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CNN Sunday Morning
Miami Store Manager Escapes Robber; The Cost of Autism
Aired March 30, 2008 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FABRISSIOI LOPEZ, WPLG-TV PHOTOGRAPHER: ...grabbed her right here and with the gun in the head.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): And you're thinking?
LOPEZ: And I'm thinking, "wow." And in that moment I say, "am I rolling?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Yes, he was rolling, and here's a look at it a dramatic hostage situation plays out on a Miami street, we have the latest.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: Also, you may have heard, there have been calls for Hillary Clinton to drop out of the presidential race. Well, that ain't happening, but now Barack Obama is weighing in on it see the advice he has for whether she should stay or go. Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RALPH IALLONARDI: It's very easy to say no to buying clothes and saying no to buying a better car, and so no to, you know, painting the walls or whatever, but it's hard to say no to some kind of supplement or diet or therapy that could help your kid talk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: We hear a lot about the emotional costs of autism, but what about the financial costs? We're going to take a look this morning. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, bringing you the news from around the world on this Sunday. Good morning, everybody, I'm Betty when.
HOLMES: And hey there, I'm T.J. Holmes. Sunday, March 30. Let's get you caught up on what's happening and we'll start with that dramatic scene in Miami. A hostage-taker is now in a Florida hospital. Got a lot of new developments in this ordeal, it ended in a hail of gunfire.
NGUYEN: Yeah, and a dramatic escape, which was caught on tape. CNN's Susan Candiotti has the story now from Miami Shores. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): At gunpoint, the store manager is forced outside by a masked man. Cops start yelling at the suspect.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down! Get down!
CANDIOTTI: WPLG-TV's Fabrissio Lopez is the lone photographer zeroed in on the action.
FABRISSIOI LOPEZ, WPLG-TV PHOTOGRAPHER: With the (INAUDIBLE) grabbed her right here and with the gun in the head.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): And you're thinking?
LOPEZ: And I'm thinking, "wow." And in that moment I say, "am I rolling?"
CANDIOTTI (voice over): He was. The suspect yells to police who have him in their sights.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, get back or I'll shoot him!
LOPEZ: I wait for him, but see it's -- they guy's crazy, he got a weapon...
CANDIOTTI: The manager won't give in.
LT ROBERT WILLIAMS, MIAMI-DADE POLICE: He pushed him. The subject's pushing, there is a little tussle going on.
LOPEZ: The guy is screaming "help, help, help!"
WILLIAMS: I guess, you know, when your adrenaline is flowing in a way it was flowing when you have somebody that's there that's armed, this manager did not want to go with that subject like that.
CANDIOTTI: Incredibly, the shaken hostage escapes, barely injured, and within seconds, bullets start flying. WPLG-TV estimates at least 18 shots are fired. The suspect takes off in the same car. About three hours later, he's caught, shot more than once, and survives.
Back at the drugstore, police count bullet casings, interview employees, and confiscate every police gun fired. As for the store manager's heroic escape, cops say fighting back was risky, but give him credit for guts.
WILLIAMS: He didn't know what mindset this guy was in, and he just wanted to get away, and he did. And I'm very happy that he's safe and sound.
CANDIOTTI (on camera): Lucky man?
WILLIAMS: I would probably say God is looking out for him, yes. CANDIOTTI: The robber? He got away without any loot. The store manager got away with his life.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, Miami shores.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, the woman accused of abducting a newborn Friday from a necessity hospital, she has been put on house arrest. An ankle monitor will keep tabs on 39-year-old Jennifer Latham, pending her court appearance on April 29. And according to Orlando affiliate, WKMG, police saw Latham try to take another baby, but was confronted by the parents. Well, then she walked out of the hospital with one- day-old baby boy. You're talking a look at the picture, right there.
She was identified in hospital surveillance and police then spotted her car just a short time later. But, what you're looking at right here, that little tote bag, that's what we understand, from authority, that's how she carried the baby out of hospital.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JENNIFER LATHAM, BABYNAPPER: I just don't understand. What's going on?
OFFICER: Well, I just explained it to you. That's a newborn you have back there.
Did you give birth to that newborn?
You did?
LATHAM: Yeah.
OFFICER: You gave birth?
LATHAM: Yes.
OFFICER: Today?
LATHAM: No.
OFFICER: Yesterday?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: So, after leaving the hospital, she was caught a short time later as you saw there officers were questioning her about the newborn, well that baby was not hurt and has been reunited with his parents. The suspect, though, apparently had convinced family and friends that she was pregnant.
