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Massive Tornado; Clinton Defends Controversial Remarks
Aired May 24, 2008 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Some things you have to see to believe and this case is no different. A massive tornado forms live on our air. Tearing off rooftops right before our very eyes.
Many say she has overstayed her welcome. So what's Hillary Clinton's justification for staying in the race?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: What exactly is she trying to say?
Condoms, a web cam and Baptist minister. It is a sex sting involving what he thought was a 13-year-old girl?
And Deja vu, the Florida recount all over again this time in a docudrama and Kevin Spacey takes his role seriously.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN SPACEY, ACTOR: Our electoral process in the United States is simply not equipped to handle margins of victory so small or margins of error so big.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Spacey tells our Wolf Blitzer what he really thinks about our democratic process and what really happened when he met with Hugo Chavez.
Plus a car dealer offers you a choice of rewards for buying the new vehicle. Free gas or a handgun. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
And good evening, everyone, I'm Tony Harris. It is one of those nights when the weather is the news and the news is the weather. Severe weather. And we couldn't believe it today when one of the most frightening and destructive forces of nature exploded out of the sky right in front of the television cameras. And we couldn't look away.
Watch this. Hennessey, Oklahoma between Oklahoma City and Enid. We speed it up just a bit here. Our affiliate station, KWTV had a chopper in the air when this enormous tornado suddenly appeared, took on definition. Look at this. And slammed into the ground. It ripped up trees. Carved up the rural landscape. And this is the truly amazing part. The number of people and farm animals killed or injured -- try zero. Now, watch this video.
This is a pig farm in Hennessey and those long buildings are the animal shelters. Look at what this tornado does to those buildings. Whirling, swirling, ripping the roofs off like they were made of sticks. Again, hard to believe. No one hurt.
Jackie Jeras is with us. And Jackie, if you would, talk to us about the characteristics of this cell -- this super cell that really decided to put on a show at about what 3:00, 3:30 Eastern Time.
JACKIE JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes. About 2:26 I think was the first warning that was issued on this. And what an incredible situation today and to be able to watch all of this unfold before our eyes. Live on the air. This is something that researchers are going to be able to use to study. Because we have hours and hours and hours of video watching this storm ebb and flow and change a lot.
Now let's talk about some of the characteristics. Take a look at this video that you see here behind me. That is what we call a stovepipe tornado, where you see that straight column kind of up and down. This was a very slow-moving storm. It only moved about 10 miles per hour. Many tornadoes will move between 30 and 40 miles per hour. That helped give some advance warning, get people to shelter, getting them to safety. And unbelievable that nobody was injured.
We've had a big outbreak of tornadoes the last two days, and today we didn't have nearly as many tornadoes. But based on the location of this storm and how isolated it was, we were able to track it and see it so well visually for such a long period of time.
Now this cell just changed so much. In fact, we had probably between seven and ten tornadoes drop out of this and what we call the parent cell of the tornado. And check out some of these pictures. Just want to show you how this developed and then lifted back off in such a short period of time. Now, there you can see. This is what we called the wall cloud or the big base of the thunderstorm. And then this is the funnel itself.
How do we know this thing is on the ground? Well, there you can see the debris cloud. Look at all of that debris being kicked up in there. And you can also see the lighter colors in there. That's the water vapor. Some of the moisture from this. So what an incredible visual situation that we had here for today. And at times, this thing put out multiple vortices.
So not only did we have one twister coming in out of this cloud, but at times there were just multiple vortices coming out of this wall cloud. Really very unpredictable. So that's what made this a little bit more difficult. And let's talk about some of the damage. Some of these pictures we have seen, the tornado is extremely wide. Obviously very violent. Let's go ahead and look at some of that barn damage video once again. And you know, really, this is the way that we assess tornadoes, how we know how strong they are. And so when you see damage like that certainly you know it was very destructive. But my guess is we probably we will never know how strong the winds were in this storm when it was at its peak because it didn't hit a whole heck of a lot.
This was out in the middle of nowhere for the most part. And this is the most damage that we had from the hog farm. And just incredible to think, Tony, you know six people were inside here when this happened. And they were able to get into the office building I guess and every single one of them made it out safely.
HARRIS: That just feels like a bit of a miracle to me, Jackie. I just can't imagine watching that tornado rip apart that pig farm that there is any structure really that can withstand the power and the force of a tornado. But clearly that cement building, whatever they were in, did its job and protected those people.
JERAS: Absolutely.
