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CNN Saturday Morning News

Madonna Turns 50; Talking with the Green Guru; Russia-Georgia Situation

Aired August 16, 2008 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

T.J. HOLMES, CNN, ANCHOR: From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, I am T.J. Holmes. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: And good to see you, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye, in for Betty Nguyen.

Is 50 the new 30? Or the new 20? Well, Madonna now in her golden years.

HOLMES: The older you get, they say it's the new something. Don't they?

Also, we're talking about saving energy, saving time and saving money. With this man, who is being called the green guru. You don't want to miss that this morning.

KAYE: A week of bitter fighting is now officially over between Russia and Georgia. President Bush is expected to comment on the tense situation later this hour.

HOLMES: And while leaders of Russia, Georgia, Abkhazia and South Ossetia have all put their signatures to a six-point cease-fire agreement, it calls for Russian troops to leave Georgia and for the Georgian troops to return to their bases.

KAYE: Even as the conflict in Georgia appears headed for some resolution, a new wrinkle in the region. This time from the former Soviet Republic of Ukraine. That country says it would like to join other European nations in creating a missile defense system. Moscow has repeatedly abused such system on its borders as potential threats.

HOLMES: Well, two days ago, the U.S. and Poland signed a preliminary deal to put in place a U.S. missile defense system in that country.

Meanwhile, CNN's Brian Todd reports, it could be more symbolic than practical.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): U.S. officials are clear. America's new deal for a missile defense shield in Poland is not payback, not time to punish Russia for its incursion into Georgia.

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: We were going to sign that agreement as soon as Poland and the United States had come to terms. We've now come to terms. TODD: But the Russians believe that the timing is not coincidental and they're being targeted. And they have responded with a strong threat. A top Russian general says by agreeing to put the missile shield on its soil, Poland could be swept up on any potential conflict between Russia and the U.S. "such targets are the priority to be destroyed, possibly, he said, by nuclear weapons."

MICHAEL O'HANLON, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: I think he's talking about a war plan, not an actual military operation. And the way Poland would be viewed as essentially part of the U.S. nuclear complex from this point on.

TODD: The Russian observers say it still want to project their influence over territory they used to control, like Poland. But U.S. officials and experts say a defense shield in Poland wouldn't protect America against Russian missiles. First they say, the Poland base would only have 10 interceptors and not enough kill vehicles to take out hundreds of Russian missiles that would be fired in the event of war. Second, interceptors in Poland will be there to counter any ballistic missiles fired from Iran.

John Pike of Global Security.org explains using a telestrator.

JOHN PIKE, GLOBALSECURITY.ORG: The Iranian missiles will be going straight overhead as they're coming down here to try to hit North America. The Russians do have a base over here, that's going to right by the edge of it. It might be able to get a few of the missiles. But almost all of Russia's missiles, they're going to be coming out of Siberia, coming out of all of these other locations. This interceptor facility isn't going to be able to touch.

TODD: Russian officials are holding the line, saying the U.S. hasn't presented evidence to show these interceptors wouldn't target missiles and they say Iran doesn't have the delivery systems yet to launch their missiles over Europe and towards the U.S.. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: An update this morning on a sad, but inspiring story out of New York. The baby delivered after his mother was struck and killed by a van and then a school bus is getting better this morning. You'll see a "New York Post" picture over here of the pregnant woman, here of Donnette Sanz. Dozens of bystanders lifted a five-ton bus to free her from underneath it. Lily Jamali of our affiliate, New York 1 reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LILY JAMALI, NY1 REPORTER: While Baby Sean Sanz recovered at St. Barnabas Hospital, the man police say who is responsible for his mother's death learned the charges against him. Police say Walter Walker who had 20 suspensions on his license on Thursday when the van he was driving sent pregnant traffic cop Donnette Sanz into the path of a bus at the corner of 188 Street and Wester Avenue.

Walker is charged with criminally negligent homicide and an aggravated charge of driving without a license after Sanz was left pinned until about 30 bystanders lifted the bus off of her. Her son was delivered by emergency cesarean section.

DR. MARK ROSING, ST. BARNABAS HOSPITAL: The people in the field got this woman out from under the bus and got her here quickly. The hospital responded quickly. The trauma surgeons were here. The administrators were here. The nurses and everyone that needs to be involved was here quickly.

