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CNN Sunday Morning
Benedict XVI Leads Easter Mass in Vatican; Interview With Deepak Chopra
Aired March 23, 2008 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CO-HOST: Hey, you there. Good morning, everybody. From CNN Center: This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, March 23rd. I'm T.J. Holmes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CO-HOST: Good morning on this Easter Sunday. Yes, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. We do want to thank you for being with us.
It's 7:00 a.m. here in Atlanta and in Washington, D.C., but noon at the Vatican, where Pope Benedict XVI is leading Easter Mass for tens of thousands of people, and at Arlington National Cemetery, a service to reflect and remember.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEEPAK CHOPRA, HOLISTIC HEALTH EXPERT: You have to sing your song because every human being has a unique song to sing. In this you (ph) just sing it, not worrying who listens and what they think.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, don't worry about what other people think, be your own person no matter what. Deepak Chopra at seven spiritual laws, one for each day of the week to help you find happiness. My happy conservation with him is our Faces of Faith.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGGIE AQUI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The difference between a flooded town and dry one?
MAYOR JEFFEREY WHITTEAKER, VALLEY PARK, MISSOURI: $50 million.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: $50 million? That's a whole lot of cash for a small town. But we're going tot tell you or show you if it was worth it. It's coming up in a live report.
HOLMES: But we will start with Easter this morning. Christians around the world are celebrating this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes, it's a day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. Now, some services are on the way right now kicking off well before dawn. HOLMES: And the one you're seeing here, a live look at Arlington National Cemetery. An estimated 5,000 people are there for a sunrise service at the amphitheater. That service began at 6:15 Eastern Time this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE BENEDICT XVI, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH (translator): We'll safeguard peace and the common good.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And these are the sights and sounds from the Vatican where it is a rainy Easter day. Huge crowds have turned out nonetheless in the cold and the rain. Pope Benedict XVI is leading an open air Easter mass in St. Peters Square followed by his traditional blessing.
Now, on a side note, the pope baptized perhaps Italy's most prominent Muslim yesterday, Magdi Allam, a journalist, converted to Catholicism and was baptized by the pope at the Vatican.
HOLMES: We'll be talking much more about Easter and Easter services throughout the morning.
We will turn now to what we've been watching the past few days, the flooding in Missouri. And as pretty much a collective sigh of relief from the folks in Missouri. The Meramec River has finally crested.
NGUYEN: That is definitely good news because in the last week, the rushing waters just have swallowed hundreds of homes in the region. At least 17 deaths are being blamed on that flooding.
And our Reggie Aqui is in Valley Park, Missouri which is a town actually saved, thanks in part to a new levee.
Reggie, the folks there are obviously very proud of the investment they made in that levee today.
REGGIE AQUI, CNN CORRESPONDENT - VALLEY PARK, MO.: Oh, I mean, that is understating it. They are breathing a huge sigh of relief. You can see behind me all the water at this major intersection. Betty, that is really just an inconvenience, it could have been so much worse.
You see this major interstate, I-44, that takes you over to St. Louis. Well, just on the other side of that interstate, you'll find this town, a town that had hundreds of homes potentially threatened by this water. And as bad as you've seen these other towns hit, officials are worried that this could have been the worst.
Instead something kicked in, something that took decades of planning and let's face it, a whole lot of dough.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) AQUI (voice-over): They live and work just a few feet away from this. The Meramec River is the same river that flooded a couple of hundred Missouri homes and neighboring towns and caused 1,000 people to flee to shelters. It should have done the same to nearby Valley Park, Missouri, including Bill Kuhlmann's boat propeller repair, flooded so many times before.
BILL KUHLMANN, SHOPKEEPER: In 1994, the water level was up here at 37.4.
AQUI: But the shop is dry as is the entire downtown.
(on camera): The only thing stopping this water from getting in to your town is what we're standing on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This levee.
AQUI: How high is this levee?
CHIEF CHARLES WILKER, VALLEY PARK FIRE AND RESCUE: It's 43 feet.
AQUI: And how I high did the water get up?
WILKER: Thirty-eight feet, 38.7 feet.
AQUI: Man, I mean, that is close.
WILKER: It's real close.
AQUI (voice-over): The difference between a flooded town and a dry one?
MAYOR JEFFEREY WHITTEAKER, VALLEY PARK, MISSOURI: $50 million.
AQUI: Mayor Jefferey Whitteaker describes a 26-year endeavor. Even with a major federal grant, this $50 million levee is still by far, the most expensive project in the small town's history. Without it ...
WHITTEAKER: City hall would be underwater, school district, and this community would just be paralyzed.
AQUI: It all came in in just the nick of time. The levee project was still being tweaked as recently as one year ago.
It's been a nerve-wracking couple of days for the fire chief pacing the levee wall. But it appears the $50 million investment paid off.
WILKER: In the last 30 hours, I had about three hours worth of sleep.
AQUI: When will you going to get back to sleep?
WILKER: In about 15 minutes.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AQUI: And there you can see the cover of the St. Louis paper, the "Sunday Post Dispatch," it says: "A sigh of relief." But we need to put this in context for you. Sure, this town may have been saved, but there's still some concern about the other towns that are still down river from here that haven't been hit.
Towns like Arnold, and of course, concern for the hundreds of people who still haven't been able to make it back to their homes to see what sort of damage is there. So far, we don't even have a good estimate of how much this is all going to cost in the end.
Remember, Missouri was the hardest hit. And we're talking about five people just in the state alone that are dead because of these rising waters. Back to you, guys.
NGUYEN: And in some areas the flood waters still haven't receded just yet. But let me ask you this, Reggie. What does this mean for places like New Orleans and the Mississippi River?
AQUI: It's a good question because all of this water from these smaller rivers, like the Meramec, eventually do spill into the Mississippi. And there is some concern down the river like in New Orleans. The Army Corps of Engineers, they're carefully monitoring the situation.
We don't want to be alarmist here. I mean, the Mississippi River can take this sort of water. But if it does rain heavily in the next couple of weeks, well, they could be watching that and they are going to make sure that it's not going to affect the levees.
NGUYEN: All right. Reggie Aqui, thank you so much. Joining us live today, Reggie, we'll talk to you shortly.
AQUI: OK.
HOLMES: Also: A whole lot of flooding happening in Arkansas. This is Pine Bluff, Arkansas, just about 30 minutes outside of Little Rock. It's seeing its share of high water.
Reynolds Wolf is in the severe weather center. A lot of flooding going on this weekend, the past few days, it seemed like it's all we've been talking about, Reynolds?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is. You know, it's going to be at least over the next five days we see these waters begin to recede. Already, in many places, they have began to drop as Betty said, mentioned moments ago. Not every spot, but I mean, most of them have begun to drop, that's some great news.
Still people are going to be seeing the water to recede and they're going to do with all of the flooded issues with their structures, with their farms, it's going to be a big problem. You know, we mentioned Missouri, but Arkansas, we'd just show some video there moments ago. We also got an i-Report from Calico Rock, Arkansas. Here it is, you see, gosh, it was probably a lovely farm in point, but right now, it's just covered completely by water. And this is sent in from May Milford from Calico Rock.
And, well, you can't just tell where the roads used to be, where the fields used to be, now it's just a lake at this point. But that will change in time.
