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Obama's V.P. Search Team; Israeli Prime Minister Meets Bush at White House; McCain Campaigns in Louisiana, High School Valedictorian Faces Abrupt Deportation

Aired June 04, 2008 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Graduation, then deportation. He's got a perfect 4.0 GPA, but immigration officials won't give him a pass.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: And also this, he took the bait. He took the car. He took a life.

Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon live here at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

KEILAR: And I'm Brianna Keilar. You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

LEMON: Right off the top, Barack Obama clinches victory, but Hillary Clinton stops short of a concession. What's next for the Democrats? They know their nominee, but his running mate is up in the air. A lot of people think Hillary Clinton should be the number two on the ticket and Obama the two senators spoke earlier today. He said they would be having a longer conversation in the coming weeks. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton spoke backstage this morning between their speeches to the influential pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC.

Now there had been questions about Obama's support among Jewish voters and today, he made it clear he thinks his views on Israel have been misrepresented.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I also want to mention that I know some have been receiving provocative e-mails that have been circulated throughout the Jewish communities across the country. A few of you may have gotten them. They're filled with tall tales, dire warnings about a certain candidate for president and all I want to say is, let me know if you see this guy named Barack Obama because he sounds pretty scary. But if anybody's been confused by these e-mails, I want you to know that today I'll be speaking from my heart and as a true friend of Israel.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: As long as we're on the subject of the Middle East, we're going to have more on Barack Obama and what he says about that. But we told you that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was meeting with President Bush today at the White House. He's talking about Iran, talking about Syria and talking about more dire intelligence estimate on Israel, on Iran as well and they have been speaking for I guess about 15 minutes now. And we saw his arrival just moments ago. But we want to listen in on their conversation about peace.

Let's take a listen.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Mr. Prime minister, welcome back.

First of all, I want to thank you and your good bride for being such gracious hosts to Laura and me. I loved my trip to Israel. It was really a meaningful, meaningful trip. And a lot of it had to do with your gracious hospitality. So I welcome you back here to Washington. You come back as my friend. And I'm glad to see my friend. I'm looking forward to our discussions on the issues that we have spent a lot of time discussing up until now. We will be of course talking about Palestinian issues, the peace process. We'll be talking about Lebanon, looking forward to your wisdom about how you see the Syrian issue and finally, we'll spend a lot of time talking about Iran.

Iran is a threat to peace and it's very important for the world to take the Iranian threats seriously, which the United States does, as the prime minister will tell you. And we will continue our discussions about that subject as well. So I'm glad you're here. Good to see you.

EHUD OLMERT, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: Thank you very much, president. Thank you.

Well, I'm delighted to be again in the oval office as a guest of my friend, President Bush. We enjoyed tremendously you visiting Israel. From a national point of view, people of Israel, we're absolutely excited and moved by your spectacular speech in the Knesset which was the best expression of the United States' commitment to the security and the well being of the state of Israel and was appreciated by everyone in the state of Israel.

We had many discussions that you have mentioned on the main issues of the peace process with the Palestinians, the situation in Lebanon. The contracts that hopefully may lead to pull out Syria, (INAUDIBLE) which is very important, and also naturally about the main threat to all of us, which is Iran and as you said, president, (INAUDIBLE) from a personal point of view, I can only say that I admire your friendship and your commitment and your emotions as they were expressed in such a powerful manner in your visit to the state of Israel. We love you and Laura very much and part of my mission is to make you feel this way.

BUSH: Thank you.

OLMERT: Thank you very much.

BUSH: Thank you all.

LEMON: All right. President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert talking about the peace process, also Iran, Lebanon as well and also this AIPAC conference that's going on. Ehud Olmert was there spoke as well. This meeting is still going on at the White House.

The cameras were just there to capture this one moment. This is the moment they gave the cameras, but they're still meeting. Any news comes out of that, we'll bring it to you right here in the NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: With the Democratic race decided, John McCain is wasting no time in throwing down the gauntlet. The presumptive Republican nominee, he is campaigning today in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In a speech that we showed you live here on CNN, McCain challenged his Democratic opponent, Barack Obama, to a series of town hall meetings.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What I'd like to have, 10 town hall meetings, one a week, between now and the Democratic convention. Maybe have 200 to 400 people chosen by an objective organization. Have them show up and come to these town hall meetings all over America. The first one I would suggest to take place on June the 12 and that would be in New York City in Federal hall, the place where the beginnings of our government took place.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: That would provide McCain with a lot of free media coverage. Right now he is at a huge financial disadvantage compared to Obama, and meanwhile Louisiana's Republican Governor Bobby Jindal has been mentioned as a possible running mate for McCain. He had this to say about the McCain/Obama match up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL, (R) LOUISIANA: I think it's a good contrast. Senator Obama clearly is a great speaker. I think we're entering the phase of the election where the voters are going to ask, where's the beef, what's the substance, let's get beyond the speeches. Let's look at the details.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: Jindal is America's first governor of Indian descent.

