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Manning's Sentencing Phase Begins Today; Regulation Talk over Energy Drinks; Diana's Story Heads to Theaters; Union Told of Suspended Players

Aired July 31, 2013 - 09:30   ET

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

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Market barely moving. The Fed. The Fed is meeting. It's the second day of the Fed meeting. Everyone waiting to see what the Fed's statement's going to be later this afternoon. So you've got sort of patient waiting on Wall Street.

But here's -- here's what's good for all of you. I can report for you this is the last trading day of the month of July. July, stocks are up 4 percent, Carol. This is the best month for your money since January. A 4 percent gain in stocks is good. That will likely translate into a gain for your 401(k). So, folks, that's what I leave - that's the certainly I leave you with, even as the market is barely moving.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: OK. So we'll clap for that, OK?

ROMANS: Clap for me, thank you.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Christine. We appreciate it.

Up next in the NEWSROOM, he's been convicted in the biggest intelligence leak in U.S. history. Now, Bradley Manning appears in court to find out how much time he'll have to spend behind bars.

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COSTELLO: Happening right now, Bradley Manning in court for the sentencing phase of his hearing. He's facing up to 136 years behind bars. The feds wanted to give Manning a life sentence, but the judge found him not guilty of the most serious charge, aiding the enemy. Manning was found guilty on 20 other charges, though. As you know, Manning's a controversial figure. He had a tough life before he was accused of the biggest leak in U.S. history. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.

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BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He was once on suicide watch in a military brig. Now, Private Bradley Manning has avoided a verdict of aiding the enemy, but it's possible he could still spend the rest of his life in prison. Before all this broke, before he was accused of the largest intelligence leak in U.S. history, Manning, according to friends and acquaintances, struggled to fit in wherever he went. Born in Oklahoma, his parents divorced in 2001 and Manning moved with his mother to her native Wales. He's described by friends there as a headstrong, quirky computer genius. JAMES KIRKPATRICK, FRIEND OF BRADLEY MANNING: Well, I doubt value (ph) principle (ph). You know, if he didn't agree with something, he would without a doubt make his opinion heard.

TODD (on camera): Manning dropped out of that school and moved back to the states in 2005. He told others that he drifted before being taken in by an aunt who's a lawyer near Washington, D.C.

TODD (voice-over): Manning, according to friends, was gay and felt he was ridiculed in the military for it. In an instant message shortly before he was taken into custody, Manning wrote, "I've been isolated so long. I just wanted to be nice and live a normal life, but events kept forcing me to figure out ways to survive. Smart enough to know what's going on, but helpless to do anything. No one took any notice of me." Now, he's a world-renowned whistleblower or traitor, depending on your point of view.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: All right, that's a little bit of Brian Todd's report. I want to bring in Sterling Deramus. He's a military attorney.

Good morning, Sterling.

STERLING DERAMUS, MILITARY ATTORNEY: Good morning, Carol. Thank you for having me.

COSTELLO: Oh, thank you for being here. We really appreciate it.

So, Bradley Manning's awaiting his sentencing this morning. The hearing has begun. Do you think that military judge will take Manning's personal struggles into account during the sentencing phase?

DERAMUS: Yes, most likely. That will be a major factor I think that the defense will put on mostly. If I had to guess, he's probably going to end up - I don't think she's going to give him the full 130 some odd years that he's been charged with, but probably maybe, you know, 20 to 40 years as a result. And I think that, you're right, I think it's going to be his background that's going to mitigate that down a little bit.

COSTELLO: OK. So, Bradley Manning goes into the Army and he has access to all of these intelligence reports. He's a computer genius. But he obvious has problems. Obvious if you like did a background check on him. So why was he admitted into the Army? Why was he put into that position?

DERAMUS: You know that is the $64,000 question. And I keep asking that myself that very question. It seems obvious to me that at least shortly after he had joined into the military, from what I've read of his biography, that he was obviously deeply disturbed, had very serious problems and issues that he was grappling with for whatever reason. And he should never have been given a clearance.

There were several commanders who recommended that he not be given a clearance, that he not go on the deployment with Iraq. All of those were huge red flags. And it remains a mystery to me why anybody would have given this person a clearance at all.

COSTELLO: To a lot of people it's unclear how exactly Manning damaged national security. I want to read you a statement that WikiLeaks gave us. Quote, "throughout the proceedings, there has been a conspicuous absence, the absence of any victim. The prosecution did not present evidence that or even claim that a single person came to harm as a result of Bradley Manning's disclosure. The only victim was the U.S. government's wounded pride." Does WikiLeaks have a point?