HOLMES: And Boston firefighter has to come to the rescue of some pro athletes. The bus that was carrying a Portland Pirates hockey team, blew a tire, then it caught fire. Firefighters had to douse that blaze. Nobody hurt here, but one firefighter said he had never seen pro athletes so scared.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple guys hurdling over seats as they were jumping off the bus. It was pretty hysterical, a 6'7" guy jumping over four seats at a time, but it was definitely interesting, a story to tell.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: He's telling the man up, essentially. All the team's equipment was damaged in that fire. But no, that's some scary stuff, and a serious scene. They didn't know what was going on. Yeah, they didn't know.
NGUYEN: I mean, (INAUDIBLE) firefighter, that's his job, he knows how to handle fire. The regular persons, hey, I'm out therefore, too.
HOLMES: 6'7"...
NGUYEN: I would hurdle over the seats, as well.
Let's talk about presidential politics, now, and our "Campaign Trail Mix." The Republican nominee to be, retraces his roots.
HOLMES: Yeah, John McCain, in Mississippi, today. He's kicking off a biographical tour from there, tomorrow. The campaign says it's a chance for McCain to re-introduce himself to voters.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton taking a break from the campaign trail after stops in Kentucky and Indiana, yesterday. Bill Clinton will be in California and Oregon.
NGUYEN: Barack Obama holds rallies in Pennsylvania, today. He's on a bus tour through the state and as you recall, the Pennsylvania primary, well, that is not until April 22. The clock is ticking.
HOLMES: It is and some folks out there saying the clock should go ahead and strike for Hillary Clinton. Just give this thing up, get out of race. Well, Barack Obama, now, he's weighing in on calls for her to quit, as well. CNN's Jim Acosta has more on that. He's with the CNN "Election Express" in Philadelphia. We usually see him standing in front of that camera. Where is my man, Jim, he on the bus?
JIM ACOSTA, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: T.J., we're not experiencing technical difficulty.
HOLMES: Oh, that's tricky.
ACOSTA: We're on board the "Election Express." We're just testing, there. That's actually a monitor shot.
HOLMES: That's tricky, there. ACOSTA: Inside the "Election Express." So, we thought we'd show off some of the bells and whistles inside the "Election Express" to get this report going, here. But, you're right, you mentioned what is happening here in Pennsylvania, and it's been very interesting over the last couple of days to hear the back and forth between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama over this issue of whether or not Senator Clinton should drop out of the race.
As we know, a couple of Obama's surrogates, on Friday, called for Senator Clinton to drop out of race saying it's very difficult for her, mathematically, to secure this nomination. And yesterday, Hillary Clinton rejected those calls and then Barack Obama, at an event in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, seemed to back away from what his surrogates are saying, saying that Senator Clinton is welcome to stay in the race as long as she likes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My attitude is that Senator Clinton can run as long as she wants. Her name is on the ballot and she is a fierce and formidable competitor and she obviously believes that she would make the best nominee and the best president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Now, as for Hillary Clinton, she was at an event in Indiana yesterday and she, as we said, rejected those calls to drop out of race, but went further with the "Washington Post" telling a reporter with the "Washington Post" in an interview, I might add, that the Clinton campaign requested, not the "Washington Post," she said that she is prepared to take this nomination battle all the way to convention in August, if necessary. Saying that those races in Michigan and Florida need to be worked out, she would like to seat the delegates and those voters counted in her favor -- T.J. and Betty.
HOLMES: Yeah, we shall see. That certainly hasn't been squared away, just yet. Let's go to one more issue, here. The head of the Republican National Committee saying that their candidate, John McCain, is owed an apology by the head of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean. Tell us what's happened there.
ACOSTA: Well, that's right. This all started with the McCain ad, the new general election ad that he launched on Friday, and immediately Howard Dean with the DNC, the chairman of the DNC, released a statement calling John McCain a blatant opportunist. It's not exactly clear that chairman saw wrong with that particular spot. But that drew howls from the Republican National Committee, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, issuing a statement saying that senators Obama and Clinton need to call on Howard Dean to retract that statement. So, it is getting interesting. The very first ad coming out of the John McCain campaign and it's already started a controversy, T.J.
HOLMES: All right, we will hold our breath on that apology coming, Jim.
ACOSTA: That's right.
HOLMES: Jim Acosta.
ACOSTA: Might be holding it awhile.
HOLMES: Jim Acosta, toying with us a little bit, there, at the CNN "Election Express." But, thank you for showing off some of the toys, there. We appreciate you. We'll see you again soon, man.
NGUYEN: All the bells and whistles. You know, that's part of why we have the best political team on television.
