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Ted Kennedy Hospitalized for Seizure Attack; U.S. Soldier Uses Koran as Target Practice; Man Opens Fire at Church Festival
Aired May 17, 2008 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everybody and welcome to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rick Sanchez. Lots of news tonight. The man once thought to be a shoe in for president. The man whose brother was and whose other brother was shot and killed trying has suffered a seizure. This is a photo now of Ted Kennedy about to be flown to Massachusetts General Hospital from Cape Cod.
See the picture there in the middle from a Cape Cod newspaper. Original report hinted at signs of quote, "stroke-like symptoms." Now doctors are saying it was a seizure and that Kennedy did not suffer a stroke.
Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is going to be along in just a little bit to try and pars all this out for us. And you're also going to be hearing reaction from John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Right now, our man on the ground is CNN's Dan Lothian.
Dan, I've been watching your reports throughout the course of the morning and the afternoon. What's it been there -- what's it been like there throughout the day with things literally going up and down?
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you're right. There was so much concern here on the ground because those initial reports that he was suffering from stroke-like symptoms really got a lot of people concerned. And as we were ought here, the media started gathering here to try to get some information. People from the area would stop by when they would hear about it. They would be very concerned because they consider him to be an icon.
Certainly, there are people who may not agree with him politically, but there are a lot of people who believe that he's done a lot for working class folks and one gentleman telling me that he's done a lot for senior citizens. So there was certainly a lot of concern here on the ground, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you a question because we're hearing a lot of reports now that he's up and he's actually -- we wish we could say he's watching CNN but he's watching a Boston Red Sox baseball game. If by chance he switches over, give us a call, senator. But that's a good sign, isn't it? Have you heard the same reports?
LOTHIAN: Yes, I have and that is a good sign. But we were hearing sort of late into the afternoon and going into the evening is that everyone was really cautiously optimistic. And we did receive a statement from his primary care physician. He didn't come out here to the microphone to hold a press conference but did release a statement and I want to read that to you, Rick.
It came from Dr. Larry Ronan. And he says, quote, "Senator Kennedy was admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital today after experiencing a seizure at his home. Preliminary tests have determined that he has not suffered a stroke and is not in any immediate danger." The doctor goes on to say "He's resting comfortably and watching the Red Sox game with his family. Over the next couple of days, Senator Kennedy will undergo further evaluations to determine the cause of the seizure and a course of treatment will be determined at that time."
So Rick, you know, beyond that we haven't gotten any additional information. What we do know is that his wife, Vicky, has been at the hospital with him throughout the day. Niece Caroline Kennedy also was seen going into the hospital. Senator John Kerry also went into the hospital and spent about 45 minutes or so earlier today. The big question is how long will he remain in the hospital? No indication of any time frame other than what the doctor said in that statement. They will be evaluating him over the next couple of days.
SANCHEZ: And again, important to note that we're going to be talking to Sanjay Gupta about this because it's obviously something that a specialist like him would be able to break down for us. There you see the picture. Those of you just now joining us and have not heard the news, Senator Ted Kennedy rushed to the hospital earlier today suffering from a seizure.
There you see John Kerry going into the hospital now. There's the very first picture that came from the scene. That's at Cape Cod from the "Cape Cod Times" by the way. There you see Senator Ted Kennedy in the middle of that photo before he was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital.
Dan Lothian is going to stay at the scene as we get more information from him. And if there is a news of update on it, we'll immediately get back to it. Thanks a lot, Dan.
LOTHIAN: OK, Rick.
SANCHEZ: We've been piecing together the moments before that 911 call and the moments that followed as well. Remember, response time in a situation like this is hypercritical. Josh Levs is joining us now. Why? Because he was one of the first reporters to talk to officials there in Hyannis. It's about what they saw when they arrived at the Kennedy compound.
What did they tell you?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, you know what, first, when we heard this news, some people thought maybe it happened overnight, but it didn't. This was very fast this morning. I'm told by fire officials in Hyannis that it was at 8:19 a.m. That this 911 call was placed saying there was a medical emergency. That call from inside the Kennedy compound. And the department says they had a five- minute response time. Two paramedics and two EMTs, Rick, out there 8:24 a.m.
SANCHEZ: We often learn a lot about what the condition is based on the treatment.
LEVS: Right.
SANCHEZ: You talked to them. What did they do? How did they treat him when they got to the scene? Do we know?
LEVS: There was some sort of treatment administered there but they won't say what they did exactly. They told me that they did do something. But they're not willing to even use the name of the patient and they're not willing to say exactly what they did. We do know that they were there for almost 20 minutes, because they put him in the ambulance and left at about 8:43 a.m. as you can see right there.
