Return to Transcripts main page
Rick's List
Trapped Miners in Chile; New York Cabbie Attacked; What's Trending; Being Proactive About Food; JetBlue Flight Evacuated
Aired August 26, 2010 - 15:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Here we go. We are about to begin our next hour of RICK'S LIST. And, as I do, let me do what I always do, and especially now, with so much news about our troops coming home. I want to welcome the men and the women who are watching us on Armed Forces Network all over the world. Here is the conversation that's taking place in our nation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice-over): Here's what's making the LIST on this day.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're very nervous, in some ways, depressed.
SANCHEZ: We are keeping track of the 33 miners in a cave underground, as we learn some of them may be too big to get out.
The Republican who spearheaded the push to keep gays from getting married announces he's gay.
We're told it's really bad here. We soon realize it's even worse than we imagined -- taking you back to a story, a moment and video I myself find too difficult to look back at.
And this American soldier is not willing to fight for religious reasons. He's Muslim. So, why did he join?
The lists you need to know about. Who's today's most intriguing? Who's landed on the list you don't want to be on? Who's making news on Twitter? It's why I keep a list.
Pioneering tomorrow's cutting-edge news right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
The story that everyone's talking about in the United States and all over the world, the 33 miners that are stuck in that dark, dank cave more than 2,000 feet underground in Chile. This is the 20th day of their ordeal. We are learning a lot more about the conditions that they're enduring, what they must do to survive while they wait to be saved.
They could be waiting, we understand now, until Christmas, by the way. But we are finding out that there's -- there's almost like a leadership structure that's forming among these men in this miserable underworld just to try to keep them sane and safe. I don't know which one of those is more important at this point.
Karl Penhaul, he has been following the story for us in the San Jose mine in Chile.
Take us through the conversation about how they're trying to pick some kind of hierarchical leadership to keep them organized and need I say the word again sane?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly.
Well, there are two processes here that are going on, Rick. On the one hand, we have got a team of psychologists who are now following everything that is going on down that mine. And they have spoken about the need to get a group of leaders together to lead these men through this ordeal.
And then down in this underworld, 2,300 feet in the bowels of the effort, a series of natural leaders have emerged. One of them was the shift manager. He was the shift foreman, so he was a kind of an appointed leader even as they went down that mine. There's another man who because he has some nursing skills and some medical knowledge, he's come to the fore as the man who will help them, lead them through the medical problems and any psychological problems. And right now rescue workers from the surface are getting him to fill in a psychological questionnaire on each of the 33 miners.
They're also getting him to do urine tests, blood tests, and blood pressure tests on these miners, just so they can check what kind of shape they're in, so that they can plan the next steps.
And then, there's another man who's emerged as a natural leader, his name Mario Gomez, a 63-year-old, an old crusty, veteran miner. He's been working the mine shafts since he was just 12 years old. And he's come forward as the kind of spiritual guide to these men. If any of them have a problem, want a shoulder to cry on, they're doing it on his shoulder. And he is also the man that's asked for those Catholic figurines, the statuettes to be sent down that four-inch bore hole into the shelter, so that he can set up a shrine so that the men can pray, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you just some of just the common questions that I think people would have about dealing with the problems that the men might have. For example, we're told that they're very hot, because it is like 90-some degrees in there.
Can they pump down through one of these holes that you say that they have created, can they pump some kind of air conditioning down there to them? What kind of food are they sending to them that fits for 33 men through a small tube? How are they getting water, for example? Can you take us through some of that?
PENHAUL: Those are all really crucial questions, and the Chileans, being experts in disaster management, have some of the answers, but they're also calling on the astronaut experts from NASA to come in and give them some advice as well.
But, in terms of the air, yes, 90-degrees-plus. So, these miners know those kinds of conditions. That's what they work in on a daily basis. We have seen pictures of them just stripped down to the waist. They keep clothing to a minimum to try and keep cool.
But the air has been a problem because the ventilation shaft has collapsed. The air is breathable, but there's a lot of dust there. That's bringing them lung problems. It's bringing them heavy eye irritation as well.
So, what the rescue workers are going to try and do over the next few days in the bore holes -- two bore holes have now been completed, each four inches wide. Down one, they're sending the food, and down the other, they want to pump compressed oxygen air, which will at least give them breathable air. It won't take the temperature down too much, but it will give them breathable air.
