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American Morning
Moving Closer to Deb Ceiling Deal? Outrage in UK Over British Tabloid Phone Hacking Scandal; Facebook's Deal with Skype; Art Thief in San Francisco Steals $200,000 Picasso Drawing; Loughner's Forced Medication Hearing; Court: Stop Enforcing Don't Ask, Don't Tell
Aired July 07, 2011 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Christine Romans. Let's get you caught up on what's happening right now.
Today could be get-out-of-jail day for Casey Anthony. One of the Florida jurors who acquitted Anthony of murder is breaking her silence about the verdict -- a verdict that shocked that nation.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Kiran Chetry.
A chilling warning from U.S. security officials that terrorists could try surgically implanting explosives inside of human attackers to try to take down commercial airlines. The al Qaeda member that could be masterminding that plan, ahead.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Ali Velshi.
President Obama hoping to narrow the partisan divide over raising the debt ceiling. Today, he's going to host a high-stakes summit, just as new details emerge of what could be a compromise in the battle over cutting the nation's debt -- on this AMERICAN MORNING.
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ROMANS: Good morning. And welcome to AMERICAN MORNING. It is Thursday, July 7.
CHETRY: Another bombshell in the aftermath of the Casey Anthony verdict this morning. She's going to be sentenced today. In fact, in just three hours, we could see her walk out of that courtroom. But she could be sentenced for lying to police in the investigation of her daughter, Caylee's death.
But most agree that it would likely be time served and that she could walk out of court a free woman today.
VELSHI: But this morning, Anthony is facing a new legal challenge. One of the jurors who acquitted her of murder speaking out for the first time about why they reached the stunning verdict.
CNN's David Mattingly is live in Orlando.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Ali. This case was wrapped up quickly. The jury reached a decision in a matter of hours and not days. But we're finding out now that it was not an easy decision to make.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We, the jury, find the defendant not guilty.
MATTINGLY (voice-over): Two days after the surprising verdict, we are now getting a better look at what transpired in the courtroom with various players speaking out, including juror number three, who spoke with ABC News.
JENNIFER FORD, JUROR: I mean, there were quite a few people when we got back after the verdict was read, we were in tears.
MATTINGLY: Jennifer Ford said it was a horrible decision to have to make, that not guilty doesn't mean innocent. But ultimately, she says, it was the prosecution's lack of evidence that led to the jury acquitting Casey Anthony.
FORD: How did she die? If you're going to charge one with murder, don't you have to know how they killed someone or why they might have killed someone or have something where, when, why, how? Those are important questions. They were not answered.
MATTINGLY: Lead prosecutor Jeff Ashton told Beth Karas of "In Session" on CNN sister network truTV his team felt they did everything they could in presenting the case.
JEFF ASHTON, LEAD PROSECUTOR: The idea that somebody would put duct tape on a child after they were dead, to me, just makes so little sense that it left only the possibility of the tape being used to kill Caylee. I didn't think there was any other reasonable explanation.
MATTINGLY: Jose Baez, lead defense attorney, told ABC News that the prosecution's mistake was charging Casey Anthony with first-degree murder.
JOSE BAEZ, CASEY ANTHONY'S ATTORNEY: They have the power to charge anyone for any charge that they feel they can prove. So, if they're going to bring it, they better be able to prove it.
MATTINGLY: Baez also said Casey is misunderstood, and that he's afraid for her safety once she is free.
BAEZ: I think Casey can -- could have been anything she wanted in this world. And I think there are still plenty of things that Casey can do in life. And I think that Casey can be a productive member of society.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTINGLY: Jose Baez says he will be asking the judge for Casey Anthony's release today. We'll see what happens. In the meantime, the state of Florida is going to be looking for some payback. They are going to be asking Casey Anthony to reimburse the Orange County Sheriff's Department for cost of this investigation. They don't know how much it is at this point. They're going to have a hearing sometime in the near future to determine how much she owes for this investigation -- Ali.
VELSHI: David, thanks very much.
The developments here just never seem to stop. So, we'll be following that very closely.
CHETRY: Right. This juror number three suggesting that they wanted to convict Casey but that there wasn't enough evidence saying, I did not say she was innocent, which is a really stunning remark from a jury that they found her not guilty of all of the charges related to Caylee.
Our question of the day, what should happen to Casey Anthony now?
Send us an e-mail, tweet, tell us on Facebook and we'll read some of your thoughts a bit later in the show.
ROMANS: Prosecutors here in New York say that they are not ready to drop the sex assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn. They met yesterday with the lawyers for the former head of the International Monetary Fund. Defense attorneys describe the meeting as constructive.
