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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Obama Going Global; Bill Clinton on Board; The "N" Word; Terror List Fallout
Aired July 17, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, Barack Obama, going global, to Europe, to Middle East to stops expected as well in Afghanistan and Iraq. A look at what he hopes to gain, what he stands to lose, and at new developments concerning American troops in Afghanistan. Turns out help may not be on the way anytime soon.
Also ahead tonight, Bill's on board. Bill Clinton today promising to do anything Barack Obama wants. The big question -- what can he really deliver out on the trail?
Why so many law-abiding citizens find themselves on the nation's terror Watch List. Now a million names long, CNN's Drew Griffin's name is on it. Was it because of his reporting critical on the TSA?
Today, on Capitol Hill a leading lawmaker asked that question to head of Homeland Security. We'll show you what he had to say for himself.
And the mystery of Nancy Cooper. Her husband said she went for a jog but never came back. Now she's dead and fingers are pointing at the husband and others, even though police say he's not a suspect. A judge however, has denied his custody -- has denied him custody of his own kids. All of the latest developments in a heart-wrenching mystery.
Though we begin with new developments that could make a life and death difference to the troops in Afghanistan, America's forgotten war.
For a brief moment yesterday it appeared help would soon be on the way. Instead, tonight CNN has learned that the men and women there will not be getting reinforcements this fall, reinforcements that were all but promised yesterday by no less than the Secretary of Defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Senior military sources telling CNN's Jamie McIntyre, they simply don't have any combat forces to spare. With that, as the backdrop Barack Obama is scheduled to travel there shortly.
The schedule itself -- a tightly held secret part of a tour of Europe, the Middle East, and Iraq. All next week, a trip that's meant to bolster Obama's international credentials, at a time when many voters see that as one of his biggest weaknesses.
Details from CNN's Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Barack Obama's European trip is a campaign trail via satellite, pictures for the rhetoric back home.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: We will restore our moral standing in the world.
CROWLEY: From Jordan, to Israel, to Germany, France, and England, it is a postcard journey; images for the hesitant to show that this 46- year-old politician, a virtual unknown overseas is up to a lead role in the international stage. The question, is he tough enough to stand up for America? But graceful enough to improve her image?
SEN. EVAN BAYH, (D) INDIANA: The message to voters back home is that he is focused on being a strong effective commander-in-chief. He's going to rehabilitate our image across the world.
CROWLEY: Or as the McCain camp calls it, a political photo op.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN, (R) PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: To be at political rallies, then it's a political event.
CROWLEY: But McCain with his credentials at the core of his campaign has saved his sharpest salvos for Obama's expected trip to Afghanistan and Iraq. He pounds Obama as a neophyte criticizing him for suggesting that Iraq has distracted the U.S. from Afghanistan.
MCCAIN: It somehow disconnected from Afghanistan shows again incredible naivete.
CROWLEY: And now an eight-minute video full of what the campaign sees as flip-flops from Obama, his current call to withdraw from Iraq in 16 months up against this from 2004.
OBAMA: We've got to make sure that we secure and execute the rebuilding and reconstruction process effectively and properly. And I don't think we should have an artificial deadline when to do that.
CROWLEY: Domestic politics aside there are other reasons Obama takes this journey. Unlike McCain, well known and well traveled overseas, Obama is a question mark, still a curiosity. His trip is not just about impressions he sends home, but the ones he leaves behind.
ROBIN OAKLEY, CNN EUROPEAN POLITICAL EDITOR: I mean people have been saying to me, look, this guy has only been in national politics for three years, let alone international politics. We don't really know quite exactly what he's going to do.
CROWLEY: It is not a trip without political risk; it comes amidst mortgage meltdowns and gas price explosions at home. He could look out of touch. And the Europe card has to be played carefully for a domestic audience he could look too cozy. And he could fuel rather than dowse the commander-in-chief questions; he could make a mistake.
But they bank on picture perfect; his campaign will be over the moon if Obama returns with this kind of buzz. OAKLEY: I was talking to a former British foreign secretary this week and he said, it's like JFK and Camelot. He said it may not be justified, it may not be sensible, but that feeling is there.
CROWLEY: And that may be the biggest risk of this trip, all those great expectations.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: One other note, John McCain himself has refused to echo his campaign's criticism of the Obama trip; however, he has been hammering Senator Obama's legislative record on Afghanistan. Here's what he said just two days ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MCCAIN: He has been the chairman of the committee of the subcommittee that oversights NATO operations. Afghanistan, we obviously know, about NATO involvement. He's never had a hearing. He's never had a hearing. So I'm not surprised that all he has done is said, "Well, we need more troops."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Democrats have been quick to point out that Senator McCain doesn't mention his own record. The Senate Arm Services Committee held six hearings on Afghanistan over the last two years. Senator McCain is a member of that committee but do not attended a single one of those meetings.
