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CNN Sunday Morning
Oklahoma Devastated by Fires; Olympic Sports Update; Looking For Life on Mars; In The Business of Growing Marijuana; Mars Rover Landing; Fires Devastate Oklahoma; Boxing for Gold
Aired August 05, 2012 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is EARLY START WEEKEND.
Fires in Oklahoma raging out of control. Tens of thousands of acres scorched. And those numbers could go up.
Plus, 100 million miles, $2.6 billion. NASA's Curiosity rover expected to land on Mars late tonight.
And later, Monday marks one of the most significant military operations in history. Tens of thousands killed. A nation brought to its knees. We talk to the last surviving crew member of the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.
It is Sunday, August 5th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. Glad you're with us.
We start in Oklahoma this morning where officials say it is condition critical. More than a dozen wildfires are burning. There is plenty of fuel for those fires thanks to the drought. As of now, at least 120 structures have been burned and hundreds of homes are still threatened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So I stayed as long as I could and I had to get out of these. When I left, the fire was right at my back door. I don't even know what to think right now. I'm -- I'm just numb to the whole deal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It got all the way up to our barn, then it jumped over to the other neighbor on the west. And it's dang near took out my whole barn and hayfield. Everything, our retirement, everything we own is here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Joining me now on the phone is Keli Cain, public information officer for the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management.
Keli, we spoke yesterday morning at this time. Have things improved any at all? And how many people at this point have been evacuated?
KELI CAIN, OK EMERGENCY MGMT. (via telephone): Well, we had three kind of major evacuations that were in place yesterday. I don't have any updates this morning on how those fires are doing, but we do know that some of those areas may have fortunately received a little bit of rain, which may have helped the situation. And so hopefully they're doing a little better. But yesterday was a very critical day for wildfires. We know that we lost a lot of homes in Oklahoma. And it's going to be a hard situation ahead for people.
KAYE: And do you know how many homes you've lost?
CAIN: No. We'll probably have more information today. Right now we still know we have about 120 that -- we were receiving reports yesterday that, you know, the fires were moving very quickly through some of these areas and we know we're going to see some updates today.
KAYE: And is it any closer to getting under control? Were there any new fires that flared up overnight?
CAIN: Not so much overnight. We know they're still working on the fires from yesterday. Like I said, you know, with the humidity last night from some of the storms that were kind of pushing through, we hope that that was able to help the situation and make it a little easier for firefighters out there because they've just been through such a tough time the last couple days. But so far we're just kind of waiting to hear more details.
KAYE: And I know that as of yesterday -- we spoke with you, we also spoke to a reporter there on the ground -- who said that they were looking for someone who might have thrown something out of a pickup truck that may have caused this and this may be an arson fire. Any more confirmation on that or any word on whether or not they found this person?
CAIN: I haven't had any word. It's hard to believe someone would do something like that. We're just kind of waiting for more info.
KAYE: All right. Appreciate that. Keli Cain, thank you for your time this morning and good luck trying to get that under control there.
To more severe weather now. And we are keeping an eye on a pair of tropical storms. The first is Tropical Storm Ernesto. The storm is packing 60 mile-per-hour winds as it heads south of Jamaica today. Tropical Storm Florence is farther out, still 515 miles from the Cape Verde Islands out in the Atlantic. Florence is expected to fizzle out, though, before it gets close to the U.S.
In legal news, reports that Jared Lee Loughner may plead guilty in the shooting of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The attack in Arizona last year killed six people and wounded 13 others, including Giffords. "The Los Angeles Times" and "Wall Street Journal" both report that Loughner will enter a plea on Tuesday. But the U.S. attorney's office tells CNN that they can't confirm or deny those reports. Two race car drivers are trying to spread the word on a missing kids case in Iowa. Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook disappeared last month while riding their bikes. The girls are nine and 10 years old respectively. Drivers Landon Cassill, who is from Iowa, and Travis Kvapil will have pictures of the girls on their cars when they race in a Nascar race in Pennsylvania. That race is today.
Now to outer space and an exciting NASA mission nearing its destination. The Curiosity rover is expected to make it to the surface of Mars late tonight. The rover launched last November. The first images from Curiosity are expected just a few hours after the landing.
To politics now and Mitt Romney's renewed attack on President Obama over the economy. He called the latest jobs report a hammer blow to the American people. He sat down to talk more about it with our Gloria Borger, who caught up with him at a campaign event in Evansville, Indiana.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Democrats say right now this should be the time for more federal spending on things like education, on things like infrastructure, because the public sector has really been taking a beating here. So it -- couldn't you make the case that now is the time for something more dramatic?
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I can absolutely make the case that now is the time for something dramatic, and it is not the time to grow government. It's the time to create the incentives and the opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses big and small to hire more people. And that's going to happen. You're going to see that happen in this country, but not under this president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: You can see much more of that exclusive interview coming up on CNN "State of the Union." That's at 9:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN this morning.
President Obama has his surrogates out on the trail this weekend. That includes his sister who was at an event in Wisconsin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYA SOETORO-NG, PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SISTER: We have less than 100 days to tell the story of this administration, as well s to think about unearthing the important stories about how individuals in this country have been affected in positive ways.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The president himself has taken the weekend off for his birthday. He turned 51 yesterday.
Shifting gears a bit now. It is hard to believe but half a century ago today the iconic Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her L.A. home. The world's fascination with the tragic Hollywood star has not faded. Performers from Madonna to Lady Gaga have emulated her signature pin-up style. And, yes, she even has thousands of Twitter followers and more than three million FaceBook fans. So we want to hear from you about Marilyn. What's Marilyn Monroe's lasting legacy 50 years after her death? You can tweet me, @RandiKayeCnn. I'll read some of your responses later on in the show.