SANCHEZ: Which leads us to ask the following question because we heard reports of a seizure that was he unconscious? Do we know that?
LEVS: They won't say either way. We don't know if he was conscious at that point until he chooses to announce that. They're not saying that much. They do say that they were needed to be that amount of treatment there.
SANCHEZ: Let me ask you this question because it involves the Kennedys and they are such a close family. Did somebody go with him -- did somebody go in the ambulance, for example? And if, who?
LEVS: No. Actually, no one did. With these things that they left after seven minutes -- rather, they took a seven-minute ride. They left at 8:43 and then managed to get to the hospital in Cape Cod at 8:50. But he was alone in that ambulance. No one rode along with him during that. They say that it's possible that people followed in separate car. But this male patient, as they refer to him, as we know it to be Ted Kennedy was alone in there with no guests, they say.
SANCHEZ: And once again that picture, if you can put it back up, Claude, that's the picture from the Cape Cod newspaper that shows, again, Senator Kennedy. This isn't from the compound. This is from one hospital being transferred to another.
LEVS: Sure and take a look right there. Actually, this tells us even more of the time frame because this photo that we now have with him out there getting onto that plane, that was taken we're told at about 10:15. So it means that he was at that first hospital for more than an hour before they brought him out here and take him to the other one.
SANCHEZ: You know, there was another piece of video that you can share with us. You and I were talking about this earlier that, you know, everybody was trying to figure out, well, has he been sick lately? Has he had a problem? Don't you have something that tells how he's looked?
LEVS: From the night before all of this, from Friday night. Yes, we've got some video right here, him, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. This was, you know, a matter of hours before all this happened. And what we can see is he's looking fine and happy and smiling and taking part in the ceremony. And we're not seeing any signs that something is wrong with him. Now, obviously, whatever did happened could have been something sudden.
I know you're looking into his past health, you know, his previous problems. But in terms of immediately before, the day before, no sign of anything.
Rick?
SANCHEZ: Josh Levs with what is a very important timeline on scene description. Thank so much, Josh.
LEVS: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Appreciate it. Well, we wanted to know -- let's put this into perspective for you. Some say that he was the ignition for the campaign of Barack Obama. So there's no question that in the here and now in today's politics, Ted Kennedy has had an impact. Just this past January. But this is a man who has been impacting American politics for 45 years.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED KENNEDY, BARACK OBAMA SUPPORTER: I'm proud to stand with him here today and offer my help, offer my voice, offer my energy, my commitment to make Barack Obama the next president of the United States!
SANCHEZ (voice-over): That was in January. The words any Democrat running for office would want to hear. The support of Massachusetts Senator Edward Moore Kennedy. However, the list of Kennedy endorsements doesn't exactly read like a who's who of political success. Consider the names. Tsongas, Dukakis, Kerry.
The Kennedy nod is still a feather, though, in a candidate's cap and even in this go-around. In Obama's case it did bring a burst of campaign momentum. But why? He's not the longest-serving senator. He's not the flashiest or splashiest. So what is it? Can't just be the name, can it? As a matter of fact, yes, it can.
The baby boy, youngest of nine, from parents Rose and Joseph, two big brothers, John F. and Robert F., Ted was elected to the Senate when Jack went to the White House and that is where he stayed. Oh, he certainly aimed higher. Ted Kennedy's strongest run for the presidency was an unusual one. He, a Democrat, tried to unseat incumbent Jimmy Carter, a Democrat. It didn't go well for him in the primaries and he bowed out, never to try again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think he's done more for this state than anyone has in the last 20 years.
FRANK MANKIEWICZ, FORMER ROBERT KENNEDY PRESS SECRETARY: I think he has made his contribution on the national scale as well. SANCHEZ: The Kennedy Senate record is heavy on social causes. Voting rights, aggression reform, fair housing, health care, education. The Kennedy saga has dark marks as well. One word, "Chappaquiddick." Almost 40 years ago haunts him to this day. His famously raucous personal excesses, his divorce, remarriage, scandals. The man who, depending on your political convictions, is an icon or ogre of American politics.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: And as we continue with this developing story, some of the information still coming in. We should mention this is not the 76-year-old senator's first health scare. In October, he underwent surgery for a partially blocked artery in his neck.
According to doctors, that condition put Kennedy at greater risk of having a stroke. Speaking of doctors, let's bring in our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He's good enough to join us now. We got him on the phone. Sanjay, I've got a question for you.
VOICE OF DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Rick.
SANCHEZ: This word seizure, when I hear seizure, I have a picture in my mind of my wife having postpartum eclampsia and literally shaking uncontrollably in front of me, which is a scary thing to see. Is this the thing that could have happened to the senator as well? Or does the word seizure kind of run the gamut of different reactions?
