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CNN Saturday Morning News
N.Y. State Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage; Souris River at Record Level; Pilot's Salty Cockpit Talk
Aired June 25, 2011 - 06:00 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.
A major victory overnight for the Gay Rights Movement. New York becomes the sixth state to approve the same-sex marriage.
Also, the Casey Anthony murder trial resumes this morning after her Anthony's brother and mother cried on the witness stand yesterday. This morning we could hear from the man who found the child's body.
Also, listen to this. Real bullets instead of blanks are used in a Wild West reenactment and three spectators are shot.
Hello to you all from CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Thank you so much for being here with us. I'm T.J. Holmes.
We do need to start with New York making same-sex marriage legal. The governor there, Andrew Cuomo, signed the law late last night making it legal now for gay and lesbian couples to get married in that State. The Republican-controlled Senate passed it just a few hours earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D), NEW YORK: What this state said today brings this discussion of marriage equality to a new plane. That's the power and the beauty of New York. The other states look to New York for the progressive direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: New York is now the sixth state that allows same-sex marriages. It is the most populous state to do so. The New York law doesn't have any residency requirements and this is key because that now means people from all over the country could possibly now go to New York and be married.
This is also the first time a State Senate with the Republican majority has approved such a bill. The vote was close. It was 33 to 29.
CNN's Mary Snow now has more from New York.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): In the end, this historic bill came down to four Republicans who broke with their party in support of same-sex marriage. And when that final approval came in -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayes 33, Nays 29.
SNOW: -- there was an eruption of applause in the Senate gallery.
CROWD: U-S-A. U-S-A. U-S-A.
SNOW: The final approval only came after intense negotiations and lobby, and Republicans were able to secure protections for religious organizations.
Democratic Governor Andrew Cuomo quickly signed the bill saying that it would send a message around the country, but there were staunch opponents and New York's Archbishop Timothy Dolan is one of them, calling the bill a tragic presumption of government in passing this legislation.
Going forward now that the bill is signed, it will take 30 days before same-sex couples can apply for marriage licenses.
Mary Snow, CNN, Albany, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And we will be hearing from New Yorkers on the passing of this controversial bill coming up at the half hour.
Also, some other stories we are following this morning including in Orlando with the murder trial of Casey Anthony will resume in about three hours. Anthony's brother testified yesterday about stains in the trunk of his sister's car. He said the marks were there long before his niece disappears and police accuse his sister of murder. Prosecutors say Casey Anthony killed her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, and put the body in the trunk of that car. More on that trial a little later this hour.
Also, James "Whitey" Bulger is back in Boston this morning. His attorney says the alleged mob boss is looking forward to answering charges against him. He is facing a number of charges, including murder charges, racketeering, a number of things he's facing in his first court appearance.
Back in Boston yesterday, Bulger did not enter a plea, didn't ask for bail. He has been on the run for 16 years, but was finally captured in California this week.
And the family of a missing Indiana University student hoping volunteers show up today to help search for clues. They are calling it find Lauren Day. Twenty-year-old Lauren Speirer has been missing since June 3rd. Her parents are hoping today's search can turn up new evidence.
At least two people dead after a tractor-trailer hit a moving Amtrak train near Reno, Nevada. The train caught fire. Some people jumped from the train to get away from that fire. Authorities are trying to determine if there are more victims in the burned out train cars. California Zephyr was traveling from Chicago to the San Francisco area.
Also, firefighters now say they do have the upper hand on the half million acre fire near the Arizona-Mexico border that has destroyed more than a dozen homes, threatens thousands more. Some people are being allowed back into their homes, with many others are being forced to stay in shelters.
Like four minutes past the hour now. Let's say good morning to Reynolds Wolf. Reynolds has been watching these stories, these fires for quite some time. The weather has been playing a role.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes. And it looks like they are, as you mentioned, getting the upper hand there. But in places like, say, Oklahoma, it's getting even worse. But in Oklahoma, across much the Central Plains and back in the desert (ph) in southwest, as T.J. mentioned, we still got a couple of big problems - biggest problems that they have. The weather is not cooperating.
We've got very dry conditions. Humidity will be in the single digits and at the same time the wind will be strong and even stronger into the afternoon. In fact, as we speak right now, early morning out there no doubt still dark, we've got winds in excess of, say, 10 miles per hours across many in the mountains and into those high mountain passes the winds are going to accelerate. Once it moves through those canyons, it will again really begin to intensify. So they can expect they fan the flames really to continue to spread in many spots, but hopefully they'll get a better handle on it as the day goes on.
