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Down but Not Out; Stranded Whale at Sea World Causes Internet Backlash; Church Mourns Three Dead in Bus Crash; Detroit to get $444 Million Hockey Arena; Welcome Back, Jeter
Aired July 29, 2013 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: About 100 of the S&P 500 companies will report over the next five days. We'll hear from BP, Exxon Mobil, Pfizer, Procter & Gamble among many, many others. Carol, giving us no shortage of things to track here on Wall Street. With the opening bell, the Dow is down 31 points.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: All right. We'll check back with you, Alison Kosik, many thanks.
In more money news, java lovers in China really seem to like their fill of Starbucks coffee. The company has seen tremendous growth in the traditional tea drinking company in the last year. Maybe not a big surprise considering Starbucks opened 500 new stores in China last year. By 2014, Starbucks expects China to bypass Canada after the second largest market after the United States.
Just released home video shows President John f. Kennedy vacationing with family and friends 50 years ago. The pictures were taken in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Just four months later, the president would be assassinated.
Down, but not out. Anthony Weiner's campaign is struggling and now he's lost his top campaign man. How long will he stay in the race? Dana Bash has the story for you, next.
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COSTELLO: As his run for New York mayor reaches a critical junction, new details emerge about the first sexting scandal that led Anthony Weiner to resign from Congress. According to "The New York Daily News," Weiner's congressional campaign spent more than $43,000 to find out who hacked his Twitter account and sent out those lewd photos. Of course, we now know Weiner knew all along who sent out the photos, it was the Congressman himself, Anthony Weiner. And this morning, Weiner faces a similar scandal for his run for mayor and that's not all, Weiner is now without a campaign manager. Dana Bash is in New York following this sad tale. Good morning.
DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, carol. You know, generally when you have a candidate, a politician in trouble, members of his own party try to push them to resign or pull out of a race diplomatically. That is certainly not happening with Anthony Weiner. Prominent Democrats call his candicacy absurd and worse. Never mind that Weiner's own top campaign aide is quitting in disgust. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BASH: It's never a good day when the guy running your campaign runs for the door.
ANTHONY WEINER, NEW YORK MAYORAL CANDIDATE: Danny left the campaign. He did a remarkable job. We have an excellent staff.
BASH: Anthony Weiner's campaign manager quit, but in a new interview with "The Staten Island Advance," he insists he's not Going anywhere.
WEINER: There's no new facts here is the point. This conversation has now moved on.
BASH: He spoke out about the beating his wife Huma is taking in the New York tabloids. "She's the victim here. The things I did, I did to her. She's the one that's uniquely in a position to say, this was done to me. So it hurts to see her ridiculed like this."
But most ridicule is aimed squarely at Weiner, and it's harsh. President Obama's former campaign guru.
DAVID AXELROD, FORMER WHITE HOUSE SENIOR ADVISOR: I think that he is delusional at this point and doesn't understand the situation. He's not going to be mayor of New York. He should go away.
BASH: To former colleagues.
REP. PETER KING, (R) NEW YORK: It's a real pathological problem here with him. How he could be out here knowing all this information was going to come out.
BASH: The front-runner in the race for New York mayor called him unqualified.
CHRISTINE QUINN, NEW YORK MAYORAL CANDIDATE: When you see scandal after scandal like this, what it does is create even more distrust and maybe even disgust in government.
BASH: "The New Yorker," famous for provocative covers, couldn't resist this Weiner image, straddling the Empire State Building like King Kong with a media frenzy around him.
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BASH: Democratic strategists who want Weiner out are hoping at some point his campaign cash gets low he won't be able to pay remaining staff or keep the lights on. But remember started this mayor's race with $4.5 million in the bank that's a holdover from his congressional race which never was because he quit. That makes it easier for him to stay in. Yesterday, Carol, he said, quote, "you're stuck with me."
COSTELLO: You know, the young woman in question, the latest young woman he sexted, she's not going away either, Dana. Word is she is going to been the "Howard Stern Show" and she's hired an agent. Et cetera, et cetera. BASH: Everybody gets their 15 minutes, as Andy Warhol famously once said and she's milking it and I don't think it's just fame. I'm guessing it's also cash.
COSTELLO: Yeah, I think so. Her confident said as much. Dana Bash, thanks so much.
Screams for help and demands for answers. An audience caught on video pleading for trainers for one half hour to come help a stranded whale. What Sea World has to say about this, next.