At the same time, the Manhattan district attorney says that he will not recuse himself from prosecuting this case. Yesterday, the alleged victim's lawyer yesterday asked the D.A. to step aside because of how his office has handled the case so far.
VELSHI: Here is a chilling thought: terrorists targeting commercial airplanes by surgically implanting explosives inside their own bodies. U.S. security officials tell CNN they have fresh intelligence suggesting al Qaeda is considering using human bombs. Now, there's no specific threat but we are told that a key suspect in these efforts is Ibrahim Asiri. He's a bomb making mastermind for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PISTOLE, TSA ADMINISTRATOR: We have seen this in the latest iteration or the evolution of what terrorist groups are trying to do to circumvent our security layers and to perhaps defeat our societal norms.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Now, Syria is believed to have planned the underwear bombing, the attempted underwear bombing of a Northwest Airlines jet over Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009.
CHETRY: A hiker in Yellowstone National Park is mauled and killed by a grizzly bear. The park says that the hiker and his wife surprised a female bear who perceive ad threat to her cubs and attacked.
Another nearby group of hikers heard the wife screaming for help and called 911. The woman also reportedly told park officials that she survived despite being chased by the bear and actually lifted in the air by her backpack.
Grizzly attacks are rare inside of the park. In fact, it was the first deadly bear attack on park grounds since 1986.
ROMANS: All right. This morning, tiny hints of what a potential deal could look like in the battle over raising the debt ceiling. CNN learning President Obama wants $3 trillion to $4 trillion in cuts -- cuts to happen over the next decade -- a move requiring some cuts to Medicare and Social Security.
The news coming just hours before leaders from both parties go to the White House for high-stakes talks with the president.
Our Brianna Keilar live at the White House.
Brianna, some movement. Good morning.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Some movement, yes.
I think perhaps Ali Velshi can stop joking about banging his head against the walls, we heard him talking about yesterday when they really seem like things kind of have been stuck in the same place for almost a couple of weeks. We know in the process of the talks that were going on, that the president, Democrats, Republicans, they were looking at cuts anywhere from $2 trillion to $4 trillion. Of course, Republicans want more in cuts.
And then we heard that maybe it was actually -- we heard from some Republicans sources that maybe it was actually closer to $1 trillion cuts that Democrats had actually agreed to so far because a lot of the details have been mum.
So, yes, this is significant. President Obama, according to Democratic sources familiar with the negotiations, really aiming high here -- $3 trillion to $4 trillion in cuts. And that would mean a lot of changes -- that would mean Social Security, Medicare, entitlement reform on the table. It would also mean defense spending on the table and tax reform.
It's quite a big undertaking considering there isn't a lot of time left, but certainly some movement that we have seen since yesterday, guy.
ROMANS: Brianna, any specifics? I mean, I think for people who are listening to the process of what's happening in Washington, what this means for people over a longer period of time is fewer services, smaller government, maybe higher taxes or higher cost of living your life as the services go away. I mean, all of these have amazing and long lasting ramifications for how we live our lives. Any specifics. KEILAR: Huge long -- no. Honestly, in terms of the specific -- I mean, we can talk generally about where the cuts would come from -- entitlements, defense spending, you can kind of see how that would affect different people and the nation as a whole. Specifics? No, I think we are going to be getting, obviously, more details on that to come.
But let's just take a look at some of the things that some of the folks who are coming here to the White House are going to demand because, remember, President Obama is hosting eight members of Congress, top two Democrats, top two Republicans in the House and Senate today. Some of the big negotiations -- I think the real big players here, everyone knows this, President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner.
Boehner will come with his deputy Eric Cantor. And some of the things they have been demanding: no tax increases. This is what they have said and this is what the impasse has been over.
However, here's a change from yesterday. The Majority Leader Eric Cantor indicating that he would be open to closing tax loopholes if they're offset by tax cuts. We'll see where that goes.
And also, House Democrats -- because the sense is there will be votes need from House Republicans and the House Democrats in order to get this passed. They have basically said they want some tax increases. They want to close tax loopholes because what they want is balanced approach. We heard President Obama say this.
Everyone is going to have to make sacrifices, as you said, Christine. Democrats are demanding that it's not just -- in their words the poor and the elderly. They want to make sure it is balanced with corporations and wealthy Americans making sacrifices as well.
ROMANS: Right . I know Dick Durbin was talking yesterday about the mortgage interest deduction and a lot of people looking at all those sacred cows and trying to figure out where they are going to raise money.
All right. Brianna Keilar -- thanks, Brianna.
CHETRY: Late this afternoon, a federal appeals court will again hear arguments about whether the forced medication of Tucson shooting defendant Jared Lee Loughner should continue. A federal appeals in San Francisco temporarily halted the medication until those three- judge panel can hear arguments from his lawyers and prosecutors.
