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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports
Fred Thompson Interview; American Terrorism Detainees; Steve Groene Speaks; Judith Miller Goes to Jail; Tropical Storm Dennis
Aired July 06, 2005 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JOHN KING, HOST, WOLF BLITZER REPORTS: Happening now: one journalist to jail, the other back to his family. This hour, different fates for reporters of the "New York Times" and "Time" magazine as the investigation into who outed the identity of a covert CIA operative takes a dramatic turn.
Stand by for WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KING (voice-over): Storm track: Cindy was nasty, but no major disaster. What dangers will a still distant Dennis bring?
He's overseas at the G-8, but his mind may be on the Supreme Court vacancy here at home. As the president ponders his pick, I'll speak with the man who will guide the nominee through the confirmation process. "Law and Order" actor and former senator, Fred Thompson.
From the big house to her house: She's still in confinement, but Martha Stewart may know how to bust out of that ankle bracelet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: I'm John King, in for Wolf. Thanks for joining us.
Major developments today, in a closely watched court case that pits the rule-of-law against freedom of the press. One reporter has agreed to reveal his source, another reporter is on her way to jail. It all started with a news report that revealed the identity of a CIA operative.
CNN National Correspondent Bob Franken, joins us now from the courthouse in Washington where all this unfolded -- Bob?
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The reporter, "Time" magazine's Matt Cooper, is not going to jail. We'll explain that in a moment, but Judith Miller of the "New York Times" was true to her word. She had said she would not reveal her source in this investigation and she told the judge she could not break a promise, no matter whether he sent her to jail or not and the judge then responded: She would have to go to jail. He rejected pleas from the lawyer who his lawyer -- her lawyer rather, Robert Bennett, who had asked that either she be placed under house arrest or that she be sent to a jail in Connecticut.
Instead, she has been sent to one in the Washington, D.C. area. She says she will not comply. She should have four months, at least four months in jail to think about that. Afterwards, the executive editor of her newspaper was very, very unhappy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL KELLER, "NEW YORK TIMES": This is a chilling conclusion to an utterly confounding case. It's confounding because of the mystery about exactly what crime has been committed and what exactly the special prosecutor hopes to accomplish by the draconian act of punishing an honorable journalist.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: The prosecutor says that he needs the testimony of the reporters to complete his investigation into the leaks that identified undercover CIA operative Valerie Plame, in 2003.
As for Matthew Cooper of "Time" magazine, he had said that as of this morning, he would not testify even though his company, Time, which by the way, owns -- is owned by the same people who own CNN -- his bosses had already turned over his notes. He said he would not offer further testimony, but then he said he got permission in a call shortly before the court began, from his source.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW COOPER, "TIME" MAGAZINE: That source gave me a personal, unambiguous, uncoerced waiver to speak to the grand jury. And it was only then, when I was satisfied that that source was comfortable with me speaking and indeed, wanted me to speak to the grand jury, that I felt free after two years under threat of jail, to go speak to the grand jury. I have kept my word for two years.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FRANKEN: As for the judge, Thomas Hogan, he said this was not a question about a free press. He said, "We have to follow the law. If she," meaning Judith Miller, "were given a pass today, then the next person could say as a matter of principle, I will not obey the law because of the abortion issue or the election of a president or whatever. They could claim the moral high ground and then we would descend into anarchy."
As far as the other side is concerned, reporters say that if you're going to have government, a free government, that it requires observation by an independent press and that observation, that monitoring, has been jeopardized.
John, as we all know, this is a classic battle. It has occurred before in our history -- John?
KING: And Bob, two quick questions that I'm not sure, especially to one of them, if there is an answer right now, but do we know when Matt Cooper will go back before that grand jury and at least, tell the grand jury who that source was? And I'm just making a reporter's guess here, if Matt Cooper got a call from his source; Judith Miller did not: Logic tells me there are two different sources at play here. Do we know the answer to that?
FRANKEN: Well, first of all, your logic certainly seems impeccable as always, John. As for when he's going to appear before the grand jury, they would only say that it's going to be happening very quickly. The one thing I will point out is that the special prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, made it clear that he's in a hurry to complete an investigation that been going on for the better part of two years.
KING: Bob Franken, outside the courthouse. Great job tracking a very difficult and confusing story.
Thank you, Bob.
And Judith Miller isn't the first "New York Times" reporter to be sentenced to jail for refusing to reveal a source.
Myron Farber severed 40 days in the late 1970s. Myron Farber joins us from Ithaca, New York.
Mr. Farber, let me ask you this question: As many people around the country watch the coverage of this and think this is journalists lamenting the jailing of another journalist, help the viewers understand why this should matter to them.
