Return to Transcripts main page
Early Start with John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin
Battle Over Immigration; Court Battle Over Immigration; Edwards Aide Back On The Stand; Mad Cow Disease Confirmed In California; Bird Strike Forces Emergency Landing; Dad Says Teachers Abused His Autistic Son; Post 9/11 Plot; "World Peace" Suspended Seven Games; Romney Nearing Nomination; Home Prices Still Falling; Mad Cow Disease Confirmed In California; Sanders' Wife Wants "Fair Shake"; One World Trade Set To Pass Empire State Building
Aired April 25, 2012 - 05:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hi. Good morning. It is an EARLY START, folks. Welcome. I'm Ashleigh Banfield. And that's it for the music. That's all we're -- that's it. 6:00 a.m. on the east.
ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN ANCHOR: We're going to give you some more. We're happy that you're with us this morning. I'm Zoraida Sambolin. We are bringing you the news from "A" to "Z." 6:00 a.m. in the east, so let's get started here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SAMBOLIN (voice-over): A showdown that could be a deciding factor on Election Day. Arizona's tough immigration crackdown heading to the Supreme Court today or to the supremes, as Ashleigh likes to say.
BANFIELD (voice-over): Sing it.
SAMBOLIN: Other states with similar laws are watching now. Democrats in Congress already planning a counterattack. It will be most watched case besides healthcare reform this year. We're going to be live in Washington.
BANFIELD: And be on the lookout for Batman because some scary surveillance videotape caught this guy jumping the counter and in his hand, by the way, I love the effect, is a baseball bat. No one saw this coming. He just started swinging. We'll fill the details in on that.
SAMBOLIN: And birds cause another scare in the sky, the second one this week. A flight with 54 people onboard turns around after geese splatter all over the windshield.
BANFIELD: Not pretty.
It's 6:00 a.m. on the East Coast. Top stories. U.S. Supreme Court taking up the fight over immigration. That happened today. Justices are going to hear oral arguments on Arizona's controversial immigration law.
You'll probably remember all the light and heat that was taken when Arizona signed that bill into law. SB 1070, as it's known, known to crack down on illegal immigration in that border state.
And among the law's provisions requiring local police to check an immigration status while enforcing other laws if there is, quote, "a reasonable suspicion that the person is in the country illegally."
But some people say that is just flat out profiling. The White House is arguing that no matter what states don't have the authority on immigration issues.
But Arizona says too bad, federal government is not doing what it's supposed to do in our state, not controlling the problem and we got it bad right here on the border.
So, Kate Bolduan is following this. She is live in D.C. for us and while this is an Arizona challenge. It's not an Arizona story along, right, Kate?
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: No, and that's why there are states across the country that are watching this very closely. States some with similar laws and they are waiting to see where this challenge goes and what it means for their state.
Coming up this morning, Ashleigh, we're going to have an hour of oral arguments at the court. This is a classic state versus federal power struggle. The key issue before the court is who should be enforcing illegal immigration laws?
The state of Arizona argues that it's facing because of illegal immigration, facing economic and public safety crises and they also say that the law is meant to assist, not interfere with the federal government in trying to stop illegal immigration.
Additionally, the state officials say that they're stepping in where the federal government has so far failed. The Obama administration though argues that Arizona would be interfering with what is exclusively a federal authority, immigration issues.
And the law could damage, in their view, relations with other countries and also make simply immigration matters worse. We went to Arizona and I talked to two very interesting people, a Phoenix police officer and the head of a private group patrolling the border.
Both men on the frontlines of the fight against illegal immigration, but they could not be farther apart. Listen to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID SALGADO, PHOENIX POLICE DEPARTMENT: I think it is a racist law because that law was basically picks and chooses certain people. When I took an oath 20 years ago and I said I want to enforce all laws and treat everyone equal, I can't treat the Hispanics equal because I'm going to profile them. GLENN SPENCER, AMERICAN BORDER PATROL: This is a wholesale invasion of Arizona. Our federal government is not protecting the state. We are going to make sure that they get all the help and the federal government gets all the help that it needs to do the job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: What a passion on both sides of this issue, no surprise to anyone who is following this. After oral arguments today, Ashleigh, we'll likely get a decision from the justices in the next couple months.
Smack that in the middle of an election year and you know immigration issues are also a big campaign issue, so, it's all making up to be high political stakes in this one, as well.
BANFIELD: And you know what? It's a good story because you can really see both sides of this issue. The Arizonans are fed up with what they have to deal with and the feds have a good point.
They've got a constitution. We try to follow it. So here's my question. Is this going to come down to what is the meaning of assisting or is it far more broad than that?
