Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

President Obama in Florida on his Bus Tour Campaign; Chicago Teachers Union to Strike Tomorrow

Aired September 09, 2012 - 17:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: All right, welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

President Obama is making his case right now to voters in the state of Florida. He is soon to be walking out on stage there and talking to the folks in West Palm Beach. It's the second day of the two-day bus tour through the sunshine state.

CNN chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin is there now.

So Jessica, what is the likely message that the president will be delivering to that crowd there?

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CHIEF WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fred.

Well, we expect that the president will talk about the jobs message that we have been hearing across the state, drawing contrast between his philosophy and Romney's and again driving home this new attack on the Romney/Ryan Medicare plan. He has unveiled of new broad side critiquing the Ryan plan, the newest Ryan version of the budget unveiling a Harvard study that he says shows that future and current seniors will pay more under their Medicare plan. But this budget we should point out, this analysis, I should point out, is conducted by somebody who used to be an Obama campaign adviser and is a Democrat.

Still, any day that these we are focused on Medicare is a time we are not focused on jobs and the economy so that is a plus for team Obama, Fred.

WHITFIELD: And so Jessica, I wonder if the Obama camp has reacted at all to earlier today Mitt Romney was heard and seen on "Meet the Press" saying that instead of repealing the president's health care plan, as he has said on the past, that he would be willing to keep some of the elements and then just revise other elements and make it his own.

YELLIN: The president has not addressed that himself but some of his aides have saying that immediately if Obama care were repealed certain aspects of it would also go away such as the preventive care measures, the mammograms.

The truth is, Fredricka, we can't know what would change because the whole package hasn't been implemented. So, if you were to roll it back who knows what would happen? It is all sort of a hypothetical debate. The bottom line is the Obama team is dismissive of talk of repealing it. They saying why would we have this discussion when it would be much more productive to talk about how to implement it or what changes Republicans would like to make so there could be some kind of bipartisan negotiation. And Republicans say it just needs to be repealed and taken away. At this point it is a political football -- Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jessica Yellin thanks so much traveling with the president there. And of course, when the president does arrive we'll be coming back to you and that scene live in West Palm. Appreciate that, Jessica.

All right, let's hear what those comments were all about with Mitt Romney on NBC's "Meet the Press" as it pertained to the Obama health care plan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not getting rid of all of health care reform. There are a number of things that I like in health care reform that I will put in place. One is to make sure that those with pre-existing conditions can get coverage. Two is to assure that the market place allows for individuals to have policies that can cover their family up to whatever age they might like. I also want individuals to be able to buy insurance -- health insurance on their own as opposed to only being able to get it on a tax advantage basis through their company.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, joining me on the phone to talk more about this, CNN senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen.

So Elizabeth, you have been in touch with the Romney campaign. Is he now saying he favors some of the measures? I mean, he is indeed saying he favors some of the measures. But what are the things that he wants to reform?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (via phone): It is interesting. We asked that question to him. We said, are you saying that you like what Obama care did for people with pre-existing conditions. Would you do the same thing? And we got a very clear no in an e-mail from a Romney spokesperson. This spokesperson said Romney's plan will deal with pre-existing conditions but not in the same way that Obama care does.

And Fred, just to remind everyone although many Americans don't need reminding, for people who have pre-existing conditions anything from heart disease to acne before health care reform they had an extremely difficult time getting health insurance because insurance companies don't like to ensure sick people, excessive.

WHITFIELD: So Elizabeth, did this statement from the Romney camp or the response to your questions go any further as to explain why or if Romney is changing his position on what to do about this health care reform if he were elected? Because for a very long time simply put he said it would be repealed under his watch. COHEN: Right. This e-mail, Fred, was very clear. The spokesperson said he wants to repeal Obama care and there are no changes. We have been see this spokesperson said we have been saying all along that we will reform health care but in a different way than Barack Obama has. For example, pre-existing conditions, the Romney -- Governor Romney's stance has been we will reform health care so that people with pre- existing conditions will be able to get insurance but only if they had health care coverage up until that point. So, do they have to have had coverage for a year in the past up until that point, two years, five years and they would not get specific. They wouldn't explain what continuous coverage meant.

WHITFIELD: Well, it is fascinating. I'm sure there will be a lot more dialogue about that language and those words in the next few days.

Elizabeth Cohen. Thanks so much.

