CNN Student News Transcript: March 6, 2008

(CNN Student News) -- March 6, 2008

Quick Guide

America Votes 2008 - See the reaction in the U.S. and Europe to Tuesday's presidential primaries.

Grand Canyon Flooding - Discover why some scientists are purposely flooding part of the Grand Canyon.

Women's History Month - Learn about the superlative career of a world-champion female soccer player.

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: You're at the start of a new day and the start of a new edition of CNN Student News. Thanks so much for joining us. From the CNN Center, I'm Carl Azuz.

First Up: America Votes 2008

AZUZ: First up, we've got the latest news from the campaign trail, following the results of this week's presidential contests. It was one of the biggest days yet in the race for the White House, as voters in four states cast their ballots and reached a conclusion, at least for one party. From frontrunner to presumptive nominee: That's the path John McCain traveled on Tuesday. He hit the magic number of delegates with a clean sweep of all four GOP primaries. After the Arizona senator's victory, it was off to Washington for a presidential endorsement.

U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: John showed incredible courage, strength of character and perseverance in order to get to this moment, and that's exactly what we need in a president; somebody who can handle the tough decisions, somebody who won't flinch in the face of danger. We also need somebody with a big heart.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE: I'm very honored and humbled to have the opportunity to receive the endorsement of the President of the United States, a man for whom I have great admiration, respect and affection. He and I, as is well known, had a very good competition in the year 2000. And I was privileged and proud to have the opportunity to campaign for his election and re-election to the presidency of the United States.

AZUZ: Now McCain's opponent, that's still to be determined, because the Democratic race is a virtual dead heat. But Hillary Clinton ended Tuesday with a Texas-sized triumph, winning the Lone Star State's primary, to go along with her success in Ohio and Rhode Island. The Texas caucus results are still being counted, and you can look for them on CNNStudentNews.com.

The World Watches

AZUZ: The media didn't call Texas for Sen. Clinton until almost 1 a.m. Eastern time, so you can just imagine how late it was for anyone staying up for the results overseas. What? Well, the race for the White House may be taking place here in the U.S., but as Robin Oakley tells us, the whole world is watching.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN REPORTER: The Texas and Ohio results which cemented John McCain's position as Republican nominee and left the Democrat contest open came too late for most European papers. Most, like the London "Metro," had clearly anticipated an Obama triumph. Pictures of him driving a "Powermaster" vehicle carried a message without the need for caption. Hillary Clinton, British publications seemed to agree, was going to need divine assistance if she was to stay in the race. Well-chosen camera angles suggested she was looking for it, too. But with the U.S. election dominating Europe's lunchtime TV newscasts, it was a different story, centering on the woman who had refused to accept defeat. In France, the BFM Channel's World Today program went bilingual.

FROM BFM: Bonjour. Hillary Clinton est la Comeback Lady.

OAKLEY: Italy's Canale Cinque insisted "the struggle continues," letting the lady speak for herself.

FROM NEWSCAST OF HILLARY CLINTON: The people of Ohio have said it loudly and clearly. We're going on, we're going strong and we're going all the way.

OAKLEY: In Britain, Channel Four News agreed that Barack Obama had failed to deliver the knockout blow needed to clinch his candidacy.

CHANNEL FOUR NEWSCASTER: Wins for Clinton in Texas and Ohio have given her a huge boost amid signs the Obama honeymoon could finally be over.

OAKLEY: Though they noted he still led on the delegate count, on most European newscasts, Barack Obama had to settle this time for the follow-up spot. The U.S. contest made air even in Spain, where they are busy with the last week of their own election.

BARACK OBAMA FROM CNN PLUS NEWSCAST: The world is paying attention to how we conduct ourselves.

OAKLEY: And so it is, big time. Partly because of the sheer effort put into the U.S. contest.

DANIEL FINKELSTEIN, LONDON TIMES COMMENT EDITOR: The results really matter for international affairs. All the parties are engaged in it, whether they're right or left. And there's a hobbyist's interest in it too, all those fantastic adverts, the posters, the buttons. It's so much more vibrant than some of the British political elections.

OAKLEY: And so here in Europe, the public is hooked on a very close U.S. election battle, one which they know will matter to them, as well as to Americans. Robin Oakley, CNN, London.

