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CNN Saturday Morning News
13 U.S. Troops Killed in Afghanistan; Historic Floods Swamp Thailand; Student Loan Burden; Rare October Snowstorm
Aired October 29, 2011 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It's Saturday, October 29th. Hello, everybody. Thanks for joining us. I'm Alina Cho, T.J. Holmes is off.
And ahead this hour a Halloween weekend surprise for millions of people from the mid-Atlantic to New England. More than a foot of snow is expected to bury some areas. Millions of people could be left in the dark.
Also, student loan debt is now higher than credit card debt in the United States. President Obama has a plan to ease the burden. But will it work? We'll hear from a financial expert.
And a rags to riches story in India. The son of a poor farm worker becomes the country's real life "Slumdog Millionaire". We'll explain.
But first, our "Top Story". It has been one of the deadliest days U.S. forces in Afghanistan, at least 13 American service members are among those killed in a NATO convoy attack. It happened in the heart of the capital city of Kabul. Let's get right to our Nick Paton Walsh he is live for us in Kabul. What happened, Nick?
NICK PATON WALSH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It appears that a suicide bomber driving a vehicle, perhaps a red Toyota Corolla car we hear from local Afghan police drove this loaded with explosives into a NATO convoy. Now pictures of the aftermath appear to show what's known as a rhino armored bus used by NATO forces here to transport large numbers of personnel. ISAF confirming 13 of their military personnel killed by this explosion.
CNN's Barbara Starr learning from a U.S. official in the Pentagon that actually these were all American personnel -- Alina.
CHO: Nick, this is the largest single day loss for American forces in Afghanistan since August when a helicopter crashed and killed 38 people, 22 of them Navy Seals. There was another attack on coalition forces today involving a female suicide bomber. What happened there?
WALSH: A woman wearing a burqa age only 25 we understand in the northeast of the country in a place called Kunar (ph) detonated the device trapped in the in the outside the headquarter of the Afghan intelligence services injuring some people.
But a more significant attack happening in the south in which a man in Afghan military uniform turned his weapon on two ISAF soldiers who were apparently training him. An Afghan army commander down there saying that seven other people were injured during that attack and of the two dead, which ISAF have confirmed did happen, were actually Australians -- Alina.
CHO: All of these attacks that we're hearing about today come on the heels of a relatively calm period, I must say, Nick, in the region. So now that we're seeing more and more attacks on NATO forces, is there any explanation for why this is happening now?
WALSH: Well, it was a bad summer. It's been a bad last six months according to a recent U.N. report in terms of the violence against civilians but there was lull in the last month it's fair to say.
The forthcoming month is a very important political season here really; a series of conferences abroad and in Kabul in which the Afghan and NATO administration are going to try to frame the future, explain the future, explain the handover to territory here to Afghan security forces, explain the partial withdrawal of American soldiers and explain exactly hopes trying to explain what kind of role the insurgency may have in the future and how well they're doing get against it.
So a possible uptick in violence, particularly in the most secure areas. The capital here, could be the insurgency trying to disrupt that impression we've been given by NATO that things are improving and if they can slowly bring their troop numbers down here and hand over to Afghan forces -- Alina.
CHO: All right, Nick Paton Walsh, thank you very much for that report.
From the mid-Atlantic to New England, a rare October surprise. A powerful snowstorm could paralyze parts of the region this Halloween weekend. It's hard to believe, but it's true. In preparations for the storm already in full swing, among the big concerns, power outages.
And of course, travel delays. It's already snowing in parts of New York, Massachusetts and other states across the region. Some areas are expecting more than a foot of snow.
Our Alexandra Steele is tracking the big storm for us. So what do we have in store Alexandra? I'm afraid to ask.
ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know it's so exciting and actually so many things you just spoke to power outages, yes, check. Allegheny electric reporting already 20,000 without power in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Already have snow in White Plains. The flurries have begun.
You know, it's been 59 years, 59 years since New York City had a measurable snow. Now a measurable snow doesn't mean flakes of flurries at least a tenth of an inch. So since records have been kept by the National Weather Service in New York, it's only three Octobers, three times since the 1800. So certainly quite rare it's not unprecedented because we have seen it.
Few things I want to show you a kind of I found interesting about this radar perspective. You can see where we are, in New York, Philly, Washington, Boston. Of course the white is snow, the green is rain. But look at this delineation between snow and rain right along the 95 corridor. So it's just east of 95 having a hard time kind of getting and seeing the changeover. Philadelphia reporting just north and west of Philadelphia. We do have snow. But Philadelphia still at 39 degrees we have to cool it down a little bit before the snow.
