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CNN Sunday Morning
Two Tornadoes Hit New York City; Minority Jobless Numbers Staggering; Radio Shack Holdup; Chicago Teachers Threaten Walkout; The Story Behind Jason Mraz's Music
Aired September 09, 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 headquarters in Atlanta, this is EARLY START WEEKEND.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A huge amount of debris flying all over the place. Scared the living hell out of me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Out of the sea and into the city. New York City. A rare twister strikes the big apple, causing a big scare for bystanders.
Chicago schools bracing for a blackout. All classes could be canceled tomorrow if teachers don't get what they want today. But will a last-minute deal avert the largest U.S. labor strike in a year?
And, two Hawaiians walk in a bar. The president takes a crack at his birther critics by cracking a joke of his own.
It is Sunday, September 9th. Good morning, everyone. Glad you're with us. I'm Randi Kaye.
We begin this morning with a huge teacher strike looming in Chicago. If they don't get what they want today, there will be no classes tomorrow in the nation's third largest school district. The issues are working conditions, pay, job security, and how to deal with new, longer school days. Some parents say the school board and Mayor Rahm Emanuel are playing hardball with teachers who deserve what they're asking for. But others are not so sympathetic.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They have more days off, more vacations than any other profession that I know of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Mayor Emanuel told CNN in a statement that "leaders on both sides need to stay at the negotiating table and finish their job, finding a solution that is fair for our teachers and keeps our students in school." Negotiations resume in less than five hours. Both sides vowing to prevent a Monday strike. But if they fail, the school year will come to an immediate end. Some 700 schools and 400,000 students will be affected. And next hour I'll talk to Karen Lewis, the president of the Chicago Teachers Union, about where today's negotiations stand and where they're going.
But first, I want to hear from you on this. What do you think about Chicago teachers possibly going on strike? You can tweet me, @RandiKayeCNN and I'll share some of your comments on air later on in the show.
Another story we're following this morning is the weather. People will be cleaning up today after two tornadoes touched down in New York City. One witness said it looked like a scene out of "The Wizard of Oz." This is video from a beachfront neighborhood in Queens. The twister started as a water spout and then came ashore. Winds topped around 70 miles per hour, knocking down trees, power lines, and damaging buildings. No one was hurt, but it sure did scare a whole lot of folks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Huge amount of debris flying all over the place. Scared the living hell out of me because we didn't know which way it was going to move. I put it about 60 feet across.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How did you stay out of the way or take cover?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just stood still and -- to be honest with you, the first instinct is people. So you're not thinking of yourself. You're thinking, my God, people might have gotten hurt here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And look at the damage the second tornado caused in Brooklyn, just nine miles away. This one was even stronger. One hundred and ten mile-per-hour winds. The storm that spawned these tornadoes caused damage up and down the East Coast. More than 26,000 homes are still without power this morning. Meteorologist Alexandra Steele is in our severe weather center watching all of this for us.
Alexandra, are we expecting any more severe weather today?
ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No, that is the good news.
So with that, two tornadoes yesterday in metro New York, an EF-0 and an EF-1. And before this, Randi, they only had 10 tornadoes totally in the New York metro area since 1950. Adding these two on, making 12.
So here's the scenario. All the severe weather has pushed eastward. Just want to show you the current radar picture, and you can see the lightning. Everything now offshore. So that is the good news.
What's behind it? We'll talk about that. Certainly it will feel much differently outside than it has. Here in the south you can see, southeast of Charleston, still some showers and thunderstorms. And just around Tampa, as well. This is all with this pretty powerful cold front for this time of year, firing off these showers and storms.
But the big picture will be the temperature change. And really the air mass change. So it's a strong cold front. It moved into this very warm, moist, humid air. Yesterday temperatures near 90 in Philadelphia.
Let's move this forward. The front moves through. And with that we're going to drop about 20 degrees. As you walk outside, it hasn't felt like this. This is kind of the first real cool fall shot with dew points, which is a measure of how much moisture is in the air. The higher it is, the stickier it seems. It will only be in the 50s and 60s. So temperatures throughout today in the 70s. Same scenario. Here's a three-day forecast. Look at places like Buffalo, in the 60s the next couple of days and 80 by Wednesday. New York, Boston, all staying in the 70s. So an air mass change and certainly much more comfortable.
One quick note on Tropical Storm Leslie. It is now not a hurricane. A tropical storm. Maximum sustained winds at 65. It will make its closest pass to Bermuda between now and about 2:00 in this afternoon. Right now they're getting 45 mile-per-hour wind gusts, expecting two to four inches of rain. So really kind of the brunt of it and the worst of it is well to its east, Randi, so that is good news.
KAYE: Yes. I've got to tell you about those cool temperatures. I left my house this morning and I could smell a fire burning in someone's chimney. And I thought, wow, it is that time of year already. It's cooling down.
STEELE: That's right. Much cooler in the 60s in the southeast as opposed to the 70s.
KAYE: Yes. It was actually really nice. Alexandra, thank you.
STEELE: Sure.
KAYE: We'll check back with you later on.
The nasty weather also caused delays at the U.S. Open tournament in Queens. Take a look at the tennis court. It is sopping wet. Several matches were pushed back until today. And that includes not only the women's final, but also the much-anticipated tennis match between Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer in the semifinals for the men. Their match was suspended after about a half hour of playing yesterday. If you were watching that match, you know what I'm talking about. The wind was insane. The finals match has been moved to Monday for the men. The women will play today. This is the fifth consecutive year the tournament has failed to finish on time because of lousy weather.