And, also, down that same tube, they want to put a constant pipe with drinking water down there, because they say one of the things is they have realized that these miners have lost about 22 pounds each. They are badly dehydrated and they're going to need about eight pints of water a day.
And the -- on to the food subject, again, anything that can fit down a four-inch-wide metal pipe is going down there. But it's really nutrients, food in liquid form, liquid proteins and liquid vitamins, although just now, a few moments ago, the health minister has said that today the miners got a solid cereal bar.
Tomorrow, they will get a couple of solid cereal bars. Their calorific intake yesterday was about 400 calories. Today, it's going to be about 800 calories, much less than a man needs. But because they have been so hungry and dehydrated for so long, if you put a full meal down in their bellies right now, they are going to eject it all, to say it like that.
SANCHEZ: Wow.
PENHAUL: They will get bad diarrhea. So it's little by little to build them back up again, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Final question. I understand that some of the men are so large, so thick, that they may not be able to get out of that tube that they will eventually be drawn out from. Is that true?
PENHAUL: It's funny how these concerns are coming up, because, yes, a few hours ago, the health minister told us that, according to initial medical records, at least nine of those men were too big, broad, but essentially too fat, to get out of the hole that's going to be drilled down to rescue them.
That hole is about 24 inches in diameter. To you and me, what does that mean? It is about the diameter of a bicycle tire. So, if you or I can't fit through a bicycle tire, then we wouldn't fit through that rescue hole. And so, the doctors are keeping a close eye on that. A tape measure has been sent down into that hole. And so this medical officer, the medical leader, is going to measure the fat guys and keep an eye on them.
But, in parallel with that as well, because a lot of -- or because they have all gone for so long, they survived 17 days on four cans of tuna each -- there were 120 cans for the 33, so four apiece over 17 days. So, that's the reason why most of them have lost about 22 pounds.
So, they have got to get them in shape to fit through the hole. But, if it's an uncontrolled weight loss, then that, of course, is going to bring dramatic medical problems. The docs, the medics are all up in the air right now trying to get the most exact information and that will ensure that the 33 can stay alive for the time it takes to get them out, Rick.
SANCHEZ: What a story. And what a reporter to bring us that story.
Karl Penhaul, you do such a good job giving us those details that so many people are just curious about.
Good call, Anginette (ph), in getting him back. I'm glad we did this.
We will keep talking to you, Karl. Thanks so much.
Meanwhile, take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: To get a sense of just how big a job this is, imagine, if you would, 200 football fields, all of it stacked with trash 50 feet high. That is what officials say they're dealing with here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That was me. That was me about five years ago. Obviously, I will never forget what I saw during New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I'm going to share some of those moments with you again.
But I have got to tell you something, just to be totally honest with you. I have never gone back and looked at that video, never wanted to, just like I have never looked back at the video of me during 9/11 when I was covering and watched one of the Twin Towers fall. Just can't do it. Too painful.
Today, one of my producers, Michael Heard, has gone into our video vault, and he's found some of the videos of what he and I went through and covered during Hurricane Katrina, because this week is the fifth-year anniversary. And we are going to share. We're going to share some of that video with you. I'm going to see it for the first time. Also, remember the guy who was accused of terrorizing men in several states, stabbing at least 18 people, and killing five? They're now taking him back to where many of the victims took their last breaths. That's coming up as well.
This is your national conversation. We call this RICK'S LIST. We're so glad you're here. And we will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Topping our follow-up list now, there's a case that has so many more questions than answers. So much of what we know and what we don't know all the details of, it really doesn't add up in this case.
What appears clear is that this New York cab driver, Ahmed Sharif, was attacked simply because of his faith, simply because of the way he worships. And that's troubling.
Let me set this up for you. Tuesday, Sharif picked up a young man on his cab, right? The young man, his name was Michael Enright. He got in the backseat and he started asking Sharif some questions. One of the questions, where are you from? Are you a Muslim? How's your Ramadan going?
Sharif said, yes, I'm a Muslim. His Ramadan was going fine, he said.
But the ride then took a terrible turn. Sharif, the taxi driver, says the young man suddenly began cursing and shouting at him. And then he pulled out a knife and he slashed him and stabbed him. We have got some video of Sharif describing the attack. This is just a couple of hours ago. He's still, as you might imagine, very emotional about what this man did to him. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AHMED SHARIF, CAB DRIVER: When I was attacked, at first, I see the knife was front of my front. And I go a little bit back. He stab right over there.
