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Iran to Release British Sailors; Barack Obama Raises Millions
Aired April 04, 2007 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: And taking a look now at the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline, $2.70. That's, on average, what you're paying, which brings us to our next story: cornfield or oil well? If somebody gave you a choice, you would probably take the oil, but there's gold in them thar cornstalks, or at least opportunity.
(LAUGHTER)
KEILAR: And ethanol is the reason.
CNN's Chris Lawrence reports from the heartland.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): President Bush planted the seed.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Ethanol has got the largest potential for immediate growth.
LAWRENCE: And the industry has been nurtured by government subsidies.
PHILIP FLYNN, ENERGY ANALYST: They want to believe that ethanol is a source, and they're spending a lot of our money to prove it.
LAWRENCE: Energy analyst Philip Flynn says it's fueling demand for ethanol's main ingredient, and could lead to the largest corn crop in 60 years.
FLYNN: This is a windfall for these -- for these farmers.
LAWRENCE: Flynn says corn growers are selling their crops for record prices. Then, they invest in the factories where corn is turned into ethanol, and make more money off the tax credits.
(on camera): This has a potential to be a record crop. Are corn growers excited about a record profit?
KEN MCCAULEY, NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION: Corn growers are excited about a profit.
LAWRENCE (voice over): Ken McCauley remembers the years when he barely broke even. Since last month, the price of corn has already dropped about $1 a bushel, but it's still a lot higher than last year.
MCCAULEY: I think that's good news. I think farmers have looked for something like this for a long time.
LAWRENCE: McCauley says ethanol is bringing business back to rural America, and, once it produces 10 percent of the nation's fuel, won't need subsidies.
MCCAULEY: We're actually creating this new demand for agriculture, but we're also making our country more secure, not buying as much Mideast oil. And, as ethanol gets bigger, we will buy less and less Mideast oil.
LAWRENCE: Senator John McCain embraces ethanol, after opposing it seven years ago. And some say it plays well in a presidential campaign.
FLYNN: We're going to have the first primaries in Iowa and corn states. And these corn states love ethanol, because it's like a subsidy where the government doesn't really have to write a check.
LAWRENCE: Politicians looking for votes may be willing to bet the farm on ethanol.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, White Cloud, Kansas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: And the next hour of the NEWSROOM starts right now.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN headquarters in Atlanta.
KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar.
Well, if you think Tony Blair is relieved by today's news out of Iran, imagine the reaction from the families of the 15 captives. We're going to hear from some of their parents.
LEMON: And the company you keep, you have heard that. Does it reflect a subtle form of segregation? Never been asked that question before, probably. Paula Zahn joins us to talk about it, right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Top of the hour.
And, after almost two weeks in captivity, 15 British sailors and marines are celebrating the news they will soon be leaving Iran. This is new video you're looking at. And we have also just heard from some very happy parents.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are both so proud. And he's such a lovely guy. And he's so professional and optimistic. And he's just got such a lovely smile. And we are just delighted. We can't wait to hug him and kiss him and keep him safe with us.
(CROSSTALK) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We won't entirely relax until he's actually home.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're absolutely, totally shocked. It was just unbelievable. It was a bolt out of blue. We have been praying for their release, but, when it actually happened, I think I fell on the floor and Paul burst into tears. It was quite extraordinary and we would like to thank the issuances for their gift to the British people.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just unbelievably ecstatic. Can't put into words what I feel. It's just amazing, from the absolute depths in the middle of a dark tunnel to -- oh, take over.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were just chatting this morning that, when you're a parent, the worst agony and the best joy come from the same place, your child.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mm-hmm.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Each of your children. So, we have gone through both in a very short space of time. And it began on the Friday, and ended two weeks ago. And it's been roller coaster, dark tunnels, and now we're on the mountaintop. So, it's a good view now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, the Brits are expected to head home tomorrow.
And, as you may know, they have never held -- they have been held since March 23, I should say, for allegedly trespassing in Iranian waters. News of their freedom came in a televised announcement by Iran's president, who said he is granting amnesty as a gift to the British people.
CNN's European political editor Robin Oakley is in London.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR (voice-over): First, the surprise announcement from President Ahmadinejad at a press conference in Tehran that the 15 British captives, 14 men and one woman, were to be pardoned and released.
Soon, the news was being greeted by Tony Blair and Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett in Downing Street.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I'm glad that our 15 service personnel have been released. I know their release will come as a profound relief, not just to them, but to their families that have endured such distress and anxiety over these past 12 days.
