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Wildfires Scorch Parts of Oklahoma; "Major Battle" Expected in Aleppo; Fighting a Deadly Virus; NASA to Launch "Curiosity"; Worst Drought in U.S. History

Aired August 04, 2012 - 19:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. You're in THE NEWSROOM.

We're going to get you up to speed now on some of the stories that are making headlines.

First off, 14 fires are scorching huge chunks of Oklahoma. Right now, Oklahoma County sheriff's deputies are looking for a possible arson suspect who may be linked to one fire. Red flag warning is in effect for much of the state.

Oklahoma's governor says dangerous conditions are fueling the fires.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. MARY FALLIN (R), OKLAHOMA (via telephone): It's still very, very hot outside. Yesterday it was up to 115 and some areas of the state, we, of course, are in the middle of a big drought in our state. We need rain and cool temperatures desperately.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, at least 120 homes or buildings had been destroyed. Live report from Oklahoma straight ahead here on CNN.

This is Aleppo. It's the biggest city in Syria. It is a battlefield now, but it soon might be the scene of an all-out warfare.

Rebels fighting for their -- fighting there -- they think Syrian forces are getting ready to launch a major military offensive against them. It could happen any day now. Tens of thousands of civilians have already fled the city.

Health workers in Uganda say they're still trying to confirm more suspected cases of the deadly Ebola virus. They say they want to make sure they're not overlooking any cases in the effort to contain an outbreak in the western part of the country. At least 16 people have died.

The Secretary of State Hillary Clinton touched down in Nairobi, Kenya, the latest stop on her Africa tour. Kenya is the fourth of six countries she is visiting. Clinton plans meeting with Kenya's president and prime minister during her stay. We're getting results in from this evening's Olympic events. The United States has won the men's 100-meter medley relay race, giving U.S., giving us, we should say, and the U.S. legend, Michael Phelps, his 18th gold medal. Imagine that?

This marked the last race of his storied Olympic career. He says he is retiring.

In the meantime, Missy Franklin and the U.S. women took gold and a world record time in the 100-meter medley relay.

Look at this, Serena Williams completed a career golden slam in London today, adding the women's singles tennis gold medal to her four major titles. By the way, Serena did a victory dance after her win that's going viral on social media now. I've been told by lots of folks on Twitter that it's not just any dance. It is a move made popular by Snoop Dogg and it's called the Crip Walk.

"Seven minutes of terror," that's what NASA has nicknamed the upcoming Mars landing. A 2,000 pound rover called Curiosity is set to land very early Monday morning. If the landing is successful, the scientific payoff could be huge.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT ZUBRIN, PRESIDENT OF THE MARS SOCIETY: It's very scary. NASA has really bet the farm on this one. If it succeeds, it's going to be by far the best Mars exploration ever.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The rover is the largest robot scientists ever tried to land on another planet.

The U.S. is seeing the biggest spike in West Nile infections virus in eight years. Four people had died from the virus, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. At least 80 percent of the infections are in Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma. A man who experienced West Nile firsthand says it's no joke.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was pretty bad, you know, there for three or four days. It was -- it was miserable. Like the worst flu you've had times three or four.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: No one doubts how serious West Nile can be, but the virus is still nowhere near as lethal as Ebola. The recent outbreak in Uganda has killed at least 16 people. Health workers hope they had contained it. But there are concerned about a patient who escaped the hospital that's the epicenter of this crisis.

CNN's David McKenzie put his life on the line for exclusive access inside. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MACKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the epicenter of an Ebola outbreak. We've been given exclusive access, and the first thing we find out is that our safety protection isn't enough.

(on camera): Now, the reason this isn't acceptable as a safety equipment is because it's cotton like material and obviously fluids which are a key risk in contracting Ebola can get sort of soaked into the material. Let's keep going.

What we've got is pre-packed kits. Within here are various bits of kits.

(voice-over): The virus is so deadly you need extreme protection. If you're inside the kind of restricted area, no matter what you're doing, you have to wearing something like this.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You should be, yes.

MCKENZIE: Plastic overalls, aprons, hoods and a face mask, not a single inch of skin can be exposed. Touching fluids, a patient or even an object can put you at risk.

We're inside Kagadi Hospital, when the first case confirmed in late July, the rest of the patients fled and health workers were some of the first to die.

