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New Day Saturday
Egypt in Crisis; Israel Concerned about Egypt's Violence; Obama on U.S.-Egypt Relationship; Area 51 Location Revealed
Aired August 17, 2013 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, good morning, everyone. I'm Brianna Keilar.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Martin Savidge. It's 7:00, this is NEW DAY SATURDAY.
We begin this hour with the chaos in Egypt. Defiant supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi are calling for a week of protests across the country.
KEILAR: This after hundreds of people have been killed in violent clashes. Thousands are injured at this point. There were dramatic scenes just a short time ago. Armed security forces fired guns in the air as they escorted women from a Cairo mosque where they had taken refuge overnight.
SAVIDGE: CNN's Ian Lee is in Cairo.
And Ian, what's the latest on the situation at that mosque?
IAN LEE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, the situation is still very tense at that mosque. And we were hearing that gunfire earlier this morning from our position here. The soldiers trying to take women from the mosque, lead them away but a mob of people besieged them, chanting the general's name, the head of Egypt's military, saying that these people are bad people. They're traitors. The women who are coming out of the mosque.
Very -- still intense scene as people still inside the mosque are afraid to come out. They're afraid for their lives that if they do come out, that this mob could attack them or they could be arrested by the military.
SAVIDGE: And, Ian, I know the Muslim Brotherhood are asking that these protests continue on a daily basis. I mean, where does it end and could it escalate into all-out warfare?
LEE: Well, we won't see the type of warfare, to say, as you say in Libya or you are seeing currently in Syria. This would be more of street battles between the military and the Morsi demonstrators. But it really wouldn't spread throughout the country to every street and every square. It is isolated within the cities.
But there are very intense, very bloody battles when you do have the two sides squared off. Over 600 people have died in the last two days between these two battles. We're expecting it to continue as both sides are digging in their heels. Both sides unwilling to back down.
SAVIDGE: All right, Ian Lee, thank you very much.
Now we want to show you some new amateur video out of Egypt. And we have to warn you, it's disturbing and it's hard to watch.
You see a man unarmed, walking straight into automatic weapons fire. You see him with his arms uplifted. As the guns keep firing and then he crumples to the ground.
Very tough as w said to watch. We need to add that CNN has not confirmed the authenticity of this video.
KEILAR: Now Israel is watching what happens in Egypt very closely. It shares a border in Egypt and it relies on the Egyptian military for help in securing that border.
CNN's Jim Clancy is in Jerusalem.
Jim, what is Israel's biggest concern here about the violence?
JIM CLANCY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Israel doesn't have a lot of choices in this. They are not saying anything publicly knowing that could only backfire for this country. But you're right, they do have concerns. The choices as I say were limited. It's a -- not a good and bad situation, as bad or worse. And I think Israel looks on sources telling CNN on condition of anonymity that the worst- case scenario is currently a country descending into chaos and civil war, anarchy in the streets.
This is their fear because they have a common border as you note there with Egypt. They depend on Egypt's military to have enough resources. To pay attention to what's going on in that Sinai. A lot of Salafist groups, a lot of extremist groups that are there in the last week alone, they fired or attempted to fire missiles at least two times at Israel.
And so there's concern that the military may have to take its eye off the ball there. And, you know, that could be, you know, a potent problem for the Israelis. So they're looking on with some concern.
Hamas, on the other hand, has been public. It held a demonstrating last night in Gaza. It's branding what happened this week in Egypt massacres of the Muslim Brotherhood supporters who have taken to the streets. And it's not surprising, no love lost, between the Muslim Brotherhood, its offshoot Hamas and ally and the Egyptian military.
You know after Mohamed Morsi was overthrown, Egypt's military moves in and destroyed hundreds of tunnels leading into Gaza from the Sinai. Those tunnels carried cash, they carried arms. This really undercut the position of Hamas. As I said they're seen by the military there as an ally.
Now all across the Arab world, we've got reaction as well. It's really -- you can tell the difference between those groups that are critical of the Muslim Brotherhood, that support the military. And those who are labeling the demonstrations and what happened in Cairo as massacres.
Saudi Arabia, you know, they looked on at the images coming of that burning building overnight in Cairo. And the Gulf -- wealthy Gulf Arab states have pumped $12 billion, offered up that aid package to the military government. And they criticize what they said were Muslim Brotherhood efforts to undermine the economy of Egypt. So very different views.
You know, Turkey coming down calling for a U.N. investigation. Some of the Gulf states like Saudi Arabia clearly supportive of the military authorities in Cairo. Very different opinions across this region today. Back to you.
KEILAR: Jim Clancy in Jerusalem. Thank you for that insight.
Now Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham is saying that what's happening to civilians in Egypt is also a massacre.
