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CNN Sunday Morning
BP Confident It Can Contain Gushing Oil; Sole Survivor of Libyan Plane Crash Shielded From Media
Aired May 16, 2010 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. From CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's May 16. I'm Kate Bolduan.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Jim Acosta. We're both in for T.J. Holmes....
BOLDUAN: We are.
ACOSTA: ...this morning. Thanks for starting your day with us.
BP officials have been working overnight in an effort to stop the massive oil spill in the Gulf. And they're trying a new tactic, using a mile-long pipe to try and siphon out the oil. We will go live to the Gulf to get the very latest.
BOLDUAN: Plus, the lone survivor of that plane crash in Libya is waking up in his home country this morning. His aunt and uncle are taking care of the 9-year-old boy. Both of his parents and his brother were - were killed. We'll tell you how he's doing right now.
But first, a look at the headlines this morning.
The Red Cross will start evacuating women, children and the elderly form that spreading protest in Bangkok, Thailand. Today, more flames, gunfire and chaos. After three days of this, the government reports at least 25 dead. A curfew is planned.
The U.S. State Department says it will evacuate all non-emergency personnel. It also warns U.S. citizens against traveling to Thailand.
And some airports in Ireland are closed this morning because of, yet again, ash from that volcano in Iceland. Heathrow and Gatwick in England could also see disruptions early into the week. British Airways says it'll advise passengers on its website.
And check out the view from the shuttle Atlantis. Majestic. Absolutely beautiful. Atlantis will dock with the International Space Station around 10:30 Eastern Time this morning. For several days, experts have tracked some space junk in the area, but say it doesn't pose a threat to the ISS. It should pass within six miles though, which is still pretty close for space standards.
ACOSTA: It sure is, Kate. And a lot of people watching that oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico this morning are asking, is today the day BP finally gets a handle on the growing environmental threat? The oil giant was hoping to start siphoning oil last night from the pipe. Plans were to insert a tube into the pipe and pump the oil nearly a mile to a ship on the surface. No word yet on whether that is working.
At the same time, BP says it looks like its plan to use chemical dispersants at the source of the leak is working. That according to the company.
And while those efforts are playing out, the folks who work and live on the Gulf Coast are keeping a very close eye on the waters. Here's what you can see from the air. Ribbons of oil stretching for miles. BP says it's 210,000 gallons a day, but some experts say it's a lot more than that. All that oil threatens the Gulf's delicate ecosystem, as well as people's jobs.
Reynolds Wolf joins us live from Biloxi, Mississippi this morning.
And Reynolds, we've been talking this since the very beginning. The Gulf is famous for the shrimp down there. How concerned are those shrimpers, Reynolds?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, they're very concerned.
I mean, you know, as you mentioned, this is - this is big business. We're talking - it goes to a tune of about $2.45 billion a year in the Gulf Coast. And Mississippi is no exception; it definitely is huge business here.
Now - but let's give you some bad news first. And the bad news is that eight percent of the federal Gulf waters are closed. That is the bad news. The good news, that means 92 percent happen to be open.
Now, here in Mississippi, for the time being, things are pretty good. They have been testing along the coastline, the barrier islands. No trace of oil for the time being.
But you can't just look at the oil; you also have to protect the marine life. Well, by checking the marine life, you actually have to go out and - you actually take some samples. We were lucky enough to go out with the state of Mississippi's Department of Marine Resources to actually see how they get these samples.
Here's the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: Well, I'm coming to you from Biloxi, Mississippi. And we're about to get onboard this vessel, and we're about to head out to sea.
This is Mike Brainerd. Mike, what is today's mission? MIKE BRAINERD, SHRIMPER: We're going to be going out to the Mississippi Sound and doing some testing on the shrimp to see what the average size is. And this will be used to get ready to open up our shrimp season.
WOLF: OK. Good deal. Let's get to it.
OK, I think we're going to speed up a little bit. Hold on.
Now, where exactly are we headed, specifically?
BRAINERD: We're going to check - our Station 3, which is in the Biloxi Channel.
WOLF: Has the oil spill been a huge concern for you?
BRAINERD: It's definitely a concern, but it's - as of right now, we've been very fortunate, and the oil hasn't gotten into our waters. So we're just going ahead and planning like it's going to be a regular shrimp season, and hoping that we will have a shrimp season, so - and of course, we got planes up there, you know, monitor every day to see where the oil actually is and how far it is from our shores.
WOLF: How important are these little animals, these little shrimp, to the people that live here?
BRAINERD: I mean, it's - it's very important. It's a big part of culture here in. And Biloxi used to be the shrimp capital of -- of the U.S.
WOLF (voice-over): We're now at a shrimp bed just off Deer Island, Mississippi. Biologist Bill Richardson lowers his net and raises his hopes for a good sample.
Richardson says conditions are perfect right now for shrimp to grow, but worries that any oil in these waters could put the season in jeopardy.
BILL RICHARDSON, BIOLOGIST: And it's kind of like a garden out here for them to grow.
WOLF (on camera): Pristine conditions make pristine, shrimp?
RICHARDSON: Yes. Yes. Exactly.
WOLF: How does this guy look? Pretty healthy?
RICHARDSON: Oh yes. All he needs is some batter on him.
WOLF (voice-over): Fishermen aren't the only ones who closely follow the work of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
(on camera): Yum. Yum. Yum.
RICHARDSON: (INAUDIBLE), too.
WOLF (voice-over): Dolphins know an easy meal when they see one.
(on camera): Here you go.
(voice-over): The Mississippi shrimping season could be a few weeks away. Opening day depends on the sample these biologists take back to headquarters, and the efforts of other agencies working to keep the oil from spreading.
RICHARDSON: We've got some brown shrimp and some white shrimp. We'll take the - these back to our lab and measure and weigh them.
WOLF (on camera): Bill, do you like what you see?
RICHARDSON: Oh yes, definitely. This looks very good. I - I hope the oil stays away so our fishermen can - can get involved in some of this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: Now, Mississippi isn't the only place that has been conducting tests like this. And they've been conducting like this over in Mississippi. And not just Mississippi, rather, but in Louisiana for mussels.
I have no doubt that these tests will also be in places like Alabama and perhaps even off the Florida coastline.
Everyone watching, and again, hoping for the very best when it comes to this giant oil slick and its impact, possibly, on fishing.
Let's send it back to you in the newsroom.
ACOSTA: And Reynolds, you know, just seeing that dolphin swimming up for a little free sample there, maybe wonder about, you know, something that we don't really have our hands on yet, and that is what's happening in the - in the depths, the deep parts of the Gulf of Mexico.
I mean, we - we haven't seen the oil wash ashore, so that means it's just spewing and pumping and - and - and filling up the Gulf with just gallons and gallons of oil. And I guess the big question is, what's happening to the ecosystems at - at very depths of the Gulf?