Also in sports, a Tulane football player is in stable condition after fracturing his spine. Devon Walker collided head-on with a teammate during yesterday's game against Tulsa. Trainers and doctors rushed to his side. A Tulane doctor says the plan is for Walker to have surgery in the next day or two. Walker's coach called Saturday one of the most difficult days ever. To politics now. Mitt Romney returns to his New Hampshire home today after a few days out on the campaign trail. Among his stops, the battleground state of Virginia which President Obama won in 2008 and where he holds a slim four-point lead over his Republican rival. Romney's visit to Virginia comes on the heels of another disappointing jobs report which missed forecasts and showed a decline in the unemployment rate largely because more Americans have just stopped looking for work. It all prompted the Republican nominee to take aim at the president's record on job creation.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: With the unemployment level having stuck above 8 percent for 43 straight months, we remember that the president promised that if we let him borrow almost $1 trillion, he'd never let it reach 8 percent. It's been above 8 percent ever since. This president has not fulfilled him promises. And then he went to the Democrat Convention and spoke at great length and had a lot of wonderful things to say, but he didn't say what he'd do to help people get jobs or come out of unemployment or get people that are poor back to the middle class. He doesn't have a plan. He doesn't have any ideas. And we've got to make sure he doesn't have any more days in the White House after January.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: But despite slow growth in the job market, President Obama has widened his lead nationally over the man who wants to replace him in the White House. That's according to a newly released Reuters poll which shows that if the election were held today, likely voters would choose President Obama over Mitt Romney by a 47 to 43 percent margin. That's a slight increase from the previous day.
And when it comes to voters in Florida, President Obama is doing his best to ensure they cast their ballots for him again in 2012. The president visiting the critical state this weekend, where he mingled with a crowd at a local sports bar. While there, the president met a seven-year-old boy who, like Obama, hails from Hawaii.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You were born in Hawaii?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hawaii.
OBAMA: Born in Hawaii. OK. Do you have a birth certificate?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lots of them. Lots of them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Might have been a little tough for you to hear there, but he was asking the little boy if he had a birth certificate. President Obama having a little fun with that issue, of course. Just won't seem to go away, whether or not he was born in the U.S.
A little ray of hope for the nation's unemployed. But the numbers are still staggering, especially for minorities. We'll take a look at the uphill battle to find work.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back.
With 58 days until Election Day, the big focus for both campaigns are jobs and how to create more of them. On the trail, President Obama and his Republican rival, Mitt Romney, are trying to drive home their plan for getting more Americans back to work. In St. Petersburg, Florida, yesterday, the president reminded Americans of the jobs already created during his administration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I've got a plan to export more products and outsource fewer jobs. After a decade of decline, this country has now created over half a million jobs in the last two and a half years alone just in manufacturing.
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You see, the president has promises, and I have promises. But the difference is, that I have a plan to fulfill my promises. And so -- and so I have -- I have a plan to get America working again. And I know it's going to work because, for me, this is not something I studied in school. It's something I did for 25 years, all right?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Finding work is even tougher for minorities who face a widening job gap. But one group in Philadelphia is trying to help close that gap. Our national correspondent, Susan Candiotti, has a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SABRINA YOUNG, UNEMPLOYED SINGLE MOTHER: Well then, what's at the end of the sentence?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Period.
YOUNG: Right.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sabrina Young, a former IT manager and a single mom, used to look at the victims of the recession and feel lucky she wasn't one of them.
YOUNG: And I felt so blessed. I was so glad that I knew what was going on. I was aware of it. And I just felt very fortunate to have my job.
CANDIOTTI: That was before she became one of the nation's millions who are unemployed. YOUNG: Right now we're just -- I can't even say making ends meet. We're just staying above water.
CANDIOTTI: It's been nine long months since Young lost her job. She dropped her salary requirements and expanded her search to outside of Philadelphia where she lives with her two sons. But even with two college degrees and 20 years of experience, the former Air Force vet is still part of a grim reality. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a whopping 14 percent of blacks are unemployed. That's almost twice the 7.2 percent of unemployed whites.
YOUNG: Getting shut down for job interviews, it takes a toll. It takes a toll to get up, brush yourself off, hold your chin up, and -- OK, you know, put my best face on and let's do this again.
CANDIOTTI: Young comes here to the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, a nonprofit group that helps Philadelphia's burgeoning population of unemployed. John Dodds has been with the advocacy group since 1975.
JOHN DODDS, DIRECTOR, THE PHILADELPHIA PROJECT: We are in a very difficult time for people who are unemployed. Work is still very hard to find. And, you know, it's -- it's a terrible situation. It's one that we've got to really continue to work at to get people back to work.
CANDIOTTI: Dodds says it's frustrating to face the fact there's no quick fix.
DODDS: This one is just very, very severe. You know, we're used to recession and it ends and people go back to work. But this time it's ended and we still have, you know, 8 percent unemployment. So it's an ongoing problem and it's getting better way too slow.
CANDIOTTI: Way too slow for Young and so many others who cannot wait to get back to work.
Susan Candiotti, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: For more on the Philadelphia Unemployment Project, including a list of free services for the unemployed, you can go to their website at thephiladelphiaproject.com.
A tinge of remorse from a suspect accused of holding a man hostage for hours. You'll hear his jailhouse interview.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Sixteen minutes past the hour on this Sunday morning. Checking stories cross country.
We start in California, where the oldest living member of the Tuskegee Airmen, Claude A. Rowe, was honored yesterday in an emotion- filled ceremony in San Diego for his service in the U.S. Armed Forces. Rowe served in several countries during World War II and the Korean War and says he was humbled by the recognition.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. CLAUDE A. ROWE, U.S. AIR FORCE (RET.): It's unbelievable. Fantastic. I never dreamed that something like this would happen. All I did was do my duty and be in the service. The -- I'm getting such recognition when so many others in my outfit really deserved it more.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The Tuskegee Airmen are famous for being the first African- American military aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Also in California, Sergeant James Bennett (ph) was presented the soldiers medal for exceptional heroism during an awards ceremony near L.A. on Saturday. Bennett and his father were recognized for pulling two children from a burning van after a horrible accident on a California highway in January, saving their lives. He says he was just doing his civic duty.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SGT. JAMES BENNETT, U.S. MILITARY: Me and my dad, you know, it's just a natural reaction. We just see somebody struggling and you help out. I mean that's what you're supposed to do, you know. Anybody should do it. And that's what we did that night.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And luckily no one was seriously injured.
