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Close Call on Mt. Hood; Teens, Sex, Prison; 'Uncovering America'
Aired February 18, 2007 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very, very cold. (INAUDIBLE).
END VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANCHEZ, HOST: Tonight, a desperate rescue operation when climbers go missing. We'll take you there.
Another seemingly outlandish statement from another big name.
A new and dangerous trend in Iraq, taking it to a whole new level. An al Qaeda manual spells out disaster for American helicopters.
Also, your response in the case of a 17-year old getting 10 years in prison for teen sex has been overwhelming. We'll update it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's wrong. It's wicked, a crime that somebody gotta and do something for that young man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Race in America. CNN uncovers the stories.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thirty or 40 years ago, we'd be arrested for being married.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Maybe I'm just not black enough to not startle anyone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Tonight, a former Pentagon powerhouse and his wife let us in on a little pillow talk, living as a mixed couple in America.
Hello again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez. There's really a lot of news to get to, but we're going to begin with something that's literally developing just as we're starting this newscast.
Let's go ahead and get to the pictures. These pictures coming in just moments ago. It is eight climbers who were on Mt. Hood. Suddenly, they called down. They said that they had an emergency. Five of them said they were OK, but three others, according to the five, were lost. They had fallen off of a ledge at around 8,300 feet.
These pictures you're looking at now is described to us as the five original climbers who made the call. They seem to be safe. They're getting off that cat just as we speak.
We've been talking to rescue officials throughout the night and have been frantically trying to get to these men. And now, I understand, they're still trying to get to the three others who have fallen off the ledge. We're hoping to get more information on their conditions and how the rescue effort is going.
As we watch these pictures, let's bring in Russell Gubele. He's a command officer in one of the rescue teams. And I understand he's on the line now. Mr. Gubele, can you -- are you there, sir?
RUSSELL GUBELE, MT. WAVE SEARCH & RESCUE: Yes, I am, Rick. Go ahead
SANCHEZ: That's great to hear your voice. Tell us how the rescue operation is going at this point?
GUBELE: Things are going well, although, we have terrible weather up here. There's near zero visibility on the mountain. And it is snowing heavily.
SANCHEZ: The pictures that we're looking at are closer to the base. So obviously, the conditions that you're talking about are much more extreme than what we're seeing here, correct?
GUBELE: That is correct, sir. The visibility is less than 50 feet. And it is difficult, but we do have teams in the process right now of continuing this effort.
SANCHEZ: All right, so as I described to the viewers moments ago as we watch this developing story, these are the five climbers who originally made the call. But they said to you or to the person they called originally that three of their other climbers had fallen off of a ledge. What do we know about those three at this point?
GUBELE: Yes, that's correct. Three of them fell and ended up somewhere down towards the White River Canyon. The -- they do have emergency locators with them, which we are tracking at this time. We have teams that are on the way into the White River Canyon right now to locate those missing folks. And we also have a signal from their emergency locator.
There is a report that they had walked for up to 40 minutes after the fall. And we did have cell phone coverage at times from them, and did speak to them. They appear to be in pretty good condition. There possibly is some minor injuries. And they are very cold as you can imagine.
SANCHEZ: But it's all about how soon you can get to them. And that locator you just described to our viewers, we probably don't understand the jargon that you're using. So it's probably, for the terms that we would understand, what? A beacon, right, that would lead you to them?
GUBELE: That's right, Rick. It's a beacon that they can activate if they get in trouble. And they did. And we have equipment that we can use to track it. And that gets us right to them as quickly as we probably can. We've also been using the cell phone tracking technology to assist us as it could also. And so...
SANCHEZ: That's great news.
GUBELE: Yes.
SANCHEZ: That means essentially you know where they are. The problem is getting to them in these conditions. Now tell us, if you would, Mr. Gubele, about the fall. How long a fall was it?
GUBELE: I can't tell you that. No one is with them now. So we don't know. But I can tell you that one of our teams just repelled 450 feet off that ledge...
SANCHEZ: Wow.
GUBELE: ...on the way down to the base. And there are more people that are going to be going over that ledge down into the canyon. And then they'll be searching the canyon for those three.
SANCHEZ: Just to be clear, you're not saying that they fell 450 feet, are you?
GUBELE: No. We don't know if they fell there or where they fell, or how far they fell. There's no way for us to tell right at this point.
