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Face of Changing America; Strauss-Kahn Case in Shambles; Minnesota Government Shuts Down; Government to Pick Up Bulger's Legal Tab; Chavez Has Cancerous Tumor Removed; Casey Anthony Trial Resumes Shortly; NBA & NFL Lockouts; Texas Redistricting Battle; France May Supply Weapons to Libyan Rebels; Prosthetic Legs for Animals
Aired July 01, 2011 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Suzanne, thank you and have a great weekend.
From the heights of global finance to the pits of Rikers Island, to self-financed confinement in a rented townhouse, Dominique Strauss- Kahn has had his ups and downs since a hotel maid accused him of sexual assault a month and a half ago, and today is definitely an up day.
As you know, if you've been watching CNN, the disgraced former head of the international monetary fund was freed on his own recognizance in a very short hearing that followed a bombshell from New York prosecutors. They told the defense and then the court they now have serious questions about the credibility of Strauss-Kahn's alleged victim. There's DNA evidence that sex of some sort took place, but the defense says it was consensual. The maid's lawyer says it was definitely not.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNETH THOMPSON, LAWYER, STRAUSS-KAHN: The victim from day one has described a violent sexual assault that Dominique Strauss-Kahn committed against her. She has described that sexual assault many times to the prosecutors and to me. And she has never once changed a single thing about that account.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Weeks ago when Strauss-Kahn was first allowed to leave jail, he was made to put up $1 million cash and post a $5 million bond. He had to give up his passport and live under house arrest with armed guards and ankle bracelet somewhere in Manhattan and had to pay for it all himself. Well, today, all of those terms have been lifted, except for the foreign travel ban. The government is holding on to Strauss- Kahn's passport. CNN's Susan Candiotti is on the story for us, she was in today's hearing, she was in the courtroom. Susan, what exactly are these alleged credibility problems when it comes to the alleged victim?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Randi. What an incredible day and what a reversal of fortune one could argue for Dominique Strauss-Kahn to be released on his own recognizance now as the alleged victim in this case through her attorney continues to say in fact that she was sexually assaulted by him.
Here, Randi, is what the prosecutors are saying in a brand new filing, they didn't detail much in court, but here's what they are saying in a document to the judge. They are citing credibility issues that include the following. First, some brand new information we have not yet heard before.
They say that after the alleged assault, that the maid told them repeatedly and in many, many interviews that she stayed in the hallway -- ran into the hallway of the 28th floor outside the suite where Dominique Strauss-Kahn had been staying and that she stayed there in the hallway until he left by an elevator.
However, prosecutors state that that's not what really happened. They said that they later determined that she did not immediately -- that she did not stay in that hallway and then report the incident to her supervisor after D.S.K. left, but that in fact -- that she immediately went on to clean one room and then began to clean the hotel suite where Strauss-Kahn had been staying and then reported the incident to a supervisor, possibly when that supervisor arrived on the scene.
Additionally, we heard in this filing, and as we've reported since last night, another credibility issue, according to prosecutors, is that the woman lied on her asylum application when she came to the United States from her native guinea, claiming among other things that she had been raped, sexually assaulted, when in fact she later admitted to authorities that she was not raped, that she was not assaulted previously.
Her own attorney says that she admitted that untruth herself by saying because she said she was afraid about what might happen, if she said that in her initial application, she said the truth. Additionally, they're saying, prosecutors, that she lied on her income tax form by claiming a neighbor's child as her own and that she also lied about her income so that she could live in her present low-income housing.
But beyond that, prosecutors in their filing simply generally said, and there were other untruths, other lies that she said about her background and other matters that they did not specify - Randi.
KAYE: All right, Susan Candiotti for us who was at the hearing there in New York City. Susan, thank you.
Now, I'd like to play for you some sound from outside court after that hearing from both sides. We'll hear now from the district attorney and also from the alleged victim's lawyer. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CY VANCE, ATTORNEY, MANHATTAN DISTRICT: Today's proceedings did not dismiss the indictment or any of the charges against the defendant. Our prosecutors from the Manhattan D.A.'s office will continue their investigation into these alleged crimes and will do so until we have uncovered all relevant facts.
The vindication of the rights of sex crime victims is among the highest priorities of this office. And with regard to the treatment of this victim, we believe we have done nothing but to support her in everything in our power to maintain her privacy and to keep her safe, and we will continue to do so.