HENRY GREY, MSF EMERGENCY COORDINATOR: Early on in the epidemic, they're often in contact with patients and unwittingly if they don't know it's Ebola, they may catch it themselves and then transmit that to the community.

If you can do that, you can rip it.

MCKENZIE: Within 24 hours of the first case, Doctors Without Borders was on the ground. There is no cure for Ebola, and up to 90 percent of the people who catch it will die. So managing the fear factor is key.

HENRY: We use a lot of chlorinated water.

MCKENZIE: Olimpia de la Rosa is in charge of the response. She says it's important to stay calm when entering the high-risk zone.

This is the innermost exclusion zone, 30 suspected cases of Ebola, two confirmed, the sickest too dangerous for us to get close enough to film. There's no treatment. All the doctors can do is give care. All the patients can do is hope.

Doctors wear protection for themselves, and to contain the outbreak.

OLIMPIA DE LA ROSA, MSF EBOLA EMERGENCY COORDINATOR: The main objective when one of these outbreaks happens is to contain the spread, because we cannot give treatment to the patient and we cannot give any prevention (INAUDIBLE). So we must contain the spread of the disease.

MCKENZIE: We were allowed only a few minutes inside and have to leave. It's the front line of the fight against the Ebola outbreak. So no risk is worth taking. The goal: to stop the spread in Uganda and even beyond.

David McKenzie, CNN, Kagadi, Uganda.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: In Syria, it's another day with horrific casualties. More than 140 people are reported killed today in shelling and street fighting between Syrian forces and rebel fighters. Witnesses describe a large scale movement of Syrian troops this weekend heading toward the country's biggest city, Aleppo.

CNN's Ben Wedeman is in Syria and he spoke to a rebel commander who sees a major battle happening soon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): This commander of the Free Syrian Army is telling us that they are reinforcing their fighters in and around Aleppo, trying to bring in as much ammunition and weaponry as possible in anticipation of the arrival in Aleppo of two large columns, one headed from Latakia on the Mediterranean coast and another coming from the direction of Damascus.

Clearly, the Syrian army far outgun the rebels and the concern is that we are really on the verge of a major government counter-offensive to win back control of Aleppo's, Syria's biggest city, and its commercial hub. Of course, the concern among Syrian officials in Damascus is if Aleppo falls, that's really the end of the game.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: CNN's Ben Wedeman reporting.

Both rebels and Syrian forces say they're causing large numbers of casualties from street fighting and sniper fire and shelling. We've also seen Syrian military helicopters and fighter jets patrolling the skies over Aleppo this weekend.

Wildfires are scorching large areas of Oklahoma and police are looking for a potential suspect. The live report is next.

And later -- it is one of NASA's most ambitious missions. A look at the Mars rover mission, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: More than a dozen wildfires are devouring parts of Oklahoma. Dozens of families have lost their homes.

Let's go there now. Michael Seiden from our affiliate KOCO, he joins us now from Luther, Oklahoma. Michael, thanks for joining us. Man, I can see that you're standing in front of a burnt out building there.

But, first, I want you to tell us, crews making any progress or are the fires getting worse?

MICHAEL SEIDEN, KOCO REPORTER: Yes, Don, we are about 30 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, out here in the city of Luther, a small rural community. Firefighters have knocked out the flames. Right now, they're just monitoring hot spots, but I can tell you that in the last hour or so, a little bit north of here, near the city of Stillwater, there's a raging wildfire there, so a lot of the resources here are headed up there. But down here in the city of Luther, everything is OK.

LEMON: Yes. And let me ask you this real quickly before you show us around because I'd love to see it. We've heard these reports about an arsonist, maybe an arson linked to that. Are you hearing anything more about the search for a suspect in this?

SEIDEN: Yes, my photojournalist Brian Dixon (ph) and I have been out there, were out here all night. We've been here all day. We've been in close contact with authorities.

And what we're hearing is yes, they believe it was set by an arsonist. We are told yesterday the sheriff's office got a tip about a guy throwing burning newspaper out of a pickup truck. Sheriffs had been fielding tips all day but at this point, no arrests have been made. But Oklahoma County, where we are right now, we're under a burn ban, so you can imagine, when they do find the perpetrator, he could face serious charges.

LEMON: Absolutely. So, 47 homes and buildings destroyed at least, in Luther.

