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American Morning
Pakistan Boots U.S. from Airbase; Casey Anthony Murder Trial; Under Fire in Afghanistan, Los Alamos Wildfire; Obama to Lawmakers: Do Your Job; Civil Unions in Rhode Island; Farewell, Robert Gates
Aired June 30, 2011 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. I'm Kiran Chetry.
Let's get you caught up on what's happening in the news. A major development in the deadly siege on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel. International forces say they have taken out a terror leader wanted in connection with that attack. We have new details straight ahead.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Christine Romans.
More fallout from the mission that killed Osama bin Laden. Pakistan giving the U.S. military the boot from an air base used to launch drone attacks against terrorists, suggesting the U.S. can no longer be trusted.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Ali Velshi.
A possible game day decision. Will Casey Anthony take the stand today? Both lead attorneys are not talking as the defense could rest as early as today. We are live at the courthouse -- on this AMERICAN MORNING.
(MUSIC)
CHETRY: And good morning to you. Thanks so much for being with us on this AMERICAN MORNING. It's Thursday, June 30th.
VELSHI: It could be last day or last two days of the Casey Anthony trial. We still don't know whether she is going to take the stand. Although Sunny Hostin says she's got to.
ROMANS: W heard her voice for first time yesterday. So, we'll tell you more about that coming up.
But, first, some major development after that fiery and deadly attack on the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. Just hours ago, in southeast Afghanistan, international forces say that an air strike killed Ismail Jan, a militant leader belonging to the Haqqani Network. That's a group Afghan officials believe was the real culprit Tuesday's attack. Twenty-one people died in that siege, including 12 victims and all nine attackers.
CHETRY: There's also new fallout this morning from the Navy SEAL mission that took out Osama bin Laden. Pakistan reportedly ordering the U.S. military to leave an air base that's used to launch drone attacks against al Qaeda and Taliban targets along the border with Afghanistan. The Pakistani defense minister is suggesting that they no longer trust the U.S. It is the latest sign of strained relations between the two countries since the bin Laden raid last month.
VELSHI: President Obama issuing warning. A yellow light, he said, is flashing when it comes to passing legislation so America can pay its bills. In precisely one month, this nation hits its debt ceiling deadline. Yesterday, President Obama sounded downright impatient, saying that he compromised by agreeing to cut spending, but Republicans won't budge when it comes to raising tax owes the wealthy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They need to do their job. Now is the time to go ahead and make the tough choices. That's why they are called leaders. And I have already shown that I'm willing to make some decisions that are very tough and will, you know, give my base voters further reason to give me a hard time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: John Boehner hit back saying the president is sorely mistaken if he believes a bill to raise debt ceiling and raise taxes would pass the House -- yet, another example of an absolute lack of middle ground between the two sides.
ROMANS: And we hit the debt ceiling. We already hit it. I mean, the fact is --
VELSHI: The deadline is to be able to pay all of our bills.
ROMANS: That's right. The treasury secretary has been doing little things around the edges like deferring something payments into, you know, retiree saving accounts and the like. But as of August 2nd, they have to figure out -- and the president was saying yesterday, what bills are we going to pay? Are we going to pay the interest to the Chinese before we pay Americans?
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Right. And the bottom line is that the Republicans want to wrap budget cuts into any discussion about the debt ceiling. They want federal spending tightened and Democrats are saying, "We get it. We are going to cut that, but we can't play chicken with the debt ceiling."
So, this debate, as Ali said, there seems to be very little middle ground here. And we are coming down to the wire.
ROMANS: They're entrenched. And so, that brings us to our question of the day. President Obama is telling Congress get to work. But will these two sides solve the debt issue?
We want to know what you think. I mean, do you think that your elected leaders have the political chops to solve this problem so that -- VELSHI: That you may not like the answer to.
ROMANS: Right. So, we're not paying international debt holders and not paying senior citizens.
Send us an e-mail, a tweet, tell us on Facebook. We're going to read some of your thoughts later on in the program.
CHETRY: Meantime, to the Casey Anthony trial. The big question this morning: will she testify in her own defense? The trial could wrap up as early as today.
Now, yesterday, Casey wiped away tears as grief experts testified. But only a few hours earlier she sat at the defense table and just stared when her father, George Anthony, sobbed on the witness stand while describing his decision to try to kill himself back in 2009 over the loss of his granddaughter, Caylee.
Carol Costello is live for us from Orlando, Florida.
So, we saw the tears in the courtroom yesterday. Some days, we've seen laughter and grinning coming from Casey. But with the -- with the word that the defense is going to wrap up, it seems more and more likely she will not take the stand in her own defense, right?
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I don't know. I mean, defense did such a poor job, according to most legal experts I talked with yesterday. You have to wonder does she have to take the stand, or is this a losing proposition?
