Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Day Two of Forced Evacuations From Gaza Strip; Families of BTK Victims Will Get Their Chance to Speak in Court Today

Aired August 18, 2005 - 07:00   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Miles O'Brien. A tense standoff in Gaza. Israeli forces put to the test, trying to get protesters in two of the most hardline settlements to leave. Emotions running high. We are live on day two of forced evacuations.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Carol Costello for Soledad. After decades of waiting, the families whose loved ones were murdered in Wichita get their chance to confront BTK killer Dennis Rader. We'll have a live report for you from the courthouse.

O'BRIEN: And Pope Benedict XVI arrives in Germany to celebrate World Youth Day. Hundreds of thousands expected to attend. A homecoming trip for the pope on this AMERICAN MORNING.

Good morning. Glad to have you with us.

COSTELLO: Good morning to you.

More emotional pictures coming to us from Gaza today.

O'BRIEN: Let's get right to that. That's right where we begin. Day two of forced evacuations of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said the evacuations are moving quickly and should be done by Monday. So far Israeli defense forces have completely evacuated six of 21 settlements. Those are the ones seen here in blue.

Right now, forced evacuations are under way in three settlements indicated on this map in red. About 700 of some 9,000 settlers are still holding out, along with thousands of young, nonresident protesters. Israeli troops with riot gear matched in Kfar Darom, one of the oldest in Gaza.

John Vause is in the middle of that scene right now. ]

John, what's going on?

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.

Well, just a short time ago policemen (INAUDIBLE) into place. Now the bus could be used to evacuate the protesters inside the synagogue, but it can also used to evacuate some of the residents in the houses. We're not too sure. This has just happened moments ago.

What the process has been, police, women, counselors, rabbis going door to door here in Kfar Darom, asking the people to leave. If they don't leave quietly, then the policemen move in and carry them in out one at a time. The problem here, as far as the police are concerned, focuses on the synagogue. If we take a look up here, we can see the protesters on the roof of the syagogue. They've rolled out barb wire, they've been holding prayers, they've been singing all day long. You might also see that they're holding mirrors and reflecting the sunlight. The purpose of that is to try to reflect the sun into the face of the soldiers, if and when they put ladders up against the walls of the synagogue and try to climb up there to bring them down.

Another possible plan of attack for the police could be the use of a crane carrying a cage. They'll hoist those cages up there with police in them. The police get out, they arrest the protesters, put them in the cages and then bring them down. We're not at that stage yet. Although earlier they did, in fact, bring in a crane. We were expecting that tactic to be used.

But at this stage, the police are saying what they would rather do is allow the protesters in here, none of whom live in Kfar Darom, but allow these protesters to vent their frustration.

As far as the settlement is concerned, one of the oldest, established in 1970. About 500 people live here. We are told by the police so far 200 people have left either peacefully or they've been forced to leave -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: It's interesting that none of them in that synagogue are residents.

Let's talk about the overall big picture here. Ariel Sharon saying that evacuation should be complete by Monday. Does that seem realistic from where you stand?

VAUSE: Absolutely. In fact, I'd even say sooner than Monday. This has been an overwhelming success for Ariel Sharon.

In fact, if we just take a look back up at the synagogue, Miles, they've been throwing eggs, and empty water bottles and the occasional stone at the bus. They've also been throwing things from the roof of the synagogue all morning and all afternoon long.

Now as far as the evacuation goes, yes, I think it would be over by Monday. It certainly appears to be the case. They flooded these settlements with police and soldiers, thousands and thousands, have simply overwhelmed the resistance that they've come across, and if it is completed by Monday, the fact is, Miles, that it took Israel six days to capture the Gaza Strip. It will take them six days to get out -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Interesting. John Vause, thank you.

Now let's go to Ben Wedeman. He is in the Palestinian town of Han Eunice (ph), just outside of the Neveh De Kalim settlement. And, Ben, give us the perspective there. That's been the focus of a lot of tension. BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Miles. Well, Palestinians are watching very closely as the Israeli evacuations proceed. Now there's really two sides to the Palestinian reactions to all of this. We've seen quite a lot over the last week or so. Every day the militant groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad are putting on demonstrations, what they call victory marches or celebrations, claiming, of course, that it was their armed resistance, as they describe it. that led to the Israeli pullout.

