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CNN Saturday Morning News
Radiation in Japan's Water Levels Causing Fear; Evaluating the New U.S. Role in Libya; Budget Battle Back on Track; Royal Wedding Etiquette; Republicans Gathering in Iowa; 3-D With No Glasses; Will the Government Shutdown?; DOT Announces New Air Traffic Controller Policy; This Week's Top Sports News; Breaking Down the New Census Numbers
Aired March 26, 2011 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
There are new fears in Japan right now as radiation levels reach stunning new heights. The air around the damaged nuclear plant is no longer the worry, the water is.
Also, NATO is getting ready to take control of the sky over Libya, possibly changing the role for U.S. troops in that region, and President Obama is preparing his remarks on the situation there.
And running for cover in the Middle East. Protesters in Syria met with a hail of gunfire. Is that the next domino to fall?
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is your CNN SATURDAY MORNING for this March 26th. Hope you're getting off to a good start on your weekend. I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you for spending part of your weekend with us
We do want to start in Japan right now where there is growing concerns over radiation levels in the ocean near that damaged nuclear plant, but there is some positive news as well from the Fukushima plant. Radiation levels in the air seem to be decreasing.
CNN's Paula Hancocks live for us in Tokyo.
Paula, hello. Sounds like good news/bad news. Let's start with the bad news.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, T.J. Well, this is the water in the sea just off the coast of the Fukushima nuclear plant. According to Japan's nuclear safety agency, the levels of radioactive iodine are more than 1,200 times the level they should be. Now this does sound as though it is a cause for alarm.
But we're hearing from the agency that it really only is dangerous if you drink it. Of course, no one's going to be drinking the seawater. He has said that he doesn't believe that the aquatic life will suffer too much and also the fact is that in the sea this kind of matter is going to dilute quite quickly. As soon as you get further away from the coast, then the levels are going to be even lower.
Now obviously there's more tests going on and people want to know exactly how much iodine is in the seawater at this point, but it is a concern. Most notably because at this point, Tepco officials, those in charge of the nuclear plant, don't actually know how it's got into the sea.
They don't know if there's a leak within one of the reactor cores, within one of the containment vessels which stops any leaks or whether it has been airborne and then come down as rain. So at this point, they're uncertain as to how it even got there. T.J.?
HOLMES: And those measurements in the air, how positive, I guess, is that, that the air at least, it sounds like the radiation around the plant is going down?
HANCOCKS: Yes. This certainly is positive. We're still hearing that just outside the gate of the nuclear plant, it's at very low levels at this point. This has changed over recent days, but within the plant itself we know that certainly in reactor one, two and three, workers haven't really been able to get right in there and do their work today.
Because, remember, the water contamination in reactor three, which injured those three workers as they were standing in it doing their work, it turns out that's quite a similar thing to what happened in reactor two as well.
They don't really want to send any more workers into those areas in the turbine building because they quite simply don't know how high the contamination is at that point. They have three injured workers. They don't want any more -- T.J.
HOLMES: Paula Hancocks, we appreciate the update from Tokyo. Thank you so much.
And for our viewers, we want to share with you some interesting numbers now on the nuclear preparedness here in the U.S. maybe it's the lack of preparedness. Check out an exclusive CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll. We asked people living with 50 miles of a nuclear plant if their local officials could handle an accident. Nearly 60 percent say, no, they don't think so.
Also asked about disaster kits, if they had them and were ready to go? Only 18 percent said, yes. According to FEMA, kits should include things like flashlights, duct tape and some medical supplies.
Also, do you know the evacuation routes, in case of a nuclear emergency? Only about 40 percent said they do; 61 percent said, no, they do not.
Another telling question here, we asked how likely is it that damage to the nuclear plant near you will endanger your family? Forty two percent said it's likely, 57 percent, though, said it's not likely. We'll stay on top of all the developments happening in Japan as part of that crisis. Also want to turn to Libya and the war going on there. Allied power is credited with suppressing military forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi. The coalition-backed rebels are claiming they've taken control of the city of Ajdabiya. It's considered a key strategic gain for the opposition that further protects the rebel stronghold of Benghazi to the east.
Currently the rebels say they are trying to rid the city of any remaining Gadhafi loyalists. This comes as the coalition enforce no- fly zone over the country, enters a second week with NATO expected to take formal command of the military campaign this weekend.
Meanwhile, President Obama, he is set to talk to the us about the U.S. involvement in Libya Monday night. You can watch the president's address from the National Defense University in Washington live right here on CNN.
This is what many of his critics have been telling him he should do, is talk directly to the American people and speak to them directly and clearly about what we are doing, what the U.S. is doing in Libya.
That address now scheduled for Monday, 7:30 Eastern time. You, of course, can catch it right here.
Turning to what is happening in Syria. Look at this. This is video coming to us from YouTube, protests taking place there. Thousands hit the streets across the country after Friday prayers. Witnesses tell us police fired on peaceful protesters again in the southern town of Daraa and at least 24 people were killed there.