MYRON FARBER, FORMER "NEW YORK TIMES" REPORTER: It should matter because what Judy Miller is doing today, with great regret I'm sure, is serving the public interest. The principle involved here, is the ability of a free press, and this is after all, the freest press in the world, to continue to probe, to question, to gather information with as few restraints as possible and to present it to the public. Inevitably, in that process, you deal with confidential sources. You enter into an agreement to protect them as is necessary and you abide by that agreement.
KING: And in your case, your investigation involved a doctor, I believe, who was then charged with some heinous crimes, but you refused to turn over your notes, you refused to testify. Give us a bit of history of your own experience and why you took the position you took.
FARBER: I did testify with regard to nonconfidential matters. I answered many questions regarding nonconfidential matters. But the defense in that case, wanted to rummage through the "New York Times" desks, through my desk and -- in what was really a fishing expedition, and I couldn't permit that. And I think that it's helpful to remember that at that time in the '70s, some 500 or more subpoenas were being served on reporters before and after Watergate. And it was the feeling at the "Times" and certainly my feeling, that a stand for what we were doing, we believed in what we were doing, had to be taken.
KING: And Myron Farber, "Times," in this case the "New York Times" and "Time" magazine, taking two very different tracks here. Matt Cooper acknowledging today outside the courtroom that his e- mails, his notes were turned over against his judgment, against his advice to his boss. Explain for me, your view of what "Time" has done wrong here.
FARBER: I think that "Time" -- in my own view, and I don't question their motives or the motives of the judge or the special counsel in this matter, although I don't understand what he's doing -- I think they overlooked the fact that their reporter and Judy Miller, are not standing above the law. Certainly Judy Miller, a resolute and honorable reporter, is not standing above the law. She is not running from the law. She is submitting to the law as it is today, in an act of what might be termed civil disobedience and in the hope that the federal government will enact a shield law equal to what 30-some states in this nation have enacted.
And there are protections for reporters, I believe, in virtually all the states, even those who don't have the laws. There's a reason for those shield laws. Those shield laws were enacted by legislators of states acting in their own public interest and just as there is a testimonial privilege for doctors or lawyers or accountants or psychotherapists, I believe and the "Times" believes and I'm sure Judy believes that a fair reading of the First Amendment of the Constitution permits a testimonial privilege for reporters.
KING: And Myron Farber, in closing,
FARBER: And I hope...
KING: I'm sorry, sir. Judy Miller is on her way to jail tonight. Can you just relay to our viewers, your experience in your time in jail and were you treated any differently because you were a journalist?
FARBER: Well, some people were sort of stunned to have me in their company, a reporter and others claimed I wasn't eating the same food and there was a tempest about it in a way. But I ask your viewers to remember that reporters are being killed around the world today at an unprecedented rate, they're being tortured at an unprecedented rate, they're being detained at an unprecedented rate, and I have every confidence that Judy Miller will go into that jail and come out of that jail as good a person, if not a better person, and a better journalist, than she is today.
KING: Myron Farber, we need to end it there, but I want to thank you for your thoughts and your insights and certainly, for your last point. And out thoughts, of course, are with Judy Miller on this difficult night for her.
Thank you very much, sir.
FARBER: My pleasure. My pleasure.
KING: Now, news just in to CNN that Americans living in the southeast will want to watch quite closely. We have a forecast out in just the last few minutes from the National Hurricane Center on what could become the first major hurricane of this season.
CNN Meteorologist Rob Marciano is tracking Dennis for us, standing by --Rob? ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi, John. Tropical Storm Dennis still not quite a hurricane yet, but the forecast, which just came out a few minutes ago, still brings it to hurricane strength here in the next 24 hours, and strengthens it even more than that.
A wide shot of the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea here and you see how big this storm is. We'll zoom in a little bit. The cloud canopy goes all the way from the island of Hispaniola here down to Venezuela. Here's Jamaica. Right now, it's about 330 miles east, southeast of Jamaica. It's heading west, northwest at about 14 miles an hour. That's going to putting it right in Jamaica's backyard by tomorrow morning likely as a hurricane.
This is the latest forecast by the National Hurricane Center at 5:00. Tropical storm right now. But by 2:00 p.m. tomorrow, it'll be just north of Jamaica as a category one hurricane. That's what these numbers mean, category one, category two, category three -- category three hurricane is the forecast, bringing it somewhere in the Gulf of Mexico during the day on Saturday. Likely making land fall somewhere across the southeastern coastline, along the Gulf Coast, sometime during the day on Sunday.
