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CNN Live Sunday

Laura Bush Meets With Protests At Holy Sites In Jerusalem; Florida Girl Found Alive Buried In Landfill

Aired May 22, 2005 - 18:00   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.


CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In Florida, kidnapped and buried alive, police rescue an 8-year-old girl from a horrific situation. The details are straight ahead.
Also tonight, first lady Laura Bush in a sticky situation abroad. Protesters get rowdy, and the Secret Service has to move in. Was her safety threatened or not?

It is may 22. And you're watches CNN LIVE SUNDAY.

From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin. To our top story in just a moment, but first, these are the stories making news right now.

Deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein making headlines again. He is reportedly going to sue a British tabloid for publishing humiliating photos of him, including one showing him in his underwear. The lawsuit may ask for up to $1 million.

Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon heckled in New York. He was speaking to American Jewish leaders today, defending his plan to withdraw Jewish settlements from Gaza, but his speech was interrupted. Security guards hustled the heckler out.

And a break for motorists at the pumps. Gas prices fell more than six cents in the past two weeks. According to a new national survey the average price of self serve is now down to $2.15 a gallon.

Now, up first, horrific details are emerging in the kidnapping of a Florida girl. Police say an 8-year-old girl was abducted, sexually assaulted and then found buried alive hours later. And it all happened in Lake Worth near West Palm Beach. That's where we find CNN national corresopndetn Susan Candiotti.

Susan, it's amazing this girl is still alive.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly is, Carol.

The story ended where I'm standing, outside an old landfill that is closed. You see that fence over my shoulder. And way beyond it is a dumpster where that little girl was indeed found buried alive.

But the story began in the middle of the night. Police say a teenager reported this little girl missing at a home where he was staying, that these three men actually snatched her from her home, snuck out in the middle of the night.

This is a place where the little 8-year-old girl had been spending the night with her godmother. A massive began. And seven hours later, police found the little girl alive, incredibly, stuffed inside a trash can covered with rocks, inside a dumpster at this landfill. She was brought out on a stretcher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF WILLIAM SMITH, LAKE WORTH POLICE: They saw eyes. They began to uncover rocks that were piled on top. They saw movement. And in fact discovered the child alive, which is -- Mayor Drautz described it accurately as a miracle, which it certainly is.

At that point, we brought in medical personnel that responded. They described the condition of the child as good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Investigators say the little girl identified her alleged attacker. Police have charged 17-year-old Belagro (ph) Cunningham. The state attorney's office tells us he will be treated as an adult. He is arrested for attempted murder, sexual battery and false imprisonment.

For now, we know little more about this young man, although he was staying at that house for only about four months, police tell us, and that he is not related to his alleged victim. Again, the 8-year- old had been spending the night there with her godmother. He will make his first appearance in court tomorrow morning.

But again back out here live now, again, trying to point to you this landfill. It is closed. It is not open to the public. It says no trespassing. The signs are posted everywhere. So the question is, among many others police have, is how did he get in there? Obviously he could get over the fence, but how could he have done that with the little girl?

There is a hole in the fence, we are told. Police, again, are slow to release some of the details. But we will learn more as the days go on. Back to you, Carol.

LIN: Susan, it looks like a huge landfill. How were they able to isolate this one location where they found the girl?

CANDIOTTI: Police credit this veteran police officer, who works on the S.W.A.T. team, as just being very alert and not leaving any stone uncovered. He looked in that dumpster, as he would have looked anywhere, they said, but something led him there, police say. He looked into the dumpster. They said a lot of people may have just held their nose and turned away. But he decided to look inside it.

It's also important to note where this landfill is located. It turns out it's just a few blocks from where the little girl had been staying. So it was in the vicinity of this massive search area. At least 100 officers have been out looking for her since about 3:30 this morning.

LIN: Susan, that girl is lucky to be alive. Thank God she's going to be home safe and sound. Thank you very much. Susan Candiotti, reporting live.

Well, Idaho authorities are still baffled over a triple murder mystery that has left two children missing for a week now. CNN's Alina Cho is in Coeur D'Alene with the very latest there.

Alina, do you have anything new on the search?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESOPNDENT: Well, unfortunately not, Carol. You know, every here, as you know, is waiting for that one big break in the case, something that will lead them to Dylan and Shasta Groene. But so far, Carol they have very few clues to go on.

Here is what we can tell you, critical pieces of evidence have actually been hand-carried to the FBI land in Quantico, Virginia. Now, that lab is normally closed on a Sunday, but it is open today so that it can begin processing evidence.

FBI profilers are also on the scene now. And we have learned that investigators found evidence in every single room of the home where the bodies of the children's mother, 13-year-old brother, and the mother's boyfriend were found on Monday night. Family members, however, say they have put aside their grief for now, so they can focus their efforts to finding the two children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER INWOOD, COUSIN OF MISSING CHILDREN: Driving into town and seeing their faces up on billboards, seeing amber alerts and having the people in the community just reach out to us has meant so much. And it's just, you know -- that's the most important thing. We just ask America to stick with us.

You know, as the days go on, if we don't find these kids immediately, keep looking. Look in the faces of the children that you see in the supermarket, look in the faces of the kids that pass you on the street. Think about what you would do if this is your child. And just, please, be our eyes and ears throughout the country.

And the country, so far, has just done a great job of stepping forward. And I don't -- you know, it's just made us that much stronger and helps us just keep going.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Family members have also released new photos of 8-year-old Shasta Groene. She is a beautiful little girl, as you know Carol, waist length auburn hair, green eyes, slight build, just 40 pounds and 3'10" tall. Her brother Dylan, 9 years old, also missing of course, blond hair, crewcut, blue eyes, 60 pounds and four feet tall. The two children have not been seen for exactly a week.

Now, investigators are pouring through these hundreds of tips, 800 of them in all. And an additional 12 tips have come in, Carol, since the family appeared on "America's Most Wanted" last night -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Alina Cho, let's hope they find those kids really soon. Thank you.

Well overseas, an attack on a U.S. patrol ends deadly in Afghanistan. The U.S. military says a gun battle erupted last night after insurgents sneaked across the Pakistani border and opened fire on the patrol. As many as a dozen insurgents were reported killed. And also killed were eight Afghan troops, one American soldier was wounded.

Afghanistan's president is defending himself against accusations that he's doing little to fight the country's enormous heroin trade. Now the "New York Times" reports that U.S. officials warned in an internal memo that the poppy eradication program in Afghanistan is failing, in part because of Karzai.

Before addressing graduates at Boston University today, Karzai answered that charge on CNN's "LATE EDITION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN: We have done our job. The Afghan people have done our job. Now the international community must come and provide alternative revunue to the Afghan people, which they have not done so far. Let us stop this blame game. Instead of blaming Afghanistan, the international community must now come and fulfill its own objective to the Afghan people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: President Karzai is sure to bring up the matter to President Bush when the two leaders meet at the White House tomorrow.

Well, attempts to defuse anti-American sentiment in the Middle East backfired for first lady Laura Bush. Mrs. Bush was besieged by protesters when she showed up at two sacred sites in Jerusalem today.

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux was there with the first lady during her chaotic visit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was a chaotic scene surrounding the first lady. As Mrs. Bush began her visit to the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam's holiest sites, a crowd formed. She approached the mosque as is custom wearing a headscarf and taking her shoes off at the door. Then an angry man shouted, you don't belong in the mosque. I stood beside her as Israeli press clamored to get inside. Grabbing a secret service agent, I was pulled in. Inside the shrine, it was calm. But when stepped out of the mosque, the heckling resumed. How dare you come in here? How dare you hassle our Muslims, one yelled. Secret service agents closed in around Mrs. Bush as both Israeli journalists and Palestinians tried to penetrate the first lady's inner circle. At that point, Israeli police created a human linked chain around her security detail. Throughout, Mrs. Bush was poised and calm. But around her, tensions reached a point where I saw an Israeli policeman draw his gun as a young boy who was running towards Mrs. Bush. The first lady's motorcade whisked her away. It wasn't the first of the day.

Earlier, the first lady at a Western Wall. Following tradition, she placed a prayer note in the wall. But she didn't find calm there, either. Dozens of young Israeli women standing behind me shouted for the release of Jonathan Pollard, an American serving a life sentence for spying for Israel. Mrs. Bush did not react to the commotion. Later she reflected on the day's events.

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: So I am really glad to be here, but I also know that especially the American press who are here with me see what an emotional place this is. As we go from each one of these very, very holy spots to the next. And, it's a -- we're reminded again of what we all want, what every one of us pray for.

MALVEAUX: The first lady says that is peace. As for the day's events, the secret service put out a statement saying nothing out of the ordinary happened. Clearly, Mrs. Bush got a taste of the passions some feel regarding U.S.-Middle East policy.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, rivers of lava heading to the sea. Coming up, the lava flows putting on a spectacular show on an Ecuadorian island.