We got - we're following a whole - not only fires, but also some of the flooding in parts of the Northern and Central Plains. We're going to discuss more on that, and what you can anticipate for your weekend weather is moments away.
HOLMES: Reynolds, appreciate you kind sir. We'll see you plenty throughout this morning.
Meanwhile, thousands of homes flooded in North Dakota. Take a look at what people are having to do. They are literally paddling down the streets trying to get to their homes. And to make matters worse here, the river is still rising.
Also ahead, Serena Williams claims she was snubbed at Wimbledon after her match was moved to another less popular, less prestigious court, and she is not the only one disappointed by the decision.
It's six minutes past the hour. Stay here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Seven minutes past the hour here on the CNN SATURDAY MORNING. What you are seeing is somebody actually having to paddle down the road. No, this is not a river. This is a road in a neighborhood. This is what people are having to do in North Dakota where flood waters in Minot are at an all-time high and they are actually getting higher.
This is the Souris River that's causing all the problems, expected to rise at least another six feet this weekend. Thousands of people have already evacuated. And the National Guard even has had to be called in.
CNN's Ted Rowlands reports people are grabbing what they can and getting out of there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As she watches the river rise from a bridge in downtown Minot, Jody Stoppler knows her home must be under water.
ROWLANDS (on camera): How long have you lived there?
JODY STOPPLER, EVACUEE: Twenty-four years. Raised all three of our kids there.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): More than 12,000 people, about a third of this North Dakota City are homeless. Steve and Teresa Glascock took what they could before saying good-bye to their house of 16 years.
STEVE GLASCOCK, EVACUEE: It hits home. It hit - it really does and it's - you know, you never knew it could affect me this way. It is terrible.
ROWLANDS: Some are staying with friends and family. Others are in shelters. Linda Alexander moved into this RV, leaving her home of 42 years. She says having her grandchildren around helps.
LINDA ALEXANDER, EVACUEE: As long as we have each other, the rest is property.
ROWLANDS: Few if any of these homes are insured for flooding because what's happening here was considered to be impossible. North Dakota Governor Jack Darlymple says he is counting on getting individual assistance from the federal government.
GOV. JACK DARLYMPLE (R), NORTH DAKOTA: We're anxious to have it approved as soon as possible so we can get our recovery centers open and we can start helping these folks.
ROWLANDS: Meanwhile, crews are trying to save some buildings like City Hall and the police station. They've given up on the rest, including schools.
Jason Gardner (ph) has an 11-year-old son.
JASON GARDNER (ph), EVACUEE: He's having a real hard time because he just - he doesn't have any kind of sense of security right now.
ROWLANDS: The water level is expected to reach its highest point late Saturday or Sunday. It may be weeks before people like Jody Stoppler can get back to see what's left of their home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. Reynolds Wolf is here with me now. Explain what we are seeing. This is - when we say it's the highest it's been in 130 years and it's not done rising yet, that's a little scary.
WOLF: It is. It is very scary. What's amazing too is that when it is expected to crest some time possibly later today. We're thinking now probably around 1:00 A.M. on Sunday - early Sunday morning. There's so much water. It's just going to kind of level out from about Sunday to possibly Tuesday just about at the same level. In fact, it's going to go up and it will immediately begin to drop back. It's going to stay there.
You have to remember, too, that some people farther up river - farther on these chain rivers have been away from their homes for weeks and weeks and weeks. And when the flood water does recede, some of these homes, these places that they consider - it's been basically the bedrock of their foundation, they're going to be unlivable. They'll never be able to go back on - on these places. The mold, the destruction is horrible.
HOLMES: Remind us where all this water came from in the first place?
WOLF: Some of the heavy snowfall that we've had in - in at least in our recorded history in parts of the Northern Plains, and all that has got to go some place. But the temperatures go up and it fans out.
And, T.J., here is what we can expect. As I mentioned, the expected crest sometime I would say between now and 1:00 A.M. Sunday, probably - I would not be surprised if it happens around midnight or so. It's going to be about 6.5 feet above record staging and we're going back all the way to 1881. And it is an issue of not only the snowfall, but also a little bit of rain, of course, the terrain isn't going to help. These are also some primary culprits. It's going to enhance the problem.