Look out, Team USA. Team GB, that's Great Britain in case you didn't know, road and ran its way to a slew of gold medals on super Saturday. I'll tell you how many and take you to London for a preview of today's action.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Turning now to the Olympics, where Team USA continue to top all other nations in the standings, but only by a slim lead. The U.S. has 54 overall medals, including 26 gold. China right behind with 53 total medals and 25 gold. And a big night for Olympics' host, Great Britain. Team GB, as it's called, snagging six gold medals, vaulting into third place. South Korea, Germany, and France round out the top six.
And in what was likely his last race, Michael Phelps displayed the talent that's led many to call him the greatest swimmer ever. The 27-year-old winning a record-setting 18th gold medal in the men's 4x100 meter relay and ending an Olympic career that began 12 years ago in Sydney. Alex Thomas is at Olympic Park in London for us this morning.
Alex, good morning.
So have we really seen the last of Phelps at the Olympics? I mean is there any chance you think that he might come back maybe four years from now in Rio?
ALEX THOMAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sorry to dip into my bag of sports cliches, Randi, but never say never. It's the only way you can say it. He could well change his mind. I think, though, it's not just the 12 years he's been competing from Sydney. You have to consider that this is someone that's been training his whole life. Although he's only 27 years old, young by many people's standards, he's been working at this since a very young lad, indeed. And it does take it out of you. All those early morning starts. The hours of grueling training.
If you think of another swimming legend, Australia's Ian Thorpe, the so-called Thorpedo, he retired and did decided to come back for these London 2012 games but couldn't rediscover his speed and didn't qualify here. He was OK with that and I think he's going to continue swimming because he enjoyed it when he came back.
That could yet happen to Phelps. But if he -- if that was the last time we saw him in an Olympic pool, he went out with a golden finish. And he's even presented with a special award saying greatest Olympian on it. And Phelps said, "I finished my career the way I wanted to." You described him as the greatest swimmer ever. I would go one step further and say it is all about the numbers for me. He's the greatest Olympian ever.
KAYE: Yes, no doubt about that.
And on this stellar Sunday, track and field also back in the spotlight. First, the battle to be the world's fastest man. We know Jamaican Usain Bolt is among the participants. Who's going to join him?
THOMAS: Yes, remember, Usain Bolt absolutely blowing the world's minds four years ago by smashing the world 100 and 200 meters records by winning gold in both those sprint events. The men's 100 meters finals, always exciting, isn't it? But when Bolt getting challenged now by Yohan Blake, his fellow Jamaican, who won the world championship title when Bolt was disqualified in the final last year, Asafa Powell, who's awfully fast, as is Americans Tyson Gay and also Justin Gatlin back from a drugs ban. And to cap it all, there's another American, the unheralded Ryan Bailey, who ran fastest following (ph) yesterday's heat, 9.88 seconds, which would have been good enough to win gold in the 1992 Olympic games.
So all sorts of names in the mix. It's going to be absolutely mouth-watering. Look out, too, for the women's 400 meters final. America's Sanya Richards-Ross trying to make up for her disappointment in Beijing four years ago. Leading with 60 meter to go, she tightened up in one of her hamstrings and got overtaken, especially by Britain's Christine Ohuruogu, who is a local girl as well from London. All the home fans here are going to be cheering her on. But Sanya Richards- Ross I think is looking in exceptionally good form. She's also caused a controversy by calling for Olympic athletes to get paid to compete at the games. At the moment, they don't. This is what she had to say to me about it earlier this week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANYA RICHARDS-ROSS, U.S. OLYMPIC ATHLETE: There was a time that I believed the Olympics was about just doing it for the love of your country and patriotism. But that has changed, you know. There's a lot of money exchanging hands around these games, but they don't see my peers and a lot of my -- the athletes that I interact with that are struggling to make a living in the sport. I don't think it's an issue of greed or patriotism. I think it's just the realization that the Olympics has changed and I think that we should be considered as well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS: So, Randi, after a super Saturday, as they called it, I'm terming this stellar Sunday. Twenty-three golds in offer across so many sports. Loads to look forward to. And if I missed out on anything, go to our website, cnn.com/Olympics, our live blog is excellent, keeping everyone up to date.
KAYE: I'm always tuned into that live blog. Alex Thomas, thank you very much. Appreciate it.
Looking for life on Mars. NASA is closer to getting answers as the Curiosity rover closes in on the red planet. We'll check out the mission.
But first, good morning, Washington, D.C. Glad you're waking up with us. Going to be a beautiful day there. Nice shot of the White House.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It is an exciting time for NASA scientists, or really anyone who loves space. That is because the Curiosity rover is close to reaching Mars. It's expected to land late tonight around 1:30 in the morning, actually, if you're planning on staying up for the big landing. Our John Zarrella has more on the mission and what NASA hopes to find up there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Grand Canyon. Each layer of rock represent a period of history. It is a perfect place to see how earth evolved over millions of years. On Mars, if you're looking for evidence of life, you go to a very similar place called the Gale Crater. Here, the layered rock provides a history of Mars back to its first billion years.
ASHWIN VASAVADA, DEPUTY PROJECT MANAGER: That period of Mars history is a mystery to us. But it's also the most exciting history for us because that's when it was most earthlike.
ZARRELLA: And that's when life is most likely to have developed. So Gale is where NASA's Curiosity rover is going, between a mountain and the crater wall.
ADAM STELTZNER, ENTRY, DESERT AND LANDING ENGINEER: And we're landing right between those two in kind of the only patch of flat ground.
