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Clinton Endorses Obama; B-2 Crash Video Released
Aired June 07, 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: Look at what's happening in Indiana. One reporter says it feels like Katrina.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Make sure that in this election, we add another Democratic president.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: The Clinton speech -- a ringing endorsement or hey, vote for him, after all, he's a Democrat. And about that glass ceiling.
The first video released of a B-2 crash -- B-2 -- as in one of the most sophisticated planes on earth.
I could not see over those waves. How did they? Lost at sea for 12 hours.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All you are doing is stuck on let's deport them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: A real no holds barred debate on immigration without pundits. This is a jam-packed newscast -- now!
And hello again, everybody, I'm Rick Sanchez. There is a lot of reaction coming in tonight about Senator Clinton's speech and polls regarding her possible selection as a running mate.
First, though, before we do that, take a look at these pictures on the left. Can you believe this?
This is not file footage from a recent flood or from Katrina. This is the scene tonight in Indiana where 41 counties, 41 have now been declared disaster zones. That's nearly half the state. We have been getting in a ton of video tonight.
Let me try and break some of this down for you. Look at this. This is in Morgan County. It's just south of Indianapolis. It's the White River that's burst off its banks tonight. And that's what happened when up to 11 inches of rain had fallen causing that, then the water started gushing into the town, following the deluge.
Do you think that a train would be able to go over that? Now, look at this. This is an entire town we're going to show you right here. That is Franklin. Franklin or what was Franklin. A school, a hospital is flooded. Cars that you may see in some of these shots up to their windshield. They're having to use air boats to get around, because otherwise they would be -- they would be hitting something with propellers.
As you know, the air boat has a propeller on top. This water came up so fast, the best way, the only way to get people to safety is by boat.
Now, here's what we want to do. I'm trying to show you exactly what areas right now. Remember, we're talking about 41 counties in this area. Which areas specifically are being affected using some of our own technology?
I want to start off by showing you the White River. Normally drawing a jagged line from the Ohio State line and then joining the Wabash, south of Indianapolis. This is where the White is out of its banks at this point and sending torrents of floodwater into towns. At least one of which, the town of Paragon, is reportedly virtually underwater tonight.
41 counties, scattered all over the state were already included in the governor's declaration of emergency. 41 counties. Now that was after a week of severe weather, flash floods and tornadoes. That set a perfectly soaked stage for what has happened today. It is an 11-inch downpour up to now.
All right. On the phone with me now is somebody who has been standing by to bring us up-to-date on what's going on. This is the situation that we're following now.
This is a -- all right, I'm confused, Chris, tell me what is going on. Is this the new information that's coming in about the tornadoes? All right. So we have got a new severe weather system over the Midwest now. These boxes, outline in the red, are, on this map. Those are tornado watches that are coming in to us as we speak.
You know this stuff is coming in so fast, folks. We have to apologize because we've got two systems. We've got the one that we have been following today in Indiana where the flooding is. And now we are being told some of this has affected Chicago. There's even been a preliminary report of somebody sighting a tornado in the Chicago area. Not confirmed by the weather system yet. As soon as we get that, we'll break it down for you.
On the phone with me now is somebody who has been standing in the Indiana floodwater as we speak. Cheryl Jackson from our Indianapolis affiliate, WRTV, is standing by.
Cheryl, are you there?
CHERYL JACKSON, WRTV REPORTER: Yes, I am here. We're going to put the pictures up. Go ahead, Claude, if you would. We want you to try and describe with the viewers were saying as best you can now, because people have really been dealing with a real difficult situation.
JACKSON: Yes, this would.
SANCHEZ: Those are the ones. Those are the ones that I'm talking about. I mean, you see parts of these homes underwater.
JACKSON: Yes. This is part of Jocelyn County, Franklin. That's where a lot of it is. And I'm telling you everything is underwater. I'm from this area. I have been here all my life. And I have never seen this much water. We have a hospital that was virtually underwater. The emergency room was completely flooded. As fast as they could get the water out, it was flooding back in.
They had volunteers. They had all kinds of people in there with machines. But they could not keep the water out. Along the highway there on U.S. 31 from Johnson County, businesses including -- car dealerships where new cars were covered in water. We saw RVs covered in water. People's home -- people have been being evacuated out of their homes by boat and by bus. It is virtually just covered in water.
This is the hospital that we are looking at right now. And the emergency room in Johnson County. And it's still -- they're still fighting the water, trying to fans to dry up some of it. They have actually put an emergency room on the second floor to treat someone in case they would come in. But this place is just covered in water.