HOLMES: They know how to use the toys w have.
NGUYEN: They've got the info and they've got the toys.
Well, Chelsea Clinton keeping it real on the campaign trail and joking about moving back in with her parents. Check out her answer to a question in North Carolina, yesterday.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHELSEA CLINTON, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DAUGHTER: Sometimes people ask me if I'm looking forward to moving back into the White House, and I say I don't take anything for granted. I hope that my mother is my president, but as I've already confessed, I'm 28. I bet that seems really old to you. It certainly seems old to me. And I would be pretty distraught if I had to move back in with my parents at this point in my life.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: I don't know. It's the White House, Chelsea.
HOLMES: It is.
NGUYEN: If your mom does get elected, still, it's a pretty nice pad.
HOLMES: I think it comes with some perks, doesn't it?
NGUYEN: Just a few. I mean, you can order whatever you want any time of day, security is good, I hear, around there.
HOLMES: Nice lawn I hear, I hear.
NGUYEN: You have Christmas parties, all kinds of stuff. You'll be fine.
HOLMES: Well, we'll talk about how this thing is shaping up, and actually let you make the call how this race is shaping up, this whole race, with BALLOT BOWL, your chance to hear from the contenders themselves. BALLOT BOWL, today, at 2:00 Eastern, which includes many of those faces you see there. Remember, it's got the best political team on television.
NGUYEN: Well, Clinton and Obama on the record. You definitely want to tune in for SITUATION ROOM's primetime special anchored by Wolf Blitzer, that is coming up tonight at 8:00 Eastern on CNN, your home for politics.
HOLMES: Also this morning, we're talking about the high cost of caring for children with autism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE IALLONARDI, PARENT OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN: Eight dollars for a bag pretzels. This costs like $6.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Whether it's special diets or expensive therapies for autism it does add up quickly and often sends families deep into debt.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm meteorologist Jacqui Jeras. Spring is in the air. Spring showers all over the place and what's going on in Yell County, Arkansas? Find out coming up with your forecast.
NGUYEN: And does Memphis seem like a sinful place to you? Well...
HOLMES: It's where I grew up.
NGUYEN: Well, T.J. Is from there, so, you know, you answer that. But, a new poll says it is. We're going to tell you why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: This new video coming into CNN, violence breaking out in Nepal, this morning. Police there cracking down on Tibetan exiles. The Tibetans are protesting against Chinese rule and swarming around the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu. This is the second straight day police...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (Screaming).
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: My goodness -- have made arrests. Tibetan activists tell CNN that four people were injured in the scuffles.
HOLMES: To Zimbabwe, now, and the main opposition party there is claiming victory in the election even before the first results are announced. The Movement for Democratic change says it will not accept any other outcome. The president there, Robert Mugabe, is seeking a sixth term. His government warns it'll treat any (INAUDIBLE) announcement that it's leader is the rightful president as an attempt to take over the government. NGUYEN: The Olympic torch, there it is, making its way to Beijing, Greek officials handing it over to organizers of the Beijing Olympics, this morning. Now yesterday, torch bearers carried the flame from Athens, Greece to Acropolis.
HOLMES: Well, Jacqui Jeras, today, if we were trying to bring that thing through Atlanta and some parts of the South today, rain would probably douse it.
JERAS: Yeah, a little bit. In fact, a lot bit.
(WEATHER REPORT)
Look at that, it's just gorgeous. Doesn't that just put you in a happy mood, Betty and T.J.? Just kind of brighten you up a little, here on this Sunday morning.
NGUYEN: It is gorgeous. The only problem is, we're sitting here and not actually seeing it up close in person.
JERAS: What a beautiful day there.
NGUYEN: Give it a couple of days. Take a picture it will last longer. Thank you, Jackie.
Well, you know, not everyone is hurting because of the home mortgage meltdown. The two top executives of Countrywide Financial Corporation will receive combined payouts of $19 million as part of the company's takeover by Bank of America. There's more. Countrywide chief executive Angelo Mozilo will get $10 million in stock. Company president, David Sambol, will get nine million. And get this, Sambol will also get $28 million in cash and stock to stay on with the combined company.
Well, from that to money troubles for our nation's food banks. In this struggling economy, the pantries, well, they are running low.
HOLMES: Certainly, at the worst time, really. More and more people actually need that help, right now.
Here now, CNN's Kate Bolduan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The weak dollar, record high gas prices and the mortgage meltdown, all adding up to a financial crisis for many families, and the trickledown effect is even hitting America's food banks. The place struggling Americans should be able to turn to is now struggling itself. Lynn Brantley is the CEO of the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C.