HARRIS: Look at this.
JERAS: The thing to keep in mind is that, you know, underground, that is the best place to be in Oklahoma. Certainly has its fair share of underground shelters.
HARRIS: And I love this description, so you are describing a -- super cell, a mother cell that essentially spawned all of these tornadoes throughout the day.
JERAS: That's right. So we have the same base cell that held together the whole time. But you know storms change over time. So, you know we could see a tornado drop down, like literally, Tony as I was watching some of this aerial footage of this. We would see just the rotating wall cloud or the big base. And if you blinked, you would miss the funnel cloud beginning to develop and just drop on down.
HARRIS: So maybe when we talk to you a bit later in the newscast we can talk about the system moving if it has moved much at all.
JERAS: Yes, big holiday weekend.
HARRIS: And where it is now. And a big holiday weekend. OK, Jackie, appreciate it. Man, great pictures, great description as well.
For us the most breathless moments of those tornado videos came when the -- actually, the twister tore through that pig farm. It ripped the buildings apart and threw debris all over Lacey, Oklahoma. Here is the good news -- once again, the family that runs that farm rode out the storm safely in a shelter.
On the phone with us right now is Jerry Niles. He is with the Garfield County Sheriffs Department.
Jerry, good to talk to you. Have you seen the video?
JERRY NILES, UNDERSHERIFF, GARFIELD COUNTY: No, I have not. I haven't at all yet.
HARRIS: Were you in the middle of this? Tell me what your duties were this afternoon when the tornadoes blew through that area?
NILES: This afternoon we were called out to assist and also monitor the storms, kind of chase the storms. Also provide warning for rural communities that do not have storm sirens.
HARRIS: How helpful was it that the storm was so slow moving in getting those warnings out?
NILES: Well, it was helpful in a way. But then it is kind of uncharacteristic, most thunderstorms and tornadoes move through at a higher speed than what these were traveling at. The lower speeds did give us a little bit of trouble. And also the fact that we did have -- heavy rains and hail at times. Kind of wrapped it up so we couldn't visually monitor it.
HARRIS: Yes, you know, Jerry, the other thing that occurs to me is that a lot of this storm was broadcast live, certainly on CNN. And I would imagine some of the local stations as well. Did you have an issue with folks actually being drawn to the storm in trying to chase it?
NILES: Yes, we do. Our local TV stations are very good in covering these type of events and their weather departments are very good. But that also, all that information does allow for people to come out and people that have access to Internet, things like that -- cell phones. So we did have a lot of people on the roadways which we had to try and keep them contained also.
HARRIS: And Jerry, did you get an opportunity to visit the pig farm that suffered so much damage? We're looking at the video of it right now.
NILES: No, the pig farm in Lacey is actually an adjoining county. Lacey, after it struck through Lacey, it crossed over into Garfield County and continued on easterly path. And then did damage on the east side of the county, approximately, 30 miles from Lacey. We had structural damage on the east side of the Garfield County.
HARRIS: How many homes, how many buildings in total damaged?
NILES: We are still having damage assessment out there. We know at least one church is completely demolished. One office complex was demolished. We had probably five to ten houses sustained some sort of damage in this light to heavy.
HARRIS: Any injuries in Garfield County?
NILES: No injuries. We did have one person that was trapped in a closet -- inside, interior closet, but was managed to call us with his cell phone and fire rescue was able to help him out of the closet.
HARRIS: Boy, all right. Jerry. Thanks for your time this evening. Jerry Niles is with the Garfield County Sheriff's Department. When we come back we're going to talk to Mason Dunn. He is the pilot that shot so much of the video that you are looking at from our affiliate KWTV News. Mason will be with us in just a moment.
Coming Up, Hillary Clinton offers a controversial rationale for staying in the Democratic presidential race.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. Uh, you know, I just -- I don't understand it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: What is she trying to say? And does it involve Barack Obama.
Plus, a man busted in a sex sting allegedly trying to prey on what he thought was a 13-year-old girl. Did I mention he is a Baptist minister?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is Jeff Lucas. He decided to be in the Navy Seals at age 9. He went on to become the top Navy Seal on the East Coast in 2004. Just loves his Lord, his family, and his country more than anything. He was very special. The family grieves to this day, but we are so proud of him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: And back now to our top story. You know, we would have never seen these amazing pictures -- look at the pictures -- if not for our affiliate stations eye in the sky and the steady hands of KWTV News helicopter pilot Mason Dunn. He joins us on the phone.
