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CNN Saturday Morning News
The Latest News on British Military Personnel Seized by Iran; War Funding Feud Between Congress and President Bush; Teen Serial Rapist in Phoenix; President Bush Visits Walter Reed Medical Center
Aired March 31, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, hello there.
From the CNN Center, this is CNN...
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Changing it up a little bit.
HOLMES: ... SATURDAY MORNING.
Actually, Betty here broke the set behind me.
NGUYEN: I didn't.
HOLMES: We had to move. That's why we're sitting here.
But good morning to you all.
I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Yes, good morning, everybody.
I'm Betty Nguyen.
We want to thank you for starting your day with us.
There is some new video and a new confession from one of those British captives in Iran.
Are they being forced to confess?
HOLMES: Also, the road to nowhere. This is not where you want to be this morning. Heavy rain, flooding and tornadoes in the Southwest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "ARAB IDOL")
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the winner is Shadha Hassoun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Shadha Hassoun -- forget Sanjaya and Simon.
Who are they?
We're talking about Shadha Hassoun. The votes are in and a new Idol has been crowned. HOLMES: Also, a Holy Week battle over the statue of Jejus -- Jejus -- Jesus.
NGUYEN: Oh, no. Ooh, you're in trouble for that.
HOLMES: In particular.
NGUYEN: How can you (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
HOLMES: The statue of Jesus.
Can you tell? Can you?
Well, it's made of chocolate, actually, and some Catholics are calling it scandalous and sickening. That controversy ahead this morning, this Saturday morning on the statue of Jesus. That is -- that you saw it.
We are going to begin.
Our top story this morning, pressure mounting both in Britain and Iran over those 15 British sailors and marines captured in the Persian Gulf.
This morning, further word from Iran that they could be put on trial.
Britain, meanwhile, renewing calls for their immediate release.
CNN's Matthew Chance has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
NATHAN THOMAS SUMMERS, HELD BY IRAN: since we've been arrested in Iran, our treatment has been very friendly.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): Another propaganda salvo, another disturbing confession, possibly made under duress, in an escalating stand-off between Britain and Iran now in its eighth day.
This is Nathan Thomas Summers, one of the 15 British sailors being held and now paraded on Iranian television, as well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUMMERS: I'm grateful no harm has come to us. And just -- I'd like to apologize for entering your waters without any permission.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHANCE: The very act of putting this young captive on television with claims his confession was coerced has provoked outrage in Britain. Prime Minister Tony Blair has spoken of his disgust. The British Foreign Office says it's disgraceful. It's also illegal, say lawyers, parading detainees on TV would seem to violate the 1949 Geneva Convention, which Iran has signed.
MARTIN ELLIS, CRIMINAL ATTORNEY: The idea is to prevent humiliation and to prevent them from being dehumanized, and, therefore, maintaining a degree of civilization between warring and fighting factions. That's the whole ethos behind it.
CHANCE: But history is littered with examples of captured service personnel being used for propaganda and paraded in the media, not always successfully.
In the Vietnam War, captured U.S. Airman Jeremiah Denton, who went on to become an admiral and a senator, was paraded for the cameras by the North Vietnamese. He didn't confess to anything but he did blink the word "torture" in Morse code.
Other prisoners have been less able to resist their captors' demands.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JILL CARROLL, HELD CAPTIVE IN IRAQ: The Americans are here as occupying forces, you know, treating the people in a very, very bad way.
CHANCE: Jill Carroll, a U.S. journalist working for the "Christian Science Monitor," kidnapped in Iraq in 2006, criticized the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq on camera and praised the insurgents as "good people fighting an honorable fight." f
After her release, she said she did it because she feared for her life.
CARROLL: I knew what I was supposed to say. I learned what they wanted -- what to say. And so I said what they wanted me to say, of course. I mean, and -- look, you -- you don't say no. That's not part of it. If you say no, you're dead.
CHANCE: Some who have lived through the ordeal, like John Nicholl, a British airman shot down over Iraq in the 1990 Gulf War know too well how it feels to be paraded on TV by your captors.
JOHN NICHOLL, BRITISH GULF WAR VETERAN: For me, it was a violent situation. But what's my family going through? What are my parents going through? What are my relatives going through?
And for me, still today, that hurts me to think what the difficult situation was for them and the really set of horrible circumstances that they had to endure.
CHANCE: And it is with the families of the latest captured many in Britain are now sympathizing. With their strained confessions broadcast, the hope is they can now be set free, as well.
Matthew Chance, CNN, London.
(END VIDEO TAPE) NGUYEN: We're going to turn now to a high stakes stand-off involving the war in Iraq. Congress and the president are locked in a bitter feud over funding bills tied to a timetable for troop withdrawal. Until it is resolved, the Pentagon says it could run out of cash, putting troops at risk.
But how fast will that happen in this dispute?
CNN's Dana Bash reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Democrats say a new, non-partisan analysis undermines White House claims that the fight over funding the Iraq War will soon put combat troops at risk.
The Congressional Research Service says even without additional funding, the Army could finance the war for several more months, through most of July 2007. The report also says the Pentagon does have flexibility to transfer money from elsewhere for urgent requirements.
KATHLEEN HICKS, CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES: The process is that you rob Peter to pay Paul. Lower priority items will start to lose funding in order to pay for overseas contingency costs.
BASH: Democrats hope the new study helps rebut a powerful Bush argument in a standoff centered on Democrats' demands that Iraq War funding be tied to a deadline for troop withdrawal.
America's top military officer warns if the Pentagon doesn't get $100 billion in war funding by April 15th, the Army will have to curtail Reserve and Guard training. Quality of life initiatives like barrack upgrades would be reduced and equipment repairs suspended.
And by May 15th, General Pace warns, deployments to Iraq could be delayed. Troops in Iraq would have to stay longer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you're saying there's a chain reaction?
GENERAL PETER PACE, JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: There is, sir. And there are other things. I'll stop there.
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), MAJORITY LEADER: Whose fault is that? Whose fault is that? We have waited for months and months and months to get this appropriation bill.
BASH: Democrats blame the president for mismanaging the war and weakening the military, and say the Pentagon and White House are using scare tactics to try to get Democrats to back down in their push for a deadline for troops to come home.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: And what the president is saying, give me the money but don't expect me to be accountable. BASH (on camera): Congress has now left town for spring break and they're weeks away from sending a war funding bill to the president, one they know he will veto.
So the question is how and when will the stand-off end? How much are both sides willing to compromise on the issue of timetables for troops to come home in order to get money for troops who are still in Iraq?