DERAMUS: No. I understand there may not have been a victim of specific violence as a result of this. Unfortunately, it looks like they have not released specific names of individuals who were involved in the intelligence gathering that we got. But it did -- it had an impact. I was in Afghanistan when most of this was breaking out shortly after his arrest and it did impact our intelligence abilities down there no doubt. It did impact our abilities to conduct operations in Afghanistan. So, no, it did have an impact.

What Bradley Manning did was not simply whistleblowing. He released something like 300,000 cables from the State Department. Over 180 countries involved. This isn't the actions of a whistleblower, this is the actions of a very disturbed and angry young man who just wants to release everything. There was no need for that. And it does impact our ability to do those kind of analyses that we did.

For example, one of them was something I think about some politicians in Iceland. That's what our State Department is there for. They're there to do those kinds of analysis so our leaders might understand what's going on in Iceland or Germany or wherever and they do - or Afghanistan or Pakistan. And so it did impact our abilities to be forthright about those kinds of things. It does have an impact. To say it doesn't have an impact is a bit of a stretch, to say the least.

COSTELLO: All right, so you're predicting 20 to 40 years. Of course, we'll be following the hearing and we'll tell you the outcome.

Sterling, thank you very much for joining us this morning. We appreciate it.

DERAMUS: Thank you.

COSTELLO: Energy drinks a popular way to get a pick me up. It's aimed at young people and the young at heart. But how those energy drinks are marketed has some senators very concerned. We'll talk about that, next.

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COSTELLO: Children, teenagers, adults, a lot of people skip the coffee and turn to energy drinks like Red Bull.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Red Bull gives you wings.

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: I think that sums it up, right? Energy drinks are big, big business. A $12.5 billion industry. The marketing campaigns are designed to grab young people and the young at heart. But a Senate committee has some concerns and those concerns will be front and center this afternoon. Our senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen joins me now.

So, first off, remind us what those concerns are.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Medical Association have concerns. They say that it can be associated with things like a really high heart rate, cardio vascular problems, high blood pressure, anxiety. And the American Academy of Pediatrics goes so far as to say kids just shouldn't be drinking these and the American Medical Association says there should be a ban on that kind of advertising, advertising that kids would like.

COSTELLO: So now the federal government is going to be involved. I mean is it possible that they'll say, look, these kinds of drinks should be regulated, just like alcohol?

COHEN: You know, it is possible that they will go in that direction because doctors are saying, you know, don't market to kids. Sounds like cigarettes, right? The pediatricians are saying, kids shouldn't have this at all. Sounds like alcohol and cigarettes, right? So if they listen to the doctors, they're going to head in that direction. But the Beverage Association said -- American Beverage Association says, look, these aren't dangerous and are -- the amount of caffeine in our drinks isn't dangerous. Doctors would say it's not just the caffeine, it's all these other stimulates in there.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Elizabeth Cohen, I know you'll be following this story for us.

COHEN: Yes.

COSTELLO: Thank you so much.

COHEN: Thanks.

COSTELLO: Just ahead in the NEWSROOM, Diana, Princess of Wales, startling new details about her private live just as her story heads to the theater.

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COSTELLO: She was the people's princess, Diana of Wales and 16 years after her death, her legacy endures.

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(TRAILER FOR "DIANA")

(END VIDEO CLIP) COSTELLO: I know that not the real Diana that's actually Naomi Watts taking on the role of the iconic princess in the movie "Diana". What do you think? As the film hits the theaters this fall this issue of "Vanity Fair" is hitting the newsstands with exclusive revelations about Diana's desire to move to Pakistan to be with her heart surgeon boyfriend.

Nischelle Turner is in New York following the story. I mean, it's hard to believe that we could find anything else out about Diana, right?

NISCHELLE TURNER, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I know right that's a good point. Because it seems like we've examined everything about her life, every little detail for all of these years and but now yes there are some new interesting revelations. This article itself is interesting. You know all the revelations though are about a man that Diana dated but not the man she was dating at the time of her death.

So you really ask the question who knows if she was on her way to live in Pakistan when she had moved on from that relationship while she was still alive. But this relationship is reportedly a central part of the story in "Diana" the movie.

