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Campbell Brown
Inside the Tea Party Convention; More Problems for Toyota's Lexus Hybrid; "Save Dave" Campaign: On-Line Rally to Save Trusted Banker Caught Viewing R-Rated Photos on Live TV
Aired February 04, 2010 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, everybody.
Breaking news. Right now at this moment, a Japanese newspaper reporting that Toyota is going to recall 270,000 Prius hybrids here in the United States and in Japan. That is topping the "Mash-Up" tonight. We are watching it all, so you don't have to.
And, as we just told you, as Toyota recalls the Prius, the Transportation Department here also investigating similar brake problems in that popular hybrid. At least 124 drivers in this country now have complained.
One driver who has had problems with her Prius is our very own Jessica Yellin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Here is what happens. Sometimes when you are driving slowly over an uneven surface or a slippery road and you hit a grate or a pothole, you step on the brake, and they don't respond for a moment. It is as if the brakes are not getting traction with the ground and you just slip, which obviously can be really scary.
The brakes respond just fine when you are moving at a high speed or if somebody were to jump in front of the car, I am sure it would stop. It just is a problem at slow speeds over those really bumpy surfaces.
I have been calling and e-mailing with Toyota about this problem since last October, with no resolution. So, I decided to try again today.
Nobody contacted me even to say, hey, we realize this is a problem. It's being looked into.
So, they say that Toyota doesn't know that there is any kind of braking problem. There is no solution because they don't know -- there wouldn't be a solution because they are not acknowledging a problem and they are cooperating with the government's investigation.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: We're going to have a whole lot more on this story coming up later in the hour. Again, those details just being reported about this recall of the Prius, a lot more on that coming up ahead.
Also, Haiti today charged 10 Americans with child kidnapping. Haitian authorities stopped the group last Friday, as the missionaries tried to take 33 children across the border into the Dominican Republic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We now know that 10 Americans have been formally charged with kidnapping children and also criminal association, that confirmed to us both by the attorney general and by the information minister.
The news does seem to get worse. A, there is no bail for that kind of crime, because the crime, the charge is seen as so serious that there's no option for bail on those charges.
And then we talked to Gabby Lisad (ph). Now, he's the former justice minister, and he says that Haitian law three years ago was changed, the penalty now, or the maximum penalty for kidnapping in Haiti is life sentence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: No Haitian child is allowed to leave the country without government approval. The Americans admit that the children did not have passports. Karl Penhaul is going to be here in just a few minutes with the very latest on this as well.
It was a nerve-racking day on Wall Street today, as the Dow industrials briefly dropped below 10000 for the first time since November. Analysts say investors are worried about tomorrow's jobs report. And that isn't the end of the bad news for Wall Street's big boys, New York's attorney general suing Bank of America, saying it misled investors about the Merrill Lynch deal last year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: The charges which I have here in my hand says Bank of America executives including former CEO Kenneth Lewis deliberately misled shareholders and the U.S. government in order to get bonuses for their workers and to get more money for the bank from taxpayers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The complaint calls this an enormous fraud on taxpayers and claims the bank and top management were motivated by greed, hubris, and a palpable sense that the normal rules of fair play don't apply to them. A spokesman for Bank of America called the fraud charges totally without merit and said all involved acted in good faith under difficult conditions.
KATIE COURIC, HOST, "CBS EVENING NEWS": Meanwhile, B-of-A has now agreed to pay shareholders $150 million to settle similar charges brought by the federal government.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BROWN: Bank of America, though, not exactly hurting for cash. They are reportedly also paying their investment banking employees an average bonus of $400,000 each.
The Senate's newest member was sworn in just a little while ago, effectively killing the Democrats' supermajority. But even before Scott Brown took the oath of office, he was speaking out. And Massachusetts' new junior senator had jobs on his mind. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. SCOTT BROWN (R), MASSACHUSETTS: I was elected. It's time to do my job.
It's jobs, jobs, jobs, jobs, trying to figure out how we can get the economy moving. We have a budget where we have to rely on 40 percent. We have to borrow 40 percent to even make it work.
And that is troubling. So, we need to look at the budget, try to figure out how to, you know, get the economy moving again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Senator Brown was sworn in a week earlier than originally planned because he didn't want to miss any votes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: I do.
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Congratulations, Senator.
BROWN: Thank you.
BIDEN: Welcome. Welcome.
(APPLAUSE)
BROWN: The bottom line is, there needs to be more communication between both parties because the main thing during my election and the thing that I heard from the electorate in Massachusetts is, they're tired of the backroom deals. They're tired of the bickering. They want people to solve their problems.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: The senator said he would consider any bill that is good for his state, no matter where it comes from.
