For March 3, 2011, CBS

Fri, 03/04/2011 - 7:05am
Chris WraggeAssociated Press



<Date: March 3, 2011>

<Time: 07:30>

<Tran: 030302cb.410>

<Type: Show>

<Head: For March 3, 2011, CBS>

<Sect: News; International>

<Byline: Erica Hill, Chris Wragge, Jeff Glor, Marysol Castro, John


<Guest: Rebecca Jarvis, Jennifer Ashton>

<High: Mickey Rooney testifies before Congress about elder abuse.

Discussing pulmonary embolisms. Details of the new iPad unveiling.>

<Spec: Health and Medicine; Aging; Mickey Rooney; Sports; iPad; Apple;


ERICA HILL: Half past the hour. Welcome back to THE EARLY SHOW. Good to have you with us this morning. I'm Erica Hill along with Chris Wragge. A-- a new government report says that every year, up to three and a half million elderly Americans are victims of abuse.CHRIS WRAGGE: On Wednesday, ninety-year-old Mickey Rooney, one of the last living links to Hollywood's Golden Age, told a Senate committee that an abusive relative left him helpless. Now he's accused his stepson of taking his money, stepson denies it. But in just a moment we're going to hear more of Rooney's emotional testimony. It's really sad to hear all this yesterday.

ERICA HILL: Oh, it's just-- it's heartbreaking.


ERICA HILL: And to think of how many people this potentially is happening to, is definitely a wake-up call.

Jeff Glor is standing by at the news desk, first though, with a look at some of the other headlines we're following for you this morning. Hi, Jeff.

JEFF GLOR: Erica, good morning to you.

A German official says the suspect in yesterday's deadly attack on U.S. servicemen admits targeting the Americans and he says he acted alone. The suspect, a Kosovo citizen, opened fire in a bus carrying air force personnel to Frankfurt airport. Prosecutors say they're investigating it as an act of Islamic extremism. Two were killed and two more wounded.

Libyan warplanes are-- are again striking rebel positions in eastern Libya this morning. One target was the strategic oil part of Brega. Rebel troops returned fire. Rebel leaders are asking for U.N. backed air strikes against the Libyan military.

Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert Kennedy, is staying behind bars. At a hearing yesterday, the California paro-- parole board denied him parole. Sirhan expressed his regret for the 1968 shooting, but Sirhan claims he doesn't remember it.

And in Florida, a woman is in jail this morning, facing charges for slapping a child on a school bus. Surveillance video shows the twenty- seven-year-old woman hitting a boy she said hit her child. She is charged with battery and child abuse.

Coming up on thirty-two minutes past the hour, weather now. Here's what's happening outside your window.


ERICA HILL: In 2009, one in seven older Americans was abused, according to a government study. On Wednesday, a Senate committee heard from a Hollywood legend who says he is one of those victims. CBS News congressional correspondent Nancy Cordes is on Capitol Hill this morning with the story. Nancy, good morning.

NANCY CORDES (CBS News Congressional Correspondent): Erica, good morning to you. Mickey Rooney was one of the biggest names in movies for decades. And his message to Congress was, if abuse could happen to him, it could happen to any senior.

(Begin VT)

MICKEY ROONEY (Victim of Elder Abuse): I felt trapped, scared, and frustrated.

NANCY CORDES: The ninety-year-old veteran of the silver screen told lawmakers he was the victim of elder abuse for years before coming forward last month.

MICKEY ROONEY: Even when I tried to speak up, I was told to shut up.

(Excerpt from Babes in Arms)

NANCY CORDES: Rooney's dancing and singing and effervescent characters delighted viewers for decades. He made more than two hundred movies.

But in February, the frail Californian obtained a temporary restraining order against his fifty-two-year-old stepson, complaining that the son of his eighth and current wife had, quote, .taken control of Mickey's personal and financial affairs. And was verbally abusive, depriving him of medicine and food even confiscating his identification to prevent him from traveling.

MICKEY ROONEY: I was eventually and completely stripped of the ability to make even the most basic decisions.

NANCY CORDES: His stepson denies the allegations. But Rooney's story is far from unique.

MICKEY ROONEY: I am here today because it's-- it's so important that I share my story with others.

NANCY CORDES: It's estimated that between seven hundred thousand and 3.5 million older Americans are abused, neglected, or exploited each year. And that only one in six cases are reported.

Were you glad that you had the chance to share your story?

MICKEY ROONEY: Everything you heard me say today was real.

NANCY CORDES: And he hopes other seniors will not wait as long as he did to get help.

(End VT)

NANCY CORDES: Rooney says his abusers even took away his Oscar and his Emmy. He says he eventually became practically a prisoner in his own home, Erica.

ERICA HILL: It's just awful to think about. What-- what are lawmakers actually hoping to achieve? Why were they holding these hearings?

