CNN Student News Transcript: April 23, 2008

(CNN Student News) -- April 23, 2008

Quick Guide

The Pennsylvania Primaries - Find out how the U.S. presidential candidates fared in Pennsylvania.

A Star's Support - Hear how a famous singer is helping the Global Campaign for Education.

Tax Freedom Day - Learn the significance of Tax Freedom Day for many working Americans.

Transcript

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

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Hello and welcome to CNN Student News. Thanks so much for electing to spend part of your Wednesday with us. From the CNN Center, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: The Pennsylvania Primaries

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In honor of the WWE, you can call me "Hill-Rod." This election is starting to feel a lot like king of the ring; the only difference is the last man standing may just be a woman.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It's all the forces of division and distraction that have stopped us from making progress. For the American people, I've got one question: Do you smell what Barack is cookin'?

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: If you want to be the man, you have to beat the man. Come November, it'll be game over. And whatcha gonna do when John McCain and all his McCainiacs run wild on you?

AZUZ: The presidential candidates there, wrestling for votes before the Pennsylvania primaries, hoping to score a smackdown and stay off the mat. Voters across the state hit the polls yesterday after a long break in the primary action. Pennsylvania is an important state for the White House hopefuls, and election officials reported strong turnout for yesterday's contests. Nicole Collins fills us in on what went down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NICOLE COLLINS, CNN REPORTER: It was a must win for Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, where turnout was high and the stakes even higher: the winner's share of 158 delegates, the biggest haul remaining on the Democratic primary calendar.

CLINTON: For six weeks, Sen. Obama and I have criss-crossed this state, meeting people up close, being judged side by side, making our best case. You listened, and today you chose.

COLLINS: Many analysts expected Clinton to win the state. But of course, everyone will be looking at the margin of victory. The win gives her campaign renewed momentum.

CLINTON: Your support has meant the difference between winning and losing. Now, we can only keep winning if we can keep competing with an opponent who outspends us so massively.

COLLINS: Clinton has long been heavily favored in Pennsylvania, leaving Barack Obama to play down the loss and play up the ground he gained over the last six weeks.

OBAMA: There were a lot of folks who didn't think we could make this a race when it started. They thought we were gonna be blown out. But we worked hard and we traveled across the state. We rallied people of every age and race and background to the cause.

COLLINS: Barack Obama made those remarks from a rally in Evansville, Indiana, where another tight primary is expected on May 6th. In Philadelphia, Nicole Collins for CNN Student News.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: As the Democrats battle it out for their party's nomination, the presumptive Republican nominee is campaigning across the country. John McCain was in Ohio yesterday. That's where he greeted supporters and joked about how far he's come in one year's time.

MCCAIN: It was a different story last year, when I could claim the unqualified support of Cindy and my mother. And my mom was starting to keep her options open.

Shoutout

NINETTE SOSA, CNN STUDENT NEWS: It's time for the Shoutout! What is Pennsylvania's state nickname? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it the: A) Show Me State, B) Granite State, C) Keystone State or D) Constitution State? You've got three seconds -- GO! Pennsylvania has been called the Keystone State for more than 200 years! That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

A Star's Support

AZUZ: Let's talk about a subject you guys are familiar with: school! You're probably there right now. But around the world, millions of kids aren't, and the Global Campaign for Education wants to change that. The group holds an annual "Action Week" to increase awareness about the issue. As Zain Verjee tells us, this year's honorary chairperson is really looking to shake things up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN REPORTER: Shakira is famous for "Hips Don't Lie." But the sexy pop star is here to shake up official Washington. Her mission: to get the world's poorest children an education.

SHAKIRA: 72 million kids are out of the school system.

VERJEE: Instead of working her fans, she's working world leaders like the British prime minister and the head of the World Bank. She's also meeting members of Congress. She's a Grammy-winning mega star, a sex symbol. So, why should we pay attention to her on global education?

SHAKIRA: Every time you give a child an opportunity, you are transforming his life or her life, and giving that child an opportunity to become a productive member of society.