LEMON: We have some news just into the CNN NEWSROOM -- and I mean just into the CNN NEWSROOM. This is according to the "Associated Press," that Barack Obama has tapped three people to lead his V.P. search, including, including Caroline Kennedy. That's just the short information that I have here. But it says, according to the Associated Press, Caroline Kennedy, among three to be part of Obama V.P. search team.

So there's been much talk about Hillary Clinton possibly being the number two on the ticket, but just from this, if this "Associated Press" report is true, that Barack Obama may be casting a larger net, a wider net and using at least three people to help him with that, and Caroline Kennedy among them. We'll get more information on this as the day progresses here on CNN. Around the world, interest in this year's race for the White House is intense and especially so now that we know who will face off in November. Some reaction now to Barack Obama's victory in the Democratic battle from CNN correspondents in France, in China, and also in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, I'm Fionnuala Sweeney in Paris.

People in France waking up to the news this morning. In "La Figgaro," Barack Obama is ready for the battle of the (INAUDIBLE) that is of course the White House. Opinion polls consistently show that French people would prefer Barack Obama to be president of the United States, because they believe he would have a more internationalist point of view than either of his rivals. Interestingly, though, Barack Obama has yet to visit France in a political capacity.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm John Vause in Beijing.

Hillary Clinton didn't make a lot of friends here in the primaries. She urged the U.S. president to boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympics over human rights. She called for a get tough policy on China to keep American jobs in the U.S. Some bloggers called her an old-fashioned China basher. As for Barack Obama, many here question if U.S. voters are ready to elect their first African- American president.

MORGAN NEILL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Morgan Neill in Baghdad.

Now that we know that the presidential race will be a head to head between John McCain and Barack Obama, we know that we're dealing with two very different approaches as to how to deal with Iraq. Obama didn't vote to support the initial invasion, McCain did. Obama says he'd like to start withdrawing troops as soon as possible. McCain says they'll stay as long as it takes. And on the critical issue of how to deal with Iran's overwhelming influence in Iraq, Obama says he supports starting talks with Iran, McCain doesn't. How well does rhetoric translate into action? We'll find out next year.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Very interesting. That's from our correspondents around the world. We're getting reaction as well from around the world and we want to hear what you think about this historic milestone in American politics. Put your thoughts on video and tell us what you think Barack Obama's victory means for the country and for the political process. Just log on to ireport.com and we'll air some of your comments right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: Well, this is Moscow, Indiana, between Indianapolis and Cincinnati. You see it here. And this is a little left in this area besides foundations of homes, flipped cars and rubble. This is what daylight showed us today after a wild night of storms and tornadoes. At least 10 people hurt there, one critically when this twister just ripped apart several homes, as well as a school. It also destroyed an historic covered bridge and heavy rain pouring down now, we're hearing some reports of some flash flooding there. And storms are in the forecast and on the radar. Chad Myers keeping an eye on it in the severe weather center.

What do you see Chad?

(WEATHER REPORT)

KEILAR: I know. It is pretty. And I heard they've had some events scheduled in D.C. they've had to postpone them because of the impending weather.

Thanks for that look, Chad.

LEMON: That is a beautiful shot. We don't show that angle much. Can we have that back? Look at that. And how -- that's how apropos, as they say, to talk about this.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: The middle left-hand side of your screen. See that flag? It's way out? That's the wind coming from the south bringing in the humidity that those storms are going to use.

LEMON: We should use that to talk about this Democratic race, though, appears to be over, the person who's going to have big influence on that particular building, that particular site in Washington. But Hillary Clinton still hasn't officially conceded. So what are her options now? We'll look at some of the possibilities here.

