Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Biden Celebrates with the Troops; Tracking Tourism on the Gulf
Aired July 04, 2010 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Hey there, and welcome to the CNN SUNDAY MORNING, from the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Happy Fourth of July to you all. Hope it's off to a good start.
It's 8:00 here in the east where I sit. I'm T.J. Holmes, glad you could be right here with us.
And on this Fourth of July, we're going to be checking in with our troops overseas, including Afghanistan and in Iraq.
And what you are seeing there of what's happening in Iraq, there on the right side of your screen, the vice president making a visit there. He's enjoying some time with troops, also some serious business there to talk about.
And on your left, it's official now. General David Petraeus is officially taking command in Afghanistan. We'll check in both spots.
Also, today, happening miles above the earth -- they're going to try this again. Another docking expected to take place in the next few hours attempt after a cargo vessel missed its docking opportunity with the Space Station and just flew right by. That happened on Friday. They're going to try once again to park this shuttle. We'll be talking about that with our John Zarrella, who's been following that story.
Let me give you a look at some of the other stories we are keeping an eye on today, including, the fact that this is day 76 of this oil disasters. And EPA head, Lisa Jackson, says even she wouldn't get in the water. She said that during a visit in Pensacola yesterday. She agrees, though, that authorities should decide whether or not to close the beaches or not.
Those beaches right now are open, even though they have warnings about getting in the water.
Meanwhile, engineers are hoping that they give a good test run of what's called the world's largest skimmer, a huge skimming ship that could scoop up 21 million gallons of oil a day. They can do more in a day with this ship than all the other small skimming ships have been doing since the disaster started.
Also, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, she's in Poland, but her mind is on the wedding bells, for her daughter, of course. She's not hiding the excitement over her daughter's impending nuptials. She told Polish media it's the most important thing going on her life right now.
And a shark attack to tell you about off Long Island. However, it's not what you're thinking. The guy was fishing for sharks, he caught one and in turn the thing bit him. But what do you expect it to do? It bit him in the biceps, and not expected to do any serious or long term damage, not too bad of an injury. But he was bitten by a shark he had just caught.
Well, it is the Fourth of July here -- a lot of celebrations going on around this country. The vice president and his wife, they are both in Iraq right now. But also the troops in Afghanistan are celebrating as we speak as well.
But the Bidens, when they got to Iraq -- just yesterday, we told you about this happening here live, when we got word yesterday morning that they had landed, a lot of surprise that, in fact, his wife had arrived along with him. This is what we were told. The first such trip that we had seen the first time a wife, a spouse, accompanied their spouse along for one of these trips.
Our Arwa Damon is live for us in Baghdad. She has been following this story.
And, again, this was kind of that interesting caveat to the story. But, still, some pretty serious business on the plate, on the agenda, for the vice president.
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, T.J., it mostly certainly was. As you were mentioning there, we don't remember any other such instance where somebody like a vice president would be arriving with their wife. Perhaps that is an indication on the U.S. perspective at least on this war.
Now, the Biden's did attend a number of Fourth of July events, such as a naturalization ceremony that happened this morning. That took place in one of Saddam Hussein's old palaces, and that was noted by the vice president who also congratulated the troops and said that he had seen many signs of progress to include the fact that he said he saw a traffic jam and that that was a wonderful thing.
But here is where we do get into that issue of just how much the U.S. and Iraqi perspective does differ. Let's remember that the traffic jams are direct cause of the countless check points that are sprouted throughout all of Baghdad. And also, the fact that there are huge swaths of the city that are walled off, blocked off by a blast walls because the security situation here does still remain very precarious.
And the very serious day for the vice president ahead. He will be meeting with senior Iraqi government officials as well as with the political leadership. Remember, the government still has yet to be formed, and political leaders have been at something of a deadlock, an impasse, especially when it comes to who the country's next prime minister should be.
And in an ideal scenario, the U.S. would like to see an Iraqi government before it completes that White House drawdown deadline of having the troop numbers at 50,000 by the end of August, T.J..
HOLMES: Fifty thousand by the end of August, supposed to have all troops out by the end of next year. But, again, on this interesting part of the story, to see that the vice president's wife is along with him on this trip, and she had her own schedule.
DAMON: That's right. She does. Now, she did join him in visiting the troops on the Fourth of July, but she is also going to be meeting with the civilian amnesty officials and then she is going to be conducting a roundtable with Iraqi women who teach English. Remember, Mrs. Biden is an educator.
And this perhaps is also an indication of the direction that the U.S. would like to take. It wants to move away from combat operation, to be able to focus on things like developing the country in other aspects, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Arwa Damon for us there in Baghdad -- good to have you as always. Thanks so much, Arwa. We'll talk to you again here soon.