GUPTA: Well, you know, the answer to both those questions is yes. You can have a full spectrum of seizures even something known as a petite mal -- you don't need to remember the name. But that's when someone just simply stares off into space.
But Rick, your point, if someone has witnessed a seizure, which it sounds like they did and it prompted a 911 call. It sounds like maybe it was more like -- I'm sorry to hear what happened to your wife. That was -- you know, (INAUDIBLE) seizure with what are called tonic-clonic movements. You become rigid and you start to shake. And then that is a very characteristic thing when someone sees this.
SANCHEZ: Is that what we normally called convulsions or convulsing?
GUPTA: Yes, yes. People use these terms interchangeably. The term that they should not use, though, is epilepsy. Epilepsy is a diagnosis given to someone who is having repeated seizures over several days. And so that's not something that people could assign to Senator Kennedy at this point as it sounds like he may have had more than one seizure but it's all still within the same day.
SANCHEZ: All right. This is -- you're not just a doctor. This happens to be one of your specialties. What we are talking about right now. So given what you've heard and what you know, including the good news we're hearing tonight, that he's up and about -- or maybe not up and about, but he's talking to his family and watching a ball game in the hospital, what do you say? What do you think we're dealing with here?
GUPTA: The natural history of someone who's had a seizure is exactly what you just described. They recover from it, often they become lucid and they return to normal function. So that in and of itself I think sort of fits exactly what you'd expect someone who has had a seizure. What they really need to figure out, as you might guess, Rick, you've dealt with this to some extent, it sounds like is what happened here? What caused this in the first place?
Now, there were some encouraging things where, you know, Senator Reid came out, for example, presumably with some knowledge after having talked to the Senator Kennedy. He was going to be fine. What was happening to him in the few hours that he was in the hospital, the first part I should say, he probably got a scan of his brain. He probably got an EEG, which is monitoring the electrical activity of his brain. And they want to rule out bad things first.
The most common things that could cause a seizure usually aren't that bad. The things that you can fairly easily correct. But you want to rule out bad things first. That's one of the victims in medicine to make sure that you, if there's something bad, you can take care of it as quickly as possible.
SANCHEZ: Hey, let me ask you about this operation he had on the carotid artery. What is that and what significance does it have to today's events?
GUPTA: Well, it could have significance. And people kept saying was this a seizure, was this a stroke. What people probably don't realize is that sometimes the first presentation that someone is having a stroke or an inadequate blood supply to the brain, more specifically, could be a seizure.
The operation you're talking -- Rick, basically think of it as sort of rotorootering (ph) the artery. It becomes a (INAUDIBLE) and based on our statistical analysis of this we say, look, if it gets enough blockage at a certain percentage, we know that the person is at a higher risk of a stroke. So this is one of the prophylactic operations we do in neurosurgery to prevent the person from having a stroke.
It was done because there was obviously some concern about the -- I don't know about the numbers in the senator's case but there was obviously concern about that and he had it done. Could he have had a mini stroke today or a TIA, whatever term you want to assign to it, and in fact, the seizure was -- the way that it sort of declared itself that's a possibility. I'm sure doctors are trying to address that, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Quickly, what are they going to be doing over the next 48 hours to make that determination?
GUPTA: Well, the biggest thing is a scan of the brain, preferably an MRI of the brain, which is much more sensitive and EEG. They're going to check all his laboratories to make sure, for example, his sodium wasn't too low. He had loss a lot of weight recently. Could that have had something to do it?
Rick, the answer might come back in 48 hours or they say, you know what, we don't know. And oftentimes that's actually a pretty good answer. Because it means you've ruled out, again, all the bad things, which is exactly what they're doing right now.
SANCHEZ: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the best in the business. So glad that you got a chance to call us. If there is anything else on this story, we'll try and get a hold of you and continue to share the latest information with our viewers. Thanks a lot, Sanjay.
GUPTA: You got it, thanks.
SANCHEZ: Coming up. Mike Huckabee apologizing tonight for a comment that he made that a lot of people consider -- well, dangerous. Also tonight, what did Senators Clinton, McCain and Obama have to say when they first heard the news about Ted Kennedy's seizure? We have that for you. We're going to let you hear it.
And a U.S. soldier uses the Koran as target practice. We're going to tell you what a U.S. commander is now making him do because of it. These are amazing stories in 90 seconds.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I'm worried because frankly within the -- that was Barack Obama. He just tripped off a chair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: That is not something you joke about. What was Mike Huckabee thinking?
President Bush's appeaser comment. Does it help or hurt Barack Obama?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was eating my brains. I can feel it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: A grisly description of an attack by a Grizzly Bear.
In California, a man shoots up a church.
