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Jackson Family Feud; The Heat Is On; Piers Morgan Interviews Romney; Package Sent By Alleged Shooter; Syrian Troops, Rebels Brace For Fight; Olympic Torch Travels London

Aired July 26, 2012 - 13:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, again, I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Suzanne Malveaux. This hour in the CNN NEWSROOM, we are focusing on the Olympics, politics and the fight for Michael Jackson's children. Let's get straight to it. The booby traps are gone and residents have returned to the apartment building where the movie theater shooting suspect James Holmes lived. This is the first time they've been allowed back since the building was evacuated almost a week ago. Authorities say Holmes booby trapped -- Holmes, rather, booby trapped his apartment with 30 homemade grenades and 10 gallons gasoline.

Also, there are reports that a letter was found inside of a package apparently sent by Holmes. According to the CBS News, the letter talked about shooting people. The package was discovered in the mailroom at the University of Colorado.

In Syria, the city of Aleppo is bracing itself for major all out offensive on a rebel stronghold. These pictures report to show government tanks, security forces and armored vehicles roaming the streets. Clashes through the country today have left 91 people dead with 19 of those in Aleppo.

And then, there is lots of excitement as you watch the torch there going through its last route of London. The Golden Torch making its victory lap, so to speak. You are looking here at the Millennium Bridge. It's one of the iconic sites where the flame is being carried. The torchbearers took a pass through Trafalgar Square a short time ago and then right now it is somewhere in between the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street, you just saw that live moments ago. And then stopped at Big Ben and then a royal welcome at Buckingham Palace there.

All right, Mitt Romney does some damage control after his remarks about the London Olympics setting off a little bit of a firestone -- firestorm rather. Romney is on his first trip overseas as part of his presidential campaign. Well today, he met with top British officials, including prime minister David Cameron. But it's Romney's comments questioning whether London is ready for the Olympics that is creating quite the buzz right now. Here is what he said in an NBC interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, it is hard to know just how well it will turn out. There are a few things that were disconcerting, the stories about the private security firm not having enough people. The supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And just a short time ago, Romney downplayed his earlier comment, he had high parade instead for the London Olympic organizers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROMNEY: My experience as an Olympic organizer is that there are always a very few small things that end up not going quite right in the first day or so, those get ironed out, and then when the games themselves begin and the athletes take over, all the mistakes that the organizing committee, and I made a few, all of those are overwhelmed by the many things that the athletes carry out that capture the spirit of the games.

I also applaud the work of the organizing committee in bringing the Olympic experience right into the heart of London to look out of the back side of 10 Downing Street and see a venue having been constructed, knowing that athletes will be carrying out their competition almost in the backyard of the prime minister. It's really quite an accomplishment on the part of those who wanted to make sure that the Olympics was not something held far off where the people could not enjoy it, but instead the Olympics would be held right in London itself.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Meantime, that torch does continue to make its round there in front of Londoners there, Big Ben -- Big Ben in the background. And from here, we understand that the torch right now is being carried by a 60-something-year-old gentlemen, don't know more about him. But this torch will then make its way down that park, and that route toward Buckingham Palace. All this one day before the official start of the Olympic games at opening ceremonies tomorrow.

All right, controversy aside, the focus is on the games. There was tremendous excitement about the U.S. Olympic swim team, in particular. And they held a news conference just a short time ago. Olympic Missy Franklin said her heart is with the massacre victims in Colorado.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MISSY FRANKLIN, OLYMPICS, USA: I saw CNN tweeted it out, and clicked on the link and read about it and was absolutely horrified. I texted my mom right away, and she was up, even though it was like 3:00 a.m. there. And I told her, and she immediately got on the news and was sending me constant updates. But it was absolutely horrible. It was just so senseless and you are to wonder why these things happen in the world. But unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about it, I wish there was, but, right now, all I can do is do what I can here and swim my heart out and hopefully make my state proud and give a little bit of fun for this really tough summer that Colorado has had.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. Missy's heart there at home, but, at the same time, now focusing on the games and the races ahead. Zain Verjee now joining us right outside of the Olympic venue there. So, Zain, you know, Missy Franklin, like so many Americans, expressing how much, you know, her heart hurts for what happened in that shooting. But, at the same time, is it in any way a distraction to her or any of the other swim team members as they focus on the races?

