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American Morning
Confessions of Juror Number 3; Can Smelly Socks Save Lives?; U.S. Official: CIA Operatives In Somalia; Search Group Sues Casey Anthony; Debt Debate Warning
Aired July 13, 2011 - 07:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Kiran Chetry. Good morning.
Juror number 3 telling CNN she voted to convict Casey Anthony of manslaughter and so did five fellow jurors. So how did a six to six split turn into a stunning acquittal? You'll hear from her ahead.
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Ali Velshi.
President Obama with a dire warning with the fate of Social Security if the debt talks fail to produce an agreement on this AMERICAN MORNING.
And good morning. Thanks for being with us on this Wednesday, July 13th. I'm Kiran Chetry along with Ali Velshi. Christine Romans is off.
VELSHI: A lot going on this morning.
Up first, Casey Anthony sued five days before she even gets out of jail. A company called Texas Equusearch is looking for $115,000 in damages along with interest and attorneys fees. They're claiming that they spent that much money searching for Casey's daughter Caylee in the summer and fall of 2008. The suit contends that Casey knew her little girl was dead and said so in her trial and she intentionally misled their search team.
CHETRY: Prosecutors have decided not to file perjury charges against Casey Anthony's mother Cindy. Many people believe she lied on the witness stand to protect her daughter when she told the jury that she was the one who conducted all of those computer searches for chloroform even though records show she was at work while those searches were being done on a home computer.
VELSHI: And there is new information this morning about just how close Casey Anthony came to being convicted of manslaughter.
Gary Tuchman had a chance to go one-on-one with juror number three, Jennifer Ford.
CHETRY: And she told Gary that she initially voted to convict Casey Anthony and claims she wasn't alone. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Now that you look back at it -- do you wish you did not serve on this jury?
JENNIFER FORD, JUROR NO. 3 IN CASEY ANTHONY TRIAL: I would have been OK if I was not a part of that. I would have been OK with that.
TUCHMAN: Why do you say that?
FORD: Just because, you know, for six weeks, we had minimal freedoms and then the welcoming committee -- I'm being sarcastic. But, you come home and everyone is mad at you. The media outside is hounding awe and making clear they are not leaving.
It's just very stressful and, you know, get anonymous letters from people. They are hateful and nasty.
TUCHMAN: What have people said in these letters?
FORD: Honestly, I read probably the first sentence and if it starts with "shame on you" in all capital letters, I usually rip it up and throw it away because I know it's just going to be, you know, I've seen like things on Facebook probably from the same person. You know, you're ignorant and you're -- should be ashamed of yourself, you let a murder go free, et cetera, et cetera. You know? Things like that.
And I just -- I don't want to read it.
TUCHMAN: Are you scared, Jennifer?
FORD: Not really. I'm kind of a scrappy girl, so I'm not going to back away from anything and run scared and crying. That's for sure. So --
TUCHMAN: Have there been times where you felt a little bit like crying?
FORD: I've been stressed out. Yes, I mean, I have cried, but --
TUCHMAN: How did it make you feel -- you were doing your civic duty -- how does it make you feel you get anonymous hate-filled letters threatening your welfare?
FORD: It makes me feel like -- I don't know. I feel like people are missing something and -- I don't know. To me, I would think that it would be a good thing to know that people are trying to do what they are supposed to do and uphold the letter of the law and not be emotional. But, apparently, that's not something that is rewarded by the public sometimes.
I mean, a lot of people have been supportive and even if they didn't agree with our verdict, they are like, you know, still respectful. I think it might be a small population who is loud and angry and unkind. And, you know, I guess it comes with the territory.
TUCHMAN: It's very upsetting?
FORD: It's very upsetting.
TUCHMAN: You told me the original vote for the aggravated manslaughter was 6-6.
FORD: Correct.
TUCHMAN: And which side of the six were you on?
FORD: The manslaughter.
TUCHMAN: So, originally, you thought that she was guilty of manslaughter or could be guilty?
FORD: Could be and I wanted to investigate it further to see if it fit based on the evidence that we were given.
TUCHMAN: So, what convince you and the five others to switch your votes and vote for not guilty?
FORD: I think everyone will tell you the same thing -- it's just lack of hard evidence. It's, like I said the duct tape and the chloroform and things like that you could -- if you took a hard -- a good, hard look at it, you could find of -- there was so -- there was a lot of doubt surrounding all of those certain things. So, there's not enough to make anything stick.
TUCHMAN: So you don't necessarily think she's innocent but you feel you didn't have enough proof to find her guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?
FORD: Right. I don't know either way. Like -- I mean, obviously, it has not been proven that she's innocent, but it certainly hasn't been proven that she is guilty.
TUCHMAN: The defense on their opening statements said that Casey Anthony's father molested repeatedly when she was young and that's the reason why she kept the drowning of her child secret. Do you believe that she could have been molested? Was there evidence that she could have been molested by her father?
FORD: There was no evidence, none at all. And that had no bearing on any verdict that was made. I mean, that was irrelevant. It was thrown out there but never substantiated. So --
TUCHMAN: Doesn't it bother you it wasn't substantiated later in the trial? What happened was the judge said, you cannot bring this up in your closing arguments, defense, because you didn't present any evidence about it.
