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Saudi Terror Raid; Georgia Wildfires; Pressure On Gonzales; New Orleans Crime; Answering E-mails; Murtha Versus McCain; Roger Ebert Talks About His Cancer; Bush Meets With Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
Aired April 27, 2007 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Heidi Collins today.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed in the CNN NEWSROOM. Here's what's on the rundown for you this morning.
South Georgia wildfires bring residents on the run and firefighters in harm's way. Now there are concerns the flames may jump a major highway.
NGUYEN: The big easy laying out the welcome mat for music fans this weekend. But one thing not welcome, and that is the city's rising crime rate. We are going to talk to New Orleans' top cop.
HARRIS: And reports of a big-time terror bust. Saudi security forces said to have broken up a plot to target oil fields, guns, money and 172 people rounded up.
It is Friday, April 27th and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
At the top this hour, a major terror crackdown in Saudi Arabia. Saudi police have arrested 172 militants who they say were planning to carry out attacks against public figures, oil fields, refineries and military zones. Saudi officials say some suspects were being trained to use airplanes -- airplanes in the attacks. And they say some of the attacks were planned to be carried out in other countries. They didn't say where.
Al Arabiya broadcast footage of a large weapons cache found buried in the desert. AK-47 rifles, plastic explosives and handguns seized, along with millions of dollars. Earlier I spoke with CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson about the details of the investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What we do know is that these arrests, the 172 arrests, have been taking place over the last nine months. So this has been a process that has been going on for some time.
The weapons -- some of them are old weapons. We know that they've been stored in the desert for a long time.
The targets -- oil installations, senior government officials. Some of these people, we're told, in fact, quite a number, are non- Saudi Arabs. Some of them, we're told, are Africans. We've also been told that they -- a lot of them are young. The people that have been arrested are young.
Now the Saudi intelligence source I've been talking to has been stressing that the people that have been arrested, although they have access to weapons, they don't have a lot of military training. Also, on the issue of the training that they've been getting to fly aircraft into Saudi oil installations was another report we've been receiving. The clarity on that is that they had been getting some training. They had been reading flight manuals. But they weren't capable of flying aircraft. That they hadn't received proper aircraft flight training.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: We will, of course, continue to follow this story right here in the NEWSROOM. Nic Robertson will rejoin us next hour with more details of what he has learned.
NGUYEN: A Taliban takeover reported in Afghanistan. A senior Afghan official says militants have seized control of Gyro (ph) district, which is about 110 miles southwest of Kabul. Now he says Taliban fighters killed five people, including the mayor and his police chief. Afghan troops are being sent to the area and the U.S.- led coalition is tracking this incident very closely. The Taliban has stepped up attacks in recent weeks after a winter lull. This comes as international forces push ahead with their biggest ever offensive, trying to root out militants in the opium-producing south.
HARRIS: In south Georgia, hundreds of people chased from their homes and wondering if they'll have anything to return to. Winds have rekindled wildfires that were contained just a week ago. They're burning near Waycross, along the Florida state line. Over the past week and a half, 95 square miles have burned, 18 homes destroyed and countless hearts broken.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MISTY CARTER, WILDFIRE EVACUEE: I got a phone call telling me to evacuate, go ahead and get out. So I -- we already had stuff packed and ready to go. I started moving it to the car. And then another sheriff deputy pulled in my yard and said, you don't have time. You've got to go ahead and go now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And how about this? The fire is threatening to jump U.S. Highway 1 and even the firefighters' command center has had to be evacuated. Fire officials say weather conditions today could make the threat much, much worse.
NGUYEN: While flames race into neighborhoods, deputies are following and homeowners are told to flee with only the clothes on their backs. That is where the American Red Cross then steps in. So joining us now on the phone is Rita Brookshire. She is an emergency services director and is at the evacuation shelter. The thing I want to talk to you about, Rita, is the fact that 100 families have been told to evacuate. Have they come to your shelter? Where are they going?