Should note, though, CNN cannot independently confirm the authenticity of this video.
Let's take a turn to some politics here in the U.S. shall we, an important gathering for Republicans in Iowa tonight. A pretty thick group of possible Republican presidential candidates will be on hand. Also on hand, CNN senior political editor Mark Preston joins me now live from Des Moines, Iowa.
Good morning to you, Mark.
Any time between now and next year is a big deal in Iowa.
MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: It absolutely is. Look, this is the first in the nation caucus state. T.J. This is all important because here in Iowa voters take their politics very seriously and they are very important in helping choose or at least helping shape the presidential race.
Today we're going to hear from five potential Republican presidential candidates. Among them, Haley Barbour, the Mississippi governor, Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, Herman Cane, who is the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza among several others talking here about conservative principles, underline that, conservative principles, T.J., because these voters here in Iowa, the ones who show up on these cold January nights to appear at caucus are going to be the ones that are here this morning and they're the ones, T.J., that focus on that key word, conservative principles.
HOLMES: OK. And I certainly noticed, Mark, a couple of naming you did not mention.
PRESTON: Yes, sure. Some of the folks who are not going to be here, a lot of people are wondering what's going to happen to Sarah Palin? Is she going to run? Is she going to throw her hat in the ring?
What about Mike Huckabee who won the Iowa caucuses back in 2008? He hasn't decided yet or hasn't said whether or not he's going to run. We won't see him here today either. And
Mitt Romney, who spent several million dollars to try to win Iowa back in 2008. He didn't do so. The question is, will Mitt Romney play in Iowa? His advisers tell me he will. Question is, to what level will he play? He won't be addressing this conference either, T.J.
HOLMES: It's just getting started there. Empty room now, but it's certainly going to fill up. We're going to continued to check in with you throughout the morning.
Mark, good to see you.
Want to turn back to certainly a developing story in Libya right now. We've been telling you about the strategic city of Ajdabiya. That is where the rebels claim to have taken the city back from the Gadhafi forces.
Our Arwa Damon is with me now live. She's on the line.
Arwa, you have made it to close to that city if not in that city. Tell me what you can report from Ajdabiya.
ARWA DAMON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): For the first time in over a week now, we've actually been able to enter Ajdabiya from the northern entrance. It's at that northern entrance where we were seeing opposition forces bogged down by what they were describing as small unit of Gadhafi troops, a squadron and now we have seen that finally they have been able to breach that, thanks to air strikes, they're telling us, that took place overnight.
These air strikes pounding Gadhafi's positions. These tanks that were strewn across the desert. We saw the aftermath of that coming, at least 13, 14 damaged tanks, some of them appearing to have been abandoned. Others clearly hit by an air strike. The force of the blast had turned them on their turrets. They'd been blown to pieces.
Opposition fighters telling us that after these air strikes took place, they were able to push their front line forward acquiring whatever weapons they have and eventually driving Gadhafi's forces out.
What we are also being told, though, is that Gadhafi's forces appear to now be based outside of the western part of the city of Ajdabiya. That is based on the opposition fighters' eyewitness accounts. But this most certainly is a great victory for the opposition and it is a clear indication of the impact of the impact that these air strikes have on the battlefields here.
HOLMES: Arwa, remind our viewers, they've been hearing the name of this town for quite some time and they've been hearing that this is certainly a victory for the opposition. But remind our viewers, why this particular town and any time the rebels can take a town, but certainly this one, why it's so crucial.
DAMON: This specific area is very critical because it is basically considered the gateway to the west. It is also the gateway to a number of other oil cities that lie to the west (INAUDIBLE). There's an oil refinery outside of Ajdabiya to south as well.
So it's very strategically important in that sense, but it is also very important, because it's the first major city that lies between the opposition stronghold of Benghazi and this march that they want to continue on their way to Tripoli to effectively taking Ajdabiya, a significant city.
Then the opposition is hoping it will give them the momentum to continue on their drive westward. That is why it is so important.
HOLMES: Arwa Damon, we thank you, as always. Stay safe. We appreciate your checking in with us.
We're go to turn back to news here in the U.S. where a man accused of killing a police officer in Athens, Georgia is in custody this morning after a lengthy hostage standoff that played out on live television last night.
Take a look here. Jamie Donald Hood is his name. You're going to see him here in a moment I believe. He surrendered to police last night, accused of shooting two officers earlier in the week. You're seeing some of the hostages come out last night he took.
One the officers he's accused of shooting earlier this week died. But Hood took eight hostages last night when police came to get him. Police negotiators actually used the media to get a message to Hood, trying to get him to surrender. He was, in fact, inside watching that live coverage on television. The officer went on the air, said, give yourself up, and sure enough, he did. He was brought out without incident.
