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CNN NEWSROOM
Black Caucus Holds Emergency Meeting; Calls To Boycott Winter Olympics; Schindler's List Up For Auction; Hunting Down Nazi War Criminals; What Does It Mean To Cheat?; Choosing The Right Name
Aired July 28, 2013 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAMELA BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. So nice to have you with us on this Sunday. I'm Pamela Brown in for Fredricka Whitfield. Here are some of the top stories we are following this hour.
The search for a member of a bridal party missing after a horrifying boat crash is now over. We're going to have the latest breaking details on that story.
And an intense surge is underway in North Carolina. A man disappeared in a flood-swollen creek at the same spot where a young child got swept away by the current.
And in Germany, a final push to hunt down dozens of Nazis who may still be free 68 years after the Holocaust.
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
BROWN: And we begin with some breaking news. In New York, officials just announced they have found the body of the best man, missing after a pre-wedding party boat crash.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHERIFF LOUIS FALCO, ROCKLAND COUNTY: A jet skier did observe what he thought was a body in the water today one mile south of Piermont Pier (ph). Our communications sections of the sheriff's office was connected. Our marine unit along with the Piermont (ph) Fire Department was dispatched, and we did recover a body. That body has been turned over to our medical examiner for positive identification. But we do believe that that is our second victim in this tragic incident, Mark Lennon.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: The friend, Jo-Jo John, who was driving the boat, has been charged with first-degree vehicular manslaughter. The young bride-to- be's body was recovered yesterday. And the groom is still in the hospital with head injuries. Alina Cho has all the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lindsey Stewart and Brian Bond were the picture-perfect couple. The two, engaged to be married, were set to wed on August 10th, until they decided to take a boat ride Friday night up the Hudson River. Just minutes after leaving the marina, around 10:00 p.m., the small speed boat carrying six people struck a barge. The bride-to-be and best man were ejected. The groom-to-be was among the four survivors, knocked unconscious. When he awoke, he immediately called for help.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a body recovered of the female that fit the description of the person who's missing.
CHO: Lindsey Stewart, the 30-year-old bride-to-be. Here she is on Facebook showing off her engagement ring. And this one with her sister. Her mother spoke to reporters hours earlier when there was still hope her daughter was alive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She is supposed to be married two weeks from today. (INAUDIBLE)
CHO: What's worse, authorities say, it appears the driver of the boat, a 35-year-old man, a friend of the couple, was intoxicated. He has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and vehicular assault. A horrific ending to what was supposed to be a great night on the eve of a wedding.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was horrible. We met with the families today. It is devastating, absolutely devastating.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They used to go to church together. They have been friends through the whole time. They fell in love about three-and-a- half years ago.
CHO: Was she really excited?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yes. She did all the plans herself. That's something -- a nightmare I don't wish on any parent.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Alina Cho joins me now from Piermont, New York. Alina, just a heartbreaking story. What's the latest?
CHO: As you said at the very top, Pamela, and just a recap, at a news conference that ended just moments ago, the sheriff did confirm that the second body they had been looking for has been recovered at about 11:00 this morning. A jet skier found the body, called 911. And pending official confirmation from the medical examiner's office, we do believe that it is that of the best man in this wedding, Mark Lennon.
Meanwhile, the groom is still recovering in the hospital with severe head injuries. And the family of Lindsey Stewart, the bride-to-be, offered this simple statement to CNN, saying, "Pray for our loss." The sheriff says there are no words to describe what happened and, Pamela, he says, only time will heal. Pamela?
BROWN: Our hearts certainly go out to their families. Alina Cho, thank you. And another accident. This one in Indianapolis. A bus filled with teenagers returning from a church camp in Michigan crashed Saturday. They were almost home whether disaster struck. Three people were killed, at least 19 injured. The bus went into a concrete barrier and then flipped over. Witnesses say the bus did not slow down when it entered an exit ramp on Interstate 465. And rescuers say the driver told witnesses his brakes went out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I saw this bus going so fast I thought, gosh, that guy is going fast. The light had turned green for the southbound traffic, and the bus just flew in into my vision right away and flipped, just in an instant.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bus was flipped over. There were people crawling out of the bus. There were people who severely injured, people who were dead, people who were hurt.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: And people who were driving along jumped out of their cars to help. Nine people were treated at the scene and released.