Throughout, we have taken a measured approach, firm, but calm, not negotiating, but not confronting either. OAKLEY: The news did come as a surprise to Downing Street. Only the night before, Margaret Beckett had said there couldn't be early results to the resumed negotiations with Iran.
Tony Blair had said that, if there was not enough progress after 48 hours, then British tactics might have to change. British officials insist no deal has been done, but they talk of resuming diplomatic full business with Iran, after Mrs. Beckett's suspension of all dealings with Iran, other than the negotiation for the release of the captives.
Future diplomatic relations will also center around the disputed territorial waters between Iraq and Iran. That is expected to be the subject of discussion between technical experts on both sides.
But, for the moment, the chief concern of the British government is that the 15 captives return home safe and sound, which has been their objective all along.
Robin Oakley, CNN, London.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: The U.S. wasn't directly involved in the Iran-Britain standoff, but it did have a lot riding on the outcome.
Now let's go to CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano. She's traveling today with the president. And she joins us now with more from Fort Irwin, California.
Hi, Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Brianna.
That's right. The Bush administration certainly has been monitoring the situation very closely. Just a short time ago, President Bush did touch down here in California. On route here, aboard Air Force One, the spokesman for the National Security Council, Gordon Johndroe, noted that British Prime Minister Tony Blair indeed welcomed the release of these 15 British marines and sailors, and said that the White House certainly shared in those sentiments.
Now, for his part, Vice President Dick Cheney, in an interview with ABC News, said that it was unfortunate that the navy personnel were ever taken in the first place. He said that there was considerable evidence that they were, in fact, in Iraqi territorial waters. And he said that this event should not have happened.
Now, meantime, here at Fort Irwin in California, President Bush is set to visit a place called the National Training Center. It's billed as the Army's premier desert training facility, helping to prepare combat units for warfare.
Now, there's a greater emphasis, we're told, here on culture and the Iraqi language. The president is due to view a demonstration that is focused on IEDs, or improvised explosive devices. He will have lunch with the troops and their families, and make remarks for about 20 minutes.
And, Brianna, we're told to expect him to talk about the Iraq security plan, as well as mentioning once more the war funding bill for the troops -- Brianna.
KEILAR: All right, he continues to reiterate that. And we will be listening for that again.
Elaine Quijano with the president in California -- thanks, Elaine.
LEMON: All right.
It is far too early to vote. I'm sure all of you know that, but, of course -- but it's never too early to raise money to run for president. That is a lesson Democrat Barack Obama has obviously learned. Obama raised at least $25 million in the first three months of the year. That is a huge number, especially for someone so new to national politics.
Joining me to talk about all this is CNN contributor Roland Martin in New York and Washington Republican strategist Keith Appell.
Thank you so much for joining me, both of you.
(CROSSTALK)
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Glad to be here.
LEMON: OK, listen, before I get to all this, I was just sort of adding this up. I'm not a mathematician.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: But, if you look at just the first three months that we got back, Roland, Keith, it's almost $100 million. Imagine what you could that to let's just say help out the poor and needy. That's a lot of cash.
KEITH APPELL, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Well, it is a lot of money, Don, but we need to keep things in perspective.
Some people think there's too much money in politics. Some people think there isn't enough. But, when you put it in perspective, it's a small fraction of what corporate campaigns spend on selling soft drinks or selling fast food. Yes, it's a lot of money, but, in the grand scheme of things, it's really a drop in the bucket.
LEMON: Roland, are we in the beginning of sort of a record- breaking pace as far as raising money? Twenty five million dollars, $6.9 million -- we were just looking at Barack Obama -- on the Internet. Are we getting close to possibly maybe a billion-dollar presidential campaign?
MARTIN: Of course we are.
First of all, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards and now Barack Obama, they have broken the record on the Democratic side that Al Gore set in the last election. Of course we're going to get that close.
I mean, understand, the game has changed. And, so, what you're seeing now, with all these states moving their primaries up, that means television and radio is going to become even more important. And so they need this much money to run these kinds of media campaigns. The old day of being able to go door to door, being able to have yard signs and bumper stickers, that's gone.
You have some of that. It all boils down to the ability to be able to take dollars to put your message across on multiple platforms at the same time.
LEMON: Mm-hmm. And one of those platforms, we said, is the Internet.
Is the Internet -- is it changing the game? I know we ask this all the time. And people say, oh, I don't really know.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: But it appears, Keith, that it may be making it easier for people to donate money.
APPELL: There's no question, Don, that it's changing the game.
Whereas it wasn't too long ago the only way you could really contribute to a campaign was to write out a check and drop it in the mail. Now you click on somebody's Web site, and, boom, it comes right out of your bank account, comes out of your credit card account. And you can donate, you know, $1,000, $2,000.