SANCHEZ: I imagine all the patients are gone, right?
JACKSON: Yes, they are. They are.
SANCHEZ: You know, what I am wondering about, and I think a lot of viewers are wondering about, Cheryl, as we look at these pictures is how fast did this water come up? And with people (INAUDIBLE), I know you can't account for all the people in that area. I understand that there are still rescue teams going into the area now looking for them.
But can you give us a sense of what it was like to live in that area when some of these waters started rising?
JACKSON: Well, the waters came fast. I think, first, people thought they could stay in their homes. And then, suddenly the water was upon them.
Now, little farther south, Columbus, Indiana, which is maybe 60 miles south of Indianapolis. We actually have a crew trapped there because the roads are just covered in water. So it did come on fast where you might think that you could ride through and have a few minutes. And then you would be trapped.
We saw people pulling their cars out of their driveways and parking them on the roads as their houses and garages filled up with water. So it did come on pretty fast. But it is still coming at this time.
SANCHEZ: Yes, we see. If you look at that water right there, Claude -- look at that. You see the water is actually gushing from one side, from top to bottom, it's moving. And now we see some of the air boats that have been used to get people out of there. I also understand -- by the way, how in the world they got an air boat in Indiana. I don't know.
Being from Florida, I'm used to seeing them in the Everglades. But I am also wondering because I saw a report earlier said that they're going to be getting divers, scuba divers, in there as well. What for?
JACKSON: Yes. They have actually had to use scuba divers to rescue some people. They have also used the National Guard. The water is high as you can see. Somehow nearly completely covered, but the scuba divers were to rescue people who were some of them in their cars, and trapped in their cars, and the water is just too deep and too swift to get them out.
SANCHEZ: Well, I tell you, Cheryl. You have been doing a heck of a job for us. We certainly appreciate it. And stand by because we're going to be staying with this story throughout the hour as we get more updates.
Obviously this is a developing news story. As more information comes in on this, we will continue to follow it. Imagine 41 different counties are affected by this. And we are also going to be talking to our own Karen Maginnis in just a little bit.
She's going to break down exactly what areas are affected. How they're being affected now and how they might be affected with the weather that is still to come in the future. And then there is that right there.
See that's part of -- Sioux Falls, Cedar Rapids, around Iowa, and it stretches all the way into the Chicago area where there have been some sightings by some officials. A sheriff's deputy who told us that he saw a tornado. Although, that is not confirmed. Again, that is not confirmed. We're going to stay on top of the weather for you tonight.
And here's what else we got for you tonight. It is game on. Barack Obama versus John McCain. But first, there is something else that had to happen before that can begin and it was this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: That was the clincher. Those are the magic words that she needed to say, most would say about Barack Obama. Nobody fought harder for Hillary Clinton than this guy right here. That's Governor Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania.
Just ahead, the maverick Democrat who is always good TV. Although I hear he has got a little bit of a sore throat tonight. We'll bring it out of him. He is joining us in just a little bit. But first, the speech.
This was in no way a traditional endorsement or a concession like John Edwards or Bill Richardson's for example. You know why? Because they, Bill Richardson and John Edwards, did not have about 18 million votes to negotiate with.
This is a historic speech that took place in front of a pack house in Washington. And at the beginning of the speech, if you heard or didn't, you're about to, you could hear scattered boos when she mentioned Barack Obama's name. That tells you a lot.
Senior political correspondent Candy Crowley was there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLINTON: Well, this isn't exactly the party I planned, but I sure like the company.
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They crowded the floor and balconies of Washington's historic building museum to watch a history making bid come to an end, giving way to another.
CLINTON: So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say, "Yes, we can."
CROWLEY: Channeling Obama's signature phrase, Hillary Clinton mentioned his name 14 times in the 30-minute speech. A full-on endorsement.
CLINTON: Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next president.
CROWLEY: An Obama strategist called the speech generous without ambiguity. I appreciate, he added, how hard this is for her. On line, Obama asked his supporters to thank her on her Web site she put a link to his. Unity in cyberspace as she pushed for it in the grassroots.
CLINTON: The way to continue our fight now to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States.
CROWLEY: Mostly they cheered his name though there were scattered boos. It is too early for some. And in the end winning her voters is up to him. She can only start the process.
At times there was a hint of a screen test for the number two spot on Obama's ticket as she underscored power player status, the nearly 18 million people who voted for her. Blue-collar voters, Latinos, women. Sources close to her say it was important to Clinton to put history in perspective. Important she write the last graph in this chapter.