And police have identified the gunman who went on a terrifying rampage in Hialeah, Florida. They say 43-year-old Pedro Vargas set his apartment on fire, fatally shot six people, and took two hostages. He died in the shootout with police. Authorities say Vargas may have had a dispute with two building managers who were among his victims.
Let's move to North Carolina now, where torrential downpours put towns underwater there. Emergency crews rescued people from their cars and homes yesterday near Charlotte. But sadly the water was just too much for swimmers in a nearby creek. A 10-year-old little girl died after being swept away. And a 48-year-old man is still missing at this hour.
Nick Valencia is following the story for us. Nick, certainly a horrific situation there in North Carolina. What's the latest there?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's three counties that were the hardest hit in Western North Carolina. And in Hickory, which is a town that got hit hard, the mayor is asking residents to stay indoors, to avoid flooded areas.
But here's the good news. The good news is the rain has stopped for now. The bad news is, there are residents in the hardest-hit areas, they are going to have to deal with cleanup for weeks.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JANICE GAGNON, FLOODING VICTIM: I just started over. And just started over and got stuff in here, and I've lost everything again. I scraped pennies to get to move in here. So no, no insurance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) you have only been here a couple of months.
GAGNON: I have been here since the first of June.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: Officials locally say this is some of the worst flooding the area has seen in recent memory. Earlier, I spoke to a spokesperson for the Department of Emergency Management in North Carolina. He explained why it is just so bad there.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JEFF CARDWELL, NC DEPT. OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: This is probably the worst flooding we have had in western North Carolina since 2004. And that was Tropical Storm Francis and Ivan, the result in 2004. Since then, we have been in a large drought area.
Now, because of the amount of rain we have had and we are seeing a lot of flash floods and we are seeing a lot of landslides. It is taking a toll on the emergency services as well as the residents of this area of North Carolina.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VALENCIA: The rain was heavy, the rain was constant. As I mentioned, Pamela, the good news is that it stopped for now. Later this week, though, we do expect more rain in this very same area.
BROWN: That is not good news for folks there.
VALENCIA: No, it's not.
BROWN: All right. Thanks so much, Nick Valencia. As you said there, that area of North Carolina just got hammered yesterday with rain. Jennifer Delgado is live in the weather center. Jennifer, any more storms on the horizon?
JENNIFER DELGADO, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You know, actually, we are only thinking maybe you might see an isolated shower or two out there for today. But Pamela, some of these totals were quite impressive. I pulled this up for you to give you an idea of exactly how much rain and exactly where it fell.
You can see the areas from Mount (INAUDIBLE) to Hickory, six to 10 inches of rainfall. And we saw the result of that flash flooding there. Now as I said, things are drying out across parts of North Carolina. But you can still see, we are pulling in a few areas of some very light precipitation. The worst is offshore.
Bur our next area of concern is now in the Plains as well as in parts of the Midwest. This region here is now going to be under the gun for potentially flooding very similar to what we saw coming out of North Carolina. We have this area of low pressure right here that is pulling in a lot of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. That is going to lead to some flash flooding with this heavy rainfall in place. Some of these locations, we are talking four to six inches in a very short period of time. Certainly ,we could see some flooding just like what we saw across parts of North Carolina yesterday.
And we also want to point out to you for regions like Missouri as well as into Iowa, they can also pick up anywhere between 3-5 inches within the next 48 hours. They already have flood watches in place in anticipation of this heavy rainfall. And I would expect to see more of that spreading into areas like Missouri as well as into Iowa as that heavy rainfall makes its way into the region. That will start to work into western Kansas as we head into late tonight.
I also want to update you on Tropical Storm Flossie. That's the storm that is spinning in the Pacific Ocean, heading towards Hawaii. Maximum winds at 65 miles an hour. It is going to be making its way across the Hawaiian islands as we go through Tuesday afternoon. Here is the forecast, and notice, here is the big island here as well Maui. So, it looks like it will pass right between those islands, but it looks like the worst of it could be felt in areas like Honolulu where they could be picking up on that storm surge with those winds coming in from the south.