And later...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I remember several thuds which hit my leg, and some around hit the wall around me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: From the front lines, how one marine survived an intense firefight in Fallujah after being wounded numerous times.

Also the political fight over stem cell research and the showdown it may set up between the president and his own party.

Also among the most popular stories this hour on CNN.com, the kidnapped girl in Florida is found alive. Former Dallas Cowboy running back David Lang is shot to death. And protesters surround Laura Bush on her trip to Jerusalem.

Click on CNN.com for details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: News in our "World Wrap" tonight, the death toll is rising in Chile. The bodies of five more soldiers were found in the Andes today. They were part of a group caught unprepared in a freak blizzard while on a training mission. 21 bodies have been discovered so far. 24 Chilean soldiers are still missing.

A ribbon of molten lava from an erupting volcano is providing an unexpected benefit in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands. The natural spectacle on uninhabited Fernandina Island has caught the fascination of tourists. The volcano began spewing ash and lava nine days ago.

And more than 700 raced over the Great Wall of China yesterday. The annual marathon attracted competitors from 35 countries, including a couple of romantics. Despite the exhausting route that includes four miles of the ancient wall itself, one couple got engaged after they finished the race.

And history being made on the Korean peninsula. South Korea is shipping thousands of tons of fertilizer to North Korea by land and sea. Today, for the first time in 21 years, a North Korean cargo ship docked in South Korea.

Well, some call all the posturing and campaigning in the race for the White House a circus, including filmmaker turned author Alexandra Pelosi. Her new book "Sneaking Into the Flying Circus" looks at how the media turned presidential campaigns into what she calls freak shows. And she's with me now in New York to talk about it.

Hi there, Alexandra.

ALEXANDRA PELOSI, AUTHOR: Hi. Thanks for having me on.

LIN: A pleasure to have you.

In reading your book, it was very funny, but very cynical. I mean, especially as a member of the media looking inside, and knowing what it is you were talking about. You say in your book, the minute you get assigned to cover a campaign, you become a part of the process, a pawn in the campaign game. What exactly is the process to you?

PELOSI: Well, basically when I was assigned to cover my first presidential campaign in 2000, a CNN producer said to me, hey, kid, I've been doing it for 20 years, just do what I do. And that was how I figure out when you cover a campaign, you're part of the process. And there's this dance between the reporters covering the campaign and the candidates that they're covering.

The book was just trying to explain to people, you know, give them some context of where they get their news, where it's coming from. Most people don't have an idea of the sort of elite fraternity of a traveling press corps and how much that influences the media that they get.

LIN: Well, certainly not to accuse CNN of lacking original reporting from the campaign trail, but you're saying that it's a herd mentality, right?

PELOSI: Yeah. I mean, this is nothing new. People have known this for some time. But it's just sort of the latest account of how in bed the networks are with the candidates that they cover. That is not to say there aren't some of the best journalists I've ever met in my life. Candy Crowley of CNN is my hero. Someday, if I grow up, I want to be Candy. So, it's not that there aren't great jounralists out there. It's a little bit like Abu Ghraib, there's some good eggs and some bad eggs.

LIN: Let's talk specifics. I mean, networks and newspapers have been around since the -- well, maybe not networks, but certainly the newspapers have been around since the dawn of a campaign. How would you like to see a campaign covered then? Give me a specific example.

PELOSI: Well, I'd like to see more people get off their couch and actually go out to an event themselves and not take everything from their television set.

LIN: Yeah, but a lot of times you are rounded up and there's a pool situation, meaning there's one camera in a photo op and everybody else has to be in a separate room taking in the feed.

PELOSI: Yes, that's a terrible situation. Because you have one set of eyes watching for the whole world. I always think that's dangerous.

I think that, you know, the press should be able to have more access to the candidates and not just take what's spoon-fed to them. I think that's the real danger when your covering the campaign.

LIN: What's your favorite spoon-fed story.

PELOSI: Oh, God. Every single day it's spoon-fed.

LIN: Come on, come on, come on, come on. I mean, because people who are watching right now, they have not been on the campaign trail. I know what your talking about. But give me a funny moment or a typical moment where America's not getting the news that the campaign is managing the reporters, the reporters are going along, because they need the job and they can't afford to be, you know, kicked out of the campaign and kicked off the bus, because then they're out of a job.

PELOSI: It's more examples of things they don't say on television that I think would give you a better idea of who the candidates are that they can't say on TV, because...

LIN: Like what?

PELOSI: OK. I was on the campaign trail. And one of the candidates I saw pick up a half-eaten hamburger off of somebody else's play plate. And then, a couple hours later, my producer came out of the men's room and told me that he saw one of the candidates using a urinal and eating the half-eaten hamburger that he had pulled out of his pocket.

LIN: OK, but how does that -- how does that further a greater democracy, Alexandra.

PELOIS: Well, I just think that there's certain examples of -- if you take Howard Dean, for example, he was someone who was very misunderstood. And all people saw was that infamous scream. And if you take that, and that's the only image you get of the candidate, it's not really a true portrait of who he is. You need a little more context. And I think, if there were more stories along the way that gave you a feeling of who these people were and let them talk instead of just taking little bites of them and taking them out of context, I think...

LIN: Is your mother, the Democratic leader of the House there? I mean, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, can she take a few tips from you? What advice would you give mom?

PELOSI: Oh, she wouldn't listen to me. I don't listen to her when she tells me what to do, and she doesn't listen to me when...

LIN: Maybe we're experiencing your teenage rebellion, Alexandra. Who knows? But anyway, great reading and really informative. You know, you do tell it like it is. So, a pleasure to have you. Thanks so much.

PELOSI: Thank you.

LIN: Well, a possible break in the cycle of bombings in Iraq. Straight ahead, what role one of the leading opposition clerics Muqtada al Sadr is playing in helping to defuse the violence.

Also an incredible story in Iraq, how a marine survived a vicious firefight, wounded as he helped rescue fellow marines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK0

LIN: Well, every week we like to bring you the more personal stories from the frontlines. Today we hear a riveting account of a brutal battle in falluja from a marine who was in the thick of it all, a man who put his life on the line to save others and soon discovered he, too, needed to be rescued.

More now from CNN's Casey Wian.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE; That catwalk that was over the living room went 360 degrees around.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): First Sergeant Brad Kasal listens as his buddy Lieutenant Grigg (ph) fills in details about what happened in that day in Fallujah last November, the day he was shot over and over again and nearly lost his life.

Two young Marines listened intently as well. They saved Kasal's life by carrying him to safety.

LANCE CPL. CHRISTOPHER MARQUEZ, U.S. MARINE CORPS: 1st Sergeant Kasal was a tough Marine. He got shot 7 times, took like over 40 pieces of shrapnel in him and he was still, like, able to do his job and get his job done.

WIAN: Five days into the Fallujah offensive, Kasal found himself literally looking down the barrel of an AK-47 as he tried to rescue wounded Marines in a house.

FIRST SGT. BRAD KASAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I just took my M-16 and I stuck it over his AK. And put it right in between his arms and right up against his chest. And my put my barrel and started pulling trigger. And I pulled it eight, nine, maybe 10 times before he finally went down to the ground.

WIAN: Kasal turned, yelling for cover. As he did, a barrage of automatic gunfire.

KASAL: I remember several thugs just hitting my leg. And several rounds hitting the wall all around me. And after about the fourth or fifth thud that hit my leg, my leg just collapsed out from underneath me. And I fell to the ground.

WIAN: Behind him, another Marine had been hit.

KASAL: I crawled back out into the line of fire. And I remember as soon as I did that, rounds just started hitting all around me again. And I grabbed Nicol's (ph) sleeve and pulled him down and started dragging him out of the line of fire.

WIAN: Kasal took another bullet in the back side. He was losing blood quickly, but still managed to get a tourniquet onto the wounded Marine beside him. Then Kasal saw a grenade.

KASAL: I rolled over on top of him, covered him up. And then the grenade went off.

WIAN: Kasal was peppered with shrapnel, but both Marines survived the blast. Kasal has been recommended for a medal for bravery but says the young Marines who rescued him are the real heroes.

Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Members of the new Iraqi government under attack once again. Today, three employees of the Iraqi Finance Ministry were gunned down in their cars north of Baghdad, and a high-ranking official in the Trade Ministry was assasinated in Baghdad this morning.

There was news of some diplomacy in Iraq today, though. Aides to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr held talks with Sunni leaders in an effort to stem escalating violence between the two groups. Sunni officials say more meetings are planned.

And three Romanian journalists who were kidnapped in March by insurgents have been freed, along with their Iraqi-American translator. Romanian officials say they were rescued. But al Jazeera television reports the hostages were freed by their kidnappers.

The Senate showdown is set to begin over filibusters. Coming up, what's at stake and why both sides say they have the votes to win the battle.

