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CNN Saturday Morning News
Disagreements on Debt Crisis; T.D. Don Weakens Inland; Growing Global Concern Over Debt; Jailbirds Face Ban on Flashy Clothes; Beauty in All Shapes and Sizes; Honoring the Montford Point Marines; What Not To Name Your Child
Aired July 30, 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.
Time is almost up. We are now under three days away from a possible U.S. default. After a flurry of activity last night, we expect another flurry of activity today in Washington, D.C. as Democrats and Republicans scramble to find a way out of a legislative standoff.
At the same time, though, the local governments are facing their own crisis. And one Alabama County is getting set for what could be the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
Also, this hour, why in the world would anybody name their child Cheeto or Lemonjello (ph) or name their child Mermaid or name their Jermajesty (ph). I did not just make those up. Those are all real names. This hour, more names to tell you about. Why people do it and whatnot to name your child.
Good morning to you all and thanks to my parents for naming me T.J. Holmes. Glad you could be with us this morning.
But let's start in Washington, D.C. That clock is a-ticking on Congress and its inability to solve this debt ceiling crisis. Tuesday, as you know, is the deadline. The deadline for what? That's when the federal government says it wouldn't be able to pay all of its bills and we'll have to start deciding which ones to pay and which ones will not get paid.
So here's the rundown of what's happening on Capitol Hill today. Yes, they are at work on this Saturday. The House is getting to work around noontime today after some debate expected to vote on a proposal from the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. That's expected to fail, kind of a symbolic vote over there. They're going to go through it anyway.
Then on the Senate side, they open debate on that same Reid Bill around 1:00 Eastern this afternoon. That debate could go as long as 12 hours or so. It might not be until a lot of you all asleep out there. The Senate gets to vote one way or another on that Reid Bill. But the Senate has moved on after deciding not to vote on the bill from House Speaker John Boehner last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- Nays of 210, the bill has passed. Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: You see where we are here. We're talking about the Reid Bill and the Boehner Bill. Now, the Speaker Boehner's bill, it was approved by the House. He had to change it up a bit to get more Republican votes. But they did approve a debt bill in the House yesterday.
Now, they've told them in the Senate, it was going to be DOA and in fact it was. But in the House, all of the Democrats and some Republicans voted against it. But listen to the speaker.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), HOUSE SPEAKER: Can never say yes. A lot of people can never say yes. This House has acted. And it is time for the administration and time for our colleagues across the aisle, put something on the table. Tell us where you are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, yes, that's Speaker Boehner before that vote. Again, they approved his bill in the House. But the Boehner Bill moved on to the Senate, never got any traction there. They're now focusing on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's proposal there.
Now, Reid has floated a possible change to his original idea to include some elements from Republican plans. But Republican leaders could block any vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: The country is in crisis. This is not a time for politics as usual. I think we have shown that we are willing to give significantly in their direction. We're still waiting for Speaker McConnell, Leader Boehner - sorry - we're still waiting for Leader McConnell and Speaker Boehner to move even a little bit in our direction.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, sources tell CNN that Senate Minority Leader you heard him referring to there, Mitch McConnell, wants the White House involved in any discussions on the debt ceiling. But as of right now, there are no plans for any face-to-face negotiations to break the stalemates.
Let me say good morning now to our Joe Johns. He's in Washington for us. Joe, we saw that vote last night in the House. We knew it was going to be DOA in the Senate. Now, we might see another vote today in the House, which they know is just symbolic as well. So what - we think something is getting done because they're voting, but this is all a matter of symbolism and taking a stand in some way. What's really happening? Is anything really getting done in the negotiations at least behind the scenes?
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: First, T.J., I got to say, I mean, this is one of those really unusual situations on Capitol Hill. I spent a lot of time there. And the fact of the matter is, you know, these folks usually, you know, you have people on the Right and they say what they got to say. The people on the Left say what they got to say. And the people in the middle sort of get everybody together. That's predictable.
This is very unpredictable because it doesn't seem like the middle is speaking out right now. That said, you're right. It's just symbolism as far as people on the Floor, you know, going through the process. It's almost ritual.
The most important thing that could happen and it happens a lot of times on this Saturday and Sunday morning sessions when there's something big going on, you'll want the principals to get in a room and figure out how they're going to work this out. So you want Reid or his representative, you want McConnell or the Republican leader on the Senate side or his representatives, somebody from the White House to get into a room. Talk this thing over and figure out what they're going to do over the next 48 hours going forward.
So that's the most important thing. And, you know, our people will be combing the capital to try to get some sense of where the meetings are and if they're going on or not - T.J.
HOLMES: Yes. Good luck with that. But we do know about these two proposals that the Reid and Boehner. And the president has said and a lot of on Capitol Hill have said it, they're not too far apart.
JOHNS: No. They're - they're not too far apart. But there's some tricky stuff in there. One of the things that makes Reid different from Boehner is that Reid's plan considers cost savings as the winding down of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. You know, that's like a trillion dollars of difference. The Boehner Plan doesn't consider the winding down of the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars.