RITA BROOKSHIRE, AMERICAN RED CROSS: They have not arrived yet. We have been serving -- we've been here since the 16th and some will come in and stay with us, while others will come in and receive information and resources and support from us and then go and stay with relatives.
NGUYEN: And we understand that some 18 homes have been destroyed so far. Have you talked to any -- have you spoken with any of those families that have lost it all in this?
BROOKSHIRE: We have actually serviced each one of those families. We've already been with them. And we're still working with some of them to -- or we're putting them in touch with other agencies in the area. And so we're continuing to work with them and give them the support they need.
NGUYEN: How are they doing? Were they given any time to get some of their belongings from their homes before they were destroyed?
BROOKSHIRE: What we have heard the most is, I had a knock on the door and they said, no, you understand, you've got to leave now. You do not have time. You've got to leave now.
The fire is like a two-headed monster. It's very aggressive. We've got some of the most -- we've got some great professionals out there working it from across the country, as well as local firemen. And it's really been a major, major fire.
NGUYEN: And as far as the Red Cross goes, is there anything that you need at this point to help assist these folks?
BROOKSHIRE: Well, we are receiving monetary gifts and we also are receiving in-kinds. The community is wonderful in its support. And the contiguous counties have been also. Of course, monetary gifts are always needed to help us replenish the supplies that we have disbursed.
NGUYEN: And there's a lot of work ahead. Some 100 people evacuated, 18 homes destroyed. Rita Brookshire of the Red Cross. We thank you for your time today.
HARRIS: Boy, and, Betty, if only the rain that came through the area yesterday had stayed for a while and visited Waycross.
NGUYEN: Well, and if it made it down to that area, that's the problem.
HARRIS: Yes.
NGUYEN: Some of us got plenty of it. Chad, you had, what, over an inch?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: In two weeks, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales goes before a House committee looking into those fired U.S. attorneys. CNN's Kelli Arena reports Gonzales is trying to stay focused during some very difficult times.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nice to meet you, attorney general.
ALBERTO GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL: Thank you. Good to see you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Same here.
KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Alberto Gonzales got out of Washington, but he couldn't get away from all those nagging questions about whether he should keep his job.
GONZALES: I continue to believe that I can be effective as attorney general. And I'm going to stay focused on doing my job.
ARENA: People close to Gonzales say it's for real. They insist that he is focused and fully engaged in a way that some of them haven't seen before. But by all accounts, he wasn't exactly engaged when those eight U.S. attorneys were being fired and now can't catch a break. He met with Democratic Senator Mark Pryor this week in an effort to mend fences, but that went over like a lead balloon.
SEN. MARK PRYOR, (D) ARKANSAS: I told him that I still think it's in the best interest of the department and the administration that he resign.
ARENA: Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain also says Gonzales should resign.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think out of loyalty to the president, that that would probably be the best thing that he could do.
ARENA: Asked about McCain's comments, Gonzales hit the rewind button.
GONZALES: Again, I'm going to stay focused on doing my job. The president -- that's what the president expects me to do, is to stay on as attorney general.
ARENA: And the hits just keep on coming, with new questions about whether the U.S. attorney from Arizona was fired because he was pursuing a corruption case against a Republican.
Gonzales will get yet another chance to try to clear the air when he testifies before House members in two weeks. But it doesn't look like this crowd is going to be any friendlier.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Jazz fest in the big easy. An annual affair opening today. But there's nothing easing about rising crime in a city still ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans' top cop, there he is, joining us straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: Also, east meets west. President Bush meeting with the prime minister of Japan. And on the agenda, North Korea's nuclear program. You'll hear from the two leaders live in the NEWSROOM.
HARRIS: Abused by the Japanese army, now demanding an apology. A comfort (ph) woman's crusade, ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, good morning. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Betty Nguyen.
Giving it a try, the good old college try that is. This senior citizen has done just that and more. She made history in the process.
Plus, one of the most well-known film critics in the world, now a picture of courage and strength. An update on Roger Ebert's battle against cancer. That is ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: All that jazz in the crescent city. New Orleans Annual Jazz and Heritage Festival opens today. But as the music plays on, the city struggle to cope with the rising post-Katrina crime rate. New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley is looking for help from the federal government. He joins us from New Orleans.
