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CNN Saturday Morning News

Secret Service Embarrassment; Plains States Brace for Storms; Battle to Win Women Voters

Aired April 14, 2012 - 07:00   ET

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

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Well, thanks for starting your morning with us. We've got much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE (voice-over): From CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

Allegations of a shocking scandal send U.S. Secret Service agents home from the president's trip to Colombia. We'll bring you details.

Also, remember these images from Tuscaloosa last year? Meteorologists are bracing for another tornado outbreak as devastating as this one -- likely just hours from now. We'll talk with a storm chaser on his way to Tornado Alley.

And our weekend in focus today: madame constituent. Throughout the morning, we take a look at what women want this November, and what the candidates must do to win their votes.

And later this hour, we're getting physical with a professional trainer live on set. We'll talk fitness, nutrition, and I may even show him a move or two.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: It is Saturday, April 14th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye.

A problem with President Obama's Secret Service detail is overshadowing his trip to Colombia this morning. He's there for the Summit of the Americas. But before the president even step off the plane in the Cartagena. A dozen agents were sent home and replaced by a different set of agents. The problem stems from at least one agent's involvement with prostitutes while in Cartagena.

And here what is the agency is saying to CNN. "There have been allegations of misconduct made against Secret Service personnel in Cartagena, Colombia, prior to the president's trip. Because of this, those personnel are being relieved of their assignments, returned to their place of duty, and are being replaced by other Secret Service personnel."

The agency says the president's security was never compromised. We all got a quick reminder how important security is for a trip like this. There were four explosions in Colombia yesterday, two in Cartagena, where the president is, and two near the U.S. embassy in Bogota.

Earlier, I talked to journalist and best-selling author Ronald Kessler. He actually broke this story, and he says it started with one agent who refused to pay a local prostitute. I asked him if all 12 of the agents were involved.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RONALD KESSLER, JOURNALIST/AUTHOR (via telephone): My understanding is all 12, you know, to one degree or another, whether actually doing it or covering it up, and they are all going to be investigated by the Office of Professional Responsibility.

(CROSSTALK)

KAYE: Just to be clear, soliciting prostitution in Colombia is not illegal, correct?

KESSLER: Right, as long as it's in certain designated areas.

But, of course, it's totally inappropriate for Secret Service agents to be going to prostitutes, especially on a foreign trip, when they are protecting the president and subjects some to possible blackmail because, you know, one of these prostitutes knowing that there's an agent is with the Secret Service, could blackmail him. Many of them are married, could blackmail them by insisting that let's say a terrorist be allowed in a secure area, which could result in assassinations. So, it's really shocking.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: And we'll go live to Colombia for more on this next hour.

People living in the plains are on alert for likely tornado outbreak later today. A tornado touched down late yesterday in Norman, Oklahoma area, ripping off rooftops. There were no serious injuries. But high winds in Yuba City, California, caused damage -- you see it here at this car dealership. Incredibly, nobody was hurt.

Meteorologist Alexandra Steele is watching the weather for us. And she has a look at the high risk areas for tornadoes today.

Good morning, Alexandra.

ALEXANDRA STEELE, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning to you, Randi.

You know, what the problem will be, a lot of these could happen after dark tonight. So, that's always difficult. And then, of course, very serious, strong and long tracked tornadoes.

So, here's the scenario this morning. Here's where we're watching the rain, some thunderstorms as well. We do have a tornado watch, no tornado warnings yet. But Oklahoma City, St. Louis, I-44 corridor, kind of under the gun with the heaviest rain -- if you're heading out there this morning. Here is what the tornado watch is, that is ready until 9:00 Central Time this morning. And mostly, including Tulsa, Ponca City, Oklahoma, just southeastern extreme Kansas, that's what we have so far.

But what we're going to see take shape today is this -- this is the threat, and this is the quadrant of concern: Oklahoma City, Wichita, Kansas City, all the ingredients really coming together for quite a tornado outbreak. And again, especially after about 5:00, 6:00 tonight.

So warm, moist air coming up from the Gulf, upper level cold pocket, also this extreme jet stream kind of running in this warm, moist air. Watches what happens from Saturday into Sunday, the threat moves north, believe it or not.

So, here's the biggest threat today. This is the quadrant of concern. Here are the cities gain today.

And, again, a lot of this happening after dark tonight. So, kind of have a plan ready, maybe have a bicycle helmet or a flashlight, some food. Just so you kind of poise and ready.