BENJAMIN BRAFMAN, ATTORNEY, STRAUSS-KAHN: At each appearance in the last six weeks, we asked you and we asked the world not to rush the judgment in this case and now I think you can understand why. We believed from the beginning that this case was not what it appeared to be and we are absolutely convinced that while today is a first giant step in the right direction, the next step will lead to a complete dismissal of the charges.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: CNN's Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin joins me now on the telephone. Jeffrey, you have seen it all over the years, but have you ever seen anything like what played out today?
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: In a word, no. This is one of the most extraordinary days in the history of big-time criminal justice in the United States. The head-spinning space - pace of events and the rapid turnaround in the fortunes of the sides in this case is like nothing I'd ever seen before. And it certainly looks like this case is going to end with a dismissal of the case, at this point. It's hard for me to imagine how there could be a trial at this point when the prosecution has essentially described its main witness as a - something close to a compulsive liar.
KAYE: I want to hear now from the alleged victim's lawyer, Jeffrey, claiming prosecutors have turned on his client. So, let's listen to this then I want to ask you about it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KENNETH THOMPSON, LAWYER, STRAUSS-KAHN'S ALLEGED VICTIM: Now, it is a fact that the victim here made some mistakes, but that doesn't mean she's not a rape victim. And so all of this stuff that they leaked to the "New York Times" was designed to discredit this woman.
And I spoke to her a little while ago, and through her tears, through her hurt, she asked me, why did they do this to me? And I said, I don't know why. And now, she is determined, she's not going to remain in hiding anymore. She's going to come before you all and she's going to tell you what Dominique Strauss-Kahn did to her and she's going to tell you what the prosecutors in this office did to her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Now, the lawyer there, Jeffrey, actually seemed to lay out far more evidence - or alleged evidence than has been made public before. How rare was that? And he also said that prosecutors were afraid to try this case, so what do you make of that?
TOOBIN: Well, that's - I have to say, the prosecution -- excuse me. The - sorry. The press conference by the attorney for the accused - accuser was so extraordinary because of the detail and frankly, the persuasiveness of the way he laid out the evidence that - as he characterized it, that his clients brought to the district attorney's office where he was essentially saying look, this was a awful physically abusive crime and anything that she said that was false she was the one who brought to the attention of prosecutors and that was no reason to throw out this case.
KAYE: Can you hang with me for one more question here, Jeffrey, OK?
TOOBIN: Yes, I'm sorry, I'm having a bit of an attack.
KAYE: OK, well, I'm going to -
TOOBIN: I'm going to be OK.
KAYE: I'm going to throw one more question at you.
TOOBIN: Sure.
KAYE: What about the physical evidence though in this case that prosecutors made a whole lot of fanfare about? I mean, does it count for nothing? I mean - or just not enough? Is there just not enough there?
Well, they are essentially saying it's not enough. I mean, what makes this admission by the prosecution so extraordinary is that even with DNA evidence, they say the case is not good enough. I'm not sure they're right about that, I mean, they are the best judge of their own case, but it is certainly unusual. In these circumstances where two people are strangers and there is DNA evidence to throw out the case, that's very surprising.
KAYE: All right. Jeffrey, we're going to let you get a glass of water there. Appreciate you hanging with us as I was trying to get those answers.
TOOBIN: Sorry about that.
KAYE: No, no, no, we heard you just fine. So, thank you, appreciate it.
Moving on now, the Minnesota government was forced to shut down today, the second time in six years after lawmakers failed to reach a budget agreement before their midnight deadline and residents are already feeling the impact on this 4th of July weekend. The Minnesota department of transportation has shut down more than 80 highway rest stops and state parks and the zoo are also set to be closed.
Republicans are accusing governor mark Dayton of throwing in the towel too early. Dayton, a member of Minnesota Democratic foreign labor party, says he wants to raise taxes on the wealthiest 1.9 percent of Minnesotans as well as cut spending. It is today's "Sound Effect".
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. MARK DAYTON (D), MINNESOTA: They've known for two months, I said consistently, I will not agree to anything until I agree to everything. We've made a lot of progress in the last couple of days because there was a real deadline. And some to have areas we worked hard on, we made real progress but this one basic difference remains. They don't want to raise revenues on anybody, and I believe the wealthiest folks in Minnesota can afford to pay more in taxes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: The federal government will pick up the legal tab for reputed monster James whitey Bulger. Bulger was escorted off a helicopter, you can see it here at Logan International Airport in Boston yesterday, then ushered to a van for his court appearance. There, a judge granted prosecutors request to allow them to focus only on the 19 murder charges against Bulger. At a separate hearing, the court ruled that Bulger is eligible for a public offender. He was arrested in California last week after 16 years on the run, his arraignment now set for July 6th.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says doctors in a Cuba - in Cuba removed a cancerous tumor from his body. Chavez announced the procedure in his speech broadcast last night on state run Venezuelan television. He says he is still undergoing treatment in Cuba, but he did not specify what kind of treatment, where the tumor is located, or when he will return. Chavez says his condition is, quote, evolving satisfactorily. There is no immediate indication of any plans to delegate power in Venezuela while Chavez recovers.