SANCHEZ: You know, just on the stories that I've done with this, I know that the biggest problem in a situation like this, the biggest danger is obviously the exposure, them being in a situation where they can't get to a shelter. Or perhaps they're not able to make a snow cave for some reason. Is there any reason to believe that they have been able to hunker down at this point?
GUBELE: Well, that's what they've been asked to do. And the snow was apparently not appropriate to make a snow cave in the area that they were in. And so, our rescuers are working just as hard as possible to get there as quickly as we can. And we're homing in on them right now and hope to be with them very soon.
SANCHEZ: Sounds like you guys are doing a great job. One more question before we let you go. Do you have a sense at this point, because obviously we're going to be checking back with you throughout this newscast, do you have a sense of the timing? When do you think you'll be able to get to these guys? And how long before you're able to take them down from the mountain?
GUBELE: You know, Rick, we're working just as fast as we possibly can. And it's real hard to estimate on these things. We're very hopeful that within the next few minutes, we will be with them. And then it may take some time to get them evacuated out of the area.
However, our teams are well-equipped with equipment and warming equipment and medical equipment. And we have paramedics and rescuers up there. So once we get to them, we'll be in real good shape.
SANCHEZ: That's great. And we're going to be in contact with you. We'll try and touch base with you as soon as you've got some news for us. You're a good man. We appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. Sounds like you guys are all over this thing, doing a great job.
GUBELE: Thank you very much, Rick.
SANCHEZ: All right. Well, we're going to obviously be on this story. In fact, danger, avalanche, Mt. Hood wasn't the only perilous place to be this weekend. Five people were killed in avalanches in Montana, Utah, and Idaho. Most of the victims were in snowmobiles, according to officials that we talked to.
This is in Utah. Forecasters there have been placing avalanche danger at considerable amounts after this ominous formula, warm weather followed by heavy mountain snowfall. That's the formula.
Obviously, as we continue to get information out of Mt. Hood, we're going to take you there. But let's tell you about this now, too, because this is a very important story.
A familiar refrain. U.S. involvement in Vietnam ended 30 plus years ago, but the memories are vivid. And today, the top Democrat in the Senate went where few others have gone before.
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SEN. HARRY REID (D), MAJORITY LEADER: This war is a serious situation. It involves the worst foreign policy mistake in the history of this country. So we should take everything serious. This is -- we find ourselves in a very deep hole. We need to find a way to dig out of it.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: So maybe I misheard you, but you're saying this is the worst foreign policy blunder in American history?
REID: That's what I said.
BLITZER: Worse than Vietnam?
REID: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Strong words, no doubt. Harry Reid there, the Senate Majority leader. Comparisons to Vietnam are nothing new, but never from such a high vantage point.
But like Vietnam, coalition forces are now fighting an enemy who knows the value of violence. And they make the statement. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Few things in war make a heart-stopping impact on the television viewing world like a burning, crashing, flying machine. Few people are more aware of that than the armed insurgent groups in Iraq. They shoot, they kill, then they brag.
On Internet videos and on bombastic claims of responsibility. In a span of just 19 days, seven U.S. helicopters, seven, were shot at, shot up, or shot down.
Transport helicopters, attack choppers, civilian contractor aircraft hit by small arms, rockets, and missiles. Never before so many aircraft incidents. Never before so many casualties from ground fire.
28 fatalities. More helicopters, we're told, down in those 19 days than in all of 2006. It almost looks like a plan, an organized study and focused plan to hit anything flying.
And now we learn that it probably is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Here's what "The New York Times" reported today. I'll read to you from the story.
"Documents captured from Iraqi insurgents indicate that some of the recent fatal attacks against American helicopters are a result of a carefully planned strategy to focus on downing coalition aircraft, one that American officials say has been carried out by mounting coordinated assaults with machine guns, rockets and surface-to-air missiles. Is that true?
TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN: Without confirming or denying, it shouldn't surprise anybody that an enemy is going to look constantly for ways, not merely to kill Americans, but also to attract media attention.
There have been a number of occasions now where our helicopters and our aircraft have been brought down by enemy forces. And they have, in fact, adopted tactics that are designed to do that. We're going to have to adjust.
SANCHEZ: And adjust they are, or trying to. A U.S. two-star general in Iraq says his commanders are shifting tactics to meet their shifting enemy, their adapting enemy. In his words, their thinking enemy.
An enemy that knows that one helicopter down has implications far, far beyond the crash site.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: There' information just into us now. This is coming to us, related by the way to the Anna Nicole story. And this has to do with a Bahamian minister. The immigration minister Shane Gibson has resigned. We've just learned moments ago.