Late tonight, a spokesman for McCain confirmed that but said it misses the point. The campaign is not attacking Obama on attendance he said it's attacking him on his leadership or lack thereof in their opinion.
"Digging Deeper" on the situation in Afghanistan, on the ground and Obama's trip, Candy Crowley joins me along with CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen, author of "The Osama Bin Laden I know." Peter is in Kabul tonight. I think he saw a signal going in and out we hope he can join us. Also Sebastian Junger who spent many years this year and last with U.S. troops in Afghanistan as a contributing editor for "Vanity Fair."
Sebastian, from what you've seen, are there enough U.S. forces there? Are there enough resources being put in to Afghanistan?
SEBASTIAN JUNGER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "VANITY FAIR": I mean that's difficult to say. I mean the Russians had 130,000 men there and they lost the war. So it's not a question of sheer numbers.
COOPER: What have you learned? You spent time focusing on one unit in a very dangerous part in Kunar province which is close to where the attack took place just last week.
JUNGER: Yes, I was in one valley -- Kunarville valley with one platoon for a whole year -- I mean off and on for a whole year. On the ground, tactically, the American soldiers are pretty superb. And I -- I saw over the course of a year that they really learned to sort of adapt their tactics to the enemy. And they really had quite a lot of success in that valley.
The problem I think, and this is -- I have a little peephole on the war through that valley. But just my general opinion, and this reflects a lot of the soldiers opinions, Pakistan is an enormous problem.
COOPER: Because Pakistan is basically a safe haven for these Taliban militants, Al Qaeda to just go back and forth.
JUNGER: Yes, I mean -- more than just the safe haven, the opinion, really, is that the insurgents are actively helped by the military apparatus in Pakistan. So it's not just a safe haven, they're actively given support and as long as that is true the opinion over there among the soldiers is as long as that's true, the U.S. army will have to be there forever.
COOPER: Because the military there are able to go back and forth across the border, no problem, no questions asked.
Peter, Obama has called for up to ten thousand more troops. McCain has called for more troops as well, though in the past his focus for a NATO troops. Is more troops the answer?
PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, certainly more troops can't hurt. I mean this is one of the most under-resourced wars the United States has been involved in since World War II both in terms of boots on the ground and also in terms of money for reconstruction.
So obviously more troops will help but it has to be the right kind of troops, not just the National Reserve soldiers who may have had no experience here. You really want people on their second or third tour. You really want people who can act as advisors to the Afghan army, you want Special Forces so you've and also you wanted the right kind of strategy. So all those things, of course, would help the situation here -- Anderson.
COOPER: Candy, the press coverage on this upcoming Obama trip is going to be intense. Rightly or wrongly, I mean John McCain takes trips to Iraq; he certainly doesn't get this kind of coverage. Is this fair? I mean as you said in your piece, it's basically an international photo op for a political audience back home?
CROWLEY: Well, politics like love isn't fair. Absolutely, there are campaigns that complain all the time about the lack of coverage. But, listen, they also understand this. This is a big deal for Barack Obama because voters have not seen him on this international stage. They have seen John McCain there.
Therefore, in some ways it plays into McCain's basis of his campaign, which is, look, I've got the credentials, I've been around. I know these people; I can work with these people.
So, you're right. And McCain's trip abroad didn't get nearly the attention. And he didn't actually need to take that trip abroad to kind of show his credentials. So it works both ways.
COOPER: Sebastian the unit you're with in Kunar, that you've been with now for months on and off, what is the biggest difficulty for them. I mean why is it so tough for them? They're basically the small little outpost, and then the outpost that was overrun was being set up last week, a small little outpost, it's surrounded by people who don't want them there, it seems.
JUNGER: Well, it's complicated. The locals are sort of ambivalent. But they are not dead set against the Americans. Some of them are very, very friendly. And they recognize that Americans bring in road projects and things like that. And a lot of really don't like the Taliban.
So it's really like having the police coming to a tough neighborhood and clean it up. The locals there maybe don't like the police but they're glad they're there. It's a little analogous to that.
The biggest problem that I could see is that this is it's a six-mile- long valley, they aren't that many man in it. It's extremely brutal terrain. I mean it's high up in the mountains. And the Americans are carrying 120, 140 pounds. And they just can't move around very easily. That was the biggest problem that I just experienced, accompanying them into battle and on patrol.
COOPER: Peter the other thing in Iraq. Which is Peter, you were just in Iraq a couple of weeks ago, Obama says he's going to withdraw our combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of his presidency.
He's going to talk to commanders on the ground. The people you've talked to on the ground in Iraq, are they comfortable with that timetable?
BERGEN: Well, I think if you look at what Senator Obama was proposing, he's talking about a residual force that would be there. And if you do the math on that residual force counterterrorism operations, quick reaction force, protecting the embassy, protecting the supply routes, et cetera. You're looking at a fairly substantial number of soldiers, Anderson, 30,000, 50,000.