Two U.S.-born pandas are headed to China tonight as part of a worldwide conservation agreement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have these two giant pandas en route to Shanghai right now. They are making their way, a 14-and-a-half-hour journey to Shanghai, where they, of course, will then enter a breeding habitat.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a heartbreaking deal, but we signed it. Every panda living in the U.S., even those born here, must eventually be returned to their motherland.
HEATHER ROBERTS, ZOOKEEPER, ZOO ATLANTA: Of course I'm sad. It's our first cub, our first baby. So, Of course, it's hard to see her leave.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: And China is preparing for the pandas by looking for someone to teach them Chinese. That is so they will understand basic commands.
And in other animal news -- well, sort of -- there's this frankly inexplicable Internet ad from Senate candidate Carly Fiorina in California and it features, of all things, sheep.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, CARLY FIORINA CAMPAIGN AD)
NARRATOR: Tom Campbell, is he what he tells us? Or is he what he's become over the years, a FCINO, fiscal conservative in name only, a wolf in sheep's clothing, a man who literally helped put the state of California on the path to bankruptcy and higher taxes? Fiscal conservative, or just another same old tale of tax and spend, authored by a career politician who helped guide us into this fiscal mess in the first place?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: California's primary is June 8. So, we have got four more months of this to go.
And that brings us to the "Punchline" tonight. It's courtesy of Stephen Colbert, who breaks down the economic mess for us as only he can.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THE COLBERT REPORT")
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE COLBERT REPORT": All our troubles started with a bank meltdown. The ensuing job loss was among the fastest in U.S. history, going from 7.4 percent to 9.4 percent in just five months. Unemployment was racing out of control faster than a Toyota Camry through your grandmother's garage door.
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Stephen Colbert, everybody. And that is the "Mash-Up."
We have some breaking news out of Haiti to tell you about -- 10 Americans charged with kidnapping could be facing life in prison. We have their story coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Breaking news right now: 10 American missionaries could get life in prison for trying to take 33 children to the Dominican Republic. The group was charged today with kidnapping. They say this is all a big misunderstanding; they simply wanted to help.
Karl Penhaul is in Port-au-Prince for us tonight with more detail on this.
And, Karl, I guess despite good intentions, seemingly, these missionaries are potentially facing some serious jail time.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think the jury is obviously still out on how good their intentions were or how calculating they were in putting together a plan. But, certainly, they can face very serious jail time.
The maximum penalty under a recently passed Haitian law for kidnapping children is life. They also face another charge of criminal association. And that carries a charge of three to nine years. Now, of course, that decision, although we have been following this case very closely, was somewhat of a bombshell decision when it was announced. We didn't necessarily expect that all of the 10 would be charged in that way.
There was certainly a lot of media interest. Now, when the police brought the 10 Americans to the attorney general's office to appear before a panel of prosecutors, you can see some of those pictures there, a huge media scrum there. Initially, some of the police tried to hide the faces of the American missionaries as they were brought in, didn't succeed.
As they were brought in, the Americans seemed composed, a couple of them nervous by that because of the media scrum. Essentially, they had no comments. Laura Silsby, the team leader, said that she felt good. Another, Paul Thompson, who is a pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Twin Falls, he said the lord is good, but none of them had any further comments.
Then, when they were brought out, they looked for very solemn, indeed. There were no tears. But when they were loaded into one of the SUVs, they started softly singing a hymn. And then when they got taken back to their jail cells, the police there made a bigger effort to cover their faces as they were brought out.
BROWN: So, Karl, what happens to these people next?
PENHAUL: Right.
Well, all 10 have been taken back to their jail cells at the judicial police headquarters. That's close to Port-au-Prince Airport.
Essentially, they're divided, five women in one jail cell. They're all being held in one jail cell. That jail cell I would say is roughly three-and-a-half meters long by probably two meters deep. They had -- when I went in there, I saw that they had a single bed, and then there were a series of mattresses and sheets on the floor, certainly very spartan conditions. The men, also five men in another cell of a similar size, they have at least three or four Haitian prisoners in there as well.
None of them are complaining about their jail conditions or certainly weren't when I spoke to them for the last time on Tuesday evening, but certainly now facing a very different situation. From here on in, they're going to have to go before another investigating judge. There will now be a series of court appearances to hear more evidence to investigate the case more and ultimately to try them.