SAVIDGE: In a joint statement, the two Republican lawmakers say U.S. influence over events in Egypt is still considerable. They add, quote, "Whether it is Egypt, Syria, Iraq or the wider region, the failure of the Obama administration to use influence to shape events in this critical part of the world has only diminished our credibility, limited our influence and constrained our policy options. The events now unfolding in Egypt and the Middle East will directly impact national security interests of the United States and we cannot remain disengaged."
President Obama has condemned that violence in Egypt but the U.S. aid does continue to trickle in.
Our White House correspondent Dan Lothian is in Martha's Vineyard where the first family is on vacation.
And, Dan, why did the president decide to step up this week and cancelled the joint military exercises between Egypt and the U.S.?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, Martin, you know, there had been a lot of pressure on the Obama administration to do much more. Especially coming from Republican lawmakers. There had been a lot of high-level talks taking place between U.S. officials and Egyptian officials. And of course, there was that delay of the delivery of the F-16s to the Egyptian Air Force.
But what the Obama administration was not seeing is this quick transition to a democratically elected civilian government in Egypt. And so they really wanted to sort of send a very strong message to the Egyptians to put pressure on them. They began, according to a senior administration official, talking about pulling out of this biannual joint exercises known as Bright Star back in June.
Around the time that they decided to cancel the delivery of those F-16 jets but when the violence really began escalating, according to the senior administration official, that's when the president decided late Wednesday night that in fact they would pull out of the those joint exercises. Do they believe that that will have direct impact on the ground? Even a State Department official say that there are limitations to this move but they do believe that at least it will send a very strong message to the current government there in Egypt -- Martin, Brianna.
KEILAR: So, Dan, the other leverage that the administration has over Egypt is this more than $1 billion in aid. The administration is not calling what happened a coup because that would obviously trigger a pulling out of that aid. But how are they going to use this as leverage? What happens to the aid?
LOTHIAN: And you're right, Brianna, that's the key thing. It really is the sort of biggest stick, if you will, leverage that the U.S. has in trying to push the current government there along to this transition.
The administration does not want to label what happened in Egypt a coup because they have said they don't believe that it is in the best interest of the United States to do so. So they're still holding on to this $1.3 billion in military aid, hoping that they can still use that to sort of influence what is happening there in Egypt.
The president did not specifically talk about that during his remarks when he interrupted his vacation here on Martha's Vineyard this week but he certainly hinted that that is something that could happen next. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Going forward, I've asked my national security team to assess the implications of the actions taken by the interim government. And further steps that we may take as necessary with respect to the U.S./Egyptian relationship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LOTHIAN: So even though the president has been here on vacation, he has been getting regular updates from his national security team. The White House has released some photos of the president on the phone with his team. In fact, one of the photos came just right before the president came out and addressed the nation about the steps that the U.S. would be taking and canceling the biannual exercises sizes with the Egyptian government.
Susan Rice, his national security adviser, has been here on the trip with the president, also giving him regular updates as well -- Brianna, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Dan Lothian, thanks very much.
Now to Idaho. Fresh hotshot teams are rolling into the resort area around Sun Valley. A wildfire has scorched 100 square miles. It's still growing. Authorities ordered 1600 families to evacuate. "USA Today" is reporting one home has been burned to the ground and the second damaged. There are a number of celebrities, including Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, who've got homes in Sun Valley. KEILAR: Now from fire to heavy rain and the possibility of flooding. You are looking at a live shot of Panama City, Florida. Storms are expected there throughout the day, all over the southeast, in fact. So let's bring in our meteorologist Jennifer Delgado. She's in the CNN severe weather center.
Hey, Jennifer, what are we looking at?
JENNIFER DELGADO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Hay, Brianna. You know, you see -- anytime you see a beach, it's like take me there. But unfortunately, Brianna, we're talking about a lot of rain across parts of Florida as well as into Georgia.
Look at some of these totals over the last 24 hours. We're talking four to six inches of rainfall has been coming down, flooding. In fact let's go to some video just to the west of Montgomery, Alabama. Showing people driving through flooded streets. This is what happens when you have days of heavy rainfall. The rain has nowhere to go. That's why we're worried today about that flooding threat.
As we head on to the radar and show you what's happening now. Storms are popping up. You can see the heaviest rainfall really affecting that panhandle region of Florida. You can see in the locations some of those downpours are going to be quite heavy. That includes areas like Jacksonville.
But as we go through today and tomorrow, keep that umbrella handy, we're talking six to eight inches anywhere in red. That didn't include the southern part of Louisiana, New Orleans, you could tap into some of this heavy rainfall as well. A lot of Gulf moisture out there. And that's why we have flood warnings and warnings in place. And a lot of these watches are going to last through tomorrow in anticipation of this heavy rainfall event.