Another thing that's in there that's very different from the Democrat and Republican ideas is Boehner has this balanced budget amendment in there. And it's a requirement for both Houses of Congress to pass it. The Democrats say, you know, that's ridiculous.
Now, the fact of the matter is, a lot of people out there in the country think it's a pretty good idea until they start having to worry about entitlements being cut as a result of it. So that's something that the Democrats and Republicans disagree on.
Probably the biggest thing - the biggest single thing is this idea of a two-step process that Boehner has. The Republicans, I should say the Democrats don't like that at all and they've got to work that one out - T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Joe Johns, you are up and at it for us on this Saturday morning. We have reporters on the White House, on Capitol Hill this weekend who are going to be checking in with you plenty and the rest of you there in D.C. Another interesting day on Capitol Hill. Joe, thank you so much.
Meanwhile, amidst of all this, the president has lost some 30,000 supporters or at least Twitter followers, I should say. The president has urged a compromise. He did this again during a live speech yesterday.
But, when he did it on Twitter, he may have had a backlash. He had a plea for his followers to tweet their members of Congress and it led to a lot of people to stop following the president. We're talking about over 30,000 people in the midst of all of this. And, again, the president's - it's his campaign Twitter handle here sent out just a flurry of tweets saying, "Tweet your Congressmen." Well, the president lost over 30,000 followers after making those pleas. So make of that what you will.
Also, America's debt crisis may be hitting the stock market hard and this is the big fear. Stocks yesterday ended their worst weekly showing in more than a year. According to the financial data company Wilshire, an estimated $700 billion worth of market value just gone, lost. The Dow fell 4.2 percent for the week. The NASDAQ was down 3.6 percent.
And also, keep in mind here folks, even though we're told the deadline to get a deal done is on August 2nd, that would be next Tuesday, in all actuality they need to try to get something done by this weekend and give the markets confidence before they open on Monday. So we can possibly expect the deal this weekend.
Also, listen to this, if the government wants to do something about the debt crisis and all the debt and deficits were running up, here's an idea. Start selling iPads. Well, according to the Treasury Department, the federal government has about $74 billion on hand, but Apple, the company has more than the federal government. It has $76 billion. That's according to the tech giant's latest earnings report. Unlike the government, Apple is turning a profit with its stock up to $400 a share.
Well, at nine minutes past the hour. Let's say good morning to our Reynolds Wolf. Reynolds, we've been keeping an eye on this tropical - what is it now?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is now a tropical depression, Tropical Don. Yes.
And, you know what's funny, T.J. Whenever we talk about these tropical systems, we always hope that they weaken a bit before they make their way onshore. Unfortunately, though, when you're talking about Texas, this is a very different situation. Texas is a place that has been mired in a historical drought. They really needed the additional rainfall. They needed a fairly potent system, but unfortunately, it just fell apart. Everything you see on the screen that it's in that - that darker reddish, almost maroon color, that's we have the extreme drought.
Coming up in just a few moments, we're going to have a live report from along the coast with our CNN's Rob Marciano to give some very latest in the storm and unfortunately (INAUDIBLE) stories we have from it. Back to you.
HOLMES: All right. Reynolds, we appreciate you, buddy.
And I hate to say this to you, Reynolds, but I have to have our viewers know, we are having open tryouts for Reynolds' position as meteorologist here on CNN SATURDAY and "SUNDAY MORNING." And one of the first people to apply for the job, take a look. And folks, we're going to let you see it all and we are going to let you vote, should this guy be the next meteorologist next to me on CNN SATURDAY and "SUNDAY MORNING"?
It's 10 minutes past the hour. Reynolds may be in trouble.
WOLF: Oh, yes. I can't win. He's good, though, man.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Good morning to you, Houston, Texas. Always a hot spot. "Only happy when it rains." Whoa, not happy. It hadn't been raining.
A lot of people often times when we report about tropical storms or named storms or even, you know, hurricanes are hoping it will downgrade before it makes landfall. Well, folks were disappointed to hear about the downgrade of this storm. We're talking about Tropical - is it Depression Don now?
WOLF: (INAUDIBLE) Tropical Depression Don.
HOLMES: Tropical Depression Don now. Well, again, as I bring in Reynolds and you look at this video here. Now, the tropical system made landfall in the U.S. This is the first one we've had to make landfall?
WOLF: Yes, in the United States.
HOLMES: In the United States this year. And people were hoping in Texas. They said this is - what - the third worst drought they've experienced there. So they were hoping it was going to bring a lot of rain. It didn't happen.
WOLF: Absolutely. Maybe - the State of Texas - (INAUDIBLE) they're actually praying for a tropical system to come onshore.
HOLMES: Wow.
WOLF: So watching this build up over the last several days, it did look very, very promising. But, unfortunately, as we speak, it does continue to fall apart, T.J. Thankfully, though, we've got boots on the ground. Rob Marciano, our dear friend, is tuning in right now. He's with us in Padre Island. Rob, can you give us the latest on the storm? How it came onshore? And how it was received by the people?
