice to fix the economy.

So doesn't that suggest this was more of a local Wisconsin issue and not so much representative of like a national trend?

PRIEBUS: Well, I think you can -- let's assume polls are accurate and we don't want to -- let's forget about arguing about exit polls. So, OK, let's assume that is accurate. What you're not seeing in that polling, though, is how people are going to feel about this president in two and three months. I mean, this was is the Democrats opportunity in Wisconsin to tell the world, wait a second, this is a Democrat state. This whole thing is an anomaly and we're going to turn Wisconsin blue as it should be.

But what the reality is, is that this president disappointed his Democratic activists. The president is going to come back to Wisconsin and say, hey, help me out. These Democrats are going to say back to the president, you know, thanks a lot, pal. You weren't there for us.

Now, what we have to do is disproportionately do better than the Democrats in places like Wisconsin on the ground. That's what we did.

In light of that, should Mitt Romney have visited Wisconsin? I mean, in retrospect would that have been a good idea for Mitt Romney to go to Wisconsin?

PRIEBUS: Well, that's one of the benefits of having this -- you know, I know a lot of people thought our primary was too long. But one of the benefits was Romney basically lived in Wisconsin for a week and the voters got to know him really well and they like what they saw.

Now keep in mind, too, two years ago -- four years ago Barack Obama won Wisconsin by 14 points. We won last night by seven. These exit polls I think that you were showing, I think it was six or seven spread they were showing. That's a big swing. That's not too much for us to overcome in Wisconsin.

People are energized there. I think the Democrats are just totally deflated.

COSTELLO: We had some sound from Democrats who were absolutely definitely deflated. They were talking though about all of the money that Republicans poured into this race in Wisconsin from outside of the state, $45 million for Mr. Walker compared to $18 million for the Democrats.

So, in the end, did money win or was it Scott Walker's ideas?

PRIEBUS: It was Scott Walker's freedom and liberty and idea that we can't get gobbled up. You know, the idea of freedom and liberty can't get gobbled up by public employee unions. And I think that's important. I mean, government has to stop growing out of control.

And I would also tell you that I think that what you're seeing in Wisconsin is what you're going to see across America. It's not the outside money. I mean, these public employee unions, who knows how much they poured in. They don't disclose half of it. So, we really don't know.

But reality is that we made over 4 million voter to voter phone calls in Wisconsin.

COSTELLO: But outside Republican groups put a lot more money into Wisconsin than Democratic groups did.

PRIEBUS: OK, let's assume that that's true. I actually am not trying to be cute here. I do think that the public unions poured in a lot of money that you don't see yet. But let's just assume that's true.

What's also true, though, is that the Democrats were bragging and DNC was bragging that they made a million phone calls. We made over 4 million phone calls. We made a half million door knocks in Wisconsin over the last month. Our ground game is just better than theirs and we're going to make sure that it's better than ground game and in all battleground states across America.

COSTELLO: Reince Priebus, thanks so much for joining us this morning. I know you must be really tired.

PRIEBUS: I am. Thank you, Carol.

COSTELLO: A new political movement called Rock the Slut Vote. They are not prostitutes but willing to use that word to get you to vote. That's the subject of today's talk back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Now is your chance to talk back on one of the stories of the day. The question for you this morning: does political shock talk really work? Slut, such an ugly word, unless you say it a lot and I mean a lot. At least that's the theory.

Thanks to Rush Limbaugh, the word has been used a lot recently. I'm sure you remember when the radio host used it to slam Sandra Fluke for wanting to use insurance funds to pay for contraception.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: What does it say that a college coed Susan Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex? What does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: So, today, there is a new way to combat Limbaugh's comments. So, Web site waronwomen.com has come up with Rock the Slut Vote.

Kimberly Johnson is the spokesman for the site and says it's all about getting people's attention and getting women to the voting booths. If people are offended, so be it.

As Johnson says, quote, "You are not going to call us a slut. If Sandra Fluke is a slut, then we are too."

Rock the Slut Vote is using humor to prove a point. It's been done before. Others have used humor to increase breast cancer awareness. There's the boobyball charity drive and the I love booby bracelet. Some find booby fund-raising campaigns offensive, for turning a life and death issue into a cosmetic one.