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COSTELLO: A fun-filled day at Sea World turned into a disturbing scene for many visitors. In a viral amateur video, audience members can be heard screaming for trainers to come to the aid of a stranded whale. In the meantime, Sea World has been defending its practices on the heels of a chilling new documentary called "Black Fish." The film which will air on CNN answers Sea World operations while seeking to find out what made the 6 ton orca snap and kill his trainer back in 2010.
Entertainment correspondent, Nischelle Turner live in New York with more on this documentary. Good morning.
NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning, Carol. In the new video that we just saw, the whale is eventually helped and ultimately was not harmed. But I tell you, this is still pretty tough to watch.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's stuck!
TURNER: These frantic screams from spectators at Sea World in Orlando led to outrage.
Witnesses say the young pilot whale floundered helplessly for nearly half an hour, despite pleas from the crowd for a Sea World employee to help. According to a Sea World spokesperson, pilot whales come out on the ledge all the time, usually getting back into the pool by themselves. It's the younger ones, like the one in this video, they say, haven't quite mastered the technique. Trainers eventually helped the whale into the water.
Sea World released this statement to CNN saying, quote, "I want to reassure you the whale was never in danger. The safety and health of the animals in our care are among our highest priorities."
As a new film "Black Fish" questions certain practices at Sea World it was three years ago a 12,000-pound killer whale dragged a trainer under water by her ponytail causing her death. The film cites other terrifying incidents at the park accusing them of putting profit before safety.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Captivity definitely, without a doubt, increases the stress level of these animals. And stress leads to frustration, frustration leads to aggression.
TURNER: Sea World responded to the film in this statement to CNN saying, "the film fails to mention Sea World's commitment to the safety of its team members and guests. And to the care and welfare of its animals."
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TURNER: Now Sea World also said in a lengthy statement that they, quote, "instead of fair and balanced treatment of a complex subject the film is inaccurate and misleading."
We should say that CNN films has purchased the right to the "Black Fish" documentary and air on the network in October. In fact, it will air October 24th, Carol.
COSTELLO: Disturbing stuff. Nischelle Turner, many thanks.
Coming up in the NEWSROOM, city buys hockey team a new arena. Sounds like a good thing, right? Except the city is Detroit and Detroit's bankrupt and it's going to cost the city $400 million.
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COSTELLO: It's 47 minutes past the hour, time to check our "Top Stories".
The deacon of an Indiana church is asking for prayers as his members recover from a bus crash. The driver says the brakes failed as he was trying to make a turn. A youth pastor and his pregnant wife were killed as well as a mother of five who had been a chaperon on the trip to a Michigan camp.
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JEFF LEFFEW, DEACON, COLONEL HILLS BAPTIST CHURCH: All of these folks were special to us as members here, as friends. Our church grieves now. They don't grieve necessarily because of the loss because God tells us in his word to be absent from the body is to be present with the lord. They're with God in heaven right now and we know that without a doubt. But we grieve the fact they're not here with us. We miss them.
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COSTELLO: Eight of the 19 people injured are still in the hospital; one of them remains in critical condition.
In weather news, rescue teams were really busy in North Carolina where dangerous flash floods shut down roads and are being blamed in the drowning death of a 10-year-old girl and a 48-year-old man.
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew tells CNN there will be no federal bailout for Detroit. Speaking on "STATE OF THE UNION" with Candy Crowley, Lew says the government will continue to work with the city through normal federal programs. Detroit as you know filed for bankruptcy two weeks ago.
Speaking of Detroit we know it's bankrupt, but that's not stopping the city and the state of Michigan from going forward with plans to build a brand-new $444 million hockey arena. Critics are outraged saying taxpayer dollars should go to struggling schools and city services and not to a sports arena.
Let's talk more about that with CNN's Christine Romans she's in New York. Good morning Christine.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. And this got the green light before the city filed for bankruptcy and now officials are saying they want to go forward Carol. Here's why. They say it's going to generate jobs -- construction jobs -- it's going to generate interest in the city. The red wings, they say is a profitable franchise. And the Red Wings is one of those few -- few teams who didn't say, hey, give us a taxpayer-financed stadium or else. They never -- they never gave some kind of a warning earnings (ph). They want to stay right there in Detroit and help this city move forward.
Here's what it would look like. It's going to be a $450 million project and it's going to be financed with an awful lot of taxpayer money. It will cost the taxpayers $283 million, by the time you add the interest it's a $444 million taxpayer financed project.