In Colorado, a surprise ending to a horrific standoff at a Denver Radio Shack. A man accused of holding a hostage during a robbery now says he's sorry. We get more from Meagan Fitzgerald with CNN affiliate KUSA.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TAVEUAN WILLIAMS: One thing lead up to another and life spiraled.
MEAGAN FITZGERALD, KUSA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Life is about choices --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you hear me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two suspects, black males, just down to the end of the row. One hostage. You clear?
FITZGERALD: And the decisions we make.
WILLIAMS: I was in a bad situation. Everything went to my head, definitely.
FITZGERALD: Friday morning, Taveuan Williams says that he and Michael Annan walked into a Denver Radio Shack.
WILLIAMS: I don't know if I was desperate for money or what.
FITZGERALD: Police say they had guns and went in to rob it. It quickly turned into a six-hour standoff with police. The store manager was caught inside.
WILLIAMS: And I put him in a bad situation, too, and I'm sorry that he had to even experience that.
FITZGERALD: Now in jail, Taveuan says he's sorry things went as far as they did. He and Michael Annan walked in to a courtroom to hear the charge they face because police say they put a lot of people's lives in danger.
WILLIAMS: I lived my life and I chose to do what I did. And from now on, I will pay for to deal with the consequences.
FITZGERALD: A decision Taveuan says will change his life and the lives of many others who were impacted.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: That was Meagan Fitzgerald of CNN affiliate KUSA. A judge has set bond for the two suspects at $200,000 apiece.
He is probably best known for his moves on the gridiron. But now, one pro football player is making news off the football field. And I'll tell you why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The economy is front and center in the race for the White House. Still, social issues like same-sex marriage and birth control also have found a place in that national conversation. But when a reporter at an Iowa TV station tried to ask Ann Romney about those topics, the wife of the Republican presidential nominee insisted they will not decide the election and deferred any talk of them to her husband.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANN ROMNEY, MITT ROMNEY'S WIFE: You know, I'm not going to talk about those specific issues. I'm going to let my husband speak on issues. I'm here to really just talk about my husband and what kind of a husband and father he is.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): Do you believe that employer- provided health insurance should be required to cover birth control?
ROMNEY: Again, you're asking me questions that are -- are not about what this election is going to be about.
If you want to try to pull me off of the other -- of the other messages, it's not going to work, because I know because I've been out there.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I don't want to pull you off any message. You just told a reporter who has questioned you in Cleveland that you want women to have a secure and stable future. I asked you about marriage and whether lesbian mothers should be allowed to marry. Isn't marriage a part of creating a stable future?
ROMNEY: You know, again, I'm going to talk to you about the economy and about job creation and about how my husband is the right person for the right time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And the issue of same-sex marriage has even found its way on to the football field where this man, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo is making headlines for speaking out in favor of marriage equality. That caught the attention of a Maryland state lawmaker who slammed the player for his views and asked the Ravens to order Ayanbadejo to be quiet. He responded on Twitter saying, quote, "football is just my job. It's not who I am. I am an American before anything. And just like every American, I have the right to speak!" And Brendon is getting support from other NFL players, including Minnesota Vikings' Chris Kluwe. Kluwe wrote a scathing and very public letter to that same Maryland politician. Half of it we can't even tell you what it said on the air, saying, among other things though, that the lawmaker is mind-bogglingly stupid.
Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is staking his claim as a defender of the nation's armed forces. A role he says President Obama is not fulfilling. Speaking to an audience comprised of mostly military families in Virginia, Romney said he will be an advocate for our men and women in uniform.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: With liberty and justice for all. With liberty. I will not forget that for us to have liberty here, for us to be able to protect ourselves from the most evil around the world, for us to share liberty with our friends around the world, we must have a military second to none, so strong no one would ever think of testing it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMNEY: Romney criticized the president for congressionally mandated military cuts, which could kick in next year as part of a deal on the national debt. Now, if elected, Romney says he will eliminate those cuts and, quote, "rebuild America's military might." For his part, President Obama has says he opposes planned cuts in defense.
But it's not cuts to the military that President Obama is focusing on. It is tax cuts. And Republicans who say that's what will turn the U.S. economy around. Out on the stump, the president continues to hammer his opponents on their plan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They want your vote, but they don't want to show you their plan. That's because all they've got to offer is the same prescriptions that they've had for the last 30 years -- tax cuts, tax cuts, gut some regulations -- oh, and more tax cuts. Tax cuts when times are good. Tax cuts when times are bad. Tax cuts to help you lose a few extra pounds. Tax cuts to improve your live life. It will cure anything according to them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And Priorities USA, an independent group supporting Obama, has taken that message directly to the voters in an new ad that says tax proposals from the Romney/Ryan team would hurt the middle class. Those ads will run now in six battleground states.
And you can get an up close and personal look at the two men vowing to hold the country's future in their hands. Find out what Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are really like, beginning tonight at 8:00 when CNN profiles the Republican presidential nominee in "Romney Revealed: Family, Faith and the Road to Power." That is followed by 9:30 at "Obama Revealed: The Man, The President."
And, well, if you're going to be president, you really never get a day off. We'll tell you what Obama and Romney are up to today.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. And thanks for starting your morning with us. I'm Randi Kaye. It is half past the hour right now. Here's a check of some of the stories that we're watching this morning including how the men who want to be president are spending their Sunday. Mitt Romney is taking a break from the campaign trail today. Instead, spending the day at home in New Hampshire. Both he and his running mate, Paul Ryan, will make appearances on the Sunday talk shows.
Meanwhile, President Obama and Vice President Biden will hit swing states in a two-pronged approach. Obama continues his tour of Florida while Biden heads to Ohio.