And of course, you probably want to get to know the candidates a bit more. You can do so tonight find out what Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are really like, tonight beginning at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, when we profile the Republican presidential nominee followed and "Romney Revealed, family, faith and the road to power" that's followed at 9:30 p.m. by "Obama Revealed", the man, the president right here on CNN.

All right, students at the third largest public school system in the country may not be able to go to school tomorrow. Chicago teachers are threatening to go on strike in the morning if the school system does not agree to better pay and improved work conditions. The walkout would affect 400,000 at 700 schools that involved 29,000 unionized teachers.

Let's go live now to CNN's Ted Rowlands who is outside one of the schools that could be closed tomorrow.

So Ted, what is the latest update?

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There is no update, Fred. That is, I guess, the latest news is that they are still hammering away at the negotiating table. But we haven't been given any sort of an update in the last few hours. So, they are working hard to try to avert the strike.

At this point though, both sides are telling their folks, teachers, parents, everybody involved get ready. Get ready for a Monday without school. And you mentioned 400,000 students will not be able to go to school.

The district is opening up 144 school sites that the students can go to. There will be no learning going on, of course, but they will be fed. They will be there for a few hours, about four hours. But otherwise parents are going to have to come up with plan b.

One of the biggest concerns from parents we talked to here in the Eagle Wood neighborhood is safety. Safety because of course, Chicago is not the safest of cities. It has been -- it was a horrible summer with homicide rates up 30 percent. One parent we talked to said she is really concerned with the idea of 400,000 kids out on the street.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHATARA SCAGGS, CONCERNED PARENT: If the kids are not in school they are out getting into some kind of trouble or something. They are out getting into something other than being in school when they should be in school learning other than being out being destructive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ROWLANDS: Of course, Fred, both sides are saying that they do not want this to take place but they are running out of time. Midnight is the deadline when negotiations will stop and the strike will be official.

WHITFIELD: My goodness. So, this could be the first teacher strike in Chicago in 25 years. What changed in this working relationship between the school system and the teachers' union?

ROWLANDS: Well, you talk to the union and a couple things. One of the things that they bring up interestingly is what they perceive is an anti-union sentiment that we have seen across the country in states like Wisconsin and Ohio as of late. And they say that bled into the relationship. They also, are very critical of the Rahm Emanuel, Chicago mayor saying that he has completely aligned himself with the school board and they feel like they have been thrown under the bus by Democratic mayor.

On the other side there is a sense that the teachers really do want to flex their muscle and want to strike in some way to remind people about the power that teachers' unions do have and that power is only exhibited during a strike when they can literally affect the lives of 400,000 students and their families.

So, the bottom line here is wages is the biggest thing. And that is what they are hammering at now along with job security, whether they can bridge the gap, we will have to wait and see. (INAUDIBLE).

All right, Ted Rowlands. Thanks so much in Chicago. Keep us posted.

All right, meantime, we are still awaiting some activity there in West Palm, Florida in the way of the president of the United States entering the room. The crowd is set. A number of folks have spoken in advance of the president including Debbie Wasserman Schultz there. The president is hoping to garner more support, more votes. And you can hear a little Al Green in the background, one of the president's favorite songs.

Of course, we will take his comments live as he arrives.

All right, it is still a mystery. Authorities from France to the U.K., still don't have the pieces in those execution style killings in the French Alps.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, checking some international stories this hour.

Iraq is reeling under a series of violent attacks today. Several car bombs erupt in cities including Amara, Kirkuk and Western Basra and gun men attack points in to Krip (ph), Balusia (ph) and Abu Grave (ph). At least 79 people are dead and 200 formally others wounded.

Iraq's vice president has been sentenced to death Absentia. He fled the country months ago after allegedly being involved in the deaths of a lawyer and an army general. He I s also accused of running a death squad. The VP says he is being targeted because he is Sunni Muslim and he accused Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki of pushing the country towards a religious divide.

And a volcano in Nicaragua is shooting gas and ash into the sky. More than 1,500 people have been evacuated since it began erupting yesterday. Authorities say the mix of rain, ash and gas could make people sick.

In France now and Britain authorities aren't saying much about their investigation into the execution-style killings of a family in the French Alps. Today the 7-year-old survivor came out of a coma and her 4-year-old sister, also a survivor, has returned home to England. Their parents were shot in the head along with two others just four days ago.

Ralitsa Vassileva is joining us now on this day. They were on a camping trip. It was supposed to be a holiday. And then something like this would happen. Do investigators think it was random or a planned attack?

RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They still don't know what happened. They have theories they are working on. There are still speculations. One of them, is it could be a robbery gone wrong. Another one is that there could have been a family feud over inheritance and money between the man and his brother. But his brother has gone to police in the U.K. where they lived and said there wasn't any feud.

So, authorities don't know. They are playing down that aspect and still looking at it. It could have been tied to his job. The man was an Iraqi born engineer. He worked for the European space agency which is also a defense contractor. So they are looking at all sorts of possibilities but they still simply don't know. Very few clues. There is a witness who said he saw a green four by four there, but they don't know.

WHITFIELD: And so, there is a lot of hope resting on the seven and 4- year-old. I mean, they are witnesses to what happened. At what point might investigation or they even revealing, at what point they have been trying to get information from them?

VASSILEVA: Well, they tried to very delicately talk to the 4-year-old who survived without an injury. She was hiding behind her mother's legs. That's how she survived. She didn't usher a sound. Eight hours she didn't move until police found her. Her oldest sister, the 7-year-old was in a medically induced coma up until a few hours ago. She has come out of that coma. However, she is still fragile. Doctors still say, you can't talk to her. But, there is a lot of hope that once she is better; they will be able to talk to her. And she will be able to tell them and give them some clues as to what happened. But for now, that is all they know.

WHITFIELD: That's an incredible story. This happening at a camp site there in the French Alps. So, you would wonder what this has done, you know, to those who have been enjoying the Alps, you know have plans to be there and whether the investigation is kind of like standing in the way of some of those family holiday plans for others.

VASSILEVA: Well, what we know is that they just - they carved out a section of that place there, the road side and they are looking for clues there. Basically this is just unheard of, this brutal execution style. They were shot in the head, each of the victims twice in the head. So, it is unheard of. They are also looking into the couple's in home in England trying to find some clues. But, it is really shocking.

WHITFIELD: It really is.

VASSILEVA: There, you see there. That is the roadway where they found the car still running when a motorcyclist was just passing by discovered the car and saw that there were people who were shot there. The windows were also shot. So they have collected a lot of casings and still looking for who could have done it.

WHITFIELD: Ralitsa Vassileva. Yes, thanks so much and keep us posted on any new developments in this very mysterious murder mystery. Appreciate it.

All right, meantime, back here at home. There is the president, finally, in West Palm Beach, Florida. We are going to take a short break and when we come back, hear his comments live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, to West Palm Beach, Florida now. President Obama is on a two-day trip sweeping through the state of Florida, the great swing state of.

Right now he is talking about the convention and reflecting on what was and wasn't said. Let's listen in.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: For folks at the top cure all else. Now, I have cut taxes for folks who need it, for middle class families, for small businesses. But I don't believe another round of tax cuts for millionaires are going to bring jobs back from overseas. I don't think another round of tax cuts for billionaires that involve slashing aid to students to pay for it or asking middle class families to pay more that somehow that is going to reduce the deficit or help grow our economy. I certainly don't think that it makes a lot of sense for us to be looking at creating a voucher for Medicare to pay for some tax cuts for folks who don't need them and weren't even asking for them. That's not who we are. That is now how we make progress in this country.

I don't think rolling back regulations on Wall Street so we don't have another tax funded bailout is a smart idea. I don't think rolling back health care that is helping Americans all across Florida and all across the country is a good idea. I don't want to go backwards. We have been there. We have done that. It didn't work. We're moving forward. That is why I'm running for a second term as president of the United States. Forward.

CROWD: Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!

OBAMA: Now, I won't pretend that the path I'm offering is easy. I never have. These problems built up over decades. They will take more than a few years to solve. But we can move forward in the right direction. And I am confident we have what it takes.

Our opponents, they have been talking about how America is in decline. They are wrong. We got the best workers in the world, the best business people in the world. We have the best universities in the world, the best researchers in the world. We're a young nation. We're a diverse nation. We attract talent from every corner of the globe.

So no matter how much the other side for political reasons tries to paint things as bleak, don't believe them. There's not another nation on earth that wouldn't trade places with us. Our problems can be solved. Our challenges can be met. The path I offer is harder but it leads to a better place. I am asking you to choose that future. I am asking you to go forward with me. I am asking you to go forward with me.

And let me tell you exactly -- let me repeat for those of you who didn't catch it Thursday what I'm talking about when I say moving forward. We are going to put together a real achievable plan to build this economy on a stronger foundation. It starts with no longer shipping jobs overseas. Let's export goods made here in America.