CLINTON: Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time. Thanks to you it's got about 18 million cracks in it.
CROWLEY: To try so hard, so long and lose by so little surely hurts. Along the rope line they said Bill Clinton had tears in his eyes, she did not. Leaving the race as she came in -- tough, determined.
CLINTON: You'll always find me on the front lines of democracy, fighting for the future.
CROWLEY: Moving forward if not where she thought she was headed. Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Certainly, a historic day and speech for Hillary Clinton. And as promise, joining us now is Pennsylvania's Governor Ed Rendell.
Governor, thanks so much for being with us. You know, you've been as tied to this campaign as anybody. But you know, when I heard the boos today, I -- it almost made me a little bit nervous thinking what might happen with these two in the future. What did you make of that?
GOV. ED RENDELL, PENNSYLVANIA: Well, I think Candy Crowley said it pretty correctly. For some people, they're just not ready yet. But what was important about this speech other than the great tone it set for this country -- I mean it was one of the great political speeches of all time.
But what was most important is that Hillary Clinton took time to make the case point by point while all of us who supported her. If we are going to advance the causes that she believed in and we believe in, we have to channel our energy to electing Barack Obama. That's the important message. You notice, by the end of the 30 minutes there were no boos.
SANCHEZ: Yes. No, you're right. It was almost like she was taking them from over here to over here.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: By the way, I said nervous a little while ago. What I meant to say was that I think it was almost -- it was a little embarrassing, because you were wondering -- is this too soon? By the way, speaking of soon or not soon enough, should she already be Barack Obama's running mate. Should that process begin?
RENDELL: Oh, absolutely not. It's much too soon. What happened at Senator Feinstein's house was what I have been talking about for the last 10 days or so. Before they can even think about vice president, they've got to decide whether they would be comfortable with each other as running mates, as president and as vice president, what the specific roles would be. Unless they can reach a comfort level themselves.
And by the way, it's not just Senator Obama, although it is his call. Senator Clinton has to determine whether she could be a good number two person or would she be better off being a leader in the Senate, getting President Obama's policies adopted.
SANCHEZ: You know what is interesting about this. Take a look at the split among Dems. If you look at the last poll, when Dems are asked whether Senator Clinton should be his running mate? 54 percent say yes, 43 percent say no. Is that 43 percent too big a number?
RENDELL: Well, my bet is if we poll that tomorrow and Monday, it will be up to about 75 percent.
SANCHEZ: Really? You think the speech was that good?
RENDELL: That good. I mean, all day long I have been hearing from Obama supporters, you know, knowing that I was a strong Clinton supporter telling me how terrific they thought it was. And how they've changed their mind about having her on the ticket. But it is too soon.
It's a process. We have got to let Senator Obama a room to breathe, a room to think about this. Continue the dialogue with Senator Clinton. And see if it works.
To me it is our most powerful ticket. You asked who is the best vice presidential candidate to almost carry Pennsylvania, it's not even close, Hillary Clinton.
SANCHEZ: Really?
RENDELL: Not even close.
SANCHEZ: What about the governor of Pennsylvania who happens to be able to deliver a swing state that could really make a difference in this thing -- you?
RENDELL: Well, I do know because I wouldn't be a good number two person. I have been my own boss since I was 32 years of age. I got elected district attorney. Been my own boss with the exception of one year, 2000, when I was the DNC chair. And I found out in 2000 that I am not very good at staying on message or reading other people's lines.
So I want to stay where I am. But I will do everything, even, even before Senator Clinton's speech, I had resolved, I resolved to be disappointed and frustrated for ten days, starting with last Tuesday. So a week from today, I am going to put on a Barack Obama button and then it's full speed ahead.
SANCHEZ: I thought you might be closing out with something like that.
RENDELL: Full speed ahead.
SANCHEZ: Governor, that's great. I appreciate you talking to us. And I missed you when I was in Philly. What a wonderful city.
RENDELL: Yes. It's become a great city hasn't it?
SANCHEZ: What a great city. We'll have to hook up next time I'm up there.
RENDELL: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: Governor Rendell, thanks for being with us tonight.
RENDELL: My pleasure.
SANCHEZ: Coming up, Hillary's exit. What's next for Obama versus John McCain? Remember, this is really what people are going to be talking about now. We are not done with the high political drama. We've got two of the best talkers in television lined up next to take up some of the big issues. Some saying maybe it wasn't a great speech.
