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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Missing Boy Found in Utah; Edgar Ray Killen Convicted of Manslaughter; Interview with Vietnamese Prime Minister
Aired June 21, 2005 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Happening now: Cold and thirsty, but alive four days after he vanished, searchers find a young boy in the rugged wilderness of Utah.
Also happening now: Is the president backing away from the key and most controversial aspect of his Social Security reform plan?
Stand by for hard news on WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(voice-over): Vietnam visits: Still some hard feelings as a White House guest makes history and the president plans his own trip.
Verdict...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Edgar Ray Killen, the jury has found you guilty of manslaughter in counts one, counts two, and counts three.
BLITZER (voice-over): Exactly 41 years after the killings of three civil rights workers, a measure of justice in Mississippi.
Schwarzenegger's slide: A new poll shows a stunning drop in popularity. Will his political career be terminated?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANNOUNCER: This is WOLF BLITZER REPORTS for Tuesday, June 21, 2005.
BLITZER: Thanks very much for joining us.
A Utah family's four-day nightmare is over. Eleven-year-old Brennan Hawkins has been found. CNN's Ted Rowlands is joining us now from Summit County in Utah with all the dramatic developments -- Ted?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What an amazing survival story of an 11-year-old boy missing since last Friday evening in the rugged wilderness in Utah. He was gone without a trace, vanished from a Boy Scout camp and today, just after noon mountain time, he was found.
Found in a rural area by volunteers searching on horse back. This is an area about five miles away from where Brennan Hawkins was last seen. He was cold. He said he was very thirsty and hungry and he said he wanted to see his mother. He has seen his whole family. He's with his family tonight, safe and sound.
Here is some of the emotional reaction to the discovery of Brennan Hawkins alive and well.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB HAWKINS, UNCLE: Brennan has been found. He's in very good condition. They're assessing him. They're going to be taking him to a hospital. Toby and Jody and their children are on the site with Brennan and it's going from there. It is excellent news. We are all thrilled. We're so happy. What a power burst. We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of this.
SHERIFF DAVID EDMUNDS, SUMMIT COUNTY, UTAH: He didn't talk much at all. He just wanted something to eat. He wanted some water and obviously, in the next couple of days to the next couple weeks, we're going to sit down with him and chat with him and ask him what exactly happened, but he was in no mood to give us a lot details. He just wanted something to eat, wanted to see his mom.
After he got a couple of drinks in him, water and some food, he immediately wanted to play a video game on one of the searchers' cell phones.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: Sheriff Edmunds also said -- Sheriff Edmunds said that when he will saw Brennan reunited with his parents, it was one of the most emotional things he had ever seen in his life. Tonight, Sheriff Edmunds says that he -- Brennan is with his family at a hospital in Salt Lake City.
Here's more sound from an amazed sheriff who led this search over the last four days.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
EDMUNDS: He hadn't had anything to drink and we specifically asked him about that. Hadn't had much to drink at all. As soon as he got there he ate all the food they had on him, all the granola bars and everything. Obviously extremely hungry, downed a bunch of water.
Just, great to see that happen and the searchers were beside themselves with joy by the time I got up there. When they found him, he said he had seen the horses before and he was scared to approach them.
And he was -- very disoriented obviously and didn't know what to do. At some point he traversed that ridge. I don't know if it was the first night, second night -- I don't know when, but at some point he crossed that mountain, which seems unbelievable to me and certainly well outside the parameters that we initially set. It just -- it really blows all of the statistical data that we know out of the water.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROWLANDS: Now, unbelievable to a lot of people. As you might imagine, the volunteers who have spent these last four days searching for Brennan, very happy, elated tonight; honking their horns, waving their hands. These stories often come to such horrible conclusions. This one: A wonderful conclusion. Brennan Hawkins alive and well tonight, reunited with his family -- Wolf?
BLITZER: And he's in a hospital right now in Salt Lake City with his family? Is that right?
ROWLANDS: Correct. He is a bit dehydrated and as the sheriff said, they're going to give him the full once-over to make sure he is all right. But he was playing a game with one of the rescuer's cell phones shortly after he was rescued, after he had some granola bars and water.
Clearly, he is in much better health than anybody could have predicted the after spending this amount of time by himself, day and night, in the rugged wilderness here. Temperatures dipping down into the 30s at night, but he doesn't seem too much worse for wear. He was wearing the same sweatshirt and nylon shorts that he was last seen in.
BLITZER: So, is this simply a case of a young Boy Scout, this 11-year-old boy, simply wandering off from the rest of the group, getting lost in the wilderness out there, and walking around for four days until someone spotted him?
ROWLANDS: We don't know that yet. He did not talk about what led him either to leave or what the circumstances were about his departure from the enclosed Boy Scout camp where he was at. Those details, obviously, will come out in the days to come. We don't know what exactly happened to this young man, but we do know that he's alive and safe tonight.