But also one other interesting thing, here is the area of low pressure. This is in nor'easter, but it is moving. A quick hitter. This is already the backside. Washington, D.C., between 2:00 and 4:00 today, it will be done deal for you. Boston, you'll have the little flurries in the morning and then it's over for you. But this is moving quickly.
So there's the radar perspective. I wanted to give you a kind of surface map perspective and show you a few other things. How rare it is. Also one other interesting point with this, well, I think maybe the calling card with this, maybe we'll have some really crazy in the mountains, big time totals. But it's the power outages. The snow is heavy, it is wet. There's a full foliage in the northeast in New England add on the winds, 30 miles per hour.
So that really will be a story.
Here is the mountain in terms of totals. You can see the pink delineating at least 10 inches of snow. So all the big cities, we're going to see a few inches there. Not double digits, by any means but to one to two, one to three certainly notable.
Philadelphia, a few inches for you. Look at Allentown. These are the models. This is the output for them. Poughkeepsie, I love Poughkeepsie's 13.3. So the beautiful Catskill mountains wherever you may be from Albany south of Poughkeepsie. Hartford and Springfield, Mass; you, too kind of that quadrant right here this inner area in the Berkshires, you will see the biggest of this. But in and out of the day and we'll be done with it by tomorrow afternoon.
CHO: It will all be a distant memory tomorrow afternoon, but misery -- misery between now and then.
STEELE: Yes and already delays at Dulles and New York City, so travel delays have already begun and this is just the beginning of them.
CHO: All right, Alexandra, thank you very much.
The weather is impacting the Occupy Wall Street protesters camped out in parks in New York and elsewhere across the country. But protesters are vowing to ride out the snow expected this weekend in the northeast.
Here is how filmmaker Michael Moore described it to our Anderson Cooper.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL MOORE, FILMMAKER: The snow in the winter is not going to stop the collective anger of tens of millions of Americans who have suffered as a result of the economic policies of corporate America. If you think a little bit of snow or bad weather -- I mean, I think it will only harden people's resolve.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Yesterday, authorities in Lower Manhattan removed propane tanks and generators in Zuccotti Park saying they were unsafe but given the impending storm -- and there you look live at the situation in New York where the rain is falling right now. And snow is expected later today. Given the impending snowstorm, of course many of the protesters in the Occupy Wall Street Movement are questioning the timing of this.
Some sports news to tell you about big ones. The St. Louis Cardinals are waking up today as World Series champions. Look and listen to the final out of Game seven against the Texas Rangers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the air to left field, back, what a team, what a ride. The Cardinals are world champs in 2011.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: And then the pileup. You could call the Cardinals the comeback kings for baseball. They were down to their last strike twice in Thursday's memorable Game six which they are calling one for the ages. And now the club is one with 11 world championship titles. There's the trophy.
Basketball fans won't like this one, but it seemed like NBA owners and players were on the verge of a deal, but those talks broke down. And now all of the games through November 30th canceled. Both sides are battling over a new collective bargaining agreement. The players want higher salaries. The owners want a bigger share of revenue. And so far, no deal.
In Thailand, flooding like they haven't seen in a half a century. We'll get a look at some of the latest devastation in Bangkok when we return.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back.
Parts of Thailand are at the crisis stage as floodwaters still sweep across cities and towns and farmlands. Much of the high water is in Bangkok and its suburbs.
CNN Sara Sidner is in the flood zone in the Thai capital.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SARA SIDNER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): High tide in Bangkok's Chinatown. Water pours in from the swollen Chalpria River (ph). Just on the other side of these homes and businesses. Despite the severe flood warnings and this reality, residents who stay put were far from panicked here. Children, even delighted in the murky water.
"The drainage system of the city pumped it out immediately if there overflow. And that is why it's not heavily flooded here. I am not worried," this resident says. In this riverside neighborhood, the flood waters came in quickly and receded quickly. But business here have dried up as well.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The water used to come out from the topiary (ph) first and business now slows down because of the flood.
SIDNER: This was a day the government warned could be the worst for central Bangkok. But much of Bangkok's commercial district remained dry. Not so in the northern, eastern and western parts of the city. High flood waters have remained for weeks in parts of the city, ruining homes, shutting down thousands of factories and discouraging tourism.