You are watching a tornado rip through a beachfront neighborhood in Queens, New York. It was one of two to hit in the New York City area. Another one hit in Brooklyn. They were part of a powerful storm system that caused damage all along the East Coast. Some people in Washington were outside for an event when that storm hit.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Next thing we know, damn, it just hit. And it didn't even take a minute, came and told us to pack up. Next thing we know ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In three minutes times, literally hit the (inaudible), and tables flying, chairs, merchandise, people running.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Scary moments. The storm knocked out power for more than 25,000 people.
Moving to Iraq where the military and police were the targets in a number of attacks this morning. At least 22 people are dead. You're seeing Kirkuk where a car bomb exploded at recruitment center. Two other explosions hit the headquarters of the Iraqi intelligence service there.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton standing in for President Obama at the APEC Economic Summit in Russia. Besides economic issues, Clinton is also talking about Syria. She sat down with Russian President Vladimir Putin but says they remain deeply divided on what to do about the situation in Syria.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R ), ARIZONA: First, voice your moral support the way that Ronald Reagan did for the people behind the Iron Curtain. This president won't even do that. Second, get them the weapons so as to fair fight. Third, establish a sanctuary, or a free zone where they can organize. Look, everything that we worried about if we intervened would happen is now -- happened because we didn't. There's a rise of al-Qaeda. There's a rise of extremism. There's greater -- there is now greater threat of the use of chemical weapons. This president unbelievably announced the only thing he said is that if Bashar al-Assad uses chemical weapons that would cross a red line. Isn't he also telling Bashar al-Assad that he can do anything up to that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So ...
MCCAIN: That's disgraceful.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: That's Arizona Senator John McCain speaking out again on Syria. He says President Obama should follow the model that was used in the last year's uprising in Libya, which included NATO air strikes.
Now, to Washington where members of Congress are getting back to work tomorrow after a five-week recess. They have a laundry list of critical issues to tackle. But many wonder if they'll really get anything done. Athena Jones has more.
[APPLAUSE]
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: As election season enters the homestretch, lawmakers return to Capitol Hill this week, facing big issues. But given their recent record of accomplishment or lack thereof, the question is whether any of it will get done.
JENNIFER DUFFY, "COOK POLITICAL REPORT": Voters want to know when Congress is going to stop kicking the can down the road. I mean they're sort of out of road.
JONES: The only must-pass item is a short-term measure to keep the government running and avoid the kind of costly shutdowns we saw twice in the 1990s. It's expected to pass. Congress could also pass measures to help people hit hard by the drought and by Hurricane Isaac. But perhaps the biggest challenge, the so-called fiscal cliff. A series of tax increases and spending cuts that experts warn taken together could plunge the economy back into recession.
JEANNE SAHADI: They'll have about four weeks after the election to deal with some of the largest tax increases and spending cuts that the country has ever seen at one time.
JONES: $110 billion in cuts to everything from defense to education to food inspections next year alone will take effect in January unless lawmakers reach agreement on reducing the deficit. One problem -- Republicans and Democrats disagree on the Bush tax cuts due to expire at the end of this year. Republicans want them extended for everyone.
SEN. JOHN BARRASSO (R ), WYOMING: Americans know what works. Low taxes. Reasonable regulations and living within our means.
JONES: Democrats, led by President Obama, support extending them just for people making less than $200,000 a year.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I don't believe and you don't believe that another round of tax breaks for millionaires is going to bring good jobs back to our shores or pay down our deficit.
JONES: Uncertainty about just what Congress will do is already weighing on the economy.
SAHADI: It's just going to be a very bumpy ride. Businesses are slower to hire. Government agencies are slower to give out contracts. So it is sort of creeping into the economy now, and that will just get worse the longer Congress waits to deal with this.
JONES: But wait is what Congress is almost certain to do.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: That was Athena Jones reporting. Both the Senate and the House are expected to adjourn again in October for nearly a month of campaigning leading up to the election. That has some senators worried that not much will get done in this short session.
It was a day that transformed the nation and the lives of thousands of first responders. We'll take a closer look at how those who worked at ground zero are fighting for their health and the medical fund that's helping them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The recent financial crisis hasn't just been tarrying an Americans' wallets, but their hearts, too, as many pet owners risk losing their furry friends because of the economic downturn. This week's CNN hero is helping hundreds of families keep their dogs healthy, out of shelters, and at their side as they struggle to get back on their feet. Meet Marlo Manning.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good boy. Charlie means everything to us. He was diagnosed with cancer about two years ago. We went with the amputation, and he's been doing great. But a couple of days ago, he had this other growth on his chest.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Given the fact that he had an aggressive type of tumor, things like this should really come off.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I recently got laid off, and we're expecting our first baby. We were faced with this huge vet bill and we were just at a loss.
MARLO MANNING: II think we definitely will be able it help you out. I know how much you love your dog. With the economy being what it is, people are faced with the choice of having to give up their dogs because they just can't afford them anymore. They're doing their best to get back on track. And then a crisis happens with their dog. And it's just one more thing. I'm Marlo Manning, and I lost a beloved puppy named Ladybug. Now I provide temporary aid to dog owners, keeping dogs healthy, out of shelters, and with loving families.
Dogs live in the moment. They bring you to their place of happiness no matter where you are in your life.
(on camera): Here you go, Mary.
(voice over): If we can help with food, medical visits, or even surgery to keep this family together, they're able to take that burden away.
(on camera): Hey, sweetie.
We're going to put our maximum amount on Charlie, which is $800.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was just such a blessing, and we'll be forever grateful that Charlie gets this second chance. It means so much to us.
MANNING: What we do is a tribute to Ladybug. If I had to get through the grief to find this path, then we were meant to lose her so that we can be inspired to help others.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Marlo has helped nearly 400 dogs in Massachusetts remain with their families. To learn more about her work, you can visit cnnheroes.com. And in just two weeks, we'll be announcing the top ten CNN heroes for 2012.