Now, the government is arguing that the meds are necessary because Loughner poses threats to others. He's already thrown chairs apparently at doctors, spit on his attorney. The U.S. attorney on the case says Loughner has been diagnosed as a schizophrenic and needs the medication. Loughner's attorneys, though, say he should be receiving a milder tranquillizer.
VELSHI: One of six Marines injured in a military helicopter crash has died. The chopper went down yesterday in a section of Camp Pendleton in Southern California. Five other Marines are recovering at local hospitals. Military officials are investigating the cause of the chopper death.
CHETRY: And Fort Food shooting suspect, Major Nidal Hassan, could face the death penalty if he's found guilty at his future court martial. An Army general announcing the charges against Hassan will be tried as capital offenses. He's accused of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009.
ROMANS: A federal appeals court has ordered the U.S. government to immediately stop enforcing "don't ask, don't tell." The Pentagon is already in the process of repealing that law, that law that bans guy gay service members from serving openly and military officials suggest changes are needed to eliminate the policy and could be finished in just a few weeks.
VELSHI: All right. Right out of the gate. We have injuries at the running of the bulls -- the annual festival, again, just few hours ago in Pamplona, Spain. The Red Cross says one runner was already hospitalized. Several took hard falls and were trampled.
Now, the bulls will be unleashed every morning at 8:00 a.m. sharp Spanish Time for the next week.
CHETRY: So shocking. Run around with several thousand animals and you get hurt?
VELSHI: Yes. I mean --
ROMANS: I think that's the whole point of the --
VELSHI: Definitely one of the more fascinating things. Interesting to watch, but I would not want to be in front of one of those bulls.
ROMANS: Yes. Me neither.
CHETRY: Well, he walked into an art gallery, he walked right out the front door with a $200,000 Picasso under his arm.
VELSHI: This is crazy.
CHETRY: Search for a very bold art thief. Very bold art thief -- I mean, shouldn't they secure that thing a little better?
(LAUGHTER)
ROMANS: Cue the pink panther music, right?
VELSHI: The irony is that this was taken -- this video is from a diner across the road. So, that's why he wasn't acting suspicious. It's good shot of him. You think we could find him.
ROMANS: There you go.
All right. A tabloid phone hacking scandal getting more serious this morning. The allege victims, everyone from politicians to families of bombing victims.
It's 12 minutes past the hour.
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ROMANS: Police in San Francisco looking for a thief who boldly walked out of a Union Square art gallery with a $200,000 Picasso.
Watch this video.
VELSHI: This is crazy.
ROMANS: On the right side of your screen you'll see the suspect walking by with the artwork right under his arm.
VELSHI: Stop him.
ROMANS: A nearby restaurant him on -- I mean, I'm not laughing. I mean, it is a thief, after all -- caught him on their surveillance camera. The stolen piece is a 1965 Picasso pencil drawing called "Tete de femme," or head of woman.
VELSHI: Wow.
CHETRY: I still don't understand why it wouldn't be more secured in there. If you can just -- you know --
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: No, but it's an art gallery. Art galleries have a lot of those pencil drawings and those ink drawings but they're against the walls. There's one person sitting behind a desk.
CHETRY: Art galleries are known for their security.
VELSHI: This dude is going to get caught.
CHETRY: I mean, it should not be that easy to walk out with a --
VELSHI: If this guy does not have a receipt for that painting he's in trouble because it's a very clear --
CHETRY: Is it for sale? Is it for sale? A receipt? Oh, I'm sorry. I thought this was the gift shop at the art gallery. You didn't get my credit card information?
VELSHI: All right. Listen, this story is actually gaining some attraction here. This is a tabloid phone hacking scandal. It's an old story but it's a new development. Journalists from a British newspaper, "News of the World," owned by News Corporation, are accused of breaking into the voice mails of celebrities and politicians -- you probably heard this -- even relatives of the London Transit bombing victims.
CHETRY: Right. And the reasoning behind this is they're trying to get a leg up on the competition, finding scoop, but may have taken it too far, at least that's what they're being accused of right now. Companies are now pulling ads and even prime minister is calling for an investigation into this hacking scandal.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID CAMERON, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: Murder victims, terrorist victims, who've had their phones hacked is quite disgraceful. That is why it is important there is a full police investigation with all of the powers that they need.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: A lot of this has developed because after story about a girl who went missing. "News of the World' allegedly hacked into her voicemails. The problem is, her parents have been trying to get her, her voicemail was full and by checking them, they wanted more messages to come in so they were deleting them, leading the family to believe that maybe she was alive and checking her messages.
ROMANS: Actually changing the course of the investigation.
