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Demand on Food Banks Increases; Sarah Palin Still Undecided; Severe Water Shortage at Big Spring; Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Are Good for the Health; Texas Governor Rick Perry Announces His Candidacy; Woman Missing in Aruba; Weinstein Kidnapped in Lahore
Aired August 13, 2011 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here in the "CNN Newsroom." I'm Fredericka Whitfield.
The crowded Republican race for president got even more crowded today on a day when the GOP hopefuls jockeyed for position in the Iowa straw poll. Texas governor Rick Perry stole their thunder by heading to South Carolina and announcing he's in the race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. RICK PERRY (R), TEXAS: It is time to get America working again and that's why with the support of my family, an unwavering belief in the goodness of America, I declare to you today, as a candidate for president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So just who is Rick Perry? Here's a quick biographical look to get you informed. He's Republican, and the 47th governor of Texas. He's a graduate of Texas A&M. The first (INAUDIBLE) to become governor. Perry has signed budgets that reduced the general revenue spending in Texas. On education, he introduced the largest teacher incentive pay program in the country and on immigration, Governor Perry initiated a boots on the ground strategy, it coordinates local, state, county and law enforcement efforts. Rick Perry is a conservative who is against abortion and same-sex marriage.
So how does Perry fare in the polls? First let's look at how he does against other GOP candidates. In a CNN ORC poll conducted last week, Romney leads with 17 percent. But Perry, and, remember, this was taken before the governor actually announced today, he was just two points behind at 15 percent. And now let's see how Perry does against President Obama. Again, this is a CNN ORC poll taken last week, you can see Obama leads but with only 51 percent, and Perry before he announced today had 46 percent.
So Perry's announcement upstaged the Iowa straw poll where incidentally Perry is not on the ballot. The best political team on television is on the ground in Iowa and that's where we find CNN deputy director, Paul Steinhauser. So Paul just what an hour to go before polls close in this straw poll?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, polls close in about an hour and we could get the results as early as maybe 6:00 Eastern, more likely closer to 7:00. We'll see. People have been voting for a while right behind me. That's our bus, of course, the CNN Election Express right behind that is the Hilton Coliseum right here in the campus of Iowa State University in Ames. This is a pretty crucial straw poll for a lot of reasons, but one of them is an early indicator of how campaigns are doing, their strength, their grassroots approach and efforts and its the popularity of the candidates.
And Fred, right now, those candidates have been inside the coliseum speaking to the audience there, giving their final pitches. Herman Cain is speaking right now, the former business or former godfather speech, the CEO, let's take a listen to what he has to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HERMAN CAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Number two, before I commit any of our brave men and women in uniform, to go into war on behalf of this nation, I will make sure that the mission is clear, I will make sure that the definition of victory was clear and I will make sure that it is clear how it is in the best interest of the United States and that particular nation because if I send our men and women into war, they want to be in it to win it and that's why it will be clear why we are there.
We have a moral crisis. There are people who want to take god out of our culture, the founding fathers understood the importance of godly biblical principles. There are some people who want to ignore the declaration and the constitution, but I happen to believe that the founding fathers, they got it right. They got it right. When they said we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their creator and I will never leave that phrase out of the declaration of independence. Endowed by their creator. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, from the moment of conception.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STEINHAUSER: Just a little taste there of Herman Cain. He is a pretty good public speaker and he's doing a pretty nice job right now. I think you can see from the crowd, at least. Cain, of course, a radio talk show host as well as being the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza. Fred, he is the last of the six candidates right here who are giving speeches inside the coliseum.
There are nine on the ballot today. In fact two of them, Mitt Romney and John Huntsman, they're not even here, they're in New Hampshire. There's been a lot of action inside, a lot of action outside here among all the tents and that's what's going on right now, Fred.
WHITFIELD: All right. Paul Steinhauser, a whole lot going on, thanks so much, appreciate that from Ames, Iowa.
STEINHAUSER: Oh, yes.
WHITFIELD: So with Rick Perry's announcement and the Iowa straw poll underway, where is Sarah Palin? She was in Iowa yesterday and that's where CNN's Don Lemon caught up with her and ask the questions on so many minds.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Why haven't you decided? Why haven't you declared?