LYNN BRANTLEY, CEO, CAPITAL AREA FOOD BANK: We need protein foods. We need them very, very badly.
BOLDUAN: Brantley says donations are down significantly at the same time demand is up and rising. BRANTLEY: They are seeing anywhere from 20 percent to 50 to 70 percent of increases in the number of people that are coming to their sites for food.
BOLDUAN: Adding to the strain, government contributions, surplus food, are also down. From $240 million worth in 2003 to just $58 million worth last year, says George Braley, vice president of a nationwide food bank distributor.
GEORGE BRALEY, AMERICA'S SECOND HARVEST: And 75 percent of the food surplus we used to get, we no longer get.
BOLDUAN: The Department of Agriculture says it provides $190 million in cash each year to food banks, but acknowledges there is not as much surplus food available to donate.
KATE HOUSTON, DEPUTY UNDER SECY, USDA: In large part, because U.S. agricultural markets are strong and we've seen an increased demand for U.S. agricultural experts.
BOLDUAN: So, many food banks have turned to other donors for help. In December, Wal-Mart delivered a tractor trailer in every state. Major grocery stores, like Giant Foods, also donate.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our trailers make weekly deliveries to the food banks and a lot of times we have product that's unsellable but again, it's perfectly good, safe, healthy product.
BOLDUAN (on camera): But food banks are still feeling the pinch and keeping a close eye of the overhaul of the farm bill being debated in Congress. It could include major funding increases that could reach struggling food banks.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And be sure to join Gerri Willis, Ali Velshi and the entire CNN money team as they take a look at "Issue No. 1" and what it means to your bottom line. That's Noon Eastern, tomorrow, only on CNN.
HOLMES: All right, Memphis, scoring a hat trick in a new poll. Not exactly something you're going to put on your tourist brochure, though. You're not going to promote this one. We're going to tell you about it. Also, we've got this coming up:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was destitute at 470 pounds in a wheelchair with heart failure. Worse yet, my family had followed suit with an obese 15-year-old at 300 pounds.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Wow, but look at him now. How his life-saving journey to a healthier lifestyle has also taken him to the top of his profession. This is a story that will inspire you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Everybody knows "Sin City."
NGUYEN: Las Vegas.
HOLMES: Is Las Vegas. Slow down. Actually, there are a lot of sin cities out there.
NGUYEN: I was kind of surprised.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: OK, "Forbes" magazine has come out with their list of sinful cities, based on the seven deadly sins. And so, let's just start with T.J.'s favorite city, Memphis, the "River City," but they may need to add a new name. How about a triple threat? That's because they top the list in three categories. Listen to this: gluttony, sloth and envy. The poll says, envy manifests itself in property crimes like robbery.
HOLMES: I'm sure that gluttony, that barbecue has something to do with that.
The rest of the list, though, for pride, Salt Lake City with six plastic surgeons for every 100,000 residents, there. Also, they had one for avarice, greed, in other words, Silicone Valley, that's San Jose, that area, avarice. Lust in Denver, contraceptive sales nearly 200 percent more than a comparably sized city. Or maybe that means they're informed.
NGUYEN: In Denver?
HOLMES: Yes. And they practice safe sex.
NGUYEN: You think that's what it is? They're responsible in Denver?
HOLMES: Yes. And wrath in Detroit. So, there you have it.
NGUYEN: That is an interesting poll, there. Notice, Atlanta wasn't on there at all.
HOLMES: It isn't? Good.
NGUYEN: Well, I didn't see it.
HOLMES: OK, well, I only been here a year and a half.
NGUYEN: Oh, that will change, then.
HOLMES: I'm kidding.
All right, well March is National Nutrition Month, and according to the CDC, children who are obese are 80 percent more likely to actually be overweight adults.
NGUYEN: Yeah, but one chef has gone to the top and is working to change the odds for kids.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GEORGE STELLA, CHEF & AUTHOR: My name is George Stella, and I'm a chef, but I just feel like I'm on a mission.
NGUYEN (on camera): A mission to share his story and help others. Stella has spent much of his life in the kitchen, starting as a dishwasher and going on to become a well-known chef in south Florida. But, he had one huge problem, his weight.
STELLA: I was destitute at 470 pounds in a wheelchair with heart failure. Worse yet, my family had followed suit with an obese 15- year-old at 300 pounds.
NGUYEN: Stella used his passion for cooking to help his family. He started creating low-carb, fresh food recipes and lost 265 pounds. His family also lost weight. Then Stella brought his low-carb skills to the Food Network, now he works with the Junior League's Kids in the Kitchen program which teaches children and parents to shop, cook and eat healthier.