JAMALI: At a prayer vigil, representatives of the Soundview Health care Network announced they were starting a fund for Baby Sean. The organization started things off with a $1,000 contribution.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We ask New York City and America to be generous at this time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This child that is going to grow up, you know, without its mother. So, hopefully, people will come forth and just have an outpour of love and just contribute to whatever we can do for this child's future.

JAMALI: At the apartment building where the Sanz lived with her husband, neighbors were still talking about the tragedy. A woman who lived just downstairs from the family found out the news from her mother.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was still in bed when she told me. I was just in shock. I saw her last week, so, you know I just couldn't believe it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You don't hear stories like that, but it never happens to anyone you know. So I was very surprised and shocked. Very sad story.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: The hospital says the baby boy is in stable condition this morning. He was born prematurely and will have to spend the next six to eight weeks in the hospital.

HOLMES: Turning to Louisiana now, a teenager gets four months in prison for using hangman's nooses to threaten civil rights marches.

KAYE: Federal prosecutors announced the sentencing of Jeremiah Munson yesterday. Munson pleaded guilty April to federal hate crimes charges. And last September, he drove a pick up truck with nooses on the back past marchers of the Jena six demonstration. Marches were protesting what they considered unfair charges against six black teens accused of beating a white classmate.

HOLMES: Focus will be on faith for the presidential candidates tonight. They'll take part in a forum hosted by a well-known pastor, Rick Warren. As you can see, live right here on CNN. Barack Obama and John McCain are hoping to strengthen their support among evangelical voters. Warren will interview each candidate for one hour in his 20,000-member Saddleback Church in southern California. Abortion and same-sex marriage on the minds of folks today. Some Christian conservatives calling on the presidential candidates to move further to the right on social issues and their gathering on the National Mall in Washington this morning. CNN's Kate Bolduan also there. She joins us now live. Good morning to you, Kate.

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, T.J. As you can see, we are right in the middle of it, right here on the National Mall this morning. This is an annual event here, an annual gathering of evangelical. And organizers say this is more about getting back to the core evangelical values than it is about politics. And you can expect that we're going to be seeing here all day today is a lot of music, a lot of prayers and a lot of politics mixed in. I see hundreds here, they're expecting thousands.

Part of the reason for this rally today is to get these issues as we talk about. Issues of abortion, issues of same sex marriage, get them back into the political discussion. Because up until now, recently these issues have taken a backseat on the campaign trail to other big issues, the economy, jobs and that's why evangelicals are here today and with the forum this evening are trying to change. One of the headliners here is that, for lack of a better word, is former presidential candidate and pastor Mike Huckabee. Listen here.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FMR. PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The purpose we gather this weekend is not really political at all. It really is something that transcends the politics of left and right, liberal and conservative, democrat and republican or at least it should. Because this is about life and death. And it's so much more important than the next election. It really is about the next generation and whether or not there will be one.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BOLDUAN: At the most recent CNN Opinion Research poll shows that John McCain is beating Barack Obama in terms of evangelical support 67 to 24 percent. That is a clear lead, but not as much of a lead as President Bush enjoyed back in the 2004 election and political analysts say this year more than in elections in years past, this evangelical vote, this traditional strong voting bloc for the Republican party may not be such a lock this time around. T.J.

HOLMES: All right. Thank you. And as you said, the headliner, Mike Huckabee, expecting him a little later this morning. We might be checking back in with him and we certainly will be checking back in with you, Kate. Thank you.

And tonight on CNN, we look at how religion has shaped their faith, their views as well as their candidacy. John King hosts the "The Next President Campaign Kickoff" tonight at 7:00 Eastern and then watch John McCain and Barack Obama live at a forum on faith with Pastor Rick Warren, begins at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.

KAYE: So, did you notice Reynolds has a new woman in his life? HOLMES: We probably shouldn't say that.

KAYE: We shouldn't say that.

HOLMES: I think his wife is up right now, watching.

KAYE: Her name is Fay.

HOLMES: Fay.

KAYE: Would you like to tell us about Fay, the new woman in your life?

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Of course, yes. That's what we're here for. Fay is actually getting a little bit bigger as we speak. The storm right now maximum sustaining winds right around 45 miles an hour, gusting to 60 miles an hour. Randi, you're going to get me in trouble. Take a look at his. Moving to the west at 14 miles per hour. If you happen to be in Jamaica or know somebody in Jamaica, maybe there on their honeymoon, and they haven't been paying attention to the forecast. They're about to get some heavy rainfall, some heavier surf action too, possibly flooding in Jamaica. You got some peaks there at 7,000 feet. So, there's a possibility even for some mudslides.

