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Two Shot to Death at University of Washington; American Citizen Missing in Iran; Harry Reid Proposes Bill to Cut Off War Funding; Iran-U.K. Standoff Drags Into Second Week; Chicago Police Chief Retires Under Fire; McCain Visits Iraq, Backs Troop Surge; Nancy Pelosi Visits Lebanon

Aired April 02, 2007 - 13:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CO-HOST: Hello. I'm Don Lemon live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CO-HOST: I'm Brianna Keilar, in for Kyra Philips, who's in Iraq on assignment.

LEMON: And we start this hour of the NEWSROOM with some breaking news. Two people were shot to death this morning at the University of Washington, on that campus located in Seattle. That's according to the police department and also our affiliate, KMO-TV, in Seattle, Washington.

Now, according to the fire department there, said a man and a woman were declared dead by arriving medics about 9:30 a.m. local time. The bodies were found in Gould Hall, which is where the architecture department is located on that campus.

Again breaking news into the CNN NEWSROOM just moments ago, two people were shot to death this morning at the University of Washington campus. And according to a fire department it is a man and woman. They were found in the architecture hall at that university.

We'll have more on this breaking story throughout the day right here in the CNN NEWSROOM -- Brianna.

KEILAR: His family hasn't heard from him, and now his government wants to know where he is, a U.S. citizen missing in Iran. Let's go to Zain Verjee following this story from the State Department -- Zain.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, several U.S. officials are telling CNN that an American citizen is missing in Iran. Officials are saying he was there as a private citizen, and he was not in any way working for the U.S. government.

He's believed to have been in Iran essentially working for some sort of independent author/producer, trying to set up an interview. We don't have the details on that.

Just a few moments ago the State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, had this to add.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEAN MCCORMACK, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: He is a private citizen. He was there on private business. And we don't see any linkage whatsoever between this case and any other ongoing cases that -- that may have been in the news recently.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Officials say that he has been missing for more than a week and hasn't been in touch with his family or his employer, for that matter.

Our sources also say that he went missing on a place called Kish Island. It's an island off the southern coast of Iran. It's essentially a free trade zone under Iranian authority.

Now the State Department says that it's in touch with its family now and it's also in the process of sending a message to the Iranians through the Swiss government, which essentially acts as some sort of channel to send messages back and forth between the United States and Iran.

The U.S. is treating this really as a missing persons case, and it's asking the Iranian government if it has any information at all about him.

At this point, though, to emphasize, officials are telling us that they have no indication whatsoever as to whether any Iranians are holding this missing man. Obviously, the State Department is very concerned and is treating the situation extremely sensitively.

CNN has also placed calls to Iranian officials, and we're waiting a response -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Zain, can you tell us any more about this place where he went missing from, Kish Island?

VERJEE: It's essentially a free trade zone that's under Iranian authority. What they're really trying to do is tailor it to be some sort of Dubai or a place like Doha. There are a lot of malls there, a lot of resorts there.

And a huge amount of construction is going on. Because what they really want to do is to try and attract a lot of foreign investment. Loads of tourists apparently go here.

The island is known as the pearl of the Persian Gulf. You have a lot of good snorkeling and scuba diving here.

What's important to note, though, that non-Iranians don't really need a visa to visit this island. Officials have also pointed out that there have been cases in the past where Americans have gone to this island without a visa and have run into problems -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Zain Verjee for us, following this developing story from the State Department. Thanks for that, Zain. LEMON: And now back to our top story, developing news here, a shooting on the campus, on Washington State campus, in Seattle, Washington. CNN now -- has now confirmed -- you're looking at live pictures from our affiliate in Seattle, KRO Television -- two people have been shot there, found dead this morning about 9:30 local time. That's according to university officials.

The Seattle Fire Department, a spokesman there, said a man and a woman were declared dead by arriving medics, again at 9:30 local time. The bodies were found in Gould Hall, on campus, which is where the architecture department is located at that school.

We have all of our resources working on this developing story. And as we look now at live pictures, you can see a crowd now gathering and also police on the scene there in Seattle.