If this one is (INAUDIBLE) there, I'm (INAUDIBLE) to be talking right now. I'm dead.
So, when the attack come from the back, it was a shock. It's still has me scared. I mean, it's still I have view of the knife when I close my eyes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Take a break. It's OK.
SHARIF: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want a break? Take a break. Take a break. Take a -- he is going to just take another break.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: Wow.
The suspect is a 21-year-old film student. His name is Michael Enright. He's been charged with a hate crime, among other things. People who know Enright say they're kind of shocked about this, dumbfounded.
My colleague Deb Feyerick has been looking into his background. And she joins me now live.
So many questions surrounding this story, but take it away. Tell us -- tell us what you got.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rick, first, we do have a piece of new information that we just got from a source here in New York City, and that is, in fact, when he was arrested, when Michael Enright, the suspect, was arrested, he had numerous journals and notebooks on him, all of them filled with writings, some of it completely illegible.
That is now with authorities, all of that being vetted and looked through to see whether in fact there was anything indicating that he had underscore some sort of a mental or emotional change.
Also, in his backpack, they found an empty bottle of scotch. Police officers say that when he was arrested he was intoxicated. Now, all of that is being looked at. The question is, why? What happened to this seemingly mild-mannered boy? It appears that he spent five weeks in Afghanistan talking to soldiers on the front line, figuring out what war was like through their eyes.
What happened during those five weeks may have been the trigger that put him on this particular path. Ironically, he was a volunteer working for a non-profit organization that promotes peace. So, there are two very, very different pieces of the puzzle that investigators are now trying to figure out. Was this simply a crime that occurred because of some emotional stress, like PTSD, or is it connected to this big Ground Zero controversy where we're hearing so much anti- Muslim sentiment? Was that the trigger? -- Rick.
SANCHEZ: That's a heck of a question. And you know what? Rather than delve into that question, I will leave it for people with perhaps bigger arguments to make to take that up. But I -- I -- I think it's viable to ask the question. And I think it's something that all of us, as Americans, need to consider by looking in our own hearts and trying to figure out for ourselves, what is really going on with this?
Deb Feyerick, my thanks to you for bringing us this report about his background.
Meanwhile, the egg recall is really putting a major focus on the foods that we eat. Which foods are dangerous? Which ones carry the most risk? The authors of "Skinny Bitch" -- that's the name of the book -- and many are morons for what they eat.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: That's what they say. They're joining us live.
Also, I'm going to give you an inside look at how we covered the Hurricane Katrina aftermath and the hurricane itself. We were there. And you will see it. Stay there. I'm going to be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
This network, CNN, was honored with a distinguished George Foster Peabody Award -- it's arguably the highest distinction in journalism -- for our coverage of Hurricane Katrina.
It began one night while this reporter was on the air anchoring the hurricane coverage, when I got a call from the vice president of Tulane University telling me that the levees had broken and all hell was breaking loose in New Orleans. And just like that, the story came to life.
A few days later, I was in New Orleans on a boat helping people who were stuck in their attics. As I write about this in my book, I still -- swear to God -- I still wake up in the middle of the night hearing some of those screams and wondering how many of them we were not able to save.
This week marks five years. The video I'm about to show you, I have never seen, too painful to relive -- I'm sure many of you who experienced something like this know what I'm talking about -- until now, when my producer Michael Heard, who travels with me and traveled with me on that assignment to New Orleans, found some of these videos and assembled this collection.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: According to the vice president of Tulane University Hospital, Karen Troyer-Caraway, who we just spoke to, there's a levee that's been breached.
For five days, tens of thousands of people have waited to be saved. For some, it was too late.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A woman had a baby last night with no medical attention. But the baby didn't make it. We're -- we're -- we're suffering.
SANCHEZ: This afternoon, help finally arrived. A row of amphibious vehicles loaded with relief supplies rolled through the flooded waters of downtown -- their destination, the Convention Center.
There, armed National Guardsmen filed past men, women and children in dire need of food, water and medicine.
Meanwhile, the airlift and the busing continues, by the thousands. This is threat latest group. They're from Tulane University Hospital. They have been stuck there for several days. They all come with their individual stories, but none perhaps like this. Hospital officials are telling us that many of the nurses resorted to giving themselves IVs just to remain hydrated.