Let's go back to the weather computer. We're going to zoom in and show you right now, in Arkansas, things are looking pretty good. In Missouri, during Reggie's live shot moments ago, you may have noticed a snowflake or two. Well, we do have some scattered snowflakes in the St. Louis area, also along parts of I-44, just the east of Columbia and Jefferson City.
Farther to the north, even more snow coming, at twin cities, have plenty of snow there just yesterday. And now we're seeing a few embedded thunderstorms in parts of Texas right just south of Lubbock and in Midland and the Odessa area. Amarillo getting, you know, the snow action (ph) at this point. It's a big mix in Texas, all kinds of issues in terms of rain, sleet, and snow.
Nothing severe right now but still are not the best conditions for a Sunday morning service, especially for Easter. Back to you.
NGUYEN: I'm glad you pointed out what was occurring there where Reggie was because I saw those -- I thought it was rain at first coming down but didn't see it on the paper they were showing to us, but it was actually snow?
WOLF: Actually snow. A little bit of snow, few touches here and there. But here's the good news about that, the snowfall, the precipitation there is going to be so light that it is not going to compensate for how quickly the waters are dropping. Waters are going to drop faster than the accumulation's going to come down, plus, we're not expecting a whole lot there. So, it really isn't going to add too much to the problems.
NGUYEN: Got you. All right. Well, thank you, Reynolds. We do appreciate it.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: Well, it's now more than a week after a tornado slammed downtown Atlanta. The body of a man has been found. The body was discovered under a pile of bricks and rubble yesterday. Autopsy is being done to determine if it was a victim of that storm.
At least 27 people were injured in the tornado but until now, police believed no one had been killed in the storm. Another tornado a day later killed two people in North Georgia.
NGUYEN: 1970s radical Sara Jane Olson is back in prison this morning. Her parole was cut short after a clerical error was discovered. She was released last Monday but that was one year too early. Olson was stopped at the airport in Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT KERNAN, CALIFORNIA DEPT. OF CORRECTIONS: This case is, again, complex over three decades of different sentencing laws. So, it's a little bit different than the usual case that we have.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: As a member of the SLA in the 1970s, Olson was arrested in connection to an attempted bombing and the death of a customer during a bank robbery. She was a fugitive for nearly 25 years before her arrest in 1999. The SLA was best known for kidnapping newspaper heiress Patty Hearst back in 1974.
HOLMES: All right. Let's turn to some politics now. Campaign trail comments from former President Clinton is now drawing fire from the Obama camp.
NGUYEN: Yes, a former general is speaking out. But, were the Clinton comments misinterpreted?
CNN's Rick Sanchez has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): So, just what was Bill Clinton saying Friday with his line before a veteran's group in Charlotte? Talking about his wife potentially running against John McCain, he said ...
BILL CLINTON, FMR. UNITED STATES PRESIDENT: I think it would be a great think if you had an election where you have two people who love this country and who are devoted to the interest of the country. And people could actually ask themselves who is right on these issues, instead of all of this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics.
SANCHEZ: Obama's adviser, retired General Tony McPeak, claimed that it was an attack on Obama's patriotism. He told an "Associated Press" reporter. It sounds more like McCarthy.
GEN. MERRILL "TONY" MCPEAK (RET.), NATIONAL CO-CHMN., OBAMA CAMPAIGN: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: McPeak earlier this year was forced to apologize for harsh comments about Hillary Clinton. Saturday, McPeak softened his wordings a bit.
MCPEAK: The senator's got me on a short string here because occasionally I say something a little earthier.
SANCHEZ: But with Obama at his side he didn't back down.
MCPEAK: I'm saddened to see a president employ these kind of tactics. He of all people should know better because he was the target of exactly the same kind of tactic when he first ran 16 years ago.
SANCHEZ: Obama never touched the issue himself. But it was no accident the remarks came with him on stage speaking warmly of McPeak.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Not only do I consider General McPeak a friend and adviser, but I just think the fact that he looks and sounds like Clint Eastwood is cool, you know.
SANCHEZ: The Clinton campaign says the remarks are being misinterpreted. They posted a message on the campaign Web site saying: President Clinton was talking about the need to talk about issues, rather than falsely questioning any candidate's patriotism. And in a conference call with reporters, they took on the Obama's campaign's criticism.
VOICE OF HOWARD WOLFSON, SEN. CLINTON'S COMMUNICATIONS DIR.: I think most of the Democrats would be shocked to learn that a two-term Democratic president was compared to Joseph McCarthy. I think comparing Bill Clinton to Joseph McCarthy is an outrage and ought to be retracted. That is a deliberate misreading of what the president said and he knows better.
SANCHEZ: Rick Sanchez, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, we'll touch on all of the campaign topics. We sure got a lot to talk about including John McCain acting very presidential overseas.
CNN political editor and friend of our show here, Mark Preston joins us live at 9:00 o'clock Eastern time. And then, you can experience the political campaign from the perspective of voters when you tune in to CNN's BALLOT BOWL, today at 2:00 o'clock Eastern.
NGUYEN: In the meantime though, you better be aware of some bad fruit. An outbreak of salmonella is maybe affecting your state.
HOLMES: Also: Education doesn't come easy in some parts of the Middle East. Well, many young girls in America don't like to go to school. Girls in Yemen are fighting for it.
NGUYEN: And a little bit later: Flooding is affecting wide life in the Midwest. Look at that deer there. We're going to show you how this little guy gets out of a tough situation.
HOLMES: Plus: First here, another live peek at Easter services happening at the Vatican right now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN: The news channel trusted by more Americans. Now: Back to CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
HOLMES: It's time we're going to take a peek at some other stories that are making headlines this Sunday morning. NGUYEN: Rescuers are searching for two people missing after this boat capsized on the Tennessee River. Six other people have been pulled from the water and taken to a nearby hospital. Now, the boat flipped over late last night near Johnsonville, Tennessee.
The Sheriff's Office says eight people were on the boat at the time of the accident, two of them were children. Right now, it is not clear if the children are among those who were rescued.
HOLMES: And folks and you fruit lovers, check your fridge. At least 50 people in more than a dozen people state are sick from eating cantaloupe grown in Honduras. A Honduran manufacturer is linked to an outbreak of salmonella. The FDA says, if you bought some of that fruit, you need to toss it.
NGUYEN: I bought some cantaloupe last night. I think I'm OK though, so far so good.
HOLMES: Oh, no, you look a little flush.
NGUYEN: You think, my glowing greenish tan.
Well, in the meantime, Vice President Dick Cheney is in Israel this morning. He's trying to move the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks forward. Vice President Cheney says he is committed to establishing a Palestinian state and he won't encourage Israel to do anything to jeopardize its security.
HOLMES: For folks in many parts of the world, it is till culturally unacceptable for girls to go to school.
NGUYEN: Yes, it is cycle of ignorance that makes poverty difficult to overcome. But in Yemen, UNICEF is starting to make a difference.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN (voice-over): For most girls in Yemen, this is daily life: doing chores in the house. But these girls want to go to school.
SARAH, 12 YEARS OLD (translation): I want to learn to go to school to be a doctor.
FATIMA, 11 YEARS OLD (translation): I want to study to become a teacher.
NGUYEN: In Yemen, becoming a teacher or doctor is less likely for a woman. Cultural and religious restrictions do not allow girls to be taught by male teachers after they reach a certain age and male teachers dominate the education system.