For those of you who have been following this, you may have seen those photos of the minister in what seems to be - as you see it there, those are in the pictures of "The Miami Herald".
It seems to be an embrace with Anna Nicole at their Bahamian house. Photos appeared in the Bahamas newspaper recently as well, showing them actually in bed, according to sources with the former Playboy playmate.
But the appearance of the pictures stoked a controversy because Gibson had fast-tracked her application for permanent residency in the United States. Obviously a lot of questions about this case.
And we should tell you something else just to be clear. It's not known what the source of those pictures are. We're showing you the pictures as they've appeared in other publications in the Bahamian newspapers and also used in "The Miami Herald."
Not clear what the source is, but the information is clear tonight. And in fact, immigration minister Shane Gibson moments ago, this handed to me, has resigned on this night over the flack in his relationship with Anna Nicole Smith. A story that we'll also continue to follow on this night.
And this. Missing climbers on Mt. Hood. A harrowing rescue on a mountain, becoming just far too familiar. We've been following the story all evening long. We've been talking to rescuers. We've been talking people there on the scene.
We're going to be going live to Mt. Hood. We are expecting, if you stay with us, that we'll see information about the other three climbers who fell off that ledge hopefully before the end of the newscast. We'll hear their perilous stories.
Also, the scare of a lifetime. Imagine being a passenger on this jet. It happened just within hours.
And 50 cent, that's right, the rapper -- I may not be saying his name right. You probably know how to do it. At the top of his game. But does that make him right? Is it ever OK to use bigoted words as many would describe them? We put them to the test. And we'll let you hear it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. You're looking at some of the pictures now. That's the cat that's being used to try and get some of the rescued climbers off of Mt. Hood.
A problem is that those of you who have been watching us says that there's still three more climbers up there. And it's really a perilous situation for them, because the conditions as you heard described moments ago on the interview that I was talking to with one of the rescuers, is it's a white-out condition.
In a white out condition, you essentially can't see in front of you. You can't really even hear yourself. In fact, what I want to do now is not long ago when we were out covering the other story regarding Fort Hood, I had a chance to go in an elevation of about 9,000 feet to actually experience for myself what it feels like to be in one of those whiteout conditions, one of these ground blizzards.
You're going to see for yourself as you watch this, just how difficult it is not to be able to talk, to be able to feel your own hands. Let's watch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a biting cold. It's hard to see. In fact, it's down right painful. The question now is if you're stuck in these conditions, what do you do? How do you survive?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: You know, obviously, I'm an amateur. And those guys are experts out there. They do know how to build those snow caves like we're showing in this video right here, right now. And we certainly hope and pray that they're going to OK.
The rescue officials are telling us they think that they're all right. One of them might be injured. Obviously, you know, much of this point is speculative. Stay with us. Hopefully we'll be able to get more information from them as we bring you the rest of this situation that's developing as we speak and as we bring you this newscast in Oregon right now. We'll get back to it.
Meanwhile, here's another big story we've been following through the day. It has to do with a huge weekend in Las Vegas with the NBA all-star game.
Who would have thought an even bigger controversy would suddenly be lingering on the sidelines. At issue -- anti-gay remarks that have just about everybody talking in the NBA and outside the NBA.
We caught up with a rapper in town for a game, who had some words of his own about this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Here's the instant replay. It begins when former NBA player John Amaechi does something no other pro basketball player has done. He comes out, admits he's gay. Out also came this statement from former NBA star, Tim Hardaway.
TIM HARDAWAY, FMR. MIAMI HEAT PLAYER: Well, you know, I hate gay people. So I let it be known I don't like gay people. So you know, I let it be known. I don't like to be around gay people. I don't like to be around gay people. I don't -- you know, I'm homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States for it. So, yes, I don't like it. SANCHEZ: The fallout was fierce. And Hardaway tried to rebound with a quick apology issued within 24 hours of his Miami radio interview.
HARDAWAY: I'm messed up. I'm very, very sorry about it, but you know, a lot of people don't think so, but I am.
SANCHEZ: Now another entry into the playbook. A rapper weighs in with words, he says, don't mean a thing.
50 CENT: I say fat all day. I'll say gay, all different comments. I put it in the music all day. You know what I'm saying?
But it is not a direct -- I don't mean it as a direct thing against someone when I'm saying it. I'm just using it as slang, like an enabler. (BLEEP). That don't mean it's bad. Just for a second that I say that. You know what I'm saying? It's like bad meaning good. Same way I use the term (INAUDIBLE). They don't mean it as a racial slur when you tell your friend that's my (BLEEP).