We can also expect as we have about a quarter of the population is gone. It has exceeded, of course, that old record and the water will rise possibly another 5 to 10 feet between now and as we conclude the rest of this scenario over the next couple of weeks or so.
Unfortunately, we've got some rain in parts of the Northern Plains. This is going to add insult to injury. Absolutely. But as the rain comes down, there's really so much flooding going on right now. What this rain - these storms will provide is going to be almost imperceptible as what they already have in much of the area.
We have is a make away from parts in the Central Plains back into the desert southwest, they're still battling the fires there. The wild fire over 60 percent contained. That's the good news. Problem is, though, you've got much of Arizona that nearly half a million acres has already been burned up.
Today, we expect again as I mentioned the very, very strong winds in the afternoon. Very low humidity. Huge problems, no question, for those out there battling the blazes. And, of course, now, there are some fires that have been popping up across parts of Oklahoma where high temperatures today in Oklahoma and even south into Dallas will range mainly into the 90s.
El Paso, 108; 99 in Albuquerque; 93 in Houston. The humidity is a going to be a huge difference maker. It's going to feel like it is well beyond 100 there. Kansas City, 87 degrees, but in Kansas City may have some storms in the afternoon which could cool you then considerably; 79 in Chicago, 93 in Memphis. As we wrap things up, Washington, D.C. with 87, 81 in New York, 66 in Boston, back out west, 73 in Portland and 69 in Los Angeles.
T.J., that is a snapshot on the forecast. Let's pitch it back to you.
HOLMES: Reynolds, appreciate you sir. We'll see you again here shortly.
Well, 12 minutes past the hour now.
Third round action this weekend at Wimbledon. And Andy Roddick is coming home. Yes. The top-seeded American was knocked out, upset by an unseeded player. Rafa Nadal, Roger Federer, some of those bigger names are still in it.
However, the Williams sisters are also still in it, but Serena Williams has a complaint about her court assignment in the early rounds. She and her sister, Venus, have between the two of them won nine singles titles at Wimbledon.
But they feel they have been slighted after their opening matches were scheduled not on the Center Court, not on even Court One, a step down from that, but on some outside courts, Court Two and others. And a lot of people are complaining. Certainly the Williams sisters, but also others that there's no reason they should be relegated to those side courts being the champions that they are.
Also, Ron Artest making some news. This might be one of the last few times I'm allowed to call him Ron Artest. You know him. He plays for the L.A. Lakers. But he wants to change his name. He has filed a petition to change his name. He wants to be now called "Metta World Peace." Metta would be the first name, World Peace be the last that would go on the back of his jersey.
He cited personal reasons for want - wanting to make the switch. A lot of people remember him as the guy who triggered one of the biggest brawls in NBA history happened up in Detroit. You'll probably remember. We wouldn't show you the video.
Also, another shot at the top of the NBA Draft for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The last time they got to pick number one, they took LeBron James. That kind of worked out well for them for a couple of years. Well, they had the number one pick again on Thursday night.
This time, they chose Kyrie Irving from Duke University as the first pick. Of course, you know how the story ended last time with the number one pick. But Kyrie Irving only played 11 games for Duke because of an injury this year, but a lot of people think he has a great upside.
Also, a lot of people pay too much attention to those top picks. But another guy who went 30th, I want to tell you his story now because it's a pretty good one. His name is Jimmy Butler. He played for Marquette University. He was picked by the Chicago Bulls, still good to be picked 30th. But to be picked the 30th is a heck of an achievement for a guy whose mother kicked him out of the house when he was 13 years old.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JIMMY BUTLER, CHICAGO BULLS' FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICK (voice-over): I just believe that God does everything for a reason. He puts people in your life for a reason. He takes people out of your life for a reason. And I took that and I moved on with my life. And the people that he put in, I stuck with them and they stuck with me, and look where it got me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: So he is now going to be playing for the Bulls. But a foster family actually took him in, and you know the rest of the story. But still some more chapters in that story yet to be written.
Have you noticed gas prices have gone down six cents in the past week? And now, would you believe, the IRS is stepping in wanting to help motorists out even more. IRS wants to help you save some money. We'll tell you what they are doing.
Also, a pilot's open mike mistake. Have you heard this yet? He criticized his crew for their age, their weight, their sexual orientation. You will hear some of that in the update.