ZARRELLA: You could call Curiosity the Sherlock Holmes of rovers, with a capability to do science that's more than just elementary.
VASAVADA: This mission really asks one of the most fundamental questions you can ask, is there life on any other planet besides Earth?
ZARRELLA: Curiosity does not have the capability to detect life itself unless life should stand up and wave at the rover's camera. But the 2,000-pound rover can detect what none of its predecessors could. Its laser scans for tantalizing targets. Its hammer drill breaks down rock and deposits tiny samples in Curiosity's" on-board chemistry lab. The lab can sniff out organic materials, like carbon, a building block of life.
VASAVADA: One of the key goals is to look for the key ingredients that life requires. Water, of course, is one of the most -- one of the things we always look for on Mars.
ZARRELLA: Scientists believe if water ever flowed on Mars, it might have been inside Gale Crater. The vast majority of Curiosity's tasks will be orchestrated by scientist on Earth. But when you're 150 million miles away, there are some things Curiosity might have to do on its own.
JESSICA SAMUELS, MARS SURFACE ENGINEERING: The rover will be able to make decisions whether it can drive over an obstacle or if it needs to drive around an obstacle.
ZARRELLA: The Rover's mission is expected to last about two years. At the end of it, scientists hope to finally understand whether Mars could ever have sustained life or maybe even still does.
John Zarrella, CNN, Pasadena, California.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: An 87-year-old man is busted. And wait until you find out what police say he did. And he says his family was in on the whole thing. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Checking stories across country.
We begin in Washington state with the transformation of a veteran's cemetery. It was so run down that weeds covered the tomb of the unknown soldier. Then, a group of volunteers got to work. It all started when a retired Marine took his grandson to visit and was shocked by what he saw. He asked a community activist to put out the call for help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PURSLEY, RETIRED MARINE: I took my grandson here a couple years ago. I wanted to show him the tomb of the unknown. And I was really embarrassed.
TODD BEST, COMMUNITY ACTIVIST: There was an elderly gentleman at the front gate waiting to come in. This guy was a World War II veteran, a Korean veteran and he's walking with an oxygen container and he says to me, how can I help, Todd?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Organizers plan to renovate the entire tomb and the surrounding grounds.
Two San Diego men are under arrest in a high-end burglary ring bust. They're accused of stealing a $250,000 Ford GT. And that is not all. Police say they also made off with jewelry, two Porsches and even a Picasso lithograph. They allegedly chopped up the Ford GT to resell its parts. Only 4,000 of those cars are on the road.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN PHILPOTT, DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It's actually quite rare. There's not a whole large market out there for vehicles as rare as a Ford GT like this one. They're not that easy to turn around and sell and you can't really drive around the streets in them. So that type of a thing is something that we don't see very often.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Both men have pleaded not guilty to felony theft charges.
And heartbreak in western Massachusetts. A lightning strike destroyed an elementary school. More than 100 firefighters helped put out the blaze. Two suffered injuries. No one was in the building. But students will have to attend other schools in the area when classes resume in a few weeks.
In the business of growing marijuana. This 87-year-old Denver man is facing drug charge but says he did nothing wrong. Police even allowed him to keep some of the weed that he grew. Reporter Meagan Fitzgerald with our affiliate KUSA tells us what this is all about.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
EDWARD BOGUNOVICH: It's a beneficial thing. It is very beneficial.
MEAGAN FITZGERALD, KUSA REPORTER (voice-over): Growing marijuana.
BOGUNOVICH: There's four people are legally here.
FITZGERALD: Eighty-seven-year-old Edward Bogunovich says it was more like a family business. He tells us his daughter is even in the mix.
BOGUNOVICH: Well, I was a caretaker for 24 people for the last year or two.
FITZGERALD: Which is the reason Bogunovich says his household had documentation to grow. But there are rules and guidelines that have to be followed. A police affidavit says officers raided the backyard they described as a forest of marijuana trees. They estimate around 500 plant were growing back there.
BOGUNOVICH: This is where the greenhouses were, right here, both of them. And they took all the plants.
FITZGERALD: Bogunovich gave investigators state medical marijuana documents, but they only allow him to have 231 plants. Agents say he was over that amount by 269, so they hauled him off to jail.
BOGUNOVICH: It don't make sense to me. It's -- there was no crime committed. We didn't do nothing. We're trying to be legal.
FITZGERALD: But now these pot plants are what's left of the family's marijuana supply. An amount Bogunovich says really hurts his pockets.
BOGUNOVICH: How do I feel? I lost a lot of money. That's the worst part. (END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: That was Meagan Fitzgerald with our affiliate KUSA. Bogunovich is due back in court on August 16th.
A man apparently tries to fake his own death but gets caught just days later when he's pulled over for speeding. And, oh, boy, his wife is furious.
But first, while the markets had a rough week, they ended on a high note Friday and mortgage rates inched a bit higher. Here's a look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Thanks for starting your morning with us. I'm Randi Kaye. It is just about half past the hour now.
Some view it as one of the touchstone issues really of our nation's culture war. I'm talking about abortion, that is. And now the debate has been revived, of course, thanks to a new Arizona law that people on both sides say is really just the latest in an increase in anti-abortion legislation across the country.
And Athena Jones has our report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The fight over abortion rights took center stage again this week. This time in Arizona where a judge temporarily prevented the state from implementing a law that would criminalize abortions after 20 weeks.
JANET CREPPS, CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS: Maricopa County wants to argue that Roe V. Wade should be overturned.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: The resolution would be for the court to say that Roe is no longer good law.
JONES: Abortion rights groups say it's the most restrictive such law in the country. It's exactly the kind of legislation abortion opponents have been calling for.