We've already had those issues in portions of Haiti and even the Dominican Republic. The storm right now continues to march its way to the west, expecting to make more of a turn to the northwest as we get into Monday. Also, expecting to intensify to category 1 storm, a minimal hurricane. This is the forecast from the National Hurricane Center, brings it across Cuba, north of Havana as we get into Tuesday, right near the Florida keys. Still is a cat 1. Then right along the west coast of Florida, near Tampa and then eventually near the Florida panhandle and South Georgia as we get into Wednesday and Thursday.

From these storms, remember, this is a rotating storm on a spinning planet moving over choppy seas. Very warm waters. There's certainly a possibility this storm could strengthen at times, weaken considerably. Also you have to keep in mind this path. Watch the cone, could move more to the east, perhaps the west. These storms are very fickle and they certainly need constant observation. That's what we're here though. We're CNN, your hurricane headquarters. And the very latest, we'll certainly deliver you the news. Let's send it back to you at the news desk.

HOLMES: There's another hurricane named Erin in your life.

WOLF: Oh, very much so. That's the good kind.

KAYE: You know we're just having some fun.

WOLF: My phone's ringing. There you go.

KAYE: what a surprise. Thanks, Reynolds.

HOLMES: Thanks, buddy. It takes a whole lot of fuel to power a very fast vessel.

KAYE: How about this for the breakfast of a champion? What Michael Phelps feeds on. Not just what he eats.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. We're trying to figure out how this guy continues to do what he does. Seven events, seven gold medals, several world records in there as well. Michael Phelps picked up another last night, just by a fingernail, as our Larry Smith has been telling us this morning. I was saying it was by a fingertip, but it was actually a fingernail. This thing was so close.

LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. You're giving it too much credit by saying a fingertip. There's no question. This was so close. I watched the replay over and over and over again. And every time I see it, I still wonder how did Michael Phelps win this gold? It was in the 100-meter butterfly. A guy who swims, lives in southern California, but swims for Serbia, Mike Cavic, was leading most of the way as he did even in the semi-final heat. Phelps said I've got to be closer to him at the turn. He was, but still had to make up the difference in the final 25 meters and then barely out touched him at the wall, immediately the judges came out and looked at the pictures, and the photo finish and determined that, yes, Phelps did get victory by .0100 of a second. That's how close it was.

Phelps would have fallen short of his dream of eight gold medals. He had said he has never stated that publicly but let's be honest, he's not going to enter a race unless he plans to win it. So, he does tie the record set by Mark Spitz in the 1972 games in Munich, seven gold medals in won games, only six world records. He only set an Olympic record on this one. He will go for his eighth gold record in the 4 by 100 meter medley relay. That is Saturday night East Coast time at 10:58 on the East Coast.

And by the way, in case you're wondering, history smiling on the Americans. They have never lost in this race in the Olympics. 11 times they have won it.

Well, meanwhile, the medal table right now. U.S.A. is leading the overall count. China still with the commanding lead in the gold as we now are just about halfway through these Beijing games. Staying in the pool, Dara Torres trying to add to her career medal haul. It would be a career medal number 11 if she can get it again Saturday night, East Coast time in the 10:00 hour, Torres will go for gold as she qualified first in the women's 50-meter freestyle. 41 years old already, the oldest swimmer in Olympic history.

One person who is not going for gold will be Tyson Gay, the men's 100- meter sprint in the bird's nest, track and field going off here in just about an hour, without Tyson Gay in the semi final, in the last hour, he was out leaned by his team mate, Darvis Patterson for the finals spot. He finishes fifth. And so Gay, the world champion right now in the 100-meter sprint, will not go for gold. The Jamaicans Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell won their heat and they are the two gold medal favorites in that race. Let's go back to you.

HOLMES: A lot of news coming out of there. And I hate to do this. I don't think you have a monitor there, Larry. But we have just come across a picture here that we're going to share with our viewers. This is a picture of you doing your live shots, doing your thing there in Beijing, but it shows the full shot of you. And you're wearing some plaid shorts here, buddy.