The Casey Anthony trial is back on track after coming to a complete standstill this morning. The surprising move that stalled the trial and what might happen this afternoon, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: The Casey Anthony trial is just starting back up again. We have a live picture for you from the courtroom in Orlando. We'll get that to you as soon as we can. It should be starting up again really any minute now. If you're wondering why it's starting so late, it's because the trial came to a grinding halt this morning. The judge was unexpectedly forced to call an indefinite recess.
Now, here's the deal. With the defense resting its case yesterday, the prosecution was about to call a few witnesses to shore up any damage that Anthony's defense team may have done. Caylee's skull and those computer searches for chloroform certainly the big issues. Instead, the scene this morning inside the courtroom played out like a verbal sparring match between lawyers. It boils down to this. The defense complained the prosecution was ambushing them with their rebottle experts who had new opinions the defense wasn't aware of. So the judge called this recess to essentially give the defense time to talk to them. But he had this warning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUDGE BELVIN PERRY: There are real problems and there are imaginary problems. And I hope this is a real problem and not an imaginary problem.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: I want to bring Richard Herman, who is a criminal defense attorney. He's been following this trial with us and joins me now from Las Vegas.
Hi, Richard.
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Hi, Randy.
KAYE: Give us some perspective on this if you can. I mean it was like watching Judge Perry trying to break up an argument that you might see in a schoolyard. I mean, what is the deal here?
HERMAN: Well, he is obviously so frustrated because when the defense rested, we knew that the prosecution rebuttal case was going to be very quick. And apparently Baez, in learning that some of the defense experts, some of the prosecution experts are going to provide opinions not contained in their reports, was forced to bring that to the attention of the judge. And there's a rule that if an expert testifies to anything or any opinion, it must be contained in a written report. And Baez is proper in making this objection.
The judge is saying, look, this objection better be real because Ashton stood up and said, you know, judge, some of these findings were contained in the reports issued a year or two ago. So that was the sparring going on. And the judge is saying, well, look, I got a jury, they want to go home for the holiday. They're sequestered. You're making them stop and go back to their rooms. I had enough. We're going to be in court Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. There's no vacation. There's no down time. This jury is suffering and we're all suffering. So let's get to it. You wanted to depose them Baez? You do it right now. Saturday -- Friday morning. Do it. So he did it. And they're going to be back in court.
KAYE: Yes, and we hope so, certainly, any minute now. The crux of this recess, though, revolves around these two things, Caylee's skull and the computer searches for chloroform. So let's start with Caylee first. The prosecution's expert will testify to the examination of her skull. What about this testimony do you think is so surprising that the defense is calling this an ambush?
HERMAN: Well, there's two issues here, Randi. One is the competency of the prosecution experts to come back on rebuttal. Don't forget, Dr. Spitz was a forensic pathologist and now the prosecution wants to call an anthropologist and a toxicologist to testify. These people really are not competent, I don't believe, to testify and rebut Dr. Spitz, who was world-renowned. So the judge has to make that determination first.
Secondly, Spitz' finding was, due to the brain matter or dust that he -- that Spitz found, that proved that the body was moved. So these prosecution experts are going to come in and say, whatever findings Spitz saw in the brain matter, it was irrelevant and it meant nothing. So you cannot deduce that the body -- that's a big point. KAYE: Yes. And what about this, the Internet searches for the chloroform? We know that Casey's mom, Cindy, had testified for the defense that she did those searches. But the prosecution is saying, not so fast. Is this all about timing and whether or not they can say that she was really in the house at this time?
HERMAN: Well, there's two issues here, Randi. One, the police experts are going to testify in reviewing the records and the searches done on Cindy's computer, she never searched chlorophyll. Now, if they come in with that testimony, that's going to completely blow up Cindy's credibility. And I think they're going to do that today.
And secondly, there are going to be experts that come in from her employment to say not only was she at work the day she says she was home making these searches, but she was unable to remotely log on to the home computer to do those searches. So we know she never made those searches. Powerful testimony.
KAYE: Yes, certainly. Richard Herman, thank you so much. Check back with you later on.
HERMAN: OK, Randi.
KAYE: Well, you know we have an unemployment crisis in this country, but it might be worse than you think. We'll tell you why and how it might be able to be solved, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back, everyone.