So although he's being careful not to be explicit about what the size of that residual force is, I think the residual force is going to look like what we've got in Afghanistan right now, Anderson.
So whether or not that people are comfortable with the timetable or not that's -- I'm not really sure how that polls. But I think it's important to understand that that residual force implies a pretty strong robust presence for the foreseeable future.
COOPER: Candy, Peter makes an incredibly important point, Obama doesn't talk about 40,000, 50,000 troops in this residual force, when people here who is residual force they think for a like a couple of thousand. He's in a tough spot on Iraq. If he changes his mind on the timetable or he talks about the actual size of a residual force, he angers his anti-war supporters. And if he goes on this trip, it doesn't make any kind of impact on his policies than he go ahead and is criticized for just having a photo- op.
CROWLEY: Absolutely. And that's the huge risk here in the troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. And it's really what the McCain campaign has been pounding home and saying, "Wait a second, he's got -- already has a plan for Iraq and Afghanistan. He says he's going to stick with it so why even go on the fact-finding mission?"
So the McCain campaign has found that kind of soft spot. And they will continue to hammer at it. But you're right. If he should say listen, I've look at what's here on the ground. And I think maybe I do need to kind of re-strategize here. He just sets off the anti-war base. I don't know the life of a politician.
COOPER: Yes, we got to move along. Candy Crowley, thank you. Peter Bergen especially it's always good to have you, I mean I love to have you back and just talk about what you've seen and highlight some of the efforts from these trips. Thanks.
BERGEN: Thank you.
COOPER: In other political news tonight, former President Bill Clinton finally said in public what his party has been waiting to hear.
In New York today, he told reporters he is eager to hit the campaign trail on behalf of Barack Obama and he's just waiting for the word on when and there. For anyone who has ever wondered what ice sounds like when it thaws -- now you know. The big chill between Bill Clinton and Obama has apparently ended but what exactly does Obama gain from it?
CNN's Gary Tuchman has the "Raw Politics"
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) NEW YORK: We may have started on separate paths, but today, our paths have merged.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When Hillary Clinton endorsed Barack Obama in the town of Unity, New Hampshire, the name of the town seemed to be most appropriate. But many wondered was Bill Clinton's absence from the event the sign of a lack of unity. Listen to his response three weeks ago to this reporter's question.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: President Clinton, will you be endorsing Barack Obama?
TUCHMAN: No response. But now, he's responding.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'll do whatever I'm asked to do whenever I can do it.
TUCHMAN: The former president has now talked with the man who he would like to see as the future president. B. CLINTON: We had a good talk and he said he wanted me to campaign with him and I said I was eager to do so. And he's busier than I am on politics anyway.
So I just told him that whenever he wanted to do it, I was ready. And so it's basically on their timetable. He's got a lot of things to do between now and the convention.
TUCHMAN: This is certainly a different sounding Bill Clinton, than the one we sometimes heard during the primary campaign. For example, when asked about Barack Obama stressing his early opposition to the Iraq war?
B. CLINTON: Give me a break. This whole thing is the biggest fairy tale I've ever seen.
TUCHMAN: And in South Carolina, he got hit when he used Jesse Jackson's name to downplay Barack Obama's accomplishments.
B. CLINTON: Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice in '84 and '88. And he run a good campaign and Senator Obama has run a good campaign.
TUCHMAN: Interestingly, Bill Clinton talked about Jesse Jackson today too -- specifically about his crude off-air comments in Fox News about Obama.
B. CLINTON: I think we all know where his heart is on everything involving people opportunity for people without regard to race and helping poor people and Americans throughout the world and I think Senator Obama accepted his apology. I think it's over.
TUCHMAN: Also, over of course, Bill and Hillary Clinton's dreams of moving into the White House this January.
B. CLINTON: I implore you, you say yes to Hillary, and you won't have to worry.
TUCHMAN: But he's ready to hit the road for his second choice. And as far as speaking at the Democratic National Convention --
B. CLINTON: I have actually given no thought to it one way of the others.
TUCHMAN: That is still to be determined.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: So what's your take on Bill Clinton getting back into the fray or the situation in Afghanistan? Let us know.
Join the conversation on our Website, ac360.com. I'm about to log there as well, join in the conversation, I'll see you there.
Up next, new details of the massive amount of money these guys are raking in.
And Obama is often portrayed as a different kind of politician, but tonight, a rare look at his campaign marketing machine. What these campaigns know about you, the voters, the information they have on you, simply stunning.
Also we now know Jesse Jackson said more than just nuts the other day. He used the "N" word; is it ever ok for anyone ever to say that? Go "Up Close."
And later, new developments on the terror Watch List. Drew Griffin's name ended up on it. After reporting on the TSA tonight, a lawmaker wants answers about how that happen. So do we.
Plus, Scott Peterson he murdered his pregnant wife, Laci. He is back in the spotlight tonight blogging from death row. He wants your help. How is this happening? Tonight on "360."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Today the Obama campaign reported its second biggest monthly fundraising haul yet; $52 million in June, twice as much as the McCain campaign pulled in. That $52 million was a mix of small and large contributions.