A quick reminder to what a category three storm is, winds in excess of 111 miles an hour, storm surge nine to 12 feet. Winds that strong, John, can damage small residences and pull up big trees and bring up a lot of water ahead of the storm, three, four, five hours ahead of it, submerging some roadways that are used to evacuate. So, category three is a major hurricane. And this one will likely mean business. And we'll keep an eye on it throughout the weekend. Back to you.
KING: We will keep in touch with you and your colleagues in the weather center. Thank you, Rob.
And as Tropical Storm Dennis gains strength, the remnants of what was Tropical Storm Cindy are moving over Alabama. Although there are no reports of deaths or injuries in Cindy's way, the storm did have Gulf Coast residents wondering what may come next.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KING (voice-over): As it heads further inland, Cindy leaves the Gulf coast of memories of wind, rain and sirens. The tropical storm reached Louisiana late Tuesday night with 70 mile an hour winds. Trees blew down and hundreds of thousands of power customers lost service.
ELAINE FORSTALL, WITNESS: We were up at midnight when the power went off. And noticed that had we had a couple of small limbs down. And then when I got up this morning, I notice that had we had three big limbs and a couple of crepe myrtles turned over and a lot more destruction, I think, than we ever imagined.
I think we were all expecting more rain than wind. So -- but you know, mother nature isn't really predictable. KING: Cindy dumped as much as four inches of rain in some parts the New Orleans area. Many traffic signals stopped working. Ironically, bad weather forced the Louisiana State police to cancel a hurricane evacuation exercise.
The storm lost strength as it moved through coastal Mississippi, but it was still strong enough to rip out some waterfront piers when it reached Alabama.
MATT BARRENSTINE, DAUPHIN ISLAND, ALABAMA: Conditions on Dauphin Island this morning have been pretty windy as Tropical Storm Cindy makes her way into land. Now Dauphin Island is right at the mouth of Mobile Bay and the wind has been pretty ferocious here all morning long.
KING: By late morning, Cindy had passed through Mobile and had been downgraded to a tropical depression. But while Gulf Coast residents may be relieved Cindy wasn't worse, they still have cause for concern. They're watching the skies nervously for any signs of Cindy's potentially bigger brother, Dennis.
BRIAN FAIR, WITNESS: This is like the dress rehearsal. And hopefully the next one we'll dodge.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: And of course, CNN will continue to monitor the development of Tropical Storm Dennis. Stay with us here at CNN for continuous coverage today and throughout the weekend.
A politician turned actor comes back to politics. We'll show you what role he'll play in the upcoming nomination of a Supreme Court justice.
Also, it's home to hundreds of detainees in the war on terror. And a major source of political controversy. We'll take you inside Guantanamo Bay.
Plus, protests at the G-8 summit, violence erupts as police and demonstrators clash.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: President Bush today put both the right and left on notice about how he'll fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Mr. Bush discussed that vacancy just before arriving in Scotland to take part in the G-8 summit. In his most direct comments since justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her resignation on Friday, Mr. Bush said he will choose a nominee based on overall judicial philosophy. And insisted he would not have a checklist to make sure his or her views on sensitive issues such as abortion or same sex union were in sync with his own.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: I'll pick people who, one, can do the job, people who are honest, people who are bright and people who will strictly interpret the constitution and not use the bench to legislate from.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Mr. Bush also offered a spirited defense of his long-time friend and a possible nominee for that vacancy, the attorney general of the United States Alberto Gonzalez. Gonzalez has come under attack from some leading conservatives who question his credentials because of past rulings and advice on abortion and affirmative action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: I don't like it when a friend gets criticized. You know, I'm loyal to my friends. And all of a sudden, this fellow who is a good public servant and a really fine person is under fire.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Now regardless of whom Mr. Bush picks as his ultimate nominee, that person will get help from a veteran of previous political battles, former Republican senator Fred Thompson from Tennessee. Mr. Bush named the former Judiciary Committee member to shepherd his nominee through the Senate confirmation process. Thompson currently is a very well-known actor on the NBC television serious "Law and Order." I spoke with him about his new job just a short time ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KING: Former senator Fred Thompson, thank you for joining us today, sir.
As you know, when you left the Senate, you went off to Hollywood in part to have fun and make money, but you also complained that Washington was pretty partisan town by your thinking. Yet you're stepping into this role. You have to understand, sir, looking at what you've seen by the interest groups, the Democrats and Republicans, this is not going to be tiddlywinks.
FRED THOMPSON, FRM. SENATOR: No. It's probably not going to be real easy. But it doesn't have to be as partisan as a lot of people are predicting. You know also in this town that when everybody starts saying the same things, usually something else happens. So, maybe that will happen in this case.