I don't know what you're wearing now. You could have on pajama pants for all we know. but it gives us a different perspective of you doing your live shots. Now, tell me what's going on with the plaid shorts here? You got to know what I'm talking about.

SMITH: Well, I'm going to take - I know it was taken, I think it was yesterday, that picture was taken, I think with the tan shirt. The thing is that it's very warm here. So sometimes a walk, about 30 minutes to get from the main press center to here, our work area. I'm totally drenched at that point, I think 15 minutes to dry off, and cool off before I get going. But it's all about comfort. I am wearing this shirt, jeans, some driving shoes, very comfortable. Comfort is important at the Olympics. I've done four of them. And I know that you've got to be comfortable.

HOLMES: Well, all right. That was just handed to me or just shown to me by one of our producers here on the international desk. You have to blame her for it. But we just wanted to share and give a little behind the scenes there to our viewers. But Larry, we appreciate you as always, buddy. Stay comfortable. We'll be checking in with you again, of course.

SMITH: All right.

HOLMES: And Michael Phelps, what everybody is talking about right about now and you can talk about him if you want to. But you can also talk to him. Phelps joins cnn.com live Tuesday morning if you're a fan. If you're not, if you're whatever, you got a question, go to ireport.com right now and submit your video question for Michael Phelps. Don't miss him live, Tuesday morning 8:30 Eastern, only on cnn.com/live. Randi.

KAYE: And he's not just sweeping his swimming events in Beijing, he's cleaning up in the dining hall as well. The Michael Phelps success is due to more than carbo loading. As our Elizabeth Cohen reports, it's as much about physique as it is fuel.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Swimming champion Michael Phelps uses up thousands of calories in one workout alone. So how does he fuel his entire day? Well, in front of me here, this is just breakfast. Let's go through it.

For breakfast, according to NBC, Michael Phelps will eat three cheese and egg sandwiches, an omelette, grits, a serving of French toast and three chocolate chip pancakes, all just in one meal. Now what does he eat in an entire day? NBC says that Michael Phelps was told to consume between 8,000 and 10,000 calories a day. A man his size and age would usually have about 2,500 calories a day to put it in proportion. Now, he's not just a champion because of what he eats, but also because of his body.

Take a look at these feet. These are huge feet, they're like flippers. He's size 14, and they are especially helpful when he does those incredible turns that he does. Also, take a look at his torso. This torso is very long in proportion to his legs. And experts tell me that how this is helpful is because he has these really long back muscles to fuel that powerful stroke.

Now, it's not just Michael Phelps' body that helps him be the champion that he is, but also his head. Sports experts tell us that he is - not only does he have this incredible desire not to lose, and to win, but also is very focused and very systematic about the way that he trains. Back to you.

HOLMES: Flippers.

KAYE: Flippers, that's what she called them. They're like flippers, she said, his feet.

HOLMES: If a size 14 is a flipper, then we have a flipper on staff here as well.

KAYE: We sure do.

HOLMES: Is it 14 or 16?

WOLF: There are navies of certain nations that do not have boats as big.

KAYE: I can fit two of my feet in there.

WOLF: Yes, size 16.

HOLMES: Size 16.

WOLF: Is that a monstrosity? It's ridiculous.

HOLMES: So you might be a pretty good swimmer yourself.

WOLF: Are you serious? I mean, if like a piece of like maybe cement, you know how aerodynamically I'd be if that water fluid? I'm pretty much the same way. You should see me go through security at the airport, taking these things off. You know those big luggage things. If you yank this out, it pretty much covers the whole platform. Children run screaming.

KAYE: Are you going to put that back on for us?

WOLF: Absolutely.

HOLMES: We appreciate you, buddy.

KAYE: Thank you.

The power of sunlight.

HOLMES: Yes. We're going to introduce you to a man who cooks and drives all with solar power.

KAYE: He cooks. That's amazing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, how about this? Save on gas and help the environment at the same time.

KAYE: CNN's Deborah Feyerick introduces us to a green guru, who is going back to basics.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIKE DABROWSKI, SOLAR INVENTOR: Everything solar. It's all charged by the sun.

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mike Dabrowski has been playing with the sun for 30 years.

DABROWSKI: Ready?

FEYERICK: So that's the raw energy?

DABROWSKI: That's the raw energy that we stored over five minutes from this much sunlight.

FEYERICK: The inventor who has worked fixing TVs, stereos and supertankers uses solar energy for things like cooking.