After a decade of decline we have now created half a million jobs just in manufacturing. We reinvented a dying auto industry that is back on top. So we can take Mr. Romney's advice and continue to give even more tax breaks to companies that are shipping jobs overseas or we can reward companies that are investing in new jobs and new workers and new factories here in the United States of America. That's what we are fighting for.

I want to help American factories and small businesses export more. We can create a million new manufacturing jobs in the next four years. You can make that happen. Second part of our plan let's control our own energy. After 30 years of action we raised fuel standards so by the middle of the next decade your cars and trucks will go twice as far on the same gallon of gas. That is good for your pocket book and that's good for the environment. We doubled our --

WHITFIELD: You are listening to President Barack Obama there, West Palm Beach, Florida. He has been sweeping through the state of Florida for the past two days on his bus tour talking about everything under the sun from tax cuts to his health care plan and the economy of Americans overall.

We are going to be joined by a few people who have a few thoughts or two about the president's remarks. We are going to be joined by market analyst Todd Schoenberger who was listening to the president's remark. So, how does he interpret the president's talk about tax cuts? And Jessica Yellin, she is White House correspondent. Also, traveling with the president, she has got some of the scripted and unscripted moments with the president after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Markets are looming for a glimmer of hope this week waiting to see if the economy will get another helping hand from the Federal Reserve.

Joining me now right now is Todd Schoenberger. He is the managing principal at the black bay group in New York.

Todd, good to see you. All right, so, the Federal Reserve meeting this week, you say is as big as it gets. Investors want to see if it will pump more money into the economy. So, what are your predictions?

TODD SCHOENBERGER, MARKET ANALYST: That's right, Fredricka. Look. They start a two-day meeting on Wednesday and Thursday at 12:30, they will release their information as far as what they intend to do. There are some expectations on Wall Street now, especially following Friday's dismal jobs report that the fed will be doing some type of further accommodation, further monetary easing. And what that means is they would just be pumping money into the economy. That is actually great for a short term boost to the economy, but it remains to be seen whether there are long term benefits by doing this.

WHITFIELD: All right, short term boost. Now, what if -- I mean, Congress returning, you know, back to work this week. The clock is ticking on addressing this financial crisis or this fiscal cliff that we're encountering regardless of who is in the White House come the first of the year, what potentially could happen? How old must be impacted?

SCHOENBERGER: Well, it is irrelevant whether Romney or Obama win because Congress needs to come to terms with this fiscal cliff mess. What Americans will be looking at though, is that, if they do not come to terms starting January 1st, 2013 their taxes will go up. It is not just on the payroll tax. It is also on things such the dividend tax. We talk about dividends. How dividend pay companies a lot. But, you can be looking at an increase from 15 percent up to 43 percent.

And as you know, I mean, you would see a tremendous sell off in the stock market. So therefore, you are looking at a house hold balance sheet that would be hit. It would actually be a significant negative to the overall U.S. economy and something we just don't need.

WHITFIELD: And then more immediately, let's talk about retail sales figures for September always highly anticipated particularly with back to school shopping. The trend of back to school shopping was very different this year.

SCHOENBERGER: Yes, you got that right. Well, look. In July, we saw eight tenths of one percent, a great increase for retailers. For the month of August which comes out this Friday, we are expecting that report card to also say eight tenths of one percent increase which will be sensational.

So going forward, what are the backs to school shopping? Were the sales there? Were they great enough to have the moms go out, actually having go out and open up their pocket books? Wall Street is expecting a big number. This will be sensational for the overall economy. So, we are hoping for some great things. I'm being a little bit more optimistic, I actually think we will see something over one percent. So, it remains to be seen.

WHITFIELD: All right, other ripple effects that could impact, you know, Wall Street, the highly anticipated Apple iphone 5 expected out this week. How might that impact the markets?

SCHOENBERGER: Well, it is a game changer, I have to tell you. Starting on Wednesday, they are going to unveil the details of the iphone 5. It is expected to hit stores on the 21st. You know you will have a ton of people just waiting out all night. I'm sure CNN will be a camera interviewing many people in the middle of the night waiting for this great product. What is going to be the game changer though, is that, since iphone was rolled out back at 2007, they have sold over 240 million of these iphones around the world. But the iphone 5 is expected to sell 200 million units just of the iphone 5 by the end of next year. So, significant game changer. They remain a category killer. It will be wonderful for Apple stock. And plus, for a number of CNN viewers and their 401(k) statements because of a lot mutual funds right now, owned Apple stocks. So, there remains to be some great benefits there for everyone.