SARAH PALIN (R), FMR. ALASKA GOVERNOR: I think that I'm not the only one who has not decided yet and not ready to announce one way or the other yet, because there's still a lot of, you know, there's still a lot of contemplation that needs to go into such a earth shattering, life changing decision for a family.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Straw poll results are expected tonight. Watch them live right here in the "CNN Newsroom," on a special report, "The Iowa Straw Poll" with CNN's Don Lemon and Candy Crowley at 7:00 p.m. Eastern tonight.
Also we're watching other stories, authorities have arrested an Oklahoma man who allegedly placed a home made bomb under a gas pipeline. It failed to explode. The FBI says the suspect, 40-year- old Daniel Wells Harryman called 911 and confessed. Harryman did not give a motive for his actions. The FBI says he does not have any connection to the pipeline company or to any terrorist group.
Police are investigating a Greyhound bus crash on the Pennsylvania turn pike. It happened in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania this morning. At least 20 people were hurt when the bus overturned. None of the injuries are considered life threatening. The bus was on a trip from New York to St. Louis.
And we have the 911 tapes from the capture of three alleged bank robbing Florida siblings after the Dougherty gang crashed their car during a high-speed chase in Colorado. Ryan Dougherty tried to flee on foot. Here's what the captor sounded like.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DISPATCHER: 9-11, what is your emergency?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's running down towards George's.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's running towards George's.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's in the ditch right behind George's... we could see him running this way.
DISPATCHER: What's he wearing?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's right here at the backdoor. Don't let him in guys, lock the doors. He's coming right into George's at the back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm at George's Cafe right now. The guy is running right now by George's right now.
DISPATCHER: OK. Which way is he going?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's heading southbound right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's headed south again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's on foot.
DISPATCHER: Is this the guy in the plaid shirt?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got him.
DISPATCHER: Do not get close to him. Do not make contact with him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not.
DISPATCHER: Do not make contact.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's heading south again going to Pizza Hut.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's going towards Pizza Hut.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got him. He stopped. He's sitting down. The officer has him in custody now.
DISPATCHER: All right. The officer has his in custody. OK Shane, I'm going to go ahead and let you go, thank you very much for all your help.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The Dougherty's face multiple felonies in Colorado, Georgia and Florida. Bond was set at $1.5 million each.
And Philadelphia is cracking down on flash mob violence with a 9:00 p.m. curfew for people younger than 18. It's in effect Friday and Saturday night in Center City, the heart of downtown Philadelphia and University City where the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University are located.
In the rest of the city, the curfew is 10 for kids younger than 13, 10:00 p.m., I think that's what that means. And midnight for people under 18.
A huge back to school celebration took to the streets of Chicago's south side. Organizers of the annual Bud Billicen parade and picnic are expecting up to a half million people today. It is considered the oldest African-American parade and the second largest annual parade in the United States.
And we have an update on the American woman missing more than 10 days on the island of Aruba. The FBI is now involved and later, it is so dry in west Texas that water is so scarce that a town is building a treatment plant that will actually recycle water that most of us usually flush away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: International news now, the cleaning up and counting the cost after a week of sometimes violent rioting in the United Kingdom. The street clashes have ended but London and other British cities are keeping a heavy police presence visible. More than 2200 people were arrested over the past seven days.
And soldiers in Mexico discovered a tunnel that begins in Tijuana and extends beneath the border into the United States. The tunnel has electricity and ventilation. Mexican authorities arrested 10 people working on the tunnel which was not yet completed. Investigators believe the tunnel was built for drug smuggling.
An American woman is still missing in Aruba. Robin Gardner was last seen August 2nd in the company of a Maryland man. That man is in jail in Aruba. A suspect in her disappearance. FBI agents searched his home last night.
And Fidel Castro turns 85 today. These pictures are from April, the last time the former Cuban leader appeared in public. A week of celebrations are planned across the country in tribute to Castro.
On to Pakistan now, an intense search is underway for a kidnapped American, the victim is identified as Warren Weinstein, a development expert who works for a U.S.-based consulting firm. He was abducted from his home in Lahore in north eastern Pakistan.
CNN's Reza Sayah reports from the Pakistani capital of Islamabad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When you look at the details of how this kidnapping went down, I think it's clear that it was a very well coordinated plot, the U.S. embassy in Islamabad and Pakistani police identified the victim as Warren Weinstein, an American citizen and a development expert.