SANCHEZ: But it's really interesting because in "Hate It or Love It" you talk about your mom...
50 CENT: Yes.
SANCHEZ: ...kissing a girl.
50 CENT: My mom did like women. You know, how could I hate gay people? You know what I mean? It'd be hating your mother.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: It's a simple question that we have for you tonight. We always try to involve you, our viewers, in our newscast. So we want to know what you think? Do you buy that explanation? Is it ever OK to use racially-charged or potentially sensitive words even if they're in context and not used as a direct accusation as he said he used them?
Well, we want you to give us a call. Here's the number. It's 1- 800-807-2620. Really interested in finding out what people have to think across America on this one. So we're going to get your responses and then air them later on this hour.
Once again, let's try and bring you up to date on this situation going on with Anna Nicole Smith. Now we understand, and this coming in just about three minutes ago, that the Bahamian immigration minister has now resigned.
His name is Shane Gibson. You're looking at some of the pictures. This is a newspaper, Bahamian newspaper, that actually shows them embracing in bed with Anna Nicole Smith.
What's not known is the source of these photographs, but it's been a huge brouhaha there in the Bahamas and all involvement with Anna Nicole Smith case, because some are alleging that he may have given some favors to her as a result of the treatment or the pictures. We'll stay on top of that story as well.
Should sex between teenagers be punished with 10 years in prison? We've heard from so many of you on this. Many of you are outraged about it. So we're going to take another look.
Also, another fast blast of arctic air just before spring. And Jacqui Jeras, as usual, is going to be tracking the cold for us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. We're going to take you across America now. A Chicago community is in shock tonight, after the brutal deaths of three women there. Police have charged a 55-year-old man with first degree murder. They say that his wife or his stepsister and their mother were beaten to death with a hammer.
They're probably still shaking tonight, a very scary land for passengers on this Delta connection flight in Cleveland, Ohio.
Take a look at this. It's a plane that just skidded off the runway. It smashed right through a fence. Couldn't stop. There were some high winds and some heavy snow at the time.
Here's the good news. No one was hurt. Three people did ask to be looked over by a doctor just as the plane stopped.
Parts of Florida are coping with the big chill right now. It's been a cold weekend and temperatures in some places could drop below freezing before dawn Monday. That's bad news for fruit growers worried at this point about their crops.
All right, let's bring you up to date now on what's going on in Mt. Hood. And I guess one of the best things we can do is go over to Jacqui Jeras.
You know, Jacqui, we've covered these types of stories before. And we've been describing these whiteout conditions for people. You told us earlier in the day that you expected that something like this could happen somewhere out west, right?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, yes, there's been a high threat of avalanche danger. So these guys, from what I understand, fell off one of the edges. And it wasn't related to an avalanche.
But we've had some warm air across the West the last couple of days. And now we've got a storm system with some fresh snow moving in on top of that. So that's a considerable danger.
And not just into the Cascade range, but also into the Rockies and into (INAUDIBLE), all the way up into Idaho and even into Western Montana.
And of course, It's a holiday weekend. So a lot of people are going to be out there trying to get out on their snowmobiles, maybe going into the back country instead of sitting in the trails when you're skiing. So not a good idea this weekend. That is a very considerable threat up there on Mt. Hood right now. Conditions just absolutely miserable. Visibility down to about 50 feet up there at about 8,000 feet. And temperatures are down to the teens.
But when winds are blowing at 70 miles per hour, you know it feels well below zero. So very, very brutal. Unfortunately, storm systems are going to keep coming in across parts of the West. And conditions are not going to be great and making it nearly impossible to get any aerial help, too. You know, they're not able to get the helicopters up there to provide any rescue effort either.
Now other than the Florida story, we saw those pictures of the ice on the oranges. Well, we had a big blast of arctic air come in Friday night into Saturday morning. And now we've got another one moving in tonight.
Freezing temperatures are just a state away. Over night lows are going to be down below freezing across much of the northern half of the state.
And keep in mind some of these temperatures that you see in Tampa, in Orlando. That's in the city. Drop down about four degrees when you get out into the country. So this is a big concern for citrus growers.
Also, strawberry season. And the peaches are growing. And some farmers are even saying that they lost maybe 50 percent of their peach crop last go-round. So we're very concerned about this big, black coming in.