No word on whether or not it is students or who the two people are involved in the shooting or exactly the circumstances surrounding this. But CNN has confirmed that a man and woman, both found dead this morning in Seattle, Washington. There's a police officer there at the center of the screen.

We're going to continue to follow this developing story throughout the day in the CNN NEWSROOM. Obviously, a very sad situation happening in Seattle, Washington, on the campus of Washington -- University of Washington, rather.

Now on to the Senate. And top Democrats appear to be upping the ante today in a high stakes standoff over funding America's wars. Joining us live by phone from Capital Hill, Lisa Goddard of CNN Radio.

Hello, Lisa.

LISA GODDARD, CNN RADIO: Hi, Don.

What's going on now is we have Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid taking the strongest step Democratic leaders have yet in opposing the war. He is backing a bill that would cut all the funding or nearly all of the funding for the war by March of next year.

He allows just three exceptions, saying that Congress would only fund training of Iraqis, fighting al Qaeda, and protection of American citizens.

This is his proposal. It has yet to reach any votes. But what Harry Reid is saying, interestingly, here, Don, is if the president vetoed the other bill working around, now that war spending bill from last week, if that get a veto, Harry Reid is saying, "I will do everything I can to bring this other bill to the floor," which the White House would like even less.

LEMON: All right. Lisa Goddard of CNN Radio, thank you so much for that report.

KEILAR: Now to the standoff between Britain and Iran, into its second week now. The White House responds. And we're watching a briefing right now.

Fifteen captive British troops, did they confess or were they coerced? And diplomacy in the wings, anger in the streets. Explosive protests in Tehran. Tough talks on all sides, but softer tones may be emerging, too.

So let's go straight now to our Matthew Chance in London.

Matthew, what can you tell us?

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Brianna, thanks very much.

Well, with the latest video pictures that have been broadcast on Iranian state television, the Iranian authorities say all 15 of the British sailors and marines that are held captive, captured in the Persian Gulf 11 days ago, have now confessed, in their words, and apologized as to what they did.

Even though there have been great reservations expressed by the British authorities about the circumstances of those confessions, the British government saying that under no circumstances will they allow these staged displays to deflect them, deter them, rather, from trying to find a diplomatic solution to this that would try and get their release.

We've been receiving very mixed messages, I have to say, from Tehran, the Iranian capital. On the one hand, there have been quite ferocious protests in the streets of Tehran, hundreds of people, hardliners, gathering outside the British embassy there, throwing in rocks and fireworks, demanding that the British ambassador be expelled over this issue.

On the other hand, there have been some quite conciliatory remarks made by Iranian officials, saying that because of certain positive steps by Britain, they'll no longer broadcast any more of these video confessions.

It hasn't been made clear what those steps are, but it does imply there is a softening of the language and perhaps opening the door to some kind of diplomatic solution -- Brianna.

KEILAR: So Matthew, is there speculation that this could just be a survival tactic? I mean, that's something that obviously comes to mind when you look at these televised confessions.

CHANCE: Absolutely. It seems, from everybody we've spoken to here on the British side, that what the British marines and sailors are doing here is basically what they're told. From some of the language that's been used by some of the people making these confessions, it implies they don't altogether believe what they're saying.

But basically, we don't know the circumstances under which they're being held. We don't know what they've been threatened with. What we do know is that the British Defense Ministry says clearly that they know for certain that they had not ventured into Iranian waters and that they were operating in waters that are on Iraqi territory, so they're very confident of that.

KEILAR: All right. Matthew Chance, live for us from London. Thanks, Matthew.

LEMON: Chicago's top cop, he is taking a beating, metaphorically, for actual beatings allegedly doled out by some of his officers. Now, Phil Cline is retiring a few months ahead of schedule.

In today's announcement Cline didn't address the officer misconduct issues, instead proudly defended the department's rank and file.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUPT. PHILIP CLINE, CHICAGO POLICE: I've heard many reporters talk about a blue wall or a blue line. Well, let me tell you about the blue line. There is a blue line. And it's the line that Chicago police officers walk every day to separate the criminals from the good citizens.