So certainly, that's something to watch because with this tropical storm coming through, we all know we are going to be dealing with strong winds, as well as heavy rainfall, in addition to the storm surge. Pamela?
BROWN: Absolutely. As you said, heavy rainfall coming to the Plains. Folks there should exercise caution. Thank you, Jennifer Delgado.
And now to Brazil, and something nobody has seen before at a papal gathering. A flash mob started dancing to a song called appropriately "Francis" just before the pope celebrated Mass in Rio de Janeiro.
(VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: As we see there, millions had gathered to hear the pontiff speak on World Youth Day earlier today. It was his final Mass before he returned to the Vatican. The next World Youth Day will be held in Poland in 2016.
Megachurch pastor, Rick Warren, is back in the pulpit. He returned to his saddleback church in southern California Saturday and preached his first sermon since his son committed suicide back in April. The 27- year-old shot himself at his home. In his 70-minute sermon, Warren fought back tears, cracked jokes and made a passionate plea to eradicate the stigma of mental health problems.
As the U.S. tries to bargain to get Edward Snowden back, everyone else is trying to figure out where he is. We are going to walk you through the Moscow airport and try to figure out who could be helping him. We'll be right back. Hope you stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: The fate of the Army private accused in the largest leak of classified information in U.S. history is now in the hands of a military judge. Bradley Manning is accused of handing over hundreds of thousands of documents on the Iraq war to Wikileaks. In closing arguments Friday, prosecutors say Bradley Manning was a traitor who had no allegiance to the United States. Manning is charged with aiding the enemy.
And there is still no word if Edward Snowden will stay in Russia. But for now, the NSA leaker is still hiding somewhere in the Moscow airport. Phil Black looks at how it came to this and what's at stake for U.S./Russia relations.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): June 23rd, Edward Snowden arrives in Moscow. There are hundreds of cameras waiting, but Snowden doesn't stroll into the arrivals area. From that day, one of America's most wanted is tracked somewhere in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport.
And he is hunted. Journalists from around the world fly in to search the three terminals which make up the transit zone for international passengers. Corridors, cafes, duty-free stores, V.I.P. lounges. They are all checked. No Snowden. There is a small hotel too. The staff repeatedly tell reporters he is not staying there.
Dozens of journalists take a flight to Cuba on the belief that Snowden will also be on board. He isn't. And so it goes for weeks, to search for Snowden is thorough and fruitless. Then one day, he suddenly decides to invite some people over.
EDWARD SNOWDEN, NSA LEAKER: A little over one month ago, I had family, a home in paradise, and I lived in great comfort.
BLACK: Russian human rights activists, lawyers and politicians are summoned to the airport to meet the fugitive and hear his plans. Snowden announces he wants to apply for asylum in Russia.
His ability to call this meeting, bringing people into the airport's secure zone, the fact no one else has seen him throughout his stay, it all points to a logical conclusion. Edward Snowden is receiving help from Russian officials.
The United States is angry. It wants the accused criminal back. The Russian government is boxed in. It refers to Snowden as a human rights activist, refuses to extradite him, but doesn't want to damage relations with the U.S. That could be why five weeks after Snowden arrival and despite his official asylum application, Russian hospitality is limited. He is being hidden, fed and sheltered somewhere in the airport. But there is no sign he is about to be invited into the country.
Phil Black, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: Well, two high-profile politicians involved in embarrassing sex scandals. Both have been Democrats. So the question is, is their bad behavior damaging their party's brand?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Ahead this week, two high-profile politicians face uncertain futures. One who is a mayor of a big city, San Diego, California. And one who wants to be the mayor of the nation's largest city, New York. Both under the microscope for bad behavior and trying to stay afloat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
ANTHONY WEINER (D), NYC MAYORAL CANDIDATE: These things are very wrong, deeply regret them. I worked through them with my wife. They are behind me.