Superintendent Riley, good to see you. Thanks for your time this morning.
SUPT. WARREN RILEY, NEW ORLEANS POLICE: Thank you.
HARRIS: I have to ask you, first of all -- yes, great to see you. How much pressure is the jazz fest going to put on your police department over the next 10 days?
RILEY: Well, it's actually a total of about seven days over two weekends. But it's going to put a little pressure on us. But we're so used to dealing with the jazz fest. We do have a shortage of personnel, but with some overtime hours and things such as that we should have a great jazz fest, as successful as many of our other major events that we've had over the past several months.
HARRIS: Employee shortages. How many officers in the New Orleans Police Department right now?
RILEY: Well, officially, on the road, there's about 1,400. But actually working strength, about 1,230.
HARRIS: Where would you like that number to be? What's full strength?
RILEY: We'd like to get it back up to 1,600 strong working officers.
HARRIS: That doesn't seem like a huge hurdle to overcome. What had been the obstacles in you getting the force to the levels that you would like?
RILEY: Well, there are a number of things. Our housing issue is still a problem. My office is still in the trailer. Three of my districts . . .
HARRIS: Are you still in a trailer?
RILEY: I am still in a trailer, yes. Three of my district stations are out of trailers. We have 16 buildings that were damaged. None of them have been completely repaired as of this time. So getting our facilities fixed, which is beginning to happen, after 20 months, is one thing.
Housing issues have been another thing. As you know, 80 percent of our officers lost their homes. Some left to relocate with their families who now live in other places. So there are a number of things. This is a very difficult situation for our officers and their families to deal with.
HARRIS: Why has it taken -- let me rephrase this. My opinion, outside looking in, you and the mayor are having to go around hat in hand to try to get help from the federal government, appearing before House committees, plead for federal dollars. Why is that the case?
RILEY: Well, you know, I'm not so sure what the real reason is. I know that the response has been very slow. According to the federal government, they have obligated the money to the state. The state has not forwarded the money to the city of New Orleans. I know that $128 million was obligated to just the New Orleans Police Department alone, which we have not received, but a handful of money for cars and some equipment. So those things have hampered us tremendously as it relates to this police department having a full recovery.
HARRIS: But what do you really think? What's the real issue?
RILEY: I don't know what the real issue is. That's something for the politicians to fight about. I've certainly expressed my opinion to the appropriate people.
HARRIS: You won't express that opinion with me this morning as to what you think the real reason behind the delay in getting the money that you need to help rebuild your department, to help rebuild the city?
RILEY: What I can tell you is that it's been too slow. It's taken too long. And we should be much further along. I think you should talk to the state and federal authorities to find out what the real hold-up is.
HARRIS: Gotcha.
Turning now to crime levels. How do you explain the homicide rate? And I don't know what the exact numbers are. But apparently the homicide rate is at pre-Katrina levels, while you're only talking about half of the population back in the city. How do you explain that?
RILEY: Well, you know, I disagree with some of those things. We do have, certainly, a crime problem, we have a homicide problem. We have 61 murders this year, right now, as we speak. Probably pre- Katrina, the three years prior to this, by the end of April, we would have been well over 100. But as it relates to the downsize in the population, I don't really get into that because I don't know what the population is and I don't think anybody really knows what our population is.
HARRIS: Has the country forgotten about the Gulf Coast? Has the country forgotten about your city?
RILEY: I don't think as a whole, no. But I think certainly some people have moved on with their lives. Has the country forgotten? I really don't think so. But I think some of the people who are decision makers, who could make a difference in this city on a national level and probably on the state level, to some degree, have certainly not stepped up to the plate to put public safety first in the city of New Orleans.
HARRIS: How disappointing is that for you personally?