Now here is what at least one estimate is that it would generate a lot of money for the area over 30 years, $1 billion. So the people who are supporters of this, Carol say it is an investment in restaurants, in construction jobs. In all the peripheral kind of spending that happens with an arena like this.
Still -- still Carol there's always so much consternation about taxpayer-funded arenas in any kind of normal circumstance -- this is not a normal circumstance. Detroit does not have any money. Detroit has filed for bankruptcy. You've got an hour wait time when you call 911, 40 percent of the street lights aren't working. Critics say this is frivolous, not at sign that the city is open for business -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Wow. Christine Romans reporting live from New York, thanks.
ROMANS: You're welcome.
COSTELLO: All new in the next hour of NEWSROOM, the mayor of San Diego says, I'm sorry.
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BOB FILNER, MAYOR OF SAN DIEGO: I apologize to the people of San Diego. I apologize to the women I have offended.
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COSTELLO: An apology, yes. Rehab, yes. But will he step down? No way. Also, musicians protest Israel's Palestinian policy -- because a giant inflatable pig with a Jewish star on it crossed the line.
Plus --
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Give it up for Amanda Berry.
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COSTELLO: Amanda Berry makes her first public appearance at a Nelly concert. That's all new in the next hour of NEWSROOM.
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COSTELLO: Derek Jeter is back and the Yankees' captain he made that return in style. He's amazing Andy Scholes.
ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: Yes pretty good right Carol. You know Jeter's first return from the disabled list didn't go very well. He strained his quad in his first game back but yesterday's comeback definitely a different story. Jeter received a standing ovation as he came to the plate. In the bottom of the first inning, the first pitch he sees from Matt Moore, gone. Solo home run amazingly this was the Yankees' first home run since the all-star game. Bottom of the ninth Alfonso Soriano back in pinstripe and he wins the game with a walk-off single. Yankees avoid the sweep and Jeter happy to back contributing.
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DEREK JETER, YANKEES SHORTSTOP: The first if anything it's difficult the get the first hit, the first home run, the first RBI, first game is difficult for me to get. But it's -- it feels great to contribute. But more importantly, I wouldn't feel good if we lost this game.
SCHOLES: Well, in the line up section on BleacherReport.com today you'll find another walk-off hit. Dodgers and Reds tied at 0 in the 11th inning when rookie sensation Yasiel Puig launches this one to the left. That is the ball game. It was the first walk-off for Puig. He made it a memorable one sliding into home plate where his teammates gave him a nice celebratory beating.
And speaking of beating, David Ortiz not happy with umpire Tim Timmons strike on Saturday. So he decided to take it is out on the dugout. Check it out Dustin Pedroya had to dive out of the way avoid being hit by debris. A day later Ortiz jokes about destroying the phone before the game then he takes his anger out on the baseball. Big Papi going four for four with a two-run homerun making it a safe day for phones everywhere.
The U.S. men's soccer team taking on Panama yesterday in the championship game of the golden cup; the game was scoreless in the 69th minute on a cross Landon Donovan with Brek Shea -- right place at the right time. He buries it in the back of the net. That goal would be enough as the U.S. defeats Panama 1-9 to win their first gold cup since 2007. The team has now won a record 11 straight games.
There are times when sports takes the back seat to family and Hunter Mahan definitely proved that this weekend. Mahan was leading the Canadian Open after 36 but right before Saturday's round he withdrew from the round because his wife went into labor. Mahan's wife, Candy, gave birth to their first child early Sunday morning in.
Mahan tweeted yesterday, "What a whirlwind of a day but I'm happy to announce the birth of my daughter Zoe Olivia Mahan born at 3:26 a.m." Later in the day he tweeted, again, "Both baby and mom are doing great. Thanks to all of my sponsors who appreciate what's important in life and all my fans for being awesome."
Carol -- the first place for winning that tournament was $1 million. And now Mahan's daughter Olivia is being called the million dollar baby.
COSTELLO: She'll probably hear about that for the rest of her life.
SCHOLES: Yes, she better be a good kid.
COSTELLO: Andy thanks so much.
The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM after a break.
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COSTELLO: Happening now in the NEWSROOM --
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It started with like a fight and then they just broke out like they were tipping port-a-potties and everyone was just running down Main Street.
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COSTELLO: Oh, it was ugly. So much for laid-back surfers, police had to use pepper spray and tear gas to calm the crowd after a California surfing competition.
Pope Francis says he's in not position to judge gay church members. And that's not all he talked about today -- women, worse, corruption. Wait until you hear what the Pope had to say about all of those things.