So where are the people who lost their homes and the businesses that you're standing in front of? Are they in shelters? Are they setting up there?

SEIDEN: Well, Don, that's what's so devastating, an evacuation is still in effect. I want to show you, this is actually a house and families have not been back yet, at least four houses here, you can see these homes just reduced to ashes, and it's really a common scene all over the city of Luther.

And before we got on your program tonight, I actually spoke with emergency management, and that number is actually now at 56 structures. And of those 56 structures, we're talking about 25 homes and a day care destroyed by this wildfire.

LEMON: Great reporting from Michael Seiden, our affiliate KOCO in Luther, Oklahoma -- appreciate it.

We're getting results now in for this evening's Olympic events. From Michael Phelps to Serena Williams -- it was a golden day for the Americans. CNN's Pedro Pinto is in London. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PEDRO PINTO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, we could pick one of many superlatives to describe Michael Phelps and you know what? They would probably all be appropriate.

But the word that best describes him is historic. The curtain has closed on his Olympic career with a gold medal in the 4x100 medley relay, and he was a key part of the race. When he dove into the water, the United States were trailing Japan, and he was able to overtake the Asian nation, lead the United States to an impressive gold medal, beating out Japan and also Australia.

And what can we say about Phelps' career? The Baltimore bullet finishing now 22 Olympic medals overall, in 2004, 2008 and now 2012, 18 gold medals, two silver, two bronze.

And one day in the future, we'll be looking back on the career of this young man and saying that perhaps he was the top Olympian of all-time. He certainly is the most successful, no doubt about it.

So, that is the end of the action at London's Aquatic Centre, and we have to wait another four years to see who will take over the mantle from Michael Phelps.

It was a Super Saturday here in London overall. A total of 25 gold medals up for grabs.

I wanted to tell you about Serena Williams, who completed her golden slam. She had won every single grand slam tournament. Well, today at Wimbledon, she won the gold medal, beating Maria Sharapova in six sets, 6-0, and 6-1 -- an amazing performance from Serena Williams.

That's a quick rap of some of the top stories we've seen here on this Saturday in the English capital at the Summer Games.

Back to you, Don.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: All right. Thank you, Pedro. We all heard about the Serena dance and a lot of us saw it.

You know, call it a sign of the times, a California man gets emotional on the first day of his new job. His compelling story is straight ahead.

But first this -- a Georgia teen is diagnosed with a learning disability, but she refuses to accept the label. Not only did she graduate, Michelle Davis graduate high school, but now she is heading to college.

Here's CNN's education contributor Steve Perry.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: You struggled in school, what ways?

MICHELLE DAVIS, MCEACHERN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: When I was younger I was labeled with a learning disability. So, of course, that affected reading and spelling. I always felt like I'm a normal kid. Yes, it might have took me a little longer to get one word or something like that, but when I got it, I got it.

PERRY: You say you were labeled. What does that mean to you?

DAVIS: I felt like it was the easier way to just say oh, she has a disability. You know, it wasn't like we're not going to just give her some extra time or not going to just try to help her. It hurt, but I actually looked at it more as like I'm going to prove you all wrong.

ROBYN OLIVO, MOTHER: Once the child is labeled and then they feel that they can't keep up with the other kids, and at the time, they was labeling here. Oh, she got ADHD. Give her some medicine. Medicine? She's not going to any pills.

And I fought. I asked them to evaluate her. I went to her doctor. I did as much as I could financially to get her tutoring outside when I could, and I held the teachers accountable. I called the counselor, want the teachers to meet. Six to three months meet again.

But when I held teachers accountable, I noticed her grades went from Cs and a B maybe to As and Bs. She passed all her graduation exams in the 11th grade.

PERRY: It sounds like you utilized resources that are within the community and within your own family structure. And then outside of that, went straight to the source, if it's your job as a teacher to teach this particular subject and you're the one grading her I'm going to ask you to teach her.

So, Michelle, you are going to college.

DAVIS: Yes.

PERRY: The girl who is in special ed, the one who could read --

DAVIS: Right.

PERRY: -- that one is going to college.

DAVIS: Right.

PERRY: I'm very proud of you.

DAVIS: Thank you.