VELSHI: Absolutely.
Dan Rivers --
CHETRY: Yes, Dan's been covering all of this, outside of 10 Downing Street.
It is very unusual, right, for the prime minister to get involved in something like this and he seemed very angry yesterday in Parliament.
DAN RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. I mean, the political move here is as stormy as weather is right now. This has created such a big fuss here. It's been going on for a few years but it's been ratcheted up here because of the revelations that, first of all, 13-year-old murdered school girl's phone was hacked into by these tabloid journalists.
Now it's getting even wider. They're saying that families of the victims of the transit bombings here which happened six years ago today, their phones were also hacked into as these tabloid journalists tried to get salacious stories from these families who were grieving for their lost loved ones.
Let's listen to one reaction from one of those fathers who lost his son David -- Graham Foulkes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GRAHAM FOULKES, LOST SON ON 7/7 ATTACK: The thought that somebody may well have been listening to me begging for David to phone home was very difficult. I thought we were in a dark place and I didn't think anybody could make it darker but I'm sadly proven wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RIVERS: Not only are the victims of terrorist attacks and victims of murder possible victims in this phone hacking scandal, but also people -- soldiers that died in Afghanistan. Their families' phones are also alleged to have been hacked into. So this is getting bigger and bigger every day and it's creating a massive fuss here in the UK.
VELSHI: Yes, it's quite -- and it's extending here, obviously. There are a lot of major companies, as you mentioned, that are saying we're pulling our ads until we find out what this is. Others have said we'll wait until it's settled before we rush to judgment. But it is having an influence on the parent company.
Dan, thank you very much. We'll stay on top of this story.
Reynolds Wolf in the Extreme Weather Center.
Reynolds, what's it looking like in the United States?
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ROMANS: All right. Still ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, hear why the Obama administration wants to stop the execution of a man who murdered a 16-year-old girl.
CHETRY: And like an all-star roster from baseball so-called steroids era, some of the greatest home run hitters of all time, all of them on the list of potential witnesses in the Roger Clemens perjury trial. We'll have an update for you.
It's 21 minutes past the hour.
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VELSHI: Exactly 24 1/2 minutes after the hour. Minding Your Business this morning.
Stocks recovered from early losses closing higher yesterday. Right now, U.S. stock futures are up slightly so far. Investors are waiting for economic reports on jobs and payroll. They're coming out before the bell.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are heading to the White House today for negotiations on the nation's debt ceiling. If Congress can't come to a deal on the deficit by August the 2nd, Treasury says it may not be able to pay all of its bills.
Facebook's awesome announcement yesterday was a deal with Skype for video chatting. The social network kicked off what it's calling a launching season. At an event in Palo Alto yesterday, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says more new products will be coming out soon.
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney reportedly lost two CDs with personal information for 34,000 of its investor clients. At risk, Social Security numbers, personal income, as well as account and tax ID numbers. CNN's calls to Morgan Stanley have not been returned.
A law allowing companies to automatically enroll employees in 401(k) plans might not be so helpful. Analysis by the "Wall Street Journal" showed 40 percent of new hires say they would take more than the customary three percent designated from companies from their paychecks for retirement.
And your bank could be making millions selling information about your shopping habits. How much you spend, where you shop, what you buy, allowing retailers to target customers by e-mail and text with discount information. And every time it works the bank gets a cut.
AMERICAN MORNING continues right after this break.
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ROMANS: Twenty-nine minutes after the hour. Checking the top stories this morning.
Casey Anthony goes back to court today but could leave a free woman. One of the jurors who voted to acquit Anthony of murder says they were sick to their stomachs about it but there wasn't enough evidence to convict her.
Later today, a federal appeals court will hear arguments about whether prison officials can forcibly administer medications to Jared Lee Loughner. Loughner's defense argues the accused Tucson shooters' rights are being violated by treating him with drugs against his will. The government argues it's simply necessary because Loughner is dangerous to others.
And CNN learning President Obama wants $3 to $4 trillion in deficit cuts over the next decade. It's a move that would force Democrats to accept major changes to Medicare and Social Security. The news comes as top Democrats and Republican lawmakers head to the White House to negotiate a debt ceiling deal.
CHETRY: Rebel troops are marching towards Tripoli this morning after capturing a town from government forces just 30 miles from the Libyan capital. Now, the rebels are reportedly -- rocket attacks and Russian tanks yesterday to overrun the town Qwalish. It has been under Moammar Gadhafi's control since the Libyan uprising began in February.
And NATO confirming airstrikes against the Libyan government refueling equipment in the city of Brega. Those attacks yesterday intended to degrade logistical support for Gadhafi's troops.