Though, people are trudging through it the stagnant water is beginning to stink. A public health crisis could be the next wave of trouble.
(on camera): The government estimates that these floods have caused about $6 billion worth of damage so far. It's impacted the economy here so much, that the Bank of Thailand has now revised the country's growth from 4.1 percent down to 2.6 percent.
(voice-over): The cost of this disaster will continue to rise as long as the floodwaters remain.
Sara Sidner, CNN, Bangkok.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: So what do you think is the average student loan debt being carried by the graduating class of 2009? We're talking about four- year, non-profit colleges. Here are your choices: $2,400; $4,000; or $24,000? Now, I think I know the answer to this, but do you? We'll have it for you in just a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: We asked you before the break, what do you think the average student loan is that's being carried by the average graduating class of 2009? We're talking about four-year non-profit colleges. The choices: $2,400; $4,000 or $24,000. The answer -- $24,000. That's right. That's according to the institute for college access and success.
Now, paying back all that money can be pretty tough these days, but President Obama wants to make paying back student loans just a little easier.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We can't wait for Congress to do its job. So where they won't act, I will.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: So what's the actual plan? I sat down recently with a financial expert who breaks it down.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: What does the President's plan do and who does it help?
CLYDE ANDERSON, FINANCIAL ANALYST: Yes. Well, what the plan does, it says if you've taken on these students loans, they will give you a little bit more time as far repayment. They'll also do a forgiveness and after 20 years, you could potentially have your loans forgiven.
CHO: And right now it's ten years.
ANDERSON: And right now, it's ten years. And so also, what they're saying is that 10 percent of the income is the max as far as what they can go with and say this is your minimum payment. It's 10 percent. Before, it was about 15 percent. Now it's cutting that down a little bit to say, OK, let's work with you to get the payments a little bit lower. Let's also look at an opportunity maybe to forgive the debt after a certain period of time.
CHO: Yes, let me ask you this because these kids are getting out of college. In many cases they can't find jobs --
ANDERSON: Exactly.
CHO: And if they do, in a lot of cases, they're low paying jobs.
ANDERSON: Yes.
CHO: You know. So is this really going to work.
ANDERSON: Well, we're hoping that it does work. I think it's going to help some people. Of course, it's not going to help everyone. But it is something that's -- a push in the right direction, you know. A lot of people out there just want total forgiveness.
I don't think that's going to ever happen. But, that's something that they'd like to have and like to see but again, a lot of people are hurting right now, so it's hard for them. And they say that you shouldn't take on more than 10 percent of the income that you're going to receive after graduation from the job that you're going to have as far as loans. And so it's crucial to know what you're going to school for.
CHO: Yes. But I mean, not that you have to say it but it's really hard in practice for a lot of people, you know.
ANDERSON: Yes. It is. Definitely. CHO: I mean a lot of people are trying to make ends meet. And, you know, it's impossible to avoid and then it has a snowball effect. Doesn't it?
ANDERSON: Right. Well, you have to weigh out your decisions right now. This is when the time is crucial. Think it through. Is it time for me to go to college? Can I really afford to go to college right now? And what kind of job is waiting for me on the other side? Or are there other alternatives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Some great tips from our Clyde Anderson.
And from high school football players to families in Argentina and children in South Africa, this year's CNN Heroes are reaching people all over the world. Our Josh Levs is here with a preview. Hey Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there again, Alina. Absolutely. They're all inspirational. And folks, whoever you choose as CNN Hero of the Year will have the chance to do something really, really big. I will show you how to vote, right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back.
They go to great lengths to help people in need and your votes help shine a light on their amazing work. We're talking about CNN Heroes. And it is time to vote for your Hero of the Year. Our Josh Levs is here to show us how to do that. There are some changes this year. Right, Josh?
LEVS: Yes. Absolutely. We're doing something differently this year, Alina. Yes and folks I'm going to talk you through all of this. Because now is the time to get those votes coming in that will ultimately make a big difference for one of our heroes of the year.
First let me introduce them to you a little bit. I'm going to show you who they are, the ten honorees. They're helping military widows, high school football players with spinal cord injuries, people living in hunger and many others in need.
Here is one of them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DERRECK KAYONGO, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: I'm Derreck Kayongo. I'm a former refugee. Now I help people fight disease with basic sanitation.
You have some soap for me? This is great.