KEILAR: And he is the smartest guy in his class at this California school, but after he dons his cap and gown, he is scheduled to be forced out of America. We'll be hearing from a new high school graduate who's been told that he has to leave the country with his family.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right, history-making moment in American politics. Barack Obama is savoring his victory in the long battle for the Democratic Party's nomination. Hillary Clinton has congratulated Obama on his campaign, but she isn't conceding yet, taking some time to weigh her options.

Joining us now from Washington, April Ryan, Washington bureau chief and White House correspondent for American urban radio networks. It's always good to see you. Look at that smiling face there standing in front of the White House. And also Anne Kornblut, the "Washington Post's" national political correspondent, always good to see you as well in the "Washington Post" newsroom.

Thank you both ladies for joining us today.

APRIL RYAN, AMERICAN URBAN RADIO NETWORKS: Thank you having me. LEMON: OK, April, so I'm going to start with you. Everyone's saying, you know what, Hillary Clinton, I won't put it bluntly, but it's time to say congratulations and move on.

RYAN: Yes, a lot of people are saying that, especially people who are supporters of Barack Obama, and people who are actually tired of this long election season. We've had over 17 months. And a lot of people are very upset and especially when you're hearing things about this unity ticket, a lot of people are very upset. To include those who are within the Obama campaign, some are saying, look, the pressure is now being put upon us and they're boxing us in and what I'm hearing out of the Barack Obama campaign, they're saying, look, she will be considered along with others to include others.

LEMON: Boxing us in, that's kind of what people are saying, you know, she's kind of holding something over his head.

RYAN: Yes. It's almost -- people are feeling like it's almost like they're making us have to do this and if we don't do it, we'll look bad. So they feel the pressure is on and they're saying we feel boxed in.

LEMON: OK, we feel boxed in. Tell us behind the scenes, let's talk about behind the scenes Sonya (sic). Are you hearing anything and it's very interesting that we're talking about this. We're talking about Hillary Clinton conceding rather than talking about what an historic moment this is that an African-American and possibly a woman -- we're talking about Hillary Clinton conceding and we're not talking about what this means for Barack Obama.

What are you hearing behind the scenes at the "Washington Post," anything?

ANNE KORNBLUT, "WASHINGTON POST": I think that's why you're hearing this disgruntlement especially from some Obama supporters, but not only Obama supporters. There are Clinton supporters who feel that she should have made it a little bit clearer last night what her intentions are, allow him to sort of rise to the occasion and seize the moment more.

She didn't talk about his victory in Montana. She talked about her own victory in South Dakota at the event in New York last night and she was still traveling with her surrogates and keeping their support last night when we flew back from New York to Washington. So I think there's an expectation that she better move quickly and exit the stage if she even wants to be considered for the vice presidency.

LEMON: And I don't know, it's been a long night, like watching all the speeches. I called you Sonya, It's Anne, Anne pardon me.

KORNBLUT: I'll respond to anything. It's OK.

LEMON: Same here. Same here. And you say not so nice things sometimes. OK. So we've heard, Anne, a lot of positive, you know, about Barack Obama's -- about Barack Obama being the preemptive nominee. But not everyone is happy with it, especially a lot of women supporters of Hillary Clinton.

KORNBLUT: That's right. And I can tell you last night when she gave her speech, I don't know if it was a victory speech or what you want to call, but when she mentioned his name, there were boos in the audience. So he's got his work cut out for him getting those supporters back, and she has too in a sense. She's stoked these passions as part of the campaign. It was her against him. So we're going to be listening to hear what words she chooses to try and start down (ph) that process.

LEMON: Real quickly. I'm going to ask you here though, as a woman covering this, possible woman who could have been the nominee for president, maybe the nominee for vice president, how do you feel covering this? What has this meant to you?

KORNBLUT: It's been jaw-dropping at every turn. I mean it's amazing watching her. It's amazing watching an African-American. We don't always appreciate the historic nature of what we're covering. This time, we all did.

LEMON: OK, I got to ask the same question of you, April, especially you, African-American and a woman. And many African- American women, especially in the beginning were kind of torn. They weren't sure. Do I vote for a woman? Does she represent me more so than an African-American man? So for you covering this, can you talk to us about that?

RYAN: Wow. You're making it personal and that's something we're not supposed to do.

LEMON: Well, you know, it's -- I've got to tell you this, and just the transparency obviously, I'm African-American. I've got calls from family members and friends saying, you know, are you watching this? This is an historic moment for the country, regardless of how you feel about it.