In Michigan, trying to save money by cutting the state police down to size. They're not getting rid of any state troopers however. That they're doing is closing 21 posts statewide, including one in Detroit. Officials say it's not going to change the level of service. They just say, this will actually mean troopers will have to drive a lot further to patrol the same areas they do now. The plan is expected to save the state about $3 million.
Somebody this morning waking up a Mega Millionaire. The New York lottery official, a New York lottery official says a winning ticket for last night's Mega Million jackpot drawing which is worth $312 million was sold in Albany, New York. This would make it the sixth highest jackpot in Mega Millions history.
The winner can opt to receive the whole jackpot, in 26 annual payments of about $12 million or you can take the one-time cash lump sum option of $198 million. As of now, no one has claimed that prize.
If you do, call me. We can be friends.
Well, the last thing folks out there want to hear or a pilot wants to hear certainly from the control when you're trying to land is -- nothing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRACON TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: The tower is apparently unmanned. We called on the phone and nobody's answering so that aircraft went in and just says an uncontrolled airport.
UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 628 PILOT: That's interesting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Interesting is one way to put it. Dangerous is another way to put it. Outright frightening is another way to put it.
Turns out that air traffic controller, he was snoozing. Who hasn't done that at work before? I'm going to catch a few Zs during this next commercial break. You have to see what has happened now and the changes the FAA is putting in place.
Also, there are just some things you do not want to do when you're around the royal family. Something you can and can't say to the royal couple. Is it OK to speak to the queen ever? There's some rules of etiquette you won't believe and we're going to give them to you just in time for what some are calling the wedding of the century.
It's 13 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: About a quarter past the hour on this Saturday morning.
This is always a sure sign that spring is here, right, national cherry blossom festival underway in Washington, DC. This year taking on some added significance here because of the tragedy in Japan.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ICHIRO FUJISAKI, JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: This is a very tough fight. But the consolation is that people around the world are trying to be with U.S.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: The cherry trees that line the tidal basin were a gift from Japan 99 years ago. They're meant to symbolize the friendship between the two countries. Thursday (INAUDIBLE) held a special ceremony to remember the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.
We want to turn to weather. Our Bonnie Schneider here with us on this weekend filling in for Reynolds Wolf. Bonnie, spring is here, but we still got winter not trying to give up just yet.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Appreciate you being here. Bonnie, we'll be checking in with her plenty throughout the morning.
It was midnight. A pilot was trying to land but nobody was answering at the control tower. Where is everybody? Turns out the air traffic controller was there. He just happened to be sound asleep. Well, what do we do now? We have some thoughts from one of the nation's leading passenger rights advocate coming up live.
It's 17 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Eighteen minutes after the hour now.
Asleep on the job. Have you been there before? You certainly don't want to be sleeping on the job if you're an air traffic controller. That's what reportedly happened early Wednesday morning when two pilots were unable to get a response from the tower at Washington's Reagan National Airport forcing both flights to land without clearance, had to wing it on their own, if you will.
The Federal Transportation officials say controller was a 20-year veteran who had working his fourth consecutive overnight shift. One of the pilots was able to contact a radar-controlled center some 40 miles away.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRACON TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: American 1900, so you're aware the tower is apparently not manned. We've made a few phone calls. Nobody's answering. So two airplanes went in the past 10-15 minutes, so you can expect to go in as an uncontrolled airport.
PILOT: Is there a reason it's not manned?
TRACON CONTROLLER: Well, I'm going to take a guess and say that the controller got locked out. I've heard of this happening before.
PILOT: That's the first time I've heard of it.
TRACON CONTROLLER: Fortunately, it's not very often. It happened about a year ago. I'm not sure that's what happened now, but, anyway, there's nobody in the tower.
PILOT: That's interesting.
TRACON CONTROLLER: It is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: That air traffic controller there we're speaking of, well, you see him here. He has been suspended indefinitely, didn't want to make any comment when news cameras caught up with him.
Meanwhile, the Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood issued a statement and it says quote, it is not acceptable to have just one controller in the tower managing air traffic in this critical air space. He has now ordered the FAA to schedule two controllers on the overnight shift.
Joining us now, from Charleston, South Carolina is a woman who's well known for advocacy for tougher aviation standards, Mary Schiavo. She's also a former inspector for the U.S. Department of Transportation.
We appreciate you hopping on the line with us this morning. Is there ever a case where it's OK, whether it's critical air space where it was in D.C. or not to just have one controller in the tower?
MARY SCHIAVO, FORMER INSPECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (via telephone): Well, unfortunately that is the system throughout many if not most of the passenger use air traffic control towers throughout the country. We have 468 of them.
Reagan National has very strategic importance, both for national security as well as our nation's capital, that is the way we do it. But to answer the question in the U.S., no, it's not acceptable for Washington, DC because the controller has other duties. The controller does have national security duties to keep a lookout as well as just make sure the plane knows where they are in the lineup to land.
HOLMES: You said it is what we do, if not what we should do. So why do we do it?