We know the job market is bad, but just how bad is it? Ali Velshi searched for answers with Mort Zuckerman, the editor in chief of "U.S. News & World Report," and Eliot Spitzer, anchor of CNN's "In The Arena."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALI VELSHI, CNN: You've recently written something where you say when it comes to unemployment, we are worse off than we actually realize.
MORT ZUCKERMAN, EDITOR IN CHIEF, "U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT": Yes, because the real unemployment rate is closer to 18 percent than it is to 9 percent. And the reason for that is, the average length of unemployment is now 40 weeks. Now the number that you referred to, the 9.1 percent that is put out by the government, the so-called headline unemployment number, they only count people who have applied for a job in the last four weeks. When you've been out of a job for 40 weeks, you don't apply for a job every four weeks. If you measure it by another government statistic, which is called U6 (ph), they measure people who have applied for a job in the last six months, which makes more sense. The unemployment rate is 15.9, almost 16 percent.
But there's another issue. You referred to the quality of jobs. The fact is, in each of those months and indeed for the last two and a half years, since President Obama has been in office, not a single net permanent job has been created. In the last month, they announced that there were 54,000 jobs created. We lost odd 140,000 permanent jobs. In the preceding month, we lost 290,000 permanent jobs. So the jobs that are being created, the net job creation is all in part-time work. But the problem with that is, you get no health care benefits, you -- the median income for people working part-time is $19,000 a year. That's how serious the unemployment is (ph).
VELSHI: So you're not earning a lot of money and you're not getting the benefits, which is one of the reasons why a lot of people thought health care reform might be a good idea.
But let's move on to another issue. Eliot, we are sort of fully immersed in a discussion about a debt crisis and about the debt limit. There are a number of people, a substantial number of Americans, who think that we have prematurely moved on from the jobs crisis, which is really ultimately the place where we'll get the economic growth that solves some of these debt problems.
ELIOT SPITZER, ANCHOR, "IN THE ARENA": You are exactly right. I'm one of those people. I think we have to deal with jobs first. Now that doesn't mean we don't deal with the debt crisis now, but we deal with it in a way that says we will make the very serious cuts in the entitlement programs that need to be made, but schedule them so they begin in the years three, four and five because what we need to do is get the economy booming again. Growth is the only way to deal with the debt crisis. Jobs is the key, not only to the quality of life. Mort was exactly right. In fact, it may even be worse than he said because there are other numbers you can enter in there.
VELSHI: Sure.
SPITZER: But Mort is exactly right, over the last 20 year, net job creation has come only in government and health care, not in what Mike Spence, who wrote a brilliant article in foreign affairs most recently about the tradable sector. The part of the economy that is really dynamic. Manufacturing, high-tech, no job creation there at all. That's where we need to focus. But in terms of the debt crisis, yes, we have to deal with it now, but dealing with it now doesn't mean cutting the budget right now, it means cutting it in years three, four and five after the jobs have come back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: And for much more on this and all the latest financial news, you can watch "Your Money" with Ali Velshi Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern and Sundays at 3:00. And be sure to join Christine Romans for "Your Bottom Line" each Saturday morning at 9:30 Eastern.
First, the NFL season was in jeopardy and now the fall NBA season is also on the brink. We'll talk about the likelihood of us having any major professional sports in the fall at all, after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Today is day 112 of the NFL lockout and day one of the NBA lockout. And while many expect the two sides in the NFL fight to work things out, the NBA negotiations may be more complicated. You see, the NFL is making lots of money and the two groups are trying to figure out how to divide it all up. But in the NBA, the system has led to competitive imbalance. Over the last 21 years, 18 NBA championships have been won by a team in Los Angeles, Chicago or Texas. So what is management asking their workers for? Well, initially, they asked for a hard salary cap to drag down player's salaries, all contracts to be non-guaranteed, and for everyone to take an immediate pay cut.
Len Berman is a sports legend who you can follow at thatssports.com. he joins us now.
Len, great to have you on the show today to talk about this. This all seems like a fight about money. Is that all it is?
LEN BERMAN,: Always is, Randi. I mean that's what's going on in football right now. The NBA owners want you to believe that the players make 57 percent of the pie and that 22 of the 30 teams are losing money. Of course, the same owners won't allow anybody to look at their books, so we don't really know, but that's what their posturing is and, yes, it's all about money.
KAYE: Now, the NBA claims, though, Len, that 22 of its 30 teams lost money. But deadspin.com shows how teams creatively cook the books to show losses. Do you think that two-thirds of the NBA is really losing money?
