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CNN Saturday Morning News
Accused 9/11 Plotters In Court Today; Blind Activist May Come To U.S. Kentucky Derby Race Today; Tonight's Supermoon
Aired May 05, 2012 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: From CNN Center in Atlanta, this is WEEKEND EARLY START.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has to be the death penalty.
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KAYE: Families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks arrive in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the admitted mastermind behind the notorious day of terror is arraigned today.
Plus, no more skinny models. That's "Vogue" magazine's shocking new message to the world as they push a healthier body image. We'll get one model's thoughts about it.
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DANIA SUAREZ, COLOMBIAN ESCORT (through translator): They're a bunch of fools. They're responsible for Obama's security and they still let this happen.
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KAYE: Her story about what really happened the night she met the U.S. Secret Service agents in a Colombian hotel room.
And then there's this.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sexy and I know it.
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KAYE: Why a song lyric got this six-year-old with special needs suspended from school.
It is Saturday, May 5th. Good morning, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye.
We start with the court appearance that we'll all be watching today. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other alleged terrorists are being arraigned in Gitmo. Mohammed is the admitted mastermind of 9/11, blamed for planning the attack that killed 2,996 people at the World Trade Center. It will be a rare look at the man dubbed KSM. After Osama bin Laden's death, he's probably the most notorious terrorist alive in the world. Our Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence is in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Randi, this will be the first time many of us have laid eyes on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in years. And some of the victims' family whose traveled down here to Guantanamo Bay are already apprehensive about what he may say or do in court.
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LAWRENCE (voice-over): The man accused of masterminding the 9/11 attacks will have the stage again this weekend. The question is, what will Khalid Sheikh Mohammed do with the spot spotlight.
REAR ADM. DON GUTER (RET.), FORMER NAVY JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL: When I've had conversations with other people that think the circus is going to begin with the first appearance. So I think you have to tune in and find out what's going to happen.
LAWRENCE: Former Judge Advocate General Don Guter felt the Pentagon shake on 9/11. One of his staffers was on the plane that hit the building. But Guter opposes trying suspected terrorists at Guantanamo Bay.
GUTER: This is a risky way to take care of these trials, these important trials.
LAWRENCE: In 2008, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed plead guilty to murder and said "I'm looking to be a martyr." But that military commission got canceled.
LT. COL. NEAL PUCKETT (RET.), FORMER MARINE CORPS LAWYER: The original set of rules and laws that were set down under the Bush administration for the trial by military commissions were basically struck down by the Supreme Court and so they had to start over and basically put together a new framework.
LAWRENCE: In 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder announced he was moving KSM to New York to be tried in federal court.
ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Those allegedly responsible for the attacks of September the 11th will finally face justice.
LAWRENCE: The backlash, public and political, was fierce.
RUDY GIULIANI, FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: It's an unnecessary risk to the city of New York.
LAWRENCE: Holder reversed his decision last year, taking KSM back before a military commission and this weekend's arraignment.
PUCKETT: And that's definitely a political question, it's definitely a question for whichever administration has Gitmo on their plate.
(END VIDEOTAPE) LAWRENCE: Some of the defense attorneys have argued that the detainees communications with their attorneys was seized and read by the government. They're going to raise that objection with the convening authority and this trial may be delayed yet again.
Randi.
KAYE: Chris Lawrence, thank you very much for that report.
President Obama officially kicks off his re-election campaign today with a rally in the critical swing state of Ohio. The president and first lady, Michelle Obama, head to Columbus in just about four hours from now, And then it's on to Virginia. They're already getting a not- so-warm welcome from Mitt Romney. In an open letter in "The Cleveland Plain Dealer," Romney asked Obama, where are the jobs? We'll have much more on the campaign kickoff throughout the morning.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has a message for troops heading off to Afghanistan -- don't misbehave. At Fort Benning, Georgia, he warned deploying soldiers, the enemy is always watching and just one misstep, one embarrassing photo can put fellow troops' lives and America's standing at risk.
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LEON PANETTA, DEFENSE SECRETARY: These incidents concern me and they have to concern you. And they do concern our service chiefs. Because a few who lack judgment, lack professionalism, lack leadership, can hurt all of us.
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KAYE: Panetta's warning follows a Pentagon report detailing several embarrassing incidents in Afghanistan, including the release of a video showing Marines urinating on corpses.
