Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
A-Rod Ready to Rejoin Majors; Protesting Florida's Stand Your Ground; Will Duchess Switch Hospitals; Police Track You by Scanning License Plate.
Aired July 18, 2013 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Jason is joining us now.
He is playing in the minors right now. Hopes to be back in a Yankee uniform next week. How is he doing in the minor leagues?
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So far, he has been doing well. I mean, he hit a homer when he was out there, and physically, Wolf, he says he is feeling much better. A lot of this he knows there is a lot of scrutiny on him, not just physically but because of the allegations that he is facing as well. He does not like doing a lot of these one- on-one interviews. He told me, he said, I really like the game to do the talking. But Rodriguez would readily admit he is off his game so I think he decided to finally come out and speak a little. He said he felt as though he owed it to his fans and those supporting him all along to come out, and say something about where his head is at and more importantly where his heart is.
Jason Carroll is an excellent journalist. Hard to say no to Jason.
(LAUGHTER)
Good work, Jason. Thanks very much.
Protesters are standing their ground over the Florida state capitol in Tallahassee, calling for an end to the controversial self-defense law. Just ahead, we'll take a closer look at who the law impacts the most.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: In Florida, protesters are standing their ground against the state's Stand Your Ground self-defense law. Demonstrators returned to the state capitol in Tallahassee today vowing to stay there until Florida repeals the law.
Lawyers for George Zimmerman never cited the measure in his trial, but the jurors were told to consider it during their deliberations.
As our John Zarrella reports, it may be disproportionately impacting African-Americans.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The outcry is not going away at churches in Florida's black communities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have to change that Stand Your Ground law.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you don't like the law, vote out the people that put it in.
ZARRELLA: There may be good reason for the outrage. "The Tampa Bay Times" newspaper took an exhaustive look at Stand Your Ground, a law that says if you are in fear for your life have, you no duty to retreat and can meet force with force. Between 2005, when the law was enacted, and 2012, the newspaper found nearly 200 cases. Some of their findings bring into question whether justice was dolled out evenly.
Chris Davis is the paper's investigative editor.
CHRIS DAVIS, INVESTIGATIVE EDITOR, THE TAMPA BAY TIMES: The race of the victims seem to be a difference maker.
ZARRELLA: In Stand Your Ground cases, regardless of the race of the person claiming Stand Your Ground, the paper found 73 percent of those who killed a black person faced no penalty. 59 percent of those who killed a white person faced no penalty.
DAVIS: But there was a clear statistical difference between when a victim was white or a victim was black, and it was -- you were much more likely to go free if you killed a black victim than a white victim.
ZARRELLA: One of the bill's original sponsors agrees.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we do want to empower law-abiding citizens.
ZARRELLA: Civil rights leaders believe it is a travesty.
AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Stand Your Ground, that is the worst violation of civil rights of state law in this country.
ZARRELLA: For now, in Florida, Stand Your Ground is a standoff.
John Zarrella, CNN, Miami.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: We're learning more about how the jurors of the George Zimmerman trial spent their down time. The six female jurors occasionally left the hotel under court supervision. So what did they do? Among other things, they went bowling, they went shopping at the mall, and they got manicures and pedicures. And they went to court- approved movies, including "World War Z and "The Lone Ranger." And they took a trip to Ripley's Believe It or Not. County officials say it costs about $33,000 to keep the jury sequestered.
Remember what's going on. This important programming note. The parents of Trayvon Martin will speak live with our own Anderson Cooper about how their family is moving forward following the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of their son. The all new interview with Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin later tonight, 8:00 p.m. eastern, on "A.C. 360," only here on CNN.
Another record high on Wall Street today. Up next, why some analysts say it may be a good time to invest in the stock market, but others say not so fast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: On Wall Street now, the Dow Jones up about 80 points. Set another record at the opening bell. And that's a good sign as the Fed chairman, Ben Bernanke, is back for a second day of testimony.