MARJORIE DANNENFELSER, PRESIDENT, THE SUSAN B. ANTHONY LIST: Many of us have known people that were born at the stage that we are trying to make abortion illegal, at the 20, 22 weeks. So it's a common sense and a compassionate thing to do.
JONES: Advocates on both sides point to a growing number of state laws restricting abortion, with much of the increase coming in the last two years. Something of great concern to pro-abortion rights groups.
ELIZABETH NASH, STATE ISSUES MANAGER, GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE: At some point, women and providers are going to cry uncle and just say, I can't do it anymore. JONES: Abortion opponents say, they have the momentum. And according to the Guttmacher Institute, 55 percent of U.S. women at reproductive age now live in one of the 26 states considered hostile to abortion rights. But neither side is backing down on the central issue in the culture wars. Arizona is just the latest battlefield.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're reporting today inside Mississippi's last abortion clinic.
JONES: A law in Mississippi requiring that doctors at abortion clinics be certified OB-GYNs with privileges at local hospitals was set to go into effect last month, threatening to shut down the state's only clinic until a judge issued a temporary restraining order. Our Virginia law sets up new regulations for abortion clinics such as requiring five-foot-wide hallways.
A move opponents say, is really meant to shut clinics down. Those guidelines are still under review. For most voters, abortion won't be the most important issue in the presidential election this fall. Even so, the outcome in November will surely shape the debate.
Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Here are some other stories that may have been off your radar. Some are calling it historic new legislation. Police in New York now required to collect DNA samples from everyone convicted of a crime, even minor misdemeanors like jumping a subway turnstile. Previously only felony convictions could get you into that data base.
A remorseful thief? This sounds like the plot of a TV show. But in Canada, a burglar had a true change of heart. Not just returning what he stole from one family's home, but leaving them $50 and a written apology. Take a look at this.
He wrote, quote, "I made the worst mistake of my life. I can't put into words how sorry I am." Neighbors say, they were upset at first, but the letter really tugged at their heartstrings. And locally there's no shortage of opinion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: The judge and jury, is he? Well, I think obviously we all have troubles in our lives. But it doesn't excuse someone to break into your house and do that. I mean, maybe in his mind he's making some kind of restitution.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I don't know what I would do if it happened to me.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It's a tough one.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: It is. It is. But I'd be glad to get my goods back again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And finally this guy, Raymond Roth, was pulled over for speeding in Florida last week. You're probably asking why is this news. Well, because everyone thought the 47-year-old was dead. Drowned in Long Island beach. But allegedly he faked his own death before cleaning out his wife's bank account and driving hundreds of miles south.
In Afghanistan, teachers have been injured and even killed just for helping young girls learn to read and write. But a CNN hero says, she is not afraid. She's founded a girls' school in Afghanistan. Find out why 9/11 was her inspiration. Her story, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: To Syria now. And take a look at what it feels and sounds like to be in the middle of a city under fire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Allahu Akbar.
(EXPLOSION)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Allahu Akbar.
(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: You're looking at shattered streets in Syria's largest city of Aleppo. Rebels say, government artillery and warplanes have been pounding them for hours. They are bracing for a showdown with the regime. All this as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton now plans to head to neighboring Turkey within days because of the worsening crisis.
So, let's bring in CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom at our bureau in Abu Dhabi this morning. Mohammed, good morning. The rebels say, government troops are advancing on Aleppo. What is the situation?
MOHAMMED JAMJOOM, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Randi. Well, that's right, members of the free Syrian army telling us that they know that there are at least two columns of troops that are heading towards Aleppo right now. And we've been hearing from opposition and activists that the military, the Syrian regime military is sending in reinforcements.
We've gotten many reports over the last few days that equipment and the troops have been arriving in Aleppo from different parts of the country. And that the expectation is that this major battle for Aleppo that has been looming for quite some time now has not yet really begun. Now, we've heard today also from members of the free Syrian army, from opposition activists in Aleppo that the government is deploying heavy weapons and trying to drive out rebel Syrian fighters from different parts of Aleppo. The most populated city. The commercial hub of Syria. And that they are pounding several neighborhoods in Aleppo with rockets, with mortars, that they are using warplanes on different neighborhoods, as well. But the concern is, as I said just a minute ago, that the main battle for Aleppo has yet to begin. And it's not just activists and residents in Aleppo that have suggested this. Members of the International Community have expressed a lot of worry. An increasing amount of worry these past few days in saying that they don't think that Aleppo has yet seen the worst of the violence that it will encounter -- Randi.
KAYE: And the rebels meanwhile are saying that they control large parts of Aleppo. I mean, is there any way to verify that that's true? I mean, because the regime, of course is saying that it's killed and captured dozens of what they call terrorists.
JAMJOOM: It's hard to verify, Randi. There is a propaganda war going on in Syria right now along with the civil war that's going on. Now, the rebels have claimed to take large portions and significant parts of the city under their control. But every time a claim like that emerges, you have Syrian state television flashing banners saying that these neighborhoods are now back under the control of the regime, that they've killed and/or arrested scores of terrorists. They always use the phrase "armed terrorist groups" in describing opposition fighters in Syria.
And that's where it's difficult to verify these claims and these counterclaims. We've seen so much footage from certain reports and amateur videos on line the past few days showing that rebel fighters are in the streets of Aleppo. That they are engaging in urban combat with the regime forces. But exactly who is in control, which neighborhood? We just don't really have an accurate -- an accurate description of that at this time -- Randi.
KAYE: And Mohammed, as we said, the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, planning to head to Turkey for talks on the crisis. Is there anything to indicate that this could actually make a difference as to what's going on there in Syria?
