safety. >> tropical storm beryl slams the southeast coast. >> storm warnings are in effect in georgia, south carolina, and florida. >> the system is getting nor organized. we are talking 65-mile-an-hour maximum sustained winds. >> rain is a good part of this. we have a desperate drought situation going on across areas of florida and georgia. >> it spread quickly. the heat was immense outside of our front doors. >> crews on the fire lines in nine states and trying to put out the flames now destroying hundreds of thousands of acres and forcing people from their homes. >> ready to go home? and rebuild. we have to rebuild. >> this is an administration went from yes, we can to why we couldn't. >> mitt romney teams up with donald trump. >> your i.q. can be low and still -- >> u.n. security council has condemned syria for the massacre on fire which left 108 people dead. >> police want to question justin bieber. a paparazzi complains that bieber roughed him up. >> dario franchitti a three-time winner at the indy 500. >> fireworks lit up the sky to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the golden gate bridge. >> this dog ran alongside this bicyclists for 24 days. >> our economy is disastrous under president obama. >> we wouldn't be in this position if wesley snipes would have paid his taxes! captioning funded by cbs charlie rose is off today. thanks for joining us. four days before the official start of hurricane season the first major storm of the year is tearing into northeastern florida and is sure to disrupt holiday travel throughout the southeast. tropical storm beryl made landfall in jacksonville just after midnight eastern time with top winds around 70 miles an hour. tropical storm warning are up as far away as georgia and some areas we are hearing could get up to a foot of rain and may be 2 to 4 feet of flooding along the coast. utilities reporting tens of thousands of customers have lost their power during this storm. >> reporter calla ram ma is here with the latest on beryl in florida. >> we are in flagler beach, florida. the pier is closed this memorial day. the rain picked up and rains coming in pretty hard. check out the surf here. people coming out all morning to see the surf which has closed down the beach. the word this morning are the power outages. here in flagler county beach, the power outages have reached 5,000 homes. up the street an hour north of us in jacksonville, there are tens of thousands people out of power. the winds there have reached 40 miles per hour this morning. just last night at the height of the storm, they were 70 miles per hour. here, there is a flood watch along the coastline. this is a 1 a that lines the beach for miles. you can see here that streets just look like this. they are at risk of being closed down which is a worry this memorial day weekend for so many people hitting the road. for "cbs this morning," i'm in flagler beach, florida. david bernard is at our miami station wfor this morning. what is happening right now with beryl? >> some of the worst rain is around the jacksonville area. take a look at the radar out of the southeast united states. this is the current picture. we see some of that strongest band over jacksonville and as far north as savannah and even charleston, some of that activity is moving their direction. the current location is about 20 miles west of jacksonville, florida. notice the movement west at eight. not moving inland very quickly and between now and tomorrow it's only going to move a little bit to the north and east and i think the main threat going forward here over the next 24 to 36 hours will be excessive rain but i'll remind everybody there has been an extreme drought in south carolina, south georgia, and north florida. our rainfall potential map is showing we could see widespread 5 to 10-inch rains well inland and in some respects that could be some good news, despite the washout for the holiday weekend. >> we will focus on that positive. david bernard, thanks. a dicey situation in washington where concert on the national mall was canceled. a line of strong thunderstorms moved into the nation's capital. thousands of concert-goers were told to leave the area immediately and seek shelter. there is new violence in syria this morning. one day after the security council, u.n. security council condemned one of the worst massacres since that country's uprising began last year. 108 people mostly women and children, were skilled in houla on friday. the u.n. resolution blamed syria's army for bombing and shelling syria's area. syrian's government denies responsibility. this morning, more shelling has killed another 41 people in the city of houma. u.s. senate allies may decide to take stronger steps against syria's leader and may mean another challenge for the u.s. military. >> with us is general martin dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff and the president's top military adviser. good morning. thanks for being with us today. the bar for the u.s. and international community? >> first, let me wish you a happy memorial day and i encourage you to come back around and make sure you give me a chance to explain what that means. what does syria mean? syria is the events in syria over the weekend are horrific, atrocious really. i expect that the international community, the pressure will mount. i think diplomatic pressure should always proceed any discussions about military options and that is my job, by the way, is options, not policy. and so we will be prepared to provide options if asked to do so. >> in terms of those options, will anything short of military action make a real impact there? well, you know, that's always the question. i mean, we are asking ourselves the same question vis-a-vis iran right now. and i don't know whether in syria's particular case, a combination of economic and diplomatic measures will achieve that, but i certainly encourage the leaders, the international leaders to take that course and to try to come together in way that would -- that would cause assad to make the right decision. >> i want to get your reaction now to news we heard in afghanistan over the weekend that a nato strike there killed eight civilians. what can you tell us about that? >> well, i can tell you that that investigation is ongoing, and that i was in touch with our military leaders in afghanistan on this issue over the weekend. to this point, we have not been able to determine. there is more evidence to suggest that it did not occur at this point but the investigation is not done yet. >> we want to circle back to what you said at the beginning. always hard to think, i think happy memorial day. we are really honoring and paying tribute and remember soldiers who lost their lives for our country. what would you like us to remember? what would you like you us to do on this day? >> well, you know, very few families in america have had the tragedy of being handed a folded flag as they bury their loved ones and lost serving their country. so i just want to make sure we focus on what the day means and what it means to me is that, you know, some of us live this every day with our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guards and their family but even in america should live it on this day. everybody should remember just what we are celebrating, what we are memorializing and because those sacrifices have made us who and what we are. >> that dedication, that