BLITZER: But we don't have any indication that he was abducted and left out there? There's no indication of foul play as far as you know, is there, Ted?
ROWLANDS: Clearly not, but the sheriff made a point to say that they don't know the circumstances around why he left and what motivated him to keep walking over a massive ridge, which clearly he knew was -- or most likely knew was not part of the Boy Scout area. Those details, the sheriff said, will come out later and whether or not this was just a case of a wandering 11-year-old or if there was something more to the story we just don't know at this point.
But clearly, at this point, there's nothing in terms of details. The only thing we know is that he did survive this ordeal and is reunited with his family.
BLITZER: Ted Rowlands reporting for us. We'll check back with you as we get more information. Thank God the little boy is OK.
Friends of the Hawkins family had joined in the search for the boy. They were overjoyed to learn of the rescue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were hiking the river bottom, continuing the search just like Toby wanted us to do. The sheriff or search and rescue team leader, Shawn (ph) had us hold for a minute, their was some information coming over the radio. When, after about ten minutes, actually we saw some sheriffs' vehicles and an ambulance go down the road...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we gathered up and talked and said: Good or bad?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A couple minutes later, it was confirmed on the radio and Toby was on a dead run through the marsh to the sheriff's vehicle that was waiting. It was sent down the road and it was waiting for him. I don't think I could --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can't express it. There's no words.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think you can. I have four daughters of my own and I wouldn't be here anywhere else. I tried to explain it to him last night and it's just impossible to try to describe your feelings at this moment.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: We're standing by for additional news conference, additional developments in this story. We'll bring it to you as soon as we get them.
Other developments in the investigation into the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teenager who simply vanished in Aruba more than three weeks ago.
CNN's Karl Penhaul has the latest. He's joining us now, live from Palm Beach in Aruba.
What is the latest, Karl?
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the course of the day, Wolf, we've heard from the attorney who's acting for Natalee Holloway's family in this case and she has told us that police investigators here in Aruba have brought in behavioral and demeanor experts from the United States to sit in on the interrogations of the three young suspects, the last three known to have seen Natalee.
That seems to be an attempt to detect whether these young men are in fact lying in their interviews. We do know from law enforcement sources that there have been cracks in their stories, but polygraph tests aren't allowed here. So, it seems that, that is why these behavior experts have been brought in to observe.
We've also heard from law enforcement sources, in the course of the day, that the fourth suspect, Steve Croes was arrested on Friday because although he was initially interviewed as a witness, he had told police that he had seen the three young suspects drop off Natalee at the Holiday Inn and then as the young suspects' stories fell apart, that became evident that Steve Croes had been telling lies to the police, according to the law enforcement sources. That's why he's now being regarded as a suspect.
We've also talked to prosecutors, in the course of the day, asking them what the latest hypothesis is on Natalee, but they say they're still working on the hypothesis that she could be dead or alive. That she may be in Aruba or she may have been taken elsewhere, Wolf. They don't seem to be much closer to finding her.
BLITZER: CNN's Karl Penhaul, on the scene for us, as he has been almost from the start of this ordeal.
Karl, we'll check back with you. Thanks very much.
Here in the United States, 41 years to the day after three civil rights workers were slain in Mississippi, there was a verdict in the trial of a former Ku Klux Klansman accused of being responsible. Twenty-one-year-old James Chaney, 20-year-old Andrew Goodman and 24- year-old Michael Schwerner were investigating the burning of an African-American church. Their car was forced off the road and they were shot by a group of Klansmen.
Edgar Ray Killen, now 80, was accused of planning the attack. The jury delivered its verdict today in Philadelphia, Mississippi. That's where CNN's Ed Lavandera is joining us now live -- Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Wolf. Well, back in 1967, Edgar Ray Killen went to trial on a federal charge of civil rights violations for his connection with the murders of these three civil rights workers. That trial back then ended in a hung jury, the lone standout juror saying at that time that she couldn't convict a preacher.
But no longer, as a jury of 12 people here, nine whites and three blacks, convicted Edgar Ray Killen on three counts of manslaughter. Now, He faces up to 20 years in prison. The verdict -- a mixed reaction from all sides. Defense attorneys saying that they felt the jury was just answering to political and media pressure that has been following this case for the last 41 years, and some of the victims' families saying that they don't quite understand how the jury could have reached a verdict of guilty on manslaughter and not the more serious murder charges that Edgar Ray Killen was facing.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RITA BENDER, MICHAEL SCHWERNER'S WIDOW: The fact that some members of this jury could have sat through that testimony, indeed could have lived here all these years and could not bring themselves to acknowledge that these were murders, that they were committed with malice, indicates that there are still people, unfortunately, among you who choose to look aside, who choose to not see the truth.