JAMJOOM: Well, there's really not, Randi. Sadly, you know, amongst this -- all this diplomatic flurry of activity that's been going on these past few months, the meetings, whether it's the U.N. or whether it's Kofi Annan or whether it's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton traveling to different parts of the region, the fact of the matter is it has not stopped the deteriorating situation in Syria. The civil war has only gotten worse. The humanitarian situation there is only deteriorating. So, while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading to Turkey on Saturday which Turkey is an integral player in trying to solve the Syria crisis, there is just no indication that it will do anything to really make the situation on the ground in Syria at all better -- Randi.
KAYE: Mohammed Jamjoom, thank you very much for your reporting.
Acid attacks, poisoned water, and the daily fear of violence keep schoolgirls and their teachers in Afghanistan fearing for their lives. But while terrorists try to keep them from getting an education, this week's CNN hero is fearlessly giving them one and opening minds in the process all for free. Meet Razia Jan.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RAZIA JAN, CHAMPIONING CHILDREN: In Afghanistan, most of the girls have no voice. They are used as property of a family. The picture is very grim.
My name is Razia Jan, and I'm the founder of a girls' school in Afghanistan. When we opened the school in 2008, 90 percent of them could not write their name. Today, 100 percent of them are educated. They can read, they can write.
I lived in the U.S. for over 38 years, but I was really affected by 9/11. I really wanted to prove that Muslims are not terrorists. I came back here in 2010. Girls have been the most oppressed.
And I thought I have to do something. It was a struggle in the beginning. I would sit with these men and I would tell them don't marry them when they're 14 years old. They want to learn.
How do you write your father's name?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: E-i-s --
After five years now, the men, they are proud of their girls when they themselves can write their name. Very good.
Still, we have to take these precautions. Some people are so much against girls getting educated. We provide free education to over 350 girls. I think it's like a fire that it will grow. Every year my hope becomes more. I think I can see the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Jan was nominated by a viewer just like you. So if you know someone who's making a difference in your community, visit cnnheroes.com to nominate them. Your nomination could help them help others.
Remembering Hiroshima. Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the Enola Gay dropping the first atomic bomb. We'll hear from the only remaining crew member who was there when the mission made history.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Forty five minutes past the hour. Tomorrow marks a major day in American history. It will be 67 years since the world changed forever with the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. It effectively ended the war in the pacific and ushered in the atomic era. The bomb was carried by the Enola Gay, a modified B-29 bomber. There is only one surviving member of that crew. And we had a chance to speak with him. He is navigator Dutch Van Kirk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) THEODORE "DUTCH" VAN KIRK, 84 NAVIGATOR ON THE ENOLA GAY: If you were of that age at that time, you knew you were going to be in the war. I know I didn't want the army. That was -- that sort of thing. I knew I didn't want the navy and because that was in the water. So, no, I had -- just a few, little bit of flying experience. And I loved it. My name is Theodore J. Van Kirk, and I was a major. I probably -- I think I probably flew about 15 missions out of England.
And then I got transferred down to North Africa where I completed the rest of (INAUDIBLE). If you made 25 missions, you were either the luckiest person alive or the German pilots were lousy shots. In my case, the German pilots were lousy shots. I was down in New Orleans when I got a call from Tibbets. I met Tibbets before that, before I flew the -- mission out of England. It's the best day of my life. He saved my life a couple of times.
And he says, I'm organizing a new group. He says, I can't tell you what it's about, but he says, if it works we're either going to end or officially shorten the war. And he says, I want you to be my group navigator. I got orders to report to the silver plate project in Wendover, Utah. We trained primarily to make the rapid turn and running away from the bomb. That was our primary training.
That was our biggest worry -- was getting away from the bomb. You know, how do you get away from a bomb? You drop the bomb, the bomb goes this way, you go this way. But you had to make a very rapid turn. Tibbets practiced, he could make that turn in less than a minute. So, you're at 30,000 feet now. He's in a 360-degree bang, which is a very sharp bang for a B-29 at that altitude.
(EXPLOSION)
We knew the time was approaching and everything else because they had had the test explosions in New Mexico. Well, then they finally briefed us for the bomb, for the mission and everything else. They briefed us that we were going to go out and drop the atomic bomb and everything of that type. And we'll get some sleep. Now, how the hell they expected you to -- to tell you you're going out and dropping the first atomic bomb, and then go get some sleep is beyond me. Tibbets, Fairapy (ph) and I were in the same poker game. We obviously didn't sleep.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: It is a fascinating tale. And that is just the beginning of the story. Next, we'll hear more about the day of the mission and the image that stuck in Dutch Van Kirk's mind when he visited Japan after the war.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Tomorrow marks the anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan, 67 years ago. There's only one survivor from the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the bomb that day. Dutch Van Kirk tells us more now about the mission and the lasting memory of the devastation. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KIRK: We get down to the airplane, that's the first thing. As the 245 comes in, the takeoff. The first problem was getting off the ground. We were very heavily overloaded. Just before 10,000 feet -- went back to the -- and did the final arming of the bomb. And they said, didn't that make you nervous? I said, hell, I'm nervous already. How much more nervous could I get? And we're about 30,000 feet.
I could see the outline of Japan. The miles away. I went in, across Senkaku, I turned to the westerly heading, and called Tom Fairapy (ph) and I say, if you can't see it now, you're blind. The city of Hiroshima is up there, and you could see the bridge, that was our aiming point.
It took the bomb 43 seconds from the time we dropped it at 30,000 feet until the time it exploded at 18,000 feet. The first thing you saw was that large white cloud that was up well above our altitude. If you looked down to the City of Hiroshima, it just looked like a pot of running oil covering a city.