In fact, here in Han Eunice, we're expecting in the next few hours Islamic Jihad is going to put on yet another one of these demonstrations. They come out with their AK-47s, their rocket- propelled grenades, and it's something of a show of defiance as well, because they're doing it within eyesight of Neveh Dekalim and, in general the Gus Katif (ph) settlement block.

But at the same time, the other side of all of this is I've spent the morning talking to people who really literally live on the front lines. Their houses are just pockmarked with bullet holes and missile holes and what not and they're caught in the middle.

On the one side, they have the Palestinian militants firing in the direction of the settlement, and the Israeli army has been firing back. Their houses are extremely -- in very bad condition. These people really are looking forward to an end to this whole situation. They want the settlers to leave so they can live in peace.

We went to one house, in fact, where they're already starting to rebuild. They're putting in cabinets and what not. They've put cement over some of the old bullet marks, so very much on just a personal level, many people are looking forward to an end to the presence of Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Ben Wedeman in Gaza, thank you.

In Iraq, a story still breaking, four U.S. soldiers killed today by a roadside bomb. It happened in the town of Samarra. The soldiers were part of Operation Task Force Liberty. Sixty-three U.S. troops killed in Iraq so far just this month -- Carol.

COSTELLO: The families of BTK victims will get their chance to speak in court today. It is day two of Dennis Rader's sentencing hearing. On Wednesday, they heard some grizzly details of how Rader killed their loved ones.

Chris Lawrence live in Wichita this morning.

Chris, another emotional day for the victims' families ahead.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, carol on Wednesday, you know, these people were crying in the courtroom. They saw these pictures and heard the kind of details that we just never forget. Today the families will give their chance to look Dennis Rader in the eye and tell him how they feel.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LAWRENCE (voice over): Dennis Rader shot, stabbed and strangled 10 people, including women and children. But detectives say BTK saw himself as anything but a cold-blooded killer.

DET. CLINT SNYDER, WICHITA POLICE: He said, "I did one of those John Wayne things." And he showed where he grabbed the gun in his waistband and then pointed, and he went "Pow." And he shot Kevin.

LAWRENCE: In another murder, he disguised himself as a detective, tricking a female victim into letting him in her home, where he killed her.

DET. DANA GOUGE, WICHITA POLICE: And he said he was pretty spiffy looking, that he was wearing dark slacks and a James Bond-style tweed coat.

LAWRENCE: Prosecutors described each of BTK's crimes, beginning with the murder of the Otero family in 1974.

KEVIN O'CONNOR, PROSECUTOR: And so Mrs. Otero was watching as Rader puts a bag over her little boy's head, and she yells, "You killed my boy! You killed my boy!"

Is that what Rader tells you she said?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it is.

LAWRENCE: Rader tied up and murdered the Oteros and two of their children, saving 11-year-old Josie for what he called his encore.

SPEC. AGENT RAY LUNDIN, KANSAS BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION: And I remember how he kind of callously said, you know, "She was over there yelling, you know, 'Mama, mama, mama!' something like that." And...

O'CONNOR: And during the interview he actually mimicked a little girly yelling, "Mommy, mommy, mommy!" Is that correct?

LUNDIN: Yes, he did.

LAWRENCE: Josie's other siblings weren't home at the time. And on Wednesday, for the first time, they saw photographs showing how Rader killed their sister, hanging from a noose in the family's basement.

OTERO: They were in a lot of pain. They were terrified. And now -- now it's over.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Almost. Now first we'll hear from a couple of other detectives, and then the families will take the stand to address the court and Dennis Rader himself -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Chris, the Otero family has been through so much, but they got more bad news last night. Tell us about that. LAWRENCE: Yes, Charlie Otero, one of the brothers, his son was hit by a car in Wisconsin. He's in very serious, critical condition there, and Charlie actually doesn't have the money to fly to Wisconsin right now, so they're trying to raise some money here. A lot of volunteers have been pitching in money, trying to get him a flight there to see his boy.

COSTELLO: Oh, God.

Chris Lawrence, live in Kansas this morning.

Florida prosecutors investigating traces of cocaine found in the body of Jessica Lunsford. The 9-year-old was raped and murdered back in February. A toxicology report came out Wednesday revealing the cocaine. John Couey, who's accused of her murder, admits to smoking crack-cocaine during the three days he said he held the girl at his home.

O'BRIEN: Space news now. NASA is shifting its plans for the next shuttle launch until at least march. Had been scheduled for maybe September. There's also word that the next mission will not involve the Shuttle Atlantis as previously planned, but rather Discovery. A news conference on this next mission scheduled for noon today. They've got to rectify those problems of falling foam as you'll recall.