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It would definitely be on her mind. And because it was such a globally horrifying story, that is something that the members of the swim team and the U.S. would have on their minds. But what they are trying to do right now, Fred, is to just focus themselves, because this is about winning. It's about the spirit of the Olympics as well. But they want to make sure that they are focused. Now, you know the answer to this question, Fred. Which American athlete has won the most gold medals ever in the history of the Olympics -- in the history of the Olympics?

WHITFIELD: So far, Michael Phelps who's going to --

VERJEE: Michael Phelps, --

WHITFIELD -- hopefully repeat some of that, right?

VERJEE: -- all right.

WHITFIELD: OK.

VERJEE: Right. Well done, right? I was a little worried there but well done. OK. So, he got eight in Beijing. And just a short while ago, he was right behind me there at the Aquatic Center and what he basically said was that he was really looking forward to the Olympics. It's going to be his last time. He was saving his emotional energy just to focus on winning gold again. But he said he's really trying not to think, oh, this will be the last time I will be doing this or the last time I'll be doing that. But he said, it is going to be something that he just wants to enjoy.

And by the way, one little hiccup that has been going on over at the Aquatic Center is that there are people that have bought ticket tickets, and really expensive ones by the way, so they can sit at the top and watch the divers go down and do all of their fabulous stuff. But it's been built so high, Fredricka, that they won't be able -- some of them won't be able to see the divers, --

WHITFIELD: What?

VERJEE: -- but they -- jumping off of the platform, but they can see them when they make the splash. So, that's something that's being addressed.

WHITFIELD: The splash is really important because we know a good part of that judging, you know, -- VERJEE: Yes.

WHITFIELD: -- it is based on the splash. But people are spending $300, $1,000 and more for some of that ticketing, even when it's in the so-called nosebleed but they still expect to see the whole thing. So, they're going to be a little disappointed.

VERJEE: Right. Right, yes. They're going to be very disappointed but I'm sure there's going to be some way to try to work something out, you know, because it's a little -- that's a little embarrassing. But tickets are really bought by so many people, the excitement in London is really building up. Central London packed because of traffic, and, you know, I think we've gotten over the complaining stage, because the games are just a day away.

WHITFIELD: Yes, it's all very exciting, I think, as Richard Quest put it earlier, no whining please. No wine with that cheese and no cheese either.

VERJEE: A different kind of wining and dining.

WHITFIELD: That's right, that's what the pubs are for, right?

VERJEE: It's about time, actually.

WHITFIELD: OK. I thought it was almost tea time, but, no, OK, on to more serious stuff. Thanks Zain, I appreciate it.

All right, let's go back to what's happening place -- downtown in London. I guess all of it is really downtown. Our Becky Anderson is there where you're closest to where the torch is right now. We're kind of looking at an aerial or bird's-eye view of the torch. Where are we?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN : It's an absolute scrum around here, let me tell you. I am trying some crowd control. Well, we've come to -- the torch has just come past what is one of London's most iconic landmarks. And if Alex just pulls away there, you can see that's Big Ben. Tony Page just running through with a charity worker, 68 years old, one of the 173 torchbearers today. He's handing off to Florence Row, I'm told, who is 81, was here in London as an 18-year-old during the austerity games in 1948. And we have been told that Ban Ki-moon potentially picking up the torch and running a short distance just over to my left-hand side in a few minutes' time. It's gone 8,000 miles across the U.K.. This is day 69. We are nearly, nearly there.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness. OK. So then, when it makes its way through that beautiful, you know, park and roadway to get to Buckingham Palace, what happens once it gets to Buckingham Palace?

ANDERSON: Well, what happens next is it's going around here, it's going to go through Buckingham Palace where you're going to see the duke and duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. They're not actually involved, they're just going to be overseeing two torchbearers swapping over, and then that will then go on to Hyde Park. There's a huge concert there this evening and the Calderon there will be lit. And that's it for the time being. Tomorrow morning, the torch leaves Hampton Court, one of the royal palaces, and up on the Glorian. And if you watched the jubilee celebration, it was a beautiful barge n the rain, but it is a beautiful barge and it set off up on the river. We are hoping for a much, much better day. The forecast is fantastic for tomorrow.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yes.

ANDERSON: Our torch will the make its way up the river to the Olympic park. And that, of course, is where it will be lit. We haven't been told, yet, by whom. The security, by the way, here is unbelievable. You may be able to hear the helicopters overhead.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

ANDERSON: That may, of course, be because Romney is in town as well.