BOB FILNER, MAYOR OF SAN DIEGO: My failure to respect women and the intimidating contact -- conduct I engage in at times is inexcusable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: CNN's chief political correspondent, Candy Crowley, host of "STATE OF THE UNION," joins me now from Washington. Hi, Candy, nice to see you.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you.
BROWN: So, San Diego mayor Bob Filner facing harassment allegations. He says he is going to get counseling now and stay on the job. Of course, former congressman Anthony Weiner revealing this week he has done even more sexting to women, saying he is staying in the race for New York mayor. Both are Democrats here. Candy, do you think they are hurting the Democratic Party brand in their states and perhaps nationally?
CROWLEY: Probably not their party. They may be doing more damage to the image of politicians, if that's possible, and maybe to their gender. But there are enough of these instances, at least various permutations of them that are both from the Republican side and Democratic side that certainly it is not seen as one party's problem or the other.
I will say that the San Diego mayor is the first Democrat they have had there in a long time. He was just elected. So, that's a blow to the party. But I think this is more -- if you are talking sheerly about imagery, obvious this is about politicians in general, I think. It might be more harmful to them.
In fact, there are any number of people trying to get San Diego mayor out of office, to get him to quit. Today, on the show earlier, my show earlier, "STATE OF THE UNION," Senator Dianne Feinstein added her voice.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D), CALIFORNIA: This kind of absence of a moral compass is subject to recall. I suspect there will be recalls, and --
CROWLEY: But you think he should make it easier and resign?
FEINSTEIN: I think he should make it easier and resign, that's right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: All right. There you heard it. Mounting pressure on Mayor Filner in San Diego.
Let's go back to New York here, Candy. Anthony Weiner brought his wife to a news conference to help rescue his campaign. Today, we have learned his campaign manager has quit. So, what do you think? Do you think he is toast, or does he still have a fighting chance of being New York's mayor?
CROWLEY: My guess is he is not going to become New York's mayor. But I will say, I thought that before we got this sort of second chapter of what's been going on in the life of Anthony Weiner lately.
So, there will be a runoff. This is a very crowded race. And in general, in crowded races, what really counts is whether you can get voters out. To get voters out, you need a big name or you need a big machine behind you. Anthony Weiner doesn't have those things. So, he was already at a disadvantage. Those poll numbers early on -- he is running second now.
I suppose he could make the runoff because if nobody gets 40 percent, there has to be a Democratic runoff. But I think he is pretty much lessened the chances he will even make the runoff. But he doesn't sound like a guy that is going to get out of the race.
BROWN: Sounds like he is digging in his heels on this one, Candy.
And quickly, before we let you go, it is the last week of Congress before lawmakers take a month off in the August recess. So, one big item on the agenda is that the Senate is going to be taking up the confirmation of James Comey to be the new FBI director. Do you think he will get confirmed or will Republicans hold that up?
CROWLEY: Senator Paul last I heard was not entirely happy with the responses he has been getting from the FBI about policy, about those unmanned, unarmed drones in the U.S., basically used for surveillance of one sort or another. He has written a couple of letters to them. And the last I heard, he was not entirely pleased with the answers he got. He has said he will hold up this nomination until he gets the answers.
Now, he did this before for a previous nomination of the president and eventually lifted the hold. Certainly, he will eventually be confirmed. It looks like that to me. But it is possible there will be a whole other nomination and delay it. But my guess is that those answers will be forthcoming, and you'll see a confirmation this week.
BROWN: And we will see what else gets done before the August recess. All right, a lot to look forward to in Washington this week. As always, Candy Crowley, you are on top of it. Thank you so much.
CROWLEY: Thanks, Pamela. BROWN: The gun violence in Chicago has gotten so bad, members of Congress are holding an emergency summit this weekend. We will show you how the crisis has escalated and what lawmakers want to do about it just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Welcome back. Let's check some of the top stories this hour. The best man's body in the New York boat crash has been found. The man driving that boat has been charged with first-degree vehicular manslaughter. Jo-Jo John was the couple's friend and a party of the pre-wedding party - a part, rather. The young bride-to-be's body was recovered yesterday. The groom and three others remain in the hospital with head injuries.