VELSHI: A Mexican man scheduled to be executed in Texas today for the rape and murder after 16-year-old girl back in 1994. But his lawyers, the Mexican government, and the Obama administration want the execution put on hold. That's because when the man was arrested, police did not inform him that he had the right under an international treaty to seek legal assistance from the Mexican government. His lawyers claim if he had, he might never have been convicted.
And the administration is concerned that if Texas does not respect the treaty, Americans arrested abroad could be affected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VICTORIA NULAND, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON: We could face reciprocal denial of access for our consular officials when American citizens find themselves arrested or detained overseas.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELSHI: Texas remains adamant -- no foreign court or U.S. president will tell the state how to conduct its legal proceedings.
CHETRY: Well, jury selection is underway in the perjury trial of former Major League Baseball great, Roger Clemens. The former all- star pitcher is accused of lying under oath to a House committee back in 2008 when he denied ever using illegal performance enhancing drugs. The prosecution and the defense since listed an all-star roster potential witnesses, including Barry Bonds, Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and Jose Canseco.
VELSHI: In South Korea preparations begin today after the city of Pyeongchang was chosen to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. The city beat out Munich, Germany, and Annecy, France.
South Korea never hosted a Winter Olympics. Seoul, of course, did have the Summer Games back in 1998.
ROMANS: It's so exciting when they get that. Buildup and infrastructure build actually as they head into it.
CHETRY: I remember Seoul so well. It was huge Summer Olympics.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: It was a huge Summer Olympics. And so, it's interesting that they are getting it again.
VELSHI: I tell you, though, the thing about -- I love it when cities I never heard about get it.
ROMANS: Right.
VELSHI: Because I know where London is.
CHETRY: And you know where Annecy is?
VELSHI: I've been to France. Where's Annecy?
ROMANS: Well, it's right by the -- not too far from -- I think it's like 30 kilometers from Geneva. It's a beautiful little town of mountains. It's very nice. VELSHI: I just think it's fun, you know that, right? You want her on your trivial pursuits.
ROMANS: I was a French major. So, that's -- you know, a lot of useful information for me, too, dig in too.
All right. Less than 29 hours -- weather permitting -- the world will witness the final launch of a space shuttle. Onboard Atlantis, a crew that's been dubbed the "Final Four."
CHETRY: That's right. John Zarrella live in Kennedy Space Center this morning.
This is interesting, though. I mean, this is obviously -- everyone is going to will be watching them. They are taking their place in history.
However, 70 percent chance now that it's a no-go for Friday.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You know, look over my right shoulder there and you can see why. All those clouds and all around us, some big clouds from that storm system, tropical system that came up out of the Caribbean yesterday. So -- no, it does not look good.
And, you know, it is interesting about this crew is that -- they were never really supposed to be flying this last mission. This flight was added because NASA decided they really need to get a bunch of supplies up to the space station. This was, quote, "the launch on need vehicle" and then -- then, as I said, NASA decided, well, we are going to go ahead and fly this flight. We might as well restock the space station with as much stuff as we can.
So -- that's how this crew ended up to be the "Final Four."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA: You guys are going to be the last shuttle flight. What's going through your mind and going, oh, man, you know -- why me? Or is it like this --
REX WALHEIM, SHUTTLE MISSION SPECIALIST: Kind of like being at Disney Land late at night and thinking, OK, am I going to get to the front of the ride before the ride closes? Or am I going get to -- cut off here at the very end? So, we finally got assigned to the flight, it's like, wow, you know, we kind of squeaked by, and to realize that this -- you know, probably will be the last space shuttle mission ever -- it really felt like an honor to be part of it.
CAPT. CHRIS FERGUSON, SHUTTLE COMMANDER: We want to make sure we get the job done. And when the job is done, we can look back and reflect and think about where the place in history lie for this final shuttle flight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The crew, getting their last looks at the space station complex. SANDRA MAGNUS, SHUTTLE MISSION SPECIALIST: We've got more transfer and logistic supplies to send the station than we ever had on any other mission. We are very, very busy in training. It's very -- it's a very challenging mission.
ZARRELLA: You represent thousands of workers for 30 years who have poured their, you know, heart and soul into these vehicles.
DOUG HURLEY, SHUTTLE PILOT: That's exactly right.
ZARRELLA: And you guys are representing them on the final flight.
HURLEY: It is -- and I think that's where I feel the most pressure to be able to represent them the way they deserve to be represented. And finish out the program on a high note with a successful mission. And then be able to thank them all afterwards, ideally.
ZARRELLA: Would you stay the shuttle program has been a success?
HURLEY: I think at times it is the -- hate to use a cliche -- but it sometimes has been the Rodney Dangerfield of the space program over the years. But it's just the amount of payload it can take to orbit, the amount of payload it can bring back. Seven people on top of that, you know?