ROB MARCIANO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I'll tell you what, to keep this within the realm of our current events, a lot of people were trying to find analogies as to how fast this storm died. And I suppose you could say it died faster than the first Boehner debt ceiling plan.
This thing came onshore and just completely pooped the pillows. I mean, it was unbelievable to watch this thing. You saw it, Reynolds. It had that dry air. It had some sheer, but soon as it hit the coast, just completely, completely fizzled. We did have some wind with it. But the much, much needed rain did not - did not materialize.
So, you know, in an effort to bring you some TV this morning, we set out to do what's called a tick-tock in the business. Meaning take some pieces of video throughout the evenings, throughout the storm, kind of time stamp it and give you a flavor of what this storm was like coming ashore, and this is what we've got.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO (on camera): About 8:00 local time, Tropical Storm Don is only about 40 miles south of here right now making landfall on the Padre Island National Seashore. We have felt a little more than a few sprinkles here, but the winds have picked up. Some rain has fallen down to the south, but the widespread rainfall that the state so desperately needs has so far been elusive.
Don has made landfall about 20 miles towards south, getting a lot of wind now, sand in our face, but still no rain. Check out the pocket radar here. This storm is dead. Radar empty. Rain non- existent. And that's got a lot of folks disappointed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: It does had a lot of folks - I mean, I don't - I've never been involved in a tropical cyclone where there was so much cheerleading going on to bring this onshore intact with a decent amount of rainfall, and that just didn't happen.
I'll put some good spin on this, Reynolds. A lot of farmers changed their crops this year to cotton crops because they're drought resistant. And this is the time of year where those cotton - that where cotton comes in a harvest and they don't want rain when it - when it is time for harvest. That diminishes the quality of cotton. It diminishes the yield.
So, ironically, some - some cotton farmers there are happy that the - that the rain didn't happen. But as far as you and I are concerned, as far as forecasters, I mean, I don't know - I don't know who you got lined up. I hear Fabio is in the running to take our - take our jobs. And at this point, he may very well get it - Reynolds.
WOLF: Fabio may indeed get it. No question about it, Rob. Something else, keep the - let's keep the red jackets kind of handy, because there's a chance we may be dealing with a tropical system named Emily, which might keep us busy sometime in the middle of next week, possibly by the next weekend.
MARCIANO: Yes.
WOLF: So let's be prepared for that possibility. Let's keep our fingers crossed on that.
All right. Again, T.J., let's pitch it back to you. When I say let's keep our fingers crossed, no one wants a destructive tropical storm.
HOLMES: Of course.
WOLF: If we have the possibility to give some beneficial rainfall to people who need it, that's all the better.
HOLMES: All right. Reynolds, we appreciate you. But don't go far.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: What Reynolds was referring - oh, excuse me - Rob was referring to there, yes. There is someone that is after Reynolds' job and Rob's job right about now. And we're having open tryouts. So I will let you see the first person's tryout and you let me know what you think if they should get Reynolds' job?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
FABIO LANZONI, MODEL/ACTOR: This is a live look at Portland, Oregon. It's very sunny today and it feels so nice on Fabio's skin. Thank you, sun.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: It's very nice.
WOLF: I've got to get my hair grow out, first and foremost.
HOLMES: You see how his hair was flowing there?
WOLF: Actually, my hair looks like a helmet.
HOLMES: This is not working. This is really not working.
WOLF: You guys are trying so hard to bring some fans over here to me. And I think -yes, I think there is one sprig of hair that might have moved just a little bit.
HOLMES: But that was Fabio who is - who is kind of making a comeback here with some of the commercial - Old Spice, I believe it is. But he was doing the weather forecast there.
Do you feel threatened at all?
WOLF: This guy is great. I don't have a chance at all (ph). This guy -
HOLMES: Really.
WOLF: Yes. He is great. Are you kidding me? This guy, he goes - he's got the - the nice shirt on. The nice pastels thing going - I don't know. It is a stiff competition (ph).
HOLMES: I think you're good.
WOLF: I hope so.
HOLMES: All right. Reynolds, we're going to see him plenty throughout the morning, Reynolds Wolf this morning.
But it's 16 minutes past the hour now. Helium, you know, that's the same gas that's used to fill a birthday balloon may also kill a weed that is taking over the south. They're now spreading up the east coast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF (on camera): So what is this again?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is 96 to 100 percent pure helium.
WOLF: Yes, it's helium. It definitely is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Reynolds Wolf will be back to explain how a kid is figuring something out that grown folks haven't been able to figure out for quite some time.
Also this morning, we're talking a lot about the debt ceiling and it's all debt ceiling debate goes on. It only has a few more days to go on and we're in trouble. But, did you know how many times it's actually been raised since 1962?
We'll give you the correct answer here in two minutes. Stay with us on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Nineteen minutes past the hour.
Thought we'd play the theme song of Washington, D.C. these days. "Why can't we be friends?"
Before the break we asked you how many times the debt ceiling has been raised since 1962. You would think not that many since it seems to be so difficult right now. But, no, not really. The debt ceiling has actually been raised some 74 times and 10 of those increases have happened since 2001.