Federal prosecutors plan to get involved in investigating the case of a New York police officer who shot an elderly black veteran. Here's some of the dramatic surveillance footage from the incident last November.
A grand jury decided not to indict Officer Anthony Carelli after seeing this tape and others and hearing from 42 witnesses. It all happened when police responded to a medical emergency alarm for 68- year-old Kenneth Chamberlain. They say Chamberlain refused to let them in and stuck a butcher knife through the door. Chamberlain's family says police had no right to forcibly enter the home because Chamberlain hadn't committed a crime.
An escort at the center of the Secret Service Colombian prostitution scandal is spilling all. She told a Colombian radio station the Secret Service agents involved were, quote, "idiots." And if she had been a spy or a terrorist, she could have easily gotten sensitive information compromising President Obama's security.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DANIA SUAREZ, COLOMBIAN ESCORT (through translator): Of course. At that moment, if I had been a member of one of those terrorist gangs, it's obvious that I would have been able to get everything. Just like the newspapers say, I put them in checkmate. They're a bunch of fools. They're responsible for Obama's security and they still let this happen. I told them, I'm going to call the police so that they would pay me my money. They didn't care. They didn't see the magnitude of the problem, even when being responsible for Obama's security. I could have done a thousand other things.
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KAYE: Believe it or not, Dania Suarez says her reputation and her life have been ruined, but she also says that she's open to other opportunities like posing nude for a magazine for the right price.
Today is one of the biggest days in horse race. So, do you have your mint julep all ready to go? The 138th running of America's most famous race, the Kentucky Derby, happens later today. And Reynolds Wolf is joining me now.
I hope the weather will be beautiful for the derby. Good morning, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well, it depends on how many, I'd say, mint juleps you happen to imbibe there.
KAYE: Anything looks good after a few of those, right?
WOLF: Exactly. I would say so. Today, unfortunately, we've got a 60 percent chance of scattered showers and storms. So it may be a muddy track for the horses. Could be pretty interesting to say the very least. And also possible with some strong thunderstorms, could see some strong wind gusts, possibly knocking off some of those -- those nice hats.
But we're going to have that for you coming up. Plus, we're going to take a look at the forecast for the supermoon. We'll explain what it is and how you can see it best coming up in a few.
KAYE: All right. Looking forward to it, Reynolds, thank you.
WOLF: You bet.
KAYE: And here's a rundown of some stories that we're working on for you this morning.
After a dramatic week of diplomatic negotiations on behalf of a blind Chinese activist, U.S. and Chinese officials have agreed on a resolution. He is headed to America.
Plus, we're focusing on North Carolina's Marriage Amendment Act and how it could affect people's lives. It's not just about same sex marriage this time. Voters head to the polls Tuesday.
And a six-year-old gets suspended at school for sexual harassment just for quoting a popular song. Wait until you hear the lyrics that got this little one in trouble.
And, finally, former police officer, Drew Peterson, makes his first courtroom appearance in nearly two years. Remember, this appearance is about the death of his third wife, not the disappearance of his still- missing wife number four.
You're watching CNN WEEKEND EARLY START.
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KAYE: Welcome back.
The U.S. and China may have found a face-saving way out of a diplomatic crisis that threatened to strained relations between both countries. The Chinese government is now saying that blind activist Chen Guangcheng can apply for a visa to travel to the United States. Chen remains at a Beijing hospital after leaving the U.S. embassy in Beijing where he had sought refuge. CNN's Eunice Yoon joins me now from the Chinese capital.
Good morning, Eunice. What is the latest word on Chen? Has he had contact with U.S. officials yet?
EUNICE YOON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, right now what we know is that he is at the hospital. He is here in China, even though he had hoped to be traveling to the United States quite quickly. This comes, of course, as U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton does indeed depart China. She does leave this blind activist behind after a week of very intense negotiations between the U.S. and China in order to try to find a way forward after this very hot, diplomatic row (ph) between the two countries
Chen Guangcheng, as you know, blind activist who had run to the U.S. embassy, had escaped house arrest. He had hoped to at first stay in China for the longer term to continue to fight for his own cause. However, he flipped on that decision and instead said that he wanted to go to the U.S. So both sides have been trying to negotiate.
And yesterday, at the end of the strategic economic dialogue, Hillary Clinton had said that she was very encouraged about the progress that the two sides were able to make in order to try to hash out some sort of resolution. It looks as though all of the indications are that he will be able to go to the United States to study.
Randi.
KAYE: And why would China be so willing to let him go?