SCHIAVO: Money. The bottom line is, it comes down to money. We have about 13,000 air traffic controllers and the FAA saves money by on these graveyard shifts just having one controller on duty.
And apparently, as here, there always has to be a supervisor but the FAA just makes the controller the supervisor. Therefore, you don't have a second set of eyes. We do have air traffic controller shortages coming up.
Everybody remembers when the air traffic controllers got fired by Reagan for striking. Al those 12,000 air traffic controllers are now just about ready for retirement.
HOLMES: Is this going to be enough to change the process now and to get the money that's necessary? Everything costs money, but we have this well-publicized incident here. Will this be enough and give us enough of a will to get the money to make sure there's not just one controller in a tower?
SCHIAVO: No. I can tell you what probably will happen, is they will look at the staffing at the major airports, what they call the major international airports. Reagan is not one but obviously it's right next to our nation's capital.
What will probably happen is for the key strategic airports and Reagan National, it's not a category X, like the big ones are, they probably will not have just one person staffing that tower.
What they will say is that for most of the rest of the airports, one person will remain because they usually only have, three or four, five flights in the midnight to 3:00 to 4:00 a.m. hour.
So we will get the staffing at the major airports. The rest, probably not.
HOLMES: Do you buy - I mean he was asleep. We heard them say that, yes, he had worked these consecutive overnight shifts. I can tell you a lot of people in my business didn't have a lot of sympathy. That's just the shift you oftentimes work unfortunately. We don't know his particular situation.
Do we have these controllers falling asleep left and right and do you think the work load is an issue?
SCHIAVO: Work load is not an issue but we do have controllers falling asleep for a couple reasons. One a lot of times, they either bid for or they get stuck on the midnight shift but also they have to come to work prepared to do the job. When I was inspector general, we had many cases where we investigated, some of them even left the tower and took a nap in their car. That's even worse than this.
Sadly, what usually happens is they do not get fired. They usually get disciplined and the FAA tries to rehabilitate them because they say they invested a lot in training the controller and by the way, there's a shortage. So the fellow probably will get disciplined and retrained, probably not fired.
But it happens, I'd say, not every week, but probably every month and certainly every year, because I investigated a number of them.
HOLMES: Do you think he should be fired?
SCHIAVO: I do, because, you know, it's a situation where if it happened somewhere else and wasn't caught, he probably wouldn't have been fired. But it sets an example and the FAA has to turn this around.
Everybody remembers the air traffic controller at Teterboro when the Hudson River mid-air happened about a year and a half ago. He was talking to a friend about a dead cat and then two planes collided and everyone died and they haven't fired those persons either, I don't believe.
HOLMES: Mary Schiavo, we appreciate you, as always, appreciate you hopping on the line this morning but some scary stuff to hear the reality of what happens sometimes in those towers.
Thank you so much. You enjoy the rest of your Saturday.
SCHIAVO: Thank you.
HOLMES: If Congress does not get it together on the budget when they convene next week, we could be looking at a possible government shutdown. Does that sound familiar? Is it any different this time around, though, or will we just see another continuing resolution? We'll give you the latest there.
Plus, entering a world in 3-D with no glasses. Come on now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: It's getting closer to the bottom of the hour here.
3-D technology, it's all over the place. You can get the TV, get the glasses and all that. Can you imagine a 3-D system that you don't need the glasses for?
You heard me right, folks. Nintendo is putting out a new device called a Nintendo 3-DS. It's a portable gaming system that claims to allow players to see 3-D images without the glasses.
Katie Linendoll, you lie. How is this supposed to work?
KATIE LINENDOLL, CNET CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. This is an exciting week for gadgets because this actually launches tonight at midnight Sunday, which is really exciting because it's been a highly anticipated device.
It is a Nintendo 3-D, that looks kind of familiar. The DS lineup has sold over 140 million of the DSs. But this one of course is 3-D without the glasses.
I have to tell you, you have to be right in the sweet spot, but it's kind of a see it to believe it factor. There's a 3-D slider on the right so you can take it down to 2-D.
But it's pretty cool. The images pop right out at you. You can actually create your own little avatar, using the cameras on board so it looks just like you, which is really cool.
HOLMES: Katie, are you telling me that this thing actually works and that you'll get the same kind of effect that if I was in a movie with a 3-D glasses on and it actually looks like that?
LINENDOLL: Yes. It actually uses what's technically called a (INAUDIBLE) technology so you don't have to have the glasses right in front of you. It's actually pretty impressive.
Again, you have to see it in person to believe it. It also uses some augmented reality games which are really fun. But this is one of the devices from Nintendo that has been highly anticipated for years.
And again, for gadgets and gamers (INAUDIBLE) this weekend because we saw the explosion of the Xbox connect over holiday. I think this is going to be the next big thing.
HOLMES: All right, this begs the question though. If they can make this work without the glasses for a gaming system, can they do this for my television and I don't have to sit at home with glasses on?