The Internet is revolutionary -- revolutionary -- revolutionizing politics in many ways, not only in fund-raising. In coverage of the campaigns, whether it's on CNN or new blog sites, like Pajamas Media, which has a straw poll up every week, tracking the way the campaigns are going.
LEMON: Right.
APPELL: So, yes, the Internet is completely overhauling the way politics is being done.
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: But, Don -- but, Don, it's change from what Keith just said.
LEMON: Right.
MARTIN: First of all, he said $1,000, $2,000. No, what has changed is that individuals who have $50 or $100, $200, they are the ones who now say hey, I now can participate. It used to be, you would get an invitation. You had to show up to someone's private home or to show up to a hotel.
Now, your everyday person, they say, wait a minute. I now can be a part of this process. I now can put my money where my mouth is.
LEMON: OK. You know what? And it's a good time to bring this up. I was going to say it, Roland, but you went right to it.
Let's talk about contributors and the amount that contributors give, how many donors, I should say. This is comparing to -- a comparison here: Clinton, 50,000 donors; Barack Obama, 100,000 donors; Edwards, 40,000. Romney didn't release. Giuliani didn't release. And nearly 60,000 contributions, McCain says. He says contributions. Note he didn't say contributors, because that means maybe people could have given him multiple amounts of money, the same people.
MARTIN: Well, I think you need to study that particular list.
OK? When Obama says 100,000, some 50,000 came online.
LEMON: Mm-hmm.
MARTIN: The importance of that is, if you have somebody who is giving even $25, that is somebody who is going to be telling their friends and their church members and others, hey, I'm backing this guy.
And, so, that's really important, when you say 100,000 people, because -- because now he has an army of people who are now spreading his message. As opposed to having 15,000, 25,000, 30,000 donors who are giving lots of money, now you have more people spreading your message. Plus, you're able to generate more dollars.
LEMON: OK.
(CROSSTALK)
APPELL: Well, plus, also, Don, it's a headache for the Clinton campaign. A year ago, we were seeing coverage about Hillary Clinton really employing a general election strategy, moderating, moving to the center.
Now, a year later, she's got this big headache in Barack Obama, who's matching her dollar for dollar in fund-raising.
LEMON: I know that probably the polls don't necessarily reflect, I guess, the amount of money that you're going to raise, because Romney wasn't as high as Giuliani, and then outraised him.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: So, does a war chest equate into electoral votes?
APPELL: No, it doesn't. In fact, Senator -- former Senator Phil Gramm could tell you that. As the Beatles taught us a long time ago, money can't buy you love. In 1996, Phil Gramm said -- proclaimed that he had more money than anybody else in the presidential campaign on the Republican side. He said that he was ready to defeat the Democrats because had he ready money. He was out of the race after the New Hampshire primary. Pat Buchanan beat him in Louisiana. He finished way back in the pack in Iowa. And he was gone by the time New Hampshire primary was over. So, money can't buy you love.
LEMON: And, Roland...
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: First of all -- first of all, he's right, because the same thing happened with John Connally, former governor of Texas. Maybe there was a problem. They're two Texans -- I'm from there as well -- couldn't...
(LAUGHTER)
MARTIN: ... couldn't pull it out.
But here's the other key, though. By Romney raising so much money, he now has the ability to shape his message.
LEMON: Right.
MARTIN: The biggest problem is, folks don't know who he is. Now he's getting free media attention. Now lots of folks are covering him. And now he's able to put that message out in a wider area. It would have been a bigger problem had he raised fewer dollars and still been down in the polls. That's a different issue.
Money helps him more than it helps, frankly, some of the other candidates.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: All right.
APPELL: Well, it punches his ticket to the next round, yes.
LEMON: Guys, we have got to cut it off, because we're running out of time.
And, Roland, I want to welcome you...
MARTIN: What's wrong, Don? You running out of money?
LEMON: No, no, no.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: I want to welcome you as a new contributor. You said you're from Texas. Have you been there? I noticed you got a tan. You been on vacation? What is going on?
MARTIN: Well, actually, I was born this way.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: But I know you, Roland. But you look good.
Hey, welcome to CNN as a contributor.
MARTIN: Thanks, Don. I appreciate it.
LEMON: And, Keith Appell, thank you so much for joining us.
KEILAR: Former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson is in Iowa this afternoon in a daylong kickoff to his Republican campaign for president. He's talking education, Iraq, and health care. But, when it came time for the big announcement, he invoked the name of a revered fellow Republican.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY THOMPSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: President Reagan had great expectations for America, because he had such great expectations for the American people. He believed that we were capable of anything. And so do I. And so must America once again.