FORD: I really wish he wouldn't have brought it up. It's a disturbing image to have in your mouth. I mean, it was -- he painted a very graphic and disgusting picture, and if you're going to do that, at least back it up. And if you can't back it up, don't put that picture in people's minds. Nobody wants to see that.
TUCHMAN: And regarding the drowning, I mean, the only evidence that was presented were pictures of Caylee climbing in the pool with her grandmother, standing near a screen door which -- a door which her grandmother testified she couldn't open. It's pretty flimsy evidence at best. I'm wondering if you think there was a possibility she could have drowned.
Was there any evidence that convinced you of that?
FORD: There was no evidence that convinced me of that, no.
TUCHMAN: So, you don't think she drowned. You don't think she was molested. So, what the casual viewer in this trial might say is, OK, well, how come you didn't find she was guilty of murder?
FORD: Because it has nothing to do with what the defense presents. The prosecution's proof -- they brought charges, they have to prove what their evidence that those charges are -- you know, they can validate and bring those charges and the crime was committed.
TUCHMAN: So, you didn't believe the central points the defense told, but you just felt that the prosecution didn't have enough evidence to convict?
FORD: Well, they had -- like I said, they had good, strong circumstantial evidence. But at the end of the day, it was circumstantial and there was not just one strong piece of evidence that said something definitively. Every piece of evidence could kind of said, this or that, this or that way. I mean, many different ways you could have gone with each piece of evidence.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHETRY: That's interesting because it's still not clear totally. She is very interesting. How the 6-6 turned into an acquittal. If six thought manslaughter and six thought let her go free --
VELSHI: Also interesting to see that they took in and discounted those things that the defense introduced that they never --
CHETRY: Right. Yes, they didn't hold it against the defense.
VELSHI: They didn't hold it. It just sort of, it kind of went in and out. Interesting discussion.
All right. Tucson shooting suspect Jared Loughner has the right to refuse to take his anti-psychotic medications. That's the ruling of a federal appeals appeal. They say because Loughner has not been convicted of a crime, he's entitled to turn down treatment.
Loughner is charged with killing six people and wounding 13 others, including Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords during a shooting rampage in January.
CHETRY: More trouble for Rodney King. He's been busted on DUI charges in southern California, pulled over yesterday and arrested after police say they witnessed him commit several traffic violations.
King is admitted to a longstanding drinking problem. He made national headlines back in 1991 when that video surfaced of police officers beating him. They subsequently went to trial but were acquitted in 1992, triggering a Los Angeles riots that claimed 55 lives.
VELSHI: You're looking at live pictures of the White House right now where talks on raising the nation's debt ceiling continue again but later this afternoon. It's the fourth straight day of negotiations between President Obama and top lawmakers from both sides.
The August 2nd deadline to avoid a disastrous government default is now just 21 days away.
CHETRY: The president raising the stakes in the debt ceiling negotiations. He gave an interview yesterday saying that if no agreement is reached in time, there could be dire consequences for millions of people receiving benefit checks from the government.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT PELLEY, CBS NEWS ANCHOR: Can you tell the folks at home that no matter what happens, the Social Security checks are going to go out on August the 3rd? There are about $20 billion worth of Social Security checks that have to go out the day after the government is supposedly going to go into default.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, this is not just a matter of Social Security checks. These are veterans' checks. These are folks on disability and their checks. There are about 70 million checks that go out each month.
PELLEY: Can you guarantee as president those checks will go out on August the 3rd?
OBAMA: I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven't resolved this issue, because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Both sides insist that they will not raise the nation's borrowing limit without a deal, without a big deal to cut the federal deficit.
VELSHI: So, we want to know what the impact will be if the government doesn't have the money to send out benefit checks on August 3rd. It's our question of the day. E-mail us, give us a tweet, tell us on Facebook, we'll read through some of them a little later in the show.
CHETRY: One person, Howard, wrote, "No checks for us, no checks for them, Congress."
We've gotten a lot of emails like that, saying, you know what, if this happens, they should boot everybody out of office and have a fresh start.
VELSHI: But there is a whole lot less in terms of money that goes to Congress than might not go out in Social Security.
CHETRY: Absolutely.
Still ahead: roads are buckling, water mains bursting, this intense summer weather that's gripped much of the country now continues for yet another day. Rob has the steamy details.
VELSHI: And fighting malaria with smelly socks. They are actually giving it a try in Africa. We'll explain how that works, coming up next.
CHETRY: I can't wait to hear about that one. Also, a new discovery about the origins of polar bears. Did you know that polar bears can be traced back to just one bear?
VELSHI: I'm guessing two.
CHETRY: Just one bear!
VELSHI: I don't know.
CHETRY: Just one.
VELSHI: I think one and another one with whom that one bear got amorous.
CHETRY: You'll find out. You'd be very surprised, Ali.
It's nine minutes past the hour.
VELSHI: I think it needed two bears.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: A little Sheryl Crow and a nice shot of Atlanta. It was Olympic Park. We're taking a look at downtown now, 79 degrees and sunny in Atlanta.
Thunderstorms expected later on today. Are thunderstorms -- isn't that great? In summer, we have a thunderstorm, and you cool it down?
CHETRY: No, that's not the case. All you're doing is creating more steam on the sidewalks. Rob Marciano --
VELSHI: It will be 95 in Atlanta this afternoon.