YOON: Well, the reason why China would be willing to let him go is because they probably -- he has a lot of influence here. He'd have more influence here, if he decided to stay in China, as a symbol of the human rights movement than he would if he were to leave. So that's one of the reasons why a lot of people believe that he -- that China is incentivized to allow Chen to leave this country.
Randi. KAYE: Yes, it sounds like they just want to get him out of there.
And why his change of heart? As you said, he originally wanted to stay in China, but no longer.
YOON: Right. Well, a lot of people have been saying that he had been very concerned about his own personal safety and also, in fact, we managed to speak to some of his supporters who indeed have been under house arrest, who have been detained. Some of the supporters, just regular citizens as well, who want to show their own support for Chen and visit him at the hospital were detained or taken away by police. So there's a lot of issues that they are worried about. A lot of people who are concerned about his personal safety still as he is sitting in the hospital.
Randi.
KAYE: Eunice Yoon, thank you very much for the update. Appreciate that.
So if you're shacking up in North Carolina, you may soon be breaking the law. We'll take you in focus on Amendment 1. It's the bill that not only forbids gay marriage but also dissolves unions between unmarried straight couples.
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KAYE: This morning we're putting in focus a proposed amendment to the North Carolina state constitution that could forever change the lives of thousands of people who are in love. It's called Amendment 1, and it's on Tuesday's ballot there. It would make marriage between one man and one woman the only recognized domestic legal union in the state. Remember, same sex marriage is already illegal there. But North Carolina is the only southern state not to have such an amendment in its constitution. Critics say Amendment 1 would also invalidate civil unions and domestic partnerships even for straight couples.
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JERRY MILLER, FATHER OF A GAY SON: With this definition of marriage, then any other relationship that straight or gay couples have could be annulled.
TOM DIEPENBROCK, ATTORNEY & AMENDMENT ONE SUPPORTER: It's basically just a statement that in North Carolina, marriage is going to remain defined as between a man and a woman.
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KAYE: The famous Reverend Billy Graham spoke out in support of the amendment. In a rare statement on the controversial topic he said, "watching the moral decline of our country causes me great concern. I believe the home and marriage is the foundation of our society and must be protected."
But high profile supporters of same sex marriage are also speaking out. Chelsea Clinton issued a statement urging everyone to vote against the anti-gay legislation saying, "it is our duty to join the fight on behalf of both the gay and lesbian North Carolinians who were the original targets of the amendment and the tens of thousands of straight male and female North Carolinians who will be collateral damage if the amendment passes next Tuesday."
And then there is this story of the North Carolina pastor, Sean Harris, who says he was using hyperbole when he told his congregation to hit their sons if they behaved effeminately. The sermon was in advance of next week's vote.
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SEAN HARRIS, PASTOR, BEREAN BAPTIST CHURCH: Dads, the second you see your son dropping the limp wrist, you walk over there and crack that wrist. Give a good punch, OK. You're not going to act like that.
If I had to do it again, would I say it differently? Yes. Yes, I would. And everyone in the congregation on that morning understood that there was no intent in any way, shape or form that I meant to break a wrist. The Bible makes no compromising for effeminate behavior. God created you a male. God created you a female. If you were created as a male, you are to act as a man.
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KAYE: Harris apologized for offending people after the sermon went viral and points out that his sermon ended with a message of tolerance.
By the way, recently polling shows that right now more people are in favor of the amendment and it is likely to pass.
Coming up throughout the morning, we have some big guests on this topic, including a state lawmaker who championed the amendment is up next hour.
Also ahead, a reverend who opposes it and a lesbian couple whose lives could be directly affected by it.
Plus this.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One hundred and fifty-four pounds for the defending world champion.
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KAYE: It is fight night in Vegas as two boxing titans battle for the super welterweight title. We'll tell you the odds on favorite in the multimillion dollar stakes.
And the Kentucky Derby is today, but the threat of severe storms could dampen the mood.
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KAYE: All right. So when you hear Cinco de Mayo, you may think about margaritas and caso (ph). But the holiday actually has its roots in a pretty significant event. It all goes back to this day in 1862. That's when the Mexican army defeated their French rivals in the battle of the Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War. Today, people in the U.S. and some in Mexico remember the event with parades, street festivals and other celebrations.
Time to look at stories that are making headlines cross-country.
Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather are ready to rumble in Las Vegas tonight. They're fighting it out for the World Boxing Association's super welterweight crown. Cotto is the defending champion, but Mayweather, nicknamed "Money," is favored to win. If he does, he takes home a record $32 million.
What started out as a small Spirit Airlines protest in Florida has turned into a huge victory for 76-year-old Vietnam vet Jerry Meekins. Thousands of supporters, though a social media campaign, finally pressured the airline to refund his $197 ticket to visit his daughter. Shortly after buying the ticket, Meekins learned that the cancer he's been battling was terminal and did not want to risk flying and exposing himself to germs with a weakened immune system.
In California, a four day trail ride through the Cleveland National Forest turned into a nightmare for three people and four horses. Airlift crews were called in for a rescue after they all fell into a ravine. One horse died. The humans were exhausted but uninjured. Amazing.
A huge day for sports. If the NBA playoffs and the Miguel Cotto-Floyd Mayweather fight tonight isn't enough, yes, you guessed it, it is also the Kentucky Derby. A race that has history dating back to 1875.
And I know, Reynolds, you're certainly looking forward to the race. Why is the run for the roses so special?
WOLF: Well, there's a variety of reasons. I mean, like you mentioned, it has been going on since 1875. Another great aspect of it is the race itself is really just a very short duration. It's only just a few minutes. But it's really the lead up to it. The pageantry of it. People go there to not only see, but to be seen. And it is the start of three separate horse races that we call the triple crown. You have first, the Kentucky Derby. Then you have the Preakness. Then you have the Belmont. And all of the races are all different lengths and strategies have to be different for every single race. And it's been quite a while since we've had one horse win all three called the triple crown.
The problem is, though, Randi, weather may not cooperate today. In fact, take a look at what we have right now. We've got some scattered showers. We've got a few storms out there in the Ohio Valley. Here's Louisville. Churchill Downs not far from that spot. You see a lot of the rainfall. What we are hoping, Randi, is that the rain is going to be moving out. A few of those thunderstorms will be driving in also. But, still, the track should be fairly muddy and we can't rule out more shower activity popping up into the afternoon. So we're going to give it about a 60 percent chance. But temperatures around 82 degrees, Randi, so it should be kind of humid to say the very least.
KAYE: So when that's all done and we're -- we've had our fill of sports for the day, there's going to be a pretty special moon tonight, isn't there, if we're still awake?
WOLF: (INAUDIBLE). Yes, absolutely. I mean we just throw a cape on it and put an s on the moon and call it a supermoon, because that's basically what we refer to it as. Every year the moon has one particular run close to the earth where it's a little bit closer than the other 364 days of the year. Tonight is going to be that night. The moon is going to appear anywhere from 16 to 14 percent larger. And there are going to be certain parts of the country where it will be better to see it than others. Mainly upon parts of the extreme northeast, the eastern Great Lakes, the skies are going to be clear. Partly cloudy in parts of Atlanta. And in the central Plains, clear skies out west.
11:30 is going to be the time. And just to give you a quick little snivit (ph) of advice. If you are able to really catch a shot of the moon as it's comes up over the horizon. It's going to appear even bigger because of the water vapor in the atmosphere, a lot of the dust might give it a nice looking hue. Last March it was -- actually March of 2011, it was almost a reddish hue over Washington, D.C. So, again, the earlier you see it, the better. 11:30 should be the time it should be setting up over the horizon.
KAYE: Yes, I've seen it coming up on the horizon in Florida and it is something. It's pretty spectacular.
WOLF: It is breathtaking.
KAYE: I think I'll probably be sleeping for tonight, but we'll get some video for us for tomorrow morning.
WOLF: Maybe some -- we'll do what we can.
KAYE: OK. All right, Reynolds, thank you.
WOLF: You bet.
KAYE: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has harsh words for the troops.
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LEON PANETTA, DEFENSE SECRETARY: A few who lack judgment, lack professionalism, lack leadership, can hurt all of us.
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KAYE: We'll tell you why some troops are getting a warning from their boss.
Plus, we're in Ohio where President Obama is officially kicking off his 2012 campaign for the White House. I'll also tell you about an unusual new pitchman the president is unleashing.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It is just about 30 minutes past the hour. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. So glad that you're starting your day with us. So, grab your coffee, let me fill you in on some of the morning headlines.
The man who admits to masterminding the September 11th terror attacks will be in court today. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed is expected to be arraigned before a military tribunal, along with four other alleged al Qaeda operatives at Guantanamo Bay. Several families of 9/11 victims have flown in to watch the proceedings. Mohammed once told military authorities that he planned the attacks, quote, "from a to z."