STELLA: Cooking does bring the family together. See, your kids are always watching you, whether you're doing good or bad or otherwise, whether you know it or not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's totally.
STELLA: It's really good.
Give them the knowledge and the inspiration and motivation to want to cook fresh.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Well, we will turn to crease fire negotiations underway in Iraq. Could it end the violence that has broken out there? We'll be live in Baghdad.
NGUYEN: Also, you love their music, well, what about their political views? Which candidate does your favorite singer support? We'll show you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well there, is a possible break in that fierce fighting between Iraqi troops and Shiite militia. Cleric, Muqtada al Sadr is calling on followers to end their fighting with government security forces, and in a statement issued just a short time ago, al Sadr called for cooperation with the government. Clashes were touched off in the southern Iraqi city six days ago when Iraqi security forces moved against Shiite militias, and Iraq's prime minister admits he may have been a miscalculation the backlash the offensive would cause. HOLMES: But meantime, Baghdad and other areas are under curfew, this Sunday morning, with some streets in the capital nearly deserted. Up to 400 people have been killed in the past six days of fighting.
NGUYEN: CNN's international correspondent, Nic Robertson, joins us now from Baghdad with an update on all of this.
And Nic, what is Maliki's plan for bringing the situation under control?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN NEWS INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, he has said that he will continue to chase down the criminals and beat the militias and take control of areas of Baghdad where militias are still in control, and the same for Basra. The situation in Basra, at the moment, according to some people in the city, is militias control up to 50 percent of the city. The government says they control much of the city there, but others say they control the main roads, but not a lot of the neighborhoods where militias remain strong and Prime Minister Maliki's plan has been to continue with military operations to clear these neighborhoods of militias.
However, perhaps, this will change because Muqtada al Sadr, the cleric that leads one of the main militias, the Mehdi militia, the government is cracking down, appears to be offering a truce by telling his fighters to stand down, on the grounds that the government will give them amnesty and will release some of their fighters who have been captured.
We don't know what the prime minister's reaction to this offer is. We do know that they have had direct negotiations, at least at senior levels, between the government and that militia, late last night. But, we don't know what Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki's reaction is going to be to that current offer. At the moment, it still stands that he seems to be continuing plans to go ahead with the military offensive against the militias -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Well Nic, the focus right now is trying to suppress this violence that we've been seeing. But, you know, let's talk just a minute about the long-term implications of this war with the militias.
ROBERTSON: Well, the prime minister is already getting criticism for getting involved in a fight that he clearly can't win. The situation at the moment seems to be bogged down into a stalemate where militias have control, that the offensive has run out of steam, that it's not taking the fight to the militias in their heartlands, right inside some of these neighborhoods. So, there is a criticism launching this military offensive that perhaps can't succeed without negotiations.
In the end, the other criticism is of a political nature, and that is that the -- the provisional council in Basra that controls Basra says that the prime minister didn't talk to them about this offensive before they went ahead. Now, the representative of this provincial council, it is essentially some of their militias, but the government is certainly fighting with, and they see this as having a political angle and, therefore, the support of the United States, Great Britain, and coalition, in terms of air strikes against the militias could be seen as taking political sides here, as well, Betty.
NGUYEN: All right, CNN's Nic Robertson, joining us live from Baghdad, today. Nic, thank you.
HOLMES: And the latest fighting there, he just talked about, putting the war back in focus in presidential politics. What does it mean for candidates and their campaigns? CNN political producer, Sasha Johnson, with us this morning from Washington to talk about that and other hot topics.
SASHA JOHNSON, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Good morning.
HOLMES: Good morning to you, kind ma'am. Let's talk about this. Obama and Clinton, they are telling their voters, hey, we got to get people out, get out troops out quickly. However, the Iraq military has shown now, in this offensive, that it still needs U.S. military help. Is their argument still going to fly, now?
JOHNSON: I think it probably will, in some ways, at least for Democratic voters. I mean, if you look at polls, an overwhelming majority of Americans are against this war and so as Iraq creeps back into the headlines, maybe even takes over the economy, in the banner headlines of the newspapers, people are reminded we're still fighting, we're still needed and people want out. And so, you know, John McCain, I hate to sort of put political benefit on who wins or who loses when it comes to talking about Iraq, but if John McCain can argue that the Iraqi government is taking control of this situation and is trying to make things better in the country, perhaps this sort of current fighting might help him in some way.