Des Moines, Wichita, K.C., Oklahoma City, Abilene. As we look towards tomorrow, look at this -- Green Bay, Wisconsin, all the way south to Houston, Texas. About 5 million people impacted today and tomorrow. And this is about 1, 000 mile radius.

So, what we're going to see here -- severe weather threat there and really beautiful, though, Randi, in the Northeast. Southeast, very stormy, we got snow Intermountain West to boot.

KAYE: It does look beautiful, except right here in the Midwest, where there is tornadoes heading.

STEELE: Yes.

KAYE: All right. Alexandra, thank you very much.

There is a salmonella outbreak we want to tell you about this morning. The CDC says at least 116 people in 20 states and the nation's capital have gotten sick. Investigators believe a frozen raw yellow fin tuna product could be the source. The tuna meat may be used in sushi, sashimi and similar dishes.

Mitt Romney's advisors say this moment marks the start of his general election campaign. Romney addressed the NRA convention in St. Louis yesterday. He said President Obama's attack on economic freedom is the reason the recovery has been slow.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We need a president who will enforce current laws, not create new ones that only serve to burden lawful gun owners. President Obama has not, I will.

We need a president who will stand up for the rights of hunters and sportsmen and those who want to protect their homes and families. President Obama has not, I will.

And if we are going to safeguard our Second Amendment, it's time to elect a president who will defend the rights President Obama ignores or minimizes. And I will protect the Second Amendment rights of American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Rick Santorum also addressed the convention. Santorum suspended his campaign earlier this week. He said he would stump for conservative candidates in the coming election, but stopped short of endorsing Mitt Romney.

Putting Ann Romney front and center on the campaign stage. The Romney campaign is hoping the candidate's wife can help erase the big lead President Obama has with female voters. We'll talk about the strategy after the break.

This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING -- where news doesn't take the week off.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: And good morning, Washington. Gad you're with us. Watching CNN SATURDAY MORNING this morning. Hope this is a great start to your day.

(MUSIC)

KAYE: This morning, we're taking a closer look at the 2012 election and battle for the women's vote. The latest poll shows President Obama with a sizeable lead over Mitt Romney, but Romney's hoping to close that gap with the help of his wife, Ann.

I talked with our political editor Paul Steinhauser about this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: The Romney campaign, Randi, has been using Ann Romney to a degree to help when it comes to female voters. We saw her take a bigger kind of role in her husband's campaign back in the primaries back in February and March. And I think you're going to see a lot of more of her now that we're moving into the general election, especially when it comes to reaching out to female voters.

Part of the Romney campaign's argument that the Obama administration is not helping women when it comes to the economy and when it comes to jobs. They are using Ann Romney as the conduit.

KAYE: As far as choice as president goes, Obama is doing pretty well with women there, 57 percent, compared to 44 percent with men. Romney is the flip of that. Romney is 52 percent with men and only 38 percent with women.

Will the female vote, do you think, this time around be enough to carry Obama back to the White House? STEINHAUSER: I think that's one of the things that the Obama reelection campaign is hoping for. We've seen this gender gap, Randi, going back to 1980. Democratic presidential candidates doing better with women, Republican candidates doing better with women.

So, the strategy here, I guess, for the president and his reelection team is to make sure that they do really well with women to make up for their deficit among men, and vice versa for Mitt Romney.

KAYE: What if anything can Romney do, though, to change women's minds?

STEINHAUSER: Well, they are hoping that as we get away from the primaries, social issues that have come up that have been maybe damaging to him when it comes to female voters will fall away. And, again, he's going to concentrate on the economy. He's going to say that what President Barack Obama has done the last couple years has not helped women at all, that a lot of women have lost jobs in the Obama economy. And again, you're going to continue to see Ann Romney out there front and center, reaching out to female voters to carry that message.

We'll see if they are successful.

KAYE: How much do you think Romney will be looking to the vice presidential candidate to try and help him in this category? I mean, what should he be looking for in that candidate?

STEINHAUSER: Oh, yes. This is fascinating. This is what we're going to be talking about non-stop between now and probably August when you would assume Mitt Romney will announce his running mate.

If he has a problem with women voters, according to these polls, we've seen, does that mean he needs to pick a female running mate? Well, maybe.

He's had a deficit as well among Latino voters. Does he need to pick maybe a Latino or Hispanic running mate?

What about social conservative voters. We saw in the primaries he had a problem with them. A lot of them were flocking to Rick Santorum and to some of the other candidates. So, does he need a strong social conservative running mate?

What about Tea Party supporters? Another place where he had a problem in the primaries. Does he need somebody who's a real fiscal conservative hawk, somebody who's very popular with Tea Party voters?