Another accident, this one in Indianapolis. A bus filled with teenagers returning from a church camp in Michigan crashed Saturday. Three people were killed. At least 19 injured. Witnesses say the bus did not slow down when it entered an exit ramp on Interstate 465. Rescuers say the driver told witnesses his brakes went out.
And the driver of the train that crashed in Spain last week is in court today. The death toll from Wednesday's accident is now up to 79 people after another person died in the hospital this morning. Police have already accused the driver of reckless homicide and say the train may have been going too fast.
The Israeli government votes to release 104 Palestinian prisoners. The move comes as Israeli and Palestinian representatives prepare to meet in Washington for new talks on Tuesday. Despite some opposition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a, quote, "tough decision for the good of the country." The first of four releases will come after the Washington talks get underway.
And back here in the U.S., another push to end the violence in Chicago. Leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus held an emergency meeting in the city, promising to find ways to stop the heinous shootings. CNN's Ted Rowlands takes us inside their summit.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Pamela, almost every week here in Chicago, there are incidents where African-Americans are shot and either injured or killed. It is so bad that members of the Congressional Black Caucus have come here this weekend for what they are calling an emergency summit.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: The problem of gun violence on the streets of Chicago is centered in African-American communities on the city's west and south sides. During weekend nights on these streets, there are near-constant calls into police reporting gunfire. What should be done to stop the violence has been debated for decades?
REP. DANNY DAVIS (D), ILLINOIS: Struggles, strife and pain are the requisites for change. Always has been, always will be. ROWLANDS: Members of the Congressional Black Caucus held what they called an emergency summit on gun violence, inviting the public and community leaders to help them hash out a plan of action. Much of the dialogue centered around opportunities for kids and a push for parents to step up.
REP. BOBBY RUSH (D), ILLINOIS: You got children on your mind, but you don't have them in your heart.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Someone has to make a conscious decision within themselves to say, I'm going to do something differently, and I'm going to take a child on my block in my community and I'm going to mentor this child.
ROWLANDS: While the overall murder rate is down this year compared to last year, it is still unacceptably high with nearly 200 killings and hundreds more injured including 6-year-old Kiana Tompkins who was shot in the chest last weekend. It's those victims Kiana and 15-year-old Hydea Pendleton, whose mother was at the summit, that have resonated and will ultimately motivate people says Congressman Danny Davis.
REP. DANNY DAVIS (D) ILLINOIS: So I think we are going to see one of the most engaged communities that you will find anywhere in America right here in the heart of Chicago.
ROWLANDS: What actually comes out of the summit remains to be scene. Organizers say they hope all the talk will push some people into action to make meaningful change in a city that needs it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: Pamela, over the years, gatherings like this have produced a lot of ideas. The key to success organizers say here is following it up with action -- Pamela.
BROWN: Ted Rowlands, thank you.
Russia announces new anti-gay laws that could land a lot of people in jail. We are going to show how that could affect the upcoming Olympic games in Russia and whether gay athletes and spectators need to worry about getting locked up. That story and more next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Welcome back to NEWSROOM, everyone. In just six months, the iconic Olympic rings will welcome athletes from around the world to Russia for the 2014 Winter Games. It's typically a time to celebrate diversity, but a dark cloud could overshadow that feeling for gay and lesbian athletes, and spectators. Russia has recently passed a series of strict anti-gay laws, one that bans gay couples from adopting Russian children.
Another prohibits spreading so-called gay propaganda to minors and police can even detain foreigners under this law. The International Olympic Committee said Friday those policies will not affect athletes or visitors for the Winter Games, but the laws have sparked protests in Russia quickly cut down by police there. Protesters are spreading around the world. Some bars have even stopped selling Russian vodka. Some activists are calling for a boycott of the Olympics all together.
All right, let's talk about this with Cyd Zeigler, the co-founder of prominent gay sports publication, outsports.com. Cyd, nice to have you here with us. All right, let's get straight to it. What do you think? You think a boycott is the right way to handle this?