Well, the clock is ticking for the nation's third largest public school system. The Chicago Teachers Union is threatening to go on strike if they don't get what they want today. At issue for teachers, working conditions, pay, job security, and longer school days. Negotiations resume later today. Both say they want a deal. But if they fail, the school year will come to an immediate end. Some 700 schools, 400,000 students will be affected. And all morning I've been asking what you thought about this possible strike. And you've all been tweeting in. And Shirley says -- "I think they both should try to work it out. Everyone would like extra on their paycheck." Paul wrote in -- "The people at that negotiating table are the problem, they run the system inefficiently and then go to the taxpayers for help." And Phil tweeted me this -- "This strike proves that the teachers union is out of date and out of touch with what really matters, education." Lots of really good thoughts and comments coming in to RandiKayeCNN. Keep sending me your thoughts. And I'll try to read them a little bit later on this morning, as well.
They were the first people on the scene in the minutes after the September 11th terror attacks. And for more than a decade, they have been trying to get financial help to cover illnesses resulting from their work at ground zero. Athena Jones explains why their wait may soon be over.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because I lived on Staten Island at the time. And I could see the smoke coming from the tower.
JONES: Ernie Valabona (ph) rushed to the World Trade Center site on September 11th, 2001, to help with rescue and recovery efforts.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a lot of confusion. A lot of smoke. You couldn't -- you couldn't see -- when you were trying to walk through the smoke to search for survivors, you know, just you could barely see your hand in front of you.
JONES: Then a New York City police detective, Valabona spent six months at the site. A few years later he was diagnosed with cancer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 2004 was when I was diagnosed with non- Hodgkin's lymphoma.
JONES: His cancer now in remission, Valabona had to use his retirement savings to pay bills his insurance didn't cover and is hoping to recoup some of that money.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's been something that they've been talking about for, you know, ten years now.
JONES: Valabona and other first responders made sick by the chemicals and dust are still waiting for compensation from the government. Payments to some who developed respiratory, digestive, and other conditions should begin in the next couple of months under a law President Obama signed in January, 2011. The Zadroga Act, named after a New York police detective James Zadroga who died of a respiratory illness after working at the World Trade Center site. It sets aside some $2.8 billion to cover their claims. The government will announce soon, which of more than 50 types of cancer and illness left off the original list of ailments will now be covered under the act. Attorney Noah Kushlefsky represents Valabona and nearly 4,000 other first responders who became ill.
NOAH KUSHLEFSKY: That people are terribly sick, people can't support their families. This program is in a very real sense a lifeline that is going to help people who put their lives back together after they stepped up and did things that nobody else was willing to do.
JONES: For those just now getting sick, Valabona hopes the fund will ultimately send this message.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just fight your cancer, man. Don't worry about money, don't worry about co-payments or medications. we got your back.
JONES: Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.
Tuesday marks the 11th anniversary of 9/11. President Obama and his staff will observe a moment of silence on the White House lawn before heading to the memorial at the Pentagon.
Both the Obama and Romney campaigns have agreed to suspend all of their political ads on that day of 9/11.
They are a staple of the political campaigns. But have you ever wondered where the term "stump speech" really comes from? Or how about keynote speech and political spin? We'll sort through some of the origins of modern day political jargon.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: With the presidential election less than two months away, politics is everywhere and so is the political jargon, of course. I'm sure you've been listening to. You probably know the terms like stump speech and spin. But do you know where those terms came from? Nadia Bilchik joining us now to shed some light on the real meaning behind some of these political terms, some of the age-old political jargon. Good morning.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
KAYE: All right, so let's start with the GOP, which we all know stands for the Republican Party or Grand Old Party, right?
BILCHIK: Right. But in 1875, it was called the Gallants Old Party. So the original name was Gallants, brave, courageous, heroic. And it only became the Grand Old Party later. But you'll appreciate this, Randi, is that when automobiles first came onto the scene, GOP stood for something entirely different. It stood for, and I'll have to show you, get out and push. And we've made both cars and voters.
KAYE: That's pretty funny. See, who knew? All right. So, we talk a lot about the stump speech. You know, I've said it already this morning several times. The president is out on the stump. Mitt Romney is on the stump. Where does that come from?
BILCHIK: Stump and stumping. So, literally being on a tree stump to stand in a ...
KAYE: There was an actual stump.
BILCHIK: Exactly. So people could see you. And now as you said, it's the same basic speech, what to do if elected, the core principles known as stumping. And it dates back to the 1800s or even earlier.
KAYE: All right. Keynote speaker, we mentioned that. We had Chris Christie, of course, at the DNC, Julian Castro -- Chris Christie at the RNC. Julian Castro at the DNC. Keynote, where does that come from?
BILCHIK: The key note is the note that a cappella singers used to sing. And it came from barber shop quartets. So, they used to sing it before the actual song. So, the idea of the keynote is the main speaker literally setting the tone for the event.
KAYE: That's -- but they're not singing, thank goodness, right?
(LAUGHTER)
BILCHIK: Maybe sometimes we wish they were, right?
KAYE: Yes, that's true. That's true.
BILCHIK: And some of them can sing.
KAYE: Yeah?
BILCHIK: Some of our -- Obama sings beautifully.
KAYE: That's true.
BILCHIK: Romney may have a voice, too. But maybe they should keynote before the keynote. So, good way of doing the voice exercises -- I can sing hmmmm -- that's my keynote.
KAYE: Before you come on in.
BILCHIK: Before I come on in.
KAYE: Wow, you're going to teach me those. All right, the term spin as in political spin? What's the history of ...
BILCHIK: And in political spin, well, the late William Safire of "The New York Times" says that spin comes from '50s slang to deceive or spin a yarn. And thinking about it, when a piece of yarn is spun, it twists as it is spun. But the first political use of the word spin came from the Mondale/Reagan 1984 debate. And from a wonderful Web site that I found called word spy, the actual definition of spin is the following, and we will be seeing and hearing a lot of it -- to convey information or cast another person's remarks or actions in a biased or slanted way so as to favor or influence public opinion.