You know they get the sprinklers going too, by the way, Rick, right, to kind of help insulate some of the fruit. Well, the winds are going to be strong. So that might be a problem, that they won't get an even coating. So really tricky tomorrow morning.
SANCHEZ: Thanks, Jacqui. Appreciate it.
The situation as we were just talking about over in Mt. Hood is this. Five rescuers have been found. Three others have still not been located.
They certainly seem to know where they are because they have beacons. But the officials who are looking for them, the rescue officials, haven't actually physically gotten to them yet.
We hope that we'll hear from them very shortly. They told us they would let us know right away. And hopefully, then they'll begin the process of getting them down the mountain.
Also this story...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He warned me. He said I know you're a young, black girl. You want to be somebody. He said don't ever want something so much that only they can give you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Imagine getting that kind of advice from that man right there, Mohammed Ali. Well, she, Janet, is in a mixed marriage, but there's nothing mixed about her message. Janet Cohen, she's the wife of former Defense Secretary William Cohen.
She shares her personal views, her professional life, and her passionate cause.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rick Sanchez.
The thing we want to do now is try and catch you up on the story that we've been following in Mt. Hood. Throughout the night we've been getting different sources of video coming in like that one you're looking at right there. That video involves, obviously, some of those climbers, five of them who were found, three others that they're still looking for.
We're doing everything we can to keep you updated on the story and those three limbers who are in whiteout conditions. That's how it's being described to us.
Let's go to Jane Smith of station KGW. She's on the scene.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE SMITH, REPORTER, KGW: Rescuers are making tremendous progress. We're told they just brought five of the climbers off the mountain. They're being debriefed right now. And they have been contact by cell phone with the other three who fell off a ledge. We're told one man is in good condition, two women have minor injuries.
The party of eight spent the night at a place called Illumination Rock. That's at the 8300 foot level. We want to go ahead and show you some video of what the conditions are like here now. It is whiteout. Very difficult to see right now.
The group of eight, as I said, they spent the night at Illumination Rock. They were on the way back down when three of the climbers fell off a ledge. The two groups of climbers had mountain locator units with them, and that's helping rescuers to locate them.
ERIK BROMS, PORTLAND MOUNTAIN RESCUE: I have issues with just the way the weather is. If the wind picks up, you know, I'm not going to put my team into any kind of a danger. If we feel like the conditions are too severe, I'm going to pull my team out of the field.
We're going to give it a good shot. And that's all I can do.
SMITH: The three climbers are 150 feet down off the ledge. The five who were just bought off the mountain, we're told, had built a snow cave to stay out of the elements. They had provisions because they spent the night up here.
Rescuers say the conditions are very difficult in trying to reach the three because it's so difficult to see, not to mention the fact that it's also nighttime now. But they say they will continue with this rescue and hope to bring the three climbers off the mountain sometime this evening.
I'm Jane Smith, reporting from Mt. Hood.
Rick, back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: So you're hearing now and for the first time that they are 150 feet from the ledge. That doesn't necessarily mean they fell 150 feet. That's where they probably ended up because they may have walked after that.
The question now is, what actually happened on that mountain to begin this situation that has developed and really turned out so dangerously for these other three climbers? We may know that when we get some of the sound from interviews that have now bee done. And I was told just moments ago that these interviews are coming in from the five original climbers.
We're hoping to turn that around for you. You should have it within just a couple of minutes. And we may be able to glean more information from that.
Also, obviously, if we get any new information on the three climbers that rescue officials are trying to get to, we'll bring you that right away. When last we checked, the information we have is the rescue officials have not yet physically gotten to them. As soon as they do, we'll let you know.
Meanwhile, it left you outraged, some of you shocked and wondering if it could have happen possibly to your son. It's the story of Genarlow Wilson that we've been working on. It's really been an outrageous story as far as so many of you are concerned.
Ever since we started telling you about him, your phone calls, your e-mails have flooded in. And they haven't stopped. So we're sharing now more of your own thoughts tonight and a reminder of what's going on with Genarlow and some of what he's gone through so far.
Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (voice over): Genarlow Wilson really did have it all -- honor student, homecoming king, star athlete. Then it was all gone.
December 31, 2003, Genarlow Wilson and his friends ring in the new year at a hotel room outside Atlanta. One of the boy videotapes 17-year-old Genarlow getting oral sex from a 15-year-old girl. It appears consensual, sex between two teens, but no matter. Under a Georgia law he was convicted of aggravated child molestation. The sentence, 10 years in prison. Mandatory.