BEN CHANEY, JAMES CHANEY'S BROTHER: I think that those who believe in peace won today. Some way, even on a small level. And I believe that we're going to have to continue to move forward. There's a lot of work to be done. This is not over with. MARK DUNCAN, NESHOBA COUNTY DA: We won't be painted or described and known throughout the world by a Hollywood movie anymore. Today, the people in Neshoba County have spoken up for themselves and told the world who we really are, and I'm proud to be one of you.
JAMES MCINTYRE, KILLEN'S ATTORNEY: The state got a manslaughter -- jury -- we objected to the manslaughter. We felt like the jury might compromise, which they did. And we knew he wasn't guilty of murder. And the jury compromised on it, and voted him guilty for manslaughter.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: You know, 41 years after this murder case -- the murders happened here in Philadelphia -- the case still causing great division here in this city. As the moments were read after the verdicts were read, we saw people around the courthouse here, some saying that it was about time this verdict had finally been reached, and actually, one person driving by the courthouse who said, had written on their car "Killen is not guilty" and that he should be a free man, another sign here of the division that this case has caused here over the last 41 years.
Now, Edgar Ray Killen will be brought back to the courthouse here in Philadelphia on Thursday, where he will be sentenced. And he faces up to 20 years in prison.
His defense attorney says it's just like a life sentence for an 80-year-old man -- Wolf.
BLITZER: All right, Ed Lavandera, on this historic day in Mississippi, thanks very much, Ed, for that report.
Plummeting polls and widespread protests. The honeymoon definitely over for Arnold Schwarzenegger. What went wrong for the California governor?
Historic visit. Vietnam's prime minister meeting with President Bush, a first-ever visit to the White House. He also sits down with me. My exclusive interview with the prime minister, Phan Van Khai. That's coming up next.
Operation Baby Lift. A massive mission to save Vietnamese children at the end of the war 30 years ago. One survivor shares her story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: A generation ago, there was war. A decade ago, the two former enemies established diplomatic relations. Now, Vietnam's prime minister has made history, with a first-ever visit to the White House. And despite some lingering protests, President Bush has promised a reciprocal visit of his own.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Prime minister graciously invited me to Vietnam. I will be going in 2006.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Shortly after they met, I sat down with Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai for an exclusive interview.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER (voice-over): The prime minister says he was very pleased by what he heard from President Bush, especially his support for Vietnam's admission into the World Trade Organization.
PHAN VAN KHAI, VIETNAMESE PRIME MINISTER (through translator): Yes. He expressed his strong support for Vietnam's accession. I think that is because Vietnam's WTO membership would not only be in the interest of Vietnam, but also would be in the interest of America, of the American business community.
BLITZER: Despite the bitterness of the war, he says it's time for both Americans and Vietnamese to move on.
PHAN (through translator): The war ended more than 30 years ago. And we believe that it is now time for us to look towards the future.
BLITZER: Still, he says it's not time yet for a Vietnamese leader to pay a visit to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington.
PHAN (through translator): I find this visit not really an appropriate time, and I'll save it for another visit.
BLITZER: He says he would first like President Bush next year during his visit to Vietnam to make a similar gesture to the Vietnamese people, whom he says suffered a lot more than the Americans.
PHAN (through translator): I believe that the two sides will continue to discuss that matter. But I would like to tell you that the sacrifices that the Vietnamese people had to endure and had to suffer is much greater than what America has had to.
BLITZER: He also made the point of thanking all the anti-Vietnam War protesters in the United States, who he says helped end the war.
PHAN (through translator): And I can recall that hundreds of thousands of American people took to the street in support of Vietnam during the war.
BLITZER: I asked him about the possibility that Vietnam move away from Communist Party rule.
(on camera): As you know, your critics will argue that communism in Vietnam, that you're on the losing side of history. Look at what happened in Russia, in Eastern Europe, Central Europe. Only a few communist regimes left -- Cuba, North Korea, China. Is it time to move away from communism?
PHAN (through translator): We have been shifting our economy from a centrally-planned economy to a market economy.
BLITZER (voice-over): Trade between the United States and Vietnam has jumped over the past five years, from $1.5 billion to $6.4 billion. But even as we spoke, demonstrators were outside the hotel, protesting what they charge are human rights abuses in Vietnam.
Well, one of them is quoted as saying this -- a Vietnamese- American who came here from Georgia -- he says, quote, "This guy --" referring to you -- "has no right to be here. He is a liar. He claims there is freedom in Vietnam, but there is no freedom." That's what this protester says.
PHAN (through translator): Well, the population of Vietnam is 83 million. We have 1.3 million Vietnam living in America. I do not know who this gentleman would represent.
BLITZER: And the prime minister made a point of his support for closer U.S.-Vietnamese relations.
(on camera): One little question on the flags that you're wearing on your lapel. When you look at that, the two flags right over there, what does that mean to you, wearing those two flags on your lapel?