CYD ZEIGLER, CO-FOUNDER, OUTSPORTS.COM: No, I don't. For two reasons, first, no Olympic boycott has ever accomplished anything. Look at the 1980 USOC boycott of the Moscow games based on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviets stayed in Afghanistan for nine more years. The boycott did not put any pressure on the Soviets to get out. The second piece is it's misdirected. The people who this punishes most are 20-year-old athletes who have been working all their life for this moment. Do not put any pressure on the Soviets and if anything, it would galvanize them.
BROWN: Cyd, you have been talking to some openly gay athletes, some that are going to be participating in the Olympics. What are their thoughts?
ZEIGLER: Blake Skiller is an openly gay speed skater from New Zealand. He said what I have said. I have been working so hard for the last four years, living thousands of miles from his family. He barely ever sees his family. He has sacrificed so much for the opportunity to make his Olympic team and participate in Sochi. You know, what he wants to do is go there and be a beacon of hope for those LGBT people in Russia. You win by participating not by sitting on the sidelines. So he wants to go there, wear a rainbow pin and say, I'm here, I'm gay and I'm OK.
BROWN: So we could be seeing some symbolic protests like that. Cyd, we've heard the International Olympic Committee saying that the athletes will not be affected by this law in Russia, but do you believe that? Do you think there is any danger at all for some of these openly gay athletes?
ZEIGLER: I don't believe there is any danger. Blake Skiller doesn't believe there is any danger. The Russian government and everyone who hosts the Olympics knows the world is watching. Beijing knew the world was watching. They cleaned the air and they cleaned up the streets. There is no way the Russian government is going to start arresting Olympic athletes. It would be precedent. No one has ever done that before.
The Nazis didn't even arrest people from other countries when they hosted the games in 1936. So there is just no way it is going to happen. The IOC has said it won't happen. The Russian government has said it won't happen. If it does happen, it is on the IOC. The IOC selected Sochi to host this. Russia has had a terrible human rights record. This is nothing new. They chose Russia. It is up to the IOC to make sure that those athletes are safe.
BROWN: All right, good point there. Cyd Zeigler, co-founder of outsports.com. Thank you for talking with us. It has been 68 years since the end of the Holocaust and still dozens of Nazi war criminals may be walking around in Germany, free men. Well now, there is a new campaign to bring them to justice. We are going to tell you about that new campaign right after this break. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: One of Oscar Schindler's original lists is now up for auction on eBay and the bidding starts at $3 million. Well, so far, no one has bid yet, but the auction management agency that listed it says a few people are interested. Three other lists Schindler made are in museums. Schindler was a Nazi, but he hired Jewish workers in his factories to save them from dying in concentration camps. The Schindler auction is just one reminder of one of the darkest chapters in human history.
For Holocaust survivors and their families, this photo right here, right outside the gates of Auschwitz remains a symbol of terror and genocide. About 6 million Jews died inside the Nazi concentration camps and the victims have never been forgotten. Now the hunt continues for the murderers that escaped justice. This week, the Simon Wiesenthal Center launched a campaign to track down as many as 60 Nazi war criminals who could still be living inside Germany right now. Two thousand posters with the phrase "Late but never too late," will be spread throughout various cities.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EFRAIM ZUROFF, DIRECTOR OF JERUSALEM BRANCH OF SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE: Please help us bring these people to justice. They don't deserve to live out their lives in peace and tranquility. We are ready to offer a price of up to 25,000 euros for information that will lead to successful legal action.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Well, Rabbi Marvin Hier is the founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre. He joins us from Los Angeles. It's nice to have you here, Rabbi Hire.
RABBI MARVIN HIER, FOUNDER AND DEAN OF THE SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER: It is a pleasure.
BROWN: All right, let's just start with talking about this project. Tell us how did it come up? How did you come up with this campaign and why now?
HIER: Well, why now? Because John Demonich was successfully prosecuted now by the German government and this -- they have never done this before because previously they wanted only personal testimony from witnesses. Now, they accept documentary evidence. This opened up new opportunities, there are many Auschwitz gods and gods of other infamous death camps out there and people know who they are. This campaign in all the major German cities is to draw attention to that fact. We have already received more than a dozen tips that we are following up. For those who say, these are old people. Let's remember that the United States Justice Department didn't say that Whitey Bulger, because he is 83, should not be brought to justice.