Afghanistan, the Fourth of July, and that some added significance there. It marks the new military command of U.S. General David Petraeus.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: General David Petraeus now assumes command of the United States forces in Afghanistan effective 4th July, 2010.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, of course, the Senate confirmed him in that new post last week. He arrived on Friday, but today actually makes it official. He has formally assumed command of international forces in Afghanistan. This is at the ceremony that took place just a little earlier today. He, of course, is replacing General Stanley McChrystal who resigned late last month after that controversial comments he and his staff made to "Rolling Stone" magazine.
Petraeus says he supports the president's plan to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan by July of next year. But he insists a decision should be made based on the conditions on the ground.
And today, those conditions a little patriotic today. For the 4th of July, the troops overseas taking it in as well.
(VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: You see General Petraeus there. He was part of the ceremony -- part of the celebrations held by U.S. troops at the American embassy in Kabul. Petraeus was joined by U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, as well as U.S. Brigadier General Anne Macdonald. Well, here, stateside, this is going to be a good Fourth of July for some of the men and women who came home just yesterday. A hundred and fifty American airmen and their families are back together. These are members of 21st Airlift Squadron, called the "Bee Liners" out of California's Travis Air Force Base. They got their personalized welcome home yesterday from friends and families after a four-month long deployment in Southeast Asia
They are logistics experts. They are. And they were charged with moving troops, supplies and equipment throughout Iraq and Afghanistan and they are home. Enjoy.
Well, Independence Day, of course, and barbecue and fireworks are not the only thing on the minds of the Gulf Coast folks. Tourists -- they're making their way down there. How are they doing down there? Are they showing up the way people would hope they are on this Fourth of July, which is so important in the money-making scheme of things for the Gulf Coast Region?
We'll tell you how the oil disaster is affecting how the celebrations take place there on the Fourth of July.
It's eight minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: It's day 76 now of this Gulf oil disaster. The oil has been gushing for all of those days and it continues at this moment. Still, they're hoping people are going to show up for this Fourth of July.
You are seeing a picture there of the EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, who was there in Pensacola Beach yesterday -- raised some eyebrows and got a lot of people's attention when she actually said that she wouldn't go into the water even given what she knows about the oil and given what's showing out there on a lot of the beaches.
Engineers, though, and this could be a big deal -- what they're doing right now is testing what's called "A Whale." You're seeing pictures of it there. But what it is, it's the largest skimmer boat in the world.
And so, once it's working, we're told it can actually scoop up some 21 million gallons every single day. Put that in perspective, in the past 76 days of this whole effort, all the skimmer boats out there having collected that much in the whole 76-day period. So, this can do more in one day than all those boats have been doing the entire time. So, very important to get this up and running.
Also, Reverend Al Sharpton, at the church in Louisiana, listening to concerns over this disaster. People, of course, and understandably, upset about this crisis, but a lot of what they were focused there in this meeting was about jobs during this weak economy. Sharpton advised the community to be vocal, be active with BP and other government agencies who are handling the disaster. Meanwhile, this is a big weekend, a big tourism weekend. So many along the Gulf make their money right now, the restaurants, the bars, the hotels, they make it during June, July and August. And in that period, one of the biggest weekends is this Fourth of July weekend.
So, are people still showing up?
Our Reynolds Wolf is there for us. He's at Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Reynolds, you got to spend the day there yesterday and a lot of debate about exactly how the weekend was going to go. So, have you seen the crowds? Are people showing up there for this holiday weekend?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: People are showing up. I have to tell you, though, the ones that are showing up are a little bit -- there is a little bit of discombobulation in their mood. I mean, a lot of these people have been coming here for years and years, kind of a generational kind of thing.
And when they've shown up and they see the sand, the sand looks great and the skies are beautiful, but the water is -- well, it leaves a little bit to be desired. They can't get out there for two reasons: it's been red flag days, the double red flags, which means they can't get out there because -- well, a couple things, one would be the rough surf and the other would be, of course, that oil -- and that's leaving a lot of families not too happy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ARLENE REESE, BEACHGOER: Last year we came and stayed in the condo with the family and in-laws. And we had a wonderful time with the beach, staying at the condo, the pool. It was fun.
WOLF: This year is a little different, isn't it?
REESE: This year is a little different. We didn't make reservations for the condo. We stayed at the in-laws in Mobile. And we decided to drive out today to see what it looked like. We were curious, just to see what it looks like.
WOLF: What do you think?
REESE: It's kind of disappointing. It's sad to see this. Yes, very disappointing.
WOLF: No easy solution, is it?