A new hit on YouTube asks Hillary to get off the dance floor. But she ain't done dancing. A jam-packed night of news now.
And there's this story tonight. They came to enjoy a church festival. What they got instead was a crime scene. Tonight, a man arrives at a church of all places, loaded for bear and opens fire. This is a domestic that just gets out of control. That's ahead.
First, our top story. Ted Kennedy, a legendary. 46 years in the Senate. Just as legendary, the Kennedy political dynasty. We're hearing from all three presidential candidates tonight on Ted Kennedy's seizure. We're going to start with Senator Barack Obama since that's who Kennedy is backing for president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're putting in a call to Vicky Kennedy and we're going to try to find out as quickly as possible what's going on. Obviously, my thoughts and prayers are with Ted, who is one of my favorite people.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And you know, speaking of health care, we had word this morning that my good friend and a great champion of working people, Senator Ted Kennedy, was rushed to the hospital with symptoms of a stroke. And our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family because he has been a champion for health care. Nobody has fought harder to make sure everybody got good health care. And I know that we all join together in wishing him well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: We're also hearing tonight from Senator John McCain. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee. He issued a statement just a few hours ago. Here's part of it. I'm going to read it to you. He said "Senator Kennedy's role in the U.S. Senate cannot be overstated. He is a legendary lawmaker and I have the highest respect for him. When we have worked together, he has been skillful, fair and generous as a partner. I consider it a great privilege to call him my friend." McCain goes on to say he and wife, Cindy, are praying for the senator and the entire Kennedy Family.
Let's turn now to somebody who knows American politics as well as anybody. He served four presidents, both Democrats and Republicans. Senior political analyst David Gergen is joining us now by phone. Let's get right to it, David.
Who stands to lose the most if for some reason Senator Kennedy is out of the political picture for a while? The Democrats who used him as we know to fundraise and Republicans who also used his name to fundraise.
VOICE OF DAVID GERGEN, SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, Ted Kennedy has become a lion of the Senate. Really, a liberal lion. And I think that the Democrats would miss him greatly if he remains on the side lines and God help us, if something more serious were to happen to him. He was extremely important when he came and endorsed Barack Obama. Helped shift the tide toward Obama and healing the wounds of the Democratic Party when this nomination race ends in the next few days or weeks. He is going to be very important to that. And helping to bring and unite the party again for the fall.
So I think it would be a real loss for the Democrats. But it's notable that -- how conservatives have used him. You know, the Rush Limbaugh of the world. They set him up as a boogieman in order to rally the right. I don't think --
SANCHEZ: Would it be harder for them to do that now given this situation? Or you know, heaven forbid if it gets any worse?
GERGEN: I think that they clearly have to layoff him here until he's out of the hospital and back on his feet and good shape. And all the signs are so far from the family and his aides had been encouraging today. But they can't be (INAUDIBLE) -- they still have Hillary. They still have Bill. And increasingly, they have Barack. So they've got more than enough villains to beat up on.
SANCHEZ: For those of us who grew up in this country watching the Kennedy Family, the dynasty I suppose, and all the stories that go with it, if this Kennedy, who many thought would be a president of the United States at one point and did run in 1980 and was beaten for the ticket by Jimmy Carter, if he were to step out of the public limelight for health reasons, it would be a very important day, would it not?
GERGEN: It would be the end of a major era. A time that the Kennedys have been synonymous with Democratic politics, American politics now for almost 50 years. And John Kennedy ran in 1960. That was 48 years ago. But he was almost the nominee of -- vice presidential nominee of his party in 1956. So -- and his dad goes back of course all the way to the Roosevelt days.
So they have been legendary figures in American politics. There was a time when some people thought that Joe Kennedy, the father, was going to be a candidate for the presidency. So this is a long, long period. And of course, there are other Kennedys in the wings.
But Ted Kennedy became very special. And I think you have to give him a lot of credit. There's an enormous admiration for him in the Senate. Because once he lost that presidential race and he was sort of finally out of it, he went on to a lot of legislative achievements. Some of which he worked across the isle with people like John McCain.
So, you know, the irony, Rick, here right now is that some people think that Hillary Clinton, if and when this all ends for her, one of the choices she might make in life is does she want to be the Ted Kennedy of her generation.
SANCHEZ: Ted Kennedy like? Yes, that's an important point.
GERGEN: Yes. Does she want to stay in the Senate and build up this record of being a lioness, if you would, of the Senate in the way he has. That clearly is one option that is out there that she might wish to explore.
SANCHEZ: Senior political analyst David Gergen. Coming up, Barack Obama reveling and firing back again at President Bush over the commander-in-chief's overseas appeaser speech.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The president did something that presidents don't do. And that is launched a political attack, target it toward the domestic market in front of a foreign delegation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Who is this a win for? This comment by the president? We're going to break that down with a political panel.