WOLF: And, you know, that is a great question. That's one of the big concerns that the - many environmentalists have been having when it comes to that dispersant they've been putting on the oil as it's been coming out of that giant leak. As it's just been venting out, they've been using the dispersant.
And what you're talking about dives right into their biggest concern. So it really - again, there - there are a lot of questions out there. Some people are saying that it's a good thing, what's happening down below, keeping that oil away from the surface. Others say that you're just making a bigger problem for the marine life that you're specifically talking about.
So again, no easy answers for the time being.
ACOSTA: Yes, there are sure not.
Reynolds Wolf, thanks - thanks for keeping an eye on it. Appreciate it. Talk to you soon. (INAUDIBLE).
BOLDUAN: So Jim and Reynolds were talking about it there, and BP estimates that ruptured pipe is spewing 210,000 gallons of oil a day. A Purdue University mechanical-engineering professor though believes the leak is much larger, almost 3 million gallons a day.
CNN's Brian Todd asked the BP official about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB DUDLEY, BP: Well, that's not - that's not what our experts, multiple experts, not only from BP and the industry say.
This crude is - is what's called a light sweet crude. It has lots of gas. And when it comes out, it expands very rapidly, a little bit like bubbles in a soda pop. So it's very difficult to look at it and say that it's - that the volume will be much higher. We certainly don't see that at the surface, and no satellite photographs, which are fairly accurate, in terms of where the crude is coming out.
And you mentioned the thickness of the crude. A lot of it evaporates very quickly. That - that number is not anywhere close to anything that we - we think. We - we believe today, best estimates, rough, 5,000 barrels a day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: And in another development, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar sent a letter to BP's chief executive. They want BP to confirm it will not ask taxpayers or the government to pay for the spill and economic impact.
And a remarkable story of survival in the middle of a major tragedy we want to tell you about.
ACOSTA: Yes, this is amazing. A hundred and three people died when a plane went down in Libya. But one young boy survived. He is - this morning, the 9-year-old now known as the "miracle survivor" is back in his home country as people around the world watch his recovery.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Welcome back.
Of all the issues Congress is considering...
ACOSTA: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
BOLDUAN: ...here is one you might not think is on the top of the list. But women everywhere care about this.
ACOSTA: They do?
BOLDUAN: They do, believe me.
ACOSTA: OK. All right.
BOLDUAN: We're simply tired of standing in - in long lines waiting to use a public bathroom. Well, now, a House committee is taking action.
If it's passed, the "Potty Parity" Act will eventually balance out the number of guys and girls stalls in federal buildings across the country.
ACOSTA: And one lawmaker says there actually are health risks involved. Get this: Waiting too long, they say, can cause urinary- tract infections. And somehow you sort of knew the guys had to be to blame for this, or at least you were thinking this, right?
An architecture professor says most federal buildings were built years ago, so before women joined the workforce in large numbers, and by men apparently insensitive to women's additional needs. You can do the math. They didn't build enough bathrooms.
That's basically the problem.
BOLDUAN: Well, I think any woman would tell you that.
ACOSTA: Yes.
BOLDUAN: There's - and you know it. And there's always a longer line - the ladies than the men's room.
ACOSTA: There always is. But I just thought...
BOLDUAN: And it has nothing to do with the fact that we're reapplying lipstick when we're in there.
ACOSTA: I just thought it took you guys longer. That - that was the whole thing. I ... (INAUDIBLE).
BOLDUAN: We love to have you think that.
Anyway, Bonnie, what are your thoughts on this?
(LAUGHTER)
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I was thinking that usually we'd go as a group of girls together.
ACOSTA: She's waiting for us. I mean, that's the...
BOLDUAN: We'll be back. We're - Bonnie and I need to use the ladies...
SCHNEIDER: Go together, right?
(WEATHER REPORT)
BOLDUAN: So there are videos everybody ends up watching online and also talking about.
ACOSTA: We're talking about viral videos. They're hitting the Internet all the time, and of course, Josh Levs has the very best for us this morning.
Good morning, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Good morning, guys. Yes, we get to wake you up a little bit in the morning.
So what is the most unlikely vehicle to be the centerpiece of a hip rap video? The minivan. But this thing is going viral. And amazingly, it actually might help a troubled call maker - carmaker, rather. I have this coming up.
Plus, I have the new Internet music star and the cutest video of the week. Everyone in our control room is going to love all this. It's coming right up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC, JANET JACKSON, "ESCAPADE")
BOLDUAN: For the record, I believe that song was request by Josh Levs.
(LAUGHTER)
BOLDUAN: But I digress.
Now something to wake you up this morning, if you needed help doing that right now: a look at the latest and greatest new viral videos on the Internet.
ACOSTA: Yes, these will wake you up.
As always, our Josh Levs is on the lookout. What do you got for us, Josh?
LEVS: I'd like to know, was that Janet Jackson? That was Janet Jackson, right?
ACOSTA: That was.
LEVS: OK, yes. Well, at least I got the basics down right. I don't know where the song came from .
ACOSTA: (INAUDIBLE)
(LAUGHTER)
LEVS: But hey, I love it. She's awesome, right?
OK, so you guys got to hear this first new hit rap video that's an ode to the minivan. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(RAPPING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: All right, (INAUDIBLE) and tell you what this is all about. Believe it or not, this is actually from Toyota, and they're playing on this idea of minivans being uncool. And they got this couple that's a total suburban couple. They're singing about what their lives are like.
And it is also a very clever ad strategy, as Toyota getting people to watch this ad basically for free. They don't have to air.
Let's listen to a little more of it, and then we'll - I'll tell you a little bit more about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(RAPPING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: All right. So the minivan rap comes out. It takes over the Internet in a matter of days. It has 1.5 million views. It's getting close to 2 million views right now.
Once a company creates one of these things, people keep watching it for free. It's free advertising. And who knows? At a tough time for Toyota, maybe it will help them come back.
All right. Next video I've got to show you, this young kid - you've probably heard about him, who sits down at his sixth-grade recital, starts doing his own performance of Lady Gaga. And listen to how he sounds.
Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SINGING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Dang. Greyson Michael Chance. You guys won't believe this - the video's been up about a week, 15 million views already. He was on "Ellen." Everybody wants to listen him.
You can tell the rest of the sixth graders there had absolutely no idea what to do. And then he stands up - and he's just a 13-year- old kid. And apparently, he's got a future ahead of him. Hearing about potential careers now.
And finally, I got to show you guys, the cutest video in the world of the week. Look at this: doggie riding in style on something you've never seen a doggie ride on. That dog, named Ho (ph), is riding on his friend - or her friend, rather, Karl (ph).
