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Growing Calls From Democrats for Congressman Weiner to Resign; More Arizonans Flee Wildfires; Soldiers Win Airline Bag Battle; Budget Weddings; Al-Zawahiri Appears in Video; Who is Congressman Weiner's Wife?

Aired June 09, 2011 - 11:00   ET

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

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Live from Studio 7, I'm Suzanne Malveaux. I want to get you up to speed for Tuesday, June 7th.

Jurors in the Casey Anthony trial hear testimony from the brother of the young woman accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter. Lee Anthony said his sister told him a nanny known as "Zanny" took the child from her in an Orlando park.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEE ANTHONY, CASEY ANTHONY'S BROTHER: During that meeting, Zanny held Casey down and told her that she was taking Caylee from her. And she did that with the help of her sister.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Casey Anthony earlier told police she dropped the child off at the nanny's apartment and never saw her again.

A hearing is under way right now on what's expected to be a quick confirmation for Leon Panetta. He is the president's choice to be the new defense secretary, replacing Robert Gates. The CIA's role in the raid that killed bin Laden adds to Panetta's already lengthy resume.

The chorus of calls for Congressman Anthony Weiner to resign is growing louder. More Democrats in Congress are now calling for him to step down. Weiner has apologized for posting a lewd photo on Twitter and lying about it, and for inappropriate relationships with women online.

More evacuations in Arizona as a massive wildfire is spreading. The towns of Springerville and Eagar are now fully evacuated on sheriff's orders. The fire has burned almost 400,000 acres, an area bigger than New York City and Chicago combined. Thousands of people are out of their homes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're just going to get out of here since they want us out of here. We don't want to go, no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've seen the wildfires in California just rip -- just tear through places and stuff, so that's what I worry about. (END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: U.S. drones and fighter jets have resumed attacks in Yemen, and the military believes an airstrike has killed a top al Qaeda insurgent there. A U.S. military official tells CNN that air operations were halted for several months because the U.S. didn't have faith in the information available to conduct targeted strikes against suspected militants.

Well, planning is under way for a Libya without Moammar Gadhafi in charge. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other members of the international community are meeting today in Abu Dhabi. Their aim is to build support for Libya's transitional government even though Gadhafi is vowing to fight to the death.

Citigroup says hackers breached its computer systems and viewed customer information last month. The company says it affected about one percent of bank card customers. The hackers got to see names, account numbers and contact information, but the bank says Social Security numbers and card security codes were not compromised.

Well, more details now on the growing calls by Democrats for Congressman Anthony Weiner to resign. One colleague says Weiner has disgraced the Congress. And to add to the uproar, there is a new explicit photo that has now turned up on the Internet.

I want to bring in our CNN congressional correspondent Kate Bolduan, who's on Capitol Hill.

Kate, obviously, there seems to be a lot of pressure that is mounting. Do we think that there is a breaking point here? Do we think that the congressman will be able to survive this politically?

KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a very good question, Suzanne, but it's hard or impossible to really predict at this point.

Number one being that this story honestly seems to be changing hour by hour. But here's what we do know.

We know that the congressman has been pretty darn firm that he's staying put, that he's not going anywhere, that he is not resigning. But as you very well noted, there is a growing number of Democrats, his own party, even in the House, that are coming out to call for his resignation, so more pressure there, a more public push to force him out.

And my colleague Dana Bash has heard from one Democratic lawmaker who has spoken to Anthony Weiner that Anthony Weiner is "truly conflicted." So we'll have to see how this pressure mounts and how that affects Congressman Weiner's decision to stay or go, if it does at all.

MALVEAUX: And Kate, looking at the big picture here, is there a political impact for Democrats if he does step down? Because, obviously, your sources are saying that his district is likely going to be eliminated. BOLDUAN: This is a little counterintuitive, but just follow me here, because it's actually quite interesting.

New York is slated to lose two House seats going forward because of Census and how redistricting deals work. Well, before this news broke, the general idea was that one seat would be cut upstate, one seat would be cut downstate. Before this news broke, it wasn't clear what seat would be cut in downstate New York.