More good news potentially for investors. Several leading companies including IBM, American Express and Morgan Stanley beat their quarterly earnings expectations. Those numbers released today.
While we're talking about it, stocks are climbing to new highs. But are you in the market? Are you missing out on what's going on? Should you being in the market?
Christine Romans has more on what's going on. It is today's "How to Speak Money" report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: What would you do if you had an million dollars to spare.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Buy an apartment with no mortgage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Travel the world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Donate it to a third-world country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pay off all of my bills.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, I would travel around the world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Start a business.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Set up a savings account for a future kid which is not in the works yet.
ROMANS: All right. No mention of stocks there. So what if you had a million dollars to invest?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Um.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Um.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Um, you know --
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Um, probably stocks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah, it'd probably make me consider to invest more aggressively.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would put all of it into one stock.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If it was up 20 percent, almost guaranteed return, yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would. It would go up, why not? More money is better.
ROMANS: That's a little closer.
Stocks are up almost 20 percent this year. That is a huge run in the stock market for just six months and a huge return on your money.
Think about it like this. How would you like a 20 percent raise or 20 percent weight loss? Those are big changes. Just to show you how dramatic this move has been in the stock market, but you can't benefit from that rally if you're not invested and if you're not invested properly. And about half of you fall into that category.
Look at the chart. According to a CNN MONEY forecast, most experts expect the market will hold onto double-digit gains but not go much higher. However, some experts are predicting an even bigger climb for the rest of the year.
Sam Stovall is one of those market bulls. So what would he do with a million dollars? He would put half in stocks. That's right. $500,000 right into the stock market.
So if your answer to the million-dollar question was more of, I don't know, travel variety, take note if you want to be an investor.
Christine Romans, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Just be careful. Be careful with all of that money.
Any day now, the world will meet the future king or queen of England. Of course, the media is camped out at the hospital. They're waiting. But will the duchess, Katherine, give us the old switcheroo and change hospitals at the last minute? We have new information.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: News cameras from around the world are camped out right now in front of St. Mary's Hospital in London, all of them waiting for some sort of sign that the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William's baby is on the way. But they could potentially be waiting in vain because it is possible all of those journalists could be at the wrong hospital.
Max Foster is over at St. Mary's watching and waiting. And, Max, as you know, there is a report in "The Telegraph," one of the main newspapers in Britain, that says the duchess may actually buck tradition and give birth at a hospital outside of London. I know you have checked into this. What are you hearing?
MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, imagine, let's just show you what is here outside the hospital. It is a huge operation, and they have been here all week. It is a very expensive operation. And there was concern this morning. I have to say that the duchess would be going to a different hospital. Just to explain the situation, she isn't in London at the moment. She is at her mother's house in Berkshire. And the local hospital is called the Royal Berkshire Hospital. And it was also a contingency she would end up there if there was an emergency. It has always been the plan.
What "The Telegraph" is basically pointing out is that as we get overdue with this baby, the likelihood of going to that hospital, especially if she's staying at in Berkshire, increases. But the palace insists the plan is still to come here. It will take about an hour under police escort to get here. So we're hoping that she will come here. We're sticking here for now. It has caused a few interruptions because the media organizations have invested quite a lot in being here.
BLITZER: I hope that there's backups, CNN and other news organizations. At least CNN has a backup at the other hospital if they need to use it. At least we'll be covered for that event.
Once she does go into labor, I take it the palace goes into over drive with the pomp and circumstance kicking in. Walk us through what happens.
FOSTER: Well, it is interesting. We'll get an e-mail once she is in the hospital. It will not first announcement. And then we won't get anything until you see someone coming out of that door with a piece of paper and that will be the first indication a baby has been born. That piece of paper will be handed to a messenger who, under police escort, will drive it to Buckingham Palace and the notice placed on an easel, an artist easel, and that will be the formal announcement. And that's when we first find out whether or not it is a boy or girl. So the palace admits they added theater to this because, apart from that, there is not a great deal of picture really involved.