Let's listen to the music.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: That dog is just, like, kind of hanging out, cruising, going for a ride in a convertible - convertible turtle. People are - and you know what? And the thing about animal videos is, they don't even have to do anything. You can just put cute videos on, and millions and millions and millions of people will watch it in the first few days. Absolutely amazing.
All the links to all the videos are up for you at my Facebook page, Facebook.com/joshlevscnn. Take a look at it. See what you think. Send us your favorites. We might just share them next week.
So guys, you know, a little bit of viral-video fun to help you wake up in the morning, 6 a.m. Eastern on a Sunday, which (INAUDIBLE).
BOLDUAN: Wake up. Watch a slow turtle.
(LAUGHTER)
LEVS: Yes.
ACOSTA: We've moved - we've moved way beyond cat playing the piano, you know? It's just - it's...
BOLDUAN: People are very inventive now.
ACOSTA: Exactly.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLDUAN: And our ratings just boosted.
LEVS: Yes, you know what? I think the - hey, an animal and the turtle, you can't beat that, any day of the week.
BOLDUAN: Or make it up.
Thanks, Josh.
LEVS: Thanks, guys. Yes.
ACOSTA: Well, the oil spill on the Gulf Coast cost thousands of fishermen their jobs. BOLDUAN: And now BP is making good on its promise to put some of them to work. We'll tell you why some of them though are frustrated about that.
ACOSTA: Plus, major developments in Thailand overnight. The government takes drastic measures to try and end the deadly violence that has taken over that nation's capital.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Checking our top stories, a Cathay Pacific Airways flight got a military escort this weekend into Vancouver International Airport because of a bomb threat. Two fighter jets were scrambled from a Canadian military base when they received the threat just before 2 p.m. Eastern yesterday.
The matter is still under investigation, but a Canadian officer says there was no indication of any explosives on the plane.
A Pakistani man who set off an explosives detector at the U.S. Embassy in Chile is out of jail. A judge ruled there wasn't enough to keep in jail while authorities carry out their investigation. He's charged with illegally possessing explosives, and he's not allowed to leave the country.
A senior official tells CNN the man had been on a U.S. watch list for some time.
And a machine malfunction could be to blame for a series of explosions at a guns-and-ammo factory in New Hampshire that killed two people. The state's fire marshal says investigators are still trying to figure out what set them off. And the factory, we're told, will be closed for some time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Welcome back.
Libyan - Libyan authorities believe low visibility was the reason that plane crashed just before it landed in Tripoli on Wednesday. Everyone onboard died except a 9-year-old boy. We've been talking about him a lot.
ACOSTA: Yes. Since he was pulled from the wreck, his remarkable story of survival has captivated the world.
But as Rosemary Church tells us, accusations that the media may have gone too far forced the Dutch government to keep his return home as low-key as possible.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This may be the last we see of Ruben van Assouw, and it's not much to see. Dutch media agreed not to cover the plane's arrival in the Netherlands, and authorities say there will be no further press pictures of the little boy.
There have been lots of pictures so far of Ruben himself sleeping quietly after his ordeal in Libya, and of Ruben's aunt and uncle, who traveled to Tripoli to take him home. Some accused the media of invading the boy's privacy.
Dutch journalist Jaap van Deurzen has been following the controversy.
VOICE OF JAPP VAN DEURZEN, DUTCH JOURNALIST: What started the row around the media - and it was not all of us, I can say. That - but they - they - they found the doctor in the hospital in Libya, in Tripoli. And the doctor was standing beside the bed, and he said, 'Well, he's lying beside me. Do you want to speak to him?' And the journalist said, 'Yes, of course.'
And they had a - they had a conversation with the little boy. And then printed that conversation. And after that, all the media in - in - in Holland were accused of being too near that boy.
CHURCH: The media everywhere were fascinated by Ruben, who lost both parents and his older brother in the Tripoli tragedy.
As they left Tripoli, Ruben's uncle pushed his way through the crowds to keep Reuben's face hidden from the cameras. And hundreds pressed to see the miracle survivor once more before he left.
But there were no crowds at the airport in the Netherlands when Ruben and his aunt and uncle arrived on Saturday. Dutch authorities confirmed the arrival and announced that there would be no further media contact with the family.
Out of sight, out of mind, the saying goes. But in young Ruben's case, perhaps not. The world is not likely to forget the miracle survivor.
Rosemary Church, CNN, Atlanta.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: And fishermen who lost their jobs because of the Gulf Coast oil spill are getting some relief from BP.
ACOSTA: Yes, they're waiting in line to sign up for work and also to collect paychecks. Why some say this is causing even more frustration beyond what they're already dealing with.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Good morning. Welcome back. I'm Jim Acosta in for T.J. Holmes.
BOLDUAN: And I'm Kate Bolduan. It's 6:30 Eastern. 3:30 if you are on the West Coast. Let's look at the headlines.
ACOSTA: Well, Kate, we start in Thailand. It's already mid afternoon in Bangkok, the capitol, where at least 25 people have died in antigovernment protests in four days of violence. There have been more clashes in the streets today, but the Associated Press reports the government has abandoned plans to oppose a curfew saying it no longer sees a need to do so.
If you have plans to travel to England or Northern Ireland, check with your airline. That cloud of ash spewing from Iceland's active volcano closed airports in Belfast and Dublin over night, as well as Manchester and Liverpool, in England, this morning. So far no effect on London's airports. British Airways will advise passengers on its website. It suggests staying flexible.
And the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis will keep a sharp look out for a chunk of space debris. It will also check for any possible damage that occurred during lift off. Atlantis is scheduled to dock with the International Space Station around 10:30 Eastern this morning. For several days experts have tracked that space junk but say it does not pose a threat to the space station. It should pass within a big six miles.
So oil giant BP is hoping to begin pumping oil this morning from the ruptured pipe nearly a mile beneath the Gulf of Mexico. No word yet on whether a pipe has been successfully inserted into the rupture to begin the process, though. BP has hired fishermen to help in containing and cleaning up the spill. But some of those who have been hired, or want to be hired, are upset with BP's handling of the situation. Reporter Evan Anderson of WVUE, in New Orleans spoke with some of them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice over): Hundreds of fishermen line up at the government complex in St. Bernard to get paid for their first few days of working out on the Gulf. Sounds like good news in the wake of this disaster. The parish is cutting checks on behalf of BP because these guys are helping keep the oil at bay. But for some:
STEVE HOTARD, FISHERMAN: I'm frustrated. Frustrated about everything that is going on with the fisherman and the way-really I'm frustrated with the way they're handling it.
WAYNE MELERINE, JR., FISHERMAN: They want to get you frustrated. An that's the way they got these fishermen out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some feel like there's no consistent process of compensation or selection of who can go out and get to work.