And, so, it is with the greatest expectation, for the future of our great country, that I officially announce today my candidacy for president of the United States of America.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: Thompson says he's a dark horse candidate. And a recent CNN poll proves it. Against the other GOP hopefuls, he's favored by just 1 percent of Americans.
And, of course, all the day's political news is available any time for, day or night, at CNN.com/ticker. It's constantly updating with the latest from the campaign trail.
LEMON: You know, every once in a while, a story is a thinker. This one is thinker. It's about the company you keep. Does it reflect a subtle form of segregation? Paula Zahn joins us to talk about it right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
KEILAR: And call it an addict's legacy. A dying man preserves his pain for posterity -- life and death on meth ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KEILAR: Eighteen past the hour now, and let's take a look at a few of the stories we're working on here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Those British troops will soon be headed home. Iran's president said today he's releasing the 15 sailors and marines seized in the Persian Gulf. They're expected to leave Iran tomorrow. And Barack Obama proves he can raise serious cash for his presidential campaign. His first quarter fund-raising total is at least $25 million. That money came from more than 100,000 individual donors.
And, despite White House criticism, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a U.S. delegation to Syria today for talks with Syria's president. President Bush has said that Pelosi's trip sends mixed signals about U.S. policy.
LEMON: And take a look at this next video, Brianna, extensive damage coming to light after an unsettling night across the southeast.
Intense winds ripped roofs and siding from at least 35 homes in the north Georgia town of Flowery Branch. Now, this home was completely destroyed. Look at that. Thankfully, the family was away on spring break in Florida.
And the severe storms also dumped a lot of heavy rain and hail, and caused more than a few accidents. Well, that one you just looked at was in Nashville, Tennessee. And some people think a tornado caused this damage at an industrial park in Jonesboro, Arkansas. But it has not been confirmed yet.
And here's what it was like just north of Atlanta. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my God. I can't believe this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: What a hailstorm.
And our I-Reporter Jack Kearney says it lasted for about 15 minutes.
And check out this I-Report photo. It was sent to us from George Salyers. It's at Moorehouse (sic) State University in Eastern Kentucky. It's a beautiful picture, but it's scary, don't you think?
KEILAR: Certainly.
LEMON: Yes. He says a lot of thunder followed all of that lightning.
You too, of course, can share your photos and your videos of severe weather in your area. Just go to CNN.com and click on I- Report.
And, Reynolds Wolf, wowie, wow, wow.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
LEMON: Yes.
WOLF: Pretty -- pretty impressive, to say the least.
But, you know, we have got to tell people that, if they're going to contribute to I-Reports, don't put yourself in danger. I mean, the last thing...
LEMON: Yes. Absolutely.
WOLF: You don't want to go out there in the middle of, you know, a big, beautiful field with lightning and thunder, when you want to be inside taking shelter. But, if you happen to be able to take a picture without putting yourself in danger, send it on, and we will share it with everyone else.
Here's what we have got to share with you right now, some scattered showers now moving through Hartford. We're going to move in a little bit more from Salem, southward to Cambridge, scattered showers this time, not a whole lot in Boston, just splash-and-dash showers.
But, if you look from the Southwest to the Northeast, we have a few clusters that are just to the west of Providence. They will be moving through Quincy and Plymouth, bringing you some heavier rainfalls. So, certainly be advised of that.
Farther to the north, we're seeing a little touch of snow up in Concord. And that should continue over just the next couple of hours. But heavier snowfall is actually forming in parts of Michigan, north of, let's see, Grand Rapids, going up to parts of the Keweenaw Peninsula. We're going to be seeing Some snowfall there, upper Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, scattered snow showers, actually a blizzard warning that will remain in effect for much of the U.P., as well as the northern half of southern Michigan, not just through the rest of the day, but into tomorrow afternoon, where they could get up to a foot of snowfall.
Should be pretty impressive and quite a problem for people who have to work in it. But, if you're going up there to play, say, ski, say at Boyne Mountain, it's going to be wonderful for you.
However, we are going to be seeing much of that snowfall begin to move into parts of western New York, as far as south as, say, Columbus Ohio, into the Ohio River itself. But, then, when you get into the Tennessee Valley, we're not talking much about snowfall, but rather just a big punch of cold air that is going to spill its way into the Tennessee Valley, into the Gulf Coast, with high temperatures by tomorrow that will struggle to get into the 60s and into the 50s for, say, Atlanta to Memphis, back in Detroit, even to our neighbors in the north in Toronto, temperatures mainly into the 30s.
