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McCain Addresses American GI Forum Convention; Black Military Men Honored and Respected; Obama Stops off in France and Meets with President Sarkozy

Aired July 25, 2008 - 14:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Senator John McCain addressing the American GI Forum convention there in Denver, Colorado, and is targeting his audience, talking all about the Iraq war. Specifically, getting a round of applause from veterans like he is mingling with now when he talked about Walter Reed, the Army medical center and the scandal that took place there.
You'll remember the conditions that were revealed on how men and women were being treated there, the shoddy conditions, poor care. It ended up to pushing a lot of the administrative types out of Walter Reed Medical Center.

So, McCain talking about not only taking care of the men and women in the military now who are active, but also those who are no longer serving. And, of course, going into the surge controversy, laying out again how he says Barack Obama refuses to admit that the surge has worked. He, Senator John McCain, laying out his case for why it has worked -- the numbers, the successes, naming the areas, the regions that has been a very contentious battle between the two presidential candidates, is the war in Iraq and the issue of the surge, and when that war should end.

John McCain, once again, speaking to the American GI Forum convention in Denver. He's now on his way to sit down with the Dalai Lama -- quite a different switch there -- talking about war, moving into a discussion of peace with the Dalai Lama in Aspen, Colorado, leaving this forum now with the GI convention.

Now, you'll want to hear Wolf Blitzer' full interview with Senator John McCain. It's coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM" at the top of the 4:00 hour Eastern Time.

And destination Paris. Barack Obama stopped off in the French capital today, the second stop on the European leg of his overseas tour. And during his visit, the Democratic presidential candidate had to go face to face, meeting with the French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: And we talked about Iran, which we agree is an extraordinarily grave situation. President Sarkozy and I agree that the world must send a clear message to Iran to end its illicit nuclear program. A nuclear-armed Iran would pose a great threat to both our nations, it would endanger Israel and the rest of the region, and could embolden terrorists and spark a dangerous arms race in the Middle East.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And just a short time from now, Obama will add another city to his list, London. He's scheduled to meet with British leaders, including Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

And on Capitol Hill today, a review of the Bush White House. The House Judiciary Committee is holding hearings on alleged misconduct by the administration. The session was prompted by an article of impeachment introduced by Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ROBERT WEXLER (D), FLORIDA: The Bush White House has distorted executive privilege beyond recognition in order to hide White House wrongdoings. Faced with this litany of wrongful actions, I am convinced that the most appropriate response to this unprecedented behavior is to hold hearings for impeachment.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. LAMAR SMITH (R), TEXAS: Nothing is going to come out of this hearing with regard to impeachment of the president. I know it. The media knows it. And the speaker knows it.

The Democratic leadership has said time and again they have no intention of bringing any impeachment resolution for the president or the vice president to the House floor. Why is that? It's because they know it won't pass.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Democratic leaders stress that the hearing is not about forcing President Bush from office. Instead, they say it's about what they call an imperial Bush presidency.

And a planeload of passengers bound from Hong Kong to Australia got more than an in-flight movie today. They got a huge scare and an unscheduled layover in the Philippines.

Here's why.

A big hole ripped over from the cabin to the cargo hold on a Qantas Airlines 747 about an hour into the flight. Needless to say, the nearly 350 passengers were a bit shaken up.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OWEN TUDOR, PASSENGER: There was an almighty crack. And you could hear something happening. And then the oxygen masks fell down and we started dropping down, the ears popping, that sort of stuff.

MARINA SCAFFIDI, PASSENGER: My partner was upstairs. I thought maybe he's gone. I don't know. I had no idea.

STEVE PURVINAS, AUSTRALIAN AIRCRAFT ENGINEERS ASSN.: We just hope that Qantas and (INAUDIBLE) now will take the necessary steps to ensure that the rest of the Qantas planes are safe to fly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Nobody was hurt. Investigators are already looking into what happened.

And another air incident today. This one in New Delhi, India.

An emergency evacuation on the tarmac after a fire prompted pilots to abort takeoff. Down with those inflatable slides, and all 241 passengers got off the Airbus. The Airbus 330, rather. According to several sources, one or more birds were actually sucked into the engine. That's what caused the disturbance.

And ships are moving slowly again, but surely, on the Mississippi River at New Orleans. At last report, a handful of vessels had entered the Gulf of Mexico, but under special precautions. Authorities now say that up to 30 percent of the spill had been cleaned up since that collision early Wednesday of a barge and a tanker. Some 200 ships had been stranded.