CHETRY: Yes. He's in the extreme weather center with us. Actually, are you back in the extreme weather center or are you in Piedmont Park? Let's find out.
He is still outside! Hi, Rob.
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we're outside.
(CROSSTALK)
MARCIANO: Where else do we go? That's extreme weather center.
CHETRY: It's true.
MARCIANO: I lobbied for that, but it didn't quite happen. Boy, that picture you showed on the tower cam sure looks a lot steamier than it does here in Piedmont Park, although now that the sun is coming up, we are starting to get that humidity to begin to bubble up from the surface.
But we did have a quick thunderstorm yesterday. That technical cooled things off, but you're right, it just adds humidity to the air and that's been the key with this heat wave. It's been so humid across such a wide range of states. That's been the oppressive part of this heat wave.
It has sunk a little bit farther to the South. Check out the high temperatures from yesterday as far as record highs across a slew of states, including the Northeast. Parts of Jersey and even Kennedy Airport got into the 90s; 99 in Newark and Ft. Smith once again 108.
Now, a little bit cooler across Chicago and to New York today, at least, drier, at least humid, with a cool front coming through there, but that's getting down to the South.
Here's where the advisories and heat warnings are posted today. Now, 11 states and counting and Oklahoma in it again. Oklahoma City, by the way, 18 of 20 the past days hitting at least 100 degrees. That's relentless! Memphis in it and North Carolina as well.
Those are the heat indexes, humidity plus temperatures. Here are actual high temperatures forecast for places like Dallas which should get up and over 100 degrees again today, 97 degrees expected in Atlanta, 97 expected in Savannah.
And here's your forecast weather map. Again, the Northeast a little bit cooler, a little bit cooler. That's not going to get down to the Southeast. We'll see some temperatures moderate here by the time we get towards the weekend. And Northwest is certainly cool with temperatures there in the lower 70s.
In Vermont, I tell you what, it was so warm the past couple of days. People are getting a little bit batty. Check out this video coming to us from Danville, where there was a big traffic jam because a road construction sign -- that was computerized -- was hacked! And it said, "Raging zombies in one mile!" Well, if that's not a reason to take a detour, I don't know!
They said they are sick of the traffic, the hackers, so that is the reason they hacked into it. And if you went a mile ahead of that area, there were raging zombies, apparently. We don't have confirmation of that, of course. It's all speculative, but it certainly was hot enough to make a lot of people feel like zombies, I'm sure.
Guys, back to you in New York. Yes. You know, if you're going to hack, at least, make it comical.
VELSHI: Yes, exactly. Funny hackers. I like that. All right, Rob. I want to see how long you stay out there for because it is hot, it's sweaty, it's steamy --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: I know. And you know what else? I mean, it takes some guts to wear light-colored shirt, gray shirt.
VELSHI: Oh, yes.
CHETRY: He doesn't look like he's sweating.
VELSHI: Yes. You're going to see all of Rob at some point today, because it's going to be a lot of --
CHETRY: What time is that?
VELSHI: It's going to happen.
CHETRY: All right. Let's talk about little close for coverage. Check this out. Eighteen feet, 80 years old, at one arm missing. This crocodile leaping from the water to snack on a chunk of buffalo meat. This picture was taken during a jumping crocodile cruise. I guess, the cruise delivered in Australia. Brutus is his name. He's a salt water crocodile --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: I thought this was -- I thought literally this is something from a movie set.
VELSHI: Apparently, this crocodile (ph) is one of the largest such thing.
CHETRY: Yes. Well, and also, he apparently got into a fight with a shark. That's according to the --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: And he lost his front --
VELSHI: Front arm. How do you know he's 80 years old?
CHETRY: He -- you know, he's not embarrassed about it. He tells people.
(LAUGHTER)
VELSHI: All right. I love this story. Sticky stocks, which, you know, a good way to lose friends. Apparently, they're a good way to lose mosquitoes, too. (CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Go ahead.
VELSHI: A story in "The Washington Post" says smelly socks are being used to prevent malaria in Tanzania. They're putting the socks in poison trash (ph) --you're right. They attract mosquitoes, not repel them. The mosquitoes then go toward the smelly socks which could go along with other ways to prevent malaria, because malaria is a pretty serious disease. It kills 900,000 people around the world.
CHETRY: Yes. That's why you see Hollywood stars actually I know there's a lot of work at this, 99 cents for a mosquito net can end up saving life of a family.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: So, where do polar bears come from?
VELSHI: The north.
CHETRY: Well, where? You thought Alaska, didn't you?
VELSHI: I did. Yes.
CHETRY: That's wrong. It turns out --
VELSHI: Well, I thought Siberia.
CHETRY: They're Irish.
VELSHI: They're not Irish.
CHETRY: A team of scientists traced the ancestry of all modern polar bears back to a single female brown bear who lived in the vicinity of Britain and Ireland about a hundred thousand years ago when they say polar bears and brown bears interbred on a regular basis. Now, they're not saying that she created a magical bear by herself.
VELSHI: Right.
CHETRY: We understand there was a male involved, but they're saying they traced it all back to her DNA.
VELSHI: I just want to make sure because I felt like you misrepresented there.
CHETRY: Yes, you felt like I thought that a polar --
VELSHI: That one bear.