HARRY S. TRUMAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: The world will know that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. If Japan does not surrender, bombs will have to be dropped on her war industries and, unfortunately, thousands of civilian lives will be lost.
There was nothing celebratory about it at all or anything. We're just dropping another bomb.
ANNOUNCER: Crowds gather in front of the White House awaiting the announcement of Japan's surrender from President Harry S. Truman.
TRUMAN: The Japanese have just officially laid down their arms. They have signed terms of unconditional surrender.
ANNOUNCER: And the news triggered the greatest celebration the nation has ever known.
KIRK: It would have been another years before the war would have been over. The point is, we dropped the bombs and saved a lot of lives. We and the Japanese would have had a bloodbath if we had invaded Japan. And they knew we were coming. They knew where we were going to land, and they had their guns waiting for us. A lot of people went up to Japan after the war to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki. And Nagasaki, when we landed there, all the Japanese commander wanted to do was present his sword. Wanted to surrender.
But while in Nagasaki, I saw probably one of the saddest sights of war. We were standing around just chatting, and at a bus stop there in Nagasaki. The city was destroyed. Leveled out. And the bus come in and stopped and everything else. And this Japanese soldier got off the bus looking for his home. What do you say to that man? It was a sad moment in my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The bombing of Nagasaki came three days after Hiroshima. Harry Truman's grandson is in Japan attending ceremonies around the bombing anniversary. He offered a silent prayer for the Hiroshima victims at an event yesterday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Thanks for starting your morning with us. We've got so much ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, which starts right now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): From CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
One hundred million miles, $2.6 billion, NASA's Curiosity rover expected to land on Mars tonight.
Plus, fires in Oklahoma raging out of control. Tens of thousands of acres scorched. Those numbers could go up.
And later --
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Is she allowed to have a boyfriend?
RUDY SILVA, COACH: No.
O'BRIEN: Is she allowed to party on the weekends?
SILVA: No.
O'BRIEN: Is he allowed to take a few days off and not train when she's worn out?
SILVA: No.
KAYE: A lifetime of sacrifices may lead to a necklace of gold. But regardless of performance, three American boxers will make history in London just by showing up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. It is 7:00 on the East Coast, 4:00 a.m. on the West. Thanks for starting your morning with us.
The sounds of gunfire and artillery ringing out in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. Rebels say more government troops are advancing on them. They're bracing for a showdown. The opposition says security forces have killed at least 17 people across Syria today. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans to attend talks in neighboring Turkey next weekend on the crisis.
Now let's take a look at some legal news. And reports that Jared Lee Loughner may plead guilty in the shooting of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The attack in Arizona last year, as you may recall, killed six people and wounded 13 others including Giffords. "The Los Angeles Times" and "Wall Street Journal" both reporting now that Loughner will enter a plea on Tuesday, but the U.S. attorney's office tells us they can't confirm or deny that.
We're also hearing new details about the condition of Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. His wife tells the "Chicago Sun-Times"" newspaper that Jackson is still, quote, "depressed" and doctors are increasing his medications. Jackson checked into the Mayo Clinic last month citing gastrointestinal and mental health issues like depression.
Now to outer space and an exciting NASA mission nearing its destination. The Curiosity rover is expected to make it to the surface of mars late tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN GROTZINGER, PROJECT SCIENTIST FOR MARS SCIENCE LAB: There's a lot of pressure. We've done everything that we can to get ready.
It's like watching the Olympics. You sit there, you watch the athletes. You're hoping for the best, but you look at the parents, and they always look nervous. That's the same thing as us. We just want to stick to this landing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Curiosity's mission is to explore a major crater on Mars. It's looking for signs that life may have existed on the red planet.
To Iran now and what they say is a successful missile test there. State media reported on the launch of the Fattah 110 missile which they say can travel nearly 200 miles. The U.S. said Iran is developing longer range missiles that can go more than 1,000 miles.
And there you have it. The sounds of gunfire and artillery ringing out in the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo. Rebels say more government troops are advancing on them. They're bracing for a showdown. The opposition says security forces have killed at least 23 people across Syria today.
And the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be there. She'll attend talks in neighboring Turkey next weekend on the crisis.
In politics, a busy week for the presidential candidates. The economy is their main message. But Mitt Romney is being dogged by another question that has nothing to do with policy. CNN's political editor Paul Steinhauser has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey. Good morning, Randi.
All eyes will be on Mitt Romney this week for hints on whom he'll choose as his running mate. So far he's not talking.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I will absolutely decide and announce my running mate before the third day of the Republican convention in August. But other that, I have nothing for you.
STEINHAUSER: The Republican presidential challenger campaigns in Iowa Tuesday and Wednesday. Friday, he kicks off a four-day bus tour through three other battleground states -- Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.
It's also a busy campaign week for President Obama. He fundraises tomorrow in Connecticut and reaches out to voters in the crucial swing state of Colorado later in the week -- Randi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser -- thank you very much.
Going for the gold and breaking boundaries in the process. How one Texas woman and others will change the look of the games as we know it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Nine minutes past the hour.
While many of this year's Olympic athletes have been making history on the medals stance, there are a few who will make history just for being there. They are boxers and they are women. And for the first time in history, they will be allowed to compete.
Soledad O'Brien talked with one of them, American Marlen Esparza.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARLEN ESPARZA, TEAM USA BOXER: When you beat somebody in the ring, you're not just beating them up or something. You're like beating the entire symbolism of them. You're beating who they are.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Marlen Esparza's early morning always start with math, how much to eat, how far to run how many pounds, sprints, crunches, how many endless hours of training will it take to win.