BERMAN: I don't think so. I think the league had a wonderful year. Again, I don't see the books, but the ratings were great. There was a lot of interest because people wanted to tune in as the anti-LeBron James fan and it was a great win for Dallas to win the championship. TV ratings were terrific.
The league is very strong. I mean, that's the problem in football, as well. Football has never been more popular in this country, with higher TV ratings, and yet millionaires fight with billionaires, at least the fans caught in the middle. And right now, it's a little bit different than past labor problems because there are no games being played in basketball and football.
But the people I really feel for are the employees of the teams. They're traditionally very lowly-paid employees. They're caught in the squeeze and some teams will lay off these poor employees until the blackout ends, or the lockout ends. I'd like to have a news blackout on the lockout because I just -- I don't want to hear about it. I want you to wake me when it's over.
KAYE: OK, we'll try and do that after this -- after this interview, though. The NFL has extensive revenue sharing. And with that though, the last three cities to win the Super Bowl were Green Bay, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh. So is -- do you think that maybe NFL- style revenue sharing could be the key to figuring out what's happening with the NBA and possible key to NBA success?
BERMAN: Well, that's probably the model for all sports. Baseball resisted, as well. Will we ever see a Pittsburgh Pirate world championship again in our lifetime. I mean, that's a real major issue, the sharing of revenues. And yes, a team like Green Bay can win a world championship. It can't happen in any other sport. So that's the key.
So yes, the players make a lot of money, but the owners have to learn how to get along and share their money and make it a level playing field. And as you know, in baseball, they're not willing to do it. And I'm sure they're not willing to do it in basketball, either.
KAYE: So how great, really, do you think the chance is that we could not have an NBA season?
BERMAN: Well, you know, again, it's a lockout. You know, fans always confuse it and say, Why are the NFL or the NBA players on strike? It's not. The owners have locked them out. So really, the ball is in the owners' court. there is a significant difference, and we'll see where they draw the line in the sand. They already dropped one of their hard-and-fast demands. That salary cap issue is important. Without getting too detailed, the NBA has a soft cap, which means teams can spend above the cap to retain their own stars.
I'm not -- this is a great question. I -- you know, it all depends how firmly they dig their heels in the sand, Randi, the owners.
KAYE: All right. You're allowed to turn off your television now and not pay any more attention to a possible lockout here, or to the lockout here, until it gets fixed. Len Berman, the legend...
BERMAN: Call me when it's over, Randi.
KAYE: All right. I'll give you a call. Thank you.
Eagles quarterback Michael Vick takes a big step towards rectifying his public image today. We will tell you how right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Thirty-three minutes past the hour. Let's check out some of the headlines and other news that you may have missed. Stunning developments in the sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss- Kahn. A judge has released the former International Monetary Fund director on his own recognizance and freed him from house arrest in New York based on serious credibility issues with his accuser that threaten the entire case.
The court did not dismiss the indictment or any of the charges against Kahn, and authorities will continue to withhold his passport at least for the time being.
In Boston, arraignment is set for July 6th for reputed mobster James Whitey Bulger. Prosecutors won an early round in the case against Bulger yesterday. The judge agreed to dismiss a lesser racketeering indictment from 1994 to focus on Bulger's 19 murder charges.
Bulger's interim defense attorney accused federal prosecutors of trying to game the system to allow a different judge to hear the case. In a separate development, the court appointed a public defender to represent Bulger, who said he could not afford to hire a lawyer, even though agents found $800,000 in his apartment when he was arrested in California.
The Casey Anthony murder trial back on track after it came to an abrupt halt earlier today. Just as the case seemed to be in the final stretch, the judge unexpectedly called an indefinite recess. The defense claimed they didn't know what the state's experts were going to say, calling it an ambush, so the judge gave the defense time to talk to them. Prosecutors are expected to focus their rebuttal around Caylee's skull and the computer searches for chloroform.
Leon Panetta was sworn in as the nation's 23rd defense secretary today. He replaces Robert Gates, who retired yesterday. Panetta, who previously served as CIA director, was confirmed by the Senate last week in a rare 100-to-zero vote. In a speech at the Pentagon today, Panetta pledged to persist in the push to defeat al Qaeda. His other top priorities include overseeing the completion of the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq this year and beginning the process of winding down the war in Afghanistan.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick is once again sponsored by Nike. A Nike representative confirms that the company has resigned the controversial quarterback to an endorsement deal. Nike said that it does not condone Vick's past mistakes but supports the positive changes he's made to better himself off the field. Nike had severed ties with Vick in 2007 over Vick's involvement in a dog-fighting ring.