CHETRY: One bear created a bunch of other bears?
VELSHI: Right.
CHETRY: That would be a modern --
VELSHI: Do we know where the study came from? It wasn't Ireland, was it? By any chance.
CHETRY: The study was out of Belfast.
VELSHI: Because that's kind of crazy that polar bears are Irish. Like I -- this is why you don't believe everything you hear on the news. I'm just not going to believe that one.
CHETRY: You're choosing not to --
VELSHI: The polar bears are from the North Pole.
CHETRY: You also don't believe Brutus is 80.
VELSHI: True. I'm a bit of a doubter today.
Here's something I couldn't doubt because I got the e-mail myself. NetFlix is raising prices by as much as 60 percent for some services. I'm going to run that down for you when we come back.
CHETRY: Also, the clock is ticking. It's been almost two weeks since a budget gridlock forced the Minnesota state government to shut down. Is this what the entire country is headed for just days before financial deadline of its own? States in crisis going without paychecks coming up. What it's like there? Eighteen minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VELSHI: Twenty-two minutes after the hour. "Minding Your Business" this morning.
Uncertainty over debt problems in Europe has investors on edge this morning. All eyes on Italy as lawmakers there go head-to-head over budget cuts meant to ease euro zone concerns. The extent (ph) of U.S. exposure, by the way, that debt problems in Europe continue to remain unclear.
Let's check in on the markets. Right now, U.S. stock futures are trading higher ahead of the opening bell which then about an hour. Strong numbers on China's economy are helping come investors and pushing world markets higher.
Rupert Murdoch's media empire is taking a huge financial hit after the phone hacking scandal at the "News of the World." News Corporation's market value is down $6 billion (ph) in five days. The company includes the Fox Television Network and the "The Wall Street Journal" here at home.
NetFlix is hiking prices by 60 percent for subscribers who want to keep the mail and the streaming options. The move comes as the company refocus on its streaming business and a way from its DVD mailings. Coming up next, reports that the CIA may be operating inside a secret base in Somalia. We're live at the Pentagon coming up next. AMERICAN MORNING back after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Twenty-six minutes past the hour. We're finding out more now about the secret war on terror overseas this morning. A U.S. official telling CNN that CIA operatives are secretly working in Somalia.
VELSHI: Barbara Starr found out why. Let's bring her in now live from the Pentagon. Barbara, what are your sources telling you?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Ali and Kiran. U.S. officials are now confirming that CIA personnel have traveled to Mogadishu, Somali, one of the most dangerous countries on earth in recent months, to help interrogate terrorist suspects being held there by the Somalis. These CIA personnel are specialist in interrogation.
It is described to us as very rare instances that they have gone there, perhaps, one or two times assisting by either being in the room during the interrogations, offering questions that need to be asked. What they are after is information about al Shabaab, the al Qaeda affiliate in Somalia, very violent, dangerous group that the U.S. says is growing increasingly tied to next door al Qaeda in Yemen.
Of course, this part of the horn of Africa, the map tells the whole story. Both of those countries next door to each other, very violent, extremist groups in both places. The CIA operating out of the airport in Mogadishu. It is the only place they can go where there is even minimal security to protect them, but it really shows how far the U.S. government is willing to go, the risk its people are being placed in.
This is part of this evolving secret war we've been talking about, both the CIA and military personnel going to Somalia very quietly, very secretly in recent months trying to help there with interrogations, with training, with helping even supply some material to Somali forces -- Ali, Kiran.
VELSHI: All right. Barbara, we'll stay on top of that story with you. Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon.
Well, just five days before her release, Casey Anthony is being sued. A search and rescue group filed the civil suit. Texas EquuSearch claims their organization spent $112,000 attempting to find Casey's daughter, Caylee, during the summer and fall of 2008. Now, the company insists Anthony knew that her daughter was dead.
She testified to that in her trial, and that she intentionally misled the company and its volunteers. They're seeking $115,000 in damages plus interest and attorney fees. Texas EquuSearch is a company that gets volunteers and searches for people in many other places. CHETRY: That's right. They looked for Natalie Holloway as well as many other missing people.
Tucson shooting suspect, Jared Lee Loughner, can refuse to take his anti-psychotic medications. That is the ruling of the federal appeals panel. They say that because Loughner has not been convicted of a crime, he is entitled to turn down the treatment. Loughner is charged with killing six people and wounding 13 others including Arizona congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, during a shooting rampage in Tucson in January.
VELSHI: And we are counting down to the August 2nd deadline for a deal to raise the nation's debt ceiling and avoid government default. Frustrated by the slow pace of talks with Congressional leaders, President Obama said in the interview that Social Security checks may not go out on August 3rd if they cannot reach an agreement. The two sides will meet this afternoon at the White House for a fourth straight day.
CHETRY: Well, if federal government approaches a deadline on the debt ceiling, in Minnesota, that deadline passed. Thirteen days ago, they had no agreement on a budget, so only essential state employees and services are still working. Some 22,000 people have been laid off, and it appears that no new deal is in sight.
Joining us now from Minneapolis as part of our states in crisis series is Lori Sturdevant. She is a columnist and editorial writer for the "Minneapolis Star Tribune." Lori, great to have you with us this morning.
LORI STURDEVANT, COLUMNIST, "MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE": Well, good morning, Kiran. Good to be with you.