Also, more pics coming in from this flood-ravaged area around the Midwest that we've been following for you. Rivers overflowing their banks. Tornadoes stalking the region. We do expect reaction from there. And there is new video we hope to get in too. Soon as we get it, we will turn it around.
And then this story. Scuba divers stranded at sea for 12 hours. Just them and the waves. What a story of survival. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: There is a shot of our work place. Central Indiana. It's this though. It's been swamped today. Look at what they're bringing in. Talk about heavy machinery now. Flooding could reach historic levels in Indiana. That's ahead.
Also, we're going to tell you which former presidential candidate actually saved a life today. Keith Boykin is our veteran Democratic strategist. And Leslie Sanchez does the same for the Republican Party.
Keith, let me start off with you. Is this the speech that she needed to give? And did she deliver?
KEITH BOYKIN, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Absolutely, Rick. This was a phenomenal speech for Hillary Clinton. She really delivered. She did everything she possibly could have done, short of, you know, I don't know what else there was for her to do. She endorsed Barack Obama. She enthusiastically threw her support behind him. She told her supporters to go support him.
And I don't think she left any question that she is on the ticket in terms of being supportive of him in the fall. Don't want to give away too much there.
LESLIE SANCHEZ, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: That's a small faux pas. (INAUDIBLE) wants to be on the ticket is probably what I think a lot of her folks are thinking. I think this was a pedestrian speech in nature. It was not extraordinary. She hit some talking points that she had to. And it almost seemed like four or five people actually contributed to this speech. It was disjointed in the sense that she talked about more about herself than she did Barack Obama.
SANCHEZ: Really, you thought it was too -- did you think?
(CROSSTALK)
L. SANCHEZ: For one second.
SANCHEZ: Too self congratulatory?
L. SANCHEZ: I will give her credit, she did the endorsement. She talked about the role of feminism and role -- the power women in American politics. It's a very strong effort, which I think are very much her own words.
But in the issue of unity at the end, but there was not a smile to be cracked among her or many in that crowd. And I think there's going to be -- in fact, I would say almost 50 percent of her voters right now are doing that mental calculus deciding whether or not he is a flash in the pan and whether Hillary Clinton can (INAUDIBLE) eight months from now.
SANCHEZ: Here's the point. All right? Anybody who looks at this has to understand that what she needed to do was come out there and say to the people who support her and are still not sure about this guy, Obama, folks this is a great candidate. He is the cat's meow. You have got to believe in him because I do.
Keith, did she do that?
BOYKIN: Absolutely she did that. Definitely. Definitively. You know, a lot of people who I have been talking to who are Obama supporters were really shocked by just how enthusiastic Hillary Clinton was today. And after seeing, you know, the time it took for her to give this speech from Tuesday to Saturday, I understand why she didn't give the speech on Tuesday. I don't think she could have given that speech on Tuesday.
SANCHEZ: But, hold on.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Keith, hold on just a minute. I think Leslie disagrees with you. She doesn't think that she really endorsed him as the cat's meow as I said earlier. Is that what you are thinking when I heard you laugh?
L. SANCHEZ: Rick, that's exactly right. I mean, why is something so simple, so difficult to deliver. Why does it take so many different people to kind of squeeze the language of the speech together that sounded disjointed? And why does it take 48 minutes late to a speech that takes 15 minutes around the block from her house.
I mean, it wasn't exactly, you know, rushing to give the speech. That is just a side bar.
BOYKIN: Oh, Leslie, Leslie, Leslie --
L. SANCHEZ: That's just a side bar. a fun point. But the point is she did the endorsement. She adamantly said she's convince --
SANCHEZ: Painfully or gladly?
L. SANCHEZ: I say in an unextraordinary form.
BOYKIN: Let me say something about that, Leslie. I have worked on six different campaigns, and five of them lost. The first five political campaigns I worked on lost. And I know how much pain it takes to get over that.
Can you imagine spending a year and a half of your life working on this campaign, thinking you are going to be president, and then having it taken away from you at the last minute? It takes a few moments to get away from that. And for her to do the speech today was extraordinary. She could not have done the speech on Saturday because it was such a painful thing, I'm sure for her to deal with on Tuesday.
SANCHEZ: Leslie, you got the last word.
L. SANCHEZ: Keith, you make exactly the right point. That is exactly the mental calculation a lot of Hillary Clinton supporters are engaging in right now. To determine was it something unfair to her? Should we continue to stand behind her? And I would argue 50 percent of the voters probably will.
SANCHEZ: Leslie, Keith, my thanks to both of you. Good as we expected.