PHAN (through translator): I find it very interesting, because we have been able to criticize the past and look toward the future.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: On the sensitive issue of religious persecution in Vietnam, he insisted there was no government effort to deny religious rights to anyone, although he said, sometimes, on the local level, improper activities do take hold.
When we come back, signs of a shift in the White House. Is the White House planning -- of changing its Social Security reform plan? We'll take a closer look at precisely what the president's position is right now.
Also, just months ago, he was riding a wave of broad bipartisan support, so why is Arnold Schwarzenegger's popularity now plummeting?
Plus, critical talks today between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders. We'll show you what's at stake and what has happened.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back.
In less than two months, Israel plans to pull out from Gaza. There's not a lot of time left to coordinate the withdrawal with the Palestinians. As fresh violence threatens a shaky cease-fire, the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, met today with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. CNN's Guy Raz reports from Jerusalem.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tuesday's talks were supposed to rekindle hope but neither Israelis nor Palestinians seem satisfied.
AHMED QOREI, PALESTINIAN PRIME MINISTER (THROUGH TRANSLATOR): What was presented to us was not satisfying. It was a difficult meeting. It was not up to the level of our expectations.
RAZ: Difficult, the Palestinian prime minister said, because few concrete matters were resolved. Palestinian officials wanted to talk about prisoners in Israeli jails and on-going Israeli settlement expansion in occupied areas. Israeli leaders wanted to talk about recent Palestinian militant attacks on Israeli targets.
ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): We heard good intentions from the Palestinian side, but we haven't seen action to stop terrorists.
RAZ: The two sides made vague commitments to cooperate on Israel's upcoming pullout from Gaza which is set to begin in eight weeks. Thousands of Israeli settlers and soldiers will be withdrawn from the occupied Gaza strip, a step both sides agree can help revive the U.S.-backed road map for Peace. In the meantime, Israel said it was prepared to hand over security control to Palestinian police in two West Bank cities.
(on camera): The talks were described as frank and lengthy, but after two hours at the negotiating table, Israelis and Palestinians simply agreed to meet again.
Guy Raz, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: For Israelis, the spotlight quickly shifted from the summit to a tragedy in the southern part of the country. Officials say at least seven people died when a passenger train collided with a large truck near the town of Kuriat Gat (ph). Nearly 200 others were injured. Passengers were thrown from the train. At least two of the cars were left as twisted wrecks. Air Force helicopters were called in to evacuate the victims. Police believe the crash was an accident.
A new development potentially in the Social Security battle. Is President Bush ready to back down on private accounts?
Puny poll numbers for California's governor. Is Arnold Schwarzenegger losing his star power?
And as the United States and Vietnam enter a new era, a member of our own CNN family has her own story about her Vietnamese childhood.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: From our studios in Washington, once again, Wolf Blitzer
BLITZER: Welcome back. Arnold Schwarzenegger's approval ratings plummeting. Why the actor turned governor seems to be losing support. We'll get to that. First, though, a quick check of other stories now in the news.
Our top story, 11-year-old Brennan Hawkins, the boy scout who had been missing four days in the Utah mountains has been found by rescuers. Authorities say the boy was weak and dehydrated but otherwise in good health. He'll be checked over at an area hospital.
Very good news for basketball fans. There will be no NBA lockout. After four consecutive days of talks, owners and players' representatives have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement to replace the current contract, which was due to expire at the end of the month.
You can check out CNN's most popular video of the day at cnn.com. Click on the video link at our Web site, look for the most popular video of the day. Watch it as many times as you want whenever you want. It's a new way to experience the power of CNN video. And it's free.
Significant signs today of a possible shift in President Bush's plan to overhaul Social Security. Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux is joining us with details -- Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, the White House categorically denies that this is a shift in policy, but the comments of one Senate Republican who first talked to the president and then talked to us are certainly raising some questions.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX (voice-over): Emerging from an hour long lunch and class photo with President Bush, republican senators made news. On Social Security. Senator Robert Bennett announced that President Bush encouraged him to go forward with his bill to overhaul Social Security that does not include the president's plan to establish private accounts.
SEN. ROBERT BENNETT, (R) UT: He just said I like your bill period. I'll take that.
MALVEAUX: Bennett says the president would prefer to keep private accounts in the Social Security legislation but that this may signal that the White House, struggling to win support, is opening the door to alternatives.
BENNETT: We have a lot of hope that we can use this bill to break the log jam and move forward on Social Security. We'll find out in the weeks to come, but it's nice to know that the president is on top of this and is fully aware of what we're doing and is encouraging me to go forward.
MALVEAUX: White House aides say the president is not abandoning private accounts but see Bennett's plan as a possible test case to see if democrats who refused to talk about overhauling Social Security unless private accounts are taken off the table are serious about reform.