Now to convince people to give; you have to reach out to them. And here's where Obama has actually taken a page from Republicans. It's called micro-targeting.
The Republicans were the first to do it, but the Obama campaign is taking it to new levels.
"Up Close," here's Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Big brother may not be watching you, but Internet analysts say the Obama campaign almost certainly is.
Team Obama is compiling oceans of information, on everything from products you may have purchased to the value of homes in your neighborhood to your magazine subscriptions according to Mike Madden who wrote about it for salon.com.
MIKE MADDEN, SALON.COM: And a lot of the tactics and also a lot of the data they've got comes from systems and companies that were originally developed to help credit card companies and banks and things like that.
FOREMAN: So if you visit their Website and they know from your past responses that you read email at 4:00 in the afternoon, and if your neighborhood and a questionnaire you completed when you bought some products suggests you fall into a certain tax bracket --
MADDEN: Then the next time they email you something, they'll probably send it around 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon and they'll tailor the content of it to what they think someone in your particular demographic makeup will probably be interested in reading about.
FOREMAN: This micro targeting of voters was largely pioneered by Republicans years ago, but expanding the use of the Internet has made it a much more precise and powerful tool especially among young voters.
John McCain's campaign is micro targeting through the Internet too, but Michael Cornfield who studies politics and the Internet at George Washington University says --
MICHAEL CORNFIELD, CAPITOLADVANTAGE.COM: Far more people watch Obama's videos on YouTube than McCain's videos. Far more people have signed up to be Obama's friend in FaceBook than McCain. He doesn't have the Website traffic; he doesn't have the email buzz. And that is going to be a long haul to try and catch up with Obama.
FOREMAN: Some political analysts are comparing the rise of the Internet now to the rise of television in the 1960s saying campaigners don't have to be good at it, but they do if they want to win.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Up next, what Jesse Jackson said besides talking about cutting off part of Barack Obama's anatomy, the word and the issue reduced Elisabeth Hasselbeck to tears today, on "The View." It's the word that's divided the nation.
Also ahead, wife killer Scott Peterson back in the news causing outrage.
The story about the TSA, we'll also have that. How come Drew Griffin's name keeps showing up on a terror watch list?
All that ahead, stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, THE VIEW: When we live in a world where pop culture that uses that term and we're trying to get to a place that we feel like we're in the same place and we feel like we're in the same world, how are we supposed to then move forward if we keep using terms that bring back that pain?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: I don't quite understand what she was saying, but that's Elisabeth Hasselbeck today, on "The View" cheering off after the heated exchange about the "N" word.
Jesse Jackson has reignited the fierce debate over who if anyone can and should use the most notorious racial epithet in the English language. Turns out that Jackson, the man who is publicly railed against "N" word used it last week when talking about Barack Obama. Jackson thought his microphone was off, it was live. He didn't direct the racial slur at Senator Obama, but for many, that is not the point. In our "Nation Divided," the "N" word is incendiary.
Here's CNN's Jason Carroll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We heard Reverend Jesse Jackson apologize after an open microphone caught him making an offensive remark about Senator Barack Obama.
Now Jackson is apologizing for what you did not hear -- FOX would not release the audio, but confirms -- Jackson used the "N" word.
He accused Obama of, quote, "telling [bleep] how to behave." CNN caught up with Jackson during a religious conference in Madrid, Spain.
REV. JESSE JACKSON, RAINBOW/PUSH COALITION: We gave and had a response to this in writing the formal communication that we've chose, it's very painful and errant conversation and fortunately Senator Barack responded gracefully and quickly and that healing process has begun.
CARROLL: Jackson's written statements said, "There really is no justification for my comments and I hope the Obama family and the American people can forgive me."
BRYAN MONROE, EBONY/JET MAGAZINE: I've known Reverend Jackson for more than 20 years, and he's one of the most complex individuals I've ever known. And with that complexity comes the good and the bad.
CARROLL: Jackson's critics are calling him a hypocrite. Just two years ago, Jackson waged a public campaign, trying to get people, especially those in entertainment, to stop using the word.
JACKSON: Its roots are rooted in hatred and pain and degradation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's a hypocrite. I mean, you can't tell somebody to do something and then you don't buy it yourself.
CARROLL: Jackson's use of the word has raised what can be an uncomfortable question; is it ever ok to use the "N" word? And if so, who is allowed?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just find it funny that they can say it, and we're not supposed to.
CARROLL: Black rappers and comedians commonly say the word. It is also used within the African-American community.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's now used in a lot of everyway amongst us. It's like to say, hi, my friend. JASON WHITLOCK, COLUMNIST, KANSAS CITY STAR: I think most of us in the African-American community are frauds when it comes to this word. We want other races to eliminate it from their vocabulary but we don't want to do to same.