service continues long after many of these veterans have come home. there is a report from the a.p. that more veterans in iraq and afghanistan are filing for disability benefits than ever before. are we doing enough to help those who served? >> the answer to that is easy. no, we are not doing enough. we are working hard to try to understand -- you know, this is now, i think, i mean, maybe some historian that would take me to task but feels like the longest war we have ever been experiencing in our history and fighting with it all-volunteer force that performance magnificently but asking hem to deploy on cyclical basis. i think we are learning about the affects of conflict that is that protracted on the human dah mention. as we learn, we adjust. >> general dempsey, thank you for your time this morning. >> thank you. >> thank you. president politics is not taking holiday this week. one high profile republican didn't do mitt romney any favors in a tv interview the other day. >> jan crawford is in the nation's capital with the latest bump on the road to the white house. >> it's now week two of campaign who are straying off the message. the latest yesterday when former new york mayor rudy giuliani almost gave a backhanded compliment to his candidate, mitt romney. >> reporter: in 2008, rudy giuliani ran a tough campaign against mitt romney for the republican nomination. in this weekend, his words came back to haunt him. when cnn's candy crowley asked him how he had compared his record as new york mayor with romney's as governor of massachusetts. >> a sort of amount of personal legal in that. at that point, i was probably comparing his record to my record. i had massive reductions in unemployment. he had a reduction in unemployment of about 8, 10, i think 15%. i had reduction of unemployment in 15%. >> reporter: giuliani got back on message saying romney is more qualified than president obama but still saw a way the president could win. >> if he gets an economy that starts improving, then it could be anyone's ball game. >> reporter: not the first time campaign surrogates have gone off the rail. cory booker a supporter of mr. obama said last week, he disagreed with the obama's campaign of attack on romney's time at bain capital in a sound bite that quickly became a romney advertisement. >> it's nauseating to the american public. enough is enough. >> it played out over the weekend with romney supporters looking to define the bain attack as anti-business. >> the private investment and job creators is his policies are hostile to job policy. >> reporter: on the campaign trail they fought back. >> this is nothing to do with anti-business. this is a criticism and a good criticism, quite honestly, of mitt romney's only thesis for being president of the united states, that he is some kind of economic savior. >> reporter: now, other than what you heard right there from robert gibbs, the consensus over the weekend is pretty much the obama campaign has kind of stumbled out of the gate with these bain attacks so the campaign is going to double down. they have plans to step up those attacks this week. what they are going to do is try to tie them to romney's record as governor. >> jo >> jan crawford, thank you. >> joining us is major garrett. good morning. you look at the comments from giuliani over the weekend. and it makes people wonder if there is still really some lukewarm support for mitt romney. >> generally speaking, i would say politicians are egoists and i've always found that egoists act egotistically. >> not always on friendly terms. and on balance, giuliani said romney would make a better president than barack obama. which is what you wanted a surrogate to say. i think a lot of republicans who ran against romney have to clear out the underbrush when they said running against romney. giuliani did that. i imagine if a next time the romney campaign calls him up and asks him to be appear he might be more streamlined in his assessment. >> i love when giuliani admitted is may be a little bit of ego involved in this. i don't think that is ever a good thing, major garrett. >> if you're a president campaign and you have rudy giuliani on your side, you know you have someone who has a lot of visibility in america but also a lot of ego and a record and someone who likes to talk about what he has done. i've seen mayor giuliani in a lot of different contexts and doesn't take him long to get to what he did and revolutionize and i think when everybody remembers what new york was like in the '70s and '80s and what it is no you have to give giuliani for turning that american city almost completely around. >> bain capital go to that in a second. it seems others are doing the talking for him. do you think he needs to jump in too. >> i talked to romney advisers about this and their assessment is twofold. one, now is not the time for romney to jump into this because the romney campaign in boston believes if mitt romney were to alter his schedule or grant a bunch of interviews or do a lot of things to address this, he would be basically dancing to the tune played by the obama campaign and romney's campaign never wants to do that. secondarily, they are content to have this fought out by surrogates from both sides. and right time, the right place, the romney adviser tell me mitt romney will describe this and describing his own approach to the presidency and what his business experience at bain capital means to him as he approaches that job and voters look at him that way. they don't think now is the time and would like this to be a surrogate war and they are happy the democratic surrogates like his own republican surrogates have had a hard time toeing the romney campaign. >> democrats having somewhat lukewarm support for bain. is it a smart road for the obama campaign to take? >> well, that will be for the voters to decide. but i qarnt yguarantee you. this is a campaign they mean to continue. they are not backing off from this and the president in the last week himself at public podiums and fund-raisers has made it clear he believes this is the central message to take guess mitt romney and not back off of it and if democrats the margins are discomforted by this the president didn't care. he believes this is the single best and most effective way to disqualify mitt romney. . the president is hoping to disqualify his challenger. >> major garrett, thank you. >> thank you. happy memorial day. pope's butler is plenelidgi cooperation this this morning. allen pizzey reports it may beup the beginning. >> reporter: no hint at mass that pope benedict xvi is facing perhaps the biggest crisis of any pope in modern time. his personal butler gab yelle is under detention in the vatican accused of leaking secret documents including paper accordance to the italian press. internal power struggles in corruption at the highest levels of the church. benedict is said to be pained having betrayed by someone so close to him. [ speaking in foreign language ] >> reporter: he noted that we must live by the spirit of unity and truth. the problem for the vatican is that truth which is supposed to remain secret have been exposed in fullsome glory. the journalist who published many of the documents said he obtained them from multiple vatican sources but did not pay anyone. in his six years as butler, gabriel e was behind the walls of vatican city. if convicted what amounts to treason he faces up to 30 years in jail. but