Even though these officers have families themselves, they pin a star on their chest, strap a gun on their hip and leave their families behind to walk that line.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Let's get you now live to Chicago. Mayor Richard Daley taking questions from reporters on this issue.

MAYOR RICHARD DALEY, CHICAGO: A year ago I asked him to stay for a year until after the election, to be very frank.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

DALEY: Well, I just think it's time for a change, and that's what it was.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did you ask for his resignation?

DALEY: Pardon me?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For a new superintendent, what are your criteria? What are you searching for?

DALEY: Well, actually, you know, you take as Superintendent Cline, you take Terry Hiller, you go back for many, many years. We've had good superintendents. And you know, mostly men, I'd be very frank, unfortunately. Very dedicated, hard-working, committed.

He worked very, very closely with community policing, which we had a community policing. If you look at -- our murder rate is going down. But when you have an incident of, basically, arson, we have an incident where someone kills their family, the murder rate, it gets a little higher. But the murder rate is going down after that.

Our gun -- discharge of firearms is going down. So he's done a lot of good things in regards to strategy.

And we're looking for the same type of commitment, especially on gangs, guns and drugs. If you look at any city in America, rural area now, the smaller communities, it's gangs, guns and drugs. They're all interrelated.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Mayor, how much -- how much damage do you think the videotape has done?

DALEY: You know, you have to understand, videotape is here. We videotape on the street when instances take place. Cameras, technology is here to stay, whether you're in a business or private business, or a public. It's going to be here. And you know that more than anything else.

And that's -- that's why I've moved forward in regards to having more cameras in public places, especially dealing with the safety of people in every community. They were controversial at the beginning, and now everybody wants them. And cameras are here to stay, whether on public or private property.

And many a times they solve many crimes that happen in many, many communities here in Chicago and throughout the country. And they're here to stay, and they're going to basically expand.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has the city's image been damaged, do you think, by the airing of this video around the world repeatedly?

DALEY: No. I don't think so.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you looking for something that Mr. Cline didn't have, as you look for...?

DALEY: No. I did not ask for his resignation, you know. I said that repeatedly. And he knew about a year ago that he wanted to leave and right after the election. That was...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was kind of -- he had one foot out the door?

DALEY: No, not really. No, Phil is very, very dedicated. Even on the job sometimes, he's -- and you know him. You know him just as well as I do.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... be an outsider?

DALEY: We have good men and women inside. I know we have good people all over. Inside or outside, doesn't matter. It will be up to the executive committee dealing with that. The vacancy in the position of superintendent we will nominate three candidates to fill the positions, submit the nomination to the mayor, and that's up to the police force.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You would say that there is a certain importance of...

LEMON: OK. You're listening to a press conference of Mayor Daley. Mayor Daley, definitely a colorful character in Chicago, has been mayor there for years, an unprecedented -- probably the longest serving mayor in that city's history, outside of his father.

Mayor Daley again, taking questions there, talking about police corruption, the latest round. We're going to go to our Ed Lavandera, who's going to give us some insight, some perspective on this story.

Ed, tell us about what happened at the press conference. Did this come as a surprise to those who were there?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think it caught a lot of people off guard. I think Superintendent Phil -- Phil Cline is a -- has been a very well-liked figure in this community. He's served on the Chicago Police Department for nearly four decades. And although he had already planned his exit from the police department, this comes a few months earlier than anticipated.

Although the superintendent did not take any questions regarding the scandalous nature that has been surrounding these two cases, where officers were involved in the beatings of patrons at bars. In fact, he had nothing to say about that this morning when he announced his resignation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLINE: I want to thank the most important group of all, and they are the men and women of the Chicago Police Department. I thank them for their hard work these past 3 1/2 years. I encourage all of them to rise above any controversy and stay focused on the mission. Chicago is a better place because of you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So we take a little bit of a closer look at exactly the two scandals that are going on. These are two separate incidents that have been involved with Chicago police officers.

The first one, the videotape that many people, as one person alluded to in that conference with the mayor, has been seen around the world. The officer involved in this case, Anthony Abbate, was originally charged with a misdemeanor crime. That has since been upgraded because of the publicity, many people here feel, has been upgraded to a felony charge now.