Mason, good to talk to you.
VOICE OF MASON DUNN, KWTV NEWS CHOPPER PILOT: Same here.
HARRIS: Why Mason, maybe the obvious question -- look at -- the pictures are amazing, by the way. Why were you in the sky in the first place? Were you in the sky to possibly catch and follow a tornado, was that the assignment today?
DUNN: Oh yes, that is normal practice around here. We have been chasing storms, following tornadoes with the helicopter since like 1979, 1980.
HARRIS: Do you ever get nervous up there doing this kind of work? DUNN: No, no. Not really. You know, we have a job to do. We know where to be and where not to be. You know, our focus is to -- you know, film the tornadoes that you are seeing. And we can tell exactly which way they're moving. And trying to warn -- you know, advise the people ahead of it.
HARRIS: How far away were you from the particular funnel cloud that we're looking at now and the one that did so much damage to the pig farm?
DUNN: I can't see what you are looking at. But the one, you know with the pig -- basically those tornadoes I was about 2 miles away from. You will notice the helicopter turning a lot.
HARRIS: Yes.
DUNN: It starts kind of -- you know, sucking you in, so to speak. And so you have to, you know keep flying away from it. While you are trying to -- you know, keep up with it.
HARRIS: So actually -- you can actually at times feel it pulling you in?
DUNN: Oh, yes, that's, that's common. You know, it's a common deal. I've been here for almost six years now. We've been doing this or I have been doing this for the last six years. But the guy before me was there for -- he was here for 13 years.
And then like I said we have been doing this since 1980 so they talk to me about it. And told me what -- you know, where I need to be. Where not to be. And they, they send the best photog with me. Today was Ken Kilborn (ph), which is one of our veteran photographers.
HARRIS: Well, here's what's interesting, Mason. Part of what you were doing is warning people to sort of stay away. But did you think that the view of the storm you were providing was actually drawing people to the event?
DUNN: Well, you mean like storm trackers out there?
HARRIS: Yes, you're broadcasting the pictures and I'm wondering even as you're telling folks -- you know, this is a serious storm and you can see the damage it is doing, stay away.
Is there a part of you that wonders if you are drawing people to the event?
DUNN: Well, kind of. But it is Memorial weekend. And we chase storms before Memorial weekend. And there is just a ton of people out there driving around. The highways look like freight -- look like trains coming.
HARRIS: Really?
DUNN: You know, there are so many people out there. And I can't control that. HARRIS: No, you certainly can't.
DUNN: You know? So we try to tell them -- you know, not to, but they want to go out there and see an historic event which happened today really.
HARRIS: What were you most struck by?
DUNN: How many tornadoes there were today.
HARRIS: Yes.
DUNN: And how many big tornadoes there were today. And the other thing that strikes me is that nobody got hurt.
HARRIS: Yes.
DUNN: You did see it go through that farm -- the hog farm.
HARRIS: Right.
DUNN: There were six people there and none of them were injured. None of the hogs were injured even. So we're pretty lucky.
HARRIS: Well, I got to tell you, Mason. Folks will be showing this video whenever they start to describe the destructive power of tornadoes. Mason Dunn, boy, helicopter pilot for KWTV News. Mason, thanks for your time this evening. Appreciate it.
DUNN: You bet.
HARRIS: Puerto Rico, not the typical stuff on the presidential campaign trail. But as we all know at this point, this year, every delegate matters in the Democratic race. And since the island nation is holding its primary June 1st, Barack Obama decided to trot his way into the hearts of Puerto Rican voters. And with the fancy footwork ended, the dialogue began. And today, Obama's topic was veterans.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I refuse to accept that in the United States of America we can't serve all of our veterans as well as they are serving us. I refuse to accept that we have to let veterans go without the care they need or let them fall into the cracks.
I refuse to accept that veterans here in Puerto Rico have been treated with less priority or receive a lower standard of care than veterans any place else. That is unacceptable. And it will change when I am president of the United States of America.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, Hillary Clinton is favored to win Puerto Rico. The 55 delegates at stake are the largest prize left. And Clinton did something today we haven't seen her do since January. Speak Spanish. But in any language her message was quite clear and so was this promise to the island nation. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I promise you this, I will work for a resolution of Puerto Rico's status by the end of my first term.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Well, Senator Clinton may be talking about the issues. But a lot of other people are focusing on something else she said. A comment she claims was an innocent gaffe, citing Robert Kennedy's assassination as the reason she was staying in the race. Senator Barack Obama is also choosing his words on this one quite carefully. But a fight is definitely brewing.