Well, now there's some talk among New Yorkers, if you will, that now, possibly very likely that it could be his seat, that he could lose his -- his 9th District seat could be eliminated altogether. And kind of the conversation has been maybe that's why New York lawmakers haven't been coming out publicly to call for him to resign. If he would stay in this seat, stay through his term, maybe his seat would be cut rather than theirs.

But we should say, of course, it's too early to tell exactly how this would all play out. But definitely adding to this conversation -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right, Kate. Keep us posted. Thank you, Kate.

BOLDUAN: Of course.

MALVEAUX: Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we're covering in the next two hours.

A massive wildfire keeps growing, forcing two towns in Arizona to evacuate.

Also, Delta backs down on extra bag fees for troops after being accused of being unpatriotic.

Plus, U.S.-backed projects in Afghanistan are at risk of now collapsing. We're going to look at a new report.

And it's a challenging time for the wife of Congressman Anthony Weiner. A profile of Huma Abedin.

And finally, al Qaeda's second in command appears now in a new video. Intelligence analysts say it is a crucial move.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He wants to show to the al Qaeda membership around the world, their supporters, that he's the paramount leader of al Qaeda, that he's the one that's delivering the eulogy for Osama bin Laden.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) LUCILLE ASHCROFT, WILDFIRE EVACUEE: Well, we can see it. We can see the smoke so close, that we knew -- you know, it's getting too bad, the air quality. I think my house is safe. I really think it will be OK when we go back.

I never dreamed that I'd ever be in an evacuation. Never in my life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Entire Arizona neighborhoods empty now as a massive wildfire spreads. Under sheriff's orders, two more towns in the eastern part of the state are under full evacuation orders.

The Wallow Fire, as the blaze is known, is now in its 10th day. It has burned at least 389,000 acres. That is more land than the city of Los Angeles. The flames have destroyed 11 structures and threatened almost 600 others.

Well, packing up and leaving everything behind, that's a tough decision for a lot of folks in that fire zone. In Eagar, Arizona, some people are leaving their homes under evacuation orders, but others are staying put. At least for now.

Here's CNN's Jim Spellman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While firefighters battle the Wallow Fire, residents in Eagar, Arizona, face a serious question: to stay or go?

For now, Dave Hunt is staying.

DAVID HUNT, RESIDENT: And we've got so many firefighters here that are so into their jobs, that they've protected other small communities, and I know they're going to do a good job protecting Eagar.

SPELLMAN: A house full of memories in a town he's come to call home.

HUNT: My dad built this place. He's gone now. And this is -- I love this area so much.

SPELLMAN: But he's hedging his bets. His Harley and his car are packed and ready. And if conditions change, he'll hit the road.

HUNT: I'm ready. Just grab the cat and run.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The main thing is the dog that's in the front there.

SPELLMAN: Next door, Rodney and Bob Meador have decided to leave.

BOB MEADOR, EAGAR, ARIZONA, RESIDENT: We're just going to get out of here since they want us out of here. We don't want to go, no.

SPELLMAN: But with the fire just a few miles away, they don't want to take any chances.

MEADOR: I've seen those wildfires in California just rip -- you know, just tear through places and stuff. So, that's what I worry about.

SPELLMAN: With just a few hours to pack, they're forced to make some hard decisions. Family photos stay behind, but Tigger, their 18-year- old Chow, gets a seat up front up front.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They don't want to go either, I'll tell you. He's a good guy.

SPELLMAN: Dave, the neighbor, stays behind for now, as Rodney and Bob and Tigger pull out, headed for safety, hoping that when the fire is gone, their home will remain.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Jim Spellman is with us now from Eagar, Arizona.

And Jim, it's excellent reporting. We've seen these folks who have really had to leave their belongings behind, pack up their families and pets and everything.

How are things going for folks there? Are there a lot of people who are still staying behind?

SPELLMAN: Yes, certainly some people.

Suzanne, the sheriff's deputies here, they're going door to door, trying be sure that as many people as possible they can convince to get out. But if somebody wants to stay, they let them sign a waiver, saying they acknowledge the risks, and they'll let them stay.

And we've certainly met several people around town who are planning on doing just that. They have hoses, they have shovels, sprinkler systems going to try and stay and defend their homes.