LINENDOLL: It's a really good question. We have seen some models in Japan without using 3-D glasses and we've seen some prototypes here in the U.S.
Actually, Samsung just came out with a model last week. It was 55 inches that was glasses-less 3-D. However, Samsung also told tech blog/dot that for pure commercialization, it's about 10 years away for seeing big screen TVs without the 3-D glasses.
And I know that's one of the big complaints is people are like listen these glasses they're about $200 a pop, these active shutter technology in 3-D is a big complaint in the 3-D market, but I don't think we're going to see that anytime soon. Probably about five years away -- T.J.
HOLMES: OK. And we know that's been a big complaint about those TVs and that technology.
LINENDOLL: Yes.
HOLMES: Nobody wants to sit on your couch trying to watch a movie with your glasses on.
Katie, we're going to have to live it there. But some good stuff. Some interesting stuff and parents like you said, watch out.
LINENDOLL: Yes.
HOLMES: Katie, good to see you, as always. You enjoy the rest of your Saturday.
LINENDOLL: Thanks. You too.
HOLMES: All right. Quick break here on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Coming up, we're talking about stirring that melting pot. The face of America is changing. Details on the ethnic group that's grown by more than two million in the last decade.
Also the battle resumes over the nation's budget. A look at what's ahead for Congress when they get back to work on Monday.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, we're at the bottom of the hour here on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING and taking a look at some of the stories making headlines.
Cameras we're rolling as an accused cop killer surrendered to police last night in Athens, Georgia. This is happening on live television last night. Jamie Hood told authorities he was afraid he would be killed if the media wasn't there. He took eight people hostage the police came to get him. They were all released unharmed.
Also police in Washington State say a young woman who died after a shoot-out outside a Wal-Mart store was connected to that shooting suspect. The male suspect also died in that shoot-out. Two sheriff deputies were wounded in that January shooting. They are now recovering from their injuries.
Also rebel forces in Libya say they have retaken the contested city of Ajdabiya. Now Libya's deputy foreign minister confirms that forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi have retreated from that strategic Eastern city.
Meanwhile, the United States has been taking a lead role in the military action against Libya's government since those air strikes started last Saturday. But now it's time for someone else to take over. NATO set to take command of the no-fly zone, enforcement of that no-fly zone.
Our Chris Lawrence joining me live this morning. Chris, good to see you as always. People are wondering, do we even know yet, OK, NATO takes over from the U.S. lead. What is the U.S. role after that?
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes. We do know, T.J.
In fact, the U.S. has already started to -- to come into that role, really. You know, in the last day or two, the U.S. has pretty much been out of the business of actually enforcing a no-fly zone. And by that I mean, those patrol flights that fly around basically making sure that Moammar Gadhafi doesn't put any airplanes in the air, that the opposition doesn't get into the air, that there are no surface-to-air missiles being fired; that job.
Now, the U.S. hasn't been doing that. What they have been doing is going after a lot of Moammar Gadhafi's forces on the ground. Ajdabiya, they hit just yesterday with a major air strike by some jets going after some of his tanks and heavy armor. And what we're hearing is that you might even see more of those attack-style aircraft come into play for the U.S.; drones, special gunships that can fly at low altitude at night; specifically designed to -- to look for specific ground targets.
HOLMES: All right, Chris Lawrence for us this morning. Chris, we appreciate the update.
A lot more information to come out on this; a lot of people, as you know, have been calling on the President to step up and say something, be a little more clear and speak directly to the American people about the involvement in Libya, well, he is going to do just that.
Expected to do it on Monday night, he scheduled a 7:30 Eastern time Monday night address. We'll be able to hear from the President and we certainly will carry that for you live right here on CNN.
I want to turn back to Japan now where there are some new concerns about radiation in the seawater surrounding that crippled nuclear power plant. Tests show the level of radioactive iodine in the water near the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant, more than 1,200 times higher than normal. Officials say this suggests there may be some sort of leak.
Meanwhile, the airborne radiation is decreasing. The radiation level in drinking water supplies continues to fall as well.
Well, if you'd like to help the victims of the Japanese quake and tsunami, you can go to our Web site CNN.com/impact for a list of ways you can make a difference.
Well, if there's anywhere in the world to be on your best behavior, maybe that's when you're in the company of royalty. We'll tell you the rules on how to act in case you're headed to London for next month's royal wedding.
And we've been hearing for months about a possible government shutdown. We'll go beyond all of that rhetoric, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Thirty minutes past the hour.
I want to turn to politics now and the return of Congress will be back in section -- in session this week with a very important issue front and center, the budget, of course, still facing a possible government shutdown when the latest continuing resolution runs out.
CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins me now from Washington.
Paul, good to see you as always.