RILEY: Well, it's extremely disappointing in the sense that you would think that in this country that in the aftermath of a major catastrophe, that all the appropriate people would make things happen. The bureaucratic quagmire that has caused us this major, major delay should have been avoided and decisions should have been made and people should have been made to do things. You know our Stafford Act has held up a lot of issues as it relates to how the money flows. But that's designed for an emergency. This was a true catastrophe, far beyond any Stafford Act, where the decisions needed to be made, money needed to flow and construction needed to start right away.
HARRIS: Good point. Good point. New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley. Warren, thanks for your time this morning. Appreciate it.
RILEY: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Coming up, reporter involvement. A TV news crew does more than just cover a missing child story. They bring the little girl back home. Scary story, but there is a happy ending. That's here in the NEWSROOM.
GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Gerri Willis.
What's the best solution for high credit card debt? Tap your 401(k) or play the lottery? We'll have the answer next on "Top Tips."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Retirement funds, foreclosures, long-term care insurance. Just some of the topics that viewers have questions about. So here to answer those e-mails, of course, CNN personal finance editor Gerri Willis. She joins us live from New York City today with those answers.
OK. So let's get straight to it, shall we?
WILLIS: OK. Let's get down to it. Yes.
NGUYEN: All right. Helene is asking, "can you suggest sources for information on long-term health insurance?"
WILLIS: Well, first of all, you need to understand the reason people buy long-term care insurance in the first place. It's to protect your assets in case you need to pay for assisted living or a nursing home stay. And right now there are about five or six players in the market. To learn more about the insurance and the players, go to Federal Citizen Information Center at pueblo.gsa.gov. Now if you do choose a company and you want to make sure it's on strong financial ground, here are the rating agencies that you should check out to do research. There's moodys.com, standardandpoors.com and fitchratings.com.
Betty.
NGUYEN: All right. Here's another one for you. Skiff in California. This person is "interested in purchasing foreclosed properties on the market" and wants to know, "do you have any advice on how to get started?" Now you can really get a bargain with these foreclosed properties, but you've got to do it the right way.
WILLIS: You can get a bargain, but it's hard. Buying foreclosed property isn't really easy. There are lots of drawbacks. For example, the tenant may still be in the property. You may not be able to see the condition of the property. And there may be loans against the house, liens against the house that you inherit as the new owner. To find out what's out there, you can check the listings in your local newspaper or do some research online. Check out foreclosurenet.net and realtytrak.com to get some ideas of what's in your neighborhood.
NGUYEN: All right. Here is a really good question from John who says, I am 38 years old. I have $35,000 in my 401(k). But he wants to pay off $25,000 in credit card debt. And here's his question, "should I cash out my 401(k) or live paycheck to paycheck until retirement," or this one, Gerri, "buy a winning lottery ticket?"
WILLIS: Yes. We all want that winning lottery ticket right?
NGUYEN: Yes.
WILLIS: Seriously, though, don't cash out of your 401(k). Bad idea. Look, you'll pay income tax and penalties for taking out that money before you're 55 years old. Plus, you're robbing yourself down the road. Look, if you left that money alone, $38,000 at an 8 percent return by age 60, you would have $200,000. Or you can wipe out $25,000 worth of credit card debt right now. So why would you do that when you'd be robbing yourself of so much later. Good thing to do. Think about this. If you own a home, take out a home equity line of credit. The interest you pay is lower than what you pay on a credit card and, come tax time, you get a deduction. So much better solution to the problem.
NGUYEN: Yes. But you may want to buy a lottery ticket every now and then.
OK, Gerri, what's coming up on "Open House"?
WILLIS: Personal finance says, no. There's no big, you know, there's no real payoff. But, you know, hey, you can have some fun, right?
NGUYEN: Yes, tell that to the winners, Gerri.
WILLIS: All two of them, right.
NGUYEN: Right.
WILLIS: So on "Open House" this weekend, Saturday morning, 9:30 a.m., we are talking about dealing with the housing downturn, global warming. How is it going to impact real estate in this country. And then understanding the organic mayhem. What's good for you. What's not. We've got it all, Saturday morning, 9:30 right here.