Dana Bash, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, tonight on "THIS WEEK AT WAR," security in Iraq.
Plus, who will bend first on emergency funding for the Iraq War -- the president or Congress?
And is time running out for Iran?
John Roberts hosts "THIS WEEK AT WAR." That is tonight at 7:00 Eastern.
HOLMES: We want to talk now to some weather, and particularly some severe weather happening in parts of your home state, actually, today.
NGUYEN: Yes, Texas has been getting hit hard lately.
Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf -- can you believe he is back from vacation finally -- joins us now -- and the bearer of bad news, apparently.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Unfortunately so, yes.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Meanwhile, we've got another pet warning for you out there. Pet owners need to listen up. Now some dry pet food being recalled. Meanwhile, the FDA is investigating what may be a different culprit for the whole pet food scare.
CNN's Mary Snow now with the story.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the first time, a massive recall includes dry pet food. Hills Pet Nutrition says consumers should stop using one of its products, Prescription Diet M.D. feline dry food.
The development comes roughly two weeks after wet pet food products from a separate company, Menu Foods, were recalled after cats and dogs suffered kidney failure. Some pets got sick. Others died.
Federal officials are at a loss to explain exactly what went wrong.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we understand it's confusing. It's confusing to everybody. We are trying to make sense out of it.
SNOW: The Food and Drug Administration says it's found a chemical called melamine in certain pet foods containing wheat gluten from a supplier in China.
In China, melamine can be found in fertilizers. It's banned for that purpose in the United States, but can be found in some plastics.
As investigators continue working toward solving the pet food supply problem, what are some vets telling pet owners to do?
DR. BRUCE AKEY, CORNELL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE: If you're really, really concerned, then feed your pet a homemade diet for a few days or a few weeks and give this thing a chance to run its course.
SNOW: Dog owner Eileen Moriarty says that's exactly what she intends to do.
EILEEN MORIARTY, DOG OWNER: It's a little scary to think that, you know, it could be in any one of these foods, especially when you think you're buying a premium brand that has better ingredients.
SNOW (on camera): Exactly how many pets have been affected by the tainted food remains unclear. The FDA is confirming the deaths of approximately 14 pets, but says it's received over 8,000 complaints it's now reviewing.
Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HOLMES: And for more on what brands are included in this recall, you can go to our Web site, cnn.com.
NGUYEN: Well, a 6-year-old -- believe this is not -- is arrested.
HOLMES: Hey, nobody is saying we were ideal kids...
NGUYEN: Well, but...
HOLMES: ... but this is a little much.
NGUYEN: That doesn't mean we were arrested.
HOLMES: Yes. Really.
An officer puts a kindergartener in handcuffs.
Why?
People are talking about this one this morning. You will be, too.
We've got all the details for you, coming up.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And good morning to all you out there.
As you well know, it is down to the final four.
And what we're talking about?
College hoops and March madness.
I'll track the buzz online next from the Dot-Com Desk.
(VIDEO CLIP FROM "ARAB IDOL")
NGUYEN: And it looks like the "American Idol" competition, but take a listen. It sounds a whole lot different. We're going to take you behind the scenes of a hit show in the Middle East.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, the NCAA final four begins today right here in our own backyard, next door, in fact, at the Georgia Dome. Atlanta officials expect more than 50,000 extra visitors over the weekend. So, as you can imagine, security is a high priority. A lot of police on the streets plus a lot of unseen security enhancements.
As for traffic, well, it's a mess any time of the day, but right now it promises to be a real bear. Out of towners are urged to use public transportation or just walk as much as possible.
HOLMES: And it's good for you.
NGUYEN: Yes, and it's not that hot, so that's good, too.
And, of course, the real action is on the hard court and T.J. is going to be watching that all day long.
HOLMES: Yes, I will. I'm waiting on the call for my tickets at any moment now.
Well, Veronica de la Cruz is actually tracking the final four online for us.
She's here now from the Dot-Com Desk -- good morning, Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: Good morning to you guys.
Like you were just saying, they are already starting to trickle in. The atrium here at the CNN Center, along with the parking deck outside, filling up with those college hoops fans.
And, as you know, they started arriving a few days ago. We've been seeing a wave of the orange, blue, red, gold, gray -- and I'm wearing my true blue today, if you haven't noticed, because it is Florida, Ohio State, Georgetown, UCLA all battling it out to play in the national championship game Monday.
You can log onto cnn.com for the match-up. The returning champ, Florida, is set to play UCLA today.
Go Bruins!
The Bruins are looking to avenge themselves since they lost last year's final match to Florida.
Ohio State will play Georgetown for the other spots. And this is Georgetown's first final four appearance since 1985.
So who do you think will play for the title? Which match-ups would you like to see?
And you can also check out this gallery to see who the celebs want to see. And to make sure that you are on top of your game, check out our experts' commentary and predictions on who will take it all.
You can get the details at cnn.com/sports.
Now, as you can imagine, final four is a huge deal for the schools involved. Just take a look at their Web sites. Ohio State conveniently linking all of them from its own site. And then from that page, you can find each team's roster, schedule, stats, and, of course, much more to help you handicap the tournament.
Which gets us to our question of the day -- T.J. Betty, how has the final four affected you? Are you or maybe your coworkers so caught up in March madness that it's hard to get any work done?
Maybe between the office pools and actually watching some of those games, maybe even online, researchers are estimating that it costs U.S. businesses about a billion dollars in lost productivity.
Now, you can weigh in with your thoughts at weekends@cnn.com. And we will be reading some of those e-mails a little bit later this morning -- T.J.
NGUYEN: We've been getting work done. But I will say, the last time I looked, I think I was second in the ranking of the final four.
HOLMES: Really?
NGUYEN: Ahead of you.
DE LA CRUZ: I was totally awake and getting my brackets (ph) together so I'm not even in it.
NGUYEN: Boy, you guys are losers.
Anyway...
HOLMES: Oh, wow!
NGUYEN: I'm just kidding! HOLMES: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) is this woman?
NGUYEN: It's all fun.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: All right.
HOLMES: Yes, we have a good time, Betty.
Thank you.
NGUYEN: I know.
HOLMES: Thank you, Veronica.
We'll see you back here in just a bit.
Now, a lot of folks may be surprised to learn that the NCAA tournament is not purely an academic event. At least one school offering academic credits for attending the final four. I should have applied there.
Sports management majors at Lynn University in South Florida get three credits to be in Atlanta this weekend. Not just fun and games for them, though. The students have to do a little work, actually. They have to keep a journal, they make a presentation and yes, there will be an exam.