RYAN: Last night I had a lot of my friends who were calling both black and white. They were saying, oh, my God, four more to go. I said OK, just hold on, hold on, and personally, it was very interesting. Around 9:00 when I saw all the networks had -- they had the screen, presumptive nominee and I was like, wow. I was taken aback.

LEMON: Why? Why?

RYAN: Why?

LEMON: Go for it. Tell us.

RYAN: Well, I mean, how many years was it that Dr. King was meeting in the White House with the president? How many years has it been for African-Americans to come to this place? I mean, you have to remember. Washington by itself really is a white male-dominated town. And that's one thing we know. And Nancy Pelosi's even said for women, it's a marble ceiling. This is a male dominated town mostly. And it's interesting. People thought maybe it might be a white woman over a black man, but because this is a male-dominated town, it was a black male who beat out the white woman. But personally it was very interesting. It's very interesting. It's history, I have to admit, my heritage, it's history.

LEMON: April Ryan, very well put, thank you very much, Anne Kornblut, thank you so. Both of you, have a great day. Thank you so much.

KEILAR: A high school valedictorian's big day clouded by his coming deportation back to a country that he doesn't even remember. We're going to talk to him live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: JM Smucker is grabbing a bigger slice of the breakfast table. Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange with details on the company's bid for Folgers coffee.

Hi , Susan. So everything you eat is going to be a Smuckers-owned brand?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. That's exactly what the company would like to see and hear, Brianna.

The best part of waking up and no, I'm not going to sing the jingle, is now going to include a lot more than just coffee. JM Smucker is buying Folgers from Procter & Gamble. The all-stock deal valued at $3 billion. Smuckers' CEO says quote, coffee is the perfect complement to breakfast or dessert, two areas we know a lot about.

The 100-year-old company is best known for its jams and jellies but did you know that Smucker also owns Hungry Jack pancake mix, Pillsbury and Jif peanut butter. As for P&G, it says it wants to get rid of slow-growing brands -- Brianna.

KEILAR: Well, but then, if it's a slow-growing brand, why would Smuckers want to buy it?

LISOVICZ: Well, it's not that Folgers isn't doing well. It's just that P&G has a high sales target and Folgers isn't keeping up. We've talked a lot about the food business with much higher food prices. Well it's under pressure and consumer products giant P&G is focusing on higher growth areas like health and beauty.

But food is Smucker's bread and butter, if you will. It's an opportunity to expand. Six years ago, Smuckers bought Crisco and Jif from P&G and now the family-owned company says adding the nation's number one ground coffee brand to its portfolio will almost double its annual sales to nearly $5 billion.

On Wall Street, shares of Proctor & Gamble right now are up nearly 1.5 percent. Smucker's, well, it's just not doing much at all. The Dow is under pressure, this despite another sharp drop in oil prices. Reports showing the service sector, the largest part of the economy managed to grow last month. Let's check the numbers. The Dow has turned south, down 12 points. The NASDAQ is up 22.

Coming up next hour, Brianna, longer, lusher lashes. How's that for a alliteration?

LEMON: Oh, my gosh.

LISOVICZ: It's not an advertisement, but it's an interesting product and I'm telling you, I am intrigued.

KEILAR: Interesting. So you've made me hungry and thirsty with your last segment and next we have beauty tips and she's a business reporter.

LEMON: She won't do the Folgers song.

LISOVCZ: The best part of waking up

LEMON: ... is Folgers...

KEILAR: Go for it Don.

LEMON: ... in your cup. You were supposed to do it, not me.

KEILAR: Susan, thank you so much.

LEMON: That's the mark of a good ad. You can remember it.

OK. Thank you, Susan.

LISOVICZ: You're welcome.

LEMON: Well, call it skunk fuel, but don't turn up your nose. An inventor is developing a way to get oil out of algae. If it works, it could help wean the nation off fossil fuels.

Our Miles O'Brien has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GLEN KERTZ, VERTIGRO: This is where the magic happens.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CHIEF TECHNOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Glen Kertz believes this is the magic bullet alternative to oil. It's pond scum but without the pond and that's what sets his idea apart. Kurtz is flowing and growing algae through a long winding journey in clear plastic bags, suspended in a greenhouse. He calls the system Vertigro.

KERTZ: It keeps the algae hanging up in the sunlight just long enough to pick up the solar energy they need to produce the lipids, to go through photosynthesis.