And as this debt crisis goes on in Washington, it certainly has a lot of people worried in this country, but not just here. All over the world people are watching and they are worried.
Our Jonathan Mann brings us that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While the debt ceiling debate drags on in Washington, much of the rest of the world watches with growing concern.
CHRISTINE LAGARDE, IMF MANAGING DIRECTOR: I'm worried because this debt ceiling issue has not been cracked.
MANN: And it's not just the head of the International Monetary Fund. People on the streets of Beijing are aware the U.S. debt affects China's economy, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): The crisis is not only limited in the U.S., but also in Europe. We cannot say the U.S. is not powerful now. As a big U.S. debt holder, China will for sure be affected.
MANN: And in Australia, too.
TONY MORRIS, ANZ INVESTMENT BANK: It makes it much more expensive for tourists to visit Australia. So those parts of our economy exposed to the tourist sector and we've done a lot and spent a lot of money promoting Australia overseas and we're not going to benefit so greatly from that.
MANN: In Tokyo, some economic experts see history repeating itself. They compare the current U.S. debt crisis to Japan's crippling recession of the 1990s.
RICHARD KOO, NRI, CHIEF ECONOMIST: It's exact replay of what we went through in Japan 10 or 15 years ago.
MANN: However the debate plays out in Washington, experts say the financial ripples will be felt around the world.
LAGARDE: It's an issue that - that really is - is lurking in the background of each and every economy of the world.
MANN: Jonathan Mann reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. We're wondering what it's going to take to find a debt crisis solution? Well, make it two days and two hours (ph). Wolf Blitzer and Don Lemon breaking down all the hurdles and options. "Get It Done, The Countdown to Debt Crisis" Sunday night, 9:00 Eastern right here on CNN. Also, something I want you to stick around for. Mobsters inside a famous Italian jail upset and outraged. Why? Because the new governor has banned designer clothes in the jail. We'll explain.
Also, something you want to stick around for, a beauty contest and one of the requirements? You have to be at least 220 pounds. Our "Morning Passport" is next.
It's 22 minutes past the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Twenty-five minutes past the hour now.
Life on the inside can be good, sometimes. It can if you're a mobster. That was a scene, of course, Nadia, from "Goodfellas."
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Yes, Ray Liotta and Paul Sorvino.
HOLMES: One of my favorites. Another interesting thing, those guys who are actually serving time, they had all these - and they get what they wanted inside.
And you have a story now. The guys over in Italy are upset because they can't dress the way they want to dress?
BILCHIK: Because - yes. At the Ucciardone Prison -
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: -- in Palermo, Italy, they were literally wearing Armani suits. And what's happened is a new -
HOLMES: In prison?
BILCHIK: In prison. And a new director of prison is coming, Rita Barbera.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: She says this is ridiculous. No longer can you wear the magnificent Armani suits and the Gucci - and the Gucci and the (INAUDIBLE). You now have to wear ordinary clothes. And, in fact, when the wives come in and bring the husband's clothes, they're allowed around 20 kilograms at a time.
The prison officials actually go through them to check that there are no labels. Some of the wives are absolutely furious. They say our husbands don't have any other clothes, but designer clothes.
HOLMES: OK. Help us understand, because here in this country, people go to prison and they are issued an orange jumpsuit -
BILCHIK: Right.
HOLMES: -- or the black and white or something. But over there, you're allowed to wear what you want?
BILCHIK: Not at the Ucciardone Prison in Italy. So, some of the women say my husband doesn't have anything else to wear. And do you expect me to go to the market to buy his clothes?
But, really, what Rita Barbera is saying is this causes disparity between the inmates and is a status symbol that she wants to remove.
But let's go from the fashion Italian prison to beauty in Italy.
HOLMES: I'm fascinated by this. We think beauty pageant here in this country and you have an image of a thin woman wearing the bikini, the two piece -
BILCHIK: Right.
HOLMES: -- or whatever it may be. Now, give me the image over in Italy.
BILCHIK: Well, in Italy - and for this competition, you have to be at least 220 pounds to enter Miss Cicciona, which roughly translates means Miss Chubby. And it's all about celebrating the body, celebrating your beauty in its largeness.
And some of the categories include Miss Sweetness, Miss Sympathy, Miss Smile, Miss Fantastic and Miss Elegant.
HOLMES: OK. And they clearly get into it. This is not something necessarily where you think they're making fun of these women. They are celebrating these women.
BILCHIK: They are celebrating them and saying why do you have to be skinny to be in a beauty pageant? You can be large.
We have something similar in America. They have Miss Plus America.
HOLMES: OK.
BILCHIK: That also celebrates the larger woman.
HOLMES: Now, you said 220 pounds. So if you're 218, 219, that's not going to get you on?
BILCHIK: You are not going to qualify. And the last Miss Cicciona, as I say, Miss Chubby was 324 pounds.
HOLMES: Is this the lady?
BILCHIK: This is actually - no. This is Miss Plus America.
HOLMES: Miss Plus America. OK.
BILCHIK: And these women, yes, they are larger, but very beautiful.