Also, the battle brewing over stem cell research funding, and the president's vow to veto the bill backed by millions of Americans.

Later, "Star Wars" smashes the competition and records at the box office. The movie and the amazing tribute from one fan to the Star Wars series. You're watching CNN LIVE SUNDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Welcome back. Here's what's happening right now in the news.

Police say a teenager has confessed to abducting, sexually battering and trying to kill an 8-year-old Lake Worth, Florida, girl. The child vanished from her godmother's home this morning. Searchers found her buried alive in an abandoned landfill, her hand sticking out of a dumpster. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

First lady Laura Bush encounters anti-U.S. protesters in Jerusalem. Israeli Jews demonstrated near her at the Western Wall today. Later, an angry Muslim crowd briefly surrounded her and her Secret Service detail at the Dome of the Rock.

Mexico's president stops just short just of an apology for saying Mexicans in the U.S. take jobs that quote, "not even blacks want." In a radio interview with civil rights interview leader Jesse Jackson, Vicente Fox says his recent comment was misinterpreted and he regrets that.

One of the biggest battles on Capitol Hill could play out in less than 48 hours. Democrat and Republican senators are in a heated dispute over President Bush's judicial nominees and the Democrats' right to filibuster them. A showdown is expected on Tuesday when Republicans plan to put one of those nominees up for a vote.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is live at the White House. So Elaine, what are the next few days going to be like?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly a lot of crucial meetings going on, Carol. Hello to you.

Certainly there are a lot of dimensions to this fight. And while the debate right now is centering on one nominee, Priscilla Owen, many see this as a test case for President Bush's future judicial picks, including any nominations down the road to the Supreme Court.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: After days of heated debate last week on Justice Priscilla Owen, President Bush's nominee for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Senate could vote on Tuesday whether to do away with the judicial filibuster. The tactic, a Senate tradition more than 200 years old, keeping nominations in limbo, by allowing senators to debate indefinitely. Leaders on both sides say they have the support to win.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) KENTUCKY: We'll go through the night Monday night to make sure everyone has an opportunity to express themselves, and then Tuesday morning we'll have that vote.

I feel very comfortable we're going to have the votes. It's an issue that is so important to this country.

QUIJANO: Democrats call any move to wipe out judicial filibusters the nuclear option, because of its politically explosive nature. They want to continue using filibusters to block judicial nominations. And say if Republicans follow through, Democrats will slow Senate business to a crawl. But moderates from both parties are trying to hammer out a compromise with a crucial face-to-face meeting set for Monday.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN, (D) CONNECTICUT: I think as we get close to that moment of truth, when Senator Frist says he's going to push that nuclear button, we centrists are going to come together and find common agreement.

QUIJANO: As for President Bush, the White House says he does not want to interfere in Senate's procedures, although, the president himself recently said it's the Senate's duty to give his nominees an up or down vote.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: But the situation is delicate a one for President Bush. At a time when he is looking to get ambitious legislation passed on Social Security and other issues, an explosion on the filibuster fight would only make it harder to get his agenda pushed through Congress -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Thanks very much. Elaine Quijano live from the White House.

All right. It seems like we've been filibustering the filibuster. It hasn't even happened yet. But at CNN, it is a big story. And there are stories behind the stories, which is why I love talking with CNN political analyst Carlos Watson, because he always has a "Fresh Take" on the big stories. Carlos?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hey, Carol, how are you?

LIN: I'm doing just great. You are actually hearing word about a phoenix rising from the fire of this filibuster fight. Are we hearing about an old name maybe assuming a bigger role in the Senate?

WATSON: What if I were to tell you that a former Senate majority leader who left that role somewhat disgraced in 2002 after some racially insensitive remarks may in fact make a comeback when all this filibuster fight is said and done.

Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, who, as you recall, was deposed in 2002 after some very controversial comments, quietly has made an early ever to try and find a compromise. And really in general kind of bolstered, if you will, his image among some Senate Republicans who remember that he was a guy, who, for all of his shortcummings maybe, was a guy that often was able to reach compromise with Democrats. So don't be surprised to hear a little bit more about him after this fight is over.

LIN: Boy. You know, when you were telling us that behind the scenes and we were actually shocked. So that would be pretty interesting to come out of the filibuster fight.

Someone else, though, also brightening their political star in this battle.

WATSON: If on the one hand, we have got Trent Lott, who is a veteran, who has been in Congress for 30 years, we have got a relative newcomer, John Cornyn, freshman Senator from Texas, who may have as a result of his efforts on behalf of the president, not only in this filibuster fight, but overall in terms of his reelection campaign in '04 and judges. Cornyn a former Supreme Court -- Texas Supreme Court -- justice and a former Texas attorney general, could be the kind of guy, who given all his efforts on this fight and other places, may ultimately get rewarded, believe it or not, with higher office. Whether that's one day being nominated for an openings on the U.S. Supreme Court.

LIN: Really? A virtual unknown, though, a freshman Senator?

WATSON: Very much so. You know, Arlan Specter, chairman of the Senate Judicial Committee said to me several weeks ago that he expected the White House would not only look at current judges, but also at Senators and Governors for any openings on the Supreme Court.

So, Cornyn's not the kind of guy who may get the first opening, but if there's a second or third opening, while you'll hear a lot about Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, don't be surprised to start hearing some people say, if we really want a different choice, let's look at John Cornyn a former Texas Supreme Court justice.

LIN: And reward for good behavior on Capitol Hill if all things turn President Bush's way.

In the meantime, I have got to ask you about an event that went off the radar. But I think you've got an interesting tack on this. There was a demonstration of a couple hundred dollars people in Cuba, something that virtually never happens. All right. This was a demonstration by opposition leaders inside of Cuba against Fidel Castro. What do you think this means?

WATSON: Well, you know, it's hard to tell. But since 1959 when Fidel Castro took over, open opposition has been nonexistent. But this past week we saw, as you said, some 200 demonstrator openly protest his policies. And it could be as significant, maybe, as what we saw in Poland some 25 years ago when Lech Walesa, the union solidarity leader began a small protest that ultimately grew into something much more significant.

LIN: Yeah. You're talking about the fall of Communism, but why would you see that with just a couple hundred dollars people. And also, even in the past, say with Tiananmen Square, mass -- small demonstration grew into mass demonstration, not much initially came from that, though.

WATSON: Although, you know, China has changed. And it certainly is changed, if as significantly politically, certainly economically, as you recall since Tianmen Square. And so, may that's the other route you may see here with Cuba. This may be a segue towards Cuba, which has a very high literacy rate -- 97 percent -- is very active, particularly in the biotech industry, they've invested more than a billion dollars in building new cancer drugs and other things and they've partnered with China with India, and even with a U.S. company. You might see them become a place where even if political liberallization doesn't happen, there may be more economic liberalization, something to watch over the next year or two.

LIN: All right. Speaking of something to watch, there was really interesting statements made by Steve Ballmer regarding Microsoft's gay benefits policies, all right, in recognizing gay partnerships. You see something else, though. I mean, you never -- when was the last time you actually saw a CEO, a businessperson making such a political stand, as withdrawing -- recognizing gay rights within the company, withdrawing benefits from these couples?

WATSON: Well, you know, what's very interesting, Carol, is your suggestiong Steve Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft, now one of our largest companies, sent out an e-mail saying that the company would back legislation in the state of Washington which would provide more rights and protections to gay couples and gay individuals. That's significant because, you know, when you think about a controversial social battle like this, you don't think of a corporate CEO.

We also saw yesterday, by the way, the CEO of General Electric Jeff Immelt, write an op ed talking about alternative fuels, whether that's clean coal or hydrogen-based fuel cells, or other sorts of things.

We also saw the CEO over the last month or so, saw the CEO of General Motors weigh in on the healthcare debate. And I'm sure Hillary Clinton was thinking, where were you when I needed you 10 years ago?

But I think when you take all of these back, some of these have to do with the economic interests of the various companies, GE and GM in particulary, but also I think you see CEOs in this post-Enron world reengaging in politics. And you may hear about several of them, including Carlie Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, as potential candidates in upcoming elections. So stay tuned for the return of the Lee Iaccoca, Ross Perot political CEO.

LIN: Well, in some cases, good politics may mean good business, Carols.

WATSON: You bet.

LIN: That's a whole other story.

Carlos, thank you so much. Thanks for presenting on all these issues.

All right. In the meantime, another battle is intensifying in Washington. President Bush is threatening to veto a bill now pending in the House that would loosen limits for funding of embryonic stem cell research, but the bill is gaining momentum on Capitol Hill, due to recent advances in stem cell research that potentially could revolutionize medicine. CNN's J.J. Ramberg takes a closer look at the debate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JJ RAMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just crossing the street can be an ordeal for Robert Klein.

ROBERT KLEIN: You have to find a curb cut, you have to go to the corner, you have to like, be very careful. There's buses that don't see you.