But what there isn't any possibility here for is bail, because under Haitian law these are such serious crimes, there is no possibility of bail.
BROWN: All right, Karl Penhaul tonight in Port-au-Prince.
I want to bring in our senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, right now.
And, Jeff, the defendants are arguing they just wanted to help these children find a better life. Good intentions, is that a viable defense?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I don't want to put myself out as an expert on Haitian law, but clearly given the circumstances, it's not a defense.
And countries are very serious about keeping their people inside, even if conditions are difficult. This comes up in adoptions often, whether it's in China, or Honduras, Guatemala. This is something countries take seriously.
And the fact that they thought they were going something good is not a defense, especially when it appears that some of these kids still have at least one parent alive.
BROWN: And what we're hearing from the defense attorney is that he may want to get nine of the 10 free by sort of focusing all of the charges on this one woman who was in charge of the group, apparently, which sounds a little bit crazy.
TOOBIN: Well, certainly, in the American legal system, you couldn't have one person representing 10 people, for just that reason, because there is potential conflicts of interest.
BROWN: Right.
TOOBIN: Certainly what's going to happen here is that the American Embassy has consular officials. They will try to get involved. They will negotiate with the Haitian government.
I mean, remember, this country is in something close to total chaos still. The main prison is completely leveled. The justice ministry is leveled. So even the investigating authority here suggested possibly a trial in the United States, which, of course, couldn't happen under Haitian law, but certainly the American Embassy will just try to get these people out of there.
BROWN: Right.
And that's what I was going to say. A State Department spokesman said today that the U.S. was open to discussing I guess other legal avenues that they may take, which means...
TOOBIN: Yes, like a one-way ticket home is what...
BROWN: Home.
TOOBIN: These people seem -- I mean, good intentions or not, seem to have behaved very irresponsibly here. And certainly the best thing that could happen to them is just to get out of Dodge as soon as possible.
BROWN: Well, we will see what happens. Jeffrey Toobin for us tonight -- Jeff, thanks as always.
Coming up, we have some new developments to tell you about involving the Christmas Day bombing suspect.
Plus, federal air marshals coming to CNN with this warning that despite the talk of beefed-up security because of the attack, they say nothing has changed. We have a special investigation when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: We're learning new details tonight about the suspected Christmas Day plane bomber. He is reportedly telling interrogators that an American-born cleric ordered him to blow up a plane over U.S. soil. The terror attempt led to calls for beefed-up securities on U.S. flights. Apparently, that has not happened.
Drew Griffin right now has our special investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On Christmas Day of last year, Umar Abdulmutallab tried to blow up a U.S.-bound flight from Amsterdam with a bomb hidden in his underwear. There were no air marshals on board.
After this attack was foiled by passengers, the president called for:
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: More air marshals on flights.
GRIFFIN: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano testified before Congress. JANET NAPOLITANO, U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: We will strengthen the capacity of aviation law enforcement, including the Federal Air Marshal Service.
GRIFFIN: Has it happened? Not according to the Federal Air Marshals, or FAMs, as they call themselves, who are supposed to making those flights. Several spoke to CNN on condition we protect their identities.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since Christmas, most of my domestic flights, a few of them have involved what we consider the R.J.s or the Embraer 171s, the smaller aircraft.
Plenty of international trips they could be covering aircraft, inbound flights from the foreign countries, and they're not doing it. There's really no excuse for it.
GRIFFIN: But there is reason for it, these air marshals claim. Lots of short-haul flights make the Marshal Service look more productive on paper, even though many of those flights are considered low-security risks.
As CNN has reported for three years, the odds of you having an air marshal on your flight is so low that air marshals tell us managers use creative accounting to pad the numbers given to Congress.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The way they do it is Mickey Mouse. They even go to the extent of, when you're flying personally, they count that as a mission, if you're flying on -- or if you're going on vacation with your family. That's how they help keep the numbers up.
GRIFFIN: Though the actual number is classified, it's been widely reported that the number of air marshals covering 28,000 flights a day is fewer than 4,000. Do the math, like we did. Consider that any trip requires at least two marshals. Large international flights require even more.
And, at best, without sick days, without vacations, the air marshals can cover only 5 percent of flights. The Air Marshal Service tells CNN additionally high-trained officers are being deployed aboard an increasing number of flights worldwide, they say, to keep air travel safe.
JOHN MUELLER, POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR: It's mostly money down the drain, as far as I can see.
GRIFFIN: Professor John Mueller has just completed a detailed cost-benefit assessment of aviation security in the U.S. He found of the 20 layers of security used by the TSA to protect air travel, the air marshals have been worthless since 9/11.