With such challenges female teachers are taking a stand and protesting for the right to teach young girls and they're getting help from UNICEF. MAJEEDA AHMED MOHAMED, OM SAID SCHOOL (translator): Education is like light. If they'll send their girls to school, they will help their families, their community, and the country.
NGUYEN: And just outside of Hudaydah, this UNICEF school is a sign of change and a example of progress.
ABOUDOU KARIMOU ABJIBADE, UNICEF REPRESENTATIVE: Education is key here. When you have a huge number of women illiterate, when you girls who are not going to school, that is the cycle of poverty.
NGUYEN: A cycle that may be broken with the help of ambitious women willing to teach and young girls who aspire to learn.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And that is such an important project there for girls to be able to go to school because for many of them, once you get a certain age, you can't be taught by a male teacher. And most of the teachers are male, so that's yet another predicament. So, it's wonderful to see them be able to get the education that they so much want and need.
HOLMES: And no matter where it is in the world, education is key to everything.
NGUYEN: Yes. Knowledge is power.
HOLMES: Yes. All right. Now, we're going to turn to some vehicles now. Those big SUVs, you know, they may not be ruling the road for long.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM MCQUADE, CAR SHOPPER: If it hits like $4.50, $5, I'll definitely get rid of the truck no matter what. And I'll just take whatever I can afford at this time that gets the best gas mileage.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, drivers are trading in some of those big SUVs for smaller cars and that's making big car makers a little bit nervous here.
NGUYEN: And this Easter brings back sad memories of a deadly mortar attack for one chaplain. We're going to talk with him about his experiences in Iraq and what he tells soldiers about religion.
HOLMES: And once again: Another live look at Easter services taking place at Arlington National Cemetery.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right, T.J., one of these days, you will say goodbye gas guzzler and hello economy car. I can see you in one of those tangle (ph) things. HOLMES: What about a bicycle? That might be the ride I need to go.
NGUYEN: Yes, especially with gas prices the way they are.
HOLMES: Yes, they are rising and car buyers are starting to rethink their purchases, it's the great American downsize.
Here now are our Allan Chernoff.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jim McQuade is looking to economize his ride. He's checking out hybrid SUVs that are more fuel efficient than his thirsty Toyota Sequoia. It's a growing concern with gas prices well above $3 a gallon and rising.
JIM MCQUADE, CAR SHOPPER: If it hits like $4.50, $5, I'll get rid of the truck no matter what. And I'll just take whatever I can afford at this time that gets the best gas mileage.
CHERNOFF: The comforts of a virtual living room on wheels are still appealing. But for many Americans, it's time to get real. Soaring gas prices and an unstable economy are a toxic mix for the wallet.
KEVIN SMITH, EDMUNDS.COM: It's become real easy for consumers to say, well, I really need a smaller car. I need something for efficient. I can get along in something not quite as big as I used to have.
CHERNOFF: At the New York Auto Show, fuel efficiency is making cars merely a sexy as the eight-seaters that rule the road in the days of $2 gas.
(on camera): Auto makers are well aware that Americans are moving away from gas guzzlers toward plain old vehicles. But Detroit has a bit of a problem with that. You see, there's not a lot of profit in $20,000 car.
(voice-over): So, auto makers still offer plenty of big vehicles and lots of luxury for which they can charge premium prices. Fact is, America remains a truck-loving nation. Light trucks and SUVs still outsell cars according to Edmunds.com but it's the smaller trucks and SUVs that increasingly are in demand.
DAVID CHAMPION, CONSUMER REPORTS: In used vehicles, there's going to be less (ph) of these large very thirsty SUVs on the marketplace. That's just going to be worth nothing.
CHERNOFF: In two-vehicle families it's often the SUV that collects dust in the garage.
MILDRED JIMENEZ, CAR SHOPPER: It takes almost $50 to fill up the tank. So, that's becoming heavy on my pocket.
CHERNOFF: Which means the old reliable car is often becoming the work horse for families trying to save in this tough economy.
Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Just thinking of those gas prices. Well, the slumping economy is affecting you in more ways than you know. So, you want to check out ISSUE # 1: From protecting your money to finding a job that is right for you, there's a ton of information that really could save you some cash. Issue # 1 is at noon Eastern all this week.
Plus: We have interactive tools and a lot more for you. All you have to do is go to CNNMoney.com.
HOLMES: All right. We've been talking about this a lot in the past few days: The presidential candidates and their passport files.
NGUYEN: Well, new revelations about the company at the center of that snooping scandal. We're going to tell you about that and Josh Levs, he'll read your email today.
Good morning.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning to you, guys.
OK, so, we asked for views on whether age matters in the Democratic race and by far, most of you said yes.
We're going to have that coming up right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody, on this Easter Sunday, hopefully you're having a great day so far. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes.
Just ahead this morning, we got an Easter that some soldiers want to forget because it's such a painful memory for them. We're going to be talking to the army chaplain who consoled the troops in the middle of a crisis.
NGUYEN: A CNN Security Watch for you right now. There is new information this morning on the presidential candidates' passport files.
HOLMES: Yes, the companies at the center of this controversy have their own political ties to two of the candidates in question.
CNN's Kate Bolduan has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT - WASHINGTON: Friday, the State Department released the names of the contracting companies linked to unauthorized access of passport files of all three presidential candidates. The companies are the Analysis Corporation known as TAC and Stanley, Incorporated and both are based in suburban Washington. Now we find out the company's top executives themselves have political ties. According to the Federal Election Commission Philip Nolan, the head of Stanley contributed $1,000 to the Clinton campaign in January. And according to a source familiar with TAC, its president John Brennan is an adviser to the Obama campaign on intelligence and foreign policy issues. Brennan also contributed $2,300 to the Obama campaign this year.
Now, the source says at the request of the State Department, no administrative action has been taken against the TAC employee caught accessing Obama's and McCain's passport files. The source says TAC has never had problems with this employee in the past. In fact, the person has extensive experience inside the State Department and is known to be a terrific employee. Now, the source says they believe the motive was nothing more than idle curiosity echoing the State Department's comments Friday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN MCCORMACK, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: It is still our initial take, this was, I referred to it as imprudent curiosity. We can use a lot of other terms for it. And -- but, we're not dismissive of any other possibility and that's the reason why we have an investigation underway.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: As things stand now two contractors who accessed Obama's files have been fired. The State Department says a trainee in the passport office accessed Clinton's file over the summer and McCain's file was viewed earlier this year. On the issue of political contributions, the State Department official told CNN's Zain Verjee Saturday that it awards its contracts on a competitive basis, adding that a political affiliation is not one of the factors checked. Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
HOLMES: Well, the presidential candidates are taking it a bit easy for Easter. None of them have official campaign event scheduled. Senator John McCain will be flying back from London. He's been in the Middle East and Europe for the past week. Senators Clinton and Obama taking some time off. Clinton at home in New York and Obama leaves for the Caribbean today.
NGUYEN: A nice little vacation for him. Well, former presidential candidate Bill Richardson made headlines the other day by throwing his support to Barack Obama.
HOLMES: The governor argued that it was time for a new generation of leadership in America and our Josh Levs asked you whether age was a factor for democrats. Usually we're talking about McCain but we're talking about democrats.
LEVS: We're talking about race and gender. We don't talk about age a lot. He said it's time for the next generation and it was time for us to talk about it.