vatican watchers are questioning why a man described as extremely loyal and devout would risk his career and the comfortable life his wife and children enjoy as residents of vatican city? the butler may have done it, but the greater mystery is who else was involved and why. for "cbs this morning," i'm allen pizzey in rome. time to show you some of this morning's headlines from around the globe. "the new york times" reporting facebook is trying for a third time to build its own smart phone. several former apple employees who worked on the i-phone and hope to relice its version next year. indy 500 winner is honoring last year's winner, dan wheldon. dario franchitti is married to ashley judd. wheldon was killed in october during a race in las vegas. the idaho statesman reports a family rescued from a weather report sponsored by netflix. netflix now delivers movies two ways -- instantly to your tv plus dvds by mail. on this memorial day, a daughter sdribs the search for her father decades after he died in vietnam. >> i found parts of my father's plane, serial numbers, i found a helmet that had his name in it. >> that's your dad's helmet? >> it is. >> we'll visit the vietnam memorial in washington where there's a new focus on the sacrifices made in all of america's wars. and a warning for holiday drivers about skimming at the gas pumps. a little electronic device can let thieves get into your bank account. >> announcer: this portion of "cbs this morning" sponsored by ocean spray cherry juice drinks. all-american tradition with the red, white, and blue. ocean spray cranberry, white cranberry, and blueberry juice cocktails. 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>> reporter: it was. it was held by a villager who kept it as a memento in the war. when i saw my father's initials, i asked if i could keep it. >> reporter: that led to recovering his remains. in 1996 lieutenant colonel anthony shine came home to his country and to his family. what's it like, even now, to just see his name there? >> i think one of the most amazing qualities of the wall is that you see yourself in it. i see my father's name here and he's no longer living and his legacy is living. that reflection is me. that's how i honor his service and his sacrifice. is how i live my life. >> reporter: the memorial is here because of jan scruggs, a vietnam veteran who conceived of the wall. he started with $2800 of his own money and went on to raise $8 million. now he is the driving force behind an $85 million soon-to-be built education center where visitors will see the faces of americans who died not just in vietnam but in today's wars. >> americans have fought and died for people back here. they've had these great important values of loyalty, honor and duty. and this is a place where you will learn about these values by seeing the photographs of the soldiers who did not make it home from vietnam as well as iraq and afghanistan. >> reporter: a picture of lieutenant colonel shine will be among those photos. what is the lesson for families today who have lost a son or a daughter in afghanistan or in iraq? it's not as if the funeral is the end of this. it doesn't seem to go away. >> it doesn't. i think war reverberates for generations. if they continue to love that person and embrace the values for which they lived, then they never die. it's not in vein. >> reporter: barry petersen in washington, d.c. for "cbs this morning." i think patty, the stage manager said it best, you look at that piece and it gives you goose bumps. even when people said no, there's nothing, and she gets her dad's helmet. that's amazing. go, colleen. >> and such a beautiful observation, i think, on her part, the fact she sees herself reflected and in many ways that helps carry on her father's legacy and everything he did for so many. >> and a warm thanks to jan scruggs, when you look at the wall, you've been there, and it's the feeling, this is memorial day, to remember all those on that wall. nicely done, barry petersen. there are some 35 million americans on the road this holiday weekend. and a lot of that involves driving, of course. you could be getting ripped off at the bump. we'll take a look at the danger of gas station skimmers. >> oh, no. we don't approve. tomorrow we'll look at the presidential race with columnist peggy noonan. you're watching "cbs this morning." 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[ zapping ] [ clang ] this is the next level of performance. the next level of innovation. the next rx. the all-new f sport. this is the pursuit of perfection. this election's going to be all about demographics. the white people, latinos. mitt romney trying to get latinos. he was here in california this week with latino businessmen. he claims he was very familiar with the latino culture. kind of blew it when he ate his gna nachos with a fork. >> they're good with a fork. >> a lot less messy. >> you don't get your hands dirty. first time gas prices hit $4 a gallon around the country, a lot of drivers freaked out. >> now there's a real crime happening at many pumps out there as sharyl attkisson reports, the target, none other than your bank card. >> reporter: volunteer fireman mark young recently got out of the hospital after neck surgery only to be dealt another blow when he checked his bank p>> i had $2300 in the bank and it said i only had $1,000 in there. >> reporter: police say this man is suspected of stealing young's debit card number and going on a shopping spree. he allegedly used it four times in two days, at target, walmart and macy's. detective eric says the trick is finding out how the thief got young and other victim's numbers without actually stealing their card. >> they all use their cards at gas station, which is unfortunately a very recurring problem as far as the locations of skimming devices. >> reporter: this is a skimming device bought legally online for $200. it records card numbers on a memory chip. hacker and exconvict greg evans showed us how a crook can use a popsicle stick and super glue to attach the skimmer. >> it's important to align it so is goes in evenly. this way the person doesn't even know when they're sliding the card in. the person thinks he's pumping hi gas and everything is fine but in actuality somebody just stole his credit card. >> reporter: this demonstration was done in just a matter of few minute. the real skim artist can make it seamless and undetectable. how many numbers can a small skimmer hold? >> about 1,000, 1,000 credit card numbers. >> reporter: the thief retrieves the skimmer and then downloads the data. >> now we can duplicate that card and go shopping with the card. >> i was really angry. >> reporter: police caught the suspect and say just last week they charged him with fraud, forgery and identity theft. >> the skimmer's reading it first. >> reporter: there's no foolproof way to identify a gas pump rigged with a skimmer. it's up to consumers to identify the theft and report it to the police and bank. if it's reported quickly, all banks have a policy of refunding the money to you. that's why young tells others to check their accounts often, if your card is still in your wallet. someone could be enjoying a shopping spree at your expense. sharyl attkisson, washington. >> low, low, low. two billion vehicles have crossed the golden gate bridge in 75 years. of course that deserves a party. we're going to take you to this weekend's big birthday bash in san francisco when "cbs this morning" continues. good morning, golden gate. with the red, white, and blue. ocean spray cranberry, white cranberry, and blueberry juice cocktails. 