KING: OK. Maybe it will, sir. Do you have any sense of how long of a list the president is looking at this moment?
THOMPSON: No, I don't.
KING: And do you have any sense of what we will get the name? Who he or she will be?
THOMPSON: No, I don't.
KING: You don't. So, in your conversation with the president, I believe it was on the Fourth of July, what specifically did he ask you?
THOMPSON: Well, he just thanked me for taking the time to do this and helping out. We talked about how important that this process is. And that it's certainly worthwhile. And our best efforts and that we're going to put into it and so forth. And you know, working to the on it.
So the president was very optimistic and upbeat. And I think looking forward to getting into the process. He clearly had not had an opportunity to do all the reviewing that he wanted to do. But I expect that he's about that right now.
KING: Well, the president said today in Denmark that he would not have a checklist, he would not have a litmus test on issues such as abortion or same-sex marriage. As you know, many of the liberal interest groups and the Democrats lined up on this process, they think the president -- or they certainly think the president's advisers will push him to pick someone who vote to overturn say Roe v. Wade. How can you not have a litmus test, but still want someone who has views consistent with your own?
THOMPSON: Well, I think that just following the tradition that we followed in this country for a long, long time is a good thing to look at to start with. And that is, being responsive to questions that senators have, you know, that pertain to the job that the nominee's about to take. But not getting in to a lot of the details in terms of personal views and things of that nature.
That's been certainly the modern history that we've had. Justice Ginsberg and others appropriately pointed out when they were up and when he was up in the 1990s that this was not an appropriate thing to do, to get into personal views and things that have nature.
The president I think is committed to appointing someone who is qualified, someone if they're a lawyer who is a good lawyer and has a good judicial background, a person of integrity and someone who will apply sound constitutional principles, someone who follow the constitution, not try to make laws on their own.
And I think if the president follows that pattern and the Congress and the Senate follows the traditional pattern that they have and that is, question the person on the person's qualifications, but not apply litmus tests to them, then this process doesn't have to be nearly as acrimonious as some people have made it out.
I certainly hope that this is the case, because the process is too important for it to be otherwise. There have been a lot of harsh statements already made. But you know, the judiciary is one of the institutions -- especially the federal judiciary -- one of the institutions in this country that's had great respect over the years. And if we take good people and castigate them just for the purpose of defeating them before a Judiciary Committee and confirmation hearings, that's not going to serve the purpose of the judiciary or the -- what the American people expect, I don't think.
KING: Do you draw any distinction in what a senator could ask in a public confirmation hearing and what a senator might ask when you are escorting the eventual nominee around for private meetings with those senators?
THOMPSON: I wouldn't think there would be much difference in that. I think it ought to be clear that a senator can ask absolutely anything that he or she wants to. The question is, is it appropriate to respond to that particular question.
As I pointed out in the '90s, we've had nominees who have pointed out time and time again with regard to some pretty hot button issues that it would be inappropriate to get in to those kinds of details. So I think if the senators will follow the precedents that both Democrats and Republicans have followed in the '90s, and the nominees follow the precedents that Justice Breyer and Justice Ginsberg followed in answering those questions, we'll be all right.
KING: Well, help me understand where you would draw the line. Obviously you're saying that a senator should not ask the nominee what do you think of Roe v. Wade, or would you vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. But what about a question of asking the lady or gentleman in question, once we have a nominee, do you read the constitution and see the right to privacy?
THOMPSON: Well, I think that anything -- I don't think it's appropriate for me to get too specific on my own personal views. That doesn't count here. But I think it's fair to say that anything that would either directly or impliedly (sic) indicate how a person would decide a particular case or a particular kind of case would be out of bounds.
I think personal views with regard to legal matters, with regard to the legal issues and so forth that are outside the bounds of maybe what somebody's already written in a judicial opinion would not be appropriate. And nominees of Democratic president appointees, as well as Republicans, have established that over the years and have adhered to it. And both Democratic and Republican senators have honored that in times past.
KING: Now, Senator Fred Thompson, why are you unique, sir? Why are you best qualified to suit this role? Why -- when the president ask, you said you sure, this is the right challenge for me right now.
THOMPSON: I'm probably not best qualified.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: But, then, do you...
THOMPSON: I mean, for his own good reasons you know, he asked me to do this. And maybe I served on the judiciary committee. I know how important this is. I know how important that the judiciary is. And how that we're in danger, perhaps, of driving good people out of the process in terms of these judicial appointments.
It has gotten very acrimonious. And that along with low pay, has caused a lot of people to say I don't need to be an appellate judge. I don't need to be a Supreme Court justice. So, I'm concerned about that.