PERRY: Great job, mom.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Let's talk a little politics in the race for the White House right now. Mitt Romney attending a fund-raiser today in Evansville, Indiana. He picked up a big name celebrity endorsement at another fund-raiser last night, actor Clint Eastwood. Eastwood said he hoped Romney would fix the country's tax system.

Happy birthday, Mr. President. Today is President Barack Obama's 51st birthday. He is spending the day at Camp David.

There is a more official celebration in Chicago next weekend. The president returns to the campaign trail Monday with two stops in Connecticut.

The economy, of course, shadows the presidential race, and the new jobs report shows improvement and setbacks. Employers added more jobs than expected, more than 160,000 new jobs but the unemployment rate unexpectedly rose slightly to 8.3 percent, as people lost jobs or got discouraged and dropped out of the job market.

So, it's not surprising that a California man got emotional on the first day of his new job. He's been looking for work for nearly four years. He used to wear a fancy suit to the office every day.

CNN's Kyung Lah has more on his struggle now to survive.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The start of the day and a new full time job for Ernie Casillas. These first steps on the Los Angeles airport tarmac have been nearly four years in the making.

(on camera): How long were you unemployed?

ERINE CASILLAS, LOST HIS JOB ALMOST 4 YEARS AGO: I'm going on four years November 6th.

LAH: Four years?

CASILLAS: Yes.

LAH (voice-over): Barack Obama started his new job as president a short time after Casillas lost his job making big bucks as a mortgage primer.

CNN met him as the subprime mortgage crisis wrecked havoc on the economy and his own career.

CASILLAS: Driving expensive car, having an expensive suit, and now I'm in the industry like everybody else looking for work. It humbles you.

LAH: He not only lost his job, but his home, and his marriage. He moved in with his mother.

Casillas went to job fairs and networks, sending out hundreds of resumes. He started his own computer consulting company. But it never took off.

Increasingly desperate, he put this ad on Craigslist stating bluntly "I need a job."

Last year, still unemployed, he hit downtown Los Angeles, carrying a sign.

CASILLAS: I am so tired of collecting unemployment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just think there's a lot of us walking here who know we're not that far away --

CASILLAS: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- from where you are.

LAH: Last week, he was at rock bottom.

CASILLAS: I had something to eat. I didn't have money for gas. I looked under my car seat and I had $1.65.

LAH: That paid for the gas that took him to meet Anna Rosales, and she gave him a job as a supervisor for her cleaning company, newly contracted at LAX.

ANNA ROSALES, CEO, AVOR INC.: He deserves it. Everyone deserves to work. Have you ever been unemployed? Ever not been able to pay a bill? There's a whole lot of Ernies out there.

LAH: As the next presidential election looms with the economy as a defining issue, Casillas' political intentions may surprise you.

(on camera): Who are you going to vote for?

CASILLAS: Obama.

LAH: Why not vote for Mitt Romney?

CASILLAS: He -- I don't think that he's with the people. He's the person that we're cleaning (ph) for.

LAH: Casillas says Obama, less distasteful than Romney, deserves more time.

He said his long jobless ordeal showed him there's no easy path to reemployment and no quick fix for this country's sluggish economy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Kyung Lah reporting there.

"Seven minutes of terror," when you se and hear what it's about, what is about to happen on Mars, those seven minutes, well, you'll understand that phrase and why NASA scientists are terrified.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: You don't have to be in front of a television to watch CNN. You can do what I do. You can stay connected. You can do it on your cell phone or you can do it from your computer at work. Go to CNN.com/TV.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We are in the final countdown to what is being called the "seven minutes of terror". That's when the one-ton Mars Curiosity will be shot out of a spacecraft and is going 13,000 miles per hour.

There are parachutes, pyrotechnics, cables and spacecraft all at work here and it's all being run by a computer. NASA scientists had no control. There will be seven minutes of silence while they wait to see if this massive undertaking is a success. If one thing goes wrong, a $2.5 billion project is gone.

CNN's John Zarrella with more on this incredibly ambitious mission.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, the countdown is well under way, just a little over 24 hours now before you're going to have a landing on Mars of the most sophisticated rover ever sent to the planet. You know, when I say that, this is one of the reasons why.

Take a look at this. 1997, July 4th, the Sojourner rover landed on Mars. Look how big it is, OK?