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right here? >> in the car. his birth certificate says, place of birth, golden gate bridge. do you think about this every -- >> every time. >> reporter: every time you cross? >> every time. >> reporter: traffic stopped, but just for an hour. after all, golden gate bridge still has a job to do, getting people from "a" to "b," a job it does beautifully. for "cbs this morning," john blacksto blackstone, san francisco. >> not many people can say on their birth certificate, golden gate bridge. >> pretty cool. i love that bridge. you know how much i love that city but -- >> why do you love that city? >> a number of reasons. one of the great things, we were talking with our stage manager -- we're giving a lot of love to patty and tony on the floor. it's an amazing thing to walk or run or ride your bike across that bridge. >> because? >> the view is phenomenal. to be up there and look down and around and you see the view coming back into the city if you're heading into marin, it's just gorgeous. >> i feel badly. i feel i lived in the san francisco bay area, went to high school, and never walked the golden gate bridge. that's bad. >> gayle, i'm adding that to our list for our road trip. >> they say, you live in the area and then you don't go. you live in the area and never go. not bad for a bridge that was described as an upside down inverted rat trap, not bad. >> love that description. trace adkins is a big man with an even bigger heart. he'll tell us why it's so important to memorialize our troops. you're watching "cbs this morning." 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[ male announcer ] now citi thankyou visa card holders can combine the thankyou points they've earned and get even greater rewards. ♪ and get even greater rewards. that little white dog has true grit. it found these long distance cyclists in china. welcome back to "cbs this morning." cute little dog. >> they said they started feeding him and then what dogs do, you feed me, i'm coming and now adopted by one of the cyclists. if you want the best time on vacation this summer, throw away that guide book. peter greenberg says, if you think like a local, you'll get a more authentic experience. >> the first place you should stop is a fire house. he's chatting with our other guest. >> time for the news headlines from cbs five. some tense moments in fremont as a firefighter fell through a roof while battling a house fire. he is said to be doing ok. the fire damage to homes. memorial day services are planned today throughout the bay area. flags have been placed on more than 112,000 graves at golden gate national cemetery. the ceremony there is set to begin at 1030 this morning. among other ceremonies, san jose coquille memorial park and mount view cemetery in oakland. president obama is,,,,,,,, >> if you have to go to work like some of us, this is what the traffic conditions look like for most of the bay area. white conditions at through the dublin interchange. elsewhere, the dumbarton bridge is still closed in both directions. hopefully things will reopen as scheduled at 5:00 tomorrow morning >> patchy fog around the bay area. a little bit great to head out to begin with but as we head through the day will bring you some more sunshine. 49 degrees in santa rosa. 56 in san jose. this afternoon, highs only in the '50s and '60s that the coast. '60s and '70s inside the bay. '60s and '70s inside the bay. over the,,,, we stand for farmers owning the company; for them taking responsibility for the products they make; for them being in the right place at the right time for over 100 years making tillamook cheese from tillamook, oregon; for these farmers never wavering from their commitment to excellence. we stand for that. take a look at this. it is the catch of the day. derrick sulberg of lower columbia college in washington state went flying over the fence to make the last out of friday's game. >> wow. >> sealing a 4-2 victory. >> his back is okay? >> yes. matt our producer said it was unfreakin' believable catch. that's a tv news term. welcome back to -- you're welcome, matt. welcome to "cbs this morning." i'm gayle king. >> i'm erica hill. charlie rose is off this morning. most of us have a routine when you go somewhere you've never been, grab a guide book, hotel guide, ask the concierge the best spots for dinner. >> but our travel editor says there's a much better way to travel like a local, happens to be the new series of his michelin guide books "travel like a local." i'm surprised you're here on this holiday. i figure you're out traveling some place. >> if you're a local last place you want to do is travel. >> you said the first thing you should do is to go to the firehouse. >> absolutely. who knows a city better than the firefighters. >> are they glad to see -- really, peter, if tourists, random people show up at the firehouse, i know tom cruise does this -- >> i'm telling you. >> i'm a firefighter and i'm telling you right now, that's where you go. >> i know they're happy to see tom cruise, but local joes who show up and say peter greenberg told me to stop by your place. >> who said to mention my name? >> oh now -- >> they've been at everybody's house, all the restaurants, know where to go late at night and early morning and know value. they are the best guides you can get. you can go to a hotel concierge and look at a guide book or brochure and anything is possible with photo shop. you want a real genuine experience ask the people who are actually on the streets. >> they will tell you the truth too. >> they absolutely will. >> you said they know value in one of your other bits of advice budget like a local. >> budget by local goods and services. not the hotel costs almost always valued in u.s. dollars but the cost of basic goods, tube of toothpaste, club sandwich. the guys at hotel.com did a survey of the most expensive or least expensive club sandwiches in the world and you have to budget when you want to eat, most expensive, what a surprise, paris. 33 bucks. the least expensive india, $9.50. >> what do you say we do with that? we get these prices but that lets us know how much money to bring? >> tells you where you my want to go to begin with. a tube of toothpaste in venezuela is less expensive than a tube of toothpaste in tokyo. the economists did survey, the big mac index, how much a big mac costs in norway versus how much it costs in mumbai. >> i like your club analogy. i like that. talk about locals for a second. we did a story about the golden gate bridge, did a story about the bay area, never went to the golden gate bridge, people in new york say they've nef ep been to the statute of liberty. you say the locals are the best place to think like them. >> city by city, place by place, not a question of where you go but when you go, what time do you go. for example, if you're in new orleans, everybody wants to go to cafe du monde, to have your beignets and covered in powdered sugar, instead of going there when the regulars go, regular tourists go, go there at 1:00 in the morning. that's when everybody who works in new orleans goes there to hang out and that's where you learn all the information you want to learn. >> 1:00 in the morning, i'm