It's a quarter past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, 17 minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Give you a look at some business news now.
The cost of sending a kid to college has grown faster than the middle class incomes that pay for it. Felicia Taylor tells us that story.
Also, stocks slide for the seventh week out of the past eight weeks. Allan Chernoff with that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Hey, T.J.
It was another wild week here on Wall Street. The Federal Reserve Wednesday lowered its forecast for economic growth. That triggered a sell off as the DOW raised gains from earlier in the week.
Oil prices tumbled more than five percent partly because the Obama administration agreed to release 30 million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserves. Some analysts believe that move will act as a new economic stimulus package. Others argue it will only have a short-term impact on gas prices - Felicia.
FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Allan.
Gas prices are on the way down, but they're still higher than they were a year ago. As a result, the IRS took an unusual step to raise its mileage deduction rates midyear. Starting July 1st, drivers can deduct 55.5 cents per mile instead of 51 cents.
Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are back at it. They want to re- open their original lawsuit that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea. They claim internal Facebook e-mail support their claim. A separate suit asking for a bigger, fair settlement was tossed out in April - Poppy.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Thanks so much, Felicia.
Well, a rocky second quarter comes to an end on Thursday. Over the last three months, the stock market has declined, the housing market has continued to struggle and job growth has slowed.
Jobs will be the first order of business at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in Chicago this week. The group hopes to generate some solutions to help put many Americans back to work. President Clinton will lead the opening session. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel are all scheduled to participate along with business leaders. We'll keep a close eye and we will bring you any news when it happens.
T.J., back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. Thanks to Allan, Felicia and Poppy this morning.
Well, can you believe what was caught on an open mike? A pilot's rant about gays, grannies and cute chicks goes way over the top. We will let you listen in.
Also, listen in to the cheers erupted in the New York Senate with the passage of the Same-Sex Marriage Bill. The State now becomes the latest and the largest to approve the unions.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: Twenty-three minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
A Southwest Airlines pilot is back on the job two months after calling his crew members some names on an open cockpit microphone. Here is just a little bit of what he said.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
PILOT (voice-over): I still wouldn't want anyone to know if I had [bleep] them. I mean, it is all these [bleep] old dudes and grannies and there is like maybe a handful of cute chicks.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, that was the nice stuff. Comments like those were heard by other pilots and air traffic controllers. The rest of the plane, however, did not hear it. The unnamed pilot was suspended. He also got some extra diversity training, also apologized before returning to work.
Now, again, what you just heard there was kind of some of the more tame stuff that was on that conversation. It has become now that conversation quite the talking point on TV, which might explain why the pilot still remains anonymous.
Our Jeannie Moos has more on the pilot's poor choice of words.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNIE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the days like in the movies when everyone looked up to the captain and looked at what were then called stewardesses.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I should have been a pilot.
MOOS: But maybe not this pilot -
PILOT (voice-over): Eleven [bleep] over the top, [bleep] [bleep] homosexuals and a granny.
MOOS: -- caught on the radio complaining about how his flight crew included hardly anyone worth hitting on. Take it from a famous former flight attendant.
STEVEN SLATER, FMR. JET BLUE FLIGHT ATTENDANT: I was horrified. I was absolutely horrified. There was just something about this particular incident that kind of struck the ick factor.
MOOS: But you have to admire all of the alliteration in that ickiness.
PILOT: It was just a continuous stream of gays and grannies and grandes.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Gays and grannies and grandes, what a charmer this guys is.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I never heard the word "grandes" before.
MOOS (on camera): Now, it gets a little confusing because in the language of Starbucks, a grande is merely a medium.
MOOS (voice-over): And we're pretty sure that chatty pilot used "grande" to mean women he considered too large. Maybe it's cockpit slang.
MOOS (on camera): Had you ever before heard the word "grande"?
SLATER: No. That was a new one for me. Only going through the driver on Taco Bell. No, I can't say I've never heard that.
MOOS: And as if grande isn't bad enough, how about grenade? That's what the guys in a show "The Jersey Shore" call women deemed unattractive.
PAULY D, REALITY TV STAR, "THE JERSEY SHORE": Good thing I'm trained in the art of dodging grenades, so that's exactly what I'm going to do. I'm going to dodge this grenade.
MOOS (voice-over): They even have a grenade warning horn.
That pilot sure tooted his own horn by dissing everyone else.