It is a mountainous mess: an estimated 22 million tons of garbage that residents are now returning home to.
To get a sense of just how big a job this is, imagine, if you would, 200 football fields, all of it stacked with trash 50 feet high. That is what officials say they're dealing with here.
A full week after the hurricane brushed New Orleans, others are still waiting to be rescued.
You want us to go out there and see if we can find her and bring her back to you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please, please.
SANCHEZ: What is her name?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joyce Rolle (ph).
SANCHEZ: We join paramedics as they looked for Joyce Rolle in a 17-foot airboat. But when we finally get to the place where she's supposed to be, she's not there.
We motor through the overpass, cross I-10, enter the city of New Orleans. We're told it's really bad here. We soon realize it's even worse than we imagined.
After patrolling for a full hour, there's a sign from above. National Guardsmen are signaling us in the direction of a building. We negotiate the debris in the water and countless cars left in the middle of the road. We pass a shopping center where locals say many perished. And, finally, we spot the rooftop where the chopper was leading us. The white flag signals the way and brings us to the evacuees, who we bring out one by one, all thankful to finally be out.
What country are you from?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE)
SANCHEZ: China?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: China.
Turns out they're Chinese cooks from a nearby restaurant who were suddenly trapped after getting caught in the hurricane and subsequent flooding. They were desperate to get out.
Our return route is marked for evacuation, but our method is not how it was intended. It's a dangerous and complicated journey, and this is why they do it.
What are you going to do when you see your mommy and your daddy?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hug them.
SANCHEZ: You're going to hug them?
They do it so a scared little boy can eventually meet up with his parents. These men, who are strangers to this town, say they will continue their missions of mercy until the last person, who wants to get out, is found.
SANCHEZ: Good luck. Thank you. Thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: So many stories in that town.
An American soldier wants out of the fight in Afghanistan because he's a Muslim. What does the Pentagon have to say about that? And why did this guy sign up in the first place? That story's coming up in just a little bit.
Also, the man who spent years spearheading anti-gay marriage campaigns has now admitted that he is gay. The former chairman of the RNC has come out, to the surprise, or lack thereof, of many, not to mention the criticism.
He's not the first famous Americans to make waves with this type of revelation. In fact, I have got a list of public figures who have caused a frenzy of their own as they came out. Can you remember any? Let's see.
I don't know how surprised many of you were by the number five. After decades of failing to address the rumors, Ricky Martin, he came out in March of this year.
Number four, the daughter of the former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney, Mary Cheney. It was Democrat and then presidential hopeful John Kerry who outed her to the media during a heated debate in 2004.
Any guesses who else is on the list? We will take you through this list. It's after the break.
We will be right back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Washington's worst-kept secret is a secret no more.
The former chairman of the Republican National Committee, Ken Mehlman, has come out. The confession came after years of fighting to keep bans on same-sex marriages.
He's not alone. Over the years, we have been surprised by revelations involving lots of public figures. I gave you two before the break. Let's see if you remember any of the others.
Number three: a former member of popular boy band 'N Sync, Lance Bass. Did you know that? His coming out in 2006 made headlines around the world and broke the heart of many.
Number two, 2004, with his wife standing by his side, former New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevey announced that he was gay and had an affair with a man. Gay American is what he said. He resigned right after.
Number one on our list of public figures, Rock Hudson. He never publicly came out in his lifetime, but he did authorize a biography that would discuss his private life and his former lover, Marc Christian, went on "LARRY KING" in 2001 and discussed with Larry the details of the secret relationship years after Hudson died.
So, what will underdog politicians do to get noticed? If you think that you have seen everything, I guarantee you, you have not. One guy running for mayor has come up with some new tricks. You do not want to miss this.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: That's -- I swear -- that's ahead.
Also, look at this scene: one big ketchup bath in the middle of a street, bright and red tomatoes making today's "Fotos." It is Tomatina time. No, it's "Fotos" time.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: A wise man once said good things come to those who -- bait. Time for "Fotos."
(MUSIC PLAYING)
SANCHEZ: It was a good day to be fishing the Wabash River in Indiana. Check out the Asian carp widely leaping out of the water. Just ask our own David Mattingly. Oh, you haven't heard? We'll have to come up with that Mattingly video one day and show him swatted in the heads by one of these suckers.