HOLMES: You know what? We - I haven't seen the America, which is called what? Miss Plus America?
BILCHIK: Miss Plus America.
HOLMES: I haven't seen that one before. I don't know if it's actually aired on television. Maybe it should be to - to give another image of beauty.
BILCHIK: Exactly. And there are many sizes. You know, you and I have done Passports where we've spoken about in certain countries being larger is perceived as much more beautiful.
HOLMES: Much more beautiful.
BILCHIK: It's all in the eyes of the beholder.
HOLMES: And, Nadia, maybe we should do this one again and get more on this. This is a good topic and interesting video, certainly, to see that pageant. We don't see that every day.
Nadia Bilchik, as always.
BILCHIK: Celebrating large.
HOLMES: Celebrating large. Nadia Bilchik, we appreciate you as always. We'll see Nadia, of course, again, a little later this morning.
Also coming up, a story I definitely want you to see. We've got some very special guests going to be in studio with me this morning. They served on the frontlines and they have a special place in history, but I'll bet you, you have never heard of them.
We're coming up on the bottom of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: We are at the bottom of the hour on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Welcome back. So glad you could be here. I'm T.J. Holmes.
Want you to stick around. I have something special. A special guest here in studio with me, a story you certainly need to hear. But first let me give you a look at what is happening right now around the country.
The big story is that we have less than three days to raise the nation's debt ceiling or we have a problem. The House and Senate are both in session this afternoon. They are planning debates and votes on a Democratic proposal from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- the nays are 210, the bill is passed. Without objection, a motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: That is the gavel falling on House Speaker John Boehner's plan. It passed the House by one vote yesterday after Boehner made changes to attract more Republican support.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R-OH), HOUSE SPEAKER: A lot of people can never say yes. This House has acted. It is time for the administration and time for our colleagues across the aisle. Put something on the table. Tell us where you are.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now the Boehner bill didn't go anywhere in the Senate, where they are now focusing on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's proposal. He has floated a possible change to his original plan to include some elements Republican plans. But Republican leaders might end up blocking that vote.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. RICHARD DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: What these Senators on the Republican side are waiting for is a permission slip from Senator McConnell. He told them to hold back until Boehner had his chance. Hold back until the Boehner bill came to the floor. That is all history now. The American people want us to move forward. They want us to come up with a bipartisan approach that doesn't have us re-live this scene that we have seen for the past week over and over and over again like the old "Groundhog Day" movie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Sources tell CNN that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wants the White House involved in any discussions on the debt ceiling, but at this point we have no plans for any face to face negotiations to break the stalemate, even though the work will continue on Capitol Hill this weekend.
All right, 33 minutes past the hour. Let's give you a look at other stories making headlines.
Including in Italy, where forensic experts testifying in the appeal of convicted murder Amanda Knox are ripping the prosecutor's evidence and the way police collected it. They argue crime scene errors should have made two key pieces of evidence inadmissible. Knox, her Italian boyfriend, and another man, were convicted of murdering Knox's British roommate Meredith Kercher back in 2007.
Also, in Killeen, Texas, the Muslim Army deserter accused of planning to bomb a restaurant near Fort Hood is being held without bond this morning, at an undisclosed location. This is 21-year-old Army private, you are seeing there. His name is Naz (ph) Naser Abdo. He has refused to stand at his arraignment on Friday and yelled the name Major Nidal Hassan. That is the accused gunman at the 2009 Fort Hood assault. Police believe Abdo was plotting another massacre. For now, though, he is only charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device.
At 33 minutes past the hour now (sic), you probably heard of the Tuskegee Airmen, the squadron of black pilots who protected American bombers over Europe during World War II. Do you know of the Montford Point Marines? Maybe not? They are the nation's first black Marines. In June of 1941, President Roosevelt opened the Marine Corps to African-Americans, but these Marines could not train with white Marines at San Diego, or at Parris Island, South Carolina. Instead they were shipped off to Montford Point, North Carolina. More than 20,000 African-American Marines trained there.
Joining me this morning is one of the originals. Ambassador Ted Britton, here with me now, and also Doctor James Averhart, president of the Montford Point Marine Association.
Gentlemen, so excited to have you guys here with me this morning.
You tell me, first of all, you walk down the streets of Atlanta this morning and you mention Montford Point Marines. How many would know what you are talking about?
AMB. TED BRITTON, ORIGINAL MONTFORD POINT MARINE VETERAN: Not too many, but they are fast learning quickly.
HOLMES: Why not too many? Why don't we know?
BRITTON: For some reason it was not widely circulated. The Tuskegee Airmen and others, of course, got their big notice. We did not get notice. I might say that in the last year, the commandant has really come out to sensitize the entire nation that, indeed, black Marines fought in World War II, Korea. As a matter of fact, five African-American Marines won the Congressional Medal of Honor in Vietnam, within a two year period.
HOLMES: Now you certainly did not do this for attention or accolades, and even all of these years later, you are not jumping up and down, saying, hey, look at me. But is it sometimes hurtful, is it painful, or disappointing that we don't know enough, or enough don't know about this part of history?