I know it sounds cliche but it was quite an emotional day in court. George Anthony taking the stand -- he openly whipped at times. And he testified for hours as the defense tried to paint him as this man who molested his daughter and covered up the dead of his grandchild.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE ANTHONY, CASEY ANTHONY'S FATHER: Something inside of me to get through this.
COSTELLO (voice-over): Testimony so emotional from George Anthony, at times the judge asked if he could continue. Mr. Anthony's tears did not appear to faze his daughter, Casey, though. She sat emotionless. Even as her father described how he attempted suicide just weeks after the remains of his granddaughter, Caylee, were found in December of 2008.
ANTHONY: I needed at that time to go and be with Caylee.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you expressed that in the note.
ANTHONY: Yes, I did because I believe I failed her.
COSTELLO: In his questioning of the witness, Attorney Jose Baez tried but did not succeed in advancing the defense's contention that Mr. Anthony helped cover up his granddaughter's death and molested his daughter, Casey.
ANTHONY: Sir, I never would do anything like that to my daughter.
JOSE BAEZ, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: My question is, you would never admit to it, would you, sir?
ANTHONY: Sir, I would never do anything to harm my daughter in that way.
COSTELLO: The tension between witness and defense attorney was palpable at times.
ANTHONY: Sir --
BAEZ: Asked and answered.
ANTHONY: You are arguing with me, sir.
COSTELLO: Especially when Baez asked Anthony about conflicting statements about an odor emanating from Casey Anthony's car.
ANTHONY: You are trying to take this joy of my life away from me, sir. You can't do it anymore.
BAEZ: Would you --
ANTHONY: I'm going to answer this to you, sir. The decomposition that I smelled in the trunk of my daughter's car on July 15th, 2008, at Johnson's towing smelled like human decomposition. I can close my eyes at the moment, sir, and I can smell that again.
How dare you, sir, try to tell me that I did something differently than what I did?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Most legal experts, Kiran, say George Anthony's testimony was very effective. And that's why Casey Anthony maybe has to take the stand. As for whether she will, the defense told the judge that it probably will rest its case today.
Also yesterday, the judge said if Casey Anthony were to testify at trial, he wanted to hear it directly from her, to make sure that something she wants to do.
If she wants to testify, Kiran, then her defense attorneys will have to allow her to do that. That's what the law says. So, we'll see what happens today.
CHETRY: Wow. All right. The people will be riveted to that trial today, as if they aren't already. But on the chance that she could take the stand.
Carol Costello for us this morning. Thanks.
ROMANS: Another fascinating trial to tell you about. A fresh boost for Amanda Knox, the American student convicted of a 2007 murder in Italy. Now, doubts were raised about the DNA evidence linking Knox to the murder weapon. Forensic specialists say the evidence was not sustainable, the blood sample found on the knife so small that it couldn't be retested. Knox's defense argues the evidence was contaminated during the investigation.
VELSHI: Greek lawmakers will vote today on how to implement the new round of painful spending cuts in tax increases that passed yesterday. That austerity package now paves the way for a $17 billion emergency bailout from Europe to Greece. It's designed to prevent financial meltdown that could have rippled across the globe.
But the spending cuts doing little to ease the anger of demonstrators. They clashed with riot police in Athens yesterday. Officials say at least 19 officers were injured.
Across Britain, roughly 750,000 people have walked off the job, shutting down schools and disrupting services at ports and airports. The teachers and public workers are protesting plans that would require them later -- to retire later and to pay more towards their pensions, very similar to the things going on in Greece.
CHETRY: Rhode Island's state Senate approving a bill to legalize same-sex civil unions. That legislation which has already passed the state house now heads to the desk of Governor Chafee for signature. He says he won't sign it.
Although gay rights advocates are actually calling on the governor to veto the bill, they say it is unacceptable because it allows religious organizations to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples.
VELSHI: Big win for health care reform. Federal appeals court in Cincinnati found the individual mandate provision of that -- reform to be constitutional. They ruled Congress can require people to buy health insurance or face financial penalties.
This case was the first of three major challenges of the health care reform bill. They are expected to wind up before the Supreme Court. The issue is: can the government basically impose a tax to pay for health care?
ROMANS: Also Robert Gates signing off today as defense secretary after 4 1/2 years on the job. Gates was a holdover, of course, from the Bush administration. But he became one of President Obama's most trusted advisers on national security. The president hosted a farewell dinner for Gates last night at the White House. Successor: former CIA Director Leon Panetta will be on the job tomorrow.
CHETRY: Why did the turtle cross the roadway? That's the big question. Not to get to the shell station but to mate.
ROMANS: That's a good one.