BLITZER: Max Foster, we're watching and waiting together with you. Thanks very much.
This important programming note. Later tonight, tune into CNN's special, "Will and Kate Plus One." You will hear from the couple's family members, their friends, 10:00 p.m. eastern, right here on CNN.
A license to snoop? The NSA scandal got us thinking about how many sets of eyes are on us at any one time. Turns out, police cameras can track every place you drive by simply scanning your license plate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) BLITZER: You've probably seen them on police cruisers and you're wondering, what are they? They're cameras. Three mounted on the roof. But they're recording every license plate they see. The cameras help police catch car thieves and other crooks. But critics say they see too much, violating your privacy.
Here's CNN's Dan Simon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With cameras mounted on a police cruiser --
LT. JEFF TUDOR, SAN LEANDRO, CALIFORNIA POLICE: What we're looking at is a license plate directly across the street, 1319161.
SIMON: -- cops in San Leandro, California, can capture and record license plates as they drive down any street, an efficient method to catch car thieves or pull over vehicles that show up in a criminal data base.
TUDOR: With technology and with smart, good policing, you know, it allows us to keep our public safe.
SIMON: But when a local activist petitioned the police department and got a hold of the records on his car, he says he was stunned by what he saw.
MIKE KATZ-LACABE, ACTIVIST: I do think Big Brother has gone too far. Because here I have not been charged with anything, I'm not suspected of committing any crime.
SIMON: He found what he says is an egregious violation of privacy, 112 instances over two years where police just happened to get images of his car and more.
KATZ-LACABE: This picture shows my car parked in the driveway of my house. And very clearly shows my daughters and myself getting out of the car.
SIMON: Any time a police officer drives the car, it's recording. Police say the data can later be accessed to solve crimes, everything from following leads on Amber alerts to collecting unpaid tickets.
KATZ-LACABE: Innocent people should not have their records being stored by law enforcement.
SIMON (on camera): There are three cameras on the roof. One on the left. One on the right. One on the side. They capture plates instantaneously. Those plates are then cross-checked against suspect vehicles. So if a car comes across as being stolen, the officer will be instantly alerted.
(voice-over): But in this new era of digital rights and privacy, some say there needs to be more transparency and limits to what information can be gathered and stored on citizens doing nothing more than driving their cars.
Dan Simon, CNN, San Leandro, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Code for America, it's a peace corps for geeks. It's coming to "The Next List."
Our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta. Meet Jennifer Polka (ph), the founder of Code for America. It's kind of a peace corps for geeks.
JENNIFER POLKA (ph), CODE FOR AMERICA: Most people have seen that geeks have changed the world so much in the past 10 or 20 years. But they haven't changed government yet.
We get people to take a year off. It's geeks, it's also designers, it's also product managers, people from the technical industries. And we get them to work with people in city hall to solve problems in cities for a year.
GUPTA (voice-over): She wants to fix local government. One Smartphone app at a time.
This Saturday, 2:30 eastern, "The Next List."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram -- parents, if you're not on any of these social media sites, maybe you better get with it and think about it. This study points to a major impact on the family when everyone is connected online. We'll have details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Today people around the world are celebrating Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday. The civil rights icon, former South African president, marked it in a Pretoria hospital. He's been there since June with a serious lung infection. Both South Africa's president and Mandela's daughter say he is getting better. Birthday celebrations were held across South Africa today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Birthday celebrations for Nelson Mandela were also held in 18 cities across the United States. A great, great man. One of the highlights of my journalistic career, interviewing him in Cape Town in 1998. A new scientific report suggests that parents and kids have better relationships after they become friends online. Brigham Young University surveyed 500 families and found that kids who interact with their parents on social networking sites feel closer to their moms and dads and are generally more helpful and generous in real life as well. About half of the parents in the study say they belong to some of the same websites as their kids.
That's it for me. I'll be back 5:00 p.m. eastern in "THE SITUATION ROOM." Brooke Baldwin picks it up from here.