Now, look up here. This is Curiosity, 2,000 pounds, the size of a small car, enormous by comparison. There's more complexity in literally in the wheel of Curiosity than there is in all of the Sojourner rover.

Now, Jordan Evans is joining me. Jordan is one of the head engineers on this project, head engineer.

And, Jordan, take us through some of the key facets like this, this is phenomenal. This is the drill.

JORDAN EVANS, NASA ENGINEER: Sure. This is the drill and other ground sensing instruments, as well as a sieve and a scoop, Everything a geologist would want to have on another planet.

ZARRELLA: And you're able to actually hammer rocks, right? Some of these rocks you got laid out here, and just pulverize them and then actually look at them, put them in your chemistry laboratory right on board.

EVANS: That's right, you can see what the minerals, as well as we can do organic chemistry on those rocks.

ZARRELLA: You know, everybody is going to want to know, OK, those first pictures, when are we going to see them? And where are we going to get them from?

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): ... chemistry laboratory right on board.

JORDAN EVANS, NASA ENGINEER: That's right, you can see what the minerals, we can do organic chemistry on those rocks.

ZARRELLA: Everyone wants to know the first pictures, when are we going to see them and where are we going to get them?

EVANS: We hope to get them the first night shortly after landing. They'll come from these front hazard cameras, right here. They have lens caps on, but they're clear so we should get a dusty, but we got an image.

ZARRELLA: Sure get an image. I know, I was talking to some folks who said the first one we see is going to be a picture of a wheel, if you get it, the first shot will be the wheel, right?

EVANS: Yes.

ZARRELLA: Then you know it's on the ground in one piece and ready to go.

EVANS: That's what we want.

ZARRELLA: And what is this? There's a laser up there, isn't?

EVANS: There is a laser that can vaporize rocks from about 20 feet away, and take a look at the minerals at those rocks. There's also a mask cam to get panoramic high definition pictures of the surroundings.

ZARRELLA: And the capability of this vehicle to literally get over rocks itself, right? Just its size alone.

EVANS: Very capable, it can scale two-foot-high rocks without even thinking about it, 20 degree slopes, no problem.

ZARRELLA: Now, the mission plan is two years.

EVANS: It is.

ZARRELLA: But you've got nuclear power on this vehicle, right?

EVANS: We do.

ZARRELLA: So you could probably go out longer with it.

EVANS: The nuclear power will last 50 years at least. And so we hope the mission will continue on. Mechanisms probably not 50 years certainly.

ZARRELLA: But you are expecting great things and you got to be excited. You got to be nervous, right about -

EVANS: Both of those things, everyone on the team. Yes.

ZARRELLA: Jordan, thanks you so much for taking the time to join us. And again, Don, you know, the bottom line on this, the most sophisticated vehicle ever sent to Mars, the capability, not to detect life itself but to detect the building blocks of life. They're looking for water. They're looking for carbon, all of those things that will lead scientists a step closer to answering that basic question, was there ever life on Mars, and perhaps does life in some microbial form still exists? Don?

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Ahh, can't wait. Thank you very much, John Zarrella.

It is half past the hour. We want to get you caught up on the headlines right now on CNN.

More than a dozen wildfires devouring parts of Oklahoma. Strong winds, scorching temperatures making the fires tough to contain. Right now Oklahoma County sheriff's deputies are looking for a possible arson suspect. A red flag warning is in effect for much of the state. At least 120 homes or buildings have been destroyed now.

As the drought continues to ravage the nation's corn, wheat and soybean fields, crop insurance losses are now expected to break records. Nearly half of the continental United States is suffering from severe drought conditions. Beyond the tax burden, consumers will also to get hit by higher grocery prices.

Chicago, man oh man, some severe weather rolled through there, rolled through northern Illinois but this is Chicago, where a concert called Lollapalooza was going on and weather officials and the venue officials made everyone leave and seek shelter, some of them were told to seek shelter in underground parking garages. That was earlier daylight and then the pictures showed within minutes it became pitch dark and lightning everywhere in Chicago.

Now this -

That right there is the biggest city in Syria, it's Aleppo. It is a battlefield now, but it soon might be the scene of all-out warfare. Rebels fighting there think Syrian forces are getting ready to launch a major military offensive against them. It could happen any day now. Tens of thousands of civilians have already fled the city.