NGUYEN: I had a feeling it was indeed a factor.
LEVS: Yes, it really is. Our inbox was flooded here. Great responses and by far the majority of people are saying actually, yes, age is relevant to them. Let's take look at what some of these responses were that we got from our email inbox. First, from Lenny Suthers, "normally I would say age doesn't matter much. What I do think matters is the generational gap in thinking and political strategy. This generation is hungry for a new type of politics - one that is hopeful instead of cynical."
Let's go to the next one here. From Francine Rose, "Hillary and I had out JFK, our RFK and our MLK. Our generation has tried to make a better world, but our best thinking got us where we are today. Obama speaks to this new generation. Let them have the inspiration and hope that we had."
All right. Let's keep going on there. From a Clinton supporter who's "18, I think age does matter. The more experience, the better. I see that in Hillary Clinton."
Now on to Dave Williams, "Each generation has its own signature, and the baby boomers, of whom I am one, came of age in a time of fierce confrontation. Obama escaped the curse. His call to reunify the country is a call to move on from angry voices of the 60s, both on the left and the right."
We got a couple more for you. This one is from Rick Munther. "When John Kennedy was elected as the youngest president of the United States, many thought he was too youthful and inexperienced. Ronald Reagan was the oldest to take office. Do we need to debate the greatness of either?"
This is really interesting insight from our viewers here. And what do we have here from Kim Chan, "in my opinion, it is dangerous to have a younger candidate because Senator Barack Obama will have to learn by trial and error. I will feel very comfortable with highly qualified Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in charge."
And this last one, we're going to end with this because look at what Gwynne Moore is saying, "the world is moving at warp speed; we need younger leadership to keep up with it. Those of us over 60 may be wiser, but we lack the stamina and enthusiasm of younger individuals. At 46, perhaps even Barack Obama is too old!"
People not shying away here from saying you know what, when it comes to their votes in the democratic race, age matters to them. It is one factor they are considering. A lot of people seeing this generation thing, it could have weighed in on either side. I think it's a legitimate thing to consider.
of the and some people think it is a legitimate thing to consider.
HOLMES: You have to be 35 at least to run. LEVS: Yes. Right.
HOLMES: 46 is too old?
LEVS: So all you have is like 11 years before you get too old?
HOLMES: Oh, wow. That's a small window.
LEVS: I could almost be president.
NGUYEN: Only do it every four years. All right, Josh. Thank you.
HOLMES: Thanks, Josh.
NGUYEN: Well, experience the political campaign from the perspective of a voter, you can tune in to CNN's "Ballot Bowl" today at 2 p.m. Eastern.
HOLMES: Well, Senator Barack Obama commented on the portrayal of his former pastor Jeremiah Wright and the entire controversy centers around a series of sounds bites from several of Wright's sermons like this one.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. JEREMIAH WRIGHT, OBAMA'S FMR. PASTOR: And then wants us to say god bless America. No, not god bless America, god damn America for killing innocent people --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, shocking to hear for a lot of folks and a lot of you have heard it over and over again. But tonight, our Rick Sanchez goes "Beyond the sound bite," you'll hear Reverend Wright before and after that particular sound bite that stirred up so much controversy. It's what you did not hear the Rev. Jeremiah Wright say. That's tonight at 10:00 Eastern only right here on CNN.
NGUYEN: In the meantime though, Easter services are taking place right now at Arlington National cemetery near the nation's capitol.
An estimated 5,000 people are on hand for the sunrise service at the amphitheater there.
HOLMES: We're going to turn to Easter last year in Iraq. After a quiet morning worship service there a sudden attack on a U.S. military unit. One soldier killed, five injured and in times of crises like this, soldiers depend, of course, oftentimes on their faith. And in this particular case they turn to Chaplain Paul Lindzey. Chaplain Paul Lindzey joins us now from Tampa. Chaplain Lindzey, we appreciate you this morning. What are your thoughts waking up on this Easter as opposed to what you have gone through last Easter?
LT. COL. PAUL LINDZEY, CHAPLAIN, U.S. ARMY: There's a big difference from last year, waking up every morning to explosions of rockets or mortars. It's a lot more peaceful here.
HOLMES: And sir, why did you volunteer in the first place to go to Iraq?
LINDZEY: Because I love soldiers. I love people and I feel that I could be of help and encouragement to them.
HOLMES: Sir, what did you find? Last year you might have seen this, an article on in "Newsweek," talking about chaplains and the struggles that they have in administrating to these soldiers in Iraq. And they wrote so eloquently, "God can be lost or found in a fox hole but rarely does war leave someone's faith untouched." How was your faith touched by the Iraq war?
LINDZEY: It served to deepen me. It served to connect better with our soldiers but also connect better with people who are going through crisis or struggles of their own. When you see people at the point of crisis, you can see them at their best or their worst. And so, I've had appreciation for what people are going through.
HOLMES: You say yours was deepened. In this particular "Newsweek" article I'm talking about was actually about a chaplain who lost his faith. A deeply, devout man who actually lost his faith in the Iraq war. Did you really never find yourself questioning your faith and your god?
LINDZEY: No, my faith was not questioned. It was strengthened. It was encouraged and I was able to help others with theirs as well.
HOLMES: Well, you say you helped others with theirs. Did you see certainly then see that others even though they may have been devote men as well, men and women, you found that they were questioning their beliefs and their faith given the carnage of war?
LINDZEY: Most did not. Most turned to their faith as a resource, as a strength, as a help. I found most do not question at that time although some do.
HOLMES: Some do. What do you tell those that do? What kind of answers do you come up with to help those who are seeing their fellow soldiers, their brothers and sisters die left and right, they're seeing lose limbs and being injured in the worst of ways. That can shake anybody. How do you help them keep their faith?
LINDZEY: It's important to keep in mind what is going on internally as well as what's going on externally. It does not bother the person who has a strong faith in god to see the turmoil, to see the crisis because we understand from the internal that god is still there.
HOLMES: Do you sir, usually with these soldiers, do you sometimes serve as a cheer leader if you will and a morale booster, not necessarily always talking about faith with them?
LINDZEY: Yes, to encourage people from whatever faith tradition they are in, to encourage them to pursue their own faith, their own direction. Yes, I serve as an encourager.
HOLMES: Are there enough of you? I understand, at least last year, the last time we at least dug into this last year that there was a shortage of chaplains, not enough out there administering to the soldiers. The need was so great. How is the need now?
LINDZEY: There's still a need. We have a shortage specially in the reserve components, the National Guard and Army Reserve does have a shortage because we compliment the active duty wherever there is a need in the all three Army components serve together. Yes, there is an overall shortage. That's one of the reasons why I volunteered to go. I asked to go for 12 months.
HOLMES: I understand you were only there for three.
LINDZEY: Yes.
HOLMES: Do you want to go back?
LINDZEY: I'd love to.
HOLMES: What are you doing this Easter, sir?
LINDZEY: This Easter, I'm with my wife and we're celebrating in our own church and enjoying the peace.
HOLMES: Well, enjoy that peace and that celebration. I know it was a lot, it's a lot different today from the bombs that were going off for you at Easter of last year. Sir, we appreciate your time this morning and appreciate your service, for volunteering and going to help those who absolutely do need those like you at the time of war.
LINDZEY: God bless. My pleasure.
HOLMES: Thank you so much, sir. You take care.