BROWN: Yes, because you know, some people, some critics of this are saying that this is vengeance. This is people that are at the end of their lives, but you don't see it that way?
HIER: Well, first of all, that's why you have a judge. A judge will decide competence, if he sees that the person is incompetent capable of defending himself, the judge will throw the case out. We should not presume that. The Justice Department doesn't say, stop all investigations from all criminals that are now past 80. There is no such thing. Why should we do that with history's worst murderers?
BROWN: Tell us. Just circling back around to my initial question, how did you come up with this campaign, Rabbi Hier?
HIER: Well, the idea of the campaign was that people know if we can create an intensive to get people to speak about it and if offering a reward will do that, it's worth this last effort. That's why we are doing it. It's already met with good results. People are responding. We haven't checked out all the information, all the tips. People are eager to participate. I believe we could find some of those gods that have lived out their lives without ever facing the bar of justice.
BROWN: And you said that already a dozen leads. Is that right?
HIER: Yes, that's correct.
BROWN: Just from this past week.
HIER: That's correct. We are following up the leads. That's correct.
BROWN: OK, I want to touch on something else, on a different topic. Peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians will resume on Tuesday in Washington. What do you think is going to happen, Rabbi Hier?
HIER: Well, I'll tell you. Personally, I am very skeptical. I would love for the talks to succeed and a viable two-state solution finally to come in place and resolve the conflict. What we have on the ground right now is a three-state solution. How are we going to get rid of Hamas, which governs Gaza? As long as Hamas is in power and their charter calls for the destruction of Israel, there will never be peace.
Look what happened in Egypt where the Muslim Brotherhood has come -- you know, took power. Now the Muslim Brotherhood -- Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. So it is one thing for Secretary John Kerry and others to say a two-state solution, but everybody that knows anything about Israel and the situation today knows that in reality, we have unfortunately, a three-state solution, because Hamas does not recognize the leaders.
President Abbas has never been invited to visit Gaza for seven years. He can't visit his own people. So how are we going to have peace if there are two separate Palestinian states that Israel has to give into? They are not going to do that.
BROWN: OK, we'll see what happens when both sides come to the table on Tuesday in Washington. Rabbi Marvin Hier with the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, thank you so much for coming on and sharing your perspective.
HIER: Thank you.
BROWN: Well, Anthony Weiner's sexting scandal wouldn't be a scandal in other parts of the world. We're going to take a look at the very different definitions of cheating around the globe. That's next.
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BROWN: New York mayoral candidate, Anthony Weiner, admitted to exchanging more sexually explicit messages and photos with young women online and that brings us to what a lot of folks are debating right now. What does it mean to cheat? Well, it turns out the answer isn't so simple and not just for moral ethical reasons. It also depends on where you live in the world, different country, different definition of infidelity.
CNN editorial producer, Nadia Bilchik explained that to me just a short time ago. Take a listen.
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BROWN: Nadia, you are from South Africa. So tell me would a politician who cheated spark outrage there?
NADIA BILCHIK, CNN EDITORIAL PRODUCER: We'll put it this way. I was in South Africa when the Lewinsky/Clinton scandal broke. People there thought it was much ado about nothing. Bear in mind that the South African president, Jacob Zuma, the current president, has four wives and he is not renowned for his fidelity.
But I am going to take us to France for a moment. Famously Sarkozy is now with his mistress, married to his mistress, Carla Bruni although he says he was already divorced. Then the current French president, Francois Hollande left his partner of 27 years and now lives with his mistress. They had a great role model who was very public about his affairs.
In fact, his wife calls him Francois the seducer and invited his mistress and their illegitimate child to his funeral. But there's an ordinary book called "Lust In Translation" and it's about infidelity around the world. Pamela Druckerman, the author says in places like Russia, if you have a tryst on the beach, it is not considered infidelity. I'm not sure which Russians she spoke to. And she says in Finland, there's even a non-judgmental term called parallel relationships. BROWN: Certainly a different attitude in those countries than right here in the U.S. Nadia, what about money, what role does money play in why people cheat?