O'BRIEN: The algae grows fast and is siphoned off continuously. The algae oil is extracted, ready to be refined into fuels like biodiesel. Kertz says he can produce 100,000 gallons of algae oil per acre per year. Compare that to corn, which yields about 20 to 30 gallons an acre. And the Vertigro facility is along way from the corn belt, in the desert near El Paso, the perfect place.

KERTZ: If we took a tenth of the state of New Mexico and converted it into algae production alone, we can do all the transportation needs for the United States.

O'BRIEN: Kertz and his team are working full throttle looking for and patenting the ideal algaes to make fuels and who knows, maybe even an energy drink.

KERTZ: Kind of refreshing.

O'BRIEN: That's not bad. If Vertigro pans out as Kertz predicts, we may all be raising our glasses to once lowly pond scum.

Miles O'Brien, CNN, El Paso, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Looking past the primaries at Hillary Clinton's political future, we're going to take a look at some of the options.

LEMON: And another student shut out of her graduation ceremony, a teenage cancer patient wants to join her classmates but the school says no.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: We're learning more here in the CNN NEWSROOM about Barack Obama's V.P. search team; the team of folks that are going to be searching for his running mate as he is now the presumptive nominee for the Democratic Party for president of the United States. We've learn that Former Deputy U.S. Attorney, General Eric -- -- pardon me -- Former Deputy U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is going to be among those. We reported a short time ago that Caroline Kennedy is going to be part of this team searching for Barack Obama's running mate.

Just to tell you a little bit about Holder -- he served in the Reagan and the Clinton administrations. In fact, in the Clinton administration, he was the first black American to be U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C. That of course being the largest U.S. attorney's office in the nation. Then he went on to be the deputy U.S. attorney general. So again, Eric Holder joining Caroline Kennedy in Barack Obama's V.P. search team. There are three people who are going to be on this search team, so we're still waiting to figure out who the third is. And when we find that out, we'll bring it to you here in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Meantime, leading our Political Ticker, President Bush among those congratulating Barack Obama today. White House press secretary Dana Perino relayed the president' comments saying that Obama's successful run for the Democratic nomination shows how far America has come. She said that President Bush does not plan to call Obama personally, noting that President Clinton did not call Mr. Bush when he won the GOP nomination back in 2000.

LEMON: And Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, is also congratulating Senator Obama. Rice, of course, is first African- American woman to serve as secretary of state. She says Obama's achievement means that, "We the people is beginning to mean all of us."

She also congratulated John McCain and Hillary Clinton on their campaigns as well.

KEILAR: The Catholic priest who mocked Hillary Clinton from the pulpit of Barack Obama's former church is getting some time off. Cardinal Francis George, the Archbishop of Chicago, placed the Reverend Michael Pfleger on leave for two weeks to give him time, " ... to reflect on his recent statements."

Obama has condemned Pfleger's comments and has since resigned from the church. Pfleger has apologized.

LEMON: Well, looking for a logical next step. If the Democratic race is truly over, where does Hillary Clinton go from here?

CNN's Carol Costello takes a look at some of the options.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Rumors are running rampant about Hillary Clinton's Plan B. Some are pretty out there, driven by passionate supporters like Harriet Christian.

HARRIET CHRISTIAN, CLINTON SUPPORTER: It's equality for all of us.

COSTELLO: Her pro-women, pro-Hillary rant has been a YouTube sensation.

CHRISTIAN: I'm no second-class citizen. (EXPLETIVE DELETED) the Democrats.

COSTELLO: Some angry voters wonder if Clinton ought to dump the Democrats and run as an Independent. After all, she got more than 17 million votes in the primary. Analysts say, not a snowball's chance in Hades.

JEANNE CUMMINGS, POLITICO.COM: If she runs as an Independent, then she becomes the Ralph Nader of the 2008 campaign. And look at where Ralph Nader is today.

COSTELLO: There is also word New York Democrats would love for Clinton to run for governor in 2010. But insiders say a primary fight would pit her against incumbent David Paterson, an African-American man. Been there, done that.

Others say Clinton ought to aim for Harry Reid's powerful position as Senate majority leader. To do that, Clinton would have to pass the guys next in line, the feisty Senator Charles Schumer, then Senator Dick Durbin. And oh, yes, Harry Reid would have to resign.