LINDZEY: Bye.
NGUYEN: Well, on this Easter Sunday, we do have a happy reunion to tell you about. War buddies reunited. Check it out. Chubs along with six other Turkish sheep dogs from Iraq walked thousands of miles to be with their marine owners in California. The marine bonded with the puppies during their time in Iraq. And when it was time to go home, it was tough for the marines to leave them behind. Well, an effort was started to bring the puppies to America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. JAMISEN FOX, U.S. MARINE CORPS: We felt obligated to some mother and father who guarded our base to take these puppies back to America with us and we felt that way pretty much since the first day we had them.
STEVE RONK, OPERATION COOKIE JAR: To the U.S. troops combat and they are all by themselves and need all of the support they can get.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: What a great reunion. It was all made possible by Steve Ronk who runs operation cookie jar. He say, it took nearly $10,000 to fly the dogs to the United States.
HOLMES: Goodness, they're flying first class? No. That is not
NGUYEN: Several of them though.
HOLMES: We have seen several stories like that. And you know, that's important as well. You get your buddy out there in Iraq, you bond with them and they get them back. So, that's nice to see.
Well, coming up, folks, he's a well known spiritual author but he had to struggle to get where he is. Our conversation with Deepak Chopra continue in today's "Faces of Faith."
WOLF: And coming up, scattered snow showers continue to fall over flood ravaged Missouri. Obviously, it's been affecting thousands of people but it has been affecting animals too. Coming up, we're going to show you some compelling video to show you how this beautiful deer manages to make it out of those rising waters. That and more coming up on "CNN Sunday Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, good morning on this Easter. Here's a live look at St. Louis there. And you can see that beautiful arch on this Easter Sunday. We are though watching the flood waters as they are starting to recede in many areas. But as always, weather a big issue this weekend with storms going through the nation. We'll stay on top of this for you. Speaking of those flood waters, here's a little look at some of the damage that occurred.
HOLMES: It's the swollen Meramec River in Valley Park, Missouri. Some damage in Valley Park official say could have been a lot worse. And this morning, they're crediting a new levee for saving the town, the levee came with the price tag we understood earlier.
NGUYEN: $50 million.
HOLMES: 50 million but still that's not bad for saving your town maybe.
NGUYEN: Absolutely, I mean, just considering all the homes that could have been washed away and the damage that could have occurred. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf here with some video of a unique victim. You know, we talked about the people that have lost their homes and we talked about all that kind of devastation and tragedy but they're not the only ones who have suffered in flood waters.
WOLF: Absolutely right. I mean, animals suffer too. And you know, we're not just talking about the pets, we're talking about the animals in the wild including this shot. Take a look at this deer, beautiful animal, trying to make its way through all these debris that's been floating. You know, in normal circumstances, it might be easier for the deer to swim. They do swim, they cross rivers all the time. But you have all kinds of junk and all kinds of garbage in that water. Look, there he goes or she goes.
HOLMES: Swimmers?
NGUYEN: How are prolific are they at swimming?
WOLF: They are great swimmers, they cross rivers. They could cross, go out to any of the local lakes here in Atlanta, and you'll see them swim every once in a while across the rivers. They do pretty well. They're great animals and this guy is happy or girl is happy to get away. Happy Easter to the deer.
All right. What we're seeing though right now over parts of the mid Mississippi Valley including parts of St. Louis, a few scattered snow flurries this morning. We are not expecting any significant accumulation, one thing we have going for us at least for people in that part of the world will do is the accumulation comes down, the precipitation falls down, the rivers continue to drop. So, it's not as though this is going to add a great deal to any of the flood waters. So, that is certainly some great news. We're going to watch this for you very carefully.
Something else we're going to watch or at least talk about, your cold and flu report. Many people across the nation have been sniffling and sneezing and not feeling so great. We have plenty of widespread cases. In fact, every place in this map where you see red, these are your widespread cases. But any spots where you happen to see blue, different scenario, you only have regional cases but there is one state, one state on the map where things are going picture perfect and that would be Nevada where we have currently no cases to report. That's a look at your cold and flu report. We've talked about the deer, we've talked a little bit about the forecast. One nice little weather burrito served up just for you on this Easter Sunday morning.
NGUYEN: I tell you what. You are a multitalented man, Reynolds.
WOLF: We do it. It's a juggle.
NGUYEN: Thank you. We'll talk to you shortly.
WOLF: You bet.
NGUYEN: In the meantime though, check this out. A scary ride for some airline passengers, they got where they were going but part of their plane did not. We're going to show you.
HOLMES: OK. All right. Plus, an out of control SUV. A family waking up to this scene, it could have been deadly. Wouldn't you believe it is not the first time something like this has happened to them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. Some people get nervous flying as it is, right?
HOLMES: I do, actually.
NGUYEN: I do a little bit. Just imagine this, passengers on a U.S. Airways flight saw the side of their plane as it was hit by a section of the wing of the same plane. OK. We're trying to figure this out for you. You can see right there the missing section in this i-report picture sent to us by Paul Shepherd.
HOLMES: He's taking pictures not ordering drinks. The plane was able to land safely in Philadelphia. However, a U.S. Airways spokesman says the three to five foot section may have fallen off over Baltimore. So, heads up, folks. Local fire departments were told to keep an eye out for that missing part. The plane was flying from Orlando to Philadelphia.
NGUYEN: OK. So the side section was hit by a portion of the wing? That flew off over Baltimore?
HOLMES: What was that again?
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: Possibly fell over Baltimore somewhere.
NGUYEN: So, happy flying, folks.
HOLMES: When is your next flight?
NGUYEN: This week in fact. Don't remind me.
HOLMES: Oh well.
NGUYEN: In the meantime though, check this out. OK. A family in Austin, Texas, they barely escaped being run over, no not on the street or walking, right there in their own home. An SUV crashed into their house missing them by just a few feet. And police say the driver was choking and then blocked out. That what has caused this accident. He wasn't charged in the accident but a neighbor told to our affiliate in Austin that this type of accident has actually happened several times on that very street. Maybe it's time to move.
HOLMES: It might be.
NGUYEN: A bit of a big fence.
HOLMES: Talking about the housing crisis, I wonder what home prices are like there.
NGUYEN: Right there. Goodness.
HOLMES: We got a possible stop for the USS John Kennedy, the de- commissioned air craft carrier now docked in Philadelphia. The arrival there was delayed by a day though due to weather.
NGUYEN: Well, the Navy now has to decide what to do with this 40-year-old war veteran and when the Big John as it's called was retired last year. It was one of only two conventionally powered carriers in the Navy but that could soon be over. Because it might be sold for scrap metal.
HOLMES: Well, that doesn't sound right. Well, living life with a purpose and living life the way you want.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEEPAK CHOPRA: You have to sing your song. Because every human being has a unique song to sing and they should just sing it not worrying about who listens or what they think.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Betty, sing your song. It doesn't matter, just sing it. Go ahead.
NGUYEN: Just sing my song, my happy song.
HOLMES: Yes. Just go ahead and sing it. Yes, that song with other Deepak Chopra about spiritual success.