Now, according to this "Vanity Fair" article Diana's relationship with surgeon Hasnat Khan was at the stage where she was trying to impress his conservative mother in Pakistan. She reportedly wanted to marry him. And when it didn't work out, she started dating Dodi Al Fayed to make Hasnat jealous. That's in the "Vanity Fair" article.

Of course, al Fayed was in the car with Diana when they were both killed on August 31st of 1997. But it really just goes to show you, Carol, our fascination with the British royal family is as intense as ever and I wonder if you had heard this one. You know one of Diana's sons just had a baby boy do you know that?

COSTELLO: You're kidding. Is his name George?

TURNER: I heard a little something about it. Yes and they named him George. How about that?

COSTELLO: That is incredible. Hey let's talk about Naomi Watts though and her portrayal of Diana.

TURNER: Yes.

COSTELLO: I mean we see the movie trailer but you can't hear Naomi Watts speak and there is a certain anticipation to that.

TURNER: Yes, there is -- there is a definitely an anticipation and I think that's by design. I think they are trying to build the anticipation for this. You see the images of Naomi Watts as Diana. It's striking. I mean it's a really nice likeness, the hair, the mannerisms. You know, it's Naomi Watts.

But what I'm really interested to hear what she has to say and how she sounds in this all. You know Naomi Watts has an accent herself. It's not a British accent, she lives in Australia, but you know it should be interesting to hear what she sounds like. She got a best actress nomination last year, Naomi Watts did, so you know it's good enough maybe the second time is the charm.

COSTELLO: I don't know. I love Princess Diana. I'm a tough judge.

TURNER: I know. I'm a little fascinated myself, I must admit.

COSTELLO: I hear you. Nischelle Turner, thanks so much.

TURNER: Sure.

COSTELLO: All new in the next hour of NEWSROOM, bad greens -- the feds looking into those bad salads in grocery stores across America, a mysterious stomach bug causing hundreds of people to get sick.

Also, big, super and the mighty double gulp safe for now. Syrupy, sugary mega drinks can stay in the Empire State, but the fight isn't over yet.

Plus --

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BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGER: Born in the USA --

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COSTELLO: The Boss from the stage to the screen. A new rockumentary is out with the help of 2,000 of his biggest fans.

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COSTELLO: The wait could soon be over for the ball player suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs. Major League Baseball expected to announce major suspensions by the end of this week. Andy Scholes has more in this morning's "Bleacher Report". Good morning.

ANDY SCHOLES, BLEACHER REPORT: And good morning, Carol.

It looks like we now know how many players will be suspended as a result of the investigation into the Bio Genesis Clinic. According to multiple reports Major League Baseball officials told the players association that A-Rod along with eight other players will be suspended this week. Now that number is significantly lower than what was originally suspected because investigators could not dig up enough evidence to warrant other suspensions. According to reports, investigators did however gather overwhelming evidence for their case against A-Rod. The Yankees third baseman says he will appeal any punishment.

Well three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart was having a little fun in a dirt track race Monday night when battling for a place. Check it out. He hits the side and his car is going to flip end over end five times. Amazingly, Stewart walked away just fine from the crash. He was back out on the dirt track again yesterday.

Well Astros at Orioles last night. Bases loaded for the Astros and check it out. Jonathan Villar is going to come out of nowhere to steal home.

COSTELLO: Yes, yes.

SCHOLES: Take another look Villar massively to third and the pitcher not paying attention to him at all. He just goes ahead and takes home incredible play by the Astros shortstop.

COSTELLO: That's awesome.

SCHOLES: Arguably the biggest drawback from going to live sporting events are the long lines you have to wait in to get a beer and go to the bathroom. Well, guess what Carol now there's an app for that.

COSTELLO: Oh come on.

SCHOLES: The San Francisco 49ers are incorporating new technology into their new stadium that will allow you to get on your Smartphone and see which beer stand and bathroom have the shortest lines.

COSTELLO: That's awesome.

SCHOLES: Yes the Niners will move into their new stadium next year, and Carol, I know you, like myself, like going to a lot of live sporting events. I think this is one of the greatest ideas ever.

COSTELLO: I'm telling you I'm going to a Braves game tonight with E.P. Bryan and I'm going to wish I had that app.

SCHOLES: Right.

COSTELLO: Exactly. Thanks, Andy.

SCHOLES: All right.

COSTELLO: The next hour of the CNN NEWSROOM after a break.

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