And bringing troops together instead of keeping them apart -- the integration of the armed forces. A military milestone 60 years this week. We're going to talk about the anniversary with two of those directly affected.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, Dolly's done about all the damage it's going to do in south Texas. The one-time hurricane is sputtering out but leaving a mighty mess, flooding streets, fields, homes and businesses. A lot of them ripped to shreds, and thousands of people still in the dark.

Governor Perry has seen it for himself, too. The National Guard, Red Cross and FEMA all lending a hand right now.

In Epsom, New Hampshire, neighbors armed with chain saws are helping emergency crews clear away hundreds of trees snapped in two by fierce winds. It's been confirmed that a tornado hit nearby Deerfield, killing the woman who lived in this home. Her 3-month-old grandson was pulled from the rubble after rescuers heard his cries.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live in New York.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

2:30 Eastern time. Here are some of the stories we're working on right now.

A final federal verdict on the deadly collapse of the Crandall Canyon coal mine. A report faults the owners, their engineering firm and the federal inspectors who failed to catch errors in the mine's design.

An Air Force crew is under investigation for alleged mishandling of nuclear launch codes. Officials say that members of the missile crew napped while still in possession of outdated codes that had just been switched.

A possible fine looming against Imperial Sugar following 13 deaths in a massive plant explosion in Georgia. Errors were found at a second company plant after the deadly blast last winter near Savannah.

And talk about high demand, there's no bigger ticket item in China these days than tickets -- Olympic tickets. The final batch apparently went on sale today. Some people camped out for days to keep their place in line. Fights broke out after some line breaking and riot police had to even get involved. Tickets went on sale today for the diving, track and gymnastics events. Police estimate that 10,000 people or more awaited overnight at one Beijing ticket office.

The summer Olympics opens in Beijing two weeks. And despite emergency efforts to get a handle on air pollution, China is still struggling to clear the air.

Here's CNN's John Vause.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A thick, heavy grayish haze hung over Beijing's gleaming new airport Friday morning, visibility down to just a mile and a half. And with the opening ceremony now two weeks away, some arriving passengers were asking if maybe officials had done too little, too late to improve the city's air.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looks pretty -- pretty grim.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We -- in Europe, for instance, it too 20, 30 years to improve the situation. They can't do it in one year.

VAUSE: Almost a week ago, an emergency pollution plan took effect. Half of Beijing's cars off the roads, many factories closed and all construction sites shut down. Beijing's Environment Protection Agency has yet to respond to our request for comment, but official figures show there has been little improvement in air quality this week. A strong wind on Tuesday blew industrial pollution in from the south and with dead calm conditions since, has now settled in.

Here's CNN Bonnie Schneider.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: As we take a look at the satellite perspective of China, you'll find most of the heavy rain is to the south and to the west, while the area of the northeast China, where Beijing is located, is dry. Stormy weather, though, would be a good thing for the city.

As we focus in, you'll see the hazy, polluted conditions over the city right now. But if a strong cold front were to come through, it not only will pull down cooler and dryer air, but would also bring about rain. And that would help to clear the air.

Unfortunately, though, as we look ahead to the next few days, we just have sunshine in the forecast and no strong cold fronts coming through.

VAUSE (on camera): Never before has a city this big with this much pollution taken such drastic action to try and clear the air so quickly. And right now, apart from hoping for good wind and rain, it seems there is no Plan B.

(voice-over): But amid a festive atmosphere outside the Bird's Nest Stadium, where the twisted gray beams match the sky, the advice from locals, relax.

"It's called haze weather," she says. "It's a weather thing. It's not from car exhaust or air pollution. Look, it's about to rain, and then it will be clear."

In two weeks, we'll know if she's right.

John Vause, CNN, Beijing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Today marks a pretty special anniversary. When you're fighting a war, does it matter what color the soldier, aviator or marine serving with you is? Well up until 1948, it mattered a great deal.

Sixty years ago this week, President Harry Truman integrated the military, calling for equality of treatment and opportunity without regard to race, religion or country or of origin. However, before that executive order was signed, blacks in segregated units served with distinction.

Remember the Tuskegee Airmen? Perhaps among the best known, their heroics in World War II will never be forgotten.

And today, two heroic African-American soldiers, who served with distinction, are joining us to mark the integration anniversary. Retired Lieutenant General Colonel Russel Honore -- you remember him as that tough, no nonsense general who took over in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He joins us live from Chicago.

And Command Sergeant Major Marvin Hill -- the Bronze Star is just one of his many medals. He is currently serving in Iraq and joins us live from Baghdad.