NGUYEN: Yes, that's going to be a fun one.
HOLMES: I would have aced that one.
NGUYEN: Can you imagine the questions on that?
HOLMES: I would have aced that one.
NGUYEN: All right, fact or fiction for you -- there are so many myths about preventing cancer, right?
HOLMES: Yes. People say you should eat this, you should live here, even tell you what kind of electronic devices you should or should not use.
We will actually have a reality check for you this morning.
NGUYEN: And check her out -- a new idol is found in the Middle East.
But can this talented singer help bring a war torn country together?
All of that coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: Well, play some ball, because for the first time since a deadly Atlanta bus crash that killed five teammates, a college baseball team is putting it all back together. They're from Ohio and they have returned to the field.
Opening day for the Bluffton University Beavers came a month late, of course. But the team spirit is strong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For the players, there have to be huge mixed emotions, a high level of anticipation. I'm sure that most of them will never play in a game quite like this again in their lives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take a look at the boy smile, OK?
That's the way he played baseball, that passionate. There is no question David would have said play on. There's no question. If we had had a direct pipeline to him, he would have said play on.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: I love that spirit.
Well, more than 1,000 people watched the game. Bluffton, though, lost its season opener 10-5.
HOLMES: Well, federal investigators want to know how an off duty United Airlines flight attendant got a gun on board a flight from Atlanta to Washington. CNN affiliate WJLA reports the attendant inadvertently carried the concealed weapon onto the plane, but then told officials about it after landing. The TSA says she was arrested. It's unknown if that gun was loaded.
And also, police in Highland County, Florida facing questions over their arrest of a 6-year-old girl.
Does she look like she needs to be in handcuffs?
NGUYEN: She doesn't.
HOLMES: Well, local affiliates' Web sites are quoting this story there. They say the kindergartener was handcuffed and actually taken to jail after allegedly hitting her teacher. Police say she was also crying uncontrollably.
NGUYEN: Maybe the handcuffs had something to do with that.
HOLMES: Yes. It's a possibility.
Well, the girl's mother says she is shocked by this all and about how the child was treated and is now considering legal action.
Meanwhile, the girl is actually facing one felony count and two misdemeanors.
NGUYEN: I'm sure we will hear much more about this story.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN:
Also coming up, though, they are coming together in a country torn apart by war and sectarian violence. In Iraq, the Arab version of "American Idol" has united people whose daily lives are often full of despair -- or despair, that is. They've been routing, though, for one of their own.
And last night, dreams came true.
Our Beirut bureau chief, Brent Sadler, reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
(VIDEO CLIP FROM "STAR ACADEMY")
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She sings with an enchanting voice of hope for war ravaged Iraq -- 26-year-old Shadha Hassoun, a Sunni Muslim who's from Iraq, competing in the finals of a top-rated Middle East talent show called "Star Academy," broadcast from Lebanon.
(VIDEO CLIP FROM "STAR ACADEMY")
SADLER: Like contestants in "American Idol," Shadha lived and breathed the program during four arduous months.
(VIDEO CLIP FROM "STAR ACADEMY")
SADLER: A decades-old song recalling the best of prewar Iraq that Shadha's popularity soared.
(VIDEO CLIP FROM "STAR ACADEMY")
SADLER: Huge numbers of Iraqis tuned into the weekly broadcast. Many viewers bought generators to overcome power shortages and they voted en masse by telephone to ensure she has a chance to triumph.
HASSOUN: I really want to thank them so much -- Iraq -- all Iraqi people -- for their voting to me, for their love to me, because I can feel it.
(VIDEO CLIP FROM "STAR ACADEMY")
SADLER (on camera): Shadha Hassoun has already proved she's a talented and charismatic singer. But it is her Iraqi background that has captured the imagination of many in her homeland, where war weary Iraqis have risen above the vicious sectarian bloodshed to help her win.
(voice-over): A nail biting climax that had Iraqis, both Shiite and Sunni Muslims, on the edge of their studio seats.
AMAL JABBOURI, IRAQI POET: This is Iraq. Iraq is one nation. It is one people, not Sunni nor Shiite. And this is a strong message.
SADLER: But to prevail in this show, it's the voting by viewers that counts. And the winner is...
(VIDEO CLIP FROM "STAR ACADEMY")
SADLER: ... Shadha Hassoun.
She is swept up in the studio euphoria. On the streets outside, Shadha mania erupts. And from Beirut to Baghdad and here in northern Iraq, they call her name.
HASSOUN: I can feel them like really happy and they're smiling, especially in the situation they live in, you know?
I -- that's why -- I mean that's what my dream, you know, to make them happy and to make them like smiling. And I think I did it.
SADLER: Shadha -- it means scent in Arabic -- is overcome with emotion and shares with Iraq a sweet smell of success.
Brent Sadler, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
NGUYEN: A great story there.
And coming up, though, we want to tell you more.
There is a controversy over "American Idol" right here in the States.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM "AMERICAN IDOL")
SANJAYA MALAKAR, "AMERICAN IDOL" CONTESTANT: Threatened by my own admission.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: You could have hair like, right, T.J.?
HOLMES: Is the hair the controversy?
NGUYEN: Not exactly. Although people are talking about that, as well.
HOLMES: Love him or hate him, he's here to stay, or we think possibly. It seems like he's here to stay. Everybody is talking about -- is that Sanjaya?
NGUYEN: Sanjaya.
HOLMES: Sanjaya.
OK.
And we're going to be talking about him, as well, today at 10:00 a.m. Eastern.
Also, the presidential contenders with a little bit of hair, are up against the fundraising deadline, as you may have heard.
NGUYEN: Yes. Which candidates have the big bucks and which ones are still struggling to catch up?
Hi there -- Josh.
JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Cancer is back in the news. There are so many myths about it, though. In reality, most cases can be prevented through some simple steps.
Hey, everybody, I'm Josh Levs.
That is coming up this morning in a CNN reality check -- Betty, T.J.
HOLMES: All right, thank you, Josh.
We'll see you soon.
As you know, college athletes are not getting paid.
So who is making all the big money, especially when it comes to betting on sports?
We'll get into that.
Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CO-ANCHOR, CNN SATURDAY MORNING: Well, good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
T. J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SATURDAY MORNING: And I'm T.J. Holmes. It's Saturday, March 31st. Definitely March madness here in Atlanta.
NGUYEN: Speaking of madness, you have to check out this video. It gives new meaning to, shall we say, spring skiing? Yeah, it is absolutely insane.