You know, both the other branches of government in the last 30 or 40 years have suffered a lot of criticism and I think a lot of loss of esteem from what we had many years ago. That's not happened to the federal judiciary yet. But if we keep on down a trail of acrimony and threats and litmus tests and marshaling forces and so forth, you know, the same thing will happen with the federal judiciary.
I practiced law for 25 years. I was a prosecutor in federal court. I was a defense lawyer in federal court. I know the importance of having these good people of integrity, regardless of what their personal views are about issues, how important it is.
KING: Does that admonition about litmus tests apply to conservative groups as well, specifically those who have attacking the attorney general of the United States Alberto Gonzalez?
THOMPSON: Oh, I don't think they ought to be applied by anyone. I think when the president says that he wants to appoint someone who has integrity, who has demonstrated capability, demonstrated qualifications and someone who will be faithful to the constitution and the laws of the United States, he says it all.
I think the president -- I've read where he has said that he's not going to ask anyone about these kinds of questions. And apply litmus tests of his own. I don't think anybody should do that.
Judges are not politicians. Judges are referees. We don't need to treat them as we would someone who is running for United States Senate or even president. We need to treat them differently. And respect the fact that up until a few years ago, it would have been considered unethical to answer a lot of these detailed questions about what they might or might not do, or the approach they might take with regard to some hot button issue.
Again, Justice Breyer, Justice Ginsberg back in 1993 and '94 specifically avoided answering those questions time and time and time again. Many of the same kinds of issues, property rights and things of that nature, that we have today.
KING: A couple other quick questions in closing. And one will be our viewers who don't have as much gray hair as I do who don't remember your days in the senate, but do see you as that nice gentleman, the district attorney on television and might be thinking, oh my Lord, what's going to happen to Fred Thompson on "Law and Order?"
THOMPSON: Well, surely to goodness, this is not going to last long enough to make me give up my show. But fortunately, we get most of the summer off. And if it pours over into that, we can make adjustments and make it all work.
KING: And as you know, the president has a bit of a history here. He asked Dick Cheney a long time ago to come and take a lead role in this search process for a vice presidential. And Dick Cheney winds up being vice president. Have you been fitted for robes sir? THOMPSON: Well, of all the many reasons why many people probably think I do not qualify, my advanced years probably is one that sticks out the most. No, I don't expect that to happen.
KING: Senator Fred Thompson, we thank you so much for your time today, sir. Take care, good luck.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: Our thanks again to Senator Thompson. A tough assignment from President Bush, that his first television interview since taking on the task.
President Bush treated by his private doctor following a bike accident. We'll have details.
Also, the father of kidnapped siblings is expected to share his story. We'll take you live to Idaho for that.
Inside Guantanamo: Does the detention camp live up to its notorious reputation?
Plus, Martha Stewart breaks her silence on life in prison, house arrest and what she discovered about her electronic monitoring device.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Welcome back. We're standing by for a news conference in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho with Steve Groene, he's the father of Shasta and Dylan Groene, the two young children kidnapped back in May. We'll go there as soon as that event starts. But first, a quick check of other stories now in the news.
President Bush was involved in a bike accident according to a White House pool report, Mr. Bush collided with a police officer on the grounds of the hotel where he's attending the G-8 summit in Scotland. The White House physician treated the president for scrapes on his hands and arms. The accident happened after Mr. Bush met with U2 singer and activist Bono who is seeking increased aid for Africa from the G-8 members. Not far away in Edinburgh, the final Live 8 concert looks to be wrapping up this hour. Like the nine could be certificates held on Sunday, it's designed to call attention to poverty in Africa and pressure the G-8 nations to increase aid, debt relief, and trade.
L. Patrick Gray, the FBI director has died at age 88 from complications from cancer action .ed weeks before the Watergate break in and resigned a year later amid allegations he tried to hinder the investigation. Gray recently said he was shocked to learn his former deputy, Mark Felt, was the famous source Deep Throat.
Among the thousands being held in Iraq by the U.S. military are up to five U.S. citizens suspected of insurgent activities. Let's get an update live from our senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre. Jamie? JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, John, in response to a lawsuit and complaint from the ACLU, the U.S. military has acknowledged it's holding up to five people who are American citizens. At least two are definitely American citizens. Three thought to be hold dual citizenship. All five captured in Iraq between November of last year and June of this year and appear to have no connection to each other according to military officials.