NGUYEN: That is good stuff. Gerri Willis, as always, appreciate you.
WILLIS: Thank you, Betty.
HARRIS: And still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, dark skies and dangerous storms.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of them was in the air like this and going up maybe -- the bottom of the wheels had to be seven feet, 10 feet off the ground and then sat down. And the one -- it sounded like a five-car pile-up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Stormy weather ahead in the NEWSROOM.
And reports of a big terror bust. One hundred and seventy-two people detained in an alleged plot to target oil fields in Saudi Arabia. Details from our Nic Robertson coming up in the NEWSROOM.
NGUYEN: And take a listen to this. War of words over the war in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REP. JOHN MURTHA, (D) PENNSYLVANIA: Imagine a presidential candidate making a joke about IEDs when these kids are blown apart. It's outrageous.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Wow.
NGUYEN: What John McCain said to Jon Stewart that set off these verbal fireworks. You don't want to miss this. It's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
Plus, one of the most well-known film critics in the world. Now a picture of courage and strength. We have a live report on Roger Ebert's battle against cancer. That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, good morning everybody, and welcome to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Betty Nguyen in for Heidi Collins today.
HARRIS: I'm making a mess of myself here. Good morning everyone, I'm Tony Harris. Thanks for being with us.
Boy, a big story for us this morning. A terrorist attack apparently foiled. That report coming in this morning from Saudi Arabia. Officials there say they've uncovered a massive plot targeting Saudi oil fields, more than 170 people arrested and more than $32 million seized. Also uncovered a large stash of weapons buried in the desert. The Saudi government says the militants also plotted to attack public figures and military targets inside and outside of the country.
NGUYEN: Two battle hardened Vietnam veterans now battling each other over what (ph) -- a joke by Republican presidential hopeful John McCain setting off Democratic Congressman John Murtha.
CNN's Kathleen Koch has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN STEWART, "THE DAILY SHOW" HOST: What do you want to start with, the bomb Iran song or the walk through the market in Baghdad -- what do you want --
SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN, (R-AZ): I think maybe shopping in Baghdad. I had something really picked out for you, too. It's a nice --
STEWART: Did you really?
MCCAIN: Yes, it's a nice little IED to put under your desk.
STEWART: That's very lovely you, thank you.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was a comedy show and the line was a hit. But Senator John McCain's humor fell flat with one Congressman on Capitol Hill.
REP. JOHN MURTHA, (D-PA): Imagine a presidential candidate making a joke about IEDs when these kids are blown apart. It's outrageous.
KOCH: IEDs, or roadside bombs, are responsible for the majority of U.S. combat fatalities in Iraq. Still, Senator McCain doesn't plan to apologize. On "Good Morning America," the decorated Vietnam war vet and former POW called Murtha's criticism hysteria.
MCCAIN: I was in combat and tough situations. We used humor all the time. And all I can say is to Murtha and others, lighten up and get a life.
KOCH: Just last week, McCain crooned an answer to an audience question about how to respond to Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program.
MCCAIN: That old Beachboy song bomb Iran, bomb, bomb, bomb --
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: I think that all of the candidates need to be very careful about what they say on the campaign trail. John McCain is John McCain and you're not going to change him.
KOCH: And Thursday at a political rally in South Carolina, McCain staff cranked up the Beachboy's song "Barbara Ann" whose words he changed last week. An aide said it was to show, "I'm not going to get pushed around on things like that."
(on camera): Many here in Washington are familiar with Senator McCain's very dry sense of humor. It's part of who he is. It's up to the voters now to decide whether they get the joke or the joke's on him.
Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: The agenda is global, the menu, all American. President Bush is meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Camp David this morning. They are discussing North Korea's nuclear program, trade and global warming. Later, they will have lunch. How about this: cheese burgers, onion rings.
NGUYEN: Like it.
HARRIS: Next hour, they hold a news conference. White House Correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us live. Elaine, good morning to you. This is a pretty friendly relationship. Are there any surprises likely to come out of these meetings?
ELAINE QUIJANO, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: We're not really expecting any surprises. Good morning to you, Tony.