We're not done there yet. As I mentioned, the tropics, we are watching an area of low pressure. All the convections and the convections of thunderstorms to the northeast of it. But we're still watching it, 40 percent chance of development as we go through the day.
Nice and sunny across the northeast. And then in the west, that fire threat continues as we showed you video out of Sun Valley, Idaho. They're expecting wind gusts today at 30 miles per hour in single digit relatively. So certainly a dangerous situation out there.
KEILAR: And we'll keep an eye on it of course, Jennifer.
DELGADO: Absolutely.
KEILAR: Here in Atlanta I forgot --
DELGADO: Rainy and cloud.
KEILAR: I forgot my umbrella.
DELGADO: Of course.
KEILAR: Because you know if I brought it, it wouldn't have rained.
DELGADO: I know.
KEILAR: That's scientific.
DELGADO: Exactly.
KEILAR: Right?
DELGADO: You never have it.
KEILAR: Exactly.
DELGADO: I never have an umbrella and I know the forecast. That's pitiful.
SAVIDGE: Yes.
KEILAR: That is pitiful, Jennifer.
(LAUGHTER)
SAVIDGE: The nice thing is they sell them.
DELGADO: Yes. But then they're like $10, Martin.
KEILAR: Martin's common sense.
(LAUGHTER)
DELGADO: Who wants to spend $10?
KEILAR: Thank you, Jennifer.
DELGADO: All right.
KEILAR: Aliens and UFOs. No, it is not a scene out of the "X Files."
SAVIDGE: Oh, no. No, no. Up next, Area 51, the government finally admits the obvious -- yes, it really exists.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: So this is the magic, though, of TV, is that you can sort of rewind something in 20 seconds, right?
SAVIDGE: The stuff you missed in the break.
KEILAR: Just by 20 seconds. Let's g to Dayton, Ohio, an implosion just took place. As I said moments ago. Coming down a 12-story historic building there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire in the hole.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire in the hole.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fire in the hole.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It seemed to work quite well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And there we go --
SAVIDGE: There you go, yes. It did work very, very well.
KEILAR: Yes.
SAVIDGE: A little delay, which I like that. A little suspense.
KEILAR: Completely. Delayed -- delayed gratification there. And that was actually a 200-room apartment complex or I should say, what's going to replace this is a 200-room apartment complex for students.
SAVIDGE: Yes. And it will be along with a -- the Schwynn, I guess, is the name of that building. The portion of -- former Dayton Daily News was also tumbling down which could tell you something about the status of --
KEILAR: The state of newspapers and also a bit of history going down there.
SAVIDGE: Yes. There you go.
KEILAR: Well, you know, Area 51 is considered one of the government's best kept secrets.
SAVIDGE: The top secret Cold War site has long been a topic of fascination for conspiracy theorists and UFO enthusiasts.
KEILAR: Now, though, in newly declassified documents the CIA acknowledges Area 51's existence. Well hey.
And CNN's Dan Simon has more on that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hollywood has long shown an obsession with Area 51.
WILL SMITH, ACTOR, "INDEPENDENCE DAY": Welcome to earth.
SIMON: From aliens to UFOs, it helped fuel the perception that the government has been holding on to top secret information about this remote facility in the Nevada desert. Until now, it had only really existed in places like the "X Files" on television but newly released CIA documents officially acknowledged the site for the first time.
Annie Jacobsen spent several years researching Area 51, publishing her findings in a book.
ANNIE JACOBSEN, AUTHOR, "AREA 51": This has kind of become a national pastime and a great debate, you know, about aliens. And the locust of this is Area 51. SIMON: But if you're looking to gain insight into aliens or space ships, you might be disappointed. The report makes no mention of those things. Instead, it says that Area 51 was a testing site for the government's aerial surveillance programs during the Cold War. Not that sensational. But it's likely to cause more fascination about this mythical place.
JACOBSEN: I think any document that comes out about Area 51 stirs up the pot of intrigue. That people are inherently fascinated with Area 51. It says so much about national security secrets. So I think any new release makes people even more interested.
SIMON: The documents obtained through a public records request by an academic researcher may put an end to questions about the site's existence. But experts like former CIA officer Bob Baer who calls it one of the agency's biggest secrets says the debate will rage on about whether we're really alone.
ROBERT BAER, FORMER CIA OFFICER: Now this isn't going to go away. The myths about Area 51 will always be out there. I don't even know what went on there. And I was in the CIA a very long time. And people that worked out there have told me recently, they didn't know all that was going on there. So there's sort of, you know, secrets within secrets. And it will always remain a mystery. And always remain a place of fascination.
SIMON: Dan Simon, CNN, San Francisco.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: Perfect, still plenty of room for all kinds of questions.
SAVIDGE: Nothing in small deed. It's still a mystery, thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
KEILAR: Thank you, Dan.