A growing population is giving Texas more seats in Congress, and the political fight over drawing the new district lines is in high gear. We'll take you to the front lines, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: A Texas-sized political battle is swinging into high gear in the Lone Star state. Republicans and Democrats are at odds over a redistricting map that sets the boundaries for four new congressional seats. And as CNN's Ed Lavandera reports, the fight is bound for court.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Whenever a redistricting showdown looms in Texas, political pundits can't help but think there's got to be a better way, but each suggestion ends in a punch line, as the editor-in-chief of TheTexasTribune.org found out.
KEL SELIGER (R), TEXAS STATE SENATE: Said maybe we ought to take the process of redrawing these maps out of the hands of politicians and put them in the hands of technocrats. What do you think about that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We ought to take the calories out of fried chicken, too.
SELIGER: But not entirely possible.
LAVANDERA: The last redistricting battle ended with Democrats fleeing the state to block the Republicans' plan for a new congressional map. Fifty-one lawmakers secretly escaped to Ardmore, Oklahoma. They spent days hanging around the pool of a Holiday Inn hotel, trying to kill the bill. Redistricting brings out the worst in politics. Just ask long-time political columnist Dave McNeely.
DAVE MCNEELY, TEXAS POLITICAL COLUMNIST: The long knives are out. It's a time when people who had previously been friends can become enemies. And it's a time when if revenge can be gotten by those in power, it will be.
LAVANDERA: So welcome to the latest round of Texas redistricting. It's even more intense this time around because of the state's population growth. Texas will get four new congressional seats, but Democrats say at least two of the new districts should be drawn for minority candidates.
TREY MARTINEZ FISCHER (D), TEXAS STATE HOUSE: Ninety percent of all growth in the last decade in this state was minority growth, 65 percent of that alone Latino. So you would expect that these new congressional districts would reflect the minority populations that created the opportunity. And unfortunately, they don't.
LAVANDERA: Democratic groups have already filed lawsuits to block the Republicans' plan, which is still waiting for Governor Rick Perry's approval. Republicans argue that because Texas is a conservative state, that the new districts should reflect that. Republicans hold a super-majority in the state legislature and were able to pass their plan without Democratic support. And now they're prepared to battle it out in court.
BURT SOLOMONS (R), TEXAS STATE HOUSE: Everything in context with this congressional map seems to be leading to the courthouse. No matter what Mr. Seliger and I or the legislature does, it's going to go to the courthouse because the groups seem intent on making sure it goes to the courthouse.
LAVANDERA: Hold on. It's going to be another bumpy political ride.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And Ed Lavandera is live from the CNN "Election Express" in New Braunfels, Texas. He joins us now. Ed, so how do you see this all playing out?
LAVANDERA: Well, it's going take months to figure out. There'll be the courts involved. A three-judge panel will take a look at all the different maps that have been proposed, and then the lawyers for both sides will then have to fight it out. And those panels will have to determine who's correct and see how this state gets parceled up on the congressional level.
KAYE: And how significant is it, you know, compared to other states, that Texas is getting four new seats? Is that a big deal?
LAVANDERA: Oh, a huge deal. Dave McNeely, the political columnist you heard from in the piece, said, We haven't seen this since just the end -- after the Civil War, the state of Texas gaining this many seats because of one census count, four seats. Only eight other states in the country are gaining congressional seats, and the closest one is Florida, which is only getting two seats. So Texas by and large really leading the charge in terms of population growth and just how much more influence they'll be getting in Congress.
KAYE: Ed Lavandera, happy Friday to you. Thank you much for coming on today.
LAVANDERA: Same to you, Randi.
KAYE: Thank you.
A new and potentially key turn in the war in Libya. The rebels say they're in direct talks with France about supplying them with much needed weapons. A live report from the battlefield coming your way next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Heavy machine guns, assault rifles, anti-tank guns, you name it and the Libyan rebels need it. Now the rebels say they're in talks with France to supply them with weapons in their fight to overthrow Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
CNN's Ben Wedeman joins us now from the rebel-held town of Misrata. Ben, just what are the rebels saying about weapons talks and maybe even a possible deal with France on this?
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this we heard from a spokesman for the Misrata military council of the rebels, who said that they are in talks with the French to have this sort of this air drop of weapons, medicines and food that France did to the rebels in the western part of this country several days ago. We have yet to hear from the French on whether they're actually willing to do that.
Certainly, Misrata needs the weapons. This town is surrounded on three sides by Gadhafi's forces. In fact, just right now, I'm hearing distant thuds on the front lines, where we assume the rebels are coming under attack by rocket fire from Gadhafi's force.