WHITFIELD: All right, Todd Schoenberger. Thanks so much giving us a great view of the week in our pocket books and someone else's too. All right, thanks so much.

SCHOENBERGER: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, teachers at the country's third largest school district could go on strike tomorrow. Are Chicago teachers' union and the district any closer to a deal?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, checking two stories.

Two frightening helmet to helmet collisions shake college football. This is one of the horrifying hits that took Arkansas cornerback Teven Mitchell out of the game with a neck injury yesterday. Just hours before that collision Tulane's Devon Walker fractured his spine after head on with his teammate. A Tulane doctor says Walker will have surgery in the next day or two.

And intense negotiations are happening right now to avoid a strike at the third largest school system in America. Chicago teachers are threatening to walk off the job tomorrow if school officials don't agree to pay increases and better work conditions. The head of the teacher's union told CNN this morning teachers have been working to resolve problems for a while now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KAREN LEWIS, PRESIDENT, CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION: Our union has put together a research based solution to solving some of the problems in Chicago. Those of us who do this work are tired of being told basically sit down and shut up. We know better. I don't think people understand that in our system, we have had a revolving door of administrators. Every time they come in they come in with some new idea that we are supposed to implement and no support, no research.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Both sides say they made some progress during yesterday's talks but union reps say there are still major sticking points to work out.

All right, in the northeast cleanup today after severe weather barreled across the region. A powerful cold front brought heavy rain, high winds and a couple of tornadoes. One hit Brooklyn and one touched down in Queens.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Huge amount of debris flying all over the place. Scared the hell out of me because we didn't know which way it was going to move. I put it about 60 feet across.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: How did you stay out of the way?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just stood still. I got to tell you, the first instinct is people. So, you have to think of yourself. You are thinking, my God, people might have got hurt.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a super wind which is the only way I can describe it. I was in the basement and I had the windows slightly open. And it kind a like - I felt like it was sucking you up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I came out the back door flew open. So, I looked up and I see, the sheet pieces flying towards my house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: New Yorkers weren't the only ones cleaning up today. In Virginia, Maryland and the D.C. areas storms knocked out power for thousands of customers.

All right, it was a day that transformed the nation and the lives of thousands of first responders now fighting for Medical help.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: A major Florida university is cracking down harder on hazing. Florida A&M says it will now start requiring all students to sign an anti-hazing pledge in order to register for classes. The move comes ten months after the band's drum major died in a hazing ritual and just days after school dance team was suspended for similar allegations. The new requirement starts next spring.

They were the first people on the scene in the minutes after the September 11th terror attacks. And for more than a decade they have been trying to get financial help to cover illnesses as resulting from their work at ground zero.

Athena Jones explains why now their wait may be over.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERNIE VALLEBUONA, 9/11 FIRST RESPONDENT: Because I live in Stat Island at the time and I can see the smoke coming from the tower.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Ernie Vallebuona ushed to the world trade center site on September 11th, 2001 to help with rescue and recovery efforts.

VALLEBUONA: There was a lot of confusion and a lot of smoke. You couldn't see. You could barely see your hand in front of you.

JONES: Then a New York City police detective, Vallebuono spent six months at the site. A few years later, he was diagnosed with cancer.

VALLEBUONA: 2004 I was diagnosed with lymphoma. .

JONES: His cancer now in remission, Vallebuono had to use his retirement savings to pay bills his insurance didn't cover and is hoping to recruit some of that money.

VALLEBUONA: It has been something they have been talking about for ten years now.

JONES: Vallebuono and other first responders made sick by the chemicals and dust are still waiting for compensation by the government. Payments to some who developed respiratory, digestive and other conditions should be given in the next couple of months under a law President Obama signed in January of 2011, the Zadroga act named after New York police detective, James Zadroga who died of a respiratory illness after working at the World Trade center site. It sets aside some $2.8 billion to cover the claims. The government will announce soon which of more than 50 types of cancer and illness left of the original list of ailment will now be covered under the act.

Attorney Noah Kushlefsky represents Vallebuono and nearly 4,000 other first responders who became ill.