Still, does using an offensive term for a cause work?

Rock the Slut Vote says it's getting up to thousands of new fans a day on Facebook and it's Web site. So the question for you this morning: does political shock talk really work?

Facebook.com/CarolCNN, Facebook.com/CarolCNN, I'll read your comments later this hour.

New Jersey clears the NYPD of wrongdoing for a controversial program that allegedly spied on Muslims, but the Muslim community is continuing its fight. It's filed a lawsuit. I'll talk to the people hoping to make their case in court.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Thirty minutes past the hour. Good morning to you. I'm Carol Costello.

Stories we're watching right now in the NEWSROOM.

You hear it there. The opening bell on Wall Street kicked off trading on Wall Street today. Stocks slightly higher this morning. Investors boosted by some upbeat economic figures out of Europe. Ringing the bell today, the Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute team. Just in case you're curious.

Governor Scott Walker is celebrating victory in Wisconsin. The Republican defeated his Democratic challenger, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, in the state's recall election. Walker becomes the first U.S. governor to survive a recall.

California's Proposition 8 which bans same-sex marriage could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court. The federal appeals court has decided not to revisit a ruling that declared Prop 8 unconstitutional. The parties in the case have 90 days to appeal to the high court. For now the stay on same-sex marriage in California will remain in effect.

New York City police did not violate New Jersey state laws when they carried out surveillance programs of Muslim-owned businesses, mosques and university student groups. That's what the New Jersey attorney general's office decided after a three-month investigation.

And that's not exactly making New Jersey's Muslim community happy. They are angry and are now filing a lawsuit.

In case you don't remember, the "A.P." reported New York City police infiltrating student groups at universities, taking photos of Muslim residences and mosque -- despite the fact none of those groups or people appeared to be involved in any terrorist activities. But as I said, New Jersey authorities found new evidence New York City police did anything wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Joining me now: Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, the group's filing today lawsuit. Imam Deen Shareef of the council of imams in New Jersey, the group that says two of its 24 mosques were surveilled as part of NYPD program.

So, I'll start with you, Farhana. What are you asking for in this suit?

FARHANA KHERA, MUSLIM ADVOCATES: It's really very simple. The reason I'm proud to be an American, what makes America great, is that we don't treat each other differently based on how someone looks or how someone prays. You know, the Constitution guarantees that every American can be treated equally under the law. And we expect government officials to do the same.

And here the NYPD failed to do so. So, what we're seeking in this lawsuit is that the court find that the NYPD's discriminatory surveillance program be struck down as unconstitutional and unlawful.

We're also asking the court to basically order that the records that were created by the New York Police Department be destroyed so that the victims of this program, the innocent Americans who were going about their daily lives can have some peace of mind that these files that were created about them will no longer exist.

COSTELLO: New Jersey, the attorney general there, did this investigation of the NYPD. They found the NYPD did nothing wrong. I was just curious, Imam, did you meet with New Jersey's attorney general?

IMAM DEEN SHAREEF, LEADER, WARIS CULTURAL CENTER: Yes, we did. He did make that statement.

COSTELLO: What did he tell you?

SHAREEF: He indicated that the NYPD did not break any New Jersey laws. However, as Farhana pointed out, we believe that the actions that were done by the New York Police Department actually violated the Constitution itself, in terms of our ability to practice our religion in the United States.

There was no indication of any provocation by any of the mosques that were surveilled. There is no indication that there was an intention to uncover any criminal activity that was being conducted by any of those mosques. So, we're very concerned about what was the motivation and ultimately what will take place as a result of the report that was released by the "Associated Press" in terms of affect and impact that it has upon all of the participants and members of those mosques, as well as the Muslim community in general.

COSTELLO: According to New Jersey investigators, there was no wiretapping no illegal surveillance, no illegal search and seizure, but they used -- the NYPD I'm talking about -- they used legal methods to stop terrorism.

As far as we know, other groups are being watched in similar ways. So if that stops a homegrown terrorist from striking, some might say, Farhana, that it's worth it.