CHETRY: So, this is unbelievable. You're talking about 22,000 state workers, they're staying at home. State parks have been closed. You have highways that are actually shut down. Road projects are stalled, but the legislators, they took off on the July fourth holiday. What's going on?
STURDEVANT: We aren't seeing much sense of urgency here, I must say, because of court orders, things that have to do with life safety are still functional, and money is scheduled to go out to schools because of their special statutory status in Minnesota, but otherwise, things are really quiet, like a drought, quiet.
CHETRY: And who do people blame? Obviously, there is anger going on in Minnesota right now. I mean, this is considered really a failure of leadership, obviously, no matter what side you're on. But who is taking the brunt of the blame?
STURDEVANT: Oh, I think that both sides are taking heavy political blame right now. The Republicans have been the least willing to move, and that parallels the national situation, the least willing to move up to a higher revenue amount that the governor seeks. But the governor has made significant moves in ways that we haven't always been convincing to a lot of people. CHETRY: So is this spending cut -- they want more spending cuts, or the governor wants to raise taxes?
STURDEVANT: Minnesota faces a $5 billion gap between revenues and scheduled expenditures in the coming two years, the two years I guess that started on July 1st. The governor wants to close that gap with at least $1 billion in new revenue, tax increases. And the Republicans have said no new taxes just as they are saying in Washington.
CHETRY: It is interesting how much it parallels. Where does this go from here? I mean, are there talks of any behind-the-scenes deals or does Minnesota just -- I mean, could this just be the way it is? I mean, no budget gets resolved and these people still stay out of work and services are just gone?
STURDEVANT: One of the difficulties of this situation is that there is no obvious deadline, nothing on the calendar you can point to that sort of compels action. July 1st was that, and they blew past that deadline. So we are at sea here in Minnesota and we're worried.
CHETRY: You know what also is really interesting is you have two presidential candidates right now, GOP candidates that are running from Minnesota, Tim Pawlenty as well as Michele Bachmann. Tim Pawlenty actually got a little wrapped up in this. He encouraged Republicans not to budge. He said ultimately it could be a good thing. How much is he changing the debate?
STURDEVANT: Oh, I don't think he is changing the debate, but he certainly led the debate. It was his governorship that steered Minnesota's traditionally more moderate Republican Party toward this hard line on no new taxes. And he is speaking for how he governed.
CHETRY: And Mondale is actually -- Walter Mondale, the former Democrat vice president, candidate, is basically saying it was Tim Pawlenty's legacy that shut this down. He is trying to work on this committee moving toward a solution. He is blaming Tim Pawlenty. Do you think that will affect his political chances?
STURDEVANT: Well, it might. I know a lot of national commentators have them looking at Minnesota's budget and have seen that we just this last week lost a peg on our credit rating with the Wall Street bond houses because we have been using too many fixes, patches on our budget. That was what Tim Pawlenty advised the legislature to do to get through the last several years without raising taxes.
CHETRY: So it's now more expensive for your state to borrow money and you guys are in quite a pickle here. Lori, thanks so much for joining us to discuss this. We will keep tabs. And again, we have been following these states in crisis, and Minnesota is certainly having a very tough time right now. We appreciate your insight.
STURDEVANT: Thank you.
VELSHI: And another state we're looking at -- the layoffs have started in Connecticut. The pink slips are going to public employees and come two weeks after union members rejected agreement on concessions and other savings. The governor has said he would need to fire 6,500 workers to deal with the budget deficit.
CHETRY: The cost of going to college in California is going way up, and you can blame that on budget cuts as well. Yesterday the state's university system approved a tuition hike for undergrad students that adds nearly $300 to the cost of a semester.
VELSHI: Coming up next, we're going inside the Bachmann family business. Critics claim the counseling center run by the aspiring first couple use a controversial therapy that supposedly cures homosexuals. It's 34 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: She should actually say "No money, more problems", because money is such a big problem.
VELSHI: Washington, D.C. partly cloudy and 87 getting up to 94 degrees later on today, which means a good day to stay indoors and work out this debt crisis thing.
CHETRY: Exactly.
During the second quarter of 2011, President Obama raised more than $86 million for his reelection bid. The goal was $60 million, so he clearly surpassed that. The cash was raised by the Obama campaign itself as well as the Democratic National Committee. An Obama official say the money was collected from 552,000 individual donors.
VELSHI: I may have misread this. I think I saw the previous record was $51 million or $52 million.
CHETRY: In a quarter?
STURDEVANT: In a quarter. So this is quite remarkable.
Strong showing in the polls for Michele Bachmann. The Minnesota congresswoman finishing first in a survey of likely voters in the Iowa caucus. According to the American Research Group, 21 percent are backing the Minnesota congresswoman. Mitt Romney finished with 18 percent. Ron Paul and the undeclared Sarah Palin are also recording double digit support. But that's a big poll for an important state for Michele Bachmann.
CHETRY: Right, you win the Iowa caucus right out of the gate you get a ton of attention. She's polling ahead of what was considered the frontrunner, Mitt Romney.
VELSHI: Yes.
CHETRY: A former patient says that a clinic outside of Minneapolis promised him a miracle, that they could work to change him from gay to straight. And that clinic, Bachmann and Associates, is owned by a Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann and her husband Marcus.