MUELLER: As we have seen with the underwear bomber, passengers are not going to sit around waiting for somebody else to do something. Their lives are at stake and they're going to jump in.
GRIFFIN: What should be done with the air marshals? Republican Congressman John Duncan of Tennessee says get rid of them.
(on camera): The solution seems to be, we need to double, we need to triple, we need to triple down on this, get many, many, many thousands more air marshals.
REP. JOHN J. "JIMMY" DUNCAN JR. (R), TENNESSEE: Well, we may do that, but I sure would hate to see it, because it's just a total waste of money. I know that any time you create a federal bureaucracy, it just grows and grows and the appropriations just go up and up and up. But, as I said, look at the record. They haven't done anything.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Last week, President Obama asked for an additional $85 million to beef up the Federal Air Marshal Service.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And Drew Griffin is with us right now.
And, Drew, pretty harsh to say just get rid of them. How can that make us any safer?
GRIFFIN: Campbell, from the security experts and the air marshals, themselves, their time and talent they're telling us is being wasted.
Look, this was a hastily grown group, put together, knee-jerk reaction really after 9/11. The mission was to protect the cockpit doors. They're not really trained to find that guy in the back of the plane with a bomb. So once the cockpit planes were hardened and locked, they literally became useless.
The experts and the marshals say put them in the airports, let them do behavioral profiling, find the terrorist before they board a plane, or have them respond to specific threats when we know about them. But the idea of somehow air marshals randomly flying around, hoping to be on the right plane at the right time, is really they say ridiculous and possibly even more dangerous.
BROWN: Why do you mean more dangerous?
GRIFFIN: Well, an air marshal on board means a gun is on board. Security experts I have talked to say that introducing any gun in a passenger cabinet, even if it's with an air marshal, is a gun that's available to a bad guy if they gain access to it.
Secondly, the professor, Professor Mueller, says, if people, passengers think there's an air marshal on board, they may be less likely to act or act quickly when, in fact, the chances of an air marshal are very, very low. So, yes, this entire security measure as implemented could actually pose more risks than security.
BROWN: All right, Drew Griffin for us tonight -- Drew, thanks very much. Appreciate it.
It is party time when we come back, as in the Tea Party -- members of the Tea Party movement gathering in Nashville. Their rallying cry, we will talk about that after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Tea Party activists kicked off their first national convention today in Nashville, the party not totally clear about its future plans, but they certainly sound united with anger -- united, rather, over their anger with Washington. Listen to what some of these Tea Party-goers had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We hope to come away from this convention with a clear feeling of where this movement might be able to take this country, ways that we can send messages to both major parties to straighten out policies in Washington, so that they more clearly reflect the needs of the people that send them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm interested in having some fiscal responsibility in government. I don't think that anybody in Washington has gotten the message. And every time you turn on the television, there's always something that's going on that they just don't get it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're a little disgusting with both parties and what we see going on in Washington. And when we read our Constitution, it doesn't say what exactly is happening today. So, we feel like we're going in the wrong direction completely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Our own Randi Kaye is at the Gaylord Opryland resort in Nashville, where all of this is taking place.
Randi, what's the scene like there tonight?
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Campbell, about 1,000 people have registered for this convention, and they have just finished actually coming in.
There's a reception tonight and then a documentary about the Tea Party. That's all that we have here this evening. Tomorrow is when the real work begins. There are plenty of seminars, including some about how to become an activist for the Tea Party, also one on the high cost of immigration, another one on defeating liberalism, just to give you an idea.
Now, we wanted to let you know a little bit about who these modern-day Tea Partiers are. They are conservatives, very unhappy conservatives. These are people who are to the right of the Republican Party. They are defined really by what they oppose. That's high taxation and a massive deficit. They stand for freedom and fiscal responsibility.
To give you an idea a little bit more about what they oppose, they oppose big government. They certainly disagree with the direction that President Obama is taking this country. They despise health care reform. In fact, they call it, Campbell, health care takeover.
They say the federal government is spending way too much money. They don't like the stimulus package. They don't like TARP. They don't like the bailouts. They are all wondering here, where is the money that was supposed to be funneled to Main Street, to everyday people like themselves?
This really, Campbell, is a battle cry for the average Joe. Their voices haven't been heard. So, they're coming together. They're very angry. They're very outspoken. They're saying that: I have had enough of this and I'm not going to take it anymore.