We've been hearing this for a while now. Could be a government shut down? Oh, we'll get a continuing resolution. Why would this time be different?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Here's why this time could be different, T.J. When the gang from Congress, when the lawmakers, come back right behind me there on Capitol Hill this week, there's not going to be a lot -- a lot of agreement here between -- between the two sides. They've done two continuing resolutions. These are kind of like temporary measures to keep the government funded. They've done two of them in the last two months, but I don't think the votes are there again to do another one.
Conservative Republicans they are saying, no more. We don't want to do this anymore and a -- and the same thing for liberal Democrats. The whole idea here is they are trying to keep the government funded through the rest of this fiscal year which goes into October.
But T.J., the Democrats' plan and the Republicans' plan is about $50 billion apart. That's a lot of money. Not a lot of agreement here. Remember, they've got to do this crucial vote, you've got April 8th, is the deadline. If there's nothing by then, the government would shut down some services. And you've also got to vote, T.J., on the -- on the -- when it comes to the government and it comes to the debt ceiling, whether the government would default on loans which is another crucial vote.
So two big votes coming up; not a lot of agreement right now -- T.J.
HOLMES: It is amazing that we are still dealing with last year's budget and we haven't even --
(CROSS TALK)
STEINHAUSER: Yes.
HOLMES: -- dealt with the coming year and then we got that fight all over. It's just remarkable. And the American people have been watching this, and probably a lot of them trying to figure out exactly what's going on.
But just the attitude and the opinions of the American people about everything happening up there right now; what have you got?
STEINHAUSER: Oh yes, they're frustrated. Take a look at the CNN Opinion Research Corporation, what about a government shutdown? If it happens even for a few days, good or bad for the country? Look at that a majority there six out of ten say this would be a bad thing for the country. So they don't want it.
Look at the next number. There is a breakdown though, people -- there's definitely a partisan divide. Democrats definitely don't think this is good for the country, a shutdown. But look at those numbers increase for independents and Republicans and now we even break it down by Tea Party supporters. They're actually OK. A majority of them are OK with the government shut down.
If it happens who gets the blame? Take a look at the next board. More people blame the Republicans a little bit more than the Democrats but not by an overwhelming margin, T.J. I think Americans are frustrated with both sides right here in Washington and they just want them to get the job done -- T.J.
HOLMES: And we will see. And this will be a very important week next week.
Paul good to see you, a friend of our shown here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING; I haven't talked to you in a while but good to see you this morning, buddy.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks, T.J.
HOLMES: Well, coming up, the wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton is coming up next month. The run-up attracted a lot of attention. As you know, we are going to break down though, what the guests can and cannot do on the wedding day. It is 20 minutes until the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We're about a quarter to the top of the hour here on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. And we are about a month away from what a lot of people are calling the wedding of the century.
The city of London already bracing for the rush but while thousands of Brits and tourists line the streets outside as the wedding is going on inside at Westminster Abbey. And it involves a lot of royal etiquette.
Nadia Bilchik, here to tell me how I should behave. So if I see the Queen, we are very friendly here in the south.
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Yes.
(CROSS TALK)
HOLMES: And go, give a big hug and kiss, is that bad?
BILCHIK: Exactly. Do not do that.
HOLMES: Don't do that.
BILCHIK: By the way that tie you're wearing, it's beautiful. I just have to tell you if you're going to the wedding, I recommend the tie.
HOLMES: Oh thank you very much. For the royal it's the best, OK. This will be a good choice for the wedding?
BILCHIK: It's a good choice.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: It's very elegant.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: So yes.
If you were going to meet the Queen you would wait to be spoken to. Now, because you are not a royal subject you would not be obliged to bow. Royal subjects are obliged to bow or curtsy. So the Middleton's will be very well briefed. But probably the most important thing is do not speak to her until she speaks to you.
HOLMES: Really?
BILCHIK: Yes. Now, if she puts out her hand in gesture, you shake hands.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: But it's not a shake like we do, web-to-web good handshake. It's a gentle touch; you apparently do a very gentle touch. There's not a lot of touching.
HOLMES: Well --
BILCHIK: Now, Michelle Obama if you remember --
(CROSS TALK)
HOLMES: Oh yes, I remember this.
BILCHIK: -- in 2009 put her hand around the Queen, or was it the Queen first and the Queen embraced her with her little gloved hand around Michelle Obama. But in 1992, the Australian prime minister put his arm around the Queen and he was called "The Lizard of Oz" for doing that.
HOLMES: Are there actually repercussions for this? It's just what you don't do.
BILCHIK: Well, also the media is --
HOLMES: The media will get on you.
BILCHIK: You this has been the Queen for 55 years. She has grown up in this way. There is certain protocol, but one of the things you don't do is you don't photograph her while she's eating.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: And if you happen to be sitting at the table with her and you're eating, the minute she stops, you stop. You don't carry on eating while she's eaten.
HOLMES: Wait, let me get this right --
BILCHIK: Yes.
HOLMES: Suppose she's done quickly and she's finished eating --
BILCHIK: You will not carry on.
HOLMES: And I still have three quarters of my steak on the plate? I can't finish eating?