PILOT: I mean, it is all these [bleep] old dudes and grannies and there is like maybe a handful of cute chicks.
MOOS: He better not layover near Whoopi Goldberg.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": If I meet you, I'm going to be the granny from hell, honey.
MOOS: When a pilot finished evaluating potential sleeping partners -
PILOT: -- with two girls, one of them that was probably doable -
MOOS: -- other pilots couldn't wait to disown the transmission.
PILOT: Over (INAUDIBLE). That was not us and it wasn't us either.
MOOS: That pilot is a big man, all right - a grande of the skies.
PILOT: Now I'm back in Houston, which is easily one of the ugliest bases.
MOOS: Jeannie Moos, CNN -
SLATER: I'm glad I'm not a Houston-based flight attendant. I think my self esteem will be down to Rio Grande.
MOOS: -- New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: I wasn't expecting that last line. Threw me off a little bit there.
Still more to come, I'm sure, on that story. It still seems something a lot of people are talking about.
But, 26 minute past the hour now.
A lot of people are still talking about what we have been seeing in the Casey Anthony murder trial. It will be back in session this morning. Her brother and mother were the latest to come to her defense. We will tell you what's on tap for today's testimony.
Also ahead, hitting the campaign trail. Michele Bachmann, you know, she's in the race, but she is going to make an official announcement on her presidential plans and she's returning home to do it. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now, we are at the bottom of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
Good morning. Welcome back, everybody. I'm T.J. Holmes. Glad you could spend parts of your weekend here with us.
New York is now the sixth state to allow same-sex marriages. Listen to some of the reaction.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ayes, 33. Nays, 29.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: What you are hearing there is the gallery in the New York State Senate in Albany cheering the passage of the new marriage law last night. This is the first time that a legislature with a Republican majority in one of the chambers has voted to allow same-sex marriage.
Governor Andrew Cuomo signed it into law a short time later. The law will now take effect in the next 30 days. There is also-and this is key here, folks, there is no residency requirements. That means couples from other states can now go to New York to get married.
Of course, not everybody is cheering the decision. Here is the statement from the New York Catholic bishops led by Archbishop Timothy Dolan. Saying, quote, "We worry that marriage and the family will be undermined by the tragic presumption of government in passing the legislation that attempts to redefine these cornerstones of civilization."
We will have more on the law and the criticism, that is coming up at the top of the hour.
Other stories this morning making headlines. One of the FBI's most-wanted fugitives is waking up in his hometown of Boston. Waking up behind bars. James "Whitey" Bulger and his girlfriend Katherine Greeg (ph) arrived Friday at uh-at uh, federal court in South Boston. The alleged mob boss was captured Wednesday in Santa Monica, California after 16 years on the run. Bulger faces dozens of charges including extortion and murder.
The FBI describing two men plotting to attack a military recruiting facility in Seattle as would-be terrorists. The Justice Department says the plot was in retaliation for the U.S. military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. And that the men planned to use machine guns and grenades. That recruiting station also houses a federal day care center. Authorities found out about the plot when they tried to recruit a third man and he told police.
He was known to millions as the cigar-smoking, raincoat-wearing detective in the 1970s series "Colombo." Actor Peter Falk died at his home on Thursday night at his Beverly Hills home. Falk starred in dozens of films and was nominated for two Oscars, also worked on Broadway. Peter Falk was 83 years old.
Testimony in the Casey Anthony trial picks up again in just a few hours from now. The defense is trying to prove 2-year-old Caylee Anthony was not murdered, but accidentally drowned in the family pool.
David Mattingly reports Friday was another emotional day in court.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Could this be the photograph of a tragedy in the making? A young Caylee Anthony assisted by her grandmother climbing the ladder of the family's above- ground pool. The defense would like the jury to believe that later, in 2008, the child drowned accidentally. And they used her grandmother's tears to drive the point home.
CINDY ANTHONY, DEFENSE WITNESS: It is a picture of Caylee walking up the ladder and I'm behind her holding her.
MATTINGLY: Casey Anthony, herself, getting emotional while listening to testimony and while watching this video, memories of happier times. The pain of an entire family on display. Casey's brother, Lee, apparently still upset about being left in the dark during his sister's pregnancy six years ago.