A tough economy isn't hurting business for billionaire Warren Buffett. First quarter profits at his Berkshire Hathaway firm doubled from the period a year ago to a whopping $3.25 billion. Berkshire Hathaway owns more than 80 companies, including insurer GEICO and railroad company Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
Shane Bauer and Sarah Shourd, who American hikers who were imprisoned in Iran for spying, are set to marry today. That is according to Bauer's mother. The couple became engaged while in captivity with a ring Bauer made from threads of his shirt. Bauer, Shourd and another friend were arrested near Iran's border with Iraq nearly three years ago.
Visionary, trailblazer, legend, just some of the tributes pouring in for Adam Yauch, a founding member of the groundbreaking rap group, the Beastie Boys, who has died after a three year battle with cancer. Yauch, a self-taught bassist and vocalist is survived by his wife and daughter. He was just 47.
President Obama's 2012 reelection campaign officially kicks off today in the battleground state of Ohio. Jessica Yellin is in Columbus.
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Randi, President Obama won Ohio by 4 points in 2008, but the latest polling shows a statistical dead-heat in the state with Romney ahead when it comes to the economy. So, Mitt Romney will be back in the state next week, and the president is making a big statement by officially launching his campaign here.
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YELLIN (voice-over): On the campus of Ohio State University, pockets of enthusiasm for the president's first official campaign rally.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Be excited. Have some energy.
YELLIN: But the excitement of 2008 is missing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you signed up?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. YELLIN: So the campaign is pouring resources in Ohio to keep it competitive. The state director has been here since 2009. His message to voters, the president's auto bailout boosted the local economy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now one out of every eight jobs in Ohio is related to the auto industry.
YELLIN: The Obama campaign has 18 field offices, Romney opens his first next week. And Democrats say they will try to use that local presence to win over undecided voters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not a 30 second ad, it's not a direct mail piece, it is voter-to-voter contact between a screen door. And that kind of validation between the volunteer from that neighborhood gives us a huge advantage.
YELLIN: Then there is social media 2012, a step up from the last campaign. Ashley Bryant (ph), a Cincinnati native, is the state's digital media director.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So we're showing the president doing the O-H-I-O stance, which is fantastic to get people excited for Saturday.
YELLIN: She runs an Ohio-based campaign blog, iPad app, and Twitter account with messages localized to Ohio voters.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anything that we do we are usually covering all of our platforms. We're posting it on the blog, on the Web site, on Flickr, everywhere in between.
YELLIN: At the Saturday rally, volunteers will be checking in attendees with this app. Speakers can ask the audience to retweet campaign messages, and there will be a photo booth on-site.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we're actually going to be showing their photos on the big screen during the rally.
YELLIN (on camera): On the Jumbotron?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Exactly.
YELLIN (voice-over): Sounds modern and new, but is it enough?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, voters in Ohio and across the country know that the 2008 Obama campaign of hope and change has turned into 2012 campaign of hype and blame.
YELLIN: At this phone bank, the president has loyal supporters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If Barack Obama can end the war in Iraq, then he will have a successful presidency.
YELLIN: Political observers say the contest in this state will be a dog fight. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any lack of enthusiasm for Obama will be matched equally by a lack of enthusiasm for Romney. I just don't see a lot of energy period in Ohio politics right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
YELLIN: So why Columbus? Political observers consider the Columbus region to be the swing region of this swing state. So it gets a lot of attention from politicians.
Now from here, Randi, the president will go on to Richmond, Virginia, and give another rally at Virginia Commonwealth University, we'll be covering that one, too -- Randi.
KAYE: Thank you very much, Jessica. President Obama has also unleashed a new pitchman for his 2012 campaign, it is Bo, the White House family pet. That is why we said unleashed, get it?
Internet ads featuring the first dog have run steadily in recent months, urging voters to "bark for Barack" by donating to the campaign. What will they think of next?
Well, this next story got us all talking this morning.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sexy and I know it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: That six-year-old sang that very popular song in school and now he is suspended for sexual harassment. That's right, sexual harassment. I'll explain, next.
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KAYE: So it seems like this song is everywhere, have you heard the LMFAO hit single "I'm sexy and know it"? Well, it's pretty catchy, Reynolds. It turns out though, the mother of a Colorado first-grader is wishing that her son never came across it because, guess what, he has actually been suspended from school for three days for singing those six little words to another girl in his class. They say that he sexually harassed her. Can you believe this?