The severe drought across the U.S. hurting a lot of farmers. We've been talking about here but not everyone is unhappy about it. Look at who is making a profit on the disaster. That's next. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The drought across the U.S. is drying up the nation's farms and costing taxpayers. Farmers in the south are particularly hard-hit with bone-dry conditions, but there's at least one industry, capitalizing on this disaster. For more, we go in-depth with CNN's Martin Savidge.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Peach County, Georgia, they are plucking the last peaches off of the trees, peaches have been in the Duke Lane's family for close to 100 years. He grows nearly 300 acres selling to the likes of publics, Whole Foods and Wal- Mart.

(on camera): How is the crop looking?

DUKE LANE, LANE SOUTHERN ORCHARDS: Well, all things considered, I think peaches look real good.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): The peaches themselves may be smaller due to the drought, but the demand is still high, which is why wholesale prices are up by almost 50 percent over last year. And they taste better.

LANE: So when these peaches arrive, we don't have the rains to come in here and take the sugar away so that's the plus, is being able to have this fruit at its highest maximum amount of sugar which is a good thing.

SAVIDGE (on camera): So if I understand you, then the less rain means that a peach like this could be smaller but it's going to be sweeter and tastier.

LANE: That's right.

SAVIDGE (voice-over): Peach fans aren't the only ones smiling about the drought. In nearby Marshallville, Georgia, there's something else growing in this farmer's field.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is that going good for you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.

SAVIDGE: A massive collection of pipes, spigots and sprayers that when finished will become a crop-sized sprinkling system. These Ruth Goldberg looking contraptions rotate ever so slowly in a giant arc around a central pump tied to an underground well, hence the name - pivots.

Elton Sharp has been selling pivots since the '70s. Recently thanks to the drought, business has doubled.

ELTON SHARP, SHARP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS: We have put in a lot of pivots in the last five years for people that never did have it before. SAVIDGE: Systems like these can easily cost more than $100,000 each. Even so, Jim Reid says these days farmers would have a better chance gambling in Las Vegas than betting on nature.

JIM REID, REID BROS. IRRIGATION: The cost of production has gone up and the risk or the amount of money you had invested in an acre of land has increased, then the necessity of irrigation became greater.

SAVIDGE: Which is why Reid has crews working close to 12 hours a day, six days a week, just to keep up with demand. Thanks to the worst drought in half a century, whether it's peaches or pivots, both are finding business pretty sweet.

Martin Savidge, CNN, Peach County, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Thanks, Marty.

Dr. Drew, America's famous doctor when it comes to mental health issues says he has a mental health issue of his own. His story is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: Dr. Drew Pinsky. He is the doctor Americans are used to hearing from when it comes to mental health issues for other people. Recently he revealed his own mental issues while taking questions from CNN I-reporters across the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. DREW PINSKY: I got a whiff of exercise bulimia. When you sort of exercise too much and if you miss it you freak out. You have to constantly exercise (INAUDIBLE) if I don't do it. But you know, a little whiff of mental health issue never hurt anybody. Hi everybody, I am Dr. Drew and I am answering your CNN I-reporter questions.

CHRIS SORIANO, I-REPORTER: Dr. Drew, you always give great advice on health, medicine and taking care of our bodies and well, how do you take care of your body? What's your workout routine like?

PINSKY: I try to run three or four times a week like 30 minutes on the treadmill. I lift heavyweights, I've been doing that since I was a kid, something about that experience and it's sort of my meditation and study hall, I listen to lectures, I'm such a nerd. I listen to crazy philosophy lectures, things that would put everybody else to sleep. I find it - really motivates me to spend that time by myself and it helps me release tension so it's my little study hall in the way of kind of being mindful and meditating.

NIKOL PURVIS, I-REPORTER: Why is it the media does not cover addictions that are outside your normal realm, such as an addiction to diet pills?

PINSKY: Nicole, I'm not sure that's true. Addiction to diet pills is something that's been on the radar for quite some time. You know, I'm just constantly harping on prescription drug abuse, pain killers, opiates and anxiety medicines, benzodiazepines comes to mind for everybody else but I'm putting psychostimulants in there of any type whether diet pills, or Ritalin or Adderal (ph) or any of that stuff, except the diet pill addiction may have some added concomitant psychiatric issues like a body image problem or eating disorder so in a way diet pills are more difficult to treat.