VELSHI: Jim Acosta has been taking a very close look at this Bachmann family business. He joins us live from Washington this morning. He's learned some very interesting things. Jim?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Michele Bachmann and her husband Marcus run a Christian service that appears to believe gays and lesbian can change their sexual orientation through a religious based therapy. It is just one of the couple's controversial beliefs on the issue of homosexuality.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REP. MICHELE BACHMANN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Hi, everybody.
ACOSTA: In her campaign for president, Michele Bachmann touts her background as a small business owner.
BACHMANN: As a mom of five, a foster parent, and a former tax lawyer and now a small business job creator --
ACOSTA: That business is Bachmann and Associates, a Christian counseling service outside Minneapolis run by her husband, Marcus. They're both pictured on the clinic's Web site.
In recent years the clinic has faced accusations that it encourages gay and lesbian patients to change their sexual orientation, a practice that is frowned upon by mental health experts. Back in 2004 Andrew Ramirez at the urging of his mother turned to Bachmann and Associates to talk about his own homosexuality. The 17- year-old said he was skeptical of what one of the clinic's counselors told him.
ANDREW RAMIREZ, FORMER BACHMANN AND ASSOCIATES PATIENT: It was therapy that would help me change from being homosexual to straight.
ACOSTA (on camera): That's how he described it?
RAMIREZ: Yes.
ACOSTA: He basically said if you do this, what? You wouldn't be gay anymore?
RAMIREZ: If I did this and worked his therapy program that could perform a miracle and could no longer be gay.
ACOSTA (voice-over): Ramirez said he was assigned a therapy program consisting of prayer and reading Bible passages. He also says he was told he would be mentored by an ex-lesbian minister. And if none of that, Ramirez said the counselor had another idea.
ACOSTA (on camera): He suggested to you what?
RAMIREZ: Not acting out on my same-sex attractions and living a life in celibacy. ACOSTA: That was an alternative to being gay?
RAMIREZ: Right.
ACOSTA: After the second session, Ramirez told his mother he wanted to stop.
BETH SHELLENBARGER, ANDREW'S MOTHER: And I could just hear his voice quiver. I just said, you know, Andy, if you're good with being gay, then I am too.
ACOSTA: The American Psychological Association is sharply critical of what is known in the mental health community as "reparative therapy," saying in a recent report "There is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation."
But in a talk radio interview last years, Marcus Bachmann compared gay teenagers to barbarians who must be disciplined.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you say when your teenager says she's gay? What do you say to Christian parents who come up with this?
MARCUS BACHMANN, MICHELE BACHMANN'S HUSBAND: Well, I think you clearly say what is the understanding of God's word on homosexuality. And I think that this is no mystery that a child or preadolescent, particularly adolescents, will question and wonder. Certainly, there is that -- there is that curiosity.
But, again, we -- like, you know, it is as if we have to understand barbarians need to be educated. They need to be disciplined. And just because someone feels it or thinks it doesn't mean that we're supposed to go down that road.
ACOSTA: Back in 2006, Bachmann denied his practice engaged in reparative therapy, telling a Minneapolis newspaper "That's a false statement," and went on to say "If someone is interested in talking to us about their homosexuality, we are open to talking about that. But if someone comes in a homosexual and want to stay homosexual, I don't have a problem with that."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What would you suggest to me like a treatment plan type of thing?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You definitely pray.
ACOSTA: This week a gay right group, Truth Wins Out, released its own hidden video camera recorded by one of its activists who posed as a patient at Bachmann and Associates.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you actually leave homosexuality completely and become heterosexual?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes, definitely. I have seen it. It has happened. It really has. ACOSTA: In the full five sessions of footage captured by Truth Wins Out, while the counselor at time suggests homosexuality can be treated at the clinic, he also concedes he is not an expert on the subject.
Michele Bachmann has a long history of views on homosexuality. She recently signed a pledge to defend marriage that compared same sex couples to polygamist. That's a comparison Bachmann made as a state lawmaker in 2004 when she called for amendment to block gay marriages in other states from being recognized in Minnesota.
MICHELE BACHMANN: If we allow this to happen, group marriage, polygamy, and things much worse may not be far behind.
ACOSTA: Both Bachmanns declined a request for interviews. Her campaign released a statement to CNN that says "The Bachmanns are in no position ethically, legally, or morally to discuss specific courses of treatment concerning the clinics patients." When a local TV station in Iowa tried asked Bachmann whether her family clinic engages in reparative therapy, she dodged the question.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is it something that is conducted at that center.
BACHMANN: Well, I'm running for the presidency of the United States and I'm here today to talk about job creation and also the fact that we do have a business that deals with job creation. We're very proud of the business that we have created.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: The latest poll shows Bachmann has a serious shot at winning the Iowa caucuses where social conservatives will be a decisive factor and who just might consider the Bachmann Christian Counseling Center a political asset. Kiran and Ali?
VELSHI: Jim, good reporting on that. Thanks very much. At some point I hope you'll let us know if she actually does answer the question that is asked of her repeatedly directly. Thanks, Jim Acosta.
Morning headlines coming up next.
CHETRY: Plus -- what tired legs? The U.S. women's soccer team is ready for France today. The entire World Cup championship is electrified. Can they win it all? Our resident expert Richard Roth, soccer expert, joins us live.