Also, the wounds tell it all. This is not brain surgery. The grisly details. Get the hint? When we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Mike Huckabee is apologizing tonight for a really bad joke about Barack Obama. That's not only not funny, but it could be downright dangerous to say something like that. That's ahead.
Tonight, a U.S. commander has issued an apology as well for one of his soldier's action. An action that most would describe as both insensitive and maybe just downright dumb.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(IRAQIS RALLYING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: These are Iraqis that are outraged at what tribal leaders say threatened relatively good recent U.S.-Iraqi relations just outside of Baghdad. Here's what happened.
A U.S. soldier used a copy of the Koran, Islam's holiest book, for target practice and then shot it full of holes in front of Iraqis. After discovering the destroyed book, the army relieved the shooter of duty and says he is being sent back to the United States.
And there's this story. A church festival in a quiet Los Angeles neighborhood. Somebody just started shooting there a few hours ago. Here's where it happens. Outside a large Catholic Church. A man with a semiautomatic rifle reportedly shot his ex-wife and two others people who were there as part of the crowd at the church before bystanders tackled him and settled him until police and ambulance has finally arrived.
Amazingly, nobody was killed. Although, one of the victims was shot in the chest and is right now in critical condition at a hospital. No names have been released yet. But witnesses say that the gunman and his ex-wife were going through some kind of domestic problems.
Joy and sadness. Graduation Day today at Northern Illinois University, that's where sharp pain and shockers are still palpable. Three months since that rampaging student killed five people and then killed himself. The parents of three of the five victims accepted diplomas today. The families of the other two will accept them later.
And now U.S. president referenced the campus shooting indirectly saying that the graduates had lived through great triumph and as well great tragedy.
All right. Coming up, we're continuing to follow the condition of Senator Ted Kennedy. In case you're joining us late, he's had a seizure. He's now in the hospital. We had crews working the story, getting reaction. And we also have Dan Lothian standing by at the hospital.
We've got some new numbers to share with you as well on the superdelegate race. Now, who's winning? We'll tell you.
And a GOP heavyweight says if the Republican brand were dog food, someone would have it taken off the shelves by now. We'll tell you who said that and why.
And then a serene bus commute turns savage in Wisconsin. Pictures coming in just a few hours ago. Incredible pictures, with an ending you've got to see to believe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Whoa. That is going to leave a mark. Believe it or not, this guy is lucky that he is even alive. Grizzly bears aren't normally so generous. Can you believe he's got a sense of humor about this now? He's telling his story. In fact, we're going to let you hear it. Maybe we'll even let you hear from the bear. Yuck.
Welcome back. This is the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rick Sanchez. Joining us now are two of the hottest political talkers on television. Renee Amoore is a Republican strategist. E. Steven Collins is one of Philadelphia's best-known liberal talk show hosts. All right. Here we go guys. I imagine first I should ask you about your reaction to the seizure or apparent seizure from Senator Ted Kennedy.
E. STEVEN COLLINS, RADIO HOST, "PHILLY SPEAKS": I personally have met Senator Kennedy. And he's been here in Philadelphia a number of times. And he is like the conscience of the Democratic National Party. He's also a person who's really been very aggressively and enthusiastically supportive of Barack Obama, as you know. He's been in 12 states. He's been making many, many appearances. And he's a part of that Kennedy magic.
SANCHEZ: And Renee, I should add you. You know, as a Republican he's reached out across party lines.
RENEE AMOORE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: He's met with McCain on the immigration. He's met with Mr. Bush on "No Child Left Behind." So, of late, he hasn't been that leftist.
AMOORE: He really hasn't. He's been very supportive to the Republicans and I'm so excited about it. I feel really good about it. And we're upset that he is, you know, not doing well. So our prayers definitely go out for him and his family.
COLLINS: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: Let me share somebody with you now. This is Mike Huckabee at the NRA -- I don't know if you heard this comment. I want our viewers at home to see it as well. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE HUCKABEE (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: But the reality is -- and I'm worried because frankly within the -- that was Barack Obama. He just tripped off a chair. He's getting ready to speak and somebody aimed a gun at him and he dove for the floor.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Somebody aimed a gun at him. Wow. I've got to tell you. You know what I hear more than anything else when I go all over the country, and man, have I been going all around the country, especially from cab drivers and doormen?
COLLINS: Concern about his health.
SANCHEZ: That's what they always say. You know --
COLLINS: That's how most people feel. That's what a lot of people -- and I've heard this time and again about, you know, whether he can win or he can't win. Whether the race issue will come or go. Will he be OK? He's a father. He has two small children. And you worry about him. And I just don't understand -- I understand he was reaching to make a joke. But this was one error you don't joke about.