SANCHEZ: A quick note tonight about Mike Huckabee. Yes, remember Mike Huckabee -- Arkansas, the former Arkansas governor. He fell short of his presidential run, but today, he may have saved a life.
A party spokesperson says that Huckabee used the Heimlich maneuver on Robert Pettinger. He's a Republican candidate for North Carolina lieutenant-governor. Pettinger started to choke during a party luncheon in Greensboro. And that's when Huckabee just sprang right into action.
We're told that Pettinger was able to recover without any medical treatment. Thanks to the huckster.
Coming up, Indiana underwater. Tornadoes threatening Chicago. And we're expecting more video. Plus, some reaction. As soon as we get that, we're going to turn it around for you.
Also, what may be a huge political issue won't go away. It's America's immigration debate.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's deport them. And that's it. That's your solution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Yes, this is an argument. These are real people who do what politicians can't do. They argue like crazy and you are going to see this play out. And then they come to some kind of compromise on immigration. Six people who disagree with each other ardently. What is that solution? Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. Oh, my goodness. So much weather news tonight. I am being told now that we have just gotten in some new video of a funnel cloud. This is in Dwight, Illinois. It's somewhat south of Chicago. If we got that, let's go ahead and put that up. All right. There it is. There is the picture.
Now, I am seeing this for the very first time with you guys at home. So -- we'll take a look at it and see in which direction it's heading.
Karen Maginnis is following this for us, too. Now, it's being described as a funnel cloud. I guess the difference is, Karen, you are a meteorologist. The key here is -- is it making contact with the ground right? If it is making contact with the ground, that is a tornado.
KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Exactly. Sometimes you can't even see the bottom of the tornado, because there is so much debris or perhaps sometimes you don't need to see the tornado because it's rain wrapped.
But yes, we have had an explosive night. Let's go ahead and tell you about what has happened. Want to show you an area right around Indianapolis. Gold point, Lake Lemon, and Princess Lake.
All of these areas are in danger of dam bursting, bursts and we're looking at in some cases, a double the amount of rainfall that they would typically see for the entire year.
Indianapolis has already seen 26 inches of rain. Their typical rainfall amount for the year would be about 17. We do have a number of tornado watches out and so much weather to tell you about. By the way, in Indianapolis, the rainfall has ended but the flooding has not. Milwaukee, they're saying so much rain. That some cars were floating towards downtown. Also, near Kankakee, that's near Dwight, that's what we saw that cell that moved across the area. There it is right there. Now it has fizzled out. But it was moving across this region near Richton, near University Park. The south of the south Luke. They were looking at a strong cell a few hours ago and they were under the gun with the tornado watches as well as some localized warnings.
Want to tell you about what happened around Indianapolis. They're saying, Terre Haute, you can't get to Indianapolis from Terre Haute, because the interstate is so bad. Lots of evacuations took place today. Johnson County, they're saying that they have never seen a disaster like this.
Rick?
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: That's unbelievable. I mean, just to look at some of these pictures. Claude, have you got any of those flooding pictures once again just to give the viewers at home. I know we've been following them throughout the course of the show. But it's pretty remarkable to see.
There was one reporter there on the scene today, Karen, who actually said when she got to the scene, in a small way, as she was looking at it, that it reminded her of Katrina.
MAGINNIS: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: And looking at some of the helicopter pictures it may have reminded some of us of it as well. That's why we're going to be all over it. All right, Karen, let us know what happens. We'll be checking back with you.
MAGINNIS: I'll be here.
SANCHEZ: All right. We've gotten some amazing I-reports from the people who have been witnessing this flooding first hand. This video is coming to us from Stan Hewell. He's in Franklin, Indiana. Remember, we mentioned, Franklin, a little while ago. Look at this.
He says that this is what it looks like in downtown Franklin -- OK, this is his video now. And he says this is what it looks like in downtown Franklin. You see how the water is running. That's a sign that one reporter told us that there actually been a bit of a dam break and it's causing some water to run through these towns and flash flooding order. As you can see the streets are underwater.
Also, Craig Ruble sent us this. He's in Greenwood. We just got this video from him. See the rushing water again. Look how fast that's going through. He lives below a small dam that broke this afternoon. And this is the street in front of his house or what's left of the street.
He says it all happened in just a matter of minutes. If you have any flooding video or images you want to send us, just log on to ireport.com and sent it our way. But please watch yourself while you are doing this. There's no need to get it if it's going to cause any damage to you or some of your family or your property.