KAYE: Love it. BILCHIK: Not that any of us would ever do that, right?
KAYE: No, never, never, never. Certainly, not here on CNN. All right. Nadia, that was fun. Thank you.
BILCHIK: Thank you.
KAYE: I feel much smarter now. I learned something there.
BILCHIK: I did learn something.
KAYE: Yeah, that was great. Thank you.
It's going to be a big week in Washington. We'll take a look at the calendar and show you what to watch for.
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KAYE: Good morning, Atlanta. Wow. If you are not watching your television screen right now, you certainly should be. You are missing a gorgeous shot of downtown Atlanta this morning. Incredible clouds, cities waking up with us, glad you're with us here on "Early Start Weekend" this Sunday morning.
Let's get you caught up and see what's happening in your week ahead. On Monday, Congress is going to be back in session. They've been out now for about five weeks. Of course, the 2013 budget negotiations will be in the spotlight. Now, if there isn't an agreement, the government will shut down, could shut down certainly on October First. On Tuesday, the anniversary of 9/11, all of the talk will be about 9/11. Ceremonies in New York and across the country are being planned. The president will be having a moment of silence at the White House. And there are ceremonies also planned at the Pentagon. On Thursday -- on Wednesday, I'm sorry, jumping ahead here, it is all about the numbers. The latest government census will be released. We'll talk about the 2011 population, income, poverty rates, that will all come out in the census. And the big thing on Wednesday, of course, a lot of folks are waiting for the new iPhone rumored to be unveiled this coming Wednesday. We're sure we're going to see long lines across the country. A lot of folks are excited to see what it's going to look like and all these new features it might have. And on Thursday, a somber day regarding Neil Armstrong. There will be a memorial in Washington honoring the life of the first man to walk on the Moon. You may recall, he died August 25th. And his remains will be buried at sea.
And also on Monday, tomorrow, teachers in the nation's third largest school system could be walking off the job, putting a stop to the school year for hundreds of thousands of students. We'll tell you where and why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Now a quick look at some of the stories making headlines around the world. We start in Nicaragua where the San Cristobal volcano caused evacuations Saturday after spewing ash three miles into the air. You see it there, the government says more eruptions are expected, and they anticipate evacuating as many as 3,000 people in surrounding towns.
In Vietnam, heavy rains are soaking northern and central areas causing landslides and flooding. At least 29 people are dead. In one incident, a single landslide killed 16 people who were going to a tin mine in the mountains. more rain is in the forecast.
In Pakistan, a 14-year-old girl was released on bail in a case that touches on heightened religious tensions. That was her in the green you saw there. The Christian girl was being held for allegedly burning pages of the Koran. A group representing religious minorities paid the $10,000 bail. After her release, she was flown to an undisclosed location.
And finally, in India, fast food giant McDonald's has announced plans to open two locations serving an all-vegetarian menu. The locations will be at India's most visited pilgrimage sites, which see thousands of visitors from around the world each day. The sandwich chain Subway also announced plans to open its first all-vegetarian location in the Indian state of Punjab.
Thanks for starting your morning with us. We have got so much more ahead on CNN "Sunday Morning" which starts right now.
From CNN headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A huge amount of debris flying all over the place scared the living hell out of me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Out of the sea and into the city, New York City. A rare twister strikes the Big Apple, causing a big scare for bystanders. Plus, bracing for a blackout. Chicago schools could go dark tomorrow, if teachers don't get what they want today. But can a last-minute deal this morning avert the largest U.S. labor strike in a year? I'll ask the woman at the center of the talks.
And two Hawaiians walk into a bar. The president takes a crack at his birther critics by cracking a joke of his own.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: It is Sunday, September 9th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye.
We begin this hour with a huge teacher strike looming in Chicago. If they don't get what they want today, there will be no classes tomorrow in the nation's third largest school district. At issue is working conditions, pay, job security, and how to deal with new, longer school days. Negotiations resume in about five hours, both sides vowing to prevent a Monday strike. But if they fail, the school year will come to an immediate halt. Some 700 schools and 400,000 students would be affected. The city plans to open 144 sites to provide services for students if a strike does happen.
And coming up in just about 10 minutes, I'll talk with Karen Lewis. She is the president of the Chicago Teachers Union. We'll talk about where the negotiations stand.
Now to the race for the White House. And with 58 days until Election Day, the campaigns are taking different approaches to getting out their message on this Sunday. Republican nominee Mitt Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan will leave the campaign trail and instead turn to the airwaves. Both men will be guests on several Sunday talk shows.
But there's no rest for their Democratic rivals who have headed straight from the party's national convention to hit the campaign trail. Today, President Obama will continue his tour of Florida with stops in Melbourne and West Palm Beach. Vice President Biden will head to Ohio for stops in Portsmouth and Milford.
And, by the way, you can get up close and a personal look at the two men vowing to hold the country's future in their hands. Find out what Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are really like beginning at 8:00, when CNN profiles the Republican presidential nominee in "Romney Revealed: Family, Faith, and the Road to Power." To be followed at 9:30 by "Obama Revealed: The Man, The President."
Another story we're following this morning is, of course, the weather. People will be cleaning up today after two tornadoes touched down in the New York City area. One witness said it looked like a scene out of "The Wizard of Oz".
This is video from a beachfront neighborhood in Queens. The twister started as a water spout and then came ashore. Winds topped about 70 miles per hour, knocking down trees, power lines, damaging buildings. No one was hurt, but it sure did scare a lot of folks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Huge amounts of debris flying all over the place. Scared the hell out of me because we didn't know which way it was going to move. I'd put it 60 feet across.