WILLIAM BERNSTEIN, JR., IREPORTER: Is there really such a thing as a chemical imbalance?

PINSKY: Everything that is mental health is about our brain so by definition it's about wiring and chemistry, without exception. To some extent we're using sledgehammers to treat those chemical issues that may require much more bulleted kinds of adjustments of certain regions of the brain. The real issue when people get so focused on I have a chemical imbalance, they become unwilling to do the talk therapy that really deep introspective, deep interpersonal kinds of experiences that allow our brains to grow and rewire, and integrate.

RUMMEL PINERA, IREPORTER: Do you think stem cell research could ultimately kill conditions such as allergic rhinitis, asthma or (INAUDIBLE)?

PINSKY: The notion of stem cells is very appealing, but all the research real scientific research thus far suggests there's not much that it has to offer us yet. You asked specifically about allergic types of symptomatology, I would say no, I wouldn't be really looking for stem cells in the near term for that to be the solution. I can't tell you how often people are seeing allergists and asthma doctors and lo and behold, they're living with a cat or lo and behold, there's some source of allergy in the environment that they don't really think about. People are going to write and call in and say "I hate cats." I don't hate cats. I like cats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: For more ireport interviews and to find out who we're talking to next, you can visit cnn.com/interview.

Obesity is now being called a national security threat. We'll tell you who is saying it and why, next.

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LEMON: First Lady Michelle Obama got up close and personal with some U.S. athletes in London. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos.

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DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is not how Mercedes Lipscomb looked a decade ago when she tried to enlist in the National Guard and was rejected, told she was too fat.

MERCEDES LIPSCOMB, LOST WEIGHT TO ENLIST: I'm totally happy they didn't let me in at 220 pounds. I think I probably would have died out there.

FEYERICK: According to a report releasing later this month from a group called Mission Readiness, 25 percent of all potential recruits are turned away because of their weight. The problem is potentially so serious, commanders of all ranks who spear-headed the study describe it as a potential threat to national security.

REAR ADM. JAMIE BARNETT (RET.), MISSION READINESS: The statistic that blows me away on that is, one in four Americans is too obese, young Americans is too obese to join the military.

FEYERICK: Rear Admiral Jamie Barnett and more than 100 retired generals and admirals warned of the problem two years ago in a new follow up report "Still Too Fat to Fight" they contend the military is working harder than ever to find eligible recruits.

BARNETT: More and more we're seeing that those folks showing up at the recruiting centers are not really fit to come into the military.

FEYERICK: Hundreds of recruits, one discharge early because of weight related issues.

BARNETT: Recruits who have not done as well have been overweight don't do as well in boot camp are more likely not complete their first term of enlistment.

FEYERICK: The cost? Some $60 million a year invested and lost in recruits and finding their replacements. Military leaders say the problem is reversible. They're now targeting school lunch programs and vending machines. Pointing to the success of New York City's schools in regulating unhealthy food and lowering average student weight. As for Mercedes Lipscomb, she reapplied to the National Guard after dropping 80 pounds.

LIPSCOMB: If you're sent into a combat zone, you want to be in shape. You want to be able to maneuver. You want to be able to protect yourself and, you know, protect your fellow soldiers. Overweight? How are you going to run? How are you going to get away?

FEYERICK: The study hopes to target young generations so when the time comes they'll become ready. The nation's leaders hoping to stem the child obesity crisis so it doesn't become what they believe could be a national security crisis.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

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LEMON: And, obviously, Deb was Deborah Feyerick with the story about obesity and not the first lady.

So it is an image you don't see very often. Now to the first lady story. The first lady being swept off her feet by an Olympic wrestler. The unusual moment is next here on CNN. And we don't want you to forget that you can watch CNN live on your computer while you're at work. Just head to cnn.com/tv. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's hope the second time will be a charm. First lady Michelle Obama got up close and personal with some U.S. athletes in London. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos.

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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If there were an Olympic medal for hugging, first lady Michelle Obama would take it. She hugged ever member of the U.S. men's basketball team. They lined up. But even more impressive -

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.

MOOS: The gold medal for lifting first lady goes to this American wrestler.

(on camera): What's the weirdest thing you've ever lifted outside of the first lady?

ELENA PIROZHKOVA, U.S. WRESTLER: Hay bale.