CARROLL: The words used sparking a heated debate on ABC's "The View".
HASSELLBECK: How are we supposed to then move forward if we keep using terms that bring back that pain.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, ACTRESS: I can tell you, here's how we do it. You listen and say, ok, this is how we're using this word and this is why we do it.
CARROLL: Angry about its use, last year, the NAACP buried the "N" word in a symbolic funeral. It seems symbolism was not enough.
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, as you mentioned, Jesse Jackson campaigned against the use of that word, so did Reverend Al Sharpton. How does he feel about Jackson now? We'll "Dig Deeper" with Reverend Sharpton and Democratic strategist Kelli Golf next.
Also ahead, we're not the only ones who think it's not a coincidence that our Drew Griffin keeps getting stopped by airport security after doing critical reports about the TSA. One member of Congress took it straight to the head of Homeland Security today, hear for yourself his response.
Also the sad and mysterious case of this woman, Nancy Cooper whose husband said she vanished while jogging. Her body has been found this week; now, suspicion is swirling around the husband. We've got all the late developments when "360" continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JACKSON: See Barack been talking down to black people on this faith based ... I want to cut his "bleep" off.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, Jesse Jackson apparently thinking the microphone was off when he used that vulgar term to describe what he'd like to do to Obama.
But the mike was on as you know and now we know he also used the "N" word in that conversation setting off another round of outrage and reigniting a familiar and fierce debate.
Today, the Reverend Al Sharpton jumped into the thick of it. He joins me now and so does Kelly Goff, political analyst and author of "Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence."
Reverend Sharpton, what do you think of what Reverend Jackson said? Is it ever okay for him to use that word?
REVEREND AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: When we started this campaign, many groups including my national action network, we wrestled with the fact that a lot of blacks use it in private, some of us -- I have in the past.
COOPER: You have used the word in the past?
SHARPTON: In the past. But when we decided to go into this campaign we made the commitment at least in our group that we would stop using it. And you can't preach one thing publicly and not practice it.
I don't think its right for anyone to use it at any time because it then becomes justified at other times. Even it's a bad and derogatory word, or it's not. The -- Reverend Jackson, I grew up under Reverend Jackson, he's like 30/40 years old, he's like a young father or brother.
But I cannot condone him doing it and then jump on rappers or jump on whites. As painful as it is, I do not condone Reverend Jackson's --
COOPER: There're some, Kelli, in the African-American community and elsewhere who say, "Look, if you use the term, it takes away the power from the term?"
GOFF: You know, that's certainly an argument. What I would say is first of all, we should take a snapshot of this moment today, because very rarely are you going to find that Reverend Sharpton, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and myself are all in agreement on something. And yet, I think, we are on this, which is that you can't have it both ways.
It's such a nuance today to try to have to say that, "Well, if it's used in this context, it's okay. If it's not, it's used in another context, it's not okay." I think that part of this though is a bit of a class and cultural conversation that no one really likes to tap into.
COOPER: How so?
GOFF: Which is that, I think that when you look at some of the rappers out there who have grown up in predominantly black neighborhoods, a lot of them have also grown up and they're very proud to say that I come from the streets, I come from the projects where they are surrounded by people who do use it excessively.
You look at someone like myself, my generation, and my friends who've gone to mixed race schools, it just would never be appropriate in my circle of friends under any circumstances around my white friends for me to ever feel comfortable using that language so I don't use it. And that's how my mother raised me.
COOPER: Reverend Sharpton, when did you stop using the word?
REV. SHARPTON: When we started the campaign?
COOPER: How would you use it in the past?
REV. SHARPTON: I think if it was part of the trash talk as we say. But I think that trash talk still reflects who you are.
What really brought it home to me is when we started hearing people defend themselves against hate crimes, using that word. And saying, well, it's used different ways. We can't be the only ones in America that you can't call us a derogatory term. There's no double meaning for any other groups being called a derogatory terms.
Why do we have to go through all of these maturations and adjustments for us? If the hate term for black is not the "N" word, then what is it? And then how come every other group is clearly defined word but with us, we have to go through 50 different interpretations.
I think that that's wrong. I happen to agree with Kelli on this. I don't know that Elizabeth said it as well.
COOPER: Yes, I'm not sure she said it as well.
REV. SHARPTON: I'm always open to new members joining the church.
COOPER: I watched that clip and I still don't understand what she's trying to say though. Clearly she's very emotional about it.
GOFF: I think what I got is actually we shouldn't be using it.
COOPER: I just want to show what Reverend Jackson said about this word earlier when he was talking about the Michael Richards' use of it back in 2006.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. JACKSON: We must all, make a commitment to really stop using the pejorative, the inflammatory "N" word. We just must stop it no matter who does it. We just must stop it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Does he seem now just hypocritical?
GOFF: Well it's really -- and one of the interesting things was when I was interviewing young voters for my book, who are members of the so-called post-polarized generation, one of the greatest criticisms that they had for Reverend Jackson was specifically the issue of calling him a hypocrite.
