CNN Student News Transcript: May 21, 2008

(CNN Student News) -- May 21, 2008

Quick Guide

America Votes 2008 - Hit the campaign trail, as Kentucky and Oregon hold presidential contests.

Myanmar Aid - Discover why rice farmers in Myanmar are struggling after Cyclone Nargis.

Cost of College - Hear some presidential candidates' plans to help families pay for college.

Transcript

Teachers: Please preview the Myanmar Aid segment, as it contains images that may not be appropriate for some students.

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

CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: We're back with a new broadcast of CNN Student News! Thanks for tuning in this Wednesday, May 21st. From CNN, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: America Votes 2008

AZUZ: First up, we're hopping back on the campaign trail, as voters in Kentucky and Oregon head to the polls. Primary season is just about wrapped up, and so is one party's nomination. John McCain has been the Republicans' presumptive nominee for a few months. But the Democrats are a different story. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are still facing off, with just a few states left to go. Here is how they fared in yesterday's contests.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AZUZ: Just as the clock struck 7:00 Eastern and polls closed in Kentucky, CNN projected a victory for Hillary Clinton. And this one wasn't close: According to CNN projections, the New York senator collected about 65 percent of the vote, compared with 30 percent for Barack Obama.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Tonight, we have achieved an important victory. It's not just Kentucky bluegrass that is music to my ears, it's the sound of your overwhelming vote of confidence, even in the face of some pretty tough odds.

AZUZ: Those odds got tougher Tuesday night, though, when the senator from Illinois secured a majority of pledged delegates awarded in the primary and caucus contests so far.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: With the help of those who stood up from Portland to Louisville, we have returned to Iowa with a majority of delegates elected by the American people. And you have put us within reach of the Democratic nomination for president of the United States of America.

AZUZ: And even though he was the projected winner in Oregon, neither candidate has the number of delegates required to clinch the party's nomination. So, it'll probably be up to the undecided superdelegates to choose the nominee. We'll keep you posted.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Promo

AZUZ: Of course, you can go to our Web site to check out how the candidates are doing in the delegate count and get the latest results from the Kentucky and Oregon primaries. Exit polls, county-by-county breakdowns -- see if you can find yours -- you'll find it all at CNNStudentNews.com!

Kennedy Brain Tumor

AZUZ: One of the candidates' colleagues, Ted Kennedy, is battling a brain tumor. Doctors have diagnosed the Massachusetts senator with a malignant glioma. It's the most common type of brain tumor, and it's located in an area called the parietal lobe. Kennedy has served in the Senate for more than 40 years, and he's considered one of the most effective lawmakers of the last few decades. Dr. Wendy Wright, a neurologist from Emory University, considers the potential impact of this medical condition.

DR. WENDY WRIGHT, EMORY UNIVERSITY: Left parietal lobe is really what we call the high-risk real estate. It's near a lot of centers that can affect the ability to move the right side of the body and possibly also the ability to speak and understand. For someone who is so high functioning, as the senator is, a little bit of damage there is going to go a long way and really affect who he is and what type of quality of life he has.

AZUZ: This type of tumor is usually treated by radiation and chemotherapy. Kennedy's doctors have said they'll determine the best course of action after more tests.

Myanmar Aid

AZUZ: Turning our attention to Myanmar now, where U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is preparing to visit the Irrawaddy Delta. The region was devastated by Cyclone Nargis earlier this month, and the country's government had been limiting access to it by other nations and aid groups. But now, it's agreed to let U.N. helicopters and outside medical workers into the area. This storm killed tens of thousands of people, and it's taking an especially hard toll on farmers. You see, the delta is responsible for producing about 60 percent of the nation's rice crop. Myanmar's government has also limited the news media's access, so we can't actually tell you the name of the correspondent who filed this report. But he dows explain how the cyclone is affecting many of the country's farmers. Teachers, we ask that you please preview this segment. It contains images that may not be appropriate for all students.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CNN REPORTER: This rice field was farmer U Han Nyunt's livelihood. Normally, he would be preparing to plant the next crop right now. But since the cyclone hit, the soil is useless.

U HAN NYUNT, RICE FARMER: "No rice will grow here for a very long time," he says. "The soil is dead because of the flood water that the storm brought."