LEE ANTHONY, DEFENSE WITNESS: I was very angry at my mom. And I was also angry at my sister. I mean I was just angry at everyone in general that they didn't want to include me. And didn't find it important enough to tell me, especially after I already asked.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now the defense will resume presenting its case at 9:00 Eastern Time. We will bring you some of that live. After watching the trial on our sister network, tune in to CNN NEWSROOM tonight for the latest on the day's testimony and what is next for the defense. Again, a special live on CNN tonight at 10:00 Eastern Time.
We got some video here that really had a lot of us just scratching our heads. You will be shocked by it, too. A store clerk smashed through a window. This was a hit-and-run caught on tape. Look what happens after that. The passenger gets out and walks in and the driver drives away. One of the passengers, though, in the car trying to explain what we are seeing. That is ahead.
Also coming up. Your weekend weather including the possibility of storms in the Midwest. We have that for you with our Reynolds Wolf. That is next on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. It is 37 minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. In just a moment, we will show you some video that I stopped in the newsroom when I saw it earlier this week. It was literally Reynolds Wolf flying through the air with Tinker Bell. We are going to get to that in just a second.
Reynolds, we will get to the weather here first of all. There is a lot of weather happening.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: But I wanted people to stand by and stick around for this other part of your story this morning.
WOLF: When one says that they actually fly through the air with Tinker Bell, it is about as demeaning as going 0 for 4 in slow-pitch softball, or a bad haircut, seriously. We will get to that in a little bit.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: Explain yourself.
WOLF: There is an incredible way to tell a story nowadays. We are talking about plays. Sometimes it doesn't involve just getting up on the stage, but actually having an interactive experience that the viewer, that the watcher can enjoy. It is a new show. "Peter Pan," by the way is changing the way we experience this theater. It incorporates a thing called a 360 degrees computer generated set. That makes everything look, in this case, "Peter Pan," like Peter Pan is actually flying through the air. And Yes, T.J., I did hook up with Tinker Bell-not too many guys can say that-for a test flight.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (on camera): This is just amazing. (voice-over): That is me, flying through what appears to be the streets of London and with me? Tinker Bell. Well, really that is Emily Yetter who plays Tinker Bell in 360 Entertainment's "Peter Pan."
(on camera): How amazing is this flying for a crowd? What is that like?
EMILY YETTER, ACTRESS, TINKER BELL: You know, it is really an indescribable feeling. It is just like this sort of high feeling of life. It is this feeling where you are feeling the rush of being able to fly and there are all of these people are watching you, and they are sort of sharing it with you.
WOLF (voice-over): That shared experience is one of the goals of the show. Unlike traditional theater, the production travels with their housing. Stage seating and all, inside this massive tent. The ceiling is used for 360 degrees of computer generated graphics, literally immersing the audience within the show.
ROBERT BUTTERS, PRODUCER, "PETER PAN": You have to have your own environment to really do this. This is absolutely the first time it has been done.
WOLF: The stage manager Gavin Millar takes us underneath the stage to get a look at the 12 projectors that cover the venue ceiling with CGI.
GAVIN MILLAR, STAGE MANAGER, "PETER PAN": Each one we do does cover varying degrees of the tent. So that makes our 360 degrees you are seeing.
WOLF: And above the stage, the Aerial Chief Floyd Hughes insures every moment in the air is perfectly choreographed. The flights are operated with this joy stick system.
FLOYD HUGHES, AERIAL CHIEF, "PETER PAN": When you are flying somebody, each operator has a personal relationship with that actor. You are almost like one person. It is quite a symbiotic relationship. You are working together to create the performance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can fly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, come with me, Wendy.
WOLF: Producer Robert Butter says it may change the way theater is produced.
BUTTERS: I think the future is going to be something like this where it becomes immersive. It will always ultimately, though, be about the performance. It is about what is on stage. Because otherwise, it is just a film. For us, it really is that combination of cinematography and live performance. I'm looking forward to many more productions like this.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WOLF: When I was in college, going to Neverland meant something entirely different. This is just an incredible, incredible thing. If you have the opportunity, by all means go to the show. This production is actually making stops around the country. Right now it happens to be in Chicago. It is an experience you will never forget. The actors, the actresses, just amazing people and part of the show, obviously, the people behind the scenes, the work that goes into it. The directors and the producers, it is an amazing thing to see.
HOLMES: Give me the honest response. I asked you, when we went to the piece. Nobody heard you say this. I said hey, that looks pretty cool. Was it cool?