HOLMES: We got some other insane stuff to tell you about. Traffic we will be dealing with as we leave here today because the final four is happening --
NGUYEN: I don't think we'll be able to leave. We'll be stuck here till tomorrow.
HOLMES: If I had tickets I wouldn't mind sticking around. Final four happening right next door to where we are. It's not just about basketball but the money and, yes, the gambling evening.
NGUYEN: You're still thinking about those tickets you're trying to get them.
HOLMES: I can't get them.
NGUYEN: All right. We're going to move on to other things. Could those captured British troops be headed for trial? An Iranian official again this morning saying it is a real possibility. Meanwhile, though, the British government has renewed calls for their immediate release after another one was paraded on Iranian television to give a so- called confession. CNN's Candy Crowley takes a look at how this week has played out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Iran in a hard place, a week of diplomacy escalating tension and videotapes. Monday and Tuesday, Iran promises to interrogate the 15 British service members in its custody. Iraq backs up British claims that when seized the group was in Iraqi not Iranian waters. The British threaten a step beyond diplomacy.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I hope we manage to get them to realize they have to release them. If not, then this will move into a different phase.
CROWLEY: Wednesday, a face to the crisis, the Iranians air footage of the prisoners, the lone female is featured.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Obviously we trespassed into their waters. They were very friendly, very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people.
CROWLEY: A letter she supposedly wrote calls for the British to pull out of Iraq. In Tehran Thursday protesters call for death to the British, in New York, the U.N. Security Council approves a statement announcing its grave concern far softer than Britain wanted. By week's end the European Union voices solidarity with Britain and there are more letters, more videotapes.
NATHAN THOMAS SUMMERS, BRITISH SAILOR HELD BY IRAN: I'd like to apologize for entering your waters without any permission.
CROWLEY: The Brits fire back rhetorically.
BLAIR: All it does is enhance people's sense of disgust that captured personnel being paraded and manipulated in this way doesn't fool anyone.
CROWLEY: Throughout the week the U.S. takes a low profile reportedly at the request of the British.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: And we wanted to know your thoughts on a terrorism threat hitting close to home. Because Opinion Research Corporation did an open poll asking whether you were worried that you or someone in your family will become the victim of terrorism. Here are the results from more than a 1,000 people 44 percent say yes while 54 percent say no.
HOLMES: It is going to be a very busy day on the campaign trail. Senator Barack Obama heads to Iowa for a town hall meeting at a Highland Western Community College. Rudolf Giuliani will give a speech at Home Beach Town in Florida and meet with residents in Jupiter, also Hillary Clinton in Florida, as well, she is campaigning in Palm Beach before she heads to Miami and Senator Joseph Biden is scheduled to speak in Kiowa Island, South Carolina and meet with folks in Sumter.
Mean while a big financial deadline for the candidates just hours away, first quarter of fund-raising ends at midnight, everywhere you look there is a last-minute mad dash to pull in the money. It has all the last minute March excitement that can separate the winners from the rest of the pack. CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider, a member of the best political coverage team on TV, explains.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST (voice over): It's March madness. Basketball? Well, that too.
SHEILA KRUMHOLZ, CENTER FOR RESPONSIBLE POLITICS: This is truly the March madness of campaign funding.
SCHNEIDER: Presidential candidates are racing around the country trying to raise huge sums before the deadline.
BILL CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.: I hope you'll send in a contribution and support her campaign and please do it by the March 31st deadline.
SCHNEIDER: That's when the first quarter ends and fund-raising totals come out. The campaign's first official score card. In the first quarter of 1999, George W. Bush's $7.5 million bucks beat all the expectations. This year, Hillary Clinton hopes to do the same thing.
THOMAS MANN, BROOKINGS INSTITUTE: This is her opportunity to demonstrate this awesome formidable political machine's ability to put her ahead of the pack.
SCHNEIDER: Barack Obama has been raising a lot of money online.
KRUMHOLZ: We'll see whether that adds up to enough to topple the big fund-raising.
SCHNEIDER: John Edwards.
KRUMHOLZ: Senator Edwards has to prove that he is of the same level of fund-raising as Senators Clinton and Obama.
SCHNEIDER: On the Republican side, John McCain faces the highest expectations. MANN: John McCain will re-establish himself as the at least the fund-raising front-runner.
SCHNEIDER: McCain has been trying to downplay expectations.
JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have fallen somewhat short and that's probably my fault. We're making adjustments.
SCHNEIDER: Rudy Giuliani.
KRUMHOLZ: We'll see if he can prove a good showing with this first quarter report.
SCHNEIDER: And Mitt Romney.
MANN: He is a formidable fund-raiser and could well challenge McCain.
SCHNEIDER: Campaign spokespersons try to lowball expectations. We don't expect to raise very much. We got a late start, yada, yada. Then when the figures come out they'll say why we raised a lot more than we expected.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, two names are putting cancer back on everybody's list. White House spokesman Tony Snow and Elizabeth Edwards the wife of a presidential candidate, both are battling cancer for a second time and that has a lot of people wondering what is going on here so for a reality check we turn now to CNN's Joshua Levs. There is always that fear it could come back and in these two it unfortunately has.
JOSHUA LEVS, REALITY CHECK: Yes and you know what happens is when it hits the news everyone starts to have that fear again. And what researchers are telling us is that there are just so many myths out there. You hear about claims what you should not wear, what you should not eat, where you should not live. Even the idea that cell phones can cause cancer. But doctors say that when people learn a handful of basic factors and ignore the myths they may save their own lives.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Probably later this week, but I'll meet with my doctor find out more --
LEVS: It seems to pop up when you least expect it and it is very scary. The American Cancer Society predicts nearly 1.5 million new cases will be diagnosed this year and says cancer is responsible for one in four deaths in the country. In a study the society also found most Americans believe the risk of getting cancer is increasing. But in reality the risk has dropped since the early 1990s and fewer people die from it, less than half and most are preventable.
Lung cancer is the biggest killer and many cases could be avoided by not smoking and avoiding second hand smoke. Skin cancer is the most common form so protect yourself from harmful rays. Another major contributor, obesity because researchers say fat cells produce hormones that can help some cancers grow.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Watch your weight. That's the most important thing you can do if you don't smoke to reduce your risk of cancer.
LEVS: Eat healthy but what about fears that produce sprayed with pesticides can lead to cancer? There's no proof, in fact, the low concentrations have not been show to increase cancer risk. Neither has using anti-perspirant another fear.