The issue is not the availability soap, the issue is cost. Can they afford it? (END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: He gets them soap from hotels, unused amounts of soap. And in all these cases, you see really amazing ideas. Now I want you all to know that every time I talk on air about CNN Heroes, I show you a different one of our top ten heroes. So everybody is getting airtime.
Here's how it's going to work. Each of them gets $50,000. So all our ten heroes this year are getting $50,000. And whoever you choose to be the CNN Hero of the Year will get $250,000.
Let me show you now how to learn about all of them. This behind is cnnheroes.com, where we lay out for you who they all are. You get to see a lot about their stories. And if you scroll what you can do once you're here is click on a fan page for any one of these ten.
I'll open up one as an example right here. This is Bruno Cerato, really interesting guy, he is getting meals seven days a week to more than 300 children in Anaheim, California.
Now after you've learned about all ten -- take some time, learn about all of them -- what you do is you click on "vote". Pretty self- explanatory there. And here is what we've got set up for you. When you're here, you select who among our ten heroes you would like to be the Hero of the Year. You just highlight that person and that person's photo would show up in this box right here.
I would do it all for you, but I don't want to place a vote. So you could pick it up from here. Then you hook it up to your e-mail or to your Facebook. What's great about that is you can them share that information about your vote with everyone that you want to in a really easy way.
Also what we have going this year is that you can, for the first time, vote on your mobile device. Just go over to the browser. It's at 10 times per day per e-mail address or Facebook account. So the sooner you start, the more days you get in -- more votes you can get in.
The deadline is December 7th, midnight Pacific time and here is where the announcement will be at the big event. It will be "CNN HEROES, AN ALL-STAR TRIBUTE", Sunday December 11th at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 p.m. Pacific here on CNN.
I showed you a lot of stuff and I want to make it really easy for you to find that's why I put it all up for you right here, all of my pages, cnn.com/josh, Facebook and Twitter, JoshLevsCNN.
And Alina, I know you're very well aware of how Heroes work inside. You served on one of the committees.
CHO: I did. I was a voter and in one of the earlier -- it might have been the first year actually. You know, I have to say, when you read through the applications and the stories, it really -- and I mean this sincerely -- it is so hard to choose because they are all so wonderful in what they're doing and many of them, as you see, are so inventive in their ideas. It's really, really remarkable. So anyway Josh, thank you for highlighting that for us.
LEVS: You've got it. Thank you.
CHO: Coming up, dozens of protestors arrested for refusing to leave a park. Now some Occupy Atlanta protesters are talking to us. You'll hear what they say, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Checking our top stories: one of the deadliest days ever for U.S. troops in Afghanistan. At least 13 service members were killed today when a suicide bomber rammed into a NATO convoy. It happened in what was believed to be a secure area of the capital city of Kabul. A U.S. military official tells CNN the American troops were being taken from one base to another.
States from the Mid-Atlantic to New England are bracing for a rare October nor'easter. Preparations are already in full swing. Among the big concerns, power outages and already there are travel delays.
Our Alexandra Steele is tracking this storm for us. So Alexandra, it's snowing in New York City?
ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It is.
It is. But as a meteorologist, I have such exciting news where the snow is in New Jersey now, in Caldwell, in Newark, in Morristown; so yes, also in white plains. Let's take a live look, shall we, at Columbus Circle and show you beautiful New York City. Look at that.
Mama mia, it's Christmas. All right. Look at that. Isn't that pretty? And you know what; what's so fascinating, it really is so incredibly rare. It's been 59 years since there was measurable, not a flurry or a trace, but measurable, meaning at least a tenth an inch of snow in New York City. So really, it's unbelievable.
And since records have been kept in the 1800s, this only happened three times. In Boston, it's only happened four times. So a rare October snow event and that is New York. This is just coming to you but it's saying goodbye to Washington, D.C.
Here is the big radar picture. What I'm finding interesting, of course, the white, the snow, and the green is the rain. That delineation -- that line between the rain and snow is the 95 corridor, really -- almost exactly.
In Philadelphia, northwest of the city, reports of snow. At the airport, though, we have sleet and rain.
OK, as you look at this, this is the backside already. This is the end of it. So, Washington, D.C., between about 2:00 and 4:00, it will be a done deal. You'll be done with it. It will be over.
You know, with this storm, it's all about the temperatures and getting to that freezing mark. So here's a look at what we're going to see. Temperatures tonight certainly warm. Warm tomorrow. Warm tonight. And as we head through tonight, we'll drop down into the 30s. Cold enough to support that snow.