Well, you know, hotels are finding some new ways to empty your wallet.
SAVIDGE: Yes, you can check out anytime you like. Just be ready to pay a fee.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: You know what that sound means. It is "Money Time" here on NEW DAY. And maybe you think that staying in a hotel is expensive now. Well, it's about to get even more costly.
SAVIDGE: Yes. The hotel industry pulled in a whopping $2 billion last year. I think I contributed just $1 billion to that alone. That's a billion, by the way, with a B. And now a NYU study says with an increase in fees and surcharges this year, the industry is on track to make even more money on everything from resort fees and early departure fees to Internet and telephone charges. And if you want to send a fax or use the mini bar, well, there are fees for that as well. Even if you just want to have them hold your bags before you leave, that is going to cost you.
KEILAR: Really, it's like being at the airport almost. Speaking of which, Delta Airlines wants airline food to taste, well, a little less like airline food. So now they're bringing in the big gun. The airline just inked a deal with New York City restaurateur Danny Meyer. Meyer will be bringing his trademark barbecue to the friendly skies. And his consulting firm will also work with Delta flight attendants on their service.
SAVIDGE: We'll be sitting in the back, smelling that barbecue wafting into coach.
(LAUGHTER)
KEILAR: Yes.
And in this morning's "Biz Block" talker, Coca-Cola is getting back at its critics. So this time it's over aspartame. You know, they've sort of been suffering from like a decline and a lot of people --
SAVIDGE: Right.
KEILAR: -- not wanting to purchase soft drinks. They've been fighting back on people saying, hey, this is causing obesity. Well now, they're saying you know what? We have this sort of low-calorie options and they're safe. Aspartame, Nutrasweet, as you may know, it is safe.
Yes, so the company actually took out a full-page ad this past week. They are going to, I believe, put it in Atlanta papers because they are based here in Atlanta. And that's really their concern. That some people are shying away from artificial sweeteners. So we'll be looking for that coming out this week.
SAVIDGE: Yes, a lot of people have to, you know, just as a change of lifestyle, have decided that maybe soft drinks, especially the sugary ones.
KEILAR: Yes.
SAVIDGE: They're trying to get away from them.
KEILAR: And it's all of it. Apparently.
SAVIDGE: Yes.
KEILAR: So maybe are you in the market for a new car?
SAVIDGE: Well, I'm always in the market but --
KEILAR: Are you like -- are you kind of a gear head at all?
SAVIDGE: I like -- I like looking at cars.
KEILAR: Yes?
SAVIDGE: I like all cars. Doesn't have to be, you know, muscle cars but I like those, too.
KEILAR: Well, you're going to appreciate this one. This is the 2014 Chevy Corvette Stingray. It is really a beautiful, beautiful car.
SAVIDGE: Yes.
KEILAR: So sleek. And it's going to be hitting showrooms in October.
SAVIDGE: Yes. I've seen these cars. I mean, I've seen them online. There's been a lot of buzz about them. If you're a Corvette fan, yes, you're definitely been looking at them. They are always, you know, kind of a concern when you remake a classic. But I think they've done a pretty nice job. But you're going to be spending a lot of money. Base price on that baby is very high.
KEILAR: That's right. So -- and here's the issue, it's the base price is $51,900. So that's pretty pricey but because it's in such demand, dealers, some of them are talking about, hey, let's just tack on $10,000.
SAVIDGE: Right. And it's pretty much, you know, OK, how badly do you really want the car? Well, I want the car right away. Well then, there is a premium for that kind of access.
KEILAR: So you kind of -- you want to find a dealer who isn't going to tack on that additional charge.
SAVIDGE: Yes. Good luck. Good luck.
KEILAR: That's what Martin is going to do.
(LAUGHTER)
SAVIDGE: Well, excuse me.
Just ahead on NEW DAY, he is back. Embattled Yankee Alex Rodriguez back at Fenway Park. He is facing a whole lot of boos, though, from the rival Red Sox fans.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Mortgage rates inched up this week. Check it out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Hey, it's the bottom of the hour now. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Brianna Keilar.
SAVIDGE: And I'm Martin Savidge in for Victor Blackwell. And let's start you off with the five things you need to know for your NEW DAY.
First, this morning, hundreds of protesters left the scene of a standoff against the Egyptian military. That was at a mosque in Cairo. It looks like nobody was hurt, that mosque was the refuge to protesters and it had become a makeshift morgue and a hospital for the victims of violence. An estimated 580 people now have died in Egypt since Wednesday when security forces demanded that protesters back down.
KEILAR: Number two, police in Denver have detained a man they say shot and killed one woman and injured another. They also say that he set propane tanks -- propane tank bombs off or set them in the middle of a quiet street, actually, blew one up by shooting it. And "The Denver Post" is reporting that this man Daniel Abeyta was shot and critically wounded by police. Now no one was hurt when that tank exploded.