DABROWSKI: 74 degrees, climbing quickly. 75. 77. 79.

FEYERICK: And charging his hybrid. Look closely at his souped up Honda inside and you'll see it's no ordinary hybrid.

DABROWSKI: There's one here and two down there.

FEYERICK: He changed it in a major way, by hacking into the car's computer and making it so the driver, not the car, decides whether to operate on gas or electric.

DABROWSKI: I can shift whether I'm generating power or taking power out of the batteries.

FEYERICK: So, you're the one who's deciding how this car is running?

DABROWSKI: Right.

FEYERICK: Extra batteries fuel electric power longer. And a fifth wheel propels the car when the gas is off.

DABROWSKI: I'm going to flip this switch. Drop down the e wheel. Now we're driving on pure electric, which was stored in that battery yesterday from the sunlight, from that solar panel.

FEYERICK: So far, he has installed or sold his system to nearly 60 people, though he is yet to make any real money. What is it you most want to create and leave behind?

DABROWSKI: A sustainable way of life for all of us. I really just want to help everybody. I'm almost retired now. I'm 62 years old. I don't have any children. If I can leave something on this earth, some ideas, just a way of thinking maybe. I've done my part. I've left something positive on the planet.

FEYERICK: Deborah Feyerick, CNN, Thompson, Connecticut.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: All right. Madonna might need some shades today.

KAYE: You think?

HOLMES: It's going to be a little bright.

KAYE: Is this all to shield her eyes from the glare of so many birthday candles? Is that what you're getting at.

HOLMES: I shouldn't have made that joke.

KAYE: No, you shouldn't have. Middle aged never looked so good.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Are you OK? Like that song?

KAYE: Yes. How could you not?

HOLMES: Oh, well. Madonna, of course, would you believe, the woman is half a century old. That sounds worse than 50 maybe. But she is 50. She doesn't look a day over what - what would you say?

KAYE: 40.

HOLMES: Really?

KAYE: She looks great.

HOLMES: you wouldn't give her 32 maybe?

KAYE: Maybe. She looks fantastic.

HOLMES: She looks good. Is it because she has good genes or she has a good bank account?

KAYE: I don't know that we'll actually find out the truth, but money aside, a lot of people are turning 50 years old are finding out it's way better than anyone actually thought.

HOLMES: Josh Levs - how old are you, Josh?

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You want me to announce that to America? HOLMES: No.

LEVS: You wouldn't even say when you were having a big birthday with he big number, but everybody knows anyway.

HOLMES: Oh, yes.

LEVS: They know I could now be president, if I ever wanted to, which I wouldn't win anyway. Do you think there's such a thing as looking 50? Does that exist anymore?

HOLMES: Yes.

LEVS: Do you?

HOLMES: Sure.

LEVS: I don't know what it is to look 50 anymore, especially when you see these photos that I'm about to show you on i-report.com. We invited people to talk about turning 50 and what it means to you these days. Close in here. The new face of 50. Take a look at these photos, guys. I mean, I just think the whole idea of looking 50 might be now outdated. This is pretty amazing.

This is Lynn Shoffield, who tells us she's now hiking all over the place. She just turned 50. By the way, a big Madonna fan. She says "I love my life and I'm looking forward to the next half of it."

Let's go over here. This guy is now running marathons. This is John Tackett. He is 51 years old. I'm now doing more than I ever thought I could at any previous part of my life. Just ran the Boston marathon. People are amazing.

All right. 50 and fabulous. These group of women are calling themselves the flip-flops. They all celebrated their 50th together. They say, life for each of us is certainly not been with difficulty and heartache but we're feeling strong, confident and happy and delighted to be fabulous and 50.

This one, the headline, 50 means I have to lie on my resume. This is Bob Santangelo, who works in advertising. Having gray temples and being slower is damaging to him in his career and he doesn't think it's a good thing.

This one is really happy. Lisa Connell and her boyfriend. She says, I don't feel that age, I enjoy the extent of every day. She eats well. We have to see her. Check her out.

Becky Olefin. She's more adventurous than ever. Ireport.com. See what I'm saying? No such thing as looking 50.

KAYE: Newly fired up to take care of yourself.

HOLMES: Maybe that's when it all starts.

KAYE: "OPEN HOUSE" with Gerri Willis starts right now.