in -- >> 1:00 in the morning in new orleans is when people are getting started. >> the beginning of your evening. >> absolutely. >> what about buenos aires. >> you're going to be at a tango show. go out to the neighborhood for the private clubs and they get going around 11:00 at night here you have a true -- not only a true experience they'll get you out on the floor and that's what you want to see. >> i think that would be fun. you also say think like a contrarian which is my version of is cranky yanky, you meet what? i'm thinking that ain't ever good. >> no. it's a great idea. you do everything in the opposite way. for example, you want to see one of the great icons like the taj mahal or great wall of china, you don't go at noon. you go at 4:30 in the morning, out before the dawn and you're the only person there on horseback at the pyramids, only person there at the great wall -- >> no one else is crazy enough to be up at that hour. >> why are you recommending crazy hours. >> i know who i'm talking to now. it's the magic hour. at dawn on the great wall of china -- >> i think that would -- >> when you're ready to leave you look down and here come all those tourist busses with people screaming murray, you don't want do that. >> you've broken it down by region, touched on new orleans, buenos aires, how do you do the caribbean like a local. >> it's about the food. >> memorial day holds a special place in trace adkins' heart. the country music star will tell us why honoring america's fallen heros is so very important to him. you're watching "cbs this morning." [ male announcer ] there are only so many foods that make kids happy. and even fewer that make moms happy too. with wholesome noodles and bite sized chicken, nothing brings you together like chicken noodle soup from campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. now there's a new way to help put bedwettto bed.strations... with new goodnites bed mats, take the goodnites better night test. just place, peel, and protect. and see how goodnites bed mats can help. but i tested it out, and bayer advanced aspirin relieved my pain fast. it helps me get back in the game. but don't take his word for it. put bayer advanced aspirin to the test for yourself at fastreliefchallenge.com. mine was earned off vietnam in 1968. over the south pacific in 1943. i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection, and because usaa's commitment to serve the military, veterans and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. ♪ i'm proud to be on the right side of the dirt ♪ >> i'll bet you. if you know country music you know that voice, trace adkins more than 15 years. that was the intrepid. his big voice and playful songs have entertained millions of fans. >> this week he is a fan cheering on men and women in uniform in new york for fleet week. and that gave jeff glor a chance to catch up with him. good morning. >> good morning to you. trace adkins is fiercely loyal to those who serve but has a lighter side. we got to see that personality in full when we sat down with him. ♪ swing batter batter swing swing ♪ >> at 6'7" tall, and with more than 10 million albums sold, it is hard to miss the man. >> ♪ going going gone >> reporter: trace adkins say some still miss the message. >> i believe that memorial day should be the most reverent day of the year for us as americans. >> do you think it's not taken seriously enough? >> i think it's taken very seriously by the people who recognizes and then there's some people it's just another day off from work. that's too bad. >> what else should we be doing? >> you know, we shouldn't just shoot fireworks on the fourth of july. we should shoot fireworks on memorial day and valentine's day. and every day shoot fireworks. we should shoot more fireworks. >> reporter: at age 50, it's been a life full of fireworks. a near fatal car crash when he was 17, a gunshot wound through the heart and lungs courtesy of his ex-wife in 1994. and just last year, his family's home burned to the ground. ♪ all this laughing crying smiling dying inside is what i call living ♪ >> reporter: he survived and typically, thrived. >> this is a no coast in business. if you want to stay relevant you can't coast. >> reporter: that is one of the reasons adkins is playing mostly smaller shows like this one in new york to kick off fleet week. ♪ i'm going to marry for money >> it's not i'm getting tired of what i do, but sometimes when you go out on the arena stage you just put your foot in the floor and hold it there for 90 minutes and sometimes there's not very much connection it doesn't seem with the audience. so this year we've been doing a lot of thesers. >> do you like it better? >> i do like it better, i do. i think i sing better too. i haven't had a cigarette in about three years or so, and i think i've gained just a little bit on the top end, you know. bottom still there. >> i can tell. >> i've always had no problem with bottom. >> what song means the most to you? >> if other artists were honest they would all answer that question by saying my favorite song is your favorite song. ♪ left left left right left >> for me it's still "badonkadonk," still when i do that song, you know, people party. ♪ at that honky tonk badonkadonk ♪ >> can we talk about the origins of that song? >> sure. it was literally three drunk song writers watching a big women knock people around on a dance floor and that's where the song was born. >> does this woman know that a song has been dedicated to her? >> i hope not. >> now sung worldwide? >> i wish she did, though. i wish she did. >> reporter: it's his unique blend of humor, hearty living and hit making. ♪ you're going to miss this >> reporter: that has made adkins a hero to his fans. especially those who serve. a feeling that appears. >> thank you so much. >> all right. >> reporter: to be mutual. >> if you have the chance and you have an opportunity to spend time with bona fide heros, why would you not want to do that? >> i wrote a song last year about the marines corns and i--s and i'm going to play it for you right now. >> i hope some of it maybe will rub off on me. >> do you think it does? >> i think so. i know i always -- i always come back with a full heart. i feel proud. ♪ do or die and so gungho to go and pay the& price ♪ >> they restore your faith and humanity. >> like him, jeff. like him a lot. number one, 6'7" i didn't know he was that tall. and i love that he can't even say badonkadonk without smiling but what a life, shot by an ex-wife in the heart, he's okay. >> indeed. we said he keeps pushing, right. >> wow. >> yeah. >> no plans to quit right now. >> where did this -- so many people have such a profound respect and admiration and love for those who serve. but what is it rooted in for him? >> i think part of it, when trace was in high school he had a chance to go into football or join the marine corps and he pursued football at the time and i think maybe at times in the 30 years since there have been some regrets about that choice. he certainly has been a success, certainly pays tribute now, but i think maybe that's part of where it comes from. >> listen, i only knew the badonkadonk song, i'm going to put him on my ipod. >> i wonder if there are now women taking credit for that, like that's right. this badonkadonk launched that tune. >> i like him. >> talking about that song. >> i liked him very much. >> i think that was a rough assignment