REESE: No easy solution. Yes. We're too afraid to let the kids get in the water. We don't know what's out there and what kind of problems it will cause in the future.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF: Now, T.J., I got roughly about 7:15 or so local time, let's take a look at the beach behind me. I mean, it's just like a wide, open -- it's almost like a landing strip. You, of course, on the distance, some people out there, some birds too.
And Mike Calloway, our photojournalist with me -- Mike, let's pan around a little bit and show people what's going on over here. Not a whole lot more, T.J. Just clear open sand. A few people going right over this little barrier that's going to prevent some of that higher and pushing that oil.
And you see some people off there in the distance, but other than that, this on what should be the busiest day of the year, the beach is virtually empty. That's going to change later this afternoon. There will be more people.
Tonight, they're going to have fireworks starting off at around 9:00. It's going to be a spectacular event. The skies are great and the weather will hold, and maybe a few stray showers, maybe a thunderstorm that's going to pop up but dissipate quickly.
But the beach looks great, it looks fantastic. They have been grooming around the clock and doing great work with it. But, really, they're at the mercy of what's happening way out in the Gulf with the oil spill and they're really going to be catching it.
So, this is, certainly, a tough time for businesses. We've been talking about, of course, the hotels, the restaurants, the gas stations, the souvenir stands. Everybody is really hurting.
And this is the make-or-break time. And the reason why we keep seeing that is because a lot of these businesses, kind of seasonal operations. There are many of them that used to close down as it got towards the late winter months and then they opened back up during the spring, and they have spring, summer and fall.
And then, you know, when you don't have the people, you don't have the money. And when you don't have the money, you got a lot of problems.
Back to you.
HOLMES: OK. Reynolds, let me ask you one last thing before I let you go, and I don't know if the beach is still open to swimming, some beaches told people not go on the water, and some are just warning them not to go in the water. But if someone had no idea that there had been a Gulf oil spill and they were dropped on to that beach right there, and if they walked down the beach, would they have any idea that something was awry? Or does it looks like the beach usually always looks pristine and beautiful waters?
WOLF: I will tell you that from what I saw yesterday, from what I saw other than a few tale-tell sparks here and there maybe of some oil, some of these tiny tar balls, other than, it looks perfect. It looks beautiful. It looks just great.
I mean -- you have to remember, there is something in the water that's a little bit more cloudy than it has been we had, of course, Hurricane Alex out in the Gulf of Mexico. So, the water has been turned over a little bit, but in terms of what you can see along the shoreline in most places, it looks absolutely beautiful.
So, kind of a frustrating thing -- no question about it, it's certainly just a hair-raising thing to see all of this beauty and not be able to take advantage of that out there.
HOLMES: Yes. OK. We appreciate you're putting that in perspective because -- again, people just have an idea of what they think is going on, and yes, some stuff is washing up, but for the most part, a lot of these beaches are still gorgeous right now.
Reynolds, we appreciate that. Talk to you again soon, buddy.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: Of course, it's the Fourth of July weekend. So, one of the biggest traditions, we're going to have the fireworks. Some, though, displays are being cancelled. But we will tell you where you can still see a spectacular show in the sky.
It's 15 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(GREETINGS FROM THE TROOPS)
HOLMES: Putting in some work, as he said. Hope the family members were able to see many of those as we bring you those throughout the morning, and throughout the day here on CNN.
We want to turn over to Josh Levs.
A lot of people in tradition, of course, Fourth of July weekend, everybody wants to see fireworks displays, but we got a couple problems here, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right.
HOLMES: We got the economy and you got the oil disaster.
LEVS: Right. And that's leading a lot more communities to cancel this year unfortunately.
And so, there are a lot of you out there who are used to having fireworks right near you, you're not going to have them this year.
Let's start off with the Gulf Coast, as we've been putting so much focus there, obviously and then this oil disaster. Our folks here have been calling to local officials in that region. Here's a couple fireworks displays that are being cancelled in the Gulf Coast: Dauphin Island, Alabama, and also, Grand Isle, Louisiana.
City officials are telling us a couple things: One, fewer people there makes it just less worth doing it, and there might not be that many people to watch it, economically, there are questions.
But also, some are telling us they are concerned about what happens if those sparks land in the oil whether on the water or the beach. And so, they're avoiding it in general.
There are also some on the Gulf that are creating alternate locations now. Destin, Florida, is an example, and Gulf Shore, Alabama. They told us they weren't sure if they would use their regular location or an alternate location. So, if you're in that area, you want to follow that today, keep an eye out for that.
Now, that's what's going on in terms of the oil. But look at what's also happening. We have this story at CNNMoney.com that talks to you about cities that are choosing to cancel their fireworks displays because of money. It's just really expensive and we're in this economic crisis.