What about a Supreme Court appointment? Clinton insiders tell me she's into that one. Court watchers say, not so fast. Clinton would be in her early 60s if the offer came. And if President Obama would likely do what presidents have done, name a younger justice like John Roberts, so his legacy can last a long time.

Another rumor? That President Obama would carve out a place for Clinton in his cabinet. He seems to be dropping hints.

OBAMA: ... Lincoln basically pulled in all the people who had been running against him into his cabinet. Because whatever personal feelings there were, the issue was, how can we get this country through this time of crisis?

COSTELLO: So maybe Clinton as health and human services secretary? Some analysts say this would enable her to push her health care reform plan.

(on camera): But most analysts say the best option for Hillary Clinton is to return to the U.S. Senate, where she can establish a powerful influential voice, much like Senator Ted Kennedy's, especially now. This campaign has enabled her to step outside of her husband's shadow. It's proved she can stand on her own.

Carol Costello, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Next Tuesday, 17-year-old Arthur Mkoyan will don his cap and gown and like so many high school students, he's going to graduate. Only he will be graduating as a valedictorian. Well, ten days after that, he's actually scheduled to don his traveling clothes, as his family is deported back to Armenia.

They've been seeking asylum here since 1992 but they lost their final appeal this year. Arthur Mkoyan joining us now from Fresno, California to talk about all that is happening.

Arthur, thanks so much for talking to us today.

ARTHUR MKOYAN, BULLARD HIGH SCHOOL VALEDICTORIAN: Thank you for having me.

KEILAR: And I know that growing up, you knew the situation. You knew this was a possibility. I know you didn't really think that it would ever really happen.

Tell us how you felt when you learned recently that your family was going to be deported.

Well, about a month ago, or two months ago, in April, two immigration officers came to my door at about 7:00 in the morning and they took both of my parents and -- they released my mom because she had to take care of us, since me and my brother are minors. But instead they took my dad away to a detention center in Arizona. And now they -- and afterwards they told us to come to a detention center in downtown Fresno.

KEILAR: And Arthur, are you -- what was your first response? Were you sad? Were you upset?

MKOYAN: I was frightened when I first saw them at the door because they -- I saw them first, but I didn't answer the door, because I was too late, and they had already left. But that whole day -- it's just been going through my mind, just going through my mind. And then my mom called me later that day and she told me that it was true.

KEILAR: You were 2-years-old, right, when your family left Armenia? Tell us, have you been back? Do you really know anything about the country? What are your expectations if you do have to go back?

MKOYAN: No, I haven't been in Armenia since I was two, so I don't really know anything about that place.

All I've seen is just videos my mom has watched on the Internet. That's about it. I can't really expect that much.

KEILAR: And you're kind of, Arthur, a little bit at the end of the road here. I know there aren't many more options, but there is perhaps one last ditch effort having to do with your senator, right?

MKOYAN: Yes.

KEILAR: Tell us about that.

MKOYAN: Senator Feinstein is going to try to pass a private bill for us. Once she submits it, that's going to stop the deportation and give us some time until it's decided if it's going to pass or not.

KEILAR: All right. Well, we will be keeping our eyes open to see if that happens for you Arthur. Arthur Mkoyan -- I know this is going to be a bittersweet graduation for you. But good luck nonetheless next week, and I hope you can still enjoy yourself and appreciate what you've achieved as valedictorian of Bullard High School.

Thanks for being with us.

MKOYAN: Thank you very much.

LEMON: Shut out of her graduation ceremony, a teenage cancer patient wants to join her classmates, but the school says no.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: OK. A teenage cancer patient is denied her chance to walk across the stage at her high school graduation.

The story from Dave Marquis; he is with affiliate KXTV in Woodland, California.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEANNA ELIZALDE, CANCER PATIENT: This is the gown that I would have worn.

DAVE MARQUIS, KXTV REPORTER: After two surgeries and weeks of radiation therapy, Leanna Elizalde is well aware she's struggled to keep up with her spring class load at Woodland High School.

ELIZALDE: I was falling behind in some classes, but I tried my best to catch up.

MARQUIS: She still has at least one class she needs to finish over the summer. But she and her mother had hoped she could still cross the stage with her fellow students for graduation.

LUPE RAMIREZ, LEANNA'S MOTHER: I spoke with the principal and even the school district and they're all like, nope, nope, nope. Absolutely not.

EVELIA GENERA, WOODLAND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL: I don't have any comments.