Now, I think everybody can understand how hard it would be, a choice to make, to leave behind your home where you've lived for years and have so many memories. But this fire is less than three miles away from town. And it's certainly a huge risk, I think it's fair to say, to stay behind. You know, the possessions can be replaced, but people's lives, of course, can't -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Are they worried, Jim, that those people who stay behind are in danger? That you might have a situation where people end up dying because they stayed in their homes?

SPELLMAN: They are, and the last thing they need here while trying to fight the fire is to have to worry about people who haven't evacuated. But, ultimately, they just really can't convince people to leave their private property sometimes.

What they're really trying to do is keep a handle on who is here and who is not. If somebody has left their home, and sheriffs no longer have to worry about them, they put yellow police tape across the front door or on the front gate. And they're trying to keep a record of it so that they know that those people, that they're there.

But if you leave, you can't come back in. There are roadblocks into Eagar and the neighboring community of Springerville here. If you leave, you're out. Nobody can get in, not even the media today. So they are really trying to clamp the situation down and have to deal with as few people as that.

I will say this -- everybody we spoke to who has decided to stay, they say that if it does get worse, they will pull out. So hopefully they won't have to deal with any of those folks -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. We certainly hope that they do. Thank you, Jim. Excellent reporting.

(NEWSBREAK)

MALVEAUX: Soldiers win the battle of the bags with Delta Air Lines, as it's called. Delta got caught in a PR nightmare over baggage fees charged to soldiers returning from Afghanistan. Now, the soldiers won the PR relations war by taking their case to social media.

CNN's Martin Savidge has the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Pentagon likes to say the U.S. has the best-trained soldiers in the world. It turns out they're also pretty media savvy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That is correct.

SAVIDGE: While on their flight to Atlanta, two of the soldiers recorded a video about their frustration and posted it on YouTube.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you're saying that our military travel orders authorized us to carry four bags, correct?

STAFF SGT. ROBERT O'HAIR, U.S. ARMY: Yes, that is correct.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. So, what happened to the soldiers that actually had four bags?

O'HAIR: We had actually end up paying out of pocket, our own money, to allow that fourth bag to be taken on the plane.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How much did you pay?

O'HAIR: Two hundred dollars per bag.

SAVIDGE: Close to 200,000 hits later, and Delta was issuing an apology in the form of a blog, implying the soldiers had simply been misinformed. They could check four bags.

"We would like to publicly apologize to those servicemen and women for any miscommunications." The statement went on, "We are currently looking further into the situation and we'll be reaching out to each of them personally to address their concerns and work to correct any issues they have faced."

The statement appeared to do little to stem the withering fire of public outrage.

SALLY KROCHALIS, PASSENGER: It's unforgivable that Delta couldn't make an exception and cut these boys some slack.

SAVIDGE: Less than 24 hours later, Delta was in full retreat, abruptly changing its military baggage allowance, announcing the move in a press release. "Delta Air Lines today increased its free checking baggage allotment for U.S. military traveling on orders in economy class to four checked bags."

And that is how two U.S. soldiers fought off an entire airline to win the battle of the bags.

STAFF SGT. FREDERICK HILLIKER, U.S. ARMY: Thank you. We're actually happy to be back to America. God bless America.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: Martin Savidge joins us live from Atlanta's Hartsfield- Jackson Airport.

And Martin, give us a sense of how this is taking place with some of the other airlines. Are they also changing their policies?

SAVIDGE: Yes, it's interesting how this is all breaking down, Suzanne.

Originally, many of the airlines had a policy very similar to what Delta had in place, which was three bags for free, and then you pay for anything beyond that. Of course, they all saw what happened to Delta as a result of the buzz saw of bad publicity.

So, what do you know? Late yesterday afternoon, they all began changing their policies. And American right now is leading the group. They now say five bags that the military when you're on orders can carry or ship for free.

Delta is at four; Continental and United, they're at four. And then there's Southwest Airlines, and they actually say when you ask them, well, how many bags can a soldier on orders check on your airline? Well, Southwest says as many as they need.

(CROSSTALK)

MALVEAUX: And Martin, do we know if Delta -- sure. Does Delta plan to reimburse the soldiers for the bag fees, or is that the military that reimburses them?