BOLDUAN: It really kind of comes down, it seems, there's this whole issue the dry legal terms that I don't want to give everyone at 6:00 in the morning, the issue of -- the issue of pre-emption, but really comes down to the key point that I said off of the top, who should be in charge of enforcing these laws?
The federal government said they're in charge of it. They set foreign policies. They need to deal with relations with other countries. They cannot have every state in this country kind of putting forth in their view with their own foreign policy.
The states say, we hear you, but Arizona says we're a border state and you're not doing your job and we need to step in because we're facing a public safety and economic crises.
It will be very interesting to hear how oral arguments go and, also, where the justices kind of pinpoint their questions to the attorney.
Ashleigh, I knew you will find this interesting. I just thought I'd throw this out there. This is really kind of the first rematch from the two attorneys who were arguing the health care case.
The Solicitor General Donald Borelli as well as Attorney Paul Clement so they're back in the courtroom facing off again today.
BANFIELD: You're going to know everybody in that courtroom.
BOLDUAN: Yes, we're all old friends.
BANFIELD: I really appreciate this. Thank you, Kate, nice to see you. Also let's talk a little more Washington, shall we? This is one is real sexy though. John Edwards former aide and confident is going to be back on the witness stand for a third day today this morning.
Who knew that courtrooms could be so sexy? This time though he's going to face some serious brutal, we call it blistering cross- examination by the defense. The prosecution star witness' name is Andrew Young, probably heard his name before.
Yesterday, he told the court about detailed plans that John Edwards made with him to try to cover up the affair that Edwards was having with his pregnant mistress Rielle Hunter.
Young testified about a day he says Hunter made so many frantic calls to him that he told her, quote, "Somebody either be pregnant or dying here."
And Young says, her reply was, no one's dying. When Edwards found out that Hunter was pregnant, Andrew Young says that Edwards called her, quote, "a crazy slut," and then said, there was, quote, "a one in three chance that child's mine."
SAMBOLIN: It's 5 minutes past the hour. South Korea reportedly plans to strengthen inspections of beef imported from the United States. This is in response to a case of mad cow disease in California.
It's the first confirmed U.S. case in six years. The Agriculture Department says it was discovered in a random test on a dairy cow at a rendering facility.
Officials say no meat from the cow was actually bound for food supply. The carcass is being quarantined now while the plant waits for word from the USDA on how to dispose of it.
BANFIELD: Once again, a passenger jet departing New York has been forced to make an emergency landing because of birds, the latest incident taking place last night at Westchester County Airport. Not all that far from all the main airports that you probably know about in New York.
A JetBlue flight was bound for West Palm Beach, but it was forced to turn back just 15 minutes after taking off when two giant geese slammed into the windshield and damaged it.
Look, you can see a little bit of the debris still there on the plane. There were 54 passengers onboard. Nobody hurt, thank God, but they were put on another plane safely.
I want you to listen to the incident as it happened from the cockpit radio transmissions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: JetBlue 571 contact New York departure 120.8. UNIDENTIFIED PILOT: JetBlue 571, we got to come back. We hit two big geese.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: JetBlue 571, roger and standby. JetBlue 571 make right traffic runway 1-6.
UNIDENTIFIED PILOT: Right traffic 1-6, JetBlue 571.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: JetBlue 571, would you like to declare an emergency?
UNIDENTIFIED PILOT: We are declaring an emergency.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Calmly at that. But remember these pictures from just last Thursday, those birds flying past the window of a Delta flight at Kennedy Airport.
That flight had to make a quick turn around too after birds were suck into an engine right after takeoff. By the way, CNN's Ali Velshi was on board that flight.
SAMBOLIN: A New Jersey dad is accusing teachers of bullying his autistic son and he caught that alleged abuse on tape. Stu Chaifetz had his 10-year-old son, Akian, wearing a hidden audio recorder after teachers told him said his son was being violent in class.
Chaifetz says his son had never been violent before so he wanted to find out what was really going on. Chaifetz recorded over six hours of tape and on that tape he heard taunts and mistreatment toward his son. Here's a tiny clip for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Aikan, you are a bastard.
STU CHAIFETZ, FATHER OF AIKAN CHAIFETZ: That's the horror of it. It was his teacher and his aide, the people who were there to protect him and they betrayed him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: Chaifetz says his son, Aikan, is in a new school environment and he is doing really well.
BANFIELD: That is disturbing hearing that language. I'm sure there was more to that tape, as well.
It's 8 minutes now past 6:00 on the East Coast. Still ahead, game on. Mitt Romney sweeping five northeast states declaring the race is on with President Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A better America begins tonight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: So, when will Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum make a move and either get behind him or not? We might have a sneak peek at that.