NGUYEN: And one car accident changed her life forever. We have the story about how one couple is fighting big business to get their medical bills paid. You have to see this one. That's coming up in the next hour of CNN "Sunday Morning."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Did you know, folks there is something you can do right now, this moment that does not cost you a thing and it could actually change your life? It's just one of many things I learned recently when I sat down with author and holistic health expert Deepak Chopra. Last week, I brought you part one of that interview. Now, here's part 2 in today's "Faces of Faith."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES (voice-over): Chopra wasn't always a best selling author. In fact, no one would publish his first book so he used his own money to publish 100 copies and sold them at the Harvard Bookstore.
CHOPRA: I was not discouraged at all. And I think for anyone who wants to really make a difference, you have to be independent of criticism, you have to be independent of flattery and you have sing your song. Because every human being has a unique song to sing and they should just sing it, not worrying who listens or what they think.
HOLMES: What would you say the title of your song?
CHOPRA: The title of my song is "Infinite Possibilities."
HOLMES: Are you a happy man?
CHOPRA: I have divine discontent.
HOLMES: Divine discontent, not really a happy man?
CHOPRA: Yes, in the absence of discontent there's no creativity. So, you know be happy and don't be too happy.
HOLMES: One of Chopra's most famous books outlines seven spiritual laws for success one for each day of the week. He attributes his own happiness to following those laws.
Why do you people have such a tough time? Because so much of it seemed so simple.
CHOPRA: They convince themselves it's difficult. They convinced themselves that they don't have the time. It doesn't take any time. It's just shift inside. If you do the same things that you do every day but the way you do them, your attitude is different. So, when I'm writing a book my attitude is god is going to right the book and I'll collect the royalties and all is well.
HOLMES: It is working well for you. What little nugget could you give somebody right now, a piece of advice to help them immediately in their day to day life?
CHOPRA: Take five minutes everyday, close your eyes, put your attention in your heart and ask yourself, who am I and what do I want? What's my purpose? What's my contribution to the world? What do I look for in a good friend? What do I do in a good friendship to nurture that friendship? What are my unique skills and talents and how can I use then to help humanity. Your life will change because if you live those questions, you move into the answers.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: You got it? You good?
NGUYEN: I feel a little bit better from it though. He just have that effect on people.
HOLMES: You know, he does. It's strange just being around him.
NGUYEN: You just feel calm, like you're getting centered. You're finding that foundation.
HOLMES: It is a very soothing effect that he has on everyone and I think he lives exactly what he preaches because he seemed to be a happy man.
NGUYEN: So, did you find your song?
HOLMES: I'm still looking for my song. I've been going through the billboard top 10 and stuff like that looking for my song.
NGUYEN: So, far nothing has come in mind, right.
HOLMES: Not so bad. NGUYEN: I think that song could change everyday.
HOLMES: It could.
NGUYEN: You know, depending on how you feel. It's tough there though. Thanks, T.J. Well, remember where gasoline was $2 a gallon.
HOLMES: No.
NGUYEN: Well, that was a long time ago. But for some motorists, it seemed like yesterday. Oh, in fact it was. A local church decided to help hundreds of people fill up their gas tanks on the cheap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE MCGOWN, PARKWAY FELLOWSHIP PASTOR: And now with gases, expensive as it is, this is specially important for people because it's probably just people where they live.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Drivers only have to pay $1.99 per gallon. Man, that's a sale. The church pays the extra. A total of $6,000 and the next hour of CNN's "Sunday Morning," starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIM SHANK, SUED BY WAL-MART: My idea of a win-win, you keep the paperwork that says you won, and let us keep the money and so I can take care of my wife.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Small print in a health care plan led to big problems for this couple. Her former company, Wal-Mart, says it wants more than $400,000. We'll be talking about that story this morning.
Here from the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, March 23rd, 8:00 a.m. at CNN Headquarters at Atlanta, Georgia. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody. On this Easter Sunday, I'm Betty Nguyen.
Well, that Wal-Mart case highlights the health care crisis right here on America. Forty-seven million people have no health insurance at all.
HOLMES: On the meantime, millions of others are underinsured. The health care is high on voters' minds heading into November. So, where do the candidates stand?
Democrats agree that universal health care is needed, but they differ on how to get it.
NGUYEN: Republican John McCain doesn't support a federally- funded universal health care, but he is calling for the expansion of health care savings accounts.
Now: For more details on where the candidates' stand, you can be sure to check it all out at CNN.com.
HOLMES: And back to that story we were just referring to. A woman left brain damaged from an auto accident, her family hopes to use the money from the accident settlement for her future care.
NGUYEN: But her former employer, Wal-Mart is trying to collect more than half of it because of a clause in her insurance policy.
Here's our Randi Kaye with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBBIE SHANK, INJURED IN AUTO ACCIDENT: I always thought (ph) that if it's you know ...
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Debbie Shank remembers an account in German, but she has no idea what she had for breakfast or what my name is minutes after meeting me. Debbie has no short-term memory.
In May of 2000, a semi-truck plowed into her minivan on this Missouri highway. Debbie's brain took the brunt of it.
JIM SHANK, SUED BY WAL-MART: It came through her window and probably hit her head.
KAYE: Today, she lives in a nursing home. Jim Shank works two jobs to help pay the bills and his bank account may soon take another hit.
(on camera): Eight years ago when she started stocking shelves at this Wal-Mart near her home, Debbie signed up for company's health and benefits plan. So, she was covered and her family says the bills were paid promptly. What Debbie didn't notice, her husband says, is a tiny clause in the plan's paperwork that says Wal-Mart has the right to recoup medical expenses if the employee also collects damages in a lawsuit.
(voice-over): In 2002, the Shanks settled with the trucking company, after legal fees, $417,000 was put in a trust for Mrs. Shank's care. The family's lawyer says he told Wal-Mart about the settlement.
Then in 2005, Wal-Mart's health plan asked for its money back and sued the Shanks for about $470,000. Money it had paid to cover Debbie's medical bills. The court ruled in Wal-Mart's favor.
(on camera): The fact is Wal-Mart isn't doing anything wrong here. It is their legal right to recoup this money.
J. SHANK: They are quite within their rights. But I just wonder if they needed it that bad. KAYE (voice-over): We tried to ask Wal-Mart why go after the money. The company's net sales, third quarter of 2007 were $90 billion. A Wal-Mart spokesman who called Mrs. Shank's case unbelievably sad told us: "Wal-Mart's plan is bound by very specific rules. We wish it could be more flexible in Mrs. Shank's case since her circumstances are clearly extraordinary. But this is done out of fairness to all associate who contribute to and benefit from the plan."
(on camera): Do you think Wal-Mart should make an exception for your family?
J. SHANK: My idea of a win-win. You keep the paperwork that says you won, and let us keep the money so I can take care of my wife.
KAYE (voice-over): If Wal-Mart's health plan gets the money back, Jim says, he won't be able to pay for his wife's care or his own. He's recovering from prostate cancer. He may lose his car and he won't be able to send his youngest son to college.
J. SHANK: Who needs the money more? A disabled lady in a wheelchair with no future whatsoever, does she need it? Or does Wal- Mart need $90 billion plus $200,000?
KAYE: The Shank's lawyer says Wal-Mart is only entitled to about $100,000. Right now about $277,000 remains in the trust, far short of what Wal-Mart wants back.
Last year, Jim divorced Debbie so she could get more money from Medicaid.
(on camera): The trauma to Debbie's brain was so severe, Jim says she won't remember we were here visiting her. In fact, she doesn't even remember the accident that put her here. She's in a private room for now, due to severe mood swings and a tendency to scream, all related to her injuries, but she may not be able to afford her own room much longer.