MELERINE: I have friends that don't even-they won't even look at me because I went to work.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because you constantly worry. We have bills to pay like everyone else. You know when your check is coming in. I don't know if I'm going to get any more. They're going to rotate these boats. If they don't start rotating them right, I'll never get back on a list.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Fishermen now off each other's throat. Some in the parish's vessels of opportunity rotation, others left out.
HOTARD: It's just come to the point where either you know people, or you don't know people. If you know the right people, you're working. If not, you're not going to-it ain't going to happen.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: Some fishermen say when they do get work it takes them three days to make the same amount of money they made in one day of fishing. A very tough situation, Jim.
ACOSTA: Thanks, Kate. I'm standing here with Bonnie Schneider getting ready to talk weather.
And, Bonnie, one thing that we have to keep an eye on, just about every day, right, is what's happening in the Gulf weather-wise, because it could impact.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Absolutely. The winds impact it. When you look at the shape, Jim, so far of where the oil spill has been moving and located, you see sort of a merge a little bit further north. That's because the flow started to come consistently from the south. However, we are going to see some changes. Take a look at forecast. And as we zoom into what to expect for today, we look for a high of 84 degrees. Winds will be out of the southeast at 11 to 17 miles an hour. The waves at three feet, which is actually pretty calm.
There will be a shift, though, to the southwest as we go through the next couple of days. And another thing that is kind of important to note is we have thunderstorms in the area. And the thunderstorms do contain some frequent lightning strikes. When you have rain and lightening, just in the area-you can see a flash right there-in the Gulf, it can hinder some of the wildlife rescue efforts going on right now. Because they can't take the boats out if there is lightning and thunderstorms.
ACOSTA: It's dangerous.
SCHNEIDER: Absolutely. So, unfortunately these thunderstorms are working their way closer to New Orleans, and closer to Biloxi, where Reynolds Wolf has been reporting from, but they will be intermittent. So, not a total wash out in terms of the weather. But definitely a stormy one. Something we're watching closely. Because these thunderstorms are actually part of a larger-scale system that's even bringing rain to Tennessee. And I'm going to talk more about this big rainmaker coming up later in weather.
ACOSTA: Great. Thanks a lot, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
ACOSTA: Appreciate it.
Over to you, Kate. BOLDUAN: Some 25 dead, hundreds injured, as the fighting in Thailand gets even more intense. Now the government is taking action to try and stop the violence and keep the citizens safe. This is a live picture of Bangkok right now. There you go. That is a live picture right now. You can see some of the smoke from the fires rising between the buildings. Sarah Sidner is live in Bangkok this morning and is following the latest developments. Stay with us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Smoke, gunfire, explosions, chaos in the streets of Bangkok. So why has the government decided to reverse its decision to put a curfew in place? We'll have that story coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Time for more on one of our big stories this morning. The street clashes in Bangkok, Thailand. Now into the fourth day, there are more reports of violence. The government has changed its mind about imposing a curfew. Our Sarah Sidner is in the middle of it all in Bangkok.
And, Sarah, a lot of Americans have to be shocked about what's happening over there in Thailand, right now. What's the situation over there?
SARA SIDNER, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Right now it is still extremely chaotic. Things have continued to spiral out of control. There's smoke coming from one section of the protest area. All day long we're hearing explosions. You hear gunfire continuing throughout the day. We do understand now, we have confirmed at least one person has been killed today.
Yes, there are Americans here. Some are holed up in their homes. They are not leaving. It is a dangerous situation in the commercial district of this city.
We should also talk about what's happening with the protestors and the government. The government earlier today came out and said we're going to impose a curfew, but did not give details of that. The Red Shirts, the protesters, who want the government to leave, to dissolve, they said, we don't care. We're going to stand our ground. The government came back and said, OK, we're going to reverse our decision for a curfew because the government believes it can keep this place under control. But if you look at what's happening on the streets, it is very difficult to tell when that might happen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER: In Bangkok, a battle zone exists where businesses once prospered. On one street antigovernment protestors armed sling shots and firecrackers try to create a smoke screen. On the other end of the street a Thai marksman takes aim and shoots towards the billowing smoke. Gunshots ring out for hours. We are there on the evening, a loud crack, and someone falls to the ground. An unarmed man has been shot. He's in bad shape. People try to move him to safety. They struggle. Finally ambulance arrives and whisks him away.
This disturbing video shows another casualty earlier in the day the eyewitness says the victim was a volunteer helping another injured man. Witness Nappadol Dewathom shows us the helmet the volunteer was wearing when he was shot.
NAPPADOL DEWATHOM, WITNESS (through translator): It went right through his brain. He was trying to help an injured man. When I saw him he just fell like a leaf. I heard, bang, a soldier shot him.
SIDNER: The military says it's following rules of engagements and can fire if their lives or citizens' lives are threatened. At least two Thai soldiers have been killed since the protests began. The Thai prime minister spoke to the nation saying all of this is due to a small group of people among the protesters trying to create a civil war, and the country not afford to allow the rule of law to fail.
But at least in one part of the city, that is exactly what has happened. People are dying on the streets, and antigovernment protesters are not letting up their fight to oust the government.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SIDNER: More than two months, that is how long these protests have gone on. The protesters have capture about a three-square kilometer area of Bangkok. And they have captured that for about five weeks, more than five weeks actually. Right now know one knows when this might end, Jim.
ACOSTA: Sarah, a lot of Americans and a lot of Westerners see Thailand as a sought-after destination. I suppose a lot of them must be wondering, what is behind this? Why are these protesters, you know, why are they taking this position against the government? It has something to do with the royal family. A lot of the protesters come from poor, rural areas of Thailand. They would like to see a change in the whole system of government in Thailand. This is an anti-royal family, anti-status quo movement that's happening right now?
SIDNER: It's certainly an anti-status quo, but not anti royal family. The king is still loved by most of the people here in Thailand. Both the people who support the government and those that are protesting, really what they are protesting are the political leaders. These protestors, the vast majority of them are from the rural areas, the rural poor, and as well as the working class. They feel like they're just not being represented by a government they see as elitists. They want the political leaders to step down. They want them to dissolve the parliament and have a vote.
The government, for its part, did agreed to that after these protests began. But they had a condition, Jim. That condition was that the Red Shirts leave the area they captured. The Red Shirts refused, and so this stalemate is still in place. Again, we are just trying find out when this all might end. It has really been three days, in the last three days, very violent. More than two dozen killed and hundreds injured.
ACOST: Our Sara Sidner in the middle of it all. You can see the smoke rising behind you, Sara. I hope you stay safe. Thanks for that report. Appreciate it.
BOLDUAN: So, so we've all heard the phrase, you have the right to remain silent, right? It's common procedure when someone gets arrested. Now there's a growing controversy about whether terror suspects should be given the same right. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Let's get a check of your top stories.