So that's what's so fascinating about this. So really quite rare. Not unprecedented, but, you know, it's really coming to fruition. But the thing is, it's a quick mover. Heavy, wet snow. It will be a done deal by tomorrow.
CHO: Let's hope so. All right, Alexandra. I didn't realize it was such a big gift (ph) for you. But of course it is. Snow in October. It's a big deal.
STEELE: You know, as a meteorologist, you know, I like it.
CHO: All right. Thank you very much.
The "Occupy" movements have fought tear gas, arrests and even getting dragged through the streets. Now protesters in some areas have another battle. Yes, that's snow. We'll be watching "Occupy" camps across the northeast where bad storms are set to hit later today.
In Atlanta, police arrested more than four dozen protesters this week. And Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed is defending the city's decision.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR KASIM REED, ATLANTA: So I think that we've acted in a manner that's consistent with our best values. With regard to criticism, that comes with the job. So it probably means we've got it as close to as right as we could.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: We also brought in the other side, a voice from Occupy Atlanta. And here's what he told me earlier this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: We talked to you when the protests first started in Atlanta. You heard the mayor of Atlanta speaking there. What's your response to what he said?
JIM NICHOLS, OCCUPY ATLANTA: Well, I think that the "Occupy" movement at large is really, you know, more than just what's going on in Atlanta and some of the other occupations that have had these issue. I think "Occupy" is about the Wall Street crimes and so when the top 1 percent has seen their -- the increase in their income from 1979 to 2000 go up 275 percent and then we watch, you know, everyday working people see their incomes fall, people are losing jobs here in Atlanta, we led the nation in job loss last year, "Occupy" is about people all across this country speaking out and saying that our political system is broken and the Wall Street crimes are unacceptable and that our political leaders have failed to do anything and we're speaking out about it. CHO: That's -- yes. And I hear you saying that and talking about that. And what that says to me is, yes, it all sounds good. It's pretty general. You know we've been hearing so much about the 99 percent of the protesters being so mad at the 1 percent at the top. But what's the solution then?
NICHOLS: Well, it's pretty general. It's -- this is a democratic movement. I mean there are no spokespeople. I mean I'm not even a spokesperson. I'm just a person involved. And all across --
CHO: But what got you so mad that you wanted to get involved?
NICHOLS: There is a great need for everyday citizens to get back involved in the political process. So at a number of the protest events here in Atlanta, I mean everyday people are coming together, they're meeting, they're networking, they're building skill sets and learning to engage others and start that discussion about how we begin to reform this.
CHO: You are a high school dropout who recently decided to further your education at the age of 30, you said?
NICHOLS: Thirty-one.
CHO: Thirty-one. So you're back in college. You're also loading trucks for UPS when you can to make some money. What is it about your personal situation, or is there something about your personal situation that really inspired you to get out there?
NICHOLS: Well, I mean, I look at some of my coworkers who are getting up at 4:00 in the morning, loading trucks for a few hours and then they go to their second job. And they're playing by the rules, they're working hard and they're struggling. I've been privileged with an opportunity to go back to school. I've been privileged with good benefits because I'm in a union.
And the fact that, you know, some of my cohorts at school are being swallowed whole by debt at 19 and 20 years old and have no jobs to go out to. So I think that, you know, those of us who are privileged to get involved and have some extra time to try to engage everyday people are able to give something back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: How about this for a reversal? Two of the nation's largest banks, JP Morgan Chase and Wells Fargo, are backtracking on plans to charge customers for using their debit cards. And now Bank of America may soften its stance, too. Just last month, it announced it would begin charging most customers $5 a month for using debit cards. And that sparked a lot of outrage. Now Bank of America may offer options for customers to avoid the fee.
Health officials in North Carolina are looking into whether the state's fair is the source of an E. Coli outbreak. There are 10 confirmed cases. Another 16 are under investigation. Four of those confirmed cases are children, and three of them had to be hospitalized. A spokesman for the fair say they are cooperating with state health officials. Well, watch where you put your hands. There's a new study that looks at what's being called "highly contaminated places." Gross. Seventy- one percent of all gas pump handles have those bad germs on them. Next, corner mailboxes, escalator rails and ATM machines. The take away? Wash your hands often or else you could get sick. That is scary.
Dirty hands are being blamed on a bacterial outbreak at an elementary school in South Carolina. About 80 kids have gotten sick there. A handful had to go to the hospital. Health officials are blaming it on a shigella bacteria, which can be spread easily on door knobs and water fountains. They say the best defense again is wash your hands frequently.