WHITFIELD: And also, I think some of those helicopters have cameras on board and they are taking that picture right of Ban Ki- moon, we understand that is the secretary general who is indeed holding the torch right now doing a little race walking as it makes its way throughout London. Fantastic view, thanks so much. Becky, appreciate that.

All right, here is what else we are working on for this hour.

(voice-over): She is back home and says she is doing fine, but Catherine Jackson no longer has custody of her son, Michael Jackson's, children. We will hear from her ahead.

Plus, a plane literally gets stuck on a runway, a train comes off the track, and roads across the U.S. are cracking. What's causing it all? The heat.

And the other mother, they care for kids and love them and spend all day with them. We are talking about the nannies.

I watched my baby fall in love with another woman, and it was an incredibly powerful experience.

They are a big part of the kids' lives, but are often cut out of the family picture.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Another bird's-eye view of the Olympic torch. Believe me, even though you see the trees there, in the trees, really through the weeds there are runners. The latest torchbearer, one of more than 170 now who have carried the torch through London, and really through the entire -- of -- all of U.K., traveling the distance of about 8,000 miles. Well, in this case, it's almost in the final stretch. It's gone by a number of landmarks in London from Trafalgar Square, it's gone past Big Ben, soon to be making its way toward the Buckingham Palace territory. And there, whoever gets a chance to run it or walk it, whatever they choose, with that Olympic torch, they get a chance to see the duke and duchess of Cambridge as well as Prince Harry who will be there at Buckingham Palace. We understand that it will more likely in like in a balcony and give it a wave or two as the torch makes its way before tomorrow, then makes it into the Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony for the official start of the Olympic games. Now you can see a few folks there in that procession of people there. All right, we'll keep an eye on the Olympic torch in London.

All right, it is the family feud in this country with more twists and turns than you can actually count. Katherine Jackson, mother of late pop star Michael Jackson, is back at her California home today. Rumors swirled that she had been kidnapped by her children. But in a prepared statement to ABC News, she denies that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KATHERINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S MOTHER (voice-over): There are rumors going around about me that I've been kidnapped and held against my will. I'm here today to let everybody know that I'm fine and I'm here with my children and my children would never do a thing like that, holding me against my will. It's very stupid for people to think that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, Kareen Wynter joining me now on this from Los Angeles.

Kareen, you know, fill us in on this latest, you know, drama. What's at the root of this? And what provoked Catherine Jackson from providing this kind of statement with her children alongside her?

KAREEM WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fred, so much to tackle. But the big question is, what's taking place right now behind closed doors at Catherine's Calabasas, California, home. Sources close to the family, they tell me that she returned home from Arizona where she was staying on doctor's orders last week to rest, to get away from the stress of the legal wrangling unfolding now over Michael Jackson's estate. Catherine is, by the way, the beneficiary.

And I'm told by those close to her that the sudden departure, it was prompted by a letter that Catherine's children, including Janet and Randy Jackson, fired off to the executors of Michael's estate claiming they've been mismanaging things.

As for this reunion, early this morning it took place a little before 1:00 local time. Well, I was told it was quite emotional. You know, Paris Jackson, her siblings, hadn't seen their grandmother in so long. But a little bit of a drama unfolding, I'm waiting to get the details on, Janet Jackson, who was in Arizona, who actually drove back, they took the nine-hour drive -- made the nine-hour drive with mom, as well as some of her siblings. Well, she showed Catherine Jackson some video -- handheld video of an altercation that took place at Catherine's home on Monday when Janet and some of her brothers tried to show up there to talk to Paris. This incensed Catherine Jackson. Sources say she fired her security team. Also Trent Jackson, her adviser and caretaker on the spot, they refused to leave. They're actually still at the house right now claiming that this is an estate property. We belong here. We're paid by the estate. So there's no telling what's going on behind closed doors as that piece of drama also unfolds.

Fred, a lot of moving parts.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my -- yes. And it seems as though, you know, Paris Jackson is pretty prominent in all of this and she is, you know, quite savvy on, I guess, conveying everything on Twitter. And this is apparently what she most recently said, you know, saying "grandma's here. Thank God." You know, she obviously being very happy that, you know, her mom is back. But I wonder if the family is taking issue with the fact that she is publicizing so much.