Here's one, Akron, Ohio. They are hoping to save $106,000 -- here's a shot from last year -- by canceling theirs this year.
Here's another city that's doing it: Jersey City in New Jersey, saving money $183,000, they're hoping. Although I got a tweet this morning from someone saying, "Well, we usually watch those and we can see them out of New York City, close enough from where we live." So maybe people will travel further to see out there nearby.
One more, Colorado Springs, hoping to save $75,000 by canceling those.
Now, it's July 4th. I don't want to end all depressing here, so I'm also going to show you something really cool on CNN.com. It talks about the best July 4th celebrations in the country and one of them is right here, Boston tops, oh, it's a classic.
Also, we got some video of the National Mall, which is also one of the best ones.
And those of you who for some reason don't have fireworks, you can't see anything in person, can you catch those on TV. And, you know, all morning, I've been interacting with you, hearing from you on Facebook, on Twitter, what your July 4th plans are.
A lot of you telling me that you're planning on just driving a little further to get to the fireworks because so many of you are saying, you know what, the ones right near you are not happening this year.
And worse comes to worst, you can't be there. But physically yourself, you can always turn on the TV and check it out right there. So, T.J., unfortunately, a lot of people are saying they're still going to find their way out to fireworks. But it is too bad to see fewer and fewer Americans who have access to those awesome displays right this year.
HOLMES: You know, that is just as much a part of the tradition as anything on this Fourth of July.
Josh, we appreciate you. Thanks so much.
LEVS: You got it. HOLMES: Twenty minutes past the hour. Quick break, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Thirty-three minutes past the hour now.
A lot of people will be celebrating the Fourth of July here in the U.S. in one way, form or fashion, but there are so many other men and women who have to celebrate this country's independence in another country, countries Iraq, and indeed, Afghanistan as well.
And we want to go live now to Afghanistan, at Bagram Air Base.
Our Atia Abawi -- oh, look at that shot there. You got a collection of guys with you who are actually having a pretty good day. Tell us what's happening there and tell us who you got behind you?
ATIA ABAWI, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it's the Fourth of July, so it's a little piece of America. I'm here at Bagram airfield with the troops who are here. We want to send a message back home --
(CHEERING)
ABAWI: And the festivities will continue, including a dunk tank. Does the dunk tank work?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, it does.
HOLMES: OK.
(CHEERING)
ABAWI: We got Master Sergeant (INAUDIBLE) here who is a sport right now, as everyone. She's been dunking and being dunked all day.
Do you have a message to your family?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Happy Fourth of July to my son in Japan, and all my friends across the country. Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
ABAWI: So, military families. So, the troops here in Bagram are trying to have fun a little fund in the middle of the war zone -- T.J.
HOLMES: Atia, do me a favor. Go back there to that group of guys you got behind you and just pick out two and three and go through, and let any of them just say hello to their family members, and give a shout-out to their hometowns -- just go ahead and let them do it.
ABAWI: You're the best, T.J. They're going to love that.
All right. I need three people.
Your family is watching right now, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma'am.
ABAWI: Can you send a little message back home?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like to say hello and happy Fourth of July to my family back in North Carolina, and my beautiful wife, Star (ph), and my lovely little girls, (INAUDIBLE). Love you and dad will be home soon.
ABAWI: And how about you? You are the good sport. She actually just dunked her boss.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I did and that was the best part.
But I'd like to say happy Fourth of July to my 5-year-old son Benjamin in Wisconsin. Missy you and I'll see you soon.
ABAWI: All right. One more. Who's going to be? Come on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to say happy Fourth of July to all my friends and family down in Las Vegas and Connecticut. So, happy Fourth of July.
ABAWI: T.J., I know you said three, but let's bring in one more.
HOLMES: Go ahead. Go right ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just want to happy Fourth to my pops out in Oklahoma, and my wife and my two kids. Happy Fourth, guys.
ABAWI: Thanks, T.J.
Everyone say thank you, T.J.
CROWD: Thank you, T.J.
HOLMES: Well, that's great. I didn't know you're going to have a crowd this time with you. But I'm glad that worked out. And it's so good to see a different kind of atmosphere and a festive mood. That's not what we are used to reporting out of Afghanistan.
So, Atia, thank you so much for bringing that to us on the Fourth of July. You all enjoy the rest of the day, all right?
ABAWI: Thank you, T.J. Thank you.
HOLMES: Well, we're glad we were able to do that. And, hopefully, some of those families were watching and got to see them -- moms, dads, sons and daughters, just say hello and let them know they're having a good say on this Independence Day as well.