for you, wasn't it? >> very difficult, very challenging, need a break after that one. >> it's a great piece. >> can't say that with a straight face. >> you can't. >> we know the kids love the bieber, but he might have made an important enemy over the weekend. say it ain't so. >> it ain't so. >> we'll make that long story short. you're watching "cbs this morning." this portion of "cbs this morning" ponsered by the new disney art of animation resort at walt disney world where you can stay inside disney's door. now you can apply sunblock to your kids' wet skin. neutrogena® wet skin kids. ordinary sunblock drips and whitens. neutrogena® wet skin cuts through water. forms a broad spectrum barrier for full strength sun protection. wet skin. neutrogena®. with new chef's picks from lean cuisine. new dishes on the culinary cutting edge like mushroom mezzaluna ravioli and chile lime chicken. ♪ new chef's picks from lean cuisine. hi, i'm jessica alba. as we looked around the web, we found a few reasons to make some "long story short." "newsday" says charles schumer wants airlines to drop seat fees when they prevent families from sitting together. more airlines are charging extra for aisle and window seats. >> no fair. >> and schumer says many families cannot afford that. the airlines say they try to keep the parents and the young children together but there are no guarantees. it's hard to pay for something we used to get for free. in everybody's interest to keep the family together? is cursing enough to hurt your career? experts say a bad word at the right moment can either motivate or dissolve tension on the job put bethey say women who curse on the job face greater risk with those words than men do. reuters says addition. >> who says so? >> men. >> that's right. reuters says the latest "men in black" movie topped "the avengers," taking in $55 million over the weekend. that's lower than what was expected but still very good. "the avengers" dropped to second place. the l.a. times reports justin bieber is being investigated for misdemeanor battery. a photographer claims bieber hit him for taking a picture of him and his girlfriend selena gomez. the biebs lost his shoe in the h hubbub. a 340-pound woman, just take that in for a second, is accused of pepper spraying and spitting on employees at the piggly wiggly grocery store in georgia after being caught -- this is where it gets good -- trying to steal bacon, cheese, chicken wings and beer. police say she also punched a store clerk in the face. as she left the store, she dropped the beer. >> so much for the party. a new york station wcbs-tv says michelle obama were among the folks racking out to beyonce. i. >> know someone else rocking out at that concert. >> i was definitely rocking out, doing my seventh great moves, trying not to embarrass myself. i love the mutual admiration society beyonce and the first lady have for each other. the show, i are to say, was beyond amazing. she looks spectacular, sounds spectacular. the production of the show -- they have to figure out how to put it on the road. they has a final show tonight at revel casino in atlantic city. they have to figure out -- beyonce is back. >> i want to see it. >> i actually tweeted, fierce is back. toni mother on is up next with her haunting new story about a,,,,,, [ alarm beeping, motor revving ] [ motors revving ] ♪ [ motor turns over ] [ liquid pouring ] [ chain saw buzzing ] [ male announcer ] what if everything ran on gas? then again, what if everything didn't? the 100% electric, zero-gas nissan leaf. innovation for the planet. innovation for all. >> good morning. let's get you caught up with some of the bay area headlines. the fire damaging to homes in fremont this morning started shortly after 5:00 a.m.. smoke from the fire spread for an entire block. one firefighter suffered minor injuries when he fell through the roof of one of those buildings. nobody else was injured. a police shooting overnight and vallejo. officers opened fire at wilson and farragut avenues. there may have been a chase before that across the city. an officer and a suspect are hospitalized with unconfirmed reports that the suspect is gravely injured. memorial day observances all around the bay area today including at the presidio. a procession starts at 1030 and goes to the national cemetery. mayor ed lee will pay tribute to veterans at the cemetery this morning at 11:00. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, >> if you are hitting the road early, traffic is still very light out there. keep in mind that most of mass transit is on sunday or holiday schedule. no ace train service for today. the rest of the area is very quiet. no delays through milpitas. 101 through san francisco looks pretty good in both directions. in nice ride as you work your way out of marin county on to the golden gate bridge. the altamont pass is very quiet right now but later on as people at home for the holiday weekend things will get very busy around here. >> the fog is trying to break up outside right now. we have clouds extending over the bay but sunshine is beginning to begin. we will see more of that as we head to the afternoon. '60s and '70s around the bay and mostly sunny out to the coast. fifties and sixties that the coast. the next few days more sunshine the next few days more sunshine on the way. i like that shot. the tomb of the unknown at arlington national cemetery on this memorial day as we welcome you back to "cbs this morning." china's built the world's second largest economy mainly by making things we want to buy. tom doctoroff says it's time for us to understand the chinese just a little better. >> he is an advertising executive and leading expert on consumer psychology in china. his latest book is called "what chinese want:culture, communism." nice to have you with us. >> thank you very much. >> it's a book, i have to say, i learned a lot from. wasn't really familiar with a lot of things you talk about. what is the biggest misconception we as americans have about the chinese? >> i think it's that chinese are becoming modern and international, but they're not becoming like us. they're not becoming western, not becoming individualistic in a western way. so, our way is aspirational, interesting to them, but they still are profoundly chinese, profoundly tied to the family and the obligations to society. >> and they like it that way. >> well, there's a tension. they like it but on the other hand it's limiting. they don't want to rebel, but they accept it. this is natural for them. >> they're told to like it that way, too. that all falls in line, correct? >> the basic unit of chinese society still isn't the individual, it's the family. so, if you cross the red line of rebellion, you become an outcast. have you no choice not to accept it. that's just the way it is. it's been that way for thousands of years and it will stay that way in the future. >> you say that understanding chinese consumer culture is a good starting point to understand the nation. what do we learn by understanding their consumer culture, about them, the people? >> the role that plays in consumers' lives is to resolve a tension between on the one hand regimentation, structure, hierarchy, but on the other hand standing out, moving to the head of the class, climbing up that social hierarchy. >> you said the leading goose, i like this, is often shut down. >> that's very chinese. people want to get ahead but