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Do you ever have one of those moments of extreme clarity when you realize that how old you're -- me, how old I'm getting. I mean, when I was in school we used to eat paste, and it was a big thing, this is first grade. Now they're singing "I'm sexy and I"...
KAYE: LMFAO. Yes, "I'm sexy and I know it."
WOLF: Makes my heart hurt. Our affiliate KMGH has much more on this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED KMGH REPORTER (voice-over): He has seen the video and he knows the lyrics.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sexy and I know it.
UNIDENTIFIED KMGH REPORTER: But when 6-year-old Diavante (ph) Meadows told a first-grade girl in his class that same line Wednesday, he was suspended from Sable Elementary (ph) in Aurora for three days for sexual harassment.
STEPHANIE MEADOWS, MOTHER OF SUSPENDED BOY: I'm floored. They are going to look at him like he is a pervert period, and it's like, that is not fair to him.
UNIDENTIFIED KMGH REPORTER: With a passion for art, this first-grader came to Sable as a special needs student in January. He has had other discipline problems, including quoting the same line to the same girl last month, when his mother and Diavante met with the assistant principal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I only just like the song.
MEADOWS: I think it's kind of overwhelming, sexual harassment on a 6- year-old.
UNIDENTIFIED KMGH REPORTER: No one from Aurora Public Schools would talk to us on camera. But we checked the district's discipline code, it reads "sexual harassment must have negative effects on the learning or work of others," something the senior child psychologist at Children's Hospital says a 6-year-old won't comprehend.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Purposefully going out of your way to irritate and sexualize a relationship, I don't think so. I think there is probably is a better way to talk about appropriate and inappropriate.
MEADOWS: I can understand if he was fondling her, looking up her shirt, trying to look in her shirt, that, to me, is sexual harassment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: You loved his shirt that he was wearing for that interview.
WOLF: Didn't do it.
KAYE: Didn't do it.
WOLF: Didn't do it. I need one of those shirts. I have to agree with her, I mean, come on, he's 6 years old, when you're that age you're not thinking that way.
KAYE: Right. He probably can't even spell harassment let alone think that he's doing it. But one interesting note though, as we heard in that story, he has been in trouble for disciplinary issues before but he did sing the same line from the same song to that same girl apparently, but this time when he did it, he was "shaking his booty," quote unquote, "near her face," so that was the problem in the past.
WOLF: Yes, I can see how this is a reoccurring thing, but the music, the kids are sponges, they hear it, they repeat it. But shaking the booty...
KAYE: They don't even know what it is.
WOLF: ... that's a whole different stratosphere.
KAYE: Yes, I know. So obviously we have some thoughts on this. I'm sure that you have some thoughts at home on this one. We would like to know what you think. Was it right to suspend a first grader for sexual harassment who had quoted the LMFAO song "I'm Sexy and I Know it" in class? Tweet me @RandiKayeCNN and we'll share your comments on the air. I would love to know what you think.
Sex, lies and campaign cash, we'll take you to North Carolina for a look at the most dramatic week yet in the John Edwards corruption trial.
But first, 51 years ago today, Astronaut Alan Shepard had the "Right Stuff," helping NASA reach the new heights. He became the first American to travel into space in 1961.
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ALAN SHEPHARD, ASTRONAUT: Pilots love to go out and kick the tires and it was sort of like reaching out and kicking the tires on the Redstone, because I stopped and looked at it, looked back and up at this beautiful rocket, and I thought well, OK, buster, let's go and get the job done.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Liftoff.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Liftoff and the clock has started.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: So amazing to see that. It was just one of the many highlight of the era's space race between the U.S. and the Soviets. Shepard would take front and center in another moment 10 years later, he was the fifth astronaut on walk on the Moon as part of the Apollo 14 lunar landing mission.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: A candidate in ruins, a daughter in tears, and 30 years in jail on the table, it was another dramatic week in the political soap opera of the John Edwards corruption trial. Colorful witnesses and testimony from some of the people closest to Edwards during his second presidential run. Joe Johns brings us it latest from Greensboro, North Carolina.
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JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The second week of the John Edwards campaign finance trial saw a parade of former staffers and associates testifying about how Edwards lied again and again about his relationship with his mistress, Rielle Hunter. Former adviser Peter Scher recounting how he asked Edwards in New York in September 2006 whether he was sleeping with Hunter, who had been traveling around with Edwards shooting Web videos of him. Scher said he warned Edwards that if he was having an affair, he should not run for president. Scher said Edwards denied it.