Well, we're coming up on the bottom of the hour here. And, you know, every once in a while, something might miss its target, but used to missing your target by two miles. That's what happened in space on Friday. So, they're going to try it again. A second attempt to get an unmanned Russian cargo ship to dock with the International Space Station. That's coming up in just a few hours. We'll see they can get it right this time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Bottom of the hour now and welcome back to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes. Thanks for being with us here on this Fourth of July and on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
As I say at first, if you don't succeed, try again. If you don't succeed that time well, we don't know what they are going to do up there in space. NASA officials hoping to get that unmanned cargo space craft to finally dock with the International Space Station.
CNN's John Zarrella has been reporting from the Gulf on the oil disaster but of course he post double duty and covers all things in NASA for us as well. And he's on the phone with the latest on this.
John, are they confident are they're going to be able to pull this off today?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on the phone): Well you know T.J., you will say you don't know what they're going to do if -- if they can't pull it off. Actually, they can try and try again a few more times if it doesn't work this first time around at about noon Eastern.
The plan is that the NASA managers and their counterparts in Russia will get together, the station management teams from the two countries, and make a final decision this morning -- in fact they may have already have made that final decision on going ahead and trying to re-dock the progress supply ship to the International Space Station.
And as you know a couple of days ago it basically missed its mark and flew beneath the space station, and just kind of wandered off and started floating away. Now, they did have control of it. That was not an issue. They were able to control it. And they put it in what they call a stable parking orbit. While they tried to figure out exactly what went wrong.
So they're going to - they've already fired the rockets on that progress, they did that yesterday to get it to start heading back towards the space station to get in position to try this thing again today -- T.J.
HOLMES: And John, it was important to note here and just to remind our viewers, what the mission, if you will, of this -- of this -- this vessel is? It's not carrying any -- no men or women on it, and it's supposed to deliver supplies, but still how important is this thing in making sure that it gets docked?
ZARRELLA: Yes absolutely, it is an unmanned rocket that's very common in Russian progress resupply it brings up things like in this case, often have water on it and it's going to have oxygen on it, and it's going have spare parts on it.
And that's really critical, because with the space shuttle going away in the next year or so which is the biggest cargo carrier there is, these unmanned resupply ships are basically going to be doing much of the -- the heavy lifting and bringing up supplies.
Now, it's not in and there are not in any danger if for some reason they cannot get this to work, they'll be able to get other supply ships up.
But I guess, the one other thing to mention T.J., is what exactly went wrong the other day. Well, what happened was is that a signal that is sent between the space station and the progress rocket that basically measures the distance between the two as the progress is docking, in other words, it tells it how far apart they are. That's pretty critical so you don't bump into the station real hard.
Well, that signal was being interrupted. So the onboard computers on the progress told it, oh, oh something is not right. I better not dock, and so the progress did what it supposed to do and just kept on sliding by. So that's what went wrong.
They don't think that will happen again this time, and they figured out what caused it. And we'll know in about three and a half hours -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, we will stand by to see if they get it this time around.
John Zarrella, we appreciate you hopping on the phone with us this morning. Happy Fourth to you; talk to you again soon, buddy.
ZARRELLA: Back at you.
HOLMES: All right, well, it's a competitive sports you may have never considered being a part of: eating. And the training; it's pretty serious stuff.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, well, Fourth of July tradition. You see it there; a lot of us are going to be pigging out, but not quite like this. This is the Nathan Annual Hotdog Eating Contest happening a little later today. Some folks actually call this a sport; they call it competitive eating.
CNN's Susan Candiotti, she is digging into this just a little bit more for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They stuff down hotdogs like there's no tomorrow. Competitive eaters are treated like rock stars by fans and curiosity seekers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very funny. There are so many people and so many cameras.
CANDIOTTI: On July fourth, those cameras will be on Joey Chestnut, the world's number one competitive eater. A three-time champion, the current belt holder for hotdog eating, putting down 68 in just ten minutes. He says he is training hard and hoping to top 70 dogs.
JOEY CHESTNUT, THREE-TIME HOTDOG EATING CHAMPION: I have been eating a lot of hotdogs. I have been fasting to make sure my body -- my body is absolutely empty to 100 percent full.
CANDIOTTI: And he's not kidding when he says full. This is an x-ray image of a competitive eater with 36 hotdogs in the stomach; the stomach is stretched out beyond recognition.
DR. MARC LEVINE, GI RADIOLOGIST, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH SYSTEM: It was really pretty frightening to us because we've never seen anything like this except in patients who have obstructions of their stomach.
CANDIOTTI: Dr. Marc Levine studied competitive eating. He says contestants train their stomach to stretch out so they can eat and eat. Only limited by how long the contest lasts.