The law has been charged, but not Genarlow's punishment. This week, senators tackled Genarlow's punishment. And then one senator during the proceedings threw cold water on any deal.
Eric Johnson said the girl was unconscious and even called it rape. Neither of those assertions is true. So I went to the state capitol and confronted the senator.
(on camera): Do you feel bad about the fact that you characterized this as a rape when you were talking yesterday in the Senate?
ERIC JOHNSON, GEORGIA STATE SENATE: No.
SANCHEZ: No? You don't have any problem with that? Because it wasn't a rape.
JOHNSON: It's a rape in my mind.
SANCHEZ (voice over): Many of you have been writing us, so outraged by this case, your calls and e-mails are continuing to come in.
Here's one to Senator Johnson. "Your 'rape' stance on Genarlow Wilson makes me a ashamed to be a Republican."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He should be let out immediately. The judge should be put in jail.
SANCHEZ: Here's another angry e-mail. "It scares to think that something of this magnitude can still happen in America. The child probably would have been better off fighting in a war."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would not sentence him to anything at all. That young man should be in college. This is just outrage and a disgrace.
SANCHEZ: And this one: "I guess they'll have to start prosecuting every teenager in the country."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Well, you know this case is far from over. Genarlow's lawyer is petitioning the Georgia legislature. We talked to her just yesterday. She's trying to get them involved again, and she also plans to visit the governor to try and get his support.
We'll let you know.
Tonight we "Uncover America" by taking a look at race relations in the United States and this story about a woman who is passionate, beautiful, and she takes a stand. She is the wife, did you know, of former Defense Secretary William Cohen. She's got some amazing stories to tell about black history and about life in a mixed marriage.
The Cohens share their histories together and apart in "Love in Black and White." Their story is one of many that we're going to be telling this week. It's part of our yearlong series, "Uncovering America."
Now, I asked Janet Cohen if there's too much attention that's being paid in our country to color.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANET LANGHART COHEN, FMR. MODEL, TV JOURNALIST: We are very color conscious society. Historically, it's always been black or white. Now politically it's red states, blue states. When it comes to our fear, we even color that with orange, red, green levels, whatever.
So, yes, we are a little bit too color conscious. And with our presidential candidate, Barack Obama, they're talking about is he black enough? Well, how black do you have to be to be black and what is black enough?
SANCHEZ: You had -- probably one of the best stories about you, Janet, was your meeting with Martin Luther King at the time when this nation was going through that most important civil rights movement. And at one point I think he discouraged you from marching with him because you would be a little more militant than what he was looking for.
LANGHART COHEN: I was very young. And Rick, I didn't understand the strategy of nonviolence.
I was angry, and I had come out of the Malcolm X mentality of not turning the other cheek. And after I had met Martin, it was -- it was just before he was stoned. And I said, "The next time you march, Dr. King, I would like to march with you." And he said, "What would they do if they stoned you?" And I said, "I would hit them back."
And he says, "You can't march with us. This is a nonviolent movement. It is strategically correct and it is morally correct. And if you do what you say you want to do, you would be playing right into their hands, because all they want to do is crack us over the heads." And he said, "No, you can't march with us."
And I understand it now.
SANCHEZ: Mr. Secretary, you've never been known as an activist, really, or a militant in any way. Did you ever have a tough time corralling your wife?
WILLIAM COHEN, FMR. DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, she...
LANGHART COHEN: Truth.
SANCHEZ: Tell the truth now, sir.
COHEN: She is a passionate individual, and that's what I love about her. She has -- she's strong-willed. She is principled. She has spoken out over the years on issues affecting blacks and whites, and many times it's cost her her job.
LANGHART COHEN: Yes.
COHEN: But that's what I love about her, that she's been unwilling to bend her principles in order to maintain her job or to seek higher levels of employment.
SANCHEZ: What kind of things did you do that could have affected your job, where you stood on principle?
LANGHART COHEN: Oh, I would say things when I lived in Boston during the court-ordered bussing days when white mothers were stoning black children on school buses. I spoke out about that.
The church in Boston failed to speak out. The mayor of the city wouldn't speak out. People didn't seem to be standing up. And I thought, well, I have a live morning show. I'll say what I think is right or wrong about this.
People shouldn't be stoning children under any circumstances. And that got me into trouble. I got about -- oh, I would say 300 calls saying, "Send that African back to African," or "Send her back to the South."