Investigators say the kidnapping happened at 3:15 a.m. Saturday morning. It is the holy month of Ramadan here. A lot of Muslims fasting, investigators say at that hour, Weinstein's three security guards and it's driver were getting ready for a prefast meal in the front yard when they heard a knock at the front gate, it was three men, police say, who were offering food which is very customary during Ramadan. But that turned out to be a ploy by the assailants to make their way in.
Once the front gate was open, they forced their way in. In the meantime, other assailants according to police scaled the walls of home. They tied up the security guards, pistol whipped the driver and forced him to take them to Weinstein's room and eventually left with him. A security guard in the neighbor's house say the assailants left with at least two vehicles.
Warren Weinstein according to police here, an employee of J.E. Austin, a Virginia-based development company involved in very important social and economic development work in Pakistan. No group has claimed responsibility for this kidnapping. No group has made any demands, oftentimes people are inclined to think it's Islamist militants involved in most kidnappings here, sometimes they are, but investigators say most kidnappings are carried out by criminal gangs looking to make some quick cash by collecting on a huge ransom.
Reza Sayah, CNN, Islamabad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And back in this country, failing grades for U.S. Congress. Hear why angry voters are calling for change in all parties.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. Let's go to the movies, "The Help" a film that's already generating a lot of Oscar buzz in the theaters this is weekend. And the action comedy "30 Minutes or Less" is also on the big screen. So how do these movies rate with our movie critic. Let's check in with Grae Drake of fandango and movies.com, joiningg us from L.A.. Good to see you, Grae.
GRAE DRAKE, FANDANGO, MOVIES.COM: Hello.
WHITFIELD: OK. So we're talking about "The Help." This is based on a book set in Mississippi and how women are kind of convinced to get together to share their stories by this young budding author. Let's take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm going to do it. But I need to make sure she understands this isn't no game we're playing here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Slide your chair under the table and face me. I need to see you square on at all times. I got to come up with the questions too?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, this is really interesting because there's lots of comic relief. And it's also very serious too. I think one of the actress Viola Davis talked about really how really at first very difficult it was for her to say yes to this project. So tell me a little bit more about this movie before you give me your review.
DRAKE: You know what? I loved this movie more than women in the 1960s loved their beehives. I got to tell you, I mean there's, you know, a lot of people are talking about this film, because like you have said it's an adaptation and I was really scared that they were going to screw it up because I'm a big fan of the book. And the good news is they nailed it.
WHITFIELD: Really? And sometimes that doesn't always happen.
DRAKE: Absolutely, yes. Oh, my gosh, I know, I was so nervous. And the thing about is you've got really heavy hitters in this movie like Cicely Tyson and Sissy Spacek, up against performers that we don't really know so well, like Octavia Spencer, who you saw in that-
WHITFIELD: Yes.
DRAKE: She says more with an uh-huh than most actresses can say in an entire monologue. They really do such a great job performing this story. Now the plot is not about subtlety and I can see why Viola Davis may have had some reservations about being in the film at first.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
DRAKE: But the performances are so spectacular in this that they bring the subtlety and they bring the nuance to it. And I just couldn't rip my eyes from it. I really was - I thought it was heart warming and I thought that - it touched me a little bit. I got confirmation from my boyfriend, he got misty, just saying.
WHITFIELD: OK..
DRAKE: This movie got everybody.
WHITFIELD: So what was your grade?
DRAKE: I give this movie an A for Aibilene, played by Viola Davis who needs to start doing bicep exercises so she can hoist her Oscar trophy into the air in February.
WHITFIELD: Oh wow. Something tells me she's going to be OK trying to hoist that Oscar.
DRAKE: You're probably right, yes.
WHITFIELD: OK. Let's talk about something else, you know, completely polar opposite now, "30 Minutes or Less." What's this all about?
DRAKE: Oh, my god, I wish I knew.
WHITFIELD: Oh no.
DRAKE: This movie, like - while I was watching it, it really stirred a lot of interesting questions within me, like when is the last time I replaced the batteries in my smoke detector, or have I fed my pet chinchilla at home. Horrible movie. Horrible. I couldn't focus on it.
WHITFIELD: Really?
DRAKE: Because the script was lousy. Jesse Eisenberg plays a character who has a bomb strapped to his chest and he is forced to give these guys money by a bank robbery, through a bank robbery, but yet somehow, I'm the one that feels like I'm the victim having to watch this movie.