Here's CNN's Jim Acosta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman is rejecting the notion this video amounts to a political gaffe.
TERRY MCAULIFFE, HILLARY CLINTON'S CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN: This had nothing to do with Senator Obama. This was about Hillary and her position in the primaries and her time lime.
CLINTON: We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.
ACOSTA: The Clinton campaign is sticking to its claim that the senator invoked the June 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy only to stress that nomination battles can last until the end of spring. Terry McAuliffe accuses the Obama campaign of making mischief.
MCAULIFFE: The Obama campaign knew what they were doing and they wanted to run this story up in three days over Memorial Day weekend.
ACOSTA: But campaigning in Puerto Rico this weekend, Barack Obama urged caution on a local radio station.
OBAMA: Sometimes you get careless in terms of the statements that you make. And I think that's what happened here.
ACOSTA: And the Democratic frontrunner said he accepted Clinton's explanation.
CLINTON: I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and particularly for the Kennedy Family was in any way offensive.
ACOSTA: Some African-American leaders in the Democratic Party aren't being so charitable. The Reverend Jesse Jackson an Obama supporter was with Martin Luther King the day of his assassination that same fateful year. REV. JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER: We do live in a very volatile environment. Therefore, that suggestion is such a dangerous and such a volatile suggestion. I do not believe in my heart that that is Hillary Clinton at her best day. It may be a gloss of desperation.
ACOSTA: Others in the party wonder why Clinton insists on staying in the race.
DANE STROTHER, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: It is also another obvious reason why it is time for Hillary Clinton to step out of the race. There was no upside for her from here on out. But I do not in any way believe that she was thinking of Barack Obama at that time.
ACOSTA (on camera): As for that South Dakota newspaper where Clinton made that reference, reporter for the Argus leaders says he took the senator's remarks as a historical reference. Telling CNN, quote, I was in the room and I'm surprised the comment generated so much sound and fury.
Jim Acosta, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: So as the Democrats sort that out a backyard barbecue lands squarely on the Republican radar, baseball cap, green sweatshirt, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, arriving at his Arizona ranch for a little shindig and guess who is on the guest list -- Mitt Romney. McCain's one time GOP presidential rival, Florida Governor Charlie Christ, and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal.
Three names you hear being tossed around these days as possible running mates for McCain. Yet team M says pish-posh. Yes, that's right, I said it, pish-posh to this being a job interview. They claim it is nothing more than a social gathering.
He is due a little R&R. It's been a tough week for the senator. McCain actually rejected an endorsement this week. He was once very proud to have, does the name John Hagee mean anything to you. Here's CNN's Brian Todd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): John McCain now rejects an endorsement that was once seen as critical to his conservative credentials.
PASTOR JOHN HAGEE, CORNERSTONE CHURCH: John McCain will be a strong, courageous, and effective leader from the first day he steps into the Oval Office.
TODD: Pastor John Hagee, a popular televangelist from San Antonio with a 19,000-member church and a TV ministry seen around the world.
McCain's campaign tells us, when Hagee endorsed McCain in February, McCain was not aware of remarks Hagee had made in a sermon years earlier. Hagee cited biblical passages, spoke of what he believed was God's plan to bring the Jews back to Israel.
HAGEE: God says in Jeremiah 16, behold, I will bring them, the Jewish people again unto the land that I gave unto their fathers. Behold, I will send for many fishers. And after will I send for many hunters. And they, the hunters, shall hunt them. That would be the Jews.
TODD: Hagee then says those Jews who didn't follow Zionism's founder back to Israel went through the Holocaust.
HAGEE: Then God sent a hunter. A hunter is someone who comes with a gun and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter.
TODD: These passages were recently posted by blogger Bruce Wilson, an admitted critic of Hagee and the religious right. Wilson told us he voted for Hillary Clinton, but was not steered toward this by any Democratic operatives.
Pastor Hagee would not do an interview with us, but issued a statement saying he had been intentionally mischaracterized and, "To assert that I in any way condone the Holocaust or that monster Adolf Hitler is the biggest and ugliest of lies."