NICOLLE DEVENISH, WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: This puts the ball back in their court and gives them an opportunity to really maybe put their money where their mouth has been.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: And a spokesman for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called the latest move by the White House a bait and switch -- Wolf.
BLITZER: What's the latest, Suzanne, on the nomination of John Bolton? Is the president ready to go around the Senate and have a recess appointment?
MALVEAUX: Well, certainly White House aides are talking about that as a possibility. We're also hearing word from Republicans on the Hill that that is a likely possibility. The president has not committed to that so far. There is some talk, as well as negotiations behind the scenes about some of those documents, that information, but certainly the president standing fast today behind his nominee. Also the Senate Republican leadership, as well.
BLITZER: Suzanne Malveaux at the White House, thanks, Suzanne, very much.
What a difference a year has made for the California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. His recall ride into office was on a wave of popular bipartisan support, but now he ranks among the state's most unpopular governors in modern times. So, what exactly has happened? CNN's Brian Todd has been looking into that question and is joining us now live. Brian?
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the analysts we spoke to say what happened is a cautionary tale in modern politics. That no matter how much moment you have going into office, if you pick too many fights with too many people at the same time, the tide can turn very quickly.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): A political honeymoon comes crashing down.
GOV. ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, (R) CA: I guarantee you that all of us in this building can share blame. All of us. Including myself.
TODD: Arnold Schwarzenegger responds to devastating poll numbers. Worse than Gray Davis had a year before he was recalled.
SCHWARZENEGGER: It's very clear what the people are basically saying to us is work together, do what you did so well last year. Work together and solve the problems together.
TODD: The Field Poll just released gives Governor Schwarzenegger an approval rating of just 37 percent among California's registered voters. Fifty-three percent disapprove. Still we above Davis's all time low just before the recall, but how did it get to this point for the Hollywood star who swaggered into Sacramento as a nonpartisan outsider.
DAN WALTERS, "SACRAMENTO BEE": The relationship began to erode when they got into a squabble over the state budget and Schwarzenegger came to believe he was being jerked around by the legislature, which they deny, of course. And ever since then, an escalating war.
TODD: Schwarzenegger's attempts to cut costs have also angered some important unions. He's gone against the firefighters over pension plans.
CROWD: Schwarzenegger's got to go.
TODD: Against nurses over staffing and has clashed with the teachers' union over funding and tenure, leading to some brutal political ads.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The governor's always running around talking about reform.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But to me, it sounds a lot more like breaking his word on education.
TODD: Schwarzenegger's aides tell CNN this ad campaign is largely the reason for his slide in the polls, but the governor so adept at managing his message has had some public embarrassments like last week when some in the crowd turned on him during a commencement address at Santa Monica Community College, his alma mater. And when he made one of his boldest political moves.
SCHWARZENEGGER: Today I signed the proclamation calling for a special election.
TODD: That was the same day of the Michael Jackson verdict and Schwarzenegger got scant statewide media coverage. That special election this fall when he seeks support on budgeting, redistricting and teachers' initiatives is seen as crucial for him. Analysts say he may not run for reelection next year if he loses on those ballots. What are the national implications?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN ANALYST: One-eighth of Americans live in California. And it is a trend setter. He's also a test case of whether someone can govern above politics, and reconcile Democrats and Republicans. And if he fails, it will look like partisan polarization has once again triumphed.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Arnold Schwarzenegger can take heart from one result of this poll. That state legislature he's been battling for more than a year has lower approval ratings than his, Wolf.
BLITZER: All right. Brian Todd, thanks very much. Let's head out to Utah right now. This is him. This is Brennan Hawkins, that little 11-year-old boy who was rescued after four days in the wilderness. That's the brother we're told. But there is Brennan Hawkins.
He's on the stretcher just getting out of an ambulance about to go into the hospital. These are live pictures, courtesy of our affiliate out in Utah, Salt Lake City, little Brennan Hawkins. An amazing story. He managed for four days apparently all by himself to get through and to survive eventually some individuals -- rescue volunteers on horse back managed to spot him. He's there with his parents. And his brothers.
You can see, I think that's his mother talking right now. I don't know if we can hear what she says. But let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That we were able to find him today. We want to thank every single person at the command post that made a sandwich. That sent food, businesses, Toby's co-workers. You will never know of our love and our support for each one of you. Our family and friends have been our rock. Our deepest thanks goes to the Summit County sheriff, search and rescue teams, the swift water rescuers, the dog handlers -- I don't know all the people that were there. We thank you. We have never known men of such integrity and faith and honor in our lives. The Bardsley family, we love you. People say that the heavens are closed and God no longer answers prayers. We are here to unequivocally tell you that the heavens are not closed, prayers are answered and children come home. We love you, we thank you. Bye. We'll talk to you later.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There they go.