REPORTER: Like so many villages in the most devastated area, this one subsists from rice farming. The Irrawaddy Delta is known as Myanmar's rice bowl region, feeding the entire country and leaving enough to export to neighboring nations. But when Cyclone Nargis ripped through here more than two weeks ago, much of the production was destroyed. And the destruction is long term. As we take a boat trip down the rivers of the Irrawaddy Delta, along with the massive human death toll, we also see water buffalo carcasses everywhere. Buffalo are the main farming animals here. Without them, the people can't plow their fields. Less than a month from now, the villagers were going to plant the next crop. But their seeds were also ruined by the storm.

"We are trying to dry the seeds in the sun," this farmer says, "but it's hopeless. Once the seeds have started sprouting like this, we can't plant them anymore. All we can do is feed them to the animals."

The cyclone itself only claimed three lives in this village. But now, the farmers say they fear the worst. "We are all going to die here," he says, "but not because of the cyclone. We will die because we have no food." Starving to death as they stand on what was some of the most fertile land in Myanmar.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Shoutout

NINETTE SOSA, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! What's the most expensive university in the United States? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Harvard, B) George Washington, C) Brown or D) Princeton? You've got three seconds -- GO! According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, George Washington is the costliest four-year school; those Ivy League options don't even crack the top 5. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Cost of College

AZUZ: So, just how much are we talking here? More than $39,000 for this past school year alone, and that doesn't even include housing and food! George Washington isn't the only college that costs big bucks. Just like groceries and gas prices, higher learning is getting more expensive every year. But the White House hopefuls have a few ideas about how to help. Tom Foreman gives us an econ lesson on the cost of college.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN REPORTER: In Falls Church, Virginia, Laura Peppe is a high school student with her eyes set on a career in architecture. Her brother, Matthew, is already in college and hoping to get into medicine. That's all great for their parents, Ron and Beth. But what is not so great is the cost. They've saved for years, but still worry that they don't have enough.

RON PEPPE, FATHER: We're moderately well off, we do okay, but we can't just start writing a check for the kids to go anywhere. So, we started saving up for it when the they were young, and we thought we'd have this covered by the time we got here. We did some calculators when the kids were younger and it came up with a a big scary number at the time. I think I was in my 20s, and it said we were going to need a hundred thousand for each of the kids to go to four years of school, which sounded daunting.

FOREMAN: The Peppes are not alone. The cost of college is rising much faster than everything else. Average total costs at a private school are more than $32,000 a year. At a public, in-state school, more than $13,000. That's up 22% over the past five years. The candidates have plans to help.

OBAMA: We will give you the money you need to afford a college education without going into $30,000 or $40,000 worth of debt. And in exchange, you are going to participate in community service.

CLINTON: I want to offer young people up to 2 years of national service, where they can earn $10,000.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I propose that the Department of Education work with the governors to make sure that each state's guarantee agency has the means and manpower to meet its obligation as a lender-of-last-resort for student loans.

FOREMAN: But making those issues work is tough. Congress hasn't been able to even pass legislation updating the G.I. Bill to help veterans afford college. Still, whether or not families expect assistance, the cost of college is a real pocketbook issue for the young voters whom both parties will want when classes reconvene in the fall. Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Blog Report

AZUZ: We've now come to a part of the show that you have written. Here's a sampling of what you're saying on our blog at CNNStudentNews.com. The topic: yesterday's report on the controversial program that paid students to study. Mark calls it a "great idea. I think this because kids earn money while getting good grades in school," he says. According to Stephen, "it's great to have students learning. The money is a genius idea to get teenagers to pass their classes." But Angela says, "I don't think that you should get paid for doing what you should do anyway. What about the kids who already work hard for their grades?" And from Evan: "Seeing this new report only reinforced my previous opinion: Paying kids to study is a ridiculously bad idea. I am relieved to see that private money, not public, was used, but that doesn't mean I support the program... Sure, a student's education is important, but hey, that's free..." Our blog, "From A to Z," is where you can shout out your thoughts!

Goodbye

AZUZ: Here's a thought: Bye! But just for now. We'll be back tomorrow with more CNN Student News. See you then.