(CROSSTALK)
BILCHIK: The protocol would be you don't finish it.
Now, it's going to be interesting with the Middletons. They're going to need a lot of briefing, because this is not a family night. The Middletons are not only not aristocracy; Kate Middleton doesn't even come from what they call the upper class. She's considered a lay person. No aristocratic breeding there.
And Royalists say that although the Queen is going along with the wedding and doing all the right things, she's not totally thrilled that William is not marrying someone that she considers to be -- HOLMES: Really?
BILCHIK: -- oh, yes -- of royal blood. Absolutely. They are ordinary people; they are commoners. They happen to be rich, but so what?
Now, let's think about this. After you've called the Queen "Your Majesty" for the first time --
HOLMES: Yes?
BILCHIK: --- the next time you call her Ma'am. Not ma'am. It's Ma'am.
Now, you always think about the British having a hot potato, because his (INAUDIBLE) with a hot potato in your mouth like that. So you say Ma'am. You have to practice, yes, Ma'am. So it's m-a-a-m but it's Ma'am, Ma'am, Ma'am.
HOLMES: OK. And you, again, her family -- we'd imagine they're probably already getting the briefings if you will about the proper etiquette.
BILCHIK: Oh, yes. About proper etiquette; even her grandchildren once they reach 21 years old call her Ma'am. It may be grandmama, but there she is the Queen in her beautiful hat, so gracious. And you'll notice, I mean so cordial. People get so excited to meet her.
Now, have you ever wondered about the royal wave, T.J. because I've done a great deal of research on the royal -- you know the wave?
HOLMES: We're going to see it -- you're going to -- OK, that's the wave. We're all familiar --
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: That's the thing. You do this thing.
BILCHIK: Now, again I want people to tweet you @TJHolmes or @NadiaBilchik to find out what the real reason is. But one of best reasons that I've heard is, she doesn't want to hide her face. So, she does that -- because if you do that, when we don't see your face. So, at least like that, we could see her face. And she knows people really do want to see her.
HOLMES: OK. I had no idea. The eating thing really is getting me now. I don't ever want to eat with the Queen, because, whether she gets done early and I'm hungry and we have a problem. But that's me.
And also, we always greet each other. We hug each other in the south.
BILCHIK: You may not be hugging her although come to think of it, she may want to hug you --
HOLMES: No, obviously no.
BILCHIK: Absolutely. The other thing Prince William's bachelor party on Sunday night, or supposedly.
HOLMES: Vegas?
BILCHIK: Well, he's actually doing boat hopping thing to try and avoid the paparazzi. What did you do on your bachelor's party, T.J.?
HOLMES: No pictures were taken.
Nadia, we appreciate you this morning, as always.
And to our viewers, we want you to know, cnn.com; we're actually sending an iReporter to cover the royal wedding. So, you might need to get up on the etiquette as well. We're going to send one of you to head over to the iReport page of cnn.com. Send us a video telling us why it should be you.
A winner is going to be picked on the 11th. You need to get those in by the 10th though. But yes, we're sending one of you to report for us here at CNN.
Quick break, we're right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, workers in Minneapolis have started putting a new roof on the Metrodome. Part of the dome, that inflatable roof, collapsed last December -- you remember this -- under the weight of all that heavy snow. Of course the Vikings there, they had to move their last few games from that stadium.
Crews got busy yesterday stretching and clamping the new panels in place. Replacing the roof estimated to cost about $18 million.
We want to turn now to the madness that is March. HLN sports anchor Ray D'Alessio joining me here. Good to see you, my friend. And I was -- it's hard to go to sleep. I have to get up at 2:00 a.m. to get here on time. These late starts -- but man, that was a good one to stay up and watch last night.
RAY D'ALESSIO, HLN SPORTS ANCHOR: Yes. Kentucky and Ohio State; Kentucky, of course, surprising Ohio State; a lot of people thought that Ohio State -- well, the so called experts picked them to win the entire tournament.
HOLMES: Overall number one.
D'ALESSIO: It didn't turn out to be. And what a sensation, Brandon Knight of Kentucky; look at this nifty move. Almost like you on the court T.J.
HOLMES: That was back in the day.
D'ALESSIO: Stops, pops, hits that jumper. Of course, they went on to win. Kentucky wins this one by a final of 62-60. Kentucky, T.J., right now playing with a chip on their shoulder. They breezed to the SEC championship game destroyed Florida in that championship game and yet, when it came time for selection Sunday, the selection committee gave them the number 4 seed. Thought they should be number one or two.
And this team has such a different attitude than last year's sensational (INAUDIBLE). Those guys, they couldn't wait to get through their freshman year so they could get to the game.
These guys around, they saw how they played. They don't want to be that team. They want to be the team that goes all the way in when there's a chance.
HOLMES: We have one seed left and that is Kansas. Kansas last night.