they don't want to do so conspicuously. it's dangerous to be in front but people still want to be climbing up that ladder of success. chinese are very ambitious. i always say there's a dragon in every chinese heart but letting it out requires courage. >> you know what i thought was interesting about the book, what you said about counterfeit goods. i've been known to buy a counterfeit item. >> you do not. >> yes, and i'm not telling nobody. yes, yes, i got it aat a boutique. in chinese culture they wear it as a badge of honor has i have a counterfeit. >> not exactly. >> or a point of pride. >> i mentioned when apple opened a fake store, it was a point of pride because the chinese said the developers were clever. but actually, if you're a consumer and you're in the middle class and you buy a counterfeit good and you get caught with it, that's a big misstep. so, i don't think the counterfeits are point of pride for people that can afford the right thing. >> it also reflects that desire for these brands, which you mentioned. >> oh, definitely. >> people want that status symbol. >> brands in china are not to just be enjoyed. they're tools of advancement, weapons on the battlefield of life. chinese people are willing to spend a lot of money for any brand that other people see you with, to project status. for example, all mobile phones, they are -- leading mobile phones, are multinational brands. but anything in the house, kitchen apalestines, they're local and very cheap. so, that's a golden rule of marketing. >> because no one sees them. >> no one sees them. except for the refrigerator. >> not subzero? >> not yet. a little too much. >> i remember when subzero was a huge, huge deal in this country. i'm fascinated by the american companies. we had howard schultz on recently in starbucks and he said they're doing gang busters in china. i think of china as a tea drinking society but starbucks is huge there, why? >> they've performed a miracle. by the end of this year they'll have 1,500 stores. what they've done in the tea culture is position the starbucks location as a place where new generation professionals go to hang out together and proclaim their affiliation with the new middle class. so, it, too, is about projection of status. and that's why people are willing to spend $6 on a cup of coffee in a tea culture. >> i was fascinated. i never think of starbucks' status. >> they've redesigned the stores. tables, not just plush chairs. a police where people can come together. >> what about this thinking in the u.s. especially that china -- this fear that china could surpass the u.s. with this dominant presence in the world. is that well founded? >> i don't think so. i think china and america have complementary strengths and weaknesses. we're very innovative, we are institutions to protect individual interests and harness our productivity. the chinese, on the other hand, are great at collectivization and mobilization of researchers for a natural level but i don't think we'll ever compete directly. unless we get nervous. if our government and our leaders don't help people understand the rise of china, we could get a little nervous. >> there you go. read your book and we'll understand it better. thanks for being here. there is no other writer like toni morrison. the trail-blazing author will be he,,,,,,,,,,,,,, beautiful shot of chicago there. good morning. tomorrow at the white house, president obama will award the presidential medal of freedom to 13 people, including the great novelist toni morrison. >> recently she visited tud yoe 57 to talk with charlie about that honor and her latest work. >> toni morrison is one of america's most celebrated authors. she received pulitzer prize, national book critics and noble prize in literature and she'll add one more honor to that, the presidential medal of freedom. her latest novel "home" tells of a a korean war veteran's desperate journey to save his sister. proud to have you here. >> thank you. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> tell me about frank and tell me where he is and why this journey is so important for him. >> he's one of those anonymous veterans from the korean war that we don't talk about very much. we're still at war, apparently. you know -- >> a lot of troops in south korea. he has the terrible experiences of being a warrior then. comes back. he's totally messed up. what we call -- used to call shell shock. and he can't make it. then he gets a letter that someone is going to die, who he loves --. >> his younger sister. >> his younger sister. so the point is two. one, he has to go back through the country, which is really like another battlefield for him. and ripping away, or i am, that glorious period that we think of now as the '50s. and i'm just looking underneath the sunshine to find out what the '50s were really and truly like. >> how long have you lived with this story? >> four or five years. >> because you mentioned to me in a previous conversation. >> see. >> why does it take this long? >> i'm trying not to write just because i can. or just write more. i'm trying to write less that means more, that says more, to refine it in a way. >> your role in part is to take history and tell us what it says to us today. >> exactly. i think the past, at least in my books and probably in many others, is about suppression. it's not just over. the past isn't even past. it's right here. if we don't clarify, understand, get a point of view, how can we deal with what's going on now, as though it's this brand new invented life? it comes out of the past that we have. >> what do you hope the cumulative value of your work is? >> i think art really is the acquisition of knowledge. and it can lead knowledge to wisdom. that's what i write for. that's what i read about in other people's work. it's not playground. it's not just creative writing, sort of a nice little self-involved enterprise. for me, it's extremely important for the clarification, not only of the past, but of who we are as human beings in this country. >> these are the books. a mercy loved, jazz, beloved, all fiction and nonfiction the dancing mind, playing in the dark, whiteness and the literary image nation. for all of this -- with specifics, you have received all of these honors. now the presidential medal of freedom, the highest award this country can give you. >> yeah. >> by the president, the first african-american president in our history. >> i get to meet him. i've never met him. >> that's amazing to me. you've talked to him on the snoen. >> i talked to him on the phone. i went to the inauguration. the best day of my life, and the worst because the temperature was like 2. >> and the crowd. >> but now i get to meet him. >> but the best day because you saw -- >> absolutely. i felt like i belonged. really. >> what has meant the most to you. the noble prize did something for you but it doesn't change your ability to write. >> no, no. >> it changed, perhaps, the number of people who will listen and read. >> precisely. that's all. it doesn't help you in any way that has to do with your creative skills. i had a moment when i thought, oh, god, now what i do do? you know, the expectations will be enormous. but i was fortunate, really because when the prize was given to me, i was in the middle of a book called "paradise," so i simply had to complete that. >> chapter 17 of "home "request, i stood there a long while staring at that tree. it