There's always something new to talk about in the race for the White House. Today, Herman Cain's campaign is raising eyebrows with a new online smoking ad. Have you not seen this yet? If not, we're going to check it out when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back. Thirty-nine minutes after the hour.
Closing arguments in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's former doctor, Conrad Murray, could happen as soon as Tuesday. Dr. Murray's defense team is trying to convince jurors that Jackson caused his own death by injecting himself with the drug Propofol. A key expert for the defense testified about the danger of combining Propofol with other sedatives that he believed Jackson was already taking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. PAUL WHITE, ANESTHESIOLOGIST: I believe it potentially could have lethal consequences.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now why is that?
WHITE: Because you're rapidly administering a bolus dose of Propofol on top of a very high concentration of a benzodiazepin, Lorazepam, and also, additionally, small amount of midazolam. So you've got drugs that have additive or even synergistic effect. And I think the combination effect would be very profound.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you saying this combination right there, that's potentially lethal?
WHITE: Precisely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: The prosecution will cross-examine that witness, the defense's final one, on Monday.
Turning to politics now and the race for the White House. Several of the Republican candidates have made headlines this week. Among them, Rick Perry, who said one of his mistakes so far was to take part in the GOP debates. Well, earlier, I asked CNN political contributor and Democratic strategist Maria Cardona and Republican strategist Lenny McAllister, to weigh in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LENNY MCALLISTER, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, of course he wouldn't be saying this if he were doing better in the polls and he did better at debates. What he's looking at though, is he's look at the fact that he's won every election he's been in. And some of these elections down in Texas, he refused to debate his opponent.
Now he has to get on the national stage, he has to debate and he hasn't done well debating with these folks. He is making himself look worse and worse. He is basically sinking in quick sand. So he's trying to figure out a way to breach (ph) himself from the image of the stumbling, bumbling candidate.
Now the problem is this. If he's running for governor of Iowa, it's OK to campaign with the people in Iowa and not touch the rest of the country. However, he's running for the presidency of the United States. He needs to speak to the American people as much as possible.
The fundraising is going to be a national phenomenon. And if he shuts himself out of being in these debates, he's going to limit himself once again. It looks like he's retreating. And let's be real, Texans and American presidents never retreat when it's game and the crisis is on the line and we need leadership. This is not a good thing for him to do.
CHO: All right.
All right, Maria, let's talk about Michele Bachmann. She's being urged now by one Tea Party group to quit the campaign. She's sort of blaming Rick Perry supporters and saying they're behind the move. What do you make of all this?
MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: You know, if I was Michele Bachmann, I would just completely ignore that, Alina, because she just should just stay focused on her message. And, frankly, I think, and a lot of conservatives think, that she has actually been the best messenger for the Tea Party's issues and ideology. Much better than Rick Perry. So I wouldn't be surprised if Rick Perry is behind this.
But I do think it's risky for her to go out and make an accusation if she has no proof, because I don't think that's going to help her. But, you know, when I heard about this Yesterday, I sort of got my back up for Michele Bachmann and, you know, I think I said this on the air yesterday, I will tell her she should stay in this race and not let anybody tell her what to do.
CHO: Well, it makes things interesting, certainly. But, anyway, as our Candy Crowley said, it doesn't hurt her any more than she's already been hurt in the polls.
All right, Lenny, let's talk about Herman Cain. I mean who hasn't seen this new campaign ad that's out featuring his chief of staff puffing on a cigarette. He says the ad is hilarious. What do you think the impact is on his campaign?
MCALLISTER: You know, he's been doing things unconventionally this whole time. This isn't a surprise. And, honestly, these are one of the -- types of things that endear the Tea Party folks to Herman Cain. But at some point in time, he's going to have to look more mainstream. Again, this is great for the primary voter. But if he's going to be the mainstream guy that's going to win the presidency next November, he has to get out of this. He has to start speaking to a wider base of people.
And this is part of the reason why Michele Bachmann has fallen off. This is part of the reason why Rick Perry has fallen off. And I think this is going to be a reason why Herman Cain falls off. You have to speak to a diverse America if you're going to lead a diverse America. And, so far, most of these candidates in the Republican field have not done the best job of doing that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: All right, from rags to riches, an impoverished clerk becomes a real life "Slumdog Millionaire" in a game show win that's got everyone buzzing. We're going to talk about this story when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Welcome back.