CHETRY: Yes, a lot of turtles. In fact, here's what it looked like on Runway 4L at New York's JFK Airport. Some 150 turtles crawling on to the tarmac searching for a beach to go lay their eggs. The slow motion stampede of these turtles delayed dozens of flights.
Look at them. Here's how it sounded from the control room tower.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: American 1009, there's a report of a turtle on the runway. Do you want to have it removed first?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: American 1009, cancel takeoff clearance, hold the position.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Holding position American 1009. I was wondering where those things were.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CHETRY: He said, do you want to have it removed first? Meaning -- or do you just want to roll right over it. Thank goodness.
ROMANS: You could hear the smile on the voice.
CHETRY: Nice pilot.
VELSHI: But look at this -- this is what happens when you're an animal that does something unusual.
CHETRY: You get a Twitter account these days.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: They have their own Twitter feed @jfkturtles. I guess, they got followers.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: Five thousand six hundred followers at last count.
VELSHI: We will keep an eye on that.
Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING: Troops under fire in the mountains of Afghanistan and our cameras were rolling. This is remarkable. Look at this.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
VELSHI: CNN's Nick Paton Walsh in the middle of an intense firefight with the Taliban that ended with a little help from above.
Coming up on AMERICAN MORNING: Los Alamos wildfire scorching thousands of acres of land for days now. Fire officials say they are optimistic that they have a plan.
ROMANS: And the royal newlyweds are making their first official trip across the pond to Canada. Details of their big international North American adventure ahead.
It's 11 minutes -- almost 12 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Fifteen minutes past the hour.
One second, it was quiet. And the next, they were under attack, with mortars erupting, bullets literally buzzing past young soldiers. It was at a tiny American outpost along the border in Afghanistan -- far away from the debate, about troop levels.
And our Nick Paton Walsh was right in the middle of all of it. Here's a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Everywhere you look here in Kunar, on Afghanistan's eastern border, the choices aren't good. Outpost Pirtle King is caught between hills full of Taliban. If the Americans leave, militants from Pakistan will flow through the valley. And if they stay then every few days this happens.
Mortars hit the base. The last attack was long enough ago there's panic. They're worried the Taliban have been preparing a big one.
PATON WALSH (on camera): In what the days of nothing, the insurgents now finally amass around the compound beginning an attack of both sides.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on. Hustle up. Grab it when you're ready.
PATON WALSH (voice-over): They use mortars first aiming for Taliban dug (ph) into the hills. But the incoming fire is very accurate here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go, go, go, go, go!
PATON WALSH: They arrange cover from heavy machine guns.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Grab the round and as soon as they go, (INAUDIBLE).
PATON WALSH: But the bullets are too close.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never mind!
PATON WALSH: Locals scatter. Just before huge American firepower have the last word - four massive air strikes across the hills and then the Taliban falls silent.
America knew why it came here, but isn't sure why it's staying.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can we get like a police car for like grass and cigarette butts or anything - no?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
PATON WALSH: Ten minutes later, jets swoop in to strike (ph) the hills. A show of force, but the Taliban are now either gone or dead. At least five killed by the soldiers count.
The next morning, it starts again. Mortars and rocket propelled grenades pound the base.
PATON WALSH (on camera): For the second time in just 15 hours, the base is under attack. Much heavier this time. And it appears they have taken casualties.
PATON WALSH (voice-over): More air strikes, this valley is vital strategically, but doesn't want to be conquered. The medics fly in to collect one soldier, his injuries are not life threatening.
There's no real victory to be had here, though, just a question of how long they will stay growing louder.
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, Kunar, Afghanistan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Amazing pictures.
VELSHI: Yes.
ROMANS: Amazing coverage there.
All right. The Los Alamos, New Mexico wildfire, it's stubborn, fierce, but fire officials say they are making some progress.
VELSHI: The blaze has burned through another 15,000 or 20,000 acres yesterday. But good news, officials say the nearby Nuclear Science Laboratory is still safe and secure.
Reynolds Wolf joins us live from Los Alamos now. Reynolds, what's the situation on the ground?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, the situation on the ground right now is they say between 70,000 to 80,000 acres burned. Still roughly about three percent contained. We are going to get another briefing later on this morning. But for the time being, I can tell you it is still burning and still a massive wildfire and there is a thick power of smoke overhanging this community.
Now, from our vantage point, we're actually in Los Alamos, and right across this ravine you see it descends into darkness, but then some lights off into the distance. And that is the Los Alamos National - Natural - National Laboratory, easy for me to say, and just yesterday afternoon, we actually went out and did a little bit of reconnaissance and I'd say around 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon here, the smoke was incredibly dramatic. In fact, take a look at this video. We were out and about. It was me and CNN photojournalist John Torigoe. We went out with our producer Stan Wilson. And the smoke coming out of the mountain sides is just the most really terrifying prospect for a while there. We did learn that it was actually controlled burn, trying to limit some of the vegetation on the western fringe of the - the laboratory itself.