(on camera): Why are you here every day?
ESPARZA: Because I want to win. This is my life, and this is what I do. And I can honestly say like this is who I am. Like right here, you see it, this is what I do.
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Esparza trains in a gym along a lonely stretch of Houston's I-10.
Coach Rudy Silva took charge of her life when she was just 12. She's now 22.
(on camera): Is she allowed to have a boyfriend?
SILVA: No.
O'BRIEN: Is she allowed to party on the weekends?
SILVA: No.
O'BRIEN: Is she allowed to take a few days off and not just train when she's worn out?
SILVA: No.
O'BRIEN: That's a lot of nos.
SILVA: Yes.
ANNOUNCER: Marlen Esparza!
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Esparza won the first of seven national championships by age 16. She dreamed of fighting at the Olympic even though boxing was the only sport that didn't allow women.
(on camera): The Olympics is the goal, big goal?
ESPARZA: Yes. Huge. Probably -- I honestly, truly feel like if I go to the Olympics and medal that I could probably be totally happy for the rest of my life. Yes, like completely happy.
O'BRIEN: Now the Olympic glass ceiling has been shattered. Women will be boxing at the London Games for the first time in history.
Sponsors have lined up behind Marlen -- Nike, Cover Girl, Coca Cola. And her community is excited to have a Latina star.
ESPARZA: The Mexicans are totally going to love it. They're going to freak when it happens.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're really cool.
ESPARZA: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Esparza was the first female to qualify for the games. Her dream of going to the Olympics is just around the corner.
ESPARZA: I think the atmosphere and energy is going to be something I never felt. I think that's one of the main things I'm looking forward to. I think that's going to put me over the top and ready to compete.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And in just over an hour, female boxers will make their Olympic debut as the first bouts in flyweights begin at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
Back to school -- three words that bring sadness to the hearts of kids across the country. And also their parents who have to foot the bill for all those school supplies. I'll talk with one teacher and author who will tell you how to send your kids back to school without breaking the bank.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back, everyone.
The summer break is almost over for millions of kids. And for them, it means time to head back to school. But for parents and, in some cases grandparents, it means shopping for clothes, shoes, and all of those school supplies.
And here's what most of you with children in grades K through 12 say that you will spend this year. About $246 for clothing, $218 for electronics, $129 on shoes, and $95 on school supplies. Now that adds up to $688 this year up from almost $604 last year.
Joining me now with more on how to stretch those back-to-school bucks is Danny Kofke, special education teacher in Georgia.
How you?
DANNY KOFKE, AUTHOR, "A SIMPLE BOOK OF FINANCIAL WISDOM": Good, Randi. How are you today?
KAYE: I'm well. Thanks.
All right. So, you really have both sides of the issue covered because you're a teacher and you're a parent.
We'll get to your tips in a moment. But what do you think about the money being spent? Is that money well spent by parents when you look at those numbers?
KOFKE: Yes, it is. We all know about how tough times are now for states and with the school cuts that are going on, a lot of teachers don't have the money to buy the supplies either. So, I do think it is a good investment. And the districts are struggling to buy the supplies, as well. So yes, we do -- we do need those supplies in the classrooms.
KAYE: Yes. Let's go through some of your tips. The first you say is to shop during tax-free times. Seventeen states already having those, many of that happening -- much of that happening this weekend.
KOFKE: Right. Right. Unfortunately, I know here in Georgia, ours -- the tax free doesn't start until next weekend. And up the road in my county actually starts tomorrow, our first day. So, I guess for my county it's not going to do any good.
But if you can take advantage of the tax-free shopping, then, absolutely, you're saving money. KAYE: Something else you say is to budget during the school year. Not so easy all the time.
KOFKE: No, it isn't. But the first day of school comes every August. So, if you have children, you know it's going to come like Christmas. Christmas comes every December. So, just start right now. If you haven't prepared, maybe starting this August, put aside $20 a month. And then by the time next August rolls around, you'll have the back-to-school spending money set aside for you to go out and buy the stuff.
KAYE: And stock up during the school year, is that when there's other sales, perhaps?
KOFKE: Yes. You can. Or let's just say, if your child is in second grade this year, so you know next year, they'll be in third grade. Well, go ahead and get the supply lists for third grade. And then during the course of the year, any time there's a sale, say on composition books, or pencils, or whatever, just stock up. And then that way you're not hit all at once with that back-to-school crunch.
KAYE: And grandparents, they're always there to help, right?
KOFKE: Absolutely. I know a lot of grandparents. They do have a little more disposable income in many cases than some parents do, especially when you have younger children. So, they can kick in. Now is the time to help.
KAYE: And you say that kids should actually be part of the process, as well. How do you get them to take part in this?
KOFKE: Right. Well, it's important because a lot of kids don't know how to spend money. Well, hard to see money grows on trees, a lot of kids think that. But actively involve them. Just say, you know what, we have $200 to spend on your back-to-school supplies, here, just like you make the budget and you buy it. And then maybe instead of buying the Hello Kitty notebook, they'll buy the more generic so their dollar stretches farther.
KAYE: And so, people are actually spending more on back-to- school supplies. Do you think we'll see that continue?
KOFKE: I think so, unfortunately. I do have to say, I know at my school, the principal has told the teachers, you know what, a lot of parents are struggling right now. So, if there is anything we can cut back on, please do.
So, just for parent to know that principals and we are aware of that, that a lot of people are struggling financially. We are trying to cut it back as much as possible.
KAYE: Danny, appreciate it. Thank you very much.
KOFKE: Thank you.