A Cathay Pacific Airways plane got a military escort into Vancouver because of a bomb threat. Two fighter jets were scrambled from a Canadian air base just before 2:00 p.m. Eastern yesterday. Authorities later determined there was actually no threat. The matter is still under investigation.
A Pakistani man arrested at the U.S. embassy in Chile after setting off explosive detectors has been charged with illegally possessing explosives and released from jail. He's not allowed to leave the country. A senior official tells CNN the man had been on a U.S. watch list for some time.
And a machine malfunction may be to blame for a series of explosions at a guns and ammunition manufacturing plant in New Hampshire that killed two people. The state's fire marshal says investigators are still trying to figure out what triggered the explosions. The factory will be closed for some time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Welcome back.
We have heard the phrase in countless movies and TV shows, you have the right to remain silent. But the terror suspects in both the failed Times Square bombing and Christmas Day attack talked before being read their Miranda rights.
BOLDUAN: And law enforcement was able to question them under the public safety exception to Miranda. Now the Justice Department wants to expand this tactic. CNN's Brian Todd examines this bit of controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Times Square bombing suspect Faisal Shahzad was interrogated for four hours before being told he had the right to remain silent, his Miranda rights. Anything he said up to that point could be used against him in court. That process of gathering information is the public safety exception to Miranda, used when officials fear an immediate threat to public safety. Now the Obama Justice Department wants Congress to help it expand the use of the tactic. On NBC's "Meet The Press" Attorney General Eric Holder called it big news.
ERIC HOLDER, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: We have to think about perhaps modifying the rules interrogators have and somehow coming up with something that is flexible and is more consistent with the threat that we now face.
TODD: That public safety exception to Miranda was first used in standard criminal cases long before the war on terror.
(On camera): When we asked why the Justice Department wants to expand the rule now, a spokesperson here said she couldn't go beyond what the Attorney General Holder said. But some legal analysts say the administration believes now with the Shahzad case and the Christmas Day airline attack that it could use more time to interrogate terror suspects and get information on plots.
(Voice over): Shahzad and Christmas Day suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab were both read their Miranda rights, both kept talking. But either one could have clammed up at that point. And the plots behind their alleged attacks might never have been divulged. Former White House aid, David Rivkin is a critic of the Obama administration's terror policies and favors military tribunals. He says this about Holder's idea.
DAVID RIVKIN, FOUNDATION FOR THE DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES: You need enough time in an interactive mode to get all the information out of the suspect. You don't know in advance, and may not even know after a few hours. You may need some time to go back and check.
TODD: Stephen Vladeck who has represented terror suspects before the Supreme Court, says more exemptions on Miranda will eat away at suspects rights.
(On camera): What about dealing with terrorism suspects? These aren't common criminals. You just have to inject a little bit more flexibility into the system.
STEPHEN VLADECK, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL: To me, the flexibility that the government is seeking in these cases is provided by the public safety exception, and has existed for 25 years. But beyond that, I think that the fact that many of these suspects are U.S. citizens, that most of them are arrested on U.S. soil means there are and must be limits on exactly how much the government can bend the traditional rules.
TODD: Liberals like to point out the Bush administration read terror suspects their rights, too. Shoe bomber Richard Reid was promptly Mirandized in 2001. But conservative advocates say even if it was done under Bush, it's still a mistake that can tie the hands of counter terrorism investigators when the clock is ticking. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) BOLDUAN: And CNN launched a special investigation to find out how someone born in America, living the American dream, can then set out to destroy it. Watch "American Al Qaeda" tonight at 8:00 Eastern only on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Yesterday the nation celebrated Armed Forces Day, and we talked about that quite a lot, a day to honor its military services. But for one group every day is Armed Forces Day, it is called Honor Flight.
ACOSTA: It's a worthy cause that flies veterans for free to see memorials in Washington, D.C. On a recent trip World War II vets were given the chance to remember those who didn't make it back with them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good to see you. Glad to see you get to go finally.
JIM MCLAUGHLIN, CHAIRMAN, HONOR FLIGHT NETWORK: The program was started and it was named Honor Flights, the idea being that it was to provide a flight of honor, in honor, of the World War II veterans. They are so humble and so appreciative of the slightest little thing. To suddenly give them an entire day; first of all they're overwhelmed by the generosity of it. They're more overwhelmed when they get to the memorial.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a great trip, OK? Thank you for your service.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you, sir.
GISELA TITMAN, ARMY WAR CLERK: Thinking about coming has brought back the emotion and the memories.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ladies and gentlemen, we would like to say good morning and welcome aboard. AirTran Airways Honor Flight 184 to Washington, D.C.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Welcome to Washington, D.C.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
SGT. WALTER VICTOR: I'm a survivor. The chills come over on me. Very seldom you'll see something like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now is your memorial.
FRANK BALES, B-24 CO-PILOT: I didn't think it was this big. Of course, you see pictures, but you don't imagine it being this big. Cover so much terrain. Look at all the people. Holy smokes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You'll have a very emotional journey in about five minutes, as you go through the memorial.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel very fortunate to be able to be here. There was so many that didn't make it.
TECH SGT. SAM PITTARD, U.S. ARMY: You look at those gold stars.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right.
PITTARD: It's a good reminder that thousands and thousands didn't make it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are 40 of those stars that belong to my division.
MARCUS LEE LONG, NAVY TASK FORCE: I miss a lot of my buddies. We went to service together and they didn't make it back. And we miss them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Today was perfect it's more than I expected. A lot more than I expected.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We hear back from family members who say, dad, my husband, my grandfather, has never spoken of the war before. Now he's talking about it. A lot of them, thank God, are recording that on video cameras. Because when these men are gone, this history is gone.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA: Great story.
BOLDUAN: That was beautiful. And I love the World War II Memorial, by the way.
ACOSTA: Absolutely. It's such a wonderful thing that there's a program to make sure everybody who wants to come and see these memorials can do it. Especially from that generation, who deserve everything we can offer and then some.
BOLDUAN: And to see their faces when they are arriving.
ACOSTA: Absolutely. They just lit up. That was great, great moment.
BOLDUAN: That was fabulous. We'll be right back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: Good morning, good morning, good morning. Good morning, Jim.
ACOSTA: Good morning to you.
(LAUGHTER)
BOLDUAN: From CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It is May 16. I'm Kate Bolduan.
ACOSTA: And I'm Jim Acosta, we're both in for T.J. Holmes. It takes two of us to be in for T.J. Holmes.
BOLDUAN: And T.J., he was reminded of that.
ACOSTA: That's right.
It is 7:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 6:00 a.m. in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Thanks for starting your day with us. We appreciate it.
B.P. officials have been working overnight as they have been tirelessly in an effort to stop that massive oil spill in the Gulf. They are trying a new tactic using a mile-long tube to try and siphon out the oil. We will go live to the Gulf to get the very latest.