Shoutout

GEORGE RAMSAY, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Time for the Shoutout! Which of these rivers carved out the Grand Canyon? If you think you know it, shout it out! Was it the: A) Yellowstone, B) Rio Grande, C) Mississippi or D) Colorado? You've got three seconds -- GO! It was the mighty Colorado River, with its swift speed and scraping sediment, that sawed the Grand Canyon. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!

Grand Canyon Flooding

AZUZ: And now it's under water! Well, not the whole Grand Canyon, just part of it, and it's being done on purpose. Scientists are flooding the natural wonder so that they can study how real floods affect the area's environment. More than 300,000 gallons of water are pouring through the Glen Canyon Dam during every second of the three-day experiment, but the Grand Canyon's water level is only expected to go up a few feet.

High School Protest

AZUZ: And farther west in Alameda, California, hundreds of students walked out of class Wednesday and marched straight to the school district's headquarters. They gathered there to protest against state-proposed budget cuts that have already caused a scale-back of athletic programs. Officials cut the high school sports budget by 57 percent, and Tuesday night, the board voted to increase some class sizes. The goal of these moves is to lower the district's spending by $4.5 million.

Hugging Banned

AZUZ: And another student protest is getting a big response on our blog. Yesterday, we told you about an Arizona school that restricts hugging and other forms of affection, and showed you how students demonstrated their disagreement. Pretty much everyone posting about this story on CNNStudentNews.com embraced the same opinion, that hugs, even long ones, are OK!

Alisa wrote in to say, "In a world with so many violent movies and video games, it is funny how it makes people feel uncomfortable to see affection displayed." Mrs. King's global studies class in Tarpon Springs, Florida, had a discussion about the topic, and surprise, the teacher and students had some differing opinions. Mrs. King thinks that students' public displays of affection are gross and should stay outside of school. But her students disagree. They feel hugs are just the American symbol of saying hi, much like people in Europe might give each other a kiss on each cheek.

Funny you should mention that, Mrs. King's class, because Tonio from Hamburg, Germany, agrees with you. He writes: "For me and my friends here in Germany, it is unbelievable that teachers prohibit their students to show each other how much the person likes the other one. For us, it is an interference in the free life a student really needs to have."

Now, the school says that they're trying to teach students what's appropriate and what's not. If you'd like to let us know what you think about this story, join the discussion on our blog at CNNStudentNews.com.

Women's History Month

AZUZ: You know that expression, "You're pretty good... for a girl"? Mia Hamm was one of the best, period. When she retired from the U.S. national soccer team in 2004, the phenomenal forward had scored 158 goals in international competition. That was the most for anyone ever, man or woman! Some other soccer superlatives: Hamm was the youngest person ever to play for the U.S. national team; she was just 15 when she started. While she was there, the team won the 1991 and 1999 World Cups and took home Olympic gold in 1996 and 2004. And FIFA, the international soccer federation, named Hamm Women's World Player of the Year twice.

MIA HAMM: That's the positive side, the doors it opens for so many girls. It's unlimited now.

AZUZ: But she didn't just give the girls something to shoot for. She gave that to everyone. Honoring Mia Hamm this Women's History Month.

Before We Go

AZUZ: And finally, the art world is buzzing about Tony Blair, but probably not the one you're thinking of. We mean this little guy! Tony's owner first noticed his Picasso-like potential in these paw prints he left in a tile. And now, the rodent just might be the next Rodin! His work is on display in a London gallery, and he even has his own blog! So, what about his actual creations? Well, if you ask his owner, like many masterpieces, Tony's work really makes you think.

HELENA SEGET, RAT'S OWNER: Some of the work he's produced makes us ask questions. For example, he's taken a 4-leaf clover, removed one of the leaves, making it a 3-leaf clover. And we sort of ask the question: Is it still lucky? And then there's the other work he does, which is the sculptures, the avocado sculptures, which are not asking questions, but they look attractive.

Goodbye

AZUZ: As for the name, Tony's owner came up with it after she saw the creative critter gnawing on a picture of the former prime minister. And that puts the finishing touches on today's show. I'm Carl Azuz. E-mail to a friend