Weeks later after finding out that Hunter was still traveling with Edwards, despite warnings, Scher recounted an angry conversation. Scher said Edwards told him to back off, that he did not need a babysitter. And Scher said Edwards told him to "go (blank) himself."
Meanwhile, Bryan Huffman, an interior designer and friend of wealthy Edwards benefactor Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, captivated the courtroom. Huffman was the middle man for huge under-the-table checks from Mrs. Mellon, which Huffman delivered to Edwards's fixers, Andrew and Sherry Young.
When asked what the 101-year-old Mellon thinks about the case now? "Huffman said, she doesn't condemn affairs but thinks you should pay for your girlfriend yourself."
Huffman also said they didn't know what the money was for. We knew nothing about a girlfriend or a baby, all she wanted to do was make a president. That last statement could have helped the prosecution persuade the jury that Edwards intentionally accepted illegal campaign money, but it happened after the jury had been sent out of the room for an objection.
Huffman's testimony helped both the prosecution and the defense, says a local law professor.
CATHERINE DUNHAM, ELON LAW SCHOOL: They have got to show Bunny Mellon wrote checks. They've got to explain why his name is on the checks. But what he really did for the defense was establish that he didn't know John Edwards at all, he didn't have any connection.
JOHNS: Also testifying was Bunny Mellon's attorney, Alex Forger, who said he started checking out Mellon's secret payments after a $150,000 personal check she wrote to Bryan Huffman for bogus furniture almost bounced.
Probably the dramatic moment of the week came when the testimony of former Edwards research director Christina Reynolds, who was also a friend of the late Elizabeth Edwards, John Edwards's wife.
Reynolds testified after an article about the affair in The National Enquirer, Mrs. Edwards started tearing off her clothes while telling Edwards, you don't see me anymore. The Edwards daughter, Cate, who had been sitting in the courtroom behind her father, got up and walked out in tears.
DUNHAM: That kind of drama in this case really just layers on how personal this story really is. Also think the story of Ms. Edwards and John Edwards's arguments and the difficulty in their marriage really supports the defense theory that he was doing all this to cover up the affair from his wife more so than he was trying to keep his campaign moving forward.
JOHNS: And that is the crux of the came, whether Edwards accepted illegal campaign money to try to cover up the affair, or if the campaign didn't have anything to do with it. The prosecution expects to rest its case next week.
Joe Johns, CNN, Greensboro, North Carolina.
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KAYE: And thank you, Joe. If convicted on all six felony counts he's charged with, including conspiracy and making false statements, Edwards could face up to 30 years in prison. More on this in our next hour.
So remember Drew Peterson, he's the former Illinois police officer charged with murder, he has been locked away for more than a year, be was back in court Friday for allegedly killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio, back in 2004. She was found dead in her bathtub. Her death was originally ruled an accidental drowning, but prosecutors exhumed her body and reopened the case after Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, vanished in 2007.
And there is another twist to all this, Friday's hearing comes after a controversial ruling, the Illinois Appellate Court ruled statements against Peterson made by his missing and dead wives can be used in court. Usually hearsay statements like these cannot be introduced at trial unless a defendant can cross-examine the person who made them. The next hearing is set for May 17th, no trial date has been set yet.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has harsh words for the troops.
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LEON PANETTA, DEFENSE SECRETARY: A few who lack judgment, lack professionalism, lack leadership, can hurt all of us.
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KAYE: We'll tell you why some troops are getting a warning from their boss.
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KAYE: Folks are waking up in Atlanta it looks like a beautiful sunrise there, is breaking, lovely shot of downtown Atlanta there. Good morning. Everyone.
So is bad behavior by some U.S. troops helping U.S. troops lose the hearts and minds of people in Afghanistan? It seems each month there is a new shocking scandal involving the military. Now Leon Panetta, the Pentagon boss, is trying to send troops a wake-up call. Barbara Starr breaks it down for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After a series of high profile incidents of troops misbehaving, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta went to Fort Benning, Georgia, on Friday to say enough is enough.
PANETTA: A few who lack judgment, lack professionalism, lack leadership can hurt all of us.