You know, where else have we seen that in the space program?
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZARRELLA: You know, I -- did that interview and I talked to Commander Ferguson and he said to me -- he said, you know what, he said, I am bound and determined to be the last person out of the space shuttle when they finally have wheel stop over at landing site not too far from here.
You know, an interesting caveat to all of that, the reason they are only p flying four people is because if there was an emergency declared on the way to the space station, but they could get to the space station, they -- it would take a year of Soyuz flights to get the entire crew down one in at a time, one every three months for the course a year, Ali.
So, that's why only a four as opposed to seven because it just wouldn't be enough supplies on the station.
VELSHI: Got it. Leaving some empty seats for people to come back.
Hey, listen, after this show, John, I'm getting on a plane. I'm coming down to hang out with you. So, either we're going to be watching a launch tomorrow morning or eating a lot of chicken wings in Florida, but you and me.
ZARRELLA: You got it. See you tomorrow.
VELSHI: All right, John. I'm going to talk about things John knows about, but maybe some of you may not. As NASA prepares to launch last space shuttle mission, let's take a look back at the history of space programs starting with this one -- Project Mercury. You may remember this. It ran from 1958 to 1963. These were single man crews. A total of six pilots -- remember the name Alan Shepard. He was the first American in space. He was the commander of Freedom VII. That was the first suborbital flight.
John Glenn was the commander of Friendship VII, which was the first flight to orbit the earth.
Now, the next project was called Gemini. It ran from 1962 to 1966. Big difference here, two-man crews and it ran a total of 10 missions.
Now, the Gemini missions were the first manned spacecraft, believe it or not, to include an onboard computer. It was also, by the way, during Project Gemini that the first American astronaut walked in space.
Now, one that really people remember very well is the Apollo program. It ran from 1961 to 1975. It overlapped with Gemini. These are three men crews, with total of 11 successful missions, six of them, of course, landed on the moon. The launch vehicles that were used to power missions included the Saturn V rockets which were the tallest, heaviest and most powerful rockets ever launched.
Until then the spaceships had been fairly small and rockets weren't all that big either.
Now, 30 years after that, you are now seeing the end of the shuttle program. This is going to be Atlantis. It's mission 135. And it is going to be taking off, Kiran, at some point, we hope. It's scheduled for tomorrow at 11:26. But I don't know, Kiran, whether it's going to happen because of that weather.
CHETRY: Yes. Seventy percent chance there if not they will try for Saturday. And if not, they're going to try for a window on Sunday. It will take off. They're just trying to figure out when. And Mother Nature, of course, holds all the cards. By the way, join us for a live special coverage --
VELSHI: Kiran, do you have the rocket take off next to you?
CHETRY: Yes, here we go. Keep watching. There it goes.
Six a.m. Eastern. Our special coverage right here in AMERICAN MORNING. Ali is going to be down there, followed Anderson Cooper who is going to be hosting a special on the launch starting at 10:00 a.m. -- Christine.
ROMANS: OK. So, who are the most bankable women in Hollywood? Angelina Jolie and Sarah Jessica Parker are tied at the top of the annual "Forbes" list of highest paid actresses. Each star earning an estimated $30 million in the past year. Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston were right behind, tied at $28 million each. Followed by Julia Roberts and Kristin Stewart, each with $20 million. CHETRY: I love how they are both wearing green dresses in there. You know, it's the color of money.
(CROSSTALK)
ROMANS: And I read an article with Sarah Jessica Parker, one time, she's always afraid of losing her money because she grew up poor. And she's always afraid she's going to lose it. So, every dollar she gets is precious to her. She is very conservative how she spends it.
VELSHI: Really? That's not what you would associate with her given some of her role.
ROMANS: All of her glam and all that but she's --
CHETRY: Right. Sarah Jessica Parker wears (INAUDIBLE) only if she gets them from the movie set.
ROMANS: Right. Exactly.
CHETRY: All right. Well, the newlyweds -- newlywed royals, they are wrapping up their visit to Canada and they're now heading south. They are heading to Los Angeles. They are going to be doing a big tour of California. And we are, of course, awaiting the royal visit.
It will be Kate's first visit actually to the United States.
Forty minutes past the hour.
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VELSHI: Royal fever is building. It's actually already here.
The duke and duchess of Cambridge tomorrow arrive in southern California for a three-day visit.
ROMANS: But first, Prince William and his new bride, Catherine, have to wrap up their sweeping tour of Canada. They're in Calgary this morning.
VELSHI: Which is one of the funniest places there is, particularly during stampede time.
ROMANS: Is that true?