How about cell phones? So far there's no proven connection. But researchers say instead of fixating on these things talk to your doctor about what tests you should have given your age and family history. In the meantime researchers are looking for answers, 36 years after President Nixon signed the National Cancer Act and declared war on cancer.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time for a cure.
LEVS: What you hear very often, you hear a lot of people say it's time for a cure for cancer. Doctors say, in fact, there will never be such a thing as a cure for cancer because cancer is a actually a term that summarizes like a thousand different diseases, some of which already have cures that work for the majority of patients so the real idea here, Betty is that researchers are looking for more cures to work for more people for more types of cancer.
NGUYEN: Like leukemia, they are feeling that there's somewhat of a cure for that.
LEVS: Exactly, yes they're so far ahead of where they used to be. Leukemia is a great example, right now, the majority of patients when caught young can actually be cured in the long run, that is what the American Cancer Society is actually telling us. That's what they want to do for more types of cancer, they want to find more situations like that where they can come up with cures that will work for the majority of patients, help them live a long life.
NGUYEN: All right. Joshua Levs with the reality check, we thank you.
LEVS: Thanks Betty. . NGUYEN: And today at 8:30, Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a look at battling breast cancer. How can you spot the warning signs? That is today at 8:30, going to keep it right here.
HOLMES: Well you may have heard there's a pretty big sporting event happening this weekend.
NGUYEN: It's kind of big
HOLMES: Kind of big deal to some people. Of course as we know with big sporting events comes big, big money. NGUYEN: You know plenty of people are placing some big bets. We are talking about legal and of course, those illegal wagers. That's ahead here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
HOLMES: Also something else we'll be talking about. Aren't they so cute and fuzzy and colorful?
NGUYEN: But they're blue and green and red.
HOLMES: Yes, well, these chicks causing quite an interstate controversy. Stick around. We'll tell you about that on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm Reynolds Wolf with a look at today's allergy report, and we've got high traces of pollen in parts of the southeast United States especially in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and a sliver of parts of Arkansas, also into the desert southwest we're dealing with all that yellow powder. Not too bad, though into the Central Plains.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your winnings, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, thank you very much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everybody out at once.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Shocked that gambling is going on.
What in the world does that scene in that classic movie "Casablanca" have to do with college basketball? Yes, gambling. It's illegal in most of the country but it is certainly not stopping millions of Americans with the NCAA final four. Here to talk about the March madness office sports analyst Rick Horrow, good to have you here in studio sir. Welcome.
RICK HORROW, "WHEN THE GAME IS ON THE LINE:" My god we do this all the time, and really I'm glad to see you in person. A little shorter but that's OK, man. We're talking about basketball so it's all right.
HOLMES: People think I'm 6'9". I'm not a power forward. I'm a point guard.
HORROW: Imagine my disappointment when I walked in the studio.
NGUYEN: But he has some skill.
HOLMES: Let's talk about who is actually making money. The kids aren't making money but this is still big business. Who is getting paid?
HORROW: It's a $4 billion business. The bottom line is this may be an economically overmatched final four like never before. You have economically unranked Georgetown against business juggernaut Ohio State, they are at $106 million in revenue and 34 sports it's the most of any. On the other side you have 24 UCLA against two-time two-sport defending champion Florida. You know what, they probably ought to play the games anyway, do you think?
HOLMES: But Georgetown, who knows what kind of advantage they on the court but definitely in terms of finances, they're behind.
HORROW: They are behind absolutely and of course, the city, it's a big deal too. You have $61 million economic impact in Atlanta. You talked about how hard it is to get around. Those are people who may or may or may not have tickets but they are all spending money. Even though people talk about the crowds and the infrastructure, 50 cities bid for these games every single year. Final four and otherwise, so it is a big business obviously.
HOLMES: Anything in it for the coaches.
HORROW: Oh, yeah, the coaches have bonuses, $200,000, they get to write books, they get to give speeches, they get on CNN and they are superstars.
NGUYEN: That's not bad.
HOLMES: Like yourself, Rick. The gambling part, you're not supposed to be betting this thing are you, but people are doing it?
HORROW: Now I got my one dollar, that's my limit, I'm a high roller. Here are the stats. It's a $2 trillion industry and $300 billion nationally. Now how much is legal, illegal, we don't know. Vegas says that about 30 percent of their take is from final four and basketball gambling. But the real impact is not bad, there was a study done by the University of Delaware that talked about 11th graders, 21 percent, 21 percent of 11th graders say they bet on these games and games generally. That's the big issue. Even though gambling is money in sports, it's stadium signage; the real big issue is the effect on the kids.
HOLMES: This is like the purist thing out there is the NCAA Tournament. Just a great tournament.
HORROW: It is pure if you consider the fact it's a five billion dollar business or so the kids don't really get a whole lot of money. We always talked about it and the big game is Texas and -- oh, you guys aren't in this game. I'm sorry.
NGUYEN: We were out a while back. Of course, you had to bring that up. Look at you just loving it. HORROW: It is a pleasure, I guess I'm not ever going to see you again so, bye.
HOLMES: One more in here. This is big business. The kids aren't getting paid but you know what they are getting. They're getting an education.
HORROW: In theory, but I've got to tell you they have something called APR, which a progress toward a degree and the NCA is very clear, that you don't just talk about lip service. If you don't reach a certain standard then you can have scholarships taken away, you can have games taken away, you can have dollars taken away and in this age of the highly competitive sports dollar that's the big penalty, absolutely, so we're going to look for improvement of graduation rates in years ahead.
HOLMES: And we are also going to look for improvement next year from Texas and Arkansas.
HORROW: Absolutely.
NGUYEN: And the attitude that you have toward Texas and Arkansas.
HORROW: You may improve the attitude. We'll never.
NGUYEN: We can bet on that.
HORROW: We'll bet on that one.
HOLMES: Rick, it used to be a pleasure. It used to be.
HORROW: It will be.
HOLMES: See you, man.
NGUYEN: Do you want to talk about this, though? A serial rapist tracking and actually targeting teens from single parent homes. Now, police are targeting him before he strikes again. We'll take you inside that investigation.
Good morning, Reynolds.
WOLF: Good morning, and powerful storms continue to rumble through Texas at this hour. Coming up I'll tell you how long they'll last, where they're headed and what you can expect in your neighborhood it is only in a few moments.
