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CNN Live Today

Ten Commandments, Commanding Conflict

Aired August 20, 2003 - 11:00   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: Coming up first this hour on CNN, the Ten Commandments. Alabama's chief justice is standing, symbolically, in the courthouse door today, trying to block a federal order. Two federal courts ruled the religious monument that he put in the courthouse is unconstitutional, and they told him to remove the Ten Commandments by midnight or face sanctions.
Well, just last hour, Chief Justice Roy Moore asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency stay. Let's check and see whether or not there has been action on that.

Our Fredricka Whitfield is standing by in Montgomery, Alabama.

All right, Fred, what's the latest development?

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello to you again, Leon.

Well, this two and a half ton granite statue in the middle of the rotunda of this judicial building is getting a lot of support, namely from about 30 people, ordinary citizens who have came here from as far away as Kansas and throughout Alabama, coming here to pray for the statue, to make sure it is not removed. They're praying for the man responsible for financing this entire statue, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore. And they're also praying to help protect their own religious rights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't believe it's just the Ten Commandments being in an Alabama courtroom. I think it's God being taken out of our nation, and I believe that this is one of the final acts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you stand for this country, this whole country was founded on "In God we Trust," I think that if you were to put it in those terms, yes, I think everybody should defy it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: A federal district court judge has ruled that this statue must be removed by midnight tonight. That's the deadline.

Meantime, Chief Justice Roy Moore has filed an order with the U.S. Supreme Court, hoping that perhaps the Supreme Court will take up the issue after losing his appeal in a lower court this morning. However, on AMERICAN MORNING, he remained defiant, reiterating his case. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF JUSTICE ROY MOORE, ALABAMA: The question is: Can the federal courts come into the state of Alabama and threaten fines to release our inalienable rights? Are we willing to give up the fact that God gave us our rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? You see, you've got to remember, Soledad, that it's not about a monument. It's about the fundamental acknowledgment of God, which this nation is founded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, again, the deadline is at midnight, and unless Judge Moore changes his mind throughout the course of the day, he says the statue remains -- Leon.

HARRIS: And I wonder how long that can go on. The state may not be able to afford paying $5,000 a day. They've already got a budget deficit there.

All right, thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: No kidding. It's costing a lot of money.

HARRIS: Yes, and now, the ruling -- any idea of when the ruling may come down? Do you think it may come down today?

WHITFIELD: It's hard to tell, because you know, the U.S. Supreme Court is very tight-lipped about when they'll consider a case and when they'll actually on rule on it. So, really, it's anyone's guess.

Meantime, you know, that fine is supposed to be enforced and imposed as soon as he defies this court order. And, as you say, it would be $5,000 a day, and that's just in the first week, and possibly doubling into the second week, if it even gets to that.

HARRIS: Yes. Boy! This is going to be interesting. Thanks, Fred -- Fredricka Whitfield reporting live for us from Montgomery, Alabama. Good to see you.

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 August 20, 2003 - 11:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up first this hour on CNN, the Ten Commandments. Alabama's chief justice is standing, symbolically, in the courthouse door today, trying to block a federal order. Two federal courts ruled the religious monument that he put in the courthouse is unconstitutional, and they told him to remove the Ten Commandments by midnight or face sanctions.
Well, just last hour, Chief Justice Roy Moore asked the U.S. Supreme Court for an emergency stay. Let's check and see whether or not there has been action on that.

Our Fredricka Whitfield is standing by in Montgomery, Alabama.

All right, Fred, what's the latest development?

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello to you again, Leon.

Well, this two and a half ton granite statue in the middle of the rotunda of this judicial building is getting a lot of support, namely from about 30 people, ordinary citizens who have came here from as far away as Kansas and throughout Alabama, coming here to pray for the statue, to make sure it is not removed. They're praying for the man responsible for financing this entire statue, Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore. And they're also praying to help protect their own religious rights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't believe it's just the Ten Commandments being in an Alabama courtroom. I think it's God being taken out of our nation, and I believe that this is one of the final acts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you stand for this country, this whole country was founded on "In God we Trust," I think that if you were to put it in those terms, yes, I think everybody should defy it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: A federal district court judge has ruled that this statue must be removed by midnight tonight. That's the deadline.

Meantime, Chief Justice Roy Moore has filed an order with the U.S. Supreme Court, hoping that perhaps the Supreme Court will take up the issue after losing his appeal in a lower court this morning. However, on AMERICAN MORNING, he remained defiant, reiterating his case. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF JUSTICE ROY MOORE, ALABAMA: The question is: Can the federal courts come into the state of Alabama and threaten fines to release our inalienable rights? Are we willing to give up the fact that God gave us our rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? You see, you've got to remember, Soledad, that it's not about a monument. It's about the fundamental acknowledgment of God, which this nation is founded.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: So, again, the deadline is at midnight, and unless Judge Moore changes his mind throughout the course of the day, he says the statue remains -- Leon.

HARRIS: And I wonder how long that can go on. The state may not be able to afford paying $5,000 a day. They've already got a budget deficit there.

All right, thanks, Fred.

WHITFIELD: No kidding. It's costing a lot of money.

HARRIS: Yes, and now, the ruling -- any idea of when the ruling may come down? Do you think it may come down today?

WHITFIELD: It's hard to tell, because you know, the U.S. Supreme Court is very tight-lipped about when they'll consider a case and when they'll actually on rule on it. So, really, it's anyone's guess.

Meantime, you know, that fine is supposed to be enforced and imposed as soon as he defies this court order. And, as you say, it would be $5,000 a day, and that's just in the first week, and possibly doubling into the second week, if it even gets to that.

HARRIS: Yes. Boy! This is going to be interesting. Thanks, Fred -- Fredricka Whitfield reporting live for us from Montgomery, Alabama. Good to see you.

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