WOLF: You know, I was actually kind of scared. Because you are actually higher up than you think. You know how clumsy I am. You personally know exactly how clumsy I am. So being up there, and having these two little wires it was pretty freaky. I did not like the experience at all. But a lot of people-I mean, they are very similar to athletes, which I am not an athlete at all. You see Emily there, she did an amazing job. The fellow who plays Peter Pan, an amazing actor. They have to do, of course, not just act, they perform in an athletic sense, so to speak.
HOLMES: Good stuff.
WOLF: Hope that makes sense.
HOLMES: It is a cool shot, though, Reynolds. Looks cool.
WOLF: It is freaky.
HOLMES: We will see you throughout the morning.
A lot of you are aware of these, you know, they do civil war reenactments and other war re-enactments. There was a Wild West reenactment that went awry. You know why? Real bullets were used instead of blanks. And three spectators got shot. We will tell you what happened here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now we are a quarter at the top of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING now.
It was supposed to be a reenactment of a Wild West gunfight. Then, real bullets started flying and people started yelling. This was in South Dakota on Hill City's Main Street. It really turned into the real thing and three tourists were shot. The county sheriff said real bullets were coming out of a cast member's .45-caliber handgun. What you are seeing now are investigators who returned earlier this week to the scene, to recreate the reenactment and try to find evidence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF KEVIN THOM, PENNINGTON COUNTY: It was 400 feet away. It penetrated a stop sign and was found about 10 feet behind the stop sign. One was found on the sidewalk underneath a table. And one was found in a grassy area after it had hit the care and bounced off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Investigators say they don't know if the shooting was accidental or not. The tourists' injuries, thank goodness, are not life threatening.
Also some video we want to show you out of Philadelphia. Look at this. This is a hit-and-run all caught on surveillance camera. The driver surrendered to police yesterday. Look, this is why the driver is in trouble. Not only did she hit another car, she knocked the store clerk clear through the front window of the store, then there she goes. The passenger that you saw in the video, as well, says they were out drinking that night. As for the clerk, he is laid up with a leg injury. After seeing this, a lot of people would say he is pretty lucky. You see the passengers there get out and inexplicably walk off like nothing had happened.
Presidential campaigns are in full swing this weekend. Stops planned for both parties. CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser is helping us keep track of it all.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Hey, good morning, T.J.
We have at least three Republican candidates hitting the campaign trail today. Congressman Ron Paul, of Texas, he is in Iowa. That is the state that holds the first contest in the presidential caucus and primary calendar.
Also in Iowa, today, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who speaks to Tea Party activists. Meanwhile, former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, he is stumping in South Carolina. That is the first Southern state to vote in the race for the White House.
Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden is headlining a Democratic Party dinner the Buckeye State tonight. Ohio is a crucial battleground state in the general election. Let's move ahead to tomorrow. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, she meets and greets voters in Waterloo, Iowa. That is the town where she was born. You know, the next day, in the same town, the Congresswoman from neighboring Minnesota officially declares her candidacy for president, T.J.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. Thanks as always to our Paul Steinhauser. And for the latest political news, you know the spot, CNNPolitics.com.
The first lady Michelle Obama wrapping up a historic trip to Africa, with her daughters, Sasha and Malia, but some are saying she was actually snubbed on this trip by an African leader. That is next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Ten minutes until the top of the hour now. Joined by Nadia Bilchik for our "Morning Passport." This was a big trip for the first lady going to Africa. She was stopping in South Africa, stopping in Botswana, but a lot of the talk is she was snubbed by the president of South Africa. Is that true, or not?
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN PRODUCER: Not totally true. Because Jacob Zuma was not there on Monday when she arrived and he sent the minister of prisons, and he sent his third wife. You know, he has a few.
HOLMES: Wait. Minister of prisons and third wife to meet the first lady?
BILCHIK: Well, people are saying this was a person in government. And remember this was not a state visit from Michelle Obama
HOLMES: A person in government? A person from the prisons?
BILCHIK: Yes. But still a minister, Jacob Zuma's office is still saying it was a high-ranking person in government. This was a goodwill visit for Michelle Obama. This was not a state visit. She is not a head of state, she is not a member of the cabinet. As far as the South African government are saying, it was not a snub. They say, you know, Zuma was just very busy.