A lot of them were very deferential to some of the work that he's done, aside from actually helping to bring POWs home. But what each voter I talked to time after time again said is, "With all due respect to him, I think that he's proven himself to be a hypocrite on a variety of issues."
We don't have to get into the discussion of his personal life. But there are issues in his personal life that --
COOPER: Do you think in the future, he'll stop using the word?
REV. SHARPTON: I tell you, I think he said that he's very sorry and asked for forgiveness. I think he will. I think at the same time that I do not condone it, at the same time, I agree. He's done great work.
If this nation can forgive people like Imus who publicly said it, I would certainly think one must offer redemption to a Reverend Jackson.
GOFF: He's had second, third, and fourth chances. I think that based on the number of chances, I think that his relevance is increasingly waiving to this discourse.
COOPER: We'll let our viewers decide that. Kelli Goff, good to have you on. Reverend Sharpton as well. Thank you so much.
REV. SHARPTON: Glad to be on, Anderson.
GOFF: Thank you so much.
COOPER: Coming up, is your name on the FBI terror watch list? CNN's Drew Griffin's name showed up shortly after he made some critical reports about the TSA. Coincidence? And today, one member of Congress demanded answers. That story is next.
Also tonight, the mystery of Nancy Cooper. Wife and mom vanishes, her husband says she went jogging then disappeared. Now she's dead. And a judge has denied her husband custody of her kids. The latest details coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Tonight a new development on our investigation of the government's terrorist watch list. As we told you earlier, a million names are on this list, including CNN's Drew Griffin. Now he's a correspondent with our Special Investigations Unit.
After he aired a series of reports critical of the TSA, he started getting stopped at airports across the country. He wants to know why, so do we. And today, so did a member of Congress, Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee, during a house hearing, she had this to say to Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE, (D) TEXAS: We understand that a new member is on the watch list, Drew Griffin of CNN. And my question is, why would Drew Griffin's name come on the watch list post his investigation of TSA? What a curious and interesting and troubling phenomenon. What is the basis of this sudden recognition that Drew Griffin is a terrorist? Are we targeting people because of their critique or criticism?
(END VIDEO CLIP) COOPER: Chertoff said Drew might share the name with someone else put on the list and described the incident as a possible mismatch. He said he'd look into it.
It wasn't good enough for Jackson Lee. She wants an investigation. That's where the story is headed.
Now to see how it all began. Here's Drew "Keeping Them Honest."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, SIU CORRESPONDENT: Washington attorney Jim Robinson is a former assistant attorney general. He's a former U.S. attorney from Michigan. He holds a high level, government security clearance and he gets delayed if not stopped every time he gets on a plane. Why? Because Robinson is also one of the estimated 1 million names now on the terror watch list.
JIM ROBINSON, ATTORNEY: So it seems for years now, despite my best efforts to get off.
GRIFFIN: what does it mean? It means because of his name, he can't check in to flights electronically, he can't check bags at the curb, can't check in at one of the new speedy airport kiosks. Every time he travels, he and a million others need to wait in line.
ROBINSONL: And see somebody who then has to make a call and determine apparently I'm not the James Kenneth Robinson who is the cause of my being on the watch list.
GRIFFIN: Don't think it can happen to you? It's happening to me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're on a watch list.
GRIFFIN: A watch list?
11 flights now since May 19.
On different airlines my name pops up, forcing me to go to the counter, show my identification. Sometimes the agent has to make a call before I get my ticket.
What does the TSA say? Nothing -- at least, nothing on camera. Over the phone, a public affairs person told me I'm not on a watch list; it's the airline's fault. And don't even think someone is trying to get even because of our earlier reports criticizing the TSA.
Even more frustrating than being on it is trying to get off. According to the TSA, you fill out a form on-line which I did on May 28. You then copy personal documents, fill out another form, and send them to Homeland Security which I also did on May 28. And then, apparently, you wait.
Robinson has been waiting now for three years.
ROBINSON: On May 2, 2005, I filled out all their forms, made a copy of my passport, my driver's license, my voter's registration card, put it in a package, and sent it off to TSA. I never heard back. It certainly done seem to have done me any good at all.
GRIFFIN: My wait has apparently just begun.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: So Drew, what do you think? You think you're being specifically targeted?
GRIFFIN: I think the congresswoman is going to find out. More likely, I think, Anderson, this is just another mistake, another blunder with this watch list. Thousands of us are on it, apparently by mistake, including Jim Robinson. And the fact is we just can't get off.
I'll tell you one thing I'm going to do, though, I'm going to start investigating to find this terrorist with my name.
COOPER: I was going to say they can come forward and say, "Well, there's actually a terrorist we would like to find named Drew Griffin and here's his picture or whatever." That would be kind of interesting. But I have a feeling they're not going to be able to do that.