On the other side of the coin, though, in Phoenix, Arizona, we're looking at temperatures going up to 93 degrees. So, that's both sides of the coin for you.
Let's send it back to you at the news desk.
LEMON: OK. Wait a minute. So, we have temperatures that are going to get really low, like 40s in Atlanta. Isn't this supposed to be spring?
WOLF: Well, any time you have that transitional phase between, say, winter and moving into spring, you're going to having some fluctuations with the temperatures. And that's exactly what we're seeing right now.
LEMON: All right.
WOLF: So, keep those shorts handy, but get out the parkas, too. You might need them both.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Keep a little sweater handy as well.
WOLF: You bet.
LEMON: Reynolds Wolf, thank you.
KEILAR: Said to be Jesus' burial sit, but the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is also a place of tension between different Christian sects -- a look at the controversy ahead here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: We have got to warn you here. Some of the pictures coming up are really hard to look at. They illustrate the terrible toll of methamphetamine, the addiction to meth. And they tell the story of a man who hoped his death would save lives.
Here's CNN's Ted Rowlands.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Shawn Bridges, his family says, would want people to see this, a man that should be in the prime of his life instead in a coffin, dead at the age of 35.
JACK BRIDGES, SHAWN'S FATHER: That in itself should scare any kid half to death, and keep them away from these kind of drugs.
ROWLANDS: According to his family, Shawn Bridges, a truck driver from Missouri, used drugs, mainly methamphetamines for most of his teenage and adult life. At 26 he had his first heart attack but, kept using meth. And, by 29, he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You used to drive trucks?
ROWLANDS: This is Shawn Bridges before he died, unable to speak, his body ravaged. It's part of a documentary that his family says was Shawn's idea.
BRIDGES: It was Shawn's wish to help other people and to make them see what these drugs was doing to society and to lives and to the family members and the people around the people that were using. ROWLANDS: The documentary, "No More Sunsets," shows graphic images of Shawn as he's dying, while his family tells the story of how Shawn's decision to use drugs not only created misery in his life, but also in the lives of those around him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shawn knows that he's got a death sentence.
ROWLANDS: Shawn was one of the millions of Americans that have used meth, a highly addictive drug made from an array of chemicals, including the over-the-counter medication ephedrine. The documentary, thanks to the Internet, has been seen around the world. Schools are showing it to kids.
And, according to the filmmaker, the message that Shawn wanted to deliver is getting through.
CHIP ROSSETTI, FILMMAKER: There is one woman in Australia that watched the trailer, e-mailed the link to her daughter, the trailer on the Web site, e-mailed the link to her daughter. Her daughter watched it and immediately checked herself into rehab.
ROWLANDS: Shawn's family believes his death is his final message to people to learn from his mistakes. And they vow to keep using these horrible images of the person they love to convince other people to stay away from meth.
BRIDGES: I don't want his life to be lived and forgotten. Shawn's message isn't going to be buried in that coffin. It is going to get out farther. And that's my son. I don't want his message to die.
ROWLANDS: Ted Rowlands, CNN, Tamms, Illinois.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Hello, I'm Don Lemon. Live at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar in for Kyra Phillips. Well, the color of friendship, how does your inner circle reflect your inner feelings about race? Paula Zahn joins us for a critical look. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
But first, British Prime Minister Tony Blair calls it a profound relief. In a surprise announcement, Iran declared today that 15 British sailors and marines held captive for almost two weeks are being freed. CNN's senior international correspondent Matthew Chance has the story.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): One by one, Iran's hard line president grants freedom to the 15 captured British sailors and marines. With the world watching, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad takes each of them by the hand, accepting words of thanks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're very grateful for your forgiveness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're delighted at the result here.
CHANCE: Ahmadinejad used this Tehran news conference to announce the service personnel would be set free. Calling the unexpected releases a gift from Iran to Britain.
MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): and I announce their freedom and their return to the people of Britain. I request the government of Mr. Blair not to question these people or to place them on trial for speaking the truth.
CHANCE: For nearly two weeks, the captured British personnel have been paraded on Iranian television making staged confessions at odds with the official British line.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd like to say to the Iranian people, I can understand why you're so angry about our intrusion into your waters.
CHANCE: Most recent images show the captives looking relaxed, evidence, according to the Iranians, the statements they made were not made under duress.
There has now been reaction from the British prime minister with the foreign secretary at his side. He spoke to cameras outside Downing Street.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: I'm glad that our 15 service personnel have been released. I know their release will come as a profound relief not just to them but to their families that have endured such distress and anxiety over these past 12 days. Throughout, we have taken a measured approach, firm but calm. Not negotiating but not confronting either.