They are said to be three Iraqi Americans, one is describe as a Jordanian American who is suspected of having ties to the Zarqawi terrorist network and one an Iranian American who claims he went to Iraq to film a documentary. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit on behalf of that will detainee, a 44-year-old part time university professor named Cyrus Kar from California who says he was filming archaeological sites when he was detained. He's been held now for nearly 50 days, the family says without access to an attorney or to the family. In a statement today, the ACLU said, quote, "The right to be free from arbitrary detention is a core American freedom. The Supreme Court has clearly said that it is unconstitutional for the U.S. military to hold an American citizen without allowing him to challenge that detention."
The family claims that Kar, a naturalized American citizen, has already been cleared of wrongdoing, that he pass a lie detector test and they say he's simply caught up in the bureaucracy. Pentagon officials told CNN today the reason he was originally detained was that he -- a search of his car in which he and two other people were traveling had washing machine timers which are commonly used in roadside bombs. All of these cases are still under review.
John?
KING: Jamie McIntyre for us at the Pentagon. Thank you, Jamie.
President Bush today strongly defended his policy of holding prisoners at the U.S. detention camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mr. Bush has been under fire for the treatment of hundreds of suspects held at that facility. He spoke about the controversy in Denmark before leaving for Scotland and the G-8 summit.
GEORGE W. BUSH, U.S. PRESIDENT: I just want you to remember we are in a war against these terrorists. My most solemn obligation is to protect the American people from further attack. These people are being treated humanely. Very few prison systems around the world that have seen such scrutiny as this one. And for those of you here on the continent of Europe have doubt, I'd suggest buying an airplane ticket and taking a look. Take a look for yourself.
KING: You heard the president there saying reporters should go take a look. Well, CNN's Ben Wedeman is at Guantanamo getting a firsthand look at the prision facility. Here's what he's found out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over):: The gates of Guantanamo were open to the media today. This camp containing 520 detainees, most of whom were picked up in the Afghanistan theater. Now, the military's clearly scrambling to counter the negative stories and allegations about abuse, torture and disrespect for Islam here at this camp.
The procedures for journalists, however, are fairly difficult. We're told that we're not allowed to speak or have any kind of contact with the detainees. We cannot videotape their faces or their profiles. And we're not allowed to stray away from our military escorts. All of this, we're told, is to protect the identity of what are called compliance detainees, those who are willing to cooperate or obey the rules of the camps.
Our videotape, some of it, was censored today, blacked out. This part of the regulations in force here in Guantanamo. Now, according to the camp authorities about 10-20 percent of the detainees here are described as noncompliant. That means they do not obey the rules of the camp.
(on camera): We were told by some of the guards that some of these noncompliant detainees throw at the guards what is called cocktail number four which contains fecal matter, urine, spit and semen. Those who do not obey the rules have privileges taken away. They're not allowed any access to board games or books. And other such amenities.
Now the authorities here say that they have no intention at this point to close this facility down. I'm Ben Wedeman, CNN, reporting from Guantanamo Bay.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KING: We're going to take you live now to Coeur D'Alene, Idaho where the father of - Captain Ben Wolfinger you hear, let's listen in.
CAPTAIN BEN WOLFINGER, KOOTENAI CO. SHERIFF'S OFFICE: Thank you all for being here.
(unintelligible) like to make a statement to everybody. He is not going to take any questions, do any Q&A here today. The Steve wants to leave. Please be respectful of that. Thank you. Steve Groene.
STEVE GROENE, FATHER OF SHASTA AND DYLAN: Thank you all for coming out. Appreciate you for respecting our privacy as you have since the beginning of this. I want to start out by thanking the community and certainly even the nation for all the support. And certainly all the gifts to Shasta. I'd like to say that Shasta is doing well. Which you know, it's certainly more than we could have hoped for.
She's very upbeat. Seems to be pretty healthy. And she's really glad to be home. I know there's a lot of speculation about the remains that were found in western Montana. Our position on that until somebody tells us 100 percent sure that that's Dylan, we still feel then that he's out there and he's safe and is going to come home.
I'd personally like to thank the people from Denny's, and I understand there was quite a few not only the employees but some patrons who made the calls that got Shasta back for us, and as far as our family's concerned, those people are heroes. And Shasta wanted me to thank them also.
Only other thing I'd like to address really is the fact that this needs to stop here. People like this should not be allowed out in public. There's been so many times I've seen the local news about the bulletins about sex offenders being released into the community and they're described as level three sex offenders with a high likelihood to re-offend. That's unacceptable. Totally unacceptable. People need to get on their congressmen, their senators, and even the president that this needs to change now.
That there are certainly a lot more things that can be done to control these people from you know, being let back into the community. And there's no excuse for it. You know, these people are put in their positions by us, and are supposed to be there working for us. And they're not doing their jobs whatsoever. And that needs to change. If they can't do their jobs, we need to put people in there that can do the job.