VELSHI: He's an expert on many things, actually.
(LAUGHTER)
VELSHI: It's 44 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Forty-six minutes past the hour. A look at your morning headlines this morning.
Casey Anthony sued by a search-and-rescue group that tried to find her daughter Caylee back in 2008. Texas-based Equusearch is seeking $115,000 in damages claiming Anthony knew her daughter was dead but intentionally misled the firm and its volunteers.
Suspected Tucson gunman Jared Lee Loughner cannot be forced to take antipsychotic medications; a three-judge federal appeals panel ruling that because he hasn't been convicted of a crime, he is presumed innocent and has a right to refuse treatment.
The debt showdown drags on. President Obama says that if the government defaults, Social Security checks for some 27 million Americans could be at risk come August 3rd. The President and congressional leaders will meet this afternoon for a fourth straight day of talks on raising the debt ceiling.
Checking in on the markets: right now, U.S. futures trading higher ahead of the opening bell; strong numbers on China's economy helping calm investors and push world markets higher.
Millions of Americans in 12 states are under heat advisories again this morning. The dangerous temperatures are expected across parts of Texas, Missouri, Tennessee, and the southeast. Farmers say triple-digit temperatures and drought conditions are threatening crops.
Well, they are raising the roof this morning at the Metrodome in Minneapolis seven months after that happened that was ripped apart during a heavy snowstorm. Crews are inflating a new roof using giant fans. Officials hope to have Metrodome renovations complete by next month in time for football.
Well, if you sat in front of the TV in the '60s and '70s, you owe him a thank you. Hollywood, mourning the death of producer Sherwood Schwartz, the behind the shows such as "The Brady Bunch" and "Gilligan's Island". He was 94 years old
And you're caught up on today's headlines. AMERICAN MORNING is back after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Sorry, the music just suddenly stopped so quickly. We were liking that song.
VELSHI: Yes. Black Eyed Peas.
CHETRY: They are taking a break there; a recent Black-Eyed Pea show in England. Fergie told the crowd that the group is taking a break for a while. Well, that got the rumor mill going. Did they just break up? She did say this isn't the last time you'll see us, though.
VELSHI: The U.S. women are just one win away from a trip to soccer's World Cup final. They haven't done that by the way since winning the title in 1999. They're going to have to beat France in just a few hours to get there.
CHETRY: And that match up is coming on the heels of an epic victory, a shootout victory over powerhouse Brazil, America's Amy Wambach's incredible header.
VELSHI: Watch it.
CHETRY: You'll see it in a second. There is the kick. Oh never mind.
VELSHI: Oh there you go.
CHETRY: Well, there you go.
VELSHI: That was the celebration of the kick.
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: -- in a thrilling win. She says that in today's match, losing is not an option.
VELSHI: There it is -- goal. It's not an option to discuss World Cup by the way as you probably know without our resident soccer guru Richard Roth. Richard, what is this all about? This is one of those things that people haven't been following; you've been seeing over the last few days what they have been doing.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is the most important soccer football tournament in the world and for the women every four years. And the U.S. team is now on the verge of getting into the finals match should they beat France today.
VELSHI: Yes.
ROTH: But it was the way they won as we just saw in a last second, the latest goal ever scored in a World Cup that seems to have really rallied public support to this underdog. I mean, there is no contract lockouts --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Right.
VELSHI: Yes.
ROTH: -- like two other sports that are currently.
VELSHI: Right.
ROTH: No big crossover salaries. These are not highly paid players. These are American women athletes in a team effort overseas overcoming a controversial referee call, they were one woman down and now they're going to play the France team which is no pushover here.
CHETRY: Oh there -- there it is.
VELSHI: Yes.
ROTH: There is the Wambach goal yes.
CHETRY: Were you shocked -- were you shocked that that was how it went in? I mean, how -- how, that's very rare to happen, right?
ROTH: I mean, I didn't think they were going to win because they are just --
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: They were one down to start with.
ROTH: Worn down and one woman short, I mean, it's hard to play that way.
VELSHI: Yes.
ROTH: And it's just looked like they were going to get a controversial call go against them. And they did score on a goal scored by the other team Brazil in the first minute so it was a long way between goals for them.
VELSHI: And what's -- what's the -- what are the -- what are the book makers saying about today's game?
ROTH: Well, the U.S., I believe, is favored. They were favored sort of going in, Germany and Brazil though, two strong teams have been knocked out.
VELSHI: Yes.
ROTH: So the root is there, Japan, Sweden on the other match. But some worry about a possible mental falloff --
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: Right.
ROTH: -- following the big rally. I mean it was a -- really it was a great win. If you like suffering like I do and that's what a lot of watching soccer is all about.
VELSHI: Right.
ROTH: You're waiting for that one precious goal. This is not the NBA 125-121.
CHETRY: Right.
ROTH: Or a home run festival. The build up, the team work needed to go into the goal; the pass by Wambach's teammate, a beautiful header. And the American athletes are more fit they say, Brazil and the world are catching up. This is another international sport --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Right.
ROTH: -- where the U.S. is not going to maintain really superiority. I was asked to bring, by the way, this on. I don't know how much time we have. So I don't want to waste --
(CROSSTALK)
VELSHI: There is always time to blow a vuvuzela.