RAMBERG: Five years ago, Klein was in a diving accident that left him paralyzed. But he's hoping scientists will discover a cure through research conducted on embroynic stem cells.

KLEIN: It would change my life. I would be able to go for the run in the morning and go to work and work all day.

RAMBERG: In 2001, President Bush banned federally funded research on embryonic stem cell lines developed after August of that year.

(on camera): As early as Tuesday the House may vote to ease those restrictions, allowing scientists to use excess embryos created through in-vitro fertilization for research.

(voice-over): But even if the bill makes it through Congress, it may not become law.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The use of federal money, taxpayers' money to promote science which destroys life in order to save life is -- I'm against that, and therefore, if the bill does that, I will veto it.

RAMBERG: Despite the veto threat, 200 House members are cosponsoring the legislation.

SEAN TIPTON, STEM CELL RESEARCH ADVOCATE: I think we can look for ways that the White House can find a way to say yes to providing hope for millions of Americans.

RAMBERG: The debate around using embryonic stem cells is heated. One side argues that scientists need access to start finding cures to spinal cord injuries and a host of diseases. The other side says using embryos is immoral.

REP. CHRIS SMITH, (R) NEW JERSEY: We don't kill embryos. We ought to nurture them and not kill them.

RAMBERG: Robert Klein is looking past the political debate. He's more concerned with preparing himself for what he hopes lies ahead.

KLEIN: I'm aware of how well I'm maintaining my body in the hopes that when there is a way to get into the central nervous system, the spinal cord, that my body will be ready for it, too.

ARMBERG: J.J. Ramberg, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: An American doctor who assisted South Korean scientists on the stem cell project talks with me later tonight about the significance of this breakthrough. That's on CNN SUNDAY NIGHT, 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

One man's -- one woman's incredible story of courage in her fight to beat autism. Coming up, the daily struggles with autism in the woman's own words as she battles the disease. It is an oscar- nominated documentary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Here's some of what's happening across America.

It really is rocket scientists, or at least rocket science -- students from Farmington, Minnesota, won the Team American Rocketry Challenge yesterday at Virginia's Great Meadows Race Course. Hundreds of teenagers took part. The winner launched it in just under a minute with a payload of two unbroken raw eggs.

Police credit a skillful pilot for saving the lives of his passengers and golfers outside Boise, Idaho. A small plane in trouble made an emergency landing yesterday on a golf course fairway. The plane's wings were torn off, but no one was hurt.

And you still have a chance to wince $180 million Powerball jackpot if you buy a ticket by Wednesday. No one matched all six correct numbers last night in the multistate lottery.

The woman you are about to meet has spent years battling her worst enemy -- herself. Sue Rubin is a disabled rights advocate and a college student with a top I.Q., but she also suffers autism. Tonight at 8:00 Eastern on "CNN PRESENTS," an oscar-nominated film shows how Rubin has come so far in her ongoing struggle with the disorder. You're going to hear her story -- excuse me, in her own words voiced by...

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NARRATOR: I am a junior at Whittier College, majoring in history. I attend classes with Ashley (ph), my friend and support staff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Okay, you ready to go to type.

SUE RUBIN: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One.

SUE RUBIN: One.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two.

SUE RUBIN: Two.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three.

NARRATOR: Ashley takes notes for me and is available when I want to communicate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Randy Caldera (ph), Jennifer Westlake (ph), Mike Rozeek (ph), Chris Shaw (ph), Sue Rubin ...

SUE RUBIN: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Suli Vega (ph).

The first we are going to do is we are going to start talking a little about ideologies and philosophies that were brought into play by the arrival of colonialism, first, and then the rise of the nationalist movement in various parts of the Arab World.

NARRATOR: Autism is a constant struggle. It takes every ounce of energy I have to sit somewhat quietly during a two hour lecture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... known as nationalist movements.

NARRATOR: I love learning, yet being looked upon as feeble- minded is something I have been forced to endure my whole life.

Actually, in the times I am not fully-engaged in school, I find I am more susceptible to awful autism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That's just a taste of Sue Rubin's remarkable story. In an Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Gerry Wortzberg and CNN take a rare look at autism through the words of a young woman who lives with it. "CNN PRESENTS: Autism Is a World" tonight at 8:00 Eastern.

Stunning numbers from "Star Wars" this weekend, smashing box office records. Coming up, an amazing fan tribute to the "Star Wars" movie that was in the years in the making.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAYDEN CHRISTENSSEN, ACTOR: This is where the fun begins.

EWAN MCGREGOR, ACTOR: Let them past between us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Fans are lining up to see Anakin, and George Lucas is making money to burn. The final installment of the "Star Wars" saga has blown away box office records. "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" earned $50 million when it opened Thursday, and since then the total has hit a $158 million. The buzz for it is phenomenal. One online site is selling eight movie tickets per second.

"Star Wars" fans are some of the most intense, you might say, and dedicated in the galaxy. One even spent $20,000 of his own money just to make a tribute film. Our Daniel Sieberg introduces us to this Star Wars fanatic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just another space acrobatic shot from the bearded creator of Star Wars, right? No, not that bearded creator. This one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Switching auxilary power to forward shields.

SIEBERG: To call Shane Felux just a Star Wars fan is like calling George Lucas just a director. Shane spent nearly three years and $20,000 of his own money to produce Star Wars: Revelations, his homage to the epic sci-fi tales.

The 40 minute film is arguably the most ambitious such fan project this galaxy has ever seen.

SHANE FELUX, DIRECTOR, "REVELATIONS": There's never going to be a point in which enough time or enough money to ever make a film. So I just said, look, I'm just going to take a gulp of air. We're just going to jump and just see what happens and work through it. And the end result, Revelations.

SIEBERG: The tale of this epic fan movie began in 2002 when Shane, who produced, directed, and co-stars, bought a digital video camera on eBay. Eventually, he maxed out his credit cards and took out a second mortgage to bring his lifelong dream to the screen. Shane's dream included his wife, Dawn Cowings, who wrote the script and helped with costumes.

Fandom runs deep here including 3-year-old son Ian. Family cars with Anakin and Millenium Falcon license plates. In fact, Shane and Dawn met each other on line in a Star Wars chat room. DAWN COWINGS, WRITER, "REVELATIONS": Yes, yes, it's sad. But true. No, we did. We were just talking because we were friends and we were both really interested in Star Wars.

SIEBERG: The pair decided "Revelations" would follow the Jedi story line between the current "Revenge of the Sith" and the 1977 Star Wars, "A New Hope."

FELUX: This is Panic-Struck Productions. This where the whole thing is cut and fabricated.

SIEBERG: Shane's lavish production facilities are actually just a couple of computers in the basement office of his Northern Virginia town home. But funds, or lack of them, forced them to work on a shoestring.

(on camera): Shane and Dawn didn't exactly have a travel budget for their film so they shot at various locations in their home like in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., including this rock quarry.

So how did they turn this -- into this? The short answer is tireless dedication. Shane worked with his team for countless hours. A four to five second scene could take a long as two months to complete, even with volunteer artists from around the world.

FELUX: Sweden, UK, Canada, California, Seattle, Boston, Australia, Lithuania. "Revelations" would not be made possible without the Internet. I mean, it's a powerful tool and a resource. And that's how I got almost all of my people to participate in this film, for finding talented individuals, creating a community online.

SIEBERG (voice-over): But while new technology was key to creating the movie, Shane still wanted something very old school.

(on camera): A multithousand dollar blockbuster, at least in the fan film world, it cries out for a big screen premier. And Shane got one of the biggest screens on the east coast. Here at the Senator Theater in Baltimore.

(voice-over): On April 16, complete with Storm Troopers, R2D2 and red carpet, "Revelations" had its unique premier.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be no talking during the presentation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have served me well.

SIEBERG: So how does Darth Vader's creator, George Lucas, feel about fan films like "Revelations?" Well, he encourages them. As long as they don't slander the Star Wars name or aren't used for profit. Shane says he hopes Lucas will notice what he has been able to do with limited cash and give him a chance to work with the big time Hollywood budget.

FELUX: Hopefully, he might enjoy it and say let's hire the kid. But if not, it was a heck a ride. We had a good time. SIEBERG: And that undaunted optimism seems right in line with the Star Wars mythology.

Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Northern Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, that's all the time we have this hour. Coming up next, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" today profiling Donald Trump, the unlikely star of the reality TV show, "The Apprentice. At 8:00 Eastern, a special "CNN PRESENTS: Autism is a World." It takes a rare look at Autism through the eys of a young woman who lives with it. At 9:00 Eastern, "LARRY KING WEEKEND." And Larry's guest, super model Petra Nemcova and her amazing story of survival when the South Asia tsunami hit. And I'll be back at 10:00 Eastern tonight. The American doctor working on the stem cell breakthrough.