In fact, many of them, you will hear them say: I want my country back. Who do they want their country back from? From the Democrats and the Republicans, who they say just haven't been listening to them. So, again, they're coming together here as one voice.
People here use the words America a lot. They use the word freedom a lot. When you talk to them, they talk about we, the people, the collective bunch.
One Tea Party member from Arkansas who I spoke with said to me, some people are too big to fail, meaning the banks. So, some are too big to fail. But what about those of us who appear to be too small to save? This gentleman hadn't received a paycheck in more than a year. And he's wondering, who is going to help him?
He knows that neither party, certainly, is helping him. He's frustrated. He wants to be heard. He used a football analogy, Campbell. He said, if you look at a football field, the Republicans are in one end zone. The Democrats in the other end zone. And we the Tea Partiers, he said, are right on the 50-yard line, right smack in the middle. We're trying to bring everyone together.
They want things to change, Campbell. And this, they say, is where it's going to start.
BROWN: OK, Randi Kaye with that.
Randi, thanks very much.
Let's -- let's hear from some of these folks, from some of these folks, from some of the tea partygoers. We have Lisa Mei Norton, who is a singer/songwriter. She's going to be performing at the convention. Also Jordan Marks, who's executive director of Young Americans for Freedom, with us as well.
Jordan, let me start with you. I know you're there over the next few days. Talk to me about how you're going to spend your time while you're there.
JORDAN MARKS, YOUNG AMERICANS FOR FREEDOM: Well, Campbell, what I'm going to be doing is helping these tea party activists, and which I include myself in, develop the system of how they can go ahead and reach out to the youth and make sure that we don't see the same problems that Obama faces now with his youth organization. And we want to take them from being astroturf to being grassroots. And so that's what I'm going to be doing. I'll be meeting with a number of the convention goers and showing them what we do at Young Americans for Freedom and how we take the movement and not only have it on campus but in the community.
BROWN: Let me bring Lisa in. And, Lisa, the tea party movement has sprung up because there is dissatisfaction out there in the country. Is there one issue in particular that's most important to you right now?
LISA MEI NORTON, SINGER/SONGWRITER: I'm very -- being a retired Air Force senior master sergeant, I'm concerned about our national security. I have a young child and two teenage stepdaughters and so I'm very concerned about our current administration's policies on national security. I'm also concerned about our debt. I don't want my child or my children growing up basically in debt.
And so those are some of the things that I write about. In fact, I'm going to be singing in about half an hour. And a lot of my music talks about the things that I'm very frustrated about and a lot of people that I come across at the various tea party events have shared in those same concerns.
BROWN: Right.
NORTON: So, I'm just real honored to be here.
BROWN: Let me ask Jordan, is there one issue, Jordan, that's driving this for you?
MARKS: I would have to say for the youth, the issue is going to be employment. Many people, like myself, I just graduated from law school in 2009, I came and I looked around. Luckily I was in a position where I had options in front of me, and I decided to come and give time back to the movement. But many of the people that join us today, young professionals, our organization is really noticing that it's moving from the high school students and the college students to these young professionals that are graduating. They were told if you go to school, if you go ahead and invest your time and you get the education necessary, there's going to be jobs available to you.
BROWN: Right.
MARKS: And really that's not what we have today.
BROWN: All right.
MARKS: And so that's why we're calling for fiscal responsibility.
BROWN: Guys, stand by for a minute. Lisa, I want to ask you when we come back, I know on your blog you describe yourself as a right wing extremist. I want to talk about whether you guys think the tea party is right wing extremism.
Stand by. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: And we are back continuing now with singer/songwriter Lisa Mei Norton, and Jordan Marks with Young Americans for Freedom. They are both at the first national tea party convention happening right now in Nashville.
And, Lisa, I may have mentioned you're an activist as well as a musician. Your blog is called "Music and Musings of a Right Wing Extremist." In your mind is the tea party a right wing movement?
NORTON: I believe that the tea party is a group of people regardless of Democrat or Republican or independent, regardless of their party affiliation, that the tea party movement is Americans, patriots who believe that we should be -- we should be adhering to the constitution and we should do -- America should be what the founding fathers intended for it to be. Liberty is big. And I believe that big government stifles liberty and it also stifles incentive for people to work hard.
I started out as an airman in the air force and I worked my way up to the senior ranks, and I retired and ended up with a great job. And I want my son and my two teenage stepdaughters to have that same opportunity. And the direction that we're headed now, I fear that that may not be possible.
BROWN: Jordan, in your mind, is it a conservative movement? Is it different from moderate independents who might vote for either Democrats or Republicans?
