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Imus on Air again Soon?; Wisconsin Shootings, Tacoma Explosions
Aired October 07, 2007 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN, ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Fredricka Whitfield, right now in the NEWSROOM, a deadly shooting rampage in a small town, multiple deaths as the alleged gunman was a police officer. Will get the latest in a live report.
Also, just months after losing his job over controversial remarks, shock jock Don Imus could soon be back on the air. We'll run down his return to the airwaves. Plus, music fans know him for his "Achy Breaky Heart," but parents and their kids know that he's also Hannah Montana's dad. I'll talk to Billy Ray Cyrus about stardom and parenthood and toys a little bit later in the NEWSROOM.
But first up, the killings in Crandon, Wisconsin. Right now, details remain sketchy but it appears there were multiple deaths. And just within the last hour, we got word the suspected gunman was shot and killed by police. The reported scene of the rampage, some 200 miles north of Milwaukee. Apparently, in a home where a party was being held. Joining us now on the phone, reporter Dan O'Donnell of CNN affiliate, WTMJ Radio. And Don, you've confirmed that the suspected gunman was a sheriff's deputy, right?
DAN O'DONNELL, WTMJ NEWSRADIO, REPORTER (on the phone): Indeed, the suspect identified as Tyler Peterson who we're told was a Forest County Sheriff's Deputy, who now we believe also worked part-time for the Crandon Police Department and now we can confirm that at least two of the victims are high school students and the rest of those dead -- believed to be either five or six people -- are recent graduates of the high school. At about 3:00 this morning, the gunman, Peterson, walked into this house where about ten people, between the ages of 16 and 21, were gathered at a party, opened fire and then took off, locking down the entire small town of Crandon for several hours.
WHITFIELD: And what's your understanding about the relationship, how well this sheriff's deputy may have known the people at this party, what precipitated this opening of gunfire?
O'DONNELL: Well that is where the details are sketchiest. This is a small community, Crandon only has about 2,000 people and by way of location, it's about 100 miles north of Green Bay. Forest County supervisor Tom Volmar, who lives just outside the town of Crandon, says that it's affected probably every family in the community because with just 2,000 people, everybody knows each other. Though we're not sure exactly how if at all the shooter knew his reported victims.
WHITFIELD: Wow, all right. Dan O'Donnell, thanks so much from affiliate, WTMJ Radio. Thanks so much for the information. Meantime, let's move on to the airwaves and entertainment. Redemption may soon be at hand for Radioactive talk show host Don Imus. Nearly six months after his firing from CBS Radio, word is that the i-man may be back on the air by year's end. CNN's Jim Acosta is live in New York with more. And Jim, this is by no means a done deal but reports suggest that Imus and Citadel Broadcasting are close to an agreement.
JIM ACOSTA, CNN, CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Don Imus' attorney tells CNN that his client is on the verge of announcing a deal possibly as soon as tomorrow that he is returning to the airwaves with a new and possibly nationally syndicated broadcast.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA (voice-over): It was only last spring when Don Imus' verbal assault on the Rutgers Women's Basketball team ignited a firestorm that quickly engulfed his career. Within days after his on- air slur, he had been shamed by the women at Rutgers.
We have all been physically, mentally and emotionally spent, so hurt by the remarks that were uttered by Mr. Imus.
And slam dunked by the Reverend Al Sharpton.
REVEREND AL SHARPTON: Do you think it's funny to call people nappy headed hoes?
DON IMUS: No, I don't.
UNIDENTIFIED MALES: Imus must go.
ACOSTA: Under mounting pressure, both MSNBC and CBS Radio pulled the plug on the i-man, ending a 30-year run or so it seem. "The Washington Post" and the "New York Times" are reporting Citadel Broadcasting is on the verge of a deal with Imus for a morning broadcast on WABC Radio in New York. A program that may be syndicated to over 200 stations across the country.
REV. AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATE: Even if he's coming back, he's having to tiptoe back and he's going to have to watch every step of the way.
ACOSTA: If Imus is back, that his old nemesis, Sharpton will be listening.
SHARPTON: We will monitor it and see that safeguards are in place to make sure he does not use racism and sexist language as his way of drawing an audience.
