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CNN NEWSROOM
Bagged Salad Linked to Outbreak; Stations May Drop Limbaugh, Hannity; Fans Star in Springsteen Movie; Who's "So Vain"?
Aired July 31, 2013 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It's quick and convenient, but there is new concern over mixed salad in a bag. Lettuce, cabbage and carrots now linked to that stomach bug that's already sickened hundreds of Americans in more than a dozen states.
CNN's chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta joins me now and the most disturbing part about this is you know the federal officials are saying yes this salad in a bag is to blame, but they're not telling us -- telling us what brand.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and part of it may be that they still don't know for sure. They sort of feel like they've tracked down about 80 percent of the cases, but it could be that there may be more than one brand involved.
But regardless, as you know, Carol, we've been talking about this for some time. This morning hundreds of people across the country are still waking up with these symptoms of food poisoning, and we're learning that the culprit may have been in your refrigerator all along.
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GUPTA (voice-over): Pre-packaged salad. That's the answer to the mystery of what was causing the most recent food poisoning outbreak that has spread across the country. Nearly 400 people in 15 states have reported food poisoning symptoms caused by this microscopic parasite cyclospora -- health officials in two states tracing the source to bagged salad.
STEVEN MANDERNACH, IOWA DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTION AND APPEALS: We saw that there was a common exposure to bagged lettuce, bagged salad products.
GUPTA: While the specific brand has not yet been named, health officials in Iowa and Nebraska blamed mixed salad bags of iceberg and romaine lettuce, as well as carrots and red cabbage. But they also add that the salad mix is no longer on the shelves in their states.
Now this isn't the first time bagged salad has come under the microscope. Earlier this month Collissa Williams said her sister-in- law was pouring out a bag of kale when she was shocked to discover a frog. COLLISSA WILLIAMS, FOUND FROG IN KALE: She poured out the kale and she went to stir them and she said, there's a frog in there. And we're all like, a frog?
GUPTA: And just this past February, an e-Coli scare triggered a nationwide recall on Taylor Farms baby spinach. This most recent outbreak sending at least 21 people in three states to the hospital.
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GUPTA: I should point out to your question earlier, the CDC and the FDA are continuing to look at this outbreak, and also other possible causes because they are still not sure if all of the cases are part of this same outbreak -- Carol.
COSTELLO: So I have two questions. First, how did it get on the lettuce, this stuff that makes us sick? And secondly, how do I protect myself, because the salads in the bag, you just take them out of the bag and you don't have to wash the lettuce inside and you can just eat it out of the bag. But I suppose I shouldn't do that now?
GUPTA: Yes and so they call it pre-washed like it gives you some sense of security, you know, for people, but I think with regards to the first question, they think it was either probably in the irrigation water or in that prewashing process that we're describing that the water was contaminated. I definitely think it happened before it actually was placed into the bag. That's what we're hearing from officials.
With regard to the second part, look I mean I think that you know certainly I encourage people to eat their fruits and vegetables, but also you know washing them even if they're pre-washed I think is a good idea -- holding them underneath the faucet as opposed to putting them in your kitchen sink because the concern has always been cross- contamination from your own sink. That's how the pre-washing thing sort of began in the first place.
But then also drying the vegetables or drying the fruit because sometimes that pesky little parasite that we're talking about here can still cling onto the food or vegetables after it's been washed. So it's not full proof and this is an example of why, but I think that's -- those are some good tips.
COSTELLO: All right. Thank you, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. We appreciate it.
GUPTA: You got it.
COSTELLO: Still ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM some of the biggest voices -- most powerful voices in conservative radio could be going off the air. Liberals are rejoicing, but are they really going away? We'll talk about that next.
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COSTELLO: Two of the most powerful voices on conservative talk radio may go off the air in many radio markets very soon. We're talking about Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. And while liberals are rejoicing at declaring victory it isn't over yet. As Limbaugh is quick to point out, this has nothing to do with his political agenda and everything to do with a business dispute as in the nation's second biggest broadcaster, Cumulus Radio, no longer wants to pay for his syndicated program.
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RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Nothing is going to change. You are going to be able to get this radio program on as many if not more radio stations down the road than it's on now and what you're -- what you're being treated to is just a public business negotiation. Negotiations have been taken public by one side of this when I thought it was done, that it was over with.
And that's -- folks, I would love -- I mean, I love inside baseball stuff and I would love to pass this on, but I -- I must use proper business restraint here.
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COSTELLO: Ok, but interestingly, last night Rush Limbaugh appeared on Fox News for nearly an hour, a very unusual move. He doesn't usually grant interviews and Fox had him on for almost a whole hour. Possible sign that Limbaugh is trying to stay relevant to prove he draws a big audience? Is it all inside baseball or is it something more?
Joining us to talk about this is "New York Times" media reporter Brian Stelter. Good morning, Brian.