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 May 22, 2005 - 18:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: In Florida, kidnapped and buried alive, police rescue an 8-year-old girl from a horrific situation. The details are straight ahead.
Also tonight, first lady Laura Bush in a sticky situation abroad. Protesters get rowdy, and the Secret Service has to move in. Was her safety threatened or not?

It is may 22. And you're watches CNN LIVE SUNDAY.

From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Carol Lin. To our top story in just a moment, but first, these are the stories making news right now.

Deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein making headlines again. He is reportedly going to sue a British tabloid for publishing humiliating photos of him, including one showing him in his underwear. The lawsuit may ask for up to $1 million.

Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon heckled in New York. He was speaking to American Jewish leaders today, defending his plan to withdraw Jewish settlements from Gaza, but his speech was interrupted. Security guards hustled the heckler out.

And a break for motorists at the pumps. Gas prices fell more than six cents in the past two weeks. According to a new national survey the average price of self serve is now down to $2.15 a gallon.

Now, up first, horrific details are emerging in the kidnapping of a Florida girl. Police say an 8-year-old girl was abducted, sexually assaulted and then found buried alive hours later. And it all happened in Lake Worth near West Palm Beach. That's where we find CNN national corresopndetn Susan Candiotti.

Susan, it's amazing this girl is still alive.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: It certainly is, Carol.

The story ended where I'm standing, outside an old landfill that is closed. You see that fence over my shoulder. And way beyond it is a dumpster where that little girl was indeed found buried alive.

But the story began in the middle of the night. Police say a teenager reported this little girl missing at a home where he was staying, that these three men actually snatched her from her home, snuck out in the middle of the night.

This is a place where the little 8-year-old girl had been spending the night with her godmother. A massive began. And seven hours later, police found the little girl alive, incredibly, stuffed inside a trash can covered with rocks, inside a dumpster at this landfill. She was brought out on a stretcher.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF WILLIAM SMITH, LAKE WORTH POLICE: They saw eyes. They began to uncover rocks that were piled on top. They saw movement. And in fact discovered the child alive, which is -- Mayor Drautz described it accurately as a miracle, which it certainly is.

At that point, we brought in medical personnel that responded. They described the condition of the child as good.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CANDIOTTI: Investigators say the little girl identified her alleged attacker. Police have charged 17-year-old Belagro (ph) Cunningham. The state attorney's office tells us he will be treated as an adult. He is arrested for attempted murder, sexual battery and false imprisonment.

For now, we know little more about this young man, although he was staying at that house for only about four months, police tell us, and that he is not related to his alleged victim. Again, the 8-year- old had been spending the night there with her godmother. He will make his first appearance in court tomorrow morning.

But again back out here live now, again, trying to point to you this landfill. It is closed. It is not open to the public. It says no trespassing. The signs are posted everywhere. So the question is, among many others police have, is how did he get in there? Obviously he could get over the fence, but how could he have done that with the little girl?

There is a hole in the fence, we are told. Police, again, are slow to release some of the details. But we will learn more as the days go on. Back to you, Carol.

LIN: Susan, it looks like a huge landfill. How were they able to isolate this one location where they found the girl?

CANDIOTTI: Police credit this veteran police officer, who works on the S.W.A.T. team, as just being very alert and not leaving any stone uncovered. He looked in that dumpster, as he would have looked anywhere, they said, but something led him there, police say. He looked into the dumpster. They said a lot of people may have just held their nose and turned away. But he decided to look inside it.

It's also important to note where this landfill is located. It turns out it's just a few blocks from where the little girl had been staying. So it was in the vicinity of this massive search area. At least 100 officers have been out looking for her since about 3:30 this morning.

LIN: Susan, that girl is lucky to be alive. Thank God she's going to be home safe and sound. Thank you very much. Susan Candiotti, reporting live.

Well, Idaho authorities are still baffled over a triple murder mystery that has left two children missing for a week now. CNN's Alina Cho is in Coeur D'Alene with the very latest there.

Alina, do you have anything new on the search?

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESOPNDENT: Well, unfortunately not, Carol. You know, every here, as you know, is waiting for that one big break in the case, something that will lead them to Dylan and Shasta Groene. But so far, Carol they have very few clues to go on.

Here is what we can tell you, critical pieces of evidence have actually been hand-carried to the FBI land in Quantico, Virginia. Now, that lab is normally closed on a Sunday, but it is open today so that it can begin processing evidence.

FBI profilers are also on the scene now. And we have learned that investigators found evidence in every single room of the home where the bodies of the children's mother, 13-year-old brother, and the mother's boyfriend were found on Monday night. Family members, however, say they have put aside their grief for now, so they can focus their efforts to finding the two children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JENNIFER INWOOD, COUSIN OF MISSING CHILDREN: Driving into town and seeing their faces up on billboards, seeing amber alerts and having the people in the community just reach out to us has meant so much. And it's just, you know -- that's the most important thing. We just ask America to stick with us.

You know, as the days go on, if we don't find these kids immediately, keep looking. Look in the faces of the children that you see in the supermarket, look in the faces of the kids that pass you on the street. Think about what you would do if this is your child. And just, please, be our eyes and ears throughout the country.

And the country, so far, has just done a great job of stepping forward. And I don't -- you know, it's just made us that much stronger and helps us just keep going.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHO: Family members have also released new photos of 8-year-old Shasta Groene. She is a beautiful little girl, as you know Carol, waist length auburn hair, green eyes, slight build, just 40 pounds and 3'10" tall. Her brother Dylan, 9 years old, also missing of course, blond hair, crewcut, blue eyes, 60 pounds and four feet tall. The two children have not been seen for exactly a week.

Now, investigators are pouring through these hundreds of tips, 800 of them in all. And an additional 12 tips have come in, Carol, since the family appeared on "America's Most Wanted" last night -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Alina Cho, let's hope they find those kids really soon. Thank you.

Well overseas, an attack on a U.S. patrol ends deadly in Afghanistan. The U.S. military says a gun battle erupted last night after insurgents sneaked across the Pakistani border and opened fire on the patrol. As many as a dozen insurgents were reported killed. And also killed were eight Afghan troops, one American soldier was wounded.

Afghanistan's president is defending himself against accusations that he's doing little to fight the country's enormous heroin trade. Now the "New York Times" reports that U.S. officials warned in an internal memo that the poppy eradication program in Afghanistan is failing, in part because of Karzai.

Before addressing graduates at Boston University today, Karzai answered that charge on CNN's "LATE EDITION."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARMID KARZAI, PRESIDENT OF AFGHANISTAN: We have done our job. The Afghan people have done our job. Now the international community must come and provide alternative revunue to the Afghan people, which they have not done so far. Let us stop this blame game. Instead of blaming Afghanistan, the international community must now come and fulfill its own objective to the Afghan people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: President Karzai is sure to bring up the matter to President Bush when the two leaders meet at the White House tomorrow.

Well, attempts to defuse anti-American sentiment in the Middle East backfired for first lady Laura Bush. Mrs. Bush was besieged by protesters when she showed up at two sacred sites in Jerusalem today.

CNN White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux was there with the first lady during her chaotic visit.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was a chaotic scene surrounding the first lady. As Mrs. Bush began her visit to the Dome of the Rock, one of Islam's holiest sites, a crowd formed. She approached the mosque as is custom wearing a headscarf and taking her shoes off at the door. Then an angry man shouted, you don't belong in the mosque. I stood beside her as Israeli press clamored to get inside. Grabbing a secret service agent, I was pulled in. Inside the shrine, it was calm. But when stepped out of the mosque, the heckling resumed. How dare you come in here? How dare you hassle our Muslims, one yelled. Secret service agents closed in around Mrs. Bush as both Israeli journalists and Palestinians tried to penetrate the first lady's inner circle. At that point, Israeli police created a human linked chain around her security detail. Throughout, Mrs. Bush was poised and calm. But around her, tensions reached a point where I saw an Israeli policeman draw his gun as a young boy who was running towards Mrs. Bush. The first lady's motorcade whisked her away. It wasn't the first of the day.

Earlier, the first lady at a Western Wall. Following tradition, she placed a prayer note in the wall. But she didn't find calm there, either. Dozens of young Israeli women standing behind me shouted for the release of Jonathan Pollard, an American serving a life sentence for spying for Israel. Mrs. Bush did not react to the commotion. Later she reflected on the day's events.

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: So I am really glad to be here, but I also know that especially the American press who are here with me see what an emotional place this is. As we go from each one of these very, very holy spots to the next. And, it's a -- we're reminded again of what we all want, what every one of us pray for.

MALVEAUX: The first lady says that is peace. As for the day's events, the secret service put out a statement saying nothing out of the ordinary happened. Clearly, Mrs. Bush got a taste of the passions some feel regarding U.S.-Middle East policy.

Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, rivers of lava heading to the sea. Coming up, the lava flows putting on a spectacular show on an Ecuadorian island.