HOLMES: So, are they going to curb their argument? I guess, both sides are going to play this a little differently, try to play it all to their advantage. But, for the Democrats, at least, aren't Americans going to look at this and say, we don't want to leave the country a mess? And it's clear now, that they tried and you know, they still need our help. So, does it make sense to keep pulling the U.S. troops out, no matter how bad we want them out?
JOHNSON: Well, and it is a sticky situation for the Democrats. I mean, I can remember at one town hall in main, several weeks ago, a woman asked Senator Clinton, what if we leave? I mean, don't we sort of need to stay and clean up this mess? And Hillary Clinton was very candid and says, look nobody really knows what's going to happen. So, I think that both of the candidates can sort of argue at this point that in their best judgment they think it still makes sense to leave. But I mean, again, we'll sort of see if the Democrats were to win the White House, in January of next year, what situation we're in and what they can actually do in Iraq.
HOLMES: Yeah, a lot of things will change between now and then Let's turn now to Hillary Clinton. A lot of calls -- I shouldn't say a lot, but some high-profile calls for her to get out of the race. Those came from Patrick Leahy of Vermont. But he is an Obama supporter, take it with a grain of salt. But, still, he's a big name that somebody's going to listen to. Obama has jumped in now, on this topic of whether or not she should get out. Is his answer surprising to you?
JOHNSON: Well, I mean, he said that she should stay in if she wants that she should fight on as long as she wants to. She has the money, she's a formidable candidate, she has an incredible amount of support. I mean, there are only 100 and change number delegates apart. So, there's really no reason for her to get out at this point and I think that that's kind of been interesting that over the last several weeks, the dynamics haven't really changed all that much, we haven't had a contest.
But, what has changed is this growing anxiety among some Democrats that this will go on for too long. And you know, Hillary Clinton needed to, as she did in the "Washington Post," this morning, come out and say: I'm in this until the end, I'm in this through the convention. Not only to appease donors and supporters to sort of show that she is very strong, but also the superdelegates that she is continuing to court, that she is not willing to give up until the absolute bitter end.
HOLMES: Oh, did you have to use that adjective? "Bitter" end.
JOHNSON: I know. I know.
HOLMES: Sasha Johnson, we appreciate you, as always. You look rested. You're just coming back from vacation. Good to have you back.
JOHNSON: Thanks.
HOLMES: You bet. All right, have a good one.
JOHNSON: You too.
NGUYEN: So, how is the presidential race shaping up? BALLOT BOWL let's you make that call. It's your chance to hear from contenders, themselves. BALLOT BOWL, today at 2:00 p.m. Eastern only on CNN, your home for politics.
HOLMES: And also, Clinton and Obama on the record. Tune in for a SITUATION ROOM prime time special anchored by, who else but our Wolf Blitzer. That's coming up, tonight, 8:00 Eastern, right on CNN, your home for politics.
NGUYEN: Well, for parents with autistic children, there is no price they wouldn't pay to help their kids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
R IALLONARDI: It's very easy to say no to buying clothes and saying no to buying a better car, and so no to, you know, painting the walls or whatever, but it's hard to say no to some kind of diet or therapy that could help your kid talk.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: But those costs add up fast and many families are finding themselves drowning in debt. A close every look at one family's hard choices.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Let's talk now about unraveling the mysteries of autism. CNN is taking a closer look at autism and the challenges of both parents and children.
HOLMES: Here are some facts about autism that you need to know first. Boys are four times more likely to get autism than girls, and it's not just a problem in the U.S., as many as 35 million people worldwide have autism.
NGUYEN: And the numbers are staggering, making it hard for some families to keep their heads above water financially. CNN's Gerri Willis takes a closer look at how one family is barely getting by.
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GERRI WILLIS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A house in the suburbs, three young children and loving parents.
MICHELLE IALLONARDI, PARENT OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN: Pass it back.
WILLIS: Your typical family. Except...
M IALLONARDI: All three of my boys were diagnosed with autism. Jackson was diagnosed at 2-1/2, the twins were diagnosed a little after their first birthday. So, actually all three of our children were diagnosed within one year's time.
M IALLONARDI: At the very beginning you're just numb, I mean, you just think, OK, three kids with autism.
RALPH IALLONARDI, PARENT OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN: Where do you go from here?
WILLIS: Where they went was into debt.
M IALLONARDI: We first took out a loan to kind of set up an area for the children in the house to do therapy and we started out with like $15,000 or $20,000 on a home equity loan and that was three years ago. The home equity loan is now up to, I think, $67,000.