SAVIDGE: Number three, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, he appears ready now to sign a medical marijuana bill if the legislature makes two key changes. Christie signaled that he wants lawmakers to make edible pot available to kids only. A pediatrician and a psychiatrist would have to sign up with the child's prescription.
Christie under pressure from a dad who says medical marijuana would help his daughter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alex Rodriguez --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Maybe you're not really surprised here. No love for A-Rod in Boston. A sellout crowd of hostile Sox fans verbally yelled. They screamed. They taunted the embattled Yankee last night in his first game of the season at Fenway. On the field, A-Rod had a couple of singles and the Yanks went on to win the game 10-3.
SAVIDGE: Finally number five, it's going to be a wet weekend from the Texas Gulf Coast all the way to South Carolina.
Let's bring in Jennifer Delgado in the CNN severe weather center -- Jennifer.
JENNIFER DELGADO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Martin. You're right, it is going to be a wet one out there. In fact let's take a live look at Atlanta. If you're flying into the region expect some delays out there. Showers are going to be around and some heavy rainfall falling across parts of the south.
Let me take you over to our graphic. Here is a look at what we're talking about. This is the radar. A lot of heavy rain out there. And this is going to be mean round after round of shower activity for today as well as tomorrow. Some of these locations we are talking four to six inches. We'll get to more of that in just a moment. So we'll send it back over to you two.
KEILAR: All right, Jennifer, thank you very much.
And you know it's been almost three months since that monster tornado tore through Moore, Oklahoma. You remember it. It killed 24 people. That included seven children at an elementary school. Triggered emotional reunions for survivors and their parents.
SAVIDGE: It's painful to watch. This week, students in Moore returned to those classrooms. And many were anxious about how school might be different after the tornado.
Our Nick Valencia now is joining us.
And, of course, Nick, you were there then. Now you went back. And how's the healing?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's going. It's -- you know, it's a grueling process. It's a long process. But I've kept up with so many people that I met there and it's been a roller coaster of emotions. Trying to find the positive, the silver lining in every day while going through this recovery process.
But for so many, Martin and Brianna, it's just wanting to get back to normal. Students just want to get back to that relative scene. And that goes for teacher as well. I caught up with a teacher yesterday and she talked to me about, you know, how she's coping with everything that's happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WAYNEL MAYES, FIRST GRADE TEACHER: I'm not going to tell you that there's not bad days, but then you just have to look at all the kindness and the goodness. And that helps you get through the bad days because there are bad days. But we're just going to use that strength to keep going.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Waynel Mayes has an incredible story. She was a first grade teacher. She had eight students and dove on top of them as debris was raining down on them, was able to calm the children down as soon as she could while rescuers came to their -- came to their aid.
KEILAR: And that -- that was really the most harrowing part, I think.
VALENCIA: Yes.
KEILAR: That so many people remember what went down at the elementary school there. But this is obviously a somewhat small community. How are they doing overall?
VALENCIA: I think, you know, it's step-by-step. I spoke to a family last week. And believe it or not, after three months, they're just now getting out of temporary housing and getting back into a new home. So it's a step-by-step process for everybody there. But it's just a resilient community.
It's a really beautiful thing to see when you're there, how, despite everything that's happened, they're able to find, like what we were talking about last hour, that silver lining in all of this so it's uplifting despite everything that's happened out there.
KEILAR: Like she said, the positive sort of brings, I guess, some healing to get over the negative.
VALENCIA: Yes. Yes.
KEILAR: Nick Valencia, thank you.
VALENCIA: You bet.
SAVIDGE: We wish them well on the start of a new year.
KEILAR: We sure do. It's a big deal.
SAVIDGE: Well, it is turning into one of the summer's hottest hits. Singer Robin Thicke tops the charts with his new single "Blurred Lines." So why is he suing the family of music legend Marvin Gaye?
KEILAR: Plus if you are still looking for that summer getaway, we'll take a look at some of the best travel apps to get you the most bang for your buck.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Welcome back. We are in the "e-Block" and that means it is time for entertainment news.
SAVIDGE: Singer Robin Thicke is back at it.
Yes, who has not heard that song? It is probably the number one single of the summer. "Blurred Lines" topping the charts. But now Thicke is going on the offensive to defend that smash hit. And you won't believe what family he is suing.
KEILAR: And WWE wrestler Darren Young shocking fans with a surprising confession this week next to, I believe, a baggage claim, I think?
The V-103 radio personality Kendra G. joining us live to discuss this.
Let's hear first with Robin Thicke. So this has been his real breakthrough.
KENDRA G, V-103 RADIO PERSONALITY: Yes.