HOLMES: Also, is this art or a sacrilege? It's certainly controversy and it is also edible. We'll try to explain this one after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Renovating your home to raise your selling price is serious business. Obtain bids from at least three licensed contractors. Ask for references or better yet ask to see some of the contractors' previous work. Make sure your contract has all the details including start and end dates, materials specs and a payment schedule. Put just 10 percent down, pay 25 percent when plumbing and electrical work are done and 25 percent after cabinets, windows, and 25 percent for flooring and painting. Don't hand over the last 15 percent on the final day. It's called retainage and you should keep it for a month just to make sure everything is in good working order.
Most importantly make sure your contractor is properly insured. Otherwise, you could be held accountable. I'm Gerri Willis and that's your "Tip of the Day." For more ideas, strategies and tips to save you money and protect your house, watch "Open House" today 9:30 am Eastern right here on CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: That is a dare devil you are watching and he is skiing down an escalator in the London underground.
NGUYEN: Escalator.
HOLMES: At full tilt, the video comes from his helmet cam.
NGUYEN: Why would anyone want to do this? The stunt was posted on YouTube and London Underground authorities were furious when they found out about it. The unknown skier may have chosen the Angel Station escalator because at 200 feet it is the longest in Europe.
HOLMES: Kind of cool
Just in time for Easter. Look at this, this is a life-size crucifix rendered in chocolate. It is the controversial work that is appropriately titled "My Sweet Lord."
NGUYEN: The 200-pound Jesus was to go on display in midtown Manhattan on Monday but now the show has been canceled, yep, because of outrage from some Catholics.
HOLMES: Actually not because of the chocolate but because Jesus is depicted as an anatomically correct nude.
NGUYEN: That is some chocolate, OK.
HOLMES: Yet another sign, Betty, of the upcoming holiday. We got peeps here of the live variety. This shipment from Dallas was destined for a pet shop in Rhode Island.
NGUYEN: However, dyed chicks run afoul of state regulations so the shipment was seized at the post office. No word of what will become of the green, blue and red chickies. HOLMES: Well we have to turn to some weather now, some serious weather, severe weather again in parts of Texas.
NGUYEN: They've been dealing with it for a few days. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is back in the CNN Storm Center with the latest on this. Hey Reynolds.
WOLF: Hi, you're right. Texas has just been hammered by rough weather over the last couple of days and it appears that now mainly southeastern Texas near the Houston area, they've been hit he specially hard. Let's zoom in very quickly with radar and here's where we have a tornado watch box that will be in effect. This area mainly along the Texas coastline until 10:00 a.m. local time, as we make our way through Edna and back over to Eagle Lake, some strong storms rumbling on through. Not much yet in Oswell but that is going to pop up I would say in a number of minutes.
We take you now to Houston where they are getting the worst of it, take a look at this live image that we have at this hour. We'll stay on this tower cam for a moment; I'm going to step out of the way. This is compliments of KHOU in Houston. You can see the lightning popping up, rain covering the lens cap. They can expect more of that I'd say over the next 45 minutes or so before the system continues its trek to the east. As we go back to the weather computer, let's show you where this big pattern is stretching outward. From the Gulf Coast clear up to places like Mud Island in Memphis, even into St. Louis, you have a chance of some strong storms that you're going to be dealing with. Not just heavy rain or the potential for hail but even damaging winds and possibly some tornadoes.
Now as this system rolls its way to the east, there's also some good news with this system and that is that for some of the heavy pollen we've been dealing with in Atlanta as well as the Carolinas, a lot of that water will help clear out the air so that is certainly some good news.
But until then we're going to be watching this rough weather throughout the afternoon into the evening, as well. Keep it here on CNN. Back to you at the news desk.
NGUYEN: All right. Thank you Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
NGUYEN: Well we've all been suffering with the spring allergies here in Atlanta.
HOLMES: Yeah, it's been a mess here. You can you stay with us CNN SATURDAY MORNING and Dr. Sanjay Gupta will help you find out if you are suffering with allergies or just a cold and the best remedies to fight those sniffles.
NGUYEN: Also at 8:00 the final four kicks off this weekend and some familiar faces won't only be on the court but in the stands, as well. We'll talk about those famous fathers, not pollen that you're seeing there but the fathers who will be cheering on their sons. CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues right after this break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Home alone. Teenage girls targeted by a predator. Now police in Arizona are targeting him before he strikes again.
HOLMES: Also an embarrassing scandal and now an apology by the president. Why the president is saying he's sorry.
NGUYEN: And keeping it in the family. A coach, a tennis champion, some Olympians, and a few pro basketball players. We're going to check out the famous fathers at this final four.
HOLMES: Look at that face, you're going to love this one if you haven't seen it yet a father and son reunion. That will just melt you this morning.
NGUYEN: Great story.
HOLMES: It is a cool story. And from the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen.
We want to thank you for being with us.
It is March 31st, Final Four weekend here in Atlanta. Thanks for starting your day with us.
First off, though, we do have some news that's just coming in to CNN that we want to tell you about, this dealing with Britain and those sailors who have been captured and sent to Iran. Britain has sent a written response to its note of the detention of 15 British naval personnel in the Gulf eight days ago, according to the foreign secretary. And speaking to reporters, that foreign secretary said this: "We have made our response and we are now beginning to discuss, as you may know, it is a holiday period in Iran and it's perhaps not too helpful," speaking of trying to get the 15 British naval personnel out of Iran.
It's been an ongoing negotiation situation. Britain says the sailors were patrolling Iraqi waters, Iran says they were in Iranian territory. And so the diplomacy continues to have them safely returned to Britain.
We'll keep you posted on the latest regarding this story.
HOLMES: Also need to tell you about this disturbing story. Teens who are home alone are now the target of a serial rapist. This story comes to us from a suburb of Phoenix, where a rapist has hit three times in three months.
Right now pictures are being posted and a $10,000 reward is being offered. Reporter Cara Liu of CNN affiliate KPHO in Phoenix reports. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CARA LIU, REPORTER, KPHO (voice over): Derek Litten and Khirstin Lewis felt so strongly, they went door to door themselves, making sure their neighbors were aware a sexual predator was targeting their neighborhood.
DEREK LITTEN, CONCERNED NEIGHBOR: And this guy going around and staking out the neighborhoods and watching these kids, it's just very eerie and it's very, very sick.
KHIRSTIN LEWIS, CONCERNED NEIGHBOR: When it gets so close to where you live and where your loved ones are, you want them to, you know, understand that this is serious.
LIU: Police did much the same, passing out more than 1,200 flyers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, actually, I was very impressed.
LIU: Investigators released new information in an attack in January. Police tell us the suspect wore a brown work coat and faded blue jeans. He also had tan work boots with fresh blue and white paint drops on them. His cell phone had a bells-and-rings tone, and they believe he may have access to a newer, white Ford F-150 with tinted windows and Arizona plates.