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: How did you stay out of the way or take cover?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just stood still and -- to be honest, the first instinct is people. You're not thinking of yourself, you're thinking, my God, people might have got hurt here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CANDIOTTI: And look at the damage the second tornado caused in Brooklyn, just nine miles away. This one was stronger, 110 mile-per- hour winds. The storm that spawned these tornadoes caused damage up and down the entire East Coast, more than 26,000 homes still without power this morning.
Meteorologist Alexandra Steele joining us this morning from the severe weather center.
Alexandra, good morning. So, tornadoes -- I mean, we hear about these in a lot of states, but they're rare in this area.
ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Oh, absolutely. So, yesterday, at about 10:30 or 11:00, an EF-0 and EF-1, that you've spoken about. But they are quite rare. Before yesterday, there had only been 10 tornadoes in and around New York's metro area since 1950.
So again, the storm and the front that provided and really allowed those tornadoes to blossom has pushed off the coast. But still, Eastern, you see here in the eastern New England area, still holding on to some rain showers. But it is all very progressive and moving eastward. The lightning off the coast now, as well.
And farther south, this is the kind of southern extent of that strong cold front for this time of year. Kind of moved into that very warm, moist, humid air, and really exploded these storms. The tail end of it bringing showers and storms to Tampa this morning.
But here's the big story. Behind that strong cold front, really the coldest, the coolest air we've seen thus far this season. So, a taste of fall for many. Walking out, Upstate New York, you're saying, ooh, it hasn't felt like this in ages. So, mid to upper 80s yesterday. Behind that today, 60s and 17.
Look at what Buffalo will do for the next three days, 60s. So high temperatures, 79. Much chillier than where it's been.
And as we look toward the next few days, Portland, Boston, staying in the low 70s. Buffalo in the 60s on Monday. So temperatures really chilling out in terms of the dew point. The amount of moisture in the air. Air mass really is quite changed. It is much drier.
All right. A quick note on what is now tropical storm Leslie, no longer a hurricane. It will make its closest pass to Bermuda, just east of Bermuda. This afternoon and tonight, already right now, wind gusts of 45 miles per hour, expecting about two to four inches of rain.
So really kind of the worst of it to its east, but they will see tropical storm-force winds throughout this afternoon and tonight. And then we're going to watch it really move quickly. It's going to pick up speed. And then become a hurricane once again potentially. But then really move offshore quickly and continue its northeast track.
So Bermuda certainly going to fare better than expected, and the Northeast, as well, much cooler temperatures than what we've seen. And the severe weather is over.
KAYE: So, we'll actually see U.S. Open tennis today?
STEELE: Yes, we will. A fun day.
KAYE: Yes.
STEELE: Maybe a little breezy, but chillier, too, out there in the stands. It's been an incredibly hot meet so far.
KAYE: Yes, they had to get them out of there quickly when the wind and storms are moving in.
Alexandra, thank you.
STEELE: Sure.
The nasty weather caused delays, as we were saying, at the U.S. Open tournament in Queens. Take a look at the tennis court, sopping wet. Several matches pushed back. That included, of course, the much-anticipated tennis match between Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer in the semifinals for the men.
The women's final was also pushed back. That will be later today. Serena will be playing in that one.
Their match, by the way, the men's match was suspended after a half-hour of playing yesterday. The finals for the men has been now moved to Monday instead of today. This is the fifth consecutive year the tournament has failed to finish on time because of that darn weather.
Also in sports, a Tulane football player is in stable condition after fracturing his spine. Devin Walker collided head-on with a teammate during yesterday's game against Tulsa. Trainers and doctors, you can see there, rushed to his side. A Tulane doctor says the plan is for Walker to have surgery in the next day or so. Walker's coach called Saturday, quote, "One of the most difficult days ever."
Twenty-nine thousand Chicago teachers threatening to walk off the job tomorrow. But can a strike be averted? I'll ask Karen Lewis. She's waiting for us right there, president of the Chicago Teachers Union.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Ten minutes past the hour.
All morning, we've been telling but a looming teacher strike in Chicago. Twenty-nine thousand public school teachers are threatening to walk off the job. Negotiations resume in a few hours. But if no deal is reached, classes could be canceled tomorrow in the nation's third largest school district. That's about 700 schools and more than 400,000 students.
Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, joins me now.
Karen, good morning.
KAREN LEWIS, PRESIDENT, CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION: Good morning, Randi.
KAYE: So I hope you got some sleep. I know you've been deep into negotiations. We appreciate your time this morning. Months of talks we've been watching dozens if not hundreds of meetings. Why hasn't this been able to be worked out? What issues are you and the union fighting for?
LEWIS: Well, I think what people need to understand, we are actually fighting for almost the very soul of public education in this country. Chicago's been a laboratory, and quite frankly, we feel for failed experiments. And we would like to get some common sense and some research-based instructions back into the schools. So our basic issues now surround compensation. They surround a better day for our students, and certainly our evaluation system which leads to a certain amount of job security for our members.
KAYE: Where are you on the pay issue?
LEWIS: We have some issues there. They're not where we ought to be.
KAYE: Are you getting close? I mean, is there any movement at all?
LEWIS: We've had -- on the pay issue, we've had some progress as of yesterday for the first time. And it's sort of annoying that we have to wait until the like 11th hour to get these kinds of issues done.
KAYE: In the last 25 years, though, we haven't seen anything like this happen in Chicago. So, why is it happening now?
LEWIS: Well, I think we've had a very aggressive administration. We've had a mayor who has been determined to silence the voices of the people who do this work. People don't quite understand -- I'm two years out of the classroom, and I can tell you already it's changed drastically.
My parents were public school teachers. I'm married to a public school teacher. CPS means a lot to us. I feel like it's running in my veins.
And right now, what we have is work that is extremely difficult, and what we se as a lack of support throughout and a demonizing of a population of people that all of a sudden teachers are bad guys everywhere you look. So there's no reason for this demonization.
We also had a 4 percent raise in the last year of our contract that was taken from us and given to another agency in the city. There was no reason to do that. It led to a lot of toxicity.