MARQUIS: Woodland High School principal, Evelia Genera, literally turned her back on any questions we tried to ask her.

FREDDIE OAKLEY, YOLO COUNTY RECORDER: A courageous battle, a heroic battle against cancer.

MARQUIS: Leanna's mom's boss, Yolo County Recorder, Freddie Oakley, has asked the school to consider even a brief graduation statement recognizing Leanna for her battle against cancer.

OAKLEY: And she's short a bunch of units and she can't graduate with us, but we want her to know that she will always be part of the class of 2008, as far as we're concerned. MARQUIS (on camera): Is that not something you can work with her and at least maybe have a statement saying -- honoring her for her hard work, for her courage for fighting cancer?

(voice-over): Leanna's doctor has urged the school to recognize her for what she's accomplished during intensive cancer treatment. Saying in a letter, "I strongly believe that she should be allowed to participate in her graduation ceremony, and I think that refusal to do so would be construed as a punitive action unbefitting a pediatric cancer patient."

(on camera): But with just five days until graduation on Saturday morning, it is looking increasingly as if Leanna is going to be sitting with the audience, instead of crossing the stage with her classmates.

GENERA: I'm not at liberty to discuss this with anybody but the parents.

RAMIREZ: It would mean a lot to me if they could just be sympathetic and just -- let her just walk.

MARQUIS (voice-over): Leanna says she's grateful for those who are trying to help.

ELIZALDE: It shows how much they really care about me.

MARQUIS: And hoping she might still make that walk.

ELIZALDE: If she could just bend the rules a little bit and give me a second chance to walk that ceremony.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Well, Leanna's mother says the school told her it wouldn't break the rules, which right now means no graduation day.

KEILAR: A big storm headed towards our nation's capital. We will take you to Chad Myers for the details on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KEILAR: Big storms heading toward our nation's capital and Chad Myers is in the severe weather center monitoring that.

Obviously the commute coming up here shortly, Chad. What's it going to look like?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I hope you took the train to work, because you're going to want to take the train home, especially if you're going into Virginia from D.C. These storms are just cruising now, right out of West Virginia, almost 60 miles per hour down from Front Royal right down into D.C.

I'm going to get a lot closer to here to show you what's going on. There's going to be wind damage now from almost -- Manassas right into Reston. And there a couple of pink boxes here. There's enough spin to actually have tornado warnings even for Dulles Airport right now. So we're just now getting into those Northern Virginia, western suburbs with this line of weather.

And one of these cells is going to put down a wind gust of 60 to 70 miles per hour, that's a given, I think. And then we're going to worry about the ones that are spinning, that actually could put down a tornado, and there are many of these storms that are spinning quite rapidly, although so far, so good.

No reports by spotters, by law enforcement, by fire officials of a tornado on the ground yet, but these storms are still getting stronger as they head into the nation's capital. It's going to be all the way from Gaithersburg and Frederick right on down south of Manassas and Dale City.

This entire line of weather headed your way. And because of the way it's shaped, almost like a sideways smile, that smile is actually what we call the bow echo. It's bowing out and going much faster. We know that there was damage in Front Royal, and this storm has not slowed down, as it is moving into the nation's capital.

Northern Virginia first. And then right across Rockville, from Silver Spring, right into Adelphi and Greenbelt. You guys are all under the gun for some nasty weather in the next 30 to 40 minutes.

KEILAR: And not just people in Washington, maybe a lot of folks heading to Washington. If you're talking gusts of 60 miles per hour, what are we thinking this might do to air traffic in the area?

MYERS: Well, absolutely. Dulles is going to be at a stand still, here. They were already 30 minutes behind. But now, with a tornado warning for the airport, they stop all flights at this point in time whatsoever. And then you're -- nothing's getting in, nothings's getting out. Everything's going to be the ground.

And then when there's a tornado issued for the airport, everybody that's already on a plane, has to get out of the plane and back into the concourse. Because a plane is not the safe place to be. You got a wind, maybe it's 80 or 90 miles per hour, over a wing. Well, that plane is going to fly, essentially. And they can flip over quite easily, even those very big planes, right there on the tarmac.

So this is going to be a mess for D.C. Not just Dulles, but eventually it's going to get all the way into National, as well, and probably up toward BWI, too.

KEILAR: My goodness. OK, well maybe it's time for folks to head home early there, Chad.