MARKS: I don't think so. I mean, if you consider the founding fathers to be right wing extremists, then I think then you might call all of us right wing extremists. But really this movement has gone mainstream. The people that we have joining us on a daily basis are your nurse, your future attorney, your doctors. I have accountants -- the bag boy at the grocery store. These are average Americans that are standing for what they believe in and for what we bought into, and what we buy into as Americans and what we defend, freedom, liberty, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We want to be happy, and we want to know that our government is not going to take away from that.
BROWN: Right. Let me ask both of you this, Jordan. No denying that you guys are a growing movement and seemingly influencing elections, but in terms of this convention, organizers sold just 600 tickets at $550 a pop. Do you think that reflects the values, the scope of what I think up until now has mostly been a grassroots movement?
MARKS: I'd have to say that the ticket price was expensive and that's something I was concerned about and I knew that a lot of students weren't going to be able to attend. But the thing that I realize and after talking to many activists like myself and the groups, this is group funded. This isn't one person paying $550. This is a tea party movement in Mesa, Arizona, or a Young Americans for Freedom and tea party group up in Alaska that are going to go ahead and pool their money and send representatives and say, we want ownership in the movement.
That's why we're here. They're here to come and learn and report back to their local groups and use the innovative information and implement something that will go ahead and bring the movement together.
BROWN: And what about you, Lisa?
NORTON: I'm just -- I'm glad that this opportunity came up. I did think the ticket prices were high, but, again, the intent of this organization or this convention was to get all the different organizations together, and the intent was to have the groups that they're representing, all the leaders from all the different groups come together so that we could all network, we could all figure out a strategy on how we can, as a movement, move forward and make Congress listen to us.
BROWN: Right.
NORTON: And so, really, this is not meant to be a convention for just everyday people as much as leaders of all those everyday people organizations that are out there.
BROWN: Right.
NORTON: There are so many out there now.
BROWN: Well, Lisa, both to you and Jordan, appreciate both of you coming on and sharing your views and your thoughts and your insights on this. Thanks very much.
NORTON: Thank you.
MARKS: Thank you.
BROWN: And when we come back, there are more problems tonight for Toyota to tell you about. The woman known as the car coach, she's going to be here to break it all down for us and tell you what it means.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: We have some breaking news right now tonight coming out of Japan. We are learning about potentially more problems for Toyota. And we want to bring in Kyung Lah, who is our person in Tokyo right now, who has information on all of this for us.
Kyung, what can you tell us?
KYUNG LAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Campbell.
BROWN: Yes.
LAH: Hello? BROWN: Yes.
LAH: Hi, Campbell.
BROWN: Go ahead.
LAH: I had an interruption with my phone service here. The news that we're getting from Toyota is that the Lexus HS 250h model, if you own a Lexus, it would be any new Lexus from last July. If it is a hybrid, it is being looked at by Toyota and the reason why is because it has the exact same braking system as the latest model Prius. So Toyota says right now they don't have any complaints from their customers but they want to make sure that the brakes on the Lexus do not have the same problem as the Prius but they suspect that it might, because it's the exact same system.
Now, as far as the Prius, and whether or not there is going to be a recall, at this time Toyota says they have not filed the recall papers, that they do not have anything official to say about a recall. We even called the Japanese government, the agency that has to be given that piece of paper if there is a recall.
BROWN: Right.
LAH: And right now, the government does not have that piece of paper. So if you own a Prius, the latest model, it is not under recall. If you own a Lexus, that is also not under a recall. But certainly there are a lot of reports and a lot of activity right now in Toyota trying to figure out exactly what to do and how to remedy the situation for its customers, Campbell.
BROWN: So you've got to wonder, I guess the best advice to people right now is to stand by and wait, I guess, over the next 24 hours to see if they go down that path.
LAH: Exactly. But it certainly is concerning. Because what we're talking about here, according to Toyota is that your brakes may not work properly for a second. Now, if you're traveling 60 miles per hour and your brakes don't work for that one second, that's 88 feet. So this is certainly something that Toyota has got to work to move on very quickly and answer these questions from customers.
BROWN: All right. Kyung, appreciate your time tonight, and the latest on this. And we should mention for all of the latest news on the Toyota recall and safety issues, you can go to CNN.com/toyota. Again, that's CNN.com/toyota.
We'll be back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: We have some more must-see news happening right now. HLN's Mike Galanos here with tonight's "Download."