A representative for Pastor Hagee says he was trying to explain to his parish how God could let something so terrible happen. Hagee's been a strong supporter of Israel for years. A leader of one prominent Jewish group does not believe the pastor is anti-Semitic, but says --
RABBI DAVID SAPERSTEIN, RELIGIOUS ACTION CENTER OF REFORM JUDAISM: The notion that the Holocaust was part of God's plan as a way of punishing the Jews is a deeply, deeply troubling assertion that should be repudiated by all people of conscience.
TODD: John McCain not only repudiates Hagee's remarks, but rejects his endorsement out right.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I just think that the statement is crazy and unacceptable.
TODD: McCain says Hagee's never been his pastor, and the campaign says the candidate never had the kind of relationship with Hagee that Barack Obama had with Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
Hagee reacted by saying he's tired of baseless attacks, that they have become a distraction, and quote, "I have therefore decided to withdraw my endorsement of Senator McCain for president." But Hagee wasn't the only pastor causing headaches for McCain.
PASTOR ROD PARSLEY, TELEVANGELIST: Islam is an anti-Christ religion that intends, through violence, to conquer the world.
TODD: Pastor Rod Parsley, another popular televangelist who also endorsed McCain in February. IBRAHIM HOOPER, NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR, COUNCIL ON AMERICAN-ISLAMIC RELATIONS: Well, it was shocking to hear that Senator McCain would associate himself with someone who holds such bigoted views against Muslims and Islam.
TODD: The Council on American-Islamic Relations is calling on McCain to also repudiate Parsley's endorsement. A McCain spokesman says the senator rejects the remarks says it's entirely inconsistent with what McCain believes, but they are not rejecting the endorsement at the moment. McCain's aide said this was purely a political endorsement and they don't know each other well.
(on camera): Parsley spokesman told us he was only criticizing militant Islam and believes Christians should be supportive of moderate peaceful Muslims. But Senator McCain has now rejected Parsley's endorsement as well. Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: And coming up -
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is a semiautomatic handgun and it's yours with the purchase of a new car.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: You know we've all heard of incentive deals, but does this one go too far?
And a Baptist minister arrested. His alleged crime trying to have sex with what he thought was a young girl. We've got the sordid details.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was a very warm-hearted person. And you could see the caring in his eyes when he would talk about his family and he would talk about his children and his wife and how he was worried about them. But that he was very upbeat about preparing to go to Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Here's a deal for you. 250 bucks in gas with the purchase of a new car. But if that doesn't whet your whistle, how about a brand new handgun?
Chris Nagus from our Missouri affiliate, KMBC, has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS NAGUS, KMBC REPORTER (voice-over): This is a semi- automatic handgun and it's yours with the purchase of a new car. WALTER MOORE, MAX MOTORS: I say it's just a choice. Protection or gas?
NAGUS: Walter Moore works for Max Motors in Butler. He came up with the guns or gas promotion.
MOORE: We got a lot of things. We got high gas prices. We got theft. We got carjackings. We got innocent people getting hurt.
NAGUS: Moore says owning a gun is an American right. Jerry Hertzog agrees.
JERRY HERTZOG, CUSTOMER: We'll have guns. We all need to have guns.
NAGUS: But the idea isn't popular with everyone. One viewer told us he's concerned and believes the promotion is dangerous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I kind of say it was a bad idea telling people have a right to protect themselves.
NAGUS: Moore says most of his customers already own weapons.
MOORE: I get in the vehicle to bid or trade. There's guns in the seats, there's guns in the back windows. Everybody's got a gun down here. So, no backlash.
NAGUS: Given the option, gas or one of these. Most new car owners in Butler take the gun.
MOORE: Right now, we're probably running 80 percent towards the gun.
NAGUS: Count Jerry Hertzog among the majority. He's leaving with a new truck and never thought twice about the choice he was given. He's ready for target practice.
HERTZOG: Guns or gas for fuel? And I'll take the gun anytime.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: Well if you're ever in Butler, Missouri, think twice about the honking at another driver. And that was Chris Nagus reporting from our Kansas City affiliate KMBC.
The presidential election hanging by a chad. Remember? Sure you do. The Florida recount gets the TV treatment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KEVIN SPACEY, ACTOR, "RECOUNT": Our electoral process in the United States is simply not equipped to handle margins of victory so small or margins of error so big.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HARRIS: Actor Kevin Spacey tells us what the movie reveals about the history. And a Baptist minister who allegedly set off with condoms and a webcam. What was he planning to do? The cops will tell us live coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Retired Staff Sergeant Roger Staats, he was part of this whole family. He was a family man. Served in Vietnam. But he -- (INAUDIBLE) and we said goodbye. And we know that you're our hero. We have an angel on each shoulder. He was my best friend. I love you, Gary, and I miss you so much.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: Busted. A Dallas area mega church pastor gets hauled in for allegedly trying to pick up a 13-year-old girl online. Turns out the girl was actually the cops.