This really is basically a getting to know you kind of visit. Now, this is not the first time that President Bush has met with Japan's new Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The two leaders last met last year at the Asian Economic Summit in Hanoi, Vietnam.
But there are a number of issues on the agenda, as you noted, global trade, Iraq and North Korea. U.S. officials say this will really be an opportunity for them to try to assauge any concerns on the part of the Japanese that the United States is somehow softening its stance when it comes to North Korea.
Now, this is Abe's first trip to the United States as Prime Minister of Japan. He and his wife met with President Bush and the First Lady last night at the White House. They had an informal dinner there. And U.S. officials say this will really be a chance for them to get to know each other on a personal level.
Of course, it's a tough act to follow. We all know that Prime Minister Koizumi, the predecessor for Shinzo Abe was actually extremely close to President Bush, perhaps his best international friend. President Bush and Prime Minister Koizumi of course developing that strong relationship over baseball. Also, a love of Elvis. You recall President Bush took Prime Minister Koizumi down to Graceland.
And so, they're looking to build a close rapport as well. Japan is an important U.S. ally on the war on terror and also on economic matters as well. The two leaders expected in just about an hour or so or less than that, I should say, to come before the cameras. Each answer a few questions before continuing with the visit.
HARRIS: And we will, of course have that for you live right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Elaine Quijano for us this morning at the White House. Elaine, thank you.
NGUYEN: Take a look at this, severe weather leaves its mark on the great plains all the way to the northeast. Ominous skies over parts of Illinois yesterday. And damage on the ground, high winds tore off parts of a nursing home roof. It actually flipped a minivan and damaged several homes. But there are no injuries reported.
Also, thunderstorms moved across Indiana. The worst of it in La Porte County. Trees ripped from the ground and winds tossed -- get this, Tony -- a police cruiser over a three-foot high fence. The officer was OK.
And in the northeast, the problem is heavy rain and flooding. Evacuations were ordered in the area of New Jersey. The wet weather caused flight delays, still causing flight delays, I understand. We'll talk to Chad in just a minute but there will be more problems in the area as they get more rain today.
HARRIS: You don't believe us about the conditions in the northeast, let's check in right now. Look at that map behind Chad in the severe weather center. Good morning, Chad.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: Yes, they need a break.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: They certainly do.
HARRIS: All right, Chad, thanks.
MYERS: You know, Tony, you ever notice that like, I'm over your ear? I'm like that little guy that like talks in your ear? The other ear.
MYERS: There you go. I can't figure the reverse of the screen.
MYERS: I'm always standing on your shoulder right here.
NGUYEN: That's your left.
HARRIS: Hi, Chad.
NGUYEN: Tony is so uncoordinated. That's all right, Tony.
HARRIS: All right, Chad, thanks.
NGUYEN: Well, we are going to give two thumbs up for film critic Roger Ebert going public with his battle against cancer and how it has changed his life and his appearance.
Our Don Lemon got a chance to talk with Ebert and his wife Chaz. He joins us now to talk about this incredible comeback. I mean, just seeing him there, this man has been through a lot.
LEMON: Yes, he's been through a lot and he looks different and he knew he was going to look different. And that was the reason that he sort of was secluded for a long time. It was a decision in the family. They weren't sure what to do, how people would take him, how people would handle his appearance, looking different because he had cancer. It's very, very serious.
I always say about Roger Ebert, he has the most famous thumbs ever. Yes, two thumbs up or a thumb up can make your career.
NGUYEN: Or break it if he didn't like it.
LEMON: Absolutely. And down, break it. But he's fighting back. And yesterday I asked him, you know, what they were doing now, why did both of them, he and his wife, want to come out in public about this disease.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHAZ EBERT, FILM CRITIC'S WIFE: Roger says, "it's still you and every day can contain joy as well as suffering. You just keep on living."
LEMON: What made you decide to come out and be out in the open or in public about this? .