AMOORE: Well, he went over the line. He went over the line. I have to admit, he really did go over the line. That was ridiculous.
SANCHEZ: And he's usually -- he's usually nothing like that. I mean, Mike Huckabee is a funny guy and usually very responsible.
AMOORE: He is. He is. And he was trying to be funny and make a joke, but this time he flopped. You know, he definitely flopped.
COLLINS: Yes, that was wrong. It's wrong.
SANCHEZ: In fact, in fairness to him, he made a comment to us, to CNN today. He wanted to talk about this. So we asked him -- here it is. Let's let our viewers hear this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HUCKABEE: It was a simple thing of an incredible distraction that happened somewhere backstage. You know, I made a rather awkward attempt at a joke. Wasn't all that great. I've apologized for it. I didn't mean to offend anybody. I didn't even remember having said it. I honestly had to go back and look at the tape.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: You know, I would tend to buy that. Do you guys buy that?
AMOORE: I definitely buy it. Mike Huckabee is very sincere, caring person. And again, he's been on these shows, talks shows, yours included, Rick. He's trying to be funny and he just didn't make it this time.
SANCHEZ: He made a mistake.
AMOORE: (INAUDIBLE) a big mistake.
COLLINS: I don't know. I think he made a mistake. And I don't think he meant to say it. But underneath a lot of things that people have said in this campaign are their real feelings. And I think when you make a comment like that, it triggers thoughts by sick people in our society. You've got to look at that. I --
AMOORE: You have to be careful. People are concerned about Obama's safety. But I still think he was sincere in his apology and he really didn't mean it.
SANCHEZ: There is no question that the danger is, that it could give some whacko out there an idea that maybe he didn't have before.
AMOORE: That is true.
SANCHEZ: So, let's leave it at that. And hopefully, we'll leave the conversation and the apologies left on the table.
We got some new sound, by the way tonight, of Barack Obama now sounding angry again at the President for his appeasement comment when he was at the Knesset. Here's the newest sound from Barack Obama.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't take what Bush says personally, but I was offended by what is a continuation of a strategy from this White House, now mimicked by Senator McCain, that replaces strategy and analysis and smart policy with bombast, exaggerations and fear-mongering.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: I don't know about you guys, but I think, just judging from the way he seems to be reveling in this, that the President of the United States did Barack Obama a huge favor. Agree or disagree?
AMOORE: You don't have to rub it in, Rick, OK? You do not have to rub it in. You know I'm sitting here with the attitude. You do not have to rub it in. E. Steven Collins is happy. You're happy. He really should not have went that far. And I think that he really did help Obama. You know, unfortunately, Obama does need help.
COLLINS: I don't necessarily think he needs help. I think he's got the correct strategy here. And he's going to get a number of attacks.
AMOORE: Oh, yes. This is just the beginning.
COLLINS: However, for him to be compared to appeasing Nazi Germany in Israel, when he's made that statement when they were celebrating the anniversary of this great nation was completely inappropriate. And to do it there and to say it that way underscores a concern that they want to continue to have out there. That Barack Obama --
SANCHEZ: And you know what he did, guys? He changed the news cycle. Instead of talking about the fact that Barack Obama had lost miserably in West Virginia -- did I say miserably? Let me underscore that. The rest of the country is talking about Barack Obama defending himself against the President of the United States, who has a 28 percent approval rating. I mean, it really worked against, it seems, the President, possibly against McCain.
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: (INAUDIBLE) consideration on the history of how Barack Obama spun the Edwards endorsement, the pick up of the delegates --
SANCHEZ: That was easy. That was easy, Steven. I think you're giving him more credit.
AMOORE: You are giving him more credit. That's ridiculous.
SANCHEZ: All right. Here's something else I want you to hear.
COLLINS: I didn't hear much from Hillary though.
SANCHEZ: After three big losses in Louisiana, Illinois and Mississippi, I'm sure you, guys, paid attention to this. Most of the country did. The Republicans are saying, what's going on? These are places where we were supposed to win. So, Republican Tom Davis said this about his party late this week. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TOM DAVIS (R), VIRGINIA: The Republican brand name, if you were to put this on a dog food, now the owners would just take it off the shelf because nobody is buying it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Wow.
AMOORE: Thanks a lot, Tom.
SANCHEZ: That's a pretty strong statement. Renee, to you.
AMOORE: Yes, I know it does. Let me just say this. In a way, I understand where he's coming from. I don't agree with the way he put it. But basically what he's saying is that we've got to get it together as far as our message, where we're going, how are going to get there.