At the same time, this town is frequently hit by other missiles that Gadhafi's forces fire into the city, oftentimes using little metal balls, which are intended to hurt people, hurt anyone in the immediate area. They're basically anti-personnel weapons.
So certainly, even though the forces of Gadhafi have been somewhat pushed away from the center of the city, the city is still very much under siege and desperate for any sort of weapons, particularly heavy weapons, that would allow them to better defend the city, Randi.
KAYE: And Ben, if this whole report is true, I mean, what kind of reaction do you think we might expect from the U.N. and NATO on this?
WEDEMAN: Well, certainly, many countries have expressed objections to the French initiative because it is, in a sense, outside the bounds of U.N. Security Council resolution 1973, which calls for, you know, protection of civilians and an air embargo and a no-fly zone over Libya.
It certainly does not allow for the provision of weapons to either of the sides in this conflict, so there could be some opposition. Already, we've heard, for instance, from the African Union, which has objected to the French initiative -- Randi.
KAYE: And Ben, one last question. Gadhafi's daughter speaking out on the civil war -- I want to play just a part of what she said just quickly here about the demand for her father to step down and get a quick reaction from you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AYESHA GADHAFI, MOAMMAR GADHAFI'S DAUGHTER (through translator): This word of departure -- departure. What I find strange is where would you like him to go? This is his country, his land, his people. Where would he go? There is one thing that you don't understand and that you will never understand is that my father is a symbol, a guide.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: What do you make of that, Ben?
WEDEMAN: Well, it's not surprising to hear this from the daughter, Ayesha, the daughter of Moammar Gadhafi, and certainly, it does reflect possibly the opinion within his family and the hard core within Tripoli itself.
But in this part of the country, in Misrata, which was under siege for months by Gadhafi's forces, in eastern Libyan cities like Benghazi and Tobruk and Derna, there's certainly no love lost for Moammar Gadhafi, that this is an opinion that most people in this part of the country will not pay much attention to, certainly not give much value to.
And just to remind you, I am hearing more bombardment on the edges of Misrata. So people really focused not on what Gadhafi's daughter is saying but what's going on here on the ground in Misrata -- Randi.
KAYE: All right. Ben Wedeman there for us in Misrata. Ben, be safe. Thank you.
Time right now, about 48 minutes past the hour. Let's check our top stories. In Syria, at least six people were killed today in an anti- government protest. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators swarmed into the streets across the country. Three of the dead were in the western city of Homs and three others on the outskirts of the capital, Damascus.
U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton condemned the attack, saying time was running out for President Bashar al Assad to start meaningful talks with opposition leaders.
China's pulling out all the stops in celebrating today's 90th anniversary of the Communist Party. Mixed with all the hoopla, a warning from the country's president. Hu Jintao says that corruption could cost the party the support of the people. He pointed to what he called the incompetence of some party members that he says has caused problems for the country.
In Monaco, a royal wedding today. Prince Albert tied the knot with his South African fiancee, Charlene Wittstock. They married in a civil ceremony at the palace, which was followed by a picnic and a concert. Albert is a former Olympic bobsledder and his bride is a former Olympic swimmer.
And take a look here at this amazing little guy. These are live pictures of that little pup there, Carter. That's Carter the dog. He couldn't walk, it turns out, because of a birth defect. But now he has prosthetic paws. See them there on his back legs? They let him run, jump, and yes, even swim. We're going to introduce you to Carter and share his story right after the break, so don't go anywhere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Every day on this show, we do a segment called "The Big I." It's about big ideas, innovations and solutions to problems. Well, today's topic really caught our eye. It certainly touched our hearts. It's these prosthetic legs created for dogs with birth defects or maybe even dogs who lost their paws in a tragic accident. The technology lets the little guys run, jump, swim, and well, cause all the same trouble around the house, just like any other pup.
It's creator, Martin Kaufmann, the owner of Orthopets, joins me now with his pal, Carter. Carter's a pitbull. Thank you both for joining us. Carter looks exhausted. I hope he makes it through this interview.
Listen, now, what happened to Carter? And how long has he had these prosthetic legs?
MARTIN KAUFMANN, OWNER AND FOUNDER, ORTHOPETS: Carter was born with deformed back legs. And he's had the devices now for a few months, and he's learning now to walk like a normal four-legged dog.
KAYE: So how does it work? I mean, does it work the same way prosthetics might work for the rest of us?
KAUFMANN: Yes. The technology is the same as devices, prosthetics and orthotics for humans, but from a veterinary perspective. So taking those technologies that we already know from the human world and applying it to these animals that are biomechanically so different. They're born with four legs. It's a different concept for us in the human field to think about. And they function the same. It's really letting the body work normally.