And later...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I remember several thuds which hit my leg, and some around hit the wall around me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: From the front lines, how one marine survived an intense firefight in Fallujah after being wounded numerous times.

Also the political fight over stem cell research and the showdown it may set up between the president and his own party.

Also among the most popular stories this hour on CNN.com, the kidnapped girl in Florida is found alive. Former Dallas Cowboy running back David Lang is shot to death. And protesters surround Laura Bush on her trip to Jerusalem.

Click on CNN.com for details.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: News in our "World Wrap" tonight, the death toll is rising in Chile. The bodies of five more soldiers were found in the Andes today. They were part of a group caught unprepared in a freak blizzard while on a training mission. 21 bodies have been discovered so far. 24 Chilean soldiers are still missing.

A ribbon of molten lava from an erupting volcano is providing an unexpected benefit in Ecuador's Galapagos Islands. The natural spectacle on uninhabited Fernandina Island has caught the fascination of tourists. The volcano began spewing ash and lava nine days ago.

And more than 700 raced over the Great Wall of China yesterday. The annual marathon attracted competitors from 35 countries, including a couple of romantics. Despite the exhausting route that includes four miles of the ancient wall itself, one couple got engaged after they finished the race.

And history being made on the Korean peninsula. South Korea is shipping thousands of tons of fertilizer to North Korea by land and sea. Today, for the first time in 21 years, a North Korean cargo ship docked in South Korea.

Well, some call all the posturing and campaigning in the race for the White House a circus, including filmmaker turned author Alexandra Pelosi. Her new book "Sneaking Into the Flying Circus" looks at how the media turned presidential campaigns into what she calls freak shows. And she's with me now in New York to talk about it.

Hi there, Alexandra.

ALEXANDRA PELOSI, AUTHOR: Hi. Thanks for having me on.

LIN: A pleasure to have you.

In reading your book, it was very funny, but very cynical. I mean, especially as a member of the media looking inside, and knowing what it is you were talking about. You say in your book, the minute you get assigned to cover a campaign, you become a part of the process, a pawn in the campaign game. What exactly is the process to you?

PELOSI: Well, basically when I was assigned to cover my first presidential campaign in 2000, a CNN producer said to me, hey, kid, I've been doing it for 20 years, just do what I do. And that was how I figure out when you cover a campaign, you're part of the process. And there's this dance between the reporters covering the campaign and the candidates that they're covering.

The book was just trying to explain to people, you know, give them some context of where they get their news, where it's coming from. Most people don't have an idea of the sort of elite fraternity of a traveling press corps and how much that influences the media that they get.

LIN: Well, certainly not to accuse CNN of lacking original reporting from the campaign trail, but you're saying that it's a herd mentality, right?

PELOSI: Yeah. I mean, this is nothing new. People have known this for some time. But it's just sort of the latest account of how in bed the networks are with the candidates that they cover. That is not to say there aren't some of the best journalists I've ever met in my life. Candy Crowley of CNN is my hero. Someday, if I grow up, I want to be Candy. So, it's not that there aren't great jounralists out there. It's a little bit like Abu Ghraib, there's some good eggs and some bad eggs.

LIN: Let's talk specifics. I mean, networks and newspapers have been around since the -- well, maybe not networks, but certainly the newspapers have been around since the dawn of a campaign. How would you like to see a campaign covered then? Give me a specific example.

PELOSI: Well, I'd like to see more people get off their couch and actually go out to an event themselves and not take everything from their television set.

LIN: Yeah, but a lot of times you are rounded up and there's a pool situation, meaning there's one camera in a photo op and everybody else has to be in a separate room taking in the feed.

PELOSI: Yes, that's a terrible situation. Because you have one set of eyes watching for the whole world. I always think that's dangerous.

I think that, you know, the press should be able to have more access to the candidates and not just take what's spoon-fed to them. I think that's the real danger when your covering the campaign.

LIN: What's your favorite spoon-fed story.

PELOSI: Oh, God. Every single day it's spoon-fed.

LIN: Come on, come on, come on, come on. I mean, because people who are watching right now, they have not been on the campaign trail. I know what your talking about. But give me a funny moment or a typical moment where America's not getting the news that the campaign is managing the reporters, the reporters are going along, because they need the job and they can't afford to be, you know, kicked out of the campaign and kicked off the bus, because then they're out of a job.

PELOSI: It's more examples of things they don't say on television that I think would give you a better idea of who the candidates are that they can't say on TV, because...

LIN: Like what?

PELOSI: OK. I was on the campaign trail. And one of the candidates I saw pick up a half-eaten hamburger off of somebody else's play plate. And then, a couple hours later, my producer came out of the men's room and told me that he saw one of the candidates using a urinal and eating the half-eaten hamburger that he had pulled out of his pocket.

LIN: OK, but how does that -- how does that further a greater democracy, Alexandra.

PELOIS: Well, I just think that there's certain examples of -- if you take Howard Dean, for example, he was someone who was very misunderstood. And all people saw was that infamous scream. And if you take that, and that's the only image you get of the candidate, it's not really a true portrait of who he is. You need a little more context. And I think, if there were more stories along the way that gave you a feeling of who these people were and let them talk instead of just taking little bites of them and taking them out of context, I think...

LIN: Is your mother, the Democratic leader of the House there? I mean, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, can she take a few tips from you? What advice would you give mom?

PELOSI: Oh, she wouldn't listen to me. I don't listen to her when she tells me what to do, and she doesn't listen to me when...

LIN: Maybe we're experiencing your teenage rebellion, Alexandra. Who knows? But anyway, great reading and really informative. You know, you do tell it like it is. So, a pleasure to have you. Thanks so much.

PELOSI: Thank you.

LIN: Well, a possible break in the cycle of bombings in Iraq. Straight ahead, what role one of the leading opposition clerics Muqtada al Sadr is playing in helping to defuse the violence.

Also an incredible story in Iraq, how a marine survived a vicious firefight, wounded as he helped rescue fellow marines.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK0

LIN: Well, every week we like to bring you the more personal stories from the frontlines. Today we hear a riveting account of a brutal battle in falluja from a marine who was in the thick of it all, a man who put his life on the line to save others and soon discovered he, too, needed to be rescued.

More now from CNN's Casey Wian.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE; That catwalk that was over the living room went 360 degrees around.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): First Sergeant Brad Kasal listens as his buddy Lieutenant Grigg (ph) fills in details about what happened in that day in Fallujah last November, the day he was shot over and over again and nearly lost his life.

Two young Marines listened intently as well. They saved Kasal's life by carrying him to safety.

LANCE CPL. CHRISTOPHER MARQUEZ, U.S. MARINE CORPS: 1st Sergeant Kasal was a tough Marine. He got shot 7 times, took like over 40 pieces of shrapnel in him and he was still, like, able to do his job and get his job done.

WIAN: Five days into the Fallujah offensive, Kasal found himself literally looking down the barrel of an AK-47 as he tried to rescue wounded Marines in a house.

FIRST SGT. BRAD KASAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS: I just took my M-16 and I stuck it over his AK. And put it right in between his arms and right up against his chest. And my put my barrel and started pulling trigger. And I pulled it eight, nine, maybe 10 times before he finally went down to the ground.

WIAN: Kasal turned, yelling for cover. As he did, a barrage of automatic gunfire.

KASAL: I remember several thugs just hitting my leg. And several rounds hitting the wall all around me. And after about the fourth or fifth thud that hit my leg, my leg just collapsed out from underneath me. And I fell to the ground.

WIAN: Behind him, another Marine had been hit.

KASAL: I crawled back out into the line of fire. And I remember as soon as I did that, rounds just started hitting all around me again. And I grabbed Nicol's (ph) sleeve and pulled him down and started dragging him out of the line of fire.

WIAN: Kasal took another bullet in the back side. He was losing blood quickly, but still managed to get a tourniquet onto the wounded Marine beside him. Then Kasal saw a grenade.

KASAL: I rolled over on top of him, covered him up. And then the grenade went off.

WIAN: Kasal was peppered with shrapnel, but both Marines survived the blast. Kasal has been recommended for a medal for bravery but says the young Marines who rescued him are the real heroes.

Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Members of the new Iraqi government under attack once again. Today, three employees of the Iraqi Finance Ministry were gunned down in their cars north of Baghdad, and a high-ranking official in the Trade Ministry was assasinated in Baghdad this morning.

There was news of some diplomacy in Iraq today, though. Aides to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr held talks with Sunni leaders in an effort to stem escalating violence between the two groups. Sunni officials say more meetings are planned.

And three Romanian journalists who were kidnapped in March by insurgents have been freed, along with their Iraqi-American translator. Romanian officials say they were rescued. But al Jazeera television reports the hostages were freed by their kidnappers.

The Senate showdown is set to begin over filibusters. Coming up, what's at stake and why both sides say they have the votes to win the battle.

Also, the battle brewing over stem cell research funding, and the president's vow to veto the bill backed by millions of Americans.