BOLDUAN: And would you like to pay off your house faster?
Yes. We'll explain a tactic that could have you paying smaller mortgage payments which in the end could have you saving thousands of dollars. Get out your pen and pad, pen and paper. We've got full details coming up.
(MUSIC)
BOLDUAN: But, first, let's check some of the top stories this is morning.
First, in Thailand, the government has called off plans for a curfew saying it's not needed right now, at least. But the Red Cross will evacuate women, children and the elderly from Bangkok. After three days of violence, the government reports, at least 25 dead. The U.S. State Department says it will allow non-emergency workers to leave the country. It also warns U.S. citizens against traveling to Thailand until the violence ends.
And some airports in Ireland are closed this morning as well as Liverpool and Manchester in England, all because of the ash cloud from that volcano in Iceland. So far, Heathrow and Gatwick in London have not been affected. Keep your fingers crossed. British Airways is telling passengers to check its Web site with the latest updates.
And check out the view from the space shuttle Atlantis -- absolutely beautiful. Atlantis will dock with the International Space Station around 10:30 Eastern Time this morning. For several days, experts have tracked some space junk but say it doesn't pose a threat to the ISS. It should pass within six miles though. That's pretty close for space standards -- Jim.
ACOSTA: Thanks, Kate. You know, a lot of people are asking that question: is today the day that B.P. finally gets a handling on this growing environmental threat in the Gulf Coast? The oil giant was hoping to start siphoning oil last night from the pipe. Plans were to insert a tube into that pipe and then pump the oil nearly a mile to a ship on the surface. No word yet on whether that is working.
At the same time, B.P. says it looks like its plan to use chemical dispersants at the source of the leak is working.
And while those efforts are playing, the folks who live and work on the Gulf Coast keep watching the water.
Here's what you can see from the air -- ribbons of oil stretching for miles. B.P. says it's 210,000 gallons a day. Some experts say it's a whole more than that.
And as Reynolds Wolf explains, all that oil threatens the Gulf's delicate ecosystem, as well as jobs.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Coming to you from Biloxi, Mississippi. We're about to get on board this vessel and we're about to head out to sea.
This is Mike Brainard.
Mike, what is today's mission?
MIKE BRAINARD, MISS. DEPT. OF MARINE SERVICES: We're going to do the Mississippi Sound and do some testing on shrimp to see what the average size is. And this will be used to get ready the -- open up our shrimp season.
WOLF: OK. Good deal. Let's get to it.
OK. I think we're going to speed up a little bit. Hold on.
Now, where exactly are we headed specifically?
BRAINARD: We're going to the station three which is in Biloxi Channel.
WOLF: Has the oil spill been a huge concern for you?
BRAINARD: It's definitely concern. But it's -- as of right now, we've been very fortunate and the oil hasn't gotten into our waters. So, we're just going ahead and planning it like it's going to be a regular shrimp season and hoping that we will have a shrimp season. So -- and, of course, we got planes up there, you know, monitor every day to see where the oil actually is and how far it is from our shores.
WOLF: How important it is little animals, little shrimp, to the people who live here? BRAINARD: I mean, it's very important; it's a big part of the culture. And Biloxi used to be called the shrimp capital of the U.S.
WOLF (voice-over): We're now on a shrimp bed just off Deer Island, Mississippi. Biologist Bill Richardson lowers his nets and raises his hopes for a good sample. Richardson says conditions are perfect right now for shrimp to grow, but worries that any oil in these waters could put the season in jeopardy.
BILL RICHARDSON, BIOLOGIST: It's like a garden out here for them to grow.
WOLF (on camera): Pristine conditions make pristine shrimp.
RICHARDSON: Yes. Yes. Exactly.
WOLF: How is this one, pretty healthy?
RICHARDSON: Oh, yes. All we need is some batter on it.
WOLF (voice-over): Fishermen aren't the only ones who closely follow the work of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.
(on camera): Yum, yum, yum.
(voice-over): Dolphins know an easy meal when they see one.
(on camera): There you go.
(voice-over): The Mississippi shrimping season could be a few weeks away. Opening day depends on the sample these biologists take back to headquarters and the efforts of other agencies working to keep the oil from spreading.
RICHARDSON: We've got brown shrimp and white shrimp. We'll take these back to our lab and measure and weigh them.
WOLF (on camera): Bill, you like what you see?
RICHARDSON: Oh, yes, definitely. This one is very good. I hope it stays away so our fishermen can get involved in some of this.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: Now, there have been a lot of teams out trying to attack the presence of oil or (INAUDIBLE) shellfish and other sea life, mainly east of the spill. But now, they're also starting to look a little bit more to the west.
In fact, from the central Louisiana coast, over the Brazos River in Texas, NOAA has activated what they refer to as the "mussel team." They're actually taking a look at mussels. They're also taking a look at oysters, trying to attack any presence of oil or contamination. So, it really is a regional effort, watching the seafood and, of course, the wildlife for any signs of damage from the oil spill.
Let's send it back to you in the studio.
ACOSTA: Reynolds Wolf on the Gulf Coast -- thanks, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
BOLDUAN: Several states are holding primary elections on Tuesday. It's the big Tuesday, and some of the incumbents are facing very tough challenges. The races are close in Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.
We want to preview those important Senate races in these states. Let's start with Pennsylvania and that's where incumbent Arlen Specter is hoping, trying to retain his seat.
CNN's political editor Mark Preston joins us live from Washington this morning to break this down.
So, Mark, let's start with Pennsylvania. What -- Arlen Specter is a five-term senator. So, what's going on here?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Sure, Kate. Well, Arlen Specter, of course, is long-time Republican who switched to the Democratic Party last year -- a very crucial switch for Democrats in the Senate because he effectively gave them the 60th vote. That 60th vote, of course, helped them get health care passed as well as put pressure on Republicans to maybe back off on some issues -- but basically allowed President Obama to get some key pieces of his agenda through.
Right now, he is facing a challenge from Representative Joe Sestak. He is a former admiral in the Navy, a three-star admiral. In fact, Joe Sestak had been recruited by Democrats. Before Arlen Specter had switched, Kate, to become a Democrat, they had recruited him to run against Mr. Specter.
Right now, polls show that it is very close and Mr. Specter has the full backing, Kate, of the Obama White House behind them. In fact, President Obama has cut a radio or rather President Obama has appeared in a television ad, Kate, on behalf of Arlen Specter.
BOLDUAN: So, the short term implication is obvious. It's a Senate seat. It's a term. But what is the long term implication of this race?