BRITTON: No. It is an opportunity to sensitize people. Anytime people say they don't know, they are inviting something. They know when they leave me. There is a good opportunity to always help them, to educate them.
HOLMES: Dr. Averhart, that is part of your challenge. Why did you take up this mission in the first place?
DR. JAMES AVERHART, PRESIDENT, MONTFORD POINT MARINES: I have a right and obligation to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) While being a Marine on active duty and I heard these guys' story. It caught my heart and I felt obligated. They paved my way for me, as pioneers, taking the step during racial adversity to be the first black Marines when being popular blacks were not allowed in the Marine Corps. HOLMES: You said, you got to hear the story, you are a Marine yourself. You heard the story. But I assume you had not heard a lot about them before. But in your experience now in trying to educate people, are you surprised as well, just how little people know?
AVERHART: That is correct. I am very surprised. This is just not black history, Marine Corps history. This is American history and it is time for these guys' story, the Montford Point Marines, to reach national prominence, as the counterparts of the Tuskegee Airman, Buffalo Soldiers.
HOLMES: And Ambassador Britton, how it went then? You all had to train together, all African-American Marines, together. Is there any part of you that looked back that is appreciative of that experience, that you all were all together, or did you always wish you could have been side by side with your white counterparts?
BRITTON: No, we were so patriotic, our concentration was on the war. We wanted to fight. As long as we were together, there was a lot of camaraderie. We trained together and suffered together, and the various training things, and went out together. And even now, no matter how you-which area of the Pacific you served, you always have a certain feeling of almost like a family. You run into people when you are-your training platoon, or in some other area, and we always know other people, that, you know were together. It is a family situation.
HOLMES: We talk about, and he just mentioned, this is part of black history and American history. But when you were going through it, you did not feel like you were part of a civil rights struggle. You were an American, who was doing a patriotic thing at the time?
BRITTON: My job was to fight and win the war. That was how we felt.
HOLMES: Last thing to you here. You are all here in Atlanta for a particular reason this weekend. I guess as that being part of it -- tell me what you are doing this weekend. And also how you are continuing to try to get this message out about guys like this.
AVERHART: Well, the purpose of being in Atlanta this year, these guys to get together every year for their annual convention and bring about camaraderie, get a chance to see each other. And be about the association's business. The purpose of this association is to perpetuate the legacy of the first African-American Marines. We get together every year to talk about ways to further the cause. Our number one priority now is to build a monument at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to honor these Marines forever, to institutionalize their legacy in American history.
HOLMES: All right. It was 20,000 that trained there at Montford Point?.
BRITTON: 18,062, I think it was. We are raising $1 million for the monument up at camp, over at the old Montford Point Camp.
HOLMES: I will see you there when that monument gets built, all right? Ambassador Britton, it is an absolute pleasure, and we are so glad we can get the message out and talk to you.
BRITTON: Thank you.
HOLMES: Glad we got you in town here. Gentlemen, thank you for being here.
Again, folks the Montford Point Marines. If you didn't just learn something about them, look them up. It is part of history that a lot of people don't know.
Gentlemen, thank you so much.
BRITTON: Thank you.
HOLMES: We are about 40 minutes past the hour.
I know you have been here before. You met somebody. What was your name? You wonder, why did your momma name you that? Well, we have something coming up for you this morning. You won't believe some of these names. We have a whole segment on what you should not name your child, and the damage it could do. You want to stick around for that. Plus, this:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF: It is kudzu, the seemingly indestructible plant. But now there is a way to get rid of it. We let you know how, coming up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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HOLMES: It is 42 minutes past the hour now on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
If you ever traveled in the South before, you have seen this fast-growing vine. It is called kudzu. It grows pretty much anywhere. It consumes trees, hills, power lines, abandoned billboards, Reynolds Wolf chased this stuff down.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: And you have discovered a way to get rid of it.
WOLF: I wish I had. I discovered someone who found a way to get rid of kudzu. But you are right. We are talking about a plant that really is destructive. It climbs on everything, on power lines and trees. If you walk slow, it will just creep up and jump on your feet. Walking very slow, still.
We found someone who is kind of a fast walker and a smart guy. He happens to be a teenager who may have found a way to come up with a solution to the crazy plant.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF (voice over): Jacob Schindler is not your typical teen. He spends his days battling kudzu.
JACOB SCHINDLER, USES HELIUM TO KILL KUDZU: It has been called the foot a night vine, the mile a minute vine. There are whole wives' tales about if you don't close your windows, it will climb into the rooms and it would take your children.
WOLF: Brought to the United States in 1876, it was first used for erosion control by the U.S. government. It now covers millions of acres in the Southeast, is spreading, and is almost impossible to control.
JACOB SCHINDLER: It kills the local growth. The only thing that winds up growing is more invasive species.
WOLF: Experts have been trying to get rid of it for more than a century. After several years of his own research, Jacob, now 17, thinks he may have found the solution. His work began with a sixth grade science project, to grow kudzu on Mars.