The 52-year-old man was arrested after allegedly driving three hours from Plano, Texas to meet the girl. The cops say they found a box of condoms and a webcam in his car. Joe Barron was a minister at one of the largest mega churches in the country. Prestonwood Baptist. He's now resigned. Police say Baron had been unwittingly chatting online with them for two weeks.
Joining me now is the guy who led the sting operation. Sergeant Shane Bush from the Bryan, Texas Police Department.
Sergeant, thanks for your time this evening.
SGT. SHANE BUSH, BRYAN, TEXAS POLICE: No problem.
HARRIS: Hey, let me get a couple things off the decks here. Pastor Barron, did he confess?
BUSH: Actually, he did say that he drove there to meet the girl. He did confess that it was him that was chatting with the girl. The only thing he didn't want to allude to was that he knew how old she was and what he was planning to do.
HARRIS: So, he actually acknowledged driving -- let me ask it as a question. When you asked him if he realized he was arranging sex with an under aged girl, did he acknowledge that? And did he explain why he was doing such a thing?
BUSH: I asked him why he would drive three hours just to meet somebody. And I believe his response was he was just going to talk to her and buy her a soft drink.
HARRIS: Is that what he said?
BUSH: Yes, sir. HARRIS: Yes. You know, you guys actually showed a picture of a real 13-year-old girl. And I'm going to get into just a little bit of some of the chat, not a lot here because it's pretty sick. Baron allegedly said she was, quote, "developing nicely" and that he would teach her how to have sex and be, quote, "slow and gentle." All right, enough of that.
You know, we are shocked to hear that this guy is a minister. Should we be surprised?
BUSH: Well, you know we've -- since we started this in November of 2006, this is our 12th arrest. We've had anywhere from people who are unemployed, fire fighters, and, like I say, a minister. This is truly one of those offenses that it seems that there's not really any kind of -- any kind of just one type of person that's prone to do this.
HARRIS: So, Sergeant Bush, through your investigations, have you developed a theory as to why, let's say in this case, the powerful, the influential engage in this kind of activity when they have to be aware of the fact that discovery means they potentially lose everything?
BUSH: I think that a lot of them think that there's a certain anonymity to the Internet. And that there's no way that they can be caught or contacted. And as in his case, he has chats from -- in the phone alone, he had 64 different contacts in his phone that he had been having chats with.
HARRIS: Wow.
BUSH: From all over the state and even outside of Texas. So --
HARRIS: Yes. And Sergeant, very quickly. I know you get this question a lot from parents. Help us as parents. What's the advice so that we're safe and not sorry?
BUSH: You know, I would say monitor what your kids are doing online. Bring the computers in a common room. There should never be a password on a computer. A lot of times, kids like to put on much older ages than they are. And they lock to say it's -- to do that. So, nobody knows how old they are. When in actuality, putting older ages really gets them into adult areas and things like that.
HARRIS: Got you. Yes, that's right. All right. Sergeant Bush, thanks for your time this evening. Great advice.
BUSH: No problem.
HARRIS: And coming up --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the Jews don't vote for Obama or Hillary, they got something wrong over here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: We talked to members of a key voting block who are vehement and newly energized about which party they'll support.
Plus, actor Kevin Spacey discusses his new docudrama about the 2000 Florida recount and tells us why he was hanging out with Hugo Chavez.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): My name is Dave. And on behalf of my four brothers and sister, I want to salute our brother, Corporal Richard J. Nelson who died in a roadside bombing on April 14th, 2008. I salute Rick for his courage to join the military and become a Marine in time of war. I salute him for his honorable life that he lived, the respect he showed people, that we love you, Rick, we think about you every day, and we'll see you again someday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So many are sacrificing and so much. And welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris. Well, the 2008 race for the White House keeps most political junkies on the edge of their seats. HBO's idea of high drama is hanging chads, vote recount and the bitter 2000 presidential race.
Kareen Wynter has a preview of "Recount."
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KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A bare-knuckled battle for ballots. The 2000 presidential race between former Vice President Al Gore and then Texas Governor George W. Bush tested Americans, and America's democracy in the controversial Florida recount. We all know how this election ended. But now, eight years later.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the networks have the wrong numbers.