KAYE: Can you show us or maybe even get Carter to stand up for us a little bit without him leaving the lens there and walking out of frame?
KAUFMANN: You bet.
KAYE: But while you show us those, maybe you could tell us, you know, how long did it take him to adjust to something like this?
KAUFMANN: Well, Carter's a good example of those usual four-legged athletes that we have. A couple weeks, and Carter had figured out how he could actually be a normal four-legged dog. Usually, our patients will take a month, a week to two weeks, to learn how to function normally again. And in Carter's case, he's never let these birth defects slow him down. He's just picking right up and actually able to stand and just be a normal dog.
KAYE: Yes, I can tell. They don't seem to bother him, certainly, with the way his tail is wagging there. Does he get it, though, do you think, Martin, that something is different about him?
KAUFMANN: Yes. It's the confidence that we see in all these patients, prosthetics, orthotics. You just -- you know your dog and you know when they're happy and they're feeling confident. They feel like they can trust their legs again. So with Carter, being able to see him run around in the park and actually engage with other dogs without feeling like he has to be so guarded, like an injured dog would do. That's how Carter was before we got involved and helped him out with his back legs. Now in his mind, he's just a normal guy.
KAYE: And for the cat owners -- you know, we don't want to slight them. Can you do this for other animals? Can you do it for a cat or anybody else?
KAUFMANN: Because we use the same technology of human prosthetics and orthotics, but with that veterinarian twist, we don't really care what kind of species we work on. Cats, dogs, it doesn't really matter what they are. The mechanics are unique to animals, and that's what we do. So llamas, monkeys, it just doesn't matter.
KAYE: I love it. We were just showing some pictures of one wearing -- of a cat wearing one of these. It looks like a little boot for the cat.
KAUFMANN: Yes.
KAYE: So just tell me quickly before we let you go, are these affordable? I mean, can anyone get them for their pets?
KAUFMANN: Yes. In comparison to the cost in the human world, very affordable, $600 to $800 is a usual project for us with braces. Prosthetics are usually just around $1,000 for the entire process that we take you through to get your pet back to normal.
KAYE: Well, Martin, I think what you're doing is great. As a pet lover myself, I love to see you helping them out. So thank you for your work, and give Carter a little pat on the head and a big treat from us here at CNN.
KAUFMANN: We certainly will. Thanks for having us.
KAYE: All right. Thank you.
And for much more on the prosthetic paws, you can check out my FaceBook page, /randikayecnn. And don't forget to tune in Monday once again, same "Big I" time, same "Big I" channel. You never know what we're going to have.
Well, it is all about the money. Hot news from the CNN "Political Ticker" right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: It's time now for a "CNN Political Update." CNN's Joe Johns joins me now from the political desk in Washington. Hi, Joe. Has it quieted down a little since the latest campaign fund-raising deadline? It seems as if there was a lot of begging going on, shall we say.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's for sure, Randi. The latest political fund-raising deadline is history, and it is now time for candidates to get their spin on. So no, it hasn't really quieted down.
Mitt Romney is one of the guys to watch. He's leading in the national polls. Aides say he'll show $15 million to $20 million for the quarter. And speaking of spin, another guy to watch is former Utah governor Jon Huntsman. He may be one of the people the Democrats are most worried about. We're hearing Huntsman pulled in $1.4 million since getting into the race just not long ago at all.
Funny thing about Huntsman is he's personally wealthy, though at first, he claimed he wasn't going to self-finance the race. Now we're being told a little less than half of the $4 million came out of his own pocket. Seed money, they say.
The campaigns have until July 15th to actually report those totals to the Federal Election Commission, Randi.
KAYE: And Joe, if you would, tell us about this guy, Thad McCotter. It caught my attention. He now says he's running for president.
JOHNS: Yes. Well, look, this guy, Thad McCotter, is somebody we know from Washington, D.C. He is a congressman. He is from the state of Michigan. And you may not know his name, but he's had five terms on the Hill, so he's known pretty well.
He plays the guitar, likes to quote the lyrics of rock 'n' roll bands, is supposed to make an official announcement at a Fourth of July festival in his hometown over the weekend. And, yes, Randi, he is definitely considered a long shot so far.
KAYE: Well, he should just take his guitar on the road and see what kind of votes he can drum up.
JOHNS: That's right.
KAYE: All right, Joe. Thank you so much.
JOHNS: You bet.
KAYE: Your next update from "The Best Political Team" on television is just an hour away.