ACOSTA: Over at Rutgers University, some students are willing to give Imus a second chance, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it was a good suspension for him and I think he's sincere about it. So, I think he should be allowed to come back now. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was pretty harsh of him to say but I think we just got over it by now.
ACOSTA: On one of his final broadcasts, Imus declared he's capable of cleaning up his act.
IMUS: I'm sorry I did that. I'm embarrassed that I did that. I did a bad thing. But I'm a good person. And that will change.
ACOSTA: Now, he just has to prove it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ACOSTA (on-screen): Another question is whether Imus will succeed in finding a television outlet for his radio show. At 67 years old, Don Imus, it appears doesn't do retirement. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: All right. Jim Acosta, thanks so much from New York. And earlier, I spoke with CNN's RELIABLE SOURCES host Howard Kurtz who reported the story in Saturday's edition of "The Washington Post." And in a nutshell, Kurtz says, "Imus' return to the airwaves will come with major scrutiny."
HOWARD KURTZ, "WASHINGTON POST": Don Imus has apologized repeatedly for the racial remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team and I think he knows that he has something to prove. And as evidence of that, he's going to be back not just with some of the old members of his team like Charles McCord but he is actively looking for a black panelist, or black co-host. So I think that Imus well doesn't want to lose the sort of irreverent edge and insult humor that some people like and some people hate, but I think we're going to see him being much more sensitive on racial matters because of the incident that got him kicked off the airwaves.
WHITFIELD: Official announcements likely coming as early as tomorrow.
Meantime a scandal on another level, which is rocking a religious institution, Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. A group of dismissed professors say that University President Richard Roberts engaged in lavish spending at donor's expense. The alleged spending includes numerous remodellings of Roberts' home and expensive cars and clothes for his wife. Speaking from notes at a campus event on Wednesday, Roberts had this to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICHARD ROBERTS, PRESIDENT, ORAL ROBERTS UNIVERSITY: Some may think that I might ought to hang my head in shame. But I won't do that. I am confident that when the real truth is known, there will be no more questions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And on Friday, the university's Board of Regents voted to hire an outside auditor to actually examine the school's books.
Meantime, an investigation is underway into a series of explosions at a metal casting plant in Tacoma, Washington. A witness caught the blast on tape. Take a look. Pretty significant and pretty scary. Officials say a propane tanker truck exploded which set off the rest of the blast. But they're not sure what caused the truck to ignite. The driver is hospitalized and in critical condition. Three other people suffered minor injuries.
On to talk of Iraq now. The top U.S. general in that country is raising a new charge against Iran. General David Petraeus says Iran's top diplomat in Baghdad is a secret member of the covert Iranian military force accused of helping insurgents. CNN's Jim Clancy caught up with Petraeus at a U.S. camp near the Iranian border.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM CLANCY, CNN, CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): America's commanding general in Iraq traveled to a forward operating base within an hour of Iran's border to award bronze stars to troops with the 82nd Airborne. Troops who have successfully battled Al Qaeda in Iraq through the last year. In talks with soldiers and commanders, General David Petraeus stressed the fight against Al Qaeda remains the first priority in Iraq. But the issue of Iranian arms and explosives smuggling was raised. General Petraeus told CNN six Iranians now in U.S. custody are part of a secretive Iranian paramilitary group known as the Al Qods Force. Despite protests by Iran that the five are diplomats and pleased by Iraqi officials that one arrested last month in northern Iraq is just a businessman, Petraeus says they will not be released any time soon.
GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS, MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE, IRAQ: Jim, let's be very clear, there is no debate that the individuals who we have detained are Qods Force members and the individual detained in northern Iraq. Let's be very clear about this. We have absolute assurance of who he is, what he has done in the past, what he has provided in terms of (accelerants), what his position is in the Qods Force. Again, these are not in question.
CLANCY: The accelerants General Petraeus talked about there includes EFPs or explosively formed projectiles that can penetrate U.S. armor and are blamed for the deaths of U.S. troops. General Petraeus says Iran's ambassador in Baghdad, also a part of Iran's Al Qods Force.