SANCHEZ: One of those persons who may have been like that, perhaps as much as anybody -- and too bad we don't have people like him today -- was Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay.
You have an interesting story about him as well. You kind of met him during that transition when he was going from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, right?
LANGHART COHEN: Yes, I did. Yes, I did, Rick.
He had just begun to get accustomed to being called "Muhammad Ali" by most people. And I was still calling him Cassius Clay. And when I met him I said, "Well, hello, Cassius." And he said, "That's the last time I'll let you call me by that slave name." He said, "From now on..."
SANCHEZ: Did he -- did he say "slave name"?
LANGHART COHEN: Yes, he did.
SANCHEZ: Oh my goodness.
LANGHART COHEN: "Do not call me by that slave name." We became very good friends. We're the exact same age.
He was the champion of the world when I met him. And then this government took his title. And I remember seeing him one day. I was in a parade. I had just won a beauty contest and I was waving to the crowd, and there he was in the distance towering above everyone.
And I saw him without his entourage. And he motioned for me to meet him at the end of the parade. And I did.
And he drove me home. And we were looking at some beautiful lake shore -- Lake Michigan in Chicago -- and I started to cry.
And he said, "Why are you crying?" And I said, "Because they have taken everything from you. They have taken your title. You haven't been able to earn a living for three years."
He said, "No, Janet." He said, "They didn't take everything from me. They didn't take me from me. They didn't take away my dignity."
And he warned me. He said, "I know you're a young black girl, you want to be somebody." He said, "Don't ever want something so much that only they can give you, because when they take it away you have nothing. You must want yourself and your dignity first."
SANCHEZ: Wow. Powerful message.
LANGHART COHEN: A powerful lesson from a 26-year-old kid.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Yes, those are powerful coming through in the Cohens' life, like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COHEN: There was one interesting moment when one of my colleagues, former colleagues, said, "Janet, which one of her parents is white?" And I said, "Neither one. Why do you ask?"
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: You're going to be amazed by the answer. You're going to hear the rest of that conversation with the Cohens coming up next. But obviously we are all over that situation that's been developing from Mt. Hood.
As soon as there's news, we're going to bring it to you right away. We're monitoring it. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: As we wait for the information to come in from Mt. Hood, we are doing something else. We do a lot of breaking news, a lot of political coverage, but we're "Uncovering America" now for you now. This is important for all of us. It's a yearlong series on race and culture here at CNN.
You may not know this, but former defense secretary William Cohen married an African-American woman named Janet Langhart 11 years ago, on Valentine's Day, no doubt. And now they're sharing their history as a mixed couple in America. And the book that they're putting out, it's called "Love in Black and White," appropriately so.
Here's the second part now of my conversation with the both of them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LANGHART COHEN: You find a lot of African-Americans in particular who make a good living, do well in the larger society, are reluctant to talk about issues relative to race and racism.
SANCHEZ: They don't want to mess with the apple cart, huh?
LANGHART COHEN: It could hurt their careers.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
LANGHART COHEN: The larger society, they don't want us to talk about racism. Nobody really wants to talk about racism. I think Paula Zahn on this network has been doing an outstanding and noble job in bringing out prejudices, whether it's racism or anti-Semitism, out into the open for us to dialogue.
COHEN: Look what's coming up every day. You can hear it. And Michael Richards has a bursting out of racist sentiment. You've had other examples of it.
If you go to Europe, you're seeing a rise of anti-Semitism. You see racism there, where they're throwing bananas and having monkey calls at black football players, or soccer players. You're seeing some of the neo-Nazis start to surface again.
So it's always out there. What is important is to talk about it and to talk about it and to shine sunlight on it. But what's great about this country is how much progress we have made, that you can take someone like Janet, myself, that 30 or 40 years ago we would be arrested for being married. And today it is pretty much accepted, not by all, but by many. We are becoming a much more integrated, multiracial society.
So a lot of progress being made.
SANCHEZ: Interesting that you would say not by all. Do you still have cases where you can feel the vibes are not good when you walk into a restaurant or walk hand in hand down a mall or something?
LANGHART COHEN: Not for Bill and me, because he's so highly recognizable and visible and highly respected.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
LANGHART COHEN: So what they see first is Bill, the former secretary of defense, or someone who appears on CNN. And then they see me. And then, you know, let's be frank. I am somewhat questionable. We talked earlier about, "Are you black enough?"
SANCHEZ: Right.