If you want to help people affected by disasters at home or overseas, we at CNN have been committed to this for some time. It's called "Impact Your World." It's a special Web page that we've set up. You'll find links and people to organizations that help out in times like these. That's at cnn.com/impact.
OK. Coming up, choppers scrambling in Utah. I'm going to show you more of this dramatic rescue as it happens and let you know how this all turns out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: You are stranded on an island filled with these guys. Wait till you see what it is. It's a komodo dragon. What do you do? Well, there's a group of divers in a duel with a dragon. Did I tell you that first they were stranded at sea for 12 hours. That's straight ahead.
All right, bring you up-to-date now on what is going on. This is some of the new video. That's a school by the way. This is back to our breaking story now. It's going on in Indiana. We're going to be dipping in to some of these pictures throughout the show. Central Indiana.
Swamp, massive flash flooding forcing hundreds of people from their homes tonight. It turned high schools and other buildings in the makeshift shelters. Jennifer McGilvray from our Indianapolis affiliate, WISH, is one of those who has been following this.
Jennifer, thanks so much for joining us. What can you tell us that you have been able to see tonight?
JENNIFER MCGILVRAY, WISH REPORTER: Well, good evening, Rick. We are standing in front of Martinsville High School. This is one of two shelters right now that is about to handle all of the people that have left, left homeless by all of this flooding in this area.
And I have to tell you I am actually from this area. And we have heard it before, but this is actually the worst flooding that I have ever seen as well as public officials have said the same thing.
Now the main road that goes through this town is Highway 37. And the floodwaters have just completely covered that. There have been car dealerships, a dairy queen, homes, apartments, all in the area that are all flooded right now. So, those people that have been displaced by the flooded waters are coming here to the Martinsville High School.
And some of these people here aren't even from Martinsville. They're just trying to get from south to the north side, from the north side to the south side. And they can't travel on those roads right now. So joining me right now is Suzanne Flatburg. She lives in Martinsville. She is was in one of the apartments that is flooded, right now. But you were able to get out.
Tell me what you did when you started seeing all the water and the rain coming down?
SUZANNE FLATFORD, RESIDENT: I just grabbed trash bags and loaded up as much clothes as I could get. I won't worry about much of anything else. As long as we have clothes, I guess we have everything.
MCGILVRAY: Do you think that some of the things inside your home right now are drenched and covered in the floodwaters?
FLATFORD: Probably. I have lost probably all my downstairs stuff. Upstairs is my beds and some more clothing and stuff. But I think, from what I understand we are OK on that part. But probably everything I own downstairs is gone.
MCGILVRAY: How does that make you feel?
FLATFORD: Well, it's just dishes and pots and pans. I can replace that. Furniture you can replace. But there is a few movies, stuff like that, that my little boy likes and we'll replace it. We will be OK. Right now, I'm just looking for a place to live.
MCGILVRAY: So right now you are going to be staying at this shelter, for do you know how long?
FLATFORD: They're saying we can go in maybe tomorrow afternoon. Look and see what we have lost. What's good. But probably, two to three days, they're saying before I'll be out.
MCGILVRAY: And the water is supposed to be receding right now. But they're just hoping that there isn't anymore rain to come. Rick, back to you.
FLATFORD: Hey, Jennifer, thanks for hustling and getting that story out to us. Good work. We appreciate it. We'll be checking back with you if need be.
Coming up, you know those people and politicians always talk about during their speeches, the guy at the deli, the guy, the security guard at the plant? Well, Hillary Clinton talked today about somebody as politicians often do. It was a 13-year-old girl. Guess what? We're going to talk to that 13-year-old girl, next.
And then the League of First Time Voters. We found a six average Americans who could not be further apart on immigration. They argue and they argue. But then they do something surprising. You'll see it, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Look at this. Plucked from a mountain. This guy gets the ride of his life. I'll show you more of this daring rescue. It's going to be coming up in just a moment. We're going to tell you what led up to this. Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez here in the CNN NEWSROOM. How often do you get to be mentioned on national television during an historic speech? She is 13 years old and she got a shot out today from Senator Hillary Clinton.
Sparky Riddle is joining us now with her mom, Debbie.
Hey, guys. Thanks for being with us.
DEBBIE RIDDLE, ANN RIDDLE'S MOTHER: Hi, Rick.
ANN "SPARKY" RIDDLE, CLINTON SUPPORTER: Hi.
SANCHEZ: Hey, what did you think when you heard yourself being mentioned by Hillary Clinton on a speech by the way that was probably as watched by as many people as any speech in a long, long time?