PETRAEUS: The Qods force controls the policy for Iraq. There should be no confusion about that either. The ambassador is a Qods Force member. Now, he has diplomatic immunity and therefore he's obviously not subject and he is acting as a diplomat.
CLANCY: Iran's embassy in Baghdad was closed and there was no immediate reaction. Iranian officials have reportedly assured Iraqi leaders they will halt the smuggling. General Petraeus says he's in show-me mode waiting to see tangible evidence. A month ago, Petraeus was in front of Congress, caught in a partisan political fight over the war in Iraq. He appeared somewhat relieved to be back on the real battlefront, focused on the strategy, some say has transformed this conflict. His message...
You have to fight outside the wire to provide security for the Iraqi people. You have to clear, hold and deny safe haven to Al Qaeda. And you have to take advantage of changing circumstances in Iraq.
In General Petraeus' view, the people of Iraq's cities and neighborhoods are driving that change. Al Qaeda is out, demands for security are in. But he tells both Americans and Iraqis they have to move quickly to deliver that security because Al Qaeda is trying to regroup and find new safe havens.
PETRAEUS: So you cannot lose focus on Al Qaeda. If you think that we have our teeth into them, then we've got to keep it into them and not just knock them to the canvas and let them get back up but keep them down and stay after them.
CLANCY: Praising the 82nd Airborne's success, Petraeus urged them to outline their tactics to benefit those who will follow here. America's commanding general in Iraq seemed to be saying U.S. troops are in for a long fight but he also seemed convinced that it's a fight that can be won. Jim Clancy at forward operating base Caldwell in Iraq.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Also today in Iraq, a U.S.-Iraqi commission met for the first time to review security operations. The joint investigation was prompted by the deadly battle of September 16th involving Iraqi civilians and the private firm, Blackwater Security. A Florida attorney involved in a suit against Blackwater concerning its operations in Afghanistan spoke with CNN affiliate WJXT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT SPOHRER, ATTORNEY: The estimate now is that there are more private contractors in Iraq than there are servicemen and women. So the question before Congress and the courts is are we going to hold these contractors accountable for their criminal misconduct and in our case for their negligent misconduct.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And in the incident in Baghdad, Blackwater says that its security squad was fired on first. A claim disputed by Iraqi witnesses.
Well, scenes from the storm from viewers just like you. Now efforts are underway to move more than a million people from the path of a deadly typhoon. The latest coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're not going to answer his question, Governor?
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think I have. I'm not....
WHITFIELD: Presidential candidate caught off guard when asked about an interesting question about medical marijuana. His answer next.
And on the run from police, in a stolen school bus. Even more surprising, the person behind the wheel. You're watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Typhoon Krosa landing ashore in China today, prompting massive evacuations there. And it has since weekend and had been downgraded. The storm hit the mainland after lashing the island of Taiwan and CNN i-Reporters there are chronicling the damage for us. Chieh-Yuan Shih took this video of the flooding in Taipei. He says the water outside is home was knee deep. Five people were killed when the storm hit Taiwan yesterday. And then take a look at this picture from (vieto) District in Taipei. Shuo-Chi Kao says the typhoon damaged part of a construction site and flattened a row of motorcycles. As you see right there. It also knocked out power to about two million homes. And then devastation, misery in Vietnam today where another typhoon, Lekima, is blamed for dozens of deaths there. Government officials warn the death toll is likely to rise since many districts remain isolated by floodwaters. In some places, whole villages are under water. Red Cross officials estimate some 5,000 houses have collapsed or have simply been washed away. And another 88,000 were damaged by the flooding.