VELSHI: Yes.
ROMANS: Did they go to stampede?
VELSHI: I don't know. Max is there.
CHETRY: Yesterday, they were shooting hockey pucks.
VELSHI: They are doing whatever they are supposed to be doing --
CHETRY: They seem to be really enjoying themselves and people seem to be thrilled to have them there.
ROMANS: The translation is Calgary is Canada's cowboy country, isn't it?
MAX FOSTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely. And when they arrived here, they're going to take part in a white hatting ceremony. Ali might know about this.
And they're going to go from to see some colorful events. They will start a chuck wagon race. They're going to see some lassoing, bull riding.
It's going to be very colorful day for the royals. They really have managed to fit an awful lot in over the past week.
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FOSTER (voice-over): The Cambridges hit Canada. Three hundred thousand people turned out to catch a glimpse of the couple during Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa -- three times as many as usual.
Her outfit, especially the hats had everyone talking. One newspaper declared Kate mania. The question was: will they get the same reaction in French nationalist Montreal?
(on-camera): Catherine will get the flip side to royalty. Down at the end of the road, a lot of anti-monarchy protesters booing and shouting, but balanced by a lot of William and Catherine fans as well.
(voice-over): More protesters were expected the next day in Quebec City.
(on-camera): As you can see the crowds are being kept at a safe distance. And on the rooftop, security everywhere. A small but very vocal crowd of anti-monarchists are here. The prince is here to inspect the Royal 22 Regiment and crucially make a speech entirely in French.
(voice-over): The couple went on an impromptu walk-about, and it went down well. On Prince Edward Island, the action prince. Search and rescue pilots landed a helicopter on water, a risky maneuver only allowed in Canada. Then, a dragon boat race, the duke paddling furiously one boat, keen to beat his wife's team. Duchess struggled with scrape from the water, and William picked (ph) her to the winning pose.
Then, it was out to explore the great Canadian outdoors. A game of street hockey and yellow knife. The duchess wasn't very (INAUDIBLE), and the prince wasn't very good at it, but at least they tried. They were better at canoeing, meeting up with local families. Living traditional lifestyles in this far plunge corner of Canada. In slate (ph) lake in Alberta, they toured the town destroyed by wildfires earlier this year. They met families who'd lost their homes.
The royal tour has had this fair share of tradition, but it will be remembered for the emergence of a new and formal model of royalty. A young couple throwing themselves into local cultures with adoring crowds turning up to watch. The future of the monarchy in this part of the world, at least, seems assured.
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FOSTER (on-camera): And we'll see how they do in the U.S. They're heading to L.A. tomorrow, of course. I know the Tourism Commission is already publishing ads (ph) all over the place, encouraging people to come to Los Angeles and to California of the back of this visit. Everyone getting very excited. Will Kate mania hit L.A.? We'll have to see.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Max, you're a little buttoned up for stampede time in Calgary. Is that like a thing you're going to take off and then you're going to have a cowboy hat, and boots and big belt buckle?
(LAUGHTER)
FOSTER: Yes. Give me some tips, Ali. Give some tip.
VELSHI: I could have sent you the whole outfit. I got the hats. It's a white hat town, remember that. It's a white hat town and the boots, and you got to get yourself a big belt buckle. There you go.
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: That's right. Have some great time out there, Max.
CHETRY: It actually looks really good on him.
VELSHI: It really suits him, doesn't he? He looks like he is J.R. from Dallas.
ROMANS: Oh, that is awesome.
(CROSSTALK)
FOSTER: A young J.R.
CHETRY: All right. Clearly, young J.R. All right. Be sure to follow -- he's like what are you people talking about?
(LAUGHTER)
CHETRY: Is this thing on? Be sure to follow the duke and duchess of Cambridge, by the way, on their tour of Los Angeles. We have a special live coverage of the royals in America. It's all this weekend here on CNN.
VELSHI: All right. Ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, you don't hear too much about the Dallas cowboy and rings these days. The story has nothing to do with the Super Bowl. Excellent story, though. How one player learned the hard way never to mail an engagement ring.
ROMANS: Mail an engagement right?
VELSHI: Yes.
ROMANS: Oh!
VELSHI: Sad story. Forty-seven minutes after the hour. We'll come back and tell you what it is.
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GABE SAGLIE, SENIOR EDITOR, TRAVEL ZOO: Hi. I'm Gabe Saglie, a senior editor of "Travel Zoo." The seed to get up and go was planted in me from the time I was a little kid. It's a great way to get to know the world and be able to talk about it when I go on TV. You want to be a road warrior, think like a business traveler, and think that loyalty makes a difference when you are a very frequent traveler. Otherwise, let the value and bargain drive your vacation.