KAYE: I want to share with you because there's been a lot of chatter on Twitter this morning. We've been talking to folks about it online, about this possible strike. And one viewer named Phil tweeted this, "This strike proves that the teachers union is out of date and out of touch with what really matters, education."
What do you say to that?
LEWIS: I would say that whoever Phil is, has absolutely no clue as to why we are anywhere in this. Our union has put together a research-based solution to solving some of the problems in Chicago. Those of us who do this work are tired of being told basically sit down and shut up. We know better.
I don't think people understand that in our system, we have had a revolving door of administrators. Every time they come in, they come in with some new idea that we're supposed to implement. And no support, no research, and basically a group of predominantly women -- and let's look at this the way our profession is, who are being told you just shut up and do what we tell you to do even though we know it is wrong for our children.
So, when we advocate for children, we get told, oh, you don't care about kids. And we care more -- we don't go into this because we don't care about kids.
KAYE: Let me ask you about this comment yesterday from David Vitale, president of the Chicago Board of Education. He told reporters, quote, "We've got parents and children who are wondering what's going to happen to them Monday morning. We have an obligation to them to tell them what's going to happen."
And I've had some parents tweeting me this morning saying, you know, if my kid doesn't go to school, we're talking about 400,000 kids who might not be able to go to school on Monday, they might not be able to go to work. There's that whole trickle-down effect.
So, what do you make of that? I mean, this affects a whole lot of people.
LEWIS: Well, one of the real problems here is not a lack of communication on our part. We have been seriously talking to parents who are extremely supportive of us, by the way, for months. This is not just something that happened last week, talks didn't just break down. People have known where we were for quite some time. We took a strike authorization vote in June.
So this has been going on. We've been hoping that we would be taking taken a little bit more seriously about what we would like to see happen in schools.
So we understand that this is difficult. But parents, we are hoping that we'll come together, work with each other, and help one another find a way for a solution.
KAYE: And the negotiations continue today. You'll be busy with those. Any idea, any inkling at all when you might know if those kids can go to school tomorrow? LEWIS: I am certainly hopeful that we can come to some sort of understanding and agreement. But if not, we know that our members are prepared for tomorrow.
KAYE: There won't be a change, you won't tell them not to walk off the job?
LEWIS: I don't have that authority. We have a democratic process. So I would have to call a big meeting of a lot of people, which I'm willing to do --
KAYE: But you have no plans of that or talk of that right now?
LEWIS: Not at this moment.
KAYE: All right. Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union -- appreciate your time this morning. And do keep us posted on those negotiations, please.
LEWIS: Thank you very much, Randi.
KAYE: He is a musician, humanitarian, and believe it or not, a farmer.
(MUSIC)
KAYE: If Grammy winner Jason Mraz comes to your town, you'll probably see him doing some yard work around town. We'll tell you why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Coffee house music to go with your cup of Joe this morning. I say that because the coffee house is where singer/songwriter Jason Mraz actually started his career. And although his songs are popular, he wants people to know that there's more to him than just music.
He sat down with CNN and shared the message behind his music.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON MRAZ, MUSICIAN: Hey, what's up? I'm Jason Mraz.
All my songs come from personal experience. I always write about what I'm processing. Something I want to remember and acknowledge or something I want to be when I grow up.
(MUSIC)
MRAZ: I think my music has a mission. I don't like to release a song unless it has a purpose. And that mission is healing. That mission is providing comfort, providing a little bit of entertainment.
You know, I want the show to educate, but I don't want to be in your face about. I want to just lead by example. So, if you find out about what we're doing and we leave places for fans to participate and recycle, fans also can get -- get a drink from our free water hydration stations so they can bring their own bottle. They'll notice in their own lives how it directly impacts them just in their wallet because of the way you live reusing. I want to lead by example because it's how I live at home, and I feel if I can inspire my next- door neighbor to do the same, it can have a ripple effect around the world.
I feel like such an introverted person. And I want to see the environment thrive for my own selfish reasons. Because I like surfing, and after it rains, you can't because the water's so polluted. And I love hiking and going out into nature trails. And I don't like seeing broken beer bottles and aluminum cans and plastic bags stuck up in the trees. And not hearing wildlife because mankind has run it all away.
And I think the whole purpose of saving the planet is so that we can preserve human consciousness. And I think that's what we're trying to all do. You know, no one wants to say save the planet except for the humans. We all want to thrive here, you know?
I think messages from songs and from albums in general really are up to the listener. It's because whatever they're going to be emoting in their own lives that parallels the songs. I feel what this -- the last album is very much like all the other albums. It's songs of optimism, hope. They acknowledge the dark side that we all fall into from time to time, melancholy.
But the album is full of tools that might bring you back to the light. And know that there's a delicate balance to enjoy both when you can.
(MUSIC)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And you can see more from Jason Mraz, as well as some of the weekend's other great interviews from the show, on my blog at CNN.com/Randi.
Going after Mitt Romney's tax return. So how much is "Hustler" magazine's Larry Flynt really willing to pay to get his hands on those? We'll tell you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. About half past the hour now.
The issue of same-sex marriage has found its way on to the football field where this man, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo is making headlines for speaking out in favor of marriage equality. That caught the attention of a Maryland lawmaker who slammed the player for his views and asked the Ravens to order Ayanbadejo to be quiet.
He responded on Twitter saying this, "Football is just my job. It's not who I am. I am an American before anything. And just like every American, I have the right to speak!"
And Ayanbadejo is getting support from other NFL players, including Minnesota Viking Chris Kluwe. Kluwe wrote a scathing and public letter to that same Maryland politician, saying among other things that we will not repeat here, that the lawmaker is mind- bogglingly stupid.
I'll be back at the top of the hour with more top stories, plus a closer look at the sometimes tenuous link between politics and religion.
But, first, "SANJAY GUPTA M.D." starts right now.