What a horrible devastation there in that part of the world. Jacqui Jeras is in the severe weather center. I know we got some pretty nasty weather in our region but boy, after seeing those pictures, I mean, nothing can top that, I hope.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN, METEOROLOGIST: Well, Krosa was a category 4 when it made rainfall. And you know that rain was one of the biggest issues. They had as much as 20 inches and after it made landfall, it went a loopty loop went back off shore and hit them once again. So it was a one-two punch there and the storm went on to Mainland China but was much weaker as it is bad. Now, it's been busy in the western pacific. It's been busy also in the Atlantic. You know, we haven't had a lot of storms hit home per se, but we've had a lot of main storms and we could see another possibly. We're keeping our eye on the tropics as always and there are a couple of areas of concern. Right here, notice this around Central American where seeing a little bit of a blowup. Now, the computer models have been run on this and the hurricane hunters are scheduled to fly into this area tomorrow afternoon and see if we get any development. Models are all over the place but we'll be watching maybe southern Florida later on in the week, very, very early. Two other areas of disturbed weather here, one to the north of San Juan and then one out in the middle of the Atlantic, just too much wind shear there. We don't think anything is going to be developing. Back here at home, we've got a lot going on, Fredricka. The temperatures are just going crazy. We're going to talk more about that when I see you again in the back half hour.
WHITFIELD: All right. Crazy as in extremes on both ends?
JERAS: Extreme.
WHITFIELD: Super hot and super cold.
JERAS: Yes. There's nobody in between. Yes.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much. We'll be waiting.
All right. We're tying to unravel a murder mystery. In Houston, seven bodies but no suspect. Straight ahead, officials step up the search for new clues. And dramatic video shows a police officer using pepper spray on a teenager. Was it justified? Cops say yes. But hear what the girl's family has to say about all this. And child's play or funny business? Which is it? A so-called art prodigy before she's even hit kindergarten. It's the subject of a controversial documentary. The film's director weighs in and so does her family by the way.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Our news "Across America" begins in Texas with a search of a Houston neighborhood where seven bodies have turned up since January of last year. The last one did two weeks ago. Police and local volunteers scoured the area where all the women were dumped. They didn't find any more bodies, but they didn't any more evidence, either.
And a convicted bank robber is being held without bail in the killings of two armored car guards on Thursday. Philadelphia Police believe Mustaffa Ali is the person seen in this surveillance video that captured an ATM heist. Ali was arrested Friday on an unrelated warrant and has a preliminary hearing this week. Philly's chief of police thanked the public for providing tips in this case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COMM. SYLVESTER JOHNSON, PHILADELHIA POLICE: We're just glad that this person is off the streets and will never walk the streets hopefully again in his lifetime. So, again, we want to thank the citizens of Philadelphia. We want to thank the news media and those who worked around the clock to bring this to a conclusion and our condolences go out to the Quickworth family and (Alula) family. Again, they lost a loved one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Both guards killed in the robbery were retired Philly police officers. Detectives, say their killer didn't say a word as he shot both men to death.
A convicted sex offender's run from the law came to an end on Saturday at a Virginia truck stop on Saturday. 46-year-old William Joe Mitchell is accused of taking off with a 15-year-old girl he met online. She was released unharmed last week but he then disappeared. Federal agents scramble to track him down to Virginia where he was taken into custody without incident.
And after the campaign trail where one top Republican was confronted today by a frustrated voter. During a stop in New Hampshire, Mitt Romney was approached by a man with muscular dystrophy. The man explained that marijuana is the only substance that allows him to stay at a survivable weight by countering the side effects of his strong medications. When Romney responded that he was against legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, the voter asked him this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you arrest me and my doctors if i get medical marijuana?
MITT ROMNEY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm not in favor of medical marijuana.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, will you have me arrested?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you going to answer his question, governor?
ROMNEY: I think I have. I'm not in to legalizing medical marijuana. Hi, how are you?
WHITFIELD: Oh, boy. Romney made several more stops in New Hampshire where he promoted his fiscal record. While serving as governor of Massachusetts.
And a new poll shows Hillary Clinton is making major gains in the politically critical state of Iowa. "The Des Moines Register" poll shows that Clinton leads the democratic pack with 29% of the vote. John Edwards is second with 23% and Barack Obama is a closed third with 22%. That's a significant change from the paper's May poll when Clinton came in third behind both Edwards who had the top spot and Obama who was in second place.
On the republican side, no change in the front-runner there. Mitt Romney held on to his leading spot with 29% of the vote. Fred Thompson finishes second. Mike Huckabee gained momentum since May, moving up to third place.