But there is this air, and many critics of the police department are saying that what has happened here in the last few months is the Chicago Police Department essentially taking care of its own.

When Abbate was brought into the courthouse for his initial appearance, many of the officers at that courthouse were involved in making sure to keep him away from reporters and cameras that were there, chronicling what was going on. The second incident involved at the Jefferson Bar and Tap, a bar on the west side of town, involved what attorneys for the victims in this case say could be 15 officers.

In a court hearing this morning -- and again this goes to what many critics are saying, that they're protecting their own, the videotape surveillance of that has not been released and neither have the names of the officers involved in that beating -- Don.

LEMON: All right. Ed Lavandera, thank you so much.

And Ed, that -- those are the incidents that were caught on tape. Chicago has, sadly, a history of police corruption, unlike -- not unlike many big cities.

In our next hour, we're going to talk to "Chicago Sun-Times" columnist Carol Marin. And Carol has covered a lot of police stories in Chicago. She has been a critic, sometimes, of the police department and its history of dealing with misconduct. We're going to talk to Carol in our next hour.

And then more on this developing story out of Washington state, the University of Washington there. Two people found dead on the campus, believed to have been shot to death. Police there say they got a call of shots fired, got there and then found two people dead, a man and woman. We're going to have details on this story, coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: Also, two Pacific quakes, a deadly wall of water. That's ahead in the NEWSROOM. We'll have an update for you on the destruction and an unusual theory about a possible cause.

LEMON: More brands suspected, more pet owners confused. Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, the latest on the expanding pet foods recall.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A developing story here in the CNN NEWSROOM. You're looking at live pictures there from our affiliates in Seattle, Washington. The University of Washington campus is where this is going on.

Two people were found dead, shot to death there this morning, 9:30 local time. Now according to our affiliate and to -- at least to the Associated Press, police may be looking at this as a murder- suicide. That's according to the Associated Press. And also to the University of Washington assistant police chief there, saying that they are looking at the possibility that these two people killed on the university here, may be a murder-suicide.

All we're getting word of -- CNN is getting word that it is a man and a woman. They were both found dead in the architecture department, a building called Gould Hall there.

So not exactly sure of the circumstances surrounding this. One report from the Associated Press is that it may be a murder-suicide. All police are telling us is that they are responding to a call of shots fired, and when they arrived they found two dead there.

Continuing coverage throughout the day right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: It's 20 after the hour. And here are three of the other stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.

A threat from the president leads to a bigger threat from Congress. CNN has learned top Senate Democrats are threatening to try to cut almost all Iraq war funding if President Bush vetoes a bill that sets a loose time table for pulling out troops.

And confession or coercion? Iran says the 15 British troops it seized in the Persian Gulf have all confessed on video to trespassing. Britain says any so-called confessions were staged.

And an early exit for Chicago's top cop. Police Superintendent Philip Cline is retiring as his department faces scrutiny over two videotaped beatings involving off-duty police officers. Cline had been planning to step down later this year.

LEMON: Horrible scenes in northern Iraq today. A suicide killer crashed a bomb-laden truck into the concrete defense around a police station today in Kirkuk. At least seven people were killed and 178 wounded, including children from a neighboring school.

Doctors at a nearby hospital struggled to treat a crush of young patients, some of whom were apparently walking home when the attacker struck.

American soldiers also were hurt. Video shot by the Associated Press shows one G.I. being bandaged, another being carried on a stretcher, and a third being treated on the ground. A.P. -- A.P. counted a total of four wounded Americans. No confirmation from the military.

Presidential candidate John McCain says the U.S. troop surge he strongly supports is showing results. After a highly guarded visit to a Baghdad market, McCain said the U.S. mews media are missing key parts of the story, including new security outposts and a drop in execution style killings.

CNN's Michael Ware has been reporting on the war since it started. He spoke with Soledad O'Brien of CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING".

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They're here to view the impact of the surge, or the Baghdad security plan, and essentially to sell its merits, to say that yes, it is having an impact and to take that message home to an American people desperate to hear of signs of progress.