looked so strong, so beautiful. hurt right down the middle, but alive and well. she touched my shoulder lightly. frank? yes. come on, brother, let's go home. so, frank goes home. >> and he has a home. >> and where is going home for toni? >> it's your faith, nobody's out to get you. they may not like you but they help you. it's comfort. it's not death or quiet. there's something that has to be done. the tree is split down the middle. >> what might have been -- >> or has already been. regret. it's gone. >> any of those? >> enough. >> but then there's the joy, the joy of knowing not that you received all these awards -- >> the work. >> the work. >> the work, the memory, you know. writing books for me is eden. >> eden? >> it's -- the land of milk and honey. >> it's so free. and it has a danger that i can control. you know, the danger of making a mistake. and doing it wrong. but i can control that. and it's mine. and nobody tells me what to do. >> that's the great thing about writing. >> oh, yes. >> had you written the stories you want to write? >> not all of them. there's one more. >> give me a hint. >> it's sort of nowish. i've never written a -- well, i did once in "tar baby" sort of, but to write about, you know, through 2008, 200 9, i haven't pin pointed it yet but i'm getting there. not really historical the way others have been. we'll see. >> can't wait. >> thank you. >> great to see you. toni morrison, a long-time friend, who i cherish. >> thank you, charlie. >> the book is called "home." >> toni morrison, 81 and still going strong. before you start up your grill today, we'll take you back to a great barbecue place. you remember this one in the little town with only one main item on the menu? doesn't need anything else. you're watching "cbs this morning.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ♪ hello, des moines, iowa. a few weeks ago we showed you a little place in northeastern arkansas that was just honored as one of america's best restaurants. >> and on this day when millions will be firing up the grill, we thought we'd take another look at the jones barbecue diner as mark strassmann reports, it's been serving up one special recipe for more than 100 years. >> reporter: the james beard awards, considered the oscars of food, recognize hot chefs from new york to san francisco. and now mayrietta, arkansas, 410 people scraping by in the arkansas delta. it's also home to what may be america's best ba rbecues. >> i come to work with my daddy and grandaddy. >> reporter: james jones is both owner and pit master. a one-man whirlwind in a tiny two-table restaurant. >> thank you, ma'am. >> have a good day. >> you too. >> reporter: jones barbecue diner dates back to 1910. it may be the oldest black-family owned restaurant in the south. >> the way things are going, for some reason, it isn't going to last long. >> reporter: the 67-year-old sleeps upstairs. betty jones is his wife of 40 years. you're a barbecue widow. >> this is his second wife. hi to get used to it. >> reporter: out back sylvester runs the smoke house. oak and hickory logs burn 24/7. pork shoulders smoke in this barbecue pit for 24 hour. years. mel the same? >> that's the key, the smell. and the taste, of course. >> reporter: what you can smell -- >> when you make the turn, you can definitely smell the aroma. >> reporter: smith, a local insurance agent, showed us the ropes, which wasn't hard. >> mr. jones, need two sandwiches. >> reporter: park sandwiches, drenched in a vinagry and coleslaw, $3 apiece, $6 a pound. >> that's so good. >> reporter: it's incredibly good. wow. and the only thing on the menu. for four generations, jones barbecue has fed this town. >> oh, it's good. it's the best meal we have here. food pulls people together. you can share a meal together and you're friends, no matter white, black, yellow, green, any age. everybody loves barbecue here. in the south, that's part of what we do and eat. this is as good as it gets. it's better to me than any barbecue i've had. >> reporter: jones follows the same family recipes as his grandfather, who sold meat from a wash tub back when locals called the restaurant the hole in the ground. the recipe for his sauce and his slaw are top secret. >> i don't want to know. it's like his father and grandfather promised the children to not ever tell the secret. >> reporter: what's the secret of the sauce? >> no. >> reporter: come on. >> ain't no way. no, sir. >> reporter: not going to tell it? >> no, no. you give that up, you're out of business. >> reporter: then one day they got a phone call, something about an award. the james beard award. >> first time i ever heard of it. >> you sit down because we want to talk with you. >> that didn't sound good. >> my heart start going 100 miles an hour. i said, oh, lord, we haven't paid the taxes on time. >> reporter: they know what the beard award means now, recognized at one of america's top chefs. >> i'm on cloud nine right now. >> reporter: for making one distinctly american dish and making it perfectly. for "cbs this morning," mark strassmann in marianna, arkansas. >> now i'm hungry again, gayle. >> i'm saying, i wanted to lick the screen. now i'm drooling. he didn't just say the sandwich was good. he said incredibly good and that got my attention thinking, i must go to arkansas. never been there either. >> i think it's time. >> i think so, too. >> a list of places to visit. >> on my bucket list, china and arkansas. coming up next, your local news. have a safe memorial day. we'll see you tomorrow on "cbs this morning." take it easy. 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[ male announcer ] send money from one bank account to another, with citibank popmoney. easier banking. every step of the way. >> but if you caught up with some very headlines. a firefighter fell through the roof of a burning home this morning. luckily he was treated at the scene. to holmes caught fire shortly after 5:00 this morning. one of the homes appears to be a total loss. the fire also burned several trees behind the home and the cause is still under investigation >> this morning investigators are trying to piece together what led to a police shooting in vallejo. before that, there may have been a chase across the city. neighbors said she heard multiple shots and saw someone lying in the street. there is an unconfirmed report that the suspect is gravely injured. >> we have a lot of clouds out there right now extending well on short but it looks like it is beginning to break up plenty of clouds outside but the afternoon hours are looking great. sunshine in the valleys bringing temperatures up in the '70s. '60s and '70s all around the bay but towards the coast line, expect patchy fog to persist. the next few days we will see warmer temperatures as high temp pressure will crank up the high temperatures. plenty of patchy fog still towards the coast line with much cooler numbers for everyone next weekend. >> lots of green on the sensors of that is good news. the only thing you need to look out for in the east bay is a broken-down vehicles was down 580 as you approached 24. the bay bridge toll plaza off the east shore freeway, no delays to report. looking good out of the altamont pass. no delays and it looks good all the way towards the dublin interchange. a live look at conditions in san jose. so far is flowing freely in both directions. have a great day.

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