Remember this is a very, very big place, guys. It is about 40 square miles. They've already had some fires they developed just a few days ago on the southern fringe of the laboratory grounds. But right now they are just watching it.
Earlier this morning, I can tell you the fires were all the way up the hillside that's since now is hidden from view due to the low-hanging smoke, and they're hoping that the weather conditions will improve in days to come.
Unfortunately, though, that's long term. Short term, things are going to be kind of daunting in terms of weather. Dry conditions will remain in place. No sign of rain in the near future. But Los Alamos Fire Chief Doug Tucker remains optimistic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DOUG TUCKER, FIRE CHIEF, LOS ALAMOS FIRE DEPARTMENT: And you can see we're getting a loss less smoke and we now have an anchor point and we have a black line that's basically going from the south point of the lab, all the way up to this area here, around (INAUDIBLE). It makes me feel really good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF: You know, he is just one of the 341 firefighters that are working those 16-hour shifts trying to keep that blaze at bay. So far so good. But, again, we're a long way from finishing this story. Let's send it back to you.
VELSHI: Reynolds, thank you.
ROMANS: OK. The season's first tropical storm Arlene just now making landfall right now, near Cabo Rojo, Mexico.
Rob Marciano is in the Extreme Weather Center, and she's still a - she's still a tropical storm, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, but very close to hurricane strength and it's not a small storm by any stretch of the imagination. Bay of Campeche here, here's where we're looking at the - at the landfall between Tuxpam and Tampico right there, as you mentioned.
And coming onshore right now, we've got winds of 65 miles an hour, and the forecast track is for it to continue to go westward and obviously diminishing strength. But, if anything, it goes a little bit farther to the south. So that's bad news for folks in Mexico, especially in the hillier areas. We're going to see some flash flooding with this. It does have a tremendous amount of tropical moisture and that moisture in some cases over 10 inches according to our some of our models is going to remain for the most part south of Texas. Maybe extreme South Texas across the Rio Grande and Brownsville area may get rain. But the drought- stricken area, the few area where we're seeing some fires, not going to see a lot of rainfall from this.
And then the heat building across the midsection. We're going to see some records fall today across some of the high plains. It's hazy, hot and humid there. And not too shabby for the folks across the northeast. A pleasant summer day with the high temperature of 81 degrees in New York.
Back up to you guys.
VELSHI: Eighty-one. Perfect. Thank you, Rob.
ROMANS: Thank you. Thanks, Rob.
MARCIANO: All right, guys.
CHETRY: Well, Britain's royal newlyweds are heading to Canada. This will be their first foreign trip as the Duke and Duchess. Prince William and Catherine due to arrive in Ottawa in just a few hours. And it will be a whirlwind eight-day tour of Canada, which, of course, is part of the British Commonwealth.
After that, the royals will head our way. They're heading to SoCal, baby. They're going to have a little tour of - of California as well.
VELSHI: Excellent.
Still ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, states in crisis. Right now, one state could be just mere hours from shutting down. We're going to tell you where it is and why, when we come back.
CHETRY: The dizzy days of summer, one cute kid's goal to achieve roller coaster immortality. Do you remember those days?
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: Ride it over and over and over. Then you get old and you get too dizzy.
Twenty-two minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Business this morning.
The U.S. stocks closed higher for the third straight day yesterday. A rare winning streak, frankly, for the year with bank shares boosting markets.
Good news from Greece also pushing stocks higher. But investors still wary and still watching what happens there. Now that the vote passed on the five-year austerity package, Greek Parliament votes today on how to actually implement it. The country needs $17 billion in emergency funds by mid-July to avoid defaulting on its debt.
President Obama visibly frustrated when talking about America's own debt issues and debt talks here. During a press conference in Washington yesterday the president said it is unacceptable for the U.S. to be seen trying to decide which bills it is going to pay. If the debt ceiling isn't raised by August, the U.S. Treasury will not be able to pay all of its bills. So far Democrats and Republicans are far apart.
Banks and credit card issuers catching a break on debit card swipe fees. The Federal Reserve increased the amount banks charged retailers to 21 cents instead of the 12 cents discussed in December, still that's about half of what banks charge right now.
The Labor Department is saying unemployment rates rose last month in more than half of the country's largest cities. That's due to weak private sector hiring and natural disasters. And in just about two hours, fresh initial jobless claims figures come out. So we'll get a new read on the health of the labor market.
Today marks the deadline for app makers to come in line with Apple's new strict rules for payments, meaning any apps that include links to external websites for purchases will be banned unless Apple gets a 30 percent cut. Big name apps like Amazon's Kindle may be booted from the App Store if they don't start selling product inside the app or stop including the payment links altogether.