BILCHIL: Now you may be surprised at this one. They say that men in more affluent countries like the United States and Britain are more wary of infidelity because they may lose assets, home, children whereas women in poorer countries have less socioeconomic power so they cheat less.
BROWN: Well, let's talk about women. Do you think -- is there a double standard with women in these other countries when it comes to cheating?
BILCHIK: I think everywhere, what's good for the goose is not good for the gander. There are some Middle Eastern countries where infidelity is actually punishable by death. In this country, the rate of infidelity amongst women has risen about 40 percent over the last two decades. I'm sure social media has a fair part to play in that.
BROWN: I think that would be a fair assumption.
BILCHIK: And the reality is that if you think about it, sex, passion and lust have brought down empires historically. I think we will see them continuing to bring down politicians.
BROWN: All right, we will have to keep an eye on it. Thank you so much, Nadia Bilchik.
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BROWN: A flash mob of epic proportions. Three million people singing and dancing for Pope Francis. We will show you the big festivities surrounding the pontiff's last day in Brazil up next.
And tying to choose a baby name? Well, the royals, of course, went with George, but that doesn't seem to be such a popular choice here in the states. In this "American Journey" report, Tom Foreman looks at what parents consider when making such a big decision.
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TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The royal decision to call the new baby George is playing well in the U.K. where that name is popular with many parents, but on this side of the pond?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No. Not in a million years.
FOREMAN: One expectant mom after another at New York's prenatal yoga center told us George would never make their list of baby names chosen with elaborate care.
LESLIE PALTI GUZMAN, EXPECTANT MOTHER: I think it's important. It's something you carry your whole life. That's, you know, reflects on your personality. TUCHMAN: A hundred years ago or so, George was a hugely popular name in America. But these days, according to the Baby Name Wizard web site, it is barely on the charts despite two recent presidents named George and a movie star, too. Laura Wattenberg runs the web site based on her book.
LAURA WATTENBERG, AUTHOR, "The Baby Name Wizard": Wee've really seen a revolution in American baby names that no one wants to seem ordinary. What you hear a lot is I don't want my daughter to be one of four Jennifers in her class. While parents want kids to stand out, the kids are still perfectly happy to fit in.
FOREMAN: While some families may cozy up to pop culture names like Catness from the "Hunger Games" many others are striking a delicate balance. Choosing something not too traditional but not utterly a vanguard, nameberry.com says the most popular girls name last year were Sophia, Emma and Isabella. The most popular boys names, Jacob, Mason, and Ethan.
Here is the thing. None of these names is as popular as the most popular names once were because we are collectively choosing from a much wider pool of possibilities. Perhaps the only thing that remains constant, picking the right name is still not easy.
JAMIE PATTERSON, EXPECTANT MOTHER: If it's a boy, I have Jack Henry locked and loaded. If it's a girl I have a list 18 miles long, so I don't know.
FOREMAN: Tom Foreman, CNN.
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BROWN: There was a surprise guest at a music festival in Cleveland this weekend.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I bring a family that you probably know.
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BROWN: Amanda Berry, one of the three women held captive in a Cleveland home for a decade appeared on stage with her family there. Berry didn't address the crowd, but did appear again on stage later in the day. Her captor, Ariel Castro, agreed to a plea deal last week to life without parole, plus 1,000 years.
And, in Brazil, a flash mob started dancing to a song called Francis just before the pope celebrated mass in Rio De Janeiro. Millions have gathered to hear the pontiff speak on World Youth Day earlier today. It was his final mass before he returns to the Vatican. The next World Youth Day will be held in Poland in 2016.
New York mayoral candidate, Anthony Weiner, admits to sexting and wants voters to move on. Will they? At 4 p.m. Eastern, we are going to talk to a journalist who has covered many high-profile sex scandals, "Washington Post" columnist, Sally Quinn.
I'll see you back here in the CNN NEWSROOM at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. Right now, jobs are coming back. Are you feeling any richer? Christine Romans breaks down President Obama's new agenda for the middle class. So will it work? "YOUR MONEY" starts now.