All these areas -- what about the battle ground states as well, does he somebody from Florida, from Ohio, or one of the other important battleground states?

All these are considerations as Mitt Romney looks now toward his running mate. It will be the biggest decision he makes as the nominee on the Republican side.

KAYE: Yes. Can certainly make or break his candidacy, we have seen that before.

STEINHAUSER: Oh, yes.

KAYE: Paul Steinhauser, thank you very much.

STEINHAUSER: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: And later, we'll tackle the buying power of women and how they keep the economy going no matter if they are working woman or a stay- at-home mom. Just what do they want from the next president?

I'll talk with a working mother and an economist later on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

More gas in your tank and more money in your wallet -- yes, it really can happen. Why some people are saying gas prices may have peaked, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Good morning and welcome back. Getting a check now of your top stories.

Syrians are once again under siege just a couple of days after the start of a ceasefire. Government troops opened fire on protesters in Daraa where a human rights group says at least 20 people have been injured.

Meanwhile, in the city of Homs was hit again by another round of shelling from forces loyal to the Syrian president. It all comes as the U.N. Security Council is expected to vote soon on a draft resolution which demands access to Syria for outside observers and calls on both sides to end the violence.

An Oklahoma man accused of shooting five people in a deadly rampage a week ago says he does not hate African-Americans. In a jailhouse interview, Jake England says he grew up with friends of all races and, quote, "always got along with everybody."

On Friday, prosecutors filed murder and hate crime charges England and other man, Alvin Watts. All victims were black, while England and Watts are white. Three of those victims died, two (AUDIO BREAK).

And for everyone frustrated by the amount of money it cost to fill up your gas tank these days, here's some good news. Gas prices have been falling, that's right. I did say falling, for the past seven days. AAA says the decline has shaved nearly 4 cents off the price of gas, bringing the national average to just above $3.90 a gallon.

A slight drop in crude prices plus Iran's decision to negotiate over its nuclear program has helped push prices lower, and it's all leading analysts to say gas prices may have peaked for the year.

All right. So, my whole team is really, really pumped up, I should say about our next guest. OK, maybe a little scared, too, because he's huge! Oh, my.

We are talking easy exercises. They're not going to make thank you big, don't worry. But we'll show you exercises you can do at home. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Oh, yes, we're getting physical this morning all right. We all know summer is coming quick and we all want to have our best beach bodies.

So, we asked personal trainer Daryl Stafford to get us in shape this morning. He is joining me now to show us some exercises that we can do at home to shed a few extra pounds and stay in shape.

And thank you so much.

But before we get to exercises and your great tips, we're going to get busy working out. But I have some statistics that I want you to take a look at. Obesity, of course, is a huge problem in America, 78 million people, affecting one third of U.S. adults, 17 percent of children, ages 2-19.

So, Daryl, what is the most important thing do you think people need to know in order to begin to shed weight and get into a healthier lifestyle?

DARYL STAFFORD, PERSONAL TRAINER: Well, first of all, people need to know that they need to get their bodies moving.

KAYE: Get off the couch.

STAFFORD: Get off the couch.

You need to be active, whether it's inside or outside. Inside, doing weights or doing some exercises that we're going to talk about later on today.

Or outside, being involved with sports, you know, running, jumping. I mean, it's never ending as far as things to do outside.

KAYE: You started somewhere. I mean, you didn't start out looking like this. So how does the average person get started?

STAFFORD: The average person should look in maybe joining a gym, look into maybe buying something for in-home -- there is videos out there, there is a lot of information.

KAYE: You know, when you're trying to lose weight or get in shape, a lot of people say, well, should I exercise or should I worry about my diet? Is one more important than the other?

STAFFORD: You're 80 percent of what you achieve through what you eat. But I would say doing both would be the ultimate way to go about getting the results that you want. So both. KAYE: OK. So some quick healthy eating tips. Say for example what should folks waking up right now, what should they be having for a good healthy breakfast?

STAFFORD: Good healthy breakfast would be oatmeal meal, with protein, preferably eggs. For the most part, you know, complex carbohydrates, something that's going to give you energy that will keep you going throughout the day.

KAYE: So, nothing -- so not white bread, maybe whole wheat or something like that.

STAFFORD: Nothing processed. Whole wheat is fine, because it breaks down much slower.

KAYE: And then you have a little bit of a snack maybe and then lunch. I know you remember a sweet potato and brown rice. So, is that OK with all the carbs?

STAFFORD: So, that's fine as long as you do it at lunch time. I definitely recommending cutting your complex carbohydrates back after 4:00.