BLITZER: They're going inside the hospital right now. The parents and the family of little Brennan Hawkins. 11 years old. He was on the stretcher. There he is. This is the video that we just saw. He's being removed from the ambulance going inside. Clearly exhausted. Obviously in some sort of medical discomfort. But he's alive and we're told under the circumstances, four days by himself, four long days and nights out in the wilderness of Utah all by himself.
I guess it's fair to say nearly miracle louse recovery, an opportunity for everyone to sit back, to thank the Lord for what has happened and relieved parents clearly, relieved parents who clearly had feared the worst. But the best result has developed. We'll continue to watch the story for you. Stay with CNN throughout the night for the latest developments on the remarkable story of this 11- year-old boy Brennan Hawkins.
We'll take a quick break. When we come back, a new high profile assassination in Lebanon. Why it's fueling talk of a hit list.
And 30 years later, an emotional return for the children of what was called Operation Babylift. A remarkable journey back to Vietnam.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Thirty years ago, we saw the violent climax to a tragic conflict that impacted millions of lives, but the end of the Vietnam War marked the beginning of a new odyssey for many who found themselves swept away to a strange new land. CNN's own Betty Nguyen was among those who fled Vietnam as a child.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Like so many able to get out in 1975, I feel like I am among the lucky ones. I'm the daughter of an American serviceman, a Vietnamese college student, a child born of war. But April 19th, 1975 changed all of that. We had to leave Vietnam because anyone associated with the Americans were considered marked for death. There was no choice. My mother had to say good-bye to her parents. Not knowing if she would ever see them again.
I can't imagine the pain but we were leaving. We had to go. And under the cover of darkness, we headed toward a cargo plane with paperwork in hand. We packed in like sardines. We sat on the floor. And we were headed to this new home, this place called America. But it wasn't as easy as a plan ride away. We had to go from refugee camp to refugee camp. In fact, in the Philippines, that's where we learned that Saigon had fallen to communism, my mother can remember it so vividly to this day.
It was as if she had no country. As if she was lost. Out there with no place to go back to. She didn't know this new land called America. She was just kind of walking on faith. But thankfully, we were able to finally make it to America. To the land of opportunity, the land of freedom.
Those of us came over here in April 1975 are an a part of history. We are the keepers of the past. We need to make sure future generations never forget. Make sure they learn their culture, their language, their traditions, make sure they learn Vietnam wasn't just about a war. It's about a people.
My family and I started a charity called Help the Hungry and every year we go back to provide humanitarian aid to help those struggling families, men, women, children. These are people just like us. I was given an opportunity but now it's my turn to help those who may never see that opportunity.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BLITZER: And about the same time Betty was fleeing Vietnam, dozens much other orphans were being shuttled out in a massive mission dubbed Operation Babylift. Tiana Mykkeltvedt was one of them. She is at the CNN Center with Betty Nguyen.
Tiana, thanks very much for joining us, as well. Your story is different. Tell our viewers what happened to you.
TIANA MYKKELTVEDT, OPERATION BABYLIFT ADOPTEE: Well, I was an orphan just outside of Saigon and I was left at a Catholic orphanage, walked to an orphanage by a nun. And from there, I boarded a plane as a part of Operation Babylift and arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 26th, 1975.
BLITZER: You were just a few weeks old at the time. You were a little baby. And you recently went back on this mission to Vietnam. Tell us how that happened and what happened to you.
MYKKELTVEDT: Well, this past Sunday, I boarded a plane with World Airways who was the airline that brought the first planeload of babies over to America. And they sponsored an incredible trip back. We got to meet with 20 other adoptees who came to America as part of the Babylift. We toured Saigon. We visited an orphanage. We got to visit with pilots who flew planes during Operation Babylift, with flight attendants who changed diapers and burped us and fed us on the plane ride over. It was an incredible experience.
BLITZER: Was there any opportunity to look for the birth mother, the birth father, anything along those lines?
MYKKELTVEDT: There wasn't. And from the records that I've seen, it would be incredibly difficult for me personally to find my birth parents because it was the end of the war. The fall of Saigon and so there was a lot going on in the country at the time.
BLITZER: Betty, update our viewers. What was it like growing up in the United States as a little girl, refugee in effect, from Vietnam.
NGUYEN: You know, I grew up as an American girl. That's why my parents brought me here, to live the American dream to, become an American. In our household, we spoke English. That was the main concern, to become a part of this new country, this new world. This new language and this new culture. To me, I don't know anything else. And there's a sense of sadness to that because I so longed to reconnect with those Vietnamese roots. Yes, I do have my mother and I'm thankful she's here and able to teach me the culture and the language and all these little things about Vietnam that I may never be able to understand without that help.
But there is that sense of yes, I am a Vietnamese American, I am proud and thankful, but at the same time, there's that longing to reconnect with this country that's not only my birth country but it's a country that still feels very foreign.