NOAH KUSHLEFSKY, KREINDLER AND KREINDLER LLP: Now, people are terribly sick. People can't support their families. This program is in a very real sense a life line that is going to help people put their lives back together after they stepped up and did things that nobody else was willing to do.

JONES: For those just now getting sick he hopes the fund will ultimately send this message.

VALLEBUONA: Just fight your cancer man. Don't worry about money. Don't worry about co-payments or Medications. We got your back.

JONES: Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Tuesday marks the 11th anniversary of 9/11. President Obama and his staff will observe a moment of silence at the White House lawn before heading to the memorial at the Pentagon. Both the Obama and Romney campaigns have agreed to suspend all political ads on 9/11.

All right, the southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd is on tour. They are steeped in tradition. But why one symbol of their band they had to let go.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: "Sweet home Alabama," "free bird" are among signature tunes for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Well, now touring with the new album "Last d the Dying Breed," they remain steep in tradition, but they are proud to boast they have evolved a lot in their lyrics, their style and image.

Face to face with vocalist Johnny Van Zant and guitarist, Gary Rossington and Rickey Medlocke.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: How do you come up with this compilation? You know, "Last of a Dying Breed," you know, something to live for, kind of mellow. You have chorus in there but then you take a turn and you have life is twisted.

GARY ROSSINGTON, GUITARIST, LYNYRD SKYNYRD: Well, we all write together, Johnny, Rickie and I. And we get sometimes go writers that we know throughout our careers and get with them and write. But, we just kind of talk about the stories that we lived through or happened to people we know or us. And there is a lot of news out there if you watch through. You're in the business, so you know, but. You know, we just kind of write about what is going and the new stuff here's, the dying breed part is because all southern rock 'n' roll and musicians, there's only a few bands left nowadays from all that. There used to be a really whole lot of them and it's kind of a dying breed because it's more pop stars and rap --

WHITFIELD: How do you all keep it pure, keep it I guess rooted in its original intent of what you have been known to be as the fathers of southern rock?

RICKEY MEDLOCKE, GUITARIST, LYNYRD SKYNYRD: I think that Gary, Johnny and myself when we write, I think we try to write honest, you know, about what we feel in our heart and what maybe we believe in and life's experiences, you know, that we get next to that's really close to us. And with this new CD, I think we wrote about stuff that's really important to us, you know, ready to fly is a song in there about losing a loved one, losing your mother. And you know, she was ready to go on and wanted to see her son one last time, and things that really touch us because we've lost our moms, and you know, real life things. You know?

WHITFIELD: It must be exciting and feel good to be on tour. You know, you talk to so many, you know I talk to so many artists who say they feel most comfortable when on stage, that, they really come alive. Is that what it feels like for you?

JOHNNY VAN ZANT, SINGER, LYNYRD SKYNYRD: That's the easy part I think for us. Yes. You know what I mean? Doing everything else is the hard part.

WHITFIELD: Just looking at the thousands of people that always turn out --

VAN ZANT: That's a gift that we've been given. I think the reason why this band's been around so many years is that we speak for our fans, we speak for ourselves.

WHITFIELD: You all very much underscore tradition. There are real mainstays in your music, in your look, in your sound. Something that was associated with your band for a very long time, the confederate flag for your band covers or the backdrop. We don't see that anymore. What point did you make the decision to lose that or what was the real evolution of that?

ROSSINGTON: Well, it became such an issue about race and stuff where we just had it in the beginning as -- because we were southern. And that was our image back in the '70s and late '60s, because they kind of branded us being from the south, so we showed that.

But I think through the years, you know, people like the KKK and skinheads and people have kind of kidnapped the Dixie or rebel flag from the southern tradition and the heritage of the soldiers, you know, that's what it was about, and they kind of made it look bad in certain ways. We didn't want that to go to our fans or show the image like we agree with any of the race stuff or any of the bad things.

VAN ZANT: If nothing else, we grew up loving old blues artists and Ray Charles and -- you know.

MEDLOCKE: Yes. Yes. What we -- we just didn't want to be associated with that particular thing.

VAN ZANT: We love everyone. We love our country. We love people and we love music. We love all different kinds of music. I have a 10- year-old and she turns me on to a lot of different things.

ROSSINGTON: We want to show our American flag, made in America, you know. (END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Gary Rossington, the guitarist, gets inducted in the Georgia music hall of fame next month, and then Lynyrd Skynyrd heads to the U.K. to continue their tour.