CHANCE: And nor is there any detail yet about what kind of deal, if any, was done. The Iranian government confirms it received a letter from Britain promising not to intrude in Iranian waters. It appears to stop short of admitting guilt but may have been enough to ease this release. Matthew Chance, CNN, london.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: Another issue between Iran and the West, an American citizen and a retired member of the FBI, is he missing. He was last seen in Iran more than three weeks ago. He's 59-year-old Robert Levinson and his wife and family released a statement today expressing their concern.
Levinson was last seen on the Iranian resort island of Kish, reportedly working on a film. He's had no contact with his wife, family or his employer since early March.
LEMON: Look around you. Really look around. Look at your friends, look at your inner circle. Do you see faces just like yours? Well, you might be guilty of self-segregation. CNN's Paula Zahn is here with a preview of her special investigation.
And you know what, Paula? I always do this. I challenge people and friends about this. And I find that many of us do it and we do it unconsciously. What did you find out?
PAULA ZAHN, CNN HOST: You know, I think a lot of people told me that same thing. We're calling the hour, Don that we're doing tonight "Divided We Stand." And we wanted to know why so many years after the end of legal segregation, self-segregation is thriving. That most of us don't think of ourselves as racist or don't like to think of ourselves as racist but we still remain divided by race at work, in our communities and especially in our social lives.
So we set off to a racially mixed public high school in Buffalo. And I was in the cafeteria throughout the lunch period. And Don, I guess it comes as no surprise to you, there was the black table, the white table and the Hispanic table. And I sat down with many of the students to find out exactly why they separate by race.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just happens to break up by race.
We relate on certain things. We come from the same neighborhood. You know, we probably go to the same church. We like the same clothes. We like the same music.
ZAHN: Do you ever sit with the white kids at lunch?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I go from table to table I say hi. I don't necessarily sit there for my whole lunch.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's more habit. If somebody sits with me, then they sit with me. If they don't, they don't.
ZAHN: Is there underlying tension?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: White kids are intimidated by black people.
People like to sit with people they feel more comfortable with and they can relate to.
ZAHN: So how much do you think race is an issue?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is somewhat, but not like the big issue.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN: So, Don, it was interesting to me how most of these students acknowledge that race plays an issue, but they didn't think it was a major issue at all. They said they simply divided because they get one major break during the school day, they're in classes and activities all day long together. And that's the one part of the day where they can feel very comfortable surrounding themselves by people of similar interests.
LEMON: And as I said before, I always ask people that question, whether or not they do it. You have to sort of as an adult, these are kids. But as an adult you have to make an effort to go outside of your comfort zone in order to meet other people. And I understand we're getting back to the school, that the school is trying to get these kids to mix and to be with one another. How did that go?
ZAHN: Well, it went just fine for about 24 hours. The school actually would remove black kids from the black table, mix them in with white kids from the white table and they tried this over a couple day period and actually shot a documentary to make sure they had proof of their experiment. And as you might expect, after a couple days, they reverted to their old patterns.
But once again, these kids are very defensive about any accusation that they are racist. They live in a very -- they acknowledge segregated city of Buffalo, but they say they're equally comfortable with other groups of -- other races.
LEMON: You know what, Paula, every time I talk to you, I want to ask this question. And we always run out of time. And I have time now. You've been doing this "Out in the Open" and these things sort of challenging people on these issues. What was the most surprising thing that you learned putting together this show?
ZAHN: I guess I was expecting these kids to make race a much more overt issue. And you know, you don't want to go on these interviews expecting a certain outcome, but I had read a fair amount about this. And I guess I was surprised by the extent to which they discounted that as an issue.
And another point that they make, which I think is a valid point and we'll hear a lot threaded through our show tonight is when you grow up in a neighborhood and it's a mostly white neighborhood, who do you hang out with after school? Well, then ultimately those are the kids you want to hang out with at the lunch hour because you spend more time with them and you are more comfortable with them.
They got -- some of them got a little arch and said you know, don't call me a racist. I've got a lot of black friends, I've got a lot of Hispanic friends but I hang out with white kids because have I more in common with them.
LEMON: More in common. Yeah, all right. Paula Zahn, thank you, as usual for joining us. We'll be watching tonight. Paula's special "Divided We Stand, Segregation Out in the Open," airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.
KEILAR: Thousands of American troops never made it home from the Korean War. And next week, a U.S. delegation will try and retrieve some of those soldiers' remains. New Mexico governor and Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson will help lead negotiations with North Korea in a four-day mission backed by the White House.