AMERICAN MORNING will be right back after this break with the inmate who tried to use a forklift to break out of prison.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Thirty minutes after the hour.
Let me bring you up to speed with the top stories we are following right here on CNN. A militant leader suspected of providing support for Tuesday's deadly attack on Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel has been killed. International forces say Ismail Jan and several other fighters were killed in an air strike in southeast Afghanistan. Jan was a member of the Haqqani Network, a militant group linked to al Qaeda.
The defense in the Casey Anthony murder trial could wrap up as early as today. It's unclear if Casey will testify. Emotional moments in the courtroom, Casey broke down when a grief expert testified that sometimes, mothers who lose their children engage in risky behavior.
And another tearful testimony from George Anthony, her father, he was questioned about little Caylee, his granddaughter, and his suicide attempt back in 2009.
And Greek lawmakers holding a key vote on how to implement the spending cuts and tax increases they passed yesterday. That vote clears the way for $17 billion in emergency loans from the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. The controversial belt tightening led to a number of violent protests in Athens. At least 19 police officers were injured during yesterday's rioting.
CHETRY: Minnesota is bracing for a government shutdown. If state lawmakers not agree on a budget by Friday, tomorrow, the number of state services that will be cut continues to grow.
It looks like they're going to have to suspend road construction projects among other things. The state zoo, highway rest stops will also close. But a judge ruled yesterday that the state has to continue to pay for services for people in prisons and nursing homes.
We'll continue to follow that.
Also in Wisconsin, their budget cuts forcing Milwaukee public schools to lay off 519 people. That includes 354 certified teachers. The school's superintendent saying the cuts mean class sizes will be larger and that older textbooks will not be replaced.
ROMANS: They have been warning about this for months that these budget issues are going to hit you. If it's not higher taxes, you're going to see your pools close, your schools close.
VELSHI: Libraries. Prison guards.
ROMANS: Right. Parks are closing. We've already seen some states that have closed their turnpike, you know, rest areas. That's what's happening across the country.
Now, the accused Tucson gunman will continue to take his meds in jail. The judge in the case saying he sees no problem with prison doctors giving him mind-altering psychotropic drugs to treat his schizophrenia and make him competent to stand trial for these crimes.
Jared Loughner's lawyers argue forcing him to take the powerful drugs violates his right. Loughner is accused of killing six people in that rampage, severely wounding Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
VELSHI: A convicted murderer was shot and killed during an attempted jail break that happened at a Washington prison yesterday. Officials say the inmate drove a forklift through a work area but didn't get far before officers fired a single fatal shot. Meantime, another inmate took an officer hostage using a pair of scissors. That officer is OK.
ROMANS: A big messy in Canada this morning. Check this massive mud slide near Vancouver -- mud and debris sweeping over the Trans-Canada Highway, forcing that road to shut down. Wow. No serious injuries are reported. And no word yet on how long it is going to take to clean up all of that mud and debris.
VELSHI: That's crazy.
CHETRY: Sure is. NASA's rocket launch was a success. The Minotaur 1 rocket flew into orbit from the Wallops Facility in Virginia yesterday. It's carrying a military satellite that's designed to provide quick images and information to battlefield commanders. Obviously, we have seen in the past month or so how crucial that is.
The launch originally set for Tuesday was delayed because of bad weather.
Meanwhile, NASA prepares for its final space shuttle mission, Atlantis. And CNN will be there every step of the way. Ali Velshi is going as well. You can catch "Beyond Atlantis: The Next Frontier." It's a CNN special investigation airing Sunday night, 8:00 Eastern.
VELSHI: I'm going to stop short of will be there every step of the way.
ROMANS: You're not going the final step.
VELSHI: Yes. We will not be going into space.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: We'll be covering all that. Yes.
How did you spend your summer vacation? By setting a record on a brand new roller coaster? A fourth grader in Wisconsin --
CHETRY: I love this kid.
VELSHI: Great story. Can't get enough of this "Zippin Pippin" wooden roller coaster at Bay Beach Amusement Park in Green Bay. He has taken the ride 100 times. More than 100 times already.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IVAN KIELER, ROLLER COASTER JUNKIE: After number 20 times, I decided that I might get a goal of 100.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: He got that. He wants to get to 800 by the end of the summer.
ROMANS: Does a parent have to go with him? Does that mean he's got a mom that's like oh, man?
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Somebody has to be standing around there.
CHETRY: They have you do that in shifts. You know, that roller coaster is called Woodie. You know, the wooden ones, they shut -- if you are -- Woodie aficionado almost like those, as opposed to the steel ones that are hydraulic, they are smoother. These things bang you around so much, I can't believe this kid are going to be on it. VELSHI: It's a replica of Elvis Presley's favorite ride. Yes, I don't know how much you know. How do you know that much about roller coasters?