Unfortunately, they chose a very poor way of displaying those signs of change and the signs of progress. The fact that Senator McCain and a delegation can drive from the airport and walk around parts of Baghdad, wrapped in a heavy security envelope, is not new. Generals and American representatives have been doing such things throughout the war.

Indeed, it's the old reinvented as new and is in no way a sign of the real progress of the surge, which the senators should be talking about.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CO-HOST, "AMERICAN MORNING": Let me ask you a question. There was a report that said you were heckling and you were laughing during the senator's press conference. Is that true?

WARE: Well, let's bear in mind that this is a report that was leaked by an unnamed official of some kind to a blog, to somewhere on the Internet. No one is going to put their name forward. We certainly haven't heard Senator McCain say anything about it. Or any of his staff have come forward to say anything about it.

I did not heckle the senator. Indeed, I didn't say a word. I didn't even ask a question. In fact, when I raised my hand to ask a question, the press conference abruptly ended. So what I would suggest is that anyone who has any queries about whether I heckled, watch the videotape of the press conference.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Well, you can see for yourself. Videotape of McCain's news conference is available at CNN's Pipeline. To get there, go to CNN.com and click "pipeline."

KEILAR: Nancy Pelosi on a mission. The House speaker is trying her own brand of diplomacy as she leads lawmakers on a tour of the Middle East. Her controversial stop is Syria. That's on Wednesday.

Today her focus is Lebanon. And CNN Beirut bureau chief Brent Sadler is joining us now with details.

Hi, Brent.

BRENT SADLER, CNN BEIRUT BUREAU CHIEF: Hi, Brianna.

Speaker Pelosi is engaged in a very high profile shuttle around the Middle East. She's returned to Israel, her contacts there, after spending a full day here in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, which has been at loggerheads between two rival political camps. You can hear opponents of the western backed government of Siniora, sounding off with loud music behind me. They've been engaged in a four-month sit- in to try to topple the U.S.-backed Siniora government.

But it is Pelosi's visit to Syria, expected Wednesday, when she meets President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, that's caught the attention, the negative attention, of the White House, with Bush officials saying it's, quote, "a bad decision" for Speaker Pelosi to go to Syria, because the Bush administration accuses Syria of being a state sponsor of terror.

But Pelosi told reporters here in Beirut earlier this day that she thought it was vital that her and her bipartisan delegation visit Syria on a fact finding mission to discuss a whole variety of issues. This is what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Of course, the role of Syria in Iraq, the role of Syria supporting Hamas and Hezbollah, the role of Syria in so many respects that we think there could be a vast improvement.

So therefore, we think it's a good idea to establish the facts, to hopefully build some confidence between us. We have no illusions, but we have great hope.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SADLER: Brianna, no less than three representatives of the so- called quartet that's involved with Middle East diplomacy have been passing through this region in the past 48 hours or so.

Nancy Pelosi represents the United States. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, also passed through Lebanon this day. And at the weekend, we saw Ban Ki-moon, the U.N. secretary-general, also passing through the region. Tomorrow Turkey's prime minister visits Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

Very high profile visits in this region coming, Brianna, hot on the heels of last week's Arab Summit, when leaders revitalized the five-year-old Arab peace initiative to try to secure peace with Israel -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Brent Sadler, live for us from Beirut. Thanks for that.

LEMON: New fundraising figures shows the current pack of White House hopefuls collecting astonishing sums of campaign cash. Running third or fourth in most polls among Republicans, Mitt Romney is first among GOP hopefuls reporting campaign contributions.

The Romney campaign reports $23 million. That was for the first three months of this year. That dwarfs the party's previous record for the same time frame.

Democrat Hillary Clinton raised even more than Romney. Her take of $26 million is nearly three times the previous highest sum raised by a Democrat at this point in the campaign.

We'll toss this around a little bit later on with our political -- our senior political analyst, Bill Schneider.

KEILAR: And coming up here in the NEWSROOM, we're going to have more on what the A.P. is calling an apparent murder-suicide on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle. One man, one woman dead at this point. We're efforting (ph) more details for you here in the NEWSROOM.