Missions like this having taken place before with little to no success. CNN's Miles O'Brien asked about that on AMERICAN MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. BILL RICHARDSON, (D) NM: They have violated agreements in the past. So you've got to be very careful. What I believe is happening now, the Bush administration is in the right direction moving in the right direction with an agreement potentially that basically in, return for them dismantling their nuclear weapons and facilities, then they get food, fuel, energy assistance from six-party countries like South Korea, Japan, Russia, China, the United States. But that has to have strong verification provisions. This is what is being negotiated now.
So our mission, which is bipartisan, it's not Democrat or Republican, it's not politics, is to try to take some areas of previous disagreement, and that is the recovery of American remains of Korean -- American soldiers that were killed in Korea, that perhaps their remains, their recovery is essential for national honor.
These men and women need to be honored, returned. Their remains to their family, hailed as heroes. And so the mission to recover those remains is something that has been not happening for several years. And now, this is progress.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KEILAR: The Korean War lasted from 1950 to 1953. If Richardson and his group are successful, they'll oversee the transfer of remains from the North Korean Army to UN personnel. From there, they will be flown to Hawaii where they'll be examined for identification.
LEMON: For years MIA and Vietnam have been virtually synonymous but thousands more U.S. troops are missing in action from America's Forgotten War, Korea.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON (voice-over): For many, it's a fate worse than death. Notification that a loved one is listed as missing in action. American MIAs from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War total more than 87,000
The vast majority, 78,000 are those who served in World War II. The second highest number is from the Korean War, more than 8,000. That's nearly four times the number of missing from the Vietnam War.
Some relatives believe their loved ones may still be alive in North Korea. Declassified documents in the mid-'90s revealed the U.S. knew right after the Korean War that North Korea failed to hand over more than 900 American troops. The North Koreans dismissed the reports as propaganda.
The U.S. government says it knows of only four Americans living in North Korea, all of them soldiers who defected. At least some Americans believe if these soldiers did defect, they must have been brainwashed. That's the theme of the 1962 psycho-political thriller "The Manchurian Candidate." An American POW is brainwashed by the north and after being released returns home to assassinate a presidential candidate. While most experts dismiss rumors of brainwashing, the search for MIA remains in South Korea continues.
But the U.S. suspended those operations in the North two years ago over concerns for the safety of the American search team.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: This month marks Larry King's 50th year in broadcasting. And CNN is bringing you highlights from his most memorable interviews. In today's edition, Larry talks about his eye-opening conversation with Angelina Jolie before she became a mom.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Weird night, Angelina Jolie, who is now not with him, was madly in love with Billy Bob Thornton, and very bright, by the way, and a very good guest. Weird because she had a little vial around her neck. And it was obviously an unusual vial and it had an unusual color. It was a dark red. And I said, what is that? She said that's the blood of Billy Bob. And we carry it to be bound in blood together.
Does it make you feel closer?
ANGELINA JOLIE, ACTRESS: Yeah. I travel and when we work we're far apart. And things that are just -- It's a bit of his life.
KING: And what does he wear?
JOLIE: Mine.
KING: Your blood?
JOLIE: Uh-huh.
KING: Well, what do you do with something like that? That becomes what we call interesting. I found it interesting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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KEILAR: This week, Christians the world over are commemorating the days leading up to Jesus' crucifixion. CNN's Atika Shubert takes us to one holy site that's the source of inspiration and contention.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Every Easter, thousands of Christian pilgrims flock to the church of the Holy Sepulcher to see the miracle of the Holy Fire. A mysterious flame said to emerge from the tomb of Jesus. Miracle or manipulation? Depends on who you ask. But religious tradition, biblical scholars and archaeologists all agree this is the most likely place Jesus was crucified and buried.
FATHER JEROME MURPHY O'CONNOR, BIBLICAL SCHOLAR: That's why everyone wants a bit of this. And that struggle for power and possession.
SHUBERT: The Gospels say Jesus was crucified and buried outside Jerusalem in an area called Golgotha, the place of the skull. This would have been outside the city walls, archaeologists say, and it the porous bedrock underneath may have looked like a skull, but the tombs provide the most convincing evidence.
STEPHEN PFANN, PRESIDENT, HOLY LAND UNIVERSITY: We have some bedrock and we have these little tombs in the back, but this was, in fact, a proper Jewish burial place back in the 1st Century.
SHUBERT: The church that now surrounds the site has little resemblance to biblical descriptions of Jesus' tomb. It is shared uncomfortably between the Greek Orthdox, Roman Catholic and Armenian Churches. Frequent disagreements have resulted in violence, once after a dispute during the ceremony of the Holy Flame.