SAMBOLIN: And a mad man leaping over the counter and wildly swinging a baseball bat at a McDonald's. The scary video straight ahead. You are watching EARLY START.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BANFIELD: It's 12 minutes now past 6:00. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments today on Arizona's controversial immigration law. It's known as SB 1070. It's been making a lot of news.
The law meant to crack down on illegal immigration in that state, but the White House is coming with this one in saying the states don't have the authority over immigration that the feds do. A ruling on this is not expected today, but maybe closer to the summer.
SAMBOLIN: A convicted al Qaeda operative says Osama Bin Laden was planning follow-up attacks involving airplanes right after 9/11. (Inaudible) says Bin Laden wanted to bring down airliners in the U.S. and Southeast Asia.
Badhat (ph) outlined Bin Laden's plan during videotaped testimony in the trial of an American who was charged with plotting attacks on New York City subways.
BANFIELD: A Florida mother who was dying of breast cancer went to YouTube to beg a drug maker to allow compassionate use of a cancer drug that hasn't yet been approved.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DARLENE GANT, STAGE 4 BREAST CANCER PATIENT: The fact that there are drugs being held up and that trial has been going on for years, one of my best friends, Andy, died waiting to get into the trial.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: The FDA is expected to approve the drug by June, but Darlene Gant doesn't think that she's going to be alive that long. It will honor Gant's request and give her access to the medication.
SAMBOLIN: That's great news.
The police are looking for an unhappy customer, apparently, who went on a big attack at a McDonald's restaurant in Lakeland, Florida. The rampage apparently aimed at the store's manager lasted only 30 seconds. Employees say they remember the man from a previous visit when he complained about the service.
BANFIELD: The NBA has suspended Meta World Peace also known as Ron Artest. He's with the L.A. Lakers. He is going to be gone for seven games for throwing one nasty elbow. Check it out.
If you didn't already see it, it is ugly. Man, now you can see how it floored Oklahoma's James Harden on Sunday. By the way, he's grabbing his head because that elbow left him with a concussion.
It means that Metta World Peace is going to miss the Lakers' entire first round playoff series unless it goes seven games. Man, that's nasty.
SAMBOLIN: Go to one vending machine to get your munchies and then go to another to get your weed. Yes, California has opened its first medical marijuana vending machine.
But the company claims it actually makes it harder to purchase weed. You need a special swipe card and verify your thumb print and then enter a secret pin code. The vending machine offers all kinds of marijuana named sky walker, biodiesel, platinum, amongst others.
BANFIELD: How about that?
For an expanded look at all our top stories, you can just head on over to our blog, CNN.com/EarlyStart.
SAMBOLIN: Let's switch gears here. Fifteen minutes past the hour.
It looks like no one can stop Mitt Romney now. The former Massachusetts governor sweeping to primaries last night in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Delaware.
It seems inevitable that he will clinch the nomination next month. And last night, he ripped President Obama, promising a better America if there is a Romney White House.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Because he has failed, he will run a campaign of diversions and distractions and distortions. That kind of campaign may have worked at another place and at a different time, but not here, and not now. It's still about the economy, and we're not stupid.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser joining us live from Washington this morning.
Paul, it seems Romney has put the primary politics behind him. He's now zeroing in on President Obama and general election. What did his speech last night say about his strategy now going forward?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: I think you played a sound bite right there that really says it -- economy, economy, economy. You know, Zoraida, it's still the top concern with American voters and he hammered home on the issue in his speech last night.
He also said, I know how to lead us out of this stagnant Obama economy and into a job-creating recovery.
All right. By the numbers, a 15-minute speech long on rhetoric and kind of short on specific politics. I guess you can call it a preview of the speech he'll give at the Republican Convention in Florida in August.
You know, polls indicated Average Americans don't think Romney really understands their problems as much as President Obama. So, maybe he tried to remedy that connection problem in his speech. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: For every single mom who feels heartbroken when she has to explain to her kids that she needs to take a second job and won't be home as often, for grandparents that can't afford the gas to visit their grandchildren any more, for the mom and dad who never thought they'd be on food stamps, to all of you -- I have a simple message: hold on a little longer. A better America begins tonight.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: You know what's interesting, Zoraida, with primaries all but over, one word he did not use in his 15-minute speech: conservative. Another thing, the speech getting rave reviews. People say it's one of the better speeches Romney has given as a candidate this time or four years ago when he first ran for the White House.
SAMBOLIN: Yes, Paul. They said he actually connected.
But I want to talk about another interesting moment on "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT." Piers is talking to Rick Santorum and his wife, and he asked him about endorsing Mitt Romney.