WHITFIELD: Oh no. All right. Let's look at a clip and see if we still feel that way.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get down on the ground and give me the money in the bank.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How am I supposed to give you the money if I'm on the ground.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go get the money out of the bank and then get down on the ground afterwards.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right. I'll be right back.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Guns, masks, you sure you don't want to grab some condoms?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, why?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Because this is usually what men buy before they rape someone.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're not rapists.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Us two? Small fries, no way.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is this going to be cash or credit for your rape kit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So from playing Mark Zuckerberg to now, I guess this accomplice of trying to commit a crime here. All right. OK. So give me your grade.
DRAKE: A strange transition, and this has happened to a lot of people in real lives and the last thing they need is some Hollywood yokals coming in and screwing up their lives even more by making a crappy movie about it.
So I gave it a D. It detonated my patience.
WHITFIELD: You could have done it without it?
DRAKE: Oh, you've got that right, man. I didn't like it at all. The only reason I didn't flunk it is because of parks and recreations (INAUDIBLE) have some good bits in it. Otherwise, skip it. Go support something like "The Help."
WHITFIELD: Oh my goodness. OK. Tell them what it is. Like always. Grae Drake, that's why we love you. Thanks so much. Good to see you.
DRAKE: Love you back.
WHITFIELD: Smooches. OK.
All right. A hot streak is over and that's actually cause for celebration. We're not talking about the run of luck, we're not talking about bad movies and all that stuff. We're talking about the temperature, why one Texas town is actually quite relieved.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. It's the weekend, a time when a lot of folks like to line out. Well CNN reporters, anchors and producers are no exception. As we cover stories around the world, we also get great tips on some of the best restaurants, hotels and travel spots. And in this week's "Travel Insider" Zane Verjee takes us to her favorite fish and chips restaurant in London's Soho neighborhood.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): I've just popped out real quick to have as they say here, a nibble. We're in Soho, this is a really cool area, it's so diverse, the cuisine around this area is amazing. Legend has it that this all used to be a hunting ground and people would ride through the open fields and say So-ho, So-ho. This London Soho is actually the very first from all around the world. Even before New York had it's Soho, before Buenos Aires or Hong Kong had their Soho.
So this is it. This is my favorite little fish and chipper, as they say here. I really like it because it's amazing, the people are cool and it's a little secret get away here for me. And you know what? They make it in four minutes. Let me show you.
The secret to good fish and chips is in the oil and in the batter. Winston Churchill called it the good companion when he talked about fish and chips. And John Lennon actually really liked to dunk them in lots of tomato. Michael Jackson liked to smush fish and chips with lots of peas. Me, I'm easy. I just like Tabasco on it. You know it's going straight to the thighs, right? But who cares because it tastes really good.
No, I'm good. I'll just dip in that. Thank you so much. Great to see you, so here it is, my favorite fish and chipper.
Zane Verjee, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Oh, you lucky dog, now I'm hungry, as is Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I know.
WHITFIELD: I want some fish and chips now. That's what I'm going to have for dinner now. I won't be going to London, but I'll find it somewhere around here.
How you doing?
JERAS: I'm well. How are you?
WHITFIELD: I'm good. It's hot out there, finally a little relief, at least for the folks in Texas.
JERAS: I know.
WHITFIELD: But how significant is that relief?
JERAS: Well, it's very significant. And when you're talking temperatures that are no longer 100-degree plus, right? And you get a little rain when it's been months since you had any measurable rain. This is really a huge deal for folks there. You know, most of the rain is starting to kind of fizzle out a little bit here, but we had a nice complex that moved on through, temperatures have been in the 70s and 80s all day long. So that's the great news.
How much rain did they get? How significant is it? Well, it's enough to make the ground a little bit wet and maybe spruce things just up a little bit. Take a look at some of the rainfall totals across the Dallas Ft. Worth area, you had about three-quarters of an inch in Dallas proper, just to the southwest of there, you had about two and a half inches and even in some spots there got about three inches. So that's the good news. You know, stop that record as of Thursday, and staying just south of the 100-degree temperatures, today right now it's only 84. So that feels fantastic.
I wish I could tell you that that trend is going to continue. I think today is the last of it, you'll be back up to about 105 tomorrow. So we'll watch those number of days just start to ride back up once again. Now our other weather story in addition to showers and thunderstorms and relieved to the south is that we're dealing with stormy weather in parts of the midwest too. That yellow box, yes, that's a severe thunderstorm watch and it includes the Chicagoland area, and we have seen reports anywhere between three-quarters of an inch to an inch-sized hail. So a lot of hail have been reported with those storms.