LEVINE: When we had him lift his shirt, his abdomen was no longer flat. It looked like he had a nearly full-term pregnancy.
CANDIOTTI: Many of these techniques were pioneered by six-time hotdog eating champ Takeru Kobayashi.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kobayashi is at eleven --
CANDIOTTI: The man who boasts of downing over 17 pounds of cow brains in 15 minutes. He accompanied me to, where else, a hotdog stand.
(on camera): Can we get two hotdogs?
I asked him to show us one of those techniques, the way he gets those hotdogs down. Got that, he shakes to make it all go down. Even the hotdog vendor was impressed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You want to eat good food?
CANDIOTTI: Despite his celebrity, it's not all fun and games for Kobayashi these days. A contract dispute with Major League Eating, the world body that stages 80 contests each year is ready to sideline Kobayashi at the signature Coney Island Hotdog Showdown.
Kobayashi says he wants to compete but the contract is too hard to swallow, forbidding him from competing in any outside events.
TAKERU KOBAYASHI, COMPETITIVE EATER (through translator): It's very difficult, sad and difficult because I know so many people are supporting me. It's not fair.
CANDIOTTI (voice-over): The league argues no sport would allow its athletes to pick and choose events.
GEORGE SHEA, CHAIRMAN, MAJOR LEAGUE EATING: You know Tom Brady cannot say I want to go to the Super Bowl. But then I don't want to be part of the NFL I'm going to do what I want to play arena football or go over to Europe and it just makes no sense.
CANDIOTTI: It may make some queasy but the high stakes sports of competitive eating is something these guys and their fans relish.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Did she just say relish?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, she did. She did.
HOLMES: It worked? What else do you get to say with that?
MYERS: Could I get some wine with that cheese?
HOLMES: But he's not competing and she talked to a guy who is the head of Major League Eating. They have a whole league?
MYERS: They do.
HOLMES: There's a contractual issue and he's some free agent or seriously?
MYERS: I don't get it.
HOLMES: Yes.
MYERS: It's like having -- yes, it's like telling Lebron James he can't play basketball, and then saying oh, it's ok, it's fair, everybody else can still win.
HOLMES: And it's -- yes, ok.
MYERS: Or like when -- like my son plays on Little League Baseball --
HOLMES: Yes.
MYERS: -- but there is no score --
HOLMES: Ok.
MYERS: -- because they can't lose. Like we used to have to lose, with that they can't lose anymore.
HOLMES: There are a lot of leagues out there like that.
Ok, clearly we have some other issues to talk about, but the number one issue.
MYERS: Yes.
HOLMES: -- the weather right now.
MYERS: Yes, hot, breaking news.
HOLMES: Do you want to leave it there.
MYERS: It's breaking news.
HOLMES: Ok.
MYERS: It's the Fourth of July, yes and it's going to be hot. And in fact, we even have some pictures of hot runners.
HOLMES: Oh it's the low race.
MYERS: This is what you need to be careful with if you're going to be out here today. This is why they race --
HOLMES: What?
MYERS: -- race at 7:00 in the morning.
This is the Peach Tree Road Race WSB 6.2 miles, 10 k, I have friend actually running in it.
HOLMES: Yes.
MYERS: But they're not in that lead group.
HOLMES: Ok.
MYERS: They're on the back. You know it's like 50,000 people are going to run.
HOLMES: Yes ok.
MYERS: So people were running all over the place yesterday. As you see people were training everywhere.
HOLMES: Oh I didn't see that at all.
MYERS: I wouldn't train the day before I run. I -- it seems like I would be curbing up.
HOLMES: When are you supposed to stop training getting ready for --
(CROSS TALKING)
HOLMES: Ok we don't know, clearly.
MYERS: This is not ask the expert.
HOLMES: Ok.
MYERS: I lost first in a second T.J.
All right, the fact of the matter is we are seeing some showers and thunderstorms. Some of these showers are heavy and we've had some flash flood warnings across parts of Texas. Of course, some showers and storms that have not moved all night.
And then back up here International Falls they have picked up significant flooding as well this morning. And so if you're going to be out and about understand that yes, it could possibly happen.
Here we go. Temperatures across the country today are going to be hot in the northeast. That's where all the sun will be. There will be showers and thunderstorms down along the Gulf Coast. And then, the storms will not move very much in the west.
West Coast, you're in great shape. You're going to see every firework; there's not going anything to get in your way whatsoever.
Now, we talked about some of these beaches, T.J. we talked about some of them how they are open. Obviously these mom and pop shops are not going to survive if we don't get people there to -- to at least buy something from them.