KHERA: So, you know, two things, Carol. First of all, all Americans, including American-Muslims, care deeply about our safety and security. And so, we want law enforcement to basically bring those bad actors, those criminals who want to do harm and to stop in the tracks.

The problem here, though, is that NYPD's program targeted beyond those who might be engaged in criminal activity. It targeted innocent Americans and targeted them simply based on their religious identity. That's just -- we believe and another reason we think this lawsuit is so historic and unprecedented is that it challenges law enforcement surveillance program that is specifically designed to target people based on religious identity.

And that's why we believe it's unlawful and why it needs to stop.

COSTELLO: Farhana Khera and Imam Deen Shareef -- thank you so much for joining us this morning.

SHAREEF: Thank you.

KHERA: Thanks for having us.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: Homeowner, a title most Americans want -- or is it? A look at the changing face of the American Dream.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Owning your own home used to be the definition of success. But the American Dream seems to be changing and in a big way.

Alison Kosik is at the New York Stock Exchange and I think I know why.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You know, we're just kind of tweaking the American Dream a little bit. You know what many Americans are doing now, Carol? They're looking at their finances and they're saying, you know what? Let's go ahead and rent instead of buy.

But the interesting thing with this is not those single people who usually do this. It's mostly families with kids who are flooding into these properties because these are families who are hit by foreclosure who lost their homes. So, it's no surprise that home ownership rate is at a 15-year low at this point.

Just over 65 percent of Americans are homeowners. The number of people who have been buying homes has actually been falling since the housing bust.

But here's the problem with this -- renters wind up heading into neighborhoods where actual owners live and a rented house can weigh on property values since in most cases, Carol, renters usually don't, you know, put as much work into the house and say they're not going to be there forever -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Oh, I know. OK, so the surge in rentals may not be good for property values. But it's been great for other areas, right?

KOSIK: Right. You know, they may be renting but they are also consumers. If they're not paying a mortgage, you know, they may have more money to spend and invest. That creates that kind of domino effect. You see how it helps financial services firms.

And often times because people are downsizing, they need storage space to hold stuff from their former homes. Home improvement and furniture businesses, they also benefit from this, and for the neighborhoods, a rented home is better than one that's vacant, just sitting there.

One more bit of good news here, the expectation is that a large majority of these renters will one day own again because they are able to sock away a little more money for that downpayment -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Alison Kosik at the New York Stock Exchange.

Miley Cyrus off the market sporting 3.5 carats to prove it. We've got the scoop on her engagement.

(BEGIN VDIEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Science is something cool. To tell you the truth, science is cooler that just about anything else in the world. Getting to go in for your job every day and blow things up -- what kid wouldn't want that?

It's an incredible, exciting thing to do. You have this license to pursue problems that you've always thought about and do things that are really cool that no other career path offers you.

If you look at this country and what we've accomplished in the last 100 years, it all comes down to science.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Just about 45 minutes past the hour. Checking our top stories now:

Republicans are celebrating Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's win in a recall election. Labor unions and Democrats mounted a massive effort to kick him out of office for limiting bargaining rights of public employees. He defeated Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett by seven percentage points.

In sports, horse racing's Triple Crown may be in jeopardy. Workers at Belmont Park threatened to go on strike just days before the Belmont Stakes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Just about 45 minutes past the hour. Checking our "Top Stories" now, Republicans are celebrating Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's win in a recall election. Labor unions and Democrats mounted a massive effort to kick him out of office for limiting bargaining rights of public employees. He defeated Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett by seven percentage points.

In sports horse racing's Triple Crown may be in jeopardy. Workers at Belmont Park have threatened to go on strike just days before the Belmont stakes. The union and the New York Racing Association have been arguing over wages and health care since 2010. The horse "I'll Have Another" is set to race on Saturday in the hopes of winning the Triple Crown for the first time since 1978.

This video explains why you always want to buckle up. It's taken from inside an Indiana school bus. Watch what happens during a bumpy turn when the driver is launched from his seat. You see him there. He tries to hang onto the wheel but he just couldn't do it. No kids were on the bus. It crashed through a fence and hit some trees before running into a garage. The driver was ok.

They met -- cute -- on a movie set, broke up and then they got back together again. Now Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth are planning to tie the knot.

"SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" host A.J. Hammer is here. Oh they are so young.

A.J. HAMMER, HLN HOST, "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": They are so young, Carol. But it looks like it's the real deal here. After three years of dating, "People" magazine is reporting that 19-year-old Miley and 22-year-old Liam are in fact engaged. They did meet while filming "The Last Song" back in 2009. And Hemsworth reportedly proposed about week ago on the 31st with a three and a half carat diamond ring. Now we reached out for a comment from the happy couple; haven't heard back from the rep.

But we can look at Miley's Twitter page and back on June 1st she tweeted "Heaven is a place on earth". And assuming she wasn't just listening, you know, to the old Belinda Carlyle song she did seem pretty happy.

And then there was this romantic tweet I picked up earlier today. Where she said, "I love you more today than yesterday but I love you less today than I will tomorrow". And yes, Carol, critics will be attacking the young couple because of their ages but for now, let's all just be romantic and let them enjoy their moment, shall we?

COSTELLO: Young love is beautiful. Then it gets worse. No I'm just kidding.

Let's talk about the Miss USA Pageant because supposedly it was fixed.

HAMMER: Well, that is what one contestant may be claiming. It's going to be very interesting to see how this story plays out. We're talking about Miss Pennsylvania who is 27 year old Sheena Monnin. She has given up her title voluntarily and depending on who you believe she quit either because she believes the contest was rigged or because the rules of the contest now allows transgender contestants.

She did pose a statement on her Facebook page and she said, "I can no longer be affiliated in any way with an organization I consider to be fraudulent, lacking in morals, inconsistent and in many ways trashy."

COSTELLO: Wow.

HAMMER: Now she claims that the contest is fixed and that another contestant saw a list of the top five finishers before the final competition even happened. Well, we all know the Miss USA organization is headed by Donald Trump. And of course, they're firing back saying that she told them she resigned because she didn't want to participate in the contest with transgender individuals.

Now Trump himself has been speaking out publicly and threatening to sue Monnin -- a big surprise there. He says this is just a case of sour grapes and in his usual style Carol he made a point of -- pointing out that he didn't think she even had a chance of finishing in the top 15 of the contest.

So "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" will be following this very closely. When Donald Trump is involved you know it's just going to get out.

(CROSSTALK)

COSTELLO: Wouldn't it be great if she ended up on "The Apprentice."

HAMMER: Yes. I doubt that's happening but it would certainly make for good TV.

COSTELLO: It would. A.J. Hammer thank you.

HAMMER: You got it.

COSTELLO: A.J. will be back with us in the next hour with more "Showbiz Headlines". We'll tell you how you can own a piece of the HBO series "Game of Thrones."

A bump in the road that's how Sheryl Crow describes the stunning announcement she has a benign brain tumor. Dr. Sanjay Gupta talked to her about how doctors found the tumor several months ago. She says she does not need surgery but will have periodic scans to monitor the tumor's growth. Crow as you may remember is also a breast cancer survivor.

Don't forget your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the stories of the day. Today's question, "Does political 'shock talk' really work?" Your responses next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: All right. This just in: the shuttle "Enterprise" has left the station. It was on this big barge on the New Jersey shoreline.

Alina Cho is there, too. It's moving very slowly, but it is moving, right?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is moving, Carol. It was quite a shock, actually. It wasn't supposed to leave the Marine here in Jersey City until about 10:15 a.m. at 9:45, suddenly we saw the barge moving and thought (AUDIO GAP) notify you there in Atlanta.

But it is on its way to the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum. It appears now it'll arrive there at about noontime. But along the way, it'll -- it'll pass by some landmarks.

(AUDIO GAP)

COSTELLO: Oh, Alina's going in and out, so -- but isn't that a beautiful picture? It'll go past the Statue of Liberty. That's what Alina was going to say on its way to the space museum there which is located on the water. Oh it's just gorgeous, isn't it? I never get tired of looking at that thing. We've looked at that a lot in the past few months.

As the shuttle makes its way to the museum, we'll check back on its progress just to show you this beautiful picture.