In hot pursuit of a pint-sized driver. Cops get quite a surprise when they chase down a stolen school bus. A hint, the driver should be riding this bus, not driving it. And parents know him as the country star who sang "Achy Breaky Heart." Well, our kids know him as Hannah Montana's dad. But today he wasn't playing either one of those roles. We'll talk with Billy Ray Cyrus a little bit later.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, happening right now, Don Imus may be headed back to the airwaves. Citadel Broadcasting which owns radio stations across the country is expected to make an announcement about a reported deal tomorrow. "The Washington Post" and the "New York Times" say that the Citadel is working on a deal that would put Imus on WABC in New York before the end of this year. Imus was fired by CBS in April after making racial derogatory remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
And an investigation is underway into a series of explosions at a metal casting plant in Tacoma, Washington. Officials say a propane tanker truck exploded which then set off the rest of the blast. But they're not sure what caused the truck to ignite. The driver is hospitalized and in critical condition.
And a shooting rampage in a small Wisconsin town today, local media reports say a sheriff's deputy allegedly shot and killed at least five people. The shooter was then reportedly shot and killed in the nearby town of Ardone. More now on the killings in Crandon, Wisconsin. Bud Evans is an elder at Praise Chapel Community Church in the small town of Crandon and he joins me now on the phone. And Mr. Evans, I understand this is a small town, a lot of people know one another there, a town of 2,100. For something like this to happen, I'm sure this has shaken up the community.
BUD EVANS, PRAISE CHAPEL COMMUNITY CHURDH (via telephone): Oh, yes, it has. Yeah.
WHITFIELD: So at your church I understand a number of the victim's families have converged, finding comfort there. Is that right?
EVNAS: That is correct.
WHITFIELD: OK. So we understand that the death toll thus far is at least five. Is that what you're hearing outside the sheriff's deputy who was a suspect and also shot and killed?
EVANS: Like I said, that's not been confirmed yet either from what we have heard here.
WHITFIELD: So what are you telling people? How do you comfort one another in a time like this?
EVANS: You start out by going to prayer and asking the lord to give us the strength to get through it and we're patiently waiting for the authorities to get their job done and give these people some information. They've been here waiting all day. You know, the people think they're being kept in the dark but it's the way it is here too. And we're going to have to wait, like it or not. And the people are doing very well at waiting.
WHITFIELD: What's the information that people feel they want or need? Because it seems as though the common details are that this gunman walked into a home where there may have been a party going on at 3:00 a.m., opened fire and then what?
EVANS: You've already heard more than I've heard, because I have been here at the church all day. But we just basically have family and friends here that are waiting for the news because they don't even know themselves for sure. Everybody is thinking the worst but none of us are prepared for it.
WHITFIELD: Have you heard anything about an exchange of words or a fight between this sheriff's deputy and anybody at the party, anything like that that some of your parishioners who are now, you know, grieving the loss of their loved ones, anything that they're kind of sharing?
EVANS: Everything that's been said it just adds more confusion. Nothing has been confirmed. You know, I've heard conflicting stories here amongst the people. To repeat anything, it wouldn't be accurate information and like I said, it would just add to the many --
WHITFIELD: Mr. Evans, what is the most difficult part about trying to offer comfort or answers for everybody when there seems to be so much confusion?
EVANS: Just seeing your family and friends and people in this community that you've been close to your whole life just suffering. It's a helpless feeling. You don't know what to say. I don't know how to explain it. But it's just tough.
WHITFIELD: Clearly a very tough situation. Bud Evans of Praise Chapel Community Church, we wish you and the rest of your parishioners and everyone in the town of Crandon all the best.
EVANS: One thing I would like to ask is keep us in your prayers. People need strength and guidance in the days ahead here. Things have not even begun to unfold for many of the families yet.
WHITFIELD: We'll do just that. Thanks so much, Bud Evans.
WHITFIELD: And now there are questions too about this dramatic dash cam video of police arresting a 15-year-old girl. The girl's aunt says the tape shows excessive force. The arresting officer in Ft. Pierce, Florida recorded the encounter. Police say the girl was violating curfew, and actually bit the officer when he tried to arrest her. He pepper sprayed her during the struggle. The police chief says the officer acted properly. But the girl's aunt says he went too far even if her niece did bite him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GLORIA SMITH, TEEN'S AUNT: She proceeded to, after the aggressiveness of his behavior, after his actions, he never stated why he was actually apprehending her, why was he not -- why was he doing the things he was doing? Her rights were never read to her. She was violated all the way.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And so now the teen is facing charges of battery and resisting an officer. Her case is scheduled to go to court next month.