GRIFFIN: Well, I'm going to ask them all about that. And I'm going to work my other sources trying to find out. Maybe there is a terrorist out there named Drew Griffin. I would like to go find him and meet him, and maybe get him arrested so I can get back on these planes.
COOPER: Well, meanwhile, take a train. Drew, we'll keep following. Thanks Drew.
Next on "360," hunting down a killer; wife, a mother of the two young daughters. Who murdered this woman, Nancy Cooper? And why?
And later he's back. Scott Peterson sentenced to die for the murder of his wife Laci and unborn child. Now he's blogging from prison and apparently wants your help. The outrage over his new message just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: In "Crime and Punishment" a mystery. What happened to this woman, Nancy Cooper, wife and mom? She went out for a jog, according to her husband and then vanished. Her body was found a few days later.
Now police in North Carolina have no suspects but they do have questions for the people who knew her, including her husband who her family says was having an affair.
CNN's David Mattingly investigates.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) KHRISTA LISTER, NANCY COOPER'S TWIN SISTER: She was my best friend and my soul mate.
DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Overcome with grief, Khrista Lister speaks of her identical twin sister Nancy Cooper, wife, mother of two young girls, and now, the victim of a horrific crime.
LISTER: She's my sister and she's everything. She'll always be half of me. And I promise to live my life in a way that makes her proud.
MATTINGLY: While Nancy's family mourns, police in Cary, North Carolina search for the killer. According to Nancy's husband, Bradley Cooper, his wife went for a jog last Saturday morning but never returned home.
Pictures of Nancy were posted as volunteers fanned out, looking for the 34-year-old. And Bradley had this message for them.
BRADLEY COOPER, NANCY COOPER'S HUSBAND: I just want to thank all of the hundreds of volunteers that have come out and are continuing to come out. If anyone knows anything, I just want them to contact the police with any information they may have. And again thank you to everyone who continues to come out and help out.
MATTINGLY: On Monday, however, everyone's worst fears came true -- a man walking his dog discovered the body of a woman at a construction site just outside the town. It was Nancy. Police said she was murdered, but would not reveal how.
CHIEF PAT BAZEMORE, CARY, NORTH CAROLINA POLICE DEPARTMENT: We are appalled and outraged by this terrible tragedy. And as the chief of this department, I promise each one of you that nothing would stand in our way of doing our best to ensure a swift and certain closure to this case.
MATTINGLY: Investigators say they have no suspects but speculation is swirling around Nancy's husband. Bradley admits he and his wife were having marital problems, but Nancy's sisters and father go one step further; accusing him of having an affair.
Authorities seized evidence from the couple's home and they also responded to reports that Bradley may have purchased bleach the day Nancy vanished.
BAZEMORE: We cannot confirm or deny whether he was at a store and whether he did purchase bleach or any kind of cleaning product the morning of her disappearance.
MATTINGLY: And now, another new development, citing Bradley was unstable and pose a threat to his children, a judge awarded temporary custody of the two children to Nancy's family.
Police again insist Bradley is not a person of interest. As the investigation moves forward, Khrista Lister shares the grief of losing her twin sister.
LISTER: I have a bond with Nancy that no one in the world has. All I have to do to remember her is to look in the mirror.
David Mattingly, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: So sad.
Still ahead, Scott Peterson making news all over again; the convicted killer is now writing a blog from his death row cell. How can he do that? What's he saying? The latest ahead.
Also, tonight the FDA makes a major announcement about tomatoes and your health.
Plus, political outcasts, what it's like to be a Democrat in one of the most conservative states in America. See for yourself in on iReport documentary, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: So you have the power to cover the presidential race. It's with the iReport Firm Festival. The concept's pretty simple. If you're involved in a campaign, volunteering or organizing, or just attending rallies even, get a camera, make a short documentary film. It's all about your experience and your own creativity.
For inspiration, here's a sample. A mini doc by 360 producer, Jack Greg (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JACK GREG, CNN PRODUCER: Democrats in Utah, one of the most Conservative states in the country? Who had ever heard of such a thing? But I was told, that yes, they do exist. And I convinced my bosses at CNN to let me go pay them a visit and get a glimpse into their political bizarre world.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're now in Republican country.
GREG: Enemy territory?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Enemy territory, yes indeed. Well, we're going to change it. This is the line that we're going to push past.
GREG: We're almost here. A Utahan Democrats' meeting. I'm in the wrong lane.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thanks for coming out.
GREG: Thanks for having me. Do any of you come from like really Republican or Conservative families?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As hard core as they get.
GREG: Really?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
GREG: So what do they think of you being a Democrat? Did they disown you?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Essentially, I'm the crazy liberal.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When I first came out as a Democrat, there was a lot of tension.
GREG: Are you surprised? Did you see it coming?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if we saw it coming. But she went to graduate school in New York City and came back a staunch Democrat.
GREG: I have got a confession to make. In 2000, I voted for Bush.