At this point also, I'd like to say that you know, we still need some private time. And would certainly appreciate everybody, you know, you've been pretty good to us. And we do appreciate that. And certainly at the hospital, they're being pretty inundated with this stuff. You know, there's other people there besides Shasta and there's people that are sick and need to you know, be able to recoup in privacy themselves.
So you know, basically just asking that you guys respect everybody and their feelings, including other patients. And as far as the family's concerned, we all need time to be able to grasp this. This is so incomprehensible, that it's going to take quite a lot of time for us to even really start to realize what's happened here. Again, people need to start complaining to their elected officials about this. And we need to get some laws changed. And you know, we need to do it quickly. Thank you.
KING: And at times quite emotional statement from Steve Groene, he is the father of eight-year-old Shasta Groene, nine-year-old Dylan Groene speaking to reporters in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho thanking them, thanking especially the patrons of the Denny's that led to him being reunited with his daughter and Mr. Groene also voicing disgust that the suspect in this case, a repeat sex offender, had been released back on the street, a developing story -- several developments in the investigation today. Let's bring in Sean Callebs standing by live in Coeur d'Alene. Sean?
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, really, the community heard only briefly from Mr. Groene until today. This is an area that has rallied behind this family to an incredible degree over the past five days. You heard Mr. Groene talk about all the gifts that his daughter Shasta received. Hospital and authorities say that enough gifts. Stuffed animals, cards and letters to fill an entire room. So many that the family came out yesterday and said we thank you very much but enough. But you're right, John. Really saving his harshest comments for sex offenders who are allowed to return to the street, specifically talking about Joseph Duncan.
Now this is someone who spent the majority of his adult life in prison for sexually assaulting a teenager. And then just recently within the past several months he was accused of jumping bail in Minnesota on another child molestation charge. As he mentioned, as he mentioned earlier, Duncan a level three sex offender, this the highest level of those considered most likely to attack again.
And the judge in this Minnesota case had come out and said that he did not know he told a local newspaper in Minnesota that he did not know, John, that Duncan was a level three sex offender or he would have set bail higher - he had set bail at $15,000. That was how Duncan was allowed to get back on the streets and make his way to the northern part of Idaho where authorities say he committed heinous crimes. John?
KING: And Sean, Steve Groene, perhaps to be expected for a parent in this spot but hoping against hope and hoping against what police say is the likelihood that his son Dylan is still alive. Police are now backing off that the remains found recently and now being analyzed are those of Dylan Grone, are they?
CALLEBS: Almost instantly after Shasta was found safe on Saturday, the authorities came out and said they had reason to believe in their investigation that nine-year-old Dylan was dead. They have not backed off that statement at all. Federal authorities saying they found-to-what they believed to be human remains in the western part of Montana just across the border from where we are. About an hour drive. We know those remains have been taken to the lab at Quantico, Virginia. Earlier today, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office said it will probably be next week before DNA investigation into those remains is finalized. But certainly they believe those to be the remains of Dylan. The family holding out hope against hope.
We had a chance to talk with Shasta's grandmother earlier today and she said Shasta every day is acting more like herself. She said this is a child who wants to get back to a normal life. And John, she said one of the highlights of her week, she was able to go on top of the hospital on jolly 4th and watch the fireworks that really lit up this tourist area. John?
KING: We're certainly glad a reason to smile in what must be an incredibly difficult time. Sean Callebs for us in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Thank you very much, Sean.
Stay with us. WOLF BLITZER REPORTS.
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KING: As we noted a bit earlier, leaders of the world's wealthiest nations are gathered at the Gleneagles resort in Scotland for their annual G-8 summit. On the agenda, global warming and aid to Africa's poorer nations. The summit is being held, as you might expect, under tight security but perhaps not tight enough. The surrounding fields have at times resembled a medieval battlefield. This report from Martin Geissler of Britain's Independent Television news.
MARTIN GEISSLER, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT: This protest was meant to be peaceful. The route was meant to be secure but after a year of preparation, this whole event descended into chaos in the most extraordinary circumstances. Without a single police officer on hand to stop them, hundreds strode off the march route across a cornfield and right up to the perimeter fence of Gleneagles. The majority stood bewildered they'd made it this far. But when a group tested the ring of steel, police moved in and the protestors responded. Some hurling missiles at them.
There were some quite extraordinary scenes at one point, metropolitan police officers were airlifted into the violence in a Chinook troop carrier. This is exactly the situation the protest's organizers wanted to avoid. It was peaceful, now it's turned decidedly ugly as the police are moving in.