KEILAR: He's been trying for a long time. He's had this career kind of going. But this is putting him on the map. This song.
KENDRA G: Yes.
KEILAR: And he's sort of preemptively suing.
KENDRA G: OK. He's preemptively suing the Marvin Gaye family because there's a song called "Got to Give It Up" and there is a similar tone in "Blurred Lines" with this Marvin Gaye song. And because, you know, Robin Thicke, T.I. and also Pharrell Williams are doing the lawsuit first, it makes me think, wait a minute, they're jumping the gun by putting the lawsuit in first but it is a similar song.
KEILAR: But it does -- OK, and so they're also sort of preemptively suing Bridgeport Music.
KENDRA G: Yes.
KEILAR: Which owns the music of Funkadelic.
KENDRA G: Right.
KEILAR: Because what you've heard from some of these folks, right, is they're saying, hey, it kind of seems similar, huh, maybe cha-ching, cha-ching?
KENDRA G: You know what, when you play both songs, you can hear the similarities. And I love Robin Thicke. I've interviewed him so many times. This is his first breakout single, you're absolutely right. But there is a similar tone to the song. You can't deny that.
KEILAR: . OK. But let me challenge you on this.
KENDRA G: OK.
KEILAR: Just to play devil's advocate.
SAVIDGE: Please.
KEILAR: George Clinton, front man of Funkadelic, tweeted out this week his support for Robin Thicke, and sort of agrees that it's not -- just having kind of a sound that's similar isn't the same as copying.
SAVIDGE: And I would agree with that.
KENDRA G: Yes. I can agree with that. I mean, you can still -- I mean, I love Robin Thicke, and I love the song "Blurred Lines" it gets me dancing in the morning.
KEILAR: Love it.
KENDRA G: But, at the end of the day, we can't deny that it's similar. Now -- should he sue? Should they get money for that? I don't know. I'm not the judge in that case. But the songs are similar.
SAVIDGE: Yes.
KEILAR: Does he get Vanilla Ice, is the question, remember?
(LAUGHTER)
KEILAR: With the -- what was that -- what was that song? You were telling me.
KENDRA G: I can't remember right now.
KEILAR: What was it? "Ice, Ice Baby?" KENDRA G: Oh, yes.
SAVIDGE: Yes.
KENDRA G: "Ice, Ice Baby."
KEILAR: And what was the one that he ripped off? "Under Pressure." What would I do without you guys, right? He doesn't want that.
KENDRA G: Right. He doesn't want it at all.
KEILAR: OK. Next story.
SAVIDGE: I wouldn't mind if we move on.
(LAUGHTER)
Earlier this week the WWE superstar Darren Young surprised his fans and he revealed that he was gay. Young is now the first openly gay pro-wrestler and on Friday Young spoke to NBC's Matt Lauer on the "Today" show. And let's give it a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DARREN YOUNG, PRO-WRESTLER: I feel by coming out I'm going to make a big difference in a lot of people's lives?
MATT LAUER, NBC'S "TODAY" SHOW: Why the right time? Why did you feel personally it was your right time?
YOUNG: You know, I've been suppressing these feelings for so long in my life that, you know, I'm going to be 30, November 2nd. And I just need to be happy. I'm in love. And I wrestle for one of the greatest organizations in the world, the WWE, and I'm a lucky man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: Well, I guess the question is, first of all, how surprised were you that he would come out and openly admit this? And then what's the reaction? Because that WWE fan base is --
KENDRA G: Yes.
SAVIDGE: You know, an interesting group of people.
KENDRA G: First of all, I want to say, I am so proud of him. I'm like, you go boy. So being in a position in his life where he's comfortable enough to admit who he is. I have gay friends. They don't they're not ashamed of being gay but then they don't want to do it is the ridicule that comes along with people who can't understand that. So because he is part of the WWE which is a very masculine organization.
SAVIDGE: Right.
KENDRA G: And masculine men are fans of WWE. SAVIDGE: Macho.
KENDRA G: I do think he may lose some fans who are ignorant to understand. But I am just so at awe. I think he's going to change so many lives for many boys who are dealing with that. And for him to have enough courage to come out and to admit to who he truly is, kudos to him.
SAVIDGE: I agree. I agree.
KEILAR: And let's talk a little bit about Prince, as well. OK. So a few years ago, he actually told a British --
(CROSSTALK)
SAVIDGE: I'm sorry. This is a big wow.
KEILAR: You love Prince, right?
SAVIDGE: I do, I do.
KEILAR: So do you remember he told a British tabloid that the Internet was dead. This is what he said back in 2010.
KENDRA G: Yes.
KEILAR: He said, "The Internet is completely over. All these computers and digital gadgets are no good. They just fill your head with numbers and that can't be good for you."