All right, at 19-year-old, Sloane Stephens, get used to the name, is the youngest female tennis player ranked in the top 50 and one of the game's rising star will talk next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right, Sarina Williams right now is taking on of Victoria as her (INAUDIBLE) in the U.S. women's - U.S. open women's final. Right now, how about that.

Well, one of Sarina Williams' biggest admirers and a force on the court in her own right is American Sloane Stephens as she has ranked at the top 50 and is only 19, and she is celebrating a year of great triumph as a new comer to professional tennis.

I spoke with her earlier and ask her what are first full year on the circle has been like.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SLOANE STEPHENS, PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER: It's been tough. I mean, it's a lot - it's a lot of travel. It's really tough on your body and things like that. But, I got through this year, I think, with the pretty big bang. And you know, I have some really good results and I had fun and my family who was really supportive. And you know, I just enjoyed myself and I think that's kind a helped me get through it. So, it's been good.

WHITFIELD: And you were talking about your family being very supportive. Just listening to your press conferences, you know, you mention your family, from your grandmother, you mom, you know cousins, everybody who sends you tweets or you know, text messages all the time.

You know, your family moved to Florida and a new - actually started attending a tennis academy. Did you or that your family kind a see in you right away that tennis was one to be your path. I mean, how did you know that was the right investment? Or how does your family knows it was the right investment, you know, for you?

STEPHENS: Well, moms know everything. So my mom, I think she kind of helped me with that. And it was just -- I'm so thankful that my mom was so supportive and believed in me that I could do it because I just kind of was going with the flow and just seeing how things would work out and, I mean my mom's always believed in me so it's kind of, you know, it really helped me and I think she's been a big part of, you know, the tennis player that I am today.

WHITFIELD: A lot of tennis watchers are already talking about your powerful serves and your percentage of getting on the mark in that first serve. People are kind of comparing you to the Williams sisters, the power play of Kim Clijsters. Do you like that? Do you want to be compared to these other great players or do you kind of want to establish yourself as just, you know, Sloane's style?

STEPHENS: I really don't mind. It's OK. It's just -- it's tough but I think somebody has to do it so you have to be compared to somebody. There has to be somebody before you, and there has to be somebody after you. So, I don't mind because those are like the best players to ever play so it all works out.

WHITFIELD: All right, the next big match, grand slam, Australia, how do you prepare for that?

STEPHENS: A lot of practice, lot of days in the gym, only Sundays off. So, I'll just be working hard until then and hopefully start off next year with a bang.

WHITFIELD: All right, well Sloane Stephens, enjoy the ascension. We're all watching and having a good time seeing your game improve with every tournament. Congratulations.

STEPHENS: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: And thanks for joining us from Los Angeles. All the best.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: So Sloane Stephens' next shot at a grand slam tournament, January, Australian open.

OK, from tennis to power lifting, no weights are really involved in this next feat? I don't know. Shall we say that, actually? Well, just at present, I don't know. He's like pretty weighty. President Obama was lifted literally off the ground today by a pizzeria owner in Florida as he continues to swing through this state right there, Pizzeria. The president walks in to the restaurant during a campaign stop. Big old hug. And then, that bear hug, right there, lifted right off the ground.

You're the biggest pizza shop owner I've ever seen, the president told him. That's when that 6'3", 260-pound owner showed him just how strong he is, a light load perhaps, though, for this pizzeria owner. He regularly bench presses 350 pounds. So that's what we meant by, you know, not pressing weights, nothing too hefty -- and we were talking about the president. That's not right.

That was kind of fun out there in Florida.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I find myself at home talking to you on the television, right? You're so personable.

You guys, she's so awesome. Now that she's pregnant, I got going, gorgeous --

WHITFIELD: I know I'm taking up a lot of space physically here, aren't I? LEMON: I hope I didn't distract you. In the tennis name, remember, you're like that's not her name.

WHITFIELD: Azarenka.

LEMON: Don't you hate that when you're like --

WHITFIELD: It drives me nuts. By the way, they're playing right now.

LEMON: Yes. She's beautiful, Sloane is. Gorgeous!

WHITFIELD: She is. She is one to watch. She's a beautiful, vibrant personality and, of course, she's got, you know, serious game. So, go Sloane.

LEMON: Everybody is like got to go. Fred and I are hanging out.

WHITFIELD: This is what happens when we get together.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: OK, have fun. Bye.

LEMON: You stole my lead.

WHITFIELD: All right. Sorry.