But we have to just, you know, get our act together and we'll all be on the same page as far as what's happened with the president's comment. You know, with McCain's issues with Obama. He's saying we're not going about it in the right way. But he's sounding more like E. Steven Collins.
SANCHEZ: But here's the question. Is this something that's just a flicker or is this the beginning of a seismic wave?
AMOORE: This is a flicker. Let me be clear. This is a flicker.
COLLINS: I think you're going to see a number of Republicans starting to listen to what Barack Obama represents. And they are pretty sick of all -- remember, a lot of this is based on why we're in Iraq. And we're there on false pretenses. There are hundreds of thousands of people who have lost an enormous amount of money, lives. We're never going to find weapons of mass destruction.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: You think that's the undercurrent that's causing this, right?
COLLINS: I think that's the main driver. I think all of this is about the foreign policy that really is broken. And Barack Obama has proven that he is --
SANCHEZ: Renee, I've got a promise for you. Next week when we're in the middle of this political thing, you'll get the last word.
AMOORE: Could you, please?
SANCHEZ: But my producer -- I swear. My producer is saying I've got to go. And you know (INAUDIBLE)
AMOORE: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Thanks, guys. Stick around. We might need to bring you back on some of the other stories that are developing now, especially some of the political angles.
And this, what a difference a week makes. Last Sunday right here from this desk, we broke the news that Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were neck and neck in the committed superdelegate count. Well, that was then. Let me show you what's going on right now. Can we get it up? Let's see if these pictures -- there we go. Obama, 294. This is as of tonight. Obama, 294. Hillary Clinton, 274.
And now on YouTube, there's this new anti-Hillary song that's running across the country. Let me let you take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SINGER: We all know you ain't going to win. Might as well throw the towel in. (INAUDIBLE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: We've got about 20, 30 seconds to finish this up. Is she still in this? Can she compete? Why does the country seem to be looking now at Barack Obama versus George Bush versus McCain? What's going on, guys?
COLLINS: I think clearly from the beginning of this, Barack Obama has raised more -- got more votes, now leads in delegates, is positioning himself as the next Democratic national presidential candidate.
SANCHEZ: So, you're saying it's done deal.
COLLINS: It's over. It's a done deal. And I think she's waiting for the right moment.
AMOORE: But Hillary doesn't see that. Even though the YouTube is saying fall back, Hillary is not going to fall back. She's going to keep going. And unfortunately her big win really was not a big win for folks because they weren't talking about.
SANCHEZ: When is this thing over, guys? When is this thing over? Give me a date. June?
AMOORE: No, I don't think it's over in June. I think we're going to go a little bit longer than June.
COLLINS: No, I don't.
SANCHEZ: Do you think they'll take it the convention?
AMOORE: I think they're going to the convention. They're going to the convention.
COLLINS: OK. But I think by Father's Day it will be done.
AMOORE: I don't. I think it's going to the convention.
SANCHEZ: Renee, Steven, thanks again. I told you I'll hang on to you guys and (INAUDIBLE). See you, guys. Appreciate it as usual.
AMOORE: Take care.
COLLINS: Thanks, Rick.
AMOORE: Thanks, Rick.
SANCHEZ: Coming up, this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's tough enough just to keep your homes these days, let alone for us younger generation trying to buy our own home or trying to get into, you know, starting our life in general. It's getting tough.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: All right. Here's what we're going to be doing next. We're reaching out to people all over the country. We want to ask them about what's going on with the economy. People just like you watching this newscast at home. And we're going to ask them about Iraq. This particular group I sat down with in San Francisco are Asian-Americans. They have a lot to say. Listen to it when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back to CNN NEWSROOM. For those of you who may just now be joining us and haven't heard the news -- Senator Ted Kennedy has been hospitalized with what's described by his family as a seizure. We have reactions coming in. We've got our crew standing by at Massachusetts General Hospital. If there is development on the story, we're going to be going back to Dan Lothian soon to get that information.
Meanwhile, every once in a while you got to just go out and talk to regular Americans. And there is no time better to do than right now because of the energy -- the level of excitement over this particular election, maybe unprecedented.
I'm doing something called that's called "The League of First- Time Voters," where I talk to whites, blacks, Hispanics, southerners, northerners, women, men, and tonight Asian-Americans. What do you say about the economy and the war? Here's what they say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Americans are concerned that things aren't heading in the right direction economically. Is that a fair assessment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's very fair. I mean, look at our housing market. It's tough enough just to keep your home these days. Let alone for us younger generation trying to buy our own home or trying to get into, you know, just starting our life general. It's getting tough.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Our standard of living is decreasing and it's harder for young people like me to buy a house in the future. You know, when I was growing up as a kid, I had my parents or their friends were laid off. And to me, I didn't really quite understand the personal touch to it. But seeing my own friends being laid off this time around in this economy, in this downturn, it's very real to me.