BLITZER: Betty, and Tiana, both of you very successful. Tiana is an attorney clerking for a federal judge, about to go into private practice. Betty is our own anchor here at CNN. What kind of bond did the two of you share? Let me ask Betty first.
NGUYEN: I think the bond we share is a simple fact that we experienced the same things. We are American. I was talking to her and saying you know what, you even have that southern accent. I grew up in Texas, I can pull it out, as well. We're just as American as anybody else and we're so proud of that, but at the same time, I don't want to speak for you, but is that sense of longing that you want to reconnect with those Vietnamese roots, you want to learn more about who you are and where you came from?
MYKKELTVEDT: Absolutely. In 1997 as a part of that, I traveled to Vietnam as part of a study abroad so I could find out what the country was like, what the people are like because there is definitely that connection to the country of your birth that you share. But I agree with Betty. Absolutely. I feel very American. And am so thankful for the opportunities that I've had. And thankful to all the people who have worked as part of the Babylift and who cared about an orphan baby girl that had no one to turn to. And so for all of the opportunities that I've had, I just want to say thank you.
BLITZER: Tiana, when you went to Vietnam on this most recent visit, can you speak Vietnamese? And if you can what was the reaction of the Vietnamese when they saw you?
MYKKELTVEDT: When I traveled there the first time, I was able to study Vietnamese. But I've retained very little of it. I joke with my husband, I remembered enough to go shopping but that was about it. But the reaction that I get from a lot of people is if you're Vietnamese, why don't you speak Vietnamese? So the first thing I learned to say on my first trip to Vietnam was simply that I was born in Vietnam but that I was an orphan and that I grew up in America.
NGUYEN: And Wolf, I think it's a very important point. Because many young Vietnamese Americans, they may not have immigrated here from Vietnam, they are second and third generations. They are losing that sense of culture, that sense of language, because they are becoming so Americanized. So deep down it's important that we as I mentioned in that piece, we learn our language, we learn our culture. We become that side of us that is Vietnamese because we don't want to forget. We have such a rich history. We have so much to be thankful for and we're so blessed but we don't ever want to forget.
BLITZER: Tiana when you saw the picture of President Bush meeting with the prime minister of Vietnam at the White House today, the first visit in 30 years, what went through your mind?
MYKKELTVEDT: Well, I think it's great. I like to see any type of development of the United States and Vietnamese relations. I think that as the two countries move forward and as we as individuals reconnect to Vietnam, that as a country we can reconnect to that period in our history and find a positive healing way to move forward.
BLITZER: And I'll ask the same question to you, Betty. What do you think about U.S.-Vietnamese relations maturing, developing as they have? I spent some time with the prime minister. He was ebullient, hew was simply thrilled about what was going on.
NGUYEN: You know, this is a hot button issue Wolf. Many Vietnamese Americans, the rift between what happened in the war is so deep, it's such an emotional thing. And I know as we've seen today with awe the different protests out there that this is something that is still on the minds of Vietnamese Americans and they really want to see the development of freedom of religion, freedom of speech and all these different freedoms and until they see that, many of them are not happy with the fact that there is this trade agreement because they want to make sure those things are done first and then you move on.
BLITZER: All right, Betty Nguyen with a remarkable story of her own and Tiana Mykkeltvedt, great story. And we thank both of you on this historic day here in the United States for joining us, reminiscing a little bit about what life has been like over these past 30 years.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
MYKKELTVEDT: Thank you.
BLITZER: We're going to go out to Utah right now. We're going to go to the hospital where this little boy Brennan Hawkins has been recovering. One of the physicians on duty. Let's listen in.
DR. EDWARD CLARK, PRIMARY CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER: ... scraped and bruised. And he is dehydrated. Our team is currently evaluating him for other potential injuries or conditions. He'll have blood drawn, x-rays taken over the next few minutes and we'll be waiting for those results. We are concerned about a young man who's been through an ordeal like this. And so we will be watching him at least overnight. We're optimistic and we will, as our team evaluates him and begins treatment, carefully watch him as he starts feeding and starts eating again.
And I'd be happy to take any questions you might have.
He is talking and communicating with us. He's communicating with his family. They're right around him. This is quite a remarkable experience for him, obviously. And for all of us who have been watching with bated breath over the last few days.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If somebody had told you you were getting ready to see a kid out in the wilderness for five days like this, what kind of condition would you expect to see?
CLARK: Given what's been going on up in the mountains and knowing that the weather has moderated for the time, we were actually very hopeful he would be found in decent condition. Of course, in a situation like this we're always worried about injuries. We still haven't ruled out other major injuries and we're going to be doing that over the next couple hours.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Doctor, has he said anything to you about how he -- the way he feels?
CLARK: He's talking with his parents. It's quit a heart warming scene to see him talking with them, clinging to them. It's really quite remarkable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Biggest concern dehydration?