We also have stormy weather up and down the East Coast. Nothing really severe here, just some heavy downpours and it's causing a lot of problems at the airports. Take a look at that. Ground stops, Baltimore, Chicago, Washington-Dulles, Washington National and JFK looking at some delays there as well. We're also keeping our eye on the tropics, nothing you need to worry about today but this one we're going to be watching maybe about five days from now. So we'll keep you posted.
WHITFIELD: Gurt.
JERAS: It could be gurt.
WHITFIELD: It could be gurt. I remember that. I don't know why. It's a tough name to remember but I remember.
JERAS: (INAUDIBLE) it kind of sticks in your head.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks, Jacqui. Appreciate that.
And this, a sign of the times.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have been rationing food and just scraping by.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And he has a job. But doesn't earn enough to feed his family. He's not alone either. The unemployed and the working poor are lining up at food banks across the country. We'll take you to one in a few minutes.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Texas Governor Rick Perry makes it official. He is now running for president of the United States. He declared his candidacy at a conservative gathering at Charleston, South Carolina a few hours ago.
And let's turn to Iowa where we're also watching a critical test of Republican presidential candidates, the Ames Straw Poll has the potential to make or break a campaign. This is seen as the first test to determine which campaigns are viable. Nine Republicans are on the ballot.
Straw poll results are expected tonight, see them live here in the CNN newsroom, special report the Iowa Straw Poll with CNN's Don Lemon and Candy Crowley at 7:00 eastern time.
All right, 50 years ago today, Communist East Germany began building a wall dividing East and West Berlin. The Berlin wall was stand for 28 years. German leaders today led tribute to the more than 130 people who died trying to cross it.
And an American man was beaten and taken from his house, his home in Pakistan before dawn today. Warren Winestein is identified as a consultant and development expert who has lived in Lahore for several years, the Kidnappers reportedly overpowered Winestein's security guards and took the American away at gun point. So far no claims of responsibility, no demands for his release.
If the demand on food banks is any indication of how this country's economy is going, it can be summed up in three words, people are struggling. CNN's Athena Jones reports on a Washington area food bank and she said some of the people who used to donate food there are now hoping to benefit from it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's a Friday morning in August and volunteers at this Maryland food bank are preparing boxes of fresh produce, canned goods and other items to distribute to people in need. Manny of food center provides each family with 70 pounds of food every 30 days.
What would you do if you didn't come here, do you get help from other places as well?
JARED: No. I would probably run out of food by the end of the month and Manna gives us that extra boost. JONES: The sluggish economy is taking a toll on families across the country. A record 45.8 million people received food stamps from the government in May. That's one out of every seven people. For many food stamps alone don't meet their needs or they don't qualify for federal help at all and some of those who have jobs still struggle to feed their families.
ERIC ZEVALLOS: We have been rationing food and just scraping by. It's just me and my sister who was given right knows. Its kind a hard for both of us to try for our younger brothers that we have.
JONES: That's where organizations like Manna step in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two more cars.
JONES: Since 2008, the number of people they have served as more than doubled.
NATALIE CORBIN, MANNA FOOD CENTER: Any growth that the economy is feeing, folks at Manna have not feeling it yet. Until we see some dramatic change in the economy, we're going to continue see a dramatic increase in folks that are coming here.
JONES: Manna gets food that nearing its sell by deep from 40 area grocery store. The center also relies on food drivers, state and federal emergency food grants programs and donations.
CORBIN: We have folks who would come in and said you know I used to a donor to Manna and now I'm standing in your line. I never thought I would be in a position where I would be the one accepting help.
JONES: For many clients of food banks like this one and others nationwide, what was once an emergency program has become much more. Some worry the increased focus on cutting government spending could make it harder for these organizations to feed the hungry.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
JONES: Now, we have seen some encouraging news in the recent days. New unemployment claims fell to a four-month low last week. But it's too soon to tell if that trend will continue. And for now, staffers at Manna expect the food they provide to rise even more this winter. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, Athena Jones Thanks for bringing us that story from Washington.