MYERS: Better hurry up.

KEILAR: Thanks for that.

MYERS: Or stay at work. LEMON: Well, on the big screen, "Spiderman," or "Spidey," as some people call him, is a crime fighter. But this guy, not so much. Police in Tennessee, are looking for an agile bandit, known as the "Spider-Man" robber. The suspect seen here, wearing his trademark "Spiderman" mask, is wanted in connection with a string of robberies in the Chattanooga area over the past two weeks. In addition to the mask, police say the suspect wears either prescription glasses or goggles.

KEILAR: A Georgia jewelry store cleaned out in a violent smash- and-grab that was all caught on tape.

Kevin Rowson, of affiliate WXIA, has the amazing video.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEVIN ROWSON, WXIA REPORTER (voice-over): Four suspects wearing military-style fatigues with their faces covered, enter the Crown jewelry store like it was a commando raid. One suspect leaps over counters. Another carries a long-barrelled gun and points it at the store owner. Another climbs over the counter and grabs the store owner by the neck, pointing a hand gun into his face. Then it's a smash-and-grab.

Display cases shattered using fists and weapons. And within minutes, those cases are cleaned out of the first things they can grab. The video shows a few seconds from different camera angles. Cobb County police say, the four suspects were in the store for less than a couple of minutes. They ran out through the mall with their loot and into the parking lot at the north end of the mall.

A getaway vehicle was standing at the curb, motor running, a fifth suspect in the driver's seat. Police are still trying to locate that white, 2003 to 2005 four-door Pontiac Bonneville. The video is very telling, telling police they need to get these guys off the street as soon as possible.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Well, police are still trying to figure out exactly what was stolen and how much all of that jewelry is worth.

LEMON: Well the calls were unanimous.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This historic night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Truly a history-making night.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Profound historic importance of tonight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obama has just made history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: History, history, history. Barack Obama, I guess he enters the history books.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: So no matter what you are, Republican, Democrat, Independent. No doubt about it, Barack Obama made history last night, becoming the first African-American to head the presidential ticket of a major U.S. political party. Just how big a milestone is it?

Well, CNN's Jeanne Moos, counts the ways.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Take a good long look at the face of Barack Obama, after announcing he will be the nominee. Absorbing all that applause as the first black presumptive nominee goes down in history.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Historical is the word and we can't use that enough.

MOOS: No, they couldn't.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This historic night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Truly a history-making night.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Profound historic importance of tonight.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Obama has just made history.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They whether here when history was made.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is an historic moment.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: History unfolding.

MOOS: For once, history unfolded at a faster pace than even that other favorite election night phrase.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The best political team on television.

MOOS: Or BPTOT, as the media blogs like to call it. But in this case everyone political team agreed.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And American history has met the 2008 presidential campaign.

MOOS: Even the history maker himself, repeated...

OBAMA: Senator Hillary Clinton, has made history in this campaign.

MOOS: One of her supporters held up "Newsweek," with Hillary on the cover while one his supporters held up "Newsweek," with Obama on the cover. May the best cover candidate win. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: CNN can now project that Senator Barack Obama, has enough delegates to secure the Democratic presidential nomination.

MOOS: So even that didn't deter Hillary's campaign chairman from this introduction.

TERRY MCAULIFFE, CLINTON CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN: Are you ready for the next president of the United States of America?

MOOS: As for Hillary's next move?

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What does Hillary want? What does she want?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If she becomes the running mate, he better hire a food taster.

MOOS: From his actually mate, Senator Obama, got a fist bump and gave a pat. Even had his head rubbed by enthusiastic supporters. As the head to head competition with Senator McCain begins in earnest...

MCCAIN: The American people didn't get to know me yesterday, as they're just getting to know Senator Obama.

MOOS: That odd smile and delivery got panned.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was awful.

MOOS: From primary to general election, some things never change.

OBAMA: That's the change we need in America.

MCCAIN: That's not change we can believe in.

MOOS: But you can believe this about Hillary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's going to have to figure out, what do I do with the rest of my life?

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: There's no one like Jeanne Moos. She's not part of the BPTOT, best political team on television, but she should be. She's really good. Did you see that little...

KEILAR: She's the comedic relief.

LEMON: Did you see the Obama butt tap?

KEILAR: I didn't see that, no.

LEMON: Loved it. Producers like love it. Yes, that's real love.

All right, the next part of the CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.