LEMON: Two Pacific quakes, a deadly wall of water. Ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM, an update on the destruction and an unusual theory about a possible cause.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Hello. I'm Don Lemon live in the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

KEILAR: And I'm Briana Keilar. Shots ring out at the University of Washington. We know that two people are dead and we're checking a report that it could be a murder-suicide. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

LEMON: Details are still coming in concerning that shooting at the University of Washington. Let's get you to some pictures there. Two people found dead on the campus this morning. These pictures are courtesy of KIRO, our affiliate there in Seattle. The latest details coming in is that on the scene, according to the Associated Press, a weapon was found at the scene that may belong to one of the dead people. And that it was an apparent murder-suicide, that's according to the Associated Press.

This morning around 9:30, CNN is told that police got calls of shots fired on the campus in Gould Hall (ph), the university's architecture building, built in 1972, houses three departmental offices among other things. But again, two people, a man and woman, found dead, University of Washington this morning. CNN is working all of it's sources to bring you details of this developing story.

Briana?

KEILAR: Let's go to a live event, Vice President Dick Cheney is speaking at a fund raiser for Senator Jeff Sessions. Let's listen in.

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRES. OF THE U.S.: It's time the self-pointed strategists on Capitol Hill understood a very simple concept. You cannot win a war if you tell the enemy when you're going to quit. In the Senate as well, Democrats have passed another bad piece of legislation over the strong objections I might add, of Alabama's two senators. Like the House, the Senate has set an arbitrary deadline for withdrawal and like the House, the Senate Democrats have filled the bill with extra spending for special interests, spending that has nothing to do with winning the war and protecting the United States of America.

The House and Senate bills are both unacceptable, and if either version comes to the president's desk, he will use the veto. No question about it. It's also clear that we've got enough supporters of the military and Congress to sustain a veto. And so it's pointless for the Democrats to continue pursuing this legislation. Meanwhile, funding for our mission in Iraq will begin to run out the middle of this month. It's time for Congress to stop the political theater and send the president a bill he can sign into law. By delaying funding for the troops, the Democrats believe they can make the president accept unwise and inappropriate restrictions on our commanders.

It's nothing less than an attempt to force the president's hand. They are going to find out they misread George W. Bush. The fact is that the United States military answers to one commander in chief in the White House, not 535 commanders of chief on Capitol Hill. We expect the House and the Senate to meet the needs of our military on time, in full, and with no strings attached.

KEILAR: That was Vice President Dick Cheney talking about funding for the Iraq war, responding to the latest chess move in a standoff with the White House and Congress. That being Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid as well as Senator Russ Feingold co- sponsoring a bill to stop war funding, completely -- almost completely stop war funding after March 31st of 2008.

As we reported, new figures being released show whopping sums of money being raised by candidates running for president. Democrat Hillary Clinton leads with a record-breaking haul of $26 million in the first three months of the year. Among Republicans reporting so far, Mitt Romney leads with $23 million. Both figures dwarf previous records with other candidates reporting successes as well.

So joining us now from Washington, our Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider with more on this.

Thanks, Bill.

BILL SCHNEIDER, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Briana.

KEILAR: Bill, let's talk about Romney's figures. These are pretty high, especially compared to, he is barely trailing Senator Hillary Clinton here. What can you tell us?

SCHNIEDER: Those are striking figures for Mitt Romney, he is one of the top three Republicans in the polls and here he's vaulted into a top position in the money primary. Twenty-three million dollars over $20 million raised in campaign contributions, very impressive for a former governor of Massachusetts. He was a businessman, was the chairman of the Olympics in Salt Lake City, he has a lot of important business contacts. Now, keep in mind that this money for all the candidates is not just given by rich people with deep pockets. There is a limit of $2300 that any individual can contribute to a primary campaign, another $2300 for the general. A lot of the money depends on connections. I can contribute $2300. If I have a lot of friends, I can bundle all of that money together. And it looks like that paid off well for Mitt Romney who, at the moment, is at the top of the Republican list. Let me point out that we have not heard numbers yet from the John McCain campaign.

KEILAR: Let's talk about Rudy Giuliani. How does he fit into this with Mitt Romney?