CHETRY: There is always time.
ROTH: I'm not blowing it.
VELSHI: Come on, blow it.
CHETRY: The show just said, go for it.
ROTH: Now, here it is.
VELSHI: All right.
CHETRY: Pretty good, Ali.
ROTH: You've had practice.
CHETRY: Not bad.
ROTH: I think you used to blow that at the stock market? Is that where --
VELSHI: That's how you signal the start of trading.
CHETRY: Right, this is before they came up with the opening bell. They had to --
VELSHI: I'll tell you we gained a lot of viewers or we just lost a whole bunch of them. For whoever is still with us, it's 53 minutes after the hour. We'll be right back.
CHETRY: Thanks Richard.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Its 56 minutes past the hour. New York City right now where it is sunny and it's going to be going up eight degrees. 80 right now, 87 for a high. That's going to be --
VELSHI: Seven degrees.
CHETRY: What did I say?
VELSHI: Eight. But you meant metric.
CHETRY: I'm sorry. It is 80 degrees that's going to go up to 87. But you know what I mean it could a degree hotter somewhere.
VELSHI: Right, you're totally right about that.
CHETRY: Yes.
VELSHI: Yes.
All right, you probably heard some of these phrases when you were a child. The "Parents" magazine says you should stop saying these nine things to your kids. Starting with, "leave me alone" because experts say they will be less likely to tell you things as they get older.
CHETRY: Also don't say, "You're so, dot, dot, dot" like you're so clumsy which unfortunately I do say to my daughter. That's not good.
VELSHI: And always avoid negative --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Yes, because it says that kids will believe that about themselves even, you know, completely and they'll internalize it.
VELSHI: Maybe they should toughen up.
The magazine says also don't tell your kid "don't cry" because it will make the child think their efforts, their feelings don't matter.
CHETRY: "Why can't you be more like your sister?" They say comparisons almost always backfire.
VELSHI: Particularly when you say to your boy. "You know better than that" is another one you shouldn't say because maybe they don't know better. Maybe they should.
CHETRY: Yes, "Stop or I'll give you something to cry about". Wow.
VELSHI: That's the best one.
CHETRY: I mean, if I did, wait, my parents would have never talked to me growing up if they had to say that phrase. It says that if you do that, you're showing your frustrations.
VELSHI: "Wait until daddy comes home". You shouldn't say that because it's a cliche and a threat.
CHETRY: "Hurry up", because it will make kids feel guilty, not move faster.
VELSHI: That is just silly.
CHETRY: I know.
VELSHI: If they're not moving, they should -- CHETRY: Especially if you're crossing the street I always go, "Hurry up. Hurry up. Hurry up. Get across the street."
VELSHI: And "Great job", or "Good girl", you shouldn't say that either. What is wrong with positive reinforcement? The magazine says it becomes meaningless when it's for something they should have been able to do anyway.
CHETRY: Ok. Do they ever back up phrases and ideas. And do they --
VELSHI: What would you say to your kids? You think these nice things out, you just sort of nod and smile at your child.
CHETRY: Exactly. That will get them behaving.
VELSHI: All right. Our question of the day is pegged to the debt talks. You're looking at a live picture right now from the White House and Capitol Hill. President Obama and lawmakers from both parties will meet again today to try and hammer out a deal on raising the debt ceiling. Republican leaders have refused to consider tax hikes. And now the President says if there's no deal before August 2nd, he can't guarantee that Social Security checks will go out.
CHETRY: Yes. Veterans benefits, anybody getting those types of government checks. Well, we want to know what is the impact if the government doesn't have the money to send out these benefit checks come August 3rd? Here are some of your responses.
VELSHI: Donna says on Facebook, "It's going to be devastating to me. I'm disabled and I need that money to pay my mortgage, utilities, et cetera. I wish Congress had to live like I do, one small paycheck a month, then they would understand what the bickering and lack of unity is doing to us."
CHETRY: Rob on Facebook writes this will the tipping point that will trigger mild chaos in America. It will be when the impact of the current circumstances will truly hit the wallets of Americans. Perhaps it's time to set aside partisan politics and solve this problem to benefit everyone."
VELSHI: The problem is everybody on each side thinks they're trying to solve it to benefit everyone.
On our blog, Ken says, "If my social security don't show up I default on my rent and I ultimately get evicted. Washington, wake up. Do what you are being paid to do." Real undercurrent of frustration --
CHETRY: I know.
VELSHI: Regardless of what people think should be done.
CHETRY: On Twitter, "Why aren't we hearing about our representatives giving up a paycheck for a month instead of threatening seniors?" So again, great comments; we love to hear from you. Thanks so much for weighing in today.
VELSHI: And of course, CNN will stay very closely on this issue all the way through every angle about what the failure to raise that debt limit is going to mean for America and how those negotiations are going on between the parties at the moment. It seems that all of the major participants to the discussion seem to be sharing the view that the debt limit needs to be increased but how we get there remains interesting (ph).
CHETRY: And whether they have taken sidesteps to debate all together of Senator Mitch McConnell's. He floated an idea saying let it be unilaterally up to the president, let raise it and congress will figure out spending cuts in exchange. We will see if that goes anywhere.
Meantime "CNN NEWSROOM" with Kyra Phillips, starts right now. Hi Kyra.