SANCHEZ: Are you guys angry about the gas prices as many Americans seem to be.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's raising food costs. Therefore, I'm unable to, you know, provide just a decent meal at a good price. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I see my budget and I cannot believe how much more I'm spending on gas prices at any other time and any other place.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that it's, you know, maybe a time for us to realize that, you know, we can't have our SUVs. There are, you know, there are limits for our economy.
SANCHEZ: The hundreds of billions of dollars that are being or have been spent in Iraq, many Americans are saying, it's time we start bringing that home. Is that an argument that you guys see?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's time for us to start taking care of ourselves, our Americans, our people and our economy at the same time instead of funneling it into an unjust war that shouldn't have been approved any way.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's very easy to see Iraq as America versus Iraq or even America versus Afghanistan. But, you know, our globalized world, it is really the West versus love of fascism and the West versus radical Islam. So, just simply pulling out of Iraq maybe does nothing other than maybe self-gratify us. It will feel good. But we won't feel the real consequence until, you know, something else happens along the road.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our friends are fighting the war, you know. I would prefer my friends to come home. I don't necessarily agree with the war.
SANCHEZ: You want your buddies to come home?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, yes.
SANCHEZ: And as a young American, that's what really tizzed you off.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That definitely tizzed me off. I mean, especially when a lot of us don't agree with the direction that the war is going.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: What Americans are saying weekly? We are committed to this. It's "The League of First-Time Voters" at cnn.com/league. Just go to cnn.com/league. Go there. Become a member and tell me why your group is psyched and I might come by and pay you a visit.
SANCHEZ: Coming up. You know that story about the grizzly bear attack?
(BEGIN VIDE CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's eating my brains. I can feel it. I know it's happening.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: Eating his brain. It's his war wound and he's darn proud of it. Darn it. We'll be back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: I want you to think about this for a minute. Imagine, being tackled by a 900-pound Grizzly bear. A Canadian man was and, believe it or not, he's lived to tell about it. Brag about it. Should warn you, though, these wounds inflicted by those teeth and claws, are kind of tough to look at. Here's Peter Grainger of CTV.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT CASE, ATTACKED BY GRIZZLY BEAR: He was trying to grab me and get a taste of me.
PETER GRAINGER, CTV NEWS REPORTER (voice-over): Brent Case seems almost nonchalant about it now.
CASE: He went right into the muscle and right through the arm.
GRAINGER: And he shows the wounds left by a savage attack by a grizzly bear. Last week the 53-year-old surveyor was alone in the bush, east of Bella Coola. He was taking photos for an engineering job when he realized he wasn't alone.
CASE: I had a feeling somebody was watching me or something was watching me. And the hair on this side of my head started to go up. And that doesn't happen very often.
GRAINGER: The next thing he knew, he was on the ground, a 900- pound bear was stomping on his body.
CASE: I said, oh. And I just said, this isn't happening. This isn't happening. And I just put my head down like this and he was coming at me. And I had my ax and I said, oh, I can't hit him because he's too close and he has an agenda. So, I threw my ax down and I said the best thing I can do is play dead.
GRAINGER: That's probably what saved his life although that didn't stop the grizzly from biting him numerous times, annoying the scalp on the back of his head.
CASE: I said, he's eating my brains. I can feel it. I know it's happening. And I said, God, I hope he gets it over soon. And then I just said -- when I was down there, I was just down and I'm shaking so bad. And I was bleeding and the sounds and everything were just unbelievable. I just said, I'm too young to die.
GRAINGER: Case has a lot to live for. His family is number one. So, his will to live took over. Being bear savvy by playing dead, the bear lost interest and lumbered away. So did Case.
CASE: And I got on a crouch and I just started running on a crouch. And I just kept on running. I said, I've got to go because I'm going to go in shock here pretty quick, I'm sure. GRAINGER: Despite deep gashes and bites and being blinded by blood, Case got to his truck and drove 25 kilometers to the nearest gas station. B.C. ambulance came to the rescue but --
CASE: Bumpy ride. Bumpy ride, I think. That road need to be fix. (INAUDIBLE) Gordon Campbell should be fixing roads the roads, one road he should fix is Bella Coola. I thought I was going to die a few times.
GRAINGER: His recovery will take time but the seasoned outdoors man isn't afraid of going back to the bush. Case says he can hardly wait and says if he ever meets another hungry grizzly, he's prepared to play dead again.
Peter Grainger, CTV News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: What a story.
The latest on Ted Kennedy's condition and a check of the weather. Stay with us. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Jacqui Jeras, first time in a long time that the weather hasn't been like crazy.
(WEATHER REPORT)