A. RIDDLE: I was so excited when I heard it. Actually, at the time, my mom and I had been running errands. So when we got back home, we watched it on the Internet and my whole family started crying. We were just so excited.
SANCHEZ: Really? Mom, you too?
D. RIDDLE: Yes. Very proud of her.
SANCHEZ: I understand. And by the way, Sparky is not your real name, right?
A. RIDDLE: Well, actually, the whole name got started because I was supposed to be born on July 4th. And my dad called me his little sparkler and ended up going into Sparky.
SANCHEZ: You know I was born on July 3rd. When were you born?
A. RIDDLE: July 6. I was a little late.
SANCHEZ: Oh, yes. Hey, listen, I understand that you gave up a trip to Disney World to go instead and campaign for Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania. Is that true?
A. RIDDLE: Yes, that's true.
SANCHEZ: You know, not a lot of kids -- I know my kids probably wouldn't do something like that. That's a lot to give up for a 13- year-old?
A. RIDDLE: Yes, but I figured if I got Hillary elected she would be worth a ton more Disney vacations. She would be worth a ton.
SANCHEZ: That's a great picture there. There you are with the Senator. Let me ask you a question --
A. RIDDLE: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Now that Hillary Clinton has bowed out. And we are left in the Democratic side with Barack Obama and we're left on the Republican side with John McCain, who are you going to vote for?
A. RIDDLE: Well, I probably -- I really haven't studied either of their issues. I mean, I basically, Hillary was my candidate. I was going to go for Hillary through thick and thin. And since she has bowed out, I really have to research the other candidates' issues.
SANCHEZ: Hey, mom, what makes your daughter so political?
D. RIDDLE: She just -- she heard Bill Clinton speak back in January and she heard Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and they inspired her to get involved. And she did.
SANCHEZ: That's great. You know, it's so nice of you to join us tonight. What a great story. I mean, listen -- there is not a lot of people who get mentioned on national television that way and you did. You ought to feel good about what you did?
A. RIDDLE: Yes, I am so honored that I was mentioned, my story was mentioned out of the millions of people who volunteered, who helped on her campaign, and she singled out my story. I am just so honored. I mean it's --
SANCHEZ: Debbie, thanks so much for letting us talk to your daughter tonight. And Sparky, keep at it. You will probably running for Senate one day.
A. RIDDLE: President.
SANCHEZ: There you go. Shooting for the moon. Way to go. Appreciate it.
A. RIDDLE: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: In our League of First Time Voters edition tonight, immigration. We look for three people who are opposed and three people who are not opposed. Expect an argument? You're going to get one. Six people who agreed practically on nothing when it comes to immigration. Like many Americans.
Can I get them to a middle ground on this contentious issue somehow? Watch for yourselves.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ (on camera): What is it that some people don't understand that gets a guy like you riled up about the immigration problem in the country?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mainly it is a legal issue, OK, about breaking the sovereignty of the United States. OK. We are a sovereign nation. And all sovereign nations in the whole world have their rules in regards to their borders. This isn't a white, brown, black, yellow, greenish issue. It's strictly a legal issue.
SANCHEZ: John, how do you argue with that? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I agree that there is a legal issue here. And it is illegal immigration. And people that don't have legal status should not be in the United States. But one point that I disagree with Greg is the way they're treating these issues as criminals, I don't agree with that.
SANCHEZ: So you're saying the people who are already here they should find some kind of pathway for them? Is that what you are saying?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm saying that the federal government should come in and step up.
SANCHEZ: You're saying it should be one law?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One law.
SANCHEZ: All over the country?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Exactly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If we want our country to be a totally constitutional, lawful nation, we have to do what is right. And these people aren't here legally. They must be sent back if we are going to uphold the rule of law. And the law is already written.
SANCHEZ: What do you say to those who say "Look, essentially I was recruited to come to this country? I was all but invited to come to this country by the corporations who hired me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people I think that say need to be put in jail. That's against the law. That's against our sovereign law.
SANCHEZ: Is it happening?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Yes it does happen.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the government needs to take a step forward and put those people in jail.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, Rick, Stacey made a good point. And if we are going to arrest these companies, we're going to have to arrest the Internal Revenue for giving the ITN numbers. In the Internal Revenue, they're saying, we don't want you here, Rick. But in case you go to work here, this ITN number, go ahead and use it and pay me taxes. Taxes that you will never see.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rick it all points to one thing. Do we want a solution? Really, are we looking for a solution? When we hear Sandy say they're here illegal. Deport them. So I imagine the conclusion you draw is that deport them all. And let's argue the merits as to whether or not it's possible to do it.