Gentlemen, great to have you both. COMMAND SGT. MAJ. MARVIN HILL, MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE, IRAQ: Thank you.

LT. GEN. RUSSEL HONORE, U.S. ARMY (RET.): Thank you for having us.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

I know there is a little delay with Iraq, so General, I'm going to start with you. And I'm curious, as you were building you were way up the ranks, as a minority, what was the biggest challenge for you so far in your career?

HONORE: Well, the -- one was to become assimilated because all of my education has been in segregated schools. But the Army embraced me and the noncommissioned officers taught me. And the officers that led me -- that I could be anything I wanted to be and go as far in the Army as I wanted to because the Army was about fairness, it was about opportunity. And as a result of that, I retired in March, having served 37 years, three months and three days as a lieutenant general and as commander of the first United States Army.

PHILLIPS: And Sergeant Major, you're right there in Iraq. When you are fighting to save each other's lives, you've got to be color blind, you can't discriminate.

Tell me what the biggest challenge for you has been so far in your career.

HILL: Kyra, the biggest challenge for me in my career to this point, I guess starting off, was separating myself from the crowd that I hung out with in Memphis, Tennessee, and have joining the team, a band of brothers, in the United States Army and -- just giving way together and fighting for the same cause. Once I was able to grasp that concept, the sky was the limit as far as progressing through the ranks with this Army.

PHILLIPS: General, Sergeant Abe William Perry from the 92nd Infantry, the all-black Buffalo Division, he was speaking at the White House. He enlisted in the Army in 1942. His unit really distinguished itself in World War II in Italy. This is what he had to say at the White House.

Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SGT. ABE WILLIAM PERRY, 92ND INFANTRY BUFFALO DIVISION: Here I stand today in our Capitol's rotunda. And I look back and remember those days that went and those men who went before me. And some of them still alive and some buried in Italy. The only question I have, what took us so long, America, to live up to our creed?

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE) (END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: He got a standing ovation there actually at the Capitol's rotunda, not the White House. I apologize. And he said he only has one question: what took us so long, America, to live up to our creed?

General, what took so long?

HONORE: Well, you know, our Declaration of Independence guaranteed that all people were created equal. And it took up to 60 years ago for us to meet the potential of what this country had promised in the Declaration of Independence. And in 1775, we had men, not free men, slaves, fighting in that war of independence. And it took until 60 years ago for us to be integrated as a force.

Right now, we are faced with our World War II veterans, as you heard the gentleman just speaking, who saw a segregated Army, who fought in a segregated Army, and they're still alive today. We owe a great gratitude to them because of their efforts. They showed America, they showed the world, that regardless of what your color is, you will contribute, you're Americans. You will do what you can to defend this country. And because of that, it was the convincing blow that caused the President of the United States 60 years ago to sign something that should have been done in 1776.

PHILLIPS: And Sergeant Major, you can tell that the General is always so passionate about the subject matter. And you do, you look at the Tuskegee Airmen, you look at the 92nd infantry Buffalo division and you wonder what took so long on many levels.

For you, it's so obvious what you've accomplished; you're a strong leader. But what do you offer the military? What do you offer the men and women there also as a strong, black leader?

HILL: Kyra, I think what I offer is diversity. And diversity is the strength of our country and it's the strength of our military. And when you have diversity within your ranks, you have an opportunity to see things from different perspectives. So that perspective that I bring to the table, I think enhances our unit, enhances the unit's performance and makes our Army stronger.

PHILLIPS: Sergeant Major, I know that Russel Honore is a huge fan of yours and he wanted us to talk to you today.

Tell me what's been so amazing about the General as you have watched him, worked with him, worked under him. Why has he been such a good role model for you?

HILL: It's his passion. Regardless of the job that you give General Honore to do, he's passionate about it. Our job, when I was in First (ph) Army was to train Army Reserves and Army National Guards for the fight. And he was very passionate about that. He wouldn't take no for an answer. He wouldn't allow the soldiers that we were training to be professional victims. He fought for every piece of equipment. He fought for every -- everything that they needed for the fight, he went down fighting for it. So it was his passion and his care, a genuine care, for soldiers that attracted me to him and makes me extremely proud to have served with him.

PHILLIPS: And General Russel Honore, tell me why you are so fond and so proud of Sergeant Major.

HONORE: He is the best of the best. He went to Iraq, not by mistake, but because he was the best command sergeant major to go in the most difficult environment in the world. I saw him for two years with First Army. He had come out of the 101st. He was with me in Katrina on the streets dealing in a very complex situation. And when the call came out that a command sergeant major was needed in Iraq, to go work with General Petraeus, there was only one name that came to mind, and that's Command Sergeant Major 'Marvelous' Marvin Hill.