STARR: In Afghanistan alone, one scandal after another. In January, video of marines urinating on dead insurgents. In February, marine snipers posing with a flag with S.S. initials, the Nazi overtones sparked an investigation. Then riots broke out after U.S. troops inadvertently burned Qurans. Last month, soldiers posing with dead insurgents.
Panetta's Fort Benning speech was broadcast to the entire U.S. military, warning bad behavior can lead to instant international headlines.
PANETTA: And those headlines can impact the mission that we're engaged in. They can put your fellow service members at risk. They can hurt morale. They can damage our standing in the world.
STARR: The investigation of a dozen service members and potential misconduct involving alcohol and prostitutes during President Obama's trip to Colombia brought the issue an even higher profile.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're embarrassed by what occurred in Colombia.
STARR: But the strongest words came from Marine Corps Commandant General James Amos, who told his commanders "recent widely publicized incidents have brought discredit on the Marine Corps." He called for end to "undisciplined and embarrassing conduct."
(on camera): The chief of staff of the army also weighed in, calling for an end to the bad behavior. And the Navy, well, in the last two- and-a-half years, the Navy has relieved 47 commanders from duty for failing to meet professional and behavior standards.
Barbara Starr, CNN, the Pentagon.
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KAYE: And during that speech, Secretary Panetta also thanked the troops for their hard work overall and congratulated them on accomplishments in Afghanistan.
Spitting orangutans, grumpy gorillas, and hungry lions, you don't want to miss this.
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KAYE: Welcome back, Cleveland was home to Drew Carey, Halle Berry, Paul Newman, and Bob Hope, and on this day back in 1986, the city was chosen to be the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Since it opened in 1995, nearly 700 people have been inducted, some on multiple occasions. This year's class include the Beastie Boys, Guns n' Roses, and The Miracles, the group probably best known for its lead singer, Smokey Robinson, of course.
So if you have ever wondered why zoo animals are kept behind thick glass, well, there is a reason. Our Jeanne Moos has the answer.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She's the new "Jaws." Kaya (ph) the lioness at the Oregon Zoo. Obviously thought Jack was a tempting morsel, a prey item, says zoo director Kim Smith.
KIM SMITH, ZOO DIRECTOR: That's just like if you had your house cat looking at birds outside the window.
MOOS (on camera): Does that kid's hoodie outfit remind you of anything?
(voice-over): Jack's mom says...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You look like a tasty baby zebra.
MOOS: Kitties and kids make for popular viral videos, whether it be fearless Sophia or an understandably freaked out boy named Harper.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's OK, he can't get you through the glass. It's OK.
MOOS: Kids are dangled like bait. Parents give instructions. They play patty cake with paws to music. And it's not just lions, it's black leopards, it's grizzly bears, it's polar bears.
Japanese TV show even dressed up a girl as a baby seal to tempt a polar bear. And while an orangutan might spit, a gorilla can really give you a scare.
(on camera): But maybe would you like to see things from a gorilla's point of view.
(voice-over): Those silly humans mocking, beating their chests. And often, mom and dad argue.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How is this not funny?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's terrifying.
MOOS: Like in "The Family Guy" as he drew a face on the octopus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's so sucky and squeezey.
MOOS: Oregon Zoo director says that's not going to happen with a lion. The glass is designed to standards and even if it did, it would crack, not break. Sort of like what happened when Taz the Gorilla charged the glass two years ago at the Atlanta Zoo.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The glass held, I mean, it's actually three panes of glass fused together, and the interior pane is the one that actually got a crack.
MOOS: So knock yourself out. A one, and a two, and a three.
Jeanne Moos...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Holy crap.
MOOS: ... CNN...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He wants to eat our baby.
MOOS: ... New York.
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KAYE: I don't blame those kids for crying. I'd be scared too. Well, thanks for starting your morning with us. We've got much more ahead on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, which starts right now.
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KAYE (voice-over): From the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has to be the death penalty.
KAYE: Families of the victims of the 9/11 attacks arrive in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as the alleged mastermind behind the notorious day of terror is arraigned. We'll take you there.
Plus, President Obama officially kicks off his campaign today in Ohio. We'll take you there live.
Also, a Colombian prostitute speaks.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): They are a bunch of fools. They're responsible for Obama's security and they still let this happen.
KAYE: Her story about what really happened the night she met U.S. Secret Service agents.
It's fight night in Las Vegas, as Floyd Mayweather squares off against Miguel Cotto, in one of the most anticipated matches of the year. We have the results of last night's weigh-in.
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