Suckers in the right word, by the way. These two lucky fishermen didn't even need rods. The fish were literally jumping into their boat. Environmentalists aren't nearly as excited. The Asian carp are considered an invasive species that are not native to the river, but they like it there.
The streets ran red with tomato juice during the Tomatina Festival in Spain. Tens of thousands of revelers from around the world came to pelt each other with 100 tons of tomatoes trucked in for the annual event. We don't have video of people hitting themselves with tomatoes, though. It's like a poster board.
All right. Also, by now everyone's seen this viral video of a British woman allegedly trapped her neighbor's cat in a dumpster, right? The clip took the media by storm. Everyone was infuriated. Animal lovers had a fit all the world over.
Well, guess what? The cat is back. And he wants revenge! There he goes. See the old lady? See the cat? Check out what the cat does. Opens the trash, takes the old lady, he shoves her down inside and then he closes it and does to him what was done to it. Or no - does to her what was done to him.
Something like that. That's "Fotos." And you can see it for yourself on my blog. CNN.com/ricksanchez.
Serial killer makes a great TV character, but is that really an appropriate toy? The Dexter doll is one of Twitter's trending topics, and Brooke Baldwin's got that whole story for us. It's making her LIST.
So, does this. An American soldier who's refusing to fight in Afghanistan because he says "I can't fight and go over there and kill Muslims. I'm a Muslim."
That's weird. Right? That's also next. Brooke Baldwin's taking us through that in just a little bit. Stay right there.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Brooke Baldwin's joining us now. Want me to show you something funny?
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
SANCHEZ: All right. You and I both tweet, right? Crazy, right?
BALDWIN: Trying to be tweet hip.
SANCHEZ: I mean, almost making a career out of it. Writing a book about it. I might make a quarter or two on it.
BALDWIN: Uh-huh, uh-huh.
SANCHEZ: So, this is interesting. Conan O'Brien.
BALDWIN: Love him.
SANCHEZ: He's going to be on TBS pretty soon. Look at the tweet he sent. This is good. You guys ready? "Someone just explained to me that I don't get paid for tweeting. I'm going to miss you guys."
(LAUGHTER)
BALDWIN: He is hilarious. In 140 characters or less, the guy can tell a joke. SANCHEZ: In few words. There's a solder who says, "Wait a minute, I don't want to go over there and kill Muslims over there. I'm Muslim."
BALDWIN: Right. Let me tell you about this 20-year-old soldier out of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Private First Class Nasr Abdo (ph) He joined the service more than a year ago. Thought he could be at the time both a soldier and a Muslim.
Well, now he says his religious beliefs prohibit him from going to war. Here he is. He says he wants out. His unit with the 101st Airborne Division, like I said, out of Ft. Campbell, actually deployed to Afghanistan already. So, his unit's there. He is not. He filed this conscious objecter claim in June. That's what, you know, Ft. Campbell just told me on the phone. Only now, though, he is speaking publicly to our Nashville affiliate about his stance on both war and his religion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PVT. FIRST CLASS NASR ABDO (ph), U.S. ARMY, CONTESTING DEPLOYMENT: I've come to the conclusion that the consequences I would face of refusing deployments are a lot less than the consequences I face should I go. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I deployed. We have two things that I believe make us American, and that's freedom of religion and freedom of choice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: So, what does he do now? Right?
I hopped on the phone. I talked to the spokesperson with Ft. Campbell. Here's the deal. He told me that the Army's is obviously takomg this very seriously. Also told me that this is not necessarily a typical situation.
Here's how the process goes. Abdu will then have to go through a series of interviews, assessments. Could take up to six months. The Army could either say, yes, you're out. Or no, you need to fulfill the services you signed up to fulfill more than a year ago.
SANCHEZ: Because the question remains, why did you join?
BALDWIN: Exactly. That's precisely, I think, the crux of the whole thing. He signed up. We're fighting two wars. You know.
SANCHEZ: Like these athletes that sign three-year contracts to play for a team and after one year they said, "No, I'm think I'm better. I don't want to uphold that contract anymore." Just doesn't seem right.
BALDWIN: And it's voluntary. You reminded me that --
SANCHEZ: Go ahead. Sorry.
BALDWIN: OK. So, story number two, there's this show on Showtime. I could only really watch one or two. It's all I could really stomach. It's called Dexter, and there's this character called Dexter, and he's essentially a serial killer killer. You following me? He kills serial killers in pretty grotesque ways.