VERJEE: Shakira travels to disaster zones as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador and founded her own charity more than 10 years ago to help educate Colombian kids missing out on school. But do we have celebrity overload? Clooney has Darfur, Angelina has refugees, Bono has Africa. How does Shakira compete for attention?

SHAKIRA: In my case, I'd like to think that I'm using the spotlight that shines on me or my career and moving it and shifting it to more important issues.

VERJEE: Shakira donates millions of her own money for her cause.

VERJEE: How much money are you looking for from U.S. taxpayers?

SHAKIRA: This will increase the funds from $465 million that the U.S. is funding in universal education to $3 billion by the year 2012.

VERJEE: Since she's in Washington, we asked her which U.S. presidential candidate is best for her cause.

SHAKIRA: I am confident that each one of these candidates would recognize the importance of universal education.

VERJEE: Do you think one of them is stronger on education than the others?

SHAKIRA: Haha. You're evil.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: From education to the environment, hunger to homelessness, all kinds of causes are endorsed by celebrities. But what kind of an impact does a star's support really make? Are you more likely to care about an issue if your favorite actor or singer is involved? We're talking about it on our blog! So, head to CNNStudentNews.com and join the discussion.

Shoutout Extra Credit

SOSA: Time for a Shoutout Extra Credit! Who is widely credited with coining the phrase, "In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes"? You know what to do. Is it: A) William Shakespeare, B) Benjamin Franklin, C) Mark Twain or D) Robert Frost? Another three seconds on the clock -- GO! The famous phrase is credited to Founding Father Ben Franklin. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout Extra Credit!

Tax Freedom Day

AZUZ: Franklin knew what he was talking about. Check out any paycheck and you'll find what's missing: the amount Uncle Sam takes out in taxes. And every year like clockwork, April 15th rolls around, and the deadline for filing your income tax return is right there with it. But there's a certain other annual certainty for taxpaying Americans: Tax Freedom Day, when you stop working for the government and start working for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Hypothetically, if you'd started working on January 1st and spent all your earnings on this year's federal and state taxes, you'd be all paid up, free of them on April 23rd. That's why it's called Tax Freedom Day, just a fun-filled way to find how much time Americans work to pay taxes! But April 23rd?! That's already Spring! Before you tax yourself complaining, consider this: Tax Freedom Day is actually three days earlier this year than last year. That's in part due to the government's economic stimulus package, which is like Washington's giving back a little of what it takes. Uh, thanks?

According to Scott Hodge of the Tax Foundation, "Americans will spend more on taxes in 2008 than they will on food, clothing and housing combined." Broken down, we toil 113 days this year to pay our income taxes. We work 35 days to eat, which many people would much rather do than pay taxes; 13 days for our clothes, so we don't have to pay our taxes naked; and 60 days to put a roof over our heads, so we have a place to pay more taxes on!

That's changed a little bit since last year. Besides working less for '08 income taxes, we also work two days fewer to run our homes. Clothing takes the same number of days to earn, but food will take 35 days' work in '08, compared to 30 in '07; a suggestion of how food prices have risen. But taxes still take the biggest bite, totaling 30.8 percent of our income. In 2000, they took 33.6 percent; in 1980, they took 30.4 percent. So you see, when Ben Franklin said nothing was certain but death and taxes, he was dead right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Before We Go

AZUZ: Before we go, the most magical place on Earth works its wonder on one lucky couple. This Massachusetts family recently wrapped up a Walt Disney World vacation, but they forgot to bring a few things back home with them: these rings! All three bands accidentally got tossed in the trash when it came time to pack up. No one held out much hope of finding the vanishing valuables. But when employees realized the trash hadn't hit the compactor, they put on protective clothes, dove right in and dug out the diamonds.

Goodbye

AZUZ: You know what they say: One man's trash is another man's treasure. And that trashy tale wraps things up for today. Have a good one. I'm Carl Azuz. E-mail to a friend