Normal is we're paying for our bags, we're paying for the seats we want on the plane, we're paying for the food we eat and the entertainment we get onboard. So, the more you can fend for yourself, the smoother the experience will be. This is basically my home office in the palm of my hand. I've got a wife and kids at home. Skype has really become something that's kept us connected.
New York is good. If there is a steamer available, I order it right way. Clothes get a lot wear and tear when it's on the road. So, I've got to keep them as crisp as I possibly can. When you're a guy, you can get away with one suit, change the shirt, change the tie, it's like a brand-new outfit. Today, it's New York. It could be anywhere else tomorrow. Bye.
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CHETRY: Fifty-one minutes past the hour. Look at your headlines this morning.
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CHETRY (voice-over): Casey Anthony may be just hours away from freedom. She returns to court in Florida this morning, and many expect the judge to sentence Anthony to time already served behind bars for the only count she was found guilty of providing false information.
CNN learning that President Obama is seeking $3 trillion to $4 trillion in deficit cuts over the next decade, and that would mean cuts to Social Security and Medicare. The news comes as the president meets with leaders from both parties today to discuss raising the debt ceiling.
Later this afternoon, a hearing for Tucson shooting suspect, Jared Lee Loughner. Appeals judges will decide whether or not he should be forcibly medicated in order to stand trial. The U.S. attorney in the case says Loughner has been diagnosed as a schizophrenic. Federal appeals court says "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" cannot remain in place, and it has issued an order blocking the U.S. military from enforcing its policy on gays serving openly in the military. The Pentagon is already in the process of repealing its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
Police in San Diego are trying to track down a brazen art thief who walked out of the Union Square Art Gallery with a $200,000 Picasso. He was picked up by surveillance cameras at a nearby restaurant as he walked into a cab and got away.
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CHETRY (on-camera): You're caught up on the day's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING is back after a quick break.
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CHETRY: Fifty-four minutes past the hour. This morning, we're hearing for the first time from one of the Casey Anthony jurors.
ROMANS: Yes. This is juror number three, and she says she didn't think Anthony was innocent, but there wasn't enough evidence to convict her.
VELSHI: So, this is our question of the day. What should happen to Casey Anthony now? We've had some responses from you.
ROMANS: It's an interesting response, too. Benny Barboza on Facebook said, "Nothing. A jury said not guilty, and according to our constitution, she has committed no crime. Unless, she can be charged for another crime that may or may not be related to Caylee, she should just be left alone."
CHETRY: Paul on Twitter writes, "What are you going to do? She is just somebody who beat the system. To give anyone the max on all four misdemeanors is absurd."
VELSHI: And jack on Facebook says, "Casey Anthony should be prosecuted under federal laws. The feds will find her guilty because the statutes and guidelines to prove any case is different from state law laws."
ROMANS: Can she be charged under --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: We're going to be talking to the prosecutor, Jeff Ashton, a little bit later, eight o'clock hour as well. You know, a lot of criticism, obviously, in the wake of the verdict. Could he have done something differently? And to hear these jurors say, well, we didn't think she was innocent, but there just -- they never explained how she died.
ROMANS: And the prosecution from the very beginning said it was a dry-bones case. What they call a dry-bone case, meaning, you don't have a lot of evidence really to work with in the first case. You know, trying to piece it all together is very difficult. And that's what (INAUDIBLE).
CHETRY: We appreciate your comments. Please keep them coming. Give us an e-mail, a tweet, tell us Facebook, and we'll read some more later on in the show.
VELSHI: All right. Maybe he should have just taken a knee. Dallas Cowboys receiver, Roy Williams, is suing his ex-girlfriend after he says he mailed her a $76,000 engagement ring. She said no, but she has the ring.
CHETRY: She said no. Were she wrote back no?
VELSHI: Now, she is 2009 Miss Texas USA, Brooke Daniels. Brooke's father says Williams told his daughter he didn't want the ring back saying he expected her to change her mind, except and she didn't. So, Michael Daniels says he's returning the ring to avoid the legal hassle.
ROMANS: What's the legality of sending --
CHETRY: They usually say it's a gift, right? I mean, they say there's a difference between legality and etiquette. That etiquette says if you say no, give the darn ring back.
VELSHI: Give the ring back. Yes, I agree.
CHETRY: If you -- but legally speaking, if somebody gives you a gift --
ROMANS: How do you even go to the post office and insure a $76,000 ring?
VELSHI: I don't know about that.
CHETRY: How romantic.
All right. Ahead, terrorists possibly going through extreme measures to try to attack the United States. Would they actually surgically implant bombs into their bodies? There's new intelligence on the latest threat to our skies. Human bombs. We'll have details coming up.
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