SAVIDGE: Well, here's the way it would break down. The Pentagon says that, actually, it would reimburse any of its soldiers that were required to pay fees like that. However, Delta says, well, whatever the Pentagon doesn't cover, we will cover.

So there's a lost people now trying to make amends.

MALVEAUX: OK. Martin Savidge, thank you very much.

Well, a judge has a warning for women at her courthouse -- don't take the stairs.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Checking CNNMoney.com's lead story, a look at how economic troubles in Greece are impacting U.S. banks. Could a Greek default ripple through the U.S. financial system? That is the top story there.

Also taking a look at the markets as well. The Dow Jones now up 92 points.

We are also following another story. SUVs used to have a dangerous tendency to roll over. But now, apparently, it is just the opposite. So what's changed?

Alison Kosik, she's live at the New York Stock Exchange with that story.

Alison, tell us a little bit about this.

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Suzanne.

You know, this is all because of something called electronic stability control, or ESC. And what's happened is this technology is now available on all SUVs that are sold here in the U.S. And what this does is it helps to keep the SUVs steady on slick roads, it prevents rollovers, and, of course, then there are fewer car accidents and deaths.

Now, because of the technology, I want to show you something. It's interesting to see that there are fewer deaths in SUVs than cars.

There's a recent survey here that looked at from 2006 to 2009, that in SUVs, there were 28 deaths per million vehicles. But in cars, it was double that. This is really a major shift when you look at it, Suzanne, because cars are now more likely to roll over than SUVs, which is really different than a lot of us used to think -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Why is that? Because don't they have those electronic stability controls too?

KOSIK: And that's a good point. ESC is available in most cars, but it's more common to see it in SUVs.

Also, you know what? Size matters. A bigger vehicle means there's more metal around you. Also, bigger means heavier. And they're also more expensive, so you wind up getting more features and an enhanced design on these SUVs.

Now, to be fair, analysts do say that cars are safer than ever before, but bigger vehicles are even more safe. Something to keep in mind if you're trying to decide between a car and an SUV -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: OK. SUVs are becoming cooler and cooler as well. So maybe --

KOSIK: They are.

MALVEAUX: -- as cool as a car.

I want you to check out this story, Alison.

A judge in Ohio is warning women in the courthouse to avoid taking the stairs if they're wearing a dress or a skirt. And here's why. The stairs are made out of clear glass.

The courthouse in Franklin County, it's brand new, and it costs $105 million and has these fancy stairs. Right? But one of the judges who likes to wear dresses noticed that people standing under the stairwell can see through the stairs and up her skirt.

Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JUDGE JULIE LYNCH, FRANKLIN COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT: Men designed it. I was like, oh, they had no women input on this. That's what I thought. How can you open a brand-new building and not take in consideration half the population?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: The judge said she's worried, Alison, mostly about camera phones or people posting on the Internet. And she calls the stairs a lawsuit in the making.

Would you sue, Alison, if you thought somebody was taping you, or, like, video? I mean, really?

KOSIK: You know, I wouldn't sue, but come on. It's common decency.

And what's funny is the woman who just spoke took the words out of my mouth. It's obvious men built that staircase. They designed the whole thing.

But you know what? Here at CNN there's a staircase kind of like that. It makes me wonder.

(LAUGHTER)

MALVEAUX: Oh boy. OK. We'll have to check that out.

KOSIK: There is. I'm going to take the elevator.

MALVEAUX: All right. You do that. Maybe I'll wear pants.

OK. Thanks, Alison.

It's time for you to "Choose the News." Here are your choices.

First up, female soccer players in Afghanistan. In a country where the oppression is the norm, these young athletes risking their lives every time they take to the field.

Second, the Metropolitan Opera returns to Japan and makes a symbolic step in recovery after the quake.

And third, in the United States, we love MP3 players. But in Zimbabwe, the hip way to listen to music, still on a cassette tape.

So, you can vote for your favorite story by texting 22360.

Text 1 for "Soccer Players in Afghanistan"; 2 for "Opera in Japan" or 3 for "Cassette Tapes in Zimbabwe."

The winning story will air in the next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Here's a rundown of some of the stories that we are working on next.

The U.S. has spent $19 billion on aide for Afghanistan, but a new report says it may be hurting, not helping.