CHETRY: I watched that show about the top, you know, best roller coasters in the country. And for people who are fans of Woodies, there's nothing like it.
VELSHI: Very good.
CHETRY: Look it up if you don't believe me. It's not --
ROMANS: I believe you, Kiran. I believe you.
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING: President Obama tells Congress do your job. He showed a little frustration at the press conference yesterday over the stalled talks to raise the nation's debt ceiling. But did he just throw more fuel on the fire or is this a smart negotiating tactic? We're going to debate it, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: Tough talk from President Obama. I mean, he was frustrated during a news conference in the East Room. In fact, where he really got animated when he was talking about jumpstarting stalled talks on raising the nation's debt ceiling.
VELSHI: Yes. He said that lawmakers should work through their vacations if they don't cut a deal. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They are in one week. They are out one week. And then they are saying Obama's got to step in. You need to be here. I've been here. I've been doing Afghanistan and bin Laden and the Greek crisis.
You stay here. Let's get it done.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Let's get it done. But is there enough middle ground or any middle ground?
ROMANS: They are entrenched on this. I mean, I think they are entrenched.
CHETRY: It is certainly proving to be quite challenging.
Here to talk about it is Democratic analyst Robert Zimmerman and Republican strategist Jim McLaughlin.
Great to see both of you. I want both of your takes on this -- that he was a little combative. And there's been some speculation that it's sort of a signal that they are nowhere close to a deal or that perhaps this would have been a softer rhetoric from the president. What do you think, Jim?
JIM MCLAUGHLIN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Oh, I think, clearly, this was a very defensive president. This was a very partisan president.
What's happening -- he's seen his numbers go down. The American people want leadership on the economy and his policies are driving the economy into a ditch.
ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, DEMOCRATIC ANALYST: Jim, way too early in the morning important talking points. Look, let's face it. You know your talks are in trouble when you resort to that kind of language.
CHETRY: The no vacation.
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, no vacation. And I believe, by the way, the Senate probably will stay in session after July 4th, but you don't need them to be in session to get the deal done. You need all of them to have the commitment to get the deal done.
And what's frustrating by the president's comments is that it gets in the way of the more salient points he has to make, which is the fact we have a debt crisis looming by August 2nd that's got to be addressed. And those priorities about what should be cut and how we, in fact, enhance revenues.
ROMANS: But do they get it? I'm talking about Democrats and Republicans. Do they get it? This is not your normal political gamesmanship. This is about the world watching us decide whether we're going to pay this bill over that bill.
This is about deciding whether we pay the Chinese. The president said this -- you know, he said this yesterday. Are we going to pay the Chinese their interest payments or we're going to pay Social Security or we're going to pay this, or we're going to pay that, or are we going to stop funding schools?
I mean, do they get it that we have already hit the debt ceiling and the Treasury Department is scrambling to figure out how to do that. Do they get that?
ZIMMERMAN: No. If you ask Grover Norquist, or you ask Michele Bachmann, they don't get it. You have the International Monetary Fund, it -- putting out a statement saying this will be a national/international crisis if we don't meet this deadline. You saw the Standard & Poor's saying they're going to reduce our credit.
I believe the president and both parties' congressional leadership get the point. The problem you've they've got is you got an extreme right-wing movement now that really wants to --
ROMANS: Jim, it's about leverage, though. What the Republicans are saying is that they -- this is the moment that they can use to -- reason why we are in this position is because we spend -- we borrow 38 cents of every dollar we spend. We can't do that anymore.
MCLAUGHLIN: We spend and we tax too much.
ROMANS: That's a bigger picture.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Hold on a second. Hold on.
Let me get in here for a second, Jim. We don't tax too much. Stop that.
MCLAUGHLIN: We tax way too much.
VELSHI: There's a whole part of our population here who doesn't get taxed efficiently and there's general agreement that it will not cripple any part of the -- our economy to tax those at the highest end properly and to tax corporations consistently.
Why won't Republicans just get off the talking point and say if we do not have a fair tax system?
MCLAUGHLIN: Because they get it, just like the American people get it. When you raise taxes, it takes more money out of the economy. It costs --
(CROSSTALK)
MCLAUGHLIN: Let me ask you something.
ZIMMERMAN: Jim, 70 percent in every poll point out that they support and increasing taxes for the top tier earners in country.
And let's remember, Ronald Reagan raised taxes 11 times in his presidency. Bill Clinton raised taxes. They had very successful economic presidencies.