R IALLONARDI: It's very easy to say no to buying clothes and saying no to buying a better car, and so no to, you know, painting the walls or whatever, but it's hard to say no to some kind of supplement or diet or therapy that could help your kid talk.
M IALLONARDI: Eight dollars for a bag pretzels. This costs like $6.
WILLIS: It adds up quickly. A study by Professor Michael Gantz puts the lifetime cost of caring for an autistic child at more than $3 million.
MICHAEL GANZ, HARVARD UNIVERSITY: $3.2 million per person or $35 billion for society consists of medical costs such as doctor's visits, medications and therapies. It consists of nonmedical costs, such as adult care, child care, special education, transportation if necessary, and it also consists of lost income, both parent's lost income and the lost income of people with autism.
WILLIS: For Ralph and Michele Iallonardi, it's not about the cost, it's about their kids.
M IALLONARDI: You're talking about meeting basic needs.
R IALLONARDI: Basic needs, right, so you'll do whatever.
WILLIS: One thing they aren't doing is consulting a financial planner, which some say should go hand in hand with the diagnosis.
Michael Beloff is a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley and the father of an autistic son.
MICHAEL BELOFF, FINANCIAL ADVISOR, MORGAN STANLEY: I find that parents tend to focus on the day to day issues, the next doctor's appointments, the meetings with the schools, meeting with the therapist. What sometimes gets lost is the long-term planning.
WILLIS: The Iallonardi's still need to plan for the financial future of their autistic sons, but that plan now involves two instead of all three of their boys. (INAUDIBLE), one of the twins was recently declassified and is said to be developing normally.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was funny.
M IALLONARDI: I love my boys. We love each other, you just draw inspiration from your kids.
R IALLONARDI: If you told me a year ago that, you know, Jackson would say his first words. I couldn't put a price tag on that. The house, the equity, the line of credit -- who cares? That would all be frivolous.
Gerri Willis, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, you want to be sure to tune in to CNN on World Autism Day, that's Wednesday, April 2. We will go in depth on the myths, facts, and reasons for hope. "Unraveling the Mystery," a CNN worldwide investigation, it is all day, Wednesday.
HOLMES: But you don't have to wait until then. You can actually check out our special section at cnn.com where you can learn more about autism and how you can impact your world.
NGUYEN: So can politics affect the opening of, I don't know, pro football season? You bet it can. And we're going to tell you why.
HOLMES: Also talking about which music stars have lined up behind presidential candidates, from Madonna to one of my favorite bands, Arcade Fire.
NGUYEN: Hey, more power to you. I have no idea who that is.
HOLMES: And those be the McCain girls. Our Josh Levs is taking a look.
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NGUYEN: Let's take a look now at some of the stories making news, today.
HOLMES: Yeah, the owner of a wild life rescue center is recovering this morning by an attack by two cheetahs under her care. She was actually in the cage with them when one of the animals got agitated, apparently by somebody at the park who was bouncing a ball. Authorities say the woman was knocked down and mauled and suffered 40 puncture wounds and bystanders actually had to pull her out of there.
NGUYEN: Volunteers go out again today looking for Stacy Peterson. The search for the missing suburban Chicago woman resumed yesterday after a winter hiatus. Now, as you recall, Peterson disappeared last fall and police are treating the case as a possible homicide. Peterson's husband, Drew, has been named a suspect, but he denies any wrongdoing.
HOLMES: Well, John McCain is tackling the NFL. He's prompted the NFL move its season opening game. The September 4 game is on the same night as the Republican National Convention and that's the same night as the Republican nominee is going to be making his acceptance speech, so the NFL is moving the game, but only to an earlier time slot, 7:00 Eastern.
NGUYEN: Well, presidential candidates love to pick up celebrity endorsements and it doesn't hurt if those stars can carry a tune.
HOLMES: Yeah, and here now is CNN's Josh Levs with a rundown of the politicians and the musicians who support them.
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JOSH LEVS, CNN.COM REPORTER: He's been an icon for decades.
His classic, "I'm Still Standing," could be a Hillary Clinton's theme song and he'll likely sing it at his concert for her at Radio City Music Hall. Add him to the list of Clinton supporting music stars like Madonna, Elvis Costello, and Barbra Streisand. She supports Clinton, so does virtual doppelganger, Timbaland, the hip hop producer who threw a fundraiser for Clinton a year ago. She then faced criticism from people who consider some of his lyrics offensive.
"Rolling Stone" magazine's Will Dana, told CNN, Clinton may have the biggest names, but...