Pensacola, these are -- there's still oil in the water. Destin, same story, Panama City Beach is completely open and the beaches are open in general, but you just have to stay like five feet away from the water, because that's where the water's edge is where the oil is. If you stay back a bit, it's pretty obvious, it's just a beach day, and if you don't go in the water anyway, then what -- what does it matter?
I mean, there are -- there are things in that water, like animals, and sharks. I don't go in the water because there sharks are in there. Sharks don't come on land, I'm good. I don't go in the water because they are there. That's their place; this is my place.
HOLMES: Oh, a great beach vacation with Chad. Chad, buddy we appreciate you being with us here on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING. You enjoy your Fourth, all right.
MYERS: I will.
HOLMES: We'll see you buddy.
MYERS: All right.
HOLMES: Well, stay with us here.
The City of Chicago, you may have heard, they have a new gun ordinance they just improved. Trying the curb the violence there but leaders in the faith community, they hope influence from the church can actually do the trick.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: It's almost a quarter to the top of the hour, and we here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING proud to say we service the warm up back to Miss Candy Crowley who heads up "STATE OF THE UNION" for us. And looking awfully patriotic; the red, white and blue, they coordinate at the "STATE OF THE UNION" graphics. You all just do a fine job even on fashion up there.
Candy good morning to you. Happy Fourth and how are you doing?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": Good morning and happy Fourth to you, I'm great.
HOLMES: All right, well of course, there is a lot of talk about Afghanistan right now. We can talk about Petraeus. We can talk about how violent it has been; the previous months, the deadliest we have seen and also even throwing the RNC Chairman, Michael Steele into the whole debate over Afghanistan.
And let me start with him and the politics of it. It's one thing to say he just -- he just can't catch a break, but it seems like he is putting himself in these positions.
CROWLEY: This -- this one I think you really have to blame on the chairman of the RNC. It isn't just that he got his facts wrong and said this is Obama's war and this was not a war the United States wanted. Well, the fact is he called it Obama's war of choice and we know this started post 9/11 going in looking for Al Qaeda which have been protected by the Taliban, et cetera, et cetera.
But Republicans are also really upset with Steele's implication in his remarks that the war cannot be won. It is totally opposite from what the Republican Party line is. He just doesn't agree with any -- I mean, most Republicans who believe the war is winnable and who backed President Obama on this.
He was so far off the reservation. He was wrong on his facts and he was wrong on the thrust of things as the Republican Party chairman.
HOLMES: And certainly, nobody would dare say quite frankly we can't win in Afghanistan. We have men and women -- we just talked to some of the men and women here live on the air over their fighting currently. You just can't have that come out.
But Petraeus just got there on Friday, he is official now with this ceremony -- officially in command, but as much as he has going on there, one of the biggest things is his relationship with President Karzai.
CROWLEY: It's key. It is one of the things right now, Petraeus and his remarks talked about the need for unity from all sides. But what we are hearing in Washington increasingly is so many people complaining about President Karzai saying he is not up to the job, that he is -- he has a corrupt administration, and he cannot deliver electricity, that people don't like him.
This is the person that the U.S. is relying on to get his country together and get his act together so that the U.S. can start to leave. So it's really been a source of friction. Today we're going to have on the ambassador from Afghanistan to talk about all of this and to talk about the relationship, not just between Karzai and the U.S., but between Karzai and the Taliban because he has been having talks about sort of bringing them back into the fold. So it's a very complicated place.
HOLMES: Very complicated. You teed up the show for us perfectly. We look forward to seeing you as always in just a few minutes.
CROWLEY: Thank you sir.
HOLMES: Candy Crowley -- the perfectly coordinated Candy Crowley -- and "STATE OF THE UNION". Happy Fourth to you Candy.
CROWLEY: You too.
HOLMES: we will see you in just a minute. Again, Candy Crowley, 9:00 a.m. Easter time, 6:00 a.m. Pacific right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: As you have probably seen in the news, Chicago has been battling an epidemic of violence. On Friday, the city council taking some action approving a new gun control ordinance 4 days after the Supreme Court ruled the city's strict handgun ban was unconstitutional.
On this week's "Faces of Faith" my interview with 4 of Chicago's ministers, their perspective on the situation and what needs to be done.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: What is wrong with these kids?
REV. STEPHEN THURSTON, NEW COVENANT, M.B. CHURCH: I think there is a lack of parental development in many of our kids and also a lack of focus for African-American men.
FATHER MICHAEL PFLEGER, ST. SABINA CATHOLIC CHURCH: You take broken family structure, broken community structure, we're disconnected from one another and you take an influx of guns all around this country. You take poor education, you take unemployment and you put all of it together, plus we teach by violence in this country.