Dreams come true, and not just in the movies. A real life "Slumdog Millionaire" is inspiring a lot of people in India and across the world. But he's not the only one who's causing talk. How about a billion dollar home that's sitting empty? Producer Nadia Bilchik fills us in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: Sushi Kumar, this week, in India, he won a million dollars in the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." And this is a guy. He's mid 20s. He's a clerk. He's an administrative assistant earning very little. And he now has a million dollars. There he is. And you're going to see him shortly one of India's most famous actors, Amitabh Bachchan. So there they are. And suddenly famous and very rich. But I wanted to tell you that there, doesn't he look happy? Smiling away.
But another story in India that really caught our attention was, as you said, this billion dollar home which is empty. And it is owned by a petrochemical billionaire, Mukesh Ambani.
CHO: I've read about this. Apparently they throw parties there, though, every now and then because nobody's living in this, right?
BILCHIK: They are not living there because, reportedly, the Vastu Shastra (ph), which is the Hindu version of feng shui, is not correct. The idea is -- and there you are looking at the 27-story building. Now, it's much more complete than some of these pictures. These were taken a few months ago. CHO: I mean with all due respect, it cost $1 billion and that's what it looks like?
BILCHIK: Well, it doesn't look like that now. You're seeing it in construction.
CHO: Oh, OK. All right.
BILCHIK: But a couple of things that they're saying about the Vastu or the Vastu Shastra not being correct is it's supposed to face the sunrise and there are not enough windows on the east side. And the whole idea of Vastu is to have directional alignment. How the laws of nature affects a human dwelling. And you have to capitalize on the air flow.
CHO: They didn't figure that out beforehand?
BILCHIK: Exactly, Alina. Come on. He's a billionaire. He's on "Forbes" nine or tenth richest list. You would have thought they would have.
CHO: I know.
BILCHIK: But here's the scoop. Here's the real story. The real story is his father died leaving the fortune to Mukesh Ambani and his brother. And apparently he won't move into the 27-story home until his mother does. And his mother is not going to move in until both her sons reconcile.
CHO: Yes, there's been a fight about the money, right?
BILCHIK: So that's the real story. Correct.
CHO: Yes.
BILCHIK: But right now I want to tell you they're living in a 14- story, much more modest home because the 27-story is going to have three helicopter pads, floating gardens, endless ballrooms. So --
CHO: We all need three helicopter pads.
BILCHIK: Exactly.
CHO: You never know.
BILCHIK: So what's happening in Mumbai, so when they do move in, hopefully we'll get some of the pictures of the gold fittings and the marble staircases. I mean how do you spend a billion dollars on a home?
CHO: I can only imagine what it looks like on the inside. Nadia Bilchik, thank you very much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: NEWSROOM continues at the top of the hour with Fredricka Whitfield. I have to say, we've fallen into like high school girl talk whenever we sit on the couch together.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: During the breaks, I know.
CHO: But you've got serious business.
WHITFIELD: How are you?
CHO: I'm doing well. How about yourself?
WHITFIELD: Good to see you.
CHO: Good to see you, too.
WHITFIELD: Actually, well, you know, our legal guys are going to be here.
CHO: Oh, we love them.
WHITFIELD: And we'll get a special treat because Richard Herman is here in the house.
CHO: Love that.
WHITFIELD: A couple weeks ago we had Avery Freeman here. Today it's Richard's turn. And we're going to talk about, holy smokes, we're going to talk about this guy who wears this Batman outfit on a regular basis, but he got himself into some trouble because not only was he wearing the Batman outfit, but apparently he allegedly was carrying some weapons as well. So now he's banned from wearing the outfit. It's a very sorted, strange, kind of Halloween themed --
CHO: Thought he was a real life superhero.
WHITFIELD: Yes, he thought he was the real thing. So no long is he allowed to wear that. We'll explain.
CHO: And you're talking about the economy.
WHITFIELD: We are indeed. You know the government has come out with kind of an incentive for people whose homes are underwater.
CHO: Right.
WHITFIELD: Well, it doesn't apply to everybody. But you do want to listen up because it might apply to you if your home is underwater and you've been making all your mortgage payments, there is incentive to try and help you get on board and keep your home and keep your finances in check.
And then, with our healthy living segment, Dr. Bill Lloyd will be along with us. Insomnia can be a real disruption in your life if you can't sleep, but, you know, what, it really can be a serious health matter. It can cause some serious health matters as it pertains to your heart, heart attacks. CHO: Oh.