WILL DANA, ROLLING STONE MAGAZINE: But Obama has a longer and much longer and cooler list, I think. LEVS: Will.i.am is an Obama supporter, along with John Legend, the Grateful Dead recently played their first show in four years for Obama. Some indy rock groups are behind him like Arcade Fire, which played at rally are for him in Ohio. Frontman, Will Butler, had used his blog to slam Clinton after her New Hampshire victory.
JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My friends...
LEVES: We looked for John McCain's friends among the major music stars, so did "Rolling Stone."
DANA: We could only find one rocker whose endorsement came, and that was Dee Snyder.
LEVS: But McCain has something the two Democrats don't -- the McCain Girls.
Real people attracting tons as they croon for their candidates, now that's change.
Josh Levs, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Raining McCain? Is that what she said?
HOLMES: That's what she said. Where is the Obama Girl? Where is she? It's now time for to us turn to Howard Kurtz, he's in Washington, to see what's ahead on RELIABLE SOURCES.
Good morning to you, sir.
HOWARD KURTZ, RELIABLE SOURCES: Good morning, folks. Coming up, top political writers say the Democratic race is over and journalists should stop pretending that Hillary has a chance. But, just who elected us to short circuit the contest?
The "L.A. Times" accuses associates of "Puffy" Combs in the unsolved shooting of a rap star all based on fake FBI documents. We've got the man who blew the whistle on the bogus story.
Plus, why did it take a grim milestone to put the Iraq war back on the front pages of the network newscasts? That and more, ahead, on RELIABLE SOURCES.
NGUYEN: Sounds good, looking forward to it. Thank you, Howard.
KURTZ: Thank you.
HOLMES: All right, Folks, of course, it's Sunday morning, here, but yes, folks are working hard already preparing for tomorrow to bring you the news.
NGUYEN: So, let's check in with Kiran Cherty in New York.
KIRAN CHERTY, AMERICAN MORNING: Hey there, Betty and T.J. Coming up next week on AMERICAN MORNING, air check. Reports of guns going off in the cockpit, a door flying off during takeoff, and two major airlines grounding planes over wire inspections. But, what is the real threat on your next flight? We'll take a look.
Also, a high-tech tool that could change your next road trip. We told you about a new GPS system that not only gives you directions, but can actually tell you how to avoid traffic that lies ahead. Our Chris Lawrence tries the navigation device in an area that has some of the worst jams in the country. Can he get around them? We'll show you.
Plus, your money and your home. It's home selling and buying season, but would you save more if you just stayed put? What you need to think about if you're ready to move. It all begins Monday on AMERICAN MORNING, 6:00 a.m. Eastern.
Betty and T.J., have a great weekend. Back to you.
NGUYEN: All right.
HOLMES: All right, folks out there, are you feeling a bit thirsty? We got lots of big bottles to show you, but you don't want to drink the water.
NGUYEN: Oh, no.
Also ahead, he is a giant among men, literally. Who sometimes just wants to be a kid.
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HOLMES: All right. You know, you go near the shore, water these days, you see a lot of, you know, plastic bottles floating around, littering the banks, but usually not like this, I imagine.
NGUYEN: Oh no, these giant colorful bottles are an art installation in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Now, they are quite nice to look at, especially when eliminated at night. The huge bottles, though, line one of Brazil's dirtiest rivers as an environmental message about pollution.
HOLMES: Oh, so, it's not easiest being the world's tallest man. Nothing fits just right. People around the world have been sending Leonid Stadnyk of Ukraine, all kinds of things to help make his life a little easier, including an oversized bicycle and a special exercise chair.
NGUYEN: And the president of Ukraine even sent him his own car, as you can see in this photo. But you know, hey, the guy is 8'5" tall and getting in and out is a little tricky.
HOLMES: Why has he not picked up a basketball, yet?
NGUYEN: Really, he could make some serious cash. He doesn't even need to throw it. He just goes over and puts it in. Right like that. And that's all you need. So, try the sport. HOLMES: Poor guy, that's tough, though, 8'5".
NGUYEN: I know.
HOLMES: That's tough.
NGUYEN: Imagine trying to find a date. Someone that's even near that height. Yeah, what are the chances of that?
All right, we'll move on. RELIABLE SOURCES with Howard Kurtz is straight ahead.
HOLMES: Oh, yes it is. Howard and his guests are going to be examining the media pressure on Democratic presidential contender, Hillary Clinton and her blunder over her trip to Bosnia as first lady.
NGUYEN: And then a little bit later, with secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice in the Middle East, LATE EDITION, with Wolf Blitzer, will update you on the latest developments in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. But first, here a check of this morning's top stories.
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