KAYE: For much more of my guests and stories, you can head over to my blog. You can find it at CNN.com/Randi.
Well, it is hard to believe, but half a century ago today, the iconic Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her L.A. home. All morning I've been asking what you think her lasting legacy is all these years later. You can tweet me, @RandiKayeCNN, and I'll read some of your responses next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: We've been talking about this all morning. In 1962, half a century ago today, the iconic Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her L.A. home.
And the world's fascination with the tragic star has not faded. Performers from Madonna to Lady Gaga have emulated her signature pin- up style. And yes, she even has thousands of Twitter followers and more than 3 million Facebook fans.
So, I've asked this morning what you think of Monroe's lasting legacy is all these years later.
Kelsey wrote, "I share Marilyn's birthday and have always felt her legacy was yearning to do more, be more, and be loved."
And Judy tweeted this, "Marilyn Monroe was authentic on every level. A genuine and compassionate actress with amazing talent, searching for her truth."
And James said, "Too numerous for tweets, but in one word? Sexuality."
So what do you think Marilyn Monroe's legacy is? Be sure to keep tweeting @RandiKayeCNN. Share your thoughts and I'll read some more throughout the morning.
All right. Take a look at this map of just how widespread the summer's drought is. More than half of the continental U.S. is experiencing severe drought. And the losses are adding up for many farmers but not everyone. For a few lucky ones, crops are tasting sweeter, and business is actually booming.
Martin Savidge has more from Peach County, Georgia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In Peach County, Georgia, they are plucking the last peaches off the trees. Peaches have been in Duke Lane's family for close to 100 years. He grows nearly 300 acres selling to the likes of Publix, Whole Foods and Wal- Mart.
(on camera): How's the peach crop looking?
DUKE LANE JR, PEACH FARMER, LANE SOUTHERN ORCHARDS: Well, all things considered, I think -- I think peaches look real good. SAVIDGE (voice-over): Peaches themselves may be smaller due to the drought but the demand is still high, which is why wholesale prices are up, by almost 50 percent over last year. And they taste better.
LANE: So, when these peaches are ripening, we don't have the rains to come in and here and take the sugar away, so that's the plus, is being able to have this fruit at its highest maximum amount of sugar, which is a good thing.
SAVIDGE (on camera): So if I understand you, the less rain mean he is that a peach like this could be smaller but it's going to be sweeter and tastier?
LANE: That's right.
SAVIDGE (voice-over): Peach fans aren't the only ones smiling about the drought. In nearby Marshallville, Georgia, there is something else growing in this farmer's field.
ELTON SHARP, OWNER, SHARP IRRIGATION SYSTEMS: Is that going good for you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
SAVIDGE: A massive collection of pipes, spigots and sprayers that, when finished, will become a crop-sized sprinkling system. These Rube Goldberg-looking contraptions rotate ever so slowly in a giant arc around a central pump tied to an underground well, hence, the name pivots.
Elton Sharp's been selling pivots since the '70s. Recently, thanks to the drought, business has doubled.
SHARP: We have put in a lot of pivots in the last five years for people that never did have it before.
SAVIDGE: Systems like these can easily cost more than $100,000 each. Even so, Jim Reid says, these days, farmers would have a better chance gambling in Las Vegas than betting on nature.
JIM REID, REID BOS. IRRIGATION: The cost of production has gone up, and the risk of the amount of money you had invested in an acre of land is increased, then the necessity of irrigation became greater.
SAVIDGE: Which is why Reid has crews working close to 12 hours a day, six days a week, just to keep up with demand.
Thanks to the worst drought in half a century, whether it's peaches or pivots, both are finding business pretty sweet.
Martin Savidge, CNN, Peach County, Georgia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: One last look at headlines now: More than 100 hopes burned by fast-moving wildfires in Oklahoma. Hundreds more are threatened now. The ongoing drought has fueled these fires. The possibility of arson in at least one of them is under investigation.
We are keeping an eye on a pair of tropical storms. The first is tropical storm Ernesto. The storm is packing 60 mile-per-hour winds as it heads south of Jamaica today.
Tropical storm Florence is farther out. Still, 515 miles from the Cape Verde islands out in the Atlantic. Now, Florence is expected to fizzle out before it gets close to the U.S.
And exciting NASA mission nearing its big act in outer space. The Curiosity rover is expected to reach the surface of Mars late tonight, 1:31 a.m. Eastern Time. Then, Curiosity has an even bigger challenge ahead, equipped with 17 cameras. The rover will scan Mars for evidence that the Red Planet could have supported life. Its first images from Mars are expected a few hours after landing.
Hillary Clinton will head to Syria next week. The secretary of state will go to Istanbul, Turkey, next Saturday for talks on what to do about the escalating fighting in neighboring Syria. Clinton is currently on a multination tour in Africa. She's in Malawi today after stopping in Kenya yesterday.
Now to some legal news. Reports that Jared Lee Loughner may plead guilty in the shooting of congresswoman Gabby Giffords. The attack in Arizona last year killed six people and wounded 13, including Giffords. "The L.A. Times" and "Wall Street Journal" both report that Loughner will enter a plea on Tuesday. But the U.S. attorney's office tells CNN that they can't confirm or deny those reports.
We are learning more details about the condition of Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. His wife tells the "Chicago Sun-Times" newspaper that Jackson is still, quote, "very depressed" and that doctors are increasing his medication. Jackson checked in to the Mayo Clinic last month, citing gastrointestinal and mental health issues like depression.
More top stories at the top of the hour when CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues. We'll take you to London for a live update from the Olympics. I'll see you then.
I'm Randi Kaye. First now, "SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." begins.