SCHNEIDER: Well he does very well, too, $15 million is nothing to sneeze at. That also breaks all previous records that's the money he pulled in the first quarter. He claims he got a late start and he might have done better. But again, the total, the largest total we've ever seen for a Republican at this stage of the campaign is George W. Bush in the first quarter of 1999 raised $7.6 million. Even Giuliani who comes in second so far in the Republican money primary, raised twice as much as Bush did in 1999. KEILAR: Bill, let's talk about the Democrats. It's not really a surprise at this point that Hillary Clinton is in the lead with $26 million. But it's not just $26 million. She's also moved $10 million over from her Senate campaign chest?

SCHNEIDER: That's right. She has $36 million in money raised. We don't know how much she spent at this point. We'll find out when the Federal Elections Commission reports on April 15th. Thirty-six million dollars raised so far, including money from her Senate campaign, that's an enormous amount of money. It's three times as much as anyone has ever raised at this stage of the campaign.

She was estimated, expected to come in first, but the $26 million total is very, very impressive. As are the totals from a lot of these candidates. Records are being shattered on both sides.

KEILAR: And we'll continue to watch this and I know you'll continue to watch it for us, Bill Schneider live from Washington.

LEMON: And a story unfolding, by the second, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Two people shot to death on the University of Washington, state university campus. The University of Washington campus, this morning, about 9:30 the Associated Press is reporting that it's possibly a murder-suicide. You're looking at live pictures of the campus. We're going to continue to follow this developing story throughout the day.

And, was a last supper held on this spot in the Holy Land? Many are trying to trace the steps of Jesus during this holy week, a report from Jerusalem is straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

LEMON: We have a busy day here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We want to get you to Ohio, specifically Hilliard, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. We have an inmate who was taken to the hospital -- was being taken to the hospital, overpowered an armed guard. Now the reason we are showing you this is that they are still looking for the inmate we saw the swat team members go into that home, just a little bit earlier. Live pictures, there.

So armed guard, this is them going into the house right there. That's a videotape that you're looking at. Anyway, he escaped on foot with a weapon and a guard's uniform, that's according to prison officials. And this information coming from the Associated Press. Now, according to a statement from the corrections department, the company that runs the privately owned prison, that they are reporting this, the company is called Fitzmorris, (ph) a pretrial inmate who was believed to be taken into custody there.

But the person is believed to be armed, has a weapon and a guard's uniform, he is on the loose. SWAT team members, searching a neighborhood there. This is happening in Hilliard, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. We'll cover this and a story at the University of Washington, also in Chicago, the police commissioner resigning. Lots of news happening in the CNN NEWSROOM. We'll have it all after a short break.

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LEMON: Breaking news in the CNN NEWSROOM from Hilliard, Ohio, you're looking at live pictures of what is believed to be an inmate inside of this home. Just moments ago we had videotape of the resident who lives in this home jumping out of the window. It's believed the inmate somehow escaped, was being transported. You look at the top on the roof, that is a resident of the home, a woman, jumping out, apparently the inmate had somehow gotten in the home and she was trying to escape.

Obviously in fear of her life. You see police officers and SWAT team members on the phone there. It's believed that the person, the inmate, who is according to the Associated Press, 34-year-old Billy Jack Fitsmorris (ph), he was an inmate taken to a hospital, he overpowered an armed guard, then briefly held two nurses and several prison workers in his room, then escaped on foot with a weapon and a guard's uniform. So, that's going on now. To clarify what we know about this story and what we're about to know, is Ohio, is it's Lieutenant Evert Lambert with the Hilliard Police Department.

What do you know, sir? Do we have a standoff between police and an inmate here?

LT. EVERT LAMBERT, HILLARD, OHIO POLICE: At this time the subject is inside the building. And the police have the area surrounded.

LEMON: They do have the area surrounded. Tell us the circumstances surrounding this. We're hearing that this inmate was being taken to a hospital. Apparently, was he in a correctional lock- up in Youngstown, (ph) correct?

LAMBERT: I have no idea on that part.