So we found another sign of how tough this economy is, how thousands lined up for free dental care yesterday, in a suburb North of Atlanta. Well, some had shown up the night before and slept in a concrete actually to get a decent place in line. With so many lined up, the dentist couldn't actually get in to one of them. Hundreds came back today. One of the dentists says that some of his patients cried out of gratitude.
And we have al wondered about this while grocery shopping, (inaudible) is locally grown produce healthier than foods and vegetables trucked in from out of state. The answer in healthy living right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JONES: Only a few weeks left of summer and the fresh fruits and vegetables that we eat and more importantly freeze can keep us healthy all year round. So how can summer produce help fight off cancer and diabetes?
That's the subject of our weekly look at how to get and stay healthy. Dr. Bill Lloyd, our healthy living expert joins us live from Sacramento, California.
Dr. Bill, I can see you've got a bounty full of good, fresh vegetables there. So the benefits are quite sweet aren't they?
DR. BILL LLOYD, HEALTHY LIVING EXPERT: It's an amazing time of year to start your own anti-cancer program, Fredricka. Let me share with you a brief list of some of the powerful benefits that come from filling your diet with fresh produce, especially this time of year when it's so bountiful and so cheap.
So we all know about how fresh produce can help prevent cancer. Something as simple as one cup of blueberries a day will make a powerful impact. Of course, they're loaded with the anti-oxidants and vitamins and that's good for your overall nutrition. And of course you need produce even joy improve digestions as well.
But Fredricka, lot of people don't know, you fill your diet with plenty of fresh fruit produce like these beautiful red peppers here, you're going to elevate your good cholesterol and low your bad cholesterol. It's also going to eliminate a lot of that belly fat that you haven't been able to get rid of with exercising.
Diabetics enjoy improve lycenic control over their blood sugar. And because these anti-oxidants contained in this fresh fruit and produce preserve your nerves and has a Neuro-protective effect, so later in life, it keeps your brain sharp.
WHITFILED: All right, so give us some great tips on how you make a good selection so you got a good variety in some of these summer fruits and vegetables.
LLYOD: You bet. The first rule is color. When you pick items that are loaded with bright colors, you know they're loaded with the (flavinoids and cratiniods) and all the anti-oxidants that bring good things to these food items. Remember that berries' rule. Strawberries and blueberries, there's plenty of them around. And again, just one cup a day can give you all the anti-oxidants you need
Throw away the peeler, when you're eating fruit, be sure you eat the peel as well, Fredricka. Because most of the good stuff you want is either in the skin or directly underneath the skin, like that soluble fiber they talk about. And don't neglect the seeds. I'm not talking about fit on this (nectarine) but like in blueberries or in a red pepper, those seeds have an even higher concentration of those wonderful anti-oxidants. And as always, be sure you always wash the produce very thoroughly before serving it to family and friends.
WHITFIELD: So the FDA is recommending that people have five servings of any number of these things on a regular basis per day, are we doing that?
LLYOD: We're not even close, Fredericka. Most kids don't even have two full servings a day and the experts now want us to ramp it up to nine. So as the school year starts, we want to get our kids in that habit by including some fresh fruit in every lunch pack, serving fresh juice in the morning and then of course a nice salad in the evening and a fresh vegetable. It's cheaper than prepared, frozen or canned foods and again loaded with the anti-oxidants and the nutrition they need. They get them those five daily portions they need to have everyday.
WHITFIELD: And then a burning question for a lot of folks, they want to know, do I need to go for the locally grown, is it OK to go to my grocery store where the stuff is trucked in? Help people figure it out.
LLYOD: All things being equal. It comes down to the amount of time that passes from the time the fruit and vegetables were harvested to the time they got on your table. So locally grown means fewer people have handled it, it probably didn't even get anywhere near a machine and because you've gotten it at the peak of freshness, it's got the highest level of nutrients and anti-oxidants. May not be the case of the can that came out from the back of a trunk 3000 miles away.
WHITFIELD: So what happens to those anti-oxidants and all that nutrition that you speak of when you do choose to freeze some of these summer fruits and vegetables? Do they lose any of their potency?
LLYOD: Well, yes. That's a really important point because this time of year, the fruits are so cheap people want to stock up and save them for later in the year when they become more expensive.
Here's the breakdown, freshly picked is the highest level of anti- oxidants, next comes fresh frozen. So you wash the fruit, dry it and stick it in the freezer, next comes the freeze died. Freeze dried have lots of antioxidants as well, but slightly lower than the fresh or the fresh frozen and finally Fredricka, the cooked items, stewed preserves or jams made from fresh fruit, actually have the at least amount of anti-o antioxidants.