BRIAN STELTER, MEDIA REPORTER, THE NEW YORK TIMES: Good morning.
COSTELLO: So what is this about? Liberals would say oh advertisers don't like Rush Limbaugh's message anymore, we don't want to advertise on the radio and Cumulus is making a business move because of that. Is that partially true?
STELTER: And there is some -- there is some truth to that. Last year Rush Limbaugh found himself you know in pretty hot water by his standards with this significant ad boycott against him after he was critical of a woman who was out there talking about contraception and supporting President Obama's health care overhaul.
In some ways, he's never recovered from that. Some advertisers never came back. But Rush Limbaugh's show is still very profitable, he's so very successful, by far the biggest talk show on all of radio. But Cumulus which broadcast on lots of stations wants to go in a different direction.
COSTELLO: What direction would that be? I mean are they going to put different kinds of voices on their radio stations across the country?
STELTER: I think it sort of mirrors the debate that's happening about the future of the Republican Party. Clear Channel is sticking with -- the biggest radio station of the country is sticking with and the way Clear Channel the biggest radio company in the country is sticking with Rush Limbaugh and they Cumulus drops Rush from Cumulus stations they'll just put Rush on their own Clear Channel stations.
Cumulus, though, is looking toward the future and thinking, is Rush Limbaugh going to be as popular in three years, six years, nine years as he is today? They're guessing he's not. They're guessing they need more moderate host. And I like I said that kind of mirrors Republican Party as the conversations right now whether they should be more moderate or they should be more purely conservative?
COSTELLO: Well I just find it fascinating that Rush Limbaugh appears on Fox News for almost an entire hour and you know he's not exactly --
STELTER: He never does that.
COSTELLO: He never does that. And he didn't specifically talk about, you know, his business dealings, but he talked much, he talked a lot about his politics and kind of bashed Obama for an hour, really, if you want to be honest about it.
STELTER: I kind of felt like it was a reminder that he is the top conservative talker out there. Look at him getting a whole hour on Fox News. Nobody ever gets that and not even politicians get that. But Rush Limbaugh has been on for such a long time, more than 20 years, and there is some skepticism about whether he's going to be as big in three or four or five years as he is today.
Cumulus thinks they can grow their own talent and create their own stars. They put on Mike Huckabee last year as -- as the first sign of their plans. I don't think Rush Limbaugh is going any time soon, I think he's going to be very profitable for a long time to come, but maybe his best days are behind him and that's what Cumulus is sort of thinking.
COSTELLO: I also found it fascinating that Fox would give Rush Limbaugh a platform you know for almost an entire hour. Why do you suppose the network did that?
STELTER: Roger Ailes the chairman of Fox News is close to Rush Limbaugh and even though we don't see Rush on television very often whenever he is on television he goes on Fox. So I think that has something to do with it, that friendship behind the scenes. Maybe Rush Limbaugh felt like he needed to remind everybody that, you know, he can still command an audience like that on television.
COSTELLO: Brian Stelter, thanks for your insight. We appreciate it.
STELTER: Thanks.
COSTELLO: Still ahead in the NEWSROOM a new Bruce Springsteen movie opens, but he's not the star. His fans are.
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BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, SINGER: Born in the USA, I was born in the USA, born in the USA --
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SPRINGSTEEN: -- born in the USA, I was born in the USA -- I was born in the USA -- born in the USA --
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COSTELLO: Oh it's good to be The Boss and to be a fan. Those devoted followers of Bruce Springsteen are the stars of a new documentary. Jake Tapper has more for you.
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(BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN PERFORMING "BORN IN THE USA")
JAKE TAPPER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Born in the USA and raised in the arms of his fans for more than four decades. Bruce Springsteen is not just beloved, he's the boss. But it's the legions of fans, young and old, corporate and blue collar, who are the heart of the Springsteen empire and this month that empire expands to film. The documentary "Springsteen & I" had just one screening worldwide, July 22nd. It flashes to life for a second showing today in U.S. theaters.
The documentary is marketed more like an event, like a concert itself with specific dates and online ticket sales. But this Springsteen event is not so much about the man on stage as it is about the scores of us who sing along with him, about the Facebook and YouTube devotees.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I used to hold this picture up to my son and say "daddy."
TAPPER: And about the proud owners of more than $20 million Springsteen albums sold worldwide.
That's because for this documentary, British Director Bailey Walsh asked fans to submit their own material and to explain to us all what this man means to them.
Among the first of its kind, the film weaves together more than 2,000 submissions, all relaying the stories of real fans and their very real connection to the music. The end result is a film that the "New York Daily News" described as having the specificity, humor and unashamed earnestness of one of Springsteen's own songs.
And the Springsteen team has funneled this pandemonium into something called "Springstream," a one-stop-shop for all things Bruce, from videos, to pictures to tweets. It's where The Boss brings people together online.