WYNTER: Filmmakers behind the new HBO movie "Recount" are taking viewers beyond the headlines and inside the human drama that became history.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, what are the real numbers?
WYNTER: The film documents the 36-day fight over votes in Florida. The legal slug fest between Democrats and Republicans that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. CNN legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, who wrote book "Too Close to Call" about the 2000 election, was consulted on the film.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: The Republicans wanted this so badly and they were willing to fight harder. And the Democrats had all of this ambivalence -- should they file lawsuits, should they seem too aggressive? That difference in temperament between the Democrats and Republicans, I thought was true in Florida and accurately reflected in the movie.
WYNTER: Actor Kevin Spacey plays Ron Klain, a Gore aide who was demoted and rehired to lead the recount charge.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hell, no. Why do we need a recount? We already won.
WYNTER: James Baker, Bush's then chief legal adviser and Catherine Harris, who as Secretary of State was Florida's chief election official, are profiled in the film.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to take a lot more than David Letterman making fun of my hair and makeup to knock me down.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: George Bush is the winner.
TOOBIN: James Baker recognized from day one that this wasn't just a legal fight. This was a political fight and he had a complete strategy. The Democrats saw this as a narrow legal battle. And Baker, history proves, was right.
WYNTER: History isn't exactly repeating itself. But Florida is in the political spotlight again this year along with Michigan. Both states violated party rules by moving up their primaries.
TOOBIN: Here we are eight years later, Florida Democratic primary, they're not counting the votes. Different facts, but still same crazy state.
WYNTER: Kareen Wynter, CNN, Hollywood.
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HARRIS: Kevin Spacey learned a lot about the 2000 political battle that he didn't know. He sat down with our own superstar, Wolf Blitzer.
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KEVIN SPACEY, ACTOR, "RECOUNT": Even someone like myself, who I consider myself to be sort of clued into politics and I have been involved in politics most of my life. I was really amazed about how little I knew about what had gone down in Florida. And I think when people see the film they'll realize it wasn't one event and it certainly wasn't just the Supreme Court and their ultimate decision.
It was a confluence of events and personalities and some people who are qualified for the job, some people who, perhaps, weren't, agendas. I think that -- what the movie we hope illuminates is that our electoral process in the United States is simply not equipped to handle margins of victory so small or margins of error so big.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR, THE SITUATION ROOM: I think that's a fair point. Let's talk a little about some of the controversy. You got involved in politics. You met with Hugo Chavez, the leader of Venezuela. That caused quite a stir. What were you thinking?
SPACEY: Well, you know, I wasn't there on a political trip. I'm an artistic director of a theater in London called the Old Vic. And I was there with a number of business leaders. They had an appointment with Hugo Chavez and invited me to come along. It was a very fascinating evening.
BLITZER: Did you talk to him? Did you spend some time --
SPACEY: Yes, we had a dinner with about 15 other people.
BLITZER: He doesn't speak English.
SPACEY: No, he doesn't speak English. There's an interpreter. But it was a fascinating -- you know, opportunity to meet a world leader.
BLITZER: Did you get the sense this guy hates the United States?
SPACEY: He didn't really -- you know, I mean, I certainly heard a lot of a bit more outrageous comments that he's made. But he was quite passionate about his own people.
I actually spent the afternoon at a film studio that they have supported through the government to give young people there an opportunity to make movies and documentaries about their own culture. So, I was really there looking at that. But yes, I did take some heat on it in the United States. It's interesting that, you know, some people accuse you of being anti-American if you just sit down and meet somebody or shake their hand.
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HARRIS: And you're going to hear all of the top political stories of the day on "THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer Monday thru Friday beginning at 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
They are the most compelling pictures of the day. Images of a tornado ripping across the Oklahoma countryside unfolding live on our air. We will take another look.
But next, a group of voters that aren't exactly new to the political process, but newly revved up to say the least.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE (voice-over): My name is Dave Lemons (ph). I'm here for a reunion of the 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. And I like to pay a tribute to Larry Heinz (ph), who was the brother of my best friend, who served in Marine (INAUDIBLE). He was killed there.
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HARRIS: A heartfelt thank you to all of our military families for their service and sacrifice.
You know, we are branching out in our "League of First Time Voters" segment tonight. We're not just talking to people who are voting for the first time in 2008, we're also talking to longtime voters who have been newly energized by the 2008 campaign like these Jewish voters in Florida, who sat down to lunch and a spirited chat with our own Rick Sanchez.