So, what you are looking at now is the Dexter -- I shouldn't say doll. It is a collector's item now sold at Toys R Us.
SANCHEZ: Really?
BALDWIN: Comes with the handsaw, bloody gloves, you're looking is the box. But it's sold at a toy store? That was what this guy in Ohio was wondering.
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM SCHULTZ, COMPLAINED TO TOYS 'R' US ABOUT DESTER DOLL: I thought, oh my God. You've got this in Toys R Us. Are you kidding me?
I understand it's marketed towards adults, but I do condemn Toys R Us for putting it on their shelves.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BALDWIN: He condemns Toys R Us. He filed a complaint.
SANCHEZ: You know what is interesting about that guy?
BALDWIN: Huh?
SANCHEZ: He has, like, two totally different voices.
BALDWIN: It was a bad cut. Maybe he sneezed or something.
SANCHEZ: No! I mean, first, he says, "I can't believe," he's up here. And then "Oh, my God." It was just -- I'm sorry.
BALDWIN: Maybe he was making his point. I don't know. I don't know. But anyway, I got on the phone with Toys R Us because I wanted to make sure we get their end of the story, as well. They said, look, it's a collector's item. We only get, like, six to ten of them in the store. It's going to sell out. We're putting them on high shelves. It's on the box says 18 or older.
And I think my favorite tweet on this, I got a lot of them, thank you very much. They say, "Look, it's up to the parents. Parents' choice whether you want to walk down that aisle, whether you want to buy that for your child or not."
SANCHEZ: Tell me about it.
BALDWIN: You know, Dad?
SANCHEZ: My house. Yes. I go down sometimes, and I see Remy. Not Savannah, but Robbie and Remy, especially. They're the ones who like the video games stuff.
BALDWIN: Yes. In your house.
SANCHEZ: You know them.
BALDWIN: Uh-huh.
SANCHEZ: I mean, you know, when you go down to the basement, to that little room down there.
BALDWIN: Right, right.
SANCHEZ: There's people's heads being blown off.
BALDWIN: Video games. It's like, "Really? Really, kids? Really?"
SANCHEZ: I mean, I think of myself as a kid. I used to do some crazy stuff.
BALDWIN: No. You?
SANCHEZ: Well, but it wasn't like that. It just seems so graphic. I don't know.
BALDWIN: A lot has changed. You are the parent. You are buying the DVD or you're buying the video game.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Or they're buying it with my money, I guess.
BALDWIN: Nice job, kids.
SANCHEZ: Thank you.
BALDWIN: Thanks.
SANCHEZ: Good stuff. You're making us think.
Everyone's keeping a close eye on the eggs these days because of salmonella outbreak, but what about all the other food we eat? The author of "Skinny Bitch" says our habits are putting us at risk. That is one heck of a title for a book. It will get you on CNN. That's for sure.
We're going to talk to her in just a little bit. I'm Rick Sanchez. This is your national conversation.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right. Here's a story for you. Not long ago, two young women sat down and wrote a book about weight loss and about food. Sure, bookstores are full of such books, right? By the way, good luck trying to pick one. I mean, I walk away angry after a while whenever I try to find a book to help my health kind of thing.
These two friends decided to call their book "Skinny Bitch." A word I would never be able to if it weren't that I'm talking about a book. And authors with the book.
Well, guess what happened? It became an instant bestseller and launched an entire franchise around the name. From a calorie count game to fitness videos to iTune downloads, you name it. So, on a day when we're talking a lot about food, we have decided the talk to one of these authors.
Here she is, Kim Barnouin is joining us now from Los Angeles. She's a former model who holds a degree in holistic nutrition. The opening line on the blog says "Stop being a moron and start getting skinny." Is it safe to say that you, Kim, have taken a tough-love approach to this topic?
KIM BARNOUIN, CO-AUTHOR, "SKINNY BITCH": Definitely. I think that America is in serious need of a tough-love approach to health and fitness. We are in a horrible time right now with childhood obesity is really skyrocketing, so I think the book is really resonated with people because it's straightforward, it's funny but some really great information in there.
SANCHEZ: Why is it so hard for Americans to come to grips with this? Because if you go to Europe, for example, they're better at this than we are. They're certainly not as fat as we are, although they smoke a lot more than we do.