But a professor of politics at Johannesburg University said perhaps this was a missed opportunity for Zuma. More than an absolute faux pas, or snub. He could have met with her. Some newspapers are saying that Zuma differs so much to President Obama and the Americans as far as Libya is concerned. And was this some kind of statement regarding the African Union who wanted to take charge of Libya and the fact that the U.N. has really taken power away from the AU. So what the controversy was-but let's not overlook the fact that Michelle Obama loved being in South Africa. South African press absolutely have lauded her. They said she just behaved in the most exemplary way.
HOLMES: Now back to what you said there, a missed opportunity for Zuma. What are they saying he missed an opportunity to do?
BILCHIK: Well, perhaps an opportunity to speak and send a message to her husband and perhaps an opportunity to diffuse any tensions between the two countries. But again, that wasn't the purpose of her visit. The purpose was a visit was to educate youth, to empower women, to speak about AIDS, which she did. And she says a lot of the reason for her visit is was to teach her own children about apartheid, about history, and see Nelson Mandela. Who as we know is 92 years old and 93 on July 18.
HOLMES: How did that visit go?
BILCHIK: That was a highlight. Let's hear what Michelle Obama said about seeing Nelson Mandela.
HOLMES: All right.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: The one thing I told him, you know, I wanted to make sure he understood how important his leadership and sacrifice has been to who I have become, to who my husband has become. And, in short, I just said thank you. It is really hard to know what to say to such an icon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BILCHIK: And I spoke to Zuma Swazi Lamini (ph), who is Nelson Mandela's granddaughter. She said it was amazing to see Michelle Obama, this tall, statuesque women, literally become a little girl on seeing Madeeba (ph), as he is fondly known. This global spiritual icon. What a treat it was for her and her daughters and her mother to meet this man who has been so inspirational.
Now interestingly enough, Obama met Nelson Mandela, in 2006, when he was a senator visiting South Africa. And somebody took a picture of them with his iPhone. And there is a picture of Barack Obama on Nelson Mandela's wall in his office.
HOLMES: Well, you know, that is no matter where you get, at what heights you get in your life, there are some people who will always just break you down. We all have those people. I can imagine Nelson Mandela and certainly relate to what she is saying there.
Good stuff, this morning. Nadia Bilchik, for the "Morning Passport." We will see you again a little later this morning.
We are about five minutes to the top of the hour now. A lot of people just hate when people don't pick up after their dogs. Now you can track the person and the dog down. People are DNA testing doo- doo. That is next.
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HOLMES: Getting close to the top of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Taking a look at some of the stories our affiliates are covering.
One of them, in Boston. After staying a step ahead of the FBI for 16 years, one of the most wanted, James "Whitey" Bulger is in jail. He was captured this week in California. He is facing dozens of charges to from murder to racketeering. In his first court appearance in Boston yesterday, Bulger did not enter a plea or ask for bail.
To Detroit where former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick could be released from prison as early as next month. He was granted parole on Friday. The former mayor pleaded guilty in September of 2008 to two felony counts of obstruction of justice, after trying to cover up an extra- marital affair.
Also in Washington, now, where so-called sexpresso stands are getting a lot of business. That is where they serve you coffee with some eye candy. Five of them have opened up in one county over the past year. The county is considering new regulations to classify the stands as adult entertainment.
Also in New Hampshire, an apartment complex manager is fed up with people not scooping up after their pets. She is taking the "CSI" approach to the matter.
WMUR, our affiliate, has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBBIE VIOLETTE, APARTMENT MANAGER: Makes me angry.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Debbie Violette is the apartment manager at the Timberwood Commons. And says she is fed up with residents that are not scooping up their dogs' messes.
VIOLETTE: But I don't want it to get any worse. It is just not acceptable the way it is.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: So she took matters into her own hands by purchasing commercial DNA sampling kits to find the perpetrators.
DEBBIE VIOLETTE, APARTMENT MANAGER: You sample the saliva in the cheek of the dog.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: After taking samples from every dog in the complex, they send it off to the lab. The next step is definitely a dirty job, but Debbie says someone has to do it.
VIOLETTE: We have to take a sample of the dog doo-doo.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Then the lab matches it up with the DNA. Debbie says she's serious about tracking down owners not cleaning up after their pets, while residents say DNA testing is a bit unorthodox.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the DNA is a little way over the top.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: It definitely beats the alternative.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming out first thing in the morning and stepping in a pile, you know, that's no fun.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