So, let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANTORUM (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: He's the person that is going to go up against President Obama, it's pretty clear. We need to win this race. We need to defeat Barack Obama.
PIERS MORGAN, HOST, CNN'S "PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT": Is that an endorsement, isn't it? Unless I'm mishearing things. You just endorsed Mitt Romney.
R. SANTORUM: Well, if that's what you want to call it, you can call it whatever you want. I --
MORGAN: Am I wrong?
R. SANTORUM: All I would say -- look, I believe --
MORGAN: Karen, you know your husband. Has he just endorsed Mitt Romney?
KAREN SANTORUM, RICK SANTORUM'S WIFE: No, not at this point, no.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: So, he doesn't get it out of Rick Santorum. He's trying to get it out of the wife.
Why won't Santorum just endorse Romney?
STEINHAUSER: Let's give credit to Piers for really trying hard there. But, you know, listen, two weeks now it's been since Santorum suspended his campaign. Maybe those bitter primaries between him and Romney are still hurting. I guess he's not there yet.
What we do know, a meeting now scheduled on May 4th with Santorum and Romney. At that meeting, Santorum advisors tell us that the idea of endorsement will come up, but they don't expect this meeting to be the actual endorsement meeting.
What about New Gingrich? Let's talk about Newt Gingrich still in the campaign in North Carolina last night, in advance of the primary there in two weeks. Gingrich said, over the next few days, we're going to look realistically at where we are at. He did not do well at al in the primaries, even Delaware he spent a lot of time, lost there by a 2-1 margin by Romney. But he did say he will continue to campaign at least through the weekend in North Carolina.
So, I guess we can say: stay tuned and keep your eyes on Newt Gingrich to see when he drops out.
SAMBOLIN: Realistically, I suppose that's the operative word there.
Thank you so much, Paul. We appreciate it.
STEINHAUSER: Thank you.
BANFIEL: It's 19 minutes now past 6:00 on the East Coast.
President Obama meantime hitting the road and courting young voters at the University of North Carolina. If you didn't see this, you got to. He was a special guest on Jimmy Fallon's late night show. First time, he's done big-time late night, like super, super late night. The president joined in with Jimmy Fallon, slow jamming the news and taking a few questions from Twitter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY FALLON, COMEDIAN: This first one is from @bobobrian. And Bobo says --
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What does Bobo have to say?
(CROSSTALK)
OBAMA: I woke up wondering what Bobo had to say.
FALLON: What does Bobo has to say.
Due to economic pressures, influence on voters could likely see a, dot, dot, dot -- forget it, are you going to legalize weed or what?
(CHEERS)
OBAMA: I figured that's what Bobo was going to ask.
We're not going to be legalizing weed our what any time soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: What a straight face at that. In response to another question, by the way, the president said that he has met Mitt Romney, but that, quote, "They're not friends." He said it in a nice way. He didn't say it in the snarky way. He said it in a nice way.
SAMBOLIN: It is 20 minutes past the hour. Coming up, is there a light at the end of the tunnel for the housing crisis? Poppy Harlow breaking it down. The new numbers coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAMBOLIN: Twenty-four minutes past the hour. Minding your business this morning.
Some encouraging new info this morning about home prices.
BANFIELD: That's to say the least. Holy smokes!
Poppy Harlow is in for Christine Romans this morning.
It sort of feels like we're bumping along, if anything, the bottom of the housing market.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Yes.
BANFIELD: But this is your beat, baby.
HARLOW: Yes. These are the numbers that just came out. I mean, I guess it's all relative, right? Home value declines are slowing. So, we're getting a little bit better. This charge just came out from Zillow, which is really the number tracker of these real estate data.
Take a look at it. What you're looking at in green is for the next year what they're projecting.
Markets where they think we're going to see increases in home prices. So, good news. You got Phoenix, Miami, places that have been hit really hard and the red and what you see highlighted there in yellow, that's the U.S.
So, they're saying, overall, over the next year, U.S. home prices are going to decline a total of 0.4 percent. So, what they're saying is we're going to hit the bottom, they think, somewhere near the end of 2012 and that's good because you have to get some sort of stabilization for the housing market to really start recovering. But it's not going to make a full recovery until we have a job's recovery. We know that.
But this is their projection overall. But the housing market is still in the gutter and these numbers just came up yesterday.
So, let's pull up the Case Schiller S&P numbers because these are home values across the 20 biggest cities in America. They're down about 3.5 percent from a year ago and that's the new post-bubble low. So, really, the low since 2006 and those numbers came in for the end of February.