WYNTER: Well, that's what they're afraid of. And sources close to the family told me this is the very thing that Michael worked so hard as a dad to keep his kids grounded, to shield them from the spotlight. And look at what's happening here. I mean for the last week, we've seen unprecedented tweets from these children who were protected so heavily, with Paris sounding off, Prince also sending out a tweet saying how he's so hurt, although I'm happy my grandma was returned. After speaking with her, I understand how misguided and how badly lied to she was. And we're hearing so much information.

But inside the Jackson family, what I'm being told is that these children are, in essence, being used as pawns. That really what's at stake here is Michael Jackson's estate. There's lot of money that we're dealing with right now. And that these poor children are being put at the forefront of this and being stripped of their childhood and being put in a very, very terrible position right now.

WHITFIELD: Well, it seems humiliating on so many different levels for a whole lot of members of the family since all of this is so public right now.

WYNTER: Yes.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kareen Wynter, thanks so much.

All right, it will take more than a higher SPF to fix this. Roads buckling, trains derailing. It is hot and you're about to see how bad it's getting on America's infrastructure.

And first, a man who brings walls and ceilings alive. How Scott Snibbe aims for interaction.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SCOTT SNIBBE: The next step for me is towards future life experiences. It's like I'd love one day to be able to make like the 2001 of interactivity. So you can imagine an experience that was like a huge room or even a huge building where you move from floor to floor and in each room there was another narrative experience, part of a story that's told partially through your relationship to other people, and also through your relationships to interactive walls, ceilings, floors and tables. So, you know, just keep -- keep your eyes on our website, I guess, and, you know, you'll see what comes out in 2012.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, the heat is on across much of the eastern half of the U.S. And as people and animals swelter, the hot, dry weather is buckling roads and its straining power grids. It's gotten so hot on the 4th of July in Bell, Texas, that a train derailed on warped tracks. And severe weather expert Chad Myers is in the CNN Weather Center now with all of this.

I guess people don't really anticipate that after a prolonged amount of time, this heat can melt, warp, dismantle, crack.

CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Exactly. If you think about how a thermometer works. You put a thermometer in your mouth and all of a sudden the mercury gets bigger. It expands. That's why it goes up the thermometer and it gets bigger.

Well, that's what happens to concrete as well. When it gets hot, the concrete expands, like the mercury in a thermometer. And when it pushes on another piece of concrete that's also expanding from the other direction, you get this -- these roads that pop. And we've had these now a couple of times.

We've even had a couple of times where the tarmac has moved around on some of these -- on the -- in the airplane, airports. We don't want that, obviously. You know you had a little bit more -- a little bit more severity going on there. But this is happening all across. We've had 160 to 200 record highs, all time record highs, where cities have never been this hot on any record date.

WHITFIELD: Wow. (INAUDIBLE).

MYERS: Not just that date, but for any date, for any month, for any year. And people are not used to that. And things weren't built for that. The train tracks -- here's what happens. You get these two pieces of road to come together. They both expand and then there's no place for them to go. They have to go up. And there's a picture here of a road that kind of made some cars launch as they popped up.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness.

MYERS: Yes, look at that.

WHITFIELD: Oh, wow.

MYERS: Think about -- think about that. I mean --

WHITFIELD: You're driving along and, what?

MYERS: Oh, look out!

WHITFIELD: Oh, my.

MYERS: And there was a sign there, but it wasn't clearly marked maybe well enough for that driver.

WHITFIELD: And no one expects that big of a buckle, so maybe you don't slow down.

MYERS: You don't expect that unless you're on a BMX motorcycle, then you want to jump it, you know.

WHITFIELD: Yes, then you want it.

MYERS: Obviously. So this is -- this is severe at times. It's the heat all across the country. It's the drought all across the country. When you get drought and no water in the dirt, the dirt can shrink and that dirt can go up or go down. And then all of a sudden you do get rain and then that dirt expands again. So you will this up and down, almost like a freeze-thaw that we used to have in the Michigan winters all the time.

WHITFIELD: Gosh. Oh, my goodness. So it's been hot. It's July.

MYERS: Yes.

WHITFIELD: I mean typically it's supposed to be high.

MYERS: Of course.

WHITFIELD: We've still got August. And in some places August really is the hottest month.

MYERS: Sure can be. It has been a hot summer. There's no question. This will probably go down as the hottest summer ever. We don't know yet. It's not over yet. But it's on its way.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Oh, my. All right, thanks so much, Chad Myers. Appreciate that.