EBERT: You know what I think it is? Essentially, Roger is a man who -- he -- he's very definite about what he thinks and about his -- his standards and his whatever. And I think he just felt it was essentially the right thing to do. It just boils down to the fact that he just thought it was the right thing to do.
LEMON: Yes.
And what is he saying?
EBERT: Roger said, "Yes, but surgery was necessary, but at least he's cancer free. I hope to do TV again, but I can still write for the newspaper, and maybe there are other creative ways to do television."
LEMON: Are you surprised that the -- at the reception that you've gotten?
EBERT: "It was very encouraging, Don. It's nice to know people care about the reviews. I don't believe in hiding. This is me."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: That is so powerful. And I think we're going to talk about the relationship between the two in just a moment. But the first thing, when people see that they notice obviously the physical difference. How is he doing and how is he going to recover from that?
LEMON: Well, he had to have surgery. But I have to tell you, he's sitting there in the Lazy Boy, Betty, and he wanted to go to the film festival because he wanted his presence to be known and made here. He's He's keeping on keeping on. So he has his Lazy Boy, and says he's a lazy critic now. He was bedridden for months, so he had to learn to walk again.
Plus, they had to cut up part of his face because he had cancer of the salivary gland, and then that spread, and now he had to have a trach, or what you. So that's why he can't speak. But they expect that to be corrected. But he can still write. He still has his sense of humor. He still has his mind. And then he has that wonderful woman Chaz who speaks for him. He writes on the pad, and then she'll say what he has to say. And what a woman to have by your side.
NGUYEN: Oh, my goodness, I mean, just looking at her, she is the epitome of strength. Talk to us a little bit more, for those who really don't know about their relationship, this is a very strong couple.
LEMON: It's a very strong couple. In Chicago, they are a power couple. People love them. Chaz and her big hats and, of course, Roger Ebert who can make or break anyone's career. They have an amazing relationship. I talked to them about that. I even asked them about the Imus situation, because I said you I guys are an interracial couple. What do you think of this? They said, Roger said, Imus is a big boy and he should have known better. And Chaz says, you know, we don't even think about being an interracial couple; we just love each other.
NGUYEN: Two people that love each other.
LEMON: And right now we're living in the now. We're doing this film festival. What comes after this film festival, we don't know. But we don't want people to hide from their disease. We don't want Roger to hide from his disease. We're just wishing the best for ourselves and for the rest of the world, and for people dealing with cancer and serious illness.
NGUYEN: Because he is not alone, definitely. Well, good for them.
LEMON: He's going to make a huge difference, huge difference.
NGUYEN: Oh, absolutely. I mean, he already has.
LEMON: That was part of the discussion. Yes, absolutely.
NGUYEN: Thank you, Don. We appreciate that. Great interview -- Tony.
LEMON: Thank you.
HARRIS: Jack Valenti, the man who helped create the movie rating system, has died. Valenti headed the Motion Picture Association of America for about 40 years. He had access to the stars and to Congress, becoming the movie industry's top lobbyist on Capitol Hill. Before that he was aide to President Lyndon Johnson. Valenti died yesterday of complications from a stroke suffered in March. He was 85 years old.
Making a visit to the retirement home, video coming in just a moment. A couple of deer drop in on the seniors. That story, these crazy pictures coming up for you in the NEWSROOM.
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HARRIS: Want to get you straight to the Pentagon now and our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr.
Barbara is working on details of a story now. A top al Qaeda operative now in U.S. custody.
Barbara, good morning.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Tony.
The Pentagon just a few moments ago announcing that the U.S. military has taken custody of a top al Qaeda operative. His name is Abdel Al Hadi Al Iraqi (ph). He was apparently in the custody of the CIA, is in one of their detention facilities for some time.
Now in the last week or so the Pentagon says this man was transferred to U.S. military custody at the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Again, his name Abdel Al Hadi Al Iraqi. You have not heard much about him, but he is a significant player, according to the United States. They say this man was a, quote, "known and trusted by Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri." At one point he was in direct communication with both men, with bin Laden and his top deputy, that he was apparently captured while he was trying to return to his native country of Iraq to manage al Qaeda affairs. He had been in touch, they say, this man, with al Qaeda operatives in Iran, had been planning attacks and was said to have been involved in assassination plots against Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, as well as U.N. officials, and during his time in Afghanistan had been involved in plotting cross-border attacks against U.S. forces.