MOOS (voice-over): Five foot five Elena Pirozhkova lifting the 5'11" first lady was a first.

PIROZHKOVA: After she hugged (INAUDIBLE) can I pick you up and she's like, "OK. I'm nervous.

MOOS: Elena says she just wanted to make the moment a little more special. A teammate tweeted out the photo. The White House showcased its own version as photo of the day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just think that's weird.

MOOS (on camera): What's so weird?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Picking up the first lady?

MOOS (voice-over): In 2010, Elena came in second wrestling at the World Championships. There's a name for this move.

PIROZHKOVA: This is like a front body carry that's what we call them.

MOOS (on camera): So you front body carried the first lady?

(voice-over): Some conservative web sites called it undignified.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, I think she's just having fun. It's the Olympics.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's awesome that Michelle Obama is the weight that she can be lifted.

MOOS: 5'9".5, I had trouble getting a lift.

(on camera): You couldn't pick me up, could you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Could I?

MOOS: Could you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I won't, I have a bad back, I'm going to the chiropractor right now.

MOOS: Could you? Would you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I won't. I have a bad back but I could.

MOOS (voice-over): Finally, someone could and would.

(on camera): Well, like a feather huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

MOOS (voice-over): Not since Nancy Reagan sat on Mr. T's lap as he played Santa. Have we seen a first lady in such an unusual position. Not since President Bush resisted an Olympian's invitation to slap her backside and settled for a back, have we seen such informality. As for those who imagined that Elena would be saying "Oh, my back" after lifting the first lady.

(on camera): Did she present any problem for you to pick up?

PIROZHKOVA: No, you know, after I picked her up, she said "Oh, I'm a lot heavier than I seem." I said no, I'm a lot stronger than I look.

MOOS (voice-over): Elena is scheduled to wrestle on August 8, until then she expected to be kidded.

PIROZHKOVA: OK. Who are you going to pick up next? The Queen of England?

MOOS: Try wrestling with that image.

Jeanne Moos.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I could. Two if I wanted.

MOOS: CNN.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're picking up the first lady.

MOOS: New York.

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LEMON: Very cute. Someone said is it a good move or a bad move, you think, Don? Didn't you ask me that? I thought it was really cute. You know, pretty gutsy.

You know, we've been talking a lot about privacy and weapons of war now being used here at home for civilians. Talking about UAV's - or drones, as they are known there and hovering over your home. What's your right to privacy?

Well, later, we're going to tell you about this drones story, this UAV story, like you have never seen it before. You're going to have a drone - we will, a UAV live right here in our studio. It's going to be buzzing around and showing you exactly how these things work.

Also, what they can see, who can get their hands on them and what you need to know about them. So make sure you join me tonight, 10:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN. I promise you it is going to be a very interesting discussion and very visual.

Let's talk Olympics now. Gabby Douglas. If you didn't know her name last week, you certainly do now. the 16-year-old gymnast is America's new golden girl winning the most coveted title in women's gymnastics. She now has the distinction of being the first African-American woman to win the gold in the women's individual all around competition. But she didn't make Olympic history without years of sacrifice. Her mom tells us what it took for Gabby to get to the top.

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NATALIE HAWKINS, GABBY DOUGLAS' MOTHER: The competition started a long time ago. Who could run the fastest? Who could jump the farthest? Who could jump higher on the couch? When she started really expressing an interest to do gymnastics, her sister just kept saying she's really good, mom. You've got to put her in. She wants to try it. You got to put her in. After years of persuading me, I finally gave in and took her to a trial class. She just never wanted to come out of the gym. She loved it. She would just practice all of the time.

So I saw then the hard work. I didn't realize when I got into this sport how expensive it was. Just the commitment over the years. Sometimes I felt crushing. I didn't think I'd be able to keep her in this sport. But then I would think about it and I would say you've got to fight. If I had to sell, I sold almost all of my jewelry. And if I had to pick up extra shifts at work, whatever it takes.

When she began competing, it's hard. You go through this whole range of emotions. You're nervous, you're excited. Even when she was like four, we would be on the edge of our seats. Probably in about 2008, we were watching the Olympics at a friend's house, she said "I would like to do that."

LEMON: Go, Gabby. I'm Don Lemon at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta. See you back here at 10:00 pm Eastern.

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