And how's this for a police chase? A 10-year-old boy is now in some pretty big trouble in Arkansas. He allegedly stole this school bus and then led dozens of police officers on a slow-speed chase through three counties. The chase went on for 40 miles before officers were finally able to stop this child behind the wheel. He was taken into custody and eventually released to his parents. But it's not clear what charges he might face.
And President Bush pays tribute now to firefighters killed in the line of duty. The president spoke this morning at the national fallen firefighter's memorial in Emmetsburg, Maryland. The plaque with the name of 87 firefighters who died in the line of duty last year was added to the memorial. Mr. Bush praised their sacrifice and the sacrifice of their families.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S: We're here for the colleagues who answered the call and did not come home. We're here for the brave moms and dads who left behind families that now need our love and our strong support. Families of our fallen firefighters have suffered a terrible loss. No words can ease the ache in your hearts.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: The memorial now shows the names of more than 3,100 firefighters killed in action. That includes more than 300 New York City firefighters killed on 9/11.
And today in Washington, a Pentagon tradition. A day of military pride and a chance for military families to show their mutual support, a 10-mile run where the rubber really does meet the road. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): A deafening cannon shot and 25,000 plus take off in the Pentagon's shadow for the army 10 miler, the largest race of its length in America. It's too hot for October but determination carries this day. There are all sorts of inspirational stories around this race. Amputees from Iraq, elderly runners and one group are doing this to fill an emotional void. Nearly three dozen women running to honor their husbands in the combat zone.
ALICIA SURREY, HUSBAND DEPLOYED IN URAQ: We get together and we run and we share the times of our day. It's wonderful. And it's fills that place.
TODD: Most are married to men in the army's Third Infantry Division based at Ft. Stewart, Georgia. They have been training for this since early summer. Liz's Mras is typical; her husband is on his third deployment to Iraq.
LIZ MRAS, HUSBAND DEPLOYED IN IRAQ: This is something that motivates us to keep going. Six more months left of our husband's deployment and its downhill from here.
TODD: That attitude permeates this group. Not one seems to feel sorry for her, even though the army chief of staff calls woman like this the most dimly stressed heart of the horse.
GEN. GEORGE CASEY, ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF: Supporting a husband or a wife who has been deployed for the second or third time, every deployment gets harder. And being there alone dealing with the children, and then the uncertainty of not knowing the safety of your spouse on any given day, it's a draining experience.
TODD: Gabriel Winton is the first to finish in just an hour and a half. Her husband's on his second deployment. She took motivation from those who have had tougher times.
GABRIELLE WINTON, HUSBAND DEPLOYED IN IRAQ: Every time you pass somebody running with one or no legs, some of the gold star wives that have lost their husband; it's a sobering reminder that it just kind of kicks you into gear.
TODD: And they're already finding another gear. Their next objective, a half marathon.
Brian Todd, CNN, Arlington, Virginia.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. How about this, the night the lights went out in Denver? Oops, a baseball blackout leaves fans and players in the dark. We'll tell you exactly what happened and why.
And she's a popular painter in the art world and guess what? She's only 4 years old. So is she a genius or is she a fraud? That's the subject of a controversial new documentary. The film's director is speaking out. That's next in THE NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: You know those drawings and paintings your kids make at home or in school in to you they're treasured keep sakes on your refrigerators and walls, but are they art? That is the question at the heart of new movie documentary "My Kid Could Paint That" is the title.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STUART SIMPSON: I've been around the block, I've been in and out of art galleries and stuff all my life, and I've never seen one little person affect the art community and people around the world as much as this little girl has done and continues to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So the movie focuses on 4-year-old Marla Olmstead. There she is right there. Fans of abstract art have paid thousands of dollars for her paintings. Then she became quite the instant celebrity. But then came accusations and tough questions. Was she a genius or a fraud? Amir Bar-Lev directed "My Kid Could Paint That." He joins me now live from New York. Good to see you.