What is it about us that's gotten us to the point where we may be as unhealthy as we have ever been?
BARNOUIN: It's true. I think that our portion sizes are growing. We're getting more sedentary; we're not exercising as much as we used to.
You know, in Europe, people are eating smaller portions, they're walking more. They're really enjoying their food, but I feel like we're just a little bit more gluttonous here as we want to put processed food in our homes. They're loaded with chemicals and preservatives. Our food is getting pumped with pesticides, hormones, steroids.
SANCHEZ: But here's the thing -- it is easier and cheaper. I mean, look, my wife and I, we've got four kids, and we've got it good compared to raising their kids by themselves. I happen to have a pretty good job where they pay me a pretty good buck and stuff like that, but -- my wife doesn't have to work.
But if you got to be feeding all these kids, if you don't have a whole lot of money, if it's so easy to go through a drive-through and get money, when you go to the grocery store, all the stuff that maybe is not so healthy sitting out there with big, bold letters to grab, it kind of becomes like the American way, doesn't it?
BARNOUIN: I know. And I get it. I'm a mom, too.
It's very difficult for parents to try to, you know, decide what's the best thing to do? But, you know, there's really simple ways. As long as you're buying nutrient-dense foods -- you know, there's pasta, there's brown rice, there's whole grain breads, and beans, potatoes. These are good for you. They're not expensive.
We need to cook more at home. We need to be, you know, shopping locally. That's going to bring down the cost of the food when you're going to farmers markets or eating foods that are in season. It's going to be a lot less expensive than if you're buying processing foods at the grocery store, prepackaged meals.
SANCHEZ: That is a good idea.
BARNOUIN: But it's our health. We have to pay attention to being healthy.
SANCHEZ: You know, one of the things, Kim, that I've gotten the most tweets from since we've been talking about this today -- and we decided we're going to talk about this given this egg scare that's going on out there -- a lot of people are telling me, "You know what, Sanchez? You know what you should do? You should look for places around your house that sell the food."
Like farmers. And there probably are some. And all over America I imagine you can find places where you can go to get your food naturally. Not necessarily buy it natural or organic at the grocery store. Go to the farmers, the small little places that sell this stuff.
Is that a good idea?
BARNOUIN: Exactly, yes. That's a great idea.
And, you know, people always say, well, organic is so expensive. Well, actually, there's something called the Dirty Dozen. And you can find out the list on Environmental Working Group. And there's only a certain foods that you really should be buying organic. The rest are OK, and especially if you're going to farmers markets.
Even if they don't get that stamp that they're USDA certified organic, talk to the farmers. And they usually don't spray their foods at all. And it's local, so you're not paying the transportation costs. And, you know, it's a good way to support the farmers and get fresh food naturally.
SANCHEZ: And you don't eat meat, right?
BARNOUIN: No.
SANCHEZ: I can't go there. I can't do that. Just --
BARNOUIN: It's OK. It's all about eating healthy, really, and paying attention to what you're putting in your body.
SANCHEZ: All right. Thank you for giving me the excuse.
Hey, Kim, good talking to you. We appreciate your time. Good luck with the book.
BARNOUIN: Thanks for having me.
SANCHEZ: We want you to know as much as you can about the food that you eat. We've put a lot of important information together on this day.
We've been thinking about this for a while here at CNN, and we decided to do it today. So, to find the latest on food recalls or food safety issues, just go to the blog. Right? CNN.com/eatocracy. Eatocracy is what we're calling it.
I don't know who came up with that, but it's kind of call if you think about it. But then again, don't think about it.
I want to ask you something now. Let's say that you're an underdog candidate in a race for mayor, and you want to make a big splash in the news. What do you do? Wait until you see what this one guy has done.
He gets by far top billing for "The List U Don't Want 2 Be On." You've got to see this. Promise me you're not going to change the channel. Promise me, because this is important.
You've got to see this guy. All right? Swear?
Good. Stay right there. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Hey, before we do anything else, I'd like to welcome you guys.
How are you all? Give us a wave.
Good to see you here. Nice to see you. A nice, good looking bunch like you coming to join us to -- you want to see something really interesting? Are you ready?
Watch. This is good.
Some of you tell me that campaign season is a lot like "American Idol." Just like contestants, candidates, they're up one week, down the next. They're being judged by everyone, and sometimes they make fools of themselves. But it seems one aspiring politician has his competitions mixed up.