(voice-over): Last summer, the Shanks appealed the ruling in Wal-Mart's favor and lost. One week later, another terrible loss. Their son, 18-year-old Jeremy, in Iraq just two weeks, was killed. Debbie went to the funeral, but doesn't remember her son is dead.
D. SHANK: Why?
KAYE: When reminded, it was as if she was hearing it for the first time. One final push is underway. Jim is petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Debbie's case. What's left of Debbie's trust will remain frozen as the battle rages on.
Randi Kaye, CNN, Jackson, Missouri.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And just last week, the U.S. Supreme Court turned down the Shank's appeal. It was the family's last fight to keep the money from Wal-Mart.
NGUYEN: What a tough, tough situation for them.
Well, we do want to talk about this now. The slumping economy, it is affecting you in more ways than you know.
You can check out CNNMoney.com, Special Report: ISSUE # 1: From protecting your money, to finding a job that is right for you, there is a ton of information that could save you some money. ISSUE # 1 is at noon Eastern all week.
Plus: We have interactive tours and a lot more for you. Just go to CNNMoney.com.
HOLMES: Well, folks in parts of Missouri are breathing a bit of a sigh of relief today. The Meramec River has finally crested. In last week, the rushing water swamped hundreds of homes in that region. At least 17 deaths are blamed on the flooding.
Our Reggie Aqui is in Valley Park, Missouri. This is a town saved, thanks in part to a new levee.
Good morning to you, Reggie. And I'm sure they're thinking it has been a good morning, it worked.
AQUI.: It did work, T.J. And you know, even though you're seeing me and all of this water, this is actually good news and good news for a couple of reasons.
First of all, you see that major highway behind me? Highway 44, that takes you right into downtown St. Louis. And at one point, authorities thought they would have to shut it down. They didn't. This water didn't get as high as they thought it would.
The other thing that's good news is just beyond the highway overpass is a town that got saved by that levee that you mentioned. And we had an opportunity yesterday to go to that levee and see just exactly how protected the town. But I have to tell you, it protected just barely because this water got to almost a stage that would have been a record.
We're talking about near 38 feet is where this Merrimack River crested, and the levee is only five feet that. So, we're only playing with a few feet here or there, it could have change everything.
About 200 homes and about 125 businesses were at stake here had that water gone over the levee. This was something that cost $50 million. The Army Corps of Engineers started working on it 26 years ago because of a major flood that they had in 1982.
Of course, other communities weren't so lucky. We're talking of places like Eureka and Pacific. Those places don't have levees to protect them, and as a result, hundreds of people had to flee those towns. Some of them still don't know what happened to their homes.
We are told that some people were able to get back to those towns yesterday to check it out, T.J. And, you know, of course, they're going to have to add this up over the next few weeks because we still don't know how much this all costs.
HOLMES: And you said -- you know, I guess that's money well spent. $50 million in a levee to save your town, that's not bad even though it sounds like a big price tag. Do we know though, other towns around the area, you said not all of them have levees, but do we know about the performance of others that do have levees around the state?
AQUI: There really aren't any other levees, T.J. That's kind of the weird thing about this particular town. I mean, they started working in this so many years ago, and now, actually, when I talked to the mayor of this town, he tells me that other towns are now calling him, saying, look, how can we get a levee? When you mention, you know, $50 million, it's a huge amount of money.
Most of that came from the federal government. But $12 million of it came from this town and they tell us that, you know, when you add it all up, considering what could have happened, it probably was money very well-spent.
HOLMES: All right. He's the man now. Everybody wants to talk to him about his levee.
Reggie Aqui there for us in a town that was saved, and money well-spent as you said. Reggie Aqui, we appreciate you this morning, sir.
AQUI: All right.
NGUYEN: Well, let's talk more about the flooding in the Midwest. Not only that though, there is snow in parts of the northeast. A lot going on weatherwise.
HOLMES: Yes, we were talking about this yesterday. It's spring, Reynolds, tell us about the snow.
WOLF: Yes, we just have some scattered snow showers. In fact, where Reggie was reporting live, just moments ago, you could see an occasional snowflake. Now, the good news out of that is that we're not expecting that add too many problems to the flooding situation that they'd already have there.
However, as we zoom in, you can see indeed some scattered snowflakes, no significant accumulation. Expect a little bit of sleet to extend to not only in parts of Columbia southward to Jefferson City along 44, downtown St. Louis down by the arch, you're going to be seeing the snowflakes (INAUDIBLE) for the next hour or so, before things begin to fizzle out.
Farther to the north, we're seeing more of the same, scattered snow showers from Duluth, to our friends tuning in this morning from Minneapolis, good morning to you on this Easter Sunday.
Snowflakes are going to be something you're going to see just in the mid-morning hours. And farther to the south, in Texas, it's going to be a little bit of everything. You're going to see snow, you're going to see sleet, and even a few embedded thunderstorms mainly beneath the midland, Odessa area just to the southwest of Dallas.
We some scattered storms this morning at San Angelo back over to Midland. So, you might have the windows rattling a little bit with the booms of thunder. Now, as we take a look at high temperatures on this Easter Sunday, it's going to be a beautiful day.
Taking a drive along parts of highway 101 in San Francisco or it might be beautiful for you all the day up on the coast by big soar (ph). Sixty-six degrees mainly on the coast, 83 in Los Angeles, 47 in Denver, 51 in Nashville, 60 for Atlanta and 79 in Tampa.
That's your forecast. Let's send it back to you in the desk.
NGUYEN: And what a forecast it is for Easter Sunday. All right, thank you, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet, guys.
NGUYEN: More than a week after a tornado slammed into downtown Atlanta, the body of a man has been found. That body was discovered under a pile of bricks and rubble yesterday. An autopsy is being done to determine if he was a victim of the storm.
At least 27 people were injured in that tornado, but until now, police believed no one had been killed in the storm. But another tornado a day later did kill two people in North Georgia.
Other news: 1970s radical Sara Jane Olson is back in prison this morning. Her parole was cut short after a clerical error was discovered. She was released last Monday, but that was one year too early. As a member of the SLA in the 1970s, Olson was arrested in connection to an attempted bombing and a death of a customer during a bank robbery. She was a fugitive for nearly 25 years before her arrest in 1999.
HOLMES: And as we've been talking about this morning, Christians around the world are celebrating Easter today.
NGUYEN: Yes, it is a day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. And these were some of the sights and sounds from the Vatican.
Huge crowds turned out in the cold and rain as Pope Benedict XVI led an Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square followed by his traditional blessing. The pope appealed for solutions to bring peace to Tibet, Iraq and the Holy Land.
HOLMES: And: A look at Arlington National Cemetery here in the pre-dawn hours. An estimated 5,000 people showed up for the sunrise service there at the amphitheater.
Also in Pakistan: U.S. troops there attended a special Easter service at their camp in Kabul this morning. The chaplain said the service would renew the soldiers' faith and help them deal with the danger they face every single day. NGUYEN: (INAUDIBLE). We have much more still ahead, including -- speaking of the military, better food for the army. Oh, yes. It is trying to go gourmet for the soldiers' sake and I know they are thankful. Rations in Iraq are getting a makeover. And we're going to tell you about it.
HOLMES: Also: Take a look here. It's a big dog. You can ...