Very little has been known about this man up until now, when exactly he was taken into custody by CIA. There are a lot of reports that it was back in the 2001-2002 timeframe.
But now for the first time, the Pentagon is openly saying this man, this top al Qaeda operative, now in the custody of the U.S. military at Guantanamo Bay -- Tony.
HARRIS: And we wonder what came out of those CIA interrogations. I know you'll stay on this story.
Barbara Starr for us at the Pentagon. Barbara, thanks.
STARR: Thank you.
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
HARRIS: Still to come this morning in the NEWSROOM, the White House beat, an insider's view. We will talk with our White House correspondent. There she is.
NGUYEN: In the red.
HARRIS: In the red.
NGUYEN: Suzanne Malveaux, about covering the president. A Reporter's Notebook on the Bush administration coming up for you in the NEWSROOM.
Also, when is a kiss not just a kiss? Well, check it out. Ask Richard Gere, because some say this kiss -- several of them -- was criminal. A Bollywood blunder, in the NEWSROOM.
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HARRIS: How about this? She is a college student who is studying history and making history all at the same time. Nola Oaks (ph) is 95. That's right, 95 years old. When she graduates from a Kansas University May 12th she will become the world's oldest person on record to earn a college degree. Oaks won't be alone when she gets that long-awaited diploma. Her 21-year-old granddaughter graduating with her. And their cheering section will sure be plenty loud. Oaks has 12 other grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and three sons. What a great story. What a great story.
NGUYEN: Lots of support there.
HARRIS: Yes. NGUYEN: Well, they're young and wild and, as you can see from this surveillance tape they're going to show you, clearly not ready for the retirement home. But for a while at least a couple of young bucks had the place rocking.
Ed Weinstock of affiliate WGAL explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were coming pretty fast, and they were brown, they were huge. That's all I can remember.
ED WEINSTOCK, WGAL REPORTER (voice-over) Just before 9:30 two deer showed up on the doorstep of the Cross Keys Village at the brethren home. Moments later, an electronic door slid open and the deer came running in.
JOHN STAMBAUGH, RETIREMENT HOME EMPLOYEE: I was a little cautious going down just in case they were going to run back out.
WEINSTOCK: But the deer didn't turn around. Instead, they raised through the hallways of the retirement home. Some employees couldn't believe it.
MONA CHURCH, RETIREMENT HOME EMPLOYEE: I grabbed both of doors like this, and as soon as they shut, they banged right into the doors.
WEINSTOCK (on camera): One of the deer was almost trapped inside this elevator, but the door stayed open. After running in, the deer ran right out.
KATHERINE THOMAS, RETIREMENT HOME RESIDENT: And they went right across...
WEINSTOCK: Katherine Thomas was getting ready for a therapy session when the deer sped by.
THOMAS: I don't know where they came from. They were flying. Their heels were glowing.
WEINSTOCK: This employee had a close encounter.
KAREN SANDERS, RETIREMENT HOME EMPLOYEE: And we seen the deer. She screamed. I went one way, and it came out around and pushed my up against the wall, and I just touched it and it went running.
WEINSTOCK: One deer broke out a window and escaped. Employees helped herd the other deer out a door.
FRANK BUHRMAN, RETIREMENT HOME SPOKESMAN: It could have been a real problem, but fortunately they got out without apparently a whole lot of harm to themselves or a lot to us.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well, banging into the door is going to leave a mark. NGUYEN: A slight one.
HARRIS: Still to come this morning in the NEWSROOM, a road to ruin or redemption? A U.S. highway a last hope to contain a raging wildfire. The very latest from the fire lines, coming up in the NEWSROOM.
Also, Baghdad blogs. A peek into the lives of young Iraqis living in a war zone. That's ahead in the NEWSROOM.
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