AMIR BAR-LEV, CIRECTOR, "MY KID COULD PAINT THAT:" Thanks for having me.
WHITFIELD: What have you set out to do when you decided to tell the story of this little girl Marla? BAR-LEV: Any time you have a 4-year-old international celebrity, I think it's interesting. It brings up a bunch of issues about the way we treat kids, the way fame works, and the way the media works. But the fact that this little girl was making abstract paintings and people were paying $25,000 for them, in my mind it brought up some interesting issues like the way we judge art.
WHITFIELD: Were you saying to yourself, does she really do that or was it something much more broad about getting into the mind of this little child prodigy?
BAR-LEV: There's no question in my mind about the authenticity of the work when I started. What interested me was what these $25,000 paintings said about modern art and the way we relate to kids.
WHITFIELD: But then as you were shooting this, did something else reveal itself that piqued your curiosity about her authenticity, maybe even her family's authenticity?
BAR-LEV: Really, Marla's authenticity has never been in question. It's not about Marla being a fraud. What happens was that "60 Minutes" aired a piece which strongly suggested that Marla's parents, Marla's father who himself is an amateur painter, was secretly doing the work. This is six months into my documentary's production and I had already become pretty good friends with the family and grown to have affection for them as it often happens when you're doing these long form documentaries. So these allegations took me by surprise.
WHITFIELD: Did that end up changing the focus of your mission? You invested the six months with the family and you had an idea of how you wanted this documentary to go and all of a sudden it was oh, wait a minute, there's a turn or two we have to take?
BAR-LEV: I didn't want to take that turn. I would have been happier reporting on a 4-year-old who did all of her own work. And in fact, after I first heard about these allegations I thought to myself they can't be accurate. So we moved forward together, myself and Marla's parents, to get footage that was prove that Marla was the sole author of her work.
WHITFIELD: And I asked you a lot about the challenges that are confronted in your documentary because apparently, you know, there is some criticism coming directly from her family about how this documentary has come to be. They're disputing any kind of intimation that her work is not completely her own. We did reach out to the family, the parents, and they declined to join us on this interview but they did release this statement.
So if I could read it for you, Amir. They say in part that show business is for show and doesn't always tell the whole story. Maybe less exciting part of the story even in documentary form. Is the film what we expected? No. It didn't turn out how we expected it to be and we were surprised with the result but we live with it and hope when Marla grows up she'll understand how the media works and not take this to heart. Hearing that statement is that a disappointment to you or about what you expected to hear from them?
BAR-LEV: Well, it is what I expected to hear from them and believe me, what the film is about is in part how painful it is when you can't tell the story of your subjects the way they would like to be represented. So this is not -- this is not anything new to me. I wish I could have made a film that they would be happy with. Unfortunately, I can only report things the way I see them. And in fact, I leave the film open ended because I didn't want to speculate. I wanted to draw attention to what I know and what I don't know. And what I don't know is I never was able to get footage of Marla painting that --
WHITFIELD: That open ended question does leave I guess folks to wonder whether indeed her parents were part of the artistry there or if it was solely Marla.
BAR-LEV: I didn't leave it open ended to make a great mystery film. I left it open ended because in the climax of the movie, her parents asked me to administer a polygraph to them. And I don't want to administer polygraphs to people. To me, crossing that line, taking Marla aside and saying, psst, fess up or administering a polygraph or anything like that is just not what I wanted to do. It would have been nice to get an answer; I tried very hard to get an answer. But being a humane person was more important to me than getting to the bottom of this.
WHITFIELD: Well Amir Bar-Lev it really is fascinating as was our conversation too. The documentary is "My Kid Could Paint That" already playing on the big screen in select cities. Thanks so much for your time.
BAR-LEV: Thanks for having me.
WHITFIELD: Still on the topic of entertainment but in a different form from country star to father of an even bigger star these days. Up next, Billy Ray Cyrus on his efforts to help those less fortunate.
Plus, how he keeps his famous daughter down to earth. You are watching CNN the most trusted name in news.