Then, she's used to being at Hillary Clinton's side, or behind the scenes. Well, now Congressman Weiner's wife has been forced into the spotlight. We have a profile of Huma Abedin.

And later, amazing NASA video of a giant solar flare. So, what is it? How concerned should we be? We're going to ask our meteorologist Chad Myers on how this might affect us on Earth.

Right now want to focus on Afghanistan. It relies on billions of our taxpayer dollars. A new report finds little to show for all the money that our government has been pumping into that war-torn country. In fact, the U.S. and its aid could actually backfire.

We get details from CNN Foreign Affairs Correspondent Jill Dougherty.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A dam-building project in Jalalabad. U.S. taxpayers' dollars giving local men jobs in hopes of weaning them away from the Taliban. That's how it's supposed to work.

But a new report from the Democratic staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee warns many U.S. aid programs are unsustainable once U.S. forces withdraw. They can even backfire, fueling corruption, raising serious questions about a key element of the Obama administration's counterinsurgency strategy.

SEN. ROBERT MENENDEZ (D), NEW JERSEY: From 2002 to 2010, we have spent $19 billion in assistance -- $19 billion in assistance. DOUGHERTY: Appearing before the Senate foreign relations committee, the president's nominee's as new ambassador to Afghanistan said some programs are working, but --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can tell you that if I am confirmed, I mean, going forward, our assistance has to make a difference and it has to be sustainable.

DOUGHERTY: Afghanistan is dirt poor and too much aid can have a destabilizing effect on local communities, the report says. Case in point, the governor's fund that gives $100,000 a month to provincial leaders for development projects, a tidal wave of funding, the report calls it, that local oh figures not capable of spending wisely. The report says the State Department and USAID don't have enough staff in Afghanistan to oversee the money being spent. There are too many contractors, too little oversight.

The head of USAID tells the committee, he does not endorse the report's conclusions. The U.S. in Afghanistan, Rod Shaw (ph), claims, have accomplished some astonishing things. And the State Department said aid is still crucial.

MARK TONER, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: It's an essential come point of the national security strategy in Afghanistan.

DOUGHERTY (on camera): The single most important step the association could take the report says is to stop paying Afghan's inflated salaries that could be 10 times what local people are paid.

And here's another big worry. The World Bank said 97 percent of Afghanistan's GDP is related to spending in international military and donor community. If aid money dries up, this report warns, it could trigger a major economic recession.

Jill Dougherty, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: In addition to those warnings about Afghanistan, we're also getting information, confirmation today that U.S. air strikes have resumed in Yemen. So I want to assess counter terrorism efforts for that.

Let's go to our CNN national security contributor Fran Townsend. She's a member of the CIA and Department of Homeland Security Advisory Committee, and she joins us from New York vi via Skype.

Fran great to see you.

First of all, we'll get to Yemen in a moment. But you've reported that the Obama administration is soon going to unveil new, counterterrorism strategy. Bin Laden's dead, the administration poised now to withdraw some U.S. troops this July, from Afghanistan.

What do we anticipate the strategy will be? FRAN TOWNSEND, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTOR: You know, Suzanne, the most interesting part of this is, we're two and a half years into the administration, President Obama made it very clear that he's going to take a different approach. But our only insight to what the counterterrorist strategy is or has been are speeches by the president, speeches by John Brennan, his homeland security adviser and actions they've take.

We've seen increased use of drones, not only in the tribal area of Pakistan, but also now in Yemen. We've saw it on the bin Laden camp. And so this is an opportunity for President Obama to articulate what his vision for the counterterrorism strategy and effort is going to be going forward. And I suspect, frankly, it's gone through an interagency process but will be very mindful of what the accomplishments have been and what the goals are going forward.

MALVEAUX: And, Fran, we've seen on videotape now, al Qaeda's number two, Zawahiri recently, as well as other al Qaeda leaders, embracing the Arab uprising, praising the people for getting rid of their dictators.

So we think this offers an opening for al Qaeda to fill the power vacuum in countries like Egypt and Tunisia?

TOWNSEND: Well, the frightening possibility is, look, chaos is always to the benefit of our enemies, particularly al Qaeda, because they can insert themselves in otherwise benign and frankly positive Democratic movements.

