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CNN Live Today

Talk with Ed Smart

Aired October 15, 2002 - 11:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we turn now at 22 before the top of the hour from that tragedy in Washington, D.C., in the sniper shootings, to another one that we've covered quite a bit here on the network, the search for Elizabeth Smart. As you may remember, she disappeared from her Utah home back in June. And so far, police have had no luck in finding the girl. Elizabeth's parents say that they are hoping to help others who may face the heartbreak of having a child go missing. Ed Smart wants Congress to act on legislation that would expand the Amber Alert system nationwide. But he is afraid that that may not happen this year. He joins us to talk about what is for him a very personal mission.
Thank you very much for your time this morning. How are you?

ED SMART, FATHER OF MISSING GIRL: Well, we're doing okay. We're just very, very adamant in wanting to see this Amber Alert go into effect. Lois isn't with me today. She's a little bit under the weather, but I can't tell you how important this is to us. The Amber Alert is so very important. We've been talking about terrorism in the country and around Washington, D.C., and my feeling is, that if a person could be saved, would Congress make the effort to save that person?

And this is exactly what the Amber Alert does. It rescues and saves children. And they are the greatest asset that we have, and they need Congress' support. You know, the bill that Congress has proposed, the omnibus Child Prevention Act, is a wonderful bill, but it has some issues in it that will take some sorting out, and right now children do not have that time to wait. Congress needs to act on this bill. We need them to do this so that -- I mean, one child's life, one child's life could be saved in the period of time that we have to wait in order for them to pass. And I just hope and pray that they will bring that Amber Alert to the bill -- to the floor on its own as a stand-alone bill and vote on it so the president can sign it into effect.

HARRIS: Now, Ed, so many of us have gotten a good lesson in just how effective the Amber Alert system is over the summer. We saw how many cases the system was involved in, and successfully so. Do you know what the numbers are lately, what the latest number is, right now?

SMART: I believe it's close to 25 -- between 25 and 31. But, you know, even last week, you know, Sandy Hellman had her daughter rescued, and she is an absolute proponent of seeing this Amber Alert go through, because it saves lives. HARRIS: Yes. I've got to think that you must be very frustrated to see what's happened in the last couple of months. Maybe -- it's what, maybe a month or so ago, you had the attention of people in Washington, the president and a lot of congressmen, congresswomen as well, who were saying that this was a national priority. But since then, we've seen things happen internationally. We've seen how the issue of Iraq has come and taken over the agenda here, particularly in Washington. That's got to be very frustrating.

SMART: Well, you know, focuses have to be made where they need to be made. But this is something that's so important today, and I appreciate Congress pushing this Child Prevention Act, because personally, I am very much in favor of everything that's on there. But there are a few things that, you know, not everyone might agree on. And the one thing that they will agree on is this Amber Alert is something that is going to save lives. And we just need to get it in there.

HARRIS: Well, give our regards to Lois. We understand she's not feeling well. And to the kids, as well. I want to ask you how they're doing, if you can just give us a quick update?

SMART: You know, they are really doing remarkably well. It's hard, but they are -- they're back in school. They are, you know, back in their rooms, and things are getting a little bit more back to normal, if you can say that.

HARRIS: Ed Smart, thank you very much for your time. We have to move on. We've got some other breaking news. Thank you very much.

SMART: Thank you very much.

HARRIS: All right. Take care, and good luck to you.

SMART: Bye-bye.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired October 15, 2002 - 11:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we turn now at 22 before the top of the hour from that tragedy in Washington, D.C., in the sniper shootings, to another one that we've covered quite a bit here on the network, the search for Elizabeth Smart. As you may remember, she disappeared from her Utah home back in June. And so far, police have had no luck in finding the girl. Elizabeth's parents say that they are hoping to help others who may face the heartbreak of having a child go missing. Ed Smart wants Congress to act on legislation that would expand the Amber Alert system nationwide. But he is afraid that that may not happen this year. He joins us to talk about what is for him a very personal mission.
Thank you very much for your time this morning. How are you?

ED SMART, FATHER OF MISSING GIRL: Well, we're doing okay. We're just very, very adamant in wanting to see this Amber Alert go into effect. Lois isn't with me today. She's a little bit under the weather, but I can't tell you how important this is to us. The Amber Alert is so very important. We've been talking about terrorism in the country and around Washington, D.C., and my feeling is, that if a person could be saved, would Congress make the effort to save that person?

And this is exactly what the Amber Alert does. It rescues and saves children. And they are the greatest asset that we have, and they need Congress' support. You know, the bill that Congress has proposed, the omnibus Child Prevention Act, is a wonderful bill, but it has some issues in it that will take some sorting out, and right now children do not have that time to wait. Congress needs to act on this bill. We need them to do this so that -- I mean, one child's life, one child's life could be saved in the period of time that we have to wait in order for them to pass. And I just hope and pray that they will bring that Amber Alert to the bill -- to the floor on its own as a stand-alone bill and vote on it so the president can sign it into effect.

HARRIS: Now, Ed, so many of us have gotten a good lesson in just how effective the Amber Alert system is over the summer. We saw how many cases the system was involved in, and successfully so. Do you know what the numbers are lately, what the latest number is, right now?

SMART: I believe it's close to 25 -- between 25 and 31. But, you know, even last week, you know, Sandy Hellman had her daughter rescued, and she is an absolute proponent of seeing this Amber Alert go through, because it saves lives. HARRIS: Yes. I've got to think that you must be very frustrated to see what's happened in the last couple of months. Maybe -- it's what, maybe a month or so ago, you had the attention of people in Washington, the president and a lot of congressmen, congresswomen as well, who were saying that this was a national priority. But since then, we've seen things happen internationally. We've seen how the issue of Iraq has come and taken over the agenda here, particularly in Washington. That's got to be very frustrating.

SMART: Well, you know, focuses have to be made where they need to be made. But this is something that's so important today, and I appreciate Congress pushing this Child Prevention Act, because personally, I am very much in favor of everything that's on there. But there are a few things that, you know, not everyone might agree on. And the one thing that they will agree on is this Amber Alert is something that is going to save lives. And we just need to get it in there.

HARRIS: Well, give our regards to Lois. We understand she's not feeling well. And to the kids, as well. I want to ask you how they're doing, if you can just give us a quick update?

SMART: You know, they are really doing remarkably well. It's hard, but they are -- they're back in school. They are, you know, back in their rooms, and things are getting a little bit more back to normal, if you can say that.

HARRIS: Ed Smart, thank you very much for your time. We have to move on. We've got some other breaking news. Thank you very much.

SMART: Thank you very much.

HARRIS: All right. Take care, and good luck to you.

SMART: Bye-bye.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com