ROMANS: Our revenue problem is that the economy isn't growing very strongly. We need help.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: So, when I hear people railing about, this is a revenue issue, we're not going to raise, we're not going to raise taxes -- there isn't enough money. And we have to figure out how -- what I hear from Washington right now is the same old Republican-Democrat entrenching in their talking points. I don't know if they get it, that this has got to be solved near term.
ZIMMERMAN: Christine, this debate we are witnessing now is really not about dealing with the deficit or meeting debt ceiling. It's about restructuring government and our priorities in restructuring government. That's what we are talking about.
For example, the Ryan plan, which abolishes Medicare as we know it. It talks about -- calls for raising debt ceiling five times. Republicans don't object to it.
What we're talking about now is, do we want to abolish the Environmental Protection Agency, the Consumer Affairs Bureau. Do we want to abolish these types of programs and use this debate for social engineering?
CHETRY: However, there are some Republicans, for example, Kay Bailey Hutchison, yesterday, who has a pretty cogent and interesting plan about slowly a step tiered raising of the retirement age by three months, people 58 and over not touch, people under -- is some of this rhetoric get something the way of actually -- of actually solving some things?
MCLAUGHLIN: That's the problem. Any time a candidate goes out and talks about real entitlement reform, Democrats demagogue the issue.
CHETRY: But she's not seeking reelection. This is funny. She is retiring.
(CROSSTALK)
ZIMMERMAN: No question about.
CHETRY: It's people who don't need to get re-elected to do the politically unpopular thing.
MCLAUGHLIN: But the problem is, the guy that has the bully pulpit to do that is this president. And this president when he was running for election in 2008 said he was going to make those adult decisions. He's offered one budget in the last two years. And every Democrat in the Senate voted against that. He hasn't come out with a serious plan.
ZIMMERMAN: The bottom line is, my party has got to start addressing issues like entitlement reform. And the Republican has to recognize that we have to increase revenues by reforming the tax codes so that General Electric pays at least some taxes after making $15 billion.
CHETRY: Can we please play the sound bite of the president. You guys all have kids. You have to hear what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Malia and Sasha, generally, finish their homework a day ahead of time. Malia's 13. Sasha is 10. It is impressive. They don't wait until the night before. They're not pulling all-nighters. They're 13 and 10. You know, Congress can do the same thing. If you know you've got to do something, just do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: All right. So, she's actually 12. She's turning 13 in a few days. When you're 12 and you're turning 13, that's a big deal.
(LAUGHTER) CHETRY: Your dad got your age wrong.
ROMANS: And would argue about numbers.
(LAUGHTER)
MCLAUGHLIN: That's right. He's got a lot of important things on his mind.
ZIMMERMAN: He's very devoted to his kids. That even on the table, but I don't see how that comment brings the Republicans back to the table or really educates the country as to the deficit crisis and the debt ceiling crisis that we're facing.
VELSHI: Well, it will on August 1st when we're all talking about how we haven't got a deal yet, and we're about to default on something. Guys, thanks for being with us.
ROMANS: Thanks. Good to see you.
VELSHI: We're going to take a quick break. We'll be back. It's 46 minutes after the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARGARET CHO, COMEDIENNE: Hi. I'm Margaret Cho. I spend 24 weeks a year on the road. I think what's very important when you travel is to have unusual looking luggage. I think a bag tag is not enough. I advise something that will stand out. So, you can spot your bag on the tarmac from miles and miles away. Here's my very unusual looking bag, and it's a mess, but it never gets unpacked.
And that's a comfort, because there are things in it, you know, you just always need. Sunglasses are very important. Kind of multitude of sense. So, sunglasses always. My travel nightmares always revolve around weather delays, and I was in a terrible storm in the 1990s. I was stuck at the Baltimore Airport for three days. The way I've been able to handle travel delays is always carrying things like a kindle which is a very candy (ph) device.
Kindle is not there for me in 1994, but it is there for me now. I don't think first class worth it. I think it's just -- it's fine to travel coach. So much cheaper. And doesn't really make that much of a difference. Enjoy. Bon voyage.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: Fifty minutes past the hour right now. Here's a look at your headline this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (voice-over): International forces say they killed a top militant leader suspected of providing support for Tuesday's deadly attack at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul. That attack killed 12 people. Pakistan reportedly ordering the U.S. military out of an airbase used to launch drone attacks against the terrorists on the border with Afghanistan. It is the latest fallout from the navy SEAL mission that killed Osama Bin Laden at his compound in Pakistan.
The defense in the Casey Anthony murder trial could wrap up as early as today. It's still not clear if Casey will take the stand. But, yesterday, her father, George Anthony, broke down in tears on the stand while talking about his granddaughter, Caylee, and his suicide attempt back in 2009.