So, you still have weakness in the housing market, but the key here and I think this is key that the stabilization is there and over the next 12 months they're expecting that we will hit a bottom. But we were just talking about Chicago or Minneapolis, where I'm from. That's still in the red. They're still expecting pretty good decline there. But then you got Phoenix and Miami and some of the very hard- hit places that they think are going to get significantly better in the next year.
So, it's really a matter of where you are and when you try to sell, what that's going to do in the next year.
SAMBOLIN: So tough because so many people put their money in real estate, right, thinking it was going to be safe.
BANFIELD: Are the hardest hit areas rebounding first? Because people are moving and saying good deal?
HARLOW: Yes, they are. And lot of what is being bought are these foreclosed homes. So, really depressed levels and that's what's happening and that's what you'll se in some of these markets like in Arizona, like in Nevada, like in Florida, yes.
But that doesn't necessarily stabilize the market because you're not getting readings on prices.
BANFIELD: Right.
SAMBOLIN: That was a mega crisis in Phoenix. So --
HARLOW: Absolutely. So, good news for them.
BANFIELD: I'll take bits and pieces of good news there any day.
Poppy, thank you for that.
SAMBOLIN: Thank you, Poppy.
Twenty-six minutes past the hour.
Up next, Arizona's tough immigration crackdown heading to the Supreme Court. We are talking to a lawmaker who said Arizona stepped because the government failed them.
You're watching EARLY START.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BANFIELD: It's 30 minutes now past 6:00. That will be the bottom of the half hour. It's nice to have you back on EARLY START. I'm Ashleigh Banfield.
That would be the Z part of A to Z.
SAMBOLIN: Zoraida Sambolin.
It is time to check the stories that are making news this morning.
A showdown that could be a deciding factor on election day. Arizona's tough immigration crackdown headed to the Supreme Court today. Other states with similar laws are watching. We're talking to a Republican congressman in a few moments about this.
BANFIELD: For the first time in six years, authorities in this country have a case of mad cow disease on their hands. So, obviously, people want to know, is the food supply safe? We'll look into it.
SAMBOLIN: And trying to reverse the curse of the Billy goat at Wrigley Field. Fans planning to exorcise the demons with a goat of their own will the friendly confines actually allow it?
BANFIELD: It is 30 minutes past 6:00.
Boy, that was a quit little headlines, didn't change the clock at all, did we?
So, here's something people have been talking about a lot since yesterday. Three words that can trigger fear: Mad cow disease. And for the first time in six years, authorities are looking into a case of it right here in the United States.
Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen is joining us now with the details.
All right. Elizabeth, so you had a chance to speak to some of the folks who are basically on ground zero with this.
Get me up to speed on exactly what is happening, where this case was found and how we actually found it and whether it's the only one.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. The case -- first of all, we're not actually 100 percent sure it's not the only one. So, I want to be clear about that. This was a random finding.
It was a plant in California that processes the carcasses of cows. They had hundreds of cows in the field and we have to do this random check and they chose about 60 cows and one of them had mad cow disease.
And so, what they did is, of course, they processed it. The USDA says this cow was no threat to anyone at any time. It was never going to be eaten and mad cow disease cannot be transferred through milk -- Ashleigh.
BANFIELD: All right. So that's -- when you say it's the processing, a lot of people think very quickly about what we heard in the '90s, and that was -- yes, processing means it gets ground into feed, which could be fed back to livestock, which ultimately we eat.
So, where do we -- how do we know we're still OK?
COHEN: Right. That's the big worry.
So, here's why experts say not to worry, is that you don't -- even for healthy cows, you don't grind up the parts that could be infectious with BSC into feed. So, for example, the animal's brains would never go into feed. The spinal cord would never go into feed. So, things that could become infectious later don't get use anyhow. That's sort of one of the many safe guards to keep it out of the food system.
BANFIELD: I heard someone from the USDA say I think on John King show yesterday, I'm going home to have steak tonight. And that's all fine and dandy, I heard that before, but this was a random, this was a random detection which I think makes a lot of people concerned that this particular plant had one case, how do we know it's not else where?
COHEN: Right. Here's the big problem with BSC, which is the technical word for mad cow disease in cows, is that this really long incubation period. So, a cow gets infected and it can be, usually is years before they start showing any signs, sometimes up to eight years. You don't know that this cow is sick unless you find it in this random check.
So, some people will say, well, the system worked, right? We did random checks and we found it. Other people say, wait a minute, this shows that maybe it's not working because you just found it. What if you hadn't randomly chosen the cow?
I mean, I think the bottom line is that there is sometimes risk in everything that we do in life. And so, you know, is it possible that one of these cows has gotten through the system? Yes. I mean, that is possible.