PRESTON: Well, you know something, Kate, if Mr. Sestak is able to pull it out and he has been thrilling in the polls all along, until recently, perhaps that will be seen as a blemish against Mr. Obama, the fact that Mr. Obama was not able to help Mr. Specter get across the finish line. We saw Mr. Obama put his political capital into Massachusetts. They lost that special election back in January for the Senate seat for Ted Kennedy.
Also, Mr. Obama went up to New Jersey on behalf of New Jersey Governor -- then-New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine back in November of 2009. And in the 11th hour, appeal to Democratic voters. And, in fact, they lost that race, too. So, Republicans will be pointing out that this is really bad for President Obama.
BOLDUAN: You can bet they will if they have a chance to.
So, let's move on to Kentucky. There's a battle for the GOP nomination for retiring Senator Jim Bunning's seat. Why are we watching this one so closely?
PRESTON: Well, this is, again, another interparty fight that we're seeing, except this one is on the Republican side. We're seeing Rand Paul, who's the son of Texas Representative Ron Paul. And our viewers will remember him as the gentleman who really came out of nowhere back in 2008 to run a very strong Republican race for president. However, he came up short.
Rand Paul is not the establishment candidate. In fact, he is the tea party candidate. The establishment candidate, Trey Grayson, the secretary of state, has the backing of the likes of Vice President Cheney and Mitch McConnell, who is the Senate minority leader here in Washington, also the senior senator from Kentucky.
Rand Paul, however, is leading right now, has a comfortable lead in the polls, Kate. And if he were to win on Tuesday, expect the tea party folks or at least those aligned with them, to count this as a very big win against the establishment in Washington.
BOLDUAN: A very big win. And then, in Arkansas, Blanche Lincoln is also fighting to retain her seat in the U.S. Senate. What's going on there?
PRESTON: Well, Kate, in Arkansas, what we're seeing is Blanche Lincoln, a centralist Democrat from that state, two terms, trying to seek a third term right now, is facing a very tight challenge from her left. In fact, unions and liberal groups such as MoveOn.org are pouring lots of money into that race to try to defeat this Democrat. Right now, polls show that Blanche Lincoln is leading, however, not enough to achieve the 50 percent to avoid a runoff.
So, what it's looking like right now, Bill Halter, the lieutenant governor, right now who is challenging her from the left is probably going to force this race into a runoff. We won't have an answer on Tuesday night. We don't think. However, it will force a runoff when we head into June -- Kate.
BOLDUAN: And we'll keep watching that. You're heading to Philadelphia today to cover this race. So, we'll definitely be checking back in with you. It's definitely going to be an exciting one, it at least sounds like. Thanks so much.
Mark Preston, CNN's political editor. We'll talk to you soon.
PRESTON: Thanks, Kate.
BOLDUAN: So, Arizona is bringing in some star power to bolster its controversial immigration law. Republican big gun, Sarah Palin, officially joined the national battle Saturday, standing with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to denounce the Obama administration's criticism of the law. Governor Brewer used the event to announce the first appointment to the state's new border security advisory committee. She also unveil ad Web site designed to help clarify specifics of the bill.
ACOSTA: And a woman sold a truck for eight times what it's worth. And she has the previous owner to thank for it. Learn who was once behind the wheel of that truck and why the value of the car skyrocketed -- that is coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider, tracking extreme weather across Tennessee.
Can you believe it's raining again? And not only raining, but we're getting reports of flash flooding. That means the water is already pounding on the roads.
Take a look this, you'll see, we had flash flood warnings in place for Stewart County. Now, that is near Cumberland City. You can see here, this goes until 7:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time. Not far from Clarksville, where we had some reports of flooding yesterday.
And here's Nashville under a flash flood watch. Remember all the flooding in Nashville? Two feet of water. Can you imagine people this weekend are probably out kind of cleaning up their belongings? Well, now, it's raining again and we run the risk for flash flooding at least through 7:00 p.m. tonight. That's how long this flood watch goes for, for the Nashville area.
And also rain for Memphis, too. And this is a big weekend. Memphis in May, lots of festivals like the barbecue festival happening. Flood watches extend all the way into Arkansas, into Little Rock, and then northward into Kentucky and southern Illinois.
Here's the big pictures: the Rain sweeps across the region. We're also watching for heavy downpours in Mississippi as well. A lot of this is heading to the north. So, Louisville, you are going to see some downpours even though it's not raining right now.
Here's a closer look at the Nashville areas, some of the heaviest rain coming up from the south. And there's a reason why we're getting so much rain all the way down to Louisiana as well. You can see some heavier downpours working in their way to Thibodaux, Louisiana.
What's happening is right now, we have this area of low pressure right here and what it's doing is it's tapping into moisture, really deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. And as that low kind of pulls up that moisture and rides along the stationary front, it means we're not seeing much of a change. So, we'll continue to see heavy rain through this region straight through today into tonight. A big rainmaker but only an inch and a half expected. Not as much for Tennessee as last go around. Back to both of you.
BOLDUAN: More rain in the forecast. Thanks so much, Bonnie.
So, Jim, how much would you pay for a 2000 Jeep Cherokee with some issues?
ACOSTA: Yes. You know, I used to own a Jeep Cherokee. And I would not pay as much as the man in this story paid.
BOLDUAN: I know. Amazing. It has a torn seat and just a hint of cigarette smoke, I guess. Well, a Connecticut man paid $26,000 for a vehicle that fits that description because it was once driven by President Obama when he was a little known Illinois state senator.
ACOSTA: Oh, that explains it.
BOLDUAN: There you go.
ACOSTA: John Reznikoff of University Archive says he would have paid more than $100,000 for the used SUV. What? Reznikoff is a professional collector and says the value of the car will determine how President Obama is judged by history. So much for the depreciation of automobiles.
BOLDUAN: Which the rest of us have to deal with.
ACOSTA: Exactly.
BOLDUAN: Just how much is the oil cleanup costing?
ACOSTA: It's a massive sum, but just a trickle so far for B.P. Our Josh Levs has the numbers -- coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: As oil continues to gush into the Gulf, the cost mounts -- the costs are mounting for B.P. The company has already spent close to half a billion dollars on the cleanup.
ACOSTA: That's just a drop in the bucket compared to the company's profits. Our Josh Levs is here with the breakdown -- Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Hey there, guys.
This helps put it in perspective a little bit when we look at these figures in the very top. This is what B.P. has been saying so far. When they were talking on Thursday, the company said they spent $450 million so far up to that point on all these efforts involved in the cleanup. Now, this is just the beginning.
But while it sounds like a massive sum, let's take a look at B.P.'s profits in general. This is their first quarter profits this year: $6.1 billion in the first quarter of 2010.
So, we did a little basic math here to figure out what that comes out to per day, look at this -- $67 million a day in profit. So, when you're looking at $450 million the company said they spend so far, you're looking at about roughly a week's profits. Now, that said, this is only the beginning.