Hi, Mike. MIKE GALANOS, HLN PRIME NEWS: Hi, Campbell. First off, some breaking news. North Korea says it will release an American missionary captured who was captured on Christmas Day. Human rights activist Robert Park was detained after crossing the border from China. North Korea's news agency is quoted as saying that Park has shown, quote, "sincere repentance for his wrongdoings."
Well, the Pentagon has decided for the first time to require military bases worldwide to make the so-called morning after pill available. A new policy was recommended by an independent panel of doctors and pharmacists. The Bush administration had resisted the change. Over-the-counter sales of the emergency contraception was OKed by the FDA back in 2006.
No response from Iran after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton turned down an offer to swap three American hikers detained in Iran for Iranian prisoners held in the U.S. Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proposed that trade. The Americans have been held since July and are being accused of espionage. They claim they crossed into Iran by mistake while hiking in Iraq.
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit off the coast of northern California today. The U.S. Geological Survey says the noontime quake struck about 35 miles from the town of Petrolia in Humboldt County. That's extreme northern California. There are no reports of major damages or injuries.
Finally this, this video will freak you out a little bit. It's a swarm of Brazilian three-tailed bats. They've taken over a foreclosed vacant house in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The bats are common in the area. They help control the mosquito population. I'm sure some neighbors are saying so what.
All the neighbors now are trying to seal off their homes. They say the worst part, it's the smell. It's nasty, the rabies. And dusk every night, out they come -- Campbell.
BROWN: Oh my God. This is creeping me out so much.
GALANOS: It is, isn't it?
BROWN: Yes.
GALANOS: I know.
BROWN: I can't even watch it. OK. Get that video off the screen.
GALANOS: OK, I'm off.
BROWN: Oh, yuck. Thanks for sharing, Mike.
GALANOS: You're chilling yourself.
BROWN: Come on, what happened to, like, cute babies?
GALANOS: I know. We've got to get back to that.
BROWN: Yes, let's do it. Mike Galanos.
As we have been reporting, we've got breaking news out of Japan tonight. We're learning about potentially more problems for Toyota. The Toyota Prius is reportedly being recalled in Japan. They are now looking at Lexus, at the Lexus hybrid. Also over brake problems.
With me now is the car coach, Lauren Fix. She is also author of "Lauren Fix's Guide to Loving Your Car."
Lauren, again, these are initial reports coming out of Japan. But what do you make of what we're hearing?
LAUREN FIX, AUTOMOTIVE EXPERT: Well, I think that this is very interesting. I think initially that this sat on their hands when it came to some of these acceleration problems and now they're really listening to every single consumer complaint. And I think once this starts, people come out of the woodwork, you know how that happens. And I think what's happened is people that have problems, they heard about this Prius problem. They say they're having problems as well, and now it's starting to evolve.
It's very interesting. I got a phone call as well as a press release from Ford Motor Company saying we're being proactive and we're changing our software in our hybrid vehicles so there's no questions about their products, which they're not having any problems at all. But I also received a press release from Toyota saying that consumers are having problems with the fact that it's the way the pedal feels. So we don't know what's really the truth until NHTSA does the rest of their tests. If what I'm reading on the Internet is true, what's coming across to me, looks like we may have another recall which is another black eye.
BROWN: Well, right. And just to be clear about the reports we're getting tonight, which is they are examining Lexus now because the brakes system I guess in the Lexus is very similar to the Prius or the same brake system I guess as the Prius. So nothing has been reported with regard to Lexus but they say it's worth an investigation, right?
FIX: Right. And also keep in mind, that's true. That's what I'm hearing as well. If you do have a Scion (ph) product, which is also owned by Toyota, there are no problems with those. It's all recorded that I'm aware of it this time so I would not worry at all if you have a Scion (ph) product.
However, I've been getting e-mails. I've been on CNN the last couple of days. The e-mails I've been receiving have been amazing with people with problems that have not reported to NHTSA. So once these reports come in and people watch your news report, I think it's going to get a little bit bigger than what we're seeing right now.
BROWN: CNN's Jessica Yellin has a Prius and she walked us through kind of some of the issues she was having. I just want to show people. Take a look. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YELLIN: Sometimes when you're driving slowly over an uneven surface or a slippery road and you hit a grate or a pothole, you step on the brake and they don't respond for a moment. It's as if the brakes aren't getting traction with the ground and you just slip. The brakes respond just fine when you're moving at a high speed or if somebody were to jump in front of the car I'm sure it would stop. It's just a problem at slow speeds over those really bumpy surfaces.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: And clearly, she's not the only one who's having these issues. Let me just ask you, Lauren, why do you think Toyota has been seemingly so slow to react here?