LEMON: OK. Describe the area. This is a residential area. Tell us what took place, what you know about the circumstances, the time, how this person got to this home. Tell us what you know, Lieutenant.

LAMBERT: Well, what I know is he evidently committed several bank robberies within the Hilliard area east of our city and so forth, ending up on I-70 westbound, exited Hilliard Run Road (ph), proceed into our city while being pursued by other law enforcement officials, and at some point in the North (ph) Street and Main Street area he abandoned his vehicle, where it was involved in an accident or not, I'm not sure. That's where we're at this particular time.

LEMON: OK, Lieutenant. We're looking at pictures of the subject running through the neighborhood and kicking in this front door where we saw this person jump out, just moments ago. Was this person in custody or was this a person who robbed a bank and you were chasing him? LAMBERT: This particular person was the escapee and he was being pursued by law enforcement, entered into our city.

LEMON: He was an escapee from previous bank robberies?

LAMBERT: I don't know that. I don't know what he was there for.

LEMON: You said something about bank robberies.

LAMBERT: There were several committed, believed to be this particular subject. One in Delaware County and one in Upper Arlington.

LEMON: OK. So this person in custody, then somehow escaped your custody and escaped your officers there?

LAMBERT: No. No. He was never in custody, inside the city of Hilliard, the last time in custody would have been in Youngstown.

LEMON: OK. Alright. We need to get this straight because according to the Associated Press this was an inmate taken to a hospital, they are telling us, then overpowered a guard. We didn't know anything here about bank robberies.

LAMBERT: That is a possibility there. As far as that goes.

LEMON: OK. So, what you know, in this neighborhood now, that this person, whatever the circumstances surrounding this that preced this, he is now holed up in this home, this residential home.

LAMBERT: Correct.

LEMON: And just ran after being pursued by several different jurisdictions, correct?

LAMBERT: Correct.

LEMON: Armed?

LAMBERT: Correct.

LEMON: And again, does he have a uniform of some type?

LAMBERT: Yes. He had a white shirt on, whether it would be a corrections type uniformed shirt, that is believed to be.

LEMON: OK. Do we know if anyone else, we saw someone jump out of the window, Lieutenant, a female, we're told, jumped out of the window from this home. Do we know if anybody else is in the home with this person?

LAMBERT: I do not know that either.

LEMON: You don't know. Tell us about manpower and how many people, how many jurisdictions and officers, at least what you know from your department, who are working on this. LAMBERT: There's probably three to four total jurisdictions.

LEMON: Three to four total jurisdictions. OK. So, so far Lieutenant, do we know anything about anyone being hurt? Does everything appear to be OK now?

LAMBERT: We have not got word on any injuries.

LEMON: Lieutenant Everet Lambert from the Hilliard Police Department, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, we're following this developing story. A little bit of conflicting information coming in because this is breaking as you can tell, as we have it here on the air, you saw a suspect kick in a door from some videotape here on CNN, then you saw someone who is believed to be a resident of the home, jump out, we're told that this was an inmate who is being transported to a hospital, then according to the Lieutenant as well, this person may somehow be involved in bank robberies. We're going to get to the bottom of this and bring you the information, we'll continue to follow this story along with several others here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Short break. We'll be right back.

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LEMON: Developing story unfolding right here on CNN. As we were talking about it, you're looking at pictures from Hilliard, Ohio. Inside this home is believed to be an inmate or a suspect who had overpowered two armed guards. There is a suspect in the home. It's 34-year-old Billy Jack Fitzmorris. This is according to the Associated Press, 34 years old, Billy Jack Fitzmorris. Local affiliates report it's a high-speed chase from a bank robbery. The Associated Press is reporting it's an inmate taken to a hospital who overpowered an armed guard and then briefly held two nurses and several prison workers in his room. Whatever the circumstances surrounding this, which we'll get to the bottom of, the suspect is holed up in this home and then we saw the person who is believed to be one of the residents of the home jump from a second floor window right in front of SWAT team members. So police in Ohio are trying to get 34-year-old Billy Jack Fitzmorris out of this home. Details on this breaking story coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: First as we go to break, let's take a look at the big board. The stock market is up a bit at 12,353. And down now.

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