CLARK: He's talking with them about just the way a normal child would talk with his parents. Of course, he's been away for four days and there's obviously been a lot of emotion here.
We haven't gotten into that and the sheriff's department will be interviewing him to get more details as to what's happened. We're focusing right now on his medical condition and making sure over the next hours we treat him properly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Biggest concern dehydration. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happens in a case like this?
CLARK: You know, everything we see right now suggests that he'll make a full recovery. But we're still looking carefully to make sure there's nothing else we've missed.
We're just looking -- he's scraped and bumped. He's had falls and bruises. We just want to make sure there's nothing else that isn't obvious right now. And that's why we'll be doing x-rays and doing blood studies really to assess his fluid and electrolyte status. He'll be getting some IV fluids and we'll be slowly feeding him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you say he will be staying overnight.
CLARK: Yes. We will be keeping him. And I'll be glad to give you an update in the morning, as well. So we can talk with you about it at that point.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty amazing how he's doing now?
CLARK: Quite amazing. And this story has captured the attention of our entire community. And it's very gratifying to be able to come out and give you good news at this point. Other questions?
Let's see how he's doing tomorrow morning. It's certainly possible. We'll see how he's doing then. We may keep him another couple days. But again, I started off by telling you how remarkable he appears to me and that is -- that's the point we're starting from.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Other than his parents, who else are with him?
CLARK: Our medical staff is with him. I'm sure that they'll be other relatives. His siblings have been around. It's a small room and quite crowded right now. And we'll be getting him settled down over the next half hour or so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he have any indication about the reaction of people to his being found?
CLARK: I'm not sure he does. His parents certainly are very grateful for all the media, all the attention and all the focus that our community has really put on finding Brennan.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any word how he managed to survive?
CLARK: You know, I have no further information at this point about that. Perhaps at sometime in the future when the parents feel a little more settled, they'll be willing to talk with you at that point, as well. I wanted to just focus really on his medical condition now for you. Yes?
You know, we'll be looking for all of those things. Right now we want to make sure with his degree of dehydration, and clearly he is dehydrated at this point, as we give him fluids, we maintain his electrolyte balance, that he doesn't get into -- One of the problems we look for is called refeeding syndrome for a child or an adult who's been starved for a period of time. As they start eating again, they're less able to tolerate sugars and protein and they can get into some electrolyte problems. So we're experienced in managing children who have been starved, so we'll be watching for that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How would you describe his movement?
CLARK: He looks like he's tired and he looks like he's very happy to be where he is. And he's extraordinarily pleased to have his parents around him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In your medical opinion, such a young kid, are you surprised he survived so long with nothing?
CLARK: You know, children have a remarkable capacity to survive and bounce back. They have great reserves of energy. They have great reserves of durability. And we're all hoping that he would be in an environment that he would be able to survive long enough for us to find him and of course, he was found. And we will now get him better.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (OFF-MIKE)
I think those will be latter steps after an initial medical evaluation. Certainly there's lots of this story to be told yet and there are lots of things to do with Brennan. It's not just a one-shot evaluation and then out of here.
Other questions? Thank you for your support ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's your name?
CLARK: I'm Dr. Ed Clark, and I'm the medical director of Primary Children's.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With an E or just ...
CLARK: Just the Clark without an E.
BLITZER: All right. There he is. Dr. Edward Clark, he is at the hospital in Salt Lake City. Little Brennan Hawkins is recuperating there. We're told he's expected to make a full recovery. While we've been listening to this news conference from the physician in Salt Lake City, our Ed Henry has been monitoring a very dramatic development on Capitol Hill -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, that's right. Just in the last 10 minutes, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate leadership has gone to the Senate floor to finally apologize for a comment he made one week ago when he compared the actions of some U.S. military personnel at the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to Nazi Germany, to also gulags as well. There has been some heavy pressure from Republicans for him to apologize. He initially refused to do so. Just moments ago, he finally relented.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. DICK DURBIN (D-IL), MINORITY WHIP: More than most people, a senator lives by his words, words are the coin of the realm in our profession. Occasionally words will fail us and occasionally we will fail words.
On June the 14th, I took the floor of the Senate to speak about genuine heartfelt concerns about the treatment of prisoners and detainees at Guantanamo and other places. I raised legitimate concerns that others have raised, including Secretary of State Colin Powell, about the policies of this administration, and whether they truly do serve our needs to make America safer and more secure. Whether, in fact, some of the policies might in fact endanger our troops, or in some ways disparage the image of America around the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Dick Durbin, there he is. He's apologizing for the comments he made, comparing what the U.S. is doing at Guantanamo Bay to what was done in Nazi Germany, and Pol Pot and the gulag. Much more coming up on this throughout the night.
Let's go over to LOU DOBBS TONIGHT. Lou's standing by in New York -- Lou.
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