Time now for "The List U Don't Want 2 Be On."
I want you to meet Chris Young. He is running for mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. No stranger to local politics, he's run for several offices in years passed.
Well, it appears he is not so good off the cuff. Watch how he handled a pretty easy question from one of the local news anchors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Joining us this morning is Democratic candidate Chris Young.
Thanks for being here this morning.
Thank you for having me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, first of all, tell me about why did you get into politics in the first place?
CHRIS YOUNG (D), MAYORAL CANDIDATE, PROVIDENCE RHODE ISLAND: Well, I got into politics to bring attention to the issues that matter to the people in the state of Rhode Island, including issues of poverty and inequality within our society.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: He may not be good at remembering his talking points, but he is pretty comfortable with some song lyrics. Now, watch what happens as this interview continues.
You guys over there, are you watching? Are you sure? All right.
Watch what happens just a few seconds later. Here we go.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG (singing): To the rich man that stands in the house high upon the hill, the chains that bind you, the flames surround you for the price you haven't seen
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I really appreciate you coming in and serenading me this morning. I didn't realize --
YOUNG: Next time our guitarist could come in. That would be great.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That would be great. I didn't realize you were --
YOUNG: He's right out in the lobby if you want to have him in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, that's really nice of you. I'm afraid we're out of time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Well, what did you guys think? Huh? Thumbs up, thumbs down?
Thumbs down.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Why am I not surprised? Oh my God. His band was ready to go in the lobby, he says. Why don't you bring them in?
Now, with a sweet serenade like that, you have got to think that Chris Young is really going after women voters, right? Why might some people suspect this? Watch what he does the very next night right in the middle of another TV debate. And this is live, folks.
Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
YOUNG: So I want to say to Carol (ph), will you please marry me?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: What? This is the middle of a debate, and he just pops out the thing and asks a woman in the audience to marry him.
Yes, she said yes. By the way, the problem is, Young later said the proposal was only good if he wins the election. So, if he doesn't become mayor, he doesn't want her. But if he becomes mayor, then he wants to have a wife.
You can't make this stuff up. Right? All this sure sounds like a stunt.
We asked him about that. He told us it's not a stunt. He says he's serious about his plans, really.
This is how he gets voters to understand where he stands on the issue. Politics is looking more and more like a big circus these days.
Chris Young, you top today "The List U Don't Want 2 Be On."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right. We have got some new information just in to you. We want to break it down by showing you some of the pictures that we're getting on this story.
This is a JetBlue plane. I'm going to read you some of the information that we're getting from JetBlue Airways.
The manager of corporate communications has reached out to us and said that upon landing there in Sacramento -- see the plane right there? -- Flight 262 reported an issue with the brakes. The crew elected to evacuate the aircraft in an abundance of caution, so they got everyone off of this airplane. The airport fire department reported immediately to the aircraft, and apparently some emergency medical technicians also were asked to go to the site to assist.
Now, we don't know if there have been any injuries at this point. This information coming in to us now from JetBlue. Do me a favor, Rog, if you could and put that on the big green screen over here just so I can see a better shot of it to see if there's anything I'm missing, because I'm looking at it right now on a rather small monitor.
There you go. There you see the plane. Oh, there you see the chutes, as well.
It looks like both chutes are down. This is coming in to us from KOVR, by the way.
At least four passengers have reported minor injuries. We understand that -- yes, this is coming in now, as well -- four passengers have reported minor injuries. They're currently being transported to local hospitals for evaluation.
So there's the very latest information as we move forward on that. Let me see what else we've got. I'm checking updated information.
Thank you, Andreas (ph).
They're saying now that, at least according to some of our affiliates there, there were some preliminary reports that the tires on the plane blew out as it was landing and that there was some kind of fire on board. So that's the information that's coming in from the affiliates, which would obviously be cause for them to call for emergency and rescue officials.
Let me check here. According to the Sacramento Fire Department -- this is their police information person, Jonathan Burgess (ph) -- four people have been transported to local hospitals with minor injuries. Fourteen people have complained of being hurt. But again, only four people have been transported.
So there's the situation now in Sacramento. Obviously we'll continue to keep an eye on that for you, and as we get more information on it, we will bring it to you.
I'm Rick Sanchez. Thank you so much for being with us.
We take you now to Washington. Here is "THE SITUATION ROOM" and Suzanne Malveaux.