O'CONNOR: The most unchristian building I know, because of the unchristian tension between the various groups inside. But for any archaeologist, it is the right place.
SHUBERT (on camera): Throughout the day, the crowds have been coming. And come Easter Sunday, the church will be literally packed with thousands of people. Despite the fact that it is a source of conflict among many Christian denominations, it is clearly a source of comfort for so many Christian pilgrims. Atika Shubert, CNN, Jerusalem.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KEILAR: CNN's AMERICAN MORNING continues its journey through the Holy Land tomorrow. Still another place where Jesus may be buried. We'll visit the Garden Tomb and see why some people are convinced that's where Jesus was laid to rest and what some historians have to say. That's tomorrow starting at 6:00 a.m. Eastern.
LEMON: We look forward to that one.
Heard the one about the coyote that walked into the Quizno's? It's not a joke. We're going to tell you about it in the CNN NEWSROOM.
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LEMON: Very funny. The perfect music.
Getting up the tree. Look at that. Well, it was easy. Getting down, well, it took the Coast Guard.
Bill Hart (ph) in Conroe (ph), Texas He shimmied up this towering pine yesterday to retrieve his beloved cockatoo named Geronimo but he failed the think the plan all the way through. Seventy-five feet off the ground, Hart discovered he couldn't climb down while holding - poor thing - while holding the bird. After about four hours, the Coast Guard delivered Hart and his cockatoo safely back on the ground. And Hart says the first thing he'll do is of course, look at that, holy cow, he's going to clip Geronimo's wings he says.
KEILAR: We'd all do that for our pet though, wouldn't we?
LEMON: Aww.
KEILAR: That's how silly we are. Well, here comes the worst case of bad timing you're going to see today. A mudslide bore down a mountainside in West Virginia just minutes ahead of a coal train. The engineer couldn't stop. He hit some boulders and it jumped the tracks. And the front engine plunged into the Coal River. Amazingly, nobody was hurt but lots of diesel fuel went into the water.
And here's another look there thanks to CNN I-Reporter are Keith Gwynn (ph) whose mother lives nearby. Keith says the smell of diesel is still very strong. Remember, if you have news, pictures, or videos, go ahead and share them with us. Go to our Web site and click on I-Reports. And of course, stay safe while you are taking those pictures.
LEMON: It looks like a toy train.
KEILAR: It does. It looks very odd.
This next story is going to give you a laugh. The Quizno's chain is known for toasted subs, right? So apparently one lost coyote was either hungry like the wolf or he just needed to sit a spell. Paul Meincke of Chicago affiliate WLS has this wild story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAUL MEINCKE, WLS-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): We've had coyotes on the break water. We've had coyotes in the river. We've had coyotes in backyards. This, however, may be the first coyote to ever walk into a Quizno's in the Loop and stay a spell.
The day was nice, the front door at 37 East Adams had been propped open and in walked the coyote. At first, the workers thought it's a dog. Then someone said it looks like a wolf. But a coyote it is, indeed. The manager assures us the visit was not part of a marketing of a new sandwich.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He had a coupon and we wouldn't take his coupon.
MEINCKE: Haven't had a coyote in your store recently.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Never before, no. Maybe we should do it again. It's attracting people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It didn't growl, it didn't make sounds. It just tried to get in. Apparently it was scared, trying to shelter itself, I guess.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's beautiful.
MEINCKE: The coyote chose to settle in next to the Gatorade in the front cooler, perhaps it felt good on a leg wound that was apparent. But then where else do you sit when you're a four-legged creature in a sandwich shop and dozens of people are standing outside looking in the window at you and taking your picture with their cell phones?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This one goes down as one to remember, forever. A coyote in downtown Chicago, very exciting.
MEINCKE: Despite its attempt to leave the sandwich counter which might have yielded a food bonanza, the coyote was quite passive until animal control arrived with pole hook. This is never a fun way to leave a restaurant. But leave the coyote must. Off to get checked out by the city's animal control vets.
Did Mr. Coyote say anything to you when you went with your pole?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, he was cool.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Yikes. That was Paul Meincke from WLS.
KEILAR: That's right. And I know you'll be happy to know, Don, this coyote is doing fine, he is cooling his heels at an animal control facility before he's released into a wildlife sanctuary.
LEMON: No running after dark on the Chicago lake for me anymore.
KEILAR: Got to watch out.
LEMON: Closing bell and a wrap of the action on Wall Street straight ahead.
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KEILAR: The closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street.
LEMON: Susan Lisovicz. Standing by with a final look at the trading day. Susan Lisovicz ...
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