HOLMES: Now, what do you mean when you say, we are teaching them violence?
PFLEGER: We teach, when we're mad at somebody, we bomb you. We teach how we treat one another. Look at talk shows, the meanness, look at the health care meetings.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How dare you? Come on. PFLEGER: When you have adults, 50 and 60-year-olds pushing each other, calling each other names. We have video games. We glorify it in the music and in games and in videos. And you see all this, we've taught them well how to be mean to each other.
HOLMES: And Reverend Meeks, that sounds like we have a breakdown of morality.
REV. JAMES MEEKS, SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH: And we have a breakdown in morality. And so you couple everything that has been said with the fact that 85 percent of the schools that have produced all of the violence, these kids come from schools where there is the worst teacher quality.
HOLMES: Well and Father, you have a quote out there, I guess that's gotten some attention. I think you made it at a rally, where you said, parents need to get a hold of their children.
PFLEGER: Parents have to get hold of their children; they have to know where their children are at. They have to be held responsible to their children. We have no communication out in the street and the homes are broken down so we live in little bubbles in our own little room.
So we have to hold parents accountable, but we also have to hold communities accountable again for what happens, how we take care of each other.
HOLMES: That sounds huge. That sounds like a big --how do you change that culture?
MINISTER ISHMAEL MUHAMMAD, MOSQUE MARYAM: We have lost that connection to God and thereby the family has broken up. And so if the church can take their ministries, which we are attempting to do in making that effort every day, take the gospel, take the ministry, take the word of God from the four walls of a mosque or a church and take it into the streets.
HOLMES: You mentioned there a loss of a connection to God.
MUHAMMAD: Yes.
HOLMES: When did that happen? Why did that happen?
MUHAMMAD: Over the last 30, 40, 50 years, we see a further departure from God.
CHILDREN: We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
MUHAMMAD: I think that it is a crime that our children are forbidden to lift God in the school and to say prayer, yet we allow them or permit them to pledge an allegiance to a flag where the name of God is invoked. They, of course, are chasing after money that has God's name printed on it. HOLMES: Father, you famously put up a billboard and essentially issued a challenge out there to folks, telling them, you're not going to be shooting at our kids, you're not going to be shooting on our streets. We will put a bounty on your head.
PFLEGER: We have to send the message that you cannot shoot children and kill children, go home and turn on TV, go to McDonalds, kick it home and everything's fine like that's normal. That is not normal. One of the things, as faith leaders, we've got to do is wake up the conscience of America.
THURSTON: We have a right to live in peace without fear. We have a right to raise African-American young men to be productive and to be heads of households.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: So much of that conversation focused on young people. We just got word from the Chicago public schools that in this past school year 31 school students were killed, some and 218 others were shot during this past school year that just ended.
We are here on this Independence Day. A lot of you are going to be going out enjoying different kind of activities with family and friends. But don't forget to take a moment out and say thank you.
Quick break, we're right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. MARK HUNTER, U.S. ARMY: How are you doing? This is Sergeant Mark Hunter of the United States Army, currently serving in (INAUDIBLE) Hawaii; my tour, (INAUDIBLE).
This is to my extended family in Detroit, Michigan, preferably my wife, my mom, my aunts, my uncles and my cousins and everybody else. I love you guys and this is my greeting to you on this Fourth of July. Happy holidays, and God bless and be safe.
MASTER SGT. WENDELL WEEKS, U.S. AIR FORCE: Master Sergeant Weeks from joint base Balad in Iraq. I would like to give a shout out to my wife, Celeste with my two boys, Kyle and Christi (ph) and all my family and friends. Happy Fourth of July.
SPEC. APOLONIO OSTIGIN, U.S. ARMY: Hi, I am Specialist Ostigin, based in Joint Base Balad. And I just want to wish my family a happy July 4th. I love and miss you all and I'll be back soon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, we have heard it before so many times by so many people, including so many recording artists at sporting events, but what would our Fourth of July be without our National Anthem as performed at a military tribute? (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
("THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER")
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: As you go out on this Fourth of July, yes it has become a tradition that it is about family and friends with barbecue and the beer even, but still don't forget what the day is about. Don't forget to say thank you when you might pass someone wearing a uniform at your local grocery store or maybe at the airport.
And also don't forget the people of the Gulf Coast this weekend. Like we've been mentioning, June, July, August -- those are the big months for them to make money, in the tourism season. Well, one of those big weekends during this time is being taken away because of what is happening in the Gulf right now.
So please, keep all of those people in mind. Thanks for being with us. Candy Crowley starts right now.