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WHITFIELD: Country music star Billy Ray Cyrus is paying tribute to the U.S. Marines in Virginia today. He's also tipping his hat for Toys for Tots. It's the 60th anniversary of the program and toy maker Hasbro is sponsoring the event as well as donating some 3 million toys and games. Earlier, Cyrus spoke about his work with the organization.
BILLY RAY CYRUS, SINGER: To be here and be with all these kids and so many of the kids are watching Hannah Montana, my daughter's television show. And to be here and part of the marines and celebrating Toys for Tots and being with these kids, that's what Christmas is all about is the joy of giving. In 2003, I was the ambassador for Toys for Tots and they asked me to be involved with it again this year and it was a no-brainer for me. There's nothing like the joy of Christmas than seeing kids light up with a new toy, especially the kids that may be from a less fortunate situation where they might not be getting a toy if it wasn't for the marines and Toys for Tots.
WHITFIELD: That is so great and it's so wonderful that people are so generous through this program as they traditionally have been. Do you have any worries thought that this year it might be a little tough to make sure you have enough toys giving all these recalls? There have been so many recalls out there, unsafe toys. Does it concern you it might impact the program this year?
CYRUS: I've heard the people from Toys for Tots say that they are going to check all the toys. I think people are going to rally around the cause and I know the American people are not going to let the kids go without toys this Christmas. It's going to be a great year and I'm glad to be a part of it.
WHITFIELD: You mentioned your daughter and the huge turnout. We see all the folks behind you of all ages. Obviously a lot of your fans but also a huge fan base for your daughter, Miley, who plays "Hannah Montana." So I got to ask you as a parent of a child star, how do you keep your daughter grounded?
CYRUS: Miley has a great head on her shoulders. We come from a very strong faith-based family. You know, life's about making choices and Miley has made some pretty good choices and for me, as my part as her daddy, I try to be her best friend. If she needs to talk about anything throughout life, I just want to be the person that she comes to.
Again, I know that there's going to be ups and downs. There's good choices and bad choices. I've made my own good choices and bad choices. But the key to life is if you make a bad choice, you readjust, you clearly define what went wrong and then you try to make it right. So I want to be there as Miley's friend and make it through this crazy thing we call life.
WHITFIELD: As her daddy and you see the unraveling of what was a great child star and now an adult star, Britney Spears for example, the world is watching her unravel. Do you worry; do you wonder for a moment or try to come up with ways to try to protect your daughter from perhaps making some of the wrong choices or perhaps going on that slippery slope, whatever the reasons may be, that brings a downfall sometimes of a child star?
CYRUS: Well, you got to keep in mind that she has been involved in my career since 1992 and we've seen the whirl wind and seen what can happen to families that choose this as a career path. Quite frankly, we know the pitfalls and we've been there, we've been to the fair, we've seen the bear. We know it's about living for the light, trying to represent hope in this world of darkness. And we try to be as strong as we can be and live for the light and live for love and I pray that god will give us the strength and the wisdom and the vision to do the things that we're supposed to do during this time period that we're here. WHITFIELD: And we'll hear more from Billy Ray, we're not a first-named basis now. In the next hour, he'll tell us about his experiences on "Dancing with the Stars." And we haven't seen the last of him on that show.
Back in a moment with the night the lights went out in Denver.
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WHITFIELD: So when we say watch this, we mean it. Something from last night's Rockies-Phillies game you've just got to see. Or maybe not see. Do not adjust your sets. That actually happened. Coors Field indeed went dark for a few minutes thanks to a computer glitch. The Phillies fans, it may be known as the nights that went out in Denver. The Rockies won the night anyway, winning the Philadephia Phillies 2-1 to sweep the series.
The next hour of THE NEWSROOM begins right now.
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(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): It is about intimidation, blackmail and extortion. Make no mistake about it, this suit is about money.
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WHITFIELD: The president of Oral Roberts University fires back after a lawsuit claims he used school money for personal reasons.
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(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): He has to tiptoe back and he's going to have to watch every step of the way.
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WHITFIELD: The controversial Don Imus set to return to the airwaves. Reaction today from students as well from Rutgers University.
And our top story, Wisconsin gunmen goes on a rampage killing several people. The shooter reportedly a law enforcement officer.
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