Detectives believe this man has been watching his victims before the attacks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has a comfort level into entering these houses. So -- which could lead us to believe that he's maybe done some surveillance himself.
LIU: Police say three teenage girls have been attacked since January.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And again, that was Cara Liu from our affiliate there in Phoenix.
And then two hours from now, at 10:00 Eastern, we're going to talk live with an investigator from the Chandler Police Department. We'll ask him how this investigation is going so far.
NGUYEN: Well, we do want to tell you about this unusual story out of Texas. A grand jury in Ft. Worth cleared a man in the shooting death of his wife's alleged lover, but instead indicted his wife.
Prosecutors say Darrell Roberson found his wife partially clothed in another man's pickup truck. His wife was crying rape, but Roberson then pulled out a gun and shot the man and then drove away. Well, the wife now faces up to 20 years in prison for manslaughter.
HOLMES: Well, we have been talking Texas, we've been talking weather, and we've been talking severe weather this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes, we have. Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf has been following all of this.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Well, when did military commanders and the White House know the real reason behind Pat Tillman's death in Afghanistan? The Associated Press reports one lieutenant general tried to warn his superiors and President Bush to stay away from saying an enemy attack was to blame.
The memo from General Stanley McChrystal came long before the military admitted Tillman was killed by friendly fire. The White House says they never saw that memo. A Pentagon report this week said McChrystal and eight other officers should be held accountable for errors in the reporting of Tillman's death.
NGUYEN: The president is saying that he is sorry. President Bush visited Walter Reed Army Medical Center for the first time since the scandal broke over poor living conditions there. And Mr. Bush met with wounded warriors and apologized for what they have been through.
CNN's Brianna Keilar has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was President Bush's first visit to Walter Reed since the scandal broke six weeks ago.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is not right to have someone volunteer to wear our uniform and not get the best possible care. I apologize for what they went through, and we're going to fix the problem.
KEILAR: But Deputy White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, citing the replacement of officials at the hospital and the formation of a bipartisan presidential commission, rejected the notion that President Bush had waited too long to make an appearance.
DANA PERINO, DEPUTY WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I would remind you that when this first came to light, the president said, "I want to shine a bright light on this. I want to make sure we leave no stone unturned." So I think that that characterization is unfortunate, given all that history and given that the president is so committed.
KEILAR: In an uncharacteristic move, the White House allowed a news camera to capture the president's visits to wounded soldiers. He tested out one man's new prosthetic arm, admired another's tattoo...
BUSH: Make sure you get a picture of the tattoo. The man's proud of it.
KEILAR: ... and held the baby of Army Sergeant David Gardiner (ph), one of many soldiers adjusting to life as a war-wounded amputee. (END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: The president's apology comes a little too late, says one former U.S. senator and war hero. But Georgia Democrat Max Cleland says the president can help make things right at Walter Reed by passing the war funding bill.
He spoke to CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAX CLELAND, FMR. U.S. SENATOR: First of all, he'll go out to Walter Reed with the cameras, but then he threatens to veto legislation that will add $20 million to Walter Reed, take it off the chopping block in terms of being closed, and also threatens to veto legislation for a billion dollars extra for PTSD counseling, for treatment, and for traumatic brain injury, and $2 billion more for the Veterans Administration.
Unbelievable.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: So, but, basically. what you're saying, it's a little bit too late for him to be promising to fix the conditions there or other military or veterans hospitals.
CLELAND: Well, I mean, somebody's got to do it. I mean, but it's a little bit late to say, excuse me.
You know, it's five years down this path of the war that he created, and a war that has no more justification now. And so the real way to really rectify the situation at Walter Reed is to bring the troops home and really make Walter Reed a center of excellence for wound care.
That's what we need. And for him to sign this piece of legislation that says, yes, we'll take Walter Reed off the chopping block; yes, we'll give it $20 million more; yes, we'll spend the billion dollars more for PTSD and traumatic injury, and we'll give the V.A. $2 billion more.
That's the way to really take care of the troops.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Cleland lost both legs and his right arm in the Vietnam War.
HOLMES: And President Bush is hosting the Brazilian president, Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva, at Camp David today. The two leaders will hold a joint news conference this afternoon at 4:00 Eastern. Trade and ethanol top that agenda.
CNN will have live coverage.
NGUYEN: All right. It starts with a sneeze.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Get a headache, the runny nose, the itchy eyes -- you just swell up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: We all know the symptoms. So what can you do about spring allergies? We have those answers ahead this Saturday morning.
HOLMES: And like father, like son. That phrase really rings true for some college athletes -- not the video we're supposed to be showing you there, but we're going to get to that story a little later as well, which is a very, very sweet story about a father and son as well.
NGUYEN: It will warm your heart.
HOLMES: We'll talk about the famous father, as well as that story.
And Dr. Sanjay Gupta, he has "HOUSE CALL" for us at 8:30 -- Sanjay.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hey, T.J.
I'm in your old stomping grounds here in central California. We've been traveling the country trying to find out what happened with food safety in this country, investigating everything from farm to pork (ph).
We're also going to look into one family's nightmare as they experience the impact of last year's E. coli outbreak.
I also sat down with the head of the FDA Food Safety Division to find out, how do we make our food any safer?
All that's coming up on "HOUSE CALL" at 8:30.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: OK, the signs of spring are everywhere. Pretty flowers. Look at that yellow dust on the cars. That's not my car, but it looks exactly like it, except mine is a little more yellow.
HOLMES: You know that's your ride.
NGUYEN: Right. That is my ride.
OK. There's an abundance of pollen out there, and for many, that means red, runny eyes, sneezing fits. So, what can you do to fight those symptoms?
Well, some advice now from CNN's chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The stuffy head, get a headache, the runny nose, the itchy eyes -- you just swell up.
GUPTA (voice-over): Spring is in the air, quite literally, and that means pollen winds up in our sinuses.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The scratchy throat, cough a little bit, you know, runny eyes.
GUPTA: Allergy experts say this could be a particularly rough year.
DR. ALPEN PATEL, ENT/ALLERGIST: The trend is with global warming and shorter winters that our allergy season is becoming longer.
GUPTA: So how do you know if it's allergies or just a spring cold? A good rule of thumb, colds produce a runny nose that's yellowish, along with a low-grade fever. Allergies are usually colorless. There's not accompanying fever, and itchy eyes, nose and throat. If it's allergies, how do you treat them?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I take Nasacor. I have to take that. I have to take Allegra, Sudafed, you name it.