NANCY CORDES: Well, they're looking at possibly reintroducing legislation that would beef up penalties for elder abuse. But what they said their immediate goal is, is just to shine a light on this problem so that victims or people who see it happening will step forward.

ERICA HILL: The picture that Mickey Rooney paints when he says that basically everything was taken away from him, did he confide in someone at some point before this?

NANCY CORDES: He didn't, Erica. He said he was first of all embarrassed that this had happened to him. He also said he was afraid that he might be hurt that his wife might be hurt and that kept him from coming forward long after he realized that something serious was going on.

ERICA HILL: Boy, it certainly makes you think twice, doesn't it? Nancy Cordes on Capitol Hill this morning, thanks.

Just ahead, Serena Williams survives a blood clot in her lung. What we could all learn from her health scare. You're watching THE EARLY SHOW on CBS.


CHRIS WRAGGE: In this morning's HealthWatch, Serena Williams' health scare. The tennis star suffered a pulmonary embolism last week, a blood clot in her lung, and then needed emergency treatment on Monday due to complications. Medical correspondent Doctor Jennifer Ashton is here with more on this condition which affects at least one hundred thousand Americans each and every year. Doctor, good morning. Good to see you.

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON (EARLY SHOW Medical Correspondent): Good morning, Chris.

CHRIS WRAGGE: Before we start I just want to quickly read a statement that we got from Serena Williams yesterday, released to CBS. This has been extremely hard, scary, and disappointing. So that's her statement. But let's talk exactly what she has been dealing with here.

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: We're talking about a pulmonary embolism, Chris. As you said so this is normally a blood clot that starts usually in the leg or lower extremity and then travels up the body, into the heart, and lodges in the lungs, can give you symptoms of an increased respiratory rate, an increased heart rate, some shortness of breath.

CHRIS WRAGGE: Could this have killed her?

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: It could. You know when this clot is small, it can cause a little bit of lung damage. When it's large, absolutely it can be fatal.

CHRIS WRAGGE: I think a lot of people sitting at home saying she is a world class athlete, this is one of the best tennis players in all the world. How did something like this happen to her?

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: Well, we do know that Serena Williams has had two operations on her foot recently and surgery can be a risk factor. Usually the-- the high risk surgeries are surgeries of the hip or knee but also pelvic surgery. Really any type of surgery can-- can increase your risk and this is an example about it. Even young elite athletes can have this happen.

CHRIS WRAGGE: And do they think that's kind of directly related to these foot surgeries. I mean, these were minor surgeries. She stepped on glass at a bar. I mean I know it--


CHRIS WRAGGE: --it's-- it's still surgery.

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: You know it's hard to tell when you talk about the risk factors for a pulmonary embolism, Chris, the list is long that we know that as you get older the risk increases with age. Things like smoking, obesity increase the risk. Then there are some big ones, cancer increases the risk of a clot. Women who take birth control pills or hormones. All hormones increase the clotting risk and prolonged immobilization, so anyone who is on a long plane or car trip or surgery.

CHRIS WRAGGE: So the risk doubles every ten years after age sixty--

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: That's right.

CHRIS WRAGGE: --too. So even as you get older, you have to be much more aware of-- of any--


CHRIS WRAGGE: --type of symptoms.

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: How do you prevent now something like this from happening?

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: Well, first of all, modify the factors that you can control. If you know you're going in to surgery, a lot of surgeons will give a medication to prevent blood clots even before we take a patient into the operating room. And then if you know you're going on long travel, you want to get up every hour that you're not sleeping, move your legs, stretch your legs, do a little bit of exercise. Keep yourself well hydrated. And then there are certain compression stockings that you can get, either knee high or full length stockings that I actually suggest to all my patients who take a long flight wear. They can be helpful. If you have a family history of a clotting disorder, obviously you get tested for that and you know of them.

CHRIS WRAGGE: When do you think I guess with something like this could people expect to see Serena Williams get back on the court playing tennis again at the level where she was?

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: Well, she said she hopes to be back in the summer. She will be on medication to treat this for months and she will be able to participate in athletics while she's on that medication. So we'll have to wait and see.

CHRIS WRAGGE: Is that Coumadin? Is that the--

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: Yes, blood thinner.



CHRIS WRAGGE: All right. Doctor Ashton, thank you very much.

DR. JENNIFER ASHTON: You bet, Chris.

CHRIS WRAGGE: Good to see you.

All right. For more on the risk factors and treatments for pulmonary embolisms, just go to our partner in health, webmd.com and search embolism.

Well, coming up next here on THE EARLY SHOW, an Apple surprise. Steve Jobs unveils the new iPad and we're going to tell you what his appearance and the iPad 2 mean for the company and for consumers. This is THE EARLY SHOW on CBS.