BANFIELD: And certainly would have been a case for that first -- this is how long I've been watching you at your fantastic work. Back in 2006, you interviewed the first human case of I guess bovine spongiform encephalitis, if I remember correctly. And it was a devastating story a about a young woman who was inflicted by that.
COHEN: Right. So, this was mad cow disease that was transferred from meat to a human. It has a whole different name in humans which is --
(CROSSTALK)
COHEN: Right. It's very confusing. So, I just say human mad cow disease and animal mad cow disease.
So, this poor woman, Charlene (ph), a young, beautiful woman. She was infected when she lived in the United Kingdom and then at age 13 she moved from United Kingdom to here never knowing she was sick because this long incubation period. When she was 23, she started to become ill and you can se here, it was just devastating to see her, Ashleigh. She couldn't speak, she couldn't walk around. This was it. And sadly she died just a few months after I saw her.
Now, again, she got infected in the U.K., but then died here. Two other people have been in the same circumstances. They got infected in other countries, but then moved here and died here.
So, I'm going to repeat this. No one has gotten mad cow disease from animals in the U.S., no one. The people who have gotten sick here, have got infected else where.
BANFIELD: Right. And we've been, sometimes we've been criticize for being too aggressive in how we put quick bans on meat imports from Britain or Canada, et cetera. So it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Thanks for that. Appreciate it, Elizabeth. Nice to see you this morning.
SAMBOLIN: Thirty-five minutes past the hour. And for the second time in five days, a bird strike has forced a passenger jet in New York to turn back right after taking off.
This latest incident involving a JetBlue flight to West Palm Beach. The pilot was forced to turn around and make an emergency landing when two geese slammed into the windshield and damaged it. There are the pictures for you to look at.
Listen to a passenger describe what it felt like.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was swerving immediately right after the two hits. So, he was rocking the plane back and forth and we knew something was going on. I'm going to die. I'm not going to see my family. I'm not going to get home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: None of the 54 passengers onboard were hurt.
BANFIELD: Thirty-six minutes now past 6:00.
And coming up next, Arizona's tough immigration crackdown is heading to the Supreme Court for a big challenge. We're going to speak with a lawmaker who says Arizona stepped up because Arizona feels the federal government wasn't stepping up enough.
First, though, let's get a check on the weather story with Rob Marciano who is live for us.
No bears in your background. But, boy, do we have an amazing live shot last hour with bears in the backdrop of another weatherman.
MARCIANO: Yes, that's why we like to do our weather from the studio here.
Hey. Good morning, guys.
Heat in the middle of the country. And on the coast, we're looking at cool showers and storminess. It's 96 in Roswell, New Mexico, 88 degrees in Denver and we'll continue to see that heat across the midsection.
A threat for severe weather across the western Great Lakes and Ohio River Valley, including Chicago. Mostly in the some of some hail, potentially in some damaging winds. Two storms out west. So Cal you're getting some rain.
As mentioned, in the middle of the country, temperatures will be solid 20 degrees above average and 90 degrees in Dallas. That's hot.
Thirty-seven after the hour. EARLY START coming right back. Stay there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAMBOLIN: Welcome back. It is 40 minutes past the hour.
Today, the law that put Arizona in the immigration enforcement business heads to the high court. Lower courts blocked four key parts of the law.
The blocked provisions would require state and local police to check the status of suspected illegal immigrants, whom they stopped or arrested for other reasons. Also make it a state crime for illegal immigrants to not possess federal registration cards. It would make it a state crime for illegal immigrants to work or to try to get work.
Finally, it would allow state and local police to arrest illegal immigrants without a warrant if there is probable cause that these people committed crimes that would result in deportation.
The court says the state's interference is actually making matters worse, but Arizona says the issue is safety and the federal government is not doing enough and it appears that most people actually agree with the state. A new poll finds 68 percent of people nationwide support the law that just over a quarter disapprove there.
Republican Congressman David Schweikert f Arizona joins us now to talk about this.
Thank you, Congressman, for joining us this morning. You say that --
REP. DAVID SCHWEIKERT (R), ARIZONA: Good morning.
SAMBOLIN: Good morning.
You said that Arizona had no choice but to take matters into its own hands because Congress has not done anything about the immigration issue. The Justice Department says the law conflicts with the administration's authority to control immigration.
What are you hoping to hear in today's oral arguments?
SCHWEIKERT: Well, think about that from the administration. What good are the laws on the books when they've been ignored for decades? And, yet, Arizona was having to take on incarceration and education and health care. You know, it was time, we had to step up to defend our state.