JACOB SCHINDLER: What if I could plant something that is really virulent. Something that really grows fast on a planet where there is nothing. But it really became was how can I eliminate kudzu in an environmentally friendly way.
WOLF: His solution, suffocating the kudzu with helium.
(On camera): So, you mean to tell me, though, a vine like this can be killed basically with the same gas that goes into a birthday balloon?
SCHINDLER: Pretty much.
WOLF (voice over): He shopped his discovery to science fairs and university research labs. But at first even his mother was skeptical.
JULIE SCHINDLER, JACOB'S MOTHER: The roots were dead on the helium. They were not dead on the oxygen and Co2. At that point, I thought, he has something.
WOLF (voice over): Now, she is his biggest supporter.
(On camera): He is an exceptional kid, isn't he?
JULIE SCHINDLER: Yes, in more ways than one. He is a normal teenager. But he has grand ideas.
WOLF (voice over): Here is how it works. Jacob invented this special drill. He hooks it to a helium tank, and that evenly distributes it to the root system.
(On camera): Where we are standing is a place that was covered with by kudzu, right?
JACOB SCHINDLER: Right. Where I had the kudzu, originally was probably about six or seven, maybe up to 10 feet in some areas.
WOLF (voice over): His success in killing kudzu in this south Georgia town has earned him congressional praise.
(On camera): Do you see yourself as being a pioneer?
JACOB SCHINDLER: I see myself as doing what any other scientist does. You know, you do your research, and you build on what others have done.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WOLF: What is amazing about his work - again, remember this is just a teenager. We have to remind ourselves. He has had opportunities to go to school in places like name your ivy league schools-just name one, Harvard and Yale? I mean, they are all picking up on him. I mean, Auburn University is very interested in him. The kid will possibly get a free ride at a university for something that he came up with, that many adults for many, many years have not been able to come up with.
HOLMES: This is one of those kids, we'll look back, in a few years, and before he is 30 he will be a billionaire.
WOLF: Absolutely.
HOLMES: He is one of those kids.
WOLF: You will go tell your kids someday, kids a long time ago, there was this crazy plant called kudzu. It doesn't exist anymore.
HOLMES: Because I got rid of it.
WOLF: That's right.
HOLMES: Reynolds, good stuff, as always. And Reynolds will be back this morning. He has heat to talk about and also this tropical depression now, Tropical Depression Don. We will see you here shortly.
We are at about a quarter to the top of the hour now. We are also going to be talking about this ongoing debt debate in Washington, D.C. It is going to be an interesting weekend there. Congress is in session.
Also, we are taking a look at a county in Alabama that has its own problems, and a pretty big one. They have a potential bankruptcy coming up that would be the largest of its kind in this country. Stay with me.
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HOLMES: I don't know. That is the question everybody is asking, why can't we be friends? Washington, D.C., the folks are talking to you, really. Still waiting. Keeping an eye on D.C. it is going to be another interesting day of developments in this whole debt ceiling debate. Democrats and Republicans, as you know, locked in a stalemate over what to do and they are running out of time to do it. Both Houses of Congress in session today, yes, on this Saturday. Here is a rundown of what is happening. The House starts debate at noon with a likely vote on a Democratic proposal expected sometime after 1:00 p.m. It is not expected to pass. But then on the Senate side, they kickoff a debate at 1:00 p.m. Eastern. Debate there could last 12-plus hours before they even vote on whether to vote on the plan. You get what I'm saying? They have to take a procedural vote after that.
All this while the clock is tick tock, tick tock, closer to Tuesday. That is when the federal government could start defaulting on loans.
Much more on this. Your way in just a few minutes at the top of the hour.
Meanwhile, a few hundred miles south of Washington, D.C., another government is having money problems. We are talking about Jefferson County, Alabama, officials were ready to pull a trigger on the Chapter 9 bankruptcy proceeding. That would allow them to restructure the more than $$ billion in debt. Much of that debt comes from court ordered improvements to the county's sewer system. The bankruptcy deal is on hold, for at least a week, as the county tries to negotiate a settlement with creditors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE KNIGHT, JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER: We will take a look at whatever they propose, if they propose something. They may not propose anything. Fine. Then it is our move.
SANDRA LITTLE-BROWN, JEFFERSON COUNTY COMMISSIONER: It would have to be close. It cannot involve a double-digit rate increase. We are open for a bankruptcy. That is always my last option. We are down to the end of our rope. We have to have a settlement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, if Jefferson County files Chapter 9, it is believed it would be the largest municipal bankruptcy case in U.S. history.
Over 10 minutes to the top of the hour.
In the United States, you can name your child almost anything. A lot of people do, as you know. But in some countries, naming your child whatever you want is actually illegal. In fact, your name of choice needs government approval. I'll tell you why right after the break.
But first this certainly got us thinking about interesting names. You may have heard of celebrities naming their chain-their kids particular things? You had questions about.
Take a look at a few here, we'll give you. First up, Jermaine Jackson, actually named his son Jermajesty.
Here is another one for you. Shannyn Sossaman of TV vampire drama, "Moonlight." named her son Audio Science. I swear to you. I am not making this stuff up.