ERICA HILL: There's so much excitement surrounding Apple's announcement of the iPad 2. But it was the man who delivered the news who is actually generating some of the biggest buzz. CEO Steve Jobs, who, of course, went on medical leave earlier this year, was on hand for the honors. What do Wednesday's events mean for the future of the tech giant, Apple? We'll get you more on that in a moment. But first, here's CBS News correspondent John Blackstone with the details on those announcements.

(Begin VT)

JOHN BLACKSTONE: Steve Jobs likes surprises and he delivered a big one just by showing up to unveil Apple's second generation iPad.

STEVE JOBS (CEO, Apple Incorporated): We've been working on this product for a while and I just didn't want to miss today, so--

JOHN BLACKSTONE: Jobs has been on medical leave since January. And with a tabloid recently reporting he was near death, his unexpected return to the Apple stage almost overshadowed the latest gadget.

STEVE JOBS: And that is iPad 2.

JOHN BLACKSTONE: Jobs, who has battled cancer and had a liver transplant, is obviously thin. But he's lost none of his eagerness to boast of Apple's superiority.

STEVE JOBS: Everybody's got a tablet. Is 2011 going to be the year of the copycat? Well, probably not so much, because most of these tablets aren't even catching up with the first iPad.

JOHN BLACKSTONE: The fifteen million people who bought the first iPad will now be looking with envy at the thinner, faster, iPad 2.

John Blackstone, CBS News, San Francisco.

(End VT)

ERICA HILL: And CBS News business and economics correspondent Rebecca Jarvis is with us this morning with more. We saw he looked a little bit thinner.

REBECCA JARVIS (CBS News Business and Economics Correspondent): Mm-Hm.

ERICA HILL: As John pointed out, though, he has lost none of his eagerness. How did he sound to everybody? How did he come across?

REBECCA JARVIS: Yeah, he came across Erica, like the same old Steve Jobs. This guy who took swipes at the competition. He said that last year was the year of the iPad and this year is the year of the copycats. So he is back to being him-- his old self in terms of his presence and his presentation. He did not, however, address the fact that he's been sick. He didn't say the reason. He didn't even bring it up.

ERICA HILL: And he's been pretty private about that all along. So-- so that may not have been a huge surprise but there was a little bit of a surprise, though, that he was actually there. There was some--


ERICA HILL: --some speculation that he would be there, and what it could do to the stock. So what was the effect?

REBECCA JARVIS: Yeah, the effect was very direct, Erica. When you take a look at what happened to Apple's shares yesterday, you see that the stock immediately shot up when Steve Jobs walked out onstage. It shot up about two percent. What's interesting to note is that after Steve Jobs walked out onstage, the stock initially shot up, he starts unveiling the iPad and it loses some of its luster.


REBECCA JARVIS: So the stock started trading down. I think the big takeaway here is that the company right now is more a company about a man versus a machine and that man is Steve Jobs and the future of the company is Steve Jobs.

ERICA HILL: Which is good and bad.

REBECCA JARVIS: It-- it-- it's absolutely good and bad. Of course, they have to continue putting out machines that people want to buy but so much of the vision has been set, the tone of this company has been set, by Steve Jobs. Wall Street wants to know what's going to happen next, if he-- if he ends up passing?

ERICA HILL: So people may look at this and say, well that's all well and good. You know there's an effect on Wall Street when he comes out. But you know I don't have Apple stock, it doesn't really matter to me. We're all a little bit more involved than we realize.

REBECCA JARVIS: Yes. Apple is one of the most widely held stocks out there, Erica. And most people, even if they don't own Apple stock directly, you and I may not even realize or anyone out there may not even realize they do own Apple stock because it's one of the most widely held stocks.


REBECCA JARVIS: It's held by Janus, it's held by Fidelity, it's held by all of these mutual funds. So the chances are it's in your retirement account. You may not even know it.

ERICA HILL: There you go. So now we're paying even more attention.


ERICA HILL: Rebecca, thanks.


ERICA HILL: We'll be right back with more. You're watching THE EARLY SHOW on CBS.


ERICA HILL: Just ahead this morning, more people are-- are going back to having plastic surgery.

CHRIS WRAGGE: Don't look at me.

ERICA HILL: Right. He hasn't had a thing done. No, but it's interesting--


ERICA HILL: --you know for so long, we would talk about the economy, people--


ERICA HILL: --cutting back on things. Obviously, plastic surgery probably one of the first things to go.

CHRIS WRAGGE: Yeah, true.

ERICA HILL: Well, now as people are feeling more comfortable financially, they're saying I want to feel better about myself. And this is how I'd like to spend my money. It's amazing.

CHRIS WRAGGE: For a lot of people, this is a great way for a little pick me up. Also want to talk about Charlie Sheen because now this case has gotten from really kind of bizarre, to now the kids are involved. There is a huge custody fight being waged between his estranged wife Brooke Mueller and Charlie Sheen. We're going to talk with Raoul Felder who is a celebrity divorce attorney. He is with us and we're going to lay it all out when we come back here on THE EARLY SHOW.






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