SAMBOLIN: Well, this has been highly controversial. You also said that the Arizona legislature is protecting Arizona and its people. But at yesterday's Senate hearing, former Arizona Senator Dennis Deconcini spoke. I want us to listen to this and then talk about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DENNIS DECONCINI (D), FORMER SENATOR FROM ARIZONA: I'm embarrassed. I apologize for Arizona's actions towards our Latino community. Legal or illegal, this is not a way to treat people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: You know, the Latino community in Arizona is 30 percent of your population. How do you respond to that?
SCHWEIKERT: Well, look, it's great, political theater. But you just saw exactly what has, in many ways, outraged me. First off, reporting on the piece of legislation has been, truly, unfair and inaccurate, and then it's been used as a political wedge.
What you saw in Arizona over the last couple years, what you see nationally is, in many ways, being disingenuous about what the law actually does using it for politics.
SAMBOLIN: So, Congressman, let's talk about what the law actually says, though. A lot of people say it sounds like racial profiling, right? Especially the part on immigration checks on people who are detained. So, what specifically -- what are you saying is really theater here?
SCHWEIKERT: You just hit a great point. I believe four or five times into the drafting of the legislation it speaks out very clearly. You cannot use racial profiling. It has to be a legitimate stop. There has to be a legitimate legal violation and there has to be a legitimate suspicion that someone is here illegally.
There's all sorts of safe guards built into the legislation, but, literally you hear commentators. You've actually done a terrific job, but others who go on and on and on as if their hair is on fire and seem to forget all the safeguards that are in the current law.
SAMBOLIN: So, let's talk about how the police officers are trained when they do, in fact, stop somebody. I have all the details here. So, they're allowed to stop a car, the vehicle is overcrowded and I guess we could understand that. But they're allowed to question --
SCHWEIKERT: You got back up a little bit.
SAMBOLIN: What am I backing up?
SCHWEIKERT: First, it has to be a legitimate stop. There has to be some crime or some presumption that something has been done illegally and then that's the first step and from there you have to go through the mechanics of proper questions but a legitimate level of suspicion.
SAMBOLIN: If someone is driving erratically, they could be stopped and questioned.
SCHWEIKERT: Would you pull over someone who was driving erratically if you thought you had a DWI in front of you?
Where I was heading, my great frustration is that I believe much of this is being used as for political theater for one party or the other to move their political agenda. So, it's less about Arizona being able to defend itself from a legal immigration because the federal government isn't doing its job. It's now this is good for Democrats to promote their base and actually even for Republicans to promote their base, and it's completely blurred the impact it's having on Arizona.
SAMBOLIN: Well, let's talk about the political impact then, and we'll leave that theater as you call it aside. You have 30 percent, right, of Latinos in that particular state. Half of the Latinos are actually registered to vote.
And although, immigration is not at the top of the issue, it is number five on the issue of things that Latinos really would want resolved, and some are saying that perhaps it's going to turn your state into a blue state if it's not solved.
SCHWEIKERT: But it's less about the demographic change. If you even look at the employer's sanction legislation that the Supreme Court, as you know, upheld last year, the majority of Latinos, particularly, Hispanics, supported and actually were in favor of that piece of legislation.
So, you got to also understand, this is also an attack and burden on employment and costs and education, and it affects all Arizona citizens no matter what your ethnicity.
SAMBOLIN: Congressman Schweikert, I wish we had more time to talk. We'll invite you back to continue the dialogue, because I am certain it will continue. Thank you for joining us this morning -- Ashleigh?
BANFIELD: All right. Thanks very much, Zoraida.
Christine Romans sitting in for Soledad O'Brien today joining us now with a look at a few things, including this like cannonball run- style story --
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I know.
BANFIELD: -- involving Ferraris and cars that you and I will never own.
ROMANS: I've heard of state troopers escorting like a funeral procession, but how about a long list of high-performance cars? Two state troopers suspended for their role in a dangerous high-speed escort on a New Jersey highway. We're going to talk to the attorney for one of those troopers. He said a former New York Giants super star requested that escort and apparently got it.
A New Jersey dad decides to check out his autistic son's teacher by planting a recording device on the boy. Wait till you see, wait till you hear what was going on in that classroom among people who were supposed to be teaching and taking care of that child.
And two-time Golden Globe nominee, Blair Underwood, in the house with us today. We're going talk to him about his (INAUDIBLE).
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm so excited.
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: We're going to talk into his venture of the world of men's fashion and also talks about playing Stanley in this iconic Tennessee William's play. You know, how do you go up against that role to find by Marlon Brando?
All right. About to head to work, you don't need to miss the rest of the show, check out our live blog on our website, CNN.com/StartingPoint.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BANFIELD: Good morning, Chicago. What a beautiful shot from the tower cam there. It's 51 degrees if you're just waking up. But you know what, it's going to be a great day in Chicago. I can just smell it. It's going to be 66 degrees in your fine city.