OK, well, it seems like he's had a change of heart or maybe a change of thumb because on Tuesday he sent out this tweet. It reads, "Prince's first tweet. Testing, one two." And a little later, another tweet, he said, this one reads, "Prince's third tweet, did I add too much pepper?" And it's a picture of this food.
KENDRA G: Yes.
KEILAR: Which is kind of funny because everyone is always tweeting silly pictures of their food.
KENDRA G: Right.
KEILAR: Why the change of heart and also he's kind of funny on Twitter, isn't he?
KENDRA G: Oh, my god. Prince is so cool. I want to see him, I want to know where he shops. I want his heels. He has the best shoe game in the world.
KEILAR: Yes.
KENDRA G: I think this is so adorable that Prince is actually communicating with his fans because those tweets are good, but the tweets I love the most are his response --
KEILAR: His responses are excellent.
KENDRA G: Right. Can you imagine? You can actually talk yourself to Prince on Twitter? That's what I just love because it gives the platform for celebrity to speak themselves. And I just love Prince. I think this is so adorable that he's actually on Twitter and doing this with the fans.
KEILAR: I think one of the fans said something like, are you -- am I dreaming?
KENDRA G: Yes.
KEILAR: And he's like, yes, you are.
(LAUGHTER)
KENDRA G: And you're saying that all the time, like forever. '
SAVIDGE: This is your conscience.
KENDRA G: Prince is the coolest.
SAVIDGE: But, you know, this raised the question real quick.
KENDRA G: OK.
SAVIDGE: Do celebrities have stand-in tweeters?
KENDRA G: They do have stand-in tweeters. I have some celebrity fans who have people who tweet for them. But here's the deal. They do also tweet themselves. Because they're busy.
SAVIDGE: OK.
KENDRA G: So there are times when there's someone controlling those social media page. I won't call any of them out right now. I won't break any hearts. But for the majority of the time, they do tweet themselves. And there are some celebrities who just only tweet themselves.
SAVIDGE: You heard it here first.
(LAUGHTER)
KENDRA G: Yes.
KEILAR: All right.
SAVIDGE: Shocking news.
KEILAR: Kendra G., fun day with you today. Thank you, girl.
KENDRA G: You look fabulous, girl.
KEILAR: Thank you. So do you.
KENDRA G: You look good, too.
SAVIDGE: Thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
Just ahead, we'll have the best destinations and deals for those last- minute Labor Day holiday getaways.
KEILAR: That's right. An expert will reveal how you can still get away before the end of summer without breaking the bank.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This week we talk to two remarkable innovators. Bjarke Ingels is a Danish architect who's bringing his unique design to the skyline of Manhattan.
BJARKE INGELS, DANISH ARCHITECT: This is the West 57th Street project. It's tilt from being horizontal to being almost vertical, opening up the entire corridor for the sun and the bottom, like the southwest corner is 42 inches. So it's really the height of a handrail. And here you're up at like 430 feet. So you have this sort of -- incredible from the human scale to the city scale in one single building.
ROBERT A.M. STERN, DEAN, YALE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE: It's the kind of idea that when you see it you say, how come nobody has thought of it before?
GUPTA: And nobody thought a 19-year-old could come up with an anti- terror device or new technology to fight cancer. That is until Taylor Wilson came along.
TAYLOR WILSON, 19-YEAR-OLD INVENTOR: I've always been really passionate about solving problems and really passionate about changing the human condition. You know, I want to change lives and I want to save lives. And I think my technologies can do that.
GUPTA: Join us this Saturday, 2:30, "THE NEXT LIST."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: And I get a little melancholy realizing that Labor Day is just around the corner because of course you know that means the end of summer, and if you are a kid which I still am, it meant back to school. But if you're looking to squeeze in one last trip, well, you still have time to take advantage of some good deals.
And joining me now is travel expert, Mark Murphy.
Good morning to you, Mark.
MARK MURPHY, AUTHOR, "TRAVEL UNSCRIPTED": Good morning, Martin.
SAVIDGE: OK. So apps, they can be a traveler's best friend, you say.
MURPHY: Yes.
SAVIDGE: Hotel app, give me one.
MURPHY: Hotel Tonight. If you want to get away just one last time, you know, you heard that music playing, you're all excited you want to get away. How about get away for one night, and Hotel Tonight gets a hotel inventory loaded at the last minute, after 12 noon that day. And in cities all over the country.
And you can a really cheap deal, sometimes as much as 70 percent off the normal publish rate. So it's a way for the hotels to dump inventory at the last minute but not put it out on the broad based Internet.
SAVIDGE: I like that.
MURPHY: So that's definitely a good one. Yes.
SAVIDGE: Yes. Gas Buddy? We're always looking to try to find the cheapest price?