SANCHEZ: Is it? No, let's go there. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Absolutely.
SANCHEZ: Is it possible to deport 12 million people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One at a time. And as we come across people who are here illegally, the solution is deport them. Now as we have to work in tandem with the federal government and state government to local governments to enforce those immigration laws that they're allowed to enforce.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we are starting with the premise that deportation of everyone that is here illegal is the answer -- you know what? We're not going to find a solution for this.
You guys get stuck there. You never move from to finding a solution. All you are doing to stuck on let's deport them. And that's it. That's your solution.
SANCHEZ: Why can't the United States of America, a sovereign country, come up with a plan to make sure it controls who comes in and who comes out of this country?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First of all, we are all in favor of a secure border.
SANCHEZ: Right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The question is you will never secure it 100 percent to the satisfaction of 100 percent of Americans. You just can't do that. So at what point do you move from securing the border to talking about the issue of immigration.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There is a moral responsibility that we have to have. And when I hear it from this end, when I hear you guys, I hear hate. And I -- maybe you don't mean it, but that's what I hear. So there is a lack of communication between us, just even us agreeing to a solution.
SANCHEZ: Can this be worked out?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel like the whole country is going downhill as a result of this lack of enforcement, lack of rule of law. We have just all deteriorated to an amoral society.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm an optimist. I believe yes, it can be worked out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is hope. And there is hope with the truth. Thank you very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Well, whether you are 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. For more information log on to cnn.com/league.
Waves crashing for hours. No land in sight. How did it end for these divers?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: I've got one of those real life imitates art moments for you now. It's part open water, part cast away. Even a little Jurassic Park. All right. Look at these folks, smiling faces. They should be happy. They were just rescued from an island off Indonesia. Five scuba divers, all Europeans. They went snorkeling and scuba diving, Thursday, and never came back. They vanished. Where did they wind up?
Here -- 18 miles away on a little chunk of an island inhabited by dangerous komodo dragons. Is that amazing? These ugly little creatures that these divers say they threw rocks at, one of them, to scare them off. How they get so far away? You'll have to ask them. But locals say the currents in that area are very strong.
By the way, where did we get that little komodo dragon? What is it? About 6 inches?
Also this, B-2 bomber, bombs. What caused this spectacular crash? I'm going to tell you and show more of these amazing video. One of several I will have for you. It's "Rick's Picks." It's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JILL LEVINE, CNN HERO (voice-over): Robbie was a great kid. He was fun, he was energetic, and he was very athletic. He loved all sports, but baseball was really his passion.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was standing at first base. Robbie ran past me. I remember thinking about how I'd never seen him run so fast before. Then a few seconds later he was lying on home plate. I started to try to do CPR.
LEVINE: Someone came banging on my door -- you have to come to the hospital right for now, something happened to Robbie. We'd got there and they walked in and say, he died. I started screaming. This is a healthy 9-year-old kid. How in the world could his heart just stop?
Robbie really could have had a chance if there was a defibrillator. And I'd just knew that we needed to do something.
My name is Jill Levine and I help coaches save lives.
My goal is to make defibrillators mandatory in any sports, in the same way that you have to wear a batting helmet.
My first priority is to raise awareness about the need. We've been talking about this for a while. You definitely won't regret it. We have donated dozens of AEDs. They're very simple to use but you still need to be trained.
VOICE PROMPT: Shock advised. Shock delivered.
LEVINE: If coaches are prepared, lives can be saved. In some way, I'm still parenting Robbie, I'm still his mom. I feel like I'm helping people because of him and that helps me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Time for "Rick's Picks." Let's go to the very first one. The frightening crash of a high tech Air Force bomber. Video. That's from February. The Air Force's stealth bomber, the B-2 Spirit, it's taking off from Anderson Air Base in Guam.
Suddenly something terrible happens. The plane stalls. The two- man crew cannot recover. They eject. And the plane suddenly cartwheels on to the ground. The pilots were not killed. Military just allowed this video to be released by the way.
Yes, that's probably the most sophisticated plane in the world according to many and certainly one of the most expensive. Fidel Castro calls it "That invisible plane the Americans have."
And then there's this story. This is in Salt Lake City, Utah. The most beautiful sight in the world for a lost or injured mountain climber until this happens. A rescue helicopter bringing us another satisfied customers. It must have been the ride of his life. And certainly something he will be talking about for years. Thanks so much for being with us. I'm Rick Sanchez. We'll see you again here tomorrow, 10 p.m., Eastern that is.