Ok. We asked you to "Talk Back" on one of the stories of the day. The question for you this morning "Does political 'shock talk' really work?" This from Lissa, "If this is 'shock talk', then people are offended too easily."

From Amanda, "I hadn't heard of the site but now that -- I've been made aware of it, I'll be following the cause. If it wasn't for the so-called shock factor, it wouldn't have made news and I wouldn't have known about it."

This from Sue. "No matter how often the word 'slut' is used, the edges never wears off."

The from Jeff, "Shock is an opiate for the weak minded, it replaces critical thinking."

And this from Robert, "I would say the fact we're even talking about it means, that yes, shock politics is successful."

Keep the conversation going. Facebook.com/CarolCNN. More of your comments in the next hour of NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Last night's Celtics-Heat battle with a game of runs. Boston had more and won. The Heat jumped out to a 24-13 first quarter lead but Boston pulls to within two at halftime. Celtics went on a 15-1 spurt at the end of the third then outscored Miami 22-12 at the end of the game.

Paul Pierce had the dagger for the Celtics. You'll see him here. He hits the three-pointer over Lebron James with less than a minute to play. Celtics win 94-90. They lead the series three games to two. They could move on to the NBA finals with a win at home tomorrow night.

To the ballpark now, the Detroit Tigers' Gerald Laird hit that high chopper. The Indian shortstop, Asdrubal Cabrera, look at there, he bare hands the ball, tosses to second for the force-out. The ninth-inning play was a big one. Cabrera also had his bat working in the game. I love this play. Look at that. I'll just pause.

I'm a Tigers fan, too, so wow. Indians hold on to beat the Tigers 4-2. I don't know what's wrong with the Tigers. Maybe you all can explain it to me.

Finally, an Ohio high school runner shows what sportsmanship is all about. Meghan Vogel won the state championship in the 1,600 meters but then topped that in the next race. Vogel helped a fallen competitor, see her there? Cross the finish line. In doing so, Vogel actually finished last in the race, but that did not matter to her.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MEGHAN VOGEL, ATHLETE: I just didn't think twice about it. I knew I was going to pick her up and help her out. If you work to get to the point of the state meet, you deserve to finish, no matter who you are. I was going to make that happen for her no matter what. Distance runners kind of have this camaraderie that they build. You've been running against each other for I mean sometimes six years and you just kind of get this relationship with them and you become a family.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: You're just awesome.

That's a look at sports this morning.

Have you heard this one. A runaway tire slams into a hotel room. It was a close call. And the latest in a series of tires gone wild. CNN's Jeanne Moos explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We never tire of watching runaway tires, whether it be a bus tire on the loose or a car tire that almost takes out a guy preoccupied with his phone who belatedly runs for his life after the tire shattered a window and bounced around a computer repair shop.

But this truck driver has lost tires.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, they blow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. Oh, it blew.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

MOOS: Puts the freak in freak accident. William Harvey lost his tire on Interstate 75 in Ocala, Florida. The tire went of the overpass onto another highway below, smashing this car. The driver was badly shaken up but escaped major injuries.

Meanwhile, the escaped tire kept rolling to a nearby Ramada Inn, where it barged in a partially open door to a conference room where Bob Hurst was just heading for the refreshment table for some cookies.

BOB HURST, HOTEL VISITOR: All of a sudden one of members said, look out. And right at that point, something large and black came right by my side and scratched against my leg, messed up my pants.

MOOS: The refreshments were pretty much obliterated. In the immortal words of "Tire Review", "Runaway truck tire checks into a hotel conference room".

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning. Thank you for calling Ramada Inn.

MOOS: Hi, could I make a reservation for a runaway truck tire?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One moment.

MOOS: It was a steamy stay for this truck tire.

HURST: The tire flipped over. It was just smoking like crazy.

MOOS: But if you want to know what a smoking hot tire looks like, check out the one that came bouncing into a car dealership and crashed into a parked car. This woman has an appliance store in Las Vegas, had a close encounter with a tire gone wild.

Now, imagine you're trying to change a tire when a runaway tire comes whizzing by. That's what happened on this bridge in Bay town, Texas, as a motorist changed a flat, a 200-pound wheel almost took out the officer. It scuffed his gun, ripped his holster --