Later, "Star Wars" smashes the competition and records at the box office. The movie and the amazing tribute from one fan to the Star Wars series. You're watching CNN LIVE SUNDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Welcome back. Here's what's happening right now in the news.

Police say a teenager has confessed to abducting, sexually battering and trying to kill an 8-year-old Lake Worth, Florida, girl. The child vanished from her godmother's home this morning. Searchers found her buried alive in an abandoned landfill, her hand sticking out of a dumpster. She was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

First lady Laura Bush encounters anti-U.S. protesters in Jerusalem. Israeli Jews demonstrated near her at the Western Wall today. Later, an angry Muslim crowd briefly surrounded her and her Secret Service detail at the Dome of the Rock.

Mexico's president stops just short just of an apology for saying Mexicans in the U.S. take jobs that quote, "not even blacks want." In a radio interview with civil rights interview leader Jesse Jackson, Vicente Fox says his recent comment was misinterpreted and he regrets that.

One of the biggest battles on Capitol Hill could play out in less than 48 hours. Democrat and Republican senators are in a heated dispute over President Bush's judicial nominees and the Democrats' right to filibuster them. A showdown is expected on Tuesday when Republicans plan to put one of those nominees up for a vote.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is live at the White House. So Elaine, what are the next few days going to be like?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, certainly a lot of crucial meetings going on, Carol. Hello to you.

Certainly there are a lot of dimensions to this fight. And while the debate right now is centering on one nominee, Priscilla Owen, many see this as a test case for President Bush's future judicial picks, including any nominations down the road to the Supreme Court.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: After days of heated debate last week on Justice Priscilla Owen, President Bush's nominee for the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Senate could vote on Tuesday whether to do away with the judicial filibuster. The tactic, a Senate tradition more than 200 years old, keeping nominations in limbo, by allowing senators to debate indefinitely. Leaders on both sides say they have the support to win.

SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL, (R) KENTUCKY: We'll go through the night Monday night to make sure everyone has an opportunity to express themselves, and then Tuesday morning we'll have that vote.

I feel very comfortable we're going to have the votes. It's an issue that is so important to this country.

QUIJANO: Democrats call any move to wipe out judicial filibusters the nuclear option, because of its politically explosive nature. They want to continue using filibusters to block judicial nominations. And say if Republicans follow through, Democrats will slow Senate business to a crawl. But moderates from both parties are trying to hammer out a compromise with a crucial face-to-face meeting set for Monday.

SEN. JOE LIEBERMAN, (D) CONNECTICUT: I think as we get close to that moment of truth, when Senator Frist says he's going to push that nuclear button, we centrists are going to come together and find common agreement.

QUIJANO: As for President Bush, the White House says he does not want to interfere in Senate's procedures, although, the president himself recently said it's the Senate's duty to give his nominees an up or down vote.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: But the situation is delicate a one for President Bush. At a time when he is looking to get ambitious legislation passed on Social Security and other issues, an explosion on the filibuster fight would only make it harder to get his agenda pushed through Congress -- Carol.

LIN: All right. Thanks very much. Elaine Quijano live from the White House.

All right. It seems like we've been filibustering the filibuster. It hasn't even happened yet. But at CNN, it is a big story. And there are stories behind the stories, which is why I love talking with CNN political analyst Carlos Watson, because he always has a "Fresh Take" on the big stories. Carlos?

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hey, Carol, how are you?

LIN: I'm doing just great. You are actually hearing word about a phoenix rising from the fire of this filibuster fight. Are we hearing about an old name maybe assuming a bigger role in the Senate?

WATSON: What if I were to tell you that a former Senate majority leader who left that role somewhat disgraced in 2002 after some racially insensitive remarks may in fact make a comeback when all this filibuster fight is said and done.

Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, who, as you recall, was deposed in 2002 after some very controversial comments, quietly has made an early ever to try and find a compromise. And really in general kind of bolstered, if you will, his image among some Senate Republicans who remember that he was a guy, who, for all of his shortcummings maybe, was a guy that often was able to reach compromise with Democrats. So don't be surprised to hear a little bit more about him after this fight is over.

LIN: Boy. You know, when you were telling us that behind the scenes and we were actually shocked. So that would be pretty interesting to come out of the filibuster fight.

Someone else, though, also brightening their political star in this battle.

WATSON: If on the one hand, we have got Trent Lott, who is a veteran, who has been in Congress for 30 years, we have got a relative newcomer, John Cornyn, freshman Senator from Texas, who may have as a result of his efforts on behalf of the president, not only in this filibuster fight, but overall in terms of his reelection campaign in '04 and judges. Cornyn a former Supreme Court -- Texas Supreme Court -- justice and a former Texas attorney general, could be the kind of guy, who given all his efforts on this fight and other places, may ultimately get rewarded, believe it or not, with higher office. Whether that's one day being nominated for an openings on the U.S. Supreme Court.

LIN: Really? A virtual unknown, though, a freshman Senator?

WATSON: Very much so. You know, Arlan Specter, chairman of the Senate Judicial Committee said to me several weeks ago that he expected the White House would not only look at current judges, but also at Senators and Governors for any openings on the Supreme Court.

So, Cornyn's not the kind of guy who may get the first opening, but if there's a second or third opening, while you'll hear a lot about Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, don't be surprised to start hearing some people say, if we really want a different choice, let's look at John Cornyn a former Texas Supreme Court justice.

LIN: And reward for good behavior on Capitol Hill if all things turn President Bush's way.

In the meantime, I have got to ask you about an event that went off the radar. But I think you've got an interesting tack on this. There was a demonstration of a couple hundred dollars people in Cuba, something that virtually never happens. All right. This was a demonstration by opposition leaders inside of Cuba against Fidel Castro. What do you think this means?

WATSON: Well, you know, it's hard to tell. But since 1959 when Fidel Castro took over, open opposition has been nonexistent. But this past week we saw, as you said, some 200 demonstrator openly protest his policies. And it could be as significant, maybe, as what we saw in Poland some 25 years ago when Lech Walesa, the union solidarity leader began a small protest that ultimately grew into something much more significant.

LIN: Yeah. You're talking about the fall of Communism, but why would you see that with just a couple hundred dollars people. And also, even in the past, say with Tiananmen Square, mass -- small demonstration grew into mass demonstration, not much initially came from that, though.

WATSON: Although, you know, China has changed. And it certainly is changed, if as significantly politically, certainly economically, as you recall since Tianmen Square. And so, may that's the other route you may see here with Cuba. This may be a segue towards Cuba, which has a very high literacy rate -- 97 percent -- is very active, particularly in the biotech industry, they've invested more than a billion dollars in building new cancer drugs and other things and they've partnered with China with India, and even with a U.S. company. You might see them become a place where even if political liberallization doesn't happen, there may be more economic liberalization, something to watch over the next year or two.

LIN: All right. Speaking of something to watch, there was really interesting statements made by Steve Ballmer regarding Microsoft's gay benefits policies, all right, in recognizing gay partnerships. You see something else, though. I mean, you never -- when was the last time you actually saw a CEO, a businessperson making such a political stand, as withdrawing -- recognizing gay rights within the company, withdrawing benefits from these couples?

WATSON: Well, you know, what's very interesting, Carol, is your suggestiong Steve Ballmer, the CEO of Microsoft, now one of our largest companies, sent out an e-mail saying that the company would back legislation in the state of Washington which would provide more rights and protections to gay couples and gay individuals. That's significant because, you know, when you think about a controversial social battle like this, you don't think of a corporate CEO.

We also saw yesterday, by the way, the CEO of General Electric Jeff Immelt, write an op ed talking about alternative fuels, whether that's clean coal or hydrogen-based fuel cells, or other sorts of things.

We also saw the CEO over the last month or so, saw the CEO of General Motors weigh in on the healthcare debate. And I'm sure Hillary Clinton was thinking, where were you when I needed you 10 years ago?

But I think when you take all of these back, some of these have to do with the economic interests of the various companies, GE and GM in particulary, but also I think you see CEOs in this post-Enron world reengaging in politics. And you may hear about several of them, including Carlie Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, as potential candidates in upcoming elections. So stay tuned for the return of the Lee Iaccoca, Ross Perot political CEO.

LIN: Well, in some cases, good politics may mean good business, Carols.

WATSON: You bet.

LIN: That's a whole other story.

Carlos, thank you so much. Thanks for presenting on all these issues.

All right. In the meantime, another battle is intensifying in Washington. President Bush is threatening to veto a bill now pending in the House that would loosen limits for funding of embryonic stem cell research, but the bill is gaining momentum on Capitol Hill, due to recent advances in stem cell research that potentially could revolutionize medicine. CNN's J.J. Ramberg takes a closer look at the debate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JJ RAMBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just crossing the street can be an ordeal for Robert Klein.

ROBERT KLEIN: You have to find a curb cut, you have to go to the corner, you have to like, be very careful. There's buses that don't see you.