If you're skeptical that Springsteen enthusiasts can fill two hours successfully, just remember they filled the oval office.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: One of the most important forces in American music -- TAPPER: More than once. A diehard fan leads Springsteen's home state of New Jersey.
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: If you go on hold in the Christie administration, you're going to hear Bruce Springsteen while you're on hold.
TAPPER: And another hosts the "Daily Show."
JON STEWART, TALK SHOW HOST: Would you sign this?
TAPPER: So it seems Bruce fans are everywhere and in theaters across the country tonight, they will be the stars.
The 2,000 submissions added up to 300 hours of footage and that was melted down into 83 minutes of documentary gold. Jake Tapper, CNN, Washington.
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That was awesome. You go, Bruce.
Just ahead in the "NEWSROOM," "You're So Vain." All these years and we still don't know who Carly Simon was talking about. Actually, I thought it was Warren Beatty, but I guess I'm wrong. So who is this mystery person, and does Taylor Swift really know?
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COSTELLO: We're back. 15 minutes past the hour. I was talking about Bruce Springsteen, sorry.
Checking our top stories now, three children, one adult recovering this morning after this car crashed into a daycare in Kansas City, Missouri. Police say an SUV crashed into a parked car causing the second vehicle to crash into the building. The driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Ford will soon have a one of a kind full-sized truck in its line-up. The popular F150 will be available to run on natural gas starting with the 2014 model. It will be the only automaker offering a full-sized truck able to fuel up with natural gas, which costs a little over $2 per gallon.
TV chef, Nigella Lawson and her husband Charles Saatchi have been given approval by the courts to finalize their divorce. No details were given regarding a financial settlement although court documents show it was Lawson who filed for a divorce. They separated after a newspaper published photos of Saatchi with his hands around Lawson's neck, an action he described as, quote, "playful."
In other news, summer is coming to an end, so you know what that means -- back to school shopping. 17 states participate in tax-free shopping of school items and the discounts from four to seven percent -- that could definitely come in handy since the National Retail Federation says the average family will spend about $635 this year on school supplies.
We'll be right back.
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COSTELLO: It's been more than 40 years since "You're So Vain" was released, yet no one knows what the song is about. Jeanne Moos explains why Carly Simon's famous song continues to leave so many of us guessing.
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JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Prepare to dip your hat strategically below one eye and wear a scarf that's apricot.
TAYLOR SWIFT, SINGER: We're going to sing "You're So Vain" tonight, and I'm so excited.
MOOS: So excited, they were holding hands in this behind-the-scenes video. Taylor Swift brought Carly Simon out on stage at her Boston- area concert, so together they could belt out Carly's signature song about some conceited mystery man.
TAYLOR SWIFT & CARLY SIMON, SINGING: You're so vain, I bet you think this song is about you, don't you.
MOOS: Don't you know, 41 years later, we still don't know.
(on camera): You're so lame, you probably think this song is about --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Warren Beatty.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cat Stevens.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: James Taylor?
MOOS (voice-over): Sixty-eight-year-old Carly Simon has never spilled the beans, so she's doled out a few clues over the years.
SIMON: The name of the person it was about had an "E" in it.
MOOS: She gave us two vowels.
SIMON: An "A."
MOOS: And a consonant.
SIMON: I'm going to add an "R."
REGIS PHILBIN, FORMER HOST, ABC'S "LIVE WITH REGIS AND KELLY": An "R"?
MOOS: When she released a new version of the song in 2009, a British tabloid was sure it had the guy based on barely a whisper. Played backwards sounded to some like David. A-ha -- David Geffen, the record producer. But Carly shot that one down. At an auction for charity, Carly promised to reveal the secret to the highest bidder. Former NBC sports executive Dick Ebersol donated $50,000 for Carly to whisper the name to him, though he had to sign a confidentiality agreement not to reveal it.
Will Taylor Swift have loose lips?
SWIFT: Who is "You're So Vain" written about?
SIMON: Well, I've already told you, and I told you never to tell. So you know.
SWIFT: I was just thinking maybe she might tell you. But I do know now.
MOOS: Cat, James, Warren, Mick, Carly sometimes says who it's not about.
SIMON: It is not Mick Jagger.
MOOS: Or who it's not not about.
SIMON: Well, you know what? It's certainly not not about Warren.
MOOS (on camera): But if you have dreams of ever solving this riddle, they're just clouds in your coffee.
SWIFT & SIMON (singing): Clouds in my coffee.
SIMON: You know, I could never solve it, because if I solved it, then no one would have anything to talk to me about.
MOOS: Nothing vain about Carly.
SWIFT & SIMON (singing): You're so vain --
MOOS: It's just asking that's in vain.
Jeanne Moos, CNN --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was Warren Beatty, wasn't it?
SIMON: What are you talking about?
MOOS: -- New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: I'm telling you, it was Warren Beatty. When she said it's not not about -- anyway, thank you for joining me today. I'm Carol Costello.
CNN NEWSROOM continues after a break.
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