Meanwhile, a new report is accusing NASA officials of skipping safety improvements to meet an unrealistic launch date for the last mission we just saw, Discovery. The report also says poor leadership made the return to space more complicated and expensive than it needed to be.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING, the latest on Cindy Sheehan's protest near the president's ranch. We'll take a closer look at the sophisticated effort to drive home her simple message.

O'BRIEN: Also Pope Benedict XVI attends his first World Youth Day as pope. But can he match John Paul II's popularity with young Catholics?

COSTELLO: And the truth about hybrid cars. We will take a look at whether the savings on gas are worth the long-term costs. You might be surprised. That's just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Peace vigils held across the country yesterday show support for Cindy Sheehan whose son was killed in Iraq. Several hundred turned out in Decatur, Georgia. In Washington, supporters of the war tried to counter an anti-war protest in Lafayette Park, just outside the White House. And in Crawford, Texas, Cindy Sheehan led her own candlelight vigil, with people gathering around a flag-draped coffin, calling for an end to the war in Iraq. Now Sheehan, of course, has become a lightning rod on the Iraq war issue, her band of mothers camped out near President Bush's ranch in Crawford going on two weeks now. Sheehan determined to meet with the president still.

CNN's Dana Bash looks at a day and the life of this grieving mom now in the spotlight.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): 5:45 a.m., pitch black, you can barely make out the trailer where Cindy Sheehan sleeps. But she's up. So is Michelle, the P.R. rep hired to coordinate her media push.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... like ten different stations. Part of why we agreed to do it early is at least it covers a few things.

BASH: Sheehan's schedule is scratched on a piece of notebook paper. Her office, a lawn chair on a dark Crawford field. The simple look belies a sophisticated effort to maximize what she calls her 15 minutes of fame.

Morning drive radio, Seattle.

SHEEHAN: I'm waiting for the president to come out and talk to me.

BASH: D.C...

SHEEHAN: ... the war has got back on the front page of the news where it belongs.

BASH: Buffalo...

SHEEHAN: I'm not being financially underwritten by anybody.

BASH: Over and over, she's asked whether liberal groups now helping her, like anti-Bush Moveon.org, are diluting sympathy for a grieving mother's cause.

SHEEHAN: Nothing is happening that's not aligned with the vision or the mission.

BASH: The sun's finally up, shower time at Crawford's Peace House, a liberal meeting place now coordinating Cindy's vigil. She logs in to read some of 1,500 e-mails and checks out one of many boxes sent by strangers, supplies and some roses.

Then off to the demonstration site, a five-mile drive towards the Bush ranch she's taken several times a day for nearly two weeks.

BASH (on-screen): Do you really think there's any chance at this point that he's actually going to come and meet with you?

SHEEHAN: Well, nothing's impossible. The movement has taken hold. And it's going to go on with or without me, or with or without a meeting with George Bush.

BASH (voice-over): Here, Cindy does a lot of meeting and greeting.

SHEEHAN: Where are you from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm from -- well, now, I'm from Figussa Springs (ph), Colorado.

BASH: Unsolicited offers to help, the ACLU this time. She declines.

SHEEHAN: Well, they've been really good about letting us express our First Amendment rights.

BASH: Thinner crowds. Only 30 or so people now, but she's savvy.

(on-screen): Behind me is something that happens every day. Cindy Sheehan holds a press conference at 10:30 in the morning to announce something or react to something. It's a primary tactic in her efforts to keep momentum of her story going.

(voice-over): So are the interviews around the world.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And how long are you intending being here for?

BASH: The BBC, Mexican television.

SHEEHAN: ... memories of our fallen heroes.

BASH: It's a typical day and a pace she is determined to keep up until the president leaves. And a movement she hopes is even longer.

Dana bash, CNN, Crawford, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

O'BRIEN: Elaine Quijano joining us now from the White House.

Elaine, at the White House, is there a sense there were missed opportunities here to nip this one in the bud, so to speak, by having the president meet with Cindy Sheehan?

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we should point out, Miles, that on day one of Cindy Sheehan's protest, the White House did, in fact, dispatch some senior administration officials, two of them actually, the national security adviser Steven Hadley, as well as the deputy chief of staff Joe Hagin, to go out and meet with Cindy Sheehan. They did, but of course she has still remained unsatisfied.