But I'll tell you this it's more anti-oxidants than if you didn't eat it in the first place. So, enjoy them all if you want to get it at its peek, fresh or fresh froze will pack the biggest punch when it comes to these items.
WHITFIELD: All right, we all love our fresh fruits and vegetables. Thanks so much Bill Lloyd, appreciate that. Good to see you. An apple a day. Bona petite.
All right, angry voters weighing in on U.S. congress. Hear why GOP, Democrats and tea party members all received unfavorable ratings.
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WHITFIELD: All right, after weeks of political back and forth over the debt crisis, voters are making their voices heard. Grading members of the U.S. congress. Lawmakers might not want to hear what they have to say. Here's CNN's Joe Johns.
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, a little more than a year to go from next year's elections and it's really starting to look like the public is in a foul mood when it comes to congress.
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JOHNS (voice-over): Incumbents watch your backs, the voters are angry. The most stunning number in our new CNN ORC Poll is the percentage of people who says their member of congress deserves re- election. Only 41 percent, 49 percent said that their member of Congress does not deserve re-election. We started asking this question two decades ago and these are the worst results that we have ever seen for incumbents.
So why are people so angry right now? 89-year-old Joseph Hall at this sidewalk cafe just a few blocks from the capitol said he got fed up with the Congress in the uproar and confusion over the debt ceiling.
JOSEPH HALL, VOTER: It goes way, way back, they should have solved this a long time ago, it's not the debt ceiling it's the debt. I mean if you lived like they live, like they have in this country lived, they would throw us out of our house. They would cut your electric off. You have to pay your bills. It's that simple.
JOHNS: And which party are the people maddest at? The report shows support for Republicans in congress have plummeted.
Republican House Speaker John Boehner's favorability rating dropped 10 percent. Senate Republican Mitch McConnell's favorability rating dropped six percent. Favorable views of the Republican Party as a whole have dropped eight points since July to just 33 percent. And 51 percent of respondents had an unfavorable view of the tea party movement.
Student Rebecca Barrow.
REBECCA BARROW, STUDENT: It's like they're not getting it, you know?
JOHNS: Yes.
BARROW: I think there are extremes on both sides.
JOHNS: Views of Democrats in Congress seem to be holding steady at 37 percent. Views of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi remain unchanged though respondents to our poll aren't exactly fawning over either party right now.
Judy Mainieri sides with Democrats but it's congress that's frustrates her. JUDY MAINERI, VOTER: What's really sad that our Congress is overlooking the needs of the middle class, the disabled, the seniors, I'm going to be a senior soon and they're talking about reducing what I get. And I need help, I really do and I feel like there's a disinterest.
JOHNS; Anti-incumbent sentiment are so strong that most Americans are no longer will be to give their representative the benefit of the doubt. If that holds up, it could be early warning of an electorate that's angrier than at any and recent memory. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much Joe.
CNN News Room with Don Lemon is coming up in a few minutes and he anchoring the show from Ames Iowa today. The side of today's Republican Presidential Straw Poll. And he talked to one person whose name is not even on the list.
So, Don gives us a preview.
JOHNS: Fredericka a little --
DON LEMON, ANCHOR, CNN NEWSROOM: Fredericka, Sarah Palin spent about ten minutes answering my questions here in Iowa from giving advice to the candidates who took part in the debate to that is responsible for the U.S. credit downgrade to whether or not she's stealing in spotlight by being here in Iowa even though she hasn't declared.
GOV. SARAH PALIN, ALASKA: I don't think I'm stealing the spotlight, in fact if I am stealing the spotlight, go find the others and say hello.
LEMON: So a lot of people are saying that the tea party is responsible for the downgrade in our credit.
PALIN: Yes, but if weren't for the tea party, the discussion would never have gone where it went so I appreciate the tea party's passion for getting the federal government to realize it needs to live within it's means. Now, the last group or entity to be blamed for the downgrade should be the tea party. So, I think the question that should be asked is the president responsible for the downgrade and I would say yes because from the top, that leadership starts from the top the leadership of our country.
LEMON: Why haven't you declared?