And so what I think you can expect is the intelligence community, the diplomatic community are watching very carefully what's going on in those countries. You want to support democratic movement around the world, but you want to be careful to also watch for and discourage and disable terrorists like al Qaeda and others from inserting themselves inside a democratic movement where they can position themselves to take advantage of it later, much to our detriment.

MALVEAUX: I want to go to Yemen, because we're getting more information, CNN confirming that, in fact, the U.S. has resumed air strikes there. There's one theory about that which is simply that now we're taking this action because we're getting better information about the terrorists, suspected terrorists on the ground. But there's another theory, Fran, with the president, Yemen's president gone, that maybe al Qaeda is actually growing in strength and that there is real vulnerability there.

Why is the U.S. resuming these air strikes now?

TOWNSEND: Suzanne, I think it's both -- I think both things true.

No question that the United States has increased both its intelligence and military presence in Yemen. What that results in is increased intelligence. Increased intelligence means better targeting information to enable drone-type attacks and drone strikes on high value targets. But with Saleh gone, there's no question, as well, that the intelligence and national security community are very concerned. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been both the most active and the most capable, responsible for the attempted Christmas Day plane bomber, the attempted computer cartridges bombing in the cargo hold.

MALVEAUX: Sure.

TOWNSEND: And so this is a real opportunity for them and I think the United States views this -- look, with Saleh gone and chaos, we're going to try to take advantage of it from the targeting perspective and we're able to do that because we have more resources.

MALVEAUX: And Fran, on Syria's you've got a full-blown humanitarian crisis that's happening there. You've got hundreds, if not thousands of people who are trying to flee the border into Turkey now.

Is it time for the United States to forge a humanitarian mission like we saw in Libya, to try to help save those people in Syria?

TOWNSEND: I think it's well past time, frankly, you know, that the torture and murder of that 13-year-old boy was, for me, the turning point, and I think the turning point in the crisis.

This is a very difficult one, though, because, of course, inside Syria you've got Hezbollah, a Shiite terrorist group, which is supported by and large by Iran. I think the administration is trying to be very cautious about getting dragged into a proxy war in Syria, where the enemy is really Iran.

That said, and you add to that, NATO is fully employed in this Libyan mission and that's by no means over yet with Gadhafi still in power. And so forging such a coalition, pulling that together is no small task. But I think it's long overdue and the United States is going to have to show leadership here.

MALVEAUX: All right. Fran Townsend, thank you very much. We appreciate your time.

A private person caught up in a public scandal. A profile of Congressman Anthony Weiner's wife and the latest on how she's coping.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: You're looking at live pictures out of a Florida courtroom. This is the Casey Anthony trial. And Casey Anthony, she is the mother accused of killing her two-year-old daughter, Caylee. And she has been crying -- just crying with her head down.

You see in her hand, as there's been testimony, all through this testimony of a forensic expert, who is showing pictures to the court of her daughter Caylee Anthony's skull. Her daughter's skull. Those pictures being shown to folks in the room. And she obviously has been quite emotional during this process.

Well in the next hour, we're going to talk to a trial watcher, Holly Hayes, who is going to tell us about the significance of that and what it means to the case and what is coming up next.

New York Congressman Anthony Weiner is facing increased pressure to resign today. A new X-rated photo has surfaced now on the internet while he fights for his political career. The "New York Times" is reporting that his wife is pregnant with their first child.

Huma Abedin has stayed out of the spotlight during the scandal. She is a top aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and is currently on a trip to the Middle East. Friends describe Anthony Weiner's wife as a very private person. Well, now she's caught up in a very public scandal.

CNN's Mary Snow reports on her life in and out of the limelight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Congressman Anthony Weiner fights for his political life in New York, his wife, Huma Abedin continued working thousands of miles away, seen here in Abu Dhabi with her boss Secretary Of State, Hillary Clinton.

The 35-year-old Abedin, one of Clinton's top aides was noticeably absent from her husband's side when he admitted having sexual explicit communications with several women and lying about it.

But "Washington Post's" national political reporter Nia-Malika Henderson quotes friends of Abedin as saying don't read into much into her absence.