Also actor Jason Lee named his child Pilot Inspektor.
We have a couple more names that go outside the norm to tell you about. Also, we need to tell you about what not to name your child. That is right after the break. Stay with me.
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HOLMES: All right. It is now seven minutes to the top of the hour. Before the break, we were looking at unusual celebrity baby names. We have three more for you. Take a look at these. We are not making this up, folks. Activist and musician Bob Geldof named his three daughters, Peaches, Pixie and Fifi Trixibelle. Believe it or not, names like these are not as unusual as you might think.
Let me bring in Rodney Kellum; he is the co-author of a book, that is called, "What Yo Nayme Iz?: What Not To Name Your Child."
Rodney, what have you found in your research? Why do people do this in the first place? They are just trying to be different, funny? Are they high? What?
(LAUGHTER)
RODNEY KELLUM, AUTHOR, "WHAT YO NAYME IZ?" Sometimes it is very innocent.
HOLMES: Innocent?
KELLUM: Innocent, you know, you have a baby. You are in the moment. You are all sentimental. It is cute. Sometimes it just doesn't work out. Sometimes they just want their child to be unique and it goes wrong.
HOLMES: OK, let me put up-put up the first graphic I have here. We can share some of these. Again, folks, we are not making these up. All right. Pornwadee, sticks out. Somebody named their child ESPN. The other one is Congratulashaylya? Or something like that. Do people end up regretting this later and does the child actually suffer along the way?
KELLUM: I think the child usually regrets it. Sometimes they go by an initial. They get a legal name change. When the regret comes in is when they join the work force or attempt to join the work force. There has been a study back in 2003 of names, where they did dummy resumes and used certain names on one side and certain times on the other side. It showed a drastic drop with the percent of the response to the resume. Drastic. To where it shows that there is maybe a bias that people don't even know they have to certain names.
HOLMES: Let's me put up more here. We certainly were itching to try share as many as we can here. There is Orangejello, and a Lemonjello.
KELLUM: Oran-gel-lo. HOLMES: Oran-gel-lo! Oh, and Le-mon-gel-lo?
KELLUM: And they are twin brothers.
HOLMES: And that is Le-mon-gel-lo and Le-mon-gel-lo?
KELLUM: Yes.
HOLMES: And then Reign Beau? I thought that was pretty creative.
KELLUM: Yes.
HOLMES: There is a Cheeto in there, as well. Give me a couple you have come across. And we are sharing some here, but some that just blew your mind? Some of your favorites?
KELLUM: My favorite isn't because it is so different. It is differently spelled.
HOLMES: OK?
KELLUM: The name Quincy. You know, nothing too special about Quincy, right?
HOLMES: I'm trying to think, how would you spell that?
KELLUM: Well, they would spell it, C-U-E, for the Q. Y-E-N-C-I- E. So, it is spelled, Cue-U-ency.
HOLMES: Cue-U-ency?
KELLUM: But it is Quincy.
HOLMES: But it is Quincy?
KELLUM: Right. So, imagine being a elementary teacher trying to get that right.
HOLMES: Do the parents in your research for your book, do they end up regretting it as well?
KELLUM: I think they probably see it from when the children start, when they grow up and get older, and they start coming across these hindrances. I actually know a couple, personally, in the book. And they are actually very successful people. Lawyers and teachers, but it took a bit of extra work on their part.
HOLMES: We also found, that there just describing, there are some countries that give you a list, if you will, you can only pick from these names. And they will only allow you what countries are we talking about that only allow you to use certain names? And why do they have laws like that?
KELLUM: Iceland, Denmark, New Zealand. New Zealand, just recently I don't know if a lot of people read it, outlawed the name Lucifer. Some parents want to name their child Lucifer.
I think it is Iceland that has a list of 7,000 names, period. You cannot go out of those names. They want to save the child embarrassment. They don't want you having a noble name of a noble family. We say it in the way, of we are protecting your child from future bullying, future harassment, future embarrassment.
HOLMES: Has it gotten out of hand?
KELLUM: Over here?
HOLMES: Over here.
KELLUM: Oh, I think so.
HOLMES: People focused, oftentimes, we hear of celebrities name their child this or that, so on and so forth. But it is not just celebrities.
KELLUM: It is not celebrities.
HOLMES: A lot of people are doing this.
KELLUM: They want their child to be unique. They are going about it the wrong way. It is to the detriment of the child.
HOLMES: Rodney Kellum, that is spelled R-O-D-N-E-Y.
KELLUM: Pretty normal.
HOLMES: Pretty normal. Interesting stuff. The book is called "What Yo Nayme Iz?" and it is kind of spelled a little different. So, I'll Tweet it out so you can actually see it. It is spelled a little different there.
KELLUM: Yes.
HOLMES: You get the idea. "What not to name your child." Good luck. Rodney, good to see you. Thanks.
KELLUM: Thank you.
HOLMES: We are getting close to the top of the hour. Coming up here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Food prices, gas prices, they are going up. Would you believe there are actually some items out there that are actually going down in price? We have that list for you. Stay with me.
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