NGUYEN: What is that?
HOLMES: ... do just about anything, including helping troops overseas. We will explain this and what we're seeing, folks. Trust us. We'll explain. Just hang on tight.
NGUYEN: Kind of creepy.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, here's a look now at some other stories making news this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes. Vice President Dick Cheney is in Israel this morning and he's trying to move the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks forward. Vice President Cheney says he is committed to establishing a Palestinian state and that he won't encourage Israel to do anything to jeopardize its security.
HOLMES: Well, satisfying a soldier's stunt (ph) and the army is now making a better meal.
NGUYEN: Yes, they are. And they are moving past those old MREs to give combat troops in Iraq something that they desperately need. And that something that tastes good finally.
CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr gets a taste.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a long way from the K-rations of hard biscuits and dry sausages of World War II.
Today's soldier may soon be eating Zapplesaue, French toast pockets, and chocolate cappuccino cake in the field. The army took over a Pentagon hallway to unveil the latest advances in field rations, meals table made for soldiers on remote battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Army Secretary Pete Geren was first to try it all. The menu sounds like a gourmet restaurant.
PETE GEREN, SECRETARY OF THE ARMY: A little southwest chicken and some beef with black beans.
STARR: But this food isn't meant for everybody. This is specially packed with calories and nutrients that soldiers require to stay healthy on the front lines. A typical adult needs about 2,000 calories a day. A young soldier in combat may need triple that.
GEREN: And we have to provide them a balanced diet but also provide them the number of calories they need for the enormous physical stresses that they are under as part of their daily regimen and routine.
STARR: Staff Sergeant Brian Cassidy, another taste tester and a combat veteran of Iraq says getting enough energy the healthy way is the bottom line.
STAFF SGT. BRIAN CASSIDY, U.S. ARMY: I'm an infantry guy. We walk a lot, normally, so if you don't have enough carbohydrates, you start getting lethargic, guys start getting tired (INAUDIBLE) like that.
STARR: These trays can feed 18 soldiers in the middle of a battle. The foods are heated chemically, no ovens, no kitchens, and a new "eat on the move" ration pack has items like jalapeno cheese spread and tortillas wrap packed with carbohydrates and fats designed for the exhausting first 72 hours of combat.
Gerry Darsch is head of the Pentagon's Combat Feeding Program.
GERRY DARSCH, DIR., COMBAT FEEDING PROGRAM: We have to make sure there is sufficient protein to maintain muscle mass. We have to make sure that there is enough fat in there, which is obviously, a good source of calories.
STARR (on camera): OK. So finally, it's my turn to taste these new rations. Today's selection for me is going to be catfish. Tasty. I guess it's what we'll be eating the next time we're in Iraq or Afghanistan.
(voice-over): These new rations will start appearing on the battlefield within months. Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: All right, but did you notice there is not much on Barbara's plate, right? She has that tiny little bit of catfish.
HOLMES: Yes, she's had one little bite. My stuff (ph) is done. Yes.
NGUYEN: It tastes great. We're moving on. To think (ph) they have to eat it everyday.
HOLMES: I'm sure it's great.
NGUYEN: Hey, it's better than what it was. So, that's an improvement.
Speaking of being better, how about the best of the best?
HOLMES: I think when you weren't here when we got to talk to this guy. NGUYEN: I think I was in Africa (INAUDIBLE).
HOLMES: We love this guy. Tay Zonday "Chocolate Rain" is part of the best of the best. We'll show you what else made the Youtube awards list. (INAUDIBLE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, the presidential candidates are taking it easy for Easter. None of them have official campaign events scheduled. Senator John McCain will be flying back from London. He's been in the Middle East and Europe for the past week.
NGUYEN: Senators Clinton and Obama, they are taking some time off as well. Clinton is at home in New York, while Obama leaves for a Caribbean vacation today.
HOLMES: Does he have that big of a delegate count he can go still to the Caribbean?
NGUYEN: He's not worried of that. He's going to take a few days of "r & r."
HOLMES: The man, he had a tough week last week. He needs some rest. Yes.
Coming up, we'll touch on all of the campaign politics, including John McCain acting quite presidential overseas. CNN political editor Mark Preston joins us live next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Well, we do have some new information on that security breach involving the presidential candidates. The CEOs of the companies involved in the peeking of passports files have their own political ties.
The head of The Analysis Corporation is an Obama donor, John Brennan is also an adviser for the Obama campaign. Now, on the other side is the Stanley Company CEO --the CEO of the Stanley Company is Phillip Nolan. And he donated to the Clinton campaign in January.
Two Stanley employees were fired for accessing Barack Obama's passport file.
HOLMES: The big dog might not be pretty but it's a robot actually and it is useful. It can save lives. It just looks weird.
NGUYEN: It is creepy and it has no head to be called a dog. OK. We'll get into that.
HOLMES: Yes, we got questions.
NGUYEN: Things get better and better around here folks and Josh Levs is going to throw his info into the mix. What could you do to top that, Josh?
LEVS: That really freaks me off. That is like the terminator. NGUYEN: Yes, the thing of nightmares.
LEVS: Yes, I know. We were just talking about sky net. It's really scary.
Look at that. OK, what are the most popular videos in the world? That's not one of them. Some happier videos coming up right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: All right. Check it out. Is this the craziest thing that you have ever seen? It's a four-legged robot called Big Dog. We're not really sure why this dog has no head. It's very creepy to watch, but, of course, like many things, you can find it on Youtube.
HOLMES: Yes, a new video released from the maker, Boston Dynamics, this is a robotic pack mule in a field test. It can be used by the military.
NGUYEN: Is it a dog or a mule? I'm confused.
HOLMES: I don't know why they called it a Big Dog. It's confusing with the name, I think. But it could be used by the military to carry heavy equipment into rugged places like Afghanistan but the name is confusing, it's not dog like -- it's weird looking.
NGUYEN: Well, you know, as creepy as it may be, apparently this thing is so very useful. I mean, just imagine trying to get through mountainous terrain or other areas if you've got all of the heavy gear. And you just throw it on Big Dog over here, you're good to go.
HOLMES: All right. We'll turn to our big dog here, Josh Levs. Winners of the -- see, I was trying to get -- and then you had to do the thing.
LEVS: Oh, come on. He was begging for it.
HOLMES: Just go ahead with what you got.
NGUYEN: 2007 Youtube awards. Roll it.
LEVS: Yes, thank you. (INAUDIBLE) Youtube awards, it just came out. People all over the world are voting on the best videos online in the world. This is, if you go to Web page is the winner of the adorable category. And it's the first video that you'll see. Let's take a look.
Watch what happens here. Watch. People are loving this.
All right. We're going to take a look now quick -- I love that baby. We'll take a look quickly and ...
NGUYEN: It just makes you want to laugh.
LEVS: All right. Listen, creative category. Take a quick look here. Human Tetris, I want to show you guys this. That is amazing what people will do. Look at this.
At first, I thought it was a design. This is video where they made people sit in like in church pews and they'd actually shot an entire Tetris game. It's pretty outstanding what they'd pulled out here. I mean, it's also amazing to me what people will go through for a hit video online, this from a Swiss creative arts company.
And finally, winner of best music video, an old friend of T.J.'s, as you guys are just talking about, let's hear for few seconds here.
NGUYEN: Chocolate rain.
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