As this oil keeps gushing into the Gulf, we have a lot more ahead. There's going to be long-term expenses for B.P. There will likely be lawsuits. There could ultimately be a lot more. And those costs could eventually mount.
But that said, when you're thinking about how much this costs at this point, it does help to see that compared to everything else, compared to how much B.P. is continuing to pull in, it's certainly the kind of costs they can handle. It's also just a reminder, guys, of how huge big oil is, even in this economy.
So, we're looking at these kinds of profits in the first quarter of 2010, and that's up from 2009. It's a reminder of how much we rely on oil, how much they are bringing in, and ultimately, the fact that a major oil company can handle these hundreds of millions of dollars, Jim and Kate, to try to tackle what is before B.P. So, we'll keep an eye on the numbers, we'll see how big it gets.
But in the meantime, keep in mind, they got plenty of money coming in to handle all the money they're going to have to dish out to handle these costs, guys.
ACOSTA: Yes, it will be interesting to see what their profits look like next year, after all of this that's been going on.
BOLDUAN: You can only imagine how far it's going to climb.
LEVS: We'll be watching.
ACOSTA: Thanks, Josh. Appreciate it.
LEVS: Thanks, guys.
ACOSTA: Coming up next: more payments, smaller amounts. Is that a good strategy to pay off your mortgage faster?
BOLDUAN: Financial expert Clyde Anderson has the answer. You're going to want to hear this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ACOSTA: Welcome back. Let's take a look at our top stories.
A bomb threat prompts a military escort for a Canadian commercial jetliner. Two CF-18 Hornets from a military base in British Columbia escorted a Cathay Pacific Airways flight into Vancouver International Airport yesterday. Authorities later determined that there was no threat aboard the aircraft.
A judge has released a Pakistani man arrested last week after he set off explosive detectors at the U.S. embassy in Chile. Prosecutors wanted to keep the 28-year-old man in jail while they build a case against him. But instead, the judge ruled that the man cannot leave Chile and must check in weekly with authorities.
And one machine may have caused a series of deadly explosions at a gun and ammunition plant in Colebrook, New Hampshire, Friday. Investigators say the plant makes gun powder and the explosives happened -- explosions, I should say, happened in an area where some manufacturing was taking place. Two men were killed and one injured in those explosions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA DAWN JOHNSON, MORNING MOTIVATIONAL MINUTE: Good morning. And welcome to a brand new day. This is Melissa Dawn Johnson with your morning motivation.
Well, every week, I'm here encouraging you to stay motivated. And the truth is: it's hard to keep going when life is challenging. Well, I want to give you a simple step to stay motivated.
In difficult times, many times, we're looking for other people to help us stay encourage when it's as simple as giving yourself a pep talk. All right. So, this week, look in the mirror and tell yourself: "I have purpose. Today, I will win. I am unstoppable."
Practicing these little steps and giving yourself a pep talk will help you stay motivated each and every day.
Well, until next week, visit me at brandmelive.com. As always I wish you a brand-tastic week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BOLDUAN: So, most of us pay for our mortgages monthly, right? Well, some people are actually in bimonthly payment programs, but financial expert and author Clyde Anderson, he's joining us today.
And, Clyde, you say that's not always a good idea. Thank you.
CLYDE ANDERSON, FINANCIAL EXPERT: Not always a good idea.
BOLDUAN: So, start me off here.
ANDERSON: Well, let's take a look at it.
BOLDUAN: It sounds self explanatory. But what are we talking about, a bimonthly program?
ANDERSON: Well, a lot of people don't realize, the first 10 years of a mortgage is primarily interest in a way. That's what they're paying.
So, if we're looking at a bimonthly mortgage: first, let's take a look at this and realize that on a 30-year mortgage, you're paying about $139,000 in interest alone over the life of the loan. So, looking at that, we want to try to find ways to cut that interest down. And so, one way is to do bimonthly, paying extra payments every month. They'll cut them up.
And over the course of 12 months, you're generally paying about two extra payments. So, it helps you cut down and reduce the time that you have the loan.
So, if you look at it this way -- if you're paying at about $200 more a month, you're going to cut down -- you're going to save about $52,000. I mean, you're talking about $57,000 in interest compare to paying --
BOLDUAN: It's a good chunk of change.
ANDERSON: Yes, it's a good chunk of change. And now, you got a balance of about $47,000. And if you look at it here, if you're paying your regular payments, you're going to be paying more like $15,000 towards principal and $69,000 in interest.
BOLDUAN: So, this all sounds great.
ANDERSON: Yes.
BOLDUAN: But what are the upsides. There is always when you're talking about financial decisions.
ANDERSON: Yes, definitely.
BOLDUAN: What are the upsides? What are the downsides of this type of program?
ANDERSON: Well, a couple of ways to look at it. And one is minuses. You say -- you're looking at it this way -- they're going to hold your payments. So, it's really like they're taking your money and they're going to make interest off of your money while she's sitting there. So, there's other ways that you can do that and we'll talk about that, and there's also large fees to enroll sometimes.
BOLDUAN: So, there are fees to enroll.
ANDERSON: There are fees. There are fees. So, that's always not the best option.
Some of the plusses to look at --is one, is that it's an auto- debit. So, you don't have to worry about it every month. It's going to come out.
Also, it's going to reduce the interest as we just showed you.
But then if we're looking at the pluses here, maybe doing it on your own could be a better option. If you do it on your own, there's no enrollment fee. It's also self-directed. So, you can decide, hey, this month, I want to pay more, next month, I won't pay more. So, you're not looked into the payment. So, it could be better to kind of do it yourself, self-directed, apply that interest and just look at the difference of $200 a month can make on your mortgage.
BOLDUAN: So, do you think it could be a better idea to just pay more on your own without enrolling in this program then?
ANDERSON: That could be an option because you don't have the fee. You can control it yourself n. And, you know, in this economy, you may have months where you say, hey, I don't want to pay more. I need to pay something else. And you're not locked in.
(CROSSTALK)
BOLDUAN: -- more flexibility then?
ANDERSON: You got more flexibility. And so, that's a good way to look at it.
And so, I say, you know, maybe try it doing on your own. But you want to make sure, if you're making those additional payments, write on that coupon towards principal.
BOLDUAN: OK.
ANDERSON: Otherwise, they'll pay interest and it has no benefit for you.
BOLDUAN: Again, read the fine prints and know the details.
ANDERSON: That's it.
BOLDUAN: Thank you so much, Clyde.
ANDERSON: It's my pleasure.
BOLDUAN: I need you to just come to my home.
ANDERSON: I got it. No problem. No problem.
BOLDUAN: Thank you so much.
There you go, Jim.
ACOSTA: All right. Thanks, Kate.
And more top stories at the top of the hour when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues. But, first, "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." begins right now.