RAMBERG: Five years ago, Klein was in a diving accident that left him paralyzed. But he's hoping scientists will discover a cure through research conducted on embroynic stem cells.

KLEIN: It would change my life. I would be able to go for the run in the morning and go to work and work all day.

RAMBERG: In 2001, President Bush banned federally funded research on embryonic stem cell lines developed after August of that year.

(on camera): As early as Tuesday the House may vote to ease those restrictions, allowing scientists to use excess embryos created through in-vitro fertilization for research.

(voice-over): But even if the bill makes it through Congress, it may not become law.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The use of federal money, taxpayers' money to promote science which destroys life in order to save life is -- I'm against that, and therefore, if the bill does that, I will veto it.

RAMBERG: Despite the veto threat, 200 House members are cosponsoring the legislation.

SEAN TIPTON, STEM CELL RESEARCH ADVOCATE: I think we can look for ways that the White House can find a way to say yes to providing hope for millions of Americans.

RAMBERG: The debate around using embryonic stem cells is heated. One side argues that scientists need access to start finding cures to spinal cord injuries and a host of diseases. The other side says using embryos is immoral.

REP. CHRIS SMITH, (R) NEW JERSEY: We don't kill embryos. We ought to nurture them and not kill them.

RAMBERG: Robert Klein is looking past the political debate. He's more concerned with preparing himself for what he hopes lies ahead.

KLEIN: I'm aware of how well I'm maintaining my body in the hopes that when there is a way to get into the central nervous system, the spinal cord, that my body will be ready for it, too.

ARMBERG: J.J. Ramberg, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: An American doctor who assisted South Korean scientists on the stem cell project talks with me later tonight about the significance of this breakthrough. That's on CNN SUNDAY NIGHT, 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific.

One man's -- one woman's incredible story of courage in her fight to beat autism. Coming up, the daily struggles with autism in the woman's own words as she battles the disease. It is an oscar- nominated documentary.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Here's some of what's happening across America.

It really is rocket scientists, or at least rocket science -- students from Farmington, Minnesota, won the Team American Rocketry Challenge yesterday at Virginia's Great Meadows Race Course. Hundreds of teenagers took part. The winner launched it in just under a minute with a payload of two unbroken raw eggs.

Police credit a skillful pilot for saving the lives of his passengers and golfers outside Boise, Idaho. A small plane in trouble made an emergency landing yesterday on a golf course fairway. The plane's wings were torn off, but no one was hurt.

And you still have a chance to wince $180 million Powerball jackpot if you buy a ticket by Wednesday. No one matched all six correct numbers last night in the multistate lottery.

The woman you are about to meet has spent years battling her worst enemy -- herself. Sue Rubin is a disabled rights advocate and a college student with a top I.Q., but she also suffers autism. Tonight at 8:00 Eastern on "CNN PRESENTS," an oscar-nominated film shows how Rubin has come so far in her ongoing struggle with the disorder. You're going to hear her story -- excuse me, in her own words voiced by...

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NARRATOR: I am a junior at Whittier College, majoring in history. I attend classes with Ashley (ph), my friend and support staff.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Okay, you ready to go to type.

SUE RUBIN: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One.

SUE RUBIN: One.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Two.

SUE RUBIN: Two.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Three.

NARRATOR: Ashley takes notes for me and is available when I want to communicate.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Randy Caldera (ph), Jennifer Westlake (ph), Mike Rozeek (ph), Chris Shaw (ph), Sue Rubin ...

SUE RUBIN: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Suli Vega (ph).

The first we are going to do is we are going to start talking a little about ideologies and philosophies that were brought into play by the arrival of colonialism, first, and then the rise of the nationalist movement in various parts of the Arab World.

NARRATOR: Autism is a constant struggle. It takes every ounce of energy I have to sit somewhat quietly during a two hour lecture.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... known as nationalist movements.

NARRATOR: I love learning, yet being looked upon as feeble- minded is something I have been forced to endure my whole life.

Actually, in the times I am not fully-engaged in school, I find I am more susceptible to awful autism.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: That's just a taste of Sue Rubin's remarkable story. In an Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Gerry Wortzberg and CNN take a rare look at autism through the words of a young woman who lives with it. "CNN PRESENTS: Autism Is a World" tonight at 8:00 Eastern.

Stunning numbers from "Star Wars" this weekend, smashing box office records. Coming up, an amazing fan tribute to the "Star Wars" movie that was in the years in the making.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HAYDEN CHRISTENSSEN, ACTOR: This is where the fun begins.

EWAN MCGREGOR, ACTOR: Let them past between us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Fans are lining up to see Anakin, and George Lucas is making money to burn. The final installment of the "Star Wars" saga has blown away box office records. "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" earned $50 million when it opened Thursday, and since then the total has hit a $158 million. The buzz for it is phenomenal. One online site is selling eight movie tickets per second.

"Star Wars" fans are some of the most intense, you might say, and dedicated in the galaxy. One even spent $20,000 of his own money just to make a tribute film. Our Daniel Sieberg introduces us to this Star Wars fanatic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Just another space acrobatic shot from the bearded creator of Star Wars, right? No, not that bearded creator. This one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Switching auxilary power to forward shields.

SIEBERG: To call Shane Felux just a Star Wars fan is like calling George Lucas just a director. Shane spent nearly three years and $20,000 of his own money to produce Star Wars: Revelations, his homage to the epic sci-fi tales.

The 40 minute film is arguably the most ambitious such fan project this galaxy has ever seen.

SHANE FELUX, DIRECTOR, "REVELATIONS": There's never going to be a point in which enough time or enough money to ever make a film. So I just said, look, I'm just going to take a gulp of air. We're just going to jump and just see what happens and work through it. And the end result, Revelations.

SIEBERG: The tale of this epic fan movie began in 2002 when Shane, who produced, directed, and co-stars, bought a digital video camera on eBay. Eventually, he maxed out his credit cards and took out a second mortgage to bring his lifelong dream to the screen. Shane's dream included his wife, Dawn Cowings, who wrote the script and helped with costumes.

Fandom runs deep here including 3-year-old son Ian. Family cars with Anakin and Millenium Falcon license plates. In fact, Shane and Dawn met each other on line in a Star Wars chat room. DAWN COWINGS, WRITER, "REVELATIONS": Yes, yes, it's sad. But true. No, we did. We were just talking because we were friends and we were both really interested in Star Wars.

SIEBERG: The pair decided "Revelations" would follow the Jedi story line between the current "Revenge of the Sith" and the 1977 Star Wars, "A New Hope."

FELUX: This is Panic-Struck Productions. This where the whole thing is cut and fabricated.

SIEBERG: Shane's lavish production facilities are actually just a couple of computers in the basement office of his Northern Virginia town home. But funds, or lack of them, forced them to work on a shoestring.

(on camera): Shane and Dawn didn't exactly have a travel budget for their film so they shot at various locations in their home like in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C., including this rock quarry.

So how did they turn this -- into this? The short answer is tireless dedication. Shane worked with his team for countless hours. A four to five second scene could take a long as two months to complete, even with volunteer artists from around the world.

FELUX: Sweden, UK, Canada, California, Seattle, Boston, Australia, Lithuania. "Revelations" would not be made possible without the Internet. I mean, it's a powerful tool and a resource. And that's how I got almost all of my people to participate in this film, for finding talented individuals, creating a community online.

SIEBERG (voice-over): But while new technology was key to creating the movie, Shane still wanted something very old school.

(on camera): A multithousand dollar blockbuster, at least in the fan film world, it cries out for a big screen premier. And Shane got one of the biggest screens on the east coast. Here at the Senator Theater in Baltimore.

(voice-over): On April 16, complete with Storm Troopers, R2D2 and red carpet, "Revelations" had its unique premier.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be no talking during the presentation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have served me well.

SIEBERG: So how does Darth Vader's creator, George Lucas, feel about fan films like "Revelations?" Well, he encourages them. As long as they don't slander the Star Wars name or aren't used for profit. Shane says he hopes Lucas will notice what he has been able to do with limited cash and give him a chance to work with the big time Hollywood budget.

FELUX: Hopefully, he might enjoy it and say let's hire the kid. But if not, it was a heck a ride. We had a good time. SIEBERG: And that undaunted optimism seems right in line with the Star Wars mythology.

Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Northern Virginia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, that's all the time we have this hour. Coming up next, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" today profiling Donald Trump, the unlikely star of the reality TV show, "The Apprentice. At 8:00 Eastern, a special "CNN PRESENTS: Autism is a World." It takes a rare look at Autism through the eys of a young woman who lives with it. At 9:00 Eastern, "LARRY KING WEEKEND." And Larry's guest, super model Petra Nemcova and her amazing story of survival when the South Asia tsunami hit. And I'll be back at 10:00 Eastern tonight. The American doctor working on the stem cell breakthrough.

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