MYERS: (INAUDIBLE). You bet.

WHITFIELD: Meantime, straight ahead, you've already heard that Mitt Romney is in London. He's met with British leaders. He's said a couple things about the Olympics' preparedness that's got him in a little hot water. And then he's tried to clean it up. He's also had a moment to sit down with our Piers Morgan. I'm going to get a chance to talk with Piers about all that Mitt Romney said.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: More than 200 firefighters battle a six alarm fire at an apartment building in Brooklyn. These pictures show flames leaping from the roof as thick black smoke billows into the sky. About 15 people, both firefighters and residents, have suffered minor injuries.

And millions of people were plunged into Twitter darkens this morning. Users wanting to get their tweet on were shown this page instead. Just a few short weeks ago, a software bug knocked out the social networking site. The company says it is investigating this latest outage. And, of course, by now you know Republican Presidential Contender Mitt Romney in London and our Piers Morgan had a chance to sit down with him. Piers, with us now.

And it was a little rocky start for Mitt Romney making a few comments about London not being quite prepared, but then saying, as someone who organized the Salt Lake City games, he understands. What was his message to you?

PIERS MORGAN, CNN: Well, I did obviously call him out on this, being from Britain myself. And I also pointed out to Mitt Romney that his great, great grandfather, Miles Romney, was born in Preston, Lancastershire, in the north of England. Since mine was born in Ireland, my great, great grandfather, Mitt Romney is more English than me.

WHITFIELD: What?

MORGAN: So he should be really getting behind the Olympics.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: And what is his response to that?

MORGAN: Well, he is a bit surprised to find out that he is more English than me, to put it bluntly. But I did say to him, are you feeling more enthusiastic. He didn't mean it the way it came over. And having been involved in the organization of the Salt Lake games, he knows how difficult these things are to make successful. I think that he was making the point, which is completely undeniable, that Britain has had some major issues with the security for the games, which we still don't know have been completely resolved. That is a fact. And he was probably walking around in his cavalcade not feeling much enthusiasm.

But the sun is now out, and I can tell you that the British, who are quite reserved by nature, we are very, very excited underneath these reserved exteriors.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: Now, what is the plan? Besides meeting with the dignitaries there, what is the plan? He will be meeting in the opening ceremonies and how involved is he that his wife's horse is in an Olympic equestrian event? Did he talk about any of those things?

MORGAN: Well, he did. Actually, I spoke more with Ann Romney, because she sat down with me first, and I did an hour-long interview with the two of them together. So it is the longest interview they have done in the last year or two. It was quite emotional in parts.

And the horse story is fascinating. Rafalca is the horse that Ann Romney is involved in. The horse riding to her, she believes that the horse saved her life. When she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the end of the last century, she was very, very sick and feared the worse. They all did as a family. Then she began to ride again after 30 or 40 years. And she said that the exhilaration of riding, she believes, almost certainly saved her. That horse is over there. That is the equestrian center for the Olympics. Literally, that building there and she got quite emotional talking about it. Who knows? It would be poignant if that horse won a gold medal --

WHITFIELD: Oh, my goodness.

MORGAN: -- after all that Ann Romney has been through.

WHITFIELD: That would be an incredible accomplishment.

Let's listen to a small portion of the interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are people who are trying to attack success and are trying to attack our success. That is not going to be successful. When you attack success, you have less of it. And that is what we have seen in the economy over the past few years, dividing America who has success and who doesn't and who is successful and who is less successful, that is not the American way. We are a nation -- I heard Marco Rubio the other day. He said, we were poor, living in Miami, and saw the big homes across town, my parents never said to us, gee, why don't those people give some of what they have. They said, instead, aren't we lucky to live in a country where, with education and hard work, we might be able to achieve that ourselves. We are an achievement-celebrating-oriented nation, and that is what has lifted us, and it will continue to do so. And the attacks coming by people who are trying to knock down my business career or my Olympic experience or our success, those attacks are not going to be successful. People want more success. They don't want less success.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: And so, Piers, for a long time, he almost wanted to stay away from the discussion of wealth. And now it seems as though, just listening from that interview, that he is in a position where he is defending his wealth. And it sounds like there's a little twinge of agitation there. Do I get that right?