Only a small minority wanted to turn this protest violent, they succeeded. There was trouble right from the start today at dawn, a group of hundreds of anarchists attacked police, shops and cars around their campsite in Stirling. The violence many feared has erupted on day one of this G-8 summit. There are still two days to go. Martin Geissler, ITV News, Gleneagles.
KING: Life under house arrest. Martha Stewart talks about leaving prison and that annoying ankle bracelet. Also, jumping for joy. The host of the 2012 Summer Olympics is announced. We'll tell you who gets the games.
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KING: Never one for a loss of words, Martha Stewart is speaking out about her stint in prison, her current life in lockdown, and what she discovered about her electronic monitoring device. CNN's Mary Snow, our own domestic diva, is in New York with all the details. Mary?
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, John. Her nickname in prison was M. Diddy. She calls lockdown hideous and has learned a lot about ankle bracelets, just some of the details in her post prison interview she gave to "Vanity Fair."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): Always known for creativity, Martha Stewart suggests her ingenuity isn't confined to the kitchen. She tells "Vanity Fair" that she's figured out how to remove the bracelet she has to wear during home confinement though she hasn't said she's taken it off. Her publicist says the comment was lighthearted. Stewart is quoted as saying "I watched them put it on. You can figure out how to get it off. It's on the Internet. I looked it up."
The U.S. Probation Department throws cold water on her claims, saying, "There's no way it could come off without us being an alerted." Stewart did the interview on her 153 acre estate in Bedford, where she has been serving home confinement since early march suggesting she had more freedom when she was in prison in west Virginia. The magazine points out she never uses the word prison and instead refers to it as just Alderson saying it was by far the light of bad part of the last three years."
While she's photographed for the magazine riding a horse, the Probation Department points out she was only allowed to take the pictures because it was related to work. Ordinarily, she cannot roam the grounds freely. Stewart suggests to "Vanity Fair" that prosecutors singled her out to scare others saying, "Of course, that is what it is all about, bring 'em down a notch to scare other people. If Martha can be sent to jail, think hard before you sell that stock."
Stewart spent five months in prison after being convicted of lying about a stock sale. Asked if she owes anyone an apology, she replied, "I'm on appeal. You don't appeal if you think that you should be sorry."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (on camera): Stewart finishes up her home confinement sentence early next month and then in September, the first of two TV shows will begin. John?
KING: Mary Snow in New York. Thank you very much, Mary.
Celebrations in the street. An old European rivalry heats up with today's announcement of the 2012 Summer Olympics site. We'll tell you who's claiming victory. First, she was a Filipino first lady with a passion for fashion. As part of CNN's anniversary series "Then and Now," we look back at Imelda Marcos and where she is today. Here's CNN's Paula Zahn.
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PAULA ZAHN, CNN HOST (voice-over): Imelda Marcos, former first lady of the Philippines is also known as the Iron Butterfly. An ex- beauty queen, she brought glamour and song to the presidential palace in 1965. By the end of her husband's dictatorship, Imelda's personal and public extravagance was causing outrage. A popular uprising in 1986 forced the Marcoses into exile. Imelda left behind closets stuffed with roes of designers gowns and a now legendary designer shoe collection so many if she changed pairs every day, even after three years, she still wouldn't have worn all of them. She now says it was her way of sharing her wealth.
IMELDA MARCOS, FORMER FILIPINE FIRST LADY: By giving it to the people, it is really flaunting it to the world. But if you were keeping it like a miser, nobody will see what you have accumulated.
ZAHN: Nowadays you could say she collects lawsuits, 900 civil cases and pending criminal prosecutions alleging everything from corruption to human rights abuses. She's 76 years old, lives in Manila and frequently meets with her team of lawyers. She hasn't been convicted of any crime so far and is unrepentant about her alleged excesses.
MARCOS: I'm not all that extravagant. I'm not only selfish. I give it all.
ZAHN: By the way, Imelda now keeps active as a spokeswoman for the Philippine shoe industry.
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KING: In the end, you might call it the tale of two cities. For London, it was the best of times. In Trafalgar Square, which commemorates a famous victory over - uh-huh, the French, thousands cheered the news that London will host the 2012 Summer Olympics. The games should mean a surge of prestige and perhaps investment for a city already on the rise.
For Paris, if not the worst of times, certainly a major disappointment. It's been eight decades since the city last hosted the Olympic Games.
And remember, you can always catch Wolf Blitzer this time at 5 p.m. Eastern. I will be back tomorrow. Until then, thanks for joining us. LOU DOBBS TONIGHT starts right now. Kitty Pilgrim sitting in for Lou. She is standing by.
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