PALIN: I think it's I'm not the only one who has not decided yet and not ready to announce one way or the other yet. There's still you know, there's still a lot of contemplation that needs to go into such a earth shattering life changing decision for a family.
LEMON: I want to talk to you about women. A lot of people are pitting you and Michele Bachmann against each other. Do you think that's fair?
PALIN: Yes, that's so passe. Just because there may happen to be two women in the race that they would, you know as Michelle had put it once, get in the mud and engage in some cat fighting. That's ridiculous. Its kind an even a sexist notion to consider that the two women would be kind of ducked it out. No, if I'm going to duke it out, I'm going to duke it out with a guy.
LEMON: But are you concerned about her popularity (inaudible) or the jealous?
PALIN: Not at all. I'm glad that Michele Bachmann is in the arena. I'm glad that she's had opportunity now to be on stage debating some good ideas. Proud of anybody, male or female willing to put it all on the line and get out there and fight for what's right in this country. Michele is one of those.
LEMON: And Fredericka, no doubt that Sarah Palin is going to continue her bus tour all over the United States, but when I asked her and her husband Todd about what was in hair future, Todd responded by saying lunch.
Back to you, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot Don. And Straw Poll results are expected tonight. Watch them live right here on a CNN Special Report. The Iowa Straw Poll with CNN's Don Lemon and Candy Crowley. That's 7 o'clock Eastern time tonight.
All right, the desperation for water in Texas.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you hear people say, oh, my god, these people are going to be drinking their own urine.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a fellow over in midland who said at least he gets to drink his beer twice now.
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WHITFIELD: Oh, boy. How severe drought conditions have led to a unique plan to actually recycle wastewater.
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WHITFIELD: The drought in Texas has hit one town so hard. It's actually planning to recycle sewage into drinking water. CNN's Ed Lavendera found out some residents aren't too happy about that.
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ED LAVENDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In this withering Texas patch, oil still flows. The problem is we can't drink water and finding water is getting tougher, which brings us to the town of Big Spring.
This is the spring in big spring. More than 100 years ago, it was a popular watering hole for settlers heading west. Those days are long gone and you won't believe what people around here have to do now to find drinking water.
Crews are now building a $13 million water treatment plant that will turn sewage wastewater into drinking water by the end of next year. The treated raw sewage water will be mixed with lake water and treated again, three times in all.
BENITO LARA, RESIDENT, BIG SPRING TEXAS: I'll never drink it.
LAVANDERA: But the idea still doesn't taste right to a lot of people like Benito Lara.
LARA: That's not a good idea at all.
LAVANDERA: You don't like it?
LARA: No. If they do, we're going to have to leave town.
LAVANDERA: Really?
LARA: Yes. Yes. It's too much.
LAVANDERA: Are you kind of the salesman for this plan?
JOHN GRANT, COLORADO RIVER MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT: Somebody has to be.
LAVANDERA: John Grant directs the Colorado River Municipal Water District. It's his job to find drinking water for half a million people in the area and midland Odessa. He's got to get people past one big hurdle, though.
When you here people say, oh my God, these people are going to be drinking their own urine?
GRANT: there was a fellow over midland that I heard made a comment to say at least he gets to drink his beer twice now.
(LAUGHTER)
LAVANDERA: This part of West Texas has only seen about three inches of rain in the last year.
GRANT: The drought is drying out. The area is three reservoirs.
LAVANDERA: This is what's left of the EB spins reservoirs. It's the only source of drinking water for the nearby town of Robert lee. Problem is there's less than one percent of the water left.
Robert Lee mayor John Jacobs says the water situation is so dyer, his town could run out of water in six months. An emergency pipeline is in the works but he thinks turning wastewater into drinking water is the future.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the surface of it, that doesn't sound appealing does it?
GRANT: No, it's not, but then again, going thirsty isn't either.
This is the water that we're going to be taking it and taking it back through the new water treatment plan that we're building.
LAVANDERA: This new water treatment plant will provide 2 million gallons of water per day. And John grant predicts people will really like it.
You're saying this process could actually make it taste better?
GRANT: It could. And it will be better quality water than you can find anywhere.
LAVANDERA: John Grant says he'll be first in line to pour himself a glass.
Ed Lavandera, CNN Big Spring Texas.
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WHITFIELD: And I'm Fredrick Whitfield, thanks for being with us this afternoon.
The CNN Newsroom continues at the top of the hour with Don Lemon live from Ames Iowa.
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