FIX: Well, I think they thought initially that they could handle these problems. At first we thought it was a carpeting situation. And they say, we can handle this. We'll take care of our customer s like we always have because customer service is what they're all about.
But this is going back into the early 2000s. And now we're talking about problems that have just been getting a little bit larger. And now I think so many complaints and then we had 19 deaths because of the unintended accelerations. Lots and lots of complains that just got bigger and bigger. I got e-mails from people that were saying they'd been in three, four accidents and the dealer wouldn't do anything. So enough complaints cause a big red flag. And NHTSA, definitely, National Highway Traffic Safety Association, Ray LaHood has decided we're going to check these out.
So now we're talking about probes into Toyota's situation on the 25th of February. They're talking about having a bigger investigation. I hope this doesn't hurt Toyota too bad because I think in the big picture, every car manufacturer has issues.
BROWN: Right.
FIX: And the secret is they do build a quality product. And I think it's going to cause a lot of customers to go elsewhere and it's very hard and very expensive to earn their loyalty back.
BROWN: All right, Lauren Fix for us tonight. Lauren, thanks very much. And this is so confusing I think with all the crossover of information right now.
So just, again, for the latest news on the recall, on the safety issues, we have it laid out pretty clearly for you. Go to CNN.com/toyota. Again, CNN.com/toyota.
And "LARRY KING LIVE" is going to start in just a few minutes. Larry, what do you have tonight?
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": We have got a primetime exclusive, Campbell, with Brad Brian. He's the attorney for the self- help guru James Ray charged with manslaughter in those sweat lodge deaths. We'll get into big developments in Haiti today. The 10 Americans jailed, formally charged with kidnapping. And a "30 Rock" star will tell us about his fight for life and need for a new kidney. And then Deepak Chopra will stop by, too. All next on "LARRY KING LIVE" -- Campbell.
BROWN: All right, Larry. We'll see you in just a few minutes.
Up next, tonight's "Guilty Pleasure.: The banker caught checking out R-rated pictures on live TV. Will Dave be saved?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: "LARRY KING LIVE" starts in just a few minutes. But first earlier this week, we showed you the banker who was caught on live TV while he was checking out racy pictures on his work computer. Well, now people around the world are crying out to help save Dave. Here's CNN's Jeanne Moos with tonight's "Guilty Pleasure."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're calling it the "Save Dave" campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe you should save Dave.
MOOS: Save Dave's job.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think Dave should be fired.
MOOS: Dave Kiely is the guy who got nabbed on an Australian news broadcast.
DAVE KIELY, MACQUARIE INVESTMENT ANALYST: Which is where they were at a low.
MOOS: During a live interview at Macquarie's bank, he was in the background opening photos of a nearly-naked famous model, Miranda Kerr.
(on camera): Now the pictures he's looking at are from --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my God. This is nude pictures of women. I mean, were we born with clothes on?
MOOS (voice-over): Take it off, stripper music was played.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The problem was he did it during a live interview here on 7 about --
MOOS: As local anchors chortled over the story, but now the "Save Dave" campaign has come to his rescue, started by a financial news Web site in London.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the world is going politically correct mad. MOOS: There's all kinds of speculation that Dave was set up, that this could have been a practical joke with the photos e-mailed to hi so he'd unwittingly open them during the live broadcast.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The theory goes that as he opened the third attachment and he scrolled down there was a message at the end of the e-mail that said, turn around now.
MOOS: That's everybody's favorite part, when he turns around. Now he's got support groups on Facebook. Who hasn't done that, asked one fan? Post a photo of yourself checking out Miranda Kerr to show your support.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Save Dave. Definitely.
MOOS: "The Australian" reports Dave is waiting to hear his fate as the bank forensically examines his e-mails.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Next time, Dave, be a little more careful, and company, don't fire him right off the spot.
MOOS (on camera): You're saying out. He's out?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Out, yes.
MOOS: Out the door?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Out the door. 10-4, out the door.
MOOS: But what would Miranda think about some guy possibly getting sacked just for looking at her?
(voice-over): The Victoria's Secret model told the Melbourne "Herald-Sun," "I am told there is a petition to save his job and of course I would sign it." And while she's signing things, might as well autograph one of her photos and send it to Dave, but not to his work e-mail.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Save him.
MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You should tell him to take those pictures home and leave them home.
MOOS: New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And that is it for us. Thanks for joining us.
"LARRY KING LIVE" starts right now.