GUPTA: Sorting out the various prescription and over-the-counter antihistamines, decongestants and nose sprays can be overwhelming.
PATEL: The best home remedy is using salt water spray and just irrigating and cleaning out the nose.
GUPTA: Prescription and over-the-counter medications can help relieve symptoms, but they're no cure. Regardless of where you live, some people are simply predisposed to having bad allergies because of heredity.
PATEL: If you have one parent who suffers from allergies, the chance of an offspring suffering from allergies is nearly 33 to 50 percent. If you have two parents that suffer from allergies, it can be 50 to 65 percent.
GUPTA: Of course living in a high-pollen area can make your allergies worse. To check on the local pollen count, go to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunologies Web site at aaaai.org, and don't forget the tissues.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(NEWSBREAK)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Want a workout for your body and brain? It's time to hit the wall.
Go vertical with indoor rock climbing. It's a playground of ropes, rocks and high walls to strategically scale.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have to figure out how your body's going to get from one hole to the next, and so it's all problem- solving. This is a creative way, I guess. I hate the gym.
COSTELLO: Let's not forget the physical benefits.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're using your core, your back muscles, your abdominal muscles, your legs. And it's definitely a total body workout.
COSTELLO: And don't be intimidated if you've never climbed before. Atlanta Rocks owner Greg Perry (ph) says anyone can learn to climb indoors.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not only can you do it, you can see yourself get better pretty much every time you come in.
COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: It is Final Four weekend here in Atlanta. And before I continue with this story, let me make a personal appeal for tickets. I need to.
Of course, as you know, thousands of fans of Florida, UCLA, Georgetown, and Ohio State all here in Atlanta to cheer on their favorites, but only one team, of course, can and will be crowned college basketball's national champion.
And you're going to see a lot of familiar faces in the crowds today, champions themselves in other arenas, now gathering to watch their sons try to duplicate their success.
CNN's Larry Smith, he takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It's the Final Four of famous progeny. Ohio State's Mike Conley Jr. is the son of an Olympic gold medallist. Florida's Joakim Noah's father is former French Open champ Yannick Noah. And Georgetown's Jeremiah Rivers' dad is Celtics head coach Doc Rivers.
JEREMIAH RIVERS, GEORGETOWN GUARD: I think it kind of helps me be more humble about it, understand the experience is just very rare and very -- you've got to soak it up as much as you can. And -- but, you know, with our fathers being there, you know, we haven't been there, though. SMITH: But for head coach John Thompson III and Patrick Ewing, Jr., there's perhaps a bigger legacy, following in the foot steps of their famous fathers, Hoyas coaching legend John Thompson, Jr., whose star player was Patrick Ewing. Together, they won Georgetown's only national championship in 1984.
JOHN THOMPSON III, GEORGETOWN HEAD COACH: All of our parents, you know, have been supportive. And I think that, you know, myself, Patrick, Jeremiah, you know, I think we have a comfort level with who we are, and we'll let everyone else analyze and compare and contrast.
JOHN THOMPSON JR., HALL OF FAME COACH: You know, this is their turn. That's what I enjoy, the fact that it's not my time, it's not Big Pat's time. It's Little Patrick's time, and it's John's time. And both of us feel very fortunate about being able to share in that.
PATRICK EWING JR., GEORGETOWN FORWARD: You know, their knowledge of the game is, you know, way bigger than most people's. So, you know, just -- you know, when they give us advice, you know, we've got to listen to it, because, you know, you figure they know what they're doing.
PATRICK EWING, FMR. NBA PLAYER: When you're out there playing, you feel invincible. You feel like you can, you know, leap tall buildings. But as a parent and as a fan, you know, it's not in your hand. All you can do is yell out with the rest of the -- with the rest of the fans.
J. THOMPSON JR.: You know, I was talking to Patrick earlier. He had some concerns about Little Patrick. And I said, "I hope you permit your son to have the relationship with my son that you had with your coach."
SMITH (on camera): This is first time that both a father and a son have coached in the Final Four, and Thompson III hopes to join his dad as NCAA champions with two more Hoya wins.
Larry Smith, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And our e-mail question this morning -- How has the Final Four affected you? Yes, be honest. Is it disrupting the office routine, maybe taking over your life at home?
Well, shoot us an e-mail. And Veronica De La Cruz will join us a little later to read some of those responses. That's coming up a little later.
NGUYEN: Definitely want to watch this little guy right there. This is such a sweet story. Overjoyed that his father is finally home from Iraq. A father and son reunion captured here on CNN.
HOLMES: And with unhealthy food being marketed to kids, who's really responsible for the obesity epidemic? Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a look on "HOUSE CALL" at 8:30. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: You want to see something sweet? You definitely want to stick around for this. A U.S. sailor comes home from Iraq and he heads straight to his little boy's school for a surprise reunion.
Reporting from western Washington State, Elisa Hahn and CNN affiliate KING.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELISA HAHN, KING REPORTER (voice over): For the last seven months, Ensign Bill Hawes has been in Iraq, an eternity for his family, especially his 6-year-old son, who had no idea his dad was coming home and was surprising him in class.
ENSIGN BILL HAWES, U.S. NAVY: I missed you, too, kiddo.
JOHN HAWES, SAILOR'S SON: I missed you, too, daddy.
HAHN: All year, the Sedro-Woolley 6-year-old had written letters to his dad, and his kindergarten class at Central Elementary joined in, sending the sailor care packages. A tearful John got to introduce his father to all his pen pals.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's his name?
J. HAWES: Bill.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Bill.
B. HAWES: Oh, it's great to be home. Seven months over there, it's nice to see my kids and all again. See my wife.
JULIE HAWES, SAILOR'S WIFE: I am so ecstatic because my husband's home. I'm so proud of him.
HAHN: The Hawes family was happy to share their joy with the whole class, who all took part in the welcome home party. The sweetest homecoming for a sailor who had been gone too long, and for a little boy who dreamed of this day with his dad.
In Sedro-Woolley, Elisa Hahn, KING 5 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: I just love the emotion there, because first it was shock. It's like, who's this? And then he realizes -- oh, so sweet.
HOLMES: Oh, yes, that's dad.
Oh, yes, there's the shot. There's the money shot, as we would say.
NGUYEN: And the little whimpering. Awe!
HOLMES: Well, congratulations, little guy...
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: ... to have your dad back.
NGUYEN: We're going to move on from this week's story to one that may have you thinking a little bit. Would you believe that pizza can be a cancer fighter?
HOLMES: I'll take it.
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