LANGHART COHEN: Maybe I'm just not black enough to not startle anyone. But, now -- but we hear of other mixed couples depending on the mixture and the gender of that mixture of black and white. They have a very different story to tell.
I did worry about, if Bill married me while he was a U.S. senator, if indeed that would hurt his career. It wasn't a lack of courage on my part. It was more of concern and love for him, understanding the realities of society. And I think I underestimated our country. By and large, they've been wonderful to me, to us, to our family.
SANCHEZ: Did it in any way, though, Mr. Secretary -- did you ever feel any resistance from any of your colleagues as a result of your decision to marry an African-American woman?
COHEN: I felt no resistance whatsoever. I felt they were reaching out and embracing Janet and me.
There was one interesting moment when one of my colleagues, former colleagues, said, "Janet, which one of her parents is white?" And I said, "Neither one. Why do you ask?" He said, "Well, because she's so intelligent."
SANCHEZ: Oh, my goodness.
COHEN: And so there was that element of kind of the notion that if you're white, that you're really intelligent. And if you're not, then you're not so intelligent. And that sentiment is out there still.
We still ask the question, why do we ask the question, can a black person be president of the United States? What's color got to do with it?
We send young men and women, black men and women off to fight for us in Iraq or Afghanistan. We don't ask what color they are. We just sent them to be our representatives and our warriors.
And now we have to ask the question whether a person's skin color will determine whether he or she can be president or whether a woman can be president? We have to get over that and say, what is the character? What are their capabilities? That's the test we ought to have for our political leadership.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Those are the kinds of stories that we do on culture and trends in America. You want to see more? Go to cnn.com/roadtoequality -- cnn.com/roadtoequality. Well, we are covering the big stories on this night. A lot of them have to do with some of the breaking news that we've been telling you about in Fort Hood.
The very latest information, those three climbers that officials are hoping to get to at any time, and as soon as they do, we hope to hear and turn that information around for you. We'll have that.
Stay with us. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Two developing stories that we're following for you on this night as we come back to you here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
I'm Rick Sanchez.
Let's bring you up to date on this one, because it has to do with the Anna Nicole Smith case that seemingly everybody has been talking about in all types of media. And now there's an actual development in it that's a bit of a political development.
This has to do with the Bahamian immigration minister. His name is Shane Gibson. He's seen in these pictures that were circulated by "The Tribune," which is a Bahamian paper, by the way.
And he has been in a flap ever since these pictures were revealed because of his relationship with Anna Nicole Smith. The photos appeared, and they show him in the Bahamian home embracing her. Both were fully clothed, by the way. But the appearance of the pictures has raised some questions as to some other favors, as some have described them, that he may have done in the past regarding Anna Nicole Smith.
Again, the minister, Shane Gibson, has resigned tonight over this flap.
And the other big developing story that we're following for you tonight having to do with these climbers in Mount Hood. Five of them have already reached base camp, but three others who apparently fell off a ledge have not yet been found.
Rescuers say they are working their way toward them. The good news is that they say that they've made contact with them and that they seem to be in good health, all except for one, who may have some type of injuries. But still, they have to physically get to them and then bring them back to base camp in a cat (ph) resembling one that you're looking at right there.
If we get any information on this, we're going to bring it to you right away.
In the meantime, we want to find out if weather like that is going to be affecting others around the country, certainly out West.
And for more on that, let's go over to Jacqui Jeras and see what she's telling us about people trying to get around tomorrow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(NEWSBREAK)
SANCHEZ: A check of the hour's headlines is coming up just after the break. We're going to be able to bring you up to date on everything going on, including the situation in Mt. Hood.
But first of all, what we want to do is -- we asked you earlier for your opinion on one of the stories that we had covered. And now we're going to be able to get a chance to hear what you have to say about it.
Here it is.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Never. I am appalled at Hardaway. I used to be a big fan of his.
I cannot believe the comments. I will probably never respect the individual again. What a shame.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that it's OK to voice your opinion. I mean, the United States, we are a free country. And the man feels very strong about gays.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe that people have the right to say what they feel. He doesn't like gays. He's got that right to say he doesn't like gays. It's freedom of speech. This is America.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he should never use racial words against no one.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think it's ludicrous that this man was fined for saying what he said. For God's sake, in this country, if you can't say, "Gee, I don't like gays, I don't like this or I don't like that -- Gee, I don't like sushi" -- does that mean I hate Japs or Japanese or what happened in Pearl Harbor?
It's ridiculous. This country is becoming a Gestapo state, and I'm sick of it.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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