WHITFIELD: Yes. So he's along to be along to tell you -- to tell us all what we need to do, how we need to kind of get our sleeping in check, keep our hearts healthy and all that.
CHO: And then I'm sure he'll make a mention or two about diet and, you know, probably didn't include the sour patch kids I ate this morning.
WHITFIELD: Oh, yes. And, you know, that's right. Because, you know what, a lot of times when you don't sleep well, it means you don't eat well, because sometimes you get up and you start snacking, all that stuff.
CHO: Right, right, right, so I hear. I've been known to do that.
WHITFIELD: So we're going to keep you in check from your health, to your finances, and how to stay out of trouble this Halloween.
CHO: OK. Good.
WHITFIELD: We're covering all bases.
CHO: All right, Fred, great to see you, as always.
WHITFIELD: Good to see you, too.
CHO: Keeping kids safe this Halloween. There's actually an app for that on your smartphone. We're going to show you what's out there next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Well, there's a new Barbie on the scene, and this one is causing quite a buzz. Take a look. It's called Tokidoki Barbie. And if you look very closely, you can see tattoos on the neck and the arm. And, yes, that's what's causing all the buzz. Some are wondering why an iconic doll would promote body art. Does it send the right message to kids? Now, to be true, it is quite a departure from the classic Barbie. That's the original one there. That's what she looked like when the little plastic woman first came off the assembly lines back in 1959. But it isn't the first time Barbie has sported tattoos. A couple of years ago you could get stick-on tattoos for Barbie. At the time, some stores pulled those Barbies because of complaints. Same happened with Harley-Davidson Barbie, who also had tattoos.
WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh.
CHO: But Mattel may have a hard time dumping this latest one since its pretty much sold out.
Now, this Halloween, many parents are looking for ways to make it fun and safe for their children. The answer may be as close as your smartphone. Earlier I talked with tech analyst Daniel Sieberg and I started by asking him what sort of apps are out there to keep kids safe. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DANIEL SIEBERG, TECHNOLOGY ANALYST: New York state, which has a Facebook app that allows you look up registered sex offenders by typing in your zip code. This is a relatively new product that they've put out, but not the first time you can do this sort of thing.
On a national level you can actually go to nsopw.gov, that's the National Sex Offender Public Website, and do a similar thing. Type in your zip code and find out who might be living in your neighborhood.
Now, the information varies depending on your jurisdiction. Not every state releases the same type of information. It may not be as up to date as you would like, but at least it's an option for parents knowing you're going to be in a particular neighborhood.
And an interesting app here, this is called Trick or Tracker. And this is for Android phones. The idea is you've got two Android phones, one for your child and one for the adult. Use a pin code to sort of connect those phones so only those two phones can talk to each other. And you can track where your child goes in a particular neighborhood and see it on a map in real time.
CHO: I love this app.
SIEBERG: You can even set a particular neighborhood -- yes, you can set a particularly area where they can't go out of and it will send you a text message to tell you they've wandered off somewhere. You can even get it to send you a text message every 15 minutes just to watch where they are. You know, a lot of kids these days do have smartphones, especially teenagers and maybe the parents aren't with them. So this is just a little bit of peace of mind. It's about $5, but it is free through Halloween.
CHO: Oh, well that's nice. That's a nice little promotion.
SIEBERG: Yes.
CHO: Probably well worth it for Trick or Tracker.
All right, let's talk about the fun now. There are lots of good apps out there to help you with costumes, with pumpkin design. You know, what have you got there?
SIEBERG: Yes, there's all sorts of things. Themes, wallpapers for your smartphones. This one in particular is all about finding the best costume for your child. This is a dilemma for my wife and I at the moment. We still don't know what our daughter's going to wear. She's not quite a year. But you can see a whole list of different costumes here. Once you decide, maybe you want to check one out, you can e-mail the choice to friend or family member maybe to get their opinion on it. You can even order it right there on the website. They do say that it's guaranteed delivery by Monday, which would be critical to have your Halloween costume.
CHO: Exactly. SIEBERG: But lots of choices there. Just a fun way to sort of see what might work for your child.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Thanks so much for joining us on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Alina Cho. I'll be back tomorrow morning at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
CNN NEWSROOM continues now with my good friend Fredricka Whitfield.
Hey there.
WHITFIELD: All right. We will see you bright and early.
CHO: And I'll be watching.