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RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are in South Florida. This is Aventura, the Bago Court (ph), to be more specific. This is the heart of the Jewish-American community in South Florida. We've got a group of people who are representative of the Jewish-American vote. Want to talk to them about Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain and we're going to start with somebody who you're going to recognize from police academy.
All right. We are hearing that Barack Obama is going to have a real tough time getting the Jewish-American vote.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Isn't that silly?
SANCHEZ: You don't buy it?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course not.
SANCHEZ: Why not?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If the Jews don't vote for Obama or Hillary, they got something wrong over here. You can't have eight more years of Republicans.
SANCHEZ: So, as a Jewish-American, you don't buy the argument that Barack Obama would be a potential appeaser for the Arabs?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it might help because of his name alone. Obama Hussein. Finally, we're going to have someone that's an American, whose mother is white. They are always saying he's black, but he's white also, isn't he? He's a little bit of half and a half, isn't he? And who brought him up? His mother brought him up. So, what's this whole thing about his name, his color. It's nonsense.
SANCHEZ: Do you think if a guy like Barack Obama says, "I'm willing to engage with Hamas, I'm willing to engage with Ahmadinejad in Iran," that's naive, as McCain has said?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Smart as can be.
SANCHEZ: Really?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's about time we talk to the enemy, isn't it?
SANCHEZ: Evie (ph), tell him why he's wrong?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's wrong. He's wrong because -- and he's my son-in-law. But that's all right. And that won't last either.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What are you talking about over here? There is no way on this earth that you can talk to these people and negotiate with these people. They are terrorists, they are -- they hate. And sitting down and talking with them is futile. That's what I believe.
SANCHEZ: That's what John McCain seems to be saying. Is he right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, in that respect. Most Jewish- Americans will vote Democratic no matter what they say.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, in the restaurants we see a lot of people and the table talk in the last three, four months with Hillary and Obama is, of course, the election. And everybody has a different opinion and everybody is a so-called maven on politics all of a sudden.
SANCHEZ: Are they afraid of Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, yes, they're afraid of Obama because of his religion, because of his color. They don't even talk about his qualifications that he may be better for our country. It's the unknown. It's the fear of the unknown.
SANCHEZ: But the older folks who come in here --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are not ready yet to concede, even though they want a Democrat. Most people say the oil is too high, or you don't want to go to war. I don't want my grandson or my great grandson to go over there. And yet the opportunity may be here to make that change and they don't want to go for it.
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HARRIS: Good, good stuff. Whether you're voting for the first time or are newly energized at the polls, join the "League of First Time Voters." Powered by you, informed by CNN. Check in, join in, weigh in. And for more information, just log on to cnn.com/league.
Coming up -- incredible pictures of a massive tornado. We take one more look.
Plus, he is the son of Evel Knievel and tonight he set out to break a record. We will show you how it ended.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (voice-over): My brother Byron Norwood was a sergeant with the United States Marine Corps. He was so funny. He made all of us laugh. He had the greatest sense of humor. He loved America, his family and his Marines more than anything else in the world. He was killed in accident in Fallujah on November 13th of 2004 during a rescue mission to help save the lives of seven wounded Marines trapped in a house.
Byron, I love you and I miss you every moment of every day.
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HARRIS: Memorial Day, 2008. It is a memorable Memorial Day weekend for lots of people in north central Oklahoma. And not for good reason. Look at this. Boy, that is what's left behind when a massive and powerful tornado whirls out of the sky and slams into the ground.
It is one of about a dozen separate tornadoes that reportedly touched down this afternoon. Watch this twister plow into a hog farm, that's in the Lacey, Oklahoma, tearing up barns and outbuildings and scattering the pieces all over the town of Lacey. Nobody was reported hurt in any of the tornado hit towns in Oklahoma today. Why don't we check in once again with Jacqui Jeras for the Memorial Day weekend flight tracker?
Jacqui?
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HARRIS: Well, Jacqui, thank you. And you know, we wouldn't be serving you if we failed to show you tonight's record-breaking motorcycle jump attempt starring Evel Knievel son, Robbie Knievel. Hold your breath. Here it goes.
Oh! Of course he made it. Over 24 delivery trucks. That's 220 feet through the air to that perfect landing. Robbie Knievel dazzled the theme park crowd at Kings Island in Ohio.