PHILLIPS: And I have seen Sergeant Major Marvin Hill in those pictures with General Petraeus. And I know he's a tremendous fan of yours as well. General Russel Honore, Sergeant Major Marvin Hill, I can't think of a more perfect time to talk to both of you. It was an honor and a pleasure. And I thank you so much for fighting for our country and being such incredible role models.

HONORE: God bless you.

HILL: Thank you for having us, and I'm proud to serve.

PHILLIPS: Thank you both.

HONORE: God bless you, Sergeant Major.

HILL: Hoo-ah (ph), sir.

PHILLIPS: I love it. I hope we got that hoo-ah. There we go. You've always got to have the hoo-ah and the over with General Russel Honore.

Thanks, guys.

All right. What does it mean to be black in America? You heard it right there, they're laying it out.

We also have a CNN special report chronicling the struggles and the successes of African-Americans in the United States, not just in the military. Thousands of viewers have watched the series and they are now weighing in.

Veronica De La Cruz is going to join us with your i-Report.

Also straight ahead, it's the alternative gas for your car and it's a lot cheaper. Plus, it's getting a push from some big names. Your energy fix straight in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: How can you pay less than $3 a gallon to power your car? Buy a car that uses natural gas. The problem? Where to fill it up.

CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow has your "Energy Fix" live right here from New York.

Hey, Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hey, Kyra.

Yes, hard thing to drive if you can't fill it up, right?

PHILLIPS: That's true.

HARLOW: Natural gas -- it's used to heat all of our homes, or a lot of homes at least. But did you know it can be used to power vehicles as well? I didn't. But around the world, more than eight million vehicles run on natural gas. Only, though, about 120,000 of them are here in the U.S., that's according to a group that promotes natural gas vehicles.

Honda sells a version of its own. It's the Civic GX. It runs on natural gas. A rep from Honda who brought one over for us to check out this week says he was able to fill it up for the gas equivalent of $2.70 a gallon. And believe it or not, this car has been on the market for 10 years, but Honda says they only sell about 1,000 of them a year, mostly in California. That is despite the fact that it is much better for the environment than a gas car because it's a low emission vehicle.

The drawbacks, though, namely only about 1,100 natural gas pumps nation-wide, and half of those are not even available for public use. Also, the Honda GX costs a bit more. It's about $8,000 more than the regular Civic, so it costs nearly $25,000. But, if you pick one up, you get a $4,000 federal tax credit, Kyra. So it costs a little more, but it's better for the environment and may be better when it comes to filling it up, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Well, not being able to fill up is obviously a big problem. So what's the (INAUDIBLE)?

HARLOW: Big, big names are getting behind this. Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens -- you've probably seen him on TV a lot lately and on Capitol Hill. He's pushing for the U.S. to switch to natural gas vehicles. He reportedly owns one of these Honda GX vehicles himself. Recently, also some lawmakers introducing a bill that would encourage gas stations to add natural gas pumps. And Honda is also selling, and this is so cool, I think, a natural gas pump designed to work right in our own garage.

What it does is it taps into the natural gas line for people that use natural gas to heat their homes. So the question is, is natural gas really the fuel of the future?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CHRIS NAUGHTON, NORTHEAST REGIONAL MGR., HONDA: It's unlikely that any specific engine type or fuel type in the near term will be the answer. I think this is one of many answers. And yet the beautiful thing about the Civic natural gas is that it's available now. It's the cleanest engine ever tested by the EPA. And it's something that's very real now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: Here we go.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARLOW: All right. As you can, I decided to try one out for myself. Almost hit that bus right there in Columbus Circle. But honestly, it drives just like a regular Civic. The issue is you can't drive as far on a tank, but it does cost less to fill up. Kyra, possibly an energy fix.

PHILLIPS: OK, now I can understand it's a little distracting to try to drive, think about the camera, tell a story. I totally get it.

HARLOW: The first time I forgot to buckle my seat belt so I said, we have to do that again so they don't see that on air.

PHILLIPS: All right. Poppy, thank you so much.

And as Poppy mentioned, go to money.com. You can find out more.

Well, nice day for a game, eh? Well, let's just go to the park. We'll watch the managers argue. That's fun. And hey wait -- maybe a little throwing things, a little jumping on each other. Looks a little more like brawl ball, doesn't it?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And a warning about some of your kid's favorite foods. We're talking about things like hot dogs, bologna. A new TV ad warns that even small amounts of processed meat can lead to colon cancer later in life. The ads produced by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a vegan-based activist group, by the way. The American Meat Institute calls the ad exploitive.