You're talking about Kentucky with a chip on their shoulder BCU might have the biggest chip right now because they weren't even supposed to be in the tournament.
D'ALESSIO: No. And that's a great point, too, T.J. because a lot of people want to compare Virginia Commonwealth to last year's Butler and how they made a run.
Completely two different stories; Butler, they were tournament tested, they won their conference championship. Virginia Commonwealth, they lost five of their last eight regular season games. They had to play a play-in game just to continue on the tournament. They won that playoff play-in game, then they go up against Georgia, beat them -- not Georgia, Georgetown -- they beat Georgetown. They beat Purdue. Last night they knock off Florida State. But -- who do they got coming up next?
HOLMES: The big dog next. It's not funny anymore. All right.
D'ALESSIO: It's going to be great. And we both like their head coach Shaka Smart.
HOLMES: Shaka looks smart now. But for a lot of people who maybe didn't watch the selection show; that was the biggest controversy of the day, selection Sunday, because they got in.
One thing quickly here. Cool that the NBA players are doing today an effort for Japan. Some of the player did it last night; a number of them donating money per point that they're scoring.
D'ALESSIO: Yes, $1,000 per point. A couple of the guys got together and said we want to do something to help the relief effort. So guys like this, we see there: Laker star, Pau Gasol, they're donating $1,000 for every point they scored. It started last night, runs through Sunday.
Pau Gasol last night, he had 26 points; Derek Rose, the Chicago Bulls, 24 last night; Marcus Gasol, Pau's brother, he had 14; JaVale McGee, the Wizards, 13. In all, last night $77,000 raised for the relief efforts in Japan. And of course, tonight, Horse with the Hawks, they're going to be taking part as well.
HOLMES: So we will have (INAUDIBLE) here in studio talking about this effort here a little later on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Great. Good to see you, my man.
D'ALESSIO: You, too.
HOLMES: Thanks so much buddy.
Well, it is -- what -- 52 minutes past the hour right out in. We check in with our meteorologist Bonnie Schneider. We have an active weather day today, if you will.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: We have a lot of thunderstorms. What's not typical, though, is the snow affecting so many cities today. It's going to be really a nuisance for those who'll be traveling because maybe you're not ready for more snow in St. Louis. Unfortunately, it's in the forecast.
Take a look at the powerful thunderstorms working their way across northern Alabama, sweeping right on into north Georgia at this hour. And Atlanta, you will some heavy rain; just starting to rain now. Get ready for more of that. You know, that will impact your air travel for sure.
As we look towards the north and to the west, it's snowing across the Plain States. Snow working its way into Omaha; the temperature there is really cold. Right around the freezing mark and maybe not as usual to see that, but this is a little unusual. One 20 two inches of snow possible today for St. Louis Missouri and then a freeze watch for Springfield, all the way as far south at northern Arkansas. So temperatures will drop down to freezing tonight.
Out west, heavy rain for northern California and mountain snow, that continues. Watch out for wet and windy weather for the San Francisco Bay Area today. You can see we have some flood warnings posted and, of course, with all this nasty weather we are anticipating travel delays across the country. T.J. luckily, no delays yet; it's still early. But as you see from coast to coast, it's going to be a little bit troublesome traveling on this Saturday.
HOLMES: We thought we were past all this stuff. Bonnie, not the case. Thank you so much. We'll talk to you again here shortly.
America's changing face. Significant results coming out of the U.N. census; those who were once in the minority could become the majority. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: It's the drive for energy independence. Here's our Christine Romans with a look at what's on tap on "YOUR BOTTOM LINE" which comes your way in about 30 minutes.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Unrest in the Middle East, a bombing campaign in Libya and a nuclear disaster in Japan. Oil prices T.J. topped $105 a barrel for the first time since 2008 bringing the national conversation once again to where America gets and how it consumes its energy.
We'll tackle the President's policy and what it means for "YOUR BOTTOM LINE". Plus, how to save serious cash at the gas pump. All that and more straight ahead at 9:30 a.m. Eastern.
HOLMES: Also, we've got the changing face of America. We'll be talking about that throughout the morning as well. That, changing face. We have some new numbers that were just delivered two weeks from the Census and for that, as well, Christine Romans.
ROMANS: A new report this morning from the Census Bureau, a more racially and ethnically diverse population. Of the 308.7 million people here in the United States, up 10 percent over the past decade, 1 in 6 are Hispanic. So 50.5 million Hispanics are now the nation's number two group growing 42 percent since 2000.
When you break it down further, here's how the rest of America looks. The white population, 197 million dropping five points to 64 percent of the U.S. population. The black population is 40 million making up 12.6 percent; slightly up from 2000. And the Asian population grew 43 percent. That tied with Hispanics for the fastest growing group and making up about 5 percent of the population overall.
In all, racial and ethnic minorities make up about 90 percent of the total U.S. Growth since 2000. About 9 million people said they were of more than one race. It's a historic trend in which minority are expected to become the majority by 2050.