MORGAN: Yes, I think that he's frustrated that the stick being used to beat him is that he is too rich and too successful. He doesn't really see that as a weakness in the way that Barack Obama is trying to sell it to the American people. And he, I think, was directly appealing to the American people, saying, wasn't America founded on hard work and achievement and making money, and what is wrong with that? That battleground is going to be crucial in the election.

And Ann Romney, too, got involved in the debate and pretty exercised about it, too, and pointed out -- or one of them did, and they certainly agree with each other -- had he stayed at Bain Capital, he would have been a lot richer than he is today. He walked away, by common consent, to save the Salt Lake Olympics and to go into politics. Now all of the partners who stayed at Bain are 10 times richer than him. They are all billionaires. So you cannot accuse him of just being in this for the money.

There is another side to him, which he now says he wants to get over to the American people. And, you know, it is a convincing argument. It is interesting how it will play out.

WHITFIELD: And, Piers, maybe just a month ago, right, we saw you perched outside of the Buckingham Palace there for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It was rainy, and now it is sunny. And we are watching the live pictures of the torch making its way inside of the Buckingham Palace. And we understand that the Duke and the Duchess of Cambridge will be there, perhaps from the balcony, and Prince Harry, and maybe a wave or two. We don't understand -- the earlier instruction is that they would not necessarily be on the ground to greet the torchbearer, but we will see what happens.

We are looking at the live pictures.

I don't, Piers, if you had a chance to -- do you have a live remote monitor so you're able to see it as well?

MORGAN: Well, to be honest, I haven't had a chance to see it. But the royals are spending most of the year on that balcony doing various things.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

MORGAN: I think it is a great year for Britain.

WHITFIELD: OK.

MORGAN: And the British people have felt very energized by what has been going on. And the royals have been at the center of it.

WHITFIELD: Oh, great. Now, as they now pass the torch, we are seeing the duke and the duchess are at ground level. They are within reach of the torch if they wanted to put their hands on it. They are not in the balcony, but right there. What a great moment with Prince Harry as well. They are all posing for a great picture. What a moment. And of course, lots of excitement as the torch will be making its way to the Olympic stadium tomorrow.

Any of your sources -- because I know that you know everybody there in London, Piers. Any idea who the final torch bearer will be? David Beckham or any of the folks whispering in your ear? You want to share anything?

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: Well, I hope it is not David Beckham. I mean no disrespect to him.

WHITFIELD: What? You hope not?

MORGAN: He is a football player.

WHITFIELD: Oh, OK. (LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: David Beckham has nothing to do with the Olympics. He is not even in the Great Britain Olympic football team. I know Americans would like to see the Becks. To me, there's only one candidate.

WHITFIELD: Who?

MORGAN: Steve Redgrave, knighted for services to athletics, is a man who won five gold medals, one at each five consecutive Olympic Games. He is one of the greatest Olympians in history. And he's certainly Britain's greatest Olympian. That is the man who should be holding the torch. With all of the greatest respect to David Beckham, who is a footballer, who has and never competed in the Olympics.

WHITFIELD: Oh. We'll look for that. Steven Redgrave, we will root for him. Five-times Olympian, five consecutive games.

MORGAN: Steven Redgrave.

WHITFIELD: Well, that is incredible.

Look, they are still going. We will stick with this longer. Getting a chance to see where the torch goes from here.

You know, for those -- I don't know if -- do you suppose that the majority of the people inside of the gates probably work at Buckingham Palace, because it is not too often that folks get a chance to go inside of the gate. We saw a large crowd outside of the gate in the more public area. You have to wonder who are the lucky souls who got a chance to be looking at this up close and personal. Incredible stuff.

How exciting is this for you, Piers, being the Londoner that you are. You are back at home for this incredible historic Olympic Games.

MORGAN: Yes, it has been great. I was here for the jubilee. That was very exciting. There is a real feeling in Britain that the royal family has reemerged in a very exciting way through the younger royals, William, Harry, and Kate Middleton, and the others. The queen celebrating this amazing jubilee, 60 years on the throne. And the Olympics here has been the icing on the cake.

The one thing that the British still do better than anybody in the world is to throw a good event, a good party. The Brits -- and I have been watching around town in London -- are ready to party. We have been complaining religiously for six months about how awful it is going to be, how the traffic is going to be terrible and the rain is coming. And here I am, and it is sunny and warm and the traffic is fine. The people are here. The athletes are geared up. Bring it on!