MURPHY: Sure. Gas Buddy is a great little app. You basically download it. You hit Gas Buddy. It geo-locate you and then gives you great gas deals all around, and that's basically put in by your fellow Gas Buddy app users, so it's people seeing it, updating it, you see when it was updated and then you can drive to the best gas station for the best price for your fill up before you head to that great hotel you're going to stay at that night.
SAVIDGE: OK, now, this next one, is it -- is it -- how do I say it?
MURPHY: It's called Waze.
SAVIDGE: Of course I had it wrong.
MURPHY: It's a really neat -- yes, it's a crowd source GPS app. So basically Wazers are driving all over the place, and the GPS tracks the -- tracks the pace of the cars ahead of you because of your fellow Wazers. And because of that, it re-routes you around bad traffic because let's face it, for getting away, we want to get away, we don't want to spend time in the car. So less gas use, less time sitting around, idling, more time at the hotel and the destination.
So I like all of these apps. I think they're great. But I got a human app for you. It's called a travel agent, and that human app, it doesn't need a smart phone or anything else, you send them an e-mail and sometimes they find you some great deals.
SAVIDGE: Yes. I was just thinking of the Waze there. You basically are benefiting from the suffering of those who are stuck, is that the way it works?
(LAUGHTER) MURPHY: Yes. Sometimes. Sometimes. And especially -- and will even tell you if there is a policeman ahead so you avoid that little extra ticket that could add to your travel costs, too.
SAVIDGE: I like that. OK. Very good. And anything that last-minute travelers might want to avoid?
MURPHY: Well, I would avoid traveling on that Friday before Labor Day and coming back that Monday, and if you can push it a little bit later, leave on a Saturday or a Sunday and extend it into the week of Labor Day week, that's going to be great.
And then even look out, you know, into shoulder season, which is September, October, November, and you'll find some of the greatest deals out there of the entire year, because kids are back to school, and it's a great time to travel and the weather is still fabulous. So get away to the beach, get away to some international destinations. It's a great savings.
SAVIDGE: All right. Mark Murphy with a lot of great apps and good ideas for a getaway for the upcoming holiday weekend. Thanks very much. Good to see you.
MURPHY: You, too, Martin.
SAVIDGE: Travel safe.
Still to come, good deeds get extreme. An action-packed edition of the "Good Stuff" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SAVIDGE: It is time for the "Good Stuff," and in today's edition, go pro cameras, you know those. Just about everybody does. Those little water-proof cameras people strap to about anything. They capture a lot of action, a lot of excitement, and it turns out they are also catching a lot of good stuff.
KEILAR: That's right. But first, we will take you up to our neighbors, the north, Canada, specifically, Victoria, British Columbia, where a man --
SAVIDGE: I love the Canadians.
KEILAR: Yes, you do. You're one of them, right?
(LAUGHTER)
SAVIDGE: Yes.
KEILAR: So this is a man on a motor bike, and he spots something there by the side of the road so he just slows down to take a closer look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you stuck?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw you. Let me give you a full little reverse here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: So that's a woman in a wheelchair, right? She's just stuck in a bit of a rut, takes a little doing but soon she is on her way and so is the biker having completed what he calls a random act of coolness.
SAVIDGE: But no, that is not all. Another situation. This one is a bit more dangerous. A group of moped riders coming fast about a turn when they spot a man inexplicably walking along the side of a busy road. One of them slows down, turns around, and finds out there is a very good reason that the man is there. He is blind.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Excuse me, sir. There is a sidewalk just three, four feet over to your left side.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you walk me over there?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course, give me one moment to park my bike.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SAVIDGE: That is a simple act of kindness. A minute out of that rider's day, and yet may have saved a life.
Both riders shared those videos because they wanted to inspire others to do similar selfless act and that is great.
All right. Now today's "Must See" moment.
KEILAR: Kitty cat stand up. Two felines staring each other down like there's no one else in the room.
SAVIDGE: Real battle of wills. Which one will dare to blink? And how will it end? That part is easy, just about the way you'd expect.
KEILAR: Slap.
(LAUGHTER)
So this is -- because I speak panda, I didn't know if you knew this about me, but this is panda for, "Hi, mom." Also I love you. This is a touchy moment. It's a zoo in Taipei, this adorable giant panda cub, not so giant yet, this is the first to be born in Taiwan, just meeting her mother for the first time since her birth, and it is kind of what you'd expect, hey, ma, what is up?
SAVIDGE: I think the mom is more saying, why is that outside of the cage and not in with me?
(LAUGHTER)
These are the newest images of the panda cub who was born last month at the zoo. Caretakers have been watching around the clock. And zoo officials say it'll be another couple of months before the public can visit.
OK.
KEILAR: So cute.
SAVIDGE: Yes, it was.
Thanks for starting your morning with us.
KEILAR: The next of your NEW DAY starts right now.