NIA-MALIKA HENDERSON, WASHINGTON POST: Well, her friends say this is obviously a bump in the road for her marriage. She's very much committed to her husband, she loves her husband and wants to work it out.

SNOW: Abedin is a Muslim who grew up in Saudi Arabia. Weiner is Jewish and raised in Brooklyn. He has a reputation for being brash and relishes the spotlight. Abedin shies from it and is described as very private. A rare exception was in 2007, when "Vogue" magazine profiled her.

She is most often the person in the background, constantly at the side of Hillary Clinton and the person who has her ear. Abedin started as a White House intern in 1996, and has worked in several capacities since then. She was on the campaign of Mrs. Clinton in the 2008 presidential election and now serves as deputy chief of staff to Secretary Clinton. And she's become more than a trusted aide, says a longtime friend of Abedin and the Clintons, who describes her as a second daughter to the Clintons and sister to Chelsea.

The former president even officiated at the ceremony when Weiner married Abedin last July. And while Abedin hasn't sought the spotlight she has made a name in Washington.

HENDERSON: She comes across as very alluring and glamorous. In a town like Washington that is very conservative, she brings these almost Hollywood glamorous good looks in a Rolodex that is filled with celebrities and political titans across the globe.

SNOW (on camera): A friend of Abedin's who asked not to be identified to respect her privacy said her friends will do everything they can to protect her. And earlier this week, Democratic strategist James Carville says she's very popular in Democratic circles and Democrats were livid at Weiner for putting his wife through this.

Mary Snow, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: A new poll asks whether elections are for sale to the candidate who raises the most money. Find out the response in our political update.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: A new poll finds Americans are pretty cynical when it comes to their elected oh figures.

Paul Steinhauser, part of "The Best Political Team on Television," live from the Political Desk in Washington.

Paul, are people really that cynical?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: They are, Suzanne, at least according to our brand-new numbers. This is a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation national poll, we're releasing it right now for you and your viewers first.

And check these numbers out. This is interesting, we asked, "Are elected officials mostly influenced by major campaign contributors?" And look at that number at the top, 86 percent saying yes, only a little over one in ten saying no. And that number is up from the 1990s, that 86 percent is up about 10 points from back then.

Go to the next graphic as well. Here you go, "Are elections generally for sale to the candidate who can raise the most money?" And two- thirds feel that way.

So, yes, I guess you can say cynicism is on the rise, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: I understand there are more rumblings about Rudy Giuliani, whether he's going to throw himself into the race. Do we know anything about that?

STEINHAUSER: The Giuliani storyline doesn't go away, does it? We've been talking about it for a month or two now.

Interesting, here's the latest reporting, it was from William Kristol of "The Weekly Standard," and said that he has two sources that say, well, that Giuliani is really close. We have some other sources to CNN that are pushing back a little on that.

But here's what we do know about Giuliani, I think it's safe to say. Former New York City mayor, remember he ran last time for the White House on the Republican side. He is itching to run, I think that's pretty clear. He's been in discussions, he said publicly he's contemplating running. But actually contemplating and actually doing it are two very different things, and I don't think he's there yet.

But what this tells us is that Giuliani thinks, at least in his mind, that the field is not that strong, that there may be room for him, and that the current president, Barack Obama could be beatable.

And I think that's why you're seeing other people who have been saying no in the past are now having second thoughts. Somebody like Rick Perry, the governor of Texas, the long-time governor of Texas, he is also somebody who said no before but now contemplating.

Keep your eyes on Giuliani, keep your eyes on Perry and stay tuned.

MALVEAUX: All right. We'll be staying tuned. Thank you, Paul.

STEINHAUSER: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: For the latest political news, you know where to go, CNN politics.com.

Well, remember, we're letting you "Choose the News," vote for the story you'd like to see by texting "22360."

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Winning story will air in the next hour.

Next up, if you ever planned a marriage, you know it can get pretty expensive pretty fast. Well, we're going to hear advice from Alison Kosik on how to get married without breaking the bank.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: According to theknot.com, June is the most popular month for weddings. And if you're a bride or groom or if you're just attending several weddings this tumor, our Alison Kosik she has top tips for keeping the budget under control.

Alison, it quickly gets out of control, even if you are just a guest, yes?

ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: It really does. And, of course, it is June, the beginning of summer, also known as -- ah -- the wedding season. And with the average wedding costing around $27,000, and that doesn't even include the honeymoon which tacks on another $4,500, I'll tell you what, you've got to figure out what your priorities are.

So first of all, a heads-up to couples -- accept it, you're probably going to go over your budget if you have one at all. Now, here's what "The Knot" says, "The Knot" 42 percent of brides overspend when it comes to a big day, and 16 percent, they don't even have a budget.

So Carley Roney, whose the editor-in-chief of "The Knot," says figure out where you're going to compromise and leave about a 10 percent cushion within your budget for unforeseen expenses.

Also, there are wedding daily deal sites out there to keep costs down that Roney recommends that you take a look at. And at these sites you can find local discounts on everything to from an officiate, dance lessons, and favors. Discount is a good word when you're planning a wedding -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Alison, you were saying another way for couples to save is to cut the cake and the guest list in half? Really?

KOSIK: Yes.

MALVEAUX: The cake, too?

KOSIK: Yes, really. The cake, too. It's hard, but you know the easiest way to cut costs is to really, first of all, trim down the guest list. Let's start big before we get to the cake, trim down that guest list. The average number of guests in 2010 was about 141 people, and since most venues charge per person, it is the quickest way to be able to allocate funds to other areas.

Now you can also save yourself 20 percent per person on catering expenses by holding your shindig on a Friday or Sunday instead of the popular Saturday night wedding.

Now I know it sounds crazy, we'll go back to the cake now, order half of the cake. Yes, couples should order half the size of the cake that's need. For example, if you have 150 guests, order cake only for 75 people.

The reality is, many people don't end up eating the cake anyway, Suzanne. Haven't you noticed that? They're busy dancing, getting drunk, you know.

MALVEAUX: That's true, but it is nice to have a really big cake, don't you think? Just for show?

KOSIK: But then can you use that money on your honeymoon.

MALVEAUX: That's a good point. That's a very good point. Yes. OK. I'll take that. All right, thanks. Great advice. Appreciate it.

Well, a new video of al Qaeda's long-time number two surfaces. A terror analyst weighs in on what Ayman al-Zawahiri may be trying to accomplish.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) MALVEAUX: It's been five weeks since U.S. forces killed Osama bin Laden. And since then, his second in command, Ayman al-Zawahiri has been quiet -- until now.

CNN homeland security correspondent Jeanne Meserve details a new video that has now surfaced on several Islamic websites.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The video is, in large part, a tribute to Osama bin Laden.

AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI, AL QAEDA (through translator): He went to his god martyred because he said no to America.

MESERVE: Ayman al-Zawahiri does not proclaim himself bin Laden's successor, but with the tape he appears to be positioning himself.

PAUL CRUICKSHANK, CNN TERROR ANALYST: He wants to show to the al Qaeda membership around the world, their supporters, he's the paramount leader of al Qaeda, that he's the one that's delivering the eulogy for Osama bin Laden.

MESERVE: In the video, Zawahiri cheer is on the uprisings in Libya, Syria and Yemen.

AL-ZAWAHIRI (though translator): they need to continue their struggle, their rage and their sacrifices.

PHILIP MUDD, NEW AMERICAN FOUNDATION: Al Qaeda doesn't like these movements, but they recognize they have no option but to say, if we want to be relevant, we better stick with the population, and the population has spoken to let's pretend like we're with them.

MESERVE: In the tape, Zawahiri pledges support to Mullah Omar, the head of the Taliban, urges the Muslim masses to rise up against what he calls a treacherous Pakistani regime, and he makes repeated, but unspecific, threats against the U.S.

AL-ZAWAHIRI (through translator): I called for jihad, my beloved people, to fight those who fight Islam.

MESERVE: Since the raid that killed bin laden, U.S. counterterrorism officials assume Zawahiri was in deep hiding afraid for his safety. Analysts believe he must have been very anxious to be seen and heard because releasing this video involved risks. For instance, using a courier like the one that led the U.S. to bin Laden.

(on camera): Intelligence analysts have pored over previous al Qaeda videos trying to determine where they were taped. This video does not provide any obvious clues; the background is nondescript.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)