We're on our way to Provo, Utah, home of Brigham Young University, to meet some of the Brigham Young University College Democrats.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes, they go their own way. Sometimes people yell abortion at us and ask why we're Democrats and this, that and the other. I think if we were in San Francisco or somewhere like that, we'd just be preaching to the choir. So I think here is a lot more opportunity.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It seems like because I am pro-choice, I know a lot of people have a problem with that. They like go, "Will you have an abortion. Are you going to have abortion? Are you going to do this? And they put it in a personal context.
I'm not saying that is something I'm going to do. I'm not saying that at all. I'm saying there are people that need that option.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My younger brother is actually gay. So it's kind of a personal issue for me. I just really have trouble viewing him as a bad person. I don't think -- people are going to say that because you're gay, you're bad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think a lot of people put themselves in that category with their views. I think that's just ridiculous.
GREG: It's a wonderful merging of the two he has this faith that he holds strong to but it's not something that limits him to accepting other people.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I definitely feel on edge. You're always ready for a fight. And I know that sounds bad. But my wife's always telling me, you're a Democrat because you just like to argue. No I don't like to argue.
People just -- as soon as they find out I am a Democrat, that's what they like to do. And I'm not going to back down.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: A portion of Jack's film and you can see the rest on the iReport Film Festival site. Go to ac360.com, click on the link.
If you want to submit a film, you have until October 12th to enter.
The militant Islamic group Hamas has its own way of getting its point across on television, children's television. You're not going to believe this. Tonight's shot is coming up.
But first, Gary Tuchman joins us for the "360 News and Business Bulletin" -- Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDNT: Anderson, blogging from death row, remember Scott Peterson? He was sentenced to death three years ago for killing his wife, Laci who was eight months pregnant with their child. He's still on death row at California San Quentin prison now with his very own blog.
That's right. Prisoners there can't have their Internet access but a Canadian group that's against the death penalty has set up the blog for him, complete with family pictures and Scott's own opinions about why his conviction is wrong. Laci's family, as you might imagine, is outraged.
The government says it's okay to eat tomatoes again. The FDA lifted its salmonella warning amid signs the epidemic may be slowing. But officials say hot peppers like jalapenos and serranos should be avoided.
Regulators from six states mounted a surprise investigation today and inspection at Wachovia Securities headquarters in St. Louis. Officials say the move is part of a broad investigation into the company's questionable sales practices.
And Wall Street rallied for the second straight day on tumbling energy prices and better-than-expected company earnings reports. The Dow rose more than 1.5 percent from nearly 500 points over the past two session. The S&P and Nasdaq also gained ground and, Anderson, let's hope the momentum continues.
COOPER: Yes. Let's see. Gary thanks.
Now our "Beat 360" winners. Tonight's picture, Senator John McCain makes a campaign stop at a trucking company in Omaha, Nebraska. He's checking out a computer there.
Our staff winner tonight is actually me. My caption: "Is this the Internets I keep hearing the kids talk about?"
COOPER: Kind of weak.
Our viewer winner is Alicia from Raleigh, North Carolina. Her caption: "Why is everything Dubya, Dubya, Dubya? I'm the presumptive nominee; Bush is out."
TUCHMAN: Anderson, I need to tell you, Anderson. I talked to Erica Hill a short time ago, and Erica and I are both wondering. She's off tonight, but we're both wondering: you winning, is the fix in here? COOPER: The fix is not in. Just all the other entries were kind of weak.
TUCHMAN: I see.
COOPER: So mine was the least weak, although it was weak.
TUCHMAN: That explains it.
COOPER: You can check out all the entries we received in our blog, see how weak they were. Play along tomorrow by going to our new Web site, ac360.com.
"The Shot" is next. Gary, frankly unbelievable. The Hamas rabbit, the character they have on their kids program, is sentenced to have his hand chopped off for stealing. You simply will not believe this is what Hamas shows children.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for "The Shot." Once again, the Hamas children's show. On the latest episode, the Hamas TV bunny encouraged by Satan to steal some money. There is the bunny getting ready to steal the money.
The bunny is then caught, busted, and for punishment, the kids announced they're going to chop his hand off, because that's the punishment for stealing. That's Satan, by the way, convincing the bunny to steal.
The bunny pleads to save his hand, so the kids then suggest cutting off an ear. Here's -- I don't know if we have the actual -- this is where she's lecturing the bunny about that they're going to chop off the ear. And then the bunny protests, and then she says they're going to chop off the ear.
Anyway, it fades to black so we don't know if they actually decided to cut off the bunny's ear. I guess we have to wait for the next episode.
TUCHMAN: That's really disturbing television.
COOPER: Yes. Kids' TV.
TUCHMAN: You can also see all the most recent "Shots" on our new Web site, ac360.com. You can also see the other segments on the program, read the blog, check out the "Beat 360," all that stuff -- ac360.com.
That does it for this edition of "360." Thanks for watching.
Larry King starts right now.
I'll see you tomorrow night.