Well, one company's investment in the wellness of its workers is paying big dividends. Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a closer look in this morning's Fit Nation report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lincoln Industries looks like an old-fashioned, blue collar plant making motorcycle and truck parts. But at this Nebraska company, you're also going to find massages and stretching before every shift.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And shoulder rolls back.

GUPTA: All 565 employees also undergo mandatory quarterly medical check-ups. That's right. Mandatory.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hamstring stretch

GUPTA: Employees are tested for flexibility, blood pressure, weight, body fat and they're given annual blood tests. Workers receive ranks like platinum and gold, down to non-medal. They also set goals for themselves.

Seven years ago, shift leader Howard Tegtmeier, was in the non- medal category. The 49-year-old smoked, he drank, he was overweight. He took 12 pills a day to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

HOWARD TEGTMEIER, SHIFT LEADER, LINCOLN INDUSTRIES: And I just made the decision that it was time for me to change my life. And the wellness program showed me the ways to do that.

GUPTA: Tegtmeier says he no longer smokes or drinks. His weight is down from 230 to 180, thanks to diet and exercise. His cholesterol and blood pressure is also down. And he no longer needs any medication.

TONYA VYHLIDAL, WELLNESS DIRECTOR, LINCOLN INDUSTRIES: There's a way to engage everybody. Even those that are really resistant.

GUPTA: The company spends $400,000 a year on the wellness programs and says it saves more than five times that much.

HANK ORME, PRESIDENT, LINCOLN INDUSTRIES: So we'd like to have a return on investment like this in anything that we did. Because the return is extraordinary.

GUPTA: Health care costs here are under $400,000 per employee. That's about half the regional average. So, what's the pay-off for workers?

Well, if your in the fittest, platinum category, you get a company-paid trip to climb a 14-000 foot peak in Colorado.

TEGTMEIER: It's just a beautiful view up here. It's a great feeling to make it to the summit. And especially with the entire team.

GUPTA: To qualify for the climb, you have to be a non-smoker, maybe one reason the percentage of smokers at the company has been cut by more than half.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, "Black in America." A lot of you speaking out. And we're looking at the issue through your eyes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: CNN aired the second installment of "Black in America" last night. And since then our iReport web site has lit up.

Veronica de la Cruz joins us now with your thoughts online.

So, what are you seeing?

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, there has been a lot of reaction, a lot of iReports coming in. And you know, unfortunately, Kyra, a lot of the black men that we spoke to said that they watched the documentary and it left them feeling pretty sad.

We're going to show you an iReport from Sherman Crockett. He's one of those iReporters, he is one of those men. And he's a high school teacher in Athens, Georgia. We're looking at his photo, here. Here he is with his two daughters. And he thinks that the media always focuses on the negative stereotype of the black male and he felt that the special unfortunately, did the same.

Now, Vernard Wright agrees. He considers himself the average black man, what he would consider the average black man. And he doesn't think CNN told his story. He says most black men I know are good fathers, good people all around. But they would never make it on TV because they're just living their lives. So he felt like that was definitely missing from the documentary.

Also, Francesca Sampson-Nolan. She is just flat-out tired of talking about race. She comes from a mixed background. Her mother was the product of a French father, a Dominican mother. And get this Kyra, her father, a Creole mother and a black and Chinese father.

PHILLIPS: Oh my gosh.

DE LA CRUZ: Yes. So, quite a mix there. And she says, when people ask her what she is, instead of giving them a color, she gives them a history lesson.

PHILLIPS: That's great.

DE LA CRUZ: She says I feel if I chose one ethnicity, I'd be denying another. I embrace everything that I am and I suffer the injustices of all minorities. So that's Francesca Sampson-Nolan.

Of course, we've gotten a lot of iReports. They're all there on the web site and they continue to trickle in. And we want to remind people, if they too, would like to get involved in the discussion, log-on to iReport.com.

PHILLIPS: It's interesting, all the various reactions that we're getting. But that's good. I mean, it's stimulating conversations, stimulating debate. Getting people of all colors writing in.

DE LA CRUZ: All ethnicities, all backgrounds, they're all writing in. And of course you can log on to the web site and read some of the reaction and get involved in the discussion as well. Because it's a good one. PHILLIPS: Veronica de la Cruz, thanks so much.

Well, you can see for yourself what everyone is talking about. CNN presents an encore presentation of "Black in America," this weekend. Tomorrow night 8:00 and 10:00 Eastern.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.