WHITFIELD: All right. So where are you in proximity to Buckingham Palace, because you say you are not far from the equestrian center, the stables are for the horses that will be competing in the games. How far or close is that from Buckingham Palace?

MORGAN: Well, I'm kind of in the southeast at the moment, of London, over the river. The river is about 10- yards from me, going that way, and that is east London. That is where the Millennium Dome, Canary Wharf, the tallest building in London. Just behind that, two or three miles that way is the Olympic stadium. That's on the east of London. And probably Buckingham Palace is that way four or five miles.

I can tell you that I have been through those gates. I was there for Prince Charles' 50th birthday party.

WHITFIELD: Nice.

MORGAN: It was quite something. When you go inside of Buckingham Palace, it is unbelievable place. It is just got the most staggering art. It has the most amazing sculptures and the most beautifully tended lawns, all of the liveried valets and servants and their gear. It is truly what a palace should be. And I hope you get the chance to join me in there one day.

WHITFIELD: Me, too. I would love that. That would be quite the treat.

(LAUGHTER)

Maybe we could work it out. We could make it happen within the next 10 days when I have a chance to join you and everybody else in London.

MORGAN: I will have a word with them.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: OK. You have a word with your people.

(LAUGHTER)

This is exciting to watch the torch making its way. You know what I am surprised about, Piers, when you see the torch run, you think literally run, but everyone, because it is a short distance, they are choosing to walk it as opposing to are trotting it. Everyone is taking the stroll, taking it all in. Would you choose to run or walk if you were a torchbearer?

MORGAN: It is funny, because I talked to Ann Romney about this, because Ann Romney at the Salt Lake Olympics -- and Mitt Romney helped organized it. And he was allowed to nominate one hero to be a part of the torch-bearing group and he nominated Ann Romney, because of what she had been through with the multiple sclerosis. And she talked about the moment she took it with her hand. When she was told to do this, she could barely walk. She said she grabbed the torch when the moment came a few weeks later and she started to run. It is one of the emotional moments of her life, and Mitt Romney's life and the family. He said it showed him that the importance of the torch- bearing process is it should inspire. Everyone who carries the torch should live up to the Olympic ideal of inspiration. His wife had been an incredible inspiration because of what she had been through. And everyone who carries the torch, in some way, has inspired people. That is what I like about it.

WHITFIELD: That is beautiful.

We look forward to hearing more of your conversation with Mitt Romney and Ann Romney tonight on "Piers Morgan Tonight."

Piers, thank you so much. I will see you in London. Have a good time and enjoy the sunshine. And it is a little past tea time, I'm reminded, so cheers.

(LAUGHTER)

MORGAN: Never complain about the weather in Britain again. It is glorious, like California.

(LAUGHTER)

WHITFIELD: That's right. It is nice.

See you soon.

And we will be right back.

(APPLAUSE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: They are the glue, holding professional families together, the nannies who sometimes go unnoticed. Still they give love, care and untiring commitment to many families across the nation.

Here is Lisa Sylvester.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They read to them.

UNIDENTIFIED NANNY: Who is that guy?

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: (INAUDIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED NANNY: And this is his best friend, Monkey.

SYLVESTER: They play with them.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: A lizard -- I mean, snake.

SYLVESTER: They have a way of making everything better.

UNIDENTIFIED NANNY: (INAUDIBLE)

In every way, a loving mom, except they are not. UNIDENTIFIED NANNY: My favorite is that a lot of times people will tell me how much I look like the kids and I will go, oh, that is a coincidence, because I'm the nanny.

SYLVESTER: They are the nannies and the women behind many professional urban working parents. Logging long hours, and quietly working behind the scenes, helping to raise other people's children.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Of course, I will.

SYLVESTER: Erica has been with her current family for two and a half years in McLane, Virginia.

UNIDENTIFIED NANNY: One of our jokes is, there's the husband, then there's -- she's his wife, the contemporary, modern working woman, and I'm the 1950s housewife, you know, the traditional mother who takes care of kids and dinner and runs them to last-minute doctor's appointments.

SYLVESTER: But it's a job Erica says she loves.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: This is a mouse.

SYLVESTER: And so does Laura Naley (ph).

NALEY (ph): They make you happy and make you laugh. Sometimes a hard time, but it is none working with her.

SYLVESTER: Laura Naley (ph) is a single mother, originally from St. Lucia. And when she is working her 10-hour day, it means she is away from her own child.