SAMBOLIN: Chicago River right there and the Wrigley Building on the right. It's nice, nice.
Fifty-one minutes past the hour. The wife of NFL Hall of Famer, Deion Sanders is now speaking out after she was arrested on domestic violence related charges. Pilar Sanders is accused of physically attacking her husband.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PILAR SANDERS, DEION SANDERS' ESTRANGED WIFE: I understand that I have very little chance at beating a Hall of Fame, two-sportman that everyone seems to love and adore. I'm a full-time mom, 100 percent for my children. And I just haven't been given a fair shake.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: Sanders sent out a tweet yesterday saying, quote, "Pray for me and my kids now. They just witnessed their mother and a friend jump me in my room. She's going to jail, and I am pressing charges." Sanders has been charged with misdemeanor simple assault. The charge carries a fine of up to $500. He also tweeted a picture out with that yesterday of him and his kids sitting there.
BANFIELD: Yes. Their both names Sanders, but it's Pilar Sanders who's been charged, not Deion.
SAMBOLIN: Yes.
BANFIELD: Just to be super clear on that one.
Also happening now, "News Corp" CEO, Rupert Murdoch is going to be testifying at the British inquiry into press abuses that was set up in response of that phone hacking scandal that Murdoch's "News of the World" tabloid, now, defunct. Murdoch was grilled about his, quote, "influence."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RUPERT MURDOCH, NEWS CORP, CEO: Set an example of ethical behavior and make (INAUDIBLE) that I expect it. I'm going to describe that in a number of ways. I do it for charisma? I don't think so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BANFIELD: Well, charisma or not, both Murdoch and his son, James, deny knowing about the scale of the illegal activities of the now defunct "News of the World" newspaper. SAMBOLIN: Some die-hard fans meeting the curse of the Billy Goat head on. These five guys are in the midst of a 1,900-file trip on foot from Mesa, Arizona to Chicago. The trek began in February. They plan to crack the curse by getting their own goat named Wrigley into the friendly confines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Blake Ferrell, on a mission to break cubs' curse: In 1945, a guy went to Wrigley Field and brought in his goat, and he was asked to leave because the goat smelled. Later, he wrote a letter to the owner of the Cubs saying that until you respect the goat, you will be cursed and not win a world series.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAMBOLIN: So, the guys walk 20 to 25 miles each day. They're also raising money for cancer research. Oh, that's good. I'm glad to hear that because the Cubs are tied for second to last in their league.
BANFIELD: Fifty-three minutes now past 6:00 on the East Coast. And coming up next, maybe Occupy Wall Street protesters could take a fashion tip or two from this group of dapper demonstrators. Why are they decked out like this?
SAMBOLIN: They look great, don't they?
BANFIELD: Gorgeous. We'll let you know what this is all about in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN Breaking News.
BANFIELD: And we begin with some breaking news just before the top of the hour. Do you remember the little girl from England who disappeared while on a family vacation about five years ago? That happened in Portugal, Madeline McCann.
Later today, London's metropolitan police are saying that because of a new photograph that they're releasing of this little girl with age progression technology, they think they may actually have some news on her that she could be alive. It's been five years since this little girl disappeared.
And they're saying because they decided to open up an investigation into this missing child case a year ago, a special investigation to review everything, it was called a general review, they may have actually come up with more information that suggests she could be alive at this point.
That age progression takes her to age nine, and they are asking anybody who might know anything about it. It seems a little odd considering she's been gone for five years, and they've been investigating for five years, but they are asking anybody with information who might know about little Madeline McCann(ph) at this age, looking like this now, five years later, to come forward.
But very strange that the police in England now saying they have reason to believe that this little girl, in fact, now may be alive.
SAMBOLIN: Reason to have hope. Incredible after all these years.
Fifty-eight minutes past the hour. One World Trade Center, the building formerly known as the Freedom Tower, is set to become the tallest building in New York City in the next couple of days, perhaps. The port authority says construction is moving quickly, and it could surpass the Empire State Building's height as early as Monday.
The Empire State Building was the city's tallest building from 1931 to 1972. It regained that title when the twin towers were tragically destroyed in the attacks of 9/11. When finished, one world trade will be the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere at 1,776 feet.
BANFIELD: And that's 1776 for all you history buffs out there, which makes it so spectacular for everyone here in America. That's EARLY START, news from "A" to "Z." I'm Ashleigh Banfield.
SAMBOLIN: And I'm Zoraida Sambolin. STARTING POINT starts right now with Christine Romans.