KAYE: OK. And for dinner also, lean protein and lots of veggies.

STAFFORD: Green vegetable-type, fibrous carbohydrates.

KAYE: All right. Listen, I know we have a couple weights here, OK? So, you're going to show me very quick exercise before we take a break and then we're going to come back. We're going to folks a lot more exercises.

So, what do I do?

STAFFORD: You have to turn the dumbbells this way.

KAYE: Oh, the hammer.

STAFFORD: Exactly.

KAYE: Oh, I'm going to stand up. It's going to be a lot easier for me. OK.

STAFFORD: I want your arms completely down. Full extension all the way.

KAYE: Oh, all the way down there. OK.

STAFFORD: Yes, ma'am. And then you're going to curl all the way up to shoulder level.

KAYE: I've been doing them wrong all these years.

STAFFORD: No higher. You want to keep tension the muscle. You're going to keep bring it up there and stop. All the way down.

KAYE: OK. Do use it two-count slower the better?

STAFFORD: We'll do it in a three-count.

KAYE: Oh. All right. I'm working up a sweat here.

STAFFORD: You're doing great

KAYE: I didn't know I would be working out.

STAFFORD: Not a problem you have great arms.

KAYE: Thank you very much. So do you.

STAFFORD: Thank you.

KAYE: I'm going to keep doing this, I'll keep working out and if you stick around, Daryl is going to be back and we're going to show you some great moves that you can do at home, maybe this morning right after that healthy breakfast.

Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: All right. Welcome back, everyone.

We are back with Daryl Stafford, who is whipping up into shape. I invited, I can't do all the work by myself this morning, so I invited my producer Troy Bentley to join us.

OK. Daryl, we're showing everybody some quick tips at home that they can do, maybe even at their desk while they're at work.

So, why don't you take Troy, give them something to do.

TROY BENTLEY, CNN PRODUCER: Don't hurt me, Daryl.

STAFFORD: Not a problem, Troy.

Hey, let's work with your triceps first, Troy, all right? So, I want new front of the bench, and we're going to do some bench dips.

BENTLEY: I can do this at work?

STAFFORD: You sure can. We'll have the dumb bell here and I want you sitting. One hand here, one hand here. You're going to slide your hips an inch away from the bench. Lower yourself down, shoulders don't go lower than the elbows, come back there.

KAYE: Working your triceps.

BENTLEY: Can I do this from my chair at work?

STAFFORD: Oh, most definitely.

KAYE: Or your desk. BENTLEY: Or my desk.

KAYE: I'll let you borrow my desk.

What about for the legs, that works triceps, anything quick for legs?

STAFFORD: Perfect. Tell you what? Have a seat here. We'll do something called dumbbell squats, OK?

One dumb bell here, one there. OK, keep your back straight, shoulders back, press through your heels as you stand, straight up. Down.

KAYE: See, Troy, you can do that.

STAFFORD: That's it. Perfect. You can do that?

BENTLEY: OK.

KAYE: That's great.

STAFFORD: There we go.

KAYE: What about for shoulders, I like shoulders. Shoulders are good.

STAFFORD: Have a seat back on the bench.

KAYE: We can do shoulders together. I'll grab some weights, too.

STAFFORD: OK. Randi, why don't you do a side lateral for me, arm at a time. Alternate.

KAYE: There we go.

STAFFORD: There we go.

And right here for me Troy, straight up overhead, military class, here, hold it. Perfect.

KAYE: Troy, how do you think the rest of the team will look at us when we come back to work tomorrow and do these at our desk?

Don't mess with us.

(CROSSTALK)

KAYE: Should you change -- this is good.

STAFFORD: You want to change. You want to alternate.

KAYE: But should you change up the body parts every week or every workout?

STAFFORD: Here is the thing.

KAYE: You got to let the muscles rest. STAFFORD: Right. You're going to let the muscles recuperate. Full body workouts three times a week, I'd be great. As you progress, you can actually break the body parts down, and do different parts each day.

KAYE: Do you feel like you started here something, Troy? I know you wanted to restart your workout?

STAFFORD: Good job.

KAYE: You're going to be sore tomorrow.

BENTLEY: I like it. I'm already sweating.

KAYE: Well, Daryl, thank you so much. This has really been great. I would like to you do the honors as we head off to our next program. We'll be back in 30 minutes of course.

But can you read that prompter right there for us and toss to that?

STAFFORD: OK.

KAYE: This one right here.

STAFFORD: Sorry.

"SANJAY GUPTA, M.D." begins now.