NALEY (ph): Yes, I do. I do still miss him a lot. I think about him and sometimes I call just to hear his voice.

SYLVESTER: Naley (ph) works for Justine Larson in Tacoma Park, Maryland.

JUSTINE LARSON, MOTHER: She is a strong person. I don't know how she does it.

SYLVESTER: The poignant stories of nannies and their private lives are the subject of a "New York Times" photo essay, pictures by Michelle Asselin.

MICHELLE ASSELIN, NEW YORK TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER: These women are a huge part, in some cases, 50 percent and 80 percent, and 30 percent in raising the children that they take care of, and they are really mother figures.

SYLVESTER: Asselin started the project after watching the relationship between her own child and a nanny.

ASSELIN: I watched my baby fall in love with another woman. And it was an incredibly powerful experience. It was unprecedented and intense and complicated, and it was also very beautiful. SYLVESTER: This is Asselin's nanny, Lorena Martinez, from Guatemala.

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: We have to put them back in the box.

SYLVESTER: She has been a nanny for 16 years.

LORENA MARTINEZ, NANNY: For me, it is like my own child. It is like -- it's -- a feeling that I can't explain.

SYLVESTER: There are an estimated one million nannies in the U.S. So much is expected of them, and yet they often go unnoticed.

LARSON: A lot of nannies are, you know, immigrants, you know, and that don't have, you know, the same rights necessarily and access to the same kinds of services. And I think that they don't get the credit they deserve at all.

UNIDENTIFIED NANNY: No treasure.

I definitely think that people tend to look down on nannies. I have had people, I have had people say things where whatever they were saying I could tell that what they meant was, so what are you going to be when you grow up?

SYLVESTER: Nannies are entrusted with the care of a parent's true treasure, their children. They are paid for the job they do.

(on camera): Do you have names for them?

UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: Yes.

SYLVESTER (voice-over): But for the good ones, there is no measure for the love they give.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: They are invaluable to so many families.

Lisa, when you talk about the long hours and, in some cases, there are no health benefits or even paid vacation time, is there any kind of push to try to secure special rights or rights for nannies and people who are taking care of other people's children?

SYLVESTER: Yes, it is something that we are seeing, particularly in states like New York and Maryland. In New York in 2010, they passed a domestic workers bill of rights, essentially so that when things like overtime violations and things like that come up -- because they do work incredibly long hours and the hours may not be consistent. We are not talk about a 9:00 to 5:00 job here.

In Montgomery County, Maryland, they have also passed law that require families to have written contracts with their nannies, spelling out things, like, what happens in the event if someone gets sick, if the nanny gets sick, if there's sick pay, vacation pay. So these are all of the issues. But they wanted to capture this moment in this piece. And this is what Michelle Asselin was trying to capture in her piece. So many times parents want someone that's loving and want another parent figure for their child, but it is a complex situation at the same time -- Fred?

WHITFIELD: It is, but a beautiful one too.

Lisa Sylvester, thanks so much. Appreciate that report.

If you're headed to the airport, bring some hand sanitizer. We've got a list of the ones that have the most germs. Airport, that is.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: New Hampshire state health officials are hosting a public meeting today at Exeter Hospital for anyone who may have questions about a hepatitis outbreak. Police say this man infected at least 30 people with hepatitis C. Investigators believe the 32-year- old medical tech injected himself with patient's medicine and then reused the dirty needles on patients. Police say he worked at hospitals in seven other states. Those institutions are calling patients and offering free testing.

And if you're heading to New York's JFK Airport, beware of disease. Researchers at MIT say the airport ranks number one for spreading disease if there is an outbreak in cities it serves. Los Angeles International Airport is number two, followed by Honolulu. The world's busiest airport, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International comes in at number eight. Researchers measured the outbreak of an epidemic like the SARS virus in 2003, and the places that developed the highest rate of infection.

All right, so how much gold is actually in an Olympic gold medal? You might be surprised.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Talk about taking a shine off things, on the eve of the official start of the summer Olympic Games, check this out. The gold medals are made of 93 percent silver and just 1.3 percent gold. The rest is copper. That adds up to $650 in melt-down value. Silver medals are 93 percent silver, 7 percent copper, worth about $335 melt- down value. And the bronze is mostly copper, and it's worth less than five bucks. Still, if you get one of those, it's invaluable, you know.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Here's a taste of some of the music topping the charts around the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(SINGING) (END VIDEO CLIP)