Rhode Island state senators approve a bill to legalize same-sex unions. The legislation gives gays and lesbians many of the same legal rights enjoyed by married couples. The state's governor is expected to sign that bill.
And it is the last day in office for Defense Secretary Robert Gates. He'll get a proper sendoff from President Obama at a Pentagon ceremony today. Gates' replacement, Leon Panetta, will be on the job tomorrow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY (on-camera): And you're caught up on the day's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING is back right after a quick break.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROMANS: Distracted driving, a deadly epidemic on America's roads, blamed for more than 20 percent of crashes.
CHETRY: I was walking -- when I was riding back, I just was shocked at how many people on a turned -- on a highway are literally doing this. It's scary.
ROMANS: You know, the youngest drivers are often the most at risk of this.
VELSHI: So, Allstate Insurance Company is teaming up with the Department of Transportation to provide teenagers and their parents the hands-on lesson about dangers of texting and driving or even talking and driving. CNN's David Mattingly had a look at it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You see it all the time. Distracted drivers, texting, phoning. Attention that should be on the road. Dangerously detour. This demonstration by Allstate Insurance showed me in just a matter of minutes that distractions from devices --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hello.
MATTINGLY: Even loud music and obnoxious passengers drastically diminished my ability to maneuver this simple course.
What was different while I was texting? STEVE CAPELLAS, ALLSTATE DRIVING INSTRUCTOR: Your driving was so much less smooth. You were so rough with your driving. And at times, you had to let go of the steering wheel to actually catch yourself and turn the wheel.
MATTINGLY: It's a point even the federal government is trying to drive home. Driver distraction contributes to one in five wrecks with injuries. These families are getting the message without having to take the risks.
MATTINGLY (on-camera): We've seen demonstrations like this before, but this one is just a little bit different because mothers and fathers are taking this course with their children. That's because teen drivers pick up their worst driving habits from their parents.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whoa!
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Susan Giddy (ph) wants to break her son of the texting while driving habit before he leaves for college. It's illegal now in 33 states.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel like I'm really relinquishing a lot of my control and supervision.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She can't really handle texting and driving.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Put down that phone!
MATTINGLY: They're both judged on speed and safety. Deliberately distracted at every turn.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right. No, that's backspace.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, you almost killed a baby.
MATTINGLY: A fun exercise, but underneath, a very serious lesson. In 2009, distracted driving was involved in almost 5,500 fatalities and 448,000 injuries.
OK. How did it go?
But when this test was over, who was the better driver on this mother and son team?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She was definitely a better driver.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes!
MATTINGLY: Lessons learned at a critical time. The fourth of July weekend is one of the deadliest driving times of the year.
David Mattingly, CNN, Tampa.
(END VIDEOTAPE) VELSHI: We were just talking while that was going on about how we've all seen crazy -- and I have to tell you, I used to be guilty of this. I was one of those guys who'd multitask because I think I'm a multitasker.
ROMANS: Right.
VELSHI: That's one thing where statistics and research indicates the best multitaskers in world should be doing nothing but thinking about driving.
CHETRY: And especially when you're going that fast. I mean, it's alarming to sit on a highway.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: President Obama calling on Congress to get to work and get the debt talks back on track before the country can no longer pay the bills which is coming up soon.
ROMANS: Yes. So, we want to know what you think. Will the two sides be able to solve this debt issue?
VELSHI: Here's what you guys are saying about it. John writes on Facebook, "The Republicans need to get a grip. Even the richest are saying they should be paying more of their share. Biggest income disparity in memory, will they get this solved and signed? I'm not at all confident, and that is really scary."
CHETRY: Benny on Facebook, "Yes, they will get the deal done. Unfortunately, the upcoming elections will be a factor in their decision-making process. Both sides are too concerned with getting re-elected, and they don't want to upset their voters which also shows how polarized the American people are."
ROMANS: And Joshua on Facebook says, "Strikes in London and protests in Greece are precursors of what we are facing, too. So, of course, no politician here will do the right thing because it would be political suicide. Our leaders will just let the situation get worse and worse because holding on to power is more important to them than wielding that power for the public good."
You know, when the president said something yesterday, he said that there are Republicans who say just pay the interest on our debt. We won't default. That's an important thing here is the U.S. pay the interest on the debt. He said that -- the global reaction to just picking and choosing our bills could be just too unpredictable.
VELSHI: I remind you of Lehman Brothers. The night they decided to do that, to let that company go down, everybody in the room, smartest people in America said it will be OK, and the next morning, the horrible (ph) market shut down.
CHETRY: You saw the actual split box of the decision and the --
VELSHI: Yes. What actually happened -- CHETRY: Keep your comments coming. Send us an e-mail, a tweet, tells us on Facebook. We're going to read more of your thoughts a bit later. Your top stories coming up in just two minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