Nevertheless the president's position on Iraq remains unchanged. He said that while he sympathies with Cindy Sheehan, whom he met with last summer, certainly he feels that the U.S. needs to complete the job in Iraq. But the White House is saying Cindy Sheehan is one of many families that the president has met with, the White House says, to try to provide some comfort.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There are no official public pictures to illustrate the private moments, when President Bush meets with the families of fallen U.S. troops. The White House will only describe the visits as emotional.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I grieve for every death. It breaks my heart to think about a family weeping over the loss of a loved one. I understand the anguish that some feel about the death that takes place.

QUIJANO: The administration intentionally keeps those difficult conversations private, careful not to exploit or be seen as exploiting families' grief.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president views that as one of his most important responsibilities, to visit with the families and provide them comfort.

QUIJANO: But Cindy Sheehan, the mother angry at President Bush over her son, Casey's, death in Iraq last year, does not remember feeling comforted when Mr. Bush visited with her last summer.

SHEEHAN: He came in very jovial, and like we should be, you know, happy that he -- that our son died for his misguided policies.

QUIJANO: Her recollection stands in stark contrast to others' memories. Frank Adamouski, whose son, Jimmy, was killed in Iraq two years ago, did not want to speak on camera, but told CNN, after his meeting with the president in 2003, he felt Mr. Bush was sincere in his compassion for the loss of life and added, "Nobody wants to end this more than he does."

Senator John McCain also defends the president, saying any charge of insensitivity on his part is false.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: I've been with the president when he has met with the families. And he has expressed, I think incredibly, his sympathy, and his concern, and his love for the men and women who have sacrificed and their families.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUIJANO: Now as for Cindy Sheehan, the White House will not comment specifically on President Bush's meeting with her last year. But one official said that the president has met with some 900 family members of 272 fallen U.S. troops, and says that the president has always acted in a manner befitting his office -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Elaine Quijano at the White House, thank you -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Still to come, the jury gets the case in the first Vioxx trial. Did the drug's manufacturer mislead patients about problems with the painkiller? Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: The nation first Vioxx trial is now in the hands of a jury. Andy Serwer is off, so Ellen McGirt is "Minding Your Business" this morning.

So, what's it looking like.

ELLEN MCGIRT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We have a right to know the good, the bad and the ugly. That's the last thing that jury heard before they went too deliberation, which starts this morning. That of course is the folksy attorney Mark Lanier, who is representing the sympathetic widow of a Texas man who died in 2001 after taking the Merck blockbuster drug Vioxx for seven months. Of course We know it was withdrawn from the market in September of 2004 after studies showed that it could run the risk of heart attack and stroke if you take it for a long period time.

What we don't know if the jury is going to be awarding $40 million-plus that Lanier is asking for. And of course Merck is facing 4,200 suits just like this across the country. They're facing a liability of $18 billion. That's real money for everybody. Consumers, analysts, shareholders, we're all watching this very, very carefully. So this is going to be the time when we're going to find out what's going to happen.

COSTELLO: OK, you talked a bit about this homespun attorney. Pretty effective?

MCGIRT: Very effective. It's a very emotional trial. This is a very sympathetic jury, but it's -- plaintiff, but it's not a slam dunk. It's really about the autopsy. It's really about medical facts, which are difficult for the jury to discern, and he technically died of an arrhythmia, which was really not related to the concerns about whether this drug was safe or not, so we'll see.

COSTELLO: So if Merck loses this case, though, that could spell big trouble, especially if there are all those other lawsuits out there.

MCGIRT: They're counting regardless, but it would be good news for Merck. But I definitely think either way we're going to get a book deal out of Mr. Lanier.

COSTELLO: There's always a book deal, isn't there?

MCGIRT: Always, always, always. Texas justice.

COSTELLO: Ellen, you'll be back.

MCGIRT: I will.

COSTELLO: OK, thank you.

MCGIRT: Thank you.

O'BRIEN: Always comes down to the book, and then the movie, naturally.

All right. Still to come on the program, Benedict XVI now on his first international trip since becoming pope. Maybe he's working on a book deal. No.

COSTELLO: He already wrote a book.

O'BRIEN: He's already got one, yes.

He's in his native Germany for World Youth Day.

And I didn't mean any disrespect, folks. So please don't send e- mails.

Thousands on hand to greet him. But will he hit it off with the youths, like his predecessor did?

Stay with us for more AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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